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Dear Ms. Tiger...
I am a freshman here at Penn State Mont Alto, and I want
to get a head's up on the dos and don’ts of the campus —
and college in general. I want someone to take me under
their wing and show me the ropes. I am a social person,
but I'm still adapting to the new environment and transi-
tion. Please help!!
Dear Student,
Firstly, congratulations on your acceptance to Penn State
Mont Alto! I hope despite your concerns your time here
has been enjoyable. While a lot of college has to do with
your own personal experiences, I can definitely offer you
some advice.
be
‘S’ though you feel the class might start too early in
the morning, or your, favorite re-run of Jersey
Shore is coming on that night, there is no excuse for not
attending class. Studies show that students who attend
class perform better than those who don’t, and by not at-
tending you could be missing vital information!
You HAVE HAVE HAVE to attend class! Even
89, Books are pricy! Not all books have to be pur-
@ chased. Some professors don’t require a textbook
for their course. They might recommend it, but it’s
not always required, so make sure you ask. You can also
buy books online, which can save a lot of money. Some-
times the library has books. on reserve for courses as well;
you may not be able to borrow them, but they are at your
disposal while inside the library. Make sure to check with
the library to see if they have the book for the course you
are taking!! If all else fails, the buddy system can work
wonders.
00, College is about education, yes, but it's also about
2% ; : ale
& expanding your horizons. Attend events! This is
the best way to meet new people and get the real
college experience. Check the event calendar for what’s
going on tonight. Who knows, there might be something
that interests you.
Beware of your social circle and the “friends” you are
making. College is a social scene, and much like high
school there are cliques. However much you feel you
know someone, the reality is that you just met them. Keep
interest in mind.
Have — and keep! — good study habits. Know where and
Not all friends are necessarily the best study buddies!
Submit your own
“Dear Tiger” question to
4thwall.psu@gmail.com
BRAD KIRACOFE
To commemorate ESPN’s ‘Year
of the Quarterback,” NFL analysts
have introduced the new Total
Quarterback Rating system. In a
controversial move which ousts the
current judging of quarterback per-
formance, ESPN has developed a
system that grades not just passing,
but playmaking statistics as well.
In this new system the quarter-
back’s rating will be determined by
what he does, when he does it, and
the move’s importance. Every ac-
tion will be taken into account. Not
just passing, but running, 3rd down
conversions, touchdowns, every-
thing. Positive stats will not be the
only factor determining the player’s
grade, as negative stats will have an
impact as well. Interceptions and
fumbles will now decrease the play-
er’s rating. Furthermore, the im-
portance of the play on the outcome
of the game will have an effect on
the rating.
For instance, if a quarterback
throws a five yard pass that turns
into a fifty yard touchdown, it will
have less effect than a forty-five
yard pass turned into a fifty yard
touchdown. An incompletion to
avoid a sack will not affect the rat-
ing, but taking the sack will. A six
yard completion on 3rd and five
will have a higher positive result
than the same completion on 3rd
and long. An interception in the
redzone will have a greater negative
effect than one at midfield. And
‘padding the stats’ of a blowout will
not have as great an effect as a cru-
cial scoring play of a tied game.
With all these factors, what are
the numerical ratings? The grading
scale will be from 0 to 100, with
100 being a great game. A 50 is an
average performance, with 75 being
above average and 25 below aver-
age. According to ESPN, a rating of
75 over the entire course of the sea-
son is MVP-caliber. A 65 to 75
should put the quarterback up for
Probowl candidacy. In turn, a rating
of 35 or lower — let’s just say the
team should be looking in a new
direction.
To compare their numbers, ESPN
went back and looked at the perfor-
mances of quarterbacks since the
2008 season. The top season of any
player was the 2009 season of Pay-
ton Manning, who had a rating of
82.3. This was a year in which
Manning passed for 393 out of 571,
4,500 yards, with 33 touchdowns
and 16 interceptions. He also ran 19
times for 13 yards, no touchdowns
and one fumble. Oh, by the way, he
was named the League MVP for the
2009 season. This was his follow up
to the 2008 MVP season when he
also had the highest QBR of any
quarterback that year, with a rating
of 79.7. The quarterback with the
highest QBR of the 2010 season
was again the League MVP, other-
wise known as Tom Brady.
Will the Total QBR be the new
standard for judging quarterbacks?
Only time will tell. There are cri-
tiques of it, just as there are of the
complicated Passer Rating System.
Then again, the creator is ESPN, the
worldwide leader in sports.
9/28- PAWS Session; If You Care:
9/29-Club night, TBA
10/6- Bowling night // 9pm
10/13- BINGO // 9pm, MPR
10/14- Walmart/Target Van Trip
10/21- Movie and a Mall Van trip
EVENT CALENDAR