I am not a die-hard hockey fan.  But, I miss the NHL!  More than two months of the season have already been lost due to the labor dispute and the lockout.  Hockey, to me, although it does not have the stature of NFL football, major league baseball, or NBA basketball, is still one of the major professional sports in America.  It did bring in $3.3 billion last year.  In addition, take away the NFL and I think hockey has the most rabid fans in all of professional sports.

I do not watch or attend hockey on a regular basis, but there is something about the sport that always intrigues me when going around the dial.  It is one of the few sporting events that causes me to pause and watch, no matter which teams are playing.  There is the anticipation of the potential for violence and an almost surreal curiosity in the skills that the players exhibit.    It is an excellent television event.

And yet, if you go to a hockey game, the sport becomes, for me, at least one of the few competitions that is better to view LIVE than watching on TV.  A great deal of action takes place away from the puck that a viewer at home might miss.  There is a unique “silence” as the players skate around the rink to an almost inaudible “shooshing”.  Throw a big bang into the boards and the intensity of the action has you enthralled.  And the fans!!  The decibel level is incredible; the intensity shocking; and the involvement without compare.

So why are we left with no hockey?  The issues are division of revenue, salary arbitration, and free-agency.  These terms are not new to professional sports.  The NFL, NBA, and MLB have all dealt with the same issues.  And they have resolved them!  It seems that the NHL is very, very close to not having a season at all.  The New Year’s Day Winter Classic is gone, over 450 games gone, and there is no resolution in sight.  Still, January hockey would be better than no hockey.  Owners and players need to return to the table.  They owe it to the fans!

As the famous philosopher, Larry the Cable Guy, says – “Get ‘er done!”

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Parkland, Central Catholic, and Pen Argyl all won their first round state football games this past weekend.  Two of the three (Parkland and Pen Argyl) now take on the dreaded Philadelphia Catholic schools out of District
2. History shows that this is the end of the line for our AAAA and AA football.  Central would face Archbishop Wood next week if they win.  They put up 70 points on the Vikings last year in a similar scenario.  Can we finally reverse the trend?  Tune in.
3. Did we watch Andy Reid’s last game as an Eagles coach this past week?  An awful team beat an awful team.
4. I was going around the dial the other night and a Joan Rivers stand-up comedy special was on Showtime.  It was hilarious, irreverent, and, at times, filthy.  I was just amazed by her energy, her ability to deliver the lines, and her captivating style.  How old is she?  Really, how old??  It did not matter.
5. Notre Dame vs either Alabama or Georgia for the national championship in college football.  The ratings will be record-breaking for this one as far as college football is concerned.  The games got it right this year – no computer, no old men in a room, and no playoff needed.
6. Is there anyone right now who thinks they have a good handle on not only the Super Bowl champion, but which two teams will even get to the game?  With injuries, upsets, and poor coaching decisions, it is anybody’s guess unless, of course, you just know it will be YOUR team.

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

(Last week – 7-9)  (53-31 for the season – 63%)

•  ATLANTA
• CHICAGO
• GREEN BAY
• SAN FRANCISCO
• JETS
• CAROLINA
• DETROIT
• BUFFALO
• NEW ENGLAND
• HOUSTON
• DENVER
• BALTIMORE
• CLEVELAND
• CINCINNATI
• DALLAS
• WASHINGTON

Rivalry – competition for one objective; superiority on the same field.”

Around an hour prior to the 148th edition of the Lafayette-Lehigh football game, a press release was handed to me with this headline:

LAFAYETTE TO HOST 150TH MEETING AT YANKEE STADIUM

Same objective; spectacular field!

Probably my reaction was much like people across the nation who see anything with the name “Yankee” attached to it: you either love it or hate it. I must admit I had very ambiguous feelings towards the announcement myself. I loved it and (well, hate is a very strong word) I had some misgivings, mostly selfish ones. Allow me to explain:

I love it because the game deserves it. It is college football’s most played rivalry. This game was an integral part of a “rugby to American football” transition. This past Saturday kept an uninterrupted series going that began in 1884. It is known as The Rivalry. Lafayette actually started football first, two years prior to Lehigh. When they met for the first time, on October 25, 1884, Lafayette won 50-0. They played again three weeks later and Lafayette won 34-4. All in all, the neighbors have gone “at it” 148 times.

I love it because it will be great for the players. For two schools that are only 17 miles apart, traveling to play at such a historical site will be a memory they will cherish forever. My guess, too, is that the players who went before will vicariously live out the experience through the 2014 roster.

I love it because of the exposure it gives to two schools that do things the right way – academics first and athletics second. Even with football scholarships coming next year, the promise is that the academic standards will not change. I have no reason to doubt that the current admission requirements will be upheld. That is first and foremost what these two schools are about.

So, what’s not to like? The game holds a special place in my broadcasting resume. Much like the players and coaches, I circle this one on my calendar and, no matter what the records of the respective schools, I truly look forward to doing the play-by-play for this one. The audience is larger, the expectations (at least mine) are higher, the tension is greater, and I have my own streak of doing the game to maintain. Did I mention my reasons for some misgivings were personal? I fully expect this game to take on even greater national interest and, therefore, be cast into the national limelight – can ESPN read this? That means THEM, NOT ME!!

DAMN YANKEES!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1.  The personal alcohol carry limit for tailgating at the Lafayette-Lehigh game on Saturday was 144 ounces and it had to be in bottles or cans. It seems to me that it would be very difficult to drink 144 ounces of anything and not spend almost the entire game in the restroom. I arrived at the game at 10:30 AM and could have sworn I noticed a few people who had already consumed their limit.
2. Alabama, Oregon, and Kansas State lose in the last two weeks, thrusting Notre Dame into the #1 spot in the college football rankings and Alabama bounces right back to #2. Maybe this “prayer thing” at Notre Dame works.
3. Watching the Eagles on Sunday, I get the feeling Andy Reid is resigned to being resigned.
4. Did you notice I went 13-1 this past week in my pro picks!! DAMN JETS!!!
5. I will be with my family on Thanksgiving. I hope you are all with yours. Happy Thanksgiving!

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK
(Last week – 13-1) (46-22 overall for the season – 68%)

• HOUSTON
• DALLAS
• NEW ENGLAND
• CHICAGO
• CINCINNATI
• PITTSBURGH
• BUFFALO
• DENVER
• SEATTLE
• ATLANTA
• TENNESSEE
• BALTIMORE
• ARIZONA
• NEW ORLEANS
• GREEN BAY
• PHILADELPHIA

“From time to time, I will probably get particularly irritated or, hopefully, excited with events outside of sports and feel compelled to say something.” This is what I said in my very first Blog. Today is one of those days when I am “excited.”

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc..

I am beginning to believe the “Social Network” has no boundaries and, in the next few years will totally control our relationships (if it doesn’t already). Well, I wish I were young again.

Every day, I receive at least 10 requests for me to “accept” someone as my “friend” on Facebook or to be “linked in” to someone’s professional career. All of my friends “tweet”, although I have not quite caught on to this phenomenon, primarily because of my age. Now I am told that, if I just get “with it”, I could get a great deal of instantaneous news and information. My grandson, who is in the research business, tells me he gets information faster from Twitter than he gets from the news.

Having been a teacher for almost 30 years and having been before the public eye as a television broadcaster for 40+ years, I have, obviously, met many, many people. Some have taken the time to contact me through these various networks and I appreciate their concern about what I have done since we last spent time together. Honestly, some have contacted me and I do not really remember them, but I knew that would happen. I used to tell my students they only had to remember one of me. I taught @ 200 of them every year for 30 years. I think I can be excused for not knowing some of them. It does amaze me, however, that so many take the time to just simply say “hello, how are you?”

I am a little jealous of the “younger generation” who move so easily from one technological advancement to another. They have mastered the art of “social networking”. I am still a novice. It seems as I get comfortable with one, another comes along to add to the challenge.

And speaking of challenges, I am going to go see if I can master this “twitter” thing.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. I feel honored to once again broadcast the Lafayette-Lehigh football game. It is college football’s most played rivalry and this is the 148th edition. Saturday afternoon will be fun.
2. Zach Zweizig, Lafayette’s sophomore starting quarterback, lost his father this week. He suffered a stroke on Friday night and was in intensive care as Zach tried to lead the Leopards to victory on Saturday afternoon at Fordham University. Lafayette gave Zach the choice of playing or going home. He chose to play, return with the team, and fulfill his academic obligations before getting to his father’s bedside. Zach’s father passed away. Zach will play against Lehigh on Saturday. That’s what his father would have wanted. And that’s the type of son he raised.
3. I broadcast our first college basketball game on Monday night. The Lafayette men beat LIU-Brooklyn in overtime 98-94. It was a great game and it did not take long to get into a basketball frame of mind.
4. While in the Bronx on Saturday, I saw gas rationing, food lines, plowed snow, and some devastation. Why do we call this an act of Mother Nature? No Mother would treat her charges in such a manner.
5. Hopefully, you all have met the challenge of Sandy and Thanksgiving will be a bit more personal this year.

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK
(Last week – 7-6) (33-21 overall for the season – 61%)

Buffalo
Atlanta
Dallas
Green Bay
Cincinnati
Washington
Tampa Bay
Houston
St. Louis
New England
New Orleans
Denver
Baltimore
San Francisco

“Colgate wins the toss and defers.” That is how referee Stuart Mullins started the Lafayette- Colgate game this past Saturday. Trust me when I tell you that is the last time Colgate deferred in this football game. Not to spoil the ending, but Colgate won the game – 65-41. 106 points in 60 minutes! Colgate piled up 755 yards of offense (a Patriot League record); 531 yards rushing (a Patriot League record); and 224 yards passing. Colgate averaged 10.6 yards per play! Colgate’s only negative play was a completed pass for a minus 3 yards. Colgate scored on their first 7 possessions; 10 of their first 11. Suffice it to say, Colgate never punted.

Despite doing nothing in the first 3 series (70 yards rushing; 6 yards passing; 1 first down), the Lafayette Leopards decided to get involved in the offensive show themselves. Lafayette ran up a total of 542 yards! They averaged 10.4 yards per play!! And they had their highest point total for the year! They scored on 6 straight possessions.

Individually, some of the numbers are even more astounding. Colgate quarterback, Gavin McCarney accounted for a school record 512 yards of offense (288 rushing- second highest total in Patriot League history, and 224 passing). McCarney had runs of 40, 54 and 75 yards. He scored 3 rushing TD’s and threw for 2 more. Colgate’s tailback, Jordan McCord rushed for 203 yards on 27 carries and scored 4 TD’s. He has rushed for 100+ yards in every game this season. He and McCarney have done it in 5 straight games.

Lafayette had two 100+yard rushers and 1 100- yard receiver. Tailbacks Ross Scheurman (runs of 25 and 53 yards) and Vaughn Hebron (a 63 yard run) ran for 142 and 119 respectively. Mark Ross had his 5th 100+ yard receiving day of the season with 106 yards.

In summary, there were 16 scoring drives in the game in 23 possessions. Of the 16, 15 were touchdowns. There was a total of 1297 yards of offense.

This was a game I will never forget.

It is, also, a game both DEFENSES will try never to remember!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Going five days without electric made Thomas Edison my favorite inventor.
2. I voted on Tuesday and, since I had pretty much made up my mind a long time ago about my vote, I wondered what all that political ad money could have done if it was used to make the world a better place. Maybe to make the absurdity of the cost even starker, the government looked pretty much the same on Wednesday as it did on Tuesday.
3. My father-in-law was buried this week. He was 96. He came to America from the Ukraine, with his wife, a baby (my wife), and a valise. He spent the first two years working off the cost of his passage on a Maryland farm, and then settled in Easton, PA. He became a US citizen, worked as many jobs as he could, supported his family, voted in every election, and loved this country. His happiest day was when the Ukraine gained its independence. He was the hardest working man I ever knew. More than anything, I will miss the example he set for our whole family every day.
4. Due to the hurricane and my father-in-law’s passing, this was a week where not much else mattered.
5. A big “thank you” to all the service workers who tirelessly brought some sense of normalcy back to our lives

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

(Last week – 9-5) (26-15 overall for the season – 63%)

• Indianapolis
• New England
• Giants
• Tampa Bay
• Denver
• Miami
• Baltimore
• Atlanta
• Detroit
• Jets
• Dallas
• San Francisco
• Chicago
• Pittsburgh

As the RCN sports crew travels around from venue to venue, we, happily, hear from so many viewers. The compliments far outweigh the criticism and, most of the time, the criticism centers around not doing a particular team or a particular game. To me, that is really a backhanded compliment because it just means those fans want to see us televise their team. Every so often, an over-exuberant fan will come up and say, “You guys are just like ESPN!” Well, I am here to tell you we are not even close!!

In an article (“More Show Than Game” – Sept. 27) written for “Rolling Stone” magazine by David Amsden, he talks about observing an ESPN Monday Night Football broadcast of a New England-Philadelphia pre-season football game. The insights offered were astounding to me and, I anticipate will be for you, too. This preseason game had:

• 11 trucks transport the gear
• A crew of 200 (graphics, producers, assistants, statisticians, a sideline reporter, sound editors, mixers; the list goes on and on)
• 50 microphones
• 20 cameramen (31 cameras are used during the regular season)
• 216 monitors

That’s the staff – how about the cost:

• $15.2 billion for the rights through 2021
• That’s $111 million in rights fees per game
• Broken down even further, it costs $600,000 per minute
• Constantly introducing new and very expensive technology (ex: digital yard markers, Skycam)

In addition, staff (announcers, directors, the tech crew, etc) arrives Saturday. They spend one day with one team and one day with the other. Highlight packages are produced (about 20% used). Various storylines are discussed. Production meetings abound. On Saturday night, there is a production team-bonding activity. This particular week, all attended a Bruce Springsteen concert.

In comparison, when the RCN Television team does a Saturday afternoon college game, we have:

• 2 trucks
• A crew of 18
• 15 microphones
• 5 cameramen
• 30 monitors

The cost:

• Around $3000 per game, not counting equipment costs (but ESPN didn’t count that either)
• Rights fees in the hundreds of dollars
• Broken down even further, it costs @$22 per minute

In addition, the announcers attend a press luncheon during the week to talk to one coach on the phone for around 10 minutes and talk to the other coach for about 15 minutes. The crew arrives the morning of the game to set up for the telecast. There is not much time (maybe lunch) for a team-bonding activity.

What do I conclude from this information?

• ESPN spends an astronomical amount of money to do the NFL games (no wonder the NFL will make $9.5 billion in profits this year).
• NBC, CBS, FOX all have similar NFL expenses and the competition to be the best produces terrific broadcasts.
• Despite this “apples to oranges “comparison, the RCN Television Sports Team also aims every game to be the best they can be. From the director to holding the Big Ears and everything in between, we always strive for a quality broadcast – to be the best. From the many comments we receive, I do not think we disappoint. There is no question our mindset is “just like ESPN’s”

BUT, obviously, we are not “just like ESPN”!

 ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. I still do not like the NFL overtime rule. If the team that possesses the ball first scores a touchdown, they win the game. Give each team at least one possession. In the past, the first score ended the game and that was usually a field goal. They made the rule a little better, but it is still not fair to the team that loses the coin toss.
2. Do you realize only two teams in the AFC have winning records (New England and Baltimore). That has never happened before this far into the season.
3. Watched the RedZone again this week. It was great during the early games, but lost some of its luster in the later games. There were only two games and it felt like I was constantly hitting “swap” on my remote.
4. RG III is really, really good!
5. I feel good about Penn State’s 5 game winning streak. This staff and these players had absolutely NOTHING to do with the turmoil. They deserve their success.

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK
(Last week – 11-2 – 85%) (17-10 overall for the season – 63%)

Minnesota

New England

Tennessee

Green Bay

San Diego

Atlanta

Seattle

Jets

Chicago

Pittsburgh

Oakland

Giants

Denver

San Francisco

I am not above “shilling” for the company and, in fact, enjoy doing it. So let me set the record straight right away. This is NOT, I repeat, NOT a “shill”. This is my opinion. I love the NFL RedZone!!

Let me preface that thought by telling you that I do not root for a particular NFL team – the Baltimore Colts stopped playing years ago (old-age wisecracks belong here). I do, however, love NFL football. And I have no trouble watching a game from beginning until the end – I did that last Thursday when the Steelers played Tennessee.

But on Sunday, it’s the NFL RedZone for me. Every big play, every scoring drive, every touchdown, up-to-the minute (although, I think they’re even quicker than that) updates, etc. A few weeks ago, I had family over for dinner and the men gathered around the TV for NFL football. I put on the NFL RedZone instead of the network broadcasts and they absolutely loved it. Even those who root for the Eagles wanted to watch every game instead of one game. For the casual fan, the fantasy nut, or the homer who needs to see what every other team in the league is doing, this is, literally the best ticket in your living room!

I counted 53 touchdowns this past weekend between 1:00 and a bit after 7:00. Included in the highlights was the 108 yard record-tying touchdown run by Jacoby Jones of Baltimore against the Cowboys. I had to watch on NBC all of the Green Bay vs Houston game in order to see the final contest of the day. Even better, right before the NFL RedZone goes off the air for another week, they recapped all 53 touchdowns right after the final play of the day is recorded. It’s ESPN on a case of Red Bull!!

I know it can be expensive and I know it is not for everyone, but, if you are truly an NFL fan, give it a look. It may just be worth the investment; worth giving something up to have it (except, perhaps, your family life).

Call 1-800-RING-RCN or go on rcn.com (Now that IS “shilling”)

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. After traveling to Williamsburg and Pittsburgh during September to do Lafayette football, I am really impressed with the organization and coordination it takes to get a college football team ready to play an opponent on the road. Take the game in Williamsburg when Lafayette took on William & Mary. For about 100 people (players, coaches, media, etc), there were 2 breakfasts, a lunch, 2 dinners, a late-night snack, 2 airport check-ins, 2 plane rides, an historical tour, a hotel check-in, 3 buses at each location, 4 rental cars, and a huge boxed lunch after the game. Add to that a trip to the supermarket for bananas, Fig Newtons, energy bars, energy drinks, etc to keep players from cramping up during the game. Pour (and I mean pour) in a terrible storm that pushed all the after-game plans back about an hour and a half and all 100 arrive home at 4 AM. Now do that 5 or 6 times a year if you are a big-time college football program. I’m exhausted just writing this.
2. Why is there always one week in the NFL when upsets abound – you could easily make the case that 9 games of the 14 played this past week were upsets.
3. Did it have to be the first week of my picks?
4. Does Andy Reid need to win 9 games this year to keep his job? The Eagles are 3-3 right now.
5. Why do the NY Giants look so good one week and rather average another?
6. The baseball playoffs have had some amazing games with some amazing coaching decisions (pitch-hit for A-Rod, for example – totally unprecedented and umpire calls (why can’t “instant replay” work in baseball?). How sick do you think the Nationals’ fans are??

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK (6-8 for the season)

• San Francisco
• Tennessee
• Minnesota
• Cleveland
• Houston
• Green Bay
• Dallas
• Giants
• Tampa Bay
• New England
• Oakland
• Pittsburgh
• Chicago

“Gary, we would like you to blog on our RCN TV Web page.”

That request from our marketing department is responsible for the ruminations, ramblings and some coherent thoughts that will occupy this space. I call the blog “Behind the Mike” because that is where I have been for over 40 years and it is the perspective I bring to this space. I anticipate that most (but, perhaps, not all) of my blogs will concern the sporting world. I will offer up some NFL weekly predictions, much like I used to do on the radio each week. I am most associated with sports and I assume there might actually be a few people who care about my opinions (I am not sure why) on both the local and national level.

From time to time, I will probably get particularly irritated or, hopefully, excited with events outside of sports and feel compelled to say something. No matter what, my goal is to be interesting. That critique, however, is entirely up to you.

In addition, I will have a section called “Above the Ears” where I will offer short comments and observations about almost anything, but, again, sports will be the focus.

I certainly welcome YOUR thoughts and comments. After all, a blog is only interesting if there is dialogue.

Let’s chat next week.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Do you look at political debates like a sporting event and root for a loser or a winner? Do you cheer on your candidate and inwardly boo the other? OR, do you even watch??
2. Two weeks ago, I was in Pittsburgh to do a football game and headed out to eat with four other people. On the way, the decision was made to go to the Pirates game instead. We bought $28 tickets on the street for $10. Unbeknowst to us, it was “Fan Appreciation Night”. We received a free T-shirt on the way in, had box seats along the third base line, and proceeded to watch Homer Bailey of the Cincinnati Reds add to baseball history by pitching a no-hitter. Good $10 investment.
3. Do you think if Tim Tebow was really better than Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan still would start Sanchez? Coaches play the player that they believe is better, especially if their livelihood depends on it.
4. I do not think any team can challenge Alabama for college football’s national championship. Do you?
5. Joe Paterno’s successor, Bill O’Brien, was the perfect choice for Penn State University.

NFL PICKS FOR THIS WEEK

• Steelers
• Bengals
• Colts
• Bucs
• Falcons
• Ravens
• Eagles
• Dolphins
• Patriots
• Cardinals
• Vikings
• 49ers
• Packers
• Broncos