The GRAHAM-COOPER Cup Chronicles

Ricki ... I love you and I always have ... I never doubted you for a second ... don't believe those stories you hear about me nearly giving up on the season and running from the game broadcast when it appeared that we were a play away from being down by three touchdowns. 

My second retraction is aimed at the Penn State student section ...

Throughout the season I have been repeatedly disappointed by the self-described "Best Student Section in the country".  I am not referring to the snowballs directed at JoePa or the Nittany Lion mascot nor how quiet the section became during the loss to IOWA.  Rather, I have been shocked by the student body's inability to occupy their seats until darn near halftime.  Don't get me wrong ... I enjoy an adult beverage or three as much as the next guy.  But if you can't shake off Friday's nights debauchery in time to make a noon kick-off ... perhaps you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

Sadly I did not appreciate college football [to the extent that I do now] while I was a student at IOWA.  I never had student tickets and did not attend as many games as I should have. 

To the PSU student ticket holders I wanted to say "wake up and take advantage".  Years from now you will be talking with your grandkids [or perhaps even sooner with a prospective employer] and upon learning that you attended Penn State during the Paterno-era they will want to hear all about your experiences.  Are you going to tell them that you were unable to hoist your worthless butt out of bed before noon or attend games in less than perfect weather?  Shame on you.

I have decided NOT to say those things.  I have decided NOT to judge the entire student body based on the poor actions of what on many weeks appears to be the majority.  Rather I choose to commend the whole for the actions of the minority ... for the select few who comprise the proud community that is Paternoville.

Bless you crazy kids and all that you do to contribute to the glory of college football.

A.  Herky
B.  4
C.  Awesome
D.  Pumpkin

• Of course the correct answer is [B] 4. 
  
• Florida is number one in the BCS standings and IOWA is 4.

Speaking of rankings ... Wisconsin "moved up" in the USA Today poll.  By NOT playing, they were able to garner an additional 23 votes ... not too shabby.  Unfortunately, the Badgers do not have the luxury of another bye week.  Instead, the Boilermakers are charging into Madison with the goal of extending their winning streak.  It hardly seems fair ... two weeks ago Purdue was beating Ohio State while Wisconsin was losing to IOWA.  Bragging rights are up for grabs here people.  This is what The Cup is all about! 

There is one more G-CC battle on tap for Saturday ... Indiana @ IOWA.  After suffering a one-point loss in Evanston, the Hoosiers' road trip seems bound for additional punishment as the team heads toward Iowa City.  The Hawkeyes will need some players to step up in the absence of their brothers who were bruised in the thrilling victory at Michigan State.  We've got cracked ribs, sprained ankles and worse.  On the plus side we have two home games before heading to Columbus ... not that I am looking past Indiana or Northwestern.  Perhaps I am kinda looking around them but can you blame me?  I mean ... did you see that amazing finish?  1:37 left, Ricki picks up the team and shoulders the load all the way to pay dirt!  Hold on ... I need to wipe these tears of joy and pride from my eyes. 

an interesting sociological note: College football fans are more likely to recognize the greatness of your team ... when it is not being demonstrated through a defeat of their team.  All of a sudden I have Penn Staters jumping on the IOWA bandwagon.

As four of the G-CC schools are battling each other, Penn State is shut out of the reindeer games [too soon?].  The Lions continue their tour of the upper-midwest with a stop on the banks of Lake Michigan for a game with Northwestern.  It is not likely that Paterno or Clark will be dazed by the bright lights of Ryan Field and PSU's biggest road adversary [the weather] should not be a factor.  All indications point to another victory for Penn State ... next week ... Ohio State.     

 

GREATEST ENDING EVER

I will keep it short and sweet this week folks. 

Please refer to the entry from last week for my excuses.  They are all still applicable ... except for the snow one.  Just mix up the order to keep it fresh.  Actually now that I think about it ... the frequency of web-cam portraits from our favorite travelling bier-o-phile have dropped off significantly.

IOWA @ Wisconsin   [Noon on ESPN]

This is a crucial game for IOWA.  If the Hawkeyes are to win the Big10 they need to get by the Badgers and the Buckeyes.  Tomorrow Kirk and the boys visit the former ... a week after they suffered a loss to the latter ... got it?  An ACL injury has ended the season of star-in-the-making Paul Chaney Jr.  The sure-handed receiver has proved especially valuable to the Hawkeyes on kick returns.  Betttendorf Bulldog Colin Sandeman has been tapped to fill Chaney's shoes.  Chaney also excels at catching short passes and running for extra yardage.  Thankfully the tight-end corp. is back at full strength ... Moeaki [not a typo ... there are that many vowels in his name] and Reisner make nice big targets for Stanzi.  Speaking of the highlight-making QB ... it is likely that he will make at least one "questionable" decision.  It is nice to know  that Sash, Clayborn and the rest of the defense can compensate for Ricky's ... shall we say ... mis-placed enthusiasm.  Love ya Jules but here's hoping for an unhappy homecoming at Camp Randall.  GO HAWKS! 

Minnesota @ Penn State  [3:30 on ABC/ESPN]

When the Golden Gopher sold his soul to TCF Bank for a shiny new stadium it was understood that Minnesota would be playing more games in the snow.  I don't think too many people outside of central command at AccuWeather thought those games would begin in October ... in Happy Valley.  Minnesota won their homecoming game last week, beating Purdue 35-20.  This week it is Penn State's turn to win.  Not that it really matters after that loss to IOWA.  Do you remember that?  What a game!

 

Illinois @ Indiana    [7pm on the Big10 Network]

Well look at that ... another Homecoming game.  After beginning the season with a startling set of three consecutive wins, Indiana succumbed to symmetry and lost the subsequent trio of games.  Tomorrow, in Bloomington, the Hoosiers hope to shift the balance toward the win column.  It is difficult to speculate the likelihood of such an occurrence.  My guess is that Illinois is better that their record [1-4] suggests.  The Fighting Illini have a strange schedule this year.  The fact that they have only played two non-conference games explains how they have managed to fit in a bye week [I did not know those still existed] and lose to three Big10 opponents [OSU, PSU & MSU].  Their season ends just as strangely, with the remaining two non-conference games, the second one being played in December ... at home!

Ohio State @ Purdue   [Noon on the Big10 Network]

The Boilermakers are looking for their first win since opening the season with a victory against Toledo.  Don't laugh ... that's rude.  I think we can all agree that it would be nice to see Brutus, Tressel and the rest of the Columbus faithful get a mouthful of Pete's hammer.  And if that does not happen ... Purdue can at least hold out hope for a book-end win against Indiana.  

My blog-master negligence knows no bounds.  The latest round of rationale for shirking my duties follows ...

so busy  ... We are getting into the peak of baby-fever season.  Childbirth classes have kicked off, last night was the hospital tour and next week we throw infant CPR and baby-care into the mix.  Pretty soon I will have to think about child-proofing our home ... no more loaded shotgun behind the front door.  Along these lines ...  you friends and family should be stepping up your game too.  The big day is nearly upon us.  You might want to practice vocalizing the following phrases in front of a mirror ...

• you lucky duck ... you got your mother's looks
• enjoy that hair while you have it kid
• sure .. I would love to change that diaper
• here you go ... that's ten grand for a college fund
  

the snow ... Yeah that's right.  October 15 ... several inches.  What makes it really fun is the fact that most of the leaves are still on the trees.  As such they are loading up with snow, pulling trees down and snapping them in half.  I am not just talking wispy pines and spindly elms ... we have severely bowed oaks here folks!  My drive to work looked like one of those Volvo commercials with obstacles all over the road.  But please ... do not worry for me in this time of tough weather.   Think of the chickens ... won't somebody please think of the chickens?!

e-noise ...  My globe-trotting scholar of a younger brother is currently in Germany.  Knowing him as I do I feel confident that he is giving the Spitzer folks their money's worth.  Though he still manages to make the time to bombard me with laptop-cam portraits of himself and his German bier-du-jour.  Don't even get me started on the great balloon caper that he attempted to suck me into.