BROGDEN SURPRISINGLY RETIRES ... INDIANA GIVES CIGNETTI $92,8 MILLION TO STAY

 Of all things:

Former U.Va., standout MALCOLM BROGDEN retired 

Wednesday after nine years in the NBA. The league’s 

Rookie of the Year in 2016-17 caught just about everyone 

by surprise because, a month ago, he signed a one-year 

contract with the rebuilding New York Knicks.

RICHMOND, University of, alumnus TODD McSHAY

 said he was thrilled when Penn State fired football coach

 JAMES FRANKLIN. “Image, agenda, selfishness … 

that kind of leadership eventually rears its ugly head … 

[and] I think he got away with it entirely too long.”

At one time featured on ESPN as football analyst, dealing 

primarily with in-depth scouting information

on college players, McShay obviously was no fan of 

Franklin who was 104-45 at State but never popular in 

Happy Valley because of an abrasive style.

When the Nittany Lions, considered one of the teams to 

beat for the 2025 NCAA championship, bowed to 

previously-winless UCLA, the beginning of a three-game 

losing streak, calls for Franklin’s ouster intensified. 

Finally, State pulled the plug despite a ridiculous payoff 

of $49 million to the 53 year old coach.

“Unfortunately, with some coaches, it’s all about them,” 

McShay, 58, was quoted as saying.

Betting favorite to replace Franklin is alumnus MATT 

RUHLE, whose head coaching tree includes the NHL 

Carolina Panthers. He’s currently bossman at the 

University of Nebraska. Ruhle was a walkon at Penn 

State and played three years at linebacker.

Not a big fan of Ruhle, McShay would prefer Ohio State 

wide receivers coach BRIAN HARTLINE.

ANOTHER POTENTIAL candidate at Penn State,

 CURT CIGNETTI, was removed late Thursday when 

Indiana gave the former James Madison University coach 

an eight-year, $92.8 million contract extension that makes 

him the third highest-paid per year … trailing only 

Georgia’s KIRBY SMART ($13M) and Ohio State’s

 RYAN DAY ($12.5M).

ONCE AGAIN, the only explanation that really matters 

wasn’t to be found when local high school basketball 

vagabond LATRELL ALLMOND (Class of 2026) 

announced he would attend Oklahoma State.

How much money will the 6-8 state player of the year get 

from the Cowboys, who outbid such other finalists as 

Maryland, Tennessee and Virginia?

At least the former John Marshall High star now enrolled 

at Petersburg didn’t resort (as best as can be determined) 

to the old, OLD phony explanations such as he was drawn 

by State’s academic reputation or he really liked the 

coaches or …

No, according to one report, Allmond let family members 

make the final decision because he trusted them … to 

come up with the best deal?

Final question: What is the over-under on the number of 

schools he will suit up for before running out of 

eligibility?

THE SALE of HCA’s emergency center in eastern 

Goochland leaves 57 acres next to I-288 that would be 

ideal for an arena devoted primarily to hockey.

Henrico’s plans for a 17,000-seat Coliseum have been put 

on hold while the county sought new investors, which 

could be announced soon. Originally, hockey was 

earmarked to return (for the first time since 2009) for the 

2025-26 season.

“Now I don’t think we will have a team until 2028, at the 

earliest,” said a local promoter, who hopes to be involved.

ASKED to recommend someone who could lead Florida, 

University of, to a national football championship, “The 

Old Ball Coach” didn’t hesitate. Mindful the Gators still 

hadn’t fired BILLY NAPPIER (as expected), STEVE 

SPURRIER nominated LANE KIFFIN, currently in 

charge of unbeaten Ole Miss.

Until next time ...