Jody Mac
12-12-2011, 02:48 PM
If you spent your early Sunday afternoon watching the Eagles keep their slim playoff alive, you got the result you wanted. Although it wasn't a very pretty or exciting game. If you than watched the only available game in the Philly area after on cable, you viewed the Packers beat down on the Raiders, not much competition there. If you have the NFL package to view all games, there was plenty of exciting action to be found. Houston/Cincy decided under ten seconds to go. Tennessee and New Orleans went right down to the final gun. Even the Redskins made the Patriots sweat until the final minute of the New England win in Washington. Those were the one o'clock games. At four o'clock you had more Tebow magic with Denver scoring 10 points in the last 2 minutes to force over-time and then win it in the extra period making Tebow 7-1 as the Bronco starter. If that was not enough, the Sunday night game was the back and forth affair with the Giants rallying form 12 points down with 3 minutes and change to play, including the blocked Cowboy field goal attempt that could have tied the game on the last play of the contest. You cannot ask for any more compelling competition for an NFL Sunday. I hope you enjoyed!!
Things went the Eagles way to keep their long shot playoff hopes alive. Their victory in Miami came mostly on the strength of their defense. Michael Vick looked like a QB who hadn't played in a month and the offensive line let their injured QB get hit a lot. The defense took advantage of a very banged up Dolphin offensive line and pounded Miami's two QBs, Matt Moore and JP Losman to the tune of nine sacks. Although I have been critical of DE Jason Babin, I must admit he has a significant talent. He can get to the quarterback. It may be the only thing he does well, but he does it very well and may end up with the Eagle record for most sacks in a season. There seems to be something very wrong if Babin replaces Reggie White in the Eagle record book but if he puts up the numbers he deserves the record. I guess my beef is misplaced at the feet of Babin. The blame for him being abused by other teams when they run the football should be laid on the defensive coordinator and the defensive line coach. The Eagles interchange a lot of parts on the de line over the course of a game. It just seems to me that Babin spends too much time on the line on non-passing downs. That's they're job to project when the opposition is going to run and when Babin should be in there to pin his ears back. A man can only do, what he is capable of doing. It's up to his coaches to put him in a position to make the plays he can. Or make sure he's not in a position to be taken advantage of in what he can't do. Sounds like something the head coach would say doesn't it?? Maybe it's the five year 28 million dollar deal Babin signed during the off-season that has them believing that Babin is more of an every down guy. Watch the tape and not the salary cap and you may be able to figure out exactly when Babin should be on the field...and when he shouldn't. One guy I'd like to see in Babin's spot a little bit more in these last three games is Phillip Hunt. He's gotten very little run this year after making some plays in pre-season. Give this young guy some reps so the "eye in the sky won't lie" and the film will tell us if this he fits into the Birds future trenches plans!
While the Eagles continue their scramble for post-season activity, their on-ice brethren here in Philly are looking like a team that doesn't have to sweat their playoff possibilities until they get there. The Flyers' 39 points are the most in the eastern conference and they seem to be doing it in stride. Claude Giroux is playing like an MVP candidate, as good a player as there is in the league. When he missed the third period in Saturday night's win against Tampa, there was a collective breath holding by Flyer devotees everywhere. But when GM Paul Holmgren said the Flyers were just being overly precautious by holding him out of a December regular season game, the collective exhale could be heard across the Delaware Valley. Homer would never be less than forth coming when it came to a Flyer injury right??
One thing that coach Peter Laviolette has done in the Flyers 18-7-3 start is not abuse any of his teams star players. Yes Giroux's 21 and a half minutes are a little steep when compared to the other super stars of the game but he still has those youthful legs going for him. No other front liner is logging 19 minutes per game. On defense, with Pronger missing as much time as he has and will continue to miss, the coach has stayed true to using all three of these defensive pairings fair amounts. Would like to see Kimmo Timonen light the lamp for the Flyers for the first time this year some time soon but his 20 assists trails only Giroux in helpers this year so I can't complain much. Oh and this week starts the HBO 24-7 coverage of the lead up to the Winter Classic. Because HBO does everything as well as it does, I am sure it is going to be great. But I'm also sure it will add to the over-hyping of this regular season game that I am already tired of. There still will be only two points given to the winner of this game, correct??
While the orange and black continue to roll along, we are still two weeks away from the start of the NBA season but the Sixer roster is rounding in to shape and mostly it's been about keeping their own in place. Thaddeus Young re-signed at a fair number if a year lengthy at five years, 43 million. He will be part of the Sixer foundation going forward. Spencer Hawes comes back on a one-year deal. He is a serviceable rotation center and is only promised to be part of this upcoming season. If you are waiting for a Chris Paul or Dwight Howard or even a Tyson Chandler to show up here, it isn't happening. Flexibility was not a luxury the Sixers had coming into this season. If the Sixers are to improve off their playoff earning performance last year it will have to come from within. Young and Holiday will have to take big steps forward in their development under Doug Collins. We need to see a few more pieces shake out (where Dwight Howard ends up) before we project the NBA's east but the Sixers do have license to improve on last years .500 record. Now who the mascot will be to excite these Sixers fans is anybody's guess??
It was a wild week at baseball's winter meetings. It will be significantly harder for the Cardinals to repeat as champs with Albert Pujols taking his talents to south California. Meanwhile the Miami Marlins are making as run at the Phillies in the NL east with the additions of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell. The Brewers will probably be without Prince Fielder for all 162 games next year and years to come. They will probably be without Ryan Braun for the first 50 games because of his positive test for a banned substance this past season. There are changes blowing through the National League. What affect will it have on the Phillies? They have been putting small pieces in place but there still is one BIG piece that has to be placed. That would be starting shortstop. Even moves around the league have helped to push the possibilities in a certain direction. Alex Gonzalez signing with the Brewers and Rafeal Furcal's re-signing with the Cardinals are helping the Phils and Mr. Jimmy Rollins to a re-engagement. J Roll's other options are starting to shrink. He has to come back to Broad Street right? Remember, it only takes one other team to make things go sideways. Ask the Cardinals about the Angels and Mr. Pujlos. That all being said, there is a deal here to be made. It hasn't really changed since the end of the season, except for the belief (more accurately hope) that Rollins had for a five-year deal. Off the record, the Phils have let it be known that they weren't going to be going near that long term a deal. Where is the compromise? Seems pretty simple to me. A three-year deal with a varying option. Three years guaranteed, the fourth year vests if he reaches certain player markers in the first three years of the deal or in the third year of the pact. (450 games in the three years, 150 games in 2014?) Give him a decent buyout, say four million dollars if you are looking at a twelve million a year deal. That's 40 million guaranteed dollars. That is not an affront to J Roll for what he has accomplished and where he is in his career. It's a deal the Phils can afford and should put in to place to keep their infield in place. Seems simple to me. Should get done before the week is out. If not, either Jimmy or Ruben will have some explaining to do. I do not want to see Yuneski Betancort at short for the Phillies this year. This is a marriage that should be continued, time to get to the altar, exchange the fair financial vows and commitments and turn the attention to adding a needed bullpen piece or two.
Couple random sporting thoughts. If Buddy Ryan were capable of coming to town for this week's Eagles game, I am pretty sure he would be rooting for the Eagles opposition. Blood is thicker than water and Buddy's boy Rex Ryan invades the Linc with the Jets. The Jets were the team that got Buddy his first Super Bowl ring with back in 1969. Something he didn't get done in his five years here in Philly. Actually he didn't win any playoff games in his five years here in Philly. Now when his other boy Rob is coaching against the Birds I think Buddy's loyalties are to the green. No one forced his longhaired son to go coach the hated team with the star on their helmets. Birds go up against the Ryans the next two weeks, wonder what Buddy's take is??...David Stern has reached new heights in pomposity. Pull back the curtain on the Wizard of the NBA. While he was within his rights, on paper, to rescind the three-way deal between the Hornets, the Lakers and the Rockets that would have landed Chris Paul in Hollywood alongside Kobe, it makes the NBA looked like a league willing to stack the deck for or against teams when they feel they need to Did he weigh in with an opinion on the Sixers five year deal for 43 million with Thaddeus Young. Mr. Commissioner, I'd prefer a four-year deal from a Sixer standpoint. Can you step in and make that happen for the good of one of your franchises please?? Wave that magic wand of yours, OK? I don't know if the NL's MVP Ryan Braun is a cheater or not. He proclaims his innocence for his October dirty test for a banned substance. He'll have his appeal process. Either way, I see this as both a good and bad thing for MLB. Bad in that one of their star players may have had unfair assistance in helping his Brewers have a great season, which ended in an NLCS appearance. He is one of the major young stars in the game and will now be forever tainted. That's bad. The good is that no one can question that MLB has done a complete 180-degree turn in their attempt to clean up their sport. Once completely blind to the cheaters in their game, now they are vigilant in their attempt to catch anyone, no matter what their stature. If there was any looking away or breaks to be given, Ryan Braun is as good a candidate to any merit a sweeping under the rug. Didn't happen. Star player found guilty. When they become the first US team sport to implement HGH blood testing at the start of next season I'm sure there will be more that come back dirty. Baseball is trying to get those players to either clean up their act or get out. Kudos to them!!
Things went the Eagles way to keep their long shot playoff hopes alive. Their victory in Miami came mostly on the strength of their defense. Michael Vick looked like a QB who hadn't played in a month and the offensive line let their injured QB get hit a lot. The defense took advantage of a very banged up Dolphin offensive line and pounded Miami's two QBs, Matt Moore and JP Losman to the tune of nine sacks. Although I have been critical of DE Jason Babin, I must admit he has a significant talent. He can get to the quarterback. It may be the only thing he does well, but he does it very well and may end up with the Eagle record for most sacks in a season. There seems to be something very wrong if Babin replaces Reggie White in the Eagle record book but if he puts up the numbers he deserves the record. I guess my beef is misplaced at the feet of Babin. The blame for him being abused by other teams when they run the football should be laid on the defensive coordinator and the defensive line coach. The Eagles interchange a lot of parts on the de line over the course of a game. It just seems to me that Babin spends too much time on the line on non-passing downs. That's they're job to project when the opposition is going to run and when Babin should be in there to pin his ears back. A man can only do, what he is capable of doing. It's up to his coaches to put him in a position to make the plays he can. Or make sure he's not in a position to be taken advantage of in what he can't do. Sounds like something the head coach would say doesn't it?? Maybe it's the five year 28 million dollar deal Babin signed during the off-season that has them believing that Babin is more of an every down guy. Watch the tape and not the salary cap and you may be able to figure out exactly when Babin should be on the field...and when he shouldn't. One guy I'd like to see in Babin's spot a little bit more in these last three games is Phillip Hunt. He's gotten very little run this year after making some plays in pre-season. Give this young guy some reps so the "eye in the sky won't lie" and the film will tell us if this he fits into the Birds future trenches plans!
While the Eagles continue their scramble for post-season activity, their on-ice brethren here in Philly are looking like a team that doesn't have to sweat their playoff possibilities until they get there. The Flyers' 39 points are the most in the eastern conference and they seem to be doing it in stride. Claude Giroux is playing like an MVP candidate, as good a player as there is in the league. When he missed the third period in Saturday night's win against Tampa, there was a collective breath holding by Flyer devotees everywhere. But when GM Paul Holmgren said the Flyers were just being overly precautious by holding him out of a December regular season game, the collective exhale could be heard across the Delaware Valley. Homer would never be less than forth coming when it came to a Flyer injury right??
One thing that coach Peter Laviolette has done in the Flyers 18-7-3 start is not abuse any of his teams star players. Yes Giroux's 21 and a half minutes are a little steep when compared to the other super stars of the game but he still has those youthful legs going for him. No other front liner is logging 19 minutes per game. On defense, with Pronger missing as much time as he has and will continue to miss, the coach has stayed true to using all three of these defensive pairings fair amounts. Would like to see Kimmo Timonen light the lamp for the Flyers for the first time this year some time soon but his 20 assists trails only Giroux in helpers this year so I can't complain much. Oh and this week starts the HBO 24-7 coverage of the lead up to the Winter Classic. Because HBO does everything as well as it does, I am sure it is going to be great. But I'm also sure it will add to the over-hyping of this regular season game that I am already tired of. There still will be only two points given to the winner of this game, correct??
While the orange and black continue to roll along, we are still two weeks away from the start of the NBA season but the Sixer roster is rounding in to shape and mostly it's been about keeping their own in place. Thaddeus Young re-signed at a fair number if a year lengthy at five years, 43 million. He will be part of the Sixer foundation going forward. Spencer Hawes comes back on a one-year deal. He is a serviceable rotation center and is only promised to be part of this upcoming season. If you are waiting for a Chris Paul or Dwight Howard or even a Tyson Chandler to show up here, it isn't happening. Flexibility was not a luxury the Sixers had coming into this season. If the Sixers are to improve off their playoff earning performance last year it will have to come from within. Young and Holiday will have to take big steps forward in their development under Doug Collins. We need to see a few more pieces shake out (where Dwight Howard ends up) before we project the NBA's east but the Sixers do have license to improve on last years .500 record. Now who the mascot will be to excite these Sixers fans is anybody's guess??
It was a wild week at baseball's winter meetings. It will be significantly harder for the Cardinals to repeat as champs with Albert Pujols taking his talents to south California. Meanwhile the Miami Marlins are making as run at the Phillies in the NL east with the additions of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell. The Brewers will probably be without Prince Fielder for all 162 games next year and years to come. They will probably be without Ryan Braun for the first 50 games because of his positive test for a banned substance this past season. There are changes blowing through the National League. What affect will it have on the Phillies? They have been putting small pieces in place but there still is one BIG piece that has to be placed. That would be starting shortstop. Even moves around the league have helped to push the possibilities in a certain direction. Alex Gonzalez signing with the Brewers and Rafeal Furcal's re-signing with the Cardinals are helping the Phils and Mr. Jimmy Rollins to a re-engagement. J Roll's other options are starting to shrink. He has to come back to Broad Street right? Remember, it only takes one other team to make things go sideways. Ask the Cardinals about the Angels and Mr. Pujlos. That all being said, there is a deal here to be made. It hasn't really changed since the end of the season, except for the belief (more accurately hope) that Rollins had for a five-year deal. Off the record, the Phils have let it be known that they weren't going to be going near that long term a deal. Where is the compromise? Seems pretty simple to me. A three-year deal with a varying option. Three years guaranteed, the fourth year vests if he reaches certain player markers in the first three years of the deal or in the third year of the pact. (450 games in the three years, 150 games in 2014?) Give him a decent buyout, say four million dollars if you are looking at a twelve million a year deal. That's 40 million guaranteed dollars. That is not an affront to J Roll for what he has accomplished and where he is in his career. It's a deal the Phils can afford and should put in to place to keep their infield in place. Seems simple to me. Should get done before the week is out. If not, either Jimmy or Ruben will have some explaining to do. I do not want to see Yuneski Betancort at short for the Phillies this year. This is a marriage that should be continued, time to get to the altar, exchange the fair financial vows and commitments and turn the attention to adding a needed bullpen piece or two.
Couple random sporting thoughts. If Buddy Ryan were capable of coming to town for this week's Eagles game, I am pretty sure he would be rooting for the Eagles opposition. Blood is thicker than water and Buddy's boy Rex Ryan invades the Linc with the Jets. The Jets were the team that got Buddy his first Super Bowl ring with back in 1969. Something he didn't get done in his five years here in Philly. Actually he didn't win any playoff games in his five years here in Philly. Now when his other boy Rob is coaching against the Birds I think Buddy's loyalties are to the green. No one forced his longhaired son to go coach the hated team with the star on their helmets. Birds go up against the Ryans the next two weeks, wonder what Buddy's take is??...David Stern has reached new heights in pomposity. Pull back the curtain on the Wizard of the NBA. While he was within his rights, on paper, to rescind the three-way deal between the Hornets, the Lakers and the Rockets that would have landed Chris Paul in Hollywood alongside Kobe, it makes the NBA looked like a league willing to stack the deck for or against teams when they feel they need to Did he weigh in with an opinion on the Sixers five year deal for 43 million with Thaddeus Young. Mr. Commissioner, I'd prefer a four-year deal from a Sixer standpoint. Can you step in and make that happen for the good of one of your franchises please?? Wave that magic wand of yours, OK? I don't know if the NL's MVP Ryan Braun is a cheater or not. He proclaims his innocence for his October dirty test for a banned substance. He'll have his appeal process. Either way, I see this as both a good and bad thing for MLB. Bad in that one of their star players may have had unfair assistance in helping his Brewers have a great season, which ended in an NLCS appearance. He is one of the major young stars in the game and will now be forever tainted. That's bad. The good is that no one can question that MLB has done a complete 180-degree turn in their attempt to clean up their sport. Once completely blind to the cheaters in their game, now they are vigilant in their attempt to catch anyone, no matter what their stature. If there was any looking away or breaks to be given, Ryan Braun is as good a candidate to any merit a sweeping under the rug. Didn't happen. Star player found guilty. When they become the first US team sport to implement HGH blood testing at the start of next season I'm sure there will be more that come back dirty. Baseball is trying to get those players to either clean up their act or get out. Kudos to them!!