I wrote this last night during the Barnstormers’ game and then got occupied writing alternate ledes to that 10-9, six-error, 217-minute mess of a game. Random observations while getting ready for the Barnstormers game with Newark at the Clip…
ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” is reportedly planning a look at some of the off-field issues with Penn State’s football program tomorrow (9:30 a.m., and noon on ESPN News). Based on the quotes here, JoePa thinks - here’s a stunner - we’re all making too much of this. See in particular the following quote: “They’re very aggressive kids or they wouldn’t be guys who can compete in front of 110,000 people.”
That’s right, you gotta be a savage to play football. It really is a Grand Experiment, isn’t it?
Ye Gods…
Actually, I hear the OTL piece is going to portray the program as if it used to be pristine, but got out of hand when Joe started losing, and thus allowed his assistants, in desperation, to recruit the “wrong kind,” of player.
That’s largely nonsense, I believe. The difference between then and now - and Joe has acknowledged this - is that then he essentially had the State College police in his pocket. So when a player got in trouble, the cops would grab him, call Joe and then bring the kid to Joe’s house, where Joe and Sue would take care of it. Doesn’t mean the kid wasn’t punished, but there was no formal arrest, no police report, and thus, of course, no public knowledge.
Now, Joe rails against the modern realities, knee-jerk defends his kids against the media and the suits and appears to be soft on crime. Maybe he is.
But name a recent Lion whom anyone could consider not “Penn State material”…. Chris Bell? Kicked out of school. For what it’s worth…
Remember when the Phillies had a lefty reliever named Aaron Fultz? Remember when they got rid of Fultz even though all he did (mostly) was get people out?
The weirdness continues. Despite a 2.92 ERA last year for the Cleveland Indians, and a 1.59 ERA this year in AAA, he’s now in the freakin’ Atlantic League, with Sparky Lyle’s Somerset Patriots. At least Lyle knows a reliever when he sees one. Not saying Fultz is a great pitcher, but considering some of the stiffs stealing money in big league bullpens, you’d think little things like below-average career ERAs would count for something.
I don’t get it….
Meanwhile, a guy who was a Somerset Patriot this year, Brandon Knight, started on the mound tonight for the New York Mets. He’s leading the Cardinals 5-4 in the fifth as this is written.
Not sure why people ever considered it so unthinkable that the Eagles would keep Lito Shephard, but, well, it’s pretty thinkable now, isn’t it?
