Bleacher Report - Articles by Kevin Lagowski

Michael Vick: Officially the Most Overhyped,Overblown Thing Ever

Kevin Lagowski — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:48:37 -0500

Reflecting on the first half of the Eagles’ season, there have been moments of brilliance and moments of ineptitude; stellar performances and a couple lousy ones.

For one, we haven't seen much of the one thing that got the most hype in the weeks leading up to the season and that's Michael Vick.

After returning from a two-game suspension to start the year, Vick has run the ball 12 times and thrown a measly six passes in his six games with the Eagles, even with Donovan McNabb injured for a couple of them.

All those grandiose plans that people had of Vick stepping in for a drive or two at a time and show casing that duel threat of speed and arm strength, have been proven unfounded.

And it’s obvious that McNabb himself hates when Vick comes into the game, disrupting the rhythm with all of this wildcat garbage.

Vick doesn’t even touch the ball half the time he’s on the field anyway and Andy Reid, never a tactical genius, has had to burn several timeouts this year to work Vick into the game.

Yes, he’s still not in game shape, but surely the Eagles had an idea to use Vick more than this?

If it was all just some PR stunt, a feel-good story brought to you by Jeff Lurie and company, then why should we even care?

Let some other team take Vick if it’s going to be a charity case. The Eagles’ window is closing fast (if it hasn’t already) and we want to see winning football.

If Vick can help the team, use him more. If this is all they ever had planned for him, then the Eagles owe their fans an apology for wasting money on him when they could have acquired someone who could contributed in a valuable way.

Sure would be nice to have a quality offensive lineman or linebacker right about now, wouldn’t it?

Vick is far from being the worst mistake of this regime, it just seems so bad because of all the hype that surrounded his signing.

But were people really foolish enough to think that Vick could be adequately incorporated into the Eagles’ offense by Reid and Marty Mornhinweg? Or that McNabb’s fragile ego could handle the idea of sharing the football?

He put on his fake smile, as always, but we all know he hates Vick being there.

And we all should too if it detracts from the team.

So as the Eagles trudge through another inconsistent season and Vick barely sees the field, the frustration grows.

And grows.

And never seems to stop.

Philadelphia's "Every Fourth Year" Curse

Kevin Lagowski — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:47:16 -0500

The Phillies have just completed a great ride back to the World Series, ending up just two games (or three Cliff Lee clones) short of repeating as champions.

But don’t be surprised that they didn’t bring the trophy back home. They were just the latest victim of Philadelphia’s “Every Fourth Year” (EFY) Curse.

And you thought the Curse of Billy Penn was bad. At least the Phillies eventually broke that.

The EFY Curse has proven completely unbreakable and has taken turns stifling each of our four professional sports teams on multiple occasions.

It all began in the year 1977.

Philadelphia had just been the focal point of our nation’s bicentennial celebrations and was enjoying a period of sports prosperity, with the Flyers having made three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final (two wins) and the Phillies in the midst of several division titles.

In that spring of 1977, the Sixers made the NBA Finals and led the Portland Trailblazers two games to nothing before being overwhelmed by Bill Walton and company, losing four straight.

And so it began.

Fast forward three years later to 1980, as the Flyers and Sixers both fell in the finals. But this was not the EFY Curse at work, as the Phillies were victorious in the World Series later that year. Instead, the EFY Curse reared its ugly head just three weeks into 1981, with the Eagles losing to the Raiders in Super Bowl XV.

The Curse would lie dormant as the Sixers lost the NBA Finals in 1982 and then finally broke through for a title in 1983, but it reached out and bit the Flyers in 1985.

When the Flyers lost to the Edmonton Oilers again in the 1987 Stanley Cup Final, it appeared that Philadelphia no longer needed any opposition from the EFY Curse to lose a finals series and it had all merely been a coincidence.

The pattern appeared to be broken for good in 1989. None of the teams made it to the finals, with the Flyers falling a round short. Maybe the Eagles were ticketed for the Super Bowl that year, but the Fog Bowl on December 31, 1988 made sure that wouldn’t happen.

Little did anyone suspect that the 1993 Phillies would come out of nowhere to play in the World Series. But we all know what happened there.

The Curse was reborn.

The city’s next chance at glory came four years later, in 1997, but the Flyers were swept quietly aside as the Stanley Cup eluded them once again.

Four years later, the upstart Sixers met the mighty Lakers for the NBA title. They managed a game one win, but were ultimately no match for the Curse.

The Eagles had a strong 2004 NFL campaign. But when the playoffs arrived and the calendar turned to 2005, the EFY Curse kicked in, denying the Eagles in their Super Bowl bid again.

Fortunately for all of us fans, the Phillies were able to break through and triumph in the 2008 World Series, impervious to the EFY Curse.

But it sat there, just waiting for 2009.

It has been claiming them in order recently, ever since Macho Row and the ’93 Phils.

The 1997 Flyers.

The 2001 76ers.

The 2004 Eagles, playing in the 2005 Super Bowl.

It was once again the Phillies’ turn this year. There was no stopping it.

And so you see, we are still cursed.

Yes, our teams are still able to make the championship round, and even win it, as the Phillies did last year. But every fourth year? Forget about it.

Since 1977, the EFY Curse is an undefeated 8-0.

Teams making the finals in other seasons since then are 3-4. Not great, but better than zero.

With the World Series having come to a sad conclusion, Philadelphia’s fans turn the page on a very good season, but one that ultimately came just short.

Still, one of our teams will be back in this position soon, with a chance to give us a title and a parade and that warm feeling we all had last year.

Let’s just hope it happens before 2013.

Mike Richards' Hit Up For Debate

Kevin Lagowski — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:51:36 -0400

With Flyers captain Mike Richards likely facing a suspension for Saturday night's devastating hit to David Booth, everyone wants to throw their two cents in.

Richards' skates were on the ice when he delivered the hit and it was clearly with his shoulder, so those aspects of the check were clean.

But the NHL now has the lame 5-minute interference penalty as an excuse to punish a player when something just doesn't feel kosher about a hit.

Do I feel personally that it warranted a major penalty, game misconduct, and probable suspension?

My answer might surprise you.

Yes.

The NHL needs a "blow to the head" rule like the NFL has. For far too long they have let players knock each other's skulls around, and numerous careers have been shortened as a result.

Richards' hit was ill-timed and unnecessary. It is in the league's best interest to eliminate this type of thing from the game.

The shame of it is that Richards will, of course, be labeled as "just another dirty Flyer" for one bad decision.

Never mind that we saw Scott Stevens do the same thing dozens of times over a two-decade career and he is lauded for it. Every single time he went for an opponent's head should have been a game misconduct and suspension as well.

Maybe the NHL can incorporate the head-shot rule with a rule against hitting a defenseless player, another idea borrowed from the NFL. Together, they are a nasty combination, as David Booth found out.

If someone leveled that kind of hit against a Flyer, I know I would want to see a suspension. I can't go by some double standard when a Flyer is guilty.

I will be shocked if Richards isn't suspended. It's the right call.

To Put It Simply, the Philadelphia Flyers Just Need to Play Better

Kevin Lagowski — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:37:04 -0400

Nothing like a little vacation to let your mind and body rest.

And that's not a good thing for the Flyers.

Fishing trips and team-bonding exercises are all well and good, but everyone on the team doesn't have to be BFFs off the ice to produce favorable results on it.

No, the NHL schedule makers didn't do the Flyers any favors by book-ending Friday night's loss with five-day layoffs on either side, as the Flyers have to sit and watch the Penguins and surprising Rangers fly to the top of the division.

But you have to play the cards you are dealt, and right now the Flyers are folding awfully early.

I'm not putting the season on life support six games in. But there is an urgency to pick up points now, before the games start to come in bunches after the Olympic break later in the season.

You'd think the Flyers would have come out with freshness and vigor for Friday night's Florida game. And it looked that way for a while.

But they were outworked by a below-average team and now have to wait until next Thursday for a crack at a win.

In particular, bigger efforts are needed from Simon Gagne (0 goals, 4 assists) and Scott Hartnell (1 goal, 2 assists) up front, and Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn (combined -8 rating) on the backend.

I say "efforts" instead of "production" because effort doesn't always translate into numbers that can be measured on the stat sheet. You haven't had to watch much of this season to see that these players (and others) are simply not playing as well as they can.

It would be great if the players enjoyed each other's company and had fun during the season.

But nobody should really care about that because, as the saying goes, only one thing counts.

Just win, baby.

Philadelphia Flyers 2009-10 Season Preview

Kevin Lagowski — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:50:56 -0400

After a first round playoff exit last spring, a year of optimism and high expectations now lies ahead for the orange and black.

Since the puck last dropped on Wachovia Center ice, the Flyers have said goodbye to several old faces and will welcome in many new ones. They are widely regarded as a serious contender in the Eastern Conference, and here is how they stack up on the whole:

Offense

The loss of scorers Mike Knuble and Joffrey Lupul will not be felt too harshly because of the Flyers’ great depth and balanced scoring. A (relatively) full season from Danny Briere and strong rookie campaign by James van Riemsdyk would go a long way toward replacing the output of the departed wingers.

Claude Giroux is ready to bust out as a young star after showing flashes of brilliance late last season and during the playoffs.

Simon Gagne, slowed by a groin injury this preseason, might be a question mark for quite a while. The team cannot lose him for an extended period of time like it has before.

Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, now wily veterans, may have to deal with the added burden of representing Canada at the Olympics. Will they have enough gas left in the tank come spring?

Richards will again vie for the Selke Trophy after being robbed of it last season, but he and Carter both need to be better on faceoffs.

The bottom lines will feature several players new to the team, like checking center/tough guy Ian Laperriere, Finnish energy winger Mika Pyorala, and PK specialist Blair Betts (assuming he is offered a contract).

The team should also receive an added offensive boost from the blueline with the addition of Chris Pronger. More on that later.

Forward Projections

Jeff Carter: 41 G, 44 A, 85 P

Mike Richards: 27 G, 51 A, 78 P

Claude Giroux: 21 G, 48 A, 69 P

Simon Gagne: 30 G, 35 A, 65 P

Danny Briere: 27 G, 37 A, 64 P

Scott Hartnell: 26 G, 31 A, 57 P

James van Riemsdyk: 16 G, 22 A, 38 P

Offense Rankings: First in Atlantic Division, third in Eastern Conference, fifth in NHL

Defense

It would have been nice to watch Luca Sbisa develop as a Flyer, but the team simply could not pass up the opportunity to add Chris Pronger to the mix.

Pronger brings veteran leadership, solid puck movement, and flat-out nasty play to the Flyers’ blueline. Acquired specifically to get in the face of Sidney Crosby and other Eastern Conference stars, Pronger will contend for the Norris Trophy.

Whether or not he is paired with Pronger, Kimmo Timonen should improve on last year’s three-goal, 43-point output. And Braydon Coburn should learn a lot from his new teammate as he continues his development.

Matt Carle (all offense) and Ryan Parent (defense only) can both be effective in their one-dimensionality, while Ole-Kristian Tollefson and Danny Syvret are fine as defensemen No. 6 and No. 6A. Randy Jones will not be missed.

Defenseman Projections

Chris Pronger: 13 G, 40 A, 53 P

Kimmo Timonen: 8 G, 39 A, 47 P

Braydon Coburn: 10 G, 28 A, 38 P

Matt Carle: 7 G, 27 A, 34 P

Defense Rankings: First in Atlantic Division, second in Eastern Conference, sixth in NHL

Goaltending

And now we come to what always seems like the biggest question mark about the Flyers. Gone is the extremely average goaltending of Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki, and in comes wild card Ray Emery.

Without question, Emery has the talent to win, as evidenced by his run to the 2006 Stanley Cup final with Ottawa.

But the following season, with the Senators at the beginning of a precipitous decline, his play suffered and he became a distraction with his off-ice antics.

After Emery’s fairly successful year in Russia, nobody knows what to expect from him this season. Because of the team in front of him, he won’t have to stand on his head too much. But he will have to give the Flyers better netminding than they have had since the lockout.

Brian Boucher returns again as the backup, and should be very capable in that role. He will, however, start the season on the injured list, opening a temporary spot for Swedish import Johan Backlund. He could be a total nonfactor or he could be the next Roman Cechmanek. Who knows?

Goaltending Rankings: Fourth in Atlantic Division, eighth in Eastern Conference, 17th in NHL

Final Verdict

The Flyers have “No. 4 seed” written all over them, as they probably won’t be able to beat out Pittsburgh for the Atlantic Division crown. They should crack the century mark in points after finishing with 99 last year.

A deep playoff run is badly needed for a team that seems built to win right now. A likely scenario involves them beating a team like Carolina in the first round and then having to topple a division winner (Penguins?).

It says here that the Flyers are up to that challenge, but, in the end, they will fall to the Capitals in a very tight Eastern Conference Final.

Still, a break here or there and the Flyers could well find themselves hoisting the Cup in June. So let the quest begin.

Good night and good hockey.

A Phillies Postseason Pitching Solution

Kevin Lagowski — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:14:54 -0400

What a difference a year makes.

Last season the Phillies seemed to have suspect starting pitching but were riding an excellent bullpen into the playoffs. Once they got there, the starting pitching stepped up, the "Bridge to Lidge" stayed strong, and there was a parade down Broad Street.

This year, the starters are looking formidable, but the "Bridge to Lidge" has suffered a fate similar to the Bridge on the River Kwai or one of those rickety rope bridges from an Indiana Jones movie.

Chan Ho Park's injury is just the latest in a series of setbacks for the pitching staff, and Charlie Manuel will have to be very careful with how he handles his hurlers for the rest of the regular season so they won't be worn out come playoff time.

Teams can, of course, make roster additions and subtractions after each round of the playoffs, but here's how things should go for at least the division series:

Lead off with Cliff Lee, then pitch Cole Hamels in Game Two. I realize Charlie is fiercely loyal to the guys who have gotten him there before and will probably pitch Hamels first, but it should be Lee.

With the two lefties starting a series, hopefully you can put the other team in an 0-2 hole right away and then not have to worry about who would start a potential Game Five.

Pitch Pedro Martinez in the No. 3 slot. This may be his only year as a Phil, so his 36-year-old arm should be ridden for all its worth. Joe Blanton gets the No. 4 slot, where he excelled during last year's playoffs.

J.A. Happ goes to the bullpen. Nothing personal against him, but his left arm is needed in the bullpen since J.C. Romero is not coming back and Scott Eyre has a bone chip in his elbow and is a huge question mark. This is all assuming that Happ himself is healthy.

And you should be ashamed of yourself if Jack Taschner even crossed your mind.

The other lefthanded arm in the bullpen, Jamie Moyer, can be used for marathon extra inning games or to eat innings after a bad start or rain delay.

That leaves five more bullpen slots.

Clay Condrey, just back from a two month DL stint, should be on the playoff roster if he proves fully healthy down the stretch. He will be taking the place of Chad Durbin and filling the same role that Durbin did last year.

Playing the part of Clay Condrey this year will be Tyler Walker. He has done a lot to help himself over the last month, and the Phillies are more or less forced to rely on him now that Park's health is so iffy.

The final three pitchers are Brett Myers, Ryan Madson, and (yes, still) Brad Lidge. Who pitches the eighth? Who closes? I'm not even going to guess.

The point of the matter is, these guys came up big for the team last year and you have to have some faith in them.

Collectively, their 2009 seasons have been marred by injuries and ineffectiveness. But the Phillies only need to bang out 11 more wins in any way that they possibly can.

So cross your fingers, hope the staff doesn't fall apart any more in the next two weeks, and dream a little dream of October (actually, November) glory.

Eagles Sign Three Other Former Eagle QBs (Humor)

Kevin Lagowski — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:30:53 -0400

The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Monday that they have signed free agent quarterback Jeff Garcia, who had previously played for the Eagles in 2006.

To further shore up their quarterback depth, the Eagles also announced the signings of Doug Pederson, Koy Detmer and Bobby Hoying.

Eagles coach Andy Reid released a statement to the media, singing the praises of each of the three new (old) additions.

"I've known Doug (Pederson) a long time and he's been doing a fine job with quality control for our team. He can really do wonders with a clipboard and I think we can count on him for the rest of the year".

At this point of reading the statement, it is only natural to pause while you picture Reid gruffly clearing his throat.

The statement continued, "We all saw what Koy could do for that one half in 2002 against San Francisco, and I think he's got some of that magic left. And his holding abilities are unmatched in the game today. You can always use a good holder".

The Eagles' signing of Bobby Hoying, currently working at his real estate agency in Ohio, seems the most curious of all. But Reid deftly stepped around any questions.

"Anybody who can win a shootout over Boomer Esiason like he did in 1997 is just fine by me. And now at least people who have bought a #7 Michael Vick jersey can tape over the name and put Hoying back on there for the home opener before Michael is eligible to play. Or they can just dig that old Hoying jersey out of the back of the closet if they want to".

The new additions are all expected to take snaps during the week before Reid and his coaches decide who to activate for Sunday's home opener versus New Orleans.

"The time's yours", Reid concluded.

But with all of these signings, it appears the Eagles have decided that now is also their time.

Eagles vs. Phillies: Whose Town Is It Anyway?

Kevin Lagowski — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:32:01 -0400

These days, the fiercest rivalry in the city of Philadelphia doesn’t involve teams from New York or the city’s Big Five.

Instead, it is an unspoken but painfully obvious competition between the Phillies and the Eagles, who are battling it out for the No. 1 spot in the hearts and minds of Philadelphia’s fans.

This was not even a valid debate until recently. The city had long bled Eagles green and the other teams were relegated to second banana and needed a deep playoff run to get anywhere near the attention the Eagles received on a year-round basis.

But the Phillies were finally successful in breaking the city’s 25-year championship drought last season, endearing themselves to a generation of fans and creating a crisis situation for the Eagles, no longer secure on their perch at the top of the city’s sports landscape.

Jeffrey Lurie, Joe Banner, and company had to be irritated to no end when the upstart Phillies broke through last year after their “gold standard” football franchise has been on the doorstep of a title for a decade but has yet to seal the deal.

You can be sure they hated the idea of their stadium being used for the Phillies parade but were merely afraid of a horrible PR backlash if they didn’t allow it.

Both parties will deny any rivalry and will tell you that they want all teams in the city to succeed. But you shouldn’t believe that for a minute.

Professional sports wouldn’t exist if they didn’t create big money for the parties involved. Not only do you vie for supremacy against teams in your own league, but you are also in direct competition with the other franchises in your market to carve out the biggest piece of the revenue pie as possible.

With the Phillies now selling out nearly every game, it stands to reason that at least some of their new cash influx has come at the expense of the Eagles.

The teams are also perceived very differently in the media, with the Eagles seen as cold and calculating, doing anything they can to try and get as far under the salary cap as possible.

The decision to let Brian Dawkins leave via free agency this offseason did not help matters. And Joe Banner, regarded as some sort of Dick Cheney-like caricature, is derided for being out of touch with the fans.

Many fans think the Eagles should be more like the Phillies, whose management team is considered wise in baseball matters and receptive to the fans. They also seem to keep the right players, bring in ones that fit well, and don’t break the bank in the process.

This was not the consensus a few years ago, but winning has gone a long way toward creating the image.

Based on this, it should really come as no surprise that the Eagles are making personnel decisions in reaction to what the Phillies do.

After the Phils traded for Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and he paid immediate dividends, the Eagles shifted the focus back onto themselves by signing Michael Vick.

Even though the Vick signing seemingly went completely against the image the Eagles have long tried to create, it ensured increased local and national attention and will make them look brilliant if it pans out.

The Eagles realize their window of opportunity has become much smaller. They are employing desperate measures in an attempt to prove they are the city’s top sports franchise.

The Phillies and Eagles are both very successful and healthy, and they can continue to coexist in this fashion for a long time. But they can never be equal in the eyes of the fans. One will always be held in higher esteem than the other at a given time.

At this moment, the Phillies have to be considered the leaders in the clubhouse. But the Eagles are no doubt keenly aware that winning will cure any and all issues.

It may very well take a Super Bowl parade down Broad Street to put them firmly back on top.

Philadelphia Phillies: Phorecasting the Phinal Two Months of the Season

Kevin Lagowski — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:07:51 -0400

Sept. 3

The Phillies lead the Giants 2-1 after three innings when the game goes to a rain delay. Jamie Moyer again comes in to relieve Pedro Martinez, pitching five solid innings. Brad Lidge holds onto the lead by the skin of his teeth as the Phillies prevail 5-4. Charlie Manuel decides to split all of Pedro's starts with Moyer for the rest of the season.

Sept. 6

Cole Hamels is rocked by the Astros, surrendering seven runs on nine hits in just 3.1 innings in a 10-2 Phillies loss. Afterward he complains to the media that he didn't get his full four days' rest since it was an afternoon game.

Sept. 8

In danger of dropping a series opener to the lowly Nationals, the Phillies rally in the ninth inning. The big blow is a home run by Matt Stairs, his first hit in nearly two months. The 10,000 Phillies fans watching in Washington hurl insults at the 500 Nationals fans as Brad Lidge barely hangs on for a 7-6 Phillies win.

Sept. 11

Pitching on four days and five hours of rest, Cole Hamels dominates the Mets in a 5-0 Phillies win that stretches their division lead to a season-high 11 games over both the Marlins and Braves. Paul Bako hits for the cycle.

Sept. 13

Pedro Martinez starts the first game of a doubleheader versus the Mets but has to be relieved by Jamie Moyer after three innings when the game is delayed by hail. Moyer pitches brilliantly again as the Phillies win 7-3. In the second game, Moyer starts and pitches the first six innings, giving way to Pedro, who posts a three-inning save in the 11-4 victory.

Sept. 17

Hosting the Nationals, the Phillies get a scare in the first inning as Chase Utley is hit in the elbow and has to leave the game. Eric Bruntlett replaces him and makes a critical error when he trips over his beard while running to his left to field a ball. The Phillies lose 4-2 but still finish 16-2 against the Nationals in 2009.

Sept. 20

The Phillies leave 22 men on base in a 6-5 loss to the Braves and are swept out of Atlanta. The division lead is now six over Atlanta and seven over Florida.

Sept. 22

The division lead is trimmed even closer as the Phillies drop a pair of games in Florida. The Phillies fall behind early in both games and Jamie Moyer logs 13 total innings of mop-up duty in 8-2 and 12-5 losses.

Sept. 23

The Phillies are swept out of Florida after Brad Lidge blows a save and the Phillies lose 8-5 on a walk-off grand slam by former Phillie-for-a-week Ronny Paulino. The Marlins and Braves are both within four games.

Sept. 27

The Phillies finish off a four-game sweep of the Brewers in crunch time for the second straight year, effectively putting away the division. Ryan Howard hits two home runs in the 9-4 win, capping off a series where he hits six home runs, drives in 14 runs, and steals home twice. People around baseball still think he is overrated.

Sept. 28

The Phillies lose 7-5 to Houston after another blown save by Brad Lidge. Michael Bourn has four hits and steals three bases for the Astros, as a smug Ed Wade tells the media that he really took advantage of the Phillies in that trade last year.

Oct. 1

The Phillies clinch the National League East with an 11-10 win over the Astros. Wanting Lidge to be on the mound for the final out, Charlie Manuel puts him in the game even though the team leads 11-2 entering the ninth inning.

After six hits and three walks, Charlie summons Brett Myers for the final out. He then announces "Brad is still our guy, I just didn't think he had his best stuff today."

Oct. 4

After being kicked around in the first two games of the series with the Marlins following the clinching of the division, the Phillies explode for a 19-0 win on the final day of the regular season.

The shutout is a combined effort by J.A. Happ, Jamie Moyer, Pedro Martinez, Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero, Antonio Bastardo, Tyler Walker, Scott Eyre, Andrew Carpenter, Kyle Kendrick, Rodrigo Lopez, Chan Ho Park, Miguel Cairo, and Steven Register. Ryan Howard reaches the 50 home run plateau and Raul Ibanez reaches the 80 RBI mark after being at 79 since Aug. 24.

Oct. 7

The Phillies begin their National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies, winning 4-2 behind Cliff Lee. Lee throws 110 pitches through eight innings but Charlie decides to stick with him for the ninth after a dozen Phillies fans forcibly restrain Brad Lidge to keep him from warming in the bullpen.

Oct. 10

The Phillies complete a three-game sweep of Colorado with a thrilling 1-0 victory. Brad Lidge faces just three hitters to record the save. He needs an unassisted triple play to end the game again, but it's still just three hitters.

Oct. 15

Jim Thome cranks a three-run home run off Ryan Madson in the bottom of the eighth to lead the Dodgers to a 5-3 win over the Phillies in game one of the NLCS. The Phillies threaten in the ninth, loading the bases with none out, but don't score. Jimmy Rollins pops to short left field on the first pitch of an at-bat to end it, the fourth time in the game he's done so.

Oct. 16

Cole Hamels brings the Phillies even in the series as he cruises to a 7-2 win. Rafael Furcal commits three errors apiece in the second inning and the sixth inning.

Oct. 19

The Dodgers even the series at 2-2 behind Jim Thome, who goes 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in the 8-6 win. Manny Ramirez, 0 for 13 so far in the series, mopes like a child at the end of the bench and won't eat his vegetables at the post-game meal.

Oct. 23

The Phillies close out a 4-2 series win with a 10-1 thumping at Dodger Stadium. Cole Hamels is superb yet again, although he complains about having six days of rest rather than four. Chase Utley is hit in the eye with a flying cork in the clubhouse after the game and is ruled out for the World Series.

Oct. 28

Eric Bruntlett, starting in place of Utley, drives in seven runs to set a World Series single-game record, leading the Phillies to a 9-4 win over the Angels in game one.

Oct. 31

The Phillies take a commanding 3-0 World Series lead with a 6-3 win. Bobby Abreu goes 0-for-4 and drops two fly balls, visibly shaken by the pressure and raucous Citizens Bank Park crowd. Abreu has seemed disinterested all postseason long since he is no longer accumulating fantasy baseball stats.

Nov. 1

Amidst a light drizzle, the Phillies lead 11-1 with two outs in the top of the ninth and an 0-2 count on the batter. As Brad Lidge delivers, Bud Selig sprints from his front row seat and hurls himself in front of the pitch, declaring the game suspended.

In the press conference, he says "We'll stay here till Pearl Harbor Day if we have to. But we're not going to resume until it's 78 and sunny with low humidity and at least a moderate UV index."

Nov. 6

On an unseasonably warm day that reaches 73 degrees, Bud Selig finally relents and lets the game resume. FOX goes on the air at 8:00 pm to start their pregame show. Brad Lidge throws the only pitch of the night at 10:23 pm, a fastball right down the middle that Bobby Abreu takes for the final strike of the World Series. Adam Eaton is seen amidst the post-game celebration for some reason.

Nov. 8

Three million people again jam the streets for a championship parade. After checking the Doppler and seeing a chance of light showers, Bud Selig attempts to stop the parade but is run over by one of the floats, his legs curling up and disappearing underneath the truck in Wizard of Oz fashion.

Phillies 2009 Championship Gloat Tour, Part III: New York

Kevin Lagowski — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:52:49 -0400

The 2009 Gloat Tour makes its final stop in the Big Apple at brand-new Citi Field, the home of the amazing(ly far out of first place) New York Mets.

Taking in a game between fierce rivals such as the Philadelphia Phillies and Mets loses some of its luster when one team is so far ahead in the standings, while the other is forced to field a minor league lineup because of huge injuries. However, it's always fun to stick it to New York, so no mercy will be shown.

After boarding a series of trains and subways to make it to the ballpark, my four traveling companions and I exit the platform and are greeted by the new facade, an homage to Ebbets Field.

As we enter the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, my awesome streak of promotional giveaway item luck continues as we are handed small replicas of Citi Field. I guess I will have to start smoking because it will make a fine ashtray.

We soak in the ballpark. I can see design elements from Citizens Bank Park, Nationals Park, and PNC Park on the concourse. The place seems fairly wide open and pleasing to the eye, but slightly on the generic side. The seating bowl also strikes me as very similar to PNC Park's.

After I devour a Nathan's hot dog and some very good fries, the Phillies come to the plate and immediately put up three runs against Oliver Perez on a colossal Jayson Werth home run to left field following a 15 pitch at-bat.

By the time Ryan Howard flies out for the first out, Perez has already thrown over 30 pitches. Four hitters later, Carlos Ruiz sends another three-run bomb into the seats. It's 6-0 in the top of the first. The many Phillies fans are going wild. This is great.

Pedro Martinez gets a good round of applause from his former home fans as he comes to the plate before taking the mound. Several hundred Mets fans have decided to wear their old Pedro t-shirt jerseys, which is pretty idiotic. Spring for a new shirt, guys.

The count goes to 3-0 on Pedro, and Perez is unceremoniously yanked from the game right then and there. I think he has thrown his last pitch as a Met. Former Phil Nelson Figueroa, a critical piece of the Curt Schilling trade, comes on and gets Pedro to finally end the top of the first.

Things get strange when Angel Pagan leads off the bottom of the inning with an inside-the-park home run that shouldn't have happened. The ball barely sticks below the padding in center field and Shane Victorino throws his hands up to call for a dead ball. But the umpires, seemingly out to get the Phillies however they can this year, let Pagan circle the bases.

Pedro doesn't have his best stuff, but he has an 8-2 lead going into the bottom of the third before he serves up a more traditional home run to Pagan. The Mets tack on another run to make it 8-4.

An incredibly annoying, drunken, and red-faced (from booze and the beating sun) Phillies fan behind me continues to yell "Pedro!" and other inane things, but he thankfully passes out for a few minutes and then stumbles out of our section, never to be seen again.

Pedro exits with the 8-4 lead after six innings. Chad Durbin comes on and gives up one run in the seventh to bring it to 8-5.

Matt Stairs then puts on a clinic in the top of the eighth. After he walks, he advances to second on a wild pitch, moves to third on a groundout, and scores on another wild pitch. It's 9-5 and we're all very comfortable. Mets fans have hardly made a peep.

Ryan Madson makes it a lot more interesting in the bottom of the inning by allowing a run and making it a save situation. Brad Lidge time.

Charlie Manuel is ejected in the middle of the ninth inning for arguing after the umpires again give the Phillies the short end of the stick. I think he did it just so he didn't have to see Brad Lidge.

The inning begins, and it's a nightmare. Back-to-back errors on Ryan Howard and Eric Bruntlett bring across a run to make it 9-7. Daniel Murphy singles to put men at first and second with still no outs and Jeff Francoeur coming to the plate.

Citi Field is getting loud. The Mets fans haven't had much to cheer about this year, but they are hoping their team can play spoiler. Lidge looks headed toward another blown save, even though this one is not his fault.

You won't believe me, but at this point, a thought goes through my head—the thought of an unassisted triple play. I can remember watching as a kid when Mickey Morandini turned one. I usually talk too much, but this time the thought does not pass to my mouth, and I don't say anything.

Francoeur works the count to 2-2. Lidge delivers and the runners take off. I will remember the next part for the rest of my life.

Bruntlett moves toward second base to cover, only to find a line drive coming directly at him. In one motion, he catches the ball and steps on second base. Murphy, the runner from first, tries in vain to elude him but can't.

It was an unassisted triple play to end the game—the most ridiculous, miraculous, unbelievable ending to a baseball game that I have ever seen in person.

I will probably forget the final score was Phillies 9, Mets 7, but I will never forget how my first trip to Citi Field ended.

So now, for the rest of my life, every time I walk through the gates of Citi Field, this day will be frozen in my mind—the World Champion Phillies finding a way to deal the already downtrodden Mets and their fans a thoroughly demoralizing loss.

I think I may just have a smile on my face every time I lay eyes on that ballpark over the next couple of decades.

As for the quality of the park itself, I would rate Citi Field higher than Nationals Park. But it's still no Citizens Bank Park. Maybe it was hard to be objective given the team that plays there.

It's a decent park and certainly worth a trip for the serious baseball fan, although be careful not to sit in one of the many sections where your view will be badly obstructed.

The Gloat Tour is over. What a success. Three trips into enemy territory with a sparkling 4-0 record.

I hope to write about, and I hope that you will join me for, the 2010 Championship Gloat Tour.

Let's all keep our hopes high for the rest of 2009.

Brett Favre Re-Retires During Introductory Press Conference (Humor)

Kevin Lagowski — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:04:35 -0400

Brett Favre was introduced to the media as the newest Minnesota Viking on Tuesday after signing a two-year, $25 million deal.

He then immediately retired again.

A tearful Favre kept his emotions largely in check during the announcement, but did break down one time when acknowledging the Vikings’ organization.

“I just want to say, from the bottom of my heart, how grateful I am for my teammates, my coaches, and all the fans here in Minnesota that supported me as a Viking. I will never forget what you did for me."

Favre’s comments were consistent with those he had made earlier in the press conference when he spoke about how excited he was to be playing for the Vikings and be cheered on by their fans.

He also made a special mention of John Madden and thanked him for his endless support over the years. "John, I will miss hearing you call the games as much as you’ll miss seeing me play." He then added, "Ok, I won’t miss you as much as you miss me, but still."

When asked about his latest retirement, Favre reiterated that his decision was final.

"My body is telling me, I think it’s time. I don’t want to be another athlete who just hangs on too long. I don’t want to embarrass myself out there."

Favre was then asked again about his decision, to which he replied, "Yes, this is it. This is so difficult, but I’m doing what I feel is right."

Favre was then asked the same question again, responding in an irritated fashion, "Yes I’m retiring, why do I have to keep repeating that? Don’t you believe me?"

Favre was then asked the same question approximately a dozen more times before the press was cut off from asking any more questions.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf then pronounced that no Viking would ever again wear the No. 4 jersey that had been presented to Favre eight minutes before.

It was at this point that Favre finally broke down, the emotion of minutes as a Viking clearly overwhelming him. Everyone in attendance, following the unwritten rule that everyone in the media must love Favre, gave a standing ovation.

"What an honor," he stammered, choking back tears. "I’m just so lucky to have been a part of this team. I’m lucky just to have played professional football, the game I love, for so long. I will miss it so much."

Favre is expected to come back with another team later this week.

Phillies 2009 Championship Gloat Tour, Part II: Chicago

Kevin Lagowski — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:29:29 -0400

After a rainy but successful stop in our nation’s capital a few months back, the gloat tour rolls on as I follow the Phillies to Chicago for the first two games of a three-game set against the Cubs.

Wrigley is, for a true baseball fan, a near religious experience. I have been fortunate enough to make the trek a few times, but this time my girlfriend Rachael (who is not a Phillies fan and actually likes the Braves) accompanies me on my trip to Chicago.

We have other plans for the week, but no trip to Chicago is complete without a visit or two to Wrigley Field.

We arrive plenty early on Tuesday so that Rachael can soak in the atmosphere outside the stadium and in the nearby neighborhood. We receive the pleasant surprise that it’s Ryne Sandberg bobblehead night. The Phillies might have foolishly traded him away 25 years ago, but I’m bringing him home!

We witness most of batting practice and see Pedro Martinez warming up with his new teammates for the first time, preparing for his first start as a Phillie the following night. I thought it was going to be Cliff Lee originally, but there is definite intrigue to being there for Pedro’s first start.

Tonight though, it’s J.A. Happ vs. Rich Harden. And we are seated in the very last row of the upper deck. Thanks, Stub Hub.

The seats are not bad, but please heed this warning: If you ever sit in the last row at Wrigley, even in August, bring a sweatshirt or jacket or something. Because of the wind, it is easily 20 degrees colder up there than it is in the rest of the stadium. A t-shirt and shorts don’t cut it.

It’s obvious very early that Happ doesn’t have his best stuff. Harden, meanwhile, is dealing. He has been a disappointment for my fantasy team all year of course, but now he’s pitching what looks like the game of his life against the Phillies.

The Phillies are down 2-0 after five innings and don’t have a baserunner yet. The perfect game watch is on. Carlos Ruiz ends that with a one-out walk and Rollins thwarts the no-hitter bid with a home run to tie the game. Finally, something to cheer about.

Happ ends up hanging in there for six innings to keep it 2-2. Gary “Sarge” Matthews regales the Cub crowd with “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”, then Chan Ho Park hurls a scoreless seventh.

In the top of the eighth, the Phillies manage a run on no hits as Carlos Marmol walks three and plunks another. He is booed mercilessly by the Wrigley faithful as he exits.

The Phils cling to the 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth after an obviously foul ball by Carlos Ruiz is ruled a home run and then overturned on instant replay. The umpires must have read this article I wrote a few weeks ago.

Anyway, Brad Lidge time. Last year, this was automatic. But this season it is very different. The Cubs fan next to me asks if his ERA is really 7.20. I confirm it and try to make excuses for Lidge while trying to think positive.

Lidge takes about three minutes to blow the save. 3-3. Extra innings. We get to freeze some more.

We get to the 12th and the Phillies still have just two hits. Something inside me makes me turn to Rachael, who is completely chapped by the wind, and say “The Phillies are going to win it for you this inning”.

Of course, she doesn’t care who wins. She just wants to get out of the cold. But just then, Ben Francisco leads off the inning with a home run to stake the Phils to a 4-3 lead. I see Chad Durbin, just off the DL, warming up. If he is going to blow this lead, he might as well lose it. I don’t want to be here all night.

Durbin allows a one-out walk, but gets the next two hitters. Phils win. Cubs lose. No stupid Cubs victory song. The blue flag with the white “L” flies high atop Wrigley. All the freezing is worth it.

But our Wrigley journey is only halfway over. We return the next night to see Pedro in his first start of the year. His opponent is Jeff Samardzija, making his first career start for the Cubs.

No bobblehead tonight, but they do hand out t-shirts. Our seats are thankfully in the lower level and we do not suffer frostbite. There seem to be a couple more Phillies fans than the previous night, but still none close enough for me to high five after a home run or anything.

Rachael plays along but that’s just because she’s a good sport and a good girlfriend rather than being an actual Phils fan.

The Phillies jump all over Samardzija immediately, with Victorino, Utley, and Howard lining three straight extra-base hits into the right field corner. I already hear murmurs in the crowd about this being Samardzija’s last start.

Lucky for the Cubs, the Phils only lead 2-0 after the top of the first. Chicago gets a run back in the second, but Victorino nearly puts one out onto Sheffield in the top of the third to give the Phils a 4-1 lead.

The next inning, the wheels completely come off for the Cubs as the Phillies pound out eight runs on eight hits, including home runs by Rollins and Ibanez. Werth and Feliz have two hits in the inning, and Pedro Martinez actually makes two of the outs.

It’s 12-1. And from this point on, it’s no contest. The Cubs peck here and there, but by the end they still lose embarrassingly, 12-5. Even more embarrassing is the behavior by one fan who dumps a beer on Shane Victorino as he catches a fly ball.

If this happened in Philadelphia, ESPN and the rest of the media would shove it down our throats for forty years like snowballs being thrown at Santa Claus. But I doubt you will hear much of anything about it since it happened in Chicago and the Cubs are such lovable losers.

If you haven’t ever been to Chicago, you are missing out on a great city. And please see a game at Wrigley if you never have. I would put it right behind Cooperstown on the list of places that every baseball fan should visit.

The two wins I witness bring my all-time Phils record at Wrigley to 3-3. And it’s likely to stay that way for a while because I have a couple other places I would like to go before I venture back there.

Seeing those games reminds me of how great it is to be a Phillies fan right now. I did not have that sense of automatic dread that my team was going to lose.

Instead, they gutted out a 12-inning win that they should have lost, and then dominated with an offensive explosion. Our time is here and it feels so good.

The games taught me something else: Being a Cubs fan is and has always been pure hell.

10 Reasons to Hate Fantasy Football

Kevin Lagowski — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:53:13 -0400

Football is the most popular sport in the country, so it should come as no surprise that it dominates the fantasy landscape as well. The roster size is usually small and very manageable, you don't need to check your team every single day, and you get to go one-on-one against your buddies for bragging rights. But the reality is, very few actually succeed at fantasy football. Some will get lucky along the way, but many more will fail over and over again as they try to master this maddening art. In an effort to save you some time by getting you down from the fantasy football bandwagon, here are ten reminders of why you should just give it up.

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NHL Is Wrong to Investigate Flyers Over Pronger Contract

Kevin Lagowski — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:50:49 -0400

The Flyers and the NHL are at odds again. Surprise.

News broke a few days ago that the league plans to launch an investigation into the contract that Chris Pronger signed with the team last month, one that was heavily front-loaded and will pay him veritable peanuts in the final two years of the seven-year deal.

The Blackhawks have come under similar scrutiny for their signing of Marian Hossa.

Both cases are clear examples of teams getting creative to bring in high-level talent but still remain under the salary cap in coming seasons.

Take a look at Pronger’s salary for the next seven seasons: $7.6 million, $7.6 million, $7.2 million, $7 million, $4 million, $525,000, $525,000. That makes a grand total of $34.45 million for an average annual cap hit of about $4.92 million.

Because of creative maneuvering around the league’s hard salary cap, the Flyers were able to have a $7 million player for about $5 million per year. Of course it becomes painfully obvious looking at the numbers that Pronger will not play the final two years of the contract. But the deal was registered by the NHL, which has no right to backpedal and cry foul.

Yet here they are threatening the Flyers and Blackhawks with fines and loss of draft picks if they determine the contracts to Pronger and Hossa were not within the spirit of the collective bargaining agreement.

There is no question that the contracts are legal, but the league thinks it has some moral high ground and that the teams in question and the NHLPA are taking advantage of a loophole.

Apparently only teams like the Red Wings, with their recent long-term signings of Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, are allowed to give out these kinds of contracts.

And something tells me that any team with Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin on it would get the same leniency.

Yes, common sense says that deals like Pronger’s are set up so that the player can get the lion’s share of his money in a shorter time period than the total contract. But that doesn’t mean Gary Bettman and company should take a page out of the Joe McCarthy playbook and start a witch hunt over it.

Bettman himself has remarked before that navigating the salary cap is now a major part of succeeding in the NHL and that general managers must be skillful in this area. Isn’t Pronger’s contract a prime example of this? And who exactly is the contract hurting to have caused such an uproar?

The league should instead focus its efforts on promoting the image of the game and cleaning up the messes it has made in places like Phoenix.

I understand the NHL’s fear of things spiraling out of control again, the potential for more labor unrest, and the doomsday scenario of another lost season or two.

But front-loaded contracts are not the right issue to take teams to task for. This is a not a forerunner of teams running themselves into the ground financially.

The NHL just needs to calm down and let healthy, important franchises like the Flyers make decisions without worrying about league interference.

The All-Decade Team of Philadelphia Sports Bums

Kevin Lagowski — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:59:18 -0400

Philadelphia has seen its share of star players over the years. In this past decade alone, we have been introduced to a new crop that contains the likes of Chase Utley, Brian Westbrook, Mike Richards and others. But equally as memorable as the great players are some of the ones that we would most like to forget, the bums. And Lord knows we have seen our fair share of them as well. Being a bum is not determined by simple poor performance. Yes, that has something to do with it, but bums go the extra mile. Bums are often players with high expectations attached to them but who don’t seem to put in the effort to make themselves into true standout players. They whine and complain, picking fights with teammates, coaches, the media and fans. Bums are also frequently injured and never seem to heal as quickly as other players do. And they do this all while typically being grossly overpaid, wasting a team’s financial resources and the precious time of its fans. Mike Mamula (pictured) was thankfully absent from this decade, but some of the players we had were just as dreadful. As this decade prepares to come to a close just a few months from now, here, in no particular order of ranking, is Philadelphia all-bum team for the 2000’s.

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Chris Pronger: Philadelphia's Next Great "Final Piece"?

Kevin Lagowski — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:18:16 -0400

History does indeed repeat itself. Sometimes it just takes a couple decades to get around to it.

With Chris Pronger now patrolling the Flyers’ blueline and dreams of Stanley Cup glory dancing in fans’ heads, the situation is reminiscent of yesteryear, when both the Phillies and 76ers acquired that “final piece” to push them over the top.

For the Phillies, it was Pete Rose. Brought in before the 1979 season, Charlie Hustle sparked the Phils to their first ever World Series win in his second year with the club.

For the Sixers, superstar Moses Malone was the driving force behind the team’s title in 1983, his first year in Philadelphia.

And now, it is Pronger who looks to join the fraternity of “perennial all-star, Hall of Fame-bound players who finally get a Philadelphia team over the hump and to a championship”.

Yes, I know Rose isn’t technically in the Hall, but you know what I mean.

It won’t be easy. The last man to fit the profile, Terrell Owens, couldn’t do it. But Pronger is working with what appears to be a bigger window of opportunity than Rose and Malone were since the Flyers are still a fairly young team.

When Pete Rose came to the Phillies, the team had a reputation for falling short when it mattered the most, having lost in the NLCS three straight seasons.

Things were even worse for the Sixers before Malone came on the scene. The team had endured three NBA Finals losses and two conference finals losses in the previous six years.

It would be a reach to say that these situations are the same as Pronger’s. The Flyers only have one conference finals appearance to show for their efforts in the four seasons since the NHL returned from its yearlong lockout.

But parallels can be drawn.

Rose was two years removed from his second World Series championship when he signed with the Phillies, while Pronger is now two years removed from his Stanley Cup title with Anaheim in 2007.

Rose came to the Phillies with 16 years of major league experience under his belt, while Pronger has played 15 seasons in the NHL.

In terms of individual accolades, Pronger, Rose, and Malone all won MVP awards before they landed in Philadelphia, although Malone had won two fairly recently when compared to Rose and Pronger.

Pronger and Malone were also five-time all-stars at the time of their trades to Philadelphia, while free agent signing Rose had received the honor 12 times.

Of the three, Malone was by far the youngest and is the only one of these three who could claim to still be one of the very best players in the league at the time he landed in Philadelphia.

But by the same token, he was the only one out of these three who was without a title when he came to town.

While Malone learned a thing or two about winning while he was in Philadelphia, the influence he had over future Hall of Famer Julius Erving and a cast of other very good players was undeniable. Rose was similar in finally getting Schmidt, Carlton and company to the promised land.

Pronger is not as fortunate to have any established superstars to work with, although Mike Richards and Jeff Carter have set down that path and could get there sometime soon. Perhaps even young Claude Giroux or someone else entirely can surprise us.

There is no question that Pronger has the biggest challenge ahead of him and needs to lead by example off the ice as much as on it. But that’s just the life of being a consistent winner and leader on a young team in need of those things.

If Pronger can take the Flyers to the Stanley Cup during his tenure in town, he will be lauded and celebrated as a hero for years.

But if he fails to deliver, he will probably be looked upon as just another player past his prime that a Philadelphia team gambled on and lost.

It may be completely unfair, but that’s how it goes in a town like this. Especially when you’re supposed to be the final piece of the puzzle.

Should the Phillies Bet the Farm on Roy Halladay?

Kevin Lagowski — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:46:53 -0400

With the Philadelphia area positively abuzz over the last few days about the prospect of the Phillies trading for Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay, the usual questions have sprung up countless times about what players the Phillies would need to part ways with to complete a deal.

Ultimately, the question becomes whether or not you should potentially mortgage the future to give yourself a much better chance to win right now.

The Phillies have a number of palatable prospects in the system, like pitchers Kyle Drabek and Carlos Carrasco, outfielders Michael Taylor and Dominic Brown, catcher Lou Marson, and infielder Jason Donald, to name a few.

Would it be worth trading some or possibly (but hopefully not) all of these potential solid major leaguers for Halladay?

There is also a strong possibility that the Phillies would have to part with J.A. Happ, just about the only player on the big league roster who fits the mold of being good, young, and cheap that a team would love to have as part of a trade.

I don’t know what the final trade scenario would be, but I do know that the Phillies should do everything in their power to complete a trade for Halladay.

If they could bring him in without losing a significant piece of the major league roster, they would have the best one-two punch in baseball at the top of their rotation.

Imagine Halladay and Cole Hamels starting four games in a best-of-seven series. How could you not love your chances? And with Halladay only being 32, you could get several more seasons of dominance out of him.

A trade for Halladay would instantly make the Phillies the favorites in the National League once again. With teams like the Cardinals and Dodgers playing much better this year than last, they will need the extra help come playoff time.

Many will argue against such a trade, worrying about the future of any player the Phillies would include in a trade for Halladay. Could they become All-Stars or even Hall of Famers?

If we all get to witness another parade or two down Broad Street in the near future, who cares?

It would be truly exciting to see a team make the big move to stay at the zenith of its sport rather than be content to revel in a recent title and play with house money for a while.

If, however, the trade is made but turns into a disaster for the Phillies, I, for one, would not fault them for at least making the effort. No one should.

The hunger of the team and the fans for another World Series is there. We shouldn’t be satisfied just to be competitive and in the mix every season.

We already have a team like that in Philadelphia. They’re called the Eagles.

If Halladay were to change addresses this season, he would be the highest impact player to be moved prior to the trading deadline—and the Phillies may be the only team with the budget and the assets to trade for him.

Not only would they be vastly improving their own pitching staff, but they also would be preventing a team like the Mets or any other National League contender from getting their hands on a Cy Young winner.

Use any cliché you want: striking while the iron is hot; emptying the chamber; going all in.

However you say it, just get Halladay in a Phillies uniform soon.

NHL Free Agency: Gazing into the Crystal Ball

Kevin Lagowski — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:17:42 -0400

With mere days until the opening of unrestricted free agency in the NHL, a number of big names are set to change addresses. And what a group it is. There’s something for everyone: high-scoring forwards, puck-moving defensemen, even twins. With an eye towards salary cap constraints and team needs, here are the most likely destinations for some of the most prominent free agents.

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Mike Richards Got Robbed of the Selke Trophy

Kevin Lagowski — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:43:28 -0400

It was hard enough for the Flyers to fall to the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs and then watch their rivals eventually skate off with the Stanley Cup.

With that all over with, the least they were hoping for was one of their players coming away with some NHLhardware for the first time since Eric Lindros won the Hart Trophy in 1995.

But those hopes were dashed on Thursday night when deserving Selke Trophy nominee Mike Richards lost out to the new repeat winner of the award, Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk also came away with the Lady Byng Trophy (i.e. high scorer who racks up the fewest penalty minutes) for the fourth straight year.

Datsyuk’s all-around prowess cannot be doubted, but the argument can be made that he is not even the most defensively solid forward on his team. With Richards, however, there is no debate.

During the regular season, Richards clocked in at an average time on ice of 21:44 per game, placing him fifth among forwards and easily first on the Flyers. Datsyuk played an average of just 19:12, 46th among forwards. Clearly, Richards was counted on more heavily by the Flyers than Datsyuk was by the Red Wings.

The disparity between the ice times of Richards and Datsyuk can be largely explained by the amount they played while their team was shorthanded, something you would think would go a long way towards determining the winner of an award for best defensive forward.

Richards played an average of 3:12 every game in shorthanded situations, dwarfing Datsyuk’s average of 1:36, a number that placed outside of the top 150 forwards and trailed four of his own Red Wing teammates.

Shorthanded minutes are hard minutes. And by playing a minute and a half longer in these situations every game than Datsyuk did, Richards ended up accumulating two more full games’ worth of important ice time by the end of the season than Datsyuk.

The end result was a Flyers penalty kill that ranked sixth in efficiency and also easily led the league with 16 shorthanded goals. The Red Wings ranked a lousy 25th by year’s end, even with the supposedly award-worthy defensive ability of Datsyuk.

Of those 16 shorthanded goals scored by the Flyers, Richards netted a league-leading seven of them. Even in defensive situations he could make his presence felt and prove that he was an all-around threat. Datsyuk, meanwhile, had one shorthanded goal on the year.

Richards also blocked 90 shots, tying Chris Drury for the league lead among forwards. You have to scroll out of the top 100 to find Datsyuk.

Datsyuk did manage to finish second among forwards with 89 takeaways. But there was Richards right behind him, in third place with 83.

Datsyuk does hold an edge in faceoff ability, the one area where Richards needs to improve. But Richards did take 500 more draws than Datsyuk this year, so perhaps he can become better if the workload is cut down.

Yes, you cannot base the presentation of an award on statistics alone. But I find it hard to believe that Pavel Datsyuk had as much of an all-around impact on every game he played as Mike Richards did this past season.

Sadly, this seems like yet another case of reputation winning out over merit. This year’s mistake cannot be corrected, but Richards’ day is coming. The league is now aware of him. And maybe someday he will be where Datsyuk is now.

MLB Umpires Must Use and Trust Instant Replay

Kevin Lagowski — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:05:20 -0400

There has been much chatter in Philadelphia over the last few days regarding first base umpire Jim Joyce’s decision not to turn to instant replay for a near-home run by pinch hitter Greg Dobbs during Friday night’s Phillies-Red Sox game.

The towering fly ball was ruled foul, even though it was difficult to tell after several replays if it went directly over the right field foul pole when it left the playing field. Regardless of whether or not the correct call was made, Joyce was utterly wrong in his refusal to use instant replay.

If there was ever a textbook situation of when to use instant replay, it was on Friday night. This was not the fourth inning of a September game between two last place teams, it was the bottom of the eleventh between the best team in the American League and the World Series champions.

The entire outcome of the game hinged on the call. For Joyce and the rest of the umpiring crew to not use the technology at their disposal is nothing short of an embarrassment.

Joyce was quoted afterwards as saying, “I was very confident the ball was foul. I’ll be very honest with you. I thought about it after the call. But I was very confident that ball was foul”.

Joyce should dust off his thesaurus if he thinks he can still call himself confident, even when he admits he had second thoughts. This whole event is simply indicative of someone putting their personal pride above the game itself.

I can see the staunch traditionalists and umpire apologists out there applauding Joyce and the crew’s decision to stick with the call on the field. However, whether we like it or not, instant replay is now part of the rules of the game.

MLB umpires generally do a fine job. They are not commended enough for the large majority of calls they make correctly, yet are often under great scrutiny for the calls they do miss.

However, there was no excuse for the stubbornness that was shown on Friday night or might be shown at any point in the future when the old guard refuses to accept the new rules and technology that are now part of the game.

If instant replay were used on Friday night and found to be inconclusive, then the call on the field should stand. It happens in the NFL all the time. It would have only taken a minute and would have avoided the large backlash against Joyce’s crew.

I don’t believe we should advocate any kind of challenge system, but if the umpires don’t start wising up and cut down on the arrogance, we might have to. Instant replay is in the rulebook, Jim Joyce and company need to use it.

Ray Emery is a Worthwhile Risk for the Philadelphia Flyers

Kevin Lagowski — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:24:57 -0400

If all of the indications are correct, the Flyers will be adding Ray Emery to their organization in the very near future. There has already been a fair amount of head scratching, but considering the position the Flyers find themselves in, adding Emery is a worthwhile move.

Jammed up against the salary cap, the Flyers cannot afford to give Martin Biron more than his $3.5 million salary of last season. Nor should they want to, as Biron has proven to be mediocre. Bringing him back would likely be settling for another first round exit.

Biron and fellow unrestricted netminder Antero Niittymaki have shown they are capable of getting a team to the playoffs. But the Philadelphia Flyers organization and its fans are not happy just to make the playoffs. With a talented young core, this team is ready to win now.

Unfortunately, the Flyers are not left with many attractive options in free agency, as Nikolai Khabibulin, Craig Anderson and Scott Clemmensen are the cream of the underwhelming crop.

A trade for a top netminder would cost them an arm and a leg and still might not fit under the cap. And with No. 1 goaltenders so few and far between, it would seem unlikely that a team would be willing to pull the trigger on such a deal anyway.

Speculation about Ray Emery started a few weeks ago and now seems on the verge of fruition. But while most don’t seem very keen on the idea, this is a move that makes sense and is a potential high-reward scenario for the Flyers.

Emery obviously has the talent. Just two years ago, Emery helped lead the Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup Final. Two years ago. Not five years or ten years. He also posted stellar numbers this past year in Russia’s KHL.

This is not a formerly prominent goalie on the downswing of his career. Emery is still just 26 years old and trying desperately to capitalize on his full potential, a potential that has been damaged by erratic behavior and problems with his attitude.

Though his brief stint in Russia was not completely incident-free, the Flyers feel that Emery is committed enough to reign in his behavior and focus on team success beyond his own individual achievements.

The fact that he was willing to play in Russia shows that Emery is serious about the NHL. I’m not suggesting we nominate him for sainthood, as he did earn a good deal of money, but he ventured far from his comfort zone to prove that he was deserving of another chance at the big time. Give him credit for that at least.

Emery would not be a salary cap killer either because of the label that is attached to him. He can be had at a reasonable enough price, one that would look like a downright bargain if he were to play to his capability.

He would be a big question mark for a team entering a season with the kind of expectations and pressure the Flyers face. But they will have to roll the dice because playing it safe won’t get them very far.

Maybe Emery will get things straightened out. Maybe he won't. It's a fairly big risk, but one that could pay off in a large way for the Flyers.

Brad Lidge: Phillies' Once Mr. Perfect Faltering in 2009

Kevin Lagowski — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:17:04 -0400

What happened?

Mere months after providing a final flourish to a World Series victory and capping off a fantastic year for himself, Phillies closer Brad Lidge is enduring a miserable 2009 thus far.

After blowing saves on consecutive days at Yankee Stadium this past weekend, the rumblings and speculation about Lidge’s immediate future are spreading like wildfire.

But before everyone goes off the deep end, things have to be put into perspective. Phillies fans were so spoiled by Lidge’s perfection of a year ago that he is now held to a different standard.

Going into this season, the thought of him blowing a save seemed unimaginable. That kind of thing is reserved for the Jose Mesas and Jeff Brantleys of the world. And Billy Wagner.

But four blown saves later, Lidge’s bloated 9.15 ERA has now become great cause for concern. How could a man who went 41-for-41 during the 2008 regular season be so shaky this year?

First, while Lidge was very good in his first season as a Phil, he was quite fortunate to have gone the entire season without blowing an opportunity. He posted a sparkling 1.95 ERA, but fellow closers Joe Nathan, Mariano Rivera, and Joakim Soria all bettered him in that department while failing a combined ten times.

Lidge also sported a much higher WHIP than any of those three, as well as other closers like Jonathan Papelbon, Bobby Jenks, and Trevor Hoffman.

Lidge’s season, while very good statistically, was quite the anomaly. On four different occasions where he entered games with a two-run lead, he surrendered a run before closing out the game.

But of the 19 times he came into a game with a one-run lead, he tossed a shutout frame every time. You can perhaps make the case that he bears down more with just a one-run lead, but shouldn’t he take the same approach every time he enters a game?

There were also six different times where he walked at least two batters in a save opportunity but still closed out the game successfully. And, he managed to allow just two home runs in 69.1 regular season innings after entering 2008 with a career ratio of one home run allowed every 10.2 innings.

All of these numbers point to Lidge being far from infallible, even after 2008. He simply had a career year thanks to his natural ability, a good defense behind him, and a few lucky bounces here and there.

Unfortunately, momentum does not carry from season to season. We all had to realize his streak would end at some point. When it finally did, there was almost a sense of relief. No more built up pressure. Lidge could go back to being dominant.

Instead, it hasn’t happened that way. He has been eminently hittable and lacking the kind of control we all know he possesses. Opponents also find it very easy to run on him, which forces Lidge to press for a strikeout, often with bad results for the Phillies.

One almost hopes that Lidge’s knee or some other physical malady is chiefly responsible for his struggles this season. There is simply no other explanation for how someone can go from dominant to pedestrian in such a short time frame.

Lidge himself will never use injury as an excuse, but the team may be forced to shut him down for a period of time in the very near future. Luckily, the Phillies have an ace up their sleeve as JC Romero will return from his 50-game suspension next week.

In the meantime, I suggest that Ryan Madson be given ninth inning duties right now. Lidge can either trade roles with him or be used in whatever capacity Charlie Manuel sees fit.

Once Romero returns, Lidge can then move back into the closer role and the Phillies will be able to work their bullpen like they did so successfully last year: with Romero being used in the seventh inning or situationally against lefthanders, then turning it over to Madson and Lidge.

If results do not improve in a week or two, and Lidge continues to falter, then he will need to be shelved so that he can work on his mechanics, rest his body, or whatever the case may be.

The Phillies would not have won the World Series without Lidge’s brilliance last season. And, they surely will not return to October glory unless he delivers a second act of almost equal greatness.

Phillies 2009 Championship Gloat Tour, Part I: Washington, DC

Kevin Lagowski — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:00:40 -0400

This is the first in a multi-part series this baseball season where I take my fan act on the road to cheer on the World Champions. My first road stop of the year was in our nation's capital for the second game of a doubleheader on May 16 between the Phillies and Nationals.

I had already trekked down to Nationals Park once before, last year during its inaugural season. It looks like a few things have been added, but I still have the same overall view of it: a nice place to watch a game, but very ordinary, almost like a minor league park.

Of course, the caliber of baseball being played by the home team serves to enhance the feeling that you are watching minor leaguers.

Along with two friends, I signed up for a bus trip through a Phillies fan website. After leaving Citizens Bank Park an hour and a half later than we were originally told, we pull into DC shortly after 5 pm.

There is a brief tailgate and then some fairly heavy rain as we walk to the park. Upon entering, I notice three new statues that have been added this year. They look like they belong in a Body Worlds exhibit. Ghastly.

The rain subsides and the tarp comes up. Everything is right on schedule. Looking around, I observe that the busloads of Phillies fans have completely overwhelmed the home crowd. There is easily a 2 to 1 ratio of Phillies fans to Nationals fans, and the crowd is far less than the announced attendance of 23,896.

The national anthem singer is a guy named DC Washington, which I find funny. Andrew Carpenter, making his first career start for the Phillies, is extremely shaky in the first inning and lucky to get out of it allowing only one run.

In the third, the Phillies offense gets going. After a Chase Utley RBI double ties the game, Ryan Howard's mammoth three-run home run sends the road crowd into a frenzy. Phillies fans are making a lot of noise, particularly our sections in left field that are completely filled.

Washington gets a run back in the fourth as I take an opportunity to stroll around and get something to eat. Again, nothing about the building really strikes you. Apparently, there's some things to do in the industrial-looking edifice attached to the stadium in left and center fields, but I don't go in there.

I come back for the fifth inning and witness Raul Ibanez hit his third home run of the day, padding the Phillies lead to four runs. A bases loaded walk extends the lead to 7-2. Things look good.

Carpenter comes out for the fifth inning and promptly works his way into a jam. Clay Condrey relieves him and allows a triple to cut the lead to 7-5. But he saves the day by striking out the next two hitters.

The game is moving extremely slowly, well over two hours old with only five innings in the book. My friend comments to me that it has actually turned out to be a nice night. Then Ron Villone takes the mound for Washington.

In what might be the slowest display of pitching I have ever seen, Villone takes what seems like 20 minutes to issue two walks and give up a single. Ryan Howard steps to the plate.

I feel a single raindrop. Within 90 seconds, we are scurrying for cover in a torrential downpour. In my mind, Ron Villone has caused this delay himself.

Not only are the Nationals bad, but so is their grounds crew, which loses control of the tarp and is unable to pull it over the infield until it has turned to mud.

There seems to be little possibility of the game resuming, but still we wait. A young girl, I'm sure with one of the Phillies bus trips, runs onto the field and slides across the tarp.

Her backside is mostly exposed as a security guard pulls her to her feet and ushers her off to jail. Another overexcited (probably drunk) Phillies fan runs onto the field and slides on the tarp 15 minutes later.

A few minutes after that, two more Phillies fans, one male and one female, run out at the same time. The male does a feet first slide into the home plate area, spraying a security guard. Four arrests is the final tally, at least from what I see.

We wait for over an hour and the game is still not officially called off, but we head back to the bus. The bus is nearly full so we are not able to all sit together.

I sit next to one of our group leaders, who does not look like he is doing very well. As we sit in awful DC traffic, he complains of motion sickness, with an assist from numerous beers I'm sure. He grabs a plastic bag and very quietly throws up into it.

The bus trip lasts for almost three more hours after that and we finally get back to Philadelphia just before 2 am. It takes me another 45 minutes to get home after dropping off my friend.

Chalk up another win for the World Champions, as the game was called off shortly after we left. A successful and enjoyable trip even with the adverse weather. And it's always fun to see your team play on the road, especially when it feels like a home game.

Phillies Are Fortunate to Be at .500

Kevin Lagowski — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:55:29 -0400

Lest you think that the Philadelphia sports scene is all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows these days, let me point out a sobering truth. The Phillies have not played well at all this season.

In fact, I find it just short of amazing that they are even at .500 through 32 games, roughly 20 percent of the season.

The vaunted lineup has been wildly inconsistent and actually ranks 24th in baseball in batting average, sandwiched between the light-hitting Giants and Mariners.

They still rank sixth in home runs and 11th in runs scored, indicating they can be explosive at times. But this also shows that they have been unable to string hits together, move runners, and succeed with men in scoring position.

Despite all of the talent throughout the lineup, everyone knows that Jimmy Rollins is the catalyst for everything. His pathetic .238 on-base percentage and Mendoza Line batting average have set the tone for an underachieving offense.

Jumping out of his shoes on the first pitch and seemingly trying to hit everything out of the ballpark, Rollins has a groundout-to-flyout ratio of 0.96. And Shane Victorino isn’t much better at 1.11.

In a bizarre twist, Ryan Howard has a ratio of 1.83, a number more typical of a singles hitter than the slugger he is. More often than not, he has failed to drive the ball and has grounded out instead.

Chase Utley’s recent woeful home stand is another cause for concern, as questions have kicked up about the status of his hip. One can only hope that there is nothing more than a slump going on.

As for pitching, the rotation and bullpen have both been disastrous. The Phillies rank 15th in the National League in ERA—ahead of only the lowly Nationals. They also lead all of baseball in home runs allowed.

Brett Myers leads the starters with an ERA of 4.81, while Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer have been shells of the players that the Phillies leaned on so heavily last season.

Opposing hitters have a .406 on-base percentage against Moyer, who claims an 8.15 ERA.

The bullpen clearly misses J.C. Romero, who will be a welcome sight when he returns next month. If it’s not already panic time for Brad Lidge, it’s coming soon.

While he was not expected to turn in another perfect season, his inability to keep men off the bases, even when pitching in non-save situations, is an issue.

He already has allowed five home runs after surrendering just two all of last season and has given up just one fewer earned run in 15 games in 2009 than he did in 72 games in 2008.

Taking all these numbers into account, there should be no mystery about the Phillies' 8-12 record at home.

But there is still cause for hope—high hopes, as someone might say.

Even with so many things going wrong, the Phillies find themselves just two games behind the Mets in the NL East with plenty of time to right the ship.

So don’t go jumping off the Ben Franklin Bridge just yet, Phillies fans.

The Phillies are still in this thing. And they are still the World Champions.

When Fantasy Baseball Becomes a Nightmare (Humor)

Kevin Lagowski — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:00:33 -0400

Hope springs eternal every year for the fantasy baseball player. But oftentimes, that hope turns to despair rather quickly.

Still, if you thought your team was having a rough time, just be thankful you aren’t this guy. Look at what he had to say about his team just a few short weeks ago.

Hey, man, I drafted my team yesterday. I think I’m stacked and can win it this year if everyone lives up to their potential. Check out who I have…

C: Geovany Soto—He can be even better after being Rookie of the Year and hitting 23 HR for 86 RBI last year. Look for 30 bombs and close to 100 RBI. Real deal.

C: Ryan Doumit—Just became a full-time player for the first time last year, but he’s 28 and a mature hitter. You can’t ever count on a catcher to hit .300 but he’ll come close while hitting 20 home runs.

1B: Derrek Lee—The Cubs have so many good fantasy players. Lee plays basically every game and will have plenty of chances to drive in runs. And I got him in the 10th round. Crazy. Carlos Pena was there too, but I didn’t want him.

2B: Kelly Johnson—Pretty good at the thin second base spot. Might approach 20-20. At least he will play every day, Braves have nobody else to use.

SS: Jimmy Rollins—I couldn’t believe when I got him in the fourth round. Dude was MVP two years ago. I think he can get back to 30 HR and maybe steal 40 bases.

3B: Melvin Mora—This guy is pretty consistent and I can’t believe how overlooked he is, especially after the season he had last year. O’s have some weapons in the lineup now, so he should knock in 100 again.

CI: Edwin Encarnacion—I think he will bring the average way up and could hit 30 HR. Before I picked him, I was looking at Raul Ibanez or maybe a pitcher like Zack Greinke, but I couldn’t pass this guy up.

MI: Mike Aviles—He showed last year that he can just flat out hit, so I’ll plug him in my middle infielder spot. Should score 100 runs and hit 15 HRs or so. There were other guys like Aaron Hill floating around, but I like Aviles.

OF: Manny Ramirez—I don’t know why he got passed over for guys like Miguel Cabrera and Ian Kinsler. Manny’s just sick and might hit 50 HR this year. I think he’ll behave with Torre as his manager for a full season. Calling it right now, NL MVP.

OF: Vladimir Guerrero—I know he’s not the stud he once was, but he’s only been on the DL three times in 11 seasons, so I know he’ll be good for 30 HR, a .300 average, and close to 100 RBI. Guy right after me wanted Vlad but he ended up with Nick Markakis. Ha ha.

OF: Lastings Milledge—Got him in the 14th round, unbelievable for a guy who might go 30-30. He’s finally put it all together.

OF: Xavier Nady—Never been a huge fan, but he is in a good situation for the Yankees and will probably get 20-25 HRs and about 85 RBI. Not bad as a fourth outfielder for my team.

Util: David Ortiz—You know Big Papi is always good for 35 HRs. He’s not slowing down anytime soon since he never plays the field.

Bench: Cameron Maybin—This guy can do it all, just like Milledge. I love having multi-talented guys like this on my team. Someone was saying that Dexter Fowler will steal more bases, but I think Maybin will blow him away.

Bench: Kevin Kouzmanoff—He can hit .270 with about 25 HRs and 85 RBI. Got him way late, and I think he can be a solid fill-in player when I need him.

P: CC Sabathia—He’s got so much offensive help that he might win 25 games. AL Cy Young, take it to the bank. I made him the first pitcher off the board. I just don’t like Lincecum, and I’m worried about Santana’s arm. CC is a sure thing.

P: Brandon Webb—What a workhorse. Five straight seasons over 200 innings. Pretty good for a No. 2 starter, huh?

P: Ricky Nolasco—I had Jair Jurrjens and Erik Bedard on my radar, but I think Nolasco is going to become the ace of the Marlins. Fifteen wins last year with a 3.52 ERA. I think he can be even better.

P: Chien-Ming Wang—The guy just wins games. He should be totally over that injury from last year. What a steal in the 12th round.

P: Fausto Carmona—He was in the Cy Young discussion two years ago. Last year his numbers weren’t very good because of an injury. He’ll bounce back. Watch out for the Indians this year.

P: Kenshin Kawakami—I see him having success right away because he’s been in Japan so long and Major League hitters haven’t seen him. He’s a Dice-K, not an Irabu.

P: Brett Anderson—Last-round pick. I like this guy’s potential, and the A’s always seem to bring up good young pitchers. I figured I’d rather try him out than take someone like Armando Galarraga or Wandy Rodriguez.

P: B.J. Ryan—The Blue Jays are going to have a good team this year. I think he can save 45 games.

P: Joel Hanrahan—Needed a closer. There were other guys hanging around like Heath Bell and Chad Qualls, but the Nats are gonna be way better this year, so I think Hanrahan could save 30.

P: Jason Motte—Took a late gamble on him because he throws extremely hard and he doesn’t have much competition for Cardinals closer. Who else are they gonna use, Ryan Franklin?

So I’m pretty happy with my team. I know there will be some bumps in the road, but it will take a lot for me not to be in serious contention. I really like my chances.

Philadelphia Flyers: Plans for the Offseason and Beyond

Kevin Lagowski — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:58:10 -0400

Rather than trying to analyze the Flyers’ failure to win the Stanley Cup, their 34th year in a row without one, let’s instead look ahead and see what can be done to help end the drought.

The Flyers are in a particularly tough position, thanks to long-term contracts and the very uncertain situation of the salary cap. Some decisions will be difficult, but the orange and black have proven to us over the years that nothing is ever easy.

Here are some strong suggestions.

DO NOT RE-SIGN MARTIN BIRON

Biron cannot be blamed for the loss to Pittsburgh, but we have enough of a sample size in his time with the Flyers to know that he is not a championship-caliber goaltender. He can go on hot stretches and win you some games, like he did against Montreal last year, but the team would be spinning wheels if they brought him back.

Even if he were available at his same salary of $3.5 million, the Flyers need to just let him go. He simply does not inspire confidence. Sometimes you need your starting goaltender to stand on his head and win you a 2-1 game. Biron can’t.

While the Flyers are at it, they should let Antero Niittymaki walk if they cannot sign him for something very close to his 2008-09 salary of $1.375 million.

The real shame is that the Flyers have no solid goaltending prospects in the system, otherwise Biron would have proven to be a good stopgap experiment while a franchise goaltender was being groomed.

Unrestricted free agents Scott Clemmensen and Craig Anderson will draw strong interest from the Flyers, but I honestly wouldn’t blame them if they started the season with a cheap and inexperienced tandem of Scott Munroe and Johan Backlund.

I would rather go into a season having no idea what to expect rather than knowing that we have already settled for the mediocrity of Martin Biron.

FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE DANNY BRIERE

Briere played a lot better down the stretch after returning from a myriad of injuries, but the team can’t absorb his cap hit of $8 million next year and $7 million for the next three after that.

Even if the Flyers have to still pick up half his salary, getting $3-4 million off the books would be a big deal. The return on Briere might be something like a second-round draft pick and a serviceable third-liner or defenseman.

If no one is willing to bite on Briere, Plan B would be to trade Joffrey Lupul, the second-most obviously overpaid player on the team. Lupul is making $4.25 million each of the next four seasons, a ludicrous amount for a guy who finished sixth on the team in goal scoring.

It would really be tremendous if the Flyers could trade Briere and Lupul to get some younger and far less expensive assets, but that is not likely to happen.

GET RID OF RANDY JONES

When you look up “average NHL defenseman” in the dictionary, there is a picture of Jones staring you right in the face. He makes $3 million but does nothing particularly well.

Thankfully, he has just one more year left on his contract, but the Flyers should do everything in their power to shed themselves of him this offseason so that Ryan Parent and Luca Sbisa can play the full year.

Matt Carle is another candidate to be traded, but he has three years left on a contract that pays him $3.5 million the next two seasons and $3.8 million the one after that. At least he is better offensively than Jones, and you can live with his cap hit if you move some of the other pricey players I have mentioned.

LET THE KIDS PLAY

Ryan Parent, due to injury and then salary cap constraints, came up far too late last year. He should be there from day one next season. The same goes for Luca Sbisa. I would think Claude Giroux would be a no-brainer at this point.

James van Riemsdyk does the Flyers no good playing for whatever minor league team he ends up with. Since Mike Knuble will be gone in all likelihood, JVR should be placed in his vacated role.

The Flyers won’t have much to spend in the offseason unless they make good on some of my suggestions, so they need to resist the temptation to bring in “seasoned veterans” (which I call retreads) at the expense of giving younger players a chance to play.

TAKE SOME OF THE ONUS OFF OF RICHARDS AND CARTER

While the Flyers are blessed to have two of the most well-rounded forwards in the NHL, it can also work as a curse. Richards and Carter do everything, but the team asks too much of them.

They both averaged over three minutes of ice time per game in shorthanded situations during the year, ranking in the top 18 forwards in the league in that category. Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Alex Ovechkin all only played about one minute per game shorthanded, failing to rank among the top 200 forwards.

That two-minute-per-game disparity translates into Richards and Carter playing 164 extra shorthanded minutes—over two and a half full hockey games—this season than players like Crosby, Malkin, and Ovechkin.

Those are hard minutes on the penalty kill. Blocking shots, breaking up passes, battles in the corners. Richards and Carter are out there because they are very good at it, but the Flyers need to find a way to give their skill players more time to think about offense and not get worn down over the course of the season so that they have something left when the playoffs start.

It would be a big help if role players like Darroll Powe and Jared Ross could fill some of the penalty kill time. The Flyers also need to bring in another fourth-line center in the Jim Dowd-Glen Metropolit mold who can be responsible defensively and win faceoffs when they need him to.

It’s hard to believe that the Flyers have just one Stanley Cup Final appearance in the last 22 years. Or maybe it’s not that hard to believe when you look at some of the things that have happened. Still, you have to like the young core of this team.

The window is open and should be for a couple more years. Let’s hope that management’s decisions will be wise and productive so that some day in the near future, the Flyers can be back atop the hockey world.

2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs Series Preview: Penguins Vs. Flyers

Kevin Lagowski — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:33:09 -0400

The second installment of the Keystone Clash begins Wednesday at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, two rounds earlier than it did last season. It will no doubt be one of the most hotly contested of the eight conference quarterfinal series.

When these two teams met up last year, Pittsburgh was a machine on its way to a berth in the Stanley Cup Final, while the Flyers were the surprise story of the season and ultimately ran out of gas after suffering a few key injuries.

The Flyers were the better of these two teams for much of the season, but Pittsburgh posted a superb record of 18-3-4 down the stretch after naming Dan Bylsma head coach in mid-February. They ended up tied in points with the Flyers but have home ice advantage by virtue of racking up one more win on the season.

But this isn't necessarily a bad thing for the Flyers, as they played better in Pittsburgh this year than they did at home against the Penguins. Here's how the season series stacked up.

Oct. 14 @ PIT: Penguins 3, Flyers 2 (OT)

The Flyers gutted out a tough point after initially falling behind 2-0. Pascal Dupuis won the game with 10 seconds left in overtime. It was a badly needed point after the Flyers lost their first two games of the season at home in regulation.

Nov. 13 @ PIT: Penguins 5, Flyers 4 (SO)

Trailing 3-0, the Flyers rallied with four goals in a span of 12:10 to take a 4-3 lead into the third period. Sidney Crosby tied the game with under three minutes to play and the Penguins eventually won in the sixth round of the shootout.

Dec. 13 @ PHI: Flyers 6, Penguins 3

The Flyers scored four power play goals (Kimmo Timonen assisting on all of them) and dominated from start to finish.

Jan. 13 @ PHI: Penguins 4, Flyers 2

After a three goal burst in the second period to take a 4-1 lead, the Penguins trapped their way to the win.

Feb. 21 @ PHI: Penguins 5, Flyers 4

The Flyers overcame deficits of 3-1 and 4-3 in the third period, but an ill-advised trip out of the net by Martin Biron led to Sidney Crosby's second goal of the game with 2:45 to play. The Flyers could not recover.

Mar. 22 @ PIT: Flyers 3, Penguins 1

The Flyers were opportunistic, netting two power play goals to take a 2-0 lead through two periods despite having only 10 shots on goal up until that point. They gave up a power play goal midway through the third, but effectively protected the lead and hung on for the win.

So now we enter a playoff series where both teams know the formula for beating the other, although this is all much easier said than done.

If Pittsburgh can get early leads and play a tight checking, trapping style of hockey, they will be in good shape.

They also have the luxury of riding their two big horses to an offensive explosion and can take advantage of the Flyers’ lack of a physical presence on the blueline to create screens and rebound opportunities in front of the Flyer net.

The Flyers can win on special teams and do their best to blanket Crosby and Malkin, forcing the Penguins to beat them with secondary scoring from the likes of Kunitz, Guerin, Staal, etc.

The Flyers’ offensive balance might also win out. If all three scoring lines can get going, the Penguins will not have a defensive answer for the constant pressure.

This will be quite the battle. Whichever team emerges will have a tough time winning their next series because of the toll that this one will take on them. But first thing’s first—someone has to win this matchup.

My pick: Penguins in six.

What Harry Kalas Meant to Phillies Fans

Kevin Lagowski — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:45:29 -0400

It is a sad time in Philadelphia. As David Montgomery said, “We lost our voice.” But it’s only during times like these that we realize how truly lucky we have been over the past 39 years.

Watching the Phillies will never be the same. And I don’t think I’m being overly dramatic when I say my life in general will never be the same.

I am 24 years old. To me, Harry has always been there. He is the Phillies. And there are many other young Phillies fans who feel the same way. We have known nothing but Harry. We were spoiled.

In much the same way that we live vicariously through sports to begin with, broadcasters like Harry Kalas become our friends. We can depend on them game after game to be there for us, even when things are going wrong in our own lives.

It’s a one-way dialogue, but when you are as good as Harry was, you truly make the listeners feel like they are experiencing the game with you.

Especially when he was paired with Richie Ashburn, Harry had a way of making it seem like you were sitting down with a couple of buddies enjoying a Phils game. Maybe you never met the man in your life, but if you were a Phillies fan, he felt like a great friend.

I have one personal story about Harry. In the summer of 2001, I went with some friends to Dorney Park in Allentown, PA, on the day before the MLB All-Star Game. Much to our amazement, we spotted Harry Kalas sitting on a bench, waiting for his grandchildren to finish a roller coaster ride.

We swarmed Harry and told him we were huge fans of him and the Phillies. Harry was probably taken aback that these 16-year-old kids were such fans of him. I wonder if it ever dawned on him how much he meant to so many young people because he had been a constant in their lives.

I also told him that his Hall of Fame induction was long overdue. But instead of stating his case and showing any kind of disappointment or resentment about having been left out for far too long, he was humble about it.

He said that he never expected to be in the Hall of Fame but instead would see it as a great honor to be enshrined after he saw how long it took his partner Whitey to achieve that milestone. He clearly had no sense of entitlement about it and was grateful just to be mentioned as a candidate.

I told Harry that I thought he would be inducted the following year and that I would go to Cooperstown to see it. He was, I did...and so did an army of thousands upon thousands of Phillies fans.

We as fans have a special place in our hearts for broadcasters because they are a direct link between us and the organization we so fervently support. Harry was a fan himself and wanted the Phillies to win just as badly as we did. We lived and died along with him.

If you thought it was difficult to get through those 2008 World Series Championship DVDs without breaking down before, just wait until you watch them again and see Harry celebrating among the millions of fans he brought so much joy to for decades.

We were just as happy to see Harry in that parade as we were for any of the players, because players tend to come and go, but we can spend decades enjoying someone like Harry.

He ended his Cooperstown speech with a poem, the last line of which was, “Philadelphia fans, I love you.” Not as much as we loved you back, Harry. It will be difficult without you.

Outta here. But never to be forgotten.

Handing Out the 2008-2009 NHL Hardware

Kevin Lagowski — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:30:25 -0400

With another regular season gone and the playoffs still to come, it’s time to reflect on who raised their game enough this season to collect a shiny trophy at the NHL Awards on June 18 in Las Vegas. It was truly a year of remarkable performances. Many new faces burst onto the scene, while some of the “old” guard (Malkin, Ovechkin, etc.) continued their stellar play. Here now are a few players (and one coach) that should make room on their mantle.

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Primeau's Brain and Other NHLers' Body Parts That Science Should Study

Kevin Lagowski — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:41:55 -0400

In case you missed it, former Flyers captain Keith Primeau recently announced that he is donating his brain for scientific research when he dies so that experts can learn more about the effects of concussions.

When I heard this, my own brain went to work. What other players in today’s NHL possess body parts so remarkable that they too could do the scientific community a big favor by donating said parts when they hop off for the ultimate line change?

Here are several players along with the attributes that they could donate to help science.

Sidney Crosby’s Eyes: Love him or hate him (or really really hate him if you’re a Flyers fan), Crosby’s vision is unparalleled in the game today. Sometimes it’s hard to believe he doesn’t have another set in the back of his head.

He is not the best overall player in the NHL, but he is the best passer thanks in large part to his ability to see things before they happen.

George Parros’ Fists: The Ducks enforcer has finished in the top three in majors each of the last four seasons and would fight even more if he weren’t feared as much as he is. A study on the effects of fighting would have to include his mitts.

As an added bonus, he should also donate his moustache to science. It may contain new forms of life.

Joe Sakic’s Wrists: The classy Sakic has long had one of the sweetest wrist shots in the game and looked like he still had plenty left in the tank until injuries caught up to him in the last two seasons.

I would have said Jeff Carter here because he has the most lethal wrist shot in the game today, but some people are probably still not convinced. So we’ll go with Burnaby Joe, who has been victimizing goaltenders since he was a teenager wearing Nordiques blue.

Zdeno Chara’s Arms: With a wingspan the size of a compact car, the hulking Bruins defenseman continues to excel even though the NHL has done everything in its power to make things more difficult for big physical players.

Sean Avery’s Mouth: Responsible for riling up opponents more than any other body part in the game today, Avery’s mouth also gets its owner in trouble over and over again and has the ability to turn a decently talented player into one that is regarded as just a pest.

Rod Brind’Amour’s Heart: It’s only fitting that an idea that started with Keith Primeau would include the man he was once traded for. Even though Primeau brought some great moments to the Flyers organization, its fans still rue the day that he was traded for Brind’Amour, the walking embodiment of a heart-and-soul player.

He captained the Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup, has won two Selke Trophies, and has amassed over 400 goals and 1,100 points. A tireless worker for two decades, Brind’Amour has put himself in the discussion for Hall of Fame worthiness.

Martin St. Louis’ Thighs: Though his numbers are down in recent seasons, it is still amazing that such a small player can generate that kind of skating strength in his legs.

The former MVP has created a solid career out of thin air, with a primary assist from the massive thighs that create so much speed and strength for him.

Alex Ovechkin’s Feet: This was a no-brainer, given the way that No. 8 is constantly dancing all over the ice. While I’m not sure if he’s the absolute fastest skater in the league, he is definitely the most explosive and the best at changing directions.

And a few honorable mentions for various body parts of former NHLers that scientists could learn a lot from…

Bobby Orr’s Knees: Orr never met his match on the ice. Only his knees slowed down and ultimately put an early end to what could have been the greatest career the NHL has ever seen.

Scott Stevens’ Forearms/Shoulders: With countless punishing hits to defenseless opponents, no other body parts in NHL history have been responsible for dealing out so much pain.

Tie Domi’s Skull: Extremely thick, Domi’s skull was the hardest thing known to man. Scientists could probably utilize it to cut diamonds.