The Defense Also Let Us Down...

[edpuskas]

Ed, I'd take some of these guys with a grain of salt.  If you get a complaint from 1-AA or many of the other highly respected and thoughtful bloggers then maybe, but some of the crackpots like FB93 are just that, and worthy of being ignored.

You're right, of course. I just don't like what I believe to be bad information being put out there as the gospel. I just thought I ought to try to correct that and, in the process, let anyone with a question know a little about the process and what goes into it every week.

But you're right. You just can't have a discussion with some people.

[penguinpower]

No idea what you're talking about. At no time I can remember in 20 years has a YSU football game story been played inside vs. anything else, high school football or otherwise. Now, of course, I haven't worked here that entire time, but I'd be shocked if it ever happened.

As for preview stories, they're commonly played on the front on Saturdays, but yes, high school football is the dominant package on those days because the game are on Friday night. Live stories, live photos. Lots of local interest. That's how it has always been. I'm not sure why you can't grasp that.

Unless it's a YSU playoff game preview in November or December (and there have been precious few of those since 2000), prep football is going to be the main package on Saturday's sports front pages in the fall. On Sunday, it's YSU and OSU. On Monday, it's the NFL.

It's really quite simple.

Ed,

I understand that that is the way it is, and I have said this before.  85% of people in Ytown haven't graduated from college and they are like this guy:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=napoleon%20dynamite%20uncle%20rico%20football&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=napoleon%20dynamite%20uncle%20rico%20football&sc=2-37&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=8AB73CC70E392F670A2E8AB73CC70E392F670A2E

So I understand that you have to sell papers based on the level of education and interests of your primary audience.  However, I will say that if you were to pick any other area city or town with a college campus that is competitive in football, the #1 thing on the newspaper sports section would the football team and it would be rare if HS dominated Friday or Saturday.  That is all I am saying.

[paladin]

For the record, Scarlet, I don't have a brother. Two sisters, but neither is on here. 

I didn't think either team ( Pitt-YSU) played well in this paycheck game . My 2 cents 

[edpuskas]

No idea what you're talking about. At no time I can remember in 20 years has a YSU football game story been played inside vs. anything else, high school football or otherwise. Now, of course, I haven't worked here that entire time, but I'd be shocked if it ever happened.

As for preview stories, they're commonly played on the front on Saturdays, but yes, high school football is the dominant package on those days because the game are on Friday night. Live stories, live photos. Lots of local interest. That's how it has always been. I'm not sure why you can't grasp that.

Unless it's a YSU playoff game preview in November or December (and there have been precious few of those since 2000), prep football is going to be the main package on Saturday's sports front pages in the fall. On Sunday, it's YSU and OSU. On Monday, it's the NFL.

It's really quite simple.

Ed,

I understand that that is the way it is, and I have said this before.  85% of people in Ytown haven't graduated from college and they are like this guy:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=napoleon%20dynamite%20uncle%20rico%20football&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=napoleon%20dynamite%20uncle%20rico%20football&sc=2-37&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=8AB73CC70E392F670A2E8AB73CC70E392F670A2E

So I understand that you have to sell papers based on the level of education and interests of your primary audience.  However, I will say that if you were to pick any other area city or town with a college campus that is competitive in football, the #1 thing on the newspaper sports section would the football team and it would be rare if HS dominated Friday or Saturday.  That is all I am saying.

In Columbus and Ann Arbor and other Power 5 towns, sure. Those are bigger cities than Youngstown and there are far more high schools than even we have here. We cover 44 in three counties. Double that number in metro Columbus or some similar city, and yes, you'll find that the population there is not as connected to the local high schools the way people are here.

But I'd be willing to bet that the demographics in most FCS towns are not unlike Youngstown, with prep sports far more popular than you see in Big Ten cities. I'd also be willing to bet that the coverage YSU football gets from the various media here compares very favorably to other FCS schools. I also think that the dearth of playoff appearances since Jim Tressel last coached here probably also played a role in coverage philosophies, fan interest and the popularity of prep sports.

When Bo Pelini gets the Penguins back to the playoffs — and I suspect he will — I think you'll see things change on all fronts. But even without the playoff appearances, we've always covered YSU's games as the No. 1 event on Saturdays in the fall here, because they are just that. In most cases, the Penguins enjoyed top billing over OSU, as they should here during the regular season.

[go guins]

Ed,
We appreciate your good work and ask only that you keep it up.  I can't imagine every agreeing with everything someone else says or writes, (good grief, I don't always agree with what I say and write!) but I never question your motives.  In the end, that's what matters, integrity; you have it, and I respect you for it!
Thanks
Don

[edpuskas]

Ed,
We appreciate your good work and ask only that you keep it up.  I can't imagine every agreeing with everything someone else says or writes, (good grief, I don't always agree with what I say and write!) but I never question your motives.  In the end, that's what matters, integrity; you have it, and I respect you for it!
Thanks
Don

Thank you, sir! Right back at you.

[penguinpower]

Ed,
We appreciate your good work and ask only that you keep it up.  I can't imagine every agreeing with everything someone else says or writes, (good grief, I don't always agree with what I say and write!) but I never question your motives.  In the end, that's what matters, integrity; you have it, and I respect you for it!
Thanks
Don

Thank you, sir! Right back at you.

So Ed what is your opinion of the team from what you saw?

[edpuskas]

Ed,
We appreciate your good work and ask only that you keep it up.  I can't imagine every agreeing with everything someone else says or writes, (good grief, I don't always agree with what I say and write!) but I never question your motives.  In the end, that's what matters, integrity; you have it, and I respect you for it!
Thanks
Don

Thank you, sir! Right back at you.

So Ed what is your opinion of the team from what you saw?

What I saw essentially consists of numbers I crunched from my perch at 107 Vindicator Square (I rarely get out much) and from talking to Joe Scalzo, but I like the fact that YSU put 37 points on an ACC team on the road with its starting running back missing most of the game. The defense showed some big-play capabilities and the kicking game looks solid with Kennedy.

I think Pelini would agree that the defense isn't clearly not yet where he wants it to be, but this team is coming. It's early, but I think it's playoffs-or-bust. But then again, I thought that before the Pitt game. I think the Penguins will be playing in December.