{"id":75515,"date":"2014-06-25T14:32:15","date_gmt":"2014-06-25T14:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rcntv.rcn.com\/?p=75515"},"modified":"2014-06-25T14:32:15","modified_gmt":"2014-06-25T14:32:15","slug":"the-sportstalk-shop-all-star-football-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/the-sportstalk-shop-all-star-football-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"The SportsTalk Shop: All-Star Football Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Thursday marks the official end to the 2013-14 scholastic sports calendar year\u2014the McDonald\u2019s All-Star High School Football Game<\/a>–played each year at Nazareth\u2019s Andrew Leh Stadium. It is a special time as we honor our local gridiron stars one final time (for those not playing at the collegiate level) and the event raises money for a great cause.<\/p>\n

While football is extremely competitive in the Eastern Pennsylvania region, this game is special because it showcases talented athletes one more time and, in many cases, makes long-time rivals, teammates. The one reoccurring comment that I hear year after year about this game is the memories that are created by playing in this contest. By combining one team\u2019s great players with another’s great players, they have an opportunity to truly admire each other\u2019s talents, can talk about how they gained their skills and share stories from their high school careers. There are many friendships forged during the weeks leading up to this game, and many student-athletes enjoy the on-field banter that takes place with new teammates. Friendships also develop with the players they are playing against for this game\u2014sometimes facing athletes they have never had a chance to see up-close-and-personal during their careers.<\/p>\n

For many athletes, it can be a sacrifice\u2026giving up your first few weeks of summer vacation or summer college prep classes, practicing in pads and equipment in 90-degree heat, getting yelled at by coaches (although not nearly as loud as in the fall) when you run the wrong play in practice, et al. But to a man, I\u2019ve never heard any athlete say that he did not enjoy participating in this event.<\/p>\n

Here are a few thoughts from the participating coaches and players on how they\u2019ll approach this year\u2019s contest, and then I have a few areas to concentrate on for the game itself.<\/p>\n