Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/703041
Other times it can't. Said Bell, "I guess it's just easier to get in trouble these days." Fortunately for him, he was able to steer clear of any perceived wrongdoing. But that doesn't always happen. For every act of online mischief that goes nowhere, there are dozens that grow to be more malicious – photo leaks, false death reports, information theft and so on. It's a sign of the times, they say. We're uncertain what or what not to truly be- lieve, what is secure and what isn't. More than ever, it's important to have a good BS meter. If online deception is a sign of the world we live in, then this time of year in college football is a microcosm of it. At a time when no team has a loss on its record, optimism abounds. Every pro- gram seems destined for success, and every fan base is hoping that its collec- tive willpower will help turn the best- case scenario into reality. But for most of them, their meters are broken. Only four teams will earn a trip to the College Football Playoff. Fewer, if any, will remain undefeated. Eventually, all the preseason speculation will be ren- dered moot. That's the beauty of sport, isn't it? Everything ultimately gets set- tled on the field. It's a battle between il- lusion and reality in which reality always triumphs in the end. Of course, it's fun to think your fa- vorite team has a shot. It's what makes off-seasons like this one so compelling. But it's also what makes the losses so unbearable, especially if they start accu- mulating. As harsh as the college foot- ball world might be, it's all part of the natural pecking order. Some teams have it; others don't. Coaches come and coaches go. And with time, the light shines through. Right now, though, the shades are still pulled down on most. There are very few proven commodities and fewer that have the verification – championships, playoff appearances, recruiting crowns – to back it up. Otherwise, the land- scape is a mixture of new coaches hop- ing to parlay their early recruiting mo- mentum into on-field success, and oth- er programs hoping that the hire from a couple years ago finally gains a foothold before fans start wondering if they ever will. In the Big Ten, specifically, there are examples of all three. You've got Urban Meyer at Ohio State and Mark Dantonio at Michigan State, who are as tried and true as they come. In the Twitter-sphere parlance, they have a blue checkmark next to their name. Then you have D.J. Durkin at Maryland and Chris Ash at Rutgers, first-year coaches who have been pulling blue- chip recruits before even coaching a play. For them, the hard part is about to begin. Then there are the recent hires – Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, Mike Riley at Nebraska and Paul Chryst at Wisconsin – whose fan bases want nothing more than for them to fulfill the sky-high ex- pectations that greeted their arrivals and return their storied programs to the league's elite. Even Penn State's James Franklin, whose roster is only now start- ing to resemble that of a complete Divi- sion I squad, can be included as part of that third echelon. Just like other fan bases throughout the country, Penn State's has heard all about the hard work that players have been putting in. They're hopeful about the recruits who have been signed in recent years, they've watched the hype videos, read the tweets and seen the coaches' enthusiasm. They want to be- lieve. They want to be convinced that this year is the one for the Nittany Li- ons – even if their team was conned out of dozens of scholarships over the past four years. There are only so many blue check- marks to go around, only so many sure things, but for now, at least, that's a dis- tant worry. These are the months in which everyone is in the driver's seat, in charge of their own public perception, hitting the send button. This is going to be the year. Today is the day... Until it's not. Then you're left wonder- ing: Who was that? ■ 111 E. Beaver Ave s State College, PA 16801 www.The-Phyrst.com 814.234.4406 137 Elmwood St. s State College, PA 16801 www.HappyValleyBeer.com Wood-fire Grill 12 Beers on Tap 200 Year Old Barn 821 Cricklewood Dr. s Toftrees, State College www.AmericanAleHouse.net 814.237.9701 s Piano Bar s Sommelier 814.238.1406 814.234.7700 s 1611 Atherton St. s State College 814.941.7788 s Plank Rd. Exit s Altoona www.ChampsSportsGrill.net s Best Game Bar s Large Groups Welcome c lc e W We s p u o r G e g r a L s a e B m a st G e B s S n S h 1 A 1 6 1 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 me co r a l l C S r G s rt o p S s p m a h C . www s t i x . E d k R n a l P s 8 8 7 7 1. 4 9 . 4 1 8 S s . t n S o t r e h t 1 A 1 6 1 s 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 t e n . l l i r na o o t l A e g e l l o C e at t S