For the Glory » Penn State Volleyball http://russwbeck.com/blog A Blog By Russwbeck Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:22:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Top Ten Sporting Events of the Decade http://russwbeck.com/blog/2009/12/top-ten-sporting-events-of-the-decade/ http://russwbeck.com/blog/2009/12/top-ten-sporting-events-of-the-decade/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:13:54 +0000 Russ Beck http://russwbeck.com/blog/?p=67 I watched a lot of sporting events in the last decade.  I was 12 when the clock turned from 1999 to 2000 and found humor in thinking I was the first person in the new millennium to say that the Steelers would win the Super Bowl.  With that said, here is my list of my top sporting events since then.  These are in chronological order, and they are admittedly heavy on the later part of the decade as I aged and usually include my favorite team winning.

2003 BCS Fiesta Bowl (2002 BCS National Championship Game) – Ohio State Buckeyes (31) vs. Miami Hurricanes (24) (2OT)

2005 Big Ten Football Game – Penn State Nittany Lions (17) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (10)

2006 BCS Orange Bowl – Penn State Nittany Lions (26) vs. Florida State Seminoles (23) (3OT)

2006 BCS Rose Bowl (2005 BCS National Championship Game) – Texas Longhorns (41) vs. Southern California Trojans (38)

2007 BCS Fiesta Bowl – Boise State Broncos (43) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (42) (OT)

2008 Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 – Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Detroit Red Wings (3) (3OT)

2009 Super Bowl XLIII – Pittsburgh Steelers (27) vs. Arizona Cardinals (23)

2009 NCAA Big East Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal – Syracuse Orange (127) vs. Connecticut Huskies (117) (6OT)

2009 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 – Pittsburgh Penguins (2) vs. Detroit Red Wings (1)

2009 Women’s Volleyball NCAA Championship – Penn State Nittany Lions (3) vs. Texas Longhorns (2) (22-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-13)

Here’s to a new decade full of excitement.

]]> http://russwbeck.com/blog/2009/12/top-ten-sporting-events-of-the-decade/feed/ 0 Why Megan Hodge is the Greatest Athlete in Penn State History http://russwbeck.com/blog/2009/12/megan-hodge/ http://russwbeck.com/blog/2009/12/megan-hodge/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:45:08 +0000 Russ Beck http://russwbeck.com/blog/?p=60 Megan HodgeI know that you’re thinking I’m insane.  Surely Lavar Arrington, Talor Battle, Kerry Collins, or John Capelletti were better athletes than this Hodge girl.  But when you step back and think about it, what defines a great athlete?  Utter dominance, constant production at the highest level, championships, national recognition, and success with honor would be a good starting point.  Sure Arrington was dominant, if Megan Hodge suited up and ran head first into a ‘Lavar Leap’ I’m positive she would break in half (as would I, as would you most likely).  And you would be correct in thinking that Kerry Collins produced at the highest level and John Cappelletti was nationally recognized as the best player in College Football in 1973, but none of them accomplished what Hodge did throughout a four year career.  In fact, you could combine every award the aforementioned players have received and they wouldn’t stack up against the great Megan Hodge.

Freshman Year: AVCA First Team All-America … AVCA National Freshman of the Year … Big Ten Player of the Year … Big Ten Freshman of the Year … AVCA First Team All-Mideast Region … AVCA Mideast Region Freshman of the Year … Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten … NCAA Seattle Regional All-Tournament Team … Big Ten All-Freshmen Team … three-time Big Ten Player of the Week (9/25, 10/23, 11/27) … first player in Big Ten history to earn First Team AVCA All-America honors as a freshman … just one of two true freshmen to be named to the three 2006 AVCA All-America teams and the only one named First Team … the only player ever in Big Ten history to claim both Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year honors … first-ever player to earn Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year honors and AVCA National Freshman of the Year honors in consecutive seasons.

Sophomore Year: National Champion … Honda Award Finalist … NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player … AVCA First Team All-America … AVCA First Team All-Mideast Region … Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten … Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week (9/10) … Big Ten Player of the Week (9/10) … Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten

Junior Year: National Champion … NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player … AVCA First Team All-America … NCAA Regional Championship Most Outstanding Player … First Team AVCA All-Mideast Region … Academic All-Big Ten … Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten … ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-American … Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten

Senior Year: National Champion … Honda Award Finalist … AVCA First Team All-America … NCAA Regional Championship Most Outstanding Player … AVCA First Team All-Mideast Region … Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten … Academic All-American of the Year … The awards are still piling in.

Count that up, 4 time All-American, 4 time Unanimous All-Big Ten, 4 time Mideast Regional First-Team, two time Honda Award Finalist, 3 time National Champion (the first Women’s Volleyball team to ever win 3 straight), the list really is disgusting.  She lead Penn State to 102 consecutive victories, the most of any Female Collegiate team in the history of collegiate athletics, and the second most of all-time (35 behind Men’s Tennis at Miami (137)).  Her fellow seniors and her hold the best record in Women’s Volleyball history (142-5).  Must I go on?  Because trust you me, I could.

Says legendary head coach Russ Rose of Megan Hodge: “Megan has had a storied career at Penn State.” For those of you who have seen Rose coach, you know he isn’t one to exaggerate, so you take what you can get.

How many football players were 4 time All-Americans?  How many football players (ever, not just at Penn State) have won three national championships in a row?  Sure she couldn’t pull the Michael Jordan and be MVP of all of her championships, but I won’t hold that against her.  Her Junior year, the team was touted as the best team to ever play Women’s Volleyball.  They didn’t even lose a set until dropping two in the championship game, which they rallied back from to win in 5.  Then, in the senior’s last game in a Penn State uniform, the team overcame their first 2-0 deficit in three years to win one of the most intensely competed sporting events I’ve ever seen.  As the final point careened off into the crowd the camera fixated on Russ Rose.  He marked the final stat of the season in his storied notebook, a Kill by Megan Hodge, and so closed the book on the most storied career of any athlete in Penn State History.

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