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Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Chris Kirn of Digital Scoreboards to Straight Lines, brought to you in part by Bluebook Sports, the game’s trusted directory since 1909, connecting businesses directly with players, parents, and coaches. Download the app today. Chris traces his path from hand-painting billboards at nineteen, to Lamar Advertising, to Pepsi, to co-founding Digital Scoreboards twelve years ago. The company was meant to help just one school in Illinois. Chris and his wife bought out his business partner in 2024, and the company has since grown from twelve employees to fifty-five. He explains the five core values he built the company around, how they hire and retrain on them every month, and why he believes the most important thing in business is how you make people feel. He makes the case that a video scoreboard is more than a scoreboard. It’s a tool that can bring in new revenue, spotlight non-athletes and student artwork, and serve as the front door to a school community. Chris also talks about the game operations curriculum his team has built, now in more than seventy schools, with a goal of educating ten thousand students by the end of 2028. He shares what he’s learned watching his kids, Griffin and Emmy, compete in college baseball and soccer: the work is never done, there are no shortcuts, and life is full of pain, uncertainty, and constant hard work. To Chris, straight lines means doing the right thing while working for something bigger than yourself. A must-listen for business owners building culture through growth, athletic directors and educators thinking about what a scoreboard can do for a community, and young professionals who want to know what hiring managers look for beyond the resume.

On this episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania, presented by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, host Tim Neiman sits down with Lou Pektor, founder of Ashley Development, which he started in 1989 and grew from residential development into major commercial and mixed-use projects across the Lehigh Valley. Lou explains why he left investment banking for real estate, where you can persevere and see your way through instead of giving gains back to the market, and why he believes you can’t be a part-timer in any business: you’re either all in or out. He walks through some of his best-known work, including Riverport, a former Bethlehem Steel armament building turned into condominiums, a sports bar, and a fitness center, and the downtown Bethlehem buildings he rebuilt along Broad and Main. Much of the conversation focuses on data centers. Lou explains what they do and why they power everything from cell phones to medical and financial processing. He describes his own 1,100-acre campus on the site of a former coal-fired power plant, with more than a gigawatt of grid power secured. He addresses community concerns about the electric grid, water, noise, and jobs, and talks about the $50 million community benefit package his team has put forward. He closes with hard-earned advice: be optimistic, but be realistic about time and budget, because most mistakes come when you run out of one or both. To Lou, straight lines means playing the long game and sticking with the vision you started with. A must-listen for entrepreneurs and developers weighing risk and commitment, residents trying to understand what a data center could mean for their township, and anyone who wants a straight-talking look at what it takes to build something that lasts.

Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Jeff Grose to Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports, the game’s trusted directory since 1909, connecting businesses directly with players, parents, and coaches. Download the app today. Jeff was drafted by the New York Mets at seventeen and went on to become a retired teacher, therapist, and certified life coach. He is the subject and co-author, with Richard Strack, of the memoir Wild Pitch: Baseball, Booze, and the Beast Within. He recalls a childhood shaped by a World War II veteran father who struggled with alcoholism, and the anger that grew inside him as a teenager. He also tells how a pitching coach’s advice in his first season turned a near release into a one-hit shutout. Jeff explains how pitching through a torn labrum and an unwillingness to adapt cut his career short in 1978, and how the years that followed became a blur of drugs and alcohol. He shares the night his ten-year-old son was found on the couch with a neighbor, and how that moment, along with his younger brother’s sobriety, started his road to recovery at thirty-three. Now eighteen years clean, he describes returning to college in his forties, graduating at fifty, and teaching English at his old high school. He credits a conversation with a young man in a correctional facility for his career change. Jeff speaks candidly about what people misunderstand about addiction, why recovery is a daily journey, and why meeting students where they are matters more than delivering curriculum. He closes by describing straight lines as finding the path you were meant to be on and staying on it. A must-listen for anyone touched by addiction, whether their own or a family member’s, coaches and teachers who want to reach struggling kids, and anyone who needs proof that it’s never too late to change course.

On this episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania, presented by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, host Tim Neiman sits down with his former boss and friend, Fr. James Greenfield, Oblate priest and president of DeSales University. A graduate of Allentown College (now DeSales) and Father Judge High School in Philadelphia, Fr. Greenfield describes returning to lead the school as one of the deepest blessings of his life, and shares the quote that guides his sense of vocation: the place God calls you is where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need. He explains what people misunderstand about running a university, comparing it to juggling a chainsaw, a feather, and a tomato, and to being the mayor of a small city. His leadership habits are simple: pray every morning to be non-defensive, “loiter with intent” by spending at least an hour on campus each day, and “see everything, overlook a lot, correct a little.” He and Tim also dig into Salesian spirituality, which he calls a spirituality of relationship built on humility, gentleness, and the “little virtues.” They cover how DeSales is approaching the ethical use of AI, why students need human encounter more than ever, and what it means to form good people and not just successful ones. Asked what straight lines means to him, Fr. Greenfield points to his friends, who keep him grounded, and to grit, the perseverance to stay focused on the long-term good. A must-listen for leaders looking to build trust through presence, educators and coaches thinking about how to reach today’s students, and anyone who wants a reminder that servant leadership starts with caring about the people in front of you.

Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Jay Jackson to Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports, the game's trusted directory since 1909, connecting businesses directly with players, parents, and coaches. Download the app today. Jay pitched for six major league clubs (San Diego, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Atlanta, Toronto, and Minnesota) and spent time in Japan across a seventeen-year professional career. He looks back at what a seventeen-year-old doesn't understand about pro baseball, namely how much of it is a business, and why gratitude and showing up for each day kept him in the game. Jay shares the support system that carried him: his mom's "go take a nap" test for deciding whether a problem is real, and his parents' simple question, "Are you happy?" He also tells the story of a low point, trying to afford a wedding on a minor league salary, and the winter ball offer that arrived right after he asked for a sign, one he says marked a turning point in the second half of his career. Jay talks about his book, Nine Innings to Living Your Best Life, and the SMILE curriculum and app he's building to help young athletes stay in sports longer, build positive foundations, and handle the reality that most kids will never play professionally. He closes with a driving analogy for what straight lines means to him: you're the one behind the wheel, and every pothole is a choice between staying positive and getting it fixed or letting negativity run you off the road. A must-listen for young athletes and parents navigating the ups and downs of player development, anyone feeling stuck who needs a reminder to build a "positivity snowball," and coaches who want to help kids carry the lessons of sport well beyond the field.

On this episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania, presented by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, host Tim Neiman welcomes John Graham, Senior Network Administrator for Lifestyle Health and Wellness, Fitness and Sports Performance at St. Luke's University Health Network, and recipient of the 2026 Boyd Epley Award for NSCA Lifetime Contributions. John traces his path from a football player at the University of Pittsburgh who planned to become a physical therapist, to a career-changing conversation with strength coach Buddy Morris that pushed him into exercise science just as the profession was taking shape. He reflects on how much the field has changed, from the old three-days-a-week gym guidance to today's push for daily movement, and how St. Luke's lets his team focus on patient and athlete care rather than insurance protocols. John also shares his approach to youth sports and parenting: skip the car ride critique, wait twenty-four hours, and treat the last player on the roster with the same attention as the star, because you never know who will surprise you. He closes with the standard he lives by: it's not what you do when everybody's watching that matters, it's what you do when nobody is. A must-listen for young people considering a career in exercise science and sports performance, parents and coaches looking to keep youth sports fun, and anyone who believes the little things done consistently, and without recognition, are what make a difference.

Coach Tim Neiman welcomes ESPN college baseball analyst Mike Rooney to Straight Lines — brought to you by Bluebook Sports, the game's trusted directory since 1909, connecting businesses directly with players, parents, and coaches. Download the app today. Mike traces his roots to a sports-obsessed childhood in suburban Philadelphia, where his father coached track and cross country at Monsignor Bonner before becoming a stockbroker, and where Little League glory was the dream of every twelve-year-old in town. He shares the story of walking on to Notre Dame's baseball team as an overmatched freshman under a young, deathly serious head coach named Pat Murphy — now the Milwaukee Brewers' manager — and playing all four years alongside future big leaguer Craig Counsell despite checking his locker every day certain he'd been cut. Mike opens up about the unseen preparation behind broadcasting the Road to Omaha, why college baseball coaches remain refreshingly open compared to football and basketball, and the parallel he draws between a manager's toughest in-game decision — when to pull a pitcher — and the hardest calls leaders face in business and personnel. He closes with a candid, vulnerable take on what "straight lines" means to him as a self-described chronic overthinker: not a perfect path, but keeping his eyes fixed down the field even when life knocks him backward. A must-listen for walk-ons and underdogs chasing a roster spot, leaders wrestling with tough personnel decisions, and any baseball fan curious what really goes on behind the ESPN broadcast desk.

On this episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania, presented by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, host Tim Neiman welcomes Kate Corcoran, current Director of Athletics at Millersville University and a former standout student-athlete and champion at DeSales University. Kate traces her 26-year administrative career — from an early stint coaching at Neumann College and Cabrini College, to sports information and NCAA compliance work at Penn State Berks, to leadership roles at Rosemont College and Cabrini University (including a 2019 national championship run and Cabrini's eventual acquisition by Villanova), and finally to her current post navigating Division II scholarships and a unionized state system at Millersville. She breaks down her guiding leadership philosophy — "lead where you are" regardless of title, and become the expert of whatever room you're in — and reflects on how her formative years as a student-athlete at DeSales shaped the leader she is today, crediting mentors who saw potential in her before she saw it in herself. Kate closes with hard-won advice for young people stepping into leadership: find your voice and use it even when you doubt its value, stay a lifelong student of your profession, and always turn back to lift others up as you climb. A must-listen for young professionals finding their voice in the workplace, athletic administrators navigating a career across NCAA divisions, and anyone who believes real leadership means reaching back to bring others up with you.

Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Kevin Burrell to Straight Lines — brought to you by Bluebook Sports, the game's trusted directory since 1909, connecting businesses directly with players, parents, and coaches. Download the app today. Kevin was a first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox out of high school in 1981, spending eleven seasons in professional baseball before transitioning into scouting in 1992 — a career that's now spanned nearly four decades and included a hand in signing talents like Gordon Beckham and Justin Green. He reflects on what he didn't understand as an eighteen-year-old pro — the demands of managing his own time — and how baseball taught him patience and how to endure failure as a path to progress, not perfection. Kevin shares his simple framework for evaluating players and people, "F.A.T." — faithful, available, teachable — and speaks candidly about two of the hardest leadership lessons to learn with age: saying no to good things to make room for the best things, and truly listening to understand rather than just to respond. He closes with a powerful reflection on legacy, sharing that his deepest hope isn't to be remembered as a great scout, but as someone who cared more about the people he coached and scouted — their character and their soul — than their stats. A must-listen for young players learning to manage the demands of pro ball, coaches and scouts evaluating character over talent, and anyone thinking seriously about the legacy they want to leave behind.

On this episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania, presented by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, host Tim Neiman welcomes Chad Bruckner — Army combat veteran, fifteen-year police officer currently serving at Lehigh University, author, screenwriter, and filmmaker. Chad traces his path from a childhood shaped by financial instability and a drive to care for others, to enlisting in the Army at seventeen, to leading an infantry squad in Iraq at just twenty-four — an experience he says exposed and amplified everything about his values, work ethic, and character. He opens up about the emotional weight of watching 9/11 unfold from his barracks in Fort Lewis and how it reignited his commitment to serve, ultimately shaping his transition into law enforcement. Chad speaks candidly about the politicization of policing today, the importance of listening to understand rather than simply responding, and the staggering fact that less than one percent of Americans work across police, fire, EMS, and corrections combined to keep society running. He closes with practical advice for anyone looking to break into law enforcement or criminal justice: there's no single pipeline, so be your own advocate, find a mentor, and put yourself in front of real people rather than waiting on an email. A must-listen for veterans navigating a transition into civilian service careers, young people considering law enforcement or criminal justice, and anyone who wants a first-person account of what it really takes to serve, in and out of uniform.

Coach Tim Neiman welcomes former big leaguer Erik Kratz to Straight Lines — brought to you by Bluebook Sports, the game's trusted directory since 1909, connecting businesses directly with players, parents, and coaches. Download the app today. A Christopher Dock High School and Eastern Mennonite University product, Erik didn't reach the majors until age 30 after grinding through the minors for a decade, ultimately suiting up for ten different big league organizations across an eleven-year MLB career that included a 2014 All-Star nod and a World Series run with the Royals. He opens up about the faith and partnership with his wife that carried him through years of uncertainty, the toll constant relocation took on his family — including the surreal night he learned mid-shower he'd been traded from the Blue Jays to Kansas City with just hours to pack up his household — and why family stability, not talent, ultimately ended his playing career. Erik also shares behind-the-scenes stories from the clubhouse, including watching a struggling Christian Yelich turn in one of the greatest second-half stretches he's ever seen, and makes the case for chronically underrated catcher Carlos Ruiz, who caught three no-hitters and a perfect game without ever making an All-Star team. He closes with a powerful message on patience for young players chasing instant results: every day is one step forward, even when it doesn't feel like it. A must-listen for players and parents navigating the grind of player development, anyone who's faced a sudden career upheaval, and fans who want the real story behind a decade-plus of bouncing between big league clubhouses.

On this episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania, presented by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, host Tim Neiman sits down with veteran sports journalist Tom Housenick, senior writer for The Morning Call covering the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Phillies prospects, and regional high school sports for nearly two decades. Tom traces his own anything-but-straight path — a false start as a pre-pharmacy major, a switch to communications, and a career built almost entirely on being in the right place at the right time rather than chasing opportunities. He shares a formative childhood memory of inventing homemade dice-and-cards baseball games with a neighbor, a chance meeting as a teenager with a Lakers beat writer that shaped his approach to journalism, and the hard lesson of finding his own voice instead of imitating other writers' styles. Tom opens up about his unlikely rise to sports editor, how his wife Mandy finally pushed him to speak up for himself at The Morning Call — leading to his current beat covering IronPigs and Phillies prospects — and shares behind-the-scenes stories of watching young players like Mark Appel and Andrew Painter navigate the mental grind of professional baseball with maturity and professionalism, win or lose. A must-listen for aspiring journalists learning to find their authentic voice, baseball fans curious what really goes on behind the scenes with prospects, and anyone who's ever needed a reminder that the best opportunities rarely arrive on a straight path.

Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Brian Sackinsky to Straight Lines — brought to you by Bluebook Sports, the game's trusted directory since 1909, connecting businesses directly with players, parents, and coaches. Download the app today. Brian's path is anything but a straight line: a standout pitcher at Stanford under the legendary Mark Marquess, a second-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles who pitched in the big leagues, and later a sales and marketing executive at Nike, Foot Locker, Mizuno, and U.S. Sports Camps. He opens up about the lowest point of his playing career — a brutally honest phone call with his father after a demotion to rookie ball — and how redefining success on his own terms turned everything around. Brian shares hard-won lessons on resilience, short-term memory, and treating mistakes as part of the process, both on the mound and in the boardroom. He also talks about his newest venture, Pulse Check, a parent-coaching platform he built with his daughter to help sports parents navigate pressure, identity, and the car ride home. A wide-ranging conversation on leadership, reinvention, and what it really means to build trust — with your team, your customers, and your kids.

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Matt Provence — Chief Operating Officer of the Lehigh Valley Zoo, former voice of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs for twelve seasons, and one of the most recognizable personalities in Lehigh Valley sports — to this episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania, brought to you by Bluebook Sports and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce — visit lehighvalleychamber.org to discover the power of connection and community on every main street. Matt's story is one of the most unexpected and entertaining career pivots the show has ever featured — from dreaming of a Major League broadcasting chair, to calling games at spring training with the Phillies, to chasing a startup football league all the way to San Diego, to stumbling across a zoo COO job posting on Indeed and never looking back. He and Coach Neiman dig into what running a world-class zoo actually looks like behind the scenes — the Lunar Light Spectacular, the daily operational chaos, the septic systems, the ladders, and the hammers — and why Matt's two non-negotiable hiring standards are loyalty and work ethic, full stop, degree or no degree. Matt also shares the broadcasting memory that made him realize he was good enough, why the Iron Pigs taught him everything he knows about entertaining families, and what he hopes people say about the mark he left when his time at the zoo is done. His straight lines definition — stay focused on the most important ball you're juggling, tackle what you keep putting off, and stack good days one at a time — is as practical and grounded as it gets. A must-listen for leaders, career changers, and anyone in the Lehigh Valley who has ever wondered what goes on behind the gates at lbzoo.org.

Coach Tim Neiman sits down with Mike Sarbaugh, a true baseball lifer with 40 years in the professional game. A former All-Southland Conference shortstop at Lamar University, Sarbaugh spent six seasons in Cleveland's minor league system before becoming one of the winningest managers in the organization's history — five league championships, seven playoff appearances in nine seasons, and back-to-back Manager of the Year honors. From there he moved into the big leagues, coaching first base, then third base and infield for a decade with the Indians/Guardians, stepping in as bench coach during Terry Francona's health absence, and later coaching third for the New York Mets. Today he's the minor league infield coordinator for the San Francisco Giants. Mike opens up about the leadership lessons that carried him from the dugout to the front office: staying consistent no matter the score, checking in on the guy who had a rough night instead of the one riding high, and teaching young players to walk in with a plan instead of getting swallowed by clubhouse distractions. He shares two pivotal conversations from his own playing days — one from a coach, one from a pitching coach — that changed his mindset and, ultimately, his career. Plus a fun rapid-fire round covering the best and worst ballparks he's coached in, rowdiest fans, and unforgettable moments like Rajai Davis's Game 7 home run and Pete Alonso's walk-off blast. A must-listen for anyone chasing longevity in a tough business, coaches looking to sharpen how they communicate with their teams, and baseball fans who want the inside story from a guy who's seen it all — from A-ball to the World Series.