Behind the Mike, FB '07

Behind the Mike
Football 2007

Mike Tos, long-time Conwell-Egan statistician and supporter beyond belief of the program, has again volunteered to offer weekly thoughts on the season. He has a Sahara-dry sense of humor, and he's also a champion cube-buster, so keep that in mind as you read his comments. He especially enjoys Steve Slaton-Curtis Brinkley debates with Huck (smile).
Mike has missed just TWO games in C-E/Egan's FB history.
He may be reached at banthepit@yahoo.com.

NOV. 26
POST-THANKSGIVING CHATTER
It felt like September on Thanksgiving. Warm weather BUT hotter football. We had a tease on Wednesday when Carroll beat Bonner, 42-14. Score was 34-0 at the half. But going for 2 when 40-7 in the 3rd? Why rush it? Did someone have a date?? The Machine rolled to a 33-6 win over Malvern. Would have been shocked if had been CLOSE . . . Saturday afternoon will validate their season. How would they fare in the PIAA Playoffs?? I think they would go head to head with Pittsburgh Central Catholic, who handled them a few years back [watched it on TV; was not HAPPY]. Their opponent, Roman, tuned up with a 49-20 win over Roxborough. It seemed they used their franchise, Balial Lewis Sloan-El, sparingly, but he will be ready for St. Joe's and should not be treated lightly. Ryan made a statement for the PCL with a 26-14 win over Washington. It was a testament to how tough the PCL Red is. Best proof of their motivation: down 0-14 rallied to win. I'm sure Coach Galeone did some talking to get things rolling. It's the competitor in him and team PRIDE . . . Judge cruised over Lincoln, 42-6. Is this a sign of 2008, when I am sure they will be mentioned as a Title contender? . . . North ran into a buzz-saw in Frankford. Down 0-32 at the half, the Falcons rebounded but could not get back in it. Congratulations to Terrell Oglesby for breaking North's rushing record for a season . . . La Salle-McDevitt: Well, it's official. The Royal Lancers finished a Turkey Game. START OF A GREAT RIVALRY!!! . . . The battle of Levittown went to Truman over Conwell-Egan, 32-12. Many returnees for the Eagles, but must work hard to get ready for 2008 . . . Have to salute the great coverage of the holiday games by the media. MR. DOT COM did yeoman service. TV, crowds responded to a GREAT TRADITION: Thanksgiving Football . . . WELL, it's down to 2 Games. West-Wood: It seems the Burrs have reversed the series. Which team can dictate their offensive style? BIG PLAY Huck-Fluck Catholic features a quick-strike offense and a tough defense. Wood is more varied in the sense they multi-play drive you to death and boast another stingy defense. GREAT game to view. St. Joe's Prep-Roman: Yeah, these 2 were destined to meet. Roman's early hiccup vs. Judge was just that; they beat them in the semis. They have an offense that will be the key to the game. A 2,000-yard rusher in Lewis Sloan-El [congratulations!]. As for the Machine, a loss would truly hurt the image. Great offense, stingy defense. Can it happen? YES. WILL it???? BE THERE to see two TOP TEAMS slug it out . . . Yeah next year a new venue. PIAA Playoffs. Is it good? No, but give it time . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Steve rushed for 54 yards and scored 2 TDs in West Virginia's BCS bowl- clinching, 66-21 win over Connecticut. The win, coupled with various losses, moved the Mountaineers to the brink of the BCS Title Game . . . Syracuse, minus Boonah, was beaten by Cincinnati, 52-31. This week West Virginia hosts Pitt Saturday at 7: 30 on ESPN. Follow the exploits of Steve Slaton on his way to THE game . . . Who is # 1?? No one wants the hot seats of No. 1 or No. 2. Add LSU and Kansas to the We-Were-There Club. Who's Left? West Virginia, Missouri, Ohio State, Mount Union, De la Salle???? (smile). Have to wonder. It just goes to show you, don't lose at the wrong time!! One week at a time. Win and in, lose and out.

NOV. 20
THANKSGIVING CHATTER
Southern-Neumann, Roxborough-Roman, Frankford-North, Washington-Ryan, Lincoln-Judge, Truman/C-E. Rivalries that have strong neighborhood ties. [I just learned about the Southern/N-G cancellation. Tough loss. Sad for seniors of both teams.]. We have some new ones this year: Bonner-Carroll and McDevitt-La Salle. Tey may now be in different divisions, but no love between them through the years. PLUS, we have the battle of the Machines. Catholic vs. Inter-Ac. SJP-Malvern. Go get 'em, Coach Brooks . . . Thanksgiving is a day that needs good crowds, good weather and alumni who return each year to remember their time and meet their friends. If you went 14-1 and lose on Turkey Day, the season leaves a sour taste and you feel like a paper champion. . . Some Turkey Memories of the Past: Seeing Al Pezzola of Egan score 37 points vs. Wilson in 1961; Over 13,000 fans witness Egan-Wilson play a 14-14 tie in 1970; the Browns-Ravens FG incident this past Sunday brought back memories of the game [took points from Egan] when Judge lost to Lincoln 4 days after the Fumble in 1983; reading some of the Neumann scores over Southern [pre-mercy rule]; Frankford dynasty of championships BUT the North upset wins making the titles bittersweet; always do the neighborhoods argue-talk about Past Games . . . For some it will be the last game you'll ever play. It will stick with you forever, WIN OR LOSE. Enjoy one last Hurrah at Turkey Football . . . Aug. 29 starts the FUN in 2008 and teams will work from Monday on to get ready . . . I'll let PCL Moderator Pat Manzi release the Schedule . . . Hard to believe a Chatter without a mention of Steve Slaton. It's my hope that # 10 will be in the BCS Title Game.

NOV. 19
WEEK 12 CHATTER
It's no surprise that the Machine and West reached the title games. SJP left no doubt with their 35-0 win over O'Hara. THE only thing to remember: Those points don't count 2 weekends from now. 2006's most shocking moment was La Salle winning PCL Red over Prep. It could happen again, but motivation will not be lacking for the Machine . . . How good is West Catholic? Do they have Red Division talent in the so-called inferior Blue Division?!! 48-14 over McDevitt. Do the Burrs have weaknesses? ABSOLUTELY!!! But can they be exploited? Yes and no. Yes, if you can control the game with points on offense. No, if you can't handle speed. Their last Blue Division loss was to Conwell-Egan, who on that night put 4 TDs on the board and controlled the tempo of the game. The Burrs adjusted in the semis with BIG plays and speed . . . West's future opponent, Archbishop Wood, overcame an early deficit to beat Carroll, 41-17. Timely play by the defense, creating 6 turnovers plus executing an onside kick, brought the Vikings to their 5th straight title meeting with West . . . Roman avenged a loss to Judge by beating the Crusaders, 35-10. Solid running by Lewis Sloan-El powered the Cahillites. Their task with the Prep is not easy. Being outscored, 117-6, in the last 3 meetings shows the magnitude of their task ahead. But it CAN be done and HAS been done in the past. AND Roman has the talent to achieve i . . . Hot teams: he 4 teams who remain in the playoffs. But anyone who has a game left is hot. To the 5 CL schools who are not playing on Turkey Day, strive to get involved. It's a unique day to play. All have played before and they should do it again. EVEN involved in State playoffs. PLAY the game whether convenient or not . . . Have to salute Washington and Frankford for THEIR commitment to the game. Please do not pull what Wood did . . . MAKE OR BREAK WEEK: Yes, Mr. Palmer, it's time to make your move against Pucklehead. The THREEPEAT is imminent. If you don't make up the ground, you are looking at a L-O-N-G winter of studying rosters, picking your Top 50 and watching Burr Basketball, PLUS thinking about what went WRONG. For the good of your sanity and Huck-Fluck Catholic, get 'er done!! . . . WHO will play for the National Championship? If your name began with an O, you were in trouble as Ohio State, Oregon and Oklahoma stumbled. Will LSU ride out the season? Who will fall between Kansas and Missouri? [at 8 ABC] . . . ATTENTION: La Salle University. Losing to St. Francis, 51-10, is unacceptable. Being ranked at the bottom of the Sagrin Ratings is SAD Time to work and Correct IT!! Note to Administration: BRING BACK Jim Harding!! . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: The big game in Cincinnati was won by WVU, 28-23, as Steve ran for 103 yards and a TD. Syracuse was beaten by Connecticut, 30-7. Boonah still out. This Saturday Syracuse hosts Cincinnati at 7:15 while West Virginia hosts Connecticut for the BIG EAST TITLE Saturday at Noon. Follow the exploits of the PCL'S most prolific runners . . . Overlooked Football Gaffe of last weekend: The failure of any paper to interview Miami Dolphins Special Teams Assistant Coach Keith Armstrong [Egan ALL -CATHOLIC 1981] when they were in town.

NOV. 12
WEEK 11 CHATTER
The seeds hold, no upsets, the matchups are set: Roman-Judge, Carroll-Wood, St. Joe's Prep-O'Hara, McDevitt-West. Looking back at the 1st round games, I must commend Neumann-Goretti for their comeback. Made Carroll sweat. McDevitt took over the game, no 1st round exit. Roman and O'Hara really came alive and had easy time . . . Lewis Sloan-El is a statman's delight. Real numbers. The 2 Red games are filled with questions. Can the Machine shake O'Hara? A regular season 16-7 win could be a warning of a hiccup or a rout. Roman, the game that propelled the Crusaders into prominence. Can they continue their Dream season? The 2nd time won't be easy. This game will be one to view . . . Blue: Wood-Carroll. What Carroll team will show up? The one that got shut out on Week 1 or the gutty team that took West into OT? Wood is steady, battle tested and ready to make it to the finals for the 5th straight year. West-McDevitt. On paper it looks like a Burr nation happening, but could stumble. McDevitt usually can dictate the tempo of the game, if they can run. West has speed and power and wants to get an early lead. If McDevitt can keep it close early, it could surprise . . . The NUMBERS are dropping in some Blue Division schools. NO freshman teams in 3 of them [KK, CD and N-G]. If you intend to compete, bring OUT the numbers. Without Football, CLOSE your Doors!! Anyone can field basketball teams. It takes time, talent and numbers for football!! . . . RUN and STOP the run. You must stop the Run. It forces the unpredictable pass and won't eat the clock and prevent your offense from operating. 7 on 7 summer scrimmages are popular for Passing. SCRAP IT!! Go with the pads and HIT!! Tune up the blocking and running . . . MIA: The CE cheerleaders. Football is flexible, but it seems you are not. Get a better attitude. Grrrr. . . Ted's RAH-RAH Review. Yeah, the man went over the edge this season [probably too many girlie ads near his articles - smile]. But he has brought a new side to football: the RAH RAHS. Most teams have them. They number from 10 to 40. Loud, chatty. They practice a few days a week. Make signs and cookies. It's what most girls dream to be. Ted started a viewer ratings war between Judge and Ryan when he urged site visitors to view them. He's adding more and more with each week [they are really his diversion from PUCK]. The group shots show numerous smiling young ladies. I will not say I looked at each face, but the one shot that sticks out: The Edison girls and their socks! Don't leave home without them UP!! . . . Slaton-Brinkley: WVU won, 38-31, over Louisville. Steve rushed for 1 TD and 60 yards. Syracuse lost to South Florida, 41-10. This weekend Syracuse travels to Connecticut, noon, while West Virginia travels to red hot Cincinnati, 7: 45. Follow the exploits of Steve Slaton throughout the year. Boonah, do the rehab and get back on the field . . . WHO'S # 1? Ohio State loses. Who is next?? LSU? Kansas? Oregon? Oklahoma? Missouri? West Virginia? Who Knows??!! Every week a new twist . . . Next week: A Preview of Turkey Day clashes or in short don't be one and LOSE!!

NOV. 9
PLAYOFF CHATTER

Yes, it's that time: Win or go home. The playoffs. You can look back at what you did, BUT people know what happens now. Congratulations to the 12 teams. Bask in your glory. Get the program as a keepsake so you can tell your kids about back in the day. The Philadelphia Catholic League is one storied in its history and tradition. Look at Ted's list of NFL Players. Most recall their High School days with pride. Kevin Jones, in a recent interview, recalled his days at O'Hara . . . Of the 16 teams now playing, all have won league titles except KK/Kenrick, who can boast of 4 division crowns [71, '72, '93, '95] . . . Growing up I heard about the great Roman team of 47 from my dad [who, of course,went to Roman]. When I was a junior, Egan joined the Catholic League and won the title in their 1st year. Football at Egan was the only thing that mattered in athletics AND STILL IS. Successful football unites a community. An unexpected loss is a knife to the stomach . . . In my mind the best 2 non playoff teams were Ryan 1979 and Egan 1980. Teams that lost 1 game all year but NO PLAYOFFS. Every team has had their day. West in the '40's (pre-Huck), Bonner, LaSalle and North in the 50's, Egan in the 60's. O'Hara, Wood, Carroll in the 70's, Judge, McDevitt in the 80's, Ryan, LaSalle, St. Joe's in the 90's, St. Joe's, West and Wood presently . . . Individual stars, few if any titles. The PCL's only Heisman winner, John Capelletti of Bonner, did not win a title. Steve Slaton, Curtis Brinkley. ZERO titles. Marvin Harrison, ditto. Like I said, the Catholic League has history, great coaches, loyal fans . . . Who are some of the great coaches: Dick Bedesem, Gil Brooks, Tex Flannery, Whitey Sullivan, John Quinn, Bob Ewing, Pat Manzi to name a few. All have won the BIG one and lost also. If you played, you follow your team for life If someone breaks a record you hold, you are there to congratulate them. A every reunion, you don't talk about Algebra classes. It's the GAMES, the PLAYS, the EXCITEMENT, THE PLAQUE. Good Luck, Gentlemen . . . ...IT'S YOUR TIME!!!

NOV. 6
WEEK 10 CHATTER
DEDICATION: to John "Tex" Flannery, Mr. La Salle. A Catholic League GIANT, a man who was a friend, coach and mentor to many. May God rest your soul . . . Congratulations to St. Joe's Prep and West Catholic for winning their divisions. The number is 55 regular season wins for the Machine. Their incentive is to WIN the title that eluded them last year.The Burrs rallied to beat Wood with a consistent 2nd half attack. It was their 11th regular season Blue win. How good is West? Well, powerhouse Neshaminy ran when faced with them. Saw both teams. Tough game. Speed to the Burrs. Up-front strength to the Redskins, which would tilt the game their way . . . Big wins by North, 25-7, over Judge. The Falcons snare a big one. Carroll 39, Conwell-Egan 13. Good balanced attack by the Patriots. Two runners over 100 yards . . . Playoffs: Could be the last year of 6 and 6. Good and bad. O'Hara-La Salle. The Lions won last week, but history of back-to-back games gives the losing team a good shot. The score is 0-0 right now. Will the champs make a stand? Roman-North. Roman has many weapons. Has to put Prep behind them. North is on a high after the big Judge win. Falcons could surprise and get a date with the Machine. McDevitt-Kennedy- Kenrick. First game had a controversial ending. Lancers are on a roll Surprised the game not at Truman. Carroll/Neumann-Goretti. Might be easiest of the 4, but the bottom line is you BETTER come to play . . . Who will be strong in 2008? Anyone who works as a team to better themselves. ALWAYS someone jumps up and is improved and wins 1 or more games that, on paper, looked like no-chance jobs . . . HOT TEAMS: All 12 in the Playoffs!! . . . Slaton-Brinkley: Well, time for Louisville. Both teams will have no trouble getting ready for this game. Big game for redemption for the Mountaineers. THURSDAY, 7:30, ESPN. Syracuse lost a tough 20-17 game to Pitt. They host South Florida Saturday NOON. Follow the exploits of Steve Slaton as the year unfolds, Boonah, get well!! . . . HAVE TO WONDER when the league honchos will crack down on transfers that go from league to league schools no sitting. Then we have school to out of school and back to school. Second move should be a period of inactivity. Using no tuition as a provision of inactivity not acceptable. Use Monday before the openers as a deadline and stick to it. Not fair to team . . .

OCT. 29
WEEK NINE CHATTER
The teams are IN, the matchups still need to be finalized. Two teams clinched their spots in the playoffs coming from behind. North rallied from a 9-point deficit to beat Ryan, 21-16, with T.O. scoring 2 for the Falcons (not an easy 1st round opponent). 0:10. NO, not Steve Slaton's time in the mile. It's the time left that Neumann-Goretti punched their ticket into the playoffs with an 18-play, 85-yard drive. Check my history later. Might label it as THE drive by an opponent . . . To the Egan Senior Five. Thanks for quality, not quantity . . . Is anything known about the playoffs? YES, only West and Wood have byes. What about the Machine, you asked? No bye yet. If they lose to Roman, 27-12, They are 3rd, not 1st . . . It's refreshing to see the rushing numbers of the Red Division. Usually the Blue has the rushing superstars. How good is Balial Lewis Sloan-El of Roman? Well, BEAT the Machine and you will leave your mark . . . Judge, 33-0 over O'Hara. WHEW! Are you gearing up for Battle #2 with the Machine. Just be careful you don't trip over Lincoln. It has happened before!! . . . ATTENTION, Mr. DOT COM. Matt Ryan over Steve Slaton for the Heisman? Ha, ha, ha. If BC had Slaton on their schedule, Ryan would be living on borrowed time . . . Congratulations to K-K for making the playoffs. A FAR cry from '06. Hard Work, desire and talent can get it done . . . A GREAT new addition to the web site is Ted's RAH RAH Review, showing another part of the football scene. Have Camera, Will Click!! Rumor has Kraft Cheese is in negotiations to be a MAJOR Corporate Sponsor of the site. What's next? Pucker up with PUCK!!!! . . . Wow, the great escape by West Catholic: 29-21 in OT over Carroll. Rather be lucky than good or ARE the Burrs running out of GAS??!! The West-Wood game is a MUST-SEE EVENT as is Machine-Roman . . . HOT TEAMS: SJP, West, Judge, Wood, Roman. Improved Teams: KK . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Boonah suffered a broken leg and is out for the season. Steve Slaton scored 3 TDs in WVU's 31-3 win over Rutgers. He even returned a kickoff 23 yards. One thing to say: was not caught by the KICKER . . . This week Syracuse travels to Pitt. West Virginia has a BIG BCS date with Bye . . . Follow the exploits of Slaton through the season Miracle in Blacksburg: Matt Ryan over Virginia Tech. Reality in Piscataway: Steve Slaton, say goodbye to USC [the Trojans and the USC Gamecocks], Penn State, USF, Ray Rice and The Colorado Rockies.

OCT. 22
WEEK EIGHT CHATTER
Two weeks until the playoffs and two Big upcoming games: Ryan-North and CE-NG. In the latter game the winner is in. IF Ryan wins the last 2, they are in. While the odds are stacked against a 6th running the table, it is not impossible. KK made a giant step to the postseason with a 21-0 win over Neumann-Goretti. SJP moves on: a 16-7 win over O'Hara. Not a rout, but a test. Wood looks ready for West. Multiple weapons on offense, plus a strong defense. Should be a classic. West has big-play players while Wood counters with ball control. For the Prep to run the table, it needs not to let up vs. Bonner and Roman plus the playoffs to be # 1. Draw YOUR own conclusions on the MVPs, but continue to watch . . . Senior Day is a nice tradition. Introductions of players and their parents. ATTEND EARLY and witness the ceremony. Schools also honor cheerleaders and band seniors . . . Missing In Action: Conwell-Egan cheerleaders at the Wood game. Grrrrrrrrr. No excuses. Get your priorities straight, but you weren't ALONE!! . . . The noose TIGHTENS. Could we be witnessing a choke by Puck? He's retreating, although we must not dismiss him. Huck has never been known as Mr. November!! . . . Hot Teams: SJP, West, Wood, Judge, Roman. Improved Teams: O'Hara, Carroll, KK. Teams to be Heard From: Dougherty, Bonner, N-G . . . Attention CN8: Where is the Blue Division Title Game on your schedule? Kudos for the Red, but the Blue should also be shown . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Both were in the W column over the weekend. West Virginia won, 38-14, over Mississippi State and Syracuse won, 20-12, over Buffalo. Steve had 127 yards rushing and set the WVU record for rushing touchdowns. He has 43 (and 47 overall) in his career. Boonah rushed for 40 yards in the Orange win before suffering a broken leg. This week West Virginia travels to Rutgers Saturday NOON on ABC. Can RU stop the SLATON?? All the best to Boonah as he recovers! . . . Who is #1? Ohio State, LSU, Boston College, USC, West Virginia, Oklahoma or maybe Mount Union. Surprise of the Year: Arizona State Can they keep it up? WHO ARE THEY??

OCT. 15
WEEK SEVEN CHATTER

HO HUM, another week . . . A shutout by Wood, The Machine levels another foe, Northeast hosts an exciting doubleheader, Bonner shows life, KK's woes escalate . . . 4 Shutouts by the Vikings in Blue play. Unexpected and something to note. Could they go into the West game unscored upon? Something to think about . . . St. Joe's Prep put it into another gear and beat North. With Roman's loss to Judge, they move closer to a bye . . . Yes, Northeast was a good place to be on Saturday. CE 31, Dougherty 27. Great drama, spirited effort by Joe Tretter of CE and Braheem Carroll of CD. The one-haned 2-point catch by John Chuba of CE was UNREAL. The Judge-Roman nightcap was a battle of powers. The Crusaders made a statement and catch them if you can. Now the Cahillites must rebound to get to the Red Title Game . . . Bonner lost, BUT they are starting to turn it around. No bye in your schedule . . . La Salle picked up a needed win. Can they mount a drive to REPEAT? Time will tell . . . KK was 4-0 early and started league play with big win @ CE. Needs at least 1 more to make the playoffs . . . Big wins by O'Hara and West. Do the Burrs have any depth. If so, they do not get needed time . . . It's not early to speculate about 2008. With the advent of PCL participation in the PIAA next season, it will be good for football and with its different classes and there could be multiple teams to follow. Lansdale Catholic will be new and has won a PIAA title. The downside: fewer teams in the PCL Playoffs -- 4 in each division or classification (yet to be determined) . . . Some sports will suffer: fewer games in baseball and softball. The number is LUDICROUS. They need to up the total. If no movement, then they need to weaken the state playoffs. If a movement gets supported by District 1, change could be forced. You will have BIG-TIME competition in Football, B and G Basketball, Softball and Lacrosse. How they adjust remains to be SEEN . . . HOT TEAMS: SJP, Judge, West, Wood, Roman. Improved Teams: O'Hara, Carroll, KK. Teams to be Heard from: Bonner, Dougherty, NG . . . BCS POLL: Ohio State and South Florida in Title game. Need a playoff of 16 teams. Too many hit or miss the other way . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Boonah had a big game vs. Rutgers, rushing for 98 yards and a TD. West Virginia had a bye this weekend. West Virginia plays host to Mississippi State and Buffalo visits Syracuse; both games on Saturday . . . Congratulations to the Temple Owls. 2 in a row . . . Boise State 69, Nevada 67. 4 OTs!! They have blue turf, but need a 3-pt shooter . . . Read with avid interest the story in the Daily Orange on SLATON-BRINKLEY and Coach Brian Fluck's assessment of the two. OF COURSE I DISAGREE!! (smile). All I will say: they are 2 great players but no way would I ever take Brinkley over Steve. If John Quinn and Kevin Kelly gave Steve all of Boonah's carries, we'd be looking at the 1st 10,000 yard rusher. Many a half he was a DNP.

OCT. 8
WEEK SIX CHATTER

Three weeks into the league and there are things to observe . . .
RED: Judge is for REAL. Yeah, we had indications when they opened with a W over CR North. Their continued success has only enhanced the PCL Red. Some people may say the BIG 2 [SJP-Roman] are too strong. Well, it takes just 4 bad quarters and the "U" word jumps up. How good are the Big 2? WOW!! SJP has 2 losses due to their drive for a strong non- league schedule. They have the bodies, and a balance of solid running and passing, plus good defense. Can I anoint them a rubber-stamp favorite? NO. Look at last year. They have lost to good but inferior teams at critical and strange times. Is Roman inferior? Not in my eyes. The Cahillites are solid: great running (a 1,000-yard rusher already) and a strong defense. Only there is one LINGERING question. The last 2 years vs. SJP produced lopsided losses. Plus, they still have to play Judge and La Salle. Can they win it? YES, but until they go and have tough competitive numbers with SJP, the jury is still OUT . . . Let's look at the next level: O'Hara, La Salle and North. All 3 are good teams that are not a sure thing for postseason action. Yes, O'Hara is improved and plays a follow-the-Prep non-league schedule. Are they now 4th? Maybe, but they are closer to 5, 6, 7 than 3. La Salle is the defending champ, but a loss to Ryan would have put them on the critical list. Look for an improved 2nd half. In 2006, North was Team Head Turner. The Falcons are still good, but are having trouble duplicating their success. Need an eye-opening win in the 2nd half. Are Bonner and Ryan the next level? Yes and no. Bonner is improved, but not yet there. Ryan opened with a BIG win at Pennsbury and also has a W over Wood. Could get in with a 3-1 2nd half. Keep watching. This division is always a TREAT. Any game.
BLUE: West and Wood. The Burrs return a lot, bring a lot and expect a lot. They have quickness and experience, and are still young. Next year they might be the 1st PCL State Champion. But there are questions that must be answered on the field and OFF!!! As for Wood, the Vikings have not missed a beat with the coaching change. Good offense and solid defense, and they have the hunger of not being the CHAMPION. If it's a 2-team race, the underdog CAN and MIGHT get it done . . . Carroll was sailing smoothly until losing, 30-0, to Wood. Perhaps they belong, but they need to compete with West in the 2nd half . . . McDevitt/Kennedy-Kenrick. Both eked out wins over Conwell-Egan. Lancers' win over KK could nail down the 4th slot . . . N-G, Dougherty,CE: All are struggling. How big is the Dougherty-CE game this Saturday? The loser will need a bigger miracle than Lourdes to make the playoffs. Loss of star WR Ryan Golin not easy to overcome for CE. His numbers would have made him an all-timer. Neumann-Goretti needs at least one more win to make it.
Big games this weekend. All 8 are worth the view. You could spend Saturday at Northeast and see TWO good games, CE-Dougherty at 1 and Judge-Roman at 6, plus add a Sunday tilt. HOT TEAMS: Roman, SJP, West, Wood, Judge. Improved Teams: Carroll, KK, O'Hara. Teams to be heard from: Conwell-Egan, Dougherty, Bonner . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Yes, the annual meeting was on Saturday. West Virginia won, 55-14. Boonah scored the 1st touchdown while Steve contributed 120 yards of offense. This week Rutgers travels to Syracuse (Saturday noon) while West Virginia has a bye . . . PET PEEVE: DELCO 5 in the Daily News. Cover all the suburbs, not just DELCO. It is nice, though, to have a full suburban schedule in the paper. ATTENTION GRABBER: Lansdale Catholic losing to Pottstown, UNBELIEVABLE.

OCT. 1
WEEK FIVE CHATTER

Regularly scheduled campus football? Not a makeshift rainout? Do not what the problem was, but the thought of it is not a good image for the league. TOO many daylight games in the Red [happy all 4 are at night this weekend]. Probably site problems, but high school football's appeal is at night and if you think you have the best collection of teams in a division, you opt for night battles . . . When will the Machine lose a Red regular season game? 50 games is a special streak . . . Nice to read the comments of Kevin Jones, when he came to town with the Lions, about his memory of the O'Hara title win over the Prep. I saw the game and he was unreal. When you think of special Catholic players, he's RIGHT THERE!! . . . Congratulations to Ryan Golin of Conwell-Egan on his 15-catch performance vs. McDevitt. Do not dismiss him because of team record or division. He's worth the view. Can flat-out PLAY . . . How good is West Catholic? Seems like class of the Blue; maybe top 4 of the league. But remember 7-74. One of the classless things I ever saw was a Homecoming in 2000, when the team did not go to the locker room at halftime of homecoming. NO RESPECT for the game or opponent. You look at all 16 teams in this league, the highs and lows of each, but the one thing in common: respect and tradition . . . At 4: 34 on Sunday, the Phils won the NL East Title. Have to hand it to them. WHAT A SEASON!! The 4:34 BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES OF Steve Slaton. 434 points scored at Conwell-Egan and his time in the 40 [that's right, Huck, Slaton is EVERYWHERE] . . . 58 points scored by future CL member Lansdale Catholic. Your numbers are UNREAL. Lansdale-West is a game that would be a battle to fantasize . . . Great weekend of football this weekend: SJP-Ryan, LS-Judge, North-Bonner, O'Hara-Roman, CE-West, MD-KK, Carroll-N-G and Wood-CD. Go out and see a game or three . . . HOT TEAMS: SJP, Roman, West, Wood. Improved Teams: Judge, K-K, Carroll. Teams to be Heard From: CE, Dougherty, Bonner . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: both lost; West Virginia to South Florida and Syracuse to Miami [Ohio]. This weekend they will collide at noon when West Virginia travels to Syracuse. Tune in and follow the Catholic League's 2 Most prolific backs . . . Question to ponder: Why is it that offense seems down this year? Is it because rushing numbers are down also?

SEPT. 24
WEEK FOUR CHATTER

PAYBACKS: One game took 304 days to avenge. The other took 20 years, 2 days, but victory was sweet . . . St. Joe's 48, La Salle 7: The Machine rolls and is in gear. Two special team returns for TDs by Jim McGoldrick sparked the Hawks. Just remember if you stay clear of playing on Nov. 24, you have a shot . . . It's been 20 years since Kenrick beat Egan [35-8, 9-19-87] but Friday they climbed out of a 18-6 deficit to win, 27-18 . . . That is 4-0 overall, but more important gives them a Blue win. Must credit Greg Santangelo for his 3 touchdowns . . . Tough luck for CE's Joe Tretter, who had 2 TDs in 16 minutes before being injured. . . Big win by JUDGE, 24-0 over Ryan. Yeah you were starting to flex your muscles last year. ARE you the 2007 hype team? Time will tell. Rough day for Ryan but they will be back . . .

Wood 30, Carroll 0: No surprise with the winner, just the size of the score. The Vikings seem poised to make a return to glory . . . West 35, McDevitt 6: THE Burr Nation opens defense of their title. THEY WILL BE TOUGH, BUT MUST PRODUCE EVERY WEEK . . . Roman 31, North 0: An unexpected blow out. The Machine-Roman is in the last week of games. You can tell big curiosity and interest in the games . . . CE-KK: Since it was an only game, I saw Blue players and coaches flock to it. Yeah, the fever spreads. Everyone wants to see other teams. It's what makes the Catholic League unique. GREAT publicity and tradition, and if you play you follow all 15 other teams. Oh, yeah, LC, can you play games in the 7-6 mode? Your O must be tremendous. There are 8 more must-see games this weekend. Get out and see 1 or 3. If KK beats West [wow] . . . Hot TEAMS: Roman, Judge, SJP, West, Wood, K-K . . . Improved Teams: Ryan, Carroll, North, La Salle, O'Hara, N-G. Teams to be heard from: C-E, McDevitt, Bonner, Dougherty. SLATON-BRINKLEY: he BIG news was made by Syracuse in their 38-35 win over Louisville. Curtis "Boonah" Brinkley led the Orange in rushing with 53 yards. Steve Slaton for 110 yards and 1 TD in West Virginia's 48-7 win over East Carolina. Steve tied WEST VIRGINIA'S all time record of 42 rushing TDs! Big Game Friday night as West Virginia travels to South Florida (8 PM ESPN) while Syracuse travels to play Miami [Saturday] at 1 pm. Follow the two most prolific rushers in PCL history as next week they go head to head. ATTENTION RAH-RAHS: Keep working hard. Schools that have them are Blessed with Spirit and hard working groups. KEEP THIS IN MIND: The Game is the REASON you are there and don't forget it . . . GOOD LUCK to Charlie Manuel and the Phillies. MAKE THE PLAYOFFS HAPPEN. Your Season is unreal. YOU NEVER SAY DIE!!! . . . Media: On Eagles 75th Anniversary Greatest Plays. Yes, you list some great ones but BOTH lists neglected the #1 play why the Eagles won the 1960 NFL championship. Oct. 23 Bobby Walston kicks a 38 yard FG with 21 seconds to go to beat Cleveland. NO FG, NO TITLE!!!
Trivia . . .

1] WHO WAS THE REIGNING CITY CHAMPION THE YEAR THEY MOVED THE GOAL POSTS TO THE END LINE?
2] LSU pulled a fake field goal for a TD on Saturday. In 2002, a Blue team pulled the same play on an X-P and it was disallowed. Who were the 2 teams?
3] Who is Bob Zupcic and how does he figure in this week's games?
4] Name the 2 teams who have never won a Division Title [regular season, North-South, Red-Blue]?
5] WHAT 2 teams played in the 1st Division Title Playoff?
6] Name the year of the only PCL Title OT Game?
XP] Who kicked the 1st extra point for Egan in PCL play?
Go for 2] Who coached Ryan in the 1985 PCL Title Game?
BONUS] Who played in the 1st crossover championship? Why was the matchup unusual?
TRIVIA DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Not so Tricky [fair]

SEPT. 17
WEEK THREE CHATTER

FORGET THE PAST: We have some great stories in '07. The revival of K-K, but it will be like yesterday's news if you lose to Conwell-Egan on Friday night. The Eagles started 0-3 last year and came out strong at the Blue bell. Wood-Carroll. Remember last year when the Vikings came back from the dead? Carroll is improved, but can their defense hold Wood? It's a big start to the season. Yeah, we must salute the Burrs of West [a k a Huck-Fluck Catholic] for their BIG win over La Salle. It seems the Burrs can back up the talk, but a stumble early puts all talk on the back burner. There is a PULSE to the Prep Machine. 61-7 over Paul VI (Va.). Just in time for the WALLET BOWL vs. La Salle [the defending Red champion]. When they dropped the Turkey Bowl, this game became the WORLD or $$$$ bragging rights. There is the battle of the 3-0 teams, Roman-North. The only downer: the game is at Frankford. It should be at a bigger, better venue . . . TALK about opening game upsets of defending champions. 1964: McDevitt 22, Egan 8 [the previous 2 games Egan had beaten them by a combined 118-6]; 1969: La Salle beat Dougherty; 1970: McDevitt tied Egan, 12-12; 1971: Kenrick beat Egan, 7-0; 1973: Egan beat Kenrick, 14-8; 1976: Egan beat Judge, 7-6; and the biggie in 1988: EGAN 17, McDevitt 7, breaking the Royal Lancers' 23-game, on-the-field winning streak. So, it can be done and HAS BEEN DONE . . . Did you like the double week of 2-A-DAYS for the 1st time in 2. Is it better? Well, it's not going to change . . . HOT TEAMS: K-K, North, Roman, West, SJP, Carroll, Judge. IMPROVED: Wood, Ryan, O'Hara, Dougherty, La Salle. TEAMS to be heard from: C-E, McDevitt, Bonner, N-G . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Both had good stat weekends. Boonah had 142 yards offense in Syracuse's 41-20 loss to Illinois while Steve scored 3 TDs in West Virginia's 31- 14 win over Maryland. He had 137 yards rushing. Both are in action on Saturday as Syracuse travels to Louisville and West Virginia hosts East Carolina. Both games are at noon. BIGGEST Disappointment on college football weekend: Kentucky's 40- 34 win over Louisville. As it was, Louisville was just 53 days away from an L delivered by SLATON on Nov. 8 . . . Note to Huck and Puck: Separation is the key or kiss, kiss . . . Condolences to the PUCK limo driver.
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SEPT. 3
WEEK ONE CHATTER
The numbers are in: some surprises, some no response. K-K 41, Bristol 35. Big win for the Wolverines and what a massive offensive line (275 average). They were impressive. They scored on the ground, via the air and on good special team returns. 401 total offense. Goodbye Norristown cupcake . . . Roman's win over West was a good indication of their power. Up 14-12 at the half, they turned it on in the 2nd half to win 34-18. Word has it the Burrs will be conducting kicking tryouts. But let's not knock the Burrs. A CLASSY move by awarding a Burr jersey # 47 to the family of John Hoban. Good job. Only 1 more thing for you to do in the way of a positive PR move: build a monument to Slaton . . . North Penn 17, SJ Prep 7. A game between the titans. Hard to believe they have lost their last 2. SJP-Don Bosco on Saturday. Another war . . . In non-league games, the Blue was 4-4 while the Red was 6-2. Eye openers that have put the PCL Red in the Catbird Seat: RYAN 26, Pennsbury 14, and Judge 28, CR-North 10. Good job. Of the 4 CL teams that did not make the playoffs last year, 3 won their opener. If the whole gets better, the Blue will be tough and the Red is still the Red . . . Hot Teams: La Salle, Roman, Ryan, Judge, SJP, Wood. Improved Teams: O'Hara, KK, Dougherty, West, Carroll, North. Teams to be heard from: C-E, N-G, Bonner, McDevitt . . . Rampant rumor of the week: That Puck bet the under in his 2-0 game . . . This is the 50th year of EGAN Football. A year of celebration. Check out the souvenir stand for the T-shirt. Ex-players show your pride by ordering one. Hope to have a photo soon to show you . . . A lot of crap has been written about this being the last PCL year. Forget it and the PIAA. The PCL has class and tradition. The PIAA is fortunate to have us. Good Luck, there will be many PCL State Champions with football, basketball and softball leading the way . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Yes they had different results. Syracuse was beaten by Washington, 42-12. Boonah led his team with 63 yards receiving while West Virginia beat Western Michigan, 62-24. Steve Slaton scored 4 TDs and had 170 yards offense. This weekend's games. Syracuse travels to Iowa on Sat. 8 PM while West Virginia travels to Marshall Sat. 11 AM on ESPN2 . . . Hot games this weekend: La Salle-Malvern, O'Hara-North Penn, St. Joe's-Don Bosco, Roman-Brooklyn Poly, West-Upper Moreland and C-E/North . . . Get out and see football. Teams deserve your support. Everyone has a favorite, but others are worth the view . . .Oh, yes. LC 46 Upper Merion 0. You are being watched. Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32. WOW!!

AUG. 27
READY-TO-PLAY CHATTER
It's time!! Forget two-a-days and crazy, driven coaches who seem never satisfied. GAME WEEK is here. The anticipation; you get to play in front of the world. Personal questions are to be answered. TEAM is under scrutiny. It's time for the fun to begin . . . 2007 Catholic League: The fly on the wall wants to know, WHO will be the impact team? The one that comes from NOWHERE!!!! Lots of good openers: West-Roman, KK-Bristol, Germantown -Dougherty [can't beat those 11 a.m. games], North Penn-The Machine [SJP] Council Rock North -Judge, Pennsbury-Ryan; we can go on and on. All I know is, besides seeing a game or THREE the newspapers and internet will open the world with results. 7-0, 27-20, 41-6 who KNOWS?? Will there be any OT games? An added bonus: the return of Huck and Puck. The anticipation of the picks. What comments will PUCK immortalize or butcher?? Word has it that Huck has broken out in hives and is being treated for hypertension. I have been given license by Mr. DOT COM to comment and review the predictions and the picks . . . SLATON-BRINKLEY: Boonah is 1st in action Friday night vs. Washington at 8 p.m. on ESPN. "Mr. Media" Steve Slaton [on 5 Magazine covers] opens Saturday with Western Michigan at 3:30. Follow the careers of the two most prolific runners in PCL History . . . GAME TIME is fast approaching. EVERY PLAY COUNTS!!! Good Luck!

100 DAYS TO FOOTBALL PRACTICE
Dedication: To TRAVIS MANION, former La Salle football player who was killed in Iraq. God bless you and comfort your family and friends.
100 DAYS until PRACTICE, not much time but time enough to dedicate your efforts to football. Lifting - A MUST. 7 on 7 Drills - a lot to be learned. Never played - learn, as you have the support of your coaches and teammates. There is no I in football - the letter T is for team (NO letter sticks out except S and we'll get to him later) . . . There are 16 schools that field football teams in the PCL. Every one in existence has had moments of glory and YES every one -- for all the glory that Prep, West, Wood and O'Hara have had recently -- I can recall when they were doormats . . . The 3 greatest teams I'VE EVER SEEN -- Egan '66, Dougherty '68 and St. James '72. Are they the best? Maybe. But they worked as a team and had strong coaches/great community support. There is no greater feeling than playing high school night football. YES, I read the book Friday Night Lights. Great book. It has flaws but the DREAM of H.S. football is the theme. It's one game each week and you don't win it on paper and the better team sometimes suffers human breakdowns . . . Who will be strong in 2007? Will the machine recover from its hiccup vs. La Salle in the Red Title Game? Better hurry up. You OPEN with them. La Salle, can you repeat? Yeah, you pulled it off, but to establish yourself you must do it again . . . more to come . . .
PART 2
Roman: will you start strong and gain an advantage early? Never would I say you underachieve, but seize the moment, WORK and MAKE it happen . . . North: THE story of 2006 was GREAT, but it's like reading yesterday's newspaper. MAKE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. Every North grad I know gushed about the Football team. For group sales, see Monica Young . . . O'Hara: You have a hard working staff, BUT the bottom line is you suffered on the field. Work hard and restore the record and pride. You have numbers & talent. Will you succeed? . . . Judge: Stepped up and competed strong with the division. I believe you BEAT the champion. Continue to make strides. The Northeast schools were AWESOME and made the PCL Red the # 1 league in Pennsylvania. . . Ryan: Things are starting to improve on Academy Road. Look for the Raiders to return and CHALLENGE for the title. It's tough, but you see signs of improvement. NO ifs, it will be. We beat -,-,- . . . Bonner: Well, remember the doormat statement? Keep the T-word building, talk up the game. LIVE for the game. It's not easy but HARD TEAMWORK breeds success. . . Before we dive into the Blue Division, we take a Break to establish who is the man to beat in Huck vs. Puck. Will there be a THREEPEAT by the Puckster? Or will the world right itself? It is a known fact that Huck prepares to the limit with names and really takes it seriously. He usually gets an early lead but gets beat on ONE BAD WEEKEND and never recovers. The Puck relies on a 6th sense, plus the millions of contacts he has He's not always on a sane page, but his comments are priceless. SAVE YOUR GAS. A CLASSIC!! THE PREDICTION: The head says Puck but the stomach says Huck. The rivalry needs change or it ceases to be a Rivalry. My 2007 Pick: Huck by 3 games [Please Note: I'm penalizing PUCK 5 games due to an improper Blue Division comment late in 2006].
PART 3
Can West REPEAT? THEY think so and are working hard to realize their dream. Four times they have experienced failure. Their talent pool is impressive, but is it enough? . . . A big question in the Blue is the coaching change at Wood. How quickly will it jumpstart the Vikings or will they slip out of contender status? . . . A team that must continue its upward move is Neumann-Goretti. Can you put more pressure on the top 2, plus be consistent? Sometimes played down to their opposition in '06 . . . There was a moving van at Conwell-Egan this winter trying to replace THREE seniors who contributed almost 3,500 yards offense. All games were fun, but the Eagles must work hard to move onward and upward . . . "Poor tiny McDevitt" is Coach Pat Manzi's tongue-in-cheek assessment of his Lancers every year. The quick aggressive lines and backs then get it done. Could this be a year to return to glory? . . . Since the Carroll gold rush at the beginning of the decade, the Patriots have not challenged except for the 2004 semi vs. West. They possess some people who could bring them back in 2007 . . . Will CD make the playoffs this season? I'm sure that's their goal. Their 5-year improvement will continue; sensible non-league scheduling helps. A few league wins will work wonders . . . A rough year in Norristown is the incentive for the K-K Wolverines to bounce back. It takes a group that seriously works at it. TALK IT UP. NUMBERS HELP BUILD SPIRIT . . . One trivia question for you: What page of a newspaper is most read in South Philadelphia?? [answer Monday].
PART 4
07 things to ponder for '07 . . . 01] Will the move to the PIAA bring a severe reduction or curtail Thanksgiving football 02] Yes, it has already happened. West moved out of its game by Neshaminy; seems the Redskins feared not getting enough points because the Burrs are only AA [then there's the fact they might LOSE. 03] Will pre-season injuries rise sharply due to increase in contact? 04] Let's hope steroids and football don't mix [testing if necessary]. 05] Will the Heisman return to the PCL? 06] Limit 7 p.m. starting time to league games. 07] Will the move into the PIAA bring some professionalism to league Athletic Directors, so that they attend ALL football games both HOME and AWAY?