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PSU basketball needs wrestling’s mentality The question in the Mirror was asked last week if Penn State’s men’s basketball team will make it to the Big Dance, and the answer is no. Again, this year’s team is like any other Penn State basketball team — poor coaching and not enough talent. They are playing a Big Ten schedule now, and the losses are coming. There is no big man to go to when a game is on the line. Penn State lacks big talent and a big-time head coach. Remember, history will tell you PSU will never be big in men’s basketball. This school is ...

Number 31 holds special significance

By Bill Contz For the Mirror Various oddities and strange occurrences are often associated with Friday the 13th, and a quick glance at the final tallies on the NFL scoreboard last weekend proved to be no exception. Four of the six wild-card matchups featured teams that generated exactly 31 points — the most creative of which being the Dallas Cowboys’ and their normally reliable kicker, Brett Maher, who managed to botch an incredible four extra point attempts (that’s two pushes, a hook and a doink if you’re scoring at home). There is no truth to the rumor that his ...

Coaches who can turn around an NFL franchise really do exist

By Rob Maaddi The Associated Press The Jaguars and Giants combined for seven wins last season. Now, they’re two victories away from playing in the Super Bowl. Both teams hired new coaches who quickly delivered success. Doug Pederson took Jacksonville from 3-14 and consecutive No. 1 overall picks to the AFC South title. Brian Daboll led New York from a 4-13 mark to the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2016. Pederson already had an impressive resume before the Jaguars hired him to rebuild the culture following a disastrous season under Urban Meyer. Pederson won ...

Mailbag

Rose Bowl brings back best vibe since 2016 The feeling that I had — and still have — after the Rose Bowl win caused me to wonder, “When was the last time that I felt that good from a Penn State win?” I realized that it was the win over Ohio State that led them to their last conference title in 2016. That same team played a great, exciting Rose Bowl game vs. USC but lost. It was that Ohio State game — that was the last time I felt this good. That’s quite a while, which made this year’s Rose Bowl win feel that much better. Geoff Jacobs San Marcos, ...

Mini-Super Bowls before the Super Bowl?

Altoona native recalls Chiefs owner’s idea By Paul Newberry The Associated Press ATLANTA — If Buffalo and Kansas City both reach the AFC championship game, they’ll head to Atlanta, of all places, to compete for a spot in the Super Bowl. The neutral site is just a one-off for now, the hasty solution to a crucial game being called off in the next-to-last week of the regular season after Damar Hamlin’s frightening collapse on the field. Hamlin, thankfully, is on the road to recovery. Now, one can’t help but wonder if the NFL, in a never-ending quest to increase its ...

Postseason no longer rewards greatness

By Jim Caltagirone For the Mirror The culture that promotes giving every kid a trophy continues to permeate college and professional sports in the segment of the schedule that matters most. Over the years, there have been sporadic calls for the inclusion of all teams in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, which would have ballooned the field from 68 to 363 this year. From a purely merit-based competitive standpoint, this stance is simply ridiculous. If every team from every conference is provided free entry into the NCAA Tournament, then seeding and pride become the only ...