Blue White Illustrated

July 2013

Penn State Sports Magazine

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good? We've got fantastic kids here, we've got great academics, we've got a fantastic fan base. I can't even comprehend that." THE MONTH IN... FOOTBALL Nine former Lions in NFL mini-camps Nine former Penn State players participated in NFL rookie mini-camps in May, and former quarterback Matt McGloin continues to defy the odds, as he recently inked a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders. Defensive tackle Jordan Hill and linebackers Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti – Penn State's three draft picks – began their NFL careers at mini-camp. Hill was with the Seattle Seahawks, who picked him 87th overall in April's draft, while Hodges and Mauti are with the Minnesota Vikings. Tackle Mike Farrell received a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, cornerback Stephon Morris and center Matt Stankiewtich camped with the New England Patriots, and fullback Michael Zordich spent time with the Carolina Panthers. Defensive end Pete Massaro also earned a camp spot with the Philadelphia Eagles. McGloin first camped with the Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers before getting a shot with Oakland. The Raiders signed him to a three-year contract. TWEETS Out doing some work. A guy just came up to me and thought I was Franco Harris. I am not. @MATHMEETSFOOTBALL (JOHN URSCHEL) OPINIONS Steven Bench, the sophomore quarterback who left Penn State following the spring semester, has found a new school: the University of South Florida. Bench will be eligible to compete right away, as the NCAA's transfer waiver remains in effect. Before choosing USF, he also visited North Carolina State and Mississippi State. The Paternos' suit will likely take years to adjudicate, which means it likely won't affect the sanctions in any tangible sense. Penn State is not a party to the suit, though a handful of trustees, faculty members, and former players and coaches are. If a judge determines the plaintiffs have standing, it will be fun to see the NCAA have to make its inner workings public. DOM COSENTINO DEADSPIN.COM The family of the late Joe Paterno announced [May 29] that it, too, is suing the NCAA regarding its punishment of Penn State, to which I say, the more the merrier. NCAA president Mark Emmert ignored NCAA procedure and rushed to the front of the parade of people who condemned the university. He depended on a rush job of a report by former FBI director Louis Freeh. The longer view has exposed Emmert's rush to judgment as a textbook case of grandstanding. As if the NCAA didn't have enough problems. IVAN MAISEL ESPN.COM "Why," O'Brien asked, "would anyone want to undermine us? Why would anyone want to undermine something that is good?" He has to say that. And maybe he's right. Maybe there is nobody trying to undermine him or Joyner or anyone else. Maybe these concerns were raised to Sports Illustrated solely out of concern for the kids and the program and its future. But isn't it fair to doubt that, too? DONNIE COLLINS THE (SCRANTON) TIMES-TRIBUNE FOOTBALL Bench to enroll at South Florida Y'all pissed off the wrong coach ha. @GARRYGILLIAM77 ON BILL O'BRIEN'S STRONG REACTION TO SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S STORY ON PENN STATE QUOTES The fact that there haven't been more specific attacks against [Rodney] Erickson is a tactical mistake by Corbett and the Paternos. One of the best arguments is to say that Erickson didn't have the authority to agree to the consent decree, and this is something that needed to go through the full board of trustees, and there wasn't enough discussion, and they had never granted him this authority. The fact that there has been no legal attack on that is a mistake. The longer that it's allowed to go on, the longer that Penn State continues to agree to go along with the consent decree and the integrity agreement, to comply with the sanctions, the harder it's going to be to argue that you haven't ratified Erickson's decision. JOHN INFANTE NCAA BYLAWS EXPERT, VIA NBCSPORTS.COM

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