A Great Storyteller...

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.

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

Buckle up,
TS

The Grinch stole my voice.

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.

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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.

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Buckle up.
TS

December 1st

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.

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

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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.

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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...

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.

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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.

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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...

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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...

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

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Phillies win tonight. Nobody in Philadelphia will work tomorrow.

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

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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

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.

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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.

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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...

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

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.

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

Buckle up,
TS

Happy Birthday...

...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.

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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.

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Go Phillies.

Buckle Up,
TS

Why it took me so long...

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.

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

Buckle Up,
TS

Whoa...

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.

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

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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

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...

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.

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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.

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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.

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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...

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...

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...

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.

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

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

Family reunion...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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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.

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

-TS

Knoebel's

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.

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

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Buckle up,
TS

It's too hot to post...

...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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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Buckle up,
TS

Trying to feel like a kid again

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.

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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. :)

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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.

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Buckle up,
TS

WPPA 62

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.

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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.

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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...

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...

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?

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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.

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Buckle up,
TS

TV alert...

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...

...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...

...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...

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...

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.

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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...

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.

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.

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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?

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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.

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

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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...

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.

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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...

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...

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!

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

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...

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...

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!

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...

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.

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

Buckle Up,
TS

Post #100

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

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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.

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

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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...

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

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

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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.

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

Buckle Up,
TS

Random musings...

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.

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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.

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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.

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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. ;)

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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.

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.

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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.

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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...

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

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...

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?
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We're all just blades of grass on the Tiger Woods golf course of life.
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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.
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Buckle Up,
TS

XLII...

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...

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...

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...

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...

...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...

...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