{"id":83547,"date":"2020-02-24T15:47:42","date_gmt":"2020-02-24T15:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?page_id=83547"},"modified":"2023-03-01T21:43:26","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T21:43:26","slug":"put-coach","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/put-coach\/","title":{"rendered":"Put Me In, Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"

The views expressed in this blog are<\/em> those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I am pretty sure that every kid who plays sports dreams at one time or another of becoming a professional athlete.\u00a0 I know I certainly did.\u00a0 As you get older and compete against better and better athletes, reality, at some point, sets in and you realize there are much better players than you.\u00a0 But it takes a while to sink in.<\/p>\n

I do remember having those aspirations when growing up.\u00a0 I played three sports \u2013 football, basketball, and baseball.\u00a0 As a quarterback it was apparent from the very beginning that I was just average at best.\u00a0 I enjoyed being part of the team.\u00a0 I particularly liked being the center of the action.\u00a0 The play only started when I said so.\u00a0 It also was a very good place to watch the game.\u00a0 Hand the ball off, throw a pass, or keep the ball and run meant I always had a good seat to observe.\u00a0 Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts was my football hero, but I was never going to have his moxie and his ability and it was apparent early on that I had absolutely no future in football.<\/p>\n

It became even clearer in the game of basketball.\u00a0 You just cannot make yourself grow!\u00a0 At 5\u201911\u201d, I could play in the backcourt in high school and in college, but my basketball future would be playing in summer leagues on the playgrounds for as long as I wanted.\u00a0 I went to many college and pro basketball games, but never thought that I could compete against those guys. They were too big, too strong, and too good.<\/p>\n

Baseball was a bit different.\u00a0 When my father and grandfather took me to see the Phillies or the Yankees, I always came away thinking there was a chance.\u00a0 All I wanted to do when we came home from those games was grab my glove and go play catch with my dad.\u00a0 I even felt that way when we returned home at midnight.\u00a0 If I could talk my dad into it, I would have played pitch and catch right away.<\/p>\n

As I got older, I had my most success, athletically, as a pitcher.\u00a0 I did not lose a high school game in my last two years.\u00a0 I was MAC pitcher of the year in college and pitcher of the year in the Blue Mountain League.\u00a0 I played against good (probably not great) competition and, for the most part, I was better.\u00a0 I even got a one-day look from the Pirates.\u00a0 It was one day and led to nothing, but it certainly was nice to feel like \u201cmaybe there was a chance\u201d.\u00a0 It was not to be.\u00a0 I accepted my limits and continued to play any sport for fun.<\/p>\n

Imagine, though, the feeling of David Ayres this past Saturday.\u00a0 He is the Zamboni driver at the Toronto Maple Leafs\u2019 arena.\u00a0 He is, also, the practice goalie for the Leafs.\u00a0 And he was, on Saturday, the stand-by goalie for both teams in case a team had both goalies injured.\u00a0 It happened.\u00a0 The Carolina Hurricanes lost their starter in the first period.\u00a0 Ayres got the call to get dressed.\u00a0 Their backup got injured in the second period.\u00a0 The 42-year-old became the next man up.\u00a0 The first two shots went right past him.\u00a0 The next eight, however, he stopped.\u00a0 The Hurricanes won 6-3 and he became the oldest to win a regular season game.<\/p>\n

Ayres had a kidney transplant 15 years ago and thought he would never play hockey again.\u00a0 He not only played; he made history.\u00a0 By the way, he got paid $500, got to keep his jersey, and, within hours, his replica jersey was being sold to fans.<\/p>\n

Knowing that, I just might go try to find my baseball glove.<\/p>\n

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Do you believe the Phillie Phanatic is 42 years old? So, it stands to reason, he needed a little \u201cplastic surgery\u201d.\u00a0 Much like many of us, his posterior got bigger, his tail turned blue, he got scales under his arms, and his nose got a little shorter.\u00a0 Oh, the pains of growing old.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Dak Prescott, Jameis Winston and 11 other quarterbacks are all free agents. There is a feeding frenzy, I\u2019m sure, right now in various NFL board rooms.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. It is hard to believe, but last year\u2019s NCAA Basketball champion, the Virginia Cavaliers, are not a lock to get into this year\u2019s tournament. Three ACC teams will certainly get in \u2013 Duke, Florida State, Louisville.\u00a0 Virginia is playing better now, but needs to continue their success.\u00a0 You cannot defend your title if you don\u2019t get in.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. How can the 76ers have the best home record in the league and a 9-20 record on the road? Same players, same game \u2013 different results.\u00a0 Mind-boggling!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. Here are the TV games for this week:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            • Tuesday, Feb. 25:<\/strong> 6:00pm \u2013 Bethlehem Catholic vs Tamaqua; Central Catholic vs Wilson; Girls \u2013 Freedom vs Pocono Mountain West; Nazareth vs Parkland<\/li>\n
            • Wednesday, Feb. 26<\/strong>: 6:00pm \u2013 Easton vs Northampton; Allen vs Freedom on Channel 4<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              7<\/strong>:00pm \u2013 American vs Lafayette women<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Friday, Feb. 28<\/strong>: TBD\n
                  \n
                • Saturday, Feb. 22<\/strong>: TBD<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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