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Nittany Lions see Rose Bowl as springboard to bigger things

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com LOS ANGELES — Center Juice Scruggs is leaving the Nittany Lions after today’s Rose Bowl. But he has a prediction about his teammates on his way out. “I’m calling it now,” he said during Rose Bowl preparations against Utah (5 p.m., ESPN). “I think they’re going to reach the playoffs next year.” For that to happen, a reasonable starting point would be beating a respected Utah team that is the Pac-12 champion for two straight years. Though the Lions must replace Scruggs, their top tight end in Brenton Strange, leading ...

Added game keeps teams in NFL playoff race

With two weeks remaining in the NFL season, only eight teams have been eliminated from the playoff race. That’s why the league added a 17th game and a third wild-card team last year, plus the revenue gained by another game. More teams are still playing to get in the tournament or trying to secure a higher seed with one more game to help them earn it. Eleven teams have already clinched a playoff berth, including four division titles, leaving five spots open. Both No. 1 seeds are up for grabs with four NFC teams and three AFC teams vying for a bye a home-field advantage throughout ...

Game clock has expired for Texas coach

In my experience, it’s a rare man who wakes up at age 49 and starts beating up women. Chances are, then, that this wasn’t University of Texas basketball coach Chris Beard’s first rodeo. It’s just that nobody’s ever called the cops before. Or if they did, the cops quietly tiptoed away. Men who hit women tend to be multiple offenders. Especially men who throttle and bite them, as Beard is alleged to have done. There are crime scene photos and a written affidavit testifying to that. The coach has been charged with a third-degree felony. In the sports world, athletes and ...

Outgoing seniors for Lions to bloom in Rose

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com Some pre-game Rose Bowl notes before heading west: Penn State tight end Brenton Strange became the latest Nittany Lion to announce that he’ll be entering April’s NFL Draft. Strange made 32 catches this season and 70 for his career and will be a significant loss. For the first half of the season, he was the Lions’ best offensive player, and he should be an intriguing NFL prospect since he’s also a capable blocker who can also run after the catch. Strange marks the second PSU player in the past week to express similar intentions, ...

Bucs, Packers still have shot for NFC spots

Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos. It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl favorites were expected to be jockeying for playoff positioning Sunday. Instead, the Rams (5-10) are trying to avoid the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Packers (7-8) need help just to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers (7-8) lead the dreadful NFC South with a first-place showdown ...

World Cup final will long be remembered

Those who were able to tune into the 2022 Men’s World Cup final were treated to undoubtedly the greatest championship game in the Cup’s 92-year history. The incredible performance by both France and Argentina will stand as a game for the ages. Lionel Messi, playing in his final World Cup game at age 35, played brilliantly and never quit on his quest to win a World Cup in his incredible career, one many feel put him on top as the greatest player of all time. He was looking to give Argentina its third World Cup title, while Kylian Mbappe was impressive for France, scoring a hat ...