This season more than about numbers for YSU

February 1, 2018

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State is 6-17. The Penguins are 5-2 at home. They are 1-11 away from the Beeghly Center and 0-4 at neutral sites. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. The numbers are missing the bigger picture within the YSU men’s basketball program. Don’t get stuck on the numbers even though everything is negatively magnified with 17 losses. It’s a process, one that won’t happen overnight. What are these players learning this season? How to overcome adversity. It’s not only a lesson learned on the court, but one that serves you throughout your life. Life isn’t fair. It’s ...

High school athletes prepare for postseason

January 14, 2018

With the high school winter sports season at about the halfway point, it’s time to take a look at the impending postseason. Before that, a quick note about basketball records and statistics. The Tribune Chronicle sports staff has endeavored this season to keep track of team and league records. This is more difficult than it sounds since we cover more than 30 schools and, with boys and girls basketball, that means more than 60 teams. Since not all scores are reported, we spend a significant amount of time looking up scores of games that may not even have been played. The records ...

Sights & sounds inside the O’rena

January 11, 2018

ROCHESTER, Mich. — Two hands on the wheel, eyes ahead and a phone guiding the way. Belly full from lunch at a franchise owned by a local philanthropist. All is well … until. Red brake lights as far as the eye can see approaching Detroit. Did I make a wrong turn to Frankenmuth, where it is Christmas every day? The 20-minute delay seemed more like an hour, but the entrance to the O’rena made the trip worth the wait. My eyes saw an impressive atmosphere, reminding me slightly of Valparaiso’s venue. Welcome to Oakland University, home of the Golden Grizzlies. Bigger fan ...

Yes, YSU is off to 2-0 start in Horizon

January 6, 2018

It was as if Milwaukee was in a trance, wondering what just befell them in the first couple of minutes as its opponent surged way ahead. This sight was different, this team facing them, but not like before. Frankly, no one gave this team much credit, even after Monday’s win at Cleveland State. Most around the Horizon League still think of the Youngstown State men’s basketball team as a punchline, a constant cellar dweller. Why should their home opener be different? It was against one of the league’s bluebloods, a team which reached a Sweet 16 under current Auburn coach Bruce ...

A year later, YSU football faces change

December 18, 2017

It’s been one year and one day since one of the biggest moments in the last 20 years for Youngstown State University football. If you’re a sports a fan, you’ve seen the highlight — probably a couple of different times. YSU tight end Kevin Rader caught a ball on the back of a defender as time expired in the FCS national semifinal. Rader pinned the football against a linebacker, who had great coverage in the end zone, and his touchdown catch gave the Penguins a 40-38 victory over Eastern Washington, vaulting YSU into the national title game. Not a whole lot went well from that ...

Juggernaut on the mat

December 10, 2017

They’re hard to overlook, even though some people may want to, just out of spite. It’s like the New England Patriots in the NFL. There are a lot of great teams and spectacular players, but deep down, everyone knows the Patriots are the team to beat, even if they don’t want to admit ...