12 I Monday, Oct. 25,2010 Phillies postgame reaction not indicative of real sports fans By Andrew J. Cassavell Saturday night, on the street outside my house, one of the mo events of my four years in college took place. After reflecting on it, however, it also ranks as one of the most dis turbing. tost hilarious When San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson struck out Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan I loward to end the most suspense iul ninth inning since the 2006 XLCS, it set off a chain of events that's tough to describe given only these next few paragraphs. MY OPINION Field hockey overcomes By Zach Fleagle COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER In a huge weekend against No. 17 Duke and No. 5 Princeton, the Penn State field hockey team fought through adversity and came awav with two wins. Jn the two games combined, the Lions acquired 5 total yellow cards, putting them shorthanded ior approximately 38 of the 140 total minutes. Penn State was supporting a ! ;ne goal lead late against the Blue i >evils on Friday but found itself in trouble when Kelsey Amy, the learns leading scorer, was on the a rung end of a yellow card sidelining her for the second time oi the afternoon. The penalty in the 58th minute put Amy on the bench and the Lmns down a player for 10 min- 1 tilling Amy's temporary stint on the sideline, forward Hannah Allison was checked off the ball by a Duke player and became the second victim of a yellow card after a frustrated cross-check in retaliation. I pa goal but down two players, the team members gritted their collective teeth and went into a defensive lockdown the rest of the way. preventing the Blue Devils from coming back and holding on to a 2-1 victory. Amy said she was the biggest cheerleader from the bench and couldn't been happier about the wav the team buckled down after she may have put them a step behind. Snyder From Page 14 tor them There was no need for pump-up videos, inspirational messages or team meetings. They weren't baited by the old, opposing-head-coach-was-fired t here! ore-the-team-will-be mspired gimmick. They showed up, overcame adversity and left with the kind of v. in that will at least temporarily get the heavy monkey off their back. "It's like we can go outside of Beaver Stadium and get a 'W w hich is important." right tackle Defense From Page 14. Alter he got hurt he just came to me and told me. ‘Just play your game.' " said Willis, who played free safety while Drew Astorino moved over to Hero. ■ AVe know you know all the plays, all the codes, just do what you got to do. Ball out.' " The advice seemed simple for Willis, who saw time as the team's nickel back since Derrick Thomas was suspended for undisclosed reasons earlier this month. However. Willis was thrust into Last word From Page 14 keep it going, we have five games to go." With the win comes a new sense of confidence, and for a team that recorded its first win in October, the players breathed a noticeable sigh of relief. The mood stayed light on the sidelines while the clock ticked down and the players ran off the field to something they haven’t heard a lot of lately: cheers. The Penn State fans shouted words of encouragement as the Lions ran into the visiting team’s tunnel, and judging by the high fives and smiles exchanged between groups, the Lions enter Saturday’s game against Michigan feeling a lot better than they did for most of the month. "It definitely puts us in a great place where we want to be,” left guard Johnnie Troutman said. But I’ll try. The Pittsburgh fans across the street started shouting profani ties, and chanting “F — the Phillies.” There were beer bottles thrown into the street as point less whooping noises echoed A few minutes later, the Phillies fans from our side of the street apparently also wanted to make love to a Pennsylvania baseball team, this time the Pirates. It all led up to some of the stu pidest name-calling I’ve heard since I was about 6 years old. For all the years of education the par ents of those kids have paid for through taxes and tuition, it’s amazing to think their sons have actually regressed since pre school in terms of working differ ences out. “We were down two players at one point and we didn’t let it affect us.” Kelsey Amy sophomore forward “I’m proud that we fought really hard,” Amy said. "We were down two players at one point and we didn’t let it affect In a tough Sunday game against Princeton, the Lions found them selves in an odd man situation when senior captain Daneen Zug was called for a yellow card, one that a distraught coach Char Morett could be heard arguing from the sidelines. “It’s unfortunate that that's the way [the referee’s] see the game." Morett said. “I don't know if we’re getting used to it playing that way, I think our kids pulled together at that point.” Both weekend games saw a lot of physical play, making it the ref eree’s decision to define the pace of the games. Morett wasn’t the only person who showed signs of frustration Sunday. Amy said she embraced the physical play and penalties are just part of the game. In another call against the Lions, this time freshman Lauren Purvis put the team one down again with Princeton struggling to find offensive continuity. Chima Okoli said. “I feel like it was the complete-package win we were looking for." Sure, Minnesota isn’t a great team. In fact, the program is a mess, but at this point the Lions needed to somehow, someway get a victo ry. And that’s exactly what the inexperienced, injury-riddled group did. It wasn’t pretty as Rob Bolden stumbled his way to the sideline dazed and confused, Matt McGloin fired an interception into Ryan Collado’s arms and Collin Wagner’s fourth-quarter field goal clanked off the upright. a secondary that wasn't getting its best day from cornerback Stephon Morris. The 5-foot-8-inch Morris, who Willis looks to as one of the lead ers in the secondary, was beaten in the end zone by wide receiver Da'Jon McKnight and also missed a few tackles. The catch by McKnight in the third quarter resulted in the sec ondary surrendering its third touchdown pass of the day and its 10th of the season. T don’t mind some of those things, I just hate to miss tackles and that’s what bothers me the most,” Bradley said. “I talked to him about that and “We’re the underdog right now, but we still have a great chance to finish the season off strong and hopefully win these next five games to put ourselves in a great position to go to a bowl game." Day to remember Offense: Quarterback Matt McGloin It’s not often a former walk on has a chance to play in a Division I game, let alone make his first collegiate completion a 42-yard touchdown pass. While McGloin’s numbers did n’t dazzle, as he went 6-for-13 with a pair of touchdown passes to Derek Moye and an intercep tion, his rise on the depth chart added to the excitement. Defense: Cornerback D’Anton Lynn The defense was looking for a player to step up and make a play, and Lynn’s 58-yard interception return changed the momentum of the game, especially with the SPO R T S Some skirmishes broke out, along with some pointless push ing and some weak punches. It was all very amusing, but also depressing, given the hand humanity has dealt the rest of us. I’m a sports fan. Sometimes that gets difficult when I’m put in the same class as these idiots, who apparently think it’s OK to repeatedly use a derogatory term about sexuality yes, you know the one I’m talking about to make themselves feel better about their sports teams' failures and their own insecurities. Then I remember they aren't actually sports fans. Friday night I called my broth er a true “fan," who bleeds Yankee blue. He compared their loss to Texas to taking a knife in the gut. But no one who watched penalties, survives tough weekend Junior midfielder Jess Longstreth (right) aims a snot i s The advantage was not to be. as the Tigers could not capitalize on Penn States second card. Goalie Ayla Halus, who blanked the Tigers on Sunday with some key saves, said the team really came together during the penalty minutes and it may have even gave them a spark. "I think [the intensity! came a lot from the girls that came off the cards," Halus said. But the Lions were able to overcome these on-field setbacks and benefited with big plays from some ol the most unexpected players. McGloin. who was a distant thought in Penn State fans' minds after he lost the starting competi tion and was left to hold the clip board. look a gun slinger approach to what was predicted to be a conservative, hand off and hope for the best type of offense. “Being the backup, it's tough to come into a game and not take the deep routes," running back Evan Rovster said. "That first one. it was a beautiful pass, and vou couldn't ask much more from Stephon has obviously got to play a lot better than that and he knows it." Part of the reason for Gophers quarterback Adam Weber's three touchdown passes was because of the lack of pressure coming from the Lions' front seven throughout the game. While Devon Still recorded the lone sack for the defense when he got to Weber in the end zone for Penn State's first safety since last October's game against Michigan, the rest of the defen sive line struggled to get after Weber. Jordan Hill earned the start at defensive end because Jack ensuing play resulting in McGloin's 42-vard touchdown pass. Lynn also had a game-high 10 tackies. Day to forget Wide receiver Offense Graham Zug The senior was targeted three times but once again did not record a catch. Zug's statistics continue to fall as he's recorded just four catches for 49 yards on the year. With McGloin looking to Moye, and Bolden feeling com fortable with Brett Brackett, Zug continues to be the odd man out. Defense: Comerback Stephon Morris Morris might have images of Minnesota wide receiver Da Jon McKnight running through his memory for a little while. The 6- foot-4-inch McKnight had his way with the 5-foot-8-inch corner back, and Morris was beat in the third quarter in the end zone, was run over by a wide receiver it with him (a pair of top-notch Yankee haters, but also "fans"* said anything obnoxious to him. Fbr those of you who don't understand, think of it this way: For six and a half months every night mv brother had a compan ion. A team that was there when he felt lousy, and a reason to sit on the couch and enjoy a game with friends and family. The folks from Pittsburgh who thought it was OK to loudly remind those Phillie fans of their loss are as infantile as it gets. Philadelphia fans, as usual, you aren't off the hook. Uttering the phrase. "F — it, let's just go fight them,” does nothing to prove any thing. aside from getting me real ly excited about the unfolding moronic spectacle. Seriously. It's a game. "They seemed a iiille upset and they just wanted to net baek there and shove it he bah field Amy. who didn't start Sunday because of her multiple yellow cards on Salurday. said 'he team has prepared while down a lew players in practice, ilut ‘he name scenario really cave !h tldence going iorwarri knowing the team can siep up it the -itua a guy coming in oil the bench ftkt that." Then there was safely Malcolm Willis, who saw more nclmi: man he experienced thi- -was.m and somehow held his ow n. Making a couple break.- on balls, recording nine iackli-s and not having too manv people know his name are all greai signs lor a third-string defensive back. While Okoll addl’d there's -till a. lot of room for improwmeni, at least the Lions know they > an. get themselves motivated !nr a game and they can find a wav to win. Sure those two components might have seemed like a given for a I’enn Stale football team, but Crawford and Erie l.atimore have yet to practice because ot injuries, and Bradley .-aid .-onto of the missed tackles by the line men are plays the regular starters would make. But Bradley's linebackers were up and down. too. as Bani (ibadyu. Mike Mauti and Gerald Hodges returned after missing time. With freshman Khain For! I held out because of stingers. Glenn Carson saw some time, but the detense's game-changing play came from eornerbaek D'Anton Lvnn. The junior stepped up and picked oft Weber to swing the while attempting a tackle and flagged for pass interference. Did you notice? Sean Stanley saw action at defensive end after being sus pended the past two games ... The referees headed into the locker room to a chorus of boos from the Minnesota fans ... The Gophers' student section was less than half full and just 48.479 fans attended the game Extra point Joe Paterno held a square glass box in his hands while con ducting his postgame press con ference. While answering ques tions about the quarterback situ ation and the secondary’ s strug gles. Paterno fidgeted with the box that had a U S. Army logo on it. The box was a gift given to Paterno as he walked off the field by a soldier who has a daughter at Penn State. The gift came from The Daily Collegian Someone else being an idiot doesn’t justify your idiocy. Be the bigger man. The event represented every thing that is wrong with sports fans, and it's the reason that when I try to explain baseball as an art. I get laughed at. How can those morons truly appreciate art as beautiful as Wilson’s 3-2 cutter, and all the strategy that led up to it? The answer: they can’t. They aren't fans at all. Just drunken idiots looking for atten tion. Sadly, in 524 words, I just gave it to them. Andrew J. Cassavell is a senior majoring in journalism and is a Daily Collegian football writer. His e-mail address is ajcs23B@psu.edu. over Princeton on Sunday. lion calls for it. Amy said. I attribute it to (Saturday! Amv said. Jo\\ n tilt It really prepared us for any thins we were going to see. We played down two people and we were still able to win that game. We fought, we were diving for bails, nothing was going to get by !!ii eon us." ii; reporter: zsfsoo3@psu.edu thi- year the Lions continue to prove they are different. And despite the overall 4-3 record and the 1-2 record in the Big Ten. Saturday's enthusiastic team showed that though many lans have lost faith in it. most importanllv. it hasn't lost it in itself. it definitely feels good." Willis said with a smile. it lets us know that we're still a team that can win." :. i- n junior ma.oring in ,in! secondary education - Souii re: reporter for Tne Daily on e-: e rna;i address is anss22o@psu.edu momentum of the game during the second quarter and returned the hall 33 yards. It's plays like Lynn's intercep tion and Still's safety that keep the defense believing that if it can minimize the opponent’s dam age. one of the experienced play - ers left along the makeshift unit will step up and make a play. All teams arc gonna make big plays, it's about how you're going to react to them." linebacker Nate Stupar said. "The best you can do is make them as minimal as possible and make them play another down." a p mail reporter: aass22o@psu.edu the soldier's friends who are still serving in Iraq. "His buddies wanted me to have this, which I think is pretty nice of them." Paterno said. "He wanted to thank me for what I did. and I said, ‘You're thanking me 9 ' Some of these guys are over there getting shot at." Paterno said the box took him back to his days in Korea, where he served for six months when he was 18 vears old. "I didn't exactly scare the Koreans," Paterno quipped. Quotable Right guard Stefen Wisniewski on if he's frustrated Evan Royster hasn't gotten the rush ing record: "I don’t care person ally. I know we’ll get it for him eventually. I don’t think he cares either. It’ll be better to get it at home anyway, right? So let’s do it next week.” To e-mail reporter: aass22o@psu.edu
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