Sophomore golfer and exercise science major, Jack Mangene, juggles a hectic schedule, social life, and Division III athletic career. Firing a 74 in his first tournament of the season, Mangene has golf down to a “tee” – pun definitely intended. While still putting the work in at his sport, Mangene also manages a load of responsibilities that make him more than an athlete. Besides being on the men’s golf team at Eastern, Jack is an RA for the first floor of Guffin Hall, Wednesday Night Worship member, Chapel Worship Team member, Leadership Fellows Program member and aide for a physical therapist off campus.

The golfer, student and musician has a lot on his plate, but experience in his major is a priority to him. An aspiring chiropractor, his off campus job at a local physical therapy practice adds to his resume. “I get experience with actual patients. I run them through exercises to help them improve their physical condition,” he said. From this job, he learns how
to better inform patients about preventing injury, managing pain, and recovering effectively.

Along with helping people in physical conflict, Mangene also manages conflicts with roommates, residents, and others on campus as an RA and a member of LFP. He says that he had never really been in a position that he was relied on to solve an immediate problem, but being an RA has taught him to be prepared for that moment.

“When you get people living together, you start to realize that there are a lot of things that bother certain people. And you have to balance which of those things is my role, as an RA, to intervene on, and which of those things are not really my place,” Mangene said. This conflict management and wanting to bring people together in situations that seem to drive them apart is a vital quality that he possesses.

Mangene is a true team player, always looking out for his residents, friends, and teammates. This extends from the golf course to Guffin Residence Hall. “Building community has been a main role of mine in LFP and as an RA,” Mangene said. “People like to feel validated. I think it’s really important to feel comfortable going to certain people, so I try to be that person.”

Although golf is an individual sport that requires little to no person-to-person interaction, Mangene highly values the team aspect of golf. Mangene’s “people-person” character floats around with him wherever he goes. “It’s really important to be unified as a team, and to be best friends with your team,” he said. Good sportsmanship and support of teammates even in times of personal struggle is valuable to Mangene, another sign of his stellar character and heart of gold.

Handling these responsibilities and various roles is no light task for Jack Mangene, but there is a reason for everything. “It’s an opportunity to grow myself overall as a person. God’s blessed me with some specific talents, and I think it’s my role to go into those roles and share his love through them. I’m proud to be so many things because it’s just more opportunities to share the love.”

March Madness: for basketball fans across the United States, this is their favorite time of year. For Division I college basketball players, this is the most important time of the year. All of their commitment, dedication, and constant hard work has a chance to pay off in hopes of becoming the NCAA men’s basketball champions.

The roots of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament stem back to 1939, where eight teams competed for the national title. Since then, the tournament field has grown to 64 teams, this number being set in 1985.

Illinois high school teacher and basketball coach, Henry V. Porter, first used the term “March Madness” in association with basketball in 1939 in the Illinois High School Athlete. Three years later, in a poem titled “Basketball Ides of March,” Porter used basketball as an inspiration to the American effort to World War II. Alluding to the Roman calendar (and William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar) presents an interesting look into the historic and literary origin of the coined college basketball term.

“March Madness,” though, wasn’t assigned to the NCAA tournament specifically until 1982, when Chicago sportswriter, Brent Musberger, referenced it during a coverage of that year’s tournament. The Illinois High School Association fought for the rights to trademark the term in a case that resulted in the March Madness Athletic Association. This organization allowed both the IHSA and NCAA to use the term for their high school basketball and college basketball tournaments, respectively.

As for the teams in the competition, the Duke University Blue Devils have quite the reputation. The NCAA tournament’s all-time leading scorer, Christian Laettner, hails from Duke University. He holds the record at 407 total tournament points. (Only nine players have scored more than 300 tournament points.) The largest comeback in March Madness happened in 2001, when Duke beat Maryland after facing a 22-point deficit. Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski, holds the record for the most tournament wins by a single coach, 97.

Whether you call it March Madness, the Ides of March or that one college basketball tournament, the NCAA men’s tournament has made its presence known in American sports history. And whether it be challenging your friends’ teams, rooting for your team, being devoted to watching the games or just watching casually, March Madness brings fun to basketball fans’ years. As for filling out your bracket, choose your winners wisely.

Sources: NCAA, Time

I wear a cross around my neck at all times. Not only is this an avowal of my identity as a Greek Orthodox Christian, but it’s a reminder that Christ is with me at all times, good and bad. As Christian athletes, our athletic abilities are given to us through God’s grace and power. Without His strength, the games we can win, the shots we can make, and the goals we can score are all unthinkable, undoable. Being a Christian athlete is uplifting and a constant showcase of the gifts that God gave us, individually and for our teams.

I Corinthians 10:23–33 has the very important theme of doing all you do for the glory of God. This mindset humbles the individualistic, competitive and prideful complex that some athletes embody. There is a difference between confidence and pride. God allows us to be confident in the abilities He has given to us. Using these abilities, we maximize our performance, but only because the grace and strength of God allows us to. A humble confidence is what we look for as Christian athletes, glorifying God by properly using his gifts to lift ourselves and our teammates during a competition or practice. The determination to do better, be stronger (physically and mentally) and play harder comes from our God-given talents.

Implementing faith into my golf game has been the turning point in my athletic mindset, and other athletes at Eastern University can probably say the same. Golf undoubtedly requires more mental strength than physical strength, although conditioning and endurance is necessary to carry a 25-pound bag with 14 clubs for 18 holes while keeping the technique and coordination of my swing. Calming the mind before each swing is imperative if I want to perform. Deep breaths, remembering the cross around my neck and looking down at my glove to see “Isaiah 40:31” written remind me that God’s presence will help me execute. If I have a bad hole and a bad round, God’s tough love reminds me that even though it’s not the end of the world, I have no excuse to let my head down and give up.

As Christian athletes, being on a team means more than just playing or practicing in a group setting. A team to a Christian athlete is a band of brothers and sisters who share their love of God and their love of the game. Team prayers before team meetings, dinners, practices, and tournaments lift up the minds and hearts of the players. Coming to a Christian university, I was excited to see this in more action because everyone on my team would share the same love of Christ that I do, and everyone would realize their success as a product of their God-given gifts. In my public high school, when the girls on my team were not very religiously involved, I still wanted to involve faith in my golf game. As captain of my team, I prayed before each big match. But, now, having several girls and guys that really take those prayers to heart makes a difference to our success as a team and utilizing God’s grace in the ways He intends.

Being an athlete is a commitment. Being a Christian is a commitment. Athletes love the game they play, and Christians love the one they worship. When combined, a love for showcasing the glorious gifts God has given us sports players is displayed. Being a Christian athlete is among the happiest things I am able to be. And I, and all Christian athletes, are beyond grateful.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ supposedly fated face of the franchise has moved on. After several up and down years in Philly filled with injury,
loss, and inconsistency, quarterback Carson Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two draft picks.

Wentz, a former MVP candidate on the 2017 Super Bowl winning squad, saw his career take a downward turn after Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts was drafted. Being the backup to Hurts for a portion of this year’s NFL season completed Wentz’s recent career descent with the Eagles.

Problems between head coach Doug Pederson might also have led to the trade. After multiple injuries, including tearing several knee ligaments, Wentz began to lose touch with his head coach. Wentz had little control over his offense because of the injuries and losses that kept accumulating from 2018 on. Even after recovering from injury, Wentz still backed up Nick Foles and was forced to play an “if needed” role for the team seeking him as their franchise passer.

Wentz, though, refused to stay with the Eagles even after Pederson was fired. Philadelphia’s hiring of Nick Sirriani was not enough to keep Wentz in the lineup for the Eagles.

The trade came with some positives for Wentz’s future for the Colts. In Indianapolis, Wentz will once again play under the guidance of head coach Frank Reich, Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator in 2016 and 2017. This chemistry may bode well for the Colts and could propel the team to the top of the AFC standings to give recent powerhouses Kansas City and Buffalo some much needed competition.

For the Eagles, though, the Wentz trade is a bit of a loss, but only in the sense of a rebuild. The quarterback and coach who were said to bring the Eagles success are now both gone. More trades are on the horizon for Philadelphia to complete a potentially successful rebuild.

However, the Eagles will fall back on Jalen Hurts, the growing young quarterback picked in the second round of the 2020 draft. Although they will almost certainly bring in competition for the starting spot, they will look to him to rekindle the Eagles’ offensive spark and hopefully use his quick skills to their advantage this upcoming season.

Sources: ESPN, NFL

From February 1 to March 2, the Eastern University Men’s Lacrosse team was not in one piece. Different players were in quarantine at different times due to COVID-19 exposure. When the spring season was approaching, the team being thrust back to their homes or isolated in Doane Hall was not ideal. Despite quarantine restrictions and strange timelines for returns, the team still managed to keep up their physical shape, skills, and camaraderie.

Like many athletic teams at Eastern, staying in physical shape is a vital element to in-season success. The men’s lacrosse players found themselves having to complete team lifts over Zoom. Because the team was separated, players found it tempting to slack off. The most difficult part of quarantining was “staying motivated and continuing on with what I should’ve been doing,” first-year midfielder, Braden Wagner said. The boys were lucky to have a trainer that recognized the individual struggles to keep motivation and organized a team Zoom call to stay in shape together. “Zoom workouts forced us to come together and suffer together, and that’s what really makes a team bond,” Wagner said.

Practice does not just consist of workouts, however. The muscles that the players build in the gym play an essential role in skill on the field.

Wagner said he hones muscle memory at home by walking around his house with his lacrosse stick, using anything as an obstacle. “All you need is a wall to throw off of and some space to run around in,” Wagner said. These elements made it easier for lacrosse players to practice solo as they were physically separated. These individual skills benefit the players as they return to the field, but team chemistry is also a vital element that needs to be restored after several weeks apart.

Although practicing alone is completely possible and fairly convenient, Wagner prefers practicing with a small group of teammates. This made quarantine even more difficult. Without the motivation of their teammates, players lose the very much social aspect of the game. “Lacrosse is a social sport, so I enjoy having the company,” Wagner said. “Team practices undoubtedly motivate me more.” Quarantine stunted the boys’ social practices and team dinners, bringing their group efforts to a halt for several weeks.

The Men’s Lacrosse team relies so heavily on theirteam chemistry that quarantine made them miss each others’ presences on and off the field. A lot of the guys are roommates and close friends, something that Wagner said he thinks is amazing. “If you’re on the lacrosse team, you enter a brotherhood of 30-something guys,” he said. This sibling-like team bond is something that EU Lacrosse highly values. After being separated from their closest friends, almost family, the players could not wait to be back with each other, practicing, chatting, and playing warm-up music one can hear all the way from Olson Field to Sparrowk Hall.

Now, the team being several games into their spring season, Men’s Lacrosse can definitely say that they have overcome one of the greatest adversities that student athletes have faced: the team quarantine. Wagner said that he is confident about where the team left off when they returned, but they cut it close. “The majority of our guys [got] back March 2, and our first game [was] March 6,” said Wagner. Despite this close call, Wagner explained that all the guys were still inspired to get back in action, especially because of last year’s halted season. The guys are off and running, and will use their spunk, energy, and skill to hopefully propel Eastern to a
successful season.

Everyone loves a comeback story. When the comeback is conquering cancer, everyone loves the story even more. Philadelphia Flyers’ forward Oskar Lindblom can tell a story of his own.

Through 30 games in the 2019–2020 NHL season, Lindblom proved himself as a top player, scoring 11 goals and 18 points. But, diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma bone cancer last December, Lindblom was forced to miss the rest of the season. Support poured in from not only the city of Philadelphia but cities and players across the National Hockey League. The hashtags #OskarStrong and #HockeyFightsCancer trended on Twitter in response to Lindblom’s difficult situation.

For the 24 year-old Swedish forward, the road to recovery was often difficult. Lindblom appreciated the massive amounts of love and support from his Flyers’ teammates. He said they would call and text him and on the days when life felt terrible, his boys were there to lift him back up.

Lindblom’s treatments didn’t hold him back from rejoining his Flyers for their modified 2020 postseason. In July, Lindblom returned to the ice days after finishing his cancer treatment at Pennsylvania Hospital. He made his return to the ice in September, when he played in Game 6 of the Flyers’ series against the New York Islanders. He helped the flyers to a 5–4 double OT victory and was a perfect fill in for the absences of key forwards Sean Couturier and Joel Farabee.

Despite the constant bad news of 2020, there was one piece of good news for Oskar Lindblom in December. About a year after his diagnosis, Lindblom was declared cancer free. The battle against this rare form of bone cancer was finally coming to a close. Lindblom, now locked in with the Flyers for three years at $9 million, will look to make more of an impact both in the heart of Philly hockey and on the ice at Wells Fargo Center. With their inspiring story of recovery and determination, Lindblom and Philadelphia continue to stay #OskarStrong.

Sources:CBS Sports, NBC Sports, NHL, SportsNet

Raymond James Stadium erupted in cheers Sunday, February 7, and only some of it was for The Weeknd’s Halftime Show performance.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Super Bowl LV, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 31–9. This win marked the second in Tampa’s franchise history, the fourth of tight end Rob Gronkowski’s career and the seventh in quarterback Tom Brady’s lengthy career. The game was all Tampa Bay, offensively and defensively.

Tampa’s defense limited Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense to three field goals. Tampa’s offense more than handled the Chiefs defense, putting up three touchdowns in the first half.

Forty-three year-old Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady was the star of the show and the game’s MVP, throwing for 201 yards with no interceptions. Of his ten Super Bowl appearances, this was the first time he showed up in the opening half, throwing three scoring passes. Two of these passes went to tight end Rob Gronkowski, a former teammate from New England who came out of retirement to play for Brady and the Bucs. His 67 yards led the Bucs in receiving, showing how equal the attack on KC’s defense was. Brady’s third touchdown pass was to wide receiver Antonio Brown, former Pittsburgh Steeler who has hopped around the league, eventually settling in Tampa. The last touchdown came from running back Leonard Fournette, a 27-yard rush in the fourth quarter. Fournette ended the game with 89 rushing yards and 46 receiving yards.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes was thrown off his rhythm by Tampa’s defense, scrambling to make throws and avoid getting sacked. He threw for 270 yards but had two interceptions and many incompletions. Despite the chemistry between Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, who connected for 133 receiving yards, the Tampa Bay defense was able to prevent the duo from scoring. Bucs defenders Ndamukong Suh and Shaquil Barrett put their powers together for a combined total of 2.5 sacks.

The Bucs’ playoff run was a surprise to many. Knocking off Drew Brees’s New Orleans Saints and Aaron Rodgers’s stacked Green Bay Packers in two prior NFC playoff games secured them a spot in the Super Bowl. Blowing out the defending champion Chiefs in the Bucs’ first Super Bowl appearance in 18 years was an even bigger shocker, especially with the youthful skill of Patrick Mahomes. The Bucs pulled off the upset, giving the city its second championship of the year. (The Tampa Bay Lightning won the NHL’s Stanley Cup in the 2020 shortened playoff season.)

The ratings for Super Bowl LV were not as impressive as the Bucs’ performance. Total viewership for this year’s big game totaled 96.4 million. Even after the decline to 113 million viewers last year, Super Bowl viewership continued to decline this year on both in-home and streaming viewing platforms. The Super Bowl is considered the biggest game in American sports, and decreasing viewership still remains a mystery.

Super Bowl LV was the game for records to be set and history to be made. Tom Brady now has more Super Bowl wins than the NFL teams with the most wins. He has seven, and both the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers have six.

The Weeknd was the first Canadian to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. The Bucs were also the first team in Super Bowl history to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium. Super Bowl LV, was a game to remember, and played in the midst of a global pandemic, the football game found a way to bring some of America together.

Sources: CBS Sports, ESPN, NBC Sports, NFL