PCP Sports

by John Ryan

Before we start with the last edition of Rambling’s 2008, let me first apologize for my month long hiatus. My “day job” has been busier than usual lately, and well Christmas season can get crazy in the Northeast. Anyways, away we go…….

1.) First, the shameless shout out to my alma mater, as is custom. If you haven’t already picked up on this from reading anything I’ve ever written, I attended Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fl. The ironic part is that there’s a blossoming college with a new football stadium about to erect right in the heart of retirement country. The great part is: 1.) It’s 20 minutes from Lauderdale, 45 from South Beach (hence my sometimes used nicknames “The South Beach Guy,” The Notorious S.B.G, and “Johnny Ry the South Beach Guy) and about 3.5 hours from Key West, 2.) The women are gorgeous and there’s great variety (blondes, latins, haitians, dominicans, etc.) 3.) The school is rapidly expanding, including its athletics, and 4.) The school consists of mostly transplants from Philly, New York, and Boston leading to GREAT e-mails with friends, bitter Madden and fantasy outcomes, and enough ball breaking to fill up a dozen Don Rickles comedy shows. ANYWAYS……..They now have won 2 straight bowl games in a row, which happened to be there first 2 in their 8 year history in football (only 3 of which they were bowl eligible). Great stuff all around, especially in 2 games in which they were underdogs and the de facto road team, as they played Central Michigan in Detroit this year, and Memphis in Tennessee last year. Congrats, Owls.

2.) Well, the playoffs sure didn’t shake out as I saw them. Things we’ve learned in 2008 so far: 1.) The Eagles need balance, 2.) The Falcons are good, 3.) The Jets were overrated, 4.) Favre is still just good and not great anymore 5.) Favre will also now hold the Jets hostage all off season like he did to the Packers since 2002, 6.) Chad Pennington is smiling somewhere, 7.) Tony Romo? Are you alive in December? Huh? What?

3.) T.O. has now been an ex-Eagle for 3 full seasons and has made exactly one playoff appearance. The Eagles – ? 2. T.O. -1 Eagles – 2.

4.) My playoff predictions : Round 1: Philly over Minny, Atl over Ari, Indy over SD, Mia over Balt. Round 2: Philly over NYG, Car over Atl, Tenn over Mia, Indy over Pitt. Round 3: Car over Philly, Indy over Ten. Super Bowl : Indy over Carolina.

5.) The Phillies still need something else, but I’m not sure what. Of course, this is all on paper. Last year I felt they needed way more, but we didn’t see it. Then they won. Now? I’d love a right handed bat off the bench to maybe play 2-3 times a week. And yes, I’d take Sammy Sosa. I’d also take Barry Bonds. And I AM miffed that we didn’t take a run at Randy Johnson. For one year and 5 million bucks our rotation looks like this: 1.) Hamels 2.) Myers 3.) Blanton 4.) Moyer 5.) Johnson. Even if Johnson gives you 18-22 starts and J.A. Happ fills in or Carrasco, that’s fine by me. 5 mil well spent.

6.) The Flyers, despite their recent slide, have to be considered favorites in the East, or at least VERY strong contenders. the 76ers, on the flip side, may miss the playoffs. IF they do make it though, consider this: Since April of 2008 we will have had 6 straight teams in the playoffs. Sixers in April 08, Flyers in April 08, Phillies in September 08, Eagles in December-January 08-09, Sixers in April 09, Flyers in 09 (The Flyers would need a big collapse to miss the playoffs this season), and maybe the Phils again in September 09. I feel good about 2009 for some reason……..

7.) New Years Eve is overrated. As in I’ll still drink anyways. As in too many young kids though which ruins it for the rest of us just over young kids age guys. As in Happy New Year, and I’ll see you in Ramblings in 2009!