Eagles draft 25th since “Dirty 30”

Aside from the actual games, the favorite part of football season for most fans is the NFL Draft.

It starts on Thursday, when Eagles fans will be glued to TVs, laptops and cell phones to see who owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni will choose in the first round.

Various mock drafts have linked a variety of players to the Birds with the 22^nd overall pick. The list includes defensive backs Terrion Arnold (Alabama), Cooper DeJean (Iowa), and Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo); offensive linemen Graham Barton (Duke), Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State),  Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma), and Amarius Mims (Georgia); and edge rusher Laiau Latu (UCLA).

If one of those players or someone else the organization covets is available a little earlier, don’t be shocked if Roseman works his magic and moves up.

This year also marks the 25^th anniversary of the most-hyped Eagles draft in recent memory.

In April of 1999, the Eagles and first-year coach Andy Reid held the No. 2 overall pick. There were five quarterbacks available, led by Kentucky’s Tim Couch, UCF’s Daunte Culpepper, Syracuse’s Donovan McNabb, UCLA’s Cade McNown and Oregon’s Akili Smith, UCLA’s Cade McNown, and Oregon’s Akili Smith, not to mention Texas running back Ricky Williams.

Everyone knew the Browns were taking Couch with the first pick and Reid was said to be favoring McNabb as his future franchise quarterback. A few Eagles fan were enamored with Williams, who had won the Heisman Trophy.

Philly sports radio station morning host Angelo Cataldi and former Mayor – and later Pennsylvania governor – Ed Rendell were so taken with Williams that they dispatched a group of listeners – famously nicknamed the “Dirty 30” – to the draft at New York’s Madison Square Garden to hopefully convince Reid and then-Eagles executive vice president Joe Banner to take Williams.

When then-NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced McNabb as the Eagles’ pick, the contingent booed, thus adding yet another chapter to the city’s sometimes sketchy reputation.

Three picks later, Saints coach Mike Ditka traded all his picks to Washington for the right to draft Williams fifth overall.

As everyone knows, Reid made the right move. McNabb became the most accomplished quarterback in franchise history, leading the team to five NFC championship games and a Super Bowl appearance in the 2004 season.

Upon his retirement, the team retired his No. 5 jersey and inducted him into the Eagles’ Hall of Fame.

Williams lasted 11 seasons with the Saints (1999-01), Dolphins (2002-03, 05, 07-10) and Ravens (2011) and even led the NFL in rushing in 2002, but was considered a disappointment.

Ironically, he did have a tie to Philadelphia. During his college football days at Texas, he played baseball for four seasons in the Phillies’ minor league system.

No one knows for sure who the Eagles will draft on Thursday night. But no matter who it is, he won’t get booed.

***

Eagles draft rankings

In honor of that 1999 draft, here is one opinion of the best and worst picks by the Eagles in the first three rounds over the last 25 years.

First round

Best: QB Donovan McNabb. Honorable mention: DT Corey Simon (2000), CB Lito Sheppard (2002), WR Jeremy Maclin (2009), DE Brandon Graham (2010), DT Fletcher Cox (2012), WR DeVonta Smith (2021).

Worst: OL Danny Watkins (2011). HM: WR Freddie Mitchell (2001), DT Brodrick Bunkley (2006), LB Marcus Smith (2014), WR Jalen Reagor (2020).

Second round

Best: WR DeSean Jackson (2008): HM: S Michael Lewis (2002), RB LeSean McCoy (2009), TE Zach Ertz (2013), QB Jalen Hurts (2020).

Worst: S Jaiquawn Jarrett (2011): HM:  LB Quinton Caver (2001), T Winston Justice (2006), CB Sidney Jones (2017).

Third round

Best: RB Brian Westbrook (2002): HM: QB Nick Foles (2012), LB Jordan Hicks (2015), G Isaac Seumalo (2016).

Worst: LB Bryan Smith (2008); HM: RB Ryan Moats (2005), RB Tony Hunt (2007), WR Josh Huff (2014).

***

Local player headed to NFL

Cedar Creek High School graduate Max Melton is expected to hear his named called during Friday’s second and third rounds of the NFL Draft.

Melton, a cornerback from Rutgers University, visited the Eagles during the predraft process and has also been mentioned as a potential pick for the Chiefs, Jets, Packers, Panthers, Patriots, Steelers, Raiders.

There is even a possibility he could be a first-round pick. NFL analyst Adam Caplan has the Chiefs taking Melton with the 32^nd overall pick.

If that happens, Melton would become just the second local NFL player to be drafted in the first round. In 2002, Holy Spirit High School graduate and Atlantic City native William Green, a running back from Boston College, went to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 16 pick.

Getting drafted in the first three rounds would also put him in some elite company.  He would become the fifth local player to get taken in that range, joining safety Cory Bird (Oakcrest High School, Mays Landing), linebacker Greg Buttle (Mainland Regional High School, Linwood), Green, and defensive lineman Austin Johnson (St. Augustine Prep, Galloway Township).

Bird (Virginia Tech) and Buttle (Penn State) were third-round picks by the Colts (2001) and Jets (1976), respectively. Johnson (Penn State) was drafted in the second round by the Titans (2016). He also played for the Giants and Chargers and recently signed with the Bills as a free agent.

Should Max Melton get drafted by the Packers, he would be reunited with older brother Bo Melton. Bo Melton has 16 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown for Green Bay during the 2023 regular season and added three catches for 26 yards in the playoffs, including a 19-yard TD against the 49ers.

Local Masters tournament played in snow

The Masters holds a special place for Cape May National Golf Club owner Bob Mullock and some of the long-time members.

The late Skee Riegel, who was the pro-emeritus there before passing away in 2009 at age 94, played in 11 straight Masters at Augusta from 1947 through 1957. He was the low amateur in 1948 and finished second to Ben Hogan in the 1951 tournament.

My how times have changed. This year’s winner, two-time champion Scottie Scheffler, received $3.6 million while runnerup Ludvig Aberg took home $2.16 million.

Hogan received $3,000 for his two-shot victory in 1951. Riegel, who finished two shots behind, earned $1,875.

Partly in Skee’s honor, Cape May National celebrated his achievement Saturday by holding its own version of the Masters. It’s a fun, unique event in which your 18-hole score on Saturday is combined with someone’s final round score at Augusta on Sunday.

Scheffler, Aberg and my new favorite golfer, Eric van Rooyen, played amongst the azaleas in warm sunshine and tricky winds.

I played in snow.

The flakes began to fall early in my round, which I opened with a double-bogey. It quickly melted through the next five holes, but an unexpected blizzard hit me on the par-5 seventh.

That’s when I built a snowman, plus an igloo for him to enjoy the day.

In golf parlance, an eight is nicknamed a snowman. My “Frosty” began to take shape when my drive veered right toward a row of hedges.

My second shot landed 10 yards behind my first shot after caroming off a tree root with a loud thud that sent my playing partners – who were standing behind me – ducking for cover.

Two shots later I was still closer to the tee box than the green. I reached it on my sixth attempt, then dug into my golf bag in search of a corn cob pipe and button nose.

Three putts later, I exchanged my Footjoys for galoshes, pulled out a shovel to replace my putter, scribbled a nine on my scorecard and began to regret not packing a couple mini-bottles of Fireballs to dull the disappointment.

It was apparent that Van Rooten could shoot 59 on Sunday – he shot 76 – and I still wasn’t winning.

In a weird way, it took the pressure off and allowed me to enjoy the back nine. I bounced back on the par-5 14^th by curling in a 15-foot putt for birdie.

My mood brightened as I checked my phone and learned that my eldest grandson, Hampton, had gone 3-for-3 in his machine-pitch Little League game.

That took the sting away from seeing my tee shot on the par-3 17^th land in the water, startling the two swans that were gliding along the surface.

In actuality, I didn’t play horribly. Despite my misadventures earlier in the round, I managed to shoot 93 with a few pars and the birdie for a net 81 that left me in the middle of the pack of the 50-player field.

Nothing that a post-round margarita at the Rusty Nail in Cape May couldn’t cure.

UFC back in A.C. Saturday

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall has hosted some terrific sports events in the last month.

Over 20,000 fans showed up for the annual New Jersey high school state wrestling championships three weeks ago. Wrestlers from Cape-Atlantic League programs fared very well, with Buena Regional High School’s Shea Aretz becoming just the second local girls wrestler to win a state title with a victory in 132-pound weight class.

A week later, mats were replaced by a hardwood floor. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference held its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments at the hall for the fourth straight year. St Peter’s men’s and Fairfield’s women’s teams earned berths in March Madness, though both suffered first-round losses.

Now it’s the UFC’s turn.

The world’s top mixed martial arts organization will be returning to Atlantic City for the first time in six years when it stages a card at Boardwalk Hall Saturday night.

UFC Fight Night, which includes a main event featuring women’s lightweight contenders Erin Blanchfield (12-1) against Manon Fiorot (10-1), marks its first card in the resort since April 21, 2018.

Over 9,500 fans showed up that night. It was the largest crowd to see a professional sports event in Boardwalk Hall in a decade, since 11,332 watched boxing legend Bernard Hopkins beat Kelly Pavlik on October 18, 2008.

It would be great to see a big crowd on Saturday, considering it’s been 10 years since a major combative sports card was held there. There have been a few at Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom, but the last event in the main arena was on November 8, 2014, when Sergey Kovalev beat Hopkins.

Saturday’s UFC card marks a return to its roots, for Atlantic City was where it blossomed from a small, struggling company into the most respected organization in MMA.

It will be their 11th show in A.C. since its debut on the boardwalk at the former Trump Taj Mahal  Casino Resort – now Hard Rock Hotel Casino – for UFC 28 on November 17, 2000.

Prior to that card 24 years ago, the UFC had been struggling to gain respect. Some states refused or were reluctant to sanction shows for a sport that had been labeled as barbaric by critics.

It had staged events in out-of-the-way locales such as the Five Seasons Event Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and the Augusta (Georgia) Civic Center.

Former President Donald Trump, who then owned the Taj Mahal, decided to bring it to Atlantic City by hosting UFC 28 “High Stakes” at the Mark G. Etess Arena. A sellout crowd of 5,000 saw Randy Couture regain the heavyweight championship with a third-round TKO over the late Kevin Randleman.

It was the first of nine UFC cards held in Atlantic City over the course of 14 years. Two more were held at the Taj Mahal before it made its debut at Boardwalk Hall with UFC 41: Onslaught on Feb. 28, 2003.

An announced crowd of 11,707 saw Tim Sylvia win the heavyweight championship with a first-round TKO over Ricco Rodriguez and lightweight champ B.J. Penn battle Caol Uno to a draw.

While UFC returns to Atlantic City on Saturday, Atlantic City super-middleweight boxer Justin Figueroa (7-0, 6 KOs) will be fighting in San Antonio, Texas. Figueroa, a Holy Spirit High school graduate and former Atlantic City lifeguard, is scheduled to meet Christian Aguirre (8-10, 4 KOs), of Salt Lake City, in a six-rounder at Tech Port Arena.

***

Speaking of boxing, world-rated middleweight Thomas LaManna of Millville will return to Atlantic City for a big fight June 8 at Bally’s Atlantic City.

LaManna (37-5, 16 KOs), who is ranked fourth by the World Boxing Association, will take on No. 9 super-welterweight Johan Gonzalez (34-2, 33 KOs) in a 12-round bout for the WBA’s gold middleweight title.

Fighting at Bally’s marks a trip back in time for LaManna. The 32-year-old made his pro debut there 13 years ago. On February 11, 2011, during his senior year at Millville High School, LaManna began his career with a first-round TKO over Anthony Williams, of Wilson, North Carolina.

“Atlantic City is my backyard, so it is going to be fire on June 8,” said LaManna, who has fought 21 times on the boardwalk, including seven bouts at Bally’s.

The card is being promoted by Main Events in association with LaManna’s Rising Star Promotions.

Totowa-based Main Events has been a staple in Atlantic City boxing for decades.

Its status on the boardwalk dates back to the 1980’s, when Lou Duva and his sons Dan and Dino played prominent roles in making Atlantic City a boxing hotbed with fighters such as Howard Davis, Meldrick Taylor, Evander Holyfield.

When Dan passed away in 1996, his widow, Kathy Duva, took over the company and was the force behind the late Arturo Gatti’s rise to stardom at Boardwalk Hall.

“Main Events has a long history of promoting boxing in Atlantic City,” Kathy Duva told FightNews.com. “Now that (LaManna) has an opportunity to challenge for a world title, we’re happy to step in and help so LaManna can focus exclusively on preparing for the fight.”

A victory would likely put LaManna in line for a rematch with WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs).

LaManna has registered seven straight victories since suffering a  first-round knockout against Lara on May 1, 2021. His 37 career wins rank third alltime among local fighters behind only the late Richie Kates (44) and former WBA heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon (40).

Gonzalez, a 32-year-old native of Venezuela now living in Las Vegas, has won three straight and 12 of his last 13 bouts. This will be his first fight as a middleweight.

Ticket information and further details about the card will be announced at a later date.

Column: A whale of a life

The letter was kept in a drawer for years, a reminder of glory days before hair started graying and disappearing, and knees didn’t creak when climbing stairs.

Ralph “Pops” Riggitano wrote it. He penned it in 1976, a few days after he saw a Lower Cape May Regional High School pitcher toss a no-hitter.

The kid’s father had been unable to attend the game, which was played at Ocean City. Pops, who was scouting players for a new summer league baseball team called the Lower Township Whalers, stood behind a fence near the visitor’s dugout.

As the innings passed and the bases remained empty, the superstitions and mojo that accompany a no-hitter kicked in. Caper Tiger teammates and legendary coach Jack Weeks made no mention of it. Pops, who had started shouting encouragement to the kid before each inning, delivered the same pep talk before each inning.

“Let’s go,” he said. “Just throw strikes.”

After the final out was recorded, the kid flung his glove into the air while teammates rushed the mound. He looked over toward the dugout, where Pops nodded and smiled.

A few days later, an envelope arrived at the house. It was a congratulatory note from Pops, who wrote about how thrilled he was for the kid and how happy he was to have witnessed such a rare feat.

It was part of a long-standing bond the kid had with Pops, who passed away on March 3 at age 85.

They first met in the early 1970s, on a baseball field that was adjacent to the canal behind Channel Apartments. Most games between the Pirates and the Mets involved spirited debates between the kids’ father, who was the Pirates’ manager, and Pops, who was the Mets’ skipper.

The kid wound up playing for Pops when the Whalers were created in 1976. The team got its name from the once-vibrant whaling community that flourished in the Town Bank section of the township in the 1600’s.

The Whalers were initially composed of current and former Lower Cape May players. Pitcher/shortstop Frank Ackley, pitcher Clark Batchelor, third baseball Art Fournier, outfielders Joe Fulcher, Brendan Rosenberg, and Jeff Rutherford, and second baseman Carl Roth were members of LCM’s 1973 Cape-Atlantic League Championship team.

The roster also included infielder Don Mumma, who was an Army recruiter, and infielder/pitcher John “Suds” Vogel, who worked with the kid at Steger’s Beach Service in the summers.

The kid, who had graduated from LCM a few weeks earlier, was among the younger players. Pops primarily relied on the veterans for most games, but seemingly had a soft spot for the kid and used him as a reliever and spot starter. Pops even gave him a trophy as the team’s “Most Improved Player” at the end of the second season.

Pops, who also served as Wildwood Catholic High School’s baseball coach in 1978-79, loved baseball, in addition to horse racing and Philadelphia’s sports teams.

He grew up in Philly as an Athletics, Warriors and Eagles fan, back in an era when hometown hero Wilt Chamberlain was starring for the Warriors and Steve Van Buren was leading the Eagles to back-to-back NFL championships in 1948-49.

When the Athletics moved to Kansas City in 1954 and the Warriors headed to the West Coast in 1962, he began rooting for the Phillies and 76ers, respectively, along with the Eagles and Flyers.

Like most Philly sports fans, he rejoiced when the Eagles delivered a championship in the 2017 season, for it provided a brief break from a heartache that never healed.

Thirteen months before Nick Foles and company beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LVII, Pops’ eldest daughter, Laura Riggitano Walker, had passed away from cancer.

Pops had spent the last decade or so living with Laura and her family in Pennsville, though Cape May County remained a part of him. He proudly watched son Frank coach the Middle Township High School football team and got a chance to reunite with some members of the Whalers three years ago.

That group included the kid, though they never really lost touch. They stayed in contact through the years via the occasional phone call and on social media, where Pops would offer his Kentucky Derby picks and opinions on the Eagles and Phils.

They last communicated on March 1, when the kid had chatted with Pops on Messenger about a former Whaler. Two days later, Pops passed away in his sleep.

His funeral services included a final visit to Pops’ favorite hangout, the “Woodstown Hotel.” Frank and the family reserved his favorite seat at the corner of the bar where they placed a pack of Pall Malls, The Daily Racing Form, and a Samuel Adams Lager.

His ashes were inside a special urn shaped like a bowling ball that was covered with an Eagles’ helmet and logo. It also included an inscription that perfectly described a passionate, loyal and colorful man.

Ralph “Pops” Riggitano

7/4/1938-3/3/2021

F**k Dallas, GO BIRDS!!

I was unable to attend the services but I’ll always remember Pops in my own way.

The letter he sent me was lost long ago, but I still have the trophy, along memories that will never fade.

Rest in Peace, Pops. I’ll keep throwing strikes.

Stockton’s Campbell creating lasting impression

There are two jersey numbers hanging in the rafters at Stockton University’s Sports Center, otherwise known as “Big Blue” for its Azul exterior.

Carl Cochran’s No. 11 and Valerie Brown’s No. 35 were both retired by the Ospreys in 2000 in recognition of their outstanding basketball careers.

Cochran, a 1998 graduate, scored a then-school record 2,124 points and set 11 other school records. Jones, who graduated in 1985,  still holds the women’s scoring record with 2,027 points.

D.J. Campbell’s No. 4 will likely be hanging alongside them before too long.

The 6-foot-3 senior forward is now the school’s alltime leading scorer. He poured in a game-high 23 points in last Saturday’s 75-62 loss to The College of New Jersey to boost his career total to 2,170.

He’ll get a chance to add to his total this weekend. Stockton (17-10) received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III tournament and will play Tufts University (Massachusetts) Friday in a first-round game at NYU. A victory would put the Ospreys in a second-round game against either NYU (20-5) or Husson University (Maine) on Saturday.

“I can’t thank Coach (Scott) Bittner and (the late Bob Hutchings) enough for giving me an opportunity to play college hoops and get a degree (in Criminal Justice) this spring,” Campbell said on Twitter. “When every school passed up on me, you guys believed in me. I would’ve never thought in my wildest dream think (scoring over 2,000 points) would be possible.”

The legacy Campbell created extends well beyond points, assists and rebounds, however.

He’s made a tremendous impact in ways that can’t be calculated in a box score.

For example, Stockton played a game at Montclair State University earlier this month in which Campbell poured in 39 points during a 95-81 Ospreys victory.

Afterward, players and coaches climbed into a bus for the two-hour ride back to Stockton’s Galloway Township campus. Some players stretched out on the seats, their heads resting against  windows while their feet dangled in the aisles.

Campbell slid over on his bench in case someone wanted to sit next to him.

“D.J. has 39 in a game and then is the guy on the bus who volunteers to share his seat,” Bittner recalled on Twitter. “He’s never acted more important than anyone else. Makes me wonder if humility is as important in one’s success as anything.”

Campbell’s humble beginnings in basketball may have had something to do with it.

He spent his early childhood in his native Jamaica, where basketball ranks well down the list of popular sports behind soccer, track. Heck, even bobsledding had more fans due to the “Cool Runnings” movie.

Kids worshipped Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt more than Lebron James.

Upon moving to the United States at age 9, Campbell earned his nickname D.J. on the first day of school when his teacher had difficulty pronouncing Djorkaeff.

Three years later, he moved to Vineland and got his first taste of basketball in the eighth grade when he played a game of “Knockout” in gym class.

Before that, he preferred to dribble with his feet more than his hands.

“When I played basketball, I would always travel and double dribble,” Campbell told Stockton’s e-magazine. “Soccer was what I knew.”

Determined to improve, he signed up for a summer basketball camp for incoming Vineland High School freshmen.

His improvement was shocking. As a junior and senior, he led South Jersey in scoring en route to becoming the Fighting Clan’s alltime leading scorer with 1,513 points.

He scored 50 in a game against Atlantic City his senior year. Ironically, Cochran was a Vikings assistant coach under Gene Allen at the time.

Four years later, Cochran was on hand at Stockton to congratulate Campbell for breaking his scoring record.

“I never really cared about the record, to be honest,” Cochran told The Press of Atlantic City earlier this month. “But if you wanted someone to break your record, it’s him. I don’t know if there a more deserving person to do something of that caliber.”

Campbell’s growth on and off the court continued at Stockton.

He quickly realized the lofty expectations that accompanied his arrival when Bittner threw him out of his first practice for a perceived lack of hustle.

He quickly became the hardest worker on the team, to the point where he seldom left the gym.

Two seasons ago, he won the first of his two NJAC Player of the Year awards while leading the Ospreys to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament.  That included a 33-point effort in a first-round victory over Wilson College in the first round.

“The best thing about D.J. is he’s such a hard worker,” Bittner said. “He scored 33 against Wilson and he texted me at 5:30 the next morning asking when the gym would be open so he could work on his shot.”

His ability and attitude have left indelible impressions.

There will likely come a time when Campbell’s jersey is retired.

Bittner isn’t going to wait to honor him.

“As long as I’m here,” he said, “no one will wear No. 4 again.”

***

State wrestling back in A.C.

One of the area’s most popular and exciting events will be taking place at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall this weekend.

Over 20,000 fans are expected to fill the arena for the state individual wrestling championships.

Fourteen boys and nine girls wrestlers from Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland Counties will be among those vying for state titles.

Included in the boys group are Region 8 champions Chase Hansen from Lower Cape May Regional (132 pounds), Andrew DePaul of St. Augustine Prep (138) and Clifford Dirkes (285) of Ocean City.

Hansen, a sophomore, and Dirkes, a junior, are seeking to become the second state champions in school history. Shawn Laughlin won back-to-back state titles for Lower in 1996-97. Pat Lynch won two straight titles for Ocean City in 1989-90.

Hansen’s grandfather, Blair, a 1976 LCM grad, placed fourth in the state for the Caper Tigers in 1975.

Egg Harbor Township’s Cami Bird (114), Buena Regional’s Shea Aretz (132) and  Mainland Regional’s Angelica Ramos Oviedo (145) all won South Region titles. Defending state champ Riley Lerner (120) qualified for states by finishing second.

Local sports heating up

This is the best time of year for local sports fans.

This week marks the start of a six-week stretch that features a variety of high school, college and professional events in the area.

High school basketball gets into full swing this week with the opening rounds of the state tournament.

On the boys side, look for Middle Township – which won the Cape-Atlantic League tournament for the first time since 1998 – to make a charge in South Jersey Group 2.

The defending-champion Panthers, coached by former Middle and Florida State standout LaMarr Greer, are the top seed in a loaded bracket that includes perennial powers Camden (No. 2 seed) and Haddonfield (4 seed), as well as No. 5 seed Lower Cape May Regional.

In Group 3, Mainland Regional and Ocean City are the top two seeds. They split their two earlier meetings this season, including a 55-50 Mustangs win in the CAL semifinals.

Wildwood, the No. 4 seed in South Jersey Group 1, has traditionally been a contender in its division. Defending Group 4 champion Egg Harbor Township is seeded 14^th this year.

Sadly, Atlantic City will not get an opportunity to compete in the Group 4 tournament. The Vikings would have been a threat for a sectional title, but were disqualified from the tournament after a controversial incident in early January.

Atlantic City had five players leave the bench during a brief altercation in a game against Mainland. No punches were thrown and no technical fouls were issued, but according to an NJSIAA rule, teams who have three players leave the bench during a game are automatically banned from the state tournament. The state denied the Vikings’ appeal.

In girls basketball, CAL tournament winner Mainland is the top seed in Group 3 while Wildwood, Middle and Wildwood Catholic are No. 2 seeds in Group 1, 2 and Non-Public B, respectively.

Middle and Ocean City are defending champions. The Red Raiders are the 14^th seed in Group 3 this year after beating Mainland in last year’s South Jersey final.

Most of the area’s top wrestlers are competing in the Region 8 tournament this week at Egg Harbor Township High School. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the state individual championships at James Whelan Boardwalk Hall.

That group includes a pair of undefeated grapplers in Lower Cape May sophomore Chase Hansen at 132 pounds and Ocean City senior Nick Layton at 175.

Hansen (35-0) was named Outstanding Wrestler of the District 32 tournament and carries an 81-2 career record.

Girls wrestlers will complete in the South Region tournament this weekend at Pennsauken High School in hopes of earning berths in the state tourney at Boardwalk Hall.

Cedar Creek’s Riley Lerner, who last year became the first local girls wrestler to win a state title, is vying for a repeat title. She competes at 120 pounds. Ocean City’s Olivia Guy (107 pounds), Absegami’s Lamiah Berry (132) and Buena Regional’s Shea Aretz (132), are all contenders.

College basketball fans will be heading to the boardwalk for the fifth consecutive year on March 12-16 for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournaments for men’s and women’s basketball.

Quinnipiac is currently in first place in the men’s standings with an 11-3 conference record, followed by Fairfield (10-5), Niagara (10-5) and Marist (9-5).

Fairfield leads the women’s standings at 14-0.

Professional boxing hits the area on March 2 with a card at Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City. Former IBF super-featherweight champion Tevin Farmer (32-5-1, 7 KOs) is scheduled to headline the show. Pleasantville welterweight Anthony Young (23-3, 8 KOs) is also slated to fight.

On March 30, the UFC returns to Atlantic City for the first time in six years with a card at Boardwalk Hall. The main event will pit flyweight contenders Erin Blanchfield (6-0) vs. Manon Fiorot (6-0).

UFC Fight Night will be the organization’s 10^th event in Atlantic City and first since April 21, 2018, when lightweight Kevin Lee defeated Edson Barbosa via fifth-round TKO.

***

Besides those events, you can also count on seeing me later this month at the Atlantic City Boat Show at the Convention Center.

I visit it every year as an homage to my late father-in-law Charles Newton. Upon marrying his daughter, Karen, in 1982, I enjoyed several fishing trips off the coast of Cape May with him and his good friend the late John Bell aboard the “Shirley E.” which was named after my late mother-in-law.

We occasionally caught a keeper flounder, but always had fun regardless.

Since those trips in the mid-1980s, my only fishing experience was aboard “Krazy Salts” during the Mid-Atlantic a few years ago.

Actually, I did no fishing. My role was to stay out of the way and drink shots of Fireball with the crew. But the experience of being 100 miles out in the Atlantic, was one I’ll never forget.

I grew up riding Steger’s rafts and bodysurfing in the waves in Cape May and still go almost every day in the summer and fall, but the water is different out there.

It’s a place where all the canyons are grand, where white and blue marlin play hide-and-seek with anglers in a deep blue ocean.

Poseidon has a heck of a playground.

Chiefs on brink of dynasty

The “D” word tends to get thrown around whenever a sports franchise starts to achieve a lot of success.

The qualifications to be called a dynasty vary, but the Kansas City Chiefs are poised to be included in the conversation.

The Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl championship and third in the last five years last Sunday with a 25-22, overtime victory – just the second overtime game in Super Bowl history – over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII (58).

It had been decades in the making for the Chiefs, who prior to their current streak hadn’t hoisted the Lombardi Trophy since the 1969 season, when quarterback Len Dawson, wide receiver Otis Taylor, defensive end Buck Buchanan and coach Hank Stram delivered a 23-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings in SB IV.

That’s a lot of years and a lot of Roman numerals ago.

Coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are the chief reasons behind Kansas City’s recent success.

Reid has rebuilt his legacy. During his 14-year tenure in Philadelphia (1999-2012), “Big Red” had a habit of coming up short in big games. The Eagles reached five NFC Championship games in those years (2001-04, 2008), but lost four – including two at home to Tampa Bay and Carolina, respectively, as the conference’s number one seed. They finally made the Super Bowl in the 2004 season, only to lose to Tom Brady and the Patriots.

By 2012, it was apparent that both the franchise and the coach needed a change. And it worked out for both sides, though it took a while.

The Eagles had to suffer through three years of Chip Kelly before coach Doug Pederson and backup quarterback Nick Foles led them to the franchise’s first Super Bowl win – they had won NFL titles in 1947-48 and 1960 in the pre-Super Bowl era – in 2017.

Meanwhile, Reid’s tenure in Kansas City got off to a rocky start. The Chiefs made the playoffs in 2013, but blew a 28-point lead en route to a 45-44 loss at Indianapolis in the Wild-Card round.

His big-game failings continued for a few more seasons. He made the playoffs in four of his first five seasons with the Chiefs, but continued to come up short.

If Chiefs fans wanted to watch a dynasty back then, they had to tune in reruns of the old TV show featuring Blake (John Forsythe) and Alexis (Joan Collins) Carrington.

Kansas City’s fortunes changed soon after Mahomes’ arrival as the Chiefs’ first-round draft pick in 2017 out of Texas Tech.

Starting in 2019, Mahomes and Reid guided the Chiefs to four Super Bowl appearances in a five-year span, a feat attained only by New England’s Brady and coach Bill Belichick in 2014-18 and Buffalo’s Jim Kelly and Marv Levy in 1990-93.

This year’s appearance might have been the most impressive, considering the Chiefs beat the AFC’s top two seeds – Buffalo and Baltimore – to earn the trip to Las Vegas.

Mahomes’ magic appeared to be running out in the first half against the 49ers – he threw for only 123 yards and tossed an interception while the Niners went ahead 10-0 – but delivered when it mattered most in the fourth quarter and overtime.

And there’s little reason to think they won’t be back. The AFC is stacked with talented teams such as the Bills, Ravens, Houston Texans and others, but don’t be surprised if Taylor Swift is watching Travis Kelce from a luxury suite in New Orleans during Super Bowl LIX.

It remains to be seen if brother Jason Kelce will be joining Taylor in the stands as a spectator again or perhaps even standing on the other sideline with the Eagles.

Jason, who is said to be contemplating retirement after 13 seasons as the Eagles’ center,  appeared to be embracing his role as a fan in recent weeks.

He was the talk of social media when he became an honorary member of the “Bills Mafia” in Buffalo, chugging booze out of bowling ball in the parking lot, then later leaping barechested into the stands to join in more revelry.

The 36-year-old also enjoyed himself at the Super Bowl, though part of his trip turned out to be a hoax.

Photos began circulating during the week that showed the Sea Isle City summer resident seemingly honoring the host city of Las Vegas by showing up dressed like Alan from “The Hangover,” complete with  t-shirt and satchel.

Is this the real Caesars Palace? And is it pager-friendly?

However, it turns out the picture was photoshopped.

But the other antics were real.

After joining Swift and rapper Ice Spice in another luxury box for the game, he celebrated with Reid and Travis on the field, then was reportedly the hit of the after-party at XS Nightclub in Vegas while clad in a pair of Chiefs-themed overalls and matching Mexican wrestling mask.

No word if anyone kidnapped Mike Tyson’s tiger.

***

Local NFL update

Speaking of the Chiefs, running back Isiah Pacheco (Vineland) became the first local player to play in two Super Bowls and also to win two.

According to FoxSports.com, he also became the first running back in NFL history to start and win two Super Bowl championships in his first two seasons.

Pacheco, in his second year with Kansas City, got off to a rough start in the Super Bowl when he lost a fumble and also dropped a pitchout for a loss. But he recovered to deliver a solid performance. He rushed for 59 yards on 18 carries and also caught six passes for 33 yards. He had two receptions for 9 yards and a 3-yard run during the Chiefs’ game-winning touchdown drive in overtime.

A.C. Boxing Hall of Fame announces 2024 class

Most of Mario Maldonado’s 42 professional fights occurred during the heyday of boxing in Atlantic City.

The Vineland resident fought 21 times on the boardwalk. The vast majority of the bouts took place between 1982 and 1985, when Atlantic City was considered the “Boxing Capital of the World.” It’s hard to argue that title, considering the resort staged an incredible 521 bouts in that four-year span, including 139 in 1982 and 143 in 1985.

He will be back in Atlantic City September 27-29, when he will join 20 other former fighters, trainers, referees and other officials at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as the newest inductees into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.

Maldonado is among nine former fighters to be chosen for induction, along with Mark Breland, Gerry Cooney, James “Buster” Douglas, Tyrone Mitchell Frazier, Sergio Martinez, Sharmba Mitchell, Paul Williams and Eva Jones-Young.

Martinez and Williams staged two epic fights at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. Williams won the first meeting via majority decision in 2009. Martinez scored a stunning, second-round knockout in the rematch a year later.

In between, Martinez won the WBO and WBC middleweight belts with a unanimous decision over Kelly Pavlik there also scored an 11^th-round knockout over Darren Barker in the same ring in 2011.

Cooney had memorable fights with Michael Spinks and George Foreman in Atlantic City in 1987 and 1990, respectively. His final fight was a second-round loss to Foreman at Boardwalk Hall on January 15, 1990. Both Spinks and Foreman are in the the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.

Trainer Bruce Blair of Egg Harbor Township and local boxing writer Guy Gargan from Ocean City were chosen in the special contributor category with trainer James “Buddy” McGirt, manager/promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, matchmaker Eric Bottjer and media member Randy Gordon.

Blair worked with a number of local fighters in his career, including former junior-lightweight and lightweight contender John Brown of Atlantic City, who is in the ACBHOF. Gargan, a longtime writer for the Press of Atlantic City, covered bouts with fellow Hall of Famers and Press writers Dave Bontempo and yours truly.

McGirt was a staple in Atlantic City as both a fighter and trainer. He fought 14 times there in the 1980’s and 1990’s, then later served as Arturo Gatti’s trainer during his memorable bouts at Boardwalk Hall.

Olympic golf medalist Howard Davis, longtime Showtime Boxing executive Jay Larkin and referee Eddie Cotton will be honored posthumously.

Boxers Joey Giardello, George Godfrey and Eric Seelig will be inducted in the new Pioneer category that was created last year.

Giardello won the world middleweight title with a 15-round decision over Dick Tiger at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall on December 7, 1963.

Column: Eagles fail final exam

High school and college students take note. The Eagles are proof that acing your midterms is worthless if you flunk your final exams.

The Birds were on track to be voted the NFL’s valedictorian more than halfway through the season. At 10-1, they owned the best record in the league, were atop every media outlet’s power rankings, and were seemingly shoo-ins to get back to the Super Bowl.

Then everything went awry faster than you can say Nick Sirianni.

Their offense and defense fell apart, as did their coaching staff. An embarrassing, 32-9 playoff loss at Tampa Bay capped a shocking slump that saw them endure six losses in their final seven games, including three straight defeats at the end of the season.

There will be major changes this offseason, both to the roster and coaching staff. Owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman will likely retain Sirianni for another year, but a major overhaul of his staff is expected.

The process has already started. Sirianni fired defensive Sean DeSai earlier in the week and defensive play-caller Matt Patricia is already exploring other opportunities. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson could land a job elsewhere as a head coach.

Philly sports fans shouldn’t get too depressed, though. The Sixers are playing well and Phillies pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater on Feb. 14.

FINAL GRADES

Quarterback

Jalen Hurts had moments where he looked like an elite quarterback, but there were other times when he struggled. A lingering knee injury no doubt affected his performance, but a lack of continuity was also problematic. He threw 15 interceptions compared to six last season. He countered with 23 TD passes and also set an NFL record with 15 rushing TDs. But he tailed off at the end. GRADE: B-minus.

Running back

When given the chance, D’Andre Swift showed he is among the NFL’s top running backs. He finished fifth in the NFL in rushing with 1,049 yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. The problem was the Eagles refused to commit to the running game often enough. Kenneth Gainwell added 364 yards and 30 receptions in a part-time role. Boston Scott was invisible down the stretch. Rashaad Penny was invisible the entire season. GRADE: B

Offensive line

They are still considered among the best offensive lines in the league, though they weren’t as dominant as in past seasons. Center Jason Kelce is still at the top of his game at age 36, but is expected to retire. If he does, Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson could replace him. Right tackle Lane Johnson is elite. Left tackle Jordan Mailata was impressive. Injuries affected the rotation at right guard. GRADE: A

Wide receiver/tight end

This unit experienced a dropoff down the stretch, save for wide receiver Devonta Smith. A.J. Brown became the first Eagles wide receiver with at least 100 receptions in a season (106) and set an NFL record with six straight games with at least 125 receiving yards. But he had just 25 receptions for 292 yards in the last five games and one TD in the last eight before missing the playoff game with a knee injury. Smith had a great year with 81 catches for 1,066 yards and seven TDs. Tight end Dallas Goedert was limited with a fractured forearm.  GRADE: B.

Defensive line

This unit was a disappointment. The front four recorded 18.5 of the team’s 43 total sacks – down from a franchise-record 70 in 2022 – and that includes 11 from edge rusher Haason Reddick. Reddick might have had more sacks had he not be required to drop back into pass coverage. End Josh Sweat recorded all 6.5 of his sacks in the first 10 games, though he did add one in the playoffs against Tampa. Veteran end Brandon Graham had just three regular-season sacks after recording 11 in 2022. The interior line  – tackles Jalen Carter, Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis – hit a wall in the second half of the year. GRADE: D

Linebacker

Roseman continues to de-emphasize linebackers and continues to get burned. They team clearly missed T.J. Edwards (Bears) and Kyzir White (Cardinals), who left in free agency. Nicholas Morrow, Zach Cunningham were not good. They couldn’t tackle and couldn’t cover. Nakobe Dean was a non-factor due to injury. Rookie Nolan Smith was barely used. GRADE: F

Secondary

The worst part of the defense. Opposing quarterbacks had their way with them. Cornerback Darius Slay was OK, but not great. James Bradberry was terrible. Avonte Maddox missed most of the season with an injury and struggled when he returned. Safeties Reed Blankenship and Kevin Byard were also ineffective for most of the year. Rookie Sydney Brown showed promised before suffering a knee injury. GRADE: F

Special teams

The most-improved unit under special teams coordinator Michael Clay. Place-kicker Jake Elliott was again superb. He made 30 of 32 field goals, including 7-for-8 from 50 yards and beyond. Britain Covey led the NFC in punt returns with a 14.4-yard average. Punter Braden Mann averaged 49.8 yards per punt. GRADE: A.

Coaching

Everything that went right during the first half of the season went wrong when it mattered most. Sirianni was unable to fix various issues during the losing streak and the team played worse each game. Johnson lost his mojo. DeSai was demoted from play-calling duties for Patrica, who was worse. GRADE: F.

SEASON AWARDS

Offensive MVP: Kelce

Defensive MVP: Reddick

Special teams MVP: Elliott

Local NFL update

Packers wide receiver Bo Melton (Cedar Creek, Mays Landing) and Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (Vineland), both scored touchdowns in last week’s divisional-round playoff games.

Melton scored his first career playoff touchdown, catching a 19-yard TD pass from Packers quarterback Jordan Love in Green Bay’s 24-21 loss to the 49ers. It came one play after Melton drew a 41-yard pass interference penalty.

Pacheco was one of the stars in the Chiefs’ 27-24 win at Buffalo that sent them to the AFC Championship game at Baltimore. His 4-yard TD run in the fourth quarter proved to be the winning play. For the game, Pacheco ran for a game-high 97 yards on 15 carries.

Melton and Pacheco, who has three career playoff TDs, are among three local players who have reached the end zone in the postseason. Running back William Green (Holy Spirit, Atlantic City) scored in a 2002 playoff game for the Browns.

Changes are coming for Eagles

By DAVID WEINBERG

“You better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone,

For the times, they are a-changin. …” Bob Dylan

Eagles center Jason Kelce looked up at the giant scoreboard at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium Monday night and slowly shook his head.

The final seconds of a 32-9 playoff loss to the Buccaneers were ticking away. Hitting :00 meant the Eagles’ once-promising season, and Kelce’s career, was ending.

TV cameras showed the 36-year-old trudging through the stadium tunnel, tears puddled on his bearded cheeks, before pausing to hug Eagles general manager Howie Roseman en route to the visitor’s locker room.

Kelce politely declined to speak to reporters, but announced his retirement Tuesday through a team release.

It marks the end of a legendary career that includes 193 regular-season games and a team-record 156 consecutive starts over 13 seasons.

During that time, he was named as a six-time All Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler. But his value extended way beyond the middle of the offensive line.

Kelce was the team’s soul, the embodiment of what it meant to be a Philadelphia Eagle. Although there was a statue erected in honor of “Philly Special,” the most enduring memory of Super Bowl LII was Kelce, clad in a gaudy, green Mummer’s costume borrowed from the Avalon String Band, delivering a raucous, colorful speech on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.

About two months ago, it didn’t look like the Eagles’ season would be ending in Tampa. They were the odds-on favorites to be heading to Las Vegas for this year’s Super Bowl, having rolled to a league-best 10-1 record.

Instead, Monday’s loss to the Bucs – the second-worst playoff defeat in franchise history behind a 34-10 loss in Dallas in 1992 – capped a shocking collapse that saw the Eagles lose six of their last seven games.

As a result, the only way Kelce will go to the Super Bowl now is if younger brother Travis and the Chiefs make it. And he’ll likely be sitting in a luxury box next to Taylor Swift.

The epic fail will no doubt spark changes.

Although Kelce will be retiring, he won’t be the only one leaving. He was among several players on the north side of 30, including defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (33), defensive end Brandon Graham (35), tackle Lane Johnson (33) and cornerback Darius Slay (33). Cornerback James Bradberry is 30, but played like he’s 50.

Johnson has proven he’s still among the league’s best at his position. Cox and Graham had decent years, but are no longer elite. Neither is Slay.

Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie have to weigh loyalty against production, which is an extremely difficult decision.

It’s a tricky situation. The Eagles made the mistake of letting safety Brian Dawkins leave too early in 2009. The Phillies made the mistake of keeping Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmie Rollins a few years too long.

The turnover will almost certainly extend to the coaching staff.

Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson was criticized throughout the season and really struggled during the slump. Later in the season, coach Nick Sirianni made the controversial decision to demote defensive coordinator Sean Desai and hand the defense over to consultant Matt Patricia.

The defense was worse under Patricia than it ever was under Desai. The Eagles surrendered 31.3 points per game in losses to Arizona, the Giants and Bucs. Opposing receivers roamed free in the secondary and poor tackling was rampant.

The most alarming issue during the late-season collapse, however, was the lack of continuity, chemistry and accountability. Week after week, there were players-only meetings and promises of a rebound, but they bounced back with a thud, like a basketball without air.

That falls on the head coach.

It was ludicrous to suggest Sirianni was in danger of losing his job two months ago. The Eagles were a year removed from a narrow loss in the Super Bowl and owned the best record in the league.

But now his seat is hotter than the wings that will be served at Wing Fest at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City next month.

Roseman and Lurie will be asking some tough questions during the offseason. How Sirianni answers will determine if he’s back next season.

I think he deserves a year to turn the team around, but judging by the look of disappointment on Lurie’s face Monday night,  I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s looking for another job.

Maybe Jason Kelce can get him a bartending gig at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City.

Local NFL update

Local NFL fans looking for a reason to watch the divisional round of the playoffs can focus on the Packers and Chiefs.

Packers wide receiver Bo Melton (Cedar Creek) will be playing at San Francisco Saturday night at 8:15 p.m. in an NFC divisional round game. Melton caught one pass for 7 yards in Green Bay’s 48-32 win over the Cowboys last weekend.

Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (Vineland) will be at Buffalo in the AFC divisional round Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Pacheco, Melton’s teammate at Rutgers University, rushed for a 89 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs’ 26-7 victory over Miami last weekend.

Another local player, Cowboys safety Markquese Bell (Bridgeton) tied for the team lead with 10 tackles in the loss to the Packers.