The Numbers Game ...
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THE CHOPS
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The Numbers Game ...
Numbers games
Blowouts in P.I.A.A. finals don't concern PCN
Recently, we asked Brian Lockman, president of Pennsylvania Cable Network, what kind of numbers PIAA championship telecasts drew for PCN.
Lockman smiled.
"We don't have advertisers, so we don't have to do Nielsen ratings," Lockman said.
That was probably a good thing for PCN this past weekend. As a viewing draw, the state title games would have been commercial clunkers.
Four romps. Three mercy-rule games. A record for largest combined margin of victory, 129 points beating the 1998 mark of 114 points.
In the real world, that would result in many remotes clicking many times to many other channels.
Fortunately for PCN and the PIAA, high school football exists on the cusp of the real world. Because ratings don't matter -- indeed, don't exist -- where PIAA telecasts are concerned, it shouldn't be a problem for PCN and the PIAA to re-tie the knot after the current contract expires after the 2005-06 school year.
Those folks who did tune in long enough to actually take in a good long drink of the games did see some special things.
First and foremost was Pittsburgh Central Catholic. Not a given player on the Vikings' roster, just Pittsburgh Central Catholic.
It was a team truly without a weakness, either physical or mental. No team is perfect -- that is impossible, of course -- but Central Catholic came as close to that impossible dream as any we've ever seen.
Indeed, the mental aspect of Central Catholic's run to the Class AAAA title might have been even more impressive than the physical, if that's possible.
Consider that the march to the state championship started not on Aug. 27 (the first day of the regular season for WPIAL teams) or Oct. 29 (the first day of the WPIAL playoffs). It started on Dec. 7, 2003, just one day after the Vikings were spanked 37-10 by North Penn in last year's state championship game.
"The motivating factor was last year," said Central Catholic tailback Eugene Jarvis, who earlier had described each step in the Vikings' seven-game playoff tour as a "business trip."
"That business is done," said Jarvis, grinning.
"We had a whole different approach this year," said head coach Art Walker.
Indeed the Vikings did. For instance, Central Catholic came out to Hershey in waves. Walker brought his starters plus a few other key players into town on Friday, where they stayed at a hotel.
The rest of the Vikings' 90-man-plus roster stayed behind in Pittsburgh, coming out on Saturday. While the subs were traveling, the starters were lounging, which brings new meaning to the phrase "traveling squad."
Last year, the Vikings traveled with a full caravan on game day.
Speaking of Walker, there are plenty of whispers that he will not stay at Central Catholic. Walker teaches at West Allegheny High School, not Central Catholic, and he is the hottest of commodities these days. At age 32, he could name his next high school coaching job and could end up on a college staff.
Certainly Thomas Jefferson's overwhelming performance in the AAA title game against Manheim Central was some eye-opening stuff. Fifty-six points? No one guessed that. No one.
Especially after TJ was life and death against Selinsgrove, a 20-14 overtime victim, and Strong Vincent, a 21-20 loser only by a blocked extra point.
Those results do not compute after watching the Jaguars' speed, strength and agility last Friday. The only conclusion is that props must be given to the Seals and the Colonels for what now look like exceptional efforts against a very talented team.
Lansdale Catholic's R.C. Lagomarsino? Incredible effort with 353 yards rushing, a state-title game record that will be tough to match.
The pity is that Lagomarsino's great day might be remembered as much for his ejection with 3:18 left as his deft moves that led to his record-breaking totals. His unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for taunting after two of his four scores that led to his automatic ejection were just awful calls, especially the second one.
Lagomarsino's raised index finger while running into the end zone with his fourth score might fit the technical definition of taunting, but in practice it was nowhere close. Lagomarsino never directed his action toward an opposing player or to the crowd; sometimes common sense has to overtake a book rule.
It didn't.
Then there was Southern Columbia, which was utterly unchallenged by Rochester. The Tigers can stake a claim to being one of the best Class A teams ever. Indeed, only Dunmore's powerful 1989 state champion comes to mind as a team equally impressive.
"THE CHOPS".
Blowouts in P.I.A.A. finals don't concern PCN
Recently, we asked Brian Lockman, president of Pennsylvania Cable Network, what kind of numbers PIAA championship telecasts drew for PCN.
Lockman smiled.
"We don't have advertisers, so we don't have to do Nielsen ratings," Lockman said.
That was probably a good thing for PCN this past weekend. As a viewing draw, the state title games would have been commercial clunkers.
Four romps. Three mercy-rule games. A record for largest combined margin of victory, 129 points beating the 1998 mark of 114 points.
In the real world, that would result in many remotes clicking many times to many other channels.
Fortunately for PCN and the PIAA, high school football exists on the cusp of the real world. Because ratings don't matter -- indeed, don't exist -- where PIAA telecasts are concerned, it shouldn't be a problem for PCN and the PIAA to re-tie the knot after the current contract expires after the 2005-06 school year.
Those folks who did tune in long enough to actually take in a good long drink of the games did see some special things.
First and foremost was Pittsburgh Central Catholic. Not a given player on the Vikings' roster, just Pittsburgh Central Catholic.
It was a team truly without a weakness, either physical or mental. No team is perfect -- that is impossible, of course -- but Central Catholic came as close to that impossible dream as any we've ever seen.
Indeed, the mental aspect of Central Catholic's run to the Class AAAA title might have been even more impressive than the physical, if that's possible.
Consider that the march to the state championship started not on Aug. 27 (the first day of the regular season for WPIAL teams) or Oct. 29 (the first day of the WPIAL playoffs). It started on Dec. 7, 2003, just one day after the Vikings were spanked 37-10 by North Penn in last year's state championship game.
"The motivating factor was last year," said Central Catholic tailback Eugene Jarvis, who earlier had described each step in the Vikings' seven-game playoff tour as a "business trip."
"That business is done," said Jarvis, grinning.
"We had a whole different approach this year," said head coach Art Walker.
Indeed the Vikings did. For instance, Central Catholic came out to Hershey in waves. Walker brought his starters plus a few other key players into town on Friday, where they stayed at a hotel.
The rest of the Vikings' 90-man-plus roster stayed behind in Pittsburgh, coming out on Saturday. While the subs were traveling, the starters were lounging, which brings new meaning to the phrase "traveling squad."
Last year, the Vikings traveled with a full caravan on game day.
Speaking of Walker, there are plenty of whispers that he will not stay at Central Catholic. Walker teaches at West Allegheny High School, not Central Catholic, and he is the hottest of commodities these days. At age 32, he could name his next high school coaching job and could end up on a college staff.
Certainly Thomas Jefferson's overwhelming performance in the AAA title game against Manheim Central was some eye-opening stuff. Fifty-six points? No one guessed that. No one.
Especially after TJ was life and death against Selinsgrove, a 20-14 overtime victim, and Strong Vincent, a 21-20 loser only by a blocked extra point.
Those results do not compute after watching the Jaguars' speed, strength and agility last Friday. The only conclusion is that props must be given to the Seals and the Colonels for what now look like exceptional efforts against a very talented team.
Lansdale Catholic's R.C. Lagomarsino? Incredible effort with 353 yards rushing, a state-title game record that will be tough to match.
The pity is that Lagomarsino's great day might be remembered as much for his ejection with 3:18 left as his deft moves that led to his record-breaking totals. His unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for taunting after two of his four scores that led to his automatic ejection were just awful calls, especially the second one.
Lagomarsino's raised index finger while running into the end zone with his fourth score might fit the technical definition of taunting, but in practice it was nowhere close. Lagomarsino never directed his action toward an opposing player or to the crowd; sometimes common sense has to overtake a book rule.
It didn't.
Then there was Southern Columbia, which was utterly unchallenged by Rochester. The Tigers can stake a claim to being one of the best Class A teams ever. Indeed, only Dunmore's powerful 1989 state champion comes to mind as a team equally impressive.
"THE CHOPS".