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Lebron’s Last Decision BY DEI LYNAM

George Anastasia’s

MOB SCENE

Volume 16 • Number 4 – $3.95

THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES’ X-FACTOR

Cooper DeJean

PLUS 2026 NFL PREVIEW VILLANOVA JOINS PATRIOT LEAGUE

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FROM THE

PUBLISHER

JerseyMan Magazine VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 4

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BY KEN DUNEK

Far too soon

LTHOUGH I NEVER MET Matt Suhey in person, I played alongside several of his Penn State teammates on the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL. Players like Chuck Fusina, Scott Fitzkee, Frank Case, Tommy Donovan, Bill Dugan, Pete Kugler, and Dave Opfar always spoke fondly of him. Suhey became a legend in Chicago as the lead blocking back for Walter Payton and a key contributor to the 1985 World Champion Chicago Bears after being selected in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. Sadly, he recently passed away in his sleep at the age of 68. It is difficult to understand why so many football players leave us far too soon. Names like Sam Mills, Reggie White, Walter Payton, Dave Duerson, and Andre Waters all come to mind. Football is inherently a violent collision sport, and while it has grown safer in recent years, it remains brutal. Furthermore, players from that era were not compensated like today’s athletes. In 1980, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey was the league’s highest-paid player at $350,000 annually. When asked if the sacrifices are worth it, my answer is an unequivocal yes. The game instills discipline, teamwork, hard work, and invaluable life lessons. Even if it ultimately impacts my own life expectancy, I look back with deep gratitude on my career achievements, championship rings, and lifelong relationships with figures like Coach Dick Vermeil and my former teammates. Matt Suhey’s passing is a reminder that, while he is gone, we still have the opportunity to make a positive impact on others and cherish time with our loved ones. I remain deeply grateful for those blessings.

Ken Dunek PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ashley Dunek EDITOR George Brinkerhoff ART DIRECTOR Steve Iannarelli CONTRIBUTING WRITERS George Anastasia, Jan L. Apple, George Brinkerhoff, Michael Bradley, Sam Carchidi, Alexandra Dunek, Mark Eckel, Alex Kraft, Dei Lynam, Anthony Mongeluzo, Kevin Reilly, Kurt Smith, Dave Spadaro Event Coordinator & Administrative Assistant Alexandra Dunek Website & Digital Coordinator Spartan Digital Solutions Editorial gbrinkerhoff@jerseymanmagazine.com Advertising 856-912-4007 Printing Alcom Printing, Harleysville, Pa. Controller Rose M. Balcavage Sales Associates Ashley Dunek, Terri Dunek, JP Lutz JerseyMan/PhillyMan Advisory Board Peter Cordua (Chairman). . . . . . . . . . Cordua Consulting, LLC Don Eichman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alcom Printing Bill Emerson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emerson Group Jerry Flanagan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J Dog Brands Bob Hoey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Janney Montgomery Scott Kristi Howell. . . . . . . . Burlington Co. Chamber of Commerce Ed Hutchinson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hutchinson Robert Kennedy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waterworks Metrology Anthony Mongeluzo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCS Charlie Muracco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLM Advisors Ryan Regina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Big Sky Enterprises Scott Tanker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tanker Business Solutions Joe Tredinnick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fulton Bank Jim Wujcik. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Joseph Fund

“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” – Mike Singletary 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 2026.

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INSIDE 28

MICHELIN GUIDE REWARDS PHILLY RESTAURANTS BY KURT SMITH –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

“Work hard. Until your signature becomes an autograph.” – Unknown

JerseyMan Magazine VOLUME 16 • NUMBER 4

40 ON THE COVER

Cooper DeJean 28

LEBRON’S LAST DECISION BY DEI LYNAM –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

2026 NFL PREVIEW BY MARK ECKEL –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK BY MICHAEL BRADLEY –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

FLYERS LOOK TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP

BY SAM CARCHIDI –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

PARX CASINO BY JAN L. APPLE

COLUMNS

1 2 J O T T I N G S • 2 0 G E O R G E A N A S TA S I A’ S M O B S C E N E 22 KEVIN REILLY • 24 GET FIT • 76 CIGAR GUY • 78 TECH TIME

Photos clockwise from top left: Bre Furlong, Philadelphia Flyers, Parx Casino, Villanova University, Dei Lynam Cover photo: Philadelphia Eagles

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JOTTINGS

“When you lose talk little. When you win talk less.” – Tom Brady

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BY GEORGE BRINKERHOFF

A Very Worthy Cause LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING FUN

while at the same time benefiting others, for a really worthy cause? Tuesday, October 27th, between 5p.m. and 7p.m., at the Ramblewood Country Club is your chance. Now in its 13th year, Pints 4 Pets is a truly unique event that brings together craft beer enthusiasts and animal lovers, and means so much to a very unsung group of people and their life’s work. For this is a really great night indeed for shelter animals and their caregivers, from a variety of animal shelters throughout South Jersey who will directly benefit by your kindness through the funds raised this night. These shelters and their caregivers exist because of the generosity of fellow animal-lovers. The work they do on a daily and hourly basis can be grueling and thankless. And yet, despite this, they continue to commit their time and efforts towards helping our burgeoning pet populations, feeding, cleaning and providing veterinary care for them, and all-the-while searching for their “furrever” homes with forever families. Some of the New Jersey shelters who’ll benefit from Pints 4 Pets include: BEACON ANIMAL RESCUE, Cape May County (“Beacon Animal Rescue is a No-Kill Animal Rescue dedicated to saving the lives of cats and dogs in need. We do everything in our power to rescue, care for, and find loving homes for animals that need it most.”) 12

ANIMALS IN DISTRESS, Mercer County (“Animals In Distress, or AID for short, is a small 501(c)3 non-profit cat rescue based in Hamilton, Mercer County, New Jersey. Animals In Distress focuses on helping the cats that need us the most: the strays, the house cats that were dumped outside by their owners, those in need of medical support or rehabilitation, and those in poor housing conditions.”) ANIMAL ORPHANAGE, Voorhees, Camden County, (“Municipal, open intake animal shelter providing shelter, food and medical care to stray and unwanted animals. Ask about our adoptable dogs and cats!”) and MONKEY’S HOUSE DOG HOSPICE AND SANCTUARY, Vincentown, Burlington County (“Our mission is to provide loving care to homeless dogs with terminal diagnoses.”) So, it’s a very special night for those who care about the plight of our furry friends, too. For this is the time you can support the good works of these amazing places, just by showing up, and sampling some great local craft beers. It’s one of the best networking events in the area, and, over the last 12 years, as founder Amy Osborn relates, Pints 4 Pets has donated over $150,000 to the animal shelters they’ve been working with.

There will be a variety of craft beers to sample, including their special collaboration beer with The Seed: A Living Beer Project known as “When One Is Loved.” (With the purchase of a souvenir pint glass you’ll get a free pour.) There will also be a pet photo contest, and attendees can vote for their favorites. The winner gets to pick a shelter to receive $500 dollars. Miss New Jersey, Kylie Wright, will be there. And United States Congressman Donald Norcross will be honored with the Pints 4 Pets “Humane–itarian” award. Congressman Norcross has consistently championed protections for both wild and domestic animals, and has supported animal welfare programs through co-signed legislative requests and letters and the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. Accordingly, the Humane Action Fund has given the Congressman a 100% score via their Humane Scorecard. So come on out and meet some like-minded folks, sample some of the finest local craft beer and have some fun, all while helping out a very worthy cause! For more information please visit www.facebook.com/pints4pets

S A LEGENDARY MUSIC PRODUCER Charles Wallert has hobnobbed with music royalty. He’ll tell you he’s been blessed to work with so many legendary people in his career: Dionne Warwick, George Benson, O.C. Smith, Cuba Gooding, Sr., and The Main Ingredient, just to name a few. In addition, he’s been a huge football fan. After a promising college career as a quarterback was cut short, he pivoted toward music. But his connections with football remained. Charles worked for the NY Giants as a teenager. After playing at a football camp conducted by SuperBowl Winning Coach Hank Stram, Charles was introduced to a legend who would become his lifelong friend and eventual business partner, Joe Namath. It was Joe who helped him meet both another legendary music producer Phil Spector and Elvis Presley and set him on a course to be a music producer. (Not many can say they’re friends with Joe Namath and have met both Phil Spector and Elvis!) As a young music producer, Wallert fell in love with the soul music stylings of Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell, who originated the Sound of Philadelphia, and that signature sound has echoed throughout his projects down to the present day. Nothing before his latest creation has captured both of Charles’ passions (“My two great loves!), football and music, better than his latest release, the Philly Fan Anthem. Charles was approached with a demo sketch to produce & compose a theme for the Philadelphia Eagles Fans. “I’m ecstatic coming full circle with two great passions of my life, music & football! I’m proud to have put together some of the best musical talent to participate in this project. I’ve always admired the Eagles Fans loyalty & dedication to their team & BTW, my daughter Christy is a devout Eagles fan & has converted my granddaughter Lexa LOL!” You can check out the Philly Fan Anthem on YouTube. It’s a fun listen for Philly Sports fans. And along the way there’s an E-A-G-L-E-S chant, a Philly soul “Easter egg” nod to the Sound of Philadelphia during the break, and 97.3 ESPN’s Billy Schweim calling an Eagles touchdown.) What next for the legendary music producer? He’s working on another version of the Philly Fan Anthem with another band he’s produced, Saturday in the Park, along with an accompanying animated music video. As he said in an interview on Gail Scott Key’s Entertainment Now! podcast, “It’s always going to be recordings. As I say, I always like to have a HIT. Which means H-I-T, Heal, Transform and Inspire. That’s my purpose in life. I want to give just a good feeling to people.” With his latest, the Philly Fan Anthem, it feels like he’s done just that. 13

An Encounter with the Jersey Devil With Halloween just around the corner, enjoy this excerpt from an 1893 New York Sun newspaper article. 14

Excerpt from The New York Sun, January, 1893

HE ENGINEER QUIT

His Run After Seeing Something and Hearing What It Probably Was – An Ever-Living Owl-faced Fiend of the Jersey-lightning Region. “I see by the South Jersey papers that they are seeing the Leeds Devil again down that way,” said an Erie Railway engineer, “and all I’ve got to say is that if the Leeds Devil has held its own since I saw it a few years ago, I feel sorry for any one who gets a sight of it. I was running on the South Jersey Railroad at that time, and we were booming along through the pines just at dusk one October evening, when I heard the most unearthly shriek, or yell, or screech, or whatever the sound might be called, and the next second something came swooping down from the pines and stuck its head through the cab window. It was the ugliest and most terrifying-looking head and face that a person could conjure up in his wildest dreams. The head was much like that of an owl, although larger than that of the biggest owl I had ever seen. The face was that of an ape or monkey. The cheeks were sunken and almost white, and above them glared a pair of fiery and protruding eyes, with a black streak over each eye, extending diagonally up toward erect and pointed ears. This hideous creature had a feathered or perhaps hairy body and a pair of huge wings, which worked as noiselessly as shadows and kept the demon-like bird in the air abreast of the engine without any apparent effort. When this apparition made its appearance at the cab window it uttered a yell that actually shook things in the cab, and my fireman fainted dead away in front of the furnace. I didn’t blame him for I fell back from that cab window myself with every hair standing on end, and I could feel that I was as pale as a ghost. My knees shook so that I could scarcely bear my weight, and I grew cold all over. But I managed recover from my terror in a few seconds sufficiently to grab a furnace poker, and with this I struck a blow at the owl monstrosity that would have felled an ox. But it didn’t fell that winged demon at the cab window, and I must have hit it fair between the eyes. Nevertheless there it remained, glaring in through the window with its fiery eyes, and moving along with the engine as if it were part of its machinery – and we were going forty miles an hour if we were going five – just the same as it was before I struck the blow with the heavy poker.” 15

Infinity Club Dave Matthews Band Tailgate – Camden, NJ

Chairman’s Club and special guests at the Phillies game – Courtesy of of Rob Curley & TD Bank

Eagles Alumni Training Camp Day – Philadelphia, PA

Legendary Eagles broadcaster Merrill Reese with Burlington Country Club Head Golf Professional Mike Mack 16

NFL Alumni Golf Tournament – Running Deer Country Club, Pittsgrove, NJ

Legacy Club Pop-Up & Cornhole Tournament – Boomerang USA, Pennsauken, NJ

The winning team

Congrats to winners, Harry Bickel & Trevor Cooney

Legacy Club Pop-Up Happy Hour at Main Street Cigar Lounge – Medford, NJ

Legacy Club Summer Night Out – Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ Photos: John Wilchek Photography

MOB SCENE

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BY GEORGE ANASTASIA

Exploring The Lansky Legacy

E WAS, IN MANY WAYS, the Alexander Hamilton of the modern American underworld – a founding father who emphasized economics and helped build an empire. Meyer Lansky was there at the beginning and has been the subject of books, movies and documentaries that paint a picture of how the mob turned gambling into a major moneymaking proposition for gangsters and how today, that same industry legitimately churns out millions for corporate America. A new book revisits much of that story, but with an added twist. This is Lansky, up close and personal. In his own words and with commentary and asides from someone who knew him well. So here is Meyer, in a letter to his son Paul, discussing Thanksgiving dinner preparations and suggesting how his daughter-in-law might handle things in the kitchen. “I don’t know how Edna makes her dressing,” Lansky wrote. “It is good to put liver in your dressing. Best of all, chicken giblets. She may also find her Turkey tastier if she bases it with chicken consommé.” Or here is the consummate gangster/businessman offering a piece of advice (perhaps with tongue in cheek) to an auto mechanic he has befriended in Miami. “Buy raw land for cash and forget about it. It will make you money,” Lansky said before shifting his focus toward other, not necessarily related, matters that appeared to be lessons in life. “I don’t care how much trouble you’re in; if you throw enough cash at it, it will go away.” And then, in an aside that is both chilling and humorous, Lansky added, “And if you ever have to kill anyone, do it yourself.” Those are just two of the fascinating anecdotal stories or asides in The Lansky Legacy, The Life and Letters of Meyer Lansky (Citadel Press/ Kensington Publishing). The book, released this summer, is written by award-winning 20

journalist S. J. Peddie and Meyer Lansky II, the grandson of the infamous mobster. The letters and personal recollections of the younger Lansky help paint a fuller picture of a man whose impact on the American underworld cannot be overstated. The book includes a recounting of many of the well-known Lansky stories. His immigrant beginnings in New York, his early partnership with Charles “Lucky” Luciano as both made their way through the ethnic jungle that was the breeding ground for the mob and their

“I don’t care how much trouble you’re in; if you throw enough cash at it, it will go away.” association with Arnold Rothstein, the Jewish gangster who mentored both and who, in many ways, is the real Godfather of the American underworld. The perception in most circles is that the Mafia – Cosa Nostra – was the dominant organization. In fact, Jewish gangsters set the tone in the 1920s and 1930s and it was Rothstein’s approach – make money, not headlines – that turned the ethnic underworld into an economic juggernaut. Lansky, more than anyone, was Rothstein’s heir apparent and took the mob to the next level. That’s part of the story, but The Lansky Legacy offers much more. Meyer Lansky was a devoted – but less than

faithful – husband to both his first and second wives. He was a caring father who nevertheless had a troubled relationship with his children, including a spoiled daughter who, the authors contend, became an FBI informant. Lansky had a complicated relationship with his son Buddy who struggled all his life with cerebral palsy, a debilitating disease that Lansky, even at the height of his power and wealth, could not alleviate. He took the most pride in his son Paul, a West Point graduate and Vietnam veteran who became a successful businessman in his own right. But he objected when Paul said he intended to name his son Meyer. Lansky feared the name would prove to be a “burden” for his grandson.

ERSONAL CONFLICTS and familial dealings play out against the backdrop of American underworld history with Lansky leading a group of Jewish gangsters in disrupting Nazi, antisemitic rallies in New York prior to World War II and Lansky working with the U.S. government to protect the docks in New York from German saboteurs once the war broke out. While not especially religious, his devotion to Israel was a point of personal pride. And this eventually became a major disappointment and a sense of betrayal when he was denied the “right of return” that the nascent country offered to most Jews. The U.S. Government, forgetting or refusing to acknowledge Lansky’s contributions during the war, played a major part in scuttling his attempt to settle permanently in Israel, launching a series of investigations aimed at jailing the ailing gangster late in his life. Lansky fought off the investigations but never got to return to Israel, where he had lived briefly in the early 1970s. In a letter to Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin in 1977, Lansky pleaded his case and wrote of his desire to return.

“I have unfortunately become a product of the media. Much of it has been exaggerated… They, as you must know, can make or break. On the other hand, I do not profess to being a Saint, but I have never been 99% of the way I was built up. As you may know, charges in the U.S. were built up against me, but the courts threw all that out.” Lansky then asked how much harm a sick and elderly man could do to Israel, “the place of my heritage…the one country I truly desire to be in.” Nevertheless, his request was denied, one of several major setbacks in his later years. He remained in Miami, where he lived comfortably but not extravagantly, putting the lie to reports of a $30 million fortune amassed over the years. Violence might have been part of the world that he came from, but was not, according to The Lansky Legacy , his calling card. The murder of his good friend Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel has long been described as a mob hit, ordered – or at least condoned – by Lansky. Siegel was suspected of stealing millions from the Flamingo, the lavish Las Vegas casino that changed the face of casino gambling. Siegel oversaw the construction

and early days of operation at the casino which was bankrolled by Lansky and others. The authors contend that the mob had nothing to do with the murder. It is one of several examples in which the book offers a different – and more sympathetic – version of events from Lansky’s perspective. But the few attempts to sugarcoat history do not detract from the overall story.

OT EVERY VENTURE that Lansky attempted proved successful. One of the biggest disappointments was Cuba, where Lansky’s vision of an adult fantasy land built around lavish casinos, fancy restaurants and top-of-the-line entertainment collapsed. Lansky had struck a deal with Fulgencio Batista, Cuba’s corrupt and greedy president. Batista fled the country when Fidel Castro came down from the Sierra Maestra mountains and drove the mob – and eventually the United States – out of the island nation. The repercussions of that event are still being felt seven decades later. Lansky “lost most of his fortune when Batista’s regime in Cuba collapsed,” the authors write.

But his legacy remains rich. The gambling empire that is modern-day Las Vegas exists in large part because of the vision and entrepreneurial sense of Meyer Lansky, who preached that gambling was a business that needed to be run legitimately in order to generate long-term and sustained economic growth. “He was a singular historical figure who transformed organized crime and the business of gambling and helped finance the development of one of the biggest tourist and entertainment meccas in the world in the form of Las Vegas,” the authors write before adding a question. “Who knows what Cuba would be today had Castro not seized power?” For better or worse, Meyer Lansky was one of the founding fathers of the modern American underworld. He was always, to borrow a phrase, “in the room where it happened.” And more often than not, his legacy demonstrates he was the man making it happen. n (Author’s note – Citadel Press/Kensington Publishing is also the publisher of my biography of Angelo Bruno. “The Docile Don” is scheduled to be released in January.)

KEVIN REILLY

Kevin Reilly is a former NFL linebacker, inspirational speaker, and corporate resilience coach. After losing his left arm to cancer, he redefined his life’s playbook to help executives build unstoppable teams.

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The Weight of the Huddle

MAGINE SITTING IN A HOSPITAL ROOM, looking down at your newborn babies, and realizing you no longer have the arm you used to hold them or the career you used to feed them. That was my reality on October 30, 1979. At 29, an 11-hour surgery to remove a rare tumor cost me my left arm, shoulder, four ribs, and my career as a Philadelphia Eagles linebacker. When the anesthesia wore off, a crushing darkness rolled in. At home, I had a two-year-old, a one-year-old, and an infant. I lay in that bed crying, utterly terrified, wondering how a one-armed man could ever be a good father or earn a living. Today, at 75, I travel the country speaking to corporate executives. When I look out at a room of modern business leaders, I often see that exact same look of terror in their eyes. Their panic isn’t about a missing limb, but they are mourning a business world that has suddenly vanished under their feet. The Modern Battlefield After football, I spent 30 years climbing the ranks as a sales executive at Xerox. Back then, challenges were tangible. Today, mid-level managers and executives are facing a completely different kind of warfare: • The Disconnected Workforce: Leading hybrid and remote teams has fractured company culture, leaving managers struggling to build genuine trust through a computer screen. • The AI Identity Crisis: Automation and AI are rewriting job descriptions overnight, forcing leaders to completely reinvent their value before they get left behind. • The “Squeeze” Burnout: Mid-level executives are caught in a brutal vise—facing intense pressure from corporate boards to cut costs, while managing a stressed, exhausted staff below them. When you are dealing with budget cuts, sudden layoffs, or a failed digital transformation, it feels like an existential crisis. But I learned a hard truth at 29 that answers every single one of these modern anxieties: You cannot control the hit you take, but you are entirely in control of how you stand back up. The New Sales Playbook: Simple Takeaways When I entered the corporate world with one hand, I had to completely reinvent how I approached sales and leadership. Today, buyers are more skeptical, budgets are tighter, and sales teams are struggling to hit unrealistic growth metrics. If you want your team to win in this climate, you need to simplify your game plan. Here are three simple, modern sales targets every mid-level executive should write on their whiteboard today: [Retention Target] - Protect your 20% highest-value accounts. [Efficiency Target] - Automate the paperwork; double human talking time. 22

L to R: Reilly, 4-time Super Bowl Winner Rocky Blier and author John Riley.

[Pipeline Target] - Clean out the junk; focus only on active buyers. • Protect the Core (The 80/20 Rule): Stop chasing every shiny new lead. In a tough economy, 80% of your future revenue comes from 20% of your existing clients. Make account retention your top priority. • Double Your Human Touchpoints: AI can write emails, but AI cannot build trust. Set a goal for your sales reps to double their live, face-to-face, or voice-to-voice conversations. Use tech to clear out the paperwork so your people can actually connect with people. • Ruthlessly Clean the Pipeline: A bloated sales pipeline gives managers a false sense of security. Force your team to cut out dead leads and focus 100% of their energy on buyers who actually have the budget to move forward right now. Calling the New Play I am the oldest living survivor of my specific cancer type. I have spent decades mentoring amputees at military hospitals and helping people piece their lives back together. Whether I am talking to a wounded soldier or a manager facing a restructuring crisis, my message never changes: nobody goes undefeated. Your company will face bad quarters. Your sales team will reach a target. But a massive corporate setback is not the end of the game. It is just a tough third-and-long. Stop looking back at where the ball used to be. Look at the field you have right now, trust your huddle, and drive forward to pick up the first down. n To contact Kevin Reilly: Website: kreilly.com Instagram: kevinreilly52 • Email: kevinreilly4652@gmail.com

f f

GET FIT

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BY ALEXANDRA DUNEK

fd L

OOKING FOR A WAY TO RELAX? Meet SweatHouz (SWTHZ), the ultimate hot-and-cold reset. SWTHZ is a private cold plunge and sauna studio located in the heart of Northern Liberties, with additional locations nearby, including Marlton, coming soon.

If you are into fitness, you already know that recovery is just as important as the workout itself. SWTHZ combines hot and cold techniques to help you feel better and perform at your best. You put in the work, now it’s time to relax. My 60-minute session included a 170°F infrared sauna with red light therapy, a vitamin C shower & 48-55°F cold plunge. The idea is to rotate between each for up to an hour. Starting with 10-20 minutes in the sauna, rinsing off in the vitamin C-infused shower to cool down, then 2-3 minutes in the cold plunge. 24

Chill Out, Literally

The private suite also allows you to customize the lighting and entertainment. Towels, water and small amenities are also provided. I definitely recommend keeping the lights dim and the music soft so you can truly disconnect and make the most of the experience. As a big fan of red light therapy, the sauna was easily my favorite part. The cold plunge, however, was a first for me and although the first few seconds of entering the freezing water were the hardest, the refreshing feeling afterwards made it all worth it. Give yourself an hour of SWTHZ and indulge in the simple pleasure of slowing down and unwinding. Your body needs it. n

Address: 1050 N. Hancock Road, Suite E3 Philadelphia, PA 19123 www.sweathouz.com

A New Era of Philadelphia Stars For the first time in its history, the Michelin Guide team visited Philadelphia to find restaurants worthy of its coveted Michelin Star award. Three establishments made the grade. BY KURT SMITH 28

Photo Michael Branscom

MANDA SHULMAN, executive chef and owner of Her Place Supper Club, called it a “surreal experience” when her restaurant received a Michelin

star last November. In a video on the Michelin Guide website, she said she was “overwhelmed, in a great way.” It’s understandable given the beginnings of Her Place, a small building that sits on Sansom Street, with no fanfare but for a small neon sign. Her Place was born out of Shulman’s love for preparing elaborate meals for groups, which she started doing during her college days. According to her bio, “What began as an email invite to 50 friends eventually amassed a following of 600 strangers”. That’s not exactly to say Shulman hosted a few dinner parties with friends, who sug-

Amanda Shulman, executive chef and owner of Her Place Supper Club.

gested she open a big city restaurant because she made an above average omelette. She had, by this point, become an accomplished chef in her own right, including having worked with Marc Vetri in his restaurants. Shulman and her husband Alex Kemp, a high-end Philly chef himself, even started their own company, Libbie Loup Hospitality. Their other restaurant, My Loup, is just steps away on Walnut Street. You wouldn’t know any of that, though, either from her humble reaction to the award or from the Her Place Supper Club experience.

The tiny restaurant features just two seatings a night, with 24 seats. The menu is a blend of French, Italian, and American Jewish cuisines; they work with local farmers and butchers for the best possible ingredients. During their meal, designed as an elaborate dinner party, patrons are treated to a seasonal menu that changes frequently. Shulman even shares stories and explanations of courses with her guests. Michelin praised the atmosphere, calling it a “welcome lightness of touch”. They also gave high marks to the balanced cooking, excel29

Photo Nicole Guglielmo

Her Place Supper Club dining room

Photo Bre Furlong

lent sauces, and specific dishes like trout with barigoule and brioche crumbs, or homemade chitarra pasta with clams and beurre blanc. Diners agree; Her Place scores 4.9 on OpenTable for food, ambience, and service. The customers probably weren’t as surprised at the award as Shulman was. Her Place Supper Club

F YOU’RE NOT FAMILIAR with the Michelin Guide…which is fair, since it hadn’t awarded any stars to Philadelphia restaurants until November 2025…you might wonder why anyone would turn to a tire company for restaurant recommendations. But it makes perfect sense from a marketing standpoint. André and Édouard Michelin founded the Guide all the way back in 1900. There were, obviously, very few cars on the road in those days. The Michelin brothers correctly thought the Guide would encourage people to travel more, to wear out their tires finding gourmet food, and come back to Michelin for new ones. Guides were originally about 400 pages long, with maps, gas station locations, instructions for changing tires, and most importantly, restaurant and hotel recommendations. In 1926, Michelin awarded a star to 46 establishments they considered especially worthwhile. Since then, the Michelin Guide’s aura has grown such that the star is a highly sought after recognition. Interestingly enough, though, as of 2022 the Michelin Guide only covered six American destinations: New York City, California, Colorado, Florida, Chicago, and D.C. So, why so long to come to Philadelphia,

The Michelin Guide’s aura has grown such that the star is a highly sought after recognition. a city no one could reasonably call lacking in fine dining? Well, the local tourism board has to invite the Michelin people. More correctly, a city needs to pay for it. Probably with the upcoming semiquincentennial in mind, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau decided to make the partnership happen in 2025. It’s not cheap; not because Michelin is charging for the considerable prestige, but because it’s a hefty undertaking for the company. They send their anonymous diners (Where was “fine dining judge” on Career Day?), who are professionals with years of experience in

Photo Kurt Smith

Photos www.provenancephl.com

Provenance

Provenance entrance.

the industry. Michelin covers their expenses, which are considerable given the typical price tag at establishments in the running for a star. Michelin’s standards are such that even in Philly, just three restaurants took home the award: Her Place Supper Club, Provenance, and Friday Saturday Sunday.

MANDA SHULMAN was pleasantly surprised by the star. Nicholas Bazik opened up Provenance expecting one. It’s bold enough to open a restaurant anywhere. Even bolder in a large city well known for fine dining. To go in almost with the express goal of a Michelin star? That requires a special kind of chutzpah. But as Muhammad Ali said, “If you can do it, it ain’t bragging”.

An 18-year veteran of the industry, Chef Bazik decided to pour everything imaginable into Provenance, with the goal of making it a Michelin star-worthy destination. He emptied his bank account and convinced a business partner to invest in a second-to-none experience from top to bottom, including a custom Molteni stove that costs more than a luxury car. Diners sit on $1,200 chairs, so there are “no chair-related distractions”. When you’re shooting for a Michelin star, you cover everything. Provenance is in a rowhome on 2nd Street, a short walk from Penn’s Landing. It features just 25 seats, specifically to create more space for an exceptional kitchen. The dining experience is French seafood-focused cuisine, with Korean and Japanese influences. Michelin called Provenance “a high-wire,

high-stakes performance defined by precision, harmony, and of course, taste...the ideas are original, the flavors bold.” They cited the Japanese tuna with whipped tofu, puffed sorghum and chili oil, and the brown-butter hollandaise with country ham, caviar and cauliflower. Diners are similarly impressed. People love the entire ambience, the unusual combinations on the menu, impeccable service, and a front row seat to watch a supremely skilled staff at work. There’s much more to the story than space 31

Photo courtesy Friday Saturday Sunday

Chad and Hanna Williams pose in front of Friday Saturday Sunday.

permits, but Bazik’s gamble paid off. Following the award, Provenance is now booking full a month ahead; each new batch of reservations disappears in approximately six minutes. Begin with the end in mind.

Photo Jason Varney

OMETIMES YOU NEED A PUSH from your better half, especially if she’s willing to propose what you initially think is a “bats*** crazy” idea.

Friday Saturday Sunday dining room

That’s what Hanna Williams did when she suggested to her chef fiancé Chad that they buy the existing Friday Saturday Sunday, a rowhome on South 21st Street near Rittenhouse Square. The restaurant itself, actually, had existed since 1973; it was known for chicken Dijon and mushroom soup. Hanna persuaded a reluctant Chad to buy the place in 2014. The couple gutted and rebuilt it, taking a brief break to get married in the restaurant kitchen

during the chaos. They kept the name, Hanna told Philadelphia Magazine, because “A lot of people had first dates here or got engaged here or had whatever celebrations. There was a lot of romance attached to it.” Today, the romance that goes along with a visit comes with a Michelin-star worthy dining experience. Michelin declares that Williams’ dishes “fill the mouth with flavor and succulence. His delicious crispy sweetbreads will convert any skeptic; quail with pâte plays with texture, and the New York strip is a lesson in expert seasoning.” Restaurant patrons agree, offering universally high marks for the short rib. One Reddit reviewer claimed to still think about it months later. Talk about romantic. There’s a pastry chef too, Amanda Rafalski, who concocts playful desserts including a canelé that requires three days of preparation. All in a luxurious, intimate dining room. Upon receiving the star, Chad of course credited Hanna with convincing him to take on the bats*** crazy idea. But like Nicholas Bazik and Amanda Shulman, Chad and Hanna knew instantly what it means: keep doing what you’re doing. “It kind of puts a little more fire under us,” Chad told Philly Voice. “We keep doing the work every day, and that’s all we really want to do.”

Photos Justin Tsucalas

Friday Saturday Sunday

HE MICHELIN GUIDE has exceptionally high standards for a reason. After over 125 years of recommendations, they have a reputation to strongly protect. There are no guaranteed stars. Boston only scored one in Michelin’s first visit; Tampa scored zero for theirs. To operate an exceptional restaurant is

enough of a challenge. To stand out among just three in a city with close to 4,000 of them takes fanatical dedication and standards of excellence…along with a willingness to swing for the fences…that most humans aren’t willing to commit to. The buildings housing Her Place Supper Club, Provenance, and Friday Saturday Sun-

day are all remarkably humble. But inside these otherwise indistinguishable rowhomes, one can not only enjoy a spectacular dining experience, but also witness true exceptionalism at a profession that a nation born here has been celebrating for two and a half centuries. It’s a casual view of greatness we Americans should be damned proud of. n

Lebron’s Last Decision BY DEI LYNAM

T WAS AN EPIC DAY in Sixers franchise history. It was July 24, 2026, when LeBron James took to social media and said the following: “This is my last decision. I am not going for money. I am not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete and have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team. I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.” The soon-to-be 42-year-old made what had already been an amazing summer for basketball fans in the City of Brotherly Love; even better than most dare to dream. This upcoming season will be his 24th in the NBA. He has

played 1622 regular season games and hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy four times. But his last championship was in 2020. LeBron James’ game has changed over the years, but he is still highly effective. Last season, playing for the Lakers, he averaged 21points, six rebounds and seven assists. Joining a roster with the likes of Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and V.J. Edgecombe, it is possible his scoring will go down, but winning will hopefully increase. While LeBron says this is his last decision, he has been down this road before. His first decision to have a change of scenery was in the summer of 2010. After seven NBA seasons in Cleveland, LeBron went to Miami to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Their championship season came in LeBron’s second season with the Heat. They would defend that

title the following year. When he returned to Cleveland for a second playing stint, he added his third championship to his resume, but like Miami, it took two seasons to carry out that goal. James won his fourth title while playing in the bubble after the pandemic for the Los Angeles Lakers.

ATIENCE WILL BE NECESSARY with so many added faces, but it is a problem any coach would sign up for just to have such talent at his disposal. Sixers Head Coach Nick Nurse remembers exactly where he was when he learned of LeBron’s 2026 decision. A devout catholic, Nurse planned a trip to Rome this summer to visit the Vatican and the Pope. He shared this story after his trip. “I went to visit new students at the seminary,” Nurse said. “I was having lunch with

Photo Dei Lynam

“

Nurse, Gansey

them and when they introduced me, I told the new seminarians that I came to Rome to become a better coach. Last night, when I learned LeBron was coming to Philadelphia, I became a better coach. The praying vacation to Rome turned out great.” The Sixers have not won a championship since 1983. That championship came about because of a sign-and-trade the Sixers made

When I learned LeBron was coming to Philadelphia, I became a better coach.” – Sixers Head Coach Nick Nurse

with Houston in September of 1982. Moses Malone signed a contract that, at the time, was record-breaking; six years for $2.2 million dollars. Malone won the NBA Finals MVP award, averaging 26 points and 18 rebounds during the four-game sweep of the Lakers. Malone was in his prime that spring at 28 years old; 14 years younger than LeBron James is now. But James could do for the franchise in 2027

what Malone did 43 years ago and be the piece that gets the team over the edge and ends the organization’s championship drought. Like Malone in 1983, James will have a strong surrounding cast. James and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey have the same representation in Rich Paul and the two players have worked out together in the summers since Maxey entered the league in 2020. “Tyrese Maxey has gotten better year after year after year,” James said last season when the Lakers visited Philadelphia. “I have worked out and trained with him the last couple of summers. We are in the gym at 5:30am, on time. It just shows his dedication to the game every single day. He is a guy who just loves the game and has taken full advantage of the opportunity in Philly. I love the kid. He is not only an incredible basketball player, but he is an even better person. That is saying a lot because he is one hell of a player.”

HE RESPECT THAT LEBRON HAS for Maxey is a two-way street. On a recent podcast shared by @SpaldingClips, Maxey discussed his role in influencing LeBron’s decision this summer.

“We work out in the morning,” Maxey explained. “Two years ago, he was a free agent. I hit him up and said you are always welcome to come to Philly if you want to; that was before he re-signed with the Lakers. We all knew he was going back to the Lakers. I was just messing with him. “This time, Rich Paul said, ‘I don’t know what he is going to do, so holler at him if you want him.’ So, I hit him up and said we have a good chance, and you could really help us. I told him you are the greatest of all time. Why wouldn’t we want you on our team? He has been a big brother to me since I came into the league in 2020. Now we are teammates. He is smart and has seen a lot. I can’t wait to get out there and compete with him. “I have played with a lot of different teammates,” Maxey continued. “At the end of the day, I want to win. I have played a lot of separate roles, so I am going to have to change some things. But because of the dynamics on our team, we can do it. We do not expect Process (Joel Embiid) to play 70 games. If he does that is great. There may be games where I have 20 or 18 points. There could be games where Process and LeBron don’t play, and I may have to score 45.”

Not to be lost in all of this is the trade made for Jaylen Brown.

HEN LAST SEASON ENDED, the 76ers fired Daryl Morey. He had been President of Basketball Operations for six seasons. Ownership felt it was time to go in a new direction. Bob Myers, who is President of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, took the challenge of finding the Sixers next front office leader. As president and general manager of Golden State, Myers built four championship teams in the mid 2000’s. He knows what it takes to build success and the types of people who can do so. Myers decided on Mike Gansey as the Sixers’ next President of Basketball Operations. The 43-year-old had spent 15 years in the Cavaliers organization working his way up from intern to general manager. His time in Cleveland prepared him well. In less than two months, Gansey reshaped the Sixers roster to include Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Ariel Hukporti, Jaylen Brown, and LeBron James. Each move led to another one being possible, with the goal being to build a roster that best surrounds the existing big three of Maxey, Edgecombe, and

Embiid. Gansey was insistent on finding players that would also create an identity for a franchise that has lacked one. “Without getting Jaylen, I do not think we get LeBron,” Gansey said. “Obviously, Jaylen is one of the best players in the league. To get him on the roster with Tyrese Maxey, with VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid and then the other free agents we signed, it changed the game for us.” Everyone involved, from ownership, to Bob Myers, to current players, joined Gansey in what he called a “full court press.” Each reached out to LeBron and gave their individual pitch. Time went by as LeBron considered other teams such as Cleveland and Miami, teams he had brought that championship feeling to in the past. “Obviously, we are glad he chose us and that he is a 76er,” Gansey added. Word of LeBron’s decision came in a group chat. It went to the group that had put on the full court press. Defense wins championships. This summer is the start of the winning culture Myers and Gansey want for the organization and, in time, mirrors the cultures they have experienced in their past work lives. n

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Photo Philadelphia Eagles

Cooper DeJean The X Factor 40

The idea here is that, somehow and someway and somewhere, Cooper DeJean is gonna git ya. He’s the X factor for the Philadelphia Eagles, an All-Pro football player who is not easily defined to the world, nor easily identifiable by opposing quarterbacks.

L to R: Eagles defenders, Zack Baun, Cooper DeJean and Adoree’ Jackson

BY DAVE SPADARO Eagles Insider 41

“Coop, he’s a great football player because everything he does is great,” fellow All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell says of DeJean. “Whatever you ask him to do, he’s going to be in the right place and he’s going to make plays for you.” The Tale of Cooper DeJean began in Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft when the Eagles called his name – well, actually it was Brandon Graham (retired for the first time) who announced it from the podium in Detroit, Michigan – and added him to a cornerback room

than “solid.” He has been sensational, to say the least. DeJean’s insertion into the nickel cornerback role midway through the 2024 season catapulted the defense to a championship level, and DeJean first made a huge name for himself with his picture-perfect tackle of Baltimore running back Derrick Henry that put the King on his back in a key regular season win for the Eagles. Then there was the Super Bowl and a day that will live forever for the Eagles and the

DeJean’s insertion into the nickel cornerback role midway through the 2024 season catapulted the defense to a championship level.

Photo Philadelphia Eagles

that included Mitchell, the first-round draft pick that year. DeJean was a highly acclaimed player from the University of Iowa who had an aura about him already. He was a tremendous athlete who could perform all of these remarkable feats – he had a viral video reel of monstrous dunks from his high school basketball days among them – and the Eagles envisioned him as a solid addition to a transforming defensive backfield. Of course, DeJean has been much more

fanbase. DeJean picked off a pass from Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes and raced across the field with the interception and returned it for a touchdown in Super Bowl LIX – on his birthday, no less – and that play vaulted DeJean into rarefied star air in and around Philadelphia. A star was born, you might say. “It changed a lot of things, I think,” linebacker Zack Baun said. “For him and for

DeJean

everyone here.” And so, we live in Cooper DeJean’s World. There are popular Eagles – quarterback Jalen Hurts, yes. Running back Saquon Barkley, no doubt. Cooper DeJean? For sure. He is in demand off the field – go anywhere and see a line to see him sign autographs or make a public appearance -- and his value to the Eagles on the field is treasured. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio plans to use DeJean in as many ways as possible in his 2026 defense – as a safety in base personnel, as a nickel cornerback when the Eagles bring in a third cornerback and even, if needed, as an outside cornerback. This is the kind of versatility that makes some players especially extraordinary, and DeJean is in that category for the Eagles. “He’s a piece you want to have out there in as many places as possible,” Fangio said of DeJean. “Highly intelligent. Tough. Understands what he’s seeing, and he has the ability to make all the plays. Cooper just doesn’t make many mistakes. He is a sound football player who loves to compete, loves the game. “He picked up this defense as a rookie and works at it. He is never satisfied. I love that he just wants to compete and he wants to keep improving in every phase of his game.” DeJean is a modest young man who keeps his focus, ignores the hype and understands his place on the field and in the community. He is a huge part of the Eagles’ Community Relations Department projects, spends time with the fans signing autographs and posing for pictures and making the fans feel special. Everything about DeJean is on point. “I take this all very seriously. I know it’s not going to be something that is going to last forever. I love football and my teammates and the organization,” he said. “This is what I’ve dreamed about doing for so long. To be in this position, it’s awesome. “And yet I know that every day is a new challenge. I respect the game and the players on the field. That is what makes it fun – you have to bring your best every single snap.” Remember, DeJean is only in his third NFL season. He’s going to be a pre-snap nightmare for quarterbacks looking for No. 33 this season – as a safety, in the nickel, coming on the blitz. Look out below! Cooper DeJean is here to crash your party and make Eagles fans very, very happy along the way. n

F YOU FOLLOW THE NFL CLOSELY, you probably know the Denver Broncos have been to eight Super Bowls, tied for the second most of any team and behind only New England’s 11 appearances.

What you may not know is that in the Broncos eight Super Bowls, they have faced eight different opponents — New York (loss), Dallas (loss), Washington (loss), Green Bay (win), Carolina (win), Atlanta (win), San Francisco (loss) and Seattle (loss). Why does this matter for the 2026 NFL season? Because the Broncos are going to go to their ninth Super Bowl and play their ninth different opponent. Keep reading to find out who and why. First, let’s break the season down division by division.

BY MARK ECKEL 44

NFC East This is still the Eagles division until it isn’t. A year ago, the Eagles became the first team to repeat as NFC East champs, since they also did so from 2001-04. While this year may not be as easy as last year when they were the only team to finish over .500, the Eagles remain the most talented team in the division. Yes, the team has made significant changes on both sides of the ball. Their top receiver (A.J. Brown) was traded, and they will be without offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland for the first time since 2012. The East is still theirs for the taking. Dallas and New York are both improved and could battle for a wild-card spot, while Washington, just one year removed from the NFC title game, might just need to get and stay healthy. The Cowboys have not missed the playoffs for three consecutive years since 2000-02. They have missed the postseason the past two years. The Giants going from Brian Daboll to John Harbaugh as head coach is a major step up for them. Player to Watch: Jalen Hurts, Eagles Coach on the Hot Seat: Dan Quinn, Commanders Projected Finish Eagles Cowboys Giants Commanders

NFC North

NFC South

People may forget the Green Bay Packers were 9-3-1, were the No. 2 seed in the NFC and led Denver by nine points in the second half before edge rusher Micah Parsons tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Already without their best inside DL (Defensive Lineman), Devonte Wyatt, tight end Tucker Kraft and tackle Zach Tom, they didn’t win another game after that. If the Packers get healthy, they should not just make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, but win the division for the first time since they did a three-peat from 2019-21.

Carolina may have had the best offseason in the league with free agent additions Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd at linebacker and a strong draft that included tackle Monroe Freeling and defensive tackle Lee Hunter. The Panthers may have also had the worst start to a training camp, losing linebacker Nic Scourton and wide receiver Chris Brazzell for the season. Still, if QB Bryce Young continues to progress, the Panthers defense will be enough to win the league’s weakest division.

Detroit went from the NFC Championship Game in 2023, to being upset as the No. 1 seed by Washington in the playoffs in 2024, to not making the playoffs in 2025. The Lions have had a bit of a rough offseason, but still have the talent to get back to the postseason and their last-place schedule sure doesn’t hurt.

Atlanta made a good move in hiring former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, but it’s going to take him more than a year to guide a team that hasn’t made the playoffs or even had a winning record since 2017. Tampa Bay saw its streak of four consecutive division titles and five consecutive playoff appearances end last season when the team collapsed. That may be the start of something bad. New Orleans is in year 2 of its rebuild under head coach Kellen Moore.

Chicago was the story a year ago as the Bears under rookie head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback (QB) Caleb Williams won the division for the first time since 2018. The Bears were also the Comeback Kings, winning eight times when they trailed in the fourth quarter. Those types of miraculous finishes aren’t always sustainable. Just ask the Vikings, who did it in both 2022 and 2024, then missed the playoffs the following seasons. Speaking of Minnesota, they went with Kyler Murray over J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz as their QB1. Maybe the Vikings hope that between the three of the oft-injured QBs, they can get 17 games total from them.

Player to Watch: Devin Lloyd, Panthers Coach on the Hot Seat: Todd Bowles, Bucs Projected Finish Panthers Bucs Saints Falcons

Player to Watch: Jordan Love, Packers Coach on the Hot Seat: Dan Campbell, Lions Projected Finish Packers Lions Bears Vikings

NFC West Los Angeles made it to the NFC Championship Game behind the league’s most valuable player (MVP) Matthew Stafford and then traded for the league’s best defensive player in Myles Garrett and one of the best cornerbacks in the

league in Trent McDuffie. Then Aaron Donald decided to prolong his Hall of Fame induction by coming back after a two-year retirement. If Stafford can stay healthy one more year, the Rams will win the division and maybe a lot more. When you win the Super Bowl, you expect some key losses and that’s what happened in Seattle, where running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker bolted for Kansas City and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was hired as head coach in Las Vegas. The Seahawks are still good, just not good enough. San Francisco always seems to find a way even when they have some of the worst offseasons in the league. We’ll see what happens this year. Arizona is the worst team in the league playing in the best (or 2nd best) division in the league. The Cards are on a March for Arch (Manning).

AFC South If Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud would have taken a knee every snap in his team’s playoff loss to New England, his team may have had a shot because of its defense. Instead, he threw four interceptions and fumbled and the Texans lost. Houston’s defense will be just as good this year. Will Stroud be any better is the big question. Trevor Lawrence had his best season; Jacksonville made a great run and won the division last year. The Jaguars look more like a wild-card team this year. The Colts and Titans do not. Projected Finish Texans Jaguars Colts Titans

Player to Watch: Matthew Stafford, Rams Coach on the Hot Seat: None really, but Sean McVay could retire if the Rams win it all. Projected Finish Rams Seahawks 49ers Cardinals

AFC East Buffalo saw its run of five consecutive division titles end when New England pulled off a worst to first last season. The Bills, under rookie head coach Joe Brady, will be back on top this year. Imagine that a guy named Brady taking over the AFC East. Through no fault of their own, New England won last year thanks to a really easy schedule and every break imaginable in the playoffs. That’s not going to happen again. The Pats might be just as good as last year, but it won’t show in wins and losses. Miami is in full rebuild mode, while the Jets will make it an unfathomable 16 straight years of missing the playoffs.

Player to Watch: Will Anderson, Texans Coach on the Hot Seat: Shane Steichen, Colts

AFC West This is going to be a fun division to watch. Denver is really good. If QB Bo Nix doesn’t get hurt on the next-to-last play of a playoff game, or if they had a better backup QB, the Broncos would have gone to the Super Bowl last year. Now they added a real playmaker in WR Jaylen Waddle. The Chargers are also one of the best teams in the league and it’s head coach Jim Harbaugh’s second year in charge. Kansas City isn’t what it was, but Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are still around. So, there’s that. And the poor Raiders will be much better, but in this division you might not even notice. Projected Finish Broncos Chargers Chiefs Raiders

Player to Watch: Josh Allen, Bills Coach on the Hot Seat: Aaron Glenn, Jets Projected Finish Bills Patriots Jets Dolphins

Player to Watch: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Coach on the Hot Seat: None

NFC Playoffs Rams, Packers, Eagles, Panthers, Seahawks, Lions, Cowboys.

AFC North

NFC Champion: Rams

One of these years QB Joe Burrow is going to stay healthy, and the Bengals are going to win the division. It might just be this year.

AFC Playoffs

Baltimore is starting a new era with Jesse Minter as its head coach. The Ravens may not be as good as you, or most people, think. Pittsburgh is also starting over with Mike McCarthy as head coach. The Steelers might be the hardest team in the league to figure. Cleveland isn’t. They are still the Browns.

AFC Champion: Broncos

Projected Finish Bengals Ravens Steelers Browns Player to Watch: Joe Burrow, Bengals Coach on the Hot Seat: Zac Taylor, Bengals 46

Broncos, Bills, Texans, Bengals, Chargers, Jaguars, Chiefs Super Bowl Champion: Rams

Awards MVP: Josh Allen, Bills Defensive MVP: Will Anderson, Texans Rookie of the Year (Off): Jadarian Price, Seahawks Rookie of the Year (Def): Caleb Downs, Cowboys Coach of the Year: Dave Canales, Panthers. n

Photos Villanova Athletics/Strategic Communications

Villanova Head Coach Mark Ferrante

BY MICHAEL BRADLEY

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK The first time the Patriot League asked, Villanova University (VU) said no. And the second time. And the third. The league has been trying to get the Wildcats as a member “for the history” of the 40-year-old confederation, according to commissioner Jennifer Heppel. Nova wasn’t trying to gain a negotiating advantage or anything by refusing the invita48

tions. It just wasn’t ready to join. And the Patriot League wasn’t ready for the Wildcats. “We said no,” head coach Mark Ferrante says. “There were a lot more restrictions and parameters.” Over the past several years, the Patriot League has loosened up considerably. While it still considers itself something of an Ivy League Junior, thanks to the robust academic profiles of its member institutions, the league

has instituted scholarships, expanded its roster limits and changed its admissions index. “The more that we learned about how they operate in the Patriot League, the more we felt comfortable with it,” Villanova athletic director Eric Roedl says. This time, when the Patriot League asked whether Villanova wanted in, the answer was a resounding yes. Last June, VU announced it would be leaving the Coastal Athletic Asso-

ciation (CAA) and joining the Patriot, which has been in existence since 1986 and whose members are more geographically appropriate for ‘Nova’s budget and whose institutional missions align with VU’s. The 10-team league, which added Richmond as a football member last year and welcomed the Wildcats and William & Mary (W & M) in late July, extends from Massachusetts to Virginia and will allow Villanova to bus to many of its Patriot road games. For an FCS (NCAA Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision) team that gets very little TV money and doesn’t draw huge crowds, that’s important. “The biggest benefit is the travel and the expense of traveling versus the other league,” Ferrante says. “It’s also similar-sized schools and similar roster sizes. I also think it will be more enjoyable for our alumni for home games and when we go to New York to play Fordham, the Lehigh Valley or when we go to D.C. to play Georgetown.” The “other league” to which Ferrante refers is the CAA, which has had three different incarnations over the past 80 years and which

“The biggest benefit is the travel and the expense of traveling…”

Eric Roedl

the ‘Cats were members of for just under four decades. In its original designation as the Yankee Conference, it featured teams exclusively in New England, but it expanded to include VU, [University of] Delaware (UD) and W&M,

Richmond and James Madison (JMU). However, as schools either dropped football, moved to other conferences or jumped up to the FBS level (Football Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of college football in the United States), the CAA brought on new members that did not fit VU’s institutional focus. Campbell, Stony Brook, North Carolina A&T, Hampton and Monmouth are fine schools, but they lack a connection beyond the gridiron with Villanova. “[CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio] had to start bringing in members that agreed to be full members,” Ferrante says, referring to schools who would take part in the other sports the CAA sponsors, beyond football. “When all the conferences started doing major expansions, he was trying to strengthen the overall CAA conference. That affected the football side of it.” It’s not like ‘Nova had to leave the CAA because the conference lacked punch. The Wildcats won a national title in 2009, and so did former members Delaware, JMU and Richmond. At one point, the CAA was getting four or five invitations to the NCAA grid tournament. But Delaware and JMU are now in the FBS classification, and Richmond left before last season. As the years went by, the conference ‘Nova had been a part of for decades looked less and less familiar. Not that it wasn’t a good spot for VU football. “The CAA has been a great home for Villanova for a long time,” Roedl says. “We had a lot of success in that league.” While the move to the Patriot League will take some adjusting to new surroundings and different rivals, it will also give Villanova a stable home for its football program, which is one of the school’s only sports that isn’t in the Big East Conference. (The women’s water polo team competes in the Metro Confer49

Though Ferrante is happy that ‘Nova’s road mileage will drop now that it has joined the Patriot League, some of his players aren’t too concerned about whether they can get to road games on a two-hour bus ride or by plane to Texas. “It doesn’t matter where we are scheduled to play,” sophomore linebacker Omari Bursey says. “Our chin straps will be on tight, and our cleats will be laced up. The location doesn’t matter.” While Bursey’s attitude is exactly what any coach would love to see from a team member, he does admit that it will be nice to have more fans able to see more games. Since most of ‘Nova’s roster is made of players from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Maryland, games against most of the Patriot rivals are manageable drives. “Family and friends are a lot closer and will be able to go to games, like at Lafayette and Lehigh or in New York against Fordham,” Bursey says. The Patriot’s expansion to 10 teams, after it was at seven for much of its existence, will impact scheduling, since each school will now play nine league games instead of six. That should make putting together a non-conference slate easier for the Old Guard, which in the past had to find five and even six contests outside of the neighborhood boundaries. It’s not a big change for VU, which played eight conference games in the CAA. The Wildcats will still play a road “money” game each year and travel to an FBS team in return for a sizeable check. In September, ‘Nova played at Louisville. Last year, Villanova absorbed a 52-6 beating from Penn State in return for a big payday and some national TV 50

Jennifer Heppel

exposure on FS1. But don’t expect the Patriot ranks to swell any more, at least not in the near future. “Beyond 10, we have to break into divisions,” Heppel says. “That dilutes the conference competitively. The schools have decided these are the teams they want to compete against.” Heppel shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss expansion, simply because of the volatile nature of the college sports realignment climate.

Many will scoff at the idea that if the Big Ten goes to 20 teams, or the SEC picks up a couple more members, that somehow the Patriot will be affected. They should remember that when Delaware (Conference USA) and James Madison (Sun Belt) moved up to the FBS level from the CAA, and ‘Nova, Richmond and William & Mary left for the Patriot, the CAA raided the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for Hampton and North Carolina A&T, the Big South for Campbell and the Northeast Conference for Sacred Heart. There is a trickle-down impact. While it’s unlikely any of the 10 Patriot members will make a move to the FBS ranks, few thought UD and JMU would do it. And as the CAA changes its personality, perhaps some of its members might be looking for new homes. As for Villanova, it is positioned well in the FCS ranks and happy to be in the Patriot League. “The academic profile and the institutional profile of the Patriot League are really strong and fit really well with Villanova’s academic and institutional profiles,” Roedl says. “It’s something we looked at, and we feel really good about the quality of the student-athletes in the Patriot League.” At last. n

Photo courtesy The Patriot League

ence, and its women’s rowing squad is part of the CAA.) And the school has some recent history with the Patriot. The Wildcats defeated charter member Lehigh last year in the second round of last year’s FCS playoffs, 14-7. For those worrying about whether the league will provide a sufficient level of competition for the ‘Cats, especially since the CAA has been one of the nation’s top FCS leagues for many years, Heppel offers some evidence to assuage those fears. “We have had multiple bids to the playoffs before,” she says. “We’ve had proven postseason success, so competitively, this makes a lot of sense. Our recent success does align. The national championships and tradition Villanova and Richmond bring are impressive.”

After Successful Season, Flyers Trying to Take Next Step BY SAM CARCHIDI

Photo Philadelphia Flyers / Len Redkoles

Forward Porter Martone has a chance to become the franchise’s first ever Rookie of the Year.

Photo Philadelphia Flyers / Len Redkoles

Goaltender Dan Vladar signed a five-year, $27.5 million extension in July.

HE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS overcame long odds and made great strides last season. Despite MoneyPuck.com giving them just a 3.8 percent chance to make the playoffs with 16 games remaining, they secured their first postseason berth in six years. The Flyers then advanced to Round 2 by upsetting their bitter rivals from Pittsburgh, recording their first playoff-series win since 2012. Can the progress continue? Was this the first step toward being a legitimate Stanley Cup contender? Did general manager Danny Briere do enough in the offseason? Questions, questions, questions. The answers figure to be based around the development of players like Matvei Michkov, ultra-promising Porter Martone, Trevor Zegras, Tyson Foerster, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Alex Bump, Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey. All are young, ranging from 19 (Martone) to 25 (York) at the start of the season. All have the ability to improve their games greatly and combine with the veterans – led by Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Owen Tippett – to make the Flyers an upstart, exciting team. It helps immensely that the long-troubled goalie situation is the best it has been in numerous years. Dan Vladar, signed as a free agent in the

summer of 2025, blossomed into one of the NHL’s most reliable goaltenders last season. And the Flyers solidified the position by acquiring Joseph Woll as his backup in the offseason. With Vladar (2.42 goals-against average) displaying consistency throughout the season, the Flyers finished ninth in the NHL in goals-allowed (2.91 per game). That number will likely improve because Woll (2.94 career GAA), 28, is a major upgrade over the erratic Sam Ersson, who had a 3.12 GAA and .870 save percentage last season. “We felt Woll was a step forward for us,” Briere said after completing the deal, which sent Ersson, promising defenseman Emil Andrae and a third-round draft pick to Toronto for Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit. “He’ll be able to help Vladdy in a tandem role.” The belief is that Woll will keep Vladar fresh – and more effective -- than Ersson (33 games, 29 starts). Vladar played in 52 games (51 starts) and in every minute of the playoffs last season. “We hope they can push each other,” Briere said of the new goaltending duo. While Briere seemingly improved the goaltending in the offseason, he was unable to land a much-needed No. 1 center. He made a staggering bid for restricted free-agent center Leo Carlsson, but he remained in Anaheim after the Ducks matched the offer: five years for

a total of $90 million. Briere could have made a similar (though cheaper) offer for RFA (Restricted Free Agent) Columbus center Adam Fantilli – another player who would have filled the Flyers’ 1C hole – but declined. That leaves a glaring weakness for the Flyers, who could have used a top-line center to also bolster their anemic power play. So, for better or worse, the Flyers will look very similar to the team that finished 43-27-12 for 98 points in last year’s regular season before beating the Penguins in Round 1 and being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. Here is a look at the 2026-27 team:

OFFENSE Goals per game last year: 2.93 (21st in the 32-team NHL). PROJECTED LINES Line 1: Trevor Zegras (26 goals) centering Tyson Foerster (13 goals in 29 games) and Owen Tippett (team-high 28 goals). A change of scenery helped Zegras (67 points) have a career year under new Flyers coach Rick Tocchet. Foerster got off to a great start last season, but was limited to 29 games because of arm surgery. He struggled in the playoffs (one goal and no assists in 10 games) but should be his high-scoring self. He and 55

Tippett each have 30-goal potential. Line 2: Christian Dvorak (18 goals) centering Travis Konecny (27 goals) and Porter Martone (4 goals, 10 points in 9 games). This has the potential to be the Flyers’ highest-scoring line if Martone – who could become the franchise’s first Rookie of the Year winner – lives up to his gaudy buildup. Dvorak (51 points) will be an assist machine if centering these two talented wingers.

Photo Steve I.

Line 3: Noah Cates (18 goals) centering Alex Bump (5 goals in 17 games) and Matvei Michkov (20 goals). Cates (47 points) has developed into a solid two-way player, and he will try to ignite Bump, a promising rookie, and Michkov, who still managed 51 points in a somewhat disappointing sophomore season, one in which he came to camp in poor physical shape. He worked hard this summer and seems primed for a bounce-back season.

Rick Tocchet begins his second year at the helm of the Flyers.

Line 4: Sean Couturier (12 goals) centering Denver Barkey (5 goals in 43 games) and Noel Acciari (13 goals). Couturier gives the Flyers a strong presence on defense and the faceoff circle, and still has some scoring ability, especially when matched against a fourth line. Barkey is an up-and-com-

ing player with grit, and Acciari, a free agent who signed a two-year deal for $5.6 million in the offseason, is defensively sound player who had 25 points last season with Pittsburgh.

DEFENSE Goals allowed per game last season: 2.91 (ninth in the 32-team NHL). First pairing: Travis Sanheim (11 goals, 37 points, plus-12) and Rasmus Ristolainen (plus-10). Sanheim, coming off a career season, anchors the defense with his all-around play. Ristolainen, who is in the final year of his contract, provides physicality but needs to stay healthy. He has played 70 games just once in the last seven seasons. Second pairing: Cam York (26 points, plus-5) and Jamie Drysdale (8 goals, 32 points, minus-3). York provided the signature moment of the 2025-26 season, scoring the series-clinching goal in overtime to beat Pittsburgh in Game 6, then heaving his stick joyfully into the crowd. Drysdale took some positive steps, but needs to keep climbing. Third pairing: Nick Seeler (10 points, plus-1) and Oliver Bonk/David Jiricek, with Simon Benoit, Helge Grans and Hunter McDonald also in the mix. Jiricek, a right-handed shooter acquired for Bobby Brink in March, has offensive potential and, if he sticks on the roster, could quarterback one of the power-play units. Seeler is a steady stay-at-home defenseman who blocks tons of shots – think Ed Van Impe if you’re a long-time Flyers fan. Bonk, a righty who was a first-round selection in 2023, has lots of composure and is a big part of the team’s future.

SPECIAL TEAMS They weren’t so special last season. In fact, the power play was abysmal. Again. The Flyers finished last in power-play success (15.7 percent) for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Their penalty kill was mediocre, finishing tied for 21st by killing 77.6 percent of their infractions.

COACHING Rick Tocchet begins his second coaching season in Philadelphia, trying to take the Flyers to Round 2 for the first time since 2012. He showed a knack for getting the most out of his players, with the exception of Michkov, who is the X-factor for 2026-27.

PREDICTION Flyers huff and puff and sneak into the playoffs with 96 points -- two fewer than last year -- but are eliminated in the first round. That is, unless Briere makes an in-season deal and brings a quality center to Philly. If that happens, the Flyers could better last season’s surprising showing. n

GOALTENDING Believe it or not, this may be the best part of the team. And when is the last time you could say that about the Flyers and the game’s most important position? Vladar, who signed a five-year, $27.5 million extension in July, is coming off a breakout season in which he had 29 wins and a .906 save percentage. The goaltender was even better in the playoffs, compiling a 2.18 GAA and .922 save percentage. During the regular season, he tied for the league’s best save percentage (.937) in five-on-five situations. Woll should be a solid backup, but he needs to be healthier than he’s been throughout his career. 57

Peter J. Cordua, CPA

Tax and Financial Consultation

(856) 724-2047

Much More Than a Gaming Attraction, A Full-Scale Entertainment Destination BY JAN L. APPLE

When Parx Casino® opened its doors in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, in December 2009, customers were initially drawn to the slot machines. Yet the history and allure of Parx actually goes back to 2006. And the casino’s evolution over the years can easily be described as more than one could have ever imagined. “Parx went from a casino to a full entertainment destination,” said Carrie Nork Minelli, director of Advertising and Public Relations. Nork Minelli, who was recruited to Parx about six weeks prior to the 2009 grand opening, continues to be amazed at the quality and growth of the facility. Nork Minelli shared the history that on December 19, 2006, Philadelphia Park Racetrack (now Parx Racing®) became the site of the first casino in the Southeastern region of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The racetrack is home to live and simulcast thoroughbred rac62

ing. The temporary casino facility featured 2,076 slot machines and marked the beginning of a major transformation of the landscape of Bucks County and the surrounding region. The casino fast became a major employer, taxpayer and philanthropic contributor to the community. “Parx wasn’t just building a casino, it was becoming economically and philanthropically connected to the local community,” said Nork Minelli. In fact, from 2007 to 2008, Philadelphia Park Casino contributed millions of dollars in charitable/community donations. Today, Parx continues to invest in the community and is recognized as a generous philanthropic partner. Owned and operated by Greenwood Gaming, Nork Minelli explained that philanthropy and community are integral to the company culture. “Community outreach is a huge part of who we are,” she said. “We’re fortunate to be in a position to support so many wonder-

Carrie Nork Minelli

Photos courtesy Erin McGovern/Parx Casino

ful organizations doing important work in our community. From Bensalem and Bucks County to communities throughout Pennsylvania, giving back and being a good neighbor is simply part of our culture at Parx.”

Parx Casino – When a Brand Was Born When the estimated $250 million facility debuted on December 18, 2009, this marked the true birth of the Parx brand. “People were lined up at 6 a.m. before we opened the doors,” recalled Nork Minelli. “It was no longer a small, race-track-based casino with slots, but rather a highly desirable destination.” In those early days, Parx debuted an expansive food court, upscale dining establishments and live entertainment at the 360 Lounge. In addition, the ever-popular Chickie’s & Pete’s was on the property as it still is today. “Our customers were loving it from Day 1,”

“Parx wasn’t just building a casino, it was becoming economically and philanthropically connected to the local community,” said Nork Minelli. “Gaming is always at the heart of what we do.” Yet, she elaborated, customers were continuously asking for more. And Parx delivered! In 2010, table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette and more, were added as they had recently become legalized in Pennsylvania. Over the years, more dining establishments were opened to meet a growing need. Today,

there are multiple dining venues, bars and a popular beer garden. Nork Minelli described Parx as a bright, clean, secure, safe, pretty space. Customers, she added, are frequently wowed by the overall pleasant experience and comment on how nice it is. The property offers extensive free parking and its location on Street Road allows for easy access for those traveling from near and far. “It’s a unique spot and convenient location because of its proximity to 95, Route 1 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike exit,” said Nork Minelli, adding that there’s a strong client base from throughout Bucks County and Northeast Philadelphia as well as from further away.

Meeting Customers Where They Are Nork Minelli notes that the landscape and culture continued to change over the years. In 2015, a major expansion took place, which 63

Photos courtesy Erin McGovern/Parx Casino

Parx Sportsbook

“People want great food, hospitality, gaming, food, security. Parx is giving them what they’re asking for. When people come, they really love it.” included more gaming, the Xlounge, additional entertainment and dining venues – from award-winning establishments to more casual, light bite offerings. And in 2018, a dedicated poker room with 48 gaming tables opened, as well as the Xcite Center. The 1,500-seat theatre launched to a sell-out crowd with a performance by Chicago, recalled Nork Minelli. “People love it because it is more intimate,” she said. “There’s not a bad seat in the house.” Customers continue to be drawn to the concerts, broad array 64

of musical talent, major entertainers, comedy shows, boxing, special events and more. Besides the slots, gaming, poker room and a plethora of bars and restaurants to fit every taste and mood, another major perk is that Parx Casino is a non-smoking facility. Nork Minelli explained that the non-smoking policy was first implemented during COVID, yet it has remained so. It’s a feature that people truly appreciate. Many other casinos in Pennsylvania as well as Atlantic City have returned to being smoking facilities. But Parx Casino, and its second location in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania (that opened in 2023) has remained committed to the non-smoking policy.

Sports Betting Takes Parx to the Next Level In early 2019, Parx Sportsbook officially opened. And later that year, online sports betting began. In August of 2019, a $10 million permanent 7,400-square-foot Sportsbook became integral to the fabric of the casino. It includes a 156-foot HD media wall, live teller windows,18 kiosks, nearly 200 seats, VIP areas and a bar/food service. According to Nork Minelli, it’s a gorgeous space and one that rivals

just about any other sportsbook, including those in Las Vegas. Suffice it to say that during that same year, Parx rapidly went from a physical property to a Philadelphia digital and sports brand. Partnerships were launched with the Philadelphia Union and the Philadelphia 76ers. Taking the brand even further, in 2022, the betParx® mobile app was launched in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Parxview Hotel The latest iteration of an already high-level brand destination is the Parxview Hotel. The hotel, which opened in March 2026, has 160 rooms, including 16 suites, a fitness center and The Bistro. Nork Minelli explained that guests can stay overnight and enjoy a relaxing brunch the following morning. An outdoor deck and pool will be opening soon. Always keeping the total guest experience in mind, Parx provides a complimentary shuttle from the hotel to the casino, making the getaway a true play and stay destination! Nork Minelli underscored that Parx invests heavily in technology, but never loses sight of the hospitality component – whether it’s online gaming, gambling or the sports app.

Parxview Hotel

Something to Fit Every Lifestyle & Taste “We’ve built a dining portfolio that reflects the way people want to live,” said Nork Minelli. “We have a really nice list of offerings: casual,

fine dining, counter service.” The biggest change she has observed is that “we stopped thinking about Parx as just a casino,” and more rather as a complete entertainment destination. “People want great food, hospitality, gaming, food, security,” said Nork Minelli. “Parx is giving them what they’re

asking for. When people come, they really love it. It’s always a fun and exciting time. “We’re still evolving, we’re always thinking about better ways to make our customers happy. The customer experience is always of the utmost importance.” n parxcasino.com • www.parxcasino.com/bensalem/racing

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CIGAR GUY

BY ALEX KRAFT

A unique collaboration

www.oscartobacco.com

HE COLLABORATION CIGAR is nothing new. AJ Fernandez, My Father Cigars and Aganorsa have collaborated with countless manufacturers, creating amazing and unique blends that have taken the market by storm. But the celebrated and marketed collaboration is something of a more recent trend. The Padron and Fuente Legends LE was an industry high point when announced in 2022 and the Pepin and Pete Johnson La Union series has had 2 variations over the last 4 years. This year saw the release of another unique collaboration as Oscar Valladares ( famous for their Leaf line) teamed up with Casa Carrillo and Oliva’s Tabolisa factory to create 3 different blends highlighting the 3 major growing regions for premium cigars. For this review, I opted to try out the Casa Carrillo blend out of the Dominican Republic. The cigar is draped in a rich rosado Connecticut Broadleaf from the USA, utilizing a Sumatra binder and a mix of filler from the Dominican and Nicaragua. This particular blend was especially intriguing. Dominican tobacco on its own is not usually too appealing to my palate, but when it is intimately blended with other regions, I find it truly shines, and that holds true with the EPC Colaboraciones. As a side note, I chose to pair this review tasting with the Jeffersons

Reserve Pritchard Hill Cabernet Cask and that proved to be an excellent choice. The tart cherry and apple profile of the bourbon, along with the tannins infused into it from the Cabernet Cask, were a fitting match and I highly recommend picking up a bottle to go with this cigar. The dry puff of the cigar primes the palate with notes of graham cracker and dark cacao while the nose is full of dried fruit and cinnamon. On first light, I pick up notes of almond and the distinct earthiness that can be present in a lot of Dominican tobacco. But overlaying all of that is a unique, char like barbecue profile that is reminiscent of burnt ends. This was the most interesting aspect of the cigar, and it manages to be present in some form or another 76

Oscar Valladares Colaboraciones

By E.P.C. Vitola: Toro 6x52 Wrapper: USA Broadleaf Connecticut Origin: Dominican Republic Pairing: Jeffersons Reserve Pritchard Hill Cabernet Cask Cabernet Cask Finish – 90.2 Proof throughout the entire smoke. At this point, I took my first paired sip of the Jeffersons, and I received a blast of cinnamon and spice from the bourbon, while the bourbon in turn amplified the leather and almond aspects of the cigar. As I continued through the first half of the cigar, each sip pulled out more of the cherry profile, which nicely complemented the meaty aspects of the cigar. As I continued through the first third of the cigar, the grassy earthiness takes a backseat, allowing the barbecue and almond notes to become much more present. As I approach the end of that third a mild baking spice begins to come forward. The body hovers around medium-plus while the strength of the cigar stays firmly in the medium range. The burn line is impeccable, and the ash is slightly flaky and distinctly white. The second third sees the sweetness and spice growing, reminiscent of baked goods, a pleasant fingerprint of the Dominican origins of the cigar. The charred meat remains present but takes a backseat throughout most of the second third. About halfway through the cigar, the burn line starts to get a bit uneven, so I finally let my ash go in the hopes that it will even out, and by the tail end of the third, it is back to a nice even burn. By the time I hit the final third of the cigar the dark cacao nib flavor becomes increasingly present, blending in with the berry and almond from the start of the smoke. Once again, the charred meat takes a backseat but never goes away. The burn line once again gets a little wonky but evens out with a little attention. Despite the occasional uneven burn, I never have to touch up the cigar with my lighter. The cigar finishes with a strong dark chocolate and finally sees the charred barbecue profile reside. The total smoke time for this cigar clocked in at 1 hour and 35 minutes. The E.P.C. Colaboraciones is a very unique and complex cigar that, rather than taking big swings, slowly evolves throughout the experience. While I would have liked to have seen some of that barbecue step back further during the second half of the cigar, I also found it to be the most interesting aspect of the cigar and wasn’t upset at its consistent presence. Whether you are looking for an introduction to a Dominican profile or just want something different out of that region, the E.P.C. Colaboraciones is a fantastic choice! n

@PCS_AnthonyM

TECH TIME

Have any tech ideas you want to talk about? Feel free to reach out to me on X (@PCS_AnthonyM) or email me at Anthony@helpmepcs.com.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BY ANTHONY MONGELUZO Anthony Mongeluzo is President of PCS, LLC, an IT managed services firm, and Fox29’s IT Tech Guy. He writes regularly for JerseyMan and PhillyMan Magazines.

Meet Grok Bot:

The New Tech Helper Sitting on Your Desktop

ELLO, READERS. If you have been following my columns for a while, you know I love talking about gadgets that actually make life easier. Not the confusing stuff. The practical stuff. Today I want to introduce you to something new I have been using called Grok Bot. Think of it less like a robot from a movie and more like a sharp assistant who lives on your computer and helps you get things done. Grok Bot is built to feel like a helpful conversation, not a complicated tech product.

and get a clean answer you can actually use. 3. Organization. It can help turn a pile of thoughts into a checklist, a plan for the week, or a simple summary. Think of it as a digital sticky-note system that actually stays organized.

your day: follow-ups, first drafts, research, reminders, and planning. The winners will not be the people who fear the technology. The winners will be the people who learn how to ask good questions and then put their own judgment on top of the answer.

4. Learning your style. This is my favorite part. Feed it examples of how you write, and it starts matching your voice. That matters if you do not want everything sounding like a robot wrote it.

Will it replace humans? No. Your common sense, your relationships, and your taste still matter. What it can do is knock out the busywork, so you have more time for family, business, and maybe even a weekend at the Shore.

Where Do I See the Future Going?

The Bottom Line

The future is not about replacing people. It is about giving busy people more hours back. I have been predicting big tech shifts in this magazine for years, from smartphones to selfdriving cars. Personal AI assistants are next, and they are arriving faster than traffic on the Turnpike. In the next couple of years, I believe tools like Grok Bot will feel as normal as email. They will help with the little stuff that eats

Grok Bot is not magic, and it is not something only Silicon Valley people can use. It is a practical helper for regular guys who want to move faster without needing a computer science degree. If you can describe what you need in everyday English, you are already qualified. I am excited about where this is headed, and I will keep testing these tools, so you do not have to figure them out alone. n

Who Is Grok Bot? In plain English, Grok Bot is an artificial intelligence assistant. That is a fancy way of saying it is software that can read what you ask, understand it, and help you with the next step. You type the way you talk. You do not need to learn special computer commands. If you can send a text message, you can use it. What makes it different from a regular search box is that it remembers the job you are working on. You can hand it notes, articles, calendars, or a messy list of ideas, and it helps turn that into something useful. For someone like me who is always moving and shaking, that is a big deal.

What Can It Actually Do? From writing and research to reminders and everyday planning, it is built for real life. Here is the breakdown for people who are not living in the tech world every day: 1. Writing help. Need a short email, a meeting note, or even a magazine-style article draft? Tell it what you want and who it is for. It can write a first version, so you are not staring at a blank page. 2. Research without the rabbit hole. Instead of opening fifteen tabs and forgetting why you started, you can ask one clear question 78

Note: This column was written by my personal Grok Bot.