Don't know much about history. Don't know much biology. Don't know much about a science book. Don't know much about the French I took.
According to Sam Cooke he don't know much about anything, an extremely similar position to the one I sit in right here, right now, talking about women's volleyball.
Don't know much about volleyball. But, as Ralph Wiggum would say, "I'm learn-ding!"
So, I digress.
Checking out this Penn State women's volleyball team from the rafter-level nosebleed seating that is the Rec Hall press box has been a fun little experience, thanks to the fact that they haven't lost a match yet.
What's even better is that they've only played one match so far at home that was forced to go more than three games -- a 3-1 (30-26, 27-30, 30-17, 30-11) win over Brigham Young.
It's pretty safe to say that aside from the match against BYU, a team that really was not very impressive but still highly regarded by the Nittany Lions coaching staff, the Lions have not been tested at home.
They did beat No. 12 Stanford at Stanford, though, and if my Ralph Wiggum reference didn't grab your attention that little fact should.
All you fans of the Olympics out there should recognize the names Logan Tom and Ogonna Nnamani -- both are Cardinal players. Sure, Tom graduated in 2002. But her legacy lives on in Ogonna, who's awesome enough to be granted first name recognition status.
Ogonna had a match-high 29 kills in the losing effort against the Lions, but the only thing more shocking to this common observer than the Lions victory was who led the Lions to the win: true freshman Kate Price.
Price had her best match against the Lions best non-conference opponent, with 28 kills. Was that performance the sign of even better days to come?
Obviously if you're a Penn State fan you hope the answer to that question will pan out to be a resounding, "Yes!"
To get there, though, this team is going to have to play in the toughest conference in the country -- the Big Ten.
Now, I haven't seen any of the other teams in the Big Ten play, ever, I'm merely relaying what everyone else around me already seems to know.
Penn State women's volleyball coach Russ Rose is a great conveyor of caution about over-hyping his team, thanks to their No. 4 ranking in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.
Rose mentions time and again in practice the two big weaknesses of his team are a lack of physical power and an emotional edge over their opponents.
There is no big offensive player on the Lions who can take over a match like Stacey Gordon at Ohio State or Kim Schram at Michigan State. Maybe if you somehow morphed Ashley Pederson and Kate Price to create some kind of super-kills-machine, Penn State would be set.
But that's just the problem. Pederson and Price, who lead the team in kills with 126 and 104, respectively, combine for 230 kills. Stacey Gordon already has 224 all by herself. Ridonkulous.
So, Ohio State gets to have five other players on the court besides its kills-machine whereas Penn State only gets to have four. The disadvantage offensively is right there.
Why, then, is Penn State ranked ahead of the Buckeyes, and every other team in the conference except Minnesota -- the No. 1 team in the land?
Frankly, its because Penn State's setter and libero are just the best at what they do. It's as simple as that. Sam Tortorello and Kaleena Walters are the heart and soul of this team both as captains, and as the best players on the court.
But are the dynamic-duo of Tortorello and Walters enough to defend a Big Ten Championship?
Rose and Minnesota women's volleyball coach Mike Hebert both agree that whoever can keep it together at home and limit road losses to two or three will be in the hunt for the trophy.
And right now, Minnesota -- with six returning seniors, and a 10-1 record after the toughest non-conference schedule in the country -- is the only team that soiunds strong enough to do it.
Don't know much about volleyball. But from what they tell me its not impossible for Penn State to walk away champions -- just a little unlikely under the status quo.
