Phantoms to host events for Pink in the Rink

Phantoms to host events for Pink in the Rink

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms will host their annual Pink in the Rink game on Saturday at the Covelli Centre to raise breast cancer awareness and provide funds for the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center, but will also have two events this week prior to the contest.

Today, the team will be at the Southwoods Panera on Market Street in Boardman to serve pink ribbon bagels from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Then on Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Phantoms will host a Paint the Ice Party as part of their 2015 Pink in the Rink weekend.

Fans are welcomed to the Covelli Centre ice to paint tributes to those in their life who have survived, are currently fighting or have lost their lives to cancer.

Representatives from Youngstown’s front office and Phantoms players will also be on hand.

Football rally at Cardinal Mooney

YOUNGSTOWN

On Thursday beginning at 12:30 p.m., the annual Cardinal Mooney/Ursuline football rally will take place in the Mooney High School gymnasium.

Alumni and parents, along with the Elementary Catholic feeder schools, will be in attendance.

Contact Janet Cadman at 330-788-5007 for more information.

Lakeview’s Thomas earns OAC honor

ALLIANCE

Mount Union sophomore Buster Thomas, a Lakeview graduate, was named the Ohio Athletic Conference’s Men’s Golfer of the Week as he led the Purple Raiders on Wednesday at the Phipps Memorial held at the Alliance Country Club.

Thomas shot a 73 (+2 par) to place second out of a field of 36.

Steelers’ Pouncey has not had second surgery

PITTSBURGH, PA.

Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey has not had a second surgery on his broken left fibula, coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday.

Pouncey was placed on the injured reserve/designated to return list after being injured in a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.

There were multiple reports last week that Pouncey had developed a complication from the initial surgery and would require another operation.

Tomlin did not elaborate beyond denying the reports.

Online hate of UM punter irks coaches

DES MOINES, Iowa.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz banned his players from Twitter once he realized the potential pitfalls of social media.

Some of his Big Ten colleagues might start thinking that Ferentz is on to something.

The downside to social media again became apparent last weekend. Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett released an open letter on Sunday urging fans to avoid “thoughtless comments” following Michigan State’s last-play 27-23 win over the Wolverines.

Much of negative online chatter focused on Michigan punter Blake O’Neill, whose fumble led to the game-winning touchdown for the Spartans.

“It’s very disappointing. But it’s the world we’re living in right now, too. People tend to attack other people via social media,” Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said.

Unlike Ferentz, most Big Ten coaches have accepted social media as a fact of life for themselves and their players.

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is one of the more active Big Ten coaches on Twitter. Fitzgerald said he uses social media to “spread the good news” about the Wildcats and interact with fans.

Fitzgerald said dealing with “trolls” is part of his job.

But Fitzgerald had some strong word for what he dubbed “haters” who took to their computers and phones to bash O’Neill.

“I feel sorry for those people. I really do,” Fitzgerald said.

“Every young man is trying to go out there and make a play and do what’s right.”

Staff/wire report