Disclaimer

I just wanted to let everyone who still checks this thing every now and then know that I am not quitting or anything like that. I'm in the midst of moving into my new apartment and am still waiting on getting a computer set up there, thus providing me with a location from which I can spew my biased Philly slant. So, please, be patient and I appreciate you guys reading this.

CCH Pounder has a breakdown

Before I get to my Shield prognostications, I want to make it clear that part of my declaring the Andy Reid Era to be dead is declaring the Donovan McNabb Era to be over as well. Donovan has done great things as an Eagle, and I believe that someday we as fans will embrace him once again when he is about 45, however his time here is up. In the modern era of sports, with free agency and more violent and wearing competition in general, it is impossible, in my opinion, for a player to be loved in a city for over a decade (baseball being the exception). Our relationships with our sports heroes are like real relationships. There is a great period after the growing pains in the beginning, but eventually things decline to a point where the dumbest comment causes a huge ruckus. Jimmy Rollins was let off the hook for his comment by the late season surge his teammates put together, however, it looks as though Donovan won't be so lucky. The overtime comment was his version of skipping Fan Appreciation Night. Donovan McNabb, barring injury, is about to embark on his final 6 games as an Eagle. Sadly, everyone knows its time. Maybe someday down the line, we'll look back on his time here pretty fondly, but for a while, it's going to be bitterness and a lot of he-said we-said. It stinks that it has to end like this but, like most relationships, it's for the best.

On to The Shield.

After thinking about it on the ride home tonight from my Shield viewing party, I thought a lot about where this could be headed. After much consideration, I have settled on the following. I believe that Ronnie will kill Shane and Vic, aided mostly by Billings. Why? Let me break it down. Vic burned Ronnie tonight, even after promising Ronnie that he would be there for him. While he was baited into this by Corinne's secret cooperation with the police, no one knows that but Dutch and CCH Pounder. First, Ronnie will learn of a little info on Shane via a slip up from Dutch to Billings, who, thanks to his redundant cops have cops' backs arguement, will pass the info to Ronnie. Ronnie will then find Shane and kill him and leave Maura to be taken to the hospital. Just before pulling the trigger on Shane, Shane will tell Ronnie something that will make him realize that Vic is up to his old tricks, playing every side to get what HE needs. Ronnie will then arrange a meeting with Vic under the presumption that they are going to be working towards a resolution on the Beltran case. Vic needs Ronnie to stay out of jail so this will seem normal to him. Ronnie will then kill Vic, or set him up to be killed by the Mexican Cartel, just like Vic and Shane killed anyone in their way. This will free Ronnie to make a run for it as he has no family, no children to speak of. I bet the last scene will be of Ronnie chilling tough with a drink in his hand on the beautiful Mexican Riviera, free of the worries and stress that followed him constantly in Farmington. Also, CCH Pounder will kill herself, feeling like she failed in every way possible as captain. Dutch will at the very least be assaulted by the boy who he accused of being a serial killer in the making. That's why he was getting the as yet to be explained phone calls from the boy's mother in tonight's episode. Finally, Billings, thanks to his experience and new found freedom from his lawsuit debacle (thanks Dutch), will be named captain and Farmington will move on from their losses.

If I nailed the final episode, I expect my own show.

A Funeral Is Not Sad, It's a Celebration!

Cue the sleepy, mournful trombones they play in New Orleans at a funeral, The Andy Reid Era is dead. Yesterday's game reminded me of the last time the Eagles tied in Baltimore. It was a moment where even the greatest of optimists could no longer argue that Andy Reid and his posse should stay in Philly. What ever happened to the good coach we saw early in his tenure, we will never know. He still may go on to coach a few strong years elsewhere in the league, but not here in Philly. Andy Reid thinks he is so freaking smart that it angers me to no end. He thinks his playcalling is clever, thinks that his mantras actually soothe the masses, and he thinks that all-you-can-eat cheeseburgers is a good idea the night before a game. When every problem the Reid Era has ever had reared their ugly heads yesterday, and Andy had no idea on how to stop the obvious and profuse bleeding, it drove a stake right through the heart of this team. We couldn't run the ball, the clock management was terrible, Andy almost challenged an obviously correct call, Donovan couldn't hit the broadside of a barn, the recievers had the dropsies, the linebackers were torched by TJ Hoosyomama and Ryan Freaking Fitzpatrick, and the playcalling was worse than what I could muster around 3 am in the midst of a full on rock out session in 2004 (if that joke doesn't make sense to you, picture a couple dudes in a room, each pounding Natty Ice because that's all that's left from the party, each playing a predesignated air instrument, and Pearl Jam's "Crazy Mary" from the State College show in 2003 hitting full throttle with the sound system as loud it could possibly go (we did this so often that the stereo system didn't survive more than 2 years)). That long sentence covers every single concern that has ever been raised during the Reid Era, all of which Andy has tried to convince us aren't that big of a deal in his "system".

Keep in mind, I'm not bitter at all. Instead of proclaiming the Eagles season dead and doing things on Sundays, let's turn these last six games into a celebration! Let's enjoy the outgoing Era. It could be one giant, six week, drinking game for example. For every blown challenge, chug a beer. For every 10 second span wasted so that Donovan can catch his breath, drink for 5 seconds. For every dropped pass, drink for 2 seconds. The possibilities are endless, however there is one caveat. Each rule must be directly tied to the Andy Reid Era. Or we could just finally appreciate the genius of Andy Reid. He is a genius, you know.... A comedic genius! Watching him coach is like watching Chappelle do stand up. He's great! His timing is impeccable and you never really know whats coming. Or we could play the "how many jelly beans are in Andy Reid" game. Closest without going over wins. See what I mean, this isn't a bad thing by any means. Now, we don't have to worry about being even remotely successful and just have fun.

In all seriousness, though, I am worried that Jeff Lurie and Joe Banner aren't going to see this post. I have a terrible feeling that we are just going to get rid of Donovan and let Andy stick around. Then all we'll get is the Andy Reid Era v1.5 (I'm counting the Doug Pederson year as v0.5). Look, I realize the vast shortcomings of Donovan McNabb, however, I'm pretty confident that given the right system he could still be ok. Given an offense that plays to his capabilities instead of ignoring them, I think he would still put up good numbers. An example of such an offense would be something with a more vertical passing game and more emphasis on the run. Lots more emphasis on the run. For what the Eagles are looking to run, however, he is not a good fit. He's not a precision passer, plain and simple.

Aside from Andy and Donovan, I can't shake the feeling that this is a good team. There is talent in so many places on the roster, that 5-4-1 reads more like 3-7. While not mathematically eliminated, this team is all but finished. All I know is, round 1 of the Andy Reid Era game starts next weekend at my place. Let the games begin!

Philly, Where I Am From

Philadelphia. To me, the word makes me swell with pride. To those on the outside, it conjures up images of heartless savages who boo Santa and throw food at 9 year-olds. This is my attempt to clear the confusion and maybe convince at least one outsider what we are all about.

The first time that I really felt like it's Philly against the world was when I was in seventh grade. I had traveled to Disney World and Ft. Myers, Florida with my family and, upon arrival in Phildelphia, I overheard a man say, "Aww a four hour layover in Philly? I'd rather have a root canal." At the time, I wasn't exactly on top of my dental terms, but I got the gist of his remark. Within the month, I found out what root canal was and, BAM, I became the "ruthless" Philly phan I am (By the way, having spent an inordinate amount of time in numerous big-city airports globally, Philly's airport is pretty damn nice. Accessible bars, good food, and easy to navigate, I can think of worse places to spend four hours. Ever been to Milan's airport? If not, here's a hint, don't effing go, trust me). Granted, looking back, I had been taught by my father to have a little bit of an excessive passion for my sports teams, however, being young, I thought it was the norm to totally want to jump off a bridge the day after the Eagles lose to the Cowboys. As I grew older, I came to learn that very few other cities lived and died by their teams as did I. I think my understanding of who I am as a Philadelphian became crystal clear during my time at Penn State. There, it became clear to me why I'm so loyal to my city.

I've never found Philadelphia to be an ugly town. Sure, there are areas you wouldn't want to be caught dead in (or if you're caught alive, you'll be found dead), but, overall, the downtown experience is pretty cool. There's rich areas, artsy areas, college areas, etc. All in all, everything you could want is there. Growing up, I thought that being the birthplace of America earned us a free pass nationally. How naive. Upon my arrival at Penn State, I learned that people from Pittsburgh believe, honestly believe,that they matter. And it's not a matter of arguing that the Industrial Revolution blew through the Burgh, but they actually think that people outside of Pennsylvania still think Pittsburgh is a real town. If that's not enough, they really believe that they are on the same level as Philly! Now, I have no problem talkin' trash with a New Yorker or a Bostonite, those are two legit cities, in fact I enjoy it. But nothing, NOTHING, angers me more than a Pittsburghian arguing that his/her city even matters. Have you ever been there? This is my requisite question for those who say, "oh chill out, you're just being an elitist dick". First and foremost, where is your South Street or Northern Liberties, Pittsburgh? Oh yeah, you have nothing like it. That's ok, just show me your suburban areas where I can find good shopping and a decent nightlife. What? You only have bars with deers' heads hanging on the walls and country music playing in the background?? This is Pittsburgh in a nutshell.

Ok, now that I have my hate for Pittsburgh out in the open, I move beyond the borders of the Keystone State. What people don't understand about Philadelphia is that very few of us have been brought up in a situation where our names pay our bills. There aren't many Philly families that carry the same influence as the Vanderbilt's or the Rockefeller's. Philly is blue collar. Respect in Philly is earned, not given based upon a name. We work hard for our money, and we expect our sports teams to do the same. I have brought up in the past that I hated Pat Burrell for makin 15 million and not doing anything productive for the team when it mattered. In New York, he would be a hero for not being Carl Pavano. In Philly, he was vilified for not playing like Aaron Rowand. We're also the same city that gave Allen Iverson all he could handle from a fan perspective. Unfortunately, we have some outsiders that controlled the radio waves and thus drove him out of town, but, can anyone deny that we treated him like a god as fans?? In the end, Philly fans are treated like the scum of the earth. I don't understand how outsiders dont understand that we are just extremely passionate. My Monday or Tuesday is dictated by the Birds. No where else in the nation is that the case. My mood is dictated by the standings. Without a LeBron, my teams depend on my mood. If my team is in the crapper, I'll still go, I'll just complain really loud about how much money it cost me. That's a Philly thing. Give me one other city that gives a crap if their team is under .500. Boston is a bunch of fakers now thanks to their success, New Yorkers base their lives off of conference or league championship series'. Try to get a New York fan to root hard during a regular season game and its like trying to get the Pope to really really care before Lent. Apathetic.

These reasons, plus Philly's respect for the blue collar worker is why we are who we are. No one is going to respect a drunk Santa or a drunk Mormon (Andy Reid). Respect in this city is earned based on merit, and if you don't merit my respect, well, you aren't getting it beacause you've scored or hit or caught or shot well. No. You gotta prove yourself to be a Philadelphian through and through. PHILLY!

PS. If you havent been able to tell, I like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage before bed. That may have skewed some of my perspectives, but definitely not all. If you wanna see more posts, a bottle of scotch or vodka would be appreciated! basically this is a plea for free Johnny Walker!

A Thesis on the Feasibilty of a B(C)S Playoff

In light of Penn State's recent loss and likely elimination from national championship contention, it is time to write the requisite post arguing for a BCS playoff.

It has become apparent that a playoff is what most fans want to see. The reasons are obvious, "why penalize a great team for one bad game", "let them play for the title", and so on the reasons are endless. The most obvious, and most oft unmentioned, reason why this hasn't happened is simple: money. Those in charge believe that the BCS as it stands is the most profitable. The more politically correct arguement is that it would take away from the tradition of the major bowls, but a Georgia-Hawaii Sugar Bowl, and Boise St.-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl immediately kill that arguement. I can't understand how a playoff would not be more profitable. Think about it: 8 teams play in four of the major "bowls" in round one (for the intents of this arguement, let's say these four are the Peach, Fiesta, Sugar, and Orange Bowls). The semis could be the Rose and Cotton Bowls, and the final is already in place as National Championship. Those seven games would be far more meaningful, and thus more profitable, than the current set-up of four meaningless BCS games and a "title" game. Detractors argue that this would result in too many games for college teams. I dispute that arguement with the following: A) most of the teams who participate in the BCS hoopla barely stress academics. You cannot change my mind about the players from Florida, Oklahoma, USC and so on. These guys don't face a rigorous academic schedule as it is, therefore, if your arguement is that it will take away from schoolwork, I laugh in your face. B) The BCS bowls as they stand make a lot less than they would as part a coherent playoff. Look at the NCAA basketball tournament. CBS paid a billion dollars for the rights to broadcast these games through something like 2012. College football, considering its immense popularity in the South and overall competitivness, would likely pull in twice this number for a similar period of time. C) Explain to me the necessity of a championship game in the SEC and Big 12 and whatever other conferences hold one. If a playoff is in place, the crowning of a champion of a specific conference seems less important. Consider that conferences who lose out on the profits of a championship game gain from the profits of the proposed 8 team playoff and I think everyone is in an improved financial situation. D) Lastly, college football is the only association of any relevant sport that does not hold a playoff. This is ridiculous. Last year, for example, the best teams in the country, USC, Georgia, and Oklahoma, had no chance to play for the title. Why should this be acceptable? I know I don't have to sell a playoff too hard to convince any of my readers, but it needs to be said, often times the best teams don't get a chance to play for a title based upon one bad game. Some say that the current system maximizes the importance of each and every game. I'm not sure how it would be any different if an 8 team playoff were in place. Think about it. Sure, 1 loss teams have a more legitimate chance at playing for the title, but teams still can't take weeks off at a time and expect to have a chance at the title. It sickens me that people can argue that the current BCS system works. How can it work if Florida, Oklahoma, and USC dont have a chance at the title without help?? In my opinion, those are far and away the best teams in the nation and, without help, 2 of those 3 won't even sniff the title game. It's a travesty that there isn't a playoff in place. This isn't even sour grapes from '94 or the Iowa game, as I believe that were there a playoff in place, Penn State would finish no better than 4th. As a fan, I deserve to see a real national title game, and in my opinion, I won't until there is at least an 8 team playoff in place.

To put the ridiculousness of what the current system is in perspective, consider the Phillies. Had the BCS applied to Major League Baseball, which some can argue has too small a playoff as is, the Cubs would have played the Angels in the World Series. Both teams sucked in the first round of the playoffs. Apply the BCS to last years' NFL playoffs and the Patriots would have played the Cowboys for the title. A quick glance of championship matchups since 2005 in the three major sports shows that only the 2008 NBA Playoffs held true to being the matchup that the BCS would have set up, and even that was on the rocks at several points. To argue that a system of complicated rewards and points is even feasible to set up a championship just sounds retarded on every level. NO OTHER SPORT AT ANY LEVEL FOLLOWS A SIMILAR SYSTEM. That should be proof enough that the current system can't work.

Here is what needs to happen. The NCAA needs to consolidate its Division I-A football components. Bowls can't be governed by themselves and conferences can't be viewed as completely separate entitities. How can an association that has it so right in one sport (NCAA Basketball) have it so wrong in another (Football)? A single governing body needs to choose each bowl's participants. Tradition can be upheld very easily as said governing body should respect each bowl's history as long as it is not involved in the playoff. The playoff bowls should be viewed as a seeding process, with the top billling cycling between games, much like the hot Hollywood girl of the time cycles through men. It isn't complicated, and similar processes happen on a daily basis thoughout the country on college campuses in the form of beer-pong tournaments. That's what I don't get. How can drunk college kids create a more favorable tournament than powerful conference presidents and CEO's? These guys had to have been creating the beer-pong brackets at one point in their lives, right?

All in all, the national champion of college football will be forever viewed as being tainted until a playoff is in place. Auburn was undefeated a few years back, yet didn't get to play for the title. USC smoked Oklahoma that year, and was likely the best team in the country, however, there was another major college unbeaten. What if USC had to play Auburn?? What would have happened? We'll never know.

Being a PSU fan, I should never argue the following, but being a college football fan, I will. The following teams have one loss. Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Penn State, and USC. Each and every one of those teams could conceivably win a tournament, however, none will have a chance to prove it, and none will have a chance to win the national championship without some help. That, my friends, is a travesty.

Eagles and Penn State... A Common Theme

This weekend marked the death of Penn State's national title run, as well as any semblance of faith I had in Andy Reid. Where do we begin?

We'll start with Penn State. As I called several weeks ago, Penn State's play calling really bit them in the rear. Obviously, there were other factors, such as why did we play "bend but don't break" defense on the last drive. However, in my opinion, the real culprit was the play calling. Case in point? Penn State's final possession. Sure the wildcat formation is cute, and it's really cute when D-Will can complete a pass, however, why get away from what you do well? The last three plays we ran before Clark's INT were all cute plays, starting with D-Will's pass. Sure it worked great but you should have followed it up with a Royster run. Instead, we line up in the wildcat again and try to run it with D-Will for no gain. Obviously, he's not passing twice in a row and the defense knew it.... Ok, that's not a big deal, 2nd and 10 right? Well, on 2nd and 10 or 11 or whatever it may have been, we try a reverse to, you guessed it, D-Will. While I don't disagree with trying to get the ball into the hands of your #1 playmaker, I take issue with how they did it. As I mentioned early in the season, Penn St. has a tendancy to try really hard to get the ball in the hands of the obvious targets. That is exactly what this was. Why not run a passing route where he is the #1 option?? Instead we run a play where if the defense sniffs it out, that's the play, it's over, no second or third option. On third down, had the pass been on target we may have gotten the first, but we never should have been in this obvious passing situation. How can you not run what's gotten you to 9-0? I'm sorry but I have no recollection of the wildcat being a major part of our offense before this weekend, so why do it now? Also, many have argued that Clark was not 100% recovered from his concussion. If that's the case, and he is underperforming, why not give Devlin a shot? He has proven himself capable on the largest of stages. Lastly, after the INT, why not call a timeout or two on Iowa's final drive? Once it became apparent that they were in field goal range, why not call a timeout to conserve a little time for your offense? Terrible clock management. All in all, Penn State's weaknesses became glaring in Iowa City. I'd be willing to bet that Jay Paterno had something to do with the play calling on the final drive, and I'd also be willing to bet that had we just run the ball with Clark and Royster, we would have won the game. I'm still sick about this.

Just so everyone is aware, however, I knew this game smelled funny. I chose not to watch the first half and some of the third quarter because I knew this was our trap. So if my analysis doesn't apply to the time before the final drive, I apologize, it's just that I saw this coming from a mile away.

On to the Birds.... Honestly, I can say that I am proud of how we performed up to a point. We fought hard against the team that most are picking to win the NFC, and had a chance to win at the end. I can't ask for much more. Having said that, I believe we blew this game... Royally. Why? Answer me this... why would the Eagles, whom have acted so averse to running over the past few years, even consider running twice in a row on thrid and fourth and short? Andy Reid must think he's such a genius that it will work, that's the only logical explanation. The fact of the matter is that the Eagles were passing the ball well in the second half, and hadn't run the ball well all game. So, naturally, when it comes time to exploit whatever strength your team has, we ran the ball, twice in a row. This didn't even make sense from a clock perspective as we only had one timeout and had waited for the 2 minute warning so that Donovan could catch his breath. At least, had we passed, Donovan could have seen the play break down and scramble. I'm just frustrated beyond belief that we are in a tie with the Cowboys for last place, and likely for the Wild Card. And where was Westbrook all game? That was the weakest effort I've seen from the Birds to get the ball in his hands in a few years and that's sayin something.

All is not lost, however, the Eagles really need to step it up. Luckily for us, I believe the Cowboys are going to beat the Redskins this weekend, and I believe we will beat the Bengals, thus creating a 3-way tie for second in the division. The Birds should win the rest of their out of division games, that is if they have any kind of balls whatsoever. That leaves us with, at worst, a 9-7 record. I think we can steal at least one division game from here on out, making us at least 10-6, meaning we'll probably be in the playoffs. Here's to hoping that works out.

Finally tonight, I want to talk basketball. I admit, I was really excited to prognasticate the NBA season, however, the Sixers' extremely slow start has killed me. Hence, I will likely give my opinions on NCAA ball before the NBA solely because I need the Sixers to make a run. I'm sure you all understand. Thanks.

Some Birds Poop and a little College Bball

Well, thanks to the Steelers (never thought I'd thank them if it didn't involve the Pats), the Eagles are in a second place tie in the NFC East. While I am completely aware that its a long season and we are a long way away from the finish, I gotta admit I'm starting to get pumped about the Birds. I know, I know, I'm one of very few who are but let me outline why...

The Defense: This defense reminds me of the early Andy Reid-era defenses. Why? First, they seem to be on the field an excessive amount. With the style of offense the Eagles run, it puts the onus on the defense to win the tough games. An onus is never good for anyone involved, however, this defensive unit seems to be up to the task. I think they get in trouble when they go conservative, however, when they are in attack mode, I think they are in the top ten of the league defensively. I also think the turnovers are about to really start pouring in. Andy Reid teams are notoriously slow starters and the defense always seemed to come around first. This season will be no different and I think you can start counting on that unit to win us a few games down the stretch. With our D-Line depth, as well as D-Back depth, we really have the weapons to be an attacking defense that causes turnovers. It's coming together soon, and I think causing 11 STRAIGHT PUNTS was a good indicator.

The Offense: While I'll fully admit that McNabb has a tendancy to be a bit of a liability, I think this offense has the firepower to make noise. I haven't seen much consistency, but then again the offensive lineup hasn't been very consistent either. I think this unit is about to take off as a consistent 28 points per game team in the very near future. Why? Westbrook is healthy. Kevin Curtis, who is the consistent route runner that Donovan needs, is healthy. DeSean Jackson is becoming such a threat that teams need to game plan for him as well. The other receivers are quickly learning their roles and filling them nicely. Brent Celek is developing into a great former draft pick considering where he was chosen. Shawn Andrews is supposed to come back in late November, early December. ASll those factors add up to what should be a consistent offense, with one (kinda two) caveat. Donovan and Andy. Can Donovan make the throws and can Andy make the logical calls? Even if they can't do this on a consistent basis, the defense is strong enough to take us somewhere, however somewhere is not the championship in that scenario.

Special Teams: For once, and for the first time since #36 fielded punts, the Eagles have a chance of doing something on special teams. This is significant because special teams can win a game if you catch the right breaks. Fortunately, the special teams seem to be strong enough defensively that they won't lose games for us and they seem strong enough that we could win a game on a return. Knowing that six points isn't far away is a big plus for this team. I think you can pretty much pencil in at least one more return from Jackson and for Demps to finally break one.

We'll be ok as a team, trust me. I am confident this team will make the playoffs and, if they can figure out how to be remotely consistent, we will make some noise.

On to college basketball. UNC is the first unanimous preseason #1 ever. Ever. I read somewhere that they feature 9 McDonald's All-Americans. NINE! Do you realize how ridiculous that is? That means that on that bench, a McDonald's All-American is getting maybe 10 minutes a game when he could likely start for pretty much any team he lines up against, Duke being the exception. I think we're in for an exciting college basketball season, especially with Davidson being in the top 25, and thus, eligible to be rooted for before late February. I think we're looking at a season where teams outside of UNC will battle for the other 3 #1 seeds to the death. I guarantee you'll see a potential #1 fall in their conference tournament. I also guarantee that an 8 seed who's not in UNC's bracket will make the Final Four and, more than likely, that team will be a Big East team. I'm not sure that I can describe how excited I am for this upcoming season. Although it makes for a lot of one and dones, I think the NBA's 19 year-old rule has really improved the excitement of college basketball. Guys who seem like the real deal in high school are exposed as freshmen. Those who are ready for the Big Show expose everyone they play against. Memphis sports a different lineup almost year-in and year-out and yet they are good year-in and year-out. How can you not love this?? Anyway, before I even look at any local teams, or most teams from across the country for that matter, I have two predictions. A) UCONN will be a bust. I can feel it. They will not finish in the Top 10. B) UNC will win it all. Barring multiple injuries, I think this will be one of the best teams we've seen in a long while. My suggestion? Sit back and enjoy the show, UNC is going to take it to a new level.

I'll have profiles on the local teams and the NBA coming soon. I apologize for the delay, it's just the Phils really threw my schedule for a loop.

PS. I am NOT complaining about having my plans foiled by a World Series victory! It still doesn't feel real to say that.

B(c)S and the Eagles

Penn State was leapfrogged by Texas Tech. While I'm not completely surprised, I can't say I'm OK with it. Obviously, this week's poll is in no way indicative of how the season will eventually shake out but it does give you an idea of how the college football world is shaping up. What I consider to be disconcerting is the fact that Penn State is obviously the odd man out if 3 teams finish undefeated. Truthfully, I think this is the most unlikely outcome of them all, however, stranger things have happened. When you look at the schedules and matchups though, this just doesn't seem possible. I think Texas Tech is an incredibly exciting team to watch and it may be one of the most talented offenses I've ever seem, but they just can't possibly win what will likely be 3 more games against top ten teams (this week against OK St., then Oklahoma, then a likely Big 12 championship matchup). Texas couldn't survive a similar stretch and, despite this weekend's outcome, I would choose the Longhorns in any future matchup, even though it will not happen. As for Alabama, I think they are more likely to go undefeated, however their schedule isn't exactly a cakewalk either. Upcoming games include next week at LSU, a rivalry game with Auburn, and the SEC championship game against what looks to be Florida. While this schedule is not easy by any means, I think they have a better chance to finish undefeated because Florida is the only team that even has a realistic shot of knocking them off. While I obviously admit that I would not be surprised to see Bama lose to LSU or Auburn, Bama will be favored in these games and rightfully so.

People can guess and theorize all they want but the truth of the matter is that Penn State deserves to play in the Nat'l Championship game if they can finish the season with 3 wins. Unfortunately, much of the country will argue that a team from one of the two power conferences should sneak in ahead of them based 0n strength of schedule. To combat this ridiculous arguement, I think the Big Ten should take several steps to improve their national stature. First and foremost, Big Ten teams rarely play SEC teams in the regular season. I think the Big Ten should consider making an effort to schedule more of these teams for early season showdowns. Big Ten basketball already has the Big Ten-ACC showdown, and while its easy to argue that in recent seasons that the showdown has hurt the Big Ten's profile as a whole, such a showdown can do wonders for helping the profiles of individual teams. In college football, one game can really define your season. Imagine that, instead of following Big Ten/Pac 10 tradition and lining up against one of the Pac 10 doormats (and they all are except USC), Penn State had played and beaten a team like Auburn in the beginning of the season. I'm aware that Auburn isn't looking too good right now, but it could serve to be a measuring stick for the Lions against the SEC teams that claim supremacy despite losses, based on strength of schedule. The reason that I say we should do it against the SEC and not the Big 12 is that the SEC is traditionally a better conference. Year after year, a team from the SEC l0oks to be the strongest in the country. It was really only this year that the Big 12 has looked so good. A few years back, Texas romped through the entire conference and was far and away the best team in the conference. This rarely happens in the SEC. Next, the Big Ten should strongly consider courting Notre Dame to join the conference as a football-only member. Notre Dame would never cut ties with Big East basketball, and rightly so. Big East basketball is beginning to rival the ACC. However, attracting a high profile team like Notre Dame, a team that never seems to be considered bad even if they are, would make the conference more attractive to fans. Notre Dame already has rivalries with 5 teams in the Big Ten, so very little would be lost on their end in terms of big games. I think the only deterrent for ND would be the loss of their TV revenue from NBC and the loss of the ability to schedule the big name cupcakes that they schedule year in and year out. Stanford is pretty bad, as is Pitt. With a 12th team, the Big Ten could have a conference championship game, which seems to serve to legitimize conference champions of other leagues and would only help to do so for the Big 10 as well. An extra game per year for national title contenders from the conference against what is obviously going to be at least relatively good competition only serves to strengthen the profiles of said teams. In any case, Ohio State's troubles over the past few years has really scarred the conference, and the falls from grace of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan this year has really, really gashed the conference's image.

On to the Birds. They won today in Seattle, which Fox Sports insists is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. Not sure how much I believe that, but it was a good win nonetheless. I realize that the first quarter was terrible, but the Birds bounced back and soundly defeated a bad team as they should have. We fans are extremely tough on the Birds and, admittedly, the first quarter was excruciatingly terrible, but I really think you can't get on them for the entire body of work of this game. They bounced back from a sluggish start and really took it to the Seahawks in a physical fashion. That was the encouraging part. The discouraging parts? Donovan's horrid start coupled with Andy Reid's insistance on continuing to pass the ball. In the beginning of the game, when Donovan couldn't come within five feet of his targets, Andy kept inexplicably calling pass plays. Wouldn't conventional wisdom tell you to allow your quarterback to get into a rhythm by running the ball and calling the occasional screen? Instead, Reid treated it like Donovan was a sharpshooter who just needed to shoot his way out of a slump. I don't think quarterbacking works like that, and I know it doesn't work like that when it is obviously affecting your team negatively. Having said all that, Donovan put it together and the Eagles pulled through, so I guess that criticism will have to wait another week or to before its truly relevant. The Eagles have a huge game coming up this week with the Giants. If the Birds can pull off the upset, I really like their chances going forward. I think I may even like their chances if they lose a close one. The Eagles really just need to put together a string of victories while the city is somewhat distracted by the Phils and they'll be in good shape come December, much like my fantasy team.

WORLD F****** CHAMPIONS

I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "how does any self respecting sports blog take a full 3 days to react to the first world championship it has ever experienced?" Well, you're right. Kind of. It has taken me a full three days to even sit down and realize what happened. While for most people this would rightfully be considered excessive, I argue that for any Philadelphian younger than 30, this is a remarkably fast response. When I posted on Wednesday, I was optimistic but restrained. That restraint went out the door with Jenkins' double to right. From there on, the game was simply a precursor to the greatest stretch of my phanhood. Even when the Rays threatened, I was at ease, knowing that we just had to win. Looking back, had anything gone wrong that night, I'm not sure how the Series would have ended up. That discussion, however, is for some other universe.

As Lidge was about to deliver the last pitch, I was so confident that I set my camera on video record and captured the scene in the establishment from which I watched the game. I've watched that video about 30,000 times since and it gets better every time. The release of negative energy from this city is astounding. For myself, songs sound better, construction traffic is less annoying, people don't frustrate me as much, stressful situations are less stressful, and, in general, life is better. Thursday morning, I woke up with a bit of a championship hangover and, honestly, I've never felt better. Life only got better on Friday when, for the first time in my life, waking up at the crack of dawn to catch a train was absolutely awesome.

The parade was indescribable. For me, standing on Market Street in the cold, incapable of moving more than 2 inches in either direction, and having to pee so bad that I actually peed into a cup, in the open, surrounded by complete strangers, was absolute heaven. I've never experienced anything like it and probably never will again. Center City was completely shut down by revelers, as we roamed the streets celebrating, unfettered by traffic, police, or common sense. My companions and I walked from our viewing post at 16th and Market down to South Street, enjoyed the scene there for a while, then turned north to grab lunch in Olde City. It was at a swanky little outpost called Paradigm where we dined on calamari, french onion soup, and humus, all while taking in the end of the parade (Trust me, I wanted a cheesesteak but waiting 2 hours in the line at Jim's wasn't appealing to my growling stomach). Mind you, this was a full 3 hours after we had witnessed the parade pass us by first hand. It took them so long to get from point A to point B mostly because everyone who lived remotely near the city had made the trek down just to catch a glimpse of their heroes. It was just an amazing scene. The scene was so amazing, so gratifying that SEPTA's inability to handle any kind of adversity couldn't even quell my happiness (At Market East, the rumor was that it was a 5 hour wait for a northbound train. 5 HOURS! The throng of people was so large that there was a line to even get downstairs to the platform. The platform was completely filled and some trains weren't even stopping because they had filled at Suburban Station. It was a complete melee. So much so that walking from Center City to Temple University seemed appealing, and that's just what we did. Gotta admit, the neighborhoods that lie between aren't going to be confused with Beverly Hills anytime soon).

In the end, this has been one of the best weeks of my life, definitely the best week of my life as a phan. I really feel like nothing can bring me down right now. I know this high will end and life will return to some semblance of normalcy sometime soon, but it will be different. It will be different because the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies have proven to me that it is possible for a team that I root for to win. It will be different because they have proven to me that negativity is a really unnecessary stress, in all walks of life. Thanks Phils.

Finally, while we are discussing the World Series, I would like to sound off on one thing (sorry, the Philly in me would not allow me to let this be a 100% happy-sappy-love story). Peter Gammons called this the worst World Series of recent memory. His main point for such a ridiculous statement was that the weather was terrible, from what I could gather from his rambling, somewhat incoherent, and obviously bitter arguement. It was his way of backhandedly putting down the team that beat his beloved Sox (the Rays) and the team from the city which he presumably dislikes the most aside from New York. To be honest, I thought about letting this go due to his mental handicap (no one his age can be considered sane, especially no one who nearly died from an aneurysm in the past two years), but I can't. Peter, do you honestly believe the weather would have been better in New York or Boston?? The storm that put a long pause to Game 5 pounded those cities as well. As for your arguement that baseball should hold the Series at a neutral site, do I really need to explain how that is not logistically possible? In case you need me to, I will. The reason the Super Bowl works is that fans can make a long weekend of it. There are two weeks notice and a definite amount of time that fans need to find lodging for. None of this is true with the World Series, and they can't be made to be true either. A two week layoff between the championship serieses and the World Series is indefensible and the fact that it is a Series means that it lasts an indeterminate amount of time. Sprinkle in the fact that very few people can take off a whole week of work (which would be necessary because no one wants to possibly miss an *if necessary Game 5, 6, or 7) on a week's (at most) notice and this is shaping up to be a Series attended only by corporate hacks and locals, neither of which would likely have any real rooting interest other than those of a bandwagoneer. Pretty soon, you'll have an emotionless Series unless the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, or Dodgers (in my opinion the only teams with a real national (read: bandwagon) following) are prominently involved. To me, you are essentially stealing the real essence of the World Series from the fans. It sucks enough that the Super Bowl is in these cast away locations that really only boast nice stadiums. Don't kill the Fall Classic. Peter, just because the Yankees or Red Sox weren't involved does not mean the Series sucked. It was the best thing to happen to the country's 5th largest city in a long time. Stop cryin' about your Sox and recognize a beautiful thing when you see it. Either that or just retire already. Thanks.

Rain, Rain, (Snow, Snow) Go Away!

Much like the World Series, the Phanhood has been on hold for a few days trying to figure out what it has to say. Let me try to explain.

Monday afternoon, I chose to venture down to the city for what everyone thought would be a Game 5 clincher. It was unlike anything I've ever experienced in my lifetime as a Philly sports fan. Around 5:30 PM, there were more people on the trains going to the city than from it. The most popular discussion on board was, "Where are you going to celebrate? South Street? Broad Street? Near the stadium?," not the Philadelphia-requisite "I'm so worried that Hamels is due for a bad game," or "You think our bats will stay hot?" Every fan seemed to know Hamels was going to pitch a gem, our bats would stay hot, and the biggest drama of the evening would be whether or not it would be possible to catch the last train home, kindly moved from its normal schedule to "one hour after the last pitch" by SEPTA. Everyone knew we were going to win and everyone was going to the city to enjoy it. The bars downtown were overflowing, with people lined up to get into bars that likely never see more than an average of 10 patrons an evening. The first inning provided 2 Phillies runs and excitement was rapidly growing into pandemonium. I'm not even kidding, it would have been the wildest night in the history of mankind.

And then...

It started raining. Not too heavily at first, but enough to prompt the Sober Sally's of the group to ask what happened if the game was rained out. Speculation began to run rampant as to whether the fifth inning-official game policy applied to the World Series. We fans soldiered on, almost hoping for every half inning to be a 1-2-3 inning, just so we could get the game in and get our celebration on. Several fans pointed out that celebrating in the rain would be sweet because alot of women were wearing white Phillies jerseys. Yes, we all thought, a championship riot in the rain would be a blast! As the game wore on and the weather grew more fierce, only the most fervent riot optimists thought it could still happen. (By the way, they rioted in State College this weekend after the Penn St.-Ohio St. game. I must admit to you that I am EXTREMELY jealous that I never was a part of a State College riot. I was involved in some near riots, including after the Eagles won the NFC championship game in 2004, but the revelry never descended into bedlam. No cars were damaged, no lamp posts felled. All in all, I may never have wished more to have been in State College during a non-football, non-festival weekend. I am sad.)

When the game was finally delayed, the energy was sucked out of the establishment we were in. Those who figured they would just go to work hungover the next morning filtered out of the building half glad to avoid a hangover, 100% sad to have our celebration delayed. Tuesday would be awesome, we all figured. Just another excuse to come downtown for another night and do it up even bigger. But then, on Tuesday, it snowed in the Philadelphia region. SNOWED! Last winter, I can think of maybe three storms that resulted in any kind of accumulation whatsoever, and they were all in December-January-February. This is October. I'm not sure I can remember that many significant frosts this early, let alone a snowfall that turned my neighborhood white. It was while staring out my window at this pre-Halloween winter wonderland that I decided what had gone wrong. We got too cocky and this was God admonishing us instead of punishing us. He wouldn't take our championship just yet, but he was going to make us realize that we, of all cities, should not feel so confident as to discuss which street we were going to view the celebration from. We should not feel so confident as to come down to the city on a Monday night because we were obviously going to clinch that night. Well, God, I got your message loud and clear. I am going to watch tonight's 3 innings in the same way I've watched most other games this year, in the suburbs, either at home, a friend's house, or a local establishment. In any case, I will not openly discuss any celebration, any long processions down a certain street leading to a certain landmark adorned by a certain character who has cursed us ever since his perch atop the city was exceeded by Liberty Place. Philadelphia, God has warned us. Let's take heed and not get ahead of ourselves. Let's watch this game from our lucky spot on the couch, lucky seat at the local bar. Let's leave the city to those who normally view games there, those who live there. We'll have our time in the sun, just as long as we humbly wait until the last pitch leaves Brad Lidge's hands to unleash all the energy we've built up over the years. As we all know, it's always sunny in Philadelphia.

As for any other sports discussion, topics including, but not limited to, Penn St. football, Eagles, and Sixers, those discussions will resume once this Game 5 situation is resolved. Thank you for your patience.

1-1, The Phils version of The Haunting

The Good? The Phillies got a split out of the first two games in Tampa. The Bad? Pretty much everything else. The Phillies season long struggles with producing runs without hitting home runs reared its ugly head in game two, and its uglier than Madonnoa with all her muscles. I saw on SportsCenter this morning that the Phils have set a record for futility with runners in scoring position in the World Series. The sad thing is that its really no surprise to me. This team has a lot of trouble getting men across the plate without hitting balls over the fence, and they have all year. Sure, there have been games when they have proven they are capable of it, but they just don't do it consistently. The first two games of the World Series have highlighted this point. Throw in the Rays solid pitching on top of the Phils inconsistency and you have a recipe for some really messy soup. The truth of the matter is that the Phillies are going to have to be relying on Rays' pitchers making mistakes all series, being as the Phillies just aren't a team of contact hitters. As long as the Rays can play keep away from the Phils hitters, it's gonna be tough series, which is why I think it will be a 7 game series. You have to figure there will be more games like game 2 for the Phillies. Quick thought, Dobbs had a lot of trouble as DH, but did anyone notice his swing was different? He was stepping out of pitches as he swung, trying to hit the long ball. Dobbs does best when his swing is tight and compact. Last night, it was loose and long. Hopefully, Charlie saw this as well and gets it corrected before the next time Dobbs is DH.

Enough negativity, it's time to look at the brightside. The Series is coming to Philadelphia. I don't think the Rays have any idea what they are getting into coming here. The fans are going to be absolutely rabid. You could argue that the Rays have played in Fenway so they have some experience in a hostile atmosphere, but Fenway doesn't have 23 years of professional sports frustration penned up in it anymore. Philadelphia fans are of another breed, which is why I'm so proud to be one. I think our fans will get into the heads of the Rays' pitchers early and that game of keep away that was so effective in Tampa will not hold in Philadelphia. Pitches are likely to sail a little higher in the strike zone, flare a little more inside, leaving them vulnerable to the Phillies bats. I think we'll be able to catch a few more breaks here at home, leading to a few more runs, leading to wins. If we can take 2 of 3 at the Bank, the Series is ours for the taking. In any case, you gotta love October baseball in your hometown.

In another sport, Penn State takes on Ohio State tomorrow night at The Shoe. PSU hasn't won there since joining the Big Ten and, in those losses, never mustered more than 10 points. While I don't think either trend will continue tomorrow, I think this game will be a lot closer than what we're accustomed to this season. Ohio State's offense is a raw version of Penn State's, so you would hope to believe that our defense knows how to stop it. OSU's defense is stacked, so to expect 40+ points for the Lions would be a bit of a stretch. However, PSU's offense is so versatile that they should be able to move the ball and put points on the board. Avoiding mistakes will be the key to a Penn State victory. That means not turning the ball over and, if you do give it away, don't let Ohio State turn it into points on the other end. This game is basically Penn State's Big Ten Championship game so you have to believe they'll be ready for the challenge. Prediction: Penn State 27 Ohio State 17.

World Series Game 1, thoughts on the rest of the series, and randomness

1-0! Chase Utley and, shockingly, Carlos Ruiz provided the all the offense Cole Hamels needed tonight. I was real proud of the way the Phils came out battling tonight, so much for my focus theory. The Rays were the team that seemed off kilter to start the game. It boggles my mind that the Phils keep winning games this way, with most of the runs coming on one hit and then scraping together a few more, then just holding on for dear life. It defies all baseball logic but I love it nonetheless.

So I blew my chance to write a predicition post for the World Series, but please cut me some slack. I'm sorry about that, but some non-Phanhood issues had me distracted for a day or two. In any case, no worries, guys, I'm makin an effort to find some time each day to write. In lieu of a World Series preview, I'll present to you a Rest-of-the-Series prediction post. On to the predictions.

Well, we know what happened in Game 1. Cole was dominant and Chase was clutch. But where do we go from here? One thing is clear, after Cole, the Phils have only one truly good pitching matchup, and even that is up in the air as to whom it will be. The Rays are talented offensively, so you have to figure they will get to two of the three between Myers, Moyer and Blanton. One of those three, based on this postseason's history, is likely to come up with a good game, while the others will yield a few runs, leaving us to depend on our offense. The Rays, on the other hand, have Garza and Shields, both of whom are strong pitchers. Their fourth starter is some dude who, from what I hear, is decent but not a name we really need to worry about. That leaves, in the remaining pitching matchups, a slight advantage for the Rays until Cole takes the hill again. I know, that was really vague and somewhat confusing but bear with me. In my opnion, if the Phils can nurse this series along to a 2-2 tie after four, then we're looking good, as Cole would likely pitch games 5 and 7. Basically, this series comes down to the Phils laying key games on the doorstep of their best pitcher. If game 6 is an elimination game for the Phils, prepare to be worried now. If game 4 is a chance for the Rays to go up 3-1, purchase a ton of Prilosec OTC, it will be a thriller. This series will boil down to whichever team can avoid the big hole, both within a single game and within the series. The Phillies troubles in LA for games 3 and 4 proves that over use of the bullpen is tough to bounce back from. If you recall, the bullpen was called to early duty in game 3. In game 4, it took an offensive explosion to win, and even then, the bullpen held on by a thread. You could argue that we won so why does it matter, but think about it, without those deflating home runs by Victorino and Stairs, and a few really impressive plays in the field, that series could have easily been 2-2 and the bullpen would have been to blame. From that, we can deduce that keeping your bullpen fresh by getting 6 innings at least each night from your starters plays a huge role in how the series falls into place.

Having laid down the brickwork of my prediction, even if it may have been confusing (again, I apologize, I've had long few days), I can honestly say that I believe that we are in for a 7 game series. I can honestly also say that I believe the Phillies will win game 7 in extra innings, that's how closely matched this series is. All the pundits are picking the Rays, and yeah I can see that, but being here in Philly, I'm feeling a positive energy about this team that I've never felt about a Philly team before. Remember the Sixers' run a few years back? We, as a city, were more happy to be there than expecting to win. Even the Eagles' Super Bowl trip was more of a "holy shit we're in the Super Bowl" experience than a "we got this" experience. Being the resident pessimist, I've fought against the optimism for a while, but that LA series turned me into a believer. The city has a "we got this" feel to it and, having played on many sports teams in the past, that feeling is tough to beat down. We may not do it the way its supposed to be done according to baseball afficianados, but we get it done and, in the end, thats all that matters. Phils 4 Rays 3.

Finally, I would like to throw a few random thoughts your way this evening. I watched Chocolate News on Comedy Central tonight and, truth be told, I thought it was really funny. Well written and well prepared, it reminded me of the same level of satyrical humor that only Chappelle really mastered. I hope the next episode doesn't suck, otherwise you'll all question my sanity. However, I also think Frank TV is pretty funny and that hasn't sat well with the rest of you so... who knows. Also, anyone who even remotely knows me is aware of my recent obsession with Li'l Wayne. Wheezy tears up every track he's on and I love his new effort to explore so many genres of music. I can really respect an artist who is willing to do what he wants and see what he can do with all different types of sounds. Well, Wayne has decided to venture into another medium. He has apparently been posting a blog on ESPN.com Check it out:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3657276

It's worth the look. There is so much great material in there. He makes me think, laugh out loud, and, above all, amazes me that he knows so much about sports. While his grammar doesn't rival that of Charles Dickens, it's an enjoyable read that has entertained me for some time. Enjoy and thank me later.

Penn State Weekend...

Well, I got back from State College on Sunday night, but it's taken me until now to recover enough to write something on here. For those who saw the game on Saturday, it was a tale of two halves. In the first half, Penn State looked sloppy and confused, however in the second half, they looked every bit deserving of the No. 3 BCS ranking they were given this weekend. They must play better than they did in the first half to beat Ohio State this weekend. I'll have some thoughts on the game closer to the end of the week.

As for the BCS rankings, as of now, I'm not too worried. I honestly believe that if Penn State takes care of business, they have nothing to worry about as the other undefeateds with a shot at the title game face much more difficult roads to the championship, likely resulting in at least one of them losing a game before its all said and done. As a friend of the Phanhood points out, however, Penn State is getting romped by the computer polls, even being ranked as low as #11 by one such machine. This really grinds my gears. Why? Penn State is being punished for the rest of the Big Ten's troubles, namely Ohio State's. Think about it. If OSU had even come close to winning one of the last two title games, I don't think we would be hearing so much negative press about the Big Ten. The Big Ten hasn't performed all that poorly in the last few bowl seasons as a whole, in fact, Penn State mopped the floor with an SEC team and a Big 12 team in the last 2 bowl seasons. While I will concede that the Big Ten is considerably weaker than the Big 12 and SEC this year, that doesn't explain how USC gets a free pass. USC was beaten by a team that Penn State had annihilated just a few weeks prior. Adding to that, the Pac-10 really stinks this year as a whole... proof? How about Cal losing to Maryland, Washington St. losing to Long Beach Polytechnic's JV team, Washington losing to everyone in the world, Arizona St. becoming the biggest disappointment since the newest Indiana Jones movie, and pretty much everyone else generally being mediocre. How does USC get a free pass? That, my friends, is the difference between Los Angeles and State College, Pennsylvania... that and the $1.2 million that Pete Carroll pays his players.

Anyway, as I said, this will all be moot as long as PSU does it's job, I hope. For tomorrow, look out for my World Series preview. In case you can't tell, I've been acting like it's not starting TOMORROW so that I can sleep at night. My friend uses this not-getting-pumped-til-the-last-minute tactic and I gotta admit, it's pretty easy, and definitely helps ensure that I get my 8 on a nightly basis.

ALCS and other random thoughts, plus PSU this weekend...

Just finished watching Game 5 of the ALCS. I am not very happy. The Sox rallied from a 7-0 deficit with two outs in the bottom half of the 7th inning to win 8-7. This is bad news all around for the Phillies. The best circumstances possible for the Phillies would have been that the Rays win tonight so that both teams hadn't played in a while when the World Series starts next Wednesday. Baseball is a game of timing and momentum and nothing kills timing and momentum like a long break. Had the Rays won tonight, both teams would have been coming off long breaks come Wednesday, so that factor would have been in neither teams' favor. Instead, the Rays and Sox will play Saturday and probably Sunday as well given the huge momentum swing this series just underwent. This means that either team, the Rays or Sox, won't bee too far removed from the intense mental focus that playoff baseball requires. The Phils, on the other hand, will have had a week to relax and bask in the glory of making the World Series. This is not good. Having said all that, I think we will be facing the Sox in the World Series. Tonight was such a huge swing of momentum in their favor that I can't see them losing this series now. They have a track record of coming back from big series deficits and going on to win it all (last year they were down 3-1 to the Indians only to come back and win the series and then the World Series and I don't think I need to recap the infamous 3-0 series with the Yankees). I'm not yet saying that I would pick the Sox to beat the Phils but I am saying that I certaintly don't want to face them. The Rays may be the better team on paper but there is something else with the Sox that is immeasureable and, quite frankly, I don't want to have to find out how much of a difference said immeasureables would make in the World Series.

When I thought the baseball game was a forgone conclusion this evening, I flipped between BYU-TCU and NC State-Florida St. TCU exposed BYU as a pretender and while I would normally be all for a BCS buster going undefeated, this season I'm rooting for anyone and everyone to lose, except Penn State, of course. My normal logic is that the more teams that go undefeated and have legitimate claims to play for a title, the more likely it is that the rumble the exists for a playoff now would grow to a roar. Make no mistake about it, NCAA football needs a playoff... desperately. However, this season, I don't want the team to have a legitimate complaint to be my Nittany Lions. If we are that team come the end of the season, I would directly blame Ohio State for sucking so bad out of conference the last two years. It's sad that a team would be judged by another team's inability to play well in big games, but without a playoff, this transistive property is the property by which most people judge teams... If team A loses bad to team C and team B beats team A, then team C must be better than team B. Fortunately, we currently have this advantage over USC, but, unfortunately, pretty much every other team has the advantage over us, even if the advantage was gained in years passed. All we have to do is keep winning, though, and the rest is up to the football gods.

That brings me to this weekend. I'm headed up to State College for Homecoming and I'm really looking forward to putting another State College weekend in the books. Things have changed drastically over the years up there, namely, we are all depending on younger siblings for a place to stay and not friends who currently go there. I'm not planning on going to the game this weekend, mostly because the ticket prices are astronomical. For a 2-4 team, Michigan is driving up the black market rates like I've never seen before. The cheapest ticket I've come across was $100. Fortunately, I know someone who knows someone, so if I really wanted to, I'm sure I could get in at face value. However, with most other people left seeking these ridiculously priced tickets, I wouldn't have anyone to go in with, so it's not worth it. The ticket prices do reflect, however, just how big a game this is for Penn State. We haven't beaten Michigan in 9 consectutive tries. We've lost big, we've lost heartbreakers, we've been robbed, we've been ripped apart. I really hope that Penn State can make this a statement game and beat the Wolverines by about 50. Anything less would be great, but not quite satisfying enough due to how much I hate Michigan. In any case, you'll be able to find me at one of the local establishments up there this weekend, most likely hanging around our old haunts like the Phyrst or Cafe 210. I'll be the one smiling like a fool.

WORLD SERIES!!!

In all honesty, just typing those two words doesn't feel real yet. I admit, I've been the most pessimistic Phils fan around this season, but, truthfully, it feels really good to have your pessimism pay off in the way your heart hopes it will, not in the way your logic tells you is most likely. I have to admit, I'm extremely excited. I'm not even sure that describes how I feel. I realized tonight that the last time I saw the Phils play a World Series game, my little brother was an infant. That put it in perspective for me. Since then, every other Philadelphia team has made a championship game or series. Even Penn St. has gone undefeated, and been completely ripped off of a title, since then. I wish I could write a coherent description of my feelings and predictions for the World Series right now, but I can't. Asking me to do that would be like asking a marathon runner to do a victory lap... can't do it now, but will definitely do it tomorrow.

Since yesterday's post, I've talked about the Birds, Phils, and Penn St. with so many people that I had so much material to work with tonight, but right now it's all out the door. Even my most responsible friend, who I honestly believe would go to bed on time with an impending nuclear winter on his hands, stayed up late to bang pots and pans with us. Granted, it turned out extremely poorly for him as he somehow sliced his finger, but the moral of the story remains the same. Philadelphia is on Phillies Ecstacy.

Really, right now, what happens next doesn't matter. I recently explained to someone that I liked the final Sopranos episode because it was as if the Eagles made the Super Bowl and then the NFL promptly went out of business. You'll never feel the feeling of winning, but, then again, you'll never feel the terrible feeling of losing either. It's pretty much the best case scenario short of winning the game. Well, right now, I'm in last-episode-of-the-Sopranos Land. I don't really care, right now, what happens next because my Phillies are in the World Series. I don't have to convince myself to root for an underdog or a team for which one of my favorite players plays. I get to root for my team, my city. I think the Eagles put it best when they made their motto "one team, one city, one dream". If there has ever been a more appropriate quote for right now, I would love to see it. This is our team, the same team that has put us through more than any one fan should put up with in terms of losing (10,000+ and counting). This is our city, the same city that cautiously, yet consistently, throws itself behind its teams with all we have to offer, despite the fact that we've been let down more often than not (26 years and counting). Finally, this is our dream, a chance at a championship. Here we are, Philadelphia, on the cusp on breaking the curse of Billy Penn, and here's to hoping the Phillies can break the curse and open the flood gates, making Philly the City of Champions.

The predictions, the analysis, and the logic can wait. For now, let's enjoy the situation we have on our hands. The Philadelphia Phillies are the National League Champions! So relax, Philly, we've made it, and judging from our general attitude towards our chances of winning a championship in any sport, things can only go up from here. Go Phils!

Birds-Sh**!

Honestly, Eagles, are you for real?? In case you haven't heard, the Eagles, who lead the league in dropped passes and possess an extra first-round pick in this year's draft, did not offer enough to Detroit for Roy Williams. In case you missed it, the Dallas Cowboys did. My anger is indescribable. The Eagles could have gotten a proven receiver for free, essentially, but passed. Mark my words, Roy Williams will be extremely solid in Dallas. He'll make a few Pro-Bowls and he'll likely beat the Eagles once or twice over the next few years. There have been rumors that the Eagles are satisfied with being a perennial contender, but refuse to spend what it takes to become a champion. I've brushed off these rumors because I've seen the Birds make some moves here and there and offer the right people the right amount of money (their offer in this last offseason to Randy Moss that exceeded what the Pats had offered him comes to mind). However, combined with the fact that we refused to give up enough to get Tony Gonzalez, who was reportedly an Eagle if they so chose, I'm beginning to rethink my stance. How can you let a player who is young, proven, and already a Pro-Bowler go your bitter, DIVISION rival at a cost you could have afforded?? I'm beside myself. Just when it looked like the Cowboys were imploding into a pile of their own feces, they pull off a trade that immediately makes their offense look like, by far, the top offense in the league... even with R(H)omo on the bench with injury. If allowed to make a prediction, it would be the following. The Eagles will spend their two first round picks on linemen who, as with every draft pick, may or may not pan out. We will be told that our receiving corps is adequate for what Andy Reid wants to do. We will be told that we didn't need the distraction that Roy Williams would have brought with him. We will be told about how good Brian Westbrook is as a receiver. What we won't be told is that the Eagles have signed a proven, elite wide receiver. Two years from now, we may even be told that DeSean Jackson, the only receiver we have with any chance of being an elite, NFL receiver, is too expensive and that's why we are letting him walk. We will probably come to find out that he is signing with an NFC East rival. I'm sick of this dance. The one year that Donovan McNabb had an elite receiver at his disposal, we were the best team in the NFC and nearly won the Super Bowl. How can they keep telling us we don't need an elite receiver??? In the end, after this weekend's developments, I was cautiously optimistic about the Birds. Now?? I am just waiting to see what OT and DE we draft in the 2009 draft. What did we do as fans to deserve this??

On another note regarding the Birds, we apparently gave Tony Hunt his walking papers today. The same Tony Hunt whose drafting by the Eagles prompted some friends of mine and I to be kicked out of a bar due to our exuberance over him becoming an Eagle. In all honesty, the Eagles never gave him a chance. For whatever reason, Andy Reid doesn't like Tony Hunt. The Eagles will tell us that his pass blocking was horrendous and that's why he's packing his bags, but wasn't Lorenzo Booker the one who gave up that sack that resulted in Donovan's chest injury? That doesn't mean I don't like Booker, in fact, I love him and what he could bring to the table, but it is more an indictment on the Eagles for their hypocrisy. As mentioned before, I am beginning to believe this team loves successful mediocrity. Tony Hunt was a perfect back to plug into Andy Reid's original offense, the one that provided us with the "Three Headed Monster". For those who do not remember, the "Three Headed Monster" consisted of Duce Staley, Correll Buckhalter, and a young Brian Westbrook. That offense may have been the most successful, sustainable offense of the Andy Reid era aside from the T.O. year. For whatever reason, that offense seems to be a thing of the Eagles past, just as is Randall Cunningham, Chuck Bednarik, and Buddy Ryan. T-Hunt is a powerful back whose yards per carry only increase as his touches increase. Obviously, with Westbrook being our feature back, touches are limited for the other running backs on the team, however, one could argue that had Hunt received 8-10 carries a game, Westbrook's body would be in much better shape health-wise right now, as well as the Eagles offense as a whole. Despite his personal setback, I honestly believe that Tony Hunt will become a successful running back in the NFL, likely with a team that isn't as averse to the ground game as are the Eagles. My guess is a team like Buffalo or Chicago or Baltimore would love to have him and will use him to their advantage as he should have been used in Philly. It's too bad that the only thing he has to show for his time in my hometown is a DUI. I almost want to send him a fruit basket so that he doesn't hate us.

When it's all said and done, at least the Phils are one win away from the World Series, a World Series that looks likely to be played in Tampa Bay (actually St. Petersburg, if you want to get technical) and Philadelphia. Mind you, this does not mean that I'm saying at least we have the Phils. Come November, that mantra will come back to bite us in the hynie when we are rooting for teams that are, at best, 5 months away from their respective playoffs (NCAA tournament for those who are doing the math). Tomorrow night's game is not nearly as big as it would have been had Shane Victorino and Matt Stairs not shown up at the Chavez Ravine last evening. However, with it being the playoffs and all, any opportunity you have to close out a series, it is essential that you do so as soon as possible. The positives are innumerable. More rest for pitchers, which can never be underestimated as proven by a tired Phils bullpen Monday night. A few days to get over the fact that you have actually made it to the World Series, which in this town would probably (note: probably) be a plus. Cole Hamels is on the mound against Chad Billingsley. I'm thinking the final score will be 9-4 in the Phillies favor with Ryan Howard finally getting a piece of a ball and parking it in the LEFT field seats. That is correct, I'm betting on Howard getting an opposite field home run.

Truthfully, I think Ryan Howard has caught some undue flak this postseason. Why? The man hasn't consistently seen hittable pitches all postseason. If you watch his at bats, the Dodgers aren't comfortable with throwing him more than 3 hittable pitches per game. If you've ever played baseball, you know how much this ruins your timing and, ultimately, your average. Imagine being trained to see bad movies. When you finally see a good one it will blow your mind. In Howard's case, the trick is predicting which movie will be the good one. He has less than .2 seconds to decide whether the movie is good or bad and a majority of the movies are bad. Obviously, you would become pre-disposed to believe that the movies will be bad, so much so that it takes an extra split second to identify a good one. This is Howard's dilemma this postseason. He never sees a good pitch and, on the rare occasion that he does, it takes him .0003 more seconds to identify it, being as he is so used to bad pitches. This throws off his timing just enough that he misses the ball by millimeters and what could have been a moonshot becomes a can-of-corn. How can Ryan Howard get untracked?? Consistent hitting from Utley and a show of relatively consistent power from Burrell will get Howard the consistent strikes he needs to see to become the Howard we are used to seeing. I find baseball strategy to be a relatively simple puzzle, but for those who don't really understand the intricacies of the game, I can see how Howard's dismal postseason could be cause for concern. However, my friends, this is baseball and it is very rare that, without great protection in the form of hits ahead of him and power from behind him, a power-hitter has a great postseason. Howard has found a way to affect to outcome of games despite his MIA bat, and, for that, Phils fans should be thankful.

"I'll Take The Stairs"

Phillies 7, Dodgers 5. Thank you, Phils, for stealing one in LA and making my life easier. I have to admit, I was ready to write the game off as a loss before Shane "I deserve everything the Phillies can give me" Victorino's shot. The Phils seemed dead in the water before that home run. Listless and unable to sustain anything, I was ready to wait 'til Wednesday to feel good again about the Phillies. I knew we would win one in LA, but this didn't seem like the game. And then, it happened. Shane's shot was big, but Matt Stairs' shot was gargantuan. Brad Lidge decided to take 2 more years off my life in the 8th but in the end, it was another Phils win. If you told me circa 7:55pm ET that Matt Stairs would win the game for us tonight, I would have laughed at you. It is so rare that a pinch hitter wins the game, even more so on a moonshot like that. I am PUMPED.

A few thoughts on the game...

Shane Victorino is my boy! Rumor has had it that the Phils are going to be willing to let him walk when his current contract expires. In my opinion, we should be willing to give him at least 5 years at $30 mil. I know, it sounds excessive, but he covers more ground than most in the National League, has a better arm than most in the National League, and has a bat that seems to come alive when it matters most. In my opinion, if you've been willing to pay more for Pat Burrell than anyone else on the team for 3 years running, you better be willing to give Shane what he needs to stick around in Philadelphia for a long time.

I was so disgusted with the Phillies at multiple points this evening that I watched the Gigantes get beat bad by the Browns at times. While my disgust turned out to be unwarranted, the Giant slaying that took place on ESPN had to excite my Eagles Faithful. With the Eagles win this week, and every other team in the division falling AND Tony Romo's broken pinkie, I'm feeling really good about the Birds with one caveat. We must get it together and be the Eagles of weeks one and two. If we can do that, I think we can make the playoffs and, more importantly, make some noise.

Does anyone else dislike Joe Buck as much as I do? I've never liked him and anyone who has watched an Eagles game with me covered by him and his lover, Troy Aikman, can attest to this. However, this Phils-Dodgers series has served as icing on the cake. Buck announces huge, momentum swinging home runs like they are meaningless singles. If baseball isn't your bag, his call of David Tyree's catch last Super Bowl sounded as if he was pronouncing someone DOA at a hospital. More than anything, he seems to be rooting for the Dodgers harder than Harry Kalas is rooting for the Phils. Every comment he makes is a thinly veiled shot at the Phils. He openly roots for Manny to get a few pitches even when it makes no sense to throw Manny anything to hit. He called a ballpark that sounded like the 18th green at Oakmont "electrified". I have honestly come to believe that he dislikes Philadelphia in general. I think he may have been dumped by a Philadelphian who found out he doesn't like TastyKakes and prefers Little Debbie snacks. This is the only thing that makes sense at this point. I want him to announce a Sixers' game just to prove my point. He would proceed to talk at length about how we never should have traded Barkley or Iverson and proceed to dub Oklahoma City as a city with a better basketball pedigree than Philly. Trust me, he would do this.

Did anyone else notice the dude with a tattoo on his larynx who came into view after the last out of the game as the cameras focused on Charlie Manuel??? Basically, I'm sorry if you didn't. Can you imagine getting your larynx tattooed??? In my opinion, that's more intense than getting a Prince Albert. If you don't know what a Prince Albert is, please ask somebody so that this metaphor makes sense (just make sure it's a close friend who doesn't have a say in your employment status).

Finally, Matt Stairs admitted to "swinging for the fences every time [he] come[s] to bat". If I had a son, Matt Stairs would have immediately become an example of what not to do for my child. How could you come out and say "I swing for the fences every time I come to bat"?? That's like openly announcing "I try to drink 'til I throw up every time I drink". It's just unbecoming. Thanks for admitting that, Matt. Now, anytime you strike out while pinch hitting I'm going to get angry that you were swinging for the fences. Jesus, just say you found the pitch you were looking for!

Weekend Warriors

After a nice, little weekend hiatus, I'm back at it with a lot to say so bear with me, as there is a lot of stuff to say a lot about.

PENN STATE

Wow. That's really all I have to say. PSU's performance in Mad-town really blew my mind. I thought that they would have to tough out a relatively close game, but this one was never really in doubt. You know an offense is good when you say to the person watching with you "oh well, i just wanna see our offense again" as Penn State's D allows a touchdown. Basically, the only thing standing between this team and the ultimate success that I will refuse to name is the same mental pitfalls that often betray even the best of teams' goals, the trap games. Penn State has two games left that could be challenging on paper, Ohio State and Michigan State and you can bet they'll be up for those matchups. However, you have to be worried about the game against Michigan, as it seems to be an autumnal ritual for the Wovlerines to beat the Lions, and that away game against Iowa has mental letdown written all over it... A game against a crappy team on the road in a different time zone. In any case, I'm lovin' this team. They DESTROYED Wisconsin in every facet of the game. The offense was nearly unstoppable, even leaving points on the field in the form of off target deep balls that should have been completed. The defense was scary good, and Aaron Maybin has cemented himself as a favorite in my book. Finally, our special teams were really good, aside from the obvious. D-Will's punt return was one thing, but to regularly tackle Wisconsin's Gilreath, a top returner in the Big Ten, short of the 20 yard line speaks volumes about this team. I can't wait to go up to State College this upcoming weekend as I'm sure it will be even more fun than 2005, the last time PSU was a national title contender. Obviously, as the week wears on, I'll have more to say about that.

EAGLES

I'm leary about feeling good about this game. Granted, the names missing from the starting lineup against San Fran are tough names to lose, however, good teams wouldn't have let that game become a game, given the start the Birds got off to. I see glimpses of a really good team, but I also see flare-ups of a terrible team, and, truthfully, I'm not sure which one is the real Eagles. On one hand, to not only show life offensively, but to, at times, dominate without Westbrook, Andrews, Reggie Brown, and Kevin Curtis is extremely encouraging. McNabb did some of what I discussed last week in targeting his possession receivers in the mid-range passing game to free up the deep ball, and the play-calling allowed for the running game to establish itself and put the right players in the right position at the right time. On the other hand, the mistakes were somewhat egregious. Defensively, the team seemed apathetic at times and I hate apathy. The coverage units had my heart in my throat on a regular basis. McNabb misfired on numerous occasions and should have thrown more than one pick... I can think of 2 more that should have been caught that would have been absolute season-killers. In short, the jury is still out and will be until we play the Giants, the next real, solid test on our schedule. If I can speak real quick on something that has been bothering me though, it's the David Akers issue. I think he's been catching some undue flak lately for the long misses. In my mind, Akers is still a good kicker, or at least better than anyone we could find at this point in time. He'll never miss the short stuff and I think the long stuff will come around. I'm not confident about a lot of things regarding the Eagles, but I am confident that David Akers will come around by season's end and be the asset he always has been once again.

PHILLIES

Until tonight, the World Series was a nearly a forgone conclusion by the looks of the first two games of the NLCS. Until tonight, the starting pitching had been solid and the bats had come alive. That is, unitl tonight. Jaime Moyer was less than less than stellar. He was borderline horrendous. I'm a Moyer fan. I like the thought of a crafty, grizzled veteran showing these young bucks a thing or two, but not in the NLCS. There is such little room for error that, after the 1st inning, I thought Charlie should have sent out a J.A. Happ in inning 2 and used him as a long reliever to get to the 5th. In the end, it didn't matter, the damage had been done. On the bright side, you had to sense that the Phils were inches from a big rally on several occasions. It's not like their bats were silenced. They were making good contact, but their shots were going straight to the Dodgers' fielders. As a Phils fan, I couldn't realistically have expected to sweep LA. In fact, I wouldn't be stressed if this series made it's way back this side of the Mississippi. If I had to predict an outcome, I would guess that the Phils will win tomorrow night in a tight one, 6-5. Blanton will be so-so but get the game to the bullpen with a lead after 6. MVPs? I think Howard will finally show up for a game and knock in a few RBIs but the real star will be someone late in the order like Feliz or Ruiz or Coste depending on who starts. The Phils need the lineup to turn over regularly to be successful and a 3 for 4 night from one of those guys who typically bat in the 7 or 8 hole will get a win for the Phightins. Beyond that, I would expect LA to avoid elimination at home just to bring it back to Philly where they stand no chance. Either way, Phils fans should be rooting really really really really hard for the Rays to beat the Sox in the ALCS. I would feel much more confident against Tampa than Boston, but to root for them may simply be wishful thinking. I'm picking the Sox in 6.

MISCELLANEOUS

A few random thoughts... The Rocketeer is not nearly as cool of a movie 17 years later... I've always liked LSU but 51-21?? Ouch!... The Shield is becoming so intense that I'm not sure I can continue watching, by recommendation of my doctor. Having said that, don't even try to call me Tuesday night... South Park needs a bounce back week worse than the Eagles did. While the concept was good, driving the point home with more than 4 rape scenes involving just males reminded me more of the unfunny Britney episode than it did make me laugh. Where's the genius that spawned Imaginationland? or Cartmanland? Step your game up!... I like that the NBA decided to have an outdoor game. However, if they really wanted to do it right, they should have done it at one of the playgrounds that serve as basketball meccas throughout the country. I mean, it was a preseason game so who cares about the quality of play, etc. Playing the game at a tennis center made as much sense as the NFL playing regular season games in Europe. Oh wait... I really can't wait until my television is dominated by Bud Light V. Miller Lite commercials again and not these political ads. Believe what you want and vote for whom you choose, but seriously, we ALL need to rally against these television ads. They are such a buzz kill. Now that is change we can believe in...

1-0, 3 to go! and a concession...

It's a good night to be a Phils fan. The Phils pulled out a grind-it-out win tonight in signature style. Two home runs and another brilliant outing by Cole Hamels added up to a 3-2 win over the Dodgers. While the Phillies bats tried to figure out a solid (for five innings) Derek Lowe, Cole kept the game within striking distance. They took advantage of Dodger mistakes and, more importantly, made them pay dearly for them. It's one thing to steal a bag on a mistake, but to follow that up with a shot like Chase's, well that's what great teams do. For tonight, the Phillies phormula worked.

This brings me to my next point. I've been a staunch opponent of Pat Burrell since 2003. I've been of the opinion that his numbers are inflated, thanks to smacking long home runs in meaningless, blowout games, and that his defense rivaled that of an 86 year-old woman living in a geriatric facility. I think, more than his play, his astronomical salary and unwillingness to let the Phils cut the cord with him via trade made me like him less and less. However, in the last 2 games, he has played a huge role in meaningful wins. Wins that arguably (against the Brewers) and definitely (tonight) would not have been if not for Pat. So, Mr. Burrell, I apologize. While you still aren't even my fourth favorite Phillie, you will no longer be scoffed at from my direction every time I hear Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" start up at the Bank (Possibly my favorite at-bat music on the team, gotta admit). You see, it's not that I didn't want to like you, it's that I couldn't bring myself to do it when you were making the most money on the team but seemed more replaceable than our other stars. In any case, this is my olive branch petition. As long as no one is asking me to call you the best player on our roster, I won't say anything bad. Good game, broseph.

On to Friday afternoon's game. Brett Myers v. Chad Billingsley. Gametime temperatures should be in the mid to upper 60's. The Phils have had success against Billinglsey this year, getting a win and chasing him from the game in 6 long innings in which the Phils got 3 runs off of 7 hits and 5 walks. He seems to scatter hits but avoid huge mistakes that lead to huge innings, meaning he is not invincible, but he's not throwing marshmallows either. I would really like to see the Phillies get some runs in more than one inning, and I think tomorrow night is a good night to do just that. I think they'll get to Billingsley the second time through the order to get the scoring going. On the flip side, Myers is a pretty good big-game pitcher. As long as he is not too jacked up, and by too jacked up I mean arbitrarily punching blondes in the face, I think he'll put a clamp on the Dodgers bats for the second night in a row. I'm picking the Phils to win 7-4. MVP's Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino.

Phillies Predictions and the arrival of the NBA... I Love This Game!

First and foremost, Thursday will bring with it the biggest baseball game this city has seen in a while... 15 years to be exact. The weather will have October written all over it, with game time temperatures expected to be in the upper 50's under clear skies. Cole Hamels will face Derek Lowe in what should end up being a pitchers duel given Hamels stellar performance at the Bank all season and Lowe's experience, and successes, in similar weather as a pitcher for the Red Sox not too far back. Don't expect to see many fireworks, despite the names on both sides of the lineup card thanks to a combination of good pitching and chilly weather. I think this game will come down to whichever team does the little things right. By that I mean which team will field ball after ball cleanly, which team will work the count, and which team will be able to mount a rally or two? I think that, given the circumstances, that team will be the Phillies. The team has proven they can play loose in a raucus environment, as evidenced by their 2 wins at home in the NLDS, and I think that the fact that the Phils bats have a little more juice than those of the Dodgers will get us the win in Game 1. Of course, the biggest reason for my optimism is Cole Hamels. This guy is filthy when he's jacked up and you can bet he'll be jacked up tomorrow night. Derek Lowe, for all his past success, has shown a few weaknesses in recent years and I think the Phils can exploit them. Final score? Phillies 4 Dodgers 2. MVP's? Cole Hamels and Jayson Werth.
On another note, I fired up my computer tonight to find that ESPN's headline story was the release of John Hollinger's Player Efficiency Ratings. This got me excited because it means my favorite sport is about to fire the starting gun on a new season (On a side note, I'll go on record saying that I like college basketball more than the NBA but basketball is basketball so I'm pumped). I'm pumped about the Sixers this year, but they will get their own post on a later date. Instead, I want to take a few paragraphs to discuss Mr. Hollinger's PER rankings and give my thoughts on a few players. As I leisurely look through the list, I'll give you the player, his ranking, and what I think. On a side note before I get to the discussion, how did the Boston Celtics get Bill Walker?? I understand that there are injury concerns but, for real, this is a case of the rich getting richer. Mark my words, he'll be an effective role player for them come March. On to the PERs:

#1 Chris Paul : A darkhorse candidate to be my favorite non-Sixer not named Kobe (I'm an unabashed fan of the greatest offensive player of this generation). It really boggles my mind that more players like him aren't out there. Chris Paul is the perfect combination of sound fundamentals and great athleticism. The sad part is that its a commentary on the state of American basketball that he seems so great. He is one helluva player, don't get me wrong, but it's sad that there are not more like him. It's not difficult. You just have to be a student of the game AND and a great athlete. All too often, the students of the game aren't great athletes today and the great athletes aren't students of the game. Wish there could be more like him. Shout out to Deron Williams.

#3 Amare Stoudemire : I've long been a fan of Amare. His combination of size and athleticism is rivaled by few. I've seen him do things that I did not think were even possible for a man of his size. He's a more complete basketball player than Dwight Howard, who is a freak in his own right, however, I'm worried about how the change of style the Suns have undergone will affect him. Anytime Shaq is on the floor, you immediately become a half court offense, which considerably diminishes the advantages Amare has on the defense. We'll see how this plays out.

#6 Kobe Bryant : As I mentioned before, I'm a huge Kobe fan. My biggest concern for guys like him, LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and any one else who played in the Olympics is how this distorted offseason will affect their regular season play. I'm not one who believes it will totally ruin their year, but it has to have an effect on these guys, one that is strong enough to dictate how they are used in the early goings of an incredibly long NBA season. In any case, I think we should be ready for Kobe to go off on the league. His supporting cast is more than respectable, they are a formidable team without him, and I think after last year's terrible Finals, Kobe wants it more than ever. He knows what he needs to do to keep his teammates happy and involved and I think he learned a lot from the Olympic experience in terms of when to take a game over. I think Kobe will really do some damage this year.

#25 Brandon Roy : While I don't have much to say about Roy, who I think is a great player with tons of upside potential, I'm using this as my opportunity to declare the Blazers as my darkhorse team. They are well built with great depth and athleticism. Their success hinges on Greg "I'm Actually 48" Oden, but I think they'll put together a solid season, so much so that I'm tabbing them as my 4 seed in the West behind LA, San Antonio, and Houston. Crazy prediction, I know, but to hell with it, I'm going all out.

#33 Monta Ellis : I just really hope a Vespa was involved in his sketchy offseason injury. Why? Can you imagine how hilarious an NBA player looks on a Vespa? This would be funny on at least 6 levels.

#46 Zach Randolph : Gotta be honest, if I were him and my official NBA player photo were under my control like a Facebook profile pic, I might as well change it to show me actually smoking an illegal green substance. Zach, have you never heard of Visine?

#'s 102 and 103 Mike Miller and Mike Dunleavy : Wow, you're both not only huge disappointments professionally but you're both incredibly ugly.

#240 Rodney Carney : I finally figured it out, he looks like Chris Rock

#321 Jason Collins : Just 3 spots behind his twin brother, bringing up the rear of the 321 player field... do you think their mother is even proud at this point??

Oh well, I apologize that it became a comedy by the end but that's what happens when Zach Randolph comes into play at #46. In any case, I'm carefully crafting an NBA prediction post, so keep your eyes open for that. Also on the horizon, college basketball predictions, more Penn State analysis, NFL discussions, and more....