Templetown Takeover

We stormed the court last night. We, the Temple Owls. We, the Cherry and White. For the second time in as many Decembers, an unranked Temple basketball squad pulled off the upset against a top-ten team at home. Temple upset #9 Georgetown. It’s kind of a big deal. Don’t sit there and give me a “Bully for you, Teddy Roosevelt.” It’s kind of a big deal.

ESPN gifted the match with a nationally-televised, primetime slot. The anticipation was high. The question on campus all day long was “Hey, do you think we can win this?” Fans started lining up four hours before tip-off to make sure they got the best seats in the house.

Temple had something to prove. After starting out the season in the top 25, they lost their ranking with a few sloppy performances. Back on the home court for the first time in nearly a month and facing a formidable opponent, they were intent on putting up a battle.

And that they did. Junior Ramone Moore put up 30 points, and even the stat sheets couldn’t show how well he contained Georgetown standout Chris Wright. Juan Fernandez, Lavoy Allen, and Rahlir Jefferson all put up incredible efforts to help Templetown takedown the Hoyas. The Owls never trailed in the game and clutched the 68-65 win.

Maybe it was the feeling of redemption. Maybe it was the feeling of vindication or elation or pure adrenaline. Maybe it was the age-old expectation that a non-ranked team beating a ranked team deserves. But as soon as the final buzzer sounded, the student section emptied out onto the maple of the Liacouras Center. And as the famous “I Believe” chant began, it was still sinking in. TU students have shirts, have signs, have posters, have schedule magnets, have headlines, have keychains, have spirit. But it was still sinking in.

Temple still has a long road ahead with tough matchups against Villanova, St. Joe’s, and Duke. With this huge momentum shift, however, the Owls will carry an unmatched confidence. For the 9,000 fans who witnessed the upset last night, it was a game that won’t soon be forgotten. The deafening roars provided the soundtrack to a team fueled by passion and spirit. As that backboard lit red and the clock expired, the collective sigh of relief in the building was tangible before the upsurge of cheers.

The shirts last night read “I think you hear us coming.” Well, by George (-town), I certainly think they do now.

Vindicated Vick-adelphia

In my last entry, I ended with an omniscient “told ya so.” Today, not so much.

In August of 2009, I was that wronged Philadelphia sports fan. The one who whined and complained and loathed the fact that the Eagles, a pretty upstanding organization, in my eyes, inked Michael Vick to a contract. Never mind the fact that it was a one-year contract. The fact that they inked him at all was enough to set the city ablaze.

And let me tell you one thing about this city and her sports teams: we’re never divided.

Michael Vick the dog-fighter. Michael Vick the gambler. Michael Vick the prisoner. Michael Vick the Eagle? It didn’t have a pretty ring to it. Hey, I’m all for second-chances, but let someone else take him. Let someone else give him his second chance. There are 31 other teams in the National Football League. But he had to come here.

A year and a half later, those sentiments are little more than past memories. No more protesters outside of Lincoln Financial Field, no more skeptics in the newspaper, and even an ironic “Most Vegetarian-Friendly Stadium” award from PETA. And, dare I say, I’m a fan. Vick has done the impossible, and magically changed the preconceived notions of the Philadelphia sports fan, a Herculean task. I’m still not sure how he did, but he earned the respect of one of the cruelest cities in the nation.

When Donovan McNabb left Philadelphia, there were no tears, no sentimental farewells, just a simple “good riddance”. As Vick stepped into the starting role, however, there were concerns. He hadn’t touched the pitch as a consistent starter in four years, and there were legitimate doubts as to how he would perform. But those legitimate doubts were very quickly transformed into legitimate results, with his passer rating so far this year hitting 108.7. After garnering an NFC Offensive Player of the Month award in September, Vick was injured in the marquee return of McNabb to the city of not-so-brotherly love. When Vick seemed ready to return, the city debated who should be the starter, Vick or Kolb. I asked my cousin who we should be rooting for, and he responded, without hesitation, “Vick.”

He’s been the comeback kid. The saving grace of this football team. And I’m actually glad it was the Eagles who have given him a second chance. The guy’s been focused on his job: playing the game of football. He served his time in the doghouse (pun absolutely intended), and became the hardest worker on and off the field to improve himself.

Vick’s game back in Week 10 was the performance of a lifetime. 333 passing yards, four touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and 80 yards. The Hall of Fame asked for his jersey after that night. Watching it, I was a fan. He got me. For the first time, I didn’t see Michael Vick the dog-fighter. I saw Mike Vick, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.

He may have fumbled the football back in 2006, but he certainly recovered his life and his career. The Eagles taught the city and the league a lesson and proved that he atoned for his mistakes and was intent on showing the world, and himself, what he could do. I was wrong about Michael Vick. He’s proven redemption, or something like it, exists in the scrutiny of the media spotlight, and you can come out on the other side a better person. And hey, if you become a franchise quarterback in the process, I’m not going to complain.

One Phan Who's Overjoyed About Oswalt

Throughout the last decade, Roy Oswalt’s been one of those pitchers. Understated, underestimated, under the radar. To everyone outside of Houston, Texas, that is.

Living out half my childhood in Houston, I was one of those Oswalt fans. Roy-O was dominating in an era of Astros baseball that ranked among the best. Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman, Oswalt. I got to grow up watching legends play ball. To bring a little piece of that to my current city is terribly exciting.

Talking the stats, Oswalt’s up there with the cream of the crop. Over his decade-long career, he’s had two 20 win seasons and an ERA that consistently hangs around 3. Oswalt’s got the team mentality, the selflessness, the passion that it takes to succeed in this game. A three-time All-Star, Oswalt just wants you to let him play ball. He wants to give a ballclub a chance to win. He’s a quick pitcher, a fast worker, and a great bunter. He’ll get the work done.

The main sentiment around Philly is that if the Phillies so badly wanted to bring an ace to their staff, they should have kept Cliff Lee. They wouldn’t have had the space and cap to bring around Roy Halladay without Cliff Lee gone. And if Lee would’ve had a similar season had he stayed in Philly, he’d have been a dead weight to an already sinking team.

For all the skeptical Phillies phans, baseball in Houston’s a lot like baseball in Philly. It’s tough. It’s passionate. And you’ll go years without a successful club. From top of the National League to nobodies. A city that’s never won a World Series. Trust me, Oswalt knows the frustration Philly’s felt for years. Oswalt’s a perfect fit for this Philly club. Just when they need a little push to make it into the postseason, he’s there to deliver. Don’t discount this guy. He’s still got the stuff. He’ll prove it to you.

Philly phans, I know you’re critical. I know players have to earn your respect. It wouldn’t be Philly without that atmosphere. Just hear me out, I’ve watched the guy loyally for years. He’ll bring some great energy to this city. Get ready, Philly, and be prepared to enjoy Roy-O’s runs.

And when the Phils make a decent postseason run thanks to their new addition, you don’t have to come back and tell me I told you so.

LeBron Joins the Circus

I recently read an article by sports writer Lee Russakoff called “LeBron’s a Diva…And It’s Our Fault.” (Check it out here: http://www.comcast.net/articles/sports-nba/20100707/Russakoff-LeBron-Diva/ ) I’ll be honest; I don’t really follow the NBA. I don’t really care to. But all this crazy free-agency has me intrigued. It seems all the big names players are leaving their iconic teams for the money, the fame, and the chance to bring their big name to a big, new market.

I remember a time when, to LeBron James, playing for his hometown Cavs meant everything. And the past few years, money became more and more his deciding factor. In 2003 when LeBron left high school and graduated to the big leagues, he was all the rage across the country. This “King James” was the next Wilt Chamberlain, the next Doc J, the next Kobe. Kids all around the world wore the jersey of a kid who had just stepped onto the scene. Fans put the future of the league directly into his hands. And he took it, and ran with it.

He’s certainly living up the fame and fortune that have fallen into his lap. And his free agency will certainly be the biggest story this offseason. No doubt, LeBron knew that. He’s had teams courting him, left and right, and wants a city that will surround him with stars, but where his will still shine the brightest. Planned around the 4th of July, around the World Cup, even around the Coney Island hot-dog-eating-contest, his strategy gives him the most media coverage possible. So his announcement will come on ESPN tomorrow night with its own hour-long special leading up to the live decision. Make no mistake, LeBron is cashing in on every ounce of attention the American public is willing to give him.

For a guy that’s scored some 15,000 points in his first six years in the league so far, he might deserve the hype that trails him. But is it completely necessary to track the every move of one player, every meeting he attends, and every deal put on the table? I have to agree with Russakoff, it is our fault. LeBron hopped onto this scene as a kid, and we only gave him the attention any superstar would expect. So while this whole event (it’s a free agency decision…let’s not forget that…) may be quickly turning into a circus, let’s hope that the free agents in every sport don’t follow suit.

LeBron, just tell the world where you’re going and be done with it. I’m only going to check online when this whole thing’s over anyway. Wait, you didn’t actually think I was going to watch your hour-long special now, did you, LeBron?

New York Senate Uses MMA To Cut Deficit And Help State Budget

The New York state budget has had a hard time fighting off a deficit throughout all of the overall economic problems that have plagued the country. This has caused the state to consider any and all ways to save money and help balance the budget, including closing down state parks and creating food and drink taxes on everyday products like soda. Some of these choices have been met with disdain from people of the state so the Senate continues to look for additional ways to raise money. The hopeful news is that they may have just found the perfect option that gives something back to New Yorkers rather than taking it away.

On June 16th, the New York State Senate passed a bill to legalize mix martial arts in the state of the New York. It still needs to be approved by the State Assembly in order to be a law, but passing the State Senate is a big deal for both the Empire State and Mixed Martial Arts. MMA, while being legal in many other states around the country, has been banned in New York since the mid-nineties which meant that prime venues like Madison Square Garden in New York City and the 50,000 seat Carrier Dome in Syracuse were off limits for holding MMA events. This would no longer be the case if the assembly passes the bill. Dozens of great venues in the state would be open to new events that would help grow the already popular sport of MMA even further while helping the state make money.

It's hard to imagine that New York state education and other programs would be a direct beneficiary of MMA, but that would be the exact case if the bill passes. Mixed Martial Arts is one of the most popular sports in the country and its popularity grows with every passing day. This would mean that the dozens of sold out shows that MMA has every year would finally bring revenue to New York.

To put the financial benefits of legalizing MMA into perspective, just look at the numbers of the sport according to Fannation.com:

• $340. That was the average ticket price of UFC 81 at the MGM Grand. While this may seem like a lot, people are paying it to see their favorite matches. One could imagine the amount of tax money that would go to directly financing state programs and projects. Also a factor to consider is the amount of revenue brought in by people coming from all across the country for the events that would be spending money on food and accommodations.

• 170 countries broadcast UFC and other MMA events, which brings in huge promotion for some not as well known New York state cities that may hold an event.

• MMA industries like UFC have gone from million dollar companies to billion dollar companies in less than a decade showing just how popular this sport really can be.

These numbers don't even account for New York based MMA gyms that will see new revenue to help train local fighters in a sport that was once outlawed in their home state. This will directly correlate with an increase in local sales of MMA gear, like MMA gloves. Hundreds of retailers will benefit from this boost. The increase in local fan-base will have a direct impact on the sale of MMA t-shirts that display their favorite fighter or industry brand. They have become a hot commodity as the sport has increased in popularity. There is no doubt that the reach of the bill, if passed, is not just huge for New York but is greatly important to its many citizens that are struggling because of the bad economy.

The state and Governor David Paterson have estimated that allowing the sport to be legalized would bring in an extra $2 million after two years for the state's $8 billion deficit and studies have shown that holding an event in Madison Square Garden would generate $11.3 million in economic activity. This may not seem like a lot but it's a step in the right direction for the state. This bill is something that New York has been trying to do for over the last two years but has failed in doing so. Even if the bill doesn't pass the assembly, Governor Paterson has stated he will include it in his emergency extender bill giving it another way to be legalized. Yet, right now is the time for the passing of this bill because now MMA is closer than it's ever been to being a popular and helpful force in the Empire State.

Fixing the NBA Parity Problems

Take a look at baseball. The sport most people criticize for lack of salary cap. But if you take a closer look you actually see a great system. The real difference between large market and small market teams in baseball can be primarily found in the relief pitchers.

Although fans of large market teams may disagree by the product on the field, large market teams have more money to spend on the risky middle relievers. They are able to pay a lefty specialist. They are able to create a bullpen around their opponents. Small market teams have to develop failed starters into people who can pitch a few innings in the middle of the games. And even though the bullpen plays an important role in modern day baseball, teams can win in spite of their bullpen. For this reason, small market teams have a better chance at winning pennants. Don't believe me? The '97 and '03 Marlins, the '01 Diamondbacks, and to some extent the '05 White Sox have shown how to win a world series in a small market.

Baseball's minor league system is the best in sports. This is partially because of the multitude of rich baseball players around in the world, but it is also because of the marketability of baseball. People enjoy the atmosphere of baseball no matter if it is low A or the major leagues. This business opportunity enables players to grow in front of fans and play for a team in hopes of winning a championship at any level. Using this model, small market teams have the ability to cultivate their own talent and save money by not having to sign big free agents.

Also, because baseball talent is all very close in terms of the average player, and because the game is a game of inches, teams are generally closer in terms of talent than other sports. A team of superstars, while they may look better and more overpowering, are only a degree better than their lesser counterparts. Using these laws of baseball the Marlins and Diamondbacks were able to cultivate talent, make some free agent signings to plug holes, and consequently win championships. And in the case of the Marlins especially, trade away all their talent for more prospects to go ahead and do it again another year.

So in reality, baseball gets unfair criticism. Just take a look at this year's standings. Every single division has a race going on and only a handful of teams are out of it at this point.

But basketball on another hand is a parity disaster. Unfortunately the parity problems are more salary tax based than anything else, but unlike baseball they are unable to win in spite of financial issues. The NBA is quite possibly the only league in the world where it is sometimes considered a BAD thing to receive talent. Most of the time teams are more concerned with saving salary cap, or staying under the salary tax, thereby shipping quality players to other teams for salary relief. Expiring contracts are treated like gold, as the more players you have coming off the books next year the more players you can sign in the future. The problem with this method of business is that teams on the bottom generally stay there. The bad teams cannot afford to sign free agents because of their salary tax issues, but at the same time they are not able to trade for the expiring contracts because they don't have enough current salary cap to take them on for that year. Also, teams stuck in the losing mode have to rely on the draft, a process that can take years to pay off as there are only 2 rounds (not even considering all of the busts that enter the league). Sure, new teams come up each year, but almost every year the same teams are at the bottom. Until the NBA figures out a new method to help the floundering teams find it's feet again, they will continue to lie at the bottom.

How can the NBA fix this problem? Get rid of the lottery. I know that they do it so teams don't start tanking at the end of the year (teams do it anyways), but do you really think it's a good idea to risk having the worst team in the league not get the best player? The only way a bad team can get better is if they get new talent and the only way that can happen is if they get the top pick, it's that simple. Maybe a straight draft by standings position won't work, but the lottery has got to go.

Also the NBA should explore a owner sharing system (revenue sharing) that the NFL has in place. Pool money together to make sure the salary cap is a fair number for all markets. This method is a very difficult one to maintain and make work, but it is something good to look into.

The final thing the NBA has to explore is to improve it's D-League. We have enough basketball talent in this country that we could make a very good minor league system. As it is now the D-league is an underground train coming out only in the rare occasion that the NBA calls up a player. We are losing too many good players to European countries when we can just as easily keep them here and give them a real shot at the NBA. If the D-league was a more legitimate league teams would pay more attention to them and make more moves in house, saving salary cap, and helping out smaller market teams build from the inside out.

The NBA has some exploring to do, but I know this: If things stay the way they are, we will be seeing a lot of Celtics-Lakers in years to come. And to the large market fans, that is not a bad thing.

U.S. World Cup Preview Part II: Legitimate Expectations

The time is upon us. The World Cup is set to kickoff in less than a day away with the US debuting in less than two days. Head Coach Bob Bradley chose a very young, exciting and talented team but an inexperienced one to bring in South Africa. This World Cup expectations are real. Anything less than advancing to the knockout stage will be seen as utter and total failure.

Goalkeepers
Quality goalkeeping has often been a strength of U.S. teams whether it be Kasey Keller or Brad Friedel. Expect this year to be no different with star goalkeeper Tim Howard. Last summer's Confederations Cup showed just how far a team can advance with a red hot keeper with Tim Howard leading the way to a second place finish. The weakness of Howard used to be his inconsistent play on services into the box. He has fine-tuned his game to read those crosses better though now and become a staple of the Everton defense. The U.S. boasts one of the deepest goalkeeping trios and while that starts with Howard they are not short of options behind him. If the worst were to happen and Howard were to go down Marcus Hahnemann would most likely step in. The 37-year-old American debuted back in '94 but only began to see more time in '03. Next in line would be Brad Guzan, a steady, but unspectacular keeper.

Defense
The biggest fear the U.S. may have this summer is a suspect defense leaking goals. A lot of that will have to do with the health of Oguchi Onyewu and to a lesser extenxt Carlos Bocanegra. The U.S. defense is much stronger when they can put team captain Bocanegra on the left and allow him some freedom to push forward. However, a lot of that depends on whether Onyewu is good to go and what point he is fit to play. Onyewu has yet to play a full 90 minutes since tearing his patellar tendon seven months ago just when he was starting to get quality time for world renown AC Milan. When healthy Onyewu is the U.S.'s best defender due to his shere size and physical play coupled with his ability to read the game so effectively. If Onyewu is healthy he will be paired with a hard-nosed tackler in Jay DeMerit. The Watford defender looks so much more comfortable when he has Onyewu alongside him. However, if Onyewu is unable to go come Saturday the U.S. may turn to University of Maryland product Clarence Goodson. Goodson is excellent in the air and couple be key to shutting down or at the very least slowing down the effectiveness of an aerial threat such as Peter Crouch. The problem is that DeMerit's play seems to suffer when paired along with Goodson whether it be a lack of chemistry or whether their styles do not mesh. In that case the Bob Bradley may push Bocanegra into the middle and continue the perennial black hole at left back for the U.S. In such a case it would come down to Jonathan Spector or Jonathan Bornstein. Spector played every minute of last summer's Confederation's Cup and provided some very promising services. However, he is clearly more comfortable on the right as exhibited by his inconsistent play at left back for West Ham with past season. Hopefully the last resort for the U.S. is converted forward Bornstein. Bornstein has excellent speed and can be dangerous at times pushing forward, but too often his caught out of position and is very susceptible to the counter attack: a weakness the U.S. cannot afford with their defend and counter style of play. The last of the U.S. defenders is longtime Hannover 96 defender Steve Cherundolo who is appearing in his third World Cup for the Yanks. Cherundolo is an small, but scrappy defender who provides steady play to a largely inconsistent back line. Cherundolo should get the nod over Spector going into the opener against England.

Midfield
For the U.S. to score goals they will need strong wing play from veterans Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey. Unlike last go round, Donovan has embraced the expectations for both him and the team. He has finally silenced the doubters with strong play for Fulham in the Premiership while on loan. On the other wing Clint Dempsey may just be the U.S.'s most dangerous weapon. Due to a surefire partner for Altidore there has been talk of moving Dempsey up top. But watching Clint's play it is clear he is much more comfortable and dangerous attacking people along the wing where he has freedom instead of being a stationary target man up top. However, Dempsey will surely see sometime up top late in games to provide a spark or shut the door as he did against Spain in the U.S.'s monumental upset last summer. Unlike the wingers, the central midfield is not so solidified. The one staple is Michael Bradley who will in all liklihood be paired with various partners depending on the opponent and situation. While Bradley's passing is suspect at times, he brings excellent pace to the game and is not afraid to do the dirty work. He evens provides some offense with his ability to be in the right place at the right time with nothing pretty about it. Bradley will need to avoid missing the consequential match due to excessive bookings as he has done in the 2007 CONCOCAF Gold Cup and the 2009 Confederations Cup. Ricardo Clark will most likely start alongside Bradley against the English squad. Clark is a gritty player who plays solid defense but is no real offensive threat. An intriguing name and one that is growing in popularity is Jose Torres. When Torres has been given the opportunity in recent play he has demonstrated outstanding play. He is very viable on the attack and shown an ability to win crucial tackles, a weakness often sighted by critics. With the opportunity and strong performance Torres could win himself a big transfer this summer. Two other names that could have impact are fellow youngsters Stuart Holden and Benny Feilhaber. Both have played strong at times and disappeared at others. Their inconsistent play will in all likelihood prevent them from securing a starting spot. In a close game in need of a game changer though they could provide that spark off the bench. Another young and rising player is Maurice Edu. Edu while not known for his offense has scored a handful of goals highlighted by his game winner against Glascow Rangers in the Old Firm. Edu plays a solid defensive midfield and can play center back in a pinch. The last of the midfielders is DeMarcus Beasley. Less than a year ago Beasley was exiled from international play for his largely inconsistent form and failure to attack defenders. He earned his way onto this roster and although not a game changer, he does provide experience to a fairly youthful squad.

Forwards
The U.S. striking force is headlined by a real American star in Jozy Altidore. The budding star will need to provide timely goals for the U.S. to succeed. The question really is who to pair with Altidore since Charlie Davies was not fit to make the roster. The choice looks more and more like it will be Edson Buddle. He was scoring goals at will in the MLS and that earned him a shot on the team. Up until the Atrailia friendly no striker had nailed down the spot opening the door for Buddle who put his goal scoring on display with two goals. A real dynamic player could be speedster in Robbie Findley. Findley's addition to the roster shows the emphasis Bob Bradley is placing on speed. Findley can blow by defenders already, imagine a fresh Findley running down a ball against a tired defender. The one thing Findley will need to do is finish his opportunities though. The U.S. defend and counter strategy cannot afford to waste opportunities. The last of the forwards is surprise golden boot winner of Mexico's premier division Herculez Gomez. He has scored his fair share of timely goals and will look to build on that once the real action starts.

So what are legitimate expectations for this youthful squad? Anything short of advancing to the knockout stage will be utter disappointment and could set American soccer back. The team is certainly not short of athletic players and much will ride on the ability to convert chances at a high percentage and not give up soft goals. The Americans will probably finish behind England in the group. That would match them up with the winner of Group C, probably Germany. However, the injury to star midfielder Michael Ballack has created questions for a German side that may not win the group so easily anymore. In the end anything can happen once you reach the knockout stage. If the U.S. wins the group they would have a much easy path and the semi-finals would not be out of the question. Ultimately, this is guesswork and we really will not know what to expect until we see the teams perform. A quarterfinal appearance would be big to boost American soccer and would largely be seen as a success. The question is whether the U.S. can meet expectations now that they are higher than ever.

Stephen Strasburg: From the Stadium

Yeah, I was there. Why did I drive 3.5 hours from Philadelphia to Washington D.C., wait in long lines on the metro, and run to get in the stadium in time to see a 21 year old pitcher from California face the worst hitting team in the majors? Hype. This kid was labeled as the greatest pitching prospect in the last 30 years, a "once in a lifetime talent." This kid had it all.

But seriously, could I really expect anything from him on his first ever start in a city on the other side of the country? I could, but to be honest I didn't expect what he showed me. Did anyone?

With a Nationals record 14 strikeouts, 0 BBs (0!), and 7 innings pitched throwing less than 100 pitches, he dazzled. Sure everyone joked about how amazing he was going to be and how he is the best we have ever seen... could he be?

I know for one I am not going to get rid of that ticket just in case he becomes who he is touted to be.

But I know you don't really care about the fact that I was there (and on tv and on mlb.com highlights-- the 2:02 mark of the Mr. Precedent recap), so I'll give you my thoughts on his performance.

-His curveball is nasty. Nasty and he went to it early and often. And he learned pretty quickly that throwing too many breaking balls results in bad results. Delwyn Young's homerun (after multiple breaking balls in the at bat) came off of a breaking ball. He has to learn (and I have no doubt he will) to mix pitches better. He primarily throws only fastballs and curveballs, with an occasional change-up and what some are calling a dipping or rising 4 seam fastball (his fastball either moves up in the zone or drops like a breaking ball, only at 98+ mph). So with so few pitches he needs to figure out a method to mix and match to always keep the hitters off guard.

-He can throw. He consistently hit upper 90's and even 101 mph at one point and the hitters looked absolutely helpless. When you have a fastball as good as his, you can tend to rely solely on it, but he did mix in breaking balls (but like I said before to a fault). He definitely went to a high, rising fast ball as his out pitch and it seemed to work fairly well until the middle innings where the Pirates started to keen in on it.

-He has poise. He ended the game with 7 straight strikeouts and battled back from multiple 3 ball counts and also got out of a few jams (he only let up 4 hits, so there wasn't much going on on the base paths).

We truly won't know how good he is until he is tested and until he has faced the league a few times, but it was definitely a night that all will remember.

Could this be the start of a legend? Maybe. But I know for a fact that that was one of the greatest debuts I have ever witnessed.

U.S. World Cup Preview Part I: The Rebirth of a Soccer Nation

It is that time again. Every four years the greatest sporting event occurs (sorry Olympics). We are now just a mere 10 days away from Mexico and South Africa kicking off in Johannesburg at 10:00 A.M. EST. The biggest question on everyone’s mind in the U.S. is which team we will see. Will we see the improbable run to the Confederation’s Cup final last summer? Or will we relive the disappointment of the 2006 World Cup lamented by a very poor team effort. We seem to never know what you get with U.S. soccer. The rebirth of soccer took place in 1990. In the 1990 World Cup the U.S. failed to record a win, dropping all three games to Czechoslovakia, Italy, and Austria. Then in the 1994 the U.S. advanced to the knockout stage where they feel to eventual champion Brazil 1-0 that featured a red card for both sides. Then the 1998 World Cup came along. Expectations were high, but not unrealistic. The U.S. put forth a pitiful effort failing to emerge from a group that while it included Germany, also featured the pitiful Yugoslavia and Iran. To make matters worse the U.S. recorded a single goal in three games. Then along came the 2002 World Cup. The winner of the 2002 Gold Cup gave U.S. soccer fans a glimmer of hope. However, they many saw firsthand the demise of past teams. The U.S. put together a sparkling run that ended in a controversial 1-0 loss at the hands of eventual runner-up Germany in the quarterfinals where a clear handball on the goal line by Frings prevented a game-tying U.S. goal. As the 2006 World Cup approached the U.S. team had extremely high expectations, perhaps a bit unrealistic as well. The U.S. drew a deadly group of Czech Republic, Italy, and Ghana. This team had its ups and downs in the tournament looking pitiful against the Czech but played exceptional against eventual Italian champions to record a 1-1 draw in a hard fought match that featured three red cards. While it seemed unlikely for the U.S. to advance heading into the final group game against Ghana there was a chance. U.S. just needed to beat Ghana and get help from the Azzuri. The Azzuri delivered with a 2-0 win against the Czech and all the U.S. needed was a win. Instead then fell to Ghana in disappointing fashion that included a mysterious penalty kick called against the U.S. The U.S. team has certainly had its ups and downs; the question is which team will we see in South Africa?

Danny Carcillo, The Little Punk

Danny Carcillo. The little punk. He’s like the Philadelphia Flyers in a nutshell. Little guy, big ol’ fight. Every time he touches the ice, it’s a jab here and some words there. But he gets the job done. Every time he graces my television screen, my cousin and I are compelled to yell “Danny Carcillo, the little punk.” Sure, she works for the Bruins. And sure, I’m a Flyers fan. But the message is the same, and Danny Carcillo, the little punk, embodies these Flyers perfectly.

When my mom was about my age, the Flyers won the Stanley Cup. I’m sure she lived by the saying “Only God saves more than Bernie Parent.” We watched the HBO special on those Broad Street Bullies, and my mom kept saying how what they showed was real. The city truly rallied around that group. The players would go to local bars and supermarkets and really interact with the city. They embodied this city.

The best part about these Flyers, about those Flyers, they were the underdogs. They use their brute force to fight back. They may not have the raw talent the Blackhawks, or Penguins, or Canadiens have, but they’ve got the team. These Flyers will fight for one another, stand up for one another. Take Ian Laperriere. He took stitches, concussions, and the works, and came back. But he didn’t just stand there, or take it easy once he was back on the ice. He dove. And he didn’t care. Teamwork.

Hockey’s not my first choice for a sport. And I can’t find the puck half the time, to be honest. And I still think it’s weird that I’m watching a hockey game, a winter sport, on Memorial Day weekend in 90 degree heat after watching a baseball game. But the way this city could rally around the underdogs, it’s incredible. They keep saying “History Will Be Made.” It’s the NHL’s catchy new slogan. But we don’t need records and history books to document the emotion around this series, this team. We don’t need history to remember this Stanley Cup Final.

And I knew they could come back from three down against the Bruins in the series, and three goals down in Game 7 (sorry, Sammy). They have that much heart. And they may be up against the #2 seed in the Western Conference, but they aren’t the team to back down easily. And they’ll give the Chicago Blackhawks quite a fight before giving up the Stanley Cup. And leading the charge to the upset?

Danny Carcillo, the little punk, & company.

Mystery in the City of Brotherly Love

As Philadelphia Flyers continue their miraculous journey to the Stanley Cup Finals this NHL post-season, the Philadelphia Phillies' offense has continued to sputter. This prolonged lack of offense got me to thinking about the reasons for such a prolific offense to have such a hard time scoring any runs. The Phillies, in their 49 games played thus far this season are at or near the top of every statistical category for offense. They're batting .261 on the season as a team and score at a clip of 4.71 runs per game. I began to do some research on the Phillies' struggles during the second half of this month. They're struggles have been well documented: Daisuke Matsuzaka took a no-hitter in the eighth inning against them on May 22 and they've been shut out five times, including three straight times against the New York Mets on May 25, 26, and 27. So, I began looking at the statistics, breaking down each pitching match-up, analyzing at which time Jimmy Rollins went on the DL, and I believe that I created a relatively possible theory pertaining to the Phillies' struggles scoring runs this month. You may remember, or you may not because it was swept under the rug so quickly by the Phillies organization and Commissioner Bug Selig, that on May 10th, while playing against Colorado in Denver, the Rockies players informed Umpire Jerry Crawford that the Phillies bull pen catcher, Mick Billmeyer was using binocular to look at signs from the outfield bull pen. The Phillies have denied the allegations that Billmeyer was using the binoculars to steal signs, but television footage clearly shows Billmeyer only using the binoculars when the Phillies were batting. My theory is that Billmeyer quite possibly was stealing signs, and now, without that advantage, the Phillies hitters are struggling. To garner data in order to test my hypothesis, I recorded the hits, at bats, extra base hits, result, score, opponent, and opposing pitcher of each game prior to May 10 (the day that Philadelphia was allegedly stealing signs). In the 17 games played from May 11 to May 31, the Phillies recorded a win-loss ratio of 8-9, surrendering the National League East Division lead to the Atlanta Braves. They were a combined 132 for 565 in those 17 games, which is a dismal batting average of .234. With 58 total runs scored, they only scored 3.41 runs per games in this 17 games span. In contrast to the games prior to the binoculars incident, the Phillies were 8-2 in their first ten games of May from the first to the tenth, in which the scored 59 runs (5.9 r/g). That is one more run in the first ten games of May, then the scored in an extra seven games. Maybe this is the reason for the team's slump or maybe it's just purely a coincidence that they will eventually break out of. The only games in which this team has scored in double digits were on May 15 against Chris Narveson (5.528 era) and May 17 against Charlie Morton (9.346 era). Some people may say that it is the quality of pitching or the amount of away games that they have played. But haven't winning at away ballparks and hitting quality pitching well been staples of the Phillies during these past two deep runs into the post-season. Sure, hitting many of the teams aces or number-twos (ex. Tommy Hanson, Anibal Sanchez, Josh Johnson, Mike Pelfrey, John Lackey, Ryan Dempster) and facing two straight knuckle-ballers (Tim Wakefield on May 23 and R.A. Dickey on May 25) isn't easy. But if these team expects to advance to the World Series once again this fall, then they better learn how to hit quality pitching once again. As for the allegations of cheating, the stats are quite scary, but I am not sure they are enough to confirm these allegations. There are far too many variables in the game of baseball to blame a team's struggles on one aspect. If they cheated or not, I don't really care. It seems like the commissioner and all the fans have moved on, now all we have to hope for is the Phillies to be able to move on......

Laid-Back or Impossible: Ranking the Hardest Sports

We all love sports for the compassion, excitement, unpredictability, and social aspect of them. But to be honest, some sports are just easier than others. Not to take anything away from professional athletes (because I couldn't be a professional in any sport), but some sports are easier in some aspects than others. This isn't a list about the superstars in the sport because attaining superstar level in any support is a 1 in a million chance, rather I will take a look at difficulty of attaining professional level in that particular sport. The problem with a list like this, however, is that some of these skills are so hard to compare side-by-side, so let's take a look at the hardest sports in each skill-set category and see if we can make sense of any of it. Below is a ranking of some of the major sports that exist in the world (sorry Archery)

High Mental Capacity Required:

1.) Cycling/Track
-Have you ever seen an athlete's eyes when he or she is running the mile? If you are staring into the eyes of one of the best in the world you will get a blank stare back, but not for lack of focus. Actually, it is the complete opposite. Runners are often so in tune with their current race or activity that they are extremely detached from it. Many runners have claimed to feel somewhere else during a race, yet at the same time so in tune with each step, carefully planning the next move. Racing is as much mental as it is physical. Sure, cyclists and runners are some of the most fit athletes in the world, but in order to get a leg up on the competition (legally!) one must be able to ignore the immense pain and discomfort and focus solely on finishing the race. One of the most underrated aspects of racing is the strategic aspect. It isn't just about running or riding in circles or up and down hills, it is about doing it to the best of your ability while minimizing the ability of others. Do you start off fast to wear out other athletes? Do you go on the inside to cut off the angle of those behind you? All of these strategic moves combined with an athlete's unworldly ability to disconnect from the pain make cycling and track the hardest mental sport.

NOTE: The previous also applies to any kind of racing, most notably Swimming and Car racing (yes, it is a real sport, try and do it and you'll see how much you sweat)


2.) Horse Racing
-I am a little bit hesitant to call this a sport because an animal is doing most of the work, but it is widely considered one and it does, in fact require a high mental capacity. Jockeys have to have the whole race planned out beforehand, and then be able to adjust to different circumstances, fitting in tight areas, and making sudden and unanticipated moves. In this sense, it is one of the hardest sports mentally as you always have to be a step ahead of the action and be able to think on your feet in very perilous situations.

Honorable Mention: Swimming, Car Racing, Tennis (go ahead, try being soft)

Toughest Regimental Sports

1.) Boxing/Wrestling
- Every sport has some kind of work-out routine and eating regimen, but these sports are especially difficult. I dare you to try and train like a boxer or wrestler. I'll give you 3 days. You can't make it. They are by far the two hardest sports to prepare for, requiring extreme sacrifices and to-the-limit dedication to make it. Wrestlers and Boxers, constantly trying to stay within a certain weight limit have to constantly check what they are eating, making sure their water weight is at the appropriate level so as to not miss the weigh-in, and thus disqualifying them from the match. On top of all the eating sacrifices, these athletes must undergo some of the toughest training sessions, dealing with speed, agility, and strength. Most sessions are continuous, giving very few opportunities for rest and usually asking for 100% effort at all times. A very tough thing to ask of someone who is also tracking their food intake at all times. You have to be very dedicated or very crazy to be good in the fighting realm, and the best are.

2.) Martial Arts (and MMA)
-This one may be a little off the radar, but in reality, the best of the best Martial Artists have to be extremely dedicated to their work, always working to improve their skills. The amount of time they need to spend improving their core, flexibility, focus, and strength is mind-blowing. Most professional Martial Artists live and breathe their type of fighting; dieting, performing yoga, and working out to become the best Master possible. I am sure that most of us have taken a Martial Arts class at some time in our lives and I know from experience allowing yourself to be thrown is a very difficult thing to overcome, but the best of the best have trained so much it is no longer an issue. Martial Arts, although a bit under the radar in the amount of preparation needed is most definitely a difficult regimental sport. Plus the guys are nuts

Honorable Mention: Gymnastics (very difficult technically and a lot of work before)

Toughest Technical Sports

1.)Soccer
-I'm willing to bet that we have all played Soccer at some point in our lives (ironically, soccer is the number 1 youth sport in the United, but it loses almost all of its participants by high school), but to really PLAY it, you have to have a ridiculous amount of technical skill. Go to Europe, sit in a sea of excited and passionate fans and watch the warm-up. That's it. You don't even need to watch the game to see how skilled these players are (I would highly recommend staying for the game, though). The pace they put on the ball, the way they can control the ball in any situation, and the manipulation they can put on a ball when they shoot is just mind-blowing. Hours and hours of practice on the pitch makes these players some of the most amazing manipulators in sport. Ask them to put the ball through a small opening, they will; tell them to juggle it for 20 minutes, and they will do that too. It is amazing how much technique is involved in such a pure and simple game, but each year more and more technique is added to this already skill-ridden game.

2.) Golf
-This one is pretty obvious, Golf is almost ALL about the technique (you can see this best by watching Charles Barkley swing a golf club. But Golf is built on technique (remember those "these guys are good" commercials?), running on which club to use in which situation and perfectly executing a shot from a spot you may have never been to. Driving, the simplest part of the game is even difficult to do, as you have to manipulate your swing so you hit the ball exactly at the height you wanted to, while still having the ability to aim your swing to a small, thin fairway. All in all, Golf is built on skill and it is one of the most pure forms of skill we can find in the sporting world. It doesn't matter if you are big or small, male or female, it is one of the most universal sports because it is based on skill, something that can be honed by people of all types.

Honorable Mention: Skiing, Snowboarding, Winter X(you need to do it and do it well)

Most Athletic Sports

1.) Water Polo
-Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen a Water Polo player? They have a stronger core than any other athletes I have ever seen. The ability to swim, WHILE being kicked, punched, spit at, etc. AND have to be able to pass, shoot, and catch a ball? That is insane! And yet, some people in this world are exceptional at it. The mostly Californian-based sport is a mix between swimming and handball with the goal of getting a volleyball-type ball into a net that is based in the water. The idea that the game is played in a deep pool makes it even worse. The competitors have to tread water the entire time they are not swimming, then swim, oh yeah, and then fend off defenders trying to rip their heads off. Sounds fun.

2.) Basketball
-The ultimate "athlete" sport. You want an athlete? Go get a basketball player. In my opinion if you wanted to start a team in any sport, but you couldn't use athletes who already played that sport, the first place I would look would be in the NBA. These athletes are amazing. They can jump higher than most, they can run faster than a lot of athletes, and although overlooked they have a lot of stamina (they run up to 5 miles during a game... most of it sprinting or fighting for positioning). They are also ridiculously good at reproducing the same mechanic over and over again in free throw shooting and shooting in general. These guys are absolute freaks and if basketball were played in water, basketball would be the most athletic sport.

Honorable Mention: Poorball (please click to learn more about this great sport)

Toughest Sport

1.) Football
-You are either really dumb or really good if you play football. The wear and tear on these players is absolutely ridiculous. Just look at how the game is played. It can be argued that more people have more injuries because of playing football than any other sport (both during and after their careers). Think about it, in a game that revolves around hitting people, and hitting them HARD, it would be very naive to think that injuries don't and won't happen. And what is crazier, is that a lot of the players LOVE that kind of hard-hitting contact, thriving under the adrenaline that comes in with a big hit. These athletes are crazy, but people sure do like it (surpassed baseball as America's number 1 sport), so as long as there are fans, people will continue to get hit.

2.) Rugby
-If football players are dumb, Rugby players are INSANE. They are basically hitting each other with no pads. Now that sounds fun. Not to mention having to scrum before every new possession, oh, and you also have to be a really fast athlete with good stamina. Sounds like a man's sport. But in all seriousness, these guys will go head-into anything without any reservation. They are one of the most fearless group of men that you can find in sports. It's almost like they look for the contact, wanting to be the bruiser, the one initiating the hit so their skill players can score the points. This is not a sport for the faint of heart.

Honorable Mention: Surfing (Those people are absolutely nuts)

Single Hardest Event in Sports

1.) Hitting a baseball.
-The single-hardest thing is sports. Hitting a baseball is difficult not only in the amount of time you have to hit it, but also because of all of the different pitches a pitcher can throw, hitting one is almost impossible. Think of it this way, you have about a half a second to hit a 90 mile per hour fastball. That isn't even close to the 103 mile per hour fastballs than some pitchers can throw, giving you around .3 or .2 seconds to react to it. So in order to hit a fastball, you must make up your mind before the pitch. You have to be able to read what pitch the pitcher will throw and you have to start your string the second you see the ball released from the pitcher's hand. Seems pretty simple right? Wrong. The pitcher never throws it in the same spot and you have to guess a location when you swing. Now take into account an off-speed pitch. So let's say you decide the pitch will be a fastball and you make your mind to swing when the pitcher makes his pitch. Now let's say the pitcher throws a 70 mile per hour change-up. Well, you have just swung before the ball reached home plate! But who can blame you? You had to guess because there is a very low chance of you making contact with a 90+ mph pitch when you don't decide until after he throws it. But to the best of the best, the time slows down and they see the ball like no one else. But those are the select few. Hitting a baseball, is by far, the hardest thing in sports.

2.) The Sport of Hockey

-Baseball may be contain the hardest even in sports, but Hockey as a whole is the hardest sport. Think of it this way. Try ice skating. Pretty tough right? Ok so now ice skate, but this time put a stick in your hand. Ok that's easy enough. Now trying passing or shooting a puck while on ice skates. That's a little tough right? Ok, sorry, one more thing. Try shooting a puck at a goalie with 5 guys coming to slam you into the boards. Yeah, just got a little bit harder. It is amazing how good these guys really are. They have to be able to be world class skaters, they have to be able to shoot (some up to 105 miles per hour), they have to be able to pass, hit, maneuver, stop, start, sprint, all on SKATES!!! It is absolutely insane to think that someone can be so good at doing all of these things at once, but they start at such a young age and just grow and grow as skilled players. This may come as a surprise to some people, but the game of hockey is the single hardest sport.

Honorable Mention: Staying on a bull for 8 seconds (go ahead, try it).

Agree? Disagree? Anything that I left out?

Get at me.

Scott

The Opening Week Whirlwind

I live for this.

I know it’s baseball’s motto and I know it’s corny and I know it’s cliché. But it couldn’t be more true. Baseball is everything. I was there when Jayson Werth soaked the crowd in champagne. I watched as we dove into October. I walked down Broad Street when we went back to the World Series.

But walking down to Citizens Bank Park the morning of Opening Day, it’s the excitement in the air. The best part is, they’re back.

The boys of summer come around every year and give this city something to cheer for. We paint the town red each year for the anticipation of another glorious season. Hey, in this town, we’ve had enough bad seasons, that we’re going to cherish the good for as long as we can keep them.

Even Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy enjoyed the festive atmosphere walking around the park before Opening Day was about to begin, “I think that they’ve been to the World Series with the same core group makes you say, ‘Hey, wait a minute, they could do this.’ So there’s definitely more anticipation.”

And after witnessing Opening Day, I couldn’t wait to go back. Again. And again. And again. I had that anticipation.

Phillies tickets are hard to come by this season. And for a college student on a tight, college-student budget, well, they’re even harder to come by. So when my school decided to shore up 300 tickets for the Opening Night game at Citizens Bank Park, I was sure to jump on it. Well, and keep my mouth shut. (Hey, I didn’t want anyone else getting my tickets!)

I got in line at 9:45am the day the tickets went on sale, and was the second person in line. The box office didn’t open until noon, but I wasn’t leaving without my tickets. Well, long story short, they changed the date, so my friend graciously stood in line the next day to get our tickets. And after her hour and a half in line, we got them.

And boy, was it worth it. We grabbed our hoagies, we hopped on the subway, and marched with the sea of red toward Citizens Bank Park. Walking into the park, everyone’s high-fiving, smiles are huge, and no one can wait for the game to get underway. Sure, it was a little chilly (especially sitting in the nosebleeds), and sure, our “National League Champs” shirts weren’t as cool as the ones that said “World Champs” last year, but it was a ballgame. To be back wearing my Aaron Rowand jersey (yeah, I’m a stickler for the guy) and eating some CrabFries and screaming at the top of my lungs, that’s what it’s all about. The shared experience, the enjoyment, and the excitement.

Baseball’s back for the summer. While I’d love for the Phightin’ Phils to take another World Series, I’m just happy they’re back. Baseball unites a city. Grandfathers watch the games with their grandchildren. It’s the watercooler talk at work. And it’s that timeless game that people will talk about for years to come. So it really doesn’t matter how many homeruns Ryan Howard hits, or how many wins Roy Halladay gets, or even how many World Series we get under our belt. We identify with these players, not just on the field as players, but off the field, as people. We cheer their successes and support their shortcomings, but they hold our passion for the game. The fact that there is a place with such a positive atmosphere like a ballpark makes you forget your worries and just enjoy the game, and share that with 45,000 other people.

Baseball is most certainly back.

Fantasy Baseball: A New Game

I love fantasy sports. I play them all and they are a big part of my life. Why, you may ask? Why would something that is based largely on luck and doesn't require much skill to perform? Besides the fact that I resent that last statement, it has a lot to do with being a part of something greater than yourself. Being a part of a game that is cherished by millions is something pretty neat, even if it is only recognized by those who share the passion with me.

But onto the point of this post. As much as I love the current state of fantasy baseball, it couldn't hurt to change the game to make it stronger and better.

So here are some ideas to improve or change up the game (Note some of these are just ideas to switch it up and may not be the best gameplay):

1.) One of the most interesting parts of fantasy baseball are its multitude of different categories that can be used. But as good as that is, it is also extremely annoying when you join different leagues with different commissioner who have different philosophies on the game. Some commish's like holds, some don't. Some value walks, some don't. It is a crapshoot as to which fantasy team is the best, because each league values different things. As interesting as this gets, the fantasy minds of the world should get together to make a set list of categories so we can really find out which players are the most valuable in the game. This will also help make projections and rankings a little bit more unified, helping people draft better teams and teams closer to their likings.

My suggestion would be to make the following stats across the board:

Hitters:

Average, Runs, Hits, Rbis, SBs, Total Bases, Ks (negative points) and then either Homeruns, Walks, HBP, OR OBP, OPS, SLG(because OPS is a mixture of OBP and SLUG it would seem that this is unnecessary, but because the conversion is not exact, it is an important stat)

The reason for the OR is that OBP, OPS, SLG would be inlcuded in Homeruns, Walks, and HBP, so it just becomes personal prefernce (some people really like seeing homeruns on there, while other people like decimals).

Pitchers:

ERA, Wins, Ks, Innings Pitched, WHIP, Complete Games, L (negative points), Quality Starts, Holds, Saves (if you are really bold, we can substitute ERA with Adjusted Pitching Runs which follows the following equation: APR = IP/9 * (LeagueERA - ERA) which is just a park-adjusted era; and we can substitute Quality Starts with Game Score (Game Score = GS = 50 + 3*IP -2*(H+R+ER)-BB+SO + (+2/each full Inning completed starting with the 5th)). But once again, that is for the bold.

So with these stats universal around the sphere of fantasy, the game will take a much different form.

2.) Leagues that Lock Yearly.

This is a weird one, but something interesting to try. This wouldn't be a very fun league, but it would be interesting to put it aside to see how preseason rankings hold up. You choose a team, set up a lineup and don't change it all year. This way we could get a good reading how much picking up players and trading really does change your team.

3.) Stats that Reset Midyear (idea given to me by Ian).

Just like the minor leagues, the winner of the first half and the winner of the second half in each division make the playoffs. This would be an interesting way of rewarding the fast starters and the strong finishers. This is somewhat opposite to conventional fantasy thinking, but it is something to think about.

4.) Rotating Teams.

Each owner has two teams. Throughout the course of the year the owner is allowed to transfer players to and from both of the teams and allowed to trade/pickup players with other owners in the league. The caveat in this would be, however, that the team that finishes the best wouldn't necessarily win the league. The owner who has the two teams that are in the highest position would win the league. For example is someone finished 2nd and 4th and the 1st and 3rd positions are two different owners, that team would win. This way, we could see who can successfully manage two teams to make them as even as possible.

5.) Leagues that add multipliers based on situations

Player A goes 4/5 with 5 rbis in a blowout 15-7 loss. Player B goes 3/4 with a gamewinning 2rbi double in a 4-3 win. Who was more valuable to their team that day? Well in the case of a league that adds multipliers, Player B would get bounus points for hitting in a clutch situation. The same would apply to pitchers. A pitcher getting a hold in a close game would be more valuable than one getting a hold in a blowout.

6.) Redraft the Playoffs (this may work better if they add more playoff teams)

Have the playoffs in real play-off time. Take all the playoff teams and allow them to keep their players who made the playoffs. Then based on playoff seeding, redraft the teams in a snake draft. This way the fantasy season could last deeper into the season. Or make 2 playoffs, one during the regular season, and one with this method after the playoffs are over.

Hopefully you enjoyed these ideas, but in reality, I like fantasy pretty much the way it is now.

Award Selections

American League

MVP-Evan Longoria- I really feel Longoria is primed for a huge year. Unlike the NL there is no clear cut favorite to win the MVP. This leaves the door open for Longoria, who is on the verge of exploding. As of now he should be a household name. By the end of the year he will be one.

CY Young- Jon Lester- While there are several great candidates in Zach Greinke and C.C. Sabathia as well as darkhorses in Francisco Liriano, Fausto Carmona, and Brett Anderson. However, after watching Lester pitch regularly for the past two years I can feel an absolutely dominating season on the brink. He may very well be the best left hander in the game.

ROY- This is an interesting one with the likes of Matt Weiters, Neftali Feliz, and David Price. However, I am going with Weiters often overlooked teammate Brian Matusz. In 44.2 innings pitched he compiled a 4.63 ERA and a 5-2 record. Outside of his two ugly losses against the Angels and Blue Jays, he pitched a phenomenal 3.47 and a Jon Lesterish 1.24 WHIP.

Comeback-Fausto Carmona- I could go Carmona or Francisco Liriano here. Both definitely fit the bill with Carmona struggling with control lately and Liriano’s inability to stay healthy. But I am going with Carmona in hopes that he can get his groundball rate back to 2007 levels and make a run for the CY Young.

National League

MVP- Albert Pujols- Do I really even need to justify this pick. Sure someone else can win and it may even be more than likely that it happens, but no single player has a better chance than the greatest baseball player we have seen in a long time.

CY Young- Roy Halladay- When was the last time Halladay didn’t compile a sub-4.00 ERA, 200+ innings pitched, and double digit wins? 2004. He was downright nasty in Toronto and was one of the few bright lights of several disappointing seasons. Now in the Philadelphia market and on the big stage this award is his to lose. As good as Lincecum may be, very few current pitchers even deserve being mentioned in the same sentence as Halladay.

ROY- Jason Heyward- How can you pick against this guy? At worst case he becomes Fred McGriff and that is worst case scenario. Braves pitcher Derek Lowe compared him to a young A-Rod. Manager Bobby Cox compared him to Hank Aaron. While he may be someone in between, he is an outstanding baseball player and future of a stagnant Braves franchise.

Comeback- Brandon Webb- Well considering Webb already hit the DL this year this pick will probably be wrong. The 2006 NL CY Young award winner has a career ERA of 3.27. While returning to CY Young form is asking a lot of him a bounce back season is not out of the question and almost expected.

Moves Making Eagles Younger, But Better?

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Sheldon Brown will take his physical style of play to Cleveland after the Eagles traded him to the Browns. (Getty Images)

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Saturday, April 4, 2010
Posted: 12 p.m.

By Ray Didinger
CSNPhilly.com

If you saved your program from Super Bowl 39 – and I know you did – turn to page 58. That’s where you will find the head shots of the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles. Now run your finger across the page and count how many of those players are still around.

Let’s see, there is David Akers. And in the middle of the third row, there is Donovan McNabb. That’s it. Thirty faces on the page, only two remain.

On Friday, the third face on the top row – cornerback Sheldon Brown – was taken down when he was dealt to Cleveland along with linebacker Chris Gocong for linebacker Alex Hall and two picks – a fourth-rounder and a fifth-rounder – in the upcoming draft.

If you had any doubts about the direction the team is taking, they should be answered now. The team that came out of the tunnel in Jacksonville on Feb. 6, 2005, is long gone, it is just a memory, and if that team is gone, why is its quarterback still here?

If the franchise has moved on – and, clearly, it has – then it really should move on from McNabb. The Eagles are going young, but why do that at every position except the most important position, especially when you have Kevin Kolb, a quarterback you’ve been grooming for three years, now waiting to play?

The Eagles may say McNabb provides leadership for a young team, that he’s the old vet who’s been through the wars, someone the kids will follow. I’m not so sure about that.

If the Eagles are unable to trade McNabb sometime in the next month, imagine how he is going to feel walking into the locker room for the first minicamp. Is he going to feel like the leader or is he going to look around at all those young faces and feel like a homeroom teacher? And how will they see him? As a group, they have more in common with Kolb.

So while Friday’s trade doesn’t directly affect McNabb, like most things in Eagle land, it cannot be separated from him either. With each day and each subtraction – Brown being the latest – the thought of No. 5 returning to this team seems more impractical.

It is obvious the Eagles are loading up for this draft. The trade with Cleveland gives them 10 picks. If they can move McNabb and Michael Vick, they will add a few more. That would allow them to wheel and deal and perhaps trade up from No. 24 in the first round to pluck a blue-chip player like Tennessee safety Eric Berry.

Most Eagle fans will be angered by the trade of Brown. He never missed a game in his eight seasons and played with a hard-nosed toughness that endeared him to Philadelphia.
Because he was a fearless hitter – what’s the over/under on how many times the local TV stations rerun his lights-out shot on Reggie Bush? – and because he played through injury he was more popular than either Lito Sheppard or Asante Samuel.

Brown played a Philly brand of ball. Sheppard missed too many games to suit the fans and Samuel misses too many tackles. But the truth is Brown did not have a great season in 2009. He had a career-high five interceptions, but he also was beaten a lot. No doubt some of it could be traced to his hamstring injury, but it also appeared at age 30 he did not have the lateral quickness to stay with the better receivers.

Opposing quarterbacks completed 61 percent of their passes against the Eagles last year, 27 for touchdowns. It was easy to blame the free safeties, a faceless bunch who seemed to change on a weekly basis, and it became fashionable to point out the softness in Samuel’s game but most fans gave Brown a pass because he was such a gallant warrior for so long.

The coaches who study the tape and can’t afford to be sentimental knew they had to get better coverage across the board. With Brown on the wrong side of 30, they concluded he wasn’t likely to get any better, plus he still was dissatisfied with his contract and they had no intention of addressing that matter, so they moved him.

But here is my question: What now?

If you are going to move Brown, OK, but who takes his place? Ellis Hobbs will get the first crack, but he is coming off a neck injury and he didn’t show very much on defense before he was hurt.

Joselio Hanson? He didn’t look like the same player after his suspension and with his slight frame (5-9, 180 pounds) he is better suited to playing the nickel role than being a starter. The Eagles may draft a corner – and there are some good ones in this class – but to count on a rookie to start at that position is a huge gamble.

Brown may have lost something off his fast ball, but they don’t have anyone better at the moment. This is the same trap the Eagles fell into last year when they thought they could replace the aging Brian Dawkins at safety, but they found it wasn’t that easy.

Once upon a time, the Eagles turned over the cornerback position seamlessly. They let Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor go, they plugged in Sheppard and Brown, who were young, hungry and talented and the defense kept rolling. But Hobbs, Hanson and third-stringer Dimitri Patterson don’t appear to have the game of either Sheppard or Brown in their prime.

And don’t be surprised if Gocong flourishes in Cleveland. I always felt he was playing out of position as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 system. He was a pure pass rusher who had 23 sacks as a senior at Cal Poly, a Division I-AA school, and he was best suited to playing in a 3-4 defense where he could just rush the quarterback all day.

He never looked comfortable in the Eagles’ defense where he had to backpedal and run laterally and cover tight ends down the field. He gave good effort, but he was out of his element. The Browns play a 3-4 so Gocong will be able to play to his strengths and for a defense that ranked 31st in the NFL last season any help would be welcome.

Alex Hall? Well, he is young (he will be 25 in August) but he is still a project. He had three sacks as a rookie, but didn’t do much last season. He has trouble holding the point against the run, which makes me wonder why the Eagles are projecting him as a strong side linebacker.

So if the Eagles’ plan was to get younger, they accomplished that. But if the goal was to get better, well, they still have a lot of work to do.