The next several days at the RCN TV studio is known as “parade week.”  We know, based on the feedback we get from our viewers each year, that our audience loves the fall/Halloween season and their community parades that celebrate the holiday.  These parades feature many local residents and organizations that we serve.  That means here at the studio (to borrow a baseball playoff term) it’s “all hands on deck” for our RCN crew members, as they are busy being out-and-about in the area in order to cover as many local parades as we can during the next ten days or so.

Consequently, some of our regular work assignments, including those of us on the “RCN SportsTalk” show, take a back seat for the next week in order to provide coverage of these special events.  This Thursday, instead of a live, call-in/email-us edition of the show, we will have a taped program (at 7pm), dealing with the controversial new high school playoff system in Pennsylvania, with local administrators & coaches giving their insights on the new systems, policies and changes that have/will continue to affect all scholastic sports.

We’ll return next week with our live show and a whole new round of District XI high school football poll results, leading up to the final week of the regular season.

In the meantime–and to get you set for what will be an exciting “playoff push” for teams in our coverage area, here’s a look back at highlights from recent games broadcast on RCN TV.  We hope you enjoy–and remember to check back here next week for more sports insights, videos and opinions.

*****
Last but not least, the RCN family lost two wonderful people this past week.

Former Sports Director Bob Gehris passed away last weekend.  While I never had the pleasure of working with Mr. Gehris directly—he retired prior to me starting with the company—I knew of his great reputation here in the Lehigh Valley for many years.  When I started here at RCN, he approached me warmly and always offered me great encouragement, advice and some tremendous stories of all of his great experience calling games over the years.  He would often greet me at local sports venues or the Allentown Fair to ask me how things were going, and he was always a wonderful guest when he made special appearances on our “RCN SportsTalk” program.

Ironically, one of Mr. Gehris’s close friends was our own Bob Gery, who also left us this weekend.

Bob served many roles for decades at Twin County/RCN and was a true friend to everyone who knew him.  He served countless roles—many of them not seen nor noticed by our viewers, and that’s because of Bob’s dedication and tremendous work ethic behind the scenes.  While we are scrambling to try to cover for all of Bob’s work responsibilities, it pales in comparison to the great human being the community has lost.

While he was a very quiet person to most people, he was very passionate about things he loved:  politics, history, the Beatles, the Flyers, golf and the local sports landscape.  Bob worked very long hours during our busiest times of the sports season, but always had a smile on his face when he’d be out at productions and see familiar sports personalities—Doug Snyder, Steve Shiffert, Bob Shriver, Bron Holland, were just a few of his favorites.

We spent many hours in the back offices coordinating different projects for “Community Spotlight,” “SportsTalk,” remote productions and whatever else came our way, but Bob was at his best when we could come into my office and relax and talk about whatever was on his mind—and he always had great insights in whatever he chose to talk about.

Both are viewed as Lehigh Valley television legends in my mind, while serving very different, but both essential, roles.  Both were class acts, and both of them will be very much missed by all.

Be sure to also check out Gary Laubach’s “Behind the Mic” blog this week for his reflections on the passing of Bob Gery.

Every week, while doing a game, someone wins and someone loses.  Announcers, and I am one of them, praise the winners and talk about how difficult it might be to rebound from a loss, and coming back the following week.  It’s just the verbiage of sports.

This past week, the RCN studio family suffered a loss that dealt a blow to our very core. It was the loss of one of our own – cameraman and producer Bob Gery.  Bob was always “behind the scenes” and he would not have wanted it any other way.  Unless you are a rare viewer who actually reads the credits at the end of a program or sporting event, you would not have seen the name.  The sad part is that those very people (directors, engineers, cameramen, audio and graphics people, grips, etc.) are greatly responsible for your enjoyment of a game or a program.  They are in the background to you, but not for those of us in front of the cameras.  We know and appreciate their value.

Bob produced Community Spotlight, kept our vehicles safe and running, and worked our weekend sporting events, doing audio or manning a camera.  He did all of these jobs extremely efficiently and was so conscientious about his performance.  He was a man of character and would take time to make sure everything was in order.

Personally, Bob was a very simple man.  He never wanted the material things in life.  Early on, he took care of his parents until they passed.  He was a dedicated and loving son.    He was quietly interested in life.  He loved history; he loved politics; and he loved reading.  He was quite intellectual and enjoyed debating the current issues of the world.  One of his pastimes was to visit the graves of past presidents and the Presidential libraries.  He was a huge Beatles fan and was planning a trip to England this coming summer.

I looked forward to his frequent visits to my office.  He always wanted to talk about high school and Lafayette College sports.  He was adamant about this current election and I cannot believe he will not vote.  He ALWAYS voted and cast a thoughtful and well-informed ballot.  He felt it was his duty.

Recently, he had been discussing with me the pros and cons of retirement.  His financial advisor told him he could make that decision because he had been frugal all his life.  His finances were in order. He was ready to leave the daily grind of television and reap the rewards of his labor.  No one deserved to do that more than Bob.  Fate took that away from him.

And there was no warning.  Bob worked camera for a weekend football game on October 7, as he has done for 17 years.  We all had a rare Saturday off since Lafayette was not being televised.  Bob thoroughly enjoyed the Lafayette games, but he looked forward to the break and even took the following Monday as a vacation day.

None of us at the studio ever spoke with Bob again.

The RCN studio just does not feel the same right now.  There is an empty cubicle in the office and an empty spot in our hearts.  We will continue on; ask someone to take on Bob’s responsibilities; and cope; and manage our loss.  No one knew better than Bob that in our world the show must go on.

But, make no mistake; it will not be the same.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. If you want to pick the Super Bowl winner right now, the best bet would be the New England Patriots. Tom Brady’s numbers in his two games back from suspension are ridiculous – 782 yards and six touchdowns.  And the defense gives up just 15.2 points per game.
2. The Steelers’ loss to Miami this week not only killed one of my “just for fun” pools, but Las Vegas reported that there were seven times more straight bets placed on Pittsburgh than on Miami. And there were 15 times more bets on Pittsburgh as a package with other games.  The bad guys won again.
3. Watching Clayton Kershaw pitch against the Cubs on Sunday night and win 1-0 made me assume that he was greatly responsible for their success this season. But the Dodgers won 74 games without him.  Manager Dave Roberts has done a masterful job changing lineups and utilizing the entire pitching staff.  Going up against Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon makes this a particularly interesting series for the student of the game.
4. If you need to blame someone for the Eagles’ loss to the Redskins on Sunday, blame Lane Johnson and he did not even play. And that is the problem.  Johnson is suspended for 10 games for using performance-enhancing drugs.  His replacement was awful and allowed Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan to dominate the line of scrimmage.
5. On Friday, October 21, the RCN-TV crew will have the Saucon Valley – Notre Dame game LIVE at 7:00 PM followed by Emmaus- Easton. That game is on at 10:00 PM.  The crew will have Lafayette at Bucknell on Saturday LIVE at 1:00 PM.

 Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (Last week – 10-5; Overall – 55-37 – 60%)
Week Seven
 
GREEN BAY
GIANTS
MINNESOTA
KANSAS CITY
DETROIT
CINCINNATI
BUFFALO
JACKSONVILLE
INDIANAPOLIS
BALTIMORE
ATLANTA
TAMPA BAY
NEW ENGLAND
SEATTLE
DENVER

While the Eagles have clearly stolen the sports spotlight in the Eastern Pennsylvania region, the Phillies’ “positives” this season should not be forgotten.

With their season coming to an end (and insights on the baseball playoffs with MLB.com’s Bill Ladson, and other guests, here: rcn.com/atvn/sports-talk), here’s a look at the top three “feel-good stories” of the year, along with my guesses as to who makes the Opening Day roster next spring.

The starting rotation
I thought at the beginning of 2016 that if half of the top-level prospects (eg., Aaron Nola, Jared Eickhoff, Vincent Velasquez) showed me some flashes of getting MLB-hitters out on an everyday basis, that this year’s team would be a great success.  Save Nola, who struggled before succumbing to a season-ending injury, I feel nearly every one of those prospects took a major stride forward this season. Throw in the better-than-expected performances of Ben Lively, Joely Rodriquez and others, and the team looks like it will actually be in the great position of having competition among those prospects for the top five spots in the rotation next year.  A quality team will use/need at least eight starting pitchers in a given season, and the Phillies might already have eight available (and quality) arms before you even think about your off-season shopping list.

Tommy Joseph
I remember talking with a scout behind the backstop at a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game in 2015 commenting on how far the once-prized catching prospect had fallen offensively, following several concussions that severely limited his playing time since being acquired by Hunter Pence.  In late August of that summer, Joseph looked completely lost at the plate and there were major questions whether he would even return to the 40-man roster.  Fast forward to spring 2016 and he not only excelled in what started as a platoon-role as a new position, but hit 20 home runs with the parent club.  Furthermore, he seemed to adjust and hit his way through slumps and, at the very least, should be counted in as the starting first baseman for Opening Day.  I’m not prepared to say he’s going to be a star in the Majors, but he certainly has worked hard enough to be given that position to start the 2017 campaign.

Hector Neris & Edubray Ramos
I talked with Phillies Manager Pete Mackanin in January about his bullpen, and he seemed really excited about a trio of young arms in the organization—one of them being Neris. Although he really didn’t get much of a chance to show what he could do as the team’s full-time closer, he certainly exhibited “closer-type stuff” all season long, and became the team’s most consistent pitcher.

Edubray Ramos was a guy I didn’t hear very much about from the organization’s top tier, but did hear a few people who have seen him pitch warn to “keep an eye out” for him.  He quickly rose from Double-A, to Triple-A briefly, and then to the Majors and formed a formidable bridge, along with Neris, to closer Jeanmar Gomez.

If Neris and Ramos equal their efforts in 2017 and the Phillies can get a couple more of their young arms to have success at the Big League level, the team’s bullpen will be a key part of future success without having to look elsewhere for much help.

Now, here’s a look at who I think we’ll start next season (along with a few suggestions for additions) for 2017:

Rotation
Jeremy Hellickson (or another veteran presence, if he elects Free Agency)
Eickhoff
Velasquez
Thompson
(combination of Alec Asher, Adam Morgan, Ben Lively and, when healthy, Nola and Zach Eflin)

Bullpen
Neris
Gomez
Ramos
Rodriquez
Severino Gonzalez (as a long-man/spot starter)
At least one or two additional veteran presence and perhaps another “swing man” to start in a pinch.

Catchers
Cameron Rupp, A.J. Ellis (both prospects Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knupp, if not traded, still need more time, and so a veteran backstop will be needed).

Infielders
Joseph
Cesar Hernandez
Freddy Galvis
Maikel Franco
Either re-sign super utility (and all-around good guy) Andres Blanco or another stable veteran backup.

Outfielders
Odubel Herrera
Roman Quinn
Aaron Altherr
Cody Asche (he MUST improve in 2017, and should learn to play first base as a left-handed compliment to Joseph on a part-time basis).

A significant, but not a ‘break-the-bank’ offensive threat who can provide some much needed support to a very young and erratic offense.  We’ll take a look at possible options and best fits for the Phillies in the coming weeks.

Note:  No Nick Williams or J. P. Crawford on this list.  I still think both could use some seasoning and, at the very least, keeps these guys off the MLB roster until you can get another year before free agent eligibility kicks in (cover your ears, agents).  Plus, I’d like to see a few guys (ie., Altherr, Hernadez, Galvis) try to continue (improve upon?) what they showed flashes of during the 2016 season—especially more offense needed from Altherr.

What do you think of my off-season shopping list and 2017 Opening Day projections?  Email me at rcnsportstalk@rcn.com and tune in for this Thursday’s “SportsTalk” show for more sports conversations.

Obviously, I spent much of Sunday watching NFL football.  Between the Eagles, the Steelers, and the Red Zone, the day was filled up from 1:00 – 7:30.  And, once you get into that frame of mind, it is hard to adjust to other programming.  It is an afternoon of adrenaline.

Other programming on Sunday consisted of “60 Minutes” and the second Presidential Debate.  “60 Minutes” did not calm me down because it was all about artificial intelligence, which seems to be closing in on replacing all of us no matter what we do.

Since I was still wired from football, and certainly not calmed by a report that robots could replace us all, I found myself watching the debate in a football frame of mind.  I looked at both candidates as if I were an NFL official.  And it didn’t take long to throw the penalty flag.  For example:

FALSE START:  Neither candidate shook the opponent’s hand to begin the debate.  That should be a 5-yard penalty.

DELAY OF GAME:  Both had trouble sticking to the two-minute time limit for their answers.  They obviously need to work on their “two-minute drill”.

ENCROACHMENT:  This 5-yard penalty could have been tossed on numerous occasions as Donald Trump stalked Hillary Clinton as she was answering questions.  Instead of taking a seat, he paced and hovered throughout the debate.

NEUTRAL ZONE INFRACTION:  Hillary often stepped over onto Trump’s side of the field to get closer to the crowd.  There’s another 5-yard penalty.

ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTION:  When asked about e-mails and Benghazi, Clinton substituted Russia and Syria; when Trump was asked about his biases, he substituted ISIS.  These penalties were offsetting.

PASS INTERFERENCE:  Since “making passes” seemed to be a favorite pastime for Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, the media exposure is an excellent example of “pass” interference.  Due to contact by both sides, those penalties were “offsetting”.

TAUNTING:  No explanation necessary and that is a 15-yarder against both candidates.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT:  Both Clinton and Trump were quite eager to bring up the indiscretions alluded to by the Trump  tapes that were released a few days earlier, and Trump not only brought up Bill Clinton’s past problems with women, but he had four of the women in the audience.  Both should have been given 15-yard penalties.

TOO MANY MEN ON THE FIELD – For the life of me, after all the rhetoric of the last year, how can anyone say they are still an “undecided”?  The audience on Sunday was made up of just those people and there were too many of them.  Throw the flag on all of them and tell them to pay better attention.
And like any player that spent the day engaged in battle, I went and took a shower!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Locally, there has been so much talk about Carson Wentz, the rookie quarterback of the Eagles, that many around here have not noticed what Dallas rookie QB Dak Prescott has done. The Cowboys are 4-1.  On Sunday, he took apart the Bengals and passed Tom Brady’s record for most pass attempts to start a career without an interception.  The Eagles play at Dallas on Sunday night, October 30.  Tony Romo should be healthy by then.  Should Romo or Prescott start?
2. Speaking of Carson Wentz, he lost his first game this past week against the Lions and most post-game headlines talked about his interception at the end. He certainly could have run his first real two-minute drill better, but the game should not have come down to Wentz at all.  Without the Ryan Matthews fumble, the Eagles probably win the game.
3. I’m watching the MLB playoffs and wondering how anybody hits these top pitchers. They are scary good!  If you can, catch the Real Sports show on HBO where they discuss the use of the ball-strike box to actually call the pitches.  It’s a fascinating report.  More robots!
4. Which team or teams will win the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference South division title? Bethlehem Catholic and Emmaus have one loss and Parkland, Nazareth, and Liberty have two.  Beca finishes with Whitehall, Freedom, and Central Catholic (this game doesn’t count for the division).  Emmaus has Liberty, Easton, and Parkland.  There could be multiple champions.
5. On Friday, October 14, the RCN-TV crew will have the Emmaus – Liberty game LIVE at 7:00 PM followed by Palmerton facing Catasauqua. That game is on at 10:00 PM.  The crew will have Nazareth at Freedom on Saturday LIVE at 7:00 PM.  Lafayette travels to  West Point to play Army.  You can watch that game on CBSSN at noon.

 Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (Last week – 9-5; Overall – 45-32 – 58%)
 Week Six
 

DENVER
PITTSBURGH
NEW ENGLAND
BUFFALO
GIANTS
PHILADELPHIA
NEW ORLEANS
DETROIT
JACKSONVILLE
TENNESSEE
GREEN BAY
ATLANTA
KANSAS CITY
HOUSTON
ARIZONA

The American League
The Rangers had the best record (95-67) in the American League.  Amazingly, they won 36 one-run games.  And, more amazingly, their bullpen has not been all that good, ranked 14^th in the league.  That does not bode well for them in the playoffs.

The Indians pitching staff WAS strong, but no longer.  Their three top starters are probably out of the postseason, so they will need plenty of players to step up.  If their starters can get the job done until the Indians get to the bullpen, they have a chance.

The Red Sox could make some noise if, and it’s a big IF, David Price looks like the David Price of last year and not this year.  Their ace is Rick Porcello and he should get his job done, which is win when he pitches.  If he wins and Price is the old Price, the Red Sox will be formidable in the playoffs.

The Blue Jays did not play well at all down the stretch going 26-26 since early August.  Their hitters didn’t hit and their bullpen was dismal.  Based on recent performances, they should not make it to the World Series.

No team hits the ball as far as the Orioles (253 home runs –the best in the majors).  Six players hit 20 or more and Mark Trumbo hit 47.  However, the playoffs are almost always about pitching, but maybe the Orioles can change that perception.

As you can see, choosing a pennant winner in the AL is difficult   I am picking the Red Sox and the onus for that prediction lies on David Price.

The National League
The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908 and, in case you don’t want to tax your math skills, that’s 108 years ago. They last played in the World Series in 1945.  They then went 39 years without getting into the playoffs.  The Cubs were one victory away from the World Series in 1984 and again in 2003.  Last year, they made it to the National League Championship Series.  The Cubs have the best record in baseball, but it’s the playoffs – will that matter?  Let’s look at their biggest competition.

The Nationals won 94 games and won the NL East easily.  But they have problems going into the postseason.  Their catcher is out, Daniel Murphy hasn’t played for two weeks, Bryce Harper has a sore thumb, and Stephen Strasburg hasn’t pitched since the first week of September.  These players are the heart of this team.

The Dodgers really struggle against left-handed pitching and do not seem strong enough to make the NLCS.  The Mets are just too banged up with six players out due to injuries. And did you know that only the Phillies posted a worse second half record than the Giants?

The Cubs should be in the National League pennant.

The Cubs will beat the Red Sox in six games and the 108-year drought will come to a close!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Ryan Howard played his last game as a Phillie on Sunday and the Philadelphia crowd showed their appreciation. He made his Philadelphia debut on September 1, 2004, at the age of 24, and played 13 years with the Phils.  He hit 382 home runs; his last, a two-run shot on Saturday.  His MVP year, Howard hit 58 home runs and batted .313, with 149 RBIs.  Many think he will become an AL designated hitter.
2. The #3 Louisville at #5 Clemson game came down to the wire with an interesting 4^th and 12 play. If you want to watch an analysis of that play, check this out:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/10/2/13136970/louisville-clemson-football-james-quick-first-down

3. Speaking of officials’ calls, we had an interesting one on Friday at the Emmaus-Freedom game. Emmaus “pooched” a kickoff near the end of a tight game and their own player caught the ball in mid-air.  The officials seemed very confused with what to call.  The rule says the ball must touch the ground or a receiving player before the kicking team can touch the ball.  Interference was finally the call and was correct, but it seemed that it was not enforced properly.  Emmaus should have been penalized 15 yards and Freedom taking the ball after the penalty.  Instead, there was a penalty and “rekick”.
4. The Ryder Cup is the best of television golf. Instead of your attention being on a few leaders, every match and every player is significant.  Sunday’s crowd and the drama of watching some great matches made it scintillating television.  For that given Sunday, I chose the golf over the NFL.
5. On Friday, October 7, the RCN-TV crew will have the Parkland – Bethlehem Catholic game LIVE at 7:00 PM followed by a Freedom facing Whitehall. That game is on at 10:00 PM.  The crew will have a Saturday to themselves with Lafayette traveling to the Bronx to take on Fordham.  You can watch on campusinsiders.com at 1:00 PM.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (Last week – 7-8; Overall – 36-27 – 57%)

Week Five

ARIZONA
MINNESOTA
MIAMI
NEW ENGLAND
PITTSBURGH
BALTIMORE
PHILADELPHIA
CHICAGO
ATLANTA
BUFFALO
OAKLAND
DALLAS
GREEN BAY
CAROLINA

Without question, it’s been one of the wildest high school football seasons in recent memory, and our poll experts have had a heck of a time trying to give us perspective on which have been the top teams each week.  Heck, we pretty much went the last two years with Parkland being the definitive top team in the Lehigh Valley region.

Undaunted, we’ll proceed in unveiling this week’s listing of the best teams in the RCN coverage area for District XI.

But first, a quick recap of how we put our polls together and arrive at our conclusions for our bi-weekly  results.

Unlike polls that consist of a couple representatives within the same organization, our poll is much more varied with input from many different people over a wider scope.  Our voting panel consists of local media members from different outlets, along with local coaches and athletic directors from across the entire district.  The voters are not identified (unless they appear on our “SportsTalk” TV show and podcast and chose to reveal themselves) so they can give their honest impressions without any worry of outside pressures or “bulletin board” material, and we rotate different pollsters from different schools each year, including guests from our biggest to our smallest schools.

Despite this fall’s change in the PIAA classification, our poll remains with the standard, tried-and-true format that we have utilized for many seasons.  We will take the 400-male enrollment number as the cutoff for schools within the District XI/RCN footprint.  All schools above that number qualify as “big schools” in our poll. These schools consist of Parkland, Liberty, Allen, Easton, Emmaus, Liberty, Dieruff, Freedom, Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley, Northampton, Nazareth, East Stroudsburg-South, Whitehall, Southern Lehigh and Bangor.

“Small schools” (below 400-male enrollment) consist of Saucon Valley, Central Catholic, Bethlehem Catholic, Northwestern, Wilson, Palisades, Palmerton, Salisbury, Notre Dame, Pen Argyl, Northern Lehigh and Catasauqua.  Each pollster will identify their top five teams in each group—the top school gets five points, the second team gets four points and so on, with an average score determining the order of teams in the poll.

Now, here are this week’s poll results…

“ BIG” SCHOOL FB Poll (10 pollsters)
1. Emmaus – 50 total points (ten – 1^st place votes
2. Parkland – 40
3. Whitehall – 19
4. Liberty – 16
5. Freedom – 14
Note: Pleasant Valley and Stroudsburg also received at least one vote.

“Small SCHOOL” FB Poll (9 pollsters)
1. Becahi – 44 total points  (eight – 1^st place votes)
2. Central Catholic – 34  (one -1^st place vote)
3. Notre Dame – 26
4-tie  Northwestern – 15
Saucon Valley — 15
Other schools receiving at least one vote: Pen Argyl

Disagree with someone’s placement?  Should one team be ranked higher than another?  Feel free to email us at rcnsportstalk@rcn.com or call us during our live show this Thursday to voice your opinion and talk football with us.  Joining Keith Groller and me will be Philadelphia Eagles Beat Writer Nick Fierro to preview the Birds game against Detroit this weekend (Nick also has some interesting thoughts on HS football as well).  We’ll also have Bill Ladson (mlb.com writer) on this week’s show to talk about the MLB playoff races.

I am sure you have heard the phrase, “The greatest thing since sliced bread”.  Sliced bread was invented in 1928 – there has to be something by now considered greater!  And I have found it – it’s my TiVo box powered by RCN.

With my technical knowledge, my TiVo box powered by RCN is just a thing that records shows.  If you need a better definition, “It’s an electronic device that records video in a digital format to a disk drive” (or it’s a thing that records shows).  The prototype of today’s product first appeared in 1999.

This past Sunday, I was absolutely convinced there is no better invention since… well, you know.  Imagine my dilemma – the Miami Dolphins are playing the Cleveland Browns and I need Miami to win the game because I need Miami to win the game (this is my way of taking the fifth).  And right around the same time, the Philadelphia Eagles are ready to kick off against the Pittsburgh Steelers (the NFL state championship!)  And at the same time professional golfers are trying to decide which player will win $10 million.  And the Red Zone is showing all the other NFL games that are finishing up and the ones just starting.

I’ll start with the Browns-Dolphins.  Every NFL fan knows how inept the Browns are.  But, on this day, when I NEED them to lose, they are locked in a 24-24 tie with seconds to go and looking at, by NFL standards, a short field goal for the win.  Browns’ kicker Cody Parker pulled the kick to the left, missing his third, that’s right, his THIRD, field goal of the day (Lafayette’s Jake Bissell would have made them all).  In overtime, Miami wins.  Did I mention I NEEDED them to win!

I put the TiVo on pause for the Eagles and the golf to watch that finish.  Now I pick up the Eagles and they are playing much better than anyone thought they would.  Carson Wentz is having quite a start as is the defense.  The Eagles are scoring and not allowing the Steelers to do anything on offense.  I need a commercial to get to the golf.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of commercials during NFL games.  Off to the Tour Championship in Atlanta.  I pick up where I paused that match just to see Rory McIlroy hit an iron 137 yards into the 16^th hole for a eagle two on a par 4.  He goes on to tie Ryan Moore and Kevin Chappell for first place and a playoff is necessary.  If McIlroy wins the playoff, he wins the Championship AND the FedEx Cup and will pocket $11.5 million.  But, thankfully, golf takes time between shots.

Back to the Eagles, I look in on the Red Zone; keep tabs on the golf; explain to my wife why I cannot eat dinner NOW!!  I’m exhausted… back to golf (McIlroy wins it all!)…back to the Eagles (they crush the Steelers)…back to Red Zone (I watch EVERY touchdown from EVERY game)… it’s never-ending.  But, I see it all!!  TiVo!  TiVo!

What’s for supper?  Ham and cheese between SLICED BREAD!  Sliced bread…Still, a great invention.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Eagles’ rookie quarterback Carson Wentz is the first player in NFL history with 100-plus attempts, 60-plus completions, 5-plus touchdowns, and zero interceptions in his first three career games. Now that’s special.
2. And how about Eagles’ head coach Doug Pederson? The Eagles dominated the Steelers on Sunday every way possible.  No matter how you look at it, that involves great coaching.
3. Most of the time, teams in the NFL look forward to a bye week. The way the Eagles have started the season, they probably would just like to keep on playing.  The Lions and the Redskins are up next and both games are on the road.
4. Rest in peace, Arnie. We will certainly miss you.  One of my favorite interviews back in 2000.
5. On Friday, September 30, the RCN-TV sports teams get a chance to see the undefeated Emmaus Green Hornets as they take on Freedom LIVE at 7:00 PM followed by a solid Bethlehem Catholic team facing an Easton team that needs a win after two straight losses. That game is on at 10:00 PM.  On Saturday at 3:30 PM, Lafayette opens the Patriot League season hosting Holy Cross.  Watch it all on RCN channel 4/1004 HD.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (Last week – 8-8; Overall – 29-19 – 60%)

Week Four
Cincinnati
Indianapolis
Houston
Washington
Jets
New England
Carolina
Baltimore
Detroit
Denver
Arizona
San Diego
Dallas
Pittsburgh
Minnesota

Since we started the high school football season, I guess it shouldn’t be hard to believe that we are already halfway through the regular season (although with the expanded playoffs, we still have over two months to go).

With that said, I wanted to recap some of the major high school sports stories in the Lehigh Valley from this past weekend, along with highlights of our RCN-TV productions through the season’s first four weeks.

• There have been very few head coaches I’ve talked with who did not say that Bethlehem Catholic had the best front six defenders in the entire Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. But they showed their balance last weekend against Liberty on Saturday. Their speedy, but at some spots, inexperienced secondary came through and equaled the effort of the players up front. On offense, they continued to grind out a solid running attack, led by Day-Day Rhodes and Randy Terry, and newly named (after week two) full-time quarterback Javon Clements, who led a balanced attack with a very solid passing game and excellent decision-making. The Golden Hawks wanted to send a message that they belong in the EPC South Division, and delivered their first statement win against a traditional power.

• We mentioned on our high school football preview shows in August that Emmaus’s Josh Artis belongs on a short list of the most talented wide receivers in the region. He’s continued to have proven us correct in recent weeks. At 6’5 and with great leaping ability, he’s very hard to cover for most corners in the league in single coverage. The only way to slow him down seems to be pressuring the quarterback–although that’s not a given with the Hornets solid offensive line.  Also, with Artis running the inside slant, it’s not an easy task for most opposing teams’ defenses to cover. Look for Artis to continue to be a m ajor playmaker this weekend versus Freedom and going forward this fall.

• Saucon Valley handled Southern Lehigh last Friday and Notre Dame also defeated the Spartans a couple weeks ago. This, in probability, should set up a rematch of what was last year’s Colonial League game of the year, when the Panthers will take on the Crusaders in week nine. Both teams lost some talented seniors to graduation, but have removed any doubt of their ability to reload and, barring a major upset, and will once again play for the top spot in the league.

Speaking of Notre Dame, we will find out firsthand more about this team, including how good they think they can be this year, along with insights on their success so far and their upcoming schedule.  Head coach Phil Stambaugh and his players will be our in-studio guests on this Thursday’s “RCN SportsTalk presented by The Morning Call” show, live at 7 p.m. on RCN TV.

Now, here are video highlights of all of our HS football productions, thus far…

Don’t forget to send us your sports comments and questions at any time via email (rcnsportstalk@rcn.com) and to tune in on Thursdays, when I’m joined by new co-host/Morning Call Senior Sports Writer Keith Groller on each show.

Since there were so many upsets the first two weeks in the NFL, I got to wondering how the Las Vegas odds makers were faring.  Las Vegas is one place with a legal US sports book for gamblers.  There are, also, legal online sites…OR you could choose a local guy, but you should understand that doing that is illegal.

I am certainly aware that no one throws an “illegal procedure” flag on the millions of people who play fantasy football, NFL “tickets” or get into “survivor” pools.  There is no question that being involved in these weekly competitions makes watching the NFL that much more fun and interesting.

But what if we lived in Las Vegas where gambling on the NFL is legal?  Just out of curiosity, I wondered how the gamblers and  the Las Vegas bookies fared in the first two weeks of the NFL season.  According to my research, in week one, the Sunday night game between the Patriots and the Cardinals was the “make or break” match-up for each side.  80% of all the money wagered on that game was on the Cardinals.  After all, Tom Brady was out, Rob Gronkowski was out, and other key players would not play.  Four times as much money was bet on the Cardinals to win and the Cardinals were, also, seven times more likely to be on wagers that included more than one team.

As you know, New England won the game 23-21 on a field goal and many a bettor’s ticket was torn up and thrown away.  As a matter of fact, six underdogs won on the first Sunday, including the Miami Dolphins who were 10.5 point underdogs.  It was a good day for the casinos.

Week two proved even more profitable for Las Vegas.  With the unlikely wins by the Falcons over the Raiders and the Rams beating the Seahawks, Sunday afternoon created a windfall for the sports books.  That scenario got even better when gamblers in Vegas took the Packers over the Vikings in the Sunday night game six times more often than vice versa.  The Vikings won and Sunday became a spectacular day for the “bad guys”.

There was, however, one “feel-good” story for the guy who tries to beat the “house” (and, rarely, if ever does).  One Nevada gambler won $179,940 betting on college football when he placed three separate bets in three different locations.  Believe it or not, he picked twelve out of twelve – TWELVE – college games correctly against the point spread.  Although his name was not divulged, he did say he had made a similar bet every week during college football season for years and this is the first time he has ever won.  I hope that, with his win, he has at least broken even now.  Why do I doubt it?

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. It probably isn’t news to you if I tell you that you can buy a University of Florida Tim Tebow jersey. It is news if I tell you that you can also buy a Tim Tebow Mets jersey.  He has signed a $100,000 bonus contract with the Mets and was sent to their instructional league at Port St. Lucie, Florida.
2. What is the story with the Seattle Seahawks offense – 15 points in two weeks and to Miami and the Rams? They do not have a healthy running back and QB Russell Wilson can’t run on a bad ankle.
3. If Bill Belichick’s Patriots beat Houston this week with their #3 quarterback, then you must admit, even though you may hate him, that he is the best coach in the NFL.
4. Five years ago, Lafayette traveled to North Dakota State (where Carson Wentz played) to play the Bison. That team has won the national FCS championship every year since 2011.  This past Saturday, they beat #13 Iowa 23-21 of the FBS (those are the big boys).  You can use permanent ink when you pick them to win the FCS title again this year.
5. On Friday, September 23, RCN-TV offers up undefeated Saucon Valley at Southern Lehigh (7:00pm) followed by Celtic Classic highlights. Lafayette will host nationally ranked Villanova on Saturday.  The live broadcast begins at 6:00pm.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (Last week – 11-5; Overall – 21-11 – 66% )
Week Three

Houston
Cincinnati
Oakland
Arizona
Baltimore
Miami
Giants
Green Bay
Carolina
Seattle
Tampa Bay
Pittsburgh
Kansas City
San Diego
Dallas
Atlanta
 

If you go back through the archives and read one of the earliest “SportsTalk Shop” blog entries that I ever wrote, I spoke at length about my admiration for The Morning Call Senior Sports Writer, Keith Groller, for a number of reasons.

One of the biggest reasons was how much I was impressed by his passion for local sports coverage—almost to, what some may believe, a fault.

A number of years ago, Keith was covering “higher end” sports as the NBA/76ers beat guy for the “Call.”  He made the surprising decision to give up covering professional basketball to devote more of his working time to covering high school sports.

I was shocked by that decision back then.  I myself was busy splitting my time between working part-time at a Philadelphia radio station, a New York station, a pair of sister stations in the Lehigh Valley and RCN-TV.  I had the good fortune of being offered not one, but three, significant full-time opportunities in a very short timeframe—any one of which would have moved my career forward, and any of those positions would have granted me a higher “status” in this industry.

But, I committed what many at that time would have considered career suicide by passing on all three offers—and I’ve never been happier.  I’ve never regretted staying in this area—especially a short time later when I was blessed to be offered my current full time position here at RCN.  And I will always thank Keith for being someone who I looked up to, when contemplating that decision.

And now, as fate would have it, Keith and I will become sports talk show partners.

Premiering this Thursday at 7 pm on RCN-TV, Keith will join “RCN SportsTalk Presented by The Morning Call” as our new co-host. We’ll be joined by the strong stable of The Morning Call staff writers making regular appearances on our hour-long program.  Many of the “old favorites” will return, including “the Roundtable” segment, our “Stone-Cold Locks,” trivia, prize giveaways and, of course, the opportunity to interact with us live on the program.  Also, Keith will sound off on any sports issue(s) that he chooses to comment on, during his “take” segment—much the same way Joe Craig had done before him.

Speaking of Joe, he is focusing his time going forward on our weekly “Football Friday” program—dedicated to talking about his favorite subject, high school football, during the scholastic season.  It will be great for me and our audience to continue to see him on RCN-TV this fall.

It goes without saying that I will miss him being a regular panelist on our show each week.   Despite our on-air combativeness—one that was never faked or pre-scripted like many other shows, I thought we provided an interesting balance of opinions and styles during the first 12 years of this show’s run.  We frequently disagreed on a number of issues, probably too many to even attempt to recap over time and our debates would frequently spill over after the program—so much so that many people would often ask me if we were on non-speaking terms away from the program, or if we really despised each other.

The answer is and was always “no.”  I have great respect for Joe as a football coach and as an athletic director and thought he added a great deal to our program.  Once more, he had a deep commitment to our local athletes and sports institutions—and that love of the local athletic programs in the RCN viewing area is something we shared and was the basis for our show’s core—one that allowed us to have strong disagreements and yet continue to have a solid working relationship.

It’s great that we are continuing to have passionate conversations about people who truly care for and respect local sports, on both our Thursday and Friday sports programs.  We hope you’ll tune in to watch both shows this football season, as we continue to add to our local sports coverage and feature the outstanding athletes, teams and programs in the RCN viewing area.