He’s making a statement right from the opening kickoff.

Last year, Brad Hurley bragged in the preseason that it was his time to lead the pack to the finish line and hoist the Bob Ford Memorial Grid Picks Cup, but he fell just short, finishing second behind Rod Heckman.

His outstanding 12-3 Week 1 record has him sitting on the king’s throne, where he hopes to stay until he passes the finish line.

In second place is Emmett McCall, one game behind Hurley, tied with Pat Matsinko and TJ Engle. Could this finally be the year that the Bossman shows his staff he can hang with the leaders throughout the season? (ONLY) T(t)ime will tell.

Then comes a logjam in the middle of the pack, all with 10-5 records and just two games off the pace. Defending champion Rod Heckman sits there with Mike Haines and Sam Matta. Four games behind Hurley are Kyle Magda and Jeff Moeller.

It’s (IT SURE IS) dark down here.

For the first time in my Grid Picks career, Yours Truly has fallen into the Pundit Pit where I sit all by myself after an awful 7-8 mark. The good news for me is that it’s only Week 1 rather than Week 10, so I have plenty of time to pull myself up from the Depths of Darkness.

I’m already six games back, so I’d better have a respectable Week 2; otherwise, the only way to make a move upward will be to pick a ton of upsets and risk falling even deeper into the Pit.

(I ALWAYS SAY) I(i)t’s not how you start, it’s how you finish is what I always say.

Tigers, Bombers, Panthers, and Colts, oh my!

Several area teams look to fire up back-to-back wins to start the season. Northwestern picked up (RIGHT) where it left off last year with a convincing win over Tamaqua.

Palmerton, riding the arm and the legs of superstar quarterback and Times Player of the Week Matt Machalik, put up 54 points against Lehighton. Tonight, the Bombers travel to Catasauqua, victorious over Northern Lehigh last Friday.

Panther Valley looks to win two straight season-opening games, which hasn’t happened since 2017. A home-field battle of the Valleys is on the ledger with Tri-Valley coming to Lansford tonight.

Marian downed Schuylkill Haven last week and hosts a solid Minersville squad this week.

The staff overwhelmingly likes Palmerton, but not so much for the Panthers to prevail. The Battlin’ Miners are a slight consensus to corral the Colts. Tamaqua looks to rebound at home against the Indians, with both teams trying to avoid 0-2 starts. Another area team looking for its first win is Pleasant Valley, and the Bears are favorites to defeat the Dieruff Huskies.

Out of Area Game of the Week

A great matchup tonight has the Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks hosting the Whitehall Zephyrs in my Out of Area Game of the Week. The Hawks shut out Pleasant Valley last week, and Whitehall blasted William Allen 53-0 in its opener. Both teams are football powerhouses. Yours Truly (, ALONG WITH) and six of my staffers favor the home team in a close game.

Early surprises

Yes, it’s only Week 2, but let’s take a look at who’s out of the gate with a burst, and who might need to polish his crystal ball.

McCall, (-) an also ran a year ago, (-) is threatening to take the lead. Hurley, our king for the week, will be tough to beat. Then there’s Matsinko, where he always seems to be, in third place right where he finished last season.

Magda, with a year of experience under his feet, has his head above the Pundit Pit where he resided a good part (PORTION) of last year.

I have a long way to go to find my fourth(-)place finish. I’d better start soon. The largest movement in the standings often occurs within the first five weeks. After that, it becomes increasingly harder to make a serious run for the Cup.

I’m game, and feeling confident in my Week 2 picks. Right now, I’m setting my sights on the M and M Boys, Moeller and Magda, who are right in front of me.

At the top, can Hurley hang on to the lead, or will the Bossman find himself in unfamiliar territory, and that (WHICH) would be first place heading into Week 3?