Thomas Paine wrote three works that, after this weekend, seem appropriate to reflect on as they pertain to the National Anthem and some players in the National Football League.  The titles of these three works speak volumes in themselves – Common Sense, The Rights of Man, and The Age of Reason.

When I was teaching, I taught a course called “Books That Changed the World” (The Prince, An Essay on the Principle of Population, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Mein Kampf, etc.) and one of the books I chose was Common Sense.  It was written in 1776 and its sole purpose was to convince the colonists that breaking away from England to become a separate nation was the only course of action that made sense.  It was this logic, bravery, and determination of the citizenry that led to the forming of the United States of America.

The American Revolution was, in its most fundamental way, a protest and one which had serious consequences.  And because we won the battle, men like Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Paine, and Franklin are all considered heroes today.

So how should we treat those members of the NFL who deem it necessary to send a message of dissatisfaction with the country when our National Anthem is played?  First, we must consider WHY they are protesting.  The players, from what I have gathered, feel there is a racial injustice going on in this country and to ignore that is just plain wrong.  Believe me; I have never felt that I know anything about the effects of racial prejudice.  I am white and I have never been subjected to an attack on me due to my skin pigment.  I read Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin when I was young and it left an indelible impression on me.  Griffin, a white American, darkened his skin and spent six weeks in the Deep South as a black man.  He faced prejudice every single day.  That book opened my eyes.

Thomas Paine expressed what I believe the players feel – “A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.”  So, the players protest.  In this country, protest was and remains our foundation.  Free speech is what makes America, America.  The message may cause one to suffer consequences, but history has taught us that for every action, there is often a reaction.  Thomas Paine was well aware that a British victory would have meant his death for treason, but as he said, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”

I would not think of sitting or kneeling when the National Anthem is being played and the players who kneel or raise their fists in protest will most certainly feel the wrath of many.  They should expect that.  But don’t take away their right to seek change and don’t take away the right to criticize them for it.  After all, speaking your mind is truly American.  It is one of our fundamental rights.  That is why there is America.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Well, the Browns didn’t take Carson Wentz in the draft because they felt he wasn’t good enough. They could have. How do you think they feel today?
2. Some interesting coaching decisions on the first NFL weekend. Hue Jackson of the Browns tried a fake punt in the Eagles game that was unbelievably ill-conceived (the punter was on the line of scrimmage) and led to three easy points for the Birds.  Jack Del Rio of the Raiders, on the other hand, went for two instead of just tying the game against New Orleans with 47 seconds to go.  They were successful and won 35-34.  There’s a fine line between “goat” and “hero”.
3. The first touchdown on Sunday in the NFL was the Carson Wentz TD pass.
4. Terrelle Pryor, who is a converted QB now at WR for the Browns, made some great catches Sunday. He is the SAME Terrelle Pryor who was the quarterback at Jeanette High School when they lost to the Lehigh Valley’s Wilson Warriors for the PIAA state football championship in 2006.  Jeanette and Pryor won the State Championship the following year.
5. Friday, September 16, RCN-TV offers up Parkland at Easton (7:00pm) and Bethlehem Catholic at Nazareth (10:00pm). Lafayette travels to Princeton for a Saturday broadcast at 5:00pm.  You’re invited.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (Last week – 10-6;  Overall – 10-6 – 63% )
Week Two

JETS
DETROIT
HOUSTON
NEW ENGLAND
BALTIMORE
PITTSBURGH
WASHINGTON
GIANTS
CAROLINA
ARIZONA
SEATTLE
DENVER
OAKLAND
SAN DIEGO
GREEN BAY
PHILADELPHIA

The first weekend of the 2016 NFL season begins Thursday night, September 8, when the Broncos host the Panthers and it ends on Monday night with the 49’ers welcoming the Rams.  The other teams all play on Sunday.  So that can only mean one thing – it is time for my season outlook.  Last week, I looked at the AFC and this week it’s the NFC.  Remember everyone is 0-0 at the moment and the aspirations of the fans are running high.  If I dampen your spirit with my thoughts, just remember I don’t know any more than you do and, quite possibly, even less.

NFC EAST 

1. Washington Redskins – They won the division last year so I will go with them again. Their offense can be explosive and the defense might just be good enough.  This division is wide open, but the Tony Romo injury helped everybody but the Cowboys.
2. New York Giants – They had to shore up their defense and they did with money and draft picks. The offense should be problematic for opponents under new head coach Bob McAdoo.  It would be no surprise if they win the East.
3. Dallas – All they needed to be favored in the East was to get their offense healthy again. Well, forget that with the injury to Romo and a defense that does not impress.  They needed to outscore opponents and now that will not happen.  But even with rookie Dak Prescott, they should win more games than the Eagles.
4. Philadelphia – I would have picked them third, with the injury to Romo. Then they went and traded Bradford. Their schedule includes some of the best of the AFC and the NFC North so there are no easy wins.  The offensive line is a real concern.  And now, they start a rookie quarterback.  So, back to last place.

NFC NORTH 

1. Green Bay – Who else could be favored here? Aaron Rodgers has his receivers back and the defense looks strong again.  They have a tough opener at Jacksonville, so don’t panic if they lose that one.
2. Minnesota – Does this team EVER catch a break? They won the division last year and looked to be really good this season.  Then their starting quarterback goes down with a freak non-contact serious knee injury and is likely out for the year.  But they went out and got Sam Bradford.  Their defense is solid, and the offense if Bradford stays healthy should be pretty good now.
3. Chicago – If only their offense was better. The Bears will be as fierce as ever on defense and John Fox’s teams improve with him at the helm.  They may surprise.
4. Detroit –They played exceptionally well after their horrendous start last year (1-7). Calvin Johnson has retired and that hurts.  With a tough division, they are still picked last.

NFC SOUTH 

1. Carolina – This could be the NFL’s best offensive team with some added weapons. The defense is certainly good enough to compete for a Super Bowl.
2. New Orleans – Drew Brees always makes them dangerous and Mark Ingram is back at running back. If defense wins games as they say, the Saints will fall short in that department.
3. Atlanta – They have a very tough road schedule (Oakland, Denver, and Seattle) which could keep them from the playoffs. If Matt Ryan has an exceptional year, they could be a wild card.
4. Tampa Bay – How good is Jameis Winston at quarterback after a year under his belt. I don’t think he’s good enough to overcome their other deficiencies.

NFC WEST 

1. Arizona – This will be one of the very best teams in the NFL – the defense is strong and the offense is ridiculous. Could be a good Super Bowl pick.
2. Seattle – The best defense and a solid offense. They will make the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year and are always a contender for the title.
3. Los Angeles – They will probably start #1 draft pick, Jared Goff, at QB; travel to London for a game; and await a new stadium. Lots of distractions, not to mention their HBO Hard Knocks show.
4. San Francisco – Chip Kelly tries his system in a MUCH tougher division than the NFC East where the Eagles sat. He will struggle this year, but gets to spend four weeks back on the East Coast.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
NFC Playoffs
Championship Game – Cardinals vs Carolina
NFC Champions – Arizona Cardinals
Super Bowl Champions – Arizona Cardinals

NFL Picks – Week One
Carolina
Houston
Atlanta
Tennessee
Philadelphia
Cincinnati
Oakland
Kansas City
Baltimore
Green Bay
Seattle
Giants
Indianapolis
Arizona
Pittsburgh
Los Angeles
 

The first weekend of the 2016 NFL season begins Thursday night, September 8, when the Broncos host the Panthers and it ends on Monday night with the Redskins welcoming the Steelers.  The other teams all play on Sunday.  So that can only mean one thing – it is time for my season outlook.  This week, I will analyze the AFC and do the NFC next week.  Remember everyone is 0-0 at the moment and the aspirations of the fans are running high.  If I dampen your spirit with my thoughts, just remember I don’t know any more than you do and, quite possibly, even less.

AFC EAST 

1. New England – Tom Brady will miss four games and Jimmy Garoppolo will take over. It probably will not matter.  Brady comes back stronger and fresher than ever; Garoppolo makes his case to get a big contract and start somewhere else; and, surprise, surprise the Patriots win the division.
2. Buffalo – They had a great draft; will get New England without Brady in one game; and have a good shot at making the playoffs.
3. Jets – Ryan Fitzpatrick has settled his differences and the back-up situation seems muddled at best with three other QB The schedule is murderous at the beginning and they get Brady for both games.
4. Miami – Adam Gase is the new head coach and the Dolphins have had a good preseason. The Dolphins just seem to underachieve.  If Gase can change that mindset, perhaps they can move ahead of the Jets.

AFC NORTH 

1. Pittsburgh – Their offense is virtually unstoppable as long as they stay healthy and avoid any more suspension problems (Le’Veon Bell). They need to improve in the secondary, but if the defense gets even a little better, the Steelers will not only win the division, but could have a shot at another Super Bowl ring.
2. Baltimore – They were really banged up last season placing 20 players on the injured reserve list. Since they finish the season with the Patriots, and the Steelers, their final game with the Bengals could be for the playoff spot.
3. Cincinnati –They are better than the Ravens and they have reached the playoffs for five consecutive years, but something always seems to go wrong here. Their final game with the Ravens could move them up to #2.
4. Cleveland – It’s Cleveland!

AFC SOUTH 

1. Jacksonville – This team is solid – QB Blake Bortles is really good. If they can beat out the Texans, they could do well in the playoffs.
2. Houston – This team could be VERY good. Only playing with a new QB and a new RB could cause some early problems as well as the absence of JJ Watt until his back heals.
3. Indianapolis – Andrew Luck makes them competitive; their defense does not.
4. Tennessee – A tough schedule and an overall improved division keeps them at the bottom.

AFC WEST 

1. Kansas City – Jamaal Charles is back and he may be just enough to push them over the top. Andy Reid has a winner here.
2. Denver – Plenty of lost personnel here starting with Peyton Manning, but my gut says they will not miss an offensive beat; defense was hurt more by free agency and the division got tougher.
3. Oakland – The Raiders have an easier schedule than most, especially at the start. If they get confidence and momentum, they could crack the playoffs.
4. San Diego – If you can run the ball and stop the run, you can win. The Chargers can’t do either; ergo, they won’t win.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
AFC Playoffs
Championship Game – Steelers vs Patriots
AFC Champions – The Pittsburgh Steelers

My Week One NFL predictions are coming next week.

Friday, August 26, at 7:00pm, the high school football season begins!  I know it seems early.  That’s because it is.  To accommodate the addition of two more classifications (AAAAAA and AAAAA), and the PIAA state championship finals, the season begins a week earlier than in the past.  Remember when no games were played until after Labor Day – this year, two will be played BEFORE Labor Day!  That’s the earliest start ever for Pennsylvania.  And the earliest finish to the regular season if your team does not have a Thanksgiving Day game – October 28-29.  Good or bad, that’s the way it is.

If you want to look ahead already to Districts, here are the Lehigh Valley teams and their classes:

AAAAAA – Allen, Dieruff, Easton, Emmaus, Freedom, Liberty, Nazareth, Northampton, and Parkland.
AAAAA – Southern Lehigh, Whitehall (both are guaranteed a spot in Districts with only four teams)
AAAA – Central Catholic, Bangor, Bethlehem Catholic, Northern Lehigh, Saucon Valley
AAA – Northern Lehigh, Notre Dame, Palisades, Pen Argyl, Salisbury, Wilson
AA – Catasauqua
A – No Lehigh Valley schools

Five new coaches will lead their schools in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and the Colonial League.

In the EPC, Harold Fairclough replaces Randy Cuthbert at Emmaus.  Harold coached six years at Central and took the team to a state title in 2010.  Tim Moncman takes over the Parkland program replacing Jim Morgans, who won over 250 games with the Trojans.  Moncman coached 10 years at Liberty and took them to a state title in 2008.

Chris Labatch will start his first head coaching job at Wilson, replacing Matt Senneca.  He recently was the defensive coordinator for Saucon Valley, which is coming off a record-setting year.  Wilson was 1-9 last year.  Phil Sams is the new Saucon Valley coach.  He has the toughest act to follow as the Panthers went 14-1 last year under Matt Evancho.  Like Labatch, Sams was an assistant last year at Saucon.  Finally Phil Stambaugh will be the new head coach at Notre Dame – Green Pond.  Former head coach Chuck Muller has moved to Saucon as a defensive coordinator.  Stambaugh led Pius X to a 43-19 record before the school closed.

It appears that the EPC will be extremely competitive with Parkland coming back slightly to the pack.  I still think the Trojans will win the South, but Freedom, Easton, and Whitehall all could sneak in; Central will win the North. Saucon Valley will repeat as the champion of the Colonial League, but Notre Dame could surprise everyone.

I will be at Frank Banko Field on Friday night for the Central Catholic – Freedom game.  If you see me, say hello.  I will be wearing an RCN shirt and have a big smile on my face because FOOTBALL IS HERE!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

I need to preface my musings this week because they are about the Olympics and I watched the competitions on a big screen at poolside aboard the Anthem of the Seas while on a cruise.  I was amongst people from all over the world which made for an interesting perspective.  I recommend this viewing spot to anyone.

1. Did you know there were lifeguards on duty at the swimming venue? The world’s greatest swimmers need a lifeguard?
2. Fiji won their first gold medal ever when they beat Great Britain 43-7 in rugby.
3. Simone Biles is “unworldly”. Four golds and a bronze and the best smile at the Games.
4. Did you notice the difference in women’s beach volleyball uniforms when Egypt participated – skimpy bikinis covering little, on one side, and a hijab, covering everything but face, hands, and feet on the other.
5. Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky performed as expected and that is not always easy to do.
6. Ryan Lochte embarrassed himself, his fellow team members, and the US with his college drunken weekend escapade. There were few black marks at this Olympics, but this was one of them.

The Olympics in Rio are up and running.  Despite all of the warnings about crime and the Zika virus, there has been very little bad news to come out of the Games.  As I write this, the United States is doing very well (men’s gymnastics aside) and, as is often the case, television viewership ratings rise as the Games proceed.  NBC and their family of cable channels do a marvelous job of covering what must be a monumental challenge.  Being a very small part of the business of television, I find it mind-boggling to think of what goes into producing and televising the Olympics.  Between the set-up for all the venues and the personnel necessary to man the events, the organization and the price tag must seem like running a small country.

According to Forbes, the cost just to acquire the rights to televise from the IOC is just over $1 billion.  NBC recently just extended their contract for 6 Olympics through 2032 at a cost of $7.75 billion.  This does not include the cost of ACTUALLY producing the event.  That price tag is estimated at a little over $1 million per year.  So can it possibly be worth it?

The audience size (21 million plus per night) approaches NBC’s Sunday Night Football, the network’s most watched program.  More women watch the Olympics than men and the audience is made up of viewers with higher than average incomes. This is an advertiser’s dream.  Couple that with the fact that the other networks tend not to challenge the Olympic broadcasts.  Reruns are the norm, with even LIVE shows taking a couple of weeks off.

NBC has announced that they broke revenue records this year with over $1 billion of advertising sales.  The audience profile and the ability to televise most events LIVE because of the one-hour time zone difference made this year a very attractive product.  And it never hurts that advertising during the Olympics looks like a very patriotic thing to do.

Ironically, the largest advertiser is NBC itself. The Olympics is the perfect way to promote their programming and their other cable channels.  In addition, the Olympics draw a huge audience on digital devices, which is the future of broadcasting.  Getting more and more eyes on mobile devices, social sites, and online cannot be a bad thing.

So, with an expense budget of a small country, does NBC make or lose money on the Olympics?  It appears they come very close to breaking even financially, but they certainly are winners when you account for all of the positive intangibles they acquire.

Everyone from upper management, to the talent, to the various crews that man the events, can take pride in knowing that “going for the gold” has pretty much been accomplished.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. For some reason, I did not think I would get into the Olympics like years past. I was wrong.  As soon as I am going around the dial, I find I stop on them and get caught up in all the interesting stories and the events themselves.
2. Rio should be very upset with the media for keeping people away with all of their foreboding of crime and Zika. Now reporters are saying the Olympic area is like any other big city – know where and where not to go and you will be fine andit seems, so far, mosquitoes took the two weeks off.
3. Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees will play his final game on Friday, August 12. He will not play next year and still make $28 million. He signed for 10 years in 2007 for $275 million. If you are looking to retire, try to get his “exit plan”.
4. If you are a “Seinfeld” fan and you are looking for a good summer read, check out Seinfeldia: how a show about nothing changed everything by Jennifer Armstrong. It is an interesting read about all the inner workings of the show and the characters.
5. High school football begins the RCN season on Friday, August 26, with Central Catholic at Freedom. LIVE at 7:00.

Philadelphia was certainly in the limelight this past week with the Democratic National Convention taking center stage.  All of the media had a presence there.  However, there was no national sports media.

I bring this up because Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Piazza were inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 24.

I watched the great Griffey, Jr. play with the Mariners and the Reds.  His numbers were awesome – 630 home runs, 13 All-Star appearances, 10 Gold Glove Awards, and the statistical list goes on and on.  He received 99.32% of the votes, the highest ever in Hall of Fame history.

Mike Piazza’s story was even more amazing.  As a favor to Dodgers manager, Tommy LaSorda, he was drafted in the 62nd round.  He went on to hit the most home runs by a catcher, bat .308 lifetime, and spent 16 years in the majors.  He was an All-Star 10 consecutive seasons.  He certainly repaid the favor – but mostly as a New York Met.

So what does this have to do with Philadelphia?  The ceremony in Cooperstown made me wonder who the last Philadelphia Phillie was to be inducted into the Hall.  I discovered it has been a while – 21 years to be exact.  On July 30, 1995, Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn entered that day.  And Philadelphia celebrated with an estimated 25,000+ fans showing up for the induction ceremony.

Twenty-one years is a long time.  And it will only get longer, it appears.  As you look at the list of “potential” Phillies to get a consideration, you come up empty.  Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Bobby Abreu will all probably come up short.  Jim Thome, Scott Rolen, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Curt Schilling could possibly get in.  Just not as Phillies.

And it’s not just the Phillies casting a pall over the Philadelphia sports scene.  The Eagles’ last Hall-of-Famer was Reggie White – 24 years ago.  The 76ers’ last was Charles Barkley in 2006.  And neither of these teams appears to be going to get someone in their respective Halls very soon.  Flyers’ fans certainly remember their Hall of Famers Bill Barber (1990), Bobby Clarke (1987), and Bernie Parent (1984), but their inductions were a long time ago.  Mark Howe was the last Philadelphia professional inducted in 2011 in The National Hockey League Hall of Fame.

So as much as we admire the Piazzas and the Griffey, Jr.s of the sporting world, Philadelphia fans would much prefer seeing one of their professional athletes in the limelight.  National politicians?  Not so much.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. The Phillies are batting .218 in their home games this year and are scoring 2.92 runs per game at Citizens Bank Park. That’s the lowest run production in any home park in the major leagues.  Buy your ticket and see no offense at all.
2. Because July 31 was a Sunday, the Major League Baseball trade deadline was extended to 4:00pm on Monday, August 1. As I write this, phone lines around the MLB offices must be buzzing with activity.  Someone might want to trade for the LA Dodgers’ ball girl.  On Sunday, she caught a foul ball traveling at 108.7 miles per hour.
3. If you need a Lehigh Valley reason to watch the Olympics, then let Joe Kovacs be that reason. Joe, a Bethlehem Catholic graduate, is a medal favorite in the shotput in Rio.  He won the world championships last year.  The final for shot put is August 18 @ 8:00pm.
4. Sunday produced another great “Major” finish in golf. The PGA Championship came down to the final putt of the final match.  Jimmy Walker (no, not of “Dyn-o-mite” fame) won his first major.  Every major golf tournament this year was won by a first-timer.
5. The Patriot League Football Media Day was this week, so the pads will be thumping between now and opening day or night. RCNTV has Central Catholic at Freedom on opening night, August 26.

Last week, I discussed the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) by Russian athletes during the 2014 Sochi Olympics.  An investigation showed excessive manipulation by Russia’s sports ministry in the drug testing back to the 2011 and 2015 Olympic Games as well as the 2014 games in Sochi.  Twenty-eight sports were implicated in the Russian investigation.

A ruling came down on Sunday of this week from the International Olympic Committee that will allow the individual sports federations to decide which Russian athletes would compete in Rio.  The ruling also said that Russian athletes who have previously served bans due to doping will not be allowed to take part in the Games.

Obviously, there was a great outcry from anti-doping organizations that the IOC simply “passed the buck” and did not have the guts to sanction all Russian athletes from the games in Rio.  The IOC defended their position by saying that an athlete who was not implicated in the drug scandal should be free to compete and need not be punished for the actions of others.

One decision had already been made.  The Russian track and field athletes would not be able to compete.  One female Russian, long jumper Darya Klishina, would be an exception because she was tested outside of Russia.  Others say the federations may not have the knowledge or the time to adequately determine who should or should not compete.

I will let you decide if the IOC was only being fair to the Russian athletes who may be clean or very unfair to the world athletes who are definitely clean.

To me, the most interesting decision was the one to ban former Russian runner Yulia Stepanova from the Rio games.  Yulia had been suspended for two years after being found guilty of doping back in 2013.  During her suspension, she and her husband, Vitaliy, broke the story of how the Russian sports system used large-scale doping with their athletes.

So the very person who brought the scandal out into the open would not be allowed to compete even though her two-year punishment had been served.  She wanted to compete as an individual athlete, not for any country.  She and her husband are currently living in the United States.

So what is the lesson learned?  Will others come forward to expose illegal tactics if they, too, will be punished more severely than the athletes who remained silent?  The Olympic Games will go on starting August 5 and will include Russian athletes.  It does appear that there will be a cloud of distrust that winners won medals without the help of artificial assistance.  I can only hope that great performances will be proven to be just that – great performances!  I have my doubts.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. The Russians can’t seem to stay out of the news. They are suspected of having released the Democratic e-mails to Wikileaks that showed the DNC treated the Sanders campaign unfairly to help get the Hillary Clinton nomination.  Trump vs. Clinton may be the best/worst competition of the year.
2. NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon did not stay retired very long. He filled in for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at the Brickyard 400.  Earnhardt, Jr. has been experiencing concussion symptoms.  Gordon finished thirteenth.
3. I am not a NASCAR fan, but it appears many more aren’t either. At Indianapolis on Sunday only 50,000 fans filled the 250,000 seats, continuing the steady decline of NASCAR attendance.
4. As NFL football camps open this week, Ray Rice does not have a contract. In case you forgot, Rice was suspended by the Ravens in 2014 for domestic violence.  He has been out of football ever since.  He wants to play again and says he would donate his entire salary to combat domestic violence.  The minimum he would be paid would be $885,000.  Would you sign him?
5. The Blue Mountain League regular season ends this week and congratulations to the defending league champions, Limeport Bulls. They won the regular season and, along with the Yankees, will get a bye to the semifinals.  The playoffs should be as competitive as the regular season.  Get out and watch a game.

The Olympic Games begin in Rio on August 5 and will run through August 21.  During the Olympics, inevitably there will be conversation about performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).  The focus on enhancing performance through the use of drugs was magnified in 1976 when the East German female swimmers won 10 gold medals out of 12, six silvers, and one bronze.  The previous Olympics, the East German female swimmers had won only four silvers and one bronze.  After the Berlin Wall fell, documents were found that showed that the swimmers without their parents’ knowledge had been given a drug regimen since the age of 11 to dramatically improve their performances.

The controversy still remains and may be at an all-time high.  Forty-two athletes were stripped of their medals or disqualified from competing in 2012 due to finding banned substances in their systems.  This year, 10 nations and 20 athlete groups have requested that the entire Russian delegation be barred from the Summer Olympics because of state- sponsored doping programs.  Even Russia’s anti-doping lab director said that the government ordered him to cover up the widespread use of PEDs during the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

On Monday, a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency was issued and determined that state-sponsored doping of Russian athletes occurred in preparation for the Sochi Olympics.  The US and Canada have asked that “no athlete can represent Russia at the Rio Olympic Games.”  The Commission is leaving that decision up to the International Olympic Committee.

The United States is not free of guilt here either.  It has also had its share of athletes stripped of their medals.  Lance Armstrong and Marion Jones are the most famous.  Since 1968, 11 US medals have been revoked, second only to Russia.  The event that has been disciplined the most with athletes of all countries is Men’s Weightlifting.

So with all the attention that is now focused on PEDs, can we expect the stories coming out of Rio in a few weeks to be about the super-human performances or will they be about how these performances were achieved?

I would like to think when I sit down to watch the competitors that technology has advanced to the point where if you cheat, you will be caught.  And those who win gold medals have done so fairly or, if not, those medals will immediately be revoked.  If that is the case, it will be the first time since 1968, when the first Olympic doping cheat was found, that medals have gone to all who deserve them.

So when I am cheering “USA!  USA!” on the outside, I am hoping “No PEDs! No PEDs” on the inside.  Let the Games begin!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. The Liberty boys and the Nazareth girls won the basketball Sportsfest titles this past weekend. The winter season looks like it will be very, very competitive with so many strong teams in both boys and girls.  Emmaus, Whitehall, Allen, Pocono Mountain West, Parkland, and Bangor look very strong on the boys’ side and an equal number of strong challengers for the girls.
2. The British Open final round was one for the ages. Henrik Stensen outdueled Phil Mickelson in a match-play-like finale and shot an amazing 63 with 10 birdies.  He had the lowest score ever over 72 holes in a major (264).  Mickelson shot 65 and did not bogey a hole.  His total of 267 was the fourth best score in major history and he did not win.  Colin Montgomery had the same score and did not win in 1995.  Stensen won $1.5 million.
3. The folk hero of the British Open was Andrew Johnston – “Beef”. The somewhat overweight, heavily-bearded Brit finished eighth and won $224,196.  Ranked 104^th in the world, it was his look, his demeanor and, more importantly, his play that captured the crowd’s support.  His father died when he was 17, and he welled up coming up 18 thinking of him.  Let’s hope he continues to play well.  He seems to represent the average Joe.  By the way, his wedge has nine different types of beef engraved on it – rib-eye, brisket, sirloin, t-bone, tri-tip, flank, filet mignon, porterhouse, and skirt.
4. I never did this playing a round of golf, but if I wouldn’t have to pay for a new club, I probably would have:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/furious-golfer-snaps-golf-club-throws-it-in-a-bush-at-british-open

I did play once with a golfer who after a bad shot on hole #18, took each club out of his bag, one by one, and threw them into the nearby woods.  Then, he had second thoughts and painstakingly retrieved them.

5. When you are a real fan, and a baseball game takes six hours and 18 innings to be completed, your emotions run the gamut. Watch:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/young-pirates-fan-18-inning-game-emotions-nationals-mlb

It’s the mythical half-way point in the major league baseball season.  It’s hard to believe that the first games were played back on April 3.  I made my predictions for the season the very next day so just as it is time for each team to get their mid-term grades, I suppose I should see how I am doing with my season predictions.  I have listed the teams in the order I felt they would finish.  The number in parentheses indicates where each team currently stands in the division.

American League
West

1. Houston (2) – Got off to a terrible start, but playing better now. Can they catch the Rangers?  Not with another slump in the second half.
2. Texas Rangers (1) – I didn’t see them being one of the best teams in baseball – I was wrong – again!
3. Seattle (3) – Offense has looked good; their pitching has not. They are right where they should be.
4. LA Angels (5) – Veterans have not been good; playoffs seem out of the realm of possibility and most feel they have the worst farm system in baseball. Dare I say bleak future?
5. Oakland (4) – Better than expected? Or are the Angels just worse?  Nothing they have done has worked out so far.

Central

1. Kansas City (4) – My worst pick of the entire list of teams. Their starting pitching is just awful, as was my pick for them to win the pennant.
2. Cleveland (1) They look like the best in the Central – good pitching and an improved offense. Cleveland wins the NBA and now, maybe the World Series?
3. Chicago (3) – Really started the season well and then they fell apart going 15-19 in last 34 games. They will not contend.
4. Detroit (2) – Most thought they would be better than I did. They were right, but this is a wide-open division.  I might end up being right.
5. Minnesota (5) – A complete disaster.

East

1. Toronto (3) – Still in the playoff hunt and they have the potential to be very good at the end of the season.
2. Boston (2) – They score more runs than any other team and have the highest team batting average; starting pitching has been good. Could be in first by season’s end.
3. New York Yankees (4) – Where have the real Yankees gone? They really were not expected to contend, but they are the Yankees (or are they?)
4. Tampa Bay (5) – One of the worst records in baseball – they need the Joe Madden magic.
5. Baltimore (1) – Obviously, I botched this pick. They hit the ball.  Starting pitching might falter, however, so I could still recover from this pick.

My pre-season prediction: Kansas City will win the American League pennant.
My Grade – F

National League
West

1. San Francisco (1) – The Giants win in even-numbered years (what? – I read it somewhere); will battle the Cubs for supremacy.
2. LA Dodgers (2) – They should make the playoffs, but I do not see them catching the Giants.
3. Arizona (5) – They were expected to contend, but starting pitching is woeful.
4. San Diego (4) – Will not contend; rebuilding after trying their best with deals last year.
5. Colorado (3) – The Rockies are competitive, but not strong enough to challenge for West title.

Central

1. Chicago (1) – Great start – 11-11 since, but they could break the championship drought. The All-Star break will probably help them.
2. St Louis (2) – They will be in the playoffs, despite not winning much at home in the first half of the season. They will hope that Chicago swoons again.
3. Pittsburgh (3) – The lack of pitching has hurt the Pirates this year. They are potentially still a very good team.
4. Milwaukee (4) – This team is better, but they are in the toughest division and exceeding expectations.
5. Cincinnati (5) – The Reds have done what they were expected to do – lose.

East

1. NY Mets (2) – They struggle to score and Washington just is better. Should still make the playoffs.
2. Washington (1) – Great starting pitching with enough offense makes the Nationals the East champion. No collapse this year.
3. Miami (3) – The Marlins have really improved as demonstrated by their record. They probably will not make the post-season, but currently have a very successful year.
4. Philadelphia (4) – Rebuilding and winning more. Neither is a bad thing.  Even though they are in fourth place, the future looks brighter every week.
5. Atlanta (5) – They have lived up to their very low expectations. They will lose 100+ games.

My pre-season prediction: Chicago will beat the Mets for the N L pennant.
My Grade – A-
Overall Grade – C-

Cubs win it all!!  Only time will tell.

 
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Did you see where NFL.com listed Eagles’ coach Doug Pederson at the very bottom of their power rankings for coaches? That’s right – he was ranked #32 out of #32.  Nowhere to go but up!
2. By the way, Bill Belichick ranked #1 and former Eagles’ coaches Andy Reed and Chip Kelly were #6 and #20, respectively.
3. Golf rules played another major role this past weekend in the US Women’s Open championship. In a three-hole playoff, Anna Nordqvist brushed the sand on her backswing on the second hole and incurred a two-stroke penalty.  She was not told until the third hole.  Television replays clearly showed that she committed the violation.  To make matters worse, the USGA President repeatedly congratulated “Bethany Lang” for her win.  The winner was Brittany
4. Since my last blog, notable sports icon Pat Summitt passed away. She may have been the best-ever as a women’s basketball coach.  Buddy Ryan also passed away.  There were very few similarities in their coaching style.
5. The RCN Blue Mountain League crew had a nice reunion with the volunteer workers at Balliet Stadium in Coplay last week. They have done a wonderful job on the field and continue to work to improve the entire summer baseball experience.

I wrote my blog last week before the USGA embarrassed themselves by not immediately enforcing a rule that penalizes a player if he causes his ball to move.  The USGA hinted that they were going to penalize eventual winner Dustin Johnson, but only after the round ended and Johnson had a chance to explain himself.  Thus, no one knew for sure whether Johnson would lose a stroke or not. At the time, Johnson only led by one stroke.  He was penalized after the round, but the penalty did not cost him the Open championship.

Worse than that, he probably had very little to do, if anything, with the ball moving.  And even worse than that, golf is a game where the integrity of the players is essential.  In fact, the day prior to Sunday’s round, Shane Lowry, who ironically was one stroke behind Johnson when he heard about the potential one stroke penalty on Sunday, called a penalty on himself.  Dustin Johnson flat-out said he did not cause the ball to move.  Shouldn’t the player’s word be enough?  And there was no gained advantage to the ball moving ever so slightly so why the rule in the first place?

This led me to investigate (okay, Google) some other downright strange rules in the world of sports.  Here are just ten:

1. If a baseball player attempts to catch a ball with his hat or a catcher with his mask, the hitter is granted a ground rule triple.
2. Soccer goalies must wear long-sleeves and cannot roll them up at any time during the match. Referees need to know it’s the goalie who touches the ball with his hands.
3. In water polo, grabbing, kicking, or hitting the groin is prohibited (so is splashing water in an opponent’s face).
4. In the NFL, if the third string quarterback enters the game, the first and second string quarterbacks may not play in that game again.
5. In major league baseball, if a player is announced on the PA system, he must enter the game or be declared ineligible for the rest of the game.
6. In the NFL, if a punt returner calls for a fair catch, his team can opt to go for an uncontested field goal.
7. In MLB, if a ball becomes lodged in an umpire’s mask, all runners will advance a base.
8. A professional hockey goalie cannot cross the red line that marks the center ice.
9. If a batter in baseball, bats out of order, he is out immediately and the teammate he batted for is charged with the time at bat. The batter who made the error must then bat again in his proper spot.
10. If a MLB pitcher licks his hand, wipes his brow, or touches his waistline he must first wipe his hand on his shirt before touching the baseball.

There are plenty of others in every sport. Now the USGA says they are going to try to simplify the Rules of Golf and make them more understandable to the average player and viewer.  All other sports’ bodies should take heed and do the same.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. If you are a Phillies fan, you may be wondering how Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Cole Hamels are doing this year. Jimmy Rollins signed with the White Sox after a bad year statistically with the Dodgers.  He was assigned to the minor leagues and was hitting .221 before they chose to reassign him again.  Chase Utley is still a Dodger and is having a pretty good year – .261 average, 10 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, and 25 RBI’s.  Cole Hamels is 8-1 with a 2.79 ERA.  He, also, has stayed healthy and is taking his rotation spot on a regular basis.
2. It is obvious that Ryan Howard will not be a Phillie next season. The penalty – he will get $10 million NOT to play with them next season.  I wonder how much I could get NOT to announce (place your wise comment here).
3. Remember the name Charlie Woods – the 7-year-old son of Tiger recently tied for second place in 9-hole junior event. He shot a 55, 19 over par.  The winner shot a 50.  There’s already a nickname – the Little Cat.
4. With the selection of Ben Simmons as their #1 draft choice, the 76’ers may (dare I say it) compete next season. If Joel Embiid can play (and he hasn’t since March 1, 2014), the combination could be a real force in the league.  And the 76’ers still have Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor on the roster.  Someone will have to go.  Bottom line – the team might start winning – Oh, my!!
5. A Jamaican sprinter on the 4X 100m relay team announced this week that he has the Zika Virus.  A sign of things to come?