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Welcome to the my Web site, v. XII. The blog is typically published Monday - Saturday. My primary topics tend to be the Nats, Penn State (esp. football), BeltwayLand, transportation, media, photos and more. The rest of the site gets updated as warranted and is noted on the blog.

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Details on what is keeping the Icers from being D-I - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Details on what is keeping the Icers from being D-I

Money blocking Icers' D-I prospects - The Collegian
A rundown of the issues preventing Penn State from having varsity hockey. Some of this information contradicts what I had heard last year. According to a source with direct knowledge of the hockey program and university fund raising, a lead donor for a new hockey arena had been identified, but the university had put a moratorium on construction projects for a while. This article seems to indicate that situation is not the current problem holding back a promotion to varsity status.

I think that Penn State will eventually get hockey up to D-I and when it does, it will be the most popular winter sport at Penn State most years.

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posted by WFY @ 12:38 PM | |

A volleyball sweep: Penn State men win nat'l title too - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Monday, May 05, 2008

A volleyball sweep: Penn State men win nat'l title too

Men's volleyball team wins national title - The Collegian
Nittany Lions bring home national title - CDT
Penn State volleyball has now swept the national championships! The men's team beat Pepperdine to win their second national title. Penn State is the only eastern team to ever win a title and they have now done it twice.

The women's team also won the title this academic year.

PREVIOUSLY: Lady Spikers win national title

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posted by WFY @ 6:19 AM | |

<strike>NIT</strike>tany Lions fall to Illinois in the last four seconds - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Friday, March 14, 2008

NITtany Lions fall to Illinois in the last four seconds

Lions' season ends despite late rally - The Collegian
First round KO - CDT
If I had invested much more than a few bucks on PSU basketball jerseys on ebay over the years, my heart probably would have been broken yesterday. Penn State came back from 10 down in the second half and led by a point for what seemed like a minute and a half near the end of the game. They couldn't get one more shot through and Illinois did with less than four seconds left to pull off the win.

That will do it for the cagers this season. While it is disappointing they missed out on the NIT, there is hope. They played the last part of the season with mostly freshmen and return Jamelle Cornely from injury next year. A decent NIT run next year is a reasonable expectation at the very least for next season.

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posted by WFY @ 5:30 AM | |

me if I'm wrong, but the Lions aren't out of the NIT selection yet right? They're out of the NCAA tournament, but maybe the NIT will look at them? Unless the 15-16 record eliminates them for a losing record.

# posted by Blogger Kevin McGuire : Friday, March 14, 2008 12:33:00 PM  

Up until a few years ago, a minimum of a .500 record was required to be eligible for any post-season play. A few years ago, the NIT expanded their field and relaxed some of the eligibility requirements, but I don't know if the .500 record was one of them. Anyone know?

# posted by Anonymous TMBC : Friday, March 14, 2008 2:18:00 PM  

Actually, the NIT reduced their field from 40 to 32. But you're right that they removed the .500 record requirement.

Meanwhile, there's now a third tournament: The Collegiate Basketball Invitational.

# posted by Blogger dl004d : Tuesday, March 18, 2008 5:15:00 PM   Post a Comment

Basketball: Penn State vs. Illinois at 2:30 - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Thursday, March 13, 2008

Basketball: Penn State vs. Illinois at 2:30

The resurgent Penn State men's basketball team begins its improbable run to the NCAA Tournament today as it faces Illinois in the Big11Ten Tournament at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The Nittany Lions are (15-15, 7-11 in the Big11Ten) despite losing their two best players, Geary Claxton and Jamelle Cornley, to injury. They know how to beat Illinois too, winning both games this season. After that, they need to win just through more tournament games to enter Big Dance.

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posted by WFY @ 5:32 AM | |

Its been an interesting season for the cagers, no matter how today's game turns out. Keep in mind that both wins over the Illini were close, and without Cornley and Claxton we could be in trouble. I will hope for the best, but expect the worst....

# posted by Anonymous TMBC : Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:19:00 AM  

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Big11Ten Network progress in Pennsylvania - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Big11Ten Network progress in Pennsylvania

David Jones of the Patriot-News reports on his blog that things are looking up for Pennsylvania cable subscribers who want to see Big11Ten Network. A deal is close for that will allow many Comcast subscribers will get it on expanded basic tier, except for the Philadelphia area which will have to pay extra.

This doesn't help me, but I know Penn Staters in the Keystone State will be pleased.

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posted by WFY @ 12:56 PM | |

Cagers take out another ranked team - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Monday, March 10, 2008

Cagers take out another ranked team

Lions shock No. 18 Hoosiers, earn No. 7 Seed - The Collegian
Jackson helps PSU upset No. 18 Indiana - CDT
Penn State beat #18 Indiana despite missing its two best players, junior forward Jamelle Cornley (out for the rest of the year with a chronic left knee problem) and senior G-F Geary Claxton.

The Nittany Lions have done the cruelest thing possible -- given us hope. A win over Illinois in the Big11Ten tournament could thrust them into "can't spell N-I-T without Nittany."

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posted by WFY @ 5:45 AM | |

WHOA! Penn State beats #8 Michigan State - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Sunday, February 03, 2008

WHOA! Penn State beats #8 Michigan State

Lions spring upset - Patriot-News
Hubris can be funny:
STATE COLLEGE - A Lansing, Mich., TV personality named Hondo Carpenter took the Jordan Center court two hours before Michigan State's game at Penn State and pre-taped his postgame opening. It went something like this:

"Welcome to the Northwestern of the East where, before 6,000 fans, the Spartans whipped Penn State."
For the record, there was an announced crowd of 11,159 fans, some of whom rushed the court after Penn State won by nine. Final score: 85-76.

About once a year, Penn State shows signs of life and beats a men's basketball good
team. That happened yesterday when Michigan State came to town.

Now build on it cagers! The season doesn't have to be a total loss, you have a winning record and can still make the NIT.

Video! - ESPN

Penn State upsets No. 8 Michigan State - The Collegian

A giant leap - CDT

UPDATED: Big11Ten Network video



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posted by WFY @ 8:07 AM | |

PSU men's basketball is depressing again - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Tuesday, January 29, 2008

PSU men's basketball is depressing again

After a promising 2-0 start to the Big11Ten season, Penn State has dropped five in a row. A season-ending injury to Geary Claxson seems to have ended any hopes of even a birth in the NIT.

After five years of being a cheerleader for coach Ed DeChellis, Patriot-News columnist David Jones is losing faith. Jones is coming to this point 2 to 5 years after many others. He notes that DeChellis is a good guy who has gone through a lot, but just doesn't connect to his players. DeChellis is a Penn State grad who got his previous school, East Tennessee State to the big dance, but has only one NIT appearance to show for his career. I was hoping it would work out, but it seems as though it won't. The best question is whether Tim Curley will open up his wallet and bring in a big-time coach.

By the way, you can watch the Nittany Lions take on Ohio State on ESPN at 7 p.m.! Not even a THON tie-in was enough (Black Shoe Diaries) to get 10,000 tickets sold.

I'll probably be watching the Capitals.

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posted by WFY @ 12:06 PM | |

STOP THE PRESSES! When Penn State loses just ONE football game, Dave Jones wants radical changes, from Joe Pa's resignation to overhauling the strength and conditioning programs to questions about who should be leading the entire athletic department.

But we have 5+ seasons of literally pathetic basketball, with no big time recruits and ZERO NCAA tournament appearances and now Mr. Jones thinks a change needs to be made?!?! What a revelation!

# posted by Anonymous The Maryland Bureau Chief : Tuesday, January 29, 2008 12:59:00 PM  

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Talkin' trash about Badger basketball - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Talkin' trash about Badger basketball

I will admit that I don't care enough about Penn State basketball to make a bet on them. In lieu of a wager with dl004d like one we have for football, I'm just going to blindside him with some trash talk.

The Nittany Lions are going to make the Badgers pay in tonight's game at Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State is rolling down the road to mediocrity and they aren't going to stop until there is some Badger road kill behind them. Wisconsin is going to be blinded by the Lions film-strip inspired uniforms. Prepare to be intimidated by nearly announced 9,000 fans! Just watch out dl004d, the Nittany Lions aren't going to make only 47.2% of their free throws this time -- they'll bust through the 60% threshold. We're talking unstoppable. Come late February, you won't be able to spell Nittany without N-I-T baby. The Badgers are just a speedbump along the way.

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posted by WFY @ 5:18 PM | |

Nicely done!

# posted by Blogger DCSportsChick : Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:59:00 PM  

Well that didn't work out to well. Not at all.

# posted by Blogger WFY : Wednesday, January 16, 2008 5:40:00 AM  

I should have had you over for the game. It would have been a lot of fun... for me. As it was, the game barely held the attention of the crowd of Wisconsin fans in my living room.

# posted by Blogger dl004d : Wednesday, January 16, 2008 9:09:00 AM  

Perhaps next time, provided it is on at a decent hour.

# posted by Blogger WFY : Wednesday, January 16, 2008 11:25:00 AM   Post a Comment

Beano Watch 01.09.2008 - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Thursday, January 10, 2008

Beano Watch 01.09.2008

Carroll H. Cook ('54 Pitt) had his post-bowls chat yesterday adn answered one Penn State question.
Mikey (Philly): Beaner, PSU returners 19 starters. Picking them again to play in the Championship Game???

SportsNation Beano Cook: No. The schedule will be tougher, playing at Wisconsin and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have almost everyone back. Penn State has not won at Ohio State since entering the Big Ten. What makes you think it will happen next year? It could, but I don't think so. Don't make your reservations to the Orange Bowl quite yet.
Given that Beano picked Penn State this past season, I'm quite happy he didn't again. I also agree that one has to go with the Buckeyes in the Big11Ten. However, if he is saying don't make your reservations for the Orange Bowl yet, well that means you might want to call AAA.

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posted by WFY @ 5:40 AM | |

PSU men's basketball improving - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Monday, January 07, 2008

PSU men's basketball improving

Difference makers - CDT
Rebounds, second chances lift Nittany Lions past Illinois
After losing three in a row on national television over Thanksgiving, the Nittany Lions are playing well. They have won their first two Big11Ten games, both on the road, to move up to 10-4. Half a dozen more wins and I'll be saying "you can't spell Nittany without N-I-T."

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posted by WFY @ 12:27 PM | |

NHL in Beaver Stadium? - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Friday, December 21, 2007

NHL in Beaver Stadium?

I always through it would be pretty cool if there was a "battle for Pennsylvania" at Penn State's Beaver Stadium between the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. Now I find out from Eric McErlain of Fanhouse that the Flyers are considering hosting the Pengyunz at Beaver Stadium next season. Michigan State did this in 2001 when they hosted Michigan.

Forgive the pun, but that would very cool, even though I can't stand either team. People still talk about what State College was like during the 2000 playoffs between the two teams, apparently it was quite a scene. I had graduated by then. Hopefully, this could be used as an opportunity to advance the cause of varsity hockey at Penn State. A well-placed source at Penn State told me that the money is there for a new arena, but the administration wants to hold off on building for a few years.

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posted by WFY @ 12:52 PM | |

Lady Spikers win national title - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Sunday, December 16, 2007

Lady Spikers win national title

PENN STATE WINS NATIONAL TITLE - CDT
For the first time in eight years, the Penn State women's volleyball team has won the national championship! The Lions beat Stanford in Sacramento. Just by coincidence, the last time they won it, the football team played Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl. Deja vu all over again!

While we were in Muir Woods yesterday (more later), I was asked if "we were going to beat Stanford" on two occasions. I was wearing my Penn State hockey sweater at the time. One woman, a Nebraska fan, offered us a pair of tickets to the championship match; she didn't need them because the Cornhuskers were eliminated by Stanford in the semi-finals, Penn State beat Cal to advance to the title game. We declined the tickets, preferring to spend the evening in San Francisco instead of Sacramento.

Mark Kreidler of ESPN describes the team in his column, Nittany Lions lay it all on the line in NCAA title win
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Loose is one thing. Loose is calm, relaxed, easily focused. What the Penn State volleyball players do, when they really get going, is something closer to frantic than loose. It's like a jailbreak, with the screaming and the fist pumping. Lots of yelling -- almost all of it at each other, and almost all of it to the good.

Or, as sophomore setter Alisha Glass explained it with a smile, "The other night, we were screaming and yelling while we were still warming up on the sport-court outside the gym. The other team is probably going, 'We haven't even stepped on the court.'"

Bad news for the other team: Penn State eventually steps on the court.
Sweet.

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posted by WFY @ 10:54 AM | |

My Hokie co-worker's desk this morning - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Thursday, November 29, 2007

My Hokie co-worker's desk this morning

Hokies PWNED!

I thought I'd let him know who won. See, Penn State basketball can be fun!

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posted by WFY @ 6:20 PM | |

Penn State beats Virgina Tech - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog