Mariana Forteza Site

Thousands of people flocked to downtown State College on a sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community.



Presented by Centre LGBTQA Support Network, Downtown State College Improvement District and State College Borough, the third annual State College Pride <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/community/parade-festival-among-state-college-pride-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">included</a> a parade of colorful floats and marchers through town and a festival in Sidney Friedman Park, among other events throughout the weekend.



State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, served as grand marshal of the parade and festival. A frequent visitor to Centre County, Kenyatta is the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.



He called 2023 &#8220;probably the most important year for Pride in a really long time,&#8221; noting a vocal anti-LGBTQ contingent and legislation in a number of states, particularly related to transgender individuals. 



&#8220;In this moment, in this Pride year, what we are doing right now, showing up with joy in our hearts, showing up for and with each other in real community, that is critical right now,&#8221; Kenyatta said. &#8220;Because this is actually what our communities look like. This is actually where most people are&#8230; Do not believe the noise and the nonsense that most people are as hateful and vitriolic as some of the politicians who unfortunately get elected&#8230;. For Pride, it’s really critical for us as a community that we recognize our joy does not exist in contrast to their hatred.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-kenyatta-lane-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424953"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, State College Pride grand marshal, and Judge Timika Lane lead the 2023 Pride parade. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Pennsylvania, Kenyatta said, should aspire to be the best place to live, raise a family and retire for everyone, including LGBTQ people.



&#8220;We deserve to be happy, to be joyous, to be just who you are every single day, no matter what they’re talking about, no matter what they’re doing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You just be who the hell you are.&#8221;



State College Mayor Ezra Nanes acknowledged that some in attendance may be feeling scared, worried or uncertain because of events nationally. 



&#8220;It’s OK to feel that,&#8221; Nanes said. &#8220;I want you to know that me, Ezra Nanes, my family, the Borough of State College, we are here for you. We will always be here for you. We’re going to keep building on the amazing work that you’ve already done, that we’ve already done together.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-3-1024x751.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424937"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-8-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424942"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Nanes issued a proclamation last week declaring June as Pride Month in the borough, and as the parent of an LGBTQ child, he called Pride &#8220;not just principle,&#8221; but also personal.



&#8220;One of the greatest joys in life, whether you’re a parent or a sibling or just an adult with a child in your life that matters, is supporting that child in discovering who they are,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think that’s a really important principle of what Pride is, that we all believe in helping people discover themselves, not telling them who they should be.&#8221;



State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Lemont, said Pride is also personal for him and his family and called it a &#8220;joyful occasion.



&#8220;This represents the absolute best of what State College is and can be,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This sets the standard for what every day should be like. You are not only seen, you are not only accepted, but you should be celebrated and you should be loved. If we could bottle today and make every day like that, wouldn’t this be a better world, a better place to be?&#8221;



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<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption">Scenes from the 2023 Pride parade in downtown State College. Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Timika Lane, a Philadelphia judge who is running for Pennsylvania Superior Court in November, emphasized the importance of individuals making their voices heard to ensure all are treated with dignity and respect.



&#8220;We have to decide in Pennsylvania, what is it going to be? Are we going to be a place of love or are we going to be a place of hate?&#8230; Your voice matters,&#8221; Lane said.



Kenyatta urged those in attendance to be true to themselves, knowing that it will inspire someone else to do the same.



&#8220;If we lift each other up, if we encourage each other to be brave, if we remind ourselves that we are the majority of this commonwealth, that we are the majority of this nation, when we do that then we will continue to pull this nation closer to making the ideals of freedom, justice and fairness real for everybody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love, no matter how you worship or choose not to, here in Pennsylvania it’s about you getting a fair shot and a fair shake. We’re going to keep doing that together.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-9-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424943"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



State College Pride has grown substantially since it was first held in 2021. Last year it drew an estimated 4,000 people and organizers expected that number would increase again for the third edition.



The <a href="https://www.centrelgbtqa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre LGBTQA Support Network</a> (CLSN), which was founded in 2014, has been instrumental in that, as well as in providing resources year round. Sue Marshall, a founding member and current board secretary, said planning for next year&#8217;s Pride will start next week.



In the shorter term, however, CLSN will be celebrating another advancement. A long-planned LGBTQ center for downtown State College will open sometime in August at the corner of Calder Way and South Pugh Street, Marshall said.



&#8220;We can’t wait,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We will have a big opening celebration.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-anchor-arrow-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Community members danced while Anchor &amp; Arrow played at the 2023 State College Pride festival on Saturday, June 10, in Sidney Friedman Park. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>

‘Showing Up with Joy in Our Hearts.’ State College Celebrates Pride

There may be just one person who claims not to know who will start at quarterback for Penn State football when the team begins its season against West Virginia on Sept. 2.



While Drew Allar has been set as the presumed successor to longtime starting quarterback Sean Clifford since the day that he stepped onto Penn State’s campus in January 2022, James Franklin didn’t declare a winner to the Nittany Lions’ quarterback competition with 86 days until the season opener.



“We have competition at every single position, every single year, returning starter or not,” Franklin told the media on Thursday. “I think that’s the right thing to do.”



Allar’s competition at the position is Beau Pribula, who, like Allar, was a member of the Nittany Lions’ recruiting Class of 2022. The difference between the two was that Allar was a five-star recruit by the time he arrived on campus. Pribula was a three-star.



More recently, Allar took snaps behind Clifford in the 2022 season. The youngster played in enough games that he was unable to take a redshirt season. By contrast, Pribula didn’t take a snap in a Penn State game until the Blue-White Game in April, when he attempted 22 of his 27 passes with second-string players.



Franklin’s hesitation to name a starter isn’t surprising. Entering his 10th year with Penn State, Franklin wants competition at the position. It’s likely that Allar will only stick around Penn State for two more years. Franklin will need someone to step up when the Ohio native is gone.



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It’s a situation that Franklin has had before. From 2016-17, he had running backs Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders on the same roster. Barkley was a shout for a Heisman candidate in college, and when Sanders turned pro, he reached last season’s Super Bowl as the starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles.



At Penn State, Barkley was the evident starter. But Franklin said that competition between the two made them both better. If Franklin has his way, the same will happen to Allar and Pribula.



“I think at times there may have been some frustration with that, but I truly believe that type of competition in college really set them up to be successful in the NFL,” Franklin said. “[Barkley] always had somebody behind him trying to take reps away from him. And [Sanders], as a young player, was trying to overtake [Barkley]. So I think that is a healthy position to be in.”



Franklin also has to answer the question of how he’ll use each quarterback. As Mike Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach said at the same press conference, each quarterback has different styles. Gameplans have to be tailored to those styles.



Allar’s been described as a quarterback who’s steady in the pocket. Teammates have raved about his ability to place passes in locations where only a receiver can catch them. Allar can be mobile but his arm is what really sets him apart from the pack.



Pribula, however, is described as athletic. He’s the quarterback that Franklin and Yurcich could turn to when they need to push a pile or in a situation that calls for a mobile quarterback. He’s the Nittany Lions’ alternate.



However Franklin plays the two quarterbacks, it will likely be some time before Penn State fans have an answer to the question that’s hung over the program for more than a year. Franklin noted that he wanted Clifford to compete for a starting role for the six years that the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/04/29/sean-clifford-drafted-no-149-overall-by-green-bay-packers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NFL draftee</a>&nbsp;spent in Happy Valley. The same will apply to Allar.



If Franklin has 86 days to name a starter against the Mountaineers, he may just use all 86.

‘We Have Competition at Every Single Position’: Penn State Quarterback Question Still Unanswered

We should never put a label on worker safety.&nbsp;The men and women who toil every day to provide for themselves and their families should expect to have safe working conditions whether they are union or non-union.&nbsp; &nbsp;



We should never put a label on a livable wage.&nbsp;Workers deserve to be compensated fairly and have the right to trust that they are receiving the full pay and benefits they deserve regardless of if they are union or non-union.&nbsp; 



We should never put a label on dealing fairly with a company.&nbsp;The taxpayers should be sure that the companies that are engaged in public works have a stellar reputation in treating their employees with dignity and respect.&nbsp; &nbsp;



Public officials have a duty to make sure our dollars are being spent with firms who meet the highest standard without regard to whether they are union or non-union shops.&nbsp;There are many union and non-union companies that have great apprenticeship programs that foster quality work, create skilled craftsmen and understand that through these programs their reputations for high quality work are enhanced.&nbsp;This in turn creates a demand for their services.&nbsp; 



I have been a card-carrying member of a union since 1977.&nbsp;I also served as a Centre County Commissioner.&nbsp;I have dedicated my entire career in public service to being the voice of working people.&nbsp;The Responsible Contractor Ordinance is another tool in ensuring workers get the pay they deserve, the safety they need and the respect they have earned.&nbsp; &nbsp;



This discussion should not be about labels.&nbsp;It is about human beings.&nbsp;Protecting our workers should be the top priority of all public servants.



State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township

Conklin: Responsible Contractor Ordinance Protects Workers

Fear mongering is leading the charge against the Responsible Contractor Ordinance (RCO), a proactive measure of governance that has been brought up for consideration within our Centre County Government. Instead of casting unfounded doubts, let’s focus on responsible governance with our tax dollars: ensuring we have responsible contractors doing our tax funded work instead of our government being forced to potentially award contracts to unethical or ineffective contractors who provide the lowest bid.



This ordinance will protect our county government from having to award contracts to those contractors who violate the law, skirt safety training and precautions or provide poor quality work. The only way to address such contractors now is to sue them. Suing is a reactive measure that increases the burden of costs to taxpayers through litigation.



We have had contractors within Centre County that were recently held accountable due to their unethical actions against their own workers. We have had five worker deaths at job sites within as many years, many of which would have been prevented with proper training and oversight. We have a problem here in Centre County and it needs to be addressed by taking a proactive measure like the RCO.



The RCO places a set of standards on the bidder of larger contracts, reducing the risk of taxpayer funds being spent haphazardly or going to employers with questionable ethics. Advocating for and ensuring responsible contractors for taxpayer funded projects is ethically and fiscally responsible governance.



Robert Zeigler Millheim



The author is a Millheim Borough Council member and a candidate for Centre County recorder of deeds.

Letter: Proactive Governance Is Responsible Governance

As the Fraud, Waste and Abuse investigator for Centre County, I take protecting taxpayer dollars seriously and will investigate problematic contractors that may not have fulfilled their contractual obligations with the county. Whether those instances amount to fraud, waste or abuse is to be determined but may be worth the look.



All employees and anyone doing business with Centre County Government are welcomed and encouraged to contact my office’s Fraud, Waste and Abuse hotline at 814-548-1143 or via the web at <a href="https://centrecountypa.gov/172/Fraud-Waste-Abuse-Hotline" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">centrecountypa.gov/fraud</a> if they suspect any of these on county projects. These reports can be made anonymously. I only encourage those filing reports to provide as much detail as possible, especially if filed anonymously, so that I have as full a picture as possible to begin investigating.



While this may provide some reassurance when a project has started, if I receive a call, the potential problems have already occurred. The Responsible Contractor Ordinance proposed for Centre County provides the opportunity to prevent these issues before they occur and/or prevent those contractors not fulfilling the requirements of the RCO from bidding on future projects for a period of time. As it stands now without the ordinance, even if a contractor was found to have committed fraud, waste or abuse, there is nothing to prevent them from bidding on and being awarded future projects. This should concern any taxpayer within the county.



Remember we’re talking about protecting and guarding taxpayer dollars and preventing fraud, waste or abuse of them. If you see it, report it.



Jason Moser Centre County Controller

Letter: Responsible Contractor Ordinance Will Help Prevent Fraud, Waste and Abuse

It’s baseball’s time of year.



The NFL is well into its offseason. The draft is long since passed and offseason workouts and minicamps will conclude this week. College football is done as well and spring practices are over. Camps for both the NFL and college teams won’t start until late July and early August.&nbsp;



The NHL season will be completed soon. The Stanley Cup finals may be over tonight. If not, the last possible game – if the Florida Panthers somehow win two in a row – will be next Monday.&nbsp;&nbsp;



By the time you read this the NBA Finals may already be over (If the Denver Nuggets won last night). As with the NHL finals, if the Miami Heat are somehow able to win two in a row, the last possible game will be this Sunday.



Granted, the MLS season is in full swing but most people don’t yet consider Major League Soccer the equal of the Big Four pro leagues in this country:&nbsp; football, basketball, baseball and hockey. Although, average attendance at MLS games is pretty similar to MLB games. But there are many more baseball games played, so overall attendance in MLB is much higher.



Meaning it’s baseball’s time to shine and reign supreme over the professional sporting world. Locally, both the State College Spikes and the Altoona Curve have started to play, and ballpark promotions are in full swing (pun intended). But one local baseball team has a question mark surrounding it.&nbsp;



Penn State’s baseball team is without a head coach. Rob Cooper, who was hired in August 2013 as the 14th head coach in Penn State baseball history, resigned a little less than a month ago at the end of this past season.



During the 10 years that Cooper was head coach, Penn State baseball posted a 198-270-0 record for a .423 winning percentage. The Nittany Lions reached the Big Ten Tournament once during his tenure, in 2022, and never made it to the NCAA tournament. He did, however, have the highest position player draft selection in PSU baseball history when catcher Matt Wood was picked in the fourth round last year by the Milwaukee Brewers.



I will admit to not being a big baseball fan in general, but I’ve been alive long enough to remember that Penn State’s baseball team did alright at one time. I attended Penn State from 1977 to 1982, which coincided with the last year of Chuck Medlar’s 19-year stint as head coach – 1981. Nineteen seasons when the team went 312-141-6 for a .686 winning percentage.&nbsp;



In fact, from the time in 1875 when Penn State played its first baseball game, through the last game of Chuck Medlar’s coaching in 1981, Penn State baseball’s record was 1,098-517-18 for a .672 win rate. That’s better than two wins for every loss! But since then, things have dropped off a bit. Shorty Stoner coached PSU for nine years at a .558 clip. Then Joe Hindelang for 14 years at a .523 clip. Next was Robbie Wine for nine seasons at a .466 rate. Lastly, Rob Cooper for 10 years and a .423 percentage.&nbsp;



I think we can see things have been going in a not-positive direction – at least as far as winning is concerned. So, what’s the issue?



Well, from a historical perspective Pennsylvania has a long and storied history with baseball. Pennsylvania ranks third in the country for states with the most members enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The commonwealth has 25 natives in the Hall, behind New York at 34 and California at 26. According to Baseball Reference, for all the known birthplaces of major league players, Pennsylvania ranks second in the country behind California.&nbsp;



Specifically related to Penn State, again according to Baseball Reference, there have been 138 guys who attended Penn State who went on to play some pro ball – although most of that is minor league play.



In terms of World Series history, since the beginning of American League vs. National League play in 1903, Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the country in states with the most World Series titles. The Athletics, Phillies and Pirates have combined for 12. This is behind New York with 35 (Yankees, Dodgers, Giants and Mets), California with 14 (Angels, Dodgers, Athletics and Giants) and Missouri with 13 (Cardinals, Royals).



Not to mention, Little League baseball was founded in central Pennsylvania on fields near Lycoming Creek in Williamsport by the present day site of Bowman Field – the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters, current rival of the State College Spikes. And the Little League World Series is held every year in South Williamsport, on fields that are just 62 miles from Medlar Field.



Now, that’s all well and good from a historical perspective, and might justify those lofty Penn State winning records in season’s past, but what about now? How are Pennsylvania’s baseball chops these days?



At the high school level things seem to be good. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, based on competition at the high school level in the 2021-22 school year, there were 20,704 boys playing high school baseball in Pennsylvania. That ranks fourth in the country behind Texas, California and Ohio. So there are plenty of young players coming up to the college ranks.



Right now, the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship is ongoing. Sixty-four teams made it to regional competition and played round-robin pools to cut the field to 16 teams. The Super Regional competition to cut it to the eight teams who will play in the College World Series finished yesterday. If we just randomly pick from some of the top teams that made it to the Super Regional field, we find that No. 1-ranked Wake Forest shows five players on its roster who are from Pennsylvania. No. 7-ranked Virginia has four players from the Keystone State. As does Duke. Even No. 16-ranked Alabama shows two Pa. players on its roster (one from Mill Hall!). So Pennsylvania players are populating some of the better teams at the collegiate level.&nbsp;



Hmmm….&nbsp; It appears Pennsylvania has a long baseball history, and it seems to be creating plenty of young prospects, so, what is Penn State to do to turn the ship around and get back to that historical .672 winning rate?



I think many of you would agree that it starts with the head coach. But since it doesn’t appear that a baseball version of Cael Sanderson exists, Pat Kraft has some work to do. In that case, is there a trait Kraft might look for in a coach that might help Penn State’s cause?



I think there is.&nbsp;



If we look back at the history of two of the best baseball coaches in Penn State history – according to their win-loss record – they were from non-Philadelphia areas of Pennsylvania. Joe Bendenk coached for 32 years from 1931-1962 and was born in Williamsport. His record? 380-159-3 for a .704 winning percentage. The aforementioned Chuck Medlar coached for 19 years from 1963-1981 and was born in Allentown. His record as noted above was 312-141-6 for a .686 winning percentage.&nbsp;



Now, both Joe Hindelang and Robbie Wine were born in Pennsylvania, but they were from the Philly area. Hindelang was born in Philadelphia and Wine in Norristown. After extensive searching, I haven’t been able to find where Rob Cooper was born – but he played his college baseball in Sacramento, California and Miami, Florida.&nbsp;



The point is, Pennsylvania seems to have plenty of young baseball talent. It certainly seems to have a positive history with the game. Penn State just needs the right head coach. And to quote from the character Tia Dalma at the end of the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man&#8217;s Chest,” “…then you will need a captain who knows those waters.” Perhaps a Pennsylvania born-and-bred coach who knows the leagues, coaches and talent throughout the less-densely-populated parts of the state, might be just the key.&nbsp;



Here’s to hoping Pat Kraft finds him!

Hook: A Look Back at Past Success Might Show the Way in Finding Penn State Baseball’s Next Coach

In June, we see the blooming of Pride flags on homes, in yards, outside businesses and on various social media platforms. It is for people to celebrate not only who they are now, but to recall a difficult journey to arrive at this place in time.



June also means a surge of resentment ranging from suggesting that people “put your pride to the side,” to far more aggressive and hateful suggestions. Some want to return to an era where this pride goes back into dark shadows of closeted existence.&nbsp;



Taken to an extreme, we’ve seen that hate manifested in murderous violence.



For most, the resentment ranges from being “offended” to displays of hatred.



In life, being offended is a choice. If you spend your life looking for things that will offend you, outrage is easily manufactured.



For those who are so offended, does the expression of another’s sexuality really impact you? Does it change your life? Is it a threat to you?



If those flying the Pride flag could force you to keep your heterosexuality a secret or keep you from living in a certain neighborhood or from getting a mortgage or being allowed to adopt a child, then maybe your fear could be understood.



But none of that has happened to you because of who you have chosen to love.&nbsp;



Patriotic Americans believe that this country was founded on that certain inalienable rights are for all of us. We should not discriminate because of someone’s race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or who they choose to love.



All sides like to preach liberty. Yet when it comes to Pride month, one side chooses to be offended because someone else has asked for the freedom to live their lives in a manner of their own preference.



To be clear, most of the people in this country are supportive of Pride because they believe others are entitled to the basic freedoms agreed upon centuries ago. But that majority is a recent phenomenon in American politics.



In 2008, both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees campaigned on the idea that marriage was between one man and one woman. It wasn’t until the 2012 campaign when Vice President Joe Biden’s support of marriage equality caused a tectonic and rapid shift before the election. And as with any other rapid change, there was a whipsaw backlash from people who resist change.&nbsp;



But while recent change has happened quickly, attaining the summit was the result of a long climb.&nbsp;



During my coaching career, I once had an alum contact me to share rumors he’d heard about a supposedly gay player. College and pro football at the time was not so accepting, but I failed to see why it would have mattered if the player was gay. The player had never stated that he was gay, and it was none of our business. I talked with Coach Paterno just to let him know about the&nbsp; rumors being spread.



“Is he a good person, a good student? Is he good enough to play?” Coach asked.



“Yes.” I said.



“Then the heck with those rumors. His personal life is his business. Do you believe he would be the first gay player we’ve had? There’s probably been many over the years who have been good people, good students and good players. That’s all that matters.”



To him it was no different than whether a player was Black or white, from this country or born elsewhere or if they were Christian or Jewish or Muslim or atheist. For his college football team, judgment and acceptance to that brotherhood was all based on performance as a human being, as a student and as an athlete.



That recognition of differences forged into common cause is the ideal of the ongoing American Experiment.



Part of our annual observations are history and pride months for various groups. These months mark the difficult trek toward the nation’s summit goal of equality.



But in 2023 some do not see it that way. We stand at a time where men and women who hope to become president can run on platforms to subvert difficult truths in certain chapters of our history.&nbsp;



With human nature being consistent across time, history is a vital roadmap to avoid the mistakes of the past. We should remember that those calling for sanitized history often do so to pave a road returning to the oppression of the past.



So in a month like this, we should recognize those Americans who saw our imperfections and issued a clarion call to march toward a more perfect union. Those taking pride in their history, and celebrating the present are not a threat to liberty.&nbsp;



The real threat to liberty resides in the hateful hearts of those looking to suppress the pride of others.&nbsp;

Pride Month Is a Celebration of the Pursuit for Equality and Freedom

“If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds&#8217; worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that&#8217;s in it, And—which is more—you&#8217;ll be a Man, my son!”  –The final stanza of “If” by Rudyard Kipling. 



To paraphrase the stanza above, last weekend those of us in Annapolis to watch the NCAA men’s lacrosse regionals saw four different teams of young men who filled the unforgiving hour with 60 minutes’ worth of lacrosse run. Those witnessing the intensity of competition and post-game emotions saw the best of college sports.



For most of the players on the four teams in the Annapolis regional, this was, to date, the biggest game they had played. On days like that, coaches have a hand in strategy, but the outcome also relies on the attitudes they set for their programs.



The most lasting impression of those games was the incredible effort and toughness of the young men on the field, men driven to greatness by competition of the highest order. There was no discussion of point spreads, or prop bets, or who would be in the transfer portal looking for the biggest NIL deals.



The only outcome that mattered was winning to keep the season alive.



Men’s lacrosse is a combination of skill, speed, grace, power and contact. Some guys play defense, some play offense, some guys play both and some sub in and out. If you lack toughness or don’t give full effort, there is nowhere to hide.&nbsp;



The goalie has the added pressure of being noticeable to everyone who watches the game. And with a goalie, the only real glory comes in facing and saving great shots. Without a worthy adversary, can the goalie ever attain his fullest potential?&nbsp;&nbsp;



Last Sunday it seemed that every faceoff, every ground ball, every save that ricocheted back into play became a moment attracting two or three or four men singularly focused on getting the ball for their team. Players collided, held and dug into the grass to get the ball. Thoughts of safety were secondary to thoughts about getting the ball for their team.



That team-first mentality still rules the day in college lacrosse. While professional lacrosse is growing, those thoughts are distant for the majority of these players. And yes, the transfer portal plays a part in the sport, but these programs are overwhelmingly anchored in the players they signed out of high school.&nbsp;



Maybe that’s why this past weekend’s games stood out. On a national stage, with a national television audience, with one of the largest NCAA regional crowds in history on hand, the focus was solely on what was happening between the lines.



The officiating may have been a little lax—pardon the pun—but it seemed at least to be lax evenly for all teams. There was uncalled holding, slashing, grabbing and excessive hitting. That certainly tested the resolve of these men. But in the NCAA tourney when the casual fan is tuned in, keeping the game flowing may be preferable to seeing lots of flags.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Fans saw student-athletes from four teams who knew that the outcome for them, their teammates and their schools mattered more than any personal accolades. Players who’ve been together for three or four or five years listened to the anthem, awaited the opening faceoff and knew that if they did not win, their days together would be at an end.



The full 60 minutes of unceasingly relentless effort was a reflection of the coaches and players who know how precious these moments can be. The older guys recall being <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/local-news/the-longest-and-last-bus-trip-of-grant-aments-extraordinary-penn-state-lacrosse-career/">on a bus</a> or on a campus three years ago when COVID pulled the plug on their 2020 season. That kind of perspective focuses you on life’s key moments. You refuse to cede that ground for anything.&nbsp;



As Johns Hopkins battled Notre Dame, they faced one of the game’s best players repeatedly hitting him. Outwardly he displayed some frustration, but in the thick of the game other Notre Dame players scored goals to help him carry the day. And despite Penn State’s lead, Army’s players kept pushing. Trailing in the third quarter, an Army player was double-, then triple-teamed, yet fought through contact and scored a goal that sparked a run.



And with just seconds to play and trailing by one, Army had a man-advantage after a Penn State penalty. But Penn State’s defense withstood a furious free-for-all in front of their own net. An instant-replay review determined that Army’s tying goal was just a second late and that Penn State had held on just long enough.



There is something beautiful to behold in a game like that. In a world where sports social media warriors think trolling and taunting after a win has some sort of value, true competitors put it on the line and let performance and effort talk for them. And when the game ends, we see a range of true human emotions, not social media-manufactured posing. It is among the most authentic things you will ever see in your life.



It is real because in each game two teams invest their heart and soul: an investment of weeks and months and years of training leading to that one moment. They lay it all on the line, filling the unforgiving hour with 60 minutes for all to see: hoping to earn another game with the men in their unique brotherhood.



The winning players rejoice, smile and hug in the thrill of emerging victorious through a hard-fought hour.&nbsp;



But just a few yards away another group of players have a sudden realization that in coming up just short, it is all over. They also hug, but tears flow. Sadness comes with an understanding that they will never again all stand together on the sideline in their school’s colors.



Across the years, I’ve been fortunate to witness some of the greatest competitors of our times. But whether it was witnessing first-hand Penn State’s women’s volleyball team defeat Texas in five sets for a national title, or a last-second shot to lift Lady Lions basketball over No. 1 Virginia in Charlottesville or men’s lacrosse in Annapolis, these moments made everyone who saw them understand the power of competition to ignite life’s passions to their fullest.



So if you are passionate about Penn State or passionate about pure competition in college sports today, there is only one place for you to be on Saturday. No. 5 Penn State takes on No. 1 Duke at noon and No. 2 Virginia takes on No. 3 Notre Dame at 2:30 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.&nbsp;



These are the kind of big stage moments showcasing the best in student-athletes who inspire all who love a seemingly bygone era of college athletics competition. Get there, because by the example of these student-athletes, you’ll leave a little better than when you got there.

Men’s Lacrosse Tournament Shows the Power of True Competition

Graduation is a time to celebrate but it can also be a time of tremendous stress as high school, technical school and college graduates all seek to answer, “What’s next?” It’s that time of the year when I remind young adults (and their parents) to take the time needed to develop great options and make informed decisions.



When I woke up this past Sunday morning, I received a T.A.G. (The Attitude of Gratitude) message that really made my day. It was from a former Penn State football player and family friend who I assisted in connecting with a business associate a few years ago.&nbsp;



“Thanks again Joe for passing my resume along. I’ve been fortunate to contribute to [The Company] over the last 3 years. I have relocated to a distributor for [The Company] in Southwest Florida. It is a great company that I am still lucky to be a part of. I’ll never forget your willingness to help. I hope you and the family are well. Best, Pat.”&nbsp;



There are several lessons to learn from this communication:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Pat was totally qualified for the position for which he requested my assistance. He’d done the heavy lifting and that is why I was willing to help.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Pat had also done his homework about the position he sought, so it was easy for me to be his advocate with the CEO of “The Company.”</li>



<li>Pat took the time to thank me when he originally earned the position and after he earned his recent promotion.</li>



<li>Most importantly, Pat had the courage to ask for help.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>



I have written about this subject several times in the past, so yes, this is my annual reminder to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and take charge of your life. If you are the parent, it’s time to be the mentor you are meant to be and challenge your child to develop options and make tough choices.



Radical Candor



Let me highlight that last statement. This is a time for graduates to be bold, to have courage and to get into the action habit. It’s their life and it’s time for them to take charge and to be held accountable to set themselves up for success. I get almost as frustrated as parents I work with when the response from students to “What do you want to do?” is a lazy and weak “I dunno,” complete with the deer-in-the-headlights facial expression. Equally disappointing is when the answer to “What interests you?” is “Nothing,” with a shrug of the shoulders.



It’s not about having the perfect job or career map; it’s about starting the journey with a positive step forward. The answers above are simply unacceptable, and it calls for some “tough love” from the adults in the room.



Yes, I said it. I am going to be that guy. Someone must! No more Mr. Nice Guy. I’ve tried to be subtle in the past, worried about hurting someone’s feelings. But too often I come across young adults and their parents who keep missing the target when it comes to post-secondary education and career decisions. Why? Because they will not sit down and have the hard conversations about preparing for the future. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Battista-PS-Altoona-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-422571"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Joe Battista speaks to students at Penn State Altoona about creating Personal Vision Statements.</figcaption></figure>



Remember, you don’t have to have the exact answer to your career aspirations at 17, but you have a better chance to set yourself up for success if you have developed realistic options and create a plan to make it so.&nbsp;It means doing your research and homework.&nbsp;It means setting up appointments with guidance counselors and career coaches (if you have the resources).



Let’s continue to focus on the high school juniors and seniors for a moment. There are more resources available to you today than ever before in the form of personality trait assessments, career assessments, career search computer programs, specialists at your schools or experts for hire from the private sector. Heck, there are enough free resources on the internet that no one should say “I dunno” or “nothing” when asked about the future. You’re so young it’s almost impossible to make a lasting mistake if you do the appropriate research. If you change your mind or things go sideways, it’s OK. You simply must pivot and adjust.



The time to be subtle and worry about hurting someone’s feelings is over. I’m trying to help you folks! Your dreams (or your children’s) can come true.&nbsp;They must, however, be anchored in reality and based on facts. Winging it isn’t a plan and neither is hoping something will simply fall in your lap. Just doing what you love and following your passion isn’t always sound advice, but passion and practicality do not have to be mutually exclusive either.&nbsp;You can achieve both if you are playing the long game.&nbsp;



However, we adults must stop making it sound easy and as if you are entitled to find a career where you get paid to do what you love to do. It’s not. There are still plenty of starving artists, unemployed philosophy and history majors and video game playing phenoms that are 30 years old and still living at home.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Battista-lycoming-1024x768.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-422573"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Joe Battista speaks to high school juniors and seniors about careers at the PA Free Enterprise Week at Lycoming College. </figcaption></figure>



Warning: Colleges Are Businesses.



In Chapter 6 of my book, I discuss the idea that college is not for everyone, at least not at 18. There are other ways to make a great living using your talents and skills that don’t require a four- year degree, at least not right out of high school.



“Our role is not to get students a job. It’s to educate them.”&nbsp;If you hear that from a college admissions officer, run away quickly!



“But college is a time to explore, to find yourself.” Maybe it was 40 years ago when it was much more affordable.&nbsp;It’s just not that simple anymore and there are always options if you do your research and ask the right questions.



Are we being&nbsp;too&nbsp;easy on kids? Are we so caught up in the mental health concerns that we won’t at least try some tough love? Why can’t we challenge them? Students and parents need to carve out time to <a href="https://www.simplilearn.com/future-of-work-article">research the best careers for the future</a>.&nbsp;



If your kids won’t talk with you, at a minimum text them links to articles that appeal to their innermost common senses. I encourage parents to make appointments for them with experts at their schools or in the private sector. I speak from experience and tell the story in my book of taking my own son to both a clinical psychologist and an industrial psychologist to help him with anxiety issues and to narrow down his career interests. I don’t care if it might have embarrassed him at the time because we did it for his own good. It worked out perfectly. He excelled in high school, selected one of the four majors recommended by the experts based on his interests and aptitude and he begins his full-time job with the top medical technology company in the world this June.&nbsp;



My objective has always been to help high school students (and their parents) to avoid the disappointments and angst that come with making bad decisions due to a lack of information and having candid discussions to develop the best options and make more informed decisions.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4034.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-422560"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Former Penn State hockey player VJ Nardy who had the courage to give up one passion (hockey) to focus on another (to be a doctor).</figcaption></figure>



Are you ready to have the tough conversation when your student wants to study a major with a <a href="https://www.nichepursuits.com/most-useless-degrees/">low job placement</a>? How many undergraduate family studies, religious studies and sport management graduates do we really need? I worked in the sports industry and it’s a grind. There are not a lot of jobs, <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/business/t012-s001-worst-college-majors-for-a-lucrative-career-2019/index.html">the starting pay isn’t great</a>, you will work long hours and there isn’t a lot of security in it.&nbsp;



But — and this is a big but — if you’re truly passionate, committed and willing to stay the course, any one of these majors can lead you to a lucrative career. It just may take a little more patience and perseverance, along with a little good fortune.&nbsp;If you are willing to give the whole <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Sports_Management_Majors_Your_Salary_and_Career_Questions_Answered.html">”I want to work in sports”</a> thing a go, you should at least know that there are many ways to build a career you may have never considered. Doing what you love sounds great. But only if someone is willing to pay you for what you love to do.&nbsp;



“Joe why are you being so negative and bursting my kid’s dream?” I’m not. I am simply trying to keep it real. Dream Big. Keep It Real. Get It Done!



I’m simply asking you to use the data, common sense and tools to find a good fit and a good return on your investment. I will get an occasional response from someone who beat the odds and has a lucrative career in a major like art history or goes on to be a professional athlete. Awesome! But you are very likely the exception, and you are probably working for Lloyd’s of London or some other insurance company, or were a naturally gifted athlete to begin with. People will even send me columns about others who chose an obscure path and their dream came true. My response is usually something like, “Have you considered the column was newsworthy exactly because it’s such an outlier and infrequent occurrence?”



Don’t compare yourself to others who come from a totally different socioeconomic background either. Especially if you’re in the middle of the bell-shaped curve. Someone whose family has substantial financial resources can bail out the aspiring fashion designer grad who can’t find a job with a living wage. Others may come from low-income households and may have access to discounts, grants, scholarships and low interest loans.&nbsp;You must “do you” but you don’t have to go it alone.&nbsp;



Be bold and courageous and ask the hard questions. It will make it less hard to ask them later after the fact when you find yourself $100,000 in debt and without a job.&nbsp;



What’s next? It’s time to take charge of your life.&nbsp;

Now That You’ve Graduated, What’s Next?

As humans we enjoy our entertainment. What the people who study human behavior tell us – that would be the sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, etc. – is that our ability to enjoy our entertainment is likely hardwired into our brains. Understanding what other people are doing and the cognitive ability to grasp another’s viewpoint allows us to occupy a fictional space – thereby allowing us to be entertained.



Thousands of years ago this entertainment likely centered on stories – telling them and re-telling them. Today, we have many, many types of entertainment that allow us to occupy a fictional space. One of those is our beloved television screen.



Over the years in our family, we certainly have watched hours and hours of television. And as the years have gone by there always seems to be one or two television shows that are what I would call generationally-great shows. Shows that allow us to occupy an enjoyable fictional space that really does make you forget that you are watching a “show.” Shows that make you laugh, cry, feel warm fuzzies and also treat you like an intelligent human being.&nbsp;



On my list are shows like M*A*S*H, The Odd Couple, The Wonder Years, Cheers (Night Court), Hill Street Blues, Ally McBeal and NCIS. These were and are shows I sometimes watched with my wife – before kids – or I’ve watched with them since they arrived in our lives.&nbsp;



Currently, there is one such show on television that occupies this rarified status for me. It’s a show that my wife and I initially stopped watching partway into the first episode because she found the language a little questionable. This is one of several content-oriented reasons you won’t find many of the premium cable shows on our list of the greatest TV shows. I’ve never seen more than a few minutes of some of the top shows in most “greatest television shows in history” lists because of what I’ve found as unnecessary or unwarranted content. That’s probably why I consider Casablanca the greatest movie of all time!&nbsp;



In any case, the television show I’m talking about is Ted Lasso.



In the fictional world of this show, the namesake character is the head coach of the D-II Wichita State Shockers football team, wins an NCAA championship and gains notoriety for his team-dancing scene on social media. At the same time, the owner of a Premier League soccer team in England wants to get back at the previous owner, her unfaithful husband from whom she is now divorced, and decides the best way to do this is by having the team lose. As in lose every single game. And the best way for the team to lose every game is by hiring a team manager who knows nothing about soccer. So she hires Ted Lasso.



After my wife and I gave up on the first episode more than two years ago, we didn’t think about it again until the last few months when we were looking through the “Recommended For You” options that pop up on our cable screen occasionally whenever we aren’t watching something specific. In the previous years, we’d heard people mention the show in glowing terms but didn’t pay much attention. So we thought we would give it another go. And we’ve been going ever since.&nbsp;



The show does make you laugh, cry, feel warm fuzzies and treat you like an intelligent human being. There are plenty of “You’ll miss it if you’re not paying attention” moments – the above “Cheers – Night Court” lines being one of them. The actors all inhabit their characters on such a level that it’s entirely believable that they are who they are depicting. It also doesn’t take itself seriously but understands its place in the cultural mélange of today’s society.&nbsp;



It deals with many social issues in wonderful ways – smart, humorous, thought-provoking. It is an entirely interesting show that I’m more than happy to engross myself in. And unlike so many other shows out there, it has never once given me a cringe-worthy moment of dialogue or action that breaks the barrier between screen and reality and makes me want to get up out of my seat and walk out of the room. It is, for me, a generational bit of television. My wife, however, has had some cringe-worthy moments, but appreciates the heartfelt messages underneath.



Obviously I like the show a lot, but if it provides any justification, the primary television awards show in the United States seems to like it as well. In 2022, at the 74th Emmy Awards, Ted Lasso received awards for: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. At the 2021 Emmy Awards, the show received the top awards for: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series. Somebody out there thinks this is good television.



The only drawback of this show is that it is on Apple TV+ and nowhere else. Meaning if you want to watch it you’ll have to spend a few dollars for their streaming subscription service. As someone who finds it difficult to support anything with the bitten fruit logo on it, I’m not thrilled that I have to pay a few dollars to the empire, but that’s how much I like the show. In other words, I definitely don’t own (at least not directly) Apple stock and stand to gain nothing from you watching and enjoying.&nbsp;



To date, there have been 31 episodes: 10 in the first season, 12 in the second and nine so far of the planned 12-episode third season. The final episodes will release the next three Wednesdays and then, that will be it. Ted Lasso will, theoretically, ride off into the sunset. As with any great television show there are fans who would like to see the show continue and there are certainly enough rumors about whether there will be a fourth season or more. But as of right now, this is it.&nbsp;



So, if you are one of the many folks out there with a brain that can relate to others and occupy a fictional space, can stand a bit of salty language, are looking to be entertained – especially by great stories and interesting characters – and haven’t already watched Ted Lasso, I highly recommend you give it a go. “Footballers” may come to mean a whole new thing for you!

Ted Lasso Joins the List of All-Time TV Greats

As we head to vote on Tuesday, I write to share why I support Gopal Balachandran&#8217;s campaign for judge. When he ran for State College Borough Council in 2021, as a neighbor and friend, I knew he’d be an important voice and conscientious presence. Now in that role, I have appreciated his thoughtful yet gentle questioning about an array of topics, seeking through questioning to learn more. As a fellow parent of young kids, I&#8217;ve seen his dedication to supporting youth through a variety of community roles as well as welcoming my kids as they bounce over to his house. I appreciate deeply that we have such a committed public servant, and role model for our children, and I welcome greater racial diversity in our courts.



I also know he has deep experience that would serve the people of Centre County well. At times, his current role as a professor at the law school has been dismissed even though I know from professional collaborations with other law school clinics of the incredible work these students and their supervising professors do as they learn through direct engagement with the law. I value deeply his experience with the Pardon Project, supporting a chance at better opportunities for those who have completed their sentence, as well as his years of public defender work. These experiences suggest that he will be mindful of ensuring that he applies the law fairly, knowing deeply the consequences of the job.



Erica Frankenberg, State College

Letter: Supporting Balachandran for Judge

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