The Stench of a Gale Force Wind

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I’m not alone in being blocked!

By GORDON GLANTZ

There is a long-running joke in Montgomery County, Pa.

The butt (pun intended) of this joke is County Commissioner Joe Gale.

“Joe Gale, he has it made,” a jokester will say.

“Why?” one will ask.

“He has a job for life,” the jokester responds.

And it is true, Gale does seemingly have a job for life as the lone Republican among the three serving as our county commissioners.

Sure, he had a temporary delusion of grandeur in May, as his hat as thrown into the ring in his party’s gubernatorial primary. He suffered the ignominy of a distant sixth-place finish, coming away with a paltry 2.1 percent of the vote. By contrast, “winner” Doug Mastriano – lunatic that he is — placed first with a 43.8 plurality.

So, the running joke that is Joe Gale continues.

As the song by The Smiths goes: “That joke isn’t funny anymore.”

And the joke is on us.

While rendered insignificant, Gale seems to be on a mission to earn enough brownie points with the far right that he seemingly thinks Donald Trump might even cut him a check or something,

Yes, Gale’s social media posts are that frightening.

And while the rules call for at least one Republican to be consistently out-voted by Chair Val Arkoosh and Vice Chair Ken Lawrence, perhaps the county would be better served by a less extreme dissenting voice.

Believe it or not, there are still plenty of Republicans, especially locally, that I have respect for in these times of Civil War. And I would respect them more if they raised the bar a bit on who speaks in their name at the county level.

Unlike Facebook, I pretty much steer clear of politics on Instagram, instead using it as a Sofia photo album. However, I admittedly chide Gale’s absurdities posted under “Vote Joe Gale,” which seems like a stupid title considering how few Republicans voted for him around the state in the primary and how he pretty much has a free skate in the county.

That has come to an end, it seems, since I am now blocked from posting comments there anymore.

Seems odd, though, He is an elected official. Last time I checked, I was a resident of the county. I’m a constituent, whether he likes it or not.

Should I be blocked at will because he doesn’t like my constructive criticism or polite protestations?

I guess he just wants to hear what he wants to hear from the small band of bible-thumping Karens whole tell him how great he is for being mean-spirited in the name of Jesus.

Or maybe, well, he’s just a snowflake.

It’s always a bit interesting to see a good portions Republicans wrap themselves up in their peculiar interpretations of the Constitution when they are simultaneously violating it themselves by blocking freedom of speech.

Gale’s whole play – as the good Catholic boy – blows a lot of smoke.

But, you know what they say about smoke, right? Eventually, there will be fire – fire and brimstone.

I guess the stuff about separation of church and state eluded him in school.

He can selectively bounce around the county, taking selfies with law enforcement and attractive women at fairs and carnivals – while throwing in a perfunctory shot of himself with black people – but it doesn’t wash away the more troubling posts on both Instagram and Facebook (also called “Vote For Joe Gale”).

The facts are these (according to betterliving.com): 64.3 percent of county residents identify as being religious, meaning that close to 36 percent (myself included) do not actively practice any specific form of organized religion (whether or not we believe in a higher power or not).

Catholics, based on historical immigration of Irish and Italians (and more recently of Mexicans), are the plurality (at 38.5 percent) but not the majority (that would mean more than 50 percent). And I wonder how may say they are Catholic when polled when they are really just perfunctory Easter-Christmas Catholics.

Someone should tell Gale that, as he seems to be a bit confused about the difference. When you add in the various other Christian denominations, as well as the county’s robust Jewish community (mostly in the Eastern part of the county and the Main Line) – along with the 33.7 percent of us “others” who live, work and pay taxes here – he needs to be made to realize, maybe through official censure or something by peers, that he was elected to represent everyone and not just church ladies with rosary beads who give him feedback of daily affirmations.

I personally know church-going Catholics who are flat-out not impressed with Gale. Those jokes about him? They are often the source, these people.

But he has ripped a page out Trump’s playbook, seeing himself as just governing those – the smaller vocal minority — who think like he does.

The only difference, from my view, is that Trump doesn’t even really believe half of what he says (he was for gun control before he was against it, for example) but feeds off the whims of his followers because it boosts his enormous ego.

For Gale, I’m assuming it is some sort of pathetic cry for attention.

Don’t believe me? Think I’m being hyperbolic?

Let’s look at tone of some of these posts, which seem to be increasing as the proverbial noose tightens around Trump’s neck on the national stage:

-After President Joe Biden came to Philadelphia recently to say some of the types of things that wishy-washy Democrats have been afraid to say for way too long, Gale posted: “This fake Catholic, baby killer has some nerve coming to the great state of Pennsylvania and assassinating the character of God-fearing Americans that rightfully resist the Democrat Party’s reckless, left-wing agenda.”

Whoa! Who is he to call someone a “fake Catholic?” Who is he to call someone a “baby killer?” Does he know what Biden feels, spiritually, in his heart– especially after experiencing a lot of personal family tragedy and a near-death experience? Does he have proof he has personally “killed babies?” And, the usual theme of dividing Americans between being heathens and God-fearing, just because they are for a women’s right to choose what to do with her own body, is so unoriginal that it hurts.

-In response to an article from Fox News (his favorite source, despite its history of playing fast and loose with facts) that said more parents are enrolling kids in Catholic schools to avoid “wokeness” (yes, that’s a word), he responded: “Better yet, consider enrolling your children in the Regina Academies who offer a Catholic classical curriculum that forms both the mind and the soul.” That was followed with an actual web link for the private academies that come with tuitions.

Since when does an elected official serve as an official spokesperson for one school over the other?

And what about non-Catholics, Joe?

There was acknowledgement of some Catholic holidays that seemed innocent enough until you read between the lines.

-For example, there was this: “Happy Feast Day of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, the patron saint of unborn babies, expectant mothers and Christian families. Experience has shown his intercession to be powerful for fertility.”

-And another: “Today is the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist. Be fearless in preaching the Good News of the Gospel, no matter the earthly consequences.”

-In response to news that actor Shia LeBeuof converting to Catholicism, he said: “Proof that miracles are real! Saint Padre Pio, pray for us and the conversion of more souls on earth and in purgatory.”

So now we get down to the nitty gritty here. To Gale, all of the rest of us are ticketed for purgatory.

He is allowed to think and say what he wants behind closed doors – or wherever he goes to hide from the hard harsh world he sees (parents’ basement, perhaps) – but not on an official page called “Vote For Joe Gale.”

Before he blocked me on Instagram, I playfully asked if he was going to wish his Jewish constituents a Happy New Year. Certainly no violation of any Internet rules about violence or language, especially at a threshold for an elected leader, but I know the answer.

Crickets.

After all, his page also included a cartoon evoking old anti-Semitic tropes and the following comment: “Like many big city District Attorneys, Philly DA Larry Krasner is bankrolled by globalist billionaire George Soros. The chaos and destruction that’s ensued is no coincidence.”

In case you didn’t know, Krasner and Soros are both Jewish. I guess our pious commissioner couldn’t resist.

Henry Ford would be so proud.

If Gale can’t get an audience with the pope, maybe he can go hang out with Mel Gibson and Van Morrison.

While he doesn’t mention Trump by name much, which is probably by design, Gale is running a lot of the same fullback dives from Page 1 of the playbook.

-On Anthony Fauci stepping down: “Good riddance to this swamp creature who contributed to the needless suffering of many families, students and small-businesses across Pennsylvania and the country.”

Mature, huh? Not sounding real, uh, religious to me. The immaturity, though, does wreak of Trump.

Abortion is Gales repeated theme. While I admit that “pro-abortion” is a stupid and destructive term, as no one is really “pro-abortion” as much as they are “pro-choice,” he cherry-picked a post that Arkoosh “liked” as being “sick.”

He said funding for Planned Parent was “Blood money.” No word on the NRA, in terms of blood money, although he did provide some skewed stats about where guns are sold and where crimes happen, which was following by more conveniently religious psychobabble: “Statistics prove the problem is not law abiding gun ownership, but hearts without God.”

And – unfortunately — there is more:

-He also had another post of a Rosary in a hand, and added that he was “feeling kind of ‘extremist’ today, think I’ll pray my Rosary.” Yes, not a misprint, that’s an elected official openly referring to himself as an “extremist.”

-While Philadelphia is just a tad bit out of his jurisdiction, Gale couldn’t help but pounce on a School District of Philadelphia mask mandate for the returning to school: “Pre-Kindergarteners will suffer another year of indignity and fear-mongering at the hands of the radical leftists who run the Philadelphia School District. Families and children across the city deserve better.”

So does Montgomery County.

When it comes to Joe Gale, we deserve a lot better.

The All-Time All-Jewish Basketball Team

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE – It’s hard to believe now, but basketball – yes, basketball – was once considered “the Jewish man’s game.”

So much so that, the years between the World Wars, when quotas against Jews at colleges were commonplace, alumni at Ivy League schools lobbied for lenience when it came to Jewish basketball players so that they could gain an edge.

A newspaper of the time once opined that it was the “perfect sport” for Jews because it didn’t require much height or athleticism and was a game based on deception, where players could connive their way to victory.

Nice, huh.

They actually meant it as a compliment, too!

At least it was accurate … not!

In reality, since most Jews lived in cities – and since baseball and football were considered rural sports – the confines of gymnasium allowed for excelling at both basketball and boxing.

This included basketball Hall of Famers Marty Freidman, Nat Holman and Barney Sedran.

In the days long before the NBA, or any real organized professional leagues, All-Jewish teams would barnstorm, particularly after the stock market crash of 1929. The most famous is the Philadelphia SPHAS (South Philadelphia Hebrew Association). They would often win the game (and the winner’s share) and were then summarily chased to the one car they used to travel around in until they safely reach their next destination.

Some of those notables were: Petey Rosenberg, Leo Gottleib, Howard Rosan, Si Boardman, Moe Goldman, Inky Lautman, Fishy Rabin and Louis Spindell.

The SHAS/Sphas (also known as The Hebrews and The Wandering Jews) played until 1949, primarily as a exhibition team, but were disbanded in part because they defeated the Harlem Globetrotters on multiple occasions.

The SPHAS/Sphas (pictured above in their early years) also won seven championships between 1933-1934 and 1944-45 in one of the several pro leagues, this one being the ABL, as well as several title in other smaller leagues.

After World War II, the fly-by-night professional leagues coalesced into what we now as the NBA, with Jews well-represented. As matter of fact, SPHAS alum Ossie Schectman is credited with having scored the first basket in the BBA (Basketball Association of America in 1946. This league was the direct forerunner of NBA.

For purposes of this drill, selecting the All-time All-Jewish Basketball Team, we will focus on professional basketball (NBA, ABA and maybe an overseas guy or two).

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Red Auerbach

Notes: I may never get served a cheese steak here in Philly again, but the evidence in overwhelming for the cigar-smoking pioneer who made the Boston Celtics a dominant force. Auerbach may not only be the best Jewish coach of all time, but the best coach of all time, period.

As a coach, which included stints with the Washington Capitols and Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Auerbach set NBA records with 938 wins and nine titles. After his coaching retirement in 1966, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death. As general manager and team president of the Celtics, he won an additional seven NBA titles for a grand total of 16 in a span of 29 years and making him one of the most successful team officials in the history of North American professional sports.

Auerbach also played college basketball at George Washington University and was credited with breaking the color barrier in the NBA in 1950 by drafting Chuck Cooper in 1950 and have all-black starting five in 1964. In 1966, he made Bill Russell the first black head coach in North American sports.

Assistant Coach: Red Holzman. Auerbach was voted the best coach in NBA history and Holzman was not too far behind at No. 4. He is best known as the head coach of the Knicks from 1967-82. They won championships in 1970 and 1973.

While Auerbach was also a solid college player in his own right at George Washington, Holzman was an outstanding player who might’ve warranted consideration on the roster below if not for his coaching prowess. He was a star in the old NBL, winning two titles (1946, 1951). He was Rookie of the Year in 1946. That same year, he was first-team All-NBL (also in 1948, while being voted to the second team in 1947).

The Starting Five

Center: Neal Walk

Notes: In addition to being the only human being on earth hairier than myself, the 6-10 Walk (pictured above) had a decent NBA career after being drafted second overall in 1969 by the Phoenix (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, went first to the Milwaukee Bucks). He hit his peak in the 1972-73 season, averaging 20.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per game (Charles Barkley is the only other player in Suns’ franchise history to average a double-double). The second half of his 8-year NBA career saw a significant drop in production, after which he finished up his playing days with three seasons in Israel and one Italy. His NBA career averages were 12.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2,1 assists per game.

Forwards: Dolph Schayes, Amare Stoudemire

Notes: This is clearly the strength of the team. Schayes (he went by Dolph because his birth name was Adolph), is universally considered the best Jewish basketball player. Stoudemire, who had an outstanding NBA career before moving on to player overseas (including Israel). There is no real DNA proof that he is ethnically Jewish, but he is fully convinced that he is and is certainly a better religious Jew than I am.

While both Schayes (pictured above) and Stoudemire are power forwards, they are head and shoulders above the other forwards on the roster and deserve starting nods. We’ll put Schayes at power forward and Stoudemire at small forward.

A native of the Bronx, the 6-8 Schayes played his college hoops at NYU and then embarked on a pro career in which he was a 12-time NBA All-Star. Selected to the Hall of Fame in 1973, he was chosen for the following NBA anniversary teams – 25th, 50th and 75th.  He won a league title in 1955 with the Syracuse Nationals, the team for the majority of a 15-year career (ended with the 76ers) that saw him post career averages of 18.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He led the league in various categories multiple times, including pacing the circuit scoring in 1957-58 and 24.9 points per game and rebounding in 1950-51 (16.4 per game). Not to be confused with Ben Simmons, he led the league in free throw percentage three times.

The 6-10 Stoudemire, who lists dual citizenship with the U.S.A. and Israel, was a six-time NBA All-Star and was Rookie of the Year in 2003. For his 15-year NBA career, which was followed up with more accolades while playing in Israel, he averaged 18.9 points per game to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

With all due respect to Walk, Stoudemire will be jumping center to start games.

Guards: Larry Brown, Tal Brody

Notes: We all know Brown for his Hall of Fame coaching exploits, and those will earn him a role here as a player-assistant on Auerbach’s staff, but he was also one of the best point guards in the early days of the ABA, leading the league in assists three of the five years he played while averaging 11.1 points per game. He also quarterbacked the 1964 Olympic team to gold after a stellar college career wooing the Southern Belles at North Carolina (Dean Smith was also the Olympic coach).

The 6-1 Brody (pictured above) is a more controversial pick here as the shooting guard. Like Brown, he never played in the NBA, even though he was drafted 11th overall out of Illinois (second-team All-American) by the Baltimore Bullets (now Washington Wizards). He instead became the founding father of basketball in Israel.

In 1977, after returning to stateside to fulfill his military service and play for the U.S, National Team, he led Maccabi Tel Aviv to the European Championship. Much like the famed Miracle On Ice U.S. Olympic ice hockey team of 1980, Brody spearheaded a win over the heavily favored Soviet Red Army tea, (CSKA Moscow).

Records show him averaging 19.2 points per game in the Israeli League, where he won 10 championships. He averaged 17.0 per game in EuroLeague play and 15.6 in FIBA International Competitions.

Although the Soviet Union refused to play Israel again after their humbling loss, Soviet great Sergei Belov called Brody one of the best players he ever competed against.

In The Rotation:

Rudy LaRusso: If not for Stoudemire’s ethnic awakening, this 6-8 1959 Dartmouth grad would easily be in the lineup next to Schayes. As it is, we have ourselves a forceful forward-center off the pine. Don’t let the last name fool you. LaRusso (pictured above) was the vintage Brooklyn mutt. He had an Italian dad and a Jewish mother. LaRusso was raised in the faith (and her chicken soup). “Roughhouse Rudy,” as he was called, played most of his career in the 1960s on some talented Lakers’ teams. A five-time all-star, he saved his best for last, at least statistically, while finishing with the Warriors. In his second to last season, 1967-68, he averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game. The following year, while being named to the All-Defensive team, he averaged 20.7 points per game. For his career, he averaged 15.6 points and 9.4 rebounds.

Danny Schayes: The son of Dolph was never quite the player his dad was but, to be fair, the 6-11 Syracuse product (and 11th overall pick in 1981) played in a different era. In 1987-88, he averaged 13.9 points and 8.2 rebounds for Denver. However, what would have been solid career numbers diminished to 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds when he hung on as a deep reserve from the early 90s until the of the decade. Part of his motivation, he said, was knowing retirement would have left a league was once loaded with Jewish players with none. Talk about a mensch, huh?

Art Heyman: The 6-5 Duke product, gives us flexibility as a swingman. Yet another New York product who went to the ACC, where he battled it out with Brown’s Tar Heels, Heyman was so stellar on the college hardwood that he was drafted first overall in 1963 after being named Player of the Year by AP, UPI, Sporting News and others. Given the hype, it would be fair to call him at least half a bust. Heyman, known for his temper tantrums, saw a decrease in playing time after making the NBA All-Rookie Team for the hometown Knicks (averaged 15.4 points per game). Heyman left the Knicks for cups of coffee with the Cincinati Royals and our 76ers before moving on to the Eastern League. He then caught on with the ABA and won the league crown with the Pittsburgh Pipers in 1968, averaging more than 20 points per game. We could call him … “The Jew who saved Pittsburgh.” … All told, his professional averages were 13.0 points, 4.7 board and 2.8 assists.

Steve Chubin: This 6-3 New York native went North to play his college hoops at Rhode Island. He was selected by the Warriors in the third round of the 1966 draft, which was far from a guaranteed job. After playing a year in Italy (scoring 34 points in the EuroLeague finals), he came back to stateside to join the Anaheim Amigos of the ABA. In addition to averaging 18.2 points per game in 1967-68, the crowd favorite (known as “Chube”) was second in the circuit behind Brown in assists per game (4.7). He went on to play 226 games in the ABA (career averages of 12.8 points and 3.9 assists) for multiple teams before finishing up his career in Israel and winning several championships.

Rounding Out The Roster

Max “Slats” Zaslofsky: Unique in that the 6-2 Brooklyn native (pictured above) played at St. John’s, a Catholic school, he was a standout in the early days of the NBA (all-league four times). Before the NBA, he was just 21 when he paced the BBA in scoring in 1947-48 (21.0) and led the NBA in free throw percentage (.843) in 1949-50. For his 12-year career, he averaged 14.8 points and 2.0 assists per game.

Bob Gross: The 6-6 small forward should be well-known to us 76ers fans, as he was a starter on the Bill Walton-led Portland Trailblazers’ team that beat the Sixers in the 1977 finals, 4-2, after the Sixers rolled in the first two games. With the series knotted, 2-2, the scene shifted back to The Spectrum and Gross had the night of his life, scoring a team-high 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting from the floor. The Blazers won that game, and the next at home, to take the title. He was nowhere near that much of a scorer in his career but had a strong overall floor game (voted second-team All-Defense the following year). He retired in 1983 with career averages of 8.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.12 steals a game. His No. 30 was retired by the Trailblazers.

Jordan Farmar: A former high school Player of the Year, the biracial Farmar was raised by his Jewish mother and Israeli stepfather. He was a standout at UCLA who was drafted in the late first round by the hometown Lakers. A point guard, the 6-2 Farmar was a rotational reserve on two championship teams with the Lakers. He then played two seasons with the Nets (then in New Jersey) and posted respectable averages of 9.6 points and 5.0 assists (2010-2011) and 10.4 points and 3.3 assists in 2011-12. He played a year in Turkey, averaging just under 14 points a game, before returning stateside and rejoining the Lakers in 2013-14 (10.1 points, 4.9 assist, 2.1 rebounds). He finished his NBA journey with stints with the crosstown Clippers, Memphis and Sacramento. As a dual citizen, he also represented Israel in world play.

Just Missing The Cut

Omri Casspi: The 6-9 swing forward was drafted 23rd overall in 2009 and was the first Israeli to play in the NBA. However, in 12 seasons he never really rose above being more than a rotational player and went back to his homeland with career averages of 7.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Highlights included playing in the Rookie Game on All-Star weekend and receiving a championship ring as a member of the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors (5 starts).

Ernie Grunfeld: His play before entering the league – and after as a longtime GM/front office type for 20 years after retiring in 1999 – earned him a known name that was bigger than his actual play as a pro. In college, at Tennessee, he became the school’s all-time leading scorer. He won gold medals with the USA in the 1975 Pan American Games and 1976 Olympics. However, his NBA career was fairly middling – 17 starts in 9 seasons with career averages of 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Miki Berkovich: A teammate of the aforementioned Brody in the miracle win over the Soviets, he – not Brody – is often considered to be Israel’s best ever basketball player. However, unlike Brody at Illinois, Berkovich was nothing more than a deep bench player in college (UNLV). The 6-4 Berkovich joined Maccabi Tel-Aviv basketball club’s junior team in 1965, and the adult team in 1971. With Maccabi, he won 19 national championship titles and 17 national cups and averaged just under 18 points per game.

WAITING IN THE WINGS:

It was hard to include players whose stories are just being written. A pair of Israelis – Deni Avdija and Yam Madar– come to mind. Both were drafted into the NBA in 2020, with the 6-9 Avdij going 9th overall to Washington. A point guard, the 6-3 Madar is still playing overseas after going in the second round to Boston. Through two NBA seasons, the 21-year-old Avdija has made 40 starts (32 as a rookie) and is posting moderate numbers – 7.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists – in just under 24 minutes per game. He and Madar combined to lead Israel to a pair of U20 gold medals in world competition, which surely caught the eye of scouts.

Special Mention: Jon Scheyer

This one is a projection on what could have been. The next coach at Duke, Scheyer (pictured above) was one of the most celebrated – and heavily recruited – high school players in the country before he chose to become a Blue Devil. He did not disappoint there, enjoying a stellar four-career that was capped off by a national title. Despite scoring 2,007 points over his stellar career, Scheyer was not drafted. His chances suffered another blow with a severe eye injury in a summer league game. He played in Israel, and tried it again stateside the following summer (with the Sixers), but he was not the same player and retired. Oy vey. He could have been an all-timer – at least for this team. As it is – and assuming he does well at Duke – he can join the coaching staff.

I Got A lot, But I Got Nothing

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE — As of today, there have been 233 mass shootings in this so-called land of the free and home of the brave.

Not all told. Just in 2022.

As of tonight, the president, Joe Biden, will make a national address on the issue that seems to have gotten worse once people have crawled out of their post-COVID holes with shorter fuses.

As of tomorrow, and the next day and night, the numbers will rise. And, sadly, Biden’s words will ring hollow.

And be debunked as mocked by the far right.

He will be scoffed at by politicians who have it in their power to start us on a path to change by taking baby steps to keeping our babies — and all of us — more safe.

The most tragic aspect of all this is that they refuse to budge despite the fact that 80-90 percent of Americans — Americans from both sides of the aisle — support some form of gun control legislation beyond the flawed laws that already exist.

It is tragically ironic that these same politicians (mostly Republican, but not all) are vehemently pro-life on the divisive abortion issue, even when the majority of Americans (right, left and center) support a woman’s right to choose.

It would help if Democrats, the world’s worst at self-labeling, didn’t allow the “pro-abortion” tag to stick (it’s pro-choice, period).

But that’s another argument for another time, other than that the irony is that the same politicians who are vehement about protecting the rights of a fetus are just as firm about allowing all sorts of loopholes for our children’s lives, among others, to be easy targets in places like Uvelde, Texas and Newtown, Conn.

They square dance and two-step around the core issue that even the smallest changes could net big results.

Some resort to saying it wouldn’t matter.

Hey, maybe not, but why not try?

And where is the American “can-do” spirit?

These are the people who claim they want to Make America Great Again, which is impossible with this American crisis.

We put a man on the friggin’ moon, right?

We can’t do this? Really?

This American nightmare points to ultimate attempts at solutions that shape the new American Dream.

The problem within the problem is that these NRA errand boys (and girls) like to parse out then double down on quick fixes that are rhetorical and proven to be nonsensical.

They will bring up mental health, when Republicans are the ones who consistently vote against mental health funding (statistics show that most with mental health issues are not violent).

Beyond that, is there really a way to police against someone who has stopped taking his medication? Can you spot this person? They are all not walking around with tin foil on their heads.

And what about those who go temporarily insane, meaning they woke up not intending to go on a shooting spree but snapped and immediately regretted it (probably to the point of taking their own life).

With major holes in those arguments, they turn to the old fallback about armed security.

They say that “a good guy with a good stops a bad guy with a gun.”

To quote Uncle Junior from The Sopranos: “What, are we making a Western here?”

The reality is that John Wayne with a Colt-45 doesn’t stand a chance against a well-armed kid on a mission with a military-style rifle, extra artillery and body armor.

And, I’m constrained to point out that the supermarket in Buffalo had an armed ex-guard.

He shot the assailant, but it didn’t penetrate the body armor. The assailant shot the security guard, a former police officer, and the security guard died.

I’m fine with armed guards at schools. I’m fine with metal detectors.

A lot of schools, especially in inner cities, already have them,

But where does it stop?

Are we putting security guards at every preschool? Every private school? Every alternative school? Every tech school? Every beauty academy? Every community college?

What about at after-school facilities?

That’s a whole lot of armed guards, and it raises serious issues about the ability — and sanity — of those being entrusted to protect the schools.

Example: Now we are into summer, which means summer camp season.

Now what?

Let me spin you a little yarn from my overnight camp days.

Back when I was a lad at Camp Arthur, they staged a test case at the teen camp (Beker), when some actors were paid to enter dressed as Neo-Nazis (armed with were not loaded weapons).

It was Jewish camp, of which they are still many, making them prime targets.

There was some rock-throwing and cursing before staffers quickly settled it down and it was then turned into a teachable moment, with the actors still in character.

The point is that these pretend Neo-Nazis pretty much walked onto the wooded Jewish camp and into the teen village.

There are camps all across America that will be hosting children, our children, all summer.

Bible camps. Dance Camps. Sports Camps. Camps for underprivileged kids. Camps for kids with physical and mental challenges.

And there are more day camps to count.

Are we arming the counselors, many of which are teens themselves?

The whole thought sends chills down my spine.

The scenes of carnage run from coast to coast, up and down. The motivations are out of racial hate (most recently Buffalo) and from generally troubled teens (Uvalde), etc.

A simple start would be to raise the age from buying a gun from 18 to 21.

I think of myself at 18 and at 21, and I was like two different people.

All you have to do is see the songs I was writing, and books I was reading, at each age.

And, at 18, I liked bimbos. By 21, I went for smart girls.

But, looking back, I really didn’t know much at 21, either. The brain doesn’t fully develop until between the ages of 24 and 30.

If you are a politician doing the NRA’s bidding, your brain still hasn’t developed.

Sooner or later, with national opinion swelling on this, their days are eventually numbered.

Unfortunately, we still have to live with them and their rhetoric and fatally flawed logic.

They will tell you that “guns don’t kill.”

They are right.

They will say it’s “people” who kill, and that they need to be stopped by the “good guys” with guns in some sort of Modern Day shootouts in the Town Square.

That would be nice, at least in a Ted Cruz wet dream,

The fact — and we all know it (even them) — is that is people with guns who kill.

Work to take away the guns from those who shouldn’t have them, and there are laundry lists of methods to try, and I like our chances to move the needle out of the danger zone.

And, no, I don’t mean doing door to door to and collecting guns from “responsible gun owners.”

I’d like to peel away at the onion and redefine what a “responsible gun owner” really is, given that the number of suicides by firearm and other shootings in the home (heat of the moment domestic disputes and “accidental” shootings between, say, a 7-year-old and a 3-year-old sibling) dwarfs the number of phantom bogeymen picking out your house for a home invasion (most are “inside jobs’ and not random).

But, to quote the band Foreigner, this is an “urgent emergency,” so the onion can wait.

What destroys me here is that none of this is new. At all. I have been a broken record on it for years. I still remember dropping Sofia at school after Newtown. She was in Kindergarten. Those victims were in first grade.

I told her I loved her that day. And I still do every morning.

I would’ve expected substantive change after what was the worst schooling shooting in our sordid history.

After our second worst, nothing has changed.

What angers me is that, during the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, this issue was swept under the rug. Whole debates, whether within the primary season or the presidential battles, would come and go without gun violence as a topic.

It was like it was mutually agreed upon not to talk about it. It was like it was taboo.

We heard a lot about other stuff — like what type of people can use which bathrooms in public places and about school prayer and some contrived war on Christmas — but not every single one of us being moving targets every single day on the streets.

I could on forever here, but I’m weary over my somethings on the topic equally nothing.

Disco Duck Revisited

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE — I know it’s hard to believe, given that I’m the handsome-but-aging devil I am today, that there was once a time when I was the the ugly kid at the Junior High — or Bar/Bat Mitzvah or overnight camp — dance (record hops, as they were called).

There was no moment more sad than hearing Donna Summer’s “Last Dance,” signaling the end of the night, and me and the other dorks still standing by the punch bowl.

After scoring big in fifth grade with the ladies, the steady decline began in sixth and only got worse from there with buck and crooked death and Brillo pad hair. By the end of high school, I suppose I was sneaky cute and it was fifth grade all over again by college (girls not being into messed-up older guys helped).

What does this memory of my Disco Duck years have to do with my latest NFL Mock Draft? Everything, actually.

My latest public Eagles-only 7-round mock, unlike others, included trades. The computer offered me some, and I offered it some.

And, like those dances of yore, I met with a lot of rejections in my offers.

Example: In the first round, I offered the Houston Texans — not exactly beauty queens themselves — the 18th overall pick and a third for the 13th overall pick (Cincinnati corner Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner was still on the board) and a sixth. The answer? A flat no.

And so it went.

Here it goes the Mock Draft, with trades, hot off the presses:

Round 1

Pick 15: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue (6-4, 270)

Notes: A lot was made of Michigan’s David Ojabo not having a ton of football experience and his ultimate upside, even before his injury. Karlaftis was born in Greece and grew up playing water polo before moving to he US and taking up football in high school. Translation: He is already good, and is still going to get better. I really didn’t like him at first, but he has grown on me.

Then came a trade offer from the Detroit Lions, who were asking for the 18th and 101st picks in exchange for No. 32 and 34. I accepted.

Pick 32: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M (6-4, 325)

Notes: Brandon Brooks is gone, and I’m just not sold on Isaac Seumalo right now being the guy, especially at his salary. Green, at worst, could either start by next season or could be ready by midseason if and when Seumalo gets hurt again.

Round 2

Pick 34: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State 6-4, 210)

Notes: Passed on the chance to get some wideouts in the first round, instead settling on more sexy picks, and Watson may end up being the best receiver in the draft when it is all said and done. He began the draft process as a Day 3 dark horse and has raised his own stock at every turn. He checks all the boxes for the Birds, in terms of size and his ability to also double as a return man.

Pick 51: Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State (6-4, 240)

Notes: If you like Leighton Vander Esch, despite the uniform he wears, you will love this Swiss Army Knife. Andersen may just be limited to special teams early on while being phased into the defense, but it will be worth the wait. And don’t be shocked, in the interim, if he gets in some snaps on offense on gadget plays.

Round 3

Pick 83: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State (6-3, 250)

Notes: I have a long list of Day 3 tight ends that I was going to refer to when the time was right, but I was pleasantly surprised to still see my No. 1 tight end still on the board. With all due disrespect to J.J. Arecega-Whiteside, who allegedly converting from receiver to tight end, it was a no-brainer.

Round 4

Pick 134: J.T. Woods, S, Baylor (6-2, 190)

Notes: Like the McBride selection, the value here was too good to pass up, even with some corners on the board. I’m just not sold on the current safeties as anything more than flotation devices. He has improved his stock slightly — from, say, the latter part of Day 3 — by allaying some fears about man coverage in postseason poking and prodding. He is one of the faster safeties in the draft.

Round 5

Pick 154: Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida (5-9, 215)

Notes: I’m still not sure why Jordan Howard was so quickly jettisoned, and I mourn his loss from the roster. Pierce, though, brings some of the same qualities with his compact frame. I’m reminded of the “Weeble Wobble But They Don’t Fall Down” toys of the 1970s.

Pick 166: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor (6-2, 180)

Notes: The kid is 6-2 with 33-inch arms and runs a 4.2 40. He is only 180 pounds and is raw and doesn’t always catch the ball, or double catches it, meaning we could be looking at another John Hightower. Or not. Worth the pick here.

Pick 173: Aqeel Glass, QB, Alabama A&M (6-4, 235)

Notes: Nowhere near ready to play meaningful regular season snaps for a year or two, but the raw tools make him an upgrade at the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.

Round 6

The Eagles currently don’t have a 6th having the swap of picks with the Saints, but I was able to fix that by actually asking a girl to dance and getting a “yes.”

The Patriots accepted a fifth next year for a sixth this year. Seems a steep price, but this draft is deep and the Eagles are awash in picks next year.

Pick 200: Dawson Deaton, C, Texas Tech (6-5, 305)

Notes: He is a former defensive lineman and will bring an attack mentality to Jeff Stoutland’s classroom.

UPDATE: Nate Herbig just resigned with the Eagles, so Deaton is not needed.

NEW PICK 200: Tayland Humphrey, DT, Louisiana (6-5, 350)

Notes: “Big Saucy” will need some refinement, but you can’t teach size, and he has it.

Round 7

Pick 237: Velus Jones, WR, Tennessee (5-11, 200)

Notes: A third receiver seems a bit much, but we just need to trust the board here and go value. Jones lacks some size/speed stuff but plays the right way, grading out as an excellent blocker, and brings needed return skills (as a Plan B for Watson).

Summary: I left the dance with only admiring San Diego State punter Matt Araiza from afar. This means either an undrafted punter (Penn State’s Jordan Stout), or a veteran journeymen fringe guy, to battle it out with incumbent Arryn Siposs,who tailed off horribly last year. I took no corners in a year loaded with them, meaning either a return of someone Steve Nelson (now with Texans) or the younger guys – Zech McPherson, Tay Gowan, Kary Vincent, etc. — battling it out. But fear not, this is not the last dance. I shall return,

Normalizing An Addiction

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE – Those commercials for new and improved medicines? I’m sure you have seen them. So hideously that you cover your eyes out of embarrassment for whomever was responsible.

We’ll get a brief description of the minor health issue the pills are for, followed by so many dire warnings and scary side effects – up to and including sudden death — that it seems better to just have cold fingertips or hot feet in the morning.

But give them credit for laying it all out, slowly and concisely.

I wish I can say the same for the cottage gambling industry that has placed a firm chokehold on our culture.

Yeah, everybody bets a little and doing it online is probably better than going through a bookie in a dark alley, but there still seems to be a sudden casual acceptance that I find a bit troubling.

At the end of the gambling commercials, commonplace on sports-talk radio stations and during sporting events, the voiceover is so rapidfire that you can barely make out the CYA 1-800-GAMBLER part and something quickly muttered about Gambler’s Anonymous.

What is troubling, and what has this racing up my list of burgeoning pet peeves, is that many regional and national sports heroes of our recent past are used as spokespeople (pawns, really) for these operations (don’t get me started on Pete Rose not going into Cooperstown but no Hall of Fame credentials getting yanked for these ex-jocks in need of a pay day).

The statistics back up a difficult fact that our country, especially at a time when people are at home more, is dealing with a gambling problem that is most prevalent in teens and young adults who are the most computer literate and almost see gambling as a video game without real consequences.

Compared to the immediacy of drug addition, gambling addiction is pretty much swept under the rug.

Consider the following:

-As many as 10 million Americans live with a gambling addiction. While the act of gambling itself is not illegal, making it easier justifies risky gambling behaviors.

-The numbers show that the majority of people who have a gambling addiction are not self-aware enough to see it as a problem. In fact, just 21 percent of incarcerated individuals assessed as having gambling addiction thought that their gambling was problematic.

-Gambling trends indicate dire consequences with the advent of the internet making gambling more accessible. As a result, the number of lives negatively affected by gambling has also increased.

Specifically, two areas where the addiction has hit hard is with college students and with domestic violence, as studies show it is more likely to occur when a parent is a compulsive gambler.

Children of gamblers, according to experts, are more prone to develop depression and substance abuse later in life.

According to a combination of national studies, 1 in 20 college students meet the criteria for compulsive gambling.

That rate is more than double that of the overall adult population. A major reason for these high rates seem to point to the accessibility of gambling through the internet, as some studies indicate that 23 percent of college students report gambling online (with 6 percent doing so weekly).

And then there is the issue of criminality. While gambling is legal in most states, there is still a connection to breaking the law, as about half of compulsive gamblers commit predictable crimes. All are committed in an attempt to get money to gamble with and/or to pay off debts.

The crimes range from forgery to fraud to petty theft, etc. As compulsive gambling increases, and primarily under the radar, the correlation with crime will as well

Don’t believe me, try these facts and figure on for size:

  • More than two-thirds of compulsive gamblers report committing crimes directly related to gambling, and approximately 40 percent of compulsive gamblers report the only crimes they commit are related to gambling.
  • Somewhere between 80 to 90 percent of individuals who attend Gamblers Anonymous report engaging in illegal acts to get money for gambling.
  • An estimated 63 percent of Gamblers Anonymous members reported writing bad checks, and approximately 30 percent reported stealing from work.
  • Nearly 70 percent of gamblers assessed as having a severe problem reported engaging in illegal acts relating to gambling, compared to roughly 26 percent assessed to have moderate severity.
  • A study of Gamblers Anonymous members found that 57 percent had stolen to finance their gambling with a combined financial impact of theft equaling $30 million.
  • Compulsive gamblers are arrested seven times more frequently than non-gamblers.

But there is more than all these damning facts and figures.

There are the personal stories.

For me, this all hits a little too close to home and rattles skeletons rattling around in my own closet.

My stepfather was a gambler. I was a kid, and not around on weekends (at my father’s house), so I don’t really know the full extent. Looking back now at some of the uneven behavior, a lot adds up that gambling was fueling an engine often running off the road.

The sins of the stepfather were not visited upon the stepson, as my chances placing a rare bet of more than $5 on anything are less than me dunking a basketball. And I was not the victim of any sort of physical abuse.

But there was some emotional abuse, and it got worse around the same time gambling became legal in Atlantic City.

After retiring, that’s where he and my mother lived half the year. I was already a young adult when we would visit, but I remember him Jonesing to finish dinner to go off and play Black Jack and Roulette.

He played so much that there were stretches where this casino or that one would comp him (he was also frequently comped on gambling junkets on cruise ships when they spent the other half of the year in Florida).

I was fine with it, staying in those rooms and eating in those exclusive restaurants, where he would still have ants in his pants to hit the casino with what seemed to be a self-fulfilling prophecy to lose.

He would win $5K and then lose it all back within 24 hours. It was a vicious cycle, and one we couldn’t wait to get away from after a night or two when the focus should have been more on, say, a young Sofia.

There were those who had it worse. There was a friend of my stepfather that he won a Jaguar from in a high-stakes poker game, which was reminiscent of him winning – and then losing – a West Philly diner in the late 1960s (I only heard that story as a whimsical remembrance).

Even though he kept at it, owned by his compulsion (common in older men to the tune of 69 percent), he always said gambling was a game for losers and that the house always wins.

That was enough for me. For these young people I see placing bets on their phones like fiends? I’m not so sure.

Memo From A Windmill

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE — Forget the name you see above.

I’m not Gordon Glantz.

Call me Don Quixote.

When it comes to the issue of gun control, that’s who I am. Driven to the point of heroic madness.

I’ve gone at the subject of gun control 1,000 times, so get set for No. 1,001.

We have so many inherent problems in this country.

We are literally torn apart by a covert Civil War, which was initiated by your former president (not mine).

Education? Environment? Bullying?

Gun Control still tops the list for me.

I’m not advocating going door to door and taking all your guns, either. If I would, I could, but I can’t.

But there are measures that can be taken to save lives. Why not move forward?

Let’s start with this bitter pill: More American have died from gunfire since 1970 than in all wars combined. And the death toll continues to rise.

Take a minute to swallow it without choking.

Now, to put it into more immediate terms, try this: There were more than 500 shootings this weekend that resulted in 233 fatalities.

Some like to parse it out between mass shootings and street shootings, but a gun death is a gun death. No matter the victim’s race or social standing, the blood of a victim runs in rivers of red.

What gets me is that the common response I get, even from those who are frustratingly neutral, is that there is nothing we can do about it.

Throwing up your hands and surrendering to the madness? Is that the American way?

Actually, I’ll tell you what it really is: It’s the Yemen way.

Yemen? Yeah, Yemen.

That’s the only other country with an attitude toward guns like we have.

Let me update you on Yemen, so that we have some context of who are partners in gun crime happen to be.

Yemen is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. An estimated 12 million children are hungry, thirsty and lacking basic medical care.

Considered one of the most unsafe places on the planet, travel advisories are generally issued due to terrorism and kidnapping and overall violence.

Yemen is second – I repeat, second – to one other country in the gun ownership.

Take a wild guess?

United States? Bingo!

Maybe Yemen can’t help it.

We can.

We have this fantasy, perhaps a fetish, about playing John Wayne. The reality is that ever getting to do that in your own home, as compared to a tragic accident or heat-of-the-moment domestic disputes or suicide (two-thirds of gun deaths), are much great.

And I have news for you. John Wayne, while also a racist in the real life, was also wimp. He served as many days – zilch — in combat as the former president (not mine).

Let it go.

Let me tell you a story. Once or twice a year, we have a garage sale. Without fail, some “customer” will show up looking for guns and ammunition. We will politely tell him we don’t, and it’s not uncommon for this “customer” to refuse to take “no” for an answer.

“Youse, don’t got nuttin’ at all,” he’ll say, while rattling off different types of guns and bullets, and smirking as if we’re losers when we say no.

Is this how it’s supposed to go down? And it’s naïve to think these guys only use our garage sales to circumvent the flawed system where approximately 20 percent of the guns on the streets are sold outside the boundaries and countless others are stolen.

The common arguments I get, usually on Facebook, are that it’s a mental health issue.

I’m not going to argue that it’s part of it, but it’s blatantly irresponsible to thrown that blanket over it and walk away.

Statistics show that the vast majority of people with mental health issues are non-violent. What we can agree that it is not enough people who need access to mental healthcare are able get it (typically blocked in budgets by the same right-wing politicians that refuse to budge on gun control). Pretty much unrelated in reality, people seeking easy access to guns are able to get them.

What do the sobering numbers say? It is, in fact, easier to get your hands on a gun than to get psychiatric treatment. This is from that Harvard place, by the way, not FOX News.

The other one, and most laughable, is the car comparison.

How about this, ding-dongs? Let’s compare mind sets and see where we are on it.

Read a car magazine or through an online thread and compare it to those from gun enthusiasts.

One person is enjoying the open road, the other is enjoying pulling the trigger on a weapon with only one reason for its existence.

The reality is that, since 1921, the auto fatality rate per 100 has been reduced by 95 percent.

Gunfire? Not quite, sorry.

There is a conscious effort, from car owners and makers, to make them safer each year, with features like improved breaking systems and traction control. Most cars are equipped with features to assist with going in reverse.

The passage of time has seen seat belts, air bags, speed limits, lights (red, yellow, green, blinking, etc.), the need for an operator’s license, updated insurance (with incentives for safe drivers), high beams for the dark, a focus on distracted driving, etc.

Then, yawn, comes the misinterpreted and misunderstood argument about the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms.

Let’s back up the bus a bit here and talk about the First Amendment, which protects the right of free speech but does not guarantee the right to defame someone’s character.

The Second Amendment, often treated like it came down with Moses from Mount Sinai and cannot be touched without the planet being struck with an asteroid, does not preclude sensible regulation. For example, background checks would not be unconstitutional.

Still, do you own nuclear weapons?  Well, why not? Where is the line drawn? It’s OK to have an AR-15 or AK-47, which rattle off an insane amount of shots, but not antiaircraft missiles in your backyard?

And, speaking of the Constitution, it was written when people owned other people and women were allowed the right to vote.

Not only was it not etched in stone, the founding fathers – visionaries but also products of their time – didn’t want it to be etched in stone (look up the definition of the word “Amendment”).

I have no doubt that they never intended the Second Amendment to be anything more than state militias being prepared for the British Army trying to reclaim lost turf.  Considering we bailed out Britain in both world wars, becoming a power in the process, that is not a concern anymore.

The state militia members of yore have become the National Guardsmen of today.

I think we’re good.

As bad as times are.

Final Mock: Once More Into The Fray

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE – One of my favorite historical sayings: Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.

It may be more of a legendary myth – or a mythical legend – from the American Revolution, with scholars still debating over who commanded it … if it was ever actually commanded at all.

As the story goes, it was meant to save our gunpowder against the better stocked forces of the British Empire during a battle on Bunker Hill.

True or not, it has its place in our common vernacular, in terms of waiting until the last time – even if it seems up against deadline – to pull the trigger.

That’s what we are doing here, with one more into the breach with a Mock Draft.

Round 1 (Pick 12): Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

Explanation: An alpha receiver, like LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, would have been ideal at pick No. 6. After GM Howie Roseman traded out of the spot for additional draft capital (a first next year). It was clear the focus had shifted to the dire need at cornerback. There are some good ones this year, and the opinion here is that Surtain is the complete, and polished, package. He has size (6-2, 200ish) and runs well enough (4.5 range) and has poise. He is also an excellent tackler for a corner (leading to some thought that, at some point in his career, he could wind up at safety). There is some talk, maybe too much talk, that the Eagles will have to trade up to get Surtain. In this computerized simulation, which only stopped for me to choose for the Eagles, Dallas traded back from 10 to 20 (and Chicago spent the No. 10 pick on Justin Fields) and Surtain was sitting there.

Round 2 (Pick 37): Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

Explanation: It could be argued the Eagles didn’t need a linebacker this high, or at all, but Collins brings the size (6-4, 250-260) and athleticism that could relate to Leighton Vander Esch-type impact. When the history of this draft is written, Collins could easily be seen as the crop’s best linebacker.

Round 3 (Pick 70): Payton Turner, DE, Houston

Explanation: A late riser on draft boards, his size (6-6, 270) and athleticism could put him into an immediate Vinny Curry role as a defensive end who can line up inside. This pick will cause “Iggles” fans to breathe fire, but they will say they loved the pick 2-3 years from now.

Round 3 (Pick 84): Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia

Explanation: The only debate with this long (6-2) and lean (185 pounds) defender is where he will play – corner or safety. A good problem. There is no debate that he will play, and play well, at the next level.

Round 4 (Pick 123): Caden Sterns, S, Texas

Explanation: A big (6-1, 210) and physical safety who looks for the big hit. He has 28 consecutive starts under his belt. It’s a streak that is likely to end in the NFL, as he will ride the learning curve while hunting heads as a rookie on special teams. Down the road, though, you could expect this head-seeking missile to be a starter.

Round 5 (Pick 150): Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State

Explanation: This long for a receiver? Yeah, this long. Johnson could be worth the wait, however, as he showed well at the Senior Bowl, where he put himself on most draft boards. He brings strong hands and skills as a return man.

Round 6 (Pick 189): Trey Hill, C, Georgia

Explanation: You could say that the Eagles could get by without drafting Jason Kelce’s possible heir apparent, especially since he could already be in the building (Luke Juriga, Ross Pierschbacher) or in the person of veteran Isaac Seumalo with Jack Driscoll or Matt Pryor sliding in at guard. Still, at this point of the draft, a mauler like Hill (6-3, 330) presents too much value to pass up. I was surprised to see him still here in this simulation, so I pounced. NOTE: There is some speculation is pick could be dealt to Chicago for slot receiver Anthony Miller. Even though I have no issues with Greg Ward, and even though Miller would be a one-year rental, I’d do it.

Round 6 (Pick 224): Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford

Explanation: A Stanford receiver who doesn’t get great separation but wins jump balls? Where have we heard that before? Relax. In the sixth round, the risk of another J.J. Arecega-Whiteside (second round in 2019, with D.K. Metcalf on the board) diminishes. Plus, Fehoko plays with much more grit and could be a Mack Hollins-type on special teams. Also, he has the size (6-3, close to 230) to warrant consideration as a hybrid tight end/receiver.

Round 6 (Pick 225): Avery Williams, CB. Boise State

Explanation: Not only do I like this guy as a NFL role player, I love him for the Eagles. He may not be anything more than backup slot corner at a shade under 5-9 and maybe 180 pounds soaking wet, but he might be the best two-way return man (punts and kicks) – outside of Jaylon Waddle – in the draft class. He has also excelled in kick and punt coverage.

Round 7 (Pick 234): Briley Moore, TE, Kansas State

Explanation: Assuming that Zach Ertz is traded away, a tight end will be needed. Like at center, there are some in-house projects, but Moore offers another option. While he lacks ideal size (6-3, maybe 250), he is a reliable receiver. For those old enough to remember, think former Eagle tight end Keith Krepfle, who came from the Midwest (Iowa) and measured in at 6-3, 227.

Round 7 (Pick 240): Mustafa Johnson, DT, Colorado

Explanation: The only thing stopping Johnson from being drafted higher, which he would be in lighter drafts, is his perceived lack of girth for the position. Not only is Johnson 6-0, he is 290 pounds. However, players with a knack of making plays – 12 ½ sacks the last two years — find a way to adjust and remain productive.

Summary: If you notice a theme, it’s heavy on defense. There were points last season where, while calling for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s head, I told anyone who would listen that I would mind a defense-only draft this year. That was a bit extreme, but only a bit.

Also, unlike my other mocks, there were no trades. There will be trades. Roseman will break out in a rash if he doesn’t maneuver around the board even a little. Also, while Ertz will likely be moved, it’s impossible to project to where for what. The hunch here is that it won’t be for much more than a Day 3 pick – something like Ertz and a sixth for a fourth – but we will just see how that plays out. We can always hold out hope he stays, has a productive year, becomes the franchise’s all-time leading receiver and then leaves in free agency (bringing compensation next year than might be better than what they get in a trade).

Because this was a defense-heavy draft, I was unable to tab a developmental quarterback or another running back. The Eagles just have to roll with Khalil Tate and/or an undrafted guy (i.e. Zac Thomas of Appalachian State) as the third QB and let Elijah Holyfield, the son of Evander Holyfield, fight it out with Jason Huntley and the infamous Adrian Killins – and maybe an undrafted entity (i.e. Caleb Huntley of Ball State; Otis Anderson of Central Florida) for the fourth running back job.

If Ertz is moved for a pick, perhaps it will be used for a quarterback like Kellen Mond (Texas A&M ) or Davis Mills (Stanford) or a running back such as Rhamondre Stevenson (Oklahoma) or Chris Evans (Michigan).

G2 Mock Draft 2.0: Cornering The Market

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE – Crank up the Aerosmith.

Not talking about that newer crapola.

Not into dudes who look like ladies.

Talkin’ old School …

I’m back in the saddle.

Again.

Time for my Eagles-only 2021 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 Edition

This time around, I accepted more trade offers. The only ones I rejected were those where the Birds, with so many holes to fill, were asked to give up more picks than received. For some teams, that makes sense. For our Eagles, at this place in time and place, it did not.

You will also not that I did not take a tight end, as I’m now trying to cling to the hope that Zach Ertz mends fences with the front office and returns. It would be mutually beneficial for both sides. In a year where there might not be a lot of positives, there is the PR plus of him becoming the franchise leader in receptions. Also, with a solid season (doesn’t need to be spectacular), he can then sign elsewhere (and bring a decent compensatory pick, which would about the same value that the Eagles would get in a trade now anyway).

Also, with the signings of stopgap linebacker Eric Wilson and big back Jordan Howard, I reassessed those positions as well.

OK, ready to rock?

Let’s dream on …

Round 1 (Pick 19): Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

Explanation: In a lot of the mocks I have been doing, Kyle Pitts is there at 12. We know that is not going happen. He may not get out of the Top 5, and definitely not the Top 10 (in this one, he goes to Dallas at 10). The top three receivers – LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase and both Alabama receivers, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle – were also gone. There were a few offers to move down, but the one that made the most sense was from NFC East rival Washington. In exchange for the 12th pick, used for Mac Jones, the Eagles get the 19th pick and a first in 2022 (meaning at least three, if not four). The choice came down to Newsome, who has nice size (6-1, 190) and rising up the draft boards from initially being viewed as a solid Day 2 pick, or Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman. Tough call, but I went with Newsome, who has the type of maturity to not be as flustered as a rookie put out on an island and has sound ball skills.

Round 2 (Pick 37): Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU

Explanation: Not much to say here. The best at his position in a strong draft has to be the choice. When I saw his name sitting there, I honestly did not even look at who else was available. The Eagles may have done some temporary patchwork at the position for now, but you don’t want to look back 3-5 years from now and get sick to your stomach over passing on a perennial Pro Bowler.

Round 3 (Pick 88): Tommy Togiai, DT, Ohio State

Explanation: If you are wondering how we got to Pick 88, put down the aspirin. A lot wheeling and dealing, from Pick 70 to 74 and then 74 to 84 and 84 to 88. You will also see a plethora of picks in the fourth and fifth rounds as a result of these deals. There are just too many holes to plug and too many quality players to not go and pick up more picks in the guts of the draft. GM Howie Roseman may do some of this, but not to this extent. I did a lot of it and, as it turned out, I’m glad. There is a glaring need at defensive tackle. Fletcher Cox is still very good, but not as a consistently dominant, and the persistence of “stinger” injuries is worrisome. Javon Hargrave is OK, at least for now, but a third player is needed to rotate in while being groomed for a larger role. Togiai (6-1, 300) is stout at the point of attack and, while he may still have some rough edges, is clearly a future starter. He’ll never be a premier pass rusher from the inside, but he will be consistently solid against the run.

Round 3 (Pick 103): Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

Explanation: While this is a deep running back class, it was not as deep in power backs. Bringing back Howard, who was inexplicably underused by Doug Pederson last year after being plucked off waivers, alleviates that need and opens up the field – literally and figuratively – to someone with a more unique skill set. Gainwell (5-11, 195) is more of an offensive weapon – a chess piece – than a traditional running back. After opting out last season, he was able to nudge his speed under 4.4 and he consistently outruns the angles to the outside. In addition to running for 1,469 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019, he often lined up in the slot and had 610 receiving yards and three scores on 51 grabs.

NOTE TO NAYSAYERS: You will see picks coming up on Day 3 that were not originally the property of the Eagles. They are result of trading back from the third round, and a little bit more in the fourth round. In a few packages, all of which were offered to me, I had to include the two seventh-round picks.

Round 4 (Pick 118): Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville

Explanation: Like Gainwell, Atwell may never be an every-down player, but he will still create ulcers for opposing defenses. He is 5-9 (maybe) and 170 (maybe) but legitimately runs a notch under 4.4 and can take the top of the defense. He has added value for gadget plays, as he was a heavily recruited dual-threat quarterback out of high school.

Round 4 (Pick 127): Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan

Explanation: This is a result of minor swap of Day 3 picks offered by the Colts, but he would have been the choice at No. 123 anyway. The only real knock on this corner with requisite size (6-0, 185) is that he is too aggressive and needs to be refined a bit. Because we have Newsome to play more right away, we can live with the learning curve. You can’t teach size or speed (4.35), and Thomas has both.

Round 4 (Pick 136): D.J. Daniel, CB, Georgia

Explanation: Sense a pattern here? Another corner who may not be shovel-ready on Day 1 but who also has the requisite size (6-1, 185) and speed (4.4) to play on Sundays. The only question is game experience, as he was a junior college transfer who answered the call in 2019 as junior before injuries set him back last season. It might take a year of playing special teams, or not even being active on game day, but this could end up as an absolute steal.

Round 5 (Pick 147): Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State

Explanation: A four-year starter who took a licking in pass-happy conference and kept on ticking, eventually emerging as one of the best defensive backs in the Big 12. He is not quite as long (5-11) as our other CB picks — and he runs in the 4.5 range — but he is an excellent tackler who will help on special teams and could get a look at safety if corner doesn’t work out.

Round 5 (Pick 150): Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State

Explanation: I don’t really see the dire need at receiver as other do. Back in the fold are Greg Ward (led the team in receptions) and Travis Fulgham (led the team in yardage) and all three of last year’s draft choices. However, Johnson is similar to Atwell in that he can bring some part-time juice to the picnic. In addition to some ability as a return man, he is solidly built (just under 5-11, 185 pounds) with some short-range burst on reverses. After a solid career at a lower level, Johnson put himself on the radar with a nice showing at the Senior Bowl. His best trait is that he is has sure hands. Johnson primarily projects a slot receiver, which is good news for all you Ward haters out there.

Round 5 (Pick 158): Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia

Explanation: After the news that the Eagles are moving street free agent Kahlil Tate away from receiver and back to quarterback, where he excelled at Arizona before a forgettable senior season, you could make a case that another undrafted QB to compete with him is all that is needed for now. However, Joe Flacco is only here for a year. Someone like Newman could end up as the eventual No. 2 behind Jalen Hurts and he plays the same style, meaning the whole offense would not have to be reworked if and when there is a quarterback change in 2022 and beyond. Newman has requisite size (6-3, 230) and excellent running ability for a bigger guy. While not possessing a cannon for an arm, some work on mechanics can help him get the best out of what he has in his arsenal. Even if Tate shows some potential, it will be raw and he would be an easy practice squad stash.

Round 5 (Pick 163): Trey Hill, C, Georgia

Explanation: Hello, Newman (see above)! You will have your college snapper to work with while he is potentially groomed to replace Jason Kelce. Unlike some other centers in this class, Hill possesses excellent size (6-3, 330) and plays a pure power game. He also has some experience at guard, which is another plus (bye Sua Opeta). There are some medical questions, as he put off knee surgery to play in pain last season, but Hill can always be redshirted for a year. Kelce coming back allows for that luxury.

Round 5 (Pick 165): Charles Snowden, LB, Virginia

Explanation: I know I said I was going to lay off of linebacker, at least in the early rounds, but this is a true value pick. Considering some are mocking him as high as the third round, it seemed like the value was too good to pass up on here. Snowden stands at an imposing 6-6, meaning there is some room to grow into his 240-pound frame. He shows some NFL-level explosion as a pass rusher, assuming the new Eagles’ strength staff won’t follow the pattern of the previous one and leave players with season-ending and career-altering torn triceps and biceps muscles.

Round 5 (Pick 175) Camryn Bynum, CB, California

Explanation: Yes, another corner. And he won’t be the last. The reality is that most safeties around the league were college corners anyway (just like second basemen in the majors were shortstops at the lower levels). Bynum is a high-character player who was a two-time team captain and started 48 straight games (with 28 passes defended and 6 interceptions). He also has good corner size (6-0, 200) but his timed speed (4.55) may see him end up at safety. Think Jalen Mills — without the green hair.

Round 6 (Pick 189) Thomas Graham, CB, Oregon

Explanation: Graham is another excellent value pick, as this productive four-year starter is often mocked as high as the late third or early fourth round. What makes him different from the plethora of other corners selected here? At 5-10 (195 pounds) with 4.5 speed, he is likely to be relegated to the slot at the next level, even though he played outside for the Ducks. If not, he would require safety help over the top (unless he also gets a look at safety).

Round 6 (Pick 203) Avery Williams, CB, Boise State

Explanation: Another corner? Really? Well, not exactly. Williams need not take a snap in the secondary, at least for now. At 5-9 and in the range of 190 pounds, he has the build of running back and those skills show up in the return game, where he is one of the best – if not the best – in the whole draft class. And, Williams brings back both kicks and punts with equal acumen (some do one but not the other). While I may have overdone it here in this mock at corner out of disgust with the current depth chart and a dire need to create real competition (not just for starting jobs, but for roster spots), this pick is primarily to bolster what has been a DOA return game for far too long.

Round 6 (Pick 224) Chris Rumph II, Edge/OLB, Duke

Explanation: In about 90 percent of the mocks I do, this guy follows me home like a lost puppy. He had a sound college career (17.5 sacks, including 8 in 11 games last season) for the Blue Devils. Rumph doesn’t seem to have a set position, though. With his size (6-3, 235), Rumph is not hefty enough for defensive end and his speed (4.75), while quite good for a defensive end, is marginal for an outside linebacker. The guess here is that he is bulked a bit and turned into a pass-rushing specialist, which may take some time and patience. That would have to be case here in Philly, where a 4-3 defense is deployed.

Summary: Again, if you read this far, I picked up yet another first-round pick in 2022 and then traded back for extra picks (mostly on Day 3) and loaded up on the secondary after getting more immediate help there in the first two rounds. We also got some Swiss Army knife types for the offense (Gainwell, Atwell, Johnson), a center of the future (Hill), project QB (Newman), an interior defensive lineman who can help now and start later (Togiai) and a linebacker with upside (Snowden). My only regret is not adding an edge rusher sooner than the last pick (Rumph). Like my first mock, it’s not the sexiest haul (unless you get one of the top receivers, or Pitts, it won’t be), but having the discipline to trade back plugged more hole. Having 11 picks should do it, but the sad truth is that more were needed.

G2 Mock Draft 1.0

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By GORDON GLANTZ

GORDONVILLE – Opening Day, my eyeball.

This is the greatest time of the year in sports because the NFL Draft looms on the horizon.

Not a day passes that I don’t immerse my Draft Geek self in an online draft simulation, and I find myself emerging with different results each time.

While there are multiple simulators out there, the one I prefer is from Pro Football Network. Its ratings seem to be in lockstep from what is out there in real world and also my print draft guides (yeah, I’m that pathetic.). It also proposes trades along the way. Sometimes, for the heck of it, I accept almost all the offers and load up on talent in what is a draft made deeper in talent by high-end prospects opting out last season due to COVID. That gave others a chance to shine, creating almost a double draft this year.

It would be easy to just look at each round and follow a wish list and go from there, but experiencing it in real time, with targeted players going off the board a pick or two before you have the chance, is the ultimate challenge.

I am sharing today’s draft because it looked like a snapshot of how it really may go down. There were some disappointments, as you’ll see, but some needs may have to just wait for the second wave of free agency (or veterans getting cut loose after the draft) or for next year’s meat market for college prospects.

So, for now, let’s look at G2’s 2021 Mock Draft 2001 (with some tongue-twisting last names:

Round 1 (Pick 17, via trade from Las Vegas): Jeremiah Owsu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

Explanation: I was hoping to be offered New England’s pick at 15, if only because of swap there is the hot rumor, but the simulator offered three others. Two were ridiculous — offering a bunch of later picks and 2022 picks — so I dismissed them offhand. This one, from the Raiders (still weird not saying Oakland Raiders) made sense. For them to move up to the 12 spot the Eagles held after moving back from 6, the offer was the 17th pick along with a second next year. Truth be told, if offered New England’s choice at 15 (even with Micah Parsons on the board), this Swiss Army Knife of an athlete from Notre Dame would have been the pick anyway. If people can buy hybrid vehicles, why not a hybrid defender? He is the classic “player without a position” that is all the rage, and he is the best one in the draft. While a pick was spent on a similar player, Davion Taylor, in the third round last year, Owsu-Koramoah is as shovel-ready as a three-down player as Taylor wasn’t (and still may not be this year). He can cover backs, tight ends and even big slot receivers. He can blitz, and he hits like a truck against the run. The knock is his size (6-1 and in the 215-220 range) but his athleticism and ability to line up anywhere against any formation makes him the ultimate decade-long chess piece for a defensive coordinator.

Round 2 (Pick 37) Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington

Explanation: There were sexier picks, like the craved receivers and corners, on the board. Others that I was hoping would fall (TCU’s Trevon Moehrig, the best safety in the draft by far, didn’t last this time around) didn’t. So, instead, I went non-sexy. Onwuzurike, a 2019 beast in the Pac-12 who opted out in 2020, fills what I see as a more desperate need than others do. Pro Bowler Fletcher Cox, who seems to be plagued by “stinger” injuries, isn’t getting any younger. While Javon Hargrave was one of the few players who actually got better as last year’s nightmare season refused to end, there is almost nothing reliable behind he and Cox on the depth chart. At 6-2 and pushing 300, this Huskie will likely carve out an immediate niche as an inside pass rusher while learning to gain more leverage at the point of attack in the run game.

Round 3 (Pick 70): Josh Myers, C, Ohio State

Explanation: The Eagles will hopefully be looking for Jason Kelce’s heir apparent, and give up on the fantasy of mixing up the whole line and sliding Isaac Seumalo over to center from left guard. Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey went first in the second round, and Alabama’s Landon Dickerson was gone, too. Myers (6-4, 315) is considered as plug-and-play as either of those guys and I had no choice but to bypass some talented skill position offensive players and cornerbacks and grab up a guy who combines technique with power and athleticism. The only real knock on Myers is that he may lack the versatility to play anywhere else along the line in the NFL, but that’s what I’m bringing him here for anyway, right?

Round 3 (Pick 78): Patrick Jones II, Edge, Pitt

Explanation: Still not overly sexy, and I apologize, but I’m not a sexy kind of a guy. Since the Eagles are in rebuild/retool mode, they need to plan ahead all over the field. They seem semi-set at defensive end this year with Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett and the emerging Josh Sweat. However, a snapshot of 2022 and beyond shows a dire need. Jones (6-5, 265) is part of a solid DE class that starts falling off a bit on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7). He is a four-year starter and a second-team All-American who can be accused of being a squatter in opposing backgrounds. He could join Onwuzurike on obvious passing downs and make an immediate impact while being taught on how not to overplay the run.

Round 4 (Pick 188, from Los Angeles Chargers, for TE Zach Ertz and a conditional 2022 pick): Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame

Explanation: Hard to know how Ertz-gate will be resolved. Me? Since the Kyle Pitts possibility is all but gone, I sweet talk him into staying another year – and becoming the franchise’s all-time leading receiver as aPR stunt – but I think the SS Antipathy has ventured out to sea. I’m hoping instead that it isn’t one of those situations where he is cut loose for nothing. A team that is restocking its shelves can’t afford that type of move, even for salary cap relief. So, I cooked up this trade with a likely suitor. He won’t garner a fourth, or maybe not even a fifth, straight up. A spiced up the pot with a conditional 2022 Day 3 pick (fifth or sixth round) based on his performance and health. As for Tremble, I hate to put pressure on the kid by taking a tight end in exchange for the best at the position in the franchise’s rich history at the position, but the need is there and Tremble is good value as a 6-4, 250-pound two-way tight end with untapped upside and athleticism.

Round 4 (Pick 123): Caden Sterns, S, Texas

Explanation: A 28-game starter for the Longhorns, he is the quintessential two-way safety. Sterns has good size (6-0, 207) and athletic ability and he thrives on the big hit while being sound in coverage with nice ball skills. He may take some time to learn the pro game, like last year’s fourth-rounder K’Von Wallace, but will be a willing combatant on special teams in the meantime.

Round 5 (Pick 150): Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina

Explanation: I’m sure there is a school of thought that the Eagles should go receiver early, and Ja’Marr Chase as the Alpha Dog for their WR Room at 6 was what I would have done, even with Pitts on the board. However, beyond getting an obvious No. 1 to build around, I don’t really see the logic in stockpiling receivers after drafting three who showed glimpses of promises last year (same reason why I didn’t take multiple offensive linemen with the line hopefully healthy and the younger guys who played last year more experienced). They also return Travis Fulgham (led the team in receiving yards) and Greg Ward (led the team in receptions), and both are young as well. There is also a lingering hope that the new coaching staff can press reset on J.J. Arecega-Whiteside, a foolish second-round pick ahead of D.K. Metcalf two drafts back, and get some production, even if it’s as a red zone specialist. That is six receivers there, and it would not surprise me if a veteran with some mileage on the odometer — but some street savvy — was also added. However, the back end of the draft is loaded with receivers. It would make no sense not to grab a lottery ticket. Every year, a late-round receiver – or even an undrafted one – emerges (while a higher pick, like Arcega-Whiteside, flops). That brings us to a human highlight reel in the 5-10, 185 pound Smith. He has sub-4.5 speed and a productive career (174 catches, 2,204 yards) on his resume.

Round 6 (Pick 189): Tre Brown. CB, Oklahoma

Explanation: I know I didn’t take a corner earlier, and I was hoping to get one at the right value. Again, though, this was a real fire drill in real time. Also, I have a theory on corners. I have seen too many drafted high and, because of that, their team will throw them into the toaster and turn them into burnt toast. It gets to a point that psyches get so damaged from pro receivers making them look bad that they never fully recover. Sometimes, and history backs this up, it is wise to take a corner later on and nurse them along. Brown would provide an instant boost to the Eagles’ moribund return game while project as slot corner. Although he has 4.4 speed and doesn’t not back away from a challenge, his size (5-9, 190) would almost lock him into that role, where he could excel with what are considered pro-level ball skills.

Round 6 (Pick 224): Israel Mukuamu, CB/S, South Carolina

Explanation: This is my “steal” pick. Maybe I’m missing something, as the game film screams a much earlier selection to me. He has experience at a corner and safety. He deploys every bit of his 6-3, 205 frame to play physical with receivers and also hit hard in the running game. While it’s unclear where he will play – my educated guess is safety – the guy will find his way onto the field. Mark it down.

Round 6 (Pick 225): Trey Ragas, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette

Explanation: And now my “sleeper.” There are some intriguing backs all through the draft, but there are also too many other glaring needs. Ragas (5-11, 230) is the type of back the Eagles need to mix in with Miles Sanders and Boston Scott. While this “mean runner” barely cracks 4.6 in the 40, Ragas has a knack for consistently slamming it between the tackles for daylight. For his career, he gained 3,574 yards and ran for 38 touchdowns. Oh, and that was while operating out of a committee approach. He won’t break many long runs, but he could make a career out of runs of 5-10 yards on a consistent basis.

Round 7 (Pick 234): Shane Buechele, QB, SMU

Explanation: A quarterback might actually not be happy getting drafted this late because he would rather just choose his own best destination as an undrafted entity. However, the Eagles offer the perfect opportunity to draw a NFL paycheck as a developmental No. 3 behind Jalen Hurts and Joe Flacco. While Hurts is being given the chance to prove himself this year, there is no knowing right now if it will pan out. Flacco, meanwhile, is here one-year hitch. Buechele doesn’t have a whole lot of visible upside, as his arm and athleticism are not eye-popping. But he has a bit of former Eagle Jim McMahon in him. He is tough, accurate, intelligent and competitive. When the smoke clears, he could at least be a solid No. 2 down the road that you don’t fear putting into a game.

Round 7 (Pick 240): Ben Mason, FB, Michigan

Explanation: The odds are probably stronger that the Eagles even take a kicker or a punter here than a fullback, but I am now making an editorial comment. There is a fallacy that fullback is a dying breed. In reality, it is coming back. You are seeing it used more in college, and 21 of the 32 teams in the NFL – including a lot of playoff teams – had a fullback on their depth chart last season. Some only play 5-10 snaps a game on offense but are still core guys on special teams while others are more integral to their schemes. Like long snappers, most fullbacks who make it are undrafted, but Mason has the chops to be a late-round pick. Why not here? The new coach, Nick Sirianni did not have a fullback last year with Indianapolis, where he was the offensive coordinator, although he did use former Eagle – and thrower of the famed “Philly Special” – Trey Burton there from time to time. New offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen, had a fullback (Gabe Nabers) with the LA Chargers. Mason (6-2, 255) is a fierce lead blocker who always has soft hands out of the backfield. It’s also interesting to note that he played several positions in Ann Arbor, before landing at fullback, and mostly on the defensive side of the ball. That would make him an asset on special teams.

Summary: Again, not a sexy draft. I would have hoped to get a corner earlier, but it’s not the way the cookie crumbled this time around (we’ll try again after Easter). I had to go with the flow and what was a real-time draft and plug as many of the obvious holes as I could. The hated one, GM Howie Roseman, has already had prime draft picks for next year (at least two firsts a third) and I got another second here for moving from 12 to 17 and getting a three-down linebacker who can start Day 1.