I really do not want to ruin the NFL season for you. The regular season begins on Thursday, September 4, when Green Bay visits Seattle, the defending Super Bowl champion. The final regular season games will be played on Sunday, December 28. And I do think you should watch as many games as you possibly can. AND, if you have no favorite team playing on a given Sunday, then by all means, tune in to the NFL Red Zone and you can pretty much follow EVERY game. You can order it at 1-800-RING RCN (I thought I would put a commercial in here – it makes our marketing people happy when I do that).

With that said, I am going to tell you (some say predict) how the regular season will turn out in terms of AFC Division winners. I would go further – you know, playoffs and AFC champion plus the Super Bowl winner, but I do not wish to spoil all your fun. That will come later, anyway. So – SPOILER ALERT! – Do not read this if you want to enjoy the AFC regular season. The following is how the AFC will end up (this year’s projected record is in parentheses):

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts (10-6) – They beat Kansas City in the playoffs last year and lost to New England. They are not really better this year, but will win their division.
2. Houston Texans (7-9) – The Texans were 2-14 last year, so I obviously think they will be closer to the team that won their division in 2012. Quarterback is a problem.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10) – They, too, are better than last year, just not “better” enough (did I used to teach English?)
4. Tennessee Titans (4-12) – They were 7-9 last year; lost some key players; are just a mediocre team.

AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots (13-3) – They are in a weak division so their record will improve, primarily because their defense has improved.
2. Miami Dolphins (7-9) – They will not match last year’s record, so they will miss the playoffs again.
3. Buffalo Bills (6-10) – Did very little in the off-season to make a fan believe they will be better than their 6-10 record last year. Recent Hall of Fame inductee, Andre Reed, will be their hero, but he no longer plays.
4. New York Jets (6-10) – No media circus this year (remember the Tebow year and the Sanchez year?). But there is no offense either.

AFC NORTH
1. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) – The Bengals finished 11-5 last year and lost in the first round of playoffs. Head Coach Marvin Lewis got a one-year extension on his contract. He has never won a playoff game. The Bengals should make the playoffs. Lewis needs to win a playoff game or he will go. They are capable of saving his job.
2. Baltimore Ravens (9-7) – Their season looks like it needs some kind of boost – WR Steve Smith may be the boost; defense looks solid; Ray Rice should add even more spark upon his return.
3. Cleveland Browns (8-8) – The Browns have a new coach (again), new management (again), and a new QB (again) which has created new excitement for the fans (again). It has been seven years since they last won more than 5 games. This could be the year.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8) – Even I can’t believe I am picking the Steelers last in their division and worse than the Browns. They’re getting old and, for now, the glory days are over.

AFC WEST
1. Denver Broncos (13-3) – Seattle embarrassed them in the Super Bowl. Denver only improved in the off-season and they will play better competition this year in the regular season. This could be a special year for Mile High.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) – 9-0 start for Andy Reid’s team certainly opened many eyes. But they finished the year 2-5 and lost to the Colts in the Wild Card round of playoffs. If they can diversify their offense, they could be better.
3. San Diego Chargers (9-7) – They have a great offense (thanks to Philip Rivers), but no defense. If defense wins championships (right, Seattle?). The Chargers’ defense is awful. Ergo – no championship (I learned this way of proving things in Philosophy class).
4. Oakland Raiders (6-10) – They were very busy in the off-season spending lots of money. The Raiders will be better (they almost have to be – 4-12 last year).

The NFC season standings will come your way next week. Remember, these thoughts are for amusement only and do not represent the opinion of management (most of them are Redskin and Eagles fans, anyway).

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. The PGA Championship last week produced the highest golf TV ratings in five years. It was the “perfect storm” for CBS – great golf, four big-name players tied or in the lead on the back nine, a rain delay that threw the finish well into prime time (60 Minutes viewers may have tuned in by accident), and darkness falling to add to the suspense. A network’s dream.

2. Speaking of golf, I am glad Tom Watson did not have to decide if he should pick Tiger Woods for the Ryder Cup team. Had he picked him or not picked him and the US lost, he would have been criticized. I respect Tiger Woods for taking that decision away from Watson.

3. I am wrapped up in the Little League World Series when the Taney Dragons are playing. Their comeback win on Sunday was great TV and with Mo’Ne Davis pitching to get to the championship final this week, the drama only increases. Go, Dragons!

4. Congratulations to the Northampton Giants of the Blue Mountain League for winning their first championship since 1994. Manager Ed Wandler has been with the BML since 1977 (37 years), and the team gave him all the credit for the championship run. It was a great season!

5. All of us associated with Lehigh Valley sports were shocked when we heard that former Allen and current Moravian Academy coach John Donmoyer died on Saturday morning at St. Luke’s Hospital. I last saw John at the VIA Hall of Fame ceremony (he was a member) and had a very nice conversation with him. I was unaware, as I think most people were, that he was ill. John coached 1,047 varsity games winning 624 of them, both Lehigh Valley records. Last December, Allen named their basketball floor for Coach Donmoyer. He took his teams to the PIAA state championship finals in 1979 and 1980. I never heard a harsh word said about John by anyone and, amazingly, that included fans. His players always stressed the life lessons that John espoused while winning games and titles year after year. He was a giant in Lehigh Valley sports. May he rest in peace.

Another major golf tournament and another missed cut by Tiger Woods. And by Saturday, the popularity of golf lessens even more. Eighteen years ago, a young Tiger stepped into the professional golf limelight and became the center of attention for the sport. It seemed like a whole new audience joined golf fanatics around the world to anoint this athlete as one of their favorites ever. And now, Tiger cannot make the cuts. His body is breaking down and he has played hurt for the last seven years. Sadly, he has become just another player. He has suffered and, ergo, golf is, also, suffering.

But, in my opinion, there is hope on the horizon – perhaps, not in finding the next Tiger, but in finding great drama week in and week out. And that was never more prevalent than this past Sunday during the PGA Championship. The recipe was blended to perfection. Take a dash of the recent past (Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk); throw in an American young gun (Rickie Fowler); add a sprinkle of foreign notoriety (Henrik Stenson and Ernie Els); mix in the current favorite ingredient (Rory McIlroy) and you have the drama great golf produces.

This major had it all. Rory McIlroy won and became only the fourth player in the last century to win four majors at 25 or younger. The others were Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. He has won the last two majors of the year (only 7 players have done that). He had to overcome falling behind, waiting on almost every shot after the rain delay, watching his closest opponents, Mickelson and Fowler play directly in front of him and experiencing their outstanding moments and, at times missed opportunities. Added to that was the possibility that he may not be able to finish the round because darkness was engulfing Valhalla Country Club. The final hole was played in a mysterious “foursome” setting just to get the championship settled. It had an almost Hollywood feel to it.

It was the best golf had to order for sure. And it was “Tiger-less”. I must admit that I was one of those who did not take as much interest in a tournament if Tiger was not playing or missed the cut and was not around for the weekend. Sunday changed that. I do not say that Rory McIlroy is the next Tiger. There is almost too much talent out on tour right now for just one player to be as dominant as Woods was. But, the drama has been instilled again and the characters are fascinating enough to draw me back.

The spectacle of golf needed a shot in the arm. It needed to overcome Tiger’s lack of competitiveness due to a bad back, bad knees, and a sore Achilles. Tiger Woods had become golf’s Achilles heel. His success raised golf to new heights; his failures were sending it to new lows. That “heel” ironically is beginning to heal! Who would think that it would come in Kentucky in the dark on an August summer afternoon?

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. Did you hear that Ryan Howard is building a $5.8 million house in Florida? It is being built near Clearwater where the Phillies have spring training. It will have 8 bedrooms, 10+ baths, a two-story library, 2 kitchens, 3 laundry rooms, 2 elevators, a wine room, a bowling alley, and a trophy room (I hope he can fill it). The doorknobs alone reportedly cost $80,000. When you have a contract worth $180 million, you can do this.

2. A friend of mine told me that while he and his wife were watching the Eagles lose their first preseason game (they are both huge Eagles fans), she asked which six Eagles he would like to have as his pallbearers. He wondered why she would ask such a strange question. She said she thought that when he died, it would be appropriate for the Eagles to let him down one last time!

3. Speaking of the Eagles, they practiced this past Sunday at Franklin Field, the football home of the Penn Quakers. The Eagles played there from 1958-1970. It was built in 1895. Why there you might ask. Well that was the site of their last NFL championship in 1960 when they beat the Packers 17-13. That was 54 years ago. 28,000 people showed up to watch.

4. Andre Reed did himself, his family, his high school (Dieruff), and his community proud at the NFL Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton, Ohio last week. His speech was straight from the heart, especially his thoughts on Jim Kelly, his quarterback. I have a helmet in my office with both their autographs on it. That helmet was always special to me; now it is even more so.

5. I want to thank John Leone for filling in for me last week. If you haven’t read his blog, please take the time, especially if you are as passionate a sports fan, as John is. You can feel his pain and suffering. Give it a look.

Gary will be returning with a new blog on August 11. This week, he’s asked RCN’s John Leone to guest blog. RCN-TV viewers should recognize John from the Lafayette College basketball broadcasts on the Lafayette Sports Network.
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Only those who have ever earnestly invested themselves emotionally in the life of a chosen major league sports franchise will understand the following. Others need not indulge me. I’m not talking about the weekend warrior here. I’m talking about those loyalists who pass along their rooting legacies to their young children, who risk otherwise happy marriages, whose palms sweat in the late innings of innocuous game number 86 sometime in July, or during final fourth quarter drives in late September. I’m talking about those for whom the major national and religious holidays include the first day of spring training and the start of OTAs in the middle of summer. I’m talking about those of us for whom the line between healthy diversion and debilitating vice has become dangerously blurred. How debilitating, you ask?

I have been a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball and the NFL’s Cleveland Browns for the past half century.

Those of you who’ve read this far may be old enough to remember a time when such loyalties could be deemed well-placed. Younger folks, on the other hand, will have the sense that the author here is the Marquis de Sade. But remember, we’re talking cornerstone franchises here – Rust Belt cities where these respective sports were born and whose roots run deep. These were franchises that represented the best in us – blue collar players who bled for blue collar towns with a blue collar effort…and yes, an occasional championship. These were franchises that actually did have glory days. To underscore such history, the Browns are likely the only franchise that has ever effectively traded its owner. When Art Modell took his collection of football paraphernalia to Baltimore, a city revolted and fought the good fight to keep its soul at home. I mean, who are “The Ravens” anyway? The name, the colors, the records, and the memories are where they should be – with the Cleveland Browns. But I digress.

Once the NBA Syracuse Nationals left my hometown in 1963 for greener pastures in Philadelphia, I became the very young resident of a city without a major sports franchise. In retrospect, I was in essence a free agent fan lured not by big contracts and perennial championships, but rather by the enticements that all kids gravitate toward – cool team colors, gaudy box scores, a first trip to a big league stadium, and extended family influences. How could I have known that the two teams of my choosing would represent rival cities, 90 miles apart, and whose fan behavior toward one another on game day would make the Bloods and the Crips blush?

But how I arrived at this precarious place – a die-hard fan of two franchises whose decades-long run of ineptitude has been nothing short of epic – is a story for another time. My younger friends and even my own children have come to look at me with a mixture of sympathy and incredulity. Why would an otherwise normal person, not a resident of either town, actually choose to follow these teams? Only recently, the Pirates set a DiMaggio-like record for franchise futility, failing to reach .500 during a streak spanning two full decades. Be aware, that includes all franchises from all major professional sports – not just baseball. But even by the Browns’ more recent standards, the Pirates have been in a good place.

Remember, this is a franchise (the Browns) whose failures have been classic. So iconic have their heartbreaks been that they’ve christened them in a sort of morbid remembrance. Even casual NFL fans know of them by name. So while the Steelers have “The Immaculate Reception,” the 49ers, “The Catch,” and the Titans (who are they, anyway), “The Music City Miracle,” we Browns fans are left to ponder “Red Right 88,” “The Drive,” and “The Fumble.” Even our stadium has been unofficially dubbed, “The Factory of Sadness.” I could go on, but you get my point.

And still, fully aware of my own fatal attraction, as my Pirate summers would all too soon inevitably melt into baseball oblivion, I could always turn to Cleveland’s football-version of Christmas morning: Draft Day. And like most gifts on Christmas morning, the newness and glitter of the next promising draft class would soon fade, as the promising packages of highly-touted future stars invariably represented as so many lumps of coal. And just as quickly I’d be back to the Bucs, trying to keep up with which veterans they’d jettison to contending teams at the trade deadline for more promising prospects – again, and again…and again. Perennial sellers.

And so the cycle would go: year, after year, after excruciating year. My children are grown now. As heirs to my Browns-Bucs plight, they’ve witnessed and lived through the years of frustration. And if I’ve failed to teach them anything worthwhile, at least loyalty and persistence haven’t been among the lessons lost.

None of my kids are named Job, (though my wife, Julie, is most certainly the female equivalent) but maybe, just maybe, they are about to experience the Biblical lesson for which he is known.

Clint Hurdle has at long last energized the baseball ghosts of Clemente and Mazerowski in Pittsburgh. And anyone who still believes that “there’s no crying in baseball” wasn’t witness to the Bucco’s wild card win over the Reds last October. One TBS broadcaster’s eloquence captured the moment that night. As the camera panned the packed stadium and the hysterical crowd, I heard him say, “Now I know what 20 years of frustration, unleashed and dressed in black and gold, looks like.” How can you not love the romance of baseball?

And even Cleveland’s (new again) football front office has NFL followers taking notice with the drafting of Johnny Manzeil. That gift hasn’t been opened yet, but there it sits. And if nothing else, Browns football is relevant again and hope springs eternal.

So you’ll please excuse me if I guffaw at the plight of the Cubs or the Curse of the Bambino. Pittsburgh football fans have had the Steelers, and Cleveland’s baseball folks have at least sniffed success with the Indians (and, of course, the “Return of the King” this NBA season). But for a fan whose enduring loyalties forever shift with the seasons between the castaway teams of these two cities – summers in Pittsburgh and autumns in Cleveland – a new standard has to have been set for, well, I’ll let you fill in the blank. My family and close friends have given up trying.

Gotta run. The Pirates are on the west coast, so it’ll be a late night. And the Browns are into their first week of training camp. Have to see how the QB competition between Hoyer and Manzeil is going.

Finally, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!!

The US Patent and Trademark Office has canceled the Washington Redskins’ trademark registration. They did it because they considered the name “disparaging to Native Americans.” This would mean that the team would NOT have exclusive rights to the trademark, thus allowing others to sell merchandise using the Redskins’ logo – possibly a PR and financial disaster. Owner Dan Snyder has vowed never to change the name and has appealed the decision of the Patent Office.

There are other examples of teams dealing with similar controversy. In 1997, the Washington Bullets looked to change their name because of the rise of gun violence across the country. They became the Washington Wizards. Not the best choice since Washington is predominantly African-American and a “wizard” is the name for someone highly ranked in the Ku Klux Klan. This was a true case of “out of the pan, into the fire.”

The Kansas City Chiefs have faced attacks similar to the Redskins, but they have fought any attempt to change their name. So, too, have the Atlanta Braves. They have discontinued use of their “screaming Indian” logo, but continue to come under fire by Native Americans. Other teams of note are the Chicago Blackhawks, the Vancouver Canucks (considered a derogatory term for Canadians), the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Indians, even the Boston Celtics (their pot-bellied, pipe-smoking Irish leprechaun has been considered offensive by some).

Perhaps the worst choice came when an Ontario professional baseball team called themselves the London Rippers named after Jack the Ripper and their logo featured the image of Jack holding a baseball and a bat in a very menacing way. Fortunately, the team suffered financial problems and lasted only one season.

So, what’s in a name? Well, there once were more than 3,000 American Indian mascots and names used in athletic programs across K-12 programs in the US. More than two-thirds of those have been changed. So, amid all the controversy, it does appear that eventually all teams will have to consider what underlying meanings their nicknames and logos contain and whether tradition wins out over real and/or perceived insult.

Watching the appeal process by the Washington Redskins versus the US Patent and Trademark Office will be very interesting. I believe, since the trademark was first registered over 40 years ago, the Redskins will win their appeal. Whether they win in the court of public opinion, however, is a completely different story. Here, I suspect they will lose. There are just too many groups, ironically, “circling the wagons.”

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. Now that baseball is past the mid-season, are Phillies’ announcers Jamie Moyer and Matt Stairs improving? They certainly had plenty of room to get better and generated a great deal of negative criticism when the season began. My feeling is they are getting a wee bit better. Stairs still has trouble with mumbling and completing sentences. Moyer’s is more interesting, but his delivery is just plain boring. From the reports I have read, Comcast sees them as works in progress. They believe they are getting better and have confidence in their ability to stay long-term. I do not see the Philly fans being so patient.

2. The Phillies started the season at 15:1 odds to win their division. That has now dropped to 100:1 and even that seems too high. The Cubs, by the way, are 1000:1 to win their division and the Astros are 5000:1. Right now it looks like the Dodgers against the Angels in the World Series.

3. With football camps now beginning their workouts, you might be interested in the Las Vegas odds for the 2015 season. The Seattle Seahawks are favored to win the NFC Championship and the Denver Broncos are favored to win the AFC title (sound familiar?). Seattle beat Denver 43-8 in the Super Bowl last year. The Broncos are 6:1 odds to win the Super Bowl. Most fans felt the same way last year. The Eagles are 15:1 to win the NFC and 28:1 to win the Super Bowl, listed as the 10th best team in the NFL.

4. Speaking of last year’s Super Bowl, it was the most watched television program in history with 111.5 million viewers. The halftime show which featured Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers had 115.3 million viewers. I guess many of the wives just wanted to watch the concert.

5. A final note concerning the Blue Mountain League. The teams are in the playoffs now with the semifinals and finals on the horizon. If the playoff games are as competitive as the regular season, get out and watch a game. It is good baseball.

One of the really nice perks about my job is the free admittance to sporting events. Granted, I have to “work” once I get there, but purchasing a ticket to an event is pretty foreign to me. Add to that the fact that I have a good seat; I get to talk to the players and the coaches; I can converse with the fans; and, sometimes, I even get free food. It’s all good.

There are some sporting events, however, I would like to attend ONCE in my life and to do that, I would probably have to buy a ticket like any other fan. So I investigated the price (in 2013) to attend some of the events on my list (obviously, in the manner I am accustomed to):

1. The Masters golf tournament – a four-day pass would cost me $4,486. I would need to travel to Augusta, Georgia, find lodging, eat for four days, and pay exorbitant prices on the grounds. I am guessing a total price around $6,000.

2. The Super Bowl – the average face-value price for a ticket for the Ravens vs the 49ers in 2013 was $1,210. Tickets were sold, it was reported, for as much as $316,000.

3. The BCS College football championship – For this one, I think I would like to sit in a luxury box suite. After all, I am used to broadcasting college football from a nice suite with free food and drink available. The best price I could find was $250,000 for the accommodations. I would be able to invite some friends – maybe I could get a half dozen to kick in $50,000 each. I am not against making a profit here.

4. Game 7 of the NBA Championship – that happened in 2010 when the Lakers met the Celtics. To sit at courtside (why would I want to sit anywhere else?) required that I purchase two tickets minimum for a cost of $115,000.

5. Major League Baseball’s All-Star game – Another event where if you wanted to sit behind home plate, you needed to purchase two tickets. That would set you back $7,200. I wonder what a hot dog and soda would cost me. Maybe I could sneak in my own peanuts.

My list may differ greatly from yours. So allow me to quickly give you some “ballpark” figures for some other major events:

Championship boxing – ringside – $30,940.
Stanley Cup Final – average price in 2013 – $1,380.
Wimbledon Championship Finals – If you are “unfortunate” to have a British finalist
(Andy Murray in 2013), and decided to buy a ticket the day of the final, it would set you back $65,000.
Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics – only $4,000.

AND, if you got caught up in the World Cup this year and were wondering what it cost to attend the championship final – a mere $990. The problem here is you have to get to Brazil – from my house, it was @$3,000 for flight and hotel!

My top five would cost me around $375,000 or so just for the tickets. My air-conditioned house, comfortable recliner, hi-def TV, and easy access to snacks and drinks have me reconsidering attendance. With the money I’ll save, I think I’ll Google the nearest Porsche dealership.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. The Derek Jeter All-Star salute last Tuesday night was very special. I particularly loved the late Yankee PA announcer Bob Sheppard’s introduction of Jeter. It was the perfect touch, along with allowing Jeter to run off the field in the fourth inning.

2. An interesting side note on Jeter’s career. Dan Szymborski of ESPN has created a formula called ZiPS (sZymborski Projection System) which takes the first three years of a player’s career and projects his career numbers (here are Jeter’s projection numbers followed by his actual numbers as of July 19 in parentheses). For Jeter, he would have projected a .289 batting average (.311); 2,947 hits (3,411); 418 doubles (534); 114 triples (66); 263 HR (258); 1,287 RBIs (1,287); 336 SB (355). Very impressive projection system if you ask me.

3. I love the British Open. Links golf is just different; the TV time is done to allow you to do other things on the weekend; and it is a Major. It was great to see Rory McIlroy play so well again and even his fellow players were happy for him. Sergio Garcia finished second, but now has played in 64 majors without a win. He and Lee Westwood (66 majors) endure the title of “best players to never win a Major”.

4. It was a sponsor’s dream on Sunday at the British Open when the top three golf corporations were so visibly represented – Rory McIlroy represents NIKE; Sergio Garcia represents Adidas; and Ricky Fowler represents Puma. Pretty much equal time for all.

5. Two more interesting British Open tidbits – 1) McIlroy’s former fiancée, Caroline Wozniacki, also won her WTA tennis championship in Istanbul on Saturday. They were to be married in November. Rory broke off the engagement with a three-minute phone call. 2) A fan kept yelling “Sergio is going to catch you” at McIlroy after every shot. McIlroy had a fan removed by security at the 15th hole. No one was sure if it was the same fan.

“That’s why you play the game.” This phrase has been spoken many times in the sporting world after a huge underdog leaves the arena of competition with an almost unimaginable victory. For example, in the early 1900’s, Man o’ War had never lost a horse race in its career until it was defeated by a 100-1 long-shot named, appropriately, Upset.

• In 2007, 27-point underdog Appalachian State traveled to Ann Arbor to take on college football’s powerhouse, the Michigan Wolverines. App. State was a 27- point underdog. Appalachian State won the game by a 34-32 score.
• Super Bowl III was won by Joe Namath’s New York Jets 16-7 over the Baltimore Colts. The Colts were overwhelming favorites. Namath announced his team would win and they did.
• The New England Patriots took a perfect record into the 2007 Super Bowl against the Giants. The Patriots were favored by 12. The Giants spoiled their perfect season with a 17-14 win.
• And who can forget perhaps the greatest upset of all when the United States defeated the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics? The Soviets were a team loaded with experience and players known to be the best in the world. The US was a bunch of random players from college hockey. This is usually listed as the greatest upset ever in sports.

How does this happen? What is it that would motivate an athlete to achieve what many obviously considered impossible? How can we use some of these lessons to overcome many of the obstacles that fate throws at us in our everyday lives? Perhaps, the answers can be found in a new book titled, The Sky Is NOT the Limit, Discovering the True North for Your Life’s Path.

First off, I have not yet read the book. It was just published. However, I am very familiar with both authors. Dr. Jarrod Spencer is a Lafayette graduate who is president and founder of Mind of the Athlete, “a sports psychology company committed to the emotional health of athletes”. Jarrod sends me an interesting e-mail every week with tips on improving performance in sports and in life. The book is co-authored by Phil Richards, who is a renowned businessman, a successful author, and a member of Easton High School’s Hall of Fame. He is also my son-in-law’s uncle. I did read his Secrets to Sustainable Success. He just finished Practice on Purpose. These are men I highly respect.

When these men write, the underlying theme is ‘There are a few rules to govern all you do’:
1) Give your best effort
2) Don’t be afraid to fail
3) Capture your passion for something and it can motivate you to great results.

You can order the hardcover work on Amazon for $29.95. It just might motivate you to “play the game” no matter the odds, no matter the result, no matter the game!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. I know many caught World Cup fever. But 120 minutes of play in the championship final before the first and ONLY goal was scored left me WITH a fever. I already feel better today and I have four years until I risk another soccer malady.

2. “Defense wins championships”. Another sports adage. The Phillies have not committed an error in their last 59 innings. They enter the All-Star break 10 games out of first place and a winning percentage of .442, their lowest since 1997. Defense will not win a championship for the Phils.

3. Don’t you hate when one of your favorite team’s ex-players comes back and just plays great? And you can’t help but think about the “what if he still played for your team?” Former Phillie Jayson Werth has been all-world in July – 40 at bats; .375 average; 14 runs scored; 6 home runs; 19 RBI’s; 8 walks! What if…?

4. Did you notice that LeBron James signed with Cleveland? If you didn’t, what planet were you visiting the past month? So put yourself in the seat of a Cleveland fan. Your baseball team is playing pretty well, the Browns drafted Johnny Manziel, and the Cavaliers now have LeBron. The last championship in Cleveland occurred in 1964 when the Browns won the NFL championship. There’s another one coming, baby!!

5. The Parkland boys’ basketball team won the prestigious Stellar basketball tournament this past weekend, going 6-0. It was the fifth title, but the first since 2009. They won it with talent and depth. Parkland will be heavily favored to win the inaugural season of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. By the way, the Parkland girls finished second to Boyertown.

“If you build it, they will come” As the 1989 movie cast of Field of Dreams prepares for their 25-year reunion, I can only imagine a similar sentiment among the founding developers of Coplay’s Sammy Balliet Stadium back in the 1940’s. This ball field, which would become for so many years the centerpiece of high school and American Legion baseball, must have warranted a similar aura and mystique as that famous Hollywood cornfield in Iowa did.

But, much like any movie that is 25 years old, Balliet Stadium, now in its 60’s, is showing its age and it needs a refurbishment. As a young boy, playing the game and later broadcasting big games there, I can vividly remember how special a visit to Coplay to see baseball was. No one taught the game better than Sammy Balliet. He more than stressed fundamentals; he insisted they become instinctive. And Balliet not only taught baseball, but he taught life lessons. His 1959 and 1960 Coplay Legion teams won state championships. There was never an argument that the stadium located at North 8th Street and Potter Alley deserved to carry his name. And this stadium continued to carry Sammy’s vision for young people long after his death.

But today, that stadium needs work. It demands to be refurbished. With a history of so many young people having played on this field, so many championship games decided, and so many memories instilled in players, parents, and baseball fans, this field deserves a facelift. Hundreds of volunteers over the many years have labored with their muscles, their sweat and their time to keep the stadium going. They are still willing to labor, but now they need money and that’s the problem.

You see, it was never about the money here. It was always about BASEBALL! It was always about KIDS! And, to everyone’s credit, it still is. Now it is time for those who have the ability to financially aid in the revival of this Coplay landmark to step forward and grant the necessary funds to bring back this treasure.

In Field of Dreams, the question is asked, “Is this heaven?” The answer is one that has been experienced at Balliet Stadium since the day the first ballplayer put on the cleats and stepped out on the field. “Is this heaven?” “Oh, yeah. It’s the place where dreams come true”.

Do not let this place where so many dreams have come true for so many young people deteriorate any further. Help the dedicated volunteers with the one resource they need the most – money. It will be money well-spent. History has proven that over and over again.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1.   Are you still watching the World Cup? Now that the “USA!” has been eliminated, does soccer still interest you? In the quarterfinals with eight teams playing, there were a total of 5 goals! That’s just not enough excitement for me. Reduce the size of the field, take some players off each side, and eliminate off-sides. Now you have a game I can watch. That’s just me. Or is it? Will soccer interest wane again now that the World Cup is drawing to an end?  P.S. I find I can watch the NFL no matter who is playing.

2.   Speaking of professional sports I can’t watch – UFC fighting (feel guilty enjoying the beatings); professional tennis (too long); auto racing (only the Indy 500 interests me thanks to the Andretti’s); bowling (I actually used to watch this as a kid); cricket (I have vacationed often in Antigua where they LOVE this sport-I only showed interest there out of respect); cycling (a very long trip made easier by car); rugby; etc., etc…

3.   In case you were wondering, in 2014, 35% of fans said the NFL was their favorite sport, followed by Major League Baseball (14%), college football (11%), auto racing (7%), the NBA (6%), and college basketball (3%).

4.   Chase Utley will be the only Phillies representative in this year’s All-Star game. Two things worked in his favor – every team needs a representative and he had a great start to the season, hitting .320 entering June. He’s hit .232 since. This is his sixth All-Star start at second base. Ironically, Phillies manager, Ryne Sandberg, has the most National League second base starts in history with nine.

5.   Speaking of slumping, Ryan Howard is 3 for his last 32 at bats and none of those three hits was an extra-base hit. Everyone is screaming for the Phillies to make a whole bunch of trades, but except for Cole Hamels, who would get them the players they need to become a contender? Phillies fans may be looking at a number of really dismal years.

About every six weeks, I am harassed by a Microsoft message telling me that my mailbox is full and I must delete messages immediately.  This message appears on a daily basis until I do something about it.  This, to me, is like cleaning out the basement at home.  I am just not that interested.  At home, I can always shut the door at the top of the steps.  No one needs to see the mess that exists down those cellar steps.  I feel the same about my e-mail.  No one needs to see the mess.  But when the order comes from a higher power like Microsoft, I listen.  Luckily, there are always items that are easier than others to just erase.  For example:

1)   A request for me to become a local baseball umpire. I have never had a desire to become even an international umpire so this one is easy – ERASE!

2)  A request for me to become a local baseball umpire.  I have never had a desire to become even an international umpire so this one is easy – ERASE!

3)   The rules of Foot Golf.  With the soccer rage going on right now, it’s no surprise that someone came up with the idea of “soccer golf”.  You kick a soccer ball instead of hitting a golf ball until you put it into a much-expanded hole!  This actually looks like it might be fun until I pull at least one hamstring.  And, there are no courses around here anyway – ERASE!

4)  Did you know that Dog the Bounty Hunter allegedly abandoned his son?  I didn’t know much of anything about Dog the Bounty Hunter let alone that he may have had poor parenting skills until I got an e-mail telling me.  I know I would be slightly concerned anyway if my father’s name is “Dog”.  His son wanted to be interviewed to tell his story.  This did not seem to fit the image of a typical guest on Sportstalk – ERASE!

5)  Someone offered to be interviewed about “How to be the Happiest Person on the Planet”.  This did intrigue me until I realized the work that would be involved in knowing I was the happiest person.  How many people would I need to survey before I would feel like I had a legitimate shot at being #1?  And… what about the guy who wants to tell me how to achieve this lofty goal?  If he is successful, where does that put him in the ranking?  Why would he want to teach me how to be happier than he is?  I would feel guilty if that happened; then I wouldn’t be happy.  It’s a vicious circle – ERASE!

6)  Are you interested in the most famous biting incidents in sports?  An e-mail thought I would want to discuss bites because Louis Suarez bit a soccer player in the World Cup.  It would be hard for anyone to surpass the Mike Tyson chomp of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a heavyweight boxing match.  That’s #1 in my book – “The Tastiest Bite on the Planet” – ERASE!

This is a small sample of the hundreds and hundreds of e-mails I need to look at today in order to avoid tomorrow’s reminder, “Your Mailbox is Full…”

NUTS!  I just got another one inviting me to interview someone concerning LeBron James’ opting out of his Miami Heat contract to pursue more money.  LeBron’s net worth is estimated to be $250 million – ERASE!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1) This past week, I attended two events that were a first in my life (and that’s saying something since I am old).  The first was a “groom shower” thrown for a co-worker who was getting married.  The second was a “gender reveal” party to announce the sex of a baby to all including the parents.  Just think, two items in one week checked off my “bucket list” that I didn’t know were on my “bucket list”.

2) Did you know that the World Cup championship trophy will be presented by a Brazilian fashion model? That model just happens to be Gisele Bundchen, the wife of New England Patriots star quarterback, Tom Brady.  Can we assume she loves futbol and football?  The ceremony takes place July 13.

3)  Speaking of Tom Brady, his longtime Patriots center, Dan Koppen, was inducted into the Lehigh Valley Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday night.  Dan, who was coached by our own football sideline analyst, Tony Cocca, came into town for the award.  He retired from football having snapped the ball to two of the greatest ever to play quarterback in the NFL – Brady and Peyton Manning.

4)  The Lafayette- Lehigh football tickets for the 150^th matchup to be played at Yankee Stadium on November 22, 2014 are completely sold out.  That’s right – around 48,000 tickets have been sold!  It should be a great event for college football’s most-played rivalry!

I wish everyone a very safe and happy July 4^th weekend!

It seems like, all of a sudden, everyone is watching soccer. I have never been a real fan. To me, there is too much insignificant action, not enough scoring, and I just don’t understand all the intricacies of the game. I know it is the world’s most popular sport, but it has never been part of my world. Even in high school, my basketball coach wanted me to play soccer because of the “eye-foot” coordination. He thought, probably correctly, that it would make me a better basketball player. I chose football instead. Obviously, World Cup soccer has become the rage. The US is certainly playing well despite the heartbreaking tie on Sunday, and I feel obligated to give it some attention. After all, the hockey playoffs and the NBA playoffs ended quickly and, except for major league baseball, there is not much going on in the sports world right now. So here is what I will do:

1. Focus on the skill level needed to control the ball, pass the ball, shoot the ball, etc. I know free kicks and corner kicks are important so I will pay special attention to those aspects of the game.

2. Like any sport, soccer has their star players. They seem to be the most involved on the soccer field – everything seems to run through them so I will pay special attention to them and their skills. I am also sure that the announcers will make me aware of an up and coming player on every team. I will try to see what makes them special.

3. I don’t like stalling and there is plenty of it in soccer. Teams in the lead try to keep possession of the ball, walk to throw-ins, feign injury, etc. They will do just about anything to keep the clock running. After all, 1-0 in soccer is not all that unusual. So maybe I have to appreciate the skills involved in just plain stalling with the lead. I don’t find it exciting but understand the strategy.

4. Passing is the most enjoyable part of the game (unless it’s a last-second Portugal cross for a header into the US goal). Sharp passes to open teammates, long kicks into the offensive end, cross passes to set up a shot on goal are all to be appreciated. Momentum, like all other sports, seems to be particularly important in soccer.

5. Feel the emotion! Players inevitably will physically challenge one another for a 50/50 ball, throw an elbow here or there, push another player in the back, and force the official to reach for a yellow or red card for a major violation. This I know I can get into.

6. Yell when someone scores. If you really don’t care who wins, cheer for any goal by any team! Goals don’t come very often, so cheer when you have the opportunity.

I will let you know how this strategy works for me. USA! USA! USA!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. I’m sure by now you heard about the “rookie dinner” paid for by Eagles’ offensive lineman Lane Johnson with some help from fellow linemen Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis. He took 16 fellow linemen out for dinner and ran up a bill of $17,747.86 or $1044.00 per man. How do you get such a high bill, you might ask? 14 – 1 ounce shots of Louis XIII de Remy Martin for $3,150. 5- 2 ounce glasses of the same – $1,375. A bottle of cabernet – $3,495. A side of creamed corn was $10. Five 32-ounce steaks were ordered at $90 each. What are you having for dinner tonight? I’ll enjoy my meatloaf.

2. As a kid, I remember people always thinking that big-time professional sports were “fixed” to go the limit in a “best of” series like MLB baseball, NBA basketball and NHL hockey. I never would go along with their reasoning that it was all about the extra money. When the NHL Kings and the NBA Spurs won in five games this year, I smiled. It is nice to feel right once in awhile.

3. Speaking of the Men’s US Open – for the first time in history, the women played the same course as the men, Pinehurst #2, the following week for their US Women’s Open Championship. The previous week, the women practiced with the men to prepare for their tournament. The women played very well and women’s golf got a big boost with Michelle Wie winning. After all, she was labeled the “Tiger Woods” of women’s golf years ago. Now, can she maintain her momentum?

4. This past week a federal trademark board ruled that the Washington Redskins nickname is “disparaging of Native Americans” and that the team’s trademark protections should be canceled. It would mean the Redskins would not have financial protection for the use of the trademark. The appeal process, however, could take years. For now, they will remain the Washington Redskins.

5. The World Cup has been a ratings boon for ESPN. For the opening US-Ghana match, ESPN had 11,093,000 viewers. It was the highest-rated and most-viewed men’s soccer match ever on ESPN. This was their highest rating since the BCS National Football Championship had 25,572,000 on January 6.

I have heard many times from baseball fans that the reason they love the game is that “there is no clock in baseball”. That has never been more evident to me than this past Friday when RCN-TV was producing for the 14th consecutive year the PIAA Baseball Championships for the Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN). The games are played at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in University Park. Yes, the same location where Penn State fans enjoy watching the Nittany Lions play football at nearby Beaver Stadium. So, for me and the crew, it is a three hour ride on Thursday to the motel so that we can prepare for the four-game marathon on Friday. We discovered the next day that “marathon” was not a strong enough description of the day.

Friday begins with a RCN team breakfast at the hotel. Up at 7:00, meet at 7:30 AM. Everyone is to be ready to head to the venue at 8:00 AM. Game One is to begin at 10:30. The crew worked meticulously the day before to have everything ready to go when they arrive. They must confirm that everything is working Friday morning. I organized all the materials that I had gathered during the week from the coaches on Thursday in the motel and gave packets of that information to my fellow announcers to go over prior to the games. Upon arrival at the ballpark, our job is to meet with the coaches of the first game, confirm lineups and pronunciations, and become familiar with their teams. All is normal at this point and we are ready for Game One. We all agree that it is imperative that this game moves along in normal fashion to help the time frame for the rest of the day. That did not happen. Game one featured eight hit batsmen and five walks. Throw in only two “1-2-3” half innings and the first game and post-game festivities ended at 1:20 PM.

Game Two was scheduled to start at 1:00 PM! It was pushed back to 2:00. This game featured the big schools – labeled as the AAAA schools and usually featured the most talent. We needed a quick game from these guys. That was not to be. This game went extra innings! It took them eight full innings to decide a winner. It concluded at 5:00 PM. Game three was supposed to start at 3:30 PM. Are you beginning to get the picture?

The 3:30 game was announced that it would begin at 6:00 PM. Twenty minutes later, the stadium personnel decided that a rain storm was on the way. They would cover the field with a tarp and delay the start of the next game. The delay was approximately one hour and game three began at 7:00 PM. We could only pray that this one would have no delay again, just cruise along and we could get to Game Four as quickly as possible. Not a chance! Game Three went two extra innings and was won in the bottom of the ninth on an error. I think the whole crew wanted to hug the kid who did not catch the ball!! That just wouldn’t be right!

The 6:00 game, it was announced would start at 9:40 PM – over 3 ½ hours later than scheduled. Those two teams had been at the ballpark since mid-afternoon. This one moved along rather nicely, took only seven innings and the final medal ceremony and the awarding of the trophies ended at midnight. We just finished on the same day we started!

So, you say, you only worked a 16-hour day. No. No!!! The crew now had to pack up all the wires and the equipment that it takes to do this event. Imagine the amount of wire to run cameras to first base, third base, up high behind home plate, down low on the field for the ceremonies, and way, way out into center field. Imagine carrying very, very heavy cameras from those locations. Another hour or more for sure.

And me? Well, I always figure the games will end at 9:00 PM so I do not make arrangements to stay another night like the crew does. I always just jump in the car and drive home. Which I did. The 185-mile drive took another three hours. I finally pulled into my garage at 3:00 AM Saturday morning. My day ended after 19 hours!!

So, at least for a couple of months, please don’t tell me you love baseball because “there is no clock”. I may just punch you in the mouth and, after hearing my story, I don’t think any judge would convict me of assault.

Check out some of the game highlights below:

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
No musings this week. I’m catching up on my sleep!