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Kyrie’s break-up would be hard to do

It kind of felt like the first time a good-looking girl broke up with you. You’re kind of in shock for a few seconds. Your heart drops to your stomach. You feel like you got the wind knocked out of you. One thought enters your mind and you can’t escape it: THIS REALLY SUCKS! Yes, that’s how most Cleveland Cavalier fans felt when word broke that Kyrie Irving asked to be traded. The man who put a year-long smile on the faces of millions with a 3-pointer that will live on in infamy. The player with the nastiest crossover in the NBA, a jump shot that’s eternally in rhythm and a ...

Canfield wrestling will miss Conley

The sport of wrestling has lost some great coaches over the last few years, specifically in the Mahoning Valley. In 2015, two of the area’s all-time great high school wrestling coaches, Jackson-Milton’s Dave Tomaino and Austintown Fitch’s Brett Powell, retired after illustrious careers that included multiple state champions and nearly 500 career victories. A more recent departure might not be as storied or provide the same swan song as those two legends, who let it be known they were retiring in advance, but this one is equally significant — and saddening. Canfield’s Dean ...

Baseball isn’t always so easy to comprehend

NILES — Baseball is something I’ve grown up with since I was 7 years old. A little boy and a beige MacGregor glove with a scratch inside, occasionally irritating my fingers. It didn’t matter when the white ball with the red stitching hit the mitt off the crack of the bat. The contact felt good and natural. Going from home to first, second, third bases and back home was one of the first things you learned about base running. Positions go from the pitcher as No. 1 to right field as No. 9. It’s a numbers game. Double plays. Stolen bases. Hit and run. All terms baseball fans ...

YSU hoops taking steps to be relevant

YOUNGSTOWN — A few of us were standing along the sideline during a recent workout. Two hours of watching the Youngstown State University men’s basketball team came to an end. A handful of players approached and outstretched their hands. Quick introductions and thank yous for watching them perform on the floor. The humble nature comes directly from their coach, Jerrod Calhoun, who is adamant about selling this product — one that hasn’t been in demand for quite a while. It takes time to make the demand more than the supply, something that has been the case for the better part ...

Warren football reunion returns

A fund-raising event that debuted in the area in 2016 will return this year after a very successful first run. The second annual Warren NFL Legends reunion dinner and celebrity golf outing event is scheduled Sept. 24-25 at Trumbull Country Club. The event last year raised between $35,000 and $40,000 for the Warren Gridiron Club, the booster organization for the Warren G. Harding High School football program. “Last year went way beyond our expectations,” event co-chairperson Ray Yannucci said. “I’ve been involved in some major events in Warren in the last few years and the ...

Pelini, YSU prepare to return to playoffs

It took the Youngstown State football team six years after Jim Tressel left in 2000 to reach the postseason, and things only became more difficult from there. After former YSU coach Jim Heacock advanced to the Division I-AA national semifinal in 2006, there was a 10-year gap before the Penguins returned to the playoffs. Oh, but what a return it was — with YSU making a miraculous run to the national championship game last season. Now, fans are hoping well-known head coach Bo Pelini can keep the success going and end the long playoff droughts that have occurred in the past. The ...