Phillies 2012 Position Breakdown: Third Base

With February less than 24 hours away, it's about that time that the infield gets rounded out with a Broad Street Marching breakdown of third base. While it appears now that the Phillies will stick with Placido Polanco for the  upcoming season, there were many periods of uncertainty where the team reportedly tried to move the veteran to try and acquire more power at the position, all of which ultimately failed. The fact that they were hesitant to pick up too much of his salary shows that they did not want to simply give him away, and displays their belief that they still feel Polanco has gas left in the tank, at least enough to justify playing out the final guaranteed year of his current contract at age 36.

Projected 2012 Third Base Depth Chart:

1. Placido Polanco

2. Ty Wigginton

3. Michael Martinez

Placido Polanco: After a solid start to his second time around on the Phillies that lasted through the first year of his contract and most of the second, Polanco appeared to take a monstrous step back in the latter part of 2011. While his final numbers did not dip much from 2010 aside from batting average (6 to 5 home runs, 52 to 50 RBI's, 5 to 3 steals, and a .298 to a .277 average, respectively), nagging injuries were the reason for this .021 point drop off and the subsequent rumors that he could possibly be moved in favor of a power bat like Aramis Ramirez that followed. Even though he was 35 years old and oft-injured, Polanco still managed to play in 122 games, down only 10 from the previous season, which should give fans hope that he will be able to at least play out the final year of his current deal in a solid fashion. He still excels with the glove though, so even with an offensive drop-off, fans can rest easy knowing that the team will once again have the components that made up one of the most sure-handed infields in the majors in 2011. Ty Wigginton will be key in maintaining Polanco's durability as frequent days off will help to stave off small tweaks that inevitably lead to serious missed time in older players, but it will be up to a combination of this, proper conditioning, and a little bit of luck to keep Polanco together for more than 140 games.

Ty Wigginton: It took the entire infield to get here, but we've finally reached a position that is the closest one to home for the super-utility man Wigginton. He has played 656 games at third, comprising over half of his total games played while stationed on the leftmost corner of the infield, a fact that made his acquisition in the wake of talk about moving Polanco even more notable considering the fact that the latter player has only spent 562 games there. Wigginton is not as apt offensively nor defensively as Polanco is, but he is a comfortable and capable backup to the two time Philadelphia Phillie and will be a definite upgrade over Martinez and the recently departed Wilson Valdez should Polanco miss time due to injury. For more on his offensive stats, take a look back at the analysis of Wigginton in our first base preview here.

Michael Martinez: While he did spend more time at third base than any other position last season, Martinez still ranks third on this list. With Valdez out of the picture, he will be needed more as the backup at second base and shortstop than here at third, but for more on Martinez take a look right here at our second base preview.

With both a healthy Polanco and a newly acquired Wigginton in tow, there is not much to worry about at third base in 2012. However, should Wigginton become the starter due to a prolonged Polanco absence, the Phillies will be down to just one below average utility infielder to back up the entire left side of the infield from second base over. Thankfully, this problematic scenario is one that will only have to be considered should injury occur, and as I said above, the Phillies control two major factors that will help to prevent that.

That's a wrap for the 2012 infield, so stay tuned to Broad Street Marching in the next few days as we begin to move outward with a look at the situation in right field.

In case you missed them:
Shortstop Breakdown
Second Base Breakdown
First Base Breakdown
Catcher Breakdown

The Cole Hamels Conundrum

A couple weeks ago, the Phillies avoided arbitration with Cole Hamels by signing to him a one year deal worth 15 million dollars.  The deal is a bargain for now, but the Phillies executives know that Hamels is going to want big money in the near future.  In fact, this spring the Phillies front office will officially begin talks with Hamels on a long term deal.  The question that I'm posing is should the Phillies lock up Hamels long term?  Is it the right move in the long run?

In my opinion, Hamels is going to want Cliff Lee money.  A 5-7 year deal ranging anywhere from 100-150 million.  For the sake of my argument, let's say the Phillies sign Hamels to a 5 year deal worth right around 120 million.  That would mean that in the 2013 season the Phillies would be paying close to 70 million dollars for three pitchers.  (25 million for Lee, 20 million for Halladay, *predicted 25 million for Hamels)

70 million dollars is a lot of money.  In fact 70 million is more than the 2011 opening day payrolls of the Padres, Diamondbacks, Nationals, Marlins, Athletics, Pirates, Indians, Royals, and Rays.  Simply put the Phillies would be paying more for 3 pitchers than other clubs do for entire teams.

Locking up Hamels to a long term deal not only sounds bad on paper, but it will also prohibit the Phillies from making any significant changes to their lineup in the future.

Kevin Cooney of the Bucks County Courier Times wrote a similar piece on Hamels last week.  Cooney had this to say on Hamels' potential long term deal and what it would mean in the future:


"There’s also this to consider: The club already has six players who will make north of $10 million in 2013 — Lee ($25 million), Halladay and Ryan Howard ($20 million), Utley ($15 million), Jonathan Papelbon ($13 million) and Jimmy Rollins ($11 million).  That’s not even counting Pence, who will be in his final year of arbitration and likely will reach that $10 million club both this season and next. Figure Pence around $13 million for 2013 and the total payroll would be at $117 million — for just seven players, and without Hamels."

Cooney went on to talk about how if the Phillies were to give Hamels a deal around 20-25 million per year, they wouldn't have much room to sign Hunter Pence who will be a free agent after the 2013 season, and Shane Victorino who will be a free agent after this season.

I think it's kind of a moot point to talk about this mainly because Cole Hamels is one of the greatest pitchers in Phillies franchise history.  He won the 2008 World Series MVP, and he has the potential to carry this team back to the promised land in the future.  Also you have to factor Ruben Amaro Jr. into this equation.  Ruben absolutely loves pitching, and like it or not, he will find a way to get a deal done with Hamels.

But are the Three Aces the answer?  Maybe, just maybe, the Phillies should save their money and look to spend it elsewhere.  But to pass up on a talent like Cole Hamels will not be an easy decision for the Phillies front office.

Competition Galore In The Bullpen This Spring Training

There will be a lot of competition in this bullpen during
Phillies Spring Training this year.

The Phillies bullpen was just okay last year as they had several young players step up and help contribute through some injuries to main pieces.  This year, who knows what it is going to look like as they have a few key bullpen pieces returning along with a good amount of prospects and some free agent sign-ees as well.

Spring Training will be a very competitive one for the bullpen pitchers this year.  The Phillies will likely keep 12 pitchers on the roster this year, allowing for 7 bullpen pitchers.  Let's see who will be competing for those spots.

In my belief the locks for making this Phillies team are Jonathan Papelbon, Antonio Bastardo, Jose Contreras (if healthy), Michael Stutes and Kyle Kendrick.  This could change depending on injury and how they pitch in Spring Training, but this leaves just two spots open.  Prospects wise competing for a spot are Phillippe Aumont, Justin De Fratus, Jake Diekman, Joe Savery and Michael Schwimer.  Then you also have David Herndon, Chad Qualls, Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Horst.  Now that is a lot of competition.  There will be a lot of people competing for a spot, which is a good thing to have as it usually brings the best out in everyone.

The good thing is the Phillies have a lot of options to choose from.  Injuries happen, so they know they have a lot of capable pitchers to replace someone as well as keep pressure on others who might be looking for a call-up.

This spring should be interesting though, there are a lot of capable pitchers and it is going to be a tough decision for the Phillies staff to make.  It looks like they won't have to make a decision on pitchers they really wouldn't like being on the roster which is a good thing as well.  The main competition will be in the bullpen this spring and it is exciting to see that the Phillies have some quality competition this year.  The pen will be competing with each other all year and this competition will be good.  The bullpen hasn't been a strength for most of the Phillies team, but this year should be different with so many quality players.

Eagles Report Card: Tight Ends

With Michael Vick at quarterback and so many explosive weapons it is hard to notice the tight ends.  Last season and early on this season Vick had a tough time working them into the offense.  After a rough beginning, Vick was able to get them involved in the offense and Brent Celek made a major statement.  With a shaky offensive line last year the tight ends were forced to block more, but with such a great offensive line this year they were able to make some plays this year.  It was a good year for them and they made a big splash in this offensive production.

Brent Celek


After a career year in 2009, 2010 was not the year for Celek.  With a shaky offensive line and a quarterback who seemed to refuse to throw the ball to the tight end, Celek's elite tight ends status went away.  It seemed like it was going to be the same way this year around as well early on, but that changed. After a rough start to the season where Celek was pretty much absent in the offense he really stepped up and became a huge piece in the passing game.

He has always been a good receiver it was just about him getting noticed by Vick.  Vick was never really a quarterback that loved the tight end and as he matured as a quarterback they said he would notice the tight end a lot more.  It seemed like that was the case.  After catching only 9 balls for 73 yards and no touchdowns in the first 5 games, Celek saw the ball more and his stats improved.

After such a rough start it is amazing that he finished with 62 catches for 811 yards and 5 touchdowns.  That is impressive considering he had a really bad start.  Celek established himself as an elite tight end again, which really helped this offense.  The more threats they have in the middle the less coverage they can have on the deep ball.  It was a great finish to Celek's year and he had a very good one to go with that.

GRADE: A-

Clay Harbor


It was another so so year for the backup tight end once again.  The Eagles don't use two tight end formations that much so you can't blame him to much, but the athletic tight end once again did not have a big year in the Eagles passing game.  One area you have to applaud him for is his continued improvement in the blocking phase of the game.  He would usually have a catch during the game, but he never brought anything big to the passing game.

On the year Harbor recorded 13 catches for 163 yards and 1 touchdown this year.  The Eagles primarily use their second tight end for blocking and they usually do not see the field to much.  It is hard to complain about his play because of that and it is hard to asses how did this year.  His numbers are not so great, but either was his playing time and do to that we blame it on him.

GRADE: C+

Overall


Celek had a fantastic year while Harbor barely saw the field and you never really noticed him.  As a group I guess they work well together, even though they are rarely on the field together.  Both of them continued to improve with their blocking, which is good to know as they both weren't known for that.  Celek had a great year though and since he is usually the one that sees the field that is what we base this group off of.  Expect another solid year again from them in 2012.

GRADE: A-

Time To Find Out If The Sixers Are For Real

After the next eight games the Sixers play everyone should have a better idea if the Sixers are in fact ready to become a contender in the Eastern Conference. As of now the Sixers are 14-6 and currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference (only 2 games behind the one seed Chicago Bulls). However many believe that their record is not truly representative of how good of a team the Sixers are. The reason behind that, they have played the easiest schedule in the league to this point in the season. Their first 20 opponents have a combined winning percentage of .398 and they have only beaten two teams with winning records (Pacers and Hawks).

The next eight games that the Sixers will play are not only going to test them with more difficult opponents, but also will test their stamina as they play eight games in just thirteen days. Those eight opponents are as follows: vs. Magic, vs. Bulls, vs. Heat, at Hawks, vs Lakers, vs Spurs, vs Clippers, and at Cavaliers. Those teams have a combined winning percentage of .634 which is far better than the combined winning percentages of the first 20 opponents. We will go much more in depth with each game individually as they get closer providing previews and analysis for each game, but for now let's preview tonight's match up with the Orlando Magic.

The Magic come in to tonight's contest reeling having lost four of their last five after a really hot start to the season. They are now 12-8 on the year and come into Philadelphia off of a loss last night against the Indiana Pacers. They will be without St. Joe's product Jameer Nelson in this one who is out with concussion symptoms. Ryan Anderson, who has had a surprisingly great start to the season averaging 16.3 ppg, is questionable for the Magic with a bruised calf.

Even without Jameer Nelson and possibly Ryan Anderson the Magic will still be a tough opponent to face as they boast one of the best players in the NBA and the best big man in the game, in none other than Dwight Howard. He is having another All Star caliber season as he is averaging 20.2 ppg and an incredible 15.5 rpg. The key to getting a victory tonight will not be to shut him down because that is virtually impossible, especially with the thin front court of the Sixers, but to contain and limit what he can do. This means that if the Sixers think he is going to get an easy bucket, foul him and make sure he has to earn it at the line where he is shooting 46% on the season. I'd rather take my chances with him at the free throw line as opposed to giving him an easy two.

As for the Sixers they will be without Spencer Hawes for the eighth consecutive game as he has been ruled out of tonight's game with the achilles injury. Rookie Nikola Vucevic who has missed the past four is a game time decision and may be able to play this evening, bolstering the Sixers front court to an extent. Both Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams are coming into this game hot after great performances at home against inferior opponents. Iguodala is coming off his first triple-double of the season while Lou continues to lead the Sixers in scoring pretty consistently on a game to game basis.

The Magic are somewhat of a difficult match up for the Sixers as they have strengths where the Sixers have weaknesses. The Magic possess a big man who will dominate the game if you don't have a front court that can stop him. Tonight the Sixers front court will be very thin and have a tough time stopping Howard in the paint. They also shoot the three ball very well, especially their forwards. Both Ryan Anderson and Hedo Turkoglu can stretch the defense and knock down threes, meaning Iguodala and Brand will have to defend the three ball with more concern than normal. If there is a major weakness in Brand's game right now it is the fact that he can't get out to the top of the key and defend guys like Anderson and Turkoglu. It should be a very interesting game and one that goes down to the wire.

Pat Burrell To Retire

According to MLBtraderumors.com, long time Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell is retiring. Burrell will mainly be remembered for his play during the 2008 World Series run.  Burrell had some key hits and led the parade down Broad Street.

After playing 9 years for the Phillies, Burrell then played for the Tampa Bay Rays and won another World Series in 2010 with the San Francisco Giants.  

Burrell had an interesting relationship with the fans of Philadelphia.  He really struggled at times but Phillies fans always stuck with him.  In the end Burrell ended up victorious and will forever be remembered for the great contributions he made to the Phillies 2008 World Series Victory.   Thank you Burrell for an awesome career.   

All-Star Games Are Boring

Last week I wrote up an article about how the NFL should consider having a flag football Pro Bowl.  The idea made little progress among the executives of the league, and the NFL held its traditional Pro Bowl yesterday.  I decided to watch to see if it was really as bad as I had initially thought.

After watching roughly a minute, I turned it off.  It was just a bunch of guys with no incentive or interest in playing. It had a pre-season feeling around it, and even though a lot of touchdowns were scored, it didn't add to my entertainment.  High scoring doesn't mean exciting, which leads me directly into my review of the NHL All-Star game.  

Before I begin, I at least have to give the NHL credit.  Realizing that their All-Star game needed a change, a few years ago they began a draft in which two captains hand pick their teams.  But even with hand picked teams, the game itself is still pretty boring.  The game ended with Team Chara prevailing by a final of 12-9.  But even with a lot of goals scored, the game didn't get me excited.  I watched the end of the third period as goal after goal was scored, but it did little to keep me entertained. 

Many people will scoff at my notion that All-Star games are boring pointing out the fact that they aren't supposed to competitive.  Given the fact that these guys beat up on each other every night, All-Star games should be a venue where the stars come together for some fun.  

I would be OK with that argument except the MLB All-Star game is really exciting and fun to watch.  With home field advantage during the World Series on the line, guys don't play laid back as they know it could affect them come October.  Initially the move was unpopular, but after some time it really has created a competitive atmosphere around the MLB All-Star game.  

I'm not saying that the NFL and NHL should implement the same system to their All-Star games.  I just think it's a shame that you have all of these great and highly talented players together and you can't come up with an entertaining game.  Both the NHL and NFL have the resources and potential to create an exciting game.  It will be up to the commissioners and league brass in the future to decide to try something new to draw in more viewers.  

Sixers Inquire About Stoudemire

According to John Finger of csnphilly.com, the Sixers reportedly inquired about Amare Stoudemire.  At 7-13, the Knicks are an absolute joke this year and they could possibly be interested in dealing Stoudemire.

Finger stated in his article:

According to a league source, the Sixers have inquired about Stoudemire, though it was categorized as “due diligence.” Nothing is said to be imminent or even in the early stages other than just talk, the source said. Nevertheless, in past seasons the Sixers were reportedly discussing trade scenarios with the Phoenix Suns in order to acquire Stoudemire. Whether or not the Sixers can afford Stoudemire, of course, is an issue too. Stoudemire is the ninth-highest paid player in the NBA after signing a five-year, $100 million contract before the 2010-11 season. He earns $18.2 million this season, $19.9 million next season and approximately $45 million between 2013 and 2015.

Stoudemire is an athletic big man with a decent mid range jump shot as well.  He could instantly make the Sixers contenders, but at what price?  The Sixers would most likely have to part ways with Thaddeus Young or possibly even Jrue Holiday to bring in Amare.

 And a negative to Stoudemire is that in order for him to be productive, he has to be continually given the ball.  Right now the Knicks are struggling mainly due to the fact that they have two guys in Stoudemire and Anthony who need the ball in their hands at all times to play well.  Amare's style of play might not fit well with the Sixers but it should be interesting to see what happens in the upcoming month.

As trade rumors continue to swirl, the Sixers continue to thrash away at lowly opponents on their schedule.  But beginning Monday, their schedule quickly becomes extremely difficult.  The Sixers host the Magic on Monday, the Bulls on Wednesday, and the Heat on Friday night.  They then travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks, and then return home next week to host the Lakers, Spurs, and Clippers.

If the Sixers do well in the upcoming stretch of games, it will be a good indicator that the Sixers are for real and deserve to be respected as legitimate contenders.  But if they struggle greatly, they may want to give serious consideration to making a trade.  

Iguodala Celebrates Birthday With Win And Triple-Double

Andre Iguodala celebrated his 28th birthday in exciting fashion as he recorded his eigth career triple-double and was the force behind the Sixers 95-74 win over the Detroit Pistons. Iguodala recorded the easiest triple-double possible as he had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the win over the Pistons. The Sixers got out to an early 24-14 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back leading the whole way on their way to their 8th 20 or more point victory of the season. The Sixers were once again led in the scoring column by Lou Williams who had 17 points. The Pistons were led by Greg Monroe who had a double-double with 16 points (on 19 shots) and 10 rebounds. More notes on the game:

Evan Turner looked great last night scoring 12 points on just eight shots, while also helping out by getting six rebounds and three assists. One thing that continues to impress me with Turner is his ability to rebound the basketball. He has the potential to average eight or nine rebounds a game if he got the minutes to do so. Even though he is not a starter and is not playing as much as many would like, he is statistically leading all wing players in rebounds per game with 6.2.

Although it was of the "pathetic" variety, a triple-double is a triple-double and Iguodala continues to make his case for a spot on the All Star team with his play this season. He has led the Sixers to a 14-6 record and fills up the stat sheet every night for the Sixers. His averages per game now stand at 12.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Even though those don't jump out at you and shout All Star, I honestly believe he deserves a spot on the team with the way he has played this season.

Lavoy Allen is really making his minutes count when he gets in there. Last night he logged 24 minutes and once again impressed scoring seven points on 3-6 shooting and grabbing four boards in his short run. He also had the highest +/- on the team with a +26. It is crazy that a guy who was not even playing the first half of the season has played so well the last week or so and is now a guy the Sixers can go to off the bench and give the team some minutes at the forward position.

Lou continues to be the Sixers most consistent scorer every night and also continues to lead the Sixers in scoring at 15.6 points per game. This is a pretty remarkable number considering he only averages 25 minutes a game. The only player that averages more points than Williams in fewer minutes played is Manu Ginobili of the Spurs, who has done it in a smaller sample size considering he's only played five games.

The Sixers defense in this one was too good not to note. They stifled the Pistons and forced them to shoot a dismal 35 % from the field. They also forced ten turnovers and held arguably their two best players in Brandon Knight and Greg Monroe to horrendous shooting performances. Knight was 4-17 from the field and Monroe was 6-19. Every big man that the Sixers brought in stopped Monroe in the post and forced him to take a lot of difficult shots. There is no question that the success the Sixers are having this season is due in large part to their defense.

Player of the Game: Andre Iguodala
Record: 14-6 (3rd in Eastern Conference)
Up Next: vs. Orlando Magic, Monday 7 p.m.

Flyers Have To Focus On Defense In Second Half

Coming into this season, everyone thought the Flyers' greatest strength would be their defense.  With the addition of Ilya Bryzgalov, the defense was supposed to carry them and the offense was predicted to suffer due to the loss of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.

But after the first half of the season, quite the opposite has happened.  Young stars and witty veterans have ignited the Flyers offense into one of the best attacks in all of the NHL.  Meanwhile, Ilya Bryzgalov's struggles and Pronger's injury have left the defense searching for answers.

Overall the Flyers finished with 63 points good for 2nd in the Atlantic Division and 3rd in the Eastern Conference.  So to sit here and say that their defense was horrible isn't accurate by any stretch.  But as we get closer and closer to the playoffs, the Flyers will have to figure things out on the defensive end if they want to win the Stanley Cup.  They must decide whether or not to trade for a defender, and more importantly who their playoff goalie will be.

There has been a lot of speculation going around about the Flyers possible interest in trading for a defender.  Aside from Timmonen, the Flyers lack another strong defensive presence.  While adding a defender could certainly help tighten the defense up, the Flyers would have to part ways with one of their young bright stars.  Right now the Flyers youngsters are playing so well together, and trading away one of those guys could be extremely detrimental for this year and in the long run.  Plus there is no guarantee that adding a top notch defender will help Ilya Bryzgalov who right now is the defense's other big concern.

While Bryz's numbers aren't horrible, they aren't great either.  Bryz was supposed to be an elite goalie, but he was extremely frustrating during the first half and struggled to find consistency.  Looking ahead to the second half, maybe Bryz can come back refreshed after the All-Star break.  Bryzgalov has been under the spot light for quite some time now, so maybe a break from all the attention will help the goalie to regain his confidence and he will come back re-energized.  Personally I'm all for continuing to give Bryz the majority of the games as the season progresses.  But if Bob continues play well, the Flyers have to give serious consideration to making Bob the official playoff goalie.

If there is one thing that the 2010 Stanley Cup run taught us it's that a goalie carousel doesn't work.  For this year's playoffs, if you're going to go with Bryz, stick with him.  And if you give the nod to Bob, likewise you have to stick with him.  In the next two months the Flyers have to decide between the two.  I don't care how much money Bryz is making, if his struggles lead up to April, you have to go with the goalie that gives you the best chance to win.

For the second half, I'm not worried about the offense at all.  They are getting contributions from just about everyone and I think they will have continued success.  Defensively the Flyers have a lot to figure out.  If the Flyers don't figure things out by April, it could be another early playoff exit for the Flyers.

Possible Trade: Paul Pierce For Iguodala?

I'm probably as excited, if not more excited than anyone about the Sixers' early success.  They are flashy, fun, and overall exciting to watch.  They are quickly beginning to captivate the city with their high energy style of play, and Sixers fans finally have something to cheer about.  But the one thing that is holding fans back from really getting excited about this team is the absence of a legitimate scorer or super star.  The NBA is a super star oriented league, and in order to have a chance at winning the championship, you must have one on your team.

The Sixers may have six or seven guys that can put up double digits on any given night, but they simply don't have someone to rely on in crunch time.  So what should the Sixers do?  Should they concede the fact that they are just a good team, unable to compete with the likes of the Bulls or Heat in the playoffs?  Or should they make a move and try to bring in a super star?

The other day I was listening to Glen Macnow and Anthony Gargano on WIP.  Gargano brought up a possible trade that would send Andre Iguodala to the Celtics in exchange for Paul Pierce; straight up.  The deal sounds extremely absurd at first.  Why trade Iguodala who is 28 years old, for a past his prime Pierce who just recently turned 34?

But even at 34 years of age, Pierce is still a super star.  He is averaging 17.7 points per game, and just last night he had 28 in a big win against Indiana.  Pierce is not only a guy that can consistently score, but he can also come through in the clutch.  The Sixers have many good contributors, but there isn't one guy that you are confident in to come through with the game on the line.

While I definitely would love to have Pierce over Iguodala, I'm not an Andre hater and I know what he brings to the table.  He rebounds, he defends, he passes the ball, and he is deadly on the fast break.  But he isn't a guy that you build your team around or give the ball to when you're in desperate need of a bucket.  And if you're the Sixers and you keep Iguodala, you're basically settling to just be good for the next few years.  This season the NBA is wide open because many of the favored teams don't look too hot.  Miami is good but still building chemistry, the Bulls are beatable, New York is a mess, and the Eastern conference is there for the taking.  If you hold on to Iguodala you won't beat the Heat or the Bulls.  Let's not kid ourselves.  The Sixers are a very good team but without that legitimate scorer they aren't going to beat the elite teams in the post season.  I'm a firm believer in if you make the playoffs anything can happen, but it would be highly unlikely for the Sixers to do any serious damage.  Pierce takes your team from a solid team to a legitimate contender.  If the Sixers hold on to Iggy they will just be a good respectable playoff team for years to come.  But if they make a move this year, they could give themselves a realistic shot at winning a championship.

Of course this trade is all based on rumors and speculation.  There have been no official reports that the Celtics are looking to dismantle the Big Three, but it's just something to keep in mind as the year progresses.  I think Pierce for Iguodala is a very intriguing trade and if given the opportunity, the Sixers should do it in a heart beat.      

Eagles Report Card: Offensive Line

The offensive line was not supposed to be the strength of this Eagles team this year. From the start of training camp until the first week before the season, the Eagles offensive line was in shambles. Players were getting injured others were being replaced, it was anyones guess as to what the offensive line would look like at the start of the season. It looked like the line was going to get Michael Vick killed this year once again. With injuries and open spots trying to be won in training camp, the Eagles took a look at many players in different positions. The problem was, they weren't going to be able to establish good chemistry before the season started due to the lockout.

With all this mixing up, the line wasn't complete and ready until the first week of the season. That made many scared as they were worried how they would play. The Eagles made a major move as they moved former left guard Todd Herremans back to his old position at right tackle. Herremans was to block Vick's blind side as Jason Peters would block the left side. Evan Mathis was then brought in to start at left guard, while former Colt Kyle DeVan who was also recently acquired would start at right guard. Then for the center position there was a battle all camp to see whether rookie center Jason Kelce would start or would veteran Jamaal Jackson. Kelce who is a Howard Mudd type player was rewarded with the starting center position. Herremans, Peters, Mathis, DeVan, and Kelce were the five the Eagles went into St. Louis with the first week of the season.

After 4 rough games to start the season the Eagles made a change as they gave their first round pick Danny Watkins a chance to start at right guard. From there on this offensive line got better and better each game as they established themselves as the strength of this team. They were able to help this offense in numerous ways as they kept Vick clean and allowed LeSean McCoy to run loose all season.

Julian Vandervelde

Vandervelde, who was a rookie, had a very good training camp and preseason which helped him make this Eagles team. He shows good diversity as he is able to play center and guard, something that teams value in their backups. Unfortunately, Vandervelde was buried on the depth chart and never saw any game action. With that said Vandervelde's grade is incomplete this year as he never saw any action.

GRADE: INCOMPLETE

Jamaal Jackson

Jackson has been a steady piece to this Eagles offensive line for many years, but back to back major injuries, one to his knee and one to his triceps has really hurt him. He has missed a significant amount of time over the last year and a half due to those various injuries. Many believe Jackson is one of the most underrated offensive lineman in Eagles history, but it seems like that might be over. Unfortunately for Jackson he was not able to claim the starting job and ended up being a backup for the year.

Dressing for all games Jackson failed to see the field all season. He was used in practice as both a center and a guard to make sure he was ready because he was their best backup interior lineman. It looks like Jackson's time with the Eagles is over with and it will be interesting to see whether they let him walk.

GRADE: INCOMPLETE

Winston Justice


Justice dealt with some lingering knee issues from offseason surgery during the early part of training camp and the preseason. He was in and out of practice during training camp, which was a major cause of concern. After starting most of the season at right tackle many wondered whether his play down the stretch would hurt his chances of starting. That plus the knee injury did in fact hurt him as Justice became one of the backup offensive lineman.

Justice saw game action once all year as he got the start against the Washington Redskins. He played very well, but was replaced the next week once Jason Peters returned from injury. In his one start he played very well and maybe he just needed his knee to heal fully before he could return to top form.

GRADE: B+

King Dunlap


Dunlap established himself as the Eagles best backup offensive lineman this year. He practiced at every position on the offensive line except center. His versatility was key as he played in many different roles for injured players this year. Dunlap suffered a few injuries this season, which affected his year. The most significant one was a concussion, after the concussion late in the season Dunlap did not see any more time on the field.

Coming in to replace injured starters, Dunlap did a great job. He helped this offensive line stay afloat even when they were down a key starter. He stepped in very nicely and showed his versatility as well. The more game action he sees the better he plays and that was clearly evident this year.

GRADE: B+

Danny Watkins


Watkins came to camp late as they worked on a contract for him and it clearly affected his play in the beginning. When he got to camp Watkins was thrown right under the fire as he was expected to start from day one. He admitted that he was overwhelmed in his first training camp and it definitely affected his play. He did not play well during training camp and the preseason which led him to lose his starting job before week 1. Watkins spent that time learning the system and getting acclimated better.

Once he learned the system Watkins was given the opportunity to start after the first four games of the season. He then started for the rest of the year. One side note I like about Watkins is that he has a mean streak, at least once a game he was in a little scrum with another player. Besides that Watkins had his ups and downs in his rookie season. He showed a lot of promise, but had those rookie mistakes that were costly at time. He had a solid rookie season though and look for more improvements in his second year.

GRADE: B-

Jason Kelce

Kelce was a late round pick in this years draft and a prototypical Howard Mudd type lineman. Mudd fell in love with him and that really helped Kelce. Battling with Jamaal Jackson for the center spot in training camp and the preseason Kelce kept up to par with his play. Keeping up with Jackson proved that the rookie could handle the load and he was given the starting job a week before the season started. There was a lot of pressure on him because center is a tough position to begin with, let alone he was a rookie and had to endure the shortened training camp because of the lockout. However Kelce handled the pressure very well and it showed in his play.

He had a very good season as rookie. Some thought he should of gone to the pro bowl, while others thought he was solid; either way he played great for a rookie. Every game he continued to get better and better. He held his own early on, but he was definitely a lot better of a player in the latter part of the year. It was a solid year for the rookie as he had a lot of responsibilities and handled it very well.

GRADE: B

Evan Mathis


During training camp the Eagles went out and signed underrated guard Evan Mathis. Formally of the Bengals Mathis is one of the most underrated offensive lineman in the game today and he showed that immediately. During training camp and preseason, Mathis was terrific and earned a spot as the teams starting left guard. Things only got better from there, as Mathis started to come out of the shadows of being underrated.

Mathis had a great season as he helped solidify this line as one of the best in the league. With such quick time to learn the offense and get used to his line mates there were definitely problems early on in the season. They weren't because of his play, but because of the lack of chemistry he had with them to start the season. That chemistry continued to build week after week and he looked better week after week. Mathis had a great year and the Eagles will do everything to bring him back and keep this line intact, they should only get better as they play more and more with each other.

GRADE: A-

Todd Herremans

Herremans started out training camp and the preseason playing his position that he has been at is whole career with the Eagles and that is left guard. After problems at the right tackle position the Eagles moved Herremans to the outside after the preseason was over. Many were worried about Herremans and his position change. Herremans who used to play tackle but hasn't in a while, didn't have anytime to adjust to his new position at right right tackle.

Herremans provided solid play protecting Vick's blindside. It took some adjusting though as he wasn't used to playing tackle and that showed early on. An area where he had no problems with was run blocking as Herremans was one of the best run blocking guards and continued that success at tackle. His pass blocking took time, but he continued to work and get better. Herremans had a solid season in which it only got better and better each game.

GRADE: B+

Jason Peters


Peters was definitely one of the best offensive lineman in the whole league this season. A player who has a lot of talent, but needs some extra motivation, Mudd clearly got him playing at the best level he was capable of. Peters was a complete beast from day one as he absolutely dominated anyone he faced. No matter who it was Peters would have the better of the game and everyone noticed it. Constantly during games you would hear the commentators raving about Peters play this year.

It seemed like Mudd really lit a fire under him this year. He was the most consistent offensive lineman on the team and involved consistency with excellent play. He was awarded a trip to the Pro Bowl once again this year, but this one was his most deserving. Peters had a career year and established himself as one of the best offensive lineman in the game.

GRADE: A+

Overall


The offensive line turned out to be one of the best units on the team this year. Many were worried early on and especially when they made so many changes a week before the season started. Turns out this line is young and very good. As the year went on they built chemistry and the line was better and better each week. With two rookies and everyone else experienced, the Eagles offensive line should only get better and better.

GRADE: A

Phillies Sign Juan Pierre

According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com the Phillies have signed outfielder Juan Pierre to a minor league contract. This contract includes an invitation to spring training where he will compete for a spot on the team. Pierre joins the left field mix of Dominic Brown, John Mayberry, and Laynce Nix. It will be very interesting to see who gets the starting job out of spring training and which guy (or guys) out of the four will make the roster as a bench player.

Last season with the Chicago White Sox, Pierre was the every day left fielder and hit .279 with a .329 OBP. Juan is 34 years old now and played a remarkable 158 games last season for the White Sox. He is a former stolen base champion years ago and to this day is still one of the fastest players in the league. Last season for the White Sox, Pierre had 27 stolen bases which was good for 9th in the American League.

The Phillies outfield is set at both right field and center field with Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino respectively, the real question mark being left field. It looks as if for now the combination of John Mayberry and Laynce Nix will platoon in left field, but things could change if someone like Pierre or Dominic Brown has a good spring training.

Phillies 2012 Position Breakdown: Shortstop

With only two positions left in the infield, we'll take a look at one that many thought would be one of issue in the 2012 season. The Phillies had questions to answer at shortstop with the impending free agency of Jimmy Rollins, but a weak market allowed them to sign him to a steal of a deal at $33 million dollars over 3 seasons. With that, we move on to our breakdown.

Projected 2012 Shortstop Depth Chart:
1. Jimmy Rollins
2. Michael Martinez
3. Freddy Galvis


Jimmy Rollins: Even with his increasing age and unorthodox lead-off style, Rollins was a must-sign for the Phillies this year. He is a spark plug in the offense, and while he does not possess overwhelming numbers, he is clutch like no one else on the roster. All this needs to be considered even before realizing that he is also a defensive stud, the clear locker room leader, and also the longest tenured player on the team, all facts that made him deserving of a few more shots at a second title. Rollins showed much improvement in 2011 over his injury marred 2010, and proved that while he is not the player he was at age 28 when he won the National League MVP award, he is still one of the better players at his position in all of baseball. He posted a .268 average last season with 16 home runs, 63 RBI's, and 30 stolen bases, all numbers that are quite close to his career averages of .272, 17, 72, and 37, respectively. While there is a high likelihood that he will soon lose a step with his speed and suffer drop-offs on offense and defense, 35 years old is not quite over the hill for a player who has maintained a strong physique, and it will take injuries that force him out of the lineup for extended periods of time for a significant reduction to show. A healthy Rollins will be key for a potential World Series run this season, and his return and leadership will provide key inspiration once again.

Michael Martinez: With Wilson Valdez now out of the picture via trade, Martinez will likely be the backup at short if he can have a solid spring training. He played 13 games at short last season filling in during injuries and providing rest, and also spent 229 of his 548 minor league appearances between second and third. Because of Ty Wigginton's age and limited experience at shortstop (only 9 career games), he will likely be used sparingly if at all at the position, meaning Martinez has a great shot to back Rollins up. For a more detailed look at Martinez's production last season, take a look back at his section in our second base preview.

Freddy Galvis: While the trade of Valdez likely opened up a position backing up Jimmy Rollins for Michael Martinez, it may have done far more for Freddy Galvis. The Phillies spent much of last season carrying two utility infielders (Martinez and Valdez), and will likely do so again this season. With a freshly vacated position of need on the 25-man roster, a strong spring training could vault Galvis not only onto said roster but possibly into a position backing up Rollins ahead of Martinez. The Phillies are reportedly looking for a utility infielder on the market right now, but any type of offensive output from Galvis in February and March could encourage them to take a gamble on a player whose defensive aptitude precedes him. While he showed some offensive improvement after moving from AA to AAA late in the season, his average increased from .273 to .298, it will take more than that to prove to Ruben Amaro Jr. that another addition is unnecessary. In all likelihood, the Phillies will add a player that bumps Galvis back a spot, but only time will tell.

Galvis showing off his number one asset, his defense

What are your thoughts on the backup situation at short? Should the Phillies gamble and see what Galvis has got? Or should they sign someone else and give him one more year in Lehigh Valley before handing him the backup job once Martinez's contract expires at the end of next season? Let us know in the comments section below!

In case you missed them:
Second Base Breakdown
First Base Breakdown
Catcher Breakdown

Reason Behind Sixers Early Success

Passionate, Intense, Proud. Those three words describe our 76ers to a tee. The Sixers early on this season are playing some great ball. There are many reasons for their success, but three reasons stand out the most; youth, chemistry, and defense.

 The 12-5 Sixers came into the season in shape, focused and ready to win. With an average age of 26 years, the Sixers are considered to be fairly young. Youth results to faster, more in shape players. When you watch the exciting play of the Sixers fast pace offense, running up and down the court with ease, you are watching the product of youth. Their best players can stay on the court longer because they are young and in shape, and willing to fight for wins.

 Chemistry is sometimes overlooked as an aspect in the game of basketball. Having played together all of last season, the Sixers battled and grinded it out last season, they return all five starters healthy, and all of the bench, and also added size with two young players in last summer’s draft: Lavoy Allen, and Nik Vucevic. By not trading away anyone and keeping everyone together, their comfort level with each other and chemistry has grown, and we are seeing that now with this early success.

 Doug Collins has coached this team very well. He preaches defense to his young team, and they listen. Most young players just want to go out and score points, and not worry about defense. But not the Sixers. They go out every night and turn their spectacular defense into offense, points, and wins. The Sixers defense is second in the NBA in points per game, allowing only 88.0 points per game. The Sixers already have great chemistry, and they are young as mentioned before, and if they keep up the great effort on the defensive side of the ball, many more wins are to come ahead this season.

Trading Valdez, The Right Move

Half utility man, half pitcher.

Yesterday the Phillies traded utility man Wilson Valdez to the Reds in exchange for lefty reliever Jeremy Horst.  While the move is widely viewed as negative, I like the trade because it frees up money, and it brings in a valuable lefty reliever.

To be fair, Wilson Valdez filled in nicely for Rollins, Polanco, and Utley during the past few seasons.  He even pitched a scoreless inning this past year to add to his versatility.  But Valdez isn't an offensive threat by any means.  He was a great defensive substitute, but at the plate he was sup par.  Plus the Phillies added to their bench this off season by adding Laynce Nix and Ty Wiggington, so there really was no need to keep Valdez around.

In short, utility men are relatively easy to come by and usually minor league players can easily fill in if Utley, Rollins, or Polanco get hurt this season.  Lefty relievers on the other hand are somewhat hard to come by, and I applaud Ruben Amaro Jr. for bolstering this already dangerous bullpen.

Plus the move frees up money which is huge given the fact that Hunter Pence will in all likelihood be awarded an arbitration salary somewhere around 10 million.  Valdez will forever be remembered for his outstanding defensive play, and his scoreless inning of relief.  But I think that this move is best for the Phillies and Valdez in the long run.      

A Flag Football Pro Bowl?

Don't worry Drew, I won't hit you!

This weekend, the NFL will play the Pro Bowl in Honolulu Hawaii, a week before the Super Bowl.  The game was usually played a week after the Super Bowl, but in an effort by Roger Goodell to enhance the popularity of the game, it was moved to the week directly following Championship Sunday.

The current Pro Bowl format raises two questions:

1. Should the NFL keep the Pro Bowl a week before the Super Bowl? Or move it back to its original time?
2. Should the NFL consider a sort of flag football game?  No pads, no helmets, just the greatest stars of the game out there having fun.

To begin, I really like the Pro Bowl's new spot.  After the Super Bowl, nobody really cares about football, and the interest level among fans drops significantly.  But after Sunday's thrilling Conference Championship games, football fans are hungry for more.  Instead of having to wait two weeks for the main event, the Pro Bowl serves as a sort of appetizer of what is to come.

But the fact that the game serves as a build up to the Super Bowl is not enough in my opinion.  The game itself is extremely boring as none of the players really want to hit hard or get hurt heading into the off season.  Today on the Tony Bruno midday show, Bruno suggested that instead of having a traditional tackle game, the NFL should consider a flag football Pro Bowl.  Imagine Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers back in the pocket not having to worry about being pummeled by a defensive monster.  Imagine Lesean McCoy or Matt Forte shimmying and shifting around after a hand off.  Ultimately, the game would be a lot more entertaining without the threat of injury.  Guys would have fun, score a lot of points, and more people would tune in to watch.

Now the idea of a flag football Pro Bowl may sound a little absurd to some people who enjoy the traditional style of football.  But what game would you rather watch? A tackle game where guys are giving it 25% not wanting to hit or get hit?  Or a 100% high scoring-fast paced flag football game?

To me the decision is simple and the NFL needs to realize that the Pro Bowl doesn't and never will draw viewers if it remains in its current format.

Sixers Need To Take Advantage Of Next Four Games

The Sixers have a four game stretch this week that they seriously need to take advantage of and get four wins before their schedule gets a lot more difficult in the next few weeks. The Sixers next four games are all at home and are against the worst four teams in the Eastern Conference. Tonight they take on the Washington Wizards, Wednesday they host New Jersey, Friday they take on Charlotte, and Saturday they end the four game stretch against the Detroit Pistons. The combined record of these four teams is 14-53. Currently sitting at 11-5, the Sixers are 4th in the Eastern Conference. It would be huge if the Sixers could get all four of these wins and improve their record to 15-5 before a brutal 2 week stretch which includes games with Chicago, Miami, and both Los Angeles teams.

Even though the next four games are at home and against weak opponents Doug Collins had this to say about their upcoming stretch, "We've got, I think, the biggest week of our season coming up, and we've got to be healthy and ready to go." I don't know if he is just saying this to get his team motivated for the lesser opponents coming to town or if he really feels like this four game stretch could really determine how far this team can go. I agree it is key because anything short of four wins this week would be somewhat of a disappointment, but there are definitely more important and bigger weeks to come later in the season.

Tonight the Sixers take on the Washington Wizards for what seems to be the 20th time this season (it's only the third regular season game with them) and will be without Nikola Vucevic (strained knee), Spencer Hawes (achilles injury), and possibly Elton Brand (stomach illness). This leaves the frontcourt very thin especially if Elton doesn't play. If all three are out it would most likely be Thad Young and Tony Battie starting at the four and five. Off the bench they would have Craig Brackins and rookie Lavoy Allen to spell Young and Battie a rest. It will be a much more difficult task to win all four of these games if Vucevic and Hawes can't play in them because they provide a lot more for this team than some people realize.

The next four games could have a big impact on where the Sixers finish in the standings at the end of the year. They need to win all four to prove they are here to stay in the Eastern Conference and convert on four great opportunities to get wins. My prediction is that the Sixers realize how important it is to get these four wins and will go 4-0 on the week. The Sixers tip off their four game home stretch this week with the Wizards tonight at the Wells Fargo Center at 7 p.m.

Too Soon To Pull Plug On Castillo

Just a few days ago, Steve Spagnuolo signed with the New Orleans Saints to become their defensive coordinator.  Any possibilities of him returning to the Eagles were put to rest, and now the question remains, who will be the defensive coordinator in 2012?

As of right now, it seems like the Eagles will bring back Juan Castillo to be defensive coordinator.  That notion may make your stomach churn, and it might even make you a little sick, but please hear me out on why giving Juan a second chance would be best for this team.

To begin, it would be foolish to think that after the final four games of the season that the Eagles defense finally came around and made the necessary adjustments.  The Eagles played a bad Dolphins team, an even worse Jets team, a disinterested Cowboys team, and finally the Washington Redskins who weren't exactly an offensive threat.  To the Eagles' credit, the defense did look better in the last few games.  But to sit here right now and think that the Eagles magically fixed their defensive problems by beating up on bad opponents would be a major mistake.

While I'm not using the later part of the 2011 season in favor of Castillo, I will first make my case for Juan based on team chemistry.  You saw what happened in 2011 when a completely new defensive scheme was implemented: major holes, blown assignments, and ultimately blown leads and disappointing 4th quarter losses. So to bring in a completely new coordinator for next season with a new scheme would set the Eagles back at least another year.  But keeping Castillo means that the current defensive guys have a year of experience under their belts heading into next year.

As the year progressed, you could tell that guys were beginning to buy into Castillo's system.  Initially they were probably extremely skeptical, but as the year went on more and more guys began to believe in what Juan was saying.  With that comes carry over into next season.

On the sidelines Castillo is passionate and enthusiastic.  If he is passionate on game day, just imagine the passion with which he is pouring into this off season on becoming a better defensive coordinator.  And Castillo is like Andy Reid, in that guys like him and love to play for him.

Overall I don't feel like there are any great coaches remaining to fill the defensive coordinator position.  Unless the Eagles could get a guy like Brian Billick or Jack Del Rio, they should definitely seriously consider keeping Castillo as their defensive coordinator at least for one more year.

Flyers Weekend Split

This weekend, the Flyers really took care of business.  Despite the fact that the Eagles weren't playing in the NFC championship game and the Sixers lost to the Heat on Saturday night, the Flyers definitely gave us something to cheer about.

Coming off a very sloppy 4-1 home loss on Thursday night to the New York Islanders, the Flyers needed a big weekend to help right the ship.  On Saturday, the Flyers fought their way to a 4-1 road victory over the New Jersey Devils.  Ilyz Bryzgalov looked very solid in net and the Flyers got goals from Read, Hartnell, and Simmonds.  Hartnell connected for two goals but it would only be a preview of what was to come on Sunday against the Bruins.

In Sunday's game the Bruins jumped out to a quick 3-1 first period lead.  The Flyers played a physical first period, but a few sloppy defensive lapses gave the Bruins the first period advantage.  In the second the Flyers continued to play physical.  Schenn and Hartnell had some major hits and the Flyers also cashed in offensively.  Scott Hartnell scored 3 power play goals all coming from the slot and all assisted by Claude Giroux.  The Flyers went into the final intermission with a one goal lead and all the momentum in the world.

But in the third things turned south in a hurry.  The Bruins scored two quick goals and snatched the momentum right back.  The Bruins held on to a 5-4 lead for much of the third period until Matt Carle scored on a power play to knot the game up at 5.  The Flyers failed to cash in on some late power plays, and the game headed to over time.

In over time, the Flyers got a couple odd man rushes and created some great scoring opportunities.  Ultimately though, the Bruins got the biggest opportunity as they were awarded a power play late in the extra session.  Max Talbot had some key blocks, and Coutourier also had some great plays to kill off the power play.  After over time, the game headed to a shoot out to determine the winner.  In the shoot out, Bryzgalov failed to make a stop and the Bruins won by a final 6-5.

A weekend split is not terrible, but it's not great either.  The Flyers had every chance to win on Sunday but unfortunately couldn't hold on.  The Flyers will head to Florida on Tuesday to take on the Panthers.

Phillies Deserve Excitement

Today on WIP, sports analyst and former Eagle Ike Reese brought up an interesting point on how the Eagles get heavily criticized while the Phillies have a lot more wiggle room.  Reese brought up that due to the fact that many of the Eagles teams came up short in the playoffs and never delivered a Super Bowl, the fan base is understandably fed up.  Many of the Eagles teams in the early 2000's had such high expectations, and on multiple occasions failed to get it done come crunch time.

Reese then compared the Eagles to the Phillies and stated that the one obvious difference between the two teams is the Phillies delivered on a championship in 2008.  The highly anticipated Phillies teams of 2009, 2010, and 2011 weren't criticized as heavily because of the fact that they gave this city a championship in 08.

I stopped for a second and thought about Reese's points.  In my mind they are very accurate and they are very relevant as we gear up for yet another highly anticipated Phillies season.  Although the Phillies have let us down the past three years, they deserve our utmost optimism and excitement because of the fact that they delivered on a World Series.

But the points made by Reese also bring up an extremely intriguing question: what if the Phillies hadn't won the World Series in 2008?  Would we be laughing at them and bashing their front office like many fans are currently doing to the Eagles?

I think that even if the Phillies hadn't won in 2008, I don't think the fans would be as hard on them for two main reasons.  Number one is the obvious fact that even without 2008, the Phillies still won the World Series in 1980.  The Eagles on the other hand have zero Super Bowl titles to their name.  Another point as to why the Phillies wouldn't be as highly criticized as the Eagles has to do with build up and fall back.  After the early 90's, the Phillies were an absolute joke.  They lost games, went through managers like crazy, and nobody really cared about them.  But then in the early 2000's they got a new star in Jim Thome to usher in a new era of baseball.  They moved out of the Vet, and went to the Bank and steadily over the years they got better and better.  Finally in 2007 they made the playoffs.  Although they got booted in the first round, it was seen as a major accomplishment given the fact that the Phils were basically a laughing stock just a few years earlier.  Then in 2008, they captivated the city and won the World Series.  In short the build up was perfect for the Phillies.  And after failing to get it done the past 3 years, fans really can't get too angry given the World Series title achieved in 2008.

But now let's analyze the the Eagles.  In the late 90's, the Birds were also awful and Andy Reid ushered in a new era by drafting Donovan McNabb.  But in 2001, 2002, and 2003 the Eagles reached the NFC Championship game but failed to get it done every year.  In 2004 they lost in the Super Bowl, and then that was it for four years.  Unlike the Phillies the Eagles had no real build up.  They jumped out of the gates in the early 2000's and were basically right there as early as 2001.   Then after 2004, the Eagles again lost in the NFC Championship game in 2008.  But after 2008, the Eagles had nothing to fall back on.  They couldn't say to the fans: "Well at least we won it all in 2004."

Basically the Eagles fan base is understandably fed up.  The Eagles have never won a Super Bowl and until that happens, fans will continue to be extra hard on the Birds.  The Phillies on the other hand have 2 championships to fall back on, one as recently as 2008.  Deservedly, the Phillies have more wiggle room and  deserve all of our optimist and excitement heading into this season.    

Broad Street Marching Photo Album I

Recently, I posted a picture of a Flyers logo made out of soda cases on our facebook page, and in response to the picture we received a lot of feedback and attention.  While the picture was certainly awesome, it inspired me to create a post entirely devoted to awesome Philly sports pictures that I have been collecting for quite some time now.  

A lot of the pictures are funny, while others are just cool.  Also I want this to be the first in a series of posts under the title "Broad Street Marching Photo Album."  For the second edition, I want a lot of the pictures to come from you, our loyal fans and readers.  If you have funny or cool pictures of any of the major Philly sports teams, please share them with us on facebook, twitter, or through email. 

7thinningsketch.com

It's love.

Let's go eat!

I think Juan's time is done.

This photo was made rite after the Eagles signed Asomugha, not during the season.

Mike Vick Swag, enough said.

From JVR's twitter.

Pittsburgh Penguin fan crying, poor little guy.

You can't find these in stores.

Again, for the second edition, I want a lot of the pictures to come from you.  If you have  funny or cool pictures of any of the major Philly sports teams, please share them with us on facebook, twitter, or through email.