STATE COLLEGE – Chris Ednie and I have been in the press box for today’s Blue-White game for a few minutes here at Beaver Stadium on what promises to be an interesting day.
After the 10-minute walk to the press gate, Chris was already asking me to tear my towel in half. Yes, it’s a hot one and, at just 11:20 a.m.., we haven’t seen the end of mercury’s rise. Check out my column for three things I’m going to be watching closely today and the Associated Press’ story on the ridiculous depth PSU has at linebacker.
Chris will be live blogging throughout the game and I’ll be throwing nuggets at him to post from time to time. Since the score isn’t all that important today I can focus on areas like the offensive line, which has to replace tackle Gerald Cadogan, center A.Q. Shipley and guard Rich Orhnberger, and the defensive backfield, where I’m anxious to see true freshman and January enrollee Gerald Hodges at strong safety and to keep a close eye to see if A.J. Wallace sees any action after tweaking his troublesome hamstring last week.
Chris and I will be heading downstairs to the media room to dine on what I expect to be a fine lunch. I’m surviving on some Cool Ranch Doritos and a poptart I snacked on at the home of our host, a good friend from college, so a real meal will be a welcome site. After that Joe Paterno will do his press conference at 1 p.m. and no doubt will be forced to answer questions about All-Big Ten first-team linebacker Navarro Bowman, who earlier this week admitted to smoking marijuana twice since December while completing none of the 100 hours of community service imposed on him for his role in an on-campus fight in 2007. Once a link with Paterno’s press conference transcript is posted I’ll have a link for you right here.
So that’s it for now. I have to save my energy in this heat.
- Joe Miegoc
