Eagles Sign Graham and Allen

With the official start of training camp scheduled for today, the Eagles will have everyone present in Lehigh. Earlier this week, the Eagles signed 2nd round pick safety Nate Allen to a 4 year deal, and yesterday, the Eagles made sure everyone would be at camp by signing Brandon Graham to a 5 year deal. Andy Reid throughout the week, kept stressing how important it was for Graham to be in camp. Now, with his contract worked out, Graham will be at practice on Friday and will be present for the real practices with the veterans. Veterans reported to camp Thursday, among them DeSean Jackson. Jackson has made it clear that he wants a new contract worked out, but he still was among the earlies veterans to report to camp on thursday which is a very good sign. There is a lot of youth this year at training camp. This team is young, exciting, and very hungry to win. Although many people see this as a rebuilding year I don't. I think this team is young and has a lot of potential to win games this year. This team has a new look and there are a lot of new faces that will be looking to compete. This team is going to surprise a lot of people this year and it's going to be a very exciting and interesting year.

High Times For The Phils

Right now, life is good for the Philadelphia Phillies. They are on an 8 game winning streak, they have young outfielder Domonic Brown, and tonight Roy Oswalt will make his Phillies debut in Washington. Life for the Phils doesn't get much better. The Phils are also closing in on first place in a hurry. After last night's 3-2 extra innings win over the Diamondbacks, the Phils are now just 2.5 games out of first place, and a game and a half out of the wild card. The Phils were able to extend their winning streak last night by getting a solid game from Kyle Kendrick, and getting just enough runs to finish the sweep of the Diamondbacks. Tonight the Phils will look to extend their winning streak to 9 games as they send new addition Roy Oswalt to the mound. With the addition of Roy Oswalt, the Phils starting rotation is now extremely scary. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, and Kyle Kendrick. Just having those top 3 guys in a playoff series makes it extremely difficult for other teams. But first, the Phils have to secure a playoff spot. As well as they have been playing this past week, if the season were to end tomorrow, they would be on the outside looking in. With the new additions to this Phillies team, I expect them to have no trouble extending their winning streak and securing a playoff spot. All eyes will be on Roy Oswalt tonight, as he makes his debut for the Phillies.

Phillies Get Roy Oswalt

For the second straight year, the Phillies made a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline to bring in a top notch pitcher. Last year the Phils brought in Cliff Lee to help the rotation and today the Phils made a move to bring in pitcher Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros. The Phillies traded pitcher J.A. Happ, outfield prospect Anthony Gose and shortstop Jonathan Villar to the Astros. In addition to getting Roy Oswalt, the Phils also get 11 million in cash from the Astros. Oswalt's contract has him due for 16 million next year and a clup option for 2012. As much as I hate to see a pitcher like J.A. Happ go, I love who the Phils got in return. Although Oswalt is only 6-12 this year, he is on a very bad Astros team that doesn't give him a whole lot of run support. Oswalt's era of 3.42 will be perfect for this Phillies team that is centered around it's offense. Oswalt has had an amazing career. He has had 2 20 win seasons, and he has 143 career wins with a 3.24 era. If you compare his numbers with Cliff Lee, they are significantly better and you know that people are going to make the comparison. Roy Oswalt will make his debut for the hot Phillies tomorow night. Last night, the Phils extended their winning streak to 7 games by beating the Diamondbacks 7-1. The Phils got another gem from Roy Halladay, and got help on offense from Domonic Brown who got called up from the minors after Shane Victorino was placed on the 15 day DL. Brown went 2-3 with an rbi double, a single, and a sacrifice fly. Right now, with the newcomers Domonic Brown and Roy Oswalt, the Phillies are extremely dangerous. They are hot right now, and they are only going to get hotter as we get deeper and deeper into August. We got our new pitcher Roy Oswalt and our coveted prospect Dom Brown so look out, here come the Phillies.

Hot Streak

When I wrote my last posting, there was no way that I could have predicted that the Phils would go on to win their next 5 games and get to only 3.5 games out of first place in the N.L. East. I always try to keep a positive attitude when writing about the Phillies, and try to look on the bright side, but last week there really was no bright side. The Phils had just finished a road trip with a record of 2-6 and found themselves 7 games behind the Braves. After a 4 game sweep of the Rockies and taking a wild one last night from the Diamondbacks, the Phils are now back in the hunt and look more dangerous than ever. The series began on Friday night with a strong outing from Roy Halladay. He pitched 8 innings and gave up 0 runs. The Phillies offense was led by Raul Ibanez, and they managed to put up 6 runs and secure the win by a final of 6-0. Ross Gload also contributed with a 2 run homer. On Saturday, the offense continued it's hot hitting by rocking Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez pitched just 2 innings and gave up 6 runs. It was the shortest outing of his career. Kyle Kendrick pitched well with all the run support. He pitched 7 innings and gave up just 1 run. The Phils won by a final of 10-2. On Sunday, the game was a lot more interesting. J.A. Happ pitched 5 innings and gave up 3 runs in his first game back. The Phils trailed 3-2 in the 7th, but scored 2 runs and took the lead 4-3. The bullpen held the Rockies scoreless and in the 9th, Brad Lidge was called upon to make the save. Brad, with 2 outs and the bases loaded, worked his way out of the jam by getting a called 3rd strike to end the game. The Phils had extended their win streak to 4, and their home win streak to 7 games. On Monday in the final game of the 4 game series against the Rockies there was more Lidge drama. Joe Blanton had another solid outing, and the Phils offense scored runs when they needed to. When it came to the top of the 9th, the Phils were leading 5-2, and Brad Lidge had a 3 run lead to work with. After giving up a 2 run home run, the score was 5-4. Shortly after that, Brad managed to load the bases. Ryan Spilborghs hit a weak groundball just to the right of the mound and Brad picked it up and fired to first to end the game. The Phils had 4 game swept the Rockies and had brought themselves to just 4.5 games out of first place. The Phillies looked to continue their hot streak as the last place Diamondbacks came into town. The Phils got an OK performance from Hamels last night, and fought from behind many times before getting the win by a final of 9-5. The Phils got key homeruns from Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. Right now, this team is really hitting the ball hard. Guys like Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, and possibly even Jayson Werth are finally waking up. If they continue to play like this, I expect them to be back in first place very soon. Everything is clicking right now for the Phils, and it is important to keep winning every series as we head into August.

Roster Breakdown: Recievers

The Eagles are young, explosive, and very dangerous at the reciever and tight end positions. Guys like Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jasan Avant and Brent Celek make up a very young recieving corps with a lot of potential. Avant at age 27, is the oldest reciever of the Eagles top 4 recievers. Jackson is 23, Maclin is 22, and Celek is 25. New starting quarterback Kevin Kolb definitely has a lot of weapons and will have all the tools to be successful this year.

Desean Jackson: He is the Eagles secret weapon. He is lightning fast, he makes plays after he catches the ball, and he can break open a game with a big play. His play on special teams also helps out this team. Desean does it all and I expect him to see a lot of quick slant routes this year with Kolb as starter. As much as I love Desean, he was very ineffective last year in the Dallas games mostly because they had him in double coverage. The Cowboys were able to do this by gambling and using single coverage against Maclin. Basically, Jackson's success depends largely on the play and development of Maclin. If Maclin can further improve and become a pro bowl reciever, then teams can't double both of them and it opens up the entire offense.

Jeremy Maclin: Maclin was a pleasant surprise last year. With the Eagles terrible track record of drafting bad recievers in the early rounds, nobody expected too much from Maclin. Maclin had an outstanding rookie season catching 56 for 773 yards and 4 touchdowns. If Maclin can have another big year, him and Jackson can make up one of the best recieving groups in the NFL.

Jasan Avant: Drafted in 2006, Avant is slowly becoming a solid everday reciever for this team. He is the number 3 reciever and he is a true team player doing more than just catching footballs. He also is a very good blocker and is very valuable in the red zone. Behind Avant the Eagles have Hank Baskett, Riley Cooper, and Jordan Norwood who will all look to compete for playing time.

Brent Celek: Celek had an outstanding 2009 season where he had 76 catches for 971 yards and 8 touchdowns. Celek is the main part of this young Eagles group of weapons and I expect him to get even better this season. Celek is going to be Kolb's favorite target and I am excited to see what he will do this season. Celek has the talent to be a pro bowler and he will be given the opportunity this season to showcase what he can do.

This Eagles offense is extremely young and exciting. LeSean McCoy, Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek and Kevin Kolb make up this young nucleus that will put a lot of points on the board every night. If the offensive line can hold up, the Eagles have one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL. With the start of training camp scheduled for Monday, the birds will finally start their journey towards getting ready for the 2010 season. People are predicting that with the Eagles tough schedule that they may not even make the playoffs. One thing that a lot of people forget about this Eagles team is that it is a completely new team from the 2004 Super Bowl squad. David Akers is the only player on the current roster who played in the 2004 Super Bowl. This is a new team, and they are young, fast, and they have a new leader in Kevin Kolb. I think this team has a lot of potential and they are going to surprise a lot of people this year. Stay tuned to my blog throughout training camp and throughout the entire season to stay updated on all the Eagles news, scores and analysis. The work starts Monday, and the new look Eagles will look to train hard for the 2010 season. Football is just over a month away and I can't wait.

Phillies Struggles Continue In St. Louis

After taking a beating in Chicago, the Phils took their poor play to St. Louis where they lost 3 out of 4. The series started on Monday with a pathetic performance from Kyle Kendrick. Even after the Phils gave him a 3 run lead before he took the mound, Kyle responded by pitching 5 innings and giving up 7 runs. The Phils eventually lost 8-4. After the game, the front office sent Kendrick to triple A lehigh and called up Andrew Carpenter. On Tuesday night, Carpenter was called on to pitch because Jamie Moyer left the game after the first with a sprained elbow. Carpenter pitched the next 3 innings and gave up 3. The Cardinals Chris Carpenter kept the Phils offene silent all night. He pitched 8 innings and gave up just 1 run. The Phils lost by a final of 7-1, their 3rd straight loss. Meanwhile the Braves kept winning and the Phils were falling further and further out of first place. On Wednesday, Joe Blanton pitched a solid game, but the Phils bats were silent once again. In their defense they were facing another great pitcher in Jamie Garcia. He pitched 8 strong innings and only gave up 1 run. The Phils lost their 4th straight game by a final of 5-1. On Thursday in the final game of the 4 game series, the Phils salvaged a victory by winning by a final of 2-0 in extra innings. Cole Hamels was spectacular once again. He pitched 8 innings, gave up 0 runs, and only allowed 1 hit. Although he himself didn't get the win, the Phils did and hurried home after a disastrous road trip in which they went 2-6. After another series in which the offense was unproductive, the Phils responded by firing hitting coach Milt Thompson. As much as I don't think that the Phils struggles are Thompson's fault, I still like the move because it will be a wake up call to the guys on this team and it could provide a spark. The Phils replaced Thompson with Greg Gross, and the Phils responded. In his first game as hitting coach, the Phils offense produced behind Roy Halladay and won by a final of 5-0 against the Rockies. The Phils have won 2 straight and I am going to try to put a positive spin on these last 9 games. The way they played in Chicago is inexcusable but as for the series in St. Louis, the Phils faced their top 3 pitchers in Carpenter, Garcia, and Wainwright. I know that a lot of people are starting to push the panic button, but take a step back and analyze the situation. As of right now, the Phils are 6 games out of first place in the N.L. East, and 3 games out of the Wild Card. And remember, it's July 23rd, not August 23rd so there is still tons of time left, over 2 months in fact. And here is something really positive for all you doubters, the Phils have 66 games left, 38 of those are at home. The Phils have won their last 5 at CBP, so there is hope, you just gotta believe.

Sixers Sign Big Man Battie

Today the Sixers announced that they had agreed to terms with center Tony Battie, a guy who until today, had never even heard of. In my mind, the Sixers still need to make a real move before the start of the season, and try and trade for or sign some real talent. Although I am not all that excited by this signing, I am happy that they got some size. Battie is 6-11, and if nothing else, he can stand out there and block shots on defense. I still have this feeling that the Sixers are lacking something, and they still need another player. There are still free agents available, and the Sixers definitely need to make some moves if they want to start winning games this year. If the Sixers don't want to make moves via free agency, they definitely have options if they want to make a trade. Andre Igudola, has been the subject of many trade rumors over the past few years, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got traded. The Sixers need to make a move, because the teams in their own division are starting to get better.

Roster Breakdown: Offensive Line

The offensive line has always been something that Andy Reid has focused on. In his mind, games are won and lost in the trenches, and the more battles you win inside, the greater chance you have of winning games. Since Andy Reid became coach/GM in 1999, he has drafted 18 offensive lineman including Shawn Andrews, and Winston Justice. With the departure of Jon Runyan and William "Tra" Thomas last year, the Eagles offensive line struggled greatly. Shawn Andrews injury also hurt the Eagles offensive line and it showed especially at the end of the season against the Cowboys. This season, the key to the Eagles success depends largely on whether or not the offensive line can stay healthy throughout the course of the season. The Eagles definitely have a lot of talented offensive lineman, here are a few.

Jason Peters: Starting at Left Tackle is second year Eagle Jason Peters. The Eagles acquired Peters via free agency last off season. Peters filled in nicely as William "Tra" Thomas's replacement, and I really like him as part of this offensive line. I expect him to have another solid year and contribute to this offense.

Todd Herremans: Herremans is the project starter at Left Guard this year heading into training camp. Herremans has been a starter since 2006, and he is another part of this offensive line that Im not worried about. Herremans is a great player and he and Peters make up a strong left side. It's the center and right side that have me worried.

Nick Cole: With Jamaal Jackson out with a torn ACL, Nick Cole will be the starter at center. Naturally, Cole is a guard so its up in the air as to whether he will be effective at center. Clearly he was ineffective last year in the last 2 games against Dalllas. Remember, Jamaal Jackson got hurt in the second to last game of the regular season last year against Denver. Nick Cole shifted from the guard spot to center to replace Jackson in both games against Dallas. The big question is can the Eagles be effective with Cole at center? And if Jackson comes back will he be able to come back fully healthy? I think the biggest question mark surrounding this Eagles offensive line has to be at the center position. Whether or not the Eagles can win without Jackson at center remains to be seen.

Stacy Andrews: Andrews is the projected starter at left guard this season. Andrews did not start a lot last season, but he is going to be called upon to step it up this season. Andrews had some great seasons with the Bengals, and he is an important part of this offensive line. If he doesn't perform, his back up, Max Jean-Gilles can step in and log minutes. I like Andrews a lot better though, because he definitely has more talent and potential.

Winston Justice: Starting at right tackle this season is Winston Justice. Forget about his game against the Giants in 2007 when he allowed 4 sacks, that is in the past. Justice has developed into a very nice young player with a lot of potential, and when healthy, has the stuff to be a pro-bowler.

The key to the success of the Eagles offensive line is staying healthy. You saw what happened last year when they got hit by injuries, the whole offense collapsed. Although this offensive line doesn't even compare to the other groups during the Andy Reid era, it is still a very good group. Just stay healthy and everything will be fine.

Roster Breakdown: Quarterbacks

For the first time in almost 11 years, the Eagles will have a new starting quarterback in Kevin Kolb. When the Eagles dealt Donovan McNabb to the Redskins, Kolb was given the starting spot, and stepped into the role of the face of this Eagles franchise. The Eagles have talent behind Kolb at quarterback in Michael Vick and 2010 4th round pick Mike Kafka. Although I probably should be worried about the Eagles quarterback situation, Im actually kind of excited to see what Kolb will be able to do. Plus, Vick showed glimpses of greatness at the tail end of last year so I think the Eagles have a lot of depth at quarterback and there is no need to worry. Let me break down the 3 guys the Eagles have at quarterback.

Kevin Kolb: Let me first start out Kevin Kolb's analysis with this: he is not a rookie. Kevin Kolb was drafted in 2007 and has been in the league for the past 3 seasons on the Eagles sidelines. Last year we got a little sneak peak of what Kolb is capable of. Kolb was called upon to fill in for an injured McNabb, and in his first start he was awesome. Although the Eagles lost to the Saints, Kolb had great stats going 31 of 51 with 391 yards passing. In his second game he was just as good going 24 of 34 with 327 yards passing plus the Eagles won 34-14. In my opinion, Kolb is ready to be a starter for this team, and he has the potential to be a great quarterback in this league.

Michael Vick: Michael Vick was given a second chance last year by Andy Reid, and he did not disappoint. He stayed out of trouble, and his play steadily improved as the year went on. I think that after training camp this year, Vick will be totally back and in football shape. Vick also knows that he is a starter and is not going to be satisfied just sitting on the bench. He will definitely compete with Kolb for the starting spot and will be ready to go if Kolb struggles.

Mike Kafka: Kafka was drafted in the 4th round by the Eagles out of Northwestern. Kafka is 6-3 225, and definitely has the physical tools to be a successful backup for the Eagles. I like what Im hearing about Kafka and happy to have him on the team.

Overall, I am extremely happy with the guys the Eagles have at quarterback. I am happy with Kolb as starter and I feel safe with Vick as an insurance policy. The thing that I think a lot of people aren't talking about is how Vick is going to look to compete for the starting spot. Although you don't want to be flip flopping quarterbacks all season, you always have to go with the best guy available. A storyline to pay attention to during training camp is the competition between Vick and Kolb. It will be interesting to see who the starter is come September.

Gagne Traded To Tampa

On Monday, after weeks of rumors that the Flyers were interested in trading him, Simon Gagne was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Matt Walker and a 4th round draft pick. When I first heard news of the Gagne trade I was a little surprised. Although I had been hearing all the rumors that the Flyers wanted to deal Gagne, it still came as a surprise because Gagne has been a Flyer since 1999. He is the longest tenured player in Flyers history and I thought that the front office was going to find a way to keep Gagne on this team. Gagne will be missed but I really like the guy the Flyers got for him in defenseman Matt Walker. I have been saying this all off season long that the focus in all of their signings has to be defense. Walker definitely adds depth to this Flyers defense and will help keep pucks out of the net. Ultimately, the trading of Gagne means that the Flyers have some cap space and can make more moves. So far this off season Im happy with what the Flyers have done. Before the season starts though, I think the Flyers have to try and sign or trade for another top notch defenseman, and really solidify the defense as a whole.

Phils Get Blown Away At Wrigley

This past weekend, the Phillies did exactly what I said they couldn't afford to do: they came out flat after the break and dropped 3 out of 4 to the Cubs. Heading into this weekend, the Phils were just 4.5 games out of first, but after a poor effort in Chicago, the Phils now find themselves 5.5 games behind the Braves. The 4 game set started with a sense of hope and optimism for the Phils. They were coming off a wild 4 game sweep of a very good Reds team, and it just seemed like the Phils were finally ready to really start playing. On Thursday, in the first game of the series, the offense was not the problem, it was the pitching. Moyer pitched only 3 and gave up 6 runs in his 3rd consecutive loss. You have to think that at this point in the season maybe he is getting fatigued. I mean after all he is 47. You have to figure that he is going to get a few more starts but if he continues like this he may find himself in the bullpen come August and September. On Thursday the bullpen was not much better. Reliever Jose Contreras pitched 2 thirds of an inning and managed to give up 5. The offense produced behind 2 homeruns from Ryan Howard, but in the end could not score enough runs and the Phils lost by a final of 11-6. On Friday, Joe Blanton pitched a solid game going 7 and giving up 3. Unfortunately the offense, led by Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard who both homered were not able to produce enough. Ryan Madson gave up a run late in the game and the Phils dropped the second game of the series by a score of 4-3. On Saturday Hamels pitched his 4th consecutive solid outing going 7 and giving up only 1. In his last 4 outings, Hamels has been outstanding but only has 1 win to show for it because of the poor run support. The Phils headed into the top of the ninth down by 1. Brian Schneider worked a walk and so did Ross Gload, and with 2 runners on and 2 outs, Placido Polanco stepped to the plate. He fisted a hit into left and Schneider somehow scored on a wild play at the plate. The inning only got crazier from there. Ross Gload scored on a wild pitch, and Rollins worked a walk. The Cubs intentionally walked Ryan Howard and the bases were loaded for Werth. He too worked a walk and the Phils at this point led 3-1. Next up was Ibanez who hit a sharp ground ball to the first baseman Derek Lee who fielded it cleanly but had nobody to throw to at first and the Phils scored another crazy run. When the inning was finally over, the Phils had a comfortable 3 run lead for Lidge who came in and got the save. The Phils won 4-1 and looked to earn a split on Sunday. Unfortunately, Halladay got roughed up, and although the offense scored 6 runs, the Phils lost by a final of 11-6. Sunday night was a game that the Phillies really needed Roy Halladay to be the ace that he is. Taking a split in a 4 game series is a lot better then only taking 1 out of 4. The Phils could not get it done in Chicago, oh well. There is no time to sit around and be sad as the Phils next head to St. Louis in yet another imporant 4 game series. The Phils will send Kyle Kendrick to the mound tonight, and this Phillies team will look to start getting back on track. I know that it's still July, but 5.5 games can quickly become 10 games if the Phils continue to play like this.

Flyers Re-Sign Carcillo

On Tuesday, the Flyers agreed to sign Dan Carcillo to a one year 1.075 million dollar contract. By signing Carcillo, the Flyers avoid arbitration and have Carcillo for at least another year. In my opinion, I really don't like the re-signing. I think that Carcillo showed glimpses of greatness last year, but ultimately was very inconsistent. Carcillo is known mostly for his fighting and off the ice antics rather than his play. I think that a guy like that is a distraction and does more damage to a hockey team than good. I also don't like the re-signing because I don't think that he fits into this Flyers offense. Having said all of that, the Flyers have him for another year and some positives about having a guy like Carcillo on your team is that he can pump your team up. Say someone on the other team makes a big hit on one of your stars like Richards or Briere. Carcillo is a guy who will come in and rough that guy up and have a few words for him which can pump up a team. I also think that as inconsistent as Carcillo was last year, he can be great. I think that being benched in the Stanley Cup Finals will be a big wake up call for Carcillo who needs to realize that he has the talent to be a very solid starter on this team.

Roster Breakdown: Running Backs and Full Backs

The running game is something that Andy Reid knows very little about. During his years with the Eagles, Reid has always been a pass happy coach, and has recieved a lot of criticism from the media and the fans for his neglect of the run game. With Donovan's ability to throw the ball deep, the big homerun touchdown pass is something that Andy is always trying to capture. Andy, let me give you some advice: If you throw the ball 75% of the time, I don't care if you have the best quarterback and reciever in the world, if the defense knows what's coming they will stop it. Andy needs to learn that a good run game will set up the pass game, the two go hand in hand. Heading into this season, with a new starting quarterback, it is crucial that the Eagles focus on running the football. Andy needs to do whatever he can to take some of the pressure off of Kolb, and running the football is the perfect way to do that. Even without Brian Westbrook and Corell Buckhalter, the Eagles have a lot of talented backs who can come in and pick up yards. Let me break down the Eagles running backs and full backs for you.

LeSean McCoy: He is a younger version of Brian Westbrook, plain and simple. He may be small, but he's lightning fast, and is extremely dangerous when he catches the ball in the open field. McCoy is the perfect running back for this west coast style offense because he is very dangerous on screen plays. After an amazing rookie season in which McCoy set the Eagles rookie rushing yards record, McCoy will look to prove that he can be a starter. With Kolb as quarterback, I expect McCoy to get a lot of snaps this season and I think he has the stuff to be a pro bowler.

Mike Bell: Next up on the Eagles depth chart at running back is Mike Bell. Mike Bell spent his first 2 years in Denver where he had a breakout year in 2006. In 2008 and 2009, Bell traveled to the Saints where he helped them win a superbowl. I really like Bell and I think he is not only a solid backup, but can also come in and compete for the starting spot. As much as I like McCoy, he still has a lot to prove and having another back like Bell can really help this Eagles run game.

Eldra Buckley: Buckley is listed as 3rd on the Eagles depth chart as running back. He was very inconsistent last year and he turned the ball over a few times. He is a guy who will look to compete in camp.

Charles Scott: Scott was drafted by the Eagles in this years draft 200 overall. He was a pretty solid running back at LSU, and will look to make the team and compete in training camp.

Leonard Weaver: Weaver was probably the best free agent signing in the whole Andy Reid era. After spending 4 uneventful years in Seattle, Weaver joined the team last year via free agency, and recorded career highs in attempts, yards, and touchdowns. He made the pro bowl and make a significant contribution to the Eagles. I really like Weaver at fullback, and he is the key to this Eagles run game.

I truly believe that this is the year that Andy Reid is going to run the ball. We saw glimpses of it last year, and this year with Kolb as the new starting quarterback, Andy has to set up the run game. The Eagles need to take some of the pressure off of Kolb and they can do that by reducing the number of times he has to throw. LeSean McCoy, Mike Bell, and Leonard Weaver are the main guys behind a very talented and potentially very dangerous Eagles run game. The Eagles have the talent, they just need their coach to stop being so stubborn and run the football.

Roster Breakdown: Secondary

In the Andy Reid Era, the Eagles have always had an outstanding secondary. Guys like Brian Dawkins, Michael Lewis, Bobby Taylor, Troy Vincent, Litto Sheppard, and Sheldon Brown made this secondary one of the elite secondaries in the league for a very long time. That was the past, and now in 2010, none of the guys I just mentionedd are on the roster, and going into the upcoming season, the Eagles present secondary is surrounded with a lot of question marks. If the season were to start tomorrow, the projected starters would be, Nate Allen and Quintin Mikell as safeties, and Ellis Hobbs and Asante Samuel at the corners. The Eagles also have guys who will try to compete for a starting spot, let me break all of them down for you.

Asante Samuel: Let's first start off our secondary breakdown with Asante Samuel. Samuel takes a lot of heat for his inability to make open field tackles, and rightfully so. There were times, especially last season when he should have wrapped his arms around a guy and instead only hit him with his shoulder. I think what people have to realize is Asante Samuel is not the typical Eagle defensive back that is usually hard hitting and just plain mean. Assante is not Brian Dawkins, he's not going to pop someone right under the chin, and he's not going to destroy Reggie Bush like Sheldon Brown did in the playoffs a few years ago. Asante is more a guy who is going to try to intercept the football. He trys to read the quarterback's eyes and force turnovers using his athleticism. It's not that Assante doesn't know how to tackle, it's just that he is more preocupied with getting interceptions. Having said that, Samuel definitely has todo a better job of tackling this season in order to help this Eagles defense.

Ellis Hobbs: The next projected starter at corner for the Eagles is Ellis Hobbs. Hobbs suffered a severe neck injury last year, and it is still up in the air as to whether he will be fully healthy. Neck injuries are serious so I think it's important for Hobbs to ease himself back into football shape. I like Hobbs as a starter because when the Patriots had their undefeated season, their starting corners were Ellis Hobbs and Asante Samuel. That fact alone should put any fan's mind to ease. These two guys have had success at corner in the past and I expect them to have continued success heading into this season.

Joselio Hanson: Joselio saw decent minutes last season and I expect him to be a solid backup. If Hobbs can't stay healthy or just isn't the same after his injury, Hanson maybe able to step into the starting role, but I'm not convinced that he is a starter.

Macho Harris: Macho spent alot of time last season at safety but will be looking to compete as a cornerback in this year's training camp. If his name was Marcus or Eugene instead of Macho, I bet he wouldn't be getting this much respect. But because his name is Macho, people think that he is good because Macho is an awesome name. That's all I'm going to say about Macho.

Quintin Mikell: Quintin Mikell in the year when he played next to Brian Dawkins looked awesome. Last year without Dawkins, Mikell didn't look to hot and this year he has to prove that he can play without Dawkins. I really like Mikell, he has the skills and has a great knowledge of the game.

Nate Allen: Nate Allen was drafted in the 2nd round this year and is going to be expected to come in and start immediately. I like what I'm hearing about Allen but I'm worried that he might not be able to jump into this defense and start immediately.

Quintin Demps: Demps was drafted by the Eagles in the 4th round in 2008 and has done absolutely nothing in his 2 years with the team. Demps needs to step it up this season because I believe he has potential.

The secondary is the one part about this Eagles defense that worries me the most. The safeties are very young and there are problems at corner. Still, I think that the Eagles have a good enough defense in the front 7 that they can get away with an OK secondary. I also believe that the Eagles have the talent in the secondary, and it's just a matter of putting it all together during training camp.

Phillies Sweep Reds Gain Momentum

Great pitching and 3 consecutive walk offs lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4 game series sweep against the Cincinnati Reds this weekend. Kyle Kendrick took the mound for game one of the series. He pitched a fantastic game, going 6 and 2/3 innings, and giving up only 1 earned run. Going into the bottom of the 12th inning, Brian Schneider hit a solo walk off home run in his first game back from injury. In the 2nd game of the series, Joe Blanton took the hill, but was once again ineffective. Blanton pitched 5 and 1/3 innings giving up 6 runs, 5 of which were earned. Heading into the bottom of the 9th inning, the Phillies were trailing 7-1, but were able to strike back! The 9th inning propelled the Phillies to scoring 6 runs and tying the ball game to take the game into extra innings. Going into the bottom of the 10th inning, it was still a tie game. Ryan Howard was up with one man on and hit a home run into the left field seats sending the Phillies off with a second consecutive walk off home run.

Roy Halladay took the mound on Saturday as he tried to continue his fantastic season. Halladay’s record does not tell the whole story of how well he has pitched this season. The lack of run support has really hurt his record. Against the Reds, Halladay pitched 9 scoreless innings, but once again was hurt by a lack of run support and a perfect game through 8 innings by the Reds pitcher Travis Woods. Once again, the game went into extra innings, and with a man on first and second, Jimmy Rollins ripped a pitch down the right field line to drive in Carlos Ruiz for the game winning run. That capped the 3rd consecutive walk off for the Phillies. Coming into the 4th and final game, Cole Hamels took the mound to help the Phillies capture a 4 game sweep of the Reds. Cole pitched a fantastic game going 7 and 2/3, while not giving up a run. Brad Lidge came in for a 2 out save and shut the door as the Phillies secured a 4 game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. The Phillies hope that this 4 game win streak heading into the All Star break will help turn their season around. They are currently in 3rd place in the division trailing the Atlanta Braves by 4.5 games. After the break, the Phillies start a 4 game series at the Chicago Cubs.

Roster Breakdown: Linebackers

The linebacker position for the Eagles has a been a revolving during the past few seasons. At linebacker, the Eagles have called upon the services of Jeremiah Trotter, Takeo Spikes, Will Witherspoon, Moise Fokou, Akeem Jordan, Omar Gaither, Stewart Bradley, Chris Gocong and probably more. The Eagles have not had a core starting 3 in a very very long time. With the injury of Stewart Bradley last season and the inconsistent play of Gaither, the Eagles have had to call upon back ups and old veterans to fill in. During the offseason the Eagles addressed the need at linebacker by trading for linebacker Ernie Sims from Detroit. Ernie Sims will be a vital part of a young linebacker core that has a lot of potential.

Stewart Bradley: Bradley is the key to the success of this Eagles defense. He is like a coach out there, calling audibles and directing other guys into blitzs and coverage. The Eagles defense took a real hit last season without Bradley, and if he can stay healthy he can really help out this defense not only with his play, but also with his knowledge of the game.

Ernie Sims: I am extremely excited about this guy because he recorded incredible numbers in Detroit. If he could perform in Detroit, just think about what he can do with a real defense. I think that he was a steal and the Lions were foolish to let a guy like Sims go. He is young and has a lot of potential, and it will be exciting to see how he does on a real team.

Omar Gaither: Gaither is a very talented young player who has all the talent to excel in the NFL. In his first 3 years he played very well and I think he is going to return very strong from the injury he suffered last season. I like Bradley in the middle, so the Eagles have to find a way to utilize Gaither's talents on the outside.

Akeem Jordan: Jordan is a very solid player and will look to compete for a spotting spot during training camp. I expect to see the Eagles rotate him during the season.

Ultimately, the Eagles have a lot of talent at the linebacker position. Bradley and Gaither are healthy, and the addition of Ernie Sims will definitely help the defense. I think the Eagles have all the tools at linebacker, they just have to utilize them and use them the right way.

Phils Head Into Break With Momentum

After a wild weekend in South Philadelphia, the Phillies find themselves just 4.5 games out of first place heading into the all-star break. The Phillies 4 game swept the Reds in a series that saw 3 walk off wins for the Phils. On Saturday night, the Phils got a walk off hit from Jimmy Rollins in extras after an outstanding performance from Roy Halladay. On Sunday the Phils completed the sweep behind Cole Hamels by earning a 1-0 victory. This series could be the turning point, it could be the spark that the Phils have been looking for all season. It's not the fact that they 4 game swept a very good team that makes it so incredible, it is more how they did it. Think about it, 3 walkoff wins in a row, that is unheard of. You don't just forget about a series like this, you build on it. That is why the 8 game roadtrip that the Phils go on after the break is so important. The Phils will face the Cubs in a 4 game series and then travel to St. Louis for another 4 game series against the Cardinals. The Phils can't afford to come out flat, they have to come out swinging and win ball games. During the break, everybody on this Phillies team needs to take a step back and realize how fortunate they are. They didn't play very their best baseball in the first half and yet they are only 4.5 games out of first place. I truly believe that the series this past weekend vs the Reds was the turning point and the spark that the Phillies need. After the break the Phillies have to come out swinging and gain momentum as we head down the stretch.

What Does The Super 3 Mean For The Sixers?

When LeBron James officially announced that he would be joining Dwane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, it affected the whole league, including the Sixers. Basically for the next few years, the Heat are going to have a power house team and it is going to be hard for any team, let alone the Sixers to beat them. The bright side for the Sixers is that they are young and are in the rebuilding years. Nobody expects them to win and it is common knowledge that the Sixers are going to need a few years to get back to where they want to be. So in the next few years, enjoy the Sixers and all of the NBA. Even though Dwane Wade, Chris Bosh and King James will not be wearing Sixers uniforms, it will still be exciting to watch them play. And who knows, the Sixers have alot of depth and alot of talent and I expect them to make the playoffs, and in the playoffs anything can happen. Once the playoffs start, there are no garuntees, especially with LeBron who has always struggled to get it done in the post season. The Miami Heat have a bright future but don't count the Sixers out. They are young and have alot of depth and potential, and I expect them to surprise people in the upcoming years.

Evan Turner and Lineup Possibilities

When it was official that the Sixers had drafted Evan Turner, the Sixers brought a new era of basketball to the city of Philadelphia. With Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday, the Sixers now have a young and very exciting backcourt for years to come. Evan Turner provides a bright ray of hope for this Sixers team in the coming years. With so many new additions, you may be thinking, what are some lineups that that Doug Collins can put together. I'll list a few for you. In the first lineup, you have Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner at the 1 and 2, Igudola and Young at the 3 and 4, and Elton Brand at the 5. This lineup, with the right coaching is extremely dangerous and is probably going to be the starting 5. Another lineup the Sixers can go with if they want to go big is Turner and Young at the 1 and 2, Igudola and Speights at the 3 and 4, and either Hawes or Brand at the 5. The Sixers can also go small by playing Lou Williams and Holiday at the 1 and 2, Turner and Young at the 3 and 4, and Speights at the 5. The possibilities with this team are endlesss. There are a million different lineup combinations that Doug Collins can use. The Sixers are going to have a lot of depth this year, and that is a huge luxury especially down the stretch. The Sixers do not rely on 1 guy heavily, they are balanced and have a lot of guys who can contribute. The Sixers just have to find the right combination of players, and when they do, I expect them to be extremely dangerous.

What's Next For Gagne?

With the recent addition of Nikolai Zherdev, it has become clear that the Flyers have to clear cap space. Simon Gagne, who is going to be owed 5.2 million this year and who also has a no trade clause, seems like the most likely to be moved. Gagne has come out and said that he has not waived his no trade clause, which means the Flyers can't trade him. Gagne was quoted as saying this, "I have a no-trade clause and I didn't waive it," Gagne said, speaking to reporters in French. "The Flyers have a salary cap problem, and I'm a player that is on the tail end of his contract, with still a year to complete. The next few days may help us to see what's going to happen for me." In my opinion, Gagne is still a great player. It seemed that last year during the playoffs and especially the Stanley Cup, Gagne stepped it up when the Flyers needed him most. Still the Flyers by signing Nikolai Zherdev are trying to go younger and there is just no room for Gagne financially. Gagne who was drafted by the Flyers in 1998 has spent 10 seasons with the team. During that time he has had some dazzling seasons but in recent years he has been plagued by head injuries. Gagne has done so much for this team, but the Flyers are trying to go younger and in the upcoming days, I expect to see Gagne traded. The Flyers still have a lot todo this offseason, and defense has to continue to be the primary focus.

Walk Off Wonders

As exciting as this series against the Reds has been, the Phillies are still 5.5 games behind the first place Braves. Since the time of my last posting the Phillies have gone 10-8, and were hurt badly by poor performances against the lowly Pirates and the division leading Braves. Let's go back all the way to June 22, when the Phillies welcomed the Cleveland Indians to town. In the first game in the series against the Indians, Jamie Moyer pitched another gem going 8 and only giving up 1 run. The Phils were able to score 2 and earned the win by a final of 2-1. The second game of the series on Wednesday had alot more offense. Kyle Kendrick got taken out after just 4 innings and the Phillies found themselves battling back all night. The Phillies were down 6-5 in the 9th when Jimmy Rollins hit a walk off, a nice way to welcome himself back to the team. Thursday was a little less dramatic as the Phils coasted to 12-3 win behind Joe Blanton. The Phillies swept the Indians, their first home sweep of the season believe it or not. Next the Phillies traveled to Philadelphia to take on the Toronto Blue Jays. That's not a typo. Because of the G-20 summit, the series was shifted to Philadelphia where the Phils would have to wear their road uniforms and bat first. The Phils were able to take 2 out of 3 behind a strong performance by Roy Halladay on Friday and another strong outing by Moyer on Sunday. After sweeping the Indians and taking 2 out of 3 from the Blue Jays it looked as if the slump was finally over and the Phillies were back. At this point they were only 2.5 back and everything was going good for the Phils. Unfortunately,the Phils had to go on the road and face a very good Reds team. The Phils dropped 3 out of 4 to the Reds, and on their way home dropped 2 out of 3 to the lowly Pirates. In their short road trip the Phillies won 2 out of 7 games and dropped back to 5 games behind the Braves. The Phils who had been playing so good, took the week off and it hurt them. I can maybe understand losing to the Reds but the Pirates? Even after playing so poorly, the Phils had a chance to make up ground when the Atlanta Braves came to town. The Phils started out the important series strongly by beating the Braves 3-1. Roy Halladay pitched 9 innings and only gave up 1 run. His performance in the opening game of a vital series shows just how important he is to this ball club. He set the tone of the series by coming out in the first game and pitching lights out. Cole Hamels followed with a fairly solid outing, he went 7 and gave up 3 but the Phils couldn't support him offensively and eventually lost in extras 6-3. On Wednesday I have to put the blame on Jamie Moyer. He got rocked but he has pitched so well lately and I can't get too mad at him. The Phils lost a crucial series to the Braves and fell to 6 games back. The Reds came into town next and the Phils won the first 2 games of the 4 game series in walk off fashion on Thursday with a walkoff hr from Brian Schneider and last night with a 2 run blast from Ryan Howard. I think last night was extremely important becaused it showed that this team never gives up. They fight until the final out and always play hard. Tonight, the Phils send Roy Halladay to the mound in a crucial game 3. The Phils have to end the first half of the season on a high note, and half to take at least 3 out of 4 from the Reds. As I said earlier in the article, Roy Halladay is so important because he performs in the big games. Hopefully tonight, Halladay will have another strong outing and help this team finish the first half of the seaon on a high note.