in  Cablevision Service Area

 MSG Varsity is kicking off a new contest open to all high schools in the Cablevision service area, MSG Varsity’s Mascot Dash to the Desk. Mascot Dash to the Desk offers schools the opportunity to submit a photo of their school mascot online at msgvarsity.com from April 14^–21 to be eligible for the grand prize – a brand new mascot costume for their high school (worth up to $6,000) and a guest appearance by the school’s mascot on MSG Varsity’s signature daily sports show, High School SportsDesk, on Cablevision’s iO TV (Channel 14).

 From the submissions, a maximum of 80 schools will be selected to compete in the contest. Over five weeks, the mascots will compete in “heats” for weekly prizes. Online voting will determine the 20 finalists that will go on to compete in the final sprint to win the grand prize. Online voting will also determine the Mascot Dash to the Desk Champion. The grand prize, 2^nd & 3^rd place winners will be announced on June 6^th.

 “Based on the success of our first contest School Spirit Mania, we wanted to find another interactive way for high school students to showcase their school spirit,” said Philip Summers, VP Marketing for MSG Varsity. “And a mascot race was the answer. We’re looking forward to getting the Dash to the Desk started to find out which school mascot will be voted champion and be receiving a make-over.”

 For more information on Dash to the Desk and to see the weekly prize packages please go to www.msgvarsity.com.

 

MSG Varsity includes a multi-platform suite of services, made up of a 24/7 television network that airs on Cablevision’s iO TV service, channel 14; a comprehensive online destination, msgvarsity.com; and a groundbreaking interactive service, channel 614 – all spotlighting extracurricular activities and events at local high schools. 

 

About MSG Varsity

MSG Varsity is a multi-platform suite of services comprised of: a 24/7 television network, a comprehensive online destination, and a groundbreaking interactive service, all dedicated to high school sports, academics and activities happening throughout the tri-state area.  Content for these services includes MSG Varsity’s professionally produced programming as well as content created by the high schools themselves.  Working in partnership with MSG Varsity, students and faculty are given extraordinary access to curriculum and training in multimedia creation and distribution, empowering them to become active participants in telling their school’s stories.  MSG Varsity is a Cablevision exclusive service not available to satellite or phone company TV subscribers and reaches three million households throughout the New York market.  For more information, please visit www.msgvarsity.com.

 

 

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The post DOES YOUR HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?ENTER MSG VARSITY’S MASCOT DASH TO THE DESK NOW first appeared on River View Observer.

Former NBA player John Celestand has come back to his New Jersey roots, as a Garden State basketball play-by-play announcer for MSG Varsity. Celestand (on right) is pictured with fellow sports producer Lou Brogno.

 

BETHPAGE, N.Y., January 25, 2010 – John Celestand, former NBA player and member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship team in 2000, has come back to his New Jersey roots, as a Garden State basketball play-by-play announcer for MSG Varsity.

 Celestand, an alumnus of Piscataway High School, helped lead the Chiefs to two consecutive County Championships. He went on to play at Villanova University scoring, 227 points in 124 career games from 1995-99. He was drafted in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft by the Lakers.

 On his new role at MSG Varsity, Celestand said, “Not every kid can play in the NBA or in college. But how about being the announcer that gets to say a kid’s name for the first time? It’s phenomal and I am very excited to be a part of this.”

 About MSG Varsity

MSG Varsity is a multi-platform suite of services comprised of: a 24/7 television network, a comprehensive online destination, and a groundbreaking interactive service, all dedicated to high school sports, academics and activities happening throughout the tri-state area.  Content for these services includes MSG Varsity’s professionally produced programming as well as content created by the high schools themselves.  Working in partnership with MSG Varsity, students and faculty are given extraordinary access to curriculum and training in multimedia creation and distribution, empowering them to become active participants in telling their school’s stories.  MSG Varsity is a Cablevision exclusive service not available to satellite or phone company TV subscribers and reaches three million households throughout the New York market.  For more information, please visit www.msgvarsity.com.

The post Former NBA Player John Celestand Joins MSG Varsity first appeared on River View Observer.

Born and raised on Long Island, Richy Petrello has seen his career come full circle; complete with a meteoric upswing and a tumbling downfall, only to rise from the ashes like a Phoenix. If you knew Richy back in the day, he was a fierce Sax cat – the man was a Rock and roll terrorist, terrorizing his own body with alcohol and drugs, waking up in his own vomit.

Richy lived this cliché of sex, drugs and rock and roll for many years; getting caught up in the ebbs and flows and eventually succumbing to the temptations and the perks that came with living the rock star life. Then, as if by some divine intervention, like a flash of light coming down from heaven, he meets and falls in love with Cathe, like an angel she transformed him into a Rock And Roll Humanitarian.

For a short period of time afterwards, he turned away from his music; believing that the entertainment business and everything associated with it was to blame for his rapid descent into drugs and depression. But after some reflection on this, he realized his music was not the key to his downfall, but instead was the thing that would ultimately save him. Since that fateful moment of clarity, he has successfully used music to reach out to others, helping them to not fall into the same trap he fell into, and at the same time to bring joy to people across the globe.

Today this former rock star is on top of the world in many ways; first and foremost as a proud father who has instilled music and generosity into his three young daughters, who now make up the current buzz band,

Petrel.  Ages 17-23, the girls offer a pop sound that is refreshing and unique. These young Pop Humanitarians bring their uplifting brand of music to the far reaches of the world with the hope of touching those who have been under served and ignored; and they don’t need a song with pseudo-controversy like Katy Perryâ€s I kissed a girl; they have actually kissed AIDS babies!

With this ethos in mind, the family, Richy and Cathe Petrello with their daughters Jessica, Rebekah and Destiny (Petrel) has spent the past several years travelling to remote villages in Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba and Mexico, to the Mayan Jungle, to orphanages in India, China, Belize, Guatemala and to places such as the Metro Church Childrenâ€s Outreach’ in Bushwick, Brooklyn – reaching out to these diverse communities by preparing food, playing with the kids, and teaching them songs. He’s not like some Bono writing a check to save the rain forest. This guy brings his horn to the mud and blood of Haiti, into the Mayan Jungle and to other god forsaken places.

Learn more about Richy Petrello by going to http://www.myspace.com/richypetrello

Learn more about Petrel by going to http://www.myspace.com/petrelmusic

ABOUT RICHY PETRELLO
In his 35+ years in music, Richy has gained notoriety and respect in many facets of the business: playing sax and vocalizing with the likes of Brian Setzer and The Stray Cats, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Don Henley, Carly Simon, Reba Macintyre, Dion, Foreigner, The Cars & Steve Vai and producing, writing and/or directing events for The Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Halftime Show, The Monday Night Football Halftime Show, ABC, ESPN and Back at the Ranch. He is also a past winner of the Hope for Children International Humanitarian Award.  Additionally, Mr Petrello holds an honorary doctorate in music management and is an active voting member of The Recording Academy (The Grammys).

The post The Partridge Family meets the Red Cross? Mother Teresa with a saxophone. first appeared on River View Observer.