From: todd@hector.cc.bellcore.com (todd,carolyn m)
Subject: Re: Penn State Should Withdraw
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 14:37:34 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.153719.5709@desire.wright.edu> demon@desire.wright.edu (Stupendous Man) writes:
>In article <BxxH3B.Aw7@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, wlay@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Radio 90.1 FM WLAY Tarkington Hall) writes:
>> In article <92322.155336MXD118@psuvm.psu.edu> MXD118@psuvm.psu.edu (Spiro the Spiny Goldfish) writes:
>>>
>>>>Let's see, PSU talks the Lackluster Bowl into offering them a bid BEFORE
>>>>the season even starts.  Then those brave Paternoes play the rough and
>>>>tumble schedule which includes Cincinnati, Temple, Eastern Michigan,
>>>>Maryland, and Rutgers.  Their record is now 6-4, they're out of the top
>>>>25.
>>> (The Blockbuster was hoping to score a coup
>>>and get a better team than they could normally expect, but c'est la vie.)
>>>----
>> Do keep in mind that when this bowl alliance that was to be the end of all
>> problems with bowl matchups was created, Penn State was not included, and
>> neither was the Blockbuster Bowl.  Penn State was trying to assure themselves
>> of going to a decent bowl game (which the Blockbuster has been in its first 2
>> years) and the Blockbuster was trying to assure itself of having a decent 
>> team (this year's PSU team isn't exactly what they had in mind, but can be 
>> a fairly good draw on their name alone, kinda like ND in the Sugar last year!)
>> 
>> Both parties did what they had to do after being hung out to dry by the 
>> powers that be.
>

Several thoughts about Penn State's situation:  1.)  this
is not a normal year given the bowl alliance, PSU's
exclusion from that, and PSU's inability to get a Big Ten
bowl bid.  Thus the reason for the Blockbuster-PSU
contract.  2.)  A contract is a contract.  
An entire travel industry is established around bowl
games, and since the Blockbuster Bowl contract was signed
early, and especially since PSU met its 6 win minimum
requirement, lots of publicity and arrangements have been made
by various travel agencies.  If PSU withdrew it would not
only be a loss of revenues resulting from the bowl but
several lawsuits from businesses having made commitments for the
established bowl trip.   Joe Paterno has, in fact, in the
last week or two, threatened to withdraw (probably as a
motivational technique for his team, nothing more).  
I think it
would be foolhardy for Penn State to do so given the
commitments made.  3.)  Penn State fans go to bowl games
in droves.
They arrive early, stay late, spend lots of money.
They're a popular choice regardless of their record, and
the Blockbuster Bowl knows that.  Choosing PSU at the
beginning of a season was not risky, and could have been
brilliant had PSU lived up to initial expectations.
4.)  I do not fault Notre Dame
for accepting the Sugar Bowl bid.  They would have been
stupid not to accept it.  I fault the Sugar Bowl for
offering it to a team with a lesser record than Penn
State, especially after stating a week or two earlier 
that the winner of the Penn State-Notre Dame game 
would get the bid.  Notre Dame vindicated itself, which
is why you play the game.  5.)  As a Penn State fan who has
seen, in person, 59 PSU games in the last five years, I
strongly object to the use of expletives to
describe myself or any other avid college football fan on
this board.  It's not necessary and detracts from what
otherwise might be viewed as valid points.  6.)
Yes, Penn State is having a bad year.  Yes, the team is not as good
or consistent as was expected at the beginning of the
season.  I wouldn't even argue that Penn State ALMOST won
against Miami or Notre Dame as reasons for describing
them as a good team this year.  The fact is that Penn
State seems to be finding ways to lose rather than win
this season, and it's been disappointing.  
Carolyn Todd.

Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college