By Tim McManus
Andre Iguodala finished with 24 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, as the Philadelphia 76ers kept Phoenix from an historic feat with a 99-94 win at the Wachovia Center.
Willie Green scored 20 points and gathered six rebounds while Kyle Korver donated 16 points for the Sixers, who have won the first two installments of a six-game homestand.
"We were really aggressive tonight," said Iguodala. "We came out hot early and we were getting easy baskets. We kept up with them early and we happened to get some big stops. We just happened to get more runs than they did. We would get a spurt here or a spurt there, and get a few stops here and a few stops there on defense."
Amare Stoudemire had 31 points and 13 boards for the Suns, who were looking to become the first team ever to sweep its interconference road schedule (14-1). Regardless, Phoenix finished interconference road play with the highest winning percentage all-time. Steve Nash ended with 23 points and nine assists, and Raja Bell scored 13 against his old team.
"We just didn't pull it off," said Suns coach Mike D'Aantone. "Give them (Philadelphia) credit. Last night we did it and tonight we just didn't' do it."
Phoenix was playing from behind all game and trailed 80-69 with 9:45 left following a Korver slam, but rebounded with a 12-2 run to make things interesting down the stretch. Stoudemire had five points over that span, and a Nash jumper brought the road team within one with 5:40 on the clock.
A Leandro Barbosa three moments later knotted the contest at 84-84, but the Sixers had an answer. Andre Miller followed with a jumper to give the lead back to Philly, and Korver pushed the margin to four with a pair of free throws.
Barbosa responded with another three at the other end of the floor, only to see Iguodala counter immediately with a trey from the top of the arc to make it 91-87.
Then, after a Phoenix turnover, Samuel Dalembert hit a fadeaway with 28 ticks on the clock. The Sixers converted all six of their free-throw tries from there to seal the win.
"A win is a win, but certainly playing against the Phoenix Suns knowing they're coming in with 14 straight wins against Eastern Conference opponents is a big win for us," said Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks. "Phoenix, being as good as they are, we tried to come in and put the focus on winning. We've been trying to get ourselves into the routine of winning night in and night out - not just against Phoenix, but against other teams as well. Certainly playing against Phoenix is a big win for us."
Philadelphia quieted any thought of a Phoenix rout early, as it jumped out to a 10-0 lead. Miller scored the first four points of the charge, which Steven Hunter capped with a pair of free throws. The Sixers then finished the quarter with a 9-0 burst to assume a 35-23 lead.
The Suns cut their deficit to 49-44 at intermission and moved within one late in the third following five straight points by Nash. The Sixers again finished the quarter strong, though, scoring the last eight points to go up 73-64.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sixers and Suns to swap announcers
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia 76ers
Comcast SportsNet's Steve Mix and KUTP's Eddie Johnson will swap places for tonight's broadcast of the Sixers game against the Phoenix Suns. Mix will join Gary Bender while Johnson will sit alongside of Marc Zumoff at the beginning of the second quarter. The swap will continue until the second commercial break of the second quarter. This is the first time the Sixers have exchanged broadcasters with an opposing team, while the Suns have been doing it throughout the season.
"This swap will offer Sixers fans an unique view of the team and I am excited about the opportunity to share my perspective of the game with the Suns' fans," said Mix. "Eddie Johnson is a very knowledgeable analyst and Sixers' fans will enjoy listening to his point of view as well."
Comcast SportsNet's Steve Mix and KUTP's Eddie Johnson will swap places for tonight's broadcast of the Sixers game against the Phoenix Suns. Mix will join Gary Bender while Johnson will sit alongside of Marc Zumoff at the beginning of the second quarter. The swap will continue until the second commercial break of the second quarter. This is the first time the Sixers have exchanged broadcasters with an opposing team, while the Suns have been doing it throughout the season.
"This swap will offer Sixers fans an unique view of the team and I am excited about the opportunity to share my perspective of the game with the Suns' fans," said Mix. "Eddie Johnson is a very knowledgeable analyst and Sixers' fans will enjoy listening to his point of view as well."
Eagle allegedly connected to new steroid ring
A new steroid scandal allegedly hits close to home.
A federal task force raided a Florida pharmacy, exposing an Internet steroid distribution ring with links to football and baseball players.
Customers allegedly included ex-heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Gary Matthews and admitted steroid user Jose Canseco. Jason Grimsley, the former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher who retired after federal agents in the Balco scandal seized mail-order steroids at his home, was also reportedly a customer.
The story goes on to say that a Philadelphia Eagle was reportedly seen visiting the pharmacy.
A federal task force raided a Florida pharmacy, exposing an Internet steroid distribution ring with links to football and baseball players.
Customers allegedly included ex-heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Gary Matthews and admitted steroid user Jose Canseco. Jason Grimsley, the former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher who retired after federal agents in the Balco scandal seized mail-order steroids at his home, was also reportedly a customer.
The story goes on to say that a Philadelphia Eagle was reportedly seen visiting the pharmacy.
Eagles free agency primer
By John McMullen
The NFL's free agency period opens on Friday and figures to be rather uneventful for a Philadelphia Eagles team still caught up in protecting Donovan McNabb on one front and Andy Reid's family travails on another.
With a less than stellar class on the market and a lack of salary-cap room -- nearly two-thirds of the other NFL teams have more cap room than the Birds -- expecting a big splash is unrealistic.
Here's The Phanatic's position-by-position analysis of the Eagles entering the free agency period:
Quarterback: The decision here has already been made. The Eagles extended A.J. Feeley and, in doing so, waived goodbye to one of the league's best backups in Jeff Garcia. None of this will matter if McNabb can recover from his ACL injury and play the entire season. But, if the Eagles are forced to play Feeley, this move will be put under the microscope and rightfully so. You can't put much stock in Garcia's recent 'money is not an issue' comments but if the Birds could have gotten a hometown discount, they should have explored every avenue. Feeley already flamed out in Miami and San Diego and is nowhere near the player Garcia is. Look for the Eagles to add a third QB on the second day of the draft.
Running back: Despite persistent questions regarding durability, Brian Westbrook finally proved he could carry the load and be the focal point of the Eagles offense. While clueless observers asked McNabb or Garcia? -- astute fans knew the real question should have been McNabb or Westbrook? Even with the success of similar sized backs like Tiki Barber and Warrick Dunn, the Eagles never gave Westbrook a chance to be the focal point thanks to Reid's obsession with the pass. But, without McNabb, Reid had to temper his game plans and put the focus on Westbrook and things worked beautifully. Hopefully, Big Red recognized that and will keep some balance in the offense with DMac back in the huddle. Correll Buckhalter actually stayed healthy and did a solid job as the No. 2 back but he is a free agent and has a history of severe knee problems. The Eagles will likely let Buckhalter walk and look to replace him with a more reliable option. Fans might salivate at “big backs” like T.J. Duckett and Ron Dayne but those players are way too one-dimensional for an Andy Reid offense. Miami's Sammy Morris has shown flashes and may be on the radar.
Wide receiver: Fans and media alike developed quite the man crush on Donte Stallworth last se
ason but you can't question the Eagles' reluctance to get in a bidding war for a guy who was nicknamed "Street Clothes" by the New Orleans media. Stallworth did little to change his reputation in Philly last season. No one questions his ability but you can't pay a guy like a No. 1 receiver if he is going to miss games on a consistent basis.Philadelphia would love to have Stallworth back at a fair price but when the top guys on the market are guys like Drew Bennett and Kevin Curtis, you can bet a desperate team will overpay to get its hands on Stallworth. The Eagles have gone out of their way to talk up Hank Baskett and Jason Avant opposite Reggie Brown but they are not the answers. A second-tier signing with some upside, say Cincinnati’s Kelley Washington, may be the way to go.
Tight end: It's time to admit L.J. Smith is what he is. An average blocker who is a solid receiving threat that will always drop a few more than you would like. Since Smith is a free agent after next season, some have speculated the Eagles may be looking for a replacement. New England’s Daniel Graham is the class of free agency and is an excellent all-around tight end but will be too pricy. Jerramy Stevens of the Seattle Seahawks is too similar to Smith.
Offensive line. The offensive line played great for the Eagles down the stretch but is a little overrated in this town. Jon Runyan and William Thomas are both aging on the outside and Jamaal Jackson and Todd Herremans are a tad overvalued in the interior. While, the Eagles have reinforcements on hand with nice pedigrees in second-year players Winston Justice and Max Jean-Gilles, they didn’t get on the field last season and there is no guarantee they will be able to step in if needed. A veteran swingman with the ability to play multiple positions would be a nice fit here.
Defensive line. The Eagles have too much invested in defensive tackles Mike Patterson and
Brodrick Bunkley to look for an answer outside the organization. Darwin Walker, Sam Rayburn and LaJuan Ramsey are also scheduled to return so the team has enough bodies in the middle. What they are missing is a big run-stuffing tackle in the mold of a Pat Williams but those don’t exactly grow on trees. It also appears that the Eagles are happy with their defensive end rotation. They will re-sign Juqua Thomas to be a member of a four-man rotation that will include Trent Cole, Darren Howard and a returning Jevon Kearse. The key here is the health of Kearse and Howard. Cole is an excellent situational player but gets exposed with too many snaps and Thomas looks like he is cut from the same cloth.
Linebacker. This is the Eagles biggest weakness and needs to be addressed. There has been some talk of Jeremiah Trotter and his balky knees calling it a career but with little available on the free agency front, I’m betting the Eagles do everything possible to get him back for another season. As for the outside, understand this defense is not designed for the will or sam linebackers to be “playmakers” so you can forget the dreams of an Adalius Thomas coming in and getting double-digit sacks. The Birds need well-rounded linebackers that can do all three things (stuff the run, cover and blitz). They think they found one in Omar Gaither but the jury is still out there. The other side is a mess and needs to be addressed but pickings are slim in free agency. Cato June of the Indianapolis Colts is the type of player the Eagles might covet but the price tag is often too high on players coming off a Super Bowl win. Thomas is just not a good fit and nothing else worth mentioning is on the market yet.
Secondary. The Eagles need to alleviate some serious depth problems since they are expecting to lose safety Michael Lewis and cornerback Rod Hood. They did ink special teams standout Quintin Mikell to a four-year deal earlier this week and will try and bring back Will James as the nickel corner. Ken Hamlin is the top safety on the market and would be a big upgrade over Sean Considine but the Eagles will likely look to the draft to find reinforcements.
Special Teams: David Akers is as good as it gets but the Birds can't keep bringing Koy Detmer back to make him feel good. Dirk Johnson never regained his past form after a sports hernia problem and had a so-so year at punter so the Eagles brought in Australian Rules football player Saverio Rocca as competition.
-You can reach John McMullen at jmcmullen@phanaticmag.com
The NFL's free agency period opens on Friday and figures to be rather uneventful for a Philadelphia Eagles team still caught up in protecting Donovan McNabb on one front and Andy Reid's family travails on another.
With a less than stellar class on the market and a lack of salary-cap room -- nearly two-thirds of the other NFL teams have more cap room than the Birds -- expecting a big splash is unrealistic.
Here's The Phanatic's position-by-position analysis of the Eagles entering the free agency period:
Quarterback: The decision here has already been made. The Eagles extended A.J. Feeley and, in doing so, waived goodbye to one of the league's best backups in Jeff Garcia. None of this will matter if McNabb can recover from his ACL injury and play the entire season. But, if the Eagles are forced to play Feeley, this move will be put under the microscope and rightfully so. You can't put much stock in Garcia's recent 'money is not an issue' comments but if the Birds could have gotten a hometown discount, they should have explored every avenue. Feeley already flamed out in Miami and San Diego and is nowhere near the player Garcia is. Look for the Eagles to add a third QB on the second day of the draft.
Running back: Despite persistent questions regarding durability, Brian Westbrook finally proved he could carry the load and be the focal point of the Eagles offense. While clueless observers asked McNabb or Garcia? -- astute fans knew the real question should have been McNabb or Westbrook? Even with the success of similar sized backs like Tiki Barber and Warrick Dunn, the Eagles never gave Westbrook a chance to be the focal point thanks to Reid's obsession with the pass. But, without McNabb, Reid had to temper his game plans and put the focus on Westbrook and things worked beautifully. Hopefully, Big Red recognized that and will keep some balance in the offense with DMac back in the huddle. Correll Buckhalter actually stayed healthy and did a solid job as the No. 2 back but he is a free agent and has a history of severe knee problems. The Eagles will likely let Buckhalter walk and look to replace him with a more reliable option. Fans might salivate at “big backs” like T.J. Duckett and Ron Dayne but those players are way too one-dimensional for an Andy Reid offense. Miami's Sammy Morris has shown flashes and may be on the radar.
Wide receiver: Fans and media alike developed quite the man crush on Donte Stallworth last se
ason but you can't question the Eagles' reluctance to get in a bidding war for a guy who was nicknamed "Street Clothes" by the New Orleans media. Stallworth did little to change his reputation in Philly last season. No one questions his ability but you can't pay a guy like a No. 1 receiver if he is going to miss games on a consistent basis.Philadelphia would love to have Stallworth back at a fair price but when the top guys on the market are guys like Drew Bennett and Kevin Curtis, you can bet a desperate team will overpay to get its hands on Stallworth. The Eagles have gone out of their way to talk up Hank Baskett and Jason Avant opposite Reggie Brown but they are not the answers. A second-tier signing with some upside, say Cincinnati’s Kelley Washington, may be the way to go.Tight end: It's time to admit L.J. Smith is what he is. An average blocker who is a solid receiving threat that will always drop a few more than you would like. Since Smith is a free agent after next season, some have speculated the Eagles may be looking for a replacement. New England’s Daniel Graham is the class of free agency and is an excellent all-around tight end but will be too pricy. Jerramy Stevens of the Seattle Seahawks is too similar to Smith.
Offensive line. The offensive line played great for the Eagles down the stretch but is a little overrated in this town. Jon Runyan and William Thomas are both aging on the outside and Jamaal Jackson and Todd Herremans are a tad overvalued in the interior. While, the Eagles have reinforcements on hand with nice pedigrees in second-year players Winston Justice and Max Jean-Gilles, they didn’t get on the field last season and there is no guarantee they will be able to step in if needed. A veteran swingman with the ability to play multiple positions would be a nice fit here.
Defensive line. The Eagles have too much invested in defensive tackles Mike Patterson and
Brodrick Bunkley to look for an answer outside the organization. Darwin Walker, Sam Rayburn and LaJuan Ramsey are also scheduled to return so the team has enough bodies in the middle. What they are missing is a big run-stuffing tackle in the mold of a Pat Williams but those don’t exactly grow on trees. It also appears that the Eagles are happy with their defensive end rotation. They will re-sign Juqua Thomas to be a member of a four-man rotation that will include Trent Cole, Darren Howard and a returning Jevon Kearse. The key here is the health of Kearse and Howard. Cole is an excellent situational player but gets exposed with too many snaps and Thomas looks like he is cut from the same cloth.Linebacker. This is the Eagles biggest weakness and needs to be addressed. There has been some talk of Jeremiah Trotter and his balky knees calling it a career but with little available on the free agency front, I’m betting the Eagles do everything possible to get him back for another season. As for the outside, understand this defense is not designed for the will or sam linebackers to be “playmakers” so you can forget the dreams of an Adalius Thomas coming in and getting double-digit sacks. The Birds need well-rounded linebackers that can do all three things (stuff the run, cover and blitz). They think they found one in Omar Gaither but the jury is still out there. The other side is a mess and needs to be addressed but pickings are slim in free agency. Cato June of the Indianapolis Colts is the type of player the Eagles might covet but the price tag is often too high on players coming off a Super Bowl win. Thomas is just not a good fit and nothing else worth mentioning is on the market yet.
Secondary. The Eagles need to alleviate some serious depth problems since they are expecting to lose safety Michael Lewis and cornerback Rod Hood. They did ink special teams standout Quintin Mikell to a four-year deal earlier this week and will try and bring back Will James as the nickel corner. Ken Hamlin is the top safety on the market and would be a big upgrade over Sean Considine but the Eagles will likely look to the draft to find reinforcements.
Special Teams: David Akers is as good as it gets but the Birds can't keep bringing Koy Detmer back to make him feel good. Dirk Johnson never regained his past form after a sports hernia problem and had a so-so year at punter so the Eagles brought in Australian Rules football player Saverio Rocca as competition.
-You can reach John McMullen at jmcmullen@phanaticmag.com
Flyers awarded Dennis Hamel on waivers
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired 6'1", 200-pound forward Denis Hamel on waivers from the Atlanta Thrashers.
In addition, the team announced that goaltender Michael Leighton was claimed on waivers by the Montreal Canadiens.
Hamel, 29, recorded five goals and three assists for eight points and 10 penalty minutes in 46 games for the Thrashers and Ottawa Senators this season. He scored a goal in three games for Atlanta after being claimed on waivers from Ottawa on February 10, 2007. In 43 games for the Senators, Hamel posted seven points (4G,3A) and 10 penalty minutes.
Over parts of seven NHL seasons with Buffalo (1999-2000 through 2002-03), Ottawa (2003-04 to 2006-07) and Atlanta (2006-07), Hamel has registered 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points and 77 penalty minutes in 185 regular season games.
He was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round (153rd overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
Leighton, 25, registered a 2-2-0 record and 3.93 goals-against average in five games this season for the Nashville Predators and the Flyers. In four games with the Flyers, he posted a 2-2-0 record and 3.69 GAA. He was acquired by the Flyers on waivers from Nashville on January 11, 2007.
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired 6'1", 200-pound forward Denis Hamel on waivers from the Atlanta Thrashers.
In addition, the team announced that goaltender Michael Leighton was claimed on waivers by the Montreal Canadiens.
Hamel, 29, recorded five goals and three assists for eight points and 10 penalty minutes in 46 games for the Thrashers and Ottawa Senators this season. He scored a goal in three games for Atlanta after being claimed on waivers from Ottawa on February 10, 2007. In 43 games for the Senators, Hamel posted seven points (4G,3A) and 10 penalty minutes.
Over parts of seven NHL seasons with Buffalo (1999-2000 through 2002-03), Ottawa (2003-04 to 2006-07) and Atlanta (2006-07), Hamel has registered 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points and 77 penalty minutes in 185 regular season games.
He was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round (153rd overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
Leighton, 25, registered a 2-2-0 record and 3.93 goals-against average in five games this season for the Nashville Predators and the Flyers. In four games with the Flyers, he posted a 2-2-0 record and 3.69 GAA. He was acquired by the Flyers on waivers from Nashville on January 11, 2007.
35 Reasons to Believe
The Phanatic Magazine kicked off its 35 straight days of Phillies on Sunday, one article per day detailing each member battling for position as the season begins. Also, look for Michael Rushton's season outlook, which will cap the offseason look at the Phillies on Opening Day -- April 2nd against Atlanta.
DAY 4: RANDALL SIMON
By John McMullen
It's never a good thing when your off the field headlines trump your on-field accomplishments. But, that might sum up 31-year old Randall Simon's major league career to date.
The burly left-handed hitting first baseman is best known for being on the business end of one of then-teammate John Rocker's incredibly racist comments in a 2000 Sports Illustrated interview and for screwing up a Milwaukee Brewers' sausage race during the 2003 season.
That said, in an eight-year big league career, with stops in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, Simon has been a steady professional hitter with a career .283 batting average. He peaked in 2002 and was a feared member of the Tigers, bashing 19 home runs and driving in 82 runs with a .301 average.
Simon then split the 2003 season between the Pirates and the Cubs, hitting .276 with 16 long balls and 72 RBI. Pittsburgh thought highly enough of the Curacao native to sign him to a free agent deal before the 2004 season with the intention of starting him at first base.
But, Simon reported to spring training out of shape and things went steadily downhill. He was released in August of that year after batting just .194. Since then, Simon has bounced around the baseball world with stints in Japan and Mexico.
He tore things up South of the Border and was good enough for Netherlands in the 2006 World Baseball Classic to earn another chance. The Texas Rangers signed Simon to a minor league deal last year and he lit up the hitting-heavy Pacific Coast League before the Phillies acquired him in exchange for cash considerations on September 1. He went 5-for-21 in his cup of coffee with the team last season and now will look to provide a solid left-handed bat off the bench in 2007.
Simon’s inability to play the outfield will hurt his roster chances, however, and right now the Phillies seem enamored with Karim Garcia as a left-handed bat off the bench. Only a very hot-hitting spring or a couple of injuries would put Simon in a position to garner an Opening Day roster spot.
Tomorrow: Joe Bisenius
DAY 4: RANDALL SIMON
By John McMullen
It's never a good thing when your off the field headlines trump your on-field accomplishments. But, that might sum up 31-year old Randall Simon's major league career to date.
The burly left-handed hitting first baseman is best known for being on the business end of one of then-teammate John Rocker's incredibly racist comments in a 2000 Sports Illustrated interview and for screwing up a Milwaukee Brewers' sausage race during the 2003 season.
That said, in an eight-year big league career, with stops in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, Simon has been a steady professional hitter with a career .283 batting average. He peaked in 2002 and was a feared member of the Tigers, bashing 19 home runs and driving in 82 runs with a .301 average.
Simon then split the 2003 season between the Pirates and the Cubs, hitting .276 with 16 long balls and 72 RBI. Pittsburgh thought highly enough of the Curacao native to sign him to a free agent deal before the 2004 season with the intention of starting him at first base.
But, Simon reported to spring training out of shape and things went steadily downhill. He was released in August of that year after batting just .194. Since then, Simon has bounced around the baseball world with stints in Japan and Mexico.
He tore things up South of the Border and was good enough for Netherlands in the 2006 World Baseball Classic to earn another chance. The Texas Rangers signed Simon to a minor league deal last year and he lit up the hitting-heavy Pacific Coast League before the Phillies acquired him in exchange for cash considerations on September 1. He went 5-for-21 in his cup of coffee with the team last season and now will look to provide a solid left-handed bat off the bench in 2007.
Simon’s inability to play the outfield will hurt his roster chances, however, and right now the Phillies seem enamored with Karim Garcia as a left-handed bat off the bench. Only a very hot-hitting spring or a couple of injuries would put Simon in a position to garner an Opening Day roster spot.
Tomorrow: Joe Bisenius
With Tiger, the Tour will come
By Jared TrexlerOur nation's capital has risen in popularity over recent days.
Not only does 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue house our nation's leader and his corresponding governing ears, but now little-known Catholic University and the famed War Memorial tie together for an unique bond.
The springboard for an Idol career like never seen before. Welcome to the big time Antonella Barba.
Lost amidst soaking wet t-shirts and provocative poses, Washington, D.C. had other fairly significant news to announce Tuesday.
The golfing area of elite thoroughbreds that houses distinguished Congressional Country Club and its less recognizable neighbor TPC Avenel can now throw its collective support behind a PGA Tour event.
Again.
The Booz Allen Classic lost money, sponsorship and disappeared from the 2007 schedule, leaving the D.C. area void of a men's professional stop.
No Tiger Woods and a bland course like Avenel will do that to any Tour event. Now, commissioner Tim Finchem seems to have realized the formula for success.
Bring aboard Tiger and the money will come.
While its great to have an event back in a golf-crazed area, Woods' star power and the strong backing of his charitable organization -- the Tiger Woods Foundation -- made this deal possible. The world No. 1's foundation also is involved with the Deutsche Bank Championship held just outside Boston.
The good news to decipher from that bit of golf knowledge ist that Woods hasn't missed the Boston Golf Party since its inception in 2003. Now, a new tour event that almost guarantees Woods, possibly save this year with wife Elin's pregnancy and July due date, will replace an old Tour mainstay -- the Stableford-scoring International, which hadn't landed Tiger since 1999 and suffered because of it.
The new event -- without a name, title sponsor, purse and course until a March 7th press conference -- will slide into the Fourth of July weekend slot from July 5-8. It's only fitting a fireworks celebration representing freedom comes to the nation's capital.
"After an extensive search, we are very excited about our partnership with the Tiger Woods Foundation to bring a PGA Tour event back to our nation's capital over the 4th of July holiday celebration," said Finchem.
The event will situate itself just after the Tour-favorite Buick Open at Warwick Hills in Michigan, an event Woods always plays due to his affiliation with the title sponsor and his success on the track.
The John Deere Classic, a second-tier event serving as a British Open "tune-up", comes the week after.
It's a perfect landing spot to attract Woods and some of the game's best, especially if the tournament is held on famed Congressional, site of the 1997 United States Open collapse of Tom Lehman and the subsequent Ernie Els victory. Another possible test is Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, the American home course for every Presidents Cup up until 2007.
The news also represents the Tour's growing desire to infuse money and time into today's youth.
The Tiger Woods Foundation's mission statement places focus on obtaining grants that provide opportunities to underserved youth ages 5-17. Programs and grant requests include funding for learning centers, tutoring/mentoring programs and an increased focus on children in urban areas.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to expand awareness and interest in the work we're doing for millions of kids across the country," said Woods. "I'm grateful the PGA Tour selected us as partners and am very excited my Foundation will host another amazing event, this time in our nation's capital. I'm delighted to think of all the young people this will help us reach."
It's a win, win, win -- or in golf terms a trio of birdies -- for the Tour, Tiger and Washington, D.C., which is back in the golf arena after a messy divorce with the Booz Allen.
Spectators can catch Woods and many of the game's best players on a likely revered track in the beauty of summer just after a national holiday.
Some may even tour Catholic University.
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Jared Trexler is The Phanatic Magazine's Golf Editor. You can reach him at jtrexler@phanaticmag.com
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Here we go again
By John Gottlieb
A couple months back after Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn were elected to the Hall of Fame I wrote a piece about those left on the outside looking in. It’s time to revisit the topic now that the Veterans Committee released the players and composite ballots.
For the third straight vote for the players, which occurs every other year, and the second consecutive casting for managers, owners, etc., which takes place every four years, nobody gained enshrinement into the hallowed Hall in northern New York.
My first question is why even give the Veterans Committee a vote if they never intend to use it? Now I’m not one for diminishing the standards for Cooperstown, since that’s already been done when guys like Bill Mazerowski and Phil Rizzuto were elected, but there are really some worthy guys that were left off…again.
The Committee is comprised of all living Hall of Fame members, Ford C. Frick Award winners (broadcasting) and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winners (writing), totaling 84 members.
There needs to be changes to the Committee if they are not going to use their power to induct people that are deserving. Changes were made to the system after Mazerowski was enshrined and it’s time that the system is revamped again.
Ron Santo came the closest on either ballot, falling just five votes shy of obtaining the long-coveted plaque.
The 67-year-old was named on 57 of a possible 82 ballots for 69.5 percent but 75 percent is needed for induction. Santo was eight votes shy the last time the committee voted in 2005.
The Chicagoland icon is one of the few that fell short and should have his accomplishments appreciated with a Hall of Fame election. He had a career average of .277 with 342 homers and 1,331 runs batted in while winning five Gold Gloves and appearing in nine All Star games in 15 seasons with the North and Southsiders. Mike Schmidt is the only other third baseman in the Hall with at least 300 homers and five Gold Gloves.
Here is a man that is suffering from diabetes and has dealt with a host of medical problems, including having both legs amputated at the knee. Santo has been the radio voice of the Cubs for the last 17 years. Why the Vets didn’t elect him is beyond me. Just like I wrote about Buck O’Neil it’s a travesty that the Committee will probably give him a plaque post mortem.
For some reason third baseman are slighted when it comes to the Hall, as there are only 10 who played in the major leagues, including Frank “Home Run” Baker, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Jimmy Collins, George Kell, Fred Lindstrom, Edddie Matthews, Brooks Robinson, Pie Traynor and Schmidt. There are fewer third baseman than any other position in Cooperstown.
Jim Kaat is another that is deserving, but was 10 votes short of Cooperstown. He ranks 29th all time in wins (283), 33rd in strikeouts (2,461) and had double-digit wins for 15 straight years in his 25-year career, including 25-13 with a 2.75 earned run average, 205 strikeouts and 19 complete games in 1966.
He would’ve won the Cy Young that year, but it went to Sandy Koufax, as that was the last season that only one award was given out for both leagues.
Kitty eclipsed 20 wins three times and will go down as one of the greatest fielding pitchers of all time with 16 consecutive Gold Gloves. He pitched in 898 games, ranking 19th all time while starting at least 24 games in 19 different seasons. He ranks third all time for seasons in pitchers behind Nolan Ryan (27) and Tommy John (26), 13th in games started (625) and 24th with 4,530 innings pitched. Simply put, Kaat was the model for consistency.
Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, who was pulling for his former teammate told the Associated Press, "The same thing happens every year. The current members want to preserve the prestige as much as possible, and are unwilling to open the doors."
The 68-year-old lefty, who just retired after broadcasting the Yankees for the last 13 years, was named on 52 ballots.
Finally, my biggest beef comes with the exclusion of Marvin Miller. For better or worse Miller helped make the game what it is today. Marvin Miller is one of the most significant people in Major League Baseball history.
Miller’s term as the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Player’s Association ran from 1966-1984 and during that time some of his accomplishments included negotiating the first collective bargaining agreements, increasing the players’ minimum salary from $6,000 to $10,000 after two decades of remaining the same, pushing players' average salary to more than $500,000, increases in benefits and working conditions and the right to have arbitration solve grievances.
It was not all roses for Miller, who in 1970, along with Curt Flood, took a battle all the way to the Supreme Court, challenging the reserve clause, but lost and essentially ended Flood’s career. He led the union through three players’ strikes in 1972, 1980, and 1981 and two lockouts in 1973 and 1976.
However, the 1975 Andy Messersmith-Dave McNally case stated that they were not chained by the reserve cause, which opened the door to free agency.
A couple months back after Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn were elected to the Hall of Fame I wrote a piece about those left on the outside looking in. It’s time to revisit the topic now that the Veterans Committee released the players and composite ballots.
For the third straight vote for the players, which occurs every other year, and the second consecutive casting for managers, owners, etc., which takes place every four years, nobody gained enshrinement into the hallowed Hall in northern New York.
My first question is why even give the Veterans Committee a vote if they never intend to use it? Now I’m not one for diminishing the standards for Cooperstown, since that’s already been done when guys like Bill Mazerowski and Phil Rizzuto were elected, but there are really some worthy guys that were left off…again.
The Committee is comprised of all living Hall of Fame members, Ford C. Frick Award winners (broadcasting) and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winners (writing), totaling 84 members.
There needs to be changes to the Committee if they are not going to use their power to induct people that are deserving. Changes were made to the system after Mazerowski was enshrined and it’s time that the system is revamped again.
Ron Santo came the closest on either ballot, falling just five votes shy of obtaining the long-coveted plaque.
The 67-year-old was named on 57 of a possible 82 ballots for 69.5 percent but 75 percent is needed for induction. Santo was eight votes shy the last time the committee voted in 2005.
The Chicagoland icon is one of the few that fell short and should have his accomplishments appreciated with a Hall of Fame election. He had a career average of .277 with 342 homers and 1,331 runs batted in while winning five Gold Gloves and appearing in nine All Star games in 15 seasons with the North and Southsiders. Mike Schmidt is the only other third baseman in the Hall with at least 300 homers and five Gold Gloves.
Here is a man that is suffering from diabetes and has dealt with a host of medical problems, including having both legs amputated at the knee. Santo has been the radio voice of the Cubs for the last 17 years. Why the Vets didn’t elect him is beyond me. Just like I wrote about Buck O’Neil it’s a travesty that the Committee will probably give him a plaque post mortem.
For some reason third baseman are slighted when it comes to the Hall, as there are only 10 who played in the major leagues, including Frank “Home Run” Baker, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Jimmy Collins, George Kell, Fred Lindstrom, Edddie Matthews, Brooks Robinson, Pie Traynor and Schmidt. There are fewer third baseman than any other position in Cooperstown.
Jim Kaat is another that is deserving, but was 10 votes short of Cooperstown. He ranks 29th all time in wins (283), 33rd in strikeouts (2,461) and had double-digit wins for 15 straight years in his 25-year career, including 25-13 with a 2.75 earned run average, 205 strikeouts and 19 complete games in 1966.
He would’ve won the Cy Young that year, but it went to Sandy Koufax, as that was the last season that only one award was given out for both leagues.
Kitty eclipsed 20 wins three times and will go down as one of the greatest fielding pitchers of all time with 16 consecutive Gold Gloves. He pitched in 898 games, ranking 19th all time while starting at least 24 games in 19 different seasons. He ranks third all time for seasons in pitchers behind Nolan Ryan (27) and Tommy John (26), 13th in games started (625) and 24th with 4,530 innings pitched. Simply put, Kaat was the model for consistency.
Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, who was pulling for his former teammate told the Associated Press, "The same thing happens every year. The current members want to preserve the prestige as much as possible, and are unwilling to open the doors."
The 68-year-old lefty, who just retired after broadcasting the Yankees for the last 13 years, was named on 52 ballots.
Finally, my biggest beef comes with the exclusion of Marvin Miller. For better or worse Miller helped make the game what it is today. Marvin Miller is one of the most significant people in Major League Baseball history.
Miller’s term as the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Player’s Association ran from 1966-1984 and during that time some of his accomplishments included negotiating the first collective bargaining agreements, increasing the players’ minimum salary from $6,000 to $10,000 after two decades of remaining the same, pushing players' average salary to more than $500,000, increases in benefits and working conditions and the right to have arbitration solve grievances.
It was not all roses for Miller, who in 1970, along with Curt Flood, took a battle all the way to the Supreme Court, challenging the reserve clause, but lost and essentially ended Flood’s career. He led the union through three players’ strikes in 1972, 1980, and 1981 and two lockouts in 1973 and 1976.
However, the 1975 Andy Messersmith-Dave McNally case stated that they were not chained by the reserve cause, which opened the door to free agency.
What’s even sadder is that Marvin Miller represented most of the Veterans Committee at one time and yet he still hasn’t gained enshrinement. Miller, 89, was named on 63 percent of the vote.
Miller is one of the founders of the modern game and it’s appalling that he has not been given a plaque with his contemporaries in the Hall of Fame. Just like Pete Rose, it is not a Hall of Fame without Marvin Miller, the father of the strongest union in the world.
Miller is one of the founders of the modern game and it’s appalling that he has not been given a plaque with his contemporaries in the Hall of Fame. Just like Pete Rose, it is not a Hall of Fame without Marvin Miller, the father of the strongest union in the world.
Building blocks
By Michael Rushton
This is usually the time of year when Flyers optimism floats back into the hearts and souls of Philadelphia hockey fans everywhere.
Essentially, fans and critics would all be debating whether or not the Flyers gave up too much for that veteran winger, or if the goaltending, which wasn’t addressed before the trade deadline, would hold up for the inevitable postseason push.
Whatever farm hands the Black and Orange jettisoned to acquire older talent would be evaluated, and it would eventually be determined the move was necessary to win now. Then, come Spring, they would be missed sorely after a first-round exit.
So excuse me if I’m having trouble understanding what has gone on the past two weeks. The Flyers have actually picked up prospects, addressed their net minding situation (sort of) and they are not going to the playoffs?
Well, the latter we have known for a while, but below is a look of Philly’s transactions since the Peter Forsberg deal, and if they are to help long term or short term.
February 15: The Flyers send Forsberg to Nashville for left wing Scottie Upshall, defenseman Ryan Parent and a first and third-round pick in the 2007 draft.
Verdict: Later
On the surface, the answer is actually both. Upshall was inserted into the lineup immediately and already comes with NHL experience. Also, Parent is a highly regarded prospect who could make an impact next year. However, the key word there is “could.” Parent is only 19 and was playing in the Ontario Hockey League at the time of the trade. There is a small chance he could crack the roster next year, but given the defenders the Flyers have picked up in the last week, it appears the Flyers can wait on this one.
February 24: The Flyers send veteran defenseman Alexei Zhitnik to Atlanta for defender Braydon Coburn.
Verdict: Later
This deal was a steal for the Flyers, who picked up their second defenseman that was drafted in the first round in as many trades. Coburn is big (6-foot-5) and skates well for his size, but is also just 21. While he has played with the Thrashers this season, he has also spent time with Chicago of the American Hockey League as well. He’ll probably play out the rest of the season in Philadelphia but it should be a few years before he reaches his potential.
February 26: The Flyers acquire defender Lasse Kukkonen and a third-round pick in 2007 for left wing Kyle Calder.
Verdict: Now
Why is this a now verdict? Because deep down inside, this may be a move for Joni Pitkanen as much as anything else. Sure, Kukkonen has decent stats this season -- five goals and nine assists with 98 blocked shots in 54 games -- and is only 25, but Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren may have tipped his hat when announcing the deal.
"Kukkonen is a player who played a couple of years with Joni Pitkanen back in Finland a few years ago,” Holmgren said in a release announcing the trade. “He is 25 years old, moves the puck extremely well and is averaging over 16 minutes a game (16:35) for the Blackhawks. He is just a real steady defender. He is a nice addition to our team.”
And there it is. Its obvious the Flyers aren’t going to give up on the underachieving Pitkanen, who may have been one of the Flyers’ best bargaining chips if they had decided to move him. Instead, they are going to try and make him as comfortable as possible and surrond him with players he is familiar with.
February 27: Flyers acquire goaltender Martin Biron from Buffalo for a second-round pick in 2007.
Verdict: Now (maybe)
This deal was surprising because it was almost a buyers move. It also gives the Flyers three goaltenders that could be starters on most teams. Of course, both Biron and current Flyer Robert Esche are free agents at the end of the year, so this deal could be looked at as just a head start on the courting process for the Flyers and Biron.
"This is an opportunity for us to acquire a goaltender that we really like,” said Holmgren. “Biron will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He would have been on our shopping list this summer. Trading for him gives us a chance to get a little more familiar with him and he can get a little more familiar with our team and hopefully see a positive direction here and want to stay here."
Now the Flyers will get the first crack at retaining Biron and if he doesn’t work out here, they can just let him walk and cross one goaltender off their shopping list this summer. A second-round pick is a high price to pay for a rental on a non-playoff team, but if Biron does play well and the Flyers keep him, it will be worth it.
The trade also spells the end for Esche unless Biron bombs and leaves Antero Niittymaki in limbo.
Michael Rushton enjoys "Appletinis" and can be reached at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
Flyers' Jackson joins Phillies broadcast team
By John McMullen
Jim Jackson will join the Philadelphia Phillies broadcast team for the upcoming season.
The veteran announcer will be hosting the pre-game and post-game shows, a role handled last year by Scott Franzke, who will be doing play-by-play exclusively this year.
“We are pleased to have a broadcaster of Jim’s caliber in our mix,” said Phillies broadcasting manager Rob Brooks. “He brings a lot of experience with him, and a passion for baseball that not too many people were aware of.”
The 43-year old Jackson has been broadcasting hockey games for 20 years, the last 14 with the Flyers, but this will not be his first baseball experience. The Syracuse graduate did radio play-by-play for the Utica Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League from 1986 to 1993. Jackson also spent the summer of 2005 broadcasting the Trenton Thunder of the Eastern League and was the television voice of the Cal Ripken World Series on OLN in August 2006.
Jim Jackson will join the Philadelphia Phillies broadcast team for the upcoming season.
The veteran announcer will be hosting the pre-game and post-game shows, a role handled last year by Scott Franzke, who will be doing play-by-play exclusively this year.
“We are pleased to have a broadcaster of Jim’s caliber in our mix,” said Phillies broadcasting manager Rob Brooks. “He brings a lot of experience with him, and a passion for baseball that not too many people were aware of.”
The 43-year old Jackson has been broadcasting hockey games for 20 years, the last 14 with the Flyers, but this will not be his first baseball experience. The Syracuse graduate did radio play-by-play for the Utica Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League from 1986 to 1993. Jackson also spent the summer of 2005 broadcasting the Trenton Thunder of the Eastern League and was the television voice of the Cal Ripken World Series on OLN in August 2006.
Eagles re-sign Mikell
By John McMullen
The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed safety Quintin Mikell to a four-year contract on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Mikell has been a productive defensive back and key special teams performer for the Eagles since they signed him as a rookie free agent out of Boise State in 2003.
During that span, Mikell has posted a team-leading 108 special teams tackles, including a career-high 35 in 2006 and was voted by his teammates as the Eagles special teams MVP in 2005 and 2006.
On defense, Mikell has tallied 51 tackles, an interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 64 games.
"Quintin has been a really good football player for us," said Eagles general manager Tom Heckert. "He's a vital contributor for us on special teams and does a very solid job when he's on the field defensively. We're glad to keep him here in Philadelphia."
Saints re-sign ex-Eagle
By Sean Pollard
The New Orleans Saints and defensive tackle Hollis Thomas agreed on a four-year contract on Tuesday worth a reported $12 million.
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Thomas will make $6 million next season with bonuses and salary.
Thomas, acquired in a trade last offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles, was the anchor of New Orleans' defensive line in 2006, recording 43 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 12 games.
Thomas was suspended the final four games of the regular season for violating the NFL's steroid policy. He returned in time for the playoffs as the Saints edged Philadelphia in the divisional round before falling to Chicago in the conference championship.
Signed as an undrafted free-agent out of Northern Illinois by the Eagles before the 1996 season, Thomas spent his first 10 seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, compiling 284 tackles and 13.5 sacks in 126 regular season games.
Santo shut out of Hall of Fame again
By John McMullen
For the third consecutive time, the Veterans Committee did not elect any candidates to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Two ballots -- one featuring 27 players and another featuring 15 managers, umpires and executives -- were considered by the 84-voting member Committee.
Former Chicago Cubs third baseman Ron Santo and pitcher Jim Kaat, who spent most of his playing career with the Minnesota Twins, came close on the player side. Santo was named on 69.5 percent of the ballots and came up just five votes shy of entry with 57. Kaat received 52 votes and was named on 63.4 percent of the ballots. A total of 75 percent, or 62 votes, were needed to gain entry.
Umpire Doug Harvey led all composite ballot nominees with 52 votes, 64.2 percent of the tally. A total of 61 votes were needed on the composite side.
"The current Veterans Committee provides a peer review of players previously considered by the BBWAA, for as many as 15 years, while also considering the candidacies of managers, umpires and executives," said Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark. "The process was not designed with the goal to necessarily elect someone, but to give everyone on the ballot an opportunity to be elected through a fair and open process. "
Some of the other players who were left out of the Hall were Gil Hodges (50 votes), Tony Oliva (47 votes), Maury Wills (33), Joe Torre (26), Don Newcombe (17), Vada Pinson (16) and Roger Maris (15).
Players are reviewed for election into the Hall of Fame via the veterans committee every two years. The Committee did not elect any new members to the Hall in 2005. The top vote-getters that year were Hodges and Santo with 65 percent apiece, followed by Oliva with 56.3 percent. The next vote will come in 2009.
35 Reasons to Believe
The Phanatic Magazine kicked off its 35 straight days of Phillies on Sunday, one article per day detailing each member battling for position as the season begins. Also, look for Michael Rushton's season outlook, which will cap the offseason look at the Phillies on Opening Day -- April 2nd against Atlanta.DAY 3 : JUSTIN GERMANO
By John Gottlieb
Justin Germano begins his first full season with the Phils after being acquired at last year’s trading deadline from Cincinnati for Rheal Cormier.
Before coming to Philly, Germano was 8-6 with a 3.69 earned run average, 67 strikeouts and 22 walks in 19 games – 18 starts – with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. However, he did give up 11 homers. He had one stint with the Reds, going 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two contests, including one start.
After the trade he spent the rest of the season with Triple-A Scranton and compiled a 2-0 record with a 2.82 ERA, 25 strikeouts and two walks in six starts.
The 24-year-old righty has got great command of the strike zone with an exceptional curveball and changeup but his fastball leaves something to be desired.
Germano could be a useful back of the rotation pitcher, but since the Phillies have an excess of starters he may see limited time out the bullpen. Germano is at best a long shot to head up north with the Phillies when they leave Florida in 30 days.
Tomorrow: Randall Simon
Flyers snare G Biron
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired goaltender Martin Biron from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
"This is an opportunity for us to acquire a goaltender that we really like," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. "Biron will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He would have been on our shopping list this summer. Trading for him gives us a chance to get a little more familiar with him and he can get a little more familiar with our team and hopefully see a positive direction here and want to stay here."
Biron, 29, posted a 12-4-1 record, 3.04 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in 19 games for the Sabres this season.
Over parts of seven NHL seasons with Buffalo (1995-96 and 1998-99 through 2006-07), Biron has compiled a 134-115-37 record, 2.53 GAA, .909 save percentage and 18 shutouts in 300 career regular season games. He is second on the Sabres All-Time List in shutouts (18) and third in games played (300) and wins (134).
A native of Lac St. Charles, Quebec, Biron was originally drafted by the Sabres in the first round (16th overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
Garcia talks...
"I was surprised I wasn't offered a contract," Jeff Garcia told Comcast SportsNet.on Monday. "There was never anything to negotiate over. We never know what it would've amounted to. It wasn't about the money. It was about being in a great situation."
"We just wanted to have a reasonable opportunity to be respected, to be appreciated for what took place last year," Garcia added. "Are there other reasons why I wasn't offered a contract? We'll never know."
Monday, February 26, 2007
Flyers trade Calder for D Lasse Kukkonen
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired 6'1",190-pound defenseman Lasse Kukkonen (LA-she koo-KOH-nuhn) and a third round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for left wing Kyle Calder on Monday.
"With Kyle's pending unrestricted free agent status coming up, we did make an attempt to sign him, but it didn't look like we were going to get it done before the trade deadline tomorrow," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. "We just felt that we couldn't afford to take a chance and get nothing in return for an asset like Kyle. We did what we needed to do.
"Kukkonen is a player who played a couple of years with Joni Pitkanen back in Finland a few years ago. He is 25 years old, moves the puck extremely well and is averaging over 16 minutes a game for the Blackhawks. He is just a real steady defender. He is a nice addition to our team."
Kukkonen, 25, recorded five goals and nine assists for 14 points and 30 penalty minutes in 54 games for the Blackhawks this season. He was second on the team in blocked shots with 98.
Over parts of two NHL seasons with Chicago, Kukkonen has registered five goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 64 regular season games. Last season, Kukkonen posted 27 points (11G,16A) in 56 regular season games for Karpat (Finland). His plus +30 rating led the SM-Liiga League (Finland). He added 12 points (5G,7A) in 11 games as Karpat won the SM-Liiga championship.
A native of Oulu, Finland, Kukkonen was a member of the Finnish National Team for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and the 2006 World Championships. He was drafted by the Blackhawks in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
Calder, 28, registered nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points and 36 penalty minutes in 59 games for the Flyers this season. He was acquired bythe Flyers from Chicago in exchange for Michal Handzus on August 4, 2006.
This isn’t staying in Vegas
By John McMullenPopularity has its perks and the NFL knows it.
No matter how many felons, drunk drivers, wife beaters and other assorted flotsam the league employed, it knew America would be tuning in every Sunday. In fact, it cultivated an alarming, dysfunctional, almost abusive relationship with its followers.
Like a bullying boyfriend or a tyrannical father -- the NFL preyed on the fact that most sports fans loved its game and were going nowhere. So with billions of dollars flowing in, there was no impetus for change.
Simply put, the arrogance of the league enabled the omnipotent sports giant to contradict things the rest of us saw with our own eyes. But, everyone has a breaking point.
Enter Pacman Jones.
You can almost picture the scene...
Ron Burgundy addressing Brian Fantana, Champ Kind and.....Jones, regarding a Las Vegas strip club incident that ended in gunfire with a former World Wrestling Federation jobber paralyzed below the waist.
“That really escalated quickly,” Ron would say to his cohorts. “Pacman almost killed a guy.”
Yep, the only thing missing is the trident.
All kidding aside, Las Vegas police have questioned Jones but he is not a suspect in the actual shooting. Of course, a key witness confirmed that the pride of Tennessee was in the middle of the ruckus that allegedly led to the shootings. He also arrived and departed with the actual shooter.
Class act.
But, there is a silver lining in all of this. Jones is such a public relations nightmare that he has spurred a league that ignored a stunning behavioral problem for 20 years into action. Talks have already been held between the league and the NFL Players Association and it looks like there is substantive support for a three-strike rule.
Could that mean an NFL without Jones, Chris Henry and Leonard Little?
It’s already on the way and it only took $81,000, some strippers and an idiot who calls himself Pacman.
35 Reasons to Believe
The Phanatic Magazine kicked off its 35 straight days of Phillies on Sunday, one article per day detailing each member battling for position as the season begins. Also, look for Michael Rushton's season outlook, which will cap the offseason look at the Phillies on Opening Day -- April 2nd against Atlanta.
Clay Condrey appeared in 21 games over three stints last season with the Phillies. It was his first time he had pitched in the big leagues since 2003 when he was a member of the San Diego Padres.
DAY 2 : CLAY CONDREY
By Eric Redner
Clay Condrey appeared in 21 games over three stints last season with the Phillies. It was his first time he had pitched in the big leagues since 2003 when he was a member of the San Diego Padres.The right-hander threw a total of 28 2/3 innings in his appearances and finished with a 3.14 earned-run average and a 2-2 record.
During that time he gave up a total of 35 hits and 11 runs (10 earned) with three long balls surrendered along with nine walks and 16 strikeouts.
The Phillies acquired Condrey from the Padres on March 30, 2004 for second baseman Trino Aguilar. His first two seasons in the Phillies organization were spent with the clubs' Triple-A affiliate at the time in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he started 51 games. Last year he appeared in 39 contests with the Red Barons as a reliever when he was not in Philadelphia.
Expect to see Condrey used in much the same role this year, splitting his time between the big club and Triple-A Ottawa. Whenever an injury happens in the bullpen, or injuries to starters force a bullpen pitcher into a starting role, the Phillies will call up Condrey as a middle reliever.
At this point, he appears a long shot to make the club out of camp in Clearwater.
Tomorrow: Justin Germano
Sports is Art
By Jared TrexlerIf sports is a Picaso masterpiece, life really does imitate art.
Tragedy. Exaltation. Triumph. Disappointment. The list of adjectives, superlatives, words of gripping emotion are endless in describing sports' greatest stories.
Columns listing stats and copied quotes truly don't delve at the core of sports -- the fables that each and every individual can relate to, take something away from, show understanding with.
Jason McElwain, a high-school basketball trainer yes, but an autistic child fighting a national stigma. He can't play sports people said. Oh, but he did, scoring 20 points in 4:19.
Payne Stewart finally capturing American golf's greatest championship. Embracing his wife Tracey in sobs of joy. Dying suddenly in a plane crash just four months later.
Or 9/11. Disaster and devastation in America's city -- the economical and cultural capital of the United States. Rampant flames, people jumping for their lives, but ultimately their deaths. Phone calls that go something like, "Hunny, take care of the kids. Call our attorney. A plane just crashed into our building...." And after 20 years of marriage or six days after telling your boyfriend/girlfriend "I love you..." you hear "I'm probably not coming home."
Sports was America's first sign of public mourning. The first step in moving forward.
This isn't the movies, where two guys in cowboy hats turn around, count to three then shoot. Or a day in age where serendipitous occurrences lead to true love. Rather, sports is real people, showing real emotions, and if we forget the "realness" of it all, there are stories of tragedy and triumph to bring us back.
This leads to my only true conversation with an athlete. I've yelled things, some unrepeatable, and received snide glances in return. But my only true conversation with a professional athlete, albeit brief, can be understood by all walks of life.
I was standing near the 18th green on Thursday of the 2002 United States Open, waiting to catch a glimpse of my favorite athlete -- Greg Norman -- as he approached the green. Norman wasn't jovial, coming off back-to-back bogeys with a round destined for mediocrity. Yet, as he approached the green he walked in my direction.
Not to me of course. But right next to me, to a young fan in a wheelchair. He took off his straw hat, placed it on the girl's head and said, "You'll need this to shield your eyes from the sun 30 years from now."
He then turned to the girl's mother and said, "Believe. It's a wonderful thing."
As he left the green, I shouted, "That was great Greg." Not referring to his golf, but rather his gesture. He turned, smiled, and said, "Thank you."
I felt like we had talked for hours.
Life brings misfortune. It's an inevitable disservice, especially to those who don't necessarily deserve it. But sometimes it serves a purpose.
I don't know if that girl is alive five years later. But I do know that during that moment, and possibly for days or weeks afterward, she believed she would be. And so did her mom.
Life truly does imitate art.
So, at the times of misfortune, remember Jason McElwain. Remember that little girl.
To rip off a Phillies advertising slogan...
It's just one more reason to believe.
--------
Jared Trexler can be reached at jtrexler@phanaticmag.com. Paintings are appreciated.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
35 Reasons to Believe
The Phanatic Magazine kicks off its 35 straight days of Phillies today, one article per day detailing each member battling for position as the season begins.
Also, look for Michael Rushton's season outlook, which will cap the offseason look at the Phillies on Opening Day -- April 2nd against Atlanta.
DAY 1 : JIM ED WARDEN
By Michael Rushton
The Philadelphia Phillies appear to have struck gold after grabbing feisty outfielder Shane Victorino from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004 by way of the Rule 5 Draft.
Victorino is now penciled in as a starter this season for the Phillies, so the club tried again to find diamonds in the rough when they selected three players in this year's edition of the Rule 5 Draft.
One of those players was 6-foot-7 pitcher Jim Ed Warden.
Warden comes to the Phillies from Cleveland. He spent the 2006 season with Double-A Akron and finished 5-2 with a 3.05 earned run average and 11 saves in 55 games. Warden held opponents to a .167 batting average last season, a campaign that featured a season-best 14-inning scoreless streak from mid-June until late July.
A former sixth-round pick in the 2001 draft by the Indians, Warden found his callling in the bullpen in 2004 after spending his previous seasons as a starter. In '04, Warden made 40 relief appearances and was 5-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 13 saves.
Scout.com compared the tall pitcher to Chad Bradford in December because of his sidearm delivery and mid-90 velocity. However, given his experience level and the fact that he is right-handed, Warden should be considered a long shot to crack Philadelphia's Opening Day roster.
Tomorrow: Clay Condrey
Also, look for Michael Rushton's season outlook, which will cap the offseason look at the Phillies on Opening Day -- April 2nd against Atlanta.
DAY 1 : JIM ED WARDEN
By Michael Rushton
The Philadelphia Phillies appear to have struck gold after grabbing feisty outfielder Shane Victorino from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004 by way of the Rule 5 Draft.
Victorino is now penciled in as a starter this season for the Phillies, so the club tried again to find diamonds in the rough when they selected three players in this year's edition of the Rule 5 Draft.
One of those players was 6-foot-7 pitcher Jim Ed Warden.
Warden comes to the Phillies from Cleveland. He spent the 2006 season with Double-A Akron and finished 5-2 with a 3.05 earned run average and 11 saves in 55 games. Warden held opponents to a .167 batting average last season, a campaign that featured a season-best 14-inning scoreless streak from mid-June until late July.
A former sixth-round pick in the 2001 draft by the Indians, Warden found his callling in the bullpen in 2004 after spending his previous seasons as a starter. In '04, Warden made 40 relief appearances and was 5-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 13 saves.
Scout.com compared the tall pitcher to Chad Bradford in December because of his sidearm delivery and mid-90 velocity. However, given his experience level and the fact that he is right-handed, Warden should be considered a long shot to crack Philadelphia's Opening Day roster.
Tomorrow: Clay Condrey
Eagles lock up Feeley
By John McMullen
The Philadelphia Eagles signed quarterback A.J. Feeley to a three-year contract extension on Sunday.
The deal will keep Feeley in Philadelphia through the 2010 season and will likely mean the end of Jeff Garcia’s short tenure with the Eagles.
“A.J. Feeley has been very productive as a quarterback in Philadelphia,” said general manager Tom Heckert. “He’s won some games at crucial times for this franchise and he gives us a great amount of confidence as a back-up to Donovan McNabb. A.J.’s proven to be very comfortable in this offensive scheme and we look forward to having him in the fold for the next several years.”
The 29-year-old Feeley (6-3, 225) was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the fifth round of the 2001 draft. He was pressed into action during the final five regular season games of the 2002 season due to injuries to McNabb and Koy Detmer and led the team to a 4-1 record and home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
Feeley was then traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2004 for a second-round draft choice that was used by the Eagles to select wide receiver Reggie Brown. After a 1 1/2 year stint with the Dolphins, Feeley was traded to San Diego during the 2005 campaign.
He was released by the Chargers during the 2006 preseason and returned to Philadelphia on August 30. Feeley saw significant action during the regular season finale vs. Atlanta and threw for a career-high 321 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Eagles to a 24-17 victory. In that game, he also completed a career long 89-yard touchdown pass to Hank Baskett.
As an Eagle, Feeley has completed 59.2 percent of his passes (122-206) for 1,496 yards, 11 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He has led the Eagles to a 4-1 record as a starting quarterback.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Tragedy strikes Broncos again
Denver Broncos running back Damien Nash died after a charity basketball game he was hosting in St. Louis on Saturday.
Nash was pronounced dead at 7:41 p.m. (et). He was just 24.
The St. Louis coroner's office confirmed the death but provided no other details.
"The Denver Broncos organization is once again struck with profound sadness over the tragic loss of one of our players," Denver owner Pat Bowlen said. "This is a tremendous tragedy and our hearts go out to the entire Nash family.”
“The Broncos family has suffered a great loss with the passing of Damien Nash," added head coach Mike Shanahan. "I am stunned and deeply saddened by this tragedy, and send my deepest condolences to Damien’s family.”
Flyers trade Zhitnik for D Coburn
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have acquired 6'5", 220-pound defenseman Braydon Coburn from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for defenseman Alexei Zhitnik.
"Braydon is a player who we have liked since his draft year (2003) and the chance to acquire him just came up a few days ago," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. "He is a big, young defenseman that skates very well. He will fit in nicely with our young group. Alexei was a good player for us and we wish him nothing but the best in the future."
Coburn, 21, posted four assists and 30 penalty minutes in 29 games for the Thrashers this season. He also appeared 15 games for the Thrashers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, recording a goal and 10 assists for 11 points and 36 penalty minutes.
Over the last two NHL seasons with Atlanta, Coburn has registered five assists and 34 penalty minutes in 38 regular season games. In parts of three AHL seasons (2004-05 through 2006-07), he has recorded seven goals and 31 assists for 38 points and 175 penalty minutes in 91 regular season games. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Coburn posted an assist and 36 penalty minutes in 18 playoff games as the Wolves advanced to the 2005 Calder Cup Finals (losing to the Philadelphia Phantoms).
Coburn was drafted by the Thrashers in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In five seasons with the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League (2000-01 through 2004-05), Coburn registered 29 goals and 102 assists for 131 points and 483 penalty minutes in 238 regular season games. He was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team following the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons and WHL Rookie of the Year for the 2001-02 season.Zhitnik, 34, has recorded five goals and 18 assists for 23 points and 78 penalty minutes in 61 games for the Flyers and the NY Islanders this season. In 31 games for the Flyers, Zhitnik posted 12 points (3G,9A) and 38 penalty minutes. He was acquired by the Flyers from NY Islanders in exchange for Freddy Meyer and a conditional draft pick on December 16, 2006.
A 14-year NHL veteran, Zhitnik has registered 91 goals and 357 assists for 448 points and 1,196 penalty minutes in 1,002 career regular season games with the Los Angeles Kings (1992-93 to 1994-95), Buffalo Sabres (1994-95 through 2003-04), the Islanders (2005-06 and 2006-07) and the Flyers (2006-07).
Speed and strength no guarantee of success
Here are the best marks posted at the NFL scouting combine since 1999 courtesy of NFLdraftscout.com:
40 Yard Dash Times :
4.24 - Rondel Menendez, (WR), Eastern Kentucky - 1999
4.28 - Jerome Mathis, (WR), Hampton - 2005
4.28 - Champ Bailey, (CB), Georgia - 1999
4.29 - Stanford Routt, (CB), Houston - 2005
4.29 - Jay Hinton, (RB), Morgan State - 1999
4.29 - Fabian Washington, (CB), Nebraska - 2005
4.30 - Darrent Williams, (CB), Oklahoma State - 2005
4.31 - Johnathan Joseph, (CB), South Carolina - 2006
4.31 - Aaron Lockett, (WR), Kansas State - 2002
4.31 - Santana Moss, (WR), Miami - 2001
4.32 - Troy Williamson, (WR), South Carolina - 2005
4.32 - Chad Jackson, (WR), Florida - 2006
4.32 - Tim Jennings, (CB), Georgia - 2006
4.32 - Chris McKenzie, (CB), Arizona State - 2005
4.32 - Tim Carter, (WR), Auburn - 2002
4.32 - Kevin Garrett, (CB), Southern Methodist - 2003
4.32 - Antwan Harris, (CB), Virginia - 2000
4.33 - Carlos Francis, (WR), Texas Tech - 2004
4.33 - Karsten Bailey, (WR), Auburn - 1999
4.33 - Chris Chambers, (WR), Wisconsin - 2001
4.34 - Ahmad Carroll, (CB), Arkansas - 2004
4.34 - Domonique Foxworth, (CB), Maryland - 2005
4.34 - Tyrone Calico, (WR), Middle Tennessee State - 2003
4.34 - Tye Hill, (CB), Clemson - 2006
4.34 - Kevin Brooks, (CB), South Carolina - 1999
225 Pound Bench Reps
51 - Justin Ernest, (DT), Eastern Kentucky - 1999
45 - Mike Kudla, (DE), Ohio State - 2006
45 - Leif Larsen, (DT), Texas-El Paso - 2000
44 - Brodrick Bunkley, (DT), Florida State - 2006
43 - Scott Young, (OG), BYU - 2005
42 - Isaac Sopoaga, (DT), Hawaii - 2004
41 - Terna Nande, (OLB), Miami (OHIO) - 2006
41 - Igor Olshansky, (DT), Oregon - 2004
40 - Zach Piller, (OT), Florida - 1999
38 - Tony Pashos, (OT), Illinois - 2003
38 - Craig Page, (C), Georgia Tech - 1999
38 - Jeff Smith, (C), Wyoming - 1999
37 - Wayne Hunter, (OT), Hawaii - 2003
37 - Haloti Ngata, (DT), Oregon - 2006
37 - Roberto Garza, (C), Texas AM-Kingsville - 2001
37 - Victor Leyva, (OG), Arizona State - 2001
37 - Moran Norris, (FB), Kansas - 2001
36 - Gabe Watson, (DT), Michigan - 2006
36 - Vince Wilfork, (DT), Miami - 2004
36 - Liam Ezekiel, (ILB), Northeastern - 2005
36 - Scott Peters, (C), Arizona State - 2002
36 - Makoa Freitas, (OG), Arizona - 2003
36 - Ryan Denney, (DE), BYU - 2002
35 - Tim Bulman, (DT), Boston College - 2005
35 - Evan Mathis, (OG), Alabama - 2005
Highest Vertical Jump
46 - Gerald Sensabaugh, (FS), North Carolina - 2005
45 1/2 - Derek Wake, (OLB), Penn State - 2005
45 - Chris McKenzie, (CB), Arizona State - 2005
45 - Chris Chambers, (WR), Wisconsin - 2001
43 1/2 - Dustin Fox, (FS), Ohio State - 2005
43 1/2 - Jay Hinton, (RB), Morgan State - 1999
43 1/2 - Kevin Kasper, (WR), Iowa - 2001
43 1/2 - Jerry Azumah, (RB), New Hampshire - 1999
43 - Scott Starks, (CB), Wisconsin - 2005
43 - Cedric James, (WR), TCU - 2001
42 1/2 - Jonathan Carter, (WR), Troy - 2001
42 1/2 - Nate Burleson, (WR), Nevada - 2003
42 1/2 - Brock Williams, (CB), Notre Dame - 2001
42 - Kerry Rhodes, (FS), Louisville - 2005
42 - Ellis Hobbs, (CB), Iowa State - 2005
42 - William Green, (RB), Boston College - 2002
42 - Vernon Davis, (TE), Maryland - 2006
42 - Mark Anderson, (DE), Alabama - 2006
42 - Boss Bailey, (OLB), Georgia - 2003
42 - Scott Fujita, (OLB), California - 2002
42 - Raonall Smith, (OLB), Washington State - 2002
42 - Rashad Holman, (CB), Louisville - 2001
42 - Santana Moss, (WR), Miami - 2001
42 - Pierson Prioleau, (FS), Virginia Tech - 1999
41 1/2 - Reuben Houston, (CB), Georgia Tech - 2006
40 Yard Dash Times :
4.24 - Rondel Menendez, (WR), Eastern Kentucky - 1999
4.28 - Jerome Mathis, (WR), Hampton - 2005
4.28 - Champ Bailey, (CB), Georgia - 1999
4.29 - Stanford Routt, (CB), Houston - 2005
4.29 - Jay Hinton, (RB), Morgan State - 1999
4.29 - Fabian Washington, (CB), Nebraska - 2005
4.30 - Darrent Williams, (CB), Oklahoma State - 2005
4.31 - Johnathan Joseph, (CB), South Carolina - 2006
4.31 - Aaron Lockett, (WR), Kansas State - 2002
4.31 - Santana Moss, (WR), Miami - 2001
4.32 - Troy Williamson, (WR), South Carolina - 2005
4.32 - Chad Jackson, (WR), Florida - 2006
4.32 - Tim Jennings, (CB), Georgia - 2006
4.32 - Chris McKenzie, (CB), Arizona State - 2005
4.32 - Tim Carter, (WR), Auburn - 2002
4.32 - Kevin Garrett, (CB), Southern Methodist - 2003
4.32 - Antwan Harris, (CB), Virginia - 2000
4.33 - Carlos Francis, (WR), Texas Tech - 2004
4.33 - Karsten Bailey, (WR), Auburn - 1999
4.33 - Chris Chambers, (WR), Wisconsin - 2001
4.34 - Ahmad Carroll, (CB), Arkansas - 2004
4.34 - Domonique Foxworth, (CB), Maryland - 2005
4.34 - Tyrone Calico, (WR), Middle Tennessee State - 2003
4.34 - Tye Hill, (CB), Clemson - 2006
4.34 - Kevin Brooks, (CB), South Carolina - 1999
225 Pound Bench Reps
51 - Justin Ernest, (DT), Eastern Kentucky - 1999
45 - Mike Kudla, (DE), Ohio State - 2006
45 - Leif Larsen, (DT), Texas-El Paso - 2000
44 - Brodrick Bunkley, (DT), Florida State - 2006
43 - Scott Young, (OG), BYU - 2005
42 - Isaac Sopoaga, (DT), Hawaii - 2004
41 - Terna Nande, (OLB), Miami (OHIO) - 2006
41 - Igor Olshansky, (DT), Oregon - 2004
40 - Zach Piller, (OT), Florida - 1999
38 - Tony Pashos, (OT), Illinois - 2003
38 - Craig Page, (C), Georgia Tech - 1999
38 - Jeff Smith, (C), Wyoming - 1999
37 - Wayne Hunter, (OT), Hawaii - 2003
37 - Haloti Ngata, (DT), Oregon - 2006
37 - Roberto Garza, (C), Texas AM-Kingsville - 2001
37 - Victor Leyva, (OG), Arizona State - 2001
37 - Moran Norris, (FB), Kansas - 2001
36 - Gabe Watson, (DT), Michigan - 2006
36 - Vince Wilfork, (DT), Miami - 2004
36 - Liam Ezekiel, (ILB), Northeastern - 2005
36 - Scott Peters, (C), Arizona State - 2002
36 - Makoa Freitas, (OG), Arizona - 2003
36 - Ryan Denney, (DE), BYU - 2002
35 - Tim Bulman, (DT), Boston College - 2005
35 - Evan Mathis, (OG), Alabama - 2005
Highest Vertical Jump
46 - Gerald Sensabaugh, (FS), North Carolina - 2005
45 1/2 - Derek Wake, (OLB), Penn State - 2005
45 - Chris McKenzie, (CB), Arizona State - 2005
45 - Chris Chambers, (WR), Wisconsin - 2001
43 1/2 - Dustin Fox, (FS), Ohio State - 2005
43 1/2 - Jay Hinton, (RB), Morgan State - 1999
43 1/2 - Kevin Kasper, (WR), Iowa - 2001
43 1/2 - Jerry Azumah, (RB), New Hampshire - 1999
43 - Scott Starks, (CB), Wisconsin - 2005
43 - Cedric James, (WR), TCU - 2001
42 1/2 - Jonathan Carter, (WR), Troy - 2001
42 1/2 - Nate Burleson, (WR), Nevada - 2003
42 1/2 - Brock Williams, (CB), Notre Dame - 2001
42 - Kerry Rhodes, (FS), Louisville - 2005
42 - Ellis Hobbs, (CB), Iowa State - 2005
42 - William Green, (RB), Boston College - 2002
42 - Vernon Davis, (TE), Maryland - 2006
42 - Mark Anderson, (DE), Alabama - 2006
42 - Boss Bailey, (OLB), Georgia - 2003
42 - Scott Fujita, (OLB), California - 2002
42 - Raonall Smith, (OLB), Washington State - 2002
42 - Rashad Holman, (CB), Louisville - 2001
42 - Santana Moss, (WR), Miami - 2001
42 - Pierson Prioleau, (FS), Virginia Tech - 1999
41 1/2 - Reuben Houston, (CB), Georgia Tech - 2006
Tick...tick...boom to bust
By John McMullen
One game matters.
To illustrate my point, I give you Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Rusell
Quinn was the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft before the LSU Tigers faced his Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Sugar Bowl.
Russell? A junior with a strong arm projected to be a first day pick if he declared. (That’s a third rounder for those of you uninitiated with draft speak.).
Today, Quinn has fallen -- albeit not too far -- and Russell has been a shooting star, the new presumptive No. 1 with a ticket to the Bay Area in sight. When you consider how much money NFL teams pour into scouting, it’s really stupefying that an organization could possibly change its draft boards to such a degree after just one game. But, that‘s exactly what happened all around the league.
Why?
Sure, the Tigers trounced the Irish but it wasn’t all that hard to figure out why -- LSU had vastly superior speed on both sides of the ball. Quinn certainly didn’t forget how to be an NFL quarterback in one night, his receivers couldn’t get separation and his offensive line was whiffing against better athletes.
“When you look at a senior, people start to beat them up a little bit more easily than they can the juniors who only come out January 15th,” NFL Network's lead draft analyst Mike Maycock said in a recent conference call. “Brady Quinn hasn't thrown the football since the bowl game. The bowl game was a tough game for Notre Dame.”
So with that one tough game, Quinn went from sure fire hit to a free-fall and Mayock for one is isn’t quite sure why.
“I mean, to me Brady Quinn is still the same quarterback I watched as a junior, and he's still a franchise-type quarterback,” Mayock said. “All those perceptions don't really get to me because I can sit down with the game tape.”
Of course, Mayock still gushes over Russell like everyone else. “From a physical skill set perspective, I've never seen a college quarterback with more ability than JaMarcus Russell,” Mayock raved. “You put the tape on and it's frightening. He's 6-foot-6, 260 pounds. He can make every throw. He's got better touch than you would expect. He's got a pretty good feel for the game for a guy that hasn't had all that many snaps.”
So why wasn’t Russell a sure fire star on January 2?
The questions with JaMarcus Russell are going to come up on the work ethic side and how much the guy loves football or doesn't love football,” said Mayock.
And there you have it -- we just might be witnessing the sequel to Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf.
“At the top end of that NFL Draft, you're playing guys $10, $15, $20 million guaranteed top,” Mayock said. “If you miss at the top end, you can set your franchise back three to five years, especially with a franchise quarterback. As we get closer, the scrutiny on JaMarcus Russell will increase, especially off the field. So how much does the guy love football? How hard is he willing to work? Really that's what Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders have to decide.”
In every draft -- history is the ultimate judge.
The Raiders have about six weeks to figure out which side of history they want to be on.
John appears on this page every Saturday. You can contact him at jmcmullen@phanaticmag.com
Friday, February 23, 2007
War of words good for Phils
By Michael Rushton
In case you haven't heard, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins sparked a "war of words" when he not once, but twice stated that Philly was the team to beat in the NL East.
And I say bravo.
In one sentence, Rollins established what the clubhouse leaders before him could not; an identity. Even if it is one of arrogance and confidence, so be it.
Like it or not, with the exits of Mike Lieberthal , Randy Wolf, Jim Thome and even David Bell, this team, or the clubhouse at least, is J-Roll's.
And I say bravo.
Much like the Flyers or the 76ers without Allen Iverson, the Phillies have lacked identity for who knows how long. Scott Rolen, Pat Burrell, Jim Thome; all boring by nature. Players, sure, but boring non the less. A blue-collar working attitude can only take you so far.
And is what Rollins said really that bad? In essence, he just put the rest of the league on notice that the Phillies believe they are going to be a force in the league this year. Except he didn't wait until the the bats were swinging to do so.
What would the conservatives have had Rollins say. Something like this?
"Well, we really improved this offseason but the Mets and the Braves are still the teams to beat in the East."
In other words, we are still Atlanta and New York's doormats until further notice.
Nope, the slick Oakland native boldly claimed instead that his team, a club that hasn't sniffed the playoffs since 1993, are the new powerhouses.
And I say bravo.
Even the fallout of the event wasn't that bad. Sure, the media and some fans got all up and arms about Rollins' statement. But the Mets seemed to take it in stride.
Neither David Wright, Carlos Beltran, manager Willie Randolph or even the dreaded Billy Wagner seemed to be fazed by Rollins' comments. Wright and Beltran even went on to say what a good guy they think Rollins is.
No one threatened to target Rollins, or even worse Ryan Howard, in the batters box when the two clubs meet on April 9. No one insulted the Phillies' weak bullpen or brought up the year 1993. Heck, no one even threatened to take Cole Hamels out drinking at the local New York bars.
The Mets know what Rollins is trying to do for his club, and unlike the media, they don't care.
Now it will be up to Rollins and company to make good on those words in early April, a month that has not been kind to Philadelphia over the years. But thanks to Rollins' words, they should trot into the Big Apple with a little swagger and attitude. And hopefully they'll leave with it as well.
And I say bravo.
Taunt Michael Rushton with your war of words at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
In case you haven't heard, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins sparked a "war of words" when he not once, but twice stated that Philly was the team to beat in the NL East.
And I say bravo.
In one sentence, Rollins established what the clubhouse leaders before him could not; an identity. Even if it is one of arrogance and confidence, so be it.
Like it or not, with the exits of Mike Lieberthal , Randy Wolf, Jim Thome and even David Bell, this team, or the clubhouse at least, is J-Roll's.
And I say bravo.
Much like the Flyers or the 76ers without Allen Iverson, the Phillies have lacked identity for who knows how long. Scott Rolen, Pat Burrell, Jim Thome; all boring by nature. Players, sure, but boring non the less. A blue-collar working attitude can only take you so far.
And is what Rollins said really that bad? In essence, he just put the rest of the league on notice that the Phillies believe they are going to be a force in the league this year. Except he didn't wait until the the bats were swinging to do so.
What would the conservatives have had Rollins say. Something like this?
"Well, we really improved this offseason but the Mets and the Braves are still the teams to beat in the East."
In other words, we are still Atlanta and New York's doormats until further notice.
Nope, the slick Oakland native boldly claimed instead that his team, a club that hasn't sniffed the playoffs since 1993, are the new powerhouses.
And I say bravo.
Even the fallout of the event wasn't that bad. Sure, the media and some fans got all up and arms about Rollins' statement. But the Mets seemed to take it in stride.
Neither David Wright, Carlos Beltran, manager Willie Randolph or even the dreaded Billy Wagner seemed to be fazed by Rollins' comments. Wright and Beltran even went on to say what a good guy they think Rollins is.
No one threatened to target Rollins, or even worse Ryan Howard, in the batters box when the two clubs meet on April 9. No one insulted the Phillies' weak bullpen or brought up the year 1993. Heck, no one even threatened to take Cole Hamels out drinking at the local New York bars.
The Mets know what Rollins is trying to do for his club, and unlike the media, they don't care.
Now it will be up to Rollins and company to make good on those words in early April, a month that has not been kind to Philadelphia over the years. But thanks to Rollins' words, they should trot into the Big Apple with a little swagger and attitude. And hopefully they'll leave with it as well.
And I say bravo.
Taunt Michael Rushton with your war of words at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
Broad Street Style
The Ottawa-Buffalo brawl last night got The Phanatic Magazine thinking back to 1997, when the Flyers had a memorable throwdown with the Sabres of their own.
Ahh, the good old days.
Ahh, the good old days.
Clearwater Coverage
The Mets and Phillies are already exchanging verbal blows -- and Spring Training games haven't even started. Davey Lopes, one of the new coaches with managerial experienced added by Charlie Manuel during the offseason, has one main goal this spring -- turn the fleet-footed Phillies into serious basestealing threats.
In Phillies notes, Jimmy Rollins' declaration -- "We are the team to beat" -- may not bother the Mets on the field, but the Mets fans will surely remember the words when the two clubs do battle in the Mets home opener on April 9. Brian Sanches agreed to contract terms -- meaning, yes, Ryan Howard is the only unsigned player on the 40-man roster. Danny Sandoval could be in camp today after having trouble in Venezuela because of a mistaken identity. Eude Brito still has stiffness in his neck and shoulder from a motorcycle accident last month. He has thrown off a mound, but hasn't faced live hitters.
In Phillies notes, Jimmy Rollins' declaration -- "We are the team to beat" -- may not bother the Mets on the field, but the Mets fans will surely remember the words when the two clubs do battle in the Mets home opener on April 9. Brian Sanches agreed to contract terms -- meaning, yes, Ryan Howard is the only unsigned player on the 40-man roster. Danny Sandoval could be in camp today after having trouble in Venezuela because of a mistaken identity. Eude Brito still has stiffness in his neck and shoulder from a motorcycle accident last month. He has thrown off a mound, but hasn't faced live hitters.
Owls still learning to fly as Hawks take off
A conference battle at the Palestra Thursday night went to St. Joseph's. The Hawks (17-10, 9-4 Atlantic 10) used a big-time spurt during a 10-minute stretch of the second half to distance themselves from Temple (11-15, 5-8) in a 92-76 victory.
Sixers trade Alan Henderson, exchange draft picks
By Jared TrexlerThe NBA trade deadline went by without any big names -- Vince Carter, Mike Bibby, Pau Gasol -- finding new homes, but look on the bright side.
Alan Henderson was sent to Salt Lake City, Utah along with some cash for the rights to switch second-round drafts picks with the Jazz this season.
The 34-year-old Henderson was averaging 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 34 games for the Sixers this season. The 12-year veteran has career averages of 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds with Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas and the Sixers.
Trading Henderson, who was making the veteran minimum of $1.18 million, sheds about $700,00 and gives the Sixers some breathing room below the $65.42 million luxury tax number.
Flyers go down in a Hurricane
Philadelphia stormed back from a 2-0 deficit only to go down in a storm during overtime, falling to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 on Thursday night at the RBC Center. Glen Wesley's shorthanded goal in the extra session was the game-winner.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Draft shouldn't be in Reid's hands
By Tim McManusThere has been a lot of speculation regarding the effect that Andy Reid's absence is going to have on the 2007 Eagles, and most of it's bogus.
Will he be too out of the loop after a month off? Will the team miss out on potential free agents/coaches? With most head coaches working 365, can an NFL team thrive with a temporary absence at that position?
Any such concern is ultimately unwarranted. This is not a first-year coach without a blueprint here, but rather a very meticulous, systematic intellectual that has created one of the most successful and full-proof infrastructures in the league.
Be assured, someone will answer the phone at the NovaCare Complex even if the boss isn't in.
There is, however, an element that will most definitely be affected by the big man's absence -- Draft Day.
Right now, the brain trusts of all 32 teams -- including 31 head coaches -- are in Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine. As we speak, hundreds of the most influential men in the league are gathered around the talent, equipped with a stop watch, a yard stick and a trained eye.
Just as importantly, they're engaging in interviews with the future of their franchises, deciding whether they're closer in character to Warrick Dunn or Pacman Jones; deciphering if said player will vibe with their team or not.
After several days of gathering information -- followed by endless hours analyzing all of the data -- Tom Heckert and the rest of the Eagles brass will package and hand deliver it all to Reid.
So yes, Big Red will have all the vitals in hand, and more than enough time prior to Draft Day to sift thoroughly through all of it. But what he won't be armed with is the same kind of first-hand experience. He can see the definition of a player's body on tape, but not necessarily the glint in his eye.
Couple that with the fact that he will be several weeks behind in his work, and Reid is going to have to yield some of his power come April 28.
That could present a slight philosophical shift. While "Reid-type" players will still be targeted, it will be others besides Reid deciding who those players are. Even if that means selecting a linebacker or bruising back in the high rounds, you ask? Well, let's just say the chances are marginally better.
Like other areas surrounding the Eagles and Reid's absence, this isn't a major concern. Again, he has built a fluid network that is able to survive and thrive even in the moments he isn't steering the ship.
He must trust that network when the Eagles go on the clock.
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Vote for the Phillies Wall of Fame
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia Phillies
Fans will have a voice in which former Phillies player, manager or coach is selected to the team's Wall of Fame in 2007. Beginning tomorrow (Friday, February 23), fans can vote online exclusively at phillies.com. Voting ends at noon on Friday, March 23.
Fans will have a voice in which former Phillies player, manager or coach is selected to the team's Wall of Fame in 2007. Beginning tomorrow (Friday, February 23), fans can vote online exclusively at phillies.com. Voting ends at noon on Friday, March 23.
Fans can select their top three choices from a 15-man ballot of Phillies Alumni. A first place vote is worth five points, second place three points and third place one point. The top five fan consensus choices as determined by total points will serve as the final official ballot for a special Wall of Fame Selection Committee that will choose this year's inductee.
Eligibility Requirements
Phillies players with five or more years of service are eligible. Managers and coaches need four or more years of service. In addition to a player's statistical record, consideration is given to longevity, ability, contributions to the Phillies and baseball, character and special achievements.
Alumni Weekend
Induction ceremonies will occur at Citizens Bank Park on Friday, August 10, prior to the 7:05 p.m. game with the Atlanta Braves, the first day of Alumni Weekend. A 14"x20" cast bronze plaque of the honoree will be added to the Wall of Fame display located in the Memory Lane section of Ashburn Alley.
2007 Ballot
The 15 Phillies Alumni who appear on the online ballot:
Pitchers: Larry Christenson, Jim Konstanty*, Ron Reed, Dick Ruthven, Rick Wise
Catcher: Darren Daulton
Infielders: John Kruk, Fred Luderus*, Juan Samuel, Pinky Whitney*
Outfielders: Lenny Dykstra, Von Hayes
Manager: Gene Mauch*
Coaches: Mike Ryan, John Vukovich
*Deceased
NFL Scouting Combine 2007
Michael David Smith of Fox Sports and Football Outsiders gives you a list of players to watch for at the combine.
Meanwhile, the good people at NFLdraftscout.com have furnished us with their updated list of the top 50 pro prospects:
Top 50 Pro Prospects for the NFL Draft ’07
* underclassmen Rating – late Feb ’07 before the NFL Combine
1 * Calvin Johnson WR 6-4, 235 Georgia Tech
2. Joe Thomas OT 6-8, 305 Wisconsin
3 * Adrian Peterson RB 6-2, 220 Oklahoma
4.* JaMarcus Russell QB 6-6, 255 LSU
5. Gaines Adams DE 6-4, 265 Clemson
6. Brady Quinn QB 6-4, 230 Notre Dame
7 * Ted Ginn WR 6-0, 180 Ohio St
8.* Jamaal Anderson DE 6-6, 255 A kansas
9. LaRon Landry FS 6-2, 205 LSU
10.* Alan Branch DT 6-6, 330 Michigan
11.* Dwayne Jarrett WR 6-5, 210 USC
12. Levi Brown OT 6-5, 325 Penn St
13.* Marshawn Lynch RB 5-10,223 California
14.* Greg Olsen TE 6-5. 255 Miami
15. Leon Hall CB 5-11,195 Michigan
16.* Sidney Rice WR 6-1 190 South Carolina
17. Paul Poluszny LB 6-1, 238 Penn St
18. Amobi Okoye DT 6-2, 290 Louisville
19.* Lawrence Timmons LB 6-3, 230 Florida St.
20.* Darrelle Revis CB 5-11,190 Pittsburgh
21.* Zach Miller TE 6-5, 260 Arizona St
22. Daymeion Hughes CB 6-2, 190 California
23. Adam Carriker DE 6-5, 280 Nebraska
24.* Reggie Nelson DB 6-1, 190 Florida
25. Jon Beason LB 6-0, 225 Miami
26.* Jarvis Moss DE 6-6, 255 Florida
27. Aaron Ross CB 6-0, 195 Texas
28.* Charles Johnson E 6-2, 275 Georgia
29. Michael Griffin FS 6-0, 205 Texas
30. Ryan Kalil OC 6-2, 290 Southern Cal
31. LaMarr Woodley DE 6-2, 270 Michigan
32. Justin Blalock OG 6-4, 330 Texas
33. Patrick Willis LB 6-2, 230 Mississippi
34. Marcus McCauley CB 6-0, 210 Fresno St
35. * Brandon Siler LB 6-1, 235 Florida
36. Anthony Spencer DE 6-3, 260 Purdue
37. * Eric Wright CB 5-11, 190 UNLV
38. Dwayne Bowe WR 6-2, 220 LSU
39. Brian Leonard FB 6-2, 235 Rutgers
40. Victor Abiamiri DE 6-3, 260 Notre Dame
41. Quinn Pitcock DT 6-2, 295 Ohio St
42. Drew Stanton QB 6-3, 230 Michigan St
43. Quentin Moses DE 6-5, 250 Georgia
44. Justin Harrell DT 6-3, 305 Tennessee
45. Rufus Alexander LB 6-1, 230 Oklahoma
46. Tank Tyler DT 6-0, 330 North Carolina St
47. Brandon Meriweather FS 6-0, 190 Miami
48. * Robert Meachem WR 6-2, 205 Tennessee
49. Joe Staley OT 6-5, 295 Central Michigan
50. Brandon Mebane DT 6-1, 305 California
And to finish things up -- you can take a look at the pro day calendar here.
Meanwhile, the good people at NFLdraftscout.com have furnished us with their updated list of the top 50 pro prospects:
Top 50 Pro Prospects for the NFL Draft ’07
* underclassmen Rating – late Feb ’07 before the NFL Combine
1 * Calvin Johnson WR 6-4, 235 Georgia Tech
2. Joe Thomas OT 6-8, 305 Wisconsin
3 * Adrian Peterson RB 6-2, 220 Oklahoma
4.* JaMarcus Russell QB 6-6, 255 LSU
5. Gaines Adams DE 6-4, 265 Clemson
6. Brady Quinn QB 6-4, 230 Notre Dame
7 * Ted Ginn WR 6-0, 180 Ohio St
8.* Jamaal Anderson DE 6-6, 255 A kansas
9. LaRon Landry FS 6-2, 205 LSU
10.* Alan Branch DT 6-6, 330 Michigan
11.* Dwayne Jarrett WR 6-5, 210 USC
12. Levi Brown OT 6-5, 325 Penn St
13.* Marshawn Lynch RB 5-10,223 California
14.* Greg Olsen TE 6-5. 255 Miami
15. Leon Hall CB 5-11,195 Michigan
16.* Sidney Rice WR 6-1 190 South Carolina
17. Paul Poluszny LB 6-1, 238 Penn St
18. Amobi Okoye DT 6-2, 290 Louisville
19.* Lawrence Timmons LB 6-3, 230 Florida St.
20.* Darrelle Revis CB 5-11,190 Pittsburgh
21.* Zach Miller TE 6-5, 260 Arizona St
22. Daymeion Hughes CB 6-2, 190 California
23. Adam Carriker DE 6-5, 280 Nebraska
24.* Reggie Nelson DB 6-1, 190 Florida
25. Jon Beason LB 6-0, 225 Miami
26.* Jarvis Moss DE 6-6, 255 Florida
27. Aaron Ross CB 6-0, 195 Texas
28.* Charles Johnson E 6-2, 275 Georgia
29. Michael Griffin FS 6-0, 205 Texas
30. Ryan Kalil OC 6-2, 290 Southern Cal
31. LaMarr Woodley DE 6-2, 270 Michigan
32. Justin Blalock OG 6-4, 330 Texas
33. Patrick Willis LB 6-2, 230 Mississippi
34. Marcus McCauley CB 6-0, 210 Fresno St
35. * Brandon Siler LB 6-1, 235 Florida
36. Anthony Spencer DE 6-3, 260 Purdue
37. * Eric Wright CB 5-11, 190 UNLV
38. Dwayne Bowe WR 6-2, 220 LSU
39. Brian Leonard FB 6-2, 235 Rutgers
40. Victor Abiamiri DE 6-3, 260 Notre Dame
41. Quinn Pitcock DT 6-2, 295 Ohio St
42. Drew Stanton QB 6-3, 230 Michigan St
43. Quentin Moses DE 6-5, 250 Georgia
44. Justin Harrell DT 6-3, 305 Tennessee
45. Rufus Alexander LB 6-1, 230 Oklahoma
46. Tank Tyler DT 6-0, 330 North Carolina St
47. Brandon Meriweather FS 6-0, 190 Miami
48. * Robert Meachem WR 6-2, 205 Tennessee
49. Joe Staley OT 6-5, 295 Central Michigan
50. Brandon Mebane DT 6-1, 305 California
And to finish things up -- you can take a look at the pro day calendar here.
Clearwater Coverage
Aaron Rowand's heard about the rumored deal sending him to San Diego for relief pitcher Scott Linebrink -- but the man goes about his business for the 2007 season without those thoughts in his mind. Jon Lieber spoke about his situation -- the odd man out in a six-man rotation as Spring Training begins. Karim Garcia, after a two-year hiatus, has another shot in the big leagues, refining his swing in Japan last season with moderate success. He is vying for one of the two final bench spots -- battling Chris Coste, Chris Roberson and Greg Dobbs.
In Phillies notes, the club will wear polyester-blend hats instead of the traditional woolen caps this season; southpaw Matt Smith and Shane Victorino came to contract agreements (terms not announced), making Ryan Howard and Brian Sanches the only two remaining unsigned players on the 40-man roster; pitcher Yoel Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Ottawa, Eude Brito is trying to return from a car accident and Danny Sandoval still has not left Venezuela -- seems to be an identity issue with the country's justice department.
The Phanatic Magazine's Phillies Season Preview begins February 25th.
In Phillies notes, the club will wear polyester-blend hats instead of the traditional woolen caps this season; southpaw Matt Smith and Shane Victorino came to contract agreements (terms not announced), making Ryan Howard and Brian Sanches the only two remaining unsigned players on the 40-man roster; pitcher Yoel Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Ottawa, Eude Brito is trying to return from a car accident and Danny Sandoval still has not left Venezuela -- seems to be an identity issue with the country's justice department.
The Phanatic Magazine's Phillies Season Preview begins February 25th.
Drexel avenges loss to William & Mary
HUGE would be too small of a word to describe Drexel's 64-57 victory over William & Mary at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The win kept the Dragons' (21-7, 12-5 CAA) at-large hopes alive.
Soul Shorts
The Phanatic Magazine will have in-depth coverage of the Philadelphia Soul this season, on-site at every home game and bringing you a Season Preview to remember. Until then, listen to owner Jon Bon Jovi's feelings on the franchise and the upcoming Arena Football League season. Also, Marc Narducci of the Inquirer says that its time quarterback Tony Graziani became a leader. If you can't make it down to the Wachovia Center, the Soul will be hitting your living rooms a lot this spring. The Soul will make a league-high seven national TV appearances on ESPN with another five coming to you on Comcast Sportsnet.
Life after football
By John McMullen
Seven Philadelphia Eagles are among the 116 players who have enrolled in the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial offseason program at the Harvard Business School, the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern), the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Linebacker Omar Gaither, defensive end Darren Howard, safety Quintin Mikell and fullback Thomas Tapeh will attend the Harvard session; running back Reno Mahe will be at Stanford; and long snapper Mike Bartrum and running back Brian Westbrook will be at Wharton.
The program is part of an ongoing initiative to assist players in preparing for their post-playing careers.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Korver shines as Sixers down Knicks
By John McMullen
Kyle Korver came off the bench to bury 6- of-7 shots from the three-point line and score a career-high 31 points as Philadelphia dominated New York, 104-84, at the Wachovia Center.
Andre Miller added 19 points and five assists for the Sixers, who snapped a three-game skid. Joe Smith chipped in with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Andre Iguodala finished with 10 points and nine assists.
"It's about getting a rhythm," Korver said of his big night. "If you have fresh legs, that's always a bonus. Unfortunately, in an NBA season with 82 games, you don't always feel that way. You have to try to find ways to get in a rhythm."
Eddy Curry was 10-of-12 from the floor and tallied 22 points for the Knicks, who were coming off a 100-94 win over Orlando on Tuesday. Jamal Crawford netted 14 points and rookie Renaldo Balkman had 13 points and seven boards.
"It's very disappointing," Curry said of the loss. "We gave up a lot of second-chance shots and they capitalized on them, it seemed like all of them."
The Sixers entered the final quarter with a seven-point lead and slowly started to put things away. Korver drained a three to make it 86-74 with 6:28 left.
Philadelphia then put things away with a quick 6-0 run late. Smith converted a conventional three-point play before Korver drained his sixth three of the contest to make it 97-78 with under three minutes to go.
The Sixers coasted to the finish line from there.
The Knicks took a slim 22-18 advantage after the opening 12 minutes but the Sixers' bench took over the contest in the second quarter.
The sharp-shooting Korver led the way with 14 points in the frame as Philadelphia dominated, outscoring the Knicks by 19 in the stanza en route to taking a comfortable 53-38 cushion at intermission.
The Sixers continued to pull away early in the third quarter. Miller connected on consecutive jumpers to give Philadelphia its first 20-point advantage, 60-40, with a little over nine minutes to go in the frame.
The Knicks responded however, and got back into things with a 12-2 spurt. A rare four-point play by Crawford capped the run and brought the Knicks within 10, 68-58, with 3:59 remaining in the third quarter.
New York continued to chip away from there and trailed by just seven, 74-67, entering the final frame.
Kyle Korver came off the bench to bury 6- of-7 shots from the three-point line and score a career-high 31 points as Philadelphia dominated New York, 104-84, at the Wachovia Center.
Andre Miller added 19 points and five assists for the Sixers, who snapped a three-game skid. Joe Smith chipped in with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Andre Iguodala finished with 10 points and nine assists.
"It's about getting a rhythm," Korver said of his big night. "If you have fresh legs, that's always a bonus. Unfortunately, in an NBA season with 82 games, you don't always feel that way. You have to try to find ways to get in a rhythm."
Eddy Curry was 10-of-12 from the floor and tallied 22 points for the Knicks, who were coming off a 100-94 win over Orlando on Tuesday. Jamal Crawford netted 14 points and rookie Renaldo Balkman had 13 points and seven boards.
"It's very disappointing," Curry said of the loss. "We gave up a lot of second-chance shots and they capitalized on them, it seemed like all of them."
The Sixers entered the final quarter with a seven-point lead and slowly started to put things away. Korver drained a three to make it 86-74 with 6:28 left.
Philadelphia then put things away with a quick 6-0 run late. Smith converted a conventional three-point play before Korver drained his sixth three of the contest to make it 97-78 with under three minutes to go.
The Sixers coasted to the finish line from there.
The Knicks took a slim 22-18 advantage after the opening 12 minutes but the Sixers' bench took over the contest in the second quarter.
The sharp-shooting Korver led the way with 14 points in the frame as Philadelphia dominated, outscoring the Knicks by 19 in the stanza en route to taking a comfortable 53-38 cushion at intermission.
The Sixers continued to pull away early in the third quarter. Miller connected on consecutive jumpers to give Philadelphia its first 20-point advantage, 60-40, with a little over nine minutes to go in the frame.
The Knicks responded however, and got back into things with a 12-2 spurt. A rare four-point play by Crawford capped the run and brought the Knicks within 10, 68-58, with 3:59 remaining in the third quarter.
New York continued to chip away from there and trailed by just seven, 74-67, entering the final frame.
Phils sell more than 65,000 tickets today
Wednesday marked the start of the Phillies individual game ticket sales, with fans lining up as early as 4:00 a.m. at Citizens Bank Park to be among the first to purchase tickets.
“More than 65,000 Phillies tickets were sold today for games at Citizens Bank Park,” announced John Weber, vice president of sales and ticket operations.
Including tickets that were made available on a pre-sale basis to Phillies season ticket holders, e-mail club members and multiple-game purchasers, over 150,000 individual game tickets have been sold to date.
“A strong start to individual ticket sales, along with a 1,200-seat increase in our season ticket base, indicates our fans are very excited for the beginning of the 2007 season,” said Weber.
“More than 65,000 Phillies tickets were sold today for games at Citizens Bank Park,” announced John Weber, vice president of sales and ticket operations.
Including tickets that were made available on a pre-sale basis to Phillies season ticket holders, e-mail club members and multiple-game purchasers, over 150,000 individual game tickets have been sold to date.
“A strong start to individual ticket sales, along with a 1,200-seat increase in our season ticket base, indicates our fans are very excited for the beginning of the 2007 season,” said Weber.
Knuble Has Successful Surgery
"Mike Knuble had successful, one hour surgery today performed by Dr. Guy Lanzi at Cooper Hospital in Camden, New Jersey," Flyers general manger Paul Holmgren said. "Mike had two plates inserted in his face to fixate the broken bones in both his right cheekbone and right orbital bone. He will spend the night in the hospital and return home tomorrow. We are expecting him to return to action in approximately four weeks. He will be out of any type of activity for at least a week to 10 days and then he will start his conditioning. Everything went well and Mike is resting comfortably."
NFL Scouting Combine 2007
Time to get you ready for the annual NFL scouting combine.
Peter Schrager of Fox Sports gives you a look at the famous Wonderlic test...
And here's the official list of invitees that will be poked and prodded for your enjoyment.
Peter Schrager of Fox Sports gives you a look at the famous Wonderlic test...
And here's the official list of invitees that will be poked and prodded for your enjoyment.
Sixers put under the microscope
The Inquirer's Joe Juliano theorizes in a Wednesday column about the bullet points of significance left in the Sixers' floundering season. He touches on Andre Miller and Billy King's futures, and how many more wins the fans can expect from this club.
Flyers fall in Buffalo
Robert Esche was yanked from goal -- that seems to happen a lot when he visits Buffalo -- after allowing four goals on 14 shots, and the Flyers fell to the Buffalo Sabres, 6-3, on Tuesday night.
Phillies Single Game Tickets Now on Sale
An early start for the online crowd (7:30 a.m.) and a lobby full of die-hard fans at 9:00 a.m. Philadelphia Phillies single-game tickets are NOW on sale!
Rollins reiterates drive
If you didn't hear it the first time, or maybe you just didn't believe it, Jimmy Rollins reiterated Tuesday that the Phillies are the team to beat in the National League East. The Inquirer's Jim Salisbury then talks about the old-school approach general manager Pat Gillick brings to his job. Charlie Manuel's job? Help get the Phillies off to a fast start, something they haven't achieved in Manuel's two seasons at the helm. And before we forget, Bill Conlin wrote ANOTHER column about Pat Burrell -- the two are buddies.
The Pride of the Yankees
By John Gottlieb
It’s unbelievable that when you play by the rules you are still chastised as the worst in all of sports. It's a lofty title to uphold, but one it becomes the Yankee moniker before the start of every baseball season.
It’s unbelievable that when you play by the rules you are still chastised as the worst in all of sports. It's a lofty title to uphold, but one it becomes the Yankee moniker before the start of every baseball season.
Pardon me but boo-hoo for the rest of Major League Baseball and the rest of the whole sporting landscape for that matter.
I’m sure I don’t have to, but I will remind everyone that despite having the highest payroll for the last six years the Yankees have ZERO World Series titles. That’s right, they’ve been stuck on good ole No. 26 since the 2000 Subway Series.
The Yankees are the worst in all of sports when they win and the worst in all of sports when they lose. When they win it's because they're supposed to and when they lose it's because there is no way all of that high-priced talent can come together as a team. I guess you're damned if you do and damned it you don't. That's a pretty rough standard to be held to.
How can you blame the Yankees for the market they’re located in? Being in New York has its perks, and one of them is drawing four-plus million fans.
Do the Yankees exude some sort of arrogance? If you spent $200 million for a team you’d expect them to win. Do we equate arrogance with lofty expectations? If so, then count the Yankees guilty as charged.
The Yankees won four World Series in five years behind homegrown talent, including Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte.
Other than the 2002 Angels no other team since 2000 has used as much of a core of homegrown players than the Yanks’ dynasty.
Maybe they spend their money unwisely but that goes to show that despite being in the playoffs, the team that spends the most usually doesn’t win, which should give hope this year to the Phillies, Twins and Cardinals.
Jay Leno’s got an extravagant, expensive collection of cars, but would the late night talk show host send his Porsche Carrera GT to the junkyard if it blew a transmission. I don’t think so. He’d probably replace the V10 with a V12 and up the horsepower from 605 to whatever you up that kind of machinery to.
It’s the same thing with the Bombers. If Johnny Damon breaks his leg in spring training you can bet that the first call Brian Cashman will make is to John Schuerholz in Atlanta.
I’m not sure why everyone has a problem with what the Yankees do. Is it because they put a winning product on the field (at least throughout the regular season), or is it because if they have a deficiency they go out and fix it?
Of course the Royals can’t make the same moves that the Yankees can, but their owner is David Glass. Never heard of him? He’s just the guy that owns one the biggest companies in the United States (Walmart).
The new owner of the Pirates is Bob Nutting, who is the President and CEO of Ogden Newspapers and Nutting Newspapers, a chain off 38 dailies, 43 weeklies/shoppers, 14 magazines and 51 independent telephone directories.
These guys have all the cake it takes to turn the franchises into competitors, but they spend the money poorly (Gil Meche) or they don’t spend it at all. Don’t blame the Yankees for that.
You don’t get to join the fraternity of baseball owners unless you have a lot of money and you play nice-nice with the others.
Am I to believe that David Glass can’t afford to keep up with George Steinbrenner? No, Steinbrenner just wants to win more and is willing to do whatever it takes, within the rules to do so.
Just wait until A-Rod decides that he wants a contract extension after this season and threatens to opt out of his deal if the Yanks don’t give him five more years at $100-plus million. The Bronx Bombers would tell him to take a hike.
Also keep in mind that the Yankees are only paying $16 million this season for Rodriguez. I can give you 29 other teams that would do that if they could.
Now that Brian Cashman has control of the organization the Yankees have shown fiscal restraint. If they were the big, bad Yankees with George Steinbrenner calling the shots then Carlos Beltran would be patrolling center and Barry Zito would be the talk of the town.
The Yanks added Doug Mientkiewicz, Kei Igawa and Andy Pettitte this season, while shedding Gary Sheffield, Randy Johnson, Jaret Wright and most certainly Bernie Williams. New York would’ve gotten rid of A-Rod and Jason Giambi too but they wouldn’t waive no-trade clauses.
And whom did New York get in return for these future Hall-of-Famers and Jaret Wright? Humberto Sanchez, Kevin Whelan, Anthony Claggett, Chris Britton, Ross Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, Alberto Gonzalez and Luis Vizacaino. There is a possibility that two or three of these players will see time in the majors this year.
The Yankees are a team with weaknesses, including aging starting pitching, the lack of a dominant relief pitcher (other than Mariano), and a gaping hole at first base. I’m sure if they wanted to they could've bettered themselves with some major league ready talent if they were "the worst in sports".
Nope, they’re building for the future. The Yankees farm system was a laughingstock just a few seasons ago, but ESPN’s Keith Law ranked them in the top five this year.
When you hear baseball fans complain about what the Yankees do it’s because they wish the owners of their favorite franchise was smart or savvy enough to do the same. What would make the system fairer? Do the Yankees need to be put a competitive disadvantage because they make so much money? Why don’t we make them play with 20 guys on their roster instead of the 25 everyone else gets? How about we put a cap on the number of All-Stars one franchise can have? Where does the line get drawn?
There is no salary cap in baseball and there never will be thanks to the strongest union in the world. That is the only way to even out the playing field (just like the NFL), but don’t hold your breath. It ain’t gonna happen, baseball has gone on strike for less.
As for the Red Sox, if the Yankees are the worst in all of sports the Red Sox are not far behind. This is a team that spent $222 million this offseason behind only the Chicago Cubs. (The Yankees rank ninth in offseason spending this year.)
Sorry if my math is a little off, but as best as I can tell the Yankees’ payroll will be roughly $45 million more than Boston's this year (and that doesn’t include the posting bids for any of the import pitchers on either team), compared to last season when New York’s payroll was close to $75 million more. Boston is catching up and doing it quickly.
So while that was a beautifully disturbing love story of the couple in Boston, the Red Sox are a team going with their fifth different shortstop in the last five seasons and also signed an outfielder that won’t play with a hangnail to a five-year, $70 million contract.
Look in the mirror. The playing field is slowly but surely being leveled in baseball.
If the Yanks are the worst in all of sports because they will do whatever it takes, again within the rules, then why even pick a team and devote your time to it?
“You play to win the game.”
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The Yankees Represent the Worst of Sports
By Jared TrexlerA snowflake fell just outside the steps of Fanneuil Hall in downtown Boston. It was significant because it was the first flake of the season -- and as tradition, lovebirds are supposed to seal the occasion with a kiss.
That was the dilemma facing a young gentleman in his mid 20s, sporting a brown overcoat, a five o'clock shadow and a large pin on his right chest that read,"John Kerry for President."
So, he was slightly behind the times, yet the pin wasn't his political statement. As he walked closer, his shirt's slogan became quite clear.
"Don't hate me. I love a Yankee fan."
Without further adieu, a quick-walking, dark-haired girl with a NYU sweatshirt sprinted toward the young man with passionate glee. She had seen the snow on her way to meet him, and she obviously was big on tradition.
Donning a New York Yankee hat, snugly holding together a bun in the back, the girl jumped into the guy's arms. It could have been a scene from Serendipity.
Except the man turned the other cheek, refusing to greet his woman with a kiss. She knew what he wanted, begrudgingly removing the cap.
Anyone within a shouting distance of the two could hear him explain his rationale.
"I don't hate the Yankees. I hate what they represent."
They represent big business. And greed. Yet, fans from Brooklyn to Manhattan will argue they also represent desire. Hard work. Will to win.
All fair and just adjectives, but I'll go a proclamation better.
The New York Yankees, by some of their own doing but also through no complete fault of their own, represent the worst of sports.
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As of Opening Day 2006, the Yankees payroll sat at $198,662,180, almost $80 million or a Powerball jackpot ahead of the next closest spender -- the Boston Red Sox.
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As of Opening Day 2006, the Yankees payroll sat at $198,662,180, almost $80 million or a Powerball jackpot ahead of the next closest spender -- the Boston Red Sox.
New York's never-ending checkbook has been well documented. It's been rehashed in various novels, on Tampa Bay Devil Rays broadcasts (as they are getting pounded 13-1 in the fourth frame) and even on Seinfeld.
And it truly is no complete fault of their own. They pay luxury tax, giving countless millions to Kansas City and Pittsburgh, only to see that money enter the pocket without an increase in small-market payroll.
This isn't meant to be a history lesson on Bud Selig's tenure as MLB Commissioner or the evolution of the luxury tax.
It's more an overarching argument that the Yankees -- led by the "Boss" upstairs down through the manager in the dugout and the players on the field-- exude a sense of entitlement that comes from a river of cash as long as the Nile.
It's like spending $1000 for a hooker and expecting her to "perform her duties" like a champ. Or buying a $500,000 boat and expecting the motor to purr like a cat. Or buying an All-Star baseball team and expecting it to filter to the top after a lengthy 162-game season.
With money comes expectations, but also arrogance. Excellence, but also cockiness. A good record, b
ut also a bad message sent to today's youth.
ut also a bad message sent to today's youth. Money can be a great Band-Aid. If Alex Rodriguez gets hurt -- aka breaks a nail -- New York can go out and swing a deal for Miguel Cabrera. Could any other team feasibly, financially pull off such a move?
No.
Parity is no longer a dirty word in the National Football League, where a Super Bowl champion can quickly become a .500 club and a storied franchise (Oakland) can quickly become the laughingstock of the league.
Fans of almost every team enter each season with promise and hope. New Orleans was an en vogue 4-12 pick before the season commenced, then went out and won the NFC South.
Think fans filtering into PNC Park can say the same thing? Not a chance, and it's bad for sports.
Again, not to say it's completely the Yankees' fault, but the pinstripes have become the image of Major League Baseball's core deficiencies -- a corporation structured behind the ideals of the Republican party where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
"Major League baseball as it stands is a poorly run business economically," said an area college professor. "The NFL has proven that the level playing field has provided more excitement. The NFL has almost become a large scale March Madness, where anything can happen.
"It's a great product," he continued. "And MLB just isn't there. The league will point to an 83-win club winning the World Series (St. Louis). It's the exception to the rule. More often than not it's the Yankees then everyone else."
Everyone else can still win. Minnesota and Oakland are two examples of penny-thrift franchises that have used superb scouting departments and minor-league systems to build consistent winners.
It just doesn't happen often enough. And it won't until Major League Baseball realizes its faulty economic structure, nips the Yankees' spending spree in the bud and brings player development more into play.
The Yankees rarely develop talent anymore. Why bother when other people can do it for them. George's crew was the only front office willing to take on Bobby Abreu's contract at the trade deadline last season -- not because they wanted it more, but because they just plain had more.
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After explaining why he dissed the kiss, the young lady quickly backed away with a stare that could have melted a typical Boston Nor'easter.
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After explaining why he dissed the kiss, the young lady quickly backed away with a stare that could have melted a typical Boston Nor'easter.
Then he pointed to his button, bringing her smile back.
John Kerry was a uniting bond. Yankees-Red Sox was a topic not up for discussion.
"We don't need to earn it. We'll win because we spend more," quipped the girl, quick to get in the last word, as the two walked hand-in-hand away from the historic building.
It's 2007 thinking spreading nationwide. And the Yankees are to blame.
Phillies' depth chart holds some intrigue
The Phillies have a depth chart listed on their website that could answer some questions heading into the season.
Like, who is considered the team ace? According to the chart, that would be one Freddy Garcia over Brett Myers.
Top catcher? Rod Barajas.
Set-up man? Ryan Madson, with newly-inked Geoff Geary right behind him.
Like, who is considered the team ace? According to the chart, that would be one Freddy Garcia over Brett Myers.
Top catcher? Rod Barajas.
Set-up man? Ryan Madson, with newly-inked Geoff Geary right behind him.
Flyers Recall Darren Reid and Stefan Ruzicka
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers recalled forwards Darren Reid and Stefan Ruzicka from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, on Tuesday.
Reid, 23, was scoreless in two games for the Flyers this season. He has registered 16 goals and seven assists for 23 points and 17 penalty minutes in 44 AHL games this season for the Phantoms and the Springfield Falcons. His 16 goals lead the Phantoms. He has posted 22 points (15G,7A) and 12 penalty minutes in 34 games for the Phantoms and recorded a goal and five penalty minutes in 10 games for the Falcons.
Ruzicka, 22, has posted five points (1G,4A) and eight penalty minutes in 19 games for the Flyers this season. He has also recorded 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points and 25 penalty minutes in 29 games for the Phantoms this season.
The Philadelphia Flyers recalled forwards Darren Reid and Stefan Ruzicka from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, on Tuesday.
Reid, 23, was scoreless in two games for the Flyers this season. He has registered 16 goals and seven assists for 23 points and 17 penalty minutes in 44 AHL games this season for the Phantoms and the Springfield Falcons. His 16 goals lead the Phantoms. He has posted 22 points (15G,7A) and 12 penalty minutes in 34 games for the Phantoms and recorded a goal and five penalty minutes in 10 games for the Falcons.
Ruzicka, 22, has posted five points (1G,4A) and eight penalty minutes in 19 games for the Flyers this season. He has also recorded 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points and 25 penalty minutes in 29 games for the Phantoms this season.
Segrest - in!
The Eagles named Rory Segrest special teams coordinator, Bill Shuey defensive assistant/quality control coach, and James Urban offensive assistant/quality control coach on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old Segrest takes over for John Harbaugh, who is now the Eagles secondary coach. Segrest served as the special teams quality control coach under Harbaugh last season. Segrest joined the Eagles after a four-year stint at Samford, where he served as the defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, and special teams coordinator. He also served as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State and as a graduate assistant coach at Alabama and Auburn.
The 33-year-old Segrest takes over for John Harbaugh, who is now the Eagles secondary coach. Segrest served as the special teams quality control coach under Harbaugh last season. Segrest joined the Eagles after a four-year stint at Samford, where he served as the defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, and special teams coordinator. He also served as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State and as a graduate assistant coach at Alabama and Auburn.
Rollins: "We are the team to beat -- finally."
That quote from January 23 was either of great prophecy or supreme confidence. Either way, shortstop Jimmy Rollins really meant it. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark looked at the quote's validity in a detailed look at the 2007 Philadelphia Phillies.
Celts send former Villanova star to D-League
By John McMullen
The Boston Celtics assigned rookie guard Allan Ray to their NBA Development League affiliate in Austin. Ray is the team's first assignment to the NBA Development League this season and the 19th NBA player to be assigned.
Ray has appeared in 33 games this year averaging 4.9 points and 1.1 rebounds. He also ranks third among all NBA rookies in three-point field goal percentage with a mark of .391.
The Boston Celtics assigned rookie guard Allan Ray to their NBA Development League affiliate in Austin. Ray is the team's first assignment to the NBA Development League this season and the 19th NBA player to be assigned.
Ray has appeared in 33 games this year averaging 4.9 points and 1.1 rebounds. He also ranks third among all NBA rookies in three-point field goal percentage with a mark of .391.
Part of the Problem
"Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo."
-English Author H.G. Wells
By John McMullen
Tim Hardaway is part of the problem in more ways than you think.
The obvious inference to that statement regards his uneducated, terribly backward views on homosexuals.
On February 14, Hardaway admitted he was homophobic during an interview on Dan Le Batard's Miami radio program. The discussion was spurred by the recent outing of retired NBA player John Amaechi.
"First of all I wouldn’t want him on my team," Hardaway told Le Batard. "Second of all, if he was on my team I would really distance myself from him because I don’t think that’s right and I don’t think he should be in the locker room when we’re in the locker room. Something has to give, If you have 12 other ball players in your locker room that's upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate."
Le Batard correctly quickly labelled those remarks as homophobic and bigoted but Hardaway didn't back down. "Well, you know, I hate gay people. I let it be known I don’t like gay people. I don’t like to be around gay people. I’m homophobic. It shouldn’t be in the world, in the United States, I don’t like it."
Later that day in an interview with Miami's WFOR-TV, Hardaway stood by his earlier comments. He also alleged that many other players in the NBA share his belief that homosexuality is wrong, and that he would respond the same way toward a gay family member.
After all those bombs landed few could defend Hardaway and even fewer wanted too.
But, the intolerance of his right to express his opinions was quite striking and highlighted another problem in our increasingly politically correct society.
"In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude."
-George Washington
The multitude certainly spoke in the Hardaway case and the former Miami Heat star's dissent to the world of political correctness was viewed as unfavorable to say the least.
The NBA responded by removing him from its All-Star Weekend activities and future appearances.
"It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours," NBA commissioner David Stern said.
Meanwhile Hardaway's employer, the Continental Basketball Association's Indiana Alleycats, fired him.
"The CBA does not in any way condone or endorse the hateful comments made by Mr. Hardaway to ESPN yesterday," the team said in a release. "Mr. Hardaway’s comments were unfortunate, hateful and are not the views of the CBA or any of its member teams. It is our fervent belief that any person should be allowed to participate in our league, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, political preference or sexual orientation, without fear of reprisal or discrimination."
It didn't end there, a Miami car wash co-owned by Hardaway, "Hardaway's US 1 Finest Hand Car Wash," was immediately renamed to "Grand Luxe Auto Bathe" in an effort to gain distance from the former guard with the killer crossover.
He was also ridiculed in dozens of media outlets across the country.
And to most, it didn't matter -- Hardaway deserved it all.
But, in the grand scheme of things, were Hardaway's critics any better than he was?
"The United States can be proud that it has institutions and a structure that permit its citizens to express honest dissent.
-The New York Times
If you actually value freedom of speech, dissenting views have to be tolerated no matter how hateful. Objective observers have to realize Hardaway had every right to express his opinions and Amaechi, of all people, was one of the few to understand that.
"Finally, someone who is honest," Amaechi said to the Miami Herald. "It is ridiculous, absurd, petty, bigoted and shows a lack of empathy that is gargantuan and unfathomable. But it is honest. And it illustrates the problem better than any of the fuzzy language other people have used so far."
That said, any private organization has the right to distance itself from a man that expresses opinions contrary to how they want to be identified. The NBA and Hardaway's other employers had every right to keep Hardaway at arm's length.
But it doesn't make them right -- It just makes them part of a problem with no solution in sight.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
Mark Twain
-English Author H.G. Wells
By John McMullen
Tim Hardaway is part of the problem in more ways than you think.
The obvious inference to that statement regards his uneducated, terribly backward views on homosexuals.
On February 14, Hardaway admitted he was homophobic during an interview on Dan Le Batard's Miami radio program. The discussion was spurred by the recent outing of retired NBA player John Amaechi.
"First of all I wouldn’t want him on my team," Hardaway told Le Batard. "Second of all, if he was on my team I would really distance myself from him because I don’t think that’s right and I don’t think he should be in the locker room when we’re in the locker room. Something has to give, If you have 12 other ball players in your locker room that's upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate."
Le Batard correctly quickly labelled those remarks as homophobic and bigoted but Hardaway didn't back down. "Well, you know, I hate gay people. I let it be known I don’t like gay people. I don’t like to be around gay people. I’m homophobic. It shouldn’t be in the world, in the United States, I don’t like it."
Later that day in an interview with Miami's WFOR-TV, Hardaway stood by his earlier comments. He also alleged that many other players in the NBA share his belief that homosexuality is wrong, and that he would respond the same way toward a gay family member.
After all those bombs landed few could defend Hardaway and even fewer wanted too.
But, the intolerance of his right to express his opinions was quite striking and highlighted another problem in our increasingly politically correct society.
"In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude."
-George Washington
The multitude certainly spoke in the Hardaway case and the former Miami Heat star's dissent to the world of political correctness was viewed as unfavorable to say the least.
The NBA responded by removing him from its All-Star Weekend activities and future appearances.
"It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours," NBA commissioner David Stern said.
Meanwhile Hardaway's employer, the Continental Basketball Association's Indiana Alleycats, fired him.
"The CBA does not in any way condone or endorse the hateful comments made by Mr. Hardaway to ESPN yesterday," the team said in a release. "Mr. Hardaway’s comments were unfortunate, hateful and are not the views of the CBA or any of its member teams. It is our fervent belief that any person should be allowed to participate in our league, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, political preference or sexual orientation, without fear of reprisal or discrimination."
It didn't end there, a Miami car wash co-owned by Hardaway, "Hardaway's US 1 Finest Hand Car Wash," was immediately renamed to "Grand Luxe Auto Bathe" in an effort to gain distance from the former guard with the killer crossover.
He was also ridiculed in dozens of media outlets across the country.
And to most, it didn't matter -- Hardaway deserved it all.
But, in the grand scheme of things, were Hardaway's critics any better than he was?
"The United States can be proud that it has institutions and a structure that permit its citizens to express honest dissent.
-The New York Times
If you actually value freedom of speech, dissenting views have to be tolerated no matter how hateful. Objective observers have to realize Hardaway had every right to express his opinions and Amaechi, of all people, was one of the few to understand that.
"Finally, someone who is honest," Amaechi said to the Miami Herald. "It is ridiculous, absurd, petty, bigoted and shows a lack of empathy that is gargantuan and unfathomable. But it is honest. And it illustrates the problem better than any of the fuzzy language other people have used so far."
That said, any private organization has the right to distance itself from a man that expresses opinions contrary to how they want to be identified. The NBA and Hardaway's other employers had every right to keep Hardaway at arm's length.
But it doesn't make them right -- It just makes them part of a problem with no solution in sight.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
Mark Twain
WGC Match-Play Predictions: Ogilvy Repeats!
By Jared Trexler
Bobby Jones Bracket
Tiger Woods defeats J.J. Henry -- Solid ball-striker Henry could give Woods problems
Robert Allenby defeats Tim Clark -- Allenby has four Top-10s in four events this season
Rory Sabbatini defeats David Howell -- Mentally weak (Howell) vs. mentally nuts (Rory)
Lucas Glover defeats Nick O'Hern -- Talented American is better tee to green
Carl Petterson defeats K.J. Choi -- Three straight double-digit seeds advance
Henrik Stenson defeats Zach Johnson -- Intriguing Ryder Cup-style bout
Aaron Baddeley defeats Shingo Katayama -- Baddeley has blossomed this season
Luke Donald defeats Miguel Angel Jimenez -- Methodical match comes down to putting
Tiger Woods defeats Robert Allenby -- Best player knocks off red-hot Aussie
Lucas Glover defeats Rory Sabbatini -- I like the young American
Henrik Stenson defeats Carl Petterson -- Talented Euro finally realizing potential
Aaron Baddeley defeats Luke Donald -- Momentum carries Baddeley
Tiger Woods defeats Lucas Glover -- We all know where this is leading
Aaron Baddeley defeats Henrik Stenson -- I remember Aaron Baddeley years ago
Tiger Woods defeats Aaron Baddeley -- Can't overlook Woods' record in match play
Ben Hogan Bracket
Phil Mickelson downs Richard Green -- Battle of southpaws ends similarities
Justin Rose downs Michael Campbell -- Rose threatened at Hope before blowing in wind
Charles Howell III downs Stuart Appleby -- This isn't Hawaii, and Howell is on a roll
Sergio Garcia downs Darren Clarke -- Great match-up of Ryder Cup teammates
Chris DiMarco downs Brett Wetterich -- DiMarco eats this stuff for lunch
Trevor Immelman downs Thomas Bjorn -- South African loves this event
Bart Bryant downs Ian Poulter -- "77-75" isn't what Poulter had in mind before here
Ernie Els downs Bradley Dredge -- Welsh's golfing son little known in the States
Phil Mickelson downs Justin Rose -- Lefty is keeping lower body underneath his arms
Charles Howell III downs Sergio Garcia -- The momentum train sets up Nissan rematch
Chris DiMarco downs Trevor Immelman -- DiMarco is the ultimate Match Play bulldog
Ernie Els downs Bart Bryant -- Two relatively easy matches for Ernie
Phil Mickelson downs Charles Howell III -- Payback comes in third round
Ernie Els downs Chris DiMarco -- Victory sets up dynamic quarterfinal
Phil Mickelson downs Ernie Els -- Mickelson is great when driver is on like it is now
Gary Player Bracket
Jim Furyk beats Brett Quigley -- Quigley is an interesting Match Play study
Angel Cabrera beats Chad Campbell -- Haven't seen much from either player
David Toms beats Aaron Oberholser -- Aaron might have to withdraw
Davis Love III beats Ben Crane -- Crane's philosophy: play slow.
Stewart Cink beats Jeev Milkha Singh -- Welcome to the PGA Tour Jeev!
Padraig Harrington beats Lee Westwood -- Like Garcia v. Clarke, match of Ryder Cup
Stephen Ames beats Robert Karlsson -- Don't worry Stephen. Tiger is far, far away
Vigay Singh beats John Rollins -- Vigay's play has been s0-so, this could be an upset
Jim Furyk beats Angel Cabrera -- Furyk will capitalize on Cabrera's rust
Davis Love III beats David Toms -- Match-up of Ryder Cup friends on U.S. side
Stewart Cink beats Padraig Harrington -- Harrington was brilliant AT TIMES last week
Vigay Singh beats Stephen Ames -- Vigay is lucky to have this early draw
Davis Love III beats Jim Furyk -- I have a feeling about Davis if the back cooperates
Stewart Cink beats Vigay Singh -- Fairways and greens beats rough then scramble
Davis Love III beats Stewart Cink -- Entertaining match, Davis has too much firepower
Sam Snead Bracket
Adam Scott wins over Shaun Micheel -- This isn't the PGA Championship
Rod Pampling wins over Yang Yong-Eun -- WHO? Pampling is tailor made for golf course
Colin Montgomerie wins over Johan Edfors -- Monty another solid match play performer
Paul Casey wins over Mike Weir -- Weir's swing changes still a work in progress
Jose Maria Olazabal wins over Paul Goydos -- Jose's record in MP is stellar
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Steve Stricker -- Supremely talented Aussie advances
Joe Durant wins over Niclas Fasth -- Durant is fit in the "fairways and greens" mold
Scott Verplank wins over Retief Goosen -- Upset! Goose still rounding into form
Adam Scott wins over Rod Pampling -- Young gun survives battle of Aussies
Paul Casey wins over Colin Montgomerie -- Fascinating old guard-new guard battle
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Jose Maria Olazabal -- Talent vs. Experience -- classic battle
Scott Verplank wins over Joe Durant -- Plenty of fairways. Greens. And few bogeys
Adam Scott wins over Paul Casey -- Two of golf's rising stars
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Scott Verplank -- Ogilvy has massive length advantage
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Adam Scott -- Another battle of Aussies goes to the major champion
FINAL FOUR
Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson
Davis Love III vs. Geoff Ogilvy
Prediction: Golf TV would salivate over this Final Four, probably bringing in the highest ratings ever for this event if my predictions (highly unlikely) come to fruition. Mickelson's new-found long game versus Tiger's superior will and heart. The key to the match will be Wood's driver. If it is on, Tiger wins. If it is slightly off, Mickelson will prevail. Love III rode a hot putter and long driving to this point. Ogilvy is the more polished player at this stage of each player's career.
Mickelson defeats Woods, 2&1
Ogilvy defeats Love III, 3&2
The Championship Match will conclude A LOT of high-pressure golf for Mickelson during the West Coast Swing. His "new" body and endurance will be a key factor late in the 36-hole final against the fresher player. Ogilvy will withstand an early birdie barrage from Lefty, then win a few back nine holes when fatigue sets in.
Ogilvy defeats Mickelson, 2&1
-----
Jared Trexler is The Phanatic Magazine's Golf Editor. He can be reached at jtrexler@phanaticmag.com
Bobby Jones Bracket
Tiger Woods defeats J.J. Henry -- Solid ball-striker Henry could give Woods problems
Robert Allenby defeats Tim Clark -- Allenby has four Top-10s in four events this season
Rory Sabbatini defeats David Howell -- Mentally weak (Howell) vs. mentally nuts (Rory)
Lucas Glover defeats Nick O'Hern -- Talented American is better tee to green
Carl Petterson defeats K.J. Choi -- Three straight double-digit seeds advance
Henrik Stenson defeats Zach Johnson -- Intriguing Ryder Cup-style bout
Aaron Baddeley defeats Shingo Katayama -- Baddeley has blossomed this season
Luke Donald defeats Miguel Angel Jimenez -- Methodical match comes down to putting
Tiger Woods defeats Robert Allenby -- Best player knocks off red-hot Aussie
Lucas Glover defeats Rory Sabbatini -- I like the young American
Henrik Stenson defeats Carl Petterson -- Talented Euro finally realizing potential
Aaron Baddeley defeats Luke Donald -- Momentum carries Baddeley
Tiger Woods defeats Lucas Glover -- We all know where this is leading
Aaron Baddeley defeats Henrik Stenson -- I remember Aaron Baddeley years ago
Tiger Woods defeats Aaron Baddeley -- Can't overlook Woods' record in match play
Ben Hogan Bracket
Phil Mickelson downs Richard Green -- Battle of southpaws ends similarities
Justin Rose downs Michael Campbell -- Rose threatened at Hope before blowing in wind
Charles Howell III downs Stuart Appleby -- This isn't Hawaii, and Howell is on a roll
Sergio Garcia downs Darren Clarke -- Great match-up of Ryder Cup teammates
Chris DiMarco downs Brett Wetterich -- DiMarco eats this stuff for lunch
Trevor Immelman downs Thomas Bjorn -- South African loves this event
Bart Bryant downs Ian Poulter -- "77-75" isn't what Poulter had in mind before here
Ernie Els downs Bradley Dredge -- Welsh's golfing son little known in the States
Phil Mickelson downs Justin Rose -- Lefty is keeping lower body underneath his arms
Charles Howell III downs Sergio Garcia -- The momentum train sets up Nissan rematch
Chris DiMarco downs Trevor Immelman -- DiMarco is the ultimate Match Play bulldog
Ernie Els downs Bart Bryant -- Two relatively easy matches for Ernie
Phil Mickelson downs Charles Howell III -- Payback comes in third round
Ernie Els downs Chris DiMarco -- Victory sets up dynamic quarterfinal
Phil Mickelson downs Ernie Els -- Mickelson is great when driver is on like it is now
Gary Player Bracket
Jim Furyk beats Brett Quigley -- Quigley is an interesting Match Play study
Angel Cabrera beats Chad Campbell -- Haven't seen much from either player
David Toms beats Aaron Oberholser -- Aaron might have to withdraw
Davis Love III beats Ben Crane -- Crane's philosophy: play slow.
Stewart Cink beats Jeev Milkha Singh -- Welcome to the PGA Tour Jeev!
Padraig Harrington beats Lee Westwood -- Like Garcia v. Clarke, match of Ryder Cup
Stephen Ames beats Robert Karlsson -- Don't worry Stephen. Tiger is far, far away
Vigay Singh beats John Rollins -- Vigay's play has been s0-so, this could be an upset
Jim Furyk beats Angel Cabrera -- Furyk will capitalize on Cabrera's rust
Davis Love III beats David Toms -- Match-up of Ryder Cup friends on U.S. side
Stewart Cink beats Padraig Harrington -- Harrington was brilliant AT TIMES last week
Vigay Singh beats Stephen Ames -- Vigay is lucky to have this early draw
Davis Love III beats Jim Furyk -- I have a feeling about Davis if the back cooperates
Stewart Cink beats Vigay Singh -- Fairways and greens beats rough then scramble
Davis Love III beats Stewart Cink -- Entertaining match, Davis has too much firepower
Sam Snead Bracket
Adam Scott wins over Shaun Micheel -- This isn't the PGA Championship
Rod Pampling wins over Yang Yong-Eun -- WHO? Pampling is tailor made for golf course
Colin Montgomerie wins over Johan Edfors -- Monty another solid match play performer
Paul Casey wins over Mike Weir -- Weir's swing changes still a work in progress
Jose Maria Olazabal wins over Paul Goydos -- Jose's record in MP is stellar
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Steve Stricker -- Supremely talented Aussie advances
Joe Durant wins over Niclas Fasth -- Durant is fit in the "fairways and greens" mold
Scott Verplank wins over Retief Goosen -- Upset! Goose still rounding into form
Adam Scott wins over Rod Pampling -- Young gun survives battle of Aussies
Paul Casey wins over Colin Montgomerie -- Fascinating old guard-new guard battle
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Jose Maria Olazabal -- Talent vs. Experience -- classic battle
Scott Verplank wins over Joe Durant -- Plenty of fairways. Greens. And few bogeys
Adam Scott wins over Paul Casey -- Two of golf's rising stars
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Scott Verplank -- Ogilvy has massive length advantage
Geoff Ogilvy wins over Adam Scott -- Another battle of Aussies goes to the major champion
FINAL FOUR
Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson
Davis Love III vs. Geoff Ogilvy
Prediction: Golf TV would salivate over this Final Four, probably bringing in the highest ratings ever for this event if my predictions (highly unlikely) come to fruition. Mickelson's new-found long game versus Tiger's superior will and heart. The key to the match will be Wood's driver. If it is on, Tiger wins. If it is slightly off, Mickelson will prevail. Love III rode a hot putter and long driving to this point. Ogilvy is the more polished player at this stage of each player's career.
Mickelson defeats Woods, 2&1
Ogilvy defeats Love III, 3&2
The Championship Match will conclude A LOT of high-pressure golf for Mickelson during the West Coast Swing. His "new" body and endurance will be a key factor late in the 36-hole final against the fresher player. Ogilvy will withstand an early birdie barrage from Lefty, then win a few back nine holes when fatigue sets in.
Ogilvy defeats Mickelson, 2&1
-----
Jared Trexler is The Phanatic Magazine's Golf Editor. He can be reached at jtrexler@phanaticmag.com
Former Eagles QB heads North
-Courtesy of the Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts added depth at quarterback today with the signing of former NFL starter Mike McMahon.
McMahon, who captivated Argo coaches last week while participating in workouts at the new University of Toronto football facility, has 29 games of NFL experience, spread over five seasons, and fourteen starts under his belt.
The sturdy 6’2”, 215 pound, Rutgers product was Donovan McNabb’s backup in 2005 when he was pushed into action and started seven games for the Philadelphia Eagles, passing for a career-high 299 yards against the New York Giants.
In 2002, he also began the year as a backup but started four games when QB Joey Harrington fell to injury. As a rookie in 2001, McMahon started three games for the Lions and threw for almost 700 yards.
As a four-year starter at Rutgers, McMahon set several school records and graduated as the Scarlet Knights’ second all-time passer with 41 touchdown passes and 6,608 passing yards.
McMahon was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
The Toronto Argonauts added depth at quarterback today with the signing of former NFL starter Mike McMahon.
McMahon, who captivated Argo coaches last week while participating in workouts at the new University of Toronto football facility, has 29 games of NFL experience, spread over five seasons, and fourteen starts under his belt.
The sturdy 6’2”, 215 pound, Rutgers product was Donovan McNabb’s backup in 2005 when he was pushed into action and started seven games for the Philadelphia Eagles, passing for a career-high 299 yards against the New York Giants.
In 2002, he also began the year as a backup but started four games when QB Joey Harrington fell to injury. As a rookie in 2001, McMahon started three games for the Lions and threw for almost 700 yards.
As a four-year starter at Rutgers, McMahon set several school records and graduated as the Scarlet Knights’ second all-time passer with 41 touchdown passes and 6,608 passing yards.
McMahon was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
Flyers fall to Boston
They pushed the Rangers all over the Big Apple on Saturday night then came home to lay an egg. Such is the flux of the Flyers season. Philadelphia dropped a 6-3 decision to the Boston Bruins last night at the Wachovia Center.
Sixers News and Notes
Kyle Korver got some much-needed R&R. Perfect attendance at last night's practice -- a sign Allen Iverson is miles and miles away. The Sixers will play 17 of their final 29 games at the Wachovia Center, but still sit 9.5 games out of the final playoff spot. Yet, Joe Smith is optimistic. "If we get some help, we are still there," Smith told the Daily News.
Rivera unemployed for just hours
Ron Rivera landed on his feet, accepting a job he formerly held with the Philadelphia Eagles as part of Norv Turner's new staff in San Diego. Rivera will coach the linebackers under new defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell.
Clearwater Coverage
It's Tuesday and the Phillies are fully engaged in Spring Training at Bright House Networks Field. Jayson Werth -- the former prized prospect of the Dodgers organization before a wrist injury changed it all -- showed up positive, and HEALTHY to Phillies camp yesterday.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Abraham Nunez is determined to keep the starting job at third base after the Phillies went out and signed free agent Wes Helms. Nunez is so determined that he told the Daily News, "You're going to see a difference. You'll see. You'll see."
In other Phillies notes, Jimmy Rollins will be the lead-off hitter. Period. Everyone is in camp except Danny Sandoval, who is having immigration problems. And Todd Zolecki, the Phillies beat writer for the Inquirer, thinks Freddy Garcia will the team's starting pitcher on Opening Day.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Abraham Nunez is determined to keep the starting job at third base after the Phillies went out and signed free agent Wes Helms. Nunez is so determined that he told the Daily News, "You're going to see a difference. You'll see. You'll see."
In other Phillies notes, Jimmy Rollins will be the lead-off hitter. Period. Everyone is in camp except Danny Sandoval, who is having immigration problems. And Todd Zolecki, the Phillies beat writer for the Inquirer, thinks Freddy Garcia will the team's starting pitcher on Opening Day.
College Round-up
Villanova Squanders Lead, Remains Firmly on Bubble
--The Wildcats lost their first-half edge, the offense disappeared, and Marquette walked away with an 80-67 victory that snapped its own three-game skid.
Golden, Temple Add Pair of Assistants
--Temple head football coach Al Golden reshuffled his coaching staff Monday, adding two assistants and moving several holdovers to different responsibilities. The two additions are Kevin Gilbride -- son of New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride -- and Jared Backus -- former defensive coordinator at Bucknell.
--The Wildcats lost their first-half edge, the offense disappeared, and Marquette walked away with an 80-67 victory that snapped its own three-game skid.
Golden, Temple Add Pair of Assistants
--Temple head football coach Al Golden reshuffled his coaching staff Monday, adding two assistants and moving several holdovers to different responsibilities. The two additions are Kevin Gilbride -- son of New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride -- and Jared Backus -- former defensive coordinator at Bucknell.
Monday, February 19, 2007
NBA All-Star Weeekend - What David Stern doesn't want you to know.
It's official -- Rivera out
-Courtesy of the Chicago Bears
LAKE FOREST, IL — The Chicago Bears announced that Ron Rivera will not return for a fourth season as the team’s defensive coordinator. The Bears granted Rivera permission to speak with the San Diego Chargers regarding a defensive coaching position. Rivera’s contract with Chicago was set to expire next week.
While helping the Bears return to the Super Bowl for the first time since when he was a linebacker with the team in 1985, Rivera coordinated a Chicago defense that ranked among the NFL leaders over the last three seasons. During that span, the Bears recorded the highest percentage of points off turnovers in the entire League, scoring 322 of their 918 points off takeaways (35.08%) from 2004-06. The defense’s aggressiveness under Rivera allowed Chicago to rank fourth in the category in 2004, first in 2005 and second in 2006 while ranking as the highest scoring defense in the NFL during that time. The Bears were second in the NFL to Baltimore (15) with 13 touchdowns via interception or fumble return from 2004-06. Chicago scored a franchise-record six touchdowns on defense in 2004, four in 2005 and three in 2006.
A veteran of 10 seasons as an NFL assistant coach with Chicago and the Philadelphia Eagles, Rivera coordinated a defense that tied for the NFL lead with 101 takeaways under his watch. The Bears led the NFC with 65 interceptions from 2004-06, trailing Cincinnati by five for the most in the NFL. Chicago also ranked fourth in the League during that time with 42 fumble recoveries, 36 by Rivera’s defense and six on special teams.
LAKE FOREST, IL — The Chicago Bears announced that Ron Rivera will not return for a fourth season as the team’s defensive coordinator. The Bears granted Rivera permission to speak with the San Diego Chargers regarding a defensive coaching position. Rivera’s contract with Chicago was set to expire next week.
While helping the Bears return to the Super Bowl for the first time since when he was a linebacker with the team in 1985, Rivera coordinated a Chicago defense that ranked among the NFL leaders over the last three seasons. During that span, the Bears recorded the highest percentage of points off turnovers in the entire League, scoring 322 of their 918 points off takeaways (35.08%) from 2004-06. The defense’s aggressiveness under Rivera allowed Chicago to rank fourth in the category in 2004, first in 2005 and second in 2006 while ranking as the highest scoring defense in the NFL during that time. The Bears were second in the NFL to Baltimore (15) with 13 touchdowns via interception or fumble return from 2004-06. Chicago scored a franchise-record six touchdowns on defense in 2004, four in 2005 and three in 2006.
A veteran of 10 seasons as an NFL assistant coach with Chicago and the Philadelphia Eagles, Rivera coordinated a defense that tied for the NFL lead with 101 takeaways under his watch. The Bears led the NFC with 65 interceptions from 2004-06, trailing Cincinnati by five for the most in the NFL. Chicago also ranked fourth in the League during that time with 42 fumble recoveries, 36 by Rivera’s defense and six on special teams.
Ex-Eagles assistant soon to be jobless
The irony is striking. Ron Rivera has interviewed for nine head coaching vacancies over the last two offseasons -- closing the deal on "0" -- now he likely will be out of work.The former Philadelphia Eagles linebackers coach is not expected to be back as Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, according to ESPN.com. The Bears and representatives for Rivera broke off contract negotiations, and barring a last second change of heart, linebackers coach Bob Babich will be elevated to defensive coordinator.
In that case, a once-thought coaching commodity will be a 2007 free agent.
*Photo courtesy of Getty Images*
Reid takes son to out-of-state rehab program
By Jared Trexler
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid accompanied his son Garrett to an out-of-state drug rehab program as first reported Monday afternoon in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Eagles head coach took a leave of absence until early-to-mid March during a news conference last Monday, but didn't specify how he planned on dealing with his two sons' mounting legal situations.
Both Garrett and Reid's other son Britt were arrested in separate traffic incidents last month. Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the criminal charges against Garrett Reid on Friday, the same day the 23-year-old Villanova resident surrendered to Plymouth Township Police.
Garrett Reid's attorney stated Friday in court that his client would return to the program for two more weeks of inpatient care before continuing with an outpatient program.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid accompanied his son Garrett to an out-of-state drug rehab program as first reported Monday afternoon in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Eagles head coach took a leave of absence until early-to-mid March during a news conference last Monday, but didn't specify how he planned on dealing with his two sons' mounting legal situations.
Both Garrett and Reid's other son Britt were arrested in separate traffic incidents last month. Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the criminal charges against Garrett Reid on Friday, the same day the 23-year-old Villanova resident surrendered to Plymouth Township Police.
Garrett Reid's attorney stated Friday in court that his client would return to the program for two more weeks of inpatient care before continuing with an outpatient program.
Learning the Hardaway
Giving the NBA All-Star Game new life, $chiano cashes in at Rutgers and other ramblings.
By Greg Wiley
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano received a deserving pay raise this past week when he signed on to stay with the school through the year 2016. Under the new contract, he will make at least $1.7 million per season with the deal reaching over $2 million with bonuses. The contract makes him the 24th highest paid football coach in Division-I athletics and the second-highest paid in the Big East (West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez will make more).
Good for Schiano. He deserved the salary hike. He turned a horrid football program in a starved market into a contender. Critics say the increase is unfair.Rutgers has faced major budget problems and was forced to cut six athletic programs along with other academic cutbacks. However, in the world of big-time college athletics only the strong survive. Schiano could have bolted for Miami Miami Rutgers and he is humble about it and is not taking advantage. So to all those people out there who don’t like it, tough luck you’re going to have to deal with being a football-first university…
Greg's column appears on the Phanatic Mag every Monday. Feel like ranting? Contact Greg at gwiley@phanaticmag.com
By Greg Wiley
What can I say about Tim Hardaway? The former NBA guard known for his “killer crossover” got crossed up this past week when he let the entire world know what he thought about homosexuals. Last week I said that hate was a strong word and he proved it true when he said he hates gays. Admitting he is a homophobe, Hardaway said that he wouldn’t want to be in the same locker room with a gay teammate and that homosexuality shouldn’t be allowed in the United States
I can understand with not agreeing with the lifestyle of homosexuals. But to go as far as not giving them the same inalienable right of everyone else, that seems a little extreme -- especially in a country that will soon be giving credit cards to illegal immigrants (thanks for that Bank of America, I’m sure the honest banking public will enjoy it when your fees go up to make up for the defaulting balances).
Hardaway later apologized for his comments, but no one bought it, and it wasn’t a surprise when NBA commissioner David Stern banned him from taking part in any NBA event in the future. I'm glad the NBA is taking a strong stand. The NBA commissioner can’t tell players and former players what to think, but he can take action when their beliefs don’t correspond with those of the league…
Sticking with the NBA theme, the All-Star Game was Sunday. I can't tell you who won because I'm so disinterested in all-star games it's not funny. So, what I think the NBA should do to generate more interest next year is have the U.S. Canada Argentina Pau Spain Germany China U.S.
Since we’re on the topic of over-the-hill, Martian-looking basketball players, Scottie Pippen made it known on Friday that he wants to return to the hardcourt to vie for another NBA title. The 41-year-old said he feels good and his body is ready to return to the NBA and play for a contender to earn his seventh NBA title. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Pippen piggy-back Michael Jordan for his first six rings? Now he wants to jump on someone else back and ride them to another title? Please, Pippen, give it up. You're free ride ended when Jordan
Good for Schiano. He deserved the salary hike. He turned a horrid football program in a starved market into a contender. Critics say the increase is unfair.
How a week can change things. Last week at this time I was excited about the return of Phil Mickelson. He blew away the field in Pebble Beach
I was happy to see that Duke dropped out of last week’s Top-25 basketball poll for the first time in 10 years, but then all week I was force fed the Blue Devils on ESPN – as usual. I was hoping that the fall from grace would tone down Dick Vitale a little bit, but it didn’t and Duke went on to win a pair of games during the week. I think the only person sicker than me of hearing about Duke right now is Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong…
Well, it's begun. I told you last week that this is the worst time of year for me because of the lack of any good sporting events and the exuberant amount of germs going through my house with three kids and a wife who teaches. On Friday, the coughing, sneezing, nasal drip and everything else that comes with an illness began to hit me. I've tried the Sudafed, Nyquil and Tylenol, but still feel miserable (kind of like the way you probably feel while reading this). I can't wait until my kids get older and I can embarrass them in front of their friends. When they ask why I'll tell them it's payback for the annual cold they passed around the house.
View from enemy territory
By Michael Rushton
Okay, so I'm back from my trip to New York that consisted of Madison Square Garden, twenty-five cent arcade games and three separate meals of just pizza.
This time around there were no Club Box seats, just level 400 tickets, a long subway ride and a stomach virus. This time you can feel sorry for me.
- Guess I have no choice but to start with the Mike Knuble-Brendan Shanahan collision. I only saw it out of the corner of my eye and the Rangers tastefully elected not to show a replay of it so I didn't see the actual hit until later that night. Obviously, it's never fun to see anything like this, especially when you spend about 10 minutes trying to see if Shanahan was able to move at all. Thankfully, it appears both players are okay in the long run.
- An awkward moment occurred while Shanahan was being attended to. Knuble eventually got up and was helped off the ice, leading to some applause by the Flyers fans in attendance. A couple of Rangers fans, for some reason, took this as we were cheering the Shanahan injury. We quickly corrected him and nothing else happened, other than the Michael Irvin incident being thrown in our faces for the rest of the game.
- The first 20 minutes of the game showed why the Flyers need to stop dressing Todd Fedoruk and Ben Eager at the same time. The two combined for 10 penalty minutes in the opening frame, not including Eager's 10-minute misconduct call, yet, when the gloves finally came off, it was Mike Richards and Alexandre Picard who went to the box for fighting in the end. Philadelphia doesn't need to dress two players with the same useless role.
- That being said, the play of Fedoruk and Eager may have been premeditated because the Flyers scored shorthanded, again. Even though they didn't factor into the goal, Richards and Sami Kapanen are one of the best penalty-killing duos out there.
- On the other end of things, the Rangers' power play looked horrible. How a guy like Jaromir Jagr can just hold the puck and look to pass with all that room baffles me. Oh wait, didn't we used to have Peter Forsberg...
-Speaking of Jagr, it didn't take long for the boos to rain down on the Czech as things went sour. Guess they are turning on him in the Big Apple. Sean Avery and Shanahan are crowd favorites though. Marek Malik also appears to be a crowd whipping boy.
- You know those fans who think there is a penalty on every play when their team doesn't score? Every time a Ranger falls, is hit, or skates into the Flyers' zone untouched, they think there should have been a call. Those fans are annoying when they root for your team, let alone when they are pulling for the other team.
- So you guessed it, I sat right next to one of these guys. Highlight was when Moron #2's lady friend told him to shut up midway through the second.
- Simon Gagne is going to be okay without Forsberg.
- To this day, I am still unimpressed with the Garden. It's no big deal to me, other than the fact it is in New York.
- I expected better out of Ranger fans as far as the taunting. Moron #3 sat back and to the right of me and he was weak, other than his awesome Brooklyn accent. The following are his highlights.
- Moron #3 immediately asked us if we had the worst record in the league. Then he reminded us we have just five wins at home. Our reply, "we're not at home."
-Moron #3 asked us if we missed Eric Lindros. "At least we got something for him" and "We miss him as much as you do" were are responses.
- Moron #3 asked us the last time we won a Stanley Cup. To be honest with you, if your championship was more than 10 years ago, you may want to go another route with your insults.
- Moron #3 asked me why I picked an Anson Carter jersey to wear. I was actually rocking my Jeff Carter jersey at the time and quickly pointed out to him that Anson never played for the Flyers but he did have an unsuccessful run in New York. However, Moron #3 refused to acknowledge his mistake and continued to grill me on Anson Carter. I almost bit the bullet and bought him a media guide. Definitely the most confusing moment of my life.
-By the way, the Flyers won and Scottie Upshall scored. Go Black and Orange!
Michael Rushton is done traveling for the year, but can be reached at mrushton@phanaticmag.com.
Okay, so I'm back from my trip to New York that consisted of Madison Square Garden, twenty-five cent arcade games and three separate meals of just pizza.
This time around there were no Club Box seats, just level 400 tickets, a long subway ride and a stomach virus. This time you can feel sorry for me.
- Guess I have no choice but to start with the Mike Knuble-Brendan Shanahan collision. I only saw it out of the corner of my eye and the Rangers tastefully elected not to show a replay of it so I didn't see the actual hit until later that night. Obviously, it's never fun to see anything like this, especially when you spend about 10 minutes trying to see if Shanahan was able to move at all. Thankfully, it appears both players are okay in the long run.
- An awkward moment occurred while Shanahan was being attended to. Knuble eventually got up and was helped off the ice, leading to some applause by the Flyers fans in attendance. A couple of Rangers fans, for some reason, took this as we were cheering the Shanahan injury. We quickly corrected him and nothing else happened, other than the Michael Irvin incident being thrown in our faces for the rest of the game.
- The first 20 minutes of the game showed why the Flyers need to stop dressing Todd Fedoruk and Ben Eager at the same time. The two combined for 10 penalty minutes in the opening frame, not including Eager's 10-minute misconduct call, yet, when the gloves finally came off, it was Mike Richards and Alexandre Picard who went to the box for fighting in the end. Philadelphia doesn't need to dress two players with the same useless role.
- That being said, the play of Fedoruk and Eager may have been premeditated because the Flyers scored shorthanded, again. Even though they didn't factor into the goal, Richards and Sami Kapanen are one of the best penalty-killing duos out there.
- On the other end of things, the Rangers' power play looked horrible. How a guy like Jaromir Jagr can just hold the puck and look to pass with all that room baffles me. Oh wait, didn't we used to have Peter Forsberg...
-Speaking of Jagr, it didn't take long for the boos to rain down on the Czech as things went sour. Guess they are turning on him in the Big Apple. Sean Avery and Shanahan are crowd favorites though. Marek Malik also appears to be a crowd whipping boy.
- You know those fans who think there is a penalty on every play when their team doesn't score? Every time a Ranger falls, is hit, or skates into the Flyers' zone untouched, they think there should have been a call. Those fans are annoying when they root for your team, let alone when they are pulling for the other team.
- So you guessed it, I sat right next to one of these guys. Highlight was when Moron #2's lady friend told him to shut up midway through the second.
- Simon Gagne is going to be okay without Forsberg.
- To this day, I am still unimpressed with the Garden. It's no big deal to me, other than the fact it is in New York.
- I expected better out of Ranger fans as far as the taunting. Moron #3 sat back and to the right of me and he was weak, other than his awesome Brooklyn accent. The following are his highlights.
- Moron #3 immediately asked us if we had the worst record in the league. Then he reminded us we have just five wins at home. Our reply, "we're not at home."
-Moron #3 asked us if we missed Eric Lindros. "At least we got something for him" and "We miss him as much as you do" were are responses.
- Moron #3 asked us the last time we won a Stanley Cup. To be honest with you, if your championship was more than 10 years ago, you may want to go another route with your insults.
- Moron #3 asked me why I picked an Anson Carter jersey to wear. I was actually rocking my Jeff Carter jersey at the time and quickly pointed out to him that Anson never played for the Flyers but he did have an unsuccessful run in New York. However, Moron #3 refused to acknowledge his mistake and continued to grill me on Anson Carter. I almost bit the bullet and bought him a media guide. Definitely the most confusing moment of my life.
-By the way, the Flyers won and Scottie Upshall scored. Go Black and Orange!
Michael Rushton is done traveling for the year, but can be reached at mrushton@phanaticmag.com.
Howell's Evolution Not Nearing End
By Jared TrexlerFrom braces to birdies, Charles Howell III has grown from the next young American hopeful to, well, the next young American hopeful.
Along the way, nothing came easy -- in golf it rarely does. Frustration and the pressure it stemmed from were too much to handle emotionally and mentally, deteriorating Howell's god-given physical gift.
The kid could flush a golf ball. Yet, he couldn't quite get it in the hole fast enough, starting a mental avalanche of self doubt that culminated in a switch from long-time swing coach David Leadbetter before reconnecting with the teacher in Denver last summer.
Howell decided it was time to rebuild his swing, his approach and his golfing career from the ground up with the help of just one man -- God. The Augusta, Georgia native grew up just outside Amen Corner in hopes of one day dueling down the stretch on that unique three-hole landscape.
And like so many people, it took struggle to spur a renewed sense of drive.
It has been evident in Howell's play all season, despite a disappointing second-place finish at the Sony Open of Hawaii, Howell charged back to finish right behind Tiger Woods in second place at the Buick Open.
Then came Sunday at the Nissan Open. The day all bounces went his way. All tough putts were holed. Some call it destiny, others call it hard work -- but I just call it GOLF...
Maybe with God's help.
"I said, 'God, if this is the time, then let's knock this in,"' Howell said. "And fortunately, it was."
The time came after Phil Mickelson, a trimmer, straight-driving Mickelson, bogeyed the 18th hole to put Howell in a playoff then lost a winning chance at the second playoff hole (#10) before falling on the 18th.
But this story isn't about Phil. Last week's was if you want to take a look. Rather this story is about a 120-pound soaking wet American with the pedigree all along, now finally, the purpose to match.
Like a little kid, Howell shined brightly with words so genuine you knew he believed them.
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world right now."
On February 18, 2007 in the world of golf, it was hard to argue with him. Now Howell -- not Tiger or Ernie or Phil -- finds himself at the top of the money list with just over $2 million, already more than he made in 30 events last season.
Five seasons removed from his first Tour victory at Kingsmill, it all came down to three feet. Renewed faith in God and golf all came down to three feet.
"That par putt was the longest par putt I hit in my life," he said.
Maybe until a two-footer to win the Masters. The evolutionary fairytale from braces to birdies doesn't need to stop here.
----
Jared Trexler is The Phanatic Magazine's Golf Writer. He can be reached at jtrexler@phanaticmag.com
**Image courtesy of the PGA Tour**
The Area Bubble
By Jared Trexler
From now until Selection Sunday, Jared Trexler will update you once a week on the tournament resumes of Villanova and Drexel -- the two city schools with hopes of an at-large bid.
Villanova Wildcats
Record: 17-8
Conf: 6-6
RPI: 18
SOS: 6
Trexler's Take: The computer numbers can't be ignored, nor can a non-conference victory over Kevin Durant and Texas without Curtis Sumpter. However, the Wildcats had a chance to lock up a tourney spot on Saturday, but failed in a Wachovia Center loss to Georgetown. Now, they need some victories. The only other marquee win on the resume is a road W at Georgetown. Villanova needs to finish at least .500 in league play and hope the computer numbers hold up. Monday night's game with Marquette is HUGE two fold. One, it adds another quality win to the resume, and two it gives the Wildcats breathing room toward the .500 conference goal.
As of Today: IN TOURNAMENT
Drexel Dragons
Record: 19-7
Conf: 11-5
RPI: 52
SOS: 103
Trexler's Take: One too many loses in conference play. That could be the committee's reasoning in leaving the Dragons out of the Big Dance. Bruiser Flint's club is an interesting at-large study, a paradox on the hardwood full of eye-opening wins AND losses.
Positives: Wins at Villanova, at Syracuse, versus St. Joe's and a MASSIVE BracketBusters victory at Creighton (a mid-major likely receiving an at-large bid). Drexel's 12 road victories tie for most in the nation, and a 6-6 record versus the RPI 100 is nothing to be ashamed of.
Negatives: Fourth place in the CAA as of this release. Yes, the league earned two berths last season and one (George Mason) made the Final Four, but fourth is not the strongest place for candidacy. The loss at Rider and a 19-point defeat at Pennsylvania don't help either. Drexel MUST run the table in league play and AT LEAST make the CAA semifinals to warrant at-large consideration.
As of Today: ONE OF LAST FOUR OUT.
From now until Selection Sunday, Jared Trexler will update you once a week on the tournament resumes of Villanova and Drexel -- the two city schools with hopes of an at-large bid.
Villanova Wildcats
Record: 17-8
Conf: 6-6
RPI: 18
SOS: 6
Trexler's Take: The computer numbers can't be ignored, nor can a non-conference victory over Kevin Durant and Texas without Curtis Sumpter. However, the Wildcats had a chance to lock up a tourney spot on Saturday, but failed in a Wachovia Center loss to Georgetown. Now, they need some victories. The only other marquee win on the resume is a road W at Georgetown. Villanova needs to finish at least .500 in league play and hope the computer numbers hold up. Monday night's game with Marquette is HUGE two fold. One, it adds another quality win to the resume, and two it gives the Wildcats breathing room toward the .500 conference goal.
As of Today: IN TOURNAMENT
Drexel Dragons
Record: 19-7
Conf: 11-5
RPI: 52
SOS: 103
Trexler's Take: One too many loses in conference play. That could be the committee's reasoning in leaving the Dragons out of the Big Dance. Bruiser Flint's club is an interesting at-large study, a paradox on the hardwood full of eye-opening wins AND losses.
Positives: Wins at Villanova, at Syracuse, versus St. Joe's and a MASSIVE BracketBusters victory at Creighton (a mid-major likely receiving an at-large bid). Drexel's 12 road victories tie for most in the nation, and a 6-6 record versus the RPI 100 is nothing to be ashamed of.
Negatives: Fourth place in the CAA as of this release. Yes, the league earned two berths last season and one (George Mason) made the Final Four, but fourth is not the strongest place for candidacy. The loss at Rider and a 19-point defeat at Pennsylvania don't help either. Drexel MUST run the table in league play and AT LEAST make the CAA semifinals to warrant at-large consideration.
As of Today: ONE OF LAST FOUR OUT.
Clearwater Coverage
Plenty of news from Phillies camp as Spring is in full swing. Randy Wolf told the Daily News' Paul Hagen why he chose the Dodgers over the Phillies this offseason. Believe it or not, Ryan Howard aims toward an even better season in 2007, and the Phillies have started contract talks with Howard's agent Casey Close.The first full squad workout is Tuesday, and don't forget The Phanatic Magazine's 2007 Season Preview starting on February 25th. Actually, the preview has already started with Jared Trexler's take on manager Charlie Manuel and general manager Pat Gillick.
Harvick takes Great American Race
We at The Phanatic Magazine don't have a plan in the works for full-fledged racing coverage, but we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that Kevin Harvick beat Mark Martin by a fender in a photo finish at the Daytona 500 on Sunday. A race mired by wrecks, caution flags and a wild finish ended with Harvick narrowly slipping past the sentimental favorite Martin after sitting in the middle of the pack with just 30 laps left.
Knuble's season likely over
The Philadelphia Daily News' Ed Moran reported in Monday's edition that Philadelphia Flyers forward Mike Knuble's season is likely over. General Manager Paul Holmgren said yesterday that the right side of Knuble's face is still too swollen for surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone near his eye. Knuble and New York Rangers forward Brendan Shananan collided during the third period of a 5-3 Flyers win Saturday.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Bryant leads West to easy All-Star win
By John McMullen
Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, dished out six assists and had six steals to lead the West to an easy 153-132 win over the East in the 56th annual All-Star Game at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Bryant was named the MVP of the contest for leading a West team that registered an All-Star game record 52 assists and fell just two points short of its own All-Star game record for points -- 155 set in 2003.
Amare Stoudemire added 29 points and nine rebounds for the West, who snapped a two-game skid in the event. Carmelo Anthony chipped in with 20 points and nine boards, while Shawn Marion finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.
"We wanted to come out and play pretty well," said Bryant. "We lost the last two games and wanted to get back in the win column. We had a blast. If you had a shot you took it, otherwise you penetrated and dished it."
LeBron James -- who was the MVP in last year's game -- netted 28 points, six rebounds and six assists for the East. Dwight Howard was a force inside in his All-Star debut with 20 points and a game-high 12 boards, while Joe Johnson had 12 points.
The opening quarter featured some sloppy play early but the West heated up quickly. Anthony's fade away jumper from the right corner gave them a 10-point advantage, 35-25, with just over a minute to go in the stanza.
Less than 30 seconds later, Vince Carter provided a spark for the East and electrified the crowd with a slam off a beautiful spin move but the West still managed to keep a 39-31 advantage after the opening 12 minutes.
Carter continued to provide a show for the fans early in the second quarter, taking a Chauncey Billups feed off the glass and depositing another slam. But, it was the West establishing control in the frame. Dirk Nowitzki's three, with 9:44 remaining before the half, made it a 51-35 game.
The West continued to dominate the next few minutes. A 7-0 run, featuring back-to-back layups by Nowitzki and Marion and a McGrady triple, gave the West its first 20-point cushion, 59-39, with a little over seven minutes to go in the second.
The teams then traded baskets for the rest of the half and the West took a 79-59 edge into the locker room. Bryant led the West with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while James paced the East with 16 points and shot 6-of-10 from the floor.
The West continued to run away early in the third quarter. Ray Allen's three, with 4:08 left in the frame, gave the West a commanding 108-76 advantage.
Nowitzki then capped the scoring in the frame with a jumper to make it 119-88 heading into the final frame.
The East failed to make any kind of serious run in the fourth quarter. A Dwyane Wade jumper cut the deficit to 25, 129-104, with 7:53 left in the game but Bryant stemmed any momentum by draining a three 17 seconds later.
The Lakers' star then got loose for a reverse dunk on the baseline and Marion followed that with another reverse jam to extend the West's advantage to 136-106 with 6:51 on the clock.
The West coasted to the finish line from there. Bryant capped his MVP performance with a spinning slam with 30 seconds left.
Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, dished out six assists and had six steals to lead the West to an easy 153-132 win over the East in the 56th annual All-Star Game at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Bryant was named the MVP of the contest for leading a West team that registered an All-Star game record 52 assists and fell just two points short of its own All-Star game record for points -- 155 set in 2003.
Amare Stoudemire added 29 points and nine rebounds for the West, who snapped a two-game skid in the event. Carmelo Anthony chipped in with 20 points and nine boards, while Shawn Marion finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.
"We wanted to come out and play pretty well," said Bryant. "We lost the last two games and wanted to get back in the win column. We had a blast. If you had a shot you took it, otherwise you penetrated and dished it."
LeBron James -- who was the MVP in last year's game -- netted 28 points, six rebounds and six assists for the East. Dwight Howard was a force inside in his All-Star debut with 20 points and a game-high 12 boards, while Joe Johnson had 12 points.
The opening quarter featured some sloppy play early but the West heated up quickly. Anthony's fade away jumper from the right corner gave them a 10-point advantage, 35-25, with just over a minute to go in the stanza.
Less than 30 seconds later, Vince Carter provided a spark for the East and electrified the crowd with a slam off a beautiful spin move but the West still managed to keep a 39-31 advantage after the opening 12 minutes.
Carter continued to provide a show for the fans early in the second quarter, taking a Chauncey Billups feed off the glass and depositing another slam. But, it was the West establishing control in the frame. Dirk Nowitzki's three, with 9:44 remaining before the half, made it a 51-35 game.
The West continued to dominate the next few minutes. A 7-0 run, featuring back-to-back layups by Nowitzki and Marion and a McGrady triple, gave the West its first 20-point cushion, 59-39, with a little over seven minutes to go in the second.
The teams then traded baskets for the rest of the half and the West took a 79-59 edge into the locker room. Bryant led the West with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while James paced the East with 16 points and shot 6-of-10 from the floor.
The West continued to run away early in the third quarter. Ray Allen's three, with 4:08 left in the frame, gave the West a commanding 108-76 advantage.
Nowitzki then capped the scoring in the frame with a jumper to make it 119-88 heading into the final frame.
The East failed to make any kind of serious run in the fourth quarter. A Dwyane Wade jumper cut the deficit to 25, 129-104, with 7:53 left in the game but Bryant stemmed any momentum by draining a three 17 seconds later.
The Lakers' star then got loose for a reverse dunk on the baseline and Marion followed that with another reverse jam to extend the West's advantage to 136-106 with 6:51 on the clock.
The West coasted to the finish line from there. Bryant capped his MVP performance with a spinning slam with 30 seconds left.
ESPN finally cuts Irvin
Saturday, February 17, 2007
You’re on notice
By John McMullen
Perception is greater than reality.
That’s not exactly a profound statement but Philadelphia sports fans need to figure that out.
I hear so many complain about how they are perceived outside the region and how unfair it is. And, maybe it is but if any Philly fan balks about how they are being portrayed -- they are missing the big picture.
Right or wrong -- fair or not -- the fans of Philadelphia are viewed in a very negative manner by most of the media, opposing fans and -- most importantly -- the athletes themselves.
As someone who grew up in South Jersey and migrated to other parts of the country, I have witnessed this phenomenon first hand. In nearly a decade spent covering the NFL and the NBA -- traveling from coast to coast -- I’ve heard some great stories about the Philadelphia fans --most of them not fit for print.
Hank Goldberg of ESPN told me that the only remote broadcast of his career he couldn’t finish was in Philadelphia. The veteran announcer was trying to interview a woman in a Randy Moss jersey but the Eagles fans surrounding the area wouldn’t stop pouring beer on the visiting fan.
Lance Johnstone -- who grew up in the city and went to Temple -- once told me he loved going home but would never want to play here.
Last year, former Phillie Todd Jones had this to say in the Sporting News: “What the fans want most is interaction. If you wave or smile, they usually will be great to you the rest of the time. They want a ball. They want you to make their day at the game an experience. For the most part, the fans I've dealt with have been wonderful. I've met neat people all over the country. If players treat fans with respect, we'll get it in return most of the time. Unless we're in Philly.”
Heck, even one of your own took you to task last week. "Philadelphia in particular is a tough town for athletes to play in," Comcast chairman Ed Snider told Kevin Roberts of the Camden Courier Post. "That's what concerns me. If I were an athlete, I'd want to play in a place that wasn't so critical. It's a tough town. It's a great place to play when you win. But when you're having troubles, it's tough.”
Then Snider -- who has owned a professional sports team in this town for 40 years -- dropped this little bomb: “If I were a player, I wouldn't want to play here. People boo more than they used to. It's unfortunate."
If you want to dismiss Goldberg, Johnstone, Jones, Snider and dozens of others -- feel free -- but before you do --take some inventory.
Like most stereotypes, there is some truth to the ugly Philadelphia fan.
And, one of the newest Phillies hit you over the head with it on Friday. While, the Phils haven’t even approached Freddy Garcia about an extension, the right-hander made it clear he wanted to acclimate himself to the City before making any decisions about staying.
"I've only been in Philadelphia once," Garcia told Philadelphia Daily News. "I want to make sure I like it. I want to make sure my family is comfortable."
Translation -- Freddy put you all on notice.
Cheer or boo -- any fan has that right -- just do it with some class.
Perception is greater than reality.
That’s not exactly a profound statement but Philadelphia sports fans need to figure that out.
I hear so many complain about how they are perceived outside the region and how unfair it is. And, maybe it is but if any Philly fan balks about how they are being portrayed -- they are missing the big picture.
Right or wrong -- fair or not -- the fans of Philadelphia are viewed in a very negative manner by most of the media, opposing fans and -- most importantly -- the athletes themselves.
As someone who grew up in South Jersey and migrated to other parts of the country, I have witnessed this phenomenon first hand. In nearly a decade spent covering the NFL and the NBA -- traveling from coast to coast -- I’ve heard some great stories about the Philadelphia fans --most of them not fit for print.
Hank Goldberg of ESPN told me that the only remote broadcast of his career he couldn’t finish was in Philadelphia. The veteran announcer was trying to interview a woman in a Randy Moss jersey but the Eagles fans surrounding the area wouldn’t stop pouring beer on the visiting fan.
Lance Johnstone -- who grew up in the city and went to Temple -- once told me he loved going home but would never want to play here.
Last year, former Phillie Todd Jones had this to say in the Sporting News: “What the fans want most is interaction. If you wave or smile, they usually will be great to you the rest of the time. They want a ball. They want you to make their day at the game an experience. For the most part, the fans I've dealt with have been wonderful. I've met neat people all over the country. If players treat fans with respect, we'll get it in return most of the time. Unless we're in Philly.”
Heck, even one of your own took you to task last week. "Philadelphia in particular is a tough town for athletes to play in," Comcast chairman Ed Snider told Kevin Roberts of the Camden Courier Post. "That's what concerns me. If I were an athlete, I'd want to play in a place that wasn't so critical. It's a tough town. It's a great place to play when you win. But when you're having troubles, it's tough.”
Then Snider -- who has owned a professional sports team in this town for 40 years -- dropped this little bomb: “If I were a player, I wouldn't want to play here. People boo more than they used to. It's unfortunate."
If you want to dismiss Goldberg, Johnstone, Jones, Snider and dozens of others -- feel free -- but before you do --take some inventory.
Like most stereotypes, there is some truth to the ugly Philadelphia fan.
And, one of the newest Phillies hit you over the head with it on Friday. While, the Phils haven’t even approached Freddy Garcia about an extension, the right-hander made it clear he wanted to acclimate himself to the City before making any decisions about staying.
"I've only been in Philadelphia once," Garcia told Philadelphia Daily News. "I want to make sure I like it. I want to make sure my family is comfortable."
Translation -- Freddy put you all on notice.
Cheer or boo -- any fan has that right -- just do it with some class.
Phillies and Garcia only thinking about 2007
The Phillies haven't approached Freddy Garcia about an extension, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. Garcia, who will make $10 million this season, wants to acclimate himself to the City before making any decisions.
"I've only been in Philadelphia once," said Garcia. "I want to make sure I like it. I want to make sure my family is comfortable."
Brown won't replace Cheeks...
...according to Billy King in the Washington Times.
"I've been upfront, direct and honest with Mo from Day One about this," King said. "I talked to him about it, and Larry has talked to him about it. Mo's picked his brain a few times since he's come back as a matter of fact. Mo is our coach."
"I've been upfront, direct and honest with Mo from Day One about this," King said. "I talked to him about it, and Larry has talked to him about it. Mo's picked his brain a few times since he's come back as a matter of fact. Mo is our coach."
Friday, February 16, 2007
Forsberg deal should be first of many
By Michael Rushton
The Flyers made a very simple, yet powerful statement on Thursday when they dealt center Peter Forsberg that they are going to be sellers this season for the first time in a long while.
Philadelphia tried to make some patch-work fixes when they grabbed the likes of Mike York, Alexei Zhitnik and Dimitry Afanasenkov. However, those moves did little to help the sunken Flyers as the inevitable approached.
That moment came yesterday and there should be more like it to come.
First, at last check some reports have as many as three different teams interested in defenseman Derian Hatcher (Edmonton, Dallas, San Jose). This one is easy; do it. It doesn't matter what or who you get back, just move Hatcher. His signing just hasn't worked out, he is 34-years-old and at this point, some have to question his motivation to play here.
Now, I'm not saying he isn't out there giving a hundred percent, but he has turned into a crowd whipping boy since the new, fast NHL exposed him. Plus, his buddy Ken Hitchcock is no longer here.
Next, as I wrote some time ago, move a goaltender. The Flyers finally have on their roster something they have been missing for years: a true backup goaltender. Michael Leighton is not a starter in this league. It seems like every year, the Black and Orange go through a goalie controversy. Who should start the season, who should start the playoffs and so on and so on.
But now, with a true backup in the mix, the Flyers can finally turn over the starting gig to one man. That man is most likely Antero Niittymaki, though moving the injured Robert Esche now may become difficult.
Finally, field offers for Zhitnik. I know, I know, the Flyers are young at defense already and if the team moves Hatcher, will be further hurting for veteran leadership along the blue line.
However, at this point, it just doesn't matter. Philly will have plenty of cap room to make a run at a couple mid-aged veteran netminders for next year. After all, that is what this is about now. Next year.
Michael Rushton, when not watching Scrubs, can be reached at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
The Flyers made a very simple, yet powerful statement on Thursday when they dealt center Peter Forsberg that they are going to be sellers this season for the first time in a long while.
Philadelphia tried to make some patch-work fixes when they grabbed the likes of Mike York, Alexei Zhitnik and Dimitry Afanasenkov. However, those moves did little to help the sunken Flyers as the inevitable approached.
That moment came yesterday and there should be more like it to come.
First, at last check some reports have as many as three different teams interested in defenseman Derian Hatcher (Edmonton, Dallas, San Jose). This one is easy; do it. It doesn't matter what or who you get back, just move Hatcher. His signing just hasn't worked out, he is 34-years-old and at this point, some have to question his motivation to play here.
Now, I'm not saying he isn't out there giving a hundred percent, but he has turned into a crowd whipping boy since the new, fast NHL exposed him. Plus, his buddy Ken Hitchcock is no longer here.
Next, as I wrote some time ago, move a goaltender. The Flyers finally have on their roster something they have been missing for years: a true backup goaltender. Michael Leighton is not a starter in this league. It seems like every year, the Black and Orange go through a goalie controversy. Who should start the season, who should start the playoffs and so on and so on.
But now, with a true backup in the mix, the Flyers can finally turn over the starting gig to one man. That man is most likely Antero Niittymaki, though moving the injured Robert Esche now may become difficult.
Finally, field offers for Zhitnik. I know, I know, the Flyers are young at defense already and if the team moves Hatcher, will be further hurting for veteran leadership along the blue line.
However, at this point, it just doesn't matter. Philly will have plenty of cap room to make a run at a couple mid-aged veteran netminders for next year. After all, that is what this is about now. Next year.
Michael Rushton, when not watching Scrubs, can be reached at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
Rutgers signs Schiano to extension
By John McMullen
Rutgers University and head football coachGreg Schiano agreed to a four-year contract extension that will run through the 2016 season.
Under the new deal, Schiano's compensation will increase to $1.5 million per year. The extension also includes elements that reward longevity and show a mutual commitment by Rutgers and Schiano including a house loan funded by private donations and annual longevity bonus for Schiano.
The contract also includes a buyout, which begins at $1 million.
"What Greg has accomplished in his six years at Rutgers is truly one of the outstanding coaching efforts in college football history," said athletic director Robert Mulcahy. "In every area of the program, on and off the field, the program has excelled under his watch, and the nation had the opportunity to see that during the 2006 season."
Schiano just completed his sixth season as Rutgers' head coach, leading the Scarlet Knights to an 11-2 record and the program's first bowl win with a 37-10 victory over Kansas State in the inaugural Texas Bowl. The 11 wins tied a single-season school record.
"I consider it a privilege and honor to be the head coach at Rutgers and look forward to leading this program for a long time," stated Schiano. "I am grateful for the outstanding vision, leadership and commitment of presidentMcCormick and Bob Mulcahy. Our goal remains to develop Rutgers into a national championship program."
Rutgers University and head football coachGreg Schiano agreed to a four-year contract extension that will run through the 2016 season.
Under the new deal, Schiano's compensation will increase to $1.5 million per year. The extension also includes elements that reward longevity and show a mutual commitment by Rutgers and Schiano including a house loan funded by private donations and annual longevity bonus for Schiano.
The contract also includes a buyout, which begins at $1 million.
"What Greg has accomplished in his six years at Rutgers is truly one of the outstanding coaching efforts in college football history," said athletic director Robert Mulcahy. "In every area of the program, on and off the field, the program has excelled under his watch, and the nation had the opportunity to see that during the 2006 season."
Schiano just completed his sixth season as Rutgers' head coach, leading the Scarlet Knights to an 11-2 record and the program's first bowl win with a 37-10 victory over Kansas State in the inaugural Texas Bowl. The 11 wins tied a single-season school record.
"I consider it a privilege and honor to be the head coach at Rutgers and look forward to leading this program for a long time," stated Schiano. "I am grateful for the outstanding vision, leadership and commitment of presidentMcCormick and Bob Mulcahy. Our goal remains to develop Rutgers into a national championship program."
Give Sami the "C"
By The Phanatic MagazineWith Peter Forsberg gone, the Flyers are in need of a new captain.
The Phanatic has spoken and Michael Rushton, Eric Redner and Steve Lienert all agree, for maybe the first time ever, that forward Sami Kapanen should be the next Flyer to have the captain's letter stitched on his jersey.
Kapanen, who just recently signed a two-year extension with the club, came to Philadelphia in 2003 in exchange for Pavel Brendl and Bruno St. Jacques. He has just seven goals and eight assists in 53 games so far this season.
In his career, Kapanen has 180 goals and 260 assists in 733 games with Philadelphia and Hartford/Carolina.
Redner: It would have to be Kapanen. It's possible that is what the team had in mind when they gave him a contract extension earlier in the week. You can ask the guy to do anything and while his numbers aren't high (the most points he ever scored was 69 in 2001-02 with Carolina) his work ethic can be a shining example to all the young players.
Lienert: The next captain should be Kapanen. The Flyers just signed him to an extension through what would qualify as "the rebuilding phase." He's a loyal veteran that can teach the youngsters, especially the No. 1 pick in the draft, about hustle and the Flyer way.
Rushton: When you look up and down Philadelphia's current roster, Kapanen gets the job by default. He is one of the longest tenured Flyers and seems rejuvenated this year despite the poor season. All this from a guy who nearly retired following the lockout. Kapanen is a good example for young Flyers to follow; a skater with hustle who excels on both special teams through talent and grit.
McManus: I have to go with Kapanen as well. His selfless approach to the game should be rewarded. The Flyers are going to want to target players that are wired exactly like this guy, so why not put the "C" on his chest to set the precedent.
As far as who else could be named captain.
Redner: There is also the argument that Mike Richards should be made captain. Before this nightmare of a season started, there were rumors swirling around that he would be named the captain before Forsberg got the "C". There are two reasons this is a bad idea. First, Richards really hasn't proven anything yet. His numbers are down this year, but to be fair no Flyers are having a good season, and he did miss 16 games with an abdominal injury. Yet, I can't think of a single game where he put the team on his back and tried to win the game. Second, he is only 22 years old, which is way too young. Yes, Steve Yzerman was named captain of the Red Wings at the age of 21, but Richards is no Stevie Y.
Rushton: In addition to Richards, Forsberg's former linemates, Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble could each warrant consideration for the captain's role. However, both players fit the mold of speak softly and carry a big stick. Gagne and Knuble are goal scorers, but that is the only way they are going to make a statement. Granted, that's the best way to do it, but momentum is a funny thing. Also, production should drop off for the two with the departure of Forsberg. Kapanen brings energy to the table. Gagne and Knuble do not.
**Photo courtesy of TSN.ca**
Goosebumps Campaign
"Red means Go!" "I'm J-Roll, and I'm just one more reason to believe..." The Phillies marketing department has definitely put together some "classic" campaigns to spread the word. Before the 2007 season gets underway, the crew put together the "Goosebumps" campaign. All of the commercials deal with the feeling you get from watching the Phillies.
View from friendly territory
By Michael Rushton
So, I was faced with the unbearable task of catching the Flyers game last night against Toronto. Don't feel too bad for me, though. I had Club Box Seats.
Here are some random thoughts from the game.
- No matter how many times I go to the Wachovia Center, one of the highlights is always Lauren Hart. Since the Flyers were playing Toronto, we were blessed with a double-dose of Hart as she also belted out "O Canada." Speaking of which, do we really need to boo another country's national anthem. This isn't South Park people.
- Went to get a dog and brew, only to have my little brother tell me Peter Forsberg was a scratch upon return. Time to hit the phones...
- One drawback when attending live sporting events is that you can't control who sits around you. Case in point was the guy behind me. Hence forth, he shall be know as Moron #1.
- Moron #1 informed his lady friend that Forsberg must be out because of injury. Pick up a newspaper dude!
- I know they have every right to attend games in Philadelphia, but nothing raises my blood pressure more than seeing people wearing Toronto jerseys. It's like they just walked into your home, kicked dirt on your couch, smacked your dog around and drank your last beer. This also goes for Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Rangers jerseys.
- Two Toronto goals in and I wondered why Michael Leighton was in net instead of Antero Niittymaki. I know Leighton posted two straight wins, but he is what he is, a backup goaltender.
- Goal number three and Leighton is out, Nitty is in.
- The sweetest words to hear when your club is already down 3-0? "Last minute remaining in the first period."
- Moron #1 actually said out loud that Ben Eager is his boy.
- The bartender told me that Forsberg was in pregame skate, but was pulled off the ice. Think about it, has a barkeep ever steered you wrong before?
- I watched Sami Kapanen and Derian Hatcher fall down in succession untouched. Best part, Flyers were shorthanded.
- It was all but official that Forsberg is off to Nashville. Moron #1 doesn't know yet.
- Moron #1 finally caught on. Then he said Nashville might actually have a chance in the playoffs now. Standings, hello!!
- End of period two and a pair of youth teams (one skater and one goaltender) did a shootout. I stayed in my seat to watch this.
- The kid in the white jersey just scored and then proceeded to skate backwards in celebration, pumping his fists and legs. He should win for celebration alone.
- Kid in black jersey countered by doing the Ovechkin/Crosby leg lift thing before his shot. He was stoned though. Sadly, this was the most exciting action I would see all night. Did I mention these kids were 10?
- Kid in white jersey seems rattled, kid in black jersey goes back to basics and wins shootout. Then he hugs his goaltender.
- Moron #1 said the names Pat Falloon, John Vanbiesbrouck and Eric Lindros in the same sentence. I changed seats.
- Maple Leafs went up 4-1 and the masses went for the exits. Good. Less traffic for me. Unfortunately, Moron #1 wasn't one of them.
- Flyers lose. They never announced the Forsberg trade to the crowd unless I missed it. Good thing I've got my bartender.
I'm actually heading to New York to take in Saturday's road game at the Garden. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say about it on Monday.
No, Michael Rushton doesn't have an extra ticket, but you can ask anyway at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
So, I was faced with the unbearable task of catching the Flyers game last night against Toronto. Don't feel too bad for me, though. I had Club Box Seats.
Here are some random thoughts from the game.
- No matter how many times I go to the Wachovia Center, one of the highlights is always Lauren Hart. Since the Flyers were playing Toronto, we were blessed with a double-dose of Hart as she also belted out "O Canada." Speaking of which, do we really need to boo another country's national anthem. This isn't South Park people.
- Went to get a dog and brew, only to have my little brother tell me Peter Forsberg was a scratch upon return. Time to hit the phones...
- One drawback when attending live sporting events is that you can't control who sits around you. Case in point was the guy behind me. Hence forth, he shall be know as Moron #1.
- Moron #1 informed his lady friend that Forsberg must be out because of injury. Pick up a newspaper dude!
- I know they have every right to attend games in Philadelphia, but nothing raises my blood pressure more than seeing people wearing Toronto jerseys. It's like they just walked into your home, kicked dirt on your couch, smacked your dog around and drank your last beer. This also goes for Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Rangers jerseys.
- Two Toronto goals in and I wondered why Michael Leighton was in net instead of Antero Niittymaki. I know Leighton posted two straight wins, but he is what he is, a backup goaltender.
- Goal number three and Leighton is out, Nitty is in.
- The sweetest words to hear when your club is already down 3-0? "Last minute remaining in the first period."
- Moron #1 actually said out loud that Ben Eager is his boy.
- The bartender told me that Forsberg was in pregame skate, but was pulled off the ice. Think about it, has a barkeep ever steered you wrong before?
- I watched Sami Kapanen and Derian Hatcher fall down in succession untouched. Best part, Flyers were shorthanded.
- It was all but official that Forsberg is off to Nashville. Moron #1 doesn't know yet.
- Moron #1 finally caught on. Then he said Nashville might actually have a chance in the playoffs now. Standings, hello!!
- End of period two and a pair of youth teams (one skater and one goaltender) did a shootout. I stayed in my seat to watch this.
- The kid in the white jersey just scored and then proceeded to skate backwards in celebration, pumping his fists and legs. He should win for celebration alone.
- Kid in black jersey countered by doing the Ovechkin/Crosby leg lift thing before his shot. He was stoned though. Sadly, this was the most exciting action I would see all night. Did I mention these kids were 10?
- Kid in white jersey seems rattled, kid in black jersey goes back to basics and wins shootout. Then he hugs his goaltender.
- Moron #1 said the names Pat Falloon, John Vanbiesbrouck and Eric Lindros in the same sentence. I changed seats.
- Maple Leafs went up 4-1 and the masses went for the exits. Good. Less traffic for me. Unfortunately, Moron #1 wasn't one of them.
- Flyers lose. They never announced the Forsberg trade to the crowd unless I missed it. Good thing I've got my bartender.
I'm actually heading to New York to take in Saturday's road game at the Garden. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say about it on Monday.
No, Michael Rushton doesn't have an extra ticket, but you can ask anyway at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
Attorney General Corbett announces criminal charges against Garrett Reid
Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Attorney General
HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that Plymouth Township Police have filed criminal charges against Garrett Reid surrounding an accident on January 30, 2007, at the intersection of Germantown Pike and Arch Road in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County.
Corbett said an investigation conducted by the Plymouth Township Police Department found that Garrett Reid, 23, of Page Terrace, Villanova, Montgomery County, while under the influence of controlled substances, recklessly drove his vehicle, exceeded the speed limit, ran a red light, and collided with a vehicle operated by Louise Hartman, who was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was treated for a head laceration and cervical strain and then released.
Following the collision, Reid was found to be in possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. The complaint charges Reid with: simple assault (M2); recklessly endangering another person (M2); four counts of possession of controlled substance (one count each as to heroin, Amphetamine, Phentermine and Testosterone (Anabolic Steroid) (M); driving under the Influence (M); two counts of drug paraphernalia (one count each as to heroin paraphernalia and steroid paraphernalia); one count of driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance (M1).
Reid is also charged with various summary traffic offenses including violating traffic control signals, maximum speed limits, driving vehicle at a safe speed and careless driving.
Garrett Reid is scheduled to surrender at the Plymouth Township Police Department at 8:30 a.m., Friday, February 16. He will be preliminarily arraigned, via a video conferencing system, at the Police Department, where he will also be processed. Blue Bell Magisterial District Judge John Murray will arraign Reid and set bail.
Corbett noted that Garrett Reid's brother, Britt Reid, who was charged in a separate incident, has waived his preliminary hearing which was scheduled for Friday, February 16. Corbett said that the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office referred both the Garrett and Britt Reid cases to the Attorney General's Office to avoid a potential conflict of interest. The cases will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Patrick J. Blessington.
Corbett thanked the Plymouth Township Police Department for conducting a thorough investigation.
HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that Plymouth Township Police have filed criminal charges against Garrett Reid surrounding an accident on January 30, 2007, at the intersection of Germantown Pike and Arch Road in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County.
Corbett said an investigation conducted by the Plymouth Township Police Department found that Garrett Reid, 23, of Page Terrace, Villanova, Montgomery County, while under the influence of controlled substances, recklessly drove his vehicle, exceeded the speed limit, ran a red light, and collided with a vehicle operated by Louise Hartman, who was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was treated for a head laceration and cervical strain and then released.
Following the collision, Reid was found to be in possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. The complaint charges Reid with: simple assault (M2); recklessly endangering another person (M2); four counts of possession of controlled substance (one count each as to heroin, Amphetamine, Phentermine and Testosterone (Anabolic Steroid) (M); driving under the Influence (M); two counts of drug paraphernalia (one count each as to heroin paraphernalia and steroid paraphernalia); one count of driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance (M1).
Reid is also charged with various summary traffic offenses including violating traffic control signals, maximum speed limits, driving vehicle at a safe speed and careless driving.
Garrett Reid is scheduled to surrender at the Plymouth Township Police Department at 8:30 a.m., Friday, February 16. He will be preliminarily arraigned, via a video conferencing system, at the Police Department, where he will also be processed. Blue Bell Magisterial District Judge John Murray will arraign Reid and set bail.
Corbett noted that Garrett Reid's brother, Britt Reid, who was charged in a separate incident, has waived his preliminary hearing which was scheduled for Friday, February 16. Corbett said that the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office referred both the Garrett and Britt Reid cases to the Attorney General's Office to avoid a potential conflict of interest. The cases will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Patrick J. Blessington.
Corbett thanked the Plymouth Township Police Department for conducting a thorough investigation.
Pat Gillick now firmly steering ship
*This is the second of a two-part series on the key off-field cogs to the Phillies' 2007 season. Yesterday's piece detailed manager Charlie Manuel*
By Jared Trexler
If you build it, they (championships) will come.
Whether they be of the division variety -- five spanning nine seasons in Toronto, a 116-win campaign in Seattle -- or World Series luster -- the tremors from Joe Carter's hooking homer still reverberate within this city's limits -- Pat Gillick has a knack for building championship ball clubs.
It says so on his resume, long and detailed with extensive scouting and player personnel experience and highlighted by success as head honcho in three American League cities.
His credibility and earned respect league-wide were two endearing qualities, possibly the significant reasons why David Montgomery, et al. hired Gillick as general manager on November 2, 2005.
As soon as Ed Wade was done fixing a light bulb, Gillick began his task of leading the Phillies out of the dark. He inherited a fragmented team -- tall on talent, but short on "it". That inherent quality not taught in Florida or Tuscon during the spring, but an instinctive part of every championship formula.
A team that appeared to be just a player or two away on paper looked missing to Gillick. He immediately stated it was his job to coax five more wins out of the current unit, with more tweaking here and there.
Gillick's strongest diamond allies will profess he is the ultimate baseball scientist, constantly changing the periphery in hopes of finding the perfect overall mixture. His off-season acquisitions -- Abraham Nunez, Ryan Franklin, Alex Gonzalez, Sal Fasano among others -- struck at the very essence of his beliefs.
Many of the signings brought a familiar feel, as the players had a past relationship with the general manager. However, in this situation, familiarity fed failure. Nunez, while a wizard with the glove never came close to his career year of 2005 at the plate. Franklin was sent off in a trade deadline deal, likewise with Fasano and Gonzalez retired from baseball.
The moans began. The hawks circled the heart of Old City. Phillies fans grew restless with another sorry April followed by months of catching up.
Then, Gillick shaped his Philadelphia legacy during a five-day window in late July. He first traded the popular Fasano to the Yankees then shipped third baseman David Bell, one of Wade's promising free-agent signings during the Jim Thome sweepstakes, to Milwaukee. In return, he received two marginal minor-league prospects.
The big move wasn't made until July 30 -- just one day before the non-waiver trade deadline. Bobby Abreu, the team's best overall hitter, starting right fielder and the brunt of verbal punches and praise over his distinguished career, was traded to the Yankees along with Cory Lidle for lefty relief pitcher Matt Smith, former top draft pick C.J. Henry and two lower level prospects.
The move was seen as a straight salary dump -- and Gillick said as much at the subsequent news conference, cautioning fans and the media that the club was moving toward a new era built around young players. And it could take awhile.
"We may not be able to contend until 2008," he stated.
Foreshadowing didn't sit well in a city that only looks ahead to its next cheesesteak. Gillick was ripped left and right for the deadline deal, and perhaps even more vociferously for the message he sent to the fans afterward.
Be patient.
It turned out that the players weren't all that patient, proving their GM wrong with a spirited run to the brink of a playoff berth led by the exact players Gillick defined as the future faces of the franchise. Chase Utley had an All-Star second half, Ryan Howard eventually won the MVP and Cole Hamels showed flashes of brilliance.
To give Gillick credit, he admitted his surprise at the sudden success and adapted on the fly, trading for Jamie Moyer, Jeff Conine and Jose Hernandez in the ill-fated playoff push. In the end, the Phillies won three games less than the season before, eight short of Gillick's self-imposed job responsibility.
"It falls on my shoulders," he said at the time.
Now, an offseason later, Gillick has completely retooled the base of his team around a talented core that shares work ethic and passion for the game. A starting staff that featured Gavin Floyd and Ryan Madson a season ago, now has Freddy Garcia, Adam Eaton and last season's Opening Day starter (Jon Lieber) on the outside looking in.
Shane Victornio has instilled spunk and a hint of Lenny Dykstra, while Aaron Rowand has brought the "For who? My teammates. For what? To win" personality to a clubhouse that was dying for a shot in the arm.
The club still has a glaring weakness in the bullpen unless Gillick catches lightning in a bottle with the acquisition of Antonio Alfonseca. He knows as much, and hasn't minced words in talk of rectifying the problem.
"We have some work to do in the bullpen."
Like him or not, Gillick is a straight shooter. And he's a winner, crafting his vision of the ideal champion from Toronto to Baltimore. He has his players in place for one last run at something special.
Five more wins are no longer enough. The foundation is set.
Now, fans wait to see if they (championships) will follow.
-----
Jared Trexler can be reached at jtrexler@phanaticmag.com
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Forsberg deal official
As already reported on by numerous media outlets, the Flyers have dealt center Peter Forsberg to the Nashville Predators. Below is the official release from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Continue onto the next Phanatic Magazine article to read Steve Lienert's take on the Forsberg exit, or just hit the link.
More to come over the next 24 hours, including Michael Rushton's take on tonight's game from the stands, who the next Flyers captain should be, and what other moves the Flyers could/should make...
- Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers announced that they have acquired 6’2, 205-pound defenseman Ryan Parent, 6’0, 197-pound right wing Scottie Upshall and a first round pick and third round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft from the Nashville Predators in exchange for center Peter Forsberg, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren.
"Peter could not commit to signing an extension because of his uncertainty. Therefore, we had to do what was best for the future of the team,” said Flyers Chairman Ed Snider. “Peter is a tremendous player and person. I would like to thank him for all that he did for this franchise. We wish him the best.”
“When it became apparent that we couldn’t sign Peter, we took the opportunity to acquire some outstanding young talent which will help the team as we build for the future,” said Holmgren.
Parent, 19, has recorded three goals and six assists for nine points and 62 penalty minutes in 32 games for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League this season. He was named the Storm’s captain prior to the start of this season. In four seasons with the Storm (2003-04 through 2006-07), Parent has registered 10 goals and 45 assists for 55 points and 238 penalty minutes in 216 regular season games. A native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Parent was named to the OHL Second All-Star Team following the 2005-06 season. He was a member of the Canadian National Team, which won the gold medal at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships. He was drafted by Nashville in the first round (18th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Upshall, 23, has posted three points (2G,1A) and 18 penalty minutes in 14 games for the Predators this season. He missed 22 games from November 16 through January 29 due to a groin strain sustained at Columbus on November 15. In 77 career regular season games over parts of four NHL seasons (2002-03 through 2006-07), Upshall has recorded 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points and 52 penalty minutes. He was drafted by the Predators in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
Last season, Upshall recorded eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points and 34 penalty minutes in 48 regular season games for Nashville. His +14 rating led the Predators for the 2005-06 season.
Forsberg, 33, registered 11 goals and 29 assists for 40 points and 72 penalty minutes in 40 games for the Flyers this season. Over the last two seasons with the Flyers (2005-06 and 2006-07), Forsberg recorded 30 goals and 86 assists for 116 points and 118 penalty minutes in 100 regular season games. He was signed as a free agent by the Flyers on August 3, 2005.
Continue onto the next Phanatic Magazine article to read Steve Lienert's take on the Forsberg exit, or just hit the link.
More to come over the next 24 hours, including Michael Rushton's take on tonight's game from the stands, who the next Flyers captain should be, and what other moves the Flyers could/should make...
- Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers announced that they have acquired 6’2, 205-pound defenseman Ryan Parent, 6’0, 197-pound right wing Scottie Upshall and a first round pick and third round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft from the Nashville Predators in exchange for center Peter Forsberg, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren.
"Peter could not commit to signing an extension because of his uncertainty. Therefore, we had to do what was best for the future of the team,” said Flyers Chairman Ed Snider. “Peter is a tremendous player and person. I would like to thank him for all that he did for this franchise. We wish him the best.”
“When it became apparent that we couldn’t sign Peter, we took the opportunity to acquire some outstanding young talent which will help the team as we build for the future,” said Holmgren.
Parent, 19, has recorded three goals and six assists for nine points and 62 penalty minutes in 32 games for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League this season. He was named the Storm’s captain prior to the start of this season. In four seasons with the Storm (2003-04 through 2006-07), Parent has registered 10 goals and 45 assists for 55 points and 238 penalty minutes in 216 regular season games. A native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Parent was named to the OHL Second All-Star Team following the 2005-06 season. He was a member of the Canadian National Team, which won the gold medal at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships. He was drafted by Nashville in the first round (18th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Upshall, 23, has posted three points (2G,1A) and 18 penalty minutes in 14 games for the Predators this season. He missed 22 games from November 16 through January 29 due to a groin strain sustained at Columbus on November 15. In 77 career regular season games over parts of four NHL seasons (2002-03 through 2006-07), Upshall has recorded 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points and 52 penalty minutes. He was drafted by the Predators in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
Last season, Upshall recorded eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points and 34 penalty minutes in 48 regular season games for Nashville. His +14 rating led the Predators for the 2005-06 season.
Forsberg, 33, registered 11 goals and 29 assists for 40 points and 72 penalty minutes in 40 games for the Flyers this season. Over the last two seasons with the Flyers (2005-06 and 2006-07), Forsberg recorded 30 goals and 86 assists for 116 points and 118 penalty minutes in 100 regular season games. He was signed as a free agent by the Flyers on August 3, 2005.
Just another hired gun
By Steven Lienert
Peter Forsberg said all the right things before he boarded a plane bound for Tennessee on Thursday night.
He liked it here in Philly, the team is turning a corner, Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble were the greatest teammates ever. Blah, blah, blah.
So Peter Forsberg goes from worst in the NHL to first in the matter of minutes. For the Flyers and their fans, there's a feeling that they have just been left behind.
First and foremost, this was something the Flyers absolutely had to do. They had to deal him, especially since he may retire after this year. To get nothing for him in a going-nowhere season would have been a crime.
He just never got what it actually meant to be a Flyer, which among other things, is displaying commitment to the organization. In the end, despite Mr. Snider's best sell job, Forsberg couldn't commit to playing next season with the Flyers. In other words, he abandoned the city.
He may retire, he may re-sign with Nashville. Anaheim and Detroit are interested too. He'll look at how Philly has progressed. But Forsberg said he's not going to sign anywhere before July 1.
His options will remain open, and if the Flyers can show improvement, maybe he'll want to come back. But should the Flyers want him at his current asking price? Absolutely not. Why cripple the team's salary cap for two more years of a declining Forsberg?
Perhaps Forsberg's ship has sailed. His final tallies as a Flyer? One-hundred games played (out of a possible 138), 30 goals, 85 assists for 115 points. But he has scored just 11 times in 40 games this season and he leaves Philly with a career-low plus-2 rating thus far this year.
However, Nashville is the perfect place for Forsberg to ride off into the sunset. He won't be counted upon to be great nearly as often as he had to be in Philadelphia. He won't have to lead a young group of players on his own.
In the playoffs, the Predators' mix of veterans will allow Forsberg to be more free than he ever was here -- Forsberg won't have to be the leader both on and off the ice. Maybe this is just what he needed, a Ray Bourque-esque final hurrah. I wish him well.
Perhaps without the weight of a 'C' on his jersey, he can lift another Stanley Cup.
Think Forsberg is hockey royalty? Kindly address all hate mail to slienert@phanaticmag.com
Peter Forsberg said all the right things before he boarded a plane bound for Tennessee on Thursday night.
He liked it here in Philly, the team is turning a corner, Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble were the greatest teammates ever. Blah, blah, blah.
So Peter Forsberg goes from worst in the NHL to first in the matter of minutes. For the Flyers and their fans, there's a feeling that they have just been left behind.
First and foremost, this was something the Flyers absolutely had to do. They had to deal him, especially since he may retire after this year. To get nothing for him in a going-nowhere season would have been a crime.
He just never got what it actually meant to be a Flyer, which among other things, is displaying commitment to the organization. In the end, despite Mr. Snider's best sell job, Forsberg couldn't commit to playing next season with the Flyers. In other words, he abandoned the city.
He may retire, he may re-sign with Nashville. Anaheim and Detroit are interested too. He'll look at how Philly has progressed. But Forsberg said he's not going to sign anywhere before July 1.
His options will remain open, and if the Flyers can show improvement, maybe he'll want to come back. But should the Flyers want him at his current asking price? Absolutely not. Why cripple the team's salary cap for two more years of a declining Forsberg?
Perhaps Forsberg's ship has sailed. His final tallies as a Flyer? One-hundred games played (out of a possible 138), 30 goals, 85 assists for 115 points. But he has scored just 11 times in 40 games this season and he leaves Philly with a career-low plus-2 rating thus far this year.
However, Nashville is the perfect place for Forsberg to ride off into the sunset. He won't be counted upon to be great nearly as often as he had to be in Philadelphia. He won't have to lead a young group of players on his own.
In the playoffs, the Predators' mix of veterans will allow Forsberg to be more free than he ever was here -- Forsberg won't have to be the leader both on and off the ice. Maybe this is just what he needed, a Ray Bourque-esque final hurrah. I wish him well.
Perhaps without the weight of a 'C' on his jersey, he can lift another Stanley Cup.
Think Forsberg is hockey royalty? Kindly address all hate mail to slienert@phanaticmag.com
Forsberg to Nashville
TSN.ca is reporting that the Philadelphia Flyers have dealt center Peter Forsberg to the Nashville Predators for two players and two draft picks.The report states that Nashville will send right wing Scottie Upshall, defenseman Ryan Parent and a first-round and a third-round draft pick to Philadelphia.
Forsberg skated with the team in practice Thursday in preparation for a home game against Toronto, but was listed as a healthy scratch just before the start.
Forsberg will now join the top team in the NHL after battling injuries all season. He had a procedure done on his right foot this past May and also had two bursas removed. He was originally scheduled to have surgery on both his feet, but learned surgery on his left foot was not necessary. Forsberg returned in time to appear in the Flyers starting lineup for their first game of the season, but has missed 16 game since.
The 33-year-old Swede has appeared in 40 games this season and has 11 goals and 29 assists. In 680 games over 11 seasons, nine of them with Quebec/Colorado, he has 246 goals and 610 assists.
The Phanatic Magazine's take:
Eric Redner: We knew this was going to happen sometime soon and while the Flyers could have held out a bit longer to see what other deals would have been offered, I believe they got a pretty good deal.
The key to this trade is Parent. In 60 games last year with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, he posted four goals and 17 assists with 122 penalty minutes. He has been injury plagued this season as he has missed 23 of the team's 55 games due to injuries and international play and is currently sidelined with a bulging disk in his back. The first round pick (18th overall) by Nashville in 2005, he is 6-foot-2 and currently listed at 183 pounds, but he will turn 20 on March 17 and if he can bulk up he could be a big presence on the blue line for the Flyers. He was the captain of the 2005 Canadian team that won the silver medal at the U-18 world championships and a gold medallist for Team Canada at the 2006 world juniors this winter so it seems that he has some leadership skills.
Upshall, 23, was selected by Nashville in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2002 draft. He as only appeared in 14 games this season because of a groin injury. He has spent his career between the NHL and the AHL and has only appeared in 77 games in the NHL over four seasons and has recorded 11 goals and 18 assists. He can be a third line or possibly second line player, but was limited to a lot of fourth line time, when he was in the NHL, thanks to being on a deep Predators team. In 23 games with Nashville's AHL affiliate in Milwaukee, he has 17 goals and 16 assists. He will get more playing time with the Flyers than he did in Nashville, which will give him the minutes he needs to garner more experience and hopefully bring his play to a higher level.
The picks, while depending on where Nashville finishes, will not be very high and it is not a very deep draft. But, the Flyers will be able to stock up on some prospects and hopefully get some quality players out of the deal.
It is still up in the air what will happen to Forsberg, whose contract expires at the end of the season, at the conclusion of the campaign. If he is healthy and wants to come back to Philly it would be a smart move on the Flyers part to get him back, so long as it is for a fair price.
As far as Nashville goes, the rest of the Western Conference better watch out. If Forsberg can stay healthy, this team will score a ton of goals and will be very tough to stop in the playoffs. The smart thing for the Predators to do would be to limit Forsberg's ice time for the remainder of the season and keep him fresh for the playoffs.
Forsberg a healthy scratch
Peter Forsberg was a healthy scratch for tonight's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He had skated at the morning practice and then had a 30 minute meeting with club officials before it was announced that he was a scratch for the game.
The early rumor has him going to Nashville.
Stay tuned to The Phanatic Magazine for further details as they are made available.
He had skated at the morning practice and then had a 30 minute meeting with club officials before it was announced that he was a scratch for the game.
The early rumor has him going to Nashville.
Stay tuned to The Phanatic Magazine for further details as they are made available.
NBA on the decline
By Tim McManus
Popularity in sports really boils down to two things:
1) Being exceptional at what you do and
2) Possessing qualities that relate to your audience
You don’t have to have both to make the front page (The Spurs fought into the limelight despite a wealth of personality, while Sal Fasano made it because of personality only, for example), but if you want to achieve greatness and obtain staying power, you must have both.
The 1990’s Bulls had it. The ’93 Phillies had it. Tiger Woods has it. Would these teams/figures be popular if they were dominant but not charismatic? Sure, they just wouldn’t be iconic.
The formula holds true for sports as a whole as well.
Football reigns supreme because it presents a superior product and knows how to market itself to its audience.
Baseball has the talent and the luxury of being “America’s pastime”. The level of popularity ebbs and flows due to circumstance but as long as the above mentioned traits are in place, the sport will always be a force.
Hockey, meanwhile, is just a one-trick pony in the United States, hence the decline. Yes, the NHL offers the best the world has to offer. But it a) has athletes that can’t really be tracked until they’re already stars and b) overhauled its rules to such a degree that it’s hardly recognizable to its fan base anymore. S0 you have foreign players – on a couple different levels – playing an unfamiliar style of game. Should it be a surprise that the sport has fallen off?
That brings us to basketball, which is dangerously close to losing both key ingredients.
It is already in question whether the NBA is the elite basketball organization in the world. Best athletes, yes, but after repeatedly coming up short against international competition, many believe that the level of play has dipped below sea level. And as the failure of soccer and competing football leagues have already taught us, the United States does not take kindly to organizations that don’t offer the crème de la crème.
And the NBA is also becoming more and more difficult to relate to.
Here’s a little psychological test: Before reading on, take 10 seconds to think of the most significant stories in the NBA over the last few years…
Here’s what comes to my mind: Kobe’s rape case…Artest jumping into the stands…talkin’ about practice…Vince Carter not giving full effort in Toronto…Nuggets-Knicks brawl…Tim Hardaway’s response to John Amaechi and gay players in the league.
With the old guards gone and the new ones still a bit too young to take the sword and shield, it appears that the culture of the league is shifting in a damaging direction. Just look at the last two weeks. Tyrus Thomas saying he was only going to participate in the dunk contest because of the money? Gilbert Arenas complaining because his coach wanted the team to focus on defense? Shavlik Randolph (Shavlik Randolph!?!) politely asking his fellow players not to bring their gayness on him? And now the Hardaway bombshell?
And this has all happened over what, 10 days?
The point is, there seems to be stories coming out of the NBA at an alarming rate that leaves its audience stunned, and most significantly, put off. Couple that with the enormous salaries – and the amazing coincidence that many players’ performance peaks during a contract year – and you have a fan base that often feels it’s peering in at a world completely alien from its own.
You must be exceptional at what you do and you must have qualities that relate to your audience to remain on top.
The NBA is questionable in both departments right now.
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Popularity in sports really boils down to two things:
1) Being exceptional at what you do and
2) Possessing qualities that relate to your audience
You don’t have to have both to make the front page (The Spurs fought into the limelight despite a wealth of personality, while Sal Fasano made it because of personality only, for example), but if you want to achieve greatness and obtain staying power, you must have both.
The 1990’s Bulls had it. The ’93 Phillies had it. Tiger Woods has it. Would these teams/figures be popular if they were dominant but not charismatic? Sure, they just wouldn’t be iconic.
The formula holds true for sports as a whole as well.
Football reigns supreme because it presents a superior product and knows how to market itself to its audience.
Baseball has the talent and the luxury of being “America’s pastime”. The level of popularity ebbs and flows due to circumstance but as long as the above mentioned traits are in place, the sport will always be a force.
Hockey, meanwhile, is just a one-trick pony in the United States, hence the decline. Yes, the NHL offers the best the world has to offer. But it a) has athletes that can’t really be tracked until they’re already stars and b) overhauled its rules to such a degree that it’s hardly recognizable to its fan base anymore. S0 you have foreign players – on a couple different levels – playing an unfamiliar style of game. Should it be a surprise that the sport has fallen off?
That brings us to basketball, which is dangerously close to losing both key ingredients.
It is already in question whether the NBA is the elite basketball organization in the world. Best athletes, yes, but after repeatedly coming up short against international competition, many believe that the level of play has dipped below sea level. And as the failure of soccer and competing football leagues have already taught us, the United States does not take kindly to organizations that don’t offer the crème de la crème.
And the NBA is also becoming more and more difficult to relate to.
Here’s a little psychological test: Before reading on, take 10 seconds to think of the most significant stories in the NBA over the last few years…
Here’s what comes to my mind: Kobe’s rape case…Artest jumping into the stands…talkin’ about practice…Vince Carter not giving full effort in Toronto…Nuggets-Knicks brawl…Tim Hardaway’s response to John Amaechi and gay players in the league.
With the old guards gone and the new ones still a bit too young to take the sword and shield, it appears that the culture of the league is shifting in a damaging direction. Just look at the last two weeks. Tyrus Thomas saying he was only going to participate in the dunk contest because of the money? Gilbert Arenas complaining because his coach wanted the team to focus on defense? Shavlik Randolph (Shavlik Randolph!?!) politely asking his fellow players not to bring their gayness on him? And now the Hardaway bombshell?
And this has all happened over what, 10 days?
The point is, there seems to be stories coming out of the NBA at an alarming rate that leaves its audience stunned, and most significantly, put off. Couple that with the enormous salaries – and the amazing coincidence that many players’ performance peaks during a contract year – and you have a fan base that often feels it’s peering in at a world completely alien from its own.
You must be exceptional at what you do and you must have qualities that relate to your audience to remain on top.
The NBA is questionable in both departments right now.
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Stallworth wants to stay in Philly
On an episode of Fox's "The Best Damn Sports Show" taped yesterday, Eagles receiver Donté Stallworth again said he hoped to return to Philadelphia.
"I love the Eagles and I love being there, and I'm hoping that we can get things worked out," Stallworth said during the taping that sirs tonight. "There are some other interesting situations that I have on the table, but as far as being with the one team, I definitely want to be with the Eagles."
"I love the Eagles and I love being there, and I'm hoping that we can get things worked out," Stallworth said during the taping that sirs tonight. "There are some other interesting situations that I have on the table, but as far as being with the one team, I definitely want to be with the Eagles."
Asked about other situations, Stallworth said: "There's New England, obviously being able to play in an organization like that, similar to the Eagles, who have definitely won a lot of games in the past. San Francisco, young and upcoming team, has a good young quarterback and Norv Turner is still the offensive coordinator there, that helps... And Miami, the GM there was a guy who drafted me in New Orleans, Randy Mueller, and we've always had a real good relationship. But as far as actually picking a team, Philly is definitely No. 1 right now."
Phillies Season Preview
While you wait for our edition (unveiling February 25th), here is the Phillies season preview from the Philadelphia Daily News.
Manuel's Season on the Brink
*The Phillies hit Spring Training running today with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. Until The Phanatic Magazine's Season Preview kicks off on February 25th, Jared Trexler will spend the next two days expounding on the two most important pieces to a championship off the field -- manager Charlie Manuel and general manager Pat Gillick*
By Jared Trexler
Charlie dun good.
Especially considering the futile nature of the on-field product during Terry Francona's stint and the hostile venom spewing from players and coaches alike near the end of Larry Bowa's tenure. Manuel took young, raw talent and molded it into a consistent contender -- guiding a positive clubhouse with an equal mixture of curt and cordial.
Yet, consistent contender isn't good enough anymore. Despite a 173-151 record in two seasons, including an 88-win campaign (best since Dutch and Dude's '93 bunch) and two near playoff appearances, Manuel's critics are lining up at the gates of the Carpenter Complex, ready and waiting to knock the whole ship down.
They point to promotional videos -- "Red Means Go," "...Just One More Reason to Believe" -- followed by listless, fundamentally unsound Spring Trainings and a pair of 10-14 Aprils.
The Phillies haven't weathered April showers toward winning May flowers since a 16-13 start in 2003. 
"I think there's a difference between being ready to start the season and being ready to start the season winning," Manuel said to the Philadelphia Daily News.
If there is one, it's been glaring. Jimmy Williams, a veteran Spring Training handler in Atlanta and manager in Boston, was brought in to "run" season preparation. Another former big league manager, Davey Lopes, was hired to help fleet-footed Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino on the basepaths.
Yet, Manuel isn't looking over his shoulder. He feels the pressure, sure. And he understands another 10-14 April may mean his job, but his thoughts are squarely forward and forever optimistic. It's why his players love him.
"I think it will take care of itself," he said. "I'll manage the same way."
That way seems to be the perfect temperament for this clubhouse. Manuel normally stays out of the players' way during the game, without ebb and flow picked up by television cameras. He doesn't show up his players in public, respecting the difficulty surrounding the spotlight they are in and the job they must do.
In turn, his players rave about the atmosphere and respect him as a person. Perhaps most importantly, when Manuel does have a rare public tongue-lashing (see Florida, second inning versus Dontrelle Willis last season) his players listen.
"I'll fight. I'll do anything to win. I see our players. I hear them. They will tell you things they like about me, or don't like. Everybody in our clubhouse doesn't like Charlie Manuel," he theorized to the Daily News.
You could have fooled us. And his boss, who kept Manuel around at the All-Star break last season then decided to ride with his skipper after an off-season makeover.
"I think its pretty evident the players enjoy playing for Charlie," said general manager Pat Gillick. "I have no complaints from the players as to how they are used."
No complaints. A happy clubhouse. An upbeat atmosphere. All positives don't mean there aren't some underlying negatives.
Manuel, admittedly, took longer than many fans felt warranted in adjusting to the National League style of play. He botched several double switches, just plain didn't make others, and lost several games on his bullpen management alone.
However, he has grown -- even his sharpest critics will acknowledge his managerial prowess has improved over his two seasons at the helm -- with room left for full blossom.
In the end, it may be fitting. The season Manuel blossoms as a manager could be the season his 25-player family does the same.
"I trust them," Manuel stated to the Daily News. "And they trust me."
That's the kicker. In 2007, a manager that can have the trust of his players is a manager doing his job. Yet, despite every intangible, the skipper will be judged by on-field results without much wiggle room.
He has 3/4 of an All-Star infield, a $30 million dollar outfielder and one of the best pitching staffs in the National League. Superlatives are nice, but wins are nicer -- especially in the championship-starved city of Philadelphia.
"I'm going to do what I think is going to win games for us."
That quote will be his measuring point come April. And when the showers end, Manuel hopes fans and his boss begin to realize what his players already believe.
Charlie dun good.
------
Jared Trexler can be reached at jtrexler@phanaticmag.com
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Tim Hardaway hates gay people
The former Miami Heat star created a firestorm on Dan LeBetard's radio show Wednesday.
"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known," Hardaway said. "I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."
"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known," Hardaway said. "I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."
Check please
By John GottliebSurprisingly enough the greatest relief pitcher of all time came out the other day and intimated that if the Yankees didn’t show him the proper respect then Mariano Rivera might take his ball and finish his career elsewhere.
This made all sorts of news in the New York papers and on the talk shows that the aging hurler may have a gripe with his paycheck, because let’s face it, Rivera couldn’t be any more respected in any other way.
He could’ve raked the Yankees over the coals before the 2005 season when he signed a two-year contract for $21 million with a $10.5 million team option for the upcoming season. He was coming off a season when he went 4-2 with a league-leading 53 saves, a 1.94 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He was the holder of four World Series rings and could’ve rightfully held out for more money.
When Carlos Zambrano comes out and makes bold statements like the one the other day I have a small problem with it, but when a guy like the soft-spoken Mariano Rivera makes a claim that he may move on to another team if he has to play out his contract then I get worried.
The Yankees can’t let Mo walk. The thought alone is obscene. All you need to do is think about these numbers: 8-1, .80 ERA, 73 games, 34 saves, 112 2/3 innings, 12 runs (10 earned), 15 walks, 87 strikeouts and a .75 WHIP.
And those are just his numbers in the postseason. You can make an argument that he is the greatest postseason pitcher and maybe the greatest postseason player of all time.
For this Mariano Rivera deserves a blank check. I don’t care what he wants he's earmed it. Right now he and Billy Wagner are the highest paid closers in the game. That in and of itself is a crime. Nobody should be anywhere near Rivera’s salary. What has Wagner done to earn as much money as Mariano other than steal his theme?
To put it in perspective Rivera is the ninth-highest paid Yankee behind A-Rod, Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada and Mike Mussina. What's even more pathetic is that Rivera is making only a half-million more than the invisible wonder, Carl Pavano. (I’m sure this is the year he’ll earn his money.)
I know that the majority of those players are everyday starters but how many are more important that Mo? How often has anyone heard just get me to the day that Mussina starts, or just get Jason Giambi to the plate? The answer is never. What you have heard is just get me to Mariano because the game is over.
I’m not foolish enough to think that Rivera is the same pitcher that he was three years ago, but he saved 34-of-37 games with a 1.80 ERA and a .96 WHIP last season. I’d be more than happy to trust a 40-year-old Mariano Rivera in the tightest of game situations.
If he wants a two-year deal for $40 million George Steinbrenner has to give it to him, because even though he just turned 37, you can’t let him be dominant for another team. Rivera has earned the right to saw off lefties with his cutter until he decides to hang up the cleats.
If he walks after this season and then goes to the Red Sox and performs for the next three seasons that is a nightmare that destroys careers. You can’t take that chance and that’s why he should get a blank check. As a matter of fact whatever he asks for you should add a couple million because that’s how much he’s meant to the team.
There will be 29 teams lining up to throw the bank at Mo after this season if the Yankees don’t sign him to an extension.
"The Yankees will not have an advantage," Rivera told Yankees.com on Wednesday referring to if he is allowed to test the free agent market. "Everybody has a free shot."
Here are Cashman’s comments to the Associated Press on Tuesday after Rivera spoke out on Monday: "Mo knows how we feel about him. We care a great deal about him. He's been a great Yankee. Obviously there's a contract in place that we worked out a while before. Let me talk to him first. In theory I would always prefer to wait. Right now I want to concentrate on '07 and worry about '08 at another time. When that time will be, that would be between me and Mo. Every situation has a proper time and a proper place. My preference is to wait throughout the year on everybody, if I possibly can. We have a lot of people up. I'm going to talk Mariano first, have a conversion with him to see where he's at.”
The Yanks felt compelled enough to have Cashman make a statement as opposed to just dismissing it, but Brian shouldn’t roll the dice with Mo and let him play out the season. Lock him up before it’s too late.
It’s only been of late that the Bronx Bombers have showed some fiscal restraint (see Carlos Beltran and Barry Zito) but Rivera shouldn’t be tested.
And let’s not think that if the Yankees give Mariano a bank account in the Caymans that that is going to prevent them from spending money on other players. The Yankees have done a good job of rebuilding their farm system while exiling elder, loudmouth players. They should’ve completed the transformation and gotten rid of A-Rod but that’s another blog for another time.
If anyone thinks that New York won’t be a big-time player for Carlos Zambrano, Dontrelle Willis, Johan Santana or Ichiro should they become available, you’re certifiably nuts. While not breaking the bank anymore on whomever the player of the year is that doesn’t mean the Yanks are making less money. They’re collecting it like the Benjamins are going out of style, as they eclipsed three million in attendance for the eighth straight campaign, including four-plus million the last two years. They’ve got the All Star game in 2008 and will open up a new stadium in 2009. Money won't be a problem.
Mariano Rivera, who is an eight-time All-Star and a first ballot Hall of Famer, should get paid anything he wants because he’s that damn good, and the Yanks would be knee deep in poo without him.
Beyonce on cover of SI swimsuit edition
Sixers update: Miller to stay
Sixers general manager Billy King told the Philadelphia Inquirer that his club probably won't make any moves before the trade deadline. That includes point guard Andre Miller, who the Sixers won't trade because, according to King, "Because I like Andre Miller."
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Steven Hunter update
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers forward/enter Steven Hunter will not require surgery on his left fifth finger.
The decision was made after Hunter received a second opinion from Dr. Michelle Carlson, an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hand surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City,
Hunter will not play against Washington on Wednesday but will be able return to return to the Sixers lineup after the NBA All-Star Break, wearing a splint on his left fifth finger. He will continue to wear an extension splint for six weeks when not playing.
An MRI taken yesterday afternoon revealed a left fifth finger P.I.P. (proximal interphalangeal) volar lateral dislocation. Hunter suffered the injury during the first quarter of the Sixers-Mavericks game on Sunday, Feb. 11, but returned to the game.
Philadelphia 76ers forward/enter Steven Hunter will not require surgery on his left fifth finger.
The decision was made after Hunter received a second opinion from Dr. Michelle Carlson, an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hand surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City,
Hunter will not play against Washington on Wednesday but will be able return to return to the Sixers lineup after the NBA All-Star Break, wearing a splint on his left fifth finger. He will continue to wear an extension splint for six weeks when not playing.
An MRI taken yesterday afternoon revealed a left fifth finger P.I.P. (proximal interphalangeal) volar lateral dislocation. Hunter suffered the injury during the first quarter of the Sixers-Mavericks game on Sunday, Feb. 11, but returned to the game.
Forsberg never was a Flyer
By Steven Lienert
Peter Forsberg is one captain that isn't going down with his rudderless ship.
And it's disgusting.
I thought hockey players were supposed to be the last bastion of 'team-first' guys. I thought, in hockey, it's all about the crest on the front of your sweater instead of what's stitched across the back of your shoulders.
Forsberg wants out of Philly? Good riddance.
With a 'leader' like Forsberg, it's no wonder the Flyers are the worst team BY FAR in the NHL.
In fact, without Joe Sakic, Forsberg wouldn't be regarded as highly as he is.
Without Sakic donning the 'C' in Denver, Forsberg wouldn't have, couldn't have led the Avs to two Stanley Cup titles. Without Sakic, Forsberg would have been exactly what he is in Philadelphia: A whiny prima-donna that used an ill-fitting skate as an excuse not play for the worst team in hockey.
I was psyched when Forsberg signed here. With a healthy Keith Primeau, two decent goalies and a young Simon Gagne, I thought Forsberg would have been the guy to push the Flyers over the top.
His signing, though, masked the organization's depleted and cement-footed defensive corps. And without another guy to captain the ship, Forsberg was exposed as the fraudulent leader he really is.
That's why the Flyers will never bestow the same honor to Forsberg that they would to some other former captains. You know, guys that new what it meant to be a Flyer.
Yeah, I cheered in 1992 when the Flyers got Lindros and gave away Forsberg. And when Forsberg was hoisting Cups while Lindros sipped on apple sauce, I lamented the trade and wished Forsberg had been a Flyer for life.
Now I'm actually happy with the way things worked out. If we had counted on Forsberg to carry the squad all those years, the team would have had nearly the same amount of success that it had.
Forsberg never got it. And he never will.
Peter the Great my @#%.
Loyal to Lienert? Email him at slienert@phanaticmag.com
Sixers' Hunter out with broken finger
-Courtesy of the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers forward/center Steven Hunter will be out indefinitely after an MRI taken yesterday afternoon revealed a left fifth finger P.I.P. (proximal interphalangeal) volar lateral dislocation.
Dr. Randy Culp of the Philadelphia Hand Group evaluated Hunter this morning and recommended he undergo surgery. Hunter will travel to New York City this afternoon to receive a second opinion from Dr. Michelle Carlson, an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hand surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Hunter suffered the injury during the first quarter of the Sixers-Mavericks game on Sunday, Feb. 11, but returned to the game.
Flyers saw what they are missing
By Michael Rushton
Apparently, for the Flyers to return to a dominating form they just need Keith Primeau to simply step on the ice again, if only for a pregame ceremony.
Philadelphia rightfully honored its former captain, who is still sorely missed, last night and then its current roster of misguided skaters went out and hammered Primeau's first team, Detroit, 6-1.
It was a performance that would have, and should have, made Primeau proud. For the first time in a long time the Flyers hit, hustled, finished plays and scored, and almost seemed to resemble the contending team they were over the last few years.
Was it a coincidence that the Flyers turned in one of their best performances of the year, certainly their best at home, with Captain Keith's aura in the air?
I would guess not. Because for one night, everything the Flyers need and are missing was standing right before them. A dominating presence who could throw a tired, worn-down team over his shoulders, Primeau brought to life how a Flyers hockey player should play.
"I learned early on during my stay in Philadelphia that you need not be the most talented, the most skilled, the best goal scorer or the best playmaker, but if you play with passion, desire and a blue collar attitude you would and could be embraced more than you could ever imagine," Primeau said last night.
No true Flyers fan will ever forget Primeau's last great performance.
Right before the lockout, the Flyers made an exciting run in the playoffs to cap the 2003-04 season. They knocked off rival New Jersey and won a thrilling series against Toronto before running into the Lightning, who Philadelphia took to seven games before falling.
It was during that run when Primeau embodied the "C" that was stitched to his sweater. He totaled 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) during those playoffs and brought a physical defensive force to the team that shut down other team's best players.
And that is what Philly continues to miss today.
While Peter Forsberg is a great player, he is not a leader, not a captain. Nor is Derian Hatcher, who just hasn't earned the hometown respect a Philly captain needs to survive. Eric Desjardins certainly put in his time in the City of Brother Love, but his on-ice presence wasn't that of a captain's.
But