Bring on the Damn Yankees...

After spending a few days with our collective feet on the recliner, we now know the defending World Series Champs will take on the most legendary franchise in the history of sports on Wednesday night (by the way, how nice was it to watch two other teams sweat it out for the right to play our team?) What's funny is that I want this match-up. In fact, I think a lot of Phillies fans do. If this team is as great as I think they are, then we shouldn't be afraid of the Yankees or any other team in the league. The Yankees don't scare me. I think we are ready for them and ready for greatness.

Often in the lure of Philadelphia sports history, we tend to fear the great teams. Perhaps this is best explained through my future sister-in-law's post to my last blog (basically the Eagles get tantalizingly close to winning a championship, only to have us all get sick with disappointment as another Eagles season comes to a crashing close.) But greatness is accompanied by a certain attitude and confidence. I feel like the Patriots have it, I feel like the Steelers have it, the Detroit Red Wings, the Florida Gators (why must they have it), USC football, UNC hoops, Tiger Woods, the Lakers, the Celtics, the Yankees, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Ric Flair (wooooo) - they all have it.

This confidence is not just being great, it is knowing just how great you are. It is understanding that your opponent needs to not only beat you physically, but beat you mentally in order to defeat you. It is starring down A-Rod with 2-men on, in a one run game and not thinking but knowing you are going to beat him. When I look at this Phillies roster these guys are playing with tremendous poise and confidence right now. They are playing like they expect to win, not like they hope to win. With greatness, comes hatred. Of that list of teams I named above, how many of those teams do you hate? Why? Because they do what your teams don't do (and sadly, ESPN is obsessed with their every move).

Obviously with the Yankees coming off a big series win over the Angels they have no shortage of confidence too. On paper these teams match-up well. I give a slight nod to the Phils line-up. I like that fact that we can DH Raul Ibanez, which enables us to get Ben Francisco's speed and glove out in the field. Using Francisco in the field gives us three tremendous fielding outfielders. I think the Yanks starting pitching is a little better, but remember we did get to CC Sabathia last year when he pitched for the Brewers during the NLDS. I like our defense better. However, Mariano Rivera is unrivaled as a closer. Period.

This sets up to be a phenomenal series and I think it will live up to the hype. Baseball's winningest team of all-time, versus the franchise with 10,000 loses. The intensity will be off the charts during this I-95 Series. Will Ryan Howard and A-Rod continue their torrid postseasons? Will Derek Jeter add to his legendary Mr. October status or will the new, upstart Senor Octubre (Carlos Ruiz) build on his rapidly-growing post-season reputation? This should be a great series for baseball, and one I think the Phillies can win. This series will require everything the Phils have shown thus far and nothing less. They must stay sharp mentally. The Yankees take a lot of pitches and stretch out games. They wear teams out, so the Phils MUST stay focused.

Can they do it? Can the Fighting Phils actually pull a back-to-back title off? (Philly's first since the early 1970s Flyer teams). Are you kidding me? Are we really this close to doing the unthinkable? I can hardly wait until Wednesday!

And in this World Series hour, we will find out if the Phils have IT.

Eagles
Dun-dun-dun-dun (insert the Monday Night Football theme here). Has there ever been an Eagles game more under the radar than tonight's showdown against the Skins? Eagles-Skins came always seem to bring out the unexpected in both teams. I think Andy actually runs Westbrook a bit more (probably around 18 carries) and the defense makes some plays on Jason Campbell. Historically, Campbell has played pretty well against us and Clinton Portis tore us apart last year, but the Birds were embarrassed by an AWFUL Raiders team (you hear that Rock?) and they should be out to prove something tonight. I see our offense actually getting a bit more creative this week, with the extra day of preparation. The Skins are in total disarray right now and if we can't beat them tonight that will be a big disappointment, especially with the tougher part of our schedule coming up. I'll be much happier going into the next 10 games sitting at 4-2, instead of 3-3.

Sixers
Anyone else notice that the Sixers start their regular season on Wednesday night? Yeah, me neither. We'll save this topic for the dead of winter.

Things You Should Know:

• Ever notice that whenever you get something new you think it is the (INSERT superlative here) in the world. I think its great. I'm pretty sure Summer believes comet is not only the fastest, smartest, cutest dog on the planet but I think she believes the dog knows who shot JFK.
• Am I the only person who gets in a really good mood once I hit certain grocery stores?
• Isn't it a bit misleading to say "my favorite part of going to the movies is the previews."
• At what age do people stop paying attention to you? I visited my beautiful newborn cousin Riley this weekend and everyone in that room hung on her every move. It was really cute but at what point do people say, "okay, i'm going back to my life now."
• Don't you love yelling at someone for doing something stupid while driving --like blocking an intersection where you are trying to turn --and then they refuse to look over at you, as if yelling at that person while they look at you would give you unmatchable satisfaction.
• And finally, Mark Sanchez might be my new favorite non-Eagle...check out this video... The guy is a starting QB for an NFL team and he's eating a hot dog on the bench. That is amazing: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/26/mark-sanchez-hot-dog-vide_n_334262.html

J-Rollin' -- Check out the Premature MLB headline...

My goal = shorter, more frequent posts. I feel that's what the people want. They want their cheesesteak in more digestible portions and more frequently. I'll talk to the staff about that. Unfortunately for you, I have a lot on my mind today...

If you would have told me 5 years ago of my six beloved teams (4 Philly/ 2 UGA - hoops still counts) one of those teams would win three straight division titles, one world championship and on the heels of returning to another championship series/game, the Phillies would have been my fourth guess. At that time, I would have ranked that probability in this order:
1-Eagles
2-Flyers
3-UGA Football
4-Phillies
5-Sixers
6-UGA Hoops

That being the case, this run that the Phillies are currently on is nothing short of amazing. It may be my own biased, but I feel like this is a team that people can love. Whether you are a Phils fan or just a baseball fan, they are an exciting team to watch because they really do not give up. There aren't any prima donna's (Cole is probably the closest thing to it) or criminals (save Brett Meyers and JC Romero, come on he thought they were "approved" supplements). They are just a group of guys who are equal parts talented, driven, fun-loving and clutch, and I think the path this team took to get here is a great example of this team's moxie. Read a great article today about former Phils GM Pat Gillick who said when he came to the Phils in 2005, he noticed they had some good ball players, but that there was no real sense of urgency. Players like David Bell, Vincente Padilla, Placido Palanco, Kenny Lofton, Bobby Abreu -- all skilled players but not the type of guys who play with fire. This group of Phils plays hard, they play to the end and they enjoy being teammates. I think they have taken on the personality of Philadelphia and they embrace that roll. I love what Ryan Howard said in Game Four of the Rockies series last week. "Just get on base and give me a chance to bat," before he crushed a 2-strike, 9th inning pitch towards the gap in right centerfield to win the game and the series.

So when Jimmy Rollins came up two nights ago and delivered a 2-out double in the 9th against Jonathan Broxton, the insanely hard-throwing Dodgers closer, I watched with equal parts shock, revelry and expectation. I will never forget that double for the rest of my life or tackling Summer and high-fiving John, just as I won't forget Howard's double a few days earlier or the memories of last year. Eric Bruntlett's winning run sliding into home during game 3, Matt Stairs' homerun off Broxton, Chase Utley's incredible play to throw a Rays runner out at home and of course, Lidge's final pitch). What we as Phillies fans are experiencing are memories that will last a lifetime.

I don't know whether we will close the Dodgers out tonight or if we win it in LA, or if the Dodgers make an amazing comeback and win the series. The latter would be beyond heart-breaking. What I do know is that I love the way this team plays baseball. I love that the Phils were among the top 3 teams in come-from-behind wins this year and we are seeing that play out in these playoffs and during this 3-year run. And who would have expected this from a franchise known as the "losingest" team in baseball.

Big props to Charlie Manuel who makes far more right decisions than wrong ones. A lot of times I question what he is doing (along with many other people who read this blog), but this guy has won with the Indians and he's taken this team to heights we never thought we would see. The fact that Brad Lidge has been as good as he's been this post-season is a testament to Charlie and the way he handles his players.

As for tonight's game, I have a feeling Cole will be solid, but the Dodgers will win a tight game 3-2. However, I believe the Phils will close it out in Los Angeles in Game 6.

Go Phils!

Eagles
I'm starting to think all of my Raider-bashing on this board jinxed the Eagles on Sunday. But, if ever there was a time to lose to a team (The Raiders) that I'm convinced would lose to a college team, it's while the Phils are doing what they are doing. Am I panicked about the Eagles? No, every year we have a game or a stretch where we are totally outcoached and outplayed and we lose to a team of lesser skill. Last year it was that stretch where we tied the Bengals, got pummeled by the Ravens and lost to the Skins. I still think Andy will right the ship and get things moving. I wish he would commit to the running game (and by commit I mean run at least 25 times a game) but that's not who he is, and "changing" is not a strong suit of Coach Reid. I love the acquisition of former Dawg Will Witherspoon and he immediately upgrades our defense, specifically our MLB spot, where Jeremiah Trotter is showing what two years away from football can do for you. Speaking of two years out, how is the Michael Vick thing working out for everyone?

The Dawgs
The Dawgs got a big win over Vandy, but when we start looking at that game as a "big win," that's when you know this season has stunk! Let's be honest, if we are headed to the Blue Bonet Bowl or the Papa Johns.com Bowl this year, our true bowl game is really next weekend against UF. Do I expect UF to beat us? Absolutely. But, maybe just maybe we get a little creative on offense, the Gators take us for granted (maybe their bus gets lost on the way to Jacksonville) and we keep it close. While there's no doubt that I'm about as unimpressed (horrendous coaching, zero discipline, poor execution, etc) with this UGA team as any in recent memory (maybe 99' rivals this), beating UF would make this season salvageable.

UGA fan and legendary SFCS contributor Leigh Goldman came up with a short but interesting list of potential defensive coordinators who could coach UGA's defense next year. Three of the names that impressed me were: Everett Withers (UNC), Jim Tresey (USF) and Dick Bumpas (TCU). Personally I think we need a new offensive and defensive coordinator but I don't believe Mark Richt will fire anyone. The hammer will have to come from Damon Evans or President Adams. Regardless I haven't seen anything creative from our offensive since we lined Brandon Smith up in the wildcat during the FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON. Our offense is incredibly predictable and our defense gives up points like it's going out of style. Changes need to come this off-season for the Dawgs!


In Other News:

• One of the best moments of the Game 4 NLCS came when Joe Torre was walking out to the mound, to calm down one of the Dodgers pitchers (think it was George Sherrill). With Shane Victorino standing on second base, Summer says to me, "Do you think Shane will try to steal 3rd while the Dodgers manager is out there?"
• Last weekend at borders Summer and I witnessed the greatest conversation in the history of the world. There was a customer who was arguing with a salesperson in the DVD/CD section about how he thinks the old school tube TV's are better than the flatscreen HDTV's. His reasoning -- the two black bars that viewers see above and below their picture on HD (due to the elongated picture) are actually hiding things the TV industry doesn't want the viewer to see. He reasoned that on his tube TV, he could see everything! This is not a joke and this conversation went on for a full 30 minutes, until the store closed. Yes, this man really exists and yes he is walking the streets of our country believing HD is a scam.
• Our dog Comet is a very vivid dreamer. I often wonder what she dreams about when she starts wagging her tail, chewing and barking in her sleep. One word for you: Snausages.
• Did any of you really think Balloon Boy was not a hoax? I think they need to throw the book at those parents. Who names their kid Falcon?
• I just read that Carnie Wilson got a reality show? Seriously? New rule (in my best Bill Maher voice): if your parents or your siblings held celebrity status -- that doesn't make you shit!
• Did you notice my use of the word moxie above? It's one of the most most underrated words in the English language.
• I love my Mom and she finally started reading my blog (thank G-d), but one of my favorite things she does is her slightly exaggerated "passion" for the Philly and UGA teams. Don't get me wrong, she loves to see both the Philly and UGA teams do well, and to her credit she knows a good amount about the Philly teams; more so than your Mom! Anyway here is a sample dialogue:

Mom: Ross, what happened in the Phillies game?
Me: Well, they came back and won, Mom.
Mom: They did (insert complete and utter shock here)
Me: Yep, it was unbelievable they fought back in the 8th and won in the 9th, weren't you watching?
Mom: Well, I started to watch, but it was so close and I just get so nervous that I had to watch my favorite show, "Dancing with Stars" instead.
Me: When where you last watching the game?
Mom: Well it was 2-1 Phillies when I changed the channel.
Me: Mom, that was the 2nd inning
Mom: I know, but I just get so nervous that I can't watch.

Sleep = Small Price to Pay for A Playoff Win

What an amazing time to be a Philadelphia-sports fan right now. I feel like Philly is one of those "close but no cigar" type of sports towns. Traditionally we go through 3-4 year periods where all four major sports teams get into the playoffs and come tantalizingly close to grabbing those elusive world championships. These happen about every 20 years. My Philly area buddy Pete Marroni and I were talking about this last week. I hope the younger generations appreciate that they are growing up in, what has the potential to be, one of the great periods for Philadelphia sports teams. I will spare you all the details of breaking down each major sports teams chances, but my plea to the Philly fans is to enjoy the hell out of this run. I think that is why I insisted on staying up until 2:16 AM on a Sunday night watching every last out of the Phils-Rockies game game 3 playoff series. It was surreal texting longtime SFCS reader and fellow lunatic Philly fan Derrick H. about whether the Phils could get J-Roll home, or if Lidge was going to get through the heart of the Rockies order. As tired as I am today, I firmly believe that it's time like these, games like last night's, that can define an era. Last night's game epitomized this Phillies team. Your starter doesn't have his best stuff, you fall behind early, fight back, play the game like your ass is on fire, come back in your final at-bat and pray to G-d (or whatever you believe in) that your closer can get through the meat of the opposing teams' line-up. And what would a Phillies playoff game be without adverse weather conditions? I love this team. I love their heart, their grit, their guile, their focus and their belief in each other, and I think Charlie Manuel is the absolute perfect manager for this group. Sometimes we LOUDLY question his decisions, but at the end of the day, this guy makes far more good decisions than he does bad, and he has an incredible feel for the game. It was all I could do to not jump around last night and throw things, waking up my entire house -- but it was good to see Brad Lidge close out that game. I think retiring the strongest part of the Rox line-up will go a long way to re-establishing Lidge's confidence. Hopefully time will tell. Last item of note -- I really believe Carlos Ruiz is THE MOST underrated player on this team in clutch situations. The guy hit almost .500 last post-season and it seems like he constantly delivers in key situations. Not to mention, he's a helluva defensive catcher. He doesn't get the ink that other "underrated" players like Victorino & Werth get, but this guy plays just as big.

The Eagles
Wow! Hello Jeremy Maclin -- so glad you could join the party this year. Earlier in the day, as the Eagles thumped the Buccaneers (or Succaneers as my buddy Wayne refers to them), Jeremy Maclin caught 6 passes for 142 yards and 2 TDs, as a fill-in for Kevin Curtis. Yeah, Kevin about your starting spot....we have a great spot for you on special teams! While I am not ready to anoint Maclin anything (though I did pick him up in my fantasy league), I feel much better about the offensive future of this team now, then I did 6 months ago. Between DeSean, Shady McCoy, Brent Celek, Avant, Weaver and possibly Kevin Kolb (jury is still out on him), we definitely have some pieces to work with. That being said, I like this year's team. We seem to beat the teams we should beat and we'll see what happens when we play other good teams, which won't happen next week against the horrendous (sorry Rock) Raiders. This team traditionally plays it's best football in late November/December, so it should get interesting as the schedule becomes much more difficult. Our defense still needs some work, but I do think we are getting after the QB much more consistently, which is great. I wish we could cover the TE's, but maybe Sean McDermott, who I think is doing a good job can figure something out. Right now, I think we are looking up at the Giants. They might be the best team in the league, but there's lots and lots of football to play.

The Dawgs
Memo to Coach Richt -- IT'S NOT WORKING. By "it" I mean the offense, the defense and the coaching. The Dawgs defense has given up 37 points in 7 of their last 12 games. That would be a horrendous PS3 stat, not to mention a major SEC Program. Honestly, how does Willie Martinez still have a job? Granted the offense has not helped much lately, but when things are not working and you are a "major national football power" (even if that's only in UGA fans' minds) you make changes. It's time for Bobo and Martinez to go somewhere else. Maybe there are some pee-wee football teams that have openings, b/c that's where those two belong (kindly take Prince Miller with you). We have long been undisciplined and we have not always been the most intelligent team, but when your actual talent belies your lack of discipline, you can get away with it. This team is terrible and they are consistently undisciplined. Every year we hear about what an "amazing" recruiting class Georgia has. Well, outside of a handful of players (AJ Green, Rennie Curran, Jeff Owens, Blair Walsh and a few others) I don't see much difference between us & the mediocre programs of the world. I realize every team has their down years, but when I saw the amount of talent last year's team had and we still didn't even get to the SEC Championship (or come close to competing with UF), I start to question things. Don't mistake my frustration for anything more than it is. I love the Dawgs (always will) and I think Richt has done a very good job taking the program to another level. However, Richt absolutely needs to make wholesale changes in personnel and since this season is a wash just six games in, I think we should get the young players some time to see what we have. Of course, given Mike Bobo's "ingenious" playcalling & Willie Martinez swiss cheese defense, maybe giving playing time to the likes of Marlon Brown, Abry Jones, Zach Mettenberger and/or Aaron Murray and Chase Vasser won't show us much of anything.

Things I've Been Pondering...

So my fiance and I have been putting together our registry for our wedding, and it's actually been pretty fun. I was wondering why people don't just register things from an early age and just keep updating your list accordingly. Think about what a great idea this would be. It would prevent those who love and care about you from asking, "so what do you want for your birthday this year? Well, Mom I put the Justice League of America and a pair of Sky Jordans on my registry."

If I told you that I knew someone who had the cure for hiccups -- what would that be worth to you?

I just read an interview with Hall & Oates (don't act like you don't still drumbeat your steering wheel when they come on) and they said, Michael Jackson took the groove from "I can't go for that" and used it in "Billie Jean." Not sure I'm feeling that.

Why does Atlanta continue to let people smoke in bars? It makes no sense.

Guaranteed, coolest music video you never saw: http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQkFxfyHgMk

I'll leave you with this zinger. Apparently France is paying students to go to class. They are paying the ones most likely to fail and drop out, to go to school. However, these students can't buy "fun" things with the money, they can only put it towards school-related items (driving lessons, computers, class-related trips, etc). So in short, if you do the things, you are "supposed" to do - no soup (or brie) for you, but if you are a derelict, well does France have a program for you! No wonder that country is so revered!

Dear NCAA, Stop Ruining The Game...

The Dawgs lost a close football game yesterday to LSU, and I have a bitter taste in my mouth about it. They played hard but came up just a bit short. There were mistakes, dumb penalties, missed opportunities - no doubt. LSU won and they made plays when they needed to. Although the outcome may have been the same, the manner in which the Dawgs lost was an absolute disgrace to the game of college football. When AJ Green, who is probably the best WR in the nation right now, went over a helpless LSU DB to grab the then go-ahead touchdown with 1:09 left in the game, Dawgs fans everywhere went crazy, present company included. What followed that phenomenal effort was nothing short of absurd. After Green caught the pass, his teammates ran over and jumped on him. He jumped around with them, turned to the home crowd, nodded his head and appeared to scream something. The refs decided that this was an "excessive celebration" and saddled Georgia with a 15-yard penalty on the ensuing kick-off (basically meaning they kick off from the 15, instead of the 30-yard line).

Here's where the hypocrisy begins. The NCAA markets things like shirts, hats, foam fingers, towels and they make millions of dollars in college paraphernalia each year. These products are designed for fans to show their appreciation and support for their teams. They authorize the building of monstrous stadiums and allow for encouragement from players and the scoreboard operator directing fans to "get loud." Ticket prices and fan donations go up every year and now the NCAA is banning players from acknowledging these fans? Are you kidding me? AJ Green was penalized because he recognized an endzone full of UGA fans who paid their hard-earned money to come watch an exciting ballgame at Sanford Stadium. He recognized the legions of screaming fans in a tight, conference game with time expiring and his team was penalized.

These kids work so hard to get to this stage, and there's so much intensity playing in front of 100,000 screaming fans, but the NCAA wants players to act like robots. When LSU's Charles Scott scored a go-ahead touchdown run with under a minute to play, he too was whistled for an excessive celebration penalty for signaling #1 after he scored. Stop letting the refs determine the outcome of the game and let the players fight it out on the field. This is ridiculous! If a team is offended by a TD celebration, then keep that player out of the endzone.

Out of one side of its mouth, the NCAA loves to talk about the beauty, the tradition, the passion and the pageantry behind the sport. Out of the other side of its mouth they want the players to play with NO emotion. Would it be better to just have blowouts? Maybe it should be like wrestling where the outcome is pre-determined and the players just act out a script (yes, Summer wrestling has pre-determined outcomes and there's no such thing as the Easter Bunny). I need to find one of those foam fingers and shove it up the NCAA rules committee collective ass.

NCAA rules committee, I realize it's probably really difficult to sit up in your stuffy, air-conditioned offices/suites and watch these games, where you care more about what your cut from the gate is. However, in the heat of battle, emotion happens. That's a huge part of what makes sports great. Emotion. Every game provides the fans with a winner and a loser and the players, coaches, fans, waterboys, mascots, media types and yard markers know this. That battle SHOULD BE waged on the field, but your rules are killing the very thing that summons thousands of fans every Saturday (and some Tuesdays & Thursdays) to stadiums around the country. I implore you to let the result be determined by the play on the field, not on the emotions of 18-22 year old kids who are helping to pay your salary!


Flyers
Good to see the Flyers off to a great start. 2-0 after two road games and Ray Emery is playing like a man possessed, though with his dark past I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's great to see these guys off to a fast start and they are getting contributions from all 4 lines. Only 80 more games!

In Other News

• Any other fans grateful for an NFL bye week? I feel like the bye week is needed for me to have 1 Sunday where I don't sit in front of a TV watching the Birds for 3 hours.
• As Summer and I are planning our wedding, I often think about what it would be like if I set all of my friends up in a NCAA-basketball like bracket. Who would be the 1's and who would be the 16's? Don't worry if you read this blog, you are at least a 5 seed.
• I have taken it upon myself to challenge Darrell Solomon's reign on the peanut butter & insert your favorite ingredient here sandwich. Last week I took the peanut butter & banana sandwich to a whole nother' level by dropping dried cranberries between the banana slices. I don't do it for the glory, I do it for the love, folks.
• There are few things I find more peaceful then when my two dogs are sleeping on the couch on either side of me.
• Went to a very good restaurant this weekend in Atlanta called Pacci - definitely check it out.
• Does anyone miss Mike Tyson quite like I do? There has been no one in the fight game who brings as much excitement as he did prior to or during a fight.
• After her 3rd divorce (this one from Greg Norman), I think Chris Evertt Lloyd/Mills/Norman should be the next bachelorette.
• Next time you don't feel like working out or you tire after 15 minutes on the treadmill, think about Ed Rousseau - this guy is amazing. He one time ran 384 miles? I don't even like to drive that far... http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/10/04/kare.mn.man.run.163.marathon.kare
  
  
  
  
  

The Pen Still Mightier than the Sword?

There's a whole lot going on in the Philly sports scene right now, so I figured why not give the people what they want - my opinions. Here it goes.

I think the Phillies are in SERIOUS trouble if they continue to trot Brad "Lights OFF" Lidge out in any type of save situation. The guy is toast. After running his record to an impressive 0-8, blowing his 11th save and upping (i think) his ERA to an absolutely unheard of 7.48 in Tuesday night's loss to the Marlins, Lidge should only be used if we are up or down by 6 runs or more. This is clear (and has been) to anyone who regularly watches the Phils. I personally think Uncle Cholie realizes it too, but he also feels a sense of loyaly to Lidge. Let's be honest, if Lidge were able to right his ship he would be a huge boost, but as the leaves begin to change colors and baseball games suddenly become meaningful, it's clear Lidge is totally unreliable and largely ineffective. What we need is to get back some of the injured guys from our pen. Scott Eyre our best lefty this year has been out for about 6 weeks. He's pitched some rehab, so I'm hoping he gets back in time for the playoffs. JC Romero, Brett Meyers and Chan Ho Park are also on the shelf and rehabbing their injuries. We need these guys if we want to make another run at a World Series title. The good news: they will all be well rested. The not so good news: they haven't faced major league pitching in weeks (or month's in Romero's case). Bottom line, a weak bullpen puts TREMENDOUS pressure on our starters. I think our starters are good enough, but only time will tell. Keep in mind, when last year's playoff series began, I don't think any of us believed the Phillies would end the curse. Stay tuned.

As far as the Eagles go, I fully expect a tighter-than-should-be game on Sunday against the punchless Chiefs. I'm thinking a 27-23 type of score sounds about right. I think Vick will be in for about 20-25 snaps and I think he will be responsible for one of the Birds touchdowns. By the way, Eagles fans - you miss #5 yet?

Did you hear the news that Jeremiah Trotter had a "good tryout" with the Birds yesterday? What does it say about Omar Gaither that he was first replaced by an undrafted free agent in Akeem Jordan, then he was passed by a guy who didn't play a snap on defense last year (Joe Mays). Gaither eventually "won" the starting job back, when Mays hurt his shoulder. The Birds are now bringing in a 32-year old Trotter, whose knees they said were shot 3 years ago? I'm guessing this is more of a loyatly gesture from Andy Reid, but signing Trotter will be a very curious about that move.

Sixers unveiled some new unis, which have that sorta throwback look, mixed in with the elementary-blue collar. Personally I like them. Here's a picture for those of you who missed it. http://www.philly.com/philly/photos/sports_photos/Sixers_new_uniforms.html

That would be Thad Young, Elton Brand and the guy who looks like his eyes have sunken into his head is our new "wonder coach" Eddie Jordan. At the uniform announcement, our GM Ed Stefanski made the following proclamation about 2008 FA signee Elton Brand. "All I know is he wants to show everybody who Elton Brand is," Stefanski said. "I don't know if he's putting pressure on himself or not; I hope he isn't because he doesn't have to be our savior or carry us."

Hey Ed, you signed this guy to an $82 MILLION DOLLAR contract. Not only do we need him to carry us, he better collect tickets and sell popcorn too!

Looks like The Flyers are facing a tough decision with finalizing their roster as 2007 first round pick James van Riemsdyk starting to show his promise. JVR as we like to call him, is a 20-year old kid who is still trying to grow into his 6'3 frame. Here's a vote for keeping JVR up in Philly this season. The kid has been lights out in the preseason and when you invest so much in a player (second overall pick), you push them, unless of course you are Sixers GM, Ed Stefanski.

As for the Dawgs, I like our chances on Saturday against the Sun Devils. I expect another offensive show (b/c our defense sucks), but the Dawgs just have too much speed and offensive firepower. I'm psyched to be going to my first Dawgs game of the season and Summer, well she's excited to tailgate. I'll take it! Good to see Joe Cox bounce back in a HUGE way against Arkansas. Again, I think the key is for the playmakers (AJ Green, Richard Samuel, Orson Charles) to make plays and for Cox to manage the game and not try to do too much. Tremendous effort by Cox in Arkansas. Let's hope he can keep it up.

Things You Should Know:
*Today in a conversation with my friend Neal, I compared going to Milwaukee to getting a prostate exam. "Neither is as bad as you think it would be - it's all about expectations."
*My fiance informed me that I hit a touchdown when I landed her. Clearly my sports fanaticism has rubbed off on her.
*I used to think the biggest waste of police/state resources could be found every morning on Roxborough Road. Yesterday, I discovered that the biggest waste was the four, count em', F-O-U-R cops sitting in Brookhaven pulling over soccer Mom's and golfing foursomes at 10:30 in the morning. Unbelievable.
*Can someone explain to me the commercialization of Mangos? I remember 10 years ago this fruit was a hidden gem, best enjoyed as a special treat on a hot summer day. Now they put mango in EVERYTHING. Are you kidding me? What next pomegranate? Oh, yeah, too late. Who decides this?
*If you are into Pearl Jam (and you should be), their newest CD "Back Spacer" is a phenomenal CD. This is their best work since the wildly underrated Yield. Go buy it.
*Think I'm getting tired of facebook. I was thinking of ending things, but figured if nothing else - it's always a good tool to help remember birthdays (and pimp my blog). But seriously, I don't need to hear about what you ate for lunch or if you were a gay superhero, what your name would be.
*Muammar Gaddafi - seriously, what hole did this guy crawl out of? I figured I'd have a better chance of seeing a Sasquatch then see this clown. But wouldn't he make for a great villain in the new Batman movie? Seriously he could be the evil Mr.Bill figure. You shoot him and he just rearranges his claymation-injured face.
*And if you haven't had Whole Foods BBQ'd Turkey Meatloaf, you are missing out. And thank G-d there's no mango flavoring.
*I think goodness = Free WiFi. Support these places & their free Wifi: Village Pizza (Cabbage Town), Panera and Volvo. Tell them Ross J sent you -- and they will stare at you blankly.

And now the lights come on...

This morning as I woke up way too early on a Sunday morning (as puppy ownership often forces you to do), my saving grace is that today is NFL opening weekend! What will today bring for the Birds? Will it be the absolutely shellacking we laid upon the Rams last season or the complete unraveling of the birds during their road loss to Green Bay in 2007 when no one seemed able to catch a punt. Perhaps something else? In a mere 7 hours, our questions will be answered.

In my groggy state this morning, I thought - how great is it to be a college and pro football fan? Yes the Eagles have never won a Championship in my lifetime and yes, the Georgia Bulldogs last title came when I was 6, but I still look forward to every season with foolish optimism.

As you all know, I'm a huge college football fan. Simply stated, there is absolutely nothing like the pageantry that accompanies the college game. That being said, at the NFL level everything is just experienced on a different level. The grass feels a little greener, the hitting more ferocious, the speed more elite, the rivalries more intense and the execution more flawless (unless of course you are watching a Raiders game). Fantasy football teams aside (and you know that's not easy for me to say), there is something so exciting about the NFL kick-off weekend -- and folks, it's here!

Looking at my beloved Philadelphia Eagles I see I giant entree of uncertainty, topped with a scoop of hope and a side of doubt. Lets first view the positives and the offense should be the most positive spot on this team early on.

Offense
It all starts with #5. Donovan looks primed to have a big year. He just signed an extension, he looked sharp during his limited pre-season role and I think he wants to win now, more than ever. Like any athlete entering the back-half of his/her career - the realization that "the window" is closing becomes very, very real. I think Donovan has the best year of his career. I think DeSean Jackson becomes an elite WR, I think Jason Avant becomes one of the best slot WR's in the league (a Bobby Engram type), I think Westbrook fights through injuries and has a nice bounce-back season and Shady McCoy shows we might okay platooning Westbrook. I am worried about the cohesiveness (is that a word, Mom) of the offensive line. I don't believe Stacy Andrews played a live down during the pre-season and I don't believe Shawn Andrews will play more than 3 games for the birds this year (Jon Runyan, please pick-up the white courtesy phone). Will Jason Peters be the pro-bowl tackle he was in Buffalo or the guy who looked a 2-steps behind during the pre-season? Many, many questions on offensive line -- and we haven't even gotten to Michael Vick. From a football perspective, I never liked the Vick signing and I'm not sure how much he contributes. I think he'll get some plays called here and there, but if this guy is getting more than 5 snaps a game, I'm not real happy (and I can't imagine Donovan will be either). Bottom line is that if the offensive line doesn't come together, it doesn't matter who our QB is. Offense begins with your line and the fact that our O-line has not played together and is injury-riddled, leads me to believe this team starts off slow. My two surprise offensive players: Jason Avant & Leonard Weaver.

Defense
If you think we have questions on the offensive side of the ball let me introduce you to Sean McDermott, our new defensive coordinator. The passing of Jim Johnson is very sad and cannot be overcome. He was a mastermind and if McDermott is half the coach JJ was, we should be thrilled. Letting Brian Dawkins leave to go to Denver was a horrendous move. Horrendous. I know his skills were eroding, but he still made plays in the run game, he was still a ferocious hitter, a great blitzer and the unquestioned team leader. Thirdly, losing Steward Bradley to a torn ACL completes a horrible off-season for the defense. These three losses are enormous. There is no sugar-coating these. The good news, I think our D-line will be better. I love our front four and believe Chris Clemons, Ty Laws, Jason Babin and Victor Abiamiri (IF he stays healthy) will make our rotation very strong. I think our LB's will be the weakest part of our defense. The loss of Bradly here is crucial. Omar Gaither steps into the middle. Gaither played there two years ago and did a nice job. He's a playmaker, but he's not as big and he can't cover like Bradley can. The secondary looks strong, if you are okay with a 5th round rookie filling Brian Dawkins spot. I applaud the Eagles for going against their beliefs that either Quintin Demps or Sean Jones would be the guy here. This tells me either those guys underperformed or my man Victor "Macho" Harris was too good to keep out of the starting line-up. I'll go with the former. That being said, I think this defense will struggle early and round into shape at the beginning of November. My surprise players: Chris Clemons and Macho Harris.

Special Teams
I think our Special Teams should improve under the tutelage of Ted Dashier who has always been a good ST coach. I'm hoping Sav Rocca continues to improve and David Akers gets back to being the near-automatic kicker he was a few years ago. Our return teams are good. Rookie Jeremy Maclin showed me ZILCH in the preseason as a returner and I really hope we don't use DeSean Jackson back there to further expose him to injury. He's too important to the offense.

Prediction
Okay, so that's my September view on the Birds. I think we struggle early, play up and down in the middle of the season and come on strong late. I think we finish 10-6, get into the playoffs and lose in the second round. The NFC East is going to be dogfight (insert your poor Michael Vick joke here) and I think the Giants will take the division in a tie breaker. I just believe the losses we've suffered already, along with a HUGE questionmarks on the offensive line are too big to overcome.

The best thing about today is that everyone begins the season with the goal to be playing in the last game of the season. Today, everyone is 0-0 and at 1:00 PM a new journey, a new season, a new story will unfold. E-A-G-L-E-S....EAGLES!!!!

Props
And a special shot of southerfried love to my northeast folks:
B-Train: appreciate the cheesesteak but who stiffed you w/the drinks; the A misses you, man
D-Nice: keep rockin' the Euro fashion; it's gotta be the shoes
E-Rock: wasn't it way past your married man curfew
Laurie: thanks for being our GPS and for putting up with us; did those pics ever come out?
Lev: chew your food thoroughly; wish I could replay your "run" with Chariots of Fire music playing in the background
DA: classic time, classic drive home, appreciate the Foo CD. did they get in touch with you yet???
Balls: I would pay for a ticket to watch a film about a day in your life. I'd probably watch it twice
Money & Feil: sorry we missed ya'll

FYI, Pat's cannot hold Jim's jock...

An Ode to College Football...

The first Saturday every September is a feeling like none other. No it's not Labor Day, or the rising of the tides, or the smell of my Mom's cooking before a jewish holiday (though that's pretty damn good too). It's the beautiful aroma of college football returning. Hope springs eternal through college campuses around America (at least the 80% of those who give a damn about their football). It's the sound of engines running as the cars start pouring into campus. It's the sound of the crickets chirping as another beautiful morning awakens. It's the smell of portable grills being fired up for the first time in 8-9 months. The sight of the perfectly green grass from a summer's worth of inactivity. It's the scent of Jack & Coke at 10 in the morning (I'm getting frothy mouth just thinking about this). It's seeing the parade of colors to support your team and the optimism that defies reality, yet feels 100% justified. It's the sight of thousands setting up their tents, tailgates, TV's, chairs, packing the coolers, blaring their "fire me up" CDs. It's the band! It's the face of kids younger than you -- and you remarking to your buddies, "man remember when that was us, life was so easy then." It's the throngs of thousands of strangers who suddenly feel like your best friend or your worst enemy. There is absolutely NOTHING in the world like the pageantry & revelry that is college football. And the beauty of opening day is that EVERYONE is undefeated. I love you, college football and I welcome you back with open arms.

As far as my Georgia Bulldogs, we will find out a lot about this team today as we travel to Stillwater to play the gunslingin' Oklahoma State Cowboys, led by Dez Bryant and Zac Robinson. Joe Cox, will finally get his chance, as a Senior, to lead this team to a place that Matthew Stafford never could. Mark Richt will again get the chance to show why his teams play best and he does his best coaching when the odds are stacked against him. First game of the season, on the road, new QB, young team, inexperience on the line, playing an absolutely insane offense -- no wonder everyone thinks the Cowboys are gonna crush us. Not I, said the Southernfried Guy. The Cowboys are explosive, there is no doubt about that. They will get their points, but we will score ours too. Joe Cox has been waiting for this moment for FOUR, long years. He's a better leader than anyone we had last year and I think his skills are good enough. He doesn't have the same gifts as Stafford (the cannon arm, his size) but I think Cox can read a defense better and he will use what he does have to help make the offense better this year. Our O-line is healthy, young and experienced, which is key for any team's offensive success. Part of the problem last year was that Stafford was constantly under pressure and running for his life. Our WR's are all back, with a year of experience under their belts. AJ Green could become an All-American this year. We have added two potential stud WRs in Marlon Brown and Orson Charles. I think Richard Samuel will lead our running backs, and as long as he can hold onto the football we should be fine with him, Carlton Thomas and Caleb King. Honestly, Joe Cox & our offense are the least of my worries.

I worry most about our ability to consistently get pressure on the QB and our secondary. I'm not a big fan of Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez and I'm hoping he can improve dramatically from last season, bc this defense was horrible last year. Getting Justin Houston back is crucial (though it won't be until the 3rd game) and hopefully Rod Battle can continue to show what he showed in Summer camps. Hopefully converted LB Marcus Washington can bring some speed off the edge. The return of Jeff Owens in the middle is key, and I think we have some young talent in the secondary, but Bryan Evans, Prince Miller & Rashard "I'm not 1/2 as good as I thought was last year" Jones concern me.

Time will tell, but for this Saturday in September my friends I have HOPE and OPTIMISM. Not so much that we'll be national title hunt or playing for a national championship (relax, Summer I won't be making our new year's plans in Pasadena yet). However, I do think the Dawgs will win 10 games this year and compete for the SEC title. Again, we have a good mix of vets and young guys who can play, and a coach who thrives on doing what people say he and his team cannot do.

Crazy? Maybe. Optimistic? Absolutely. Ready for college football? I can smell the grills and bourbon now! How bout' dem Dawgs!