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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 ...

Mailbag

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 ...