All Star Game

Tonight is the Major League All Star game, and for the third year in a row we will be constantly reminded that the winning league will receive home field advantage in the World Series.

Naturally both managers (Phil Garner of Houston and Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox) are saying the right things; that they want to manage the game to win, rather than try to get all of their players in for an appearance. While I like that they say they have the attitude of winning in mind, I'm not quite ready to believe it (come to think of it I actually do believe Guillen).

Whether the American League continues to demonstrate its recent dominance over the National League, or the NL squad puts to rest the AL bandwagon remains to be seen. I would bet on the AL winning but when it comes down to it, does anyone really care?

We all know that homefield advantage in the World Series should be determined by regular season record (just like every other sport except for the NFL and its neutral site). A recent ESPN poll showed that 77% of those polled believed the home field advantage in the World Series should be determined by overall record. A paltry 14% thought the All Star game result was a good idea, and a measly 8% were too old fashioned to give up on the alternating year concept.

They say it is the fans game, so why don't the fans get their way in determining the impact of the result? Why do the players that the fans want to see not have to show up? Those players who back out of the game should forfeit their All Star bonus! Until baseball decides to revoke the fans' right to vote for the starters, and the fans don't always get it right (see Ken Griffey Jr. on occasion), the players that get the most votes should have to attend. The game will never really live up to the bragging rights contest it used to have because we now have too many interleague games. It used to be hat the teams really want to win the game and would go all out. Not every player would play and that was ok! It is because of this attitude that managers seem to have that they should get everybody in that has caused the all star game to seriously drop off in appeal. The best of the best should play and whoever gives you the best chance to win at any particular moment should play.

In any event, enjoy the All Star game, whoever you root for. I'm a National League guy so hopefully Ryan Howard can knock in a go ahead homerun and Tom Gordon will pick up the save in the late innings.

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Phillies Ownership = Clueless

As if you needed more proof that the ownership of the Phillies has no clue on how to connect with their fanbase, read this interview with limited partner in ownership, Bill Giles from the Philadelphia Inqurier.


One Phillies Owner Speaks Out on Team's Struggles


We all know that the Phillies as an organization failed miserably in the handling of the Brett Myers incident. What is worse than the fact that they continue to let it go by avoiding having him start in Philadelphia for quite some time (at which point this whole fiasco will come alive once more), Giles takes a defiant stance and states that the reports are very erroneous, attempting to convince us that Myers was actually trying to help his wife. If that is the case I'd like to hear his thoughts on the police report filed by Mrs. Myers (in which she says she was hit twice), why the Myers' are being given counseling, and why Myers was given a leave of absence. Of course, Giles isn't the one to ask about any of that.

The thing that strikes me the most is the fact that he, pretty much on behalf of the ownership group, attacks the "crazy" fans who call talk radio and he actually believes that the majority of fans are happy go lucky supporters of the club win or lose. This is a clear example of the Phillies organization, from top to bottom, not understanding the mentality of the fan. And it isn't just Philadelphia fans. I would LOVE to see how the fans in New York or Boston would react if he tried saying anything like this in those cities.

The truth is it is not Philadelphia or their fans. It is an organization that fails time and time again to realize that they are problem. The ownership and management ALWAYS fail to assess blame properly.

Since 1993 the Phillies have made zero playoff appearances, and have only sniffed the playoffs twice, one of those by fluke. Even on the terrible teams in this league there have been changes on multiple occasions since 1993.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have had four different managers since 1998. The Phillies have had three since 1997. Even the terrible organizations have had the stones to make a change instead of giving in to futility and making the players feel good about themselves. The only thing that ballplayers should feel good about themselves is having a chance to be playing in the major leagues, and making "x" amount of dollars.

This whole interview got me steamed, a bad way to start the week. Here's the final question and response:

Q: Can this team be contenders next year?

A: "In this day and age, you can go from last place to first place easily in a year. Take the Cincinnati Reds. They're basically the same team. They've just added some pitchers. And they're very much in contention to win their division. I don't think there will be any problem, if we're fortunate enough to get the right players, to compete soon."

True, teams do go from worst to first every so often (see the 1993 Phillies, which is probably why this ownership refuses to think they need to change very many things). But look at what the Reds did. "They've just added some pitchers." As Drew Rosenhaus would say, "DUH!" The Phillies could have had Bronson Arroyo for Billy Wagner and a bag of baseballs last year easily! While that blame is assessed to the previous GM, the ownership should have known about this possibility and pushed for the move to be done.

I agree the best owners in sports GENERALLY should not be involved with player moves and contracts, but they are the owners. What they say ultimately goes. Is it any coincidence that the Yankees are the Yankees under George Steinbrenner? Or that the Dallas Mavericks have become winners under Mark Cuban? The Phillies also had a clear example of what an enthusiastic owner can do to a team in Philadelphia (see 2001 Sixers with Pat Croce).

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Do not EVER attack your fanbase and insult them with remarks like "unintelligent", "unknowledgable", or "crazy". The fans will always be here. The owners will not.

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Tisk Tisk Tisk

I suppose I'll preface this by saying that technically, the case is still alleged, however there are witnesses so a lot of this seems accurate enough to go with.

Brett Myers is a foolish meathead who struck his wife in public a couple times, got arrested for it, was released on bail (by his wife) and arrogant enough to pitch for the Phillies the next day. It is bad enough that this situation happened in the first place. All condolences to Mrs. Myers, and I only hope that something like this never happens again for the sake of the wife and the two young children. As for Brett, who cares about him anymore?

When asked if Myers wanted to say anything on the situation, he apologized for the fact that it became public. That's it. Let me go through a list of apologies he should have said before ANYTHING ELSE:

1. Apologize to his wife for the incident.
2. Apologize to his family for the embarrassment.
3. Apologize to his teammates and the organization for the distraction.
4. Apologize to the Boston community for his actions.
5. Apologize to the Phillies fans for the embarrassment.

After that he should have told the management (not the manager) that out of respect for the team, who was about to play on national TV, that he'd request not to start the game.

The blame doesn't end there. The Phillies organization, ownership and management, should be held accountable as well. The Phillies should have sent Myers home, had him stay at the team hotel, or send him anywhere that wasn't Fenway Park. Then there should have been some sort of organized statement on the issue along the lines of "We regret the incident in question happening and will support Bret in any way we can, in the meantime we will allow the court to handle its case as scheduled and take action as needed." What we got was "He hasn't been convicted and he's our best pitcher so we need him to play." When I heard those comments I thought I was watching University of Nebraska football!

Once again the Phillies have found a way to completely make a bad situation worse by saying, and not saying, the wrong things. I really would like to see how the Phillies rebound from this and see what kind of reaction Myers gets when he next plays in Philadelphia.

66 days until Penn State-Akron.

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Interleague Play

My thoughts on interleague play remain the same. But is it me, or are there more interleague games this year? The Phillies are playing the entire AL West, including twice against the Red Sox. They play the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs twice. I still feel that over-exposure can be a bad thing. The last thing baseball needs is for one league to continue being documented as being far superior than the other (ie. American league far better than National).

And it has also been announced that the winning league of the All Star game will have home field advantage in the World Series. Bud Selig may have done more for baseball than he often receives credit for, but he also sticks to some silly decisions. This is one of them. Remember, this only happens because he let one game end in a tie.

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Questions 67 and 68

Question #67: Why do high schools, junior leagues, college baseball and minor league baseball clubs use metal bats, but the major leagues use wooden bats? I have never heard an answer to this so if somebody has any insight I would love to hear it. Why train ball players with metal bats their whole loves and then switch to wooden bats when they make it big?

Question #68: Who actually understands the musical reference in this topic?

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Game Seven

There is nothing finer than playoff hockey, especially when it is a Game Seven in the Stanley Cup Finals!

Should be an interesting game tonight. Can the Hurricanes find a way to stop the Edmonton momentum, or will they become another in a short list of teams to blow a 3-1 lead in the playoffs and lose? Personally I am pulling for the Oilers tonight to win a tough road game and capture the Cup for the country of Canada.

How about over in the NBA Finals? Remember my opening paragraph in my last post? I got annoyed with the fact that people were writing off the Heat after one game. Guess I showed those people, huh? I'll get off my pedestal now...

What else can I say about the Phillies? The team does not have a winning mentality. Hearing players already start talking about being in the wild card chase, in June, says all you need to know about this team, as if dropping two of three to Tampa Bay after being swept by the Mets (all of those games at home) didn't spell it out enough for you. Now let's watch. The Phills will sweep the Yankees, take two of three in Boston and sweep the Orioles and everything will start looking good again. Call me crazy, but this team has done exactly this kind of thing each of the last few years.

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NBA Finals

ESPN is famous for over-hyping, over-blowing, and over--reporting. Today the NBA commentators they have were discussing the NBA Finals and how desperate the Miami Heat are to win a game and get their act together. Correct me if I'm wrong, but they are only down 1-0 in the series, right?

Sure they didn't play a great game and they have things that need to improve, but does anybody think that they are doomed now to lose the series? Did Dallas really impress you (except for Jason Terry.....who?)?

Look, much was made about the sloppy and poor play by both teams. I don't think it should have surprised anyone. A large majority of the players involved were on a brand new stage; the NBA Finals. When you get to that point you are going to be nervous. And the "Hack-a-Shaq" technique seems to have made a return and I'm sure it will be dissected every which way, among other things, on ESPN.

----------------------------------
World Cup in full swing. How about England winning on an own goal? And congrats to Trinidad & Tobago on their tie with Sweden, even though they played a man short for basically a whole half! I was impressed that the host country, Germany, won an offensive explosion to open up the tournament, 4-2 over Costa Rica. And of course (I say it like I really know what I'm talking about), Ecuador's stunning win over Poland is sure to make things tough for Poland (the top two teams in each Group move on to the next round).

Let me not forget the NHL Finals, where the former Flyer Rod Brind-amour (still with a loyal following in Comcast Country) leads his team into Edmonton tonight with a 2-0 series lead. Lots of Flyers fans are pulling for Carolina because of Brind-amour. I'm not exactly one of those people. The guy last played in orange and black in 1999. I mean, that was last century! I'm not even rooting for Terrell Owens, who only played for the Eagles last season, and gave his all every time and....Oh, well, I guess that's a different situation. Go Brind-Amour (even though I'd like to see Edmonton win the series; I don't want the Carolina Hurricanes to win a Stanley Cup before I see the Flyers do it....Just like the Tampa Bay Lightning).

Does anybody find it interesting that the last two Stanley Cups (including this current one) featured a team from warm southeastern U.S. and a western Canadian team? Having a Canadian team in the Finals is great. Having a southwest team in it is not.

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ON SALE!

On Sale now!

Proof that the Eagles are either desperate for every little penny or that they are trying to make room in their storage for some new merchandise.

How long until they just ship the jerseys to a low income country?

And if green isn't your flavor, they have the white and alternate black jerseys available too.

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Deal or No Deal

This show is just annoying to watch anymore, much like the past attempts to have a hit game show. The drama is so drawn out and the show has just out-done itself all in one season.

They tried to make it a feel good show by bringing in long lost relatives, family members that rarely see each other, special celebrity appearances, and the women opening the cases have become annoying. Each contestant has three family or friends on stage with them to talk them through the deal or no deal process. If that's not enough they have a cheering section in the audience cheering them on (and some of them sometimes get to give their advice).

It started out nice and simple, but the more and more I see this show the more and more I root against the people! I say No Deal!

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Same Sex Marriage

So President Bush wants to rally against same-sex marriage. Why is this such a big deal with people? If Person A loves Person B, why does Person C have to say they can't be married because they are the same sex? Heh, notice that "C" is also the first letter in the word Christianity, where most of the foolish and rabid Anti-Gay sentiment comes from.

Interesting how a religion based on love for the common man seems to oppose a man loving another man. It all seems kind of shamelessly outdated to me. The world is different that it used to be. Change is inevitable. Why waste time worrying about two people who love accouter despite their sex.

Here is a quote from President Bush, courtesy of Comcast News;

"Our policies should aim to strengthen families, not undermine them. And changing the definition of marriage would undermine the family structure," said Bush, who raised the issue's profile with an event at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

And so I thought I'd look up the definition of "marriage" myself. Courtesy of Webster's Dictionary Plus Thesaurus;

mar-riage n. the legal union of two people in wedlock

Interesting. Look if you want to waste your time and money protesting love, fine. In the meantime, I'd like to find a way to protest ignorant "I'm better than you and this is the way you should live your life" jackasses.

You won't get many political thoughts out of me, so don't worry.

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World Cup Pre-Show

Now I admit that soccer, or "football", has traditionally been given the short hand by myself because I can not stand watching a scoreless tie and call it an exciting match. This, as I now realize, may have been hypocritical of me, as I called a few hockey games this past NHL season exhilarating (both of these games were 0-0 ties, determined by a shootout).

While I will not say that I enjoy the game, or will become a fan of the game, I will say that I respect the game, its fans, traditions, and place it has in the world culture. I do not ever see soccer replacing any of the top sports in the United States at any time, but seeing as the World Cup is kicking off on Friday with the host country Germany playing Costa Rica, I do believe now is a chance to take a deeper look at the game.

As I already stated, I do have a respect for the game. Any game that is worthy of shutting down an entire country for a day to watch a particular match is worthy of praise. Let's admit it; even if you hate soccer, you understand and should respect that soccer is the world's game. Not baseball (America's traditional pastime) or "American" football (America's seemingly current top sport). Soccer is an international phenomena and is capable of bringing together countries from all around the globe to participate in tournament that shows as much national prides it does blood, sweat, and tears. The World Cup will be watched in many countries, including the United States. The international ratings will crush the numbers that the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, NCAA Tournament, and Stanley Cup Finals receive...combined. This tournament will be watched by massive amounts of people who live in a country whose team didn't even qualify for the World Cup (Scotland and Ireland for example). There are many rooting interests.

Aside from rooting for your home country, many soccer fans, especially those whose country is not represented, will find a team to root for. Perhaps it will be for a deserving underachiever (like Spain, with zero World Cup trophies), or a surprise Cinderella country (like South Korea in 2002), or perhaps it will be for a country you hate. Germany is always popular in this category (think World War). Believe it or not the United States can tend to fall in this category as well. The last thing the world wants to see is the United States win the World Cup, even though they are gaining respect as an international team.

I admit that I know very little about international teams, and even less about the club teams. What I do know is that countries like Brazil, Italy, Argentina, France and England are good. Brazil seems to me like the LA Lakers; not always the champion, but traditionally among the best every decade. Brazil also owns a record five World Cup championships and have some of the finest talents playing for them and is the only country to have been eligible to participate in every World Cup tournament. Italy is not far behind Brazil so think of them as the Green Bay Packers; a team with rich tradition and culture, talented history, not the most championships but traditionally a force. Well, maybe the Packers of late don't help that statement. If you are not familiar with Argentina, think of soccer's version of the Philadelphia 76ers; a once proud power in the sport with a championship drought with struggles to return to championship contender. Coaching changes, shaky tournament/playoff appearances. As for France, I tend to think of them as the New Jersey Devils; a great team with the talent to win, even though I despise them. Really, does anyone like the French? And then there is England, the Atlanta Braves of soccer. Always talented, always a contender, and always a force to be reckoned with. Only problem with England is they have a total of one World Cup championship.

If you would ask me which country to pick, I wouldn't have the slightest clue. Sure, I could throw a dart at the board and pick a team at random, but I am the last person to tell you who I think will win. Much like the NCAA tournament or NHL playoffs, anyone can win really. I will say that I won't watch the tournament all day for a variety of reasons, but I will be rooting for the good ole' US of A. I would love to say that a country that doesn't really care about soccer is the world's best...at least for four years.

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All Star Ballot

I just heard during the Phillies game the current all star balloting counts and I was shocked at a couple things. Perhaps some homerisms are showing in me, but Ryan Howard not being in the top five for first basemen and Chase Utley behind Craig Biggio by so much just floored me.

Albert Pujols, without a doubt, is deserving of the starting job at first base for the National League All Stars. Anybody who would argue that is just a moron. However, Ryan Howard, who is hitting around .300 and knocking in runs with his homeruns and other hits should be serving of a spot in the top five!

Chase Utley, mark my words, is the best second baseman in the National League.

If you haven't made it out to the ballpark near you, then feel free to vote (up to 25 times) at this site.

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People I'm Tired of Hearing About

There is an ESPN report that Roger Clemens is coming back to the Astros for the rest of the season. The Astros are in denial. Sportscenter has reported all evening that not many people really know what is going on and the whole broadcast has been centered around speculation and "What-if's" and flashing up Clemens' career stats etc. All of this leads into this little Top Five List of People I'm Tired of Hearing About...

1. Roger Clemens - the arrogance of knowing that everyone is waiting for this guy to make a decision on whether or not he'll come back, which team he'll play for, and the fact that the season is blowing by and the decision on what team to go to is becoming easier and easier just bothers me.
2. Brett Favre - If ever there were a number of press conferences to announce nothing, Brett Favre takes the cake. How many times was there a conference to say that he hadn't made up his mind yet? Same thing as Clemens. This guy was one of the greatest quarterbacks and his image is being tarnished the longer his decision goes unmade.
3. Barry Bonds. I just heard a quote of Bonds saying he loves Albert Pujols for coming out and defending him. Bonds apparently is hoping and rooting for Pujols to break his single-season homerun record because "it would be great". Yeah right. He wants Pujols to break his record because then the controversy would go away. It would be proven that you don't need steroids to accomplish the record. Bonds' career would then restore itself slightly.
4. Rasheed Wallace. Any guarantees Mr. Wallace heading into game five, down 3-1?
5. Mark Cuban. I am a firm believer that in team sports, the team should be the only newsmaking focal point. Cuban, although successful, violates that philosophy with ease. His team may win the NBA championship, but we all know cameras will be on Cuban at just about every critical point throughout the rest of the playoffs. All the credit in the world to Cuban for his passion, although sometimes too eccentric, but the guy is committed to winning. I just don't need to see the grungy looking, scarey looking self-made billionaire.

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Summer Time

Memorial Day weekend has come and passed, and now the heat o summer is starting to make its presence known. Crank up the air conditioning and put some extra icecubes in the lemonade because it's going to be a scorcher! Or so they say!

I've been having problems with Blogger lately (not their fault, but the fact that I've created multiple blogs and scrapped old ones to work on a fresh one, and I've been getting my login info mixed up with older blogs).

I saw the third X-Men movie over the weekend. Being a fan of the X-Men movies I thought the third movie was a good end to the story, or was it? I admit I walked out before the scene after the credits, so I have no clue what that's all about.

And how about that 24 ending? Each season I wonder how Jack Bauer will get into more trouble. This much I know (assume); Jack won't be spending a day in Los Angeles next season!

I have also recently discovered the beauty and simplicity of section 416 at Citizens Bank Park. It's even better when you have one of those Buy One Get One coupons from Lukoil!

I hope everybody had a safe and memorable Memorial Day (no pun intended) weekend and also found a way to pay tribute to those who the holiday is intended for. And if you scarfed down a hot dog or two, more power to you!

Note: After writing the above and doing a spell check, I found it humorous to find that the words "Blogger" and "blogs" were not in the dictionary for Blogger's spellcheck feature!

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Hall of Famer Joe Paterno

Congratulations to Penn State football coach, and in some families such as my own, a man worth putting on top of the Christmas tree, Joe Paterno for his recent election into the college football hall of fame. Needless to say it was a matter of time. Perhaps the Hall committee got tired of waiting for he and Florida State coach Bobby Bowden to retire. Both men deserve to be in the Hall, although I'll say JoePa deserves it more. :)

What troubles me is that today I read an article by a columnist stating that now is the time for Paterno to walk away from coaching. Not only is this a tired, old discussion (not to mention out of season) but it is irresponsible for a writer of his lack of caliber to be calling out the great Hall of Fame coach, saying that there is nothing else for him to accomplish, as if the man is so narcissist that he wants to coach just for his accomplishments. The mark of a great coach is a knowledge and passion for the game; two attributes that Paterno has and can probably be unrivaled in that category. It is especially uncalled for when the man is coming off of an 11-1 record and looks to have brought Penn State back to winning ball games and making trips to bowl games in the next few years.

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The Nose Bleed Section

Aaron Rowand, centerfielder for the Phillies, just etched his name in Philadelphia's hearts. In the first inning of the final game of a three game series against the division leading rival New York Mets, with the bases loaded and two outs, Rowand went chasing after a ball in deep centerfield, made the catch, crashed into the hard wall, broke his nose, ended the inning and any threat of a Mets score, and kept Philadelphia fans, including myself, talking about his heroics the rest of the night and the next day.

The reason this is so important is because we know we have players who will give their all, unlike Kenny Lofton, who asked why he would want to hurt himself in that situation. This one play symbolizes the epitome of the team's future. This is not the group of mouths that had a bad taste surrounding them and pitted them against the media and the fans. Sure, Mike Lieberthal is still around, and Bobby Abreu still is the worst Gold Glove rightfielder in history, but the nucleus is now the likes of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and Aaron Rowand.

This team is fun to watch and likeable. They have a sense of humor, they have a baseball GM who's not afraid to make moves or take chances. And they can hit the ball.

Tonight the wait for Cole Hammels comes to an end in Cincinnati. I have a fear that the Reds may give Hammels a rough debut, but at least we get a chance to see what the kid can do in the majors.

I think it is great that we're not looking at mini-camp and talking to death about it, because the Phillies are looking alright.

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Barry Bonds and Philly Fans

Two things to discuss quickly today.

Barry Bonds has continued to make himself look like a foolish hypocrite. Let us leave the cheating substance abuse out of the picture for the moment. At the end of his trip to Philadelphia, where he hit homerun number 713*, he was asked about the booing by the fans. In his response he said that it was nothing compared to LA or San Diego. I'm ok with that, as those are his rival teams. But he also stated that the fans who come out and boo should be scolded for doing so in front of their kids, and that they should think about the example they are setting for their kids.

Read that last sentence back to yourself and think about it. Does anyone else find that a little off-beat? I mean, isn't it Barry Bonds who has "alledgedly" taken performance enhancing drugs, or steroids, like no man has ever before just to get himself in the limelight and catch a record he was jealous of, and thus finds himself chasing the all-time homerun record? Shouldn't Barry be thinking about the example he's setting for his own children first?

Second, the Philly fans. Leading up to the games between the Giants and Phillies you could see the headlines coming from a mile away "Bonds goes to Philly, the place where they boo Santa." Now, remember the fact that this whole incident of throwing snowballs happened in 1968, once. Once. It happened once and it was in 1968. 19.......68. I suggest you read chapter four of The Great Philadelphia Fan Book by Glen Macnow and Anthony Gargano explaining the whole incident and how it has become sort of a tall tale, including the point of view of the Santa Clause in the story, to realize just how overblown that is. ESPN had an article discussing how Barry is going to Philly in what is sure to be a wild crowd.

Now, Philly fans have gotten a bit of a bad name for the booing, stupid incidents here and there and our attitude. Writing about Philly fans is the easiest thing a reporter can whip up. All you have to do is mention batteries at J.D. Drew, drunk Flyers fan jumping in the penalty box with Tie Domi (even though Domi started it), cheering when Michael Irvin is down, and oh yeah, snowballs at Santa. These reporters should be ashamed of themselves for writing such garbage.

ESPN carried Sunday night's game. There were members of the national media all over Citizens Bank Park all weekend, jotting down everything Phillies fans did. ESPN analysts were preparing to discuss the Philly fans and their embarrassment at the expense of Barry "*" Bonds. The nation's sports media was typing up their Philly fans stories and what did they get? Only some of the most clever signs, and the normal boos that show up everywhere else.

Nothing thrown on the field.

Nobody storming the field to take a shot at Bonds.

No syringes. No batteries. No snowballs.

And do you think the national media will write a story about how well behaved, clever, and supportive the Phillies fans were. Nah, I didn't think so either.


Philadelphia: Home of the best overall combination of sports passion and knowledge in their fans. No question

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Nintendo Wii

So apparently the next Nintendo system, codenamed "Revolution" for a while now, will now be called Wii (pronounced "we"). Some of you know I've always been a Nintendo guy, as opposed to the Sega guy, or the XBox guy.

What a dumb name. Cool system. Dumb name.

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To the Loyal Reader

Sorry for the down time this past week and a half. My computer was in for repairs. Everything seems to be working fine now! I'll put in an entry later this week about the Flyers playoffs, Phillies, and/or Eagles draft!

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Allen Iverson

Ok, seeing as last night was rumored to be the final home game for Allen Iverson as a 76er, I was prepared to write a blog in his favor. I wanted to write to defend why he should not leave Philadelphia and how it would really do the Sixers no good to move him elsewhere. Now, I don't know if the Sixers would, or could, move Iverson so it could have all been a moot point, however, today I am inspired to write a blast Iverson.

If you know me I have always been one to defend Iverson overall, although he is deserving of some criticism when it comes to his actions, words, and play. But if you take a moment to look at his overall impact on the Sixers you will realize that he is worth a lot of praise. Before Iverson was drafted by Philadelphia, the Sixers were an abysmal team in a once proud basketball city. With Iverson came a rejuvenation, a new excitement, and a new hope. This carried the team through a rebuilding stage that lead the team to the top of their conference and into the NBA Finals in a fantastic and fun run until a dreaded mis-match with the dynasty-inspired Lakers. There is no doubt that Iverson has done a lot for the team and city. But there is a time when a superstar must give back to his team and loyal fans.

The Sixers are in a rut right now and they have played miserably, or miserly. They missed the playoffs and are now among the lottery teams with the slimmest of chances of getting a worthwhile pick. The team, under poor management, is strained by the salary cap. It is not Iverson's fault that the team has been mismanaged. That blame falls on GM Billy King, and maybe the ownership. But last night was Fan Appreciation Night, a night when the players give a little something back to the fans. Let's face it, when thousands of people come out to see your lousy team in a meaningless end-of-the-season game, you better give them something worth coming out for. To accept not being in the lineup when you are THE player these people come to watch, THE player the kids want the jersey of, and THE most popular player almost in the entire WORLD, you better make yourself eligible to play in that game. It is not Iverson's fault that he was told he didn't have to play, but it is Iverson's fault that he accepted that decision.

Say what you want about Allen Iverson, and I'm sure you will, the guy gives his all EVERY NIGHT when he puts on a Sixers, or Team USA, uniform. If you disagree with that then you are not watching. If every player gave his all the way Iverson does, then this team would be in the playoffs, and maybe even a contender for the conference. Surround Iverson with the right players and it can work. Don't believe me? See 2001.

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Random thoughts

Excuse me for feeling a little under the weather lately and not updating this Blog recently! I know you, the loyal reader, have been waiting for this.

So the Sixers are out of the playoffs. Does anyone really care? Put your hand down you liar. But really, when THREE teams under .500 from the Eastern Conference make the playoffs, you should be ashamed of your team, conference, and your league. This means that, in theory, it is possible to have a sub-.500 team make it to the NBA Finals. This is the equivalent of two sub-.500 teams playing for a spot in the NCAA tournament. This is just flat out bad. And it doesn't end there. The Washington Wizards (40-40 at the time of this writing) could still possibly be below .500 when the playoffs start! That is the entire bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoff teams. Anybody who says the NBA's product is not as bad as it is made out to be need look no further than these playoff teams.

Meanwhile the Phillies came off a good 4-2 road trip, taking both series in Atlanta and Colorado. I think now that they're coming home and have won a few games we'll see some better action for a while. I'm not saying that the "Fire Charlie" issue won't go away, and it won't, but at least we can start being a little more positive about the team. The bullpen has been better than expected.

And the Flyers...

With the playoffs about to begin I refuse to take a guess at what will happen. It all depends on what Flyers team shows up from game to game. It is just too hard to figure out. We still don't know which goalie will be "the guy", we don't know which games Peter Forsberg will have to miss and we don't know who they'll be playing yet. Tricky situation, one I never expected at the beginning of the year. This team could make it to the Finals or lose in the first round.

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Top Ten Sports Video Games

Here is my list of the Top Ten sports video games that I have played. I tend to put top ten lists in no particular order because I'll end up moving names around anyway.

So here you go (in no particular order):

1. Madden - What guy hasn't sat down and played a game of Madden, running the same effective plays over and over on your buddy?
2. Tecmo Bowl - Classic Nintendo football. Anybody else ever press the HUT button a million times before the snap?
3. Ice Hockey - The best hockey game. Period. Where else can you have a full team duking it out with the other team? And how about those Mario-like players?
4. Blades of Steel - Very close behind Ice Hockey. The fighting and the interactive demo of Gradius between periods is a nice touch.
5. RBI Baseball - My sister and I will STILL play this game. I'm always Boston, she's always the National League.
6. Bill Lambeer's Combat Basketball - My buddy Dave and I played the season mode long enough to have a team full of Bill Lambeers. Best team ever.
7. NBA Jam - Again, Dave and I mastered this game, except when the power would "mysteriously" go out when we were losing.
8. Tennis - Atari 2600 at its finest.
9. Ken Griffey Jr. Presents MLB - Hearing my disgruntled batters yell at the ump and cracking their bats on their knees was just the start.
10. World Class Track Meet - Can you say Power Pad?

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No Fun League

A lot was made about the NFL's recent rule change to restrict the celebration methods of NFL players this coming season. Some people thought that it was a waste of time and some people enjoy watching these outlandish and "creative" celebrations.

I, on the other hand, applaud the NFL for their stance on celebrations. It has gotten to a point where it is just stupid to watch.

When players start acting like they are rowing a boat, posing as a swimsuit model, riverdancing, doing sit-ups, giving a football CPR, or anything that isn't chest bumping, hi-fiving, or any other normal excitement, then it is time to do something to protect the image of the game. Players have started to showcase themselves, putting them on the map and thus above the team when it comes to scoring a touchdown, much like the NBA has dwindled with the emergence of the Sportscenter Slam Dunk.

If scoring a touchdown, and handing the ball back to the ref is good enough for Barry Sanders, then it should be good enough for anybody. Kudos to the NFL for promoting the style of Marvin Harrison, and limiting the antics of Chad Johnson, T.O. and company.

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For your Reading Enjoyment

Just wanted to pass along a couple articles I found on ESPN.com today.

Here's one about Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. And here is one on recent Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson.

Ryan Howard is the man to watch no matter what you're doing during a Phillies game this year. Remember a couple years ago when Pat Burell came up and you had to see what he would do? Same thing with Jim Thome. This year it is Ryan Howard, and to a lesser extent Chase Utley, now that Jimmy Rollins' streak is officially over.

I really hope Michael Robinson finds a spot somewhere in the NFL. It would be a shame to see his talent go unutilized by a pro team in some capacity.

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Eagles 2006 schedule and predictions

Talk about early. I have to hand it to the NFL, they sure know how to rule the discussions all throughout the year. Here it is, April 6, and I'm about to give my rundown of the 2006 Eagles schedule this coming season (which starts September 10)

Here it is, courtesy of PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

Sun., Sept. 10	@ Houston	WIN
Sun., Sept. 17	Giants	WIN
Sun., Sept. 24	@ 49ers	WIN
Mon., Oct. 2	Green Bay	WIN
Sun., Oct. 8	Dallas	WIN
Sun., Oct. 15	@ New Orleans	WIN
Sun., Oct. 22	@ Tampa Bay	LOSS
Sun., Oct. 29	Jacksonville	LOSS
Sun., Nov. 5	BYE
Sun., Nov. 12	Washington	WIN
Sun., Nov. 19	Tennessee	WIN
Sun., Nov. 26	@ Indy	LOSS
Mon., Dec. 4	Carolina	WIN
Sun., Dec. 10	@ Washington	WIN
Sun., Dec. 17	@ Giants	LOSS
Mon., Dec. 25	@ Dallas	WIN
Sun., Dec. 31	Atlanta	WIN - Unless Matt Schaub starts.

So there you have it folks. My 2006 Eagles predictions as of April 6, 2006. These are all of course, supposing the team stays healthy enough to play at their top level. At 12-4 the Eagles will even clinch home field advantage and have a good shot at the Super Bowl.

Who else has predictions?

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161-1

Well the Phillies had a less than stellar opening day to say the least, losing to the Cardinals 13-5. At least Jimmy Rollins extended his hitting streak. Do you believe that his hitting streak should be referenced as a chase for Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak record? I do and I don't. DiMaggio's 56 game streak was in one season so that should be the ultimate number. If Rollins hits in 57 straight that should also be held in high regard. After all, do we not say that a wide receiver in football has caught a pass in 247 games? Of course that is over multiple seasons, so I don't see why we can't recognize Rollins' chase in the same light. I do believe though, that IF Rollins should reach 56, or more, it should be denoted as two separate streaks; single season and overall.

Good luck to Rollins in a chase that is great for baseball and it's purity these days.

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Opening Day 2006

There are a couple sacred days on the sports calendar, and tomorrow is one of them. Along with Super Bowl Sunday, the opening two rounds of the NCAA tournament and any day with a Game Seven in the NHL playoffs, Major League Baseball's opening day is a cherished event.

There is reason for optimism in just about every city, because this could just be the year that your team gets over the hump, surprises everyone, lives up to expectations, or for one lucky city each year, defend your title.

I am eagerly awaiting the new baseball season, as I once again throw in my homeristic prediction that my Phillies will return to the playoffs for the first time since 1993. So pop in a copy of "Whatever it Takes Dude", then watch Game Five of the 1980 NLCS and grab a hot dog and get ready for a brand new season of baseball!

Here are my questions and keys to success for the Phillies this year, in no particular order:
1. Can the starting rotation stay consistent?
2. Can the relief pitching hold on to close games?
3. Will the strikeouts in the lineup decrease this year?
4. Which Pat Burrell will we see? 2003 or 2004?
5. Will Pat Gillick make a significant move when needed?
6. Will Jimmy Rollins break Joe Dimaggio's streak?*
7. Will April come back to haunt the Phillies as it has in the past few seasons?
8. Will a positive attitude remain throughout the season, even in a tough stretch?
9. Will anyone be able to beat the Braves for the division lead?
10. Will Ryan Howard suffer a sophomore slump?


Play ball!

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T.O. Once and for all

I am seriously sick and tired of hearing Eagles fans talking about Terrel Owens. So enough is enough. I am going to write this and then stop any and all discussions about him ruining the Eagles season, how immature he is, all of the McNabb non sense, etc. From this point on Owens, to me, is just another player in the NFL. That is how I will view him. That is how I will discuss him. No more What-ifs. No more "Who's to blame?"

Now, any Eagles fan who is happy that T.O. is a Dallas Cowboy ought to be examined in the head. Anytime your division rival claims a talented player, let alone the best wide receiver in football, that is nothing to be joyful about. Having said that there are many reasons to still not be afriad of the Cowboys. The lack of offensive line to protect an old, immobile quarterback is tops on the list. Assuming the Eagles defense can find a way to carry the team the way they did a few years ago, the addition of Owens to the Cowboys should not be much of a problem.

What amazes me is all the people who are happy because now Dawkins can lay a huge hit on Owens in a game over the middle. Sure, a Dawkins hit is always fun to watch and cheer on, however Dawkins, or any other Eagle for that matter, may not get such an opportunity until Owens has caught nine passes for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Do you really think Lito one-on-one scares T.O.? Me neither. The secondary for the Eagles will be as good as the front seven allows them to be, as well as the offense.

I do believe the Eagles will be nothing like their 2005 season reflects; a year of injuries from the start of the season, turmoil, media bashing etc. The key to success will be on day one of camp with all of the regulars, and captains. The captains must get together and work out a way to get this team to play like the 2003 Eagles.

T.O.'s first season as an Eagle was great. The second season was in ruins. He is to blame, as are many people in the Eagles organization for letting things get so bad. It is time to refocus the entire franchise and find a way to win a Super Bowl for the greatest fasns in the NFL. So that is it. I've said my final thought on T.O. as an Eagle.

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World Baseball Classic

In case you weren't paying attention, and I certainly do not blame you, the World Baseball Classic Final is tonight on ESPN. Cuba vs. Japan. The only name the common fan will recognize is Ichiro, which will probably convince many people to root for Japan.

I am rooting for Cuba. Why? I am rooting for a team with no major league ballplayers on it to win just for that fact. Of course, if there wasn't an embargo going on with Cuba, many of these players would be in the Major Leagues making the big time American contracts.

Face it, from Major League Baseball's perspective, they NEEDED the Team USA and perhaps the Dominican Republic to be playing in the final game, only because it would showcase the best of the talent from their elite league.

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Villanova

Call it ugly, call it underwhelming, but also call it a "V" for a Villanova victory in round one of the tournament. The #16 seeds showed some poise this year in the first round, but in the end the #1 seeds all prevailed, including Villanova struggling past Monmouth.

I watched the game and kept thinking that Villanova was about ready to make their run to put Monmouth away several times and it never happened.

Am I alarmed? Sure, a little bit. I do believe that Villanova is a streaky team and their poor nights of shooting can obviously hurt them, maybe even cost them. But the defense is still really good and should get them a few more wins. Next up is Arizona. Look for the Cats' shooting to improve.

Congrats to Penn for a hard fought game, actually beating Texas at halftime! Too bad Texas found a way to win in the 2-15 game.

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Matt Schaub article

Since I am a founding father of the Matt Schaub fan club, I wanted to pass this article along to people to read.

It seems Schaub, who is the better "quarterback" for the Falcons, is well respected in the NFL. I could have told you all of this the night that West Chester East beat Coatesville 56-28, a game I rank in my top three for football games attended. Would have been top two but Penn State-Ohio State this past season bumped it down a notch.

1. Penn State vs. Ohio State, 2005
2. Shippensburg @ West Chester 2004
3. West Chester East @ Coatesville, 1998

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Who Needs a Bracket?

Sure, I made my Final Four picks for this year's tournament (LSU, UCLA, Villanova, and Illinois) but I did not fill out a bracket. That's right, there is no gambling involved for me this year. Some may say that it's fun to fill out the bracket because it makes the games more fun.

I beg to differ.

Through one and a half days of tournament basketball (I don't count the play-in game), I have thoroughly enjoyed just about every second of the games, I believe MORE so than in the past when I've competed in a pool. Why? Simply because it allows me to not get stressed out if one my teams I picked loses and messes up my bracket. I admit I may be in the minority, but I really do love just watching the games from a non-biased point of view and enjoy the competition. I'll root for some teams depending on the match-up (call me a Texas A&M fan in round one) but overall I'm rooting for good, intense games that come down to the wire.

However you watch the tournament, whether you have money riding on it or not, enjoy the ballgames!

_____________
A thought about the Play-In Game. I admit I'm sometimes slow to like some new ideas, and this may be one of them. I have grown to like the idea of having a pair of teams play each other to get that final 16 seed spot. These are schools that don't get the national attention and they get the main spotlight for one night for a chance to get into the tournament, something the players will talk about for years to their children and grandchildren. Here are my ideas on how to improve on the idea, without going with the "every school gets to play in a nationwide tournament" idea.

• Since it is called the "Play-In Game", two teams who did not win their conference tournament/championship, should have to play in the game. For all but two conference champions, an automatic spot in the tournament is guaranteed. Why should two small conference champions battle it out for the final spot?
  
• Expanding the "play in game" philosophy should be expanded to each region. Pick eight teams, two in each region, and have them play each other for that final spot in each of the tournament's regions that year.

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March Madness

It is a day almost unrivaled in the world of sports. Sixty four (or sixty five) teams begin their journey to try and become the best program in all of college basketball. I come home from work to find my dad already home for the day (he took a half day) sitting on the couch and watching the TV. This is day one of the NCAA tournament.

I have to hand it to CBS this year, for allowing me to use my cable internet access to watch any of the games they are televising out of my region, except for the locally televised game due to blackout rules. All it takes is a quick registration and it is free! How can anyone NOT do this? So there I am laying on the bed with the TV on the locally televised game and my computer monitor with whichever game I select! The beauty is that once Florida starts burying South Alabama, I can switch over to Montana's upset of Nevada.

And that's not all. If you missed a game while you were actually at work, or wherever else you were that actually pulled you away from the tournament action, you can watch highlights of any of the games! Drawbacks? Sure. Since it is being broadcast over the internet there is a slight delay, but then again unless you continuously watch the live score updates on the top of your screen, you would never know the difference. The video isn't the smoothest when those players make the runs down court on a fast break, but I still believe that more basketball, in any form, is better than less. Be sure to take part in this online broadcast though, because it is only available for the first three rounds. After that just about everything will be shown on TV no matter where you live.

Of course, with more basketball there is the increased chance that I'll catch a verbal slip;
"Villanova will be like a home team in the Wachovia Arena" - What? CENTER people! And besides, some of us still call it the FU Center.
"And midnight has come for Cinderella on day one!" - Already we are getting carried away with the Cinderella terminology, as it is overused enough as it is. Allow me to explain. The term "Cinderella" is used to describe a small team with little shot at winning going on a run that is either miraculous or unexpected against superior competition. "Cinderella" teams make it to the sweet 16, not win just one game. Montana beating Nevada does not qualify Montana as a Cinderella...yet. Beat Boston College and we'll talk. But that is not even the point yet. That phrase made it sound like Montana lost, i.e. Cinderella's time has run out. Montana gets one more dance with Prince Charming.

I love tournament basketball, and I love the extra coverage. I hate the over dramatics of commentators. I also hate Duke and people who like Duke who have no North Carolina roots, but that is another story for another time.


Now excuse me, because UCLA and Belmont are tipping off and my local CBS outlet is showing the 6pm news!

P.S. I like the Bruins in this game!

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A New Year, a New Perspective

Welcome to 2006, which is a way of saying welcome to another year of rollercoaster emotions. Another year of ups and downs for the Eagles, another year of early season blundering by the Phillies and ending on a hot streak, another year of hot February Flyers win streaks, ending in early postseason disappointment, and another year of potential for the 76ers only to end in a early round exit.

Or maybe not. Why don't we all take this opportunity to agree to watch 2006 with only the best of things in mind. No more negativity because there is a lot of things to be optimistic about in 2006.

We all know that the 2005 Eagles were doomed from the early going, and injuries and side attractions did nothing to help this year's squad win. But in 2006 you can only hope that the team doesn't have half as many injuries decimating the nucleus that went to the Super Bowl. McNabb will be healthy once more, there will be no TO show to worry about, and I have to believe that the team has taken this season as a chance to look themselves in the mirror and realize that things don't come easy. They worked hard to make it to four straight NFC championships and came within a possession of winning the Super Bowl. Now it is time to refocus. They are not the class of the NFC...right now.

With the end of the Eagles season we now look forward to Flyers hockey, who have shown they can compete with anybody. I think the Flyers are poised to be playing for the Cup in June, barring any more injuries of course. Have you watched this team? They are fun to watch! Simon Gagne could even be playing his way to a Hart trophy, if not a goal scoring title. Yes Rangers fans, I know Jagr is playing inspired hockey as well.

Meanwhile the Sixers are playing well enough to win their division. Allen Iverson, believe it or not, is playing some of his best ball of his career and he actually has some help around him. I'm not ready to proclaim this year's Sixers NBA champs, let alone Eastern Conference champs (see Detroit Pistons), but if they can make a move of some significance I would say they might be a team to be reckoned with in the playoffs.

But this is of course New Year's and that means college bowl games! I am excited because my Penn State Nittany Lions are playing in the Orange Bowl tomorrow night against the Florida State Seminoles. I look for Penn State to win the game by about ten points. Look for a quick first offensive drive, then a couple slow drives with Florida State maybe putting together a couple decent drives. But the PSU defense is awesome, possibly the best FSU has faced all year (take that Miami and Virginia Tech!). With the win Joe Pa will gain a game on Bowden's all time coaching record (which really belongs to Joe Pa anyway). Penn State: 33, Florida State: 17

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Monday Night Shocker

The Eagles came out and played a decent game of football against the rival Cowboys. Only thing is the play calling, along with the eratic play of McNabb, cost the birds yet another game in the division.

It is a good thing I stayed up to watch the entire game Monday night because if I woke up and heard the Eagles lost the game I wouldn't have believed it. If you went to bed then you missed the Eagles blow a 30-7 lead with just under four minutes to play in the game. While not converting a first down was a problem, so was the defense, who played well all game (only one big 56 yard play helped Dallas score), gave up a touchdown on four plays in under 50 seconds. Ok, so the Eagles get it back and run the ball, use some time and maybe even force Dallas to use a timeout or two. Almost. Once again McNabb threw a rookie interception at the end of the game, this one to Roy Williams, who later said he couldn't believe the ball was coming his way, who also ran it all the way for the game winning touchdown. And then the Eagles had to rely on a 60 yard field goal try by David Akers, which fell miserably short.

So where did this game go wrong? You have a few options...

A. With the ball and a little over 40 seconds in the first half with timeouts to spare, the Eagles ran the ball and ran the clock out going into halftime. Looking back you must try to move the ball and get a field goal attempt!
B. Just the opposite of #1. In the second half they opt for a pass when they should have been running the clock out! Running the ball late in the game does one of three things for you.

1. You run the clock out as much as possible, leaving the opposing offense wiht as little time as possible. This is especially crucial after you watch the Cowboys score a touchdown on you in under a minute.
2. You possibly force your opponent to start using timeouts, thus making it more difficult for them on offense.
3. Running the ball decreases the chances of your quarterback, who is having a very poor stretch, of throwing an interception by 100%.

This was the third straight loss for the Eagles. In each of the three games a crucial drive for the offense stalled when McNabb threw a very poor pass. At this stage of his career he needs to have the ability to see guys who are standing virtually right in front of him. Lately he has not been doing that.

Who in the world does Reno Mahe have pictures of?

Some positives? Well, Westbrook was returning punts at one point. Funny how he does things to help the team after signing a contract.

I'm not counting the Eagles out of the playoffs just yet. One thing is for sure though, they have a rough road ahead of them. They won't win the division (Congrats Giants or Cowboys), but the NFC still stinks and the Eagles can make the wild card. If they lose another two games though McNabb should sit the resst of the season and get his surgery and the organization should figure out how to spend that $13 million of cap space in the offseason to find a wide receiver, an offensive lineman, and possbly some help on the defense. The team is not getting any younger and times like this make you worry about the future.

On a brighter note, my Penn State Nittany Lions are poised for a Big Ten championship with a win over Michigan State this coming weekend. I won't lie, this game concerns me. PSU is still a little inexperienced at national exposure, although they have handled it well this year. And I'm not ready to throw out the possibility of a national championship. I think it is POSSIBLE for them to be playing for it all in the Rose Bowl, where I admit they would very likely lose to USC or Texas. Stranger things have happened and USC and Texas each have two games left before bowl season. Twice as many games as PSU means twice as many chances for a loss. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

If not the Rose Bowl I'll hope for a Penn State - Notre Dame Fiesta Bowl. Much more attrcative than a PSU-Miami Orange Bowl. Many more great storylines and tradition with that Fiesta Bowl matchup, not to mention a great way to get fans excited for the upcoming two year home and home series between Notre Dame and Penn State.

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Running Game? What running game?

Another Eagles game, another week of hearing about the lack of a running game. Sure, the Eagles won the game thanks to a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown, but this game falls under the good ole Mike Schmidt rule; "The thrill of victory, and the agony of hearing about it the next day."

Simply put, the Eagles have no running game and the only player with a desire to change that is Brian Westbrook. Week in and week out we have heard the same phrase out of Andy Reid; "I've got to do a better job on that." or "We'll take a look at it this week and see what we can do."

Well, after so many years of hearing that I'm starting to wonder if there is anything they can do about it. Now the rumor is Duce Staley would like to come back next season. That's fine with me. Afterall, the grass is (Eagle) greener on this side of Pennsylvania anyway. And it would be fitting for another ex-Eagle who didn't fit outside of this team to come back (see Hugh Douglas and Jeremiah Trotter).

Anyway, it's not like the Chargers had a running game either, but that is credited to the AWESOME Eagles defense. Ladainian Tomlinson, the best player in the NFL, didn't reach positive yards until late in the game. Credit Jim Johnson and his players for a job VERY well done.

And of course, Penn State responded like a winner aftre their devastating loss at Michigan. They only played Illinois but a lot of people, including me, were expecting somewhat of a yawner. I was thinking 20 points. They scored that....plus 43. Two very important games at home now against Purdue and Wisconsin. I think Penn State must win these two games. They are now ranked #9 in the BCS rankings. While I will be happy with this team regardless of what happens in the next three games (I'm just starving for a bowl game this year), why not ride this out as far as possible? I'd love to see a Penn State-Notre Dame Fiesta Bowl. I know I'm not alone.

Hello, Phillies? Where's the GM?

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PSU...we're back

You know, it's been a while since I've been to a game, but boy was the wait ever worth it.

I have NEVER heard Beaver Stadium that loud. EVER! Never before did I stand for essentially the entire game, outside of the student section, but that's what everyone was doing! Penn State football is back.

The defense is good, and I mean good. The defense would have carried the team to a national championship run if the offense could score 13 points last year. And they stepped it up against Ohio State's offense. Even when penalties rescued OSU in the third quarter three times, the defense didn't back down and came through, leading the way to a 17-10 statement victory that will be remembered by Penn State fans for a long time. It was a game in which we said, WE ARE...BACK! WE ARE...PENN STATE!

Now of course, they should be ranked in the top ten. They contro their own fate in the Big Ten (and national title?) race believe it or not. They are the only undefeated team in the conference and with Wisconsin and Purdue at home, and Michigan showing vulnerable spots, who is to say they can't run the table?

Well, I'm far from thinking this team is going to run the table. They could very well lose in Michigan next weekend and I would fully expect Michigan to come out and make a statement of their own. But I will say this, this team is fun and worth watching again.

Bring on Michigan.

P.S. The Eagles were not worth mentioning in more than one sentence this weekend.

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Just for kicks

Not sports related, but I've been meaning to throw this in there. Is anyone surprised by this?



:: how nintendo are you? ::

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It might be! Could it be? It isn't!

That phrase pretty much sums up the Phillies season in a nutshell.

I sit here on a Friday afternoon and the Astros have a 1.5 game lead on the Phillies, who surrendered 2 out of 3 to the stinkin' Mets. I hate the Mets. I hate New York in general. And to have them be the victor in that crucial series just pains me even more. Who do I hate more than the stinkin' Mets? The Devils.

The New Jersey Devils aren't exactly the same caliber as they used to be, but boy do I hate them. I sat down and watched my first hockey game since the Eastern Conference Finals. Flyers-Devils preseason hockey. I don't care what anyone says, I love hockey. True, I don't get into it really until March and April, but I love watching hockey. And with the Flyers the odds on favorite to claim the Stanley Cup this season of the "new" NHL, I know it's going to be fun.

Start scouting out your spot for the parade on Broad Street. The Flyers are going to win the Stanley Cup. Glen Macnow, one of my favorite hosts on 610 WIP, picks them to go a Chicago Bull-like 79-4. I'm sure he was kidding, but they are going to be good.

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Phillies-Braves

I missed all but the 9th inning today of the Phillies series finale in Atlanta. The Phills put four on the board to beat the Braves, 4-0 and take the series and season series with the Braves. Kudos to Shane Victorino for his first major league homerun. Also, kudos to John Lieber who seemingly pitched a very good game.

It's just a shame those Astros got to play Pittsburgh and also won today to stay two games in front of the Phills for the Wild Card. Here we are, nine games to go and the Phills have win-able games all the way. So do the Astros. This weekend's series in Cincinnati tends to worry me a little. The Phillies are a better team and should win at least two. A sweep would be oh so nice. The Reds just lost Griffey Jr. for the remainder of the season and are out of it. But boy are they pesky. Meanwhile, the Astros are in Chicago to play the Cubs.

I'm beginning to think it can happen, but the Phillies have a history of getting close and then blowing up against a far less talented team...like the Reds. Should be interesting!

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Gridiron Throughts

The Eagles are 1-1. Here is what I love and hate about Philadelphia, and it's the same thing.

In Philadelphia the passion for their team is unrivaled. In no other city will you see fans so outraged after a loss, against a good team on the road. Some of the more naive Eagle fans (and haters) were quick to write off the season after week one. Of course, Eagles fans stand by their team no matter what. No where else will you see a stadium packed with fans for a team that is 3-13. No where. Not New England, not Pittsburgh, not Dallas, Washington, New York (or New York), not Chicago, and not Atlanta. Philadelphia, has the best sports fans in the country. But I'm getting off the track.

The Eagles are already once again the favorite to win the NFC, and barring injury, they will.

How 'bout them Cowboys? All you Cowboy fans who were pumping your chest after week one and saying this was the year the Boys beat out the Birds for the division are awfully quiet this week. In case you missed it the Redskins and their horrible offense scored two touchdowns in the final few minutes against Dallas on Monday night, after being shut out by the Cowboys for 3 quarters and about 10 minutes. How embarrassing.

Eagles-Raiders this weekend. Eagles are the better team and they should win confidently. The Raiders are better than the49ers so I don't expect to see a 42-3 thrashing, but Randy Moss doesn't scare the Eagles. He'll get his catches and a good number of yards. Heck he may even score a touchdown (or two). But for everything Moss does, who around him is going to compliment him? Surely the Eagles have the advantage at quarterback and running back. One might even argue the Eagles have the better receiver. The question this week won't be Moss or T.O. It will be McNabb or Collins? Westbrook or Jordan? And we didn't even talk about the defense.

Speaking of former Penn State quarterback great Kerry Collins, my Nittany Lions have roared to a 3-0 record. As they enter Big Ten play this week at Northwestern I will admit that I am slightly ashamed to be proud and excited about a 3-0 start over South Florida, Cincinatti and Central Michigan. Penn State should ALWAYS start 3-0. The program has fallen greatly in the past 6 or 7 years. But I am still a die hard fan. Go State.

And my final football related question of the day...what did the New York Giants do to deserve an extra home game. Oh, I know "technically" it was an away game. I wish the Eagles could play a road game at Lincoln Financial Field against their opponent. I think the NFL exploiuted the Saints and have not helped them out at all, but for the Giants to get an extra game in their stadium is a farce. The worst part is, they didn't even pack their own stadium for a Monday Night game.

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Howard Eskin

I hate Howard Eskin and everything about him. However, every day it seems that I agree with him more and more. The fact that I agree so strongly on many issues with a pompous, self-proclaimed "king of bling", fur coat wearing, jerk just drives me nuts.

The one thing I respect about him though is that he puts up with some of the most annoying, stupid, and unintelligent callers in the world. Not only does he have to deal with Cowboys, Giants, Redskins fans, and plain old Eagles haters, he also deals with the dopes who have nothing better to do than use their cell phone for a free call to try and be witty and condescending to him on air. But of course on radio Eskin has the ability to wipe their call off the radio completely.

C'mon people. If you're going to call a radio station, at least say something that will go on the air. Don't waste Eskin's time, or my time.

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Phillies Thoughts

Hey everyone, it's been a while. As you may know I have been very critical of the Phillies this season, and I still believe I was right in that criticism. Here is the scenario right now. The Phillies find themselves just two games out of the playoffs, trailing the Astros for the Wild Card and the Braves for the division. With eleven games left in the season I still have yet to determine whether or not this team can make the playoffs. My gut feeling, and my imaginary money, would bet against it. There are so many faults on the team, including a lack of a killer instinct middle lineup and a clumsy manager. However, with the rest of the National League, outside of St. Louis, as bad as their NFL counterpart, the NFC, who is to say the Phillies can't make the playoffs?

The fact is the Phillies and Astros each have their ups and downs as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Coming down this final stretch will be fun for those of us who are dying for some fall baseball. So while I have been harshly critical of this team this season, it is only because I'm waiting for a winner. I have said before that if this team makes the playoffs, they will be my least favorite Philly sports playoff team, but I still want them to win.

And if you're a Phillies fan, isn't that what we all want?

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TO Food Drive

In the midst of all the hype leading up to training camp and all the questions surrounding TO (well, at least from he and his agent's point of view) I have decided to help TO out.

The man is obviously struggling to feed his family. And of course, I sympathize for him. How could we not? I mean, he spends so much money on luxuries and so much time lounging in his big house, driving in his fancy cars, working out and relaxing in front of a big TV and pool, who could blame him for forgetting to do the grocery shopping! Fear not TO! I have come to the rescue, much like your superhero-aspiring agent!

When Eagles training camp commences I encourage all Eagle fans to bring a canned food item and drop it off in a donation box. All donations will be given to Terrell Owens and his family. It is my sincere hope that these kind and generous donations will allow him to relax and not stress out about needing a new deal. One less thing for you to concern yourself about Mr. Owens!

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It's Been a While!

First off, sorry about not posting in a while. Things have been a little busy around here lately. But I have things to say to I must say it!

Where else to start but with the Phillies? This weekend they play host to the first place San Diego Padres and win the first two games, being led by none other than Chase Utley. Utley scored the only two runs of a 2-0 afternoon game the night after ending an extra inning game with a game winning homerun. I'm telling you, this kid's gonna be fun to watch. But here's the thing; The Phillies have crept back to within four games of first place of the division and coincidently, four games of the wild card. You know me, I desperately want my team to make the playoffs for the first time in 1993. I really honestly do! But at the same time I don't want the people who run this team to think they are in a good position. This is NOT a playoff team by any stretch of the imagination. I am waiting for the trade deadline to see what happens with this club, as I've said before.

Playoff contenders make moves at the trade deadline to help them win this year. With Ed Wade at the helm my fear is that he will trade away a guy like Ryan Howard or Cole Hammels and end up getting juped in the process. Those guys are basically the only product we have left in our farm system. With this team as old as it is in some positions it is not a good idea to trade away what prospects you have left.

Am I rooting on the Philies? Of course. Do I want them to make the playoffs this year? Without a doubt. Do I want them to drastically panic and trade away their young talent in the process? Unless we're getting a top centerfielder, thirdbaseman AND starting pitcher, no way.

And with the trade deadline coming up the Phillies are losing time before they drop to number two on the sports page. Well let's face it, they already are. Eagles training camp is open the way and the word is now that Terrel Owens will be reporting. He and his agent aren't happy about it and TO has said that he will cause problems. Pardon me if I don't cry. He says the Eagles should release him or trade him so they can part ties and act like adults about this. He of all people should not be saying anything about acting like adults. TO in a span of a year went from King of the City of Philadelphia, to just another pre-madonna rich boy who wants more. That attitude just does not work in the blue collar city of Philly. You can blame the superhero wannabe agent of his if you want (the guy is an annoying suck up to athletes anyway), but when it comes down to it, the only person we can really blame is TO.

TO has a contract worth $49 million for the next 7 years. I'll likely never see $49 million in my lifetime.

Until next time!

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Late Night Blogger

(This post made while watching the Phillies-Mariners series finale)

So what's the deal with the Phillies offense? They're hot during their recent homestand and through 2 games and 6 innings against the Mariners they have scored three runs. With Oakland next up, maybe it's a good time for this team to realize that not every game can be won on homeruns. It's time to start honing the art of manufacturing runs.

The new "Woohoo" guy is in Seattle. Those poor Mariner fans.

Randy Wolf is out and Padilla has yet to show consistency. Ed Wade needs to make a move of some sort.

Watching Jim Thome this year reminds me of watching Pat Burell last year. Hopefully Thome gets out of his funk a lot sooner.

Chris Wheeler = the kid who never shuts up in high school.

Chase Utley is the most pure ballplayer the Phills have and the most heart of anyone.

Jimmy Rollins signs a five year extension, and in the press conference he states that he'd like to finish his career on the west coast. Not the brightest of moves.

Even when I agree with Wheeler, he still annoys me.

Is anyone watching the NBA Finals? Does anyone care?

Brett Myers has given up one run in 6 innings. I guess it was time to take him out of the game?

Kenny Loften. I thought he came to town about five years too late. He's giving me much more than I could have hoped for and he should be leading off everyday, if not Bobby Abreu.

Go figure. The Phillies finally find a way to score 2 runs and they give it right back. Myers must be frustrated.

Did anyone watch the NBA Finals? Yeah, me neither.

Extra innings. Yay. There's nothing I love more than late night interleague baseball. Note the sarcasm.

Thirteen innings? C'mon! I want to go to bed!

Jimmy Rollins can hustle. A triple gives him his fifth hit of the game!

Why do the Phillies still wear those stupid looking "interleague" hats? Does any other team have a separate "interleague" hat? It's all a marketing ploy obviously.

Thank you Billy Wagner for finally ending this game at two in the morning on the east coast. Phills win 3-2 in 13 innings. Great game and good win, but I'm tired!

Good night folks!

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Credit Given Where Credit is Due

Just a few weeks ago there was a negative air in Philly surrounding our baseball team. Yes, it was deserved. But now is the time to hand out mad props for they are now deserved.

It seems that when the public image of the Phillies reached a new all time low the challenge was set. Since those down and low days of May the team has taken series against the hot Orioles, division nemesis Braves and defending NL champs Cardinals. They lost the Marlins series but what else is new. That series of games was widely known to be the 12-Game test for this team. The general feeling was that if they came out of that stretch with a winning record then maybe they really will be ok. Their record? 7-5. Not too shabby. The pitching started coming together, some runs started to be produced in key situations and they won three of the series. And just today the club finished off a long home stand in which they went 12-1. A few weeks ago the Phillies were in last place with little hope for the rest of the year. Perhaps they were not given enough time to prove themselves? I admit I may have guilty of jumping on them for their terrible start.

Today the Phillies are one and a half games out of first place behind the surprisingly hot Washington Nationals. The Marlins have been 4-12 since beating the Phillies. The Braves are trudging along. And the Mets have continued to play mediocre baseball. The Nationals had a ten game win streak and the Phillies are the hottest team in the National League and perhaps in all of baseball. The optimism is starting to gain momentum.

Having said all of this I still will hold off of saying I’m getting in line for playoff tickets for the first time since 1993. I still want to wait and see what happens at the trade deadline. The recent acquisition of relief pitcher Urbina is a good solid move for the bullpen, although I personally would liked to have seen what more we could have gotten for Placido Polanco. Urbina could be a great acquisition if he pitches to his potential and helps fuel the enthusiasm. Having new teammate Bobby Abreu as a good friend will help. It is well publicized that Urbina has had relationship problems in the past, starting a fight on the Red Sox plan and scuffling with Tiger teammates just within the last week. Ed Wade knew nothing about that incident. Figures.

Three weeks ago I was furious with my beloved Phillies. Today I am having almost as much fun watching them as I did in 1993. Once Jim Thome becomes a threat again, and all other facets of the team continue performing as they are right now, then I will be ready to pencil this team in as the NL East Champs.

And now a short list of things that bug me:

• Nomar Garciapara leading NL shortstops in All Star balloting? This is what feuds my argument for fans not having the right to vote for the starters. I think people need to take Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s advice and “study the game” a little more.
• When the waiter or waitress asks “Do you need any change?” when they take your money and bill. From now on if a waiter or waitress asks you this you should say “Yes.” And not leave them a tip. The polite thing to do is to say “I’ll be right back with your change.”
• My sister mocking my dad’s musical interests. Let’s flip through my sister’s CD collection…*NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and 98 Degrees. And that’s one book of CD’s.
• The Philadelphia philosophy of the “bandwagon”. Fans of any Philly sports team for some reason resent when other locals start rooting for one of the teams because they’re starting to be successful. Example: Flyers die hard season ticket holder says that Johnny Flyer Fan Come Lately isn’t allowed to bash the Flyers because he wasn’t following them in October. My feeling is this; If you live anywhere near the “local” team and have no defined allegiances anywhere else, you can root for the team no matter what, whenever you want. Why does Philadelphia have to have four different sports fans? Why can’t we all just root for the city’s teams? Isn’t it more fun with more people? Let’s burn the bandwagon on fire and be done with that notion!

And finally, congratulations to the Philadelphia Phantoms on sweeping the Chicago Wolves in the AHL Finals and winning the franchises’ second Calder Cup. They are the best hockey team in North America. There’s a trivia question for you in the future.

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