The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

By Scott Barr, guest blogger

High school wrestling, especially in District XI, isn’t “dying” or “broken”. And while it doesn’t have to be “saved” or “fixed”, that doesn’t mean we can’t tweak it a bit.   Frustrating to fans and competitors alike is that some of these are no-brainer changes that would yield huge improvements.  One or two may fall into my list of pet peeves, but since Laubach gave me his blog for the week, I might as well use the forum.

In no particular order:

Realign the EPC:  Last time I wrote this blog, I put my ideas out there.  Find it here:  https://rcn.com/atvn/behind-mic-scotts-super-scheduler/  I have had only a handful of conversations about it, but absolutely everyone sees the need to make a change.  Maybe my plan, maybe somebody else’s, but can common sense please prevail?

Change the out of bounds rule:  Gee whiz already.  Nearly every school has a “big” mat now.  One supporting point inbounds for either wrestler, we keep going.  It’s the college rule, and it’s ridiculously simple.  Of course, if we change this rule, it means we must . . .

. . .Wrestle on “big” mats for districts: This is a tough one.  We wrestle districts, for the most part, on small mats that absolutely change the game at the most important time of the year.  Of course, our current venues don’t have room for six big mats, and arenas that do have the floor room are expensive.  Around we go.

Reduce the number of weight classes: 115, 125, 133, 141, 149, 157, 165, 174, 184, 197, 265.  Eleven weight classes—NCAA plus one at 115.  Too many benefits to discuss them all here, but consider more competitive dual meets, less “bumping” to avoid matchups, fewer forfeits, better JV development, shorter duration of dual meets, and more.  The only argument presented, ever, is that 14 weight classes gives more opportunity for participation.  And then, of course, we hold dual meets with a bunch of forfeits anyway.

Multiple entrants, per school, in post season: If a wrestler has a season full of varsity experience, it’s heartbreaking when they are eliminated in their own wrestling room when another wrestler—usually a close friend—bumps them out of the lineup for districts.  Track, swimming, tennis, gymnastics, golf and others allow more than one participant.  This is a good change.

And final…..

Enough of the “national” stuff: I am philosophically opposed to “National High School” anything.  In many cases, we are pressuring 16, 15, or 14 year olds to a point that is unnecessary.  No more national rankings, “who’s number 1”, “Flo Nationals” and all the rest.  This year, I actually saw national youth rankings.  It’s officially gone too far.

Maybe I’ve crossed the line into “curmudgeon” as Gary and I have often joked happens to old sports guys.   That said, curmudgeons have good ideas once in a while.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Dilly dogs, kale, sunflower seeds, and Rocky Mountain oysters (cattle testicles) are some of the newest additions to ballpark menus this season. If you think that is strange, how about the new stat – MV?  That stands for “mound visits”.  A team is allowed six this year.  Every one after that necessitates a pitching change.  In the minors, extra innings will start with a runner on second base.  So with all the shenanigans going on, there is still baseball and, therefore, the need (after all, I have to fill my blog) with prognostications.  Here is how I see the teams finishing in their divisions:

American League

 West

1. Houston – They run the risk of not coming back from their World Series victory, but they have the same great lineup and play in the same weak division. They will be back.
2. LA Angels – The most interesting new player is Japan’s Shohel Ohtani. He pitches AND he bats when he isn’t pitching. Mike Trout stays in this lineup. At the very least, this team will be fun to watch and could surprise.
3. Oakland – Matt Olson had a terrific rookie season and their pitching rotation should improve as the year goes on.
4. Seattle – Team’s everyday lineup is aging so productivity is suspect as is the starting pitching.
5. Texas Rangers – Best pitcher (Darvish) gone and a weak lineup that strikes out too much puts them in the cellar in the West.

Central

1. Cleveland – Won 102 games last year and in this division they should come close to that again. Plus, they are very, very talented in all aspects of the game.
2. Minnesota – They won 85 games and were a Wild Card last season, but are they better than last year? I don’t think so.
3. Kansas City – They lost two key players in Cain and Hosmer, but the nucleus of this team is pretty good. They certainly will compete.
4. Chicago White Sox – This team has potential and could surprise. I’m not willing to move them higher. We’ll see.
5. Detroit – This team is not good and getting too old.

East

1. New York Yankees – Stanton AND Judge? Are you kidding? Some of you remember Maris AND Mantle. Only a rookie manager could screw this team up, but Aaron Boone should be just fine.
2. Boston – They won the division last year and their manager still got fired. This is a talented team led by an energetic manager and they would love nothing more than to upset the Evil Empire (that’s the Yankees, by the way). This rivalry will still be fun to watch, especially with the expectations surrounding the Yankees.
3. Toronto – There is a good pitching rotation here, but there’s a strange chemistry between players and staff. Could be better; could be worse (how’s that for going out on a limb?)
4. Tampa Bay – They’re rebuilding again (No Longoria, etc.). They have little money to change their future.
5. Baltimore – After relying the prior years on just hitting home runs to win, they did not score nearly enough last year. Their payroll does not match the teams that win, so they don’t.

   The Yankees will win the American League pennant.

National League

West

1. LA Dodgers – They had a great regular season in ’17 and took the Astros to the seventh game of the World Series, only to lose. With Clayton Kershaw for at least one more season, they are certainly in great shape to repeat that success again.
2. Colorado – They garnered a Wild Card berth last year and bring back a strong lineup and a very strong bullpen. If it wasn’t for the Dodgers in their Division, they would be the favorite.
3. Arizona – They had a good year in ’17 winning 93 games, but they did little to improve their chances to move up in the Division. Losing J. D. Martinez to the Red Sox has to hurt them.
4. San Francisco – They were not good last year (98 losses), but they picked up Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen. Pitching staff needs to stay healthy to compete. The Giants will be better, but how much better?
5. San Diego – They lost 91 games last year and did not get any better. No one comes to see them. They define the word “hapless”.

Central

1. Chicago Cubs – Joe Madden! Joe Madden! Yu Darvish! Yu Darvish! And they were good before the trade. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is picking the Cubs – why should I be different?
2. St. Louis – This is a very solid baseball team with no major weaknesses. It’s time for them to get back into the playoffs and I think they will.
3. Milwaukee – Started off very well in ’17 and scared the Cubs much of the season, but pitcher Jimmy Nelson is out for the first few months, so that will hurt their chances of a similar start to this year. This team, however, has a bright future.
4. Cincinnati – It still looks very bleak for this franchise. Joey Votta cannot make this team a winner without a great deal of help and it’s just not there.
5. Pittsburgh – There is no way to go but down after their offseason trades. The major rebuilding starts this season.

East

1. Washington – New manager Dave Martinez is a Joe Madden protégé and takes over one of the best teams in baseball. Winning the Division should be easy; getting past the first-round of playoffs has been the problem. This team has everything and should be in the World Series hunt.
2. NY Mets – I don’t know – Don’t the Mets have high expectations every year, only to falter? I see that possibly happening again, but this year might be different – I don’t know (am I repeating myself?).
3. Philadelphia – Early indications are that new manager Gabe Kapler is in over his head with this young talented team. This team NEEDS a wise leader at the helm to improve as the year progresses. Let’s hope that improvement includes the manager and happens quicker than later. Analytics will be tested; so might the Phillies’ fans.
4. Atlanta – This team is in turmoil and expectations are exceptionally low. The only bright spot for them is that the Marlins are worse.
5. Miami – Derek Jeter has cleaned out the garage and will start “The Process” (isn’t that the new catchphrase for “expect a lot of losses”?) to make the Marlins better. They haven’t been in the playoffs since 2003, so this will be their 15^th straight year of being idle in the postseason.

   The Cubs will win the N L pennant.  Yankees win it all (Although I hope the Cubs win).

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Allentown Central Catholic’s Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman finished his career at Michigan last Monday night in the National Championship game. He finished with 23 points leading the Wolverines in scoring. He scored 1313 career points, played in 144 games and started 116 of them. He had a great career and my guess is he will continue to play more basketball at the professional level somewhere. Ironically, his high school career ended when he scored 30 points, but lost to another Philadelphia team.
2. Let’s see, the Eagles win the Super Bowl; Villanova wins the NCAA National Championship and now the Flyers and the ‘76ers are in the NHL and NBA playoffs. Could the Karma continue? And the Phillies? Who knows?
3. My wife cannot understand how I can spend five hours in front of the TV watching golf, but even she got caught up in the final round of the Masters. The suspense lasted right up to the very last shot of the tournament when Patrick Reed dropped a putt to win it all by one stroke. There was great drama for all five hours. Ask my wife.
4. In my MLB preview, I mentioned Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese sensation, who is now part of the LA Angels roster as both a pitcher and hitter. On Sunday, he retired the first 19 batters he faced, struck out 12, and gave up just one hit in seven innings. He won his second game in two starts. Oh, and, by the way, in the four games he has played in the batting lineup, he is hitting .389 (best on the team), has three home runs, and seven RBIs. To say he is “as advertised” is a huge understatement so far.
5. Next week’s blog will be guest-written by our wrestling guru, Scott Barr. I guarantee he will have some very interesting things to say about the state of high school wrestling. I will be on a well-deserved (according to me) vacation.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

With the state championship titles decided in mid-week because of the weather, and with the VIA All-Star basketball games being played this past weekend, the high school basketball season of 2017-18 officially came to an end.  Outstanding seniors donned their school’s uniforms for the last time and Lehigh Valley basketball was officially over.  There is no better time to reminisce…  Here are my top ten memories (in no particular order, like my mind) of this past season:

1. The RCN TV team – I have spent almost 50 years with this group and they never cease to amaze me with their work ethic, their dedication and their skills. Imagine over 100 winter productions laying wire, setting up cameras at the top of arenas, preparing the announcers’ booth, working the game and reversing the whole process when the game ends. Now imagine doing that over and over and over again from the last week of August, when football season starts, to the third week of March.  Great job everyone!
2. Congratulations to Justin Paz (Beca), Greg Eck (ES South), Alex Serrano (Liberty), Aiden Ellwood (Northampton), Kion Andrews (Allen), Hope Brown (Beca), Hailey Silfies (Freedom), and Victoria Keenan (Northampton) for going over the 1000-point mark this past season. Paz and Keenan are juniors and will continue to add to their impressive offensive numbers.
3. More kudos – this time to coaches who set some milestones of their own – Jose Medina (Beca Girls), Dave Lutz (Easton Girls), and Dennis Csensits (Central Catholic Boys) all won their 100^th game this season. Joe Stellato (Freedom) deserves special mention for winning his 200^th game.  The four have combined for 520 wins!
4. Lafayette hired a new women’s basketball coach – Kia Damon. She led the Leopards to 11 wins, the most since 2015. Lafayette was led in scoring and rebounding by Natalie Kucowski, who is just a freshman.  Three seniors will graduate, but the future looks much brighter.  Go Leopards!
5. The Lafayette men struggled through a 10-21 year and they do lose their leading scorer, Matt Klinewski, to graduation. BUT they showcased four outstanding freshmen – Alex Petrie, Justin Jaworski, E J Stephens, and Dylan Hastings. With a 6’-9” recruit coming on board, along with two point guards, Fran O’Hanlon seems to be building for a return to the glory days.  They last won the Patriot League championship in 2015.
6. Tom and John (and Mike and Beet) – Don’t tell anybody, but the job is really fun, especially with this group. All the respect and praise I feel for the RCN staff carries over to my color analysts for high school and college basketball, Tom Stoudt and John Leone.  They have such a passion for the game.  And then there are Mike Joseph and John Bowman (Beet).  What a crew – more laughs than you can imagine.  Obviously, the five of us spend a great deal of time together and it is full of conversation, joking, ribbing, and good times.  The winter goes very quickly when you are around these guys!
7. My complete ignorance in not covering more Northampton games this year. Coy Stampone’s team won 18 games and many in dramatic fashion. His match defense baffled opponents, including almost upsetting  Philadelphia powerhouse, St. Joe’s Prep, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.  Aiden Ellwood is a special player and Cory Weisenberger had a great season.  I regret that you and I didn’t get to see them more often on RCN.
8. Even though the Bethlehem Catholic girls could not repeat their state championship run this year, Jose Medina and his team won 25 games and the  EPC and District XI championships.  They were beaten after two questionable calls by Bonner-Prendergast at the buzzer 40-38 to end their season.  The following Sunday, Jose was portraying Jesus reenacting the Lord’s walk on Palm Sunday.  From being the Becahi coach to portraying Jesus – sounds like a nice promotion for a great role model.
9. The Bethlehem Catholic vs Imhotep Charter game in Reading stands out as the best of the year. Imhotep was the defending state champion, ranked #7 in the nation by USA Today, and considered to be the best team in Pennsylvania.  They won their state games by a 28.7 point average.  But Beca, with their star player, Ryan Young, saddled with foul trouble throughout the game, still took the game down to the final two possessions before losing 65-60.  Imhotep won their state championship game 71-35.
10. Finally, there are plenty of people I want to thank. Basketball preparation is a numbers game – stats are critical. I rely heavily on EPC stat guru, Bob Whirl, for almost every game.  There are no better sources for Liberty and Freedom information than Greg DeStasio and Karl Gilbert.  They not only supply stats but plenty of historical information as well.  Ara Hoderewski (Emmaus), Jeremy Coxe (Nazareth), and Matt Fritz (Parkland) are others that I can always count on.  Brian Ludrof and Steve Kline supplied me with all the game notes for Lafayette basketball.  Thanks to them, too.  And to anyone I may have missed.  I do want to send out a big “thumbs down” to the Dallas head coach, who sent only his roster and supplied nothing else for the Central Catholic game played in Hazleton.  He was the only coach who did not cooperate. We had to find everything on our own and it made me appreciate all the ADs, coaches, and stat people who went out of the way to help during the season.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ANOTHER GREAT SEASON!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. I know the NCAA basketball bigwigs and the CBS sports people want high ratings for their National Championship basketball game, so that means the West Coast viewers are very important, but a 9:20pm tip-off in the East sure wrecks a good night’s sleep. A post-midnight finish just seems wrong.
2. In case you missed the amazing finishes to the Notre Dame women’s last two games that won them a National Championship, take a look:http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22996063 (over Mississippi State)  Amazing finishes!!
3. http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22972765 (over Connecticut)
4. To say that Phillies manager Gabe Kapler is off to a rough start would be a HUGE understatement. He used 13 different pitchers in the 3-game series opener against the Braves; he made 18 pitching changes in the same three games; he used outfielder Pedro Floriman to pitch an inning; and he used a record-setting 21 pitchers in the 3-game series. Add to that he removed Aaron Nola from the season opener in the sixth inning leading 5-0. The Phils ended up losing that game 8-5. Thank goodness the Phils won game two 5-4 in 11 innings (Kapler used 8 pitchers in that one). Up is the only direction the rookie manager can go (Phils fans hope).
5. About a year ago, 60 Minutes did a feature on Shohel Ohtani, the Japanese baseball sensation who was being compared to Babe Ruth because of both his pitching and hitting skills. Fast forward to Oakland where Ohtani is hitting and pitching for the Los Angeles Angels. He was 1-5 on Thursday as the DH and won his first pitching outing on Sunday 7-4. In doing so, he became the first player since 1920 to start a game as a hitter and a pitcher in the first 10 games of the season. Manager Mike Sciosa is not sure how he will use Ohtani as a batter as the year progresses, but he will be in the pitching rotation.
6. Herschel Walker spoke at the VIA All-Star Basketball Banquet this past Wednesday night. In case you don’t know who he is, he set the NCAA freshmen rushing record at Georgia, was a 3-year All-American, and won the Heisman trophy in his junior year. He skipped his senior year to enter professional football and led the NFL in rushing for the Dallas Cowboys. He told great stories throughout the speech, never wavered in his presentation, and was very, very entertaining. And… he only played football in high school to avoid doing the dishes at home; only played college football when a toss of the coin told him NOT to go into the military, which was his dream; and was voted the second greatest college football player behind the legendary Red Grange.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before I take a look at the Final Four, there were a couple of stories that captured my interest long before we got to March Madness:

Remember the Ball brothers, Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo. Lonzo was drafted by the Lakers and the other two brothers went to Lithuania to play after LiAngelo was suspended by UCLA for shoplifting in China.  Their controversial father, LaVar, pulled LaMelo out of high school and took him and LiAngelo to Lithuania to play.  They are expected to put in the minimum time in order to be eligible for the NBA draft.  LiAngelo is doing well overseas, but LaMelo has been hampered by injuries.  Over the weekend, their high school, Chino Hills, won their second state title in three years.  I guess they didn’t need LaMelo.

One of the more interesting occurrences early in the season came when the Alabama bench was ejected for an altercation against Minnesota. That left Alabama with just five players for the final nine minutes or so.  Then one of the players fouled out and another was injured.  With only three players, Alabama outscored Minnesota 20-16, but lost 89-84.

Now some thoughts about the championship weekend:

1. Can Sister Jean, the 98-year-old fan of Loyola-Chicago, bring divine guidance to the Ramblers and garner a national Championship? She leads them in a pre-game prayer and it seems to be working. They were a #11 seed, but now they are in the Final Four. A #11 seed has never won the championship, but this team can shoot and, without any superstars, they are a true team. Cinderella is in.
2. Did you know that Michigan lost to Louisville in the championship game in 2013? But they also won! The NCAA forced Louisville to vacate that title due to a scandal. Michigan said they would not accept that championship. Michigan has a great defense and an inconsistent offense (99 points one game; 58 the next). Can this defense win a championship? I know they would accept this one!
3. Kansas plays very smart basketball because they have very smart guards, but their terrific big man, Udoka Azubuike, tends to spend a great deal of time on the bench because of foul trouble. He fouled out against Duke on Sunday. Kansas will need him against Villanova to get to the Championship.
4. Villanova has the best balance – their offense is, perhaps, the best in college basketball and, to me, their defense is highly underrated. Jalen Brunson is the ultimate team leader and makes the best use of his supporting cast. They are a three-point machine when they are making their shots.NO WAVERING FOR ME – VILLANOVA WINS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!

ABOVE THE EARS 

1. Just like the teams earn their way through the brackets in the NCAA Tournament, so do the officials. John Higgins is considered one of the best officials in college basketball. He is so well-respected that he worked the last three Final Fours and seven in total. He will not work this year. He was part of a crew that put the wrong player on the foul line in the Auburn-College of Charleston first round game. He was the alternate for that one and was not on the floor. But in the waning moments, the officials put the wrong player, a much better foul shooter, on the line, who then sealed a very close game.
2. By now you know that I picked Villanova to win the National Championship, so I am still alive, since they are, too. Their win over West Virginia was a war, but they persevered. Go, Wildcats…
3. Although I will certainly be torn if Michigan beats Loyola-Chicago (a team I love to watch, by the way), because that would mean Muhammad Ali Abdul-Rahkman, the Central Catholic grad, would be in the championship final, also. And, if it is Villanova vs Michigan, I think I would just sit back then and enjoy the game, no matter the outcome.
4. The Bethlehem Catholic girls’ basketball coach was very active on Palm Sunday. Jose Medina played the role of Jesus for his church and reenacted Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem by leading a procession down Main Street in Bethlehem.
5. It has certainly been hard to think of playing golf with the weather we have been having. It is NOT hard to watch golf, however, and I am really looking forward to the Masters in two weeks. The field is loaded with talent and Tiger Woods is back in the picture. He seems to be playing well enough to make a run at the championship. Now if the snow would just melt around here and the temperatures would rise… Where are my sticks?

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

For the past bunch of years, I have entered, for entertainment purposes only (excuse me while I clear my throat), an NCAA Tournament pool. I did not go in this year, primarily because of time, but mostly because it is so difficult to win.  This year there are 346 entries.  I was NOT one of them.

As of Monday, out of the 346 entries, only 5 could win! 5!

Those five individuals have picked West Virginia, Clemson, Gonzaga (2), and Michigan to win it all. Now the reason I bring this up is because, in the only pool I entered, I picked Villanova.  Villanova, in case you stopped watching, is still alive and now is the highest seed in the tournament.  I would have been the 6^th person with a chance to win out of (did I mention) 347 entries.

This NCAA Tournament has been nothing but a mess. Two #1 seeds did not get out of the first weekend, with the biggest upset coming when #16 UMBC beat the overall #1 Virginia.  That has never been done before.  I’m sure a big smile came over the faces of Allen’s Ray Barbosa and Whitehall’s Jay Greene.  Both were on the UMBC team the last time they were even in the tournament in 2008.  They lost to Georgetown that year.

In the South region, none of the top four seeds are still playing. That’s never happened before.  Nevada was down in their game against Cincinnati by 22 points and staged the second largest comeback in tournament history for their win.

In the West, #1 Xavier and #2 North Carolina (the defending champ, by the way) both lost. North Carolina was never in their game with Texas A&M.

In the Midwest, Syracuse had to come out of the play-in round in Dayton and then won their next two weekend games. That NEVER happens.  Next up for them is Duke.  Imagine if Syracuse…

The East had some semblance of sanity – 4 of the top 5 seeds advanced to play in Boston. #1 Villanova, #2 Purdue, #3 Texas Tech, and  #5 West Virginia.

So anybody can win the 2018 national championship – anybody, that is but YOU! Unless you were a miracle prognosticator, your pool is probably now scrap paper and, instead of being glued to your TV for the next week, you might actually go shopping with your significant other.

Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities said,

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Just insert “The 2018 NCAA Tournament” for every “it”. I think you get my drift.

What a mess.

ABOVE THE EARS 

1. Last week, I picked North Carolina (out), Virginia (out), Kansas (in) and Villanova (in) as my final four. I still feel Villanova (my pick) will win the National Championship.
2. I hope you went to or watched the Bethlehem Catholic–Imhotep Charter PIAA semi-final game on Monday night. It was a classic. Beca battled the #7 team in the nation right down to the wire losing 65-60. It was a great high school game. Beca won the EPC and District XI championships and came, oh so close, to going for a state title. Congratulations!
3. There have been plenty of miraculous endings this past weekend in the NCAA Tournament, but the craziest may have happened at Liberty High School on Monday where Abington Heights was playing Bonner-Prendergast in the PIAA 5A semi-final. AH was leading 48-45 when B-P missed a 3 and two players battled for a rebound as the buzzer sounded to end the game. AH fans showered the court with Hershey Kisses signifying their team was headed to the state championship played in Hershey. BUT, the officials had called a foul on AH and, then, a technical foul on the fans for throwing Kisses. B-P would be awarded four foul shots, just enough to win the game! The player made the first three, but missed the fourth. AH won in overtime.
4. Remember the name Donta Scott a 6-7 junior. He played for Imhotep-Charter. He was the best player I saw in the tournament. Right now, he has scholarship offers from St. Joe’s, LaSalle, Temple, and Penn State. I guarantee you that list will grow.
5. Our basketball season has concluded and I just want to thank the RCN crew for another great job of bringing you high school basketball and wrestling during the winter months. Imagine all the places and times that they have to run camera connections, carry that heavy equipment, do a game, tear it all down, and get ready to do it again, often four or five times a week. I’m sure I speak for Chris Michael, John Leone, Tom Stoudt, Scott Barr, and Ryan Nunamaker in thanking those hard workers for making the announcers’ jobs so much more rewarding!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

It is NEVER good when the acronyms NCAA and FBI are used in the same sentence. But as everybody gears up for the start of March Madness  this week, the bigger concern for the NCAA is the FBI investigation into the black market of college basketball.

Big-time schools with big-time programs like Miami, Louisville, Auburn, Oklahoma State,  Southern California, and Arizona are all being investigated for either funneling money to families of star recruits or steering current college players, who are soon-to-be NBA players, to potential agents for money. This involves offering bribes (as high as $100,000) to players’ families, assistant coaches, and head coaches. The NCAA, obviously, prohibits this kind of activity.

In other words, someone was getting “pay-to-play” money. “Pay-to-play” is the same phrase those of us who live in the Lehigh Valley have heard over and over again in the past few months in connection with the mayor of Allentown.  As you must know, he was found guilty and faces many years in prison.  In the same vein, the FBI investigation could send coaches and shoe company executives to prison.

Some question the ethics of a university making millions and millions off the skills of their athletes, offering the athletes little in return. Duke reported they made $33.7 million for the 2014-15 season when they won the national championship.  And the coaches of these money-making programs take in millions of dollars themselves.

It is estimated basketball shoe companies take in @ $950 million annually.

In the ideal world of the NCAA, a basketball player receives nothing other than a college scholarship (the elite players almost never finish college) and some meal money. Is it any wonder they and their parents want a piece of the immense pie that they help to create?  Many wonder who really is a victim here – certainly not the institutions that get these players; certainly not the shoe companies that get the university endorsements; certainly not the coaches; and certainly not the players.

So, yes, fill out your office pool, enjoy the next few weeks of college basketball, and try to forget that this is all going on around the game. But, rest assured, the scandal is not going to go away.

This March Madness will certainly lead to April Madness, May Madness, etc.

ABOVE THE EARS

Gary’s Guesses (March Madness) By Region

 West

With Xavier, North Carolina, Michigan, and Gonzaga in this region, this is a VERY, VERY tough one to pick. My heart is with Michigan because of Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman of Allentown Central Catholic High School.  Providence is hot right now after forcing overtime against Villanova in the Big East tournament championship.

My pick – North Carolina

Midwest

Everyone ALWAYS likes Duke and they are #2 in this region, with Kansas getting the top spot. Michigan State is #3, but with the Big Ten tournament played a week earlier than the others, they have had a long layover (could actually be good for them).  But not quite good enough.

My pick – Kansas

South

This is where the #1 team in the nation, Virginia, resides and they are the best. Defense wins championships and they are a great defensive team.  Maybe Kentucky or Cincinnati can forge an upset, but I do not think so.

My pick- Virginia

East

As good as Virginia’s defense is, that’s how good the #1 seed Villanova’s offense is. They just won the Big East tournament, were ranked #1 longer than any other team before giving it up to Virginia, and seem to have the easiest region.

My pick – Villanova

 The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Around the middle of the high school basketball season, my partner, Tom Stoudt, and I looked at each other and pretty much simultaneously said, “What a mess,” as we discussed the 6A boys’ basketball outlook. These are the big schools.

They bring the most drama – remember the semifinals last year at the PPL Center where 8,000+ fans packed the arena when Allen, Emmaus, Parkland, and Pocono Mountain West would play and they all were terrific.

Not this year. The two best teams, Central Catholic and Bethlehem Catholic, were in the 5A and the 4A district brackets.  That, historically, is somewhat unheard of.  The big schools normally dominate the attention.  Not this year.

The 6A bracket had no clear-cut favorite. It was so bad that, at the very last minute, the nine-team field became a ten-team field when Nazareth was added based on power points and not a qualifying record.  That had never happened before in 6A.  Nazareth had put their uniforms away and Liberty found out they were playing Nazareth and not Pleasant Valley (the team they had prepared to play).  Did I mention “mess”?

In the quarterfinals – #5 beat #4, #7 beat #2, and Nazareth (remember, the last minute entry) almost beat #1. But sanity returned in the semifinals when #1 East Stroudsburg South (a team that has won one district championship ever in 1994 when they were JUST East Stroudsburg) and #3 Northampton (who last won a championship in 1972) came out on top to play for a championship.

But who would have guessed that two teams that were 9-13 last year and had a combined 70 years between titles would be playing for the most coveted District championship? Let me tell you – no one!

The “mess”, however, did not end there. The wind and snow arrived on Friday, causing problem after problem in the Lehigh Valley and paralyzed the North where East Stroudsburg South and Pocono Mountain West (a consolation game participant) reside.  Neither could get to their scheduled games on Saturday.

So, as I write this, the consolation game and the championship game are to be played tonight. All four teams will continue into the PIAA state playoffs.  Those games begin on Friday.

I just saw the weather forecast for later in the week – possible 6-12 inches of snow on Wednesday into Thursday.

Did I mention – MESS? Stay tuned.

ABOVE THE EARS

1. Did you know that mid-March is the expected hearing date by the Supreme Court to entertain New Jersey’s request to legalize sports betting? Las Vegas currently has the monopoly on legal betting in the US. The NCAA and the four professional leagues are suing to stop New Jersey. The Supreme Court decision could come as early as May.
2. Michigan won the Big 10 basketball championship at Madison Square Garden over the weekend. Central Catholic’s Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman scored 51 points in the three tournament games and the TV announcers threw plenty of superlatives at him. “Local kid does well” – always a good story.
3. Are you ready to fill out your brackets for the NCAA March Madness tournament? Do you like Villanova, Virginia, Kansas, Xavier, etc.? Or do you stay with Duke, North Carolina, or, perhaps, Michigan? Good luck to all.
4. With all the hype over the NFL Draft, would you believe it is still eight weeks away? That’s right; the first round does not take place until Thursday, April 26. How many Saquon Barkley stories between now and then? He must be exhausted.
5. Which of our teams has the greatest chance of getting to Hershey for the state championships? The Bethlehem Catholic girls could repeat and the Bethlehem Catholic boys have all the ingredients. RCN-TV will follow them to the semifinals.

This blog expresses my views and opinions, and not those of RCN. I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to read them and I assume readers are sports fans, much like me. So let me apologize up front for this blog because it is NOT about sports. So if you want to stop reading now, I truly understand.

Everyone now knows that this past week, 17 people (students and teachers) were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. You all know that.

The gunman, a 19-year-old, has been arrested. He used an AR-15 rifle to kill the 17 in a relatively short period of time.

So America finds itself dealing with another senseless mass killing at a school – like Columbine, and Sandy Hook. If experience is such a great teacher, then what have we learned from this latest tragedy that we did not already know from the others?  Absolutely nothing!

But at least the students and the parents of Florida are not just asking questions – they are also demanding answers and organizing their power. I have some questions of my own for the NRA, politicians, and average citizens:

• Why does anyone, except our police and soldiers, need a rapid fire weapon?
• Why does anyone need to possess more powerful weapons than the police have?
• Why does any politician feel it is much more important to take money from the NRA than it is to stand up against the gun lobbyists?
• Why is any elected position more important to a politician than protecting human life, especially the lives of children?
• Why have we defined “regulated militia” as a way to allow virtually any American citizen to “bear arms”?
• Why have we used a time when the most dangerous firearms were “muskets” to now include guns capable of mass shootings?
• Why is there no compromise on the types of firearms that can be purchased by the average citizen to protect their family?
• Why aren’t background checks on those who purchase guns just plain common sense?
• Why does the NRA just talk about the mental instability of the shooter and say nothing about the fact that he purchased a weapon that can kill so many in so little time?

About 30 years ago, when I was teaching school, an administrator walked into my classroom and summoned me to step outside. Another teacher was asked to cover my class.  I had volunteered to be on the school safety committee and the principal said I was needed.  I had NEVER been needed as a member of the Safety Committee except to go through some training from time to time.

The principal asked me to come with him and we descended to the basement where an art class was being held. As I approached the classroom, I saw four policemen in the hall.

It turns out that there was a rumor that one of the students had brought a gun into the school (mind you, this was @ 30 years ago). The principal felt that since I taught this student and I had a good relationship with the young man, I could get him to quietly leave the class he was in.  The police told me they thought a gun might be in his duffel bag.

I thought they must be kidding. I knew the student and I would never have suspected him to do anything so foolish and outlandish.  I entered the classroom, quietly went up to the student, picked up his duffel bag, and asked him to come out into the hall with me.

Once out of the classroom, I saw the panic on his face when he saw the police. They opened up the bag and there was a pistol and it was loaded.  I was absolutely stunned.  Never did I think this would ever happen in my school.  Never would I have suspected this student would do such a thing.  He was being bullied, he told the police, and brought the gun to school for protection.  He was expelled.

I taught another 15 years or so and never experienced an incident like that one again. I also never forgot that day.  Nor could I have imagined what that day would portend.

And now today we experience the tragedies that have occurred in our schools and occur on our streets. Gun deaths are commonplace in this country every day.  We focus more on these mass killings, but, according to the Huffington Post, seven people are shot every 60 minutes, over 150 per day.  Aren’t these also another form of mass killings?

“People kill, guns don’t” is what the NRA says all the time. Well, people DO kill, but weapons that kill so many so quickly must be kept out of the hands of those who do kill.

If you argue that, I can only once again say, “Why?”

I promise I’ll get back to sports next week.

 ABOVE THE EARS (MORE MUSINGS NEXT WEEK)

The parade down Broad Street is complete; the merchandise is purchased; the accolades continue; and Eagles fans will be boasting for at least another ten months or more (for some, the rest of their lives). From a local perspective, I guess the NFL season could not have ended any better (except for the many Steelers and Vikings fans in our area).

Without question, NFL football is still the most watched weekly sporting event in all of television. Adding to that interest, there are, according to estimates, over 32 million fantasy football players, and billions of dollars are added to the economy every year.

But, if you dig a little deeper, the NFL has some serious problems it needs to address. None is bigger than the concussion issue.  Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) was found in 110 of the 111 brain studies of former NFL players by Boston University.  I ran into a former Eagle linebacker (I’m not sure he would want me to use his name) at a high school game this year and he told me he was already having problems in certain cognitive areas and he had been out of the game for only a couple of years.  Fourteen hundred players who brought a suit against the NFL were awarded settlements in 2013, but only about 10% have seen any money.

The future of any sport is often in the numbers that actually play the game. One could correctly surmise that as the concussion issue continues to dominate the sport, fewer parents will allow their children to play.  It is already being suggested that youth football should ban tackling.  New helmet technology is being developed, but the cost might be prohibitive for youth and high schools to implement.

The protest by NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem certainly did not help the game’s popularity. Too many (including our President) totally misunderstood what the players were protesting, but the message spread far and wide that they were un-American.  Many fans claimed they were done watching NFL football and, there is no question, the ratings this season went down.  It was estimated that 1.6 million fewer people watched the NFL this year.  However, the product is still the most watched.

Constant replay reviews have done little to promote interest. There are many stoppages; officials are not as accountable; and the games are lasting longer than ever.  None of this enhances the game for the viewer; it diminishes the enjoyment.  And it certainly doesn’t help to have rules (for example, what is a “catch”?) that no one seems to understand.

NFL football and football at all levels has some serious problems to solve. With all the money involved, I certainly expect American ingenuity to eventually solve those problems.  There is too much money involved not to.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME SUPER BOWL MUSINGS)

1. Even before the NFL draft, Nike has signed Whitehall and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley to an endorsement contract. The Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year the past two seasons is expected to be drafted #1, #2, or #3 in the NFL draft. He is an instant millionaire.
2. Remember Heisman winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M and the Cleveland Browns? He has been diagnosed as bipolar and, after being tossed from the NFL after two seasons, wants another chance to play football. He has stopped drinking and is taking medication for his disorder. Now, he has to get people to like him.
3. Eagles’ offensive tackle Lane Johnson finally said what many of us believed to be true. There is not much fun when you play for the Patriots. From everyone being fearful for their job to the arrogant and uncommunicative way they deal with the press, Johnson implies he would not want to play there. He said he would “much rather have fun and win a Super Bowl than be miserable and win five Super Bowls.”
4. As I write this, the Philadelphia ‘76ers have won 10 straight games. Much of that success can be traced to the play of Joel Embiid (23.7 points; 11.1 rebounds). Philadelphia’s Eagles’ passion can now be directed toward the Sixers and the Flyers, who, by the way, are in third place in their division.
5. The EPC girls’ and boy’s championship were outstanding with Bethlehem Catholic beating Central Catholic in both games by 3 points.  Who will win the District XI AAAAAA basketball championship? With injuries and top teams moving to the other classifications, it’s anybody’s guess. Watch RCN-TV as the answer unfolds. All the action begins February 22.

The scene was set. The Eagles had just scored on a Nick Foles to Zach Ertz touchdown pass.  First, and of course, it needed to be reviewed and, I’m sure, no one understands the “catch” rule.  NBC was forced to show replay after replay and the fans and viewers were forced to wait out the most critical of calls.

Finally, another aspect of the “catch” rule came into play – when does the receiver become a runner? Zach Ertz became a runner, not a receiver, when he broke the plane of the goal line.  The Eagles went for the two-point conversion and failed.  Instead of being ahead by seven, the Eagles were up 38-33, but there was 2:21 left on the clock.

The scene was set, alright. It was set for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to go down the field and win another Super Bowl.  How many times have all the other teams around the league endured this kind of New England victory?

Brady had not been sacked all day and, we all know, when he has time, receivers Gronkowski and Amendola shine. I’m sure every Eagles’ fan was expecting the worst.  But Brandon Graham forced a Brady fumble and rookie Derek Barnett recovered.  The Eagles scored again with 1:01 on the clock.  The margin now was eight.  New England could only tie them.

It did not happen. Eagles 41- New England 33.

The Eagles won their first Super Bowl. I watched their last championship in 1960 (I was 14 at the time).  The game was played on the day after Christmas in Philadelphia against Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers.  The Eagles won the game 17-13.  It was the only playoff loss suffered by a Vince Lombardi team.  Bethlehem native Chuck Bednarik (nicknamed “60-minutes Chuck”) played center on offense and linebacker on defense.  He was awesome.

Fifty-eight years is a long time to wait between championships, but his one was sweeter than most because, much like the Packers in 1960, the Patriots today were thought to be invincible and unbeatable.

NFL football certainly had their problems this year – the National Anthem protest, lower ratings, injuries to many of their elite players (Aaron Rodgers and T. J. Watt to name just two), review after review of plays leading to longer and longer games, and the biggest problem of all – the continuing concussion and brain damage effects of playing the game.

But today, that is a discussion for another time. The Eagles are the Super Bowl champions for 2017!  Oh, myyyyy!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME SUPER BOWL MUSINGS) 

1. In the biggest game of the year, why did NBC elect NOT to have a retired official in the booth? Two of the biggest plays in the game, the Alshon Jeffery catch for a touchdown and the Zach Ertz catch in the fourth quarter certainly could have used another set of eyes.
2. Can’t Bill Belichick just once dress like a normal person? I threw a party at my house and everyone at the party was dressed better than he was!
3. Overall, despite some great challengers (like the M&M commercial with Danny DeVito), I thought the Tide commercials were the most creative. My only question was whether the Super Bowl was loaded with their target audience. I’ll let the marketing people decide if it was a stroke of genius or money that was not well-spent.
4. I’m sure you saw the young man who became the focus of the Justin Timberlake half-time show when Timberlake went into the stands. Timberlake ended up taking a “selfie” at the end of the performance with the youngster. If you can believe social media, the boy did not even know who Justin Timberlake was.
5. Be honest. Could Nick Foles and his wife have a cuter baby? And the baby seemed to enjoy every minute of her time on camera.

 Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (LAST WEEK – 1-0; OVERALL – 172-94 – 65%)

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION

Never wrote this before:

THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES!!