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Showing posts from March, 2021

Is Jay Paterno trying to undermine Penn State football coach James Franklin by voting against improvement? Is there a racial component in all this?

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Lavar Arrington at a Penn State-Ohio State game in 2019 … Former PSU great LaVar Arrington rips Paterno The Penn State Board of Trustees approved a decision to improve the football facilities on campus last month in a vote that was overwhelming, 27-6. Some of the six who voted against the proposal did so for philosophical reasons as the school has cut back on programs and did not have ticket revenue from last season — and may not have this year.  However, four of those who did are being questioned as to why they did so.  And one may have an ax to grind with the current football program since he was in effect fired after long-time coach Joe Paterno was dismissed because of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.  In fact, one former PSU great alleges that Jay Paterno’s vote against the $48.3 project for the Lasch Building had more to do with evening the score than for philosophical reasons. Paterno’s alleged rationale is realistic, but motivation may not be Four who voted against the

Female athletes dominate the social media followings of college basketball players: “Eight of the 10 most-followed NCAA Elite 8 basketball players are women”

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U Conn freshman Paige Bueckers … led by freshman phenom Paige Bueckers of UConn Can female athletes earn more than men? Is this a changing phenomenon based upon the emergence of social media? According to a sports marketing platform for athletes, the members of the NCAA women’s Elite Eight basketball finalists are leading the men in a significant way.  On television, the men’s tournament received exponentially more coverage than does the women’s tournament. However, the money that the young athletes could earn based upon these numbers favors women.  Seriously.  Reporting from Opendorse The research from the platform “Opendorse” illustrates that women are followed more often than men on social media. That seems counter-intuitive, and this was based on a small model — the eight teams in the men’s and women’s Elite Eight this year. However, it is interesting based on the Name, Image, and Likeness [NIL] rights, Why it matters: If athletes had full control of their NIL rights, the top wome

Absolutely clueless Steelers: JuJu’s agent lied about his having an offer from Philadelphia, according to SI: “Eagles Didn't Chase JuJu Smith-Schuster”

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The clueless Steelers: First, an over-the-hill QB, then a highly-overrated WR, and no Super Bowls for the next decade -- or the last decade ... and Adam Schefter bought it hook, line, and Steeler Did JuJu Smith Schuster and his agent con the Steelers into offering him a new contract, albeit about six million less than he wanted with just a one-year contract? It looks that way based on what the Philadelphia Eagles were saying after ESPN quoted that they had made a big money offer to him.  Certainly, ESPN’s Adam Schefter had egg on his face after it was revealed that the Eagles never even talked to the Steeler wideout — though he made a big deal about it.  The facts To understand the actual facts, here is what “EaglesMaven” John McMullen wrote for SI, The Eagles were prepared to finally make a splash in free agency, attempting to lure receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster across the state with a multi-year deal with more than $8 million per season. Or were they? Those were the duel

The impending death of the Steelers: Madden: “Signing JuJu Smith-Schuster is more roster mismanagement by Steelers”

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They need an offensive line more than a TikTok dude. … they needed Dupree more than JuJu The fall of JuJu Smith-Schuster in Pittsburgh has been disappointing. He was looked upon as being the heir-apparent to Antonio Brown as one of the top receivers in the league.  Instead, after a great season in which he took advantage of Brown being double-team on the other side, JuJu has fallen significantly to be the point where fans felt that he was expendable.  So, you would think that with all of the Steeler salary cap problems, the team would allow him to enter free-agency.  But, this is the stumbling, bumbling Steeler front office that has created a team that has not come close to a Super Bowl in the past decade.  And they showed why.  Writer and radio commentator Mark Madden explained why the Steelers’ signing of JuJu, albeit for a paltry sum and for only one year, was an egregious mistake.  “More roster mismanagement” Madden begins his column in the Tribune-Review this way, JuJu Smith-Schus