Philly Sports 101

Phillies Edge past Mets

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:34:00 +0000

The Phillies took two of three from the Mets this weekend because of their excellent pitching. Tonight, Kyle Kendrick and the bullpen allowed the Mets to score only one run. The Phillies ended up winning the game 3-1, the offense powered by the first two hitters in the lineup, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino.

The game started with heavy rain, which died down by the middle innings. The Phillies opened the scoring in the 3rd, when Shane Victorino doubled home Jimmy Rollins. Rollins reached on a single and stole second and third before Victorino's double.

The Mets countered in the bottom half of the inning, when Jose Reyes lead off with a home run. Reyes was involved in a close play in the first inning, when he was called out trying to steal second. The replay showed that he was just safe, but it was a very close play. Throughout the game, the ESPN dummies (mostly Joe Morgan), continued to talk about the play, show it, even though it happened in the first inning. Come on, now!

The Phillies took the lead for good when Polanco singled in Victorino in the 5th. Carlos "Chooch" Ruiz extended the lead an inning later, when his clutch single down the line scored Jayson Werth. Ruiz has been carrying the Phillies lately, getting clutch RBIs. Chooch has stepped up in the absence of Ryan Howard and Chase Utely.

Kyle Kendric pitched well in 6 2/3rds innings, only allowing the Reyes' home run. The bullpen pitched well tonight, surprisingly. Chad Durbin got the final out of the 7th. Ryan Madson pitched a hitless 8th, although he did walk a man. Brad Lidge, who is getting better and better, put the Mets down 1-2-3 in the 9th...... nicely done.

Things are looking up for the Fightin' Phils. Chase Utley is expected back Tuesday. Ryan Howard is also expected to join the team Tuesday, but he may not start until later in the week. The Phillies are two games back in the NL East, and are tied for the Wild Card lead.

The Phillies have an off day tomorrow. The Giants will visit the Bank for an important 3-game series for the the Wild Card lead. The Phils and Giants are tied up right now in the standings. Roy Oswalt will face off against Barry Zito on Tuesday night at 7:05pm ET.

Phillies, Halladay Punish Mets

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 02:26:00 +0000

The Phillies picked up a solid win tonight, shutting out the Mets 4-0. The Phils were lead by the magnificent pitching of one Roy Halladay. The offense didn't exactly break out tonight, just edged along enough to get the Phillies the win.

Let's start with Halladay. He pitched 8 innings, gave up 4 hits, and struck out 7. And no runs, of course. An example of Halladay's dominance came in the bottom of the 4th. Jose Reyes hit a triple to lead off the inning. At that point, with the Phillies up just a run, I thought the game would be tied before long. After a ground out from Pagan, Halladay struck out both David Wright and Carlos Beltran.

The Phillies pushed across the first run of the game in the 3rd, when Halladay scored on a single by Placido Polanco. That run was the only earned run given up in the game. The second run scored on a throwing error by Ruben Tejada.

The third and fourth runs came on an inexcusable error from third baseman David Wright. A Jimmy Rollins grounder was hit directly at Wright, who proceed to boggle the mind by letting the ball go through his legs. It is a play any pro third baseman is supposed to make.

Another embarrassing error was made by Shane Victorino in the 6th inning. Victorino attempted to field a bloop single on one hop. Notice the emphasis on "attempted." Victorino lazily let the ball go under his glove, leaving it to Raul Ibanez to run over from left. Pagan, who hit the blooper, advanced to second on the play.

That play did not hurt the Phillies this time, but that it not an acceptable play in a pennant race. While it is commonplace for the Mets to make those errors, the 2-time defending NL champs can't be pulling that crap. Victorino has been horrible defensively all year, and I would bench him for a game or two if I was Charlie.

The Phillies are now only two games back of the Atlanta Braves in the division, and one game back in the Wild Card. The Phillies should be focused on the division, and use the Wild Card as only a fall back option. Tomorrow's game at Citi Field is a 8:05pm ET start. Kyle Kendrick will be facing off against the Mets' Mike Pelfrey.

Union Held to a Draw

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 22:43:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Union needed three points today at home but Colorado held them to a 1-1 draw. The Union outplayed the Rapids in the first half, but again they gave up the first goal in the 59th minute. Jeff Larentowicz, who had a whole section rooting him on (he is from the area), drove home a long strike.

The Union had chances but were just unable to finish until Danny Mwanga finally tied it up in the 73rd minute. Mwanga broke away from the defenders and slotted it home when it was just him and the goalie. Union fans rejoiced as the Union then looked to take the lead.

They were unable to due it. Late in the game, Sebatien Le Toux made a nice run in the box. While he was running to the ball, he was clipped by a Rapids defender. Le Toux was brought to the ground, and the scoring chance was foiled. To the coach Peter Nowak's disgust, the official motioned "play on" to the players.

The Union should have had a penalty shot, but that's neither here nor there. Sometimes you don't get those calls. The Union now sit with 17 points, and at 7th place in the Eastern Conference.

Kolb Shines in Debut

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:14:00 +0000

Kevin Kolb made his debut tonight as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles in a preseason matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kolb played all the first quarter before being subbed out for Michael Vick. The Eagles did win the game 28-27, if that means anything to anyone.

In first drive for the Eagle offense, Kolb nailed open receivers with spot-on passes. In the first play of the game, Kolb found an open DeSean Jackson for a 21-yard gain. He hit Jeremy Maclin for a 29-yard gain later in the drive. On 3rd and 6 at the Jacksonville 11, Kolb made a great pass through the defenders to tight end Brent Celek, who bobbled the ball two separate times before dropping. Drive ends with a field goal.

In the second drive, Kolb lead a solid drive down the field before being halted by an offensive holding penalty deep in Jacksonville territory. Here are Kolb's stats from the game: 6/11, 98 yards, 83.5 QB rating.

Vick had an O.K. game, with the one glaring spot being his fumbling problem. Vick fumbled the ball twice, one leading to a loss in possession. Vick has to be more aware of the defenders around him, and, quite obviously, hold onto the ball. Vick's stats: 11/17, 119 yards, 1 INT, 60.7 QB rating. He also ran for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Other offense players who had good game were WR Riley Cooper and RB Martell Mallet. Don't know much about Mallet, but he ran for 60 yards and a TD. Cooper is a guy who I think will work his way into starting reps. He has impressed coaches in camp and had 61 yards receiving today.

The defense looked good in the first quarter, when they kept the Jaguars scoreless. The first team allowed the Jags to only gain 10 yards on two drives. The backups however had problems, allowing 17 points in the second quarter alone. An encouraging sign and a not so encouraging sign in the same game.

The Eagles next preseason game will be at Cincinnati on Thursday night at 8pm ET.

Phillies Pathetic in Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 02:45:00 +0000

The Phillies have not scored runs in games pitched by Cole Hamels all season. That did not change tonight, as the Phillies suffered a 1-0 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. Only one word came to my mind as I watched this game: Pathetic.

Knuckleballer R. A. Dickey stumped the Philly hitters all night. He gave up only one hit, and that was a single by Cole Hamels. Hamels was the only guy who showed up at the ballpark tonight for the Phils. The Phillies knocked around Dickey last week. This week, Dickey becomes Phil Niekro. I don't get it. Same hitters, same pitcher, different result.

Hamels pitched wonderfully, tossing an 8-inning complete game. He gave up only one run on five hits, and Cole struck out eight. If I was Cole, I would be frustrated with the hitters. Every fifth day they don't show up, and it happens to be the day Hamels pitches. I would challenge the hitters by dissing them in interviews and such.

Roy Halladay will be on the mound for the Phils tomorrow, facing off against the Mets' Pat Misch at Citi. That one will be a 7:10pm ET start.

Oswalt Wins in Home Debut

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:05:00 +0000

Roy Oswalt pitched in his first game in Citizens Bank Park tonight, and also won his first game in a Phillie uniform. Oswalt pitched seven strong innings, giving up five hits, and striking out five. Oswalt had great control of his pitches, throwing 109 pitches, 73 of them strikes. The Phillies won their 63rd game 2-0, shutting out the Dodgers.

The Phillies broke the scoreless tie in the 4th, when Placido Polanco scored on a grounder/fielder's choice by Domonic Brown. Not much offense for the Phillies tonight. Raul Ibanez knocked in Mike Sweeney in the 6th with a deep double to left-center field.

Injury News: Ross Gload was injured in tonight's game while running to second. It looks like a groin injury. He will have an MRI tomorrow.

Chase Utley was cleared to start hitting today for the first time since he hurt his thumb on June 28th. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said that the timetable for still the same as it was when Chase had his surgery. I would expect him back in two weeks.

McNabb Fan Asked to Remove Jersey at Eagles Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:35:00 +0000

A fan wearing a Washington Redskins Donovan McNabb jersey at Eagles training camp was approached by Eagles security. Security asked Jim Devlin, 43, remove the jersey. Devlin said on 97.5 the fanatic that the security guard told him that head coach Andy Reid requested he take the jersey off.

Of course, the Eagles denied that Reid asked to have the fan take the jersey off. Here are comments from Devlin (acquired from espn.com): "I just wanted to get reactions from the fan base, see who says what. Maybe get in a healthy debate on whether Donovan McNabb was good or bad for this franchise.

"I'm fine. Everybody was very cool, calm, professional and did not make a big deal about it. They asked me, and I figured I'm a guest at their facility, so why not make life easier for everybody?"

"Nobody really thought I was really wrong. They asked me to do something, and I was more than happy to do it."

I find this story very funny. The Eagles like to control every little thing. I am an Eagles fan but I am by no means fans of Andy Reid, or owners Jeffery Lurie and Joe Banner. I'm sick of their control freak attitude and ignorance.

Lure and Banner don't care whether the team win or lose, as long as they have a capacity crowd at the Linc. Of course, they will, and make just as much money. This team will not win a Super Bowl until the three amigos are no longer affiliated with the Eagles.

Phillies, Ibanez Slay Mets

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 23:12:00 +0000

The Phillies just edged past the Mets 6-5 in today's ballgme. Raul Ibanez lead the charge for the Phillies, hitting a 3-run home run in the 3rd inning. Roy Halladay picked up the win even though he gave up five runs. The Phillies remain two games back in the division because of the Braves win against the Giants. They are however only half a game behind the Giants in the wild card.

The first two hitters in the Mets lineup gave Halladay grief all day. Each had two hits and terrorized on the base paths. Pagan stole second and third in the first inning. Halladay struggled in that first inning, giving up two runs.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Jayson Werth hit a deep drive to center field. Carlos Beltran staggered back to catch it but slammed the center field fence. Very funny moment for us Philly fans. Beltran did not even expect the wall. That's why they have the warning track there, Carlos. The ball ended up in the vines climbing up the brick wall beyond the center field fence.

Raul Ibanez has a 16-game hitting streak

The Phillies batted around for five runs in the 3rd inning. Raul Ibanez had the big blow in the inning, hitting a 3-run homer of knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Knuckballers have had success against the Phillies this season, but Dickey had none today. Ross Gload and Brian Schneider also had RBI singles in the inning.

Halladay more or less cruised along until the 7th inning, when the Mets cut the Phillies three run lead to two. Halladay did not have his best stuff today but he held in there and got the win. The Phillies finally scored runs for their ace and he did just enough to supplement those runs.

Then came Brad Lidge with a one run lead in the 9th. Josh Thole singled to open the inning, oh no. Brad then got the next three Mets to make an out and end the game. The tying run got to third base but no further.

Raul has a 16-game hitting streak going. He has really stepped up in the absence of Ryan Howard. Here is Ibanez (all quotes acquired from espn.com): "There's a lot of stuff that you do, and the harder you look, the less you find. You have to back off and trust everything you've done. Less is more. The most important thing is to relax through the swing.

"Character is the key. This team has a mentality that I haven't seen on other teams. It's a light-enough clubhouse where a lot isn't said, and nobody presses to do more. You just try and contribute in any way that you can. We have a lot of guys doing that."

Here is the winning pitcher from the game, Roy Halladay: "I'm happy with the win. Obviously, it's about winning games. Even in the seventh, I felt like I made two good pitches to start the inning. I ended up making pitches after that that cost me. The bullpen picked me up. It's a little easier getting to sleep at night taking a win out of it."

The Phillies took two out of three from the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies have an off-day tomorrow and then start a three-game series with the Dodgers at the Bank.

Phillies Add Sweeney

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:19:00 +0000

The Phillies have acquired first baseman Mike Sweeney off waivers from the Seattle Mariners today in exchange for a player-to-be-named or cash. The deal was first reported by Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports. Sweeney will be able to help the Phillies off the bench or at first base while Ryan Howard is injured.

Sweeney is batting .263 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. Sweeney, a righty, is 37-years old and on the downside of his career. Sweeney made five all-star teams while with the Kansas City Royals in the early 2000s. He has struggled with injuries the last few years however.

Here's Charlie Manuel on Sweeney (all quotes from csnphilly.com): “He knows how to hit and he’s got some power. He can help us right now and off the bench later."

Ruben Amaro Jr.: “I don’t know if we had to do anything, but this will help. He can hit. He always could hit. “He’s a great makeup guy. He’s never played in the playoffs. He’s really excited about coming here. He views this as a pretty neat opportunity for himself.”

The Phillies sent down John Mayberry Jr. to make room for Sweeney. This is a solid move to help the bench. Sweeney is a better righty bat than both Ben Francisco and Cody Ransom. He has some power and he can hit lefties... sounds good to me

Marlin Errors Lead To Phils Win

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:37:00 +0000

While only a single error will appear in the box score for the Marlins, defense mistakes all around the field for the Fish contributed greatly towards a Phillies win. The final score stood at 6-1, with the Phillies winning their second straight game. Couple this win with a loss from the Braves, and the Phillies are now only 2 games back of first place.

Carlos Ruiz was the offensive star for the Phils tonight, going 3-5 with a homer and 2 RBIs. Ben Francisco and Ruiz hit back-to-back homers in the second inning. After Carlos doubled in the 4th, "Chooooch" chants arose all around the ballpark, with so many Phillies fans in attendance in Florida.

Roy Halladay made his first start in Sun Life Stadium since his perfect game. He pitched wonderfully, pitching seven strong innings, giving up an earned run, and striking out nine. Halladay also hit a 2-run double in the 4th. After the Marlins decided to walk Wilson Valdez to get to Halladay, Roy hit a shot down the foul line.

The Marlins didn't do much to help their cause on the field. Cody Ross looked like he was lost when Ruiz hit a deep fly to center, and the ball wound up 25 feet from him. That lead to Halladay's 2-run single. Dan Uggla also made a series of defensive gaffes.

This win was the only bright spot on a gloomy day for the Phillies. They will be without the services of Ryan Howard for at least the next 15 days. The offense showed up tonight, but will the hole in the middle of the lineup rear it's ugly head in the next two weeks?

Howard Placed on DL

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:43:00 +0000

Ryan Howard has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, according to Jim Salsbury of csn.com. Howard injured his ankle on Sunday against the Nationals while trying to get back to the second base bag. Howard was in Philadelphia today seeing doctors and testing the ankle.

This is a major blow to an already depleted Phillies lineup. With Howard now on the DL, every starting infielder has spent some part of the season on the disabled list. Ryan has been the only consistent bat all season in the Phillies lineup. He is hitting .292, with 23 homers and 81 RBIs.

John Mayberry Jr. has been called up from triple-A to replace Howard on the roster. Righty Cody Ransom and lefty Ross Gload will likely platoon at first until Howard can return.

Flyers Fall in Game 1

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 30 May 2010 18:34:00 +0000

Game one of the Stanley Cup Finals was a scoring slugfest. Both teams jockeying for the lead in the game. It went from 1-0 Flyers, to 1-1, to 2-1 Chicago, to 2-2, to 3-2 Flyers, and that was all in the first period. When the final horn sounded, the Flyers had lost 6-5 and are down 1-0 in the series. Michael Leighton was pulled in the second period after giving up five goals in a little over 35 minutes of play.

I'm not going to go into every goal in detail because there was so many. A positive for the Flyers was that they were getting secondary scoring from unlikely candidates. Blair Betts and Arron Asham each scored for the Flyers. Arron Asham is becoming a scoring threat because of he has a wicked and accurate slap shot.

The defense had several lapses, which resulted in turnovers, which often result in goals. Many of the goals Michael Leighton gave up weren't exactly his fault, but some he could have saved. The fact of the matter is you have to stop some of them. Five goals on twenty shots is no good for a goaltender. I think coach Peter Laviolette made the right decision to pull Leighton.

Brian Boucher, in his first game back from injury, relieved Leighton and played fairly well. He faced twelve shots and saved eleven, but that one goal was a big one. Tomas Kopecky scored the only goal of the third period, and that was the winner for the Blackhawks.

I don't think a goalie controversy should start up just yet. I think Michael Leighton deserves another start to show what he can do. If the Blackhawks have another great night against him, then maybe you switch to Boucher come game three.

Game two is critical for the Flyers. Falling down 2-0 in the series is not an option against the Blackhawks. They have a high powered offense and forced the Flyers to play to their style in game one. In game two, the Flyers need to slow the Blackhawks' offensive attack. They can do it by being physical against the Blackhawk forwards. Game two is Monday night.

Halladay Tosses Perfect Game

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 30 May 2010 17:34:00 +0000

Roy Halladay has thrown the 20th perfect game in Major League baseball history, the second in Phils history. Halladay dominated the Marlins to say the least, 27 up, 27 down. He struck out 11. The amazing thing is that Halladay went to three ball counts many times during the game, and every time he prevailed. Many Marlin hitters stood dumbfounded as the Halladay painted the corner with called third strikes.

The Phillies won the game 1-0, so Roy had no room for error. The run did the Phillies scored came on an error by Cameron Maybin. Maybe seeing the performance of a lifetime from Halladay will motivate the offense, which has been struggling mightily recently.

As with most perfect games, the defense did help out Halladay. Juan Castro made several nice plays at thrid, including the one that ended the game. Wilson Valdez made a great throw from short to nail a Marlin runner on a bang-bang play. Both Castro and Valdez have performed great in the field while filling in for the regulars.

Think of how great a moment this is for Roy. For the rest of his life, he will be able to say that he pitched a perfect game. A perfect game is the ultimate one-game achievement for a pitcher. So many times, a unknown pitcher throws a no-hitter, and you'll never hear about him again. But for Halladay, his perfecto will be a footnote on his amazing career, instead of his 15 minutes of fame.

Flyers Dominate Canadiens

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 23 May 2010 00:01:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Flyers rebounded from their weak effort in game three to blank the Canadiens 3-0 in game four. Michael Leighton logged his third shutout in four games. Chris Pronger bounced back from a poor game three to being absolutely great in today's game. It's a great win for the Flyers. Now, the Flyers are one win away from going to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The first period saw two evenly matched teams battle it out. The momentum was swinging both ways and both teams had chances to score. Nobody did score though. It was a good period as far as the Flyers were concerned. The way they were dominated in the previous game, it was a good sign that they held their own against the Canadiens at home.

In the second period, the Flyers emerged as the better team. Claude Giroux cut into the Canadiens zone, easily splitting the dumbfounded Montreal defensemen. He then made a gorgeous shot over the shoulder of Jaroslav Halak, putting the Flyers up 1-0. Giroux's play has been great in the playoffs. He is only 22, but he is already one of the best players on the Flyers.

Ville Leino scored the second goal of the period for the Flyers. Chris Pronger zapped a laser-like pass across the ice to Leino. Ville was alone with the goalie. He stopped on the dime, and wheeled the puck around Halak. That goal was started on a beautiful pass by Pronger, and ended on a equally beautiful move by Leino.

The Flyers spent much of the third period dumping the puck into the Montreal zone. That seems to be their strategy when up by two or more in the third period. And it works. The Flyers kept Montreal frustrated all day. Claude Giroux scored an empty-net goal late in the game, to officially put the game away.

The Flyers got two players back from injury today. Jeff Carter and Ian Lapierriere both played in their first game in these Eastern Conference Finals. Jeff Carter looked good. Early in the game, Carter beat a defender and then unleashed a wicked wrist shot that was saved by Halak. Lapierriere played his usual game, albeit a little less physical because of the full mask protecting his face.

The teams will now travel back to Philly for game five on Monday. They Flyers need to win just one more game out of three, and two of those are at home. I'd like to avoid the drama of a game seven in this series. The Flyers cannot assume the series is won. The know quite well after last series that any team can come back from any deficit. With that said, let's wrap this one up on Monday.

Flyers Blow Out Canadiens

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:25:00 +0000

The Flyers performed marvelously all around in game one of the Eastern Conference finals, shutting out the Montreal Canadiens 6-0. Yes, the Flyers dominated all game. Yes, Michael Leighton made some key saves. This game looked too good to be true. The Flyers have finally won a game handily for the first time in a long time.

This game started off on the right foot for the Flyers. About four minutes into the game, Braydon Coburn stuffed a puck home to open the scoring for the Flyers. That's all the Flyers would get in the opening period, but they were far from done.

The Flyers would erupt for three goals in the second period. James van Riemsdyk got the puck right off the faceoff and drove to the net, much to the dismay of the Montreal defensemen. He slotted the puck in the net like one would start a game of pinball. Danny Briere, again vying for playoff MVP, unleashed a slapshot right by goalie Jaroslav Halak. Simon Gagne netted a goal shortly thereafter, and that ended a nightmarish night for Halak.

Montreal coach Jacques Martin yelled "Next!" on the bench after that Gagne goal, and Carey Price emerged as the next victim for the Flyers. He managed to hold the Flyers for the rest of second period, much like a dam holds back a river. He would begin to show cracks in the third period.

The Flyers, with the game already put away, were hungry for more. Like a dog who just won't stop eating, the Flyers pounded home two goals in the third period. Scott Hartnell and Claude Giroux scored the last two goals, respectively. This game was such a demoralizing loss for the Canadiens.

The Flyers can't get caught up in the moment, though. It was just one game. The next game is a completely different animal. The Canadiens are likely to be chewed out by their coach, and will come out better next game. If not, they might be eaten alive when they get to Montreal for game three. The Flyers need to weather that early storm, and then dominate them like they did during this game.

Amazing Flyers

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 15 May 2010 02:28:00 +0000

The Flyers have pulled off the unthinkable in Game 7 of their second round series against Boston. They have become the third team in the history of the NHL to comeback from a 3-0 series deficit and win the series. Not only that, but they came back from a three goals to win in the final game. This series will go down in history as one of the best comebacks in the history of sports.

The Bruins jumped on the Flyers early, completely dominating them throughout most of the first period. Less then fifteen minutes into the game, the Flyers were on the bad end of a 3-0 score. I thought that would discourage them, and I was disgusted with their play. Goalie Michael Leighton looked like he could have had stopped at least one of those goals. The Flyers were down but not out.

JVR (James van Riemsdyk) did get a goal back late in the first period, leaving some hope for the second period. Even still, it was a tall order to come back from two in a Game 7. The Flyers would do just that in the second period.

The Flyers came out on fire to begin the second, firing many shots on goalie Tukka Rask. Scott Hartnell, who had made some blunders in the first period, put the Flyers within one on a beautifully placed backhander over the shoulder of Rask. Then, Danny Briere showed us his one-man show, when he wrapped the puck around the net and then put it in the net.... tie game.

So it all came down to the third period. Whoever won the period would win the series. The Flyers got a power play about midway through the period, and they were not going to waste it. Simon Gagne scored the game-winner on the power play for the Flyers. Finally, the Flyers had taken a lead in the game. It was just up to them to hold it.

They did hold that score, 4-3, for the rest of the game, propelling the team into history. The only other teams in NHL history to come back from 3-0 deficit were the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders. It is amazing when a team can when four straight games against the same team that it lost three straight to.... simply amazing.

The Flyers will now encounter the Montreal Canadiens, with the winner getting a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals. It should be a good series. The Flyers will get home ice advantage because Montreal is the #8 seed and the Flyers on the #7 seed. Imagine that. The lowest seeded teams in the conference make it to the conference finals. Expect the unexpected.

Daily Roundup: 5/12/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 13 May 2010 03:24:00 +0000

Phils Lose in Extras: The Phillies were scheduled to play a day-night double-header today. In Game 1, Roy Halladay struggled in the first couple of innings. He did manage to pitch 6 1/3rd innings and give up only two runs, but he surrendered 10 hits. The Phillies defense did not help either. They committed 3 errors and their should have been at least one more.

The Phillies only managed three runs, and the game was tied going into the 10th. The Phillies had Howard, Werth and Ibanez due up. Howard singled. Werth hit a ground ball but reached base on a fielder's choice. Ibanez hit a ground ball double play. Miguel Olivo (5-5 in the game) lead of the bottom half of the inning with a monstrous homer off Chad Durbin for the walk-off. The scheduled night game was canceled because of weather conditions.

Phillies Stealing Signs: The Rockies have accused the Phillies of stealing their signs. The Rockies claim that Phils' bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was looking through binoculars in the bullpen, trying to steal the Rockies signs. This is a load of crap. If you're not trying to steal signs then your not trying. Almost every team tries to steal signs. This is not a big deal.

Charlie Manuel: "We were not trying to steal signs. Would we try to steal somebody's signs? Yeah, if we can. But we don't do that. We're not going to let a guy stand up there in the bullpen with binoculars looking in. We're smarter than that."

Flyers Even Series

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 13 May 2010 03:07:00 +0000

Just a week ago I'd never thought I'd say this words: The Flyers have tied the series 3-3 against Boston. The Flyers dominated Game 6, winning 2-1. They were winning for the whole game, and held Boston scoreless until the final minute of play. Goalie Michael Leighton played outstanding filling in for Brian Boucher. Clear your calendars for Friday night. Game 7, Flyers-Bruins in Boston, it's going be a wild one.

The Flyers jumped on the Bruins from the beginning. Mike Richards scored on a rebound about 7 minutes into the first period. That got the fans going at the Wachovia Center. Leighton held down the fort in the first. He looked really, really solid, never out of control.

In the second period, the Flyers capitalized on a chance on the power play. Danny Briere maneuvered around in the Boston zone before rifling the puck into the top corner. It was a perfect shot from Briere, who has really stepped up his game in the playoffs. The Flyers have a number of guys who step up in the postseason: Briere, Chris Pronger, and any net minder the Flyers put out there.

The Flyers looked good for most of the third period, but at the end, Boston started to get chances. The Bruins pulled their goalie late in the game. Playing with an extra skater, the Bruins' Milan Lucic stuffed one between Leighton's legs, breaking up the shutout. The Flyers did hold out one more minute for the win.

Coming back from a 3-0 deficit is quite an achievement. Not many teams in the history of sports have done it. I did not believe they could do it. Now, the focus for the Flyers must be on Game 7. They have won three straight so they have the momentum. It's just a matter of going out and doing it. We'll all be watching.

Flyer Force Game 6

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Tue, 11 May 2010 02:28:00 +0000

Their will be a Game 6 Wednesday night in Philadelphia. That's what we know after the Flyers 4-0 victory tonight over the Boston Bruins. The Flyers dominated the Bruins in front of their home crowd. I think the last two games may give the Flyers the momentum they need going into Game 6, especially tonight. Not only did the Flyers not allow a goal, they shelled the Bruins defense for four goals.

The opening period was pretty good for the Flyers. Ville Leino got credit for a goal that I think Scott Hartnell should have been credited with. Both players were in front of the net for a rebound, and both players got their stick on it. Leino was falling backwards and shooting at the same time, but Hartnell provided the power that was needed for the goal.

So the Flyers had a 1-0 lead going into the second period. A little more than halfway through the period, Hartnell finally did get his first official goal of the playoffs. He swatted the puck out of the air and into the net on a perfect pass from Mike Richards. The Flyers finally hurt the Bruins on the power play, when Simon Gagne's wrist shot beat Tukka Rask. It was Gagne's second goal in as many games.

In the third period, Gagne again put the icing on the cake by getting the Flyers fourth goal. The game got chippy during the third period. The Bruins were clearly trying to hurt the Flyer players. They succeeded by knocking out Claude Giroux, who did not play in the final period. Also, when Mike Richards nailed Bruins star Marc Savard, Savard and a Boston goon hopped on Richards. They jumped him like a thug in an alley. They both got penalties but I think the NHL should take further action..

The Flyers did lose goaltender Brian Boucher late in the second period. Boucher apparently injured his knee when clumsy Ryan Parent fell on his leg. Boucher had to be helped off the ice. Michael Leighton, in his first game back from injury, filled in admirably for Bouch, holding onto the shutout.

The way I see it now, the Flyers probably aren't getting Boucher back. Leighton will need to step in and perform. The Flyers are one game away from a Game 7 to decide the series. They can do it, but they have to keep up the momentum and pressure. Boston has the pressure on them now, the weight of embarrassment sitting on their shoulders. Game 6 will be Wednesday night.

Daily Roundup: 5/9/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Mon, 10 May 2010 01:07:00 +0000

Phils Edge Braves: Brad Lidge saved his first game of the season today, in the Phillies 5-3 win over Atlanta. The Phillies took two of three from the Braves in this series. Hamels went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs on 8 hits. He worked out of some jams but the Braves finally got to him in the 5th. The Braves knocked Hamels for 3 runs on 4 hits in the inning. The Phillies bullpen held up though, not giving up a hit.

Jayson Werth is continuing to pound the baseball. He hit a towering drive over the left field wall in the 3rd inning, his 7th homer of the year. Placido Polanco is starting to get his swing back also. He had 2 hits in ballgame, including a solo home run. The Phillies will head to Colorado tomorrow and play the Rockies tomorrow at 8:40pm EST.

Perfect Game: Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden threw a perfect game today. Braden faced 27 Rays and put each one of them down. This is only the 19th perfect game in MLB history. Braden also threw it against the Rays, one of the best teams in baseball. Braden was seen hugging his grandmother after the game. Sadly, Braden's mother died when he was a teenager.

Braden: "Pretty cool. I don't know what to think about it just yet. There's definitely a select group. I'd like to have a career more than today."

Go Flyers!!!!!!!

Daily Roundup: 5/8/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 09 May 2010 03:33:00 +0000

Braves Beat Phils: The Phillies managed only one run against Braves' starter Kris Melden. That run came in the 2nd inning, when Shane Victorino's RBI single scored Brian Schneider. The Phillies had trouble with runners in scoring position. For instance, in the bottom of the 4th, with 2 men on and none out, the Phillies failed to get either run home. The Phils got 9 hits against Melden but did not register a hit against the Braves bullpen.

Joe Blanton looked good right up until the 6th inning. The Braves got their first hit in the 5th and Blanton looked to be in control. One big inning did him in. In the 6th, he allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, and no home runs. Still not a bad outing for Blanton. You're not going to win with one run.

Union Crushed: Real Salt Lake, defending MLS champions, showed the Union exactly why they are champions. They dominated the Union, beating them 3-0. The Union had defense lapses. On one of the goals, a union defender watched as a Salt Lake player went past him and scored. It is tough on the Union (1-6) because they have played 6 of 7 games on the road. They did win their only home game.

Sixers Coaching Update: According to Philly.com, the Sixers will meet with both Bill Laimbeer and Dan Majerle in the coming days. Laimbeer, a former Pistons star, has been very successful coaching in the WNBA. Will he be able to make the jump to the NBA? Majerle is a Phoenix Suns assistant coach. Shouldn't he be worrying about the San Antonio Spurs?

Daily Roundup: 5/7/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 08 May 2010 03:01:00 +0000

Moyer Pitches Shutout: Jamie Moyer pitched a 2-hit complete game shutout in today's 7-0 Phillies win. The Braves were victimized by Moyer's control and velocity. That's right, velocity (or lack thereof)! Moyer, 47, became the oldest pitcher ever to pitch a complete game shutout. It is an amazing feat.

Braves' starter Derek Lowe got crushed by the Phillies. Lowe allowed 11 hits and 7 runs in 5 innings. This is just another example of how the Phillies are pounding quality pitchers. Jayson Werth, who is on a tear, hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 3rd to give the Phils a 3-0 lead. The bottom of the 5th was a big inning for the Phils. Raul Ibanez and Wilson Valdez both knocked in 2 runs in the inning.

The Phillies and Braves will meet again tomorrow at 3:10pm. This game will be nationally televised on Fox. Joe Blanton will be on the mound for the Phils. Charlie Manuel will miss the game due to a personal issue.

Gagne Wins it for Flyers

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 08 May 2010 02:45:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dan4th/ / CC BY 2.0

A little less than 15 minutes into overtime, Simon Gagne scored to finally give the Flyers a win in this series. It was a great moment for Gagne, who is in his first game back from an injured foot. He had not played a game in this series, but he certainly delivered for the Flyers tonight at the Wachovia Center.

Mark Recchi (playoff extraordinaire) has been killing the Flyers all series. Even late in his career, Recchi (above) is still great at getting in the right position at the right time. He scored with about five minutes left in the first period to put the Bruins up 1-0. The Flyers answered before the period was over. Daniel Briere put a low shot past Boston goalie Tukka Rask.

Chris Pronger, who has been money for the Flyers in the playoffs, opened the second period with a goal. That was his fourth of the playoffs. Claude Giroux put the Flyers up by two not too long after Pronger's goal. The Bruins did narrow the lead to one before the end of the period.

Milan Lucic tied the game for the Bruins early in the third period. The Flyers had their work cut out for them. With less the 6 minutes left, Chris Pronger fired a shot that was deflected into the net by Ville Leino. That was Leino's first goal of this playoffs. The Flyers could not hold onto that one goal lead though. Mark Recchi scored from point blank range with 32 seconds left in the third period.

That's where Gagne comes in. His and Recchi's goals were very similar. Both were scored from point blank range with a lot of net in sight. So the Flyers will now travel back to Boston for a Game 5. Boston still has a commanding 3-1 series lead, but maybe this win will light a fire under the Flyers. I'll sure be rooting for them.

Daily Roundup: 5/6/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Fri, 07 May 2010 02:54:00 +0000

Phils Take 3 of 4 From Cards: The Phillies handled the Cardinals today, beating the Cards 7-2. Actually, they handled the Cardinals all week, beating them 3 out of 4 times. Today, ace Roy Halladay pitched 7 innings, gave one earned run, and struck out 9. That effort got Halladay (6-1) his 6th win of the season. The Phillies bats made sure this game was never in doubt.

Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse was pounded from inning #1. Jayson Werth hit a 3-run home run in the first to open the scoring. Raul Ibanez crushed a high fastball into the upper deck (416 feet) in the 6th inning to put the Phils ahead 6-1. Werth had a breakout game, going 3-4 with 3 RBIs and a home run. Werth is batting .354 with 21 RBIs on the year.

The Phillies start a 3-game series with the Braves tomorrow. Jamie Moyer is pitching for the Phils, with Derek Lowe on the mound for the Braves. Game time is 7:05pm.

Robin Roberts Passes Away: Phillies Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts has died at the age of 83 at his home in Florida due to natural causes. Roberts was a key player on the 1950 Whiz Kids NL pennant-winning team. He is the best right handed pitcher in Phillies history. Roberts had 6 20-win seasons. He was first in complete games (237) and second in wins (199) in the '50s.

Now I never saw Robin pitch. He was before my time, but from what I hear, this guy was one heck of a pitcher. He was a Phillies legend who will never be forgotten.

United coming to Town: One of the top soccer clubs in the world, Manchester United, will be coming to Philadelphia to play the Union in an exhibition game at the Linc. The game is scheduled for July 21rst. This is a very exciting for the Union. They have a chance to play a top European team in their first year of existence. Usually, top clubs tour America once every several years. You bet that this game will draw big crowds.

Daily Roundup: 5/5/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:29:00 +0000

Flyers Lose Again: It doesn't look good for our Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins put a whippin' on the Flyers, as the 4-1 score indicates. The Flyers out shot the Bruins 35-20, but they only managed one goal against Bruins' goalie Tukka Rask. Rask really stole this game for the Bruins. He was outstanding in net tonight.

The Flyers took their only lead of the series early in the first period. Arron Asham scored that early goal for the Flyers. Less than 4 minutes later, the Bruins had themselves a 2-1 lead after goals from Blake Wheeler and Miroslav Satan. The second period went by scoreless. In the third, former Flyer Mark Recchi scored on the power play. Maybe Brian Boucher could have stopped a one of those goals, but it's too late now.

The Flyers put much more pressure on the Bruins offensively this game, but unfortunately their was a rock in the net. It will be very hard for the Flyers to come back in this series down 3-0. It would be historic if they did, but even I believe they're done.

Phils Shut Down Cards: Kyle Kendrick pitched 7 shutout innings for the Phillies in their 4-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Kendrick gave up 6 innings and struck out 3. Maybe this is a sign that Kendrick is coming around, and that he can become a valuable pitcher in the rotation.

The Phillies didn't get a hit until the 4th inning, when Shane Victorino singled off Brad Penny. Placido Polanco followed that up with a home run to break the scoreless tie. Shane Victorino then homered to lead off the 6th inning. Greg Dobbs hit an RBI double in the 7th to cap the Phillies scoring.

Sixers Update: Mark Jackson's agent has informed the Sixers that his client has declined an interview for Sixers head coaching job. Jacksons agent had this to say: "It’s just not the right situation for him at this time." Well, no kidding! Why would Jackson want his first head coaching job to be with a team that stinks, draws small crowds, and has their money tied up.

According to philly.com, the Sixers are trying to schedule a meeting with former Sixer Monty Williams. Williams is an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Coming Tomorrow: Phillies wrap up series against Cards with a Halladay