‘Different worlds’ | Sports Daily Newsletter

With his Father Judge teammates celebrating their Catholic League semifinal win in the background and the other game underway, Derrick Morton-Rivera said the quiet part out loud.

What drew the star guard, now a freshman at Temple, to Judge?

The coaches “recruited me,” he said.

Recruiting. It’s a topic of debate for coaches, parents, players, and even lawmakers across the state — so much so that House Bill No. 41, which would allow the PIAA to create separate postseasons, passed the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in April.

In the latest installation of his occasional series, Mike Sielski unpacks the complex web of recruiting in high school sports — the dynamics between districts and the perks that are promised — in Philly and beyond.

— Maria McIlwain, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

❓What sports did you play in high school? Did you have a favorite? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

Just a couple months ago, Brandon Marsh was an All-Star.

It’s pretty much ben all downhill from there. As Marsh’s star rose, teams began attacking him differently, and interim manager Don Mattingly noted that he’s gotten fewer pitches in the strike zone in the second half of the season. But the left fielder hasn’t been able to adjust.

Zack Wheeler dazzled for seven scoreless innings in the Phillies’ shut out win over the Nationals.

Next: The road trip continues as the Phillies head to New York to face the Mets (7:15 p.m., Fox29). New York’s Nolan McLean (11-9, 3.24 ERA) will face Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.69).

It’s time to sound the alarm. The Phillies entered Wednesday a half-game behind the Cubs for first place in the wild-card race and just 3½ games ahead of the Diamondbacks, who are the first team out of the three-team wild-card pool.

The bullpen is a mess, the defense and baserunning are as bad as ever, and the starting pitching is starting to wear down — Jesús Luzardo is the latest to go on the injured list.

Stars like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, and Luis Arraez will make a combined $111.2 million this season.

Now would be a good time for them to start earning it.

Cooper DeJean appeared to get hurt in the second quarter of the Eagles’ season-opening win. He grabbed the left side of his abdomen after making a tackle but didn’t miss any snaps because of the injury. He struggled in coverage at times, however.

Now, he’s sitting out in practice.

DeJean, who appeared to be wearing a sleeve on his left leg, sat out for the portion of practice open to the media on Wednesday with calf and abdomen injuries, though he expects to get on the field as the team prepares to face the Titans.

Meanwhile, Jalyx Hunt got to spend some time with his “little sisters” at Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls this week.

Next: The Birds hit the road for the first time this season and will take on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday (1 p.m., Fox29).

It’s officially time to “do that hockey.” Flyers training camp opens today, and they’re looking to improve upon last season, when they stormed into the second round of the playoffs. They bring back a young, healthy core, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any questions surrounding the team and its top players, like Matvei Michkov.

And as a new season begins, here are some key story lines we’re following entering camp.

Next: Flyers training camp opens today in Voorhees.

On Sept. 17, 1920, 14 teams paid $100 to join the American Professional Football Association, which became the NFL. The league adopted its current name in 1922, and the Eagles joined the fold in 1933. Now, after almost a century in existence, the Birds have two Super Bowl trophies to their name and three other NFL championships from the pre-Super Bowl era.

We asked: Who is your favorite sports media personality of all time and why? Among your responses:

Al Meltzer … “It’s a barn burner.” — William R.

My favorite sports personality was, without a doubt, Richie Ashburn. The combination of humor and baseball knowledge was unparalleled. His interaction with Harry Kalas was priceless. I ran into Richie twice and found that he was just as genuine in person as he seemed to be on air. John Kruk comes close, but nobody can totally replace Ashburn. — Tom E.

The late great Jim Healy, the legendary Los Angeles sports commentator who entertained all sports fans in the greater L.A. area for 43 years with his irreverent and original style. He poked fun at everybody in the sports world and some outside such as Richard Nixon. He had names for everyone such as “Bone Spur Bill” for Bill Walton, and “Brain Surgeons” for the USC Trojans. He played tapes of Tommy Lasorda and others where he bleeped out all the cuss words. He had great fun mocking our late Jerome Brown and his famous comments prior to the Miami-Penn State national championship in the Fiesta Bowl. A wild half hour every week day night. — Everett S.

I used to love to listen to Bill Campbell doing Eagles games prior to MR. — Bill B.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Mike Sielski, Scott Lauber, Marcus Hayes, Rob Tornoe, Conor Smith, Mia Messina, Olivia Reiner, and Gustav Elvin.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for reading along! Kerith will be back in your inboxes tomorrow morning. — Maria