Day of Rest?

Saturday, for many, is a day of rest. The daily grind of the previous week is over and you can look forward to doing things you love to do – work around the house, attend an event, watch your favorite sports team, or do nothing.

Saturday, for me, is never a day of rest, but it sure is a day of great anticipation and expectation. This Saturday offered both to the extreme.  I like to start the day with a nice morning walk.  It was a beautiful day and the walk was just the right way to ease into the afternoon.

At 1:00, I headed to Lafayette College for the much-anticipated Lafayette – Bucknell Patriot League game set to begin at 3:30. Lafayette was 2-0 and tied at the top of the Patriot League standings.  Bucknell was 0-1.  Both teams had formidable defenses, the best in the League.  I expected a low-scoring fast game.  “Fast” was something I hoped for because my wife and I had tickets to a show in Bethlehem at 8:00.

The game was a nail-biter! Bucknell scored a defensive touchdown on the fourth play when they intercepted a pass and took it in for a six points.  It was 7-0 and we had only played for two minutes and four seconds.  No one scored the rest of the first half.  I liked the speed of the game, but not the score.

The first time Lafayette had the ball in the second half, they marched 60 yards in eight plays and scored their first rushing touchdown of the season. It was 7-7!  The game continued to move along at a very rapid pace.  I was not concerned any longer about making the show on time.

But no one scored again! Lafayette blocked what would have been a winning field goal by Bucknell with less than a minute to go.  The game would not be done early – it was going overtime.

On Lafayette’s first overtime possession on the very first play, Bucknell intercepted a Leopard pass and ran it back 95 yards for a touchdown – Game Over!! Bucknell wins – Lafayette loses a heartbreaker without giving up a defensive point.

It was time to jump in the car and pick up my wife for the 8:00 curtain. The tickets included a “Meet and Greet” with the performers.  The last time this happened there were cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.  I would turn this into my dinner and drinks.  But, alas, we met members of the cast, but there were no drinks and, more importantly, no munchies (in my case – dinner).

The show was very good and enjoyable. It lasted two full hours.

After arriving home, I broke the news that I would be spending the rest of Saturday into the wee hours of Sunday morning watching the Penn State-Michigan game. I did not know anything about the outcome so, thanks to TIVO, I watched  from the very beginning and marveled at Penn State’s efficiency and Whitehall’s Saquon Barkley’s talent.  The Lions won and would remain #2 in the nation.

I finished up the game around 1:15 AM. I was pretty exhausted from my Saturday/Sunday “day of rest”.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. It’s the Astros against the Dodgers in the World Series. Two exceptional teams with great pitching staffs. Most are picking the Dodgers. I like the Astros in seven.
2.  The NFL regained some semblance of normalcy this week. It wasn’t just the Browns that did what they were supposed to do – lose. I went 11-4 and would have been even better if Oakland had not beaten Kansas City on the last play of the game and the Jets would not have blown a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. After the previous two weeks I am ecstatic with 11-4. And the Eagles have the best record in the NFL.
3. The Broncos and the Colts were shut out this past Sunday for the first time in 20-plus years.
4. The Colonial League never seems to disappoint when we go to do one of their football games. We had a shoot-out this past Friday when Notre Dame beat Saucon Valley 52-34. The game was back and forth until late into the fourth quarter. The talents of Alston Wolfe, Zach Petiet (SV), and Cole DeFranco (ND) were awesome. This was a really good “Friday night under the lights.”
5.  It is hard to believe that the regular season of high school football ends this Friday and we have two big games for you – Emmaus at undefeated Parkland followed by Nazareth at Easton. Saturday we are happy to give you Allen vs. Dieruff, two football teams that get very little TV exposure. Here is their chance to shine. District playoffs are in two weeks. 

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (LAST WEEK – 11-4; OVERALL – 60-45 – 57%)

Week Eight

BALTIMORE

MINNESOTA

NEW ORLEANS

ATLANTA

CAROLINA

PHILADELPHIA

BUFFALO

CINCINNATI

NEW ENGLAND

SEATTLE

DALLAS

PITTSBURGH

KANSAS CI