Breaking Bad's series finale last week was good, really good.
I came late to the "Breaking Bad" party, but I am glad I got inside the door before the series ended. Great television.
Sunday nights won't be the same for me.
Maybe, if I get a chance, I will fill the void by seeing some movies -- even though most require a second mortgage unless you wait until they get to the Roxy or Emmaus theaters -- and one I'd to see is "Parkland."
Yeah, I know what many are saying: "Of course, Groller, you want to go see Parkland; you always want to see Parkland."
As a newspaper, we've often been accused of favoring Parkland, and even when I use stats to refute that claim, no one believes me.
For whatever reason -- and I guess that reason is money -- lots of people are jealous and envious of Parkland. They see that sprawling campus up there and they snarl because maybe their school or district doesn't have the same resources as Parkland does. Success breeds contempt it seems.
I have noticed that when scores are announced at other venues and Parkland is heard losing, no matter the sport, there are generally cheers.
Parkland doesn't have a monopoly on resentment. Whoever is doing well, and Parkland does well in most sports, is generally resented. I know that has happened with Central Catholic, Whitehall, Emmaus and others over the years.
I respect the rivalries, but I don't get the blatant animosity. I really don't.
But back to my original point -- "Parkland" in this case is a movie that will be released tonight and it covers what happened in the hours and days right after the JFK assassination. Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas is where JFK was taken after he was shot and it's also where Lee Harvey Oswald, Kennedy's assasin, died a couple of days later after being shot by Jack Ruby.
It's all based on a book called "Four Days in November" which a lot of us who grew up in the 1960s had around the house. I was only 2-and-a-half when JFK was killed, but because of that book and all of the other documentaries and conspiracy theories, I have long been fascinated by what transpired in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
So, I'd like to see "Parkland" even though it has received some bad reviews so frar.
As for my picks, the reviews were mixed last week. I was 15-7 last week, bringing my season totals to 80-33.
My personal "Dandy Dozen" still has Easton on top even though the Red Rovers lost to Emmaus last week. Why? Because the Red Rovers still beat Parkland and Parkland beat Whitehall and even though East Stroudsburg South and Catty are unbeaten I still don't think they would beat any of the top three. So here you go:
- Easton
- Parkland
- Whitehall
- ES South
- Catasauqua
- Bethlehem Catholic
- Pennridge
- Emmaus
- Liberty
- Stroudsburg
- Nazareth
- Southern Lehigh
And now on to picks:
LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE
Liberty 28, Central Catholic 20: Both teams really need this one, especially with the upcoming schedule brutal for both (Liberty plays Emmaus and Easton in next two weeks and CCHS plays Whitehall, Nazareth, Parkland and Becahi the rest of the way). The Chuck Bedarik statue will be a nice addition to BASD Stadium.
Whitehall 35, Becahi 28: Perhaps the most competitive and entertaining game of the night. The Golden Hawks showed a lot of grit to go with their speed when they rallied against Liberty. The Zephyrs need to put their offensive struggles against Parkland behind them.
Easton 34, Freedom 14: The Patriots might be the perfect tonic for the Red Rovers, who were caught by surprise by Emmaus last week despite repeated warnings from Steve Shiffert.
Parkland 49, Nazareth 13: No love lost here between Rob Melosky and Parkland. He'd like nothing better than to shock the Trojans, but the Blue Eagles don't have the weapons or the line play to match up this time. My buddy "The Weave" is predicting the upset, staying with his Blue Eagles, 38-37.
Emmaus 35, Northampton 7: The Green Hornets could very easily be 5-0. Clearly, getting Randy Cuthbert from Pennridge was a good choice for this program. And Cuthbert was smart enough to surround himself with veteran coaches who know the LVC inside and out. Emmaus was always accused of being a little soft in the past, but those days are gone.
MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE
ES South 42, Dieruff 27: I will be at J. Birney Crum Stadium for this one for my first look at the Huskies. Dieruff seems capable of scoring on anyone, but I don't know if the defense has improved enough to stop the Cavs, especially if Niko Petrone is back healthy. What a story, however, if Dieruff can pull this one out.
Lehighton 28, ES North 21: The Indians need to regain momentum after two tough losses, especially the overtime crusher against Dieruff. The Timberwolves had turnover troubles in a surprisingly lopsided loss to Pocono Mountain West.
Pleasant Valley 28, Pocono Mt. East 21: The Bears showed a lot of spunk in rallying for 28 points in the fourth quarter and coming from behind against Wyomissing. The Cardinals showed a lot of spirit against ES South on an emotional night, but couldn't finish the job despite a big night by Corey Castillon.
Pocono Mt. West 33, Allen 20: Just in time for the Canaries, the Panthers seemed to get their offensive act together last week and got a big night from Qmac Quiteh. I like what I am hearing from Allen coach George Clay and the fact that the kids haven't quit and continue to maintain a positive attitude. After being totally overmatched the last couple of weeks, the Canaries should at least be able to hang around in this one.
Wyoming Valley West 21, Stroudsburg 14: Big one in terms of the subregional power ratings, and Stroudsburg's defense and Gerald Douglas give the Mounties a chance. Just think WVW has a better resume.
COLONIAL LEAGUE
Saucon Valley 28, Salisbury 7: The Panthers can catch their breath after chasing around Catty last week.
Southern Lehigh 33, Notre Dame 20: Cody Muller, the son of Crusaders coach Chuck Muller, played well in defeat for New Hampshire last Saturday at Lehigh.
Northwestern 27, Palmerton 13: It was absolutely terrific to see former Tigers standout Brett Snyder, and the brother of coach Josh Snyder, back on the Goodman Stadium field last week with the rest of his teammates from Lehigh's 1998 Patriot League championship team.
Catasauqua 54, Bangor 7: Very happy that my friend Gregg Grigg is going into the Slaters Hall of Fame this weekend; it's just a shame he's longer with us to experience it because he loved Bangor and was very proud of his roots.
Palisades 40, Wilson 7: Things sure change in high school sports. The Warriors used to feature one of the most exciting, explosive offenses in area high school football. This year, they've scored just 29 points, total, which was a half of football in the DJ Lenehan/Tyler Smith Era.
Pen Argyl 14, Northern Lehigh 13: A defensive struggle shaping up on the "Hill." The Green Knights really need this one for the district rankings.
OTHERS
Marian Catholic 33, Panther 13: All of a sudden the Colts are hot and now they face teams who are a combined 2-13 over the next three weeks.
North Schuylkill 34, Tamaqua 28: Blue Raiders defense is the worry. Plus, Tamaqua's three wins are over teams that are a combined 1-14.
Pius X 41, Wyalusing 14: The Royals continue to rack up more travel miles than any other team in the area, maybe the entire state. They have six road games this season and none of them are right around the corner. Wyalusing is 100 miles from Roseto.
Jim Thorpe 56, Minersville 13: The Battlin' Miners haven't given up less than 41 points in any game this season. Nice little warmup for the Olympians with unbeaten Mahanoy Area coming up next.
Quakertown 28, Hatboro-Horsham 20: Passed through Quakertown on my way to Peddler's Village last Sunday. Still a nice town once you get past all of the fast-food places and shopping centers.
Pennridge 42, Souderton 7: The Rams let one get away last week to Central Bucks West. No danger of that happening here against the winless Indians.
That's it. Enjoy warm temperatures while they last.
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