Philly Sports Phan's Christmas Wish List For The Eagles

It was my intention to write a post prior to Christmas that included a wish list for our local sports teams. However, with a sick baby and my mom in the hospital, I got pretty busy this week and never got around to writing that post. Nonetheless, since it is still technically "Christmas Week" (well, as long as it is still "Bowl Week" on ESPN, it is still "Christmas Week" to me), I figure I can still get a way with publishing at least an Eagles' Wish List. So what the hell, here it is.....

-First off, no matter who else this team adds, the two most important components of this team (Big Red and D Mac) need to come to peace with issues that destroyed the early part of '07. Hopefully, for the sake of our football team and the Reid family, Andy's good for nothing kids take a break from being public nuisances and allow Andy to get his head back on straight. As for D Mac, it appears that his knee is just about 100%, but he needs to get his head right also. He's been moping around all year since Kevin Kolb was drafted. The front office needs to let him know that he is wanted around here by telling him how important he is and then adding some weapons to his arsenal. Which brings us to the next part....

-The Birds need to draft another TE to team up with Brent Celek and re-sign Donte Stallworth as a free agent. Donte fit in fine here and I'm sure he wouldn't mind coming back and being a big part of our offense again.

-Re-stock the secondary. This team needs at least one more solid corner and likely another depth guy since Lito is perpetually hurt. He's been on the injured list so often, I'm starting to think he has hyphenated his last name to Sheppard-Questionable. Plus, at least one more safety is needed as a starter and another to be Dawk's eventual replacement at Free Safety.

-Another defensive end that can rush the passer. Trent Cole could use a little help. JT is a nice complimentary guy, but he does not give you the consistent rush that we would all like. Or....JJ could just turn Gocong loose on passing downs from the other end like he did in limited situations this year.

-A quiet offseason where everyone overlooks our chances. I love when everyone in the national media overlooks us.

-A return to the '06 performance levels for Todd Heremanns, Jamaal Jackson and even Shawn Andrews. All three were much better last year than in '07.


-Continued health in '08 for Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan. Both tackles played great in '07. We need them to remain at that level and stay healthy in '08 because we all know who the alternative is: Winston "Turnstile" Justice.

-As long as we're talking about the continuation of events from '07, let's hope Mike Patterson, Trent Cole, Broderick Bunkley, Omar Gaither, Chris Gocong, and Stewart Bradley take the next step and really contribute in '08.


-Another spectacular year from B West. This is one of the tragedies of '07. The Birds absolutely shitted away a fabulous year from Westbrook.



Wow...the Birds sure have a lot of work ahead of them, huh?

Merry Belated Christmas!

After taking another one of my patented writing breaks, I'm back once again to dispense my thoughts on the topics of the day as they relate to the Philadelphia sports world.

While the Christmas sports season is usually quiet when you have a football team that failed to qualify for the playoffs, a few things have happend around Philly which have been mildly interesting. So let's run through them, shall we:

Eagles Beat Up Saints - Sunday, was by far the most fun I've spent watching an Eagles game all year. The offense clicked and the defense made a number of big plays. D Mac looked to have turned back the clock a couple of years and made throws he did not even attempt a good part of the season. Plus, it seemed to me that Marty and Big Red called a good game as they put their "players in position to make plays". The best part about the defensive performance was the play of kids like Trent Cole, Stewart Bradley, Omar Gaither, Chris Gocong, Mike Patterson and Broderick Bunkley. It was great to see the kids step up and show that they could be effective in the National Football League.

As great as they looked, our enthusiasm should be tempered by two things: (1) the Saints down right stink defensively; and (2) our Birds had absolutely NO pressure on them. Additionally, I got a laugh out of the media's wild mood change over this team in the last two weeks. After the Giants loss, the story we saw a number of times was that this team did not have the top end talent needed to win in the NFL. Now, after two wins against the Cowboys and the Saints, the question has become "how far away is this team from becoming a contender?" Peter King even called the Birds the best team to not make the playoffs.

Am I alone in thinking that this rash change in opinion is a bit curious? The Birds beat the Cowboys who were playing with a QB that couldn't grip the ball and then beat a Saints team that was terrible defensively and beat up on offense. As for my thoughts on the topic, I am in the middle on their proximity to becoming a contender again. I think they need help in a lot of spots (DE, TE, WR, S and CB) and really need to figure out the McNabb situation before I can look at this team as a contender.

Stewart Bradley is Canonized - I agree with the rest of the Delaware Valley. Stew had a nice half of football against the Saints and I hope it is a peek at what he can become, but can we put away the annoiting oil for at least another week?

Sheldon Brown Blames Big Red For Playoff-less Season - Ok, maybe he didn't come right out and blame Andy, but Sheldon sure calls out the coaching staff for making the team feel tight earlier in the season. As PFT explained, I'm a bit surprised this statement has been followed up by the other Philly media outlets.

Flyers Falling Apart - After their fast start, it sure sucks to see the Orange & Black starting to fall apart, but wasn't this somewhat expected? There was a huge turnover on this roster from last year and at times it stil seems like they are learning to play with each other. Hopefully, this team comes together in a hurry and tightens up their defensive lapses. Plus, how many Flyer teams have we seen in the last decade where the team is peaking in January and then falls apart in March and April? Maybe this team gets it together at the right time.

He is So Taguchi and I am So Excited - Of course, my excitement about the pickup of Taguchi, has nothing to do with his prowess as a pinch hitter and defensive outfielder. It has everything to do with the clever jokes (like the one above) I can now come up based around his name.

Sixers Show Some Life - Ok, here's the portion of this post that I realize everyone will skip over. I'm sure most of you don't care (and honestly, I don't really care a whole lot either), but the Sixers have won 7 out of their last 10. I suppose it's great to see them win, but wouldn't it serve this franchise better for them to lose at a higher pace to secure a better chance at winning the lottery? Wait a second...I think I said the same thing last year and the organization screwed things up royally. Is there any reason to expect they won't do the same again? (Is there anyone still with me? Just wondering.)

I'm going to the Flyers game tomorrow night, so there may not be a post tomorrow night, but I have the day off, so hopefully I'll get something posted if my daughter permits it.

Underwhelmed

Yaaaaaaawwwwwnnnnnn.....

Today, the Phils signed outfielder Geoff Jenkins and J.D. Durbin's illegitimate brother, Chad - a jack of all trades pitcher, as part of their big splurge into free agency this winter.

These two future superstars had the following stats last year:

Jenkins: .255 BA, 21 HR and 64 RBIs with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Durbin: 6-7, 4.88 ERA in 19 starts and 17 relief appearances for the Detroit Tigers.

I have to admit, the aggressiveness of our Phils to go out and sign top notch free agents is simply astonishing. I can't take the excitement.

It Was Only A Matter Of Time

You know you are heading towards potentially the story of the year when you combine the following principals:



(1) a hot piece of ass that is trying to revive a career that is so quickly deteriorating that she's considering doing nude scenes;

(2) a loud mouthed controversial athlete who never shies away from the opportunity to make a total idiot out of himself; and

(3) a young star QB that portrays himself as a regular guy, but is actually more attention starved than Paris Hilton.

In case you missed it, T.O. has finally called out his QB and accused him of being more concerned with chasing women than concentrating on his job. Here are his comments:

"Right now, Jessica Simpson is not a fan favorite - in this locker room or in Texas Stadium. With everything that has happened, obviously with the way Tony played and the comparison between her and Carrie Underwood, I think a lot of people feel she has taken his focus away. Other than that, she was high on my list until last week. Oh, I got a message for her when we make the playoffs. Just stay tuned."

You gotta love T.O. No one can screw up a team's chemistry with ridiculous comments quite like our old friend T.O. Seriously though, does this surprise anyone? You have a team ready to embark on a Super Bowl run, but T.O. thinks it's appropriate to call out his QB after one bad game that the guy tried to tough out with an injured thumb.

Although, we all knew it was only a matter of time until T.O. popped off. I just can't believe it took him this long. In any event, I can't wait to see Tony Romo's response. I just wish he'd tell T.O. to STFU and leave him alone. Romo is a young, rich, single dude that can pull chicks the quality of Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood. He's living the dream. The last thing he needs is T.O. mucking things up for him. I have a sneaky feeling you'll see Jason Witten catch a lot more balls this week.

I love how my Cowboy fan friends are trying to downplay this story and consider it a non-issue. I can't wait until this problem begins to fester like an open wound and Romo is asked about this issue until it is beat to death.

I don't think I'm alone in saying that a story like this couldn't happen to a better team.

Attention Deficit Disorder

After watching the Flyers as of late, I am totally convinced they have ADD. They can play like world beaters for long stretches of time then they fall asleep for a couple of minutes and give up back breaking goals or take ridiculous penalties that lead to power play goals. Tonight's 3-2 loss to the Coyotes after carrying a 2-0 lead late into the second period.

Anyhow, is anyone else getting nervous that the first quarter of the Flyers' season was a mirage and the inconsistent Flyers of late is the real identity of this team? Lord, I hope not. I was really starting to think this team may have a shot to be something this year.

Maybe I should lighten up. The Orange and Black have played the last 10 games or so without their best goal scorer and they just traded for Jimmy Vandemeer which has to help their defense. (I just friggin' wish they'd bring in another defenseman that can move the puck.)

Well, I guess we'll see if this move and the return of Gagne helps the Flyers get back on track starting Friday night in Buffalo. They haven't had a lot of success there over the years, so this should be a pretty interesting game to start off the weekend.

On a totally unrelated note, I'm watching the Big Lebowski on Showtime as I write this. The scene where John Goodman destroys the Corvette, all the while yelling "Larry, this is what happens to you when you f^&k a stranger in the ass", never fails to leave me dying of laughter. God, I love movies by the Coen Brothers.

Stories That Bore Me To Tears

With so many media outlets out there all battling for our attention, it sure seems that they turn to the same stories over and over again. As sports phans, we get completely beat over the head until we cry Uncle. Seriously, how many different ways can the media discuss the Mitchell Report. I don't know about you, but that story lost all its appeal for me about five minutes after it was released. I just wanted to see who was on the list and that it quickly faded into the abyss for me. That's why I turn to blogs and message boards for most info. Sure, they might not be written as well as some of the articles in mainstream outlets, but at least I get a fresh perspective on new stories on the various sites I peruse on a daily basis.

I was looking for something new to discuss tonight, but unfortunately it seems that the media is still fixated on the Pam Oliver report and B West killing at least one owner in every fantasy football league in the country by his decision to kneel the ball on the one yard line instead of scoring an easy TD. As a result, I thought I'd talk about the various sports stories that will never die.

-Steroids in Sports: This is the number one issue that I can't take anymore. I really wish George Mitchell, Jose Canseco, Victor Conte, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Floyd Landis and Greg Anderson would just disappear from our lives as quickly as one of those one hit wonder bands of the 80's. I'm sick of tired of the conjecture over whether player X does or does not use performance enhancing drug.

In my mind, these athletes are adults. If they want to take these drugs that have long term physical effects, then why should I care? And please spare me the argument about taking away records for guys that "cheated". If you don't think that athletes would have taken steroids and HGH throughout history had they been readily available, then you are kidding yourself. Remember the old adage "if you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'"? That statement wasn't created yesterday. Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Cy Young, etc., would have taken the drugs if they were around back in their day.

-Does D Mac stay or go?: Can we please stop trying to read the tea leaves as to whether he will be back next year? Over the past season, it has become clear that he really needs to work on his game during the offseason if he hopes to once again be a winning quarterback in the National Football League. This year was basically a lost cause for D Mac being successful. Not only did they fail to surround D Mac with the necessary play makers, but they failed to tailor the offense around the weapons they did have. During the first 10 games, it was pretty clear that McNabb was not physically 100% and during his last two starts, he looked to be in better condition, but his passing mechanics and decision making ability proved to be deeply flawed.

Compounding the on field issues is D Mac's apparent resignation that he's heading out of town at the end of the year. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that he sounds like a whiney beeeyotch at every press conference when he complains about the fans booing him or the media criticizing him.

Basically, the decision to bring back McNabb comes down to two issues: (1) can he rebound next year with his mechanics and decision making to become a winning quarterback again?; and (2) With all the emotional baggage D Mac is now carrying, is it even worth it? Until both of these questions can be answered, I really don't need to spend a week seeing articles on this issue.

-Gary Bettman is killing the NHL - I never thought it was possible for one man to kill a sport. I was wrong. Gary Bettman has single handedly doomed the NHL to an afterthought of just about every sports phan in America. The only way to cure the ills of the NHL is to do to Bettman what the Corleone family did to the Nevada Senator in Godfather II. In essence, the remaining people that care about this league need to blackmail him by putting a dead hooker in his bed and threatening to turn him over to the authorities if he does not quit his job. I think this is a plausible plan. We just need to find a crime family that cares about hockey.

-The woes of the Phils' ownership - As much as the other issues annoy me, this never ending story sickens me and turns me off to the franchise as a whole. The only thing that could make the Phils' front office less likable is if they put Joe Banner in charge of baseball operations. If I have to hear one more time how they can't chase a free agent due to budget constraints, I swear I might throw up. Guys, do everyone a favor and just sell the damn team.

-Will Mo Cheeks return as the coach of the Sixers? - Seriously, who the hell cares? Until this team has another scorer to team up with Iguodala, the Sixers are a non entity to me. They could dig Red Auerbach up out of his grave, but if he's couching this band of stiffs, I'm not watching or caring.

By the way, if you were wondering whether my bitterness this evening was the direct result of losing my first round fantasy playoff game, then you are absolutely correct.

Stunner!

Every now and then a Philadelphia team will step up and pleasantly surprise you. Today, was one of those days. I think most of us expected Dallas to walk all over our Birds on their way to clinching home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Even Wade Phillips dismissed the Birds’ chances earlier in the week. Well, somehow the Birds were able to ignore all this and showed up with their most prideful, physical performance of the season.

I must admit that I was totally pulling for Dallas to score points at the end of the game as I needed Nick Folk to help pull me out of a deficit in my opening round fantasy playoff game. One time in my life, I root for Dallas and those jerks couldn’t come up big for me as I fell two points short in my game. Lord, I hate Dallas.

Several story lines stand out for me. Let’s take a brief review of these points:

-I really doubt anyone is kidding themselves about today's win. This is not a playoff team. Offensively, this team is still a train wreck. McNabb short hopped a half dozen passes, the wide receivers left several plays on the field, and the line was not able to properly protect D Mac. All this being said, this was one of the best defensive performances by an Eagles team in the last couple years.....

However, it still seemed to me that much of our success was the result of Dallas being unable to execute as the result of Romo's injured thumb.


-Speaking of Tony Romo...He might want to think twice before bringing his celebrity girl friend to any future Eagles/Dallas games in Irving. After today’s horrible display by Romo, he’s 0-2 when he brings his latest chick to Eagles/Dallas games. Last year, he brought Carrie Underwood to the Christmas game and the ‘Boys sh*t the bed. Today, with Jess Simpson in the crowd, Romo once again had one of his worst performances as a pro. I think we’re seeing a trend there. Maybe this is Romo’s kryptonite.

By the way, Jessica really looked like shit. I’m guessing Nick Lachey and John Mayer took their toll on Ms. Simpson.

-If Tony Romo’s thumb is as bad as it looked in the second half, the Cowboys’ are effed. I spent an entire season watching Rutgers’ QB Mike Teel battle through a badly injured thumb and it was an adventure every time the ball left his hand. On any given pass play, you never knew which way the ball would float out to the receiver.

-As for D Mac's performance, he still misses way too many open throws by under throwing receivers. He just seems as though his mechanics have really taken a step backwards. It was a positive sign that he moved around pretty well and looked very effective running the ball. The throw to Schobel that almost damn near killed him (that guy will totally get fined) was actually a nice pass. The pass to Celek at the end of the game was one of his nicest of the season.

-I doubt Troy Aikman will be receiving any inside information from anyone inside the Eagles’ front office after he ripped our personnel at WR. He called Kevin Curtis a #3 or #4 and Reggie Brown a #3 or #4. I can’t disagree with him, but I’m sure Joe Banner and Tom Heckert aren’t all that ecstatic over their ability to effectively evaluate talent being called into question on national tv.

-The TD pass to Reggie Brown was a perfectly designed play by Big Red and Marty Morningwheg. When Andy says “I need to do a better job of putting my players in a position to make a play”, that is what he is referring to. Brown got open by sheer design of the play.

-Does anyone else hate Wade Phillips? He just has this look about him that he is a fan of the team and won some contest to be the honorary coach for a quarter. He just not impress me as the type of guy that is a leader of men. To the contrary, he looks like a star struck goober.

-What the eff was Quentin Mikael thinking when he brought the interception out of the end zone and then subsequently fumbled it back to the ‘Boys? That was a horrendous decision.

-Lito must have noticed something on film because he totally jumped that pass he picked. TO would have been open by 30 yards had that been a stop and go.

-The DT’s played pretty well. Both Bunkley and Patterson had sacks and Dallas only rushed the ball for 53 yards.

-I loved Romo’s comment that the Eagles don’t do a great job of hiding their blitzes. He looked kind of confused at times today.

-It was nice to see Max Jean Gilles get some time today. I really believe he’ll end up as a better guard than Todd Heremanns.

-Roy Williams is the NFL’s version of Claude Lemieux. He is a flat out dirty player.

-I’m thankful that Reno Mahe and JR Reed catch kicks and don’t turn over the ball, but will anyone ever have a big kick or punt return this decade?

-That last run by B West was shocking as it was smart. I can’t believe he would give up a TD to run out the clock. I don’t think many players in today’s game would do that.

-In his post game press conference, McNabb looked totally worn out emotionally and mentally. The whole Pam Oliver mess (in case you missed it, she mentioned during the game that D Mac believes that his days in Philly are numbered as the front office is distancing themselves from him) ensures that the last few weeks will surely be entertaining off the field even if they aren’t on the field.

-Andy Reid sure was spirited in his post game press conference calling out Les Bowen of the Daily News. I wish he didn’t wait 9 years to show this kind of fire.

Overall, it’s a shame the Birds put forth an effort like today’s so late in the season. However, it was still nice to see the Birds beat the ‘Boys and watch their fans squirm in wonder as to whether their team is good enough to make a deep playoff run.

My Latest Obsession....

By now, you guys all know of my love for Bill Simmons, aka the Sports Guy. While I'm not turning my back on my make believe BFF, I've discovered a new love courtesy of a link sent to me a few weeks ago by my main man Vinny T (who is way too busy and computer illiterate to ever grace my blog with his presence).

Anyhow, I've been obsessed as of late with the writing of Clay Travis of CBS.Sportsline.com. If you are into self deprecating humor from a former attorney turned blogger, that loves college football (hey, sounds familiar!), then check out Clay's three times a week column. I find the guy hysterical and believe you will also.

Plus, as shown above, he's met the one, the only, Tim Tebow. (Clay is on the right.) I wonder if he met his freakishly hot girlfriend.

Do Yourself A Favor....

Skip Sunday's Eagles/Cowboys' game and just watch these You Tube clips from recent last year's Christmas game and the 2004 demolition of the Boys. Trust me, you'll feel much better about your Birds.





Ok...one more (I couldn't help myself.)



(By the way, I was obviously wrong about You Tube taking down every single NFL clip. I guess a couple are still out there.)

Remember The Good Times

I don't care who has a problem with the following statement....

I miss T.O. I'll shout it from the mountain tops...I MISS T.O.!!!!

Our Birds are so freakin' boring now. All we do is complain about our declining QB and our distracted coach. Something tells me we'd have been fine if Banner just ponied up a few bucks.

Well, here is a You Tube clip to help "remember the good times":



I wish I could find some game action to post, but the friggin' NFL won't let anyone post actual NFL footage on You Tube. What a bunch of cock blockers.

Do You Know Where You Will Be In 2019? Mike Richards Does

Today, the Flyers signed their leading scorer, Mike Richards, to a 12 year, $69 million contract extension. Yes, you read that right. Twelve years!!!

Frankly, I'm stunned. I've been as excited as anyone to see the improvement in Richards' all around game this season, but 12 years? Really? After a quarter season of improvement, we lavished a 12 year contract on a guy that had been projected to be a Mike Peca type shutdown center that could score 20 goals in a good season.

While it does seem a bit extreme to sign Richards for twelve years, I understand why it was done and how it makes sense financially. (We get financial certainty with a guy that even if he doesn't become an outstanding scorer, will be a team leader and major contributor for years to come.) I'm also thankful to know he's not going anywhere as I really enjoy watching him play, which is a good thing because he's not going anywhere, anytime soon.

After hearing about this contract, I had several thoughts go through my mind:

-How jealous is Joe Banner that he didn't come up with a salary cap favorable deal like this? Something tells me he's dialing up Broderick Bunkley's agent as you read this and offering him a 13 year extension.

-When this deal ends, I'll be Forty freakin' Seven years old. Yes, 47...and I'll be chasing around a 12 year old. Wow. Double wow. I'm getting old. My knees creak under my fat ass now. How am I going to hold up with an active 12 year old at 47? I better get in shape.

-People always complain that in today's day of free agency, trades, etc., it's tough to buy a jersey with a guy's name on it as you never know how long he's going to be on the team. However, I think after today's announcement, it's safe to go out and buy a Mike Richards jersey. He's going to be here for a while.

-This deal has major Pat Burrell albatross potential, but Richards could totally outperform his contract within two or three years and have buyers remorse like B West does right now.

How Typical...

I just took a look at the ?unofficial list? of players that are included on the Mitchell Report (see below).

The only recent Phils to be on the list are Abe Nunez, David Bell and Jeremy Giambi.

How laughable is this? Some of the guys on the list Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Roger Clemens, Brady Anderson, etc took the juice and had very, very successful careers. The guys we have that took the juice were absolutely terrible. If Nunez was taking steroids, he should get a refund. I don?t think he ever got the ball out of the infield.

I also thought steroids were supposed to help a guy recover from injury. I guess it didn?t work for David Bell because he could barely bend down to field a ground ball.

The fact that Nunez and David Bell are on this list just reinforces my view of Bonds. Sure, the juice was a big part of the number of homers he hit, but it doesn?t help you actually ?hit? the ball. You still need to have a lot of skill and the juice didn?t help Bell and Nunez in that category.

Here in Philly we can?t even cheat successfully.

The Unofficial List:

Brady Anderson
Manny Alexander
Rick Ankiel
Jeff Bagwell
Barry Bonds
Aaron Boone
Rafael Bettancourt
Bret Boone
Milton Bradley
David Bell
Dante Bichette
Albert Belle
Paul Byrd
Wil Cordero
Ken Caminiti
Mike Cameron
Ramon Castro
Jose and Ozzie Canseco
Roger Clemens
Paxton Crawford
Wilson Delgado
Lenny Dykstra
Johnny Damon
Carl Everett
Kyle Farnsworth
Ryan Franklin
Troy Glaus
Rich Garces
Jason Grimsley
Troy Glaus
Juan Gonzalez
Eric Gagne
Nomar Garciaparra
Jason Giambi
Jeremy Giambi
Jose Guillen
Jay Gibbons
Juan Gonzalez
Clay Hensley
Jerry Hairston
Felix Heredia, Jr.
Darren Holmes
Wally Joyner
Darryl Kile
Matt Lawton
Raul Mondesi
Mark McGwire
Guillermo Mota
Robert Machado
Damian Moss
Abraham Nunez
Trot Nixon
Jose Offerman
Andy Pettitte
Mark Prior
Neifi Perez
Rafael Palmiero
Albert Pujols
Brian Roberts
Juan Rincon
John Rocker
Pudge Rodriguez
Sammy Sosa
Scott Schoenweiis
David Segui
Alex Sanchez
Gary Sheffield
Miguel Tejada
Julian Tavarez
Fernando Tatis
Mo Vaughn
Jason Varitek
Ismael Valdes
Matt Williams
Kerry Wood.

Random Thoughts

Sorry to those of you who may have stopped by my blog and wondered where all the updates had gone, but I've been a bit tied up with the end of my semester for my MBA program. I'm just two on-line classes away from finishing up this program and I promise to never, ever take another academic class in my life. If I ever say anything to the contrary, I give you guys permission to kick me in the balls....hard.

On the bright side, my mini vacation has (once again) allowed a number of stories to add up that I need to comment upon. So, without further adieu....

The Disaster That Is Our Philadelphia Eagles - How freakin' depressing was Sunday's game? Between the dreary weather and lack of exciting offense, I felt like I was watching a funeral. Sure it was a close game and the Birds did have a chance to tie it on the end on Akers' 57 yard FG attempt, but these Eagles don't provide a whole lot of hope for the future. Rarely do you see a big play by a young kid and project to what that player can become. Right now, the Birds are in purgatory. They aren't a playoff contender and they're not a young team on the rise. They are what the Sixers were in the last couple years of AI. They have their moments, but you know it's not ultimately going to lead anywhere.

Worst of all, Donovan is flat out painful to watch navigate the Birds' offense. If you had any hope that Donovan would have a place on this team next year, Sunday's game destroyed that thought. Sunday reinforced to me that D Mac appears to have little confidence in his own ability to stick a throw downfield into tight coverage and even less confidence that his receivers will make a play for him. The sad thing is that this team is wasting a career year out of B West.

In addition to #5's struggles, the problems of our DB's is even more confounding. Lito was flat out brutal on Sunday. If he can't run, he really should be sat down until he's healthy. Sheldon was not much better against the G Men either. Neither could cover Plaxico, who once again had a field day against the Birds's secondary. (You can add Plex to other current Philly killers such as Martin Brodeur, Billy King, and Jose Mesa...actually, check out this blog for a really good list of Phillies Killers.)

Now that Birds are fully out of the playoffs, I really don't have much motivation to watch the next three games, including the inevitable blow out in Dallas this Sunday. However, much like a car accident on the side of the road, I'll be drawn to at least check it out. I have the feeling I won't be alone.

Old Time Hockey Rules - Last night's Flyers game against the Pens was by far the most entertaining since the New NHL was born post lock out. The Flyers beat the crap out of a pretty decent team both on the scoreboard and with their fists. Although, it was pretty embarrassing to see Ben Eager get his ass handed to him by a 41 year old.

Anyhow, I'm real bullish on the Flyers chances. The scoring depth is about to be improved even more when Gagne comes back some time during the next week. All this team needs is another offensive defenseman and a legit heavyweight to finish the battles that our scrappy bunch of Flyers start.

The Phillies Are So Effed - Bye Bye Aaron Rowand and Tad Iguchi. Hello platoons of Shane Victorino/Jayson Werth and Wes Helms/Greg Dobbs. Don't know about you guys, but I'm not real warm and fuzzy over those two moves.

What the Phils are doing this offseason is nearly criminal. This organization is so freakin' frustrating. They have three MVP caliber players, two top of the rotation starters and they acquired a legit closer earlier in the offseason. All this team needs is decent complimentary players, not stars. That's what makes this organization so upsetting.

Tim Tebow Is My Hero - I wish I could add something clever or witty here, but these pictures of the girlfriend of 2007 Heisman Trophy Winner, Tim Tebow, have rendered me speechless.

I thought Tom Brady and Tony Romo had it pretty good, but I've been corrected. Tim Tebow is God.

Does This Make a Tad Bit of Sense?

Apparently, the Phils are thinking of re-signing Tad Iguchi and turning him into a third baseman. I feel really secure about the potential success of this move after reading the following quote from Gillick:

"He's more open [to playing third] at this point. Some of his other options may have dried up and I think he wants to stay in the big leagues. He took some grounders there [late in the season] and our guys are somewhat confident he can do it."

Great. This is just great. Somewhat confident? Are you kidding me? Seriously? You just won the NL East after a 14 years of phutililty and now you want to go into next year with another guy that you aren't totally confident that he can play the position. If had a nickle for every time a Phillies GM was "somewhat confident" that a reclamation project would work out, I'd be a millionaire.

Just spend the money and sign a guy or trade for a legit third baseman. How hard is this concept? Why must we shop at the discount, scratch and dent store when we have a gazillionaire owner at our disposal? Someone needs to hit that guy up for some cash.

Although, no one has able to tell me why the Phils shouldn't have just bitten the bullet, re-signed Nunez, and let him play third full time. Sure, the guy can't hit his weight, but he makes all the plays in the field and with our lineup, we can carry one seriously below average bat.

In any event, I saw this quote earlier today and laughed. I just re read it, and I'm laughing even harder. I wish I could get away with such statements at work. Does anyone in the world of sports get held up to realistic standards?

Tomorrow at work, I think I'm going to use the "somewhat confident" line along with the "not now Chief, I'm in the zone" greeting. Should make for an interesting day.

G Cobb Is An Idiot

I don't claim to be the most talented blogger or the best writer in the world, but I do feel I am qualified to rip G Cobb and his ridiculous article about D Mac, Philadelphia phans, and the local media. Someone needs to tell G to lay off the sauce before getting behind a keyboard. Here are some of the highlights:

I can't believe some of the dumb reasons why people want to trade [McNabb]. Philly fans and the media here are like a bunch of fickle women who can't be happy with anything. They're like a nagging wife who does nothing but whine and complain about nonsense like what players wear after the games and what they say in the interviews. I apologize to the women for using that analogy because a dumb guy is worse that [sic] a dumb women because more women tend to not be so prideful that they will admit a mistake. Guys will march to their grave over a dumb mistake rather than admit that they have made a mistake.

Unfortunately, G does not stop there. He then goes on to call the Philly media a bunch of homosexuals.

Fickle fans and the menstruating media, place as much importance on how a guy sits on the bench, as how good of player he is. Stupid stuff like facial expressions are supposed to be a big deal. They care more about quotes than how he plays. I can understand this in a romantic relationship but we need a quarterback not somebody to date. I don't care about all that nonsense.

I'm starting to think that a lot of the guys who cover the Eagles are in the closet because they make such a big deal out of this stuff.

Real nice, G. Way to show your true homophobic and misogynistic colors. I'm sure your employers will be happy to see these comments.

By the way, can someone please answer me how this guy has a job in the Philly media? Not only does the guy have a hard time reading off a teleprompter, but now he's showing that he's just as offensive on his blog. These comments are totally idiotic. It's one thing to have a problem with the comments of a few people, but to extrapolate these thoughts to an entire group is absolutely ridiculous.

Actually, the more I think about it, I don't even know why I'm wasting my time writing about him. My suggestion is that whenever he comes on Channel 3 or 610, turn him off. Don't read his ridiculous blog either, unless you like reading articles written on a 3rd grade reading level.

My Kind of Christmas Tree

This picture has me in the Holiday spirit. I suppose catching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on TV this evening didn't hurt either.

Hallelujah Hallelujah

Today, the Daily News reports that the Sixers have fired GM Billy King. Thank the Lord!

With this move, the Sixers may become relevant again. I just pray the new GM finds a way to get out from under the ridiculous contracts King has shelled out over the years.

I just wonder what incident finally got Ed Snider to finally make a move. I was starting to think the was following the path of George Steinbrenner into obscurity, but with this move he finally shows that he is starting to understand the NBA.

Now, only if he would wake up and demand that some of the younger Flyers start to show some effort during home games instead of counting down the minutes to their night out in Old City.

Not Now Chief, I'm In The F'n Zone

After yesterday's events, I think we all need a good laugh. Many thanks to my main man, Botts for sending this one over:



This video clip includes just about every stereo type of a New Jersey Guido. In fact, I wonder if they filmed this in Washington Township.

The sequence where the guy enters the gym carrying the water and the protein mix is comedic gold. I'm thinking about trying that line out on my boss tomorrow...."Not now Chief, I'm in the f*(&in' zone!. I'll let you know how that one works out for me.

How Depressing

I really can't think of any other way to describe the 2007 football season and the teams I root for. It has just been a miserable season. Just about a 180 from last year. In '06, we had the totally unexpected Jeff Garcia fueled run to the division title. Watching last year's team over the last part of the regular season and playoffs was so much fun. I felt like I was watching a real team. Plus, my Scarlet Knights had a dream season, which kept me on cloud 9 from late August to the end of December.

Now, fast forward a year.....The Eagles are in total disarray. The fan base (me included) has decided that it is time for D Mac to go, but after today, which I'll get to in a little bit, it doesn't look like we have a replacement. With the Giants and Cowboys coming on the schedule the next two weeks, it sure doesn't seem like the playoffs are anywhere in the 5-7 Eagles' future. Watching these games, I just don't get the feeling that there is a whole lot to get excited about with this team.

Further depressing me is the fact that my Scarlet Knights have fallen back to earth. Yeah, it's great that they are going to a bowl, but they had a team that was only outplayed once and easily could have been playing in a BCS bowl (I'm being totally serious here), if the entire team and coaching staff showed a little more leadership and heart this year.

Plus, the team I decided I jumped on the bandwagon for this year (the Cleveland Browns) lost a heart breaker today when the refs didn't have the balls to call a force out on the last play of the game. Christ, I decided to root for the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday night and they lost also.

So, it's a bit of an understatement to say that I'm not getting the warm and fuzzies from this football season.

Ok, back to today's Eagles' game. This loss revealed why AJ Feeley is a backup in this league. It's ok to every once in a while throw an interception to a LB that you missed in underneath coverage. However, to do it three times in one game is absolutely unacceptable. I know that Lofa Tatupu is excellent in zone coverage, but c'mon! Would it have killed Feeley to try and look the guy off before throwing over the middle? AJ is what he is....a career backup.

The question now becomes, what happens next week? According to Andy, if Donovan is healthy, he will play. If he does play, I will really be interested to see which McNabb shows up. Call me crazy, but I think he'll play a bit better knowing the season is basically over and the pressure is off.

I'm still wondering how the hell this team didn't punch the ball into the end zone to win the game after B West's clutch punt return. The play calling before the inexcusable pick to effectively end the game was absolutely atrocious. What the hell was Reid doing calling that inside trap to Buck? If they were inside the 5, I would understand the call. Calling that play from the 15 was a total waste of a down, and more importantly, time on the clock.

As for the rest of the team, I thought the only bright spots were Kevin Curtis and JR Reed. I think Curtis can be real effective on this team if they can another legit receiver across from him. Sorry, Reggie Brown is not cutting it for me. JR Reed once again showed that he deserves a look on defense for the rest of the year. It just makes me laugh that we have two street free agents on this team that play safety than another one of our busted draft picks.

As my buddy the Captain said today, "I have find something better to do with my time. This team is not worth it." I really doubt that either of us will follow through with that, but it's a good thought.

New Alternative Revenue Source For The Phils?

Sure, I love busting on the Phils for their cheapness and always trying to find ways to make a buck, but these proposed new alternative home uniforms aren't so bad.

Although, the Daily News said the plans are to be announced Thursday and this may or may not be alternative uniforms, but no matter what they choose, they can't be worse than the new Flyers jerseys.

Are The Eagles Smoking Crack?

Apparently, someone called the Birds to attempt to trade for Donovan McNabb prior to the trade deadline and received a rather ridiculous response. Profootballtalk.com passed on the following report:

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Philadelphia Eagles were contacted before the trade deadline regarding the availability of quarterback Donovan McNabb.

And the requested price was not one, not two, but three first-round draft picks.

Clearly, the Eagles' must be high. I understand why they would ask for such a high price in the middle of the season as taking anything less would lead to a fan revolt, but three first round picks? Who do the Eagles think they are kidding? They will be lucky to receive one first round pick should they trade McNabb in the offseason.

In any event, it sure seems like the Birds are at least thinking about dealing McNabb. No matter how you look at it, it appears #5's days are numbered here in Philly.

Cowboys Fans: This Is Your QB!

What a complete dork! How is this guy nailing the likes of Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood, etc?

Plus, how can we forget this one:

The Broad Street Bullies Are Back!

Ok, maybe that headline is a bit misleading. The Flyers aren't fighting like they used to back in the 70's and 80's, but if you took a poll of NHL fans, the Flyers are once again the league's most hated team because of several suspendable offenses this season.

The latest incident occurred this evening as Scott Hartnell checked Boston defenseman Andrew Alberts head first into the boards when he was on his knees and pretty much defenseless. Thankfully, Alberts wasn't injured so Hartnell which could mitigate the length of any possible suspension, which might be a Godsend since Hartnell has finally started playing better. I wish I had video of the hit, but all I have is the above picture.

The question now becomes whether Hartnell will be suspended. I'm guessing he will be based upon prior instances this season. Plus, from what I could tell, the hit was pretty gratuitous. Hartnell could have eased up and not hit a defenseless player. So, will the NHL let Hartnell slide since Alberts wasn't hurt, or will they try to send a mesage to the Orange & Black in an effort to cut off future incidents. Before we answer that questions, lets look at the prior incidents, which have already led to suspensions.

Randy Jones (3 game suspension):




The sad thing is that while this is the most innocuous hit, Patrice Bergeron may never play again as he recovers from this concussion. That being said, I still say the kid contributed to the injury by how he positioned himself with his face six inches from the boards even before he was hit.

Jesse Boulerice (25 game suspension):




This one was just plain stupid and absolutely vicious. I like physical, take no prisoners hockey, but this hit went over the line. I doubt Boulerice will ever play in the NHL again as he had a similar stick incident back in Juniors.

By the way, my favorite part of that clip is at the one minute mark, when you finally see the hit and Coatesy glumly says, "and, he got him pretty good."

Steve Downie (20 game suspension):




This is actually my favorite hit of the last ten years. If Brian Dawkins had did this on T.O., we'd be holding a parade. The hit reminds me of Tito Santana's flying burrito from the 80's.

In any event, Downie's suspension is nearly over and I wouldn't be shocked to see him take Hartnell's spot should he get suspended.

Now that we are faced with the Flyers fourth offense which could lead to a suspension in only the first quarter of the season, the issue of whether the Flyers are a dirty team is legitimate. However, I'm guessing that in this town, no one really cares. They want to see old time hockey and the Orange & Black sure are delivering this year.

Sure the Flyers played like sh*t and lost tonight to the Bruins, but they are once again making headlines. While a few less clunkers like tonight's game would be nice, I sure don't mind being the scourge of the NHL.

So what do you guys think? How long will Hartnell be suspended.

Where Have We Been Hiding This All Season?

I'm sitting here like most of you: feeling pretty proud of my football team.

However, I won't lie to you. I'm feeling pretty hollow. Not only did the Birds not pull off the upset, but I'm really questioning where this team has been hiding this effort all season.

Is it as simple as the quarterback change? I'm sure that's not the entire story (as the Pats have showed over the years, NFL players really get pumped when they feel no one is giving them a chance), but it has to be a big part of it, right? I was texting my buddy the Captain the whole game and we were astonished at the throws AJ was making and how open our receivers suddenly looked. It kind of reminded me of how efficient the offense looked at the end of last season with Garcia at the helm.

Time and time again, AJ got rid of the ball on rhythm and put the ball in spots where only our receiver could catch it. Of course, the two interceptions by Samuel killed their chance at victory, but AJ showed himself to be a QB that can play in this league.

Plus, it was finally proven to me. Donovan is not the QB to lead this team any longer. We need to move on. Quite simply, Donovan no longer makes the kinds of throws AJ made tonight and in many instances doesn't even attempt them. While we all see the difference AJ made with the offense, it doesn't matter. There is no QB controversy in this town. Big Red just announced in his post game press conference that Donovan will start next week. We'll see how long that lasts.

The defense acquitted itself quite well. It just annoys me to see such an effort because it would have been nice to see them show up against Dallas. I really think JR Reed made a difference in the defensive backfield. He adds another physical element to the position. A group of safeties including B Dawk, JR, and Quentin Mikael ain't so bad. I hope the coaches see the same and don't kid themselves into thinking that Considine deserves another chance.

One last note...the Birds didn't lose this game on the field. They lost it in the offseason. The Pats added three stud WR's last offseason. The Birds pretty much contained two of them (Moss and Stallworth). They didn't contain the third (Welker) because our third corner (Joselio Hansen, a street free agent) couldn't match up with him. If the Birds' cheap front office kept Rod Hood (who left via free agency), we might have seen a different result this evening.

In any event, I'm going to bed. This game drained me. However, I do feel good about the last 5 games of the year. If this type of effort can be duplicated, we might have a shot at the postseason.

Conspiracy?

I've heard various theories on why D Mac didn't come back into the game yesterday. Since the Birds looked so bad yesterday, I've decided to focus on the McNabb issue as it is full of intrigue.

My own personal theory was that if this had two or three years ago, D Mac would have fought to get back on the field. However, now that the Birds are no longer fully committed to him having drafted Kevin Kolb last year and rumors running rampant that he won't be here in '08, he figures why should he risk himself. I favor this theory as it sure seems that the veterans on this team have been alienated by the front office. They don't go the extra mile for them, so why should they go above and beyond. I felt pretty good about this theory until I talked to my main man, Vincent T.

Vinny pointed out that when D Mac came back on the field he sure looked like he was ready to go back in the game. He wasn't wearing a coat, but looked like he was about to pick up a ball and start warming up his arm. His point was that it sure looked like the whole team knew that McNabb was being benched, but D Mac still thought he was going on. He also pointed out that McNabb didn't have ice on his ankle, nor did he put the warm up jacket on until it was pretty clear that he was not going back in. Thinking back on yesterday's events, I think Vin may be right.

Was D Mac benched, told to just sit tight and it was not worth risking further injury, or did D Mac just decide he wasn't going back out there. Personally, I don't think he was benched. I think Reid would have given him more time to right the ship. I also think if my initial thoughts were true, it eventually would have been discovered by the media. I guess that leaves the second option by default.

What do you fellas think?

LIVE EAGLES BLOG

I've been toying with the idea of doing a live Eagles' blog all season. However, it seems like I never get the chance because I always end up watching the game somewhere other than my place. Since the opportunity has finally presented itself, I might as well take advantage of it.

So, here we go. Hopefully, my football genius shines through.

I join you with 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter. D Mac threw a red zone INT and now the Fins are on the move.

-I really loved to see D Mac run earlier in the game. It seems that D Coordinators are no longer respecting his running ability, so he might as well take advantage of defenses neglecting him.

-I knew I should have picked up Ted Ginn in fantasy...he's going to have a big day.

-Thank God the refs bailed out the Birds there.

-LJ is terrible (it hurts me to say that). I think he has ADD.

-This field looks terrible. However, I hate to sound like Joe Banner, but even though it looks brutal, I don't see anyone slipping.

With that we come to the end of the first quarter scoreless. Both teams have mounted one decent drive but come away scoreless. I think my prediction about an ugly game is about to come to fruition...or "fruitation" as a Nascar driver once said.

SECOND QUARTER

-This friggin' song on the I Touch commercial is growing on me like a fungus.

-Lito really needs to catch that potential INT.

-As amazing as Ted Ginn is, these announcers are just as brutal.

-Chris Gocong and Stewart Bradley over ran that punt, but where was the rest of the coverage team?

-This day is shaping up to look very ominous. Dark and foreboding. I was talking about the Birds' offense...not the weather. (Is this thing on?)

-Sorry about that...my mother called and kept me occupied. Since she called, D Mac has thrown an INT and his career looks to have ended. Let the Kevin Kold era begin!

-The Capt's boy AJ comes in. Within 5 minutes he texts me: "AJ has spunk" and then totally changes his mind to say "he looks scared".

-That pick by AJ was why he has been cut by both the Dolphins and Chargers. Just a horrible decision. Where was he throwing that?

-Ankle X Rays for McNabb....is there any doubt that it is not broken?

-I might as well take a nap. We can't protect AJ and he looks about as confident as Cholly Manuel does when he makes a double switch.

- We escape to a half time only down 7-3. Does anyone think either team scores again at this rate?

THIRD QUARTER:

-McNabb comes back on the field with the team. Not one of the announcers mentions it.

-Rich Gannon needs to start his broadcast career doing games at the Prep. He is terrible.

-McNabb looks to be healthy, but they stay with Feeley...could this lead to a Willis Reed like return?

-We are now told McNabbs return is unlikely. Any doubt that we won't see Kolb in the 4th quarter?

-The refs bailed out the Birds. That fumble could have killed this team.

-LJ is brutal. I really don't mind him ending up elsewhere next year. I think he has ADD.

-Wow, Buck really looked inspired on that run and he must have had a rocket booster strapped to his ass. I haven't seen him move like that in some time.

-Here is that god damned I touch song again. There must a subliminal message in there.

-Ok...got called away to talk by the Capt.

-Someone woke up Chris Gocong. It's nice to finally see a sighting of him in the 10th game of the season.

-I love how it takes three entire quarters to realize that we can run behind the left side of our line.

FOURTH QUARTER:

-B West has a career high 132 yards rushing. Seriously, that's his career high? 132 yards? Why do we consider this guy to be an all pro?

-Joey Porter? Wait, he's still in the league? I thought he had joined the UFC or something.

-Yayyyyy, Birds scored! We are now up 10. This is way too much time to leave on the clock for John Beck and this Dolphins offense.

-Is it me or did AJ Feeley seem way to excited by that TD?

-That was the single worst 4 and 1 call I've ever seen. Now only if we can get a first down or two. Then this game would be over and I can watch a real game to be broadcast at 4.

-I didn't think it was possible for an NFL team to go winless over the course of the year. I might be wrong. This Dolphins team sucks.

-That catch by just reminded me...He might be mentally challenged. He is hurting himself in free agency next year with his play.

PSP's EAGLES PICK

Yesterday, I attended the Rutgers/Pitt game and watched the ugliest game I've seen all year. I expect that record to be broken in a couple hours. I'm expecting a new level of ugly this afternoon as our Birds take on the winless Dolphins.

At first I thought the Birds would lose this game, but the more I think about it, I'm starting to feel that they get a 16-13 victory with a defensive TD mixed in along the way.

Enjoy your Sunday.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

While the jerseys are different and most of the players are different, we learned this evening that there is still one carry over from last year's Flyers. They still suck in the shootout.

For those who might have missed it, the Flyers lost to the Rangers this evening in a shootout after once again failing to convert on all three of their shootout chances. Last year, the Flyers converted two...YES, TWO!....shootout chances all season. Talk about putting pressure on your goalie! They basically know that if they let a single shot in, the Orange and Black are cooked.

I'm still amazed that the Flyers have not identified one guy that they could store away on the 4th line that has better than average skill on the shootout. It is shocking how many points they throw away by bowing out meekly in each and every shootout.

For what it's worth, I absolutely can't stand the shootout. To me, it is akin to using a three point shootout or field goal kicking contest to settle a tied basketball or football game. While perusing Hockeybuzz.com yesterday, I came across a tie breaking system that I do agree with. Let me know what you think:

After a 5 minute overtime, the two teams would then alternate 1 minute power plays. It makes all the sense in the world. If the visiting team scores, the home team has to score, and has the option of pulling their goalie if they want to. (a little home ice advantage)

I believe the intensity of those power plays, the crowd roaring as the puck is cleared, etc., would be FAR more intense than the current shootout. Plus this is a team way of solving ties...

Also should a team score shorthanded, that could automatically end it.

Who Knew Cigars Were So Profitable?

I read the following article from Bill Conlin the other day and frankly, I'm befuddled as to why our front office is once again crying poor mouth:

Eighty-two billionaires were dropped from the 2007 list. Oh, the shame. The cutoff fortune was $1.3 billion. George Steinbrenner was a few bucks from not making the list. The Yankees' said-to-be-ailing owner tied for No. 380 and last with a paltry $1.3 billion, just $100 million more than the current valuation of his ballclub.

John S. Middleton was not on the list. But that is because the 2007 list was published before giant conglomerate Altria (formerly Philip Morris) purchased Middleton's privately held family business, John Middleton Inc., for a breath-catching $2.9 billion in cash. The net after taxes and other expenses was $2.2 billion.

John S. Middleton, part man, part Stealth bomber, is a limited partner in the Phillies' ownership group. Middleton's Double Play Inc. shares rank No. 3 behind those of Claire S. Betz and the Buck Brothers' Tri-Play Associates.

John Middleton Inc. manufactures large, machine-made cigars in two local plants employing approximately 550 workers. It is eminently clear that Altria, seeking to exploit the exploding (no pun intended) cigar market as a hedge against declining sales of its many cigarette brands, is paying that huge sum of cash for the brand, not the company's modest assets - even though it has been a big, fat, cash cow. John Middleton Inc. will have projected sales of $360 million this year, generating operating income - profit to you - of $182 million.

So, take a step back from the staggering numbers, and listen to Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. singing the daily chorus of "Poor Mouth Blues." Sung to the tune of "Rowand, Rowand, Rowand Your Boat." With a third banana, limited partner suddenly and certifiably sitting on an incredible stack of money, we are left with this:

Manager Charlie Manuel will be filling out a lineup that includes a bench-level player at third base, where the Phillies had the feeblest production in the National League last season. Brett Myers is being jerked back into the rotation after making his bones as a feared closer. GM Pat Gillick will pursue another starter and some outfield depth. Carefully. The Phillies will have about $12 million to $15 million to spend on acquisitions after factoring in salary bumps to key regulars like Ryan Howard. In other words, the Phillies will not be trying to buy a World Series title.

Club president Dave Montgomery and his silent partners put together the 2008 budget well before John S. Middleton potentially became the wealthiest fractional sports owner in Philadelphia history.

In a brief statement, Montgomery dismissed any connection between Middleton's windfall and his role as a Phillies investor: "John Middleton is a limited partner with the Phillies and his personal and business interests have no impact on the operation of the ballclub."

Middleton himself makes the Da Vinci code look like a level-1 Sudoku. The 1977 Amherst College graduate flies so low under the radar he should be registered with the Bureau of Mines. He inherited his Phillies piece and the umbrella for the family businesses, Bradford Holdings, from his father, Herbert H. Middleton, also an Amherst alumnus.

When John received the college's Medal for Eminent Service at the 2004 commencement ceremony, the program included this about him:

Middleton values family above all else, and Amherst is well represented among his kin. The proud son of an Amherst father - and brother to an Amherst sister and her Amherst husband - Middleton heads his family business, which include McIntosh Inns, Bradford Holdings, and Double Play, Inc. . . .

I have a professional relationship with a man who informed me recently that he was an Amherst class of '77 grad and knew John S. Middleton fairly well. "John had a small circle of close friends and a somewhat larger group of people he was friendly with," the source said, requesting anonymity. "I was his friend but not what you would call a close one."

A picture emerged of a less than brilliant student who was doggedly competitive in everything he undertook, particularly on the wrestling mat. "I don't recall his weight class, but it was at least 175 pounds. He was powerful and aggressive, actually a little nasty in his matches. John was just determined to be the best he could be in everything. But he was very, very private and always turned away from self-promotion or praise."

Only in Philadelphia can you have a limited owner with more money than George Steinbrenner, but not allow him to use it. I truly hate Dave Montgomery and the rest of the other owners. Can't Middleton just buy these clowns out and infuse the necessary money into this team to push it over the top? Seriously, if Middleton gives a shit about the team, why wouldn't he just commence a Coup D'etat? Everyone involved with this team confuses me to no end.

Plus, I really like the idea of having an owner that was once a "nasty" collegiate wrestler. I think he would be the just the type of hard nosed front office guy that this franchise has lacked for decades.

Anyhow, I know this town freaks out when we talk about how much money the Birds leave under the salary cap every year when they have glaring holes in the lineup. Well, when Wes Helms and the yet to be determined replacement outfielder for Rowand strand Utley and Howard with less than two out a couple times a night, you can thank Dave Montgomery for not putting John Middleton's $3 billion to work.

Thanks, Bill

Taken from an actual letter to Bill Simmons of ESPN.com:

"Mr. Simmons,

Even though you have annoyed me by writing about Boston sports the last three months, I want to thank you for reminding me why I no longer care about the Sixers with this passage from your NBA Eastern Conference Season preview:

NBA-TV should start a show like "Inside the Actor's Studio," only the guest could be an NBA general manager every week. Then we could hire someone like Rick Kamla to pick Billy King's mind for an hour.

"Billy, do you feel embarrassed that the Sixers are carrying nearly $30 million in dead salaries this season? Are you trying to break the record for 'most raw athletes playing the swingman position on a single team?' Instead of giving Sam Dalembert $60 million, did you consider just withdrawing $60 million from the bank and lighting it on fire? On a scale of one to 10, how excited are you to eventually offer Andre Iguodala $20 million more than he's worth? What was the point of trading Steven Hunter's semi-awful contract for Reggie Evans' even-more-awful contract when the Sixers were going nowhere to begin with? Do you feel a sense of pride that you're the only person on the planet except for Willie Green's mother who thought Willie Green was worth $3 million per season? How do you expect Sixers fans to be excited about $15 million in cap space this summer when you're the one spending that cap space? Wait, Billy, where are you going? … "

By the way Mr. Simmons, if you ever decide to name a "Sports Guy" for every city, I ask that you please consider my application. As you can see from the numerous comments on my site, I am beloved by all.

Thank you and keep up the good work.

Your Friend In Sports,
Tony (aka "The Philly Sports Phan")"

Yup, this pretty much sums it up. I just can't get behind this team under any circumstances. The only way you are going to get me to watch a game is if you told me a Pistons/Pacers type brawl would erupt. The only way I'm going to the game is if I was given free tickets and promised an hour long lap dance from one of the Sixers' dancers. Preferably this Sixers dancer from beautiful Sewell, NJ:

Since we all know that ain't happening, odds are you won't be seeing me anytime soon down at the Wachovia Center watching your Philadelphia 76ers.

Sorry, I Can't Just Let This Go

Yeah, it was great to see the Eagles win yesterday and this victory over the 'Skins will probably keeps us all interested a couple more weeks, but I just can't let something go.

James Thrash dominated the Eagles.

Seriously....Jame Thrash.

Yes, that same James Thrash that everyone you know had on their fantasy roster in 2002 and 2003 and cut because he was terribly unproductive.

That same James Thrash that we celebrated when he was finally cut loose by our Birds in 2004.

Yesterday, Mr. Thrash, who is now in his 11th season, caught 5 passes for 85 yards and 2 td's against our beleagured group of DB's. He frolicked through our secondary. Truly, this group is effed. If William James was a horse, he would be put down. Yes, he was that bad. Lito is playing on one leg and looks like he should be shut down for a couple weeks.

Plus, if the Birds can't cover this guy, how do they hope to cover any relevant WR in the NFL?

Honestly, I might pick up Ted Ginn, Jr in my fantasy league this week. I could give a shit that Cleo Lemon is the 'Fins' QB. Our DB's are that brutal.

Sorry guys, had to get that off my chest.

Mike Richards: Hockey God

This Flyers season sure has been interesting so far. Sure, it's been great to see them winning again (including tonight's 3-2 win over the Isles), but my favorite aspect of this young season has been the growth we've seen from Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, RJ Umberger, Randy Jones and Joffrey Lupul.

Mike Richards is really asserting himself with this team. Not only is he showing the leadership skills that he has demonstrated since day 1, but now he's scoring at an alarmingly surprising pace. Jeez, the guy has 10 goals already this season when he only scored 21 goals in his first 138 games. He's scoring pretty goals where he picks a corner with a wrist shot and ugly goals like tonight's game winning short hander. He's winning more faceoffs this year and excelling on "the PK". Plus, he's still getting in scraps like this one and even developing a burgeoning rivalry with the sniveling Sid the Kid. (In case you missed it Saturday night, "Richie" sure seemed to get under Sid's skin.) Yup, he's pretty much done it all so far.

The funny thing is that Richards has always been projected as a John Madden type shut down center with some offensive upside. Of the two, Jeff Carter was supposed to be producing at this clip, but their roles have kind of reversed. Now, it is "Carts" that is taking more of a defensive role.

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy this young squad. Hopefully, they grow together and start winning some big games this Spring.

PSP's EAGLES' PICK

Right now, we're where none of us wanted to be with respect to the 2007 Eagles Season. We're totally 100% irrelevant in the grand scheme of the NFL season. We now know what Arizona Cardinals fans have felt like over the better part of two decades.

Unless this team goes on a highly unlikely 6-2 run over the 2nd half the season, the playoffs are pretty much an impossibility. Basically, that leaves us with a half season of Fox games which will be called by their fifth string broadcast team of Ron Pitts, Tony Boselli, and Kevin McCabe. I'm pretty sure we will also be up to our ears in Daytona 500 commercials starting in week 11. Fox Sports....Feel the Excitement!

Anyhow, today's Eagles/Skins game has the classic Godfather III feel. (You know what I'm talking about):




We have all written this team off after last week, but I have a sneaky suspicion the Birds will pull an upset and get the Joe's from Fishtown and Captain Tullio's of the world back on the bandwagon for at least another couple weeks with a matchup against the winless Dolphins on the horizon for next week.

Don't ask me how the Birds can win this game X's and O's wise as I see plenty of impediments for the Birds moving the ball, but I'm sure our genius coaching staff learned something from that inept Monday night performance back in Week 2. Plus, I believe the loss of Considine is worth at least 3 points in the Birds favor.

For what it is worth, I see a 16-13 Eagles victory. Plus, Hank Goldberg of ESPN just picked them. I feel so much better about my pick now.

Enjoy your Sunday. I feel a victory in the air.

Win if you may, lose if you must, but alway try

Ok, this is a first for the Philly Sports Phan. I'm sitting here with my boy, S. Botts, and he has convinced to me to do a live blog of the 4th Quarter of the RU/Army blow out because everything is ok....with a little Tanquer-AYYYYYYYY.

My man Botts has been to the West Point Campus under the pseudonym of Drunk Rocco. He tells me that this place is a must see of American History, let alone College Campuses. It is absolutely picturesque and the Hudson at West Point puts the Raritan River to shame. There is more history there than we could explain in a simple little drunken post like this. So anyhow, lets do a little recap.

RU gets off to a slow start. They then pull their starting QB in favor of a guy named Jabu and there has no looking back.

It is now the 4th quarter and we have a good load on and pretty bored by the competitive aspect of this game since Army's passing game makes Koy Detmer and Bobby Hoying look like Dan Marino. Anyhow, I'm not real sure if this game is a precursor for the last two RU games, but I'm sure effing hope so because I'd love to take a road trip to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

If you are are laughing at the prospects of me getting overly excited over a trip to Charlotte, NC, then I suppose you either don't have a kid or have forgotten what it is like to have an infant.

Ok, I'm signing off as I need a refill.