Why Charlie Is Unhappy

He has led the Phillies to 4 consecutive division titles, 3 NLCS appearances, 2 Pennants and 1 World Series Championship and he still can't get a contract. Charlie Manuel is heading into the final year of his contract and negotiations between the Phils and the skipper during the current off season have been slow. With the start of spring training inching closer and closer, Charlies's contract is going to be a big topic of conversation. When you think about all of the things Charlie Manuel has done for this city it would seem like a no-brainer to sign Charlie long term. He is a favorite among the fans and players, and more importantly he brought this city a championship. The Phils front office may have some legitimate concerns like Charlies questionable decisions with pitchers and double switches. His age may also be a factor seeing that he is 67 and the oldest manager in baseball. But the positives in this situation should outweigh the negatives. Charlie continues to win year after year, and to switch the manager position right now would be extremely harmful to this team's chemistry. I think the Phillies would be foolish to bring this topic into Spring Training and have it be a distraction. The Phils just installed a high definition jumbo tron, so surely they can afford to take care of their manager. Make the right decision and give Charlie what he wants and what he deserves. Charlie Manuel is the man who can lead the Phillies back to another World Series title.

Sixers Win Back To Back At Home

After dropping 2 in a row to the Pistons and Pacers, the Sixers were able to put their struggles behind them and put together a nice little 2 game winning streak over the holiday weekend. On Friday night, the Sixers beat the Milwaukee Bucks by a final of 95-94. Although the Sixers led through much of the game, they let the Bucks back into the game and were lucky to escape with a victory. Lou Williams led the scoring with 25 and Elton Brand and Andre Igudola contributed with 15 pts a piece. Monday afternoon was more of the same story. The Sixers seemed to be in control for most of the game and at times ready to run away with it, but once again they let the opposition hang around. The turning point came on a 6 point play for the Bobcats. Elton Brand was called for a flagrant foul, and the Bobcats made the basket, made 1 free-throw, and made a 3 pointer with the retained possession. The Sixers saw their 9 point lead disappear in a matter of seconds. Down by 3 with just 7 seconds left, the Sixers got it to Lou Williams who sunk a clutch 3 to send the game into overtime. In OT, Evan Turner sealed the victory by going 4-4 from the free-throw line. Although the Sixers let their opponents hang around in both games, they did manage to win. It isn't pretty but this team is continuing to battle night after night. They are doing the little things to win games. The Sixers just need to focus on closing out games better. If they continue to let teams back into games they are going to find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes time to the playoffs. But for now the Sixers are a respectable 17-23 and climbing ever closer to that coveted 500 mark. Looking ahead to the rest of this week, the Sixers will go on a 2 game road trip to face the Magic and the Bobcats and then return home on Saturday to take on the Utah Jazz.

Flyers Extend Winning Streak

On a day when Claude Giroux had just been selected to his first All-Star game, Danny Briere was the man of the night with 3 assists and a goal to help the Flyers win 5-2 over the Buffalo Sabres. Although Danny Briere clearly got snubbed in terms of the All-Star game, he didn't let it affect his play as he went out and gathered up 5 points on the night. The Sabres led the Flyers for a good portion of the game, but Briere tied it late in the second and it was a 2-2 game going into the 3rd period. The Flyers came out with a lot more energy, and in no time were able to take the lead off a Villie Leino goal that was reviewed. From there the Flyers never looked back and added 2 more 3rd period goals to win it by a final of 5-2. Bobrovsky had a solid night in net as he got his first start after Bouch got the starts in the Devil games. The Flyers close out the week with back to back games at Boston and at Atlanta on Thursday and Friday. The Flyers will look to extend their winning streak to 5 and look to remain undefeated in the month of January.

End Of The Road

I'm not going to sit here and talk about all of the what-ifs, it's really pointless when you think about it. I could sit here for an hour and talk about what if they did this or what if they did that but nothing is gained from it. The Eagles lost a tough game to the Packers and took an early exit in the playoffs but it doesn't take away from the great season that Vick and the boys put together. Vick electrified this city and at times put this team on his back. He was the hero of a true comeback story and taught everyone about forgiveness and second chances. Vick definitely made some mistakes earlier in his life, but this season he proved to this city and the world that he was sorry and he wanted to move forward. He captivated us with his td runs and threw td passes to Jackson and Maclin with just the flick of the wrist. The things he was able to do were mind boggling and the Eagles would be foolish not to re-sign. I think the Eagles are going to franchise him and then sometime in the middle of next year talk about the big contract. But that talk is for another time. Right now I just want to thank Vick for an awesome season. Although it didn't end the way we all wanted it to, I know that this team will be back in the playoffs next year with Vick leading them once again.

Pitchers and Catchers Just A Month Away

It seems like just a couple of days ago that Ryan Howard stared at that called third strike. But it's now January 12 and pitchers and catchers report to spring training in just a little over a month. There will certainly be a buzz in Clearwater, Florida this spring with the addition of Cliff Lee. Lee solidifies this pitching staff as the best in all of baseball, and makes the Phillies a definite contender for this year and the years to come. The whole reason I created this blog last year was because i was so excited for the start of the season behind Roy Halladay. Now the Phillies have Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels and I don't know if I'm going to be able to contain my excitement. This team, with this pitching and this offense has the potential to not only be a 100 win team but also win the World Series. The season has ended in a sour way for the Phils the last 2 years but this year there are truly no excuses. The Phils have all the talent in the world at their disposal and it will be up to them to execute come April.

Flyers Win Back to Back vs NJ

In the home at home between the Flyers and the Devils that took place on Thursday and ended yesterday at the Wells Fargo center, the Flyers were able to win both games behind goaltender Brian Boucher. Boucher got the start in both games, and the Flyers got scoring from guys like Hartnell, Briere and Van Riemsdyk. The Flyers put themselves in a 1-0 hole in the first game, but never let the Devils have the lead in the second. Peter Laviolette has his team playing at an extremely high level. He got his team to play hard and not look past a very poor Devils team. They did what they needed to do, took care of business, and got 4 points out of it. Looking ahead to this week, I expect Boucher to continue to get starts. He has won 9 of his last 11, and the Flyers have to go with the hot hand. This week the Flyers go on the Road and take on Buffalo, Boston and Atlanta.

Final Prediction

After all the talk and speculation about the game during this past week, I'm excited to see how it will all pan out later this afternoon. I am a bit of an optimist when it comes to being a sports fan, but even I have to admit that when I heard the Birds would be playing the Packers I was not at all happy. But after doing some research and listening to the experts I have reached the conclusion that the Eagles are going to win today. Here are my keys to victory.

Turnover battle: I think that this struggling Eagles defense is going to win the turnover battle. Mike Vick is going to take care of the football as always, and there will be no fumbles by anyone else on this Eagles offense. I think Assante Samuel is going to come up big late in the game with an interception and that is going to be the difference in the game. Remember Rodgers threw 2 picks against the Birds earlier in the year.

Packers poor run defense: Andy Reid is going to stray from his usual pass happy scheme and go with a more balanced attack. In addition to running the ball I expect the Eagles to utilize the screen pass as well as quick slants to Jackson and Maclin. If McCoy gets 20 or more carries the Eagles win the game easily.

Psych favors the Birds: Everyone all week has been favoring the Packers. Even though the Eagles are favored in the game, the Packers still seem to be the favorite, and I love it. I love it because it gives this Eagles team extra motivation to go out and win. They are going to be pissed that nobody is giving them a chance or giving them any credit, so they are going to bring it come game time.

I feel that the back to back losses to Minnesota and Dallas really hurt this city's Super Bowl hopes. If the Giants game had been last week, I would be sitting here typing a Super Bowl or bust article and everyone would be planning their trips to Dallas. People have a right to be worried after that poor performance to Minnesota, but it is unfair to say that this team is going to lose in the first round just because they had 1 bad game. And all this the offense didn't play good in the Giants game theory needs to stop. People are claiming that besides those last 7 and a half minutes of the game the Eagles offense played extremely poorly. But you can't just say that those last minutes didn't happen because they certainly did. This Eagles offense proved their potency by putting up 4 touchdowns in 8 minutes. So forget the Minnesota loss, this team is a great team and they are going to come out ready to play today. I say Eagles win 31-20. Number 7, lead us to the promised land, Go Birds!!!

Vick or Rodgers?

There has been so much talk this week about who the better team is in Sunday's NFC Wild card game. Some say the Packers and their blitz heavy defense while others say the Eagles with their explosive and dangerous offense. As always when comparing teams you have to take a look at the quarterbacks. All week it's been Vick or Rodgers, Rodgers or Vick. I'm gonna break down each quarterback for you and tell you who I truly feel will be the better quarterback this Sunday.

Aaron Rodgers: In 15 games this season Rodgers has thrown for 3,922 yards and 28 Td's and 11 picks. He has a 65.7 completion pct and a 101.2 QB rating. Those stats are amazing I have to admit. Rodgers has been able to do all of this essentially without a running game after star running back Ryan Grant went out in the first game of the season. Trying to find flaws in a guy like Aaron Rodgers is extremely difficult. The only thing I can say is that Aaron Rodgers has had 3 games this year where he has thrown 2 picks. One of those games was against the Eagles. Turn overs are huge in the playoffs, and although the Eagles have a struggling defense with a weakened secondary, if the Eagles can force even just 1 turnover it can drastically change the game.

Michael Vick: In 12 games this season Vick has thrown for 3,018 yards 21 Td's and just 6 picks. Vick has a 62.6 completion percentage and a 100.2 QB rating. When you factor in Vick's 676 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs, I think you have to say that statistically Vick is the better quarterback this season. In terms of Sunday I have to take Vick and I will tell you why. Vick has had 11 days to rest and will be extremely healthy and rested for the game. Rodgers has had concussion problems and he is coming off a very tough game against the Bears. Another reason I take Vick is because although Rodgers has been extremely solid and consistent throughout the season, he doesn't have the break out ability that Vick has. Vick has the potential to put up 28 points in 7 minutes, and the big play threat the Eagles always have gives Michael Vick yet another edge over Rodgers. I also feel that this is Vick's year. This is his comeback to not only the NFL but also society. Redemption is the only thing on Vick's mind and he has his eyes on the prize. Vick is going to lead this team to the promised land. So I will settle this argument once and for all, I take Michael Vick hands down. The true answer will come on Sunday when the Eagles gear up for one of the biggest games in franchise history.

Sixers Hold Off Bulls

On Friday night the Sixers beat the Chicago Bulls by a score of 105-99. Led by Jodie Meeks who scored 24 points, the Sixers were able to beat a very good 23-12 Bulls team. Lou Williams scored some big buckets down the stretch the seal the win for the Sixers. Jrue Holiday continued his hot scoring streak by scoring 19 with 6 assists. I think that Friday night really proved something. It proves that you can no longer take the Sixers lightly. You can't come in and think that the Sixers are young and developing team and that it will be an easy win. The fact of the matter is that the Sixers play hard and hustle every night. There is a will to win and a determination factor with this team that makes them work hard for each other. Doug Collins also has a huge role to play with the Sixers recent success. He is pulling the right strings, and playing the right guys. Jodie Meeks, Jrue Holiday, and Lou Williams are getting a ton of minutes and rightfully so. These 3 guards last night alone combined for 63 of the Sixers' 105 points last night. Looking ahead to the rest of this month the Sixers have a lot of winnable games coming up. Of the remaining 11 games in January, 7 of them are against teams with records below 500. I think that by the end of the month the Sixers themselves will be closing in on the 500 mark and putting themselves in clear control of the 7th seed in the Eastern conference.

Jrue Is The Answer

On Wednesday night the Sixers finally were able to beat the Wizards. It doesn't sound like something to get too excited about, but after 2 OT losses earlier this year, it was good to get a win against John Wall and company. Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday led the scoring for the Sixers and it became clear to me as the game went on that Jrue Holiday was powering the offense. His ability to make plays and score the basketball are outstanding, and he is a young and explosive player that has the talent to be one of the premiere point guards in the league in the years to come. He distributes the ball nicely, he can drive, and he has a real nice touch from outside. It is clear that the work that Jrue Holiday put in during the offseason is paying off. In the absence of Andre Igudola, Doug Collins has called upon the services of guys like Evan Turner to contribute. I really like what I'm seeing from Turner. He is really shooting the ball well and his defense is something that is extremely valuable especially when you are playing a team like the Lakers who have Kobe Bryant. Although the Sixers lost to the Lakers, Turner did a great job in doing all he could against the future hall of famer and one of the best players in the world. Another guy coming through for the Sixers right now is Elton Brand. Although he is not putting up the big numbers, he is clearly a leader for this young team, and his strong work ethic and will to win are guiding these youngsters in the right direction. Right now I think the Sixers are playing really well. They went 3-5 on an extremely tough road trip and they now have a lot of home games and winnable games in the near future. The Sixers are a young and explosive team that are definitely going to surprise a lot of people this year.

Stop Hatin'

You can say what you want about Reid. You can talk about how he can't clock manage, his devotion to McNabb, and ofcourse how doesn't run the ball enough. But at the end of the day if you look at what he's been able to do during his time in Philadelphia it is truly remarkable. In Reid's 11 years the Eagles have made the playoffs 9 times, have won the division 6 times, made it to the NFC championship game 5 times, and have made it to the Super Bowl. The only thing missing from that resume is a Super Bowl ring. I think that this year is going to be Andy's year. I think he's going to have all the right game plans and all the right schemes that will lead this team to a Super Bowl victory. If you look around at other coaches in the league there are undoubtedly your standouts like Bill Bellicheck but other than that, are there any guys that you would really want to coach the Eagles? Mike Tomlin is a good young coach and although he has a ring, he is still pretty unproven. Lovie Smith is a decent coach but he doesn't have a ring. If you really think about it, the Eagles are extremely fortunate to have a coach like Andy Reid. He is a devoted coach and a favorite among the players and I think with this second generation of young players led by Michael Vick, this team has a large window of opportunity to win a championship in the upcoming year and years to come.

How To Get Past The Freak

It's really not rocket science. It's no secret that the Packers are going to blitz, it's what they do. They are going to call plays specifically designed for guys like Clay Matthews to get after the quarterback and hit him as early and as often as possible. The Packers defense is centered around getting after the Q. They have one of the best pass rushes in the league and disrupting the quarterback's rhythm is their specialty. But the Packers do have a weakness and that is stopping the run. The Packers have the worst run defense of the 12 teams in the playoffs, and during the regular season, only managed to hold opponents to under 100 yards rushing 6 times. What the Eagles need to do is run the ball and split the carries between Shady McCoy, Jerome Harrison, and even have some designed runs for Michael Vick. In addition to running the ball, the Eagles need to do a better job in picking up the blitz. It is clear from the Minnesota game that Vick is clearly having some trouble recognizing the blitz, so Michael Vick needs to be aware and get the ball out of their quickly. Having designed screens for McCoy as well as Maclin and Jackson will really open up the offense, and eliminate the amount of time that Michael Vick has the football. The Packers thrive in getting after the quarterback so the Eagles need to get the ball out of Vick's hands and into the hands of their play makers.

Flyers Continuing To Battle

The Flyers are currently sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference. Nearing the midway point, the Flyers are setting themselves up for yet another playoff run. With a big win in Detroit the other night, the Flyers look to gear up for a tough month of January in which they will face a lot division opponents including the Devils 3 times. Although the Devils have clearly had their struggles this year, they are always a tough division opponent for the Flyers. Right now the Flyers need to take it game by game and not get to ahead of themselves. A lot of veterans are hungry to get back to the playoffs and make another Stanley Cup run. It's good to be motivated and hungry for the playoffs, but there are still 43 games left and a lot of hockey yet to be played.

All About Shady

The absolute key to beating the Packers this weekend is running the football. The question is whether or not Andy is willing to differ from his usual "pass happy" offense in favor of more balanced approach. Let's face the facts, the Packers have a great defense that will surely bring the blitz. The easiest way to combat the blitz is buy setting up the run game and running right by the blitzers. I think in addition to getting McCoy his touches, the Eagles need to allow Vick to run more often. I know that he is injured and banged up and that having him run is just too risky, but when you look at that miraculous comeback vs the Giants, the only reason the Eagles were able to get back into that game was because Vick started to run the ball for 20-30 yards at a time. When the defense brings more guys in the box to spy against Vick and prevent him from running, that's when the passing game really opens up. Another key to winning against the Packers is the screen game. The Eagles are one of the best screen play teams in the NFL and yet they do it so rarely. The screen is so perfect because it's an easy way to get the ball out of there quickly and combat the blitz, and when you have a guy like Shady McCoy to throw the ball to it makes it all the more dangerous. He has the ability to break it open for a 35-40 yard gain. Run the ball with Vick and McCoy and utilize the screen game and the "big plays" to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin will happen and the Birds will win this game easily. It's going to be a close game no doubt, but I feel that Michael Vick is a man on a mission, and anything short of a Super Bowl title for number 7 is going to be an utter disappointment.