Coach Joe Paterno

Offensive lineman Antonio Logan-El, a former Maryland recruit who caused a stir last year with his dramatic, nationally televised decision to sign with Penn State, will ask coach Joe Paterno to be released from his scholarship and will reconsider the Terps, he said yesterday. "A big issue for me was being away from my family," said Logan-El, who committed to Maryland as a high school sophomore but called an audible on National Signing Day in unforgettable fashion. " ... There were a lot of different variables.

No. 18 Texas A&M (8-3) vs. No. 13 Penn State (9-3)When: Tonight, 7: 30Where: Alamodome, San AntonioTV: ESPNLine: Penn State by 6 1/2Outlook: The physical Aggies ended the season on an emotional note. They rallied for a 20-16 victory over rival Texas just days after 12 people died in a tragic bonfire collapse on campus. The Aggies struggled on the road this year, getting blown out at Oklahoma and Nebraska. Luckily, their bowl game is close to home. QB Randy McCown is limited but gutsy. He might have a hard time against Penn State's pass rush.

COLLEGE PARK -- Maryland's Red Storm offense was never even cloudy last night.The run-and-shoot was the crawl-and-whimper.Before this lopsided series was finally put in cold storage, the only torrential rain that fell at Byrd Stadium came in the form of a Penn State defense that hounded, sacked and intercepted an overmatched Scott Milanovich.When Penn State's 70-7 demolition was complete, even the ninth-ranked Nittany Lions were surprised at how quickly Maryland's offense came undone."By the second quarter, they started doing stupid things," Penn State strong safety Derek Bochna said.

Place-kicker Scott Bentley of Aurora (Colo.) Overland switched from Notre Dame to Florida State in the final weekend of college football recruiting.Florida State has lost two straight games to Miami because kickers missed field-goal tries in the final seconds.Quarterback Thad Busby, linebacker Daryl Bush, receiver Andre Cooper and defensive end Julian Pittman also are going to Florida State.Quarterback Ron Powlus of Berwick, Pa., signed with Notre Dame.Though Florida State had the best overall group, Notre Dame recruited the top offensive class and Michigan had the finest defenders.

If coach Joe Paterno's most pressing decision today is who starts at quarterback for Penn State against Eastern Michigan, the Nittany Lions could be in for another lark.A week after they routed Temple, 49-8, with freshman Wally Richardson at quarterback, the eighth-ranked Lions (2-0) face Eastern Michigan (0-2) of the Mid-American Conference at 1 p.m. in University Park, Pa.Richardson last week became the second true freshman -- Tony Sacca was the first in 1988 -- to start at quarterback in Paterno's 27 years as coach at Penn State.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Locker room sniping has started at Penn State, where two losses have dropped the Nittany Lions from seventh to 14th in the Associated Press football poll.Coach Joe Paterno says it will be over by the time the Lions visit West Virginia this weekend.Two Saturdays ago, No. 1 Miami traveled to Penn State and beat the Lions, 17-14. Last Saturday, Boston College took a 35-10 lead and held on to win, 35-32."The team seemed flat. People made mental mistakes. They've got something on their minds," flanker O.J. McDuffie said.

Word out of Penn State this week is that folks on campus -- and just about everyone in the small towns between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh -- are going bonkers over the big football game at the Happy Valley monolith (Beaver Stadium) Saturday. But you couldn't tell it by Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno."To tell you the truth, I don't know anything about the frenzy," says Paterno. "I'm bleary-eyed watching tapes of Miami's last two games. I haven't been downtown, out in public or talked to anyone.

The renowned football pioneer John W. Heisman once lectured a squad: "Men, better to have died as a small boy than to fumble the football."Penn State coach Joe Paterno doesn't necessarily subscribe to the theory -- yet. But, as the lyricist once pointed out, it's a long, long time (from May) to December.In its first two games, against Georgia Tech and Cincinnati, scores of 34-22 and 81-0 indicate everything must have gone right for Penn State. Then again, we all know how deceiving numbers can be."

There was an occasion at Penn State University when Lydell Mitchell wanted to return to the dean's list and decided the best way to achieve it would be to ask for special consideration and intercession. Coach Joe Paterno wouldn't hear of it and neither would the professor, who had been a former football player. Result: "C" in the subject and personal disappointment.But as Mitchell looks back on the experience, via the perspective of time and maturity, he thanks Paterno for this and other large favors.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno summed up Maryland's plight in a single word: Speed.Make that three words: Lack of speed."Maryland needs more speed," Paterno said after Penn State's 47-7 romp over the Terps yesterday before 57,416 at Memorial Stadium. "We have a bit more of it, enough to do it when we have to, in the clutch. Our receivers could outrun them."Paterno was being charitable. The Nittany Lions seemed to be faster than Maryland from the top to the bottom of the depth chart.Paterno also went out of his way to note that Maryland played decently early in the season until some key starters bowed out for the season with injuries.

Manning brothers selected for Pro Bowl nfl Peyton and Eli Manning were voted to the Pro Bowl yesterday, marking the first time quarterback-playing brothers have been chosen for the same all-star game. The Indianapolis Colts' Peyton will make his ninth appearance in 11 seasons and will start for the AFC. It will be the first appearance for Eli, who was the Most Valuable Player for the New York Giants in their Super Bowl win in February. He will be on the NFC team. The Giants also landed the oldest Pro Bowl choice ever, kicker John Carney, 44, who was signed at the start of the season as a short-term fill-in for the injured Lawrence Tynes.

Yankees GM Cashman agrees to 3-year contract BASEBALL Brian Cashman is staying on as general manager of the New York Yankees, agreeing yesterday to a three-year contract that runs through 2011. The Yankees missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 1993. Cashman took over as GM in 1997, and his current deal was set to expire at the end of October. Comeback awards:: Pitchers Cliff Lee of the Indians and Brad Lidge of the Phillies were honored, respectively, as the American League and National League Comeback Players of the Year.

This might sound crazy, but I think 81-year-old Penn State football coach Joe Paterno might be the most sane voice in college football. Paterno wants a playoff. He said as much this week. He thinks the reasons we don't have one are bogus. He pointed out that no one cares how often - or how little - basketball players go to class. College presidents simply want to protect their golden goose in football: bowl games. The NCAA just added two, by the way, meaning 68 teams get to go to the postseason.

Offensive lineman Antonio Logan-El, a former Maryland recruit who caused a stir last year with his dramatic, nationally televised decision to sign with Penn State, will ask coach Joe Paterno to be released from his scholarship and will reconsider the Terps, he said yesterday. "A big issue for me was being away from my family," said Logan-El, who committed to Maryland as a high school sophomore but called an audible on National Signing Day in unforgettable fashion. " ... There were a lot of different variables.

"I played great baseball all year, and I played like a dog the last five days." Alex Rodriguez On his performance for the New York Yankees in the playoffs "I tried to watch it, but I kept falling asleep." Bobby Bowden Florida State football coach, on attempting to watch fellow septuagenarian coach Joe Paterno and his Penn State team play Ohio State on Saturday night "NASCAR has this tough-guy reputation as a pedal-to-the-metal, let's-trade-paint, get-out-of-the-way-or-get-gone kind of sport.

Former Maryland head football coach Ron Vanderlinden has taken a job at Penn State, this time as linebackers coach. Yesterday, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno announced the hiring of Vanderlinden, who plans to begin work today. "We are delighted to land someone with Ron Vanderlinden's credentials for our defensive coaching staff," Paterno said. "We had great admiration for the job he did with the Northwestern defense during his tenure in Evanston and the progress he made in improving the Maryland situation," he said.

No. 18 Texas A&M (8-3) vs. No. 13 Penn State (9-3)When: Tonight, 7: 30Where: Alamodome, San AntonioTV: ESPNLine: Penn State by 6 1/2Outlook: The physical Aggies ended the season on an emotional note. They rallied for a 20-16 victory over rival Texas just days after 12 people died in a tragic bonfire collapse on campus. The Aggies struggled on the road this year, getting blown out at Oklahoma and Nebraska. Luckily, their bowl game is close to home. QB Randy McCown is limited but gutsy. He might have a hard time against Penn State's pass rush.

COLLEGE PARK -- Maryland's Red Storm offense was never even cloudy last night.The run-and-shoot was the crawl-and-whimper.Before this lopsided series was finally put in cold storage, the only torrential rain that fell at Byrd Stadium came in the form of a Penn State defense that hounded, sacked and intercepted an overmatched Scott Milanovich.When Penn State's 70-7 demolition was complete, even the ninth-ranked Nittany Lions were surprised at how quickly Maryland's offense came undone."By the second quarter, they started doing stupid things," Penn State strong safety Derek Bochna said.

Place-kicker Scott Bentley of Aurora (Colo.) Overland switched from Notre Dame to Florida State in the final weekend of college football recruiting.Florida State has lost two straight games to Miami because kickers missed field-goal tries in the final seconds.Quarterback Thad Busby, linebacker Daryl Bush, receiver Andre Cooper and defensive end Julian Pittman also are going to Florida State.Quarterback Ron Powlus of Berwick, Pa., signed with Notre Dame.Though Florida State had the best overall group, Notre Dame recruited the top offensive class and Michigan had the finest defenders.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Locker room sniping has started at Penn State, where two losses have dropped the Nittany Lions from seventh to 14th in the Associated Press football poll.Coach Joe Paterno says it will be over by the time the Lions visit West Virginia this weekend.Two Saturdays ago, No. 1 Miami traveled to Penn State and beat the Lions, 17-14. Last Saturday, Boston College took a 35-10 lead and held on to win, 35-32."The team seemed flat. People made mental mistakes. They've got something on their minds," flanker O.J. McDuffie said.