Bleacher Report - Philadelphia

NEWS: Philadelphia Flyers Fire Head Coach John Stevens

TAB BAMFORD — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:14:27 -0500

Reports on Friday afternoon are that John Stevens is out as coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. Stevens was named the head coach on Oct. 22, 2006.

The Flyers are currently in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 13-11-1 record (27 points), and trail first place Pittsburgh by 13 points. Philadelphia has lost seven of their last 10 games.

Philadelphia currently ranks ninth in the NHL, scoring 3.00 goals per game, while allowing 2.68, good for 10th in the league. They also rank fourth in the NHL in offensive power play at 22.8 percent, but are 14th in penalty killing at only 80.9 percent.

They spent a lot of money to upgrade the roster this summer, most notably adding Chris Pronger to a roster that finished 44-27-11 (99 points) last season. They were eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoffs in the first round by Pittsburgh in six games.

Rumors are that Peter Laviolette could replace Stevens on the Flyers' bench. Carolina has already granted Philadelphia permission to speak with Laviolette, who will reportedly make his debut on the Flyers' bench on Saturday.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Eagles-Falcons: Philadelphia Looks for Third-Straight Win in Atlanta

Dan Parzych — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:55:06 -0500

On Sunday, the 7-4 Philadelphia Eagles travel to the Georgia Dome to take on the 6-5 Atlanta Falcons in a game where both teams are looking for a win to stay in the NFC playoff hunt.

While the Eagles' offense has struggled the last two weeks, they still have managed to come away with victories over the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins. However, there are a few factors that will come into play that could make a difference on whether or not the Eagles can hold on to that No. 5 seed in the NFC and leave Atlanta 8-4.

DeSean Jackson Concussion

The last thing the Philadelphia Eagles needed was another injury on offense. With running back Brian Westbrook still recovering from his second concussion of the season, the Eagles may be without their top threat at wide receiver in DeSean Jackson, who suffered the same injury last weekend against the Washington Redskins.

Jackson left in the third quarter after a hit from Redskins cornerback Justin Tryon on a six-yard reception. He finished with two receptions for 41 yards before heading to the locker room, including a 35-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

It’s not rocket science when it comes to realizing how important Jackson is to this Eagles offense. He leads all receivers with 44 receptions for 769 yards and six touchdowns. If he is unable to perform, McNabb will have to rely on others to step up, especially rookie Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant.

Defensive Third Downs

When the Redskins defeated the Denver Broncos 27-17 in Week 10, it was the first time they scored more than 17 points all season. The Eagles defense has to be disappointed giving up 24 points to a Redskins offense that was averaging averaging just 14.6 points per game prior to Sunday.

One of the main reasons why the Eagles defense struggled to stop the Redskins was because of third down conversions. Philadelphia allowed Washington to convert 47 percent of their third-down conversions (8-of-15).

On the first drive of the third quarter, the Eagles allowed the Redskins to convert three 3rd-and-long situations in a row before quarterback Jason Campbell found tight end Fred Davis for a 10-yard touchdown.

Third downs are an opportunity for defenses to make a statement against opposing defenses. If the Eagles want to make a statement against the Falcons on Sunday, the defense will need to do a better job on third-down conversions.

Second Straight Fourth-Quarter Comeback

Throughout his career, McNabb has been criticized for his inability to lead the Eagles from behind while trailing in the fourth quarter. After leading the team to their second-straight win over the Redskins after trailing in the fourth quarter, the Eagles and their fans feel more comfortable with McNabb leading the way as they enter the most crucial month of the regular season.

Down 24-16 in the fourth quarter, McNabb led the Eagles to 11 unanswered points to pull out the 27-24 win to stay in the NFC playoff hunt.

The last thing the Eagles want to do is find themselves trailing the Falcons late in the fourth quarter. The fans of Atlanta are extremely passionate when it comes to their beloved Falcons, which means the Georgia Dome will be louder than ever come Sunday.

With two teams both pushing for a spot in the playoffs, both the Falcons and Eagles realize how important Sunday’s game is to stay in the hunt.

Dan Parzych Is the Eagles Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown.com

He is also the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Villanova-Drexel: Wildcats Slay Dragons and Stay Perfect

David Miller — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:11:18 -0500

In typical cat fashion, The Villanova Wildcats toyed with their prey for much of the first half before finally brandishing their many weapons and slaying the Dragons of Drexel.

Drexel did not score their first points until almost ten minutes into the first half when they finally connected on a three pointer. Unfortunately for Villanova, the Wildcats weren’t hitting their shots early either. With nine minutes left in the first half, the Wildcats looked more like tame house cats, leading Drexel eleven to three.

Three minutes later and the Dragons had cut into the lead and trailed 15 to 10. Already playing shut down defense, the ‘Nova offense came to life as the Wildcats went on a nineteen to eight run to end the first half.

Taylor King, the only Wildcats player to score in double figures in the first half, led Villanova with 12 points at the break.

In the second half it was all Villanova.

It got so bad for Drexel that their two leading scorers, Jamie Harris and Gerald Colds, didn’t score, going a combined 0 for 17 shooting from the field. 52 of Drexel’s 58 points came from just three players as the Dragons shot just 31 percent from the field.

Villanova dressed ten players for the game. Freshman Mouphtaou Yarou is out indefinitely after testing positive for Hepatitis B, senior Reggie Redding is still suspended for the first semester, and senior walk-on Jason Colenda decided to leave the team this week to focus on getting into grad school. All ten players got into the game (including walk-on Russell Wooten) and all ten players scored.

Villanova was led by junior Antonio Pena with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Pena was already averaging a double-double this season and showed no signs of slowing down.

Sophomore Taylor King added 16 points and five rebounds off the bench and senior guard Scottie Reynolds had a great night, contributing 14 points, six assists, and a career-high eight rebounds. King again proved to be a fan favorite for his hustle including a play where he dove onto the floor for a steal (one of nine on the night for ‘Nova).

While Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher didn’t have their best games, Stokes added seven points and five rebounds and Fisher had five points, five assists, and four steals.

Freshman Maurice Sutton who has been in the starting lineup the past few games, continued to be a force in the middle as he blocked three shots. He is averaging two blocks a game.

The Wildcats have won 32 straight games at The Pavilion, a streak that began with a 102-87 win over Notre Dame on Jan. 17, 2007.

Villanova is now 7-0 and ranked No. 3 in the country. The Wildcats, who will be on the road for their next four games, first head to Washington DC to take on Maryland this Sunday night.

Maryland, who was ranked earlier this season after a 4-0 start, dropped out of the top 25 after losing twice in Maui to Cincinnati and Wisconsin. Cincinnati has since moved into the top 25, and late tonight Wisconsin knocked off a tough top-10 Duke team to help the Big Ten beat the A.C.C. in the challenge between the two conferences. Maryland won at Indiana on Tuesday and now sits at 5-2.

If Villanova can get through Maryland, there is no reason the Wildcats can’t win their next five straight and go into the Big East season a perfect 12-0.

Villanova’s football team also won this past Saturday, beating Holy Cross 38-28 at home. They next look to avenge their only loss of the season (on the road at New Hampshire) when the Wildcats of New Hampshire take on ‘Nova on the Main Line this Saturday afternoon. It should be another great weekend for Villanova athletics.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Penn State's Bowl Situation

Allison Bail — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:55:53 -0500

With this weekend being the final weekend of the college football regular season, there is a lot of speculation of where Penn State will be headed. To start the year, a lot of Penn State fans had some high hopes, thinking either Rose Bowl or even possibly the National Championship game. After two Big Ten loses, both of those options became a thing of the past; however the Nittany Lions are still in line for a good bowl game.

Penn State is going to find itself in one of three bowl games. These three are the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl or Capital One Bowl. The Fiesta is somewhat of a long shot at this point, but it is still an option.

At this point, it is solely up to the committees of their own bowl games. The committees get to pick who goes to each BCS bowl game. It comes down to whether the bowl committees will pick either Penn State or Iowa.

While Penn State is the trendy pick due to the fact they travel well and will create tons of revenue, it will be hard for a bowl to pick them considering their loss to Iowa. This Sunday the bowl pairings come out officially, so until then we will be stuck waiting.

If none of the BCS bowls select the Lions, Joe Pa and the boys will be headed to the Capital One Bowl. There they will take on the LSU Tigers. This is not a BCS bowl, but this is still a very respectable bowl game.

Senior Andrew C said “it would be very nice to see us make a BCS game like the Orange Bowl, but I just don’t think it will happen. Personally I think we don’t deserve it over Iowa, considering they did beat us.”

I would have to agree with this quote. Sure I want to see us make the best possible bowl game, but imagine looking at it as an Iowa fan. The Hawkeyes came into Happy Valley and beat Penn State, so obviously they clearly deserve it over the Nittany Lions. The fact that Penn State might get the bid due to the fact of revenue to me is just unfair. I hate to admit but Iowa deserves it.

With all this in mind, I think when it’s all said and done, Penn State will be taking on LSU in Orlando for the Capital One Bowl. This should be a very good game, as both schools are big time college football programs. Also both teams have very strong defenses, which should make for a good low scoring football game.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Prodigal Iverson: The Answer To Philadelphia's Prayers?

Andrew Sexton — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:06:46 -0500

With Allen Iverson back in Philly, all the “experts” are wondering if this makes the Sixers a playoff team.

Forget the playoffs. Shoot for the moon, because even if you miss you’ll land with home-court advantage in the first round. That’s right, it looks like the Sixers might suddenly be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

Iverson is as hungry as he’s ever been, and he fits this Sixers team like a glove.

Philadelphia has less chemistry than Tiger Woods’ marriage. They have fewer shooters than the French resistance. Until this morning, the city cared more about Penn basketball (0-4) than Sixers basketball.

Iverson is the perfect guy to step in and take this team to heights it hasn’t seen since 2001. He can lead, he’s healthy, and he’s the volume shooter that Philly desperately needs.

If that isn’t enough, take a look at the rest of the East. This might be the weakest Eastern Conference in the last 10 years.

You can summarize the conference with four very vulnerable teams: the Celtics, Cavs, Magic, and Hawks.

Nobody in Boston wants to admit it, but they rolled the dice one too many times when they signed Rashweed. These days, all Sheed can really do is jack threes and get technicals.

The Celtics have Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Eddie House, heck even Brian Scalabrine. All of them more than competent outside shooters. The last thing Boston needed was a hot-headed big man who never met a 3 he didn’t like.

This team is downright elderly, and the chemistry went from adequate to abominable when they added Wallace. Expect these old dogs to flame out when spring rolls around, they’ll be lucky to get out of the first round.

The 2009-2010 Cavs are no better than the 2008-2009 Cavs, and that’s not a compliment. The Shaq experiment, promising though it was, is not panning out by any stretch of his imagination. Delonte West, a key cog from last season, just hasn’t been himself since shotgun in guitar case-gate.

Something tells me that the season will end once again with LeBron heading to the locker room early. Don’t worry Cleveland, at least you will always be remembered as the one city where King James didn’t get a ring.

Is there a team in any of the four major sports with less heart than the Magic? This team blows leads like Dick Cheney blows covers. Their cornerstone big man, Dwight Howard, practices farting when he should be practicing low post moves. Last year, the hook shot was George Mikan rolling-over-in-his-grave bad. This year, it’s merely gawd-awful.

If Superman works hard, he might upgrade the hook to cover-your-eyes ugly by the spring of 2013. As a side note, this gutless team needed to bring in leadership over the summer if it wanted any chance of getting to the next level. When you think leadership, apparently Orlando thinks Vince Carter.

The Hawks are a pretty simple team to figure out. They are young, relatively experienced, and generally have nowhere to go but up. They’re good enough to be a team the Sixers should be concerned about, but bad enough to be a team that the Sixers shouldn’t be worried about. Also, Joe Johnson says they’re soft. Ummm, this is awkward.

And there you have it, a conference clearly ripe for the picking. Most of the teams don’t matter, and the ones who do matter have fatal flaws. The Sixers’ work is cut out for them.

Here’s a little secret. Philly didn’t bring Allen back to sell tickets. They didn’t bring him back out of good will. They brought him back for one last glorious title run, before The Answer retires for good.

Funny how things change. Last week the Sixers were thinking about the lottery, now fans can ponder a best-of-seven with the Lakers.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Allen Iverson To Philly: Happy Homecoming or Epic Mistake?

Taylor Smith — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:36:18 -0500

So, Allen Iverson is headed back to Philadelphia.

I've written in the past about how he needs to accept the fact that he's in decline and nobody cares to have a whining, selfish, aging player as a franchise centerpiece.

However, I feel as though Iverson's move back to the 76ers is a perfect match for both sides.

Lou Williams, Philly's second-leading scorer, just went down for eight weeks with a broken jaw. Before the injury, Williams was enjoying a breakout season, averaging 17 points and five assists per game while assuming point guard duties for the Sixers.

Williams is a lightning-quick 6'1" guard with a knack for finding the rim and scoring.

Sound familiar?

What better replacement than a 34-year-old carbon copy of him?

The Sixers are 21st in the league in scoring average per game, and Iverson was born to put the ball in the basket.

Iverson, who has averaged 27 points per game for his career, will come in and start right away for Philly at point guard ahead of rookie Jrue Holiday.

Is Iverson a point guard?

No.

However, he's not coming in and playing off-guard ahead of Andre Iguodala, and we all know how he feels about coming off the bench.

What do the Sixers have to lose?

They're 5-13 and mired in a seven-game losing streak.

Their current starting point guard, the 19-year-old Holiday, has looked overwhelmed at times and doesn't look quite ready to be playing extensive minutes in the NBA.

They're already far outside the playoff picture, and have absolutely no spark right now.

Iverson is (or was) a one-man offensive wrecking machine, capable of scoring by himself whenever he wants to.

If Eddie Jordan lets him roll freely, Iverson could resurrect his career here and may be able to help jump-start the 76ers back into contention.

If AI is stuck in a system that doesn't complement his skills (like last season in Detroit), he'll struggle and eventually flounder.

There's no doubting the talent on Philadelphia's roster.

They've missed second-year forward Marreese Speights in a major way, as he's missed the last eight games with an MCL injury. Before going down, Speights averaged 13 points and six rebounds per game.

Thaddeus Young, still just 21 years old, averages 15 points per game and has tons of room still to grow as a player.

However, the biggest key of all is Elton Brand.

Brand still hasn't gotten going after signing with the Sixers last summer and has struggled to stay on the floor. In 15 games this year, he's averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game.

If he can start looking like the player he was for the Bulls and Clippers, Philly will have a reliable threat on the low block that can get them easy baskets.

Iverson, Iguodala, and Willie Green give the Sixers a nice little tandem of scoring guards.

So, were Ed Stefanski and Eddie Jordan motivated to bring Iverson in for basketball reasons and basketball reasons only?

Of course not.

"The Answer" is going to sell tickets.

Philadelphia may be the one place that Iverson could have gone and immediately fit right in and feel comfortable.

Based on years past, the fans still love him, and he will always be remembered as a Sixer.

Philadelphia sports fans are notorious for being tough and rough around the edges, and Iverson's style has matched that throughout his career.

Based on how they've been reeling, fan interest in the Sixers can't be too high.

The Phillies are coming off back-to-back World Series appearances, the Eagles are 7-4, and even the Flyers are better than the 76ers right now.

So why should they care about their 5-13 basketball team?

Bringing Iverson back immediately gets people in Philadelphia talking about the team again, and, if they're able to put something together with him, Iverson will own the town once again.

Does the addition of Iverson guarantee the Sixers will make a run?

Of course not.

It's completely possible that Allen Iverson as we've known him for years no longer exists as a basketball superstar.

These Sixers may just not have it and are bound for a top-five lottery choice next summer.

Who knows?

In any case, bringing Iverson back to Philadelphia will certainly generate interest.

Whether or not they end up making the playoffs, the Iverson signing is a smart move for the 76ers.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Are the Philadelphia Phillies Targeting J.J. Putz?

Tom Dougherty — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:31:52 -0500

Yesterday we found out that the Philadelphia Phillies were eying John Smoltz as a low risk, high reward signing to shore up the back-end of the rotation or set up insurance in case Brad Lidge doesn’t right himself.

According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Phils have inquired about free agent relief pitcher J.J. Putz. Crasnick also named the Pirates and Astros as other potential suitors along with the Rangers.

Putz suffered a lost season in 2009 while with the New York Mets, appearing in only 29 games before injuring his elbow, which required season-ending surgery to remove bone spurs.

The 32-year-old pitched only 29.1 innings with the Mets, compiling a 1-4 record and a 5.22 earned run average. New York acquired him last year to be their setup man to Francisco Rodriguez.

Just a couple of seasons ago, Putz was one of the game’s best relievers with the Seattle Mariners. He made the All-Star team in 2007 after putting together a 40-save season with a 1.38 ERA in 68 games.

After having a fantastic 2006 season, Seattle rewarded him with a three-year contract extension worth $13.1 million, which had a $9.1 million option, which the Mets obviously declined.

Putz’s agent, Craig Landis, said that he prefers to be a closer, however, he would be open to an eighth-inning job depending on the circumstances such as money, location, and chance to win.

The Atlanta Braves signed former Phillies closer Billy Wagner to a one-year contract worth $7-million, which is entirely way too high for a guy who is coming off Tommy John surgery.

Expect Putz and his agent to use Wags contract as a starting point in any negotiations because they have similar cases. Both players are coming off surgeries and have a strong track history.

If the asking price for Putz is anything close to what Wagner got from Atlanta, you can count the Phillies out of the running. They will not overpay for a relief pitcher, especially one who is coming off a surgery.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

On the Wire: Week 13 Pickups, Vince Young, Fred Jackson, and Playoff Depth

Jacob Sloan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:00:18 -0500

Let’s not play games. I know you’re most likely looking for just one or two players to complete your fantasy football playoff dynasty before Week 13 or ignoring most of the free agents for a chance to ride out the season while looking nonchalant.

Chicks dig nonchalant.

While it’s always admirable to fight to the bitter end, it is hard to find your motivation at this point in the season. That’s when being bitter and hardened by fury comes in handy.

You have to encapsulate all that disappointment you experience throughout the season as your team loses and unleash it this week by making your team a one-week force to be reckoned with, purely for the sake of knocking someone out of the playoffs.

You may never look at the draft board from this season again. Maybe you did that poorly, but you can always tell Steve that you killed his chance at a championship in 2009.

I imagine all losers are named Steve. Sorry, Steve!

Not you, the other one. He’ll never forget that, not even when the dementia kicks in.

So play like a champion today. Treat your opponent like that dirty defensive end portrayed in The Blind Side and be the Michael Oher who takes him to the bus because it was time for him to leave.

I trust you will do some damage.

Now, on to the next harsh reality. There’s not a lot to go around right now in your fantasy league. I’m sure of it. By now, teams have been scrounging for a way to make it to the playoffs that any good picks are off the board.

There are only a few gems left to be plucked, mostly from this week’s action. For more potent waiver wire grabs, see the last few weeks of On the Wire . It was good stuff. Oh, those were the days .

Vince Young , QB, Tennessee Titans —Young has been clutch for the Titans since taking over as the starter, and he has a sweet three-game home stretch during the fantasy playoffs.

He’s not an impact starter if your team is bound for playoff glory, but picking him up as an insurance policy and backup is highly recommended, especially if your current starter has a tough game when VY faces the Rams.

Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills —I’m not sold on Jackson being back in business for the Bills. Marshawn Lynch may be banged-up, but he’s still the more talented runner in this backfield despite his recent lack of production.

I’d blame the Buffalo Bills’ offensive line for that. Still, Jackson looks like he’s returning to his early-season form…for now, and he scored twice last week.

Antonio Bryant , WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers —Not dead, apparently, and also very good at catching passes from Josh Freeman. Bryant became a fantasy stud at the end of last season, and if he’s completely healthy now, he could get back to it.

The way the Bucs secondary gives away points right now, Freeman should be throwing it plenty for the rest of the season.

Larry Johnson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals —If you own Cedric Benson, you might consider getting some insurance for him by picking up L.J.

Once their playoff hopes are secure, Benson could see a reduced workload so that the Bengals can have him at full strength when they get to the playoffs, and that’s if Benson even returns to the starting lineup this week as expected.

Matt Moore , QB, Carolina Panthers —For those of you looking to play David to a playoff-hopeful’s Goliath this week, Moore could get the start if Jake Delhomme sits out with a broken finger. Playing the Bucs seems promising.

Jason Avant , WR, Philadelphia Eagles —I’m not a huge fan of any Eagles wide receiver . They spread the ball around too much, and just when you think they’ll have a huge day, the Eagles disappoint.

But Avant should be a factor if DeSean Jackson misses any games. Besides, he’s gotten involved enough in recent weeks to provide wide receiver depth for your squad.

Chris Redman, QB, Atlanta Falcons —And standing in for Matt Ryan is another one-week play for the bitter hearts, but this one has to play the Eagles.

Jerious Norwood , RB, Atlanta Falcons —He looks like the better play than Jason Snelling right now based on how he was used when Turner got injured late in the game.

I don’t love any of the fill-in Falcons against an aggressive Eagles defense pushing to make the playoffs, but Norwood has some explosive qualities that could do his fantasy point totals some good this week.

For more waiver wire claims, compare notes with The Talented Mr. Roto , Fantasy Joe , Fanhouse , The FF Geek Blog , FF Toolbox , and KFFL .

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Flyers: The State of Flyers Nation

Mark Ritter — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:58:52 -0500

Written By: Mark “The Hard Hitter” Ritter

For the Flyers, the 2009-10 season has been like a roller coaster ride.

First there were the huge climbs at the beginning of the season, when the team got off to a 3-0 start. That was followed by a steep fall with three losses in a row, followed by a massive climb, winning seven out of eight games, and back to the lows again.

The only consistency to the Flyers is their inconsistency. As it stands now, after 24 games the Flyers sit at 13-10-1, 18th overall in the NHL, ninth in the Eastern Conference, and third in the Atlantic Division.

That, by all accounts amounts to mediocrity.

The Flyers Home record of 8-4-1 is decent enough. On the road it’s a different stor; the Flyers own a 5-6-0 record, and have looked very tentative at times away from the Wachovia Center.

While the season is still young, the Flyers have already had to deal with the loss of Daniel Briere, Ryan Parent, Simon Gagne, James Van Riemsdyk, and others for various amounts of time. This had led to a number of line changes, which many feel has hurt the Flyers chemistry.

Then there are the ever-present sentiments of the John Stevens “Fan Club,” calling for the Flyers' head coach's head every time the Flyers lose a few games in a row.

The offseason saw the Flyers make a number of key acquisitions, the least of which, defenseman Chris Pronger, has been excellent on the ice and, by all accounts, has become a quiet leader for this young franchise.

Goaltender Ray Emery has had his fair share of ups and downs, but his 11-7-1 record is more than respectable. For the most part, Emery has been solid between the pipes.

Despite the Flyers’ recent two game losing streak and 4-6-0 record in their past ten games, the way I see it, the Flyers have quite a few strengths from which to draw some confidence.

First, the Flyers own one of the NHL’s best power play units, clipping along at a 24 percent success rate, ranking them fifth overall. In fact, the Flyers have been tremendous offensively, averaging 3.12 goals per game, again ranking them fifth overall.

Defensively it’s another story.

The Flyers’ penalty kill is giving up far too many goals, which in turn has cost the Flyers a few wins. An 80 percent success rate is not acceptable if the Flyers intend on being a legitimate contender. Clearly this area of the team's game needs to improve or it will cost them, large.

The Flyers are averaging 2.67 goals against per game, ranking them 11th overall. On the surface the Flyers' defense looks alright, but this team has a penchant for giving up bad goals and, when pressed, has panicked on occassion.

Pronger and Matt Carle have been a tremendous defensive duo for the Flyers; that said, Kimmo Timonen has been very average and Ryan Parent has been inconsistent. Pronger and Carle will “be there," but it’s up to Timonen, Parent, and Braydon Coburn to get it done when challenged.

Jeff Carter has played well this season, but he is struggling at times to put the puck in the net, and the Flyers need him to be more consistent. Teammate Mike Richards has been excellent, leading the Flyers in goal scoring with 11 goals and, at +6, owns the fourth best plus/minus on the team, which is great considering Richards plays in most situations.

It’s no secret that Coach Stevens is under the gun to get the Flyers to play a very physical/attacking brand of hockey. He has done a nice job adjusting to the injuries and, by all accounts, seems to have the respect of his players, despite all the rumblings out of Philadelphia that he does not.

The reality is, Stevens is never going to be that “rah-rah” guy. He is low-key with the media, and the fans hate him for it. The fact is, you don’t get to the NHL by accident, and I am sure Stevens has the stem and cherries to call out a player when he is not performing.

Bottom line: Stevens is a good coach, and I can’t see him going anywhere—unless of course the Flyers go into a major dive, which I don’t think is possible.

Rookie James Van Riemsdyk has been sensational. His 19 points ranks him third on the team, just three points back of Richards and four behind Carter. His enthusiasm has been a welcome addition as has his speed and touch around the net.

Daniel Briere looks to be back on track. His scoring touch has returned, and more importantly, his desire to compete has been very noticeable this season. Suspension aside, Briere looks poised to have a 70-point season, something few thought possible at the beginning of the campaign.

Scott Hartnell continues to have bad hair and to lead by example. He is one of the few Flyers that is willing to pay the price every single night, and is one of those players that brings so many intangibles to the game that, without him in the lineup, the Flyers are a different team.

Claude Giroux has shown flashes of brilliance, but with three goals in 24 games he still has a way to go before he can be considered a legitimate second line player. Like many young players, Giroux needs to shoot the puck more (he has 35 shots on the season), his hockey sense is strong, he just needs to be a little greedier.

Overall, the Flyers outlook on the season has been positive. Better defense, less penalties, and a more aggressive approach from the defense will go a long way in making sure this Flyers squad not only secures a playoff spot, but goes a long way in the process.

Until next time,

Peace!

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Week 13 NFL Point Spread Winners: Key Plays and Games To Avoid

thomas moreland — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:20:19 -0500

The Eagles are in Atlanta with the Falcon team pretty banged up this week. Take the Eagles by 4.5 on the road. Without Turner and Ryan, this could be a rough day for the offense.

Denver takes on the Arrowhead curse Sunday, as they are 1-19 the last 20 games there, someone has kindly told me. Still, the numbers point to a Denver win in this one. The past is the past. Denver covers to stay close to San Diego. The line is also 4.5

The Jets are in Buffalo and expect a huge dose of Thomas Jones , and Revis keeping Owens from having a big day. The Jets win by a field goal or more.

Indianapolis is at home against winners of five in a row, the Tennessee Titans. Indianapolis has their own 10 game thing going. The Colts pass defense will present problems to Vince Young, but Chris Johnson is a bigger threat in this one.

Still, you must respect Peyton Manning to get this win at home. The Colts cover the 6.5 here.

Houston is in an early playoff battle to make the post season, already with this game against Jacksonville. The winner of this one will still have a shot making the playoffs. The loser.......well. Bah, Humbug. I like Houston to win. This game looks like a pick it. No points.

Cincinnati has Detroit in the Buck-Eye State and will go to 9-3 and a solid hold on the division. The Bengals will win, but I will take Detroit with 12.5 points. Seems like too many points to give.

Tampa Bay has a chance to win game No. two this season, and I will take them up on that. Carolina has injury problems, quarterback issues, and is not that much better that Tampa. You get a whopping 6.5 points as well. Go Bucs.

Pittsburgh will tune back up against Oakland and win easily.Big Ben will play and they will cover up to 10 points with no problem. Perhaps even 14.

New England should cover the depleted wild-cat and have enough passing offense to beat the Dolphins. The line is only five and this is a solid play this week.

Chicago has the Rams at home and are favored by nine. You have to take the Bears in this one, but the way they have been playing, The Rams might be a good cover with nine points. Cutler is really due for a decent game. Chicago wins this one, and hopefully covers the nine. Stay away from this one. It's no fun.

New Orleans will continue winning against Washington , who will have no answers to the Saints. This is a strong play with New Orleans running away with this game. Nine and half seems easy.

San Diego has a vacation type game against Cleveland, who I give absolutely zero chance of winning this one. The line is 12.5 and I can't imagine anyone betting on the Browns.

The struggling San Francisco Forty-Niners play Seattle in the rainy north-west. I don't see enough talent to beat the Niners in this game. San Francisco by a field goal at least.

The Giants are at home against the hated division rival Cowboys.Dallas is favored by two, but the Giants will have a bit of a resurgence and win this game by 3-4 points.

If Romo can pull this off, only then will I believe the Cowboys will be relevant in the playoffs.

Minnesota visits Arizona and brings Brett Favre, some confident pass catchers, and Adrian Peterson. The Minnesota pass rush might get Warner out early in this one. Take the Vikings, giving a couple of points.

Green Bay is at home against Baltimore and it's time for Aaron Rodgers to take over this team, and take them down the stretch. The defense has looked brilliant at times , almost shutting out Dallas in that win.

But the loss to Tampa Bay made people wonder if Green Bay can make the big time once more. The Packers at home are favored by three and they will cover this time.

104-85 to date against the spread. Plus 19 is ok, but I really expect a couple of good weeks to get this 30 games over 500.

Thomas[ NFL Mikee] Moreland.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Interested in John Smoltz

Tom Dougherty — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:38:22 -0500

ESPN's Jayson Stark reports that the Phillies have showed interest in 42-year-old free agent pitcher John Smoltz as a low risk, high reward signing, similar to the role played by Pedro Martinez last season.

Smoltz isn’t the same pitcher he was five years ago, but he showed with the Cardinals that he can still be effective despite having a miserable couple of outings in Boston.

The former Atlanta Braves great appeared in eight games with the Red Sox last season, going 2-5 with a 8.32 earned run average in 40 innings before being designated for assignment on Aug. 7.

He signed with St. Louis after being released by the Sox, starting seven games for the Red Birds. He pitched relatively well upon his return to the N.L. Smoltz went 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA.

His control wasn’t an issue last year with either team as he had very impressive strikeout-to-walk numbers, striking out 33 batters while walking just nine with Boston, and 40-to-nine ratio with the Cards.

Smoltz’s trouble with the Bo Sox was that he was giving up way too many hits and home runs. In 40 innings with Boston, Smoltz gave up 59 hits and nine homers.

With Dave Duncan as his pitching coach in St. Louis, he was able to trim down on the hits and long balls. While playing for the Cardinals, Smoltz allowed 36 hits and three homers in 38 innings.

Smoltzy will be turning 43 in May, so he’s on the downside of his career, however the age doesn’t show that he still can’t get batters out. Jamie Moyer is 46 years old, and is still getting it done.

When pitchers get past a certain age in their careers, they have to learn how to use their stuff and trust what they still have. It’s all about location, and utilizing your off-speed stuff rather than your heaters.

At this point in his career, he has to throw his sliders and breaking balls more often rather than falling back on his heater because it’s not that devastating fastball from years ago.

Smoltz isn’t fond of Citizens Bank Park so that could be a hurdle in negotiations with the future Hall-of-Fame pitcher, but that will not be the biggest roadblock in signing Smoltz.

There are two major things that could get in the way of snagging Smoltz. The first whether he would be willing to accept the role as a reliever, and the second is how much money will he be asking for.

In his storied career, he has been both a great starter and a great reliever. At one time, he was among the game’s best closers. Will he go back to the bullpen as a seventh or eighth-inning guy?

I think he’s better suited for the ‘pen because he doesn’t have the stuff or the health to give you five-plus innings every fifth day. And for the Phillies, he would be insurance to Brad Lidge.

He fits with the Phils as a reliever in my opinion, however he could also help the team’s depth at starting pitcher. Maybe the Phils should promise him a chance to earn a starting job like they did with Chan Ho Park?

It’s unlikely that Pedro will be back, and Moyer seems to be a huge question mark so who knows who will be the fifth starter come opening day. Depth is an issue in terms of starters.

Smoltz showed with the Cards that he can still be a serviceable starter, a guy who can give you five quality innings every fifth day. But whether he can he do it over a full season is still up in the air.

With his past history of greatness, Smoltz may think that he’s due a few million bucks even though he hasn’t done anything other than show that he could be an OK fifth starter in the last couple of years.

The Phillies are in the market for bargain-bin type pitchers for both the rotation and bullpen. Rather than overpay for quality, they’ll pay for average, which I have no problem with.

Some fans will have a problem with them looking at players like this because they aren’t “willing to throw out the big bucks.”

To those fans, didn’t they acquire a highly paid pitcher at the deadline?

Great teams are ones who aren’t afraid to take risks, like Phils did when they signed Martinez.

If the Phillies have proved anything in the last year, the best deal doesn’t always come with the highest price tag. Instead of paying the premium to get Roy Halladay, they gave up less for Cliff Lee.

So, instead of targeting John Lackey or Randy Wolf in free agency, the Phils are looking at John Smoltz-type pitchers. Guys who can be bought for low, and possibly give a high return.

Justin Duchscherer anyone?

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

There's No 'I' in Team, But We Do Have A.I. Back in Philly

Bryan Toporek — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:54:21 -0500

It's official: Allen Iverson is making his triumphant return to the Philadelphia 76ers, the place where he started his NBA career 13 years ago, after signing a pro-rated, one-year, non-guaranteed contract on Wednesday.

"In light of the recent injury to Lou Williams, which will sideline him for close to eight weeks, we felt that Allen was the best available free agent guard to help us at this time," team president Ed Stefanski said.

According to a source close to the negotiations, the Sixers offered Iverson the one-year contract on Tuesday for a pro-rated portion of the veteran's minimum $1.3 million , after coach Eddie Jordan and general manager Ed Stefanski met with Iverson for two hours on Monday .

This news comes on the heels of the Sixers management having met Tuesday with Iverson's agent, Leon Rose.

As early as Monday night, ESPN had reported that the meeting brought the Sixers closer to signing Iverson more than ever , with both sides considering a deal "far more likely than not."

In fact, ESPN even quoted one source as saying, "No doubt he's coming back."

ESPN reports suggest that the Sixers will send assistant coach Aaron McKie (a former teammate of Iverson's) to meet Iverson in Philadelphia this week and if the signing does go through, the plan is to get him up to playing speed as quickly as possible.

The Sixers are reportedly targeting Monday's home game against the Denver Nuggets (the team who the Sixers traded Iverson to during the 2006-07 season) as a potential return date for "The Answer."

For what it's worth, Sixers players appear to hold Iverson in high regard, as several Sixers had positive comments about Iverson this week.

Guard Royal Ivey said, "He's a Hall of Fame-type player; he's a great leader, I think he'd help us if he decided to come back. He's a great contributor; I'd like to have him as a teammate, it's that clear and simple.''

Much to the chagrin of Phil Sheridan of the Inquirer, Jrue Holiday chimed in , "I think Lou [Williams], Willie [Green], everybody here that played with him learned something from him. I think I could learn from him, too." (Sheridan is skeptical, saying, "There is nothing they could possibly want Holiday or Marreese Speights or anyone else to learn from Allen Iverson").

And Andre Iguodala (who might need a new nickname besides "A.I." with this impending signing) told the Philadelphia Daily News , "With the situation we're in, we can always try to improve. A guy like that could really help us out, you know? Just the caliber player he is, he could come in and help us."

With the team 5-13, slumping through seven straight losses, and barely able to attract more fans per game than the Memphis Grizzlies (and keep in mind, Memphis is a city where its college basketball team has a larger fan base than its professional team), the Sixers really didn't have much to lose when considering bringing back the future Hall of Famer, especially with the injury to Lou Williams opening up a huge hole in the starting lineup for the next eight weeks.

I firmly believe that Jrue Holiday is going to be great someday—trust me, I wrote all about it here —but the kid is a 19-year old-rookie. He's going to get abused by professionals all season.

Brandon Jennings came firing out of the gate because he'd played in a professional league for a year and he's even suffering through some slowdown after battling through 20 NBA games.

Iverson gives the 76ers the best shot at winning games and remaining competitive this year and isn't that all that a fan base can ask for now?

The Sixers' best (only?) move was to go through with this signing, as they risked the complete and total alienation of their fan base if they balked on such an opportunity.

You think they're having trouble drawing fans now? What about when most of the city rallies to bring Iverson back, only to see management snub the idea and say they're happy with the horrible team they have now? (Here's looking at you, New York Knicks .)

So,with all of that said,who else is ready to see No. 3 in the Sixers' new, old-school uniforms? Say hello to the best Christmas present a 76ers fan could ask for; welcome back home, Allen. We've missed you.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Allen Iverson, Horrible Ex-Girlfriend, is Needed by Philadelphia

Eric Marmon — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:39:36 -0500

Break-ups are a funny thing.

It starts off positive. Sure, some bad things are said initially. But you’re left with a fresh start, an empty slate, a feeling of bottomless potential. You feel free, like anything is possible, and you wonder why you wasted so much time with your horrible Ex in the first place.

You go out on a few dates. Try to find somebody new. Maybe you do, and this new relationship is beautiful and fulfilling and strong, and you never have to think of your horrible Ex again.

But often you don’t. Not immediately, anyway. And as your seemingly futile search for love drags on, thoughts of that horrible Ex begin to re-emerge.

You know it’s wrong. If a relationship was bad, if it wasn’t working and had proven over a substantial amount of time that it wasn’t going to work, then it simply is never going to work. That is not a healthy relationship. It is not a productive relationship. And it will never get you the results you desire.

Despite all the reasons not to do it… the Philadelphia 76ers need to bring back their Ex.

They need to bring back Allen Iverson.

It may not be the best “long-term” decision, but it needs to be done. It feels comforting, it feels safe, and it gives you a warm feeling just to be reminded that you can in fact be loved.

Sixers fans need to feel love again.

Despite a plethora of young players that management swears are bubbling with potential, the fact remains that the Sixers have been awful since Iverson’s departure. They have the fourth worst record in the NBA. Only Minnesota, New York, and the record-setting winless Nets are below them. With two of their key players out for a substantial amount of time, things seem destined to get worse before they get better.

Since trading Iverson, the Sixers are on their third head coach, second general manager, and have plummeted to the bottom of the NBA attendance rankings. They are far-and-away the least popular team in the city of Philadelphia. They have fewer wins on the season than Temple Football. They seem over-paid, uninspired, and provide little confidence that they will ever beat a semi-decent team.

Allen Iverson can change all that.

Sure, it’s not the smart move. Just like rekindling with a former fling, signing Iverson would provide little in the future. The long-term success of the Sixers will depend on the development of the young nucleus we’ve heard so much about. Players like Thaddeus Young and Jrue Holiday will need playing time to evolve into the kinds of players that can make this team a contender.

Despite this, there comes a time when things are so low, so ghastly, so seemingly hopeless that one has no choice but to abandon all reason and give that Ex a call. A quick fix? Sure. Unproductive? Certainly. But in that small period of time there will be that tiny moment that’ll remind you of all the wonderful times you once had.

Sixers fans want that moment. They need that moment. After three seasons of apathetic, helpless, unlovable basketball, they deserve this moment.

Allen Iverson is The Answer.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Add Brian Schneider

Adam Bernacchio — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:22:53 -0500

It’s a great time to be a back-up player in the majors these days.

So far this offseason, we have seen Andruw Jones, Omar Vizquel, and Alex Cora sign contracts. Now we can add another back-up player to the list of players who have signed a contract.

According to Todd Zolecki , the Philadelphia Phillies have signed Brian Schneider to a two-year, $2.75 million contract to be their back-up catcher to Carlos Ruiz. Schneider spent the last two years with the New York Mets.

When the Mets traded Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals for Schneider and Ryan Church before the 2007 season, I thought it was a good trade for the Mets.

Milledge was the Mets top young player at the time, but he is a clown and I have seen hundreds of Milledge types in my day. The Mets were getting back two professional ball players and with Schneider, they were getting a serviceable major league catcher.

The Mets got what they expected out of Schneider in 2008. Schneider hit .257 with nine home runs and threw out 33 percent of the runners trying to steal against him.

However, in 2009 like most of the Mets players, Schneider suffered through an injury plagued season. Schneider missed 41 games with a lower back injury and his average plummeted to .218 and his OPS dipped to .627.

I like this signing by the Phillies. Would I have given him a two-year deal? It’s debatable.

Schneider is four years younger than Paul Bako and three years younger than Chris Coste (Coste recently signed with the Mets), who were the Phillies’ back-up catchers last season. Schneider’s .345 caught stealing percentage in 2009 is also better than both of them.

Of course knowing the Mets luck with players once they leave Flushing, Schneider will hit .280 with the Phillies and throw out 50 percent of the baserunners trying to run against him.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

PHILLIES SIGN BRIAN SCHNEIDER

Tom Dougherty — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:15:16 -0500

Mandy Housenick of The Morning Call is reporting that Northampton graduate Bran Schneider has signed a two-year free agent contract with the Phillies after passing a physical on Tuesday.

Schneider, who grew up a Phillies fan, hit .218/.292/.335 with three home runs and 24 RBI in 170 at-bats with the New York Mets last season while being slowed down by back, calf and knee injuries.

The 33-year-old left-handed hitting catcher is a career .251/.323/.697 hitter while playing for the Mets and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.

He’s regarded as an excellent defensive catcher, committing only 36 errors in 877 career games. He caught 437 innings, and had a .997 fielding percentage while throwing out 34% of base stealers.

Schneider has always been a Phillies killer in his career, hitting .273/.354/.412 against Philadelphia while slugging six homers and driving in 54 runs in 108 games.

I think this is a good move on the part of Ruben Amaro Jr. , who has done nothing but good things since taking over as general manager last winter. Schneider provides a bat and defense at backup catcher.

Interestingly enough, this happened one day after former Phillies catcher and fan favorite Chris Coste agreed to sign with the rival Mets.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Jason Avant, Philadelphia Eagles WR—Fantasy Football Pickup of the Week?

Chris Farmer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:23:09 -0500

If you believe everything you read, Reggie Brown would be the WR to pick up if DeSean Jackson does in fact end up missing Week 13 with a concussion.

The way concussion awareness has escalated and been handled with increasing caution in the NFL this season, it is wise to expect Jackson to miss some time.

It has been reported that it will be Brown that gets the start in Jackson's stead if that happens. After all, Reggie is listed as DeSean's backup on the official depth chart.

While Brown may get his name in the game day program, for fantasy purposes Jason Avant is the one you want to pick up, and here is why.

First, about the matchup:

The Eagles face the Falcons, who just allowed rookie QB Josh Freeman to accumulate 20 completions on 29 attempts for 250 yards and two TDs for a 118.5 QB rating. Owners of Eagle players are rightfully excited to exploit this situation.

Concerning Brown vs. Avant:

Reggie Brown has three catches on the season, while Jason Avant has 32.

Brown was the recipient of two targets with zero catches last week, whereas Avant had six targets with five catches and a team-best 94 yards, including a 46-yarder.

Avant has been coming on strong as of late. In fact, I almost picked up him anyway even with a healthy Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Brent Celek all catching balls, because in the past three games he has 17 catches for 276 yards and a TD.

He is a hard worker who usually operates in the shadows, but when given the chance, he almost always comes through. He has made some spectacular catches, and not just this season.

When the Eagles were trying out the T.O. experiment, I was of the opinion that the Eagles wasted a ton of money on a team cancer, whereas they could have gotten just as much production at a bargain rate with someone like Avant.

Maybe the Eagles learned their lesson, as they drafted Avant in 2006—T.O.'s first year in Dallas.

Fast-forward to 2009, and I don't know what kind of future Avant has in Philadelphia.

As I said previously, if I were Baltimore or Miami, or any number of other receiver-hungry teams, I would make a play for Avant because I think he could make a solid No. 2 WR elsewhere, whereas in Philly they appear to be set for the long haul with youngsters Jackson and Maclin.

As far as fantasy goes, take advantage of Avant's opportunity while you can. Who knows—it could be that even with Jackson in the mix, he builds upon this three-week roll to find himself hovering around the center of the Eagles' offensive plans for the rest of the season.

This article also appears on FantasyFootball.com

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Talor Battle's 32 Points Help Penn State Win Big Ten/ACC Challenge Opener

Ben Jones — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:07:05 -0500

First off: Penn State’s 69-66 win makes them the first Big Ten team to win three straight games in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, so congratulations to the squad for making a bit of history.

Let me just say that this is the first time I have taken a breath in about a half hour. If there is one thing Penn State basketball gives you, it’s a strong cardiac workout.

In fairness to the Lions, however, they played the best defense of the young season and started the second half with a 28-11 run, building an 11-point lead with seven minutes remaining.

The shooting was finally on the mark in comparison to the terrible showings on the road at the...Charleston Classic? I don't even remember; I’ve blocked that from my mind. Either way, it looks as though the Lions have gotten over their shooting woes on the road, or at the very least have started to gain the confidence that they need to succeed this season.

Before I go any farther, let me say once again that Talor Battle is having a special season so far. Already he has scored 25 or more points three times this season, including tonight’s 32-point performance, a career high at that.

So what can we take from this victory? For whatever reason, I always have three keys to the game, so let’s have three things to take from the game.

The offense and defense can function away from the BJC

I guess that pretty much is a wordy way of saying that the team is learning how to win on the road. That may seem rather simple to say, but considering that the past five to 10 years of Penn State basketball aren’t exactly littered with epic road wins, you’ve got to start small and work your way up.

Regardless of how Virginia finishes out their season, Penn State will be able to say they went on the road and won against an ACC team with a good crowd on national TV. Even if it doesn’t boost the SOS in the long run, it can help the confidence level when you’re playing tough ones against the likes of Michigan State and Ohio State later on down the road.

The shots are starting to fall

While the percentages aren’t where they can be, they stayed well out of the 20-30 percent range that they had been previously on the road this season.

Maybe the most important shots falling came from Battle, who although he has had several 25-plus-point games this season is getting them mainly from shooting a lot of shots. Tonight, however, Talor was his old self, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and pushing his PPG to 20.1.

Chris Babb has yet to find his shooting touch again, and while that is a cause of some concern for Lions fans, all great shooters come back around, even in the deepest of slumps. In short, don't give up on Babb; he’ll find his shot and start raining the threes again.

If there is one positive out of him missing, it is that he isn’t afraid to shoot. The belief that the slump is just a shot away from being broken can be a big help in actually getting out of the slump.

Defense/Rebounding

Early on this year a lot of talk came from Jeff Brooks’ size and how he wasn’t getting enough rebounds for how big of a body he had. Tonight Jeff posted a nine-rebound game and added eight points to the mix. Andrew Jones and David Jackson both added seven rebounds. Jones finally caught up to Battle, and they are now both tied for first on the team in total rebounds with 42 this season.

The defensive effort coming out of the second half against Virginia was by far the best effort that the Lions have shown this year. It is starting to look like these guys are figuring out the type of effort that it takes for a team to win a big game.

All in all, this game was exactly what this team needed—a win on the road against a solid team and proof to themselves more than anything that they can win games. Closing out games will be the next issue addressed on the list, but minus a few mistakes, there is only so much you can do against a player who is hitting threes from everywhere trying to pull a Tracy McGrady .

I’m sure those things will be addressed in practice as they are needed. For now, however, we can enjoy the win and look forward to the trip to Temple this Saturday.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies: A Glance at What's Going on with the Phils

Tom Dougherty — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:34:50 -0500

Jeff Kolpack is reporting that former Phillies catcher and fan favorite Chris Coste has agreed to sign a deal with the New York Mets that will guarantee a spot on their 40-man roster come Spring Training.

Tom’s Take: It will be hard to see Coste playing for the hated Mets, that is if he makes the team of course. His story could eventually make it to the big screen, but his best days are behind him at the age of 37. The Phils waived him last year, and the Astros picked him up. Now, he’ll have a chance to earn a job on a bad Mets team. Good luck, Chris.

Mike Potter writes that the decision to sign DeWayne Wise to a minor league contract was a good move on the part of Ruben Amaro Jr. He thinks that Wise could contribute to the Phils this coming season.

Tom’s Take: With minor league deals, you never expect anything big to come out of it. Usually, these type of players are guys who are way past their prime or never really showed anything to warrant a guaranteed spot. Wise is a player like that, but who knows, it could pay off or it could not. We shall see.

David Murphy thinks that the Phillies will offer Chan Ho Park arbitration when the deadline passes on Tuesday, and he also expects Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz to be offered contracts to boot.

Tom’s Take: As much as I want to see Park come back to the Phils’ bullpen, I don’t see it happening. He wants to be a starter so if a team wants him, all they have to do is what the Phillies did last season. Give him a chance to start, and when, not if, he blows, send him to he ‘pen. Victorino and Ruiz will ink deals at some point, at least I expect so.

Sam Donnellon says that Chone Figgins would fit nicely atop the Phillies' lineup this season, and that they should sign him to be their third baseman.

Tom’s Take: Figgins is everyone’s top target this off-season at the hot corner, however I’d rather not spend the money on a 32-year-old who relies on speed, especially if he wants four to five years at $50 million. I would rather go with a guy who has some power like Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, or Miguel Tejada; however, I do agree that Figgins would be a good fit with the Phils.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Falcons QB Matt Ryan Out for Eagles Game

steve tisch — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:49:36 -0500

Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan suffered a turf toe injury in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, yesterday, and will not play this week.

The Falcons are three point underdogs for their home game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. According to various reports, Ryan will not play because of the injury, which was suffered during the first series of the game vs. the Bucs.

Atlanta came away with a 20-17 victory over Tampa Bay but they failed to cover as 13-point faves.

Since 1984, the Falcons are 3-6 ATS in nine home games against the Eagles and in their last nine games when an underdog of four points or less, they have gone Over seven times.

The Total for the Eagles game currently sits at 45.5.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver Jason Avant Was the True Hero Against Redskins

Dan Parzych — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:19:03 -0500

The Philadelphia Eagles remained in the NFC playoff hunt">Philadelphia Eagles remained in the NFC playoff hunt with their second straight come from behind win in a 27-24 victory over the Washington Redskins on Sunday. With wide receiver DeSean Jackson sidelined due to a concussion, the Eagles needed all the extra help they could get on offense from their young guys.

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb helped his team overcome an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter and score 11 unanswered points. Rookie running back LeSean McCoy provided a strong running game for the Eagles throughout the fourth quarter and finished with 76 yards on the ground–including a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 24.

Even rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin hauled in a key 35-yard reception to help set up what ended up being the game-winning field goal by kicker David Akers.

While each of these Eagles played an important role in Sunday’s win against the Redskins, no player deserves more credit for the team’s comeback than fourth-year wideout Jason Avant.

With the Eagles down 24-16 in the fourth quarter, Avant hauled in two key receptions during a drive that helped the Eagles march 90 yards down the field and eventually a one-yard touchdown run by Eldra Buckley. While he may not have been a factor towards the end of the drive, it was his effort in the beginning that helped the team get out of an offensive funk that almost lost them the game.

The Eagles offense arguably had their worst performance of the season in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Redskins. Each of their three possessions resulted in a three-and-out. On two of the drives, two third-down passes by McNabb fell just short of a first down. For the Philadelphia fan, it was frustrating to watch considering the Eagles were losing to a Redskins team at home who were winners of just three games all season.

The fourth quarter was a similar situation for the Eagles after they pulled another three-and-out on their first drive. With four straight three-and-outs in the second half, it appeared the Eagles were on their way to their fourth loss of the season and would have to play catch up in the NFC playoff hunt.

That was until Avant saved the offense.

With less than 11 minutes to play and the Eagles looking for a first down for the first time since the end of the second quarter, McNabb found Avant for a 46-yard reception in Washington territory. The very next play, McNabb found Avant again for another 20-yard gain.

All of a sudden, the Eagles offense was alive and there was hope for a fourth quarter comeback for the second straight week.

Overall, Avant led all Eagles wide receivers with five receptions for 94 yards. His two receptions for a combined 66 yards during the drive were a major reason why the Eagles left Lincoln Financial Field victorious on Sunday against the Redskins.

Without Avant, it’s hard to say whether or not the Eagles still would still be holding on to the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoff hunt and trailing the Dallas Cowboys by one game in the NFC East.

Dan Parzych Is the Eagles Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown.com

He is also the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Pull the Trigger or Pull the Plug: Re-Signing A.I. Is Sixers' Only Hope

Harrison Moore — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:04:27 -0500

With last night's loss to the Spurs in the books, the Sixers stand at a dismal 5-12, their most offensively potent guard (Lou Williams) may be out for as many as eight weeks, and their attendance is the second worst in the league, yet their management hasn't decided whether they even want to try to re-sign Allen Iverson.

Someone's gonna have to explain that to me.

It's one thing to worry about your team's chemistry when the chemistry in place has proven successful, but what exactly do the Sixers have to lose?

Don't give me that "development of your younger players" BS. Passing on Allen Iverson for the sake of "developing" Jrue Holiday or Lou Williams is like turning down a job offer in the White House for the sake of purchasing additional tickets in a lottery with a three digit jackpot.

With their meager 96 point per game average, the Sixers have already proven that they don't have the offensive firepower to hang with the big boys, and Iverson's name has been synonymous with putting points on the board since the '96 NBA draft. So what's the hold up? At 5-12, can things really get that much worse?

Short answer: no.

Even the five wins the Sixers do have paint a deceiving picture. Of those wins, only one of them was against a team with a record over .500, and two of them were against a Nets team that hasn’t won a game since Apr. 13th.

I’ll repeat it: What do the Sixers have to lose?

Even if re-signing Allen Iverson doesn't improve the team's condition, it will put butts in seats and will bring some level of national attention back to this team, if on nothing but Iverson's raw star power alone. If given a chance to shine, Iverson will likely rebuild his marketability enough for a decent trade regardless of how the team performs.

Simply being content with increasing Jrue Holiday's minutes equates to medicating a bullet wound with a Band-Aid, and now with the losses pouring in, the Sixers are bleeding heavily enough to make a scene of their own in a Quentin Tarantino flick.

Something's going to give. Whether it'll be management's overly cautious disposition towards Iverson or the last breaths of the Sixers' relevancy, I don't know.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Are The Philadelphia Eagles Good or Just Good Enough?

Lou DiPietro — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:16:47 -0500

After watching the Philadelphia Eagles squeak out another fourth-quarter victory—this one over a Washington Redskins team they beat handily in October—I’ve come to the perfect conclusion on how to describe the Birds.

It’s the same way Cyndi Lauper described The Goonies : Not necessarily good, but good enough.

Now, don’t take that as me saying “the Eagles suck” or some other possibly-vulgar variant. They don’t.

They’re just not particularly “good” overall.

Yes, they do things well; Donovan McNabb has had big days, the defense looks 1985 Bears-esque at times and David Akers is on a roll.

But all that is often countered by piss-poor play calling, questionable clock management and an offense that is so inept in the red zone they might need a government bailout.

The result? Two straight fourth-quarter comebacks needed against mediocre teams, a third falling short against an actual “good” team and a loss to the gall-darned Raiders.

So despite what their 7-4 record says, they’re not good. But they are good enough…and this season, that level of ability should be enough to guide them handily into the NFC playoffs.

Why? Because the Eagles are the epitome of a paper champion: A team that beats opponents and wins the games they should (no matter how bad they may look in the process), but also loses the same way.

Case in point: Their record against teams who are under .500 is 6-1, with that lone loss being the embarrassment against the Raiders.

So what, you might say, because every good team is due a bad loss, right? Maybe, but they should also have a signature win.

Unfortunately for the Birds, right now that’s their victory over the 6-5 Giants; otherwise, the Birds’ record against teams above the middle mark is a perfect 0-3.

Sure, they almost beat Dallas and nearly toppled the Chargers. They also almost lost to the 3-8 Redskins and 4-7 Bears. But as the saying goes, “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”

Luckily for the Eagles, this “problem” could lead them to another double-digit win season and a playoff berth. Why? Because of their remaining five games, only one is against a team who is “better” than them—and that’s the season-ending rematch against the Cowboys.

Between now and then, the Birds play the 6-5 Falcons, 6-5 Giants, 5-6 49ers and 7-4 Broncos.

The first two (and possibly first three) are all in contention with Philly and Green Bay for the two NFC Wild Card slots. If form holds true, the Eagles should finish 3-2 or perhaps 4-1, with a defeat of either the Broncos or Cowboys giving them their “signature win” that proves the rule.

If they win the first three as they “should,” they’ll have a big enough lead and the right tiebreakers to clinch a playoff berth. I say three because even though the 49ers are 5-6, they are surging and the rest of their remaining schedule besides the Birds and a home game with Detroit.

But if they hold true to form, the Eagles won’t have to win a game against a “better” team until the playoffs.

Know where it gets even weirder? In December, the division leading Cowboys play the Giants, San Diego, New Orleans and Washington.

If the Eagles go 3-1 this month—again, something they “should” do—then the only way that season-ender with the ‘Boys isn’t for the division title is if Dallas is perfect (either in winning or losing) in December.

Given the way they’ve played lately, does anyone even in the Lone Star State think that’s a remote possibility?

New Orleans in the running for home field, but still couldn’t clinch that honor until the week they play Dallas. Oh yeah, plus they’re still undefeated as of Monday.

San Diego is firing on all cylinders and has won six in a row since a dismal 2-3 start.

As for the division games, the Giants already beat Dallas and Washington should’ve two weeks ago. Both teams are drastically different, but in the NFC East, nothing is a sure thing.

They should at least win one of those games, but all four? Not likely.

Which means that the Birds would enter the finale knowing a win over Dallas would give them a home playoff game, something they didn’t have en route to the NFC Championship Game last season.

Amazing what being just good enough can do for a team. Sure, they would have to play New Orleans or Minnesota in the Divisional round. But hey, sometimes being just good enough and having a late run can spark a team all the way to the Super Bowl…just ask the 2008 Arizona Cardinals.

Full circle, indeed.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

To Ed Snider, Ed Stefanski, and Eddie Jordan: We Want Allen Iverson

gabe allen — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:43:46 -0500

This will be the last article I write in regard to the 76ers bringing back Allen Iverson.

I want to start by getting rid of some common misconceptions.

First of all, the 76ers fill the lowest percentage of their stadium at 58 percent, while they still face the second worst overall attendance in the league.

With Iverson, that would change quickly.

If there is one thing you can say about Iverson, it's that he has some of the most loyal fans in the world, most of whom are 76ers fans. Think of all the people who would pay good money to see Allen Iverson's farewell season in the NBA.

I know, because I'm one of them.

For most of the Iverson era, I was a season ticket holder, and can tell you I'd make more games than I'd miss if Iverson comes back to Philly.

The next misconception is that Iverson would stunt the development of the young players, and ruin all team chemistry. But the Sixers could still give Jrue Holiday plenty of time as the point or shooting guard, especially since Lou Williams will be out for eight weeks. Even when Lou comes back, the only guards that should see playing time are Iverson, Williams, and Holiday.

Last night against the Mavericks, Willie Green played 38 minutes. 38 MINUTES! HELLO! This guy is not a young developing player. He should be a journeyman, but Billy King chose to re-sign him several off seasons ago over John Salmons.

The next misconception is that Iverson is a selfish player or a ball hog. Throughout his career the guy averages over six assists per game, to go along with his 27 PPG, and two SPG. Iverson is one of three players in NBA history to average 25 points, five assists, and two steals per game (the other two are MJ and Jerry West).

When Iverson played for the 76ers, he lacked other offensive options. He was forced to carry the load. The more he shot, the more likely the 76ers were going to win. Anyone who wants to say the 76ers would have made it to the finals in 2001, and been the only team to defeat the Lakers in the whole playoffs, without Iverson taking the majority of the shots is absolutely insane.

When Iverson went to Denver, his shot attempts went down and his percentages went up. He was shooting 20 times a game, 46 percent overall, and 35 percent from downtown while still getting to the free throw line almost 10 times a game (80 percent FT's), averaging 7.5 assists, and two steals. He also led the league in minutes. In his last full season in Denver, he started and played all 82 games, leading the Nuggets to 50 wins without Nene.

Iverson's time in Detroit and Memphis do not mean a thing.

The Pistons made the trade for cap purposes, because they knew Iverson would keep people coming to the games. And the Grizzlies, are you serious? You sign Iverson and then tell him you are going to bring him off the bench and start Mike Conley? You've got to be kidding me.

Next, some people seem to think Iverson would not fit on this 76ers team. The truth is, there may not be another team in the NBA that Iverson would be a better fit for. They lack a No. 1 scorer, and while Iverson has only expressed that he wants to start, he would immediately be the 76ers best offensive player.

The Sixers need to stop playing Iguodala as a shooting guard. He is shooting 42 percent from the field this season and 29 percent on three-pointers. He is a good player and can be an excellent point forward guy, but isn't it clear that he can't handle being the No. 1 option?

Then, between Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand, and Marreese Speights, the 76ers have a solid group of players receiving the bulk of the minutes, as well as a very happy City of Brotherly Love.

Iverson has made his mistakes in Philadelphia, no doubt. There are his run-ins with the law, his practice rant, and his divorce with Philadelphia in December of 2006.

Philadelphia misses the Answer, and the Answer misses Philadelphia.

The last time the 76ers had a player of Iverson's caliber, he went by the name of Charles Barkley. Bring back the best little guy the NBA has ever seen for a proper farewell. Do not let him go out having played his last game as a Memphis Grizzly.

"I always wanted to finish my career a Sixer," Iverson said when he reached out to the 76ers several days ago, in hopes of being welcomed back, shortly after announcing his plans to retire.

All in all, I beg Ed Snider, Ed Stefanski, and Eddie Jordan to bring back the six-foot guard from Georgetown, No. 3, ALLLLLENNNNNN IIIIIIVVERRSOOOONNNNNNNNN!

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Penn State Nittany Lions: What They Need to do to Win the Big Ten-ACC Challenge

Ben Jones — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:20:05 -0500

In an event that hardly seems like a challenge anymore for the ACC, the Big Ten finally has a shot to win it and flex their basketball muscle. Penn State has a chance to be the first team in the Big Ten to win three straight in the contest if they can pick up a win against the Virginia Cavaliers who are currently 4-2 coming off a win against Cleveland State.

A Penn State win would not only set a new Big Ten record, it would be a crucial win for a team that is looking for its first win on the road. In order to come away with the W there are a few things the Lions will need to do.

Defense

So far this season when the Lions focus on defending the lane, they have left the outside shots too wide open; when focusing on the outside the inside becomes weak.

The key for the Lions' success will be finding a balance on defense that works. Another aspect to this will being able to stop UV for a possession or two if the Lions fall behind and restore positive momentum. Playing better defense will also help with rebounds and finding an inside presence, more or less what we talked about here

Don't Look Around, Just Shoot

While it may seem silly, a big part of tonight’s game is just playing your game regardless of where you are.

For whatever reason the Lions have had serious issues with shooting on the road whereas they’re shooting the lights out at home. If they’re going to win on the road at all, let alone in the Big Ten-Acc Challenge they’re going to need to improve their on-the-road shooting.

Play to Your Skill Level, Not Theirs

This was a problem that the football team had this year at times, and if the Lions are going to win on the hardwood it’s going to take not playing down to teams. Skill-wise this team has the tools to be 6-0 right now but a few mental lapses and playing down to other teams' skill levels has hurt them in two games so far.

This very well could be the most important game of the Lions' young season, a win on national tv against an ACC team could go a long way to helping everyone forget the early season struggle. The team has a lot of talent and depth, it’s just about putting all the pieces together.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week 12: You Crapped The Bed

DMtShooter Five Tool Tool — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:02:00 -0500

This week on You Crap, we're brought to you by Japanese Toilets , the perfect gift for everyone on your Christmas shopping list who wants his bowel movements to be a baffling and expensive ordeal. Once you've dropped a bomb on one of these, you'll never want to commit a war crime on anything less!

You all know how to play the game. Each week, we give you the chance to out-think people who are actually paid to make NFL decisions. Now, let's all play... You Crap The Bed!

1) You are Eagles' coach Andy Reid facing the last-place Redskins at home. You lose the opening coin toss. You choose to:

a) Kick it deep, because the Redskins are a terrible team that does not need any chance of a hot start.

b) Kick it really deep, because place kicker David Akers has been putting the ball in the end zone fairly routinely this year, and your kickoff coverage has been quietly terrible recently, and needs every yard it can get.

c) No, seriously, kick it deep, because you really can't take the risk that, even if you catch the Redskins off guard with an onside kick, that you can feel good about the chances that your rookie-infested special teams will execute the recovery perfectly.

d) Squib or pooch it, I suppose, and give yourselves the chance of recovering the kick without giving up debilitating field position to start the game.

e) Try an onside kick, because even though the new NFL rules have made that play mostly impossible now, the Redskins won't be expecting it, it worked once 10 years ago in Dallas, and it allows the mouth breathers on Fox (Darryl Johnson & Tony Siragusa) to fellate you about how much guts you have.

If you choose (e), preferably while stalking the sidelines like a bear with constipation, congratulations...you crapped the bed! And you've won quickly digging yourself into a hole against a terrible opponent, the knowledge that you're going to spend most of the day dicking around with a terrible team, and the full-throated booing of a fan base with 49 years and counting of self-fulfilling negativity. Well done!

But not to be outcrapped, in the very same game...

2) You are Redskins bystander Jim Zorn, offensive bingo caller Sherman Lewis, or whichever theoretical human calls plays for this train wreck. You are down 27-24 to the Eagles on the road, having blown an eight-point fourth-quarter lead. On first down, QB Jason Campbell is nearly killed by the Eagles pass rush on a slow-developing pass play that goes incomplete. On second down, Campbell and TE Fred Davis fail to connect on a deep post. On 3rd-and-10 from your 15 with 1:33 left, Campbell is barely able to get the ball to WR Antwan Randle-El, who nearly gets the first down to prolong the game, but is tripped up a half a yard from the sticks.

On 4th-and-1 at your own 25 with 1:25 left, you choose to:

a) Run a QB draw to make sure you get the first down, especially since the pass rush has been mostly coming from the edge.

b) Run just a plain draw to RB Quinton Gaither, who has five carries for 32 yards and has looked like your fastest back today.

c) Throw a quick out to TE Davis, who is always open, given that he is a pass catching TE that is playing the Eagles.

d) Honestly, just run it. You need to keep the game alive and give yourself a chance. It's not as if you are completely out of time, or need to do anything more than get 40 yards to give yourself a shot at the tying field goal.

e) Throw a slow developing middle-zone pass to WR Santana Moss because it's not as if the Eagles aren't usually terrific at taking away the No. 1 option, or have been getting a ton of pressure.

If you chose (e), preferably while looking around the stadium like you were trying to find a lost child at the mall, congratulations...you crapped the bed! You've won a game-ending incomplete pass from pressure, yet another terrible loss in a season filled with them, and the perverse happiness of many people in your fan base who are actively rooting against your team at this point—either that, or the sweet embrace of death. Golf clap, whoever you are!

3) You are Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, or offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. In overtime on the road in Baltimore, you are starting third-string QB Dennis Dixon, who has been nearly picked-off on several occasions late in the game, but has not turned it over. With 10:14 left in overtime after the teams exchanged punts, you have a 3rd-and-5 at midfield. You choose to:

a) Hand it off to RB Rashard Mendenhall, who has 24 carries for 95 yards and has looked strong as of late going against a defense that might be tiring, and knowing that a punt in this situation is not fatal seeing how there are 10 minutes left.

b) Call a QB draw for Dixon, who scored on a 24-yard bootleg to give you the lead in the fourth quarter, and clearly has good quicks.

c) Throw a safe bubble screen to WR Hines Ward or Santonio Holmes, both of whom have been effective this game.

d) Try something mildly tricky, like an end around or shuffle pass, that has a reasonable chance at getting five yards but no massive INT risk.

e) Drop back Dixon in the same kind of formation and passing-play that has almost been picked-off on multiple occasions in the second half, and maybe pass to ice-cold TE Heath Miller (one catch for two yards)

If you chose (e), all while proving that your Super Bowl hangover year means you somehow finish games worse than even Baltimore, congratulations...you crapped the bed! You've won a game-changing interception and return on a terrible mistake by Dixon, the increasing likelihood that you are going to have to sweat out all 17 weeks just to get a wild card, and the knowledge that you could have left B'More absolutely dead and buried with a road win while starting a backup QB, only to let them off the hook. Bravo!

Well, I'm afraid that's all we have time for this week. But remember, with a little fiber, determination and inspiration—or the abject horror that is freakishly invasive Japanese technology meeting your digestive system—you too can... Crap The Bed! Good night, everybody!

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Check My Watch: Why the Sixers Need To Bring Back Iverson

Ross Romano — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:52:20 -0500

As a follow-up to my article from a few days ago debating whether or not retirement would be Iverson's final "Answer," I decided to quickly go over the reasons why the 76ers would be wise to bring A.I. back to Philly. While he has accumulated many detractors over the years and has already gone through one acrimonious divorce with the organization, I believe that if he agreed to return to the City of Brotherly Love, the Sixers would be foolish not to have him. Here's why:

1. Iverson Sells Tickets

I list this reason first because it is the most urgent and most important reason. Even though a recent ESPN Sports poll ranks the 76ers as the 8th most popular team in the NBA (down from 4th in 2004), they rank a putrid 28th in the league in total attendance so far this year (29th in average attendance) and have finished 23rd each year since trading Iverson to Denver early in the 2006-07 season.

Simply put, despite his many critics in the media and otherwise, Iverson has always been a tremendously popular player that fans will pay to see. From 1998-2005, when A.I. was in his prime, the 76ers never finished lower than 11th in the league in attendance and from 1999-2000 through the 2003-04 season had finishing ranks of 8th, 5th, 2nd, 4th, and 4th in the league.

Many will be quick to argue that the recent decline in attendance can be attributed to the fact that the Sixers teams of Iverson were better teams than the current bunch, but this is a fallacious argument: the past two teams have made the playoffs, and yet ranked 23rd each year. Stars sell tickets, and Iverson is a star.

As further evidence, a crowd of 20,674 attended Iverson's lone return to Philadelphia as a visiting player, a March contest between the 76ers and Nuggets during the 2007-08 season. That year, the Sixers averaged only 14,870 fans per game. While the nightly numbers are unlikely to reach that extreme, an extended farewell tour by one of the franchise's greatest players is sure to boost attendance numbers for the remainder of the year.

2. The 76ers Need a Scorer

Right now, the Sixers rank just 21st in the league in scoring, at 96.9 points per game. Add that to the fact that they're allowing 101.8 points per contest and are without Lou Williams and Marreese Speights (a combined average of 30.4 PPG) for the next two months, things will continue to get much worse if they don't find a scorer soon. How fortunate for them that the franchise's 2nd—leading all-time scorer has recently become a free agent.

Iverson doesn't even have to come close to matching his career average of 27 PPG to help this team, he just has to put the ball in the net the way he is still capable. Iverson's ability to penetrate, make tough buckets, and get to the foul line is one of the best the league has ever seen, and he still has a lot of that left in the tank.

3. There's Still a Lot for the Young Players to Learn from A.I.

We all know that Iverson famously dismissed the importance of practice and questioned how he should be expected to make his teammates better, but regardless of this disconnect, he still has a lot to offer as a role model on the court. No player or coach has ever questioned Iverson's constant intensity and unparalleled toughness, and by witnessing the way he plays the game on a daily basis, young guys like Louis Williams, Marreese Speights, Thaddeus Young and Jrue Holiday will learn what it takes to become a star in this league.

There has also been a notion that Iverson would be taking away playing time from developing players if he were signed. This is poorly conceived, as the only healthy guards who fit this description are Holiday and Andre Iguodala, who really isn't a guard and also seems to have stopped developing. Williams would regain his playing time when healthy and Willie Green and Royal Ivey are nothing more than journeyman backups who don't need to be getting many minutes. Having Iverson here will improve the team for the present and future.

4. A.I. Deserves the Chance to Retire as a 76er

Regardless of what his critics may say, even they can't argue about how much Iverson has meant to the 76er organization since he was selected 1st overall in the 1996 draft. The Rookie of the Year award, an MVP trophy, 7 All-Star games as a 76er, an appearance in the NBA Finals, and a well-earned status as one of Philadelphia's all-time greatest players have earned him the opportunity to end his career in the place where it started.

Nobody wants a Hall of Fame player to exit the game unceremoniously as a member of the hapless Memphis Grizzlies. The right decision is for Ed Stefanski and Eddie Jordan to reach out the A.I. and bring him back to Philadelphia to finish out his career with the 76ers. It's best for everyone involved.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Eagles' Win Over Redskins Was a Moral Defeat

Bryan Toporek — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:06:00 -0500

The Eagles ' win over the Redskins Sunday moved the team to 7-4 overall on the season (3-1 in the division) and firmly into the driver's seat for one of the two NFC wild card spots.

But in reality, it was about as close to a defeat as a win could be.

In fact, while the Redskins get credit for another moral victory for keeping the game so close, the Eagles can soundly call Sunday's performance a moral defeat.

Bill Simmons introduced me to the idea of a moral defeat in this reader mailbag of his , where a reader from Illinois proposed:

"[What's] a phrase for a team that plays poorly and barely wins a game that it should have won in a landslide? Why not 'moral defeat'? It's the exact opposite of a moral victory -- an inferior team playing out of its mind and almost toppling Goliath, but being satisfied ultimately with coming so close. You say moral defeat, and everyone knows what you mean: a win so ugly it feels like a loss."

That definition sums up the Eagles' most recent win over the Washington Redskins perfectly.

Yes, the Eagles won by three points, came back in the fourth quarter after being down eight, and showed some heart to move to 7-4 on the season...but why were they in that position in the first place?

Well, for starters: Andy Reid, a man who has outsmarted himself countless times, may have outdone himself yet again this season by opening Sunday's game with an onside kick.

Reid's done this crafty move before, with mixed results. In 2000, Reid caught the Cowboys off-guard and rolled to a 41-14 romp, perhaps signaling the impending changing of the guard in the NFC East that occurred in the early part of this decade.

Three years later, it backfired when the Cowboys' Randall Williams (why always the Cowboys?) recovered the Eagles' game-opening onside kick and ran it back 37 yards in three seconds for the fastest touchdown to start a game in NFL history.

And yes, I know that some NFL statistics websites (like advancednflstats.com , for example) will come out with charts or probabilities that prove a game-opening onside kick is a smart percentage play because the other team likely won't expect such tomfoolery.

But isn't there a point where you're outsmarting yourself? Maybe the other team isn't expecting a game-opening onside kick because it's not the logical decision?

When you're facing a divisional rival that you soundly beat earlier in the season with no major tricks up your sleeve, why, for the love of sweet, newborn, eight-pound Baby Jesus , would you give that team any breath of life the second time around?

I don't care if the ratio of recovering the surprise onside kick is above 50 percent. If the Eagles wanted the ball that badly to start the game, they could have simply elected to receive after winning the coin toss!

Instead, they found themselves down 7-0, two minutes into the game, against a suddenly potent divisional foe.

Make no mistake, the Redskins have been playing better since bringing Sherm Lewis out of the Bingo halls and into the play-calling booth, scoring a huge upset over Denver and giving Dallas the scare of a lifetime last week.

But no one's mistaking Jason Campbell for Peyton Manning any time soon, and with Clinton Portis still recovering from a concussion, the Redskins started a third-stringer named Rock Cartwright as their running back.

Had the Eagles simply kicked a typical kickoff to open the game, there's no reason to believe that the Redskins' offense would have run roughshod over the Eagles' D.

Instead, Reid put his players in a difficult position within the first two minutes of the game, and they had to focus on battling their way out of an early deficit.

The Eagles still looked on their way to another Raiders-esque tankjob, before Donovan McNabb rallied the troops in the fourth quarter to steal a win away from the 'Skins.

"I was proud of him just stepping up and talking over," Reid said. "He was into it. He said, 'Hey, we're scoring.'"

Reid's lucky to have McNabb, a seasoned veteran who could corral his young team and march them down the field at a crucial time in the game.

But the Eagles were missing a key element to their offense on that game-tying drive, as speedy receiver DeSean Jackson got knocked out with a concussion in the third quarter after scoring on a wide-open touchdown in the first quarter. With Brian Westbrook nursing himself back to health after suffering two concussions in four weeks, an injury like this to Jackson was virtually the worst-case scenario for the Eagles (besides a season-ending injury).

Overall, the Eagles may have managed to sneak out a victory on Sunday, but this game came as close to a defeat as a victory could possibly be. Against a team they should have comfortably beaten, the Eagles sloughed their way through nearly 60 minutes of play before pulling together at the end.

It goes down as a win in the W/L column, but does this win inspire any confidence in this Eagles team for the upcoming five weeks?

Welcome to the world of the moral defeat, Philly.

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

Imagining the Sixers Without Iverson: Jrue Holiday's NBA Orientation

Bryan Toporek — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:52:45 -0500

With Sixers coach Eddie Jordan downplaying the slew of "Allen Iverson back to the Sixers" reports , I wanted to take some time and examine what the next eight weeks could look like for the team sans "The Answer."

The question that should be on most Sixers' fans minds as they've been watching these past few games: Just who is this new starting point guard? Who is Jrue Holiday?

The Sixers drafted Holiday this past summer as the No. 17 overall pick, assuming that then-starting point guard Andre Miller would leave the team in free agency. (He did. After reportedly asking the Sixers for $10 million/year for three years, he signed a three-year, $21 million deal with Portland. Goodbye and good riddance, Dre-day.)

Holiday came into college as the No. 1 ranked point guard and No. 2 overall prospect in the class of 2008 by the recruiting website Rivals.com . Scout.com , another recruiting website, threw a curveball and ranked Holiday the No. 1 shooting guard and No. 4 overall prospect in his high school class.

(Who was the No. 1 point guard in Scout.com's class? Only some guy by the name of Brandon Jennings—you know, the one who already dropped 55 points in a game within his first 10 games as an NBA rookie.)

Needless to say, Holiday's talent generated some serious expectations when he signed with Ben Howland and UCLA this past season, especially with most Bruin fans assuming that incumbent point guard Darren Collison would depart to the NBA after a strong three-year career.

Instead, Collison shocked the nation by returning for his senior year after a below-average performance in the previous year's NCAA tournament, relegating Holiday to being an off-the-ball shooting guard.

"Last year, I don’t want to say that I was out of position, but, I was out of position," Holiday told DraftExpress.com before the draft this year .

"I’m a floor general, a leader, a captain and that I can run a team. Even though I didn’t get a chance to last year and I didn’t perform the way I wanted to, at the next level my position is a point guard. I truly don’t think people saw that this [past] year."

Holiday averaged 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game last year for UCLA —certainly not a stat line to sneeze at, but at the same time, not one that screams "17th overall pick."

So what did the Sixers sign up for when they drafted Holiday, and can he fill the hole at point guard for the next eight weeks as Sweet Lou recovers from his broken jaw?

Coach Jordan seems to think so.

"It's a rite of passage. You need some time, and for Jrue Holiday his time is here," Jordan said to The Philadelphia Inquirer .

This year, of all years in recent memory, the idea of a rookie manning the point for a team doesn't seem nearly as terrifying as usual. Rookie guards like Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Ty Lawson, and Stephen Curry have managed to more than meet lofty expectations so far this season.

Holiday has shown flashes of brilliance this season as well. In 15 minutes against Phoenix early in the year (before Williams' injury), Holiday came in off the bench to score eight points (including two three-pointers), and added three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

In the past three games, Holiday has been forced to become more of a focal point in the offense. He knocked down three three-pointers on his way to 11 points, six rebounds and an assist in 10 minutes off the bench in the loss against Washington on Tuesday. He followed that up with another double-digit scoring effort with 10 points, six assists, and three rebounds in 34 minutes in his first game as a starter against Boston.

Despite struggling defensively against Mike Bibby on Friday night against Atlanta , Holiday has shown enough promise to inspire confidence for the future.

At 6-foot-4, and anywhere between 180-205 pounds (different sources list different weights), Holiday has the size of guards like NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose or fellow rookie Tyreke Evans, allowing him to bully smaller guards like Chris Paul. And when Lou Williams comes back, Sixers management reportedly were planning on starting Holiday alongside Williams, giving the Sixers a quick, versatile (albeit young) backcourt.

Whether the Sixers opt for "The Answer" or keep the faith in Holiday, Sixers fans should expect the season-long growing pains from Holiday that all NBA rookies go through.

However, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Holiday live up to the potential that had him ranked in the Top 5 of his stellar high school class.

(For those who want some idea of what Holiday can do, check out this video of some of his high school highlights . I know, the NBA is a little different than high school, but keep in mind, Holiday's only 19 years old. He was in high school two years ago. The kid's got a high ceiling.)

If the Sixers opt not to bring back Iverson, it's not necessarily time to panic, or a sign that they're giving up all hope on winning this year. They're simply committed to developing Holiday into a long-term member of the Sixers' backcourt, and giving him the requisite minutes to allow him to flourish.

Whatever happens with Iverson, you should enjoy the ride with Holiday. Not every team has the luxury of developing a potential future All-Star.

(And who's gonna be the first to think of a catchy nickname for Mr. Holiday?)

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com

BCS Rankings Week 14: Penn State and Virginia Tech Back in the Picture

Dan Kelley — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:33:56 -0500

A handful of losses among last week’s top 12 have shaken things up in the BCS picture, and provided a few teams with added hope for a BCS bid.

A blowout loss to Oklahoma dropped the previously 12th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys down to No. 16, and out of the BCS picture entirely.

Additionally, losses by Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech this weekend have hurt each team’s chances for an at-large bid, and will put more pressure on them to win their respective conferences. The Yellow Jackets will have to beat Clemson in the ACC championship game next week, and the Panthers have an end-of-season meeting with No. 5 Cincinnati to decide the Big East champion.

In order to be eligible for an at-large bid into one of the BCS bowls, a team must finish the season ranked in the top 12 of the BCS poll. With the losses, both Penn State and Virginia Tech have been pushed into eligibility, taking the 11th and 12th spots respectively.

Another bit of intrigue added to the picture thanks to Oklahoma State’s fall, is that the Fiesta Bowl could feature a battle of two at-large bids. The Big XII champion is typically selected to participate in the Fiesta Bowl, but Texas is likely headed to the BCS Championship, and no other Big XII member is eligible for an at-large.

If the projected conference champions hold up, then Florida and Texas will play in the BCS Championship, the Rose Bowl will see Ohio State and Oregon face off, Alabama will host the Sugar Bowl, Georgia Tech will host the Orange Bowl, and the Fiesta will have to pick two teams from among the remaining automatic qualifiers, Cincinnati and TCU, and the eligible at-large teams.

With this scenario, the at-large teams to be chosen from for all remaining bowl bids will be No. 6 Boise State, No. 9 Iowa, No. 11 Penn State, and No. 12 Virginia Tech.

However, this situation is hardly settled.

Florida and Alabama still have to play the SEC championship game, which will essentially earn the winner an automatic bid to the BCS Championship Game.
Texas still has to beat Nebraska in the Big XII championship, and will steal an at-large bid if they should lose and allow Nebraska to take the conference’s automatic bid into the Fiesta Bowl. A Longhorns loss would also allow TCU or possibly an undefeated Cincinnati into the BCS Title Game.
Cincinnati could also steal an at-large bid, if they were to lose to Pittsburgh this weekend. The Panthers can tie Cincinnati by beating them, and would get the Big East’s automatic bid with the tie-breaker, leaving Cincy 11-1 and likely still eligible for an at-large bid.
Georgia Tech and Clemson will play the ACC Championship for the league’s automatic bid. However, if the Yellow Jackets lose, neither team will finish in the top 12 so it’s the automatic bid or nothing for both teams.

The picture could look drastically different by next week, with several BCS conferences still up for grabs. Whether you're in the extreme minority that loves the BCS, or if you hate it like everyone else, you have to be excited for what should be some spectacular football this weekend, with plenty of BCS eligibility still left to be decided.

Here's this week's BCS poll in it's entirety:

1) Florida (12-0)

2) Alabama (12-0)

3) Texas (12-0)

4) TCU (12-0)

5) Cincinnati (11-0)

6) Boise State (12-0)

7) Oregon (9-2)

8) Ohio State (10-2)

9) Iowa (10-2)

10) Georgia Tech (10-2)

11) Penn State (10-2)

12) Virginia Tech (9-3)

13) LSU (9-3)

14) BYU (10-2)

15) Pittsburgh (9-2)

16) Oregon State (8-3)

17) Miami (9-3)

18) USC (8-3)

19) California (8-3)

20) Oklahoma State (9-3)

21) Houston (10-2)

22) Nebraska (9-3)

23) West Virginia (8-3)

24) Stanford (8-4)

25) Utah (9-3)

Read more Philadelphia news on BleacherReport.com