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Don’t write Djokovic off just yet

By Howard Fendrich The Associated Press It might be tempting to see some tidy symbolism and greater significance in Novak Djokovic’s loss to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals. The end of the thirtysomething Djokovic’s 33-match winning streak at Melbourne Park. The end of his bid for an 11th championship there and 25th Grand Slam trophy overall. The breakthrough for the twentysomething Sinner, an up-and-coming talent who will now get to play in his first major final, against Daniil Medvedev on Sunday. Then again, that was the sort of passing-of-the-torch ...

Walton part of 75 years of memories

By John Marshall The Associated Press The best praise UCLA’s players could expect from John Wooden was a twinkle in the eye or a slight upward curl in one corner of his mouth. After wins — and there were a lot — Wooden might give a player a pat on the shoulder or rub of the head, perhaps a nod and a quick “Good job.” When Bill Walton produced one of the greatest performances in college basketball history, Wooden couldn’t resist taking a tongue-in-cheek jab at the big redhead. “When he got to me that day in St. Louis, he stopped, looked down at me and says: ‘I used ...

Penn State opt-outs quit on their team

As a Penn Stater, class of 1963, I was disappointed with the loss to Mississippi in the Peach Bowl, and I was irate with the key Penn State football players who sat out the game. Four of them have their eyes on the NFL draft, and one entered the transfer portal. These players enjoyed full scholarships during their years at Penn State and were held in high regard as potential graduates. The current transfer portal system has created the “Wild West” of college football. Players can transfer during the election period and conceivably transfer schools four times during their ...

Donors: Please give $$ but save two cents

By Jim Caltagirone For the Mirror An old saying in fundraising circles subscribes to the notion that institutions want a donor’s money but not their two cents. That sentiment is likely shared by athletic directors at universities from coast to coast, especially when it relates to unsolicited feedback on the performance of their head football coach. Fundraising professionals for non-profits, charitable organizations and athletic programs foster a sense of shared commitment by describing prospective donors as stakeholders. If the stakeholder label is truly legitimate, then ...

Penn State’s buck(s) stop with Franklin

Ultimately who is responsible for being outcoached, unprepared and outplayed? Yes, coaches coach and players play, but who is ultimately responsible for two-thirds of this equation? I went to the Rose Bowl in 2016 and to the Outback Bowl (vs. Kentucky) two years later and decided, no more bowl games and no more away games. James Franklin’s coaching inabilities taught me that even if all talent and circumstances are equal, he will not position his team to have a fair chance at victory. This time, indeed, the opponent man-for-man was the superior team on the field. Drew ...

Swift part of this year’s Newby awards

By Paul Newberry The Associated Press In a year when “Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominated the Oscars, Taylor Swift took that theme to a whole new level before 2023 was done. We’re not even talking about the mammoth tour or the blockbuster movie or the overwrought fan base. This was The Year of Traylor. When Swift hooked up with Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, the world’s two most unstoppable forces — Swifties and NFL aficionados — were suddenly joined as one. We’ll likely never be the same again. With that in mind, the 11th annual Newby Awards ...