Carroll H. Cook (’54 Pitt) chatted about Penn State’s battle with Ohio State thsi weekend. Actually, he mostly chatted about how much he dislikes their schedules.
SportsNation Beano Cook: (3:02 PM ET ) Good afternoon, we now have 6 weeks to go and we will then know who will be in the BCS. My first pick was LSU against Penn State. With Penn State out I now pick Oklahoma. LSU still wins. I won last week with my pick. I am now at 3-5. Three in a row!
Had to remind us, didn’t you Beano?
Bryan (College Park): What game are you most looking forward to this weekend?
SportsNation Beano Cook: (3:03 PM ET ) Well I would say Ohio State at Penn State more than any other game because I am from Pittsburgh!
Wow, what trenchant insight from a true college football historian.
Lou (Bethesda, MD): Beano, you rail against the Big Ten schedules each week, but never propose a solution for it. So, with no bye weeks and no games after Thanksgiving, how do you propose the teams find non-“disgraceful” games to play.
SportsNation Beano Cook: (3:23 PM ET ) I think it is crazy that they do not play after Thanksgiving. Ohio State used to do it. I was there, I saw it. The Big Ten should play non-conference games, and the season should not end until the first week of December, unless November has 5 weekends of football.
This leads to a clarification:
Pete (Chicago) : The Big Ten doesn’t play after Thanksgiving because Michigan and Ohio State insist that there cannot be any Big ten games played after theirs.
SportsNation Beano Cook: I never heard that. I am not saying it is not true, but I have never heard that. But I do not think they have that kind of power.
It probably is true.
Brian (madison): Beano, I disagree with your comment that big ten teams are reluctant to play tough non-conference games. Didn’t Ohio State play highly ranked Texas the last two years? OSU plays USC in ’08 and ’09.
SportsNation Beano Cook: (3:49 PM ET ) Thats is one game out of four. This year, they played Washington. Look at the other three non-conference games they played this year. I balme the philosophy of the university, and Penn State is the same way. Now I do not expect the same tough schedules out of Indiana, but I do expect at least two tough non-conference games out of Penn State and Ohio State.
Ah taking a shot at Penn State’s schedule again. What is that, 8 weeks in a row. Have anything to say about the game Beano? No?
He does redeem himself a little:
Chad (Savannah, GA): Actually Beano Grambling St. has thte best band in the country. Ohio St. has the best band tradition in the country with thte dotting of the i.
SportsNation Beano Cook: You are probably right. Grambling is very good.
SportsNation Beano Cook: I also like the bands in the Ivy league!
SportsNation Beano Cook: The Yale band is always a treat to see, disorganized, but still very entertaining!
Yes, the Yale Precision Marching Band does put on quite a show. The last time I saw them perform, they burnt a Harvard flag. Now THAT is a rivalry.