JUST GIVE ME 5 SECONDS:

No, I am not asking you to give me 5 seconds of your attention.  I can’t get my wife to do that.  And if you are going to read this, it will take considerably longer than 5 seconds.  I am asking for the NCAA to give women’s basketball five more seconds on the shot clock.

In 1954, the NBA decided to go to a “shot clock” to increase interest in the pro game by forcing teams to shoot more and foul less.  The NBA certainly needed the rule.  There were reports of fans walking out of games.  The final straw may very well have come on November 22, 1950, when the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18.  Murray Mendenhall, the Pistons coach, decided to hold the ball until the end of the game in an attempt to score the winning points.  The result was a fan base that threatened never to return to another game.

The debate for the shot clock ended when Danny Biasone, the owner of the Syracuse Nationals franchise, convinced the league it was time to keep a team from holding the ball, waiting to be fouled or for time to run out.  It was time to make both teams play at a faster pace.  The number “24”was used, not because of the hours in a day, but because of a mathematical formula using 2,880 seconds in a 48 minute game and dividing that number by the average number of shots taken (120) in a game.  Do the math.  With that, the “24 second clock” was invented (run by an official using a stopwatch on the sideline and yelling, “Time!”).

The NCAA instituted the 30-second clock in women’s college basketball in 1971.  The men were not restricted by a shot clock until 1986, when they were allotted 40 seconds to take an initial shot.  That time was changed to 35 seconds in 1993.  The intent of the rule was simple – create more offense, avoid inactivity, and guarantee the fans more action.  It, also, intensified and rewarded defensive efforts.

It is time to unify the “shot clock” for both men and women.  College offenses today require crisp passes, subtle (and not so subtle) screens, back-cuts, and constant movement.  Execution is critical.  Why must the women be forced to do all of that using 17% less time?

It just seems illogical that the women would have less time to create an offensive set than the men.  Giving the women 5 more seconds would allow them to utilize their skills to the utmost.  It would put a premium on passing, cutting, team play and coaching.  Teams, which are not as big as the opponent, nor physically as strong as the opponent, would be able to be more deliberate and use the attributes and skills they have to compete.  It should cause a decline in sloppy basketball and isolated basketball.  It would reward more individual skills.  It would make women’s basketball a better game.

AND…. It’s just five seconds!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. I hosted Lafayette National Signing Day on the internet this past Wednesday (noon-6:00).  This was the first year for football scholarships in the Patriot League.  I could not help but feel thrilled for the young men who were offered a scholarship worth @$250,000 that allowed them to play a game they loved and attend a quality educational institution like Lafayette.  I wondered if the student-athletes were as happy as their parents.  Sweet!!
2. It’s championship week on RCN-TV.  By Friday, the Lehigh Valley Conference and the Colonial League will crown their boys and girls champions.  16 teams vie for the 4 titles and the games promise to be exceptional.  We have 10 games in 5 days.
3. Athletic performances always amaze me.  The Lafayette women, beaten by Navy 62-44 on January 13, took the Mids to overtime this past Saturday.  They lost, but raised the level of their game through emotion and hard work.  It was Senior Day and it just seemed like everyone was playing as hard as they could to make the seniors proud to be a Leopard.  They succeeded.
4. I finally saw “Argo” this past week.  I do not know how Ben Affleck was left off the Best Director list for an Academy Award.  It is a very, very good movie – a true story – happy ending.
5. Men – Don’t forget Valentine’s Day!  P.S.  “Argo” is not a “date movie”.

SUPER BOWL XLVII OBSERVATIONS:

1. How can anyone possibly watch the pre-game shows, which started at 11:00 AM? I watched from 6:00 and that was more than enough pre-game for me!
2. The Sandy Hook Elementary School choir was outstanding and Jennifer Hudson only added to the beautiful rendition of “America the Beautiful”.
3. Alicia Keyes is REALLY, REALLY talented, BUT can’t anyone sing the National Anthem anymore without drawing it out and adding words or notes at the end? The pace was too slow and the ending was unnecessary.
4. I just cannot accept the sincerity of Ray Lewis or forget his past. He seems to know when the camera is on him and “acts” accordingly.
5. Off-sides, illegal formation, interception, fumble – These early mistakes were disastrous for the 49’ers. They did not seem ready to go in the playoffs until things got desperate. Then they really turned it on.
6. We would really be talking about the fake field goal on 4th and 9 by the Ravens if they had lost.
7. Look closely at the missed field goal by David Akers and the subsequent penalty for “roughing the kicker”. I watched it many times. Akers fell on his own and I do not think he was even touched.
8. Joe Flacco and Colin Kaepernick’s Super Bowl performances just added their names to the list of some great, young quarterbacks in the NFL right now. Kaepernick’s accuracy and arm strength are amazing. Flacco’s demeanor and skills are equally impressive.
9. Everyone, including the CBS announcers, seemed to blame the power outage for the 49’ers comeback. Perhaps, San Francisco made some defensive halftime adjustments to limit the effectiveness of the Raven offense and figured some things out on the offensive side to combat the Raven defense.
10. I wonder how many people turned the game off (28-6) when the outage occurred?
11. Colin Kaepernick is adopted. His parents lost two children shortly after they were born before adopting him. It is quite a story. Check it out.
12. The Harbaugh parents must have loved and hated the game. How could they enjoy the success of one son at the expense of the other? I hope they enjoyed Beyonce!
13. Speaking of Beyonce, everyone at the gathering I attended to watch the game agreed her halftime show was terrific. I really liked the stage rising up from behind her and the graphics and special effects that went along with the song. She did not seem to give much acknowledgement to her roots, Destiny’s Child, however.
14. Is pass interference pass interference no matter when it occurs during the game? Do you agree with the adage that you let the players win or lose the game? I believe non-calls often decide who does win or lose a game.
15. With all the millions spent on Super Bowl ads, the big winner this week was TCCD International. They distribute BuckPower Antler Velvet legally to vitamin stores and Walgreens. Ray Lewis allegedly used the deer antler spray to recover from a torn bicep. And all their publicity was free!!
16. My top five commercials were, in no particular order were:
    1. GoDaddy geek-supermodel kiss
    2. Budweiser Clydesdale reunion
    3. Audi prom story
    4. Best Buy with Amy Poehler
    5. Taco Bell’s nursing home rebellious clients
17. I was not impressed with the:
    1. Coke Chase
    2. GoDaddy’s other commercial about coming up with new ideas
    3. E-trade’s baby spot
18. The beer that is poured from black bottles looks like beer poured from regular glass bottles.
19. CBS cleverly added their #1 new show, “Elementary”, to their program lineup to follow the Super Bowl. Not so clever with the power outage adding a half hour to the Super Bowl broadcast and the new show ending well past midnight. Even TiVo could not anticipate the late start. I’m sure it seemed like such a good idea at the time.
20. XLVIII is being held outdoors at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and it will be in February! I’m sure it seemed like such a good idea at the time.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

SEE ABOVE. I AM ALL “MUSED” OUT!

FINAL SUMMARY OF NFL PICKS

(Last week – 0-1)

(88-55 for the season – 62%)

President Obama was inaugurated for the second time this past weekend and gave a challenging, competitive inaugural speech aimed at the opposition party. Everyone heard his words and had an opinion about what he said on “both sides of the aisle”, as they say. He also made a comment that did not garner nearly as much attention; however, as a sports and football fan, it warranted some investigation and thoughts.

“I’m a big football fan,” Obama told the New Republic, “but I have to tell you, if I had a son, I’d have to think long and hard before I let him play football.” I still remember my own mother refusing to sign the permission form to let me play football. She finally relented when I went to high school and I played for four years.

This week, Rolling Stone magazine did a study: “This is Your Brain on Football” (Jan., 2013) which concluded that high school football is America’s most dangerous game.

The latest statistics indicate that 3.8 million Americans suffer a concussion on the playground or playing contact sports. The number is probably above 4 million because it is assumed that many concussions go unreported when they do not cause unconsciousness. As a result, the number could realistically be much, much higher. Many neurosurgeons are of the belief that no child should play tackle football until they turn 14. They report that concussive symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, fatigue, inability to focus, memory failure and lightheadedness can linger indefinitely. These symptoms can affect school, activities, and future mental development.

Those of us who played sports wonder why this problem is much more serious than it used to be. Kids have, without a doubt, gotten bigger, faster, and stronger. Doctors say, however, that the development of neck muscles have not. Combining the two has created some devastating consequences.

If the past is a precursor to the future, parents need look no further than the current state of the NFL in the court system. 4,000 former players are currently pressing claims for permanent brain damage. Every week, we watch games where some hits are so vicious that we feel somewhat guilty about enjoying the game so much. We know that these men are being paid quite well to take those hits, so I suppose this helps us assuage our reservations about the game.

P.S.: Girls are twice as likely as boys to suffer concussions when you consider all of the sports played by both genders which may subject them concussions. These include: soccer, lacrosse, hockey, or the leader in head trauma – competitive cheerleading! Did you know 37,000 cheerleaders in the US were taken to ER’s in 2011 alone?

Only football results in more traumatic injuries.

The good news (if there is any) is that prevention of these injuries is being studied by the medical and athletic communities. However, the quandary for parents remains: Would you let your son play football?

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. This past weekend, the Lafayette women’s and the Lafayette men’s basketball teams both beat their archrival, Lehigh. This feat had not been accomplished since February 23, 2008. They did not just win – the women won by 16 at home and the men won by 21 at Lehigh. It all happens again on February 23 and 24.
2. “I went to the Pro Bowl and a basketball game broke out”. NFC-62 AFC-35. I would like to comment on the game, but I did not watch it (again)!
3. San Francisco vs Baltimore on Sunday. Can anybody prove they had these two teams in the Super Bowl this year before the season began? QB’s Colin Kaepernick vs Joe Flacco – no Brady, no Brees, no Manning or Manning – go figure. By the way, the over/under in Vegas is 47.5. I would lean towards the under. The 49’ers are favored in Vegas by 3 ½. Although I am picking the 49’ers, I would lean towards Baltimore with the points.
4. Speaking of predictions, Vegas picked Alabama to win the BCS championship next year. Notre Dame came in 11th as a 25-1 long-shot.
5. “60 Minutes” interviewed USADA on Sunday and the head said Lance Armstrong lied throughout the Oprah interview and if he does not testify truthfully in front of that group, he will never compete again in cycling. I wonder what Dr. Phil will learn from the man who pulled the hoax on Manti Te’o?

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

(Last week – 1-1) (88-54 for the season – 62%)

SAN FRANCISCO – 24-21

The Bible says, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” This past week, the passage from John 8:32 was put to the test by two outstanding athletes, who exhibited less than stellar actions in their athletic pursuits.

In the case of Lance Armstrong, he admitted to Oprah Winfrey that his career as the premiere cyclist in the world was a fraud. Armstrong rose to the top of his profession and deservedly garnered the adoration, admiration and acclaim of cycling fans and those of us who admire any athlete who seems to accomplish the impossible. In addition, after his bout with cancer, Armstrong was seen by virtually everyone as someone who not only overcame this setback, but worked tirelessly to help fight for a cure with one of the greatest charitable organizations, Livestrong. We, then, discovered that these accomplishments were won with the aid of performance enhancing drugs. The situation was compounded by years of lying to the governing bodies of cycling and to the adoring public, who so much wanted to believe him.

He admitted those lies in an interview with Oprah this past week. Did the “truth set him free”? Based on the reaction from the media, the admission came much too late. The overwhelming response is that Armstrong is still arrogant, barely repentant, and bitter.

In my opinion, the passage from John 8:32 should be two affirmative sentences: “You will know the truth. The truth shall set you free.” Armstrong knew the truth all along and took much too long to admit it. Going on Oprah years later will not and did not set him free.

Manti Te’o is one of the best college football players in the nation and played for Notre Dame University. By now, you know he claims to be the victim of an on-line hoax that established a relationship with a non-existent girlfriend, who later supposedly died. Here the Bible wins out. It is said Te’o found out the story was a hoax in late December and notified the University. Wasn’t this the perfect time to disclose to everyone that this was a hoax perpetrated on an unsuspecting athlete? Particularly, since Notre Dame was playing in the national championship game the first week of January. To paraphrase the Bible, “now the truth WAS known, so let it set you free”. Sure, there would have been questions, but there, also, would have been timely and, hopefully, appropriate answers.

Now those questions, we have been told will be asked by Katie Couric. The answers did not work so well for Armstrong.

We are left in both situations to believe that both these athletes and Notre Dame are not really upset with what they did, but that they got caught. They all need to read more passages from the Bible to get it!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. My Super Bowl pick at the beginning of the year was San Francisco. There is hope.
2. Some pundit called the Super Bowl the “Har-bowl” (Harbaugh vs Harbaugh). Clever. By the way, SF’s Jim Harbaugh was last year’s coach of the year. Should it go to brother, John, this year? It would keep peace in the house.
3. Is San Francisco’s QB Colin Kaepernick in the same category as RG III and Andrew Luck or is he better? By the way, I would start my NFL team with Atlanta’s WR Julio Jones. He is amazing.
4. There is a new sport that is catching on – it’s called the Tough Mudder. There are no winners and contestants help one another get through the course. It is a 12-mile extreme obstacle course which includes walking through a vat of ice, a crawl through thick mud with barbed wire hovering over your head, and another walk through more mud with live electrical wires (10,000 volts) dangling overhead. There are 53 events in 47 cities and 13,500 people signed up for a Tough Mudder event in Sarasota in early December. Up for it?
5. The Lance Armstrong story this week made me think of an incident I had on a vacation cruise. My wife and I were invited to dine with the captain and other officers and guests. I asked the purser (the only American officer) to find out why and was told the captain had heard I was a sports announcer and he was a big sports fan. I was seated right next to him and all he wanted to talk about was Greg Lemond, the great American cyclist and an international icon. I had virtually no knowledge of cycling or of Lemond. I faked the conversation as best I could. Perhaps, the “truth would have set ME free.” Oh well, the escargot was good.

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK
(Last week – 1-1) (88-54 for the season – 62%)

• SAN FRANCISCO

I have been an observer of sports almost all of my life.  I choose “observer” in order to make my point.  I spent much of my youth watching the NFL, rooting for the Colts; the NBA, cheering on the Celtics; and MLB, as a Willie Mays and New York Giants supporter.  Notice I did not say fan.  As I remember back to those days, I can say that I truly enjoyed watching the games.  I now realize if I TRULY ENJOYED the games, I was not TRULY a fan.  You see, I have come to the conclusion that if you are a rabid, color bleeding, screaming, remote throwing FAN, you CANNOT enjoy the game.

For example, suspend your passion for the Eagles or the Steelers or any other NFL team and, for a moment, assume you are a Seattle Seahawk FAN this past Sunday.  First, you must suffer (the natural disposition of a true FAN anyway) through a 20-0 halftime deficit.  You have watched your team move the ball up the field only to come up short on two “4^th and ones” and to have the clock run out at the half when you are in a position to score a touchdown or a field goal.  You end up with neither.  You are feeling a sickness in your stomach that beverage, wings, chips, dips cannot dissipate.  However, a true FAN believes a 20-0 deficit can be overcome – right?  GO SEAHAWKS!

In the third quarter Seattle exchanges touchdowns with Atlanta, so the Seahawks do not eat into the 20 point lead at all.  Your agony just gets worse!  Pass the Maalox.

You know your defense is good.  You just need a break and an Atlanta “choke” (something they are known for in the playoffs).  The Seahawks intercept a pass (the break).  Russell Wilson runs for a TD, throws for a TD, and hands the ball off to Marshawn Lynch for an apparent score, but he did fumble at the goal line (how is your blood pressure, heartbeat, pounding headache doing now, Seattle FAN?).  The ruling is a TD and an extra point is all that is necessary to complete the greatest fourth quarter comeback in NFL playoff history!  The extra point is good and the Seahawks lead 28-27 with 31 seconds to play.  You, Seattle FAN, have tossed aside the “agony of defeat” and are now experiencing the “thrill of victory”.  This rollercoaster of emotions cannot be good for the body, but 31 ticks of the clock stand between you and another excruciating week of playoff football.

Atlanta ball.  Matt Ryan to Harry Douglas for 22 yards – timeout- Matt Ryan to Tony Gonzalez for 19 yards – timeout – 13 seconds to go.  Matt Bryant kicks a 49 yard field goal.

Falcons – 30    Seahawks – 28

Well, Seattle FAN – How did you enjoy the game?  Feeling sick again?  Get used to it. It is a feeling you will now have for 8 months.

P.S.  You know and I know it is all worth it!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

 1.                  Although I am not always in favor of all the graphics, sound effects, and commentary offered up by the network football coverage, I really do like the addition of Mike Pereira as a rules interpreter for Fox.  He is an expert on the rules and, on a number of occasions this year, has truly enlightened the viewers on some rulings.  I wish I could say the same for the sideline reporters.

2.                  The Notre Dame – Alabama game was the second highest rated program in cable television history with over 26 million viewers.

3.                  I think hockey fans will find the shortened season to actually be more exciting since the regular season games will take on much greater importance than they have in the past.  Hockey fans are rather rabid in their support and will come to the arenas to support their teams, despite their disappointment in the prolonged negotiations.

4.                  The Ravens double overtime win over Denver and the Falcons dramatic win over the Seahawks were two of the best games ever!  San Francisco and New England made it look easy, by comparison.

5.                  Well, I picked San Francisco to win the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, had my doubts in the middle, but I am feeling pretty good about that choice right now.

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

(Last week – 2-2)  (87-53 for the season – 62%)

 SAN FRANCISCO

NEW ENGLAND

2013 is upon us, so I thought I would take one last look at the top 10 national sports stories, in my opinion, for 2012:

10.       Tiger Woods wins again, but not very often.

9.         Peyton Manning released by the Colts; he has a great year with the Broncos.

8.         Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Gabby Douglas make the London Olympic Games very special.

7.         Lance Armstrong stripped of his 7 Tour de France titles by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

6.         Replacement refs in the NFL – How did that work out?  They were replaced after Week 3 debacle with Green Bay and Seattle.

5.         Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck become the most exciting rookies to play in the NFL in a long, long time.

4.         Notre Dame ends college football’s regular season #1, undefeated, and becomes a very relevant football program once again.

3.         Lehigh beats Duke in NCAA basketball (enough said).  Kentucky wins championship with freshmen and sophomores.

2.         College football playoffs in the BCS are approved for 2014. Top four teams  will compete.  You just know it will expand in the future.

And the #1 story:

1. 1.      NCAA imposes on Penn State a $60 million fine, a four-year bowl ban, a reduction of scholarships, imposes a five-year probation, and vacates all wins from 1998-2011.  Overkill?  Joe Paterno dies.         

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1.                  On Sunday night in Washington, do you think there was more interest in the “fiscal cliff” or the Washington-Dallas NFL football game?

2.                  All four Wild Card games this coming weekend look like tossups to me. 

3.                  Having done four high school basketball games before the holiday break, I think this might be a very, very competitive and exciting year.  Although, looking back, I think I say that every year.

4.                  Happy New Year to everyone, but especially to Mike Joseph, John Leone, Tom Stoudt, Scott Barr, and John Bowman!  I spend a great deal of time in the booths and at courtside with those guys and thoroughly enjoy their company each time!

5.                  In 2012, I lost my 97-year-old mother and my 96-year-old father-in-law.  There will be a large void in 2013.

 NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

(Last week – 12-4 )  (  83-49 for the season – 64% )

HOUSTON

GREEN BAY

INDIANAPOLIS

WASHINGTON

As I offered up my sports highlights for 2012 last week, I decided to venture into the world of New Year’s resolutions this week.  I couldn’t think of anything worthwhile other than “Play more golf”, so I decided to research the most common resolutions and see if  I would be able to fulfill them.  In no particular order, I found these:

1.    Drink less alcohol.  Check!  No problem for me.  I drink some red wine because I heard it is good for my health, but only in moderation and not very often.  Oh – and I also have an occasional mixed drink.  That’s it.

2.   Eat healthy food.  Impossible!  If you travel from gym to gym and stadium to stadium, I defy you to find healthy food.  By my count, I have devoured  approximately 8,000 hot dogs, 4,000 Diet Cokes, and 1,000 candy bars on the job. 

3.   Get a better job.  Unnecessary!  If you exclude the eating problems (see #2), there is no better job.

4.   Get fit.  See #2 (again).

5.    Lose weight.  Ha!  Have you seen #2?

6.   Save money.  I can do that.

7.   Manage debt.  Check!  It’s managed.

8.   Manage stress.  I was fine until I started to think about #2!!  Now I am hoping to live through 2013.

9.   Quit smoking.  Can’t.  Never started.

10.    Take a trip.  If you insist.

 Wow!  My resolutions could all be resolved if I would just eliminate hot dogs!  No hot dog – no need for the Diet Coke and no need to take a trip to the snack bar.  Therefore,  no candy bars.  I have four games this week so I’ll get back to you on that NO hot dog thing!

 ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1.  If Philadelphia fans need any help in how to wallow in their misery after the 2012 seasons of the 76ers, the Phillies and the Eagles, they need to look no further than the Cleveland fans for help.  The Cavs have been a non-entity since LeBron left.  The Indians finished 20 games out of first place and the Browns were dead last in the AFC North.

2.  Match the bowl game to the sponsor and the winner (I bet you can’t get two  right)

                 1.      Rose                a.  AT&T         A.  Oregon

                 2.      Cotton              b.  Discover      B.  Texas A&M

                 3.      Orange             c.  Allstate        C.  Fla. State

                 4.      Sugar               d.  Tostitos       D.  Stanford

                 5.      Fiesta               e.  Vizio            E.  Louisville

3.  The Kansas City Chiefs can save money on new coaching gear for Andy Reid.  He should be able to wear Romeo Crennell’s stuff.  Just sayin’.

4.  Golfing in Hawaii should be wonderful.  This past weekend, I saw rain and wind like I have never seen in a golf tournament.  On Sunday, it was sunny, but so windy that the balls were blowing off the tees as the players were preparing to drive, and off the greens as the players were getting ready to putt.  It was a strange way to start the season.  So they didn’t.  Postponed everything until Monday.

5.  I saw “Silver Linings Playbook” over the holidays.  Terrific movie, although a few moviegoers laughed at some awkward moments (manic-depression is not funny).  Robert DeNiro is great as an Eagles fan.

 Answers to #2:

                  1 – e – D

                  2 – a – B

                  3 – b – C

                  4 – c – E

                  5 – d – A

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

(Last week – 2-2)  (85-51 for the season – 63%)

• DENVER
• SAN FRANCISCO
• ATLANTA
• NEW ENGLAND

The NFL is considering expanding the regular season and/or expanding the number of playoff participants.  Is this really necessary?  The great thing about the NFL as opposed to the NHL, the NBA, and Major League Baseball is that the regular season games have tremendous importance.  A 16 game schedule puts greater importance on an NFL regular season game than any of the regular season games of the other three major sports.  Should the consideration be about the quality and importance of the games or the quantity and the financial gain of the product?  I would like to think it is the former.

By expanding the regular season to 18 games or allowing 16 teams into the playoffs, the quality of play will most likely decrease and, certainly, the quality of the teams making the playoffs will certainly decrease.  Do we really want half of the league in playoff games, with some carrying a .500 or lower record?  Last year, the Cardinals, Titans, Bears, and Chargers would have gotten in.  Three of the four did not have winning records.

Isn’t this really the problem with the college football bowl system?  There are currently 35 Bowl games allowing 70 college football teams into the postseason – 70!!  That is a ridiculous number and has watered down the interest to almost nil until the major bowls are played.  Sure, it works for ESPN, but does it really create more interest from the average fan?  It does not.

There is no better sports product in the world than the NFL.  Why?  The regular season games are important; the playoff games and the way they are scheduled are perfect; and the Super Bowl is the “greatest spectacle in sports”.  Diluting the product will undoubtedly make more money, but in the long run, it will, also, dilute interest.

I know the only constant is change, but it is not always for the better – Leave the NFL alone!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. With the Newtown shooting, it was very difficult to watch the news this weekend and then try to enjoy regular programming.  The topical shows like Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, Jay Leno, etc. just did not seem right for the moment.  Laughing was difficult.
2.  I taught school for almost 30 years and was on the school safety committee.  About 15 years ago, I was asked to go into a classroom, ask a young man to come out in the hallway with his gym bag, and search the bag for a weapon.  Bringing a weapon to school back then was unthinkable.  I thought this was a total waste of time.  In the bag was a REAL gun and the police were called.  The student was being bullied and brought the gun to school to feel safer.  That was 15 years ago. I never forgot that day!  This week made that memory more vivid again.
3. I mentioned last week that our playoff football teams all lost to bigger, stronger Philadelphia private schools.  I said we, therefore, needed to get bigger and stronger.  Well, none of the schools that beat our schools won the state championship playoff games (some did not even get there).  Our schools need to get MUCH bigger and MUCH stronger.
4. High school basketball started last week.  Two of our four games went overtime.  An exciting start to what should be an exciting year.  Lots of parity.
5. No blog next week so HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY WEEK!  (I will make my NFL picks, however).

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK
(Last week – 11-5 )  (  94-84 for the season – 64% )

• CINCINNATI
• ATLANTA
• HOUSTON
• GIANTS
• BUFFALO
• TENNESSEE
• PITTSBURGH
• NEW ORLEANS
• CHICAGO
• SEATTLE
• SAN FRANCISCO
• SAN DIEGO
• DENVER
• GREEN BAY
• NEW ENGLAND
• WASHINGTON

I know this blog is called “Behind the Mike”, but this week it would be better titled, “Behind The Computer”.  I thought you might be interested in how news and sports people find some of the stories that they report.  You probably often wonder how a reporter went out and found some of the unique stories and people that make up their columns, their TV reports, their radio interviews.  Well, many times, those stories just come to them.

Each week, I am offered some “wonderful opportunity” (their words, not mine) to interview a person on a variety of subjects.  Since I am basically a play-by-play broadcaster and our local programming is limited in scope, those anonymous press agents are seeking out the wrong person.  However, I always find their proposals quite interesting.  Let me share the last ten I have gotten and, by the way, these have come in just this past week.  The comments in parentheses are mine:

1. Undercover Agent’s Life Made into a Movie  (I have seen this movie many times)
2. College Basketball Returns  (I never thought it wouldn’t)
3. Freshman Wins Heisman  (This would be the same person who wanted to discuss the return of college basketball – see #2.  Like me, he, also, reads the paper and watches TV)
4. A Legend’s Journey – The Life of Jake “The Snake” Roberts – Former Professional Wrestler   (Is “The Snake” really a legend?)
5. Top 12 Amusement Parks for the Holidays   (I would rather know how to afford them)
6. Life Threatening Results of Concussions   (I already knew head injuries could be dangerous).
7. Thuzio – The Ultimate Fan Experience – With Tiki Barber   (Play flag football with a football player; have dinner with an NFL player, etc. – Doesn’t this sound like it would be very, very expensive?)
8. Sports From a Woman’s Perspective   (I get this message from my wife EVERY weekend!)
9. New Year’s Revolution – What You Were Born To Do   (So this person was born to tell others what they were born for?  Huh?)
10. Non-surgical Facelift Uses Sound, Not Scalpel, To Help Smooth Away the Years… in Minutes   (My personal favorite)

So, in conclusion, #10 is my favorite.  I think, before I entertain the idea of having this person on my show, I will hold an iPod up to my face for a week.  I wish I knew what sound works the best.

Let me get back to you on this one!!

 ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Our local football teams were all eliminated from the state playoffs by the Philadelphia Catholic schools.  This has been happening with very few exceptions every year since the Catholic schools became part of the PIAA.  The big difference seems to be the linemen.  We need to get bigger and stronger to compete.
2. Would it be wrong if Penn State played Ohio State in a Bowl game and the money would go to charity?
3. It sure looks like there will be a Manny Pacquiao-Juan Marquez #5 after Pacquiao was knocked out cold this past weekend.  Just let these two fight every six months.  By the way, the replay is on HBO this Saturday.
4. The Phillies, with this week’s trades, seem quite serious about contending again.  The deals look very good right now (but it is December).
5. Got this offer this week -Jan. 7–BCS National Championship Bowl (Notre Dame-Alabama). Tickets start at $1,450.00. I also have a 20 Person Suite!  Interested??

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK
(Last week- 9-7)  (73-43 for the season – 63%)

• CINCINNATI
• GREEN BAY
• GIANTS
• NEW ORLEANS
• ST. LOUIS
• WASHINGTON
• MIAMI
• DENVER
• HOUSTON
• SAN DIEGO
• SEATTLE
• DETROIT
• DALLAS
• OAKLAND
• NEW ENGLAND
• JETS

I love my job.  Make no mistake about it.  In the past few weeks, I have been able to watch our local high school football teams compete for a conference championship, a District title, and make a run for a state championship.

In addition, I was able to broadcast the 148^th edition of the Lafayette-Lehigh football game and begin the college basketball season with two upset victories by the Lafayette men’s team.  Right around the corner is another season of high school and college basketball which will quickly take me through the winter and into March Madness.  It’s the best.

There is one night a year, however, that is even better.  It is the night that I co-host the Dream Come True Telethon.  On Monday, December 10, we will do the Telethon for the 27^th year.  I have not hosted all of them, but in the early years, I made sure I was a guest on the show.  The Dream Come True organization, in case you did not know, was founded in 1984 by Kostas Kalogeropoulous, a local businessman.  The goal of the organization is simple – fulfill the dreams of children who are seriously, chronically, and terminally ill and reside in the greater Lehigh Valley area.  Children are referred by family, friends, clergy, doctors, social workers, etc. and the dreams usually fall into three categories – trips, contact with celebrities, and special gifts (computers, shopping sprees, for example).

Scott Barr and I have been hosting together for many, many years.  He handles the auction area and, boy, is he terrific!  If you watch HSN or any of the other television all-day shopping channels, just watch Scott do his thing during the four-hour night.  He is as good as, if not better, than the professionals.

There is always a variety of unique items donated by local businesses as well as our friends in the cable TV world like ESPN, WWE, Comcast SportsNet, NHL Network, and others.  If you want something really unique and not found in any store, tune in and bid on the items.  You’ll make Scott’s night.

Perla Lopez Baray of WFMZ brings some much-needed youth, beauty, and professionalism to the set doing many interviews with the children who have had their dreams fulfilled.  She is a pleasure to have as part of the team.

We have moved the venue this year to the Outlets at Sands.  It is an exciting location and we welcome the new “digs” after a great run at the Westgate Mall.  We anticipate much more foot traffic which hopefully will mean much more direct giving from people doing some holiday shopping or stopping by to see us.

The important facts are:

The Date:                     Monday, December 10

The Time:                     6:00 – 10:00 PM

The Location:             The Outlets at Sands

On The Television:    Channels 4 and 1004 in HD

The Purpose:               To fulfill as many hopes, dreams and fantasies for seriously, chronically, and terminally ill children as possible

The Phone Number to Bid or Make a Donation:        1-800-749-8099

Phone line is only active during the live television program

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Tiger Woods and Maria Sharapova were the two most searched athletes on Yahoo! in 2012.  I am wondering if interest in either centered around golf or tennis!
2. The Dallas Cowboys beat out the Yankees as the top searched Sports Teams.  Maybe the Cowboys really are America’s team – they are not mine; and neither are the Yankees!!  Does that make me anti-American?
3. You are an NFL GM and could pick one player for your franchise QB from these two – Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III.  Who would you pick?
4. Doesn’t it seem like 50% of all major college football teams play a bowl game?
5. Can you admit that you really love the song, Gangnam Style?  Listen to it and try to stay still and not smile.  Bet you can’t!!

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

(Last week – 11-5)  (64-36 for the season – 64%)

• DENVER
• WASHINGTON
• CLEVELAND
• PITTSBURGH
• INDIANAPOLIS
• JACKSONVILLE
• CHICAGO
• ATLANTA
• TAMPA BAY
• BUFFALO
• CINCINNATI
• SAN FRANCISCO
• GIANTS
• SEATTLE
• GREEN BAY
• NEW ENGLAND