In the past few days, I've sensed a change deep within myself, and I'm not the same person that I was last week.

I've started to watch episodes of The O.C. on DVD.

Even though I'm probably throwing any last shred of manhood I have left out the window here, I liked it.

But really, who can resist that Seth Cohen?

He's so totally cute.

Then I switched my shampoo to Pantene Pro-V because I noticed my hair was damaged.

A week after my shampoo shake-up, my hair is school-girl healthy.

I could not be happier with it.

But then today, I felt the biggest change.

The ability to say that I might be wrong.

In the past few months, I've stated again and again that the weakness of Penn State's women's indoor track team has been its group of distance runners.

Granted, the Nittany Lions were without their ultimate endurance machine and 2003 All-American Molly Landreth, but I still continued to criticize the group.

I reported that one of the reasons the team did so poorly at the Big Ten Championships this year was its inability to scrounge up any points in the distance events.

And although that may be the truth, I think I've really underestimated the strength of Penn State's long-haul runners.

Now, I'm going to come clean and admit my mistakes before I have a Size 11 shoe in my mouth at the end of the outdoor track and field season.

First off, Penn State coach Beth Alford-Sullivan has told me again and again that her distance athletes really can contribute to this team, and I am starting to believe her.

Honestly, I guess it's time to take the word of an assistant coach of the U.S. Olympic team, such as Alford-Sullivan.

Plus, the way she talked before Tuesday's practice was way too confident to be incorrect.

She said that although the distance has been a weakness at times for the Lions, it really isn't weak.

Looking back, I can agree with what she says.

Junior Tracy Braucksieck is a tough competitor.

She's got such a flair for competition that she has even run her races when she has felt incredibly sick.

It's impossible to discount an athlete that finished sixth in the mile at last year's Big Ten meet and 12th in the 5,000-meter run at this year's Big Ten meet.

Couple Braucksieck's toughness with the return of Landreth, and Penn State has two solid leaders behind whom to run.

I'm excited to see Landreth run. She's just coming off a redshirt indoor season, and I have yet to see her compete.

After she works off the rust, I believe she's going to immediately impact this team.

Then throw in seniors Kayla Matrunick and Jenny Stevens, and freshman Sonja Hinish, and this group has the potential to really do some damage.

I think the distance runners will be to Penn State what Terrell Owens was to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles knew they had the team to contend for a Super Bowl title and by bringing in Owens they were able to push the team over the edge, and finally get to that elusive Super Bowl.

That's exactly what the Penn State distance group will do this season.

If the squad has a solid season and carries some momentum into the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championship, I think Penn State could be the team to sneak up on Michigan this year.

But then again, I might be wrong. But isn't my hair ever so shiny?