Once again, here we are.

So here we are again, about to enter into the summer. It's a time for enjoying all the things that make Pennsylvania such a great place to be in the summertime. I've often spoken with people who are still back home and heard them long to move away. They want to get a fresh start somewhere else. On the other side of that coin, I've spoken with several service members stationed not only here in Arizona, but also in Florida, Mississippi, and other places. Every last one of them says that there's no place like home. Pennsylvania is a special place for many of us. There are those who hate their former home and have moved on to new and different places. That's certainly good for them. I wish them all the best of luck, but home for me will always be Pennsylvania.

Well, enough of my sappy ramblings. I bad day at work can do that to you.

Take care everyone.

Top 5 Wish List

I've been inspired by the Georgia Sports Blog to create a Top 5 Wish List of OOC Opponents.

The only rule is you can't choose someone who's already scheduled (Notre Dame, Alabama, etc).

1. Nebraska

2. Georgia

3. Texas

4. UCLA

5. Florida

Honorable Mention:

Pittsburgh

The renewal of the Pitt series is something that I really long for. Not so much for the tradition or because of recruiting, but because I really want to lay into the Panthers and show that Penn State is the school of choice for all the state.

Welcome back. I'm back from a long vacation from blogging. Keep your eyes here in the coming weeks for my thoughts on the Blue/White Game, the NBA Playoffs, etc.

Johnny Damon.

Did this really surprise anyone? I mean really, this guy is just another one of the modern brand of baseball players tearing down what was built by men like Cal Ripken Jr and Robin Yount. Personally, I have no problem with this. Damon is a perfect for the Yankees. Maybe A-Rod can show him that sweet slap move he put on the Red Sox a few years ago. Not that going back to Boston was a better choice. I mean the Red Sox are suing their former first baseman for a baseball. How petty can you get?

But I'll be the first to wish Damon the best of luck. As he collects his checks from "The Boss," baseball will die a little bit more.

College Basketball Top 10

Just my take on who I think are the 10 best college basketball teams in America.


1. Duke

2. UConn

3. Florida

4. Villanova



5. Memphis

6. Illinois

7. Washington

8. Michigan State

9. Oklahoma

10. Maryland

You're probably looking at that list and asking why I left Gonzaga out. The answer is really very simple. They're not their because they don't deserve to be there. They should have lost at home to Oklahoma State. Only poor offciating kept them in the game. I like Mark Few as a coach and I like Adam Morrison as a player. But don't ask me to rank them in the Top 10 when they haven't shown me any reason to do so.

Hey hey hey, it's bowl season! Here at Into the Lion's Den, we seek to give you an educated guide on which games to watch and which to tune out in favor of A Christmas Story.

Ones to Watch:

Hawaii Bowl: UCF had the biggest turnaround in the nation and Nevada might be the best team you've never heard of.

MPC Computer's Bowl: This will be the first game for the new BSU head coach. That alone is reason to tune in.

Emerald Bowl: Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech is one of the best recievers in the country.

Holiday Bowl: How good is Oregon?

Gator Bowl: Hey it's always fun to watch the Big East go down in flames.

Orange Bowl: Duh!

I hope this helps.

Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a damn. That's the attitude I've taken with the media over the years. I've met a few of these reporters who write about college and pro sports. And do you want to know a little secret, most of them never even played high school sports much less college or pro sports. Now I know that to some people, this isn't a big deal because reporters often write about things they've never done. That's fine and dandy for some people, but I prefer to get my opinions from people who have been there and done that. If I want an informed opinion on politics, I'll read Newt singer's or James Carville. If I want opinions on sports, I go to ex-athletes. The watershed moment for my attitude came one Sunday morning when I was watching the Sport's Reporters. Mike Lupica was running his mouth about something that had happened on an NFL sideline the past week (if my memory hasn't gotten too bad it was the Kevin Greene/Kevin Steele incident). In any event, an ex-jock from a Boston paper asked Mike how many NFL games he had been in as a player or coach. Lupica shot back that he didn't need to be an ex-player to know what it was like down there. The ex-jock then pushed him further asking him if he had ever played football. Lupica said no, and thus ended my days of listening to anything he had to say.

Welcome friends! Come in to the Lion's Den with me. This is a place where you can find Penn State news and commentary from a different perspective than what you might be used to. We're going to try and be positive without being blind. We're going to try and be supportive without being obsessive. So come on in, have a cup of coffee, and enjoy yourself.