Friday, August 29, 2008
Behrend intramurals kick off fall 2008
By Connor Sattely
sports editor
cisso6o@psu.edu
When D.J. Bertolasio arrived
at Behrend fairly sure that he
wouldn’t participate in any var
sity sports, but when he heard
about the school’s vast amount
of intramurals, he was immedi
ately hooked.
“I’m not too big of a sports
guy,” says Bertolasio, who par
ticipated in dodgeball and the
intramural track meet.
“Intramurals are great because
they’re laid back. They’re still
competitive, and it’s still great to
win, it’s just not that bad to lose.
It’s all for fun.”
Robert Wittman, the coordina
tor of Intramural and
Recreational Programs, would
agree. After speaking with fresh
men about the intramural pro
grams at Behrend, he’s already
had an overwhelming response.
“I’ve had extreme dodgeball,
which I had about 120 people
sign up for,” recalls Wittman.
“Around 20 showed up for ulti
mate frisbee, and we had 11
show up for the golf tourna-
ment.”
Intramurals at Behrend are
often more popular than most
people think. Last year, 62% of
freshmen males living on cam
pus participated in intramurals;
61% of females participated as
well - only 131 freshmen
females did not participate. Out
Fitness Programs
“I Lift Weights” Club
100 Mile Club
For both clubs, participants are awarded t-shirts for
reaching athletic goals throughout the year.
Weekend's Schedule
take on F#B«nn (2:00 p.m.) and Thomas More (4:00
Mow invitational.
compete in the first day of the Herb Lauffer Memorial
and Utica College.
H" - c
nnll the Westminster Invitational at 9:30 a.m.
*-i« ;f ' > [
. wilt compete in two more games in the Thomas More invitational:
„) and Kenyon (1:00 p.m.).
witi fiaisli up the Herb Lauffer Memorial Tournament with
day, with times and opponents determined by Saturday’s results.
DANIEL SMITH. BEHREND BEACON
An intramurals volleyball participant in
last year’s intramural tournament.
of all the students at Behrend,
including upperclassmen, 56%
of males and 51 % of females
participated.
For Sophomore Alan
Swanson, intramurals were a
way to stay in contact with
friends from his hometown. “We
just called ourselves Seneca,”
Swanson said, referring to his
High School north of Pittsburgh.
“It was just me and a few high
school friends that formed a
'' , . \
jf l
softball team.”
Swanson, like Wittman, insists
that intramurals are one of the
best ways to meet people and
have fun, especially for new
comers to the campus.
Behrend’s intramural program
spans a plethora of sports,
including everything from bas
ketball to walking to golf. There
are also some recreational pro
grams, including eight Behrend
run fantasy football leaugues.
Recreational Programs
Fantasy Football Sep 3
Friday Night Bowling Sep 5
Sunday Night 3v3 Basketball Sep 7
Eastway Mini Bowling League Sep 11
Softball Home Run Derby Sep 30
All programs are listed with registration deadlines.
Wittman says that for many
people, the goal of intramurals is
to win the t-shirts that are hand
ed out to winners of each sport
every year.
“They kind of become a point
of competition,” Wittman says.
“And it is competitive, but the
main goal of everything is just to
have fun. It's all about just
showing up and having a great
time getting some physical activ-
Wittman also formed a
Facebook group, which is near
ing 1000 members. "Behrend
Intramural Sports” has hundreds
of photos, videos, contact infor
mation, and important dates. It
features videos of the belly-flop
contest last year, the 3v3 basket
ball championship match, the
winner of the home run shootout
and more.
For Bertolasio, now a senior at
Behrend, he can recall some stu
dents’ reluctance to join in. He
chose to take part in dodgeball
and the intramural track meet.
“My suggestion is just to look
at the list of intramurals. Pick
one that looks cool, and just
show up. Go give it a try. just do
it."
Students who are interested in
joining intramurals can contact
Rob Whitt man at 814-898-6280
or by e-mailing him at
rwwd@psit.edu.
“Off the Wall”
Each week, sports editor Connor
Sattely picks a widely accepted
NFL view and disputes it in his
editorial column, “Off the Wall.”
Think he’s wrong? Let him know
and your rebuttal might make next
week’s edition.
Myth: Alan Faneca’s departure
from the Pittsburgh Steelers
hinders their offensive line.
Steelers Guard Alan Faneca glances at last year's
new offensive line coach. Larrv Zierlein.
Could 1 possibly be inferring
that by Alan Faneca. pro-bowler
extraordinaire left guard leaving
the Steelers lineup, the offensive
unit could actually improve:’
Let's begin with a little history.
For a large part. Faneca's deci
sion to leave the Steelers was
over money. In his last year, he
was scheduled to make 53.25
million aside from a SI million
roster bonus - much less than the
average of $7 million that other
guards were getting paid around
the league.
Faneca had many people's vote
for MVP in Super Bowl XXL
after creating an alley the si/e of
a highway for Willie Parker to
run through on his historic 75
yard touchdown run. He helped
Parker, among others, reach team
records in rushing yards. He
made the Pro Bowl six times, and
players like Hines Ward never
hesitated to mention how much
he served as a leader not only in
the locker room, hut on the field
as well.
Russ Grimm, at the time assis
tant head coach and offensive
line coach, was passed over to the
coaching job for the relatively
unknown Mike Tomlin. Joey
Porter, a longtime friend of
Faneca and fellow locker room
leader, was unceremoniously
dumped as the Steeiers felt he
wasn't worth his weight in salary
cap room.
Faneca's response to this was.
of course, one of outrage. In an
interview, the Pittsburgh Post-
Gazette reported in May. his left
hand was visibly shaking as he
announced that it would be his
last year as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
At that point. Steeiers fans all
over the world bemoaned a col
lective groan. Their stud player
on the offensive line was leaving,
and the mind-blowing 47 sacks
the Steeiers gave up in 2007 were
sure not to improve.
Right?
Wrong. Grimm left the team
with Ken Whisenhunt to serve as
Arizona's assistant head coach
before last season.
In his place, the team hired
Larry Zierlein to lake over the
offensive line, with Alan Faneca
already having announced he was
leaving. So. with Faneca unhap-
The Behrend Beacon I
Bv Connor Sattelv
sports editor
cisso6(K" psu.edu
py and Zierlein a brand new ,
coach, who do von think led the i
offensive line? Max Starks, a i
Steelers offensive tackle, knew
w here the pow er lay.
Alan was the most tenured
guy in our organi/ation. so natu
rally you looked to him." Starks
said. "Larry even looked to him.
It was one of those things w here
Coach Zierlein came in and he
was more like a moderator and
kind of an intermediary guy . Alan
was the one that kind of uuided
evervbodv
That put the Steeiers in the
awkward position of a power
struggle and a transition period of
leadership. Faneca was
"adamant." said Starks, about
things being done his way. The
newer recruits looked first to
Zierlein. What resulted was a
mixed-approach that sent Ben
Roethiisberger to the ground
more times than any quarterback
in the league, except for unfortu
nate Lions quarterback John
Kilna.
So. why docs it improve with a
six-time pro bowler leaving'.’
Now. he's none, and it's
Larry's entire offensive line."
said Starks.
With the entire offensive line
on the same page, perhaps they
will be able to protect their sud
denly rich QB star.
The only problem that still
remains is the question over the
center position - Justin Hartwig
versus Sean Mahan. The Steeiers
coaches, in taking this long to
decide the starter of such a piv -
otal position on the offensive
line, could have doomed the unit
more than Faneca ever could
have.
The Steeiers will have to deal
with that problem quickly before
crucial division games in weeks
two and four. But it will he a
whole lot easier with the entire
group speaking one language
Submissions should be
mailed to cisso6o@psu.edu
and should contain no less
than 250 words. \ll sub-
missions will be considered
for publication
CON I Rllil I I I) PHOTO