The holiday season is in full swing (along with high school basketball season, the wrestling season, crunch time for the NFL, the Hot Stove League, the NBA, NHL…but I digress).
One of our annual traditions is to reflect back on some of the most interesting programs and events from the past year. RCN-TV is once again doing a marathon of some of your favorite programs and will be showcasing them for your enjoyment around the holidays.
Likewise, we will be continuing our look back at our viewers’ favorite sports moments from this past year. Senior Morning Call Sports Writer and new “SportsTalk” co-host Keith Groller and I are asking for your votes and suggestions for your favorite topics, standout players, the teams and memorable sports moments involving participants in the RCN viewing area—dealing primarily with the scholastic, collegiate and professional levels.
Right now, the ball is in your court to nominate and vote! Email us at rcnsportstalk@rcn.com with your suggestion for favorite 2016 sports moments that you would like us to mention and/or video clips and features that you might like to see again. Keith and I will huddle next week and review the top nominations to determine what you, our viewers, would prefer to see one more time before we turn the calendar year.
Then, check back to the “SportsTalk Shop” for the final weeks of blog entries for the year, along with our “RCN SportsTalk: Year-in-Review Special” podcast and TV program that airs at various times during the holiday season (check the broadcast schedule here on the RCN-TV website or your RCN on-screen guides for the specific dates and times of this show’s airings).
In a previous blog entry, we posted some of the categories of which we are looking for your feedback. But we also appreciate your feedback on any other subjects you’d like us to address on this year’s special program.
To help “stir the pot,” here are a few of my memorable moments from 2016, in no particular order:
- Joel Embiid finally plays in a regular season NBA game for the 76ers
- Nationals finally make the playoffs (and lasted until the final game of the NLDS)
- Eagles trades paving the way for Carson Wentz and his subsequent rise to becoming the team’s #1 quarterback and instant popularity with the fan base
- After a spectacular 3-0 start, playoff expectations rise and praise abounds for new Eagles head Coach Doug Peterson … the team then sharply reverses course, loses eight of their next 10 and fans call for Peterson dismissal following the November 29th loss to the Bengals
- DeMatha HS football’s preseason “Top 5” national ranking in USA Today (and other publications)—and then staying there the entire season
- The new classifications and expanded PIAA HS playoff system for all sports
- The Capitals’ early exit (again) from the NHL playoffs
- Nazareth girls basketball’s second District XI championship in three years (followed-up by a summer league title with very stiff competition). With many high-level players returning for both the Eagles, Easton, Northampton, Parkland and other top teams, it’s going to be an exciting girls hoops season in the Lehigh Valley this winter!
- The Flyers quicker-than-expected resurrection and (near) playoff appearance this spring
- HD Woodson basketball’s undefeated, championship season (check out last week’s “SportsTalk” podcast or RCN On-Demand for an interview with head basketball coach Lawrence “Trey” Mines)
- The Phillies “turn the page” and take several positive steps forward with trades, crafty (but not flashy) free agent signings and the development their younger players
- The many examples of high school student-athlete participating in food drives, dance-a-thons, homeless shelter visits and other wonderful, charitable acts from various schools across our viewing area this past year. Fortunately, just the stories alone that I’ve been told are too numerous to mention in a single blog post, and it would be too difficult to identify a single team/action for this.
Also, here are a few highlight videos from recent games of RCN’s coverage of the Pennsylvania state football playoffs.
And…don’t hesitate to look back through the last eleven months-worth of our blog postings here on the RCN-TV website if you want to refresh your memory on some of the musings from Gary Laubach and myself and select one of your favorite discussion points or videos from the past year.
Again, the decision is yours for our annual program and blog postings…but don’t wait! Feel free to vote on any of these above topics or suggest your own by emailing rcnsportstalk@rcn.com before voting ends this Sunday night (December 20th). Have fun!
