Sparks After Dark

My friend Larry O

2011-06-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted here in a while... but I felt compelled to after what the range of emotions I experienced this morning.

Larry O'Rourke, one of our sports announcers and sideline reporters for T-102 and WPPA, is one of my favorite people to work with. I always enjoying conversations with him. The longer the road trip was, the better the stories were.

Now, I know where his son got his gift of gab that I've been reading all about.

I haven't been able to find a bad word said about young Larry O... one of a kind.

Young Larry O was laid to rest today, concluding a four-year battle with ALS. His struggles have been well-documented by his fellow writers at the Morning Call. Just google Larry's name and you'll see all the tributes to him. They're beautiful.

Larry had a heart as big as a golf course. Read the posts of my friends Mandy & Tom Housenick on the Morning Call's website. That explains Larry in a nutshell.

I never met young Larry O in person, and I really wish I had. The only time I was in the same facility as he was the night he got inducted into Blue Mountain High School's sports hall of fame. This was 2008. He was transported to the ceremony stage via golf cart, with Big Larry O driving.

As his abilities became more limited, you never heard him complain. I never heard Big Larry complain either. Every time I asked Dad about son, the response was always as positive as possible.

While sitting in Saint Ambrose during the funeral mass, I looked around to see his fellow scribes, fellow sports reporters, and a number of Philadelphia sports dignitaries.

Before the final blessing, Big Larry stood up. As best he could, he thanked everyone. It was the most trying, and equally, most courageous, minute of his life. I highly doubt there was a dry eye in the congregation after that. Mine included.

Our celebrant stated that the most painful moment for a parent is to bury their own children. I've never seen the pain battled more gracefully as I have with my friend, Larry O.

His luncheon is this afternoon. The emotions will more likely swing from those of sadness and tears to smiles and laughs.

That's how Young Larry O would have wanted it.

When the time comes for us to remember Big Larry O, it will not only be as a great storyteller, and a great colleague and a great friend. It will also be as one of the strongest, toughest people I know.

"God Bless Larry O'Rourke!"

When Big Larry O shouted that at the end of his minute, I thought the exact same thing of Young Larry O.

And Big Larry O, too.

Election

2010-11-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you, I'm writing a blog about politics. Here are some random thoughts...

After years of making excuses to my Dad for not voting, I registered to vote a few years ago. It's easy to remember who I cast my first vote for... the late Jim Rhoades following his passing.

I'm not the only one who has been sick of seeing Toomey/Sestak ads since May. A number of people I know have been counting the days until the election ads stop airing. I guarantee there would be fewer political ads if candidates were required to spend the same amount after the elections as they do prior to election day.

I could never be a good political candidate. I can't sling mud.

I can almost guarantee that I will among the first 100 to vote at my polling place tomorrow. I'll go around 8:30.

Go vote tomorrow. Take your kids with you, too.

Buckle Up,
TS

Can you smell it?

2010-09-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Fire up the fryers. Plug in the pizza ovens. Start simmering the soup. Stock up on soda.

Football is here.

We welcome aboard Tim Demko for netcast play-by-play, and Chuck Kutz as an analyst on our broadcast games.

Don't forget that the netcasts are archived for playback anytime afterwards.

Then, hear all the scores on Goal Line on Friday nights at 9:45PM, then on Sports Saturday at 9:00AM on WPPA and WPPAradio.com.

Oh yeah, TD Tips is back at 5:45PM on Fridays on WPPA... Herbie won last year for the umpteenth time. C'mon guys... do I have to come back so that someone can beat him?

Now for my predictions... for entertainment purposes only.

Wyomissing vs. Pottsville: I don't mind if I'm wrong on this one... Wyomissing 14, Pottsville 12

Tri-Valley vs. Schuylkill Haven: Tough game to open with... TV 20, Haven 17

Whitehall vs. Blue Mountain: BM will finish with a winning record, but this is a tough first test... Whitehall 26, BM 13

Minersville vs. Williams Valley: Miners will improve this year... WV can run. WV 21, Miners 14

Shenandoah Valley vs. North Schuylkill: New QB's on both sides... NS 23, SV 6

Panther Valley vs. Mahanoy Area: I see another deep playoff run for PV this year... PV 29, Mahanoy Area 14

Tamaqua vs. Jim Thorpe: I'm interested to see how both teams reload... this was a dandy last year. Tamaqua 28, JT 20

Marian vs. Lehighton: Marian is hungry... Marian 30, Lehighton 19

Northern Lebanon vs. Pine Grove: PG needs to establish an offense early... PG 14, NL 7

Nativity vs. Freedom Village: Back to St. Clair for the Green Wave... Nativity 21, FV 13

Penn State vs. Youngstown State: Bundle up, only gonna be 70 on Curtin Road... PSU 45, YSU 10

Please help my friends at WVIA...

2010-04-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

Every Tuesday in April, go to Wendy's between 5-8pm, and 10% of the proceeds go to WVIA.

This fundraiser is held at the Wendy's in Pottsville, Shamokin, Bloomsburg, Danville, Drums, Hazleton, Hummels Wharf, Lewisburg, and Wilkes-Barre. It is also being held at Wendy's in Clarks Summit, Dallas, Dickson City, Dunmore, East Stroudsburg, Edwardsville, Honesdale, Lock Haven, Matamoras, Montoursville, Mount Pocono, Pittston, Scranton, Towanda, and Williamsport.

Thanks for helping my dear friends at WVIA.

====

Big Ben, stay home. Club it up all you want after you retire.

====

Phil Mickelson is better than Tiger Woods, in more ways than one. This past weekend proved it.

====

The Phillies won their opener and their home opener. Too bad they don't play the Nationals every other series the rest of the year.

Buckle up,
TS

I goofed...

2010-03-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Daylight Time begins on March 14th, not March 7th like I had printed in the T102 calendars.

And yes, March has 31 days.

I shoulda hadda V8.

Buckle up,
TS

The newest inductee into the Apology Hall of Fame

2010-02-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann has an Apology Hall of Fame... filled with inductees ranging from all walks of life... from Mark McGwire to Eliot Spitzer.

Enter, Eldrick.

I'm sorry that T-102 thankfully didn't participate in what I'm calling, "I'm Sorry Friday." Everywhere I turned on TV today was the teaser for Tiger's apology. Just about everyone was boasting of its coverage of this made-for-TV event.

I didn't watch it... when I saw it on a TV here in the building, I turned away. I already knew what the message was going to be. I've seen it all-too-often, and I've said those same things all-too-often. Trust me, I'm no angel.

Can we trust Tiger like he was? I dunno. When you see Kobe Bryant on TV, do you think of his run-in with something similar 7 years ago? When you see Ray Lewis on TV, do you think of what he went through the year before he won the Super Bowl MVP? When you see Eliot Spitzer on CNBC, or former NJ Governor Jim McGreevey, do you think about their escapades in the headlines?

Only time will tell how Mr. & Mrs. John Q. Public perceive Tiger from here on in. There will be those who want to hear every sordid, tedious detail. There will be the crowd who will tell him what Dr. Phil likes to say, "You choose the behavior, you choose the consequences." When he decides to return to the PGA, there will be rowdy fans who will remind him of his transgressions.

I don't envy the guy one bit. He has more weight on his shoulders than every single government official and school board member combined. I do object to the timing of his statement today... some are overanalyzing how he's sticking it to Accenture ( a sponsor that dropped him as a spokesperson) by doing this during their sponsored event this week.

Yes, he should have done this much earlier. But, he's living his life now the way his uber-bloated PR machine wants him to. Must be nice. Boy, I wish had that machine with me every time I screwed up here at the station, or when I made my Mom angry.

I can't wait til the day that Tiger removes the veil of secrecy and gobs of red tape, and just opens totally up. I doubt that'll happen, but more of America would accept him as a human being, rather than someone who is more teflon than tin cup god. I remember back in 1999, when the Greaseman made an off-color remark on radio about African-Americans, got fired from his job in Washington DC, then went on local TV. I'll never forget the short clip I saw... it was the angriest I ever saw WRC-TV's Jim Vance, who is African-American. "What the hell were you thinkin'?" spewed Vance. Greaseman's answer was simple... "I wasn't." I'd love to see Vance interview Tiger one-on-one, no holds barred, no PR people... just Vance, Tiger, and a camera. I know it won't happen, but I can dream, can't I?

It'll be a good 36 hours before this news gets moved to the back burner. Then, he'll be front and center again when he returns, Masters or otherwise... and I'll be changing the channel.

Buckle up,
TS

"A thing of value"

2010-01-26T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hello to you.

This may be one of the angriest blogs I've written. If you've had a bad day, read this later. It won't cheer you up.

If you've followed TV news, and the ever-increasing folly that is Luzerne County politics, you've seen a seemingly-endless parade of government officials get caught doing something illegal.

I haven't blogged about it, I just shook my head and put on WGAL... that way, I know I wouldn't have to watch any news about it.

Today, the biggest figure of all this (literally and figuratively) submitted a guilty plea. Former Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak admitted his guilt in illegally accepting "a thing of value, namely $5,000," quoting the charges. Simply put, bribery.

Have we finally reached the caboose of this crazy train? Beats me.

The count is somewhere above two dozen now... the number of people who are in trouble because of these illegal actions. You can also associate those people who replaced the resigned who are also in trouble, too... now we're somewhere around 30.

I know two of them.

Skrep is the most famous.

He graduated from GAR, my alma mater. I admired him as a great football player, and a kid who was full of potential. He was a starter at Michigan, then with the Raiders and Carolina Panthers. He came home, dabbled in local media and politics, and was ultimately elected Luzerne County Commissioner.

Sadly, there he is pleading guilty in a courtroom today. Ironically, his attorney was an altar boy with me back in the day.

I read the plea agreement and charges online... it sent a chill through my body when I saw his signature on the plea. It was the same signature that was part of my autograph collection.

Here's what pains me about all this, and angers me to a degree.

#1 How the hell do you think you could get away with it? You hold a public position, live in the public eye, and know that if you screw up, you're gonna get pounced on. There ain't any shoulder pads that can stand up to this amount of piling on.

#2 How did you break it to your family? All of these people have families. I could never face mine knowing that I let them down.

It hasn't been a easy 30-day stretch for me... one idol dies, another's going to the hooscow, two cousins passed away, a boyhood friend was seriously hurt in the Middle East, and a few other hardships among friends.

I'm thankful that my parents, teachers, friends and bosses molded me the way they did...

Bottom line... if it's illegal, don't do it, you'll get caught eventually.

I'm done ranting. I feel better. Always find an avenue to release your pent-up frustration... never leave it bottled up. There's always someone who will listen to you, whether you know them or not. Don't believe me? You probably don't know me, and you just read this. See, it works. Have a pleasant day.

Buckle up,
TS

A la carte, please, Comcast?

2010-01-07T06:33:00.000-08:00

I'm not as happy as I used to be with the selection of channels I'm getting with my $57.80/month I pay to Comcast. I have no need for the digital package, even though I really miss Game Show Network and would like to watch NFL Network in the comfort of my home.

Last I saw I wasn't allowed to get a dish, so it's cable or nothing (rabbit ears don't work anymore).

Last month, we were stripped of Fox 29 without explanation. My guess is because Fox is threatening to charge cable systems for carrying their stations, instead of the long-running practice of offering free transmission of broadcast affiliates. It's something like what led Shen-Heights to not carry WBRE and WYOU because the station owners wanted transmission fees.

Here's what I would like offered to us on our cable menu...

1. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton stations: WNEP, WBRE, WYOU, WOLF, WSWB, WQMY, WVIA. I would also like to see WYLN Hazleton in there, too.

2. No New York stations... aside from 10 or so Yankees games, do we need WWOR? We used to get Fox5 and WPIX, but they also got dropped along the way.

3. More Philly/Harrisburg stations... at least one more, and make it a CBS. We have 2 NBC, 2 ABC, 2 CW, and 2 MyNetwork affiliates. Why not another CBS, like KYW CBS3 Philly or WHP CBS21 Harrisburg? And if the WYOU brass complains, drop WYOU, because they no longer have local news. Definitely keep WGAL, MyPHL17 and WPVI. WLYH doesn't offer me much anymore.

4. I don't need 4 shopping channels.

5. Keep the government channels & news networks... we all need a good laugh every now and then. Keep Comedy Central and TVLand... we all need a good laugh every now and then.

6. If you're gonna put something on channel 11 (where Fox29 was), put WFMZ there. They do mention Schuylkill County in a lot of their newscasts.

7. Just about everything else is okay, but let me pick and choose what I want. I'm hardly home, and I stick to the staples when I watch... the local channels, ESPN, CNN, and the Weather Channel.

For my $57.80/month ($4 of which goes to local government), let me choose 40 channels, broadcast or cable, and I'll shut up and enjoy. I'll take four ESPNs (1,2,U, and Classic), CSN Philly, FSN Pittsburgh, MASN & MASN2, NFL, Weather Channel, CNN, HLN, MSNBC, Fox News, Food Network, PCN, CSPAN 1 & 2, GSN, E!, CNBC, ABC Family, Nick, TV Land, Comedy Central, TVG, HRTV, and 14 locals... WNEP, WBRE, WOLF, WSWB, WQMY, WVIA, WGAL, WHP, KYW, WITF, WPVI, WFMZ, WYLN, and KDKA Pittsburgh.

Buckle up,
TS

Losing a career influence...

2009-12-25T07:56:00.000-08:00

Depending on who and where you are, names mean different things to you. This is true especially when there a two prominent people with the same name. Perfect example is Adrian Peterson. One is the Vikings' running back, the other is the Bears' running back. There was a successful pro bowler, and a popular actor, both named Don Johnson.

When I say George Michael, you probably think of the lead singer of Wham! However, if you're from the Washington DC Metro, Philadelphia, New York City, or anybody in radio or TV, George Michael is an icon.

George was the #1 radio personality in Philadelphia at WFIL from 1966-1974. He replaced Cousin Bruce Morrow at WABC New York, and was #1 from 1974-1979. In the latter part of his time at WABC, he was also a weekend sportscaster at WABC-TV. He then moved to Washington DC's NBC affiliate, and had a magnificent 27-year run, as a sportscaster and host of "The George Michael Sports Machine."

I first saw him on the Sports Machine in 1984. While visiting my uncle's in 1989, I remember listening to Don & Mike on WAVA radio, and George did a sports segment every day. I watched him on his sports report and was captivated. Being the pack rat that I was/am, I taped his sportscasts any chance I got.

I had the privilege of being invited to an Orioles game in Baltimore in 1998, in a luxury box. When I found out the TV could pick up, George's sports report, I was glued to it.

I faithfully watched the Sports Machine, the last 8 years of which I watched on WGAL.

It pained me when NBC started slashing budgets and wanted to cut more than half of George's sports department. Instead of cutting those positions, including his wife's, he opted to step away. His last sportscast was 3/1/07.

One listen or one view of George Michael, and you knew he was on top of his game every single time. He was a legendary demander of perfection. He never settled for anything less than the best.

When I first learned that George was on radio before TV, and started to listen to tapes of his old show. I knew I wanted to be just like him. I never could replicate his signature voice or endless enthusiasm, but I've tried on a few occasions on the Party Zone.

I e-mailed George when he retired, wishing him luck, and showing him the blog post I made that day. Four months later, he replied. Some of his comments included, "I want to thank you for the very kind note... Thanks for the posting. What a memory trip! George Michael".

Now, it's my turn to say thank you for the memory trip.

George passed away yesterday morning. He had been quietly suffering from leukemia for the last two years. Radio and TV has lost a legend. I lost the guy who is a huge career influence. I repeat what a lot of my colleagues and fellow media members say... there will never be another George.

He lives on in our memories and in tapes and videos of his work. There are plenty of YouTube postings, as well as airchecks on MusicRadio77.com, Famous56.com, and Reelradio.com.

George leaves his wife, two children, and a large amount of fans... me and a few of us here at the station included.

God Bless You, George, and thank you.
TS

Hershey in December

2009-12-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, I'm not referring to football...

I will be there for state football championships this weekend. I highly advise not going to Hershey if you aren't going to the Selinsgrove/Manheim Central game on Friday night. I expect 10,000 of my closest friends to be there. Saturday would be a better option.

I've blogged before about Sara Bozich of the Harrisburg Patriot-News and her fantastic weekly column. Well, she's written a book about Hershey. Hershey: A Guide To The Town Built On Chocolate is now available online. If you haven't been off of Hersheypark Drive when you've been to Hershey, then this is a great read. Find out more at www.touristtown.com/books/hershey.html.

Happy reading!

Buckle up,
TS

The adventures of Sunday driver...

2009-12-14T07:40:00.000-08:00

The weather was not kind to me yesterday. If you drove between 8AM-11AM, you drove slower than usual, or not at all.

I parked on the side of the road, awaiting snowplows on route 443 from 8:15ish-9:50. As I decided to hit the road, one did come the other was on 443 in Friedensburg.

I was supposed to be in Elizabethtown by 9:30... ended up getting there at 12:45. The inclement weather often leads to road closures, crashes, and detours. Did I hit them? Yes, yes, and yes.

No wonder I had a headache.

The advisories were posted the night before to start at 5AM, then got moved up overnight to 7AM. Lesson learned? Travel waaay ahead of time, and shell out a few sheckles for a hotel room and good tires.

Believe it or not...

2009-09-21T11:53:00.001-07:00

Hockey season starts today. Yes, I know. It's still technically summer.

But, my favorite hockey team, the Hershey Bears, start training camp today. Team Broadcaster John Walton has all the details on his excellent website, www.johnwaltonhockey.com.

======

The T-102 Netcast game for this Friday will now be Schuylkill Haven at North Schuylkill.

======

Buckle up,
TS

Residency

2009-08-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

I mark 10 years this week that I'm an official Skook. After working in State College for eight months, I returned full-time to T-102.

The day I moved was even hotter than today's temperatures. The Summer of '99 was a hot, dry one. It was 95 degrees on the 4th of the July. I remember it because I was on air that day and night. The owner of the station I worked at in Happy Valley also coordinated fireworks shows. Through a sophisticated system of computers and antennas, I ran the 1999 State College fireworks. All I did was click a mouse... and put up with lousy air conditioning in the studio. I never got to see any of them until the staff meeting two days later.

The day after, RC asked me to come back to T-102, and I said yes.

A month later, my parents and aunt came to Bellefonte with a U-Haul to help me move. Wouldn't you know it, the day move was the day it rained cats and dogs. Three of us made the trip from I-80 back to Wilkes-Barre through a line of storms. That weekend was also my parents' anniversary. Their dinner was at the Wendy's at Buckhorn, sitting beneath windows that leaked.

These are moments that memories are made of... especially with family. I went to a family reunion last month, and had a ball. In fact, it is now my responsibility to add to the photo album for next year. Dad and I will start working on that over Christmas. I had another family get-together this past weekend, at my Godson Josh's graduation party. Hot as hell, but it was fun to see everyone again.

Josh starts classes at King's next week. You couple that with the fact that there is a head coach in the NFL younger than I am, and you can tell I'm getting old.

I look forward to the day that I can host family get-togethers at my place of residence... wherever it may be. I think I can count 12 states where I have relatives (PA, NJ, MD, FL, IL, GA, CA, LA, SC, NC, MA, VA, and probably more)... not bad for a kid who has roots in the mid-South, Ireland, Poland, and Lebanon. My great-great-great-great-great-uncle is a Saint... Nimutallah Kassab Hardini, who was born 200 years ago. I also remember my great-grandmother telling me I am also a descendant of Vice President John C. Calhoun.

I have more investigating to do.

Buckle up,
TS

If this gets passed...

2009-06-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

If the "Performance Tax" bill gets passed, you'll probably hear a lot less music on radio. Here's the other side of it... http://www.noperformancetax.com

We lose another good guy...

2009-06-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

First, it was Harry Kalas. Now, it's Gary Papa. The longtime sports director at Channel 6 WPVI in Philly passed away this afternoon. He fought a long battle with prostate cancer. An excellent tribute is posted at www.6abc.com.

Buckle up,
TS

This TV poll...

2009-05-12T06:03:00.001-07:00

WNEP-TV is conducting a poll, asking you to vote for your favorite local DJ.

Go to WNEP.com, click on Decades of DJ's. Click on the link to vote for your favorite.

I'm not going to tell you who to vote for, but I will tell you that the two gentlemen who Andy Palumbo highlighted are two of the best in the business in their areas.

I first met Frankie Warren when I was 12, and he was at WILK. This was in 1987, when WILK still played music as "AM 98." The only thing that has changed about him in recent years in that he shaved off his mustache, and now has a family. He's always been a great guy, both on air and off air. We've worked a few Bowl For Kids' Sake events together in Wilkes-Barre, and always had fun.

Gary Chrisman has been a guest with me on Sports Saturday in the past, and he knows his stuff. He was actually on T-102 a few times... back when Railway Park was in the Little League World Series in 1997. He's the radio voice of the LLWS. He also owns his own TV production company, broadcasting local football and basketball. He's also a very nice guy, and never short on stories to tell.

If I get any votes in WNEP's poll, I'm grateful.

Buckle up,
TS

14 years ago...

2009-05-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

May 12th, 1995 was my first day on radio as a "DJ." I found out the day before that my first show would be the next day.

It was a rainy morning on the campus of King's College in Wilkes-Barre. Finals had wrapped up the day before. The campus was kinda barren, since everyone had moved out.

What set 88.5 WRKC apart from the other college stations in the area was the Radio Home Visitor... a daily news program for the blind. It aired at 10AM, and replayed at 11AM.

I was already scared that morning, and the fear doubled when the "RHV" wasn't on at 10AM. The rule was no RHV, no music. The program director got there at 11:10 and signed the station on. Father Tom, the station manager, was at a funeral. I got there shortly after and got things ready for my show.

The station always played an entire album during the noon hour. My first record that I played was, "Live Nude Guitars" by Brian Setzer. Then, my show ran from 1:00-4:00. A couple other DJ's had stopped in. Father Tom came back, hearing that RHV got on late. I thought my first day would be the last day. Luckily, I was spared.

I played mostly R&B and a bit of dance music. I did my shows on Friday, then on Thursday throughout the summer. Honestly, my biggest fans were the temporary residents at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. I'm sure you can figure out my euphemism.

I did one or two more shows after school started, then I got hired at two stations in Scranton.

I might have done 13 or 14 shows on 88.5... I supplied most of my own music, on cassette. There were some CDs and some records, but not too many. While the RHV played, I would venture back into the music libraries and look through all the albums.

The station as I remember it had only one functioning studio. When the student center got remodeled, an entirely new facility was built, complete with all music on hard drive. A new tower is in the works for the station as well.

College radio has always been a great breeding ground for budding talent. It's one of the few places left where you can get real radio experience. Most colleges around here have one or two stations, some even closed circuit. If you're interested in going to college for communications, get hooked up with its radio station. I'm thankful I did.

Father Tom still hosts the Radio Home Visitor every day. It's the nation's longest-running radio reading service for the blind. I owe them a night sometime soon.

Buckle up,
TS

Random musings...

2009-04-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

You can't spell twitter without twit.

Why in the world do I want to know what somebody is doing every single moment of their lives? There's one aspect of life that I greatly treasure... privacy. This is why you don't hear me publicize where I am 24/7/365. Where you are is more important than where I am.

All you need to know is that I'll be on your radio tonight from 6:00 to midnight... and I'll tell you where I've been after it happens.

The next time you check someone's twitter, just remember how you got along without it, and how much less complicated life was.

Go on youtube and watch any commercials from the 70s... no websites, no cell phones, no internet, no video games and you had to actually leave your house to buy something. No reality shows, no CDs, DVDs, DVRs, CNN, ESPN, or HDTV.

You went to Hess's to buy a console TV that could never be hung on a wall. You wrapped aluminum foil around the antenna to be able to watch the Phillies games. Standing in line waiting to get checked out at Zayre's and A&P? That was a reality show. No infomercials.

You listened to the radio for new music, then went to the record store to buy the entire album... no I-tunes back then. Heck, cassette singles were a big deal in the late 80s.

News anchors had the voice of God, and were revered and remembered as such... Walter Cronkite, Huntley & Brinkley, John Facenda, Franklin D. Coslett, and so many more.

You can tell that I long for some parts of the good ol' days. My earliest memory dates back to 1977. I first remember paying attention to what was going on in the world in 1980, when my parents got cable. What a big deal it was to have 12 channels!

Let's see... WDAU, WBRE, ESPN, WNEW, WNEP, WPHL, WVIA, WOR, WCAU, WPIX, CNN, and KYW.

What memories! Vic's Vacant Lot on ESPN, Tom & Jerry on WPIX, and the Pink Panther on Fridays at 7:30 on KYW. I'm not sure why, but my parents let me have a black and white TV with rabbit ears in my room when I was five. I would watch Keith Martin on Eyewitness News at 11, then Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. We only had four channels back then, and none of them aired anything overnight. Ah, the good ol' days!

----

Miniature golf! We have a few nice courses in this area. Heisler's, Goody's, and Burnie's.

My friends and I went to Carlisle Sports Emporium on Saturday night... two courses, $10. Crowded, but worth it. I got two holes in one on the Western Course. Yee-haa! Shot 4-under par, best round I've had in a few years!

Is there still a mini golf course in Pine Grove?

----

Buckle up,
TS

Losing a few great ones...

2009-04-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for not blogging lately. I didn't give it up for lent, but have been busy here.

----

If you're younger than 40, then you know no other voice than Harry Kalas when it comes to the Phillies. Look at any media site in Philadelphia and the suburbs. You'll see tributes abound. I'm sure Youtube is flooded with them.

When the Phillies won the World Series in October, I was lucky enough to be able to pick up WPHT in Philadelphia up at my parents' house that night. The radio signal was 10 seconds behind the TV play-by-play. When I saw Brad Lidge kneel on the ground in disbelief, I turned up the radio so I could hear Harry's call. I'll never forget the joy in his voice that night.

I credit whoever had the foresight at Comcast Sportsnet to put a camera in the press box to record Harry making the final call, and Chris Wheeler celebrating like crazy.

WBRE used to carry a few Phillies games here and there, and I'd occasionally watch and listen to Harry, Richie Ashburn, and Andy Musser. I've watched the Phils more in recent years, and smiled anytime I got to hear "Outta Here!"

A few years ago, we had a Harry Kalas call as a contest cue. "Here's the stretch. The 1-0 pitch. Swing and a LONG DRIVE... IT'S OUTTA HERE!!!! TREMENDOUS HOME RUN, JIM THOME, AND THE BIG MAN DELIVERS AGAIN!" Vintage Harry Kalas.

Thanks for the Memories. Eternal High Hopes.

----

As I type this, Al Kovy is playing Night Ranger's "Goodbye"... "I was never much good at goodbye" is the lyric that sticks in my head.

An hour ago, I found about John Madden's decision to retire. Since 1979, John has been on NFL telecasts. He was probably one of the few broadcasters to be prominently featured by all 4 major networks... CBS, Fox, ABC, then NBC.

For the first time in a very long time, he took a week off last season. I sensed retirement was near, but not this soon. It's tough to imagine watching football without hearing his voice. To me, Pat Summerall and John Madden are still the gold standard in broadcasting teams.

John picked a good time to go out on top. He and Al Michaels had one of their best games ever in Super Bowl 43. Not many people can go out on top. Good luck, John.

Frank Caliendo is crying somewhere, because he won't have any new material for a while.

----

WYOU dropped their news department a few weeks ago.

They were the top news station in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the 60s and early 70s. However, the ownership couldn't keep up with WNEP once Newswatch 16 went full steam ahead in the 70s. When they finally moved to 415 Lackawanna Avenue, things slowly got better. They were at their best in the mid-90s, especially with the 11:00 leading into David Letterman. They really scored points with us in the media who were watching their coverage when Bill Clinton came to Wilkes-Barre.

When WYOU was sold to new owners around 1997, things began to change for the worse. Five high-priced talent were let go, including Debbie Dunleavy. Honestly, the news product looked alright for a few years during the 22 Action News era. Unfortunately, it's gone. I'm glad my buddy Scott Stuccio went to work for the Penguins when he did.

When the (bonehead) owners of WYOU in 1998 entered into the shared services agreement with WYOU, we were all skeptical. Most of their footage could be seen on both WBRE and WYOU. Some people referred to the two as Channel 50 (22+ 28).

Speaking of (bonehead) owners, another leader in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the 60s and 70s is on life support. The Mighty 590 W-A-R-M was the station to listen to from 1958 through the 70s. By the 90s, they were news/talk, and I listened often... especially when their signal went to FM in 1995.

Then Susquehanna Broadcasting sold them and their sister stations in 1996 for $10 million. Slowly, WARM became lower on the priority list. Lately, WARM has been oldies via satellite and running on the backup transmitter. That transmitter went kaput two weeks ago. Not sure when it will be back.

For both WYOU and WARM, the people who have been working there the last 10-12 years should be credited for trying to make lemonade out of a pretty small lemon. It's too bad that their owners don't live in the area and don't know the people who make things tick around here.

That's what I've always liked about working here... I see the owner every day. He grew up here, and he knows the area. That's just about true for everyone who is here.

I've worked for the big corporation, and never saw anybody associated with direct ownership... just via e-mail and memos. I'd love to see the rules return to a company only allowed to own one am, one fm, and one tv in a market... I can dream, can't I?

----

Buckle Up,
TS

This is the worst excuse...

2009-02-26T09:38:00.000-08:00

I thought I heard it all...

I heard this morning about the plight of one schoolgirl who didn't go to school today because she didn't have a brush to brush her hair.

RIDICULOUS!!

Kids these days think of the best excuses not to do homework or chores... why not a good one to explain the unstraight hair? Come on... you can think of something better than "I can't find my brush." Be lucky you have hair! You can take any kidding from your classmates for a day... it ain't the end of the world. Heck, look at me, you think I'd ever take a day off because I had a bad hair day? I can't, I hardly have any hair!

Buckle up,
TS

What I'm giving up for lent...

2009-02-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

French fries and this swiss cookies. :)

Random Musings...

2009-02-13T06:25:00.000-08:00

I stayed up all last night watching the breaking news from Buffalo... My heart goes out to those affected by this tragedy. Never easy to think about 'do I know anyone on it?'

As one who enjoys following the ins and outs of local TV news coverage in areas away from ours, I found it interesting that CNN was carrying the coverage from the NBC station in Buffalo, but MSNBC could not. I'd love to see what those contracts and agreements say. NBC does own some of its affiliates, but not all of them. WGRZ (NBC in Buffalo) is owned by Gannett, the same folks who own USA Today. I wonder if CNN and Gannett have an agreement. CNN easily topped MSNBC and Fox News last night, simply on its access to coverage from WGRZ and the ABC affiliate, WKBW. I think all those MSNBC budget cuts reared their ugly heads last night.

MSNBC has good nighttime programs, if you lean that way politically. If Olbermann's not talking too much politics, I'll watch him. Everything else doesn't really interest me.

Fox News and CNN are alright. I'll watch HLN (formerly CNN Headline News) in the morning. I used to watch Glenn Beck, but now he's on FNC at 5pm, and I'm usually watching local news.

----

Speaking of local news, a co-worker commented to me how many people they didn't recognize on Newswatch 16. Aside from the anchors, most of the reporters have changed over the last few years.

It's good to see Bob Reynolds when he and I run into each other when he's in town. His wife, Paula, gave me my first commercial radio job in Scranton. My first day on the job was 2/18/96, the day President Clinton visited Wilkes-Barre and I covered it... I've blogged about this before, but my first day on the job included being in the same room with Bill Clinton, Tom Ridge, Brian Williams, ABC's Ann Compton, CBS's Mark Knoller, Wendell Goler (now with Fox), and a lot of the traveling White House Press Corps.

----

Did your house almost blow away last night?

----

Congratulations to the 93% of baseball players who have never used performance-enhancing drugs in their lives. It's the other 7% who make the news and SportsCenter.

----

Bye, Brett Favre. Again. In other news, Vinny Testaverde will come out of retirement to quarterback the Buccaneers next year. ;)

----

Happy Valentines Day. I'm taking my folks out to dinner before my show tonight. Talk with you after basketball.

Buckle Up,
TS

Now you REALLY know that times are tough...

2009-02-03T06:41:00.001-08:00

Skycam 16 is being sold. Channel 16 has had a helicopter in one form or another for about 30 years. NewsBlues says the pilot has been laid off as well.

Next thing you know, Snedeker will be auctioning off his dress clothes to raise money... oh wait, he doesn't have any.

Buckle up,
TS

It's a brand name, not an adjective...

2009-01-29T06:16:00.000-08:00

Last night on WGAL, Sports Director Mike Hostetler, at 5:50pm...

"You can see Super Bowl XLIII here on WGAL. Kickoff scheduled for Sunday at 6:30. Pregame show begins in about 10 minutes."

Steelers 27, Cardinals 17... close first half, but Steelers run and run some more in the second half.

Buckle up,
TS

Slowly, but surely...

2009-01-22T07:20:00.000-08:00

This is a good sign, in more ways than one.

1. The Sonic Drive-In chain is expanding. In this era of job-cutting and business closing, it's good to see someone expanding.

2. They're coming to Wilkes-Barre. The old KFC at the Wyoming Valley Mall is being converted into a Sonic.

It's refreshing news, considering that Waldenbooks (a mall original in 1971) is closing on Saturday. I see quite a few empty storefronts in malls all around our area... and there's a feeling all around that things will get worse before they get better.

If you want to see an interesting website, see www.deadmalls.com. Unfairly, Schuylkill Mall is listed from a few years ago... perhaps because of all the empty stores. It's a shame that Steve and Barry's went under, plus Waldenbooks and Claire's are closing up.

The trend now is outparcels or big box stores. Go to the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley or Shoppes at Montage, or even the Wegman's in Mechanicsburg, and you'll see what I mean. You can see what the mall in Hunt Valley, MD used to be, and how it's been transformed into the Shoppes at Hunt Valley.

Some good examples of dead malls are the Richland Mall in Johnstown, Landover Mall outside of DC, and whatever that mall used to be at the parking garage in Niagara Falls.

Five years from now, we'll be reminiscing how we remembered shopping at Circuit City.

That site also has lists of old stores... I'm sure you remember Ames, Hills, and Jamesway. How about Bradlees, Caldor, Service Merchandise, Fay's, Revco, Woolworth, McCrory's, Kresge's, Lazarus, Grant's, Pomeroy's, Hess's, King's Department Store, and (my favorite) Zayre's. Zayre's will forever be remembered in Wilkes-Barre as where the Cabbage Patch Kid riots broke out in 1983. Picture Black Friday 50 times worse.

While I'm being nostalgic, I miss having Acme, A&P, Insalaco's, and Shop Rite around here.

Happy shopping and buckle up,
TS

An original (kinda) top list

2009-01-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

Temperatures here in Schuylkill County won't reach 10 degrees tomorrow. Here are the top places that will have temperatures higher than our area tomorrow.

15. Truth or Consequences, NM... 57
14. Pago Pago, American Samoa... 89
13. Death Valley... 76
12. Stockholm, Sweden... 28
11. Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada... 34
10. Seattle... 48
9. Boise... 37
8. Minot, North Dakota... 29
7. Uranium City, Saskatchewan... 16
6. Honolulu... 79
5. Glendale, Arizona (where the Eagles will beat the Cardinals on Sunday)... 75
4. Pittsburgh (where the Steelers will beat the Ravens on Sunday)... one degree warmer
3. Ocean City, Maryland... 29
2. Wildwood Crest... 21
(Gotta think warm here, folks)

1. Anchorage & Fairbanks, Alaska... they'll be in the 30s & 40s tomorrow! Even Barrow will have a high of 15!

Bundle Up and Buckle Up,
TS

Straight out of George Orwell...

2009-01-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

The first thing I thought of when I saw this application was the book "1984" by George Orwell, and it's theme of "Big Brother is watching."

Go to www.mogulus.com and you'll see a website that offers live video of anyone who subscribes and has a webcam. My buddy Weather Kim now has a live feed of her at work at WUSA-TV in the mornings. You get to see all the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes on, and have a live chat at the same time. If you have a laptop with a webcam (and a decent-speed web connection), you can also "broadcast" on mogulus.

---

My New Year's Resolution is proving successful so far... watch more movies. The snow had a lot to do me seeing a few this weekend. Deep End of the Ocean, most of Zoolander, and the last half-hour of Mooseport were what I saw, while waiting for football. Zoolander will be featured in the Movie Monday edition of the Time Machine.

---

Channel 8 slightly shuffles its lineup... Jere Gish comes back after spending five years in KC... he and Lori Burkholder will anchor News 8 Today, and Susan Shapiro will handle News 8 at Noon.

Speaking of WGAL, the sports department has to be thrilled that all three of the NFL teams closest to them are in the conference championships. It will end up as an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl in Tampa. Who'll want to see a Arizona vs. Baltimore Super Bowl? The Ravens would crush the Cards. An Eagles/Steelers matchup will make the sponsors smile. Catch all the games on AM 1360 WPPA. The Eagles play at 3:00, and the Steelers at 6:30.

---

Buckle Up,
TS

From PA's Snow Belt...

2009-01-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

In surfing headlines of TV and newspapers, this one caught my eyes. Two Catholic schools in Erie are merging, kinda.

High school sports fans are familiar with Erie Cathedral Prep through their football success, and with the Villa Maria Academy in Erie for their girls' basketball.

ECP is all-boys, and VMA used to be all-girls, but now is about 75% girls. Both will merge, and be under the same name. Yet, ECP stays all boys and VMA goes back to all girls for classes. All activities will be co-ed. The diocese operates ECP, while the Sisters of St. Joseph's of NW PA oversaw VMA. Some VMA alumni wanted the school returned to its all-girls roots. The diocese will still have a co-ed high, Mercyhurst Prep. Declining enrollment and the economy were mentioned in all reports as to a cause for the agreement between the schools.

That got me wondering... will something like this every happen in our area? If our population was higher and economy greater, then perhaps. But with how the Allentown Diocese and Scranton Diocese recently closed a number of schools, I think that staying open is more of an issue than seperating the genders. It could have a put a few of the closed buildings to good use, i.e. Cardinal Brennan.

Buckle up,
TS

Slip slidin' away... & NFL picks

2009-01-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

Good decision by the schools today not to chance it. I ventured out this morning, and for about the 4th time this winter, my car and pavement were covered in a layer of ice. Be careful traveling all day. The stuff could refreeze tonight.

----

The renovation of a main section of Wildwood boardwalk is hitting a snag. The Press of Atlantic City says that about 90% of the black locust wood shipped in for the project was rejected. The builder has gone looking for wood from the tropical rain forest. As you can expect, environmental groups are concerned.

There are two sides you can take with this; those who want to preserve the rain forests, or the Rush Limbaugh-type who consider the rain forests a renewable resources and suggest that the "Environmentalist Wackos" not get too uptight.

I'm no lumberjack, and I can't tell wood from an oak tree apart from black locust. But wouldn't a couple of drums of Thompson Water Seal strengthen everything and make it all equal?

The Mayor of Wildwood put a deadline on the project of Easter Sunday, April 12. Don't be surprised if it's not completed by early May, especially if the weather doesn't behave.

I'm interested to see how much longer before more sections have to be replaced... the south end in front of the shops near the expo center are quite worn, and all the traffic between Mariners' Landing and 26th Avenue has taken its toll.

----

NFL Predictions this weekend:

All games can be heard on AM 1360 WPPA.

Both AFC matchups are going to be defensive struggles... the NFC games will be more wide open.

Baltimore 19, Tennessee 16... Neither D will give up a big play. Tennessee has the edge in rushing, but I give a slight edge in passing to Baltimore. The last team to make a field goal wins... Bironas will be forced to try another 60-yard field goal, but will fall short.

Carolina 35 Arizona 14... won't be as close as their first meeting. Arizona will pass for more yards, because they'll have to. Edgerrin James's last game for Arizona will be dreadful. Panthers' Stewart and Williams run wild, and Steve Smith catches two TD's.

Philadelphia 18 New York 15... no TD's, all field goals. Akers beats Carney. Bryan Dawkins won't let Philly lose. The loss of Plaxico and an injured Tyree still hurts the G-Men.

Pittsburgh 21 San Diego 7... this just may the ugliest game of the weekend. How hurt is Ben? How hurt is LT? How effective will Parker and Sproles be? It won't snow this time, but the Steeler D will step up at the right times.

----

Buckle up,
TS

Two weeks

2009-01-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

The long two week period encompassing Christmas and New Year's was great.

My station work wrapped up on the 23rd (although it never does end). After the ice storm passed over on Christmas Eve, I went to York to visit friends and their families. To my surprise, I got fed well and a few gifts. Watching kids at my friends' grandparents' house passing around gifts was a trip back in time for me. The little ones ran around, and the adults sat near the tree awaiting their presents. Lotsa clothes, lotsa cards, and little Keegan got a toy combine to play in the dirt with. I wonder if Tonka also included a coupon for laundry detergent...

Up to my parents on Christmas Day. It was a busy day... went to church, exchanged gifts, took a 3 1/2 hour nap, then ate dinner.

Friday the 26th, we had 153 kids at our bowling tournament in Allentown.

I slept in on Saturday, and watched college bowling in Allentown, and reconnected with some good friends. Sunday morning was spent with Uncle Dave, at church and then for breakfast. It was 60 degrees that day, so I cleaned out my car while it was still warm. I am an incurable pack rat, so I did my best to do more cleaning in my old office at my parents' house.

I was here at the station Monday and Tuesday. Thank you for my birthday well wishes.

Wednesday, another tournament... 78 at Strike Zone Alleys here in town... then up to my buddy Matt's for New Year's Eve.

We watched Dick Clark at 11:30. I love the guy, and realize it's not New Year's Eve without him... his speech is still affected from his stroke four years ago. I imagine his brain is still sharp as a tack. However, I am not a Ryan Seacrest fan, so I paid more attention to the Monopoly game I lost, instead of TV.

New Year's Day was travel day to Pittsburgh. I listened to the first half of the Rose Bowl in the car... then was peeved when I couldn't pick up any station west of Ebensburg that carried PSU. Oh well, it was 31-7 USC at that point.

Friday was another successful tournament in Pittsburgh... 108 entries and over $1500 in scholarships awarded. Thanks to Rich at Nesbit's Lanes for putting my name on the marquee.

Saturday was my first trip to Nadine's in Pittsburgh. If you watch Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, Nadine's was featured on a recent episode. It's a neighboorhood bar (19 South 27th Street on the South Side of Pittsburgh)... if you go, they do allow smoking. I had the french toast, and it tastes just like my Mom's. I also had a taste of a meatball sub, and it was great. Nadine didn't make her pasta that day, but I will have some next time I go... and yes, all the specials are just $4.50.

I also ate a few meals at Kings Family Restaurants... home of the frownie. Yummy. The blackberry pie and mozzarella wedges were good, too.

Sunday meant more bowling in Lancaster. My one friend convinced me to go to the movies afterwards. I saw Jim Carrey's new movie, "Yes Man." I swear that I was looking my life story. I'm very hesitant to say yes to things I'm not sure of. Jim's character, Carl Allen, is worse. I won't spoil the plot, but it's funny, and there are plenty of parts featuring Carrey's trademark physical comedy. The co-star Zooey Deschanel was a good pick.

Before I headed home, I stopped by Stauffers of Kissel Hill... a local chain of grocery and garden stores in Lancaster County. OMG!! It's the Dutch Country version of Meijer! The bakery has sooo much stuff! I'm eating the baked oatmeal for lunch, and they have so many homemade foods. I'll be back before too long. They even carry Kerry Dowd's favorite, Vernor's Ginger Soda.

As much as I enjoyed the time off, I was kinda eager to get back to the station today. Time off is good, but I was ready to get back to my daily routine.

Talk with you at 6:00.

Buckle up,
TS

A Great Storyteller...

2008-12-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

If you're a viewer of the morning newscasts on WGAL Channel 8, then you're used to hearing the calming, yet authoritative, voice of Dick Hoxworth. He retires tomorrow after a 40-year career at WGAL.

Channel 8 will air a special tribute to Hoxworth tonight at 7PM, then he'll anchor his last newscast tomorrow morning... 5AM-7AM.

Dick read one of my news stories that I submitted to the Associated Press back in 2001, when a jerk (I'm being nice) stole a cash envelope from a lady at a neighboring bank, then sought refuge in our garage. I'll share the whole story some other time, but I submitted the story to AP, and Dick read it the next day.

He's an outstanding journalist... watch some of his work on WGAL.com. Best of luck to Dick in retirement.

----

I'm on air 2pm to 6pm today, then off til next Monday. Merry Christmas!

Buckle up,
TS

The Grinch stole my voice.

2008-12-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

I'm in the midst of the 10-day cold. It sucks. With me, it doesn't go down to my throat... it starts it the back of my nose, stays there for about 4 days, then moves to the sinuses. Can't tell if its just a run-of-the-mill upper respiratory infection, or sinusitis. I'm on Cefdinir, Coldeeze, Cepacol, ibuprofen, and my third box of kleenex. Better now than next week... but this explains why you've hardly heard me all week. Sleeping has been an adventure, moreso than what we're expecting weatherwise.

----

You can argue with me from here to Sans Souci about this... hands down, bar none, case closed, the best pro football player EVER was Slingin' Sammy Baugh... he passed away yesterday at age 94. He played for the Redskins from 1937-1952. In 1943, he led the NFL in passing, punting, and interceptions... he was the best of the 60-minute men. He won two NFL titles, in '37 and '42. He did coach for about a dozen years after he retired, but then spent the rest of his days on his West Texas farm. He never did return to Washington because it broke his one simple rule... be home by sundown.

His #33 is the only number the Redskins ever retired.

----

Buckle up.
TS

December 1st

2008-12-01T09:17:00.000-08:00

24 days til Jolly Old Saint Nick flies through the skies.

Thanksgiving was enjoyable... I split time with friends and family, and had great food at both places. My day off on Friday was just as good.

----

I can understand why Plaxico Burress would carry a gun with him. Check out ESPN the Magazine's recent cover story on athlete safety.

----

Radio, especially top 40 radio, lost a true pioneer. Bill Drake passed away over the weekend. Go to reelradio.com to find out how important he was to our industry in the 60s and 70s.

----

Congratulations, Schuylkill Haven Hurricanes. Composure is key. Mount Carmel Area, great season. It's always fun watching your team.

Pack your patience if you go to Blue Mountain Friday night. Traffic will be a bear.

Buckle up,
TS

Football, horse racing, and bowling...

2008-11-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

My three favorite sports... LOL.

Football first. I get to broadcast my first game at the Silver Bowl tomorrow, for the Mount Carmel Area/Montoursville game on T102radio.com. I can't wait. It's gonna be cold, but the place will be packed.

---

Horse racing... Atlantic City Race Course stays open, thank goodness. I didn't get to go this year, but they'll have six days of racing next year... with plans to upgrade the old facility, and maybe get some more racing dates.

Maryland passed their slots bill back on Election Day. Slots will most likely be coming to Laurel Park and Ocean Downs. If Ocean Downs get slots, I hope they improve the grandstand. Get real chairs, instead of folding chairs... and a real place for the camera operators to be stationed.

---

Bowling... if I sound tired on Monday, here's why... I'll be running one of my bowling tournaments on Sunday in Limerick. Over 170 bowlers are signed up, including yours truly. I may be in pain, considering it's been a while since I've bowled more than six games in a day.

Buckle up,
TS

It's been a while...

2008-11-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted. A lot has happened and a lot has been going on.

Yes, I voted. #63 at the Norwegian Township precinct in Mar Lin. I have the sticker to prove it. The results and who I voted for ended up about 50-50. I was semi-miffed as to why Senator Obama was declared the winner right after the polls on the west coast closed, but I guess the pundits know more than I do.

----

I've been getting up at 7AM ever since we changed the clocks back. I never did understand why we changed the clocks in the first place. I wouldn't mind an 8:30AM sunrise and 5:30PM sunset.

----

Business Alert: I found out where my massage therapist and good buddy Kelly Salen went... she opened her own salon and spa in Orwigsburg. You'll hear commercials for it next week.

----

I'll be at the Tri-Valley/Lourdes game on Friday night, doing play-by-play on T102. Saturday, I'll be at the rematch of Wilson/Bangor. They met three weeks ago, and the final was 50-40. I don't think the rain will allow that to happen again.

----

The 2009 desktop calendar are almost ready to be shipped to the printer. Keep listening for how to get yours.

Buckle Up,
TS

Join me tonight...

2008-10-27T08:14:00.001-07:00

I'll be at Maroons Sports Bar & Grille between 7pm-8pm, giving away Phillies goodies, stuff from Yuengling, and maybe an LCD HDTV!

----

Phillies win tonight. Nobody in Philadelphia will work tomorrow.

----

Courtney had a cold. Dave Smith has a cold. I hope I don't get one.

----

My Seahawks are on a one-game winning streak.

I knew that new 49ers coach Mike Singletary was an intense guy. I'm glad he's brought that with him to the sidelines. He's exactly what that team needs... a kick in the you-know-where.

Buckle up,
TS

Helping friends during a powerout... not the kind you'd expect

2008-10-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

As I left my aunt and uncle's house yesterday, I noticed on ABC that the update of the Chargers/Bills game said "Susp"... which meant suspended.

I get in my car, and turn my Sirius on to tune in the game. Both the Bills' and Chargers' broadcast are being done over phone lines. The Bills' announcers said that the power had gone out about 30 minutes before game time. It turns out that a combination of helium balloons with metallic ties getting stuck at a transformer and a utility pole fire a mile away caused all the problems.

I texted my friends Doug and Chrissy, and her response was simply "no power." A few minutes later, one of the Bills got injured... she texted me (300 miles away) to ask who was hurt. Luckily, the cell phone towers weren't affected. The Bills' announcers were forced to do the game on cell phone on three separate occasions.

What really sucks for Bills fans is that one of the main cable companies and the CBS station in Buffalo are not under contract. The only way to see Bills games in about half the area are through old-fashioned rabbit ears or by satellite dish. Since CBS had no access to generators, viewers only saw half the game.

Why am I spending so much time talking about the Bills? It's because they're doing much better than my Seahawks. I admit I watched the Rays/Red Sox last night instead of the 2nd half of the Seahawks game.

Congrats to "Broad Street Joe"... Joe Maddon and the Rays. It's gonna be a fun World Series, but I hope it doesn't go longer than five games.

----

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of State Senator Jim Rhoades. I was stunned Saturday night when I heard of his death. The last time I spoke with him was on air back in August. He had an impact on so many people locally and statewide... I personally thanked him for passing the Clean Indoor Air Act. Rest in peace, Jim.

----

Follow the bouncing horsey... the Breeders' Cup is this weekend. Friday's races are on ESPN2, starting at 3:30. Saturday's start on ABC at 1pm, then switch to ESPN at 3:30pm.

Buckle up,
TS

We lost another good one...

2008-10-17T09:56:00.001-07:00

My prayers go to the family of Tim Karlson, former Channel 16 Sports Director. He passed away yesterday, at the all-too-young age of 56.

I have plenty of pleasant memories of Tim. We first met in 1994, when I still worked at Stanton Lanes. He was broadcasting the 1994 PBA Senior Open Championship on Channel 16. I helped with a few things, and he was as nice as could be.

He was one of the faces of Channel 16 Sports for about 15 years. He was at just about every big event involving our local teams, whether it be Wyoming Valley or our area. He came back from brain surgery by sporting hats that viewers sent in.

He had to give up sports in 2000, due to lingering health problems. He was a huge Baltimore Orioles fan. He also worked in radio, mostly at legendary WARM, before moving to 16 in 1983. He has set of vocal chords that won't be matched in our area... his easy-going on-air style was something to be emulated by all. He was a true pro at his craft.

Kudos to 16 for the tribute that Nolan Johannes narrated last night. Mike Stevens will have an added feature for Tim on Monday night. Tim, thanks for all your hard work. This longtime NEPA sports fan greatly appreciates it.

Bye Big Brown

2008-10-14T09:04:00.001-07:00

Well, Big Brown's off to stud. He's injured and will no longer race. Curlin's almost a shoo-in to win the Breeders Cup Classic at the end of the month... but I'm still savin a few bucks for the other horses. Curlin's always better the second time he's runs at a track... he hasn't run on Santa Anita's new surface yet, but did have a workout earlier this week. If he doesn't run, then Casino Drive (remember him? He was scratched from the Belmont the morning of the race) should be the favorite.

----

It's gonna get cold this weekend... I may have to break out the gloves on Saturday.

Buckle up,
TS

Happy Birthday...

2008-10-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

...to the Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. It's first edition was published on 10/9/78. It was born from a newspaper strike. The whole story is available at www.citizensvoice.com.

They have those first editions posted... the prices at the local market are astonishing... 8 cents a pound for cabbage, cucumbers 10 for $1, and 10 pounds of potatoes for 59 cents.

Happy Birthday to the Citizens' Voice. A lot of good people have worked there, including a few of my good sportswriter buddies.

----

I've given in, and turned on the heat at my apartment. Oh, and remind me not to take a nap during the day... I can't get to sleep at night when I do.

----

Go Phillies.

Buckle Up,
TS

Why it took me so long...

2008-09-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it.

I mailed out my voter registration today.

I became old enough to vote in the 90s... back then, I had heard that selection for jury duty was based on voter registration. These days, jury selection is based on driver's licenses. Since the switch, I never got around to getting registered.

I've had apprehension about being registered, because I never felt I had gathered enough knowledge about the candidates to vote correctly... I have friends who feel the same way because they don't watch the news or read the papers.

But, I went ahead and mailed it in today. My Dad's been on my case about it ever since I was 18. Deadline to register to vote for this upcoming election is 30 days prior to Election Day. Yes, I'll be heading to the polls that morning.

----

No rain this week? It can't be Bloomsburg Fair week... it always rains a day during the fair.

Buckle Up,
TS

Whoa...

2008-09-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

I saw something on Friday night that I had never seen before.

First off, my get well wishes go out to the two young people affected. At the pre-game of the Shenandoah Valley/Tamaqua game, the SV band performed in the pre-game, in a steady rain. SV also honored the inductees to their sports hall of fame. Just as the ceremony concluded, one of the banner holders fell. As the trainers were tending to the first of the fallen, a second band member fell. The second one got up on their own, and later the first was able to stand and get onto the gurney. I'm gonna file this one under "freakish occurance." I hope both kids are feeling better and back at school.

I applaud the decision by those on Friday who played to go ahead and play. Not sure whether or not Pottsville/Blue Mountain or Marian/Mahanoy would have had crowds just as good if they had played Friday, but there was no lightning in the storms that hit. It's strictly a judgment call, based on safety... how safely can fans get there and home, and how safely can fans watch the game.

The PIAA rule is that once lightning is sighted, you have to wait 30 minutes before resuming play. I remember this because I was at a game delayed by rain for 90 minutes at halftime before the 2nd half started.

----

I guess my Seahawks are in for a long year... losing in overtime to San Francisco yesterday. Yikes.

----

My prayers go to those affected by Ike. The tough part is that hurricane season isn't over until the end of November.

Buckle up,
TS

A long, cold, windy, rainy, fun day at the Ralph

2008-09-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

I finally went to my first NFL game yesterday. My beloved, yet injury-riddled Seattle Seahawks played the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park NY.

I went up on Saturday after WPPA Sports Saturday... we escaped Hanna's rains, but there was more to come. I went to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, the home of the original Buffalo Wing. It's always full, yet the atmosphere is right out of bygone era. I was there last summer, and wanted more. The wings were great... I'll have to be adventurous and get some sauce with them next time.

We left our hotel at 9AM to get to the stadium. My friend and I were going up early because two of our friends, Doug and Chrissie, were having a tailgate party. Chrissie told me to park at one of the houses near the stadium, instead of the actual lots. It turns out that the stadium is in a residential area. Along Route 20A are a number of houses with huge backyards. I parked at the house right across from the entrance to Lot One... I saved $10, which was later used for a hot dog and pizza.

We get to Doug and Chrissie's parking spots and they had gathered with 10 of their friends.
Doug asked me if I was a Bills fan... I took my sweatshirt halfway off to reveal my Seattle Seahawks jersey. He suggested than I keep the sweatshirt on. Good call. Anytime anyone with Seahawks apparel walked by, the boos and catcalls came from all around. I kept my sweatshirt on all day. There was one instance where I walked behind two guys wearing Seahawks jerseys, and a guy wearing a Buffalo hat said, "Welcome to the Ralph, guys." So, not all 100% of Bills fan disliked people rooting for the opposition.

There was plenty of food... and there were the bean bag toss games. Quite a few tailgaters were tossing the bean bags around. The board you toss them against is at an incline, with a circular hole cut about 3/4 of the way up. I never quite got the scoring system down, but I know you want to get the beanbag into the circle, or on the board. My friend and I played against Doug and one the veteran tossers. We were severely overmatched. You see, Doug is Doug Kent, the 2007 Pro Bowlers Association Player of the Year. The armswing for beanbag tossing is similar to bowling. Despite sinking one on my first practice shot, I got nowhere close after that. In a game to 21, my team got shut out, 22-0. Oh well, at least I had fun... and congrats to Chrissie, who sank two in a row... the second one coming after bouncing off an opposing beanbag and into the clown's mouth. Thank you, Doug and Chrissie, for a fun time.

As game time approaches, the clouds roll over. Forecasts had called for showers right at 1:00. As we stand for the National Anthem, the clouds open up. All I had my floppy hat and a blanket. Yeah, partly sunny and 73 my butt... it was rainy, 60, and a windchill of about minus 2. Welcome to Buffalo. At least it didn't snow.

We sat in section 205... if you're looking at the stadium from where the press box cameras are, it's to the left, between upper deck and the end zone luxury boxes. Our seats were up top, and there ended up being no empty seats in our section.

Both the Bills and Seahawks were struggling early. Buffalo scored first on a Marshawn Lynch touchdown run. In the second quarter, the Bills' Roscoe Parrish returned a punted 60-some yards for a TD. It's like the Seahawks forgot how to tackle. We're down, 14-0.

The guy in front of me, who obviously had a few beers before taking his seat, turned around to give me a high-five... I (mistakenly) told him I was a Seahawks fan. He playfully punched me a few times. The usher came up and he told her to get me outta there. A brave Seahawks fan and his son came up to our section and got worse verbal treatment. The sweatshirt, despite being soaked, stayed on.

After Seattle's Nate Burleson dropped a sure TD, he caught one in the zone while falling down. There was some hope.

Trailing 20-7 in the 3rd quarter, the Bills lined up for a field goal... but faked it and ended up throwing a TD. We fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and they threw a TD pass on the next play.

Obviously, my Seahawks were no match today for the Bills. 34-10. To pour more salt in the wound, Burleson and starting running back Maurice Morris got injured and sat out most of the 2nd half.

We stayed to the bitter end... navigating a sea of Buffalo Bills jerseys. They ranged from Trent Edwards, Marshawn Lynch, and Lee Evans jerseys, to some past players like Doug Flutie, Jim Kelly, Bryce Paup, and even Jack Kemp. No OJ sightings among the 72,000 in attendance.

I was pleased with how quickly we were able to negotiate traffic. Once you go east to the other side of 219, there wasn't much traffic at all.

The neatest part of the tailgating in the morning was the rusty old Ford Pinto in Lot One. It won my award for most unique tailgate set-up. Bacon and eggs on a shovel, pizza made on a filing cabinet, wings in a hubcap, and a few more.

Will I go to another NFL game? Yes. Will I go to another Seahawks game? Yes, but in Seattle. It's better to root for your team in the NFL when you are among the majority.

If you make the 5 1/2 hour trip up... keep in mind that route 15 in under about five miles of construction north of Williamsport. I-390 has a little bit of construction.

Buckle up and don't be allergic to life.
TS

Construction...

2008-09-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

I kept hearing the sound of driving on milled pavement in my sleep last night... Saturday night and yesterday, I drove back to the area on Route 422, between Norristown and Reading. There's about six miles of milled road on the westbound side, ready for re-paving. Don't go faster than 55, or you'll swerve a bit more than you want to.

----

The steel frame is going up on the new casino being built at Philadelphia Park. Give it about two years and the main facility will return to all horse racing.

----

I guess the place to be in the Temple/Muhlenberg area is Schell's. A few friends and I went there on Sunday night. First off, 27 holes of minigolf for $5.75 is a great price. The food isn't bad, either.

----

Week 1 of HSFB is in the books. Thanks to everyone who listened on air and online. We've had a lot of good response. We're looking forward to Friday night for Week 2.

Buckle up,
TS

At the shooorrrrre...

2008-08-25T11:15:00.001-07:00

I spent four days at the Shore... two in the Wildwoods and two in Ocean City, MD.

My earliest memories as a child are being in Wildwood in 1977. I've been going back every year for the past five years, either to stay or just drive through and enjoy the sounds of the surf, the cooling ocean breeze, or the excitement of the Boardwalk. Stewart's built a new restaurant at Magnolia Av... you can eat on the roof and look out over the humungous tract of beach. I'd say it's a good 3/8 mile walk from Boards to Shore.

We were on the Wildwood Boardwalk for most of Thursday. After spending the evening getting eaten by bugs in Rio Grande, and a subsequent trip to Shop Rite for bug spray, we played our 7th round of minigolf for the day... in West Wildwood. It's a neat little place. I think the only businesses in town are a few marina, a bait shop, and the minigolf course. There's one way in and one way out... Glenwood Avenue. Take a drive around the island and see how many homes you can't afford ;)

One part of Friday was spent finding one of my friend's lost cell phones. Despite not finding it, everyone was friendly among whom we asked, including the Wildwood Police Department. If you go to the Olympic Arcade at 24th & Boardwalk in North Wildwood, they still have Fascination, and still 20-cents a game. I finally won two games, after going 0-for-the year. It's $6 for an entire hour at 11AM and 4PM.

Next was a trip down to Sunset Beach. They built a minigolf there, plus have two nice souvenir shops and a snack bar. Obviously, it was crowded. We then drove around Cape May Point to look at more houses that we couldn't afford.

Even though our trip on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry wasn't until 8PM, we got to the boathouse a little after 6PM. They have a neat cafeteria and outdoor patio, and an awesome view of the horizon. As our boat departed, we sailed toward the sunset. The skies couldn't have been more beautiful. Pictures don't do it justice.

The trip itself is only 17 miles, but lasts about 75 minutes. If you aren't used to riding on a boat and feeling the swaying up and down, take dramamine. If you take either the early morning or 8PM trip, you save a few bucks, too.

We got to Ocean City, Maryland late Friday night. If you've never traveled into OC by way of Delaware Route 1, you better have good brakes. OC itself runs about 150 blocks north to south, and much of it is only two to three blocks wide. I swear there was a minigolf every 10 blocks... including two or three up in Fenwick Island, Delaware.

There is a boardwalk, about 30 blocks long, running from the inlet at the southern tip, up to around 25th. We stayed at the HoJo on 12th. I've always enjoyed rooms where you can open the patio door, and there's the shore. Such a breathtaking feeling... and kinda neat to look out your window and see the sign for the Bad Ass Cafe.

The best places to eat there are Dough Roller, Phillips, french fries from Thrashers, and popcorn from Fishers. No shortage of t-shirt places, either... Sunsations, T-Shirt Factory, etc.

My favorite minigolfs there were Lost Treasure on 141st and Viking Golf in Fenwick Island.

There are only three roads into town... Route 50, Route 90, and Delaware Route 1... all of which get crowded on the weekend. I was shocked when I had less than 10 red lights going south from 142nd to 8th.

We went to Ocean Downs racetrack in Ocean Pines on Saturday night... lost a few bucks but still had a good time.

Coming back through Delaware, I realize why some people used to call Lower Delaware "Slower Delaware"... there's hardly anything between OC & Dover.

Yes, I want to go back... but high school football starts Friday night. Can't wait.

Buckle up,
TS

First jobs...

2008-08-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

As I work at my desk, I suddenly had a flashback to one of my first jobs.

I'm sure you all remember you first workplace-setting job...

I did work for a day with my Mom at what was Peoples' Drug Store. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, 1988, I worked 10a-6p. I had to wear a tie and dress up... that was a lot for me back then. The term "Business Casual" didn't exist in 1988.

I straightened shelves before the store opened, then spent the day bagging orders as they were checked out. I got $25 for the day. One of my favorites memories growing up was going to the mall on Fridays, having pizza with Dad, and visiting Mom at work. I loved when she let me help her put price tags on merchandise. Those price guns were cool.

Everytime I walk through a CVS, I always look around and think of what Mom would think of the store's appearance and operations.

I'm that way as well when it comes to listening to radio stations from out of town. I'm finicky when it comes to music. When I was in Ocean City, Maryland last weekend, I was quite disappointed. Lots of country, lots of rock, one hip hop, and nothing that sounds like us at T102. I listened to Ocean 98 because they play just about anything. They were the station that hired one of my favorite DJ's, Don Geronimo (see previous postings). Then I heard he got fired from there after just a month. Oh well...

My first job in an office setting was EdMediaTec (Educational Media Technologies). I worked with my Dad and a few teachers from the Wilkes-Barre Area in putting together companion sets of filmstrips with elementary school science books. It took me 18 years to make the connection, but what I do now with commercial production resembles what I did back then. My co-workers would file orders for what artwork and slides needed to be produced. Today, my co-workers files orders for what commercials need to be produced.

I guess I made the connection when I saw the mess on my desk... and realized how much it resembled my work area at EdMediaTec. Nevertheless, that was a productive 22 months that I spent there working on that entire project. Luckily, as I was wrapping that up, I got a job at Stanton Lanes, where I worked weekends for the next four years before getting my first radio job in 1996.

Later this month, it's 11 years that I'm here at T102 and WPPA... longer than some of you have been alive. What a long, fun trip.

Buckle up and don't be allergic to life.
TS

Turnpike travails...

2008-07-28T07:50:00.001-07:00

I went to Pittsburgh over the weekend. In my desire to get there as fast as possible, I took the turnpike. Yawn.

Once you get west of mile marker 200, you pretty much have nothing for a good 120 miles. The only relevant exits (in my opinion) are the ones for I-70 and I-99. You've got back-to-back tunnels west of the Shippensburg exit, and another tunnel at the top of another mountain. It's hard to stay awake during the 36-mile stretch between Bedford and Somerset.

You can't pick up any PA radio stations for a couple of long stretches (mostly Hagerstown and Cumberland, MD)... the one station in Somerset had an old forecast and no commercials... I don't think any station between Carlisle and Greensburg had any live, local DJ's, except for one of the million Froggy stations out that way... Froggy 98, Froggy 101, Froggy this, Froggy that... and every station I turned to seemed to play Mellencamp every other song. I don't get it.

As my luck would have it, I hit overnight paving when I drove it... yuck.

I usually take route 22... at least Huntingdon, the area south of Altoona, Ebensburg, and Blairsville give you reasons to stop and stay awake. Most of route 22 between Altoona and Pittsburgh will be a four-lane highway by decade's end. Now, if only route 30 could be the same way.

Oh yeah, for the cost of going from I-83 to route 66 in Greensburg... you can get about nine things off the Mickey D's dollar menu. The rest stops are great... but the people working the food places (when they're open) have no sense of urgency, and don't care that you have places to go.

----

If you are heading west anytime soon, stop by King's Family Restaurant. Get a frownie. It's neat.

----

Buckle up and don't be allergic to life.
TS

Family reunion...

2008-07-22T07:28:00.001-07:00

I was privileged to be part of a family reunion this past weekend. My Dad's side of the family got together in State College.

His side of the family is huge. If you go three generations above me, there were three brothers... two sides were represented. The oldest brother, Casper, had 7 children. The youngest, Paul, the branch I'm from, had 5 children. My one cousin had counted 48-50 people present.

I was kicking myself for throughout the weekend because I had lived in Bellefonte for six months, and never realized that I had about 10-12 cousins within about a 20-mile radius. Plenty still live in Philipsburg, a few in State College, and a few in Boalsburg.

On Casper's side, great Aunt Rose passed away in February. We had a brief but classy memorial service for her at the start of the day on Saturday. Then, we all headed to Black Moshannon State Park for a picnic, and the big family portrait. We had relatives from California, Chicago, Georgia, Louisiana, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and all over PA present. My cousin Paige and I almost won the egg toss. I didn't get the lowest score in the family quiz... even though the questions were 99% involving Casper's side. Cousin Peter helped me a few questions.

We later went to Cousin Danny's nice, big house, in the shadow of Beaver Stadium, to eat more, play a few games, and listen to music. Cousin Scott from California has his own band, "Smitty West." Scott, Danny, and Scott's son, Ernie, did a nice job, considering they didn't rehearse.

We wrapped up the weekend with breakfast at Cousin Kim's. I also learned that Cousins Amy and Greg have scuba-dived in the Arctic, and explored the Antarctic. Way cool.

We're talking about getting together again next year. I hope so... Mom and Dad didn't get the chance to go. Plus, with two of my great aunts passing within the last year, we all wanted to get together again nad have some fun. We sure did.

Buckle up and don't be allergic to life,
TS

Dumb enough to get caught...

2008-07-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

If you watch news in Philadelphia, you've probably seen the saga ad nauseum of Alycia Lane and Larry Mendte. Well, it all came to a head yesterday when Mendte was charged with intruding Lane's emails... not just once or a few times, but 537 times! This is what the feds are saying. We haven't heard straight from Larry... yet. His lawyer says he's cooperating fully. At worst, Mendte could get five years in jail. To quote the Philadelphia Daily News, "Mendte was charged with a one-count felony: intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization to obtain information." Apparently, he accessed Lane's usernames and passwords through some sort of keystroke device.

I e-mailed Larry a few times before all this happened... he was always very cordial to me. Can I trust him anymore as a journalist? Not sure. Will he ever be on TV again? Not sure. Will he be able to peacefully stroll the boardwalk anymore? Maybe in a few years. He has to speak publicly about all this before he can expect any forgiveness... but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people have already decided he's guilty in the court of public opinion.

What happens from here? Well, CBS3 must move on. Alycia's got a few court dates ahead, on the plaintiff's side no doubt. As for Larry, I hope the next move is a smart one, and the moves after that.

I guess the lesson here is not to snoop in other's e-mails.

Buckle up and don't be allergic to life.
TS

Don't be allergic to life...

2008-07-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

My buddy Matt had the best line of my entire vacation... don't be allergic to life.

I took that to heart last week. I got adventurous on a few occasions.

First stop was Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. This was my first visit. 10 of us were there Wednesday, it grew to 15 on Thursday for dinner.

This place is worth the 6 1/2 hour drive. I-80 west to US Route 250 west to Cedar Point.

Wednesday night, I personally got on Gemini, Raging Rapids and the Mine Shaft (both wooden coasters). My friends got on Magnum, Wicked Twister, and the indoor coaster, among others... a nasty t-storm cut the night short.

If you stay at one of the hotels on Cedar Point, you're allowed into the park an hour early. Unfortunately, we got washed out until about 11:30. I did the really cool Iron Dragon, the train, and the old-time cars. My friends waited 45 minutes for Milennium Force and about 90 minutes for Mantis... they wrapped up with Maverick before going to Famous Dave's for dinner. I wanted to come back on the way back...

We get to Auburn Hills, Michigan late Thursday night. After a few detours around construction, and seeing a cool fireworks display in Toledo, we got to our hotel (across from the Silverdome) around 11:30.

Over the next 7 days, we made 7 trips to Meijer... like Wallyworld but three times better. I had to get new shoes, because my sneakers got soaked and I had no other pairs of shoes.

As part of my tour of junior bowling tournaments, we ran a warm-up event in nearby Clinton Township at Imperial Lanes. The first squad on Friday afternoon went well, after all the kinks were worked out. We had 72 bowlers. For that night's squad, we had a check-in line that went out the front door. 168 bowlers and 45 minutes past 7:00, we started and got done around midnight. After only 16 bowlers on Saturday afternoon, the flood gates opened on Saturday night. The squad was supposed to start at 7:00. It started a little after 8:00, with an eye-popping 243 bowlers. I thought Matt, his parents, and our friends Jen and Kerry were gonna go bonkers. We didn't get done until 1:30, and finally left the bowling center at 3:15... big thank yous to Joe, Jeff, and the Imperial Lanes staff for hosting (and putting up) with us. Altogether, we had 499 entries, and awarded almost $16,000 in scholarships.

The main event, the Junior Gold National Championships, were exciting as usual. Congratulations to Liz Seibel from Hellertown, our highest local finisher. She finished 14th in the girls division and earned $600 in scholarships.

I caught a cold sometime during the tournament, and was fighting it all week. In one of my "allergic to life" moments, I didn't want to go to any casinos because I didn't want to be around any cigarette smoking. Much to my surprise, there was no smoking at Caesars in Windsor, Ontario. I enjoyed myself on Thursday night, even though I didn't make any money.

I went back to Cedar Point on Saturday night. Soak City is FUN!!!! If you get on any of the speed slides, don't wear a shirt... it'll slow you down. The tube slides are neat, and both Lazy Rivers are cool. If you have kids, take them through the "playground." For the adults, they have a pool with a bar right on the beach.

On Sunday, I forgot my take my glasses off before I got on my first ride. When I hit the bottom, my glasses fell off. Lifeguards Rick and Lauren later found them. Thanks big time!!!

Next time I head out there, I wanna go to the Kalahari Water Park, south of Sandusky.

The other highlight of this trip was Tomtom. We downloaded Austin Powers. "Take the motorway," and "Groovy Driving! Yeah!" were heard most often while driving. Matt liked mine so much, he went out and got one for himself.

Talk with you tonight. Buckle up, don't be allergic to life, and "groovy driving, yeah!"
TS

Live broadcast...

2008-06-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who visited CJ's Tire in Orwigsburg on Friday. I promised I'd share this picture with you... that's Sammi Maben, the Toyo Tire model. She flew in from Santa Monica just to be there.

----

Why is it that when I go north to avoid the muggy weather, it always follows me? 87 and humid in Rochester yesterday. 72 up there today. Sheesh.

----

I'm in for Dave Smith tomorrow, 2-6. Talk with you tonight. Buckle up.

-TS

Knoebel's

2008-06-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

What a weekend... after a weekend full of bowling and eating wonderful food, I trekked to Knoebel's.

I remembered why I don't do roller coasters.

I usually can't fit into the car. I hold on too tight to the safety bar. I fear that my glasses will fall off (they didn't). I came out of my seat a few times on the Phoenix. I got dizzy after the Twister. Luckily, my supper stayed put. The applesauce at the Alamo is awesome!

By the way, make sure you follow the rules when you're on the mini golf course. I got stuck behind a group who went beyond the 6-stroke rule, and took their merry old time, and not caring about keeping things moving. I love minigolf. I hate when people in front of me don't give a crap about anyone else playing.

Other than that, everything was fun.

----

George Carlin, I would say rest in peace, but you'd yell at me if I did. George, raise some hell in heaven.

----

Buckle up,
TS

It's too hot to post...

2008-06-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

...okay, that's a bad excuse. But, it got your attention.

Today is the last of day of this heat wave. 80s the rest of the week...

It's either too muggy or too cold in every building I've been in since the heat wave started. I'll never figure out a happy medium.

When I build my house 20 years from now, I'm putting in a downstairs bedroom for summer, because cold air settles, and an upstairs bedroom for winter, because warm air rises.

----

From our anchor honor roll...

In Philly, in the words of the Daily News's "Byko", Larry Mendte is "kaput" at KYW. Don't be surprised to see him turn up Fox29 with his wife, Dawn Stensland.

In Wilkes-Barre, the folks who run WBRE and WYOU are doing a big ol' switcheroo.

First off, let's recap the history of WBRE's news...

Eyewitness News, then 28 Eyewitness News, then 28 News, then WBRE News. Now, it's WBRE Eyewitness News. Back to the future, I guess.

Now, WBRE's news schedule is 5am-7am, 11am-11:30am right after the 4th hour of Today,
5:00-6:30pm, and 11:00-11:35pm.

WYOU's local news schedule is 12noon-12:30pm, 4:00-4:30pm, 6:00-6:30pm, 7:00-7:30pm, and 11:00-11:35pm.

Now, follow along here... there's a quiz later. According to pahomepage.com, Candice Kelly and Lyndall Stout traded places. Candice is now on WBRE for 5-630 and 11pm. Lyndall moves to WYOU for 6pm, 7pm, and 11pm, when she comes back from her maternity leave. Mark Hiller moves to WYOU for noon and 4pm... since he's taller than I am, will they make him stand up to deliver the news?

----

Here's my best guess... Big Brown just didn't want to run in the 93-degree heat on Saturday. I compare it to a young kid not wanting to go to school on a nice day.

----

I must say a few words about Jim McKay, who passed away on Saturday morning. He was ABC Sports and the Olympics and the Triple Crown in the 80s and 90s. He wasn't flashy or didn't become bigger than any of his story's subjects. He was an excellent storyteller. He didn't like travel, but enjoyed his work greatly. He is most remembered for telling everyone about the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. He was a newspaper guy, turned TV storyteller. He was one of the best.

----

Buckle up,
TS

Trying to feel like a kid again

2008-05-29T09:21:00.001-07:00

I spent last Friday at Blue Mountain Elementary East's fun day, then on Tuesday went to Schuylkill Haven's fun day.

BMEE had two huge bouncehouses... one was an obstacle course. The last two times I tried those, I thought I was an invincible 16-year-old. Wrong thought. I jumped through one hoop, and landed face first on the next wall and bent my back backwards. Ouch, babe.

SHMS had carnival games up top, then football, soccer, and an obstacle course on the turf. I stayed smart and opted to run alongside the 5th and 6th graders tackling the course. I couldn't do the sack race with one hand holding the sack and the other my microphone. The jump rope was meant for a kid, not a 6'5" guy like me. I had fun, and I know the kids did too.

----

I got a hole-in-one over the weekend at the Goody's minigolf hole that goes over the bridge... where the hole is on the left side. I think it's #6.

If I count correctly, Goody's , Outback, and Heisler's two courses are the only ones in the county. There are two at Ozzy's in Leesport, one at Twin Grove Park, and If I missed any, email me.

Good courses outside our area include Village Greens in Strasburg, Maneta's in Adamstown, Putt U in Center Valley, and the ship at Mariner's Landing in Wildwood... you know I couldn't leave that one out. :)

----

Looks like the weather will behave tomorrow night for T102 night at Big Diamond. Races start around 7:45. Dave Smith will be there, driving behind the pace car.

----

Buckle up,
TS

WPPA 62

2008-05-09T08:07:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to us...

WPPA turns 62 years old today... signing on on May 9, 1946.

Later this year, WAVT turns 60... November 20, 1948.

----

Relay For Life in Pottsville steps off at 3:00 this afternoon. Stop by Veterans Stadium sometime between 3:00 today and 3:00 tomorrow. Spend a few bucks to benefit the American Cancer Society. It's hard to find someone who hasn't been affected my cancer. I lost my grandfather to cancer 15 years ago this month.

I'll be there at 6:00 tonight.

----

So how long before we pay $4 a gallon for gas? I'll say June 15th as the date... it may reach $3.89 for Memorial Day, then worse after.

Thanx for the food...

2008-05-07T16:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a treat when I walked in this morning... Mrs. T's Pierogies and Leiby's Ice Cream. Since there were no cholesterol pills nearby, I opted for just the ice cream.

I don't know when I became lactose intolerant. I used to eat ice cream by the bucket. I have to take lactase pills anytime I want ice cream, then have to eat it all within a half hour. It's a pain, but I'm at that stage where I have to watch everything I eat.

Buckle up,
TS

This weekend...

2008-05-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hello to you.

I'm back on TV tonight... WVIA from 7-9pm. I'm off to Erie for the weekend.

Monday Morning, it'll be the non-alcoholic edition of the 5:00 Somewhere Morning Show. I'll be hosting because RC, DMike & CR will be at Sister's Cantina for Cinco de Mayo in the afternoon. I wonder if it's a 3-day weekend in Mexico?

----

The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow. They're calling for bad weather, and probably a sloppy track.

If that's the case, Denis Of Cork, Visionaire, and Smooth Air have all won on the slop. My first choices are Z Fortune, Pyro, Eight Belles, and Cool Coal Man. Big Brown is the favorite, but has the far outside post

I'm sure all the ESPN, NBC, HRTV, TVG, and newspaper pundits will look at this race six ways to Sans Souci before putting their $2 on any of the 20. If you bet, bet smartly.

----

Buckle up,
TS

TV alert...

2008-04-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, yours truly is back on WVIA-TV... I'll be co-hosting the Great TV Auction this Friday night and next Friday night on channel 44.

Watch and bid.

Buckle up,
TS

I'm here...

2008-04-22T09:46:00.001-07:00

...I just haven't had time to think lately. :)

More later this week. I promise... TV on Friday.

Breaking a 10-pound chocolate bar on your knee is painful...

2008-04-17T13:15:00.001-07:00

...just ask Michael Buble.

Whaaa?

And how did I find out?

Drum roll please... I went to my first concert.

Michael Buble was in Hershey this past Tuesday night. My one friend invited me to go along. Since I like his style of music, I figured it'd be a good show. No surprise that it was sold out with 9000 people.

After the excellent opening act Naturally 7 (think Boyz II Men using their mouths to play all their instruments), Michael took the stage at the south end of the arena and sang two songs.

Then the fun started. He brought out a 10-pound Hershey bar, broke it over his knee, and passed it out to the first row. He stressed to us that he doesn't take each performance for granted, that he and his 13-piece band strive to put on a great show every night, and that he's been blessed by such great fan support.

He even went to the crowd to greet a cute 7-year-old all dressed up and took pictures with him and a few other fans. He got serious when he sang his version of "Always On My Mind" and his latest hit "Lost."

The fun picked up again when he did shtick with the band, and later sang "YMCA."

This was his only stop in PA for this tour. He said he'll be back to Hershey. If you enjoy "Everything" and his version of "Save The Last Dance For Me," as well as 50s style entertainers, like the Rat Pack, you'll really like his show.

Buckle Up,
TS

Well, it's been pushed up...

2008-04-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in a previous blog that Don & Mike Show co-host Don Geronimo would retire in May. Well, he moved his retirement up to today, April 11.

What a lucky guy... he's had his share of bad luck and decisions (drugs, bouncing from city to city in radio, then the death of his wife three years ago), and good luck (awesome ratings for 30+ years). The show was compelling, and I never had the chance to listen as much as I wanted to... the show's website was taken down, and all I have is the WJFK website's podcast page to rely on.

The other half of the show, Mike O'Meara, will continue on with the show, along with the rest of the show's cast.

Happy retirement, Don. Like it or not, you inspired this kid to get into radio. I'll never be the guy-talk kind of host you are, but your passion has little equal in this biz.

Buckle Up,
TS

Award-winning...

2008-04-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

My thanks to the judges who chose my "Pennsylvania Derby Recap" as best Sports Feature among small market station entries. In addition, congratulations to Dave & Marge Smith, whose Nascar News earned 3rd place in that same category.

It's fun every year to listen to participate in these peer reviews, as I call them. The PA members of the Associated Press judged Michigan's entries this year. I had four categories to judge, all among non-commercial stations. Michigan hasn't revealed their winners yet, so I can't name them... but I look forward to listening to some of those stations in my visit to Michigan this summer.

In years past, I judged Ohio's entries for news coverage, and the Massachusetts/Rhode Island submissions for best talk show... if you remember Helen Glover from Survivor, she now has a talk show in Providence, which is fantastic.

----
I've never really been a Red Sox fan, but I'm a huge supporter of what they did yesterday.

In 1986, my 6th grade classmates and I all rooted for the Mets. As most sports fans remember, Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner had a ball hit towards him in the 6th game, and the ball went beneath his glove. On that play, the Mets scored the winning run, tying the series at three games each. The Mets won the series the next night.

Buckner received much of the blame for the Red Sox losing the 1986 World Series.

He came back to Fenway Park as part of the Red Sox's home-opener and celebration of their 2007 World Series title. Buckner came out to throw the first pitch... it took him a while, because the Fenway faithful game him a four-minute standing ovation. When he pitched, he threw a strike. Buckner says he forgives the media for painting him as the scapegoat and causing his family all the pain they went through 22 years ago.

He retired after a 22-year career and settled in Idaho. I think he's a happier person not that he has a big load of his shoulders. Would it have been the same if the Red Sox hadn't won both the 2004 and 2007 titles? Probably not, knowing how ruthless the media can be.

And now, does this mean all the Cubs players over the last 100 years will be forgiven if they win the World Series this year?

The campaigns roll through...

2008-04-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

Pennsylvania has become the political pundit pit stop du jour...

With Barack and Hilary making campaign stops just hours apart in Wilkes-Barre yesterday, I am reminded of the last time Bill Clinton was in Wilkes-Barre.

After the floods of January '96, President Clinton came to town to survey flood damage and bring relief to that part of Luzerne County.

Three days prior to his visit, the announcement was made that he'd be coming to King's College. The whole school had very little time to prepare, but ended up pulling it off well.

Having just been hired by two radio stations in Scranton, they put my name in for a press pass. After clearing security and finding a pay-phone, I called the stations, and they put me right on air. It was my first time on commercial radio that didn't involve calling in and trying to win a contest or just to bug the DJ's. It was about 90 minutes before Bill had arrived to the school... he was part of a private session in the campus chapel, before meeting the entire crowd in the Scandlon Gymnasium. On air, I described the scene and the lines of people waiting to get in. My fellow Mass Communications major students were all over the place, working on projects and gathering information for various class projects. I headed upstairs to media headquarters... we got transcripts of all of Clinton's speeches. I could see why the term POTUS was used all the time, it was an acronym for President Of The United States. It was easier to type... keep in mind, this was right around the time when the internet grew popular. Good old paper and pen was still the way to go.

I quickly got into conversations with Wendell Goler, who is now with Fox, and a few other media reps. In the room next to me were NBC's Brian Williams, ABC's Ann Coulter, and CBS radio's Mark Knoller. It was fun sharing details about the area with everyone. One moment, I turn to my left, and there's Chuck Taylor from ABC radio, who was helping me with audio cuts. I turn another way, there's Governor Tom Ridge walking by. Next thing I see, a reporter from Pittsburgh is putting make-up on for his report. I peer across the gym, there's a fellow student named Patrick Murphy (no, not the diamond guy). Murphy is now Pennsylvania's 8th District Congressman. Murphy got to introduce the President. Clinton spoke for about an hour, and had everybody inside feeling good about his visit.

By the way, in an unusual twist, Murphy is endorsing Obama, not Clinton.

It was a memorable day for Wilkes-Barre... and for me.

12 years later, here's Wilkes-Barre thrust into the spotlight again. I'm sure that just like that day in '96, news vans from Philly, Harrisburg, and all over made the trip up and parked along Franklin and Main Streets. Who knows, maybe there was a young journalist somewhere among the crowds getting his first glimpse of being among the media. Only time will tell.

Buckle up,
TS

He did it right... what a brave guy.

2008-03-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

My one TV buddy's boyfriend did it right... Weather Kim (Martucci) was proposed to on live TV last week by her now-fiance Ben.

Here's the video: http://www.wusa9.com/video/player.aspx?aid=57690&sid=69876&bw=hi&cat=77

Nice looking rock, too... http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/kimmartucci.aspx

It takes guts to come on live TV, in Washington DC no less, and not stumble while asking the most important question of your life. Way to go, Ben.

----

Raise your hand if your NCAA tournament bracket has been shot to shreds. Mine's up, too. I had Duke in the championship game. I have one team left in the office pool, West Virginia. Who would have thought both Villanova and Davidson would have made it this far?

----

I got re-tested for my allergies... and unfortunately, I've only showed 20% improvement. It's back to weekly shots for about six months. At least I'm not allergic to bread molds... if I had to go without bread, I'd be lost.

----

I get to see comedian Jeff Dunham this Saturday night. My favorite of his characters is Jose Jalapeno... "on a stiiick."

----

I hope you had a relaxing Easter... I took a three-hour nap, and just didn't want to get up this morning.

Talk with you at 6pm, buckle up.

TS

What a thoughtful touch...

2008-03-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

Marian's basketball team wasn't the only gold that their school earned this weekend. The only competitive swimmer in the school, Kristen Schikora, won several gold medals at Bucknell this past weekend.

Here's the sweet part. On their way back from State College, the basketball team stopped in Shamokin Dam, close to the hotel Kristen was staying at. Thanks to the help of Kristen's family, they organized the surprise get-together. Obviously, Kristen was pleasantly surprised. Nice touch.

Congratulations to all of local medalists.

----

More congratulations to the Hazleton Area bowling team, winning the state title in Altoona this past weekend. A number of bowlers statewide who competed in both bowling tours I'm involved with did very well. Bravo!

Talk with you at 6:00, get ready for the 7:00 workout, and the Time Machine at 9:00.

Buckle up,
TS

Capping it off...

2008-03-15T19:07:00.000-07:00

Great win by Mt. St. Joseph's Academy in girls 3A. Boys 4A was exciting... Chester was up by 21, but Norristown crawled back to get within 2. Chester ended up winning, 81-77.

Next year's title games will be back here at Penn State. The Bryce Jordan Centre was very accomodating.

Talk with you on Monday. Buckle up.
TS

Terrelle Pryor's last game...

2008-03-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the fans got more than their money's worth.

Pryor had a dunk in the 4th quarter that got the crowd on its feet.

However, he missed free throws in the 4th quarter that would have iced it. The game went to overtime, and Jeannette ultimately won, 76-72.

Pryor had a good game, but tired down the stretch and in overtime. He even air-balled a free throw in overtime. Pryor had great teammates, like Shaw Sunder, Jordan Hall, and Kenny Grant.

The Jayhawks also now hold basketball and football titles in the same school year.

Buckle Up,
TS

Fillies Win!

2008-03-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Marian Fillies! The Girls A championship is back where it belongs in the Schuylkill League. Rachel Connelly had the game of her life; 19 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 blocks. Paul Brutto finally got his first PIAA title. Great job, Fillies. Great job, fans!

State Championships, part 2

2008-03-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Serra Catholic's win yesterday was a bit of redemption for that school... they lost the football Class A title to Steelton-Highspire. Well, Steel-High won the Class AAA boys title last night. They completed an impressive daily double, holding football and basketball titles in separate classes at the same time.

Central Dauphin came from behind to win the Class AAAA girls title over Mount Lebanon.

Being back here in Centre County brings back some warm memories of the time I lived here. I even went as far as having breakfast at the Waffle Shop in Bellefonte this morning.

Gonna be a fun day today... Marian at 12noon, Terrelle Pryor and Jeanette at 2pm, then Chester at 8pm. What color jacket will Chester Coach Fred Pickett wear tonight?

Buckle up,
TS

State Championships...

2008-03-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

Hello from the Bryce Jordan Center...

Congrats to York Catholic for winning the Girls AA title.

Great job and congrats to Serra Catholic out of Pittsburgh. They were down by 12 several times, even in the 4th. They came back to beat Friere Charter by one for the Boys A title. Great coaching, fundamentals, and use of the big man in the middle to get the job done.

Two more tonight, then four tomorrow, including the Marian Fillies at 12noon.

Buckle Up,
TS

My legs still hurt...

2008-03-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I moved.

My legs still hurt from it.

I admit that I'm a pack rat. I have so many audio and video tapes that I have one entire closet devoted to them. I dearly thank my parents, aunt, and energetic 16-year-old cousin for their help. There was no way I could have done it alone.

I still have quite a bit to unpack... that'll slowly get done over the next few days.

I'll be in State College all weekend for PIAA basketball, so no Sparks After Dark tomorrow night.

Talk with you Monday, for the return of the Time Machine and the start of the 7:00 Workout.

Buckle Up,
TS

23 years and 57 days later... 300!

2008-03-03T06:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, I finally did it. I bowled my first certified 300 game. It was my first game yesterday at Bellefonte Lanes, out by State College.

I was happiest that I did it where and when I did because five of my closest bowling friends were there to see it.

The funny thing about the game was that the automatic scoring goofed and credited me with the 300 before I had thrown the last shot. I saw that and stepped back... I fixed the scoring before I threw the last shot. Something in the back of my head just knew that if I hadn't changed it, I would have jinxed myself and thrown a bad shot.

That last shot was one of the best strikes I've ever thrown. It was more relief than overflowing joy, simply because I had come so close so many times... 4 299's and countless 289's and 279's.

Later that day, I was back on lanes 11 & 12. I almost did it again. Except, I threw the last shot too far outside and ended up with 298.

What a day.

Buckle up,
TS

Remembering A Friend...

2008-02-25T07:14:00.000-08:00

One of my good bowling buddies passed away last week, and he is well-known in bowling circles here in Schuylkill County. Jim Johnson died last week, after a valiant bout with cancer.

I first met Jimmy in '96 when I ran a tournament at SpareTime (during a blizzard). He was coaching the juniors at SpareTime for the first few years it was open. His daughter, Kim, finished 5th that day. After a few years, I met up with him again in 2004. He always came to the Wednesday night league, and subbed on my team a few times. After we won the league championship last year, our team all voted to chip in and give him our trophy for winning the title.

I treasured any chance I got to talk to him. When Kim told me about when Jimmy was diagnosed, it broke her heart. I regret that I hadn't talked to him since the summer, but he had a way of finding out how I was doing, and he always listened to my show when he was driving around and taking care of his wife, Susie.

Jimmy was just 59. His viewing is tonight, and funeral tomorrow in Tamaqua. I do plan on honoring him the next chance I get with my series of tournaments. He was one of my biggest supporters, on air and on the lanes. Thanx, Jimmy. I'll miss you, but I know your watching me.

----

Congratulations to all our area basketball teams on their victories on Saturday...

Buckle Up,
TS

Post #100

2008-02-21T07:10:00.000-08:00

What better way to celebrate Post #100 than to keep it in its regular format...

----

My health overall is okay. I get re-tested for my allergy shots next month, to see how well they've worked and if I still need them as often in the future. Everything else is fine, as long as I watch what I eat.

----

It's the busy season for high school basketball. District titles are awarded this weekend, although the weather tomorrow could mess that up. State playoffs start next week. Good luck to all of our area teams still alive.

----

One of my favorite tunes of the 70s is MFSB's "TSOP"... the ladies at the end of the song are the Three Degrees. What are their names? Of course, Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin. (Thank you, Bob Shannon, for that one-liner)

----

I took a quick visit to the new Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. WOW! It looks beautiful. If you go in the main entrance, you have slots every way you turn... 2,020 in all. If you just want the racing, use the building entrance on the right side... that takes you upstairs to all the racing and some of the restaurants. Once it gets warmer, I'll be eager to see how everything will look on the track apron (between building and track). I've already scheduled an interview with Publicity Director Fred Lipkin for May.

----

Good luck to my GAR Grenadiers... the boys basketball team plays for the District 2 title this weekend... the girls, who are the 16th seed, play in the semifinal tonight against Montrose. If they win, they're in the state playoffs.

----

93 days until the unofficial start of summer. I just might take my first daytrip to the shore around that time.

----

Thanks for making this the most-read blog on t102radio.com. Keep listening and I'll keep typing.

Buckle Up,
TS

This and that and other things...

2008-02-19T09:41:00.000-08:00

I see that the Greater Wildwood Motel Hotel Association is making it easier for you to reserve rooms online for all Wildwood boroughs. www. wildwoodlodging.com

----

Fox has the best NASCAR coverage, bar none. Give them the entire year contract for coverage, or at least give them the chase, too.

----

It's neat how you can spend time in four states in less than 40 minutes. Start on I-81 in PA, then spend 10 miles in Maryland, then 27 miles in West Virginia, and end up in Virginia. Interested in shopping? Chambersburg Mall at exit 20 in PA, downtown Chambersburg at exit 17 in PA, Valley Mall in Hagerstown and a mile-long strip mall at exit 5 in Maryland, the Martinsburg Mall at exit 12 in WV, then the Apple Blossom Mall at exit 313B in Winchester. Yes, that's how I spent my Saturday.

Also, if you travel US Route 340 east through Harpers Ferry, WV; after you leave WV, you spend less than a mile in Virginia. After crossing the Potomac River, you're in Maryland.

Interesting.

----

Short shows for most of the week, due to basketball.

Buckle Up,
TS

Random musings...

2008-02-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

I've already apologized to Al Kovy for the guest appearance on his show Saturday night... well, at least my namesake did... I am not related to the Sparks that came from the lightning that struck the T102 tower on Saturday night. Our air signal won't be as strong for the time being, but the webstream is still working just fine.

----

I drove I-81 home from New York last night, reaching Schuylkill County around 8:00. I had no idea there was a 68-car pile-up in that area a few hours earlier. In NY, there was a lot of blowing snow and slushy roadways, then a few snow squalls in PA... but nothing like what happened here.

It pains me to say this over and over, but between mile 90 and mile 164, I-81 is a dangerous road during bad weather. I've been caught behind a 30-car pileup at the rock cut near Nuangola, been detoured around crashes on snow-covered bridges, and stuck for lack of any emergency turnoffs. The real problem is that people from outside of the area travel 81 and don't know that it gets really bad during storms.

PennDOT should do for I-80 and I-81 what New Jersey does on their turnpike. Every 4 to 5 miles, you see electronic message boards warning drivers of upcoming hazards, and speed limit signs that can be switched from 65 to 55 or 45 etc. by computer control. Yeah, the portable message signs are a start, but something permanent needs to be done. I don't want to see a repeat of last February where there interstates were totally shut down, leaving motorists stranded.

----

Here's a case of bad timing... ventriloquist Jeff Dunham (Achmed "Silence!") is in Shippensburg on March 29th. Impressionist Frank Caliendo (best known for his John Madden) is in Hershey the same night. I wish I could see both on the same day. My friends got me tickets for Dunham.

----

It was 90 degrees in Aruba on Saturday... my buddy Matt reminded me of that as I sloshed through the rain Saturday night. It was 100 degrees cooler for him when he woke up this morning back here in PA. I'll get even with him over the summer. ;)

----

The crazy season around here begins on Wednesday, with District 11 playoffs for high school basketball. Between Wednesday and Saturday, we're scheduled to carry 10 or so games. Keep listening for more details... as always, schedule is subject to change.

Buckle up,
TS

Whoa, was I wrong... and another retirement of an idol.

2008-02-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

I listened to the Super Bowl on the radio for the first half, then saw it on TV in the second half.

By the time David Tyree made that circus catch to keep the drive alive, I didn't care that I lost to my lone SB42 bet. My friends who were watching the game (and rooting for the Giants) got rowdier after that catch.

There's a good reason that 97.5 million people watched it, and as many as 140 million watched the last half hour... it was compelling.

----

Those of you who were left hanging by Heritage Ford's closing... Sands Ford is honoring some of their incentives. Check with Sands' service department for more. They don't open as early, but they have Saturday morning hours.

----

One of the people responsible for me getting interested in this business is hanging up his headphones later this year. If you spent any time in or around Washington DC between 1985 and now, you've probably heard of the Don & Mike Show. Don is Don Geronimo (real name Michael Sorce). He started out when he was in his teens, and made it to the big time in the late 70s. He's worked in NYC, LA, Chicago, and DC. I first heard him in 1987 on the old Power 105 WAVA in DC, with partner Mike O'Meara. They've been #1 in mornings on WAVA, then #1 in afternoons on WJFK-FM since 1991. I met Don and Mike in 1990 at a Blockbuster Video in Laurel, MD and got their autographs. They're funny, controversial, and no topic is taboo. They share their personal lives daily. Go to donandmikewebsite.com to listen for yourself. They also appreciate the radio greats of the past, too.

They're not perfect, either. Don's been in trouble for drugs a few times, and have had past family issues. But nothing compared to what happened in July, 2005. Don's wife, Freda, was killed in a car crash in Ocean City, MD. Freda was a significant part of the show. The entire DC area felt the loss when she passed away. After about a month away from the show to get his and his son's life back together, he spent an hour on air, by himself, just talking about their relationship... which was often played out on air.

If you've ever experience the loss of a spouse who you relied on for a lot of things, then you can empathize with his situation. The interview Don did with WUSA-TV is here... http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=48837

Don's last show will be May 30th. Mike and their ensemble will continue to show.

Yes, I don't agree with everything they talk about, and can't relate to their situations a lot of times... but, the show is funny. That's why I listened.

Don, thanks for making radio fun to listen to when you're on it.

Buckle up,
TS

Not so normal Super Bowl prediction...

2008-02-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

Before Kickoff:
Someone will mention Spygate 15 times. (Why is Arlen Specter so concerned about the Spygate tapes? Why isn't he more worried about lowering our taxes?)
Jimmy Johnson's hair will stay straight.
Someone will show up to their interview with Ryan Seacrest drunk.
Patriots will win the toss.

First Quarter:
Giants will score first... Lawrence Tynes from 36 yards. NY 3 NE 0
Brady will throw a 40-yard TD to Dante Stallworth... NY 3 NE 7
Eli Manning throws an interception right into Junior Seau's hands.
Laurence Moroney dives for a 1-yard score... NY 3 NE 14
Advertisers start to sweat, for threat of a blowout.

Second Quarter:
Giants get another field goal. NY 6 NE 14
Both teams exchange punts.
Tom Brady starts limping considerably... moves out to receiver slot. Randy Moss takes direct snap, throws to Mike Vrabel for touchdown... NY 6 NE 21
Giants return kickoff for touchdown... NY 13 NE 21
Patriots get last-second field goal from Steven Gostkowski... NY 13 NE 24 at the half.

Third Quarter:
Giants drive to the goal line, but fumble. Brady throws a screen to Wes Welker who turns it into a 97-yard TD. NY 13 NE 31
Giants go on a 10-minute drive, and Brandon Jacobs scores. NY 20 NE 31
Both teams exchange punts twice.
Patriots' Kevin Faulk scores on a 4-yard TD pass... NY 20 NE 38
Giants returns ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the 10.

Fourth Quarter:
Eli finds Amani Toomer for a score, but the extra point gets blocked... NY 26 NE 38
Brady finds Moss wide open for a 64-yard TD... NY 26 NE 45
Giants put one last-gasp drive together, but get intercepted with 3:00 left, and NE runs out the clock.

My prediction... New England Patriots 45, New York Giants 26
Randy Moss will be MVP.
Bill Belichick will get a Gatorade bath.
I will win two slices of pizza from Pat Murphy.

Wherever you watch the game, please buckle up.
TS

Theatre of the Absurd

2008-01-30T07:06:00.000-08:00

The stars of Super Bowl Media Day are usually somebody other than the players.

This year's 15 minutes of fame belongs to Inez Gomez Mont of TV Azteca. She came to the darn thing in a low-cut wedding dress... and red high heels that didn't match. She obviously stole them from Kellie Pickler. Yeah, Pickler was there for the Tonight Show. So this Inez lady interrupts Tom Brady's segment and asks him to marry her. I like Tom's response, understanding the comedic portion of the moment... "I'm a one-woman man." Oh, by the way, his ankle feels fine.

No word on what Eli Manning's response was to Inez after being shunned by Brady... SportsCenter never showed it.

The other great response of the day was by Michael Strahan. Asked whether he or David Letterman have the biggest space between their two front teeth, he chuckled, "Spongebob."

Good job by SportsCenter's Sal Paolantonio, trying to find the inner Bill Belichick. I'm curious to see how Kenny Mayne's segment with Giants backup QB Jared Lorenzen ("The Hefty Lefty") turns out.

Read Larry O'Rourke Jr.'s blog in the Allentown Morning Call for his take on Media Day.

Buckle Up,
TS

Random musings...

2008-01-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

If I wore a walking boot, would I get as much press as Tom Brady? Would my picture be all over TMZ, ESPN, and MSNBC? Will someone lend me his jersey for this Sunday? Or at least an old jersey of Doug Flutie, Scott Zolak, Steve Grogan, Mosi Tatupu, Vagas Ferguson, Sam Cunningham, Jim Plunkett, Gino Cappelletti, or Babe Parilli? Maybe just a Pat Patriot t-shirt?
----
We're all just blades of grass on the Tiger Woods golf course of life.
----
In case you still haven't gotten everything on your 2007 Christmas List, you can still beg for it. That's what Valentine's Day is for... plus, it's the florists' version of Black Friday.
----
Buckle Up,
TS

XLII...

2008-01-24T07:52:00.000-08:00

My favorite sports quote from Keith Olbermann has always been, "Super Bowl... it's a brand name, not an adjective." I hope it turns out to be a decent game. Prediction next week... I'm not watching SportsCenter as much this week, because I don't want to see all the hype and build-up to it yet. I'll be ready for it next Sunday around 6pm, with food in hand.

Today is one of those days where I'm just waiting... waiting for commercials to arrive, waiting for production rooms to open, waiting for lunch, and waiting for warmer weather.

Basketball's local regular season is almost over. Schuylkill League playoffs start February 5th.

Congratulations to Pine Grove's David Horst, who was drafted by Major League Soccer's Salt Lake City team. This area has had its fair share of pro athletes... I hope he succeeds.

About three weeks from now, Hollywood Casino at Penn National opens. Penn National Gaming is also mulling over buying an old airport in Atlantic City. I'm not sure how smart a deal that would be, considering that AC's revenues were down last year, thanks in part to Pennsylvania's new casinos. I can tell the AC casinos are hurting, because they haven't sent me any freebies in quite a while.

Buckle Up,
TS

Apology #1 for 2008...

2008-01-14T06:32:00.000-08:00

Oops, Martlin Luther King Jr. Day is next week, the 21st... not the 14th, as I had printed on our desktop calendar. My apologies.

My Seahawks got snowed under on Saturday. Note to Seattle... draft two offensive linemen, so we can get the running game going again.

I was two out of four on my football picks last weekend.... this weekend, I like New England over San Diego, 42-13; and Green Bay over the Giants, 24-17.

The streak is over... the Hershey Bears lost a game that I attended in person, 3-1 to Hartford last night. Oh well, I still had fun, and it only took three minutes to get out of the parking lot! Can't say the same for the Sonic in Palmyra... they're learning, at least while I was in the drive thru line, they brought my order out before I reached the window.

Talk with at 6:00, buckle up,
TS

This makes me laugh...

2008-01-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

You 6-year-old and 7-year-old readers of this blog should start saving your pennies and allowances... if you want to be able to afford to get to the Jersey Shore, let alone stay in hotels there.

NJ Governor Corzine is proposing raising tolls on all of the Garden State's toll roads. If the maximum assumptions are met, that means a trip on the entire length of the Atlantic City Expressway in 2022 will cost... $17.10! A trip on the Garden State Parkway end-to-end will cost $50!

Check out the article here... http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/story/7526694p-7428117c.html

Buckle up,
TS

Random Musings...

2008-01-09T10:18:00.000-08:00

sparksafterdark.blogspot.com

I understand why Joe Gibbs announced his retirement yesterday. Two months ago, I was afraid he would be let go after calling the double timeout against Buffalo. No doubt this was his best coaching year ever... yes, 3 Super Bowl titles mean a lot, but after what he and his team went through, this was a season that no NFL fan will forget anytime soon. Gibbs' 3-year-old grandson, Taylor, suffers from Leukemia, and feels his time and energy would be better spent with his family. I don't blame him. We all wish we could spend more time with family.

My cold has almost subsided. I know others who still have a fever and unforgiving cough.

It was 68 yesterday in Rochester NY. It'll feel like minus 68 when I go up there next month.

Santa Anita racetrack didn't race this past weekend. The all-weather surface couldn't soak up the rain fast enough.

Buckle up,
TS

I caught it...

2008-01-07T08:36:00.001-08:00

...no, not Seahawks fever... I've had that for 23 years. (Way to go, 12!)

I caught the cold that a lot of people have. I either had a lesser strain of it (no fever) or the Zicam oral mist really works well. I'm on the back end of it. By the way, I don't need a colonoscopy... my doctor says it isn't necessary now. I had two vials of blood taken on Friday, so I'm awaiting results from that. He also suggested I lose 20 pounds. Easier said than done... with everything on, I'm 257. I haven't seen under 240 pounds since college.

A landmark (of sorts) in Wilkes-Barre is coming down. If you ever parked in the Park & Lock on the first block of South Main St., the only way you could exit was through a spiral ramp. That spiral ramp is coming down, as part of an expansion and new parkade being built downtown due to... SURPRISE... lack of downtown parking. Show me a downtown that doesn't have a parking problem and I'll show you a bridge over the Everglades I can sell you... but I digress. It was at that parkade that I was forced to park at on the day it was -21 degrees on 1/21/94, and had to walk five blocks to King's... this was after a few big snowstorms and an electrical emergency. King's was the only school in all of Luzerne County open that day. That was a rough winter. Even with temps reaching the 60s this week, my legs still get cold when I think of that walk through town.

Buckle up,
TS

Happy 2008...

2008-01-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

...from me to you. Let's catch up on everything that I encountered in these past two weeks.

There was one true holiday moment I experienced in doing last minute shopping on Saturday the 22nd. I went to Downtown Jim Thorpe for some gift certificates for my cousins. With or without snowfall, the entire historic downtown is so charming. When I came out of the Inn at Jim Thorpe, a group of about 20 adults were caroling. Flurries were flying, people were happy, traffic was brisk, and the sights and sounds of Christmas were everywhere... straight out of a storybook setting. I took a few seconds to look around, and I was convinced that Christmas would soon be here.

I'm a native of Wilkes-Barre, and I'm back up there often. I went with my Mom for some last-minute running around on Christmas Eve. I had mixed feelings about seeing the downtown just moderately busy. I suggested we hit Boscov's because traffic wouldn't be bad. I was correct. Yes, people were on every floor, but it wasn't the usual hustle and bustle I was a part of 25 years ago. My great grandmother and I would take the bus to town and spend the day shopping and having lunch. Those were fun times. I wanted to be a bus driver growing up... I always think of "Sugar" when I see a bus in Wilkes-Barre...

Speaking of family, I thought it was awkward when Dad's alarm went off and the phone rang at the same time... 6:15AM on Christmas. My Great Aunt Vicki passed away that morning. She lived as full a life as you could imagine. Up until this past Spring, she had lived on her own in Wilkes-Barre. She moved closer to my cousin, and celebrated her 89th birthday in August. She suffered a heart attack about a month ago, and couldn't fully recover. Despite a hectic personal schedule, I was able to get to the viewing and see a lot of family on my Dad's side. It was fulfilling.

Christmas Day was spent with family. My Uncle Dave and I were altar servers and my father was Subdeacon for Christmas Mass. Our families were there, and I enjoyed it. We went back to my parents' house for brunch... Mom and I make some mean french toast :) Then, up to our cousins Paul and AnneMarie in Mountaintop for a relaxing dinner.

Bowling dominated the 10-day stretch... Stanton Lanes in Wilkes-Barre on 12/23, Rose Bowl in Allentown on 12/26, then a trip to Pittsburgh on 12/28. I had been looking forward to that trip for quite some time. It was definitely worth it. The only problem was the hotel's walls weren't soundproof, and I had a hell of a time falling asleep. I think I watched 3 or 4 TimeLife record collection special infomercials... they have just about every collection imaginable... I think the ones I saw were music for insomniacs, the greatest hits of the first half of the first week of the first year of the first decade of the 70s, and technocountrydiscogrunge. Yes, I'm kidding.

The Saturday after Pittsburgh, I was pretty much in a fog. Apparently, I typed up a commercial for RC to record which advertised Sausage McNuggets. I was really out of it.

My 33rd birthday was Sunday. After more bowling at Back Mountain, and seeing my family, I hurried home to beat the snow.

Monday meant more bowling... this time, really close to home at Strike Zone Alleys in Pottsville. Full results are in the Wednesday Republican & Herald.

...then came the party on New Year's Eve. I doubt my buddy Matt remembers anything he said or drank. We had a good time. I tried boilo for the first time... or apple pie as my buddy Toomey called it... excellent! Granted, I don't drink every day... for that matter, I've had 6 or 7 drinks all year, but if I know I'll have a Designated Driver, I'll have a few.

New Year's Day was a wash... I caught a cold, and still kinda feel yucky. I did watch the hockey game held outside... I'm glad it went to a shootout, and wasn't surprised that Sidney Crosby had the winning goal in the shootout.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and have a wonderful 2008. It will be busy for me!

Buckle up,
TS

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

2007-12-17T10:16:00.000-08:00

Plenty of troubles due to the weather Saturday night into Sunday.

As I got home from the football games on Saturday night, the rain started. The freezing rain awakened me about 3 or 4 times before 5AM. I had already postponed my bowling tournament in Mifflinburg for that day. It was no surprise to see all the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton TV stations had been off the air.

If you drive north on I-81, you can see all the TV and a few radio towers. Once you pass the Nuangola exit (exit 159), you'll see the towers on a ridgetop. The scary thing is that all of those towers are so close to each other. There's a possibility (if the conditions are right) that if one falls, they all fall. Well, WNEP's fell and the top half of WVIA's fell. In the process, the power line to WYOU's was cut. Because of power outages, we had nothing from WBRE, Fox56, CW38, or the others for the better part of Sunday.

A good heads up move by Comcast in Pottsville to pick up KYW in Philly in time for the second half of the Steelers game on Sunday. A bad move to switch from KYW to WTAJ in Altoona this morning... not sure why, perhaps it's because WYOU and WTAJ are owned by the same company. I e-mailed Comcast (again) asking to because a second CBS station part of the basic package, for instances like this when we lose our only CBS station.

Then again, this is Comcast we're talking about here. I got an automated response stating they'll get back to me today, since my issue isn't time sensitive.

Buckle up,
TS

High School Football

2007-12-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

Predictions for Friday...

Fri 1PM Class A: Steelton-Highspire 47, Serra Catholic 36. This will be a scorefest, and a ground-gainer's delight. Steel-High's #5 Jeremiah Young could easily hit 200 yards on the ground. #6 Jordan Smith will also have a few more surprises up his sleeve.

Fri 7PM Class AAA: Thomas Jefferson 28, Garnet Valley 6. All TJ, all the time. I love TJ's #21's name... Trevor Wildman. Also watch #52 Lucas Nix. GV's got a good QB, #8 Eric Van Wyk.

Sat 12noon Class AA: Jeannette 44, Dunmore 22. Jeannette should have won this game last year, but lost late to Wilson. Jeannette's #11 Terrelle Pryor is the most sought-after athlete in PA. #6 Jordan Hall will be a huge help on offense. Dunmore's #10 Miller Holmes is a good QB, but Dunmore is overmatched here.

Sat 5PM Class AAAA: Parkland 38, Pittsburgh Central Catholic 35, overtime. The 4A game is traditionally run-oriented. Parkland's #7 John Laub passes more, probably because #14 Jaleel Clark is such a great athlete.

Buckle up,
TS

Traffic cameras...

2007-12-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Here's the link to the PennDOT traffic cameras along 78 & 81...

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/penndot/districts/district5.nsf/District%205%20Traffic%20Cams?OpenPage

Christmas Shopping

2007-12-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

...I've gotten some of it done. No idea what to get my folks.

I did run across something that would be a neat gift for the shorelover you know... beach tags. I knew that would warm you up on a day like today. Ocean City NJ is selling discounted 2008 beach tags on its website www.ocnj.us. Cape May also has '08 beach tags on sale, but didn't see anywhere you could get them online.

Buckle up,
TS

Bad luck...

2007-12-05T08:59:00.000-08:00

What a string of bad luck some of my co-workers have experienced...

First, I credit Les Blankenhorn and John Powers for getting on the air at all last night. They were broadcasting the Pottsville/North Schuylkill basketball game. The one main mixer that we plugged into would not cooperate with the phone line we plugged into. Luckily, we had a backup system that we could plug a cellphone into. Unluckily, that unit overheated. Using two separate phones, we conferenced Les and John together, and the broadcast went on.

Second, one of my co-worker's significant other decided to do some redecorating around the house... and broke a window. Unfortunately, they're having a hard time replacing the window... and may be shelling out a few sheckles to get it/them fixed.

Third, both Al Kovy and D-Mike were out sick today, and it's snowing this morning in Pottsville. Hopefully, Dave Fleming won't have trouble getting up here... I'm guessing he's the reason why there was a KYW-TV newstruck up here in Pottsville this morning.

Travel safely wherever you are today. Talk with you at 6:00. Buckle up,
TS

correction...

2007-12-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

Correction!

I read the article incorrectly... State Police at Schuylkill Haven will be handling Norwegian Township calls, starting January 1st... not Frackville. Apologies for my goof.

Buckle Up,
TS

Norwegian Township

2007-12-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

I gladly call Norwegian Township home. I've lived there since moving here in 1999. I understand why my fellow Township residents are angry at the loss of our one police officer. Yes, we'll have to rely on State Police in Frackville if we have any problems. I haven't heard all sides of the story, so I won't totally comment on it. Wouldn't it have been more efficient to have troopers down at Reedsville/Schuylkill Haven help out... I only ask because of how different weather can get between Frackville and Norwegian Township in the winter.

---

While we're talking Norwegian Township... any chance we can get a new cable TV provider? I envy those of who have Service Electric. I'm sick of Comcast.

---

So when does the housecleaning begin in Baltimore Ravens offices? I like Brian Billick, but it's time for him to go. His quarterbacks have never been consistently close to the top of the QB class. Yes, their defense is exceptional, but have just as many uncontrollable egos. I have a feeling that by 2010, we won't recognize many of the Ravens.

---

Be careful at your Christmas parties this year. I've seen firsthand what a little extra libation can create. Designate a driver.

Buckle up,
TS

Bring home the bacon...

2007-12-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

I've heard that aspirin is good for people with heart conditions, and good if you sense you're experiencing heart problems... in fact, it may have saved the life of my friend, Dr. Mussari.

Then I find in the watercooler section of wusa9.com a story on bacon. The nitrates in bacon can help re-open blocked arteries. Interesting... especially since I just had tuna fish with bacon for lunch. My favorite way to prepare bacon is to cook it on the George Foreman grill, and let it bake til it's crunchy. then squeeze the grease out of whatever's left. Turkey bacon tastes good, too.

---

I may just change my name to Lofa Tatupu. My Seahawks beat the Eagles yesterday, and Tatupu has 3 of the 4 interceptions.

---

I'm heartsick for Redskins Head Coach Joe Gibbs. After the roughest week he's ever been through due to Sean Taylor's murder, Gibbs got bit by an obscure rule. Buffalo was down by two, when they were getting ready to kick a 51-yard field goal. He took a time out to ice the kicker. He then took a second time out... which is against the rules. The Redskins were given a 15-yard penalty. The kick was now 36 yards, which Buffalo converted. The 17-16 loss had to be the worst of his illustrious career. He immediately took the blame for the loss... then had to pack up and head to Florida for Taylor's funeral today.

I hope this doesn't cost Gibbs his job. His critics say the game has passed him by, and his offense is too conservative. However, his players love playing for him. I've been a Redskins fan longer than I've been a Seahawks fan... and one big reason was Joe Gibbs. I hope Redskins owner Dan Snyder doesn't do anything too drastic too soon.

Thank you...

2007-11-29T09:11:00.001-08:00

...for donating to Toys For Tots last night. A number of you generously donated... THANK YOU!

Today's musings...

1. The common cold... I'm guessing my allergy shots are working in more ways then one. I haven't had a really bad cold since January. I feel a slight one coming on now... so I rushed down to the store to get Zicam. It's worked well before. I got the mist that you spray every three hours. We'll see how well it works, and if I'm better for the weekend.

2. Christmas Music... I don't mind it. In fact, we have it playing in the back office. The only part I don't like is hearing the same songs by the same artists on this all-Christmas station. I understand that Bing Crosby's White Christmas etc. are standards that shouldn't be ignored. But give me something different every day... I don't wanna hear Auld Lang Syne every day... save that for December 31st.

3. There is no #3.

4. Happy Birthday, Courtney. She's 27 again.

Buckle up,
TS

Toys For Tots

2007-11-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I'll be at the Schuylkill Mall from 5:00-7:30 for our first Toys For Tots stop.

I'll have a chance for you to win some goodies if you drop off a new unwrapped toy to Centre Court at Schuylkill Mall while I'm there.

Dave Smith will be on longer today, until 8:00. Then I'll be on after 8:00.

Stop by the mall if you get a chance on your way home from work and donate a toy to those less fortunate.

Buckle up,
TS

A full plate of catching up...

2007-11-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

1. Health Update: The pipida scan came back normal. I ended up lying flat on my back for about 90 minutes with limited movement. The nurse first injected me with saline solution, then watched as everything functioned the way it is supposed to. Next was the CCK enzyme, which naturally makes the gall bladder contract. I didn't feel anything abnormal, and the results proved that. Next step comes in January with a visit to the gastroenterologist.

2. Thanksgiving: It's one of my two favorite holidays because it combines four of my five most favorite things... family, football, food, and napping. Ha! I saved the bowling for the weekend. I highly recommend getting Wegman's to handle all the fixins, because everything was sooooo good. My uncle stopped a Cracker Barrel to get an Apple Pecan Streusel pie. I think I ate half of it. I fell asleep during the second half of the Cowboys game. It just felt good to eat meal at a table. I'm looking forward to doing the same at Christmas.

3. High School Football: Hats off to Hazleton Area... hell of an effort against Parkland... too bad someone had to go home afterwards. Salute to Marian, who played the best game of keepaway I've seen in a long time. They'll have to duplicate that effort against a strong Bloomsburg team.

4. Horse Racing/Gambling: The next state to get slot machines could be Maryland. The state legislature voted to let residents vote on whether or not to install slots... that vote will be in November 2008, the same as the Presidential election. Chances are that if the referrendum fails, horse racing in Maryland could be in serious trouble. Some are even wondering if Pimlico could still host the Preakness with slots. There just isn't enough money to fund a full schedule of racing in Maryland at all levels. If it hadn't been for slots, PA would have the same problems that Maryland and Ohio are having.

I could go on and on about the problems with racing in New York, the OTB's and their 20-cents-per-winning-ticket takeout, synthetic surfaces, the V75, owners retiring horses too early, and the high prices at tracks... but I'll save that for later.

Looks like February will be when Hollywood Casino at Penn National will open. There will be racing through December 21st, then a few weeks off until everything is readied at the new facility... should be an exciting winter in Grantville.

I'm heading to Charles Town this Saturday night... it's the one year anniversary of my big superfecta ticket. Maybe I'll get lucky again.

Buckle up,
TS

School Newspapers

2007-11-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

20 years ago, I made my first foray into journalism. My father was the advisor of GAR High School's newspaper, the Blue & Gray. I did just about everything with the paper over the next six years... editing, pasting, gluing, taking pictures, folding, and distributing. I had a lot of fun, especially working with Dad every month in copying it and putting it together. In all three of my senior high years, we were a small operation... 5 or 6 writers helped me out when I was editor. Desktop publishing was in its infancy in those days... daisy wheel printers, Radio Shack/Tandy computers, and Deskmate (Tandy's version of Microsoft Works in the late 80s)... couldn't live without it back then.

I thought about all that as I'm browsing the internet and looking at all the high school newspapers online... Pottsville's Tidelines (http://www.pottsville.k12.pa.us/tidelines) always has very good content.

I haven't seen any other local school papers online yet... including on www.myschooljournalism.com. Let me know if your high school's paper is online, and I'll post the address.

The more kids who know how to effectively write, the better! As Charlie Brown said, "I before e, except after c." Wait, wasn't it Linus?

Buckle up,
TS

Nockamixon Township

2007-11-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, there's a place in Bucks County called Nockamixon Township. It's somewhere on Route 412 between Bethlehem and Ottsville... not Pottsville, Ottsville.

It's where Palisades High School is, the only high school in District 11 in Bucks County. I have to give them two thumbs up on being very good hosts for the Wilson/Palisades playoff game on Saturday night.

It was an interesting experience to say the least. Parking wasn't a big problem if you get there early. The barbeque stand in front of the school was excellent. The field (frozen turf) was across the street from the school. In the north end zone stood a nice big pirate ship. These are the Palisades Pirates... and an Ottsville Fire Truck stood guard next to it.

The school declared a "blackout." All the Palisades fans wore black and waved white towels. The uniforms were black jerseys with yellow and purple numbers and black pants. Neat combination, but hard as heck to see from the press box.

Palisades ended up winning a wild game, 46-28. Both teams combined for about 800 yards in offense.

Buckle up,
TS

Health Update

2007-11-08T07:57:00.000-08:00

Well, the ultrasound was "unremarkable"... so the source of my abdominal pain is still unknown. The next step is a pipida scan. Doing online research, I see they inject a radioisotope into me and follow it around for at least an hour. If I feel acute pain anywhere, that's where the problem is. That's next Friday afternoon.

Gas is over $3 a gallon here in PA. In NJ, it's $2.79 a gallon. If you know how sneak out of NJ back into PA without paying tolls, it may be worth it... but only if you're in the Lehigh Valley this weekend. The free bridge on Northampton Street in Easton is one of your best bets. If you try to get back into PA on 22, or I-78, you'll pay at least 75 cents. I'm not gonna uproot and move to NJ anytime soon. What you save in gas, you spend in car insurance.

I just finished producing the T-102/WPPA desktop calendars. I'm awaiting the proofs from the printers. More details to come and how to reserve yours.

Buckle Up,
TS