When I first saw the Easton girls team play in an early summer league game, I was this close (imagine my fingers about an inch apart) to saying that they were unequivocally the “team to beat” for the upcoming scholastic season–only to see them lose to Nazareth the next day.

Since then I’ve seen the Blue Eagles play a few times, including capturing their second “Allentown Throwdown” Championship in the last three years.  This is a very special team.  This year’s Nazareth squad seems even deeper than some of the previously successful Blue Eagles teams that brought home various titles. They run their offense through multiple people, and have several different options and players who can score at different spots on the floor.  They have people who demand the basketball at appropriate times and the team plays as aggressive a defense (usually a 2-3 zone) as I’ve seen any summer basketball team play.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, they have the area’s best basketball player in Tessa Brugler, who recently committed to Division-I Bucknell?

This is going to be a fun girls basketball winter season, if the summertime play is any indication. Forget Batman V. Superman, Black Widow against Scarlet Witch, or any other “metahuman” analogy you can tie in with this summer’s box office options.  Nazareth versus Easton is going to be a war.  But as I overhead one Nazareth player astutely mention as she walked off the court after being named champions:  “Now there’s REALLY a big target on our backs!”

This is very much true, given that Easton will not be the Eagles’ only formidable foe with their own Division I caliber athletes and an outstanding supporting cast.

Among the challengers include Parkland, Northampton, Liberty, Bethlehem Catholic, Whitehall and others.

Among the key performances this summer was a strong showing by the Freedom girls basketball team.  The Lady Pats made their debut in the Holy Family Tournament—which also featured annual powerhouse Central Catholic.   The Patriots won six of its 10 tourney games, beating several teams that have had state playoff successes.  The Patriots were the last Lehigh Valley team standing in this year’s competition, not to mention holding its own in other tournament action this summer against strong programs.

*********************

As far as Colonial League girls teams I’ve seen this summer, the one that impressed me the most was Northwestern, followed closely by Notre Dame.

I didn’t get a chance to see the league’s and defending District XI 3A Champion Southern Lehigh, but judging by some of the scores I’ve seen, they must be without some of their key players as they sometimes sustained more losses in one day than they did all of last year–and they’re returning nearly everyone!  If any team does have a chance during the winter to upset the Spartans, I’d look for the Tigers and Crusaders to be among the best bets.

One other note: The Catasauqua girls basketball team had an interesting summer schedule. Despite still being one of the smallest schools in the PIAA’s new classifications (2A), the up and coming Rough Riders were frequently matched against teams from the 4A, 5A and even 6 A (the largest) classifications.

Still, Catty fared well and showed that they continue to make improvements and could challenge for a playoff spot this winter.

We’ll have more summertime basketball action coming your way on RCN-TV next week, as we broadcast the annual Catasauqua “Tournament of Champions.”  Check back to the RCN-TV website for our broadcast schedule.

Last week, I discussed the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) by Russian athletes during the 2014 Sochi Olympics.  An investigation showed excessive manipulation by Russia’s sports ministry in the drug testing back to the 2011 and 2015 Olympic Games as well as the 2014 games in Sochi.  Twenty-eight sports were implicated in the Russian investigation.

A ruling came down on Sunday of this week from the International Olympic Committee that will allow the individual sports federations to decide which Russian athletes would compete in Rio.  The ruling also said that Russian athletes who have previously served bans due to doping will not be allowed to take part in the Games.

Obviously, there was a great outcry from anti-doping organizations that the IOC simply “passed the buck” and did not have the guts to sanction all Russian athletes from the games in Rio.  The IOC defended their position by saying that an athlete who was not implicated in the drug scandal should be free to compete and need not be punished for the actions of others.

One decision had already been made.  The Russian track and field athletes would not be able to compete.  One female Russian, long jumper Darya Klishina, would be an exception because she was tested outside of Russia.  Others say the federations may not have the knowledge or the time to adequately determine who should or should not compete.

I will let you decide if the IOC was only being fair to the Russian athletes who may be clean or very unfair to the world athletes who are definitely clean.

To me, the most interesting decision was the one to ban former Russian runner Yulia Stepanova from the Rio games.  Yulia had been suspended for two years after being found guilty of doping back in 2013.  During her suspension, she and her husband, Vitaliy, broke the story of how the Russian sports system used large-scale doping with their athletes.

So the very person who brought the scandal out into the open would not be allowed to compete even though her two-year punishment had been served.  She wanted to compete as an individual athlete, not for any country.  She and her husband are currently living in the United States.

So what is the lesson learned?  Will others come forward to expose illegal tactics if they, too, will be punished more severely than the athletes who remained silent?  The Olympic Games will go on starting August 5 and will include Russian athletes.  It does appear that there will be a cloud of distrust that winners won medals without the help of artificial assistance.  I can only hope that great performances will be proven to be just that – great performances!  I have my doubts.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. The Russians can’t seem to stay out of the news. They are suspected of having released the Democratic e-mails to Wikileaks that showed the DNC treated the Sanders campaign unfairly to help get the Hillary Clinton nomination.  Trump vs. Clinton may be the best/worst competition of the year.
2. NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon did not stay retired very long. He filled in for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at the Brickyard 400.  Earnhardt, Jr. has been experiencing concussion symptoms.  Gordon finished thirteenth.
3. I am not a NASCAR fan, but it appears many more aren’t either. At Indianapolis on Sunday only 50,000 fans filled the 250,000 seats, continuing the steady decline of NASCAR attendance.
4. As NFL football camps open this week, Ray Rice does not have a contract. In case you forgot, Rice was suspended by the Ravens in 2014 for domestic violence.  He has been out of football ever since.  He wants to play again and says he would donate his entire salary to combat domestic violence.  The minimum he would be paid would be $885,000.  Would you sign him?
5. The Blue Mountain League regular season ends this week and congratulations to the defending league champions, Limeport Bulls. They won the regular season and, along with the Yankees, will get a bye to the semifinals.  The playoffs should be as competitive as the regular season.  Get out and watch a game.

Last week here at “The Shop,” we examined the biggest summer hoops teams and tournaments in the Washington, DC and Eastern Pennsylvania regions.  This week, we focus on more of the underrated storylines to our local scholastic basketball action this summer.

Northampton &  Pocono Mountain West
Perhaps no single game I’ve seen this summer was more physical than when these two EPC teams squared off against each other.  I counted at least four times when players went down hard on the concrete in order to secure a loose ball in a contest eventually won by PMW.

Northampton got a lift this summer when Aiden Ellwood announced he was going to be returning to the Konkrete Kids after leaving Central Catholic, but he was not available for the local summer tournaments.  Nevertheless, Northampton has played well this year and should benefit from having some nice size upfront and, as they’ve shown both this summer and over the last year, a lot of gritty players.

Pocono Mountain West sometimes gets overshadowed by Lehigh Valley teams, but they are definitely on a short list of the top teams in the district.  They play with a brand of quickness and athleticism that not many other teams in the area can showcase.  They had some personnel issues at the end of last season, but if they can keep everyone focused, there’s no reason they can’t translate their summertime success (they’ve already one won summer tournament) into winter championship titles

Bangor & Freedom
These two teams played each other last Saturday evening in an entertaining matchup and both schools have had some very impressive summers thus far.

The Slaters’ overall sports programs’ successes in 2016 might just be THE Lehigh Valley’s sport story of the year—and a lion’s share of their accomplishments belong to the boys basketball team.

Bangor is proving that life without Michael Martino (the Slaters top scoring point guard in the school’s history) won’t be as tough a transition as some might have suspected.  Bron Holland’s teams have posted a number of impressive performances this summer, including over EPC foes, and players like Reece Jones (who had some stellar games last winter) are determined to carry on the Slaters’ new tradition of excellence.

As far as the Patriots, this summer’s team might have been the most underrated group of kids I’ve seen.  They have not gotten deep into much “final day” of summer tournament action (so far) and they will most definitely be picked behind at least Liberty in their EPC division come late fall.  However, the Freedom players really impressed me with their pose over the last few weekends and look like a scrappy bunch that can’t be overlooked by anyone in their conference.

I think if they can avoid some of the personnel issues that plagued them during key stretches of the 2015-16 scholastic season, they can make a run and qualify for at least a district playoff berth this winter.

Allentown Central Catholic
Rumors of the Vikings going through a rebuilding year have been greatly overblown after Central Catholic lost Zay Jenning to graduation and a few more players due to transfers.

Central Catholic not only had perhaps the biggest team I’ve seen this number (in terms of number of players–18 to be exact) but have a very nice blend of size, speed, ball handlers and outside shooters.  Plus, they have several returning players that have experience in big game situations and they’ve look to continue their ability to play lock-down defense–something that was very apparent in most of their second half games last winter.

NOTRE DAME
If Freedom is a dark horse in the EPC, then a team you should not underestimate is Notre Dame-Green Pond.  They battled a few tough opponents over the last few weekends including Central Catholic.

From what I’ve seen—and I’m speaking strictly on intensity—they were second only to Bangor among the Colonial League teams I had the chance to watch this month.  They’re always on the pre-season list as a probable playoff team, despite not getting to the title game a year ago, but I wouldn’t forget about them when looking to make prognostications for the 2017 campaign.

Salisbury
I think if there’s an award for coaches who yelled “defense” this summer—it would have to go to Salisbury Head Coach Jason Weaver.  As usual, he had his team operating at a breakneck pace—usually matched up against schools that have a much higher enrollment number—and has kept the intensity on all month.

It seems like they did have difficulty in the transition game against a few teams (including a surprisingly strong Souderton team), but if history is any indication (along with the talent they have returning this winter), the Falcons will once again get off to a great start in December and will be one of a handful of teams competing for a Colonial League championship.

*****

Fans of girls hoops…don’t despair.  We’ll have news and insights on some of the top ladies’ teams’ performances in the next installment of the “SportsTalk Shop.”

You can also hear more insights on summer league hoops and other sports issues by checking out last week’s “SportsTalk” podcast.

Last but not least, be sure to come out to a special “SportsTalk Gets Wild” this Thursday at Whitehall’s Buffalo Wild Wings (on Grape Street in front of the Whitehall Mall)—an event to raise money for the Miller Keystone Blood Center.   The show will feature the State Champion Parkland Girls Volleyball team, along with a special guest to talk about an event Parkland football fans will want to know more about coming up this fall.  You can learn more about this event, as well as going to http://rcn.com/atvn/bww-sportstalk-2016, click on the “Miller Keystone Blood Center” link for the July 21^st event.  Then print the “dine-and-donate” flyer and bring it with you to the program to help raise money for our local charity.

The Olympic Games begin in Rio on August 5 and will run through August 21.  During the Olympics, inevitably there will be conversation about performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).  The focus on enhancing performance through the use of drugs was magnified in 1976 when the East German female swimmers won 10 gold medals out of 12, six silvers, and one bronze.  The previous Olympics, the East German female swimmers had won only four silvers and one bronze.  After the Berlin Wall fell, documents were found that showed that the swimmers without their parents’ knowledge had been given a drug regimen since the age of 11 to dramatically improve their performances.

The controversy still remains and may be at an all-time high.  Forty-two athletes were stripped of their medals or disqualified from competing in 2012 due to finding banned substances in their systems.  This year, 10 nations and 20 athlete groups have requested that the entire Russian delegation be barred from the Summer Olympics because of state- sponsored doping programs.  Even Russia’s anti-doping lab director said that the government ordered him to cover up the widespread use of PEDs during the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

On Monday, a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency was issued and determined that state-sponsored doping of Russian athletes occurred in preparation for the Sochi Olympics.  The US and Canada have asked that “no athlete can represent Russia at the Rio Olympic Games.”  The Commission is leaving that decision up to the International Olympic Committee.

The United States is not free of guilt here either.  It has also had its share of athletes stripped of their medals.  Lance Armstrong and Marion Jones are the most famous.  Since 1968, 11 US medals have been revoked, second only to Russia.  The event that has been disciplined the most with athletes of all countries is Men’s Weightlifting.

So with all the attention that is now focused on PEDs, can we expect the stories coming out of Rio in a few weeks to be about the super-human performances or will they be about how these performances were achieved?

I would like to think when I sit down to watch the competitors that technology has advanced to the point where if you cheat, you will be caught.  And those who win gold medals have done so fairly or, if not, those medals will immediately be revoked.  If that is the case, it will be the first time since 1968, when the first Olympic doping cheat was found, that medals have gone to all who deserve them.

So when I am cheering “USA!  USA!” on the outside, I am hoping “No PEDs! No PEDs” on the inside.  Let the Games begin!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. The Liberty boys and the Nazareth girls won the basketball Sportsfest titles this past weekend. The winter season looks like it will be very, very competitive with so many strong teams in both boys and girls.  Emmaus, Whitehall, Allen, Pocono Mountain West, Parkland, and Bangor look very strong on the boys’ side and an equal number of strong challengers for the girls.
2. The British Open final round was one for the ages. Henrik Stensen outdueled Phil Mickelson in a match-play-like finale and shot an amazing 63 with 10 birdies.  He had the lowest score ever over 72 holes in a major (264).  Mickelson shot 65 and did not bogey a hole.  His total of 267 was the fourth best score in major history and he did not win.  Colin Montgomery had the same score and did not win in 1995.  Stensen won $1.5 million.
3. The folk hero of the British Open was Andrew Johnston – “Beef”. The somewhat overweight, heavily-bearded Brit finished eighth and won $224,196.  Ranked 104^th in the world, it was his look, his demeanor and, more importantly, his play that captured the crowd’s support.  His father died when he was 17, and he welled up coming up 18 thinking of him.  Let’s hope he continues to play well.  He seems to represent the average Joe.  By the way, his wedge has nine different types of beef engraved on it – rib-eye, brisket, sirloin, t-bone, tri-tip, flank, filet mignon, porterhouse, and skirt.
4. I never did this playing a round of golf, but if I wouldn’t have to pay for a new club, I probably would have:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/furious-golfer-snaps-golf-club-throws-it-in-a-bush-at-british-open

I did play once with a golfer who after a bad shot on hole #18, took each club out of his bag, one by one, and threw them into the nearby woods.  Then, he had second thoughts and painstakingly retrieved them.

5. When you are a real fan, and a baseball game takes six hours and 18 innings to be completed, your emotions run the gamut. Watch:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/young-pirates-fan-18-inning-game-emotions-nationals-mlb

Summertime basketball has really exploded in the RCN viewing area over recent years, with rules expanding to make it more “coach friendly” (most of the time) and to increase the exposure of young athletes in both the Washington and Eastern Pennsylvania regions.

Some of the best teams in the country come into the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and the DMV area, and many players in these areas get to showcase their talents.  As we’ve seen over the last few years, players (Victor Oladipo, Darrun Hilliard, and others) pave ways for themselves that could lead to one day playing in the NBA.

Over the next couple weeks we’ll take a look at some of the tournament action in the RCN viewing area, along with news on the players and teams that we cover on ‘RCN SportsTalk.’

Goodman Basketball
In the DMV region, Goodman Basketball has been a long-standing tradition that was in danger of dying out a few years ago, but has come back with a vengeance and bigger than ever before.  A number of talented athletes each year both participate (and later return for) this event each summer.

Here’s a video detailing more of this year’s event and the history of the Goodman tourney…

Bonner Prendergast
The team looked very solid with double-digit wins over Phillipsburg and Berks Catholic recently, while playing without its best player.  Lane Christian and Mike Perralta were key players in several games this past weekend, but they have a very well balanced team and could be a player in this winter’s district playoffs.

Bonner Prendergast was one of just eight teams this weekend at Cedar Beach (Allentown) that made it to the final day of the tournament with an undefeated record.

Lincoln Leadership
This summer was actually my first chance to see this team in person—and they did not disappoint.  Although they did not make it to the later rounds of some of the Lehigh Valley’s tournament so far (they have been one of the smallest schools in the summer leagues), they have a nice team with good numbers and played very scrappy basketball each time I saw them.

Liberty
Last year around this time I remarked how impressed I was with gritty Hurricane players like Cam Hoffman, Alex Serrano and company.  They had an impressive showing in their games this past weekend, making it through to the morning of the final day without suffering a loss.  With several weeks remaining in different summer leagues and tournaments, Liberty should be a fun team to watch the rest of the summer, not to mention be fierce competition for Allen and Parkland for top spots in the EPC this winter.

Nazareth
While Nazareth will be going through a retooling effort—at least this summer—after losing so many key parts of their team, an under-the-radar player to keep an eye on might be Mayo Raman.  In a game versus Saucon Valley he came up big in pressure situations—scoring 12 points in the second half of that game and hitting a clutch “3” to send the game to overtime.

We’ll have more high school summer basketball talk and insights on this Thursday’s “RCN SportsTalk” program (live, 7pm on RCN-TV) and next week here at the “SportsTalk Shop.”

It’s the mythical half-way point in the major league baseball season.  It’s hard to believe that the first games were played back on April 3.  I made my predictions for the season the very next day so just as it is time for each team to get their mid-term grades, I suppose I should see how I am doing with my season predictions.  I have listed the teams in the order I felt they would finish.  The number in parentheses indicates where each team currently stands in the division.

American League
West

1. Houston (2) – Got off to a terrible start, but playing better now. Can they catch the Rangers?  Not with another slump in the second half.
2. Texas Rangers (1) – I didn’t see them being one of the best teams in baseball – I was wrong – again!
3. Seattle (3) – Offense has looked good; their pitching has not. They are right where they should be.
4. LA Angels (5) – Veterans have not been good; playoffs seem out of the realm of possibility and most feel they have the worst farm system in baseball. Dare I say bleak future?
5. Oakland (4) – Better than expected? Or are the Angels just worse?  Nothing they have done has worked out so far.

Central

1. Kansas City (4) – My worst pick of the entire list of teams. Their starting pitching is just awful, as was my pick for them to win the pennant.
2. Cleveland (1) They look like the best in the Central – good pitching and an improved offense. Cleveland wins the NBA and now, maybe the World Series?
3. Chicago (3) – Really started the season well and then they fell apart going 15-19 in last 34 games. They will not contend.
4. Detroit (2) – Most thought they would be better than I did. They were right, but this is a wide-open division.  I might end up being right.
5. Minnesota (5) – A complete disaster.

East

1. Toronto (3) – Still in the playoff hunt and they have the potential to be very good at the end of the season.
2. Boston (2) – They score more runs than any other team and have the highest team batting average; starting pitching has been good. Could be in first by season’s end.
3. New York Yankees (4) – Where have the real Yankees gone? They really were not expected to contend, but they are the Yankees (or are they?)
4. Tampa Bay (5) – One of the worst records in baseball – they need the Joe Madden magic.
5. Baltimore (1) – Obviously, I botched this pick. They hit the ball.  Starting pitching might falter, however, so I could still recover from this pick.

My pre-season prediction: Kansas City will win the American League pennant.
My Grade – F

National League
West

1. San Francisco (1) – The Giants win in even-numbered years (what? – I read it somewhere); will battle the Cubs for supremacy.
2. LA Dodgers (2) – They should make the playoffs, but I do not see them catching the Giants.
3. Arizona (5) – They were expected to contend, but starting pitching is woeful.
4. San Diego (4) – Will not contend; rebuilding after trying their best with deals last year.
5. Colorado (3) – The Rockies are competitive, but not strong enough to challenge for West title.

Central

1. Chicago (1) – Great start – 11-11 since, but they could break the championship drought. The All-Star break will probably help them.
2. St Louis (2) – They will be in the playoffs, despite not winning much at home in the first half of the season. They will hope that Chicago swoons again.
3. Pittsburgh (3) – The lack of pitching has hurt the Pirates this year. They are potentially still a very good team.
4. Milwaukee (4) – This team is better, but they are in the toughest division and exceeding expectations.
5. Cincinnati (5) – The Reds have done what they were expected to do – lose.

East

1. NY Mets (2) – They struggle to score and Washington just is better. Should still make the playoffs.
2. Washington (1) – Great starting pitching with enough offense makes the Nationals the East champion. No collapse this year.
3. Miami (3) – The Marlins have really improved as demonstrated by their record. They probably will not make the post-season, but currently have a very successful year.
4. Philadelphia (4) – Rebuilding and winning more. Neither is a bad thing.  Even though they are in fourth place, the future looks brighter every week.
5. Atlanta (5) – They have lived up to their very low expectations. They will lose 100+ games.

My pre-season prediction: Chicago will beat the Mets for the N L pennant.
My Grade – A-
Overall Grade – C-

Cubs win it all!!  Only time will tell.

 
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Did you see where NFL.com listed Eagles’ coach Doug Pederson at the very bottom of their power rankings for coaches? That’s right – he was ranked #32 out of #32.  Nowhere to go but up!
2. By the way, Bill Belichick ranked #1 and former Eagles’ coaches Andy Reed and Chip Kelly were #6 and #20, respectively.
3. Golf rules played another major role this past weekend in the US Women’s Open championship. In a three-hole playoff, Anna Nordqvist brushed the sand on her backswing on the second hole and incurred a two-stroke penalty.  She was not told until the third hole.  Television replays clearly showed that she committed the violation.  To make matters worse, the USGA President repeatedly congratulated “Bethany Lang” for her win.  The winner was Brittany
4. Since my last blog, notable sports icon Pat Summitt passed away. She may have been the best-ever as a women’s basketball coach.  Buddy Ryan also passed away.  There were very few similarities in their coaching style.
5. The RCN Blue Mountain League crew had a nice reunion with the volunteer workers at Balliet Stadium in Coplay last week. They have done a wonderful job on the field and continue to work to improve the entire summer baseball experience.

I wrote my blog last week before the USGA embarrassed themselves by not immediately enforcing a rule that penalizes a player if he causes his ball to move.  The USGA hinted that they were going to penalize eventual winner Dustin Johnson, but only after the round ended and Johnson had a chance to explain himself.  Thus, no one knew for sure whether Johnson would lose a stroke or not. At the time, Johnson only led by one stroke.  He was penalized after the round, but the penalty did not cost him the Open championship.

Worse than that, he probably had very little to do, if anything, with the ball moving.  And even worse than that, golf is a game where the integrity of the players is essential.  In fact, the day prior to Sunday’s round, Shane Lowry, who ironically was one stroke behind Johnson when he heard about the potential one stroke penalty on Sunday, called a penalty on himself.  Dustin Johnson flat-out said he did not cause the ball to move.  Shouldn’t the player’s word be enough?  And there was no gained advantage to the ball moving ever so slightly so why the rule in the first place?

This led me to investigate (okay, Google) some other downright strange rules in the world of sports.  Here are just ten:

1. If a baseball player attempts to catch a ball with his hat or a catcher with his mask, the hitter is granted a ground rule triple.
2. Soccer goalies must wear long-sleeves and cannot roll them up at any time during the match. Referees need to know it’s the goalie who touches the ball with his hands.
3. In water polo, grabbing, kicking, or hitting the groin is prohibited (so is splashing water in an opponent’s face).
4. In the NFL, if the third string quarterback enters the game, the first and second string quarterbacks may not play in that game again.
5. In major league baseball, if a player is announced on the PA system, he must enter the game or be declared ineligible for the rest of the game.
6. In the NFL, if a punt returner calls for a fair catch, his team can opt to go for an uncontested field goal.
7. In MLB, if a ball becomes lodged in an umpire’s mask, all runners will advance a base.
8. A professional hockey goalie cannot cross the red line that marks the center ice.
9. If a batter in baseball, bats out of order, he is out immediately and the teammate he batted for is charged with the time at bat. The batter who made the error must then bat again in his proper spot.
10. If a MLB pitcher licks his hand, wipes his brow, or touches his waistline he must first wipe his hand on his shirt before touching the baseball.

There are plenty of others in every sport. Now the USGA says they are going to try to simplify the Rules of Golf and make them more understandable to the average player and viewer.  All other sports’ bodies should take heed and do the same.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. If you are a Phillies fan, you may be wondering how Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Cole Hamels are doing this year. Jimmy Rollins signed with the White Sox after a bad year statistically with the Dodgers.  He was assigned to the minor leagues and was hitting .221 before they chose to reassign him again.  Chase Utley is still a Dodger and is having a pretty good year – .261 average, 10 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, and 25 RBI’s.  Cole Hamels is 8-1 with a 2.79 ERA.  He, also, has stayed healthy and is taking his rotation spot on a regular basis.
2. It is obvious that Ryan Howard will not be a Phillie next season. The penalty – he will get $10 million NOT to play with them next season.  I wonder how much I could get NOT to announce (place your wise comment here).
3. Remember the name Charlie Woods – the 7-year-old son of Tiger recently tied for second place in 9-hole junior event. He shot a 55, 19 over par.  The winner shot a 50.  There’s already a nickname – the Little Cat.
4. With the selection of Ben Simmons as their #1 draft choice, the 76’ers may (dare I say it) compete next season. If Joel Embiid can play (and he hasn’t since March 1, 2014), the combination could be a real force in the league.  And the 76’ers still have Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor on the roster.  Someone will have to go.  Bottom line – the team might start winning – Oh, my!!
5. A Jamaican sprinter on the 4X 100m relay team announced this week that he has the Zika Virus.  A sign of things to come?

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.