I try to maintain a “level head” when forming my sports opinions.  When fans rush from one extreme to the another (eg.,remember fans proclaiming the Eagles were going to the Super Bowl last year?), I try to take a step back and examine things objectively from all sides.

But…

I must admit, when the rumors were coming in hot and heavy for the 76ers to be “major dealers” (per ESPN) come the night of the NBA Draft, I was getting exciting for some major shake-ups and perhaps, finally, some resolution as to what this team will do with all the “bigs” they have in their front court.

So, when the team didn’t do anything – which slightly overshadowed the fact that they got the best player available in the country in Ben Simmons – I was initially disappointed with the organization.  But, as some time passed, I felt good about the team’s draft night and think we actually learned a few important facts about the Sixers and how the “Colangelo Era” will proceed through this rebuilding process.

BRYAN COLANGELO IS NOT HOWIE ROSEMAN
Not that any of Roseman’s moves this off-season are currently viewed as a “bad” move, but Roseman clearly had Chip Kelly issues and expediently removed all traces of Kelly’s influence with the Eagles following Chip’s departure.  Clearly, the Colangelos and Sam Hinkie could not co-exist, but I credit both Jerry and Bryan Colangelo for not stubbornly trying to undo everything that Hinkie tried to establish—just to prove themselves to the fan base.

I did start to get nervous when the rumors indicated the 76ers might deal Jahlil Okafor AND Nerlens Noel AND the 24^th AND the 26^th picks in the draft.  With a guard-heavy draft coming up, and the team owning three first-round picks over the next two years, there was no need to unload everything that Hinkie had built up just to make a deal for the third pick in this year’s draft.

NERLENS NOEL MIGHT HAVE MORE VALUE THAN WE EXPECTED
IF the 76ers were going to make a move to get the third pick in last week’s draft, I was perfectly OK giving up Noel for a potential starting guard (aka Kris Dunn).  But it seems that there was more interest in Noel than Okafor, which might be the reason the Sixers chose to hold on to both players.

Think about this…if you are the Sixers and Joel Embiid is healthy (or, if you’re any other team and already have an established starting center), which player would you rather have?

Noel is a shot-blocking/rim-protector guy who could back up Embiid and maybe play a little “four” against certain lineups.  And, IF Simmons turns out to be a major star, and IF Embiid is as good as some envision, wouldn’t Noel be a better complement than Okafor, who’s a major scorer, with not much defense, who can only play the five spot on the floor?

Since the Sixers are not going to win a championship next year (and I still have major issues regarding Embiid’s health), perhaps it was wise to hold onto Noel and see what shakes out, and wait until next year’s draft (or free agency) before deciding on a back court pairing to build your team around.

HOW MUCH VALUE DOES OKAFOR REALLY HAVE?
Before the draft, everyone, including me, seemed to think that trading Okafor would automatically get you the third best pick in the draft.  After all, the Celtics desperately needed a big man, and Okafor seemingly would have been a great fit.  But at the end of the day, Dunn fell to the fifth spot, meaning, if the Sixers were as aggressive in their talks as reported, two other teams other than Boston would have had an opportunity to pick up Okafor as an unproved talent…and passed.

High-quality guards were also selected at the sixth and seventh spots—which is interesting since CBS Sports reported before the draft that Philadelphia was very aggressively looking to move up and select a second “top eight” pick, but elected not to do so at the end of the day.

I still think he’s a valuable piece to the 76ers moving forward—mainly because I have very little confidence that Embiid will ever be the player most hope he’ll be (too many bad Jeff Ruland nightmares, perhaps, still fresh in my memory).   If you traded Okafor before knowing if Embiid can play, you might suddenly go from having too many scoring options at the center position to very little.

The best thing that could happen is that Embiid shows he’s healthy this year, but Okafor still gets enough minutes and takes a big step forward in developing his game during the 2016-17 campaign. If (there’s that word again) he increases his value,  a playoff-bound/post-player-starved team over pays to give you more than you would have acquired than by moving him this summer.

WHO’S DEFENDING WHO?
It was strongly hinted at after the draft that Simmons, who might be the team’s “point forward,” might be guarding other teams’ power forward, which brings us to another huge question regarding having all these post players in the first place…

Defense!

For argument’s sake, say Embiid is healthy, Dario Saric decides to play for the 76ers this year and no other forward/centers are moved.  Your potential “first eight in the rotation” could look something like this:
Ish Smith
Isaiah Canaan
Nik Stauskas
Ben Simmons
Dario Saric
Nerlens Noel
Jahlil Okafor
Joel Embiid

Question…who, among all these players, would guard the opposing team’s small forward?  Considering some of the league’s most dominating players play that position, it’s a question that probably won’t be answered this season (barring a significant move).  But developing some defensive stalwarts (in addition to another point guard, an outstanding long-range shooting guard, et al) have to be major priorities as you move forward with this rebuilding effort.

All in all, I think the 76ers make all the right decisions with this year’s draft.  I’m expecting some mid-level free agents to be added to the mix to help develop the younger players (both on and off the court) and the team should add more wins and have more interesting storylines to watch for this winter.

Put the Kris Dunn talk (and guards of a similar ilk) behind you–for now–and try to concentrate on taking the next “baby steps” as this process inches forward towards a better, brighter 2018 season.

Or 2019 … or 2020.

PROGRAMMING NOTE:   NBA & 76ers Beat Writer Tom Moore (Caulkins Media) will be joining us on this Thursday’s “RCN SportsTalk” (live at 7pm, RCN-TV) to give his insights on the this year’s NBA draft.  The show will also be available via our podcast (rcn.com/atvn/sports-talk) on Friday.

I am very fortunate to be part of a live, interactive show, so that we get instant feedback from sports viewers–both on sports issues as they are happening and also about our “SportsTalk” program.  I get some great comments, questions and opinions from our viewers and they never fail to amaze me with their creativity with different topics and acuteness to the things we do on the air.  I thought it would be fun to post some of the messages that I receive from our audience.

Below are several emails I’ve received over the last few months (along with my thoughts)  regarding still-relevant sports topics.

Q:  Do you think the Phillies can contend this fall?
A:  Probably the most asked-sports question I’ve gotten this baseball season.  If I thought the Phillies were legitimate playoff contenders, I would be very concerned about the teams’ hitting—especially the lack of power.  They would probably need a big-time power hitter for the clean-up spot in the batting order, a front-of-the-rotation pitcher, and a closer with a proven track record for closing in big time situations.

Because I DON’T believe they have more than an outside chance of getting the last wild card spot, I hope the Phillies don’t look to add any of these pieces—with the exception of picking up a player with no more than one year remaining on his contract.  The Phillies can afford to add a large salary through 2017, but to add an older name (like a Ryan Braun-type) will just block the way for a possible future superstar (eg., Nick Williams, Dylan Cozens, et al) and that doesn’t make sense to me at this point.

Q:  What did you think of Washington HS basketball this season?
A:  It impressed, as it always has.  RCN broadcast a few high school games a number of years ago in the DMV region, most notably the “City Series” Championship, which, that year, featured Ballou versus DeMatha.  A few of those players (the biggest name was Victor Oladipo), went pro, and everyone on the court that day was playing above the rim, and at a level that many schools elsewhere simply cannot match.

I think HD Woodson’s undefeated season was one of the top scholastic sports stories in the RCN viewing area—if not the entire country—and it was our pleasure to feature their team highlights on a number of our “SportsTalk” shows this past season.

Q:  Who’ll win the NFC East this fall?
A:  Teasingly, I asked that question of our NFL beat writers on our show following the NFL Draft—knowing full well any prediction could very easily change between April and the start of the season.

But, since I was asked (and reserving the right to change my mind after training camp), let’s go with:

• Redskins
• Cowboys
• Eagles
• Giants

Q:  Do you and Joe Craig really argue as much in person as you do on TV?
A:  Probably more.

Q:  What do you think of the PIAA’s decision to go to six classifications?
A:  I personally am reserving judgment on this, for at least a few years.  I know some people are openly despising it, and I’m afraid others will start complaining instantly once issues/problems pop up.  I think there are some exceptionally bright people who are 100% in favor of this, so I’m willing to wait and see how it shakes out over time.

I do know it’s going to create a lot of nightmares for many of us in the media as far as trying to cover the increase in playoff games.  In past years we tried to preview ALL of the boys AND GIRLS basketball league and district playoff games—barely getting everything in the allotted time on “SportsTalk” (not to mention, all the time it takes to prepare, getting up to speed on teams many of us have not seen all year long).  This will be a challenging school year coming up, getting use to the new alignments, and it will not be an easy transition.  But, again, I’m taking a cautious, but hopeful, outlook.

Q:  How ‘bout them Flyers?
A:  I got this email after their miracle finish to the regular season, and I was thrilled that the team not only make a return to the playoffs this year, but they did it with a younger and more passionate brand of hockey that I hadn’t seen in the Delaware Valley in a few years.

The fact that they have so many people coming back, along with some talent coming up through the pipeline, should make die-hard followers for the Broad Street Bullies very happy for some time to come.

Feel free to send your questions…and opinions…to us via email at rcnsportstalk@rcn.com & tune in to our live “SportsTalk” program and/or hear our podcasts at rcn.com/atvn/sports-talk

Also, you can see our show in person this Thursday at the Buffalo Wild Wings on Grape Street in Whitehall, PA for another live, on-location edition of “SportsTalk Gets Wild,” to benefit the American Cancer Society – Relay for Life .  Our special guest will be long-time/retiring Wilson Area Head Basketball Coach Bob Frankenfield and a couple of his long-time friends and coaching assistants.

Due to a Monday commitment, which is the day I usually write my blog, I am sitting at my computer Sunday morning contemplating what to write about.  I have already been reminded that it is Father’s Day by my two daughters who have sent their well-wishes and will visit later in the day.  They have both made my wife and I very proud as both successful citizens, employees (one in hospital management and the other as an ultrasound technician), and, most importantly, excellent parents.  And they, for me, are what makes my Father’s Day enjoyable and special. They are the “end products” of what my wife did as a mother and, in some fashion, what I did as a father.

When we sit around the kitchen table, which we do quite often, conversation often turns to those moments when I did not do such a good job.  I vividly remember keeping Natalie from going to her first school dance because she could not find her music book when her instructor came to the house for weekly music lessons.  His trip was a wasted one, and it became obvious that Natalie had not practiced all week.  It also was the night of her first dance.  I laid down an ultimatum- if she didn’t find the book; she couldn’t go to the dance that night.  After hours of tears and frustration, the book was not found and she did not go to the dance.  I felt terrible, but I hoped that she learned a lesson.  The next morning the music teacher called to tell me that he had Natalie’s book in his briefcase – he had accidently taken it home with him the week before.

When Christine was working in banking, she was to go to a seminar in the Poconos.  She wanted to do what other employees were going to do, take her boyfriend with her because there was going to be time for socialization.  My wife and I were not comfortable letting our unmarried daughter go away for the weekend with this young man (my, how times have changed).  It created an uncomfortable moment for us with our daughter, the young man, and his parents.  And, of course, they stayed together and are now married.

These are just two examples of many where I screwed up as a father.  I am quite proud, however, that we made the girls work throughout high school, got them involved in extracurricular activities, and taught them to do the right thing.  They never let us down.

My own father died in his early sixties, but he worked hard to financially support his family, cheered his four children on in all that we did, and made us responsible for our actions.  He was certainly my role model.

So, as I sit here on Father’s Day morning, knowing that gifts are forthcoming and a nice card and a little more precious time to reminisce once again about fatherhood, I really believe that this day should be more about a father’s children.  They, more than anything, are the true measure of what Father’s Day is all about.

And, because that is my mindset, I will thoroughly enjoy this day.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. The RCN-TV crew spent Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at Penn State this past week in order to do the statewide broadcast of the PIAA baseball championships for PCN. Due to the weather, two of the games scheduled for Thursday were postponed until Friday.  We normally would do all four games in one day.  This was one of the few times that the crew was glad to see rain.  Two games one day and two games the next is a much more enjoyable experience for all of us.  Four games in one day is not an enjoyable experience.
2. Since we were at State College, we were not all that far away from Oakmont, where the US Open was being played in Pittsburgh. The USGA was faced with the same weather problems on Thursday, but somehow they logistically figured it all out to get everyone back on track by Sunday afternoon. Now that is a scheduling nightmare, but it got accomplished.
3. If you do not like golf or golf broadcasts, you should, at least, respect the honesty of the players. Shane Lowry who was leading the US Open as I write this, called a one-stroke penalty on himself on Saturday because as he addressed his ball to putt on the 16^th green, the ball moved ever so slightly.  He did not touch it, but it did move.  He stopped play, called over an official, explained the rule violation and took the one-stroke penalty.  If he doesn’t win, let’s hope he does not lose by a stroke.
4. Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors has threatened to cut off the WiFi in his house to keep his wife Ayesha from tweeting. She tweeted that the NBA was rigged for money after Game Six, when her husband fouled out. I’m sure the NBA frowned on that.
5. Watch Blue Mountain League baseball every Tuesday for the next six weeks on RCN-TV. It’s good baseball played by guys who play for fun and love the game.

NBC Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie, who is expecting her second child, has decided not to attend the Olympics.  A handful of other NBC employees have also opted not to travel to Rio.  NBCUniversal is not requiring any employee to go if they choose not to.  Close to 3,000 employees will be part of the Olympic coverage.

Some US athletes have expressed concern, particularly female athletes, but, so far, not many have pulled out. There are approximately 600 cases of Zika in the US right now and those were contracted by citizens who traveled to other countries.  So how concerned should the athletes and spectators be?

In January, the World Health Organization declared Zika a global health emergency for pregnant women.  As of May, nearly 300 women tested positive for Zika in the US.  Just two weeks ago, 200 scientists signed a letter to the World Health Organization strongly suggesting the Games should be moved from Brazil.  Other health officials, including those at WHO, say there is not a big enough threat to move the games.

National Public Radio (NPR) charted the odds of an American contracting Zika in Rio compared to other everyday threats.  According to their data:

• One in 11 million Americans have a chance of dying in a plane crash
• One in 9.6 million Americans have a chance of being killed by lightning
• One in 5.2 million Americans have a chance of dying from a bee sting
• One in 3.7 million Americans have a chance of being killed by a shark
• One in 32,250 have a chance of contracting Zika in the three weeks spent in Rio during the Olympics
• One in 9,100 Americans have a chance of being killed in a car accident

The NPR article goes on to say that Mikkel Quam, an epidemiologist, has been trying to determine the mosquito activity in Rio in August.  August is winter in Brazil, cooler and drier, and he said, “There’s very little mosquito activity during the Olympics.”

His thesis calculates that there will be approximately 16 cases of Zika at the Olympics.  Other scientists have indicated that the athletes and spectators should be more concerned about the water or food poisoning.

Bioethicist Arthur Caplan disagrees completely.  He says this is an epidemic we do not understand and, because of that, we should err on the side of caution and move the Games.

I am pretty certain that, at this late stage, the Olympic Games will be held in Rio.  Hopefully, that is the proper decision.  It remains to be seen.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Tiger Woods will not be playing in the US Open this week at Oakmont, but he is co-writing a book on his 1997 Master’s victory.
2. Speaking of Oakmont, I played there a few years back as a guest of Joe Brake of Coca-Cola. It remains the hardest course I have ever played.  It is, also, a bit intimidating when you pull up in your car and a member of the staff cordially greets you and hands you all the rules you must follow both inside and outside the clubhouse.  Trust me; the hardest working member of the staff that day was my caddie.
3. One more US Open note – high school junior Won Jun Lee missed qualifying for the Open because he fixed a pitch mark off the green. For that, he received a two-stroke penalty.  No good deed goes unpunished.
4. Last week, I mentioned that the US Women’s soccer team was thinking of going on strike for wages on par with the men’s team. Maybe they should just take up tennis.  Of the top ten female athletes, eight of them are tennis players.  Only non-tennis players Ronda Rousey ($14 million) and Danica Patrick ($13.9 million) made the top ten.  #1 was Serena Williams ($28.9 million) and #2 was Maria Sharapova ($21.9 million).
5. We are off to Penn State this week to produce the PIAA State Baseball Championships for PCN at Penn State on June 16. The games will be streamed LIVE on the 16^th and shown on PCN on the 17^th.

The advertisements for this year’s Summer Olympics in Rio have kicked into high gear, and people who traditionally don’t follow sports like handball, judo, table tennis and equestrian events will suddenly become experts (or at least show a passing interest) if and when these events are on television.

It is a special time, and while I admit to knowing very little about the canoe sprint, rhythmic gymnastics and the modern pentathlon, I will sit and watch almost any sport or activity that’s available to watch.  I think the Games build a spirit of unity and give people a common issue to discuss for 17 days without worry or concern of getting into a nasty debate, as politics, news events or even professional sports issues sometimes do.

(I hate to admit this, but I even enjoy the many “feel-good stories” that the broadcasting networks produce—even if it often interrupts a sport’s natural rhythm of the broadcast when they playback events on a tape-delayed basis).

We have the benefit of having some special former Olympic athletes in the RCN viewing area, and I had the absolute pleasure recently to sit down with a couple of them.  Former cycling gold medalist Marty Nothstein and four-time Olympic track star Joetta Clark-Diggs joined us on “RCN SportsTalk” to talk about many different issues (the entire show is available on RCN On-Demand and on our podcast, here).

Nothstein and Clark-Diggs gave us some great insights on what Olympic athletes really deal with behind the scenes of the Games (for many, it’s not nearly as glamorous as one might think).  They also talked about their individual stories of success, failure and perseverance.  Both Marty and Joetta also gave us insights on what goes through their mind each year when the Olympic Games gain momentum and capture the nation’s attention.  Both of these Olympic legends participated in the 1996 Atlanta games and gave us unique experiences about having this event held inside their home country, as well as talking about their 2000 Sydney, Australia experiences.

What was perhaps most surprising to me is that both of these international stars not only have strong views on today’s young people, but also spend large amounts of their time working with young people, and trying to teach many lessons to young people in the RCN viewing area.

Nothstein lent his name to a youth program that helps support young people learning about cycling but also preaches at length to his students about the importance of teamwork and helping out other people.

Joetta runs a camp each year that focuses on typical track-and-field related events, but also uses the lessons she’s learned as a standout athlete, and applies life lessons to kids who could apply to their lives, and to more everyday hurdles that they might come across in life.

Both of these great talents have written books about these issues that our young people face in addition to great insights to each one’s incredible athletic career.  It is incredibly rewarding to see these mega-stars so involved in giving back to the community—willingly—and to really and sincerely enjoy working with our youth.

If you missed our “SportsTalk” show featuring these two Olympic legends, we’ll have an ‘encore’ edition of this program coming up on Thursday, August 4^th at 7pm and again at 9pm on RCN-TV.

The spring sports season is winding down for many scholastic and collegiate athletes in the RCN viewing area.  Before we shift our attention to summer activities, here’s a look at some of the outstanding team and individual accomplishments featuring schools in our coverage region.

JILLIAN PICCIUTO
While it’s not uncommon for a freshman to have a spectacular game or two when becoming adjusted to the collegiate sports level—where the action is much quicker and more physical—it is unique for a rookie athlete to make a dramatic impact with her new squad.

Moravian College freshman lacrosse player Jillian Picciuto did just that with an outstanding first-year campaign for her Greyhounds.  Picciuto was honored no less than four times as the “ECAC Division III South Rookie of the Week.”  During her fourth week of honors, she scored 10 goals and four assists over a two-game span.

Picciuto finished the season with a school record 64 goals, 38 assists (which is also the career record) and 102 total points.  She is the first women’s lacrosse player to reach the century mark in a single season.  Picciuto also had 74 draw controls, 33 ground balls and 17 caused turnovers during her freshmen year.

Moravian’s lacrosse program is going through a resurgence and is looking to once again become a major player in its conference, and Picciuto is a big reason why fans are excited about the Greyhounds program once again.

FREEDOM & CENTRAL CATHOLIC BASEBALL TEAMS
I know many Freedom and Allentown Central Catholic sports fans often feel neglected or overlooked when it comes to the local sports landscape—and, sometimes, for good reason.  Despite a very competitive Eastern Pennsylvania Conference schedule, Freedom, who entered the post-season as the #1 seed in both the league and district playoff picture, didn’t seem to get the attention it deserved heading into the playoff season.

Central Catholic, meanwhile, was the #8 seed and no one gave the Vikings a chance to advance all the way to the EPC finals.  Despite the pre-league playoff predictions, both the Patriots and the Vikings proved naysayers wrong by not only getting to the championship, but playing a very fundamentally sound and enjoyable title game.

BANGOR BASEBALL & SOFTBALL TEAMS
It’s been an extraordinary sports season for the Slaters.  Bangor has done well at a number of different sports during this past school year, and one of its biggest achievements took place this month.  Both the Bangor baseball (going a perfect 22-0) and softball teams won the Colonial League titles.

Unlike many of the “4A” schools in the region, Bangor’s athletic programs usually do not have the high participation numbers that other schools possess, and sometimes have to share athletes intra-season in order to field teams.  Credit the coaches for all working together for the school’s—and the student athlete’s—greater good with this one.  But to also have a high level of success in many different sports, culminating with conference championships for both a spring boys and girls team, was truly as spectacular accomplishment.

Additionally…

There also were some outstanding achievements on the track-and-field circuit this spring.  We featured a number of interviews with these young men and women on our “RCN SportsTalk” show for you to check out, either On-Demand or on our podcasts (rcn.com/atvn/sports-talk).

Helping us salute the spring sports champions in the RCN viewing area include a number of athletic directors, league officials and sports chairs, who provided us with their respective “all-star” lists of outstanding individual student-athletes:

We welcome your feedback and, as always, we encourage you to send your sports news, honors and accomplishments to us via email (rcnsportstalk@rcn.com) so we can feature them here at the “SportsTalk Shop” and/or on our “RCN SportsTalk” program.

As you are well-aware, Muhammad Ali died from Parkinson’s syndrome on Friday, June 3.  He was 74.

He won his first championship title in 1964, the year I graduated from high school.  He was Cassius Clay then.  His last fight was against Trevor Berbick in 1981, after being pummeled into submission by Easton’s Larry Holmes in Las Vegas in 1980.  I don’t think I missed an Ali fight, even though many of them I had to listen to on the radio if I wanted to hear them LIVE.

Looking at the dates, I realize that most young people have probably never seen him throw a punch, except in highlights; never seen him brag, which was always entertaining; never seen him revered wherever he went.  He was the self-proclaimed “Greatest of all time.”  And, in my opinion, he was.  But sadly, the sport has changed so much that most young people today probably have no idea who the current heavyweight champion of the world is, how important that title once was, and have no idea how big boxing was back in the day (as they say).

Trust me, Ali was special when he was fighting and just as special after he left the ring.  Whether you were able to see him fight or too young to watch, you should certainly contemplate some of his words other than “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”  He was an inspiration and he said many inspirational things:

1. “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can surely make something out of you.”
2. “Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter who does the hating.  It’s just plain wrong.”
3. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
4. “Don’t count the days; make the days count.”
5. “It isn’t the mountains ahead that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
6. “A man who has no imagination has no wings.”
7. “A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”
8. “Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion.  Impossible is not a declaration.  It’s a dare.  Impossible is potential.  Impossible is temporary.  Impossible is nothing.”
9. “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it-then I can achieve it.”
10. “Live every day as if it were your last because someday you’re going to be right.”

I have purposely left out the famous quotes where he bragged, rightfully so, about his talent like, “I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.”  Or, “I should be a postage stamp.  That’s the only way I’ll ever get licked.”

Ali was always great theater; he was always the center of attention; he always made you take notice.  Despite some losses in his boxing career, he always put forth the greatest of efforts.  He did the same against Parkinson’s disease.  Once taken off life support this past Friday, the family said his heart beat another thirty minutes.  I am not surprised.  His heart still wanted to answer the bell!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Billy Crystal, former President Bill Clinton, and Bryant Gumbel will all give eulogies at Muhammad Ali’s funeral.
2. Congratulations to the Easton Red Rover baseball team for their District Championship. It was their first District title since 1993.  Also, congrats to the Parkland and Bangor girls’ softball teams.  They, too, won a District title.  On to the PIAA championship tournament for all three.
3. The Golden State Warriors have managed to really garner my interest in the NBA playoffs. I love watching them play as a team and it seems as if Coach Steve Kerr makes all the right moves.  The “Splash Brothers” club is absolutely fun to watch.
4. The U.S. women’s soccer team cannot strike before the Olympic Games, according to a federal judge. The female judge ruled that the no-strike clause in earlier agreements takes precedence.  The women were looking for improved conditions and wages on par with the men’s team.  The women have won three straight Olympic gold medals.
5. The RCN Television team will once again be producing the PIAA State Baseball Championships for PCN at Penn State on June 16.

I have some very fond memories of Philadelphia Phillies’ First Baseman Ryan Howard.

I had the good fortune of seeing Ryan play when he was a hot prospect with the Reading Fightin’ Phillies (then called the “R-Phillies”), the long-time Double-A affiliate for its parent club.  While I was a big Jim Thome fan at the time, I could tell the first time I saw Howard that he was going to be a player for the ages (it wasn’t hard—he hit two monstrous home runs that day).

When the time came to move Thome, there wasn’t any doubt in my mind that it was the right move.  I had seen Howard carrying teams with his bat and be a major force in a lineup that was already belted with legendary names like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and company, and his power bat (and at that time, a productive .300 hitter) would be the perfect fit for the middle of that order.  The Phillies would go on and win a club-record five consecutive NL East Division titles and put together the greatest, successful run in the 100-plus year history of the franchise.

That time when Howard was just coming up through the organization is the first thing that comes to mind when people bring up the issue becoming the biggest elephant in the entire Delaware Valley region right now…what to do with this aging superstar?

I have to admit…I have been cringing at some of the comments that people have been bringing up to me recently regarding Howard:

• He can’t hit his weight
• His strikeout total might be higher than his batting average
• Two Phillies pitchers have higher batting averages than Howard

(All of these are either true or could be a reality!)

This whole season has not gone the way I had expected…as I had hoped.  While the Phillies win total heading into June is impressive, this team is still not going to win anything in October.  Ideally, the young prospects would play well and show that the future is bright, and guys like Charlie Morton (lost for the year because of injury) would pitch well enough to force a contending team to overpay for his services enabling the Phillies to pick up a few more pieces to help them for 2017 and beyond.

And…for purely selfish reasons, the “Big Piece” would pair with Darin Ruf for a presentable tandem in the heart of the batting order.  Not a return to glory.  Not a cry for a push for Howard to play every day.  Just hit well enough (and field decently enough) to not be embarrassed.

When the cries for Howard to be benched/traded/released started, my defense was that it was a rebuilding year and Howard wasn’t blocking the way for anyone currently pushing him for the first base job (especially with a mediocre spring training and even weaker early season performance by Ruf).

But the team’s overall success, mixed with its offensive struggles and Tommy Joseph’s hot Triple-A start, has exacerbated the Howard issue.  Howard’s struggles have glaringly revealed him as a massive liability on a team that might just actually have a shot at the final wild card berth.

This was not the way it was suppose to be…and it’s not fair.  For Howard, for Phillies followers, or for a life-long baseball fan who is becoming more and more removed from America’s Pastime due to its continuing lack of tradition, passion and interesting story lines.

Considering…

• I have to go to a Double-A game to see a manager have a genuine argument with an umpire—something replaced at the Major League level with six minutes of standing around waiting for replays, only to have a 70% chance of getting the call correct in the first place.
• I have to look at Bartolo Colon alerting the opposing team’s catcher to throw strikes because his back hurts too much to swing the bat or run the bases.
• I have to dismiss Bryce Harper’s blatant disregard for protocol and tradition by cursing at umpires well after his ejection simply because, without him, the game would be virtually void of personalities and big time stars we can root for.

Ryan Howard use to be one of those people.  He’d literally carry teams for weeks.  He was a great interview with interesting and sometimes abrasive view points.  He brought thousands and thousands of fans to the ball park, and gave millions of fans thrill after thrill for many years.  He was fun to watch and someone everyone wanted to see hit.  And man, in his heyday, could he ever hit.

Unfortunately, Howard’s legacy is going to be tainted, at least in the short-term, by his Babe Ruthian-like demise.  It gets harder to listen to the truth about the current situation, and remembering the good times becomes more of a strain on the old noggin.

If only there were other things in pro baseball to complain about…
******
On a more positive note, be sure to check out the District XI high school baseball championships games broadcast live this week on RCN-TV.  Check out our broadcast schedule here on the RCN-TV website for the latest details on teams and airtimes.

Let me be up front with you.  I watch one auto race a year – the Indianapolis 500.  When I was a kid, I listened to one race a year – the Indianapolis 500.  There was always something intriguing for me about this race and there was almost always a local driver starting with Mario Andretti of Nazareth who would allow me a rooting interest in the outcome.  This year, Sage Karam (his father is the wrestling coach at Liberty High School and Sage is from Nazareth) and Marco Andretti (Mario’s grandson and Michael’s son) were both in the race.  I had twice the rooting interest.

Neither of the local drivers fared very well.  Sage crashed and finished 32^nd and Marco had tire pressure problems and finished 14^th.

The race continued to hold my interest throughout, however.  A rookie, Alexander Rossi, won the race right before he ran out of fuel.  Rossi said he was so bewildered by the victory that he had no idea what he was supposed to do during the victory celebration.  He had to be told how to put on the wreath and what he should do with the bottle of milk.  He had never been at an Indy 500 race before!  His first memory was watching Marco Andretti race in 2006 and nearly winning.  This was only the second time that he had raced on an oval track.  And, he ran out of gas almost immediately after crossing the finish line.  A very strange win, but a great win none the less.

My friend, sports psychologist Dr. Jarrod Spencer worked with Sage Karam during this past year and traveled to the race.  He came away from the race with the following thoughts:

10 Life Lessons I Learned at the Indy 500

1.  Life is fast. You either keep up or get left behind.
2.  Life is not fair. You get unlucky. It’s how you deal with it.
3.  350,000 fans couldn’t be more different. Diversity is good.
4.  Yet, all fans shared a love for the USA. Be proud to live here.
5.  A rookie can win anything with some luck. Be in it to win it.
6.  Fuel consumption matters in life and racing. Pace yourself.
7.  Camaraderie among competitors matters. There is more to life.
8.  Crashing is a part of personal growth. Take self-responsibility.
9.  Winning matters. But a person’s character matters more.
10. Dreams and ability are ageless. If you want something, go get it.

After seeing Jarrod’s post, I am reminded that athletic competition mimics life all the time.  Lessons are learned from both participating and watching.  This was probably my 60^th Indianapolis 500 as a listener and viewer and, once again, lessons were learned.  I will watch next year on Memorial Day weekend and learn more about life again!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. The Bangor Slater baseball team lost to Parkland on Memorial Day by a 2-1 score. This loss came during the District XI AAAA semifinals.  What made this game stand out is that prior to the loss, the Slaters had won 23 straight games and a Colonial League Championship.  Their season abruptly came to a close on Monday, but it certainly will be remembered.
2. The Phillies lost their 8^th game in the last 11 on Memorial Day. We have now experienced the successful, yet unexpected winning Phillies and, currently, the offense-starved losing Phillies.  Which one will dominate the rest of the season?
3. Ryan Howard hit a double on Memorial Day. It was his first extra-base hit since May 14 and he is now seven for his last 70 at bats (.100).
4. I watched the Golden State Warriors win three straight to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Western Conference Finals. They were only the 10^th NBA team to rally from a 3-1 deficit.  Stephen Curry is just a joy to watch and so talented.  Curry and LeBron James go at it next.  I will watch.
5. Jordan Spieth won a golf tournament in Texas, his home state, for the first time and showed off a little bit with a 32-foot putt, a 20-foot putt, and a chip-in after hitting a spectator and dropping a 34-foot putt on the last hole. At 22, he has now won eight tournaments.

This coming Monday is Memorial Day.  It is a day to remember those in the armed forces who died serving our country.  Memorial Day began in 1868.  RCN salutes all who served to defend our country and especially those who sacrificed their lives and their families.

On Memorial Day, RCN will offer special programming.  We will present some of the best college and high school games of the past year.  Here is a quick synopsis of the schedule:

9:00 AM – MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL – LAFAYETTE VS COLGATE
WE WILL START WITH COLLEGE BASKETBALL GOING BACK TO FEBRUARY 27, 2016. THE LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS WERE PLAYING THEIR LAST HOME GAME AND THEY WERE IN THE MIDST OF A 12-GAME LOSING STREAK.  NICK LINDNER, THEIR POINT GUARD, AND ZACH RUFER, THEIR #1 PLAYER OFF THE BENCH, WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE DUE TO INJURY AND THE LEOPARDS COULD MOVE NO HIGHER THAN #10 IN THE PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT.  NONE OF THAT MATTERED AS LAFAYETTE TOOK ON COLGATE ON THE LAFAYETTE SPORTS NETWORK.

11:15 AM – WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL – LAFAYETTE VS ST. PETER’S
NEXT UP IS A WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME PLAYED ON NOVEMBER 29, 2015.  HALL OF FAME COACH THERESA GRENTZ TOOK OVER THE LAFAYETTE PROGRAM IN THE SPRING AND WAS LOOKING FOR HER FIRST WIN AS THE LAFAYETTE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH.  A WIN WOULD BE HER 672^ND AS AN NCAA COLLEGE COACH.  THE OPPONENT WAS ST. PETER’S OF NEW JERSEY.

1:30 PM – HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL – SAUCON VALLEY VS BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC
THE PANTHERS OF SAUCON VALLEY HAD A MAGICAL YEAR, GOING UNDEFEATED THROUGH THE COLONIAL LEAGUE AND WINNING THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.  BUT ON NOVEMBER 14, 2015, SAUCON VALLEY WAS POISED TO PLAY THE GOLDEN HAWKS OF BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC, AN OPPONENT OUT OF THE EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE.  THIS MATCHUP TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST FOOTBALL GAMES. 

3:30 PM – HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL – PARKLAND VS RIDLEY
WE NOW TURN TO PIAA BOYS’ BASKETBALL.  THE PARKLAND TROJANS HAD ALREADY GOTTEN BY THEIR FIRST 4A OPPONENT WHEN THEY KNOCKED OFF CONESTOGA HIGH SCHOOL.  THAT WAS THEIR 24^TH STRAIGHT WIN OF THE SEASON.  THE SECOND ROUND WOULD PROVE TO BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR ANDY STEPHENS’ BALLCLUB IN A GAME PLAYED MARCH 9, 2016.

7:00 PM – HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL – PARKLAND VS ALLEN

IT WOULD BE HARD TO DISPUTE THAT THE BEST BASKETBALL GAME OF THE YEAR TOOK PLACE ON FEBRUARY 12, 2016, WHEN ALLEN TOOK ON PARKLAND FOR THE EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP.  THE FEELING IN THE BUILDING WAS ELECTRIC THAT NIGHT AND THE PLAY OF BOTH TEAMS WAS EVEN BETTER.  THIS GAME WILL FOREVER BE AN RCN SPORTS CLASSIC.  IT’S ALLEN VS PARKLAND AT LIBERTY MEMORIAL GYMNASIUM.

8:45 PM – HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL – LIBERTY VS ALLEN
WE WILL WRAP UP OUR MEMORIAL DAY SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS BY BRINGING YOU THE LIBERTY AT ALLEN GAME PLAYED ON DONMOYER COURT ON JANUARY 22, 2016.  THIS GAME TOOK MORE THAN FOUR QUARTERS TO DETERMINE THE VICTOR AND FEATURED SOME GREAT INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES AS LIBERTY’S CAMERON HOFFMAN AND ALLEN’S TALEK WILLIAMS WOULD PUT ON QUITE A SHOW.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR LOOK BACK AT SOME OF OUR MOST EXCITING CONTESTS.  WE CERTAINLY EXPECT THE 2016-2017 SEASON TO BE JUST AS EXCITING.  AND ENJOY YOUR MEMORIAL DAY.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. As I write this, Ryan Howard is hitting .226, near the very bottom of all major league ballplayers. In 122 at-bats he has struck out 44 times or 36% of his at- bats.  The only good news is he is tied for the Phillies lead in home runs and is second on the team in RBIs.  If you were the GM and aware that Howard is not attractive trade bait, what would you do – continue to play him and hope he breaks out of the slump or just play the youngsters and pay Howard to sit?
2. With locals Mario and Michael Andretti on the scene and Marco Andretti and Sage Karam driving in the Indy 500 this weekend, I’ll be watching the only auto race I watch all year.
3. The EPC baseball championships featured outstanding play this past week – terrific pitching, fielding, and clutch-hitting. The Conference should be proud of their representatives.  Congratulations to Freedom for winning their first title since 1999.
4. The NFL Giants’ fans should be happy to hear that DL Jason Pierre-Paul has been fitted with a new custom-made glove for his mangled hand. He lost his index finger and part of his middle finger to a fireworks accident last July 4.  No one was sure he would play again, but it was reported this past week that he intercepted an Eli Manning pass with the new glove.  The bad news here is that Manning threw the interception.
5. I attended the Gala in the Garden this past Saturday and hosted a “Red Carpet” event interviewing a number of VIPs. This night, which helps the Pediatric Unit at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, raised over $302,000.  RCN was very proud to be a major sponsor.