Occasional poster to this site, John, has had his first book published. A work of narrative journalism regarding the people of the Allegheny County Coroner’s office. On Sunday, he will be at the Joseph-Beth Bookstore on Pittsburgh’s Southside to sign copies.

By remarkable coincidence, the Allegheny County Coroner’s offices were raided on Friday by the FBI. The raid was with regard to Coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht.

Over the past few weeks, I have tried to avoid posting on this incident — as I’m trying to be more understanding of my wife’s alma mater. But God help me, I just can’t help myself from making hay every time some idiot Nittany Lion screws up. This particular incident was choice.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State starting center E.Z. Smith was kicked off
the team Friday for his role in an incident in which arrows were shot through a
dormitory wall during a party. Smith is off the team at least until the end
of the summer, and coach Joe Paterno will decide whether the senior will be
allowed back on the team.

I’m somehow going to look past the issue of how, exactly, you can shoot an arrow through a wall at other human beings and yet remain possibly eligible for football next fall (remember when Penn State used to at least pretend to hold itself to a higher moral standard?). Instead, I’m going to ask at what kind of hick-assed school would students actually keep a 60-pound compound bow and arrows handy?

I know that I’ve said this on this site at least a dozen times, but you don’t have to make Nittany Lion football players screw up. You don’t even have to want Nittany Lion football players to screw up. You just have to sit back and watch Nittany Lion football players screw up.

Hail to Ted Nugent enrolling his kids at Penn State.

Scrimmages yesterday were non-contact drills and no one was hurt. TE Darrell Strong who hurt his knee on Thursday was back without any real problems. He apparently only twisted it.

Cornerback Darrelle Revis is again making noises about playing basketball for Pitt. Somehow, at this point, I doubt it.

A piece today, about Tyler Palko already looking forward to the opening game against Notre Dame.

“I hope the guys still have that sour taste in their mouths from the bowl game and have that kind of chip on their shoulder,” he said. “Especially being on a national stage, we kind of got embarrassed. Every time I step on the football field, I still have that in the back of my mind.”

Which is why Palko is already looking forward to Notre Dame.

Just 5 months to go.

A few player puff pieces today. Dominic Williams gets a second in as many days. This one focuses more on his play with quotes from Offensive Line Coach Paul Dunn. Not as much on his self-discovery that a military academy wasn’t his path.

Freshman Defensive Tackle Craig Bokor, who enrolled at Pitt in January, also spent a semester at a prep military academy. He found the positives in it.

Redshirt Freshman Tyler Tipton is transitioning from fullback to linebacker. This was what he wanted to do. He’s in a depth chart battle with Scot McKillop to see who is behind H.B. Blades.