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Some people actually don’t watch Super Bowl

By Paul Newberry The Associated Press By Paul Newberry The Associated Press For years, Sue Ferrara has followed the same routine on Super Bowl Sunday. And, no, it has nothing to do with the big game. About the time the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs kick it off for the NFL championship, Ferrara will head to her two favorite grocery stores, reveling in aisles and checkout lines that are more wide open than a wide receiver after busted coverage. “I’m sure it will be a very, very well-watched game where I live,” said Ferrara, whose home in Princeton, New ...

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PSU Altoona basketball team is ‘filling it up’ I went down memory lane on a recent Saturday at Penn State Altoona’s Adler Arena. Dean Smith’s four-corner offense came to mind, not for the reason you might expect. The shot clock ended that offensive keep-away strategy years ago. One of the best ticket values in the area is a Penn State Altoona men’s basketball game. The cost of one gallon of gas is $3.89 as I write this, and for $3 a ticket, you get two hours of entertainment in your backyard. The lion mascot can be seen mingling with the fans, and if you get ...

Capel steering Pitt on right track

By Bill Contz For the Mirror A surprising reclamation project is in full swing down in Oakland with lead architect Jeff Capel on the cusp of pulling off one of the biggest turnarounds in recent memory. Capel merits very serious consideration for ACC Coach of the Year honors, and here’s why: Barring a total collapse, Pitt will post a winning record for the first time under his watch and punch a ticket to the March Madness dance regardless of what happens at next month’s New York Life ACC Tournament (and you thought bowl games were the only events to sell their souls to ...

Olympic Committee must do right thing with Russia

By Paul Newberry The Associated Press The IOC likes to talk tough — as long as it’s not heading into an Olympic year. Not surprisingly, as we draw ever closer to the cash cow that is Paris 2024, the hypocrites running the Olympic movement are eager to get Russia back in the games. They’ll surely find a way, despite Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and growing threats of a boycott from those who don’t think the Russians should be allowed anywhere near the City of Light — even if, ludicrously, the IOC is trying to pass it off as a human rights issue. ...

High schools are not ready for NIL

By Brian Carson For the Mirror The concept of NIL, or Name, Image and Likeness, has been a hot topic in the world of college athletics for some time now. Essentially, it refers to the rights of college athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness, something NCAA rules have historically prohibited. These athletes, who often bring in vast amounts of revenue for their schools, should be able to share in some of that profit rather than being unpaid amateurs. At the high school level, based on PIAA approval last month, NIL activities allow student-athletes to monetize ...

NFL can’t get away from its attitude toward black coaches

By Paul Newberry The Associated Press Let’s play Six Degrees of Steve Wilks, a quick and easy way to connect the dots of racism in the NFL head coaching ranks. n We’ll start with Kliff Kingsbury, a white coach who was fired by Texas Tech in 2018 and somehow wound up as head man of the Arizona Cardinals the very next season. He replaced Wilks, whose first NFL head coaching opportunity resulted in a single, doomed season. Kingsbury would be fired, too, but only after receiving three more years to prove himself than his Black predecessor. n Moving on to Lovie Smith, a Black ...