In the season where football is supposed to be the dominant feature in Philadelphia Sports, at least the way it has been since 1993, the Phillies have been the only team making noise this fall. The confused Eagles are a meager 2-3 and sit at the bottom of the NFC East, while the Phillies--making their second run at the World Series--are nothing worse than the second-best team in the Senior circuit. They begin their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday to determine which coast proves to field the better squad. This is the fourth time in history the Philles and Dodgers have met in the NLCS--the Dodgers have the series lead 2 to 1.
Whether or not the team succeeds will undoubtedly fall into the hands of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, the two biggest bats on the team who have both generally struggled in post-season play. The starting pitching proved its worth against a floudering Milwaukee Brew-Crew, but now it too has to step up against a Dodger team that lit-up the Cubs strong rotation and averaged a mdoest 6.7 runs a game. So long as Myers and Moyer come to play, I believe the pitching will hold tight, but the bats definitely need to get louder. The Phillies streaky offense, which has often been their achilles heel, will need to get hot come Thursday and start pounding in the runs. The Dodgers are playing at their best since the season began in April, and it is time for the Phillies to do the same.
This is a new venue for the Phillies team, full of players unfamiliar with post-season play. Some of that starry-eyed wonder may affect them in their first game, but hopefully the eye-wash is brought out in a hurry and the team can start to focus on the task at hand. After the game on Sunday, it already sounded like the team was ready to get down to business. They will need to maintain that business-like attitude throughout if they expect to play for a World Championship.
If the Phillies can successfully navigate the Dodgers, they will most likely have to face off against a strong AL squad in either Boston or the Angels. Unfortunately for them, the Phillies have not done well in interleague play, but in the playoffs the machine is a whole different animal. Hopefully they can get over their awkwardness against Junior Circuit opponents and come ready to battle, but they still have to get by Manny Fresh and the Princes near Bel-Air in order to even have that chance.
So on a day when the Eagles lose, the truth is, it doesn't really matter. The Phillies are moving on, and a toast to their recent and hopefully upcoming successes.
Philles in 7 games.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Eagles Fall to 'Skins 23-17
Once again as Philadelphia fans we are left wanting from a hapless Eagles franchise, which is currently the weakest team in the city. The only team to miss the playoffs last season? The Eagles. My prediction is they will be the only team to miss the playoffs once again this year. Even the struggling Sixers managed to squeeze into the playoffs and almost beat a much more experienced Detroit Pistons team.
It isn't the team's fault. I don't blame the personnel at all. You can find fault within the coaching staff that has been much maligned over the recent seasons. While the rest of the NFC East has made changes and upgrades over the last decade, the Eagles have been decisively stagnant and stubborn to alter anything from their former winning ways. Granted, I believe in the old adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it," but anymore, it most certainly is not working. After an Eagles loss, we hear the same excuses and nonchalance from the head coach. It is almost as if he is reading from a script. Reid continues to say he has to change something, but in the opinion of this writer, it is Reid that needs to be change. It is time for Lurie to right the train before it derails anymore.
I don't believe in a mid-season axing, but it is time to start looking for a new head coach. The fact is, this is NOT the same team that went to four straight NFC championship games, only managing to win one of them. The NFC is not the same NFC that it was back in the early 21st century, either. McNabb stated yesterday in his press conference that "...there is no way this team is better than us." I hate to break it to you, Donovan, but that team is better than you and the Eagles. The Redskins not only defeated the formerly unbeaten Cowboys, whom you managed to lose to, but they also just kicked your can all over the field. Clinton Portis did most of the figurative kicking in a game where the unified Eagles run defense decided not to tackle anyone.
The Eagles staff seems to think they are the same team that made it to the Superbowl in 2004. Their delusions of grandeur aside, they need a healthy does of reality before going back out on the gridiron. They are very new and different team, and not in the good way. Actually the more accurate description is they are the same team, and that is inherently the problem. It is time for something new, something that can bring the Eagles back to NFC supremacy. Reid will never win a Superbowl, at least not here. And with Reid at the helm, the Eagles will never touch the Lombardi trophy--chances are they won't even get close enough to breathe on it until changes are made.
At least the Phillies won and advanced to their first NLCS in fifteen years. Maybe they can achieve the success the Eagles never did, and make it to the big one in their first opportunity. I guess since baseball season is not yet over, it is time for me to don the Red & White and leave the Green aside--at least for now.
It isn't the team's fault. I don't blame the personnel at all. You can find fault within the coaching staff that has been much maligned over the recent seasons. While the rest of the NFC East has made changes and upgrades over the last decade, the Eagles have been decisively stagnant and stubborn to alter anything from their former winning ways. Granted, I believe in the old adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it," but anymore, it most certainly is not working. After an Eagles loss, we hear the same excuses and nonchalance from the head coach. It is almost as if he is reading from a script. Reid continues to say he has to change something, but in the opinion of this writer, it is Reid that needs to be change. It is time for Lurie to right the train before it derails anymore.
I don't believe in a mid-season axing, but it is time to start looking for a new head coach. The fact is, this is NOT the same team that went to four straight NFC championship games, only managing to win one of them. The NFC is not the same NFC that it was back in the early 21st century, either. McNabb stated yesterday in his press conference that "...there is no way this team is better than us." I hate to break it to you, Donovan, but that team is better than you and the Eagles. The Redskins not only defeated the formerly unbeaten Cowboys, whom you managed to lose to, but they also just kicked your can all over the field. Clinton Portis did most of the figurative kicking in a game where the unified Eagles run defense decided not to tackle anyone.
The Eagles staff seems to think they are the same team that made it to the Superbowl in 2004. Their delusions of grandeur aside, they need a healthy does of reality before going back out on the gridiron. They are very new and different team, and not in the good way. Actually the more accurate description is they are the same team, and that is inherently the problem. It is time for something new, something that can bring the Eagles back to NFC supremacy. Reid will never win a Superbowl, at least not here. And with Reid at the helm, the Eagles will never touch the Lombardi trophy--chances are they won't even get close enough to breathe on it until changes are made.
At least the Phillies won and advanced to their first NLCS in fifteen years. Maybe they can achieve the success the Eagles never did, and make it to the big one in their first opportunity. I guess since baseball season is not yet over, it is time for me to don the Red & White and leave the Green aside--at least for now.
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