SteelHounds night brings back memories

April 4, 2022

The Youngstown Phantoms knocked it out of the park with their SteelHounds throwback night. From the jerseys that were nearly identical to the inaugural season, going the extra mile with pants and socks as well (unlike most specialty jerseys), to using the original scoreboard graphics and video intro, it really took me back to being 10 or 11 and watching these games with my dad. As I was taking photos of the team going on the ice for warm-ups for the first time, it was hard to not feel emotional. Especially because the SteelHounds are the reason I’m here writing for this ...

Spring weather continues to tease local anglers

April 3, 2022

Northeast Ohio’s on-again-off-again spring weather is the only thing keeping our local reservoirs from hosting a huge horde of anglers who are excited to get started on their 2022 fishing season. The time for teasing us is over. The week ahead looks like we’ll experience highs in the 50s and low 60s, which are trending in the right direction. But the truth is most prefer to wait for snow flurries to subside and the mercury to scratch 70 before hauling out the gear for walleyes, crappies and bass. Another few days of chilly, rainy weather will only intensify the eagerness of ...

Schools should keep embracing local history

March 31, 2022

Everyone loves a good throwback uniform. Whether it’s the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their creamsicle sets or the Pittsburgh Pirates in their pillbox hats, sometimes throwing it back to the teams of years past is fun for fans new and old. We’re starting to see this trend at the high school level as well. When I was still in high school, Harding started to wear throwbacks honoring the pre-merger era of Warren City Schools. As a student there at the time, I thought it was a great way to experience some of the traditions my parents were a part of as former Panthers. During this ...

Each bite is its own clue out on the water

March 27, 2022

You know you’re doing the right thing on the water when the bass are actually competing with each other to get to your lure. Each bite provides the angler with a clue about the fishes’ behavior. Savvy fishers build on each bite to tweak their game plans. They use the clues and cues to make selections and presentations that they hope will generate more bites as the day progresses. When the bites come in pairs, you can rest assured you have the right bait in the right water with the right retrieve. I’ve been noodling around bass ponds in Southwest Florida recently as I ...

Anglers await first fishing trip of the spring

March 20, 2022

With forecasts calling for a week featuring mild temperatures and a little rain, more and more anglers are ready to break out of their winter retreats and head to their favorite lakes for walleyes, crappies and bass. Fishing is full of highs and lows. Every angler has special memories. It’s all very personal. It’s safe to say most of us reserve a special drawer in our memory banks for each season’s first catches. I have logged more than 50 first springtime fishing trips, so my memory bank is overflowing. I will share a few with you today and hope you might be willing to ...

Basketball Classic worth keeping, but needs improvement

March 19, 2022

As the curse goes, “May you live in interesting times.” It’s sure been an interesting few days for those following Youngstown State basketball. The Penguins survived their first-round matchup of The Basketball Classic on Wednesday night in a 70-65 victory over Morgan State. Then, the fun began. The Basketball Classic’s website initially showed that YSU was set to play at Wofford last night. That alone would’ve been a tough sell, as it would have given the Penguins just Thursday to travel. Then, the game was set for today at 2 p.m. Obviously, that isn’t happening. The ...