By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Quietly, the Phillies confessed their secrets. Admitted to illegal behavior. Exposed why they are unwilling to up their payroll. Gave their true feelings on Ed Wade. Said they knew of Pete Rose's skeletons well before they were out of the closet.
Had this story appeared on the front page of the Inquirer or Daily News, it would still be the No. 1 topic of conversation since its release in late November. Instead it came from the Evening Bulletin, and continues to fly well under the radar.
In an interview with owner Bill Giles, Bulletin writer Chris Friend asks a series of questions, many focusing on the payroll situation of the Phillies. The Phils got in the playoffs and set attendance records...will that equate into more money spent to improve the team?
Answered Giles:
The fact that we made the playoffs does not impact us all financially this year, because we didn't go far enough into the playoffs. But where it does help a lot is 2008---we will sell more season tickets, and since our radio and televisions ratings were way up, it will help to sell sponsorships. So it does generate revenue for the following year.
And then the stealth bomb:
But all of the clubs have been asked to have a payroll equal to 50% of their revenue. That's what we try to do. Major League Baseball, up until two years ago, had lost a lot of money as an industry because our payrolls were 60% of revenue. We have been at 51 or 52% for the last three years. Our revenue is somewhere between 8th and 10th of the thirty teams, and our payroll is pretty much in the same range.
That's called collusion. Teams are far from allowed to have a secret pact to keep salaries at a certain percentage. The powerhouse players union has gone on strike for less. This is the type of story SportsCenter would lead with if there was more exposure to the story.
The money questions persist, leading to this response from Giles:
We are committed to creating a payroll that is between 8th and 11th highest in the league.
If that doesn't get you pumped up for 2008, nothing will. Four of the top young stars in the game, a small window to take advantage of their prime years, and you're concerned about staying between eighth and eleventh in the league? And say it like it's something to be proud of? Even though you're in one of the top markets with one of the premier fan bases?
Giles goes on to say that he had intimate knowledge of the Pete Rose situation; diminishes Ed Wade's accomplishments as GM of the Phils; and lends insight into when the ownership would contemplate selling the team.
All very juicy, if not alarming, revelations...that almost nobody heard.
Proof that the deliverer of the news is almost as important as the news itself.
-----
Tim can be reached at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Showing posts with label McManus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McManus. Show all posts
Friday, December 07, 2007
Monday, December 03, 2007
Phils interested in Bedard
Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Per a mole at the Winter Meetings, the Phillies have inquired about ace lefty Erik Bedard.
The Orioles are looking for four minor-league prospects in return. Given the rather barren state of the farm system, it may be difficult for the Phillies to entice the O's, especially given the heavy competition.
A reported seven teams have approached Baltimore about Bedard so far.
The Phanatic Magazine
Per a mole at the Winter Meetings, the Phillies have inquired about ace lefty Erik Bedard.
The Orioles are looking for four minor-league prospects in return. Given the rather barren state of the farm system, it may be difficult for the Phillies to entice the O's, especially given the heavy competition.
A reported seven teams have approached Baltimore about Bedard so far.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
A look at Eagles-Redskins
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
A big game...already.
Let one slip in this league, especially against a bad team, and the weight shifts violently. Redskins-Eagles is no longer just a formality.
Here are a few things to keep an eye on when the teams hook up Monday night.
Mahe Mahe
Everyone's breathing a bit easier since Reno Mahe was signed...except for maybe Mahe himself. Reports prior to last week's debacle was that the uninspiring but reliable return specialist was badly out of shape, making him more or less a last resort.
Well, Jeremy Bloom turned out to be a bust; Greg Lewis blows his tryout then suffers a hip pointer; JR Reed made a game-deciding gaffe; Lito Sheppard injured his knee...Yep, last resort time.
He'll catch the ball, but expect even less speed than in year's past.
Big man's wheel
Shawn Andrews put forth a poor performance against Green Bay. He was whistled twice for holding calls early and -- along with the rest of the front unit -- offered little protection for Donovan McNabb on the day.
The optimistic view is that he's working to get back to form after being sidelined with an improving ankle injury. The pessimistic slant would suggest this could very well be a season-long ailment, signaling a down year for the big man.
McNabb's comfort level
With the offensive line's poor performance, McNabb was without a secure pocket for most of the game, and lacked the escapability that he has made a career out of.
Without either athleticism or protection to depend on, No. 5's struggle will likely continue.
Eagles D against the run
The last time these two teams met, the Redskins amassed 210 rushing yards, headlined by Ladell Betts' 171 yards on 33 carries. The interior line has been beefed up since and performed well against the Packers, but need to keep it up.
The Phanatic Magazine
A big game...already.
Let one slip in this league, especially against a bad team, and the weight shifts violently. Redskins-Eagles is no longer just a formality.
Here are a few things to keep an eye on when the teams hook up Monday night.
Mahe Mahe
Everyone's breathing a bit easier since Reno Mahe was signed...except for maybe Mahe himself. Reports prior to last week's debacle was that the uninspiring but reliable return specialist was badly out of shape, making him more or less a last resort.
Well, Jeremy Bloom turned out to be a bust; Greg Lewis blows his tryout then suffers a hip pointer; JR Reed made a game-deciding gaffe; Lito Sheppard injured his knee...Yep, last resort time.
He'll catch the ball, but expect even less speed than in year's past.
Big man's wheel
Shawn Andrews put forth a poor performance against Green Bay. He was whistled twice for holding calls early and -- along with the rest of the front unit -- offered little protection for Donovan McNabb on the day.
The optimistic view is that he's working to get back to form after being sidelined with an improving ankle injury. The pessimistic slant would suggest this could very well be a season-long ailment, signaling a down year for the big man.
McNabb's comfort level
With the offensive line's poor performance, McNabb was without a secure pocket for most of the game, and lacked the escapability that he has made a career out of.
Without either athleticism or protection to depend on, No. 5's struggle will likely continue.
Eagles D against the run
The last time these two teams met, the Redskins amassed 210 rushing yards, headlined by Ladell Betts' 171 yards on 33 carries. The interior line has been beefed up since and performed well against the Packers, but need to keep it up.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Eagles get their grades
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Some grades for the Eagles as they get set to open the season against Green Bay.
Quarterback - B
Donovan is obviously a top-tier talent, but the remainder of the group weighs this grade down. Recent history says that there's a 3-in-5 chance that McNabb will go down at some point this season. Last year they survived regardless because Jeff Garcia was there to step in and provide an above-average performance. This year it will be A.J. Feeley, who no longer has the defense to bail him out. With the third option a green rookie, there will be a time this season where Eagles fans will be begging for Kelly Holcomb.
Running back - A
Westbrook is one of the most important offensive players in football, for any team. The one thing he could not provide was short-yardage service, and that area has (finally) been addressed with the addition of Tony Hunt. Buckhalter also serves as a nice changeup.
Wide Receiver - B
Those who condemn this corps because it lacks a big name haven't paid attention to the development of Reggie Brown, nor the instant report between No. 5 and Kevin Curtis. Add a pair of tight ends with ability, and the receivers are the least of your worries.
Offensive line - A
Actually, this is the least of your worries. Starters compose arguably the best line in football, the backups are more than solid. Here's hoping Shawn Andrews is a hypochondriac.
Defensive line - B
Better than you think or preseason suggests. Beefy additions in the middle, a healthy Kearse (at least for now), depth at every position. Running backs will have a tougher time finding lanes, and there's definitely enough speed to apply pressure as well.
Linebacker - C-
I won't rip the Eagles for getting rid of Trotter -- they've been very good at knowing when a player has reached his end. Still, expecting Chris Gocong or rookie Stewart Bradley making a big impact, or Takeo Spikes to travel three years back in time performance-wise, is plain irrational.
Secondary - C
The finger will point right here should the Eagles come up short once again. Sean Considine has not earned a starting role on an NFL team, not by a mile. Brian Dawkins is close to sunset. Lito Sheppard will be battling a leg injury at some point -- bank on it. And there's very little depth behind any of them. This should have been Priority One in the offseason.
The Phanatic Magazine
Some grades for the Eagles as they get set to open the season against Green Bay.
Quarterback - B
Donovan is obviously a top-tier talent, but the remainder of the group weighs this grade down. Recent history says that there's a 3-in-5 chance that McNabb will go down at some point this season. Last year they survived regardless because Jeff Garcia was there to step in and provide an above-average performance. This year it will be A.J. Feeley, who no longer has the defense to bail him out. With the third option a green rookie, there will be a time this season where Eagles fans will be begging for Kelly Holcomb.
Running back - A
Westbrook is one of the most important offensive players in football, for any team. The one thing he could not provide was short-yardage service, and that area has (finally) been addressed with the addition of Tony Hunt. Buckhalter also serves as a nice changeup.
Wide Receiver - B
Those who condemn this corps because it lacks a big name haven't paid attention to the development of Reggie Brown, nor the instant report between No. 5 and Kevin Curtis. Add a pair of tight ends with ability, and the receivers are the least of your worries.
Offensive line - A
Actually, this is the least of your worries. Starters compose arguably the best line in football, the backups are more than solid. Here's hoping Shawn Andrews is a hypochondriac.
Defensive line - B
Better than you think or preseason suggests. Beefy additions in the middle, a healthy Kearse (at least for now), depth at every position. Running backs will have a tougher time finding lanes, and there's definitely enough speed to apply pressure as well.
Linebacker - C-
I won't rip the Eagles for getting rid of Trotter -- they've been very good at knowing when a player has reached his end. Still, expecting Chris Gocong or rookie Stewart Bradley making a big impact, or Takeo Spikes to travel three years back in time performance-wise, is plain irrational.
Secondary - C
The finger will point right here should the Eagles come up short once again. Sean Considine has not earned a starting role on an NFL team, not by a mile. Brian Dawkins is close to sunset. Lito Sheppard will be battling a leg injury at some point -- bank on it. And there's very little depth behind any of them. This should have been Priority One in the offseason.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Something more to Andrews story
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
If you listen to one side tell it, Shawn Andrews may be in the trenches for the season opener. If you listen to the other side, Andrews' career may be in jeopardy.
No connectors or middle ground. Just two people with very intimate knowledge of the situation taking polar stances.
The mystery began to bubble Wednesday, when Andrews addressed his ankle injury -- deemed a sprain by the medical staff -- and made it sound much more significant than the club was letting on.
"When I was talking to a specialist, and what he said to me, it was a tearjerker," Andrews said. "It's kind of tough because it's something I love to do, and I can't be out there to sweat and grind with my teammates right now, and I don't know what the future holds. But I'll be OK either way."
Andrews wouldn't comment on whether or not the injury could potentially be career-threatening. And when asked for further details about the injury, said he couldn't divulge anything because “Coach Reid would probably smack me.”
On the other side of the spectrum, Reid came out Thursday and essentially called this a non-issue.
“That’s him being Shawn. One thing that makes Shawn a good football player, he’s an emotional football player. He showed you a little emotion yesterday and he wants back out on the field and he’s just got to weather this thing and as frustrating as it is for him he’s got to weather his foot and get back,” Reid said.
"He’s frustrated. But the main thing, and really the only thing, that I care about right now is that he’s getting better, and that he’s doing.”
When asked if Andrews would be ready for the opener against Green Bay, Reid replied: “Yeah, I believe he will be. Yes.”
While Reid's words likely calmed the fans' nerves, they didn't answer several important questions:
If the diagnosis was merely a sprain and all but cleared him to play in Week 1, why would it be described as a tear-jerker?
If there wasn't significantly more to this injury than currently disclosed, why would Andrews suggest that he'd be in trouble with his coach by providing further detail? A sprain's a sprain, right?
When asked if your injury is career-threatening, and all you have is a sprain, why wouldn't you simply say 'No.'?
It just doesn't add up.
---
Tim can be reached at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
The Phanatic Magazine
If you listen to one side tell it, Shawn Andrews may be in the trenches for the season opener. If you listen to the other side, Andrews' career may be in jeopardy.
No connectors or middle ground. Just two people with very intimate knowledge of the situation taking polar stances.
The mystery began to bubble Wednesday, when Andrews addressed his ankle injury -- deemed a sprain by the medical staff -- and made it sound much more significant than the club was letting on.
"When I was talking to a specialist, and what he said to me, it was a tearjerker," Andrews said. "It's kind of tough because it's something I love to do, and I can't be out there to sweat and grind with my teammates right now, and I don't know what the future holds. But I'll be OK either way."
Andrews wouldn't comment on whether or not the injury could potentially be career-threatening. And when asked for further details about the injury, said he couldn't divulge anything because “Coach Reid would probably smack me.”
On the other side of the spectrum, Reid came out Thursday and essentially called this a non-issue.
“That’s him being Shawn. One thing that makes Shawn a good football player, he’s an emotional football player. He showed you a little emotion yesterday and he wants back out on the field and he’s just got to weather this thing and as frustrating as it is for him he’s got to weather his foot and get back,” Reid said.
"He’s frustrated. But the main thing, and really the only thing, that I care about right now is that he’s getting better, and that he’s doing.”
When asked if Andrews would be ready for the opener against Green Bay, Reid replied: “Yeah, I believe he will be. Yes.”
While Reid's words likely calmed the fans' nerves, they didn't answer several important questions:
If the diagnosis was merely a sprain and all but cleared him to play in Week 1, why would it be described as a tear-jerker?
If there wasn't significantly more to this injury than currently disclosed, why would Andrews suggest that he'd be in trouble with his coach by providing further detail? A sprain's a sprain, right?
When asked if your injury is career-threatening, and all you have is a sprain, why wouldn't you simply say 'No.'?
It just doesn't add up.
---
Tim can be reached at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Eagle Joe's Joy Ride
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Eagle Joe answered the phone poolside, where he had been reading football magazines through blind eyes.
It was at this very spot where he had received the call weeks prior, the one that brought a 57-year-old man to tears. The one that made him the luckiest man on the planet.
Ironically enough, Joe’s journey was born out of a distaste for travel. He never cared much for long trips, preferring instead to stay local during his week vacation from ACME. With this in mind, a friend back in 1975 suggested that Joe take a short drive to Widener during his time off to watch an Eagles practice.
That was it.
“Call it love at first sight, call it what you want,” Eagle Joe said. “It was one of the best times I’ve ever had.”
Joe came to an immediate conclusion – he would schedule his vacation around Training Camp, and join the Birds every summer as they prepped for another season.
He has been there every season since.
Getting to his favorite destination has been harder and harder in recent years, however. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa 25 years ago, a condition that strikes at peripheral vision and impairs night vision. Things have worsened lately, and in March Eagle Joe was deemed legally blind, forcing him to quit the job at ACME that he had held for 41 years.
“I’m not one to give a sermon,” Eagle Joe quipped, “but they often say that the man upstairs closes one door and opens up another. That’s what happened to me.”
Only this door was a luxury model.
Determined to still make it to camp this season, Eagle Joe wrote a letter to Andy Reid and contacted members of the organization, telling them of his dilemma. In class fashion, the Eagles responded with optimal news: They had arranged a limousine service to pick Joe up in the morning and drop him off at night for four different days of Training Camp. Said they couldn’t have their training camp without Eagle Joe.
“I was out here by the pool, like I am now,” Joe said. “I sat here with tears running down my face, and I almost fell through the floor.
“How many football teams or Fortune 500 companies, if that’s what you want to call them, would do something like this for anybody? They’re busy putting a football team together and getting ready for the season, and they found time to think of me.”
So just like he has for so many years now, Eagle Joe will be at Lehigh to get a sneak peak at the talent. As in years prior, they will lift the velvet rope for him, giving him access to the field and players that most fans will never be granted.
And don’t think it goes unappreciated. As Eagle Joe sat poolside outside his Exton apartment complex, with his trip to camp just days away, he conjured up the image that has come to define gratitude in the midst of struggle.
“I consider myself…because of what these people have done for me, how they accepted me and brought me in as one of their own…I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
----------
You can contact Tim at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
The Phanatic Magazine
Eagle Joe answered the phone poolside, where he had been reading football magazines through blind eyes.
It was at this very spot where he had received the call weeks prior, the one that brought a 57-year-old man to tears. The one that made him the luckiest man on the planet.
Ironically enough, Joe’s journey was born out of a distaste for travel. He never cared much for long trips, preferring instead to stay local during his week vacation from ACME. With this in mind, a friend back in 1975 suggested that Joe take a short drive to Widener during his time off to watch an Eagles practice.
That was it.
“Call it love at first sight, call it what you want,” Eagle Joe said. “It was one of the best times I’ve ever had.”
Joe came to an immediate conclusion – he would schedule his vacation around Training Camp, and join the Birds every summer as they prepped for another season.
He has been there every season since.
Getting to his favorite destination has been harder and harder in recent years, however. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa 25 years ago, a condition that strikes at peripheral vision and impairs night vision. Things have worsened lately, and in March Eagle Joe was deemed legally blind, forcing him to quit the job at ACME that he had held for 41 years.
“I’m not one to give a sermon,” Eagle Joe quipped, “but they often say that the man upstairs closes one door and opens up another. That’s what happened to me.”
Only this door was a luxury model.
Determined to still make it to camp this season, Eagle Joe wrote a letter to Andy Reid and contacted members of the organization, telling them of his dilemma. In class fashion, the Eagles responded with optimal news: They had arranged a limousine service to pick Joe up in the morning and drop him off at night for four different days of Training Camp. Said they couldn’t have their training camp without Eagle Joe.
“I was out here by the pool, like I am now,” Joe said. “I sat here with tears running down my face, and I almost fell through the floor.
“How many football teams or Fortune 500 companies, if that’s what you want to call them, would do something like this for anybody? They’re busy putting a football team together and getting ready for the season, and they found time to think of me.”
So just like he has for so many years now, Eagle Joe will be at Lehigh to get a sneak peak at the talent. As in years prior, they will lift the velvet rope for him, giving him access to the field and players that most fans will never be granted.
And don’t think it goes unappreciated. As Eagle Joe sat poolside outside his Exton apartment complex, with his trip to camp just days away, he conjured up the image that has come to define gratitude in the midst of struggle.
“I consider myself…because of what these people have done for me, how they accepted me and brought me in as one of their own…I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
----------
You can contact Tim at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Goodell fails early test with Vick
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Roger Goodell has suffered his first misstep, and it comes with the nation's eye peering in.
The newly-donned NFL Commissioner -- known for wielding an iron fist in regard to player conduct -- has reportedly done a 180 away from his own policy and will allow Michael Vick to suit up as the dogfighting case plays out.
This after taking such a hard-line stance toward lesser-celebrated criminal athletes such as Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson, giving hope to the fan who feared their sport was being stripped of its respectability and altered irrevocably. More >>
Friday, July 06, 2007
Buehrle looks to be on his way out
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
All you can read are the signs that are there. And the signs say Mark Buehrle is getting traded.
According to a Chicago Tribune piece, Buehrle was seen this morning packing his belongings from his locker into a box.
He was asked whether it was because of the upcoming All-Star break, or because he was expecting to be traded.
"Kind of both," he replied. "I just had some extra stuff I needed to get out of here, and you never know what's going to happen. It's a good time to get some stuff out of here and have a little less stuff in here just in case something happens."
The White Sox, battling through a down season, were reportedly looking for three top-tier prospects in exhange for the left-hander. They lost their leverage, however, when Buehrle came out and said that he would become a free agent at the end of the season no matter what team he was dealt to, dismissing the idea of signing a new contract in-season.
Now the consensus is that it will take one top-flight prospect or player to rent Buehrle's services.
Michael Bourn's name has been buzzing around clubhouses across the league as a hot commodity, and Chicago's love affair with Aaron Rowand has been well-documented.
Buehrle just may end up in the Phillies rotation.
The Phanatic Magazine
All you can read are the signs that are there. And the signs say Mark Buehrle is getting traded.
According to a Chicago Tribune piece, Buehrle was seen this morning packing his belongings from his locker into a box.
He was asked whether it was because of the upcoming All-Star break, or because he was expecting to be traded.
"Kind of both," he replied. "I just had some extra stuff I needed to get out of here, and you never know what's going to happen. It's a good time to get some stuff out of here and have a little less stuff in here just in case something happens."
The White Sox, battling through a down season, were reportedly looking for three top-tier prospects in exhange for the left-hander. They lost their leverage, however, when Buehrle came out and said that he would become a free agent at the end of the season no matter what team he was dealt to, dismissing the idea of signing a new contract in-season.
Now the consensus is that it will take one top-flight prospect or player to rent Buehrle's services.
Michael Bourn's name has been buzzing around clubhouses across the league as a hot commodity, and Chicago's love affair with Aaron Rowand has been well-documented.
Buehrle just may end up in the Phillies rotation.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Trading Rowand is the only answer
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Lieber Myers Hamels Eaton Garcia Moyer
Lieber Hamels Eaton Garcia Moyer
Lieber Hamels Eaton Moyer
Hamels. Eaton. Moyer.
___
Halfway through the season, half the starters down.
Lieber undergoes season-ending surgery tomorrow. Garcia will follow suit, whether it be after a couple miserable outings or before.
Myers will be put in the 'pen upon his return.
That leaves a 23-year old as the ace. A 44-year-old as the No. 2 and either Adam Eaton, with his 5.67 ERA, or Kyle Kendrick, with his four career starts, as the third starter.
With the All-Star break approaching, the Phils have managed to stay in the race for the NL East despite the rash of injuries and another horrid April. While that may allow for a tinge of hope, the reality is that this club as currently constructed cannot make the postseason. The arms are just not strong enough to pull this team to the finish line...
Read the rest on The Phanatic Magazine's new website
The Phanatic Magazine
Lieber Myers Hamels Eaton Garcia Moyer
Lieber Hamels Eaton Garcia Moyer
Lieber Hamels Eaton Moyer
Hamels. Eaton. Moyer.
___
Halfway through the season, half the starters down.
Lieber undergoes season-ending surgery tomorrow. Garcia will follow suit, whether it be after a couple miserable outings or before.
Myers will be put in the 'pen upon his return.
That leaves a 23-year old as the ace. A 44-year-old as the No. 2 and either Adam Eaton, with his 5.67 ERA, or Kyle Kendrick, with his four career starts, as the third starter.
With the All-Star break approaching, the Phils have managed to stay in the race for the NL East despite the rash of injuries and another horrid April. While that may allow for a tinge of hope, the reality is that this club as currently constructed cannot make the postseason. The arms are just not strong enough to pull this team to the finish line...
Read the rest on The Phanatic Magazine's new website
Thursday, June 28, 2007
NBA Draft means everything for Sixers
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
It's a bit of a sad state, really, when the 76ers organization is looked at as second rate.
Notice that as the Kevin Garnett/Kobe Bryant trade winds continue to howl, that nobody has even had the heart to make up a scenario that would send one of them to Philly. They realize that the Sixers' chips are few, and that even if they could conjure up an appetizing package, the star would nix the deal well before it had a chance of going through.
Once upon a time, the best were pining to come here. It was LA, it was Boston, and it was Philadelphia.
The mix of poor drafting and even worse contracts, though, strangled the allure out of the 76ers and turned them into nothing more than a light workout -- a sparring session -- for actual contenders.
All of this has happened with Billy King in the upper circle.
And now, he sits at the controls with three first-round picks in one pocket and all of the power in the other. The luxury of rebuilding is not often given to the man in charge during the destruction. But, the professional sports world spins in its own unique way.
And so King stands on top of the heap, looking out at the most critical time for the 76ers in maybe three decades.
Cap space is freeing up and the Sixers have four picks in a great draft. If they hit it right, they could pull out a pair of All-Stars and another contributor. If they do OK, they can get a role player or two that can help down the road.
If they botch it, the results are crippling. They'll have lost Allen Iverson -- one of the greatest players in team history -- in vein. They'll be saddled with several bad, guaranteed contracts. They would have suffered through a tough season for nothing.
They will further lose the faith of the fans, and just as damaging, the players around the league. They will be known as the team who had the answers right in their grasp, and didn't have the competence to close their hand.
If tonight brings failure, it will affirm the beliefs of those who choose to stay away from a once proud franchise.
This draft decides whether the echoes will be awoken, or sealed off.
God speed, Billy King.
The Phanatic Magazine
It's a bit of a sad state, really, when the 76ers organization is looked at as second rate.
Notice that as the Kevin Garnett/Kobe Bryant trade winds continue to howl, that nobody has even had the heart to make up a scenario that would send one of them to Philly. They realize that the Sixers' chips are few, and that even if they could conjure up an appetizing package, the star would nix the deal well before it had a chance of going through.
Once upon a time, the best were pining to come here. It was LA, it was Boston, and it was Philadelphia.
The mix of poor drafting and even worse contracts, though, strangled the allure out of the 76ers and turned them into nothing more than a light workout -- a sparring session -- for actual contenders.
All of this has happened with Billy King in the upper circle.
And now, he sits at the controls with three first-round picks in one pocket and all of the power in the other. The luxury of rebuilding is not often given to the man in charge during the destruction. But, the professional sports world spins in its own unique way.
And so King stands on top of the heap, looking out at the most critical time for the 76ers in maybe three decades.
Cap space is freeing up and the Sixers have four picks in a great draft. If they hit it right, they could pull out a pair of All-Stars and another contributor. If they do OK, they can get a role player or two that can help down the road.
If they botch it, the results are crippling. They'll have lost Allen Iverson -- one of the greatest players in team history -- in vein. They'll be saddled with several bad, guaranteed contracts. They would have suffered through a tough season for nothing.
They will further lose the faith of the fans, and just as damaging, the players around the league. They will be known as the team who had the answers right in their grasp, and didn't have the competence to close their hand.
If tonight brings failure, it will affirm the beliefs of those who choose to stay away from a once proud franchise.
This draft decides whether the echoes will be awoken, or sealed off.
God speed, Billy King.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Eagles investigation update
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Philly Sports Radio 950's Eagles beat reporter Brian Seltzer is reporting that the NFLPA did in fact investigate the Birds for possible violation of the rules against contact during offseason practices, as stated on Profootballtalk.com.
Seltzer says that the investigation in now closed, and that there was no conclusive evidence to suggest that the Eagles were in violation of the rules.
Earlier in the week Profootballtalk.com broke the story, and intimated that it was likely one of the Eagles players that tipped the players union off.
They went on to say that practice tapes were turned into the NFLPA at the behest of coach Reid, who believed his workouts had been on the straight and narrow.
The Phanatic Magazine
Philly Sports Radio 950's Eagles beat reporter Brian Seltzer is reporting that the NFLPA did in fact investigate the Birds for possible violation of the rules against contact during offseason practices, as stated on Profootballtalk.com.
Seltzer says that the investigation in now closed, and that there was no conclusive evidence to suggest that the Eagles were in violation of the rules.
Earlier in the week Profootballtalk.com broke the story, and intimated that it was likely one of the Eagles players that tipped the players union off.
They went on to say that practice tapes were turned into the NFLPA at the behest of coach Reid, who believed his workouts had been on the straight and narrow.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
A Rat with Wings
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
The move out of Veterans Stadium didn't solve the rat problem.
If reports from Profootballtalk.com are spot on then one of the Eagles' players went crying to the NFLPA, saying that the team violated rules against contact during offseason practices.
The Birds are now under investigation, and might have to forfeit a draft pick if found guilty.
And the waters have once again been disturbed...
Read more at The Phanatic Magazine's web home
The Phanatic Magazine
The move out of Veterans Stadium didn't solve the rat problem.
If reports from Profootballtalk.com are spot on then one of the Eagles' players went crying to the NFLPA, saying that the team violated rules against contact during offseason practices.
The Birds are now under investigation, and might have to forfeit a draft pick if found guilty.
And the waters have once again been disturbed...
Read more at The Phanatic Magazine's web home
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Manuel needs to be fired
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
It is time to part ways with Charlie Manuel.
I do not say that on the heels of a blunder, or with blood simmering from a late-inning loss.
I state it at 8:34 p.m. on Thursday, with the Phils ahead 2-0 and in line to sweep the Mets in Shea.
The promise is on full display right now. Cole Hamels in firm control, again working deep into a game with hardly any damage or sweat to show for it. Ryan Howard with an RBI to score Shane Victorino; Jimmy Rollins again infuriating the New York crowd.
It becomes clear in these kind of moments, that there is a nucleus on this team that is ripe with rare talent. A group like this doesn't come along very often, and almost never passes through this town.
It is time to give them their skipper.
Manuel, though a warm man that players gravitate towards, is not the manager of the future. He is not the man who can wring every last ounce of ability out of his players. Not the one that can be counted on to make all the right decisions on their behalf.
He is a baseball lifer, and has more knowledge about the game than I could ever hope to attain. When put in charge, though, Manuel has proven that he is prone to missteps, and he has hurt his team many times because of them.
Not everything can be pinned on him: Pat Gillick has failed in many of his moves, and the players need to be accountable for their own actions.
Still, there is no denying that when the squeeze is on, Manuel is not the man you want calling the shots. He is not the sure-footed leader that tends to be coaching in October.
(Note: Manuel was just ejected for arguing that David Wright's long ball was not a homer. Replays showed it was, and the Mets have gone ahead 3-2).
The decision to change courses does not need to be made in times of desperation. It can be done when the true value of a a team is realized. It does not have to be done just to make a push for this postseason. It can be done to nudge the future a little closer to you.
There is a young core -- Hamels, Rollins, Chase Utley, Victorino, Howard, Brett Myers -- that has as much promise as any group in the league.
To handicap them in any way is a disservice.
Respectfully, Manuel must go.
---------------------------------------------------
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
The Phanatic Magazine
It is time to part ways with Charlie Manuel.
I do not say that on the heels of a blunder, or with blood simmering from a late-inning loss.
I state it at 8:34 p.m. on Thursday, with the Phils ahead 2-0 and in line to sweep the Mets in Shea.
The promise is on full display right now. Cole Hamels in firm control, again working deep into a game with hardly any damage or sweat to show for it. Ryan Howard with an RBI to score Shane Victorino; Jimmy Rollins again infuriating the New York crowd.
It becomes clear in these kind of moments, that there is a nucleus on this team that is ripe with rare talent. A group like this doesn't come along very often, and almost never passes through this town.
It is time to give them their skipper.
Manuel, though a warm man that players gravitate towards, is not the manager of the future. He is not the man who can wring every last ounce of ability out of his players. Not the one that can be counted on to make all the right decisions on their behalf.
He is a baseball lifer, and has more knowledge about the game than I could ever hope to attain. When put in charge, though, Manuel has proven that he is prone to missteps, and he has hurt his team many times because of them.
Not everything can be pinned on him: Pat Gillick has failed in many of his moves, and the players need to be accountable for their own actions.
Still, there is no denying that when the squeeze is on, Manuel is not the man you want calling the shots. He is not the sure-footed leader that tends to be coaching in October.
(Note: Manuel was just ejected for arguing that David Wright's long ball was not a homer. Replays showed it was, and the Mets have gone ahead 3-2).
The decision to change courses does not need to be made in times of desperation. It can be done when the true value of a a team is realized. It does not have to be done just to make a push for this postseason. It can be done to nudge the future a little closer to you.
There is a young core -- Hamels, Rollins, Chase Utley, Victorino, Howard, Brett Myers -- that has as much promise as any group in the league.
To handicap them in any way is a disservice.
Respectfully, Manuel must go.
---------------------------------------------------
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Thursday, May 31, 2007
What was Bonds really like?
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Ever wonder what future generations are going to ask you about, and how you might respond?
Everybody faces those "What was it like to live through..." questions. What will be ours?
Those moments aren't always easy to identify when living it...but I'm pretty sure we're in one right now.
Philadelphia, early summer, 2007. The soon-to-be home run champion in town for three days, just 10 deep flies away from capturing the record.
The pursuer, a villain, carrying a well-established reputation as a cheat with a mean streak to match.
The greatest hitter of all time. The most tainted and scrutinized player of all time. The biggest record of all time.
What was it like to be in the seats, or down the street, or just alive as this piece of fascinating history was unfolding?
I'm afraid my answer is going to be... Eh.
The feeling I have, and the one I sense the area shares, is one of unconcentrated interest. I'm aware that Bonds is in town, the home run
record in sight, and that he will leave just inches from the most celebrated achievement in baseball and beyond. I want to see his image in my park, want to know how the Philly fans will react (or, more appropriately, what level they'll raise their game to). I want to see who catches No. 747.
But I find I also have a slight repulsion to the whole spectacle, similar to staring at a bright light. If I focus on it too long I feel uneasy and blurred.
The media is treating Bonds' arrival in a similar fashion: They address it, throw in two cents on it, but don't linger on the subject.
Just a glance. Anything more, and your real feelings may come out.
You may start to look at the man, the plates of his skull protruding and his arms thick like oak, and be unable to keep that faint h
ope that he has been wrongly accused of doping. You may contemplate how your era will be defined, and recognize that it will have an * or a Rx next to it -- and that No. 25 will be a major reason why.
You might think of all of your parents and grandparents' heroes, and how their accomplishments were trumped because of science, not merit.
You may get angry that the supposed greatest feat in sports is about to occur before your very eyes, and yet things have been stained so badly that you can't even enjoy it.
And so we just glance, take it in but not all the way in.
We wait for it to pass.
Uneasy. The best way to describe it is uneasy.
And I hate that I'm going to have to tell my kids that.
-----------------------------------------------------
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
The Phanatic Magazine
Ever wonder what future generations are going to ask you about, and how you might respond?
Everybody faces those "What was it like to live through..." questions. What will be ours?
Those moments aren't always easy to identify when living it...but I'm pretty sure we're in one right now.
Philadelphia, early summer, 2007. The soon-to-be home run champion in town for three days, just 10 deep flies away from capturing the record.
The pursuer, a villain, carrying a well-established reputation as a cheat with a mean streak to match.
The greatest hitter of all time. The most tainted and scrutinized player of all time. The biggest record of all time.
What was it like to be in the seats, or down the street, or just alive as this piece of fascinating history was unfolding?
I'm afraid my answer is going to be... Eh.
The feeling I have, and the one I sense the area shares, is one of unconcentrated interest. I'm aware that Bonds is in town, the home run
record in sight, and that he will leave just inches from the most celebrated achievement in baseball and beyond. I want to see his image in my park, want to know how the Philly fans will react (or, more appropriately, what level they'll raise their game to). I want to see who catches No. 747.But I find I also have a slight repulsion to the whole spectacle, similar to staring at a bright light. If I focus on it too long I feel uneasy and blurred.
The media is treating Bonds' arrival in a similar fashion: They address it, throw in two cents on it, but don't linger on the subject.
Just a glance. Anything more, and your real feelings may come out.
You may start to look at the man, the plates of his skull protruding and his arms thick like oak, and be unable to keep that faint h
ope that he has been wrongly accused of doping. You may contemplate how your era will be defined, and recognize that it will have an * or a Rx next to it -- and that No. 25 will be a major reason why.You might think of all of your parents and grandparents' heroes, and how their accomplishments were trumped because of science, not merit.
You may get angry that the supposed greatest feat in sports is about to occur before your very eyes, and yet things have been stained so badly that you can't even enjoy it.
And so we just glance, take it in but not all the way in.
We wait for it to pass.
Uneasy. The best way to describe it is uneasy.
And I hate that I'm going to have to tell my kids that.
-----------------------------------------------------
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Myers' fate will be learned soon
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Some Phillies news and notes to pass along...
As reported earlier, Phillies head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan confirmed the original diagnosis that Brett Myers has a right shoulder strain.
That's good news, but the Phils aren't out of the woods quite yet.
Myers underwent an MRI today, the results of which aren't expected to be available until around game time Friday. The club won't really know what they're dealing with until then.
Davis to the rescue?
Should Myers need a trip to the disabled list, Pat Gillick hinted on Jody Mac's show on Thursday that Triple-A hurler Kane Davis may be called up in turn.
Davis-- a 6-3, 190-pound right-hander out of West Virginia, has a minuscule 1.76 ERA with a pair of saves in 13 appearances this season for the Lynx. The 31-year-old was originally drafted by the Pirates in 1993, and has spent time in the Cleveland, Milwaukee, Colorado and New York Mets organizations.
Coste sighting
Chris Coste gets his first start of the 2007 campaign tonight...but it's at first base. There's reason to believe that he may be getting some PT in the near future behind the plate, though:
If you know Philly fans, Rod Barajas will immediately become the town's whipping boy after deciding to pull an ole on the Hanley Ramirez play during that horrific ninth inning on Wednesday.
Mix that with a desperate need for any available relief arm, and there's more than a good chance that Barajas will be shipped out of here sooner than later.
Tonight's starting lineup
1. ss Rollins
2. 2b Nunez
3. cf Rowand
4. lf Burrell
5. 3b Helms
6. rf Werth
7. 1b Coste
8. c Barajas
9. p Lieber
One final note
Tom Gordon is not expected back until the middle of June. In he and Myers' absence, the Phils will close by committee, Gillick said.
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com.
The Phanatic Magazine
Some Phillies news and notes to pass along...
As reported earlier, Phillies head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan confirmed the original diagnosis that Brett Myers has a right shoulder strain.
That's good news, but the Phils aren't out of the woods quite yet.
Myers underwent an MRI today, the results of which aren't expected to be available until around game time Friday. The club won't really know what they're dealing with until then.
Davis to the rescue?
Should Myers need a trip to the disabled list, Pat Gillick hinted on Jody Mac's show on Thursday that Triple-A hurler Kane Davis may be called up in turn.
Davis-- a 6-3, 190-pound right-hander out of West Virginia, has a minuscule 1.76 ERA with a pair of saves in 13 appearances this season for the Lynx. The 31-year-old was originally drafted by the Pirates in 1993, and has spent time in the Cleveland, Milwaukee, Colorado and New York Mets organizations.
Coste sighting
Chris Coste gets his first start of the 2007 campaign tonight...but it's at first base. There's reason to believe that he may be getting some PT in the near future behind the plate, though:
If you know Philly fans, Rod Barajas will immediately become the town's whipping boy after deciding to pull an ole on the Hanley Ramirez play during that horrific ninth inning on Wednesday.
Mix that with a desperate need for any available relief arm, and there's more than a good chance that Barajas will be shipped out of here sooner than later.
Tonight's starting lineup
1. ss Rollins
2. 2b Nunez
3. cf Rowand
4. lf Burrell
5. 3b Helms
6. rf Werth
7. 1b Coste
8. c Barajas
9. p Lieber
One final note
Tom Gordon is not expected back until the middle of June. In he and Myers' absence, the Phils will close by committee, Gillick said.
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
The rivalry begins anew with NBA Lottery
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
The rivalry is hidden now, small enough to fit in a golden cage or even inside an envelope.
Mo Cheeks is 14 years removed from a playing career, now overseeing a team that is as green as the shamrock they target.
Larry Bird has returned to French Lick. The Boston Strangler has a son playing college ball. Dennis Johnson and Red Auerbach have passed.
Even the disciples are dissipating. AI's in the Rockies, Paul Pierce is generally on the IR and Eric Snow's busy dishing to Bron-Bron.
What's left is a lot of history and very little else between the Celtics and Sixers. It's hard to look at Willie Green staring down Sebastien Telfair and get legitimately stirred up about it.
And honestly? Neither city feels quite right because of it.
Sure, there's Sox-Yanks and Eagles-Cowboys to keep each fan base nourished, but there's still a sense of vacancy in both the respective towns and the sports world as a whole without Sixers-Celtics. There just is.
The good news is that the rivalry is about to be born anew, starting today.
The 2007 NBA Draft pool is as deep as it's been in a very long time, and Philly and Boston are two of the teams in best position to get healthy off of it.
For the Celtics, it's their first chance to land a true franchise big man since the fates handed San Antonio Tim Duncan instead of them back in 1997. The Spurs haven't been in the lottery since, while the C's have struggled to a of 357-431 record over the last 10 years -- finishing above .500 in just three of those seasons.
The odds say this year, though, that Boston will either walk away with Greg Oden, or be handed a most generous consolation prize in Kevin Durant. Should they land either of those players, the Celtics will rise like a Phoenix and reclaim their spot amongst the NBA's elite franchises. That is especially true given that they're already armed with good young players, the No. 32 pick as well and some cap room to work with in the near future.
The Sixers have less than a one percent chance of moving up and landing one of those two coveted stars, and will be selecting 12th in all likelihood. They are, though, blessed with four chances to pluck ripe talent right off the branch. Names like Mike Conley, Jr., Acie Law IV, Brandon Rush and Aaron Afflalo fill the draft board, each as attainable as the next. And what team is in better position to package picks in the name of moving up to nab the likes of Yi Jianlian, Brandan Wright or Jeff Green?
Either way -- between the success Billy King has had in recent drafts coupled with the players that make up this one -- the Sixers will have a stockpile of young talent once June 28 is in the archives. And, thanks to the contracts of Chris Webber and Greg Buckner coming off the books after this year, the club will have some $13 million to play with next offseason.
Barring incalculable bad luck or mismanagement, both of these teams will begin to rise, and -- most importantly -- begin their rise simultaneously.
As other powers in the East begin to wilt, the Sixers and Celtics will just be hitting their stride. And if all is right with the basketball world, both will peak and be contending for conference supremacy during the same period.
Oden, Durant or faces yet unseen will turn contemptible. Every "BOS" on the calendar will be circled in red marker. Memories will be flamed, waking the sleeping basketball town once again.
It all starts with a golden cage and an envelope, which will soon be pulverized from the inside-out by a rivalry it couldn't possibly contain for long.
Tim can be reached at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com.
The Phanatic Magazine
The rivalry is hidden now, small enough to fit in a golden cage or even inside an envelope.
Mo Cheeks is 14 years removed from a playing career, now overseeing a team that is as green as the shamrock they target.
Larry Bird has returned to French Lick. The Boston Strangler has a son playing college ball. Dennis Johnson and Red Auerbach have passed.
Even the disciples are dissipating. AI's in the Rockies, Paul Pierce is generally on the IR and Eric Snow's busy dishing to Bron-Bron.
What's left is a lot of history and very little else between the Celtics and Sixers. It's hard to look at Willie Green staring down Sebastien Telfair and get legitimately stirred up about it.
And honestly? Neither city feels quite right because of it.
Sure, there's Sox-Yanks and Eagles-Cowboys to keep each fan base nourished, but there's still a sense of vacancy in both the respective towns and the sports world as a whole without Sixers-Celtics. There just is.
The good news is that the rivalry is about to be born anew, starting today.
The 2007 NBA Draft pool is as deep as it's been in a very long time, and Philly and Boston are two of the teams in best position to get healthy off of it.
For the Celtics, it's their first chance to land a true franchise big man since the fates handed San Antonio Tim Duncan instead of them back in 1997. The Spurs haven't been in the lottery since, while the C's have struggled to a of 357-431 record over the last 10 years -- finishing above .500 in just three of those seasons.
The odds say this year, though, that Boston will either walk away with Greg Oden, or be handed a most generous consolation prize in Kevin Durant. Should they land either of those players, the Celtics will rise like a Phoenix and reclaim their spot amongst the NBA's elite franchises. That is especially true given that they're already armed with good young players, the No. 32 pick as well and some cap room to work with in the near future.
The Sixers have less than a one percent chance of moving up and landing one of those two coveted stars, and will be selecting 12th in all likelihood. They are, though, blessed with four chances to pluck ripe talent right off the branch. Names like Mike Conley, Jr., Acie Law IV, Brandon Rush and Aaron Afflalo fill the draft board, each as attainable as the next. And what team is in better position to package picks in the name of moving up to nab the likes of Yi Jianlian, Brandan Wright or Jeff Green?
Either way -- between the success Billy King has had in recent drafts coupled with the players that make up this one -- the Sixers will have a stockpile of young talent once June 28 is in the archives. And, thanks to the contracts of Chris Webber and Greg Buckner coming off the books after this year, the club will have some $13 million to play with next offseason.
Barring incalculable bad luck or mismanagement, both of these teams will begin to rise, and -- most importantly -- begin their rise simultaneously.
As other powers in the East begin to wilt, the Sixers and Celtics will just be hitting their stride. And if all is right with the basketball world, both will peak and be contending for conference supremacy during the same period.
Oden, Durant or faces yet unseen will turn contemptible. Every "BOS" on the calendar will be circled in red marker. Memories will be flamed, waking the sleeping basketball town once again.
It all starts with a golden cage and an envelope, which will soon be pulverized from the inside-out by a rivalry it couldn't possibly contain for long.
Tim can be reached at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Young Westbrook signs with 'Skins
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
The Washington Redskins haven't been able to solve Brian Westbrook since he came to Philadelphia, but are hoping his sibling can help crack the riddle.
The 'Skins signed Brian's younger brother, Byron, to the active roster, just before the team's rookie minicamp.
Byron is a Washington, D.C. native and Salisbury University alum, a Division III school in Maryland. There he totaled 18 career interceptions as a defensive back and was the punt and kickoff return specialist as well.
The 5-10, 194-pounder was a three-year all-ACFC first-team player and earned first-team honors on special teams as well in two of the past three seasons.
The Phanatic Magazine
The Washington Redskins haven't been able to solve Brian Westbrook since he came to Philadelphia, but are hoping his sibling can help crack the riddle.
The 'Skins signed Brian's younger brother, Byron, to the active roster, just before the team's rookie minicamp.
Byron is a Washington, D.C. native and Salisbury University alum, a Division III school in Maryland. There he totaled 18 career interceptions as a defensive back and was the punt and kickoff return specialist as well.
The 5-10, 194-pounder was a three-year all-ACFC first-team player and earned first-team honors on special teams as well in two of the past three seasons.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
As Stern knows, you can't have it both ways
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
David Stern is taking some serious heat for the suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, especially after the Suns proved they were one body short of being up 3-2 instead of the other way around.
Indeed, the players' actions ended up being harmless in the grand scheme of things, and the Spurs gained a definite advantage.
Funny, though, that in an era that will be defined as a moral awakening in sports, that there should be such a backlash for enforcing the rules. To condemn the decision altogether is nothing short of hypocritical.
---
When Roger Goodell took over for Paul Tagliabue, many wondered how his tenure would be defined. After all, he was succeeding a man that shepherded the NFL to national prominence -- the key figure of a sport that grew at an unimaginable speed, until it dwarfed even the most sacred of pasttimes.
How could that be topped?
It has become clear that Goodell's reign will not be dipped with ritz. Instead, it will be about re-instilling a code of conduct that was shed during the race to the peak.
Somewhere in the transformation from popular to superstar, NFL players started becoming more like Randy Moss and less like Jerry Rice. There was a fundamental shift -- aided by free agency and the advertising boom -- that steadily made the sport less about the team and more about the individual.
Soon many of the players took on an heir of invincibility, a trait that -- combined with absurd amounts of money -- led to more and more unruly behavior.
Things reached a boiling point this past season, between the slew of Cincinnati Bengals getting arrested to Tank Johnson's arsenal to Albert Haynesworth's violent stomping. Then, of course, Pacman Jones was part of an incident that paralyzed a man.
The result was an overwhelming public outcry for change.
Goodell's fate was sealed, and the clean-up process began.
---
In baseball, the clean-up is of a different sort.
You know the story by now, how America's pasttime was wilting as a result of the 1994 strike, how Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's chase and capture of the single-season home run record resuscitated the sport, and how everyone involved pretty much knew that many MLB players were juiced to the gills.
And like the NFL, fans, players and authorities alike were having way too much fun to call off the party in the name of scrutiny.
Soon the issue became too overt and uncomfortable, though, making it impossible to ignore. And with the all-time home run record about to be falsely claimed as well, MLB and its followers began scrambling to assume a stance on the morally correct side of things.
Like football, the pendulum swung as far as fans would allow, and it's now being pushed back the other way.
---
In the NBA, the tipping point was the Ron Artest brawl.
With millions of dollars and a social divide separating the two, fan and NBA athlete started drifting further and further apart. When the "Malice at the Palace" occurred, it was a clear-cut sign that little common respect remained, and that a major overhaul in both presentation and policy was needed.
In response, Stern levied the harshest penalties in league history.
"The line is drawn, and my guess is that won't happen again -- certainly not by anybody who wants to be associated with our league," Stern said.
To ensure that something of that nature doesn't happen again, Stern has diligently implemented and/or enforced various guidelines. He put in a dress code to create a classier setting, and made sure that when a player violated a rule that he was duly reprimanded for it.
And the NBA continues its trip back to the middle behind the will of the fan.
---
In all three cases -- in the NFL, MLB and NBA alike -- the crackdown on poor behavior has been more than welcomed. By and large, the fans are glad that off-field incidents are bringing punishment; that steroid use is being condemned; and that safety and accountability in-game is a priority.
Unless, of course, it messes with Game 5.
When Stern bristled on the Dan Patrick show yesterday, he was reacting to this very hypocrisy:
So you want me to just completely dismiss a rule that's in place for the protection of both fan and athlete? You cry for the sport to be cleaned up, then whine when discipline is enforced?
And he has a valid point. With the major sports in general and basketball in particular, you have asked for a firmer hand to get things back to how you once knew it. You want your players to be clean and the rules to be enforced, and enforced sharply.
With conduct deemed out of control, you have drawn a line.
Two players crossed it.
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
The Phanatic Magazine
David Stern is taking some serious heat for the suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, especially after the Suns proved they were one body short of being up 3-2 instead of the other way around.
Indeed, the players' actions ended up being harmless in the grand scheme of things, and the Spurs gained a definite advantage.
Funny, though, that in an era that will be defined as a moral awakening in sports, that there should be such a backlash for enforcing the rules. To condemn the decision altogether is nothing short of hypocritical.
---
When Roger Goodell took over for Paul Tagliabue, many wondered how his tenure would be defined. After all, he was succeeding a man that shepherded the NFL to national prominence -- the key figure of a sport that grew at an unimaginable speed, until it dwarfed even the most sacred of pasttimes.
How could that be topped?
It has become clear that Goodell's reign will not be dipped with ritz. Instead, it will be about re-instilling a code of conduct that was shed during the race to the peak.
Somewhere in the transformation from popular to superstar, NFL players started becoming more like Randy Moss and less like Jerry Rice. There was a fundamental shift -- aided by free agency and the advertising boom -- that steadily made the sport less about the team and more about the individual.
Soon many of the players took on an heir of invincibility, a trait that -- combined with absurd amounts of money -- led to more and more unruly behavior.
Things reached a boiling point this past season, between the slew of Cincinnati Bengals getting arrested to Tank Johnson's arsenal to Albert Haynesworth's violent stomping. Then, of course, Pacman Jones was part of an incident that paralyzed a man.
The result was an overwhelming public outcry for change.
Goodell's fate was sealed, and the clean-up process began.
---
In baseball, the clean-up is of a different sort.
You know the story by now, how America's pasttime was wilting as a result of the 1994 strike, how Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's chase and capture of the single-season home run record resuscitated the sport, and how everyone involved pretty much knew that many MLB players were juiced to the gills.
And like the NFL, fans, players and authorities alike were having way too much fun to call off the party in the name of scrutiny.
Soon the issue became too overt and uncomfortable, though, making it impossible to ignore. And with the all-time home run record about to be falsely claimed as well, MLB and its followers began scrambling to assume a stance on the morally correct side of things.
Like football, the pendulum swung as far as fans would allow, and it's now being pushed back the other way.
---
In the NBA, the tipping point was the Ron Artest brawl.
With millions of dollars and a social divide separating the two, fan and NBA athlete started drifting further and further apart. When the "Malice at the Palace" occurred, it was a clear-cut sign that little common respect remained, and that a major overhaul in both presentation and policy was needed.
In response, Stern levied the harshest penalties in league history.
"The line is drawn, and my guess is that won't happen again -- certainly not by anybody who wants to be associated with our league," Stern said.
To ensure that something of that nature doesn't happen again, Stern has diligently implemented and/or enforced various guidelines. He put in a dress code to create a classier setting, and made sure that when a player violated a rule that he was duly reprimanded for it.
And the NBA continues its trip back to the middle behind the will of the fan.
---
In all three cases -- in the NFL, MLB and NBA alike -- the crackdown on poor behavior has been more than welcomed. By and large, the fans are glad that off-field incidents are bringing punishment; that steroid use is being condemned; and that safety and accountability in-game is a priority.
Unless, of course, it messes with Game 5.
When Stern bristled on the Dan Patrick show yesterday, he was reacting to this very hypocrisy:
So you want me to just completely dismiss a rule that's in place for the protection of both fan and athlete? You cry for the sport to be cleaned up, then whine when discipline is enforced?
And he has a valid point. With the major sports in general and basketball in particular, you have asked for a firmer hand to get things back to how you once knew it. You want your players to be clean and the rules to be enforced, and enforced sharply.
With conduct deemed out of control, you have drawn a line.
Two players crossed it.
Tim appears on this page every Thursday. You can contact him at tmcmanus@phanaticmag.com
Monday, May 14, 2007
McNabb expected to be ready for training camp
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
Andy Reid delivered some good news at a press conference Monday, saying that Donovan McNabb should be able to participate when the team opens up training camp on July 27.
“He’s been throwing once a week, and he looks good in that area," Reid said. "Progressively, he’ll be given more days where he can get out and throw, and he’ll continue his rehab. The closer we get to camp, he’ll be back to full speed. So, we’re expecting him, when camp starts, to be able to participate.”
McNabb has been rehabbing since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last November against the Titans, and it's been unknown whether or not he would be ready in time for the season opener against Green Bay on September 9.
Reid's comments relieved some of that mystery.
“They’re really hasn’t been (any setbacks)," Reid said. "But at the same time, you want to give the surgery time to heal and not stretch anything out there that you just tightened up. So, that’s the part that takes the time. Could he go throw every day for the next two weeks? He probably could, but you’re going to do damage to the actual surgery he had.”
Reid went on to say that McNabb will spend time both in Philadelphia and Arizona before training camp opens, and does not expect chemistry between he and his new receivers to be a problem.
The Phanatic Magazine
Andy Reid delivered some good news at a press conference Monday, saying that Donovan McNabb should be able to participate when the team opens up training camp on July 27.
“He’s been throwing once a week, and he looks good in that area," Reid said. "Progressively, he’ll be given more days where he can get out and throw, and he’ll continue his rehab. The closer we get to camp, he’ll be back to full speed. So, we’re expecting him, when camp starts, to be able to participate.”
McNabb has been rehabbing since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last November against the Titans, and it's been unknown whether or not he would be ready in time for the season opener against Green Bay on September 9.
Reid's comments relieved some of that mystery.
“They’re really hasn’t been (any setbacks)," Reid said. "But at the same time, you want to give the surgery time to heal and not stretch anything out there that you just tightened up. So, that’s the part that takes the time. Could he go throw every day for the next two weeks? He probably could, but you’re going to do damage to the actual surgery he had.”
Reid went on to say that McNabb will spend time both in Philadelphia and Arizona before training camp opens, and does not expect chemistry between he and his new receivers to be a problem.
Flyers sign Eager to two-year deal
By Tim McManus
The Phanatic Magazine
The Philadelphia Flyers signed left wing Ben Eager to a new two-year contract on Monday.
The 23-year-old forward recorded six goals and five assists for 11 points and a league-high 233 penalty minutes for the Flyers this past season.
"Ben is another one of our younger players that continued to develop last season," said general manager Paul Holmgren in making the announcement. "He is a big, physical presence on the ice and adds a key dimension to our lineup. We expect Ben to be an important part of our core of young players that we're going to continue to build upon."
A first-round pick by Phoenix in the 2002 NHL Draft, Eager was acquired by the Flyers, along with Sean Burke and Branko Radivojevic, from the Coyotes in exchange for Mike Comrie in February of 2004.
"I'm really excited," said Eager. "The team is looking ahead and I'm happy to be a part of things, especially with the core group that we have here. There's going to be a lot of excitement over these next few years and I'm happy that I'll get to be a part of it."
The Phanatic Magazine
The Philadelphia Flyers signed left wing Ben Eager to a new two-year contract on Monday.
The 23-year-old forward recorded six goals and five assists for 11 points and a league-high 233 penalty minutes for the Flyers this past season.
"Ben is another one of our younger players that continued to develop last season," said general manager Paul Holmgren in making the announcement. "He is a big, physical presence on the ice and adds a key dimension to our lineup. We expect Ben to be an important part of our core of young players that we're going to continue to build upon."
A first-round pick by Phoenix in the 2002 NHL Draft, Eager was acquired by the Flyers, along with Sean Burke and Branko Radivojevic, from the Coyotes in exchange for Mike Comrie in February of 2004.
"I'm really excited," said Eager. "The team is looking ahead and I'm happy to be a part of things, especially with the core group that we have here. There's going to be a lot of excitement over these next few years and I'm happy that I'll get to be a part of it."
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