orts
Playoff
SEAN NEELY
senior reporter
Baseball fanatics are
primed and ready year
after year come October.
The MLB has always been
unanimous for this, even in
the not so friendly confines
of the fall season. This year
is no different, the excite
ment looms as ongoing
watchers get to view eight
of the best regular season
teams go at it, in hopes of
winning a pennant. The
The class that
never was:
happened to the
class of 'O6?
CODY BUPP
When National Signing
day came in 2006, Penn
State had locked up a top
ten recruiting class, and
looked like the recent suc
cess would continue in
Happy Valley. A few viola
tions and players leaving
early for the NFL, this once
highly touted class has dis
integrated to what is left in
2010.
Look at what was in the
future at that point Penn
State was wrapping up an
other nine win season.
Penn State had finally put
them back on the college
football map. For a class
that was to continue Line
backer U, and produce
round two of spectacular
wide receivers, it was a
major let down. One can
harp on the coaching staff,
but they fielded some of
the top recruits year in and
year out to try and put a
National Championship
contender on the field.
Of the class signing class
of 2006, there are six of 21
recruits on this year's ros
ter. If a team were to still
have these recruits on the
field today with some of
the young guys, this year's
team would be a force to
recon with. Let's take a
closer look at how good
this team could have been.
On the offensive side of
the ball, the Lions would
not really have a weak part
of their offense. Take a
look at where this year's
team lacks experience.
Those positions are quar
terback, offensive line, and
tight end. Two years ago
Penn State fans lost the
quarterback of the future,
Pat Devlin. Devlin trans
ferred to Delaware Univer
sity after winning his first
career game on the road at
Ohio State. On the offen
sive line, they were sup
pose to have recruited the
next NFL superstar line
man in Antoine Logan-El.
He did not last a season in
preview
story lines and match ups
are quite interesting this
year.
Three to keep an eye on
are: Cole Hamels, Roy Hal
laday, and Roy Oswalt.
However, the Cincinnati
Red's also have pitching
strength. Their opposing
three starter's are Edison
Volquez, Bronson Arroyo,
and Johnny Cueto. Both
teams are capable of stellar
pitching and hitting. But, if
the Phillies can slow down
Cincinnati Red's star
player Joey Votto, then
what
Happy Valley before trans
ferring to Towson. With
him on the this years line,
and a senior ridden line
that includes fellow re
cruits, Johnnie Troutman,
Stefen Wisniewski, Lou
Elides, and Doug Klopacz.
On top of that line, it would
open up holes for Evan
Royster who was also part
of this recruiting class.
staff reporter
Then the other weakness
on this years team is tight
end. Last year we finally
saw the potential Andrew
Quarless had, but yet he
was another that elected to
test out the NFL. After put
ting all those pieces to
gether including the wide
receivers unit now, there is
an offense that is explo
sive, and balanced.
Penn State fans sali
vated when they saw some
of the names on the recruit
class of 2006. Some of the
names among this class
were Navarro Bowman,
Aaron Maybin, Eric Lati
more, and Abe Koroma. So
once again look at the
youth of this Penn State
team, and it lies on just
about every level. The de
fensive line would be a
force with Aaron Maybin,
who left two years ago
after leading the nation in
sacks would be paired up
with 011ie Ogbu, Devon
Still, any of the other de
fensive ends would be that
defense we are use to see
ing in Penn State. The line
backers would be senior
ridden like the offensive
line. Navarro Bowman was
another that left early for
the NFL on what could
have been another domi
nating Linbacker U. This
year's linebacker core
could have been, Bowman,
Colasanti, Stupar.
After taking a look at
what could have been, one
wonders how much differ
ent this season would be. A
team that is headed for 6-6
or a 7-5 record could have
been pushing to run the
table and be contenders in
the National Champi
onship.
: what games are worth watching
Flicker Creative Commons
The Phillies have one of, if not the most intimidating pitching staffs
in all of baseball. Halladay's no-hitter clearly shows thier power on
the mound, along with Oswalt and Hamels performances this year.
consider the Phillies to be
the favorites.
The Giants have found
their way to the post-sea
son due to excellent pitch
ing. While their hitting has
been average, they have
found a way to muster runs
thanks to rookie cleanup
hitter Buster Posey. On the
other side, the Braves are
ravaged with injuries.
NATIONAL NEWS: A WRAP UP
OF THIS WEEK IN SPORTS
DOC HALLADAY
PRESCRIBES NO
HITTER
ELESE MERKOVSKY
sports editor
Roy Halladay made history
in his first play-off appear-
ance, as he threw the second
no-hitter in post season play.
Halladay threw his second
no-hitter of the year as the
Phillies took on the Reds in
the first game of the series. In
the 4-0 win, Halladay struck
out eight batters, and walked
only one in his nine innings of
pitching.
The accomplishment of a
post season no-hitter has only
been accomplished once be
fore in the 1956 World Series,
as Don Larsen led the
Dodgers to win the series 50
years ago.
"It's just one of those special
things that I'll always remem
ber," said Halladay to ESPN.
However, like the Giants,
the Braves also bolster a
strong pitching staff. If the
Braves can break out of
fensively and rise above
their injury woes, then
consider them the fa
vorites.
It's odd to see the Min
nesota Twins' ERA(earned
run average) above the
4.00 plateau. This could be
MOSS MOVES TO
MINNESOTA MID
SEASON
BRANDON BOYD
opinion editor
Goodbye, New England.
Randy Moss is headed home.
Moss, along with a 2012
7th round NFL Draft selec
tion, was shipped from New
England to Minnesota for a
2011 3rd round NFL Draft se
lection.
While some have specu
lated that Moss was traded
due to a rift between Moss
and coaches for the Patriots,
New England Head Coach
Bill Belichick denied it.
Though his contract ends
after this season, Moss seems
excited to make the move to
Minnesota.
"I'm very fortunate to be
back home where it all
started," Moss said Thursday
in a press conference.
from the departure of
Johan Santana. However,
the Twins have succeeded
on a balance of decent
pitching and hitting. This
particular Twins team has
been called the most bal
anced to date. Of course, it
helps when Joe Mauer is
behind the plate as well.
Last year's champs(in
cluding 27 World Series
Championships), bolster
the best offensive lineup in
the league, along with top
league pitching.
If it's one person that can
RYDER CUP: HIS
TORY MADE IN
RAINY WALES
ALEC ITALIANO
sports editor
The American golfers
could not pull off the miracle
comeback as they fell just
one half point short of bring
ing the cup back to domestic
soil in a 14 1/2- 13 1/2 loss.
Ireland's Graeme McDow
ell was the man of the mo-
ment for the European team
as he sealed the deal after
taking down American
Hunter Mahan in the last sin
gles match on Monday.
It was the first Monday
finish in Ryder Cup history
due to rain, and a dramatic
one at that as McDowell sank
a 20-foot putt on the six-
teenth green and made a
clutch par on 17 to send the
European golf fans in frenzy.
take over the series, that
would be ace pitcher David
Price. If Price and the Rays
continue to hit the ball well
and manage to contain
Angel stars Vladimir Guer
rero and Josh Hamilton,
then consider the Rays to
be the favorite in this one.
Will the Yankees repeat,
yet again this year? Or, will
a sleeper, such as the Gi
ants or Braves surprise the
masses? In due time,
everyone will find out in
this October for baseball;
baseball's greatest mo
ments lie here.
LIVERPOOL
BOUGHT BY RED
SOX OWNERS
ELESE MERKOVSKY
sports editor
Boston Red Sox owners
made the move to soccer as
they purchased English pow
erhouse Liverpool.
The ownership group led by
John Henry and Tom Werner
purchased Liverpool soccer
club for a reported $447 mil
lion. Most money would go to
the debt ran up by former
owners Tom Hicks and
George Gillett Jr, who also
brought the Texans to bank
ruptcy. New owners have faith
they can restore the club.
"'We have a proven track
record, shown clearly with the
Boston Red Sox," Hicks said.
"We will bring the same kind
of openness, passion, dedica
tion and professionalism to
Liverpool FC."