Friday, November 30, 2007
It's Muddy Night Football in Pittsburgh
By Jess Carlson
staff writer
jlcsolB(dpsu.edu
ESPN's Monday Night Football with the
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Miami Dolphins quickly
turned into a dirty mess after 1.5 inches of rain fell
onto Heinz Field in a short period of time prior to
kick-off. It was one of the sloppiest games in NFL
history. After 59 scoreless minutes of football, the
Steelers slipped by the winless Dolphins 3-0 and
extended their undefeated
Want to know where the money came from to
build both Heinz Field and PNC Park? The answer:
taxpayers. If you are
from Allegheny County,
a county in the south
hills of Pittsburgh, you
game. know that taxes are
high. As a result, you
Since the game's end,
get two brand new
there has been a constant
beautiful stadiums that
buzz of criticism about the
have gotten a lot of use
poor field conditions and
thus far. People deserve
how it could have been pre to see high school and
vented. The NFL, amongst
college games being
other people, world like
played on the field as
Pittsburgh to consider other
well as professional
surface alternatives such as
games. Would you
"FieldTurf'. Many of the
rather pay a lot of
players think otherwise. "I
money towards some
need the grass. I like the
mud. I like the sloppiness," CONTRIBUTED PHOTO thing that eliminates a
cornerback Ike Taylor said. There was no difference between this field and Heinz home field advantage,
"I'm used to it, Mr. Rooney, _ Field on Monday, Nov. 26 cause more injury and
can we please keep the
grass? I don't want no Field Turf. It's had on your
knees."
record at home this season,
when kicker Jeff Reed put
away a 24-yard field goal
with 17 seconds left in the
A lot of people are pointing fingers at the four
high school playoff games that were played on the
field Friday night, saying that high school teams
have no right to be playing on a professional field.
Hold the phone there! Whether the high school
teams played on the field Friday or not has no bear
ing on the field conditions. Whether they would
had to re-sod the field or not, the rain still would
have left the field a swampy mess. The conditions
of the regular surface have been far from NFL satis
factory since the stadium opened in 2001. On top of
that, when was the last time it poured that much rain
this late into November? It's been awhile. Usually
by now it's snowing.
Another argument is that the University of
Pittsburgh should not be playing on the ,ame field
Intrarnural.Deadliner - Update - -----
5v5 Basketball
Deadline is Dec. 14 at 4 p.m.
If interested contact Rob Wittman @ rww3@psu.edu.
Email asm.soo6@psu.edu or mbw.so2B@psu.echt
the Behrend Beacon Staff.
51@I
ittsburgh vs. Cincinnati
rizona vs. Cleveland
uffalo vs. Washington
ennessee vs. Houston
hiladelphia vs. Seattle
ndianapolis vs. Jacksonville
innesota vs. Detroit
hicago vs. New York Giants
ampa Bay vs. New Orleans
ie-Breaker
ew England Baltimore
CAA
issouri vs. Oklahoma
SU vs. Tennessee
' est Virginia vs. Pittsburgh
irginia Tech vs. Boston College
CLA vs. USC
otals:
Beat The Beacon Experts
Andy
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Washington
Houston
Seattle
Jacksonville
Minnesota
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West Virginia
Virginia Tech
as the Steelers. To a point, I agree, but only because
I feel that Pitt deserves (aside from their losing
record) a field of their own to play on, but again the
fact that Pitt played on the same field as the Steelers
two nights before the flood had no bearing on how
the field was on Monday. Let me reiterate, the rain
was the ultimate cause of the mud bath, not the five
games that were played that weekend before the
Steelers.
only gets used approxi
mately ten times a year or would you rather see
around double that number of games played by dif
ferent teams at different levels, putting the field to
use? If the field gets torn up, so be it, it's football.
"Everybody wants to see the field looking pretty,"
Hines Ward said. "But that [grass] gives us a home
field advantage. You've got to learn how to play on
it. For us, there's a lot more injuries on turf." Both
Troy Polamalu and Santonio Holmes did not play
Monday because of injuries they received from
playing on turf the week before against the New
York Jets.
Think about it; the Steelers have played nine
home games including preseason this year and up
until this point have the field conditions been such a
big issue. This was a one-time occurrence and yet
it still ended, as it should have, with a Steelers vic
tory. No matter the score, a win is a win.
Chris
Pittsburgh
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OFT
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This Weekend's Schedttle
,
Behrend Swimming: @ Fredonia Blue Devil Invitational, 6 p.m.
Behrend Hockey: vs: Case Western Reserve, 9:35 p.m.
MescYlog4 IceqUeria
ASOturday t Os X •
Behrend Swimming: @ Fredonia Blue Devil Invitational, 10 a.m.
Behrend W. Basketball: vs. Frostburg State, 2 p.m. Jutdcer Center
L .
Bebrend M. Basketball:Ars. Frostburg State, 4p.m. baker Center
SundAy, Pee. 2
Behrend - Swimming: @ Fredonia Blue Devil hlvitational, 10 a.m.
Behrend Hockey: vs. Edinboro, 6:35 p.m. Igloo Ice Arena
Behrend Hockey Upsets Pitt-Johnstown
By Ryan P. Gallagher
student life editor
rpgsoo6@psu.edu
Before the Behrend hockey team could go home
for Thanksgiving break, they had to play a tough
Pitt-Johnstown team. It was obvious that
Behrend's minds were on hockey and not turkey.
with an 11-2 victory over the Ice Cats of UPJ.
Junior Brian Hammel scored a hat trick in the
victory. This was Hammel's fourth hat trick of the
year, which led him to be currently tied in leading
the team is goals with 22 on the season. Senior
Brysten Jones had his best game of the year, scor
ing two goals and three assists. Senior DJ Craven
had another impressive game, scoring two goals
and recording two assists.
Senior Dan Thiessen and sophomore Chris
Simanic each had a goat and two 'assists. The
Craven-Simanic-Thiessen line has been one of the
most impressive lines in the College Hockey East.
scoring in all but one game this season. Currently,
Simanic leads the CHE in points, while Craven is
third and Thiessen is fourth.
Freshman Josh Horvath had a goal and two
assists and senior Andrew McLachlan also added a
goal. Freshman Eric Thiessen had 26 saves in a
winning effort. Behrend out-shot UPJ 38-28.
Behrend improved to 11-2-1 overall and 6-1 in the
CHE, while UPJ fell to 11-4, 1-1 in the CHE. With
big wins over UPJ, Penn State Altoona, and Robert
Morris, Behrend stayed ranked fifth nationally in
the Atlantic region of the American Collegiate
Hockey Association (ACHA).
With Behrend off to their best start in the CHE,
9 am. to enter , your picks. Winners will receive gifts from
MINNA
Muska
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(+2l)
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Virginia Tech
The Behrend Beacon I
the players have to keep their eyes on the prize.
"We go into every game expecting a win, no matter
who the opponent is," says Jones.
Winning is starting to become a trend for the
Behrend hockey team. This is their third consecu
tive year where the team will have a winning record
going into Christmas break and are in contention to
clinching their third consecutive CHE playoff
appearance.
The team will host two games this weekend. On
Friday, Nov. 30, the team will play former CHE
rival Case Western Reseve at 9:35 p.m. at
Mercyhurst Ice Arena. Behrend split with Case
Western last year and look to win the series this
year.
Then on Sunday, Dec. 2, Behrend will play arch
rivals Edinboro at 6:35 p.m. at the Igloo Ice Arena.
Behrend already defeated Edinboro 14-2 this, sea-,
son at Behrend's home tournament
Team Record
1. California of PA 13-3-0
2. Albany 12-1-0
3. Pre-11mila State 15-0-0
4. Pena State Dam 9-0-1
S. Penn S , t . nic, Tkinend 11-24
6. humingriele State 9-2-0
7. Fitt-Johnstown 11-4-0
8. Rohm 8-4-0
9. Fairfield 7-3-0
10. Penn State Altoona 7-5-0
Matt
Pittsburgh
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Philadelphia
Indianapolis
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i I , . 4th
Lenny
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Washington
Tennessee
Philadelphia
Indianapolis
Detroit
New York
New Orleans
New England
Oklahoma
West Virginia
Virginia Tech