Back after a week off and plenty to talk about. Once more to the bullet points:
-The Patriots beat the Colts 24-20 after trailing much of the game, but the game gave me hope; the Pats’ offense showed they are a bit vulnerable when Tom Brady is pressured, and the Colts moved the ball well much of the game.
The Colts also without 2 of their top 3 wideouts. If there’s a January rematch, and if both teams are healthy, I expect another great game…hopefully, with the Colts coming out on top.
-The national media is starting to catch on to the year Ben Roethlisberger is having. By my reckoning, he’s got to be in the top-3 of the MVP discussion, along with Brady and the ageless wonder, Brett Favre.
Big Ben has thrown 21 TD’s and only 7 picks, and has proven that last year’s struggles were the exception, not the rule. Here’s a stat for you: Leaving last year aside, when he was clearly rushed back from the bike injuries and an appendectomy, Ben’s record as the starter is 34-6 with the Steelers.
-I haven’t discussed much hockey here, but that will change as football winds down.
I am an avid fan of the sport, I try to watch every Penguins game. If you love watching greatness in action, make it a point to sit down and watch Sidney Crosby work his magic. His skills and tenacity are unrivaled in the sport and his speed and vision will grab your attention. His Russian teammate, Evgeni Malkin, isn’t quite as tenacious but also is blessed with unbelievable talent.
The rest of the team is still a bit of a work in progress (I’ll analyze the team more as the year goes on, and maybe throw in a few hockey basics for newbies) but Crosby and Malkin alone make the Pens worth watching.
-I’ve been a Joe Paterno supporter since I went to my first PSU game in 1986, a 17-15 win over Maryland on the way to Penn State’s second national championship. He’s a living legend, an icon..no coach is as synonymous with a school is JoePa is with PSU. Having said that, it’s time for Joe to step down, and the hope here is that he will be replaced with someone young and new to the school, not one of his longtime assistants.
The program has gotten a tad stale, and much like the Steelers, the team needs an infusion of youth and energy at the top.
Another welcome change would be a more aggressive schedule. Notre Dame was the only non-conference opponent on the schedule with any chance of giving PSU a fight. Temple? Buffalo? Florida International???? How does playing these schools help the team improve? Schedule one or two glorified scrimmages if you must, Penn State, but make some effort to play two quality schools out-of-conference.
Next week’s article will be a bit deeper. I’m planning to write about sports’ place in today’s society, and some of the problems sports can create, as well as the benefits.
If you have any specific thoughts on this topic, I would appreciate your input and I’ll try to incorporate it into the column.
Dave Glass lives in Clearfield with his wife, Suzanne, and their six children. He can be reached at buggyracer@verizon.net.