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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