Don’t overlook your reel’s drag

January 14, 2023

In a column last month discussing some routine offseason maintenance of fishing equipment, I suggested backing off the drag settings on your fishing reels. At the grocery store last week, I ran into a friend who asked me about my reasoning for that recommendation. I explained it was a practice I adopted decades ago when I was first able to afford some top-quality reels. Back then, the drag systems of certain better models included leather or cork washers that compressed slightly as the drag was tightened. To maintain the resiliency of those components, some manufacturers recommended ...

Pursuing greatness in new era

January 7, 2023

Penn State ended the season as Rose Bowl champions at 11-2 and in good position to challenge for the 2023 Big Ten championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff. And what the Nittany Lions have accomplished on the field will help them off the field, where the ability to raise money for Name Image and Likeness will be needed to keep the current roster intact and continue building on it. If you’ve followed college football for a long time, chances are you don’t like the two things dominating the conversation in college sports these days: NIL and the transfer portal. I’m ...

Venison delicious and good for you

January 7, 2023

“How do I cook venison? My husband got a deer and I don’t know what to do with it.” This is probably the question most often asked of me, especially immediately following deer season. My answer is always this: “exactly as you do beef, only not as long.” The next question is inevitable. “What do you do about the “wild taste?” This one raises my hackles. Venison has no “wild” taste, it simply has its own taste. Venison does not taste like beef any more than chicken tastes like pork chops. Frankly, I have often — and I do mean often — served venison in the form ...

Season brightens PSU’s future

January 4, 2023

PASADENA, Calif. — The significance of Monday’s decisive Rose Bowl victory wasn’t lost on Nick Singleton. Meeting reporters under the bleachers in a sprinkling rain, the Nittany Lions’ star freshman running back, whose electric 87-yard touchdown was one of the key plays in the 35-21 win over Utah, saw the game for what it was: A statement on Penn State’s immediate future. “A win like that means a lot going into next year,” Singleton, who rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries, said. “Hopefully we’ll rank up a little higher, but it means a lot ...

New year on PGA Tour more mysterious than ever

January 4, 2023

KAPALUA, Hawaii — One moment the splash of a humpback whale’s tail pierced the Pacific blue below the Plantation Course at Kapalua. Before long, as players began lining up for practice rounds, a brief shower sent everyone seeking cover. It was a fitting start to a new year on the PGA Tour, where circumstances can change with little notice. As for what to expect in 2023 — the short answer is anything — check in with Scottie Scheffler and what he would have wanted going into last year. “One win would have been nice,” Scheffler said with a laugh. “When you’ve got zero, ...

Clifford writes great last chapter

January 3, 2023

PASADENA, Calif. — Sean Clifford saved his best for last. The Nittany Lions’ senior quarterback endured an up-and-down six-year career, especially in big games, but he was outstanding in leading a 35-21 victory over Pac-12 champion Utah in the Rose Bowl on Monday. Clifford completed ...