The Philly Sports Blog

While one team looks like it might have finally turned the corner, another doesn’t show any heart. One team can’t win on the road and the other looks to be losing a piece of the puzzle.

Eagles

Let’s See…Is there any bright spots to last night loss? Well, the running game looked very good at times, and Garcia did not look too bad, but the Defense was awful. They allowed Indy to rush for over 200 yards, 237 to be exact. Joseph Addai ran through, around and over this defensive team. Was the loss of Bunkley the reason? (In case you didn’t know, he missed the team flight on Saturday and was inactivated for the game.) Is Kearse that major of a loss? What ever it is, Eagles Management will need to take a serious look at this defense in the off season and make some changes. They aren’t getting it done. On a night where your back up quarterback is in and manages a 121 passer rating, and the running game looks good, and the Offense manages to score 21 points, you’d think this game would be close. The Defense needs to fight its heart, because it wasn’t in Indianapolis last night.

Flyers

Over the last 7 games, the Flyers are 4-2-1. Maybe, just maybe, the Flyers did turn the corner from their West Coast trip. Hatcher is playing much better, and Pitkanen and Timonen look to be a solid Defensive paring. Now if they could just get rid of Rathje…Forsberg seems to be skating better the more they tinker with his boot. As long as his ankle is comfortable, he is playing well. I hope it stays that way, because they need him.

Sixers

This team is 3 games under .500 and are in a three way tie for first place in the Atlantic. That is pitiful. Though it does look like Boston may be coming on and will soon take over first place. And you can’t count out New Jersey. I really wish they could/would just waive Webber and start rebuilding. Play the young guys and get them some experience. This is going to be a long season.

Phillies

Last week the Phils lost out on Soriano, this week it looks like they are going to lose Wolf. All signs are showing him signing with the Dodgers for one year with the Dodgers holding an option for 2008. Looks like Wolf is going to give up more garenteed years and more money to sign for a club that is closer to home. Guess I can’t blame him for wanting to live closer to home, but this is going to leave the Phils in a bind. They will make a run at Miguel Batista, but he will wait to see how the market plays out. There really isn’t much in the system for the Phils to bring up. Fabrio Castro is playing extremely well in winter ball and looked sharp from the bullpen last season.

What a weekend for Philadelphia Sports fans. Devastating loses for the Eagles, Flyers turn corner and then run into another wall, Sixers having problems with a Star Player and the Phillies lose the big one. Sounds kind of depressing, doesn’t it?

Eagles

As you all already know, McNabb is gone until next season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and after surgery, rehab is 9 months to a year. There goes this season. I don’t see Garcia or Feeley having a knock out rest of the season, leading this team to the Playoffs. Not going to happen. And I’m not going to even speculate who the Eagles should start, doesn’t matter. The results will still be the same. But let’s look onto the game on Sunday, and that will explain why it doesn’t matter who starts at QB.

Garcia did put up respectable numbers. He was 26 of 48 passing for 189 yards. Nothing to scoff at. He has played the West Coast offence in the pass, so he is comfortable in this style of offense. Westbrook carried for over 100 yards, and he will need to pick up the slack the rest of the way. The offensive line could be a bit better, but if they can protect Garcia, ok I’d like to see what he can do next week, and open a few lanes for Westbrook and Buckhalter, the Offense should be able to stay competitive.

What worries me, especially with Kearse gone, is the Defense. They are down at the bottom of the league in run defense and they really need to step up. And the secondary will also need to pick it up. They really need to cut down the big plays.

This team will really need to play like a team and do all the little things teams do to win. They need to play smart. This team has the talent to still finish 10-6, but they all need to be on top of their game, and will need a lot of luck!

Flyers

Wednesday and Thursday the Flyers won back to back games. They beat the best in the West, Anaheim, and looked impressive doing so. Esche was wonderful in net. The next night in LA, the Flyers came back from a 3-1 deficit with 6 minutes left to win. This team looked like the team everyone expected. Then on Saturday the slipped back to their old ways. Was it a one game relapse or was the back to back wins a small hot streak? The telling sign will be tonight when Pittsburgh come into town. If they look sharp and play competitively, it was a one game relapse, if they are out played and blown out, last week was a small hot streak. Let’s hope for the first.

Sixers

It seems for the past few seasons, the Sixers can’t go long with out controversy. This time, Chris Webber went to team president and GM Billy King to talk about his playing time. According to sources, but denied by Webber and King, is that Webber asked for a trade. Webber makes to much right now for any team, except maybe the Knicks, to take on, but don’t be surprised if the Sixers do find someone to take him closer to the trade deadline. I don’t see him being traded, but hey, there might be some GM out there smoking some wacky weed and stupid enough to go for him…

Phillies

Well, the Phils lost out on Soriano, and at the price he went for, I’m glad they did. If they could have signed him to a 4 or 5 year deal, I would be all for it, but not an insane 8 years. The Cubs are desperate, and desperate teams do things with out thinking. Look for the Cubs to be good for a few years, but it won’t last.

So who do the Phils go after? They could go after Lee, but reports are saying that he is close to finalizing a deal with Houston, so unless they can go in an wow him, look for the Phils to use the money they were going to use on Soriano and find a nice 2^nd Tier power hitter and use the rest on getting Wolf back and building up their bullpen. Let’s also hope that Burrell can come back and look like the Burrell that got that huge contract.

It’s about time. This team has so much potential and wasn’t living up to it, finally did last night. Everything seemed to go their way. The bounces, evident in Kapanen’s first goal, their three power play goals, and Forsberg playing like a mad man! Is this a sign of thing to come? Have the Flyers found their Mojo?

Forsberg was playing last night with an orthopedic wedge in his right skate boot and I’m not sure it was the wedge that made his foot feel better, or if he was just well rested or what, but he played like the Forsberg of old last night. If he can stay like that, this team might just be able to turn things around. This season isn’t over yet folks!

It was great to see six different players score last night. If they can get a well balanced attack going, well, they will make this season much easier to watch. Tonight is the test though. Let’s see how they play against the Kings. If they look good, then hold on to your hats everybody!

Eagles played a balanced game yesterday afternoon. They got some big plays early on and then were able to use the run game to finish it up. The bye week did wonders.

The offense came out to a slow start, and the weather certainly played a part in McNabbs off day, but the running game and the front line picked it up. Westbrook was amazing running for over 100 yards and Buckhalter’s hustle was just wonderful to see. I Stallworth once again showed why he should be this teams #1 Receiver. I’m just going to soak up the great game and get into more about the Eagles later this week.

One surprise that was unleashed after the game, Andy Reid did not do the play-call Sunday. He let it up to Mornhinweg and McNabb. That probably explains the small tremors coming from Reids press conference after the game as most of the press fainted.

Flyers tonight played one hell of a game. They came out and played with life, and when they need it to, they banged heads and dropped the gloves. It was one hell of a game until 3 minutes left in the game.

The Flyers had a 3 on 0. That’s right, a three on zero. As they drove to the net, they were up 4-3 and were dominating Buffalo. Need less to say, Calder, who was having a good game, shot the puck right into the Goalie. Buffalo came back up the ice and scored.

Literally seconds into over time, Buffalo got the puck past Niitymaki for the win. What a heart breaking loss. But the Flyers have to look at the positives. They competed against arguably the best team in the NHL for 60 minutes. They banged heads, they played as a team. It was an wonderful game, until the last 3 minutes. Let’s hope they can build on this effort.

Game Notes:

Before the game, the Flyers took the interim tag from Paul Holmgren’s GM title and made him the GM for the rest of the season. After the season, don’t be surprised if they go on a GM hunt…Petr Nedved’s two assists put him at the 400 assist mark for his career. Give it up to Nedved, he showed life and had the best gave of his Flyers career.

Should they get him or shouldn’t they. He’s exactly what they Phils need, the Phils don’t need another bloated salary. He will protect Howard, he will give the Phils another batter who strikes out too much. He will give them more offense, they don’t need more offense, they need pitching.

Did I hit every argument on this guy? Everybody and their brother who follows the Phils has put their two cents into this debate, and with less than 48 hours until teams can start making offers, I’ve decided to throw my two cents in.

Should the Phillies go after him? YES. Should the Phillies break the bank for him? NO. Should the Phillies worry about trading Burrell before going after him? NO. Phillies don’t need power hitting, they need a #1 Starter and Bullpen help! Kinda Sorta Not Really. Ok, let’s take each of these questions a little further.

Should the Phillies go after him?

Ok, let me ask a few questions…will he protect Howard? Deffinately! Is he an improvement over Burrell? With out a doubt. Yes, he will cost a lot of money, but they did save a few million when they traded Abreu, or did you forget that? So by all means, if Pat Gillick wants him, he should go after him.

Should the Phillies break the bank for him?

Well, duh, no! He is a great player, but even without him, the Phillies have a great team. Would they benefit by getting him? Yea, but not at the risk of not having the money in the future to resign Howard, Utley and Hamels. Those three are more valuable then Soriano.

Should the Phillies worry about trading Burrell before going after him?

No. The Phils are a big market team and they need to start acting like it. If they need to have Burrell ride the bench for a few weeks before he opens up to being traded, so be it. And I do believe I heard Gillick say that trading Burrell won’t stop him from going after Soriano if he wants, so that is a great sign.

Phillies don’t need power hitting, they need a #1 Starter and Bullpen help.

Very true, but Myers at the end of the season showed he is ready to take over the #1 starters mantel and Hamels is on his way there. If you don’t need to buy it, save it and build your own. Now for the Bullpen, that is such a hard area to build. It’s hard to know who is going to be good in your bullpen, with exception of a closer. They could go out and pay another $3.7 million for another Rhoades, or pay $500k for some unknown guy who turns into a bullpen gem.

I do believe the Phillies will go after Soriano, and Soriano has to be crazy not to be interested in coming here. Will they get him? I really don’t know, but there are enough rumors out there and enough incentive to come here, and I put his chances of wearing the red pinstrips at 75%.

Last night, the Flyers lost their 11^th game of the season. January 19^th, 2006 was when they lost their 11^th game last season. Amazing what can happen in one season?

The Flyers played to a 2/3rds filled arena last night, and if this keeps up, it will dwindle to half full and possible even one third full. These are sad times for the Flyers. They haven’t had a loosing season since 93/94 and their they had 35 wins. I don’t see them getting 35 wins this season. Heck, I don’t see them getting 25 wins at this rate.

They need life, some spunk. If they can make a trade to bring some life into this season, they might be able to turn it around. But why, with all the offensive talent they have, can’t they find the net? Are they really that over rated? Should the scrap the season, and start building for the future? I know that’s not the Flyers style, but should it? I’m at a loss right now and I’m sure as hell glad I’m not the GM.

Wow, who would have thought that three games in the Sixers would be 3-0! Not knowing they would be playing a very good Orlando, and the NBA reigning champion Heat. Again, WOW!!

Now, yes, the Heat did not have Shaq, but without him, they are still a team to be feared. Shaq is still intimidating, but not as much as when he was with the Lakers. And they got one of the top young players in Wade.

But what really impressed me is their defense. Yes, you read that right and it all started with Webber. Webber isn’t putting up the points, but he is doing his job on the defensive end.

All I can say is so far, I’m impressed. If they can keep up this kinda play, they will be a far side better team that I originally thought. But will they keep this play up? We got 79 more games to watch!

You can say the bounces didn't go their way, and you'd be right. You can say the Caps were at the right places at the right time, and you'd be right. You can also say the Flyers were at the wrong place at the wrong time, and again you'd be right. But that doesn't explain how the Flyers could let another team into it's building and let that team push them around. The Flyers got smaller and speeder over the off season, but while they got smaller and speeder, other teams got speeder and tougher! The Flyers have no toughness. Until they start to use their speed and bang heads too, they will continue to lose.

There have been rumors that the Flyers are working on a major shake up in their roster, and lets face it, they won't improve their team by waiving slow players and bring up youngsters. That's not going to help. They need to bring help in from the outside. My only concern is they don't have a real GM. They can't let Holmgrem make any trades with that Interim title before GM. Either make him the full GM or bring someone in.