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.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
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
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...
Saturday, September 5, 2009
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!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Still the "Gold Standard?"
The bombshells came last night while I was at dinner with Summer. About six text messages and five voicemails within a four-minute period. "Vick is an Eagle." My initial thought was amazement mixed with a hint of curiosity. Of all the messages/conversations I had, Barry Martin, your message was the best. "Dammit Ross I need my cheesesteak man! I need to hear your thoughts on this. Man, I got a lot on my mind and I know you better be writing soon. I broke the story on facebook and dammit, you always send me to voicemail. You better start answering your damn phone, jackass." Haha, the message was priceless! Jonathan Ganz (a die-hard Falcons fan & Vick fan) told me he was going to buy an Eagles jersey. Matt Money made perhaps the best point. "How do the Eagles sign Michael Vick and let a guy like Brian Dawkins go?" Danny Silvers, "I can't wait to read the Cheesesteak." Maybe ya'll (that's southern slang, you see) really care what I have to say. Maybe not. Either way, this one's for you.
Based on Facebook and reading some of the message boards, I'd say the reception to Vick has been shock mixed with disappointment. Here's what we know - Michael Vick is an exciting player. RIGHT NOW Vick is easily the second fastest player on the Eagles (behind DeSean). Even today, Michael Vick has one of the strongest arms in the league. If you go to a hotel or a restaurant and see a reservation under RON MEXICO, Michael Vick will be there. Michael Vick committed an absolutely heinous crime and he has made some deplorable decisions in his life. Donovan McNabb actively recruited Michael Vick to the Eagles (well, this is what Donovan said, though I have my doubts). Michael Vick, a 3-time Pro Bowler (Mom & Summer, this means he was an all-star football player, not an actual bowler) has not played professional football since 2007.
Here's my take on the situation. Michael Vick deserves a second chance. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I like animals - especially dogs. My dog (who actually abuses people) is sitting right next to me as I write this. What Vick did was horrendously disgusting and causes me to ponder if he is actually the Tin Man. He ran a dog-fighting kennel and admitted to killing multiple "non-performing" dogs by some of the most violent ways imaginable. The guy went away to the big house for 1.5 years, and he is on probation for another 6 months, and can't play in the NFL until week 6. But, he deserves a chance to show that he has rehabilitated himself. He deserves a chance to show contrite about what he did through his words and more importantly his actions. If you are mad that he hasn't served enough time, then blame the legal system, don't blame the man himself. He's already made several appearances on behalf of the Humane Society and will continue do so, speaking to kids in urban area's about cruelty to animals. I am not saying the guy will ever win any "Citizen of the Year Awards" or that all is forgiven, but at least he is starting to do something positive, which is much better than him doing nothing at all.
Along those lines, if the Flyers signed Danny Heatley (an amazing NHL player who killed a teammate in a drunk driving accident) or the Sixers signed Kobe Bryant who may have had non-consensual, adulterous relationship with a female in Denver, would everyone be so up in arms? You all realize the St. Louis Rams Leonard Little killed someone in a drunk driving accident and six years later was again arrested for drunk driving. Oh, did I mention he STILL plays in the NFL?
The biggest problem I have is not that he doesn't deserve a chance to resume his career, it's that the Eagles don't need Michael Vick. Our biggest needs are TE, OL and MLB. Last time I checked, we were still depleted at those positions due to injuries. Back-up QB is NOT a position of need and we just added a QB who, per Andy Reid (will not sit on the bench). I've heard people say we can use Vick as a WR or a RB. People, the guy is 29 and has played QB is entire life. After spending nearly 3 years out of the league, you can't just bring the guy back into the NFL and change his position. I also don't like this notion that he will run the fad known as the "Wildcat" offense. The final 4 teams in last year's playoffs were: Pittsburgh, Arizona, Philadelphia and Baltimore. NONE OF WHICH RAN THE WILDCAT OFFENSE!
After watching Donovan McNabb for the last decade, he's the type of QB who plays best when he is in a rhythm. You bring in Michael Vick to run some plays here and there and now Donovan's rhythm is off. Another thing to consider is that Michael Vick is making about 7 million over 2 years (1.5 this year and a 5.5 option next year). There is no back-up QB or gadget player who gets paid $5 million a year. Period. I really hope the Eagles front office isn't using this as a way to move Donovan after this season. The bottom line is that Vick could not hold Donovan's jock as a QB. If we want to run a West Coast offense, there are much better choices as a back-up QB then Vick.
Michael Vick is a playmaker, no doubt. If Donovan gets hurt for an extended period of time would you feel better about Michael Vick running this team then Kevin Kolb or AJ Feely? I would be more excited about Vick running the team, but would he be a better fit? I'm not so sure. I'm not a Kolb fan, but Feely has shown he can play. He nearly upset the Patriots in Foxborough two years ago and he won a few games during that 2007 season. Further, the Birds run the West Coast (WC) offense. Vick cannot read a defense to save his life. He gets by on his G-d given ability. This is one of the major reasons he was not allowed to audible while with the Falcons, and he struggled mightily in the WC offense when they ran it in Atlanta. So, while he WAS a very talented QB and an extraordinary playmaker, I don't feel he could run the same offense that our QB's are trained to run.
One theory I have is that Andy Reid is bringing Michael Vick to Philly, as insurance for a McNabb injury. Along the way, Andy will sprinkle in some plays for Vick to run (wish he would run that by me first) and get him back in the groove of being an NFL QB on and off the field. I would not be the least bit surprised if Vick maintains a very low profile while in Philly and come next off-season, the Eagles then trade a rehabilitated Michael Vick to a team like the Raiders, Rams or Vikings for a high (2nd or 3rd round draft pick). Say what you will about the Eagles, but they are ALWAYS looking at the future (remember them drafting Sheldon Brown, Lito Sheppard and Michael Lewis - when they had a pro-bowl secondary of Bobby Taylor, Troy Vincent and Dawk). Just keep this theory in your back pocket.
Finally, to some of the Eagles fans who have said, "I can't support the Eagles anymore," well my sentiment is to not let the door hit you on the ass on your way out. If you have supported this team as long as I have, outside of them signing Osama Bin Laden or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I can never imagine a scenario where I don't pull for this team. Michael Vick will never be a favorite of mine, but trading in my allegiance isn't even a thought. The team is FAR greater than any one individual and if you chose not to be a fan b/c they signed someone who the NFL and the US legal system agreed served their time, then go cheer for some other upstart, fad team. That's not what the Eagles fan base is about. It's about passion and it's about somehow getting up after another year of disappointment. All any Eagles fan talks about is winning and I GUARAN-DAMN-TEE you that if the Eagles play well this year, you front-running jabroni's will hop right back on the bandwagon. True fans support their teams through good and bad. Several years ago, the Phillies number 2 pitcher Brett Myers beat-up his wife in Boston, but I bet you have long forgotten that while wearing your 2008 Phillies World Champion Shirts. People deserve second chance. I'm willing to give Vick one (regardless of who he decided to sign with) and I'm willing to give you fickle, flip-flopping fans one as well.
Hate Vick all you want. But if your hatred for 1 player over the other 51 is so great that you would stop pulling for the Eagles, then we don't need you to begin with. Sports fanaticism is about winning, losing, getting your heart stomped on and somehow always holding out for a little bit of hope. It's about loyalty and passion. It's about debating, second-guessing, smack-talking and humility. Have your opinions and express them freely, but if you can honestly start cheering for another team and drop the one you root for b/c of this signing, then I must question whether you were really a true fan to begin with?
Based on Facebook and reading some of the message boards, I'd say the reception to Vick has been shock mixed with disappointment. Here's what we know - Michael Vick is an exciting player. RIGHT NOW Vick is easily the second fastest player on the Eagles (behind DeSean). Even today, Michael Vick has one of the strongest arms in the league. If you go to a hotel or a restaurant and see a reservation under RON MEXICO, Michael Vick will be there. Michael Vick committed an absolutely heinous crime and he has made some deplorable decisions in his life. Donovan McNabb actively recruited Michael Vick to the Eagles (well, this is what Donovan said, though I have my doubts). Michael Vick, a 3-time Pro Bowler (Mom & Summer, this means he was an all-star football player, not an actual bowler) has not played professional football since 2007.
Here's my take on the situation. Michael Vick deserves a second chance. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I like animals - especially dogs. My dog (who actually abuses people) is sitting right next to me as I write this. What Vick did was horrendously disgusting and causes me to ponder if he is actually the Tin Man. He ran a dog-fighting kennel and admitted to killing multiple "non-performing" dogs by some of the most violent ways imaginable. The guy went away to the big house for 1.5 years, and he is on probation for another 6 months, and can't play in the NFL until week 6. But, he deserves a chance to show that he has rehabilitated himself. He deserves a chance to show contrite about what he did through his words and more importantly his actions. If you are mad that he hasn't served enough time, then blame the legal system, don't blame the man himself. He's already made several appearances on behalf of the Humane Society and will continue do so, speaking to kids in urban area's about cruelty to animals. I am not saying the guy will ever win any "Citizen of the Year Awards" or that all is forgiven, but at least he is starting to do something positive, which is much better than him doing nothing at all.
Along those lines, if the Flyers signed Danny Heatley (an amazing NHL player who killed a teammate in a drunk driving accident) or the Sixers signed Kobe Bryant who may have had non-consensual, adulterous relationship with a female in Denver, would everyone be so up in arms? You all realize the St. Louis Rams Leonard Little killed someone in a drunk driving accident and six years later was again arrested for drunk driving. Oh, did I mention he STILL plays in the NFL?
The biggest problem I have is not that he doesn't deserve a chance to resume his career, it's that the Eagles don't need Michael Vick. Our biggest needs are TE, OL and MLB. Last time I checked, we were still depleted at those positions due to injuries. Back-up QB is NOT a position of need and we just added a QB who, per Andy Reid (will not sit on the bench). I've heard people say we can use Vick as a WR or a RB. People, the guy is 29 and has played QB is entire life. After spending nearly 3 years out of the league, you can't just bring the guy back into the NFL and change his position. I also don't like this notion that he will run the fad known as the "Wildcat" offense. The final 4 teams in last year's playoffs were: Pittsburgh, Arizona, Philadelphia and Baltimore. NONE OF WHICH RAN THE WILDCAT OFFENSE!
After watching Donovan McNabb for the last decade, he's the type of QB who plays best when he is in a rhythm. You bring in Michael Vick to run some plays here and there and now Donovan's rhythm is off. Another thing to consider is that Michael Vick is making about 7 million over 2 years (1.5 this year and a 5.5 option next year). There is no back-up QB or gadget player who gets paid $5 million a year. Period. I really hope the Eagles front office isn't using this as a way to move Donovan after this season. The bottom line is that Vick could not hold Donovan's jock as a QB. If we want to run a West Coast offense, there are much better choices as a back-up QB then Vick.
Michael Vick is a playmaker, no doubt. If Donovan gets hurt for an extended period of time would you feel better about Michael Vick running this team then Kevin Kolb or AJ Feely? I would be more excited about Vick running the team, but would he be a better fit? I'm not so sure. I'm not a Kolb fan, but Feely has shown he can play. He nearly upset the Patriots in Foxborough two years ago and he won a few games during that 2007 season. Further, the Birds run the West Coast (WC) offense. Vick cannot read a defense to save his life. He gets by on his G-d given ability. This is one of the major reasons he was not allowed to audible while with the Falcons, and he struggled mightily in the WC offense when they ran it in Atlanta. So, while he WAS a very talented QB and an extraordinary playmaker, I don't feel he could run the same offense that our QB's are trained to run.
One theory I have is that Andy Reid is bringing Michael Vick to Philly, as insurance for a McNabb injury. Along the way, Andy will sprinkle in some plays for Vick to run (wish he would run that by me first) and get him back in the groove of being an NFL QB on and off the field. I would not be the least bit surprised if Vick maintains a very low profile while in Philly and come next off-season, the Eagles then trade a rehabilitated Michael Vick to a team like the Raiders, Rams or Vikings for a high (2nd or 3rd round draft pick). Say what you will about the Eagles, but they are ALWAYS looking at the future (remember them drafting Sheldon Brown, Lito Sheppard and Michael Lewis - when they had a pro-bowl secondary of Bobby Taylor, Troy Vincent and Dawk). Just keep this theory in your back pocket.
Finally, to some of the Eagles fans who have said, "I can't support the Eagles anymore," well my sentiment is to not let the door hit you on the ass on your way out. If you have supported this team as long as I have, outside of them signing Osama Bin Laden or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I can never imagine a scenario where I don't pull for this team. Michael Vick will never be a favorite of mine, but trading in my allegiance isn't even a thought. The team is FAR greater than any one individual and if you chose not to be a fan b/c they signed someone who the NFL and the US legal system agreed served their time, then go cheer for some other upstart, fad team. That's not what the Eagles fan base is about. It's about passion and it's about somehow getting up after another year of disappointment. All any Eagles fan talks about is winning and I GUARAN-DAMN-TEE you that if the Eagles play well this year, you front-running jabroni's will hop right back on the bandwagon. True fans support their teams through good and bad. Several years ago, the Phillies number 2 pitcher Brett Myers beat-up his wife in Boston, but I bet you have long forgotten that while wearing your 2008 Phillies World Champion Shirts. People deserve second chance. I'm willing to give Vick one (regardless of who he decided to sign with) and I'm willing to give you fickle, flip-flopping fans one as well.
Hate Vick all you want. But if your hatred for 1 player over the other 51 is so great that you would stop pulling for the Eagles, then we don't need you to begin with. Sports fanaticism is about winning, losing, getting your heart stomped on and somehow always holding out for a little bit of hope. It's about loyalty and passion. It's about debating, second-guessing, smack-talking and humility. Have your opinions and express them freely, but if you can honestly start cheering for another team and drop the one you root for b/c of this signing, then I must question whether you were really a true fan to begin with?
Thursday, August 13, 2009
There's Football and There's Everything Else...
Just a couple of things to speak about on this mid-August day. First off, decent outing by Pedro last night. Exactly what I expected, and not bad considering the guy hasn't pitched in the majors in a year. I appreciate that he is a competitor who has pitched on the biggest stage, without flinching. If he can somehow stay healthy, I think our staff is much improved (coupled with the Cliff Lee addition). Hopefully we can get Brett Meyers, JC Romero and Clay Condrey back to bolster the pen and Brad Lidge will pull his head out of his ass (spoken like a true Philly fan).
Well, the Eagles first pre-season game is tonight and I am psyched. It's the RETURN OF FOOTBALL. I know my fiance shutters at this thought, b/c it means my attention scale on Saturday, Sundays, Monday nights and some Thursday nights will be equivalent to a....a....sorry, we were talking about football right? Absolutely love this time of year.
Anyway, I don't get to discouraged by the Eagles consistently mediocre pre-season play. The play calling is as vanilla as it gets, and the scores are usually the least important things. Let's hope we don't suffer any further injuries, which being Philly fans, you know how that drill goes. Here are 10 things I will be looking for tonight (mind you the first teams are only supposed to play a little over a quarter):
1- How will Joe Mays do as our starting MLB and will he be a total liability if forced to cover a TE or RB?
2- Will Winston "roadkill" Justice (who is the starting tonight for the injured Shawn Andrews) be the human turnstile he was in his nightmare start against the NY Giants in 2007? If so, #5 better wear body armor.
3- LeSean "Shady" McCoy are you as good in actual games as you have been in camp & can you block?
4- How will the triumvirate of Dawgs do (Max Jean-Gilles, Reggie Brown & Sean Jones, who I hope replaces Quintin Demps in the starting line-up)?
5- I'm hoping the Five&Dime connection goes deep at least once (note, that's the name I just came up with for Donovan to DeSean)
6- Will Jason Peters be the dominant left tackle that Andy Reid and the Eagles front office believe he is?
7- Can Jeremy Maclin contribute THIS YEAR and will be as dynamic of a returner as he was in college?
8- Is young Bryan Smith who bulked up to 250 going to be any type of contributor this season
9- Is Kevin Curtis more of the 1,000 yard receiver of 2007 or the injury-proned 2008 version?
10- How will Sean McDermott's defense differ from JJ's? Granted, this will be hard to tell from a pre-season game.
Speaking of football, the Dawgs had their first inter-scrimmage game of the Fall and received some impressive performances. Richard Samuel (who will be our best tailback this season) had 5 carries for 108 yards and 2 TD's (including a 65 yard scamper). He also scored on a 70 yd catch. Orson Charles (a true freshman who will be a monster) had 3 catches for 59 yards, AJ Green (who is a monster) had 69 yards and a TD. Joe Cox was a very crisp 9-13, 158 yards and 2 TD's. They did play a little defense too, led by Rod Battle a senior who apparently was unstoppable with 3.5 sacks. Exhale, it's just a scrimmage.
Couple of cool links here. First one is a link that was leaked regarding the Sixers new road uniforms - I like these a ton. Thank G-d the shooting stars are just a faded memory.. http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=936270
Here's a preview of Ray Emery's Flyers mask. In case you are wondering that is "Smokin" Joe Frazier on one side, Bernard Hopkins on the other and Rocky on top (I actually thought one side was was Donovan, but read it was Hopkins). Apparently Emery is a big boxing fan - shocker! Personally I think the concept is cool but the helmet itself lacks orange, which is synonymous w/the Flyers. Jay Ariano, this is for you.... http://thephillyphour.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/flyers-emery-reveals-helmet-design-for-09-10/
Well, the Eagles first pre-season game is tonight and I am psyched. It's the RETURN OF FOOTBALL. I know my fiance shutters at this thought, b/c it means my attention scale on Saturday, Sundays, Monday nights and some Thursday nights will be equivalent to a....a....sorry, we were talking about football right? Absolutely love this time of year.
Anyway, I don't get to discouraged by the Eagles consistently mediocre pre-season play. The play calling is as vanilla as it gets, and the scores are usually the least important things. Let's hope we don't suffer any further injuries, which being Philly fans, you know how that drill goes. Here are 10 things I will be looking for tonight (mind you the first teams are only supposed to play a little over a quarter):
1- How will Joe Mays do as our starting MLB and will he be a total liability if forced to cover a TE or RB?
2- Will Winston "roadkill" Justice (who is the starting tonight for the injured Shawn Andrews) be the human turnstile he was in his nightmare start against the NY Giants in 2007? If so, #5 better wear body armor.
3- LeSean "Shady" McCoy are you as good in actual games as you have been in camp & can you block?
4- How will the triumvirate of Dawgs do (Max Jean-Gilles, Reggie Brown & Sean Jones, who I hope replaces Quintin Demps in the starting line-up)?
5- I'm hoping the Five&Dime connection goes deep at least once (note, that's the name I just came up with for Donovan to DeSean)
6- Will Jason Peters be the dominant left tackle that Andy Reid and the Eagles front office believe he is?
7- Can Jeremy Maclin contribute THIS YEAR and will be as dynamic of a returner as he was in college?
8- Is young Bryan Smith who bulked up to 250 going to be any type of contributor this season
9- Is Kevin Curtis more of the 1,000 yard receiver of 2007 or the injury-proned 2008 version?
10- How will Sean McDermott's defense differ from JJ's? Granted, this will be hard to tell from a pre-season game.
Speaking of football, the Dawgs had their first inter-scrimmage game of the Fall and received some impressive performances. Richard Samuel (who will be our best tailback this season) had 5 carries for 108 yards and 2 TD's (including a 65 yard scamper). He also scored on a 70 yd catch. Orson Charles (a true freshman who will be a monster) had 3 catches for 59 yards, AJ Green (who is a monster) had 69 yards and a TD. Joe Cox was a very crisp 9-13, 158 yards and 2 TD's. They did play a little defense too, led by Rod Battle a senior who apparently was unstoppable with 3.5 sacks. Exhale, it's just a scrimmage.
Couple of cool links here. First one is a link that was leaked regarding the Sixers new road uniforms - I like these a ton. Thank G-d the shooting stars are just a faded memory.. http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=936270
Here's a preview of Ray Emery's Flyers mask. In case you are wondering that is "Smokin" Joe Frazier on one side, Bernard Hopkins on the other and Rocky on top (I actually thought one side was was Donovan, but read it was Hopkins). Apparently Emery is a big boxing fan - shocker! Personally I think the concept is cool but the helmet itself lacks orange, which is synonymous w/the Flyers. Jay Ariano, this is for you.... http://thephillyphour.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/flyers-emery-reveals-helmet-design-for-09-10/
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Good, the Bad, the Ugly...
A lot of news coming out of Eagles camp early. The defense suffered a potentially crushing blow when starting MLB Stewart Bradley was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Make no mistake, this is a HUGE loss, as many believed Bradley was primed for a pro-bowl season. With a new defensive coordinator, losing your MLB is a big, big loss. Joe "Say Hey Willie" Mays will get the first-team reps, with Omar Gaither chomping at the bit to get back in the starting line-up. The early word on Mays is that despite him being undersized at 5'10 and 245 -- the guy hits like a mack truck and he hits everything that moves. The only good news in this injury thing is that Bradley's injury happened early enough in camp that whomever becomes the new starter will get lots and lots of reps w/the first team. Also, Bradley should be able to make a full return for the 2010 season.
Great to hear that the Jeff Lurie said no one will ever wear #20 as long as he is the owner of the Eagles. Traditionally, the Eagles don't really retire numbers (Reggie White's #92 was the last number they retired), and if they decided to bring that practice back, it should start with #20. Great move, Lurie.
FINALLY, first round pick Jeremy Maclin got his arse into camp this AM. Maclin who many believe could get some serious playing time this season, should help tremendously in the return game. Hopefully we won't continue to put DeSean Jackson in harm's way (since he is far and away our best WR) and we can now use Maclin as a punt returner.
Some great news is that it appears Brian Westbrook is ahead of schedule in his return from ankle surgery. Early word is that he looks AND feels great. Hopefully Westy can have a big bounce- back year. What a sick offense we could have if he and Maclin can give us something.
Note to Jacqua (pronounced "Ganja") Parker - you aren't that good, so kindly put down the dope, buddy. Like my buddy Derrick said this AM, how do you wait to training camp to bust out the ganja? The dude had an entire off-season and he picks now to light-up. Brilliant. Apparently they were OL Todd Herremans car...hmm, interesting story.
Phils continue to be up and down. I'm done with Jamie Moyer. I don't care if the guy hasn't pitched out of the pen in 35 years, his ass belongs in the pen (I'm sure most fans probably believe he belongs in an easy-chair). There's no way you can say that the 7-2 JA Happ and his sub 3.00 ERA should go back to the pen. This kid has earned the right to start for the Phils and I will be very disappointed if he heads back to the pen b/c of Moyer or Pedro.
The Sixers signed Primoz Brezec and Royal Ivey this week. Forgive me for drooling on myself, while I drift off to sleep.
Props to former Diamond Dog and current Chicago White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham has been voted the American League Rookie of the Month for July. In 27 games, Beckham led all AL rookies with a .330 (32-97) batting average, 32 hits, three home runs, 18 RBIs, 10 doubles and a .526 slugging percentage.
In Other News:
Great to hear that the Jeff Lurie said no one will ever wear #20 as long as he is the owner of the Eagles. Traditionally, the Eagles don't really retire numbers (Reggie White's #92 was the last number they retired), and if they decided to bring that practice back, it should start with #20. Great move, Lurie.
FINALLY, first round pick Jeremy Maclin got his arse into camp this AM. Maclin who many believe could get some serious playing time this season, should help tremendously in the return game. Hopefully we won't continue to put DeSean Jackson in harm's way (since he is far and away our best WR) and we can now use Maclin as a punt returner.
Some great news is that it appears Brian Westbrook is ahead of schedule in his return from ankle surgery. Early word is that he looks AND feels great. Hopefully Westy can have a big bounce- back year. What a sick offense we could have if he and Maclin can give us something.
Note to Jacqua (pronounced "Ganja") Parker - you aren't that good, so kindly put down the dope, buddy. Like my buddy Derrick said this AM, how do you wait to training camp to bust out the ganja? The dude had an entire off-season and he picks now to light-up. Brilliant. Apparently they were OL Todd Herremans car...hmm, interesting story.
Phils continue to be up and down. I'm done with Jamie Moyer. I don't care if the guy hasn't pitched out of the pen in 35 years, his ass belongs in the pen (I'm sure most fans probably believe he belongs in an easy-chair). There's no way you can say that the 7-2 JA Happ and his sub 3.00 ERA should go back to the pen. This kid has earned the right to start for the Phils and I will be very disappointed if he heads back to the pen b/c of Moyer or Pedro.
The Sixers signed Primoz Brezec and Royal Ivey this week. Forgive me for drooling on myself, while I drift off to sleep.
Props to former Diamond Dog and current Chicago White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham has been voted the American League Rookie of the Month for July. In 27 games, Beckham led all AL rookies with a .330 (32-97) batting average, 32 hits, three home runs, 18 RBIs, 10 doubles and a .526 slugging percentage.
In Other News:
- Just heard that Donovan McNabb is the most popular athlete in Philadelphia, followed by Chase Utley. Primoz Brezec is a close third.
- Dale Murphy (former Brave and Phillie) has a son who is expected to be a starter for the Dolphis this year -- how old do you feel?
- Anyone see Jeremy Piven on Monday Night Raw? My favorite part was when he jumped off the top rope and was caught by John Cena. Hilarious. Piven also was in Atlanta last week and stopped in at the Varsity.
- Speaking of Piven, I think Entourage is dancing dangerously close to "jumping the shark." I absolutely love the show, but if I have to watch any more episodes that focus on E and Turtle, I'm gonna write HBO.
- Dear Atlanta radio stations, why do you suck? (not you Dave fm, not you)
- Does the 4th photo of Putin's pictorial make anyone else a little uncomfortable http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/08/05/putin.holiday/index.html
- And finally, as my fiance reminded me when we first started dating --- everyone farts...yes, even the great Tiger Woods. A lot of controversy over who dealt this one. Fartgate 2009 continues. You decide... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL3nZJeHIIE
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
A CLIFFhanger No More...
A flurry of trades to close out the MLB trade deadline and let me start by saying I really like the Cliff Lee deal. As my 18 loyal readers know, I was not ready to trade our top pitching prospect, our top position prospect and JA Happ (a possible Rookie of the Year candidate) for Doc Halladay. Again, Halladay is a stud pitcher. No doubt. But, the fact that you heard ZILCH about Halladay being traded to another team after the Phillies acquired Lee, tells me that Jays GM JP Ricciardi overplayed his hand.
What the Phils are getting in Lee is a 22-game winning, AL Cy Young winner from last year. This year he is 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA in Cleveland. His ERA clearly indicates that he was a very good pitcher on a very bad team. I think Lee will be a huge boost to the Phils rotation and I'm thrilled with the deal. We traded none of our top 4 prospects (Jason Knapp was definitely the highest rated prospect -- a low A-ball 18 year old who throws in the upper 90s) AND we landed a legitimate #1 pitcher to our rotation. Also, Ben Francisco (a name the Phils fans will have a blast with) gives us the right-handed bat we need off the bench.
The Phils didn't need a great pitcher, they needed a good pitcher to keep them in games. If their staff can keep it close, I fully trust our explosive line-up will continue to win games for us. Cliff Lee happens to be a very good pitcher who will not only keep us in games, but will win them. The million dollar question is whether our bullpen can be as effective as they were last season. That's a whole nother' blog for another day.
Under a heavy heart the Eagles began training camp on Thursday. The good news - football has begun. The bad news - so have the injuries. Asante Samuel, Shaun Andrews, Kevin Curtis and Jason Peters are all hurt. I don't get too worked up about training camp bumps and bruises, but the offensive line needs reps to work on their continuity. I'm hoping Andrews balky back won't continue to be an issue during the season, but I have a feeling it will. Jon Runyan anyone?
The Flyers signed "tough guy" Ole-Kristian Tollefson. Forgive me if you don't see me jumping up and down about a guy who has missed 57% of his games over the last two years. Isn't the term injury-proned tough guy an oxymoron?
The injustice regarding MLB's steroid "list" is disheartening. These players signed a confidentiality agreement stating that their names would remain anonymous. Now, about five names have been leaked from the 103 that tested positive -- including the Roid Sox own David Ortiz & Manny Ramirez. First off, those names should absolutely remain confidential, if that was the agreement. Secondly, how do you release only five of the names? Thirdly, steroids, though illegal, were not listed as banned substances by baseball. Amazing how baseball continues to suffer through the steroid era and simultaneously shoot themselves in the foot (Hey, Plaxico). Maybe they should just have the Roid Wing in the Hall of Fame and be done with it.
In Other News:
What the Phils are getting in Lee is a 22-game winning, AL Cy Young winner from last year. This year he is 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA in Cleveland. His ERA clearly indicates that he was a very good pitcher on a very bad team. I think Lee will be a huge boost to the Phils rotation and I'm thrilled with the deal. We traded none of our top 4 prospects (Jason Knapp was definitely the highest rated prospect -- a low A-ball 18 year old who throws in the upper 90s) AND we landed a legitimate #1 pitcher to our rotation. Also, Ben Francisco (a name the Phils fans will have a blast with) gives us the right-handed bat we need off the bench.
The Phils didn't need a great pitcher, they needed a good pitcher to keep them in games. If their staff can keep it close, I fully trust our explosive line-up will continue to win games for us. Cliff Lee happens to be a very good pitcher who will not only keep us in games, but will win them. The million dollar question is whether our bullpen can be as effective as they were last season. That's a whole nother' blog for another day.
Under a heavy heart the Eagles began training camp on Thursday. The good news - football has begun. The bad news - so have the injuries. Asante Samuel, Shaun Andrews, Kevin Curtis and Jason Peters are all hurt. I don't get too worked up about training camp bumps and bruises, but the offensive line needs reps to work on their continuity. I'm hoping Andrews balky back won't continue to be an issue during the season, but I have a feeling it will. Jon Runyan anyone?
The Flyers signed "tough guy" Ole-Kristian Tollefson. Forgive me if you don't see me jumping up and down about a guy who has missed 57% of his games over the last two years. Isn't the term injury-proned tough guy an oxymoron?
The injustice regarding MLB's steroid "list" is disheartening. These players signed a confidentiality agreement stating that their names would remain anonymous. Now, about five names have been leaked from the 103 that tested positive -- including the Roid Sox own David Ortiz & Manny Ramirez. First off, those names should absolutely remain confidential, if that was the agreement. Secondly, how do you release only five of the names? Thirdly, steroids, though illegal, were not listed as banned substances by baseball. Amazing how baseball continues to suffer through the steroid era and simultaneously shoot themselves in the foot (Hey, Plaxico). Maybe they should just have the Roid Wing in the Hall of Fame and be done with it.
In Other News:
- I heard a commercial that the "Most Interesting Man in the World" had been pronounced dead seven times -- I couldn't stop laughing.
- Nice to hear the Atlanta Police Department tried to use their stats to show that violent crime is down in Atlanta. Despite these numbers they still added 139 cops to the force. Maybe the Mayor/Police Chief could better allocate the four cops that sit on E.Roxborough road every morning catching those hideous speeders in the highlands
- The more Joe Jackson opens his yapper, the worse I feel for MJ
- Anyone wanna bet Brett Favre will be on an NFL roster by October?
- Dear Southwest, please come to Atlanta
- My fiance just informed me that the Phils not only traded for Cliff Lee, but that Cy Young was included in the deal. Sweet!
- To anyone who thinks legendary comic Andrew DICE Clay is dead, absolutely MUST watch this clip. This is one of the funniest things I've EVER seen.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M9C6a1K0nI
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