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Catching up on the Phillies, Sixers, and the Free Agent Summit

With PhillyACCESS and royalsteals.com taking up more time lately, I haven’t had as much energy to write or blog as I would like. Training for the M.S. Ride isn’t helping the effort either. I’ve been trying to come up with a rapid-fire format for this blog to offer a daily post, but it seems like sports would dominate even more than they already do. Until the proper inspiration strikes, here are some thoughts on recent events, and, yes, sports will probably dominate. Phillies. After a monumental hitting slump and another weak showing in inter-league play, the Phillies are still in position to win the division. In fact, I was poised to say that with the return of Jimmy Rollins it was a lock that they were going back to the World Series. I can’t explain it, but Rollins’ presence really does seem to spur this team on. But with Chase Utley getting injured last night, I’m more concerned than ever. Rollins might give them their swagger, but Utley is their best player. Sixers draft Turner.

Sixers Unload Dalembert

Yesterday the Seventy-Sixers dealt Samuel Dalembert to the Sacramento Kings for Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni. While trading the disappointing center had been a move many thought the Sixers were trying to do to free up salary cap room, the statistics at least suggest they may have done a little more. Make no mistake, “getting rid of Sammy” was obviously a big part of this move. Even though he is finally in the last year of a contract that had over paid him for years, the contracts of Hawes and Nocioni basically break that one contract into two. Despite each player having more than one year left on their contract, the smaller contracts give the team more maneuverability in potential future moves. The one worry – actually there are a few worries with this trade – is that Dalembert would finally have been completely off the books after this season. More cap room is still more cap room, especially on a bad team. The Sixers’ willingness to give that up strongly suggests that rumors of Da

World Cup Not Making New Soccer Fans

Somehow soccer, or futball, has taken on the same cloak as art. The supposed most popular sport in the world is for “cultured” people who appreciate it. Those who don’t like it simply don’t understand it. There’s even an “ugly American” element running through discussions about the sport’s lack of popularity in the United States. Well, the World Cup has done plenty to dispel that myth. Soccer isn’t some wonderful worldwide sport that we damn Americans just don’t get because we’re watching “lesser” sports like basketball, baseball, and real football. It stinks. It’s the most boring, mind-numbingly slow team sport using a ball that I’ve ever seen in my life. My confidence in ripping this worldwide phenomenon comes from actually watching the United States’ game versus England. Not only was I bored beyond belief, everyone involved in the game seemed totally disinterested. The game was largely played in the middle of the field, nowhere near scoring range. The one goal the U.S. team scored

Lousy Ending Hurts More Than the Flyers

Once again, the last goal said it all. I’m one of those guys that starts paying attention to hockey when the playoffs or the Olympics roll around. Believe me, I’d like to watch it more often, be a true fan. I’m a long-suffering Sixers fan. Anything that would offset the drek that has passed for professional basketball in this town would be more than welcome. But I just can’t commit to it. I recently heard the argument that hockey has the elements to make it a popular sport in the United States – speed, hitting, even up and down action. It’s tough to differ with that. In fact, I started to believe that sports fans could even adjust to the rules that seem a bit odd and the fact that the stars only play about a third of the game. Then it happened. A great series with the hometown Flyers stretching the seemingly dominant Chicago Blackhawks to overtime in Game 6 after coming back yet again in the game and the series, building to a crescendo that was going to break the heart of one city or t

NBA Finals Pick and a Baseball Rant

Sweeping the Conference Finals series and eking out a 5-4 record in game picks for a miniscule +2.75 points, I was +44.75 for the round. Technically, I didn’t put any points on the Western Conference Finals with the Lakers being too heavily favored to make it worthwhile. I’m now at 10-2 in series picks and a total of +89.50 points for the playoffs. The Lakers are currently -180 against the Celtics in the NBA Finals. I’m taking the Lakers, who I picked to win the title when the playoffs began and doubled-down on that pick with the last series. So, I’m going to just stay with the 200 points to win 325 that I already have on the Lakers. Besides the -180 making it less than appealing to put more points on the Finals, I am mildly concerned about the pick. The Celtics are playing a little better than I expected, and Andrew Bynum’s injury seems like a real problem. That said, I’m still happy to have the Lakers to win it all. Life Ain’t Perfect ESPN is at its sanctimonious best today after Arm