Episode 121: The One About The Forgotten Dynasty: Scranton Eagles Football

Cold Open Question of the Week: Did you ever go to a Scranton Eagles football game?Tonight we welcome Ben Payavis and John Kennedy, producers of the upcoming WVIA TV documentary film, The Forgotten Dynasty: Scranton Eagles Football. Covering the birth of the semi-pro football team in 1971, as the Lackawanna County Eagles, to the team’s re-birth in 1982, as the Scranton Eagles, and capturing the work, dedication, camaraderie and personalities that led to the franchise’s 11 Empire Football League championships, 4 national championships, and a 40-game winning streak, the film includes more than 30 interviews with former players, coaches, front office personnel, cheerleaders, and owner.Watch TheBrianLennonShow on Substack:The Guests:Ben Payavis – Chief Content Officer & Executive Producer at WVIA Public Media. He also serves on the Emmy Board of Governors, representing the Northeast Region and PA Public Media, and was recently elected to the Board of Governors for the Mid-Atlantic National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Ben also played offensive guard for the Scranton Eagles from 1987-94.John Kennedy – Serves as Northeast Director of National Football Events, which operates USFA regional tournaments, National Bowl Weekend and the Casino Bowl, a national semi-pro football all-star game. John, who played 24 seasons (1983-2006) for the Eagles, is also in the semi-pro football Hall of Fame.Tonight, we’ll discuss the culture of winning that surrounded the Eagles, from the owner and coaches to the players, something that came to be known as “the Eagles Way.”We discuss the bonds and relationships the players built with one another, thanks to three practices a week and raucous bus rides, that last until today, more than 40 years since they began.Watch the Trailer:The Forgotten Dynasty: Scranton Eagles Football will premiere Thursday, November 14th on WVIA TV. It will show at 7 p.m. and again at 9 p.m.For more about the Scranton Eagles and to see more clips from the documentary, check out WVIA.Follow can also follow WVIA on Facebook to learn more about viewing the film.TheBrianLennonShow is supported by you. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a FREE or paid subscriber. Get full access to TheBrianLennonShow at thebrianlennonshow.substack.com/subscribe