DeRosa to speak at Curbstone

Former NCAA and NBA basketball referee Joe DeRosa will be the guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early, the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Also, plans are underway for the annual Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame Induction ceremony which is set for May 4 at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman. The keynote speaker will be former Cleveland Browns stand out running back Greg Pruitt.

Tickets are available by contacting Patty Schuley at 3302078157. The deadline for purchasing tickets is April 25.

Titans looking for hoops coach

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — Westminster College announced Friday that it is making a leadership change in its men’s basketball program. Head coach Kevin Siroki will not return after 13 seasons in the position.

“I would like to thank Coach Siroki for his hard work, commitment and dedication as the head coach of the men’s basketball program, one he cares deeply about, for the last 13 years,” athletic director Jason Lener said in a press release. “We are grateful for his long service to Westminster and his mentorship to the many outstanding young men he’s coached.”

Siroki, a 1993 Westminster graduate, was hired in May 2012. He compiled a record of 153-179, including a mark of 104-117 in Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) regular season games. Westminster won its second PAC title in program history during the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 season. The program also advanced to the league’s championship game in 2018-19.

Earnhardt changes marketing plan

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. is shifting gears with his No. 8 merchandising.

Earnhardt announced on social media Friday that he has secured the right to use a stylized version of No. 8 and will forgo the original No. 8 logo used by his NASCAR team, JR Motorsports. His decision came two days after Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson filed an opposition claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to stop Earnhardt from putting that JRM version of No. 8 on merchandise.

“We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season,” Earnhardt wrote on social media.

Jackson, who has worn No. 8 since his college days at Louisville, previously registered the trademark “ERA 8 by Lamar Jackson.” His latest claim argued that Earnhardt’s attempt to trademark that particular version of No. 8 would create confusion among consumers.

Earnhardt avoided a trademark review with the rebranding. Had the U.S. Patent and Trademark appeal board denied Earnhardt, Jackson could have sued had Earnhardt used that No. 8 on any merchandise.