UPDATED (1/26/19): This will be scattered of sorts, sometimes posting certain songs while sometimes posting albums, and posting an artist if we simply don't have them in our library yet at 102.9 The Mater.
If you can help out with any of these, email me at robwitham1@gmail.com and thanks!
ARTISTS/BANDS:
---Gordon Lightfoot
---Bread
---Stevie Wonder
---Rod Stewart
---Al Stewart
---"Mr. Mister"
---Simple Minds
---Rush
---Huey Lewis & The News
---Kool & The Gang
---Imagine Dragons
---Blessid Union Of Souls
---Carpenters
---John Denver
---Christopher Cross
---Dan Fogelberg
---Air Supply
---Atlanta Rhythm Section
---ABC
---Foo Fighters
---Gin Blossoms
---Green Day
SPECIFIC SONGS:
"Better Days"---Citizen King
"I Only Have Eyes For You"--Art Garfunkel
"Father and Daughter"--Paul Simon
"No Tell Lover"--Chicago
"Knock On Wood"--Amii Stewart
"New York Groove"--Ace Frehley
"Square Pegs"--The Waitresses
"Can You Read My Mind?"--Maureen McGovern
"Hey Baby"-- No Doubt
"Get The Party Started (Clean Version)"--Pink
"Superman (It's Not Easy)"--Five For Fighting
"All You Wanted"-Michelle Branch
"Remember The Time"--Michael Jackson
"Save The Best For Last"--Vanessa Williams
"Rock Me Amadeus"--Falco
"Tarzan Boy"--Baltimora
"19"--Paul Hardcastle
"Getting Closer"--Paul McCartney and Wings
"Talk To Me"--Stevie Nicks
"Sidewalk Talk"--Jellybean featuring Catherine Buchanan
"The Heat Is On"--Glenn Frey
"You Belong To The City"--Glenn Frey
"Sun Street"--Katrina And The Waves
"High On You"--Survivor
"St. Elmo's Fire"--John Parr
"You're Only Human (Second Wind)"--Billy Joel
"Obsession"--Animotion
"1999"--Prince
"Purple Rain"--Prince and The Revolution
"When Does Cry"--Prince and The Revolution
"Let's Go Crazy"--Prince and The Revolution
"All She Wants To Do Is Dance"--Don Henley
"Smalltown Boy"--Bronski Beat
"One Night In Bangkok"--Murray Head
"People Who Died"--John Carroll Band
"Invisible"--Alison Moyet
"Holyanna"--Toto
"Stranger In Town"--Toto
"All Of Me"--John Legend
"Pompeii"--Bastille
"Story Of My Life"--One Direction
"Brave"--Sara Bareilles
"Selfie"--Chainsmokers
"This Is How We Roll"--Florida Georgia Line
"Grenade"--Bruno Mars
"Rock Star (Clean Version)"--Pink
"This Is How We Do It"--Montell Jordan
"Love Hurts"--Nazareth
"Only Love Is Real"--Carole King
"Shannon"--Henry Gross
"Misty Blue"--Dorothy Moore
"Get Up and Boogie"--Silver Convention
"Shout It Out Loud"--Kiss
"Killing Me Softly"--Roberta Flack
"Tie A Yellow Ribbon"--Tony Orlando & Dawn
"Candida"--Tony Orlando & Dawn
"Knock Three Times"--Tony Orlando & Dawn
"Let The Music Play"--Shannon
"Give Me Tonight"--Shannon
"The Message"--Grandmaster Flash
"Could It Be I'm Falling In Love"--The Spinners
"Emotion"--Helen Reddy
"You Are The Sunshine Of My Life"--Stevie Wonder
"It Never Rains In Southern California"--Albert Hammond
"Please Come To Boston"--Dave Loggins
"Thinking of You"--Loggins & Messina
"Will It Go Around In Circles"--Billy Preston
"With You I'm Born Again"--Billy Preston & Syreeta
"Honey, I'm Good"--Andy Grammer
"It Ends Tonight"--All-American Rejects
"Suddenly I See"--K.T. Tunstall
"This Kiss"--Faith Hill
"Lately"--Divine
"Wild Wild West"--Escape Club
"I Don't Wanna Go On With Your Like That"--Elton John
"Hands To Heaven"--Breathe
"How Can I Fall"--Breathe
"All Fired Up"--Pat Benatar
"1-2-3"--Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
"Rush Hour"--Jane Wiedlin
"Giving You The Best That I Got"--Anita Baker
"Sweet Love"--Anita Baker
"Money's Too Tight (To Mention)"--Simply Red
"Human"--Human League
"Keep Feeling Fascination"--Human League
"Superfreak"--Rick James
"We're In This Love Together"--Al Jarreau
"Boogie Down"--Al Jarreau
"Cool Love"--Pablo Cruise
"Such A Woman"--Tycoon
"My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)"--Chilliwack
"Hearts"--Marty Balin
"Elvira"--Oak Ridge Boys
"The Devil Went Down To Georgia"--Charlie Daniels Band
"Safety Dance"--Men Without Hats
"Islands In The Stream"--Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
"Far From Over"--Frank Stallone
"Promises Promises"--Naked Eyes
"Always Something There To Remind Me"--Naked Eyes
"Puttin On The Ritz"--Taco
"Tonight, I Celebrate My Love"--Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
"Dead Giveaway"---Shalamar
"She Works Hard For The Money"--Donna Summer
"This Time I Know It's For Real"--Donna Summer
"It's A Mistake"--Men At Work
"Freak-A-Zoid"--Midnight Starr
"Foolin'"--Def Leppard
"Queen Of The Broken Hearts"--Loverboy
"Lawyers In Love"--Jackson Browne
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya"--Culture Club
"Major Tom"--Peter Schilling
"Mony Mony"--Billy Idol
"I've Been In Love Before"--Cutting Crew
"Mary's Prayer"--Danny Wilson
"I Don't Mind At All"--Bourgeois Tagg
"Just Like Heaven"--The Cure
"Guiding Light"--Mumford and Sons
"Happier"--Marshmello & Bastille
"My Blood"--Twenty One Pilots
"All My Friends"--The Revivalists
"You're Somebody Else"--Flora Cash
"Pressure"--Muse
"Fast Talk"--Houses
"Northern Lights"--Death Cab For Cutie
"Worst Nites"--Foster The People
"Ex's And Oh's"--Elle King
"Get Out"--Chvrches
"Miracle"--Chvrches
"The Mother We Share"--Chvrches
"Fire Woman"--The Cult
"Wild Hearted Son"--The Cult
"Pop Muzik"--M
"Different Worlds"--Maureen McGovern
"Spooky"--Atlanta Rhythm Section
"Good Girls Don't"--The Knack
"Rolene"--Moon Martin
"I Know A Heartache When I See One"--Jennifer Warnes
"Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)"--Pat Travers Band
"Slipping Away"--Dave Edmunds
"You Can't Change That"--Raydio
"Ghostbusters"--Ray Parker, Jr.
"Back In Love Again"--L.T.D.
"Falling"--LeBlanc and Carr
"Instant Replay"--Dan Hartman
"Just When I Needed You Most"--Randy VanWarner
"Don't You Write Her Off"--McGuinn, Clark & Hillman
"Makin' It"--David Naughton
"Rhumba Girl"--Nicolette Larson
"Good Timin'"--Beach Boys
"Heaven Knows"--Donna Summer
"Special Lady"--Ray, Goodman, & Brown
"Love Stinks"--J. Geils Band
"Tired of Toein' The Line"--Rocky Burnette
"Him"--Rupert Holmes
"Take A Little Rhythm"--Ali Thomson
"Without Your Love"--Roger Daltrey
"Just A Song Before I Go"--Crosby, Stills & Nash
"Personally"--Karla Bonoff
"Take It Away"--Paul McCartney
"Kids In America"--Kim Wilde
"Paperlate"--Genesis
"Love Plus One"--Haircut One Hundred
"Forget Me Nots"--Patrice Rushen
"The Other Woman"--Ray Parker, Jr.
"No One Like You"--Scorpions
"Gloria"--Laura Branigan
"American Heartbeat"--Survivor
"You Don't Want Me Anymore"--Steel Breeze
"The Look Of Love"--ABC
"Let's Go Dancin'"--Kool & The Gang
"The Other Guy"--Little River Band
"Space Age Love Song"--A Flock of Seagulls
"Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)"--A Flock of Seagulls
"You've Got Another Thing Comin'"--Judas Priest
"Love Come Down"--Evelyn King
"Sweet Time"--REO Speedwagon
"Doctor My Eyes"--Jackson Browne
"Desert Moon"--Dennis DeYoung
"Understanding"--Bob Seger
"I Can't Drive 55"--Sammy Hagar
"Swept Away"--Diana Ross
"Smuggler's Blues"--Glenn Frey
"Never Ending Story"--Limahl
"The Search Is Over"--Survivor
"We Are The World"--USA For Africa
"Would I Lie To You?"--Eurythmics
"Voices Carry"--'Til Tuesday
"Getcha Back"--Beach Boys
"People Are People--Depeche Mode
"Forever"--Kenny Loggins
"Go For Soda"--Kim Mitchell
"You Keep Me Hangin' On"--Kim Wilde
"Head To Toe"--Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
"Just To See Her"--Smokey Robinson
"Tears Of A Clown"--Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
"Psychedelic Shack"--The Temptations
"Don't Disturb This Groove"--The System
"I'll Still Be Loving You"--Restless Heart
"I Knew You Were Waiting"--Aretha Franklin & George Michael
"Luka"--Suzanne Vega
"The Look"--Roxette
"What I Am"--Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
"Walk The Dinosaur"--Was Not Was
"Miami Vice Theme"--Jan Hammer
"Part Time Lover"--Stevie Wonder
"Who's Zoomin' Who"--Aretha Franklin
"Freeway Of Love"--Aretha Franklin
"Perfect Way"--Scritti Politti
"Alive and Kicking"--Simple Minds
"Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves"--Annie Lennox/Aretha Franklin
"You're A Friend Of Mine"--Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne
"Charm The Snake"--Christopher Cross
"Weird Science"--Oingo Boingo
SPECIFIC ALBUMS/CD'S:
"Greatest Hits, Etc."--Paul Simon
"Graceland"--Paul Simon
"Parallel Lines"--Blondie
"Briefcase Full of Blues"--Blues Brothers
"Songs In The Key Of Life"--Stevie Wonder
"Learning To Crawl"--The Pretenders
"Freeze Frame"--J. Geils Band
Friday, November 23, 2018
Monday, September 03, 2018
Rob's Fearless (And Always Wrong) 2018 NFL Predictions!!
It's becoming a Labor Day tradition, and I need one, since my old tradition is no longer with us. Time for me to completely embarrass myself and try to predict the NFL season which begins Thursday night, apparently.
See, I'm so wrapped up with both high school football and now Randolph-Macon football that, frankly, I've had little time to really focus on the NFL. I see headlines (and I didn't have to go to Redskins Training Camp this year), read a bit, follow the local kids, and that's about it.
Which will probably be proven by what you're about to read. At some point, the balance of power in the league has to change, right? Are the Eagles a one-year wonder? Will Tom Brady and Drew Brees ever be proven to be human? And what in the world is going on with my beloved Raiders?
Let's answer these questions and more! Likely, the answers will be wrong. :)
THE NFC (should be on CBS, is on Fox for the, gulp, 25TH SEASON, with an occasional appearance on CBS...)
NFC EAST:
1) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): The champs win their division by default because, let's face it, who else is actually going to challenge them? The quarterback situation is dicey, their defense will be relied upon to do a lot of the work, but they'll get to the playoffs, and that's about it.
2) Dallas Cowboys (8-8): I'm a huge fun of running the football. Chew the clock, earn the first downs, keep the other offense pensively waiting on their sideline. Everything in Dallas is predicated on their offensive line giving Ezekiel Elliott opportunity. It'll happen enough to where the Cowboys will be achingly close to a playoff spot until Christmas, and most of the talk in December as that run falls short will be, "is this it for Jason Garrett"? The answer is, likely, yes.
3) New York Giants (6-10): Um, hold on fellow Giants fans. It's Saquon Barkley, not Charles. What I mean is, let's give the new guy some time to get used to NFL defenses, and not expect him to race 80 yards to paydirt every week. He's going to be good, but as is the case in football, he's also one play away from turning into another Penn State running back that was once the top pick in the draft. I love the Giants, but Eli will not replicate Peyton circa 2013, I've never been high on Beckham, and now that he's been paid, I'm skeptical of his production. And our defense still stinks.
4) Washington Redskins (3-13): I like Jay Gruden. I really do. But I think it's been exposed that he's a good offensive coordinator. When everyone panics because your rookie running back tears his knee up, how good was your offense to begin with? And, why trade your best defensive player for a quarterback who can get you through the fall, but withers when January rolls around? I like Alex Smith, too. But he's not a playoff quarterback at this point. A long, long year in our Nation's Capital. Bring on the Caps.
NFC NORTH:
1) Green Bay Packers (12-4): They're back. We learned (duh!) last year that a healthy Aaron Rodgers means everything in Cheesehead Country. I think Mike McCarthy actually has a patent on the first cloning device in the world, it's just hidden in a bunker underneath Lambeau Field. Which unnamed receivers we don't know will become All-Pro candidates by Thanksgiving? I'm sure they'll be one. I think the bigger story this season will be the return of the Packers defense. They'll have to improve to stop the Vikings, and, I believe, the Lions. This division will be lots of fun to watch.
2) Minnesota Vikings (9-7): I am not a Kirk Cousins fan. I am a fan of his ability to make excellent financial decisions for himself, however. When all is said and done, he may go down in athletic history as the richest man never to win a playoff game. As for the rest of the team, I was very impressed with how they handled losing Darwin Cook so early. By December, Viking fans forgot he was on IR. And, I like Mike Zimmer. He's a throwback coach like Bruce Arians was. But this year I think the defense finds out how different it is to play Green Bay with #12. Fighting for a wild card bid.
3) Detroit Lions (7-9): It's hard to believe this is Matthew Stafford's tenth season. And, despite a lot of good numerical seasons, still no solid results for a team still cursing Bobby Layne. Again, he'll lead a few comeback wins, likely lose to the Rams the first Sunday of December to end playoff hopes, again, and the never-ending cycle of Detroit Lions football rolls on towards a new decade of futility. That town deserves better.
4) Chicago Bears (5-11): Yes, they got Mack from my Raiders. We'll see if giving up two first round picks was worth it. I'm nowhere near sold on Mitchell, er, ah, Mitch Trubisky. I do like their running game, but unless they keep time of possession 40+ minutes against Rodgers and Stafford (and maybe even Cousins), I don't think they can score enough.
NFC SOUTH:
1) New Orleans Saints (13-3): Hopes are sky high in New Orleans, and rightfully so. They were one poor defensive decision away from the NFC Championship last year (the one time a prevent defense would be useful!), and there's a lot to like about this team's Super Bowl possibilities. I'm surprised at the lack of coverage of the trade for Teddy Bridgewater (a good article on it is here), as, three years from now, it will likely be a more important event than the Mack trade. Add in Michael Thomas, Mark Ingram, and my first pick in my fantasy draft, Alvin Kamara, and what's not to like?
2) Atlanta Falcons (10-6): Good team, great receiver, another team with high expectations. It's also hard to believe it's Matt Ryan's eleventh season at quarterback. The Falcons never go a decade with one guy. Sadly, it won't result in a Super Bowl title. This season, the Falcons are good, but not good enough. Sounds like last year, and 2016.
3) Carolina Panthers (7-9): Tough losses in the division doom Carolina's playoff hopes, and age will begin to show on the defensive side.
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14): This team is an absolute mess. And they don't have a leader at quarterback. Their September is nightmarish, and with perhaps the best division in football to deal with, they'll never get any traction. Who takes over as head coach next year? Who becomes the GM? Why did they get rid of Tony Dungy again?
NFC WEST:
1) Seattle Seahawks (9-7): I can't vote against Russell Wilson. He's got moxie, and will provide the will for a team in definite transition. Of all eight divisions this season, I think this is the one that will not turn out the way most people think it will.
2) Los Angeles Rams (9-7): This team has so much talent, I wonder if it became a team of "too much, too soon". Gathering talent, and names, doesn't necessarily mean chemistry, the ability to overcome adversity, etc. I'm intrigued by year three for Goff, and I like Kupp. Aaron Donald is signed, so no distraction there. But this won't be the 14-win team some people think they'll be.
3) Arizona Cardinals (6-10): Maybe in the biggest surprise of the season, Sam Bradford won't get hurt until around Thanksgiving. Sadly, it will mean that, after a 6-4 start, Arizona loses six straight, and Larry Fitzgerald's final season, I hate to say, will end in very disappointing fashion. He deserved better. One of the classiest acts in sports history.
4) San Francisco 49ers (5-11): Yes, Jimmy Garappolo will lose his first NFL game. And then some. This team is too hyped, and not ready, especially on the defensive side. But there is a foundation for a bright future. It's just not now.
********
AFC EAST:
1) New England Patriots (14-2): The Patriots have been handed such an easy schedule. Not strength of schedule, but the fact that so many big encounters just happen to be at Gillette Stadium. The Colts, Chiefs, Vikings, Packers, they all go to New England. By the time the Patriots have to go to Heinz Field in mid-December, it won't matter. They'll have the top seed, again, in the AFC. This is all predicated by having Tom Brady all season. If, for some reason, 2018 becomes 2008, this all goes off the rails. But expect the Patriots to wrap up the division by just after Thanksgiving.
2) New York Jets (7-9): Sam Darnold for Rookie of The Year? I'm not sure I'd go that far, but if Todd Bowles and company felt comfortable enough to trade off Teddy Bridgewater either A) he's good, or B) they're stupid and will be unemployed on New Year's Day. I'm leaning to A), and they might even challenge the Patriots in their first meeting November 25th. Not win, but challenge.
3) Buffalo Bills (5-11): Who's the quarterback? What week will LeSean McCoy get the usual nagging injury? When does a town deserving, like Detroit, finally have some real hope?
4) Miami Dolphins (3-13): It's time for Miami to completely reboot. There's really nothing more to say.
AFC NORTH:
1) Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): Another season, another Steeler division title. This time, however, it isn't their dominance, it's their residency in a down division. Baltimore is beginning a transition which started when they inexplicably lost to Cincinnati in the final minute New Year's Eve, the Bengals are sliding, and, and, and then there's Cleveland. The one major plus? JuJu Smith-Schuster is going to be a stud. With Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown, I think I could throw for nine touchdowns. :)
2) Baltimore Ravens (7-9): This will likely be Joe Flacco's last hurrah (from the "hard to believe department", it's his eleventh season, too), but I think the Ravens are better served by him actually failing than say, him getting injured and Lamar Jackson hitting the field too soon. He needs to watch for awhile. I think he can be a good NFL quarterback, but needs some nurturing. Collins is key to their team's hopes in the backfield. And Justin Tucker is always worth a win or two.
3) Cleveland Browns (5-11): Yes, they take a step forward, no, they shouldn't throw Baker Mayfield to the wolves. Yes, he has a future, no, he's not "the next Drew Brees" right now. Remember Brees in 2005 when San Diego was pushing him out the door? His best days were ahead of him. If any fan base can be told to hang on a bit for, finally, a franchise quarterback, it shouldn't have to be Cleveland, but they can handle it. They had to live in "LeBron exile" for four years, too. Go with Tyrod Taylor for now to pave through the heavy brush. Now, if Josh Gordon makes it through 16 games, and I pray he does, this could be 6-10.
4) Cincinnati Bengals (4-12): I hate to say this about Rachel's team, but their window of opportunity slammed shut when they prematurely ran off the field in the playoffs three years ago. I still have Week 17 of NFL RedZone on DVR. I turn it on nightly when I go to sleep because our dog, Harry J., has to have light in the room when he sleeps in our bedroom while Rachel is in school. Near the end is the crazy final drive against Baltimore that made Andy Dalton a celebrity in Buffalo. The Bengals may want to trade him there before the end of this year. Of all fan bases in the NFL, I think the one most robbed is Cincinnati's. Mike Brown is a terrible owner. Oh, and that RedZone? It had, on the bottom ticker, all day, the reports that Marvin Lewis would be let go. And he's still there. Good Lord.
AFC SOUTH:
1) Houston Texans (12-4): How 2017 would have been so, so different had the injury bug not decimated Houston. If everyone is back and back to normal, this team has the best chance at knocking off the Patriots. Their #2 seed in the postseason is in spite of the depth in their division. They may even start 0-2, but win the division. Watson is for real, there's no doubt. And Hopkins hasn't really had the chance to have a full season with a fully-prepared franchise quarterback. Their numbers this year may be insane.
2) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6): Again, the Jaguars will be in the mix. Again, their defense will be handling the heavy work. Again, they'll have success despite their quarterback. Leonard Fournette needs to lead the league in rushing, and the Jags need to lead the league in time of possession.
3) Tennessee Titans (7-9): I think the Titans overachieved last year. I also don't think they handled their head coaching situation very well. Yes, we're behind you! Oh, you lost in New England? You're fired! Now Mike Vrabel takes over. Derrick Henry needs to lead the league in rushing.
4) Indianapolis Colts (5-11): Ever seen Andrew Luck's Twitter feed? It's interesting. He talks like an old school war general writing letters back home about the latest battles. This year, his 280 character limit will be tested as he goes to battle with guys whose first names he doesn't even know. A lot has changed in three years.
AFC WEST:
1) Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): The comeback is complete. The injury bug finally flies away as the season begins and Philip Rivers doesn't have to come back from records like 3-6 and 4-7. Keenan Allen looms large, and watch the just-resigned Antonio Gates. Why not a renaissance season to head into the sunset with?
2) Kansas City Chiefs (9-7): Lots of talent here. Lots of youth, too. Patrick Mahomes is a huge question mark. He will either be lightning terrific, or a huge bust. But it will take two or more seasons to truly find out, and that won't be enough for Andy Reid should it be the latter, and not the former.
3) Denver Broncos (7-9): Case Keenum had a great moment in the sun last year in a perfect situation. But it didn't include John Elway looking over his shoulder. Minnesota didn't expect 13-3. Now the focus is squarely on him to return the Broncos to their usual glory. The defense, again, is great. The offense, however, won't be.
4) Oakland Raiders (3-13): Welcome back, Chucky!! I didn't like the hire, the way we kicked Jack Del Rio to the curb (though I never saw him as a Super Bowl head coach), and now Gruden, I believe, is more on a power trip to prove Oakland was wrong to trade him away. Gee, I thought he proved that in Super Bowl XXXVII. Amari Cooper can't catch every pass, Lynch can't have much left in the tank, and if Jordy Nelson was still Jordy Nelson, he'd still be in Green Bay. Then, there's the Mack debacle, which was nothing more than a staring match. So, what was proven? Bruce Irvin's obscene tweet following the trade announcement said everything. And I actually had high hopes of our possible trajectory just 21 months ago. At least we have an upgrade at backup quarterback! When he's healthy, of course......geez.
********
2019 NFL DRAFT TOP 5:
1) Tampa Bay
2) Oakland
3) Miami
4) Washington
5) Cincinnati
********
NFC DIVISION WINNERS: Philadelphia, Green Bay, New Orleans, Seattle
NFC WILD CARDS: Atlanta, Los Angeles Rams
NFC PLAYOFFS:
WILD CARD ROUND:
Los Angeles over Philadelphia
Atlanta over Seattle
DIVISIONAL ROUND:
New Orleans over Los Angeles
Green Bay over Atlanta
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: New Orleans 33, Green Bay 27 (OT)
********
AFC DIVISION WINNERS: New England, Pittsburgh, Houston, Los Angeles Chargers
AFC WILD CARDS: Jacksonville, Kansas City
AFC PLAYOFFS:
WILD CARD ROUND:
Pittsburgh over Kansas City
Los Angeles Chargers over Jacksonville
DIVISIONAL ROUND:
New England over Los Angeles Chargers
Houston over Pittsburgh
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Houston 20, New England 17
SUPER BOWL LIII: New Orleans 37, Houston 31 (OT): The Saints become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win both their conference championship and the Super Bowl in overtime, Drew Brees brings his son, now 10, back on the dais to accept Lombardi, and joins Elway and Peyton Manning as historic quarterbacks to ride off into the sunset. All the while, Deshaun Watson takes notes, and so does Teddy Bridgewater.
Now that most of this won't happen, happy football season everyone! See you on the radio! :)
See, I'm so wrapped up with both high school football and now Randolph-Macon football that, frankly, I've had little time to really focus on the NFL. I see headlines (and I didn't have to go to Redskins Training Camp this year), read a bit, follow the local kids, and that's about it.
Which will probably be proven by what you're about to read. At some point, the balance of power in the league has to change, right? Are the Eagles a one-year wonder? Will Tom Brady and Drew Brees ever be proven to be human? And what in the world is going on with my beloved Raiders?
Let's answer these questions and more! Likely, the answers will be wrong. :)
THE NFC (should be on CBS, is on Fox for the, gulp, 25TH SEASON, with an occasional appearance on CBS...)
NFC EAST:
1) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): The champs win their division by default because, let's face it, who else is actually going to challenge them? The quarterback situation is dicey, their defense will be relied upon to do a lot of the work, but they'll get to the playoffs, and that's about it.
2) Dallas Cowboys (8-8): I'm a huge fun of running the football. Chew the clock, earn the first downs, keep the other offense pensively waiting on their sideline. Everything in Dallas is predicated on their offensive line giving Ezekiel Elliott opportunity. It'll happen enough to where the Cowboys will be achingly close to a playoff spot until Christmas, and most of the talk in December as that run falls short will be, "is this it for Jason Garrett"? The answer is, likely, yes.
3) New York Giants (6-10): Um, hold on fellow Giants fans. It's Saquon Barkley, not Charles. What I mean is, let's give the new guy some time to get used to NFL defenses, and not expect him to race 80 yards to paydirt every week. He's going to be good, but as is the case in football, he's also one play away from turning into another Penn State running back that was once the top pick in the draft. I love the Giants, but Eli will not replicate Peyton circa 2013, I've never been high on Beckham, and now that he's been paid, I'm skeptical of his production. And our defense still stinks.
4) Washington Redskins (3-13): I like Jay Gruden. I really do. But I think it's been exposed that he's a good offensive coordinator. When everyone panics because your rookie running back tears his knee up, how good was your offense to begin with? And, why trade your best defensive player for a quarterback who can get you through the fall, but withers when January rolls around? I like Alex Smith, too. But he's not a playoff quarterback at this point. A long, long year in our Nation's Capital. Bring on the Caps.
NFC NORTH:
1) Green Bay Packers (12-4): They're back. We learned (duh!) last year that a healthy Aaron Rodgers means everything in Cheesehead Country. I think Mike McCarthy actually has a patent on the first cloning device in the world, it's just hidden in a bunker underneath Lambeau Field. Which unnamed receivers we don't know will become All-Pro candidates by Thanksgiving? I'm sure they'll be one. I think the bigger story this season will be the return of the Packers defense. They'll have to improve to stop the Vikings, and, I believe, the Lions. This division will be lots of fun to watch.
2) Minnesota Vikings (9-7): I am not a Kirk Cousins fan. I am a fan of his ability to make excellent financial decisions for himself, however. When all is said and done, he may go down in athletic history as the richest man never to win a playoff game. As for the rest of the team, I was very impressed with how they handled losing Darwin Cook so early. By December, Viking fans forgot he was on IR. And, I like Mike Zimmer. He's a throwback coach like Bruce Arians was. But this year I think the defense finds out how different it is to play Green Bay with #12. Fighting for a wild card bid.
3) Detroit Lions (7-9): It's hard to believe this is Matthew Stafford's tenth season. And, despite a lot of good numerical seasons, still no solid results for a team still cursing Bobby Layne. Again, he'll lead a few comeback wins, likely lose to the Rams the first Sunday of December to end playoff hopes, again, and the never-ending cycle of Detroit Lions football rolls on towards a new decade of futility. That town deserves better.
4) Chicago Bears (5-11): Yes, they got Mack from my Raiders. We'll see if giving up two first round picks was worth it. I'm nowhere near sold on Mitchell, er, ah, Mitch Trubisky. I do like their running game, but unless they keep time of possession 40+ minutes against Rodgers and Stafford (and maybe even Cousins), I don't think they can score enough.
NFC SOUTH:
1) New Orleans Saints (13-3): Hopes are sky high in New Orleans, and rightfully so. They were one poor defensive decision away from the NFC Championship last year (the one time a prevent defense would be useful!), and there's a lot to like about this team's Super Bowl possibilities. I'm surprised at the lack of coverage of the trade for Teddy Bridgewater (a good article on it is here), as, three years from now, it will likely be a more important event than the Mack trade. Add in Michael Thomas, Mark Ingram, and my first pick in my fantasy draft, Alvin Kamara, and what's not to like?
2) Atlanta Falcons (10-6): Good team, great receiver, another team with high expectations. It's also hard to believe it's Matt Ryan's eleventh season at quarterback. The Falcons never go a decade with one guy. Sadly, it won't result in a Super Bowl title. This season, the Falcons are good, but not good enough. Sounds like last year, and 2016.
3) Carolina Panthers (7-9): Tough losses in the division doom Carolina's playoff hopes, and age will begin to show on the defensive side.
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14): This team is an absolute mess. And they don't have a leader at quarterback. Their September is nightmarish, and with perhaps the best division in football to deal with, they'll never get any traction. Who takes over as head coach next year? Who becomes the GM? Why did they get rid of Tony Dungy again?
NFC WEST:
1) Seattle Seahawks (9-7): I can't vote against Russell Wilson. He's got moxie, and will provide the will for a team in definite transition. Of all eight divisions this season, I think this is the one that will not turn out the way most people think it will.
2) Los Angeles Rams (9-7): This team has so much talent, I wonder if it became a team of "too much, too soon". Gathering talent, and names, doesn't necessarily mean chemistry, the ability to overcome adversity, etc. I'm intrigued by year three for Goff, and I like Kupp. Aaron Donald is signed, so no distraction there. But this won't be the 14-win team some people think they'll be.
3) Arizona Cardinals (6-10): Maybe in the biggest surprise of the season, Sam Bradford won't get hurt until around Thanksgiving. Sadly, it will mean that, after a 6-4 start, Arizona loses six straight, and Larry Fitzgerald's final season, I hate to say, will end in very disappointing fashion. He deserved better. One of the classiest acts in sports history.
4) San Francisco 49ers (5-11): Yes, Jimmy Garappolo will lose his first NFL game. And then some. This team is too hyped, and not ready, especially on the defensive side. But there is a foundation for a bright future. It's just not now.
********
AFC EAST:
1) New England Patriots (14-2): The Patriots have been handed such an easy schedule. Not strength of schedule, but the fact that so many big encounters just happen to be at Gillette Stadium. The Colts, Chiefs, Vikings, Packers, they all go to New England. By the time the Patriots have to go to Heinz Field in mid-December, it won't matter. They'll have the top seed, again, in the AFC. This is all predicated by having Tom Brady all season. If, for some reason, 2018 becomes 2008, this all goes off the rails. But expect the Patriots to wrap up the division by just after Thanksgiving.
2) New York Jets (7-9): Sam Darnold for Rookie of The Year? I'm not sure I'd go that far, but if Todd Bowles and company felt comfortable enough to trade off Teddy Bridgewater either A) he's good, or B) they're stupid and will be unemployed on New Year's Day. I'm leaning to A), and they might even challenge the Patriots in their first meeting November 25th. Not win, but challenge.
3) Buffalo Bills (5-11): Who's the quarterback? What week will LeSean McCoy get the usual nagging injury? When does a town deserving, like Detroit, finally have some real hope?
4) Miami Dolphins (3-13): It's time for Miami to completely reboot. There's really nothing more to say.
AFC NORTH:
1) Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): Another season, another Steeler division title. This time, however, it isn't their dominance, it's their residency in a down division. Baltimore is beginning a transition which started when they inexplicably lost to Cincinnati in the final minute New Year's Eve, the Bengals are sliding, and, and, and then there's Cleveland. The one major plus? JuJu Smith-Schuster is going to be a stud. With Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown, I think I could throw for nine touchdowns. :)
2) Baltimore Ravens (7-9): This will likely be Joe Flacco's last hurrah (from the "hard to believe department", it's his eleventh season, too), but I think the Ravens are better served by him actually failing than say, him getting injured and Lamar Jackson hitting the field too soon. He needs to watch for awhile. I think he can be a good NFL quarterback, but needs some nurturing. Collins is key to their team's hopes in the backfield. And Justin Tucker is always worth a win or two.
3) Cleveland Browns (5-11): Yes, they take a step forward, no, they shouldn't throw Baker Mayfield to the wolves. Yes, he has a future, no, he's not "the next Drew Brees" right now. Remember Brees in 2005 when San Diego was pushing him out the door? His best days were ahead of him. If any fan base can be told to hang on a bit for, finally, a franchise quarterback, it shouldn't have to be Cleveland, but they can handle it. They had to live in "LeBron exile" for four years, too. Go with Tyrod Taylor for now to pave through the heavy brush. Now, if Josh Gordon makes it through 16 games, and I pray he does, this could be 6-10.
4) Cincinnati Bengals (4-12): I hate to say this about Rachel's team, but their window of opportunity slammed shut when they prematurely ran off the field in the playoffs three years ago. I still have Week 17 of NFL RedZone on DVR. I turn it on nightly when I go to sleep because our dog, Harry J., has to have light in the room when he sleeps in our bedroom while Rachel is in school. Near the end is the crazy final drive against Baltimore that made Andy Dalton a celebrity in Buffalo. The Bengals may want to trade him there before the end of this year. Of all fan bases in the NFL, I think the one most robbed is Cincinnati's. Mike Brown is a terrible owner. Oh, and that RedZone? It had, on the bottom ticker, all day, the reports that Marvin Lewis would be let go. And he's still there. Good Lord.
AFC SOUTH:
1) Houston Texans (12-4): How 2017 would have been so, so different had the injury bug not decimated Houston. If everyone is back and back to normal, this team has the best chance at knocking off the Patriots. Their #2 seed in the postseason is in spite of the depth in their division. They may even start 0-2, but win the division. Watson is for real, there's no doubt. And Hopkins hasn't really had the chance to have a full season with a fully-prepared franchise quarterback. Their numbers this year may be insane.
2) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6): Again, the Jaguars will be in the mix. Again, their defense will be handling the heavy work. Again, they'll have success despite their quarterback. Leonard Fournette needs to lead the league in rushing, and the Jags need to lead the league in time of possession.
3) Tennessee Titans (7-9): I think the Titans overachieved last year. I also don't think they handled their head coaching situation very well. Yes, we're behind you! Oh, you lost in New England? You're fired! Now Mike Vrabel takes over. Derrick Henry needs to lead the league in rushing.
4) Indianapolis Colts (5-11): Ever seen Andrew Luck's Twitter feed? It's interesting. He talks like an old school war general writing letters back home about the latest battles. This year, his 280 character limit will be tested as he goes to battle with guys whose first names he doesn't even know. A lot has changed in three years.
AFC WEST:
1) Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): The comeback is complete. The injury bug finally flies away as the season begins and Philip Rivers doesn't have to come back from records like 3-6 and 4-7. Keenan Allen looms large, and watch the just-resigned Antonio Gates. Why not a renaissance season to head into the sunset with?
2) Kansas City Chiefs (9-7): Lots of talent here. Lots of youth, too. Patrick Mahomes is a huge question mark. He will either be lightning terrific, or a huge bust. But it will take two or more seasons to truly find out, and that won't be enough for Andy Reid should it be the latter, and not the former.
3) Denver Broncos (7-9): Case Keenum had a great moment in the sun last year in a perfect situation. But it didn't include John Elway looking over his shoulder. Minnesota didn't expect 13-3. Now the focus is squarely on him to return the Broncos to their usual glory. The defense, again, is great. The offense, however, won't be.
4) Oakland Raiders (3-13): Welcome back, Chucky!! I didn't like the hire, the way we kicked Jack Del Rio to the curb (though I never saw him as a Super Bowl head coach), and now Gruden, I believe, is more on a power trip to prove Oakland was wrong to trade him away. Gee, I thought he proved that in Super Bowl XXXVII. Amari Cooper can't catch every pass, Lynch can't have much left in the tank, and if Jordy Nelson was still Jordy Nelson, he'd still be in Green Bay. Then, there's the Mack debacle, which was nothing more than a staring match. So, what was proven? Bruce Irvin's obscene tweet following the trade announcement said everything. And I actually had high hopes of our possible trajectory just 21 months ago. At least we have an upgrade at backup quarterback! When he's healthy, of course......geez.
********
2019 NFL DRAFT TOP 5:
1) Tampa Bay
2) Oakland
3) Miami
4) Washington
5) Cincinnati
********
NFC DIVISION WINNERS: Philadelphia, Green Bay, New Orleans, Seattle
NFC WILD CARDS: Atlanta, Los Angeles Rams
NFC PLAYOFFS:
WILD CARD ROUND:
Los Angeles over Philadelphia
Atlanta over Seattle
DIVISIONAL ROUND:
New Orleans over Los Angeles
Green Bay over Atlanta
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: New Orleans 33, Green Bay 27 (OT)
********
AFC DIVISION WINNERS: New England, Pittsburgh, Houston, Los Angeles Chargers
AFC WILD CARDS: Jacksonville, Kansas City
AFC PLAYOFFS:
WILD CARD ROUND:
Pittsburgh over Kansas City
Los Angeles Chargers over Jacksonville
DIVISIONAL ROUND:
New England over Los Angeles Chargers
Houston over Pittsburgh
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Houston 20, New England 17
SUPER BOWL LIII: New Orleans 37, Houston 31 (OT): The Saints become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win both their conference championship and the Super Bowl in overtime, Drew Brees brings his son, now 10, back on the dais to accept Lombardi, and joins Elway and Peyton Manning as historic quarterbacks to ride off into the sunset. All the while, Deshaun Watson takes notes, and so does Teddy Bridgewater.
Now that most of this won't happen, happy football season everyone! See you on the radio! :)
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Summer Songs, Memories, And 102.9 The Mater
It's been too long since I've had a blog entry, so I'm carving out time on this day after reading a very interesting article from Sean Ross on the music found in the unforgettable summer of 1979.
To read it, CLICK HERE.
In doing my planning for my Top 500 Favorite Songs Countdown to mark my 50th birthday in 2016 and 2017, I found certain years produced way more "memories" than others for me. 1979 is near, or at, the top of that list, along with 1975, 1983 and 1985.
Having spent hours upon hours building up our music library on WHAN, 102.9 The Mater, I've found these years popping up over and over again. More on that later.
First, I wanted to commend Ross on his article, and on his great taste of going to Busch Gardens in the late 1970's! I have to wonder if, when he drove through Richmond, he navigated briefly away from Q94 to the superior AOR of the day, the incredible XL102. It would be another six months before, growing up in Beaverdam, I would discover what I believe to still be the best CHR radio station ever created, at least for a short period of time, the great WRQX, Q107 of late 1979 to late 1980.
Future Paul Harvey stand-in Doug Limerick did news for Dude Walker in morning drive, whose voice you've heard in commercials and voiceovers for decades, then the voice of comedy promos for Fox for decades, Joe Cipriano in afternoon drive, Uncle Johnny from 6-10pm, and Sandy Weaver from 10pm-2am with the Top 5 At 10, which at the turn of the 1980's, was still fresh stuff. Their music mix was superior, personalities jumped out of the radio, and their imaging was insane (including the Q107 Girl used in their television commercials.....)
Now, back to my main point. :)
The Summer of 1979 was a watershed summer for music. Disco was (finally!) dying, and there was an incredible mix of songs on Top 40 radio. I took my first long, long road trip that June, going from Beaverdam, Virginia to Overland Park, Kansas. Two days going, three days coming back. That's a lot of time to listen to music I had taped on cassette off the radio in my "state of the art" earpiece.
Just off the top of my head, there was John Stewart's "Gold" (with Stevie Nicks assisting), Abba's "Does Your Mother Know" from Voulez-Vous, the Charlie Daniels Band's "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" (did your station play the "son of a gun" version?), "Chuck E's In Love" from Rickie Lee Jones, and "When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman" from Dr. Hook. There's Donna Summer, Anita Ward, Chic, and even Barbra Streisand repping the disco department as it moved from serious to critical condition, even Paul McCartney and Wings with Getting Closer (who else could call someone a salamander and be taken seriously?)
That summer, more than anything, reminds me of three songs:
"Shine A Little Love"--Electric Light Orchestra: An absolute classic from Jeff Lynne and company, long, though, overshadowed on Classic Hits radio by "Don't Bring Me Down"....
"People Of The Southwind"--Kansas: Easily their most overlooked single. No one plays it on radio, but 102.9 The Mater will one day. :)
And then there's the big one......
*****
A couple of weeks ago, Rachel and I were in the car, and this song came on. We sat outside our house while I shared with her the story of this song and why, today, it's my #2 favorite of all time.
If you grew up in Richmond, and got the evening newspaper, the Richmond News Leader, your favorite days of the week to get the paper were Saturday, for The Green Section, which gave you all the TV listings for the following week, and Friday, for the Young Virginians section.
Young Virginians would have stories catered to teens, included the classic "Ask Beth" column where teens filled with angst would write to a lady named Beth, in the vein of Dear Abby, for advice on a variety of issues from pimples to sex. It also printed the Billboard Top 10 Songs of the previous week.
I can only think of one time, ever, where a song appeared in the Top 10 in my youth that, at the time it debuted in that part of the chart, I had never heard it.
So, when it appeared for the first time in the Young Virginians section, I read it and thought, "Who's The Knack? And what is My Sharona?". I pronounced the name Sharon-ah, as in the ladies' name "Sharon", not "Sha-row-nah". I hadn't heard it yet!
That changed within a few days. And when I did, the love affair began. Only two radio stations in Richmond would play it: Q94 and WLEE-AM. So, I spent summer days flipping, CONSTANTLY, back and forth hoping and praying to hear the song. I remember it coming on the radio one day in my brother's car heading to visit Mama in Louisa, cranking it as loud as a Chevy Monza's sound system would allow. :)
Obsession only begins to describe my feelings then towards My Sharona. And this has only happened one other time in my life, two years later, with a group named Diesel. But that's a story for a day when we trip over 1981.
Today's all about 1979. And just last night I was thinking how blessed I was to grow up when I did. In adding over 750 songs to our music library for 102.9 The Mater over the past month, I've been reminded of the incredible music created and produced in the formative period for me, which was 1975-1985. And I'm very, very thankful.
SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT: I've been doing 6pm to 10pm weeknights on 102.9 The Mater for a few weeks now. It's SO much fun to be back on the air doing music for the first time in 21 years, and trying to tell the stories of the vast (and I do mean vast) variety of music we play. Last night I segued from "A Little Less Conversation" from Elvis Presley to "Sherry Darling" from Bruce Springsteen. You won't hear that on Sirius/XM. :)
In an age where radio is being pronounced dead left and right, we're still holding true to live and local, listen to the listener, and their requests, and be different. There's so much more great music than the tight playlists of corporate radio. I'm proud to be sharing at least a portion of them now.
In 2018, we get to enjoy the music of great eras, from the Big Band/Standards era, to the 1960's, the variety of the 1970's, the genius of the 1980's, and more. Music fans, be grateful!
To read it, CLICK HERE.
In doing my planning for my Top 500 Favorite Songs Countdown to mark my 50th birthday in 2016 and 2017, I found certain years produced way more "memories" than others for me. 1979 is near, or at, the top of that list, along with 1975, 1983 and 1985.
Having spent hours upon hours building up our music library on WHAN, 102.9 The Mater, I've found these years popping up over and over again. More on that later.
First, I wanted to commend Ross on his article, and on his great taste of going to Busch Gardens in the late 1970's! I have to wonder if, when he drove through Richmond, he navigated briefly away from Q94 to the superior AOR of the day, the incredible XL102. It would be another six months before, growing up in Beaverdam, I would discover what I believe to still be the best CHR radio station ever created, at least for a short period of time, the great WRQX, Q107 of late 1979 to late 1980.
Future Paul Harvey stand-in Doug Limerick did news for Dude Walker in morning drive, whose voice you've heard in commercials and voiceovers for decades, then the voice of comedy promos for Fox for decades, Joe Cipriano in afternoon drive, Uncle Johnny from 6-10pm, and Sandy Weaver from 10pm-2am with the Top 5 At 10, which at the turn of the 1980's, was still fresh stuff. Their music mix was superior, personalities jumped out of the radio, and their imaging was insane (including the Q107 Girl used in their television commercials.....)
Now, back to my main point. :)
The Summer of 1979 was a watershed summer for music. Disco was (finally!) dying, and there was an incredible mix of songs on Top 40 radio. I took my first long, long road trip that June, going from Beaverdam, Virginia to Overland Park, Kansas. Two days going, three days coming back. That's a lot of time to listen to music I had taped on cassette off the radio in my "state of the art" earpiece.
Just off the top of my head, there was John Stewart's "Gold" (with Stevie Nicks assisting), Abba's "Does Your Mother Know" from Voulez-Vous, the Charlie Daniels Band's "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" (did your station play the "son of a gun" version?), "Chuck E's In Love" from Rickie Lee Jones, and "When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman" from Dr. Hook. There's Donna Summer, Anita Ward, Chic, and even Barbra Streisand repping the disco department as it moved from serious to critical condition, even Paul McCartney and Wings with Getting Closer (who else could call someone a salamander and be taken seriously?)
That summer, more than anything, reminds me of three songs:
"Shine A Little Love"--Electric Light Orchestra: An absolute classic from Jeff Lynne and company, long, though, overshadowed on Classic Hits radio by "Don't Bring Me Down"....
"People Of The Southwind"--Kansas: Easily their most overlooked single. No one plays it on radio, but 102.9 The Mater will one day. :)
And then there's the big one......
*****
A couple of weeks ago, Rachel and I were in the car, and this song came on. We sat outside our house while I shared with her the story of this song and why, today, it's my #2 favorite of all time.
If you grew up in Richmond, and got the evening newspaper, the Richmond News Leader, your favorite days of the week to get the paper were Saturday, for The Green Section, which gave you all the TV listings for the following week, and Friday, for the Young Virginians section.
Young Virginians would have stories catered to teens, included the classic "Ask Beth" column where teens filled with angst would write to a lady named Beth, in the vein of Dear Abby, for advice on a variety of issues from pimples to sex. It also printed the Billboard Top 10 Songs of the previous week.
I can only think of one time, ever, where a song appeared in the Top 10 in my youth that, at the time it debuted in that part of the chart, I had never heard it.
So, when it appeared for the first time in the Young Virginians section, I read it and thought, "Who's The Knack? And what is My Sharona?". I pronounced the name Sharon-ah, as in the ladies' name "Sharon", not "Sha-row-nah". I hadn't heard it yet!
That changed within a few days. And when I did, the love affair began. Only two radio stations in Richmond would play it: Q94 and WLEE-AM. So, I spent summer days flipping, CONSTANTLY, back and forth hoping and praying to hear the song. I remember it coming on the radio one day in my brother's car heading to visit Mama in Louisa, cranking it as loud as a Chevy Monza's sound system would allow. :)
Obsession only begins to describe my feelings then towards My Sharona. And this has only happened one other time in my life, two years later, with a group named Diesel. But that's a story for a day when we trip over 1981.
Today's all about 1979. And just last night I was thinking how blessed I was to grow up when I did. In adding over 750 songs to our music library for 102.9 The Mater over the past month, I've been reminded of the incredible music created and produced in the formative period for me, which was 1975-1985. And I'm very, very thankful.
SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT: I've been doing 6pm to 10pm weeknights on 102.9 The Mater for a few weeks now. It's SO much fun to be back on the air doing music for the first time in 21 years, and trying to tell the stories of the vast (and I do mean vast) variety of music we play. Last night I segued from "A Little Less Conversation" from Elvis Presley to "Sherry Darling" from Bruce Springsteen. You won't hear that on Sirius/XM. :)
In an age where radio is being pronounced dead left and right, we're still holding true to live and local, listen to the listener, and their requests, and be different. There's so much more great music than the tight playlists of corporate radio. I'm proud to be sharing at least a portion of them now.
In 2018, we get to enjoy the music of great eras, from the Big Band/Standards era, to the 1960's, the variety of the 1970's, the genius of the 1980's, and more. Music fans, be grateful!
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
On To The Next Window.....
The old saying goes that when God closes a door, He opens a window.
I'm currently checking for open windows around or near me, or, maybe you know of one I haven't seen yet. :)
Late Tuesday night, after coming home from a wonderful premarital counseling session, I received the news I've been expecting for, frankly, close to two years.
The Herald-Progress, the community newspaper of Hanover County since 1881, and the home of my sportswriting since 2011, is no more. The parent company, Lakeway Publishers, is pulling the plug on it, along with The Caroline Progress. Two weekly newspapers with a combined 236 years of service are gone in an instant.
Such is life in the very fragile world of print journalism. That era of reporting and relating such reporting is dying. Realists like me know this, and this is why the news, while sudden last night, was in no way surprising. Advertising was always fighting an uphill battle, and, our primary competition produced a newspaper they were willing to give away in order to dwarf our circulation numbers, then start another free weekly to blanket the rest of the county. Add Google and Facebook sucking up digital dollars to the expense of many, thus, print and other legacy money shifting to digital, and you get the idea.
I have several people to thank, beginning with Greg Glassner, who asked me to write weekly on the football games I broadcast back in the 2011 season, which became a regular gig when football ended, which later prompted an idea about starting a Twitter, which, in turn, has completely changed my life.
My ability to help the RVA Sports Network grow has been thanks to the (meager) existence I earned while at the H-P. That's not a cut against them. If I didn't like it at any time, I could have left. But, especially after my 2013 heart attack, I've gained a sense of purpose and responsibility to chronicle the achievements of an army of student-athletes who will never get on "SportsCenter", but whose stories deserved to be known.
Thus, as I pivot to my next chapter, I plan to continue to do this for as long as possible. It could be six months or twenty-six years. We'll see how that goes.
My second thank you has to go to former editor Bec Metcalf, whose idea to "sponsor" the sports section saved my job, honestly, two years ago. Thus, big thanks to my dear friend Judy Gerber for getting Massey, Wood, and West to be our sponsor from July, 2016 to the very end. I so enjoyed working with Greg, Bec, Judy, Lee, Emily, Natalie, Julia, Janice, and everyone else. Last, but not least by far, thanks be to God for my long-time reunion with high school teacher, and friend, Nick Liberante, as we spent five years together, me Robin to his Caped Crusader. :
********
Now, I look forward. I'll take a few days to digest things. Certainly, I'm open to anyone who may want a middle-aged sportswriter and broadcaster who probably knows more about high school sports in Richmond than anyone else (and I say that with the greatest of humility, and with no chip on my shoulder). It's been my beat for years now, 24/7/365, football to field hockey and everything in between.
RVA Sports Network will continue, in fact, we're working on some things behind the scenes which I cannot discuss right now that will, hopefully, have us emerge stronger than ever this year and much, much closer to the original goal of this endeavor. The Game of The Week broadcast continues, as does our podcast, and we'll get to as many games as possible as usual.
Where we go and how much will depend on how is next for me when it comes to making sure my wife and I can do things like eat and buy medicine. :)
To all the AD's, coaches, parents, trainers, and especially student-athletes who have helped me in my time at the Herald-Progress, a big THANK YOU.
My flame burns bright and I look to the future now, excited as God unfolds the next chapter. I'm almost 51, and he hasn't dropped me yet. I don't expect Him to start now.
Onward and Forward! :)
Rob
(Doing my thing, Atlee High School, November 1, 2017. Thanks Joel Klein!)
I'm currently checking for open windows around or near me, or, maybe you know of one I haven't seen yet. :)
Late Tuesday night, after coming home from a wonderful premarital counseling session, I received the news I've been expecting for, frankly, close to two years.
The Herald-Progress, the community newspaper of Hanover County since 1881, and the home of my sportswriting since 2011, is no more. The parent company, Lakeway Publishers, is pulling the plug on it, along with The Caroline Progress. Two weekly newspapers with a combined 236 years of service are gone in an instant.
Such is life in the very fragile world of print journalism. That era of reporting and relating such reporting is dying. Realists like me know this, and this is why the news, while sudden last night, was in no way surprising. Advertising was always fighting an uphill battle, and, our primary competition produced a newspaper they were willing to give away in order to dwarf our circulation numbers, then start another free weekly to blanket the rest of the county. Add Google and Facebook sucking up digital dollars to the expense of many, thus, print and other legacy money shifting to digital, and you get the idea.
I have several people to thank, beginning with Greg Glassner, who asked me to write weekly on the football games I broadcast back in the 2011 season, which became a regular gig when football ended, which later prompted an idea about starting a Twitter, which, in turn, has completely changed my life.
My ability to help the RVA Sports Network grow has been thanks to the (meager) existence I earned while at the H-P. That's not a cut against them. If I didn't like it at any time, I could have left. But, especially after my 2013 heart attack, I've gained a sense of purpose and responsibility to chronicle the achievements of an army of student-athletes who will never get on "SportsCenter", but whose stories deserved to be known.
Thus, as I pivot to my next chapter, I plan to continue to do this for as long as possible. It could be six months or twenty-six years. We'll see how that goes.
My second thank you has to go to former editor Bec Metcalf, whose idea to "sponsor" the sports section saved my job, honestly, two years ago. Thus, big thanks to my dear friend Judy Gerber for getting Massey, Wood, and West to be our sponsor from July, 2016 to the very end. I so enjoyed working with Greg, Bec, Judy, Lee, Emily, Natalie, Julia, Janice, and everyone else. Last, but not least by far, thanks be to God for my long-time reunion with high school teacher, and friend, Nick Liberante, as we spent five years together, me Robin to his Caped Crusader. :
********
Now, I look forward. I'll take a few days to digest things. Certainly, I'm open to anyone who may want a middle-aged sportswriter and broadcaster who probably knows more about high school sports in Richmond than anyone else (and I say that with the greatest of humility, and with no chip on my shoulder). It's been my beat for years now, 24/7/365, football to field hockey and everything in between.
RVA Sports Network will continue, in fact, we're working on some things behind the scenes which I cannot discuss right now that will, hopefully, have us emerge stronger than ever this year and much, much closer to the original goal of this endeavor. The Game of The Week broadcast continues, as does our podcast, and we'll get to as many games as possible as usual.
Where we go and how much will depend on how is next for me when it comes to making sure my wife and I can do things like eat and buy medicine. :)
To all the AD's, coaches, parents, trainers, and especially student-athletes who have helped me in my time at the Herald-Progress, a big THANK YOU.
My flame burns bright and I look to the future now, excited as God unfolds the next chapter. I'm almost 51, and he hasn't dropped me yet. I don't expect Him to start now.
Onward and Forward! :)
Rob
