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Showing posts from August, 2006
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Moves by Phils, Eagles Offer Hope This Year & Beyond

This week not one but two Philadelphia sports franchises have made a statement that hasn’t been made around here in far too long. By trading for Donte' Stallworth and Jeff Conine, the Eagles and Phillies, respectively, brought serious life to their playoff hopes this season. As happy as I am over Stallworth coming to the Eagles, I’m more impressed with the apparent shift in the mindset of the front office. Finally, this team came off it’s self-described “gold standard” of a blue-print for success, looked at what the off season had produced, and reacted. As we heard company line after company line about Reggie Brown and friends, the Birds seemed content (doomed?) to enter the season with the receivers they had. The addition of Stallworth was the move everyone was waiting for, but usually never sees, from the Eagles. The Phillies got the ball rolling more than a week ago by adding Jamie Moyer. Conine’s addition speaks volumes about the apparent “turning of a corner” by the franchise.

Good and Bad of Fantasy Football

It’s that time of year when fantasy football players scurry around trying to figure out whose really going to be the third receiver for the Houston Texans. I’ve been in and out of fantasy leagues in the last decade, and have seen the best and the absolute worst they have to offer. The best part of being in a league is that you truly get to know the entire NFL. Despite talk-show hosts that scoff at this notion, most fans simply don’t care about teams other than their favorite. Sure, they watch the four o’clock game and prime time games, but without something riding on it fans don’t zero-in on which player is doing what. It’s just a way to come down off (or build up to) the real game they care about. Besides that, fantasy football is sort of the safe drug of would-be gamblers. You plop down your $100 or whatever for the season, convince the wife it’s a male bonding thing, and get a little rush on Monday knowing you just need 5 points out of your kicker to take down your buddy for the wee

Phils Stayin’ Alive

After losing a tough series to the Cincinnati Reds, the Phils seemed in jeopardy of falling out of contention for the National League Wild Card. Instead, they took 3 out of 4 from the division-leading Mets, and remain in the hunt. They’re in the hunt, that is, unless you listen to the major Philadelphia sports media outlets. In that case, Phillies fans are just a bunch of idiots waiting to get their hearts broken, again. The logic of this argument, professed most loudly by Angelo Cataldi from what I heard this week though many others use it, amounts to “it’s what they’ve done before.” In other words, there is no logic behind it. Did these pundits miss the trade deadline purging of this team? Do they not realize the Phils are now led in a very real sense by young players? Of course not. It’s merely an easy thing to say. If the Phils don’t capture the Wild Card, they push out their chest and say, “I told you so.” If the Phils break their playoff drought, they just ignore that they were w

Notes on the Eagles

Admit it — you watched more of the Eagles than the Phillies on Sunday night. Every year the NFL somehow pulls off putting meaningless football on primetime television and getting people to watch. We’re all so starved for football by this time of year, we make a point to tune in to see mostly guys play that we pray will have no real impact on the season. The Birds have already played two of five of these meaningless games. So far, having watched most of the first half of each game, here’s what I’ve picked up: · Jeffrey Lurie was called the “long-time owner” of the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. I was surprised to realize he’s already been here a decade. This may be a cheap shot, because the team’s obviously better, but . . . it occurs to me that Lurie has as many Super Bowl rings as Norman Braman. Zero. · David Akers kicked a 50+ yard field-goal Sunday. He’s back. · Hank Baskett is starting at wide receiver. I’m a bit nervous. · The Eagles are showing signs that they may actually

Remembering Reggie White's Eagles

Reggie White’s enshrinement into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame has many in Philadelphia remembering “the good ol’ days.” The days of bounties, Buddy Ball, the “Ultimate Weapon,” sticking it to the Dallas Cowboys, and a defense that was one of the best ever. Sadly, we’re remembering a team that never won a damn thing. Put White aside for the moment. He was one of the best ever, and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Personally, I don’t like athletes that bring their religion into their celebrity spotlight, but, despite all the talk this weekend, that’s a separate issue. White, unquestionably, was in the elite. His Eagles teams were not. White played for the Birds from 1985 through 1992. According to www.nestofdeath.com/eaglesInfo/yearly.htm , the team compiled a record of 71-55 with one playoff win. One. Buddy Ryan is still beloved in this town, and I was as big a fan as most. He knew how to rev up this city as well as anyone. He was a great defensive coach. As a head coach he was simpl

Gillick Did What Needed to be Done

Now that Pat Gillick has gutted the core of the Phillies team that Ed Wade built, the franchise can finally move forward one way or the other. Gillick finally made it clear that the Phillies are starting over. Now, it’s time to see if all the talk from the media about ownership, the clubhouse, etc., is true. As I’ve said before on this blog, I just got back into being a Phillies fan a few years ago. I was a die-hard as a kid, quasi fan in the 1990s, and really got back into watching 100+ games last year after a slow ramp up — not that anyone cares. My point is only that I think I can truly question many of the commonly held beliefs about this team without being a whiney, self-proclaimed long suffering fan. Gillick’s moves right before the trading deadline will likely prove or disprove: · Bobby Abreu stinks: A classic Philadelphia fan claim — this guy stinks . . . based mostly on the fact that he didn’t connect with the fans. The numbers say he was one of the best in team history; he’s