Well 2019 is getting ready to be put away and we start to look forward to a new year! So, let’s do something and look at last year for the second luckiest man in the world – let’s do it backwards. Let’s reverse it and take a look at the year starting with December.
DECEMBER 2019
OK December….outstanding month (as they all were by the way!). As we say when you are retired (OK semi-retired) “Everyday is a Holiday…every night is a Saturday night…every meal is a banquet!” I like to take claim for that but I have to think someone thought of that before I did! But…let’s add another part to it…”every beer is cold!”
******Side note here…antother great quote I have picked up in my years of travel (bar to bar of course). “Beer is good, cold beer is better…..but free beer is best!” I did not create that motto however.********
Well Christmas was great….I can’t think of a single one that I can remember that wasn’t awesome. Corey and Taylor visit from Atlanta….Scot (with one T – just like Scot Dapp!) and Sarah visit with Bob and Barb for Xmas lunch.
Was a great occasion….kids got me one of those Fitbit watches. Not a tech guy but it is pretty awesome. Got some fancy speakers for my TV in the basement…pretty cool stuff!
Built a pyramid or two in my effort to be a professional beer drinker.
Earlier in the month I zipped down to Pennsylvania to meet up with friends, former teammates at Muhlenberg to watch the Mules play in the National Semifinals held on Frank Marino field in Allentown.
We sat through a driving rainstorm that ended right as the game ended (of course)….Mules were defeated by a very good North Central (Illinois) team. That team won the next weekend to become the National Champs.
Really was a great time seeing old teammates Eric Butler, his brother Mike – John Dunne, Jim Oliphant, Bowden Ferrick (probably mispelled his name) and Mark Stephens.
These guys are awesome friends. We picked up right where we left off the last time we saw one another. Learned so much talking about other friends family etc. Eric and I have known each other since little league baseball. We have been friends thru elementary school, junior high, high school, college and now. I find that remarkable.
They were all headed to Princeton to meet up with other friends and family members….sorry to miss that. But had to get home the next day.
Zipped up the NE extension of the PA turnpike—-meandered across northern PA on route 80 West. 275 miles later hit the Ohio Turnpike (One of the nicest roads to drive by the way). Cruised thru Ohio for a few hours – clipped into Michigan (where the roads are not so great) hit bad traffic around Detroit (imagine that) and slid into my driveway nine and a half hours later.
I swear I saw the Grinch pulled over outside of Clarion PA by a State Trooper!
NOVEMBER 2019
Wow…Thanksgiving Dinner at Wendy and Steve’s house. What a great feast we had there! Wendy is a wonderful cook and this meal was unbelievable. Lasted several hours with family and friends (Including Captain Saturn)
Prior to the excellent fare at Steve’s ever remodeled house I spent the morning watching my beloved Northampton HS Konkrete Kids play their annual (97th time) Thanksgiving Game against the Rough Riders from Catasauqua.
The K-Kids won handily…however I have mixed emotions about the game since my good friends Mike McClarin and his dad Bob are coaching our rivals now. Bob. and I worked together for several years at Moravian College.
They are awesome men and great coaches…unfortunately the shrinking student body at Catty High has just made this game one that isn’t competitive anymore. The K-Kids have a 
tremendous advantage and I have to say Kyle Haas has made great strides with the program.
Well the 97th edition of the game went our way.
During November the Moravian College won two of three games. .
We defeated Franklin and Marshall 17-16 at home as we scored late and then survived a last second FG by the Diplomats. It was an awesome win that saw the Hounds play a very complete game.
A week later on Senior Day we played another solid home game with a 24-6 win over Dickinson. Two Seniors walked into the record book – well Berto Diaz ran into the book moved up the rushing list as he crossed 1500 yards in his career.
Alex Pierce caught 12 passes for 160 yards and a pair of TD’s putting him into the books as a player who had a career with 1000 yards receiving.
We then dropped our final at Muhlenberg 52-7. The Mules would go undefeated during the regular season and have probably supplanted Johns Hopkins as the top program in the Centennial Conference.
Several weeks later they bowed out of the National Tournament losing in the semifinal (in the rain as I pointed out in the December section).
At 4-6 we were obviously disappointed – however it is a privilege to work with the guys. We have some truly awesome players. For the most part they “are all in.”
I can never complain about the effort of Greyhound players…they are fantastic.
There are just certain things we will have a very difficult time overcoming at Moravian. Financially we just can’t compete with the other Centennial Conference schools. MC offers a great educational opportunity, but the other schools in the CC are all a notch above us.
Plus our facilities are just nowhere in the realm of any of our opponents. It’s no one’s fault. But it is the truth. I always tell our HC that we are looking down the barrel of a gun and that if we can win half of our games we are doing a hell of a job.
Now, the administration and alums may not agree with my assessment. Well, I just ask them to check the endowments of our opponents, travel and take a look at the facilities on those campuses and then read the national educational publications on where MC stands within our conference. No complaints….just facts.
OCTOBER 2019
The month of October was good to the Hounds as we were able to win two of three games. We had two nice road wins over Gettysburg (33-16) and then Juniata (32-28).
Sandwiched between the two was a bye and a painful loss to Susquehanna.
Susquehanna has emerged to become one of the top three teams in the Centennial Conference. They are now a challenge to other Muhlenberg and Johns Hopkins who were certainly the top two teams for years.
It’s painful to watch another team sort of “pull” away from us. It is apparent that Susquehanna’s administration sees the value of a successful football program. They have certainly changed their path in admissions and financial aid.
For Moravian’s sake I fear Dickinson has started down that path as well. Right behind them will be Gettysburg which has already made changes within the program and are talking about a commitment to becoming competitive with the top echelon teams as they once were.
During the bye week I drove off to Michigan after our win in Gettysburg! Always good to get home and get some things done around the house. Sure I get home and the boss (wife) is off in Atlanta while I am home. Still good to get home to my much more comfortable bed than the one I have in the eventually condemned Intern house.
SEPTEMBER 2019
September was a very unkind month to our efforts at Moravian College. We lost all four of our games during that span.
A very frustrating loss opened the season as we allowed a very winnable game at King’s College to slip away. I guess the entire season could be summed up on that third quarter touchdown we allowed.
On a third down play we allowed King’s very fine RB Jordan Downes a 53-yard TD run. On that play he eluded almost our entire defense. There were an amazing seven tackles (three in the backfield)…(not exaggerating at all) – missed on that play (twice by one of our guys as Downes cut back across the field. (Worst of all it was a third down play!)
By the way that is a record for parenthesis in one sentence
That play became the difference in that game and basically foreshadowed our 2019 season.
I will have to say this…Alex Pierce made one of the finest catches I have ever seen anywhere in this game. I don’t know how long it was (it was pretty deep)- but he had to bend way back to catch it…imagine a parenthesis – because that is how far back he bent to get it! What a grab.
We then dropped our first home game to the ever troubling McDaniel 13-10 as they score with 12 seconds to go in the game. Well let’s take a look at it. We turned the ball over seven times and had punt blocked.
Hard to win with those things going on! Not a good day for the Hounds.
Our third defeat came at the hands of one of the best teams in the country. Johns Hopkins who beat us 41-0 in Baltimore. They just had too much for us to handle.
We entered the fourth game of the season 0-3…but feeling pretty good about our team. Our guys continued to work hard at practice and had no reason to feel we couldn’t play well for the rest of the season.
We basically gave away two games – yes we got beat by a good JHU team. But the first two losses were things we could correct.
To me one of the great disservices in college football happened the last week of September. But, when you talk about referee ability in Division III sometimes bad things happen.
I have seen some poorly officiated games over my very long career. But, the loss we suffered against Ursinus might have been the worst. We were hurt by poor officiating on two scoring plays and several other downs during the game.
It was so bad that the director of Centennial Conference officiating said the referees basically allowed Ursinus two touchdown plays which essentially cost us the game. When you are trying to pick up that first win it is a very bad feeling to know that games are taken away from you – especially at home.
I get it … there are no promises that things are going to be easy but we can expect for it to be fair… but when you are struggling it hurts twice as much. You just wonder what you can do with incompetent officiating – answer is…..forget it and move on!
Despite the problems we faced in football I continued my 
assault on all great foods and drinks in the Lehigh Valley….yes there are Yocco Hotdogs….Carvel Ice Cream…magnificent pizza places. You name it – Lehigh Pizza, Marios in Northampton and Fratellis 
right across from Steel Field. How can one go wrong?
Oh yeah …. A-Treat Birch Beer!
AUGUST 2019
So the end of the summer is closing in fast and I make the nine and a half hour trip down to Moravian from Michigan. It’s actually not a bad drive – Pretty much a trip divided into three sections.
First third is drive from Detroit to Cleveland….then three more hours to around State College PA…then down to my brother Steve’s house in Delps (yes I said Delps PA.)
A few gas stops along the way….a final stop to pick up beer at Jerry Simcoe’s Beverages in Walnutport, PA then to Steve’s place.
Not hard to do!
Visit with my old friends at the Tri Boro club on the “Sacred Waters of the Lehigh River”. I have to admit we had one of the better “Reggae on the River” gatherings. Got to see all of the usual suspects – Captain Saturn, the Rickster, Johnny Nappo, Tom “Fletch” Katchur.
Returning to the Lehigh Valley is always a lot of fun. Seeing family and visiting with my old pals. Great food. Oh yeah there is that football deal going on at Moravian College.
Just an aside – yeah I go t\o the Lehigh Valley. My boss (wife) takes a cruise around the Mediterranean. How does that work out?
Well, her brother was going – and heck it fit into her schedule. Why not visit Italy, Greece, Croatia, Crete etc? Don’t blame her. I get Bethlehem, PA….she gets the Med…
JULY 2019 – JUNE 2019 – MAY 2019
The summer jumps into full swing in Michigan – 4th of July celebrations which are always fun experiences for everyone. But here at the home of “The Second Luckiest Man in the World” we always find a way to have fun.
We trekked a couple of hours north into the “Thumb” area of Michigan. A nice visit to Caseville, Michigan to spend time at our friend’s – Marie and Dave DeFrancis – lake house. For the last eight or nine years we have been visiting this beautiful area on Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron.
For a few years three or four couples rented a house for a week on the lake. It was a great time. Then Dave and Marie decided to buy a house on the lake.
Well now we all gather up there for several days each summer. It is an awesome time for everyone. Dave bought a boat, has all the other water toys etc. If you are bored up there – well it is impossible. (A few beers are consumed by the way!)
July was a busy month as the Northampton Konkrete Kids had a meeting of former players….they have had it in the past. But, we really did our best to collect more former players to come.
It was an awesome time at the Trip Bro Club in Northampton. Saw many great teammates – renewed old friendships ant it appears like we can really expand the “Brotherhood” in the future.
Also had a fantastic time working at the “Lions Legends” football camp in Clare, Michigan. Right in the middle of Michigan! Very well received and attended.
It was a great time with old friends from our days with the Lions. Jeff Chadwick and Kristen Blackburn set up the whole thing and made it so much fun for all involved.
We stayed at Sunset Shores Resort in Clare….what a fabulous place. We had everything we needed plus Jeff and Kristen put on a band concert…a pig roast for the staff. It was a wonderful experience.
We also visited with the bosses (wife) brother Gary in Phoenix. It was a celebration of Gary and Diana wedding. We had a blast 
at a great resort in Scottsdale and then a few afternoons at the pool athletics their residence.
Was a pretty great summer if you ask me!
MARCH 2019
Unfortunately we lost Shawn’s dad in early March. Bernard was a great man – a fantastic husband and father.
Obviously although it was a sad time….it was an uplifting celebration of a man who lived a full life. We were lucky to be around him.
Many people attended the ceremony and our gathering later.
FEBRUARY-MARCH
The “Second Luckiest Man in the World” certainly proved he was indeed that. I was fortunate to travel to my second homeland – Switzerland. Spent a few weeks living in Bern and working with my football friends with the Thun Tigers.
What an awesome experience being with this great group of people. Then to have so much free time in such a beautiful country. Unbelievable (ad)venture.
I am absolutely in love with the country and the fabulous people who live there. I have never had a bad moment when visiting this great place. The kindness of everyone blended with the breathtaking scenery make this a truly unbelievable place.
My friends Stephan and Daniel pulled out all of the stops to make sure that I was comfortable. Sure it is great to be able to spend time working with their players – but to see my friends again….so neat!
These pals and in turn their friends sure made it was such a nice visit for me. I spent several weeks coaching and visiting different areas of Switzerland.
Several times I volunteered to Daniel that I would be more than happy to sublet his great apartment in Bern. What a sweet place to live.
I was able to spend time with the Tigers and what a fabulous experience including a trip for a minicamp in Germany. We traveled down to Oberharmersbach, Germany (the Black Forest region I think).
What a great place to have a minicamp – however it did rain the last day of practice. I mean rain and rain and rain. But, it was well worth the experience.
Took off a day later from the Zurich Airport (what a place!) and jetted across the Atlantic to home!
JANUARY 2019
We start the year at home having a fantastic visit from my old friend Jared DeVries with his son Jaylen (an outstanding quarterback prospect).
Jared had been a key member of the Detroit Lions defensive line for thirteen years. He and I had become close over that time span. Not only was he an All-American at Iowa…but he was voted into the Iowa Hall of Fame last year.
Fantastic player – but really a fine man!
Jaylen was in need of some work with a QB coach and I suggested my friend Terry Copacia. Terry runs the “All State Quarterback School” here in Michigan.
Wow…there is no doubt about Jaylen’s ability and it was fu n watching Terry hone his skills over a two day period. I think it was a helpful time for him.
I have to admit that after the sessions Jared and I did manage to have a beer (OK he had some kind of Whiskey or something)
Well….That’s that!