Joe Battista
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The Gutsy Calls That Could Change Everything
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Could Penn State football’s future under coach James Franklin be forever changed after one of the riskiest fake punts in program history in the 26-25 nail-biter victory at Minnesota on Nov. 23? I believe that gutsy call at that critical moment (3:38 remaining) and then passing on a fourth and 1 with just :27 left,…
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In Support of the ‘Good Doers’
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I thought it would be worth stirring the pot a little by giving a shoutout to a very special group of people who I will simply call “The Doers.” You know, people who just plain get things done. They may not be the most popular all the time, and in fact, they may be outright…
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Praying for Our Nation(s)
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“…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” – Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863, Gettysburg Well, Nittany Nation, I hope the hangover from the latest gridiron disappointment against Ohio State has started…
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Answering the Call
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Thank you for answering the call. Those of you who stepped up and donated time, money and resources for the victims of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton have made all the difference in helping the storm ravaged areas begin the long road to recovery. In my Oct. 7 column, I asked for your help in…
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Turning Hurricane Helene’s Hell Into Hope
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I’m going to cut right to the chase, folks. We need your help. I’m asking all of you to please take a moment and read this column, and then I pray you will take intentional and immediate action. To quote North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, “The damage from Hurricane Helene is beyond comprehension.” South Carolina…
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SC Forever
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For over 40 years “SC” was synonymous with State College in my life. If you sent a text or an email or posted “SC” on social media, everyone knew we meant State College, Pennsylvania. The one located in the fair land of Happy Valley in Centre County, home to Penn State University and signature landmarks…
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A Golden Gopher in Happy Valley
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It was a beautiful fall weekend in Happy Valley for the first home Penn State football game of the 2024 season. It was a highly anticipated weekend for the Battista family’s plan to get all five of us (six including Barkley) together for a fun time back “home” with family and friends (and to do…
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Me and My Anger Gene
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Why must you be such an angry young man when your future looks quite bright to me?— “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” Styx, 1977 Do you ever find yourself getting angry over things that just really don’t matter or things you have no control over? What do you do when you feel your inner volcano…
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Make Sportsmanship a Priority Again
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How about some great news from the youth sports world for a change? We certainly have had our share of negatives in this era where parents aren’t content to just be fans. They’ve become their kid’s agents. Too often, they choose to promote their own children’s “brand” and emphasize the “me” over the “we” these…
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A Powerful and Transformational Experience
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Picture this: A sold-out conference with 7,000 people in attendance. I’ve been to many of these in my career. This one was at the Ocean Center Convention Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. A lone figure stands on the stage with the crowd cheering approvingly numerous times as he delivers his powerful and transformational remarks. The…