Steamrolling toward the weekend

Thursday and we have a LOT to discuss so let's get started....

- I've discussed Penn State the last two days and it gets worse each moment. Joe Paterno has been fired by the board of trustees and now the students are going nuts. Those students are going to learn a valuable life lesson when they get older. Read the grand jury report before you draw your own conclusions but after reading it myself, it's sick, disturbing and makes me ill. If any player wants to go there now after 15+ years of cover-ups, words can't explain why you would want to be associated with that.
- Now that Paterno has been fired, a new coach is needed in Happy Valley. Who would want this job though right now? You need to be a complete saint who has had nothing ever against you at this point. Why do I get this feeling we will hear Urban Meyer's name brought up? Yes he has been successful at Utah and Florida but I don't see him taking the job.
- On a much better note, let's discuss Toledo football. The Rockets have scored 126 points the last two weeks and given up the same number in going 1-1. Okay, if I'm the scoreboard operator, my fingers hurt and I want a raise. Next, love the offense but is the defense spending too much time at Tony Panko's and not enough on the practice field? Fix it, or the Glass Bowl will break.
- Sounds like the Florida...sorry Miami Marlins want to make a huge splash going into their new stadium. Jose Reyes took a tour Wednesday and Mark Buehrle has made a trip to visit his old manager as well. So if the Marlins sign Reyes, where does Hanley Ramirez go? 3rd base? 2nd base? Traded? I guess only time will tell on this but this may wake Ramirez up.
- The NBA lockout continues but at least the sides are talking, which I guess is good. Doesn't mean things are going to change but maybe if they talk, a deal can be done. I stick by my prediction of no basketball until sometime in the 2012-13 season.
- NFL Week 10 starts tonight with the Raiders traveling to San Diego to play the Chargers. Oakland is banged up in the running game with no Darren McFadden and the Chargers are coming off a shootout with the Packers. With that reasoning, I figure San Diego wins 27-10.

Fantasy Players of the Day: The Penn State Board of Trustees
Finally, a smart decision from State College, PA. Now the job of rebuilding and getting to the bottom of this whole mess can truly begin. Clean house and start new. Well done, you did what you had to do.

Matchup to Watch: Raiders at Chargers, 7:20 p.m. (CT), NFL Network
Thursday night football! Whee! Start your weekend early with this AFC West matchup.

This Date in History: Nov. 10, 1996
Dan Marino becomes the first quarterback to top 50,000 passing yards in a 37-13 win over the Colts. Marino's record has been broken by Brett Favre but Marino is still one of the top quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Time for a new direction

We begin fresh today with 9 sports-related topics which will include each day, this date in history, fantasy player of the week and matchup to watch.....

- The Cubs completed their Dream Team in the front office with Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod's news conference. Will those moves along with Theo Epstein make any difference? You would think so at least upstairs, now if the three of them can figure out how to get rid of Soriano and Zambrano.
- T.J. Houshmandzadeh is back, this time with the Raiders. A reunion with Carson Palmer as well. Oakland has a great running game and if they can get the passing game on track, a West Division title is in the offing.
- The NBA season didn't start on time Tuesday, ruining a title celebration in Dallas and the beginning of what Miami might do next with LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh. Neither side seems to care about what the fans want, might want to think that one over guys.
- The Big East appears ready to replace all their losses with six fresh schools including Boise State. What's next, a conference that goes from coast to coast? Just put Hawaii with South Florida in a conference while you are at it. Realignment has got out of hand, too bad it can't just be geographic but money is the all mighty game-changer.
-What is going on with the Red Wings? Five straight losses after Tuesday's defeat to the Wild. Five goals in five games won't work in the Motor City. Scoring had better improve and you can be sure it will.
- Game of the night Tuesday was Northern Illinois at Toledo. 63-60! 1,100 yards of offense! Seems like the glass broke inside the Glass Bowl with all that offense and zero defense. 11 touchdown passes were thrown, two kicks were returned for touchdowns as well. A ESPN Classic if ever to find one.

Fantasy Player of the Day: Toledo WR Eric Page
Back to the NIU-Toledo Game we go again, Page had nine catches for 155 yards and five touchdowns. The 5 TDs was more than Page had in his first eight games this season. Page also topped 3,000 career receiving yards in the loss.

Matchup to Watch: Philadelphia (6-4-1) at Buffalo (6-4-0), 6:30 p.m. (CT), Versus
The Flyers and Sabres match up in the birthplace of wings. Buffalo has struggled recently after winning four of their first five games of the season as this is a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

This Day in History: Nov. 2, 1969
In going with the high-scoring theme, New Orleans QB Billy Kilmer and St. Louis QB Charley Johnson each threw six TD passes as the Saints won 51-42 to win their first game of the season.