Neil Rudel
@NeilRudel
Splitting time between family, Altoona Mirror and Pickleball. On PSU football beat since 1977. An original NitWit. President, Blair County Sports Hall of Fame.
Trying to keep sense of humor during these most unsettled times. May be funniest voicemail I’ve ever received. #restlessinaltoona
Last year I covered a start by Ashcraft in Altoona and left that game thinking to myself why he was there. Other than Tommy John, I didn’t get why he was in AA as late as he was. Great moment for the former Curve starter.
Braxton Ashcraft strikes out the first Major League hitter of his career. 90.9 mph, 2,604 RPM of spin
This story just keeps getting better. I'm hoping North Carolina makes the national championship game (vs. PSU) so Jordon Hudson can run the press conference and screen questions for the "student-athletes." nypost.com/2025/05/01/spo…
Rutgers had two of the top five NBA picks and finished 15-17. 🤔 I guess that speaks well of the Big Ten. 🤷♂️
Pretty cool that small-market OKC could weather departures of Durant, Hardin and Westbrook and climb the NBA mountain. Well deserved against an Indiana team that played as hard as any team in memory.
How did Arnie and Jack function without these wind-o-meters and 10-minute gust sensors?
I don’t have a handy roster of backup NBA point guards, but T.J. McConnell surely is among them, if not at the top of the list. Across-the-board stat stuffer and pesky defender on one of the NBA’s best teams — and maybe its best.
Watching #PSU in national lacrosse semifinals and learning about the game. Keep thinking how NFL great Jim Brown was also a renowned lacrosse player at Syracuse and wondering how anybody stepped in front of him.
There's been a lot of rhetoric around Pat Kraft building a monster -- which will be on display once again this weekend. However, he's not building one. He is making one stronger. buff.ly/6gIHGLJ
On this rainy day, Central HS product Paxton Kling will be on Big Ten Network, starting shortly (2 p.m.) for PSU vs. USC in Big Ten tourney in Omaha. An LSU transfer, Kling has had a great year — with team high .345 average, 13 HRs and 14 doubles.
I’m old enough to have watched Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Earl The Pearl, Bernard King and Patrick Ewing — and Jalen Brunson is the greatest Knick I’ve ever seen.
Sources: The #Colts and No. 14 overall pick TE Tyler Warren have agreed to a 4-year, $20.96M fully guaranteed rookie contract, including an $11.88M signing bonus. Indy’s franchise tight end is officially locked in.
I don't know what Don Kelly is going to do for his coaching staff. But I'd love to see him make John Wehner the bench coach.
You can’t get the ball inbounds, you don’t deserve to win. Just a brutal loss that overshadowed Donovan Mitchell’s incredible effort.
Curt Cignetti is calling out the schools cutting massive checks. He named Notre Dame, Miami, and Texas Tech alongside the usual suspects. Apparently some teams are rolling out $40 million rosters — and Cignetti’s not afraid to shine a light on it. Let’s break it down ⬇️⬇️
Almost post time … Tonight could be nice/needed boost for Journalism. If not, sticking with the theme, there’s Publisher at 30-1. And to clarify for @AltoonaMirrorPA employees, present and past, No. 21 is Baeza, not Bacza.
Steven Adams played one season at Pitt (2012-13) and is in the midst of a 12-year NBA career as a valuable role player who rebounds, blocks shots and sets screens. Imagine that. A place for somebody who doesn’t shoot 3s. Still only 31.
My column for @pghbaseballnow on last night at PNC Park pittsburghbaseballnow.com/fan-falls-pnc-… #Pirates #LetsGoBucs #MLB
THIS is part of the destruction that hit the city of Oakmont---also the site of the #USOpen in just over a month
KDKA Drone Team above Oakmont Country Club where severe storms destroyed a massive hospitality tent set up for #USOpen, which comes to Oakmont in mid June. No Injuries reported. @KDKA #FirstAlertWeather