Tiger Woods played at the Memorial this past weekend.  He just made the cut on the very last hole.  This was a man who did not miss a cut for seven years!  On Saturday, he shot the worst score of his competitive career, an 85!  He hit seven fairways, nine greens in regulation, hit four balls into the water, and missed three putts inside of five feet.  Zac Blair (who?) played with Tiger on Saturday and beat him by 15 shots!

And, perhaps, that was not the most embarrassing part of the weekend for Tiger.  Because there were an odd number of players who made the cut, Tiger played the final round as the first one out for the day and he had to play by himself!!  He shot a 74 and finished in last place.  I know there are “Tiger-haters” out there and they are probably happy to see him fail.  I, for one, thought that this was a sad moment for one of the greatest ever in his profession.

This got me to thinking about some of the great “falls” in professional sports.

Pete Rose
I just loved watching the way he played the game of baseball.  He just exuded energy and enthusiasm for the game, became the career hits leader, and was destined for the Hall of Fame.  And then, there was the betting scandal, tax evasion, and imprisonment.  And still no Hall of Fame.

Lenny Dykstra
All his problems began after his baseball career – there was bankruptcy, concealing baseball gloves and other souvenirs that were supposed to be part of the bankruptcy, imprisonment, grand theft auto, and filing a false financial statement.  He was never able to “hustle” his way to success after baseball.

Lance Armstrong
He won the Tour de France seven times.  He beat cancer.  He was an American icon.  Turns out, he was a cheater who finally admitted to doping.

Marion Jones
She won five medals in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and an NCAA basketball championship at North Carolina, but she used performance-enhancing drugs.  She spent six months in jail for lying to a grand jury.

Michael Vick
Football was not enough competition for him.  He decided to finance a dog fighting group.  That turned out to be a serious crime and a public relations nightmare.  He, too, went to prison.

These are just a few of the great falls from grace.  There are plenty of others – baseball’s Ryan Braun, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, remember Tonya Harding, Oscar Pistorius, etc.

After thinking about these infamous athletes, I come away thinking Tiger’s problems with the “sticks” are not so bad.  Let’s hope that he thrills us a few more times in his career.

When I have a bad round of golf, I always use the excuse that “I’m working on things.”  At least, Tiger can continue to “work on things”.  You can’t say that for the others.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. As everyone knows, American Pharoah broke the 37-year Triple Crown jinx by winning the Belmont Stakes. The race took two minutes and 26 seconds.  The broadcast took two hours and 45 minutes!  NBC did an outstanding job with all the back stories, the atmosphere, and the actual race.  Jockey Victor Espinoza became extremely likable as the story unfolded and I’m sure was forgiven for his expletive right after winning.  Great story!
2. Since this blog talks about the demise of some of the greatest athletes, how about the amazing success of Serena Williams. She won the French Open even though she was not physically at full strength.  This was her 20^th Grand Slam singles victory of her career.  She, arguably, is the best women’s player ever.
3. For the first time in NBA history, the first two games in the finals went overtime. Two great teams with great players.  I actually watched both and was thoroughly entertained and awed by the talent.  And both teams played defense!
4. On Saturday night, the NHL playoffs continued and Tampa beat Chicago 4-3 to even that series at 1-1. There was an allowed goal that should not have been, a goaltender who left the game twice, a rookie goaltender who had five saves on five shots, and hockey at its best.
5. The RCN-TV crew will be heading to Penn State and Labrano Park for the PIAA state baseball championships to be played on Friday. The broadcasts will be LIVE on PCN beginning at 10:00 AM.

For the last several months, people have been playing the role of Phillies General Manager, trading players right and left without the burdening restrictions of having to negotiate with another team.  They’ve theorized about trading Cole Hamels for three future MVPs while swapping Ryan Howard and Jonathon Papelbon for a pair of Cy Young award winners.  However, until we get to mid-June, it is EXTREMELY rare for a major deal—no matter how optimistic you are–to actually come to fruition.

Now that we are entering the legitimate trading season, one can start seriously examining potential trade candidates as the Phillies look to move its higher-priced veterans.  The Phillies have holes in multiple areas, so, much like with the NFL or NBA Draft, they must look to acquire and stockpile talent, and not necessarily key in on a specific position.  But before checking out other teams’ prospects or reviewing this year’s MLB draft too closely, let’s take a look at what the Phils could look like in the near future.

As far as timetable, I’m looking at late 2016 (for the optimists), or more probably 2017.  This is an “as-is” lineup—looking only at the players currently in their system.  Keep in mind, this is assuming Philadelphia is able to unload ALL of its veterans.  This is unlikely, if, for no other reason than the Phillies are trying (struggling?) to get equal value in return.  Also, while I’ve been huge fans of Darin Ruf and Cody Asche, I have to admit that having both of them as everyday players on a team that (hopefully) will be successful may be a bit of a stretch and perhaps a platoon situation could eventually develop between the two of them.  With that, let’s pencil in a look into the Phillies’ future (stats are MLB-level, unless indicated otherwise).

Starting Lineup
CF                   Roman Quinn (.302 BA, .351 OBP, 27 for 36 in SB attempts in double-A )
SS                    J. P. Crawford (recently promoted to double-A after hitting .392 in 20 games in single-A Clearwater)
RF                   TBD
3^rd Base           Maikel Franco (a team-high slugging percentage (.529); 2^nd in home runs (6) despite only playing 22 games)
LF                   Cody Asche (.237 / .277 / .331, 2 HR, 6-RBI in 39 games)
1^st Base            Darin Ruf (3 HR, 10-RBI when he does get a chance to play)
2^nd Base           Odubel Herrera / Freddy Galvis / Caser Hernandez
Catcher            Jason Knapp / Deivi Grullon (ONLY assuming a gigantic, progressive leap ahead of their development schedule)

Starting Rotation
Ace                  TBD
#2                    TBD
#3                    Aaron Nola
#4                    Zach Eflin
#5                    Ben Lively / Tom Windle / Matt Imhof / Jesse Biddle
Closer            Ken Giles

Now for some explanations…

• I don’t think there is a legitimate #3 hitter currently in the organization:  a clutch player you want up to bat with the game on the line, and someone who can hit for power and average on a consistent level.  I have a hard time banking on anyone currently in the farm system for this role.  Franco might be that guy, and I’ve seen flashes of plate-patience needed for this spot, but I would really like for them to try to look for a guy to fill this spot in the batting order.  Keep an eye on this week’s MLB draft.  While there are seemingly more top pitching options than hitters available (the Phillies first selection overall is #10), a shrewd big bat pick-up, if one’s available, could go a long way in solving the issue.  For more on this week’s draft and insights on prospects, you can check out last week’s “RCN SportsTalk” On-Demand featuring ESPN Draft Analyst Eric Longenhagen.
• Who’s your Right Fielder?  In my opinion, they might not have a “true” right fielder outside of Aaron Altherr or even Kelly Dugan anywhere on their “top 20 prospects” chart.  I was optimistic Cam Perkins could be the guy but he took a major step backwards after struggling at Triple-A last season (for the record, he was just named Eastern League Player of the Week in double-A).  Asche, Ruf, Brown, Revere and probably Herrera (assuming Quinn takes his spot in center field) are all better suited to playing left and would not be an everyday option to play right.  Take current Phillie Jeff Francour’s ability to patrol right field and slap it on any of the others’ offensive potential and you might have something.  But as a guy who thinks this team still needs to make strides defensively, I think one of their targets needs to be a regular right field option.
• The organization is still in desperate need of receivers.  I placed Knapp (more offensive minded) and Grullon (more of a defensive presence) here but neither really is expected to reach Philly before 2018.  Any significant blue-chip offensive weapons would be welcome, but it would be A LOT easier to buy into a sooner-rather-than-later turnaround if they could pick up a legit top prospect behind the dish.  I did get a chance to see Gabe Lino play at Lehigh Valley last week and he does showcase a strong arm.  Lino has thrown out 45 of 101 attempted base-stealers over the last year-and-a-half at single-A and double-A.
• Dominic Brown is not on this list.  There is no way the Phillies could convince me they don’t have serious reservations about his future with the ball club.  The organization has brought up Franco and transformed Asche into an outfielder before they’ve contemplated bringing Brown up to the Big Club…the fact he’s still in Triple-A despite an improved swing is further evidence of this.  Unless he makes a dramatic improvement in his overall game, I really don’t think he’ll be more than a role player on any Phillies team beyond this season.
• In addition to a number-three hole hitter, I’m not enamored with the idea of Asche or Ruf hitting behind the clean-up hitter.  On top of all the other position player-needs, they could probably use another RBI-type bat to come from…somewhere?
• People are clamoring for Nolan, Eflin, Lively, et al due to their success at Reading, and I, too, am anxious to see them perform in Philadelphia…at some point.  Remember, however, Nola is their number-one pitching prospect, yet still is projected as just a number-three/middle-of-the-rotation hurler.  Even if he continues his success at the higher levels, the Phillies will need at some point to add one, or two, stalwarts to their starting staff.  Oh, if they only had a player the caliber of Cole Hamels on board….

What do you think of this Phillies lineup of the future?  Am I missing an in-house prospect who could realistically crack the starting lineup in the next 12-18 months?  Is there a young player out there you think the Phillies need to make a real push to acquire?  Email me your thoughts to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and we might read/respond to your comments on an upcoming addition of “RCN SportsTalk” on RCN-TV.  Be sure to mark your calendars and set your TiVO schedules: on July 2^nd, our special guest will be Associated Press’s MLB writer Rob Maaddi to discuss the Phillies, Nationals and other sports issues.

Last week we took a look at the 76ers lottery “success”  and their outlook to the June 25th NBA Draft.  Today, we take a look at a Wizards team that finds itself looking to continue building on its already established core.

After a sweep over Toronto in the opening round of NBA Playoffs, the Wizards want to take the next step in going further than a six-game, round-two playoff loss to a Hawks team–that in turn was bounced in four-straight by Lebron James and the Cavaliers.  No matter what Washington does in the draft along, they still would not much up well–right now–in a seven game series against James, J.R. Smith and a steady and effective (but not spectacular) frontcourt.  However, I think they can still take a dramatic step “forward” (pardon the pun) by added a big man this off-season.

First of all, I don’t think Kris Humphries is, or will ever be, a starting power forward that can take you to the next level.  Nene did not look very impressive during the Atlanta series and will be entering the final year of his contract.  If  Paul Pierce returns, you’ll still need someone down the road that you can depend on to start at the four spot.  While a team should always select talent over need, the Wizards should have the benefit of doing both, with several quality power forwards available when their turn in the draft comes around.  Here’s a few of the players to consider:

BOBBY PORTIS, PF (Arkansas) — Nearly a double-double guy for his college career (18 ppg, 9 reb last year), who also shot well (just under 75%) from the free throw line this past season.

CHRISTIAN WOOD, PF (UNLV) — Wood is bouncing around the 20-ies in most national mock draft versions.  However, he could be the best available, and most polished, power forward on the board at #19.  I don’t think he’ll stay available for long if Washington doesn’t pick him.

KEVON LOONEY, F (UCLA) — He’s a little undersized right now (he’s only a freshman) if you need him to play the ‘four.’ I saw him play several times on TV and I liked the way he rebounded and seemed very athletic.  He would definitely need a year or two of development and would not make an immediate impact, which is a concern for a team that is looking to improve next year to get to the next level.  However, he might have the best upside of any forward still available at this point in the draft.

TREY LYLES, F, (Kentucky) — I’m not a big fan of the Kentucky program overall, but the Wizards could benefit from a big man who can shoot from the outside.  If the Wizards want to at a big man with range–and don’t want to pursue a player like this in free agency–then they might want to take Lyles with their pick.  He might have the lowest ceiling of the four guys mentioned here, but he might just be the most reliable pick who, at worst, would give you some nice depth in your frontcourt in the very near future.

While there are also several free agent options available that can occupy the four spot, I think it would make sense for the team to take a long look at these four guys.  I think you can count on the Wizards’ front office to do due diligence over the next few weeks in working out these and other potential draftee.  If they feel one can develop into a steady, starting player, they’ll take a run at a college player, and look to add some depth elsewhere via the free agent market.

As far as trading, I don’t think Washington is in a position of strength in terms of trying to move up—or down—in the draft and think their best bet will be to make a selection right where they are at the #19 slot.  They already have a solid foundation of players to build around.  Plus, I was impressed by the continued growth of John Wall this past season.  Speaking with people who covered the team this past year on our “SportsTalk” program, they all remarked at the maturation of the fourth-year player, and his overall goal to make those around him better—something that I think will continue for future seasons.

With a solid first round selection, and a free agent pick-up or two (especially a bigger player who could stretch opposing team’s defenses), the Wizards should be able to upgrade and keep their momentum going for the 2015-16 season.

What are your thoughts on the Wizards’ potential draft picks?  What do you think are the team’s most pressing needs going into next season?  Email us your sports comments and opinions at any time to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and catch our next live show, this Thursday, June 4^th from 7-8pm on RCN-TV.

Everybody has an opinion.  We hear it all the time. That’s especially true when the conversation turns to sports – the more passionate the subject, the more vehement the position.  I suppose I am no different.  But there is one new area in college athletics that has me on the proverbial “fence”.  I just do not know where I stand.

There is a new eligibility rule that will go into effect in 2016 for high school athletes looking to compete in college athletics as a freshman.  The rule, adopted in 2012, requires that a high school athlete has a grade point average of 2.3 (up from 2.0) in 16 (up from 13) core courses, 10 of which must be completed by the junior year.  The NCAA adopted the change to insure young athletes are more academically prepared for the rigors of college academics.  This standard must be achieved in order for a student-athlete to play as a college freshman.

The new standards will most impact college basketball and football. The NCAA reported in a poll taken in 2010 that, under the new standard, 43% of college basketball players and 35% of football players would not have been eligible to play as freshmen (15% for all athletes).

The NCAA likens this to an academic redshirt year.  Students can still receive scholarships and practice with the team and be considered a freshman the following year in terms of eligibility.  The hope is that students are as academically prepared for the demands of college as much as being athletically prepared.  It sounds good.

On one hand, requiring greater standards for college students cannot be a bad thing especially in light of the grading scandals that have occurred recently at some of the more revered college programs.  Some would certainly argue that a student who cannot meet this minimum requirement does not belong in college anyway.

Many coaches, however, disagree.  They point to the fact that a student’s senior year in high school has little or no value if minimum standards have already not been met by their junior year.  The NCAA found that 37% of New York students and 44% of Philadelphia students would not be certified to play under the new rule.  Historically, that number had been about 10%.  Some coaches feel that the new rule unfairly targets young minority athletes from both low-income homes and less than stellar school districts.  Add to that, those who go to prep school can only use one course to apply for certification.  The critics of the rule cite many examples of student-athletes who used the opportunity to attain a college degree to create a better life.

I would be happy to tell you where I stand on this issue, but I just don’t know.  But I will be quite interested to follow the ramifications of the new rule.  Will students adapt and raise their personal standards and achieve more or will fewer students ever get the opportunity to attend college as a reward for their athletic abilities?  Stay tuned.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. The Stanley Cup final should be great – Tampa Bay is the #1 offensive team and the Chicago Blackhawks are the #1 defensive team. Both teams are exceptionally quick and loaded with talent.  Well worth watching.
2. Steven Bowditch (ever hear of him?) won the AT&T Byron Nelson Golf Championship on Sunday. It was his second win in two years.  So what? Read his story, however, and you will be quite amazed that he is ever got to play: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/05/steven-bowditch-suicide-clinical-depression-to-win-on-the-pga-tour
3. What happens to World Cup soccer if the best teams in Europe do not show up? That seems to be a plan being considered in order to force reform from FIFA after 14 officials were charged this past week by the FBI for numerous offenses.  The plan – no viable teams = no sponsors = drastic changes within FIFA.
4. I just finished the District XI baseball playoffs, but I never saw anything like the AAA championship finish in Washington this past week. Watch what happened:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/05/high-school-baseball-teams-walk-off-win-called-back-after-players-celebrate-too-early

5. Remember when the Phillies had a six-game winning streak? I bet you thought – “There’s a chance!”  As of Monday they have lost six straight, eight of 10, are 10 games out of first place and the Reds and Giants are coming to town.  The only question now is: Who gets fired first?

Over the next couple of weeks we’ll take a look at the two NBA teams in the RCN viewing area and how they’ll approach this year’s NBA Draft, which will commence on June 25.

Today, a look at your Philadelphia 76ers.

#1:  “The #3 Pick Wasn’t That Bad”
I know fans of “the tank” were hoping the franchise’s record losses would result in a mammoth takeover by the Sixers in this year’s draft.  (The “#OneSixEleven” movement was trending before the lottery got underway last week).  However, the main objective of the team doing so poorly over the last few years is to secure marquee names.  In my opinion, there are really only three of these available in this year’s draft class (sorry, I’m not buying into the whole Emmanel Mudiay frenzy).  It looks as though D’Angelo Russell will be the most probable player left over after the number-one (Timberwolves) and the number-two (Lakers, as of now) picks are selected.  Adding a second (not likely) or even a third (barely even conceivable) top 11 pick would have shifted the Sixers’ rebuild into overdrive.  However, it is far more important to the philosophy in place that they gather another major name now, and then fill in with several above-average players in future years, either through future picks and/or trades/free agency.  In fact, I think it was more beneficial for Philadelphia to have picked up one of the three best college players in the country, rather than get two picks  beyond the top three or four selections.  Ignoring the pie-in-the-sky options and given the odds and the criteria of the NBA lottery, I think Sixers fans should be very happy with their team’s outcome with a number-three selection.

#2 “The MCW Trade Worked Out After All”
Regardless of whether you prefer Russell or Mudiay, the 76ers should be getting a premiere guard who can play either the ‘one’ and ‘two’ spot on the floor.  While the trade of last year’s Rookie of the Year initially rattled the “#InHinkieWeTrust” fan base, dealing Michael Carter-Williams is now looking like a very smart deal.  The 76ers will get their front-line perimeter player to go along with their bigs (Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid and eventually Dario Saric) inside.  Eventually, Philadelphia will also get an additional first round pick (a 1-3 protected pick in 2016 and 2017, unprotected in 2018), which can enhance the team’s roster.  They also unloaded a player who will probably never have as much trade value as he had this past season, without really losing out on a few months of MCW’s services in what was a meaningless season anyway.  The team can look to take its first significant step forward in this rebuilding process, as long as they abide by point #3.

#3  “Don’t You DARE Trade THIS Pick”
At a time when the Philadelphia sports fans’ patience is being stretched beyond its reasonable limits, the Sixers fans have tolerated, if not embraced, the “Together We Tank” theory.  Record-setting losing streaks have not jettisoned the fan base.  In fact, I’ve seen a resurgence in 76ers fans’ passion lately, seemingly (and strangely) invigorated by the losing.  After weathering some minor drama following the MCW deal, the fans have continued to support the team despite radical decisions and some insane comments by the 76ers’ front office (don’t even get me started on the multiple reports of Sixers CEO Scott O’Neil’s “Ferraris in the driveway” abomination).

However, if Philadelphia passes up this opportunity to get a major name, whether it be Russell, Mudiay, Jahlil Okafor or even Karl-Anthony Towns, this region will boil over with disgust.  The prospect of another full season of NBA D-League retreads occupying a majority of roster spots without a prominent name to join Noel and Embiid to start the season would destroy all the positive mojo that has been building over the last couple of seasons.  Public opinion (not to mention Head Coach Brett Brown) would rail against this regime if they trade away their highly placed pick this time around.  The 76ers made out well in the numbers game with the lottery, and have put themselves in a situation that would make it nearly impossible to NOT improve for the 2015-16 season.  A “trade down” would, at best, slow down the resurgence, and it could take years (and maybe millions of free agent dollars) to get a starting guard at the caliber available to them.  After several questionable, albeit seemingly positive moves, an incorrect decision leading up to June 25 could be disastrous for both the short-term and long-term goals of the organization.

Who do you think the 76ers should draft with their number three pick…and do you think, if Towns or Okafor become available, Philadelphia should pick up another ‘big’ and then swing a deal for a guard?  Email us your sports opinions anytime at RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and tune into our next live “SportsTalk” show, on Thursday, June 4^th at 7pm.

(Author’s note:  Due to the Memorial Day holiday and upcoming District XI baseball championships, I am repeating an earlier blog from November, 2012)

As the RCN sports crew travels around from venue to venue, we, happily, hear from so many viewers.  The compliments far outweigh the criticism and, most of the time, the criticism centers around not doing a particular team or a particular game.  To me, that is really a backhanded compliment because it just means those fans want to see us televise their team.  Every so often, an over-exuberant fan will come up and say, “You guys are just like ESPN!”  Well, I am here to tell you we are not even close!!

In an article (“More Show Than Game” – Sept. 27) written for “Rolling Stone” magazine by David Amsden, he talks about observing an ESPN Monday Night Football broadcast of a New England-Philadelphia pre-season football game.  The insights offered were astounding to me and, I anticipate will be for you, too.  This preseason game had:

• 11 trucks transport the gear
• A crew of 200 (graphics, producers, assistants, statisticians, a sideline reporter, sound editors, mixers; the list goes on and on)
• 50 microphones
• 20 cameramen (31 cameras are used during the regular season)
• 216 monitors

That’s the staff – how about the cost:

• $15.2 billion for the rights through 2021
• That’s $111 million in rights fees per game
• Broken down even further, it costs $600,000 per minute
• Constantly introducing new and very expensive technology (ex: digital yard markers, Skycam)

In addition, staff (announcers, directors, the tech crew, etc) arrives Saturday.  They spend one day with one team and one day with the other.  Highlight packages are produced (about 20% used).  Various storylines are discussed.  Production meetings abound.  On Saturday night, there is a production team-bonding activity.  This particular week, all attended a Bruce Springsteen concert.

In comparison, when the RCN TV team does a Saturday afternoon college game, we have:

• 2 trucks
• A crew of 18
• 15 microphones
• 5 cameramen
• 30 monitors

The cost:

• Around $3000 per game, not counting equipment costs (but ESPN didn’t count that either)
• Rights fees in the hundreds of dollars
• Broken down even further, it costs @ $22 per minute

In addition, the announcers attend a press luncheon during the week to talk to one coach on the phone for around 10 minutes and talk to the other coach for about 15 minutes.  The crew arrives the morning of the game to set up for the telecast.  There is not much time (maybe lunch) for a team-bonding activity.

What do I conclude from this information?

• ESPN spends an astronomical amount of money to do the NFL games (no wonder the NFL will make $9.5 billion in profits this year).
• NBC, CBS and FOX all have similar NFL expenses and the competition to be the best produces terrific broadcasts.
• Despite this “apples to oranges “comparison, the RCN TV sports crew also aims every game to be the best they can be. From the director to holding the Big Ears and everything in between, we always strive for a quality broadcast – to be the best.  From the many comments we receive, I do not think we disappoint.  There is no question our mindset is “just like ESPN’s.”

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

• The Nazareth curse hit Indianapolis again over the weekend. Sage Karam of Nazareth, who was in the spotlight all week prior to the race, did not even complete a lap.  Takuma Sato took him out before the race began.  And Marco Andretti, also of Nazareth, finished sixth, but never looked like he had a chance to win the race.  I watch every year hoping a “local” will win the race.  Mario Andretti won the race in 1969.  No “local” since.
• Speaking of Sage Karam, he tweeted after the crash, “@TakumaSatoRacer thinking he can win the indy 500 in the first turn. Thanks man. I have some of your front wing when should I return it?”
• My football color analyst, Mike Joseph, told me on Friday that he read the entire 243-page Ted Wells report on “Deflategate”. He said there is no doubt in his mind that Brady is guilty.  Perhaps Bill Belichick feels the same way.  He has yet to come out in support of his quarterback.
• American Pharoah, the horse who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, was sold for breeding rights to Ahmed Zayat this past week. There is speculation that the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, will be the career finale for the horse.
• Did you see LeBron James’ numbers for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals: 37 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists? It was his sixth 30-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist game in playoff history.

I will be getting much more sleep after this week.  David Letterman is retiring.  Wednesday, May 20, will be his last show.  I’m not embarrassed to say that I pretty much go to bed with Dave Monday through Friday and I have been doing so for the 33 years he has been on the air. He fit perfectly into my late night viewing following my favorites, Steve Allen and Johnny Carson.  I first caught Dave when he began his morning show at NBC.  My wife and I actually attended the taping of that show twice.  We, also, were in the audience a few times for the Late Show on CBS.

Letterman says he is retiring to spend more time with his son, Harry.  He feels he has been away so much during Harry’s early years that he owes it to him to be more of a father and less a public personality.  He did 5,914 shows (4,014 on CBS and 1,810 on NBC) and no one on late night did more.  He surpassed Johnny Carson, his idol, in February of 2012.

I have tried to give other hosts my late night attention: Leno, Rivers, Conan, Kimmel (who I do like), Ferguson, Fallen, etc.    Although good, none captured the absurd, zany, quirky, self-deprecating humor that was Dave’s.

As evidence, let me offer a Top Ten of a few of his strangest TV innovations:

1. Larry “Bud” Melman – who would put that guy on TV, but it was really funny.
2. Is this anything? Paul Shaffer and Dave would look at an activity and guess whether it was “anything” – What?  But it worked.
3. Rupert G. – The owner of the deli located near the theater, who seemed so uncomfortable on the air, yet Dave made Rupert a favorite of the show.
4. The “new” feature – He offers this up almost every night as if it will be a continuing part of the show. The new feature never sees the light of day again.
5. Throwing footballs at a pizza on a Christmas tree – need I say more?
6. Stupid Pet Tricks and Stupid Human Tricks – they are stupid, yet stupidly funny.
7. Throwing pencils and the breaking glass sound effect (often the sound effect is late and thus, funnier) – I’m easily amused.
8. The suits – Velcro, Rice Krispies, sponge, etc.
9. Visits from Jack Hanna – much like Carson before him, Dave was his funniest with the zoo animals.
10. Dave’s Mom – Dorothy was the perfect foil with “David”.

There were so many strange interviews, so many weird questions, so many uncomfortable interactions.  But that was Dave.  Starting Thursday, May 21, there will be a void in my day.  I suppose there will be reruns, but even Letterman always told the viewing audience not to watch those.

The good news, I suppose, is I will now get some much needed sleep and maybe my laugh lines will slowly disappear.  Because I can guarantee you with Dave gone, I will sleep more and laugh less.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Floyd Mayweather bet a total of $350,000 on four sporting events last week – three NBA games and a boxing match. He won all the bets and collected $827,272.  I’m not sure he needed the money.
2. Robert Kraft insisted this week that A) the Patriots and B) Tom Brady are innocent of any wrong-doing when it comes to “deflate-gate”, but C) the team suspended the “deflator” and the equipment manager. If A and B are correct, why C?
3. American Pharoah won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and now has a shot at the Triple Crown. No horse has won the Triple Crown since Affirmed won in 1978.  Jockey Victor Espinoza will attempt to win the Triple Crown for the third time and second year in a row.  He did not get it done with War Emblem or California Chrome.  The third time could be “the charm”.
4. After winning the Wells Fargo Championship, 26 year-old Rory McIlroy fell into third-place all time behind Tiger Woods (34), and Jack Nicklaus (20) for the most wins before age 27. McIlroy won his 11^th
5. Stroudsburg High School pitcher Mike Nikorak will most probably be a multi-millionaire in a few weeks. He was on RCNTV this past week versus Parkland and is being touted as the #1 right-handed pitcher in the nation and an MLB top ten draft pick.  He is 6-5, 220 pounds and throws the ball 95 mph and up.  He already looks like a major league pitcher.  However, Parkland beat him 4-2 to win the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference championship.  The two teams should meet again in the District AAAA championship.  Mike Nikorak – remember his name.

Last week we took a look at the Nationals’ first 30 games of the season, analyzing their first six weeks and previewing the road ahead.  Clearly, the Phillies have a different set of priorities and goals for this season.  There has  been some positive news…and the next few months still could be very interesting as we watch the franchise’s “future” unfold.

Here are three observations about the Phillies season:

• Despite the record, there is reason for optimism, among both young and older players!  First, the play of Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez and Odubel Herrera has given fans hope that examples of a future winning ball club is not years off in the distance in the prospects currently in the lower-to-middle minor league levels.  Galvis, Hernadez and Herrera all found themselves entering spring training in various “play-well-or-go-home” modes.  Galvis struggled mightily offensively last year—even struggling at the plate when he was sent down to Triple-A.  Yet he has not only proved he can hit at the Big League level (currently leading the team by far with a .816 OPS), he’s become one of the most productive shortstops in the league (his batting average and on-base percentage currently lead all National League shortstops).  Hernandez was out of options and was one of the last players assured a spot on the Opening Day roster.  So far, I’m been impressed with his working counts (his .390 OBP is second on the team) and he’s hitting a very respectable .270 despite not getting regular at-bats.  Herrera was a Rule 5 pick who had never played above Double-A and has to remain on the roster all season or be returned.  Even though he’s learning to play a new position at the toughest level, he has a great looking swing and has been able to handle Major League pitching so far.  All three players have made the most of their opportunities and should warrant more playing time for at least the rest of this season.

There’s also been quality performances on the mound by young Ken Giles, Luis Garcia, Justin DeFratus and Elvis Araujo.  All four look to be key pieces of the bullpen going forward and the first three have weathered pitching in higher-pressure situations.  While a slow start by southpaw Jake Diekman has been disappointing, the Phillies feel he can bounce back and strengthen an already strong—and young—core of relievers.

• The fireworks may not be far off.  The play of veterans Cole Hamels, Aaron Harang, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere and even Ryan Howard have not only helped the Phillies win games this season, but more importantly has enhanced each player’s trade value, which potentially could fetch more young prospects as we move closer to the trade deadline.  We’ve already seen the Phillies make some minor moves, optioning Dom Brown, David Buchanan and Cody Asche (although Cody was sent down to learn a new position) to shake things up a bit.  If Asche transitions successfully to left field—as I believe he will—it will make for an ultra-crowded outfield, and the Phillies will have to start making some more significant decisions.

Their potential outfield would then consist of Asche, Revere, Herrera, Brown, Grady Sizemore, Jeff Francoeur and Darin Ruf.  Clearly, not all of these players will be on the roster throughout the summer, and I’m not sure if more than two or three of these names have a future in the organization.  With one of the few outfield prospects doing well in Double-A (Roman Quinn) and a promotion to Triple-A probably looming before too long, it’s obvious that the team will look to move one of their outfielders before season’s end—if not sooner.  Revere is the most likely candidate to go, as he’ll command the most in return.  Between Revere, Hamels, Harang, Papelbon and perhaps one or two others, there could be some trades made over the coming weeks—and a chance for the team to pick up another young piece (or pieces, if you deal Hamels) of the puzzle for future seasons.

• The “Chase” may be coming to an end.  I truly am not saying this just in passing or to be in vogue with what others are now saying.  In fact, in all my years as a sports journalist, I probably got more angry messages over a minor criticism I made about Chase Utley several years ago, and I’m sure I’ll take a hit again this time.  But unless he starts swinging the bat with more success—and soon—it does NO ONE good to see him continue to play every day…and that includes Utley himself. 

The biggest issue for the current team is that he is blocking the road of young talent.  Is Hernandez the Phillies second basemen of the future? Probably not, but we have no way of knowing until he gets a chance to play at least 75% of the time, something they can’t do with Utley playing five nights a week.  The questions remain about Brown, Ruf and a few other players that right now look like role players but do you really want to give up an extended look at these players, and possibly lose them at season’s end, to have them go somewhere else and have success (and haven’t we seen too much of that over the last several years?).  Furthermore, continuing to play Utley every day with his batting average light-years below the Mendoza line is a disservice to Chase himself.  There is no way he’s going to take himself out of the lineup—he has too much pride.  Heck, he’d probably fight to stay on the roster even with a torn ACL.  But someone – Ryne Sandberg, Ruben Amaro Jr., Pat Gillick – anyone in charge of this franchise, is seriously going to have to take time very soon and have a chat with this greatest second baseman to ever wear a Phillies uniform.  Right now, his legacy is taking a beating, and if things don’t improve over the next few series, his mighty image might be weathered for a longer period than it should be.

Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule for Philadelphia, with a few additional important dates that are really more significant to the team’s future than who their opponents will be.

May 18-21       at Rockies
May 22-24       at Nationals
May 25-27       at Mets
May 29-31       vs. Rockies
June 2 – 4        vs. Reds
June 5-7           vs. Giants
June 8-10         MLB DRAFT*
July 2               International Free-Agent Signing Period Begins
July 31             Non-waiver Trade Deadline
Aug. 31            Final Trade Deadline

*Programming Note: We’ll have a preview of the MLB Draft on the June 4^th edition of “RCN SportsTalk” (Thursdays, live, 7-8 pm), which will include an ESPN analyst breaking down the top draftees, along with insights on what both the Phillies and Nationals will do in this year’s draft.

Which Phillies players have you been impressed with so far?  Which do you feel will be the first ones to be traded?  Email you sports opinions to us at rcnsportstalk@rcn.com at any time.  We’ll continue to provide updates on both the Washington and Philadelphia franchises throughout the summer here at the “SportsTalk Shop” and on our weekly “SportsTalk” program.
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A quick reminder, be sure to come out to see “RCN SportsTalk” as we broadcast live from Buffalo Wild Wings on Grape Street in Whitehall, PA, this Thursday from 7-8pm.  This will be the first of several live shows we’ll broadcast from Buffalo Wild Wings this summer.   Keep checking the RCN-TV website for updates on these special programs as SportsTalk “goes wild” this summer!

We are right at the 1/5-th mark of the Major League Baseball season.  While that might not seem like an impressive number, it is a key time in a team’s season.  Once you pass the“30-games” mark, the excuse “well, it’s still early” starts to wear thin and teams start having to take some long looks at players’ abilities.  It’s also the time that teams have to start realizing that early season surprises, whether positive or negative, may just be for real.

This week, we’ll take a look at the Nationals season to date (we’ll next look at the Phillies’ issues and question marks in an upcoming blog entry).

To help us break down Washington’s first 30-games, I had a chance to speak with Nationals Play-by-Play Voice Charlie Slowes about their outstanding starting rotation, an extremely wild game against the Braves and their upcoming schedule.  A few weeks back marked six years since the passing of the late, great broadcaster Harry Kalas, and Charlie gave us some unique perspectives on the legendary announcer.

A couple additional notes about the Nats.

All things considered, the team’s slow start (the Nats lost 15 of their first 23 games) hasn’t really hurt the team.  Considering the injuries to hit the bullpen and to their lineups, they’ve survived most of those “bumps” and have bounced back strong.  Both Jayson Werth and Denard Span—two keys on offense and defensively in the outfield—came back earlier than some had expected.  Span has not missed a beat since his return, flirting with an impressive slash line (.305/.354/.525 heading into this past weekend).  While Anthony Rendon’s oblique injury continues to linger, Bryce Harper, with (finally) an injury-free season to date, has blossomed into the star the team expected him to be.

The bullpen, led by closer Drew Storen and his nine saves, is beginning to flesh out its respective roles following the loss of Craig Stammen to a season-ending injury.  Tanner Roark has made a successful transition back to a reliever’s role, with three holds heading into the Atlanta series.  Aaron Barrett has been solid from the right side, holding opponent’s batting averages under .200 (and a WHIP under 1), and southpaw Matt Thornton having success so far against both right and left-handed hitters.  Sammy Solis also looked impressive holding the eighth-inning lead in the series finale against the Braves.

Also, despite an incredibly hot start by the Mets, Washington is still playing in an incredibly weak division this year, and they should be able to beat up on their divisional opponents quite a bit, even if Rendon continues on the disabled list.  When the Nats’ offense—which has shown a propensity to be streaky—goes through another lull, they should be able to avoid any long losing stretches thanks to their starting pitching depth as they look to move up in the standings over the next few weeks.  Here is a look at their upcoming series:

May 11-13 :         at Arizona
May 14 – 17:       at San Diego
May 19-20:          vs. Yankees
May 22-24:          vs. Philadelphia
May 25-27:          at Chicago
May 29-31:         at Cincinnati

The Nationals still have many more games coming up against NL East teams, and I can’t imagine Washington not compiling a better-than-500 record against them going forward.

As the 2011 Phillies found out, it’s not how many you win during the regular season.  The big key is for Washington to continue to play well, stay near or at the top of the division, and try to keep everyone healthy through the summer.  Hopefully Rendon comes back with enough time to find his stroke and the lethargic start to the season becomes a distant, if not forgotten, memory.

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Special programming note.  Mark your calendars and be sure to come out to see “RCN SportsTalk” as we broadcast live from Buffalo Wild Wings on Grape Street in Whitehall, PA.  This will be the first of several shows we’ll be broadcasting on location this summer.   Keep checking back to the RCN-TV website for updates on these special programs as SportsTalk “goes wild” this summer!

When I was in high school, teachers would normally sit us in rows of chairs alphabetically.  That is why in chemistry and physics class, Laubach (me) was seated next to Miles (not me).  I bring this up because I never really comprehended the personal value of chemistry or physics.  I did not anticipate mixing strange ingredients nor did I concern myself with laws of physics (those things are going to happen anyway).  I just wanted to keep my grades up.  So, since my blog this week is going to be about cheating because it was so prevalent in the world of sports the past seven days, I felt I would be hypocritical if I did not initially confess my own sins.

My classmate, Miles, is now Dr. Miles, MD (in other words, very smart) and you know what I am.  It would be an understatement to say he got me through chemistry and physics.  He sat next to me and, during tests, I may have glanced at an answer or two or three or ten (whatever).  So I guess you could say I cheated.  I feel comfortable saying this now because my Physics teacher has passed away and I’m fairly certain my Chemistry teacher is not reading this stuff.

And I, also, must confess that I often get inspiration for my blogs from the headlines and articles written about the news of the week.  Even though I was going to write about this topic since the “deflategate” report came out, AP writer Paul Newberry beat me to it.  I would like to say he copied my thoughts, but he wrote his article first.  So, suffice it to say, I am not copying here, but adding my thoughts.  Just saying…

And Paul Newberry did not even write about this event.  Two Saturdays ago, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao earned over $300 million for fighting in what was billed as the “Fight of the Century”.  It turns out that Pacquiao basically fought with just one arm as an undeclared shoulder injury kept him from waging a very competitive fight.  So the fans who put down untold dollars to see the fight LIVE or $89.99 for pay-per-view and, particularly, those fans who legally wagered on the fight were cheated.  Either Pacquiao reveals his injury and gets the fight delayed or he makes everyone aware of his injury and they then decide where their money goes.  He did neither.  But he did get paid!  By cheating us of the information, he, ironically, may have been the only one NOT cheated.

The “deflategate” report  was issued this week, all 243 pages.  The conclusion of the report is that the balls were definitely deflated by an employee of the Patriots prior to the AFC championship game.  And, it appears that Tom Brady had knowledge that this was being done.  The balls were easier to throw and probably easier to catch.  Based on the rules of the NFL, this was cheating.  Brady needs to be suspended and, due to guilt by association, the Patriots need to be fined.  Tom Brady is one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks to play the game, but the image is now tarnished and rightfully so.

This leads me to A-Rod, Alex Rodriquez.  This week, he hit his 661^st home run, passing my childhood hero, Willie Mays, and moving A-Rod into third place all-time in home run totals.  But, he cheated to accomplish that feat.  A-Rod used performance-enhancing drugs for at least four or five years and during that time hit over 200 home runs.  Barry Bonds is ahead of him in home run numbers.  He, also, cheated.  Let those two have a “cheaters” list of their own and keep the records of players like Mays, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron separated.

Isn’t it time that all pro athletes act like pro golfers?  Professional golfers call mistakes upon themselves and are immediately penalized for those mistakes.  Often (ex: a ball moved while addressing it), the infraction is not their fault.  But rules are rules and they abide by them.  There are lessons here for Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones, Roger Clemens, etc.

If athletes confessed their cheating immediately upon being caught, we might even forgive them.  C’mon, Tom, be honest with us.  Manny, tell us you should not have gotten into the ring.  A-Rod, don’t accept the accolades that come from passing Willie Mays. Look at me. I am glad I confessed my high school cheating right up front.  Besides, the Statute of Limitations has passed (I hope).

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Have you noticed that former Lafayette student and current Chicago Cubs manager, Joe Maddon, has the Cubs in second place in the National League Central division and they have the fourth-best winning percentage in the National League? Good for Joe.
2. I have found an NBA story that makes me want to watch the playoffs. The LA Clippers are playing the Houston Rockets and, so far, the star of the series is Austin Rivers.  His father, Doc Rivers, is the head coach.  This combination has never happened before in the NBA.  It is neat to see the two interact.
3. Big baseball stories normally center around no-hitters, grand slams, or fights. The defense rarely gets its due.  This past Saturday, the Pittsburgh Pirates pulled off a triple play that had never before happened – second to third to second, or as the scorebook showed 4-5-4.  Take a look here.
4. If outside reports are to be believed, the Eagles did try to make a last-minute trade with Tampa Bay to get the NFL’s #1 draft pick so they could take QB Marcus Mariota. The Bucs would have no part of it and seem very happy they got QB Jameis Winston.
5. High school baseball is on tap this week. On Wednesday, watch the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference semifinals on RCN TV LIVE at 4:00 and the championship on Thursday at 7:00.  Congratulations to all the Colonial League and EPC teams that made the playoffs.  Even with a loss in the league playoffs, District XI baseball is right around the corner for all of them.