Eagles Score Big in the Draft

28 04 2009
Maclin is an explosivew play-maker

Maclin is an explosive play-maker

By Mike Gill

The Eagles off-season continues to take shape. 

First the birds finally addressed the fullback problem that has plagued them over the past few seasons.  Next, the Eagles rebuilt their offensive line by signing mauler Stacey Andrews, then traded one of their two first round picks in this years draft for pro-bowl tackle Jason Peters.

At the draft, the Eagles added speed, weapons and depth.  First speed, adding wide-out / return-man, Jeremy Maclin.  Maclin brings in another explosive pass-catcher who can take the ball the distance anytime he touches the ball.  Next they added another weapon in the running game by selecting Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy.  McCoy is a Westbrook-like back who can catch the ball, make people miss and give Westbrook and chance to catch a break, while not losing his style of play.  One thing that seperates McCoy from Westbrook, he is very capable of getting the short yards that have hurt the Eagles in years past.  McCoy is Pitt’s all-time leading touchdown scorer, more then Tony Dorsett, more then Larry Fitzgerald.  Finally,  Cornelius Ingram, Victor “Macho” Harris and Brandon Gibson are three players taken on the second day of the draft who can end up making an impact for the birds.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Eagles, Football, Virginia Tech

Penn State’s Loss is Good For College Football

9 11 2008

Penn State’s loss to Iowa Saturday is probably one of the best things for college football. Imagine a scenario in which Penn State had run the table and either Texas Tech and/or Alabama had lost in their conference championship games. The lesser team would have made it to the national championship by playing in a much inferior conference. Yes the Big Ten is a weak conference when you have Michigan State, Minnesota & Northwestern having a chance to go to the Rose Bowl.

Now that Penn State has dropped to 8th in this week BCS Standings, it gives the better teams less of an obstacle to reach the national title game and the game will have more appeal.

Imagine the possible matchups, Texas Tech v. Florida, Texas v. Texas Tech (again), Alabama v.  Texas, and so many others. You have six legitimate teams with better chance of winning the national title than Penn State. If the Nittany Lions has faced Texas, Texas Tech, Florida, Alabama, Oklahoma or USC (maybe even Utah or Boise State), the game would not be a contest. See an old Jack Nicklaus win the Masters is sentimental, seeing an old Joe Paterno get creamed in a national championship is sadistic.

As much as I like Penn State, this loss is very good for college football and the BCS.


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JR’s Abbreviated Ramblings

4 11 2008

After churning out a solid 2500 word edition of ramblings on Friday this will be a bit shorter than your used to, but fear not. We do have some things to cover, so off we go:

The Mustache Wont Quit, Even If Coach Does

The Mustache Won't Quit, Even If Coach Does

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Categories : Baseball, Basketball, College Football, Football

Stinging in the Rain: JR’s Weekend Ramblings (Raincoats NOT included)

28 10 2008

by John Ryan

Quick note before I puke my weekend thoughts onto this blog for your reading pleasure. I think we would all agree that Tuesday is a far better day for me to publish this weekly column due to me being able to cover the WHOLE NFL weekend, and not short change the dozen or so loyal readers I have. With that being said, off we go:

1.) I know I usually work forwards, but I must start with last night first, Since I’m a Phillies fan, i’ll provide a few points, and leave it at that. Just know that I am bitter. 1.) As many of my tri-state brethren prepare to jump off the bridge (Ben Franklin or the Walter, the choice is yours) I want it to be known that I don’t think this is a horrible thing. Yes, Hamels only threw 75 pitches, and yes he was dominant (the runs were a result of the rain, lets be real here), but consider this: His spot in the order was coming up in the bottom of the 6th in a 2-2 tie in the world series. Would Manuel had left him in anyways? Probably. And it’s fair to dispute that point. But consider this. On Wednesday this game will be finalized and it will start in the bottom of the 6th. The Phillies will bat four more times to the Rays 3, and will go PH, Rollins, Werth to start the 6th. In the seventh, the Phillies can feature ANYONE on their staff not named Hamels to throw against Navarro, Bartlett, PH. Advantage Phillies so far. (Anyone else notice Navarro is a real pest in that lineup?) Next, if we somehow get to game 7, Hamels can and probably will throw. Moyer can maybe throw bullpen if Myers implodes, or he could throw Thursday and Myers could be a pen hand. Just throwing out options, This is the World Series and these sort of tactics are employed sometimes. Too risque? Agree that it can be, but it still puts the Phils in good position to win tomorrow and still have Myers and then Hamels again if they do lose the next 1 and 1/3 games. But let’s be clear here: Selig made a jackass move, as usual. Why did the 6th inning ever even start? Why did the 5th even start for that matter? The world may never know….. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Baseball, Basketball, College Football, Football, Hockey

Champagne Wishes and One-Win Dreams: JR’s Weekend Ramblings

21 10 2008

by John Ryan

Since I’ve started jotting my thoughts about the weekend on paper, it seems every time Friday hit the craziness ensues. I admit, most weekends are far more story-worthy than any weekday in sports (unless Mike Tyson is having a press conference, the NCAA tourney is going on, or Brett Favre breathes) but we sure have a lot to talk about again. Here’s what I think, let me know your thoughts, as well:

1.) Another weekend, another dominating performance by Texas (and Colt McCoy). He is the Heisman winner now. No question in my mind. In successive weekends he has crushed Sam Bradford and Oklahoma, and then ripped apart Chase Daniels and Mizzou. Who does he need to beat now, the guy from BYU? Come on. McCoy is huge in big games, is more popular in Texas right now than the Cowboys, and Jessica Simpson is a McCoy led national title away from dropping Romo and her country music gig and texting McCoy and putting out an R&B album. (God, I miss college.)

2.) My FAU Owls got off the schnide and picked up a win from Western Kentucky. My column, my plug.

3.) Adam “Pac Man” Jones checked into rehab. I guess he finally dropped out of Amy Winehouse’s school of “No No No” and decided he may actually want to play in another NFL game. We’ll see if Roger Goodell thinks that’s enough. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Baseball, College Football, Football

Philler Up: JR’s Ramblings

14 10 2008

by John Ryan

With Columbus Day smacking me in the face with a day off this year for the first time in ages, weekend ramblings give you the spoiled privilege of also hearing my ramblings on a wild Monday/Early Tuesday in sports. Why waste any more time:

1.) Several teams were given new life this weekend in sports, one of which we thought was the Los Angeles Dodgers with a big win Sunday night. It proved to be fruitless (at least until after Wednesday) as the Phillies put a severe dagger in the Dodgers hopes with an improbable win amidst much disgust from FOX’s team of post game analysts. Note to Mark Grace: Come to the Bank with a Phillies tee to see how great the fans are here; don’t just use a worn-out, beaten-down, ignorant, media-driven view of Philly fans. You’re a moron, and were a plain player anyways. You never did anything for me. BTW: from all accounts from Philly fans in Los Angeles, those Dodger fans were horrible last night, and the stories rival any I’ve heard from even the vet. And memo to Eric Karros: You have to be OBJECTIVE when you work for a network. Idiot. Another player who was enormously overrated. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Baseball, Basketball, College Football, Football, Hockey

Barack Obama: College Football Playoff System Through Executive Order

2 10 2008

by Michael DeLuca

Barack Obama appeared on Mike And Mike In The Morning and discussed many different sports topics including his beloved Chicago White Sox, steroids in sports, and his passion for basketball. The conversation was brief and focused strictly on sports, but we got this fantastic little nugget…
“I would have my Attorney General investigate the possibility of instituting a college football playoff system through executive order. I’m tired of this nonsense at the end of every college football season.”  The comment was certainly in jest but showed Barack definately knows his audience.

 
Obama had this to say regarding the potential for a Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox World Series, “I would love to see a cross town series.  I think I’m going to skip the last week of the presidential race if it’s a cross town series.  I’ll tell America, sorry guy’s, I’ve got my priorities straight.”  Again, his segment was brief, but I thought Barack came off very well and showed a good sense of humor along with some general sports knowlege.  It’s nothing that should swing anybody’s vote, but from this interview Barack should earn a few points in the “likability” department.


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Categories : Baseball, College Football

How to Build a College Football Program

19 09 2008

by John Ryan

In American college sports, the only one that makes a university money is football. There are of course exceptions (ie: Duke, UNC) but they are few and further in between than the average person would think. As a quick example, last year Wake Forest, Cal, and Villanova all lost money from their basketball team. Those aforementioned teams all are considered good basketball programs and popular amongst their student body. Not convinced? How about UCLA, UCONN, and Arizona as well. All of those programs were in the red for the 2007 fiscal year in the basketball department. Football is where the money is, and that is why so many universities are attracted to building a new stadium, and having a good team to put in that stadium. With recruiting as fierce as ever now, it is harder and harder for power houses to stay dominant and easier for start-ups to get good in a short amount of time and stay good because of recruiting “hot bed” areas. The map to building a good college football program can be done a few ways, but some schools in the past 20 years have done a great job at becoming relevant and staying in the bowl mix. This brings in big time dollars to the university, and those universities don’t want to lose that money. Here is a map to build a successful program: Read the rest of this entry »


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WTF? – WVU extends Stewart for 6 years!

12 09 2008

by Michael DeLuca

According to cbssports.com West Virginia University has re-signed head football coach Bill Stewart to a six-year contract extension that will pay him $800,000 this year with an annual increase of $50,000 per year. The move was announced by Athletic Director Ed (I’m determined to run this program into the ground) Pastilong on Friday. A large portion of Stewart’s salary is for promotional endeavors. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : College Football, WVU

The Railroad Out of Town

6 09 2008

IF IT’S FALL, THEN THE RAILROAD IS IN FULL FORCE
By John Leon

Railroaded. We’ve all heard the phrase and it’s in full swing. This time two more locals have gotten the bums rush out of their respective towns. One by a coach and a coach by the parents. It just never ceases to amaze me how dumb humans can be, and after all this time, I know it really shouldn’t, but it does. Especially when the athletes are involved and we all know how I feel about that (see “Parents and Unrealistic Expectations; January 20, 2007”)
In just a few days, a local football star was told by the institution that he wanted to play for, that his services were no longer needed. This institution heavily recruited this kid, but the coach who recruited him was forced to resign. The official reason was that he retired but that’s crap and we all know it. I think it’s pretty funny when you see that the student/athlete graduated with a 3.0, scored well on his SAT’s, and even enrolled during the summer so he could get a jump on classes for his freshman year. AND was practicing with the football team, in full expectation of playing for this major Division 1 school. Read the rest of this entry »


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