Opportunities

Janney Capital Markets is betting on a drug-industry revival. The Philadelphia investment bank last week hired a team of dealmakers and stock analysts from bankrupt San Francisco stock-trading and research firm ThinkEquity L.L.C. to hunt for deals and profit among emerging pharmaceutical firms, medical device-makers, and biotech developers. "Philadelphia and the surrounding area is a hub for health-care companies. It provides a lot of growth product for our sales and trading team, and it's an area of investment banking where we collectively think we can compete, with the right team," said Christopher White , head of investment banking at Janney.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Opryland Hotel isn't so much a hotel as it is a cavernous, bright facility that looks as if it was destined for the Las Vegas strip but somehow ended up in Tennessee. With its sprawling rooms on the first level, it's easy for a person to hide or get lost. But the top executives from all of Major League Baseball's teams, including Phillies senior vice president and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., and a collection of the who's who of the sports-agent world will be able to locate one another.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Logan Ryan was The Inquirer's South Jersey defensive player of the year during his senior season at Eastern in 2008, and he has continued his success at the next level. Yet for all the achievements Ryan has earned as a junior cornerback at Rutgers, the thing that stands out most about him is his insatiable will to win. That's why Ryan and his teammates were crushed after Thursday night's 20-17 defeat to Louisville in a Big East showdown at soldout High Point Solutions Stadium.

LOS ANGELES - Oscar host Seth MacFarlane is inviting collegians to join him on stage at the Academy Awards. The "Family Guy" creator made a surprise appearance at UCLA this week to announce a contest sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and mtvU that will allow winning college students to appear on the Feb. 24 Oscar telecast. The contest invites students to submit videos on the academy's Facebook page describing how they'll contribute to the future of film.

NOT EVERYONE in Francisville wants to preserve Winding Roses Park, a small garden at Uber and Brown streets. "Most people want to see development on these undeveloped lots," said Gerard P. Grandzol, who has lived in the area nearly 10 years and is a board member of the Francisville Neighborhood Development Corp. Grandzol took issue with a story in Monday's Daily News about some longtime Francisville residents who are upset that a developer is planning to build a house in the middle of the little park.

BEIRUT - Britain called on the U.S. and other allies Wednesday to do more to shape the Syrian opposition into a coherent force, saying the re-election of President Barack Obama is an opportunity for the world to take stronger action to end the deadlocked civil war. Also Wednesday, Turkey said NATO members - including the United States - have discussed using Patriot missiles along the Syrian border. It was unclear whether the purpose was to protect a safe zone inside Syria or to protect Turkey from Syrian regime attacks.

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. - Terry Murray says it was difficult for some Flyers-turned-Phantoms to return to the AHL. Some scoff at the suggestion. Either way, the Adirondack Phantoms finally seemed in sync Saturday night, nine games into the season, with a 4-0 conquest of visiting Albany at the almost-full Glens Falls Civic Center. Until that strong all-around effort, the Phantoms had not led at the end of any intermission all season. Some of his players were "a little distracted" early this season by the labor battle between the NHL and the players' union, said Murray, the Phantoms coach who has spent most of his career behind NHL benches.

STATE COLLEGE - Over and over again, Penn State just could not capitalize against Ohio State on Saturday. Whether it was failing to take advantage of penalties, making sloppy plays or simply letting Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller run everywhere he wanted, it culminated in a 35-23 loss that snapped the Nittany Lions' five-game winning streak and put them at a disadvantage in the Big Ten Leaders Division race. "I honestly feel like this was a team that we definitely could have beaten," wide receiver Allen Robinson said.

Golden opportunities popped up again and again - and again for the Holy Cross football team. In the end, the team was left trying to find positives after a frustrating night. No, the Lancers did not take advantage of the chances that were gift-wrapped for them. But, yes, they held a vaunted offense in check for much of the night, nearly toppling an undefeated team. "We just need to capitalize on our opportunities," defensive back Khalid Hendricks said Friday night after his Holy Cross team fell, 29-15, to Allentown at home.

Golden opportunities popped up again and again - and again for the Holy Cross football team. In the end, the team was left trying to find positives after a frustrating night. No, the Lancers did not take advantage of the chances that were gift-wrapped for them. But, yes, they held a vaunted offense in check for much of the night, nearly toppling an undefeated team. "We just need to capitalize on our opportunities," defensive back Khalid Hendricks said after his Holy Cross team fell, 29-15, to Allentown at home Friday night.