Sharing the Court with a Legend

As one of the NBA's greatest players laces 'em up for one final game, I decided to share my first hand account of what it was like to play against Kobe Bryant in high school. Twice.

Who the hell is Kobe Bryant?

This story actually begins back in June of 1995. I had just finished my freshman year of high school, summer was still in it's infancy, and once again I found myself sitting on the front steps of Ridley High waiting for the coaches to round up the last of my teammates and head on out to another summer league basketball game. 

By now this had been a typical way for me to spend my summer. I had been playing basketball in the Ridley summer leagues since about the 6th grade, something most kids in the area did who were interested in playing for the prestigious program in high school. And during this particular summer I finally had an opportunity to make a name for myself as a contributing player to the varsity, a fairly big deal for a sophomore.

"Let's go, you're late!" Coach Garrison would cackle as the last of my teammates showed up while everybody was in the other cars waiting. "Whaddya think that you're shit don't stink? Let's go, I don't want to hear you're excuses either, excuses are like assholes: everybody has 'em and they all stink!" 

(It was always fun to hear some of the coaches get on people, they did have some funny one-liners. Never was fun when it was you, though.) 

So we finally arrived at the gym for the game and as usual, the young guys (me and a few others) would have to grab the lacrosse sized bag full of basketballs and lug them out of the cars and into the gym. As I was trudging along, bag of balls in hand, I had overheard one of the seniors mention a name that I'd never heard of before. A name that had this weird sounding first name to it. A name that will now be forever synonymous with NBA Legends. He turned to another senior and said, "I think Kobe Bryant is playing in the gym next us." When I heard him I just assumed he was talking about some kid he knew from growing up, maybe someone who he played against over the years...basically a kid who could "ball". Little did I know who he was really referring to. I thought to myself, "who the hell is Kobe Bryant?" But by then the moment had come and gone. I was too busy focusing my attention on the game at hand, trying to solidify my spot on the team. I never saw Kobe that night, and probably by the time I got home I had forgotten about it. But the one thing I could recall is the tone of my teammates voice when he mentioned Kobe; I knew that this kid he was talking about was pretty dang good at basketball.

The build up to the Battle

Fast forward to November, our season was moving along and not only did I make the team, but through a certain string of events I was named to the starting lineup. An even bigger deal for a sophomore. 

Now, since Kobe attended Lower Merion High, a team in the Central League along with Ridley, we not only got to play them once, but twice during the regular season. Our first scheduled match up came towards the middle of the season, I believe sometime after the New Year. We had started the season off strong, winning more games than we lost, triumphed in our own Christmas tournament. By the time January 1996 rolled around, we had become what I'd consider a formidable opponent and ready for the challenge that was Kobe Bryant.  

There was an obvious stir in the crowd during the pre-game. We noticed more people than usual were showing up, at least more people than before. Even our high school friends who never had an interest in basketball were showing up, or should I say showing up at the beginning of the game rather than coming in for free at halftime.

The Varsity players would usually get to the gym early enough to sit in the corner and watch the JV team play their game, rest, and mentally prepare for the upcoming tilt. We always drew a fairly decent crowd during our games but there was obviously something different about this one. By the time we left to go to the locker room (about halfway thru the 3rd), the gym stands were now full. 

Now, you got to remember, this is 1995. Everybody is still watching movies on VCR's and VHS tapes, not on Netflix. The internet hadn't taken over everybody's lives just yet, there was no YouTube, no iPhones, none of that shit. And since we had games basically 2-3 times a week playing different opponents, I still really hadn't got to know who this Kobe kid was. We had talked about him and his team during the week, prepped just like it was any other game, nothing different. I can't recall much about the prep for that game now, but I do remember one of my assistant coaches telling us that "when Kobe dunks and the crowd goes nuts, remember, it's only 2 points." I was taken aback a bit, thought it was an odd thing to say at the time. He was basically preparing us mentally to be ready for when Kobe dunks, not if he dunks. Not something you used to worrying about from a high school kid. And Kobe didn't disappoint. 

The Game

We always entered the gym from the South end, from an entrance behind the home stands. From where I could stand, behind that door, I could hear the rumblings of the crowd, feeling the vibrations from all the fans stomping and clapping in the stands. I knew this game was gonna be big. 

As we ran out of the entrance, the gym was wall-to-wall packed. The crowd went nuts for us as we ran out, and I could feel that extra adrenaline kick in. Our routine was to do a lap around the gym then break off into layup lines. As soon as we rounded the other end of the floor I got my first glimpse of the future 'Black Mamba'. Tall, lanky, definitely looked like a basketball player but nothing I haven't seen before. I'm not saying I wasn't going to give him the respect based on what I'd heard, but I wanted him to earn it, I just wasn't going to bow down because of who he was. Didn't take long for me to find out.  

The game starts and I think we're down like 15-5 after the first. Kobe's getting his, but his team was what was really killing us. They had a sophomore point guard, Emory Dabney, who had a really good handle. Another sophomore shooting guard, Dan Pangrazio, who was about 6'3" and basically a 3 point specialist-and good. They also had a really good strong forward in Jermaine Griffith who was a great compliment to Kobe. They played well together, a very well-oiled machine. It was obvious that Kobe was their superstar, but he definitely had a great supporting cast that made them extremely tough to beat. 

Throughout the game we battled, but never really got close. Kobe got one good alley-oop dunk on us, and I do remember fouling Kobe as he launched a first half desperation 3 from about 3o feet out right before the end of the half. He made all 3 foul shots. I think Kobe ended the night with 25 I think, and we lost by 15. 

Now, even though the final score said blowout, I thought we were never really out of it, just never really in it. It seemed like for the entire game we were just always down by 10. We'd make a run, then they'd make a run, but we just couldn't get over that hump. They were too good, just a better team. And I was more upset about the loss than by the special opportunity I had just been a part of. 

But what was so cool about the whole experience was just being able to play in front of a large crowd, going nuts when you make a simple layup. It's certainly a feeling I'll never forget, center stage, big game, crowd on their feet on every possession. It's something I got to experience a few times during my high school sports days, but that was probably the most intense. If you ever played sports, that's something you always dreamed of doing, and I got to do it twice. 

So with the game over, I showered and walked out to meet some friends and go home. As I came out towards the front of the gym I could see all the little kids (and even some grown-ups) jumping around as Kobe was just coming out of their locker room. They were hounding him for autographs and pictures, something I didn't want to watch any part of. And even though I didn't see it, I even heard that some of my teammates went to get his autograph. Me? Fuck, no, I didn't care who he was. He just beat our ass up and down the floor and you think I'm going to go ask him to sign something for me? Out of your mind, I had too much pride then. 

I'm sure you're thinking, "yeah, but knowing what you know now, would you still not ask for an autograph?" My answers still no. The experience I had sharing the floor with a future NBA legend (twice) is fine with me. That's better than some piece of paper with his name on it. Sure, it might be worth thousands, but I ask you, what's worth more, the autograph or to be able to say I played on the same floor as Kobe Bryant? 

The Rematch

The second game, well, it wasn't much different than the first. It was at their place and was almost an exact replica of our inaugural battle. We got down early, we couldn't climb back, we lose by 15. Don't get me wrong, it was still an experience and their place was rockin' too, however, I felt it wasn't as electric because I guess, by now, those students at Lower Merion had been spoiled over the last 4 years being able to watch that kid play. They'd seen it all before. They were used to the greatness. They were lucky, too. 

One Crazy Year

Now, what you might not know was Kobe wasn't the only NBA champion I played against that year. We had an away game against Coatesville who featured future NBA All-Star Richard Hamilton. For those of you who don't know who Richard Hamilton is, he was a NCAA champion at the University of Connecticut, he made this memorable shot during their 1998 tournament run that won a game to stay alive, then went on to win 2 NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons. And I'll be honest, at the time I thought Richard was a more all-around player. Don't get me wrong, Kobe was good, but I pegged Kobe as a scorer and a slasher. I didn't know how he'd pan out in the NBA. Richard could handle, shoot, post up, defend...he had all the tools. Or so I thought. I even thought Richard might have a better career. I guess I was wrong. 

The Beginning of a Legend

In April of 1996, I watched as Kobe Bryant held a press conference where he decided to forego college and take his talents to the NBA as an 18 year old kid and play with the worlds best. 

As Kobe's career blossomed, I continued to watch him and it just seemed like year after year Kobe got better and better. Then all of a sudden he's winning championships, MVP's, scoring titles and I'm like 'Wow, this kid could be one of the best of all-time.' No doubt he's definitely in the conversation. 

And I never hated Kobe. Loved his intensity, loved his work ethic, loved that killer instinct. Never once did criticize him for playing the way he did. (He did shoot a little too much, but I guess when you're that good it doesn't matter.) He played the game the way it should be played, even back when he played in high school. 

One Final Game

I'm sitting on my couch and it's just about time for Kobe to be announced for his final start as a Los Angeles Laker. I'm actually excited to watch Kobe play, but sad to see another great player go. If you're 36 years old like me, you know players like Kobe only come around once in a generation. And it was always cool to be able to say that I played against that guy, even though it was just in high school before all his true basketball greatness. For that moment 20 years ago, I shared the floor with that guy. That guy who won 5 NBA championships. That guy who won Olympic Gold. That guy who was an NBA MVP. That guy who scored more career points than Michael Jordan. Michael Freakin' Jordan. Now that's special. And I'll always be proud to say that I got to share the court with a legend. Twice. 

Until next time. -JM

The Helping #33 Event

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everybody for making last weekend's Helping #33 event a gi-normous success. We couldn't have done it without each and every one of you and I just wanted to express mine and my family's gratitude towards you all. 

Throughout the entire event, Bill had continuously used the word 'overwhelmed' in regards to the love and support he had received, but to be quite honest, I would have used the word 'expected' and I'll tell you why: As most of you know, I was the one who broke the news via social media and took the role of being the eyes, ears, and voice for Bill while he was going through his medical struggles. From the minute I hit 'post' letting the world know about Bill's ailment, I was taken aback with all the wonderful notes and messages I received from all across the country, but I wasn't surprised given what I know about my brother and what he has accomplished in his short 30 years. So, was it overwhelming? Certainly at times, but did I expect it? Absolutely. The kid is a rock star, both on and off the field and I wouldn't have expected anything different.

So, if you were there last Saturday, I'm sure you've been asking, 'So how big was the event? What did we raise? How successful were we in our efforts?' Well, here are the numbers:

Attendance: Over 500 people
Donations (raffled, door, & silent): Over 100 given out/away/won
Monetary Donations: Close to $40 k-$40k!-between the fundraiser, the GoFundMe page and personal and professional donations.

I do not run fundraisers for a living, but from the feedback I received, everybody had nothing but nice things to say about the turnout, it's organization, and just the entire day in general. As I said above, I knew it was going to be big, I knew Bill was going to receive lots of love that day, and I know he will always be grateful for what went down at such an amazing event. 

Now I'd just like to take this opportunity to run through my thanks of all the people who made last Saturday possible: (I tried to include everybody I could, please forgive me if I forgot to mention you but you all were appreciated)

To MJ and the crew of the Deck: You were all so awesome in helping us host such a great event. You worked with us and let my crazy ass dictate the show, I just hope you all had a great day and thank you again letting us host the fundraiser there. 

To Paul and Jeannine Greco: Thank you for your help in running the ticket booth and donation of the lottery board. You both are always willing to lend a hand and help out wherever possible. You're the kind of people that make these events run smoothly and can't thank you enough for all of your assistance.

To my wonderful neighbor, Nancy Ripley: You are never short on help either, always the first one to raise your hand when we need it. We love you, we couldn't have asked for better neighbors growing up on Muhlenberg.

To all of the Kup patrons, past and present: Again, never short on helping the McGlone family out whenever possible. Thank you for all your donations and being there to support my family and more importantly, my brother Billy. 

To all of the Wings Fans: One of the most passionate and loyal group of fans that Philadelphia may not be known for, but should be. You are always there to support one of your own and for that you are all great people. Thank you for your continued support of #33.

To the Ridley Lax Community: You represent what I love most about Ridley, and that's love and loyalty. Thank you for taking Billy under your wing when he was just starting out in the lacrosse world, coaching and teaching him the sport that would give him a career, but more importantly helping him become the person that he is today. 

To the UM Terps and Bill's former teammates: I know Bill was eternally grateful when he realized how many of you were able to come up and show your support. I had a chance to speak to a few of you and there's something about you guys that give the word 'brotherhood' it's true meaning. Thank you for making that day that much more special for us and for Billy. 

To all of those who donated, both personally and professionally: The event wouldn't have been as great of a success without all of your generosity. The prizes we had to raffle off were simply amazing and I can't believe how giving you were in such a short amount of time. Thank you for your donations, I hope you enjoyed the day.

To the Tavani Family (Guy, Danielle, Devin, & others): First off, thank you for your event in November. Although it was a precursor to ours, you really emphasize what generosity, love, and friendship mean when it comes to others. Thank you for being so kind to Bill and doing what you did for him. 

To all of my extended family, in-laws, aunts, uncles & cousins: It was so wonderful to see all of you and so inspiring to see some of you come from great distances. Some of your donations were simply incredible, and it made the event that much more special. You all know how stressful of a time this has been and your love and support has continued to help us and Billy get through it and keep striving for that light at the end of the tunnel.

To all of my close personal friends: Thank you for being there Billy when he needed it, but also being there for me when I needed it. You all hold a special place in my heart, you are all irreplaceable, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I am always grateful for the wonderful friendships I have, please don't change. 

To my other 'little sisters', Michelle McArdle & Kelly Bernard: You are godsends and never forget, you are my little sisters too and always help keep the sanity within our household (I guess it's because you don't have to live in it!) but regardless, I love you and thank you so much for all your help that day.

To Lisa Porter, Nicole Sepcie, Liz Desmond et al: You all helped out tremendously, and I thank you for all you did. A coach once told me it's the little things that count, and surely what you guys helped with may have seemed innocent, but it all counts just the same in my mind. Thank you big time. 

To Bill's girlfriend, Nicole Lyn Capitanos: You are a rock and I'm glad Billy has you in his life. You have been such a wonderful person throughout all of this and I can't thank you enough for all your love, support, & care you've given to Billy during these turbulent times. I know us McGlone's can be a crazy bunch of a**holes, but you stuck by us, and I'll always try to make sure you have Jadyn and some kind of wine handy each time we get together.

To my brother Kevin and my lovely SIL Jessica: My 2nd in command, I know we had a little tiff when trying to get this event together, but I think we both quickly realized that we were just trying to do what was best for Billy. I love you both and thanks for being there...always.

To my little sister Jill and here wonderful boyfriend Mike Ziller: Thank you both for being a voice of reason that I could turn to in that crazy clan we call family. If ever I wanted somebody by my side when I needed the help, you would be first on my list. Thank you for handling so much both pre and post event, I love you both and I certainly couldn't have done it without you.

To my wife Jadyn: You always keep me sane, you always know the right thing to say, you know me better than me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything. You were a tremendous help in every way possible and I will always love you for just you being you. 

To my Mom and Dad: Thank you for everything; from me, to my brothers and sister, to being you (even if it makes me crazy or question your sanity) just thank you. You have always been there to support me and everybody else in all that we do and I couldn't imagine my life, my character, and my values without your guidance and help. I love you both tremendously.

Lastly, to my brother Bill: Growing up I always thought of myself as the '3rd parent', making sure that no matter what, my job was/is to be around and protect you, Kevin, and Jill from all the obstacles life may throw at you. I was the first one with you when the doctor broke the news about the 'mass' they saw which started this whole thing. I knew at that point that my 3rd parenting skills were in kick start mode, but I'll be honest, I didn't know how I could protect you from something I couldn't control. I did my best and luckily I think it's all working out. During and after the event, people were coming up to me and telling me how great of a brother I was to be doing this for you and I thought to myself, "what brother wouldn't do this for one of his own?" I wasn't surprised or shocked or overwhelmed at all from the support you received. I had people from high and low, north and south, the US & Canada, from Ridley to California contacting me asking me about your status. You've reached a lot of people my man, and your loved by all of them. That event was a testament to you and how you've effected people. I know you were overwhelmed, but in essence, you should be proud of who you are and what you stand for. I know I am. I would do anything to protect you kid, and that won't stop no matter how old I get. I'm your biggest fan, always have been, always will be. Just keep on fighting and we'll get through it together. We all will.

#BMFC33

Until next time. -JM

Ugh, how bout 'dem Cowboys

Preview of Eagles vs. Cowboys

5 things to watch

Watch your back Romo, literally

Cowboy QB Tony Romo, whose had numerous back surgeries in the past, re-injured his spine 3 weeks ago courtesy of the Redskins Defense who cracked two of his vertebrae. (Who knew Romo had a spine? Me neither.) It's no question Romo will be favoring his back and will look to stay on his feet, however, if the Eagles can get to Romo and sack him a few times early and often, who knows if that injury will flare up and effect his play. The Cowboys back up is Brandon Weeden, who is no match for the Eagles secondary...I think. 

Run, Demarco, Run

Demarco Murray has had a stellar rushing season thus far, accumulating 1,354 yards and 7 TDs. The bigger story is the play of the Cowboys offensive front who have opened holes for Murray to drive trucks through. The Cowboys will look to establish their perennial runner, but the Eagles run defense isn't too shabby themselves. If the Eagles can slow down the Cowboys run game, there are two things to consider: Dallas has given up 21 sacks , good for 11th in the league. Not bad, but proof they are better run blockers than pass blockers. Also, Murray does have fumbling issues having fumbled 3 times this year, losing all 3. 

Don't be yourself, Mark

Mark Sanchez is averaging 2.75 turnovers per game, which is a terrible stat if the Eagles intend on making a deep run into the playoffs. That needs to stop, however, given Sanchez's reputation, it most likely won't. It'll all depend on what the Cowboys do with the 2+ expected turnovers that will haunt the Eagles. Keep the 'Boys to 3 points and they'll stay in it, give them 7 and expect a blowout. 

Dez Bryant vs. Toast Flecther

Do I even need to mention this here? Bryant is one of the premiere WRs in the NFL and Bradley Fletcher has been getting picked on all year like a red-headed stepchild. Bryant, who is very physical and strong, will look to expose the weakness that is the Eagles cornerback. Fletcher, who can't seem to get a break, is looking to not be noticed today, which would be a good thing. 

Jerry's World

Jerry Jones, owner of the Cowboys, loves me some me. How many times do you think the TV broadcast will pan over to Jerry Jones sitting in the owner's box? My over under is 4.5. Take the over. 

3 musings

• Cheez-Its or Crack: What's more addicting? Discuss...
• I love ketchup with my fast food. So, on a recent trip to Wendy's, I asked for some ketchup packets for my order of a 1/4 lb. Burger, large fries, and two 6-piece nuggets. How many packets do you think the lady at the drive-thru gave me? 3. Thanks, DeWanda. 
• I realized that I'm officially old now because I looked into the mirror and said to myself, "I have to shave my ears."

Reason No. 2,723 as to why I suck at Fantasy Football

I held a 40 point lead heading into the Monday Night games with my QB (D. Brees) left to play against 4 of my opponents players (J. Forsett, F. Jackson, J. Tucker, & Buffalo's Defense). A comeback was possible but I still felt that I was in pretty good shape. Nope. I end up losing by 17 points and take a sure fire lock of a playoff spot and flush it down the toilet. A fucking 57 point swing. Absolutely, positively, fucking unreal, regardless of who my opponent had playing. 

Oh and by the way, did I mention that Calvin Johnson sucks? (I still can't not start him.)

Prediction: Cowboys 27, Eagles 23

You can't blame the short week since both teams are playing on one, however, the road teams in Thursday games are 8-4 this year. Edge: Cowboys. The Cowboys strength is in their run game-ranked 2nd in the league-however, the Eagles run defense is only allowing 109 rushing yards per game which should force the Cowboys to stray from their strength and give the Eagles opportunity to rush Tony Romo who struggles against the blitz. Edge: Eagles. It'll come down to the play at the line of scrimmage, where I think the Cowboys hold an edge and the play of Mark Sanchez, who can't seem to shake the turnover woes. Cowboys win the game,  27-23. 

Happy Thanksgiving all! 

Take me to another place, take me to another land....

Preview of Titans vs. Eagles

5 things to watch for:

Looking ahead

The worst thing you can do in sports is underestimate and overlook your opponent. The Titans come into town with a abysmal 2-8 record having lost their last 4 games, including this past Monday night's meltdown against the Steelers. However, the average points per loss in those 4 games was only 8.25 points and they held a 24-13 lead over the Steelers going into that 4th quarter. Their QB is 6th round rookie named Zach Mettenberger, and although a rookie, has shown some big game promise. 

The Eagles will look to rebound this week after a demoralizing loss against Green Bay, but don't tell me that they don't have at least a smidgen of the Cowboys on their mind, who will be awaiting for them come Thanksgiving Day for a very important NFC East     . The question is, will the Eagles fan base be biting their fingernails come the 4th quarter if the Eagles decide to look past the Titans? 

The Rebound

How will the Eagles respond after that thrashing by the hands of Green Bay? Will they come out flat? Will they come out hot? That is the question on most of the Eagles fans and that should be answered within the first half of Sunday's game. The Eagles need to bury the Titans and hold at least a 10 point lead to reassure Birds fans that the Eagles are still Super Bowl contenders. 

The Jury on Sanchez

So far Mark Sanchez has played in 2.75 games for the Birds and has 4 interceptions and 1 fumble lost. Pretty standard given Sanchez's past, but obviously a concern if the Eagles will rely on the Sanchize for the rest of the season. Sanchez's formula has always been simple, pound the rock and don't force Mark to win you the game with his arm. Chip needs to realize that. It's not that Chip's system shouldn't work, it's just that the run-pass option should favor the run game. 

McHappines for McCoy

Obviosly, Shady McCoy is not having the same statistical season as years prior, but hey, we're still winning right? True, but in order to keep one of the best backs in the league from going all T.O. on us, you have to keep him happy. Give him the rock, and for god's sake, stop handing it off to him in shotgun. 

The Eagles Kryptonite

The biggest thing that was exposed last week were actually two things: Obviously, the play of our secondary, but the other being the lack of pass rush. These two always go hand in hand, and if one is missing than it's most likely neither will be successful. We knew going into the season that our secondary was weak, but in order for us to make a long push deep into the playoffs we'll need that pass rush. Look for the Eagles front 7 to be very hungry come Sunday.

3 musings

• So the Oakland Raiders won their first game Thursday night and rookie QB Derek Carr was interviewed right after the game and who do you think was the first person he thanked? God, of course. My question is: If God helped you win the football game, how did he do it? Did God help you stuff the Chiefs run game? Did God make that pass go incomplete to end the game? I don't get why players do this. Listen, nothing against religion, just leave it out of sports. 
• Can we not see pictures of newborns on Facebook as soon as they enter the world from their mother's vajeen? I mean, sheesh, clean the placenta off before you plaster your kids first pic all over the internet. It's like 'Hey, welcome to the world baby McGlone...don't mind my pubes and bloody discharge stuck to my baby's head but baby and mother are doing great!'
• The answer is: Internet ads before a video, traffic because of a left hand turn, and . What are the most annoying things in the world, Alex?

Reason No. 3,721 as to why I suck at Fantasy Football

I was in desperate need of a win last week to separate myself from the pack and secure a playoff spot, so what do I do? Of course I lose by 19 points to a team who started an RB who was ruled out earlier in the week. But also because I have Calvin Johnson, who has been a conundrum for fantasy owners all season. You can't sit him for the mere fact that he could explode any week, but fantasy wise, he's been terrible. 

Prediction: Eagles 37, Titans 21

I do think the Eagles come out a little flat in this one, but halfway through pick it up in pure anticipation for the Thanksgiving Day showdown with the Cowboys. The Titans are on the road, coming off a short week, and the Eagles need to regain some confidence in both their offense and defense. Look for it to be close early, but a blowout come the second half. 

Helping #33

The McGlone Family announces fundraiser in honor of their son and brother Bill, who is successfully recovering from rare brain infection.

As most of you are well aware by now, my brother Bill McGlone, a 2002 Ridley graduate and University of Maryland alum, was diagnosed with a rare brain infection called Neurosarcoidosis in September of 2014. After undergoing two successful surgeries to treat the infection and lengthy stay in the hospital, Bill was finally released to come home and begin his recovery process. A 3^rd surgery-to replace the piece of Bill’s skull that was removed during the 2^nd surgery-has yet to be scheduled.

An extremely talented athlete, Bill had become a fixture in the Professional Lacrosse Leagues, playing for several major teams since 2006, most notably the (now defunct) Philadelphia Wings.

In hopes to help offset Bill’s past and future medical responsibilities, we would like to invite you to our fundraiser and help continue our support in Bill's time of need. We would love for everyone to please come out and join us for the event!

 Date: Saturday, January 17th, 2015

      

Time: 2 pm-6 pm

Location: The Deck in Essington, Pa.

Cost: $20 per ticket (Food only, Cash Bar), $30 at the door

Door Prizes will be raffled off along with chances for 50/50.

For Tickets and info contact: 

Bill, Sr.: 610-662-1857  or   Jack: 484-354-2776

Tickets will be available via check, money order, or pick up. Checks or Money Orders can be made out and sent to:

Bill McGlone, Sr. 
1197 Muhlenberg Ave. Swarthmore Pa. 19081
 OR

4216 Chatham Circle Aston Pa. 19014

(Please send contact information along with payment)

If you can't make the event yet would still like to donate, please visit Bill's GoFundMe page at: 

http://www.gofundme.com/bmfc-33

Lastly, if you or your business would like to donate a gift or prize for raffle, please contact the above mentioned. 

Thanks to all for your continued support 
and hope to see everyone there!

Cheeseheads vs. Cheesesteaks

Preview of Eagles vs. Packers

5 things to watch

Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood

Seriously, how do you stop this guy? So far this season, Aaron Rodgers is a cool 4-0 at home and has a 15-0 Touchdown to Interception ratio in those wins. Last week he threw 6 Touchdown passes against the Chicago Bears in the first half  and is basically playing the best football of his career right now. There ain't much you can do to stop this guy except maybe make him play left handed...and even then I would still be concerned. 

You're so special

Well, the Eagles did it again, getting a special teams TD from especially speedy Darren Sproles on an easy 65 yard punt return against the lowly Carolina Panthers, but how long can the Birds keep it up? The Birds have gotten at least 4 TDs from their special teams and it'll be one way to keep them in this one.  They'll have to work their magic again in order to stay in this game.

Packers WRs vs. Eagles DBs

Probably the worst match-up the Eagles could have asked for. Green Bay's Wideouts Jordie Nelson and Randall Cobb have combined for 100 receptions for 1,539 yards and 18 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Eagles secondary allows 251.9 yards per game and is good for at least one-if not two-40+ yard pass plays against their defense. I foresee a career day for one of these two receivers. 

Who's up front?

If there is anyway for the Eagles to pull this game out, it's this match-up right here. If the Birds front 7 can ultimately get a pass rush on Rodgers and disrupt his timing, they could keep the high powered Eagles offense right in the thick of things to compete against Rodgers and Co. 

The Honeymoon Blues

The Sanchize had himself a game last week, but will the honeymoon continue? There was so much joy and jubilation in Philadelphia after the Monday Night win, but we have to remember it's Mark Sanchez. Let's give it a few games before we anoint Sanchez the savior. 

3 musings

• Facebook=the land of nobody cares.
• That moment when you open a new Ketchup or Mustard bottle and with the first squeeze out comes all that juice...yeah, I hate that. 
• Why do I always see people holding their phones up in the mirror when they take pictures of themselves?

Reason No. 4,131 as to why I suck at Fantasy Football

Although I won last week, it was a nail biter. Had I started the Eagles Defense, I wouldn't have had a worry, but I didn't and escaped with a 3 point win. Who's the defense I substituted the Eagles with? Dallas, a major, MAJOR violation had I lost. 

Prediction: Packers 41, Eagles 31

And it won't even be that close. I can't imagine the Eagles DB's stopping or even slowing down Rodgers and Co., as he should have a field day with our defensive backfield. Sanchez and the Birds will keep scoring, but it'll be too little, too late. The good news is, when we looked at the schedule before the season, most of us would have circled this one as a loss, so it won't be that surprising if we lose. The bad news is, the loss will put us in a tie with Dallas but it'll just make that Thanksgiving Day tilt all the more exciting. 

Sweet Carolina....

Preview of Panthers vs. Eagles

5 Things to watch:

The Sanchize

One of the biggest stories to come out of last weeks win over the Texans was that Eagles starting QB Nick Foles is undoubtedly out for the rest of the season with a broken collarbone. But to our surprise, in stepped backup QB Mark Sanchez and the Eagles didn't miss a beat scoring 24 more points and leading the offense to the tune of 483 total yards...so what does that tell us? 

Is this a new Mark Sanchez? The same Mark Sanchez of the infamous 'butt fumble'? Is this Sanchez able to lead these Birds (successfully) through the regular season and into the playoffs? Was Nick Foles really not what the Birds thought he was? Does Chip Kelly's system not need that quintessential QB to run an offense? Well, I guess we will find out. The good news is Mark Sanchez is probably the best backup QB in the NFL and has won games-playoff games too-in his short lived NFL career. The bad news: he's Mark Sanchez. 

Casey at the Bat

The 2nd and probably more important story to come out of last weeks win was the loss of Linebacker and defensive leader Demeco Ryans. Ryans was placed on IR which means his 2014 season is finished and we are left to deal with 4th year pro Casey Matthews as his fill in. Don't be surprised if Eagles fans aren't scared shitless given Matthews ineptitude of being an inadequate linebacker given his bloodline in his forgetful 4 years in the league. He'll be asked to either spy Cam Newton or cover TE Greg Olsen, or worse, both. Many a curses will fly in his direction come Monday night. Be forewarned. 

Super Man Cam

Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton is in his 4th season and can be a one man wrecking crew. He's a duel threat with his arm and his legs, already surpassing 13,000 passing yards and running for over 2,200 more in his short, illustrious career. He can keep drives alive with his feet, especially if Eagles linebacker Casey Matthews swings and misses. Cam's favorite targets have been rookie Kelvin Benjamin (40 receptions, 589 yards, 5 TDs) and TE Greg Olsen (45 receptions, 539 yards, 5 TDs). Look for the Eagles to spy him on defense. If they can't contain Cam, he can and will turn into Superman. 

Return of the Mac-lin

If you were giving out mid-season team awards, you might have to give the Eagles MVP to WR Jeremy Maclin. Maclin is having a phenomenal year and is on pace to be one of the top receivers in the game by years end. If he continues this torrid pace, the Eagles must re-sign him before he hits the open market at the end of the year. The question is, will Sanchez continue to utilize Maclin as the deep threat he has become? 

Carolina's Defense, or lack thereof

Chip Kelly must expose the weakness of this Carolina's defense which ranks 18th against the pass and 26th against the run. It's the perfect formula to ease new quarterback Mark Sanchez into his first start. Run, run, run, then run some more. Pass when you have to. Sanchize's strength is managing games, not taking them over. 

3 Musings

Listen closely to this conversation bachelors:
Wife: Can you hand me the crockpot?
Husband: (hands wife the crockpot)
Wife: No, not that crockpot.  
Husband: (ears start to bleed)
This is marriage. Get used to it. 

Customer Service at the checkout line is not ignoring me while having a conversation with another cashier as you run my shit through the scanner. I get that your job sucks but do either one of two things: 
1) at least acknowledge me being there by simply saying 'hi', 'hello', or 'how are you today, sir?'
2) if you must continue your conversation with the other cashier, include me in on it. Maybe I'd like to give my two cents as to why your friend is a hussy bitch who got you kicked out of the party.

My version of hell is simple. Forced to watch continuous marathons of "Keeping up with the Kardashians". Can any one family be more egotistical and self-absorbed? Why are they even famous? Because their dead father represented a murderer and their one slut daughter got banged on video by a half-ass rapper and then sold the tape? If that was the case, Delaware County is a hotbed for celebrities. 

Reason No. 3,117 as to why I suck at Fantasy Football

I lost last week in both of my leagues. I went from 3rd to 8th in one, and went from 3rd to 5th in the other and (technically) fell out of the playoff picture in both with just that one loss. Last week and this week I have gotten killed by the bye (average of 3 players each week in both leagues) and, AND I dropped Cleveland's Defense before they shellacked Cincinnati on Thursday Night Football. Need some Fantasy God help this week to stay in the race....

Prediction; Eagles 31, Panthers 17

I hate picking the Eagles again, but the Panthers defense is bad, very bad. If Chip is smart, he'll let his running backs do the talking to set up the pass and let Mark Sanchez manage a very winnable game. Keep Sanchez's attempts around 20-25 and just run McCoy and Polk off into the sunset for another Eagles victory. Do it. Do it.