{"id":84563,"date":"2021-03-15T17:08:58","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T17:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=84563"},"modified":"2023-02-17T23:10:36","modified_gmt":"2023-02-17T23:10:36","slug":"normal-closer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/normal-closer\/","title":{"rendered":"Not Normal, But Closer"},"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

Last year, March was far from normal.\u00a0 One year ago, this week, the RCNTV crew was at Martz Hall for the Freedom<\/a>–Reading<\/a> state playoff game.\u00a0 During the game, we heard that March Madness<\/a> had been canceled and at the final buzzer of our game, everyone in the press box looked at one another and came to the conclusion that we had done our final basketball game for this year.\u00a0 We never thought that would include the rest of the high school athletic season.<\/p>\n

Here we are in March of the following year.\u00a0 For me, March is all about sports.\u00a0 There are the wrestling championships in Hershey, the District<\/a> basketball championships, the state basketball playoffs, and the Patriot League<\/a> basketball tournament.<\/p>\n

It is the busiest time of the year, but also the best.\u00a0 More importantly, this past week felt almost normal.\u00a0 The basketball playoffs were held (even that is an important statement) at the PPL Center and we were there to cover them just like years past.\u00a0 We had two games on Monday, three games on Tuesday, and four games on Thursday.\u00a0 We watched, described, and congratulated seven championship teams.<\/p>\n

We saw the Central<\/a> and Allen<\/a> boys\u2019 teams win their 20th<\/sup> district championship.\u00a0 The Bangor<\/a> boys won their first District title in 33 years and the Executive Education Academy<\/a> won for the third consecutive year (every year since their founding).<\/p>\n

On the girls\u2019 side, Nazareth<\/a> won for the second straight year; Bethlehem Catholic<\/a> won for the fifth year in a row; Central Catholic won for the first time since 2012 when they had won for 13 straight years; and the Notre Dame<\/a> girls won for the second time in the last three years.<\/p>\n

It all sounds pretty normal, right?\u00a0 Especially in the Covid era.\u00a0 And it was \u2013 great competition at a great venue.\u00a0 There was even a sprinkling of fans allowed to watch the games LIVE at the PPL Center, primarily family and some students.<\/p>\n

Congratulations are in order for the players, coaches, administrators, and organizers for a job well done.<\/p>\n

And then, to top off the week, we sprinkled it a bit of abnormality.\u00a0 On Saturday, on a beautiful fall-like Saturday afternoon, the Lafayette<\/a> football team took the field to play their first game in 476 days.\u00a0 Lafayette has been playing football since 1882.\u00a0 They had never played a meaningful football game in the spring.<\/p>\n

Their opponent, Colgate<\/a>, had not played for 483 days.\u00a0 Ironically, Colgate\u2019s last game was against Lafayette on November 16, 2019.\u00a0 Colgate had beaten Lafayette five years in a row, but this past Saturday, the Leopards won 21-10.\u00a0 They will play three more games in the next three weeks, if Covid stays away.\u00a0 One game, of the three scheduled this week in the Patriot League, was postponed due to Covid protocols.\u00a0 Let\u2019s hope that the season gets played in its entirety.<\/p>\n

With vaccinations, social distancing, and mask-wearing, it appears we are slowly moving towards the life we remember.\u00a0 Normal?\u00a0 Probably not the same, but right now, March is beginning to look a little bit like\u2026oh, I don\u2019t know – March?<\/p>\n

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

    \n
  1. So you are not surprised, the state basketball playoffs this year will be significantly reduced. The playoffs will only have the District champions participating.\u00a0 The number of playoff participants was significantly reduced due to the pandemic. In the past, many districts would have multiple teams in the state brackets.\u00a0 Not this year.\u00a0 Champions will be crowned the weekend of March 26 and 27.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Speaking of championships, there was a time when I would bring the District swimming finals; I vividly remember the first time I was asked to do it. I had never seen a swim meet, so I wore my customary coat and tie to the event, not knowing that a natatorium is much like a sauna.\u00a0 In addition, I was positioned at the highest point in the venue, which is, also, the hottest.\u00a0 I think I lost about twenty pounds that day.\u00a0 I never dressed up for that event again (nor did I ever lose twenty pounds again).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. The Phillies<\/a> home opener is April 1 vs. the Braves. Approximately 8,600 fans will be allowed to attend the games at Citizens Bank Park<\/a>. \u00a0There will be seating pods of two, three, or four people and limited groups of five or six.\u00a0 Only the first 19 games will be available for now.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. I wish you all well in your NCAA pool.\u00a0 The brackets came out this weekend.\u00a0 This is the time of the year I usually am embarrassed by the RCN office staff, particularly the women, who somehow end up beating, berating and belittling me.\u00a0 It\u2019s all in fun (I keep telling myself that).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. PIAA state basketball playoffs begin this week. We will bring as many games as we can, considering the Covid protocols we have put into place.\u00a0 Check our website for dates and times of the games.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. Last year, March was far from normal.\u00a0 One year ago, this week, the RCNTV crew was at Martz Hall for the Freedom–Reading state playoff…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"Yoast SEO Relevanssi index exclude","inline_featured_image":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-behind-the-mic"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNot Normal, But Closer - ATVN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Not Normal, But Closer - ATVN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. 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