ProfessorBriggs.com

PROFESSOR'S PROVERBS -- OCTOBER 18, 2016

It seems like yesterday that I was wrapping up my duties for the year with the Shenango Valley Modified Softball League, talking with the other guys about the upcoming high school football season. How would the "new leagues" shake out? Would certain teams take a step back or a step forward in 2016? What kind of broadcast schedule would Sports Radio 96.7 and 790 WPIC have this season?

Now, we are coming up on the final week of the regular season and playoff pairings are taking shape. As you get older, time does go "faster." But this season has seemed to be especially quick for some reason. Perhaps the unseasonably warm weather has something to do with it. Maybe the fact that preseason camps were shorter this year contributed to it.

I would be interested to find out if the shortened camps had a positive effect, negative effect or minimal effect on teams this season. I am sure that coaches would always like to have more practice time. But maybe there have been fewer injuries as a result?

> Friday night, I got to call the Reynolds at Greenville game and saw a very strong performance by Greenville on its home turf. In pregame warmups, Greenville quarterback Nate Bell had his right foot heavily taped due to injury. But when he came out a few minutes before kickoff, both ankles/feet were identically taped. Professor Briggs always enjoys a little Gamesmanship!

Bell played very well, completing 10 of 14 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He, a few of his teammates and several GHS band members joined with a number of schoolmates in the choir to sing the national anthem before the game, which was also really cool to see. You could say that the Trojans hit all of the notes both before and during the game.

> Recently, Bob Greenburg posed a question on Twitter, regarding the top rivalry in Mercer County. It's an excellent question and there is no clear-cut answer.

When evaluating a rivalry, there are certain things that have to be examined:
1-Would the overwhelming majority of students/fans/supporters on each side maintain that the other team/school is THE rival? If School A says School B is the rival but School B says that School C is its rival, that complicates things.
2-When dealing with high schools or colleges, does the rivalry cover most, if not all, sports? Schools A and B can be great rivals in football but if they're not rivals in soccer or wrestling or basketball, the rivalry doesn't rate as high.
3-Do the schools/teams have meaningful games frequently?
4-Are there any other special factors that are involved, such as, but not limited to:
a) Geography
b) Similar constituencies (if the student bodies, fan bases, etc. are alike, other than their allegiances; familiarity breeds contempt)
c) Vastly different constituencies (urban vs. rural; higher tax bracket vs. lower income; private vs. public)
d) Unusual personnel situation (players leaving/transferring; coach/administrator taking new job)

If I had to pick one rivalry in the area as No. 1, I'd probably go with Greenville-Reynolds. Across the board, it seems to hit on each of the four points I listed more than any other combination of schools in our area. You can certainly make a strong case for other rivalries, however. Feel free to share your opinion with me and I'll list some of the better comments next time.

> The Pigskin Pick 'Em is a weekly endeavor that those of us at the radio stations and local media compete in each week. We all want to do well and the bragging rights are fun. But overall, it is a fun exercise for us each week. The key word is FUN.

Last week, Bob Greenburg (Hermitage resident, Hickory High School graduate) picked Wilmington to defeat Hickory. He was not the only one; I gave it strong consideration before going with Hickory solely because the Hornets were the home team. Although it turned out to be incorrect, it was not a "bad" pick at all. Wilmington very well could have won.

However, a number of people gave Bob grief for essentially not being a "homer." Not good-natured grief either, but what I would classify as "flak." I find that totally ridiculous. Frankly, I am saltier about folks doing that to Bob than if people here in Grove City harassed me for picking against the Eagles (which I did in Week Three and again this week). None of us are beholden to choose any certain team at any time.

If you are legitimately upset/angry with someone on the panel for picking a particular team over another, all I can say is this: Get A Life.

> Monday night, Sports Radio 96.7 and 790 WPIC unveiled this week's Power Rankings. Click on "Power Rankings" to see where the teams rank, according to our informed and varied panel. 

Here is how I voted. The number in parentheses is where the team was ranked in my previous Power Rankings:

1. Hickory (1) -- Hickory pulled out battle of undefeateds against Wilmington in Week Eight
2. Grove City (3) -- Grove City still undefeated after non-league win at Fairview
3. Wilmington (2) -- Hard to penalize Greyhounds too much after losing by a touchdown at Hickory
4. Sharon (4) -- Tigers getting better and better every week and are a team to watch in 3A playoffs
5. West Middlesex (5) -- Youngsville forfeit clinched Region 1 crown and quarterfinal bye in 1A tournament

> Keep the cards and letters coming to ryanbriggs@zoominternet.net. Follow me on Twitter @professorbriggs