Category: College Football

Penn State wins trademark case over retailer’s use of vintage logos, images

FILE – The Nittany Lion logo taken before an NCAA college football game between Penn State and Delaware, Sept. 9, 2023, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)
By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer’s use of its vintage logos and images. A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages earlier this week over products made and sold by the firms Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc. Penn State accused them of selling “counterfeit” clothing and accessories. The defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with Penn State. At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, but the Pennsylvania case was the first to go to trial.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer’s use of its vintage sports logos and images.
A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages on Wednesday over products made and sold by Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc., two firms co-founded by former minor league baseball player Chad Hartvigson.
Penn State accused them of selling “counterfeit” clothing and accessories, while the defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with the university.
At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, including Purdue, Stanford and UCLA, Penn State said in its 2021 lawsuit. However, the Penn State case was the first to go to trial and seen by some as a test case in the sports merchandising industry.
“It addresses an important issue with trademark law — whether or not the mark owner is able to prevent third parties from using its marks on T-shirts and paraphernalia without permission,” said Tiffany Gehrke, a trademark lawyer in Chicago who was not involved in the case.
The verdict, she said, maintains the status quo, while a victory for Vintage Brand “could have shaken things up.” It followed a six-day trial in federal court in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann.
It was not immediately clear if the defendants planned to appeal. Phone and email messages left with their lawyers on Thursday were not immediately returned.
Penn State, in a statement, called its trademarks “critical” to the school’s brand, and said it was grateful for the verdict.
“The university appreciates this result as it relates to the many hundreds of licensees with whom the university works and who go through the appropriate processes to use Penn State’s trademarks,” the statement said.
Penn State, founded in 1855, adopted the Nittany Lion as its mascot in 1904 and has been using various images of the animal, along with the school’s seal and other logos, for decades, the lawsuit said. The school now has more than 100,000 students at 24 campuses.

Perrantes throws 4 TD passes, Erby catches 3 of them and Duquesne shuts down Robert Morris 31-6

(File Photo)

Nov 9, 2024 3:52 PM -AP

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (AP) — Darius Perrantes threw four touchdown passes, John Erby caught three of them, and Duquesne defeated Robert Morris 31-6 in a showdown for first place in the Northeast Conference. The Dukes took over sole possession of first place and dropped Robert Morris into a second-place tie with Central Connecticut. Duquesne has a seven-game winning streak. Perrantes threw TD passes of 13, 45 and 18 yards to Erby in the first half and the Dukes took a 21-0 lead into the locker room. Perrantes added a 44-yard scoring pass to Joey Isabella in the fourth quarter. The Colonials entered the game with shutouts in their past two outings, but were in danger of being shutout themselves before Delvecchio Powell II scored on a 10-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

No. 18 Pitt taking a ‘wait and see’ approach with QB Eli Holstein ahead of visit to No. 20 SMU

Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein (10) carries as he’s defended by Syracuse defensive back Devin Grant (23) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

BC-FBC–T25-Pittsburgh-Holstein

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi is keeping his cards close to the vest regarding quarterback Eli Holstein. A redshirt freshman transfer from Alabama, Holstein exited in the fourth quarter of a 41-13 win over Syracuse with an undisclosed injury. Holstein was injured while finishing a quarterback option run with the unbeaten Panthers comfortably ahead. Pitt travels to No. 20 SMU on Saturday. Narduzzi said immediately after the victory over the Orange that Holstein was fine and likened it to having dirt in his eye. Narduzzi, who avoids discussing injuries to any player, was vague when asked about Holstein’s status five days ahead of Pitt’s trip to Dallas.

Michigan overpowers Washington 34-13 as Jim Harbaugh delivers a national title

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with the trophy after their win in the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game against Washington Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — Jim Harbaugh raised the championship trophy as gold and white confetti sprayed over his team and “We Are the Champions” blared.
Nine years after he took over at Michigan, Harbaugh delivered on the lofty expectations he brought with him to his beloved alma mater.
Blake Corum ran for 134 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Harbaugh and the top-ranked Wolverines — undeterred by suspensions and a sign-stealing case that shadowed the program — completed a three-year surge to a national title by beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 Monday night in the College Football Playoff.
“We’re innocent and we stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent. And I’d like to point that out,” Harbaugh said when asked about off-field issues, jumping in to answer a question posed to his players. “And these guys are innocent. And overcome that? It wasn’t that hard because we knew we were innocent.
“(The season) went exactly how we wanted it to go. It went exactly how we wanted it to go.”
The Wolverines (15-0) sealed their first national title since 1997 when Corum, who scored the winning touchdown in overtime against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, blasted in from the 1-yard line with 3:37 left to put Michigan up by 21 and set off another rousing rendition of “The Victors” from the band.
After a third consecutive playoff appearance, Harbaugh won the championship so many expected when he took over a struggling powerhouse in 2015 — despite missing six regular-season games this season while serving two suspensions.
“That man, he’s the reason we’re here today,” Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy said of his coach.
And Harbaugh did it with a team his old coach, Bo Schembechler, would have adored. The Wolverines ran for 303 yards against Washington (14-1), and their rugged defense held Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies’ prolific passing game to just one touchdown while intercepting the Heisman Trophy runner-up twice.
“There are more than 100 Michigan men who are on this team,” Harbaugh said. “What they’ve done is amazing. They will forever be known as national champions.”
Penix’s remarkable six-year college career ended with maybe his worst performance of the season. Usually unfazed by pressure, Penix was not nearly as precise against a Michigan defense that took away his signature deep throws.
“That was a spectacular game by our defense,” Harbaugh said.
The Indiana transfer who came back from two knee surgeries and two shoulder injuries was roughed up by the Wolverines, limping at times, stepped on another time.
Asked how he was feeling, Penix said, still undaunted: “Better than I was three years ago.”
Penix finished 27 for 51 for 255 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies had their 21-game winning streak snapped.
“They’ve given me everything they possible can,” coach Kalen DeBoer said of a group of players who went 4-8 just two seasons ago and 25-3 since he took over in 2022.
McCarthy had a modest game, throwing for 140 yards and running for 31. But it was enough for him to improve to 27-1 as a starter for the Wolverines.
Michigan gave Washington a taste of life in the Big Ten, where the Pac-12 champions are heading next season, and the Huskies were up for the grind for a while.
Two long touchdown runs by Donovan Edwards and 229 yards rushing in the first quarter put the Wolverines up 17-3 early in the second and conjured up memories of last year’s historic Georgia blowout of TCU.
Washington stabilized and didn’t allow the Wolverines another point in the first half. After the Huskies stopped Michigan on a fourth-and-2 from the UW 38 with 4:46 left in the second quarter, Penix went to work.
He found Jalen McMillan on a fourth-and-goal with 42 seconds left for a 3-yard touchdown. After being on the verge of getting buried by the Wolverines, the Huskies fans sang along to “Who Let the Dogs Out,” happily down only 17-10 at half.
Will Johnson’s interception of Penix on the first play of the second half gave Michigan another opportunity to open up a two-touchdown lead, but the Huskies forced a field goal by James Turner to make it 20-10.
“Today was a complete, complete team effort,” Corum said.
Michigan nursed a touchdown lead until halfway through the fourth quarter, when it put together a 71-yard drive, capped by Corum’s tackle-breaking 12-yard touchdown that finally gave the Wolverines some room with a 27-13 lead and 7:09 left.
Corum, the engine of the ground-and-pound offense and heart and soul of a team loaded with fourth-, fifth- and even sixth-year players, missed the CFP last year with a knee injury. He was named offensive player of the final national title game in before the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12 next season.
“Michigan, this is for you,” Corum told the Wolverines fans.
Michigan seemed to be steaming toward a third consecutive Big Ten championship when in October it was revealed the NCAA was investigating the program for potentially breaking rules that prohibit in-person scouting of opponents and using video equipment to attempt to decode opponents’ play signals.
The scandal turned Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan recruiting staffer accused of orchestrating the scheme, into a household name and threatened to derail the Wolverines’ season.
The NCAA process will linger well into 2024 and it is unknown what penalties Michigan could face. The Big Ten, though, decided to act quickly and punished Michigan by suspending Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season, including matchups with Penn State and rival Ohio State.
With offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore taking Harbaugh’s place, it became Michigan vs. Everybody and nobody could stop the Wolverines.
Harbaugh returned for the postseason, completed the mission and got to celebrate with his 84-year-old father, Jack — himself a former college football coach — as he accepted the trophy.
Michigan became the first college football program to record 1,000 victories when it beat Maryland in November and won its third national title in January.
“Who has it better than us?” Jack Harbaugh asked the fans during the trophy ceremony. They replied with a boisterous: “Nobody!”
Now the question is whether Harbaugh has coached the team he once quarterbacked for the last time, with the NFL seemingly beckoning again.
Harbaugh said it felt good to no longer be the only coach in the family without a national championship. His father won a Division I-AA title with Western Kentucky and brother John won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens by beating Jim’s San Francisco 49ers 11 years ago.
“I can now sit at the big person’s table in the family,” Harbaugh said.
As for what’s next?
“I just want to enjoy this,” he said. “I hope you give me that. Can I have that? Does it always have to be what’s next, what’s the future?”
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Geneva Football Drops Season Opener To Carnegie Mellon 31-0

The Geneva College Golden Tornados Football team kicked off their 2023 campaign at home Saturday night against Carnegie Mellon University.

The Golden Tornados ran into a tough challenge in week one at Reeves Stadium in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Geneva struggled to get anything going against PAC favorite Carnegie Mellon. Their opponents however, the Tartans proved to be too much for the Tornados on both sides of the ball, in a one sided matchup which resulted in a 31-0 final score. The Golden Tornados look to rebound next week when they hit the road to play Allegheny College in Meadville on Saturday at 1:00.

Mangino to Join Beaver County Radio. Sports Broadcast Teams Announced.

(Photo provided by Robert Mangino)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff,  August 10, 2023 

(Brighton Twp., Pa) Beaver County Radio is proud to announce that longtime veteran broadcaster Robert Mangino will be joining our high school football broadcast team this fall. Mangino will be the lead play by play man for Beaver County Radio’s Friday Night Game of the Week. He will be joined in the booth by longtime Beaver County Radio Broadcaster Bruce Frey who will be on color commentary. Beaver County Radio’s Mike Azadian will provide the sideline report.

Mangino has been a radio talk show host for 27 years. The last 13 years at KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh, Prior to that he hosted at 570 WKBN in Youngstown and 1200 WKST in New Castle.

General Manager Frank Sparks also announced changes to the remainder of the sports broadcast team. Saturday High School Football Broadcasts will be anchored by veteran broadcaster Mike Azadian. Geneva College Football game broadcasts will be anchored by Bruce Frey. Frey will be joined on color commentary by longtime time New Brighton AD Joe Ursida for home games and veteran national sports writer and longtime sports writer for the Beaver County Times John Perrotto will be on color commentary for the away games.  Azadian will also anchor the popular Coaches Corner show on Wednesdays at 7PM. Finally Frey will anchor the Falconi’s Moon Twp. Ford Wrap up Show on Friday nights after the game.

Sparks went on to say that “we have just been piecing things together since the untimely death of Beaver County Hall of Fame and Beaver County Radio Legendary Broadcaster Bob Barrickman.” “He went on to say that we really miss Bob and we could never replace him but we do need to move on while we continue to remember Bob’s legacy.” “It will be nice to have some stability in broadcast teams.”

Beaver County Radio will broadcast all games on 95.7 and 99.3 FM along with 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA. The games will be live audio streamed on our website at beavercountyradio.com and on the St. Barnabas Radio Network APP. The Friday Game of the week will be heard on all Beaver County Radio outlets and will be video streamed on our Facebook Page and You Tube Channel.

 

 

Beaver County Radio to Make Announcement Concerning Football Broadcast Teams on Thursday

(Brighton Twp., Pa.) Beaver County Radio General Manager Frank Sparks is set to announce the new Beaver County Radio Broadcast Teams for both high school and Geneva College football this Thursday, August 10, 2023, at 11:35 AM during “Notes on Entertainment” with Eddy Crow and Scott Tady.

Sparks said that “we have just been piecing things together since the untimely death of Beaver County Hall of Fame and Beaver County Radio Legendary Broadcaster Bob Barrickman.” “He went on to say that we really miss Bob and we could never replace him but we do need to move on while we continue to remember Bob’s legacy”

You can here the announcement on air at 95.7 and 99.3 FM along with 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMA. You can also listen to the announcement streaming on beavercountyradio.com or by downloading the St. Barnabas Radio Network App. The announcement will also be video streamed on our Facebook Page and You Tube Channel.

Click  below at 11:35 AM on Thursday to watch the announcement on our Facebook Page.