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Jason Mackey's mailbag

May 1—Hello, yinz crazies. Welcome to Jason Mackey’s mailbag, where the Post-Gazette columnist alternates between this and a chat on Thursdays. If you have a question or comment, drop him a line at jmackey@post-gazette.com. Passable array of questions this week. Let’s get started. STATZ N’@ (@STATZ_N_AT): Do you find your approach to writing/reporting is impacted […]

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Jason Mackey's mailbag

May 1—Hello, yinz crazies. Welcome to Jason Mackey’s mailbag, where the Post-Gazette columnist alternates between this and a chat on Thursdays. If you have a question or comment, drop him a line at jmackey@post-gazette.com. Passable array of questions this week. Let’s get started.

STATZ N’@ (@STATZ_N_AT): Do you find your approach to writing/reporting is impacted by covering a winning or losing team? All major Pittsburgh teams are in such a weird position. I can imagine that can be intriguing but potentially dismal.

Jason Mackey: This is a great question … and something I love to discuss with journalism students.

Short answer is that it has zero impact. As Gene Collier taught me long ago, “They win, we write. They lose, we write.” Now, there are also tradeoffs with that.

If you have a losing team, everybody is usually upset and less willing to chat. You’re probably not going to unearth much detail-wise because the answers are short. You’ll also sift through less fluff, and there’s usually more good emotive reaction.

If you have a winning team, everyone is more participatory. There are naturally more storylines to pursue. It’s easier to do any job when those in your workplace — for us, locker rooms — are in a good mood, right? Again, tradeoffs.

Readership-wise, the upside to a winning team is that people get really into a topic, and interest builds. I think about the Penguins during their 2017 Stanley Cup run, the catfish that was thrown on the ice and what that became.

The upside to covering a bad team is that things can come apart, controversy will likely ensue, more news will break, and those things have never been bad for business.

I think about it this way: When I chose to leave the Penguins beat in May 2019 and move over to Pirates, a lot of people thought I had lost my mind or had been demoted.

These days, as a columnist, I fight the perception that I’m a baseball/Pirates-only guy.

Covering a bad team actually helped my career in a big way because I broke news, found stories, owned another beat, etc. That’s this job. We’re not fans of teams. We root for stories and the stuff to chronicle — good and bad.

——

LetsGoPens (@LetsGoPens4Life): Do you think the Penguins parting ways with Mike Sullivan was essentially about [president of hockey operations Kyle] Dubas feeling they will a bottom-feeder team for the next season or two and Sully not wanting to go lower before going higher?

Jason Mackey: A few different aspects to this storyline — and thanks for the awesome, non-baseball question.

Dubas firing Sullivan — let’s be honest — was never about the coach’s unwillingness to endure a few tough years. The discrepancy likely involved how many of them.

My sense is that Sullivan wanted to prioritize winning sooner, while Dubas has talked about taking longer to build something more sustainable.

There’s also a larger, societal issue here: It’s no one person’s fault, while multiple things can be true at the same time. Sullivan’s a very good coach, one of the best in the NHL. At the same time, things had run their course.

It’s a great time for him to enter the pool of coaching candidates in the NHL. If I had to pick, I’d predict he ends up with the New York Rangers.

Given the number — and quality — of openings, Fenway Spots Group and Dubas might’ve actually done Sullivan a favor. Dubas also likely saw that he could use more of a development-focused coach.

Sullivan will always be a legend here and should be treated as such. The needs for the Penguins and Dubas also no longer aligned with his strengths.

——

Tim Wright (@tawpsu): Going into the season, why did you insinuate the Pirates would be even remotely close to contending in 2025? Was that your personal thought, or were you just instructed to share Bucs propaganda by Travis Williams, Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington?

Jason Mackey: Ah, expressing fan frustration by questioning the credibility of those of us who write about the team. One of my favorite traditions of Pirates baseball.

Look, quibble with my assessment all you want. I predicted the Pirates would win 84 games, and they still could — if they make some changes and do some things (within their grasp) better. My basis has been a pitching staff that has actually been pretty good; they’re tied for the second-most quality starts in the National League (13) and overall have the 12th-lowest FIP (3.77).

The issues, of course, have been offense and poor fundamentals.

It’s possible to for someone to be wrong without being “instructed to share Bucs propaganda” by those in charge. I’ve also spoken to Bob Nutting for a grand total of about 60 seconds in the past year — since the Sheetz announcement. Gimme a break.

For what it’s worth, the Pirates should’ve been about an 84-win team last year. They finished with 76. With some combination of an OK offense, better managerial decisions and bullpen execution, they could’ve turned a 10-game losing streak into 3-7 or 4-6.

What if they also played fundamentally sound baseball? Obviously they didn’t do that. But going from 76 to 80 or 84 wins isn’t insane when you consider Paul Skenes, Jared Jones (he was healthy when I made the prediction), Mitch Keller and Andrew Heaney, plus the changing of a hitting program that limited the effectiveness of several young guys.

——

Aileen Bowers (@AileenBowers20): Oneil Cruz seems to be to the Pirates what George Pickens is to the Steelers: young, blessed with a boatload of talent, and yet they both make some dumbfounding plays. Who is working with Cruz on learning to play center field?

Jason Mackey: Thank you for the question, Aileen. Hope you’re doing well. The short answer is Tarrik Brock. But I think the larger comparison is interesting.

Cruz and Pickens are definitely different people. They also struggle with different stuff in-game. With Pickens, it can be letting his emotions getting the best of him, whether that manifests with caring more about fighting in the back of the end zone (versus a Hail Mary), pouting on the sideline or quitting on routes/blocking because he’s ticked about something. It’s obviously not good and needs to change.

With Cruz, it’s more a lack of awareness or focus. If Cruz has had some sort of emotional freakout, I haven’t seen it. He’s a fun-loving guy and pretty chill most times. You could say sometimes he’s a little too relaxed.

(I also think some of his center-field issues stem from a lack of confidence or uncertainty, though that’s not absolving him from the effort- or focus-oriented stuff.)

The upside of both is obviously incredible, which may be why they frustrate us so much, because we get glimpses of what they can do at their best. We also need to remember that they’re young.

I know I wasn’t a finished product in my mid-20s, and I think we need to extend that sort of grace for these guys, as well.

——

Bill (@BV1387): When do you think Nutting will realistically have had enough and dismiss Cherington and Shelton?

Jason Mackey: I can’t give you a magical answer, Bill. But I do think it’s probably worth having a discussion about sample size.

Two months is often viewed as the first real marking point of a major league season. For our purposes, let’s circle May 27, which would mean 56 games or 35% of the season. I also think that’s a little much.

By then, I’d really worry about irreparable damage. I also can’t imagine Nutting wants to experience 25 more games like this.

It’s just one example, but the Rockies in 2009 fired Clint Hurdle after 46 games (18-28 start).

In 2003, Jack McKeon took over the Marlins following a 16-22 start, which gives us another data point at 38 games.

The Brewers fired Ron Roenicke after 25 games in 2015, and the Reds switched from Bryan Price to Jim Riggleman after 18 games three years later. But the Phillies waited 51 games to fire Joe Girardi in 2022.

I think it’s one of those things where you know when you know. And, as I wrote the other night, I do think we’re at the point where it’s no longer just a slow start; it’s what you’ve become. Which should be concerning.

——

Dan Byers (@DByers21): Any alternatives to Tommy Pham on the horizon? What’s the May-June outlook for players returning from injury, especially Nick Gonzales, Endy Rodriguez and Johan Oviedo?

Jason Mackey: There may be some alternatives, Dan. I’ll get to those shortly. But there’s something we need to remember here, as you weren’t the only one asking about Pham.

I get it. He’s hitting .170 with a .460 OPS. That’s not good enough. However …

Pham’s on a guaranteed $4,025,000 contract. You can hate that, but it’s money the Pirates have already spent. They can’t save anything by designating him for assignment. They’re going to try and salvage this.

Also, the Pirates struggle every year to attract quality free agents. Cutting bait on a veteran after 28 games won’t sit well with others considering Pittsburgh as a potential destination. Not saying Pham gets endless opportunities, but he’ll get more than 105 plate appearances.

Now, if they do ultimately go in another direction, the candidates I see include:

—Jack Suwinski has two home runs and a 1.192 OPS in five games since returning to Triple-A.

—Billy Cook has struggled this season (.185 average and .556 OPS) but has played major league outfield before.

—Nick Solak has played 255 MLB games, including 127 with the Rangers in 2021, and has been really good in Triple-A. Small sample size — five homers and a 1.070 OPS in 20 games — but he’s in the mix.

—Ji Hwan Bae could get another shot, but I think we’ve seen what he is (and isn’t) at this point.

Injury-wise, Nick Gonzales is out of his walking boot and will begin minor agility work by the end of the week. He’s still a ways off. Rodriguez will need another week with his right index finger immobilized. Couple weeks total there.

Maybe when Gonzales returns, Adam Frazier plays more outfield. They could use Jared Triolo there when Spencer Horwitz gets back (roughly two more weeks), if his bat warrants it, but I think you’re going to see the Pirates continue to give Pham opportunities to get right.

© 2025 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Visit www.post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Naperville North water polo star Anna Tarantino continues to thrive on the west coast

Collegiate water polo is a sport dominated by west coast schools and athletes. No team outside of California has ever finished better than third in the 20 plus years of the NCAA tournament. Despite the growth of water polo in the Midwest, 2021 Naperville North graduate Anna Tarantino knew she needed to head to the […]

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Collegiate water polo is a sport dominated by west coast schools and athletes. No team outside of California has ever finished better than third in the 20 plus years of the NCAA tournament. Despite the growth of water polo in the Midwest, 2021 Naperville North graduate Anna Tarantino knew she needed to head to the coast if she wanted to compete with the best college polo players the world had to offer. This Where Are They Now segment is presented by Grow Sports Psychology.

“I wanted to go to California. My brother (Jack) went to USC, and so that kind of opened the door for me. And water polo, we all know in Illinois is not the biggest sport, not very popular,” said Naperville North alum Anna Tarantino. “But in California that I knew I wanted to compete at the highest level and be a part of a great team.”

To prove she had what it took in California, Tarantino needed to prove she belonged while playing for one of the best programs in the state of Illinois.

Tarantino made her mark with the Huskies right away

Following a promising youth water polo career that began during the summers at Cress Creek Country Club, Tarantino joined Naperville North as a freshman in 2018. She spent the next four years developing into one of the top players in the state. The Huskies finished third in the state in 2018 and as the state runners up in 2019 with Anna being named first team All-State following both seasons. North entered 2020 with dreams of breaking through and winning the first state title in program history under legendary head coach Andy McWhirter. But the COVID pandemic shutdown the spring sports season that year, giving Tarantino one final chance to earn that elusive state championship with the blue and orange.

“I think missing out on my junior year and everyone the seniors that year that weren’t able to compete, I think we would have won that year. 100% full faith on that. But just totally drove us to be more competitive. My senior year, it had to be done. We were winning that, no question asked,” said Tarantino.

A perfect ending to a decorated Naperville North career

The 2021 Huskies backed up that bravado with a perfect 29-0 record, capped off by a dominant state championship victory over Stevenson. Tarantino led the state by scoring over 150 goals that spring and was named the Illinois Water Polo Player of the Year. After an All-State and All-American season, Tarantino was recruited to continue her career at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

“Going undefeated right after Covid, all of that happening. I think that year really solidified me wanting to take my water polo career further and pursue it as much as I could, and go to LMU,” said Tarantino. “I just think it set up such a strong foundation for me and how competitive water polo can be, but also how fun it is to be on a winning team and be a part of something. Our team was like a family. Honestly, it was one of the most fun seasons I’ve ever had.”

Success out west with Loyola Marymount

Despite being the only player from the Midwest on the roster, Tarantino has thrived, improving year after year under the California sun for one of the top programs in the nation.

“It’s really nice to be able to train outdoors in California. It’s beautiful, the campus is beautiful, and academically, everything lined up perfectly with my degree in education. I’m getting my four plus one, my master’s degree,” said Tarantino. “So academically, everything worked out. Athletically, it was just the perfect match for me. My team is really cool. Since I was a freshman, I’d say 70% of my team’s international. So I’ve met people from all over the world. We have an Olympian on my team. We have girls from really everywhere, which has been so cool to immerse myself in that.”

2025 proved to be her most successful season yet, setting new career highs with over 50 goals and 30 assists as the Lions won the Gold Coast Conference regular season and tournament championships, advancing to the NCAA women’s water polo tournament for the first time since 2012. Playing back in the Midwest in front of friends and family at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Loyola Marymount eventually fell 11-8 to defending National Champion UCLA in the NCAA quarterfinals.

“Just being at the tournament in general, being in that pool, swimming over the NCAA logo, our introductions. It was a dream. It really was,” said Tarantino.

With one final season in her water polo playing career before graduating with a degree in Elementary Education, Anna Tarantino hopes to end on a high note with her LMU teammates before returning to her hometown to give back to the game, the school, and the city she loves.

“I do want to come back to Naperville, and that’s been a lifelong dream of mine since, like third grade, to come back here and teach in an elementary school and to hopefully coach here at Naperville North. So that would kind of be my next transitioning into being more of a coach figure,” said Anna Tarantino.

For Naperville Sports Weekly, I’m Justin Cornwell.





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Arizona Names Andrew Dubs Track and Field/Cross Country Head Coach

Story Links For immediate release Date: June 9, 2025 Contact: Jason Corriher, Arizona Athletics (corriher@arizona.edu) TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Athletics has named Andrew Dubs as the new Head Coach of Track & Field and Cross Country, Vice President and Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois announced on Monday. He takes over at Arizona following the transition of […]

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For immediate release

Date: June 9, 2025

Contact: Jason Corriher, Arizona Athletics (corriher@arizona.edu)

TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Athletics has named Andrew Dubs as the new Head Coach of Track & Field and Cross Country, Vice President and Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois announced on Monday. He takes over at Arizona following the transition of long-time Head Coach Fred Harvey to an emeritus role. 

Dubs joins the Wildcats with 14 years of Division I coaching experience in addition to serving as the Head Coach of the USA National Track & Field Team for the past five years, during which he led the program in its World University Games competition. 

Dubs was the Associate Head Coach at Virginia Tech for seven years after assistant coach stints at Iowa (2014-17), Harvard (2012-14), North Carolina (2011-12), and Auburn (2010-11). He helped secure 10 indoor and outdoor Atlantic Coast Conference team titles and three more Ivy League championships.

“Our model prioritizes coaches who are strong communicators, competitive, ambitious, and organized,” said Reed-Francois. “We want an elite recruiter with high expectations for all event groups who makes athletes feel supported and confident. Coach Dubs brings a proven track record of success made possible by exemplary preparation. His vision, energy, and commitment to student-athlete success—on the track and field, in the classroom, and in life—make him the right leader for the next chapter of Arizona Track & Field/Cross Country. We are excited to welcome Coach Dubs and his fiancée, Sara, to Tucson.”

Dubs has helped develop 79 NCAA Qualifiers, 32 individual All-Americans, 18 conference champions, and numerous all-conference selections during his tenure. The United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) tabbed 17 of his teams with its national academic honor, and he also helped mentor 23 of the organization’s individual Academic All-Americans.

Five of his student-athletes (two from the ACC, two from the Ivy League, and one from the Big Ten) have garnered conference Athlete/Freshman of the Year honors.

“I first would like to thank Director of Athletics, Desireé Reed-Francois, Senior Associate Athletic Director, William Wheeler, and the entire search committee for their efforts throughout this process,” Dubs said. “This opportunity to lead Arizona into the future is a dream come true for me, and I’m honored to follow the legendary Coach Harvey. Coach Harvey has built Arizona into one of the top programs in the country and has had a historic career. Throughout this process, it became evident the amount of pride and passion that there is for this program and the excitement to bring championships to Tucson. My fiancé and I look forward to moving to Tucson and becoming members of the Wildcat family. Bear Down!”

On the international front, Dubs has coached two Olympians, three national champions, one Pan-Am Gold Medalist, and national record-holders from Finland and South Africa.

A native of Holland, Pennsylvania, Dubs was a standout thrower at the University of Connecticut. He was a three-time NCAA qualifier and four-time Big East champion in the shot put for the Huskies. He was also an eight-time All-Big East selection in the shot put and twice in the discus. During his time with the Huskies, Dubs was an active member and president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Dubs earned a B.S in Kinesiology: Coaching and Administration from UConn in 2009 and a M. Ed. in Higher Education and Sport Management from Auburn in 2012.

—ArizonaWildcats.com—



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Why roster caps already fit with Iowa track and field’s strategy in competitive Big Ten

Why roster caps already fit with Iowa track and field’s strategy in competitive Big Ten | The Gazette […]

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Hopkins/St. Louis Park Boys Volleyball Set for State

1:44 PM | Monday, June 9, 2025 The Hopkins/St. Louis Park boys volleyball team upset Wayzata to win the Section 6 championship in five sets. That puts the Royals into this week’s state tournament. After years as a club sport, this is the first Minnesota State High School League sanctioned tournament, making it extra special […]

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1:44 PM | Monday, June 9, 2025

The Hopkins/St. Louis Park boys volleyball team upset Wayzata to win the Section 6 championship in five sets.

That puts the Royals into this week’s state tournament.

After years as a club sport, this is the first Minnesota State High School League sanctioned tournament, making it extra special for Hopkins.

The Royals are 17-8 coming into the tournament and are seeded seventh.

They meet number two seed Eastview in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. at the University of St. Thomas.

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Hopkins High School

Volleyball

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Behind the Visor with Nikola Tsolov

Nikola Tsolov’s 2025 campaign has been a historic one as his Feature Race victory in Monte Carlo means he has now won five times in Formula 3 – the most by any driver in the Championship’s history. But the Campos Racing driver has a life outside of the records and recently he sat down to […]

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Nikola Tsolov’s 2025 campaign has been a historic one as his Feature Race victory in Monte Carlo means he has now won five times in Formula 3 – the most by any driver in the Championship’s history.

But the Campos Racing driver has a life outside of the records and recently he sat down to talk about what he does to keep himself busy away from the track.

STAT ATTACK: The key statistics from the first half of the 2025 season

“I’m very different on track and off track. I find myself to be a relaxed guy, who doesn’t put too much pressure on himself off track and I tend to like to go outside a lot.

“I spend a lot of time with friends, doing a lot of activities. I love music, I love other sports as well, so anything that is activity and music is what I am in too. Of course I do a lot of sim as well, because sometimes I miss racing, so I get in the sim and drive.

“It’s more normal stuff, padel, tennis, ping pong, and then obviously games as well, mainly board games. You get a group of friends, like 15 people to play board games, that’s quite fun in the evenings. To be honest I am pretty much down for everything, I love going to the beach as well.

Tsolov is a big fan of going to the beach and hanging out with friends
Tsolov is a big fan of going to the beach and hanging out with friends

“I could play monopoly, but I haven’t played in a while. I don’t know if you know Dixit. It’s like cards, with drawings, it’s long to explain, but it’s a nice game.

“I think it’s good to feel like more of a normal person, to live a normal lifestyle when I go back to Bulgaria, especially with my friends. It’s quite difficult because I get recognised, especially in Bulgaria, so I can’t really just have my peace and do the things normal people would do.

Making history: Ivan Domingues Barcelona Debrief

“But it’s still quite good to take some time off. Go to the beach, play beach volleyball, swim, jet ski. I still get to live a normal life.

“In terms of music, I can listen to anything, depending on the week to be honest. I like to DJ a little bit, I’ve been doing it for three years, not very often, but my best friend is starting to get involved with music as well.

“I love listening to music, it brings me a good mood and energy, and it’s easier to get it, especially on a racing weekend, to get in the right mood.

Tsolov is big fan of DJing and learned from ex F3 driver Alex Peroni
Tsolov is big fan of DJing and learned from ex F3 driver Alex Peroni

“I like to be on the aux wherever I have to say, considering I listen to everything, I know all the good songs in every genre, so whenever someone asks me for a genre, I normally play a good one.

“I was actually DJ’ing a little bit at my own birthday last year, but I actually had some good DJs, some professionals came and performed, and it was great.

GALLERY: Some of the best moments from our triple header in Imola, Monte Carlo and Barcelona

“It’s something I learned actually from an ex F3 driver, Alex Peroni. He is one of my closest friends, and we used to do it at home a lot. It was quite interesting for us, and we spent some good times doing it. He got me into it, because he had a deck and only recently did I buy one myself.

“All in all, to be honest, I literally like most things, but for me the most enjoyable is when I get with a good group of friends and we just talk. We have dinner or lunch, play bowling, pool, or anything, just getting a group of people is what I enjoy the most.”



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WA Rep. pushes bill that challenges NCAA settlement, seeks fair pay for student

This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com A Washington representative proposed a bill that would help create clear rules for the compensation student-athletes receive, and how to better distribute the earnings evenly. Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Washington), Chair of the Congressional College Sports Caucus, proposed the Restore College Sports Act to combat the settlement agreement in […]

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WA Rep. pushes bill that challenges NCAA settlement, seeks fair pay for student

This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com

A Washington representative proposed a bill that would help create clear rules for the compensation student-athletes receive, and how to better distribute the earnings evenly.

Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Washington), Chair of the Congressional College Sports Caucus, proposed the Restore College Sports Act to combat the settlement agreement in the House v. NCAA litigation.

The House settlement locks in an unsustainable model that enriches the power conferences at the expense of everyone else—walk-ons, women’s teams, Olympic sports,” Baumgartner said.

The NCAA settlement

Grant House, a former Arizona State swimmer, sued the Power 5 NCAA conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and Pac-12) and landed a settlement that ended the prohibition on schools paying student-athletes for NIL (name, image, and likeness).

A major component of the new settlement included $2.7 billion in back pay for NCAA athletes who competed between 2016 and 2024. The money will come from the NCAA and all its conferences.

Each school can share nearly $20 million of its revenue with student-athletes for NIL. The payments would come from media rights agreements, ticket sales, and sponsorships.

Baumgartner’s Restore College Sports Act

Baumgartner cited key issues within college athletics that contributed to a financial imbalance between the NCAA and its athletes.

“Power 5 conferences generated approximately $3.3 billion in revenue in 2022 alone,” Baumgartner wrote. “Average head football coach salary in Power 5 schools exceeded $6 million annually, compared to zero direct revenue sharing with athletes.”

Baumgartner also emphasized the impact that conference realignment can have on the academic performance of NCAA athletes.

“Overextended conference realignments cause excessive travel, undermining academic performance and athlete health,” Baumgartner stated.

Baumgartners solution

Baumgartner highlighted four key measures to address systematic inequities in NCAA athletics. The first is to establish a National Standards Commission.

“Create an independent commission, including student-athlete representation, empowered to set uniform national standards for collegiate athletics,” Baumgartner stated.

Baumgartner’s second decree is to implement equitable revenue sharing for NIL earnings.

“Pools NIL revenues nationally and redistributes them equally to all student-athletes—ensuring equal shares for high-profile stars, women’s sports athletes, freshmen in non-revenue sports, and team backups alike,” Baumgartner wrote.

His last two goals are to end exploitative conference realignments, and to cap excessive coaching salaries.

“Requires athletic conferences to operate within single time zones, drastically reducing travel burdens and prioritizing student-athletes’ academic and physical well-being,” Baumgartner stated. “Sets reasonable limits on coaching salaries, reallocating savings to student-athlete educational resources, healthcare, and support services.”

The impact of the Restore College Sports Act

The act aims to provide student-athletes with fair treatment, improved educational outcomes, and financial support.

Baumgartner noted that the bill would prioritize the welfare of athletes, safeguard fairness, and promote integrity for all student-athletes.

Baumgartner’s call for a Trump Executive Order

The release called for support from President Donald Trump to address the problems that Baumgartner highlighted.

“President Trump can step in to save college sports today,” Baumgartner said. “My Restore College Sports Act is the roadmap, with fair revenue-sharing, rationalized conferences, and reasonable student compensation.”

Baumgartner criticized the settlement’s failure to address key issues within college athletics.

“This settlement doesn’t fix college sports,” Baumgartner stated. “It codifies a system that will hurt walk-ons; squeeze Olympic sports, and hollow out Title IX-compliant women’s teams—all to benefit a few power programs and television executives.”

“In 1905, college football was on the brink until President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in,” Baumgartner continued. “He understood that leadership matters. Trump is uniquely positioned to do the same. He knows how to disrupt broken systems and restore competitive balance.”

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