I have to admit, I continue to be amazed at all of the technological advances made by RCN.  I come from a long line of family members who are initially slow to appreciate change—ANY type of change.  This includes having reservations about new ways of doing things.  I still joke with my dad that he was the last one to give up his abacus in deference to a calculator.  I myself usually need new tech-related inventions explained to me a few times before I understand and can start to utilize and eventually appreciate them.

And yet, to look back at all the products that RCN has produced for us, its customers, from TiVO and RCN2GO to relationships with Netflix and YouTube, the advancements are really incredible.  Even the lightning fast internet speeds…there are so many avenues available to enhance one’s entertainment viewing lifestyle.  I continue to be impressed with more advances and innovations each and every month.

I had the pleasure recently to witness an almost instant benefit of one of the newest additions to the RCN-TV website, and that is the “SportsTalk” podcast.  Over the last few months, we have had several championship teams in our studio as guests for “RCN SportsTalk” to talk about their achievements in their respective sports.  These shows are always interesting for me – to speak with the young athletes in our area, after a long stretch of hard work is realized with the highest honor achieved at the scholastic level.  While some students are nervous about appearing on television, most everyone is usually smiling and having fun by the time the show wraps.

There was one studio guest, however, who seemed a little more distracted before going on the air and seconds before the red light flashed on, and I asked this athlete if anything was wrong.  The response was that he was excited to be on the show, but was disappointed that his grandmother, who lives outside the RCN coverage area, wouldn’t be able to watch his appearance on the program.

Enter “the podcast.”

Our marketing team has once again come up with a great, new addition to feature for our customers.  Our “RCN SportsTalk” show will be posted online as podcasts, so that if you, your family or friends are traveling outside the RCN coverage area (or even if you are in your car and can’t see the show live), you still have the opportunity to catch our sports conversations with all the wonderful people in our region.  While you can watch the show On-Demand when you get back home, the podcast gives you the ability to hear the show, anywhere and anytime.  It also allows you to hear current sports issues before they become dated (two excellent examples currently on our site was the MLB Draft Preview and also our thoughts and predictions on the start of NFL Training Camps and the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline—both recorded and posted right before those events took place!)

I recently took a step back and glanced at some of our guests since we began our podcasts this summer—a list that includes:

Major League Baseball Player Tony Gwynn Jr.
Associated Press MLB/NFL Writer Rob Maaddi
Eagles Longtime Broadcaster Merrill Reese
Redskins Radio Announcer Craig Hoffman
Georgetown Football Head Coach Rob Sgarlata
Lafayette Pre-Season All-League Corner Matt Smalley
ESPN’s Eric Longenhagen
Olympian Joetta Clark-Diggs
Philadelphia Daily News/PhillyBurb’s Sports Writer Jeff Moeller
Lehigh Valley’s 2015 All-Star Football Coaches & Players
All four Lehigh Valley Spring Sport PIAA/State Champions
District XI 4A & 3A Defending Football Champs
“Reunion Shows” featuring some of the top football players in Bethlehem & Whitehall history & more!

We really have been fortunate to have so many talented and well-respected guests give their opinions on our “SportsTalk” podcast since its inception just a few short weeks ago,  and we are looking to continue building on this list and speak with more special names as we transition into the autumn season.

In some ways I had considered myself an “old school” entertainment viewer…and, in a few ways, I still do.  However, I really am impressed by all the ways RCN is continuing to grow in terms of providing information, entertainment and access to more people than ever before.  I hope everyone enjoys checking out the new “SportsTalk” podcast over the coming weeks and months.  Be sure to be on the lookout for even more creative ways that RCN is making your life more “awesomazing” going forward.

We’ve had a couple surprises through the first three weeks of the high school football season, yet many of our pre-season expectations remain firmly in place.

The biggest surprise of the District XI high school football season has to be the improved performances of the Nazareth Blue Eagles.  While the football pundits thought Nazareth’s up-and-coming players might be a year away from contending, the Eagles have clearly established themselves as a team to watch this fall.  Jahan Dotson, Travis Stefanik and company have played three outstanding games—all against strong opponents—and have won two of those contests.  Several of those same Eagle athletes who surprised everyone during the basketball season during their tremendous run last winter are stepping up and making noise, pushing Nazareth forward and in to our football poll for the first time this season.

Saucon Valley holds on to their first-place ranking after jumping out to a 49-24 cushion on previously unbeaten Southern Lehigh in posting a victory last Friday night.  Parkland also continued its winning ways by jumping out to a 28-0 lead on Central Catholic last weekend en route to a win and a 3-0 record.  Both Saucon Valley’s and Parkland’s games last weekend are available to watch on RCN On-Demand.

Before we look at the complete list, here’s a quick recap of our poll structure.  Our pollsters consist of many different people over the entire Lehigh Valley region.  Our voting panel consists of local media members from different outlets, along with local coaches and athletic directors from across the entire district.  The voters are not identified so they can give their honest impressions without any worry of outside pressures or “bulletin board” material, and we rotate different pollsters from different schools each year, including guests from our biggest to our smallest schools.

As in previous years, we take the 400-male enrollment number as the cutoff for schools within the District XI/RCN footprint.  All schools above that number qualify as “big schools” in our poll. These schools consist of Parkland, Liberty, Allen, Easton, Emmaus, Liberty, Dieruff, Freedom, Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley, Northampton, Nazareth, E. Stroudsburg-South, Whitehall, Southern Lehigh and Bangor.  “Small schools” (below 400-male enrollment) consist of Saucon Valley, Central Catholic, Bethlehem Catholic, Northwestern, Wilson, Palisades, Palmerton, Salisbury, Notre Dame, Pen Argyl, Nolehi and Catasauqua.  Each pollster will identify their top five teams in each group—the top school gets five points, the second team gets four points and so on, with an average score determining the order of teams in the poll.

With the particulars out of the way, here’s the full look at how this week’s polls shake out…

BIG SCHOOL FB Poll (10 pollsters)
1)     Parkland – 50 total votes (10 -1st place votes)
2)     Easton — 37
3)     Freedom — 33
4)     Nazareth — 17
5)     Liberty — 9
Other schools receiving more than one vote:  Whitehall

SMALL SCHOOLS FB Poll (10 pollsters)
1)      Saucon Valley – 46 total votes (6 – 1st place votes)
2)      Bethlehem Catholic – 43 (4 – 1st place vote)
3-tie)      Central Catholic– 24
3-tie)      Notre Dame — 24
5)      Northern Lehigh — 9
Other schools receiving more than one vote: Northwestern, Palmerton

Here are clips of the highlights from all of our high school games broadcast on RCN-TV so far this season.

Feel free to email your opinions on our poll to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and join us this Thursday, live at 7pm, on RCN-TV.  We might read your emails live on the air during this program.   This week’s guests list includes Head Coach Matt Evancho and members of the Saucon Valley football team to talk about their success this fall and the Panther’s upcoming schedule.

Don’t forget to check back to the “SportsTalk Shop” throughout the fall for the latest results of our bi-weekly high school football poll.

It was a tough week for many of us on the RCN sports staff, and for the many people whose lives were touched by our former colleague, and legendary head basketball coach, Francis Richard Tracy.

For me personally, I had the good fortune of knowing Coach Tracy in many roles throughout my life…

• As a youngster, playing tag under the bleachers at Whitehall’s Gym during basketball games (which, for some five-year olds, is more fun than watching a basketball game—and a low scoring one at that).  I later wondered if my hearing issues are a direct result of Coach’s trademark kicking of the bleachers during games (see video below for a reminder).
• As a pre-teen, seeing this larger-than-life man, who curiously had the same name as one of my favorite comic strip characters, leading a parade of fire trucks through town following his team’s state championship win in 1982.
• As a high school student…he was an English teach and my journalism/yearbook advisor.  His first instructions upon hearing my name was that I could rob a bank using my real name, then legally switch my first and last name to avoid persecution (the way he delivered the line, I actually believed him for a few seconds).   As he noticed my intense passion for sports as a writer on his staff, he—gradually—warmed up to me, and provided invaluable instructions on my first ventures into the sports writing arena.  He was a tough critic…and an incredibly accurate
• As a senior, and after his departure from Whitehall … a man whose eyes widened while smiling exuberantly as he approached me at the Whitehall Library (where his beloved wife, Mary, worked), genuinely seeming interested in my progress and my college planning, followed by him giving me a laundry list of things to work on if I wanted to make a living working in sports.
• As a high school football radio announcer … Dick was the first one to greet me if we were doing the same game, and quickly went over all of his numerous notes with me, and made sure I knew all the latest news, rumors and a full rundown of items that I should be aware of for that game and for my broadcast.
• As a colleague at Twin County/RCN … Coach always commanded an amazing, and unique, presence, with everyone he came in contact with.  Among our staff, current and former coaches, athletic directors, players, fans…everyone.   And heaven help the game manager if the game was running long and an important Yankees or Notre Dame football game was scheduled for that evening.
• As Dick’s driver, set-up man and his foil.  There’s no two ways about it.  When I had the opportunity to work with Coach on-air, he was the broadcast.  I made sure to announce the particulars of the game, confirm we hit all the sponsors, liners and commercial breaks and every once in a while I’d bring up a storyline that I thought Dick might not know about.  He always responded to, and then augmented, whatever facts I mentioned.  Some of the happiest moments of my life were preparing for the broadcasts with Coach, driving to the site (including an unbelievable story regarding a flat tire suffered en route), having a pre-game meal (no one got more free food than Coach) and all the discussions that went on before, in-between (oh, the facial expressions I would get for an athlete’s mental error and during blow-out games!), and after, the broadcasts.  The rides home were filled with reflections … on the game, the broadcast (“NEVER take the game home with you!”), and…strangely enough, about nearly everything else you could possibly imagine.
• As a fly on the wall for his tribute show, featuring many of his former players and closest friends.  During one of our many long conversations, I once asked him, if he could have one afternoon to relive ANYTHING he experienced during his life…anything at all, what would you do?  My mind raced through games during his championship basketball seasons, running the Wing-T during his football playing days, the various sports he announced, his trips to Yankee Stadium and South Bend…what would he say?  I still remember his response.

He paused for a quick moment, then a smile flashed across his face…

“You know, Chris, that’s an easy question.  If, for one afternoon, I could sit down with some of my former players … and just talk.  Doesn’t have to be about basketball…it doesn’t have to be about anything, really.  Just to sit down, and talk with some of those guys…I don’t think I’d want anything more than that.”

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Following Dick’s passing last Friday, we had an opportunity to memorialize him, and to reflect on the many aspects of this colorful man’s life.  Here’s a clip of our discussion of “Coach” on last week’s “SportsTalk” show and a sample from our Liberty/Becahi football broadcast last Saturday.

RIP…Coach Tracy

High school football season is now in full swing.

Following a bunch of interesting contests within the RCN viewing area this past weekend, it’s time to examine our “week two” edition of the District XI/RCN HS Football Bi-Weekly Poll.

First, a quick recap of our poll structure.  Our pollsters consist of numerous people from throughout the entire Lehigh Valley region.  Our voting panel consists of local media members from various  outlets, along with local coaches and athletic directors from across the entire district.  The voters are not identified so they can give their honest impressions without any worry of outside pressures or “bulletin board” material, and we rotate different pollsters from different schools each year, including guests from our biggest to our smallest schools.

As in previous years, we take the 400-male enrollment number as the cutoff for schools within the District XI/RCN footprint.  All schools above that number qualify as “big schools” in our poll. These schools consist of Parkland, Liberty, Allen, Easton, Emmaus, Liberty, Dieruff, Freedom, Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley, Northampton, Nazareth, E. Stroudsburg-South, Whitehall, Southern Lehigh and Bangor.  “Small schools” (below 400-male enrollment) consist of Saucon Valley, Central Catholic, Bethlehem Catholic, Northwestern, Wilson, Palisades, Palmerton, Salisbury, Notre Dame, Pen Argyl, Nolehi and Catasauqua.  Each pollster will identify their top five teams in each group; the top school gets five points, the second team gets four points and so on, with an average score determining the order of teams in the poll.

With the particulars out of the way, here’s a look at how this week’s poll shakes out…

BIG SCHOOL FB Poll (11 pollsters)
1)     Parkland – 55 total votes (11 -1st place votes)
2)     Freedom — 36
3)     Easton — 34
4)     Liberty — 19
5)    Whitehall – 12
Other schools receiving more than one vote:  Emmaus

SMALL SCHOOLS FB Poll (10 pollsters)
1)      Saucon Valley – 45 total votes (6 – 1st place votes)
2)      Bethlehem Catholic – 38 (3 – 1st place vote)
3)      Central Catholic– 28 (1 – 1st place vote)
4)      Northern Lehigh — 21
5)      Notre Dame — 13
Other schools receiving more than one vote: Northwestern

The big shake-up in this week’s poll occurs with the smaller schools.  Saucon Valley’s impressive showing versus up-and-coming Salisbury, coupled with Becahi’s loss to Liberty, pushes the Panthers into the number-one spot.  Central Catholic also looked solid last weekend, which moves the Vikings up one spot (we’ll see Central Catholic play Whitehall this Saturday, tape-delayed on RCN-TV).  Notre Dame’s win over Northwestern allows the Crusaders to flip-flop positions with the Tigers and move into the fifth spot.

All of the “big schools” in our poll remained undefeated last weekend, so the top five (six, if you include Emmaus) all stayed exactly where they were in our previous poll.  The Hornets will get an opportunity to move up in our poll if they could pull off a win over Easton this Friday (see the game live on RCN-TV).
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We also had an opportunity over the last two weeks to talk with some of the local high school football coaches about their own teams, and their opinions on the other teams in the region.  Here are a few of those interviews (more can be seen by watching our “SportsTalk” show through RCN On-Demand or by checking out our podcast at rcn.com/atvn/sports-talk).

Feel free to send us your opinions on our poll to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and join us this Thursday, live at 7pm on RCN-TV.  We might read your emails live on the air during this program.   This week’s guest list will include Dave Mika from EasternPAfootball.com to talk about high school football teams, players and current issues across Pennsylvania.  Additionally on this Thursday’s show, we’ll be speaking with Redskins radio announcer Craig Hoffman to discuss the upcoming NFL season, as well as gaining insights into Washington’s season opening contest against Miami.

Don’t forget to check back to the “SportsTalk Shop” throughout the fall for the latest results of our bi-weekly high school football poll.

While the jury will be out for some time on this year’s Phillies trades, one aspect of these moves is clearly developing.  In addition to getting highly regarded minor league players and prospects, the players they’re acquiring seem to be versatile—in terms of ability, skill set and potential roles they could have in this club.

This is even more important on a rebuilding team as it’s not locked in stone which players will be playing which positions as the team continues to evolve…and hopefully improve.

Can you imagine Ryan Howard playing another position?  Remember the failed attempts to move Chase Utley to third base?  How about the lack of quality catchers behind Carlos Ruiz the last several years?  The Phillies had to move Jim Thome and Placido Polanco to part ways with some valuable veterans in order to open up spots for the next generation of Phillies players.  The current crop of prospects in the Phillies farm system will find it to easier to reach the Major Leagues, not just because of the present holes on the roster, but also because a good number of up-and-coming players have the ability to play different positions.

Maikel Franco, Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez have had good seasons and look to have starting positions waiting for them in 2016.  Freddy Galvis—at least for the moment—has played well enough to hold down the shortstop spot until J. P. Crawford arrives.  But most positions going forward are very much up for grabs.

The advantage of the young players now in the Phillies’ fold is not just that they have Major League potential, but they have the ability to move around and play different roles, should the need arise.  Franco can also play first base.  Hernandez has played shortstop, third base and outfield, even though he looks more comfortable at second.  Newly acquired Darnell Sweeney projects as a utility guy, but has some pop and speed and played regularly at second, short, third and center field.  Galvis, too, has looked like an above-average defender, regardless of where he’s placed on the diamond.

Fans already can see the benefits of having different players’ ability to play multiple positions.  Interim Manager Pete Mackanin has frequently double-switched in games, allowing more flexibility with his batting order late in games, while not sacrificing anything defensively.

Here’s a look at the younger players in the upper-level of the Phillies farm system.  Top prospects are listed in BOLD, and players, at least at the beginning of the season, projected as “super utility” (or not quite everyday) players are in italics.

Nick Williams (acq. in the Cole Hamels trade) – projects to be a left fielder per Baseball America, but has played all three outfield positions and has a blend of speed, power and the ability to hit for average.

Roman Quinn (drafted by Phila, 2^nd round) – Despite an injury, Quinn had a great season at Double-A after making the transition from shortstop to the outfield.  MLB.com suggests he can be an above-average defender in center field with more experience.

Cornelius Randolph (draft by Phila., 1^st round) – An MLB “Top #100 Prospect” who has bat speed, strength and patience (according to MLBPipeline.com), coming on a solid season in the Gulf Coast League.  Randolph has played the middle infield positions with some believing he could play 3d base, but with Franco occupying that position, he saw time in left field this past summer.

Jorge Alfaro (acq. in the Cole Hamels trade) – The key piece in the Hamels’ trade, boasting perhaps the greatest potential of anyone acquired in the deal, was hurt for much of the year.  With raw power, he’s currently listed as the #2 catching prospect in all of minor league baseball.  However, he can also play first base and some feel he could also be an everyday right fielder, or even play first base.  This is important with the development of Phillies’ farmhand Andrew Knapp, who had a strong second half in Double-A and might be closer to the Major Leagues than Alfaro is at present.

Odubel Herrera (Rule 5 selection) – Per his Rule 5 status, Herrera had to stay on the Big League roster all season or be offered back, but the Phillies had no problems finding a spot for him, and even felt comfortable moving Ben Revere for him at the trade deadline.  He’s a quality MLB bat and seems to be improving as the year has gone along, both offensively and defensively.  However, if Quinn has another big season in 2016 and makes the jump to the Big Leagues, Herrera can also play left field and is a natural infielder.  The Phillies should be able to find a way to get plenty of “ABs” for him going forward.

Aaron Altherr (draft by Phila., 9^th round) – While not everyone in the Phillies organization viewed him as a blue chip prospect, I was impressed from what I saw in Altherr’s play in Triple-A this season.  More importantly, some of the guys who saw Aaron play on an everyday basis said they felt he could be an everyday MLB outfielder—at least on the current Phillies team.  He has nice range and a strong arm, which lends him to playing all three outfield positions.  Offensively, he was one of the top hitters at Lehigh Valley.  Supposedly, the Phillies wanted him to continuing playing every day and was not promoted once Revere was traded.  I am glad he received a “pre-September” call-up and hope that he gets even more of a chance to showcase his skills (and hope he doesn’t turn into another Darin Ruf, who really never did seem to get an extended look).  If he continues to play as well as he has at the Major League level, he may force the team to have him in the lineup every day.

Cody Asche didn’t exactly shock and awe anyone with his offensive outputs.  But if Asche and Ruf remain on the team beyond their arbitration years, both can play a couple different spots defensively and could see themselves as platoon or bench options as the other young players develop.

Trying to predict an everyday lineup is nearly impossible at this point, which is a good thing.  The future Phillies manager (whether it’s Mackanin or not) will have many different options where to bat and position players in the field.  This will also help the front office in trying to improve the team.  If/when they assume the team is ready to challenge for a playoff spot, it will keep options open in trying to acquire additional players through trades and free agency.

Even the most skeptical Phillies fan has to be impressed with the moves being made by the Phillies front office over the last several months.  While it might still be a stretch to be in playoff contention next summer, outgoing CEO Pat Gillick’s ominous warning that the team may not be a contender until 2017 or 2018 may not be correct after all.

To be perfectly honest, I take great pride in an important and popular aspect of our fall football season here at RCN.

For quite some time, I was given the responsibility of putting together the District XI/RCN HS Football Poll, and I have enjoyed building this into what I believe is the most comprehensive scholastic football poll in the region.

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

As in previous years, we take the 400-male enrollment number as the cutoff for schools within the District XI/RCN footprint.  All schools above that number qualify as “big schools” in our poll. The “Big Schools” consist of Parkland, Liberty, Allen, Easton, Emmaus, Liberty, Dieruff, Freedom, Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley, Northampton, Nazareth, E. Stroudsburg-South, Whitehall, Southern Lehigh and Bangor.  The “Small Schools” (below 400-male enrollment) consist of Saucon Valley, Central Catholic, Bethlehem Catholic, Northwestern, Wilson, Palisades, Palmerton, Salisbury, Notre Dame, Pen Argyl, Northern Lehigh and Catasauqua.  Each pollster will identify their top five teams in each group—the top school gets five points, the second team gets four points and so on, with an average score determining the order of teams in the poll.

With the particulars out of the way, here’s a look at how our preseason poll shakes out…

BIG SCHOOL FB Poll (10 pollsters)
1) Parkland – 50 total votes ( 10 -1^st place votes)
2—tied) Easton — 28
2—tied) Freedom — 28
4)  Liberty — 16
5)  Whitehall – 11

Other schools receiving more than one vote:  Emmaus, Stroudsburg

SMALL SCHOOLS FB Poll (9 pollsters)
1)  Bethlehem Catholic – 43 total votes (8  -1^st place votes)
2)  Saucon Valley – 36 (1 – 1^st place vote)
3)  Northern Lehigh — 20
4)  Central Catholic — 11
5)  Northwestern – 10

Other schools receiving more than one vote: Notre Dame, Pen Argyl, Salisbury

I have a few initial thoughts on this poll, which we’ll be addressing in much more detail on this week’s “RCN SportsTalk.”  One thought is that Emmaus looks to be flying under the radar so far this preseason.  They did not have a great 2014 season and graduated a number of skilled position players, including one of the top all-around football stars (Andrew Davidson) in the area.  However, they have added a new quarterback (who has shown great ability in the preseason workouts), they have their entire offensive line returning, and their JV team from a year ago had a TON of speed that should be showcased at the varsity level this fall.  Don’t be surprised if the Hornets move up into one of the “top five” positions at some point this season.

Some may be surprised to see Central Catholic ranked lower than they usually are in previous years.  Without asking any of the pollsters, I believe a major reason for this is the Vikings schedule.  For the second year in a row, they really get hammered out of the gate, playing several of the top five teams (all large school programs) in the first half of the season.  Central Catholic has its work cut out for them to stay even this year, and will probably have to pull off an upset or two in order to make a run at the playoffs this season.  That being said, the Vikings have some nice pieces returning from last year and still could have a better record this fall than they did a year ago.

Another team to watch out for is Salisbury.  After several years of finishing at or near the bottom of the Colonial League standings, they very quietly put together a nice 2014 campaign and bring back many talented players this fall.  They were one of the schools we interviewed over the last week and the Falcons coaches and players seem determined to continue improving, both on the field in and in our poll.

Feel free to send us your opinions on our poll to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com and join us this Thursday, live at 7pm on RCN-TV for our “HS Football Preview Show.” We might read your emails live on the air during this program, along with our panelists’ insights and predictions on the new football campaign, plus interviews with local players and coaches.  We’ll also have a segment devoted to NFL “fantasy” football, with tips and strategies on preparing your team for the upcoming season.  And don’t forget to check back to the “SportsTalk Shop” as the high school football season unfolds for the latest results of our bi-weekly high school football poll.

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.

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 .

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.