Post Lockout Thoughts

Today the NHLPA ratified the new CBA and the lockout is now officially over.  At the press conference today, comissioner Gary Bettman apologized to the fans for the lockout:

"I'm sorry, I know an apology or explanation isn't enough, but I owe you an apology. I read the letters, I followed the tweets. I read the blogs. We have a lot of work to do. ... That effort begins today."

While there is a lot of speculation that the NHL will offer discounted tickets or discounted merchandise as an act of good will after the lockout, I think the NHL should take a different approach that wouldn't cost them a dime.  Each NHL team, at some point during the upcoming season, should have a carnival day.  Basically fans come to the stadium and get the chance to meet the players and coaches, take pictures, and get autographs free of charge.  I think this would be a great opportunity for the players, coaches, and owners to truly say they are sorry to the fans.

Personally, while I certainly wasn't happy with the lockout and the fact that owners and players were bickering over millions of dollars in the midst of an economic recession, I will still watch and go to games this year.

While the NHL certainly has my support, overall I think they are going to struggle to regain some of their fans.  The NHL will always have the support of the die hard hockey fans, but they will definitely struggle to regain the support of casual fans.

For the Flyers, I think a shortened fast paced season strongly favors them.  The Flyers are young, fast, and have a ton of energy.  Back to back games, and four games in a week really won't slow down this high powered offense.

The big question for the Flyers will be the defense.  With the new buy out clause included in the CBA, the Flyers could potentially look to buy out goalie Ilya Bryzgalov's contract if he doesn't perform this season.  Bryz is going to have to show that he deserves to be here long term.

Overall there is a lot of excitement as the Flyers get set to open the season, Saturday January 19th against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jon Gruden, Next Eagles Coach

I don't understand the Eagles.  I never have, and I probably never will.

Last week the Eagles fired long time head coach Andy Reid, and shortly after began the search for a new coach.  They interviewed with Chip Kelly, talked with Bill O'Brien, and met with a few other assistant coaches.  That's all fine and well, but why haven't they at least contacted Super Bowl winner Jon Gruden?

Ron Jaworski was on 97.5 The Fanatic on Monday and he reported that he recently spoke with Gruden.  Jaws reported that Gruden would be interested in the Eagles head coaching job but also mentioned the disappointing fact that the Eagles haven't reached out to him.

Why on earth wouldn't the Eagles at least bring him in for an interview?  He used to coach here, he has a terrific coaching history, and above all he has a Super Bowl victory on his resume, something that Chip Kelly definitely doesn't have.

I'm fine with the Eagles taking their time in selecting their next head coach.  Considering the fact that Reid was here for 14 years, the Eagles should definitely not be rushed or pressured into making a rash decision that could hurt them down the line.

But so far I'm not at all enamored with who the Eagles have been interviewing.  In my opinion, to begin this interview process, the Eagles should have at least reached out and contacted guys like Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden because both have won Super Bowls and both coaches know what it takes to win in this league.

Tomorrow, the Eagles will interview with Lovie Smith.  Smith, led the Bears to the Super Bowl back in 2006 and overall he is a very good coach.  The only downside to Smith is that he is more of a defensive minded coach and it is widely believed that the Eagles want to sign an offensive minded coach.

Which leads me back to Jon Gruden.  Is there honestly a better offensive candidate out there?  Gruden is a great offensive mind who would completely revitalize this team.

There could be some political reasons that would make the Eagles hesitant to bring in Gruden.  Remember Howie Roseman is still GM and bringing in a guy like Gruden could significantly decrease Roseman's power and influence on this team.  Personally I feel that Jeffrey Lurie should cut ties with Roseman who has no football background.

Overall bringing in a guy like Jon Gruden would completely shake things up in the NFC East.  Brian Baldinger commented yesterday that other teams and coaches in the NFC East would be shaking in their boots with fear if the Eagles were to hire Gruden.  Overall I'm totally on board for the Eagles to hire Gruden.  He is a Super Bowl winner, he would revitalize this team and fan base, and his offensive mentality would be a great fit.  Unfortunately, politics in the Eagles front office could prevent the Eagles from even interviewing Jon Gruden.

Sixers Acquire Andrew Bynum

Since Allen Iverson's departure in 2006, the Sixers have been searching for that super star.  For years the Sixers have been desperately lacking that go to guy who can be depended on when the game is on the line.

Finally, it seems that the Sixers have their long awaited super star in center Adrew Bynum.
In a 4 team blockbuster deal centered on the movement of Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Sixers came away with the second best big man in the game in Andrew Bynum.  Here is a complete breakdown of the 4 team mega deal.

Lakers Get: Dwight Howard from Magic, Chris Duhon from Magic, Earl Clark from Magic

Nuggets Get: Andre Iguodala from Sixers

Sixers Get: Andrew Bynum from Lakers, Jason Richardson from Magic

Magic Get: Arron Afflalo from Nuggets, Al Harrington from Denver, Nik Vucevic from Sixers, 1st round pick Maurice Harkless from Sixers, Nuggets 2014 1st round draft pick, Sixers 2015 1st round draft pick, Lakers 2017 1st round draft pick

The deal seems rather complicated, but it's pretty simple when its broken all down.  The Sixers definitely gave up a lot in Andre Igudoala, Nik Vucevic, Mo Harkless, and a 1st round draft pick, but they added a 24 year old dominant center to the team who will hopefully be a force in the paint for the Sixers for years to come.  Bynum is entering into the final year of his contract and I feel like the Sixers will definitely look to sign him to a long term deal.

So what does Bynum bring to the Sixers?  First off he brings size.  Bynum is 7 foot, 285 pounds and an absolute force in the middle.  He is also ferocious on the boards as he averaged 11.8 boards per game last year.  Bynum also has a nice close to mid range jumper that helped him average 18.7 points per game last year for the Lakers.

While Bynum is arguably the second best big man in the game behind Dwight Howard, he does have issues off the court.  Bynum is at times immature, but I think he will be fine under the leadership of Doug Collins.

Overall this deal is huge for the Sixers.  The Sixers were lucky to get out of the first round last year, and the addition of Bynum now makes them a legitimate force in the East behind the Bulls, Heat, and Celtics.  Will they win a championship any time soon? Probably not, but they at least have a star to build their team around, and a blueprint for the future.    

Eagles Preseason Game 1 Preview

Finally, the season is almost here.  In just about a month, the Eagles will be back and looking to right the ship after a disappointing 2011 season.  Heading into Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, there are many things to keep an eye out for.  Here are some of the main story lines and things to watch out for.

Michael Vick
I’m more interested to see how Vick assumes his role as leader of this team than I am in his actual performance.  It seems like this year Vick has really stepped into the role as the outright leader of this football team.  While I’m certainly interested to see how Vick bounces back after a mediocre 2011, I really want to see how he rallies the troops and gets this offense to respond in pressure situations.

Middle Of Defense
The Eagles spent a lot of effort both in the draft and free agency to improve the middle of their defense.  On Thursday night, keep an eye out for newcomers Fletcher Cox and Demeco Ryans, two new additions that are sure to improve this defense.  The Eagles traded up in the draft to select Cox who is a very powerful defensive lineman.  They also traded for Demeco Ryans who is an All-Pro middle linebacker.

Desean Jackson
Desean signed a big deal during the off season so I will be watching to see how he performs now that he is all locked up and set financially.  Desean really has no excuses now.  The spotlight will be on him to as he attempts to prove that he is an elite wide receiver.

Juan Castillo
Castillo has been given a second chance after a sub par 2011 season as Eagles defensive coordinator.  I will be watching to see how Castillo adjusts during the course of the game.
   
Andy Reid
It is likely that Andy Reid will be back for Thursday’s game against the Steelers.  After the passing of his son Garret Reid, my prayers are with Andy and his family during this extremely difficult time.  Tuesday was Garret's funeral and there was a quite a big turnout as many came to pay their respects.  So far it seems that there has been a lot of support from the Eagles and beyond as the Reids struggle through this extremely difficult time.

Overall there are a ton of things to watch for in Thursday night’s game against the Steelers.  The Eagles have added a lot of key pieces and hopefully it will all come together against the Steelers.

What To Expect From Phillies

For the first time in six years, during the final two months of the season, the Phillies will not be fighting for a playoff spot.  Although the Phils are coming off back to back series victories, they are simply too far back in both the wild card and division standings to make a move at the end of the year.

So while the Phillies may not be contending for the post season, there are still a lot of things and players to watch for that could affect the Phils next year.  Here are a few of them.

Dom Brown
Domonic Brown has looked pretty solid so far.  He is hitting .278, and defensively he looks strong.  I think that these last two months are basically an audition for Brown.  He has to show that he has the talent to be an everyday outfielder for this team.  If he doesn’t live up to expectations, the Phils may have to look to sign a veteran outfielder during the offseason.

John Mayberry
Although Mayberry has seen significant playing time this year, the final two months are going to be important for him as well.  Mayberry has picked it up offensively in the past month, but he has been inconsistent defensively.  If Mayberry proves that he can pick it up the remainder of the way, I think the Phillies would be content going into next year with Mayberry, Brown, Schierholtz, and Pierre as their outfield.  It’s a cheap, young outfield with a lot of potential.

Lee, Halladay, Hamels
By signing Cole Hamels to a 6 year extension, the Phillies have shown that they are still committed to pitching.  In the remainder of the year look for Hamels, Lee, and Halladay to hopefully return to their dominant selves.

Third Base
The Phillies need to figure out what they are going to do about the third base position for next year.  Placido Polanco’s contract is up after this year and the Phillies will most likely not pick up his option.  In my opinion, the Phillies should try out Freddy Galvis at third.  While Galvis may not be a huge threat offensively, he was great defensively at second base.  If Galvis can make the transition to third, the Phillies infield will be set for next year.

Overall there are a lot of things to watch in these final two months.  And while the Phillies may be pretty far back in the standings, if they keep winning series, they could put themselves in position for a wild card spot.

Quiet Off Season For Flyers

So far, this off season has been extremely disappointing for the Philadelphia Flyers.  They lost out on Ryan Suter, Zach Parise, and Shea Webber.  They also traded away backup goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and forward JVR.

It seems like Paul Holmgren and the Flyers front office are simply content with this young nucleus. Heading into next season, the Flyers will be relying on young guys like Sean Couterier, Brayden Schenn, and Matt Read to have strong sophomore campaigns.

I really like the young core of players that the Flyers have, but the Flyers didn't win the Stanley Cup last year, and it just seems like they haven't taken the necessary steps to get better.  I realize that they have definitely tried.  The offer sheet they put together for Shea Weber was impressive, and I thought it was a done deal.  But still I think the Flyers are lacking in the defensive department and they have a lot of work to do between now and the start of the season.

All though I'm overall not too happy with the Flyers off season, I am happy with some of the moves they made.

First off, signing Jake Voracek to a new contract was a great move.  Voracek is a great young player with a ton of speed and is a big part of the future of this team.  The Flyers agreed upon a 4 year 17 million dollar contract with the young forward.

I also liked the contract extension given to head coach Peter Laviolette.  The extension will keep Laviolette as head coach through the 2014-2015 season.  Lavy is an amazing coach and I'm glad he will be around to lead this young team into the future.

Overall I think the Flyers are still one or two moves away from being completely ready for the upcoming season.  Tim Panaccio of csnphilly.com seems to believe that Holmgren possibly has a few moves left up his sleeve:

"Given Holmgren was willing to trade with Nashville to secure Weber, there’s nothing to prevent him from contacting, say, San Jose and inquiring about either Dan Boyle, who would have to waive his no-trade or Douglas Murray, who will be the top unrestricted free agent defenseman next season.  Holmgren could also call Montreal about restricted free agent P.K. Subban. The Habs made a two-year offer to Subban this week, but he hasn't yet accepted it."

With a possible lockout looming, the Flyers certainly have time on their side as they gear up for the 2012-2013 season.

Phillies Trades Breakdown

The Phillies front office is coming off a very busy past few days.  Ruben and the boys were extremely busy as they dealt away Shane Victorino, Hunter Pence, and Joe Blanton.  Let's take a look at each trade to see how the Phillies made out.

Trade #1 
Phillies Trade: OF Shane Victorino
Phillies Get: P Josh Lindblom, minor league starting pitcher Ethan Martin, player to be named later or cash

Shane Victorino will forever be remembered for his grand slam against CC Sabathia in the 2008 NLDS.  He will also be remembered for his crucial 2 run homer against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS that set up Matt Stairs' memorable 2 run moon shot to put the Phillies up 7-5.

Off the field Victorino was an outstanding humanitarian.  He helped build an entire athletic facility in Nicetown, and he did a lot of other work with the Shane Victorino Foundation.  Shaner was great for the city of Philadelphia on and off the field.

But the Phillies knew they probably weren't going to resign Shane at the end of the year so they elected to trade him.  In return they got Josh Lindblom, a right-handed reliever who will bring some much needed help to this Phillies bullpen.  This year Lindblom has a 3.00 ERA over 48 innings.  The 25 year old Lindblom will hopefully help the back end of this bullpen and be a guy that the Phillies can rely on in addition to Jonathan Papelbon.

The Phils also received minor league pitcher Ethan Martin who is 8-6 with a 3.58 ERA this season with AA Chattanooga.  The 23 year old is a good prospect to keep an eye on in the next few years.  Martin will finish out the year with the AA Reading Phillies.

Trade #2
Phillies Trade: OF Hunter Pence
Phillies Get: OF Nate Schierholtz, minor league catcher Tommy Joseph, minor league relief pitcher Seth Rosin

Hunter Pence was so goofy.  The Phillies traded for him at the deadline last year, and the right fielder came in and hit .324 with 11 HR and 35 RBI.  Pence was beloved by the fans, and in a year in which the Phillies won 102 games, Pence's defensive blunders went somewhat under the radar.

But this season the Phillies struggled greatly and Pence's defensive woes came under a great deal of scrutiny. Pence still had a solid year at the plate which enabled the Phillies to get some good value for him at the deadline.

In return for Pence, the Phillies received major league outfielder Nate Schierholtz.  Schierholtz hit .251 with 5 HR and 16 RBI this year with the San Francisco Giants.  In 2 games with the Phillies, Schierholtz is 2-5 with a homer.  Schierholtz is 28 and I think has the ability to be an everyday outfielder for the Phillies.  Schierholtz is under the Phillies control through the 2014 season.

The Phillies also received catching prospect Tommy Joseph.  Joseph hit .260 with 8 HR and 38 RBI for the Giants AA affiliate.  In 2 games so far with the Reading Phillies, Joseph is 4-7 .  The Phillies are preparing for life after Chooch by acquiring this 20 year old catching prospect.

The Phils also received minor league relief pitcher Seth Rosin.  The 23 year old had a 4.31 ERA this year with the Giants A+ affiliate.  Rosin will finish out the year with the Phillies Single A Clearwater Threshers.

Trade #3
Phillies Trade: P Joe Blanton
Phillies Get: Cash and player to be named later

Blanton helped the Phillies win a World Series in 2008 and I will forever remember his home run against the Tampa Rays.  He was a solid fourth starter, and was a pretty dependable starter when he was healthy.

But the contract that the Phillies gave him after the 2009 season was simply ridiculous.  3 years 24 million dollars is simply too much for a number four starter.  This trade will help free up some money for the Phillies.

The Phillies didn't outright trade away Joe Blanton.  They placed him on waivers which is a little different.  If you are unfamiliar with the waiver system, Jim Salisbury of csnphilly.com sums it up perfectly:

"The waiver period begins after July 31. Teams can place players on waivers, with the highest priority going to the team with the worst record in that player's respective league.  In this case, Blanton made it through eight NL teams before being claimed by the Dodgers.  At that point, the Phillies had three options: pull Blanton back off of waivers and keep him, allow the claiming team to simply absorb him and his salary, or work out a trade with the claiming team. The Phils chose Option 3."

Overall the Phillies front office did what they needed to do.  They freed up money for next year and filled some very big holes on this team.  The farm system has been replenished after years of buying at the deadline, and the Phils also got some good major league players in Lindblom and Schierholtz.  The Phillies may not make the playoffs this year, but ultimately they took a step back in order to take a step forward.

Playoff Chances Swept Away

4 runs.  The Phillies scored just 4 runs this weekend.  In the biggest series of the season, the series that would determine whether or not they would be buyers or sellers at the deadline, the Phillies scored just 4 runs.  4 runs.

After today's embarrassing 6-2 defeat, the Phillies will now undoubtedly be sellers at the deadline.  The Phillies have approximately 48 hours between now and Tuesday night to trade Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Juan Piere, and possibly Hunter Pence.  Let's go through each player to see where he could be playing come August 1st.

Shane Victorino
The Pirates seemed to be the front runners for Victorino initially but have fallen off since.  While I think Pittsburgh would be a great fit for Shane, unfortunately I don't think the Pirates are willing to part with enough talent to land the All-Star center fielder.  The Pirates have a lot of young pitching talent but they simply aren't willing to trade any of their young arms.

I think Victorino could end up in San Francisco.  The Giants desperately need another bat, and Shaner could help spark their lineup.  The Giants have a top outfielder prospect Gary Brown who could be ready for the majors as early as next year.  The 23 year old Brown is hitting .293 with 7 hr and 37 rbi's this year with the Giants' AA affiliate.  

Where ever Victorino ends up, the Phillies are sure to get some good value in return.  Although Victorino is only hitting .261 on the year, since the All-Star break he is hitting .360 with 1 hr, and 3 rbi's.

Joe Blanton
Blanton is a free agent after this year and is another guy who will most likely be traded.  Blanton has pitched extremely well in his last few outings, and as a result his trade value has definitely gone up.  The Phillies probably won't get too much in return for Blanton, but they could get a few young arms to help replenish their bullpen.

Juan Pierre
Pierre was arguably the best pick up by the Phillies during the off season.  But with playoff chances extremely slim, the Phils have no use for Pierre on the field and could get value if they elect to trade him.  Pierre is hitting .305 this year and I think could end up in Pittsburgh.  The Pirates seem unwilling to trade away the talent required to land Victorino, so Pierre could be a good backup option for them.    

Hunter Pence
The Phillies certainly want to part ways with Pence who is slotted to make 11-13 million in arbitration in 2013.  Having said that, I don't think the Phillies are in any rush to move Pence.  They still have him under contract for next year, and I think they will probably wait until the off season to make a trade.

The basic sentiment right now is that the Phillies asking price for Pence is extremely high.  And teams that do try and trade for him have to take into account the fact that Pence will be slotted to make so much money next season.  Many teams, including the Giants, have backed out due to Pence's contract status.  The Los Angeles Dodgers could afford him, but again the Phillies would have to be wowed by an offer.

Overall the Phillies can't afford to stand pat at the deadline.  They need to bite the bullet this year and prepare for the future by being sellers come July 31st.

Time To Sell

Going into the weekend series against the Braves, the Phillies had an excellent opportunity to make up some ground. Unfortunately, during the first two games of the series, the Phillies managed to score just 2 total runs digging an even deeper hole for themselves in the standings.

 Now any chance at making the playoffs is extremely unlikely. The Phils are 15.5 games behind the Nationals, and they now trail the Braves by 11.5 games.

Although I really hate to admit it, I think it's now time for the Phillies to sell sell sell. Interest in Shane Victorino is heating up, as is interest in Juan Pierre. Joe Blanton's trade value also went up after his solid outing against the Braves last night.  And the Phillies also have to start thinking about the possibility of moving Hunter Pence to free up room on the 2013 payroll.

As much as I would love for Ruben to pull the trigger on some much needed trades, I feel like he is going to wait until the absolute last second to do so.  The Phillies still have 2 games between now and the trade deadline, and I feel as though if any deal does come through, it's going to come at the very last minute.

In my opinion, even if the Phillies do win their next two games, they don't deserve to keep the team in tact and go for a run.  In arguably the two most important games of the year, the Phillies' offense managed a total of just 2 runs.  They squandered a great outing from Joe Blanton last night, and overall I think the Phillies need to just bite the bullet this year and be sellers at the deadline.

Think about it from this perspective: for the past five years the Phillies have enjoyed a dazzling record of success.  They have won the N.L. East five consecutive years, and have been to the World Series twice, winning in 2008.  A down year of missing the playoffs isn't going to kill the Phillies or the immense amount of support from this fan base.  If the Phillies do end up selling at the deadline and missing the playoffs, the fans are still going to pack the stadium next year because the fans know that this front office is completely committed to winning.

Being completely committed to winning doesn't always mean that you go out at the trade deadline and acquire the number one player.  Sometimes it means trading away your own top talent to build a better future for your team.

I think Ruben Amaro has some serious thinking to do in these next few days.  After the 2009 season, Ruben proved that he has the ability to prepare for the future when he traded away top talent Cliff Lee for minor league prospects.  Although Ruben has been a buyer at the deadline for the past few years, I think it's time to be a seller for at least one year regardless of the outcomes of the next two games.     

Eagles Fantasy Fix: Season Preview

The Eagles feature a ton of offensive weapons that can rack up huge amounts of fantasy points on any given Sunday.  Lesean McCoy, Mike Vick, and Desean Jackson are just some of the Eagles' fantasy weapons.  Here is a little run down of the Eagles' best fantasy players and my advice as to where you should draft them in your league.

Lesean McCoy
If you have a top pick in the first round, go for Lesean McCoy.  McCoy had 20 touchdowns last year and had over 1,600 all purpose yards.  Shady is a fantasy stud and a guy that you want on your team at all costs.  Unfortunately, if you are stuck with a mid to late first round draft pick, chances are McCoy will be long gone.  But again if he is on the board in the first round, I strongly advise taking him.  He is going to have another big year and he won't disappoint.

Mike Vick
I chose Vick 8th overall last year, and the decision ruined my season.  Vick was hurt for a few weeks, and even when he was playing he was extremely inconsistent.  I was hoping for the Vick of 2010 who could put up 30 plus points any week, but unfortunately he was just a typical QB.  While I do expect Vick to have a bounce back year, I would advise not taking him in the first or second rounds.  I have drafted two teams this year, and in the drafts Vick was selected 25th and 32nd overall.  If he's on the board in the 3rd round, I would say go for him.  I really do believe that he is going to have a better year, and he could be that player that sets your team apart from the rest.

Desean Jackson
My other awful decision last year was drafting Desean Jackson in the third round, 28th overall.  Desean was incredibly inconsistent last year, and I would stay away from him until the 6th or 7th round.  While Desean certainly has the ability to have a big game, he also has the ability to catch just two passes for 20 yards.  With Desean it's either going to be all or nothing.

Jeremy Maclin
Maclin is a somewhat interesting pick.  Maclin is more consistent than Desean, but the most points you are going to get out of Maclin is around 10.  He is consistent but don't expect too much out of Maclin.

Brent Celek
I would advise not drafting Celek as your starting TE.  Celek had two surgeries during the off season, and the Eagles are preparing by working out other TE's around the league.

If you are a huge Eagles fan like me, don't fall into the trap of drafting all Eagles.  If you do draft all Eagles and the Eagles lose, chances are your fantasy team will lose as well making you extra upset.  But you can't go wrong in drafting McCoy and if Vick is available at the right time go for him as well.

Fletcher Cox, Ready To Impress

The Eagles certainly played their cards right on draft day, moving up to select highly talented defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.

In three years at Mississippi State, Cox recorded a total of 113 tackles and 7.5 sacks.  He also forced 2 fumbles, and overall he has tremendous raw athletic ability and a huge upside.  Mike Patterson's injury will force Cox to be extra prepared for the start of the season.  While it's certainly a shame that Patterson is hurt, his injury will enable to Cox to see a lot more snaps with the first team.

Experts and fans everywhere seem to agree that the Fletcher Cox selection was a tremendous pick by the Eagles.  In the past though, the Eagles have certainly had trouble drafting talented defensive linemen.

2000: DT Corey Simon
2003: DE Jerome McDougle
2005: DT Mike Patterson
2006: DT Brodrick Bunkley
2010: DE Brandon Graham

Aside from Simon and Patterson, the Eagles have struggled greatly drafting linemen. Hopefully Fletcher Cox will be a change in that trend and be able to learn a lot from veteran leader Cullen Jenkins.

A huge problem for the Eagles last year on defense was the large holes created by the wide 9 formation.  For this season, hopefully Jenkins and Cox will be able to step up and fill those holes nicely and get into the backfield to make some plays.

I also think the Eagles should continue only using the wide 9 formation on definite passing plays.  Toward the end of last year, Juan Castillo adjusted and limited the use of the the wide 9 for mostly passing plays.  On definite passing plays, it is a huge advantage for the Eagles to have Jason Babin and Trent Cole coming off the edges at fast speeds.  But if the opposition runs the ball, both Babin and Cole are 3-4 yards out of the main picture and huge running lanes are opened.

Overall, I think that Fletcher Cox is the final piece to a highly talented defensive line.  Babin and Cole proved how effective they can be last year posting 18 and 11 sacks respectively.  And now hopefully Cullen Jenkins has a partner of his own who will hopefully wreak havoc on opposing offenses for years to come.

Veteran Leadership, Key To Playoff Push

Let's make a run.  Why not?  Heading into this weekend's series against the Atlanta Braves, the Phillies find themselves 9.5 games out of a playoff spot.  But the Phillies are hot, and they have the pitching, the offensive, and most importantly the veteran leadership to make a run.

When you get right down to it, the Phillies have been way back in the standings before and managed to make the playoffs.  In 2007, the Phils were 7 games out on SEPTEMBER 12.  With just 17 games left to play, the Phillies made up 7 games in an unbelievable comeback combined with an epic collapse by the New York Mets.

Can the Phillies pull it off again?  Now I know that the collapse by the Mets in 2007 was one of the worst collapses in the history of baseball.  But think about the vulnerability of the Atlanta Braves, one of the teams the Phillies are currently chasing.

After play on September 1, 2011, the Atlanta Braves held on to a very comfortable 8.5 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals.  With 26 games left, the Braves too collapsed allowing the St. Louis Cardinals to walk into the playoffs and win the World Series.

The point of me bringing up these two comebacks is to show that a big comeback can and does happen.  The Phillies did it in 2007 and the Cardinals did it as recently as last year.

In addition to the Braves, the Phillies are also chasing the Pittsburgh Pirates who hold the other Wild Card spot.  While the Pirates are certainly playing well behind MVP Andrew McCutchen, they are still a very young team and haven't made the playoffs since 1992.

Overall, these next few games are going to be critical as the Phillies try to put themselves in a good position heading into the final two months of the season.  The Phillies and other teams have put together bigger comebacks in the past, so expect nothing less from your Phils in the remainder of the 2012 season.

Lesean McCoy, Worth The Money

Heading into the off season, Ray Rice, Matt Forte, and Lesean McCoy were all seeking new contracts.  Matt Forte received a 4 year deal worth 32 million with roughly 17 guaranteed.  Ray Rice received a 5 year deal worth 40 million, and will make 17 million in 2012.  Finally Lesean McCoy received a 5 year contract extension that will keep him an Eagle through 2017.  The deal is worth 45 million, with roughly 20 guaranteed.

McCoy is well deserving of the large contract extension.  Take a look at the stats of the three backs from 2009-2011.

Matt Forte
Rushing: 2,995 yards, 4.29 yards per carry, 13 touchdowns.
Receiving: 1508 yards, 160 catches, 4 touchdowns

Ray Rice
Rushing: 3,923 yards, 4.60 yards per carry, 24 touchdowns
Receiving: 1,962 yards, 217 catches, 5 touchdowns

Lesean McCoy
Rushing: 3,026 yards, 4.77 yards per carry, 28 touchdowns
Receiving: 1,215 yards, 166 catches, 5 touchdowns

Lesean McCoy is an electric back.  He has the ability to turn a dead play into a long touchdown run.  His yards per carry is absolutely astounding, he has a knack for finding the end zone, and he causes other defenses to change their game plans when he is on the field.  Looking ahead to the 2012 season, it will certainly be tough for McCoy to repeat his 2011 campaign especially with Jason Peters sidelined with an injury.  But I think the key for McCoy to have another big season will be the play of the wide out Desean Jackson.

Jackson got his big contract during the off season, signing a 5 year extension worth 51 million dollars, 15 guaranteed.  Now that Jackson is happy, hopefully he will be able to rebound this year after a somewhat disappointing 2011 season.  Although Jackson had solid numbers in 2011, he just didn't seem to be fully committed.  Jackson let it be known that he was upset about his contract, and it just seemed he was more worried about getting paid than winning football games.

And while Jackson's numbers were down last year, you really can't look at box scores and statistics to see how effective he was.  When Desean goes deep on a fly route or deep post, he inevitably brings 2 defensive backs out of the box who have to prevent the deep home run pass at all costs.  With less guys in the box, Lesean McCoy has extremely wide running lanes to run through to pick up huge chunks of yards.

So while the Jason Peters injury will certainly hurt McCoy's production in the upcoming year, I think McCoy is more reliant on the play of Desean Jackson to be productive.  And aside from Peters, the entire offensive line is intact.  Not to mention the fact that the Eagles have already replaced Peters with Demetress Bell who actually replaced Peters after he left Buffalo for Philadelphia back in 2009.

Overall, Lesean McCoy is certainly worth the money, and providing that the offensive line remains healthy and Desean Jackson can produce, expect another outstanding year from Shady McCoy.    

Crucial Series In Atlanta

The upcoming weekend series against the Atlanta Braves is going to be absolutely critical for the Phillies' slim post season chances.  Heading into Friday night's match-up, the Phillies will be 9.5 games behind the Braves who currently hold one of the two N.L. Wild Card spots. If the Phillies manage to put together another sweep, they could be 6.5 games out of a playoff spot by the end of the weekend.  

On Friday night, newly extended pitcher Cole Hamels will take on Ben Sheets.  Back on May 1st, Cole tossed 6 innings and allowed just 2 runs in a 4-2 Phillies victory.  Hopefully Hamels will be extra motivated after his extension and ready to prove that he is worth the money.  

Joe Blanton will take to the mound on Saturday night and will be opposed by Mike Minor.  Blanton faced the Braves as recently as July 7th when he allowed 5 runs in just 6.1 innings of work.  Hopefully Blanton can revert to his May 3rd form in which he pitched a complete game shutout against the Braves.

Roy Halladay will take on Tim Hudson in the series finale Sunday afternoon.  Halladay is coming off a rough outing in which he allowed 6 runs against the Brewers.  Back on May 2nd, Halladay got clobbered by the Braves allowing 8 runs in 5.1 innings of work.  The Phillies will certainly need a solid outing from Doc.  

Overall this series will be crucial and the Phillies simply can't afford to drop 2 out of 3 or get swept.  They can't fall any more games behind especially as we get into the month of August and closer to the end of the season.  

Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro will certainly have a lot of decisions to make in the upcoming days.  Right now the Phillies are riding a 4 game winning streak, and they seem to really be picking it up and playing at a high level.  Since returning from the All-Star break, the Phillies are 8-4.  When you factor in the Phillies' hot play along with the fact that Hamels has been extended, I think the Phillies would be foolish to sell away guys like Victorino and Blanton.  

One player who could be traded is Hunter Pence.  Pence will be heading into his final year of arbitration this off season and could earn anywhere from 11 to 14 million.  Pence is simply not worth that money and the Phillies can't afford such a big contract come next year.  If Pence is not moved within the next few days, expect him to be moved during the off season.  

Overall this weekend should be exciting not only to see how the Phillies do against the Braves, but also to see if Ruben Amaro elects to make any trades.    

Phillies Ink Hamels To 6 Year Extension

Today the Phillies announced that they have resigned pitcher Cole Hamels to a 6 year extension worth 144 million dollars.  There is also a team/vesting option for the 2019 season.

Overall I really like the move.  At 28 years old, Cole Hamels is the future of this team.  He is an ace, and at this point in his career, he has a higher upside than both Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay.  It was a deal that the Phillies needed to make and a deal that will pay off for them in the future.

Looking ahead to the 2013 payroll, Rollins, Utley, Howard, Pence, Lee, Halladay, Hamels, and Papelbon will eat up approximately 141 million dollars.  Hamels, Halladay, and Lee alone will eat up approximately 69 million.  With Hamels' extension, the Phillies may look to trade someone to free up some money for the upcoming off season.

Right now the Phillies are showing us that they still have a bit of life left in them.  The Phillies have won 3 straight, 2 of which were walk-offs, and they are coming off another epic comeback after last night's stunning 7-6 victory.

In terms of standings, the Phillies still find themselves 14 back of the Nationals, and 9.5 back of the Wild Card.  But should the Phillies look to trade guys like Victorino, Polanco, Pence, and Blanton?

Of the players mentioned above, I think the Phillies would be smart in trying to move Hunter Pence.  Although Hunter is young, he is probably going to get around 11-13 million this year in arbitration, and the Phillies simply can't afford that.  His offensive numbers have been solid, but he is simply not worth 13 million.

Overall though I like the where the Phillies are headed.  Even if they don't end up making the playoffs this year, they will be back and ready for another run in 2013 with Cole Hamels leading the way.

Vick: Eagles, Potential Dynasty

Last year during training camp, newly acquired back-up QB Vince Young made the infamous "dream team" comments that set the stage for a nightmare 2011 season.

This year, starting QB Michael Vick is the one stirring the pot.  In a recent interview, Vick said that he feels that this current Eagles team has the ability to become a dynasty.  

"When I look at our football team and what we have on paper, I think about when I was growing up and the great San Francisco 49er teams, the great Green Bay Packer teams, and the great Dallas Cowboy teams, how they just positioned themselves to compete and be one of the best teams out there, I think we have a chance to be that. I think we have a chance to develop a dynasty."

Personally I have no problem with Vick making these comments.  I think back to Jimmy Rollins' team to beat statement before the 2007 season.  His comments gave the Phillies confidence and swagger which propelled them to their first playoff appearance since the 1993 season.

I think Vick's words, as the starting QB, give the entire team confidence.  There are a lot of players and coaches that really believe in this team's potential to win a Super Bowl, and the Eagles certainly need confidence after last year's 8-8 season.

The only thing I would say to Vick and this Eagles team, is that let's win one championship before worrying about becoming a dynasty.  And just because the team looks good on paper, that really doesn't mean anything.  If 2011 taught us anything it taught us that all of the talent in the world doesn't equal on the field success.  The Eagles know they have to consistently play good football in order to compete with the top talent in the NFL.

Overall though, the Eagles have all the talent in the world on offense.  Lesean McCoy, Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Mike Vick are just some of the weapons the Eagles feature on offense.  The big question will be the middle of the defense.  Hopefully Fletcher Cox and Demeco Ryans will be able to fill the holes and rebuild this defense.

Claude Giroux NHL 13 Cover

Claude Giroux beat out Nashville Predators' goalie Pekka Rinne for the cover of the NHL 13 video game.

Giroux is very deserving of the honor coming off a season in which he recorded 28 goals and 65 assists good for 93 total points.  Giroux was a big leader for the Flyers all season long but even more so in the playoffs.  Giroux really stepped up in the post season, and in the clinching game against Pittsburgh, G set the tone hitting by Sidney Crosby just seconds into the game.

Giroux is the young face of both the Flyers and the NHL.  At just 24 years of age, Giroux has a long and promising career ahead of him.

While I'm certainly excited for Giroux, I'm unfortunately not as excited for the rest of this Flyers team.  After making big splashes in the 2011 off season, the Flyers really haven't done too much to get better this off season.  I will give them credit for going after Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, but ultimately the Flyers haven't gotten a whole lot better defensively.

Right now I think the Flyers are hoping that their young stars have another big year.  I want to get excited for this upcoming season, but I think the Flyers are still one or two moves away from being serious contenders.  

Phillies: Sell Or Stay?

Phillies fans were somewhat hopeful going into the 2012 season.  Although the Phils were coming off an early playoff exit, they still had managed to win a franchise high 102 wins in the 2011 season.  And even with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard sidelined with injuries to begin the year, nobody could have predicted a dreadful 39-51 start to the season.

As of right now the Phillies are dead last in the N.L. East, 14 games behind the division leading Nationals.  The Phillies are in a little better shape in the Wild Card standings, where they are 11 games behind the Braves and Pirates who are both 49-39.  With 72 games left in the season, the Phillies will have to go on a serious tear in the remainder of the season to have any chance at playing in October.

With the July 31 trade deadline looming, it's soon going to be decision time for the Phillies front office.  Should they re-sign Cole Hamels or trade him?  Should they trade Shane Victorino or Hunter Pence for prospects?

If I were Ruben, I would hold off on all moves until July 30th.  If on July 30th the Phillies are still double digit games back of both the division and wild card, I would then go ahead and trade Hamels and Victorino.  I would trade Hamels with the hope that he would give the Phillies a fair chance at signing him in the off season.

But if the Phillies are 9 games back of the division lead and say 6 or 7 of a wild card spot, why sell the team?  If the Phillies are winning games and making strides to playing at a high level, why not keep the team together and go for it?

Ruben has to have a certain amount of games in the back of his mind in which he will either decide to sell or stay.  He also has to judge as to whether he thinks that the team is legitimately getting better and capable of making a playoff run.

As of right now the Pirates and Braves (the two Wild Card leaders) are on pace to win around 91 games.  To reach 91 wins, the Phillies would have to go 52-20 in their remaining 72 games, good for about a .720 winning percentage.

I know it's a long shot, but the Phillies are finally starting to get healthy.  They get Roy Halladay back tomorrow night, and they have 9 games left against the Braves.  Also the Phillies also usually get hot late in the season.

The following stats are the records of the Phils in the last two months of the season dating back to 2007.

2007: 33-23
2008: 33-21
2009: 34-27
2010: 41-17
2011: 34-21

A long shot? Yea, no doubt.  But keep in mind that the Phillies are fully healthy and this is the first time in MLB history that 5 teams make the playoffs from each league.  Ultimately it will be up to Ruben Amaro Jr. to decide as whether or not the Phillies are capable of making a run to the playoffs.

Sixers Celtics Game 3 Preview

The Sixers hung on to win game two by a final of 82-81 and in the process knotted the series up 1-1.  Tonight the Sixers will look to continue their success in front of their home crowd and to go up 2-1 in the series.  Here are the keys to a game three Sixers' victory.

4th Quarter Defense
In games one and two, the Sixers struggled to hold off the Celtics in the fourth quarter.  The Celtics' veterans were able to fully come alive in the final quarter, and the Sixers had trouble defending them.  Tonight the Sixers have to clamp down in the final quarter.  They can't go into cruise control late in the game and hope to win.  They have to be at their best defensively in the final minutes.

Build A Bigger Lead
No matter how big of a lead the Sixers build, the Celtics will inevitably make a run.  Tonight, if the Sixers have a 6 point lead heading into the fourth, they could lose.  But if they are able to build a 10-15 point lead after the third, they stand a much better chance at winning.  The Sixers are a very good third quarter team.  They outscored the Celtics 21-11 in the third quarter of game two, and they need to have another strong third tonight so that they have a large sustainable lead heading into the fourth.

Spencer Hawes
Hawes has had a pretty solid series so far with 15 points in game 1, and 8 points in game two.  But I would still like to see Hawes be more of a factor, because it seems like when he's hot the rest of the Sixers' offense benefits greatly.

Home Court
I'm expecting a lot of energy from Sixers fans tonight.  Sixers fans were completely alive and electric after the Sixers knocked off the Bulls in round one.  Tonight, they need to come with that same energy and propel the Sixers to victory once again.

Right now the Sixers are proving that they have the ability to make it to the Eastern Conference finals.  They just have to play consistently and not let their foot off the gas.

Sixers Celtics Game 2 Preview

On Saturday night the Sixers definitely proved that they can hang with and beat the Boston Celtics.  The Sixers seemed to be in control for much of game one, but essentially ran out of the steam at the end and the Celtics' veterans took over.  Tonight the Sixers have a great opportunity to even the series.  Here are the keys to a Sixers' victory tonight.

Continue To Push Tempo
The Sixers were most successful in game one when they pushed the ball in transition.  Instead of forcing the half court offense, the Sixers did a very good job of utilizing their speed and athleticism to generate easy shots in transition.  The Sixers need to continue to increase the tempo of the game tonight.

Stop KG
The Sixers gave Kevin Garnett way too many open looks on Saturday night.  Garnett went 12-20 from the field good for a game high 29 points.  The Sixers need to double up on Garnett and make somebody else beat them.

Defense
In the fourth quarter on Saturday it seemed like the Celtics hit a switch and started knocking down shots.  Rondo, Pierce, and Garnett all seemed to heat up at the same time and as a result the Sixers lost.  The Sixers need to buckle down on defense especially when the fourth quarter comes around.

Elton Brand 
If Elton Brand doesn't pick up his game, the Sixers will lose this series.  Brand was just 2-5 from the field with 4 points in game 1 and the Sixers need to get him involved.  Collins needs to run more pick and rolls with Brand and also just think of ways to get him open looks.

Focus On Split
The Sixers can't be thinking about what will happen in future games of this series.  The Sixers have to be fully focused on getting the split and bringing this series back to Philadelphia 1-1.

Overall I was very impressed with the Sixers' effort in game 1.  They played with a lot of heart in front of a very hostile environment.  But the Sixers can't be satisfied with just a good performance.  They have to be hungry to win, because they definitely have the talent to eliminate the Celtics.