Today's News
January 31, 2007
| By Dennis Bakay
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Discuss
McNabb addressed everything from the Trenton Times report by Mark Eckel that stated he was unhappy to his mom's blog and the criticism that ensued.
He also addressed the Jeff Garcia situation and how he supported him despite rumors to the contrary.
This was the first time he has spoken publicly, since he injured his knee in a November 19th game against the Titans.
McNabb also defended his mom's blog and stated it was her words and that he supports her.
The reporters didn't even have to ask questions during his appearance as he was prepared for it and addressed everything that was expected.
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Two of Andy Reid's sons were involved in separate traffic incidents yesterday.
Garrett Reid, 23, the oldest of Andy Reid's three sons was inolved in an accident in Plymouth Township yesterday. His vehicle was searched and there syringes found in the vehicle allegedly.
And, Britt Reid, 21 was investigated regarding a road-rage incident in Conshohocken.
Apparently, Britt Reid was rushing to the scene of his brother's accident. And, apparently he flashed a hand gun against a motorist after he got out of his vehicle.
No charges have been filed yet against either of Andy Reid's sons.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Shocker. The Flyers lose! This time they fall 4-3 to the Lightning.
There are four certainities in life, death, taxes, the Phoenix Suns can beat anybody if the hold an opponent to under 100, and the Flyers will find ways to take a dump.
And, take a dump they did in the third period and during the shootout.
They have now dropped a franchise-worst 11th straight game.
Pitchers and catchers report in just 3 more weeks.
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Sixers fall back to Earth after getting destroyed by the Rockets 105-84.
The headed into this game going 4-2 over their previous 6 games and appeared to be clicking with Andre Miller. They had no answer for the Rockets though, who are playing very well with their franchise center Yao Ming.
It got so bad that the Sixers were down by 41 in the beginning of the fourth quarter. They ended up getting beat by just 21 points, but they were garbage points.
Any time you shoot 24 for 68 over 3 quarters and get outrebounded 48-39 you're probably in for a long night. And, the Rockets made the Sixers pay for double teaming McGrady.
They'll head to play the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets Wednesday night at 8:00.
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They just couldn't stop the T-Wolves on defense and were outscored 27-17 in the fourth quarter.
Added to that, Kevin Garnett had 44 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite Steve Nash's 18 assists (the guy can score too-he had 20) and Raja Bell's 26, and Shawn Marion's 24 points they had no answer for the Timberwolves' onslaught.
Amare Stoudemire was just 2 for 5 from the field for 10 points. Just why he got just 5 shots is beyond me. And, he played 40 minutes and had 4 rebounds. That was the key in this game. Perhaps "Stat" was due for a clunker.
Whatever it was, the Lakers' historic 33-game winning streak is not going to be broken anytime soon.
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Despite the Phillies' blunders over the years, they won't screw up signing Ryan Howard.
From overpaying for David Bell, Jim Thome, and Gavin Floyd the Phillies have experience in contract blunders. Many are scared to death that Howard may walk.
Fear not, he's their franchise player, and he'll be re-signed.
Above all, the Phillies just have to sign him to a one-ear deal over the next few seasons. It's Brett Myers they have to worry about.
Pitching wins. I repeat pitching wins. I repeat...
See the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Florida Marlins, Anaheim Angels, and many more for proof.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Barbaro was euthanized at 10:30 am on Monday at the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square after his front two legs were showing signs of stress. This came after a procedure in which the horse was treated for an infection in it's rear lef hoof.
The death of the horse transcends sports. It strikes humans at their core. Those who have owned pets that have suffered can relate, regardless of the class the owners of the horse fall within.
The human condition knows no boundaries regardless of race, class, gender, religion, or nationality.
And, the story of Barbaro is a very common one according to many who cover horse racing. Every single day there is a horse like Barbaro who is euthanized due to a catastrophic leg injury.
Only now it is brought to the forefront. Sadly, it happens when a high profile case comes along, in this case a horse who won 2 of the 3 Triple Crown races.
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Flyers snap 9-game losing streak, be defeating the Thrashers 2-1.
The Flyers finally snapped their second longest losing streak this season behind a pair of Jeff Carter goals and stellar play by Antero Nittymaki.
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The countdown for McNabb to speak is down to 2 days.
He is scheduled to speak on Wednesday at 4:45 in Miami, when he appears for a function for Chunk Soup.
This long-awaited appearance will mark the first time that he has made a public appearance since injuring his knee in the November 19 game against the Titans.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Cowboys turn to Norv Turner next in their coaching search.
Just when I thought the Cowboys couldn't do worse in their coaching search, they are now interviewing Norv Turner.
I could only hope he is hired by them. Turner stinks as as a head coach; his record was 59-83-1 over a nine year span with Washington and Oakland.
Some coaches are just coordinators and nothing more.
The word is that he and Troy Aikman are good friends and Aikman has a lot of influence on Jerry Jones.
The Eagles should send Aikman a check should the Cowboys hire Turner.
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The Phoenix Suns run off their 17th in a row.
For a while yesterday it appeared the Suns would see their winning streak snapped. The Cavs were hanging around throughout their game. And, then Steve Nash turned it on as the Suns pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring their foes 24-13.
They are tied with having the 7th longest winning streak in NBA history. They have a way to go though if they hope to break the Lakers' record 33-game winning streak from 1971-1972. Nobody has even come close to that as the Bucks are 2nd at 20 straight victories.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The Sixers head to Atlanta and get a win, defeating them 104-89.
They are now 4-2 in their last 6 games, and have nearly a third of their season total in wins (14-31) during that span.
Samuel Dalembert once again had a good game, scoring 19 points, grabbing 10 boards, and blocking seven shots. In fact, this is the 5th time in the last 6th game that Sammy D has hit the double figure mark in scoring. It's safe to say that Andre Miller's presence on the team has aided in his "new development." Most importantly he had no fouls.
And, really he has played better ball since that breakthrough game against Detroit when he had 14 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks on January 9th. He has had only one bad game since then and that was on Friday night against Cleveland when he scored just 7 points with 3 rebounds in 28 minutes.
Andre Miller followed up his triple double with 19 points, 8 dishes, and 7 boards.
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Flyers lose 9th in a row; fall to Rangers 2-1
It seemed early on the in the season the Flyers would lose games in the first period, but now the third period is their nemesis.
Either way, they just flat out stink and fans can't wait to forward to the offseason when they get the #1 overall pick and get to use that $20 million or so in cap space.
"It seems like we find a way to lose every single game in the third period," said Flyers captain Peter Forsberg. "They get a goal. Usually, bad goals on a power play or a bounce here and there. I think it comes down to confidence. We're close, but we're losing so many games. We don't know how to [win]."
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Since there is no real news about the Eagles it's time to turn to the Eagles' biggest rivals for news-the Cowboys.
This organization is in disarray. Just what the hell is Jerry Jones thinking by hiring Jason Garrett before even giving him a title? He may become their offensive coordinator, yet could become a candidate for the head coaching position.
And, now they're turning to Vince Lombardi Jr. a.k.a Wade Phillips.
This is the same Wade Phillips who decided to start Rob Johnson over Doug Flutie while he was in Buffalo. He's the same coach who had John Elway in his prime and couldn't get the team anywhere in the postseason. As a defensive coordinator he's very good, but as a head coach he's incompetent and mediocre at best.
And, lets face it, don't we all miss the days of the likes of Dave Campo when we knew the Eagles would just destroy the Cowboys?
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The Cavs rally back to defeat the Sixers.
A few nights after the Sixers did everything and anything they could to beat the Cavaliers on their home court in double overtime, the Cavaliers rallied to defeat them without Lebron James (toe injury).
Andre Miller had a fantastic game in which he recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 12 boards, and dishing out 13 assists. Iguodala led the team with 22 points.
It was a thrilling game in front of a crowd of 19,523 who surely weren't there to just watch the Sixers. The man they came to see was wearing a velvet suit on the bench, and that would be Lebron James. Surely, many in the crowd were probably content they competed but achieved their objective of losing.
If you have been listening to 610WIP at all, you'll notice the majority of the callers and many hosts are pleading with the Sixers to throw games. There are three schools of thought on this. The first, by "tanking it" they are hurting the integrity of the game. And, by winning they are merely screwing themselves out of the chance of landing one of the two franchise players in the draft, should they declare-Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. And, there is a third school of thought that they should not do everything they can to win and just focus on developing younger players. In other words, do what many other young teams have done for years-be bad now and work on the future.
I subscribe to third school of thought. They need to be bad, live with it this year, develop the younger players, and ensure they have a great shot at Oden or Durant. No harm in that I say.
The Sixers are currently the third-worst team in the NBA at 13-31, behind Boston 12-30, and Memphis 11-33.
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What else is there to say about this team? They are one of the few reasons to watch the NBA these days, which is a poor product.
This time Raja Bell stepped up with 27 points to lead all starters. Shawn Marion did his thing, grabbing 16 boards, while the floor general Steve Nash handed out 16 assists.
This puts Phoenix in a tie for the 10th longest winning streak in NBA history and the longest since the Lakers ran off 19 straight victories in 2000.
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Shan Andrews to miss Pro Bowl.
Considering that Andrews suffered a neck injury that knocked him out of the Eagles' divisional round playoff loss to the Saints, it was unlikely he would start in his first Pro Bowl.
Chicago Bears left guard Ruben Brown will take his place.
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Peter Forsberg annoyed by the trade rumors.
Forsberg denied talking to Colorado about any trade.
“I did not talk to anybody in Colorado,” he insisted. “I think that would be the wrong way to go about things in the first place. I have not spoken to anybody.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Fran Dunphy loses first game against Penn as they rally from 19 points down to defeat Temple 76-74.
The Owls came into the game losing 6 of 7, while Penn rode a four-game winning streak. Afterwards, Penn continued their winning ways and handed the Owls their 7th loss in their past 8 games.
Penn sophomore guard Dionte Christmas delivered many gifts for the Quakers, scoring a career-high 34 points.
It was a heart-breaking loss for Dunphy and his Owls squad which badly needed this game to get off the schnide and turn things around as they hope to have an outside shot at the tournament. Now, they'll need to win their conference tournament to get a bid.
“There is great emotion,” Dunphy said of his return. “You feel good for the (Penn) people who are sharing a good time. For us, all we can do it look at it like, "Our time will come.' ''
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Flyers GM Paul Holmgren has vehemently denied the trade rumors though.
"Absolutely not," Holmgren said. "First, I seriously doubt that (reports of such talks) are true. Colorado is a team that has asked about him. Our stance all along has been when we get to that point with Peter, we'll get to that point."
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Eagles special teams coach John Harbaugh switches to secondary.
Harbaugh came to the Eagles in 1998 and was a fixture on the staff ever since he was hired by Ray Rhodes, guiding their special teams for the past 9 seasons. He will now switch to coaching the secondary.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
According to Andy Reid, the McNabb stories were made up.
In the past few days there were various reports ranging from McNabb being extremely unhappy with the organization, to him being shopped around to the Minnesota and Tampa Bay.
I for one didn't put any stock into the rumors, figuring it was just some rumors being put out there by a few writers (particularly the trade rumors) with an agenda against McNabb.
As far as the rumors go with McNabb being unhappy with the team, that's a stretch. Sure, he wasn't happy about not being allowed to travel with the team to New Orleans, but the Eagles aren't the only team with a rule like that, which prohibits injured players from traveling with the team so they can focus on rehab.
And, then there was the revelation that Andy Reid didn't allow McNabb to have a press conference last week.
There is no doubt that the McNabb haters will rally against him this offseason. They'll say "trade him for a draft pick while you can" as if it's that easy, or smart for that matter. Think about it. Which quarterbacks can you say are better than Donovan McNabb? You have Brady, Manning, maybe Palmer, and maybe Brees. Remember, McNabb was playing at an MVP-level during the first 6 weeks of the season.
The fact of the matter is, there will always be the detractors and if he doesn't win a Super Bowl, MVP, and break single-season NFL records, then he'll be labeled as overrated, a choke artist, or not a leader.
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Sixers win in double OT; knock off Cavs 118-115.
The Sixers are continuing their winning ways and thus decreasing the chances of landing the #1 overall pick.
Andre Iguodala had a career-high 34 points and Samuel Dalembert added 20 points and 10 boards for the Sixers, who have won 2 in a row and 3 of their last 4 games.
This team was once 10-29, and are now plaing their best basketball since the beginning of the year when they went 3-0.
Amare Stoudemire continued his great play with 30 points (26 in the second half). Steve Nash had his usual 14 assists and oh yeah, he had 22 points.
The Suns now have two 15-game winning streaks in just over a half of an NBA season.
Can you say "WOW?"
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Jimmy Rollins confident this year the Phillies are the team to beat.
Jimmy Rollins has been here for the close calls and disappointing seasons.
This year he feels it's the first time since he arrived that they are the team to beat in the NL East.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Ryan Howard won't get into it about the other numbers-the contract ones that is.
My mind is torn in two directions with regards to the Ryan Howard contract situation. On the one hand, I feel that it would be smart to lock him up at a bargain (i.e. the contract Albert Pujols got for 7 years at $100 million) rather than wait and have to pay the king's ransom (i.e. Soriano's deal for $136M over 8).
And, there's a part of me that remembers the bad contracts handed out prematurely by Ed Wade (i.e. Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu) and how they handcuffed the team.
All of the indications are that Ryan Howard is twice the player they will ever be, but at the same time they should make him prove it another year before committing to major money. They made Utley prove it for 2 1/2 years, so why not make Howard prove it as well? That would be the fair thing to do.
Meanwhile, this year they should pay him $5 million to make him happy. Afterall, he's slated to make under a million and considering what he did for this team last year that would be a nice gesture.
Whatever happens is anybody's guess including Howard's.
Speculation? "I kind of leave that up to you guys," said the 27-year-old Howard, who set a franchise record with 58 home runs to go with 149 RBIs. "There's nothing that I can do about salaries or who's on the team. I don't make the decisions in the front office. What I can do is control what I do on the field. Until it happens, nothing's happened, so I don't worry about it."
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Whatever the Phillies do eventually pay for Howard won't be cheap. If a player is represented by the likes of Creative Artists Agency who represents such stars as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Derek Jeter, George Clooney, and Tom Hanks you can be certain they'll be ready to play hardball-no pun intended.
The agency also represents Jimmy Rollins who got a very good deal two years ago.
Howard is represented by Casey Close, who also represents Derek Jeter.
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Just where will Forsberg go? Speculation remains afoot.
Now that the week-long NHL All Star break is here, Forsberg has headed back to Sweden to speak with doctors about his ailing ankle.
His contract comes up this year and if the Flyers haven't given him a new deal by now, it's unlikely they'll take their chances and wait until after the break. And, if they do then this would be among one of the greatest blunders in the recent memory of the Flyers.
Time to cut the losses and get some youth back for a player who quite honestly has been a disappointment in his 1 1/2 seasons.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Former Phillies pitching coach Vern Ruhle, dies at age 55.
While Ruhle didn't leave a legacy in Philadelphia, he was known as a very kind and genuine person, which this world surely lacks these days.
Mr.Ruhle died Saturday night after a battle with bone cancer. He suffered complications from a stem-cell transplant.
Ruhle pitched in 327 games in his career. His last season with the Phillies was during the 2002 season.
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Despite a strong effort the Flyers lose to the Devils in shootout.
The Flyers head into the All-Star break with the worst record in the NHL and no answers to their losing.
Perhaps, tanking it is the one thing they should do, despite their not being a #1 overall pick on the level of Sydney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin.
The best thing they can do for themselves is to go for the highest pick possible and continue developing their youngsters, much like the situation their building-mates the Sixers are in.
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Billy King mum on whether or not the Nuggets' pick is protected if they win the #1 overall pick.
One thing is certain with Billy King. If you ask him a question that is even publicly known (the Nuggets' pick would be protected should they miss the playoffs and win the #1 overall pick) Billy King will deny, deny, deny.
He also wouldn't comment on the job status of Mo Cheeks.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Chase Utley signs 7-year extension for $85 million.
According to ESPN.com Chase Utley has just inked a contract, which will pay him $15 million annually over the next 7 years.
"We view Chase as not only a great second baseman but also one of the top 10-15 players in the game," Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.
The extension covers the final three arbitration seasons and will be contigent upon Utley passing a physical.
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Suns stay on fire; win 13th straight with 131-102 victory over Timberwolves.
One thing is certain in the NBA today. And, it's not just that Ron Artest is a whack job (see his latest haircut for further proof), the Phoenix Suns are the best team in the NBA right now.
They may not have the best record, but after their 3-5 start to the season, they have gone 29-3, this is right there with the best teams in NBA history.
Shawn Marion bounced back from a poor shooting night to have 17 points and 20 rebounds.
Yawn.
When is the NBA lottery going to take place?
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Despite blowing a 17-point lead, the Sixers find a way to win, defeating Miami 98-95 in OT.
The Sixers were up by 17 points in the third quarter and were then outscored 17-4 by the Heat-making it a 4-point game heading into the fourth quarter.
And, the Heat eventually took the lead, but the Sixers came back only to see the Heat tie it up to send it into overtime.
If this were years past the collective region would have been crucifying the Sixers for blowing such a game. However, in this year of the Greg Oden sweepstakes, people wanted to see them lose this game.
I know this for a fact, having watched this game at a sports bar last night, you could see people rooting against the Sixers. Some would consider it a sacrilege to root against one's team. But, the vast majority of Philadelphia fans want what's best in the team's future. And, that means tanking it, but playing competitively. Sometimes they'll get a win out of it and that's not a bad thing.
At the end of the day we want an escape and last night certainly provided us with that.
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Most of the usual suspects stepped up and had their usual games. Stat (a.k.a Amare Stoudemire) had 23 points. Boris Diaw had 21. Barbosa had 20. And, Steve Nash had 13 points and 15 assists. Shawn Marion had an off-night with just 4 points, but had 12 rebounds and 5 blocks.
This game was won on the free throw line, with Phoenix hitting a whopping 22 of 23 shots at the stripe, and Portland making just 6 of 7.
Amare Stoudemire is getting closer and closer to his form in 2005. His past three games went something like this; 42 points, 22 points, and 23 points.
The Suns are currently the second seed in the West at 31-8 with Dallas leading the NBA with a 33-8 record. They will need to keep up the pace since Dallas is no joke either, going 9-1 in their last 10 games.
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Ed Snider "aint happy" with the losing.
With the ultimate control of two of the worst teams in their respective sports falling on his shoulders, the chairman admitted this is the "worst year" of his career as a sports owner.
"If you think I'm sleeping well... I'm miserable. This is the worst year I've ever spent in sports, and I ain't happy."
When he was asked about whether or not Larry Brown would return to the Sixers he would neither say yes or no.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Andre Waters suffered brain damage, which led to his suicide-according to report.
It's sad, but often times there are concussions that aren't spoken about after NFL games. Andre Waters said he had 15 of them that he could remember.
There was a recent pathology report that surmises his suicide is a direct correlation of the brain damage incurred from these concussions.
This could open up a whole can of worms for the NFL.
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Phillies continue their team personality overhaul.
Gone are players like Bobby Abreu and David Bell. And, high-energy passionate players like Ryan Howard and Chase Utley lead the way.
And, now they're plugging in tough, hard-working role players to replace Abreu and Bell such as Shane Victorino and Wes Helms.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Sixers win the toilet bowl...well sort of. They lose to the Grizzlies 118-102.
The Sixers were beaten badly tonight by the worst team record-wise in the NBA. However, they still have to play the Grizzlies one more time (on March 2nd) and lose in order to gain the upper hand for the top pick, should they have the same record.
Mo Cheeks' pathetic squad with no heart is now 10-29 on the season, while the Grizzlies are tied for the lowest win total, but have one more loss. Thus, the Grizzlies are still the worst team in basketball by a smidgen.
It's like comparing brain cancer and liver cancer though. It's ugly either way you look at it.
With the Flyers playing like a minor league club, it's going to be a long 29 days until pitchers and catchers report.
Hell, we might as well keep the Eagles talk going and start talking about the Phillies now.
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I'm bringing back this segment since the Sixers officially stink and I want to cover a real basketball franchise that is enjoying an electrifying season. I'm talking about none other than the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns knocked off the Houston Rockets tonight 100-91.
Amare "Stat" Stoudemire scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
The Suns are a whopping 29-3 in their last 32 games, which is one of the greatest runs in NBA history. It's only January though and there's much basketball to be played, but they're at the lead of the pack of the championship contenders in my book.
With two-time MVP Steve Nash running the show, and Amare Stoudemire looking healthier and healthier by the day, this is a squad to be reckoned with.
And, if they can play better defense on top of that like they did tonight.
Look out!
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Ryan Howard seeking deal similar to Soriano's 8 year $136 million deal.
Ryan Howard's camp doesn't seem to be interested in just working out a deal for this year. Rather, they're seeking major money.
He is still a year away from salary arbitration, but the camp led by his father Ron Howard doesn't seem to be satisfied with a status-quo deal that will pay him just over a million this year.
They're thinking long term.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Brian Westbrook had three dropped passes and one of them would have been a touchdown.
There was a botched fumble recovery that resulted in a first down and nearly 20 extra yards by the Saints.
Don't forget Scott Young's false start on the fourth and 10 completion to Hank Baskett. We might not even be debating "the punt."
And, Brian Dawkins was absent the entire game. Was his name called once? In what was one of his best seasons of his career, he came up miniscule.
The two-headed monster of McAllister and Bush gashed the Eagles for nearly 200 yards.
Jeff Garcia made some key mistakes that would have resulted in first downs (i.e. the illegal forward pass when he could have run for a first down).
Brian Westbrook was used just 13 times. 13 times! That's an injustice.
There were many other miscues by the Eagles, and non-calls by the refs, but these are the major breakdowns that swung the game in the favor of the Saints. When you lose by 3 points, it's a crime scene investigation.
After looking at this objectively this game is 50/50 on the coaching staff and the players. They just weren't good enough Saturday night. Plain and simple.
But, we are left saying once again, "what could have been?"
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76ers dreadful in MLK Day defeat-fall to Raptors 104-86.
After yesterday's 18-point loss to the Toronto Raptors the Sixers are now the worst team in the Eastern Conference.
And, we couldn't be happier. This once moribound franchise in rebuilding mode will rise back up eventually. For now, the forumula is simple. Lose and attain more and more ping pong balls to ensure at least a top 3 draft choice in the June NBA Draft.
Do we want competitive basketball at this point? Not necessarily, but it would be nice to see some more energy out of this team.
I don't care if they win 20 games, but I'd like to see them giving effort and developing the younger players. It doesn't always appear to be the case on a night-to-night basis with this team.
Larry Brown I'm sure is waiting eagerly in the wings to take over this club next year.
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It's going to be a long winter as two dreadful teams take center stage.
For the record; pitchers and catchers will report on Febuary 16th.
That makes it exactly a month away. Let the countdown begin.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Much of the blame for last night's 27-24 loss to the Saints will and should fall on the shoulders of coach Andy Reid.
Sure, the coach is only as good as his players. And, he certainly couldn't go out there and make tackles on Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister-who rushed for a combined 195 yards on 33 carries.
While that may be true, Reid capitulated when he decided to punt with less than 2 minutes to go. At that point there was no rational reason why he should have turned the game over to his defense, which did nothing in the second half (aside from one stop) to show it could stop a Saints' offense that resembled a runaway train plowing over a fatigued Eagles defense.
Added to that, Reid committed another mistake which resulted in other Eagles' defeats in key playoff games. He abandoned the run. For Brian Westbrook to carry the ball just 13 times is a travesty-especially considering he ran for 9 yards per carry! I can just imagine how Howard Eskin will try and spin that tomorrow. Considering the Eagles were in the game and had a lead in the second half, it made absolutely no sense for them to stop running to the outside.
When they were effective on their scoring drives they ran to the outside with Westbrook. For some reason they would run to the inside, when they actually decided to run.
The balance in their offense wasn't just poor; it was pitiful. They passed 30 times and ran just 20 times, and 4 of the attempts were meager scrambles by Jeff Garcia.
With a defense that went back to it's primitive ways by getting gashed on the ground, Andy Reid and Marty Morninwheg did nothing to keep their offense on the field. Two of their scores were on big plays; one a 62-yard touchdown by Westbrook, and the other a 75-yard touchdown reception by Donte Stallworth.
This game was a microcosm of why the Eagles weren't a Super Bowl caliber team this year. In tough games they abandoned the run, made stupid mistakes (Shawn Andrew's replacement Scott Young), couldn't stop the run, and their offense relied on quick strikes to score thereby keeping their defense on the field longer.
The Eagles should take a good, hard look at this defense first of all and make several moves. They should cut Dhani Jones tomorrow. Added to that, they should cut offensive lineman Scott Young tomorrow as well who had several blunders in the second half. He was an embarrasment. One could argue he cost the Eagles the game on their final drive when Jeff Garcia completed a pass to Hank Baskett, and it was called back due to a false start on the low-rent Scott Young. Sure, he was in a tough spot having to replace Shawn Andrews, but the team needs to send a message by cutting him. He isn't worthy of being on a playoff caliber team by making such critical errors in a key spot in a key game. And, Dhani Jones was atrocious like usual, being drug around by Deuce McAllister like a squirrel on the back of a wildebeest.
And, the Eagles will need to abandon their inferior philosophy of "not placing a lot of value" in free agent linebackers by spending the damn money one. Last year they passed up on Will Witherspoon and Julian Peterson to give us another year of Dhani Jones. Look where that got them.
When the draft comes around in April it would behoove them to do everything in their power to trade up for stud linebacker to replace Jeremiah Trotter. This is a player who can learn by sharing time with Gathier next season and then step into the middle the following season when Trotter's contract comes up.
Signing Jeff Garcia as their backup goes without saying. Whether they do any of these things is another story.
But, this team cannot bring back the same players next year. Their defense just isn't good enough.
And, they cannot bring back their same philosophy either. Look where abandoning the run got them against Tampa Bay, Carolina, and now New Orleans-all NFC South teams.
Notice a pattern here?
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Eagles-Saints Preview
The name of the game in the playoffs is turnovers. And, the Saints and Eagles are two teams who's seasons have been greatly impacted by the turnover game.
The Eagles are 7-1 in games where they've forced 2 or more turnovers. The only loss coming against guess who-The Saints. Both teams turned the ball over twice in that contest.
And, the Saints are also very successfull in those types of games as they are 6-0 in games where they force 2 or more turnovers.
One really telling statistic is that the Saints are 3-6 in games where they have turnovers. And, they are 7-0 when they have no turnovers. I could go through many more breakdowns, but it boils down to this.
The Eagles are going to have to get pressure on Drew Brees, and history shows that Jim Johnson's defenses struggle against QB's who get off the ball quickly. And, Brees fits that billing as good as anybody. It's not impossible for the Eagles to stop these types of quarterbacks. Just look at the success they had against Tony Romo this year.
And, the two-headed monster of McAllister and Bush will need to be held at bay. Otherwise, it's going to be a long day for the Eagles' linebackers and defensive backs.
It's a two-fold solution. They need to get the continued impressive play out of their interior lineman and hold them under 120 yards rushing combined, while forcing Brees into some mistakes.
In the playoffs teams that win the +/- game greatly enhance their chances.
I expect the Eagles defense to come up big tomorrow, bringing them one step closer to the Super Bowl.
And, Jeff Garcia, Brian Westbrook, and company will be able to do their thing and move down the field on the Saints defense.
I see a close game with the Eagles coming up big in the second half with some key turnovers.
Prediction: Eagles 27-21
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The Sixers overcome a slow start to beat the Bucks 110-97.
Willie Green led the way with 30 points, but the real story was Andre Iguodala.
He had a monster game with 26 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals. Those are numbers you'd normally see next to Lebron James' name in the box score.
This was the Sixers' first win at home in January, granted it came against a team who is missing their best player in Michael Redd (out for a month).
They were down by 8 at the half, but scored a season-high 38 points in third quarter to pull ahead.
And, stay ahead they did.
Good win for a rebuilding Sixers team. Now, just don't win too many or you'll play yourself out of the lottery.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Sixers "buy out" Chris Webber for slightly less than $5 million over the remainder of his contract.
Double take.
Ok-triple take.
Are you kidding me?
You call that a buy out? Buy out? Buy out?
Much like Jim Mora's infamous "playoffs" comments at a post-game press conference when asked about whether the Colts were capable of going to the playoffs, I'm baffled by hearing the word buyout and 38 million vs. 43 million in the same sentence.
This has to go down as one of Billy King's worst moves ever.
Chris Webber didn't just steal money from the Sixers; he raped them. This is as bad as it gets. For him to get $38 million on the way out the door after doing virtually nothing in two seasons is the big turd on top of a toxic waste dump-cherry on a cake analogy in case you don't know what the hell I'm talking about.
The trade was horrendous. Webber's play was average in his first half season in Philly, decent last year (with hollow numbers), and nothing short of hideous this season.
And, the ending of this awful movie was worse than the ending to The Planet of the Apes remake.
A buyout is when you get a player to take significantly less money in exchange for their release.
The Sixers would have been better off freezing Webber out, then forcing him to take at least $15 million less.
But, then again the head of the NBA Player's Union Billy Hunter would've been pissing and moaning and saying how Webber is being treated unfairly.
It would have been worth a shot though.
Yet another blunder by Billy King.
Just when he was starting to win me over.
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Joe Banner complains about the lack of appreciation once again.
"I have to tell you, that's personally frustrating to me in a public-relations sense," Banner said. "I know this is controversial, but I don't think there's another owner who would have kept this team in Philadelphia for the economic deal we got on our stadium."
Once again Banner is too sensitive in regards to the fans' comments. Sure, not everybody likes Jeff Lurie. However, the majority of the fans recognize the job the Eagles front office has done.
For him to make a blanket statement and make it seem like Lurie is being run out of town is a fallacy.
Here's proof enough that the Eagles' front office is appreciated. Look across the street at the job the Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers ownership groups have done.
It isn't pretty.
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Flyers fall to the Canadiens 4-2.
Aside from a brief flurry of winning (3-game winning streak) the Flyers have been hideous.
On a night when Eric Desjardins was honored, this team did anything but exemplify the type of play that was indicative of the former All-Star defenseman.
This game was nothing compared to the Eagles' 42-0 loss last season to the Seahawks on the same night when Reggie White was honored.
At least you can say they weren't that bad.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Breaking News
As just reported on Comcast during the Sixers' 106-99 loss against the Knicks, Chris Webber's contract has been bought out by the team.
This brings to end a rather disappointing tenure with Philadelphia that lasted just under 2 years.
Webber averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds last season with the Sixers, but it was painfully obvious (no pun intended) that he didn't have the legs he once did. Despite putting up solid numbers his play on the defensive end made him a huge liability.
Ever since he had microfracture knee surgery in 2003, he is clearly not the same player he once was- particularly the one who led the Kings deep into the playoffs and the one who averaged 27 points and 11 rebounds in 2000-2001.
Rumors abound that Webber will sign with either the Mavericks or Knicks.
Samuel Dalembert followed up his monster game last night against the Pistons (14 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks) with a solid game tonight. He had 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. In the past three games his play has improved as he's reached double figures in scoring in all three games and averaged 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in the three contests.
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Sean Payton is a local product who was a diehard Philly sports fan.
While that may be true, and it's certainly nice to see a local product succeed in the NFL, Reuben Frank stated last night on his show on WIP that Payton was a scab during the 1987 NFL strike.
The NFL did the unthinkable and played three weeks of games with low-rent replacement players. And, Payton was one of the scabs. He actually played on the Bears squad, which beat the Eagles.
Considering I come from a union household, I say down with the union-busting, scabs.
I don't care if Payton has roots in Philly. This is reason enough to root against him!
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Chris Webber's tenure with the Sixers nearly over?
Webber acknowledged that he's been talking to the team for a long time about buying out his contract, which has two years and $43 million remaining.
If they reach a buyout the Sixers would save money, but it wouldn't change their cap situation this year or next. The entire amount would come off the books after next year as originally scheduled though.
Billy King continued with his "lips sealed" policy and wouldn't comment either way as to whether or not a buyout is being pursued.
This will ultimately help the team in that they can free up a roster spot and both sides can move on. Webber is clearly shot as a player, but at least he can go to a team and be in a happier situation. It's apparent he's disgruntled by his lack of playing time and not being put in the game in the fourth quarter of various other appearances.
He's averaging career-lows in scoring (11.0), minutes (30.2), and field goal percentage (38.7) in 18 games.
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Brian Dawkins and Shawn Andrews were named to the Associated Press' NFL All-Pro Team.
Dawkins was selected to the Pro Bowl six times and named to the AP squad three other times.
This is Andrews' first selection on the team and his second Pro Bowl selection.
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Larry Brown insists he has no interest in coaching.
When he was grilled about it. His response was "I... you know, at this moment, no. I didn't come here to be involved in coaching," Brown said. "I don't know. After last year, I think I need to step away from coaching."
Brown compared this team to the one in '97 that he took over in that they are starting from scratch. That probably aided in his decision to return to the organization.
LB also stated that he felt it best to step away from coaching for a while.
Regardless, his name will be brought up continuously in the off-season as a replacement for Mo Cheeks.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Lito Sheppard to miss Saints game with dislocated elbow.
Not only will starting cornerback Lito Sheppard miss the second-round playoff game against the Saints on Saturday, but it's unlikely that he'll be able to return until the Super Bowl.
This will be a huge loss for the Eagles, who could really use Sheppard's playmaking ability on defense against a very powerful Saints offense which is #1 in the league.
The cornerback formerly known as Will Peterson-a.k.a Will James is apparently healed from a calf sprain and will take a lot of the snaps. It stands to reason that Rod Hood will start and take on most of the work.
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Mo Cheeks welcomes the return of Larry Brown.
Well, what would you expect Mo Cheeks to say?
"No way I want him back. He'll just overshadow the team for the rest of the season, then there will be much doubt cast over my coaching future."
It's probably an awkward situation for Brown as he employed Cheeks for several seasons as an assistant before he went on to Portland to become their head coach before being fired and joining the Sixers last season.
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Kyle Korver turning out to be more than a one-trick pony.
One of the beneficiaries of the post-Iverson era is the 6th man, Kyle Korver. He has scored at least 19 points on four occasions and had a season-high 29 against the Lakers on New Years Eve. During the past five games he has averaged nearly 22 points a game.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The Eagles certainly didn't have their best game tonight against the Giants, but they found a way to win against a Giants team in disarray to win 23-20 in the final seconds.
On a night after Tony Romo had an infamous botched hold, Koy Detmer and David Akers took care of business to put the game away.
This otherwise automatic field goal seemed to overshadow a game which was a brutal dog fight. The Giants dominated the Eagles in the first quarter and hung with them every step of the way after they finally took the lead in the 2nd quarter when they scored 17 points.
Despite outscoring them 10-3 in the fourth quarter the Eagles still found a way to squeak out a victory when Jeff Garcia and Brian Westbrook led them down the field on their final drive.
Jeff Garcia was mistake-free despite having a mediocre game passing wise. He completed just 17 of 31 passes for 153 yards, but had one TD and zero picks.
Brian Westbrook was the star of the game with 20 carries for 141 yards including a 49-yard touchdown. He also had a 65-yard punt return, but it was nullified by a penalty on rookie Torrance Daniels. Tiki Barber, who had a really good game as well stated that Brian Westbrook reminds him a lot of himself.
If there was any doubt the Eagles had a feature back before, those doubts should be erased by now. Eagles fans this is your feature back for the next several years.
Reggie Brown stepped up big time with 7 catches for 73 yards. He didn't have a huge game, but it seemed like whenever the Eagles needed to get a first down he was open.
The pass rush was absent tonight as they only notched one sack against Eli Manning who had just one interception-which went to Shelden Brown. Juqua Thomas registered the Eagles' only sack.
The one bad thing to come of tonight's victory was the injury to Lito Sheppard who dislocated his elbow. Sheppard acknowledged that it's really sore and wouldn't committ either way as to whether or not he'll be ready to play next week against the Saints.
"Lito will have an MRI in the morning and we'll see how he is," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "It probably doesn't look too good for this coming week."
The Eagles will take on the #1 offense in the NFL next week in the Big Easy and it will be anything but easy. They can ill afford to play the way they did in the first quarter against the Giants, otherwise they'll have similar results as they did last time when they played the Saints earlier this season.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
First, there was the "Immaculate Reception."
There was "The Catch" when Dwight Clark snagged a game-winning touchdown.
And, then there was "The Botch."
One has to love how Joe Montana II a.k.a Tony Romo has gone from the QB on top of the world to the goat.
And, Terrell Owens didn't bury him at the post-game press conference either. Who would've thought that T.O. would actually say the "right" things and speak of consoling Romo who was crying after the game. .
This must be the twilight zone, or maybe T.O. is medicated.
Either way, this is probably the end of the line for Bill Parcells. And, there will be no Cowboys-Eagles rematch this season.
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This won't change their cap situation this year or next year; they'll still have him on the books for $42 million. However, it will end his tenure here and enable them to free up his roster spot, which has become a waste this season.
Webber has missed 9 of the past 12 games for various ailments, and his injury problems started when he took umbrage with his playing time in the fourth quarter of a game way back in November. After that he missed some games due to a sore back.
Like usual Billy King is keeping his lips sealed on this one.
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Eagles are not about to have a let-down tomorrow.
Some players feel just making the playoffs would be a success, but Sean Considine and Todd Herremans disagree.
As the Eagles are set to take on their rivals, the New York Giants tomorrow this would go down as one of the bigger disappointments in their history should they lose. They are a prohibitive favorite to win. The Giants are in a tailspin and lost 6 of their last 8 games, including 2 of 3 down the stretch.
The Eagles on the other hand, have won 5 straight and are seemingly peaking at the right time.
These are two teams that have been headed in opposite directions during the past 5 weeks. The Eagles are 5-0, while the Giants are 2-3.
Despite beating the Giants 36-22 in their last meeting the game was anything but a cakewalk. New York battled them deep into the fourth quarter before folding. And, it's unlikely Tiki Barber will have 3 bad games in a row against the Eagles. Thus, it's imperative they blitz, blitz, and blitz some more to force Eli Manning into mistakes.
Many fans and people in the media are writing this game off as a victory for the Eagles before the game has even been played. It sounds eerily similar to the 2003 NFC Championship game against Tampa Bay. That game was a victory before the Eagles stepped on the field. And, we all know what happened after Duce Staley scored that first TD.
Andy Reid can not allow his team to feel comfortable. In his career they have never lost a first-round playoff game. History doesn't mean squat when it comes to the playoffs, but it certainly can tell a good part of the story.
If the players feel the way many people inside and outside of the media have, then they'll be in trouble.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Close, but no cigar-Sixers fall in OT to the Wolves 104-102.
The Sixers concluded their 7-game road trip out west with a thrilling overtime loss against the Timberwolves. They ended up 2-5 on the road trip, which is better than expected-at least from me. I only expected them to win one game.
Kevin Garnett would not be denied twice. He missed a potential game-winning shot at the end of the fourth quarter, but sank the second game-winning attempt at the end of overtime. And, he did this with "defensive monster" Samuel Dalembert's hand in his face. Ok, well defensive monster is a bit overdone, considering the guy resembles a praying mantis out on the court with a learning disability.
Andre Miller nearly had a triple-double tonight, keeping with the "nearly" theme for the Sixers. He had 18 points, 7 boards, and dished out 11 assists.
The guy who should be on the Sixers team had they consummated that trade for Iverson on draft night (and I'm talking about Randy Foye) nearly had a triple double of his own with 11 points, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds.
One sad part to tonight's game is they made Trenton Hassell look like Tracy McGrady. He had nearly a career-high in points with 22 tonight.
The Sixers will now head home finally to face the Pistons Tuesday night.
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Larry Brown returns to the Sixers as executive VP.
Interesting how thinks work in Philadelphia. The day after Terrell Owens was officially exiled from the Eagles they signed Jeff Garcia as a back-up and look how that has worked out. The Eagles are officially a Super Bowl contender. We all know Owens and Garcia are anything but friends. And, Larry Brown was brought back nearly three weeks after the Allen Iverson trade, and there was no way in hell he would've been brought back while he was still here.
Although their relationship wasn't as bad as Garcia and Owens', Iverson was ultimately the reason why Brown left. If you remember Brown's final game as the 76ers coach it was during the playoffs and Iverson showed up to the arena just before game-time to quickly suit up. The Sixers of course lost that game to the Pistons and the rest was history.
Three coaches, much team turmoil, and a trade later the man who espouses his players play the right way is back. He was the best coach since a man named Billy Cunningham walked the sidelines of the hardwood in the Spectrum. He was liked by many and hated by others, called a traitor for leaving the Sixers in disarray.
My thoughts on Brown are this; it's his career so he's free to go where he pleases. His moves were poor as a GM-which he was despite Billy King being labeled as such during his tenure. The Mutombo signing for 4 years and $64 million will go down as one of the worst signings in Sixers and possibly NBA history. That was the contract, which started the process which put the Sixers in the current predicament they're in.
Brown will have a different role now that he's back with the team. He will assist team president Billy King with the basketball operations department and work on special projects. If you think he's just here for the hell of it, you're wrong. There will no doubt be a plethora of rumors after the season as to whether or not he'll return to the sidelines. And, that's a possibility.
Hopefully he's learned a great deal from the mistakes he made as a GM while with the Sixers and learned from what Joe Dumars did in Detroit.
We just won't know until this reclamation project kicks into the next stage during the June draft and when the contract expire.
Is Brown a good move? I have mixed feelings. Part of me says they have to move on. Another part of me says I'd take him back as the head coach in a heartbeat.
He is the best coach in the NBA in the past 20 years. High maintenance or not, I'd take somebody with his basketball mind in a nanosecond.
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Peter Forsberg receives word that his foot is finally ok.
That's great. Let's just see how long it takes for him to get another injury.
Forsberg is the Marcus Camby of the NHL. Despite being the so-called greatest player in the world, he hasn't played a complete 82-game season since 1995-1996, which happened to be his first full season as a pro.
Bear in mind, he missed an entire season in 2001-2002, but did return in the playoffs to light it up and the Avalanche won a Cup.
His season and a half with the Flyers have been injury-marred. While playing in just 39 games in the pre-strike season of 2003-2004, he played in 60 games last season and with the season officially at the half-way point he has missed 13 games, which puts him on pace to play 54 games this season.
So, now that a Boston orthopedic specialist has said the coast is clear, it leaves me to wonder...what next?
He's had the issues with the skate, a concussion, and now a hamstring.
The Flyers should cut their losses ASAP and get something for him while they can. They are in blow-up mode like their basketball counterparts who share the same building and need to sucker a team into giving up young players and/or picks for the aging superstar.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The Sixers fall apart in the second half and lose to the Jazz.
Did anybody expect this team to compete for much more than a half? It's a miracle that they only lost by 11 points, considering they're on the 6th game of their road trip and on day 10 of the trip.
They are doing what we want them to; that's play semi-competitively and lose. Just keeping losing baby. We want that shot at Greg Oden who we know can't resist coming out for the NBA.
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The Eagles' have a new fan and he's legendary coach Bill Walsh.
Walsh feels the birds have as good of a chance as anybody of making it to the Super Bowl.
He was familiar with Garcia even from his days in college when he coached Stanford in his second go-around. They faced Garcia that season while he was playing for San Jose.
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Howard should expect a pay raise in the $1 million range.
The Phillies indicated they will give him a $1 million riase over his meager $355,000 salary in 2006. Assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. expressed that the top priorities for the organization are to sign Chase Utley, Brett Myers, Aaron Rowand, Geoff Geary, and Ryan Madson. They are all arbitration-eligible players.
They have until January 13 to file for arbitration.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Eagles bring back Koy Detmer for the playoffs.
David Akers obviously needed a reliable holder after long snapper Mike Bartrum went down to injury and his replacement John Dorenbos has been shaky. Now that Detmer is in there, somebody reliable can handle those erratic snaps.
What amazes me is this. If you are in professional football and have to concentrate on one skill, just how in the hell can you be shaky at it? If all you do for a living is one thing, snapping a ball shouldn't you be good at it? Let's not get it confused here. We're talking about snapping a ball and if you're in the professional ranks you should be good at it.
Either way, the move of acquiring Detmer is a good one as it's a loose end that needs to be tied. Now, if Jeff Garcia were to be injured in a game and out for the entire game A.J. Feely would replace him. However, the rules are such that if an "emergency quarterback" comes in the game then the back-up is not allowed to come back into the game until the fourth quarter. Confusing isn't it. Therefore, if Garcia is hurt so much that it's unlikely he'll return Koy Detmer won't be allowed to hold on kicks until the fourth quarter.
My simple solution is this. Why even put Koy Detmer on the team as a quarterback. They should just cirumvent this convuluted rule system by making Detmer a back-up at another position and have him hold on kicks.
Then, you can have Detmer hold on kicks and not have to worry if he can't come in a game for two quarters.
It's a convention to have quarterbacks hold on kicks, but there is no rule stating they have to be the ones holding on place kicks.
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When Tank's home was raided the police seized 550 rounds of ammo. They also found six guns, marijuana, and unlabeled pills believed to be hydrocodone.
My man knows how to get down!
Not only was he strapped, but he was partying it up.
Now, he'll be lucky if he has an NFL career after this is all said and done. Like many athletes he just couldn't resist the "old lifestyle" and was willing to throw everything away to preserve it.
Let's make no mistake here, this is a guy who was in some serious trouble. And, NFL career or not, he wasn't about to change.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The Sixers defeat in A.I. in their first game against him.
The 76ers didn't just beat the Nuggets tonight, they demolished them 108-97.
Iverson had 30 points on his customary 10-of-24 shooting and ended up getting booted from the game with 1:44 remaining.
Coming into the game, Iverson ripped the Sixers organization for everything that went down. He criticized Mo Cheeks and Billy King for the way they handled it and said he went to management and said he was tired of losing the way they were and that he didn't want a part of it anymore. This is in contrast to his comments recently where he stated he never demanded a trade.
Hmmm.
And, he made excuses as to why he was thrown out of this game. "I thought I got fouled on that play, and I said I thought that he was calling the game personal, and he threw me out," Iverson said. "His fuse is real short anyway, and I should have known that I couldn't say anything anyway. It's been something personal with me and him since I got in the league. This was just the perfect game for him to try and make me look bad."
It looked like Iverson bailed on his team when he knew they weren't going to win. It was a bad moment for him in a season full of bad moments.
This is the first time in 16 games the Sixers have scored 100 points. They are now 4-4 since trading Iverson, while the Nuggets are 2-4 with him. Denver is playing without Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith though.
Kyle Korver led the Sixers with 26 points. Andre Miller had 17 points and 10 assists. And, Andre Iguodala also had 10 assists, but had just 7 points.
The Sixers won't face Iverson again until next season. They have already faced Denver twice this season. Teams play against inter-conference foes just twice a year.
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Shocker. Peter Forsberg gets injured AGAIN. But, the Flyers win 3-2.
It's official Peter Forsberg has been a dud for the Flyers. Both of his seasons have been truncated due to injuries, and this year it's been one injury after another. If it isn't an ankle injury that lingers it's a skate that doesn't fit properly that keeps him out. If it's not that, then it's a concussion. And, if it's not that then it's the old fashioned hamstring injury.
Let's see how long this one keeps him out. The Flyers should just cut their losses and get something for Forsberg now even if it's at a discount. They aren't going anywhere with him, so they might as well get a player or players and maybe some draft picks.
Despite losing Forsberg for the 50th different injury, the Flyers did win their third game in a row.
Robert Esche was great again, putting in his third straight 40-save game.
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Andy Reid content with Mornhinweg calling the plays.
It's taken a bit of time, but Andy Reid is fine with Marty calling the shots on offense.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Reid said the division title feels really special after last season's debacle.
After going a combined 11-16 since the Super Bowl it appeared the Eagles were headed towards another sub-.500 season. Nobody had an answers as to why the defense imploded and made runnings back like Joseph Addai look like Gale Sayers.
And then things changed; they turned the tables and started a 5-game winning streak against the Panthers on Monday night football. They looked like the were ready to blow another game at the end, but didn't get burned by a stupid play. And, Ladell Betts burned them in the following game, but alas they wouldn't fall victim to foolish plays and hung on for a two-point lead. Then, there was a remarkable improvement in the rushing defense against the Giants, and it has stayed consistently good from there.
Before you know it you have yourself a 10-6 team, which is suddenly the hottest team in the NFC.
My, my, my how the pundits have swung the other way. Where are the naysayers who said this team would be a 7-9 team and last in the division? Sure, nobody could have predicted they'd win the division in this fashion, but all along the Eagles were not that bad.
Many of the McNabb haters, like our own Mark Rasy would say Jeff Garcia is the reason for this resurgence. In my humble opinion, that's simply nonsense.
The entire team has elevated their play, which is what a playoff contender should do. If the Eagles had become more dependent on the run with McNabb in there, they'd probably be even more prolific on offense. Garcia is passing at a 62% clip, while McNabb threw at a 57% completion rate. Garcia is more accurate yes, but they have gone back to a dink-and-dunk approach. They aren't reliant on big plays and are on the field more. Thus, it doesn't take an engineer at Northrop Grumman to figure out the defense is not on the field nearly as much.
Now, the Eagles face an easy opponent in the first round of the playoffs. But, even though Eli Manning plays like a low, low-rent version of Peyton Manning the Eagles still have to take him seriously. If he's given time he can burn you.
But, isn't that most mid-level quarterbacks in the NFL?
Provided the Eagles stay within their "system" and do things the way they've been doing it Sunday should be a cakewalk. Say what you want about Andy Reid, during his tenure his teams have beaten the teams they're supposed to beat.
Sunday is no different.
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Kobe Bryant once again makes the Sixers his personal doormat, scoring 35 points ina 104-94 victory.
Bryan shot 15 of 22 from the field and knocked in 35 and added 8 boards and 6 assists.
The Sixers were without Chris Webber again, but then again aren't they always without Chris Webber. The guy who took over his body literally right after the Sixers acquired him is an imposter.
But, not on the payroll books though. This guy is gonna take $42 million from the team this year and next year.
Kyle Korver had a season-high 29 points. And, Andre Iguodala added 19 points.
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The Flyers are now the second hottest team in town. Woo hoo! Quite a distinction in this sea of mediocrity, which has become the Philadelphia sports scene sans the Eagles of course.
Simon Gagne knocked in his 20th goal of the season and Robert Esche once again had great effort with 40 saves.
After losing ten games in a row, the Flyers have seen the worm turn. Now, they'll look to make it three in a row when they play the Islanders tomorrow night.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
