Today's News
June, 30 2006
| By Dennis Bakay
| 
Discuss
So, once you think they're dead they pull you back in right. Not so fast, it's only one game. However, Ryan Madson had a career-best performance going 8 2/3 innings of shutout baseball, while yielding just five hits, striking out seven, and allowing just one walk. This is the stuff aces are made of. Performances like this are what make it worthwhile to believe this kid is a keeper. But, then he might go out the next start and give up 6 runs and 5 walks in 3 innings. If Madson can become consistent he would be a viable #3 or #4 starter on this staff, provided they ever go out and get a front-line ace. However, Charlie Manuel in his ever-brilliant fashion decided to yank Madson in the 9th inning with just one out to go, spoiling his chance and the Phillies' chance at the first complete game shutout by a pitcher this season. Madson was justifiably upset about it and refused to comment after the game. When a young pitcher has a chance at his first career shutout allow him to get it. Manuel is obviously tentative, which explains why he put Gordon in there when Madson allowed two base runners, but the Phillies have nothing to lose at this point. This could have not only done something for Madson's morale, but for the team as well. It's the little things that a manager has to do sometimes which are equally important as effectively making a double-switch in a crucial situation.
So, we turn to today and it's the antithesis of last night's game. The Toronto
Blue Jays have just slaughtered the Phillies 8-1 tonight. This is more like
the Phillies we have come to despise. This proves that this organization
is basically urinating upon the fans. They once again throw a bargain basement
reject out there in Adam Bernero. How many times this year will this team
debut a pitcher? This is what teams like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays or Kansas
City Royals would resort to. Of course the results were disastrous as he
got slaughtered in two innings by giving up 8 runs. This right here is why
the fans are against this team. This right here is why there is a growing
faction of Phillies fans that enjoy seeing the Phillies lose. I'm absolutely
fed up with hearing about how David Montgomery is a nice guy. He's not a
nice guy. He's a fraud and he has stolen baseball from the fans of the Phillies.
Piss-poor moves like this are ultimately his call. He has instilled this
bargain-basement philosophy in the organization. The game was over after
2 innings because the Phillies would rather fill in the most important position
on the field-pitcher. The Phillies simply throw away wins like hookers throw
away used condoms. They are simply abominable. And, as a fan of the game
of baseball I am past the point of disgust with this team. I am simply mortified.
Abner Doubleday must be rolling over in his grave. This organization is
disgrace to the game.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The Phillies got to play a double-header yesterday against the Orioles since their game on Tuesday was rained out; result-twice the embarrassment. They were beat 7-4 in the first game and routed 12-4 in the nightcap. This team is in the throws of one of its worst stretches in years. Just when you think they win a game (tonight they are currently leading 4-0 behind a career high 8 innings from Ryan Madson) they end up tanking for 4 out of 5, or in this case losing 7 straight. At least Cole Hamels had the guts to say he was bad, when he was quoted as saying, "Seriously, I suck." That's refreshing to see a member of this team blame themselves and not the media or the fans for their misfortunes. The Phillies put on a little rally to make it 7-4, but couldn't mount anything beyond that. In the second game of the double-header this epitomized the team this year, poor play, giving up early, and devoid of heart. These are the very reasons why this team is being destroyed by the fans and media alike, and it's justified. If they want the criticism to cease perhaps they should expedite things and start changing the culture on this team now, because the fans are ready to walk away. They spoke out against the Myers fiasco, and they aren't stopping there.
The Sixers had a successful draft last night. They parlayed one draft pick
into three picks. I know they didn't trade up for Randy Foye and Boubacar
the witch doctor failed in his attempt to turn a GM into a fool to enable
us to get a steal of a trade. But, Billy King was very proactive and made
due with what he had; the 13th overall pick. First he traded down to the
16th pick (and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief knowing it wasn't
a no name player from Europe) with the Bulls to pick Rodney Carney, small
forward out of Memphis. At first glance it seemed like he was an Iguodala
clone, but upon further notice something is clearly brewing here. First
off, Iguodala will play the two next year. Iverson will be traded. The word
is the Celtics will trade for him now that they traded for Sebastian Telfair,
Dan Dickau, and drafted another point guard in Rajon Rondo. The Sixers will
possibly receive Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff (2 years left at $12 per),
and maybe a draft pick. This gives the Sixers a point guard in Telfair (who
is overrated at this point), who needs to develop, but will develop along
with Iguodala, Dalembert, Korver, Carney, and Willie Green. Added to that,
the Sixers will have Webber and Ratliff's contracts come off the books after
the 2007-2008 season. At that point, the youth movement will be in full
effect and they'll be in a position to land a big time free agent. It wouldn't
be out of the question for them to pursue Lebron James who wants to go to
a large market, and the Sixers will be in a position to contend at that
point. In the trade with the Bulls, King also received a 2007 second round
pick, which he sent to the Timberwolves along with cash to select Washington's
Bobby Jones-a defensive specialist. And, to top off things, King sent cash
to Toronto for the 56th pick and took Edin Bavcic, a 6-10 forward from Bosnia.
Jones will make the team, as he'll provide them with a gritty defensive
presence. Bavcic on the other hand, who knows? The bottom line is the Sixers
improved in the area of defense, and it gives them a solid start as they
embark upon the post-A.I. era.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The NBA Draft is here and already some action has occurred as the Blazers traded Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and a second round pick to the Celtics for their #7 pick tonight, Raef Lafrentz, and Dan Dickau. For some reason the Celtics like Telfair enough to pass up the chance at drafting Brandon Roy. I think Danny Ainge is a good basketball guy, but Telfair is way overrated. Not to mention, Roy has twice the game he has. At any rate, that squashes any chance at AI going to the Celtics. Now, the Sixers' best shot at drafting Randy Foye (the player they are said to be coveting) would be to trade up into the top 6, because the Jazz are eagerly trying to move up to acquire him. It would stand to reason the Blazers won't go ahead and trade that #7 pick now. If anything, they’ll package both picks to get the #1 pick-very likely. This draft will certainly be the most intriguing one in years because there are going to be many deals made and it will be unpredictable, and a wild ride for sure. I was going to hold a mock draft on the site, but opted against it because I feel it's just too hard to gauge how things will go. I'll humor everybody and make lottery predictions. I say it will go as follows, that's if the teams stay where they are:
#1-Toronto-Andrea Bargnani-PF Italy
#2 Chicago-Tyrus Thomas-PF LSU
#3 Charlotte-Rudy Gay-SF UConn
#4 Portland-Adam Morrison-SF Gonzaga
#5 Atlanta-Shelden Williams-PF Duke
#6 Minnesota-LeMarcus Aldridge-PF Texas
#7 Portland (from Boston)-Brandon Roy-SG Washington
#8 Houston-Randy Foye-SG Villanova
#9 Golden State-J.J. Redick-SG Duke
#10 Seattle-Hilton Armstrong-C UConn
#11 Orlando-Ronnie Brewer-SG Arkansas
#12 New Orleans-Patrick O'Bryant-C Bradley
#13 Philadelphia-Marcus Williams-PG UConn
#14 Utah-Shawnee Williams-SF Memphis
Do I have any idea these players will go to these teams? No, not really. I'm going with my gut here, like doing a football pool (and I'll admit I finished dead last in my brother's office pool last year). I was abominable at picking NFL teams! I do think the Blazers will pick Morrison with their first lottery pick after acquiring a second one. They'll go with the popular choice and pick local legend Morrison. The Sixers will end up with a solid point guard in Williams who played under Calhoun. He isn't Randy Foye, but is a nice consolation prize. I am praying that they don't draft J.J. Redick. I think Billy King has become wiser and will make a good decision and not draft offense (and a player from his alma mater) and fill a need with the best player available.
Tomorrow I will discuss (rant about) the Phillies. There isn't much else to say other than another game and another loss laden with pathetic play. They are truly an embarrassment. That's all for today. Enjoy the draft on ESPN tonight!
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Finally, the Phillies have spoken out on the Myers situation, well sort of. David Montgomery released a statement which states that they granted Myers his request for time-off and that they didn't issue any further remarks on the "alleged" assault because it's an ongoing criminal investigation and out of respect for Myers' privacy. The statement goes on to speak out against spousal abuse. It's pretty obvious that the Phillies had to do something after the backlash from thousands of Phillies fans over the past 4 days. Myers also issued a statement, but didn't sign his name to the statement. Ok, it's already pretty lame to hide behind a statement, but to have your agent sign his name to it when it's supposed to be your words is even worse. I know I'm coming off as petty, but how hard is it to sign your name to a statement? It just shows a lack of thoughtfulness. I think it would do Myers well to apologize at a press conference once he comes back. That would go a long ways to restoring his image with the fans of this area. This will take a long time for people to get over. They'll never forget it. Kobe Bryant is still repairing his image 2 years after his "alleged" incident in that hotel room. But, I'll give the Phillies this much credit. It's the right thing for Myers to do by taking a leave of absence until the all-star break. However, this could have all been avoided had they suspended him on Saturday, rather than acquiesce him on his request for leave. It's typical Phillies business for you. They hope to win a game by pitching Myers at the cost of getting cow dung on their faces. Then, they cover their asses when it does happen. Did they honestly think people would ignore it? Who are they kidding?
It's the eve of draft night and rumors are flying around like dollar bills
in a strip club. The latest one involves a three-way trade between the Sixers,
Jazz, and Celtics where the Sixers send Iverson to the Celtics, the Celtics
send Wally Szczerbiack to the Jazz, and the Sixers receive Carlos Boozer.
For one I don't think this trade is true on the basis that the contracts
much match up more. Iverson makes $19 million next year, while Boozer makes
$12 million, and Szczerbiak makes $11 million. The money just doesn't match
up. Also, I don't think it's the right move since Boozer has been injury
plagued since signing with Utah and currently has 4 years and $12 million
left on his contract. While he's a great rebounder and hard-working defender
his money is too much and the years the same. The Sixers need to rebuild
and get fewer years back in contracts. Now, if the Celtics send the Sixers
their lottery pick tomorrow night I'd like it much more. Not only would
the Sixers have their pick at 13, but they'd also have the Celtics pick
at number 7. It wouldn't be out of the question for the Sixers to be able
to move up into the top 3 for an elite prospect. Or, they could sit pat
at 7 and take Randy Foye and trade down for multiple picks with their 13th.
Billy King shot down the rumors and merely said he listens to whoever calls.
Well of course he won't say he's going to trade him. What GM ever does admit
to a trade before it happens? I'll leave it at that. Another team said to
be interested in Iverson is Golden State. Add them to the list of teams
linked to Iverson. Who could Golden State be dangling? One would have to
assume either Baron Davis or Jason Richardson, but both of those guys have
3 and 4 years left on their contracts respectively, and at huge money. Thus,
Billy King wouldn't take on either of their contracts, just like he wouldn't
take on Kenyon Martin's money and years left on his contract. The saga continues.
So what will the Sixers do tomorrow night? Even they don't know. King said
their prospects of trading up don't look good right now, but "that
could change in an hour." He went on record to say they'll take the
best player available. So, basically he's saying nothing. And, he's doing
the right thing, because one can't tip their hand before a draft. It's anathema
to a team. If I were a betting man I'd say they have a 30% chance at trading
up into the top 8 for a chance to draft Randy Foye, but the word is the
Timberwolves like Foye. Then again, what GM in their right mind would really
say whom they’d take? The truth is, I know as much as you do what
the Sixers will do. I'd like to stir up the rumor mill and say they'll trade
up, but that would be irresponsible on my part. We really won't know what
will happen until the time of the draft. And, this will the most interesting
draft in years for the Sixers, even more interesting that the one in 2004
in which they held the 9th overall pick. There is a chance Iverson could
be part of a draft-day trade. Something is brewing, but in sports there
are no definites. But, for right now I'm going to say the Sixers will stay
at 13 and take Marcus Williams, the point guard out of Uconn. I love Randy
Foye's game, but I have a feeling he'll go in the top 7 and the Sixers just
won't have the ammo it takes to move up there. Williams would be a great
pick at 13 and provides them with a point guard once they begin the rebuilding
process.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The fallout over the Brett Myers fiasco is continuing and the Phillies look worse and worse by the minute. Pat Gillick is now towing the company line and feels like there is nothing wrong with having allowed Myers to pitch. President Dave Montgomery is silent through all of us, and of course it's ultimately his decision because he calls the shots at the top. As I said a few days ago I think it was a bad idea to have Myers pitch. This is one of the worst decisions by a Philadelphia team organization ever. To have him pitch just 36 hours after an arrest in the same city shows utter disregard for what he clearly did. Enough with the "tried in the media garbage" he's guilty. Witnesses saw him punch his wife on the street. It's certain it happened. It's disgusting what he did, and even more foul that the Phillies allowed him to pitch the NEXT day! I don't think Myers should be run out of town for this. I think it's horrible what he did, but forgivable once he fesses up and comes clean. For him to say he's sorry it became public just throws fuel on the fire. The organization should not allow him to speak to the media until he accepts reality. Time heals wounds. I don't think it heals all wounds like the adage goes, but most wounds. The worst part of all of this is the fact that the Phillies seem more concerned about Myers being able to pitch through this. An organization with class like the Philadelphia Eagles would have suspended a player for such an act and spoke out against the act. Enough said. Now, Dave Montgomery should be run out of town for this. It's time for the people to let the Phillies ownership group know that they are classless and won't win anything with the likes of Dave Montgomery at the top. They can remove him from power with a unanimous vote. Because let's face it the Montgomery regime is starting to feel as oppressive as the Augusto Pinocet regime. Because, if the ownership doesn't cut Montgomery soon, the fans are going to be leaving in droves until he is.
There was a Phillies game today and it was another heart-breaking loss.
Again, David Ortiz came up with the game-winning hit, this time a single
to center field. One could see the distraught look on Charlie Manuel's face
and only feel for him. I've been ripping him all season long. He's made
bone-headed decisions. However, it's clear his team is giving up and that's
sad. This is a man who has a passion for the game. He'd be perfect for this
town on that basis, but he just isn't cut out as a big-league manager. He's
a good hitting coach and a good guy to have around the players, but for
this organization to put him in that position was foolish. The Phillies
fought hard against the Sox today, behind a quality performance by Lidle
and a great comeback. They were even up 7-6 in the 12th, but ultimately
lost 8-7. It just gets worse and worse. One has to wonder if the Death Watch
will start for Charlie Manuel with this loss. I'll even say that this loss
wasn't his fault. He's certainly responsible for many losses on the season,
but the June swoon on the most part falls upon the shoulders of his players.
As we all know in this business the manager is the first to go when the
players stop responding.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
It's a slow news today and since the Phillies didn't lose today (because their game was rained out in Boston) I'll turn the focus onto some trade talks involving the Sixers. There is a rumored trade involving them sending their #13 pick to the New Jersey Nets for the 22nd and 23rd picks. I don't like this trade for two reasons. If anything, they'll want to use their #13 pick and either a future first round pick (possibly 2008), or a player and a 2nd rounder to move up. That's if they don't trade Iverson to the Hawks and get their #5 pick, which I think is the ideal move. They essentially get two dimes for a quarter by doing this trade with the Nets. Not to mention, this team needs an impact player to come in and play now. I also feel they should try and acquire a pick at the end of round one to acquire Steven Smith of La Salle. By doing this trade they will be stuck with getting the leftovers and it will be too high of a pick to use on Steven Smith, who is projected to go 30th or lower. And, of course the other trade topic is Iverson. The Hawks are reluctant to commit to the $60 million owed to him because their ownership group is in a battle over who will buy out whom. Other possible suitors who simply want to sell tickets (because there's no other reason to acquire him) will probably wait until the beginning of the new fiscal season in July, which is when the big-time trades take place anyway. So, don't expect to see anything on the A.I. front before the draft. What you could expect to see is Billy King moving up in the top 8 to take Randy Foye, which would make the most sense. They need a point guard, and Patrick O'Bryant is too much of a risk to take there; he be a project and this team needs impact players to come in and play now like Randy Foye. Then, they can easily get another 1st rounder at the bottom of the round and take Steve Smith of La Salle to give them a defensive presence at the forward position. Again, he's a player who would come in and help this team on the boards and on defense immediately.
While reading through some other news today I noticed that LeBron James
might sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 12 for a 6-year max extension.
"Why should I care about someone in Clevleland" you might ask?
Well, he could just sign a one-year tag at $8 million after next season
and control his own destiny in 2008 and be free to sign with whomever he
wishes. The Cavs have the right to exceed any offer for James in 2007, but
if he plays out his rookie contract and signs the one-year tender he'll
be free to sign wherever he wants in the summer of 2008. Let's follow this
through. The Sixers will trade Iverson and get back contracts with less
years, meaning their money will be off the books in 2008 at the latest.
Mark it down. Also, Chris Webber's contract comes off the books in 2008
when James becomes a free agent. Philadelphia is a big market like one he'd
be seeking out. L.A. and New York are projected to be over the cap in '08.
The Bulls and the Nets would be the 76ers' main competition, as far as big
market teams go (the Nets will be in Brooklyn). It's not out of the question
for the Sixers' cap to be roughly $25 million, thus putting them in a prime
position to sign James to a max deal. James would be the best shot at a
once in a generation free agent and the Sixers will be in a cap position
by then to make a run at him in '08. It's just some food for thought.
Yesterday Bobby Clarke provided some comic relief during the NHL draft, which is about as exciting as watching slugs mate. The Flyers were surprised when the Rangers took the player they expected to pick at #22, when they grabbed defenseman Bob Sanguinetti. So, Clarke was taken aback when walking to the podium and said, "Ah what's our pick?" Then, he said their pick was Claude Giroux, a 5-foot-101/2, 169-pound right-winger from Hearst, Ontario. Sanguinetti was one of the blue-chip defenseman in the first round, but then again who really knows how good hockey prospects will be. It's almost at the point the NBA is at. Aside from the first 5-8 players you really don't know what you'll get until they play for a few years. However, the Flyers compare their first-rounder Giroux to Scott Gomez who Flyers fans have surely cursed about on more than a few occasions while he torched them for the Devils. They went on to add three more defensemen by the fourth round and are clearly drafting for speed, which is en vogue in the new NHL.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Today's word of the day is contrast. The Red Sox and Phillies are two completely different teams for a litany of reasons. One organization features a GM in Theo Epstein who is willing to pull the trigger at any moment, with the support of an ownership team that gives him total freedom to make the moves, which are in the best interests of the team. Dave Montgomery on the other hand runs the Phillies conservatively like a typical business. Pat Gillick is hamstrung by this philosophy and cannot add much in the way of payroll to help this team. The Red Sox featured one of the class acts of the game in Curt Schilling today (who Ed Wade refused to trade for because he's too vocal) who utterly dominated the Phillies. The Phillies featured a pitcher in Brett Myers who right now has given this organization a black eye. The Red Sox have a dominant rookie closer in Jonathon Papelbon, who has a sick 0.24 ERA (that translates to 1 run in 38 innings) while the Phillies have an aging closer in Tom Gordon who has started out well, but is 38 years old. The Red Sox have a plethora of clutch hitters who drool at the opportunity to win a game, led by David Ortiz. And, their fans expected to win when Ortiz took the plate in the bottom of the 10th with a 2-0 count. This is normally what fans would do when a pitcher has two strikes as they said on the Fox broadcast, but the Boston fans know that Ortiz clamors for this moment, as he is the aggressor. Of course just a few pitches later he sent a Tom Gordon pitch over the fence to win the game. The Phillies have players like Pat Burrell who fail in clutch situations like he did with bases loaded in the 8th, and Bobby Abreu who looks for a walk in clutch situations. The Phillies do have their version of Big Papi (a power hitter who thrives in the clutch) to be fair, but today wasn't his day to win it. The Red Sox are the cream of the crop of the American League and the Phillies are an embarrassment to the Philadelphia fans. These two organizations couldn't be further apart right now and with the David Montgomery holding the purse strings it would be a cold day in hell this year that any moves would be made that require adding to the payroll. Phillies fans expect more of this slop for the next 3 months. Expect to be held hostage by this organization as long as you allow David Montgomery to be in charge.
The Sixers definitely have a plan heading into the draft on Wednesday. I
have been a huge critic of Billy King, but I'm willing to give him a chance
to rebuild this team. He has stated he has a vision to assemble a blue-collar
team full of hard-workers and defenders. Sound familiar? He is taking Larry
Brown's blueprint for the 2001 Sixers it seems. They recently worked out
former La Salle star Steven Smith and are making no bones about possibly
acquiring another 1st round pick so they can draft him in the bottom of
the round. BK compares him to George Lynch. I must say I've never heard
King clamor for defensive players before. Sure, this is the same guy who
signed the likes of Kenny Thomas, Brian Skinner, and Eric Snow to long-term
contracts, but there is a definite change in his thinking here unlike other
presidents of organizations in this town...ah hem Mr. Montgomery. If there
is one team I am really optimistic about it is the 76ers. They are going
to trade Allen Iverson and will begin the rebuilding process. It's always
something to look forward to when you see a team grow. Sure, are they going
to lose? Absolutely. But, we do know they will be on the rise within 2-3
years once they move The Answer. It's refreshing to see Billy King change
his thinking. The Sixers are a team with a plan in place to become a title
contender, and they'll spend the money. Contrast that with the Phillies
who want to hopefully get lucky and win a wildcard spot within their fiscal
parameters
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
The Phillies' turbulent season just got more turbulent. Brett Myers was arrested today for allegedly hitting his wife and pulling her hair on a street in Boston around 12:30 this morning. His wife put up the $200 to get him out of jail after the incident. The Phillies said they'd reserve any comment, as it's an ongoing legal matter. Ok, then why did they make him available for the media just an hour before the game? The reporters were hounding him with questions obviously (because they were doing their jobs) and he refused to address it. It really made no sense to make him available to reporters. He wouldn't answer anything, and it just created a distraction for the team. Furthermore, why are they starting him in tomorrow's game? The last thing this team needs is a distraction like this and it would be in the team's best interests to give Myers a week off so he and his wife can sort things out and try and move on from this.
So now the Knicks are trying to weasel out of paying Larry Brown the money
they owe him because they claim he violated team policy by speaking to reporters
outside of the stadium without Knicks PR people present. This is a complete
joke. If they actually enforced this policy then they would have the league's
lowest payroll! Owner James Dolan wants to stick it to Brown and really
he is just making his organization look more and more classless by the nanosecond.
They are already the laughingstock of the NBA. Now, they'll become the laughingstock
of professional sports as they careen further and further down the deep
abyss. They have yet to hit rock bottom because Act III of this drama will
take place once Isiah steps onto the court from out of the press box. This
once storied franchise is now becoming the most entertaining thing in professional
sports for all of the wrong reasons. Even if you're a diehard Philly fan
you have to feel a little bad for Knicks fans. It's certainly entertaining
for the rest of us though at their expense!
Today another writer in town has ripped the Philadelphia fans and claims
they are the reason for the failure of players. Inquirer columnist Frank
Fitzpatrick indicted the fans in an article today for not being supportive
of Bobby Abreu. He claims he's a "shell of the player" he once
was. He claims that Abreu was "aggressive" in the outfield. Hold
on a second. To say that Bobby Abreu was ever an aggressive defensive player
is akin to saying Jeffrey Dahmer was a compassionate person and a great
cook! Abreu represents the lack of heart on this team and should be traded.
Abreu isn’t playing bad because he’s being booed; his skills
are clearly eroding. Also, he's a very selfish player that puts his stats
above the good of the team. Larry Bowa said this week that Abreu and Ed
Wade agreed to have him try out leadoff for a week one time and they went
5-2. Bowa asked Abreu to continue and he said he wouldn't because of the
agreement with Wade. If that doesn't show you he's a me-player then I don't
know what does. He's no good for the team and tries to walk in clutch situations.
Here the team needs a leadoff hitter and he refuses to do so. And, Fitzpatrick
says he's a nice, laid-back guy. Who cares if he's a nice guy? I could care
less what a player does in their private time or if they are a cold-hearted
jerk, as long as they display a winning attitude and give it their all.
Let's be honest here Mr. Fitzpatrick, it's not the fault of the fans for
the lackluster play of this team. It's not the fault of the fans for a piss-poor
starting pitching rotation, with a back-end that is predicated on bargain
basement buys and relying upon minor league call-ups when pitchers drop
like flies. It's not the fault of the fans for David Montgomery being the
penny-pinching carpetbagger he is. Why should the fans refrain from booing
when they witness the slop they have seen lately? Should they be grateful
for 23 years of total futility under this ownership? This article was dead
wrong and is another example of the media laying the blame on the fans rather
than at the feet of David Montgomery. And, I'm sick and tired of the media
in this area not targeting the heart of the problem; David Montgomery, who
runs this team like a small business.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
It's a pretty busy news day. The U.S. Soccer team has been ousted from the World Cup after losing to Ghana. Larry Brown was fired and replaced by Isiah Thomas. Ozzie Guillen was suspended for one game for having his pitcher hit a batter AGAIN-this time yesterday. And, Ozzie Guillen was fined an undisclosed amount of money and ordered to go to sensitivity classes following his disparaging remarks about Chicago Sun Times columnist Jay Mariotti. When it rains it most certainly pours as it did on this busy news day.
First things first, it was a very disappointing exit for the U.S. soccer
team which came into the Cup with a number 5 world ranking from FIFA. Had
the U.S. Ghana 2-1 ousted them and it hurts even more knowing that had they
scored one more goal they'd be in the second round, since Italy knocked
off the Czech Republic. Regardless, Ghana dealt a huge blow to U.S. soccer
with there victory. There is lackluster interest in the World Cup because
it's just not catching on with the majority of Americans. However, had the
U.S. advanced this would have become a really good story. If there's one
thing that Americans love it's stories and drama, and to see the U.S. competing
on the world stage in a sport they do not dominate in could possibly be
enough to make soccer the fifth sport. Now, it's back to the drawing board
for Americans as they go home devastated and Ghana becomes that Cinderella
in the World Cup. My main complaint with the World Cup is that you can never
see the games. Most of us are at work when these games are on. Of course
there is a 6 hour time difference in Germany, but if these games were put
on prime time during the week that would go a long ways to attracting American
viewers. I know the world doesn't revolve around us, but don't be surprised
as to why there is little interest when the average person can't see the
games live.
When I first heard of the news of Larry Brown's firing I was disgusted.
We all know that Stephon Marbury and Steve "Franchise Killer"
Francis organized a mutiny here. And, of course Isiah Thomas acquiesced
them and had Larry Brown axed. I thought this was one of the great travesties
in the history of sports. But, then I got to thinking...Larry is free. He's
free from this amalgamation of me-players, piss-poor defenders, and miscreants.
And, he'll be much richer once David Stern decides on what he should be
awarded...hopefully the $40 million they owe him, after all they agreed
to the contract. There is just no way that Brown would succeed in this situation,
this atrocity, and this utter abomination. Added to that, Isiah Thomas will
now cut his own throat once he wins about 60 aggregate games over the season
and a half before his demise. I predict he won't even win 60 games before
he's fired in his second season as coach. Then, the Knicks can hire a sound
basketball person to rebuild this franchise and bring them back from the
dead. Let's face it; the NBA needs the Knicks to be one of the elite teams.
Sixers fans should want the Knicks to be good. They are a great rivalry
and right now, they are light years away from that. With Thomas' promotion
of himself to coach he has begun the rebuilding process in effect, because
this marks the beginning of the end for him. And, this is a good thing for
the NBA, basketball fans, and the Knicks fans and customers.
Ozzie Guillen was suspended for a game for his latest transgression, this
time ordering his pitcher David Riske to hit a batter on the Cardinals.
I love Guilllen as a coach. He's firey. He's honest. He has his players
play the right way unlike a certain bumbling manager they call "Charlie
of Mayberry" or "Elmer Befuddled", but he is clearly out
of control. He was also fined an undisclosed amount of money and forced
to go to sensitivity classes. Now, the classes are a joke. What they need
to do here is make a concerted effort to get Guillen under control; sensitivity
classes just sound so condescending. I can't imagine that he (or most people)
would take them seriously. He is a very talented manager and is good for
the game, but clearly he has been acting more and more angry as the season
has gone on. For the sake of this man and the game MLB needs to get to the
root of his issues and nip it in the bud, because he's too damn talented
of a manager to just allow him to throw his managerial career down the drain.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
The cat is out of the bag. Billy King has made it public that he is looking to move up in the draft. With the draft just a week away there are many possibilities. The Sixers could be looking to move up into the top 10 just to draft Randy Foye. They probably wouldn't have to give up a whole lot to move up 4 spots, perhaps a second round pick and a player like John Salmons. They are said to be high on Randy Foye and it stands to reason he won't be there at 13. Now, the Sixers could be discussing a trade for Iverson and getting a high pick in return. In all likelihood that team would be Atlanta. They are a team that isn't in the mode to win now; no team in their right mind would take on Iverson if they were trying to win now or were building a nucleus with younger players. Thus, Chicago and Charlotte are out of the question. Things could get interesting if they do swap with the Hawks. The Raptors are said to be shopping their top pick to possibly move out of the draft this year. Even if they stay pat the odds are Brian Colangelo will take European big man Andrea Bargnani, the Bulls would take Tyrus Thomas at number two, Brandon Roy will go to the Bobcats, then Adam Morrison will go the Trailblazers. Again, these aren't stone cold locks, but are the likely picks for these teams based on needs and in Morrison's case, a local draw that played in the Northwest. The Sixers would then be able to draft LeMarcus Aldridge. He is just what the doctor ordered, a 6-10 power forward from a big time program that is in my opinion the best player in the draft. He's also NBA ready. It would behoove the Sixers to trade Iverson for fewer years in contracts and get the fifth pick from Atlanta. They can start their reclamation project around Aldridge. It all starts in the middle and the Sixers need some of Aldridge's caliber in the worst way.
I'm starting to get the feeling that Ozzie Guillen is losing his mind. He
seems to be a really hostile guy and gets more and more off the chain as
each week passes. Last week he was flipping out on rookie pitcher Sean Tracey
for obviously not throwing at Hank Blalock in retaliation for A.J. Pierzynski
getting hit by two pitches in the game. After the game Tracey was sent down
to the minors. Today Guillen responded to Jay Mariotti's article about the
incident by saying "what a piece of [expletive] he is, [expletive]
fag." Wow. Ozzie calm down a little bit, Mariotti was merely doing
his job and critcizing you for your move and rightly so. He wasn't making
any personal attacks, but was bringing up a good point in his article and
the same point I'm bringing up here-Is Ozzie Guillen losing his mind? The
guy comes off as a raving lunatic at times and when you order a pitcher
to hit somebody and when they don't, punish him, it's completely classless
and insane. Word is there are players on the White Sox that are tiring of
Guillen's rants. It's one thing to be a fiery manager like Lou Pinella to
inspire the players. It's another thing to be a raving lunatic who loses
control, which what Guillen seems to be dong this year. This episode today
proves that Guillen is out of control and the commissioner’s office
had better nip this in the bud before Guillen takes things further. The
last thing baseball needs is another PR nightmare.
Today Michael Strahan's soon-to-be ex-wife Jean did him dirty. She claimed
that Strahan has been having an alternative affair with his friend, TV doctor
Ian Smith. Of course this is patently absurd and she is merely in attack
mode for one reason, money! She allegedly agreed to a $6 million prenuptial,
but claims she's owed $14 million. Rather than abiding by a written contract
Jean Strahan chose to go the low rent route here. I heard Ian Smith on the
Opie and Anthony show today discussing Strahan and his wife. It was something
you'd see in the movies, she worked at a perfume store and Strahan started
going in there to buy facial cream just to keep seeing her. Eventually he
got up the nerve to ask her out and the rest was history. It's so sad that
it has to end like this. The bottom line here is she signed a contract and
must live with it, as if $6 million is something to cry about. Too often
men are afraid to get married nowadays because of the divorce element. I'll
admit I'm one of them because of hearing horror stories like this and Paul
McCartney's divorce, which will cost him $330 million for just 4 years of
marriage. And, she did exactly what to earn that? Less and less people are
getting married because of the rate of divorces and people now get married
at a later age. Love just isn't what it used to be. Sadly in many cases
it's become a business.
The Phillies once again proved why they are a .500 team. Brett Myers performed like an ace the other night by stopping a losing skid. Then, they went back to their primitive ways. Arthur Rhodes got annhilated by a Yankees team he's historically bad against, as he's yielded a run per inning on average in his lifetime against them. Bobby Abreu struck out looking in a clutch situation. And, they once again looked like a team in disarray. Pat Gillick should probably look to be a seller come the trade deadline, because this team has more leaks than a roof inflicted by a hurricane. He should look to trade Bobby A-baby to the Yankees for their pitching prospect Phillip Hughes and maybe outfielder Melky Cabrera. Forget about getting a top-notch pitcher. The Yankees would be their best option as they wouldn't mind taking on the contract. And, the Phillies wouldn't mind having a top shelf pitching prospect either.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
The Phillies won 4-2 surprisingly without two of their best hitters last night and in one of their worst stretches of baseball in recent memory. Brett Myers was money in this game, pitching 6 2/3 innings and yielding only 6 hits, 2 runs, and striking out a season-high 11. He gave up 6 walks, but it was very encouraging to see him out pitch Randy Johnson. This was arguably the Phillies' best effort in weeks and they did it without Abreu or Howard (Howard was nursing a sore wrist and hasn't had off in over a month). Abreu jokingly said, "It's not a bad day to get off. Let's be honest about this guy. I don't mind getting today off." Does Abreu expect any of us to believe that Manuel gave him the night off? This is vintage Abreu, bailing against adversity, and in this case a 6-10 intimidating left-handed pitcher. At any rate, it was a win for the Phillies. They played solid defense, had great pitching, and no hiccups from the bullpen. Hopefully this can be the start of something positive. They had better mount some sort of run soon if they expect to even contend for a wild card spot.
The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers in game 7 of the Stanley
Cup last night 3-1. And, of course everybody outside of Edmonton or Carolina
could care less. Sure, there are some stalwart hockey fans here and there,
but the playoffs went by completely un-noticed. It's an axiom that hockey
will never compete with the three major sports. However, this is simply
pathetic. Nobody knows when the playoffs are going on. I think it's time
for the powers to be in the NHL to start hiring some marketing experts from
the elite corporations to figure out a way to at least put hockey on the
map. It will never rival the three majors, but it's an abomination for the
4th major sport to have its playoffs go by completely unnoticed. NHL teams
only get 3 percent of their revenues from TV. Regardless, the old school
NHL is back and it's a travesty for the higher-ups to allow this lackluster
interest to go on. Carolina epitomizes the new high-octane NHL with speed
on defense. And, the Oilers went on a playoff run that you would never see
in other sports; an 8th seed went to a game 7 in the Cup. The playoffs proved
that hockey is a product that is worth watching. For the powers to be to
sleep on this would be an atrocity.
It's game 6 of the slugfest between the Mavericks and Heat and this one
is turning into a war. Mark Cuban was fined $250,000 for his latest outbursts
in which he apparently yelled to David Stern and other league officials
"bleep you, you're game is rigged" while they were sitting in
the stands. Not that the $250,000 particularly hurts Cuban, but this wasn't
a smart thing to say. I'm the biggest Mark Cuban supporter. I think the
guy represents everything that is great about our fine country. But, for
him to make these remarks will rub the refs the wrong way. I'm sure the
refs will have this in the back of their minds. Not a good move Mark. It's
ok to criticize calls and lambast the officials when warranted, but when
you make statements like this you're putting your team in a bad position.
And, with the way this series is going, they'll need those crucial calls
to go their way when it's down to 10 seconds left. Game 6 tips off tonight
at 9:00. I said this series would go 7 games, so I'm going with the Mavs
tonight in another slugfest. Look for Nowitzki to take over and have his
best game of the series.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
I'll lead off today with my daily Phillies rant. Bobby "A-baby" Abreu is once again proving how spineless he is. Charlie Manuel is sitting down Abreu and Ryan Howard tonight against Randy Johnson. Now, Howard is understandable since he could use a day off and sometimes struggles against left-handers. Not to mention, he's still a youngster. Abreu on the other hand has no excuse for sitting down tonight. None. He is a veteran on this team and is making, I mean stealing $14 million dollars from the team. This proves that he wants no part of that 100 mph fastball. Sure Johnson isn't the Johnson of 2001, but he's still a very intimidating pitcher. Bobby A-baby is obviously terrified of him. Earlier today I heard something refreshing from the Phillies organization from the God of Philadelphia managers; Dallas Green. He was very candid in his interview with Howard Eskin and said something very interesting. He said that even during their winning streak the team wasn't playing fundamental baseball and they haven't all year, and it's even worse at this point. He all but indicted Manuel for this lackluster play, but it's clear he's not happy with piss-poor effort these players are putting out. He also said he wouldn't take over and manage in the middle of the season when asked if he would consider taking over either during the season or next year. Take note that he didn't say he wouldn't manage next year if asked to do so.
What else is there to say about Dwyane Wade's performance in the NBA Finals? He has been electrifying, dominant, elusive, and incredible in this series. When he goes, the Heat go. It's easily the most dominant performance in the NBA Finals since that guy named Shaq lit up the 76ers in the 2001 Finals-sorry I had to remind everybody about it. The Mavericks gave this game away, and the refs certainly didn't help. However, Wade did what all great players do in moments like this; he seized the opportunities handed to him. Miami turned into the aggressor on their home court and the Mavs head back to Dallas reeling, with their backs against the wall. I'm even surprised by this series as Nowitzki has been held in check for the most part, while Wade has baffled the defensive stalwarts on Dallas. It seems as though they were prepared to defend Shaq, but nobody on their team can match up with Wade. With all due respect to everybody in the NBA, nobody can match up with Wade one on one-nobody. #3 may have Heat written on his jersey, but he's got ice water in his veins and is as cold blooded as they come. Welcome to greatness Mr. Wade.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
This Father's Day was a little different from recent years. Typically my family would get together and head out for dinner and treat Dad to whatever he wanted. Unfortunately, my father has been in the hospital for the past few weeks battling cancer, so things are much different. Thankfully, he's getting better and progressing by each day, but it's still very difficult. This day certainly took on a more profound meaning than other years. Not only do I feel thankful for every day I spend with my father, but I feel thankful for being the person I am today in large part to him. Without him I wouldn't have the work ethic I have, or the compassion I have for people, or the enthusiasm for Philadelphia sports! I learned it all from him. While spending time with him today we were watching the U.S. Open after seeing the Phillies had finally won over the Devil Rays, whom they made look like world-beaters.
It certainly did not disappoint, as it was one of the more interesting U.S.Opens
in recent years. Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, and Colin Montgomerie were
in a battle for the final two days. The match came down to the final hole
when Montgomerie and Harrington imploded on the final hole. Ogilvy made
it through relatively unscathed with a +5. And, then "lefty" sat
at +4 and teed off. The ball sailed left into the rough and things got interesting.
Mickelson decided to again challenge the rough and the ball stayed along
the same stretch of rough. He decided to risk it by hitting over the trees
rather than going for the safe par. The ball went in the trap and that was
pretty much the match right there. He hit the ball over the green and had
one chip for a bogie. He missed and the rest was history. Mickelson was
shocked; he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. This could have all been avoided
had he went the safe route and went for a bogie or par. Instead he tried
to go out in a blaze of glory. I can't fault him for taking a gamble. However,
it didn't work so he'll live with this one forever. Just think, he could
have challenged Tiger Woods' "Tiger Slam" or even better had a
Grand Slam in one year. Sure, he had 3 majors to his credit, including 2
in a row, but this will go down as one of the biggest meltdowns in sports
in recent memory.
As I said earlier my father and I watched a little of the Phillies game
then focused on the Open after we saw they won 8-5. And, we should care
because? I thought so. After losing 8 out of 10 games, the Phillies finally
got a win over the likes of Seth McClung. This is a series that the Phillies
had no excuse to not win. I can understand losing to Scott Kazmir, as he's
the next big thing. I also highly recommend getting him on your fantasy
team if you can! At any rate, the Phillies got off the schnide hopefully,
but with any win we must be wary. Will they put together 5 wins in a row,
then go on to lose 6 in a row? It's certainly expected until they move either
Bobby Abreu or Pat Burrell for another leader like Aaron Rowand and a front-line
pitcher. By, front-line pitcher I don't necessarily mean a Carlos Zambrano
or Johan Santana; someone like Livian Hernandez would be great for this
team. The Nationals could possibly move someone like that to them if they
decided to grow some cahonies and pay half of Abreu's salary. Again, we're
talking about a team ultimately run by Dave Montgomery here, so the chances
of that actually happening are slim. You'd have a better chance of snow
in July.
Lastly, I'd like to give a special thanks to my Dad for everything on this special Father's Day. That's the least I could do. I can't wait for him to get out of the hospital, and I'm sure he can't either.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
The U.S. soccer team is still alive today after a brutal game, which featured American Brian McBride being elbowed, three ejections, and a game-winning goal by the U.S. overturned on an offsides penalty. They tied the Italian team 1-1 despite being down at a man disadvantage for almost the entire second half. This was a huge step for the team after their embarrassing 3-0 defeat in their first game to the Czech Republic. Now, they have to root for Italy to win against the Czechs. A tie would suffice too, but the U.S. would have to beat Ghana by several goals. The bottom line is they must win on Thursday. For this team to show this level of moxie when everything went against them was a quantum leap for American soccer. The U.S. was previously winless on European soil with no ties in World Cup action. There were three red cards issued in this match, one on Italy for Daniele De Rossi's elbow on Brian McBride. American midfielder Pablo Mastroeni was ejected a little later for a sliding takedown against Andrew Pirlo when he cleated the midfielder's ankle. The U.S. became short-handed when Eddie Pope was ejected for sliding into Alberto Gilardino. The U.S. had a game-winning goal in the 70th minute when second-half sub DeMarcus Beasley scored, but it was overturned when the ref called McBride for being off sides. This came just moments after it was noted that no team has ever scored in a World Cup while having 9 men on the field. The U.S. came close, but the refs stood in their way. Now, they face Ghana on Thursday.
Well, it's another day and another Phillies loss. They were embarrassed
again, this by the upstart Tampa Bay Devil Rays 10-4. Cole Hamels was throttled,
allowing 6 runs (5 earned) in just 3 2/3 innings. It was a matter of time
for the young stud pitcher to get his first taste of a real beating. The
Phillies once again were inept in pretty much every way possible. Their
starting pitching failed, the bullpen failed, and the offense didn't step
up. And, it looks like everyone but Ryan Howard (homer in the 7th to cut
the deficit to 7-4) and Jimmy Rollins (2-run double) gave up after Hamels'
early exit. It's expected that a young pitcher will have a bad game, but
it's no excuse for 6 out of the 8 batters to lie down like dogs. The Phillies
face Scott Kazmir tonight and I'd be shocked if they win this one. They
are starting Scott Mathieson, who was just recalled from Reading. This has
the makings of another bad loss for the blundering Phillies.
Lastly, I'd like to say kudos to the NBA for suspending Jerry Stackhouse
for his dirty foul on Shaquille O'Neal. For some reason people are really
fretting over this on the radio. When fouls like this or other shenanigans
occur in the playoffs the player is usually suspended for a game. It happened
with Ron Artest in the first round against the Spurs, Raja Bell for retaliating
against Kobe Bryant mugging him the entire game, Jason Terry for punching
Michael Finley in the crotch, and now this. Had this occurred during the
season there wouldn't be a suspension, but the stakes are much higher. What
would the reaction be had Shaq been seriously injured over this and nothing
happened? Stackhouse intended on injuring Shaq and should have been suspended
even if this foul occurred during the regular season. This type of garbage
should not be tolerated in the regular season or the playoffs. And, kudos
to Shaq for heeding Wade's advice to stay away from Stackhouse after the
foul. That play could have changed the entire series in more than one way,
and Shaq didn't get sucked into Stackhouse's low rent behavior. They face
off tomorrow night in a pivotal game 5. Look for Dallas to bounce back so
they can try and rap things up at home comfortably without having their
backs against the wall. This series will still go 7 games I say. But, Dallas
will take game 5.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
The fallout is still continuing following the Phillies' latest disaster against the Mets. They are 9 1/2 games behind the Mets and it would take a miracle for this team to overcome that deficit. Yes, there are 3 1/2 months of baseball left. Yes, there could be injuries to key Mets players. But, let's be serious here; does anyone think for a second this Phillies team would pounce on the opportunity and take the division? They are a dysfunctional team as currently constructed and couldn't win a playoff series by accident. Last year in a horrendous National League ripe for the taking, the Astros swept the Phillies. And, we could go on and on about their collapses to the Braves and Marlins in years past. Charlie Manuel definitely deserves blame for this fiasco, but not all of the blame. Pat Gillick's signings of Abe Nunez, Ryan Franklin, and Alex Gonzalez (the low rent one) were horrible. And, the Jason Michaels trade for Arthur Rhodes is an equally bad move. The Thome trade was great, but he gets a D so far for his performance. He is ham strung though because a carpetbagger named David Montgomery is above him who ultimately is holding the Phillies fans hostage. Montgomery needs to open up the wallet a little bit and allow Gillick the freedom any successful GM needs to rebuild a team. The Thome trade was a good step in that they ate half of his contract. It stands to reason that teams are reluctant to take on Abreu or Burrell's salaries. Monty needs to let Mr. Gillick eat half that money if he has to, in order to jettison both of them. Otherwise, this team will be a mouse running in a cage year after year.
Last night Dwyane Wade again proved why he's arguably the 2nd best player
in basketball behind that guy named Kobe that we just love to hate. The
Heat absolutely dominated the Mavericks last night 98-74 and tied the series
up 2-2 behind Wade's 36 and Shaq's 17 and 13. It was the Wade Show again.
He seems like a man amongst boys out there at all but 6-4. I hate to use
Jordan comparisons, so I'll just say that Wade is an electrifying athlete
who performs in the clutch about as well as any player we've seen in the
past decade. He single-handedly led Marquette to the Final Four in 2002.
And, he has brought the Heat franchise back from the brink of oblivion.
Without him they would never have been able to acquire Shaq. Shaq would've
never considered going to that team in the state they were. Miami should
rename a street right now after Wade. Now, he has brought the Heat back
from the brink of oblivion again when down by 12 points with 6 minutes to
go in game 3. This series has the makings of another 7-game thriller and
you can be sure Wade will love every minute of it. Whether he's banged up
or has the flu he seems to get better when the game is on the line. That's
the difference between a player like Steve Francis or Stephon Marbury or
a Dwyane Wade. He has the electrifying talent, is a team player, is a good
person, and is money when it counts. You almost have to feel for the Knicks'
fans for having two franchise killers in their backcourt. Steve Francis
used to be called "The Franchise" I call him "The Franchise
Killer", like many players with his attitude. I call Dwyane Wade "The
Franchise Savior."
Well, I guess I better pay up that $5 I bet on Tiger Woods not shooting
6 over par today. Too bad nobody bet against me. You'd be $5 richer today.
There's no doubt that he would struggle in this U.S. Open, due to the fact
that he's sat out of action since the Masters following his father's death-9
weeks for those of you counting. What totally came as a shock was his final
score of 12 over and a trip home after 2 days. This was the first cut he
missed in a major and just the second cut he missed in any tournament in
his career. The other one came earlier this year in the Byron Nelson Classic.
It's certainly a terrible thing to lose a father to cancer. However, Woods
had 9 weeks to get ready for this tournament and should've at least prepared
for a few weeks. Or, it's possible "he just didn't want to play"
as he was quoted as saying in regards to his layoff. When asked after the
match about it he said he played pretty well, but things didn't go his way.
That would be an understatement of understatements. It's clear he wasn't
prepared for likes of Winged Foot, arguably one of the more brutal U.S.
Open courses in recent memory.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
Yes, you read that quote right. Charlie Manuel is flustrated, not frustrated with an "r", but flustrated with an "l." I guess when you butcher the English language like cannibals in the Congo butcher their enemies it's no shock that this team is an utter trainwreck. I'm tired of people giving Manuel a pass. Larry Bowa would not be making bone-headed decisions at the alarming rate Manuel is. Larry Bowa wouldn't allow Jimmy Rollins to steal 2nd base in the 8th inning of a loss the other night when down by 2 runs. Larry Bowa wouldn't have the players seemingly losing interest in a critical series at HOME. And, Larry Bowa would be able to articulate his thoughts in a press conference. Ok, call me mean spirited for saying that, but it's not fair to Charlie Manuel to put him in that position where he has to address the media day after day. He clearly isn't comfortable. I'm sure he's not a stupid person. However, he's not a good speaker and you need a manger to not only mange (which he clearly can't do as evidenced by the last season and 1/3) but to also address the media. What else can you say about this team other than it's a complete embarrassment. Bobby Abreu epitomizes this slop. There was a fly ball today and Scott Graham was ready to say Abreu caught it then he said it hit the wall. It's obvious that he didn't want to hit the wall. God forbid you might have some physical contact in a game Bobby. I will say it loud and clear; Abreu is gutless. He's more gutless than a disemboweled murder victim. I would hope they expedite the process and trade Abreu immediately. Get a #2 starter for him and eat 1/2 his contract. That's about the best you'll get for him. Teams are privy to his lackadaisical and gutless play. He's a clubhouse cancer and his attitude is rubbing off on other players. Get him the hell out of here immediately. It's fairly obvious that Charlie Manuel should be fired immediately. The next move after that would be to hire Lou Pinella. He's a fierce competitor and would have this team playing; better believe it. They play like a bunch of bush leaguers and it's sickening. This debacle (to the Mets) is a broken record. Every year the team cowers under pressure and enough is enough. If Dave Montgomery has any guts or any ounce of baseball knowledge he'll allow Gillick to trade Abreu for whatever it takes immediately, fire Charlie Manuel, and hire Lou Pinella. We've seen enough of this team to realize it isn't going to work. It's broken, now it's time to fix the train wreck. If Montgomery inhibits Gillick any longer, then it's time for the other owners of this team to force Montgomery out.
Today Ben Roethlisberger took a good step forward by apologizing to his team, fans, and his family for this incident. However, he said he'll continue to ride a bike, but with a helmet. I think Roethlisberger should go all of the way and say he'll curb his bike-riding until his football career is finished. When you get into a horrific accident like that and escape death, it would make sense to give it up until your playing career is over. To even consider riding is selfish and not fair to your teammates, coaches, and the paying customers. I am happy that he made it out of this situation relatively unscathed, but I'm disappointed with him for not taking this all of the way. When you are a quarterback or any member of a teams, it's the responsible thing to do to treat your body as a precious commodity and do whatever it takes to ensure your safety and health. It's very foolish and selfish to do anything otherwise.
Winged Foot ate up tiger Woods today in the opening round of the U.S. Open. I must say that's it's a phenomenal name for a golf course. Woods recently took off several weeks following the death of his father, and it's no surprise that he's rusty. There's nothing better for the game of golf than for Tiger to be in until the end. He has started out slowly before and luckily for him, just a few players finished under par today in the opening round. If there's one thing we know, Tiger will probably play inspired golf because of the passing of his father. I guarantee Tiger won't shoot 6 over par tomorrow. I'm willing to put a little money on it; $5 sounds interesting doesn't it?! That's all for today.
In my closing note, I want to say again that Charlie Manuel is FLUSTRATED! Over and out.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
The story seems to be growing legs everyday. For me to ignore it any longer would be akin to ignoring the elephant sitting on the sofa in the living room. Of course, I'm talking about what will forever be known as "The Sign", yes the controversial sign at Geno's Steaks. There are certain phrases that you ultimately recognize like, "The Drive"-John Elway's game-winning 90 plus yard drive against the Cleveland Browns; or "The Collapse"-the Phillies' landmark collapse in 12 days to lose the pennant in 1964; or "The Catch"-when Dwight Clark leaped to Jupiter to catch the pass from Montana, or "The Nip Slip"-when Janet Jackson's nipple was exposed for .0003 seconds and caused hell fire and brimstone. Yes, "The Sign" is gaining more momentum that a Japanese Bullet Train. Some people feel Vento is racist for putting this sign out there. Some feel it's a terrible business decision, as it will turn away customers. Some hail him as a red-blooded American. And, I personally hail him as a marketing genius. I personally don't agree with placing the sign up because let's get real here, people who go there are ordering cheese steaks. So, if somebody speaking French points to the menu you know what they want; end of story. Get over it. You can't turn away people at the door for not speaking English. However, I think Vento is a marketing genius. Wonder why? People are going to his store in droves since this sign was put up. He's the topic of radio and TV shows and is constantly being mentioned on blogs. The word of "The Sign" is spreading like wild fire. Is Vento in the wrong for putting "The Sign" up? It's his business so he's free to do what he wants. I think it's a little low rent if you ask me, but nevertheless, it's a brilliant marketing strategy whether intentional or not! The old adage goes, there's no such thing as bad publicity.
The Phillies suffered another meltdown last night in a big game. They had 3 errors in one inning and came apart faster than a stripper's clothing. It was ugly. After they blew it on another bases-loaded situation, Madson gave up a homer to David Wright on the first pitch in the sixth. Then, he gave up a double Jose Valentin, and Endy Chavez reached on an error by Ryan Howard. Lastings Milledge got plunked and then Brian Sanches replaced Madson to retire Julio Franco. Then, the Bad News Bears were in full effect when Utley tried to double up Milledge, but Ryan Howard wasn't near the bag. Things like this are simply inexcusable. I've been hard enough on Charlie of Mayberry, but his players clearly aren't focused. For Ryan Howard to make two errors in a crucial inning in a crucial game is appalling. That's on the coach. For him to put in the likes of Brian Sanches is terrible. It's to the point where watching this team is interesting simply to see the latest train wreck. It's pretty sad when you watch the team and expect to see something new, only it's not something positive; you expect to see this team blunder in a way you've never seen before. Part of the beauty of sports is hopefully seeing something great that you've never seen before. This team is the antithesis of that right now.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
The Ben Roethlisberger saga took an interesting turn today when it was learned that he may not have had a license to operate a motorcycle. He had a learner's permit, but it expired on March 29, and he had never taken any written or driving tests for a motorcycle license. Let's forget for a second about him being a quarterback. For a person who is an integral part of their company to ride a motorcyle without a helmet is bad. But, to do that without a license is just foolish. Big Ben has plenty of growing up to do, and hopefully he will after this fiasco. He not only jeopardized his team's season, but his life. The word is he was traveling at a high rate of speed while doing so. It may look "cool" to ride without a helmet, but it doesn't look cool when you ride without a license and jeopardize the success of your company over something so stupid-in this case the Steelers' season. And, it's even more uncool when you jeopardize your life in such a fashion.
Shawn Andrews was inked to a 7-year extension yesterday by the Eagles, which
will pay him roughly $12 million in his first season. And, this was a great
move by the team. For one, Andrews has lost 25 pounds already and is committed
to staying healthy. Two, they lock him up for a long-term deal for a lot
lesser than he would command as a free agent once he goes to multiple Pro
Bowls (see Steve Hutchinson's contract). Three, he has the skills to be
the next Larry Allen. He's that good. While watching this kid at camp as
a rookie in 2004 he was poised, never got dominated, and it was clear he
wasn't going to be pushed around in this league. He had a certain swagger
about him. Now, that's fine and good, but how did he produce in games? He
missed the first season essentially (sans the first half against the Giants
in the first game) in his "rookie" season. Last season he played
extremely well during a difficult season. He was one of the lone highlights
on the team and earned a Pro Bowl berth in essentially his rookie season.
The knock on him has always been his weight. Many critics have said he'll
eat his way out of the league. Following the death of a close friend (with
a weight problem) to a heart attack at the age of 25, Andrews decided enough
was enough. He realized it wasn't just about a career; it was about living
a quality life. Now, Andrews will have that and be a dominant lineman for
the Eagles for a very long time. Get used to him people, this kid is damn
good, and will help solidify this line for a very long time.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
As you have probably heard (unless you live in a cave) Ben Roethlisberger was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash today. The crash occured just a few hours after he had an interview on The Morning Show with Angelo Cataldi on 610 WIP. ESPN reports that Roethlisberger has suffered a multitude of injuries ranging from a 6 inch laceration on the back of his head, to a broken jaw, to undisclosed knee injuries. It was only a matter of time before the brilliant no-helmet law would come under scrutiny and it seems the time is now. Forget about him being a football player, but for any person to ride a motorcycle without a helmet is just not smart. Sure, the argument is that the weight of the helmet can cause a rider to snap their neck during a collision. However, the chances of that happening pale in comparison to the litany of head injuries one can receive while hitting the road, or the windshield of another car like Roethlisberger did. For Rendell to give riders a choice is not good and hopefully this high-profile accident will cause the law (requiring riders to wear helmets) to be put back into effect. They say the broken jaw will take 7 weeks to heal and will severely alter the course of the Steelers' season since Roethlisberger will lose a lot of weight from not eating. Added to that, his conditioning will take a hit. Some say he won't even play this year. For Roethlisberger, he's very fortunate to be alive. Here's some food for thought; just imagine how much Rendell would be getting lambasted right now if McNabb were in a motorcycle accident. The Philadelphia region would be calling for his head.
The United States was annhilated by the Czech Republic today in an embarrassing
defeat 3-0. After being defeated in the most lopsided loss in the cup so
far, it's pretty clear where the U.S. stands in respect to the rest of the
world. The numbers don't lie. The U.S. is 3-10-1 on European soil in 14
World Cup matches. They've lost all 8 of their matches to their European
counterparts by a 23-4 margin. And, to add insult to injury just one team
has advanced aftter losing its first match since 2002; Turkey. For all the
hype this team received it's clear they aren't close to hanging with the
big boys on the big stage. Sure, the Czech Republic is the second ranked
soccer country in the world. However, it's no excuse to just come out flat
and get decimated in an opening round match. A 1-0 defeat would have been
a moral victory. In the U.S.'s case such a thing exists in soccer, and especially
to a team like the Czechs. However, this was a clear indication that they
are light years away from challenging the world.
Major League Baseball has suspended Jason Grimsley 50 games today for his
violation of the baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program
policy. Big surprise. However, the funny thing is, who expects him to get
a job after it's over? Grimsley is a pariah and no club would dare go near
him. You'd see Le Bec-Fin hire Jeffrey Dahmer as the head chef before you'd
see a club touching Grimsley. Apparently he wants to get the Diamondbacks
to pay him while he's suspended. I happen to feel that he's in the right
here. The Diamondbacks were complicit in this and kicked him to the curb
once the news broke. Baseball teams, owners, the players association, Bud
Selig, Donad Fehr, along with the players are all accomplices in this sordid
affair. They all knew what was going on. Grimsley should be placed back
on the team's roster and paid while he's suspended. Whatever they do with
him after that is up to them. They enabled him; it's their problem. They
should foot the bill.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
Well, well, well. I was right on my assessment that Bernard Hopkins would win. However, I never expected it to be done in the dominating fashion that it was. I'm impressed. Hopkins took a huge risk by moving up 2 weight classes to the light-heavyweight level to take on Tarver. This was certainly an uphill battle for the 41-year old future Hall of Fame fighter. Hopkins cruised through this bout with razar sharp precision 118-109. He said this would be his last fight however when asked if he would fight again for $20 million he said that might be enough to get him to do it. If there's anything we know about Hopkins it's that when he says he'll do something, and in this case defeating Tarver we can be fairly certain he'll do it. He has set him self up for a big money fight by winning this bout. We shall see.
There's a guy I know who jokingly says, "I'm done with them man" after a Phillies loss. Then he'll say, "I'm back man" after they come up with a victory. I don't think that's far off from many people's emotions in regards to this team these days. They are a day-to-day team, because you don't know what team will show up. Such is the M.O. of a .500 ball club. Today they were blanked 6-0 by the likes of Shawn Hill who got his first victory in nearly two years. Cole Hamels had 8 K's and just 2 walks in 5 innings, but allowed 4 runs en route to his first career loss. The only Phillies hitter to have any success against Hill was Ryan Howard, who had 2 hits. Bobby Abreu recorded the Phillies' only other hit. This is what the Phillies do which drives the Philadelphia region crazy; they simply cannot hit as a team against middle of the road pitchers. It's one thing to get 3 hit by Carlos Zambrano, but to lay down like a bunch of dying dogs against a pitcher who hasn't won in 2 years is abominable.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
World Cup action is in its second day and there were some great games today. I must say I didn't personally have much interest in seeing the World Cup, but I will give it a shot. I have always been willing to learn about other cultures and the World Cup is the epitome of that; it's an amalgamation of all of the global cultures coming together for the biggest sport in the world. I am willing to watch it once every 4 years! With that said, I still don't see soccer taking the reigns from hockey as the 4th sport unless it's bastardized in an American form (see yesterday's news for my explanation). At any rate, the game of the day was Argentina and Ivory Coast, which saw the Argentinean squad barely hang on for a 2-1 victory. They were down 2-0 at the break and fought to get back 2-1 with a late-Didier Drogba goal and the Argentina team hung on to the end for the slim win. By all accounts the Ivory Coast team played a hard fought game and has gained major respect in a sport dominated by South Americans and Europeans. They probably won't be a Cinderella team, as it will take a lot for them to make the final 16, but they are easily the surprise of the Cup so far. And, in a stunning game Trinadad and Tobago tied Sweden. Who could see this one coming? Could T & T be soccer's answer to George Mason in the NCAA Tournament? We shall see.
The Phillies beat those pesky Nationals today 6-2 behind big games from
Jimmy Rollins and Burrell's two-run homer in the eighth to spark a rally,
thus sealing the deal. This was a must win after they overcame a bad night
by Brett Myers to lose in 12 innings. This is what this team is and has
chronically been for the past 5 seasons. They'll win 9 in a row, lose 7
out of 9, win 5 out of 7 on the road, including a sweep of a good Diamondbacks
team, and then lose 2 in a row to a team like the Nats. The Phillies are
baseball's answer to the hot babe in the bathroom scene in a horror movie.
We know what will happen when she goes in there. When the Phillies have
a winning streak, including wins against a good team, they'll expectedly
lose to that unexpected team. Make sense?
Finally, Bernard Hopkins is set to fight Antonio Tarver tonight. All signs
point to a defeat for the aging fighter from Philly. But, not so fast. While
listening to WIP today, John Marzano brought up an excellent point. Whenever
Hopkins says something he believes in it. Just like when he told that prison
warden way back in the day, that he'll never be back, he has guaranteed
a victory tonight. Still not convinced? How about the fact that Hopkins
is a tenacious trainer? He prepares as hard for a fight as any boxer in
the history of the sport. Sure, Hopkins has jumped up two weight classes
and because of his age it's going to be much harder to pull off, but he's
trained at this weight for several weeks now. And, throw in the fact that
he has never been knocked out. If he takes Tarver deep into the bout he
will stand a chance at pulling off the upset. My prediction is that Hopkins
will win by a razor slim margin in a decision.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
Today former Yankee Jim Leyritz admitted to taking amphetamines in an inteview on XM Satellite Radio. He spoke of a time when he was hung over after a night of drinking and was sleeping by his locker when Don Mattingly told him he was in the lineup that day, since Donnie Baseball was out that day with a hurt back. Thus, Leyritz didn't know what to do and a teammate gave him the "little helpers" as they called them. Hmmm, they must have been Rolling Stones fans then! Leyritz went on to go 3-for-5 with 2 homers and 4 RBI that day and I'm sure he played "Mother's Little Helper" in the car on the way home from the game that day. In all seriousness, this is sadly another case of a player coming forward and speaking of the prevalence of performance enhancing drugs in baseball. It makes one wonder just how many games in which a player had a "heroic" performance by playing injured was it for real? Was Kirk Gibson's gut wrenching World Series homerun a fraud? We simply don't know. And, that's sad that heroic performances have to be called into question now because baseball dropped the ball for nearly two decades.
Today Eric Gregg was laid to rest. He was remembered for the charismatic, jocular, all-around great man that he was. It was a travesty that he lost his job and never regained it. There was nothing more he wanted to do that to return to calling the pitches behind the plate. However, he became a fixture in Philadelphia while working at Chickie's and Pete's and brought joy to a great many customers there. He was the type of person we wish all athletes would be. Sadly a great many of them don't connect with people like Eric did. He was also well known for being the commish of 610 WIP's Wing Bowl for 14 years. When the Wing Bowl rolls around this year there will be something sadly absent, a great person-a true man of the people. Eric Gregg was a one of a kind gentleman.
Today the World Cup has started and is it me or does anybody really care? Sure, the Germany game was a barn burner by soccer standards; Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2. It's just a fact that soccer doesn't interest Americans. The game is intricate, but there's not enough scoring. When you have a sport which has a plethora of 1-0 games it won't be successful as an American sport. If they bastardized it and made the field smaller, changed some rules to increase scoring then maybe there would be a shot for it to rival hockey as the fourth sport. Until then, it's got no shot. We Americans like our scoring and that's that.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
It's Day Two of HGH-Gate and the plot is thickening. Jason Grimsley was actually cooperating in an investigation with the feds since April. He was pressured into wearing a wire in order to get incriminating evidence on Barry Bonds. However, Grimsely declined and his attorney contends that he was outed after he didn't aid them in going after their specific target; Bonds. Grimsley has apparently named names of some members of the 2005 Orioles team who used amphetamines. Any wagers on Palmeiro and Sosa being amongst those who drank out of the coffee pots labeled "leaded?" This investigation is far from over, so there's no telling how many other players may be supplying their brethren. Added to that, when a player flips to save his ass, he'll name names. Then, those players will name names. It's the way it goes; the snowball effect. It's debatable about whether it's right for players to dime eachother out, but it's certain that this is necessary to hopefully restoring the game back to where it was in the Pre-Enhancement Era.
Cole Hamels returned yesterday and looked like he never had any shoulder woes, by going 5 2/3 innings and allowing just a run and only two walks. And, he got his first major league win. Could it be possible the Phillies have uncovered another top-notch pitcher from their minor league system? Brett Myers appears to be the ace this team has sorely lacked. Remember the Phillies haven't developed a pitcher to go to multiple all-star games since Chris Short in the 1960's. If Hamels stays healthy and doesn't go the way of Mark Prior on them, they may have finally gotten past this 40-year spell, by developing not just one but two top notch pitchers. So far so good.
The Mavericks and Heat are set to square off tonight and it's clear that this one has a shot at being another 7 game epic. Both teams possess outstanding big men (Nowitzki is a hybrid of course), shooters (Wade is arguably the best player in the playoffs), great defenders inside and on the perimiter, and great coaches. Sorry Nelly, but I think Avery is a natural at this. Look at his record since taking over and I must say he's got you in the coaching department. Riley and Johnson will shuffle rotations, have their guys playing at a high level each game, and with the talent across the board this one has a shot at being the greatest Finals ever. And, what a great cherry on the icing this would prove to be in a memorable NBA Playoffs.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
Baseball has another scandal on it's hands. And, they're surprised? Former Phillies pitcher Jason Grimsley had his home raided by the Feds today. And, he has claimed "boatloads of players have use HGH." I've been asking this question as to why the government didn't force baseball to test players for HGH if they were "pressuring" them to do the right thing. How can they just overlook something like HGH? Or is it because Donald Fehr (a real class act of a human being) wouldn't budge on it? If the government is as powerful as I know they are I'm sure they can crush Donald Fehr like an ant and make him capitulate. It's time for them to step up and force baseball to implement HGH testing. Apparently the HGH injections go for $10,000, which is chump change to these multi-million baseball players. What makes this so-called drug policy even more laughable is that they test minor leaguers for HGH. Great. You'll test players who work their asses off on minimal contracts (which is right) but you refuse to test the millionaire prima donnas. That sounds totally rational. At any rate Grimsley has named names, but these names are being withheld for now. Things are about to get very interesting in the coming weeks. Just think of the so-called power hitters who have been riding this free-for-all after steroids have been banned. The government's pressure on baseball was a positive step but the results are illusory when it's business as usual for many of these multimillionaire phonies who are protected by the shield of the Player's Union.
Steve McNair has finally been granted his wish and was traded to the Baltimore
Ravens. Doesn't this remind you of many other former top-notch quarterbacks
who go to a team to flounder? McNair was good, he was damn good when he
was in his prime, but that MVP season took a lot out of him and he clearly
has regressed physically. Added to that, the Ravens have the success rate
with quarterbacks that lemmings have of staying afloat in the sea. The last
good QB they had was Vinny Testerverde before they became a winning team.
Having seen the likes of Elvis Grbac, Randall Cunningham, Anthony Wright,
et al. go through there I can see McNair playing 9 games tops before they
hand it back over to Kyle Boller. Good move Billick. I am a huge Steve McNair
fan but I don't want to see him flounder. And, since he's going to Baltimore
where former quality quarterbacks go to die, I can expect nothing less.
And, this just in Barry Bonds has tweaked his side so his status for the
Pirates series is up in there. Ok, I've had enough with the Bonds updates
by ESPN and the mass media. It's almost as bad as the daily updates on Shaq
and Kobe's feud a few years back, what the Yankees will do when an injury
befalls them, and it goes on and on. Next, they'll be giving us updates
on when Barry Bonds has a bowel movement. Enough already. Stop mentioning
him. You simply validate him by reporting on his every move every 15 minutes.
And, that's all I got today. It's a slow news day in Philly sports!
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
The Phillies picked Kyle Drabek with their first round choice in today's Baseball First-Year Player draft. Kyle is the son of former Cy Young award winning pitcher Doug Drabek. For the Phillies to get what many regarded as the top high school pitcher at the 18th pick is a steal. He possesses great size (6-1 190 lbs.) and a wicked fastball (clocked in the mid 90's). He's not very polished though, which seems strange considering he's the son of a former pitcher, a great one at that. The main knock on him is his off-field troubles including a public intoxication charge and running his SUV into a tree in another incident. He comes from a great pedigree so the sky is the limit with this kid if he's handled right and keeps his head on straight. If not though it rings of Josh Hamilton. If he fails at pitching though he could be a hitting prospect. Many scouts had him rated as one of the best hitting prospects. Nice pick by the Phillies.
This just in, Ryan Howard is damn good. Now that Fat Albert is out, Howard looks to take the home run crown. He is currently on pace to surpass the all-time single season homerun record of 49 set by Mike Schmidt. However, Howard has hit the majority of his 20 homers at home (13) compared to just 7 on the road. And, they've had a plethora of home games so far. If he can keep up this pace while on the road, then 50 will be in his sights. Now, Howard just needs to work harder on his defense and he'll be the complete package-ala Derek Lee. With a player's manager like Manuel, we'll be hard pressed to see an improvement in Howard's defense this year. Meanwhile, let's enjoy this offensive showcase. He is the real deal as far as that goes.
I'm sure you have heard sound bytes of McNabb if you have listened to 610 WIP yesterday or today. Hopefully his interview will shut the critics up...well maybe for about a week. The critics will find anything to complain about. Sure, the black on black crime reference was not the smartest thing to say, but just get over it. He clarified in interviews recently that he never meant to equate it black on black violence. Happy? And, when drilled about running from the pocket McNabb pretty much stated if the opportunity presents itself he'll take it. Happy? He didn't say he doesn't want to be another black quarterback. Hopefully the critics will cut him just a little slack this year after those things called W's. Or will they? Probably not. The McNabb haters will always hate. I've never been more certain of anything in my life.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
Today's News
Howard Eskin reported today on his show that there is a 90% chance Allen
Iverson will be traded this summer. You know when the king of bling says
something will go down, it’s pretty much for certain. So, just where
will Iverson go? The one rumor out there had him going to the Hawks, but
it wouldn’t make sense for the Sixers to take on Al Harrington in
a sign and trade. They need to subtract money and years, not add them. For
the Sixers to take on Harrington would be akin to shooting themselves in
the foot before running a marathon. There’s no word on what teams
are said to be possible suitors at this points. Expect more rumors to come
out as we get closer to the draft.
The Phillies appear to be in no hurry to add an arm to their maligned rotation.
Ryan Franklin has stated that he feels he is up to the task. Great. Now,
George Bush is going to tell us he’s up to the task of erasing the
debt, ending the war in Iraq, putting a stop to AIDS, and coming up with
a panacea which will make us all look like we’re in our 20’s
while living into our 90’s. Ryan Franklin belongs in one place and
that’s on the bench. Nice try Mr. Franklin. Just try and focus on
not allowing three-run homers at the rate that mosquitoes multiply during
July.
Lastly, I’d like to extend my condolences to Eric Gregg’s family.
My father suffered a stroke known as a subarachnoid hemmorhage nearly 4
years ago, or what is known as a ruptured brain aneurysm. He managed to
recover from it, and it was a lengthy and often painful process. However,
I cannot understand what it’s like to lose a loved one to such a traumatic
event. My heart goes out to the Gregg family. I wish you all well and am
sorry for your loss.
Contact Dennis Bakay at phillysports@earthlink.net
