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.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
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!
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!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, November 10, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
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.
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.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
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.
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.
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.
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