Ed Puskas: Looking ahead to 2017-18

It has been a while since one of those empty-the-notebook columns appeared in this space, so here goes:

SLAM-DUNK FOR STROLLO

It’s a shame college basketball season will be history by late Monday night. I want to watch a Youngstown State game right now.

I don’t know if newly hired Penguins head coach Jerrod Calhoun will be the guy to get YSU into the NCAA Tournament for the first time, but I’m not eager to bet against him, either.

Even those outside the Mahoning Valley believe YSU athletic director Ron Strollo hit a home run with his most recent coaching hire.

It could just be a question of when — not if — the Penguins can contend in the Horizon League.

If YSU can contend ...

SCHOLARSHIPS STILL POSSIBLE

Sam Rogers of the Curbstone Coaches called to deliver some unfortunate news: The organization’s annual Byrd Giampetro Basketball Scholarship and Awards Banquet will not happen.

The event was set for April 9, but few tickets had been sold by the middle of last week and — even worse — no school had submitted an application for the two $1,000 Byrd Giampetro scholarships awarded annually to a boys and girls player.

The good news is that there have been some inquiries about the scholarships and Rogers said the Curbstone Coaches plan to meet to discuss the possibility of awarding them if deserving applicants surface.

But plans for the banquet remain scuttled.

SORDID STATE-MENT

The Cretin of the Week Award goes to Penn State trustee Albert Lord, who seems to have no soul or good sense.

Lord emailed The Chronicle of Higher Education to complain about the prominence of Jerry Sandusky’s victims during the trial of former Penn State president Graham Spanier, who was convicted of child endangerment in connection with the scandal.

“Running out of sympathy for 35 yr old, so-called victims with 7 digit net worth,” Lord wrote. “Do not understand why they were so prominent in trial. As you learned, Graham Spanier never knew Sandusky abused anyone.”

Lord is a Spanier sycophant who is all too comfortable with alternative facts.

ODDS AND ENDS

Not trying to jinx it, but I have a good feeling about the Indians. The pieces are in place for them to be even better than last season. ... Nines are wild for the YSU softball team. After a nine-game losing streak to open the season, the Penguins ran off nine straight wins, a streak that ended Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader at Valparaiso. YSU is now 14-17 and 4-1 in the Horizon. ... Bo Pelini’s YSU football team has just two more spring practices before Friday’s Red-White game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Write Sports Editor Ed Puskas at epuskas@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @EdPuskas_Vindy.