Bring on the Wolverines!

Joe's tuesday press-conference was interesting for a couple of reasons: 1. Joe heaped praise on Michigan (Joe is the classiest!) 2. A little light was shed on the Brown-Snow sideline shouting match. 3. We got Joe's thoughts on Paternoville and the crowd. 4. Joe touched, only briefly, on defensive philosophy.

1. At any Joe Paterno Press-Conference, Joe is going to give the opponents their due. It is clear from Joe's comments that he has a great deal of respect for Michigan but he is also fired up to get out there and settle it on the field!

I don't know where Michigan is rated, but if they are not one of the two or three best football teams in the country, somebody has to show me somebody better. I think he is a big part of it. I think it is a loss to them. It is not one of those things that I particularly wanted to happen. I would rather just line up and "let's play" and see how good we are and whether we can match up with a team the caliber of Michigan.

2. I was surprised to see Brown and Snow screaming at each other on the sidelines. Apparently, others were equally surprised. Here is how Joe responded to what happened:

That is a lot of horse manure, too. You have a frustrated senior (Snow) who is really a good football player and a good kid. He says something and somebody says something to somebody else. Levi Brown did exactly what he should have done as the captain of the football team and walked over to him and told him to knock it off. When you are emotionally upset and in a game like that and somebody tells you to knock it off, you don’t keep your mouth shut. You answer back if you are competitor, so there were a couple words. I haven’t seen that. I have to look at the television tape to see what went on. I am glad it worked out the way it did because I think that Levi asserted himself as the captain of the football team and I think the team now realizes that we have to be together in this thing.

3. It is clear Joe has a connection to the kids in the stands as well as the players on the field. I think it could be best described as a grandfatherly affection. Here are some snippets which illustrate my point:

If you don't know all the facts you hesitate to be critical over anything. I know that the students are a little bit upset because they want to get out there right away. Forget the Paternoville thing, but I think it is a great thing for a kid to be able to get that involved in something on the campus. What are the consequences if you bring a bunch of kids up here on a Tuesday as opposed to a Thursday at 8 a.m.?

4. I, and I don't think i'm alone, think that PSU needs to be more aggressive on defense. Playing soft really hurt us against the Irish, It also let Minnesota drive down the field late in the game. With all the talent on defense the coaching staff needs to open up pandora's box and break out some exotic blitzes. I don't think anyone would complain if there were a couple of big plays given up because the scheme was a little to aggressive. Brady Quinn made us pay when we gave him time to throw, do you think Chad Henne won't if we give him the same opportunity? Pressure is the way to go. Here is what Joe had to say:

We have been better on pass defense than we were against Minnesota. There again, I think a lot of that stuff happened when we were trying to play a little too soft.

Get after 'em Joe!

Clearly Saturday is a White-Out game, I'm very envious of those of you who get to attend! So bleach those whites, son!

GO STATE! BEAT MICHIGAN!