Aromashodu!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no clue who the guy is, or where he came from, but Devin Aromasodu just put the Birds' playoff destiny in their own hands to gain the two seed and a must needed first round bye. All I can say is thanks, Devin. May you and your incredibly long last name live well and prosper.

As for Sunday's upcoming game against Dallas, I am deathly afraid. I don't like this matchup. Something about this group of Cowboys scares me. All the sudden, Tony Romo is clutch and the 'Boys defense looks really tough. We'll get into it more later in the week, but I'm not very positive as we head into this game. The news of Jamaal Jackson's season knee injury didn't help much in that category.

On the bright side, if the Birds can pull out another victory, you have to like their chances of heading deep into the playoffs as a 2 seed. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. There is plenty of work to do and we know the Birds have screwed up seemingly favorable situations previously. (See 2003 NFC Title Game, Eagles vs. Tampa).

However, tonight is a night to be hopeful. There is light at the end of the tunnel and the Birds are surging at the right time.

In Game Blog

I haven't done this in some time, but I figured I'd break out the in game blog with my witty, insightful comments as events occur in real time. However, since I've told no one I'm doing this and I'm sure no one is reading live, it will make zero sense after the fact.

Oh well, here we go:

-I missed the first minute of the game as I forgot that CBS had the game and not FOX. Bad job by PSP

-Ok, let's get this out of the way...it's pretty friggin strange seeing Dawk covering B West

-McNabb looks pretty sharp so far through the first quarter.

-Jason Peters can look pretty crappy at times. He's clearly not a guy that I have 100% confidence in.

-Champ Bailey is doing an ok job on DeSean. He clearly doesn't look afraid of him.

-Stokely is an idiot. How do you put yourself in that situation?

-I'm never comfortable with our defense. They annoy me to no end. That TD drive was sloppy on their part.

-I am playing against Brent Celek in my fantasy football semi's. I'm the only person in Philly rooting against him right now.

-Can we bring in the back up QB to do the QB sneak? McNabb is in his 10th year and still has no clue how to run it effectively.

-I really like Maclin. I can't wait to see what he will be like next year with a year under his belt.

-Uh oh...my little girl just woke up from her nap...This could end the in the game blog faster than a two for one happy hour stops the Flyers' Old City Crew from getting fully prepared for an afternoon game the following day.

-My buddy the Capt just texted "I'm a big T White guy in nickle." Gotta agree, Capt. I have no idea who he is or where he came from, but he does a nice job in the nickle.

-Overall, pretty decent half. If we get points off the 2nd half's first drive, we may be cruising.

-By the way, thanks to the idiots who scheduled a Flyers game at 5 pm. I thought I'd at least catch a couple plays during the half, but they are in the First Intermission. The NHL schedule makers are complete idiots. No wonder they can't grow the league.

-I miss the start of the 2nd half...crappy job by me again...The first play I catch is the pick by Champ Bailey...terrible decision by D Mac.

-It is only a matter of time until the Broncos score a TD to officially give them live and get them back into the game.

-I love how our secondary is trying to play flag football out there (other than Sheldon).

-Knowshon Moreno would fit great in our offense...forget his skills, I'm talking about his name. We already have DeSean and LeSean.

-Refs are trying to bail us out with the two men in motion call. Didn't see it.

-Come on, Boys...you need to pick that.

-Wow...a tackle by a DB! Great play by Q...hopefully, he's not hurt.

-Dinner time...Xmas leftovers! I can't wait!

-Ok, I'm back...dinner was surprisingly good for being two days old.

-Let's recap...Birds got lucky with a couple questionable calls on the Broncos and got very fortunate on the TD to Avant. After the TD, the Birds are starting to melt down. They gave up a 3rd and 22, almost let the Broncs score before a great pick by Asante. However, the Birds went gangsta on the return and put themselves deep in their own territory. After averting disaster on three straight plays, the Italian Aussie put one off the side of his foot. The Broncs are now driving again....Wow, pretty eventful ten minutes.

-The Birds' defense couldn't wait to give up that TD. They were dying to let the Broncs back into this game.

-By the way, I wouldn't stop running that WR screen until we stop it.

-I've had enough of Macho. He stinks.

-Ok, this team has now completely stopped playing since the Avant TD. If we stop these guys on the next drive, I will be totally shocked. I am at a loss for words. I'm throwing around the eff bomb left and right.

-The stupidity this team is capable of bewilders me.

-That face mask penalty was ridiculous. How dumb are these guys?

-I think I might just put the Flyers on at this point. At least I expect them to annoy me.

-Guaranteed that wasted time out will come into play somewhere at the end of the game.

-Rocca needs to go....NOW

-Ugh...not only does this tie the game but the guy I'm playing against has Prater....F&*K!!!!!

-Seriously...McNabb hasn't run in weeks. He runs 20+ yards and he looks like he is going to keel over and pulls his hammy. Does this guy do any conditioning?

-Hey, I'm about to have a heart attack over this game, but at least the Flyers won.

-Huge third down at the 2 minute warning. If they hold them, they will get the ball back with time to drive it down for a field goal.

-Lord, I hope this is a catch.

-This game may kill me off. I need to double up my blood pressure meds.

-Come on Akers!

-IT'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PSP's EAGLES' PICK

I felt a lot better about this pick before all these home teams started losing today, but I have the Birds winning 27 to 17.

I think we'll see Dawk show some age, but make a few plays that leave us with seller's remorse.

I see Brent Celek as the star of the game.

So, Are These Guys Any Different?

Let's face it. We've been in this same exact situation with the Eagles five other times in less than eight seasons. This team appears perched to win a division and make a deep playoff run....ho hum. We've been there and done that. We've seen teams fall short of the Super Bowl numerous times after having great regular seasons. I think the question in all our minds is what makes this group different than those other teams that have failed in the ultimate quest to win a Super Bowl.

Initially, the easy answer is that we have never seen an Eagles team this explosive, with this many offensive weapons at their disposal. Sure, the 2004 team with TO and B West in their primes was pretty dominant, but they didn't have a TE, #2 WR, FB, jack of all trades back up QB and slot WR like this team. Our offense is ridiculously deep and when McNabb and the O line come to play, they will put points up on anybody. I don't give a shit if the '85 Bears line up against us, the Birds will put up 24 points. Only the Saints in the NFC compare to our offense.

However, where this team differs from the prior Andy Reid led Eagles is on the other side of the ball. In prior years, the defense was the back bone of the team. Not this year. Even last year's defense was rock solid in the second half of the year. This year, all I know is that this defense can beat bad QB's and that's about it. Unfortunately, with Brees, Warner, Rodgers, Warner and Romo likely to make the playoffs, the Birds are going to face pretty decent quarter backs the rest of the way. Although, this current Eagles' defense does create turnovers and we all know that they are the true equalizers. Overall, I don't have a lot of faith in this group. Matter of fact, I think they could use an upgrade at DE, OLB, CB and FS for next year.

In short, this team is flawed. However, the real question is whether their defensive flaws will ultimately doom them or like the 2008 Phis, can they hide their flaws and cover them up long enough to win a title.

Currently, I don't think they can. I believe ultimately the warts will show up and the defense won't hold up and wind up causing the Birds to get knocked out of the playoffs.

I sure hope I'm wrong, but I'm having a hard time believing in Antonio Dixon, Joe Mays, Sean Jones and Co.

PSP's EAGLES' PICK

Ok, have to get a quick pick in for today's game after shoveling all friggin' day.

After last night, I'm now 100% convinced that this season will come down to week 17. The only way that can happen is if the Birds lose a game somewhere before the finale. I think this is the week. The 49ers are a tough team and I think they will turn this game into a slug fest and we know that's not the Birds' strong suit. Plus, the offense has been sailing along pretty smooth and D Mac is due for a clunker. By the way, this team has a great tight end and I don't think we've stopped a good one yet.

I see a 24 to 17 loss for our Birds.

You didn't think things would be that easy, did you?

6 to 1...The Flyers have lost all dignity.

At this point, I pray the rumors about Hartnell's wife and Carter are true because I can't explain the problem.

We Need A Halladay, But At This Price?

I'm really having a hard time getting a grip on the proposed Halladay trade. The more I read, it sounds like two separate deals. The Halladay deal and then the Cliff Lee salary dump. However, the more information that comes out, I don't understand the Phils' logic.

While I understand the need to give up Lee after picking up Halladay's contract and how it is better to have Hallday for five years than Lee for just next year, I can't figure out why the Phils decided to finally trade Drabek and Michael Taylor. After refusing to give them up last year, why do it now? I really don't understand. I thought it would have been a smarter move to use the prospects picked up in the Lee trade to use in the Halladay deal.

I hope Ruben Amaro knows what he's doing because I'm a bit skeptical about whether this deal makes a ton of sense.

*****By the way, how about the Phils knocking the Birds off the back page after they won a Giants game that put them in first place in the NFC East? Don't see that every day.

Happy Halladays! Doc is a Phil!

Would have liked to have kept Lee but this makes sense long term.

Wow...Need for Difibulator Averted

I'm wiped out. I seriously didn't feel comfortable with this game until the last snap. Wow. What a battle. That is what the Philly/NY rivalry is about, baby! Close games, no quit by either side, fights at the end. I put Philly/NY up with any city rivalry in the country.

That being said, I'm going to miss the Meadowlands. I've been to many games there. It was not that out dated. There wasn't a bad seat in the house to watch a football game.

I just have a question. Where the hell was the defense? Reggie White, LT, Seth Joyner, Carl Banks, Chuck Bednarik and Sam Huff must be turning over in their graves....wait, some of those guys ain't even dead yet! The Birds made Eli Manning look like Joe Montana tonight.

A couple of other thoughts:

1) it took 13 weeks, but Big Red finally figured out how to use Michael Vick. He is now a legit weapon. His pass to D Jax in the first quarter was a thing of beauty.

2) our secondary is slow and a bunch of pathetic tacklers. This could be potentially a deadly combination.

3) DeSean Jackson is beyond explosive. Let's just say he is incendiary.

4) Let's hope Jeremy Maclin is ok.

5) Can someone tell Shady McCoy to cover up the ball. He scares the crap out of me every time he touches the ball.

6) Has anyone seen our pass rush? It was non existent for most of the night.

7) Brent Celek and Leonard Weaver are warriors. How can you not like how hard they play?

8) That was probably the best game our O Line has played all year.

9) Eli makes a lot of Favre-ian type plays to make something out of nothing when he looks like he's about to be sacked.

10) You know things were going to go well for the Birds when Sheldon recovered the bouncing ball and ran it back for a TD.

11) Tonight's game was the worst officiated game I can remember in years.

Time to call it a night. I have to check out the season finale of Dexter.

Big Red Has No Ups

Thanks to my DVR

Classic Comment

Sitting here watching the Birds and my sister in law just laid this classic comment on me after De Sean back pedaled into the end zone:

Erin: DeSean looks like a punk. Where's he from?

Me: Long Beach, CA

Erin: Really, I would have guessed Detroit. A lot of punks come out of Detroit.

I don't know. You guys may find it benign, but I found it funny on a couple levels, mainly how would she know that so many punks come from Detroit? (Maybe she's watch 8 Mile too many times).

By the way, DeSean is the most explosive athlete in Philly since the early days of AI.

Also, I'm really hoping the missed PAT doesn't come into play. They always seem to. (Yes, I'm trying to reverse mush.)

PSP's EAGLES' PICK

With the Cowboys' predictable December swoon continuing (I guess I better start working on that post comparing the end of year slumps of the Mets and Cowboys), tonight's game just got infinitely more interesting.

The Birds are fighting to take sole possession of first place. The Giants can see a clear path to the playoffs if they win tonight.

Normally, in this type of situation, I like the team fighting for their playoff lives as opposed to the team that is just fighting for playoff seeding. However, I think I'm going to stray from that this evening.

Something drastically changed in the dynamics of this rivalry the day Plaxico Burress decided to pop a cap in his thigh. When the G Men had Plaxico on the field, the Birds had absolutely no answer for him. He was the Giants' Atomic Bomb. He was the solution every time things got tough. Without him, it seems like the Birds know that the G Men are playing without their biggest weapon and play with a lot more confidence. The defense can focus on the Giants run game and it seems like the offense (when playing up in the Meadowlands) makes enough plays to win.

Now that the rain seems to be moving out, I like the Birds 28-17. I think we will be giving a warm welcome back to De Sean Jackson and a fond farewell to Giants Stadium.

(By the way, if the football gods see to it that Brandon Jacobs scores both of those TD's on 60 yard+ runs, I'd really appreciate it as I need him big time tonight to win a fantasy playoff game!)

Can These Guys Be Saved From Themselves?

In case you missed it (Christ, after a six month sabbatical I am still subliminally starting my hockey posts this way), the Flyers put Coach John Stevens down this past Friday. Much like a family dog, it was better to put him down then let the suffering continue. Sure, he might have pulled through it, but the Flyers acted at the right time.

Quite simply, Coach Stevens needed to go. After three years of watching him coach, I still can't tell you what his strategy he wanted the team implement out on the ice. Overall, he certainly didn't seem like a master technician. Frankly, he seemed to get the head job because the young guys on the team responded to him. However, it was becoming real obvious that the team was starting to tune him out. The young guys were way too streaky and the team usually followed their lead. A stronger voice in the room was needed to motivate Carter, Richards, Hartnell, etc. and I commend Homer for making the right call before it was too late. It was also nice to see someone from outside the or-gan-EYE-za-SHUN brought in to coach instead of some retread Homer/Clarkie/Snider were familiar with.

While the Peter Laviolette era did not get off to the quickest start, I really think he will be the type of voice the young guys need to hear. Which also leads to the question, where do the Flyers go from here? As evidenced by last night's victory, the team is salvageable. They are only three points out of a playoff spot with a couple games in hand. Despite the recent injury to our starting goalie, this team has the talent to be a factor this year. They just need a kick in the ass to properly focus themselves. Hopefully, Laviolette can get the Old City Crew of Richards, Carter, Hartnell, Giroux, etc., more focused on hockey and less focused on where the next party will be held. If he can do that and the Flyers get halfway decent goal tending, I like their chances to be a contender this Spring.

Welcome Back, AI

This was a welcome sight last evening. Allen is back where he belongs. He should end his career here.

The Sixers will stink this year, but it's nice to have Allen back. Who knows, he might recapture a little magic a couple times throughout the year to at least keep them interesting.

Birds Beat Up JV Falcons

Today, the Birds took apart a badly over matched Falcons team and I don't have a lot of take aways....other than I know this team. See my prediction from earlier today. I could see this blowout coming a mile away.

I knew the team would rally around Michael Vick in his return trip to Atlanta. If you didn't see it coming, you haven't been paying attention to how his teammates interact with Vick. They seem awfully deferential to a guy that hasn't done a whole lot this year. All that being said, I can't wait until the guy is off the team. He adds nothing but distraction.

Actually, I do have one major positive from today. The Birds defense. They looked competent for the first time since the Giants game. Sure, playing against a bunch of backups helped a great deal, but they still executed. The goal line stand in the second quarter was a huge pick me up that I hope the Birds build off the rest of the year.

Another issue that I take away from today is that Trent Cole is probably the most under rated player in the city. He didn't have a single tackle or sack today, but he's so disruptive. He's very active and seems to always around the ball. He simply does his job and gets very little fan fare in our city. Not sure why. He seems to fit the mold of guys we like in this city.

A couple of other issues....

1) Is anyone else flabbergasted at how the Georgia Dome can be so filled with excitement one day and then feel/look/sound like a mausoleum the next? The fans for Saturday's SEC Title Game were off the charts on Saturday, but the Falcons fans were pretty tame today except when booing/cheering for Vick. Atlanta is a brutal sports city. We really don't need much more evidence. Since we can all agree that the South only cares about College Sports, can someone please explain why the Professionals continually try to pound a square peg in a round hole?

2) Every time I hear the name Roddy White, I can't help but think of the below video clip:



Yes, that was one of the Top 5 moments of my adolescence.

3) I just read the following stat and I'm overwhelmed. Really, I don't know what to say, but wow:

Today, Reid's team won its 100th regular-season game in the 2000s. According to the Eagles, only Tom Landry (1970s), Don Shula ('70s) and Bill Belichick (2000s) have won 100 games in a single decade.

This stat reminds me of that old Sesame Street clip "One of These Kids Is Doing His Own Thing". Can you guess what separates Reid from Landry, Shula and Belichick? Of course, that's a rhetorical question.

4) The Cowboys are one more December loss away from me writing an entire blog entry comparing the Cowboys annual choke job to the one turned in by the Mets every year. With upcoming games against the Chargers and Saints, I should probably start drafting that post now.
5) Giants' week is here. Thank God they won this week, I really love when both teams are fully invested in these games. It makes them infinitely more interesting.

6) With all the extensions the Birds are handing out, how about calling Leonard Weaver's agent. I really like what big Leonard adds to this team and I'd like to see him stick around for a couple more years.

7) Sheldon Brown is a pro's pro. I like this guy more and more each year.

PSP's EAGLES' PICK

Ok, folks. We are about to see the Birds' true colors today.

If you want to set your clock for the of the season, make sure to watch today's game. If the Birds win today against a back up QB and running back on the road without its biggest playmaker playing a team that is fighting for its playoff lives, then I think we have a team heading towards the playoffs and could make a little noise once they get there. Should they lose, you can pack it in for the year. This team won't be doing anything of consequence this year.

I, however, think they will win today. How exactly? I am not sure. We have seen time and time again this year that the Eagles are wildly inconsistent. They can roll up 40 points one week and then lose a close one the next. Well, after playing two straight close games, I think we're about to see a blow out. I have a feeling his Eagle teammates want to give Mike Vick a going away gift and will see to it that they give their best effort today. I also think we may see a strange reaction from the Falcon crowd today. We could see a ton of cheers when Vick gets in the game and a crowd ready to turn on their own if Chris Redman doesn't inspire much confidence early on in the game.

As for the score, I think we'll see a 30 to 14 Eagles victory this week, setting up a monster match up with the G Men next week.

The Mountaineers Are My Daddy

After 15 years of losing to those toothless Hillbillies from West Virginia, what can I say? I tip my hat and call the Mountaineers my Daddy.

Of course, some of you may recognize that quote. Fox only knocked us over the head with it about 250 times each time Pedro pitched in the World Series this year. Yup, it's borrowed from Pedro Martinez when he was totally exasperated after losing to the Yankees yet again back in 2004. I couldn't think of a better analogy of how I feel today. West Virginia is Rutgers' Daddy. They own us.

West Virginia walked into Rutgers Stadium today and practically embarrassed the Knights in the first quarter. RU did not look ready or prepared well enough to compete as the Mountaineers got out to a 14-3 lead mid way through the first quarter. After a huge freshman mistake by RU QB Tom Savage led to a pick 6 and a 21-3 lead, RU eventually fought their way back into the game and actually had the ball in Mountaineer territory with less than two minutes to play and down only three points.

The crowd (what was left of them) was alive. The snow was falling. The large contingent of West Virginia fans had finally shut up. Everything was teed up for RU to march down the field to either win or tie the game. However, things didn't work out quite as planned. RU failed to get a single first down as Savage threw another interception on fourth down and the game was over shortly thereafter.

RU now goes back to the drawing board as the streak continues for at least another year. West Virginia looked imminently beatable this year and RU benefited from a few breaks during the game. If they couldn't do it this year, it makes you wonder if RU will ever beat these guys.

Top 5 Friday - All Time 5 Toughest Losses In Philly Sports History

In an effort to not completely burn out on blogging again, I'm trying to build in a couple of new staples to the blog to keep things fresh. So, that led me to PSP's newest weekly feature...Top 5 Friday.

Most of you know that I live and die with Rutgers Football. In 2006, RU started the year 9-1 and only needed one more win at West Virginia to clinch their first ever BCS Bowl (the Orange Bowl), but it wasn't to be. RU lost in triple overtime 41 to 39 down in Morgantown when the referees decided to swallow their whistles as Ray Rice was interfered with on the game ending two point conversion attempt. I was pretty much inconsolable after the game. RU went from potentially playing in the Orange Bowl to ending up in the friggin' Texas Bowl against an overmatched Kansas State team. When I told JK about my idea for this post, she said "that was the one time I thought you were going to cry over a game." Yup, it was that bad. In honor of the three year anniversary of the toughest loss I have ever lived through as a sports fan, I decided this week's Top 5 list would commemorate the Top 5 Toughest Philly sports losses (since I know most of you could give a crap about the State University of New Jersey).

So, let's unveil the Philly Sports Phan's Top 5 Toughest list in reverse order:

5. 1981 Super Bowl (Birds vs. Raiders) - Yes, I realize the Birds were never really in this one, but I was 8 years old at the time and hadn't built up a hardened exterior to the failure of Philly teams. I cried like a baby at the end of the game.

4. 1993 World Series, Game 4 (Phils vs. Blue Jays) - Yup, the infamous 15-14 game. I was a student at RU at the time and I think I cleared out my entire apartment building that night with all the yelling I did. I think my room mates were ready to have me committed.

3. 1987 Game 7, Stanley Cup Finals (Flyers vs. Oilers) - This Flyers team was totally outclassed in terms of talent by the Oilers' Dynasty, but this may be the hardest working, gutsiest team to ever play in Philly. When they got up 1-0 early in Game 7, there was hope that maybe they'd pull off an unbelievable upset behind sensational rookie, Ron Hextall, but Gretzky, Messier and Co. shattered those dreams by taking a 3-1 victory to clinch the title.

2. 1993 World Series, Game 6 (Phils vs. Blue Jays) - I think we all still ask ourselves "why didn't Frego just leave Roger Mason in to close out the game?!?!?!?!?" It's one thing to lose, it's another thing when your Manager just about quits on the team and makes an absolutely ridiculous decision. This team deserved better from their leader. I don't think I'm alone in saying that I was absolutely numb after this loss.

1. 2003 NFC Championship Game (Birds vs. Bucs) - In all my life, there had never been a set up like this. It was as much of a sure thing as I had ever seen. It was the last game of the Vet. Tampa had never won a game played in temperatures under 40 degrees. The Birds had owned the Bucs in the couple of years prior to this game. You could not have asked for anything more and it sure seemed like the Birds were heading to the Super Bowl when they took a 7-0 lead just three plays into the game. Unfortunately, it was not to be. The Birds totally stopped playing and Tampa beat up the Birds on the way to a 27 to 10 victory. That game affected me deeply. I went into a depression for nearly a month. I pretty much stopped trusting any Philly team from that moment until the 2008 Phils won the title.

By the way, I still don't think Joe Jurevicius on his infamous 71 yard momentum turning reception or Rhonde Barber on his 90 yard, game clinching pick 6 have stopped running.

Honorable Mention:

- St. Joe's Loss in 2004 Final 8 to Okie State - I have a number of friends that went to St. Joe's. They all felt like they were run over by a train after that heart breaker;

-The Fog Bowl, Birds vs. Bears - We all know how the NFL screwed the Birds in that one;

-Eagles Lose to Dallas in 2nd Round of 1992 Playoffs - The loss marked the end of Buddy/Reggie/Randall era game;

-Game 4 of 2009 World Series, Phils vs. Yanks - The Johnny Damon Double Steal Game;

-Game 5 of the 1st Round of the 1984 NBA Playoffs, Sixers vs. Nets - Sixers fall behind 0-2, force a Game 5 and then blow the game to the Nets failing to defend their 1983 title;

-2005 Super Bowl, Birds vs. Pats -Donovan pukes and fails to run the two minute offense.

Wade-ing Back Into The Pack

With my Phils' post this evening, I have come full circle in my first week back. All Philly teams have been addressed. I feel like all my children have received some attention and I can now focus on my favorites. Without any further adieu, it is time to talk some Phils.

Ahhh yes, the Phils, everyone's darlings. Who doesn't love Chase, Ryan, J Roll, Uncle Cholly and Cliff Lee after the moments we've shared with them over the last two years? They've become more like members of the family than guys that appear on a TV screen. We've come to adore them so much that they lost a World Series this past year and it hardly raised a ripple of discontent through these parts. Of course, that's the kind of good will generated by a title, followed up by another championship round visit. (I urge the Birds to try out this kind of success. I think it would give Banner and Lurie the universal acceptance they've always clamored for)

Like a lot of you, I've spent quite a bit of time basking in the glow of the best two year run of baseball in Phillies history. However, I think it's time to move on and set our sights on 2010. I think we all want to see a return to the glory of 2008, but after reading recent quotes from Ruben Amaro, Jr., I have started wondering if the Phils' brass has the balls and stomach to go for it again. I am getting nervous that the ownership group is now ready to sit on their satisfied asses and rake in the dough instead of seeking out another crucial piece or two to put them back on par with the Yankees.

Ok, I hear you. It's early in the free agent period and I should relax. Well, I urge you to take a look at this quote from Ruben Amaro, Jr the other day and let me know who it sounds like:

"We'd like to add some more depth if we could," said Amaro, who added that any signing was likely to be a low-risk, high-reward type of pitcher. "But pitchers aren't falling out of trees, and I don't have an unlimited budget."

Yup, it sounds like none other than our old friend, Ed Wade and it friggin' scares the shit out of me.

Based on yesterday's press conference, it sounds the Phils are going back to the bargain basement for free agents. How does former Phil Placido Polanco at 3rd Base and John Smoltz as a reliever sound? Sounds absolutely disappointing to me.

After two straight seasons of a nearly sold out stadium, as well as the extra revenue from two full postseasons, the Phils should be in the next rung of spenders right under Boston and the Yanks. There should be nothing preventing the Phils from going after Chone Figgins to play third base. Chone is exactly what the Phils need. He could move J Roll out of the lead off spot and provide a guy that would always be on base when Utley and Howard come up to the plate. But alas, Figgins will never be a Phil as there is news this evening that the Phils are targeting Polanco. I'm seriously underwhelmed.

I just hope that someone reminds the Phils that they got to two straight World Series (winning one) by exercising the Ghost Of Ed Wade. Come on, guys. Let's not that type of philosophy anywhere near Citizens Bank Park.

(By the way, I really do hope I'm over reacting.)

Chris Pronger Keeps It Bleeping Real

I was all set to tackle the issue of the Flyers on Day Three of my return to Cyber Space. In fact, I had my target set on the hot button issue of the day. Should John Stevens stay or go? But the more I thought about it, I realized the topic is as vanilla as Stevens himself. So, I decided to go in another direction with the Orange & Black.

This evening, I had the distinct pleasure of reading Tim Panaccio's article about Chris Pronger and his unwillingness to step on Captain Mike Richards' toes as a team leader. While what you could infer from what Pronger did not explicitly say was pretty interesting (it sure seems to me that there is a divide in the locker room between the young party boys - Carter, Richards, Hartnell and the veteran warriors - Pronger, Timonen, Lapierre, and Asham), I got the distinct feeling that Pronger is the kind of guy that I would love to hang out and have a beer with based on the following quotes:

“I’ve been in his shoes. It’s not [bleeping] easy. The expectations are high on him and on the team. We’re not playing to the best of our abilities, and a lot of that gets shouldered by the captain.

“He’s been here four years and sees how things have progressed from being a s----y team to a pretty good team, to having even higher expectations. I would think he has a better read on some of these guys than I do.

“It’s not like we’re not working hard or just out there bleeping around,” Pronger added. “We’re not putting the puck in the net. Little things like that, sometimes, you over-evaluate and over-analyze things. The simplest thing is to take a step back and look at it from a simple perspective.”

“How could we have won that game in Atlanta?” Pronger asked. “Could it have been that [3-minute] power play? Absolutely! Could it have been not to take that bleeping penalty-and go down 5-on-3? Absolutely! How about scoring some mutha effing goals 5-on-5?

“We need to make it [bleeping] happen on Thursday,” Pronger said. “It needs to [bleeping] happen now, so we can get over that hump and get this ship headed into the right direction.”

****Ok, I added the "mutha effing goals" to see if anyone was still paying attention.

Anyhow, kudos to Panotch for how he relayed Pronger's comments. I absolutely love how he found a way to include the "bleeped out" portions of his interview. It helps me as the reader get a better flavor about Pronger's state of mind. Plus, I now know that Pronger is a real guy and curses as much as I do, which makes me like him more by the day.

[Not to get off on a tangent here, but the way Panotch relayed Pronger's quotes is exactly what is needed in newspapers. Do you think there is any chance Panotch gets these quotes through his editor if he was still with the Inquirer? Not a chance in hell and this is why newspapers are dying. They are stuck on their high horse instead of delivering unfiltered news. Ok, I'm off my soap box. Let's get back to the post.]

All in all, I love the emotion relayed by Pronger. I just hope Party Boy Captain Richards takes note. This is the kind of leadership this team needs. Richards, it is time to take a damn stand and show that you care more about the team than where you and your boy Cartsy are heading out in Olde City after the game or on your day off. Which leads me back to my original column idea...

It's time for Stevens to go. Pronger's comments show that this team needs an attitude adjustment. It's not coming from the "Captain", so let's bring in a coach that can work with Pronger to overhaul the attitude of this team.

Good Night, Good Hockey.

No Brainer

Imagine the following scenario:

You're running a sales team and your numbers for the past couple years are way down. Christ, they are pretty much at the bottom of the industry. The downward trend is clearly the result of an unpopular staffing move to let go of your top sales guy due to "personality issues". Adding to the recent failures is the fact that none of the younger staff hired to replace the disposed star have stepped up to develop into a big time salesman. Obviously, you're under a ton of pressure from Senior Management to produce and your job is on the line. Then, lo and behold, your former star employee hits the open market again after being let go by a competitor. The aging star still has the same personality issues, but he gets results. Something your team desperately needs.

What do you do? Do you:

(A) hire the aging star to save your ass and give you needed short term results?; or

(B) pass because you are afraid of his "personality issues" tainting the young team?

Essentially, that is the situation facing Ed Stefanski and the Sixers with respect to the decision of whether to bring AI back to Philly.

The Sixers are about as dead a franchise as I can remember in this city. The Phils had some bad years in the late 80's through early 90's, but it was never this bad. People still cared. I can't find anyone that wants to discuss the Sixers. No one seems to care that they are this bad. The Sixers have reached the 100% Total Apathy level which is rarely seen in the Northeast. They are utterly unwatchable. I can't think of anything redeeming about watching these guys. Apparently, I'm not the only one because the Wachovia Center has been as empty as an Atlanta Thrashers vs. Florida Panthers NHL game.

Clearly, bringing back AI is the one and only thing the Sixers can do this year to get anyone in this town interested in them enough to turn on Comcast Sportsnet and watch their games, let alone buy a ticket. If the Sixers want to generate any buzz, they absolutely have to sign Iverson.

I really don't see much of a down side in signing AI. Of course, they might win a couple extra games to lower the number of ping pong balls they have in the lottery, but Iverson is no longer the type of guy that can take over games to the point that he can win them on his own. The only real issue would be to make sure AI's personality issues don't rub off on some of the young guys.

In my mind, this is a no brainer. Just sign the guy. Things surely can't get any worse for the Sixers.

The Smartest Guy In The Room, Part 387

(Let me preface this post by saying that I knew I was ready to return to this blog when I could watch the Birds win and have nothing but negative thoughts swirling through my head.)

Only the truly smug and offensively over confident try to pull what Andy Reid did with that ridiculous on sides kick to start yesterday's game. It offended me so badly that I was a mess the rest of the day. In fact, it drove me out of the house. I made the conscious decision to go outside and hang Christmas lights instead of watching the Eagles. Yes, I was that pissed off. (Well, in retrospect, I suppose I wasn't that upset. I did put the game on the radio and sucked the life out of my car batter in the process.)

I still haven't figured out a good reason to on sides kick to start the game. Unless, of course, you think you are the smartest guy to step foot on an NFL sideline since Bill Walsh. And with the opening on side kick, Big Red has once again showed us that he thinks he's the Steven Hawking of the NFL.

When you play such an inept offensive football team, such as the Skins, why do you risk starting the game off with giving them fantastic field position to set up a score to give them confidence which they undoubtedly carried throughout the entire game? It really seemed like Big Red said to himself "Eff it...I'm smarter than these guys. No one will ever expect us to on side kick here."

We all know what happened next....The Skins recovered the kick and returned deep into Eagles' territory. They then scored an early TD, which they built off throughout the game as they surprisingly moved the field up and down the field against the Birds' beleaguered defense. Sure, the Birds finally won a life and death struggle of a game, which should have been a much easier game, but did anyone come away from the game with the warm and fuzzies about the state of your Philadelphia Eagles? I know I didn't. Sure, there were positives (McCoy, McNabb, Avant, Weaver, and Maclin), but I have major concerns about this team, including:

-their inability to get off the field on third and long;

-the sloppy tackling;

-Macho Harris (I've had enough of him at Free Safety. He doesn't have the instincts for the position.);

-Chris Gocong (I've seen enough of him to know he's not a play maker. I watch a lot of SEC football and I see four guys every weekend that are better OLB's than him);

-Sav Rocca (Can we have him deported to Italy or Australia or wherever he's from before he shanks another punt?);

-Jeremiah Trotter...can please send him back to his Car Washes? It is painful to watch him chase ball carrier after ball carrier.

-Can we run a special teams play without a penalty? Seriously, is it that hard for all 11 friggin guys on the field to not make a stupid mistake?; and

-Our DE's other than Trent Cole. Can someone put an APB out for Chris Clemons, Juqua Parker, and Victor Abriamiri? I haven't seen those guys all year.

All in all, a win is a win is a win in the NFL, but this week showed that this team is really going to have to win with its offense, which may be difficult if D Jax is out for any extended period of time with the concussion he suffered against the Skins. However, the schedule, which looked like a bear a couple weeks ago, now seems to be softening. The final five games look like this:

-at Atlanta

-at Giants

-49ers

-Broncos

-at Dallas

Do any of these five games terrify you? If Matty Ice and Turner are out next week, the game against the Falcons becomes much easier. The G Men appear to be falling apart at the seams. The 49ers game looks tough, but it is at home. The Broncos were starting to show a ton of cracks before their win over the Giants on Turkey Day and that game is at home as well. I feel like the NFC East title will all come down to the final game of the year in Big D, but that's if Tony Romo doesn't fall apart like he does every December (and we know that's pretty much a certainty, right up there with the Mets falling apart during a pennant race.)

*******************************

By the way, congrats to my buddy Aran on the birth of his twin sons. I'm really happy for you, bro!

I Heard You Missed Us, I'm Back....I Brought My Pencil!

Ok, guys...I got the message. Finally. Over the last couple months, I heard it loud and clear. I need to get my fat, lazy ass back to blogging.

Frankly, I was shocked at how many friends would say something to the effect of: "You really need to get back to blogging. I still stop by your site hoping you would update it...and I get pissed when I still see the same picture of Pansy Ass Cole Hamels from your ill fated July 2009 comeback ."

For some reason, I have pushed this blog out of my life. But lately, I've realized how much I miss it. I really do. I lost my creative outlet. Why did I give it up? I guess it was mostly the demands on my time that kept me away from Blogging, but I do think Twitter and Facebook made me incredibly lazy. I can get a one liner out there so quickly right after something happens during a game instead of taking the time to craft an entire post.

Well, I am trying to figure a way to rebuild this blog and keep it going. It seemed like I had some people who checked in regularly and liked what I had to say. I have some ideas on how to get things moving again that I will try to implement over the next couple months. I might even change to a new web site address and finally convince a couple of buddies to join forces with me, but most of all I have to get the word out again to get my readers back.

Finally, thanks to my buddy Frank. I see why he's successful in the insurance industry. He beat me down over a two day period and got me to blog again.

By the way, if anyone is wondering where I got the title for this post. Check this out:

The Nightmare Continues

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for the Phils, our Ace gets shelled and we damn near get no hit...again. Can someone please tell what the hell is going on around here? This team is completely lost right now and utterly unwatchable. They have lost their mojo and nothing short of a major trade will shake them out of it right now.

By the way, the layoff hasn't helped J Roll. He went hitless again.

Come on, Big Rube. This is where you need to earn your money. Your team is crying out for an infusion of life. Give it to them, please....or, we'll all be looking forward to the start of football season pretty soon.

The Ultimate Gamble

Many times in the last decade, we have implored our sports teams to go for broke. How many times have we begged the Birds to do whatever it takes to add that wide receiver it needed in the last five years? Don't we all want to see the Phils drain the farm system of all legit prospects to get another front line starter so we can take another trip down Broad Street this Fall? Usually, our local teams have decided against such risky maneuvers which have proven to be smart in some situations (the 2008 Phils) and not so smart in others (basically ever year of the Reid/McNabb era when we've been one player or two short of a title.) Well, this weekend, the Flyers went all in and could end up busted if they don't catch the right card on the river.

They have bet the ranch that 34 year old defenseman Chris Pronger is exactly what the Orange & Black have lacked to push them over the top. Clearly, Pronger is the kind of big, nasty, shut down defenseman this team has lacked since....well, forever. The Flyers haven't had a defenseman like this since Brad McCrimmon in the mid 80's. As long as he stays healthy, this trade undoubtedly makes the Flyers better for '09-'10. With this trade, the Flyers have a top three of defensemen (Pronger, Timonen and Coburn) that rivals any in the Eastern Conference. While the Flyers have traded away part of their scoring depth in giving up Joffrey Lupul, the scoring should remain strong due to the emergence of Claude Giroux. Of course, the big question for next year is the Ray Emery experiment. If he pans out (and I think that move is either all or nothing), Flyers could certainly knock off the Pens next year.

However, the bigger question is whether the Flyers gave up too much and how will this deal effect the Flyers long term. Personally, I had enough of Joffrey Lupul. He floated through way too many games and only really turned it on against inferior competition. The other pieces they gave up is what causes me to question the deal. Last year's first round pick, 19 year old defenseman Luca Sbisa showed a ton of promise as a rookie. There is no doubt in my mind that he will be an above average NHL defenseman. I'm still not sure why the Flyers had to give up two 1st round picks instead of one. They gave up a ton of valuable assets in today's cap world that covets cheap, in experienced talent. Plus, Pronger is only signed for this year. If they don't re-sign him or give him an extension, then they basically gave away three first round picks for a one year rental. Not the smartest of moves.

Although, if they wind up winning the Cup for the first time since 1975, then I think we'll all agree that the gamble was well worth it. It's a gamble we've been wishing the Eagles and Phils to take for years. Thanks for going out on a limb, Fly Guys. We all hope it turns out.

I Think It's Time We Push The.....

Yup, it's come to that point. Things are that bad for the Phils right now. While some key injuries have certainly taken their toll, the pitching is downright pathetic, the bats are wildly pathetic and if our leadoff hitter was the family dog, we'd sympathetically put him out of his misery.

A trade needs to be made and it needs to be made now. Suddenly, this franchise is flush with top prospects. I say let's trade a couple and get this team back where it should be. Call me spoiled, but I really don't want to go through a season without a pennant race.

Do it, Ruben. Pull the trigger. This team is cooked unless you do something.

J Roll leading off

Thanks to my man Southwest Johnny for great seats today.

The New Shea Blows

After watching a boring 1-0 victory by the Mets tonight, I've come to a couple conclusions. One, the Mets' new ballpark, and I'll be blunt...completely blows and is totally boring to watch a game played there. (No, I wasn't there. I came to this conclusion watching it on t.v. tonight.)

Two, we are finally starting to miss J.C. Romero. I think we would have been better off this evening with J.C. on the mound rather than Scott Eyre, who has not been as effective this year.

Three, this team still has a hard time manufacturing runs against good bullpens late in the game. In the 7th and 8th the Phils had men in scoring position, but looked like a bunch of buffoons trying to get the man home.

Fourth, our lefty laden lineup will have hard times against tough lefty starters. We saw it for sure tonight and I guess we'll see it whenever a good lefty faces the Phils.

Seriously, What Do I Know Anyhow?

In reviewing the Eagles draft last week, I wrote the following:

"I was kind of annoyed with the fact that it seemed that Birds mailed in a good part of the second day of the draft."

Well, according to Peter King of SI.com, I could not be more wrong. He absolutely gushed over the Eagles' draft and intimated that the Birds somehow are rewriting the rules of football. In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights:

This may come out the wrong way, so bear with me. But if I were a football fan looking for a team to root for, I'd pick the Eagles, and what they did on draft weekend is a big reason. The Eagles think. They don't do things the way they've always been done because that's the way they've always been done. For all the frustrations they've given their fans because they haven't won a championship in the 10-year Andy Reid Era, they've done what, as a fan, I'd like my team to do: They give their fans a chance every July at camp time to think they're going to make the playoffs and have a chance to contend for the Super Bowl. Isn't that what you want, as a fan? A chance, every year? What team every year in this decade has given you that chance? Philadelphia. New England. Indianapolis. Pittsburgh. The Giants, maybe.

But what the Eagles did on the second day of the draft -- still unnoticed eight days later; no one's said a word about it -- is one of the greatest feats of trading down and getting value for the future that I've ever seen. And I mean ever. They took the 85th pick and eventually turned it into four draft choices between the third and seventh rounds, plus half of the compensation paid to New England to acquire Ellis Hobbs, a Super Bowl XLII starting corner.

Look, I think the Birds do a decent job with the draft, but I'm kind of flabbergasted by this report. "Greatest feats of trading down and getting value for the future that I've ever seen"??? Peter, if you want to go ahead and crown them, go ahead and crown them, but can we turn down the hyperbole just a notch, please? The Birds did a nice job, but can we see these guys play first before we anoint Tom Heckert, Andy Reid and Joe Banner as the greatest franchise architects of all time.

An article of this nature really makes you think if there is some sort of hidden agenda. It seems like King is trying to get Tom Heckert and Joe Banner named as Executives of the Year before the season even starts.

It's Not Whether You Win Or Lose...It's How Much Talent You Put On The Field

I'm speechless over this one, but I'm about to hop on the phone, dust off the trusty old credit card and order me some season tickets. Anyone with me?

Me Love Some Lingerie Football.

What A Waste of a Weekend

After two straight great sports weekends, things slowed down quite a bit. They slowed down so much this weekend that I don't have a single thing to write about.

I would have loved to have a rubber match game between the Phils and Mets to comment about, but the friggin' rain took that away. D Mac failed to speak at mini camp, so there wasn't much news. About the only thing to come out of mini camp is that Shawn Andrews is moving to Right Tackle and the rookies (Maclin, McCoy and Ingram) seem to be picking up the offense pretty well. If I cared about the Sixers, I'd comment about Theo Ratliff calling out the coach for being soft on the players, but I since I haven't acknowledged the Sixers' existence all season, I don't think I am qualified to give an opinion on that team. The only other thing of note for me was that Jeff Carter played games 3, 4, 5 and 6 with a separated right shoulder. I guess that explains his ineffectiveness.

All in all, nothing occurred this weekend that warranted it's own in depth post. Hopefully, we get some big news fast. I'm searching, but coming up empty.

Birds Draft Wrap

Now that the smoke has settled and draft weekend has passed, we can take a slightly more objective view of the Birds' draft. I have to say that my opinion has changed somewhat after taking a couple days to let my thoughts marinate.

Initially, I was a bit underwhelmed by the Maclin pick. I had a hard time understanding why we needed a receiver with pretty much the same skill set as DeSean, albeit in a bigger package. I also have a prejudice against receivers that come from spread offenses. In my mind, it's so hard to tell how good they are because the deception of the offense causes so many coverage breakdowns instead of the receiver shaking himself free due to running a good pattern. Plus, receivers in the spread never face press coverage. However, the more I got to thinking about it. I really like the pick of Jeremy Maclin.

McNabb has always been at his best when he has a legit deep threat (T.O., Donte Stallworth and DeSean.) D Mac was at his best in 2004 when he had two deep threats (T.O. and Pinky - don't laugh...he was a decent long ball threat that year.) Now, #5 is going to once again have two deep threats with the addition of Maclin, as well as a number of guys to throw to underneath. If the O Line gels early, we could be in store for a very good season offensively.

While I think Maclin will be eased into the lineup while he learns the intricacies of the pro game, he should be an instant contributor to special teams as I think we'll see him take over as the #1 kick returner and take some punt returns from DeSean as well.

I really like the Maclin's speed, hands and ability to run after the catch. He's not huge, but he's not tiny either. I really like this pick. I started to like the pick even more when I read how the Birds outmaneuvered the G Men for Maclin. However, as Bob Brookover of the Inky points out, let's hope this move works out better than the last time we beat the Giants to the punch for a first round draft pick.

As for second round pick LeSean McCoy, I absolutely love this selection. As a RU season ticket holder, I have watched LeSean for the last three years. I really like the kid's game. I think he can absolutely fill B West's shoes in future years, but certainly compliment him this year. I think he's a better runner between the tackles, but is not a true pounder. (In fact, I'd like to see one more back brought in to fill the big back role.) Actually, I would have been fine with McCoy as a first round pick, so I was ecstatic to see him picked up by the Birds in the second round.

As for the rest of the draft, nothing really stood out. I think the TE has a chance to be a player if he can make the change from the spread to a traditional offense and overcome past injuries. I love "Macho" Harris' nick name, but not sure where he fits in today's NFL with his 4.6 speed and below average size. I'll admit to not really knowing a thing about the rest of the picks, but the fifth round tackle sounds like he has a shot at becoming a backup.

I was kind of annoyed with the fact that it seemed that Birds mailed in a good part of the second day of the draft. I would have liked to have seen them use their 3rd round pick or pick up a 4th by trading one of their fifth's. I thought the Birds' could have used another DT or even another RB to hedge their bets. That's the only faults I see.

However, when evaluating the Birds' draft, you really need to factor in Jason Peters and Ellis Hobbs. Peters is a borderline Pro Bowler and Hobbs can be viewed as either an adequate starter or a great nickle corner. Either way, once throwing these two guys into the mix, how can you not really like what the Birds did with the draft?

Overall, I give the Birds an A- and can't wait to see this team on the field. If the trades work out and if the Birds get anything out of the first two picks, we could see a very good team this fall.

Need A Raincheck

Hey guys I promise to give a full run down on Birds draft (loved it) and the end of the Flyers season (absolutely brutal), but I got a lot going on the last couple days (shore on Sunday, lawn mower shopping last night and the Bruce concert tonight). I will be back Wednesday with my draft recap.

Breaking News: Train Wreck At The Wachovia Center

I am speechless. A three goal lead vaporized moments after my brother in law proclaimed "yeah baby! Game 7 Monday night!L

I have never seen a guy get his ass whupped and change a game for the positive. Although I guess you have to give the Pens credit. They kept plugging away and eventually won the game.

I am done. Nothing left to say. I am fully expecting the Eagles to push me to a full on bender after they blow this pick in 20 minutes.

Staring Down the Barrel of a Gun

Tonight, the Flyers did something rarely seen in Philadelphia. They won an elimination playoff game. How many times in recent years have we seen a Philly team tuck its collective tail between their legs and go out meekly in an elimination game? I think there have been more than we all care to remember.

After watching Marc Andre Fleury steal Game 4, Marty Biron did his best to return the favor and blanked the Pens in Game 5. Marty wasn't quite as challenged as Fleury in Game 4, but he made big saves in the First Period when they were needed the most. He kept the Flyers in the game until Arron Asham unleashed the shot of his life and gave the Flyers the lead. Marty then made that goal stand up until the rookie phenom (he's now surpassed "rookie sensation") Claude Giroux scored to give the Orange & Black a 2-0 lead. There was no turning back from that point as the Flyers locked things down and the Pens just got more and frustrated. The final minutes of the third period were quite fun to watch. The Igloo was dead quiet and Crosby took two dumb, lazy penalties.

Now, the bigger issue is whether the Flyers can keep this momentum going in Game 6 and force a deciding game back in Pittsburgh on Monday. If the Flyers can keep playing the way they have been since Game 2, I don't see why they can't win this one on home ice. They really have been the better team since the series opener.

The scary thing is that none of the big guns for either team have really stepped it up yet. Malkin, Crosby, Richards and Carter have been relatively quiet. Something tells me Game 6 will be decided by which team's big time centers steps it up and leads their team victory.

My Kind Of Girl

This picture that I came across on Deadspin says it all. Does anyone disagree with her?

Completely Depressing

I don't know have a whole lot to say about tonight's Flyers' game. The Orange & Black completely controlled play, but simply could not get the puck past Marc Andre Fleury.

It looks like we have an early summer coming for the Flyers and I'm completely depressed. No one loves playoff hockey more than me, but it seems we are going to be deprived a long playoff run so that Gary Bettman can push his fair haired boys (Crosby and Malkin) deep into the playoffs this Spring.

All that being said, the refs didn't lose the game for us tonight. Instead, I think the league (and the refs) wanted us to win. Think about it...if the Flyers win tonight, that guarantees a Game 6 which is scheduled to occur on Saturday with the game being carried on NBC. There is no way the NHL wants to miss another opportunity to promote Crosby. I'd be shocked if the refs didn't give the Flyers another 8 power plays on Thursday.

Anyhow, I have taken a few things from this series...

1) Claude Giroux is a complete stud. He may be the best young athlete in Philly. I don't know when our moron coach will figure it out, but our best passer (Giroux) should probably be playing on a line with our best goal scorer (Jeff Carter.)

2) Joffrey Lupul blows. Next year he will get paid $4.2M. I want his agent. This guy will be one of the most overpaid players in hockey next year and pretty much untradeable.

3) Matt Carle is not terrible, but he's overpaid also.

4) If Randy Jones was a dog, his owner would mercifully put him down. He needs to go also.

5) If someone could harness what we got from Dan Carcillo tonight, I think you'd have a serviceable 3rd/4th liner.

6) If the Flyers lose tonight, at least we'll be spared Coatesy's ridiculous playoff beard.

7) Now that B Dawk no longer plays in Philly, the bravest warrior playing in our city is Kimmo Timonen.

8) Speaking of B Dawk...I think we found his replacement. He wears #18 for the Flyers. Mike Richards just kills people in open ice.

9) Mike Knuble is done. He probably should not be re-signed this offseason.

10) Martin Biron hasn't lost the Flyers any of these games.

11) Jeff Carter is snake bit.

12) The Flyers desperately need a big center to match up against bigger centers like Staal and Malkin.

13) I won't say much about those fairies wearing Black and Gold from the Western part of PA, but that Sidney Crosby kills me. Just flat out slays me. I can't stand the man from his B.S. first goal that should have never counted to how he mouthed off to our phans at the end of the game. I don't think I will be able to put up with him for the next decade.

Ok, enough said. This game has just ripped the heart out of me.

Double Standard?

After watching yesterday's Flyers/Pens game, I am wondering if there is a double standard in how the league calls things for and against the Orange and Black.

For your consideration, here is yesterday's hellacious hit on Kimmo Timonen by Chris Kunitz which went unpenalized:



Now, compare that "clean" hit to this hit by former Flyer Steve Downie last year which resulted in a 20 game suspension.



Sorry, I don't see much difference in these hits. Clearly, there is a double standard. If a guy on the Flyers receives a hit like this, it's fine. We'll just move on and say that's "tough, physical hockey". However, if it is a Flyer doling out the punishment, then Bettman and the Hockey Gestappo will put an end to it as quickly as possible.

I truly want to believe their is not a double standard, but when you see things like this, it really makes you wonder.

You Stay Classy, Philadelphia

Kudos Philadelphia Phans. You deserve a round of applause for your actions Saturday evening after Brad Lidge's streak of perfection ended. As great as your actions were, I severely doubt anyone in the National media will pick up on it and ever use it as evidence of how great a phan base we have here in Philly.

In case you missed it, Brad Lidge finally blew a save opportunity on Saturday evening. When Cholly went out to remove him from the game, Lidge was given a standing ovation to thank him for his level of perfection over the past year. The applause truly fit the moment and I was so proud at moment to call myself a Phillies phan.

I bet Wilbon and the rest of the boys at ESPN will never acknowledge that this ever occurred.

Does The Jason Peters Trade Signal A Philosophical Switch For The Birds?

(Editor's Note: This article is also posted on Misterfootball.com)

In one uncharacteristic move, the Birds have dramatically altered the face of their offensive line for the 2009 season. I went from thinking that D Mac would be running for his life for the first half of '09 as his two new tackles grew accustomed to playing the position, but now it looks like Peters could be an upgrade at the position and finally give the Birds a left tackle who isn't totally adverse to run blocking. Peters, a two time Pro Bowler who ate himself into playing left tackle after lining up at tight end at Arkansas, should be a huge bonus to team that faces DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck two times a year each. I watched today's press conference and Andy Reid seemed to have a man crush on Peters. He called him "dominant" and "the best left tackle in football" multiple times. Lofty praise for a guy that gave up 11.5 sacks last year (the highest attributed to any offensive tackle in football).



This move flies in the face of everything the Eagles usually do in the offseason. Normally, they totally underwhelm with their offseason pick ups and then spend the months of March through August telling their phan base that "we're ok" at every position that clearly needs up grading. However, for once, the Birds reacted aggressively to a glaring need, but I truly doubt that the move would have been made if Buffalo stuck to their guns and sought true market value for a franchise left tackle. Anyone will tell you that a Pro Bowl, franchise left tackle is as rare as a stud #1 pitcher, 30 point per game big man or a Vezina winning goalie. These guys don't grow on trees and it usually takes a King's Ransom to wrangle one from another team. The 28th overall pick in the draft, along with a 4th rounder and a late round pick in 2010 is clearly NOT a King's Ransom. I'm still trying to figure out how the Birds got this deal done for so little and whether they used the Jason Smith visit as some sort of leverage to show the Bills that they had other options.



Now, let's get to the basic premise of my post. Does the Peters' move signal a change in philosophy by the Birds? Are they really going to make a run at it this year? After all, the move does show a willingness for once to address voids in the lineup with veteran players. Now that Peters is in the fold, it seems logical to reason that the Birds really could be looking to make a run this year. Could this move be a precursor to a run at Anquan Boldin to finally fill the Eagles need for a physical, play making WR? Personally, I doubt it. I think the Birds believe they "are ok" at that position and for once I will agree with them. With DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant and Hank Baskett, I do think they are just "ok". Not great, but probably the best group of WR's McNabb's ever had (notice I said "group"...the 2004 WR's were T.O. and a bunch of future substitute teachers.) Plus, I don't think you'll see the Birds do anything else of consequence at the draft except for trade back to the very end of the 1st round or possibly the 2nd round and maybe use one of the plethora of 5th round picks to move up to the 3rd or 4th round. While we all want a RB or TE with the 21st pick, Hugh Douglas (and a few other sources) is reporting that the Birds are looking to take a DE with their first pick. (I value his comments when it comes to the draft because he was the only person two years ago that said the Birds would take a QB with their first pick.) Thus, it appears that the RB void will not be filled until the 2nd round or later. All in all, I don't think we're seeing a major change in philosophy and equate this move to the Jevon Kearse and Asante Samuel free agent moves that we've seen. When the Birds really like someone in the prime of their career and they have the money under the cap, they will make a deal.



Although, my philosophical change question is really two pronged. The other change is whether the Birds are considering incorporating more running plays into the offense next year. While the two new offensive tackles should allow the Birds to run it more effectively this year compared to last year when Tra and Runyan were breaking down physically, I don't think we'll see a major shift in play calling. Now, if the Birds are to take a RB with their first pick. We might be seeing a change to make the run a bigger part of the offense. Lord knows the Birds should make such a move. It's hard to get a leg up on a NFL defense when all you do is throw, throw, throw and throw some more. Plus, increasing the rushing attempts protects this team when Donovan goes into his yearly funk. While I doubt we're going to see a major change, I'm hoping Andy Reid and crew prove me wrong by drafting Knowshon Moreno with the #1 pick next Saturday night.



On that note, it's time for bed. Time's yours.

What A Day!

I challenge you to find a more positive day in all of Philly Sports. Let's us review all that occurred today:

(1) the Flyers broke through and beat the Pens in one of the more enjoyable games to watch since Gary Bettman castrated the league coming out of the lockout. As much as I loved the style of this game, I am 100% confident that we see a steady stream of penalties to calm things down in Game 4.

By the way, I can't believe the announcers missed making a big deal about this, but Jared Ross scored his first NHL goal today in the third period. He's from Alabama...repeat, Ala-freakin'-Bama! He has to be the first guy to score a goal in the NHL born from Alabama, right? Terrible research job by the NBC crew. They should have commented on that. I am a demanding television consumer and these are things I want to know.

(2) The Sixers won their playoff opener against the Magic. Since I did not watch a second of this game, I don't feel qualified to talk about it. I'll let my buddy the Captain (the only friend I have that still watches the Sixers) add a comment about how great a win this was. Personally, I don't have any ill will towards them, but I wrote them off a couple weeks ago when they were losing to the likes of the Bobcats and Raptors.

(3) Raul Ibanez hit a two run walk off home run to give the Phils a very much needed victory. Is there any doubt that Ibanez has been the best Phillie through the first 11 games?

(4) the Birds unveiled their new Pro Bowl left tackle, Jason Peters, to the media.

What a day! I can't remember when I have felt this good about our teams at the same time.

Thursday Round Up

There are a number of things I want to touch on, so we're going with a round up format.

1) The Flyers' season has exactly 3 games left. I've had a suspicion that last year's deep playoff run was possibly the worst thing that could have happened to this young group of Flyers. As a result of last year's success, they seem to think they can just flip a switch and the entire team will turn it on and defeat teams. Sorry guys, that's not how it works in the NHL. I think this young group is about to learn another lesson when they get swept by a hungrier, more skilled team of Penguins. All in all, this might not be a bad thing. John Stevens must go. He never seems to have this team ready to play or overly prepared. A sweep might be the impetus to send him out of town.

2) Harry to be honored like few others in history - I love how the Phils are honoring the life of Harry Kalas. He was so special to this city he deserves to be honored in the same manner as Babe Ruth and Jack Buck. For those who haven't seen it, here are the plans:

On Saturday, Kalas’ casket will be placed at home plate of Citizens Bank Park, and fans will have a full four hours to pay their respects. A memorial service will follow. According to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN.com, it’s only the second time that anyone will have been remembered in this way since Babe Ruth’s funeral in 1948.

The other baseball figure to receive such treatment was legendary Cardinals announcer Jack Buck, who died in 2002 at age 77.

3) The Phils' pitching is starting to give me concern - The lack of quality outings is starting to make me lose that loving feeling about these guys so far this season. I just have a feeling that we're about to see a collective stink bomb from many of this year's pitchers. I hope I'm wrong.

4) Rumors persist that the Birds may trade for 'Quan Boldin - Sorry guys, it ain't happening. The Birds just don't trade 1st and 3rd round picks for established players. I'm not even going to give this trade rumor or anything else involving the Birds another thought because it is not worth my time, or yours.

5) Comment of the Week - My boy, Botts had the following to say about the Phils' Ring Ceremony last week:

My hero is Adam F-ing Eaton!!! This guy has some of the biggest balls in the world... to bad he couldn't throw them for strikes.

Botts, you hit the nail on the head. Truer words have never been written. Does Eaton have anyone to advise him? Who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea for him to show up and pick up a ring he absolutely did not deserve. He must be a glutton for punishment.

6) In 2014, it's on like Donkey Kong! A New Border War will commence. It’s Rutgers vs. Penn St in Happy Valley in ’14 and then in 2015, it will be Pandemonium in Piscataway!! Mr. Jones if you want to see your squad play in a stadium approximately an hour from your home, we will have to set up some sort of quid pro quo. I wish this was an every year event held at the Linc as a quasi neutral site.

7) I just got a new Blackberry Curve. If anyone has a cool app to recommend, I'm all ears.

Have a great weekend everybody!