Blogs List
Against The Wind
 Erik Brown |
Inspired by "the athlete of the real world"Fri, July 3, 2009 @ 11:53AM Last week was a bad one for me… running-wise that is. I missed five days in a row. As I reflect on it, I probably spent a little too much time at the office and didn’t get as much sleep as I should have. On top of that, my bad knee was giving me trouble. The result: my energy level and motivation tank were both on “E”. It got to the point that I was self-talking myself out of the running goal I had set for this year. In fact, two days ago I was sitting at my desk halfway hoping for an evening thunderstorm to wash out my planned 7:00 PM run. I needed a motivation “fix” bad. Fortunately, I got it. In 16 short hours, my running batteries were completely re-charged thanks to a series of external motivational / inspirational sources. So, what happened? First, I caught the Dean Karnazes interview on Leading Off - Joe Shuta’s sports talk show on WFBG (1290 AM). Joe’s guest was Ultra-runner, Dean Karnazes.
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On the scholastic and recruiting beat
 Philip Cmor |
Catching up with J.R. FergusonThu, May 7, 2009 @ 2:03PM It's pretty much accepted that Penn State would like to bring a couple of defensive ends on board in 2010. One of the most highly-sought players at that position in the country -- with 44 scholarship offers at last count -- is in the Nittany Lions' traditional recruiting wheelhouse of Frederick, Md. Ego "J.R." Ferguson is a 6-foot-3, 272-pound defensive lineman that plays at St. John's Catholic Prep (formerly known as St. Joh's Prospect Hall). Rivals.com has him ranked as the 14th-best prospect in the 2010 class. You don't hear a lot about Ferguson on the Lion recruiting boards, because most of the speculation is that he's pretty likely to sign with a college in the Deep South. Ferguson was an expected attendee for the Nike Football Camp on Saturday at Penn State. I was able to catch up with him and his coach, Jimmy Ward, a couple of days later to find out if he was really as big a long shot for Penn State as most thought.
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The Art Cafe
 Emily Dimov-Gottshall |
The Sound of Music!Thu, April 30, 2009 @ 8:35PM Recently, we went to see the rehearsal of "The Sound of Music". It was exciting as we hadn't been to the theater in some time and I admit, I couldn't wait to see the beloved performance on stage. I'd say it was much better then I expected and had a great feel with the costume and scenery. I love going to the Mishler to see community performances like this one. The actors did a great job and Julie Hanlon was perfect for Maria. There was much more humor in the play then in the movie...this surprised me, in a good way. I was wondering how this was going to translate as a stage production...I found it refreshing. If you get a chance to see the play, you'll get a better feel for Rodgers and Hammerstein's wonderful musical as well as a few numbers that were cut from the fil.
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15 Minutes
 Ray Eckenrode |
Here and there: Hollybad, 'True Blood', Buccos, 'Lost'Fri, June 26, 2009 @ 9:59AM Blogs are going to be spotty until we're through with baseball season. This schedule is kickin' our rear end. Reel time Is Hollywood so devoid of ideas (rhetorical question) that they're now remaking movies that weren't very good the first time, such as "The Taking of Pelham 123"? Do yourself a favor. Before you plunk down $8 on anything this summer, go rent "Memento" or "I'm Not There" to see what an original thought looks like. Tube talk It's official. "True Blood" is a smash hit. The buzz from the show's first season has built into a second season frenzy with the first two episodes drawing the highest ratings HBO has seen since the finale of "The Sopranos." It should be noted, though, that those numbers are still only about two-thirds of what "The Sopranos" drew in its heyday.
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Buck Starts Here
 Buck Frank |
Steelers draft: Needful thingsMon, April 27, 2009 @ 9:42PM The Steelers had a successful 2009 draft -- of what can be graded at this time. It won't be ranked among the top drafts by any of the experts, but it answered their needs -- which are a lot less than most teams. The players they selected aren't going to be expected to come right in and start the opener against the Titans. If one does, that' will just be a bonus. Unlike teams such as Detroit, Cincinnati and Cleveland, the Steelers don't need any of their picks to have much impact in 2009. If they show promise, get on the field for some experience and blossom in 2010 or 2011, then this year's draft will be considered a long-term success, which is ideal. The draft went pretty much as expected, unlike last year when Rashard Mendenhall fell to them.
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Nittany Nuggets
 Cory Giger |
Experts agree poor schedule kept PSU out of NCAA tourneyMon, March 16, 2009 @ 0:53AM A sampling of what the national pundits had to say about why Penn State did not make the NCAA Tournament. As you can see, the sentiment is clear: The non-conference schedule just was not good enough. Also, some of the experts point out upsets in conference tournaments -- like USC in the Pac-10 and Mississippi State in the SEC -- stole bids from Penn State. --------------------- Mike Slive, selection committee chairman, when asked about Penn State's non-conference schedule We tried to deliver the message this year that it's your entire body of work. It starts in November and December and goes through the tournament. And one of the statistics that I tried to look at myself was trying to find teams that played away and won against top teams in the country, and there are very few of those kinds of wins. And I think the message here is those kinds of wins will make a difference. -------------------- Andy Katz, ESPN I don't think there's any question that Penn State and St.
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Life & style
 Ashley Gurbal |
Made-to-order nutrition infoThu, April 9, 2009 @ 3:13PM Finding a restaurant's nutrition facts online can be a total shot in the dark. Some restaurants don't list them at all, and some list similar items that aren't exactly what you had. If you ate at Sheetz, though, there'll be no question as to what you consumed. Their nutrition info works exactly like their touch-screen machines: you build your sandwich (or coffee drink, or what have you) and it gives you that specific item's nutrition dat.
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Have Dog, Will Blog
 Amy Jo Hanna |
Expert safety tips from celebrity dog trainer Joel SilvermanThu, July 2, 2009 @ 9:53AM No rest for the weary.... It's the Fourth of July holiday. So, for the next two weeks, at least, I will become a recluse -- all doors closed, all lights on, the air on high and TV blaring. Mazey and fireworks don't mix. It's either sleep (uncomfortably) with lights on or don't sleep at all. Each year, I preach the Fireworks Safety Mantra. So, instead of listening to me this time, I thought you'd enjoy a reprieve. I've invited expert Joel Silverman, Bil-Jac's celebrity dog trainer to talk with us.
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Let's Go Pens!
 Matt Leaper |
MISSING DOG FOUND!!Fri, July 3, 2009 @ 1:14AM This is hardly my normal Pens blog but instead I'm reaching out to some owners who have lost their young friend. This evening (July 2nd) around 9:30PM, my girlfriend Tammy, my son Landin and I came across a dog on Pleasant Valley Boulevard by Greenwood Road. We pulled off and were able to get the young dog to come to us so we could get him off the very busy road. We took him to our house and have given him some water, food and shelter from tonights rainy wheater. From 10:15 till about 11:00 I circled the area where we found him and was unable to locate anyone searching. If you have any infromation or know anyone who is missing a dog in that area I urge you to post a comment. Also, we plan to take the dog to the Humane Society sometime this weekend. Thanks for any help.
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The Right to Remain Silent
 Mark Leberfinger |
Are we safe out there? Part 2Sun, May 24, 2009 @ 9:51PM Do DUI checkpoints really work? Roberto Emanuel Vazquez-Aguilar found out the hard way early Saturday. Checkpoints do work. Vazquez-Aguilar was spotted driving the wrong way on Route 36, just ahead of the Blair County DUI Task Force's sobriety checkpoint set up in front of the Hollidaysburg Church of the Brethren. After he drove into the checkpoint with the help of one of the task force officers, Vazquez-Aguilar was ordered out of the car, which was reported stolen from Fairway Drive in Altoona. According to police, Vazquez-Aguilar not only was driving under the influence but he also was in the United States illegally. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a detainer. Vazquez-Aguilar is in Blair County Prison on the detainer and DUI, stolen vehicle and other charges. A strong argument may be made that if it wasn't for the checkpoint, Vazquez-Aguilar, who had listed a Tennessee address, would have gotten away.
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Mainly Mehno
 John Mehno |
Fun at the ballparkThu, July 2, 2009 @ 2:47AM Just for the record, I personally don't own the Pirates and don't have any input into the operations of the Pirates. So if you're angry about a trade -- as some e-mailers are -- take it up with them. It's out of my hands. However, I appreciate your passion and always like to get feedback. If you choose to never attend another game, that's your decision. I don't tell you how to spend your money. If I did, I'd have you send me some every week. Jack Wilson backed off his harsh comments that came after the Nyjer Morgan trade. He said he did it on his own, and I believe him. If he had been ordered to do that, he probably wouldn't have done it. Or it wouldn't have come across the way it did. I think he saw his comments in print and realized he'd gone off the deep end a bit. Perhaps he heard himself being taken to task on talk shows, too. Jack likes to be liked. The 10-game homestand is finally ending with the Mets in for a make-up of a previous rainout.
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Backyard Beats
 Jim Price |
They Grew Up Before Our Eyes!Tue, June 30, 2009 @ 1:36PM Not to throw a shameless plug to my present broadcast employer, but if you listen to Rocky 104.9 with any regularity, by now you’ve probably heard “I Get Off,” the first single from Halestorm and their self-titled Atlantic Records debut album released in April. The song is achieving nationwide radio airplay; including several syndicated rock radio programs. Halestorm will join Shinedown, Staind, Saving Abel and other bands on the “Stimulate This” concert tour starting in July. Halestorm’s current success is the reward of a decade-long journey that started when two children were encouraged to indulge their musical interests by their supportive parent.
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Once a sports guy ...
 Neil Rudel |
PSU's Foley earns ravesFri, June 19, 2009 @ 6:42PM http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-golf/spec-rel/061409aac.html This might be the single most impressive athletic achievement by any Penn State athlete this year. Especially the course-record 61 in the first round at a place where all the great ones have played. In a word, wo.
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Game Over!
 Nick Recchia Tom Worthington |
BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA!!Mon, June 8, 2009 @ 4:49PM I had a nice blast from the past last night with one of my favorite SNES games. If you couldn't tell from the title, I am talking about NBA Jam. My friend DJ got a hold of the game and we had a little tourney just for something fun to do. And I have to tell you, it was awesome. It is always fun to go back and play old games. For one you get to make fun of how bad the graphics and sound effects were back then. On top of that, playing an old game lets you remember how much fun you used to have playing when it was new. Plus playing a game like NBA Jam on the SNES gives you a break from how games are made now-a-days. The SNES controller has 8 buttons ,including the start and select buttons, and the D-pad. That's it. And with NBA Jam the X and Y buttons and the A and B buttons do the same thing. So its mindless playing. You just get to go down court drain some threes or pull of some ridiculous dunks.
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Just Write
 Kelly Valeri |
There’s a reason they start out as babiesWed, May 27, 2009 @ 5:47PM I think my daughter scared a pregnant woman about her impending due date. Sure, most people realize that toddlers are a handful, but sometimes I feel like I need four hands for Allison. Last weekend, she and I took a road trip to visit my friend and her husband. We met at their house, and Allison made quick work of raiding the pile of gift bags in their otherwise empty nursery. When it became clear Allison wasn’t going to be content until the room was covered in tissue paper scraps, I suggested we leave for lunch. In our e-mail correspondence the day before, we had settled on a restaurant in a nearby mall. The hostess gave us a booth, and Allison and I took one side. The benefit of that seating arrangement is that she is content much longer. The downside is that she can reach almost everything on the table — pre-placed steak knives, the salt and pepper shakers, those colorful little sugar packets that scream TOSS ME and, of course, drinks.
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A German Perspective
 Jessica VanderKolk |
Death camp guard updateFri, July 3, 2009 @ 10:32AM It's reported today John Demjanjuk, the 89-year-old Ohio man accused of being an accessory to murder in a Nazi death camp, is fit to stand trial here in Germany. He was deported to Germany in May and was stripped of his U.S. citizenship for lying about his past. It's not clear when his trial will star.
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At the Movies
 Ken Womack |
"Public Enemies"Thu, July 2, 2009 @ 0:53AM Public Enemies **** For Johnny Depp, Public Enemies is a tour-de-force, the bravura performance that he has been seemingly working towards throughout his long and impressive career. While Depp has been one of Hollywood’s most celebrated and box-office worthy actors, many of his performances have been little more than well-choreographed stunts. Whether as madcap filmmaker Ed Wood, crazed candy man Willy Wonka, or bloodthirsty Sweeney Todd, Depp has seemed strangely disconnected from the landscapes of his own films. At times, it’s as if he and the movies in which he stars exist in parallel, albeit disparate universes. Yet in Public Enemies, Depp finally succeeds in not only disappearing into his role, but also into the fabric and texture of the film as well. In so doing, he turns in one of his most understated and effective performances to date. In Public Enemies, Depp stars as the legendary 1930s-era outlaw John Dillinger.
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