Ok, so they don't suck. But there is a lot of trepidation that they will duplicate their 10 game winless streak from last year coming out of the All-Star break.
There seems to be a consensus that the main reason the Flyers are struggling (Or possibly will be struggling) is a lack of effort/energy/enthusiasm/hard work/etc. And while, at times, I can see that as a problem, I see something much more concrete. And perhaps cliche.
The Flyers struggle because they don't execute. Passes are off the mark - most often into a teammates skates; pucks are sliding off a player's stick as they go to shoot or pass; pucks bounce away from players. To put it simply, they just aren't as sharp as they were when they were winning consistently. It's a hard thing to notice to the untrained eye (Yeah, the guy who's never worn a pair of ice skates has a "trained" eye), but at the NHL level, being a "tad off" is often the difference between winning and losing.
I find it hard to believe that this team isn't working hard enough. In hockey, a team follows their captain more than any other sport. And Mike Richards is shaping up to be a fantastic captain. Based on how hard he works, the team follows suit. It also helps that he has a handful of teammates who are natural leaders and hard workers. Work ethic is not the issue with this team.
There is one area that they do appear to be getting lazy in; decision making. I think that because of the success they've had earlier this season, certain players have become a little too comfortable with the puck. Jeff Carter's line is a prime example. I could see around the turn of the calendar year that, despite their amazing success together, a slump was coming. How could I tell? They were getting too cute with the puck. They were trying to make the pretty play. At the time, it was still working. But now it's not. That line needs to get back to the basics by just getting the puck to the net.
While they have not played terribly lately, they are losing games they shouldn't lose. And, quite frankly, they can't afford to lose out on these points with the competition the way it is in the East. The Flyers need to break out of this mini-funk they're in before it turns into a season altering funk. Despite the streak last year, they still made the playoffs, and made a nice run in the playoffs. But they lost out on home ice advantage. And judging by how well some of the teams in the East are playing at home this year, they will need it this time around.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
There Is No Fate in Sports
The Eagles can't keep the fans' feelings of invincibility, from the Phillies' title, alive.
Fate. Destiny. Meant to be. These, along with countless other cliches, seem to be used to describe at least one team's success every year in every sport. Unfortunately none of it exists. As was proven in the NFC Championship on Sunday, the better team that day will win. Period.
Philadelphia fans saw something extraordinary this fall. By now the Phillies' story is well known. Throughout the month of October, fans invested more and more emotion into their sports team. And for the first time in 25 years, they weren't let down. First the first time in my life (Coincidentally, I'm 25 years old), I now knew I wasn't always going to be doomed to the "Close, but no cigar."
And then when everything line up perfectly for the Eagles on the final day of the regular season, in order for them to make the playoffs, things seemed destined. Things seemed even more destined when we found out that the only thing between the Birds and the Super Bowl were the Arizona Cardinals; the same Cardinals the Eagles crushed on Thanksgiving Night; the same Cardinals who's championship drought dwarfs that of the Eagles.
Before the Phillies' breaking through in October, I'd view this past Eagles game with a certain degree of trepidation. But things are different now. I went all out, emotionally, on this one. Because of the Phillies, this Eagles team appeared destined to do something special as well. Lesson learned; games, and championships especially, are won on the field (or ice or court), not in the "heavens."
Fate. Destiny. Meant to be. These, along with countless other cliches, seem to be used to describe at least one team's success every year in every sport. Unfortunately none of it exists. As was proven in the NFC Championship on Sunday, the better team that day will win. Period.
Philadelphia fans saw something extraordinary this fall. By now the Phillies' story is well known. Throughout the month of October, fans invested more and more emotion into their sports team. And for the first time in 25 years, they weren't let down. First the first time in my life (Coincidentally, I'm 25 years old), I now knew I wasn't always going to be doomed to the "Close, but no cigar."
And then when everything line up perfectly for the Eagles on the final day of the regular season, in order for them to make the playoffs, things seemed destined. Things seemed even more destined when we found out that the only thing between the Birds and the Super Bowl were the Arizona Cardinals; the same Cardinals the Eagles crushed on Thanksgiving Night; the same Cardinals who's championship drought dwarfs that of the Eagles.
Before the Phillies' breaking through in October, I'd view this past Eagles game with a certain degree of trepidation. But things are different now. I went all out, emotionally, on this one. Because of the Phillies, this Eagles team appeared destined to do something special as well. Lesson learned; games, and championships especially, are won on the field (or ice or court), not in the "heavens."
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Another Reason to Lose Respect for Malkin (And ESPN)
Apparently the two Russian stars' friendship is on the ropes. And ESPN thinks this is something we should all know.
That's right; according to this ESPN article NHL stars, and Russian natives, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin are feuding. To summarize (and to not subject anyone to actually having to read ESPN's article), the friendship is being strained because Malkin does not like how physical Ovechkin plays against him when their two teams meet.
Get ready for the worst quote by a hockey player ever. "Ovechkin is a great player, but every time he hits me -- I don't know why," Malkin said. Hey Geno (A nickname his teammates gave him), hockey is a physical game. Hitting is part of the game. And for Ovechkin, hitting hard is part of his game. That is what makes him the most dominant player in the world (That, and the enormous amount of talent he's been gifted with). He's not afraid to throw his weight around.
Now, Malkin is either necessarily. I've seen him throw a number of solid hits that lead to scoring chances. So, Malkin is apparently fine with the physical part of the game except when it's done to him, especially by his friends. I wonder if he expects Ovechkin to take it easy on him when their teams play each other.
For all the talent that Malkin has, he continues to show me he doesn't have the toughness to be an all-time great. From his running away from Russia to play in the NHL, we saw his selfishness. From his increasingly shrinking role in the playoffs last year, we saw that he doesn't have the desire to win as much as his teammate Sidney Crosby (Or Ovechkin for that matter). And from this story, we know he expects certain opponents to take it easy on him. Granted, being barely old enough to drink, maybe Malkin has yet grow into the great leader that his talent suggests he should be. But the two other players mentioned above, both similar ages, have already shown their ability to be complete players and leaders.
That's right; according to this ESPN article NHL stars, and Russian natives, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin are feuding. To summarize (and to not subject anyone to actually having to read ESPN's article), the friendship is being strained because Malkin does not like how physical Ovechkin plays against him when their two teams meet.
Get ready for the worst quote by a hockey player ever. "Ovechkin is a great player, but every time he hits me -- I don't know why," Malkin said. Hey Geno (A nickname his teammates gave him), hockey is a physical game. Hitting is part of the game. And for Ovechkin, hitting hard is part of his game. That is what makes him the most dominant player in the world (That, and the enormous amount of talent he's been gifted with). He's not afraid to throw his weight around.
Now, Malkin is either necessarily. I've seen him throw a number of solid hits that lead to scoring chances. So, Malkin is apparently fine with the physical part of the game except when it's done to him, especially by his friends. I wonder if he expects Ovechkin to take it easy on him when their teams play each other.
For all the talent that Malkin has, he continues to show me he doesn't have the toughness to be an all-time great. From his running away from Russia to play in the NHL, we saw his selfishness. From his increasingly shrinking role in the playoffs last year, we saw that he doesn't have the desire to win as much as his teammate Sidney Crosby (Or Ovechkin for that matter). And from this story, we know he expects certain opponents to take it easy on him. Granted, being barely old enough to drink, maybe Malkin has yet grow into the great leader that his talent suggests he should be. But the two other players mentioned above, both similar ages, have already shown their ability to be complete players and leaders.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Playoff Beards
The Eagles may be succeeding right now on the football field, but they are failing when it comes to instituting the playoff beard.
When I look back on my posts (which won't take that long considering my lack of activity over the past year), and I see a post labeled "Playoff Beards," I will no doubt think the post is about hockey. And I'm sure I'll get a couple of poor Google users to waste a minute of their time. But this issue is bugging me.
When the Eagles began their improbable (and unfinished) run to, and through, the playoffs, the players and coaches started growing facial hair in an effort to create some team unity. As dumb as that might sound to some, it's been done for years; most notably in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And I think it is one of the coolest things about hockey.
The Eagles are doing it wrong.
- First, defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, who I really respect, shaved after the Birds' week 16 loss to the Redskins. I know all appeared lost at that point, but when you start something like this, you don't stop until your season is over (Officially).
- Second, some players aren't doing it. What?! I don't care if you can't grow a beard. You try. That is part of the fun of it; making fun of the baby faces.
- Don't trim the beard; too many players have goatees, chin straps, and generally well groomed facial hair. This tradition is not about style or looks. In fact, it is almost totally about the opposite. Everyone looks like crap. But everyone looks like crap together, as a team.
- I heard someone call WIP today and suggest that everyone in the City start their beards. No. You can't start two weeks into the playoffs, and even worse, over a month after the official start.
It was a nice attempt by the Eagles, and some have done it very nicely (*clears throat* Andy Reid). And in the end, it appears to have had the desired effect. But maybe a crazy tradition like this should be left to the experts of crazy traditions (Hockey players, for those not following).
When I look back on my posts (which won't take that long considering my lack of activity over the past year), and I see a post labeled "Playoff Beards," I will no doubt think the post is about hockey. And I'm sure I'll get a couple of poor Google users to waste a minute of their time. But this issue is bugging me.
When the Eagles began their improbable (and unfinished) run to, and through, the playoffs, the players and coaches started growing facial hair in an effort to create some team unity. As dumb as that might sound to some, it's been done for years; most notably in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And I think it is one of the coolest things about hockey.
The Eagles are doing it wrong.
- First, defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, who I really respect, shaved after the Birds' week 16 loss to the Redskins. I know all appeared lost at that point, but when you start something like this, you don't stop until your season is over (Officially).
- Second, some players aren't doing it. What?! I don't care if you can't grow a beard. You try. That is part of the fun of it; making fun of the baby faces.
- Don't trim the beard; too many players have goatees, chin straps, and generally well groomed facial hair. This tradition is not about style or looks. In fact, it is almost totally about the opposite. Everyone looks like crap. But everyone looks like crap together, as a team.
- I heard someone call WIP today and suggest that everyone in the City start their beards. No. You can't start two weeks into the playoffs, and even worse, over a month after the official start.
It was a nice attempt by the Eagles, and some have done it very nicely (*clears throat* Andy Reid). And in the end, it appears to have had the desired effect. But maybe a crazy tradition like this should be left to the experts of crazy traditions (Hockey players, for those not following).
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Game 3: Are you confident?
So the World Series is coming back to Philly tied at a game a piece. This was the goal right? To get a split in Tampa? Then why do feel so uncomfortable about where this series is going? Maybe it's because I'm used to seeing Philly teams come up oh so short. Maybe it's something much more tangible; like the pitching (mis)matchup for game three. However, I think it's because the Phils appear to be in one of their offensive ruts that have plagued them this season, and it couldn't have come at a worse time.
I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority in thinking that Jamie Moyer will have a strong bounce back performance tonight in game 3. But the Rays have arguably their best pitcher, in Matt Garza, going against him. Garza, like the Phillies best pitcher Hamels, was the LCS MVP for the Rays. And that is not good news for an offense that has been absoluetly atrocious at hitting with runners in scoring position. 1 for 28 is not just bad, it's epic-ly bad. And it's not just hitting with runners in scoring position. It's simply putting the ball in play with runners at third and less than two outs. Game 1 was a 3-2 win by the Phils, but it easily could have 5 or 6 to 2 without getting a single extra hit. Same situation in game 2. With the score 3 or 4 to nothing, the Phillies had a runner on third with less than two outs in 3 straight innings. They failed to get the man home every time. You put the ball in play in those situations, and it's very conceivable that it's completely different game. And this without improving that RISP stat one bit.
Now back to Moyer. There's no way getting around it; Moyer has not looked good in his two playoff starts. But for some reason, I'm strangely oppomistic he'll have a strong start. Let's not forget Moyer won 16 games this year and was the Phils most consistent pitcher at times this year. He's been in the league forever, and the only way you stay in the league as long as he has is by being able to bounce back from tough starts. But there is a bigger reason for opptimism: the matchup. I look at the Rays, and I see a lot of similarities to the Florida Marlins; a team that is young, aggresive, and can hit the ball with the best of them. But the downside to that is that they are young and aggresive. What?! Moyer has dominated the Marlins in his career because he has been able to use that aggressiveness against them. His array of breaking and offspeed pitches are especially effective when the hitters are looking to pound the ball, and will expand the strike zone in order to do it. Granted, the Rays are not the Marlins. They are more patient, and can score without hitting the homerun. But I think there are more than enough similarities to be confident.
As good as Moyer could potentially be tonight, the key to game 3 lies in the bats of the Philadelphia hitters. They've gotten guys on base, and in scoring position, a lot during this series so far. They "simply" haven't been able to hit them in. At all. There are two ways to look at this. Either they are bound to start connecting, because no team can this futile for too long. Or this is an example of the offensive problems that have haunted this supposedly vaunted offense all season. This weekend, all eyes should be on the offense, as has been the case all season.
I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority in thinking that Jamie Moyer will have a strong bounce back performance tonight in game 3. But the Rays have arguably their best pitcher, in Matt Garza, going against him. Garza, like the Phillies best pitcher Hamels, was the LCS MVP for the Rays. And that is not good news for an offense that has been absoluetly atrocious at hitting with runners in scoring position. 1 for 28 is not just bad, it's epic-ly bad. And it's not just hitting with runners in scoring position. It's simply putting the ball in play with runners at third and less than two outs. Game 1 was a 3-2 win by the Phils, but it easily could have 5 or 6 to 2 without getting a single extra hit. Same situation in game 2. With the score 3 or 4 to nothing, the Phillies had a runner on third with less than two outs in 3 straight innings. They failed to get the man home every time. You put the ball in play in those situations, and it's very conceivable that it's completely different game. And this without improving that RISP stat one bit.
Now back to Moyer. There's no way getting around it; Moyer has not looked good in his two playoff starts. But for some reason, I'm strangely oppomistic he'll have a strong start. Let's not forget Moyer won 16 games this year and was the Phils most consistent pitcher at times this year. He's been in the league forever, and the only way you stay in the league as long as he has is by being able to bounce back from tough starts. But there is a bigger reason for opptimism: the matchup. I look at the Rays, and I see a lot of similarities to the Florida Marlins; a team that is young, aggresive, and can hit the ball with the best of them. But the downside to that is that they are young and aggresive. What?! Moyer has dominated the Marlins in his career because he has been able to use that aggressiveness against them. His array of breaking and offspeed pitches are especially effective when the hitters are looking to pound the ball, and will expand the strike zone in order to do it. Granted, the Rays are not the Marlins. They are more patient, and can score without hitting the homerun. But I think there are more than enough similarities to be confident.
As good as Moyer could potentially be tonight, the key to game 3 lies in the bats of the Philadelphia hitters. They've gotten guys on base, and in scoring position, a lot during this series so far. They "simply" haven't been able to hit them in. At all. There are two ways to look at this. Either they are bound to start connecting, because no team can this futile for too long. Or this is an example of the offensive problems that have haunted this supposedly vaunted offense all season. This weekend, all eyes should be on the offense, as has been the case all season.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
A Sacrifice to the Philly Sports God....William Penn (UPDATE)
Original posted last summer (7/27/2007):
1983 was a very good year. Hell, it was the year that I was brought onto the planet. But also, it was the last time a pro sports team from Philadelphia won a championship. That team was the 76ers, and they did it by sweeping the LA Lakers in four games. Shorty there after, a new skyscraper was announced who's height would top the hat of the William Penn statue atop City Hall. And in 1987, the building, known as One Liberty Place, opened; effectively ending the Gentleman's Agreement within the city to never build a building taller than that William Penn statue. No major sports team in the city has since won a championship, and in fact many have dramatically fallen just short a number of times since then. The reason "The Curse of William Penn" has been brought back into the news (besides continued failure by the sports teams, accentuated by the Phillies accumulating their 10,000th loss last week) is because there has been an attempt to break the curse. The new Comcast building in Philadelphia, scheduled to open late 2007, early 2008, will be the new tallest building in the city. And in an effort to appease the city's founder, William Penn, a miniature statue of Billy has been placed atop the new skyscraper; giving him the best view in town, once again.
An outsider would probably view the curse as silly superstition. But to those of us entrenched in sports lore, especially here in Philadelphia, this superstition is eerily believable. Let's take a look at the "coincidences."
- Right around the time the announcement was made to break the Gentleman's Agreement, Flyer's goaltender, Pelle Lindbergh, was tradegically killed in a car accident. The Flyers would go on to a number of successful seasons in following his death in the 1980's, but were never able to get over the hump. Would having a goalie as talented as Pelle have made the difference?
- Let's stick with the Flyers. A mere two months after One Liberty Place's opening, the Flyers went to the Stanley Cup Finals and ran into the Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers; perhaps one of the best teams assembled in the NHL. The Flyers fought valiantly but eventually fell to the Oilers in seven games. A similar situation happened again in 1997. After cruising through the Eastern Conference, they ran into a dynasty in the making; the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings went on to sweep the Flyers, followed by another championship the following year and yet another in 2001-2002.
- Still sticking with the Flyers, the 2000 and 2004 playoff runs stick out in memory. In 2000, the Flyers, leading three games to one in the Eastern Conference Finals, dropped three straight to the New Jersey Devils to lose the series. The Devils went on to beat a very beatable Dallas Stars team for the Stanley Cup. 2004 also saw the Flyers make it to the conference finals. But injuries proved to be the difference in a seven game series loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Instead of building on that success, the following season was canceled due to a labor dispute. Since the lockout ended, the Flyers have yet to regain that level of performance, winning just two playoff game total.
- The Philadelphia 76ers, as stated above, were the last team to win a championship. And since that moment, they have done very little. However, in 2001, they made it to the NBA finals where, like the Flyers, they ran into a dynasty in the making. The LA Lakers took them out in five games.
- The Philadelphia Phillies are well known for their losing ways. But the late 70's and early 80's saw a team that won a World Series (1980) and won four other division titles and another pennant in 1983. Since that moment (which just happens to be in close proximity to the announcement of One Liberty Place), they have made the playoffs only once. That was 1993 when they came out of nowhere to win the NL pennant only to lose the World Series in six games on a heartbreaking walk-off homerun by Joe Carter.
- The Philadelphia Eagles first Super Bowl appearance was in 1980. The next 20 years saw very little success (except for a few teams led by one of the best, and most underrated, defenses ever). Once Andy Reid took over as coach in 1999, the team has had as many close calls and depressing losses as any team in sports over such a short period. Starting in 2001, the Eagles went to four straight NFC championship games, losing all but the last. The first appearance in 2001 was considered a pleasant surprise by many, as the team was young and on the upswing. But still, they came within five points of beating the "Greatest Show on Turf," the St. Louis Rams. The next year was perhaps the most depressing Eagles game in history. The Eagles were facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team they dominated in recent memory, at Veterans Stadium (which would be the final game they ever played there, as they moved to the "Link" across the street the following season). When all was said and done, the Eagles had lost a heartbreaker, and the Bucs went on beat a hopeless Oakland Raiders team in the Super Bowl. The 2003 Eagles got of to a slow start before eventually becoming one of the hottest teams in the league and winning home field advantage for the NFC championship game for the second straight year. This time they lost to the Carolina Panthers. They finally got over the hump in 2004, beating the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC championship game. But, like the Flyers and Sixers before them, they ran into another dynasty in the making. The New England Patriots had won the previous year as well as in 2001. The heavy underdog Eagles lost by only a field goal.
Philadelphia sports history is full of stories of about the agony of defeat, much like most cities. However, the concentration of those stories in the years following the construction of One Liberty Place, and the ending of William Penn's reign atop the city, is hard to fathom. The Curse of William Penn has taken such hold in this championship starved city, that even Comcast Spectacor (the owners of the new Comcast Building as well as the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers) has given into superstition by giving William Penn a new throne, albeit a mini one, at the tallest point in the city. And if the curse shall be broken shortly after the opening of the Comcast building's opening, there will be those people who say it is all a coincidence. But, like the song "Grandma got run over by a reindeer," as for me and Grandpa, we believe.
Update (T-minus 1 day until the Phillies open the World Series in Tampa, Florida):
Still don't believe in the curse of William Penn? Well, the first team with a chance to end Philadelphia's championship drought since the Comcast people did there part to end the curse, is only four wins away from doing so. Now, granted, the Phillies have not won yet. But it's an awfully amazing coincidence, don't you think? As much as I have given into the curse of William Penn, I must admit that if the Phillies finish off this season with a title, I will be more than a little freaked out. Of course, that little celebration on Broad Street might make up for that.
1983 was a very good year. Hell, it was the year that I was brought onto the planet. But also, it was the last time a pro sports team from Philadelphia won a championship. That team was the 76ers, and they did it by sweeping the LA Lakers in four games. Shorty there after, a new skyscraper was announced who's height would top the hat of the William Penn statue atop City Hall. And in 1987, the building, known as One Liberty Place, opened; effectively ending the Gentleman's Agreement within the city to never build a building taller than that William Penn statue. No major sports team in the city has since won a championship, and in fact many have dramatically fallen just short a number of times since then. The reason "The Curse of William Penn" has been brought back into the news (besides continued failure by the sports teams, accentuated by the Phillies accumulating their 10,000th loss last week) is because there has been an attempt to break the curse. The new Comcast building in Philadelphia, scheduled to open late 2007, early 2008, will be the new tallest building in the city. And in an effort to appease the city's founder, William Penn, a miniature statue of Billy has been placed atop the new skyscraper; giving him the best view in town, once again.
An outsider would probably view the curse as silly superstition. But to those of us entrenched in sports lore, especially here in Philadelphia, this superstition is eerily believable. Let's take a look at the "coincidences."
- Right around the time the announcement was made to break the Gentleman's Agreement, Flyer's goaltender, Pelle Lindbergh, was tradegically killed in a car accident. The Flyers would go on to a number of successful seasons in following his death in the 1980's, but were never able to get over the hump. Would having a goalie as talented as Pelle have made the difference?
- Let's stick with the Flyers. A mere two months after One Liberty Place's opening, the Flyers went to the Stanley Cup Finals and ran into the Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers; perhaps one of the best teams assembled in the NHL. The Flyers fought valiantly but eventually fell to the Oilers in seven games. A similar situation happened again in 1997. After cruising through the Eastern Conference, they ran into a dynasty in the making; the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings went on to sweep the Flyers, followed by another championship the following year and yet another in 2001-2002.
- Still sticking with the Flyers, the 2000 and 2004 playoff runs stick out in memory. In 2000, the Flyers, leading three games to one in the Eastern Conference Finals, dropped three straight to the New Jersey Devils to lose the series. The Devils went on to beat a very beatable Dallas Stars team for the Stanley Cup. 2004 also saw the Flyers make it to the conference finals. But injuries proved to be the difference in a seven game series loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Instead of building on that success, the following season was canceled due to a labor dispute. Since the lockout ended, the Flyers have yet to regain that level of performance, winning just two playoff game total.
- The Philadelphia 76ers, as stated above, were the last team to win a championship. And since that moment, they have done very little. However, in 2001, they made it to the NBA finals where, like the Flyers, they ran into a dynasty in the making. The LA Lakers took them out in five games.
- The Philadelphia Phillies are well known for their losing ways. But the late 70's and early 80's saw a team that won a World Series (1980) and won four other division titles and another pennant in 1983. Since that moment (which just happens to be in close proximity to the announcement of One Liberty Place), they have made the playoffs only once. That was 1993 when they came out of nowhere to win the NL pennant only to lose the World Series in six games on a heartbreaking walk-off homerun by Joe Carter.
- The Philadelphia Eagles first Super Bowl appearance was in 1980. The next 20 years saw very little success (except for a few teams led by one of the best, and most underrated, defenses ever). Once Andy Reid took over as coach in 1999, the team has had as many close calls and depressing losses as any team in sports over such a short period. Starting in 2001, the Eagles went to four straight NFC championship games, losing all but the last. The first appearance in 2001 was considered a pleasant surprise by many, as the team was young and on the upswing. But still, they came within five points of beating the "Greatest Show on Turf," the St. Louis Rams. The next year was perhaps the most depressing Eagles game in history. The Eagles were facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team they dominated in recent memory, at Veterans Stadium (which would be the final game they ever played there, as they moved to the "Link" across the street the following season). When all was said and done, the Eagles had lost a heartbreaker, and the Bucs went on beat a hopeless Oakland Raiders team in the Super Bowl. The 2003 Eagles got of to a slow start before eventually becoming one of the hottest teams in the league and winning home field advantage for the NFC championship game for the second straight year. This time they lost to the Carolina Panthers. They finally got over the hump in 2004, beating the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC championship game. But, like the Flyers and Sixers before them, they ran into another dynasty in the making. The New England Patriots had won the previous year as well as in 2001. The heavy underdog Eagles lost by only a field goal.
Philadelphia sports history is full of stories of about the agony of defeat, much like most cities. However, the concentration of those stories in the years following the construction of One Liberty Place, and the ending of William Penn's reign atop the city, is hard to fathom. The Curse of William Penn has taken such hold in this championship starved city, that even Comcast Spectacor (the owners of the new Comcast Building as well as the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers) has given into superstition by giving William Penn a new throne, albeit a mini one, at the tallest point in the city. And if the curse shall be broken shortly after the opening of the Comcast building's opening, there will be those people who say it is all a coincidence. But, like the song "Grandma got run over by a reindeer," as for me and Grandpa, we believe.
Update (T-minus 1 day until the Phillies open the World Series in Tampa, Florida):
Still don't believe in the curse of William Penn? Well, the first team with a chance to end Philadelphia's championship drought since the Comcast people did there part to end the curse, is only four wins away from doing so. Now, granted, the Phillies have not won yet. But it's an awfully amazing coincidence, don't you think? As much as I have given into the curse of William Penn, I must admit that if the Phillies finish off this season with a title, I will be more than a little freaked out. Of course, that little celebration on Broad Street might make up for that.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Warning Received by Flyers
In the Flyers' first action after they were hit with their fifth suspension of the young season, and received a stern warning from the league regarding further indiscretions, they skated to a 3-1 win over the home Minnesota Wild. And in the process, they perhaps learned what the league meant by "warning." The door to their penalty box is going to open much more frequently than the opponents for the remainder of this season.
Within the first minute of Wednesday's game, the Danny Briere was sent to the box after being pushed into the Wild goalie. Within the first two minutes of the game, the Wild had their first two man advantage when Mike Richards was caught for "slashing" when his stoke broke on the ice within a crowd of players. In all, the Wild had eight power plays, including two man advantage time totaling 3:24, to only two power plays for the Flyers.
Ok, granted; sometimes this happens. Sometimes one team is forcing the play and that is causing the other team to "chase" and the penalties are soon to follow. However, that was not the case on Wednesday. Despite three power plays to none in the first period, the Flyers entered the dressing room with a 2-0 lead, only being outshot 10-9 in the process. The Wild were not forcing the play.
And it wasn't just what was being called against the Flyers. Sometimes games are called tight. I'm fine with that. But this was not an example of that. The Wild, while they didn't get away with murder, they got away with much more than the Flyers. Thankfully for the Flyers, Nittymaki was on his game and they held the Wild to just 1-8 on the PP.
Maybe it's a bit of conspiracy theorist in me when I say this game was the result of the league bringing the hammer down against the Flyers. Maybe it's the referee's taking matters into their own hands, and keeping an extra close eye on the Flyers (at the expense of an eye on the other team). Whatever the reason for the clearly uneven officiating, the Flyers need to be prepared for it the rest of the season. Whether it's fair or not, they have gained a reputation of being dirty, and that is something that is not easily ignored by officiating crews. So far, the Flyers have dealt with that in the right way....by winning.
Within the first minute of Wednesday's game, the Danny Briere was sent to the box after being pushed into the Wild goalie. Within the first two minutes of the game, the Wild had their first two man advantage when Mike Richards was caught for "slashing" when his stoke broke on the ice within a crowd of players. In all, the Wild had eight power plays, including two man advantage time totaling 3:24, to only two power plays for the Flyers.
Ok, granted; sometimes this happens. Sometimes one team is forcing the play and that is causing the other team to "chase" and the penalties are soon to follow. However, that was not the case on Wednesday. Despite three power plays to none in the first period, the Flyers entered the dressing room with a 2-0 lead, only being outshot 10-9 in the process. The Wild were not forcing the play.
And it wasn't just what was being called against the Flyers. Sometimes games are called tight. I'm fine with that. But this was not an example of that. The Wild, while they didn't get away with murder, they got away with much more than the Flyers. Thankfully for the Flyers, Nittymaki was on his game and they held the Wild to just 1-8 on the PP.
Maybe it's a bit of conspiracy theorist in me when I say this game was the result of the league bringing the hammer down against the Flyers. Maybe it's the referee's taking matters into their own hands, and keeping an extra close eye on the Flyers (at the expense of an eye on the other team). Whatever the reason for the clearly uneven officiating, the Flyers need to be prepared for it the rest of the season. Whether it's fair or not, they have gained a reputation of being dirty, and that is something that is not easily ignored by officiating crews. So far, the Flyers have dealt with that in the right way....by winning.
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