The True Test of Phandom

After a long hiatus from writing about the Phils, it’s high time to revisit the very grounds for the creation of the Grow Up page. The reason I haven’t written about the Phillies in some time is that I have been more nervous than B Rabbit on open mic night at the Shelter. Who can blame me? After all, we’re talking about a team that has been in existence since 1883 and has only one World Series to its name. A team that just this season surpassed the 10,000 loss mark. To top it off, they did it in true fashion, a 10-2 drubbing served up by the St. Louis Cardinals at home and on national television.

Suffice it to say, Phillie Phans have had to endure a long and undistinguished history of losing baseball. A few bright spots here and there have colored the Phillies beleaguered past, but those occurrences are few and far between. Most writers will say that Cubs fans have had to endure more heartache than any other franchise's following. There's no denying their suffering. I just don't think that it compares to the pain of a Phillies fan. After all, they have one 2 World Series, have appeared in 10 and have only lossed 9400 games. They are the lovable losers. We are the losers everyone loves to hate, especially in the national media.

It's true that we have Harry Kalas and the best mascot in all of sports. But, there has to be more than listening to a Hall of Fame voice and catching a glimpse of a streaking green furry Phanatic that keeps the Phillies fans coming back for more. It's not that we are gluttons for punishment. And it's not that we come to the ball park to suck down Philly Cheesesteaks, Bulls BBQ and Crab Fries. I believe that we want to believe in something greater than ourselves.

The 2007 Phillies give us that something to believe in. Call it chemistry or brotherly love, but these Phillies really bonded well and united, as a team. They battled together, side by side, with no one player more important than the other. Team, team, team, team. Through that battle, they grew together and grew on the city.

It’s true, they have their flaws, but so do we, as fans. I, for one, am guilty of being overly critical and I have a tendency to slightly overreact. My first quarter review was extremely harsh. But, I stand by it. That’s the way I felt. Baseball is a game of emotions, ups and downs. How a team deals with those peaks and valleys ultimately determines its degree of success.

Being a fan, however, is different. We’re there for every game, night in, night out. We play hookie to get out of work or school, we tailgate before the game, we debate who should be in the starting lineup, we cheer, we boo, we celebrate or lament, and we sit through traffic and listen to post game analysis on our drive home. We ride the emotional roller coaster over and over again. The major distinction between player and fan is that the player can affect the outcome of a game. The fan is a mere spectator forced to watch from a distance. The fate of the fan rests in the hands of another. What other hobby or pastime can engage so much without actual participation?

This rare form of personal commitment without a tangible contribution to the outcome makes it even more difficult for me to corral my emotions. Countless times I could be heard screaming incoherent gibberish at Adam Eaton for surrendering run after run as he continues to miss the plate like Rick Vaughn without glasses. All the while, he has this blank look on his face like it doesn't bother him at all that he sucks because he conned Pat Gillick into giving him $24 million over 3 years. Guys like Eaton and Bobby Abreau make the paradigm tough to digest.

On the other hand, guys like JRoll, Chase, Howard, Victorino and Rowand embody what it means to be a Phillie. Hard work, integrity, dedication and a desire to win for yourselves, your teammates and the city you represent. These guys share what Phillie fans have, heart. As corny or sensationalized as that sounds, it’s true. Heart can be exaggerated in sport, but when it’s real there is no denying it. It’s the heart of this team that makes them endearing. Knowing that these guys wear Red and White Pinstripes gives me the sense that this team has a legitimate chance.

I care so much about the 2007 Phillies that it’s definitely unhealthy. When they lose, I feel like I lost. When they win, well, I don’t know what that feels like. But, there is no doubt that I’ll be on the edge of my seat watching every pitch hoping that they do deliver a World Series Championship to Philadelphia. And since I've put in more sweat and tears in supporting the Phillies than Adam Eaton has playing for them, I think I should get his ring and his $24 million.

NLDS prediction: Phils in 4.

The Eagles Throw it Back

The Philadelphia Eagles 56-23 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday proved that after a series of staggering defeats, the football doctors have a cure all. Just like “Blue Oyster Cult” needed famed music producer Bruce Dickinson to remind them that the only way to make “Don’t Fear the Reaper” a great track was to play the hell out of the cowbell, the Eagles turned to Ben Franklin and the Swedish inspired original colors of the city flag to cure their collective fever. In addition to throwback jerseys, the grow up doctor recommends a motivated McNabb and a healthy dose of Westbrook to make the Eagles all better.

The Birds wore the 1933 Blue and Yellow jerseys to celebrate the team’s 75^th anniversary of playing football in the city of brotherly love. Despite the players admitted disdain for the old school colors, they played better than they had all year. I know I’m not the only one in the Delaware Valley wondering if the Birds rock the throwbacks all season long can score 50 plus points per contest? After the game when asked a similar question, Coach Reid responded, “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

Personally, I always loved throwback jerseys. In fact, I would wear one everyday of the week if it were allowed in the dress code of my employer. Dress code or not, the mail guy will never stop struttin’ around in a Mike Vick jersey, G-Unit sneakers and a Flava Flav clock. I’m not making this up. Nothing says professionalism better than an oversized jersey and a baggy pair of jeans.

Nobody has a bigger closet full of throwbacks than Exhibit. It seemed like he wore a different one for every episode of “Pimp My Ride.” He single-handedly paid for both Mitchell and Ness’s comprehensive financial plans. His collection was so extensive that in NFL Street he even showed off a Reno Mahe jersey. Now, I wouldn’t go that far, but I have compiled a brief list of throwbacks that I covet. This list is comprised solely of Iggles and does not include current players. The criteria used for this short list include talent, personality and overall coolness. Not the most scientific means of analysis, but who cares, it’s my blog and I can do what I want.

Tommy McDonald #25 – He caught a 35-yard TD in the 1960 Championship game against the Packers. His toughness could not be measured by his physical stature, at 5’-9” 176 lbs. he's the smallest player enshrined in the Hall of Fame, rather it was his immeasurable heart that made him as strong as steel. An indicator of his fearlessness has to be the fact he was the last non-kicker to play without a facemask. Surprisingly, he never broke his nose while playing. McDonald refused to let an opponent think they got the best of him. No matter how hard of a hit he took he always made a point of bouncing right back up for the next play. When asked by Philly Inquirer reporter Bill Lyon about his ability to keep taking hits, McDonald replied, "I made that my signature, that bouncing up after a hit. And, oh, that'd make them mad. I was dying, but I didn't want to let them know that. I didn't want to let them know I was hurt. I did want them to know they weren't going to intimidate me."

Steve Van Buren #15 – Arguably the greatest Eagles of all time. My buddy John and I once said that for any bit of Eagles trivia, the most logical answer is always Steve Van Buren. Who scored the only TD in the 1948 Championship game at snow covered Shibe Park? Steve Van Buren. Who hitchhiked to that game? Steve Van Buren. Who was nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning?" Steve Van Buren. What Eagle was born in Honduras? Steve Van Buren. Who won a bronze medal in the 400 and a silver medal in the 4 * 400 in the 1952 Summer Olympics? Ollie Matson. O.K., so "The Movin’ Van" didn't win an Olympic medal, but the next time you are asked an Eagles related trivia question, answer Steve Van Buren, at least you'll feel confident that you have a good chance of being right.

Mike Quick #82 – This is actually for my brother Brian, a.k.a. Hands. We used to go parties and say that Brian was an All-State wide receiver and he wore #82 in honor of his favorite player, Mike Quick. Like no other Eagle, Quick’s name was his game. His long strides made it look like he was gracefully gliding over the field his feet not touching the ground. In addition, I prefer to watch the televised games with the sound off so I can listen to the play-by-play of Mike and Merrill Reese. I’d rather hear their call of the game over Joe Buck and Troy Aikman any day.

Vince Papale #83 - The Eagles adaptation of Rudy. Uplifting story of a hard nosed local bartender who impresses head coach Dick Vermeil in open tryouts to earn a roster spot on his hometown team. Papale’s triumph truly is an inspiration to all working class schlubs with big dreams. If you haven’t seen “Invincible” you have to put in on the top of your Netflix queue immediately. And if you really do bleed green, then I guarantee you will get emotional.

Jerome Brown #99 – The Eagles version of the Notorious B.I.G. Young star on the rise tragically dies before his time. Most people can recall when they heard JFK was assassinated or when John Lennon was shot. For me, it’s Jerome Brown and Biggie Smalls. Bring it Home for Jerome and RIP Biggie.

Wes Hopkins #48 – One of the hardest hitting safeties of all time, just ask Eric Dickerson. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, he and Andre Waters patrolled the defensive backfield with malicious intent.

Randall Cunningham #12 – I had one, but it was sold at a yard sale for $5. I’m still upset about that. “The Ultimate Weapon” revolutionized the quarterback position with his rocket arm and amazing athleticism. Randall put up ridiculous numbers, particularly in 1990 when he threw for 3466 yards, 30 TD’s and ran for 942 yards and 5 more TD’s. If ownership could’ve assembled the right personal, chiefly on the offensive line, Randall’s Eagles could have been serious contenders for the Super Bowl. Or, at least win 1 playoff game.

Chris Carter #80 – Buddy Ryan once said, “All he does is catch touchdowns.” I thought the object of the game was to score touchdowns. So why did the Eagles release him? Carter admits that he was cut due to drug and alcohol problems and credits Buddy Ryan for helping him change his life around. That’s great and all, but Chris Carter is 1 of only 4 receivers to have over 1,000 career receptions. Sure would’ve been nice to have him around instead of Charles Johnson, Torrance Small, James Thrash and Todd Pinkston.

Other players worth considering: Keith Byars, Reggie White, Mike Zordich, Andre Waters, Eric Allen, Herm Edwards, Harold Carmichael, Wilbert Montgomery, Bill Bergey, Chuck Bednarik and Ron Jaworski.

It wasn’t just the uniforms that motivated the Eagles. Given the amount of criticism the Eagles took from the media and the coaching staff, the players needed to come out and perform well. The onus was squarely on the leaders of the team to set the tone. When you talk of leaders on this team, look no further than the franchise player Donovan McNabb. No stranger to controversy, Donovan once again had the spotlight directly on him after his racially charged HBO Real Sports interview aired days before the Lions game. Add in the fact that McNabb’s performance in the first two games of the season was so bad it made Popki from “Necessary Roughness” look like Joe Montana, he had to have a near perfect outing.

Things didn’t start out too hot for Donovan. When he was announced during the team introductions, a few fans that forgot that Super Five took the Eagles to 4 straight NFC Championship games could be heard booing. I may criticize McNabb after a tough loss, but he’s undoubtedly the best quarterback this team has ever had in its 75-year existence. It’s high time that Eagles fans give him his due. But let’s get one thing clear, Philly fans’ frustration with McNabb has nothing to due with race. It has to do with winning, plain and simple. Philly polity is so desperate for a winner that sometimes the best players get vilified for not delivering the city its World Championship. By the way, I’m so sick of hearing about Boston sports fans, in particular Red Sox Nation, that I’m coining a new term for Philly fans, Philly polity. This may not be the catchiest phrase, but Philly Phanatic is already taken. I can hear Joe from South Philly say, "what da hell does polity mean?" So please feel free to voice your opinion and make suggestions for the new phrase.

The jeers quickly turned into cheers late in the 1st quarter when McNabb hit Kevin Curtis for a 68-yard touchdown strike to give the Eagles a 21-7 lead. It’s funny how one long bomb can bring hope to an entire season. All of a sudden the Eagles have a viable big play threat not named Westbrook. I’ll be the first to admit that I was hard on Kevin Curtis last week, but he certainly made me eat my hat, er made me eat crow. (Note to Governor Ed Rendell, the saying is eat crow, not eat hat. Eating hat is disgusting and frankly, makes no sense. Not that eating crow makes any sense either, but you get the picture.) Curits was noticeably upset with himself after dropping that key 4^th down pass Monday night against the Redskins and was eager to redeem himself. I think it’s safe to say that his 11 catches for 221 yards and 3 TD’s spells redemption in any language. Ask Curtis, however, and he’ll be quick to point out that he dropped the catch that would’ve broken Tommy McDonald’s single game reception record of 237 yards. Sorry Kevin, but you have to do a heck of a lot more to get on my throwback jersey wish list.

Donovan’s terrific performance was arguably the best of his career. The numbers speak for themselves, 21-26, 381 yards, 4 TD's and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. His acumen was on full display on Sunday. He threw the deep ball effortlessly. Even his movement seemed more fluid, sans bulky knee brace. McNabb shedding the knee brace was symbolic in that he was confirming that he is putting the ACL injury behind him and is ready to regain his top form. The most impressive aspect of his game was his accuracy. It's no secret that McNabb has struggled with control throughout his career. At times, he's looked worse than Adam Eaton, spraying erratic pitches all over the field. If Donovan had an E.R.A, it would've jumped by at least 10 runs after the Redskins game.

The Lions game was huge for Super Five's confidence. He needed to prove to himself, his teammates and the restless fans, that this is still his team. He had to showcase the skills that made him a Madden cover boy and perennial MVP candidate. And he did just that, at least for one more week.

On a side note, Kevin Kolb’s first professional football experience was inauspicious, at best. His line: 0-0, 0 yards, 3 carries, -2 yards and 2 sacks. Of course, he had the pleasure of playing behind third string offensive lineman. Sounds like what Randall Cunningham had to put up with.

One aspect of Sunday’s game that complimented McNabb’s great day was the awesome performance of the running backs. The key to their success was the offensive line’s ability to simply dominate the line of scrimmage. The combination of excellent blocking and varying formations allowed the three-headed monster of Westbrook, Buckhalter and Hunt to run for a combined 154 yards and 4 TD’s.

If the Eagles are going to be contenders, they have to have a balanced offensive attack. Throwing the ball 50 times a game will not win us ballgames. Last season was a perfect example of the need to stay committed to running the ball. When McNabb went down and Jeff Garcia took the helm, it was the running game that carried the offense and the team to the playoffs. We need more of that to have success this season. And these 3 backs compliment each other nicely in that they each bring something different to the table.

Correll Buckhalter can be the guy who can get the tough yardage up the middle and the guy who can break away form the pack when he kicks in that extra gear. His multiple knee injuries have prevented him from having an outstanding career, but he still can do some positive things. On Sunday, he looked light on his feet carrying the rock 7 times for 43 yards and a score.

Tony Hunt was drafted in the 3^rd round to be the big bruising back that the Eagles didn’t have for those clutch short yardage situations that can be the difference between winning and losing games. He finally saw game action in the goal line package and was rewarded with his first career NFL TD.

The spotlight, however, clearly belonged to none other than Brian Westbrook. He continues to display his uncanny agility and elusiveness game after game. With 14 carries for 110 yards and 2TD’s and 5 catches for 111 yards and 1 TD, Brian Westbrook became the 7th player in NFL history to record 110+ yards rushing and 110+ yards receiving in the same game, according to Stats, Inc. Those numbers have to be good for at least 50 Madden gamer points. They certainly are good enough to put him in the top 5 rushing leaders in the league, ahead of LaDanian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and Shaun Alexander, and top 15 in receptions. If he stays healthy, he has a legitimate chance to run and catch for over 1,000 yards. He’s that good.

Being an Iggles fan is the best. Our attitudes change week to week, depending on the outcome of Sunday’s game. We think a loss is the end of the season, and the world for that matter. The next week, they blow out a mediocre team and we think they’re capable of scoring 50 points per game on their way to a title. We are quick to trounce on our star quarterback when it looks like he can’t hit the broad side of a barn or blows chunks in the biggest game of his life. But when he’s on his game, it seems as if nothing can stop him from making the opposition dizzy watching the deep balls fly by. For now, it’s time to start up the bandwagon and grab your favorite throwback jersey because, all of a sudden, this season just got a lot more interesting.

Monday Night Letdown

The biggest night in pro football is Monday night. It’s the chance for players to showcase their talents in front of a national audience and represent their high school alma mater. Monday, September 17^th, 2007 was the Eagles only MNF appearance all year, and for 10 year veteran Takeo Spikes, the first of his career. Instead of establishing themselves as a title contender, the Eagles firmly entrenched themselves at the bottom of the NFC East Standings.

Last night’s 20-12 loss at Lincoln Financial field was not as pathetic as the debacle on Reggie White night two years ago against the Seahawks, but it was not much better. In that game the Eagles were embarrassed 42-0 on a night that was supposed to be dedicated to the Minister of Defense. With Donovan McNabb out with a sports hernia injury and backup Mike McMahon taking the snaps, that game was all but over before the opening kickoff. Let’s just say that expectations were pretty low for that game. The same could not be said for this Monday night game.

After the week one flop against the Packers, the Eagles needed a strong outing against NFC East rival Washington Redskins. (On a side note, if the mascot of the Illinois has been deemed too insensitive and had to be retired, how do the Redskins get to maintain their name?) An 0-2 start would not be acceptable for the championship starved Philadelphia, especially against teams that a title contender like the Eagles should not lose to. The faithful came in droves to tailgate as early as 8:00 a.m., over twelve hours before game time, for the home opener. Miller Lite and Cheeseteaks were consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fly, Eagles, Fly was sung over and over again by all parking lot patrons.

As the Philly locals stumbled into the stadium for game time, the Eagles were introduced amid an explosive fireworks display. The stage was set for the Eagles to return to the top of the NFL charts like Jay Z’s “Kingdom Come.” So why did Monday night’s performance bomb worse than Puff Daddy’s “Forever?” The list of reasons is long and undistinguished. On offense, the Eagles converted only 4 out of 16 3^rd downs, the quarterback threw the ball high, wide, long and short, the wide receivers couldn’t get open, and only one play gained over 20 yards. The defense missed tackles, failed to apply pressure on the opposing team’s quarterback, was unable to cover Santana Moss, and couldn’t get off the field on 3^rd downs as the Skins converted over 50% of their 3rd down plays..

While all of these were grounds for Philadelphia’s 2^nd loss in as many games, I want to dissect why they have only produced one trip to pay dirt in 22 offensive possessions. Specifically, it’s their struggles in the red zone. In the contest against the Redskins, they failed to score 1 touchdown in all 4 red zone opportunities. Touchdowns beat field goals any day of the week. Let’s take a deeper look at each chance they had inside Washington’s 20-yard line.

1. Second Quarter: Redskins 3 - Eagles 0

After a dazzling 27-yard run by Westbrook in which he eluded no less than six defenders, the Eagles had 1^st and 10 at the Redskin 13. After that run, Westbrook went to sidelines for a breather and Buckhalter got the call for a 3-yard run. On 2^nd down, Westbrook could be seen shaking his head in the backfield before the snap, obviously frustrated with the play call. When Westbrook, and the rest of the offense, watches the film of this game they should be even more aggravated with this play as it could have resulted in a touchdown if second year man Hank Baskett came back to the ball to make the catch rather than dropping to his knees and waiting for the ball to arrive to him. Had he taken two steps towards the ball, he would have been in perfect position to make a move on Redskin corner Carlos Rogers and stride in for a touchdown. Instead, the pass resulted in whopping 4-yard gain. I watched this play in slow motion at least 10 times and each time it feels like a stab wound. On the next play, McNabb had Reggie Brown open in the end zone on a slant route, but he put too much mustard on the ball and the ball sailed high. As ex-Eagle quarterback Ron Jaworski insightly put it, “that’s a ball you gotta put right on the belt buckle.” After the ball fell incomplete, one of the MNF cameras caught a great shot of how noticeably upset Reggie Brown was with the poor throw. One thing the Eagles can’t afford is for the quarterback and receivers not to be on the same page. These two incompletions are great examples of just how incompatible the quarterback and receivers are at this stage in the season. Maybe they should do some sort of team building activity, like a retreat at Camp Tockwaugh.

Result: Akers 24-yard Field Goal: Redskins 3 - Eagles 3.

2. 3^rd Quarter, 3:07 left: Redskins 13 - Eagles 6

After two second half possessions yielded no progress, the third time the Eagles had the ball they were able to move down the field thanks to a McNabb scramble, a Westbrook run, a play action pass to Baskett and a screen pass to Westbrook. The Birds found themselves on the doorstep for only the second time in the game with 1^st and 10 on the 14-yard line. The Eagles came out looking to pass, big surprise. The play was designed poorly against the Redskins zone as the receivers set up camp right no farther than 2 yards away from the nearest defender. McNabb having nowhere to throw the ball did what only he does so well, he threw a bullet right into the ground in front of Westbrook. On 2^nd down, the Eagles ran Westbrook to the left side picking up only 2 yards. The Eagles have become so predictable with their play calling that it’s almost like playing the original Tecmo Bowl where there were only 4 plays to chose from, 2 run plays and 2 pass plays. If your opponent was anything like my brothers, then they were most certainly pulling a Bellichek trying to see what play you were picking on your controller. Cheating isn’t even necessary against Eagles because they consistently call a poorly designed pass play on 1st down that results in an incompletion and then call a for a run on 2^nd down. That normally leaves them facing a 3^rd and long situation where McNabb can’t find anyone open past the marker so he dumps it off to a running back well short of the 1^st down. And that’s exactly what happened in this case.

Result: Akers 26-yard Field Goal: Redskins 13 - Eagles 9

3. 4^th Quarter 9:16 left: Redskins 20 - Eagles 9

The Eagles had to convert on a 4^th down to continue their comeback effort and did so on a McNabb fastball completion to Jason Avant. On the next play, McNabb found Westbrook on an underneath crossing route and he ran to the Redskins 16 yard line setting up a 2^nd and 3. A feebly blocked inside handoff to Westbrook picked up half a yard, at best, on the following play. On 3^rd down and a long 2, it was a pass to Westbrook in the left flat that picked up 4 yards for the 1^st down at the 11-yard line. The Eagles liked that idea so much, that they tried a pass to Westbrook again, this time in the right flat, but for no gain. On 2^nd and 9, McNabb’s rifled the ball into the dirt again. Looking at this throw again, McNabb never followed through on his throwing motion. Just like a pitcher, a quarterback gets his strength and balance form his legs. So it’s imperative to focus on not only bringing your right arm to your left abdomen, but also to bring your plant foot, the right foot, forward on the follow through. McNabb’s right foot on this throw was completely stationary. His mechanics are still off from the knee surgery 10 months ago. In this case, it was probably good that the throw was hammered into the ground. If it had any air under it, it would have been an easy interception. That brought up 3^rd and 9 and that meant the obligatory dump off to a running back with no chance of reaching the 1^st down. Bring on Akers.

Result: Akers 22-yard Field Goal: Redskins 20 – Eagles 12

4. 4^th Quarter 2:20 left: Redskins 20 – Eagles 12

The Redskins just missed a long bomb to Santana Moss that would have sealed the deal for sure. Moss beat Will James all night with comebacks, outs and double moves and this post route was no exception. In fact, James was toasted so many times that I thought Izell Jenkins was playing conerback for the Iggles again. Thanks to Campbell's overthrow, the Eagles got the ball back with a little more than 4 minutes left in the game. With the Redskins playing a prevent defense, the offense was able to move the ball up field with lot of dink and dunk underneath passes and a key 4^th down conversion to Reggie Brown. After that, McNabb was able to roll out to his right and complete a pass to Hank Baskett inside the 15 to the Redskins 13 yard line. On 1^st and 10, the Redskins brought pressure, but the O-line couldn’t pick it up and Donovan’s pass was hurried for an incompletion. On 2^nd down, McNabb found Curtis for a short gain of 4. The next play, the Skins brought pressure, Donovan read it perfectly and had Curtis wide open on an out route, but the pass was well off target. What should have been a sure 6 points ended up being a big goose egg, a 0. On 4^th down, McNabb’s pass was to Curtis was actually on target, but it was broken up by Laron Landry’s hit. Shortly after Curtis dropped that pass, over 5,000 fantasy football managers released Kevin Curtis from their roster. And who could blame them, I don’t even own a fantasy team and I dropped him too.

To win football games, red zone opportunities must be converted into touchdowns, not field goals. Just ask Joe Gibbs. With 41 seconds remaining in the first half, Andy Reid burned a timeout because his special teams unit only had 9 men on the field, Gibbs decided not to kick a chip shot field goal and take a shot for the end. The reward was a perfectly executed corner route thrown from quarterback Jason Campbell to tight end Chris Cooley for six points. Of course, had the Eagles secondary, specifically Joselio Hanson, just kept everything in front of them on that play, there wouldn’t have been a Redskins touchdown. That score was a major momentum swing going into halftime for the Redskins and an equally major blow to the Eagles collective confidence. It just goes to show, when you have the ball inside the opponent’s 20 yard-line, it’s imperative to come away with touchdowns and not settle for field goals. It’s especially important if you intend on defending your home turf in front of a national audience.

The Eagles inability to out up 6 points when they have scoring opportunities has been a major problem in the two games they played this season. Even more troublesome for this squad is the missing sense of urgency and lack of emotion from the players. If the Birds want to win at least 1 game, someone needs to light a fire under these guys to get them excited about competing in the arena. To take a page out of the Andy Reid guide to press conferences, the coaching staff, and more importantly, the team leaders "need to do a better job there."

More to come on leadership...

Reno 911

There are five things that I know about the Eagles 2007 season opener versus the Packers in the not so frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. First and foremost, the Birds lost 16-13. Second, the Eagles offense didn’t prove themselves to be elite and the defense performed sufficiently. Third, all-ESPN quarterback Brett Favre started his 257^th consecutive game. Fourth, muffed punts suck and special teams matter. Fifth, like a high school couple that breaks up one week and gets back together the next, Andy Reid and Reno Mahe are a couple once again.

The few things that I know, however, are far outnumbered by countless mysteries. But that really comes as no surprise given the history of management’s less than forthright communication strategy.

As close as he normally holds his cards, Reid seemed to clench them a little tighter to his man boobs this off-season. With a healthy, or at least 75-90% healthy, Donavan McNabb at quarterback and the elusive and electric Brian Westbrook at running back, would the once potent and high-powered offensive machine score 27 points per game again? How serious are the injuries to Shawn Andrews (ankle) and LJ Smith (hernia, not sports hernia)? I don’t know the difference between a regular hernia and a sports hernia, but I have to think that they are neither comfortable nor pleasant. Can the average receiving corps make extraordinary plays, or even create enough separation to get open?

Sunday’s game by no means provided definitive answers to these questions, but it did reveal some trends worth mentioning. McNabb looked rusty completing a mere 16 of his 33 attempts for 184 yards and one TD. He threw one bad interception and should have had another, but fortunately the defender flat out dropped an easy pick. He shifted around in the pocket adequately to his credit; however, Super Five didn’t have much time thanks to a notably poor performance from left guard Todd Herremans. When McNabb had the opportunity to turn tuck the ball and run to pick up yardage, he seemed hesitant and a step slow.

In the running game, B West had a fair performance with 20 carries for 85 yards. While those numbers aren’t outstanding, it appeared that he was on the cusp of breaking off a big run. But as is usually the case with the playcalling under Reid’s tenure, once the game got tight in the second half, the running plays were discarded. The most frustrating part of this strategy came in the fourth quarter. After the defense forced a Brett Favre fumble, the offense was given great field position at the Green Bay 38 with a little over four minutes remaining. After the game, Brian Dawkins said that given the offense’s weapons, he had no doubt that they would put the game away.

A closer look at the playcalling and execution at this crucial moment leaves this so-called powerful offense with much to be desired. On the first play, Buckhalter got the call with a run up the middle that was stuffed for a four-yard loss. Why wasn’t the Eagles most explosive weapon, Brian Westbrook included in this package? He wasn’t in until the next play, when a Shotgun draw play was called and he picked up two yards. On 3^rd and 12 at the 40, McNabb was flushed out of the pocket and managed to get two yards before KGB tripped him up. That would have set up Akers for a 57-yard field goal attempt, but Herremans was flagged for a ten yard holding penalty. The penalty moved the ball back to midfield and left the Birds with a long 3^rd down and 22 situation. McNabb was pressured, again, but managed to heave a bomb to Kevin Curtis that was off target and fell incomplete.

Overall, it’s difficult to gauge just how out of sync the offense looked. I n preseason, it looked as if the Packer defense was in position to be one of the better defensive squads in the NFC. They have an aggressive defensive line led by Kampen and KGB that repeatedly beat the Eagles offensive line off the ball. They have athletic linebackers in Nick Barnet and A.J. Hawk (with a name like that he should be an Eagle) and a pair of decent corners in ex-eagle Al Harris (whose dreadlocks have gotten ridiculously long) and former Heisman trophy winner Charles Woodson.

As the for the Eagles defense, the biggest move the Eagles made was the release of Pro Bowler and team leader, Jeremiah Trotter. There’s no denying that Trott’s knees have deteriorated faster than Britney Spears’ career, but wasn’t he good enough to produce for at least one more year? At least he was valuable enough as a locker room presence to keep him on to be a veteran role model for the younger and untested group of linebackers. Will the D-line tandem of Mike Patterson and Broderick Bunkley play up to their first round draft pick expectations? Will Sean Considine prove that he can play a full game without getting run over?

Although the defense didn’t allow Brett Favre’s offense to score one touchdown, it would be hasty to conclude that this year’s defense will be as dominating as the Gang Green. I say that because aside from Favre and Donald Driver, the Green Bay offense does not have much in the form of game breakers. Ahman Green got out of Packer country in favor of the Houston Texans, leaving rookie Brandon Jackson with the starting running back role. The Eagles, who struggled to stop anyone from running all over them, held young Jackson to 40 yards on the ground and only allowed a total of 48 rushing to the Pack.

While the run D looked good for most of the game, the most concerning part about the defense’s performance was the poor tackling in critical situations. Specifically, the play that had made all the highlight shows and added to the vast library of Brett Favre’s miracle plays should have resulted in a sack and possibly a fumble if not for poor wrap and tackle technique. It was 3^rd and 10 on the Eagles 42, a sack for a six yard loss would have halted the Packers drive that eventually led to the game tying field goal. Instead, I had to listen to Moose Johnson and Tony Siragusa drool all over how after 16 years, Brett Favre still has that “gunslinger” mentality where he is always looking to make a play. I hate Brett Favre more than I hate Ben Stiller in “There’s Something About Mary.” But I hate how the media treats him even more.

These issues aside, at least there was some semblance of consistency on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. John Runyan suited up in his 161^st consecutive game as a starter. Brian Dawkins patrolled the secondary with the intent to cause turnovers and jack up the opposition with thunderous hits. Special teams, however, had less stability and even less certainty. Longtime coach John Harbaugh moved on the coach the secondary, leaving Rory Seagrest in charge of the often forgotten and overlooked third aspect of football. While David Akers decided to put his Nascar career on hold for at least one more year to split the uprights, veteran punter Dirk Johnson was released in favor of the Aussie rules lead footed footballer Sav Rocca.

It was believed that Olympic skier Jeremy Bloom would take over the kick and punt returning duties, however, after his pedestrian preseason showing in which he injured his toe and failed to elude any defender, he was released. The most disturbing part of the failed Jeremy Bloom experiment is not that the Eagles kept him on the injured reserve last year due to a sore hamstring, it’s that the Eagles brass were so arrogant that they didn’t have a contingency plan of bringing a dependable veteran if Bloom wasn’t exactly what they thought he could be. Andy Reid and Tom Heckert assumed that they could just plug in Greg Lewis into the punt returner role even though he never fielded a punt in his career. Then they went out and searched the waiver wire long and hard for a player that a) was an ex-Eagle; b) was recently released; and c) sliced open his knee on a barbed wire fence running away from a dog. The player that fit that description could only be JR Reed. Given their lack of experience in the return game, hoping G Lew and JR Reed would be dependable, or at least catch the ball clealy, was a giant leap of faith.

It’s obvious that the two special teams turnovers cost the Eagles the game on Sunday. The muff punts by Lewis and Reed directly resulted in 10 points for the Packers. In a game in which the final score is 16-13, it doesn’t take a Fields Medal Winner to deduce that those 10 points were the deciding factors in the outcome. It should also be clear that special teams can’t be taken for granted. In fact, a 2005 USAToday.com poll listed NFL special teams player the 8^th worst job in sports. Horse racing groom was listed as the worst. But it brings up a good debate. Would you rather be knee deep in manure all day or be a wedge buster? I’d actually choose wedge buster. After all, Mr. Invincible, Vince Papale parlayed his career into a movie deal and an executive position with Sallie Mae. Steve Tasker is now the Buffalo Bills GM and was recently enshrined in the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame. I’d take those career paths over being smothered in horse feces any day.

The emotion and fire that special teamers play with can set the tone for the entire team. But don’t get the wrong idea Andy, returning kicks and punts is no easy task. Some might say that it’s one of the hardest things to do in sports. A return man must possess particular athletic skills to even have a chance at succeeding in one of the most challenging positions in football. He has to have a boxer’s fearlessness to not be afraid to take the opponent’s best punch, a point guard’s intelligence and vision to anticipate the play before it takes place and an outfielder’s ability to instantly judge the path of a ball in flight and quickly get into position to field it.

If a player has these characteristics, then there are five steps that he must follow step by step to be successful at returning. First and foremost, catch and protect the ball. This cannot be stressed enough. Second, when returning punts, call for a fair catch if you will not have more than five yards of space between you and the nearest defender when you catch the ball. Third, the rules for fielding punts are different than fielding kick returns. Specifically, on kick returns, once the ball crosses ten yards, then it is a live ball that both the kicking and receiving team can recover. For punts, the receiving team cannot recover a punt unless a player on the receiving team touches the ball first. In other words, the receiving player does not have to catch the ball. (If you are JR Reed, please reread the previous sentence.) Fourth, when receiving a punt, know where you are on the field. Do not field a punt inside your own 10-yard line. Chances are it will bounce in the end zone and your team will start at the 20. Fifth, if and only if, rules 1-4 have been followed in order, use your athleticism and speed to make defenders miss and try to gain positive yards.

Andy Reid and Tom Heckert made the critical mistake of trying to reorder the steps and have #5 become #1. Even that effort was critically flawed in that the personnel that they tried to use role didn’t have the requisite skills. If you are going to base your entire return game on putting someone with blazing speed and supernatural juke moves, then go with someone like the human joystick himself, Dante Hall, not G Lew and JR Reed. Hall was a free agent in the offseason before he signed with the Rams. Although he only returned one punt for a touchdown last year, his performance in speaks for itself. Playmakers like Hall, and especially Chicago’s Devin Hester, can be an equally effective weapon in the return game as any player on offense. In Hester’s case, it could be argued that he is a bigger threat than the entire Bear offense. Factoring in Grossman’s penchant for turnovers, Chicago’s best chance at scoring is with the ball in Hester’s hands.

In accordance with the necessary skills and the mental capacity to grasp the 5 rules, there is only one man on the Eagles roster who fits the bill. And his first name isn’t the name of a city. If watching 80’s movies over and over again has taught me anything, it’s that “there are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese.” Andy, please heed coach Finstock’s advice, do not gamble this season with Reno Mahe. He is not as sure handed as advertised (he’s fumbled 7 times in his career) and he has never taken a return to the house.

The Eagles should put their best player in a position to positively impact the game. Let Brian Westbrook return punts. When Eagles opponents’ game plan against the Eagles, they focus on one theme, stop 36. What better way for the Eagles to create an opportunity for Westbrook to showcase his elusiveness in the open space then by letting him field punts? The main critiques to this notion claim that it’s too risky to have Westbrook return punts. He could sustain an unnecessary injury, they say. Guess what, he could get hurt on any play, not just punt returns. That being said, one of the ways Westbrook has evolved as a veteran is how he positions his body to minimize the impact of a tackle. When all other options to gain more yards are exhausted, he manages to get lower than would be tacklers to avoid the big hit.

Not only does Brian Westbrook have the physical and mental capacity to return punts, he knows the fives steps one by one. No Eagles fan will soon forget Westbrook’s punt return in the 4^th quarter against the Giants in 2003 propelled the Birds to a come from behind 14-10 victory that day and on to a 13-3 season. And if it hadn’t been for an injury to his tricep against the Redskins late in the regular season, Brian’s contribution in the playoffs could have been the difference in the NFC Championship game versus the Panthers. Recall that the Panthers D feasted on McNabb as they knew that the Eagles had no running game without Westbrook. By the way, Westbrook’s injury wasn’t sustained on a special teams play, it happened on a run play in which he has dragged down by Jeremiah Trotter.

Game changing, season altering feats of athleticism can happen on any given play in a professional football game. Muffed punts and losses, however, happen when poor planning (no Jeremy Bloom contingency plan) and incorrect personnel decisions lead to putting incapable players (G Lew and JR Reed) in situations that they are not prepared to handle (punt returns). On again, off again high school relationships never work out and they often end badly, especially if one them has the first name of a city. Andy, it’s time to grow up, make the educated decision and cut ties with Reno Mahe and let Brian Westbrook return punts.

First Quarter Review

OK, OK, I know that it has been far too long since my last post. With so many things going on it’s sometimes difficult to find time to write. First of all, we’re adopting two greyhounds. Their names are Chandler and Josie. Second, as a homeowner I find myself obsessing over every tiny imperfection in my front lawn, especially the most dreaded weed of all, crabgrass. At the same time, I’m trying to create a little curb appeal by completely renovating the previous owner’s sloppy attempt at landscape design. Last, and certainly least, I have the privilege of spending 45 hours per week strapped to my cheap, uncomfortable, sorry excuse for a company provided chair at work answering the phone all day. Ah, the joys of being a desk jockey. But rule #57 states, “no excuses, play like a champion.” So let’s get to it.

It’s only the first leg of the marathon baseball season, but the Phillies have already pulled up lame. Not only is their early poor performance typical, so too are the lines they continue to shove down our throats, “it’s early. We can come around. We have the talent, we just need to play to our potential.” We heard similar excuses from Larry Bowa before he was sacked. And now we’re hearing it from player friendly Pop Pop Manuel. It’s the same old song and dance. The bottom line is that the Phillies are underachievers.

Why do the Phils continue to be so unimpressive? There is one simple answer to that question and it can be broken down to the most uncomplicated of baseball terms, fundamentals. In the offseason, one of Pat Gillick’s priorities was to improve the baseball IQ of the Phillies. The solution our GM came up with was to hire a slew of assistant coaches to help out Charlie with the instructional aspect of the game. Now, I’m all for bringing in guys with great baseball minds and the ability to teach young players how to handle different game time situations. Where Gillick went wrong, however, is that these guys don’t know jack.

A prime example of their inability to teach the game is one of the biggest bonehead plays I have ever seen. In an early season series against the Mets, the Phillies were playing defense and forgot how many outs are in an inning. I’m not making this up, after the third out in the 6^th inning, the Phils decided to stay on the field to get some extra infield practice rather than head to the dugout and prepare to bat. The Umps actually had to remind these major leaguers that the inning was over. Looks like Charlie and the gang can't even count to three.

Davy Lopes was supposed to be some sort of baserunning guru that was going to help J-Roll steal 50 bases and Shane Victorino at least 40. By the numbers, the top two guys in the batting order have stole some bases (J-Roll 10, Victorino 16). What those numbers don’t say is that Victorino arguably cost the team a game by trying to steal 3^rd base with one out and Ryan Howard and Chase Utley due up (this was when Charlie was still experimenting with the batting order and Howard was batting third). Some of the early ill-advised steal attempts have decreased, but this one in particular sticks out as a very costly one.

Third base coach Steve Smith has cost the Phillies countless runs thus far, runs that could have meant the difference between a loss and a win. I don’t know who decided that this joker should be in charge of giving base runners the green light to head home from third base. His ineptitude was on display when he opted to send Michael Bourn from first to home on a hard hit double with no outs. Unfortunately, Bourn was hung out to dry as he was thrown out by a quarter mile. Even I know one of the cardinal sins to commit in baseball is that you should never commit the first or third out at third base. Appearently, Steve Smith never heard of such a rule. As my brother in law so succinctly put it, “When he sends them, they’re usually out by the length of a Cincinnati Bengal’s criminal record.” Well put, Michael. By the same token, he has held up runners when they easily could have scored. He has no ability to judge the speed of the base runner versus the range and arm of the opposing outfielders. Combine these flaws with the fact that he has a career managerial record in the minor leagues of 779-903 and the only logical conclusion is that he should be canned.

Defensive gaffes have also been extremely costly. Most recently in the Florida Marlins series, two mental mistakes may have cost the Phillies Brett Myers for an extended period of time. In game two of the series, after already surrendering two runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Phillies were clinging to a two run lead. The Marlins had a runner on third and the batter, Hanley Ramirez, lays down a bunt that goes directly to first baseman Gregg Dobbs. Rather than taking the sure out and letting the runner score, Dobbs decides to throw home. Myers proceeded to strike out two Fish and allow another on base. So with two on and two out, Aaron Boone hits shot over J Roll’s head and it one hops into the glove of leftfielder Jason Werth. As Ramirez is rounding third, Werth fires a perfect seed to home plate that gets to catcher Rod Barajas so that he haves enough time to order a Mocha Latte. Instead of blocking the plate low, Barajas stands up and leaves the five hole wide open for Ramirez to sneak through to tie the game. Even though Harry the K called him out three times, the umpire behind the plate correctly called him safe.

Barajas was so embarrassed by this horrible display of cowardice that he tried to cover up his blunder with a pointless argument with the ump. Supposedly, Steriod Slammin Sammy Sosa had run Rod over a few years ago so bad that it caused some physical (and mental) pain that still lingers. Well Rod, grow up and knock the cobwebs off. By no means does Hanley Ramirez pack the punch of a juiced up Sosa. If you want to play catcher in the major leagues, this is the type of play that you suck up and take, especially with the game on the line. If you ask Chris Coste to get trucked by Sosa and McGuire at the same time, he would gladly accept the opportunity. Coste is so hungry and eager to play in the big leagues that he would wash Gillick’s awful collection of vintage Hawaiian shirts for a year. What’s even more disturbing is that after the game when the team physicians are examining Myers, Barajas said that we can all laugh about that blunder and move on. Sorry buddy, but the Phils should be moving on without you. I’ll kiss your whopping 2.5M salary, .204 average, 2 HR and 5 RBI good bye and good riddance. Note to Gillick, trade this bum for whatever junk ball relief pitcher we can get, immediately!

What’s the point of completely overhauling the assistant coaching staff if they can’t get the most basic principles across to the players? How many outs are in an inning, when to steal a base, how to block the plate, where to throw the ball in different game situations, these are questions answered at the most elementary levels of baseball. Here’s a suggestion, send the entire managerial staff to a weeklong session of intensive Little League camp training. Or better yet, Pat Gillick should buy one of those instructional videos that the Crime Dog Fred McGriff endorses. Then make sure that every last coach has to sit through a continuous loop of the tape with their eyelids forced open. Either that, or fire the whole staff and start all over again. It may be the only solution to solving the fundamental flaw of this team.

Addendum: I loathe the Marlins. Hate is a word that is not strong enough to describe how much that I detest the Phillies rival from South Florida. They all have this brash low-class attitude that irks me to no end. The D-Train always jabs away at the umpires, even if his fastball is a foot off the plate. There’s no arguing the skill level of Miguel Cabrera, but he has that Bobby Abreu mentality where he looks to be on cruise control half the time. On top of that huge head of his is an awful Jeri curl that needs to go back to the days of Shaft. And they all wear their New Era caps with the straightest of brims. I think the equipment manager hand presses their hats with heavy starch every morning. Don’t get me wrong, I like my Polo Oxfords to be neatly ironed and creased, but not my baseball hats.

Most of all, I despise the fact that the Marlins have won two titles in their brief existence while the Phillies have one World Series Championship in their over 100 years of ineptitude. For all of these reasons, I wish the punchless rumble that ensued last night at Dolphin Stadium turned into an all out brawl much like in Anchorman when the competing news teams get into an all out blood bath in an alley. If a trident happened to land squarely in Ben Olsen’s chest, so be it. Sometimes these rivalries can escalate quickly from hate to all out carnage.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Opening Day, April 2, 2007. The long awaited baseball season is finally upon us. Last night, in the official MLB opener the reigning World Champion Cardinals faced off against the Mets in a rematch of the NLCS from 2006. The Cardinals, who had 2 fewer wins than the Phillies last year, took advantage of a weak NL Central division and got hot at the end of the year to catapult themselves to the Championship. The Mets, on the other hand, were hot from the start and built up such a big lead in the regular season marathon that they coasted into the playoffs and got as rusty as the green steal I-Beams in Shea Stadium by the time meaningful October baseball came around. So which is better, a hot start or a strong finish? Baseball is like a golf tournament in that you can’t win the tournament in the first two days, but you can lose it. Consistency, I feel, is the key to success in baseball.

The Mets are striving to repeat as NL East Champions and they still appear to be the class of the division, despite what Jimmy Rollins says. They handed the Cardinals a 6-1 defeat at Busch Stadium behind the only real starting pitcher on their staff, Tom Glavine. So now it’s the Phillies turn to show the Mets and the rest of the baseball world what we have to offer. Time for J-Roll and the Phightin’s to borrow a line from Jay-Z and “Show me what you got.”

Like many baseball fans in the Philly region, I scheduled the day off from work. The plan was to meet at my house at 11 and head up I-95 for 30 miles to South Philly in time for the 1:05 start of the game. In past years, opening day meant leaving around 8 a.m. so we could get to the parking lot and tailgate for hours on end to get all soused up and rowdy before the first pitch. Now that I have grown up a bit, our tailgating consisted of having two beers before entering the stadium with the intention of actually remembering the baseball game. So there we were, posted up at the Nova Care parking lot, discussing the impact of the Eagles major off-season acquisitions of Kevin Curtis, Bethel Johnson, Takeo Spikes and Montae Reagor, when a ticket scalper on a tricked out Schwin asked to buy a beer off of us for two bucks. Although the two dollars surely would have been nice to put toward the outrageous $6.25 beer inside the stadium, I had to turn the guy down. I didn’t want to contribute to another tragic Philly BWI (Bicycling While Intoxicated).

As we approach the stadium, we walk past where my dad took my to my first ball game. The Vet has succumbed to the wrecking ball, but the memories and history will always be a part of the asphalt that lies there now. The new destination is Citizen’s Bank Park and now it’s time to make new memories. By now the two beers I had in the parking lot had run their course, so the first thing I wanted to see was a bathroom. After the call of nature, I was ready to see the Phillies win a home opener, something that I never witnessed first hand.

After the heart warming opening ceremony remembering those in the Phillies family that passed away in the last few months, including John Vukovich, we are ready to play some ball. The first inning began with Brett Myers striking out the Braves new second baseman Kelly Johnson. Next up is Edgar Renteria, the hero of the Florida Marlins first ever World Series. He gets good contact on the ball but flies out to left field. Chipper, don’t call me Larry, Jones walks. Andruw Jones pops up to shortstop for the third out and the Braves half of the inning is over. The Philly faithful are ecstatic and spirits are high. The great thing about Opening Day is that the season is young and full of hope. Only 4,374 more outs and this baby is ours! If only every inning was that easy.

The prognosticator of great Philly fortune himself, J-Roll, leads off for the home team in the bottom of the first. Anyone who says that he isn’t a good fit at lead off has a perfect example to add to his or her argument with Jimmy’s first plate appearance. He immediately gets down 0-2 and eventually chases a horrible sinking pitch low and inside for a strike out. The flying Hawaiian, Shane Victorino proceeds to strike out on the next three pitches. Was his surprise performance last year a fluke? Alas, our great savior, Ryan Howard, the NL MVP is up next. Wait, he’s hitting third? Chase is the consummate three hole hitter, why the change in strategy? Why now and not during spring training? No time to debate those questions now as Howard laces a single past the over shifted infield. Forget about the cold preseason and ESPN the magazine’s notion that Ryan hates his swing, he’s now batting 1.000! Here comes the Triple Crown. Unfortunately, the inning ends with Utley grounding out to short.

The next few innings were somewhat uneventful. The biggest decision was who was going to brave the crowd and get everyone Cheeseteaks. Michael and Dad D decided to take one for the team and head up to Ashburn Alley for some of Tony Lukes’ specialties. Meanwhile, Dad W had to drain his blatter. That left me to find the nearest beer guy and then call my coworker to gloat about the fact that I was soaking up some sun, baseball, and libations while he was slaving away answering angry client phone calls. Days off are the best. Rubbing them in is even better.

Everyone returned in record time with another beer in hand. Which is definitely surprising considering the fact that the game is sold out and everyone is either getting beer, evacuating beer or trying to stuff their faces. I now have three domestic beers to assist in washing down possibly the greatest tasting Sleazesteak of all time. This is the way a Cheesesteak is supposed to taste, a soft Amoroso’s roll with sliced prime cut sirloin wit’ onions and provolone. If that doesn’t make you salivate, grow up.

Ok, back to the game, the real reason why we’re here. It’s the 4^th inning and Myers walks Larry Jones to lead off the inning. The Braves catcher and silver slugger winner, Brian McCann, takes the first pitch, a down and in breaking ball, over the right field wall. With that quick burst, the home team is down 2-0. This guy is a solid player who I feel will continually kill us over the next ten years. He hit .333 hit 24 homers and drove in 93 runs last year. It’s players like him that you can build a franchise around. Look at some of the great teams around the league right now, the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, they all have solid catchers who call a great game, come up with clutch hits, and are leaders in the locker room. I just don’t think that the Phillies can count on Rod Barrajas to be that type of quality catcher. We’ll just have to wait and see how Carlos Ruiz pans out.

The Phils now have a chance to answer as the heart of the order is due up, Howard, Utley, Burrell. After the camera in the stands catches me sucking down the Tony Lukes, Ryan Howard hits another single. He’s now 2-2, I think he has a real chance to be perfect all year. Utley follows up with a bullet to right that would be a double, but the ump said that it hit the runner. So Howard is out, on what could have been a situation where runners were on 2^nd and 3^rd with Pat the bat due up. I reviewed this on DVR (yes I’m that big of a baseball dork that I recorded the game at home while I was there in person) and I can’t tell where the ball hit the runner. I have to refer to Newton’s law of motion in that an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by another force, thank you 12^th grade Physics. I saw no other force acting upon said ball put in motion by Chase as the ball continued on it’s original course. That was a bogus call that truly affected the outcome of the game.

The inning continues without Manuel causing that much of a fuss. Burrell ended up drawing a walk. (If you were keeping track of what should have happened, Burrell’s walk would have loaded the bases with no outs.) New 3^rd baseman, Wes Helms follows up with a ground out. (This was a close play that Smoltz had to come off of the mound to get, but Howard possibly could have scored from third. Hypothetical score 2-1.) Aaron Rowand lines out to shortstop to end the inning. (If there were only one out from Helms’ grounder to the pitcher, this probably would have been a double play ball. It was lined right to Renteria and had there been a runner on 2^nd, he would have doubled him up. I have to be realistic. Hypothetical score remains 2-1.)

Fast forward to the bottom of the 5^th inning. Barrajas grounds out and Myers strikes out. J-Roll’s up again after two strike outs already. He quickly gets down 0-2 after two pitches. Unlike his previous AB’s, he battles off the third pitch, watches the fourth, a splitter in the dirt, fouls off the fifth pitch, an outside breaking ball. The sixth delivery from Smoltz was an inside fastball that Rollins hammers out to left center field for a home run. (Hypothetical score 2-2.)

J-Roll’s really bulked up the past two years. He’s like Willie Mayes Hayes’ transformation from Major League to Major League II. In the first Major League, Wesley Snipes was the speedster leadoff guy who was always on base and looking to get swipe the next base 90 feet away. In the sequel, Omar Epps replaced Snipes in the role of Willie Mayes Hayes and he showed up with a newfound swagger wearing huge gold chains around his neck and always looking to hit the long ball. Before 2006, Rollins never hit more than 14 home runs and 73 RBI. Then all of a sudden he hits 25 homers and 83 RBI. In today’s baseball that type of increase in power is not that uncommon, with or without the assistance of foreign substances. I just hope he doesn’t lose sight of what we need him to do for our team, get on base to set up the big bats.

To the bottom of the 6^th we go and Howard is first up to bat. Smoltz eventually gets Howard to strike out swinging on an inside fastball. His batting average dips to a respectable .667. Ultey nearly legs out an infield single. He goes so hard on every play, what’s not to love about the guy? With two outs, Burrell bloops a single to shallow center, that’s only his second career hit against Smoltz. Wes Helms, hoping to recapture his days of batting .320 hits a double over Andruw Jones’ head in center driving in Burrell. That ties the score at 2-2. (Hypothetical score 3-2 Phils.) This was surprising for two reasons. First, the Phillies never get two out runs. Second, and probably more surprising, was the fact that the 9 time gold glover Jones didn’t make the catch. My buddy Stags says that Andruw Jones covers so much ground in center that you could draw a huge circle in center field to detail the range that Andruw can cover. Anything hit inside that circle would be considered to be an automatic out. This would allow Andruw to not even have to play the field on defense. With Helms at 2^nd, Rowand hits what should have been an easy pop up to the second baseman, but rookie Kelly Johnson lost the ball in the sun and dropped it. This without a doubt should have been called an E-4, but the hometown scorekeepers give Rowand an RBI single. Either way the Phillies lead 3-2. (Hypothetical score 4-2.)

Brett Myers looks sharp so far, giving up only two runs, on three hits, 7 K’s and 2 walks through 7 innings of work in which he threw 95 pitches. He slimmed down 30 lbs in an effort to increase his endurance. I hope, however, that the lost weight didn’t contribute to Charlie Manuel’s decision to leave him in the game in the bottom of the 7^th. Although he drew a walk on four pitches, he should not have been on the base paths when J-Roll lined a double off of the left field wall. As it was, Myers had to stop at 3^rd base rather than head home. If speedster Michael Bourn was subbed in for Myers he would have easily scored on Jimmy’s double. Anyway, with runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with no one out, the heart of the lineup should be able to get at least one run home. Victorino and Howard, unfortunately, both struck out and Utley ends the threat on a ground out to short. This was the critical moment of the game. Big players on winning teams make sure that they score in this situation by any means necessary. A sacrifice fly was all we needed, but no one produced. Clutch hitting in these circumstances must improve if this team is going to live up to expectations. If Howard is to make a run at repeating his MVP performance last year, he needs to step up in these spots. Not to mention if he wants to over .500 for the year.

Starting pitcher Myers heads back out to the mound in the 8^th after getting a good sweat on the base paths going from first to third on Jimmy’s double. Perhaps that extra energy spent decreased his stamina just enough to give up the tying homer to Edgar Renteria. Why did Barrajas call for a fastball when the pitcher was ahead 0-2 and the batter just whiffed badly at the last breaking curve ball? This goes back to my point about quality catchers. The whole reasoning behind signing this guy was because he supposedly calls a great game. Well, this call was a terrible one and if it is any indication of how we can expect him to manage the pitching staff we are in trouble. (Hypothetical score at this point would be 4-3 Phillies.)

During the preseason, all the pundits said that the Phillies’ weakness was their bullpen. GM Pat Gillick even admitted that he was looking to improve the pitching reserves. Perhaps the reason Myers was still in was because the team had no confidence in the bullpen to preserve the lead. I sill think they should have subbed him in the bottom of the 7^th. When you have a chance to add to a lead that late in the game and your pitcher has already thrown 95 pitches, you have to sub him out, no question.

In the top of the 9^th, Manuel brings in Flash Gordon. I never like the move of bringing in your closer in a tie game in the top of the 9^th when you’re at home. Given his age and the concerns about him lasting the whole year, I would only use him in save situations. What do you know, Gordon would’ve lost the game in the 9^th if Utley hadn’t made an amazing diving stop up the middle to hold the runner on 3^rd with 2 down. (Following the hypothetical score trail, this would have been a save situation for Flash and he would have just barely preserved the win. Final hypothetical score 4-3. The home team wins and everyone goes home happy, thus rendering the following few paragraphs irrelevant.)

To the home half of the 9^th we go. The natural Gregg Dobbs grounds out and J-Roll strikes out for the third time. Victorino finally gets a hit, a double. Where was that his previous at bat when there were two on? The Braves want no part of Howard so he gets the intentional walk, thus maintaining his .500 batting average. Another big spot for Chase, but he fouled out to Larry Jones. Chase ended the day 1-4, leaving six runners on base, the Phils as a whole left 15 men on base. As the pop fly ball was hanging in the air, for what seemed like an eternity, I was hoping one of two things would happen: that I could push a button that would extend the stands out another six feet or that one of the fans in the front row would have reached out and punched Larry in the groin. I would have preferred the latter.

In any event, it’s extra inning time. Ryan Madsen walked the first batter he faced, much to the chagrin to the loud mouth sitting next to me cheering for “Mad Dog.” Edgar Renteria is next to grab his bat. I find it awkward that he tried to lay down a bunt on the first two pitches. What do you know, after he failed to get the bunt down, he proceeded to blast a two run homer. I vow never to call Ryan Madsen, or anyone else for that matter, “Mad Dog.” Game over, thanks for attending. The Phillies are already behind the Mets and the Braves in the highly competitive NL East and could be in the same position for the entire season. Not exactly the hot start that everyone was talking about.

My dad, father in-law, and brother in-law finally got a chance to experience Opening Day. The Phillies version of Opening Day almost always guarantees that the spectator will witness three things: the best greasy Sleezesteaks in the land, a fight in the stands, and the Phillies doing their best to lose the game. Today was no different and next year will undoubtedly deliver the same experience. At least they’re consistent.

The Greatest Weekend in Sports

The NCAA men's basketball tournament is undoubtedly the best sporting event of the year. Specifically, the first four days of the round of 64 (now it's 65 but who really counts the play in game) are so exciting that any fan of sports or athletic competition as a whole is almost obligated to play hooky from work, school, or all other things not basketball.

The tournament is ubiquitous for the entire month of March. Only Christmas has a bigger impact on one single month of the year. Think about it, the tournament is unavoidable right now. Every commercial that doesn't include an awkward man hug pushing the awful 69-cent coffee from McDonald's has some reference to college basketball. Automobile makers, financial firms, credit cards and even David Letterman use basketball as the backdrop of their ad campaign. In the workplace, this event single handedly causes such a lack of productivity for those that work on a computer because they are constantly checking ESPN.com and CBSsportsline.com for all the latest updates instead of actually working. Any poor schlub that is unfortunate enough to actually have to work these next two days won't get to capture the true essence of these games by just looking at the gamecast or clicking to find the latest scores.

This weekend has to be savored. That's why I already scheduled Thursday and Friday off and made no plans to do yard work on Saturday and Sunday. I intend to post up on the couch with bountiful libations, cheesesteaks, and the new Wendy's four-alarm chicken sandwich (my own personal sponsor for the tournament). That's because these next four days are guaranteed to deliver fantastic basketball viewing pleasure. The only thing certain is uncertainty. Upsets will occur, buzzer beaters will drop, and beer will get spilled. You just don't know when these occurrences will happen.

So many memorable moments immediately come to mind past opening weekends. Bryce Drew, the coach's son from Valpo, hitting a running three with no time left. I never heard of Valpo and didn't have a clue where it was, but right after that game I was immediately scouring the Internet trying to find a Valpo t-shirt. Tiny Tyus Edney from UCLA streaking down the length of the court in less than four seconds for the game winning layup. This gave hope to all the short point guards in the world that speed kills. The heartwarming story of Bo Kimble shooting his free throws left handed in memory of his fallen teammate and best friend, Hank Gathers. I can't read or watch, "For You, Hank" without shedding tears. Such emotional events like these cannot be captured in numbers alone. They have to be witnessed.

Nowadays, everyone is filling out his or her brackets. ESPN advertises that their experts like Jay Bilas and the blowhard Dickie V are certified professors of Bracketology. For those people that actually like the ever annoying and Duke loving Vitale, grow up. As for me, I'm not here to make any grandiose predictions about what team will persevere through what could be considered the most grueling and difficult playoff system of all amateur and professional sports. I also am not interested in the spreads, over-unders, or any other gambling method that the Vegas handicappers claim to have the inside track on. I don't contend to be Brandon Lang, although I did memorize his commercial that aired every Thursday on Daily News Live during the NFL season. Not even Al Pacino and Matthew MacConaghy could get me to buy into the complexities and inner torment that these guys endure in the box office bust "Two for the Money." You can't tell me that these so-called experts truly can predict these games. In almost every NCAA pool that I've ever been involved in, the winner was always someone that didn't know a basketball from a beach ball. They make their selections based on team colors and who has the cute Wally Sczerbiak looking guy.

Don't ask me who I have in my Final Four or who do I think could be a sleeper. I won't make any predictions, but will offer my insight on the chances of the two local schools that are included in this year's tournament. I never had just one college basketball team that I religiously followed. I've always been a fan of the Big Five (6 if you include Drexel) teams collectively. Maybe because I never went to one of the Big Five schools, I don't subscribe to the theory that they all hate one another and that you can't support archrivals at the same time. St. Joseph's hates Villanova. Temple hates Villanova. I guess it's safe to say that they all despise the preppy school down the Main Line. Personally, I'll pull for any of the local teams with a fighting chance.

This year, however, I think the omnipotent selection committee had some type of vendetta against the Big 6. Drexel, of course, was left out and proceeded to lose on their home court in the first round of the NIT (the Not Invited Tournament). As for Nova and Penn, they drew really tough match ups in the first round.

Villanova drew Kentucky, Wildcats versus Wildcats. Big surprise, I like the Wildcats. I think Nova can win this game behind Sumpter's leadership and Reynolds' scoring ability. There's just no way Sumpter lets his team lose this game after all the knee surgeries he's had to endure only to come back and average 17 pts and 5 rbs per game. Scottie can be out of control at times because he's young and they have no one else who can create like he can so he tends to force the issue. But anytime you drop 40 against UCONN in Storrs, you can ball. This game will come down to well Nova defends Kentucky's Ramel Bradley on the outside and their big man, Randolph Morris. My favorite part of this game, besides getting a shot of Ashley Judd in the stands, is that if Kentucky loses, Tubby Smith may get canned. My disdain for Tubby goes back to when his son was the starting point guard for Kentucky in the late 90's. Not only was this blatant nepotism, but also Saul Smith had an awful perm haircut that made his lack of talent much more evident. That's reason enough for more to hope Nova destroys Kentucky. There is no way, however, that they can advance past this game, not with powerhouse Kansas waiting in round 2. The Jayhawks are too deep and talented and have a legitimate chance at winning the whole thing.

The Quakers of Penn probably got the worst draw possible as they will face the strongest 3 seed in the tournament in Texas A & M that features one of the marquee players in all of college basketball in Acie Law IV. This guy has the potential to be this year's Dwayne Wade and singlehandedly carry the Aggies team to the Final Four. If you don't believe me, you have to check out YouTube to see Law hit a fade away three over the outstretched arms of Kevin Durant to send the game to overtime. My favorite part about that shot was right after he hits it and his teammates surround him, Law IV starts screaming, "that's what I do, that's what I do." I love his talent and his confidence is so high right now that there is almost no shot that he can't hit. Don't get me wrong, I like Ibby Jabber and Mark Zoller, the senior leaders of Penn, they're just not playing on the same level as Law IV. I think that had Penn been put against Washington State, they might be able to advance out of the first round, something the king's of the Ivy League have failed to accomplish in over a decade. As it stands, they'll be lucky if Law IV doesn't drop 50 on them.

I've accepted the fact that a local school will probably not win the NCAA men's tournament this year. It's not the end of the world and it definitely will not ruin my enjoyment of this weekend's activities. The great thing about this tournament is that truly anything can happen. After all, the 1985 Villanova team was an 8 seed and made an improbable run to the Championship in which they shot over 60% from the floor to defeat Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas. If the Big 5 men's teams should fall, maybe I'll turn my attention to watching the Delaware State Hornets and the University of Delaware Blue Hens women's teams compete in their tournament. (Pause) Not!

Fantasy Leagues

With the baseball season ever closer, it's time to address a ritual that hordes of wanna be general managers partake in every year. They call them their Fantasy Leagues, Rotisseries, or simply, their Leagues. They flock to buy the most complete and updated specialty guidebooks to help them with their mock drafts. Discussions over how the point system is structured are sure to lead to bloody noses. Do you award a pitcher 1 point for a strike out or 2? Do you subtract points for a walk or a wild pitch? What about a bean ball right to the dome? Seriously, wars have started over less. Don't even get them started about who gets to preside as league manager to approve lopsided trades. These deals are dirtier than back dated stock options for executives, insider trading over lavish golf outings replete with lap dances at Spearmint Rhino in Vegas, and free trips to Europe from Washington lobbyists.

Even though these exercises in stupidity continue to gain in popularity, I have yet to comprehend their appeal. Perhaps I'm too much of a hometown fan. Picture this scenario, it's late September at Shea Stadium and the Phils are neck and neck with the Mets for NL East supremacy. In the bottom of the 9th, with the Phils up by one, David Wright laces a game winning two-run double right past the painfully slow one-footed defensive liability Pat Burrell. That is certainly a crushing blow for any die-hard Phillies fan. But there is no way that I could live with myself if after the game I thought, "We sure gave that one away. Burrell is absolutely horrible. Why didn’t Manuel sub in Roberson for defense? Well, at least Wright is on my fantasy team and he just added to my daily point total."

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the talents of today's superstars. But there is no way that I can cheer for an archrival's achievements, especially against the Phils. That's why I have always said that if I can't have all of the players on my favorite team, I don't want to play. If somehow Pat Gillick can pull off a trade using all those sleazy tricks of the trade listed above consisting of Abraham Nunez and a no name player to be named later for David Wright and a first round draft pick, then I'll root for him. Until then, grow up.

The bottom line is that these leagues take way too much time. So much so that the people actually spend hours racking their brains trying to come up with a catchy team name, like Morgan's Mullets. Then they have to monitor their team every day to make sure they don't have Kerry Wood as their starting pitcher the day that he falls out of the tub and dislocates his index finger. I devote enough time and energy on thinking about the merits of Rod Barrajas versus Chris Coste as the Phillies starting catcher. There's no way that I can be expected to keep track of how Coco Crisp is doing against left handed pitchers in day games and stay on top of the daily activities of my home team. How do you expect me to play video games too? After all, they are my own personal fantasy leagues, and that’s just fine with me.