The 2015 NFL football season is just a little over two weeks away.  The NFL kicks off with the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the New England Patriots.  That is one of the premiere AFC matchups this season, despite all the controversy and absence of star players.  So, there is no better time to make my AFC predictions for 2015.

AFC WEST 

1. Broncos – Peyton Manning has outstanding receivers, and RB CJ Anderson, a so-so offensive line, but that offense is supported by a very good defense. They should repeat as division champs.
2. Chiefs – Jamaal Charles is, perhaps, the best running back in the league. Jeremy Maclin was brought over from the Eagles because no Chiefs’ wide receiver caught a TD pass last year.  Justin Houston leads an outstanding defense.  Could win division; definitely a wild-card.
3. Chargers – Their schedule is a bit unfavorable – three early starts in the East.
4. Raiders – Oakland is gradually becoming very good with draft choices. Not quite ready to make the playoffs, but the future is bright.

AFC SOUTH 

1. Colts – The Colts record has improved every year since Andrew Luck started at quarterback – wild card in 2012; division playoffs in 2013; AFC title game in 2014. Hmm – what does the mean for 2015?
2. Texans – If they have good quarterback leadership (either Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett), this team looks very good. RB Arian Foster’s injury could really hurt them, but their defense, led by JJ Watt, can win games.
3. Jaguars – Despite being young and talented, they are not ready for prime time.
4. Titans – They have an awful schedule that will keep them in last place, but I want to watch Marcus Mariota succeed.

AFC NORTH 

1. Steelers – They are in the toughest division; have a very difficult schedule; a reworked defense. BUT, they could have the best offense in the conference when RB Le’Veon Bell comes back in the third game.
2. Ravens – They are ALWAYS good and this year will be no exception. Five of first seven on the road does not help, but they will make the playoffs.
3. Bengals – The Bengals have not won a playoff game in 24 years. Make it 25.
4. Browns – Are they ever picked anywhere else? Don’t be fooled by easy early schedule.

AFC EAST 

1. Patriots – No Brady early, but they started 2-2 last year. As much as non-New England fans want them to fail, Bill Belichick is still the best coach in the division until someone proves otherwise.
2. Bills – What Eagles’ fan will not be watching LeSean McCoy’s numbers? He will really help the Bills on offense and they always have a good offense.  They have not made the playoffs in 15 years.  Can Rex Ryan get them there this year?
3. Dolphins – I am uneasy about this pick. This team could surprise everyone.  Their schedule, early on, is very easy.  Ndamukong Suh is a great addition to the defense and QB Ryan Tannehill just keeps getting better.
4. Jets – Excellent defense. QB Geno Smith out for awhile. They’re the Jets, however.  Enough said.

AFC Championship Game
                         Colts defeat the Patriots

I was going around the dial this past week and, as is often the case, I stopped at ESPN as they were broadcasting a regional semifinal leading up to the Little League World Series played in Williamsport, PA.  I really enjoyed watching the game. However, I remembered that last year there was a controversial end to the championship when the team from Chicago, Jackie Robinson West, was stripped of their title because they were accused of violating boundary rules.  The Chicago organization is suing to have their title reinstated.  No matter the outcome, the kids are victims here of adult decisions.

With that said, I still intend to tune into the championship series when it begins on August 20 through August 30.

The Chicago incident reminded me of a blog I wrote a while back about Mike Matheny, the very successful St. Louis Cardinals manager. He once was a Little League coach and wrote a letter to parents when he coached his kids in youth baseball.  What he has to say about youth baseball is a message that can and should be read by all parents of all athletes and coaches so that incidents like the one last year would not happen.

To paraphrase some of the points:

1. Coach orphans – the biggest problem in youth sports are the parents.
2. Youth sports should be all about the youths.
3. He had three main goals – teach the players how to play; have a positive impact on them; do everything with class.
4. There will be bad umpiring.  The boys will not be allowed at any time to show any emotion against the umpire.  Parents should do the same. Get them there on time and enjoy the game.
5. A parent should be a silent source of encouragement.
6. If you hand over your child to me to coach them, let me do the job.
7. Spend time with them to help them improve – pitch, hit, field with them.
8. I will demand the proper attitude, concentration, and effort.  These are things they can control.
9. Make your child responsible for his/her own drinks; don’t ask them if they are thirsty or hungry during the game.
10. The kids can miss a game or practice, but out of respect for the other kids there may be some repercussions – running, altered playing time, or batting order position.
11. The coach is always right – even when he is wrong.
12. The boys should come ready to play every time they step on the field – shirts tucked in, hats on straight, and pants not drooping to their knees.  They should always hustle.

There is much more to the letter.  Every parent should read it.  In fact, every athlete should read it.  You’ll find it below.
www.mac-n-seitz.com/teams/mike-matheny-letter.html

In case you did not notice, Mike Matheny, as of this writing, is the manager of the team with the best record in major league baseball.  It has often been said of professional sports that it is men playing a boys’ game.  It seems this manager certainly knows how to coach boys (of all ages).

ABOVE THE EARS

1. Do you realize that Terrell Owens is eligible to be on the Hall of Fame ballot this coming year? His numbers for TDs (153), yards receiving (15,934), and receptions (1078) warrant his admittance, but does his deserved reputation of ruining teams in the locker room also warrant voting “no”?
2. Tuesday, August 11, was the first time in modern Major League baseball history that the home team won every game on the same day. Hard to believe.
3. By the way, college football officials hold on to the game-day footballs right up to kickoff. The NFL allows the home team to prepare and deliver the footballs before the game.  I am assuming that might change.
4. If you needed another reason to watch the Eagles this year, Sam Bradford to Jordan Matthews should be enough. They have the makings of being a spectacular combination.
5. My AFC and NFC predictions are coming the next two weeks and the weekly predictions begin on September 7.

I had the pleasure of interviewing two of the most professional and highly regarded people in the sports world recently for our “RCN SportsTalk” show (you can see these shows in their entirety through RCN On-Demand and on our podcasts.

Merrill Reese is the longest-serving current team announcer in the NFL and has become the sports voice of the entire Delaware Valley region.  Growing up in a region that already featured broadcasting icons By Saam, Bill Campbell, Gene Hart, Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn, Reese’s calls are as memorable as nearly any Eagles play on the field since 1977.  Like Kalas, many of the Birds’ greatest moments and team highlights are accompanied by Reese’s calls, and the Eagles’ main radio affiliate, WIP, synchronizes their broadcast with television stations, so that people watching the game can turn down the TV announcers, and hear Merrill’s calls in real time.  Many local stations’ nightly sportscasters, when showing highlights of the Eagles, will stop talking so viewers can hear Reese’s voice and opinions as a play unfolds.

It wouldn’t be a true Eagles game if their fans couldn’t hear Merrill’s calls either during or after the game.  It was great to speak with him recently and get his thoughts on the Eagles training camp, the team’s biggest roster additions, and his outlook on the Redskins, Cowboys and Giants.

Tony Gwynn, Jr. is the son of baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, Sr., and has carved out a nice career for himself–currently playing with the Washington Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate.  Like his dad, Gwynn, Jr. plays the game hard and rarely makes mental mistakes, and has always treated his teammates, coaches, fans, and the game itself, with the upmost respect.  I had a chance to interview both father and son a few times over the years when they were in Philadelphia—Tony, Sr. as a visiting player and Tony, Jr. when he played first against, and then for, Philadelphia.  Few people come close to this pair who combined professionalism with great baseball insights.  It was my pleasure to once again catch up with Tony, Jr. recently to speak with him about some current baseball issues, along with his memories of his father.

Here are samples of both of our interviews.

It’s wonderful enough to get an opportunity to spend a few minutes with a “big name” in the sports world, but it is incredibly rewarding when you have an opportunity to meet a special person in the sports world and revisit with them from time to time.  Both Merrill and Tony not only have a world of knowledge regarding their respective sports, but also they turn out to be great people when the cameras are turned off.

Keep watching our “SportsTalk” shows and check in for more special interviews here at the “SportsTalk Shop” as we continue to feature more of the great sports personalities in the RCN region.

For a sports fan, this past week was rather uneventful.  Unless you are a huge major league baseball fan, there is not much happening in the way of major sports stories.  No important football yet (the Vikings beat the Steelers 14-3 in the Hall of Fame game – ho hum!); NBA and college basketball is done; the ice is gone in the hockey arenas; the PGA is next week and so on.  So, to me, the best competition this week took place in Cleveland when ten Republican candidates took the stage for the first presidential debate of the 2016 presidential campaign.

As far as the game of politics is concerned, this was the opening day in baseball; the start of the NFL season; the dropping of the puck – okay, enough of the analogies.  By now, I guess you can surmise that this week’s blog will not be about sports but about an equally entertaining competition – the race for the presidency.

Based on various polls around the country, Fox News selected the starting lineup – supposedly, the ten most electable candidates.  High ratings were pretty much guaranteed when the poll leader was Donald Trump.  24 million viewers tuned in.  Trump claimed Monday that number would have been no more than two million had he not been on the stage.  I know he is the reason I watched.

Donald did not disappoint.  Although I did feel the moderators treated him rather unfairly with the opening question, he still managed to say things that only he seems to be able to say and, instead of paying a political price for his answers, only gains in popularity every time he says something outrageous and/or ridiculous.  His lead in the polls increased over the weekend to double digits.

If any real good came out of Thursday night for the Republicans, it was the emergence of some of the other starters.  Marco Rubio, although being the youngest candidate, seemed to take the right tone with his answers and came across as both likable and intelligent.  Ohio Governor John Kasich seemed to have the most common sense when dealing with those communities of people that Republicans can’t embrace.  He maintained the Republican principles personally, but showed tolerance for those who did not agree with his opinion.

The losers in my mind were the bickering duo of Rand Paul and Chris Christie as well as the underwhelming performance of Jeb Bush who many believe will eventually get the nomination.  He has to raise his game in the next debate.

Scott Walker, Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, and Ted Cruz did not stand out in my mind.

Nor did the moderators.  There were very few policy questions, solution questions, and, for that matter, governing questions.

I also am somewhat bewildered that this process has been embraced by the political parties.  No coach would ever want the opposition to know their foibles and weaknesses.  Here, the opponent is given plenty of fodder to use when the REAL campaign begins.  Unlike sports, in politics no scouting report is necessary, no “spygate” needs to be contemplated, and no insider information culled.  The opposition will simply point out the real shortcomings of their own teammates.  Strange.

After this political game film is analyzed, who will learn from their mistakes, who will be benched, and who will be promoted for the next “game”?

Rest assured, there will be changes in the starting lineup!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME NO-HIT MUSINGS)

1. I guess I should not have been surprised when listening to the tributes given for Frank Gifford following his passing on Sunday, that so many of the observations came from those who were too young to have ever seen Gifford play. I grew up watching Frank Gifford run and catch the ball for both Southern Cal and the Giants; I saw the Chuck Bednarik hit when it happened; and I listened to Frank on Monday Night Football.  He was a special talent for sure.  And I’m old, I guess.
2. 43,000 fans came to Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday to watch the Eagles practice!! It was Military Day and, following the practice, the players gave the members of the Armed Forces who attended their special military version jerseys.
3. Eating crow is not my favorite meal, but if the Phillies continue to play the way they have since the All-Star break, crow will be on my plate. I am actually watching them again and, when I can’t, I am checking scores.  Maybe it was Ryne Sandberg.
4. It is always special to get your first hit in the major leagues. Richie Shaffer of the Tampa Bay Rays got his first hit last Tuesday and it was a home run.  His teammates jokingly gave him the “silent treatment”.  Watch:

5. High school and college football are a month away! I can’t wait!

Recently here at the “Shop,” we took a look at some of the predictions I made last winter to see how I did.  Today, I look ahead to the next several months and guarantee* they come true!

1)  PREDICTION:  This fall’s HS football season will be more competitive than last year’s.
Last year, it was virtually Parkland and Easton as the favorites in District XI’s EPC league and Northwestern and Southern Lehigh, with Saucon Valley rising to prominence in the Colonial League.  There seemed to be a “next level” of several teams right below the top squads, and then another grouping of teams below them.  This made for a rather predictable season, with hardly any upsets or teams beating other squads not quite at the same talent-level.  While the Trojans and Red Rovers are the early favorites once again in the EPC, I see several teams stepping up and providing tougher competition, making for a more balanced schedule this fall.  Also, among the Colonial teams, Saucon Valley is the only one of the top three that didn’t suffer a huge number of graduate losses and many of the league’s teams that struggled in 2014 will be improved.  After the Panthers?  I could see Northern Lehigh, Northwestern, Southern Lehigh, Pen Argyl, Palmerton and maybe even Salisbury, Wilson or another team all playing competitive football.

I think it will be much more difficult for the football prognosticators to accurately figure out which teams will have the most success, and make for many more “even” games to watch this fall.  For more on the upcoming high school football season, make sure you tune into our “SportsTalk: HS Football Preview” show on RCN-TV on Thursday, August 27, at 7pm—complete with coach and player interviews, insights, analysis, and predictions on many of the teams in the RCN coverage area.

2)   PREDICTION:  Emotions will be running at an all-time high for Eagles fans this season.
We’ll be talking more about the Birds on this Thursday’s “SportsTalk” show with legendary play-by-play broadcaster Merrill Reese, complete with his thoughts on the team’s offseason moves and updates from Eagles training camp.  But regardless of how Philadelphia does this fall, when you tear apart a team—personnel-wise—and move some of the region’s most popular players for ‘high-risk’ returns (see Kiko Alonso’s concussion injury this weekend), fans have been stirred-up for this team well before training camp even started this summer.  The overly passionate fan base has been building emotional steam for months and it won’t take much for people to start boiling over and voicing their excitement/anger (based on a win or loss) with Chip Kelly early and often this fall.

3)  “Stone-Cold Lock” PREDICTION:  The next 12 months will be a banner year for DC sports fans.
I think the Nationals will persevere through an incredible amount of injuries.  The Mets did make some nice moves at the non-waiver deadline, but I still believe that quality pitching—and Washington has a ton—must get the edge.  The impressive return of Stephen Strasburg this weekend can only help, and I think the Nats will soon gain momentum and retake the NL East League.  Even if they don’t and have to settle for a Wild Card berth, with the arms the Nationals have, I think they can challenge any potential National League opponent, perhaps with the exception of the Dodgers, the team that scares me the most.

But the Nats’ potential deep run in the playoffs won’t be the only reason for optimism for Washington sports fans in the near future.  The Redskins will have six wins and improved play (and boast closer margins in their losses than last year).  I also think Georgetown—in both football and basketball—will have solid campaigns.  If you haven’t noticed, Mike Lonergan has transformed the George Washington men’s basketball program and shows no signs of slowing down, and American will again be a major force in what’s shaping up to be another competitive Patriot League season.

I also think the Wizards and Capitals will also continue to improve on the court and ice, respectively, all making for what I feel could be the best stretch of professional and collegiate sports action the DC area has seen in decades.

And even if the Nats don’t get to the World Series—which, granted, will be a major disappointment, they still have a boat-load of talent that will return.  The Nats will still have work to do in the off-season picking and choosing which of their free agents they will bring back, but I think with Max Scherzer in tow, anchoring the staff, there won’t be a major drop-off in 2016.

There you have it.  Mark it down…and we’ll check back to see in a few months how these predictions fared.

*NOTE: ”guaranteed” is used in the most relative-term possible.

With a flurry of activity for both the Nationals and Phillies prior to the non-waiver MLB trade deadline, here’s a rundown on what happened, why it transpired, and what to watch for going forward.

(Because of all the MLB news affecting teams in the RCN coverage area, my “2^nd half predictions” blog entry teased last week, will be posted next week).

• Papelbon to the Nationals

There may never have been a more successful Phillies pitcher whose departure stirred less emotion than Jonathan Papelbon.   Even as he takes a couple shots at the Phillies after the trade (his latest rant on 106.7 “The Fan” in DC includes being labeled “the scapegoat” for Philly’s failings), Philadelphia’s all-time saves leader never caught on with the fan base and always seemed to say the wrong things at the wrong times.  His ill-fated comments included openly championing for his trade for the last year (or more), which obviously killed the Phillies’ chances of an equal value exchange.  Given all these obstacles in trying to get anything for the highest-paid reliever in baseball history, the Phillies got a nice piece (Nick Pivetta) in return.

Despite Papelbon’s off-field antics, adding a reliever was a move the Nationals HAD to do.  In a year in which so much is riding on the team’s success, and so many free agents-to-be looming this offseason, Washington has to go all-in.  The friction Pap will cause (or perhaps has already caused with former closer Drew Storen), is an unfortunate side effect the team will have to deal with.  The team gave up very little—prospect-wise–and got salary relief on a first-rate closer while avoiding drastically overpaying in any trade involving other available top relievers (Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel).  In fact, the only thing Washington could have done was to try to get a diamond-in-the-rough/middle-relief option (like Jeanmar Gomez?) to help out their bridge to the later innings.  Baggage included, and with regret to Storen, (who unjustly gets bumped from his closer role for the third time in his career), this was a solid move for Washington.

Look for the Nats to continue searching for hidden gems over the next few weeks (prior to the waiver deadline on Aug. 31^st) as they try to add talent, especially with the Mets making a huge splash of their own.

• Cole Hamels to the Rangers

This was a far more emotionally draining move for the Philadelphia fan base, and the initial impressions were that the Phillies didn’t get enough for Cole (this spring on “SportsTalk,” I suggested a Hamels-for-Joey Gallo and another prospect swap, or maybe Hamels for Nomar Mazara and Chi Chi Gonzalez).

When breaking down this deal, one must remember the landscape for making trades has changed.  There is a greater emphasis on teams keeping young, blue-chip talent.  A “controllable” position player is a premium, and if the Phillies demanded one of the Rangers top prospects (Gallo, Mazara, Gonzalez), they ran the risk of not getting an adequate haul for their ace.  Who could forget the Cliff Lee-to-Seattle trade?  Imagine the outcry if the return for Hamels would result in another three players who did squat for the franchise.  Learning from their mistake in that deal (and also the ones dispatching Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino), the Phillies settled for lesser prospects (according to Baseball America) in exchange for more bodies.  The hedge is that, the more young players available in the organization, the greater the chance that some will help the parent club one day, thereby substantiating the return for Cole Hamels was worth the move.

The final analysis of this trade will take at least two to three years to properly evaluate.  But on the surface, it looks like the deal was a solid decision for Philadelphia.  They clearly weren’t winning with him, through no fault of Hamels, and as I said on this blog this past spring, their prime need in a few years may be to acquire a Hamels-like ace, and they might have to overpay to get him.   However, the Phillies have clearly shown that money will not be a hindrance to moving forward with the organization’s on-field success (as evidence by their taking on cash in all recent moves).  When the Phillies do feel ready to make a run at the playoffs, they can add a big money guy through free agency.

• Ben Revere to the Blue Jays

While you usually have to wait to rate a prospect-filled trade as a success or failure, I feel comfortable in saying this was another “win” for Philadelphia, given the following:

• They already have a centerfielder with a similar skill set in Odubel Herrera. Revere is more established, a better base stealer and contact hitter, but Herrera has more upside potential, a better arm, more power and is cheaper.   On a winning team, it’s doubtful both players could play at the same time on a regular basis, so Revere’s exodus opens up a spot for a more “tool-sy” player.
• Revere is arbitration-eligible and probably would have gotten a nice raise based on his statistics for next season.  Now, that money can go to fill in one of the other short-term goals the Phillies will need to address.
• Revere is a complementary piece on a team that is close to a playoff race. By the time the Phillies are heavy contenders again, Revere will probably be a free agent.
• While neither pitcher they got in return is a blue chipper, the one (Jimmy Cordero) is a high risk-high reward guy, who has potential, to be a Major League closer some day. But even if neither Codero nor Alberto Tirado reaches the Big Leagues, they add much needed pitching depth to the organization.

What are your thoughts on the Nationals and Phillies deadline deals?  Should Storen have been bumped from the closer role?  Should the Phillies have held on to Hamels until at least the offseason and try to get a greater return?  Email your comments to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and we might read your comments on the Thursday, August 13^th edition of “RCN SportsTalk,” live at 7pm.  Our guests will include Philly.com Sports Writer Jeff Moeller and WGPA host Jack Logic to analyze these deals further and look ahead to the playoff race.  You can also catch the podcast of the show at rcn.com/atvn/sports-talk .

Chip Kelly became the Eagles’ head football coach in January of 2013.  And, boy, has he shaken things up.

DeSean Jackson is gone; LeSean McCoy is gone; Nick Foles is gone; Michael Vick is gone; and most of the secondary is gone.  Add Trent Cole, Jeremy Maclin, Todd Herremans, Evan Mathis to the “gone” list, and, just this past weekend, Brandon Boykin was let go.

The Eagles were 10-6 in Kelly’s first two years.  They made the playoffs in year one; just missed them in year two.  Not bad, right?  Obviously, it was not good enough for Chip Kelly.  Eleven of last year’s twenty-two starters are gone!  Nine of the eleven were part of the 2013 playoff team.

So, will they be better?

OFFENSE
They will be better at quarterback if Sam Bradford’s knee holds up.  They should be better with both DeMarco Murray and Ryan Matthews sharing running back duties with a sprinkling of Sproles.  They may be equal to last season with this receiving corps and just as good at tight end. The offensive line cannot possibly be better.

DEFENSE
The defensive line is solid.  The exits of Trent Cole and Casey Matthews seem to make the Eagles weaker at linebacker and that is never a good thing.  The Eagles really needed help at cornerback and appear to have acquired that help when they got Byron Maxwell from the Seahawks.  They retained Nolan Carroll and signed four rookies.  Success rests on the improvement of this area over last year.  Malcolm Jenkins returns at free safety, but the strong safety spot does not look particularly strong.

Will they make the NFL playoffs?

For some reason, I have faith in Chip Kelly.  I certainly enjoy his style of football; I respect his confidence in the changes he has made; I like his philosophy of keeping players who love to play football as part of a team.

Eagles’ fans, as we all know, are an impatient bunch (perhaps, much like Kelly himself).  All of Philadelphia is ready for a winning season from at least one of its major pro teams and the city painfully waits for the next championship team.  It will be awhile (make that a LONG while) for the Sixers, Flyers, and the Phillies.  And certainly the expectations rest more heavily upon the Eagles and Chip Kelly to get it done much sooner.  Make no mistake, Kelly knows that and I, for one, think he will excite the Philadelphia masses this year.  I don’t envision a Super Bowl quite yet, but, if at all possible, try to be PATIENT!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME NO-HIT MUSINGS) 

1. Remember this past Wednesday when Twitter put it out there that the Mets’ Wilmer Flores was traded to the Brewers. Flores got word while he was playing for the Mets and cried in the infield.  He had been in the Mets’ organization since he was 16-years old.  It turns out the internet was wrong.  He remained a Met. Flores capped off the week with a walk-off home run against the Nationals on Friday night.  Watch:

2. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah won the Haskell Invitational in Oceanport, NJ on Sunday. A record crowd of 60,983 people cheered him on.  Betting on him, however, did not make anyone much money – $2.20 on a $2.00 bet.  It is anticipated that the $5 million Breeder’s Cup Classic will be his final race in October.  Then, it’s on to the breeding life.
3. For Eagles’ fans who love to read anything bad about the Cowboys comes the story out of training camp that WR Dez Bryant got into a fist fight with CB Tyler Patmon on Sunday. Each one swung at the other and both missed!
4. Unlike Dez Bryant, UFC Bantamweight champion Rhonda Rousey did not miss her foe on Saturday night. She knocked out the previously undefeated Brazilian Bethe Correia in 34 seconds in Rio de Janeiro.  Her last three fights have lasted a total of 64 seconds!

5. As I write this, the Mets are tied for first place in the National League East and the Phillies are the hottest team in baseball in the last ten games going 8-2. It must be a very cold day in Hades!

This past Saturday, Cole Hamels, purportedly about to be traded this week, pitched a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Cubs.  The final out was quite eventful:

The first players to greet Hamels were Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz. Ironically, all three have been rumored to be on the trading block.  This was the 13^th no-hitter in Phillies history.  It was the third no-hitter in baseball this year.  It was the first by the Phillies since Hamels, Jake Diekman, Jonathan Papelbon, and Ken Giles combined for one last year against Atlanta.  Watching this one brought back memories of the night I watched one LIVE.

On September 28, 2012, I was in Pittsburgh to broadcast the Lafayette-Robert Morris football game.  Since it was the night before the game we decided to leave our hotel in Moon Township and travel in to Pittsburgh for dinner.  As we approached the city, we saw the lights on at PNC Park.  The Pirates were playing the Cincinnati Reds.  We decided to forgo dinner at a restaurant and head over to the ballpark.

As the five of us were nearing the stadium, a ticket hawker approached us and offered us five “terrific” tickets for $50.  We were a bit apprehensive, but since the investment was minimal, we took our chances.

Upon entering the ballpark, we discovered it was Fan Appreciation Night and we were all handed a Pirate T-shirt.  The $10 ticket fee was looking better.  It really improved when our seats were located about 15 rows off of third base.  We settled in for some ballpark food and a night of baseball.

It was the bottom of the second inning.  The Reds had scored in the top of the first and had three hits already.  Homer Bailey was pitching for the Reds.  He easily retired the Pirates in order for the second time.  The Pittsburgh leadoff batter in the third reached first on an error by Scott Rolen.  Bailey retired the next three batters.  He followed that by facing the minimum nine batters in innings four, five and six.  Bailey had retired 12 straight and, through six innings, the Bucs had zero runs and zero hits with the only runner getting on via an error.

Bailey issued a walk in the seventh (erased trying to steal).  He got the other two batters.  Now, the entire crowd was beginning to stir.  Homer Bailey was six outs away from a no-hitter.  Even the Pittsburgh fans were beginning to cheer his effort.  The eighth was uneventful – three up, three down.  It was still 1-0 heading into the ninth.

The Reds went down in order.  Now it was Homer Bailey’s turn.  There was tension and anticipation with every pitch.  The atmosphere was electric.  The first Pirate batter struck out; the second flied out.  Only Alex Presley was left.  He popped out to second.  Homer Bailey’s first career no-hitter was complete.  The crowd went wild and everyone knew they had experienced some baseball history.

There were twelve no-hitters that year.  Homer Bailey’s was the last.  Since there were three hits and one run scored before we arrived at the Park, for $10, we saw only four hits (all singles) and no runs scored.  But the night (as MasterCard promotes in their commercials) – PRICELESS!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME NO-HIT MUSINGS) 

1. The next no-hitter after Homer Bailey’s in 2012 was by none other than Homer Bailey in 2013 against the San Francisco Giants.
2. On June 8, 2012, the Seattle Mariners beat the Dodgers 1-0 and used six pitchers to accomplish the feat.
3. Cincinnati’s John Vandermeer threw consecutive no-hitters four days apart back in 1938 beating Boston and Brooklyn.
4. There have been 22 perfect games (27 batters retired in a row) in Major League history. The last one was in 2012 by Felix Hernandez of Seattle.
5. Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians threw the only opening day no-hitter on April 16, 1940 against the White Sox and won 1-0.

Sure, anyone can do predictions at the beginning of the year.

Making bold predictions is a natural column/blog post/show host monologue for media members to produce at the end of December and the beginning of January.  Coming on the heels of all the “year-in-review” stuff, it makes a natural segue to predicting things for the upcoming year.  (BTW, a neat trick among radio hosts is to make several earth-shattering predictions at this time, then bring them up if they come true.  If they don’t, how many people have remembered what you falsely predicted months before??)

But it takes a true prognosticator —or at least a very good imposter—to re-examine those predictions made in January, and then, in the interest of full disclosure, follow up on how those predictions are fairing.

So before we make predictions for the rest of the year (which will come in next week’s blog entry), here is a listing of predictions/observations I made this past winter on “SportsTalk,” and the truthful, and sometimes painful, realities of each one.

• PREDICTION:  The Phillies will be bad.

OUTCOME:  While I could certainly brag that I got this one correct—especially after the Phillies had a six game winning streak and people started arguing with me that they had a shot to make the playoffs—I must admit that I didn’t think that they would be THIS horrific.  We’re talking “Sam Hinkie Year-One Tanking” bad here.  True, by being historically dreadful, they’ve allowed themselves a very realistic opportunity to snarl the number-one pick in next year’s draft.  But a top MLB draft pick isn’t always a guarantee as in the NFL or NBA, and there are a lot of empty seats that need to be filled at Citizen Bank Park for the team to be this horrendous.  Whether bandwagon-jumping is appropriate or not, fans will return when this team eventually gets good again.  In the meantime, however, the organization is taking some well-placed slings-and-arrows by media pundits from around the country for its putrid play, and racking up more losses at a pace faster than any other squad in the franchise’s history.  Even with this mirage of an 8-1 record since this All-Star break, I didn’t think the team would lose as many games as they will eventually accumulate—assuming, of course, that the team unloads its top players this week as they appear they’d like to do.

• PREDICTION:  The Redskins will have a successful NFL Draft under new GM Scot McCloughan.

OUTCOME:  I would again say I was correct, but I’m not sure I was completely convinced that it was as highly successful a draft as I thought it would be.  Brandon Scherff is a good choice for a team that needed a major boost on the offensive line and I really liked Preston Smith to improve the defense.  However, I wasn’t overly enthralled with any of the other picks.  One can argue that the top picks are the ones that count the most, but I could argue that the first couple rounds are also the easiest (along with the most risky) to successfully select.  From the experts I talked with who covered the Redskins’ mini-camp sessions this summer, the team will definitely be improved this fall.  However, I didn’t see them make that “diamond-in-the-rough” addition that I thought the ‘Skins might be able to pick up…not yet, anyway.

• PREDICTION: The Flyers will bounce back.

OUTCOME:  While I would love to lay down a verbal bait-and-switch here and say that by “bouncing back,” I meant that GM Ron Hextall would pull off a flurry of post-season moves, clearing cap space and acquiring young talent.  However, since I have hooked my fingers to a truthometer here on my keyboard, I must admit that I was referring to the team playing better in the second half of the ’14-’15 campaign.  While it ultimately proved better for the team to not make the playoffs and get a better slot in the NHL draft with a lower, out-of-the-playoffs finish, I still have to withstand a blow for this incorrect prediction and admit that the team did not rebound enough to qualify for the post-season, as I had suggested in late December.

Be sure to check back next week here at the “SportsTalk Shop” for part two of our “predictions” series, as I’ll address some scholastic prognosis, as well as a “Stone Cold Lock” I’ll present for the sports fans in the Washington DC area.

It’s always a little unusual that the hottest time of the year usually coincides with a sport most closely associated with the winter sports season.  However, July is a time when there’s a number of basketball tournaments played in both the Washington, DC and Pennsylvania areas.

I had the chance this weekend to check out one of them—the “A-town Throw Down”—and see some of the action, as well as uncover some developing storylines worth watching as we head closer to the scholastic regular season.

OBSERVATION #1: I would NOT categorize Nazareth’s championship as a “major upset.”
This was quite the topic of conversation on Sunday as the Blue Eagles dispatched the defending Eastern Pennsylvania Conference & District XI champs—and the favorites to win this tournament—before going on to defeating Central Catholic in the final.  Anyone who watched Nazareth during the final weeks of last winter’s season—and I had the chance to see them four times—could tell you that this team was maturing…and building confidence…as a unit.  Yes, a look at the box scores of their last two meetings with the Trojans indicates Parkland blow-outs.  However, Nazareth had to overcome a couple key injuries, had athletes playing varsity for the first time ever, and had to play guys out of position…and still put together a very impressive run to first qualify, then to advance deep, in the District XI playoffs.

Furthermore, Nazareth had won three of its five games in the previous week’s tournament, and the underclassmen (Johan Dotson, Kevin Wagner) look much more comfortable playing against the other top teams in the area over this past weekend.  Both Dotson and Wagner exhibited great skill during the regular season and seemed like they would emerge as standout players in the area…and that time came on Sunday with impressive showings in both their semifinal and final contests.  Parkland will still clearly be the team to beat this winter, but the Eagles will not be sneaking up on any teams next season.

It was a good tournament for all the Allentown teams.  Central Catholic also had an impressive showing in advancing to the tourney’s last contest (a fact that also should not be a surprise—if you read my blog on the Vikings last month, that is).  The Vikings are mixing some returning players with new talent.  Dieruff had a nice showing and recorded an impressive win over Reading.  Although Allen didn’t make the final two games, they did feature a number of returning players and had some impressive moments this past weekend and look to be among the top EPC teams again in the coming months.

OBSERVATION #2:  Bethlehem Catholic will be better this season.
I doubt teams will be able to beat up on the Golden Hawks again this season.  While they didn’t make it to the semifinals, I was impressed by the confidence—offensively—I saw among the Becahi players.  They were matched up against some strong competition this weekend, and constantly attacked the basket and acted aggressively in both passing and taking shot attempts.  I think they still have to work on their defense and develop a little more consistency overall, but after a very disappointing season, I think the future is very bright for the Hawks as they embark on a new era under new Head Coach Ray Barbosa.

OBSERVATION #3:  The Return of the “Big Bangers”
There is no way to unequivocally say that what one sees over the summer will translate into the winter, indoor season.  However, for a couple days, I was impressed by several big men who seem to play “Old School” and demand the basketball—then knew what to do with it when they got it.  The game has evolved so that guards and small forwards are usually the go-to players, but a few centers really seemed to battle and work hard in the paint this past weekend.

One of the players who fit this bill was Whitehall’s Logan McKinley. 

Against Del Val Charter and Hempfield, McKinley was constantly contested, hooked and bumped around by his opposing big men, but held his own and gave a shove-or-two in return.  Just as impressively he showed excellent footwork and good fundamentals in providing solid offense for his Zephyrs.  In fact, even when he was on this bench, it was Eric Johnson coming in and exhibiting some nice inside moves.  Whitehall graduated nearly its entire team from last year, but if they can get quality minutes from their big men to go along with rising sophomore Mikey Esquilian, the Zephs could be right back in the district playoff hunt again this winter.

OBSERVATION #4:  Defense is still important.
While stressing defense is always a key to winning teams, the defensive efforts sometimes wane during the summer leagues—especially on a weekend as hot as it was this year.  However, I have to give a shout-out to Liberty’s Amir Griffin.

The Hurricanes were in a tied ballgame with their tournament future up for grabs and found themselves on defense at the end of their game.  When the team came over to its huddle during the timeout, it was the players who wanted Amir to guard CB West’s top player with the game on the line.

There’s no question the Hurricanes have some big-time offensive weapons returning for the 2015-16 season and will once again be among the area’s elite teams, but it always good to recognize the top defensive players, as they don’t always seem to get the publicity that the top offensive players do.

Don’t forget, you can see more great summertime basketball.  Coming up next week will be the 26^th Annual Catasauqua Tournament of Champions to be held at the Catty Playground once again this season.  RCN-TV will once again broadcast the title game on Thursday, July 30^th.