As the NCAA’s annual hoop frenzy enters its Sweet Sixteen round of play this weekend, many fans’ brackets have already been busted, while fans of the remaining teams in the field are giddy with excitement over what could be. Oh yes, March Madness, a term first coined by Henry Porter, an Illinois high school official,
READ MOREThe welcome mat is out! Officially, spring begins this week. To be sure, it is a welcome sight, but in the transitioning world of sports, the changing of the athletic seasons defines the passing of time a bit more succinctly than do the pages of the calendar on the wall. ‘Athletic spring’ actually began a
READ MOREOne of the joys of scribing is getting to know so many great kids involved with sports. We would get to know one another in high school, and then we would stay in touch. Sometimes, I will do a college or professional follow-up. Yes. It is always fun. There is an impressive list. This keeps
READ MOREThe calendar has flipped; it’s now dark at 5:00 p.m., and the PIAA state playoffs for fall sports are nearing its conclusion. But for players, coaches, and spectators, the winter sports season gets underway as this Friday marks the first official practice day for local hoopsters and grapplers. While the first games of the high
READ MOREIf there were such a thing as a sports dictionary, future editions might list the definition of tradition as ‘a past observance of athletic competition carried on by players, teams and community entities with much anticipation, interest, and fervor.’ As we drove home from Gettysburg on September’s first Saturday after watching grandson Tucker play his
READ MOREWilliamsport’s Treyson Potts has attended many PSU games. He was a huge fan as a kid. Yes. Potts has many ties to State College. Several in his family went to State. He always wanted to play for the Nittany Lions. The dynamic running back was on their radar. But a few knee injuries during his
READ MOREIt had been a busy week at the sports wing of the Pearly Gates. Lots of folks were checking in, so much so that the Lord and his crew had opened an express lane with instructions to ask only one question of those seeking entrance. That one question was‚ who’s your favorite team? As the
READ MOREThe Christmas season has a different feel From the worldly troubles and all that is real People greet each other and spread good cheer Wouldn’t it be nice if that happened all year? Sports are an escape we all can enjoy As much as the little ones with a new Santa toy We gather and
READ MOREWell, summer is in the rear-view mirror as autumn officially begins next Thursday. A couple of closing thoughts about the sun-drenched season. It was hot, it was dry, and it was everything I remembered summers being as I was growing up. Just day after day of being able to do whatever you wanted and not
READ MOREThat old saying about the month of March coming in like a lion has nothing on September, especially if you are a football fan. The calendar’s ninth month entered on the heels of the Little League World Series and produced instant excitement and a few anxious moments for local fans of Penn State and the
READ MOREIt was near midnight on April 10; while watching a west coast baseball game, the dreaded news crawled across the bottom of the TV screen. Gary Brown had passed away. In the days since, tributes to the man Gary was and the successful football life he had lived have come from near and far. His
READ MORE“I am not a role model.” Spoken 29 years ago by then NBA basketball star and now a TV hoops commentator, Charles Barkley, that famous quote has long been remembered and often referenced. Those six words were the opening line of a 1993 Nike TV commercial during which Barkley went on to say, “I’m not
READ MOREEach year the Lycoming County Brotherhood Alliance recognizes individuals in the area who promote the spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, and community service at their annual banquet. Holding these annual affairs the past two years has proven problematic due to the COVID pandemic. This year’s banquet was slated for October, but a major uptick in COVID
READ MOREThe arrival of fall has always presented me with a bit of a conundrum. As a fan of summer, I enjoy the warmer days with daylight lasting well into the early evening. Fall certainly has its better qualities with pleasant days, cool evenings and the annual display of color Mother Nature affords us. It is
READ MOREThe Spencers were in Happy Valley. We got an early start and somehow made it to State College. My lovely bride scored big at the very last minute. She is a proud 00 alum, and many of her roommates have season tickets. They are a great-looking bunch. Quite fun and full of spirit. These gals
READ MOREBefore I get started, I want to be clear — I am not talking about Dr. Anthony Fauci or Dr. Rachel Levine. I am talking about Doctor J — Julius Erving. I think we all need a little break from the COVID craziness and political divide. For all you younger folks out there, or those
READ MOREThanksgiving celebrates the Pilgrims first feast, at least the story goes But first they dealt with hunger, cold and many unfriendly foes Little could they have ever known as they went about that task Here four centuries later, our festivity requires the wearing of a mask Home front celebrations will differ much this year As
READ MORESimply put, I don’t care who you voted for or if you even voted. That is your business, and the less we all fret and fume over the outcome of the election, a better frame of mind we can enjoy can be realized. But there is one thing I hope you will take some time
READ MOREWhat an amazing week it was in the West Branch Valley. Normally, each happening would result in a cover story; however, with so many great things going on, that just wasn’t possible. I will provide a quick overview of each and be following up with more specifics in the future. I’ll begin with the top
READ MOREFirst and foremost, I would like to thank all of you for the kind words. Last week’s article “Let the Kid Play” received tons of love. I had several compliments, and my perspective is now trending. I wasn’t looking to cause a stir. I only wanted to share my side of the story. A local
READ MOREI am still buzzing over last week’s classic. What an environment, kids. So many of you have accused me of jumping on the wagon, but I have been rowing the boat since day one. My family and I have deep roots with the great state of Minnesota. I spent my first five years in the
READ MOREExpect big things from Kevin Anderson and the University of Delaware this year. The former St. John Neumann Regional Academy superstar and the Blue Hens are just getting the season started. Anderson is now a junior, and he was recently named as an ALL Colonial Athletic Conference preseason selection. The 6 foot 5 starting point
READ MOREWhat an amazing time of year to call our neck of Penns Woods home. As the calendar officially reads Autumn, it signifies the beginning of so many wonderful happenings and traditions. Soon, the fall foliage will illuminate both mountainsides that frame the Susquehanna River. Mother Nature’s perfect fall decorating of the West Branch Valley. The
READ MOREAnyone who has glanced at a calendar recently readily knows that fall is officially upon us. What might not be as obvious is the realization that this weekend will mark the beginning of the second half of the high school football season. The first five weekends of the schoolboy season have passed by without much
READ MOREFor many the long-awaited opening of the 2019 National Football League season may have seemed like it would never arrive. The fantasy leaguers had picked their teams, the television talking heads had babbled on since mid-summer giving of their opinions about who was going to do what and the average fan was anxious to see
READ MOREThe greatest gift a child can give his Father is a heartfelt hug and an I love you. This followed by thanks Dad, for everything you do. This also holds true for everyone that provides fatherly love and guidance in a young person’s life. A Father’s Love and guidance has never been more important. A
READ MOREAlthough having attended numerous events at Bucknell University’s Sojka Pavilion and the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State over the years a recent January weekend provided my first-ever trip to the two quality edifices on back-to-back days. A ‘spur-of-the-moment’ Saturday visit to Sojka to take in the Bucknell/American University men’s basketball game was followed the
READ MOREClearly disdaining Horace Greeley’s 1865 advice of, “Go west young man,” Clemson University’s football team’s first appearance in a football game played in California in more than four decades proved to be a rousing success as the Tigers dismantled Alabama 44-16 in winning the NCAA National Championship last week. Much has been written and spoken
READ MOREThe College Football season is finally coming to an end. The big game is over, and either Clemson or Alabama has won the title. I still don’t know why the NCAA doesn’t include more teams in its big dance. Every level of sports has what you call a championship tournament. Well except for one. I
READ MOREAs the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard clock, the most-played college rivalry in the nation was about to conclude its 154th game. It was a big deal. It mattered little that the neighboring participants were both bringing down the curtain on disappointing seasons, this was Lehigh and Lafayette and whether you were a Mountain
READ MOREThe paw prints of the Nittany Lions are one of the most distinctive elements of the Penn State logo. It is used by its athletic teams — gaining particular prominence with its football program. But the question has arisen are there four or five toes as part of that distinctive and well-known paw print? Local
READ MOREThe National Football League will be playing their third weekend, college football their fourth, the local high school football season reaches its mid-point, the Major League Baseball season is entering its final weeks and fall will officially be recognized this Saturday. Indeed, a lot is going on to stir the emotions of sports fans. On
READ MORECome on now — enough grumbling about the weather. Yes, it’s July, and its beginning has been hot, but just think back several months ago when we were ready to skin Punxsutawney Phil and were cursing the Ides of March and longing for spring’s arrival. You couldn’t tell it by the preponderance of NBA news
READ MORE