Big Eleven Woes, or No?

[abpk2903]

So for how long does Penn State have to play these teams in order for it be classified by your gay little system as a rivalry. 30, 50, 300 years? Of course Penn State doesn't have the history with these teams as they may with each other but they have only been in the league less than 2 decades. This is a league that has been around for well over 100 years. Part of Penn State joining the Big Ten meant that they would have to leave behind rivalries of the past. For the amount of years PSU has been in the Big Ten, I think they have established the most of rivalries they could have.

There are only 4 games a year that can be played outside the Big Ten so why would Penn State always waste one of those playing mediocre Pitt? Its easy to rip PSU schedule this year but Pitt's is much worse. Unlike Pitt, Penn State has Alabama, Miami, and Virginia on the schedule for the near future. They are also working for series with VT and Big 12 teams. I don't want Penn State to play Pitt.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I agree in part that PSU has no real rival, but that's why they Rutgers. That's a natural rival for us bc of recruiting and bc of expansion.

I think you guys are overlooking a couple things, too. If penn state wins the b10 this year, they'll have won the conference 3 of the past 5 seasons. If they do get lucky enough to beat ohio state, they'll have beaten the league's top team 3 of the past 5 years. Wildcat, you may not hear it in your circle of friends, but ohio state fans are starting to hate penn state, and give logical and illogical reasons why ohio state is better. That's how rivalries start. You're telling me that if psu beats ohio state this season and the psu fans start beating their chests as the best program in the conference the past 5 years that osu won't take notice?

When penn state joined, it was hoped that they could establish a 3-team tier at the top with michigan and ohio state. I think, finally, that might be STARTING to POTENTIALLY come to fruition. Penn state fans hate michigan. If we start having yearly toss-ups with them (instead of 9 or 10 straight losses) a rivalry will start. Michigan and OSU didn't snap their fingers and decide they were bigtime rivals. It happens over time.

And with that being said, the iowa fans sure seem to think penn state's program completely sucks. I think we have a blossoming rivalry with iowa.

[Crimson09Crazy]

I agree conference rivalries take time to develop but once they do they can be competitive and passionate as the natural ones. For Pitt basketball, UConn and Pitt has turned into one of the bigger rivalries in the league. IT reminds me a lot of whats happening with OSU and PSU in Big Ten football....if the top teams in the league are always playing when both are ranked in the top 10 it cant help but turn into a rivalry.

What i dont like is when rivalries are forced upon people. PSU and MSU decided to make one and i guess I cant really say much cause we now play for the "River City Trophy" against Cincinnati. These ones arent really the same.

[vman]

S

There are only 4 games a year that can be played outside the Big Ten so why would Penn State always waste one of those playing mediocre Pitt? Its easy to rip PSU schedule this year but Pitt's is much worse. series with VT and Big 12 teams. I don't want Penn State to play Pitt.

There must be something in the water up there or you or maybe in the shakes @ the Creamery...swear I saw Joepa there recently:

But on to this: "Its easy to rip PSU schedule this year but Pitt's is much worse. Pitt plays Buffalo, Navy , NC St & Notre Dame.......UPS plays Akron, Syracuse, Temple & E Illinois...I can't believe you guys even argue this :!:

[The Ancient Enemy]

You only play 7 conference games. You NEED a Notre Dame or NC State. Penn State doesn't.

And isn't it a little weird that the BE teams are all looking to fill that "8th conference-team void" with a moderately credible opponent? Does that mean you acknowledge that the BE sucks?

[El-Moldo]

You can tell two teams are rivals, when each team's fans wear T-shirts making fun of the other team.

[abpk2903]

You will play 1 ranked team. The entire Big East sucks horribly. NC State is horrible.

[Head Roadie]

"There are only 4 games a year that can be played outside the Big Ten so why would Penn State always waste one of those playing mediocre Pitt?" And why does Penn State waste them playing Temple or Syracuse? Why does Iowa play Iowa State, Illinois play Missouri? Rivalries.

Want some more....Clemson vs South Carolina, Georgia vs Georgia Tech, LSU vs Tulane. These are non-conference rivalries that are maintained and played yearly, not dropped like the Pitt-PSU intrastate rivalry was.

Someone said why would PSU want to waste a home game at Heinz? Why did they waste one at the Carrier Dome last year? Why wasn't Syracuse asked for a 2 to 1? Syracuse has attendance issues themselves, been there.

I just don't understand some people's logic as to why the PSU-Pitt rivalry shouldn't be played. Granted it's been years and memories have faded and the younger generation doesn't remember the passion. Actually PSU and WVU had a nice rivalry too and you'll never see them play again for the same reasons. The JoPa grudge. We just focus on the Pitt part of that grudge when it's actually pointed at two schools.

Oh well, the Land Grant Trophy is one heckuva rivalry.

[WPIAL~Titan]

AMEN, HR!!!! Now, if you could only get a few of your proteges to understand...

While you're at it, try to get them to see the light on JOKEpa's legacy, which ting books talking about "THE GRAND EXPERIMENT" and professing not to leave college football to the "Sherrills and Switzers of the world", then acting EXACTLY LIKE his perception of "Sherrill and Switzer", all while leading a program which is the ANTITHESIS of his facetious and fraudulent "GRAND EXPERIMENT."

[Former Wildcat]

I think TAE has a good point about Penn State becoming the number 2 in the Big 10. I do think there is a difference between a rivalry and a big game. The PSU-OSU game is a big one because PSU has been competitive the past few years. If PSU sinks into mediocrity again, it will cease to be a big game. Even with Michigan down last year, the OSU-Mich game was still a big one to both programs. I agree that OSU fans are starting to hate PSU and I am one that gives logical (and possibly illogical) reasons why OSU is better. However, you don't see F--- Penn State shirts on sale outside of the 'Shoe in September. That is the fundamental difference between OSU-Mich and any game on the PSU schedule. There is no one game on PSU's schedule that takes that kind of importance every year.

I also have to remind everyone that the Big 10 title last year was SHARED. If MSU had beaten PSU, they would have SHARED the title with the Buckeyes. I didn't write the rules, but that is how it is.