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Sixers Could Have More Post-season Hope Than Villanova

Six months ago no one would have thought the 76ers would be showing more promise for the post-season than the Villanova Wildcats. In fact, six weeks ago the thought would have been considered crazy. But, at the risk of being told I’m clueless, I think it can actually be argued that the Sixers have a better shot at winning a playoff round than the Wildcats have of advancing in the NCAA Tournament. Now, everybody roll your eyes at the thought of the Sixers winning a round in the playoffs. After all, that’s not the “hot story” that the media feeds us day in, day out. The Sixers currently hold the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference and would play Miami. While the media genuflects over the Heat every chance they get, that team hasn’t beaten any of the upper echelon teams. I’m not suggesting the Sixers are one of those teams – they’re not. But unless the Heat figure out that Dwayne Wade is their best player, I don’t think they are getting far in the playoffs. That said, the Sixers probab

Rapid Fire Week-in-Review: Holy Family, Sixers Seeking .500, Schmidt is Right, more

Time for a Rapid Fire Week-in-Review: • I just can’t believe there’s debate over the situation between Holy Family coach John O’Connor and player Matt Kravchuk, when O’Conner bloodied the kid’s nose during a drill then proceeded to kick the kid and threw him out of the gym. It’s on video. What is the debate? Don’t give me the tough guy garbage that says the kid should have “sucked it up.” The school apparently didn’t respond to complaints, and he did what he had to do. The coach should have been fired the same day of the incident. • I don’t think I’ve ever ripped a fellow blogger, but I read the absolute dumbest post ever on the Holy Family coaching incident. Defending this coach is simply asinine on every level possible. To compare the incident to some roller blade hockey incident is laughable. The fact that a website trying to become a presence in Philadelphia sports published the junk is inexplicable. • I’ve never seen more hoopla over a team going for .500, which the Sixers

Tough Week of Picks

It was another rough week of picks without a doubt. I went a putrid 3-6 for the win-loss record, but only lost 5.40 points. I couldn’t hit anything in college basketball, going 1-5, only salvaging the points with a winning pick on Syracuse on the money line over Villanova. I actually went 2-1 in the NBA. The week started off with a split in the NBA last Thursday night with a win on the Mavericks -1.5 over the Suns and a loss with the Spurs +1.5 over the Bulls. I capped off the week last night with a win on the Lakers -2.5 over Portland. If I had only stayed in the NBA, I might have been ok. But with the All-Star Game last weekend, I turned heavily to college hoops. After taking a break on Friday night, I lost with Georgetown -8.5 over South Florida on Saturday. Notre Dame +4 also fell well short against West Virginia. On Sunday, Ohio State lost in a pick ‘em game at Purdue. On Monday, I finally won with a money line pick on Syracuse on the money line at +155 versus Villanova. T

Should there be a Swimsuit Issue? Do you really care?

Jimmy Kimmel Live offered an in-depth look at the annual controversy over the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Or not. Enjoy our latest Hump Day Distraction.

‘Melo Trade Hype Reaches Philly

Apparently there’s no more reason to follow the Sixers. That was the worthless message on the sports radio this morning, at least on 97.5. Now that Carmelo Anthony has been traded to the Knicks to play with Amar'e Stoudemire the 76ers have no hope of winning for the next decade, according to the brilliance of Dan Schwartzman. The night time talker is currently partnered with Harry Mayes, who agreed with the premise. To be fair, this is typical Philadelphia media coverage of the Sixers whenever they show signs of life. The easy story line is that the Sixers suck, so the talkers go with it. I must have missed all the NBA Finals that went through Denver, Anthony’s now former team. Or maybe Stoudemire will lead the supposed obvious championship train that will be running through New York. After all, he won so many titles as a member of a much better Suns team. Oh, wait. No he didn’t. In fact, didn’t some people think Denver needed to be planning a parade when Allen Iverson we

Random Thoughts on a slow President’s Day

What else can you do on a sports blog the day after the weekend of the NBA All-Star Weekend but offer some random thoughts. • I didn’t watch a minute of the All-Star Game or Weekend (at least not live), and I’m actually beginning to wonder how it became so irrelevant. I used to watch the entire weekend. There’s just not enough guys that “you never get to watch” that I care about watching, and the Dunk Contest is old news. What’s really left to do? Take the car away from Blake Griffin’s winning dunk, and it’s a nothing dunk. And Jason Bieber in a celebrity game? They need to fix this thing. (By the way, the two dunks on one turn was better anyway.) • Villanova is just not good enough to make it to the Final Four this year. I’m a Wildcats fan, but I’m wondering when Jay Wright will start to feel a little heat. In fact, I grew up watching the Big 5, even went to the Palestra for years for the double- and triple-headers. But it really is beginning to feel like the whole idea of Philade

Rapid Fire Week-in-Review: Banner says it all, Vick Avoids Oprah, Bizzinger Babbles, more

The second slowest weekend of the sports calendar is upon us, but the Rapid Fire Week-in-Review must go on. • Yesterday, Les Bowen of the wrote , “[Joe] Banner tried to assert that the six-time Super Bowl champion Steelers, who have appeared in three of the last six Super Bowls and won two of them, really aren’t any more successful than the Eagles on balance, because they haven’t made the playoffs nine of the last 11 years, or been to five conference championship games in the last decade, the way the Eagles have.” The level of stupidity is almost not worth addressing. Possibly nothing about the ludicrous comment is worth addressing except to point out, once again, that the current ownership of the Philadelphia Eagles has no real interest in winning nor any desire to win a Super Bowl. They continue to tell themselves they are among the most successful franchises in the league when in fact they have not experienced any success at all. The fact that this ownership still doesn’t grasp

Brutal Week of Picks

Sometimes it’s just not your week, and that was certainly true for me in the last 7 days. I went a horrendous 1-7 this week in basketball. The only positive is that they were all 5-point picks, so I “only” dropped 30.45 points. The week started with a doubleheader loss on Connecticut -2 over St. John’s and the Celtics -2 over Lakers. The stunner of the week was the Sixers beating the Spurs outright; I love the 76ers, but you don’t bet with your heart and the Spurs -3.5 looked easy. The only win came Saturday with Georgetown covering 6 over Marquette. But I gave it right back when the Lakers couldn’t beat the Magic. There was no love on Valentine’s Day when Kansas was favored and got crushed by Kansas State. I finally took a breather after the Sixers couldn’t get it done as underdogs in Memphis and Villanova missed a foul shot to avoid the push against Seton Hall on Wednesday. At one point during the week I received a tweet from @LoiseBrixner535 reading, “Win 97% Of Your Sports Bet

Vick, Manuel: Is the wrong guy guaranteed a contract?

That Eagles finally did what everybody expected them to do by putting the franchise tag on Michael Vick, presumably guaranteeing that he will be the Eagles quarterback next season (stop me if you’ve heard this before, depending on what happens with the collective bargaining agreement). On the other hand, the Philadelphia Phillies are unexpectedly taking their time to sign Charlie Manuel to an extensive his contract, which expires after the coming season. I don’t think I’m the only one wondering if the wrong guy has been assured of coming back to Philadelphia. An e-mailer to the Ink suggested that there was no alternative to putting the franchise tag on Vick. He rightly pointed out the outrage that Eagles fans would direct at the franchise if Vick was lining up under center for another team the next time the NFL decides to line up. Yet, despite the constant delusions that survive in the NovaCare Complex, the Eagles aren’t poised to win a Super Bowl next year. Their defense stinks,

Tiger Woods Fined For Spitting

As if the arrogance that surrounded golf wasn’t apparent enough, the European Tour has fined Tiger Woods for spitting. To be clear, Woods didn’t spit on or at someone. He was outdoors. On grass. With no one near him. If this was a ploy by the sport to keep the one golfer anyone gives a damn about in the news – and therefore this ridiculous non-sport – it would be genius. But everybody knows better. It’s merely a pompous display that reminds everyone of the snooty, prejudiced roots of golf. They’re above the commoner who plays a sport like baseball and they want to remind everybody of it. These people still think playing their boring game is a privilege, and they’re willing to slap their meal ticket to prove it. Even worse, Woods apologized for the loogie. Golf is a joke, and it shouldn’t be anywhere near sports coverage, but it gets rammed down our throats by the yuppies who run networks and would do anything to stroll the fairway at Augusta.

Rapid Fire Week-in-Review: Cup or Bust? Leave Blanton Alone, Sloan Never Won Either, more

February is always one of the dullest sports months of the year, but the Rapid Fire Week-in-Review must go on: • I heard some chatter about “Stanley Cup or Bust” for the Flyers this season. While I don’t get the concept that no one will ever give up their seats to the Eagles or the Flyers, the thought that it would happen to the Flyers seems especially nonsensical. The funny thing is that the Eagles and Flyers have the longer championship droughts than the Sixers (and obviously the Phillies), yet Flyers fans talk as though the “organization” is above reproach. I hope they win it all, but if they don’t nothing will really change. • Can the local basketball teams please stop fouling people taking desperation 3-pointers at the end of regulation? Just weeks after the Sixers sent a game into overtime against Orlando by giving up a 4-point play and eventually losing, Villanova lost on the same type of play against Rutgers this week. Let the guy shoot! Why are the local players anywhere n

Reviewing Picks for the Week and Gearing up for March Madness

With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, it’s that time of year when a lot of sports fans are checking out the NCAA Basketball Odds found at various places. I’ve already reviewed the Super Bowl and my football season , so we’ll just move forward from the 100-point drop on Sunday. If not for Villanova’s total collapse last night, college hoops would have had me on a very nice start on the road to recovery. In fact, a 4-2 win/loss record for the week, 4-1 in college basketball, would have been just fine any other week. I started off with Kansas, who looks poised to make a run at the Final Four , easily covering a 6-point spread over Nebraska on Saturday. Ironically, Pittsburgh got me back on track after Sunday by beating West Virginia on Monday night for the cover of just a 1-point spread. Then I was looking real good just before 10 o’clock last night. Georgetown didn’t even need the 4.5 points they were getting in Syracuse, having already won outright. North Carolina was getting

Wing Bowl: Celebrating Losers

I wasn’t going to mention the stupidity that is Wing Bowl again after Friday’s Week-in-Review , but then I saw a Facebook thread on the topic initiated by Jon Marks of the 97.5 The Fanatic. Obviously, he’s from the rival station of the creators of Wing Bowl, which is a 610 WIP production created by Al Morganti, so Marks took some abuse. But to see people commenting on the Facebook post calling Wing Bowl a Philadelphia “tradition” made me want to, well, puke. I even saw a video on YouTube in the last few days, which wasn’t worth bookmarking, that showed WIP’s “Big Daddy” Graham comparing Wing Bowl to Mardi Gras. I believe I saw at least one Facebook commenter compare it to the Mummer’s Parade. I’m no big fan of the Mummers, but there are some redeeming qualities of the parade. The same has never been true of a contest for mostly obese people shoveling as much food in their faces hoping they don’t puke. Could we set the bar any lower Philadelphia? Wing Bowl is a tradition? No it’s n

Tuesday on the Links

There’s not much “new” to discuss at the moment unless someone wants to get drunk and start a rumor on Facebook. Until then, here’s some good stuff I found this morning on the internet: Hines Ward took to Facebook to give Eagles fans one more reason to be envious of the Steelers: To my fans... by Hines Ward on Monday, February 7, 2011 at 3:14pm I’m at a total loss for words. I’m honestly emotionally drained. I wanted to win so badly. I left everything out on that field. I’m so disappointed in how we played. I want to apologize to the Steeler Nation for not bringing the 7th one home where it belongs this time. We all know what happened in the game. My mom and others have said that we had a great year if you look at where we started and where we ended up playing in the Super Bowl. I guess so but this game hurts. SORRY we fell short of our goal. But I personally am determined to win it next year. All the more reason for me to come back and do my part. Philadelphia isn’t the only

Super Bowl Thoughts

At least if there’s a lockout next year I won’t be able to get the Super Bowl pick wrong. I’ve never picked the damn game correctly. I still finished the football year on the positive side of the “points,” and I’ll put what I think is a weak one game under .500 record in the NFL, 44-45-1 for +69.54 points, against the paid handicappers any time. Plus, I was playing with “house money” – or, in this case, points – after picking both Conference Championship Games correctly. All three picks were for 100 points. I guess I’ll put my Steelers flirtation on hold for a while. I actually think their loss makes switching loyalties to Pittsburgh less of a front-runner’s proposition. Today’s ridiculous rumor that Jon Gruden was in town to take over the head coaching position in Philadelphia made me realize that I probably could just never truly cut ties with the Eagles. I heard Sean Brace of 97.5 admit it was baseless all morning while continuing to push it. But I must admit that the mere thought

Super Bowl XLV Pick: Steelers versus Packers

Since the Super Bowl matchup was set nearly two weeks ago I’ve been surprised that the Pittsburgh Steelers were installed as the underdog against the Green Bay Packers. I know Pittsburgh’s center is out and that it could be a close game, but I thought the AFC team would get every benefit of the doubt. Obviously, I was more surprised to see the 2.5 point spread – stable for most of the two weeks leading up to the game – move to 3 points today. The money line to bet the Steelers obviously also increased, from +125 to +130. Given the fact that I’ve never picked a Super Bowl correctly, my surprise should probably scare the hell out of Pittsburgh fans. (However, as far as I can tell, I’ve only picked two Super Bowls on this blog. My first was actually Seattle versus Pittsburgh, and I picked the Colts last year. Both were losses, though the referee in the Seattle-Pittsburgh matchup all but admitted that the officials screwed Seattle in that Super Bowl.) The increase in the money line was

Rapid Fire Week-in-Review: Jackson, Herremans Show Class; Tweet of the Week; Flyers in First; Sixers in 7th; more

It’s been a week that saps your spirit if you’re an Eagles fan, but the Rapid Fire Week-in-Review goes on: • Kudos to DeSean Jackson and Todd Herremans for appearing on The View to show support to Nadin Khoury, a local 13-year-old boy who had been beaten up by other kids. (Injured player Jamaal Jackson also appeared.) DeSean Jackson was awesome with Khoury, making a point to sit with him and put his arm around him as he teared up. Jackson also tweeted an anti-bullying website address, http://www.iChoose2live.com/ . Certainly, he has more readers than the Ink, but I figured it can’t hurt to post it here. I rip sports figures plenty, hopefully only when it’s justified, but I’m happy to also point out what they do on the positive side. It’s especially nice to see what Herremans and Jackson did this week when the frustration for many Eagles fans hit a boiling point. • On the opposite side of the spectrum was Eddie House of the Miami Heat. After making the game-winning shot against

Preview of the Super Bowl XLV Pick

It turned out to be a week with a high volume of picks for a low volume of points. I bounced back from a terrible start early in the week to salvage a 3-5 record for -11.35 points. I went 0-4 in the NBA for -20 points, tying my worst week in pro hoops ever. Record wise it was the worst, as a 2-2 record added up to a 20-point loss in a second round playoff parlay last year. Handicappers always sound like whiners when they talk about teams that coughed up wins (and, no, I’m not calling myself a professional handicapper). But I started the week with the Heat losing to the Knicks when they just couldn’t hit a shot for most of the fourth quarter, followed by the Sixers dropping a 21-point lead to the Memphis Grizzlies. On Sunday the Thunder losing to the Heat and the Lakers losing at home to the Celtics who were on a long road trip were just tough losses. I actually went 3-1 in college hoops for +8.65 points. I went against my favorite team, the Villanova Wildcats, and won with George

Castillo Hire Only Raises Questions

Once again Andy Reid has decided to tell the world that he knows best. Those of us hoping that the hiring of a new defensive coordinator would finally bring a new voice to the Eagles organization are out of luck. The hiring of longtime Eagles offensive line coach, Jaun Castillo, as their new defensive coordinator is beyond words. Stupid, laughable, absurd . . . they just don’t cut it. It signals zero change in the way the Eagles do things, and Castillo is clearly no threat to Reid’s job. I’m really not trying to make the Ink one negative post after the other, but this just doesn’t happen in the NFL. Only down at the NovaCare Complex does Reid have the cache to make what many have called an unprecedented move. To hear or read media members talk about Castillo’s defensive philosophy and credentials feels like Bizarro World. He last coached defense for a high school team in Texas. Who cares? Is that really relevant? Maybe there’s just nothing else to do in this situation. Even I c

Joe Conklin at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Banquet

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This week’s Hump Day Distraction may be our best find yet. Check out Joe Conklin doing what he does best at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Banquet, which took place on Monday evening. The video was posted by philliespics .

Sixers Need a True Leader

It’s February 1, and in the NBA that means the trade deadline isn’t far off. Unlike the NHL and Major League Baseball, the trade deadline in the NBA is an actual deadline. There are no waiver deals, so unless a team thinks there’s someone actually worth bringing up from the Developmental League the deadline is the last chance to improve a team. Let’s face it, the days of NBA teams bringing someone up feels like ancient history. The Sixers used to pluck at least a fan favorite from the Continental Basketball League before Isiah Thomas somehow bought the entire league, and it eventually became the place to send NBA players who aren’t living up to their potential for punishment. After Friday night’s debacle in which the 76ers dropped a 21-point lead to lose to the Charlotte Bobcats, it’s clear that this team is absolutely devoid of a team leader. Hearing Doug Collins and the media praise Andre Iguodala after Sunday’s win against Denver made me sick. Collins even said Iguodala wouldn’t