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I know this week I had teased part two of our SportsTalk Top 10 list, but I really think it is imperative I address something else in this week’s blog entry.
From time to time I feel called upon to blow our own horn just a bit. Yes, it may be self-serving and, to be completely honest, it’s not one of my strengths. But as I do represent a talented and hard-working group of people who work on the RCN Sports staff, I do feel the need, from time to time, to point out a few truths to sports fans.
For the record, I don’t do this every single time I notice, but there are some occurrences where I do feel obligated to point some things out and set the record straight.
And this is one of those more extreme examples that I often see.
Back in mid-April when I did my first “all remote access” edition of RCN SportsTalk, Notre Dame Head Baseball Coach Mike Bedics was on our show and revealed that nearly all of the local high school baseball coaches in the RCN viewing area – 32 of them – had gotten together and put a plan in place to participate in a high school baseball tournament in August.
Granted, there were still a lot of unknowns at that time as everyone – including our state government – had no idea how long the coronavirus would last. Nor did anyone have any idea on what the “return to normalcy” and resulting regulations would look like.
Still, it was noted that a solid plan was in place, along with locations that would host games. All of them would be able to accommodate spacing out issues in cooperation with social distancing, Bedics explained, that if it was all possible and permissible under Department of Education regulations, the tournament would be played. It was also explained this was a way to give seniors who missed out on their final high school season a chance to play the sport they love one more time.
It was a great scoop we had, as the meeting had just taken place a few hours before we recorded the interview and it was an opportunity, once again, to let the RCN viewers in on something before anyone else in eastern Pennsylvania had any idea about it.
Fast forward to this past weekend.
Another local news agency came out with “breaking exclusive news,” citing local high school coaches have put together a plan to have a high school baseball tournament in August. The story then pretty much repeated everything that was on our program – TWO MONTHS PRIOR – with of course the repetition of the phrase “breaking exclusive story” a few more times. It ended with a codicil noting that it still needed local and state government approval (as we had stated on our program) but that local coaches were optimistic the games could be played. Again, the exact same information that was on our show … over 8 WEEKS before.
I realized that not every single person in eastern Pennsylvania watches the RCN SportsTalk Show every week. I also know that people may not be able to see every single episode … even though all of our shows are available to RCN customers through video on demand and/or DVR or TiVo the show.
However, if you do want to stay ahead of the curve and find out information before it is revealed elsewhere, you might want to schedule watching the show – in some way, shape or form – each week, so that you are not left out nor have to wait a couple months to get local sports news.
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Speaking of RCN SportsTalk, we have some great new programs coming your way over the next several weeks…
… Former playing great & retiring Allen Head Basketball Coach Doug Snyder, stepping down after 24 years
… Washington Nationals Beat Writer Jesse Dougherty with the latest on MLB’s attempt to restart their season
… Retiring Liberty Head Basketball Coach Chad Landis, stepping down after 12 years as head coach and eight more years as an assistant
… This fall’s incoming class of head football coaches in Easton, Pennsylvania
… New Allen High School Athletic Director Randy Atiyeh and new Head Basketball Coach Darnell Braswell
… New Dieruff High School Athletic Director David Stout and new head basketball coach Marlon Randall
… This fall’s defending District XI champions (in multiple sports)
… League and district administrators to talk about the Department of Education’s guidance and protocols for high school sports regarding the Coronavirus
… & more!!!
