Where The Hell Did This Come From?

I did not catch one second of tonight's game, but as a result of their 99 to 94 win over the Suns tonight, the Sixers became the first Eastern Conference team to beat the Suns at home this season. Yes, believe it or not, the Suns were trying to become the first team in NBA history to win every single inter conference road game.

Of course, I could go on about how this upset lessens the chances of the Sixers landing a Top 2 draft pick, but I'm tired of beating that topic into the ground. I just have to accept that we'll end up drafting fifth and fail to land an impact player which will destine the Sixers to NBA purgatory for the next decade.

By the way, did I ever mention that I've hated the NBA pretty much since Jordan left the Bulls? I just can't get into it. I blame it on the lack of skill and fundamentals the players exhibit these days. Judging by the lack of attention to my Sixers stories, you guys feel the same. Although, I know that if the Sixers improve in the slightest, my buddies The Captain, Johnny Gold and Mister Nascar will jump back on the bandwagon.

I dare them to tell me differently.

(By the way, great job out of the Daily News headline writer today. I love that headline.)

I Love It When I'm Right Part Two

Yesterday, I raved about the moves the Flyers had made prior to the deadline, but wished they would make a move for goaltender. Lo and behold, less than 24 hours, the Flyers have given in to my desires and we have a new goalie in Orange & Black.

On Tuesday, the Flyers traded a 2nd round pick for Buffalo's back up goaltender, Martin Biron, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. I hear you...we picked up another back up goalie and had to give up a 2nd round pick (likely the 31st pick in the draft) to acquire a guy that might leave in two months? Plus, isn't this the guy that just got his ass kicked last week by Ray Emery?

Yes, he is a backup, but he's not your ordinary backup. He was a long time starter for the Sabres who got pushed out of job by a remarkable younger goalie in Ryan Miller. (Think of Biron as Jim Thome and Miller as Ryan Howard, but only Biron is not quite the goalie that Jim Thome is a hitter...wait scrap the whole thing, I'm not sure this analogy even makes sense at this time of night.)

By the way, this is the same guy that got his ass whooped in the Ottawa game last week. I really don't care about his lack of skills with the fists, if he can stop the puck, but I guess we won't have any future exciting moments like this one.





Anyhow, if the Flyers can re-sign the guy, I love the move. He is probably the best, most realistic option the Flyers had available to improve their shaky goaltender situation this offseason. I wish he was a bit younger than 29, but that isn't a huge deal. Goalies take longer to develop and should have about 4 to 5 years of prime hockey ahead of him.

Additionally, I watched tonight's 6-5 O.T. loss to the Islanders and came away very impressed by newly acquired defenseman, Braydon Coburn. The guy can really skate for a huge defenseman and appears to be able to make an outlet pass (something Flyers defenseman have been brutal at this year). I like Coburn better than Zhitnik already and this guy is only 22 and makes about $3 million less. This looks to be a great move. Nice job, Homer.

Pat Burrell Blows Off A Legend

In case you missed it, Mike Schmidt - only the best hitter in franchise history - offered to help Pat Burrell with his swing during Spring Training. However, everyone's favorite whipping boy blew him off and chose blow off Schmidtty to stick with the sage advice of Milt Thompson and Uncle Cholly.

Apparently, Burrell is a bit miffed by some comments Michael Jack made this winter when he classified Pat the Bat's production in his career thus far as "mediocre". I don't mean to be Captain of the Obvious, but I guess the truth hurt Pat the Bat. However, I think we can all agree that Michael Jack was being generous in labeling Burrell as "mediocre". At the very least, he should have added an "at best" to his classification.

God, I hate this guy. He is the last bastion of those underachieving "me first" Ed Wade group of Phillies. I want this guy gone. I've had enough. I hope Pat Gillick is coming up with another option for left field because I don't see this guy making it through Memorial Day without completely falling apart.

Here's a link to Marcus Hayes' Daily News article for more detail on the topic.

The Jeff Garcia Saga Continues

Is it me or are Joe Banner and the boys in the Eagles' front office just plain strange? In support of my theory, I present you with Exhibit A, a letter sent to Jeff Garcia's agent by someone in the Birds' front office. This letter contained the following passage:

"we feel we've allotted you enough time to come up with a contract proposal, and now we're heading in a different direction, as we're pursuing a contract extension with A.J. Feeley." (Ok, maybe I embellished it a bit, but I think you get the point.)

There cannot be another team in the league that writes letters like this. How about treating a quarterback like he is...an integral member of your football franchise...and not like some contractor bidding to install upscale toilets on the Suite Level at the Linc. Seriously, would it kill this team to make a football decision based off what they see on the field instead of what is listed on an actuarial table? I swear this team is maddening. They are so close to getting back to the Super Bowl, but will never take the last couple steps to push themselves over the top...unless those last couple steps involve a rookie, 2nd year player, or undrafted free agent improving dramatically and becoming a significant contributor.

Anyhow, here are some more interesting comments from yesterday's Daily News story by Les Bowen:

Asked if he thought the Eagles ever intended to sign him, Garcia, who turned 37 on Saturday, said he initially attributed the lack of talks to Andy Reid's family situation, which led to the coach taking a 1-month leave of absence. Reid's sons Garrett and Britt have been charged with weapon and drug violations.

"As we got toward the end of the month, I asked my agent what the heck was going on," Garcia said. He said Baker then told him the Eagles wanted the Garcia camp to present an offer, something Baker didn't think was wise. Garcia said he agreed.

"If I put something on paper I believed I was worthy of, they could use that against me, say that I was asking more than they were willing to pay," Garcia said. Though he was willing to play in Philadelphia for less money than he would accept somewhere else, he would not have been happy playing at last season's figure, believed to be around $1 million.

"If I just ask for what I made last year, or a little more than what I made last year, then I'm lowballing myself," Garcia said. "After last season, they'd be getting the bargain of the century, and I'm going to be [ticked] off."

Garcia said he felt he demonstrated solid value, that the Eagles should have appreciated.

"It's not just what I was able to do on the field, but what I bring to the locker room, from a leadership standpoint, from a knowledge standpoint," he said.

Garcia said he hasn't spoken with Reid. "I haven't felt right calling him, with what he's going through personally," he said. Garcia said the only Eagles official he has spoken to recently was quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur, whom he called after receiving the letter about the team going in a different direction.

Garcia left no doubt that he will always remember the success he had here, and the fans' reaction to his fiery, enthusiastic style.

"An opportunity like this doesn't present itself with every team, every year," Garcia said. "I understand the value of that... to have been able to play in a city where football is life, and the passion is there from the fans every time you step out onto the field, to have the fans embrace me the way they did, was captivating for me and my family as well.

"The relationships with teammates, the feeling in that locker room was unmatched. It was a year where that feeling of appreciation will never be forgotten."

Garcia said he wanted to tell Eagles fans, "I thank them for rejuvenating me and my football life."

By the way, if you haven't heard already, Donte Stallworth and his blinding speed is not coming back to Philly next year as the Birds have deemed his initial contract demands ludicrous.

On the bright side, the Birds re-signed career back up safety, Quinton Mikell, and situational pass rusher, Juqua Thomas. Yaaaaaaaayyyy. I've so overwhelmed with excitement. I almost forgot the Eagles' track record of never losing an undrafted free agent that they wanted to retain.

I don't know about you guys, but this offseason sounds like it is going to be Phantastic!!!

The Dirtiest Players In The Game

Sorry guys, I'm not referring to the Nature Boy Ric Flair (but I simply could not pass up the chance to include the above picture of Flair in his prime). This article is about our Birds and how they operate their business.

Every time I read an article about how the Eagles do business, I just feel like I need a shower. Their negotiating style usually leaves me feeling dirty and used. By far, they are the biggest pricks in all of sports. I just read Les Bowen's article in the Daily News detailing the behind scenes happenings on the Garcia/Feeley affair this past weekend, and I can't help but feel bad for Jeff Garcia.

Here are some of the highlights:

How did the fans' favorite Eagle, who helped turn the team around to the tune of a 6-2 record after stepping in for McNabb, become just a memory so quickly?

Eagles officials don't want to be quoted as saying anything that could fan the flames of public indignation, but they said they wanted to either re-sign Garcia or extend Feeley before free agency started, and they never felt confident Garcia was ready to do a deal, even though Baker said yesterday that he was willing.

Baker might have overplayed his hand initially, telling the Birds he wanted 5 days of free agency to assess the market before signing with them. Although Baker said he subsequently let it be known he and Garcia would be open to an offer before free agency, the Eagles said they couldn't be sure Baker and Garcia wouldn't just use their offer as a springboard to up the bidding when free agency starts Friday. And if Garcia really was so intent on returning, couldn't Baker have called the Eagles' bluff and made them an offer?

On the other side of the tango, everybody knows how it is with the Eagles and negotiations. They like to be in the driver's seat. They set conditions - such as the bit about needing to get a deal done before free agency or not doing one at all - designed to turn up the heat on the other party. It's legitimate to wonder, if the Birds really wanted Garcia back, why they never made him an offer, and why they absolutely had to have a deal with either Garcia or Feeley this week. Feeley was under contract for the coming season.

"The Eagles make it a challenge," Baker said yesterday, as he prepared to leave the annual NFL scouting combine having not accomplished what he said was his main reason for coming - to sit down and talk contract with the Birds. "I respect that they make it a challenge. They are one of the most successful teams in the league at managing the salary cap. The fact of the matter is that their model works, and I respect that their model works. While I believe Jeff should have been given an offer by the Eagles, and I've expressed that for the last month... they've been too successful that you can question their ability to do deals."

Baker acknowledged yesterday that "Jeff was uncomfortable with being given an ultimatum after he said he was prepared to come back as a backup," and Baker said that discomfort led to Garcia's statement on "The Tonight Show" that he intended to play the field in free agency.

"Privately, we told them several times that we would negotiate with them before free agency," Baker said.

"There's absolutely no question Jeff would have signed in Philadelphia for substantially less money than anywhere else," Baker said. "I think Jeff was their No. 1 choice to be brought back, but at their numbers. And the only person who ever knew their numbers was them... any deal from the Eagles, Jeff would have seriously considered."

I sure hope the Eagles know what they are doing because they are going to look pretty friggin stupid if McNabb suffers any sort of complications while trying to come back from his torn ACL. I don't think A.J. can do what Garcia did this season for any prolonged stretch of time. Does anyone else other than Bean Counter Banner think he can?

Flyers Trade Claude Raines to Detroit

I didn't think it was possible, but the Flyers got another team to give them something of substance for The Invisible Man, Claude Raines (aka, impending free agent, Kyle Calder). Interim G.M. Paul Holmgren should be given a long term deal after this one because I have no idea how he pulled this trade off. Who knows, maybe Clarkie is consulting for the Red Wings these days.

For those not in the know, this past offseason the Flyers traded useful defensive center Michal Handzus to Chicago for Calder, who was coming off a 26 goal season and seemed poised to establish himself as a big time NHL goal scorer. Well, to say things haven't worked out would be a pretty big understatement. Calder did not score his first goal until the 28th game of the year and only has nine so far this season.

However, it appears that Detroit was so enamored with his "upside" and "grittiness" that the Flyers received 25 year old defensemen Lasse Kukkonen, as well as a third round pick, in the deal. Again, the fact that we didn't have to pay someone to take Calder off our hands astounds me. Plus, Kukkonen was Joni Pitkanen's defensive partner while the two were growing up in the Laplands of Finland. This trade is a potential win win. We get rid of a turd in Calder, and it also gives us the potential of getting Pitkanen's career back on track.

This trade is more evidence of why the NHL's collective bargaining agreement is so much better than the one used in the NBA. In the NBA, a team can be buried in purgatory for years and years due to the constraints of their ridiculous salary cap, which requires the salaries of all traded players to match up within 25%. In the Good Ole' NHL, the salary cap rules are no where near as tight. A team can totally do a 180 in one year's time. Your Philadelphia Flyers are setting themselves up to do just that.

The Flyers will go into this year's offseason with about half of the $47 million projected salary cap to spend on free agents. Plus, thanks to their last couple drafts and the recent Forsberg, Zhitnik, and Calder trades, the Orange & Black literally have a cornucopia of young prospects at every position besides goalie, as well as the likely number one pick in this year's draft. If you can't tell, I can't wait for the offseason to get here.

The Flyers will not be held down for long. Mark my words.

Bye Bye, Jeff

If you haven't heard already, the Birds have decided to extend A.J. Feeley's contract for three years and have assured him that he would be D Mac's back up next year. This signing effectively ends any hopes of Garcia returning to the Birds next year. I can't say I agree 100% with the decision, but I understand it. How many years could you rely on a 37 year old to be your back up?

I want to thank Jeff for the memories. Last year was such a delightful, unexpected playoff run. Not only will I miss his leadership and passion he displayed while leading the Birds to the playoffs last season, but I will also miss his fiancee.

Good luck and God Speed, Jeff. Thank you for all the thrills.

Welcome Back NHL!!!!

In case you missed it, this is the best four minutes of hockey highlights I've seen since the Flyers/Senators brawl from 2004. For your enjoyment here is the video:



We've all seen our share of goalie fights, but never in my life have I seen a goalie square up with another team's enforcer and hold his own. If Bobby Clarke was still the GM, I guaran-damn-tee you that Ray Emery would be in Orange & Black between the pipes for us next season.

By the way, listen to the crowd going absolutely crazy during this brawl. I hope Gary Bettman is listening. The NHL needs more of this and less of that stupid friggin' shootout.

My Favorite Philly GM

I meant to point this out yesterday, but Tom Heckert is my favorite GM in the town. Ok...ok...ok...I hear you. I know the pickings are slim once you factor in Billy King and Paul Holmgren, but my admiration for Mr. Heckert is mainly due to the fact that he is such a breath of fresh air in the Eagles' organization. Take a look at some of these comments from him in yesterday's Daily News:

"In Miami, it was strictly football. Obviously, I was working with Don Shula and Jimmy Johnson where they were very strong: 'I want this guy, just get it done. I don't want to hear that this guy is overpaid. I don't even want to talk about that. It's not going to happen. I want him, you get him. But Joe [Banner], he made it perfectly clear that we're going to talk about this stuff, and we're going to decide as an organization what's the best thing for the football team, and we're not going to do crazy things. Obviously, we've gone out and we've spent a lot of money on people, [like Jevon] Kearse... but it's not going to be a thing where we're just going to grab this guy, this guy and this guy and deal with the situation later. They were very upfront with that, and I respect that."

Wow...someone actually verbalized what we've been theorizing forever. The Bean Counter has a damn big input on personnel. Normally, this would scare the shit out of me, but based upon the success this team has had during the Reid tenure, I guess Banner knows what he's doing.

In any event, can you see Andy Reid or Joe Banner using such honesty when speaking to the press? I sure can't.

Well, it's pretty clear that the one benefit to Big Red's leave of absence is that we're getting more of Heckert and less of Reid's evasive statements. I just hope Banner and Reid don't put a gag order on this guy.

In closing, I have to share this statement from Heckert. In my opinion, it's an instant classic:

"I've had opportunities to go places and I'm very comfortable with the situation. To have complete control and everything like that, that's all great. But as long as I have say in what we do, that's fine. Last year [2005], I think that was my first losing season in the NFL. That means something to me. Everybody wants to say, 'Hey, I could go [somewhere else] and take over and we're going to be Super Bowl champs in 2 years.' But, in my opinion, I've got to be sure about that before I go. Because losing sucks, and I don't care how much money you make. It's miserable."

This Former Hawk Isn't Dead, But His Relationship Is

I caught this story about former St. Joe's Hawk, Delonte West on Deadspin.com. Sorry to all you St. Joe's grads, but this is funny. According to the Boston Herald:

The mayhem began after the Green lost to the Golden State Warriors at the TD Banknorth Garden when Caryn Taylor, 31, got into an argument with West's sister, Danielle. Taylor, who had a "few cocktails" at the game, "pushed" Danielle West during the dispute, according to a police report. The group hit downtown hotspot District after the game where Delonte West confronted Taylor about the fight with his sister.

"During this conversation West stated that Taylor became argumentative and put her hands around his throat in a choking manner," the report states. When West, his sister and some friends returned to the apartment around 2:30 a.m., Taylor was there and she started yelling at him, reportedly calling him a "(expletive) bastard." West told cops that she went upstairs to the bathroom, slammed the door and started smashing glass. West, 23, went into the bathroom and found her covered in blood and jabbing at her wrists with shards of glass. Taylor bit West on the hand as he tried to stop her from slashing herself, the report states. Taylor told police she wasn't trying to kill herself but was cutting herself to show West she wasn't "(expletive) around" about their relationship.

Well, I'm sure Coach Martelli taught Delonte a lot of things, but I'm guessing he didn't teach him a thing about picking women. Maybe if he stayed on Hawk Hill for his senior year, he would have learned to stay away from psychos. Plus, what is an NBA first round draftee doing dating a 31 year old, over the hill chick? Delonte, you got a lot to learn.

This Broad Can Hit!

Ok, Jamie Apody may not be Jade McCarthy in the "piece of ass" department, but Jamie sure can hit the shit out of the ball! Check out this link from Spring Training. (Just click on the video player to the right of the screen. If it doesn't work any longer....oh well, look for it on http://www.wpvi.com/)

Look at how Jamie keeps her eye on the ball and steps into a nice level swing. I think Pat the Bat should take some pointers from her.

By the way, if you don't know who Jade McCarthy is...take a look. Do yourself a favor and check her out on Channel 10's Sports Final this week.

Gotta Love Spring Training

We're less than one week into Spring Training and Marcus Hayes gives us this ridiculous article:

Nunez determined to keep starting third-base job

(Click the above link for the full article, if you are having a hard time falling asleep.)

Seriously, Spring Training just started and you're already out of story ideas? Come on, dog. You gotta bring more to the table than this. This city is pretty excited about the Phils and you give us an article about the backup third basemen? How about an article about the new starting third basemen? Now, that would be interesting!

(By the way, if Marcus has written article about Wes Helms in the last week, I take all this back.)

The NHL Is In Trouble

Ok, I realize I'm not really going out on a limb here, but the NHL has big time issues. Their problems really bother the hell out of me because I really love the sport of hockey. The speed, action, and skill are second to none. (You also used to be able to include physicality, but to every real fan's dismay, it has been legislated out of the sport in the "new NHL.") The NHL is such a great sport and really needs an upgrade to improve the sport and get people interested again. As evidence of the decline in interest in the sport, check out these stats that I came across in John Buccigross' ESPN.com column:

In a New York Times article from Feb. 2, Richard Sandomir reported that 736 people watched the Jan. 27 Devils-Panthers game on MSG ... 736. Here are other numbers from Sandomir's column:

• The Devils average 13,206 households for their televised games.
• The Islanders average just 7,336.
• The Rangers average 36,834.
• Of all Fox Sports Net regional channels, the Red Wings lead all NHL teams (average 96,915).
• This season's All-Star Game drew 691,000 viewers.
• 2.7 million watched in 2004.
• 6.5 million watched in 1996.

I have numbers from some of our own network's recent ratings. On Jan. 28, 925,377 people watched the Winter X Games between 9:13-11:21 p.m. On ESPN2, 824,360 people watched a replay of the Australian Open men's final.

Wow, how did things become this bad? How can more people be interested in watching a bunch of stoners doing snow board flips at Winter X Games or watch Roger Federer destroy a bunch of panzies in the Australian friggin' Open than taking in a great game of hockey? Stats like these should be a mandate for the owners to seek Bettman's resignation. Anyhow, the above linked article by Buccigross has some great ideas on how to improve the league. He also swayed me as to increasing the size of the nets. It doesn't seem so cheezy to me now that I've seen his take on the issue.

Oh well, on this bleak winter night, I should be jacked about hockey, but I'm not. Of course, the Flyers' piss poor season doesn't help, but is anyone else disappointed at how bad things have become for the NHL?

Amazing Finish

If this finish didn't create more Nascar fans, I don't know what will. My buddy Jones, who always busts my chops for following Nascar, called me right after the race to talk about how amazing the finish was. This newcomer to the sport is exactly right. That was an amazing finish. However, I won't try to kid you. Finishes like that don't happen every week. Shit, we're lucky if this happens twice a year.

Part of the reason I like the sport so much is because the middle hour and half of the race it is a perfect backdrop to help me take a nap on lazy Sundays. Basically, the moral here is don't tune in the California race next Sunday expecting the same thing. It ain't going to happen.

I hope you enjoyed Sunday though. It was as if the directors of Talledega Knights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby orchestrated that ending. The only thing missing was a guy running around the track at the end of the race in his tighty whities.

Yeah, J Roll! Why Not Us?

I always loved that slogan when the '04 Red Sox used it. Sometimes, I think it's the kind of attitude this city needs instead of being fatalistic. Lord knows, we've gone through enough bad times in this city, so Why Not Us? Check out this link for a great article by Jayson Stark about the Phils' postseason hopes.

Jayson makes a great point. Our chances to reach the postseason boil down to this:

What is a greater question mark? The Phils' bullpen or the Mets starting pitching.

I'll put my money on our bullpen being the stronger unit. Sure, there are plenty of questions, but it's much easier to make chicken salad out of chicken shit when dealing with a bullpen than a starting staff.

Anyhow, apparently J Roll's prediction from earlier this winter is peeving some people around the division, especially David Wright who weighed in with the following:

"I read in the paper that Jimmy Rollins thinks nobody else has a chance. … When you read that, it irks you a bit and makes you want to go out there and beat them that much more."

Great, I love a little ill will between New York and Philly teams. Should make for an interesting season. If J Roll turns out to be right and helps lead this team to the post season for the first time in 14 years, he'll be a legend in this city. We love guys that show this type of bravado.

I Found It! The Sixth Finger!

If you look really closely at the left hand of Phils' reliever Antonio Alfonseca, you can see the Superfluous Sixth Finger!!!!

Take a good look people. I included a link in case you want an even better look.

Why this guy's deformity amazes me so much, I don't know.

Ain't This A Kick In The Head

I was all excited about the prospects the Flyers received in the Forsberg trade until I read the following this morning in the Inquirer:

As for [Ryan] Parent, the best bet for him right now is rest. He has missed two weeks of play with the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League because of a bulging disk in his back.

His strength is his skating. He has long strides. A couple of years ago, he took honors as the fastest skater among all Canadian Hockey League prospects in the 60-meter dash and full skate around a rink.

The question is: Will his skating stride adversely affect the disk?

"It's something we are looking into," he said. "We're waiting for it to be 100 percent so I don't get injured again skating. We want to build it up so it will be stronger."

Parent said that if the back becomes a "nagging" problem, he may have to alter his posture when skating. Of course, the Flyers need to monitor this situation.

"This is the first time it ever happened," Parent said. "It's nothing too serious. It just got to the point it wasn't helping me to play anymore."

The kid is 19 years old and he already has a bad back which will likely curtail his skating ability. Wonderful. We've traded for Mike Rathje Junior. I hate this deal already.

(In case you missed it, I've spent the last two posts talking Hockey and Nascar. Way to know your phan base, Tone.)

This Chick Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth

I was all set to post my feelings on ESPN jumping onto the Nascar bandwagon this week by spending tons of time down at Dayton, but then I came across this story from another blog. Since you all know that I'm lazy, here's a decent posta decent post on how ESPN has gone Nascar crazy this week:

What was ESPN's biggest manufacture of the week? The gay athlete issue or NASCAR?

I can't believe ESPN took off, not just bumped, but put on hiatus Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption to put NASCAR Now on for an hour every sinlge day this week. (Okay, I don't care about ATH, but PTI?! And to think I hated the Bob Ryan/Dan Le Batard vacation combo. Don't know what you got 'til it's gone...) ESPN is clearly very serious about this NASCAR thing. They bumped their prime programs, inserted NASCAR heavily into all the highlight shows and flaunted their fancy set, multiple correspondents and weird headset microphone thingies. Indeed, they did their best to make Waltrip's fluid malfunction into a national crisis.

I don't have anything against NASCAR. It's just not my thing (although I'm southern). Although ESPN is so desperate to force feed NASCAR down our throats that they would place a Black guy known for being a basketball player as a NASCAR analyst, I don't want them taking off my favorite shows for over analysis of crew chiefs and crank shafts (Okay, I learned a lot this week.) So now NASCAR has a new issue. I don't hate NASCAR coverage, but I do resent it.

Ok, I do like the sport, so I'm not as jaded as this broad, but I do think it is a bit ridiculous how quick ESPN jumped on the Nascar bandwagon. I'm no expert when it comes to the mechanical/car type issues involved in this sport, but I can tell that the guys as ESPN really don't what the hell they are talking about when they discuss technical issues. Some of their hosts really need to get up to speed (no pun intended.)

I really wish they warmed up to the sport first, but who can blame ESPN. Nascar is only behind the NFL in terms of tickets sold and television ratings. It's not like they are trying to push the NHL down our throats, so I guess we should all relax.

(By the way, I just learned that Brent Mustberger is hosting the pre race studio show for the Busch races. This is outstanding. We all need more Brent Mustberger in our lives.)

Finally, Foppa Flipped to Nashville

In the span of one month, we've received closure on both the Barbaro story and now the Peter Forsberg situation. We can all now get on with our lives. All is right with the world.

In case you missed it, Forsberg, along with his bad right foot and ill-fitting skate, was traded to Nashville for former first round draft picks defenseman Ryan Parent and winger Scottie Upsall, as well as a first round pick and a conditional 3rd round pick, which turns into a 6th round pick if the Predators (yes, that is the name of the Nashville NHL franchise) fail to re-sign Forsberg, which appears to be a pretty safe bet in my opinion.

Snider and Holmgren did their best to not let on that a deal to bring back Forsberg this summer is imminent, but Foppa, and especially Knuble and Gagne, seemed to have a cat that ate the canary grin when they addressed the press tonight. Their reactions pretty much told me that Foppa will be back in Orange and Black come July 1st. Take it to the bank. (Of course, I have a vested interest in this happening. I'd like to wear my Peter Forsberg alternate third jersey again. So maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part.)

Clearly, the Flyers have played this whole situation perfectly. They received two legit prospects, a first round pick, and another mid round pick from a team that will only be renting Forsberg for 3 months at the most. Please understand that this ain't the A.I. trade, or even the ridiculously lopsided Abreu move from last summer, folks. I'm not going to claim to know a whole lot about the players the Flyers acquired, even though I have seen Parent play and was impressed. Plus, all the Canadians on my Flyers message board are raving about the guy. I'll take their word on it. If he's a player, then this deal is a success no matter if Forsberg re-signs with us or not. If the guy is a player and Forsberg does come back, then this was an absolute steal, especially if the first round draft pick turns into a legit NHL player.

Yes, the Flyers absolutely suck this year, but they are stockpiling a ton of young players and picks. These prospects might not be the caliber of Penguins' young guns, but the Orange and Black will develop a good number of these guys into players. Plus, the Flyers have a TON of cap space heading into next offseason. If the Flyers can somehow move Hatcher, then they will be able to pretty much re make the team in the span of one offseason.

As a huge Flyers fan, the offseason can't get here soon enough.

I Guess The Season's Not A Total Waste

Sure the Flyers' season has totally sucked, but I learned today that the 2006-2007 Orange and Black are on pace to set an NHL record. Damien Cox of ESPN.com reports the following:

[The Flyers] are likely to experience the greatest single-season fall in NHL history...The previous record drop was set by the 1971 Detroit Red Wings, who went from a 95-point team during the 1969-70 campaign to a 55-point squad a season later. Earlier this season, the Flyers were on pace to obliterate that mark with losing streaks of 10 and nine games. Now, on pace for 56 points after finishing with 101 last season, they're merely on track to nudge aside the dubious achievement of the Dead Things squad.

Nicely done, boys. I thought I'd be able to put this year in the rearview mirror pretty quickly and never have to put up with it again. Although, it now looks like the NHL's record book won't soon let us forget this year for awhile. I suppose we can put this year's edition of the Orange and Black right up there with the 1972 Sixers, the NBA's all time leader in single season losses.

Wait A Second...When Did This Happen?

Can anyone shed some light as to when the Sixers changed to red uni's as pictured above? I love them...they are soooooo much better than the black road uniforms and a zillion times better than those putrid blue alternative jerseys.

Christ, at this rate, the Sixers could have cloned Dr. J, Wilt Chamberlain and Bobby Jones from the dead and I doubt anyone would notice. The only way this team generates any interest with the city is if they institute "Free Lapdance" night.

I still challenge anyone to comment on a Sixers related story. I don't think it can be done.

As Bad As Yesterday Was...

Today was much better when it comes to the Philly Sports scene. There was enough decent Phillies articles today that almost made me forget that an ice storm had turned the Delaware Valley into a giant ice rink. Let's go to the highlights, shall we:

• Sorry ladies, but the Sex Panther, aka Pat "the Bat" Burrell, is off the market. Jim Salisbury's column in today's Inky reveals that the King of the Third Called Strike has gotten engaged in the offseason. This move takes me by surprise. I'm guessing that he either knocked up some young lady or contracted a bad case of herpes or the clap and has the common decency to not pass it. The article also mentions that Pat is quite upset by Dallas Green's comments this offseason...Sorry I have to post them again for shits and giggles, as I get a good chuckle every time I read it:
  

  "It's time for Pat to look in the mirror. He's 30 years old. Damn, time is slipping by here. It's neat to have money, it's neat to have good looks, and it's neat to have broads all over you. But there comes a time in every player's life when he needs to get his act together."

• People may say that Bill Conlin has lost his fast ball, but I totally disagree. He's probably still my favorite columnist in the city. I love the line he closes his column with:
  

  I don't think the Phils are dumb enough to break up this winning lineup by trading Rowand for some seventh-inning setup clone. But these guys are not closing in on 10,000 losses because they hold lifetime memberships in Mensa.
  
  

  Plus, I totally agree with his proposed Phils' lineup. Here it is (check his column for his reasoning on each spot):
  

  RF - Shane Victorino
  CF - Aaron Rowand
  2B - Chase Utley
  1B - Ryan Howard
  SS - Jimmy Rollins
  LF - King of the Called Third Strike
  3B - Wes Helms/Baberaham Nunez
  C - Barajas/Ruiz/Coste

• Our favorite Master of The Obvious, Chollie Manuel, points out to Pompous Marcus Hayes that the Phils need to get off to a better start this year and states the following:
  
  

  "I think there's a difference between being ready to start the season and being ready to start the season winning. You don't want to fall behind eight or 10 games in June."

  Thanks, Uncle Cholly. I hope the boys take heed of your sage advice.

• Here are a couple other interesting tidbits from Marcus' article:

  Charlie Manuel said he met with Jon Lieber 3 weeks ago in Philadelphia. Lieber fretted over being involved in trade talks. Manuel soothed him by assuring him that the Phillies never shopped him; rather, Manuel said, they only listened to offers. (Nothing like lying to making him feel better, huh?)

Pat Burrell is still coping with a chronic problem with his right foot for a fourth straight year. (Does Pat Burrell have the same foot doctor as Peter Forsberg?)

Manuel also said he won't use Gordon for more than an inning the first couple of months and he hopes that he doesn't use him more than 2 days in a row for most of the season. (Nice job, Gillick....you think you might want to get some insurance for Flash? Sounds like Flash is going to be babied all year.)

To All Cowboys Fans...This Is YOUR QB!

Cowboys' fans, you are so f'n screwed. I haven't laughed this hard in a while. Donovan McNabb may have some issues, but he'll never be caught dead on stage with Mr. Belding and an atrocious foul mouthed cover band singing a Journey song.

This is one of the most enjoyable You Tube clips I've ever come across. Enjoy!!!



I don't know when he made this appearance, but does Tony Romo have any self respect? Look at how serious he's singing! What's next? Will he appear in a buddy cop flick with a way past his prime Steven Seagal?

Please someone tell me he at least got paid and/or laid for this!!!

Nearly Bored to Tears

In case you guys can't tell, I'm totally underwhelmed by the Philly Sports Scene right now. I suppose there are some big issues going on (Will or Won't Forsberg be Traded, Big Red's Hiatus, Spring Training is Right Around the Corner, and The Sixers are blowing their shot in this Spring's Lottery), but nothing is really stoking the fire to start firing off post after post.

Apparently, I'm not the only one. The backpage cover story on the Daily News is of some dude that has dedicated his life to playing video games.

Although, I did get a laugh about FredEx trying out for the Toronto Argos and former 'Nova star guard Randy Foye and family getting in some trouble up in Minnesota.

I'll tell you what does have my attention though....The Anna Nicole Smith story. Sorry, I find this whole situation totally interesting. Yes, I guess it's kind of white trash, but I don't care. Every twist and turn seems to be pulled from Days of Our Lives. I don't know about you guys, but I'm totally rooting for Anna Nicole's baby to be the progeny of J. Howard Marshall. That would be too perfect. I also need more on how Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband managed to get involved here. Plus, the tearful interview by the supposed father of the baby, Howard K. Stern, was some of the worst acting I've ever seen. WWE wrestlers pull off better on a weekly basis. If you're interested, which likely most of you are not, I recommend following the story on WWTDD.com.

Ok...good night folks. Stay warm and stay safe commuting to work tomorrow.

Big Red To Take Care of Family Business

Of course, I totally support Andy Reid's decision to take a leave of absence to help take care of his sons' legal issues. However, is anyone else nervous about how things are going to work out with Big Red not around the Nova Care Complex on a day to day basis?

I just have a feeling that some of the cohesive work we've seen from the front office during the draft preparation/free agency signing periods in Reid's tenure may suffer. We'll see how things go, but if the Birds lose Stallworth, Juqua Thomas, and Jeff Garcia pretty quickly into the free agent signing period, the natives will get pretty restless.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I have faith that Heckert, Banner and crew will hold down the fort until Big Red is ready to return.

Old Time Hockey, Eh?

God, I wish we'd see more of this in the NHL.

Stop The Presses!!!! Flyers Win At Home!!!!

In case you missed it, the Flyers won last night at home for the first time since Black Friday. Yes, they had not won at the Wach since 11/24/06.

However, making this victory more laughable, is that it won behind the efforts of a goalie making his first NHL start in three seasons. Plus, the incredibly over rated second year duo of Jeff Carter and Mike Richards decided to show up last night and chip in with a goal each.

Way to repay the fans, Flyboys. I guess last night's win makes Flyers' fans feel so much better for paying $80 per lower level seat.

Amazing Buzzer Beater

Judging by the lack of comments on anything Sixers related that I post, I gather that you guys, like me, don't care a whole lot about the NBA anymore.

Nonetheless, I still feel compelled to share this buzzer beater from Friday night by Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic to beat the Spurs with less than a second on the clock. This dunk is simply amazing. The last time I saw a buzzer beater like this, it was in some incredibly cheezy movie like Teen Wolf. I have one question though....why didn't the crowd and team go more crazy?



By the way, this clip does have a Philly slant to it...Jameer Nelson threw the inbounds pass which was just as important as the dunk.

Junior Has Brass Balls

I know this doesn't involve Philly Sports and a good number of you guys could give a rat's ass about Nascar, but I ask that you please bare with me...there's not a whole lot to write about at the moment!

I find the whole situation with Dale Earnhardt, Jr requesting 51% of his current employer, DEI, Inc, which was founded by his legendary father and now is run by his stepmom, absolutely fascinating....especially as someone who comes a from a similar family background as Junior.

Thankfully for me, my stepmother is great. Teresa Earnhardt appears to be a complete ice queen in comparison. Despite the differences, I think I have a good understanding of what is driving Jr. to make this demand.

Clearly, Jr. feels he is in the best position to fulfill his father's legacy with growing the company to it should be. Dale Sr was one of the best drivers of all time. His team should be one to contend with season in and season out. Right now, DEI has no chance to contend for the title, even though Jr. is a contender for a spot in the Chase for the Cup. Surely, he looks at Teresa as just a caretaker of the company, an outsider to the sport, and to some degree the family name. Apparently, Jr feels he's ready to take the reigns and can put the company where it should be in the grand scheme of all things Nascar.

Read this outstanding article on ESPN.com for the full flavor of the ordeal. My favorite part is where the writer suggests Jr. could end up driving a Toyota. Wow....I guess you have to know Nascar nation to fully understand how big a statement that is. If you ever see Jr. driving a Toyota, you better put a full out suicide watch over the South because those good ol' boys will not be happy.

Call me crazy, but I see some parallels between the T.O. situation and what Jr. is pulling now. Jr. seems to be showing the same giant brass balls that T.O. revealed 18 months ago. All that's missing is a sleaze ball agent like Drew Rosenhaus. Of course, Nascar is not the team sport that the NFL is, and Jr. is more akin to a superstar QB than a WR like T.O. However, the major difference is that Jr is holding all the cards in this situation. If he doesn't get what he's seeking than DEI is totally screwed. Comparatively, T.O. was just a pawn in the grand scheme of things and the Birds turned out to be just fine the season after he was jettisoned.

We all know how entertaining the T.O./Eagles saga was here in Philly. I'm telling you guys, even if you don't like Nascar, follow this one. It could be just as entertaining.

Something to Warm You Up

Hopefully, this little puff piece from Jim Salisbury in today's Inquirer will get you excited about the season and the warm weather which will eventually come:

PHILADELPHIA — Forget that overhyped furball from Punxsutawney. (He’ll only eat your petunias in four months, anyway.) There is no better harbinger of spring than the 18-wheeler that carries the Phillies’ equipment to Florida every February.
The big rig, loaded with bats, balls and high hopes, pulled out of Citizens Bank Park late Thursday morning. It hung a left on Broad Street and chugged up the ramp for I-95 South.
Sometime Friday, after 1,100 miles and countless Pedro’s South of the Border signs, the truck will cross the Courtney Campbell Causeway and pass the sign that says: Welcome to Clearwater, Winter Home of the Phillies.
Yes, the baseball spring is almost here. In six days, the mitts will be a-poppin’ when pitchers and catchers report to camp. The first full-squad workout will be five days later. Sixty-one players will be in camp.
That’s a lot of jelly beans.
Yes, jelly beans. That was one of the items that was packed on the truck Thursday morning. They’re specially made for athletes, high in carbohydrates and other nutrients. The Phils took 40 cases of them to Florida. (Apparently they’re serious about ending this 13-year playoff drought.)
Phillies equipment men Phil Sheridan, Dan O’Rourke and Kevin Steinhour oversaw the packing of the truck. It took about four hours, and the truck was full when it left. A local company, Wayne Moving, is handling the transportation. Sheridan, O’Rourke and Steinhour will fly to Clearwater on Friday and unpack the truck and set up the clubhouse at Bright House Networks Field on Saturday morning.
Some of us have trouble getting the kids ready for a week at the Shore. Imagine what it’s like packing for a big-league team and six weeks of spring training.
“This is probably the hardest part of the year because everything is times three,” Sheridan said. “Usually, we’re just working with 25 guys. Here we have 61 players, plus a manager, coaches and instructors.”
So, how much equipment do the Phillies take to Clearwater?
How does 1,200 dozen baseballs sound? (Expensive at $74 per dozen.) The Phils take 850 bats. Reigning National League most valuable player Ryan Howard will have three dozen maple bats (team-bought at $65 per bat) waiting for him when he arrives.
There were 400 batting helmets on the truck? “Four hundred?
“We have them with the (ear) flap on the left, with the flap on the right, and some with double flaps,” Sheridan said. “We have them from size 6¨ to 8. Howard wears a 7ˆ. Todd Pratt wore an 8. And we have a few extra for Chase.”
Sheridan explained that fiery second baseman Chase Utley can be a little hard on helmets.
“He’ll go through six or seven a year,” Sheridan said. “Somehow they end up having accidents, as he likes to say.”
About 100 of the helmets (cost: $30) are new. The rest were used last year, but you’d never know it because they’ve been cleaned. When Jim Thome was a Phillie, he never wanted his helmet cleaned. He liked it dirty and caked with pine tar.
“I remember one of his teammates flipped and broke Jim’s helmet,” said O’Rourke, his eyes widening. “Jim was not happy.”
You never want to be short a piece of equipment in spring training. So, the Phillies bring 30 dozen caps, 1,500 pairs of pants, 2,500 undershirts, 300 pairs of gym trunks, 200 pairs of sliding shorts, 100 pairs of shower sandals, 2,000 towels, and two cases of pine tar.
The Phils bring 24 cases of sunflower seeds for munching, 24 cases of bubble gum, 200 pounds of powdered sport drink, and 15,000 paper cups, most of which end up on the dugout floor.
The truck left with 300 pounds of laundry detergent, 100 pounds of special grass-stain soap, 50 gallons of pine tar remover, and a sewing machine to fix torn pants.
Once in Florida, the team will purchase shampoo and soap for the clubhouse, as well as that Florida necessity — sunblock. Why aren’t more items purchased in Florida?
“Because we want to know we have it before we leave,” Sheridan said.
The training staff sends several boxes of equipment, including 60 cases of athletic tape. All the team’s video equipment is on the truck. Front office personnel pack their equipment on board, and players who live in the area send personal belongings down on the truck.
“Over the years, we’ve had cribs, playpens, Big Wheels and Barbie bikes on the truck,” Sheridan said. “We have 15 sets of golf clubs on here right now. Coming back, we’ll probably have 40.”
Gloves, spikes and batting gloves aren’t as plentiful on the truck as balls and bats. Some players consider gloves to be an extension of their hands. They’ll take their favorites home for the winter and bring them back in the spring. Others simply will get new ones shipped right from the manufacturer to Clearwater, along with several pairs of spikes and batting gloves.
In addition to bulk equipment, the Phillies’ equipment personnel pack each player a personal bin, which contains items the player left in his locker over the winter.
Sheridan, who has been doing this since 1992, was stacking those bins the other day when he was overcome with spring fever, or shall we call it pennant fever?
“I started looking at some of the names — ‘Here’s Freddy Garcia, here’s Jimmy Rollins, there’s the National League MVP’ — and I’m thinking, ‘This team is legit,’ “ Sheridan said. “On paper, we’re just as good as the Mets.
“Or maybe I should say, in the truck we’re just as a good as the Mets.”

I Love It When I'm Right....

In my entire life, I have never been vindicated, so fast. On Tuesday, I wrote the following:

"We’ll also surely see a couple stories where the Wife Beater claims that he has matured through the trials and tribulations of last season and he’s ready to be more reliable at the top of the rotation."

Sure enough, here is the headline from an article in today's Daily News:

"Myers touts new maturity"

I shit you, not. Check the link. It took less than 24 hours for my prediction to become reality.

Well, since I rarely feel like I have been proven correct in fights with "The Wife", I guess I'll just have to take solace in the fact that I really do know Philly sports.

(Finally, as St. Joe's Nick pointed out in the comments to Tuesday's column, the Wife Beater did drop a bunch of weight. Check the picture above. I'm jealous.)

T.O. Returns!

Holy Sh*t! T.O. called Eskin's WIP show tonight. Click here to hear the interview.

I really can't believe this knucklehead called to debate issues with Eskin. He is such a petulant child.

Enjoy. Shockingly, this is a really good interview.

Big Trouble For Big Red

As I am sure you've noticed, I have refrained from commenting on the situation with Andy Reid and his sons. By now, we all know the details, so I am not going to re-hash the whole situation. I will simply state that since I don't believe this to be a sports story, I am not going to spend much time on it. Until such time that Andy's job is affected by the actions of his sons, I am not commenting.

You could say that I am pulling the old ostrich routine, which is a pretty fair assessment. All I will say is that I'm a bit nervous that this whole situation could lead to a leave of absence for the big man. I pray to God that I'm wrong about that.

I will also add the following comment that a lawyer friend forwarded to me from an Assistant District Attorney in Montgomery County:

"Just got out of the press conference. We just charged Reid's one kid. he's in a lot of trouble.

Although I do have a law degree, I don't think I need my legal training to respond to this statement with a big fat, "No Shit."

Good luck and God Speed, Coach Reid.

9 Days!

That's right, just nine days until pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater. Clearly, this is an indication that Spring is right around the corner, folks. (Well, at least I’d like to think Spring is coming on a day where we are suffering through subfreezing temperatures.)

I’m sure we’ll get bombarded with stories about how Hamels is ready to make the Leap to become a legit frontline starter. We’ll also surely see a couple stories where the Wife Beater claims that he has matured through the trials and tribulations of last season and he’s ready to be more reliable at the top of the rotation. I’m also expecting a ton of stories trumping up Lieber in an effort to get him traded off to some other team for bullpen help. Although, if this team is going to have any success, pray to god we don’t see any stories about Tom Gordon suffering from shoulder or elbow inflammation.

Finally, I’m sure we’ll get plenty of the gratuitous introductory articles about Freddy Garcia and Adam Eaton. I’m actually really looking forward to seeing Garcia pitch. I think he can be a key acquisition for this team.

Selfishly, I’m really looking forward to spring training because frankly, I don’t know what the hell I’m going to write about until free agency and draft preparation begins in earnest for our Birds. Until then…Go Phils!

"Far From" Super Bowl

Did anyone watch that game last night and honestly feel like they were watching the best the NFL had to offer? I never got excited about the game, before, during or after it. Who know, maybe I'm getting bitter in my old age, but this game sucked. I could care less about Dungy and Manning. The Colts are about as bland as an Andy Reid press conference. I already can't wait until next season so these guys can be replaced as World Champions.

Other things which sucked involving this Super Bowl:

• Jim Nantz...Undoubtedly, he is the master of the obvious. I wish he'd stick to golf and the NCAA Tourney.


• Prince....If I want to hear a Foo Fighters songs, I'll pick up my I Pod and listen to Dave Grohl and the boys


• the commercials...the first one was funny and then things went down hill in a hurry


• Rex Grossman...."Hello Mr. Garica, this is Jerry Angelo the GM of the Bears, how would you feel about playing QB here in Chicago?"


• The rain...I know they couldn't do much about it, but it totally sucked the life out of the game for me.

Unfortunately, the NFL season is over. I guess we're all going to have to find something to with ourselves. I guess I could spend more time with my wife and do things around the house, but I'd likely hang myself inside of the first month. (Of course, I'm kidding. Who doesn't love to spend time with loved ones.) That's where Nascar comes in.....Gentlemen, start your engines!!!!

This Makes Way Too Much Sense

My buddy for Mister Nascar has been saying for the past couple years that he thinks Pat Burrell needs his eyes checked. Apparently, the Phils agree. Check this out from Monday's Daily News:

"I just don't think Burrell is seeing the ball," said Mike Bucci, who played professionally for 9 years after being drafted by the Texas Rangers out of West Chester University and then spent 5 years managing in the Rangers and Indians systems.

Joe Klein, executive director of the independent Atlantic League and former major league general manager with the Rangers, Indians and Tigers, agrees.

Well, it makes sense. Hitting a baseball is one of the hardest tasks in sports. And hitting it without seeing it clearly obviously increases the degree of difficulty immeasurably.

It would also help explain why Burrell (who has declined all interview requests this offseasaon) has led the majors in taking called third strikes in each of the last two seasons (68 times in 2005 and 63 last year) while frequently swinging at pitches far out of the strike zone.
***********
"When I was coaching in the minors, I had a couple players who had real good years and then came back and had off years," he explained. "I'd say to them, 'When was the last time you had your eyes checked?'"

One notable case, he said, was a shortstop named Dave Darretta. A high draft pick of the Rangers, his hitting had started to regress. After having his eyes examined, he improved to the point where he hit a home run to help his team win the Gulf Coast League championship in 1984.

"Burrell absolutely reminds me of that," said Bucci, now a job-placement specialist at the Health and Science Center in Media who still conducts hitting clinics on the side. "When you jump out of the way of the ball the way he does and then the pitch is a strike, that just tells me he's not seeing the ball."

I guess that's one take on his problem. Another could be that he's more preoccupied chasing the ladies than improving his hitting, but I've already beaten that horse to death. Another could be that he just plain sucks, which unfortunately is likely the case.

Super Bowl 39, Revisited - Part II

Click here for an interesting interview with Donovan McNabb on Mike and the Mad Dog on WFAN in New York. (If you've never listened, this is what real sports talk radio should be.)

Anyhow, you'll find Donovan's reasoning for the poor clock management during the last five minutes of the Super Bowl pretty curious. He explains part of the reasoning they moved so slow was because they didn't know how long T.O. could go and he didn't want to come out of the game. He also explained that he never puked and the Birds offensive play calling was very deliberate to make sure they had the right personnel packages on the field.

Whatever, dude...I'm not buying it. He should have shut up after his marvelous job with the press yesterday and came home. Plus, you can also hear some of the bitterness he still harbors towards the press and the fans to some extent.

Oh well. We did have one happy day in Eagles land.