James Kratch

2026 might be the biggest sports year Pennsylvania has ever seen 🏀⚾️🏈 Here's what is coming: - March Madness - NFL Draft - MLB All-Star Game - PGA Championship - FIFA World Cup - The Buying Sandlot Summit Sports tourism is going to be a major economic driver this year. And @GovernorShapiro knows that'll create a ripple effect in youth sports. When kids see the best athletes in the world up close they want to play soccer, golf, baseball, and more. Inspiration turns into participation. Participation turns into registrations. These major sporting events are helping drive the next generation of athletes. #youthsports @PAGovOffice

Start the season a week early and cut the conference title games. CFP starts on Black Friday and the semis sandwich Army-Navy two weeks later. And if Army or Navy are still in the CFP? It is the greatest American sports story since the Miracle on Ice and we push the semis back.

SAS deploying the Francesa method for on-the-sport eulogizing.

Seton Hall wouldn't get in with eight more at-large bids -- further proof of how screwed the Big East is moving forward.

It's particularly striking here because Seton Hall's biggest revenue driver is passing on a revenue stream.

Sometimes you have to let professional athletes skip the games they are paid to play so you can keep pretending they are not employees.

The selection committee, like the rest of college sports, is now a vehicle to serve the power leagues. The Big East is just a mid-major conference with great PR to them.

@DanCovello He seemed to either fall down or go backwards 75% of the time he touched the ball.

Limited player. So thankful they didn’t sign him.

@JrueFeldman I think that sums it up well. I’m a bit surprised he’s the best they could do. I do wonder if Tate threw his weight around a bit more than you’d expect a president to.

@JamesKratch wonder your take on the hire, seems high risk/ high reward

The right coach has Rutgers back in national title contention within a few years. Just have to spend money to make money.

@Richard37215662 What is her buyout? I have to imagine it’s hefty given her contract runs through 2032.

Huge shout out to Tammy Reiss on winning the A-10 and grabbing the bid. Brilliantly coached game against George Mason. She is 100% the total package. Charisma. Intelligence. And USA basketball recognizes her highly. She is 81-33 in the A-10! She can coach anywhere she wants. A top NCAA coach told me today that she is a great coach and has a tremendous recruiting staff.

Athletics departments across the country are shamelessly seizing a convenient crisis to build walls and end transparency.

@peterp2000 The best way to ensure you have the legal right to use a photo is to take it yourself. We are discussing a problem that can be fixed with a few thousand bucks (if that) to freelancers.

@peterp2000 Yes, I realize that. My point was that Rick Giles is full of crap.

Last week, the great @paulsen_smw made a very astute observation: None of the photo wire services were at #1 UM vs. #3 Duke. How could that be? What I uncovered was that they have been boycotting many high-profile neutral-site games all season. awfulannouncing.com/college-basket…

@RockawayRick No one serious said anything about winning a national title. Women’s basketball is a different story.

@JamesKratch Said the same thing when coach came back for football. Not even close

@peterp2000 @Richard37215662 Normally I would agree with you. But she and her husband are from the region, still have family here and spent most of their lives here. The answer may be no, but it’s a lot more nuanced than it seems at first glance.

@JamesKratch @Richard37215662 Zero chance. And if it came to that they would pay her more. There is no one anywhere who would leave Michigan, with two more years of title contention after this one, to go to Central NJ where it is way more expensive to live anyway.

Great move by AD Zinn in moving on from Coquese Washington. If I am the AD and have said consistently since Jan. 1 and in order: Reach out to Megan Griffith and gauge her interest. There is no one better out there who MIGHT take the job. She has turned down some top Power jobs and is in part responsible for a 10 million dollar gift to Columbia basketball last month. Reach out to Carly Thibault at Fairfield. She didn't even interview at Wisconsin. She has it going and has excellent NIL support and has her husband on her staff. Talk to Tammi Reiss at Rhode Island. She was in play last time, but her buyout was too large. Best season ever at Rhody. See if KBA at Michigan will talk, but there is less than a 10% shot at that. Tim Pernetti wanted her badly if he couldn't come to contract terms with Viv's brother. Of course, talk to Shannon Perry, on staff. She is a great recruiter. Top 10 nationally. But, has never lead a program. I represent many women's coaches. None of the above. Rutgers can compete for Championships in this sport.

@Richard37215662 That would be money well spent. She probably sells 1,000 new season tickets within 24 hours of being announced.

@JamesKratch Double is 2.1 million. Possibly depending on her family situation.