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Braving mental health conversations

In professional sports, athletes are celebrated for their physical strength, grit and determination. But as the world of sports evolves, so does our understanding of what it takes to succeed at the highest levels. Athletes like Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka and Kevin Love have bravely stepped forward to remind us that mental health is as important as physical fitness. Their openness has sparked a much-needed conversation by challenging beliefs about mental toughness and resilience in sports. The question isn’t whether mental health matters but how the sports world will respond ...

Some QBs simply need more time to develop

Anthony Richardson got fewer starts than Bryce Young before he was sent to the bench. The Indianapolis Colts benched their second-year quarterback this week after his 10th career start, including six this season. The Colts (4-4) are turning to 39-year-old Joe Flacco because coach Shane Steichen believes the veteran gives the team “the best chance to win right now.” He’s not wrong. Flacco, a Super Bowl MVP with the Ravens more than a decade ago, is 2-1 in three appearances with the Colts. He was 4-1 with Cleveland last year, helping the Browns reach the playoffs. The ...

Penn State in need of fast start, effective Pribula to win

What is PSU’s best formula for beating Ohio State? By Cory Giger sports@altoonamirror.com Everybody keeps heaping all kinds of praise on Andy Kotelnicki as an offensive coordinator. Be that as it may, he needs to be doing his job better in the first half. The Lions scored seven points in the first half against Illinois (tied 7-7 at the break). They scored six points in the first half at USC (trailed 20-6). Kotelnicki’s incredibly creative playcalling on the first series of that game was masterful, but it only produced a field goal, and the offense managed just three more ...

Davis scare brings about awareness

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com Any headline about a local kid suffering sudden cardiac arrest playing high school football should justifiably worry any parent who is considering whether or not their son should participate in the sport. A similar concern over concussions and the impact of that injury on developing brains has also caused some hesitation from parents before signing their kids up for sports over the last decade. But one parent who would encourage kids to keep participating in extracurricular activities is Dave Davis — the father of Hollidaysburg ...

Beating USC would be win to brag about

Gameday Saturday: Penn State at USC,3:30 p.m. The line: Penn State by 4.5-points TV: CBS Radio: WRKY-FM 104.9 By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com James Franklin typically begins his post-game press conferences with some items he feels good about. After last week’s win over UCLA, it didn’t take him long to remind us the Nittany Lions are 5-0 for the fourth straight year, that “we’re the only school in the country to start 5-0 in each of the last four years,” and added it’s the first time that’s happened in Penn State history. It could be construed as ...

PSU Point/Counterpoint: Are college football polls still relevant?

Here’s the Twitter answer to this week’s question: OMG, no. When they first began in the 1930s, the Associated Press (writers) and United Press International (coaches) polls served a purpose and helped build interest and got people talking and debating about college football. As the sport went decades without a true playoff system, the polls were a way to sustain the status quo and crown a mythical national championship. Repeat: Mythical. Penn State, in particular, paid a price. The Nittany Lions had four undefeated teams that fell short of being voted No. 1 in the final ...