What It Means To Be A Champion

I’m beside myself. The Phillies are the Baseball Champions of the World! After 25 years, it’s the Phightin Phillies who end the city of brotherly love’s title drought. It’s only the 2nd World Series that the Phillies have ever won, but this one is the most memorable, at least to me. And that’s really all that matters since it’s my blog. This is more than a Championship. This is a total mindset change.

I used to wear the losing mantra as a badge of honor. We’re losers and that’s the way it is, or that’s the way it was. It was accepted, ingrained in my psyche and a part of who I was. I expected my teams to lose. Something would always happen that would crush my dreams. When they lost, I felt like a loser. That’s an awful way to go through life and most certainly is unhealthy for countless reasons. Now that The Phillies are finally winners, I don’t know what to do with myself.

One thing’s for sure, no longer will I wear my tortured Philly Fan T-shirt (No Cup, No Trophy, No Title, No Ring since 1983). My brother Scott wants to burn the shirt, but I can’t do that. That shirt represents a lifetime of heartache and despair. History cannot be forgotten. I have to remember the pain and suffering to fully appreciate the joy and elation.

Now I can compare that shirt to my all new apparel. I went to Modell’s this morning and waited in line for a few hours to buy a new shirt, the authentic 2008 World Series Champions T-Shirt. Of course, that’s not all I bought. I will be a merchandise hound for everything related to this victory. Anything that says Phillies and World Series Champions, I’m buying. The World Series pennant, fitted New Era cap, beer stein, baby bibb, team bobble heads, little bear with the World Series hoodie.

You name it, I’m getting it, within reason. I’m not shelling out $250 for the official jacket like the one manager Charlie Manuel wore. Suffice to say, my basement and closet may look like it’s officially licensed by 2008 World Series Champions Philadelphia Phillies. Hey, you never know when this may happen again. This is Philly after all.

Since this moment must be etched in my memory for any future failures, here I will be detailing exactly what this means. I understand that I make sports way too important in my life. Sports are supposed to be entertainment, a means of forgetting about the doldrums of work life, an outlet of sorts. For me, it’s just the opposite. I try to go to work to forget about what happened in the most recent game. Yet, I’m glued to the sports page on Philly.com all day. I DVR the games so I can relive the agony over and over again. This time, when I replay the DVR, or when I pop in the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies DVD coming to your local retailer not fast enough, I’ll get to relive the glory and remind myself what this means to me.

Given that Kate and I are expecting our first child in March, Chase Luther Wilson, this title will means so much more to me. I will look to this team to aid in teaching my son life lessons in how to be a champion.

It begins with the Phillie bearing my future child’s name, Chase Utley. Simply put, he plays the game the right way. I know that this cliché gets thrown around a lot, but it really carries weight when it comes to #26. He’s a hard nose ballplayer that hustles, doesn’t complain, sticks up for his teammates and has an extremely high baseball IQ. Knowing what to do in any situation is so crucial considering that split second decisions can decide the outcome of any game. The 7th inning of Game 5 of the Series is a perfect example of Utley’s mental acumen. The score was tied up at 3-3 there were 2 outs and a Jason Bartlett was at 2nd base. The batter, Akinora Iwamura, hit a seeing eye single up the middle. Chase went hard to his right and gloved the ball. Knowing he didn’t have time to turn and fire to 1st base to catch the speedy Iwamura, Chase faked the throw to first and went home instead to go after Bartlett who was running on contact from 2nd base. Ruiz applied a great tag and the threat was over. By the way, if this had been Derek Jeter, this would go down as the second greatest defensive play in postseason history, right next to Jeter’s flip play against the Oakland A’s in 2001.

The point is that no matter what the situation may be, before the pitch every player needs to know what the situation is – how many runners are on base, what the number of outs is, what’s the count, etc. – and what to do when the ball is hit to you. Chase is a gifted player, but he also is an extremely smart player. To get to that level not only do you need tremendous god given ability, but you have to work hard and be willing to learn.

Lesson to Chase: Play the game the right way, respect it, and you could be a champion.

Speaking of being coachable, let’s turn to the much maligned Charlie Manuel. Pop Pop has had his share of criticism mostly due to the fact that he gets nervous speaking in front of a microphone, but that should not detract at all from his ability to teach. Players listen to Charlie and respect what he has to say. Andy Reid talks a lot about “putting guys in position to make plays.” At any post game press conference the Eagles coach spews that crap ad nauseam. Charlie, on the other hand, actually does this. He knows exactly what his players can and can’t do.

I’ll use game 5 again as an example. After the 46 hour rain delay, Charlie decided to use Geoff Jenkins in the bottom of the 6th to pinch hit for Cole Hamels. Jenkins struggled for most of the year and was largely considered a disappointment. After spending 10 very productive years with the Brew crew in Milwaukee, he came to Philly and hit only .246 with 9 lonely homers and 29 RBI’s. Charlie stayed with him though and Geoff came through with a scorching lead off double. Easily the biggest knock of his career. Manuel knew that the seasoned veteran was due for a big hit and he delivered. Jenkins accepted his diminished role and waited patiently for his chance. Given that chance, he came up big. It’s a great team dynamic of mutual reverence and trust between coaches and players. GM Pat Gillick and Charlie need to be commended for putting together this team of character guys focused on one team goal.

Lesson to Chase: Listen to your coaches. Even if you sit on the bench, you never know when your number will be called. Be prepared for that moment. Be an awesome teammate.

Another difference between Charlie and Andy, you can tell Charlie cares. He was genuinely happy for the fans and proud that he helped to deliver the city a champion. It’s well known that Pop Pop lost his biggest advocate in his mother and surely was difficult for him. Deep down I’m sure he’s hurting and this title is bittersweet since she wasn’t on Earth to celebrate with him.

Lesson to Chase: Love and respect your mother, no one cares about you more than her. Have faith that through the hard times you can overcome any obstacle.

Age can be conquered too. Ask Jamie Moyer. The 45 year old hometown kid came up big in Game 3 of the World Series. See my earlier post (Phils Win the Pennant…) for my spot on prognostication into Jamie’s performance. He truly did pitch the game of his life. In his post game interview he said it was easily the best moment of his lengthy career. For a guy from Sellersville, had his number 10 retired at St. Joseph’s (the Hawk will never die) and is finishing up his career with the team he loved as a kid this has to be a dream come true. He skipped school to see Phillies 1980 parade and he pitched the biggest game of his life for his favorite childhood team and will be a part of the 2008 parade.

A lot can be said about how he’s recreated himself to be an effective pitcher without great stuff. Even more should be said about all the charitable work he and his wife do in Seattle. Jamie and Karen (the daughter of Digger Phelps) founded the Moyer Foundation to help children in severe distress – such as life threatening illnesses or physical limitations, coping with the loss of a loved one, or are victims of abuse or neglect. The Moyer’s are a bona fide down to earth family with a great value system. You have to feel good about a guy like him having success at the highest level.

Lesson to Chase: Root for the home team. If you don’t, Dad will disown you. Dream about playing in the big game for your favorite team. Never let anyone tell you you’re not good enough. Be generous.

I just realized that the tone of this post is similar to the Michael Keaton movie, My Life and the book I just read The Last Lecture, only I’m not terminally ill. I didn’t mean to get all Niagara Falls on you, but this is an emotional moment. There will be plenty more to come on this topic, lessons may or not be included. I just wanted to get some initial thoughts down. We’re going to the parade tomorrow, so I’m sure that there’s going to be tons to write about.

The Philadelphia Phillies are the 2008 World Series Champions! Holla!

Things I'm Tired Of

Note that this could be a continuing theme for the Grow Up page:

1. Hearing about how our guys are "pressing" or their "tight" and the Rays are so carefree and relaxed. Why do all Philly teams suffer from this epidemic when everyone else in the sports world is as loose as Paris Hilton?

2. Joe Buck pulling for any team not from Philly. Fox's omnipresent smug announcer is my Neuman. Everytime I see that he has been assigned to broadcast my favorite team's game, I feel like Seinfled when he sees Neuman. "Good evening everyone and welcome to game one of 2008 Fall Classic, I'm Joe Buck.'" Buck!

3. Leaving double digit men on base.

4. Strike outs with a man on 3rd and less than 2 outs - put the damn ball in play.

5. Our lead off hitter going 0-5 - 2 games in a row. Hey, JRoll don't back away from that inside pitch, step into one. Come on Dorn, take one for the team. Even Kerwin Danley, that stupid ump from game 2, wouldn't have missed Jimmy getting hit in the arm or ribs.

6. Strike outs getting overruled by the 1st base ump. It was clear as day that Baldelli was rung up, there was absoluely no need to ask a coworker his opinion. Adding insult to injury was Joe Buck's lack of commentary about the blown call. The night before he was all over the ump for not calling a balk on Cole Hamels, but the blowhard was as silent as a mime about this terrible display of so-called officiating. Buck!

7. Jim Thome hits - getting an extra base hit when it doesn't count - meaning no run producing with RISP by so-called big guns.

8. B.J. Upton's arrogance. Granted, he has a ton of talent, no doubt about it, but he's a career .270 hitter that doesn't hustle.

9. Joe Maddon, the Renaissance man. He's such an intelligent manager. He has quotes of great leaders and dignitaries in the locker room to inspire his team. I haven't seen so much gushing over a coach since Zen master Phil Jackson took over as the Lakers head coach. Maddon is reaching Phil Jackson status, minus the yoga.

10. Joe Buck - Just to make it clear I hate that guy!

11. David Price - the rookie from Vanderbilt had one good game in the ALCS and all of a sudden he's the greatest pitcher since Cy Young.

12. Hearing that Philly fans booed Santa Claus. Get the story right - they were not booing Santa, he was a symbol of a terrible ownership team that produced an awful product.

13. Fair weather Tampa Bay Rays fans. During the regular season there are about 20 people that went to the Trop for a Rays game. The new Backstreet Boys could get more people to see them in concert, even after that rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

14. Bud Light commercials - the difference is suckability. There's only one Dave Chappelle. And there's only one beer that is authorized by the Commish of the More Taste League - Miller Lite.

15. Most of all, I'm tired of not winning a Championship. And I'm bitter about it.

Phils Win the Pennant - Just Like I Didn't Predict

This is truly a surprise. I’ll be the first to admit that at the outset of the season I did not think the Phillies were going to the World Series, let alone even make the playoffs. Who could blame me for my less than positive outlook for the season? After all, the Phillies are the franchise with the most losses ever, in any sport. They break our hearts every year. Suffice to say, I had several questions about this team. In their quest to their first World Series appearance in 15 years they answered almost all of them. I still can't believe that they're in the World Series. I have to say it again, the World Friggin' Series!

1. I thought the departure of the de facto team leader Aaron Rowand would have a huge impact on the direction and focus of the team. He policed the clubhouse and kept guys in line. Who would fill this leadership void and who would make up for his production at the plate?

Answer: This was joint effort, led primarily by the guys that have came up in the Phillies farm system – JRoll, Chase, Burrell, Howard. Veteran leaders like Jamie Moyer taught the younger guys what it means to be a professional. Author and future Disney movie star Chris Coste was a constant reminder of perseverance.

The guy who would fill Rowand’s everyday position in centerfield, Shane Victorino, played the outfield brilliantly. Offensively, Shane had a decent year. He led the everyday players in batting average at a .293 clip, drove in 58 runs and stole 36 bases. But he saved his best for the postseason. The grand slam he hit in the NLDS off of CC Sabathia propelled the Phillies out of the first round and raised his national profile. (I remember watching this game at Scrimmages with my buddy Mike. We could not believe that Shane smoked a grand salami. Perhaps even more unlikely was that two batters earlier Brett Myers drew a walk on an amazing 10 pitch at bat where he kept battling off pitches over and over again. CC was clearly frustrated by walking the opposing pitcher that he never recovered and eventually gave up the game changing four run shot to Victorino.)

The spotlight focused on Shane even closer in the NLC versus the Dodgers. Every time he took the field or dug into the batters box, LA fans booed him. Marginal players do not get booed, only stars get booed. The thousands of Dodger fans that showed their distaste for Shane sang a coronation chorus, an introduction into the league’s elite that only a select few can qualify. He instantly became the newest Hollywood villain.

2. How would Brett Myers respond to a return to the starting rotation?

Answer: Not very well, initially. Case in point, this quote from Brett earlier in the season: “I’m a rock star as a closer and a regular player as a starter.” Was Brett trying to talk his way out of town a la Scott Rolen and Curt Schilling? Thankfully, no deal was made as a trip to the minors probably devalued his trade value. That demotion not only saved his career with the Phillies, but it also motivated him to improve as a baseball player. I say player and not just pitcher because Brett’s 3 hit, 3 RBI performance in Game 2 of the NLCS was a great example of how much he grew over the course of the season. After his stint with the Reading Phillies, Myers’s record was 9-4, including 2 playoff wins. He’s regained the form that made him the Phillies number one starter pre Cole Hamels. His game two start in the World Series will be pivotal in determining the outcome of the series.

3. Besides Cole Hamels, whom could the Phillies depend on in the starting rotation?

Answer: Before I address this question, I have to say that Hamels truly emerged as one of the top pitchers in the game this year. Thanks to the Phillies on staff chiropractor, Cole stayed healthy all year and was second in the NL in innings pitched (227.1). If only he had gotten some more run support he would have won 20 games, instead he finished the regular season with a respectable 14-10 record and a 3.09 ERA. So far he has been money in the playoffs and I fully expect him to pitch a strong game one of the World Series.

Now back to the question at hand. Unfortunately, Kyle Kendrick’s 10 - 4 rookie season didn’t transfer over to his second season. Even though he won 11 games this year, his ERA skyrocketed from 3.87 in 2007 to 5.49. This is what happens when a sinkerball pitcher doesn’t keep the ball down in the strike zone. Long term, I think Kyle will recover. Too bad it’s not happening this year.

The ageless hometown kid from Sellersville, Jamie Moyer won 16 games. Despite the occasional blow up game he took the ball every fifth day and would give Charlie at least five innings. It’s still amazing that he can get guys out with so much junk. He’s like Eddie Harris in Major League, only older. Philly is pretty nervous about what will happen when he starts game four and with good reason. He got lit up in his previous two postseason starts lasting a combine 5.1 innings and giving up eight earned runs. I, on the other hand, will take a positive look on his next start. Jamie has been a big game pitcher for us. After all, it was the old man who led us to two NL East titles with clutch performances in the last game of each season. Furthermore, over his 22-year career he’s never made it to the World Series. He’s going to want to throw the best game of his life. Who knows, maybe he’ll blow up the radar gun with 84 mph fastballs.

Mid season acquisition Joe Blanton didn’t arrive in town with as much fanfare and attention as CC Sabathia in Milwaukee and Rich Harden in Chicago, but he’s the only one still playing baseball this far into October. He’s not flashy by any means and sure doesn’t rack up the strikeouts. He is, however, an effective inning eater that lets his defense make plays. By limiting walks he reduces the number of base runners. He’s almost like a quarterback that is in there to manage the game by controlling the clock and not turning the ball over. Kerry Collins for the Tennessee Titans right now is a good example of a game manager. There’s no arguing that GM Pat Gillick made a good deal in acquiring Blanton, even though it was not a sexy move.

Adam Eaton is still stealing money. There’s nothing else I have to say about that.

4. How will Pop Pop Manuel perform as manager?

Answer: Charlie has had his share of criticism in Philly, notably for his questionable game time decision-making and inarticulate post game press conferences. But there is no doubt about his baseball IQ and ability to teach. More importantly, he gets professional baseball players to trust and listen to him. Ask Jimmy Rollins. I thought that Charlie handled Jimmy’s display of “I’m too good to run out a ground ball” was perfect. Pop Pop understands that no player is bigger than the team. No special treatment. Everyone follows the rules…Hustle and Be on Time. To Jimmy’s credit, he admitted he was wrong and fully supported his manager’s decision to bench him. Charlie may be a “player’s manager” but the team knows he will enforce the rules. At the same time, the players know he’s got their back. As it turns out, Charlie was the right man for the Phillies managerial job.

Most of my questions have been answered. I asked and the team hath spoken. There remains, however, one more crucial question. And it weighs on the hearts and minds of all he phaithful phans in the Delaware Valley; can the Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series? Of course they can. If the stupid Red Sox can break the fabricated “curse” then why can’t the Phillies win the World Series? Why Not Us? We sure deserve it; Philly fans have suffered a combined 100 seasons since the last parade down Broad Street.

I feel confident in their chances, especially, because of the focus of the team. When they clinched the NL East the celebration was a bit more tempered than last year. I felt the same way after they beat the Brewers and the Dodgers. No doubt they still popped some bottles, but they all know that there remains work to be done. I don't want to get all involved in predictions so I won't. But I will say that I like our chances to win this thing.

Like most Phillies fans I want the guys to bring home a Championship, I want to a part of it even more. I've been kicking myself for the past few weeks for not buying season tickets. I mean I love going out to the ballpark to catch a game. There’s nothing like having a $7 beer and a Tony Luke’s cheese steak at Citizen’s Bank Park with family and friends. It truly is part of the American dream. The catch, however, is that you never can predict what will happen. Will the home team send the fans home happy or will the hated visiting team triumph? At the same time the anticipation of not knowing what will happen on any given night is exciting. Maybe Cole Hamels will pitch a no-hitter, J-Roll could hit for the cycle, Ryan Howard could hit 4 home runs, and Matt Stairs could hit a massive pinch-hit homer to win game four of the NLCS.

These competing emotions slugged it out with my frugal, conservative and economical brain in the pre season. The question at hand, do I purchase season tickets? A six game package sounded perfect. But, you don’t get playoff ticket rights for a six-pack of games. You have to buy a 16 game package. Those can run up over $1200. Now that’s a serious commitment. And in this environment can I justify dropping 12 hundo on Phillies tickets? Then you have to add up the cost of parking, beers, food, merchandise, programs, and inflation and all of a sudden I’m looking at dropping at least $2 large!

There would have been a slight chance to earn some of that money back, if the Phils made the playoffs. I was just not that confident of that happening. This is like gambling when you don’t know how to play the game. Or to use my profession as a reference, it’s like playing the stock market. Put in the time to research a company, study its balance sheet, review the executive committee's history and click the button on your mouse to buy shares in a firm that you think is well positioned for growth and will fatten your pockets. Even the E Trade baby can buy a stock. I have a graduate degree and am fully licensed in the securities industry; of course I can buy a stock. Next thing you know, the balance sheet that you thought was sound was propped up by some shady mortgage broker who sold a massive adjusted rate mortgage with verifying that the buyer has any income at all. Now the mortgage broker bundled that mortgage with other sub prime loans and sold them to an investment bank. The bankers collateralize the debt obligations and use fancy schmancy math and accounting practices to make everything look legit. Now the financial services industry is in crisis mode and you can’t trust anyone.

OK, I’ll end my diatribe on what’s going on in the global financial markets. My point is I'm a terrible gambler. I need full information in order to make educated decisions. Given their history of falling short and the aforementioned questions I had before the season began, it was a pretty good bet that the Phillies would not qualify for the postseason.

But now I want in when the stock is sky high. I’m seriously considering blowing some serious cashish on playoff tickets. Yesterday, I saw standing room only tickets for only $300 a piece. I can make that work; at least that’s what I tell myself. This is a lifetime opportunity. It would be a dream come true to be at the ballpark when the Phillies win the World Series. Most assuredly I will be watching every inning at home where the beer is cheaper and the seats are more comfortable. So long as they win and I can go to the Championship parade, I’ll be just fine.

Birds v. Boys - Week 2 2008

Random comments on the Monday Night Showdown in Dallas. Final Score: Birds 37, Cowgirls 41.

There have countless comments on Desean Jackson premature endzone celebration. Some have called it boneheaded or stupid. I actually don't have a problem with what he did. I initially thought that McNabb overthrew him by a mile. But the kid's got some serious jets and he turned them on mach 5 to catch that ball. So maybe he forgot to break the plane of the endzone with the ball before so coolly dropping it on the turf, we still scored a touchdown on the next play thanks to a high flying act courtesy of Brian Westbrook. In fact, I think that Wade Phillips is the moron for challenging the call when no Cowgirl had the wherewithal to pick up the live ball. There was no chance that his red hanky was going to result in a change of possession. You know what, your secondary got toasted, move on. This is not the first time Jackson elected to drop the ball in the midst of a scoring play. Although it looks like he's actually in the end zone in this picture.

Now let's get down to what really matters, the rookie's first endzone dance. I love that he rode the horse and gave it a little spank on the side. What happens when he actually gets credit for his first trip to paydirt? Does he break out the same move? Or maybe he's got another somersault planned. I need to know these things. Whatever it may be, I foresee a lot more trips to the endzone for Desean and endless entertainment for Iggles fans.

I’ m also a huge fan of the pose that Desean has choreographed with fellow rookie Quintin Demps. I love it so much that I want to incorporate this into my daily routine. Make a sale at work, bust it out. Score a TD in Madden 09, bust it out. Hit a 270 yard drive off the tee and drill a 30 foot birdie putt, bust it out. Take that Tiger. This could be the new move. People may say it's a bit too arrogant, too cocky. Yes, it's got flair, but it's subtle and at the same time it says so much. Straight swaggin’. This is why I'm hot, holla!

If I ever encountered Marion Barber in an alley, or any where else for that matter, I'd run for my life. He scares the shit out of me. Problem is he's faster than me so he'd most likely hunt me down like most dangerous game and devour me whole. Stephen Jackson may look like the predator, but this guy actually is more of a monster. Like my boy Boom Theory from the eclectic band out of DE Diatribe said, "Are you a monster?" All accounts say he's a real shy and humble guy (see last issue of espn) who's super motivated by the fact that he's always been counted out and he desperately wants to prove the doubters wrong. That determination has created a bloodthirsty hungry beast intent on wreaking havoc on other human beings. Suffice to say he'd make one hell of a blockbuster nemesis. Rather than just focus on his penchant for pure cannibalism, he's actually one heck of a football player. I hate to admit, especially given the fact that he wears that stupid star on his helmet.

Sadly the Eagles defensive line shares my same fear of Mr. Barber. By the way, could he be the latest most hated adversary with the Barber surname? Although he's of no relation to the Barber twins Ronde and Tiki, he will most likely continue to torment Eagles fans for the next several seasons. Just like Dr. Brown will always remember November 5, 1955 as the day he invented time travel. I will forever have etched in my brain January 15, 2003 as the day Ronde Barber crushed my Super Bowl dreams when he returned an interception back for a TD while was pointing to the name on the back of his jersey. I just had a flashback and now I want to stab myself in the leg. Anyway, in the second half of the Monday night game the girls kept handing it off to Barber for runs up the middle and he seemed to consistently pick up at least five yards a carry. (Note the girls averaged 7 yds. per play) Where was the d-line? Patterson and Bunkley, our stud D tackles combined for six tackles. Whenever the team managed to bring down Barber it was usually a joint effort by a linebacker not named Stewart Bradley and Quintin Mikell, who played a strong game.

Staying with the defensive theme, besides the gift turnovers (Samuels' interception and Romo's fumble in the endzone) what plays did the make? More importantly, what plays did they stop? The aforementioned Bradley was schooled time and time again. No one could keep up with Jason Witten. So far in his career he has made a habit of having huge games against the Eagles, even with a dislocated shoulder. Someone has to stop this guy, now. The most obvious observation is that Sean Considine is officially terrible. He bit so hard on T.O.'s double move where he faked an in pattern and then released deep on a fly resulting in a 70 yard touchdown. Number 37 should never be allowed on the field again, unless it's to paint the lines on the field.

Brian Dawkins is a hall of fame player and arguably on of the best Eagles of all time. The bad news is he'll be 35 next month and his age is showing. He's a step slower and everyone knows it. He can still make some plays for you, causing the Romo fumble and breaking up a deep corner route for example. Note to Jim Johnson: do not to line him up one on one with T.O. near the goal line. That's not putting Dawkins in a position to make a positive play. We all saw what happened in preseason when Dawkins was isolated on Santonio Holmes...a quick pass out to the receiver and one juke and Dawkins was left hugging air. I'm begging you Jim, don't do the Wolverine dirty. Perhaps switching him to the strong safety would be prudent. That way he can be more of a fourth linebacker to stop the run. Quintin Mikell can play free safety. Don't forget, however, Considine is not an option.

I loathe Tony Kornballer. He's such a suck up. He must have at least 30 scripts written out before each game. Each word carefully crafted so he sounds like he's funny and intelligent. Ok, so he wrote for the Washington Post and he's a blowhard on PTI so the broadcasting community thinks he has credibility. As for me, I'm not buying it. I think i heard him have broadcaster sex with Tony Romo. That's right, I said it. Broadcaster sex. Consider these phrases... "He stands so tall in the pocket. He' s more than a regular man, more than just quarterback, he's the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. He's held to a higher standard. I love those dimples. I wish I were Jessica Simpson and I got to go to Cabo with him." That's it, I'm going back to muting the TV volume and turning on Merrill and Mike Quick. Only there can I get truly unbiased football commentary.

McNabb is healthy and looks great. Kolb better get real acquainted with that clipboard because he's not going to play any significant snaps for a long time in Philly, provided super five stays alive. I don't even want to explore that thought so let's just leave it there. Donovan made things happen for 3 1/2 quarters. He threw the deep ball, he scrambled to buy extra time, he made school yard plays (some may call them Favre-like, but I refuse to go by the belief the he's the greatest quarterback in the history of the game). His accuracy was still an issue on occasion, but for the most part I was extremely impressed with his mobility and overall game performance (25-37, 281 yds, 1TD should have been 2). It's great to see him smile and enjoy playing the game again. If the Birds would get a reliable big time playmaker that can get open downfield consistently, we would see that huge smile saying he's going to Disneyland. Hopefully, Desean can be that guy. Things broke down late in the fourth when Donovan couldn't find a receiver downfield and had to rely on checkdowns. D Jackson's stock is sky high in my book right now, but Hank Baskett and G Lew are going Lehman Brothers on me and there's no bailout in sight.

Overall, it was a compelling, high scoring affair that will add to the mystic that is this brutal NFC East rivalry. I stayed up to watch the whole game on Monday night. This is quite a feat for me considering my normal bedtime is 9:30. I had to stay up though, time to grow up. In the end, however, the result was disappointing. It does give me hope for this season, which could mean that I get emotionally over invested and will suffer the inevitable letdown. Isn't that what being a diehard fan is all about?

Game, Set, Best Match

I’m relatively new to the game of tennis. Kate and I have only been playing seriously for about seven years. I always enjoyed watching McEnroe’s antics and Agassi’s flair on TV, but I never truly considered playing the sport seriously. In fact, I used to call tennis a recreational activity. That definition, or terminology, was my way of deflecting the fact that I wasn’t very good. This was easily apparent to anyone who saw me play. I served underhand, I feebly swatted at forehands and I switched the racket from my right hand to left hand to avoid any attempt at hitting a backhand. It was called the “Wilson switch” and hardly ever worked. My best move, however, was attempting to jump over the net on changeovers. Let’s just say that the results weren’t always graceful.

Even though my grandfather had played the game to help defeat an early bout of cancer and won his fair share of tennis tournaments in his time, I wasn’t going to dedicate my time to getting better. Why would I? Basketball was my game. And I had things going for me. After all, I was already the bench captain of my JV basketball team. I made an improbable half court shot that used every part of the backboard and rim versus Sallies that helped my team to only lose by 12 points instead of 15. D-I colleges were dying to get a not so slender 5’-7” point guard with zero ball handling skills, suspect shooting and nerves that would rival my greyhound Chandler in a thunderstorm. For whatever reason and despite the fact that I was in AP Calculus, I just couldn’t do the math to realize that I had no future in basketball. As coach Fulmer said in Varsity Blues, “you must be the dumbest smart kid I know.”

I credit my relationship with my wife for my newfound passion and enthusiasm for tennis, among other things. Tennis is something that we can play together. We’ve certainly improved by leaps and bounds since we first started playing together during our college courtship. We’ve also made a point to watch the 4 slams every year to watch the world’s elite compete on the grandest stages and to learn a few things. Kate always says that she can tell when I’ve been watching the pros because I try to emulate them, especially on my serves. There were plenty of lessons on display in yesterday’s Wimbledon finale. The All England Tennis Club served as the ultimate tennis classroom as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer effectively took the world to school.

Nadal, fresh off his 4th straight French Open title, entered Wimbledon oozing with confidence as he was trying to become the first man since Bjorn Borg to win both titles in the same year. The Spaniard was well positioned to do just that as he thoroughly trounced the competition in the earlier rounds, including Scotsman Andy Murray in the semis.

Federer, on the other hand, entered the Championships having suffered tough losses to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open and to Nadal in the French final. With the questions about his reign at the top of the sport growing ever more prevalent, Federer was looking to prove that his best is not behind him. He proved that he still has game when he smoked Marat Safin in the semis winning an amazing 61 out of the 71 points on his serve. Considering Roger's five straight Wimbledon titles and a winning streak over 40 matches on the famed grass court, this has clearly been his tournament.

It’s extremely difficult for me to pick a favorite when these two match up head to head. They are classy and humble men who have immeasurable respect for the game and each other. On Sunday morning I was favoring Roger Federer to win the Wimbledon title for the sixth year in a row. This was not an easy choice because they are both extremely likable.

Some players on the tour simply don’t appeal to me. The world number three Novak Djokavic, I find to be annoying and overly arrogant. His incessant ball bouncing before his serves is a stall tactic that is completely unnecessary at this level of play. If Sergio Garcia can cut back his pre golf stroke routine, then you can bounce the ball less than 25 times. Former number one Leyton Hewitt is like school on Sunday, no class. Shouting “come on” when your opponent hits an unforced error into the net does not make you a favorite among your peers and the fans. Nikolay Davydenko, a.k.a. The Machine, seems to be just like his nickname, unemotional and stiff. To top it off his name is mired in allegations of a gambling conspiracy for possibly throwing matches. While nothing has been confirmed on that front, he has been penalized on multiple occasions for not giving his best effort. (By the way, I love that the chair umpire can hand out code violations for not trying. I wish that rule would be applied to other sports.)

If you’ve read some of my previous rants, you may think that I’m a crotchety curmudgeon that hates everyone. That's not entirely true. There are players on the tour not named Federer and Nadal that I do like. I’m a huge James Blake fan. I love his passion for the game and his overall aggressive style play. Plus, his signature shot, the forehand is a devastating weapon. I try to model my forehand off of his, but obviously my results aren't nearly as effective. I read his book "Breaking Back" and I really felt like he opened himself up in those pages. Blake wrote in depth about overcoming his career threatening injury, dealing with his father's bout with cancer and his lifelong struggle with controlling his emotions on and off the court. He stressed the importance of quickly getting over a missed shot or an unforced error and not letting it linger into the following points. So far in his career, unfortunately, that has proved to be easier said than done.

I also root for the other notable Americans on the tour, just not as much as Blake. Andy Roddick tends to rely on his big serve too much. Although he's improving, I think that parting with his coach and tennis legend Jimmy Connors was a bad career move. Maybe it's just me, but I think that he may be into the celebrity that comes with being a top tennis player rather than actually trying to be the best tennis player he can be. A player like Robby Ginepri is someone that may have less talent than Andy, but he has the edge on him in the terms of hard work and effort. I have to mention Donald Young too. Here's a kid who was dubbed the chosen one at the age of 16 when he won the Junior Australian Open in 2005. His career has somewhat stalled since then, but he has cracked the top 100.

Ultimately, what separates the skill sets of Federer and Nadal from other pros isn't Roger's silky smooth technically sound forehand or Rafa's brute strength and massive topspin, it's their combination of physical and mental toughness. Lasting a staggering 4 hours and 48 minutes Sunday’s match was the longest singles final in the history of Wimbledon. I've played video games for over 5 hours before and I could barely see straight, I can only imagine what it would be like to exhaust your entire body for that amount of time and not just your thumbs. The Wimbledon final was truly a test of endurance. If they were tired, it sure wasn't noticeable as the level of skill that they demonstrated on Centre Court never once dipped below phenomenal. The points were long and the rallies plentiful. The winners were even more amazing, the players combined for 149 winners (Nadal 89, Federer 60) and only 79 unforced errors (Nadal 27, Federer 52). They both dialed in huge and accurate serves when they needed them at the most crucial moments.

Rafa and Roger’s superior physical ability was on display as they made every point look like a graceful Bolshoi ballet. Even more astounding than their athleticism was their mental acumen. After Nadal took the first two sets 6-4, 6-4 it looked like he might run away with this final like he did in Paris. The reigning champ, however, refused to go quietly into that deep dark night. Thanks in part to a rain delay, Roger was able to gather himself and focus on the points ahead rather than dwell on previous lost points. He raged back to force a third set tiebreak. In that breaker he unleashed ace after ace to take the set 7-5 and extend the match.

True to form, the fourth set went to a tiebreaker too. This one was even more dramatic than the previous. Rafa got a mini break to start the breaker then increased that edge to a 5-2 lead with the ball on his racket. The Spaniard had two championship points but failed to convert on each one. Somehow, Roger fended off every heavy ball Rafa threw at him and he stormed back to take the breaker 10-8. This epic duel would have to be settled in a fifth and final set. Each player held serve in the fifth set and since there is no breaker in the last set, play would continue until one man won two games in a row. With another rain delay and ever diminishing sunlight it looked like the match would have to be postponed until the next morning. But then Rafa broke Roger’s serve to take the lead 8-7 and would serve for the match. That was all the opening he needed. The defending champion valiantly tried to find the ball in the dark but ended the match hitting an error into the net.

In the end, it was Rafa who fell to the grass as the Champion, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7. The primary factor behind his victory was his capacity to consistently boost his game when his back was against the wall. The tell tale stat to support this claim is the break-point conversions. Federer had 13 chances to break Nadal’s serve and only converted one time. Nadal had the same number of opportunities and was successful on four occasions.

The only level of competitive tennis I’ve ever played is the Wilson Marital Open. From that experience I know how significant each shot is when you’re faced with a break point. Every ball carries more weight. Muscle memory takes a back seat to over thinking the subtleties of every stroke. Bend the knees, start the backswing, eye the ball through impact, follow through, don’t miss it, D’oh! Once the idea of failure enters your mind, you are doomed to fall short.

During the biggest of points on the grandest of stages, the smallest amount of doubt never entered Rafa’s head. He was up two sets to zero. He blew two championship points in that 4th set breaker. If Nadal was any normal human he would have been reliving the previous losses he suffered to Federer at Wimbledon. Rafa, however, is anything but normal so it didn’t even faze him. He just wiped the sweat from his head and arms and moved forward. Overcoming the pressure of the moment and maintaining a positive attitude is epitome of mental toughness.

The Agassi v Sampras matchup was great, but I wasn’t as involved in tennis back then. I’ve only had the chance to see grainy McEnroe v Borg highlights and I have to say that the game looks a lot slower to me. Granted, they were playing with wooden rackets and uncomfortably short shorts. To me, the Federer v Nadal rivalry is the best I’ve ever witnessed, maybe that’s just because I’m living in this generation and the memory of the match is fresh in my mind. But everytime they meet it’s must see TV. Not only is it worth getting up early on a Sunday and committing the entire day to watching these two men play tennis, but I would gladly watch any of their matches over and over thanks to DVR and ESPN Classic.

From a talent perspective, Nadal has closed the gap between the two players. He has displayed remarkable improvement in his play on all surfaces. He remains the king of clay and I don’t foresee anyone dethroning him at Roland Garros anytime soon. Rafa’s put in the work to add a one handed slice to his backhand to complement his underrated two handed shot from the right wing. He’s increased the pace of his serve from the high 90’s to almost 130 mph. Even more incredible is that his accuracy has actually gotten better at the same time. His first service percentage is close to 70%. More variety has been added to his forehand. Not only does he hit the heavy topspin (a study by the International Tennis Federation determined that a Nadal groundstroke rotates between 4,000 to 5,000 times compared to the average of 2,500 rotations), he’s also been flattening out his groundstrokes and the results have been a skidding, deeper ball.

Other than the clam diggers that Rafa wears, there’s nothing that I don’t love about his game. What’s not to love? He’s a scrappy defender, a powerful attacker and an all around down to earth guy. I gush about him and his sculpted arms so much that Kate thinks I have a man crush on him. Maybe I do, so what. I just think he would like to hang out with me. On Sunday morning, I started out in the Federer corner. By Sunday evening, I had converted to the other side. Don’t worry Roger, I still think you’re the greatest player of all time. But consider this fact: at the age of 22, Rafa now has five grand slam titles. When you were that age, you only had one. Looks like we have another “Wilson switch” in the making.

Sixers Free Agency Thoughts

Free agency time has begun and I want Josh Smith. He runs the floor, defends, and can shoot. Perfect fit for our style of play. Not the biggest guy (6'-9", 235), so we'll still be a little undersized at the 4, but his versatility and shot blocking ability make up for his lack of typical 4 height. Plus, with that squad I will be unbeatable in NBA 2K9.

Some other affordable unrestricted FA notables that I like in a Sixers jersey:

Chris Duhon - backup PG with the Duke pedigree
Matt Barnes - old Sixer comes back with new game (and new tattoos)
Mickael Pietrus - solid defender w/ 3pt range
Jamaal Magloire - one time All Star could be nice off the bench at the 5 spot

I have to add Shaun Livingston to this list and highlight the reason why. Even though his knee injury was horrific, possibly the most gruesome example of a human knee collapsing next to Joe Theisman, I still think he has a tremendous "upside" and great "length" (special thanks to Jay Bilas for the use of these terms). He's a tall PG that has nasty handles and court vision like Magic. Additionally, I think that he'd be a perfect successor to Andre Miller and a nice compliment to Sweet Lou Williams in a youthful and skillful backcourt.

You gotta love the lineup of Miller, Igoudala, Young, J Smooth, and Dalembert for the next 3 or 4 years. Livingston, Lou, Carney, Speights, Green, Barnes and Magloire off the bench. Bring Kyle Korver back and that's a team that sure would be entertaining to watch. We could even trade Miller, rumor is he would like to play for a contender (back to Cleveland perhaps), to free up more cap space for Korver or add another pick to next year's draft.

Bottom line is that the offseason is only a success if we get a major player like Smith. In fact, J Smooth is probably the Sixers only option if you consider some of the alternatives. Elton Brand is not likely to leave the Clip joint, especially since they are close to inking Baron Davis. Omeka Okafor is a defensive force, however, he's not enough of an offensive presence. Loul Deng has a killer mid range game but doesn't crash the boards enough for my liking. Ben Gordon is instant offense at the shooting guard position, however, Chicago is unlikely to let him go.

Even though J Smooth is a restricted free agent and Atlanta can match any offer, we have to put the full court press on him and his team of advisors. By all means, take them out on a Cheesesteak run, take them to a Phillies game and top it off with the VIP treatment at Deliliah's Den. If we don't succeed at convincing Smith and his crew that Philly is the place to be, then it will undoubtedly be another year of mediocrity for the Sixers.