Unless the Phillies make the playoffs, it's the Eagle's time to own the sports landscape in Philadelphia. And they give it back until January (hopefully February). Training camp is here, and we are seeing the whole roster on the field for the first time since last January inside the Superdome. The Eagles made a lot of changes over the offseason, but perhaps the biggest change this year is there is no drama to start 2007. All the rookies are signed and at camp, and no veterans are holding out or missing time due to injury. No one with a two letter nickname is bashing his QB and anyone else he can. And we all saw how missing time in training camp can be detrimental to a rookie; i.e. Broderick Bunkley. It is rare in the NFL these days, but everyone is present and accounted for.
The big story in training camp, and with good reason, is the health of Donovan McNabb. McNabb surprised many by returning earlier than expected and participating in mini camps. And barring any setbacks, McNabb will be a full participant in camp. I've said it a number of times, but it's worth mentioning again: McNabb will be fine, health wise, assuming it doesn't get re-injured. But it shouldn't. I don't understand when it become the norm to anticipate injury and no injuries would be a pleasant surprise. It seems like no one believes that McNabb can make it through the season anymore. Apparently he has a history of injury. Ok. But he also has a history of proving people wrong. Expect a big season from McNabb.
From McNabb to Brian Westbrook, we go from most important offensive player to number 1A. Just one year ago, Westbrook was in McNabb's situation of having many critics saying he couldn't make it through a season. Now, all of the sudden, he finished a season, and his durability isn't even a remote concern anymore. Westbrook can simply due it all. McNabb may be what stirs the drink, by Westbrook is the main ingredient. Expect a big season from Westbrook.
Staying in the backfield, things start to get interesting. The main players here are Correll Buckhalter, who overcame three major knee injuries in four years to be a nice contributor behind Westbrook last season; and Tony Hunt, the big bruising third round pick out of Penn State. Fans have been screaming for a "big" back for years; almost as much as a "go to" wide receiver. I have not been one of them. I personally liked the mixture of small, quick backs who can come out of the backfield and hurt you in the passing game as well. Plus I didn't see the need; Andy Reid never stayed true to his promise to run the ball more. So why go out and get a guy who is going to get two carries a game? However, with the drafting of Hunt, the Eagles are sending a loud and clear message that they plan on balancing the offense a little more. And Hunt could be the perfect guy for them too. He isn't gonna break any long runs, but that's not what they need or want from him. What he is going to do is give those third and three runs for first downs; allow the Eagles to run down the clock late in games; and he can also catch the ball out of the backfield, which is a must for any running back in this system. I expect Hunt to get those short yardage carries and late game/run down the clock carries, and Buckhalter to get everything else that Westbrook doesn't; which won't, and shouldn't, be much.
The wide receivers, like usual, are underrated. Reggie Brown is quickly becoming a very reliable target for whoever is throwing to him. He will never put up the huge numbers you see from big time receivers around the league because that's not the nature of this offense, but he is a true number one guy. And he is entering his third year; a year that is famous for break out seasons from young wideouts. Much has been made of losing Dante Stallworth, but in my opinion Kevin Curtis should be an upgrade. Yes, Stallworth provided an explosiveness to this offense, but he was far too inconsistent (mostly because of injury); a trait that led to his trade out of New Orleans. Curtis has good speed (maybe not as good straight away speed as Stallworth) and good hands. And he is talented over the middle, and has never had the injury problems that Stallworth has had. And behind Curtis on the depth chart is a number of highly serviceable guys in Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis, Jason Avant, and even Jeremy Bloom, who is expected to big things on specials teams. The WR corps will be just fine this season.
At tight end, LJ Smith is the man. And he is in a contract year, so I expect a lot from him. He never gets mentioned with the greats in the game like Tony Gonzalez, Todd Heap, and Antonio Gates because he is not the complete package; he is not a very good blocker. However, in this system, LJ is called upon to make plays in the passing game, and that is what he does. Matt Schobel is a guy who blocks better, but can also provide in the passing game. This is basically a two man show, but it will be interesting to see if Lee Vickers, Brent Celek, and Kyle Hunt can make any noise at training camp.
McNabb and Westbrook are obviously the key individuals on the offensive side of the ball. But the real key is the offensive line. This five man unit has the least amount of question marks going into training camp and the regular season. In fact, I can't think of any. And that is a very good thing. These guys all played all of the games last year, and in the process, became arguably the best unit in the NFL. The opened up huge holes for Westbrook and kept Jeff Garcia alive down the stretch. There, really, nothing short of fantastic. Bringing the same unit into a second straight season, should bring more of the same. Expect a big season from this line.
The Eagles offense is in great shape to repeat, if not exceed, last year's squad's performance. Of course the wildcard is health. Can the key players stay healthy. If they can, watch out; you're looking at an offense that beat team by itself. One last key to this offense lies with the play calling, whoever will have that responsibilty. Offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, finished the season calling the plays, and the offense ran much smoother while he did so. The better balance sustained more drives and, in turn, kept the defense off the field more. No matter who calls the plays this season, if Andy Reid can see that this balance on offense really worked, and incorporates that same strategy this season, the Eagles should cruise through most games.
More tomorrow on the defensive side of the ball.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
A Real Life Disney Sports Movie
If there is one thing that Disney knows, besides animation, it's the inspirational sports movie. My library is littered with them; some fictional but most based on true stories. You got Miracle, the story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team; Invincible, the story of a Philly bartender making the Philadelphia Eagles; Remember the Titans, the story of a football team not only defeating opponents, but also defeating prejudice; and the list could go on and on. What they all have in common is the protagonists never give up on their dreams. No matter what obstacles they face on the way, they persevere, and eventually achieve their dream. Well, there is a real life story going on right now in Philadelphia; Chris Coste, the Phillies backup catcher, and career minor leaguer, is playing out the final part of the plot.
Chris Coste made his major league debut May 21, 2006, at the ripe old age of 33. And he can thank fate for that debut, because he had to get through three catchers on the depth chart: Mike Lieberthal (injured), Sal Fasano (injured), and Alex Gonzalez (unexpectedly retired). But never the less, Coste got to play and his dream was finally coming true.
Coste's story starts in high school, where there wasn't even a varisty baseball team. Then he goes on to play college ball, without any scholarship, at a division III school. None of that got Coste down. He made it to the minors, and the story continued. And this is where it got interesting. Instead of naming all the places that Coste played baseball, it might be easier to mention where he didn't play. In all Coste played in five countries and seven states. It seemed that Coste had good enough numbers for Major League teams to take a look at him. He hit .300 in his minor league career with 96 HRs and 562 RBIs in 12 minor league seasons. And a couple teams did take notice. In 2002, he led the International League in hitting and was about to mak the Cleveland Indian's rosters. That is, until he broke his hand. The Red Sox almost gave him a spot on the team as well. But they sent him back down to the minors right before the season was to start. And his dream took another hit when a numbers game forced the Phillies to keep him in the minors despite his batting .467, 3 HRs, and 11 RBIs in spring training.
Then comes the climax of the story. Coste finally gets his break due to some unfortunate situations to Phillies catchers; of course, fortunate for Coste however. And the rest is history, except for the fact that the story is still being written. In 83 major league games, Coste is batting .329 with a .504 slugging percentage, 9 HRs, and 39 RBIs. Those are highly respectable numbers for a guy who nobody feels belongs in the majors.
No matter what happens from here on out for Coste, he's got to feel like he's already fulfilled his dream. All those years of perseverance alone are enough to be proud of. He could started that one game in 2006, and that could have been the conclusion of that Disney movie. But Coste hasn't stopped there. He is quickly becoming a big part of this team. Just the other night against the Pirates, he delivered with a huge 2-out, 2-run single in the bottom of the eighth to give the Phils some much needed breathing room. The only question that remains is: who does Chris want to play him?
Chris Coste made his major league debut May 21, 2006, at the ripe old age of 33. And he can thank fate for that debut, because he had to get through three catchers on the depth chart: Mike Lieberthal (injured), Sal Fasano (injured), and Alex Gonzalez (unexpectedly retired). But never the less, Coste got to play and his dream was finally coming true.
Coste's story starts in high school, where there wasn't even a varisty baseball team. Then he goes on to play college ball, without any scholarship, at a division III school. None of that got Coste down. He made it to the minors, and the story continued. And this is where it got interesting. Instead of naming all the places that Coste played baseball, it might be easier to mention where he didn't play. In all Coste played in five countries and seven states. It seemed that Coste had good enough numbers for Major League teams to take a look at him. He hit .300 in his minor league career with 96 HRs and 562 RBIs in 12 minor league seasons. And a couple teams did take notice. In 2002, he led the International League in hitting and was about to mak the Cleveland Indian's rosters. That is, until he broke his hand. The Red Sox almost gave him a spot on the team as well. But they sent him back down to the minors right before the season was to start. And his dream took another hit when a numbers game forced the Phillies to keep him in the minors despite his batting .467, 3 HRs, and 11 RBIs in spring training.
Then comes the climax of the story. Coste finally gets his break due to some unfortunate situations to Phillies catchers; of course, fortunate for Coste however. And the rest is history, except for the fact that the story is still being written. In 83 major league games, Coste is batting .329 with a .504 slugging percentage, 9 HRs, and 39 RBIs. Those are highly respectable numbers for a guy who nobody feels belongs in the majors.
No matter what happens from here on out for Coste, he's got to feel like he's already fulfilled his dream. All those years of perseverance alone are enough to be proud of. He could started that one game in 2006, and that could have been the conclusion of that Disney movie. But Coste hasn't stopped there. He is quickly becoming a big part of this team. Just the other night against the Pirates, he delivered with a huge 2-out, 2-run single in the bottom of the eighth to give the Phils some much needed breathing room. The only question that remains is: who does Chris want to play him?
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Time for Phillies to turn it on
So, once again, the Phillies continue to play tug of war with our emotions. Whenever we think they're done and finished, they go on a little tear. And whenever we think they are on easy street toward their first playoff birth since 1993, they lose a few games, having all of their weaknesses exposed in the process. Thursday afternoon was another pivot point for the Phils. Their bullpen lost them a game in all too familiar fashion, and their best player was lost for a month due to a broken hand (I still haven't heard a straight answer on how long Chase is expected to be out. I've heard 3, 4, 6 weeks, and everything in between). But now, in the two games since, they have closed the gap on the division leading Mets, and are 3 1/2 games out. And now Brett Meyers is back. Saturday night, he pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a 10-5 victory. And if the Phils can close out the series with a sweep, they will be 10-4 since coming back from the All Star break; and 3-0 since losing Utley. No matter how you look at this team, they are right there in the hunt, and, now, the pitching staff appears to be solidifying.
Let's look at the pitching staff optimistically for a minute. Cole Hamels is the ace. And that is all there is to say about that. Jamie Moyer has been pretty consistent most of the year, and Adam Eaton looks to be a solid number three starter. Four and five in the rotation is where the optimism is really needed. Right now, its rookies Kyle Kendrick and JD Durbin. Kendrick has surpassed any and all expectations, and Durbin has won three in a row after a rough start, including a complete game shutout. Now, are these two guys going to continue to surpass expectations? My heart tells me they can at least continue to keep their team in ballgames. And with this lineup (even with Utley out), and the way the bullpen is shaping up, that is all the Phillies need from their young starters. And that brings us to the bullpen. While it has been the Achilles heel of this team all year, getting Gordon and Meyers back from injury provides an extreme upgrade. If those two can consistently pitch in big situations, like they've shown they can, the Phils bullpen could go from liability to strength. Being able to shorten a game to 7, or maybe even 6, innings with this offense is a winning formula.
So, by most accounts, Utley should be back to start September. And if all goes right, Gordon and Meyers should back to full form by mid-august. And that timing couldn't be better, as the Phils close out the month of August with a ten game home stand against the LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and the NY Mets; a four game series. This stretch could very well determine the Phils fate. Obviously they are chasing the Mets for the division. But they also would most likely be chasing on of the other two teams for the wild card, as whoever doesn't win the NL West has a good shot at the wild card. A successful home stand there, and Utley should come back to a first place team, or at least a team within very close striking distance of a playoff spot with a month to go in the season.
Let's look at the pitching staff optimistically for a minute. Cole Hamels is the ace. And that is all there is to say about that. Jamie Moyer has been pretty consistent most of the year, and Adam Eaton looks to be a solid number three starter. Four and five in the rotation is where the optimism is really needed. Right now, its rookies Kyle Kendrick and JD Durbin. Kendrick has surpassed any and all expectations, and Durbin has won three in a row after a rough start, including a complete game shutout. Now, are these two guys going to continue to surpass expectations? My heart tells me they can at least continue to keep their team in ballgames. And with this lineup (even with Utley out), and the way the bullpen is shaping up, that is all the Phillies need from their young starters. And that brings us to the bullpen. While it has been the Achilles heel of this team all year, getting Gordon and Meyers back from injury provides an extreme upgrade. If those two can consistently pitch in big situations, like they've shown they can, the Phils bullpen could go from liability to strength. Being able to shorten a game to 7, or maybe even 6, innings with this offense is a winning formula.
So, by most accounts, Utley should be back to start September. And if all goes right, Gordon and Meyers should back to full form by mid-august. And that timing couldn't be better, as the Phils close out the month of August with a ten game home stand against the LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and the NY Mets; a four game series. This stretch could very well determine the Phils fate. Obviously they are chasing the Mets for the division. But they also would most likely be chasing on of the other two teams for the wild card, as whoever doesn't win the NL West has a good shot at the wild card. A successful home stand there, and Utley should come back to a first place team, or at least a team within very close striking distance of a playoff spot with a month to go in the season.
Friday, July 27, 2007
I've got the Fever...
...And in this case, cow bell is not the only prescription. That fever is fantasy football, and with the opening of training camps this past week, it is upon us. And the fever usually last through December, as long as your team isn't horrible. Truthfully, I'm not too sure what this post will be about; I just need to start talking about this. What it won't be, is a mock draft. Even I, he who gobbles up anything with the word football on it, can't stand single person mock drafts. It's one thing to have a bunch of people have an actual draft that doesn't count. But it's entirely different when Joe Bloe writes "Joe's Mock Draft." How can one person simulate an activity that relies on the actions of 8 or more people? He can't. And without further adieu, here are my ramblings on the 2007 year of fantasy football.
- QB's. They're the most important position in the real world. In fantasy, not so much. But underestimating their importance is an express ticket to the cellar of your league. And when you're talking QBs, there is only one at the top: Peyton Manning. No one has been as prolific, AND consistent, than Archie's boy. Consistency is huge in fantasy sports, and the when dealing with the QB posisiton, its paramount. There is nothing worse than having your QB stink it up one week and lose the match; except maybe having him on the bench the next week when he lights it up, and you subsequently lose. Believe me, this has happened to me way too much. However, if you're one of the 7-11 people who can't get their hands on Manning, it's not the end of the world. There are a number of other serviceable, if not very good, QBs to get. The key with these guys is to not reach to early in your draft for them. Remember, in 95% of leagues, RBs are hugely important. These QBs, in no particular order, and in my opinion, are: Carson Palmer, Tom Brady, Donovan McNabb, Drew Brees, Marc Bulger. Then feel free to throw in Phillip Rivers, Matt Hasselback, Jon Kitna, Tony Romo.
- L.T. No one will ever overtake Lawrence Taylor as owner of those initials. But LaDanian Tomlinson is more and more deserving of the same abbreviation with each and every touchdown. In fact, a better set of letters for him might be TD; except those have a previous owner as well. To put it simply, there is not one player more valuable in fantasy sports than Tomlinson. If you have the number one pick this year, and do not pick L.T., then just hang up the fantasy cleats right now because you don't deserve to play. I'm so high on L.T. that even last year, when there seemed to be a three-way tie for top pick between him, Shaun Alexander and Larry Johnson, I would have taken Tomlinson without much question. And speaking of those other two backs, I don't think either is even close to L.T. Shaun Alexander is almost not worth mentioning here anymore. His offensive line has yet to recover from losing Steve Hutchinson, and it appears his foot is having troubling recovering from the injury it suffered last year. And Johnson, while still a top-5 back, is coming off a record setting season in terms of carries. Is he wearing down? I don't know, but his offensive line certainly looks to be. And now the news came out that Priest Holmes, former consensus number one fantasy pick, is back in training camp after missing the last year and a half with injury, and Johnson is stuck in contract negotiations. All these things make me very cautious of LJ. There are a number of backs ready to take his place as top tier options. Brian Westbrook definitely will if the Eagles show a continued faith in the running game that they showed the second half of last season. Frank Gore is another guy. And Stephen Jackson is ready to become a top three back. Also look out for Joseph Addai in Indy, Willis McGahee in Baltimore, Laurence Maroney (if he can stay healthy), and Maurice Jones-Drew, the pinball runner in Jacksonville.
- The New England Patriots. Lots has been made of the offseason acquisitions made by the Pats. Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, and Randy Moss have all been added to the receiving corps. And many think that, with Tom Brady, they can all become fantasy all stars. This is just not the case. First, Welker is a possession receiver, and that's it. He's a nice addition to the real Patriots, but not worth much to a fantasy team. Second, Brady is known for spreading the ball around, and stats are of absolutely no concern to Brady and coach Bill Belicheck. No one in this offense will become a huge receiving threat for fantasy owners. However, Moss and Stallworth, could potentially put up some big weeks. The problem with them is consistency. Moss, because he like to take a number of plays off per game (and I don't buy that a new uniform and a new "attitude" will result in a new style of play. Randy Moss will always be Randy Moss). And Stallworth has proved one thing in his career. He can't perform well two games in a row. Whether it is injury, game plan, or personal performance, history tells us to sit Stallworth after a big game; and this goes against every fantasy instinct we have. Because of this the Patriots WR corps will give headaches all year. Stay away, except for backups on bye week starts.
- Donovan McNabb needs to be higher on your draft board. I full-heartedly acknowledge that this may be homerism, but if able to stay healthy history proves that #5 will be among the leaders at QB; if not the best. Over the last three years, McNabb has started the season on an absolute tear. The last two, he was unable to finish the year. But the other year, he was a top MVP canidate, throwing 31 TDs and oly 8 INTs. If not for Manning's record breaking season (and even Culpepper's great season), McNabb would have won easily. The ACL injury is not a concern to me. It is the year 2007. And while we don't have the flying cars and maid robots promised to us in 1980's movies, medical science has come a long way. Athletes, with the proper rehab, are able to make full recoveries from the injury. For every one horror story about a guy who's career ended from the injury, there has got to be ten success stories. I've had ACL reconstruction surgery myself, and with proper rehab, I see no reason why a full recovery isn't possible. And therefore, I see no reason why McNabb shouldn't prove the doubters wrong again and have a fantastic season.
- Tight Ends. I don't care if you have Antonio Gates; no TE is going to score you enough points on a consistent basis to warrant the early picks they're sure to get. It is all about value with this position. Just because someone picks Antonio Gates early in the draft, doesn't mean it's time for the rest of the league to make a run on TEs. There is such a big drop off at this posistion that once someone grabs Gates, you might as well wait. And wait. And wait. Never pass up a starter at QB, RB, or WR, or even a great defense that is still on the board, to draft a tight end that isn't Gates. That usually equates to 6 or 7 rounds before you should grab a TE not named Gates; and that may be pushing it. With that said, here are some other tight ends to think (for a number of rounds) about after Gates is taking: Tony Gonzalez, LJ Smith (contract year!), Ben Watson, Jeremy Shockey, Vernon Davis, Heath Miller, Todd Heap.
- Defense win championships. Well, not really. Occasionally a defense is so explosive they can become a valuable part of your fantasy team; like Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore last season. But most of the time, you're hoping your defense doesn't get lit up and lose you points. And usually, unless I can get a top defense, I don't even draft a defense until the final round (if at all). What I end up doing is playing the matchups week to week. Figure who the worst offenses in the league are, and then pick up the defense that is playing them; even if that means playing St. Louis against Oakland. Sometimes you will get burned, but other times you will look like a genius.
- Kickers. Kickers are even less important in fantasy than defenses. Just take one on a decent offense and stick him in there every week. There is no strategy to picking up kickers week to week. Trust me, I've tried.
So basically, I have one Golden Rule of fantasy football: Take Ladanian Tomlinson with the first pick. Other than that, you're on your own. Good Luck.
- QB's. They're the most important position in the real world. In fantasy, not so much. But underestimating their importance is an express ticket to the cellar of your league. And when you're talking QBs, there is only one at the top: Peyton Manning. No one has been as prolific, AND consistent, than Archie's boy. Consistency is huge in fantasy sports, and the when dealing with the QB posisiton, its paramount. There is nothing worse than having your QB stink it up one week and lose the match; except maybe having him on the bench the next week when he lights it up, and you subsequently lose. Believe me, this has happened to me way too much. However, if you're one of the 7-11 people who can't get their hands on Manning, it's not the end of the world. There are a number of other serviceable, if not very good, QBs to get. The key with these guys is to not reach to early in your draft for them. Remember, in 95% of leagues, RBs are hugely important. These QBs, in no particular order, and in my opinion, are: Carson Palmer, Tom Brady, Donovan McNabb, Drew Brees, Marc Bulger. Then feel free to throw in Phillip Rivers, Matt Hasselback, Jon Kitna, Tony Romo.
- L.T. No one will ever overtake Lawrence Taylor as owner of those initials. But LaDanian Tomlinson is more and more deserving of the same abbreviation with each and every touchdown. In fact, a better set of letters for him might be TD; except those have a previous owner as well. To put it simply, there is not one player more valuable in fantasy sports than Tomlinson. If you have the number one pick this year, and do not pick L.T., then just hang up the fantasy cleats right now because you don't deserve to play. I'm so high on L.T. that even last year, when there seemed to be a three-way tie for top pick between him, Shaun Alexander and Larry Johnson, I would have taken Tomlinson without much question. And speaking of those other two backs, I don't think either is even close to L.T. Shaun Alexander is almost not worth mentioning here anymore. His offensive line has yet to recover from losing Steve Hutchinson, and it appears his foot is having troubling recovering from the injury it suffered last year. And Johnson, while still a top-5 back, is coming off a record setting season in terms of carries. Is he wearing down? I don't know, but his offensive line certainly looks to be. And now the news came out that Priest Holmes, former consensus number one fantasy pick, is back in training camp after missing the last year and a half with injury, and Johnson is stuck in contract negotiations. All these things make me very cautious of LJ. There are a number of backs ready to take his place as top tier options. Brian Westbrook definitely will if the Eagles show a continued faith in the running game that they showed the second half of last season. Frank Gore is another guy. And Stephen Jackson is ready to become a top three back. Also look out for Joseph Addai in Indy, Willis McGahee in Baltimore, Laurence Maroney (if he can stay healthy), and Maurice Jones-Drew, the pinball runner in Jacksonville.
- The New England Patriots. Lots has been made of the offseason acquisitions made by the Pats. Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, and Randy Moss have all been added to the receiving corps. And many think that, with Tom Brady, they can all become fantasy all stars. This is just not the case. First, Welker is a possession receiver, and that's it. He's a nice addition to the real Patriots, but not worth much to a fantasy team. Second, Brady is known for spreading the ball around, and stats are of absolutely no concern to Brady and coach Bill Belicheck. No one in this offense will become a huge receiving threat for fantasy owners. However, Moss and Stallworth, could potentially put up some big weeks. The problem with them is consistency. Moss, because he like to take a number of plays off per game (and I don't buy that a new uniform and a new "attitude" will result in a new style of play. Randy Moss will always be Randy Moss). And Stallworth has proved one thing in his career. He can't perform well two games in a row. Whether it is injury, game plan, or personal performance, history tells us to sit Stallworth after a big game; and this goes against every fantasy instinct we have. Because of this the Patriots WR corps will give headaches all year. Stay away, except for backups on bye week starts.
- Donovan McNabb needs to be higher on your draft board. I full-heartedly acknowledge that this may be homerism, but if able to stay healthy history proves that #5 will be among the leaders at QB; if not the best. Over the last three years, McNabb has started the season on an absolute tear. The last two, he was unable to finish the year. But the other year, he was a top MVP canidate, throwing 31 TDs and oly 8 INTs. If not for Manning's record breaking season (and even Culpepper's great season), McNabb would have won easily. The ACL injury is not a concern to me. It is the year 2007. And while we don't have the flying cars and maid robots promised to us in 1980's movies, medical science has come a long way. Athletes, with the proper rehab, are able to make full recoveries from the injury. For every one horror story about a guy who's career ended from the injury, there has got to be ten success stories. I've had ACL reconstruction surgery myself, and with proper rehab, I see no reason why a full recovery isn't possible. And therefore, I see no reason why McNabb shouldn't prove the doubters wrong again and have a fantastic season.
- Tight Ends. I don't care if you have Antonio Gates; no TE is going to score you enough points on a consistent basis to warrant the early picks they're sure to get. It is all about value with this position. Just because someone picks Antonio Gates early in the draft, doesn't mean it's time for the rest of the league to make a run on TEs. There is such a big drop off at this posistion that once someone grabs Gates, you might as well wait. And wait. And wait. Never pass up a starter at QB, RB, or WR, or even a great defense that is still on the board, to draft a tight end that isn't Gates. That usually equates to 6 or 7 rounds before you should grab a TE not named Gates; and that may be pushing it. With that said, here are some other tight ends to think (for a number of rounds) about after Gates is taking: Tony Gonzalez, LJ Smith (contract year!), Ben Watson, Jeremy Shockey, Vernon Davis, Heath Miller, Todd Heap.
- Defense win championships. Well, not really. Occasionally a defense is so explosive they can become a valuable part of your fantasy team; like Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore last season. But most of the time, you're hoping your defense doesn't get lit up and lose you points. And usually, unless I can get a top defense, I don't even draft a defense until the final round (if at all). What I end up doing is playing the matchups week to week. Figure who the worst offenses in the league are, and then pick up the defense that is playing them; even if that means playing St. Louis against Oakland. Sometimes you will get burned, but other times you will look like a genius.
- Kickers. Kickers are even less important in fantasy than defenses. Just take one on a decent offense and stick him in there every week. There is no strategy to picking up kickers week to week. Trust me, I've tried.
So basically, I have one Golden Rule of fantasy football: Take Ladanian Tomlinson with the first pick. Other than that, you're on your own. Good Luck.
Correction
Ok, so I wrote that last article before I actually saw the game. I was following it on the computer, and I added everything up in my head (Beaning the best two players the their next at-bat after tacking you for two runs, followed by and ejection). But needless to say, this time, 2 + 2 did not equal 4. So I would like to go on the record:
John Lannan did not throw at either Chase Utley or Ryan Howard intentionally. I was wrong; it has been known to happen occasionally.
But it still sucks
John Lannan did not throw at either Chase Utley or Ryan Howard intentionally. I was wrong; it has been known to happen occasionally.
But it still sucks
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Not Fair
It's just not fair. The Phillies lost the final game of their three-game series against the Nationals today, failing to finish the sweep. However, the loss could prove to be the least impactive part of the day. Chase Utley, after being hit on the hand by a pitch, broke a bone in his hand and was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game. Granted, it is a "mild" break and is expected back in a few weeks, even if elects surgery. But Utley, in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, can not be afford to miss any games for the sake of his team. With a weak pitching staff, the Phils have needed to win a number of their games this season with offense alone. And trying to make a run at the playoffs (just 5 out of the division and 3 out of the wildcard), means that they can't afford to lose any offense; let alone their best offensive weapon. But perhaps the most infuriating part of all of this is that he was hit intentionally.
Here's the run down of what happened:
It's the bottom of the 3rd and the Phils are down 2-1. With two straight groundouts to the rookie pitcher, John Lannan, by Rollins and Victorino, it looked like a 1-2-3 inning in the making. But then Utley, like he so often does, keeps the inning alive and drives a 2-out single up the middle. The next batter, Ryan Howard, another MVP candidate, did what he does so often: hits a homerun to give the Phillies the lead. Their next time around the batting order, Utley and Howard both get beaned by Lannan, leading to his and his manager's ejections. Utley, while in obvious discomfort, stayed in the game and went on to go 0-2 in a heart-breaking 7-6 loss.
The loss hurts, especially since the Phils had a comfortable lead until the bullpen took over, but the fact that some rookie pitcher, making his first career start no less, lost his cool, taking the team's MVP down with him makes my blood boil. The Phillies, despite all the pitching problems this season, are still in striking distance of the playoffs, and they were just beginning to catch fire. They were on their way to winning their 6th straight. Utley was playing about as good as he ever has. Ryan Howard had regained his MVP form of last year. And bullpen help was coming with Tom Gordon getting re-acclimated to his role and Brett Meyers due back from injury this weekend. Everything was clicking. Then this happens.
Outsiders wonder why Philadelphians are so frustrated. Well, this is one item of the long, Santa Claus-esque, list of things that have gone wrong. And put an asterisk next to this one on that list because of the depressingly ironic and maddening way it happened. Even with the pitching help coming, it is hard to see this team making up 5 games in two months with Utley missing a third of those games. And on a personal note that makes this even worse, I was talking about the lack of depth behind Utley (and Rollins) and how few games they miss. Here is the online conversation I had not more than a day ago:
ME(7:03:25 PM): we have no depth at any posistion
MIKEY(7:03:31 PM): yeah
ME (7:03:48 PM): think about what happens if anyone in the infield gets hurt
ME (7:04:13 PM): when was the last time you saw utley or rollins out of the lineup
MIKEY (7:04:25 PM): never
ME (7:05:36 PM): scary thought if one of them goes down
MIKEY (7:05:43 PM): yeah
ME (7:05:46 PM): i literally can't picture anyone else there
I hate it when I'm right.
Here's the run down of what happened:
It's the bottom of the 3rd and the Phils are down 2-1. With two straight groundouts to the rookie pitcher, John Lannan, by Rollins and Victorino, it looked like a 1-2-3 inning in the making. But then Utley, like he so often does, keeps the inning alive and drives a 2-out single up the middle. The next batter, Ryan Howard, another MVP candidate, did what he does so often: hits a homerun to give the Phillies the lead. Their next time around the batting order, Utley and Howard both get beaned by Lannan, leading to his and his manager's ejections. Utley, while in obvious discomfort, stayed in the game and went on to go 0-2 in a heart-breaking 7-6 loss.
The loss hurts, especially since the Phils had a comfortable lead until the bullpen took over, but the fact that some rookie pitcher, making his first career start no less, lost his cool, taking the team's MVP down with him makes my blood boil. The Phillies, despite all the pitching problems this season, are still in striking distance of the playoffs, and they were just beginning to catch fire. They were on their way to winning their 6th straight. Utley was playing about as good as he ever has. Ryan Howard had regained his MVP form of last year. And bullpen help was coming with Tom Gordon getting re-acclimated to his role and Brett Meyers due back from injury this weekend. Everything was clicking. Then this happens.
Outsiders wonder why Philadelphians are so frustrated. Well, this is one item of the long, Santa Claus-esque, list of things that have gone wrong. And put an asterisk next to this one on that list because of the depressingly ironic and maddening way it happened. Even with the pitching help coming, it is hard to see this team making up 5 games in two months with Utley missing a third of those games. And on a personal note that makes this even worse, I was talking about the lack of depth behind Utley (and Rollins) and how few games they miss. Here is the online conversation I had not more than a day ago:
ME(7:03:25 PM): we have no depth at any posistion
MIKEY(7:03:31 PM): yeah
ME (7:03:48 PM): think about what happens if anyone in the infield gets hurt
ME (7:04:13 PM): when was the last time you saw utley or rollins out of the lineup
MIKEY (7:04:25 PM): never
ME (7:05:36 PM): scary thought if one of them goes down
MIKEY (7:05:43 PM): yeah
ME (7:05:46 PM): i literally can't picture anyone else there
I hate it when I'm right.
Monday, July 23, 2007
All Bets Are Off
There are plenty of dark clouds over the sports landscape right now. Most currently are the Barry Bonds home run chase marred by steroid allegations and Michael Vick's dogfighting scandal. And now we have something to really worry about: An NBA referee allegedly has been caught gambling on NBA games, including ones in which he officiated. Tim Donaghy, a 13 year veteran, is under investigation by the FBI for not only betting on games in which he was involved, but also for links to organized crime. And now there is wide speculation that other referees are involved. While that is just speculation at this point, it is a terrifying thought to anyone who enjoys sports; and not just basketball. Even more than steroids, fixing games is the most dangerous attack on the foundation of the integrity of sports.
Many of the details of this story are not yet available, as this is still an ongoing investigation. But what is known is that NBA commissioner David Stern has effectively ended Donaghy's career in officiating. It will be interesting to see over the course of this investigation, and when the indictment finally comes out, what exactly Donaghy did, who he did it with, who he did it for, and how much he did it. If this case ends up being the worst case scenario (or even if its not worst case), with numerous referees being involved with illegal gambling rings, specifically the games they work, that will have a lasting impact on the integrity of sports. As of right now, how often is a referee criticized for calling a game too lopsided. Just about every game, and even more in hotly-contested games. Now imagine a number of referees being convicted of fixing games. No referee will be fairly viewed, just like no baseball slugger from the mid to late 1990's is viewed fairly. They all are, and would be, guilty by association.
Officials are the one constant in all of sports through all eras and all levels. They take a lot of heat, but they perform a nearly impossible task game in and game out. Hopefully this is just an isolated incident. And hopefully this will cause all the sports league, at every level, to keep closer tabs on their officials to make sure this never happens again. Because if we lose trust in the officials, all bets are off (no pun intended, but I kind of like it)
Many of the details of this story are not yet available, as this is still an ongoing investigation. But what is known is that NBA commissioner David Stern has effectively ended Donaghy's career in officiating. It will be interesting to see over the course of this investigation, and when the indictment finally comes out, what exactly Donaghy did, who he did it with, who he did it for, and how much he did it. If this case ends up being the worst case scenario (or even if its not worst case), with numerous referees being involved with illegal gambling rings, specifically the games they work, that will have a lasting impact on the integrity of sports. As of right now, how often is a referee criticized for calling a game too lopsided. Just about every game, and even more in hotly-contested games. Now imagine a number of referees being convicted of fixing games. No referee will be fairly viewed, just like no baseball slugger from the mid to late 1990's is viewed fairly. They all are, and would be, guilty by association.
Officials are the one constant in all of sports through all eras and all levels. They take a lot of heat, but they perform a nearly impossible task game in and game out. Hopefully this is just an isolated incident. And hopefully this will cause all the sports league, at every level, to keep closer tabs on their officials to make sure this never happens again. Because if we lose trust in the officials, all bets are off (no pun intended, but I kind of like it)
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Who keeps betting on Bettman?
Gary Bettman, the National Hockey League's commissioner of 16 years, has allegedly added another controversial move to the long list of controversial/bad moves that make up his resume. When Nashville Predators' owner Craig Leipold recently put his team up for sale to a Canadian billionaire, the deal appeared ready to go through. Then all of the sudden, Leipold began looking at another buying within the U.S. And there are allegations coming from numerous sources that it was Gary Bettman who pushed Leipold's hand in an attempt to keep the team from moving out of the country. And because of Bettman's marketing plan, a plan that's he's been adamant about incorporating since he became commissioner, the league has gone from an respectable popularity in the early 1990's to complete obscurity on the edge of irrelevancy. Ratings are so low, they make the NBA finals look like American Idol. And yet, Bettman's hold on the crown is as strong as ever.
Let's make clear for a second that the league was NOT always a niche sport. Even I am almost too young to remember it, but I do. The early 1990's saw Wayne Gretzky in L.A., Mark Messier in New York, Steve Yzerman in Detroit, and a number of other future Hall of Famers were in their prime. Then Bettman took control and immediately began to change the league into what he thought it should be: which is a league with popularity and wealth on par with the three other major sports. That sounds good and all, but the NHL, by its nature, will not reach that level of interest. But there is nothing wrong with the popularity it had right before Bettman took over. Bettman expanded the league into cities such as San Jose, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Miami, Nashville, Atlanta, Minnesota, and Columbus. And these teams, with the exception of Minnesota and to a certain extent Anaheim, have never experienced success on and off the ice.
As a result of hockey being forced into cultures to don't want or understand it, the began to suffer financially. This led to not one, but two, work stoppages; the most significant one being just two years ago when the entire season was lost. It was the only time in the history of sports that an entire season and its championship were lost to a labor dispute. The first work stoppage did nothing to solve the problems that cause it. Bettman got bullied around by the players association, and shortly after play resumed, player salaries skyrocketed. This was the main reason Bettman locked out the NHLPA following the 2004 season. He wanted a hard salary cap to ensure economic stability, and his refusal to bend on this issue led to the cancellation of the season.
And I'm sure he didn't blame himself for letting the economic state of the league get to the point of no return. First, by letting the players push him around during the first work stoppage. And second, by force feeding hockey to southern cultures that weren't buying. According to Bettman these places in America wanted hockey despite their continuing lack of ticket sales. But they loved hockey; they just didn't know it yet. Bettman believed that a big reason these small market teams were getting the support they needed was because they couldn't attract the game's best players due to unlimited salaries. Teams like Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia were able to pay the most for the best players, leaving the smaller teams to sort through the scrap pile each free agency period. And theoretically, Bettman was right on this. But in practice, despite a hard salary cap, that has risen each season since its introduction (nearly to the point where teams on average are paying what they did before the lockout), the league's economic inequality is basically the same as before. During the most recent free agent period, teams like Detroit, New York, and Philadlephia once again obtained the most desired players as teams like Nashville, Buffalo, and Florida were left on the outside looking in. Even in Pittsburgh, where a loyal fan base gets to watch one of the youngest most exciting teams in the league, Bettman's economic stability was non-existent, and the team almost got up and moved to Kansas City.
Which brings us back to Nashville. The Predators were one of the league's best last year. And yet, they could not draw more than 14,000 paid attendance. After ten years in the hockey challenged city, Leipold was cutting his losses (which stand at $70 million in the red) and selling the team. Following knowledge of the financial troubles and impending move, the team had a fire sale, effectively getting rid of all talent they didn't already have locked into contracts. This situation is a perfect example of Bettman's economic stability and competitive balance. And if it is true that Bettman forced Leipold out of a sale that would move the team to Hamilton, Ontario (a Canadian city starved for hockey) all so that Bettman could see his dream of hockey becoming a rich American sport come true, then we shouldn't be surprised at all. This has been Bettman's calling card. After a decade and a half of his economic and marketing strategy consistently failing, the league's health is at its lowest point yet. It's time the NHL Board of Commissioners cuts its losses with Gary Bettman, calls it a night, and starts over fresh tomorrow.
Let's make clear for a second that the league was NOT always a niche sport. Even I am almost too young to remember it, but I do. The early 1990's saw Wayne Gretzky in L.A., Mark Messier in New York, Steve Yzerman in Detroit, and a number of other future Hall of Famers were in their prime. Then Bettman took control and immediately began to change the league into what he thought it should be: which is a league with popularity and wealth on par with the three other major sports. That sounds good and all, but the NHL, by its nature, will not reach that level of interest. But there is nothing wrong with the popularity it had right before Bettman took over. Bettman expanded the league into cities such as San Jose, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Miami, Nashville, Atlanta, Minnesota, and Columbus. And these teams, with the exception of Minnesota and to a certain extent Anaheim, have never experienced success on and off the ice.
As a result of hockey being forced into cultures to don't want or understand it, the began to suffer financially. This led to not one, but two, work stoppages; the most significant one being just two years ago when the entire season was lost. It was the only time in the history of sports that an entire season and its championship were lost to a labor dispute. The first work stoppage did nothing to solve the problems that cause it. Bettman got bullied around by the players association, and shortly after play resumed, player salaries skyrocketed. This was the main reason Bettman locked out the NHLPA following the 2004 season. He wanted a hard salary cap to ensure economic stability, and his refusal to bend on this issue led to the cancellation of the season.
And I'm sure he didn't blame himself for letting the economic state of the league get to the point of no return. First, by letting the players push him around during the first work stoppage. And second, by force feeding hockey to southern cultures that weren't buying. According to Bettman these places in America wanted hockey despite their continuing lack of ticket sales. But they loved hockey; they just didn't know it yet. Bettman believed that a big reason these small market teams were getting the support they needed was because they couldn't attract the game's best players due to unlimited salaries. Teams like Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia were able to pay the most for the best players, leaving the smaller teams to sort through the scrap pile each free agency period. And theoretically, Bettman was right on this. But in practice, despite a hard salary cap, that has risen each season since its introduction (nearly to the point where teams on average are paying what they did before the lockout), the league's economic inequality is basically the same as before. During the most recent free agent period, teams like Detroit, New York, and Philadlephia once again obtained the most desired players as teams like Nashville, Buffalo, and Florida were left on the outside looking in. Even in Pittsburgh, where a loyal fan base gets to watch one of the youngest most exciting teams in the league, Bettman's economic stability was non-existent, and the team almost got up and moved to Kansas City.
Which brings us back to Nashville. The Predators were one of the league's best last year. And yet, they could not draw more than 14,000 paid attendance. After ten years in the hockey challenged city, Leipold was cutting his losses (which stand at $70 million in the red) and selling the team. Following knowledge of the financial troubles and impending move, the team had a fire sale, effectively getting rid of all talent they didn't already have locked into contracts. This situation is a perfect example of Bettman's economic stability and competitive balance. And if it is true that Bettman forced Leipold out of a sale that would move the team to Hamilton, Ontario (a Canadian city starved for hockey) all so that Bettman could see his dream of hockey becoming a rich American sport come true, then we shouldn't be surprised at all. This has been Bettman's calling card. After a decade and a half of his economic and marketing strategy consistently failing, the league's health is at its lowest point yet. It's time the NHL Board of Commissioners cuts its losses with Gary Bettman, calls it a night, and starts over fresh tomorrow.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
...Number 7, Michael Dick
I wasn't going to write anything about Michael Vick's dog-fighting troubles because I didn't want to give him any more publicity than he already has. But since he has been officially indicted, the story has taken on new proportions. It is no longer a story about an NFL player, with a spoiled-brat mentality, being involved with the wrong group of people and embarassing the team and the game. It has gone 0-60 from that situation to a story about an NFL player, with a spoiled-brat mentality, being the alleged mastermind of a felonious activity who could possibly face multiple years in a federal prison if convicted.
In case you missed it, Michael Vick, the $100 million QB of the Atlanta Falcons, has been indicted on charges related to a large scale dog-fighting ring. The story first surfaced a couple months ago when authorities found evidence of illegal dog-fighting at an estate owned by Vick. Vick was quick to deny any involvement. In fact, his excuses ranged from the prepubescent favorite of "I wasn't there," to the slightly more sophisticated teenage response of "I didn't know it was going on." And just like the kids that frequently utilize those statements, Vick appears to have been exposed as a lying. Not only did he know what was going on, but he was present and, apparently, organized many of the fights, including those in locations around the country.
This is just another case, albeit the most extreme, of Michael Vick acting like the rules do not apply to him; that he doesn't need to, and in fact shouldn't have to, work hard for the things he thinks he deserves. Vick was blessed with talents that not many other human beings can claim to possess. And for his entire career, he squandered them. Instead of taken the criticism he received about his play, and working harder on those aspects of his game that God didn't give to him on a silver platter, he took those critics on as enemies. He refused to accept that there is more to being an NFL QB than highlight reel plays. It always seemed like when he was confronted with a poor passing performance, he wanted to counter with the fact that he ran for "x" amount of yards. And it didn't help that those surrounding him have frequently enabled this attitude by actually countering that criticism in that manner. Michael Vick, like many privileged athletes and celebrities, didn't need Yes-Men. He needed people to tell him the truth that he was an immature person who took what he had for granted. And if convicted, it will be too late. Vick will have thrown his whole career away because he believed that he was above the rules.
In case you missed it, Michael Vick, the $100 million QB of the Atlanta Falcons, has been indicted on charges related to a large scale dog-fighting ring. The story first surfaced a couple months ago when authorities found evidence of illegal dog-fighting at an estate owned by Vick. Vick was quick to deny any involvement. In fact, his excuses ranged from the prepubescent favorite of "I wasn't there," to the slightly more sophisticated teenage response of "I didn't know it was going on." And just like the kids that frequently utilize those statements, Vick appears to have been exposed as a lying. Not only did he know what was going on, but he was present and, apparently, organized many of the fights, including those in locations around the country.
This is just another case, albeit the most extreme, of Michael Vick acting like the rules do not apply to him; that he doesn't need to, and in fact shouldn't have to, work hard for the things he thinks he deserves. Vick was blessed with talents that not many other human beings can claim to possess. And for his entire career, he squandered them. Instead of taken the criticism he received about his play, and working harder on those aspects of his game that God didn't give to him on a silver platter, he took those critics on as enemies. He refused to accept that there is more to being an NFL QB than highlight reel plays. It always seemed like when he was confronted with a poor passing performance, he wanted to counter with the fact that he ran for "x" amount of yards. And it didn't help that those surrounding him have frequently enabled this attitude by actually countering that criticism in that manner. Michael Vick, like many privileged athletes and celebrities, didn't need Yes-Men. He needed people to tell him the truth that he was an immature person who took what he had for granted. And if convicted, it will be too late. Vick will have thrown his whole career away because he believed that he was above the rules.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Enjoy the Ride
Ok, so there's still not a whole lot going on. But how 'bout those Phillies. Yeah I know they lost two of three from the Dodgers after dropping the final game of the series 5-4 today. But, they continue to prove that they are an exciting young team who is fun to watch.
Granted, I didn't actually watch them during this series; it's much too late for me to really get into these games, but just seeing the highlights and box scores is enough. First, I want to go on record as saying I have come to terms with the fact that the Phillies will not make the post season. And, if they do, it will be one hell of a ride. And even if they don't it should still be fun.
This team never gives up. In just six games after the break they are 3-3. And the scores for those games:
W 13-3, W 10-4, L 2-10, L 3-10, W 15-3, L 4-5.
Those scores tell me one thing: that these games, at the very least have been exciting. And really what can you expect, in terms of wins and losses, when you're trotting names like Durbin, Kendrick, and Eaton up to the mound. And that's just to start the games. But this offense has sure done it's part to keep the Phils in the race. Without going into what they need to do in order to make the playoffs, because that's been thoroughly discussed, I plead with the fans of Philadelphia to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Look at some of the names on this roster, and how they are contributing to the highest scoring offense in the league:
Jimmy Rollins: While not your prototypical lead-off man, J-Roll is a stud. He leads the league in runs scored (and isn't that what you want you're lead-off man to do); is tied for 4th in hits; leads the league in total bases, and his 18 HRs and 57 RBIs are good for top 10 and top 20 status respectively.
Shane Victorino: The Flying Hawaiian gets it done no matter where he is in the lineup. He simply makes things happen when he gets on base. His 28 stolen bases are good for 3rd in the league, and he has only been caught three times (the third time being today).
Chase Utley: Not enough can be said about Utley. But I'll try. He's third in the league in runs; second in the league in hits; third in the league in batting average; Leads the league in doubles and RBIs; and his slugging percentage is good for fifth in the league.
Ryan Howard: The reigning MVP is really beginning to pick up his old form after a slow, injured start to the season. His .264 batting average isn't too impressive, but his 25 HRs, 74 RBIs, 55 BBs and .586 slugging percentage have him right near the top of the league for power hitters, despite the slow start. And he is beginning to hit the ball the other way again.
Aaron Rowand: Not the flashiest of the bunch, but Rowand has certainly done his part. His .333 batting average is impressive, but his average with runners in scoring position, .356 (especially with two outs, .405) is what's been key.
Then there are the other players (even Burrell), who while no having the numbers like above, have had their key hits and big games, and all fill the important roles that every good lineup needs.
When you realize that, with the pitching staff in the shape it is in, this team can not realistically make the postseason, and just sit back enjoy the good times with this team, things go so much better. And the past few Augusts and Septembers, when all seemed hopeless, we've all seen what they can do when the pressure is off.
Granted, I didn't actually watch them during this series; it's much too late for me to really get into these games, but just seeing the highlights and box scores is enough. First, I want to go on record as saying I have come to terms with the fact that the Phillies will not make the post season. And, if they do, it will be one hell of a ride. And even if they don't it should still be fun.
This team never gives up. In just six games after the break they are 3-3. And the scores for those games:
W 13-3, W 10-4, L 2-10, L 3-10, W 15-3, L 4-5.
Those scores tell me one thing: that these games, at the very least have been exciting. And really what can you expect, in terms of wins and losses, when you're trotting names like Durbin, Kendrick, and Eaton up to the mound. And that's just to start the games. But this offense has sure done it's part to keep the Phils in the race. Without going into what they need to do in order to make the playoffs, because that's been thoroughly discussed, I plead with the fans of Philadelphia to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Look at some of the names on this roster, and how they are contributing to the highest scoring offense in the league:
Jimmy Rollins: While not your prototypical lead-off man, J-Roll is a stud. He leads the league in runs scored (and isn't that what you want you're lead-off man to do); is tied for 4th in hits; leads the league in total bases, and his 18 HRs and 57 RBIs are good for top 10 and top 20 status respectively.
Shane Victorino: The Flying Hawaiian gets it done no matter where he is in the lineup. He simply makes things happen when he gets on base. His 28 stolen bases are good for 3rd in the league, and he has only been caught three times (the third time being today).
Chase Utley: Not enough can be said about Utley. But I'll try. He's third in the league in runs; second in the league in hits; third in the league in batting average; Leads the league in doubles and RBIs; and his slugging percentage is good for fifth in the league.
Ryan Howard: The reigning MVP is really beginning to pick up his old form after a slow, injured start to the season. His .264 batting average isn't too impressive, but his 25 HRs, 74 RBIs, 55 BBs and .586 slugging percentage have him right near the top of the league for power hitters, despite the slow start. And he is beginning to hit the ball the other way again.
Aaron Rowand: Not the flashiest of the bunch, but Rowand has certainly done his part. His .333 batting average is impressive, but his average with runners in scoring position, .356 (especially with two outs, .405) is what's been key.
Then there are the other players (even Burrell), who while no having the numbers like above, have had their key hits and big games, and all fill the important roles that every good lineup needs.
When you realize that, with the pitching staff in the shape it is in, this team can not realistically make the postseason, and just sit back enjoy the good times with this team, things go so much better. And the past few Augusts and Septembers, when all seemed hopeless, we've all seen what they can do when the pressure is off.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Dog Days of Summer
Nothing to write about today as we are in that part of the year. The Phils are on the West Coast, which means I'll be fast asleep for most of their games. The Flyers are all done their offseason moves basically. And the Eagles training camp is still a couple weeks away. Hopefully something will come up tomorrow worth writing about.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Give Gillick a Break
Many people around Philadelphia are calling for Phillie's GM, Pat Gillick. I, on the other hand, am calling for patience. And I think I'm alone in doing this. Pat Gillick was brought in to replace Ed Wade in November of 2005; whose tenure as GM of the Phils could only be described as a failure; or some synonym thereof. And the bottom line on Gillick so far is that he has not improved this team; wins and losses have not improved and the team has still not made the playoffs. But by taking a closer look what Gillick inherited shows that, at the very least, it's too early to call the jury for a verdict.
When Gillick came to Philly, the team he inherited had a decent amount of talent, but they still hadn't made the playoffs since 1993. And Ed Wade was the chief scapegoat, whether rightfully so or not. It's pretty much consensus around the league, that today, the Phillies have one of the best lineups in baseball. It didn't get like that by accident. Pat Gillick put a lot of the key pieces into a position to succeed. Lets take a look at a few of the big moves Gillick had to make in order to get the lineup to where it is today:
Jim Thome - Thome was a beloved player in Philly, that everyone wanted to see go. I only say that because Ryan Howard was charging from behind, begging to replace the aging Thome and his contract. So Gillick sent Thome and his huge contract (some of it) to Chicago for Aaron Rowand. And I don't think there is a person in Philadelphia that doesn't like how that turned out; Rowand an All-star this year and Ryan Howard winning MVP to follow up his Rookie of the Year campaign.
Bobby Abreu - Abreu had oodles of talent, but the fans and management became tired of his lazy approach toward the game and his bloated salary. So Gillick sent him and Corey Lidle (RIP) to the Yanks for a bunch of players. Result: Shane Victorino has been a HUGE upgrade in the field and can make plenty of things happen with the bat. And he has become a fan favorite.
Jamie Moyer - The next biggest thing to come out of Souderton High School other than me....Moyer has been a nice addition to the staff and a huge influence on the progression of Cole Hamels
Greg Dobbs, Cole Hamels, Brett Meyers, Ryan Howard - All these players were given either bonuses, extensions, or new contracts by Gillick. Anybody have any problems with any of that? Speak now or forever hold your peace.
All of that was done in about a year and a half. The team went from old and slow and basically boring to a young exciting team that can beat you in a number of ways. The biggest problems that plague the Phillies right now are Pat Burrell and pitching. The former can not be attributed to Pat Gillick. The previous management group can be thanked for over-valuing Burrell and signing him to the financial equivalent of a mortgage. With the rest of this year, and still another year left on the deal, what is Gillick realistically supposed to do with the guy. While Burrell is as hard a worker as anyone, he simply doesn't have enough to offer another team to warrant anywhere near the contract they'd have to take on. For the time being, I think we have to accept that Burrell will continue to be an anchor in the field and the lineup until his contract runs out.
As far as the pitching staff goes, it's a little more gray here. I'm not an expert on baseball and all the prospects that are out there (or even in the Phil's farm system), but I know there is only so much a guy can do to transform a pitching staff that hasn't been good for years. Going into this season, there was a lot of confidence with the starting rotation. Brett Meyers was the young ace, Cole Hamels was the younger ace, Jamie Moyer was the crafty veteran, Adam Eaton was a decent (if overpaid) addition, and Freddy Garcia was supposed to be the crown jewel acquisition. Then throw in Jon Leiber, and you have a good to great rotation. What happened? Meyers had to turn into a closer due to bullpen injuries, only to subsequently also get hurt. Adam Eaton has been what we should have expected, especially when not relied on as a 4th or 5th starter. Freddy Garcia was damaged goods and quickly went on the DL. And Jon Leiber, who was supposed to be trade bait to get bullpen help, also was injured and lost for the season after becoming a starter again. Any team with that many key injuries is going have trouble staying afloat above .500. Critics will say Gillick should have never entered the season with a such a thin bullpen. While they have been proven right, Gillick's hands appeared to have been tied this offseason. No one wanted Leiber, the biggest trade chip he had. And he has to overpay to get any pitcher to come pitch half their games in the defensively challenged Citizens Bank Park (exhibit A: Adam Eaton). And he is already weighed down by immovable contracts like Burrell's. What we wanted to see happen, and what could realistically happen are two different things. What is realistic is that without those injuries, the Phillies could very well be in first place right now.
But they are not. And as we approach the trade deadline, fans are once again clamoring for Gillick to make a move. However, there problems, in addition to the ones that plagued Gillick in the offseason, with making a move. There simply isn't that much out there to help the bullpen. And I strongly urge anyone out there who will listen to consider the consequences of overpaying, either in money or prospects, for some overrated pitching help. Let's face it: this staff is in such disarray that a little help here and there isn't going to make a difference. They need to get healthy and they need real significant additions that you can only make in the offseason. I guess what I am saying is to not abandon ship, and start sending off the few prospect you have (i.e. Michael Bourn, Carlos Ruiz) in order to get some pitching help that will turn out to be nothing more than an mirage. Hopefully Meyers and Gordon can come back soon and stabilize things, wherever they are placed. Because it is not fair to vilify Pat Gillick for things largely out of his hands. At least that is until he has a few more years to show that it has just been bad luck and logistics, and not incompetence.
When Gillick came to Philly, the team he inherited had a decent amount of talent, but they still hadn't made the playoffs since 1993. And Ed Wade was the chief scapegoat, whether rightfully so or not. It's pretty much consensus around the league, that today, the Phillies have one of the best lineups in baseball. It didn't get like that by accident. Pat Gillick put a lot of the key pieces into a position to succeed. Lets take a look at a few of the big moves Gillick had to make in order to get the lineup to where it is today:
Jim Thome - Thome was a beloved player in Philly, that everyone wanted to see go. I only say that because Ryan Howard was charging from behind, begging to replace the aging Thome and his contract. So Gillick sent Thome and his huge contract (some of it) to Chicago for Aaron Rowand. And I don't think there is a person in Philadelphia that doesn't like how that turned out; Rowand an All-star this year and Ryan Howard winning MVP to follow up his Rookie of the Year campaign.
Bobby Abreu - Abreu had oodles of talent, but the fans and management became tired of his lazy approach toward the game and his bloated salary. So Gillick sent him and Corey Lidle (RIP) to the Yanks for a bunch of players. Result: Shane Victorino has been a HUGE upgrade in the field and can make plenty of things happen with the bat. And he has become a fan favorite.
Jamie Moyer - The next biggest thing to come out of Souderton High School other than me....Moyer has been a nice addition to the staff and a huge influence on the progression of Cole Hamels
Greg Dobbs, Cole Hamels, Brett Meyers, Ryan Howard - All these players were given either bonuses, extensions, or new contracts by Gillick. Anybody have any problems with any of that? Speak now or forever hold your peace.
All of that was done in about a year and a half. The team went from old and slow and basically boring to a young exciting team that can beat you in a number of ways. The biggest problems that plague the Phillies right now are Pat Burrell and pitching. The former can not be attributed to Pat Gillick. The previous management group can be thanked for over-valuing Burrell and signing him to the financial equivalent of a mortgage. With the rest of this year, and still another year left on the deal, what is Gillick realistically supposed to do with the guy. While Burrell is as hard a worker as anyone, he simply doesn't have enough to offer another team to warrant anywhere near the contract they'd have to take on. For the time being, I think we have to accept that Burrell will continue to be an anchor in the field and the lineup until his contract runs out.
As far as the pitching staff goes, it's a little more gray here. I'm not an expert on baseball and all the prospects that are out there (or even in the Phil's farm system), but I know there is only so much a guy can do to transform a pitching staff that hasn't been good for years. Going into this season, there was a lot of confidence with the starting rotation. Brett Meyers was the young ace, Cole Hamels was the younger ace, Jamie Moyer was the crafty veteran, Adam Eaton was a decent (if overpaid) addition, and Freddy Garcia was supposed to be the crown jewel acquisition. Then throw in Jon Leiber, and you have a good to great rotation. What happened? Meyers had to turn into a closer due to bullpen injuries, only to subsequently also get hurt. Adam Eaton has been what we should have expected, especially when not relied on as a 4th or 5th starter. Freddy Garcia was damaged goods and quickly went on the DL. And Jon Leiber, who was supposed to be trade bait to get bullpen help, also was injured and lost for the season after becoming a starter again. Any team with that many key injuries is going have trouble staying afloat above .500. Critics will say Gillick should have never entered the season with a such a thin bullpen. While they have been proven right, Gillick's hands appeared to have been tied this offseason. No one wanted Leiber, the biggest trade chip he had. And he has to overpay to get any pitcher to come pitch half their games in the defensively challenged Citizens Bank Park (exhibit A: Adam Eaton). And he is already weighed down by immovable contracts like Burrell's. What we wanted to see happen, and what could realistically happen are two different things. What is realistic is that without those injuries, the Phillies could very well be in first place right now.
But they are not. And as we approach the trade deadline, fans are once again clamoring for Gillick to make a move. However, there problems, in addition to the ones that plagued Gillick in the offseason, with making a move. There simply isn't that much out there to help the bullpen. And I strongly urge anyone out there who will listen to consider the consequences of overpaying, either in money or prospects, for some overrated pitching help. Let's face it: this staff is in such disarray that a little help here and there isn't going to make a difference. They need to get healthy and they need real significant additions that you can only make in the offseason. I guess what I am saying is to not abandon ship, and start sending off the few prospect you have (i.e. Michael Bourn, Carlos Ruiz) in order to get some pitching help that will turn out to be nothing more than an mirage. Hopefully Meyers and Gordon can come back soon and stabilize things, wherever they are placed. Because it is not fair to vilify Pat Gillick for things largely out of his hands. At least that is until he has a few more years to show that it has just been bad luck and logistics, and not incompetence.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Try telling the fans that 10,000 is meaningless
Well, 10,000 finally came, after all these years. Despite a very abbreviated stay of execution following the 9,999th loss, the Phillies couldn't hold off the inevitable anymore; losing badly in the process. St. Louis unleashed 6 HRs in a 10-2 thrashing to salvage one game of the three game set. I noticed one thing in this game, aside from constant reassurance that this team is in serious need of pitching help. And that is that the fans of Philadelphia has come to embrace this whole story of 10,000 losses.
Both sides of the story have been pretty fairly represented in the days and weeks leading up to this moment. While it is a symbol of futility, it has also been shown how it is a symbol of longevity as well. But it's one to accept the milestone as the diachotomy that it is, and it's something entirely different to embrace it as something to cheer and celebrate; which is what I saw Sunday night.
Citizens Bank Park was packed with fans; many of them holding signs for ESPN. And just as many, if not more, were holding signs referring to the infamous loss that was upon them. These people, while hoping to see a win and a sweep of the defending World Series champs, were hoping to see history. I don't know how many people will admit it, but Phillies fans were hoping to see the 10,000th loss. This became clear as glass in the ninth inning with two outs. The crowd rose to their feet and applauded, anticipating a final out; much like you would normally see - that is if the Phillies were on the road. The fans there wanted to be a part of history.
And it is not just the history of the team. Over the past few weeks, when all the lows that went into this all-time low were added up and discussed, I think the city and its fans began to take ownership in this milestone; along with the team. While it is mostly a negative for the team, it is a testament to the loyalty the fans have shown through the years. And if there is one thing Philly fans like more than seeing their team win (aside from New York teams losing), its being considered the best fans in sports.
It is not just the Phillies fans who have remained loyal though so many low points. All of the Philadelphia sports teams have done their fair share of disapointing fans. Whether it is three consecutive NFC championship losses, getting swept in the Stanley Cups Finals, being the worst team in the league, losing in the NBA finals, or consistently not making the playoffs, Philly fans don't just discuss these memories; they seem to, in a bizarre way, reminisce about them. I don't know when it happened, but we have become so accustomed to coming up short (or not coming up at all) that we take pride in the agony our teams go through. It's gotten to the point where I honestly don't know what we would do when one of our teams finally does break through and win it all. I won't go so far as to say we don't want it to happen, but think about for a second. If we have embraced being great fans of great losers, what will we be when they are no longer losers. I don't know, but I am willing to risk my identity as a Philly sports fan to figure it out.
Both sides of the story have been pretty fairly represented in the days and weeks leading up to this moment. While it is a symbol of futility, it has also been shown how it is a symbol of longevity as well. But it's one to accept the milestone as the diachotomy that it is, and it's something entirely different to embrace it as something to cheer and celebrate; which is what I saw Sunday night.
Citizens Bank Park was packed with fans; many of them holding signs for ESPN. And just as many, if not more, were holding signs referring to the infamous loss that was upon them. These people, while hoping to see a win and a sweep of the defending World Series champs, were hoping to see history. I don't know how many people will admit it, but Phillies fans were hoping to see the 10,000th loss. This became clear as glass in the ninth inning with two outs. The crowd rose to their feet and applauded, anticipating a final out; much like you would normally see - that is if the Phillies were on the road. The fans there wanted to be a part of history.
And it is not just the history of the team. Over the past few weeks, when all the lows that went into this all-time low were added up and discussed, I think the city and its fans began to take ownership in this milestone; along with the team. While it is mostly a negative for the team, it is a testament to the loyalty the fans have shown through the years. And if there is one thing Philly fans like more than seeing their team win (aside from New York teams losing), its being considered the best fans in sports.
It is not just the Phillies fans who have remained loyal though so many low points. All of the Philadelphia sports teams have done their fair share of disapointing fans. Whether it is three consecutive NFC championship losses, getting swept in the Stanley Cups Finals, being the worst team in the league, losing in the NBA finals, or consistently not making the playoffs, Philly fans don't just discuss these memories; they seem to, in a bizarre way, reminisce about them. I don't know when it happened, but we have become so accustomed to coming up short (or not coming up at all) that we take pride in the agony our teams go through. It's gotten to the point where I honestly don't know what we would do when one of our teams finally does break through and win it all. I won't go so far as to say we don't want it to happen, but think about for a second. If we have embraced being great fans of great losers, what will we be when they are no longer losers. I don't know, but I am willing to risk my identity as a Philly sports fan to figure it out.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Philadelphia Eagles: A early team review
When did the City of Brotherly Love's football team stop receiving love from the national media? Granted, Philadelphia has never received all the respect that they deserved. But the last few years, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance, the Eagles have been receiving pretty high praise from your ESPN's and Sports Illustrated's. And now, all of the sudden, The Eagles are a passing thought to national NFL people. And I can't figure out why.
The Eagles had one bad season in 2005. And without getting into why that season turned out the way it did, that season effectively dropped the Eagles from the clique of top teams in the league in the eyes of the national media. And winning the division again last year, having the #2 offense in the NFL while doing it, seems to have done little to move the Birds up in stature. The apprehension involved with considering the Eagles an elite team seems to center around Donovan McNabb (what else is new, right?).
But why? Yes, I understand that he has had injury problems the past few years, missing the second half of the season in both. But his propensity to get injured seems to be exaggerated. In fact, it seems to be a new trend label a guy injury prone after one injury and to take off the injury prone label after one season without getting injured. Look at Westbrook. This guy couldn't shake the injury prone label before last year, even here in Philly. You could mention how Tiki Barber, a similar sized back, doesn't get injured. But it wouldn't ease the calls for an "every down back." Now that Westbrook has gotten through a season, he is no longer viewed as injury prone and those Tiki Barber comparisons suddenly become valid. I'm definitely a fan of Westbrook's, but I still hold my breath every time he touches the ball. As far as McNabb goes, his injuries have always been of the "freak nature." A broken ankle, sports hernia, and torn ACL are injuries that a player can't control. And it's not fair to call a guy an injury risk when he's also had five full seasons in addition to the three injury shortened seasons.
Injuries, aside, McNabb has clearly been one of the top 3 QBs in the NFL when healthy the last few years. Not even Peyton Manning has matched his numbers to start the last 3 seasons. Assuming McNabb doesn't rush back from this injury, there really isn't any reason to think he can't repeat those performances. And after watching how Carson Palmer came back from an arguably worse knee injury, I think it's fair to favor optimism over pessimism.
A healthy McNabb is not the only reason to be optimistic though. The Eagles are returning the same great offense they had last season, minus one player: Donte Stallworth. While Stallworth was a good player, Reggie Brown is entering his 3rd season (the year when most young wideouts breakout), and is ready become a real threat on the outside. The Eagles also brought in Kevin Curtis, who if you saw him play in St. Louis, can do everything Stallworth did. He can also play inside better than Stallworth, and he will probably miss less time due to nagging injuries.
All that said, the real exciting aspect going into this season, in regards to the offense, is the prospect of a more balanced attack. The final 2 months of last season, Andy Reid handed off the playcalling to Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Mornhinweg, in turn, let Westbrook run more behind that huge offensive line. As a result, Westbrook had his best season in the NFL and the Offensive line was widely considered the best unit in the NFL.
The defensive side of the ball has the most question marks. It really struggled against the run last year and had trouble defending the big play; which is not a good combination. However, they got better later in the season when they replaced Michael Lewis with Sean Considine at saftey, and replacing Matt McCoy with Omar Gaither at linebacker. And during the offseason, the Eagles made their most important moves on defense. Most visibly, they added LB Takeo Spikes; a pro bowl caliber player who is coming off injury. Takeo is a huge upgrade at a position that sorely needed an upgrade. Add in a number of younger players at the position, and the linebacking corps should be much improved. Less flashy, but just as significant, the Eagles added a number of defensive tackles including Monte Reagor, who should add some pass rushing ability up the middle, and Ian Scott, who should add some size and run-stopping ability. Both the attributes were painfully missing last season.
The two biggest additions on defense were actually already on the team last year. Jevon Kearse, coming off injury, and Broderick Bunkley, coming off a virtually non-existent rookie season. Jevon Kearse got off to a great start before injuring his knee week 2 against the Giants. A healthy Jevon will once again provide a legitimate pass rushing threat on the end. That leads us to Bunkley. It may be a little extreme, but I think the success or failures of this defense next season lie on Bunkley's broad shoulders. Bunkley, a first round pick before last season, had trouble getting on the field his rookie year. However, if he can make the jump to productive starter in his second year, the whole defense becomes better. A big, skilled, player like him in the middle of the line can single-handedly improve the run defense. Players like Trotter at middle linebacker will be much more effective without offensive lineman blowing right by the defensive tackles and getting in his face. If Bunkley can not step up, either this year or next, the Eagles will have wasted another first round pick. And that can only happen so many times without causing some long term problems within the organization.
All that said, the Eagles have a relatively few number of question marks for this time of the season, especially on offense. The rest of the country really wants to put a question mark on the QB position, but there really isn't that much evidence to support that. McNabb will once again be called upon to prove people wrong. Since he's being doing it his whole career, that shouldn't be a problem. And if Takeo Spikes can stablize the linebacking corps, Bunkley and Kearse can provide a jump to the defensive line, and Brian Dawkins can continue to be a force at safety, the defense will be fine as well. And if the offense continues its balanced attack, they will be on the field longer, consequently making the defense even more effective. Combine that with a weak division and conference, I see no reason why the Eagles can't make a return trip to the Super Bowl (where they would probably lose to a superior AFC team).
The Eagles had one bad season in 2005. And without getting into why that season turned out the way it did, that season effectively dropped the Eagles from the clique of top teams in the league in the eyes of the national media. And winning the division again last year, having the #2 offense in the NFL while doing it, seems to have done little to move the Birds up in stature. The apprehension involved with considering the Eagles an elite team seems to center around Donovan McNabb (what else is new, right?).
But why? Yes, I understand that he has had injury problems the past few years, missing the second half of the season in both. But his propensity to get injured seems to be exaggerated. In fact, it seems to be a new trend label a guy injury prone after one injury and to take off the injury prone label after one season without getting injured. Look at Westbrook. This guy couldn't shake the injury prone label before last year, even here in Philly. You could mention how Tiki Barber, a similar sized back, doesn't get injured. But it wouldn't ease the calls for an "every down back." Now that Westbrook has gotten through a season, he is no longer viewed as injury prone and those Tiki Barber comparisons suddenly become valid. I'm definitely a fan of Westbrook's, but I still hold my breath every time he touches the ball. As far as McNabb goes, his injuries have always been of the "freak nature." A broken ankle, sports hernia, and torn ACL are injuries that a player can't control. And it's not fair to call a guy an injury risk when he's also had five full seasons in addition to the three injury shortened seasons.
Injuries, aside, McNabb has clearly been one of the top 3 QBs in the NFL when healthy the last few years. Not even Peyton Manning has matched his numbers to start the last 3 seasons. Assuming McNabb doesn't rush back from this injury, there really isn't any reason to think he can't repeat those performances. And after watching how Carson Palmer came back from an arguably worse knee injury, I think it's fair to favor optimism over pessimism.
A healthy McNabb is not the only reason to be optimistic though. The Eagles are returning the same great offense they had last season, minus one player: Donte Stallworth. While Stallworth was a good player, Reggie Brown is entering his 3rd season (the year when most young wideouts breakout), and is ready become a real threat on the outside. The Eagles also brought in Kevin Curtis, who if you saw him play in St. Louis, can do everything Stallworth did. He can also play inside better than Stallworth, and he will probably miss less time due to nagging injuries.
All that said, the real exciting aspect going into this season, in regards to the offense, is the prospect of a more balanced attack. The final 2 months of last season, Andy Reid handed off the playcalling to Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Mornhinweg, in turn, let Westbrook run more behind that huge offensive line. As a result, Westbrook had his best season in the NFL and the Offensive line was widely considered the best unit in the NFL.
The defensive side of the ball has the most question marks. It really struggled against the run last year and had trouble defending the big play; which is not a good combination. However, they got better later in the season when they replaced Michael Lewis with Sean Considine at saftey, and replacing Matt McCoy with Omar Gaither at linebacker. And during the offseason, the Eagles made their most important moves on defense. Most visibly, they added LB Takeo Spikes; a pro bowl caliber player who is coming off injury. Takeo is a huge upgrade at a position that sorely needed an upgrade. Add in a number of younger players at the position, and the linebacking corps should be much improved. Less flashy, but just as significant, the Eagles added a number of defensive tackles including Monte Reagor, who should add some pass rushing ability up the middle, and Ian Scott, who should add some size and run-stopping ability. Both the attributes were painfully missing last season.
The two biggest additions on defense were actually already on the team last year. Jevon Kearse, coming off injury, and Broderick Bunkley, coming off a virtually non-existent rookie season. Jevon Kearse got off to a great start before injuring his knee week 2 against the Giants. A healthy Jevon will once again provide a legitimate pass rushing threat on the end. That leads us to Bunkley. It may be a little extreme, but I think the success or failures of this defense next season lie on Bunkley's broad shoulders. Bunkley, a first round pick before last season, had trouble getting on the field his rookie year. However, if he can make the jump to productive starter in his second year, the whole defense becomes better. A big, skilled, player like him in the middle of the line can single-handedly improve the run defense. Players like Trotter at middle linebacker will be much more effective without offensive lineman blowing right by the defensive tackles and getting in his face. If Bunkley can not step up, either this year or next, the Eagles will have wasted another first round pick. And that can only happen so many times without causing some long term problems within the organization.
All that said, the Eagles have a relatively few number of question marks for this time of the season, especially on offense. The rest of the country really wants to put a question mark on the QB position, but there really isn't that much evidence to support that. McNabb will once again be called upon to prove people wrong. Since he's being doing it his whole career, that shouldn't be a problem. And if Takeo Spikes can stablize the linebacking corps, Bunkley and Kearse can provide a jump to the defensive line, and Brian Dawkins can continue to be a force at safety, the defense will be fine as well. And if the offense continues its balanced attack, they will be on the field longer, consequently making the defense even more effective. Combine that with a weak division and conference, I see no reason why the Eagles can't make a return trip to the Super Bowl (where they would probably lose to a superior AFC team).
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Oh Captain, My Captain
I was thinking of starting this article with a few lines from that famous Walt Whitman poem (the one where the title of this blog is taken from for those who didn't pay attention in High School English; oh wait, I was one of those people. I had to look it up), but I quickly realized that it was about a captain, dead, at the end of his ship's voyage. And the ship I want to write about is far from the end of it's voyage. I am speaking of the Philadelphia Flyers; whose journey is just about to begin anew. Only, the USS Orange and Black has no captain.
In hockey, the role of a captain is much larger and significant than any other sport. In football, there are multiple captains each game, and they often change from game to game. And in basketball and baseball...well, I don't think they even have captains. I direct your attention to exhibit A: The year is 2004 and the Flyers are beginning their "second season." They start against their arch rival, the New Jersey Devils. It didn't take long for the captain to make his mark. In game 1, Keith Primeau comes flying down the wing. Devils goaltender, Martin Brodeur, assumes that Keith will take it around the back of the net. And looking at the size of Primeau and the speed he had going in that direction, it was a pretty safe asumption by Brodeur. But, out of nowhere, Primeau makes a move to the front of the net and slides it by Broduer. I bring this particular play up because it was the beginning of Primeau's transformation. Primeau would go on to literally put the team on his back throughout the playoffs, only to tragically fall a game short of the Stanley Cup Finals. Had they made it, Primeau would have easily won the Conn Smythe throphy; awarded to the most vauable player throughout the playoffs. While he had been captain all year, he never displayed the skill, athleticism, physicality, determination, and leadership all at once, like he did throughout every moment of that playoff run. So when he made that move on Broduer in the first game of the playoffs, no one knew what they were about to witness over the next month. Without the play of their captain, the Flyers would not have made it past the second round.
Keith Primeau rose to such high levels of leadership after that season, that when he was injured the following season (following the lockout) the team never again had the sense of direction and leadership they had with Keith in the lineup. That injury, an elbow to head by a player this writer can't seem to remember (eventhough he swore he would never forget), proved to be career ending as Primeau retired following the season. The Flyers tried to name a new captain in Derian Hatcher later that year following the injury, and in Peter Forsberg the following year. With the "C" on Hatcher, the team coasted aimlessly into the playoffs and got ousted by Buffalo in the first round. And when the Flyers gave the "C" to Forsberg following Primeau's retirement, the team stumbled to their worst performance in franchise history; due largely in part to Forsberg being out of the lineup for much of the year due to injury.
The point is that the "C" on a player's sweater is so much more than a letter. On, the right person's sweater, it can be a force more powerful than any pass, deke, save, hit, or statistic. Now, the Flyers have a retooled team ready to erase the nightmares of last season. On paper, they look like a definite playoff contender; a huge step from last season. But they also have yet to name a captain. Naming the right one can immediately transform a playoff contender into a Stanley Cup contender.
So who on this current Flyers roster is the right guy? Well, I'm a strong believer in not giving the captaincy to a new addition, unless there is no clear alternative. And in this case, that is not the situation. There a few players from last season who could hold the "C" quite nicely. My first pick, and he's been my pick since Primeau got hurt, is Sami Kapanen. Kapanen may not have the biggest numbers, and he is certainly not biggest guy, but he is a guy that everyone in that locker room respects. He never shies away from contact, and he will always do whatever it takes to help the team win. He leads by example. There has been much talk about making Simon Gagne the captain. Now, before last year, I was totally against this. Not because he is a bad player, but because he seemed reluctant to accept it. You can not force leadership on somebody. However, after last season, he showed a lot of maturity, and appears ready to accept his role as the team's leader. That said, there are still better alternatives. His linemate, Mike Knuble is one of them. Mike, since his arrival after the lockout, has been a strong presence on the ice and in the locker room, and he can provide some offensive punch.
The Flyers had plenty of leadership in their locker room following last season, and they have even more now after adding three players who were captains on their previous teams (Daniel Briere, Jason Smith, and Kimo Timonen). I think Kapanen is the right choice for captain, but that's certainly not saying the other players mentioned couldn't get the job done as well.
In hockey, the role of a captain is much larger and significant than any other sport. In football, there are multiple captains each game, and they often change from game to game. And in basketball and baseball...well, I don't think they even have captains. I direct your attention to exhibit A: The year is 2004 and the Flyers are beginning their "second season." They start against their arch rival, the New Jersey Devils. It didn't take long for the captain to make his mark. In game 1, Keith Primeau comes flying down the wing. Devils goaltender, Martin Brodeur, assumes that Keith will take it around the back of the net. And looking at the size of Primeau and the speed he had going in that direction, it was a pretty safe asumption by Brodeur. But, out of nowhere, Primeau makes a move to the front of the net and slides it by Broduer. I bring this particular play up because it was the beginning of Primeau's transformation. Primeau would go on to literally put the team on his back throughout the playoffs, only to tragically fall a game short of the Stanley Cup Finals. Had they made it, Primeau would have easily won the Conn Smythe throphy; awarded to the most vauable player throughout the playoffs. While he had been captain all year, he never displayed the skill, athleticism, physicality, determination, and leadership all at once, like he did throughout every moment of that playoff run. So when he made that move on Broduer in the first game of the playoffs, no one knew what they were about to witness over the next month. Without the play of their captain, the Flyers would not have made it past the second round.
Keith Primeau rose to such high levels of leadership after that season, that when he was injured the following season (following the lockout) the team never again had the sense of direction and leadership they had with Keith in the lineup. That injury, an elbow to head by a player this writer can't seem to remember (eventhough he swore he would never forget), proved to be career ending as Primeau retired following the season. The Flyers tried to name a new captain in Derian Hatcher later that year following the injury, and in Peter Forsberg the following year. With the "C" on Hatcher, the team coasted aimlessly into the playoffs and got ousted by Buffalo in the first round. And when the Flyers gave the "C" to Forsberg following Primeau's retirement, the team stumbled to their worst performance in franchise history; due largely in part to Forsberg being out of the lineup for much of the year due to injury.
The point is that the "C" on a player's sweater is so much more than a letter. On, the right person's sweater, it can be a force more powerful than any pass, deke, save, hit, or statistic. Now, the Flyers have a retooled team ready to erase the nightmares of last season. On paper, they look like a definite playoff contender; a huge step from last season. But they also have yet to name a captain. Naming the right one can immediately transform a playoff contender into a Stanley Cup contender.
So who on this current Flyers roster is the right guy? Well, I'm a strong believer in not giving the captaincy to a new addition, unless there is no clear alternative. And in this case, that is not the situation. There a few players from last season who could hold the "C" quite nicely. My first pick, and he's been my pick since Primeau got hurt, is Sami Kapanen. Kapanen may not have the biggest numbers, and he is certainly not biggest guy, but he is a guy that everyone in that locker room respects. He never shies away from contact, and he will always do whatever it takes to help the team win. He leads by example. There has been much talk about making Simon Gagne the captain. Now, before last year, I was totally against this. Not because he is a bad player, but because he seemed reluctant to accept it. You can not force leadership on somebody. However, after last season, he showed a lot of maturity, and appears ready to accept his role as the team's leader. That said, there are still better alternatives. His linemate, Mike Knuble is one of them. Mike, since his arrival after the lockout, has been a strong presence on the ice and in the locker room, and he can provide some offensive punch.
The Flyers had plenty of leadership in their locker room following last season, and they have even more now after adding three players who were captains on their previous teams (Daniel Briere, Jason Smith, and Kimo Timonen). I think Kapanen is the right choice for captain, but that's certainly not saying the other players mentioned couldn't get the job done as well.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Not an All Star Experience
Last night was the first All Star game that I really felt like watching in a long time. And, all that I accomplished was remembering why I never felt like watching them in the first place. It is cool to see the game's best players on the field at the same time, and the game itself looked to be a good one; going down to the last out. I say "looked to be a good one," because I fell asleep around the 7th inning. And that brings me to my first annoyance from All Star night.
Looking through the guide on my TV, I saw that pregame started at 7:30 and the game started at 8:00. Most of that pregame stuff doesn't really interest me, seeing as how everything has been covered in the days leading up to the game. So I decided to skip it, and tune in at 8:oo for the start of the game. Now, I'm no dummy; I realize that sporting events never start exactly when they say. There is always some intro, the starting lineups, national anthem (don't even get me started on the Chris Issac A Capella version last night), etc. But last night went to new extremes in my experience. 8:54. That is when the first pitch was! I sat there for nearly an hour watching pregame stuff I purposely chose to skip, constantly thinking the first pitch would be right around the corner. Hell, it took 12 minutes just to announce the rosters. New rule: A sporting event may not start later than 20 minutes past its scheduled time.
On to the game. I really thought the NL had a chance to win their first game in a decade. Add that losing streak to the fact that the All Star game is no longer just an exhibition, with the winner gaining home field advantage in the World Series, and you have a lot of pressure on the NL to win. That pressure should not exist in any All Star game. Which brings me to that joke of a rule which gives home field to the winner. This all came about after the All Star game ended in a tie a few years ago. I have one simple question to ask: What is the big deal?! Why must an exhibition game have a winner? Isn't this game for the fans to recognize the game's top performers? Why must there always be a winner in this society? Ok, so that was actually like four questions; some not so simple. But really, it doesn't make sense to me to give the winner of an exhibition match an advantage in the most important series of the season. The vast majority of the players involved in the decision won't even be able to redeem their reward in the World Series. And vice versa; many players in the World Series will have had no say in who has home field advantage. New (old) rule: The team with the best regular season record earns (and actually does earn) home field advantage in the World Series. And in the case where the two pennant winners played in interleague play, then the winner of that series should get home field.
Despite the fact that I have made it abundantly clear that it is asinine to have a meaningless game mean something, it is still important to win the game. NL skipper, Tony LaRussa, made a couple bone-headed moves in my opinion. First, he had Barry Bonds batting second in the lineup. I am by no means a Bonds fan, but I do think he deserved to be in the game because he is still a very dangerous power hitter. That being the case, there was no reason he shouldn't have been hitting cleanup. On top of that, he is about the worst person I can think of to put in that spot. While giving Bonds a few extra hundred home runs in his career, steroids appear to have taken any and all speed this guy used to have. And you don't want your 2-hole hitter who can run, clogging up the bases. Which is exactly what Bonds would have done, had he actually gotten on base. The other move by LaRussa came in the bottom of the ninth, the NL down by one run and down to their final out. Aaron Rowand steps to the plate with the bases loaded and Albert Pujols on the bench, yet to get into the game. Obviously, being a Philly guy, I would have loved to see someone from the Phils win the game for the NL, but I'm not stupid. Pujols is one of the top 5 hitters in all of baseball. AND, LaRussa is his own coach back in St. Louis. LaRussa has gone on record saying that he was saving his guy in case the game went long. My comment to that is: If you don't get a hit right there at that point, the game is over. I hate when managers/coaches, in any sport, conserve/save someone or something for "a future critical time," instead of using them/it during the critical moment they immediately face. New Rule: No player chosen to the All Star team should sit on the bench the whole game. I know this is professional sports, not intramurals, but its ridiculous. Which brings us back to why the All Star game should not count towards anything other than pleasing the fans.
Looking through the guide on my TV, I saw that pregame started at 7:30 and the game started at 8:00. Most of that pregame stuff doesn't really interest me, seeing as how everything has been covered in the days leading up to the game. So I decided to skip it, and tune in at 8:oo for the start of the game. Now, I'm no dummy; I realize that sporting events never start exactly when they say. There is always some intro, the starting lineups, national anthem (don't even get me started on the Chris Issac A Capella version last night), etc. But last night went to new extremes in my experience. 8:54. That is when the first pitch was! I sat there for nearly an hour watching pregame stuff I purposely chose to skip, constantly thinking the first pitch would be right around the corner. Hell, it took 12 minutes just to announce the rosters. New rule: A sporting event may not start later than 20 minutes past its scheduled time.
On to the game. I really thought the NL had a chance to win their first game in a decade. Add that losing streak to the fact that the All Star game is no longer just an exhibition, with the winner gaining home field advantage in the World Series, and you have a lot of pressure on the NL to win. That pressure should not exist in any All Star game. Which brings me to that joke of a rule which gives home field to the winner. This all came about after the All Star game ended in a tie a few years ago. I have one simple question to ask: What is the big deal?! Why must an exhibition game have a winner? Isn't this game for the fans to recognize the game's top performers? Why must there always be a winner in this society? Ok, so that was actually like four questions; some not so simple. But really, it doesn't make sense to me to give the winner of an exhibition match an advantage in the most important series of the season. The vast majority of the players involved in the decision won't even be able to redeem their reward in the World Series. And vice versa; many players in the World Series will have had no say in who has home field advantage. New (old) rule: The team with the best regular season record earns (and actually does earn) home field advantage in the World Series. And in the case where the two pennant winners played in interleague play, then the winner of that series should get home field.
Despite the fact that I have made it abundantly clear that it is asinine to have a meaningless game mean something, it is still important to win the game. NL skipper, Tony LaRussa, made a couple bone-headed moves in my opinion. First, he had Barry Bonds batting second in the lineup. I am by no means a Bonds fan, but I do think he deserved to be in the game because he is still a very dangerous power hitter. That being the case, there was no reason he shouldn't have been hitting cleanup. On top of that, he is about the worst person I can think of to put in that spot. While giving Bonds a few extra hundred home runs in his career, steroids appear to have taken any and all speed this guy used to have. And you don't want your 2-hole hitter who can run, clogging up the bases. Which is exactly what Bonds would have done, had he actually gotten on base. The other move by LaRussa came in the bottom of the ninth, the NL down by one run and down to their final out. Aaron Rowand steps to the plate with the bases loaded and Albert Pujols on the bench, yet to get into the game. Obviously, being a Philly guy, I would have loved to see someone from the Phils win the game for the NL, but I'm not stupid. Pujols is one of the top 5 hitters in all of baseball. AND, LaRussa is his own coach back in St. Louis. LaRussa has gone on record saying that he was saving his guy in case the game went long. My comment to that is: If you don't get a hit right there at that point, the game is over. I hate when managers/coaches, in any sport, conserve/save someone or something for "a future critical time," instead of using them/it during the critical moment they immediately face. New Rule: No player chosen to the All Star team should sit on the bench the whole game. I know this is professional sports, not intramurals, but its ridiculous. Which brings us back to why the All Star game should not count towards anything other than pleasing the fans.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Back, back, back, back...hope it's never GONE!
Even when my main man lay an egg, the MLB Homerun Derby is still a blast to watch. However, being the critical person that I am, I have a few complaints:
- Somehow, the MLB/ESPN managed to make Barry Bonds bigger than the game again. Before Magglio Ordonez began his swings for the fences, an interview with Barry Bonds was broadcast. And besides the fact that I hate hearing him drone on and on, his interview carried into Ordonez's turn at the plate. Granted they showed Magglio with only the audio of the Bonds interview, but hearing Chris Berman's "Back, back, back, back" is a large portion of the appeal of the Home Run Derby. Perhaps the biggest aspect that annoyed me was ESPN's actions showed they care more about Barry Bonds than the game. And this is a guy who has already gotten too much attention for his actions.
- Secondly, the Derby is just too long. I have no idea how to fix this but it remains an issue. I have read numerous ideas about how to shorten the game, and they all seem to be contrary to the purpose of the Derby. Those ideas, whether limiting the outs or limiting the number of pitches a player can take or limit the players involved, all end up limiting the amount of home runs hit - which if I'm not mistaken is the main purpose of the Home Run Derby.
Despite those issues I had with the Derby and its broadcast, it really is a fun event to watch. And there are so few events in sports today where the fun isn't overshadowed by the intensity. It was great watching David Ortiz call Vladimir Guerrero on his cell phone while Vlad was batting to tell him that it was the bat's fault he was struggling. And it was even better when Big Papi brought Vlad a new bat in a framed case. I love seeing players on both "teams" cheer and get excited over big homers. The Derby is one of the few opportunities in sports for players to just admire the skill of their piers.
Oh, and on a small side note, Vladimir Guerrero went on to win the Derby using the gift he received from Ortiz.
- Somehow, the MLB/ESPN managed to make Barry Bonds bigger than the game again. Before Magglio Ordonez began his swings for the fences, an interview with Barry Bonds was broadcast. And besides the fact that I hate hearing him drone on and on, his interview carried into Ordonez's turn at the plate. Granted they showed Magglio with only the audio of the Bonds interview, but hearing Chris Berman's "Back, back, back, back" is a large portion of the appeal of the Home Run Derby. Perhaps the biggest aspect that annoyed me was ESPN's actions showed they care more about Barry Bonds than the game. And this is a guy who has already gotten too much attention for his actions.
- Secondly, the Derby is just too long. I have no idea how to fix this but it remains an issue. I have read numerous ideas about how to shorten the game, and they all seem to be contrary to the purpose of the Derby. Those ideas, whether limiting the outs or limiting the number of pitches a player can take or limit the players involved, all end up limiting the amount of home runs hit - which if I'm not mistaken is the main purpose of the Home Run Derby.
Despite those issues I had with the Derby and its broadcast, it really is a fun event to watch. And there are so few events in sports today where the fun isn't overshadowed by the intensity. It was great watching David Ortiz call Vladimir Guerrero on his cell phone while Vlad was batting to tell him that it was the bat's fault he was struggling. And it was even better when Big Papi brought Vlad a new bat in a framed case. I love seeing players on both "teams" cheer and get excited over big homers. The Derby is one of the few opportunities in sports for players to just admire the skill of their piers.
Oh, and on a small side note, Vladimir Guerrero went on to win the Derby using the gift he received from Ortiz.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Goodbye to a legend
After 18 years, Dan Patrick has left ESPN. I'm not totally sure why, but this really upsets me. Sure he was, by far, my favorite sports anchor on the station. But I don't even watch ESPN that much anymore. When I did watch ESPN on a consistent basis, I always thought he had the perfect balance of comedy and professionalism. And that balance is even harder to find in todays sportscasters. In fact, it's almost impossible to find anybody talk about sports who can make you laugh, relay the information, and hold a serious conversation with an athlete, or anybody for that matter. Only a few other sportscasters/anchors come to mind that matched Patrick's style and skill. One being Keith Olbermann, who has since gone on to host "Countdown with Keith Olbermann;" a countdown on the days current events with a bit of a comedic twist. Another is Chris Berman, who thankfully is still with ESPN. No one does highlights like this guy. In fact, I will be listening to him call the Home Run Derby in about two hours. Lastly, the only other person I can think of who matched Patrick (as I write that Tony Kornheiser and Dan Wilbon come to mind as sports reporters who I admire) is a local guy: Michael Barkan. He's probably the most visible face in sports in the Philadelphia area; and for good reason. I now have one less reason to turn to ESPN for my sports news, as Stuart Scott and his lazy eye will probably get even more airtime.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
NFL Power Rankings are here!
It's never too early to start talking football. So, here they are: my first edition of NFL power rankings.
1. New England Patriots - Last year they were one bad half away from another Super Bowl. And that was with the equivalent of the Three Stooges at receiver. This offseason, the Pats were more active than anyone. Adding Adalius Thomas on the defense gives the most creative defensive mind in the game, Bill Belichick, the most versatile weapon in the game. Oh, and the Pats also completely revamped their receiving core by adding Dante Stallworth, Wes Welker, and Randy Moss.
2. San Diego Chargers - This team simply has too much talent to be any lower. I am a little concerned about the change in coaching staff, but Marty was a waste when it mattered most anyway. Phillip Rivers should only continue to get better in his second full season.
3. Baltimore Ravens - I wanted to put the Colts here, but I really like the addition of Willis McGahee at RB. Losing Adalius Thomas will hurt, but this defense is still the best in the game; and defense still wins championships
4. Indianapolis Colts - I know, what am I thinking has the Super Bowl champs ranked as the fourth best team in the league? Well, I'm simply not convinced that defense is as good as the unit who put on an "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" act during last year's playoffs. Enough can never be said of Peyton Manning, but that defense was atrocious las season for a reason. They were very talented and they got worse this past offseason.
5. New Orleans Saints - Finally an NFC team. This offense is almost as fun to watch as the Colts'. And with Drew Brees a full season removed from shoulder surgery and Reggie Bush with a full season of experience under his belt, they may be even better this year. If the defense can match the yeomen work they did last year, then last year will be proven to be no fluke.
6. Philadelphia Eagles - A healthy Donovan McNabb will lead what has become one the best offenses in the game. And a healthy Jevon Kearse, along with key additions at linebacker and defensive line, should greatly improve a defense that vastly underperformed last season. If Andy Reid continues the balanced offense that prevailed when Jeff Garcia took over for an injured McNabb, the Eagles could easily be the NFC favorite.
7. Denver Broncos - I'm not ready to crown Jay Cutler as the next John Elway, but he certainly looked better than Jake Plummer in his limited experience. Combine that improvement with at the most important position with a solid running game and defense, and you've got a playoff team with the potential to do damage when they get there.
8. Chicago Bears - Defending Super Bowl champs at #4 and the defending NFC champs at #8? What's with this guy? Nothing, I was just never a believer of this team, and all the offseason issues they've had with Tank Johnson and Lance Briggs will not help. Not to mention they lost their defensive coordinator. And I am not a believer in Rex Grossman or that offense in general, especially after letting Thomas Jones walk to New York. But in a weak NFC, and even weaker NFC North, the Bears should cruise to the playoffs again.
9. Cincinnati Bengals - They look like they've gotten a few of their off the field problems resolved and Carson Palmer still leads one of the best offenses in the AFC. It's time for that young defense to step up and play well on a consistent basis.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jags return an absolutely fantastic defense. And the emergence as Maurice Jones-Drew as a game breaking back adds an explosive element to that offense. If they can get reliable play from the QB position, the Jags will be dangerous.
11. Dallas Cowboys - The 'boys have a new coach who still will not be able to control T.O. However, that will not be their biggest concern. First, Tony Romo showed major signs of coming back to earth the latter part of the season. Second, that defense completely imploded around the same time. If no one other than DeMarcus Spears can make plays on defense, its going to be a long season. But again, the NFC hides a lot of weaknesses.
12. New York Jets - The Jets outperformed everyone's expectations last year by being unspectacular in every aspect of the game. However, they remind a lot of their coach's mentor's team, the Patriots. And that means that last year was no fluke. By adding Thomas Jones behind a young and talented offensive line, look for the Jets to be a difficult team to play against once again.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers - This team fell so hard so fast las season its easy to forget about them. Its a lot like what happend to the Eagles after their Super Bowl loss in 2004: they had a lot of things go wrong in 2005 and were able to start fresh in 2006 and return to the playoffs. The Steelers are still a solid team and should bounce back well. But they are in a tough division and conference.
14. Seattle Seahawks - Their division will be much tougher this season. And Shaun Alexander is still having foot problems apparently. But they are a solid team on both sides of the ball, and should have one more season before the rest of the west catches up with them.
15. Carolina Panthers - Aside from the Saints, the Panthers are suddenly in a weak division. DeAngelo Hall, barring injuries, should be ready to take control of that offense. And that defense is still very talented. They just need some help from the offense.
16. Buffalo Bills - JP Losman started to show some real signs of progressing and gelling with Lee Evans last season. Rookie Marshaun Lynch should be able to make up for some of the offense McGahee is taking with him to Baltimore. The Bills boast a young aggressive defense and they still have a dangerous special teams unit that is second possibly only to the Bears
17. St. Louis Rams - The Rams have the most underrated QB in the game. Marc Bulger continues to hit targets Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, and Stephen Jackson has emerged as one of the top 5 weapons in the game. I have faith that Coach Linehan can continue to improve that defense.
18. Arizona Cardinals - While I like the direction this team is going, I have made the mistake too many times in recent years thinking they would have a breakout year. The weapons are there on both sides of the ball, but they still lack the skill where it counts: in the trenches on offensive and defensive line.
19. SanFransico 49ers - Much like the Cardinals, the Niners are heading in the right direction, but are not quite there yet. Watch out for Vernon Davis though; he is poised for a big year after being injured much of his rookie year.
20. Green Bay Packers - If the Packers don't get it done this year, it may be a few years before they do. I still believe that, given the right tools, Brett Favre can lead the Pack to the playoffs. Being in the NFC North always helps too.
21. New York Giants - This team is on the edge of a very high cliff. If they couldn't do better than 8-8 with Tiki Barber, it could be scary how bad they do this year. Unless Eli Manning can make the progress he has thus far shown he is incapable of doing, the Giants have no hope in a relatively strong NFC East.
22. Detroit Lions - With the addition of Calvin Johnson, the Lions will have one of the best offenses in the NFC. But what has that defense done to show they can improve as a team?
23. Tennessee Titans - I buy the Vince Young hype; but not as much as the Titans front office. The rookie QB did an amazing job leading a team with very little talent on offense, and they let some of that talent walk away this offseason. That defense is still a work in progress.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - This may be my worst positioning in all the rankings if all the talent on this team can stay healthy and play together. The offense has many weapons with a QB in Jeff Garcia who knows how to use it. And the defense is getting a little younger, but still has the veteran leadership.
25. Miami Dolphins - This team is a mess. And I totally do not buy that Trent Green is the answer; long term or short term. Did anyone else see him after he came back from injury and in the playoffs. Him and Herman Edwards set offensive football back 50 years.
26. Kansas City Chiefs - I repeat the last sentence I wrote. Now the team is getting older except at QB, where they will most likely go with the untested Brodie Croyle.
27. Atlanta Falcons - It doesn't matter how good your running game is. When you have the worst passing game in the league, your offense will not be successful. And with Michael Vick's continued immaturity, he will not be able to improve that.
28. Washington Redskins - Joe Gibbs should get out now. The game has passed him by. Clinton Portis continues to be hampered by injuries and I don't know where all the Jason Campbell hype came from.
29. Minnesota Vikings - There defense took some hits this offseason and QB Tavaris Jackson certainly didn't look like he was ready to take over the starting job last year. Chester Taylor and 1st round pick Adrian Peterson better get ready for a busy season, because they will be pounding the rock constantly.
30. Cleveland Browns - Will the Brady Quinn era start this year? That's about the only interesting story line coming out of Cleveland.
31. Houston Texans - I find it very funny that the Texans think that Matt Schaub is the answer at QB. While I feel he was an improvement over Vick in Atlanta, he was average at best in relief. And he doesn't exactly have the best supporting cast in Houston. But hey, this is the same team that picked Mario Williams over Reggie Bush and Vince Young.
32. Oakland Raiders - Despite a surprisingly good defense, this offense is so bad in all aspects that it might kill JaMarcus Russell's career before he even gets going.
1. New England Patriots - Last year they were one bad half away from another Super Bowl. And that was with the equivalent of the Three Stooges at receiver. This offseason, the Pats were more active than anyone. Adding Adalius Thomas on the defense gives the most creative defensive mind in the game, Bill Belichick, the most versatile weapon in the game. Oh, and the Pats also completely revamped their receiving core by adding Dante Stallworth, Wes Welker, and Randy Moss.
2. San Diego Chargers - This team simply has too much talent to be any lower. I am a little concerned about the change in coaching staff, but Marty was a waste when it mattered most anyway. Phillip Rivers should only continue to get better in his second full season.
3. Baltimore Ravens - I wanted to put the Colts here, but I really like the addition of Willis McGahee at RB. Losing Adalius Thomas will hurt, but this defense is still the best in the game; and defense still wins championships
4. Indianapolis Colts - I know, what am I thinking has the Super Bowl champs ranked as the fourth best team in the league? Well, I'm simply not convinced that defense is as good as the unit who put on an "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" act during last year's playoffs. Enough can never be said of Peyton Manning, but that defense was atrocious las season for a reason. They were very talented and they got worse this past offseason.
5. New Orleans Saints - Finally an NFC team. This offense is almost as fun to watch as the Colts'. And with Drew Brees a full season removed from shoulder surgery and Reggie Bush with a full season of experience under his belt, they may be even better this year. If the defense can match the yeomen work they did last year, then last year will be proven to be no fluke.
6. Philadelphia Eagles - A healthy Donovan McNabb will lead what has become one the best offenses in the game. And a healthy Jevon Kearse, along with key additions at linebacker and defensive line, should greatly improve a defense that vastly underperformed last season. If Andy Reid continues the balanced offense that prevailed when Jeff Garcia took over for an injured McNabb, the Eagles could easily be the NFC favorite.
7. Denver Broncos - I'm not ready to crown Jay Cutler as the next John Elway, but he certainly looked better than Jake Plummer in his limited experience. Combine that improvement with at the most important position with a solid running game and defense, and you've got a playoff team with the potential to do damage when they get there.
8. Chicago Bears - Defending Super Bowl champs at #4 and the defending NFC champs at #8? What's with this guy? Nothing, I was just never a believer of this team, and all the offseason issues they've had with Tank Johnson and Lance Briggs will not help. Not to mention they lost their defensive coordinator. And I am not a believer in Rex Grossman or that offense in general, especially after letting Thomas Jones walk to New York. But in a weak NFC, and even weaker NFC North, the Bears should cruise to the playoffs again.
9. Cincinnati Bengals - They look like they've gotten a few of their off the field problems resolved and Carson Palmer still leads one of the best offenses in the AFC. It's time for that young defense to step up and play well on a consistent basis.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jags return an absolutely fantastic defense. And the emergence as Maurice Jones-Drew as a game breaking back adds an explosive element to that offense. If they can get reliable play from the QB position, the Jags will be dangerous.
11. Dallas Cowboys - The 'boys have a new coach who still will not be able to control T.O. However, that will not be their biggest concern. First, Tony Romo showed major signs of coming back to earth the latter part of the season. Second, that defense completely imploded around the same time. If no one other than DeMarcus Spears can make plays on defense, its going to be a long season. But again, the NFC hides a lot of weaknesses.
12. New York Jets - The Jets outperformed everyone's expectations last year by being unspectacular in every aspect of the game. However, they remind a lot of their coach's mentor's team, the Patriots. And that means that last year was no fluke. By adding Thomas Jones behind a young and talented offensive line, look for the Jets to be a difficult team to play against once again.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers - This team fell so hard so fast las season its easy to forget about them. Its a lot like what happend to the Eagles after their Super Bowl loss in 2004: they had a lot of things go wrong in 2005 and were able to start fresh in 2006 and return to the playoffs. The Steelers are still a solid team and should bounce back well. But they are in a tough division and conference.
14. Seattle Seahawks - Their division will be much tougher this season. And Shaun Alexander is still having foot problems apparently. But they are a solid team on both sides of the ball, and should have one more season before the rest of the west catches up with them.
15. Carolina Panthers - Aside from the Saints, the Panthers are suddenly in a weak division. DeAngelo Hall, barring injuries, should be ready to take control of that offense. And that defense is still very talented. They just need some help from the offense.
16. Buffalo Bills - JP Losman started to show some real signs of progressing and gelling with Lee Evans last season. Rookie Marshaun Lynch should be able to make up for some of the offense McGahee is taking with him to Baltimore. The Bills boast a young aggressive defense and they still have a dangerous special teams unit that is second possibly only to the Bears
17. St. Louis Rams - The Rams have the most underrated QB in the game. Marc Bulger continues to hit targets Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, and Stephen Jackson has emerged as one of the top 5 weapons in the game. I have faith that Coach Linehan can continue to improve that defense.
18. Arizona Cardinals - While I like the direction this team is going, I have made the mistake too many times in recent years thinking they would have a breakout year. The weapons are there on both sides of the ball, but they still lack the skill where it counts: in the trenches on offensive and defensive line.
19. SanFransico 49ers - Much like the Cardinals, the Niners are heading in the right direction, but are not quite there yet. Watch out for Vernon Davis though; he is poised for a big year after being injured much of his rookie year.
20. Green Bay Packers - If the Packers don't get it done this year, it may be a few years before they do. I still believe that, given the right tools, Brett Favre can lead the Pack to the playoffs. Being in the NFC North always helps too.
21. New York Giants - This team is on the edge of a very high cliff. If they couldn't do better than 8-8 with Tiki Barber, it could be scary how bad they do this year. Unless Eli Manning can make the progress he has thus far shown he is incapable of doing, the Giants have no hope in a relatively strong NFC East.
22. Detroit Lions - With the addition of Calvin Johnson, the Lions will have one of the best offenses in the NFC. But what has that defense done to show they can improve as a team?
23. Tennessee Titans - I buy the Vince Young hype; but not as much as the Titans front office. The rookie QB did an amazing job leading a team with very little talent on offense, and they let some of that talent walk away this offseason. That defense is still a work in progress.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - This may be my worst positioning in all the rankings if all the talent on this team can stay healthy and play together. The offense has many weapons with a QB in Jeff Garcia who knows how to use it. And the defense is getting a little younger, but still has the veteran leadership.
25. Miami Dolphins - This team is a mess. And I totally do not buy that Trent Green is the answer; long term or short term. Did anyone else see him after he came back from injury and in the playoffs. Him and Herman Edwards set offensive football back 50 years.
26. Kansas City Chiefs - I repeat the last sentence I wrote. Now the team is getting older except at QB, where they will most likely go with the untested Brodie Croyle.
27. Atlanta Falcons - It doesn't matter how good your running game is. When you have the worst passing game in the league, your offense will not be successful. And with Michael Vick's continued immaturity, he will not be able to improve that.
28. Washington Redskins - Joe Gibbs should get out now. The game has passed him by. Clinton Portis continues to be hampered by injuries and I don't know where all the Jason Campbell hype came from.
29. Minnesota Vikings - There defense took some hits this offseason and QB Tavaris Jackson certainly didn't look like he was ready to take over the starting job last year. Chester Taylor and 1st round pick Adrian Peterson better get ready for a busy season, because they will be pounding the rock constantly.
30. Cleveland Browns - Will the Brady Quinn era start this year? That's about the only interesting story line coming out of Cleveland.
31. Houston Texans - I find it very funny that the Texans think that Matt Schaub is the answer at QB. While I feel he was an improvement over Vick in Atlanta, he was average at best in relief. And he doesn't exactly have the best supporting cast in Houston. But hey, this is the same team that picked Mario Williams over Reggie Bush and Vince Young.
32. Oakland Raiders - Despite a surprisingly good defense, this offense is so bad in all aspects that it might kill JaMarcus Russell's career before he even gets going.
Friday, July 6, 2007
10,000
10,000. It's a number that everyone around here is talking about. It refers to the historical number of losses the Philadelphia Phillies are approaching in the 120-some odd years of their existence. At the time this is being written, the number stands at 9,997. And probably shortly after the All Star break (if they it doesn't happen this weekend against the Rockies) they will be the first franchise in all of sports to reach that "milestone." While this obviously shows that the Phils have been a pretty mediocre franchise, the number really shouldn't have so much meaning today. Here's why:
- First of all, it is really kind of pointless to add "...in all of sports" to the statement "first franchise ever." No other sport comes close to the history of baseball. It's called America's pastime for a reason. When the Phillies played their first game in 1883 the population of Philadelphia was about 900,000, and the country was still recovering from the Civil War. That is a long time to accumulate losses for any franchise. Now, if any other sport played as many games per year, for as many years, as baseball then it would be more meaningful.
- The Phillies aren't that far in "front" of the competition. The Atlanta Braves are in 2nd place on the all time losses list with 9,677. Granted, the Braves have been around longer, but the Braves are widely considered a much much better franchise.
- And finally, while all those losses are contributed to one official franchise, there have been countless different teams and a number of different owners, presidents, managers, and coaches. This current rendition of the Phils has indeed contributed to the loss total, but they have so little to do with the total number, it doesn't even make sense to connect the two entities.
Yes, the Phillies have been a pretty dreadful franchise, but what does it have to do with the here and now? Not much. The number that should be concentrated on is one - as in one championship in 124 years. But not in the terms of success or failure; rather in terms of statistical improbability. Odds tell us that the Phils should've won about four rings in their history, just by chance. Now that's interesting. What's even more interesting is the fact that the city of Philadelphia has continued to stand behind this team throughout it all. Whatever number you want to use, 10,000 or 1, both numbers prove that Philadelphia has the best fans in sports, and we deserve a little slack when we boo, heckle, or throw snowballs at Santa.
- First of all, it is really kind of pointless to add "...in all of sports" to the statement "first franchise ever." No other sport comes close to the history of baseball. It's called America's pastime for a reason. When the Phillies played their first game in 1883 the population of Philadelphia was about 900,000, and the country was still recovering from the Civil War. That is a long time to accumulate losses for any franchise. Now, if any other sport played as many games per year, for as many years, as baseball then it would be more meaningful.
- The Phillies aren't that far in "front" of the competition. The Atlanta Braves are in 2nd place on the all time losses list with 9,677. Granted, the Braves have been around longer, but the Braves are widely considered a much much better franchise.
- And finally, while all those losses are contributed to one official franchise, there have been countless different teams and a number of different owners, presidents, managers, and coaches. This current rendition of the Phils has indeed contributed to the loss total, but they have so little to do with the total number, it doesn't even make sense to connect the two entities.
Yes, the Phillies have been a pretty dreadful franchise, but what does it have to do with the here and now? Not much. The number that should be concentrated on is one - as in one championship in 124 years. But not in the terms of success or failure; rather in terms of statistical improbability. Odds tell us that the Phils should've won about four rings in their history, just by chance. Now that's interesting. What's even more interesting is the fact that the city of Philadelphia has continued to stand behind this team throughout it all. Whatever number you want to use, 10,000 or 1, both numbers prove that Philadelphia has the best fans in sports, and we deserve a little slack when we boo, heckle, or throw snowballs at Santa.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
These ain't Clarkie's Flyers
As a huge hockey fan living in the Philadelphia area, the 2006-2007 NHL season was about the worst sporting experience of my life. Things got so bad, I would scower the national sports websites for their power rankings; praying that the Flyers would rise out of the last spot. On a couple occasions it did. And those were the best moments of the season. In case you missed it, the Flyers had the worst season in their franchise history, finishing with a league low 22-48-12 record for 56 points - 11 points worse than the next worse team. A couple weeks into the season, Bob Clarke resigned as GM and Ken Hitchcock got fired after the team achieved just one win in that time. You can't tell from the results of the rest of the season, but that was the moment when things took a turn for the better. Not exactly a sharp "youie," but a turn none the less. Paul Holmgren became the new GM and within a couple months began undoing the mistakes Clarke made coming out of the lockout. Like a gravitron, Holmgren began sending slow, ineffective players every which way in an attempt to evolve into a quick post-lockout team: Freddy Meyer to the Islanders for Alexi Zhitnik (who in turn was later traded to Atlanta for young, quick, big defenseman Braydon Coburn), Kyle Calder to Chicago for another young defenseman Lasse Kukkonen. Then the big move came: Peter Forsberg was traded to Nashville for a 1st round pick in the 2007 entry draft, Scottie Upshall, and Ryan Parent when it became apparent that the Flyers season was over and Peter could not give any assurance that he would play beyond the season due to injuries. The next day, the Flyers acquired Martin Biron from Buffalo for a second round pick in the 2007 draft in a deal that not only served to provide a solid goaltender, but also, we would soon find out, as a bargaining chip in acquiring top free agent center, and former roommate of Biron's, Daniel Briere.
Holmgren's genius didn't show through though until shortly after the Nashville Predator's season ended in the first round of the playoffs (about four months after the Flyer's ended). Realizing that the Predators were in dire financial straits, "Homer" sent a first round pick (the one he received in the Forsberg trade from the same Predators) to Nashville for the rights to soon-to-be unrestricted free agents Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell. Holmgen quickly negotiated 6-year deals for both players.
That brings us to the draft where the Flyers still had the number two overall pick, which they "earned" for their performance the preceding season. With the pick they chose big boy, James vanRiemsdyk. Shortly following the draft the Flyers entered free agency where they signed Briere, as previously mentioned, to an heavily front-loaded eight year deal. Holmgren then capped off (at least so far) the rebuilding offseason by trading much-maligned defenseman Joni Pitkanen to Edmonton, along with Geoff Sanderson and a third round pick in the 2009 draft, for Jason Smith and Joffrey Lupul.
So in less than a year as GM, Paul Holmgren, at least on paper, has simultaneously erased the damage Bob Clarke did after the lockout as well as built a team that looks to have a deadly mix of youth and veteran leadership (three of the new players are former captains), size, speed, skill, and grit. It's now up to coach John Stevens to throw all these puzzle pieces on the table and fit them together into a complete team. Judging by the way the team progressed late in the year, despite a lack of tools, and played very competitive under the first year coach, Stevens seems to be up for the challenge. And if he is, we may witness one of the most drastic turnarounds of any team in the history of sports.
Holmgren's genius didn't show through though until shortly after the Nashville Predator's season ended in the first round of the playoffs (about four months after the Flyer's ended). Realizing that the Predators were in dire financial straits, "Homer" sent a first round pick (the one he received in the Forsberg trade from the same Predators) to Nashville for the rights to soon-to-be unrestricted free agents Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell. Holmgen quickly negotiated 6-year deals for both players.
That brings us to the draft where the Flyers still had the number two overall pick, which they "earned" for their performance the preceding season. With the pick they chose big boy, James vanRiemsdyk. Shortly following the draft the Flyers entered free agency where they signed Briere, as previously mentioned, to an heavily front-loaded eight year deal. Holmgren then capped off (at least so far) the rebuilding offseason by trading much-maligned defenseman Joni Pitkanen to Edmonton, along with Geoff Sanderson and a third round pick in the 2009 draft, for Jason Smith and Joffrey Lupul.
So in less than a year as GM, Paul Holmgren, at least on paper, has simultaneously erased the damage Bob Clarke did after the lockout as well as built a team that looks to have a deadly mix of youth and veteran leadership (three of the new players are former captains), size, speed, skill, and grit. It's now up to coach John Stevens to throw all these puzzle pieces on the table and fit them together into a complete team. Judging by the way the team progressed late in the year, despite a lack of tools, and played very competitive under the first year coach, Stevens seems to be up for the challenge. And if he is, we may witness one of the most drastic turnarounds of any team in the history of sports.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Instant Replay in Baseball?!
It's time that people in baseball stop letting tradition ruin the game. Now, I'm all for recognizing baseball traditions; even more so in baseball than any other sport. But there's no sense in keeping out technological advancements because they didn't have it 120 years ago. Last night alone, there were two plays that cleary showed the need for instant replay in baseball; or at least some level of video review. In Detroit, a huge divisional match up between the Tigers and Cleveland Indians saw the Indians win by one run in extra innings. But the big play was in the 5th. Carlos Guillen singled with the bases loaded and Placido Polanco scored easily, but Gary Sheffield was called out sliding home. Now the play was very close, but why make the umpire make such a difficult call in a close game without the aid of any replay; replay which the rest of the world watching the game on TV has the benefit of seeing. Would the Tigers have won the game if they had been credited with that extra run in the fifth? Nobody can answer that, but why should the game be left with that question when the technology is readily available to assist in eliminating those questions.
While the game in Detroit is only left in question because of a tough call by the umpire, the game between the Phillies and Astros in Houston was simply blown because of a tough call. The situation: The Phils were winning by run in the bottom of the ninth, but the Astros had the bases loaded with only one out. The Phils desperately need a double play. What happens next? Nothing other than a ground ball to shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Right from the beginning it looked like a textbook double play. However, first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Chase Utley's throw relay to first was not in time and the run scored, tying the game at four. Now, yes, it was a close call at first, but not nearly as close as, say, the play in Detroit. And replay cleary showed the ball arriving with in Ryan Howard's glove with "plenty" of time to spare. Simply put, the game should have been over right there; the Phils being 4-3 winners. However, instead, the game heads to extra innings, and the 'Stros win it with a walk-off homer by Hunter Pence in the bottom of the thirteenth.
Now, baseball does not need replay to review every close play and every close ball and strike, but there are numerous close plays every night that could, or do, have an impact on the outcome of the game. How do they determine which are the "big" plays that require replay? Beats me, I'm not smart enough to firgure that one out. But I am smart enough to see that too many games are decided by a human being judging differences of fractions of a second with nothing but the naked eye and ear. These ball players work too hard to see the game turn on a single play all because the league, and traditional fans, feel that instant replay would somehow damage the purity of the game. And I'm not even going to go into how steroids have done nothing to damage the purity of the game
While the game in Detroit is only left in question because of a tough call by the umpire, the game between the Phillies and Astros in Houston was simply blown because of a tough call. The situation: The Phils were winning by run in the bottom of the ninth, but the Astros had the bases loaded with only one out. The Phils desperately need a double play. What happens next? Nothing other than a ground ball to shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Right from the beginning it looked like a textbook double play. However, first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Chase Utley's throw relay to first was not in time and the run scored, tying the game at four. Now, yes, it was a close call at first, but not nearly as close as, say, the play in Detroit. And replay cleary showed the ball arriving with in Ryan Howard's glove with "plenty" of time to spare. Simply put, the game should have been over right there; the Phils being 4-3 winners. However, instead, the game heads to extra innings, and the 'Stros win it with a walk-off homer by Hunter Pence in the bottom of the thirteenth.
Now, baseball does not need replay to review every close play and every close ball and strike, but there are numerous close plays every night that could, or do, have an impact on the outcome of the game. How do they determine which are the "big" plays that require replay? Beats me, I'm not smart enough to firgure that one out. But I am smart enough to see that too many games are decided by a human being judging differences of fractions of a second with nothing but the naked eye and ear. These ball players work too hard to see the game turn on a single play all because the league, and traditional fans, feel that instant replay would somehow damage the purity of the game. And I'm not even going to go into how steroids have done nothing to damage the purity of the game
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
The Intro
So what is this? This is me giving in and joining the masses; like I usually do with everything. Remember Xanga? Well, I finally signed up for that about a week before it stopped be popular. Facebook? Same thing. I still have a MySpace, but I barely use it. And now, I have a blog. We shall see how long I use it. I like to think this will be different however because of the content: Sports. This blog is my way to talk about sports in a semi-formal way and pretend that I am a sports writer for some big newspaper or magazine. You see, I love sports. I love everything about them. I try to play, but in the grand scheme of things I....well....suck. This blog will invariably focus on Philadelphia sports, because that's where my heart is, but it might also touch on everything from high school to college to pros and local to regional to national and to international. Stay tuned; more to come (content that actually has to do with sports).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)