JerseyMan Magazine V11N1

FLYERS PREVIEW

BY SAM CARCHIDI

6TH ANNUAL

George Anastasia’s

MOB SCENE

INSIDE: DERRICK GUNN PHILADELPHIA UNION MANAGER

JIM CURTIN Celebrating our 2020 Man & Woman of the Year Nominees

THE RESILIENT READING TERMINAL MARKET Volume 11 • Number 1

$3.95

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PROMOTION

Real Dad. Real Realtor. Real Family Experience

R

oger Valois is no stranger to the hustle.

Growing up on a small farm in Upper Bucks County, Roger learned the value of hard work that would ultimately launch him into the successful Realtor he is today. Roger’s story in real estate began as a bartender. Roger, a single dad loved the relationships he would build with customers. One of those customers, a bookie, would change his life forever when he lent him $1,500 for real estate classes and testing fees. Using his son as motivation Roger would complete his classes and join Kim Woehr Kate’s team at Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty in New Hope and Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.

Through Kim’s inner circle of friends and mentorship, he would be inspired in an industry which, at the time, was dominated by women. She would encourage

Roger to run circles around these women and his hard work would help him mold his current business model to unique high end listings. To this day, Roger reflects daily on Kim’s wise words, “the devil whispered in my ear and told me there is no way I can withstand the storm. Today, I whispered in the devil’s ear, I am the freaking storm.” Kim also introduced Roger to his most trusted friend and colleague. Mary Elcavage, owner of the Cactus Grill located in Upper Bucks County, she is someone who Roger could not be more grateful for. Although Kim passed away two years ago, Roger has not forgotten her teachings to run circles, hustle and “make a freaking statement.”

In his five year career in real estate one of Rogers most unique experiences are the two homes that he sold to his exes and their new husbands. Roger says, His strong belief in keeping healthy relationships amongst family is what fueled these sales.

“I am the last guy you wanna bet against.” Roger has always used any struggle or negative energy to propel him further into the life he has created.

He named his son after his childhood fear, the 1975 blockbuster hit about a 25 foot shark. If you guessed Bruce, you guessed wrong. He named his son Brody after the police chief who, eventually (spoiler alert) kills the shark. Taking his fear and turning it into his number one confidant. Brody, now ten, joins his father for showings and helps make Roger’s listings buyer ready! When they are not selling homes together they enjoy their time together playing video games, golf, soccer and exploring abandoned buildings.

This summer, Roger teamed up with friend, colleague and mentor, Lisa Povlow, of Keller Williams Luxury International for a listing priced at over one million dollars. The listing sold in under forty-eight hours. Roger currently hangs his license at the Keller Williams Condo Shop in Philadelphia but his reach in real estate spans from Bucks County, Lehigh Valley, Montgomery County and even to Sarasota, Florida, where most of his family has relocated. He spends two weeks out of the year in Sarasota visiting, relaxing with his family and you guessed it, selling real estate.

PUBLISHER

FROM JerseyMan Magazine THE VOLUME 11 • NUMBER 1 ____________________________________________________________________________________

BY KEN DUNEK

Ken Dunek Publisher ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ashley Dunek

It’s About the People

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his is the 10th Anniversary issue of our magazine.

I am so proud of my partners for believing in this concept and providing the resources to help it become a success, and equally proud of our staff for the love and nurturing it takes to make any business work.

EDITOR George Brinkerhoff ART DIRECTOR Steve Iannarelli CONTRIBUTING WRITERS George Anastasia, Jan L. Apple, George Brinkerhoff, Sam Carchidi, Alexandra Dunek, Ashley Dunek, Mark Eckel, Robert Kennedy, Sam Kraft, Dei Lynam, Anthony Mongeluzo, Mike Shute, Kurt Smith

Needless to say, we would have liked to have skipped 2020, but we made it through, and look to the future with great optimism.

Administrative Assistant Alexandra Dunek

Of course, we have all been through a harrowing experience.

Event Coordinator Jamie Dunek

COVID-19 has ravaged our country and world.

We elected a new President.

Editorial gbrinkerhoff@jerseymanmagazine.com Advertising 856-912-4007

People in the greatest country in the history of the world are hungry.

Printing Alcom Printing, Harleysville, Pa.

Our cities are shuttered, our favorite restaurants are unable to operate, and our political system is dysfunctional.

Controller Rose M. Balcavage

I don’t have all the answers. Some may think I don’t have any answers.

Sales Associates Ashley Dunek, Jamie Dunek, Terri Dunek, Allison Farcus, JP Lutz

But after doing some soul searching, here is my advice: Since I believe EVERYTHING happens for a reason, I suggest letting your GOD handle your stress.

There is no problem he hasn’t brought to you for a purpose, and no situation too big for him.

Be grateful for ALL that you have.

I also believe, we must, as a nation, push for term limits. Making decisions based on political expediency does not work for the common good.

In many cases, our founding fathers gave up lucrative careers and financial hardships to donate their time for political SERVICE. Lifelong politicians whose main purpose is to get re-elected don’t help the cause.

The problem is—they will never vote for it because they would be limiting their own careers and influence.

That is why it will take a groundswell of support by us, THE PEOPLE, to demand a 2-term limit for their service, and perhaps a ban on working for a lobbyist after their term has ended.

Is it a long shot? Absolutely.

But it makes sense, doesn’t it?

Limit the term, and 10 years from now we will see if we have saved our nation from destroying itself.

Intern Irene Crane JerseyMan/PhillyMan Advisory Board Peter Cordua (Chairman). . . HBK CPAs & Consultants Joseph Devine (Emeritus). . . . . . . . . Jefferson Health Jerry Flanagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J Dog Brands Ted Flocco (Emeritus). . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernst & Young Bob Hoey. . . . . . . . . . . . . Janney Montgomery Scott Kristi Howell. . Burlington Co. Chamber of Commerce Ed Hutchinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hutchinson Robert Kennedy. . . . . . . . . . The Kennedy Companies Julie LaVan. . . . . . . . . Advanced Mediation Solutions Doug MacGray . . . . . . . . . Stonecrop Wealth Advisors Anthony Mongeluzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCS Charlie Muracco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLM Advisors Mike Regina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Big Sky Enterprises Scott Tanker . . . . . . . . . . . Tanker Business Solutions Joe Tredinnick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Republic Bank Les Vail. . . . . . . . . . . . . GreenCrown Energy and Wate Jim Wujcik. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Santander Bank

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

– Mahatma Gandhi JerseyMan Magazine/PhillyMan Magazine, products of a partnership between Ken Dunek, Anthony Mongeluzo, and Alcom Printing Group, are published by New Opportunity Publishing, LLC, with offices at 5 Perina Boulevard Cherry Hill, NJ 08003. Copyright 2020.

www.jerseymanmagazine.com

INSIDE 24

“Three things in life – your health, your mission, and the people that you love. That’s it.”– Naval Ravikant JerseyMan Magazine VOLUME 11 • NUMBER 1

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SETH CURRY

by DEI LYNAM

28 DERRICK GUNN

ON THE COVER

Our Man & Woman of the Year Nominees

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32 FLYERS PREVIEW 42 JIM CURTIN

48 READING TERMINAL MARKET

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56 CINDY WEBSTER 62 CARTOON NETWORK HOTEL

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42

56 62 COLUMNS

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1 4 J O T T I N G S • 2 2 G E O R G E A N A S T A S I A ’ S M O B S C E N E • 26 GET FIT 68 THE CIGAR GUY • 76 TECH TIME • 78 THE WINE MAN

Cover photograph Jeremy Messler Photography

jerseymanmagazine.com

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ELCOME TO OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! We’d like to raise a glass and salute you, our loyal readers, club members and advertisers who’ve helped turn the last 10 years of publishing JerseyMan Magazine into the ongoing success it’s become. We couldn’t have done it without you! Congratulations to every single one of you who, through your support, helped make what was then an upstart print magazine into the premier lifestyle magazine in the region. From our first issue with Merrill Reese on the cover to the issue you now hold in your hand, JerseyMan Magazine has been with you, covering the most exciting highs and toughest lows of the last decade, and all the while revealing the best of ourselves. Thank you for a tremendous first 10 years, and we look forward to bringing you even more compelling content as we journey into the next 10. Cheers!

Here are a few of our favorite covers throughout the years:

FISH ON!

GeorGe AnAstAsiA’s

Page 28

Mob Scene

$3.95

Volume 3 • Number 5

Bancroft CEO Toni

Pergolin

Mark Luschini of Janney Montgomery Scott

Abe and Wawa

What’s the Connection?

WAWA CEO Chris

Gheysens

Sizzlin’ Up Success

New Sixers Boss

Brett Brown

Stan Hochman Morganti

with Al

Sports Talk’s Second Banana on Radio, Wing Bowl and Pizza!

www.jerseymanmagazine.com

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Art Director Steve Iannarelli

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JOTTINGS

______________________________________________________________________________

BY GEORGE BRINKERHOFF

Harvesting Jersey Cranberries

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S

URE, WE’VE ALL SEEN THEM, the cranberry bog by the side of the road, maybe flooded with water, maybe not. But have you ever wondered how they harvest those tart red berries? Well wonder no more. New Jersey is regularly the third largest producer of cranberries in America behind Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Much of this production takes place in South Jersey’s Burlington, Atlantic and Ocean counties in and around what’s known as the Pine Barrens. Most of the cranberries harvested here are processed through the Ocean Spray cooperative in Chatsworth, NJ. Cranberries like acidic and sandy soil, and the bogs of the Pinelands area provide this in spades.

Two distinct approaches for capturing the berries are used today, with the wet harvest method being by far the most widely used, and it’s steadily replacing the other approach, the dry harvest method. For the wet harvest method, the bogs are flooded in the fall allowing mechanical harvesters to be driven into the bog to “beat” the cranberry vines. The cranberries, which have been separated from the vines, have air pockets forcing them to the surface, and once they’re floating, they are corralled by people in waders and removed by truck to the processing plant. (Contrary to popular belief, cranberries don’t grow under water, but the flooded bogs are just part of the process that makes it easier to gather them.)

This ritual takes place every fall, and some bog

owners, pre-COVID-19, were even providing tours to witness the spectacle of seeing the bogs with a sea of floating red berries behind the booms.

The dry harvest method, where the bogs are not flooded, also uses a mechanical harvester that combs with metal teeth, separating the berry from the vine, and then utilizes a conveyor belt to move them to a receptacle at the back of the machine. Whichever way it’s done, the resulting berry is sold as either a fresh fruit or processed into a tart and healthy juice, jelly or other product. The cranberry, which is traditionally associated with fall and winter holiday feasts, is now enjoyed year-round.

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What We Read TWO NEW EDITIONS recently hit the market updating the histories of two legendary motorcycle brands still in existence today. Indian Motorcycle: 120 years of America’s First Motorcycle Company, by Darwin Holmstrom, tells the iconic tale of Indian Motorcycles’ development from its humble beginnings as a bicycle manufacturer to become America’s first mass produced motorcycle maker. Holmstrom recounts Indians racing legacy and its production battles with Harley-Davidson through the Great Depression and two world wars, to its seeming demise in 1953.

The officially-licensed volume then tracks the successive owners of the marque throughout the latter half of the 20th century to its eventual purchase by Polaris Industries in 2011 and its subsequent rebirth, right through to the latest machines. The new model’s modern yet retro look demonstrates that Indian has recaptured the essence of the historic brand’s heritage. Along with the story of the latest models, the FTR1200, Chieftain, Challenger and Roadmaster, this handsome volume includes updated photography and records Indian’s return to racing.

The Complete Book of Moto Guzzi: 100th Anniversary Edition, Every Model Since 1921, written by motorcycle expert Ian Falloon, is a breathtaking review of all the production models throughout Moto Guzzi’s storied 100-year history. Italy’s Moto Guzzi is the oldest European motorcycle manufacturer in continuous production and turns 100 years old in 2021. From Carlo Guzzi’s first engine design, a horizontal single cylinder, through to the 1950’s success in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, to today with endorsement from celebrities like Ewan McGregor, Moto Guzzi continues to have a higher profile than ever. Chock full of stunning photography and technical specifications, this updated volume celebrates a century of Moto Guzzi, and features each and every model right up through today’s range of exceptional modern machines.

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“Be a Kid Again.”

Dick Allen March 8, 1942 – December 7, 2020

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HE PASSING OF DICK ALLEN, long time Phillies first and third baseman, on December 7th last year brought back some memories. Growing up in the South Jersey suburbs of the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s, the Phillies baseball club always had one unmistakably recognizable persona to me— Dick Allen’s. He first became known to me as Richie Allen, then later Dick Allen. As a kid, I knew of him because of his awe-inspiring talent to hit the baseball, hard. So hard that routinely, after one of his mighty slashes, the ball would be scorched into a gap or soar well over the fence. In fact, Dick Allen became the living embodiment of the highest achievement that humanity could muster for a kid from the Jersey suburbs who liked baseball—that mythical, god-like entity known as the baseball slugger. As a kid on the sandlot, you’d copy his stance, pretending that you could wield the huge bat as deftly as he did, like a club, and imitating his swing while believing

that you too could connect with a fastball with one intent, to drive it as far as possible from your opponent’s clutches. Dick Allen did just that on a multitude of occasions, with many of them reaching the bleachers (351 of them to be exact).

That same kid in the South Jersey suburbs collected Dick Allen’s baseball card, and watched him and the Phillies at first on a black and white television, then later on a color TV. The Phillies might not have been great back then, but Dick Allen always gave you the hope that he might singlehandedly turn things around with just one terrific smash.

Later on, that kid would learn of the challenges Dick Allen faced on a daily basis, enduring prejudice and breaking down racial barriers within the League, with his teammates and with the fans, while putting up Hall of Fame type numbers during his career (though remaining out of the Hall), and finding controversy at almost every turn. That kid, now an adult, would grow to admire so much

ALLEN

15 more the guts and the determination of the player and the person whose stance and swing he had closely emulated.

In his teammate Mike Schmidt’s 2009 biography, Clearing the Bases, Schmidt describes how Dick Allen mentored Schmidt before a game in Chicago, 1976 with these words: “Mike, you’ve got to relax. You’ve got to have some fun. Remember when you were just a kid and you’d skip supper to play ball? You were having fun. Hey, with all the talent you’ve got, baseball ought to be fun. Enjoy it.

Be a kid again.” Seems like sound advice from a baseball hero.

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THRU THE LENS Photography by Jamie Dunek

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Ben Franklin Bridge, Philadelphia, shot using Portra 400 on Yashica 19 64.

Legacy Club Event at Medford Village Country Club – Medford, NJ

From left, Jeremiah Phillips, Allison Farcus, Terri Dunek, Ken Dunek, Anthony Mongeluzo, Ashley Dunek, Jamie Dunek, JP Lutz, Taylor Dunek, Alex Dunek, Irene Crane.

JerseyMan/PhillyMan Honoree Happy Hour at Pyramid Club – Philadelphia

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Nichole MCH Photography

JerseyMan/PhillyMan Holiday Party at Mechanical Brewery – Cherry Hill, NJ

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Nichole MCH Photography

MOB SCENE

_______________________________________________________________________________

BY GEORGE ANASTASIA

Drugs, Tapes and Informants

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ILL McSWAIN, the top federal cop in Philadelphia, says the mob isn’t what it used to be.

And in many ways, he’s right. The high profile and wanton use of violence, the drive-by shootings and the celebrity-like parties and charity events that were trademarks of the local branch of Cosa Nostra are in the past.

But despite McSwain’s assertions, made in a press release announcing a racketeering indictment that targeted 15 mob members and associates back in November, some things haven’t changed.

The Philadelphia branch of the Mafia still appears to be one of the most dysfunctional mob families in America. An organization dubbed “the Simpsons of the underworld” more than 30 years ago hasn’t gotten its act together in the 21st century.

Drug dealing and electronic surveillance were the undoing of the crime family in the 1990s and the 40-page indictment unsealed two months ago offers more of the same.

“The Philadelphia mob isn’t what it used to be,” McSwain, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, said. “But it is still a problem…(still) committing serious federal crimes which is why we…are focusing on stamping it out.”

The racketeering conspiracy indictment includes charges of drug dealing, gambling, loan sharking and extortion, the typical mob gambits that have been a part of most major indictments over the past 30 years. The only things missing are allegations of murder and attempted murder, but that could change. Investigators with the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Philadelphia Police Department are continuing to focus on at least four unsolved mob hits that could be folded into this case or could be the basis for another indictment.

“The mob continues to keep its fingers in many different pots in its ceaseless quest for illegal profits,” said Michael J. Driscoll, head of 22

the Philadelphia FBI office. “The FBI is as committed to eradicating organized crime as wise guys are to embracing it.”

The key targets in the current case are longtime mob leader Steven Mazzone, described as the underboss of the crime family, and mob capo Domenic Grande.

Ten of the 15 defendants in the case, including Grande, Mazzone and Mazzone’s brother Sonny, described as a mob “soldier,” have

“ The Philadelphia mob isn’t what it used to be… but it is still

a problem…” been charged with racketeering conspiracy.

The indictment alleges that the Mazzones were heavily involved in gambling, loan sharking and extortion. Grande apparently had a piece of that, but his bigger problem is a charge that links him to drug dealing.

Heroin, cocaine and fentanyl were being distributed by several members of Grande’s crew, according to the indictment. And that adds up to additional legal jeopardy for the South Philadelphia wise guy.

At 41, Grande is the youngest “made” member of the organization charged in the case.

Fifteen years younger than Steve Mazzone and a kid in comparison to seven other defendants who are already Medicare-eligible, Grande is

the new face of the Philadelphia crime family, Cosa Nostra’s next generation.

He has an extensive but somewhat tarnished mob pedigree. His uncle, Salvatore “Sammy” Piccolo, was convicted in a federal drug case in New Jersey last year that was a precursor to the current indictment. The Piccolo family’s involvement in the Philadelphia mob dates back at least to the 1950s and the Angelo Bruno era.

The late Anthony “Tony Buck” Piccolo was a legendary “gentleman gangster” whose involvement began with Bruno and extended through the fractured and violent administrations of Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo and John Stanfa.

Grande’s grandfather, John “Coo Coo” Grande, was a Bruno soldier. His father, Salvatore “Wayne” Grande, was a hitman for Scarfo.

After being convicted on racketeering charges with Scarfo and 15 others in 1988, Wayne Grande began cooperating with authorities.

UT IN THE PHILADELPHIA underworld the sins of the father did not derail the son’s climb up the organizational ladder. Domenic Grande, according to law enforcement investigators, is the suspected shooter in one unsolved mob murder and the leader of a “crew” involved in gambling, loan sharking and drug dealing.

In the current case, court documents allege he was secretly recorded urging members of his crew to “plant the flag” of the Philadelphia mob in the Atlantic City area by re-establishing a street tax on independent bookmakers, demanding a share of the gambling operators’ earnings if they wanted to stay in business.

At the same time, it appears, members of Grande’s crew connected with a drug dealing operation headed up by Joseph “Joey Electric” Servidio, a North Jersey mob figure who had relocated to the Ocean City area.

B

Servidio, a defendant in the current indictment, pleaded guilty to drug dealing charges in the New Jersey case last year and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. That case was built in part around secretly recorded conversations made by Anthony Persiano, a mobster and reputed member of Grande’s crew who began cooperating with authorities five years ago. Persiano subsequently introduced an FBI undercover agent who was also wired for sound into the drug dealing ring.

As a result, authorities were able to obtain audio and video surveillance of drug deals going down. What’s more, according to an FBI affidavit describing the tapings, authorities got to hear mobsters talking in their own words about their business.

If the Philadelphia mob is one of the most dysfunctional crime families in America, it is also one of the most recorded. And as previous cases have demonstrated, tapes are devastating pieces of evidence.

Servidio pleaded out in the New Jersey case last year after his own incriminating comments were picked up on secretly recorded conversations in which he openly admitted he dealt drugs and explained that it was the only way he could generate the kind of income he needed to maintain his lifestyle. Those kinds of comments, played for a jury at trial, can bury a defendant.

It appears Grande may have the same problem.

In a pre-trial detention motion, prosecutors argued that the case against him relied on “hundreds of hours of recordings of him and his criminal associates discussing their crimes.”

If, as the government alleges, Domenic Grande’s crew was involved in drug dealing and if, as the capo of the crew, he was knowingly getting a piece of that action, then the tapes and the testimony of cooperators and the FBI undercover could help prosecutors make the argument that Grande was part of the drug conspiracy.

Authorities said Grande was recorded “discussing drug trafficking…telling an FBI informant to be ‘careful’ when obtaining a kilogram of cocaine for sale but that the informant should ‘do what you gotta do’ in order to sell the drugs. When speaking of obtaining and selling oxycodone and counterfeit oxycodone (made with heroin and fentanyl) Grande stated, ‘if you can get that man, I can f---ing move thousands of them. . . . You know these kids sell them for f…ing $20 a piece?’”

Drugs, tapes and informants.

Despite the disclaimer from U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain, it appears the Philadelphia mob is still very much what it used to be. n

ADVERTISE WITH US Contact: ken@jerseymanmagazine.com

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DEI LYNAM

_______________________________________________________________________________ ___

Seth Curry earns it every step of the way

Photo Philadelphia 76ers

S

ETH CURRY IS ENTERING his seventh NBA season. The 30-year old’s professional basketball journey is a stark contrast to that of his older brother Steph Curry. The more senior Curry is a two-time league MVP and six-time all-star after being selected seventh in the 2009 NBA draft.

Seth went undrafted coming out of Duke in 2013. Later that year, he was signed by the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G-League, where he averaged 20 points per game. The following year he found himself playing for the Erie Bayhawks, the Orlando Magic G-League affiliate. However, his persistence and development have enabled him to play in 256 NBA games over the past six years, albeit donning six different uniforms.

“My journey was having to earn it every step of the way, going back to high school and college,” Curry said in a recent Zoom call. “I had to earn my respect and show that I belong by doing it on the court. A lot of times, guys are drafted on potential and are given a spot.

I have had to earn my opportunities.”

Curry’s most recent opportunity was playing for the Dallas Mavericks last season. Curry averaged 12.4 points per game and shot a career-best 45.2 percent from three-point range, third-best in the NBA behind George Hill and JJ Redick.

Ironically, the absence of Redick for the Sixers last season may have created the organization’s desire to go out and get Curry.

Redick, a guy like Curry who has a reputation for knocking down shots from behind the arc, left via free agency to join the Pelicans following the 2018-19 season. Before his departure, Redick helped the Sixers rank seventh and then fourth in points per game during his two-year stint in Philadelphia. Last year the Sixers dropped to 20th in scoring, in large part because they lacked an outside shooting threat such as Redick.

“I score in a little bit of a different way than 24

JJ,” Curry said. “I put it on the floor a little more. We both can shoot the ball. Whatever Joel [Embiid] is comfortable with and what he and JJ used to run, I am trying to come in and make life easier for him and Ben. I feel like my game can adapt. That is why I have been able to have a successful career thus far because I can do many different things on the offensive side of the floor. Whatever situation [Head Coach] Doc [Rivers] and the team put me in, I feel I can thrive in it.”

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HAT REDICK AND EMBIID thrived on two seasons ago was running dribble hand-offs [DHO]. The Sixers ranked first in the NBA, averaging 9.5 DHO per game, and they were No. 1 in scoring frequency off that action.

Last year they dropped to the middle of the pack. Curry knows that he and newly ac-

quired Danny Green are here to stretch the floor with their expertise, and in doing so, create space for the team’s two all-stars. In Curry’s mind, he is the ideal backcourt partner for Ben Simmons.

“He is a good player,” Curry said of Simmons. “You want to play with as many good players as possible. Ben is one of the best guys in this league on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively. When he is going downhill, no one can stay in front of him one-on-one, so they have to bring help putting two guys in front of him, preventing him from getting a lay-up.

“That is where guys like myself and Danny can help him out by creating space for him to drive and knocking down shots. I think he and I are a perfect match; he is a bigger ball-handler who can make plays and defend multiple positions, and I am a smaller

‘‘

A lot of times, guys are drafted on potential and are given a spot.

I have had to earn my opportunities.”

scorer who spreads the floor, shoots, scores in multiple ways, and guards smaller guys and point guards. I am looking forward to working with him.”

Curry has experience playing with such a talent as Simmons; Luka Doncic is a 6’7 creative guard whom he teamed up with in Dallas. While Doncic is a far more prolific scorer (28.8 PPG) than Simmons, both players finished in the top ten in assists last season, with Simmons averaging eight and Doncic nearly nine. Doncic was also the leading rebounder among shooting guards (9.4 RPG), while Simmons finished second among point guards with 7.8 rebounds per contest.

Seth Curry doesn’t come with all the accolades his brother has achieved, but he appears to be the brother this city can come to appreciate and love for being the right fit on a team that has championship aspirations.

“I feel like I was built to be in that spotlight in some sense,” Curry said of being compared to Steph. “It got larger when Steph became an MVP candidate and one of the best in the league, but it is no different for me in my process and the way I go about doing things. I know who I am as a player, and I try to maximize what I do.”

It sounds like Seth Curry is about to show us his Philly max! n

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GET FIT

For more guidance, follow Alexandra, NASM Certified

______________________________________________________________________________________________ Personal Trainer on Instagram at @TipsfromAFitChick

BY ALEXANDRA DUNEK

Is meal prep right for you?

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HE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has made it really difficult to roll with the punches and keep up with our daily routine. For many of us, myself included, our diet, exercise and motivation have been shoved onto the back burner for most of 2020.

As we begin a new year, I’m sharing three different meal prep companies that might be helpful in getting you back on track. This article is not sponsored and is my honest review!

Here are a few reasons why meal prep delivery might be a good fit for you: • You have a hectic schedule with limited time • You don’t like to cook or don’t want to •Y ou want to eat healthier, but struggle doing so on your own • You don’t want to shop for groceries • You have specific nutrition goals and need help • You are cooking/shopping for one person Metabolic Meals, CookUnity and Freshly are three companies I looked at, all of which have discount codes to use towards your first order, as well as:

• Allergy & dietary-friendly options (keto, low-carb, gluten-free, etc.)

• Detailed nutrition information + ingredient list • Recyclable packaging • Flexible schedule (change, skip or cancel the subscription any time) If you have the budget and are in the market for a meal service, I highly recommend CookUnity! The meals are cooked by a team of private chefs who make your health their top priority from where they source their organic ingredients to how they choose to cook them.

Whether you decide to use a meal prep company or not, being prepared (from my experience) is truly key in reaching your goals or staying on track with smart choices. You might not be interested in pre-cooking a few days’ worth of meals, but something as simple as washing, cutting and portioning your fruits and vegetables truly goes a long way. If you decide to try CookUnity, you can scan my referral code at right for $50 credit! n

• The Fit or Performance portion option is helpful • Plenty of entree options including breakfast and some dessert $61 for 6 meals

• Best Price • F irst order gets two free meals • Taste + quality

$59 including shipping for 4 meals

• Food presentation • Appealing packaging + QR code to scan for info on the meal and who prepared it • Plenty of entree options including breakfast, snacks and drinks • You can communicate directly with your chef!

• Plenty of entree options

$52 including shipping for 4 meals 26

SPORTS GUYS

A great run for

derrick gunn

BY MARK ECKEL

W

hat was missing from the 2020 Philadelphia Eagles other than a consistent offense and, you know, wins? The post-game interviews outside their locker room with Derrick Gunn.

August 3, 2020 just a few days before the start of an NFL preseason that never happened, and just over a month before the beginning of the regular season, Gunn got the call from his long-time employer, NBC Sports Philadelphia. After 23 years, his services were no longer needed.

Call it a combination of a company that has let go of its long-time employees one by one over the years and the effect of Covid-19.

Gunn just became the latest victim of what used to be known as Comcast along with the thousands of Eagles fans who relied on his coverage of the team, his breaking news stories and those post-game interviews.

“It was Monday, August 3rd, 1 p.m.” Gunn said reciting the date and time as if it were the birth of a child, or perhaps a time of death.

While it was somewhat of a surprise to viewers and even some of his colleagues in the media, Gunn wasn’t totally caught off guard.

“You know what, as Covid kept unfolding and you saw more and more entities letting people go because of Covid and then when the NFL announced that the media would not be 28

allowed to have one-on-one interviews outside the locker room, or even be in the locker room the wheels started spinning,’’ Gunn said. “I knew I could be eliminated. It wasn’t numbing. It wasn’t shocking. I was smart enough to realize, when I look at my job description and I was hosting a show, ‘Quick Slants’ from my home five days a week—not in the studio— you start adding up the plusses and minuses, you could be in that Bermuda Triangle.”

hat did take Gunn aback was the outcry of support from not only fans of his work, but current and former Eagles players and coaches who took to social media to express both their gratitude and concern. Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins, for one, recorded close to a two-minute video on Twitter thanking Gunn for his years of the job.

“I was speechless,’’ Gunn said. “From Brian Dawkins to Lane Johnson to Brandon Graham to DJ Jazzy Jeff it was incredible. I really didn’t see that coming.’’

Neither did he expect the reaction to his video that he also posted on social media.

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Photo courtesy Derrick Gunn

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“A few days after I found out I was being laid off I sat on my back patio deck and I did a two-minute, 15-second video just basically saying the secret is out,” Gunn said. “I have no animosity toward anyone. It was a great run. Who knows? Maybe you haven’t seen the last of me. And I thought maybe a thousand or so people would acknowledge it. I never dreamed it would exceed 935,000 views.

“It was also trending for 48 hours and I still don’t know what trending means. But I was humbled by it. I don’t toot my own horn.

Anyone who knows me knows that, but that was a testament to what I tried to do in being consistent, being honest. I never dimed out a source. Players, coaches, front office people, trainers, other media members, they all knew they could trust me.”

unn, whose television career began in El Centro, California covering the then-San Diego Chargers and moved to NBC in San Diego, CBS in his hometown of Milwaukee and NBC in Pittsburgh, arrived in Philadelphia when Comcast began in 1997.

With his dismissal, Michael Barkann is the only original member of the station still employed there.

“When I left Pittsburgh I had three offers,’’

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“I did a video just basically saying the secret is out.

I never dreamed it would exceed 935,000 views.”

Gunn said. “One was in Detroit, one was to go back home to Milwaukee at a different station and one was a start-up in Philadelphia. I didn’t want to go to Philadelphia and I certainly didn’t want to go to a start-up. You know how they could be, they could be gone in a matter of months. My agent, however, was adamant that I should at least look into this ‘Comcast.’ He called it a regional ESPN.’’ Gunn took his agent’s advice—isn’t that why he pays him?—and 23 years later he became a legend on the Philadelphia sports scene.

“I checked it out because I didn’t want to go to Detroit and I really didn’t want to go back home,’’ he said of what changed his mind.

“My initial goal was let’s give it one contract, three, four years, and see how it goes. As I started covering the team, three years turned into six, six turned into 10, 10 turned into 23.’’

And now it’s over. Or is it?

Gunn hasn’t retired. And he didn’t disappear with his less than half-of-a year severance package, he’s actually been very busy this past football season.

“I’m busy,’’ he said. “But I’m making a fraction of the money I was making.’’

When the football season began so did Gunn’s new endeavors. He began his weekly podcast “Gunn on One’’; did a Sunday morning show on Channel 3 with his former colleague at Comcast, Rob Ellis called “CBS Odds On’’; went to ESPN 97.5 for a weekly threehour radio show with former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook and started a once-aweek YouTube show, “Grilling the Birds,’’ with former Eagles tackle Tra Thomas.

“When I found out I was being laid off, my wife, Trish, was on a plane to visit her family in California,’’ Gunn said. “So my first thought was, ‘How am I going to tell her?’ I called her and told her what had happened and, at first, she thought I was joking. Then she said, ‘It’s in God’s hands now.’

“But what I had to do was I had to re-invent myself, find out what I wanted to do. All kinds of ideas started coming in, but I wanted to do what was right for me.’’

s the football season concludes Gunn will take his time, reassess everything and decide what’s next for him and his family, which now includes some grandchildren.

“Right now I’m getting a feel for what I like,’’ he said. “I do like being in control of me. I’m hoping to parlay that into something greater. The podcast is doing well. Hopefully, over the next few months, we hope that takes off. There are things I miss. I miss being at practice and in the locker room. I miss traveling with my crew. I miss the atmosphere of being at the game. But I am excited about being more in control of me, investing in me.

I’ve always worked for someone else. As you know, desperation breeds creativity. Maybe I won’t go back to TV.’’ As the uncertainty of 2020 came to an end, Gunn still is not sure what next year will bring.

“I don’t want to leave the Philadelphia area,’’ he said, but who knows, I may have to. Maybe I’ll be here next year, maybe I won’t.’’ n

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PROMOTION

A NEW SPIN ON HEALING GyroStim Therapy Rapidly Improves Athletic Performance and Brain Injury Recovery ATHLETES WHO WANT A COMPETITIVE EDGE, or to heal a concussion that still affects their performance have a new option. The GyroStim is a workhorse of a machine that gives trained practitioners unlimited ways to creatively work with the healing powers of neuroplasticity.

Dr. Joseph Schneider recently added a GyroStim to his neurological rehabilitation and healing center in Chadds Ford, PA, Hope Brain Center. He is a Chiropractor and Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist who works with patients recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), Post-Concussive disorder, Lyme Disease, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Now he has a new, faster way to help his patients return to their peak athletic performance and their everyday lives.

is to work on the vestibular system and navigate it in time and space. Every time you move, you move the vestibular system. GyroStim taps into that. It uses the cerebellum and it is geared for the big movement part of the brain used for planning of movement. The unique thing about the cerebellum is that it has communication to the body and communication to the brain stem, and to the cortex; it interacts with those areas. So, to get a fully integrated effect on the body, this is a powerful way of doing it.”

UP THEIR GAME Athletes of all levels benefit from using the GyroStim. The multi-directional vestibular stimulation combined with exercises that challenge the sensorimotor system can improve balance, reaction time, and core strength.

GyroStim has been used by professional athletes (many at the Olympic level) in sports that include: Hockey, Football, Swimming, Rugby, Boxing, MMA, and even Formula 1 Racing.

Dr. Joseph Schneider, DC DACNB

HEALING THE BRAIN “The old theory is that once you hurt the brain that is it, there is no hope.

Now we know we can restore neuropathways. We are actually regenerating the nervous system with this therapy.”

Schneider explains, “We have seen a lot of patients that have lost hope.

Athletes as well as people injured by car crashes or strokes. They have all gone through standard medical care and they still have residual symptoms from their TBI. Many still have cognitive issues like poor decision making or brain fog. They have sleep issues, depression, and physical problems that were not resolved with standard care.”

The GyroStim is a computer-controlled, multi-axis rotating chair. It uses an interactive laser targeting system and other exercises (at the practitioner’s discretion) to increase the results. As the chair rotates up and down and moves side to side, it stimulates the area of the brain responsible for motor function.

It was designed by an engineer named Kevin Maher to help his daughter heal from Cerebral Palsy. Now it is also used to improve balance and coordination in athletic performance.

The patient is safely strapped in and is instructed to do specialized eye and hand coordination exercises while the clinician moves the chair. No one gets sick or dizzy; the chair moves at a slow speed and at their comfort level.

The GyroStim is used to apply gentle yet powerful multi-axis visual-vestibular stimulation and sensorimotor exercises. Patients seeking to recover from a concussion, traumatic brain injury, or other neurological condition, can recover faster because the GyroStim can provide vestibular therapy to address persistent symptoms and restore lost function.

Its technology and brain training applications can improve balance and brain performance, whether the patient is an athlete looking for a way to improve speed and agility or someone who has sustained a brain injury.

“There are a million ways to use it. The GyroStim is a very profound stimulation of the entire nervous system,” Schneider said.

“We are finding that one of the most powerful ways to regain brain function

The benefit to athletes is a new way to improve reaction time and core strength by improving brain function. Even athletes who are not suffering from the effects of a TBI can benefit.

“When I am able to help someone recover from a TBI, it is really performance enhancement from a pathological level. When someone comes in and they are more neurologically typical we can help them push their limits for their performance.”

Schneider recently treated a college athlete who came in with persistent headaches from a concussion that still affected her swimming and running performance.

Once she completed treatment, she no longer had headaches and her running improved. She also shaved 30 seconds off her best mile time and set a new personal record.

THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE Schneider has worked for 30 years to help patients recover from debilitating injuries and diseases. In 2017 he suffered a severe stroke and returned to full function due to the therapies he now offers others. The GyroStim machine was part of his healing. It sped up his recovery and continues to improve his brain function and performance.

“If you want to be at the top of your game, or if you have suffered a head injury that still impacts your health, there is hope,” he said.

Many patients come to this clinic after they have exhausted all other methods. His website is full of video testimonials from athletes and others who have regained their health thanks to the latest technologies Schneider employs for brain improvement.

“There is always hope, and there is hope for everyone,” he said.

www.hopebraincenter.com 6 Dickinson Dr., Building 300, Suite 310 Chadds Ford, PA 19317 • 610.544.9800

BY SAM CARCHIDI

philadelphia FLyers 2020-21 preview

Cup contenders 32

Photo Elsa/Getty Images

Carter Hart

When the pandemic-delayed NHL season starts, will the Flyers be better than the team that had the sixth-most points in the 31-team league in 2019-20?

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The Flyers can hope for improvement this season only if left winger Oskar Lindblom and center Nolan Patrick make strong comebacks.

If not, the Flyers will be hard-pressed to duplicate a coronavirus-shortened season in which they had 89 points in 69 games. Pro-rated, that translated to an impressive 106 points in a normal 82-game season.

The experience gained from winning their first playoff series since 2012, they hope, will benefit them this season.

“I think it’s going be huge for us to have that experience moving forward,” said Ivan Provorov, the Flyers’ No. 1 defenseman. “And it’s going to be a second year of having the same coaching staff and basically the same team.”

Winning a playoff round, veteran left winger James van Riemsdyk said, gave some younger players a “small taste of what it takes to win at that time of year. I remember getting my first taste of it [in 2010] and then going into my second time around, you feel so much more confident and comfortable with the style of play that happens at playoff time.”

Playoff dip After a 41-21-7 regular season in which they won nine of their last 10 games and had a .645 points percentage under new coach

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Sean Couturier

Photo Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images

Ivan Provorov

“

We didn’t play our very best in the playoffs, but we still had a good experience. I think it’ll help us have a really good start this season.”

– Ivan Provorov 35

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“Those are guys that are very capable and have had some success so far, and obviously are on the younger side of their careers, so they’ll continue to get better and develop,” van Riemsdyk said.

Lindblom and Patrick, along with Joel Farabee, Myers, Travis Sanheim, and Carter Hart, have loads of talent and are still blossoming.

Ditto prospects like Morgan Frost, Linus Sandin, Connor Bunnaman, Wade Allison, Tanner Laczynski, and Carsen Twarynski.

Photos Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

Alain Vigneault, the Flyers “didn’t play our very best in the playoffs, but we still had a good experience,” Provorov said. “I think it’ll help us have a really good start this season.”

The Flyers beat Montreal in six games in Round 1, then lost to the Islanders in the conference semifinals, taking New York to seven games.

“The intensity in the playoffs is a lot higher,” said defenseman Phil Myers, who won Game 2 against the Islanders with an overtime goal. “Everything is on the line and you can’t afford to make mistakes. Obviously, we were disappointed with the way it ended, but we learned from it. It was definitely a step in the right direction for the team.”

Lindblom, now 24, missed most of last season after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatments. When he was diagnosed in December, he shared the team lead with 11 goals. In September, the left winger gallantly returned and played in the last two playoff games.

Patrick, 22, missed all of last season with a migraine disorder. The Flyers are hoping he can return and fulfill the potential he had when he was selected No. 2 overall in the 2017 draft. He had 13 goals in each of his first two seasons.

Team’s cornerstone Hart, who had a 24-13-3 record with a 2.42 goals-against average and .914 save percentage last season, is regarded as the team’s cornerstone. He’s only 22, but has the potential to be among the league’s elite goalies, maybe even at the top of the list in upcoming seasons.

“We have quite a few young players coming into the best part of their careers,” Vigneault said.

Vigneault also noted that many veterans in their 30s, guys like Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, van Riemsdyk and Justin Braun, “are in the evolution of their games and I can help them get their games better.”

In 2019-20, the Flyers had a terrific regularseason but were just so-so in the postseason.

Oskar Lindblom

After winning the three game round-robin tournament and becoming the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed, they huffed and puffed to beat heavy underdog Montreal in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, four games to two, and capture their first playoff series since 2012. The Flyers then lost to the New York Islanders in seven games in the conference

Photo Zach Hill/Philadelphia Flyers

said. “Overall, we were a little inconsistent in responding after we got scored on in the playoffs. We weren’t like we were in February and March when we were in that winning streak and playing our best hockey. No matter what was happening in those games, we had a feeling that we knew we were going to win the game. In the playoffs, we didn’t really have that, and it was harder for us to come back when we got behind.”

Character displayed

Lindblom, center, on his last day in the hospital after cancer treatments.

semifinals.

The Flyers forced Game 7 with overtime wins in Games 5 and 6. They were dominated in Game 7, dropping a 4-0 decision.

The Islanders, bolstered by a relentless forecheck, controlled most of the series and made it difficult for the Flyers to make quick exits out of their own zone. The Isles’ core group

thoroughly outplayed the Flyers’ big guns. In addition, the Flyers’ power play was 0 for 13 against the Islanders, and a hard-to-fathom 4 for 52 (7.7%) in the postseason.

“Montreal and the Islanders were two teams we had trouble within the regular season, and it’s kind of funny how it turned out that we played them in the playoffs,” Provorov

“Still, we did a great job of not giving up after going down 3-1 in the series [against the Islanders] and tying the series at 3-3,” Provorov said. “It said a lot about this team and the character we have.”

The team lost some character when Provorov’s defensive partner, Matt Niskanen, unexpectedly retired after the season at 33. Niskanen was a stabilizing force for Provorov, who had a strong bounce-back season and collected 13 goals, 36 points and a plus-11 rating in 69 games. Niskanen was also the only player on the Flyers who had won a Stanley Cup, a feat he accomplished with Washington in 2018.

“With Nisky retiring, some other guys will have to take on a bigger role,” Provorov said.

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Projected lineup With those players gone, here is how the team could look, assuming Patrick and Lindblom return: Top line: Sean Couturier centering Giroux and Travis Konecny.

Outlook: Couturier (22 goals, 59 points), the team’s MVP, is coming off a season in which he won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward. Giroux and Konecny (teamhigh 24 goals) will try to show their playoff performances—they combined for one goal and each played 16 games—was a fluke.

Second line: Kevin Hayes centering Lindblom and Jake Voracek.

Outlook: If Lindblom is back to his old self, this could blossom into the Flyers’ No. 1 line.

Voracek can play on either the first or second lines. Hayes (23 goals) is solid in all situations.

Third line: Patrick centering van Riemsdyk and Joel Farabee.

Outlook: The key to this line’s success is Patrick’s health. Van Riemsdyk is a proven scorer, and Farabee has a high upside.

Fourth line: Scott Laughton centering Michael Raffl and Nic Aube-Kubel.

Outlook: Call it the Lunch Pail Line, a group of relentless players who will not get outworked and can contribute secondary scoring.

Defense: Provorov and Myers; Sanheim and Gustafsson; Robert Hagg or Shayne Gostisbehere and Braun.

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Outlook: The defense improved markedly last season, lowering its goals-against from 3.41 (29th in the NHL) goals per game in 2018-19 to 2.77 (seventh). Will it take a step back without Niskanen, or will the maturation of Myers and Sanheim help cover up the loss?

Nolan Patrick

Goalies: Carter Hart and Brian Elliott.

Outlook: Hart, who turned 22 during the playoffs, took a major step toward being one of the league’s elite goalies last season. He was very good in the regular season and even better in the playoffs (2.23 GAA, .926 save percentage). Elliott is an extremely capable backup, which is important because the condensed schedule will have lots of back-toback games.

Bottom line So what is the bottom line on the Flyers’ season?

It’s an interesting lineup, and if Lindblom and Patrick return healthy and veterans like Giroux, Voracek, and van Riemsdyk show they are not yet on the downside of their careers, the Flyers should make the playoffs and challenge for their first Stanley Cup since 1975.

Will they be able to end their long drought?

To do that, they will have to play much

better than they did in last season’s playoffs, but the good news is this: They have a terrific coaching staff and a nice blend of proven veterans and on-the-rise players. They also have a difference-maker, Hart, an unflappable goaltender who will make the Flyers a very dangerous team when the playoffs roll around. n

Photo Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

“But I think we should be OK moving forward.

Some guys got experience in the playoffs and are going to get better.”

Young defenseman Myers and Sanheim will take on expanded roles. Their maturation will be vital to the team’s success.

The Flyers signed free-agent Erik Gustafsson, an offensive-minded defenseman, in the offseason, and they are hopeful he will help pick up some of the slack. But Niskanen was a much better defender than Gustafsson, and his leadership will be missed.

“Nisky was a huge part of what we were doing as a team and obviously had a big impact,” van Riemsdyk said. “Just his game and what he brought to the table, I don’t think it could have been a better fit for what he brought to our team.”

Besides Niskanen, the Flyers lost hustling winger Tyler Pitlick, who signed as a free agent with Arizona. Trade deadline acquisitions Derek Grant (signed with Anaheim) and Nate Thompson (signed with Winnipeg) also signed elsewhere.

C E L E B R A T I N G

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6TH ANNUAL

JerseyMan & PhillyMan are proud to present our 2020 Man & Woman of the Year Honorees! These six esteemed professionals have been nominated by their peers for their professional and philanthropic achievements. These individuals will be celebrated and recognized at our 6th Annual Unmasking the Legacy celebration.

Photographs A, B, E, F Jeremy Messler Photography

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H O N O R E E S

A. Albert Fox Executive Director & Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley Supporting Greater Philadelphia YMCA. Anyone who knows Al knows how much he does for his community. In addition to his role at the YMCA Al has contributed to the National Kidney Foundation, helping them raise $500,000 over his 10 years there.

B. Brian Propp Director of Strategic Relationships at Wolf Commercial Real Estate Supporting WCRE Foundation. Brian has turned an impressive NHL career into an equally as impressive corporate career. He and WCRE Foundation find countless ways to help their community including a Celebrity Charity Hockey Event they’ve been hosting for 5 years.

C. Julie Strohlein

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Partner at Alloy Silverstein Supporting Impact Fund of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey. Julie sits on several boards and is involved with many of Alloy Silverstein’s charitable and volunteer initiatives.

D. Marilyn Russell Radio Host at 98.1 WOGL Supporting Ertz Family Foundation. Marilyn has made a career out of recognizing others for their personal and philanthropic endeavors, and now it is her turn!

E. Lloyd Freeman Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region, an organization he has been a part of since 2010 and now sits as CHAIR OF THE BOARD. Not only has he made a huge impact there, but he founded the Burlington Camden Achievement Foundation which sponsors a scholarship & mentoring program which is designed to prepare high school males of color for college.

F. Marla McDermott Speaker, Teacher & Mentor

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Supporting The Walnut Club, a private women’s networking & social club. When Marla launched The Walnut Club in June of 2015 she had no idea the impact it would make on the women of Philadelphia. 5 years later, she has stepped down as president to pursue her coaching career. The Walnut Club is still thriving and giving “The Women of Walnut” a much-needed outlet to build relationships.

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PROFILE

Jim Curtin

UNION MAN One of the most important lessons Philadelphia Union manager Jim Curtin says he ever learned occurred during his soccerplaying days at Villanova University, particularly over his final three years as a Wildcat.

That lesson, as well as the relationship he had with his college coach, Larry Sullivan, has been a guiding light for him, particularly since taking the helm of his hometown team midway through the 2014 Major League Soccer season.

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“My first college season, we were a very good team and made the Big East Tournament. That was the only year we had success.

My sophomore, junior and senior years, we lost a lot of games. It was the first team I had ever been on that didn’t win,” said Curtin, who was raised in Oreland, PA, just outside of Philadelphia in Montgomery County, and played at Villanova from 1997-2000.

An athletic 6-foot-4 defender, he was the Big East Rookie of the Year in his first season and an All-Big East first-team pick in each of his final two campaigns. In 2001, he became the first Villanovan to be chosen in the MLS SuperDraft, going to the Chicago Fire in the third round. Three years later, he played in the MLS All-Star Game, marking a highlight of his nine-year pro playing career (2001-09).

“Learning how to deal with losing, recognizing you have to improve and grow and realizing that even in losses, there are lessons you can learn; that was something that I really look back on and cherish from my relationship with Larry Sullivan. He was so influential in everything I did. I learned a lot of good, hard lessons that eventually led me to become a better coach.”

COACH OF THE YEAR In their first eight seasons of existence (201017) the Philadelphia Union finished with a winning percentage over .500 only once and advanced to the postseason just twice. But in the last three seasons (2018-20) they’ve posted a combined record of 45 wins, 29 losses and 17 ties while appearing in the MLS playoffs each year. In an unusual and challenging 2020 season, the club earned its first trophy—the Supporters’ Shield awarded to the team with the league’s best regular-season record. For his efforts, Curtin was named the 2020 MLS Coach of the Year.

Curtin, the third manager in Union history, enters 2021 as MLS’s second longest-tenured manager behind Delran, NJ native Peter Vermes with Sporting KC. Curtin downplays his role in the team’s success but his guidance, a little Philly attitude, and his ability to relate to and rally his players led to the Union’s historic 2020 season, despite a span of time when, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team could not meet in person and then only hold individual training sessions and eventually socially distant team workouts.

Photos Philadelphia Union

“ The biggest thing in every successful environment I’ve seen is the relationships that the leaders cultivate with the people.”

BY MIKE SHUTE

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Photo Villanova University

“Coach has instilled in the team a sense of that Philly toughness and the players have adopted that mentality when stepping on the field,” says the Union’s longest-tenured player, defender Ray Gaddis, who played his ninth season in blue and gold in 2020. “He also has been able to press the right buttons with players to get them to buy in on the style of play and push to become more than a good team but a great team. Being able to handle so

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many unprecedented things in 2020 has made him a better coach for the future.”

For Curtin, relationships are the key.

“I don’t want to simplify coaching but all of us can go on YouTube now and get every training session that (renowned English Premier League soccer coaches) Pep Guardiola or Jürgen Klopp run,” said Curtin who became just the fifth man to win the Supporters’ Shield as both a player and manager, doing the former as a center back with the Chicago Fire in 2003.

“All of the information is available and accessible to all of us…but how you use that information in the relationships you create is more important than anything else.

“Each year, I’ve had the opportunity to go to Europe and see the best environments in professional soccer. I’ve heard the top speakers from Harvard Business School. Everywhere you go, any of the best environments for companies, businesses or professional sports teams, the same things come back. Yes, there are tactics, a plan and vision and innovation and all of those key buzzwords, but the biggest thing in every successful environment I’ve seen is the relationships that the leaders cultivate with the people. If you’re able to motivate people, delegate and empower people to make them feel a part of the culture and give them a voice, you get the most out of them.”

BRINGING OUT THE BEST The 41-year-old Curtin, who lives in the Queen Village section of Philadelphia with his wife Jen, daughters Ryan (12) and Avery (10) and son Miles (8), was elevated from an assistant coach and became the club’s interim manager midway through 2014 before eventually getting named to the post full-time. The Union’s winning percentage in 2015, Curtin’s first full season, was .397, but that number has improved each year, soaring to a franchise-best .717 in 2020. And he’s done so with a team that’s annually in the bottom half of MLS in terms of player salaries.

COVID-19 created havoc with the 2020 schedule, pausing the season after the Union played their first two games. Action resumed four months later with the MLS is Back Tournament, played in a bubble at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex outside of Orlando. Add in the social justice issues that ran rampant across the country, and there were a lot of challenges involved in keeping the group focused, especially a team that included players from 15 different countries.

“It’s a very diverse and unique group and the way we had to come together as a team and stay unified on the field and off, our involvement in the community, the demonstra-

Photos Philadelphia Union

In an unusual and challenging 2020 season, the club earned its first trophy – the Supporters’ Shield awarded to the team with the league’s best regular-season record.

tions our players made for positive change for police reform, the treatment of African-Americans, and equality, that’s actually something I’m more proud of than us lifting that first trophy for our fans,” Curtin said. “Yes, [winning the Supporters’ Shield] was special, but there are things in life that are more important than soccer.”

Curtin’s efforts in a tumultuous 2020 weren’t lost on his players, especially Gaddis.

“He kept our team together by checking up on the players, not just merely about soccer, but about life,” said Gaddis, 31, who is the club’s all-time leader in minutes played and took a leadership role in MLS’s Black Players for Change anti-racism campaign. “Coach had us watch the documentary, The Last Dance, to keep dialogue fresh. We were having Zoom meetings to talk about tactics of the game, and it helped gear us back up to start playing. Also in MLS is Back and throughout the season, letting players just be themselves and telling us to control what we can control, issuing messaging cohesion, it allowed players to play free and give their best.”

Wisely, Curtin recognized that his players’ concerns weren’t just on the field.

“You have to speak to people as human beings,” Curtin said. “And that was our first step as COVID entered into our group. We immediately called all of our players and asked how their families were doing. I still believe, more 46

“ When it’s something I believe in, and my players also support, I’m going to voice my opinion. I can’t hide from that.” than Xs and Os and soccer tactics, it comes down to the relationships you create and how you grow them and create an environment where it brings out the best in them. 2020 has been such a challenging year for everyone in a lot of different ways, but it’s shown that if we’re able to adapt, able to adjust and able to bring people together rather than be divisive, special things can happen.”

While in Disney, the team advanced to the semifinals of MLS is Back. But in the team’s opening game of the tournament, as a sign of solidarity, Union players made headlines when they wore the names of victims of police brutality on the backs of their jerseys in place of their own names. And Union midfielder Warren Creavalle created t-shirts that integrated the message that Black Lives Matter, a design that was worn by players and staff leaguewide. Curtin wore that shirt on the side-

lines during games both in the Disney bubble and as the season resumed in MLS stadiums.

“As the leader, you have to show there’s something that you believe in,” Curtin said.

“We’ve had 400 years of systemic racism in our country. That needs to be changed. You always have to be showing support for your players, you have to be learning from your players. We had good healthy discussions on Zoom where players talked about times in their lives, and in pro sports, where they were treated differently because of the color of their skin. A lot of words get used and a lot of people say the right things and some other coaches hide, do the easy thing and say, ‘No comment.’ But when it’s something I believe in, and my players also support, I’m going to voice my opinion. I can’t hide from that.”

And because of that, now he can’t hide from his success. n

The Resilient Terminal Market

BY KURT SMITH 48

The Reading Terminal Market was hit hard by the pandemic, losing over half its foot traffic throughout the tourist season in 2020. The merchants, locals, and even some outsiders came together to help keep the lights on, but the quality of the goods is ultimately what keeps the Market going.

Photo Gab Bonghi

A visit to the Reading Terminal Market is well worth any travel expense and hassle, but it always presents an exasperating conundrum: “What the hell am I gonna eat?”

Human stomachs are insufficiently sized enough that in every trip to Philly’s venerable marketplace, it’s impossible not to miss out on something amazing. It’s particularly rough for tourists, who may only manage one or two visits.

The Market sometimes seems to cause more culinary heartache than pleasure. Sure, have one or three of Beiler’s donuts…but unless you have a committed sweet tooth, that means foregoing Dutch Eating Place apple dumplings,

Flying Monkey whoopie pies, or Termini Bros. torrones.

If you’ve ever experienced this distress, you’re not alone.

You’d think the Market’s general manager would have sound advice for this situation, but unfortunately, Conor Murphy isn’t much help.

Murphy visits the Market every day, and even he struggles mightily with the question.

“There’re just so many great sandwich options,” he says. “You’ve got a fantastic sandwich at Smucker’s, DiNic’s is obviously incredible. I’m an unapologetic carnivore, but there are great sandwiches too at Luhv Vegan.

Whether you want a chicken sandwich or a

beef sandwich or a fresh deli sandwich…Hatville Deli does a great job. There are just too many choices almost.

“It can be a challenge sometimes to choose your lunch. Phenomenal options, the classic Philadelphia specials, and also obviously great healthy options too.”

London Faust is the digital media manager at Bellevue Communications, the firm that manages the Market’s public relations. She is a bit more willing to risk choosing a go-to vendor; she recommends Olympia Gyro.

“It’s well balanced and a good bang for your buck,” she shares. “Their gyros are really good and fresh, and don’t fill you up to 49

‘‘

The Market has such an incredible presence for everyone that lives in the city. It’s amazing to see how people have been so supportive. It’s fantastic to see Philadelphians wanting to support the Market so much.”

– Conor Murphy, general manager Photo Gab Bonghi

the point where you’re so uncomfortably full, but they also have the biggest, freshest salads I’ve ever seen.”

Okay, that helps a bit. Murphy also offers a small but valuable piece of advice: Don’t look over your shoulder.

“Sometimes if you’re standing at DiNic’s, and then you look over your shoulder and you see Hershel’s, well then suddenly the decision just became much harder. You go to Olympia where London likes to go, and you turn over your shoulder and there’s Kamal’s.

“You kind of have to come in with your blinkers on almost. Make your decision and get it done. Because if you turn your shoulder, you might have to change your mind.”

This extreme gastronomic agitation is the true appeal of the Reading Terminal Market. For locals, the substantial selection of food staples keeps one returning, again and again. For frustrated tourists, it may inspire a better-planned return visit to Philadelphia. The Market is equal parts tourist attraction and favorite local destination, and it does both very, very well.

That balance has been key to its survival in the toughest of times. Which 2020 unquestionably was.

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Photo Gab Bonghi

Photo Carolyn Wyman

THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY of the Reading Terminal Market, it seems to have been positioned to survive world instability. That doesn’t just include a depression and two world wars. The Market has weathered other storms too, like the decline of the railroad industry.

The “Reading Terminal” part of the name comes from its location, as a key hub for the Reading Railroad. The rise of the automobile drove the Railroad into bankruptcy by 1971.

The Reading Company remained to oversee the Market, but they instituted higher rents for already struggling merchants, driving

many of them away.

Decline and crumbling infrastructure continued until the Convention Center Authority purchased the Market in 1990. With that deal came $30 million of public funding for upgrades. To secure that kind of cash, you’ve probably got some clout with the locals.

So where does a worldwide pandemic rank among the tribulations the Market’s endured in its 128 years?

It’s probably top three.

“The Market has been through a lot,” Murphy says. “But I’m looking back through history, talking to different merchants and historians, and there’s a general sense that this is certainly up there with those past experiences.

“Usually from April through Thanksgiving,

51

food and beverage options around the city get a lot of foot traffic. On a Friday or Saturday, the Market would have anything from 35-40,000 people a day coming through. This year, it was anything from a 55-60 percent drop in those numbers.”

The difficulty of social distancing in a tight city venue doesn’t help. “As an old train station, you can imagine the building is equipped for lots of people coming through,” Murphy adds.

Like every establishment in the country, the merchants have had to adapt to survive.

But just as every difficult period in our history has revealed the strength of the Market, the challenging times caused folks to rally behind Philadelphia’s favorite food destination.

Even from as far as Boston.

As efforts grew to help the Market stay operational, including adding a GoFundMe page, it attracted the attention of Dave Portnoy, founder of the multi-million-dollar digital media company Barstool Sports. Despite being a Beantown area native, Portnoy is a Philly food enthusiast and passionate about supporting the cause. He arranged for Penn National, the new owner of Barstool Sports, to donate $100 for every $100 deposit made by fans in the Barstool Sportsbook app.

It was a significant factor in the GoFundMe campaign’s success, which has totaled $211,597 as this sentence was written, contributed by 4,773 Market fans. The funds will be enormously helpful for day-to-day operations.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic,” Murphy explains, “we’ve offered support to merchants in the form of rent deferments.

One of the other things that we do a lot is events, and we are able to cover a lot of our costs through some of those events. So without the events, and with some deferments in place for merchants, we wanted to make sure we were able to remain available and open seven days a week.

“Simple things, being able to pay utility bills, and all the extra sanitation costs that we now have to keep customers safe.”

Murphy is overwhelmingly appreciative at being reminded of how beloved the Market and its peddlers really are.

“The Market has such an incredible presence for everyone that lives in the city,” he says. “Some of the personal stories were really, really fantastic. I think ultimately the Market is here because of Philadelphia, and because of the loyalty that shoppers have to us.”

He spoke, with obvious emotion, of what he calls the camaraderie and spirit of the Market.

“With the essential service designation for public markets…nobody at the Market had to 52

be told what that meant. They all just love to serve people. They fundamentally understand what it means to serve customers.

“I grew up in a small business in Ireland.

People who run small businesses, they’ll always be my first heroes. They’re just fantastic people, you know, they really are. Small business is so, so important, especially now.

“I moved here six and a half years ago, and it’s amazing to see how people have been so supportive. It’s fantastic to see Philadelphians wanting to support the Market so much.”

Faust shares Murphy’s reverence for the outpouring of civic pride. “The Market’s really a family,” she adds, “and it’s really heartwarming to see everybody support each other.”

WHILE 2020 WAS AS TOUGH on our favorite marketplace as it was on everyone, the difficulties may ultimately become growth opportunities. Murphy says merchants have greatly improved their ability to take online orders and deliver the goods for hungry fans. The virus may have revealed how much these iconic vendors underestimated their popularity outside of the building.

“We have worked really hard to get people onto delivery platforms. We’ve got a great partner, Mercato, that helps us on the food delivery side. Then the lunch counter merchants, trying to pivot their businesses to delivery apps, the Caviars and the Doordashes of this world.”

Murphy admits, however, that the ability to order delivery from so many wonderful vendors can’t match actually visiting a Market so abounding with edible excellence that you can’t even look over your shoulder. That exasperating whirlwind moment of indecision between Carmen’s and Keven Parker’s is the Reading Terminal Market at its alluring best.

“Pandemics end,” Murphy reflects, “and I think there is some light at the end of the tunnel with all the great news recently about vaccines. The best experience of the Reading Terminal Market is to come and visit us yourself.

Ultimately, what we love to see here is people come through our doors to visit because it is such a great food experience.”

That it is, even if it’s a torturous dilemma to choose from dozens of world-class eateries.

Fortunately, Murphy is confident we’ll have many more opportunities to experience it all.

“There’s obviously a very clear love for the Market. That love has been built over 128 years, and our plan is to build it for 128 more.”

And Down Home Diner’s scrapple alone could keep us coming back until 2149. n 53

Out of Left Field Cindy Webster Reflects on Her Career in Radio

O Cindy Webster, center, and

former colleagues at SportsRadio 94WIP.

On April 2, 2020, when Cindy Webster received word by phone that she was being laid off from her job as marketing director at SportsRadio 94WIP, it was quite literally like a curveball coming out of left field.

But for Webster, a lifelong Philadelphia Phillies fan, this was no baseball game.

“It was surreal, like a punch in the gut,” recalled Webster, 54, who had worked for CBS Radio and then Entercom (which purchased the radio division in 2017) since 1992. That 28-year stint encompassed a diverse array of activities and accomplishments at top-rated Philadelphia stations: SportsRadio 94WIP, 98.1 WOGL and Talk Radio 1210 WPHT. “Between sporting events, Wing Bowl and some amazing things related to the music industry, I even high-fived a Masters champion right after he won,” said Webster, reflecting on highlights among the thousands of events and once56

BY JAN L. APPLE

in-a-lifetime experiences that defined her career.

Like so many whose lives have been upended by the global pandemic, Webster’s altered reality began on Friday, March 13 when massive shutdowns forced scores of the workforce into their homes. Webster quickly transitioned from her Philadelphia office to her home in a Montgomery County suburb. But the news that arrived a little more than two weeks later—that her position had been eliminated— was even more unexpected and dizzying, to put it mildly.

“I was one of the most tenured staff in the country that was let go,” said Webster, describing herself as the station historian of sorts, the “go-to” for information and resources. Bryan Cole, who was WIP’s promotion director and Webster’s “right-hand man,” also lost his job.

Webster attributed much of her career success to incredible teamwork among colleagues.

“Bryan and I were together in the trenches from 2008 until 2020,” she explained. “It’s been a really tough loss after three decades of my life devoted to the same company.” In fact, prior to her time at CBS Radio/Entercom, she worked for Delmarva Broadcasting for four years where she held marketing positions at 93.7FM, WSTW in Wilmington, Delaware.

••••••••••••••••••••• SO MUCH OF WEBSTER’S PROFESSIONAL LIFE was about people, relationships, in-person events, and being in the mix of activity. To have that suddenly torn out from under her has been a bitter reality. Yet she knows that many others are experiencing similar losses.

Webster had dedicated her life to a job and a career she loved. It was a 24/7 passion that she poured her heart and soul into. It certainly

wasn’t a 9 to 5 gig, nor one without stress or sacrifice. Her job often entailed nights, weekends, whatever it took to direct and complete each task, such as orchestrating marketing and public relations blitzes, accompanying talent onto the field before a game and much more.

“It was my life,” said Webster, one that fit her outgoing, people-oriented personality to a T, where she felt purpose and fulfillment.

“It wasn’t the traditional marketing director position,” continued Webster, adding that the job evolved over time. “I did everything from working with all the talent as well as coordinating and overseeing events, concerts, fundraisers, on-air contests.” She even became a recurring on-air contributor (as a fan) on Angelo Cataldi’s Morning Show. “People got a kick out of my fan insights,” said Webster who not only loves the Phillies, but is a fan of all Philadelphia sports teams. “Angelo is one of the most talented people,” said Webster of her longtime colleague and friend. “He has a knack for knowing how to bring in guests to diversify his show. One day, he might have a Tastykake delivery man on the air; the next day, a company CEO.”

••••••••••••••••••••• WEBSTER LOOKS BACK AT MANY MEANINGFUL moments, including some history-making events like when the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. It was the same year her former boss tapped her to oversee marketing for WIP. At that time, she was still at WOGL and WPHT; WIP was added to her busy repertoire.

It had been 28 years since the Phillies had reached such a height. Webster canceled a trip to Italy to stay home for the games. “That’s how much the team meant to me,” she said.

And in the midst of the playoffs, to honor a friend, she completed the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, a 60-mile walk to raise funds for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and to promote awareness to fight breast cancer.

Webster recalled being fully immersed in the hometown magic; she not only worked on promotions for the playoffs, but she also attended as many games as possible—as a fan, including the night they clinched the series on the home field. She went to that game, against the Tampa Bay Rays, with her brother, Ricky Stover. It took place over two nights due to an extended rain delay on night one. After the win, she was in a celebratory tent alongside Phillies’ front office staff, alumni, broadcasters, media, special guests.

Webster remembers standing next to Greg Luzinski, a former player from the 1980 winning team. The recollection of that night still feels surreal to her. “I can’t explain how incredible it was,” said Webster who had

watched her team win the series nearly three decades earlier. That time it was on television alongside her brother and parents. “I was 14 at the time,” said Webster. “After the game, everyone went outside and started banging pots and pans.”

The people Webster encountered over the years and the relationships that flourished are far too many to enumerate. She feels incredibly fortunate that she had the opportunity to get to know so many remarkable individuals. She developed relationships with beloved Philadelphia announcers, including the late Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn. There’s also former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel— who coached the team to the 2008 World Series—and his wife, Missy.

Cindy Webster with the Phillie Phanatic.

When the Phillies were in the 2008 World Series Webster canceled a trip to Italy to stay home for the games.

“That’s how much the team meant to me.”

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“They have become dear friends, which is amazing since he gave me some of my best memories as a Phillies fan,” said Webster, who was raised in Erdenheim, Pennsylvania and had long envisioned a career in radio.

Webster graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in communications. “I’ve always loved sports and music,” she said. “My dad loved music, and rock and roll.” That passion spilled over to his daughter who knew she wanted to do something behind the scenes. As a college student, she accepted an internship at Wilmington’s WSTW and immediately fell in love with the industry. A week after graduation in December 1988, Webster was hired as the station’s promotion assistant.

She was later named assistant promotion director and then director.

Admittedly, working in the sports arena— clearly a field dominated by men—has had its share of challenges. “There’s a lot of ego involved,” said Webster. “It took me awhile to navigate and not to take things personally.” She would often find herself looking at things with a warm and fuzzy perspective. “I needed to be less emotional,” said Webster, who rose to the challenges, carving out her own unique niche.

•••••••••••••••••••••

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Cindy Webster with Harold Carmichael, former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

SOME OF THE MOST HEARTWARMING REWARDS of Webster’s career came in the form of having the ability to make a difference in people’s lives. She cited one example of an email she received several years ago from a father whose young adult son was suffering from a brain tumor. The son was a huge Philadelphia Flyers fan. The team had made the playoffs and the father wondered whether the station might be able to obtain tickets for a game. Not only did Webster deliver on that request, she reached out to the Flyers to determine if they could do anything that might brighten this young man’s life. Her contact asked if he might want to ride the Zamboni in between periods.

The answer: a resounding yes.

“The father later contacted me,” remembered Webster. “Sadly, his son had passed away. He wanted me to know that being at that game was

one of his most cherished last memories with his son.” That meant the world to Webster, who often tried to go above and beyond to make even the smallest of dreams come true.

On a more personal note, Webster added: “I always tried to be a good friend,” something that has come back around in unexpected ways. “People have been amazing. They’ve stuck with me and supported me during this time.” She’s even received cards in the mail offering words of understanding and encouragement.

Acknowledging that the world and the workplace have dramatically changed as a result of the pandemic, Webster is taking the time to figure out her next steps. “I’m lucky enough to have done something I love,” she said. “I want to find something that’s the right fit for me.” n

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There’s a New Show in Town!

The New Cartoon Network Hotel

Standing tall in the rolling hills of Lancaster, Pa., you can’t miss Cartoon Network Hotel, located right next to Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park (a staple in Lancaster County since 1963). Managed by Palace Entertainment, who also owns the amusement park, this is the first Cartoon Network Hotel to hit the United States!

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BY ASHLEY DUNEK

Photos Ashley Dunek

Cartoon Network Hotel just opened for business in Lancaster in January of 2020. Bad timing considering the current climate of our country (they closed two months later and then reopened in August), but it’s still a very cool concept, nonetheless. Prior to its arrival, the location was a Continental Inn, a small family hotel, which was purchased by Palace Entertainment for a cool $4.7 million.

As you pull up to the hotel, you’re greeted by Adventure Time’s Finn & Jake sitting on the roof, surrounded by bright colors and fun aesthetics that would capture any child’s eye… and most adults.

The foyer is jam-packed with animation and activities. This is the hub of the hotel’s indoor fun, and each small child who walks in the door is wide-eyed with excitement.

With 165 character-themed rooms, their Ben 10 Omnicade (virtual reality heaven), Toon Room game room, and an animated backyard featuring the Adventure Time themed pool, Power Puff Girls “Splashville” Splash Pad and Finn Face movie screen, this place is what kids’ dreams (and birthday parties) are made of.

The rooms are playful with bold, neon colors that match your character-themed amenities. Their four Dream Suites are a hot commodity, equipped with a kitchenette, dining area and bunk beds with their own flat-screen TVs! With a little notice you can even customize your room with on-theme additions.

Be sure to check out the artwork throughout the spacious hotel. You’ll find

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Photos Ashley Dunek

souvenir or t-shirt to remember your stay.

Cartoon Network Hotel is bringing some animation to the region, so be sure to add this weekend getaway to your list. …That’s all folks! n original sketches of the cartoons!

Grab a latte at the Bearista Café or dine in the Cartoon Kitchen and have your favorite characters whip up recipes from their show. We hear the Adventure Time bacon pancakes are a fan fave.

On your way, you can stop by the Cartoon Network store and grab a plush

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Cartoon Network Hotel 2285 Lincoln Hwy. East, Lancaster, PA 17602 (833) 866-6485 www.cartoonnetworkhotel.com

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Smoking Dog

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Caminos Cigars • Origin: Dominican Republic

68

On deck for this review is the MisAmores Cranky AJ. Right off the first puff, this little cigar is peppery and bitter. After the initial

spice, the pepper relaxes as the cigar begins to rev up. The first third introduces bitter citrus flavors, like orange rind. The second third is when the Cranky AJ really wakes up; the complexity surfaces and the smoker detects flavors of cream, black pepper, anise and salt. It all blends together on the tongue with a nice oily finish. The bitterness takes the back seat and the umami drives the cigar into its last third.

The smoke ends its trip with the spice that it started with. The citrus is gone and the cigar tastes like jalapeno peppers and savory dough.

The cigar stays smooth and oily throughout its smoke and never leaves a dry mouth.

Each MisAmores goes for under $10 a stick, so trying one is no big investment. The box has an eye-catching, pyramid shape, so you’ll be sure to spot it at your local brick and mortar. All three blends are delicious, unique and made with love. Like Reyes often says, it’s “not HANDcrafted, [it] is HEARTcrafted.” n

Photo Caminos Cigars

T

HE EXCEPTIONAL WORLD of cigars to is full of exceptional people. In this industry, there are world- class rollers, remarkable minds, and big personalities. Among these exceptional people is Cesar A. Reyes, founder of Caminos Cigars. If one word had to describe this man, it would be “heart.” Reyes has love and passion not only for the industry, but for everyone he meets.

That’s why his newest line of cigars is fittingly named MisAmores, which translates to “My Loves.”

MisAmores is dedicated to Reyes’s three beautiful children. Each cigar matches the flavors with the unique personalities of each of his kids. There’s the Cranky AJ, fiery and fearless; the Baby T, fun and full of life; and the Princesa, the “sweet little diva.” With the help of master blender Francisco “Chico” Rivas, Reyes was able to personify the three people he loves most and share them with the world.

PROMOTION

SFA Forecasts Suburban Office Demand to Grow

By Stephen R. McCarthy Director of Investor Relations, SFA Strategic Funding Alternatives, LLC • sm@sfalts.com

SFA

is continuing to take all necessary precautions to protect our SFA team and portfolio and carry out our responsibility of stewardship for our investors, tenants, assets, and investments in this evolving landscape.

We are committed to providing high quality research and due diligence as we continue to acquire assets in the suburban office sector. The trend that we are seeing is a focus on suburban office space in what appears to be a significant reconsideration of the urban office environment. As we examine residential home purchases, there is a clear surge in homebuyers moving to the suburbs. We feel that this is a leading indicator for a suburban office uptick. Millennials, although generally doing things later in life than their parents, are still looking to purchase homes and start families. For most millennials, who make up the majority of the labor pool, the most cost-effective, and socially distant manner to achieve this goal is accomplished in the suburbs.

COVID-19 forced the majority of the workforce to adopt a work from home model overnight. This of course has been met with several challenges for employees i.e. decreased productivity, inadequate workspaces in the home, and the lack of personal connection and culture with their organization.

There were however some clear benefits for both employers and employees – commute time being reported as one of the most significant.

Suburban office buildings that provide great walkability, have local dining options, and parking are poised to capture business seeking this type of model at a significantly more attractive cost than staying put in the city.

Hub and spoke office models are emerging as a leader in the discussion for companies contemplating ways to keep their employees connected, productive, and in the office, while also addressing the benefits of reduced commute time, safety in social distancing, and reduced rents. This model generally looks like a central office headquarters in an urban area, with satellite offices in surrounding suburban areas close to the homes of the workforce. Suburban office buildings that provide great walkability, have local dining options, and parking are poised to capture business seeking this type of model at a significantly more attractive cost than staying put in the city.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions concerning investments with SFA. If you would like to schedule time to tour the properties, including our upcoming projects, please reach out to me, and I will be happy to coordinate.

S t r a t e g i c F u n d i n g A l t e r n a t iv e s • M o o r e s t ow n , N J • 8 5 6 . 4 3 7 . 6 1 9 6 • w w w. s f a l t s . c o m • w w w. s f a i nv e s t . c o m 72

@PCS_AnthonyM

TECH TIME

_______________________________________________________________________________

BY ANTHONY MONGELUZO

Your 2021 Technology New Year’s Resolutions

W

E CAN ALL BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF now that 2020 is officially over. We all made it through. I’m here to get you started with five resolutions you should make for the New Year.

1.

I will not allow phishing emails to trick me.

This is a common one. Hackers will send you a phishing email and pretend that you didn’t pay your eBay bill, maybe saying you missed a delivery at your house. Even worse, they try to blackmail you by claiming they have damning information. The bottom line is these are phishing scams and you should not respond to them. When in doubt, call a friend who is well-versed in technology to help.

2.

I will sign up for some form of cloud backup.

Without backup, you face potential disaster. There are a lot of great options, such as LiveDrive, SugarSync, Carbonite and many others. These services are relatively inexpensive and will backup your data in realtime. With so many people working from home, this is a no-brainer.

3.

I will protect my identity.

Identity theft is on the rise and most of us have some info about ourselves available to anyone on the dark web, whether we realize it or not.

Hackers will purchase this data to profit from your information. Having a monitoring service such as LifeLock is necessary in this day and age.

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4.

I will only send information via email that is encrypted.

This is very important. Many people will email their credit card numbers, social security number, and other secure information through their email.

Email is one of the least secure forms of communication. If you need to send personal information, make sure you are using an encrypted or secure email service. Otherwise, you are putting your personal data at risk.

5.

I will use two-factor authentication whenever possible.

This is the magic trick. Two-factor authentication enables an enhanced level of security when utilized. Even if your password is compromised, you will still need another passcode sent to your phone or another device to login which makes this technology almost unhackable. Yes, it is a pain. Yes, it requires more work. That’s precisely why it is secure.

The time you spend securing yourself with two-factor authentication will be much less than the time (and money) you will spend dealing with a hacked account.

I could go on and on about cybersecurity and protecting yourself online, but if you heed my advice on the above five tips, you will be more protected than 85% of your peers.

I hope that 2021 brings you and your family joy and success. If you have a topic you would like me to cover in the future, please let me know.

I look forward to seeing you out and about at one of our next events. n

6TH ANNUAL

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THE WINE MAN _______________________________________________________________________________

BY ROBERT KENNEDY

The young winemaker

J

OSEPH PAPARONE is, by far, light years ahead of his time. At the ripe old age of 21, his mature oenological intellect is as sharp and clear as Riedel’s finest crystal stemware. This young man has developed a real penchant for wine and winemaking at a very early age.

Paparone was just 14 years old when his family sent young Joseph back to Italy to connect with the family’s Italian heritage in Capo d’Orlando, Sicily. It was there that Joseph experienced Italian family life. He became known as Giuseppe un po to his extended family in Sicily, which means “Give Joseph a little.” What was born from that time in Italy, having visited a Tuscan vineyard, only further cemented his strong viticultural bond and his passion for winemaking that remains aflame today.

Fast forward to Paparone’s college years at James Madison University when most other college kids were drinking beer at dorm parties, it was Joseph who brought his wine libation to the gathering. During the summer of 2018 his passion was further ignited by these formative college years. It was at this time that Joseph convinced his brother, Sam, to make the very first batch of Papa Vino, a play on the Paparone name and the Italian version of “Dad’s Wine”.

After researching how wine was made, and reading Jens Priewe’s Wine from Grape to Glass, the Paparone men were ready to undertake their first-ever homemade red wine. Since there were no grapes to be sourced close to home, the young winemakers decided on a Pinot Noir grape juice concentrate. Armed with a “How to make your own wine from home” kit, and a true excitement for winemaking, Paparone went about his business fermenting grape juice, yeast, oak, and other special family ingredients first in food-grade plastic containers, then in glass carboys. Aged for three months, this lighter bodied, 12.5% ABV, was smooth on the tongue, but a bite at the finish.

Propelled by his ambition and passion, it was a very large undertaking for such a young man, but Paparone was determined to succeed.

What drove Paparone was his love of wine and winemaking, but he was seeking more.

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What intrigued Paparone the most was his desire to get out and educate others about this magical pastime of his. Starting a blog in the footsteps of his first pass of winemaking during that summer of 2018 with his brother, he was impressed by how many followers he attracted.

P

APARONE WAS ON HIS WAY to accelerating his love of viticultural learning, of not only winemaking, but of the wine business. He wanted to help the public understand that making wine is something anyone can do if they have the right enthusiasm. Paparone also recognized the platform his Instagram blog brought him, giving him access to some of the most educated and experienced wine people in the world—sommeliers, and other extremely informed wine aficionados worldwide. Today, Joseph has approximately 2,500 followers, of which only 33% are from the U.S., while others are from all around the world, including Germany, Italy, France and Japan. (Paparone’s blog can be found on his social media @papavino.wine on Instagram and Facebook.)

The next stop for this young man was a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, where

Paparone wanted to help the public understand that making wine is something anyone can do if they have the right enthusiasm.

Paparone enrolled in a viticultural course, expanding his horizon and fueling his insatiable appetite to learn more about his delightful hobby. Here Paparone went out on tastings led by sommeliers, learning so much more about the sights, flavors, and aroma profiles of finer Italian wines, such as the Barbera’s, Barolo’s, and Barbaresco’s of the Piedmont appellation.

When Paparone returned to the U.S. during the spring of 2019, his next steps of selflearning would take him to a vineyard in the

Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. There, at the M&R Vineyard, his already very keen skills would further develop. Winter and spring pruning were something he undertook with fervor, while gaining and adding invaluable “farming” experience to his emerging resume.

While at the M&R Vineyard, Joseph continued to expand the depth of his winemaking with the family’s owners. There Paparone produced a blended red of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Chambourcin grapes. The fruit was fermented and aged in both American and French Oak glass carboys between eight months and a year. This lightbodied wine had subtle flavors of raspberry, dark cherries and was rich in minerality. Mr. Paparone decided to label this 2019 vintage, “Villa Paparone.”

After COVID-19 this year, Paparone returned home, and joined the Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail to further propel his desire to continue learning. The association introduced him to many more winemakers, and he helped make wine this past year for the SVWT. The next stop for this “Gen Z” man is to see the Paparone Blog grow, continue learning how to be an amazing winemaker, and to someday own, manage, and become the winemaker of his very own Paparone Vineyard. For Joseph Paparone, his future in the wine business is extremely bright, given what this young man has already accomplished at such a young age.

Something tells me we’ll be seeing the Papa Vino and Villa Paparone wine labels on store shelves within the not too distant future. n For comments, questions, suggestions and/or feedback, contact Robert Kennedy at rkj@Kennedy-companies.com.