Pushed to the Brink, Indiana — yes, Indiana (in Football) — Makes a Grab for Greatness

by gordie | Nov 9, 2025 | College Football

While understanding that the mere invocation of Joe Paterno’s name elicits strong feelings on both sides of the equation, please remember that there were more than a few times when it was clear the late Penn State football coach knew what he was talking about. Exhibit...

A Sense of Belonging, A Half-Century After the Fact

by gordie | Nov 1, 2025 | High School Sports

Nobody rides the bench on a high school cross country team. There are no reserves, no backups, no scrubs. Everybody runs, in every dual meet. Everybody competes against the opponent, the clock, themselves. That said, you don’t have to be Steve Prefontaine to ascertain...

Terry Smith Once Again Marches Amid the Mayhem, Hoping To Find a Promising Path

by gordie | Oct 23, 2025 | College Football

Freelance sportswriting being what it is in the 21st Century, I have worked for over 30 outlets since my last full-time gig in 2008 – and hope to add to that total before they pry my laptop from my cold, dead fingers.  One of those outlets was ESPN.com, or at least a...

Fire James Franklin? Maybe Not, But Penn State Administration Would do well to Nudge Him Toward an Exit

by gordie | Oct 9, 2025 | College Football

It’s homecoming this weekend at Penn State. Time to remember the good times. Time to look back. Yeah, not so much. The alums figure to be in a foul mood, given the football team’s struggles. And not even the scheduling of perennial Big Ten doormat Northwestern will...

Packers Take a Rare Big Swing, Hoping for a Home Run with Micah Parsons

by gordie | Aug 29, 2025 | NFL

When you fly into Green Bay, Wisconsin, you descend from 35,000 feet and land in 1967. Such is the aura of Packers history that you half-expect to be leveled by the block of Jerry Kramer or Fuzzy Thurston as you exit the jetway. The team plays in Lambeau Field, on...