Thank You Phil Grosz

[blion72]

I believe I received my first (complimentary) copy of Catch Lions Fever at a Blue/White game some 40 years ago, not sure if it was Phil passing them out at a table in front of the Beav'. Been a follower of the print and digital version ever since.

edit: I used to sneak onto the plotit message board from work, when I was on a break.

I have been with Phil since CLF also. I recall it was around 1980. sad moment.

who is buying the company?

 

[ChiTownLion]

Incredible run. I've been hooked since 1996. Thanks for everything, Phil. You truly made an impact on our Penn State community.

 

[ChiTownLion]

Always brightened my day to see the latest issue of BWI in the mail and couldn't wait to order the recruiting videos.

 

[PSU_Chicago]

Many hours spent on this site and its predecessors for 20+ years. Thank you Phil! You have made the Penn State football experience even better.

 

[TheGLOV]

I also started out with the original Catch Lions Fever. I also bought Joe Terranova's pamphlets for $5.

Ah, Joe Terranova! The 'clown-prince' of reporting on college football recruiting from yesteryear!

 

[NittanyBuff24]

Speaking of oldies, but goodies, who did the PSU highlight shows that were on Sunday mornings with George Paterno? Was it Fran or Ray Scott? Would love to watch some of those old highlight shows from the 70's and 80's

 

[Bean78]

I have pretty much just been a lurker here on BWI for the last 15 years. I read the forums several times a day and usually only respond to OT questions. However, I must say, this is my favorite website of all. Thanks Phil for your invaluable service!!! Go PSU!!!

 

[TheGLOV]

Is "Phil's rug" going to have to change his handle name now?

Asking for a friend!

 

[EPC FAN]

Sounds about right. I distinctly remember being on BWI in the summer of 1999 with the lead up to the game with Arizona. A bunch of their fans were on here talking about how Penn State wouldn't be able to handle AZ's speed. Western speed, I guess! Didn't they call their preseason camp Camp Kochise (sp?) or something like that?

Arizona got an absolutely asskicking beat down. They were never in that game, after the coin flip.

 

[EPC FAN]

Arizona got an absolutely asskicking beat down. They were never in that game, after the coin flip.

 

[Option Bob]

Ah, Joe Terranova! The 'clown-prince' of reporting on college football recruiting from yesteryear!

I think I might still have those pamphlets from Terranova. He used the "star system" before Rivals, et al adopted it. He also ranked Penn State very high most years.

My first CLF was the 1979 recruiting issue with the Curt Warner class. Pack rat that I am, I kept too many issues until the pandemic forced me to "clean house" and recycle almost all of my old CLF and BWI issues.

I always liked Phil's optimism, for what fun is being a fan if you think your team is going to suck 6 months before the opening kickoff?

 

[blion72]

I have been with Phil since CLF also. I recall it was around 1980. sad moment.

who is buying the company?

Phil talked about the sale this morning, but I walked away when he was discussing. my wife (who listens with me every Sat morning) said he was selling company, but did not recall the name of the buyer. good news is they are keeping all the writers, who I really like. Phil is still going to have some involvement and retained some ownership in the BWI.com site. He said he needed to exit to help his wife - a pretty good reason.

we just recycled a bunch of old CLF and BWI papers going back to 1980. it was actually kind of sad as my wife and I looked at some of them recalling PSU moments of our life together.

 

[MacNit07]

Holy crap I never heard the entire store.
We dodged a bullet on that one.

Golden and PSU might have been the perfect match. Golden did a damn good job at Temple, could recruit, and was darn passionate about PSU.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I think I might still have those pamphlets from Terranova. He used the "star system" before Rivals, et al adopted it. He also ranked Penn State very high most years.

My first CLF was the 1979 recruiting issue with the Curt Warner class. Pack rat that I am, I kept too many issues until the pandemic forced me to "clean house" and recycle almost all of my old CLF and BWI issues.

I always liked Phil's optimism, for what fun is being a fan if you think your team is going to suck 6 months before the opening kickoff?

Wish I had kept some of those old issues of CLF, quite the treasure to review in hindsight. The quality of the physical publications has risen over the years but the original CLF was a real thirst quencher in a desert of PSU football information in the golden age. The changes in information, like all technology, are remarkable. Phil has been the North Star in all of it, always there, cheerful and optimistic. I know he's taken his knocks over the years for apparent and real misses or rosy predictions but I'd rather have that than a dour, pessimistic view of our favorite team. Of course Phil was a homer, I'm a homer when it comes to the Nittany Lions. If you want to see professional homers, come to Ohio and listen to the overly optimistic buckeye reporters.


A big thanks to Phil for his perseverance, his loyalty, and a steadfast grasp on the desires of his patrons. May your retirement be long and your wife's health improve. Best wishes.