Still crazy after all these years

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 vot...

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 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...

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-Revi...

Franco Harris in the Super Bowl … and he was revered in the ‘burgh, has statue of him at airport As the Pittsburgh Steeler faithful prepare to part ways with their long-time quarterback, and since the parting may not be amicable, I have some advice for Ben Roethlisberger and his $41 million contract.  Ben, you should read about the final days of one of the most revered Steeler players in history and how the Steelers dumped him just as he was on the verge of becoming the leading rusher in NFL history.  Yes, that was Franco Harris, the running back who exploded onto the Steeler scene and became the NFL Rookie of the Year and a Pro-Bowl player in 1972, which was the first year that the Steelers ever played in the NFL playoffs.  He also became part of Steelers’ and NFL lore because of the Immaculate Reception that gave the team its first playoff win of all time. For that reason, a statue of him is present for every visitor to Pittsburgh International Airport to see....