In this week’s Take 5, The Pitt News Sports Desk gives takes on track and field, Patrick Mahomes, Taylor Swift and the Detroit Lions.
Give track and field the recognition it deserves // Grace McNally, Staff Writer
Indoor track and field is in full swing for the Panthers.
Their first meet of the indoor season, the YSU Icebreaker, had three meet records and eight event titles. The Nittany Lion Challenge featured gold in the women’s weight throw, the women’s high jump and the women’s 3000m.
The Hokie Invitational had two event titles in the women’s 800m and the women’s 4x400m, which was also a season-best. Their fourth, and most recent, meet of the indoor season at the Penn State National Open produced four event wins and a new school record in the women’s weight throw by senior Foluke Olujide-Ajibade.
The Panthers have two remaining meets at the Clemson Tiger Paw and the Boston U Valentine Invitational, both on February 9-10. Despite multiple event titles, Pitt track and field does not have as much attention as other varsity sports. The women’s weight throw record was last set by Amanda Walker in 2005 with 21.12m and now stands at 21.35m. Why is a 19-year record finally being broken not seeing the celebration it deserves?
The moment was too big for the Lions // Jermaine Sykes, Assistant Sports Editor
The Detroit Lions were the NFL’s Cinderella team this season. They started hot, defeating the AFC-winning Kansas City Chiefs in the first game of the NFL season. The Lions used this momentum en route to a 12-5 record, an NFC North championship and their first playoff victory since 1992.
The Lions even held a 17-point lead in the NFC championship game against the 49ers. They were on the doorstep of their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
But the Cinderella dream quickly turned into a nightmare as they surrendered 24 unanswered points to the 49ers. The Lions basically handed the game to the 49ers with mistakes left and right. Questionable coaching calls and a bit of luck also worked against the Lions.
The moment just seemed too big for Detroit, and while its future is bright, this loss must sting.
A Success for the NCAA // Matthew Scabilloni, Senior Staff Writer
Recently, the NCAA has failed with many different things, ranging from the Transfer Portal to NIL. But one thing the NCAA has done a great job with is the new charging rules in college basketball.
Last season, fans saw way too many charge calls. Defenders didn’t need to set their feet to get a charge call — they needed to simply get in front of the driving man on offense and then fall over once contact was initiated. It was lazy defending, but it worked.
This season, fans are seeing fewer charging calls. Now, to get a charge call, defenders need to set their feet in front of the driving offensive player. It’s not a huge rule change, but it forces defenders to actually play defense rather than constantly falling over.
The next step for the NCAA is realizing that charging is one of the stupidest rules ever and they need to take it out of college basketball. It takes barely any skill and only causes injuries, as it did to Giannis Antetokounmpo in the NBA playoffs in 2023.
“You Need To Calm Down,” there’s plenty of room for Taylor Swift in the NFL // Camille de Jesus, Staff Writer
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and international pop sensation Taylor Swift’s recent whirlwind romance has quickly taken the world by storm. With all the buzz surrounding the couple’s public relationship, more than enough people are willing to share their negative feelings about how the integration of Swift into the NFL has “ruined football.”
These naysayers fail to see the good that has come from the joining together of Swift and the game. American football lacks the international reach that many other sports have. In 2022 studies showed that in every country other than the U.S., less than 10% of households view American football. Taylor Swift was Spotify’s 2023 most-streamed artist globally.
Even though it’s progressed, there’s always been a connotation that football is a man’s sport. Swift and her “Swifties” have challenged this narrative. Her demographic is predominantly teenage girls, an audience that hasn’t always conventionally been associated with the sport. With Swift’s new connection to the game, there’s a larger female audience tuning into the games and showing interest in the sport.
Not only is there plenty of room for Taylor Swift in the NFL, but it’s arguable to say she’s done more promo for the industry in the past few months than any league player has done in years. This upcoming week Swift will take “The Eras Tour” to Tokyo, and maybe we’ll see her make an appearance at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. So, the haters gonna hate, but it seems that Taylor Swift is probably just gonna “Shake It Off.”
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are inevitable // Elijah Carter, Staff Writer
The reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, sleepwalked through most of the regular season and still finished as AFC West division champions with a record of 11-6.
The Chiefs looked inept, bound for a first-round exit in the playoffs with their various miscues. However, when the postseason began, a switch was flipped and the Chiefs started to look like the juggernaut that has terrorized the NFL for the last 6 seasons.
While they are not the Chiefs of the past with explosive plays galore, they have found a new formula to win — balance. They are committed to running the football, stout defense and relying on some quarterback Patrick Mahomes magic when needed. The Chiefs took down three of their AFC foes en route to Super Bowl LVIII.
It’s not pretty, but it gets the job done. Mahomes has set himself apart from the pack over the last half-decade with the ability to limit mistakes and make the right play time and time again, especially in the postseason. As the Chiefs’ dynasty approaches their fourth Super Bowl in five years, Mahomes has a chance to bring himself one step closer to the GOAT discussion.