Philly Sports Today

Heading into the 2008 season, the Eagles’ defense certainly appears to be a major strength. The defensive end position is loaded with guys that will put tons of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and will collect a lot of sacks. Trent Cole is fresh off of a Pro Bowl season and Juqua “My last name ain’t Thomas anymore” Parker are expected to be the starters once the season opens. However, once Victor Abiamiri gets healthy, look for him to get a lot of time at Parker’s spot and eventually take over as the starter, possibly at some point this season. Bringing Chris Clemons, Darren Howard, and Bryan Smith off of the bench is another great luxury for Jim Johnson as all three of them are very capable of racking up sacks. I am a little disappointed that Jerome McDougle was cut since he was finally showing the potential that led him to be a first round pick, but I guess he was just a victim of the numbers game.

Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley are both solid defensive tackles that can clog up holes and stop the run. I still think the team is a little thin at that position by having rookie Trevor Laws and Dan “Mr. Versatility” Klecko as the back-ups, both of whom are major unknowns in terms of their production. Hopefully Laws will play like he did at Notre Dame and Klecko will bring some of that Patriot magic to the Linc. It will be interesting to see how Howard performs at defensive tackle as well. Maybe he’ll actually play well for the first time since he became an Eagle.

Linebacker is by far the position where the Eagles are the weakest on paper. All of them are young and very athletic so it will be interesting to see how/if they are able to gel as a unit and how each individual develops throughout the season. I think that Omar Gaither will have a stellar year, but I’m not completely sold on Stewart Bradley or Chris Gocong yet. I think both of them have the potential to be very good NFL players, but I need to see them do it first. Akeem Jordan is a solid back-up who could adequately fill in if there was an injury and Rocky Boiman should be a special teams star. I have also absolutely loved the way that Joe Mays played during the pre-season and I’m crossing my fingers that it was a sign of things to come.

The Eagles have the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, and Lito Sheppard are all studs. I’m really excited for all three of them to be on the field at the same time. Those three DBs are certainly going to wreak havoc on opposing teams and get their fair share of interceptions. If the Eagles don’t improve on their dreadful 2007 total of 11 interceptions then all three of those players must have had their hands amputated or something. Finally, Joselio Hanson is decent as a fourth cornerback, but I’d like to see him on the field as little as humanly possible.

In addition to having a potentially shaky linebacking corps, I am also skeptical of the safeties. As much as I love Brian Dawkins, I think he has lost a step or four and is probably in his final season as an Eagle. Watching him in the pre-season made me view him as somewhat suspect in coverage at this point in his career. I think Quintin Mikell will do an excellent job at strong safety opposite B-Dawk and I am interested to see how he performs as a starter over the course of a full season. I don’t really have a problem with J.R. Reed and Sean Considine as back-ups, but I don’t think they’re anything special either. Ultimately, if they can come in and not make any major mistakes, that’s all I’m really looking for. Finally, I have high hopes for Quintin Demps. Like DeSean Jackson, Demps is another young stud in the return game and should make a major difference in the kickoff return game. His 101-yard return against the Patriots has instantly raised the expectations for him among Eagles fans. It would almost be disappointing at this point if he and DeSean didn’t have any TD returns in ‘08. Additionally, I really hope Demps will be able to take over for Dawkins next season and give the Eagles a set of Quintins at safety that flock to the ball.

Overall, I expect the defense to carry the team this season. It was already really good last season. In 2008, I expect them to be great. If the defense can meet its potential, it is very possible that the Eagles will be Super Bowl-bound.

Being a Phillies fan is arguably the most frustrating activity that a person can take part in. Every time they look like they’re going to turn the corner and make a move, they find new ways to mess things up. After having an awful road trip two weeks ago in which the Phillies seemingly forgot to pack their bats as they lost four games to the Dodgers before “winning” two out of three from the Padres (Note: The Phillies didn’t actually show up in San Diego either, they just got lucky that the Padres are a team that actually has more flaws than they do), the Phightins offense returned in their series against the Nationals. When the Dodgers came into town, the Phillies beat L.A.’s finest like they owed them money, outscoring Joe Torre’s crew 27-5 in the four game set.

The stars seemed to be aligned for the MEGA two game series against the hated New York Mets. Well, at least for 24 hours or so. After spotting the Mets a 7-0 lead through 4 innings, the Phils chipped away here and there while the bullpen was absolutely phenomenal on their way to a ridonkulous 13-inning 8-7 victory that put the Phillies in first place by a half a game. Things were fine and dandy in the second game of the series for the first 7 innings as Kyle Kendrick and Scott Eyre shockingly outpitched Johan “Cha-Ching” Santana. However, in the eighth inning, the Mets took a play out of the 2007 Phillies playbook with a four-spot that sucked the life out of Citizens Bank Park and the Phillies players. Last season, it was the Phillies delivering those devastating blows to the Mets. This year, the roles are completely reversed. Some Phillies fans may say, “The Phillies still win games late. They’ve even done it against the Mets a few times this year.” While that may be true, the Phils still don’t seem to have that fire that they had last year where you could watch them and you knew that there was absolutely no way that they wouldn’t find a way to rally.

When I watch the 2008 version, which is essentially the 2007 version with no leadership, less heart, and “Light Out” Brad Lidge, the main thing I think about is “how will they find a way to screw up tonight?” The first two games of the Cubs series are prime examples of why this team, as currently constructed, WILL NOT return to the playoffs. Cole “Please don’t leave in Free Agency when your arbitration runs out” Hamels was his usual brilliant self on the mound for 7 innings and the Phils were in prime position to take game one and avoid spiraling into another losing skid. However, Ryan Madson and Chad Durbin didn’t get the memo that giving up five runs in the 8th inning, including a freakin’ Grand Slam to Aramis Ramirez, when your team is leading 4-1 usually does not produce many wins. If that wasn’t bad enough, in today’s game, former Cub Scott Eyre walked in the tying run in the sixth inning before Clay “Uncle Charlie continues to use me in close games even though I have yet to prove that I am reliable in tight games” Condrey decided that he didn’t feel like winning today as he served up a meatball to Alfonso Soriano. Thanks for another fabulous game by the collection of scrubby relief pitchers that masquerade around as the Phillies bullpen! I’m really glad I wasted another three hours of my life.

The sickening part is that each of the last three losses were extremely winnable games. Last year, the Phillies broke the hearts of fans in cities across the country with their late-inning heroics on their way to an NL East title. Unfortunately, the only hearts the Phillies are breaking this year of those of their own fans.

With the NFL season quickly approaching, we’re going to briefly examine the 2008 Eagles on both sides of the ball. As has been the case since he became a starter, the team’s success falls squarely on the shoulders of Donovan McNabb. If McNabb can stay healthy, which is a big IF, the Eagles have a chance to be Super Bowl contenders. Hopefully, the SI cover jinx doesn’t lead to a Week 1 injury, but in Philadelphia you always have to expect the worst and hope for the not so bad. However, I do like what I have been seeing from QB of the future Kevin Kolb this pre-season. He reminds me a bit of Jeff Garcia, which is OK, but it’s not gonna bring a championship to this town. Hopefully, we get to watch a full season of McNabb and don’t have to worry about Kolb under center full time until 2009 or 2010. As long as McNabb is capable, I want to see him in Eagles green every Sunday.

At running back, the Eagles have arguably the best weapon in the NFL in the form of Brian “B-West” Westbrook. I expect him to improve on his 2007 numbers and anything less would be a major disappointment in my eyes. He will need to carry the offensive load, along with McNabb, and this team could bounce back in a major way. However, an injury to B-West would be devastating. I am curious to see how Andy Reid will utilize Westbrook and Lorenzo “Poor man’s Brian Westbrook” Booker when the games actually count. I think the Eagles have been hyping Booker’s training camp exploits a bit too much. Overall, with Westbrook, Booker, and Buckhalter, I like the Eagles running backs. If Tony “Please teach me how to block so I can make the team and finally give the Eagles a fullback with some talent” Hunt can become a reliable fullback, that would also be greatly appreciated.

Wide Receiver is where things start to get sticky. #1 wideout Kevin Curtis? Out for a while. Reggie Brown? Apparently he is made of paper and can’t stay healthy long enough to get on the field. That leaves stud rookie DeSean Jackson, Hank Baskett, Jason “Don’t call me T.O.” Avant, and Greg “GLew” Lewis as McNabb’s targets. The Eagles receiving corps is the exact opposite of what Tom Brady was throwing to in 2007. I’m really excited to see what Jackson can do to the punt return game. He’s already proven that he’s a game-changer in the pre-season game against the Patriots when he had a 76-yard return for a touchdown. I’m looking forward to Dr. DeSean make a few house calls this season. Besides Jackson, I can’t get excited about any of them. And Jackson could get broken in half at any moment since he weighs about 28 pounds if he’s soaking wet and wearing clothes three sizes to big. Hopefully Curtis can get back soon and Brown can finally stay healthy and reach his potential, but I’m not holding my breath.

At tight end, I am hopeful that LJ Smith will stay healthy and have at least close to a career year. He needs to step up big time with the injuries to Curtis and Brown and the inexperience/unproven-ness of the other wide outs. If he can be solid, it will take a lot of the pressure off of Donny Mac. I also like what I’ve been seeing out of Brent Celek. He’s got nice hands and runs excellent routes. As an Eagles fan, you have to be satisfied with what you see from tight end

Ultimately, the success of the offense will hinge on the success of the offensive line. Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas are both superb at the tackles and Shawn Andrews is a Pro Bowler waiting to happen each season. Jamal Jackson at center and Todd Herremans at the other guard are both serviceable, but nothing that will make you get all hot and bothered. If the o-line can stay healthy, which like McNabb is a major IF, the offense can flourish.

If McNabb and Westbrook can play up to their great abiliities and the offensive line says healthy, you would have to be foolish to think that the Eagles will not be in the hunt for their first championship since 1960.

As I write this initial post, the Phillies bullpen is in the midst of an 8th inning implosion against the New York Mets. Even though they took a 3-2 lead into the top of the 8th inning and looked like they were poised for the 2-game sweep, they now trail 6-3 going into the bottom half. Fantastic!

After last night’s miracle 8-7 victory, a game in which they trailed 7-0 after 4 innings, the Phillies began to remind me again of last year’s NL East Championship squad. The pitching dug a major hole and the offense systematically chipped away until they eventually won the war of attrition and escaped with a win. The 2007 team refused to lose and constantly pounded on the Mets to drive home the point that they were the team to beat in the division. However, this year’s version of the team seems to always come up short, especially against Mets.

It’s not going to get any easier from here on out with a trip to Chicago on tap. If the Phillies want to make a statement, winning at Wrigley Field would be a good start. Opposing teams only have won 19 games in the Friendly confines and Dempster, Harden, Zambrano, and Lilly don’t take kindly to opposing batters. I’m sure a team that strikes out like it’s their job (which it isn’t) and has suspect starting pitching won’t have any problems against the Cubs. I guess we’ll have to wait another 14 years or so before we’re going to see the Phillies in the playoffs again.

Oh well, at least it’s almost Eagles season.