IUP is now one game away from playing for the national championship. It wasn’t easy for the Crimson Hawks to get to the semis, however. I attended the game at Miller Stadium and was shocked at what I saw in the first half of the contest vs Assumption. Crimson Hawks’ quarterback Lenny Williams was intercepted three times, including a pick six. Furthermore, IUP fumbled a kickoff and let Assumption convert an onside kick. They also lost star defensive back Max Redfield to a season ending hip injury. Despite that, IUP led at the half. They trailed in the fourth quarter and mounted a season saving drive to take the lead with a minute left. It was a real gut-check for IUP. They batted down Assumption’s Hail Mary on the final play of the game. Basketball legend Jim Valvano used to say that in the playoffs it’s survive and advance. IUP survived. I expect the Hawks to play much better when they host West Florida next Saturday at home. After all, there’s too much on the line not to come out with their A Game.
• The Steelers have a big one in Cincinnati on Monday night. They’ve owned the Bengals there. This game will be hotly contested. I would be surprised if the Bengals don’t resort to their dirty play as well. The Steelers’ chances are much better if Antonio Brown can go. It could be a challenge if he can’t play due to a toe injury. The Steelers face off against the New England Patriots on December 17th in what could be the game that decides home field advantage in the AFC. But before then, the Steelers must beat Cincinnati and rival Baltimore first. Neither game will be easy for the Black and Gold.
• Congratulations to the Homer Center Wildcats, who now go to Hershey this Thursday to play Jeannette for the state championship. What an accomplishment for this team, and what a great thing for the community of Homer City. Our own Mark Bertig asked listeners to text him during the broadcast to let him know where they were listening. Mark got responses from all over the country. Greg Page and his kids have done an amazing job. Here’s to hoping they can win one more. That would be tremendous.
• The college playoffs are out and Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama are in. Ohio State, winners of the Big Ten and losers of two games, did not make the field. You can argue all day long who deserved to be in and who should have been left out. Remember, Penn State won the Big Ten last year, beat Ohio State, and didn’t get in. They too had two losses. Still, it’s hard to imagine a playoff without a Big Ten involved. Perhaps it’s time the field is expanded to six teams. I would be fine with that, and so would most college football fans.
• The situation at Tennessee is a mess. First, the university backed out of its deal to hire former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. After several other coaches turned the Vols down, the university got rid of athletic director John Currie, who had only been in Knoxville since April. Tennessee is a great job and Knoxville is a great town. But right now, the place is toxic. Former LSU coach Les Milers would sure look good in orange. Wouldn’t that be something?
• I wrote last week about so many big-time college programs that have coaching openings. Texas A&M didn’t wait long to fill their position by poaching Jimbo Fisher away from Florida State. Now the Seminoles’ job is open. It’s one of the best in all of college football. Bobby Bowden isn’t coming back anytime soon, but it stands to reason that a big name or two will be in the running for the job.
• The Penguins finally are looking like a team that can challenge for another Stanley Cup. It took a while, but the Pens have now won four straight which is encouraging. More so is the fact that the Pens, who struggled to score goals for much of the season, have tallied 19 goals during the winning streak. You also have to like how Sidney Crosby is getting hot. The Pens are far from a perfect team, but they are heading in the right direction.
• I almost laughed out loud when I read that Pirates’ GM Neal Huntington said the club will do everything they can to sign Japanese star Shohei Ohtani. Yea, and I’m about to win the lottery. This is so ridiculous on so many levels. Ohtani is a star pitcher and hitter. He will sign with a club in the American League where he can pitch and also DH. No team in the National League can offer that. Furthermore, he will sign with a team in a good sized market that has a chance to win. That probably means he’ll end up in New York. The Yankees and New York can offer him things few others cities can. If he ends up as a Yankee he will also join a team with a ton of good young players who could win multiple championships in the next decade. Hate to tell you Neal, but Ohtani is not coming to Pittsburgh.
• Tiger Wood is back on the golf tour which means all we’ll hear every week is Tiger this and Tiger that. Yes, it’s good for golf that Woods is back. He draws crowds and generates huge television ratings. Still, I’m not convinced Woods, at age 41, will be a big winner on the tour again. I still find it hard to believe he will challenge for major championships again. After all, he hasn’t won a major in nine years. I hope for his sake that Tiger is healthy again. Even if he is I still won’t root for him.
