Another Perspective on 2020

 Years ago, when I was a much more active blogger here, I'd always do a year in review post. After these last twelve months, even though I'm stuck in bed sick on New Year's Eve, I had a few thoughts to share.

We all began the new year (and new decade) with preconceived assumptions of what to generally expect in life, plus plans for the year ahead like vacations, work goals, personal health goals, paying off a bill, buying a car, whatever it may have been.

When I saw the story of Li Wenliang just into the New Year, I had no idea that what he was trying to warn his colleagues about (and was later forced to recant by his friendly government) was about to change everything.

For me, March 11, 2020 ranks with September 11, 2001. This is not a comparison. This is an acknowledgement that the events of that late winter Wednesday made a profound change on our families, communities, our country and our world. 

I called a Randolph-Macon women's lacrosse victory online that evening, then stopped at the radio station to work on a few things. I brought up Tweetdeck, only to find the NBA announcing the suspension of their season.

Their season. They simply hit pause.

Suddenly, the ripple effect in sports, which play a big role in my life, became a tidal wave. It was the weekend of college basketball conference tournaments, some that were already underway. That next day, Thursday March 12, one by one, even as teams such as VCU were out warming up to play their first game, conferences opted to cancel the tournaments and send everyone home.

We all know the rest of the story. It's been 296 days since I did play-by-play on any sporting event. It's been close to that much time since I last filed a newspaper article. In this time, I've learned a few things, and while some feelings were cemented, others were adjusted.

1) I wish so badly that, when I had the chance, I would have talked in depth with people I knew who had firsthand knowledge of the year 1918. There was a sweet lady in the church I pastored in Prince George County, in her 80s, her mind sharp as a tack. What I would give to sit down with her for one afternoon and just talk about her childhood, about her parents and their stories about the pandemic of 102 years ago. The information would have been priceless.

2) My generation (I guess Generation X, having been born in 1967), and the generation of my children, can now begin to understand, first hand, life in truly difficult times. Even at 53 years old, I had never experienced a year like 1918, with the world at war and millions dying. Or 1942, as we sent our men by the hundreds of thousands to Africa, Europe and the Pacific, and we truly wondered if Nazi Germany would show up on our shores. Or 1930 and 1931, as the Great Depression tightened its grip on America, and people were literally starving to death.

3) In those times, there were no phones, no apps, no DoorDash for safe delivery of your chicken wings. The sale of cars plummeted due to the Depression. I think both generations I referenced earlier would have had a very, very difficult time handling COVID-19 in an age where you still churned your own butter, milked the cow, and walked to market, if it was open.

4) While certainly disappointed that I had no football to broadcast this past fall, I mourned its loss rather quickly. When put into proper perspective, I'm much more concerned about the thousands of lives at risk today, the 340,000 plus that have died from COVID-19 and their families. Bickering about whether a sport should be played seems unbelievably shallow to me.

5) My one political point: I love the Chinese people. I hate the Chinese Communist Party with a passion. They are the cause of this pandemic. It began there. They attempted to cover it up, silence the whistleblower(s), continue with celebrations in January all the while knowing what was happening. And if you believe the numbers they report to the WHO, I've got a bridge over water in the Sahara Desert to sell you. I heard someone say, just after the fall of the Soviet Union nearly three decades ago, "You can only trust Communists....to be Communists." I've never been more concerned about our national sovereignty than I am today, and I lived through the last 20 plus years of the Cold War. 

*****

As we enter 2021, I'm thankful that my wife has been able to work from home since March 18th without skipping a beat. I'm thankful that I've become her Starbucks errand boy, and that doing the dishes, feeding the dogs, and doing the laundry was already on my list anyway. I just had more time, especially at night, to do them.

I'm thankful my daughter was able to find a way to do her practicum inside a classroom this fall, continuing her online studies with a 4.0, on track to get her Master's Degree in May. I'm thankful my son's case of COVID-19 over the summer was very, very mild. His worst symptom was a nagging cough. 

I'm thankful for my beautiful two grandchildren and for their health especially. I'm thankful, too, that they won't remember 2020. :)

To all of you, my wish for you is a safe, happy and healthy 2021. Let's all take a deep breath, love one another, look out for one another, agree to disagree and keep friendships alive rather than take potshots at people behind a laptop screen and block them from social media. 

You see, I don't have to agree with you on something to love you. My friends range from ministers to a former porn star. Love people where they are for who they are. I know a guy who presented us that example, oh, about 2,000 years ago. He was a carpenter....by trade. 

Rob's Fearless and Always Wrong NFL Predictions: The 2020 Version

Well, hi everyone. What a long, strange trip this has been. No high school or Randolph-Macon College football for me this autumn, which has led me to spend exactly no extra time whatsoever contemplating the 2020 National Football League season. I don't even have a fantasy team, much less a league. But these circumstances would never stop me in my quest to provide yet another exciting season of woefully inadequate, and inaccurate, season predictions! So, away we go! We'll start with the NFC.... 

NFC EAST: 

1) Dallas Cowboys (10-6): A pretty interesting array of talent here, but since the "Triplets" era ended, this franchise has woefully underachieved. Once a staple to be in the NFC Championship Game, their last appearance was, can you believe it, 25 years ago?? If this defense can be top ten in the league, and the offense avoid the injury bug, maybe they give hope to Dallas fans everywhere that the streak ends in 2020. 

2) Philadelphia Eagles (7-9): I want to like this team. I really do. I'm certainly rooting for K'Von Wallace, who I covered for years at Highland Springs as he begins his pro career in Philly. Will Carson Wentz still be upright in December? To me, everything revolves around the presence and performance of their quarterback. The pieces around him will go a long way to determining whether he's still slinging at Christmas, fighting for a playoff berth, or, on the bench, watching another promising season go by the boards. 

3) New York Giants (6-10): Let's be honest. If the Giants don't take a step forward this year, what do you do? It's a bad time to be a new coach (Joe Judge), your quarterback must grow, significantly, and your star tailback better be able to play all sixteen games. The defense will be suspect, and that's always the Giants' achilles heel. When this franchise wins Super Bowls, they are monsters on defense, especially at the line of scrimmage. There's no Super Bowl in the cards for them this year. 

4) Washington Football Team (6-10): Ron Rivera is a very good football coach. Washington is blessed to have him. I'm praying that he beats off cancer and is able to make significant contributions to the team's efforts this season. I'm not sure Rivera can make Dwayne Haskins "Cam Newton 2.0", but I do expect much better play from the quarterback and co-captain. And maybe Rivera knows what he has in the backfield since cutting Adrian Peterson. Letting young, unknown, hungry players run wild can produce some exciting and eye-raising results. The defense? Hmmm..... 

NFC NORTH: 

1) Minnesota Vikings (13-3): This team, this franchise, is long overdue for a significant season, and they have pieces together to make it happen, even with Stefon Diggs' departure to Buffalo. A steady dose of Dalvin Cook and top notch defensive play, and Kirk Cousins not overdoing it, could give the Vikings their best season since 1998. And Gary Anderson isn't their kicker this season, so maybe they can...... 

2) Green Bay Packers (11-5): Aaron Rodgers. How much longer does the magic last? Does he know the names of all of his receivers? If so, will he know all the replacement names in week fourteen? Can this defense stop anyone with consistency? Rodgers wills this franchise to victories, but after two horrible losses to San Francisco, they must take a big step forward if they want to try to get Aaron what Brett Favre never received: a second Lombardi Trophy. 

3) Chicago Bears (6-10): This may not end well. After a promising first season under Matt Nagy, the fraying began last year, and, this year, it starts to fall apart. Trubisky isn't the answer, Foles normally does not perform well in these circumstances (taking over a losing franchise). I just don't see this working. Sorry Bears fans. 

4) Detroit Lions (3-12-1): Goodbye Matt Patricia. 

NFC SOUTH: 

1) New Orleans Saints (13-3): This team will have a mighty chip on its collective shoulder. No miracles bounced them out of the playoffs last year; just a disappointing performance against Minnesota. I could see this as Drew Brees' last season, last try to return to the Super Bowl. If Alvin Kamara takes his "I want a new contract" attitude to the field and allow it to bear fruit, this team could finally reach the summit. 

2) Carolina Panthers (9-7): The surprise team of the NFC this year. Teddy Bridgewater finally gets to shine, clicks big time with Christian McCaffrey, and a new, young, swarming set of defenders create a defense which will turn some heads. They may not make the postseason, but there will be games in December in Charlotte that are meaningful. That's a far cry from a year ago. 

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8): This isn't going to work. The back half of 2019 showed that the Tom Brady of lore may be fading away. I believe he has some football left in him, but not with his usual consistency. This is reminding me of the New York Yankees of the 1980's where, every year, George Steinbrenner would buy the pieces he thought he needed to keep winning. The results were one World Series trip (in a strike year), which they lost, then nothing for 15 years. Who's their backup? Blaine Gabbert? Okay. 

4) Atlanta Falcons (5-10-1): An extra season for Dan Quinn was not the answer. The Falcons are a franchise which have had moments of glory, but never an ascent to the ultimate goal. Tim Marzetti, the bartender, kicking five field goals on Monday Night Football. The great defenses of the late 70's and early 90's which made headlines, but not Super Bowls. The "accidental" Super Bowl in 1998 (thanks Gary!), and, of course, "28-3". A reboot will be needed in Atlanta for 2021 and beyond. 

NFC WEST: 

1) San Francisco 49ers (11-5): I think the injury bug may play a factor here this year, but there's plenty of talent to help the Niners win the division. I can't wait to watch another season of George Kittle. He's Dave Casper and Mark Bavaro with some bravado and slightly longer hair. He's also a joy to watch. 

2) Seattle Seahawks (10-6): Seattle will always be in playoff contention so long as Russell Wilson is under center. I just hope this isn't the year where he goes down with a big injury. That team revolves around him like no other in the league. 

3) Arizona Cardinals (7-9): Kyler Murray in year two, now with DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald? This will be fun to watch. If they've beefed up their defense, which was definitely a priority, and can have it so Murray can win games with 24 points rather than 35, the Cardinals could be a late factor. A slow start, though, may be their waterloo come end of December. 

4) Los Angeles Rams (5-11): A shocking first season in the stadium of dreams. Does anyone else feel like this team peaked WAY too quickly? Injuries, and a disappointing season for Jared Goff spell doom for the Rams, but no worries for Sean McVay. He has capital there, plenty to stay and rebuild.

PLAYOFFS (New Format!)

#1 New Orleans (a Christmas Day win over Minnesota earns the top seed) 

WILD CARD ROUND: #2 Minnesota def. #7 Carolina 

                              #6 Seattle def. #3 San Francisco 

                              #5 Green Bay def. #4 Dallas 

DIVISIONAL ROUND: #1 New Orleans def. #6 Seattle 

                                          #5 Green Bay def. #2 Minnesota 

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: #5 Green Bay def. #1 New Orleans 

 ***** 

AFC EAST: 

1) Buffalo Bills (9-7): With the departure of Tom Brady, the AFC East is finally up for grabs, and this year will be a war of attrition to see who survives and ends up on top. Josh Allen won't go to the Hall of Fame, but he improves enough in year three to keep Cam Newton, Sam Darnold, and, eventually, Tua at bay. Plus, Buffalo's defense will be the best in the division. 

2) New England Patriots (8-8): Splitting with the Bills will hurt, but, of all things, a January 3rd loss to the Jets will end the long playoff run of New England. Cam Newton, by the way, will have a very, very good season. 

3) Miami Dolphins (6-10): Tua by Week 4 or 5 after one of Ryan Fitzpatrick's famous four-interception games. Tua stays healthy, takes his rookie lumps, and Miami will be in better position for 2021. 

4) New York Jets (4-12): Goodbye Adam Gase. Why did they hire him? 

AFC NORTH: 

1) Baltimore Ravens (12-4): No twelve-game winning streaks, and defenses will do a better job containing Lamar Jackson, but the Ravens can adjust, too, and will do so to another division title with really no significant challenge there. The significant challenge? Not losing in the first round. 

2) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7): Big Ben is back, but he's back with a team that has gone through so much mentally in the past 18 months or so. They're good enough to fight for a playoff spot, but not much more. 

3) Cincinnati Bengals (6-10): Hey Joe! Where you going with that football in your hand? New hope for the fans who actually get to come to Paul Brown Stadium, as, with a healthy A.J. Green, Zac Taylor finally gets to really work with a quarterback ready to learn and with nothing to lose. 

4) Cleveland Browns (5-11): I don't know what it will take for this franchise to get back to, at least, the Bernie Kosar years. Baker Mayfield is way too inconsistent. Odell always makes noise. The ingredients here are not the right ones. 

AFC SOUTH: 

1) Houston Texans (10-6): Despite losing Hopkins, and with David Johnson so injury prone, Deshaun Watson still has an MVP caliber season. It carries the Texans to a division title. Can J.J. Watt return to pre-injury form? Are there other defenders to truly help him? 

2) Indianapolis Colts (9-7): This is the best place for Philip Rivers. He may have five seconds, instead of 2.3, to find receivers and throw the ball. I really like this marriage, Frank Reich knows Rivers well. I hope to see Mo Alie Cox to play a bigger role at tight end. 

3) Tennessee Titans (6-10): A one-year wonder. Derrick Henry can't do it all, and Ryan Tannehill returns to Miami form. 

4) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12): Squarely in the running for the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes, and they'll be pining for him if "Minshew Magic" fades away. At least Tony Khan's other endeavor seems to be gaining traction.... 

AFC WEST: 

1) Kansas City Chiefs (14-2): It's a cakewalk. The Chiefs are so far ahead of their division foes, it's not even funny. Last year, they had to scrap and claw, then make history against Houston, then avoided Baltimore in the AFC Championship. This year, the reqular season is a breeze. The playoffs will pose the high challenge, even with the lone bye. 

2) Las Vegas Raiders (9-7): My Raiders will win just enough to keep Jon Gruden. AGAIN. If this is the best this regime can produce, can we just move on already? 

3) Los Angeles Chargers (7-9): Tyrod Taylor overperforms, but we'll see Justin Herbert at some point. There's more talent here than people realize. They'll put scares in a lot of teams this season. 

4) Denver Broncos (4-12): Losing Von Miller is devastating. Their defense had to carry a still developing offense, and now your engine is gone. Not good. 

PLAYOFFS: #1 Kansas City 

WILD CARD ROUND: #2 Baltimore def. #7 Las Vegas 

                                        #6 Indianapolis def. #3 Houston 

                                        #4 Buffalo def. #5 Pittsburgh 

DIVISION ROUND: #1 Kansas City def. #6 Indianapolis

                                    #2 Baltimore def. #4 Buffalo 

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: #2 Baltimore def. #1 Kansas City 

 ******* 

SUPER BOWL LV: Green Bay 27, Baltimore 24 (OT): It's old school vs. new generation, but Aaron Jones grabs MVP honors as a field goal late in overtime finally gives Rodgers his second title, and the Packers their fifth Lombardi. Enjoy the season everyone! From a distance!

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today.....

November 10, 1999 is one of the top ten most important days of my life.

Driving to a wedding planning meeting today, I was reminded of this, the 20th anniversary of two huge events. First, and foremost, my son accepted Jesus as his Savior on this night two decades ago. That is everything.

But I want to focus on what else happened to me that day. For the first time, I stepped into the magical building on Church Hill that, today, houses ChildSavers, but, at the time, hosted WRVA and WRNL Radio and the Virginia Radio Network.

One Sunday in October, I happened to notice a help wanted ad in the Sunday paper (remember them?) that said WRVA was in need of a production director. Now, at the time, I was very, very happy as a pastor of a church in Prince George County, and the stay-at-home dad of a second grader and a two year old cutie in the midst of potty training.

I will squelch the theory now that I went for the job to avoid the potty training.  :)

I decided to throw my hat into the ring, and, a couple of weeks later, was stunned to stand in my kitchen, on the telephone that was on the wall (remember them?), talking to Program Director Tim Farley.

He offered. I accepted. Let the pinching begin.

I took a tour on November 3rd and met most everyone. A week later, on a Wednesday, because I had promised to chaperone Robbie's field trip earlier in the week and kept that promise, I walked into the entrance from the parking lot into the storied building.

Tim Timberlake and John Harding were on the morning show. Big Al was cooking sports on 910. I went to the restroom, had a seat, and asked out loud (I think), "What in the world am I doing here?" I was a Miami Marlin utility player about to bat ninth for the New York Yankees, if that analogy makes sense.

My office was next to Lou Dean's office. How's that for pressure? I took a deep breath, and I jumped into the proverbial puddle with both feet. The holiday season was upon us, and there was no time to waste. I learned DGS, watched people use the digital editing equipment I'd never touched before, taught myself the rest of it through trial and error, immersed myself into traffic instructions and production orders and typing cart labels (radio people, remember them?).

Within two weeks, it was home. That production studio quickly became, to me, like the most comfortable pair of shoes you've ever worn.

And this MUST be said. I've worked at several different radio "groups" over 34 years. The least amount of egos were found on Church Hill. Most people would think it would be the opposite. But no way. Lou, Tim, Tim, John, Pam, Veronica, Deanna, Gary, Al, Bob, Bob, and I could go on and on, all were helpful, hospitable, and became friends.

Nancy and Carol became my rock. Jeanette, Amber....my mind is racing around the top floor of the building for all the great people who treated me so, so well. Joan, Todd, Ken, Carl, June, Holly, Missy, Maureen, Rick, John....

My blessing had an unfortunate side, as, nine months later, I watched Clear Channel (that's "iHeartMedia" for those of you under 25) completely dismantle a heritage station weeks before it celebrated its 75th anniversary on the air. That's a huge deal. The corporate suits completely ignored it, killed local talk at night, and thought Phil Hendrie was the answer.

WRVA has never recovered. In the last 20 years, our region has essentially been renamed "RVA". Everyone uses it from media to businesses, to even me (see: RVA Sports Network). This should position WRVA perfectly to be a go-to source for information, right?

Not when you load up on syndicated talk, lean to one political side, and get your local talent to talk more about Trump than what's happening in our city. But I digress.

Tonight, I focus on what began for me twenty years ago and how it continues to pay dividends long after I was let go in the great Clear Channel bloodletting of 2007. I have friends for life, experience I continue to use on podcasts from my home, football games on the radio, and other things.

And, as an added bonus, I can say my office was next to Lou Dean's office. Can you say that?

My deepest thanks to Mr. Farley, and everyone from Church Hill, for giving me an opportunity of a lifetime and making a dream truly come true. (My brother, myself, and my father in the WRVA production studio, circa 2000).

Rob's Fearless (And Always Wrong) NFL Predictions: 2019 Edition

We screw it up every year, so it's time to take a few mindless minutes, check out what I have to say about the upcoming NFL season (which will play in the background of my life as I concentrate on Randolph-Macon College and high school football) below.

We'll begin with the NFC, because, why not?

NFC EAST:

1) Dallas Cowboys (10-6): No wild card teams out of this division of dysfunction. Thus, we give the Cowboys the benefit of the doubt thanks to a much lesser version of a "Big Three" in Prescott, Elliott and Cooper. Zeke will be back, but only Dallas gets to double digit wins in this division, half of their ten wins, however, will be in division.

2) Washington Redskins (7-9): Their defense will carry the day. Derrius Guice could be very promising, should he stay healthy. But with the quarterback position, again, in transition, and Trent Williams nowhere to be found, Washington better run the football 40 times a game. Will it be enough to finally see Jay Gruden leave? That remains to be seen.

3) Philadelphia Eagles (6-10): A fragile quarterback. Who runs the ball? Plus, the Eagles used up their nine lives in their Super Bowl run of two seasons ago. This franchise takes a step back this year and will need to go into 2020 figuring out their true identity.

4) New York Giants (5-11): Saquon can't do everything. Eli will do better than most people think he will, but, eventually, if you think Daniel Jones is the future, you give him his shot, just as Eli got his in 2004 from a gracious Kurt Warner. The Giants' biggest issue is defense. They are alleged to have one.

NFC NORTH:

1) Green Bay Packers (10-6): New coach, inspired quarterback? Aaron Rodgers will be just fine, but who's around him? Can he identify his skilled teammates? Will he be running for his life? And will the Packers have any semblance of a decent defense? In a division where Detroit is falling apart, Minnesota has the ultimate mediocre quarterback, and Chicago has inflated hopes, I'll take Rodgers. But he'd better hurry if he wants a second Lombardi.

2) Chicago Bears (9-7): Trubisky and company come to earth and, despite great efforts by their defense (which is excellent), don't be surprised if they lose with scores like 16-13, 17-10, 20-14. The Bears will be in the wild card mix down the stretch, but finding points may be an issue all season long.

3) Minnesota Vikings (7-9): Two years ago with Case Keenum, they're in the NFC Championship Game. They thank Keenum for his work, sign Kirk Cousins, and immediately flounder. Cousins is not a quarterback who will provide your franchise that longed for championship. Don't be surprised if there are trade rumors, or first round quarterback talk for the 2020 Draft, after this season.

4) Detroit Lions (3-13): You have to wonder what life could have been like for Matthew Stafford had he been born a year earlier or later. But, he's the top guy when the historically bad Lions (coming off their 0-16 season of 2008) are picking first. Every year I hear the Lions are ready, the Lions made some good moves in March and April. How about some moves into the end zone that matter in December? I feel sorry for Stafford.

NFC SOUTH:

1) New Orleans Saints (13-3): They can fold like a cheap tent after two punches to the gut in the last two playoffs, or they can rise up, as their city did over a decade ago, and give it another shot. It will be the latter as Drew Brees is smart enough to know his window is closer to closed than wide open. Alvin Kamara, if used right, and healthy all year, could be the Offensive Player of The Year. If New Orleans gets decent defense, and good offensive line work, the road to Miami may be going through New Orleans.

2) Atlanta Falcons (9-7): Though several years younger than Brees, you get the feeling the Matt Ryan window is starting to close, too. But he's got Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. If he has four seconds in the pocket most plays, Ryan could honestly complete 75 percent of his passes. But they need offensive balance, and definitely better defensive play. Overall, the Falcons need consistency, in all three phases.

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10): I love Bruce Arians. If he had a real franchise quarterback in Tampa Bay, I would consider this team for a playoff spot. I can't see Jameis Winston doing it. But Arians will get the most out of his team, make them better, prepare them for 2020, and then deal with the big question: what do we do at quarterback?

4) Carolina Panthers (5-11): Cam Newton isn't one hundred percent. This could be a very, very long season in Charlotte.

NFC WEST:

1) Seattle Seahawks (11-5): A rejuvenated defense with some studs, a winner in Russell Wilson, and, if the team can gel quickly (Pete Carroll is good at making that happen), I think Seattle surprises this season. The 12th Man is awakened.

2) Los Angeles Rams (9-7): They are good, but there is a hangover coming for the Super Bowl runners-up. Three points in the Super Bowl? Is Todd Gurley ever going to be Gurley again? A Wade Phillips led defense is always good, but, with a first place schedule, and having to play some physical AFC North opponents this year, they're in the wild card hunt, simply trying to not be one of those teams to lose the Super Bowl one year, and miss the playoffs the next.

3) Arizona Cardinals (5-11): Nobody sees anything out of Chicago....ah, St. Louis.....err....Arizona. But give me a season of Larry Fitzgerald mentoring Kyler Murray. Then, a few years later should the Cardinals win it all, Fitzgerald, retired by then, would deserve a ring. I'm looking forward to watching the beginnings of what should be a very good team by 2021 or 2022.

4) San Francisco 49ers (4-12): Jimmy G. is not the answer. Nor is Kyle Shanahan. This will be a bitterly disappointing season for the Niners, who, again, will have to start from scratch some 40 years after starting from scratch with a guy named Bill Walsh.

NFC PLAYOFF TEAMS:

NFC EAST: Dallas
NFC NORTH: Green Bay
NFC SOUTH: New Orleans
NFC WEST: Seattle
WILD CARDS: Chicago, Atlanta

#1 Seed: New Orleans
#2 Seed: Seattle

WILD CARD WEEKEND:
#6 Chicago d. #3 Green Bay
#5 Atlanta d. #4 Dallas

NFC DIVISIONALS:
#1 New Orleans d. #6 Chicago
#2 Seattle d. #5 Atlanta

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: #1 New Orleans 28, #2 Seattle 24

*************************

AFC EAST:

1) New England Patriots (14-2): Have you studied the Patriots' schedule? They get the Steelers and Chiefs at home. The Chiefs game is the first of three out of four at home to end the season (the others are divisional games in Weeks 16 and 17). This is a cake walk for the Patriots to, again, get the top seed in the AFC.

2) New York Jets (7-9): The Jets are the only team that could spring an upset of the Patriots in the division. Obviously, I'm rooting for new GM Joe Douglas (Lee-Davis Athletic Hall of Famer) to do well, and, of course, I'm ready for my first Greg Dortch punt return for a touchdown (and yes, it will happen in 2019!) Darnold will improve, but Bell will be a disappointment.

3) Buffalo Bills (6-10): It's Buffalo. What can I say?

4) Miami Dolphins (3-13): Talk about a team in disarray. Ryan Fitzpatrick will start well, then get interception prone, and they'll turn to Josh Rosen and wish they could turn to someone else....

AFC NORTH:

1) Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5): All this Cleveland talk is nauseating. Big Ben has plenty of weapons and fewer distractions and, more importantly, they know how to win. They'll need better defensive play this season to get to this predicted record.

2) Baltimore Ravens (8-8): This prediction is all about whether Lamar Jackson becomes a real dual-threat quarterback. If he has to improvise all the time due to lack of pressure, or receivers who can't get separation, and this could get sideways. Fast.

3) Cleveland Browns (7-9): Overrated. Plain and simple. Freddie Kitchens will be worried more each week about taking care of his plethora of divas from Mayfield to Beckham, et al, as opposed to X's and O's. They'd better be 4-2 or better at the bye week, because New England looms next. I think they are 3-4 after a New England loss. Let the finger pointing begin.

4) Cincinnati Bengals (4-12): Oh, this is so disappointing. Who knew that when the Bengals ran into the tunnel at Heinz Field after an interception with a minute to go, thinking they'd won, only to end up losing that game, that was the start of their fall, and the end of the Dalton/Green era. Andy doesn't have AJ to start the season and, by the time he returns, it may be too late. Is Ryan Finley the goods?

AFC SOUTH:

1) Indianapolis Colts (9-7): Yes, the Colts. The Captain on Twitter has gone home (I salute Andrew, by the way. It's his life, let him live it). Why can't Jacoby Brissett play well enough to get this team to a winning record, which will be enough for the division? Running and defense are huge factors, and I want to see Mo Alie-Cox get 40 plus catches and six touchdowns. Alie-Cox and Brissett could become the surprise combination of the league.

2) Tennessee Titans (8-8): Derrick Henry finally shows his goods late last year. The problem here is quarterback. Like in Philadelphia, the Titans can't get a full season out of Marcus Mariota. Ryan Tannehill isn't the answer. Two games in three weeks with Houston down the stretch could be key to a late playoff push.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10): No, Nick Foles doesn't have magic outside the Eagles locker room. The dysfunctional team of 2018 will be pushed hard by the Browns for that title, but the Jags won't be pushing for the AFC South crown.

4) Houston Texans (6-10): Way too many changes. Way too many. My AFC pick for the Super Bowl last year severely disappointed, and now it seems like they're pushing the panic button over and over.

AFC WEST:

1) Kansas City Chiefs (13-3): So, home-field advantage comes down to a loss in New England in the regular season. There's not much left to say here other than Patrick Mahomes, blazing speed at the skill positions, and Dee Ford can't line up in the neutral zone this year.

2) Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): Lots of issues here, but Philip Rivers can handle a revolving door since he lives with such a large family every day. Imagine if they had Okung, Gordon, etc....

3) Oakland Raiders (6-10): A little improvement, but not enough for a postseason bid. I'm still not happy about the Jon Gruden hiring.

4) Denver Broncos (5-11): Joe Flacco isn't the answer. Von Miller will be a frustrated man this year. Times will be tough in Denver.

AFC PLAYOFF TEAMS:

AFC EAST: New England
AFC NORTH: Pittsburgh
AFC SOUTH: Indianapolis
AFC WEST: Kansas City
WILD CARDS: LA Chargers, Tennessee

#1 Seed: New England
#2 Seed: Kansas City

WILD CARD WEEKEND:
#3 Pittsburgh d. #6 Tennessee
#5 LA Chargers d. #4 Indianapolis

AFC DIVISIONALS:
#1 New England d. #5 LA Chargers
#2 Kansas City d. #3 Pittsburgh

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: #1 New England 31, #2 Kansas City 28


**********

SUPER BOWL LIV: New Orleans 27, New England 24: 

The Patriots are back in Miami and in the big game again, but this time, the younger quarterback in his forties gets the better of his elder, and Brees finally lifts a second Lombardi, prompting speculation that he might ride off into the sunset, and also prompting speculation on how Brady can rebound and return to the Super Bowl, again, in 2020.

**********

2020 NFL DRAFT ORDER:

1) Miami
2) Detroit
3) Cincinnati
4) San Francisco
5) Denver

Full Circle: Tragedy To Triumph

Saturday May 18, 2019 marks two major events in the life of my branch of the Witham family tree.

On the 35th anniversary of my father's surgery for a brain aneurysm, his granddaughter, who was born on his 65th birthday, February 26, 1997, will receive her Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Education (with a History Minor) from Longwood University on what promises to be a hot, humid day in Farmville, Virginia.

Any discomfort during the course of the three-hour ceremony will pale in comparison to the outright fear felt 35 years before.

I distinctly remember walking into Dad's hospital room as he waited to be sent to surgery prep, because, in typical Dad form, the words to come out of his mouth were, "What are you doing here?"

It was a Friday. Thus, I should have been in school. I don't exactly remember my reply, but it was a very respectful version of, "you actually thought I was going to school today?"

The next 12-14 hours were spent, you guessed it, mostly waiting. My brother and I played a lot of games of "Dots" on notebook paper.

The odds were split. There was a chance he wouldn't survive the surgery. There was a chance he would, but there would be minor, or, major changes to him, none of which could accurately be predicted, or, he could come out with flying colors.

We finally saw him late, late that Friday night, in ICU with wires and tubes coming from just about any location the human body could house them. He was alive, and all he could worry about, and tell us, was having to use the bathroom. We tried to explain that he had a catheter, so go for it. So, I remember leaving St. Luke's Hospital (today it is Parham Doctors) happy that he pulled through, but unsure how he would be comprised.

Saturday went well, and I did go to work. I worked Sunday after helping lead church service on what was supposed to be Dad's 20th anniversary there. Instead, he spent that day having a seizure on the other side of his brain, and being rushed back into ICU where he slipped into a coma.

That's how he was when I saw him Sunday night. I remember driving up to the Hardee's at Parham and Staples Mill and eating because I needed to, my mind six million miles, or more like 1.2 miles, away.

My stepmom and I did what you always do in life or death situations once we were both back home. We trotted the window air conditioning units from the basement and set them up in our rooms for the summer. We were late getting that done that year. Dad had always taken care of it.

Monday morning, back to St. Luke's, visiting Dad and being mindful of the fact that someone in a coma still has that subconscious tape recorder on. So we talked about the Boston Celtics' run in the NBA playoffs and everything possible that was positive. Then, back to Patrick Henry for the first time in nearly a week, since I had been on a field trip to the University of Richmond in the two days before his surgery.

In the end, the coma ended within 24 hours, Dad was out of ICU by that Friday and was up trying to walk a little bit by Memorial Day. By then, however, it was becoming clear that he was not the "Dad" I knew.

His final 29 years (he passed away on October 2, 2013) were spent remembering what he did as an eight year old and having no clue what he ate for breakfast. A once stoic man who showed little emotion now cried at the drop of a hat. There were times in the early days after several weeks of in-patient therapy at Sheltering Arms that he would start pounding his fist against his head, just wanting to die, so frustrated that he couldn't be himself. It was heartbreaking and exhausting for the rest of us, but we kept fighting so that he, too, would fight.

Some of my best memories of that subsequent summer was taking him back and forth, three times weekly, to outpatient therapy at Sheltering Arms. I enjoyed our car conversations. I also enjoyed getting to go up to Azalea Mall during his therapy and playing Moon Patrol at Woolworth's.  :)

*****

Now we fast forward to 2019. After four long, sometimes exceedingly difficult years, Rachel Elizabeth Witham will do something that no one else in this branch of our family has done. Not even me.

She will graduate high school, enroll in college, and graduate with her Bachelor's Degree in four years.

My college degree was delayed for over a decade (I earned my Bachelor's in 1998, 13 years after high school), thus, she will have one up on me, and will never let me forget it. :)

It is also important to note that Dad, a semester shy of his college degree, left New England School of Theology to move back home to Maine to work, as the oldest son, after his Dad (whom I never met) took off and never returned. Family first. Dad never had the opportunity to finish that semester. However......

The cute freckle-faced, red-haired wonder that shares a birthday with her Papa will force May 18 to become a day a shared emotions. We will celebrate this incredible accomplishment (and trust me, you don't know the inside story of just how difficult it has been for Rachel to get to this point), knowing that Papa would be exceedingly proud as well, as would her Nana, who adored Rachel, but only got to cherish her on this earth for a little less than six years.

I've had a lot of "proud Dad" moments from both of my kids, especially (thank you son!!) the arrival of Robert Edward Witham, IV 16 months ago.

May 18, 2019 will rank high on that list. It was also mark a turning of the page. My son is 27, a father, a husband, while my daughter, at 22, will have a college degree, just got her first car payment, and will soon land her first career job.

You NEVER stop being a parent, but the age of changing diapers, signing permission slips, chaperoning field trips and going to watch high school musicals and choral concerts are done.

And, thus, on this "Full Circle Saturday", May 18, 2019, the date etched on an art display Rachel set up the day she moved into Longwood as a freshman on August 20, 2015, I thank the following:

--God, for allowing me to live to see this day

--Dad, for being willing to share his birthday with a pretty smart cookie

--Dr. Robert Singer and staff at St. Luke's Hospital and the staff at Sheltering Arms Hospital from 1984

--Rachel, for being motivated by many factors, including beating my high school GPA in college  :)

--Harry J., for spending what I am sure were many lonely nights sleeping in his bed on the floor next to my bed wondering where his Mom was going for weeks at a time. He finally got to visit, understand, and he'll earn a degree in "Human Studies" on Saturday. He also got to be the BMOC, as seen by a picture below.  :)

--Our North Carolina family for their unwavering and incredible support for Rachel over the past four years. We will never forget it. :)

*****

On a final note, I will also take time Saturday to remember my very first friend, Michael Crisp, who would have turned 52 years old. We lost him tragically in 2003. I miss him, Dad, Mama, my stepmom, my sister, and my grandparents, all who played a role, big or small, in making May 18, 2019 a reality.

Farewell, Farmville. Tomorrow.

Nick Liberante: An Appreciation

I had been properly warned.

"He's the hardest teacher you'll ever have."

"You'll never get an 'A'."

"Good luck."

Nick Liberante's educational reputation proceeded him. And on August 29, 1983, I encountered a man for the first time who would change my life in ways I could not imagine then, and still cannot fully capture on this, the night of his passing from cancer.

The best way to describe being taught by Nick Liberante was that you were in the presence of the most "complex simplicity" you'll ever experience. A man who was so simple in appearance, a man who never, ever threw his amazing intelligence and depth of knowledge in your face, a man who prepared thoroughly, taught with an uncanny balance of understanding and humor while challenging everything you ever thought, or thought you knew.

His love for the work of Henry David Thoreau was legendary. So was "the red pen".

As the assigned papers were returned to me in English my junior year, the red ink flowed. It did so for good reason. As I texted someone tonight, I felt like I couldn't write complete sentences until I sat under Nick Liberante.

His earned reputation for being a "difficult" (in the positive sense) teacher was spot on. But as the year continued, I really began to understand why he did what he did, and I began to soak it all in. No, I never earned an "A" in the two years I sat in his room, listening to a professor at the high school level, not on official Hanover County Public Schools report cards, that is.

Instead, I happily traded a "B" in English 11, and the only "C" I ever had in school, in 12th grade Advanced Novel, for a lifelong lesson in critical thinking, looking at the full picture, understanding the perspective of others, and, most of all, respect.

*******

If you called him then, or call him even today, "Mr. Liberante", chances are you were never his student.

As year one yielded to year two, and I, someone who generally doesn't enjoy reading novels or books (yes, you read that right), opted for, yes, an ELECTIVE class in Advanced Novel, a year filled with reading books and writing reports, over and over, doing so for just one reason.

I had to sit in Nick's classroom again. I needed more.

By then, he was "Nick". This was in no way disrespectful to my elder. He embraced the fact that many students like me, who so deeply appreciated him, his work, his candor, his honesty and his intelligence, spoke to him that way because he was kind enough to treat us, not as equals, but as humans on the verge of adulthood, readying to tackle the challenges of the world.

There's no way I can count how many Mello Yello canned drinks and creme twirls I threw down in first period, listening to him over a seventeen-year old's abhorrent choice of breakfast foods.

His room, and specifically around his desk, became an inner sanctum for conversation prior to class, discussing the events of the day, whether it was school events or the NCAA Tournament. He was ready for anything. He also deeply appreciated the fact that this next generation thought it so cool to hang out with him.

We all knew we were sitting at the feet of Mount Liberante, and we soaked in every moment.

I had no idea that I would get a second chance at a brush with greatness, but I did.

*******

Fast forward to late 2011. I was struggling with a myriad of health issues (many of which continue to this day) and reached an unwanted crossroads in my life. I was able to fulfill my high school football commitment on radio that fall, and, through the radio station, was introduced to a wonderful gentleman named Greg Glassner, at the time the editor of the Hanover Herald-Progress.

He learned of me through his weekly Friday visits to WHAN (now The Mater) to do an on-air segment of what was in the latest edition of the newspaper. He reached out asking if I would write articles on the games I broadcast. I was happy to do so.

And, when I was forced to leave a full-time position I adored at the end of that year because I was simply too sick to continue, I, on a whim, told Greg I'd be more available should he need more writing. I needed work that my body could handle.

Thus began a six plus year odyssey with the newspaper, and my now forever association with sports in Hanover County. But there was a major bonus.

His main photographer was Nick Liberante.

We had seen each other a few teams over the years at Patrick Henry games, he shooting on the sidelines as I would bloviate in the press box. But now, we became a team. Nick shoots, I write.

By 2012, Nick was the ultimate pro. He could get the money shot before the end of the first quarter, and happily be at home before halftime. I, of course, needed to hang around for the final score. :)

We began planning our weeks. Who do we cover? How do we provide fair coverage of all four schools (when did Atlee and Hanover show up??), plus Randolph-Macon College? Through it all, he was, again, the guiding and calming force, and the master of finding the moment which fit the narrative.

All those years later, we were tag team partners. He was Batman, I was Robin. I always knew, and loved, the pecking order. By now, he was in his final years at Patrick Henry. We had heart attacks in common, and he always had sage advice on keeping the body, as well as the mind, healthy.

Once in a while, I would get a congratulatory email or text from him on a story. No one could send me a higher compliment, no smile I could crack would ever be wider.

The first two get well cards I received after my 2013 heart attack were from the Atlee Softball team, and Nick Liberante. I still have them.

Our run ended when the Herald-Progress inexplicably ended their photographer position in 2016. I mean, who thinks a newspaper is good without pictures?  I shook my head and warned them as they now asked me for pictures (for free, of course) that Nick was the maestro. They traded a master photographer for a picture taker.

When the Herald-Progress ended in March, 2018, a thankful Rob moved over to where Nick landed at Richmond Suburban Newspapers. A reunion was on the horizon. But then life gets in the way. His battle for his life had begun.

In the end, we did get to do several games together for the Local, and if my memory serves me correctly tonight, the last time we were together was over the winter in the gym at, you guessed it, Patrick Henry.

**********

I grieve tonight for his family, especially his grandchildren. He loved them in a way I cannot describe. Our conversations about his trips to watch them and their young adventures were priceless, a final lesson bestowed to me as I began my grandparent journey just over a year ago.

Tonight, I am so thankful for so many things about Nicholas Liberante.

I am thankful for having "Nick" as not just a "teacher", but as a life guide.
I am thankful for his incredible generosity to me in word and in deed, for 35 years.
I am thankful for that "complex simplicity" I wrote about earlier, and the incredible depth of life he lived.
I am thankful for the example of how to never quit thinking, considering, wondering. Keep learning.
I am thankful that he embodied "pay it forward" many years before it even became a catch phrase.

And I am most thankful to have been allowed in to his exclusive fraternity of "Si, Fi, Simplify!"

***********

I leave you with four pictures. The first is Nick, in his inner sanctum of learning, caught in a moment that perfectly explains how much fun we had in his classroom no matter how hard the work was, which only added to the grandeur of his legend. The next two explain how he looked through the lens, always looking for complexities in simple events like celebrating a win, or waiting for an umpire to make a call.

The final shot he took one Friday night several years ago of my daughter Rachel, who, next month, will become the first Witham in portion of the family tree to graduate high school, then graduate college four years later. She'll have a degree in theatre education. She knew Nick long enough to understand why we shed tears while we smile tonight. And if Rachel touches a tenth of the number of students that Nick, a Buffalo, New York native who transformed literally thousands of lives at an unassuming rural high school just outside Ashland, Virginia, did, she will have done quite well.

Rest well, my friend, until we meet again.  :)

The Running List of Music I'm Trying To Find

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

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.

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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.

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2019 NFL DRAFT TOP 5:

1) Tampa Bay
2) Oakland
3) Miami
4) Washington
5) Cincinnati

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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)

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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!  :)

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!

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!)

The Future Of Media: The Revolution Continues.....

Radio shot itself in the foot with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. We've suffered through 21 years of Clear Channel/iHeart and others laying off countless talented radio professionals so one could pretend to be a local jock in numerous markets. Now you can be cold called into buying airtime from a faceless account executive you may never meet in person. One bookkeeper works 80 hours for a salary to balance the books for multiple markets. I could go on.

It's not just my former employer. Star 100.9 here in Richmond? Yes, they have and promote Bill and Shelly, two friends of mine, in the morning, and as usual, they're terrific. After that? It's a jukebox with no personality, no local content, and the same tired, overplayed songs from the 1970's and 1980's.

My wife's car came with six free months of Sirius/XM, my first opportunity to really listen to the satellite radio service. While I've heard music on there I haven't heard on terrestrial radio in decades, I wouldn't buy it. I already can tell the patterns of how they play music. In a category so vast as "Classic Rewind", with all the great rock songs of "the cassette era", I shouldn't hear "Abacab" by Genesis twice in under 24 hours. The terrestrial way of thinking hurts satellite.

Newspaper continues to be a victim of the digital age and the fatal mistake of allowing news and journalism to be digested online for free at the turn of the century, making millennials wonder why people in my generation love their paper with their morning coffee. I fully believe that one day, the generation behind me will regret not having a physical newspaper, when they start asking how they get a copy of the photo and article on their child's high school basketball game from "A" media outlet, not being able to just run to the convenience store and grab four newspapers for grandparents and friends.

Now, as I've said for years, local TV is next. We all know there simply isn't enough news in Richmond to fill six hours a day. That's why you see lots of stories recycled, and sometimes, you see "stories" that aren't stories, that have absolutely no business inside a newscast, presented to you as "alleged news". With all the controversy lately over fake news, I think the term "alleged news" is right on the mark, describing such things as, "...coming up, a preview of tonight's Dancing With The Stars that you'll see right here on ABC27....". That's a station promo masked as packaged "news" content.

Now, for your assignment.

The article below explains how recent changes and proposed changes are going to make us have to reinvent how we cover local news across all platforms. Not just with what's covered in this story, but due to other changing events, I'm changing how RVA Sports Network covers sports, even within the digital realm. If you were a popular digital platform in 2004, chances are you won't be in my arsenal soon, or, if you are, you'll serve a much different purpose.

All of my colleagues in these various industries, this is a good read. Be ready. Click here.