November 12, 2010

Blue & White Roundtable: the Buckeye edition

This week's edition of the Blue & White roundtable was hosted by none other than yours truly. Apparently when I ask the questions people stand up and take notice because we have quite the participation this week. Ok, it probably has more to do with a marquee game than my street cred. Anyhoo, there were some great responses this week, I'll summarize some of the better answers but you should really click on the links below and read them in their entirety.

William World News
Nittany White Out
Penn State Clips
Joe Pa's Doghouse

Linebacker-U: So let's just get this out of the way: who should start; Bolden or McGloin and why?

Amazingly the roundtablers (is that a word? No, well it is now) pretty much agree that McGloin is the man and should start. That's a bit surprising to me but completely understandable. The only person suggesting otherwise was J Schnauzer from Joe's Doghouse who suggested that it doesn't matter who starts the running game's key. Devon from NWO has an interesting perspective:

I'm well aware that this is going to sound weird, but I think that McGloin should start even though Bolden probably gives us the better chance to win. The team's rallied around the former walk-on, and pulling him out of the starting job wouldn't resonate well. But if he struggles–like Bolden did last week–you need to give Bolden the chance.
Trader Kevin over at Penn State clips is using the throwaway QB idea:

If someone is going to get killed, it might as well be the kid who's NOT the future of the program. We'll go with McGloin.
Rowlff Dogg over at Joe's Doghouse is a man after my heart and pretty much sums up my feelings:

The Irish Potato Cannon* should start. I fully expect our OL to get manhandled AGAIN. I fully expect our coaches to try to win a 13-10 game AGAIN. So, with those factors working against McGloin, I'm anxious to see what he can do.
This QB controversy has my head hurting, ok maybe it was the long island iced teas last night. No I'm going with the QB controversy.

Linebacker-U: The Penn State defense has faced running quarterbacks the past two weeks, does that help them get ready for Pryor? In other words can they contain Pryor?

This was a loaded question of sorts, I don't think there are too many Penn State fans that think we are going to shut down Ohio State's offense.

J Schnauzer of JPDH:

Contain him? Well, PSU didn't exactly contain Robinson or Persa, so what makes you think we can contain Pryor? If this game is won, it won't be by holding Pryor to low yardage numbers--PSU will need to score some points.
William over at WWN gives us the main idea:

I think their best bet is to try and make Pryor beat them with his arm. He's capable of it I'm afraid, but it is by no means a foregone conclusion.
While Kevin over at Penn State clips gives us an actual scenario:

We hear Scrap is game-planning Khairi Fortt at stand-up D-End and as the Fritz linebacker (Navorro Bowman's old position) in the 4-2-5 alignment in an effort to contain Pryor.
Whatever happens, we all know Pryor will get his offense going, can Penn State keep up?

Linebacker-U: Ohio State isn't unbeatable, Wisconsin proved that when they pounded OSU 31-18. Whether you believe it or not convince me that Penn State will win and back it up with something tangible (Alien abduction does not count).

There wasn't a great deal of confidence from anyone but there were some good ideas as William points out:

Joe Paterno has in the past been too content to play it close and hope for a lucky break. I say, go for broke and make peace with the fact that a loss, whether by 4 points or 22 points is a loss either way.
Amen. Devon is playing the numbers game:

Ohio State has had mixed–at best–success coming off bye games, and the script to Penn State's season could easily be flipped this Saturday. Penn State's riding a tremendous wave of momentum after the past two games–especially the second half last week–and if they come out aggressive have a good shot to surprise the sluggish Buckeyes.
While Kevin is praying for one specific injury:

Our only hope might be Joe Bauserman. If Terrelle Pryor gets hurt early and the Buckeyes have to turn to a walk-on who last started a football game in 1993 (we're not making this up), we might have a chance.
and Rowlff Dogg must have been taking a doggie-nap:

At halftime, Brad Caldwell trips over a misplaced helmet and breaks a leg. Ollie Ogbu is angry at the accident and gives a passionate "Win one for the Spider" speech. McGloin channels his inner Mills and goes all 2001 on a completely off guard Buckeye defense. Pryor tries to do it all by himself and presses too much. Mistakes kill drive after drive. When it's all said and done, the scoreboard reads: PSU 31 O$U 20. Then I wake up.
Linebacker-U: Last week we had a question about obnoxious Michigan fans, let's keep this rolling; what is your worst experience with a Buckeye fan?

Amazingly there weren't too many horror stories, unlike some of the one's I'm aware of, The Underdogs from JPDH sums it up well:

Most OSU fans I've come across are pretty harmless, like gorillas at the zoo. They may occasionally fling poo at you, but they mostly just grunt and play with themselves. Or they taze each other's nuts.

Luckily I wasn't disappointed, I knew someone… SOMEone would have to point to this picture and Devon didn't disappoint.

Quick Hits

Linebacker-U: Number of times 400 wins is mentioned during ESPN Gameday?

This would have been a nice neat average of somewhere around 8 if The Underdogs from JPDH didn't have to get all ironic on us and go with 400.

Bonus points Rowlff Dogg:

The number 400 will be mentioned 3 times. But they'll all be in reference to Terrelle Pryor's SAT score.
Linebacker-U: Number of times Heisman is mentioned in the same sentence as Terrelle Pryor.

Pretty much everyone thinks this is no longer an issue with most saying one. The Underdogs nails the buckeye on the head:

hopefully only once when they say "one time heisman hopeful..."
Linebacker-U: Who wins in a cage fight: Matt McGloin or Kirk Herbstreit?

Rowlff Dogg from JPDH knows his Pennsylvania geography well:

I never bet against a Scranton kid in a cage fight.
While blog partner J Schnauzer has it partially right:

Who wins? America.
True, but only if McGloin wins which Devon is sure of:

McGloin would stab Herbstreit in the back with a broken whiskey bottle before the bell rings.
I'd pay good coin to see that.

Thanks for all the participants it's been a fun week to do this thing.


*+5 bonus for the moniker – I love potatoes and things that go boom

2 comments:

  1. While Kevin is praying for one specific injury...

    Please note that I'm not PRAYING for an injury to Pryor, I was just trying to envision a scenario by which we had a chance.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Penn State Clips - I know, hyperbole is just one of the many literary devices I employ.

    ReplyDelete

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