Well here we are in the beginning of baseball season, and things are looking good for the Phillies, as they should be. There is no football, and there is a lockout in the NFL, so its possible there may not be any football to talk about for a while. Surprisingly, there are two other successful sports teams in Philadelphia, of which I never really write.
Tonight, the Flyers begin the playoffs against the Sabres. Honestly, I am not qualified to give my input whatsoever on this subject. I can't say that I ever really got into hockey, and honestly, I may not have ever watched a regular season game fully through. But it is still interesting to watch them in the playoffs, which I intend to do for the most part. But I will not be a bandwagon fan who claims that I've been with them through and through. But regardless, I'll root for Philly. There is actually a huge following of EXTREMELY loyal Flyers fans throughout the Philadelphia area. Honestly, I think that Flyers fans may be the most devout of all Philadelphia fans. So it'll be nice to see the city erupt into madness if anything happens. Go Flyers!
In the basketball world, the Sixers will be starting the playoffs soon. Yes, you did not misread that last sentence. THE SIXERS! Never in a million years would I have thought that the Sixers would make anything of this season, or honestly any season in the post-Iverson era. Furthermore, they will be playing the one and only Miami Heat. This series promises to be extremely entertaining. I can't wait for it. The young, scrappy, Sixers will be facing off against what many people argued would be the best team in history before this season. Furthermore, it will be awesome to see LeBron hopefully crap the bed and maybe watch the Sixers cruise into the next round. Honestly, I can't wait. Also, it is great that for some reason the whole entire nation has adopted the Sixers as the fan favorite. Everybody has their eyes on them, hoping to watch them topple the great Miami Heat and LeBron.
So, contrary to my usual routine, I managed to blog about the Flyers and the Sixers. It should be an exciting upcoming weeks to see what both teams can do.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Off to a Great Start
Well we're only less than a week into the 2011 MLB season, and things are looking very great right now. The Phillies are 4-1, and at this moment are well on their way to being 5-1 in a day game against the Mets. The pitching has lived up to what it is expected to be (for the most part), and my fears about the offense have been easily destroyed. In reality, our offense has far outperformed the pitching so far!
The first series was a great preview of what the season will hopefully be like all the way into October and November (because the Phillies will be playing in both of those months). In the first game, Roy Halladay came out and did his thing, leading the Phils to a routine victory. The next night, Cliff Lee came out in his debut as a Phillie (for the second time), and proved that he belongs in this town. He pitched a phenomenal game, striking out 11 batters. In the third game, Roy Oswalt also did his thing and the Phils won with ease.
The second series was against the team that I love to hate, the New York Mets. If you are a Mets fan, I am sorry that you have to read this because all Phillies fans are bred to despise you and your team. Even though the Mets are now a joke, (and to quote my CAMS105U teacher they are "a girl's softball team from New York"). I look back to the heat of our rivalry when the Mets used to choke in September EVERY TIME, and I laugh. Anyway, although the Mets managed to beat us the first game due to the explosion of Cole Hamels (who will be better next time), we crushed them last night (even though Big Joe also exploded), and we are crushing them right now as I am typing. The Mets are a joke, and they will be all season.
Throughout all of these games, the offense performed very well. As you may know if you read my previous posts, I have been extremely worried about the offense due to their age and lack of traditional stars such as Chase Utley and Jayson Werth. Well, I have no reason to be worried, especially since the big man, Ryan Howard, has come out playing phenomenally, even though he usually is awful in the month of April. Ryan Howard has realized that the whole offense is going to depend on him, and I am glad that he is proving that he is worth the absurd amount of money we pay him.
Anyway, the beginning of the season couldn't be any better, and I look forward to the rest of the season and a World Series victory (which will happen).
The first series was a great preview of what the season will hopefully be like all the way into October and November (because the Phillies will be playing in both of those months). In the first game, Roy Halladay came out and did his thing, leading the Phils to a routine victory. The next night, Cliff Lee came out in his debut as a Phillie (for the second time), and proved that he belongs in this town. He pitched a phenomenal game, striking out 11 batters. In the third game, Roy Oswalt also did his thing and the Phils won with ease.
The second series was against the team that I love to hate, the New York Mets. If you are a Mets fan, I am sorry that you have to read this because all Phillies fans are bred to despise you and your team. Even though the Mets are now a joke, (and to quote my CAMS105U teacher they are "a girl's softball team from New York"). I look back to the heat of our rivalry when the Mets used to choke in September EVERY TIME, and I laugh. Anyway, although the Mets managed to beat us the first game due to the explosion of Cole Hamels (who will be better next time), we crushed them last night (even though Big Joe also exploded), and we are crushing them right now as I am typing. The Mets are a joke, and they will be all season.
Throughout all of these games, the offense performed very well. As you may know if you read my previous posts, I have been extremely worried about the offense due to their age and lack of traditional stars such as Chase Utley and Jayson Werth. Well, I have no reason to be worried, especially since the big man, Ryan Howard, has come out playing phenomenally, even though he usually is awful in the month of April. Ryan Howard has realized that the whole offense is going to depend on him, and I am glad that he is proving that he is worth the absurd amount of money we pay him.
Anyway, the beginning of the season couldn't be any better, and I look forward to the rest of the season and a World Series victory (which will happen).
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Baseball Opening Day!
It's finally here! Today, baseball began, and even better, the Phillies play their first game of the season tomorrow! Months of waiting after a disappointing October have finally paid off, and now it is time for one of the most anticipated seasons in recent history. Originally, with the acquisition of Cliff Lee in addition to Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt, it was thought that the Phillies are the clear favorite to win the World Series. But now, after a spring training filled with injuries and offensive questions, it should turn out to be much more interesting and competitive. Honestly, I am very nervous for this season. Chase Utley, the best second baseman in baseball, is possibly going to be out for the entire season. Our rising prodigy, Dominic Brown, will be out for at least the first month. We lost Jayson Werth over the off-season when he took an absurdly overpaid salary from the Washington Nationals. The offense is going to be looking A LOT different this year. The crucial part is for Ryan Howard to live up to the money that he is being paid and to produce. Furthermore, the rest of the lineup needs to support him in order to score some runs. The dominant pitching staff will take care of the rest. I am just extremely nervous.
There are plenty of doubters out there who are picking the Red Sox, Yankees, and Braves to win it all. But we have to believe. It is important to not let the great predictions get to our head, but we still need to pull through this. Of all years, the Phillies are being put up as the greatest team this year. In my opinion, this is the worst we've been in 3 years! Even though we have an amazing pitching staff, our offense is extremely shaky. And how many times have we seen the favorite go down. Look at this years NCAA Tournament! I hate the position Philly is in right now, especially since we have always been underdogs. We are a city of underdogs...always! But we are still great, and need to just win this one to prove that we are the best. It should be an interesting season.
There are plenty of doubters out there who are picking the Red Sox, Yankees, and Braves to win it all. But we have to believe. It is important to not let the great predictions get to our head, but we still need to pull through this. Of all years, the Phillies are being put up as the greatest team this year. In my opinion, this is the worst we've been in 3 years! Even though we have an amazing pitching staff, our offense is extremely shaky. And how many times have we seen the favorite go down. Look at this years NCAA Tournament! I hate the position Philly is in right now, especially since we have always been underdogs. We are a city of underdogs...always! But we are still great, and need to just win this one to prove that we are the best. It should be an interesting season.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
An overview of the Phillies' status and the current state of March Madness
There are two things that I'd like to talk about in this post, so I'm going to begin with the state of the Phillies in their ongoing yet winding down spring training. Its beginning to get very close to April, and the regular season will begin before we know it. We all know that the pitching rotation is looking phenomenal. But right now there are two really big things to worry about. First is the amount of injuries. This mainly is referring to our star second baseman, Chase Utley. Throughout spring training, he has not played, due to tendonitis in his elbow. The problem is that it is too uncomfortable to play, but does not know how it can be treated. He was quoted a little over a week ago saying that, "I have to prioritize my career over this season." This obviously hints that he may be getting season-ending surgery, in order to save the rest of his career. From his standpoint, this is an obvious choice. But it couldn't be coming at a worse time! With the rotation we have, the Phils are promising to be the best they ever were! But the only issue is the current lack of offense, which is surprising because just a few years ago we were the premier offense in the majors. With Utley hurt, as he seems to have been for the past two years, it does not bode well for the offense to improve. We can only wait to see what happens, and hope for the best. Another shocking "injury" occurred yesterday, when pitcher Roy Oswalt was hit in the neck by a line drive! Surprisingly, he was ok, but there have been many instances in which people have been killed when drilled by line drives! We can only be extremely relieved and counting our lucky stars that he came out unscathed.
In other news, I want to catch up on the NCAA tournament. In the background right now, I am watching the Duke-Arizona game, and both Florida and UConn moved on a bit ago by beating BYU and San Diego State, respectively. So far, the tournament has probably been one of the best in recent memory. The amount of upsets, buzzer-beaters, and surprises have been unbelievable, and I can only hope that it will continue to get better. The only negative is that my bracket is completely busted, and I lost a good amount of money. Oh well, I would rather watch really good basketball than win money anyway.
In other news, I want to catch up on the NCAA tournament. In the background right now, I am watching the Duke-Arizona game, and both Florida and UConn moved on a bit ago by beating BYU and San Diego State, respectively. So far, the tournament has probably been one of the best in recent memory. The amount of upsets, buzzer-beaters, and surprises have been unbelievable, and I can only hope that it will continue to get better. The only negative is that my bracket is completely busted, and I lost a good amount of money. Oh well, I would rather watch really good basketball than win money anyway.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The time has finally come. My favorite sporting event of the year, and of most years, excluding when the FIFA World Cup happens every four years. The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament began today! Nothing can compare to the competition, glory, suspense, and heart of the 64 teams who compete in the most perfect sporting tournament known to man. The first day of March Madness is definitely in my top three favorite days of the year.
So, I know that this is allegedly a Philadelphia sports blog, but all of the tournament is fair game, because Temple is in it. The is unfortunate for us at Penn State, because Temple beat us with a heartbreaking, buzzer-beating shot to move on to the round of 32. Furthermore, this happened just seconds after Talor Battle hit an amazing, deep three pointer to put the Nittany Lions ahead of the Owls. But in the end, even though we lost, I still feel good about our season. It was much better than anybody could have imagined, and Talor Battle proved himself as one of the premier players in college ball. It's too bad that he was not surrounded with any help at all, and has an idiot of a coach. I'm sure Ed DeChelis is a good guy, but honestly, his gametime decisions are absurd. My basketball experience is limited to 8 years of CYO ball for a team and school that doesn't exist anymore (Queen of Peace will always live on in my heart though), but I know that I could have coached the Nittany Lions much better than DeChelis. The only negative that comes out of this season is that he can't be fired since he led us to our first tournament in ten years. Oh well, another good thing that came out of today's game is that I do have Temple going to the Sweet Sixteen both of my pools, so my chances at winning a lot of money were not ruined.
The rest of the tournament has been going phenomenally. Every game has been extremely close, and there have been upwards of three buzzer-beating wins already! Probably the best game so far has been Morehead State's huge win over Louisville, who many predicted to go to the Final Four. Thankfully, I didn't but the game really was extremely entertaining. Morehead State has a big man who holds the all-time record for rebounds, and he truly did dominate the game.
So, I think I will end on that note, because writing this has been distracting me from watching, enjoying, and soaking in the continuation of the first round (which is technically the second round but I refuse to call it so). This weekend, if you get a chance, I highly recommend that you take a look at some of what I think is the best sporting games of the year. Till then, enjoy, and I'll check in on the tournament next week.
So, I know that this is allegedly a Philadelphia sports blog, but all of the tournament is fair game, because Temple is in it. The is unfortunate for us at Penn State, because Temple beat us with a heartbreaking, buzzer-beating shot to move on to the round of 32. Furthermore, this happened just seconds after Talor Battle hit an amazing, deep three pointer to put the Nittany Lions ahead of the Owls. But in the end, even though we lost, I still feel good about our season. It was much better than anybody could have imagined, and Talor Battle proved himself as one of the premier players in college ball. It's too bad that he was not surrounded with any help at all, and has an idiot of a coach. I'm sure Ed DeChelis is a good guy, but honestly, his gametime decisions are absurd. My basketball experience is limited to 8 years of CYO ball for a team and school that doesn't exist anymore (Queen of Peace will always live on in my heart though), but I know that I could have coached the Nittany Lions much better than DeChelis. The only negative that comes out of this season is that he can't be fired since he led us to our first tournament in ten years. Oh well, another good thing that came out of today's game is that I do have Temple going to the Sweet Sixteen both of my pools, so my chances at winning a lot of money were not ruined.
The rest of the tournament has been going phenomenally. Every game has been extremely close, and there have been upwards of three buzzer-beating wins already! Probably the best game so far has been Morehead State's huge win over Louisville, who many predicted to go to the Final Four. Thankfully, I didn't but the game really was extremely entertaining. Morehead State has a big man who holds the all-time record for rebounds, and he truly did dominate the game.
So, I think I will end on that note, because writing this has been distracting me from watching, enjoying, and soaking in the continuation of the first round (which is technically the second round but I refuse to call it so). This weekend, if you get a chance, I highly recommend that you take a look at some of what I think is the best sporting games of the year. Till then, enjoy, and I'll check in on the tournament next week.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Spring Training Report: So Far So Good
It's an exciting time of the year. The Phillies' Spring Training is in full swing down in Florida, and so far, things are looking great! Seriously, it's spring training, so it doesn't really matter how well we hit or pitch. It's just important to get back out there and get back into the swing of things, no pun intended. This being said, I'm going to give a quick overview of how things are going.
So far the pitchers are looking great. Cole Hamels has pitched six innings in two games, and has not given up an earned run yet. He also has five strikeouts. Hopefully this shows a little bit of promise of him getting back to the same form that he was in during the 2008 regular season and playoffs, when he won the World Series MVP. Roy Halladay has pitched two innings in one game, in which he did not give up a run and had one strikeout. Even if he was doing poorly, trust me, there is nothing to be worried about with him. Cliff Lee has also pitched two innings in one game, and gave up two runs and had three Ks. Just business as usual in spring training. Roy Oswalt had a shaky first outing the other day when he gave up two runs and four hits in two innings, but once again he will be great this year. The only person I worry about is Big Joe Blanton, but so far he has pitched three innings without any hits or runs. Good for him. I still get excited like a child on Christmas morning every time I think about the Phillies' starting rotation this year.
Offensively, the Phils are getting into a groove. Since we had such a poor offensive showing last season as compared to the phenomenal years in the past, I really hope that our big swingers like Utley and Howard can come through this year. So far, the most interesting thing in spring training is the battle between Ben Francisco and Dom Brown for a starting position in the outfield, to fill Jayson Werth's slot. I personally am a big fan of Dom Brown, who is one of the top prospects in the nation. The man has both speed and power, just needs to tweak his swing a bit. Good thing that he has one of the best swing doctors in the nation as his manager, none other but Charlie Manuel. The offense will be the most interesting thing to watch about the Phillies this year.
So far, it promises to be a great year for Philadelphia baseball. I just can't wait until the season starts in April. It's just important to watch the team develop through spring training, but once again, it is necessary to realize that it doesn't count for anything whatsoever!
So far the pitchers are looking great. Cole Hamels has pitched six innings in two games, and has not given up an earned run yet. He also has five strikeouts. Hopefully this shows a little bit of promise of him getting back to the same form that he was in during the 2008 regular season and playoffs, when he won the World Series MVP. Roy Halladay has pitched two innings in one game, in which he did not give up a run and had one strikeout. Even if he was doing poorly, trust me, there is nothing to be worried about with him. Cliff Lee has also pitched two innings in one game, and gave up two runs and had three Ks. Just business as usual in spring training. Roy Oswalt had a shaky first outing the other day when he gave up two runs and four hits in two innings, but once again he will be great this year. The only person I worry about is Big Joe Blanton, but so far he has pitched three innings without any hits or runs. Good for him. I still get excited like a child on Christmas morning every time I think about the Phillies' starting rotation this year.
Offensively, the Phils are getting into a groove. Since we had such a poor offensive showing last season as compared to the phenomenal years in the past, I really hope that our big swingers like Utley and Howard can come through this year. So far, the most interesting thing in spring training is the battle between Ben Francisco and Dom Brown for a starting position in the outfield, to fill Jayson Werth's slot. I personally am a big fan of Dom Brown, who is one of the top prospects in the nation. The man has both speed and power, just needs to tweak his swing a bit. Good thing that he has one of the best swing doctors in the nation as his manager, none other but Charlie Manuel. The offense will be the most interesting thing to watch about the Phillies this year.
So far, it promises to be a great year for Philadelphia baseball. I just can't wait until the season starts in April. It's just important to watch the team develop through spring training, but once again, it is necessary to realize that it doesn't count for anything whatsoever!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The Power of Sports
So, I couldn't think of a very good or fitting title for this post, so I had to pick a very corny and cliche one. But for this post, I'm going to take a very different approach to what I have normally been doing. I'm not going to bash other teams or be a loud-mouth Philly fan. Today, I want to focus on some events that occurred a few months ago in the Philadelphia area.
Nadin Khoury is a 13 year old boy who lives in Upper Darby, an area just on the border of the Philadelphia city-limits. His parents moved to the US years ago as refugees from Liberia, and he just recently moved to Upper Darby. Nadin is also a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. Since he arrived to his new school, he began to be brutally bullied by his classmates. It began with some name calling, but peaked one day when he was brutally beaten up and hung to a fence. One of the bullies decided it would be a great idea to tape it with his video camera and post it to youtube...bad idea for that bully.
The video was discovered and the story went national. Nadin Khoury was brave enough to let the story surface for the public to hear and learn about, and even was invited to the daytime talk-show, The View. When talking about the story, all of a sudden, Eagles players DeSean Jackson, Jamaal Jackson, and Todd Herremans came onto the stage, and sat right next to Nadin. He was so shocked, that he began to cry tears of joy, and DeSean Jackson, our star wide receiver, gave him his jersey, and then spoke some reassuring words. It was a beautiful thing to see.
DeSean Jackson has a reputation for being a big-headed jerk. But after seeing this, it reassured my belief that he is a great guy, and a hell of a football player. His egotistical antics, in my opinion, make him hilarious. I am very proud to call him a member of the football team that I support, and am extremely glad to see athletes so involved in a good cause. Bullying is running rampant across the country, and by having star-athletes, who are the idols of many children, speak against it, we are preventing it from ruining the lives of young children. Here are the links to the Youtube video and the ESPN.com story about it.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6120346
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYbY1gqAEx0
Nadin Khoury is a 13 year old boy who lives in Upper Darby, an area just on the border of the Philadelphia city-limits. His parents moved to the US years ago as refugees from Liberia, and he just recently moved to Upper Darby. Nadin is also a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. Since he arrived to his new school, he began to be brutally bullied by his classmates. It began with some name calling, but peaked one day when he was brutally beaten up and hung to a fence. One of the bullies decided it would be a great idea to tape it with his video camera and post it to youtube...bad idea for that bully.
The video was discovered and the story went national. Nadin Khoury was brave enough to let the story surface for the public to hear and learn about, and even was invited to the daytime talk-show, The View. When talking about the story, all of a sudden, Eagles players DeSean Jackson, Jamaal Jackson, and Todd Herremans came onto the stage, and sat right next to Nadin. He was so shocked, that he began to cry tears of joy, and DeSean Jackson, our star wide receiver, gave him his jersey, and then spoke some reassuring words. It was a beautiful thing to see.
DeSean Jackson has a reputation for being a big-headed jerk. But after seeing this, it reassured my belief that he is a great guy, and a hell of a football player. His egotistical antics, in my opinion, make him hilarious. I am very proud to call him a member of the football team that I support, and am extremely glad to see athletes so involved in a good cause. Bullying is running rampant across the country, and by having star-athletes, who are the idols of many children, speak against it, we are preventing it from ruining the lives of young children. Here are the links to the Youtube video and the ESPN.com story about it.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6120346
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYbY1gqAEx0
Thursday, February 17, 2011
2 Star Athletes to Stay in Philly!
Ok, so maybe I'm kind of lying. At least one STAR athlete is going to be in Philadelphia for his next athletic season. There is another athlete who's also going to remain with Philadelphia, but he's not necessarily a star, and is not necessarily that exciting.
The great news is that the Philadelphia Eagles have placed the franchise tag on Michael Vick. This means that he is going to remain the starting quarterback for the Birds next year. We will pay him the average of the top 5 salaries of all NFL quarterbacks, and he's not going anywhere next year. This is great news. I think Philly would have burned down if we didn't keep him. Now we just have to look into keeping him in the future, which I really hope we can do. A deal will get done with him, and under his leadership, the Eagles will remain one of the premier teams in the league. For now, it will be interesting to see what happens to our "quarterback of the future", Kevin Kolb. When we drafted him about 5 years back or so, I still didn't think it was possible that Donovan McNabb would ever leave...well this is awkward. But anyway, look to see what happens to Kolb, and be happy that Vick is still in Philly.
Now for the news that isn't exciting at all. Pitcher Joe Blanton is not going to be traded, and will remain with the Phillies as their fifth starter. Fat Joe isn't too bad of a baseball player, and even hit a heroic home run in the World Series when we won. He was kind of a key player in the 2008 World Series, but still pitched in the shadow of Cole Hamels. This year, he will be pitching in the shadow of 4 aces! He can't even compare to Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels. But it is also true that he could probably be the ace one a few really bad major league teams...so technically, we have 5 aces! But in all seriousness, in conclusion, here is a great picture comparing Blanton to the rest of our pitchers.
Notice his work ethic and concentration compared to Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt. Now let's add Lee into the mix. This is going to be a great year.
Oh by the way, when I googled that picture, this also came up in the search. Gotta love the Mets, they're going to have a great year. It's a shame that they got caught up in the Bernie Madoff scandal.
The great news is that the Philadelphia Eagles have placed the franchise tag on Michael Vick. This means that he is going to remain the starting quarterback for the Birds next year. We will pay him the average of the top 5 salaries of all NFL quarterbacks, and he's not going anywhere next year. This is great news. I think Philly would have burned down if we didn't keep him. Now we just have to look into keeping him in the future, which I really hope we can do. A deal will get done with him, and under his leadership, the Eagles will remain one of the premier teams in the league. For now, it will be interesting to see what happens to our "quarterback of the future", Kevin Kolb. When we drafted him about 5 years back or so, I still didn't think it was possible that Donovan McNabb would ever leave...well this is awkward. But anyway, look to see what happens to Kolb, and be happy that Vick is still in Philly.
Now for the news that isn't exciting at all. Pitcher Joe Blanton is not going to be traded, and will remain with the Phillies as their fifth starter. Fat Joe isn't too bad of a baseball player, and even hit a heroic home run in the World Series when we won. He was kind of a key player in the 2008 World Series, but still pitched in the shadow of Cole Hamels. This year, he will be pitching in the shadow of 4 aces! He can't even compare to Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels. But it is also true that he could probably be the ace one a few really bad major league teams...so technically, we have 5 aces! But in all seriousness, in conclusion, here is a great picture comparing Blanton to the rest of our pitchers.
Notice his work ethic and concentration compared to Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt. Now let's add Lee into the mix. This is going to be a great year.
Oh by the way, when I googled that picture, this also came up in the search. Gotta love the Mets, they're going to have a great year. It's a shame that they got caught up in the Bernie Madoff scandal.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Pitches and Catchers Report!
It's that time of year again. After a painful fall and winter of Phillies and Eagles' playoff losses, there is something to finally look forward to. On Sunday, February 13th (this Sunday!) pitchers and catchers finally report to Phillies' spring training in Clearwater, Florida. I am already starting to get excited for the season, and couldn't be any more optimistic than I am right now.
Our pitching rotation this year is going to be phenomenal. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and a wild card, either Big Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick, is a pretty solid starting rotation to say the least. It's going to be the best starting rotation in the history of baseball! I guarantee it, when the year is over, this rotation will go down in the history books. Their achievements are outstanding, with a few Cy Young awards, World Series MVPs, perfect games, no-hitters, and outstanding ERAs and records. No big deal. Too bad that we have to put up with Fat Joe, unless he gets traded, in which case Kendrick will get the nod probably....uh-oh. But I'm just being selfish, since I'm used to being spoiled in the past few years...a luxury that almost all Philly fans of any sport have never had. We aren't New York. On that note, to all the haters from the Yankees, you can't say that we bought Cliff Lee. HE TOOK A PAY CUT TO COME TO PHILLY BECAUSE WE ARE THAT MUCH BETTER! After that statement, I've angered about half of my readers, since the Yankees have been able to buy so many fans all across the world. Sorry guys, I have to fill the shoes of being a bitter, spiteful Philadelphia fan.
Our bullpen is going to be solid, as it has been for the most part. Lidge is an amazing closer when he brings his A-game (as in the 2008 season when he didn't blow a save). We just have to hope he gets off to a good, healthy start. Madson is also a good set-up man, and the rest of the bullpen shouldn't be a problem. I'm pretty sure that with the rotation that we have, our mid-relief men won't get too many opportunities to pitch.
My final comment is about the offense. I look back to the 2008 season when our offense carried us with the clutch bats of Rollins, Utley, Howard, and the like. I can only hope that we can get back to that level. Last year we had some health issues, and I really hope that age isn't becoming a factor. I believe that we can become the powerhouse offense that we one were. Look out for catcher Carlos "Chooch" Ruiz to have a huge year. Also, it will be interesting to see who gets the job in right field...either Ben Francisco or Dominic Brown, one of the top prospects in baseball. My vote is for Dom, who I believe has a great future ahead of him.
Well, that's it for my pre-season pep-talk in the spirit of pitchers and catchers reporting in a few short days. Sorry to the New York fans who I've ticked off. But not really.
Our pitching rotation this year is going to be phenomenal. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and a wild card, either Big Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick, is a pretty solid starting rotation to say the least. It's going to be the best starting rotation in the history of baseball! I guarantee it, when the year is over, this rotation will go down in the history books. Their achievements are outstanding, with a few Cy Young awards, World Series MVPs, perfect games, no-hitters, and outstanding ERAs and records. No big deal. Too bad that we have to put up with Fat Joe, unless he gets traded, in which case Kendrick will get the nod probably....uh-oh. But I'm just being selfish, since I'm used to being spoiled in the past few years...a luxury that almost all Philly fans of any sport have never had. We aren't New York. On that note, to all the haters from the Yankees, you can't say that we bought Cliff Lee. HE TOOK A PAY CUT TO COME TO PHILLY BECAUSE WE ARE THAT MUCH BETTER! After that statement, I've angered about half of my readers, since the Yankees have been able to buy so many fans all across the world. Sorry guys, I have to fill the shoes of being a bitter, spiteful Philadelphia fan.
Our bullpen is going to be solid, as it has been for the most part. Lidge is an amazing closer when he brings his A-game (as in the 2008 season when he didn't blow a save). We just have to hope he gets off to a good, healthy start. Madson is also a good set-up man, and the rest of the bullpen shouldn't be a problem. I'm pretty sure that with the rotation that we have, our mid-relief men won't get too many opportunities to pitch.
My final comment is about the offense. I look back to the 2008 season when our offense carried us with the clutch bats of Rollins, Utley, Howard, and the like. I can only hope that we can get back to that level. Last year we had some health issues, and I really hope that age isn't becoming a factor. I believe that we can become the powerhouse offense that we one were. Look out for catcher Carlos "Chooch" Ruiz to have a huge year. Also, it will be interesting to see who gets the job in right field...either Ben Francisco or Dominic Brown, one of the top prospects in baseball. My vote is for Dom, who I believe has a great future ahead of him.
Well, that's it for my pre-season pep-talk in the spirit of pitchers and catchers reporting in a few short days. Sorry to the New York fans who I've ticked off. But not really.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Why I Love Michael Vick
There is nothing in this world that I care for more than my dog, Daisy. She is a five year old cockapoo, and is one of the most important things in my life. So for this reason, I should hate Michael Vick, who killed and tortured countless, innocent dogs in his dog-fighting ring, the Bad Newz Kennelz, right?
Nope. I love Michael Vick. He is one of the most exciting athletes in the history of all sports. There has never been a quarterback who has been able to engage, excite, and surprise every single person watching the game he is playing in, as Vick does. No matter what situation he is put in, he can find a way to win. On December 19th, 2010, the Eagles were down 31-10 in the fourth quarter. With 8 minutes left, Vick put the team on his back to win the game, 38-31. It was unbelievable...most of the city of Philadelphia had turned off their TV by halftime. The man is unreal, and this season was the peak of his career. Nobody can throw a football, and run like a madman nearly as successful as Vick does. He truly is one of the greatest athletes I have ever witnessed.
Now, you can argue that I am judging Vick based purely on his performance on the football field. This isn't true. I also think that he is the perfect example of a successful comeback story, and defines the appropriate use of the American legal system. When he was arrested for his atrocities a few years back, most people thought that Vick would never play football again. His life hit rock bottom, and he went to prison for almost two years, and also had a financial meltdown. Surprise, surprise, no other team but the Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick when he became eligible to play again, but benched him for some time, with Donovan McNabb as his mentor and Kevin Kolb ahead of him on the depth chart. Now, let's fast forward to this season. He had to step up when Kolb was injured, and ended up securing the starting spot because of this, and became a serious MVP contender. As a person, Vick has shown true regret for what he has done, and even goes on various animal rights campaigns to inner-city Philadelphia where dog fighting is prevalent. He has also settled his life down, is involved in various charities, and hopes to settle down with his fiancee and children. He even hopes to be allowed to own a dog one day for his daughter. He shows true development as a person, and true repentance for his past actions. I think that Michael Vick is one of the greatest success stories of our time, and is also one hell of a football player.
Nope. I love Michael Vick. He is one of the most exciting athletes in the history of all sports. There has never been a quarterback who has been able to engage, excite, and surprise every single person watching the game he is playing in, as Vick does. No matter what situation he is put in, he can find a way to win. On December 19th, 2010, the Eagles were down 31-10 in the fourth quarter. With 8 minutes left, Vick put the team on his back to win the game, 38-31. It was unbelievable...most of the city of Philadelphia had turned off their TV by halftime. The man is unreal, and this season was the peak of his career. Nobody can throw a football, and run like a madman nearly as successful as Vick does. He truly is one of the greatest athletes I have ever witnessed.
Now, you can argue that I am judging Vick based purely on his performance on the football field. This isn't true. I also think that he is the perfect example of a successful comeback story, and defines the appropriate use of the American legal system. When he was arrested for his atrocities a few years back, most people thought that Vick would never play football again. His life hit rock bottom, and he went to prison for almost two years, and also had a financial meltdown. Surprise, surprise, no other team but the Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick when he became eligible to play again, but benched him for some time, with Donovan McNabb as his mentor and Kevin Kolb ahead of him on the depth chart. Now, let's fast forward to this season. He had to step up when Kolb was injured, and ended up securing the starting spot because of this, and became a serious MVP contender. As a person, Vick has shown true regret for what he has done, and even goes on various animal rights campaigns to inner-city Philadelphia where dog fighting is prevalent. He has also settled his life down, is involved in various charities, and hopes to settle down with his fiancee and children. He even hopes to be allowed to own a dog one day for his daughter. He shows true development as a person, and true repentance for his past actions. I think that Michael Vick is one of the greatest success stories of our time, and is also one hell of a football player.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Top Ten Best.....and Worst.... Professional Philadelphia Athletes of my Lifetime
Welcome to the Philly Phanatic! Being a Philadelphia sports fan is one of my greatest passions, so this blog will be dealing with the endless drama, craziness, heartbreak, and glory (but mostly heartbreak) that all come along with being a Philadelphia fan. For the most part, my posts will deal with up to date events and issues, but for the grand opening of my blog, I feel it is appropriate to give all my readers a feeling of what it is like to be a Philly fan in my lifetime, and a taste of my opinions of Philly sports up to this point. In order to do this, I am going to list who I believe are the top ten Philadelphia professional athletes of my lifetime, and why I feel this way. Furthermore, it wouldn't be a true work of Philly fanhood if there wasn't any complaining or nastiness, so I am also going to list who I believe are the ten WORST Philly professional athletes of my lifetime. But first, here is my list, from 10 to 1, of Philly's greatest athletes of my lifetime.
a) Terrell Owens: A member of the Eagles' 2004 Super Bowl Losers, he had potential to go down in history as one of the greatest Eagles' receivers, and a part of possibly one of the best QB-WR pairs in history, McNabb-Owens. Unfortunately, "TO" is a clown, and only brings destruction to every team of which he is a member.
b) John Kruk: He would be a good candidate for my list, if it weren't for these words that came from his own mouth: "I'm not an athlete, I'm a baseball player." Gotta love Kruk.
10. David Akers: Yes, he's a kicker. But a damn good one. He is the leading scorer in the Eagles' history. I can only recall one year when he was not reliable, when he was injured all of the season, and linebacker Mark Simoneau had to come in and kick extra points.
9. Eric Lindros: Not going to lie, I'm not a hockey fan. But he's the best one I know of.
8. Brian Westbrook: A great running back for the Eagles. Also, very good as a receiver. Definitely one of the most dangerous offensive weapons for the Eagles' Super Bowl year.
7. Curt Schilling: Great pitcher for the Phils in the 90s. Ranks in the top ten for many all-time pitching categories.
6. Roy Halladay: Yes, he's only been with us for one season now, which has held me back from mentioning many other athletes. But this season was unreal. A 2.44 ERA, a perfect game, a postseason no-hitter, and a unanimous Cy Young award. The man is unreal. I can't wait to see him pitch alongside Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, and yes, Cliff Lee. Trust me, you will be hearing about this pitching combo a lot more in the near future. Also note that I would rank him much higher if he had been with the Phillies for a few more seasons.
5. Chase Utley: Not necessarily a flashy player, but one of the most consistent. A critical member of the 2008 World Series team. Definitely one of the best second baseman around these days. Also a fan favorite, particularly with the ladies.
4. Ryan Howard: Another amazing member of the 2008 World Series Champions. Winner of the 2005 Rookie of the Year and the 2006 NL MVP, Howard has had an outstanding baseball career to this point. His only downfall is the amount of times he strikes out, but the man can crush a baseball.
3. Brian Dawkins: I can not think of any other athlete that plays with more heart and soul than B-Dawk. He truly was an amazing player for the Eagles for so many years, and his intensity will never be matched. By far my favorite Eagles player, ever.
2. Donovan McNabb: Sure, it didn't end to well with Donovan, but there is no denying what he did for the Eagles franchise. Along with Andy Reid, he put the team on his back and carried them out of the abyss that was the 90's for all Philly sports. Too bad he couldn't take the pressure of being a Philly athlete in the Super Bowl, and was on the sidelines throwing up as the final seconds of the Eagles' loss ticked off the clock.
1. Allen Iverson: I think that AI is a no-brainer choice #1. He truly is an amazingly gifted basketball player, and did great things for the Sixers' franchise, in its short bout of greatness. No matter how controversial he was, particularly when dealing with "practice", Iverson will go down in Philly sports history.
THE TOP PHILADELPHIA ATHLETES OF MY LIFETIME
Honorable Mentions: a) Terrell Owens: A member of the Eagles' 2004 Super Bowl Losers, he had potential to go down in history as one of the greatest Eagles' receivers, and a part of possibly one of the best QB-WR pairs in history, McNabb-Owens. Unfortunately, "TO" is a clown, and only brings destruction to every team of which he is a member.
b) John Kruk: He would be a good candidate for my list, if it weren't for these words that came from his own mouth: "I'm not an athlete, I'm a baseball player." Gotta love Kruk.
10. David Akers: Yes, he's a kicker. But a damn good one. He is the leading scorer in the Eagles' history. I can only recall one year when he was not reliable, when he was injured all of the season, and linebacker Mark Simoneau had to come in and kick extra points.
9. Eric Lindros: Not going to lie, I'm not a hockey fan. But he's the best one I know of.
8. Brian Westbrook: A great running back for the Eagles. Also, very good as a receiver. Definitely one of the most dangerous offensive weapons for the Eagles' Super Bowl year.
7. Curt Schilling: Great pitcher for the Phils in the 90s. Ranks in the top ten for many all-time pitching categories.
6. Roy Halladay: Yes, he's only been with us for one season now, which has held me back from mentioning many other athletes. But this season was unreal. A 2.44 ERA, a perfect game, a postseason no-hitter, and a unanimous Cy Young award. The man is unreal. I can't wait to see him pitch alongside Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, and yes, Cliff Lee. Trust me, you will be hearing about this pitching combo a lot more in the near future. Also note that I would rank him much higher if he had been with the Phillies for a few more seasons.
5. Chase Utley: Not necessarily a flashy player, but one of the most consistent. A critical member of the 2008 World Series team. Definitely one of the best second baseman around these days. Also a fan favorite, particularly with the ladies.
4. Ryan Howard: Another amazing member of the 2008 World Series Champions. Winner of the 2005 Rookie of the Year and the 2006 NL MVP, Howard has had an outstanding baseball career to this point. His only downfall is the amount of times he strikes out, but the man can crush a baseball.
3. Brian Dawkins: I can not think of any other athlete that plays with more heart and soul than B-Dawk. He truly was an amazing player for the Eagles for so many years, and his intensity will never be matched. By far my favorite Eagles player, ever.
2. Donovan McNabb: Sure, it didn't end to well with Donovan, but there is no denying what he did for the Eagles franchise. Along with Andy Reid, he put the team on his back and carried them out of the abyss that was the 90's for all Philly sports. Too bad he couldn't take the pressure of being a Philly athlete in the Super Bowl, and was on the sidelines throwing up as the final seconds of the Eagles' loss ticked off the clock.
1. Allen Iverson: I think that AI is a no-brainer choice #1. He truly is an amazingly gifted basketball player, and did great things for the Sixers' franchise, in its short bout of greatness. No matter how controversial he was, particularly when dealing with "practice", Iverson will go down in Philly sports history.
THE WORST PHILLY ATHLETES OF MY LIFETIME
10. Winston Justice: It's time for him to go. Poor Michael Vick can't get any time in the pocket. Thank god he has superhuman athletic ability.
9.Wes Helms: Didn't contribute whatsoever to an otherwise good Phillies team. 2 years, 16 million dollars wasted.
8. Rod Barajas: See description above. Thank god for Carlos Ruiz.
7. Greg Lewis: Surprised to say that he is the only Eagle to have a TD reception in the Super Bowl. Otherwise, he's trash.
6. Todd Pinkston: I had to deal with too many years of him being an Eagles' starting receiver. Check out this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls794MhIkU4
5. Adam Eaton: 3 years, $24 million of pain. I can't believe he has a World Series Ring.
4. Jose Mesa: Miserable pitcher.
3. Samuel Dalembert: The Haitian Sensation. Not much of a sensation for the Sixers.
2. Pat Burrell: This is a very tough thing to do. One of the most controversial Philadelphia athletes. I have a love-hate relationship with him. He was a crucial member of the 2008 World Series team, with a clutch double in Game 5. But he has such an interesting personality. Pat the Bat is recognized as one of the biggest, laziest jerks in Philadelphia. I have plenty of stories about him, but they would not be appropriate for this setting. Oh by the way, he batted 1 for 27 in the World Series, and had a very lackluster career, even though he is one of the greatest college baseball players in history.
1. Freddie Mitchell: Fred-Ex. 4th and 26. The People's Champ. What a jackass.
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