Gostisbehere suffers torn ACL, likely lost for season

The defensive situation in the Flyers organization has gotten a little cloudier, with the revelation that Shayne Gostisbehere will be out of action in the long term with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The injury apparently occurred during Friday's 3-2 Phantoms win at Manchester, where Gostisbehere absorbed a hit but fell in an awkward manner and was carried off the ice unable to put pressure on his left leg.

"He's going to miss some critical development," Flyers GM Ron Hextall said to an assembled throng in the press box prior to the opening puck-drop. "I don't want to guess at a timetable. It's not going to be weeks. It's going to be months, but you need a different timetable for everybody. But he should play (again) this year. We'll make a positive out of a tough situation."

Despite Hextall's rosy outlook, any injury to an ACL which must be fixed by surgery is looking at an average of five months total recovery and rehabilitation. With surgery coming up on Thursday, unless the Phantoms advance deep into the AHL playoffs, the 21-year-old Florida native isn't coming back to play this year. This latest setback, paired with the broken jaw Samuel Morin suffered weeks ago in the QMJHL, will force Hextall to modify his development plan regarding his top two defensive prospects.

Gostisbehere recorded five assists in five games at Lehigh Valley, but failed to record a point in two appearances with the Flyers.

"Shayne's going to have to take this positive and work hard to get himself back to where he was. There are things he can do now ... he can study (other) defensemen, he can watch the game, he can spend time with Kjell Samuelsson," Hextall added. "I don't know whether we'll have him up here to watch games or down there (Allentown), maybe a little bit of both so it's not going to be a lost cause."

Added pressure will be brought to bear on the readiness of Oliver Lauridsen, Brandon Manning, Mark Alt, Robert Hagg and Steven Delisle to carry the load for Terry Murray's club for the remainder of the season. Ghost's setback also forces Murray and Hextall to work a little harder on whom to recall with Andy MacDonald still on the shelf and for any future Philly injuries on the blueline.

Below is video of the incident:

It appears that Gostisbehere's ability to accelerate got him into trouble. As Michael Mersch appears to have him rubbed out along the end boards on the backcheck, the Phantoms defenseman escapes for a fraction of a second when contact occured. Had he remained stationery, Gostisbehere would have absorbed a bodycheck instead.

Coburn returns for Flyers; Colaiacovo sits

The second-longest single absence in defenseman Braydon Coburn's career will come to an end tonight, as he is expected to be in the lineup for the Flyers' home contest against the Colorado Avalanche.

Coburn, who has proven himself to be a durable presence on the blueline since arriving here from Atlanta in February of 2007, has missed the last 12 games after blocking a shot off his foot in a 2-1 loss to Boston in the season opener back on October 8.

For his long-awaited return, new acquisition Carlo Colaiacovo will sit out after playing the last two games and making a positive impression in a limited scope. He picked up one assists and was a plus player in both contests, averaging 16:53 of ice time.

Coburn had missed the final 15 games of the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign after suffering a separated left shoulder in a game against the New York Islanders. He has participated in at least 78 games in every full NHL season as a Flyer.

Heading into the game, the Orange and Black have posted a 5-4-2 home record against the Avalanche since the franchise relocated to Denver in 1995. That includes three straight wins since dropping a 4-3 OT decision on January 14, 2006.

Avs head coach Patrick Roy was absolutely flummoxed against Philly for most of his Hall-of-Fame career with Montreal and Colorado (1985-2003). If not for some wins at the end of his NHL tenure, his record would look a lot worse than it is: 7-10-9 in 28 appearances with a 3.46 goals-against average and no shutouts.

Tonight, Roy gets his first crack at Broad Street as a coach. Perhaps in a nod to his former head coaches Jacques Demers, Mario Tremblay, Marc Crawford and Bob Hartley, Roy will not have usual starter Semyon Varlamov between the pipes, but backup Reto Berra.

Owls falter again, lose on last-second FG to Memphis

Philadelphia, PA -- So close, yet so far away. Both victory and bowl eligibility.

Jake Elliott just barely nailed a 31-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Memphis Tigers to a 16-13 victory over the Temple Owls in American Athletic Conference action at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday night.


A 27-yard field goal near the end of the third quarter by Elliott finally gave the Tigers, who trailed 10-0 in the early stages, the lead for the first time all game. 

Points continued to be hard to come by in the final quarter, with Temple eventually tying the score on  a 46-yard field goal from Austin Jones with 2:46 remaining.

However, the Tigers effortlessly moved the ball on the final drive of the contest, pulling off a 12-play, 66-yard drive to set up Elliott's game-winner. 

The Owls failed to score on both of their red zone trips, while the Tigers scored on all three of theirs. 

Temple now has the unenviable task of having to face Penn State in Happy Valley next Saturday, with that elusive sixth win most likely out of reach for another week. 
  
Paxton Lynch completed 21-of-28 pass attempts for 230 yards and a touchdown to lead Memphis (6-3, 4-1 AAC), which has won four of its last five. Brandon Hayes fought his way to 75 yards on 26 carries and Mose Frazier tallied 110 yards on eight receptions.

Kenneth Harper rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts and Jalen Fitzpatrick picked up 64 yards on five catches for Temple (5-4, 3-3). P.J. Walker finished with only 145 yards and a touchdown on 17-of-39 passing.

Temple led, 10-0, at the end of the first quarter thanks to a 43-yard field goal from Jones and a 75-yard touchdown run from Harper.

Memphis scored its first points of the game midway through the second quarter when Elliott was successful on a 42-yard field goal attempt.

The Tigers then evened the score less than three minutes later on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Lynch to Hayes.

Take two for Sanchez, ex-Jets starter takes over Eagles

PHILADELPHIA - Nick Foles ran with his opportunity a season ago cultivated from injuries and the ineffectiveness of Michael Vick.

The football gods can be fickle, however, and they've now granted Mark Sanchez a second chance at the expense of an injured Foles, who has been shaky at times in 2014.

Sanchez, the ex-New York Jets starting quarterback, will get an extended look under center for the first-place Philadelphia Eagles starting Monday night when the struggling Carolina Panthers visit the City of Brotherly Love.

Sanchez was forced to take over for Foles in Houston last weekend and helped the Eagles to a 31-21 victory, completing a 52-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin on his first play since 2012 and finishing the contest 15-of-22 with a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions.

"He's already ready, he's always focused and always prepared to make plays and that's part of his makeup," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said of Sanchez. "That's what we really liked about him."

Maclin racked up 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns on six receptions in the
game as Philadelphia gutted out the decision despite losing Foles to a
fractured clavicle.

"When I went down (before last season with a torn ACL), I told myself to do
whatever I can to come back better than before. I'm going to work to get
better every day," Maclin stated after becoming the first receiver in
franchise history to record back-to-back 150-plus receiving and two-plus TD
contests in one season.

Foles began the game completing 10-of-13 passes for 124 yards with one score
and a pick before leaving after one quarter.

LeSean McCoy contributed 117 yards on 23 carries, while Chris Polk added a
touchdown run and Jordan Matthews posted a TD reception for the Eagles, who
shook off a loss the prior week in Arizona and ascended to the top of the NFC
East after Dallas lost at home to the Cardinals.

The triumph was quite costly, however, as Philadelphia not only lost the
leader of its offense, the Birds also will be moving forward without their
defensive captain, inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who suffered a ruptured
Achilles.

Ryans was hurt in the fourth quarter after intercepting a Ryan Fitzpatrick
pass. He fumbled while falling to the turf with no one around him, then left
the field on a cart.

Foles' injury is not expected to require surgery but he is expected to be
sidelined from 6-to-8 weeks. Ryans, meanwhile, was placed on season-ending
injured reserve.

Carolina is hurting also but most of its ailments stem from poor play on the
field. The Panthers are 1-5-1 over the last seven weeks after a promising 2-0
start to the season, falling out of the NFC South lead after dropping a 28-10
decision to New Orleans in Week 9.

The NFC South is the worst division in football, though, and despite their
less-than-stellar play after the last two months the Panthers are still very
much in the race, just one game behind the Saints in the loss column with
seven games left on their schedule.

"I've been in a race like this before, we all have," Panthers coach Ron Rivera
said. "It ends up being the team that comes back, that gets up and keeps
fighting. The next thing you know, you're right in the thick of things."

The Saints broke a scoreless deadlock back on Oct. 30 by scoring on three
straight possessions in between the second and third quarters to build a 21-7
advantage and cruised the rest of the way en route to ending their seven-game,
regular-season road losing streak.

New Orleans' star pass rusher Junior Galette recorded two of the Saints' four
sacks as the defense held Cam Newton to just 151 yards passing with an
interception on just 10-of-28 efficiency.

Newton carried the ball seven times for 43 yards and a touchdown for Carolina,
which accumulated just 231 total yards.

"We have to be professional about the situation and take responsibility and
ownership and hold ourselves accountable," Newton said.

The Eagles and the Panthers have matched up just seven times previously with
Philadelphia holding a 5-2 advantage. Carolina won the last meeting, 30-22,
on Nov. 26, 2012 at Lincoln Financial Field when Newton accounted for four
TDs, two on the ground and two through the air.


WHAT TO WATCH FOR

There are some in Philadelphia who believe that Sanchez will be an upgrade
over Foles, who has been a turnover machine in 2014, a stark contrast from the
guy who threw 29 TDs versus two interceptions (when you include the playoffs)
last season.

That might be a stretch, though, because Sanchez will be making his first NFL
start since Dec. 30, 2012, after missing all of his last season with the Jets
with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

The former Southern Cal star and top-five pick certainly has a more impressive
skill set than Foles, especially when it comes to athleticism and pure arm
strength, but he has always struggled with accuracy while amassing a 37-31
career record as a starter. Things also figure to get much tougher now that
opposing defenses will actually be game planning for Sanchez.

"I feel really bad for Nick, but I'm confident about Mark," Kelly said on
Monday. "He knows the system. His preparation is outstanding, always ready. We
feel real confident."

Sanchez will be taking over a Philadelphia offense that is fourth in the NFL
in both points per game (29.3) and total yards (409.3).

A year ago this would have shaped up as strength versus strength because the
2013 Panthers defense was one of the two or three best in all of football as
Carolina won the NFC South with a 12-4 record.

The sequel, however, has been a major disappointment, especially recently with
the Panthers surrendering 30.7 points per game since their 2-0 start -- a
number which is 31st in a 32-team league over that span.

"I'm tired of just the same talk of 'Hey, keep your head up. We've got next
week,'" Panthers safety Roman Harper said. "Eventually, we're going to run
out of weeks here. So we've got to do what we need to do ... whatever it takes
to start winning these ball games or we're not going to be where we want to be
at the end of the year."

The biggest issue has been defending the run and Carolina has allowed over 130
ypg on the ground over the past month. That should bode well for McCoy, the
2013 rushing leader who has surged after a disappointing start with 349 yards
over his last three games.

The Eagles' offensive line has been injury-ridden all season and lost right
guard Todd Herremans for the season with a torn biceps. That was tempered a
bit, though, by the projected return of All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis, who
has been activated off short-term IR after injuring his knee in Week 1.

The biggest issue on the Panthers stop unit in the continued absence of star
defensive end Greg Hardy, who remains on the exempt-commissioner's permission
list while appealing his conviction on charges of domestic assault against
his then-girlfriend.

"Selfishly, as a player, would we want him as a player on our team? Of course.
He makes us better," tight end Greg Olsen told ESPN.com. "We also have to
understand there's a bigger picture. There's bigger things at play, socially,
just the environment we're in. You have to respect that."

Offensively, Carolina has but far too much on the shoulders of the immensely
talented Newton, who plays behind a dismal offensive line and has few threats
outside the numbers, save for rookie receiver Kelvin Benjamin.

"He's a tremendous athlete, but I think he gets shortchanged when everybody
just says he's a good athlete," Kelly said when discussing the Panthers' QB.
"He's a really good quarterback.  He can throw the ball (and) he can make all
the throws. He's a complete quarterback.

"If guys are covered, his ability to then make something happen with his feet
I think is what kind of sets him apart from some other guys in this league.
He's a huge challenge for us in terms of facing him this week."

The problem is the Panthers' O-Line isn't very good when healthy and left
tackle Byron Bell (knee/elbow), and guards Amini Silatolu (calf) and Trai
Turner (knee/ankle) all were out with injuries against the Saints as Newton
compiled a career-worst completion percentage.

The mini-bye week resulting from playing a Thursday night game against NOLA
and a Monday night affair here has helped somewhat as all three are expected
back in the lineup.

"Anything's possible," Rivera said. "Don't count us out. We're going to bounce
back.We'll have a little bit of time to get some rest. We're going to get
a whole bunch of guys back on the practice field, which gives me a lot of
confidence."

Perhaps the best news for the Carolina offense is the absence of Ryans, who
Kelly described as Mufasa, the righteous, wise and kindhearted leader in "The
Lion King."

The limited Casey Matthews is expected to replace Ryans, although Emmanuel
Acho and disappointing first-round pick Marcus Smith may also get some reps if
Matthews falters.


OVERALL ANALYSIS

Kelly really believes his offense is far more quarterback friendly than most
others and he will be able to get things out of Sanchez that the Jets never
could. Whether that's hubris or reality will play out over the second half of
the season but things should get off to a good start here.

The Eagles have won eight straight regular-season home games -- their longest
streak in Philadelphia since an 11-game run from 1991-93 -- and the Panthers
just don't have the horses to stop that.

Sports Network predicted outcome: Eagles 24, Panthers 16

Union take interim tag off Curtin

Chester, Pa. – The Philadelphia Union took the interim tag off Jim Curtin Friday and named the Keystone State native head coach.

Curtin assumed the role of interim manager on June 10 and led the Union to an 11-6-6 mark in all competitions while leading the franchise to its first U.S. Open Cup final.

“On behalf of the ownership group we are very committed to putting in place the very best structure to insure we not only appear in U.S. Open Cup Finals, as we did back in September, but to also win them,” Union CEO and Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz said. “Getting back to the MLS playoffs and competing there on a regular basis is an absolute top priority. Today is another important step towards building an overall technical structure to achieve our competitive goals as we proudly announce Jim Curtin as the head coach of our First Team.

Since taking over the reins of this club, Jim has proven that he can compete and win. I have said from the outset of this coaching search that we were looking for a First Team coach to help guide us to our goal of competing to win an MLS Cup and Jim is our choice. He will lead our First Team and, along with his staff, he will be fully responsible for all player identification, recruiting, signings, transfers and trades.”


In November of 2012, Curtin was hired as an assistant coach for the Union’s First Team after spending three years working with the Union Academy.  In addition to working as YSC’s Director of Curriculum Development, Curtin was also the Union’s Under-18 Academy head coach and was instrumental in the U-18s capturing the 2012 Generation Adidas Cup.

“I have also said throughout the coach search that we are evaluating the very best overall structure to insure our long term success on the field at PPL Park and at our youth academy and we continue to do that,” Sakiewicz said. “It’s no secret the Union is making a huge investment in youth development in this region and have made incredible strides under the leadership of Tommy Wilson rolling out our Academy last year. We continue to develop our relationship with Harrisburg and as we evolve we must have a modern structure to guide the development of all our investments on the technical side. Jim is the perfect fit to lead our First Team because he has worked up through our system, understands our great fans, partners and community, and shares our passion in delivering a winning product on the field.”

Curtin played over 200 games for the Chicago Fire and was named an MLS All-Star and the Fire’s Defender of the Year in 2004.  He helped the squad to two U.S. Open Cup titles in 2003 and 2006, as well as the 2003 MLS Supporters Shield.  Curtin played his final two seasons in the League with Chivas USA before retiring in 2009.

“I want to thank Jay Sugarman and Nick Sakiewicz for this tremendous opportunity,” said Curtin. “I am incredibly honored to be the head coach of my hometown club and am eager to build on the strong foundation we have in place. Regardless of title, my goals remain the same – to win games and bring hardware to the city of Philadelphia.”

Curtin attended Villanova University, where he was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year in 1997 and a three-time team MVP for the Wildcats. The All-American defender was a two-time first team All-BIG EAST selection in 1999 and 2000 and was the 2001 Philadelphia Soccer Seven Player of the Year. He became the first player from Villanova to be drafted into the MLS when he was selected by the Chicago Fire in 2002.

Curtin was an all-state selection while playing soccer at Bishop McDevitt High School and also played club ball for Council Rock.

When Flyers-Oilers actually meant something

by Rob Riches
Phanatic Hockey Writer
Twitter: @Riches61

The Philadelphia Flyers met the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday -- and posted a 4-1 win, which was also Steve Mason’s first victory (see recap) -- in what was just another early regular season game for both clubs, one of which began a homestand and the other a road trip.

Edmonton and Philadelphia, as cities, don’t necessarily have that much in common. Both hockey rinks are separated by nearly 2,400 miles, and their teams can only meet up to twice a season, under the NHL’s current regular-season scheduling formula.

Interconference matchups between the Flyers and Oilers may not seem like much in this day and age, but three times a season and twice upon the playoffs, it was a matchup for the most magnificent trophy in professional sports. 

In the mid 1980s -- when passing over two lines was a violation, substitution in the case of coincidental minors was not allowed, sticks were made from wood rather than fiberglass composites and expansion to Sun Belt markets wasn’t heard of -- the Flyers and Oilers met twice for the Stanley Cup, with memorable results. It may seem hard to believe, but this spring will mark the 30^th anniversary of the first meeting between the clubs.

The Flyers underwent a significant overhaul entering the 1984-85 campaign. Bob "Cagey" McCammon was wedged out as GM and head coach, and replaced upstairs by Bob Clarke and behind the bench by newcomer Mike Keenan, straight from coaching the University of Toronto. For the first time since 1972, the team would not feature venerable veterans Darryl Sittler (dealt on the season's eve to Detroit) Bill Barber and Clarke on a night-to-night basis -- though Clarke made the immediate transition from Bobby on the ice to Bob off it. The Orange and Black also named second-year player, but 25-year-old sophomore Notre Dame product Dave Poulin captain, to boot.

Despite this overhaul, ad the resulting lack of expectations, the young Flyers cruised to a league-best 113 points, set a new franchise record with 53 wins, and would have claimed the Presidents’ Trophy if it had been presented that year. The Winged P swept the hated New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs, took the five-time defending conference champion New York Islanders down in five and beat the Quebec Nordiques in a six-game Wales Conference Finals -- a series that boasted one of the franchise’s most memorable goals in Game 6 when Poulin scored on a breakway over Mario Gosselin’s glove while killing a 5-on-3 penalty early in the second period of a 3-0 triumph -- en route to their sixth appearance in the Cup Finals over the past 11 years.

The Oilers entered the season as defending Stanley Cup champions, after ending the Islanders’ four-year reign at the top the previous Spring. With a roster that featured potential Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson and Paul Coffey, along with Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog between the pipes, the Oilers swept Los Angeles and Winnipeg, beat Chicago in six and cruised to a five-game win over the young and injured Flyers.

Neither team returned to the final round in 1986, though the Flyers did win an emotional rematch on Nov. 14 of the following season. The Oilers returned to the Spectrum for the first time since the previous May -- a game marked on all calendars when the schedule was released. However, it was the first game the Orange and Black played since the tragic loss of star goaltender (and defending Vezina Trophy winner) Pelle Lindbergh in a car accident days earlier. Lindbergh was honored in a 23-minute ceremony prior to the game, and the Flyers won 5-3, thanks to a four-goal third period and five-star emotional effort behind rookie goalie Darren Jensen which was the club's 11th straight victory.

The two teams met again in 1987, in a terse seven-game battle. Two-time NHL Rookie of the Month and Calder Trophy hopeful Ron Hextall appeared between the pipes for the Flyers, after a 37-win season over 66 regular-season appearances.

“Who the hell are you?” asked Gretzky, after being robbed by the rookie netminder on a breakaway in the series’ first game in Edmonton -- a 4-2 Oilers win. Hextall notably fired back at him with a “who the hell are you?” of his own.

The series continued, and the Oilers had a chance to bury the Flyers being down 3-0 early in the second period of Game 3 at the Spectrum. What happened instead was the greatest comeback in team history, a 5-3 decision which pumped new life into the series. Despite losing Game 4 at home and bearing witness to Hextall's retaliatory slash to Kent Nilsson, then falling behind 2-0 and 3-1 with the Cup on the line back in Alberta in Game 5, Philly would not be denied. Rick Tocchet scored in the third period and the visitors went on to win 4-3. 

With another chance to take home the Cup in Game 6, this time on Spectrum ice, the Oilers turned to a defensive game, leading 2-0 after one period and 2-1 after two while giving up only 13 shots. However, a Brian Propp power-play tally with 6:56 on the clock tied the game, and a miracle J.J. Daigneault slapshot from the point less than a minute-and-a-half later gave the Flyers the eventual game-winner -- in what is widely considered the loudest moment in Spectrum history. 

Ultimately, the Oilers continued their dynasty by taking a 3-1 decision in the seventh game at Northlands Coliseum three days later. Edmonton went on to win two more Cups, while the Flyers would not appear in another championship round until a decade later.

Perhaps that second battle could have ended more favorably for the Flyers, who faced further injury and depletion after an incredibly tough road to the final. The Orange and Black faced a six-game series over the Rangers, a seven-game series against the Islanders where Kerr was lost for the remainder of the playoffs, and a gut-wrenching six-game set over the defending-champion Canadiens.  

The Oilers, on the other hand, lost just two games between series against the Kings, Jets and Red Wings and played like they were fresher and healthier.

As always, the NHL moved on and continued its operations. Northlands Coliseum was ultimately renamed Rexall Place, while the Spectrum played host to a two-time Calder Cup champion before being razed. The Great One was eventually moved in the league’s most notable trade, and the Flyers experienced The Next One during the Eric Lindros era. The Oilers currently possess the league’s longest playoff drought, missing the playoffs every year since 2007, while the Flyers have missed the playoffs just twice in that span.

Both teams have met on-and-off since, and both have traded on several occasions (notably in 2007, when the Flyers acquired Joffrey Lupul and eventual one-term captain Jason Smith for Joni Pitkanen, Geoff Sanderson and a third-round pick). At one point, both teams were at opposite ends of the NHL’s spectrum, when the Flyers appeared in the 2010 final and the Oilers were left with the first-overall pick, after a league-worst finish. Chris Pronger also suited up in a final for both teams, but is hated just in Edmonton for his unwillingness to remain after helping the club reach the 2006 Finals.

The Flyers and Oilers will continue to meet in the regular season (and are scheduled to do so again on March 21, 2015). Between the two rosters, only 10 players were alive for the 1987 series, while 16 were alive for both series -- though they most likely don't have vivid memories of either.

Who knows, there may come another time when they meet again in the spring, with the league’s ultimate prize back on the line. Until then, their seemingly-meaningless regular-season tilts will always have a firm history behind them.

 

Modify your morality, Peterson belongs in NFL

Montgomery County, Texas District Attorney Brett Ligon coined the phrase "modify behavior" in an effort to describe his approach in the Adrian Peterson child-abuse case.

Now that the legal process has run its course, it's time for the NFL and, perhaps more importantly, the armchair moralists to put the torches and pitchforks into storage and allow Peterson to continue his professional football career.

The only other option is to assemble some type of Gestapo and start the due diligence on the other 500-plus players scheduled to suit up on Sunday. Otherwise any perceived righteousness over Peterson's behavior is both limited and convenient, rendering it virtually meaningless.

Ligon claimed deterring Peterson from using corporal punishment on his children in the future was his ultimate goal -- that and the publicity -- after dismissing a felony charge that technically could have sent the exiled
Vikings running back to jail for a year.

The reality, of course, is that a first-time offender brought up on these chargers was never going to do any jail time, never mind a defendant as financially well-heeled as Peterson. So Ligon negotiated an agreement which
allowed Peterson to plead no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault and avoid jail time in exchange for two years of probation, 80 hours of community service and a $4,000 fine.

"Our No. 1 concern has always been to modify Mr. Peterson's behavior so his children are safe going forward," Montgomery County First Assistant DA Phil Grant, Ligon's spokesman, said. "For us, it was about protecting those kids. In the future, he's got other avenues to go besides that level of corporal punishment. This plea resolved that No. 1 issue."

Grant also said the boy's mother supported the agreement.

"She was on board with the decision," he said. "She wants Mr. Peterson to be involved in their son's life and make sure that it doesn't happen again."

Peterson, who was indicted Sept. 11 after being accused of using a wooden tree branch to hit his 4-year-old as a disciplinary measure, was also contrite.

"I truly regret this incident," said Peterson outside the courthouse after the agreement was reached. "I take full responsibility for my actions. I love my son more than anyone of you can imagine. I am anxious to continue my relationship with my child. I am glad this over... so me and my family can move forward."

Moving forward sounds sensible enough because the legal case is now resolved and due process has been served.

Peterson, however, remains on the  commissioner's exempt list as the league and the Vikings try to figure out their next move.

The Vikings said in a statement Tuesday evening that they were aware of the plea agreement and would have a further comment "at the appropriate time."

Earlier in the day when news of the plea agreement broke NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told Pro Football Talk: "We will review the court documents. We cannot speculate on a timetable for a decision,"  a clear indication that the NFL has learned nothing from its rudderless direction of the past.

Of course commissioner Roger Goodell fostered this atmosphere by picking and choosing where to get involved in regards to off-the-field incidents. His lack of consistency and transparency over the years created the current problem yet the league continues to double down on that flawed philosophy.

In fact it's almost mind-boggling that the NFL hadn't hammered down its position on the Peterson issue in advance of this well-publicized agreement. The league certainly knew it was coming.

The minute Peterson accepted the plea he should have been reinstated. After all, the former All-Pro has not only paid for his own sins, he's been paying for the sins of others, namely Ray Rice and Greg Hardy.

"I hope and trust (Peterson) doesn't fall prey to all these publicized events involving other people, which had nothing to do with his situation," Peterson's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said on ESPN Radio Wednesday morning. "This is a parent disciplining a child and an unintended harm occurred. But it has nothing to do with child abuse, domestic abuse, family abuse and so on, so I hope he doesn't continue to get lumped in with problems others have."

Remember Peterson was initially deactivated prior to a Week 2 game against New England after being indicted and was then reinstated by the team the following Monday. Only backlash from sponsors, fans and the Minnesota government, which was at least partially fueled by a series of other high-profile incidents,
caused the Vikings to reverse course and place Peterson on the commissioner's exempt list.

On a national level, sponsors are never going to flee the NFL because it's the one television vehicle that has proven immune to an increasingly over-the-top digital distribution culture where streaming services like Netflix and Hulu continue to erode traditional viewership levels.

And others, who haven't embraced the convenience of over-the-top platforms rely more and more on their DVRs, at times making commercials useless.

The NFL, along with a few other sacred cows like the NCAA basketball tourney and the NBA playoffs, have proven to be DVR-proof so while some big-time advertisers like Anheuser-Busch may bluster, that's all it is.

Radisson did flee a local sponsorship deal with the Vikings due to the A.P. scandal and if others threaten to follow suit when he ultimately returns, Minnesota has every right to release Peterson.

Keeping him in limbo, though, is not fair and should not be an option.

When you take emotion out of any situation and replace it with logic, most will realize that "due process" is one of the major reasons why this country is regarded by so many as the greatest in the world.

Peterson has already been judged in a legal sense and there should be no double jeopardy in the court of public opinion.

Let Saint Peter legislate morality.

Temple's Cummings named to Bob Cousy watch list

PHILADELPHIA - The preseason accolades continue to come in for Temple University men's senior point guard Will Cummings. 

Named to the preseason season second team American Athletic Conference team last week, Cummings was among the players The selected for 2015 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Watch List announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

"I feel honored to be recognized for this award," said Cummings upon hearing of the announcement. "It gives me extra motivation going into the season to work hard and produce for my team."

"It is a great honor as anyone who has been on that list over the years has been of a high caliber, not only as a player, but as a quality person," said Temple head coach Fran Dunphy. "I think Will fits both of those characteristics very, very well."

Cummings enters the season as the Owls' top returning scorer and ranked sixth in the conference last season with a 16.8 scoring average.  He also led Temple in assists (4.6 per game) and steals (1.5 per game), ranking fourth and ninth, respectively, in The American.

The Owls open the 2014-15 season with a home game against American  (7:30 p.m./ESPN3).

Sixers annouce changes to basketball operations staff

PHILADELPHIA - Larry Brown's claim that the Philadelphia 76ers have no basketball people in the organization is not trues, at least in a literal sense.

The winless Sixers announced several additions and promotions in their basketball operations staff on Tuesday.

Sachin Gupta has been named Vice President of Basketball Operations and Ben Falk has been named Vice President of Basketball Strategy. Vince Rozman has been promoted to Director of Basketball Operations & Scouting Innovation. Phil Jabour (Director of Scouting Development) and Danny Mills (International Scout) join recently promoted Rod Baker as new additions to the Sixers scouting department. NBA veteran Sean Rooks joins the Sixers as Player Development Coach and Philadelphia native Eugene Burroughs will serve as the Sixers Shooting Coach.

Gupta began his NBA career with the Houston Rockets in 2006 as General Manager Daryl Morey's first hire, laying the foundation for the team's extensive analytics undertaking. In addition to his responsibilities as an analyst, Gupta also assisted in managing the team's salary cap during his six-year tenure in Houston. Prior to joining the Rockets, Gupta spent two years at ESPN where he developed the widely popular NBA Trade Machine. Gupta joins the Sixers in a full-time capacity after completing his MBA from Stanford, during which he served as a Sixers consultant.

Falk joins the Sixers after spending the previous four seasons as the Basketball Analytics Manager for the Portland Trail Blazers. While with the Blazers, Falk worked closely with both the front office and coaching staff, leading team efforts in integrating statistics and technology into coaching and management processes. Falk originally hails from Potomac, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Maryland.

Rozman begins his ninth season with the Sixers basketball operations department. Rozman served most recently as Scouting Coordinator prior to this promotion.

Jabour joins the Sixers from the Orlando Magic where he served the past two seasons as a Scout.  Jabour previously worked five years in the scouting department of the Houston Rockets and served on the support staff of

Mason finally off the schneid as Flyers beat Oilers to kick off homestand

Philadelphia,  PA -- It wasn't a classic, but he'll take it, bright lights or not.

Steve Mason stopped 35-of-36 shots to earn  his first  win  of the  season,  while Jakub  Voracek  tallied twice  as Philadelphia topped Edmonton by a 4-1 count on Tuesday.

Entering play, Mason was 0-4-1 with a 3.55 goals-against average along with an .887  save  percentage, and  the only  game in which  he participated that the Orange  and Black won,  was a 6-5 overtime decision on Oct. 18 in Dallas where he was pulled after allowing four goals on 18 shots in two periods.

"Yeah. He made some huge saves," was the understatement of Philly defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who was bailed out on Mason after his second-period turnover in the defensive zone. "We talked about that. Our commitment level of blocking shots and doing the little things. And I think it was there tonight, and we have to be consistent with that as well and I think that will help us win some more games."

Mason's last regular-season victory was a 38-save, 5-2 triumph in Florida on April 8, and his last regular-season home win was two days earlier, a 17-save effort against Buffalo with a similar final score. 

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Luke Schenn also lit the lamp for the Flyers, who kicked off a four-game homestand on the right note. The hosts were denied a man-advantage opportunity on home ice for the first time since Feb. 21, 2008 against the San Jose Sharks.

Ryan  Nugent-Hopkins  supplied the  lone offense  for the  Oilers, who began a five-game  road trip and lost despite committing one penalty and not giving up a  power-play  chance. Viktor  Fasth surrendered  all four  markers on just 25 shots.

Philly  took a 3-0 lead at 4:09 of the second, as Chris VandeVelde's one-timer from  the  left circle managed to  slither its way through Fasth's pads before Bellemare tapped it over the goal line.

Nugent-Hopkins then channeled speedy Oilers of generations past when he soloed from  the right wing  into the slot, beating two Flyers in the process, to put the Oilers on the board just shy of the midway point of regulation.

“I thought he willed it. I know he was moving his feet and he had the finish but as much skill that was there that goal was will," said Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins. "He narrowed his eyes and said he was taking this and it was going in the net, and that’s what we need. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leadership skills and his recognition of his importance to our team has grown over the summer."

The  Schenn brothers combined to restore the Flyers' three-goal edge at 12:01, with  forward Brayden  winning a  battle behind  the net  and dishing  back to defenseman Luke for a shot that beat Fasth through the crook of his arm. His goal was the 100th point in his brief career with the Leafs and Flyers.

Mason  slid  easily across  the crease from  right to left  to smother a David Perron shot from the left circle off a 3-on-2 break with just over two minutes left in the second.

Mason  kept his  club ahead by three  goals on an Edmonton power play early in the  third, extending  fully  to shunt  away  a Nail  Yakupov  drive with  his blocker.

The  Oilers  hit two  more posts in  the ensuing minutes,  and failed to solve Mason in the third period despite 10 shots on goal.

Voracek  took the  game's first penalty, but after exiting the box and taking his next shift, produced the game's first goal by retrieving his own blocked centering pass behind Fasth, changing direction and slamming the puck inside the right post at 3:59.

Voracek  doubled  the  hosts'  advantage with  3:56  remaining,  when  another attempted  pass found its way back to his stick for a successful shot from the high slot. With that score, the Czech native passed Jeremy Roenick alone into 50th place on the club's all-time scoring list.

“Yeah, he’s so powerful when he gets the puck. He’s skilled and at the same time he’s pretty dangerous offensively and I think that this year defensively he’s improved and gotten a lot better and that’s why were able to get more offense," said Flyers captain Claude Giroux of his top linemate, with whom he's combined in the early going to be the second-most productive tandem behind Pittsburgh's Crosby-Malkin duo. 

Notes: Voracek has collected six  multi-point efforts in 12 games this season and  also  recorded his  ninth two-goal  game as a  Flyer ... Philadelphia has taken  three  in a row on  home ice against  Edmonton, but the Oilers have won five  of  nine there  since 2000 ...  Prior to the  contest, the Flyers placed little-used  forward Blair  Jones on waivers with the purpose of assigning him to  Lehigh Valley  (AHL) ... The Oilers played without the services of forward Taylor  Hall (sprained  MCL) and  defenseman Andrew  Ference (suspension)  ... Flyers  forward Michael Raffl left the game in the third period after blocking a shot and was ruled to have suffered a lower-body injury.

Burnett declines own contract option

Philadelphia,  PA -- A.J. Burnett may pitch a 16th season, but it likely won't be for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Burnett declined his player option for the 2015 season on Monday and is set to become a free agent.

"It was good for our organization to have this flexibility," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said on Tuesday. "It allows us to make a different set of choices as to how we want to move forward. Ultimately, both parties hoped things would have worked out a little better here, but they didn't."



The 37-year-old right-hander struggled in his only year with the Phillies, as he  pitched  to a 4.59 earned run average and  1.41 WHIP while  leading the majors in losses (18), earned runs allowed (109) and walks (96).


The  results were a far cry from his 2012-13 campaigns in Pittsburgh, where he won 26 games and threw to a 3.41 ERA.

Burnett  had posted  at least 10 wins  in nine straight years coming into 2014 and  owns a career  record of 155-150 with a 4.04 ERA for the Florida Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Pirates and Phillies.

Amaro is left with a rotation which is currently comprised of Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, David Buchanan and Jerome Williams. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reported the club is not likely to attract the interest of a veteran hurler who is looking to sign a long-term deal.

How have Flyers head coaches fared with a fresh start?

With the club's contest in Tampa on Thursday night, Craig Berube passed the 10-game mark in his first full season guiding the Philadelphia Flyers, and the results were neither good nor bad.

After a 4-2 loss to the Lightning, Chief's record as the first eighth of the season passed was 4-4-2. 

The following is a breakdown of all the head coaches for the Orange and Black, including how they fared in both the short and long term given a clean start from the beginning of their first season at the helm.


Keith Allen (1967-68)
First 10 games: 4-4-2
Final result:      31-32-11 West Division championship

Vic Stasiuk (1969-70)
First 10 games: 2-3-5
Final result:      17-35-24 5th Place, West Division (NHL record for most ties)

Fred Shero (1971-72)
First 10 games: 5-4-1
Final result:      26-38-14 5th Place, West Division (missed playoffs by one point)

Bob McCammon (1978-79)
First 10 games: 3-5-2
Final result:      Fired after going 22-17-11 by January 29

Pat Quinn (1979-80)
First 10 games: 8-1-1
Final result:      48-12-20 Patrick Division championship, Stanley Cup Finals berth (NHL record 35-game unbeaten streak)

Bob McCammon (1982-83)
First 10 games: 6-4-0
Final result:      49-23-8 Patrick Division championship, swept in three straight by Rangers

Mike Keenan (1984-85)
First 10 games: 6-2-2
Final result:      53-20-7 Patrick Division championship, new club record for wins, Stanley Cup Finals berth

Paul Holmgren (1988-89)
First 10 games: 6-4-0
Final result:      36-36-8 4th Place, Patrick Division, Wales Conference Finals berth

Bill Dineen (1992-93)
First 10 games: 3-5-2
Final result:      36-37-11, 5th Place, Patrick Division

Terry Simpson (1993-94)
First 10 games: 8-2-0
Final result:      35-39-10, 6th Place, Atlantic Division

Terry Murray (1995-96)
First 10 games: 7-1-2
Final result:      45-24-13, Atlantic Division championship, lost in second round to Panthers

Wayne Cashman (1997-98)
First 10 games: 6-3-1
Final result:      32-20-9, Reassigned as assistant coach on March 9, 1998

Roger Nielsen (1998-99)
First 10 games: 5-3-2
Final result:      37-26-19, 2nd Place, Atlantic Division, lost in first round to Maple Leafs

Craig Ramsay (2000-01)
First 10 games: 3-5-2
Final result:      12-12-4, Fired on December 9, 2000

Bill Barber (2001-02)
First 10 games: 4-3-3
Final result:      42-30-10, Atlantic Division championship, lost in first round to Senators

Ken Hitchcock (2002-03)
First 10 games: 7-1-2
Final result:      45-24-13, 2nd Place, Atlantic Division, lost in second round to Senators

John Stevens (2007-08)
First 10 games: 7-3-0
Final result        42-29-11, 4th Place, Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference Finals berth.

Peter Laviolette (2010-11)
First 10 games: 5-4-1
Final result:      47-23-12, Atlantic Division championship, swept in second round by Bruins

Fight Night Extraordinaire

On Sunday, November 3, 1985, the first-place Philadelphia Flyers (8-2-0) entertained the last-place Los Angeles Kings (3-9-0) at the Spectrum in the first of three meetings between the clubs.

A couple storylines crossed on this nightcap: for one, it was former Flyers head coach Pat Quinn's second trip back to the city after being named to the top job in L.A. His first time back saw the Kings rally from a 4-0 second-period deficit into a 4-4 tie the previous February, to which Quinn told the local media he "couldn't deny he wanted this one very much."

In addition, this contest, broadcast on PRISM, was the final one where Mike "Doc" Emrick subbed for Gene Hart -- who was in the final stages of recovery from heart bypass surgery undertaken before the start of the regular season. At this time, Emrick was late in his first tenure as New Jersey Devils broadcaster, and filled in from the start of the year on Channel 57 and cable.

Finally, what all the sellout crowd of 17, 211 came to see -- battles between Flyers enforcer Dave Brown and Kings defenseman/puncher Jay Wells.

The game was contentious -- featuring seven separate fights and a total of 191 penalty minutes -- from the start, with Los Angeles starter Bob Janecyk wielding his stick like a scythe near Peter Zezel's head 53 seconds in and Dean Kennedy drawing a game misconduct for defending his goalie. Brown and Wells got into it for the first of three times with the game still scoreless near the six-minute mark:


It didn't take much longer for the two sides to come together once more. Just over a minute since Ilkka Sinisalo produced the game's first goal and only seven seconds before Tim Kerr gave the hosts a 2-0 advantage, a scrum broke out where Wells and Brown couldn't resist dropping the gloves again:


All of that was a mere appetizer for the third bout, which resulted in both players being automatically ejected. At this point in the game, just shy of the midway point in regulation, the Flyers fought back from a 3-2 deficit and were leading by a 5-3 count, as Brad McCrimmon's tally on the power play 18 seconds earlier provided the two-goal cushion.

Brown and Wells made sure to get their money and time's worth in the last altercation, with a flurry of punches in about as intense a burst as you're going to see either past or present:


Philadelphia went on to win, 7-4, for its seventh consecutive victory. Little did we know that Pelle Lindbergh, the Flyers' starter who made 18 saves on this night, had less than a week to live.

Who is Carlo Colaiacovo?

It was an interesting piece of timing, when the Flyers sent out a release after Thursday's loss to the Bolts informing that the club signed free-agent defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo. The 31-year-old native of Toronto will eventually suit up for his fourth NHL franchise whenever he hits the ice in Orange and Black.


Often injured, Colaiacovo will spend whatever time he has left in the league as little more than a third-pair/spare part. Signed by the Blues for a second stint with the franchise late last November, he only appeared in 25 games for St. Louis while recording a goal, three assists and a minus-4 in just over 15 minutes per contest. The season before, he was limited to just six games for the Detroit Red Wings.

Between 2009-12, Colaiacovo was a solid second-pairing defenseman, logging between 17 and 19 minutes a night, and gaining the confidence of Ken Hitchcock three years back in playing a career-high 19 minutes per game over 64 contests. It is interesting to note that, in each of those years, as his average TOI increased, his point production dropped: from 32 to 26 to 19.

Nonetheless, at 6-foot-1 and just north of 200 pounds, both Hextall and Craig Berube might be hoping Colaiacovo can bring something like this to the table:




The Italian-Canadian blueliner has been unable to shake off the injury bug due to his willingness to engage the opposition in all three zones, in open ice as well as in the corners. I remind you of an unfortunate incident between Colaiacovo and Jim Dowd from a Flyers-Leafs game almost seven years ago:



For Flyers fans with a longer lifespan and memory, Colaiacovo's signing and role on the club is reminiscent of the stopgap measures that players like Gordie Roberts, Willie Huber, Moe Mantha, Rob Ramage, Michel Petit, Jaroslav Modry, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Danny Syvret and Kent Huskins provided.

Earlier in the day, Bill Meltzer reported that Colaiacovo is likely to see his first action with Philly tomorrow night when the Oilers come to town. In that scenario, Brandon Manning will earn the seat in the press box. As he was left off the Blues' postseason roster, it will be the first action for Colaiacovo since an April 13 Blues-Red Wings season-ending matchup.

Eagles lose Foles, Ryans but gut out win in Houston

Thanks to CBS3

Houston, TX -- Jeremy Maclin racked up 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns on six receptions, as the Philadelphia Eagles gutted out a 31-21 decision over the Houston Texans despite losing starter Nick Foles and linebacker DeMeco Ryans to injuries.

Foles  began  the game,  going 10-of-13  for 124  yards, one  score and a pick before  leaving  due to  an apparent  shoulder injury  after one quarter. Mark Sanchez ended up 15-of-22 for 202 yards, two TDs and two interceptions for the Eagles  (6-2), who  shook off a loss  last week in Arizona and ascended to the
top of the NFC East after Dallas lost at home to the Cardinals.

LeSean  McCoy  contributed 117 yards  on 23 carries,  while Chris Polk added a touchdown run and Jordan Matthews posted a TD reception for the visitors. Ryans was lost with a suspected Achilles tendon injury on a freak play early in the fourth quarter on an interception.

Ryan  Fitzpatrick finished  with 203  yards  and an  interception on  13-of-27 passing,  but threw  TD passes  to DeAndre  Hopkins and  Arian Foster  for the Texans (4-5), who fell to 0-4 all-time against Philadelphia.

Hopkins totaled 115 yards on six catches, with Foster adding 56 yards on 15 carries and 63 yards on a pair of receptions in defeat.

Jumal Rolle picked off Sanchez late in the third quarter, and the Texans gained control on the Eagles' 38-yard line. On 2nd-and-7 from the 10 early in the fourth, Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans stepped in front of a Fitzpatrick pass but fumbled while falling, and Hopkins recovered on the 7-yard line.

Ryans left the game on a cart with a suspected right ankle injury and two plays later, Hopkins recorded a 7-yard score to pull the Texans within 24-21.

Following the contest, Ryans was reported to have suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.
The Eagles began on their own 20, and methodically moved into the red zone -- with the biggest play a 21-yard Maclin reception to midfield. Later in the drive, Polk's short run to convert a 4th-and-1 from the Houston 4 inside of four minutes remaining was upheld by review. Following a false start penalty on the next snap, Sanchez hit Maclin from eight yards away and a 31-21 contest.

Houston reached its own 45 on the next series, but a Fitzpatrick pass to Hopkins on 4th-and-5 fell incomplete. Polk picked up a first down on 3rd-and-1 from the Texans' 36 and Sanchez took a knee twice to run out the remaining time.

After going three-and-out on their first possession, the Eagles capitalized on their second chance. They moved 88 yards in seven plays -- with 59 of those coming as Foles aired it out over the middle where a waiting Maclin hauled it in for the game's opening score.

Foles gave it back on the first play of the Eagles' next touch, making a back- foot throw over the middle that was picked off by A.J. Bouye and he weaved his way in the opposite direction for a 51-yard return TD.

Foles was felled on a sack by Whitney Mercilus on the last play of the first, then Sanchez completed a 52-yard pass to Maclin on his first play under center. Five snaps later, his 11-yard pass to Matthews gave the visitors a 14-7 edge.

Sanchez was picked off by Rolle in Texans territory to end Philly's next drive, and five plays later Fitzpatrick and Foster teamed up for a 56-yard strike up the right sideline to draw even. Late in the half, McCoy converted a 4th-and-1 from the Houston 26 and Cody Parkey kicked a 45-yard field goal for 17-14 game at halftime.

Despite Hopkins' 45-yard rumble to the Philly 21 in the latter stages of the third quarter, Randy Bullock pulled a 39-yard try wide left with just over four minutes to play. Taking over at the hosts' 30, Philadelphia needed only four plays to go up 24-14 as Polk shot up the middle for an 8-yard rushing TD.

Notes: Maclin's 158 yards marked his second-most this season, behind his 187 from last Sunday's loss to the Cardinals ... The Eagles improved to 10-0 against teams based in Houston, having gone 6-0 against the Oilers before the franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997 ... Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph left the game in the first quarter and did not return due to a concussion ... Eagles center Jason Kelce returned to action for the first time since suffering a sports hernia on Sept. 21 vs. Washington ... Houston punter Shane Lechler played in his 199th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the NFL ... With Joseph out and linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Brian Cushing inactive, Philadelphia racked up 30 first downs and 483 yards of total offense while converting 9-of-16 third-down opportunities.

Owls take down ECU, first win over ranked opponent since '98

Philadelphia, PA -- The weather may have been miserable, but it was a glittering day for the Temple Owls.
Kenneth Harper rushed for two touchdowns as the Owls defeated No. 21 East Carolina 20-10 for their first-ever home win over a ranked opponent.

The Pirates outgained the Owls 432-135, but lost five fumbles in a game played in a steady rain and cool temperatures.

"We knew we had to deal with (the weather), but the other team plays in it the same amount," said East Carolina head coach Ruffin McNeill. "I thought it bothered us and it showed by the fumbles."
Praise Martin-Oguike forced two fumbles and blocked a field goal for Temple (5-3, 3-2 AAC), which had been 0-34 against ranked teams at home.

The Owls, who snapped a two-game losing streak, beat a ranked opponent for the third time in program history and first since a 28-24 triumph over then-No. 14 Virginia Tech on Oct. 17, 1998.

"My dad came down on the sidelines. My dad is on the sidelines every game, and 25 seconds left of the game he gave me a thumbs up. I told him 'be quiet.' I wasn't excited until the very end," said Temple head coach Matt Rhule.

Shane Carden finished with 217 yards on 24-of-41 passing for the Pirates (6-2, 3-1), who had won five games in a row.

Trailing the entire game, East Carolina cut its deficit to 20-10 on Marquez Grayson's 2-yard touchdown run with 2:15 remaining, but Temple recovered the onside kick.

The Pirates got the ball back with only 17 seconds to play.

Breon Allen fumbled on consecutive East Carolina drives in the first quarter, leading to 14 points for Temple.
Tavon Young scooped up the first one and scored on a 63-yard return. Harper then capped a five-play, 40-yard sequence with a short TD run after Allen's second giveaway.

Warren Harvey kicked a 39-yard field goal to put the Pirates on the board with 5:20 to play in the second quarter.

East Carolina was back in Temple territory after a three-and-out by the Owls. Martin-Oguike, however, forced his second fumble as Chris Hairston lost the ball near the Owls' 30-yard line shortly before halftime.
Martin-Oguike delivered on special teams, too, blocking Harvey's 41-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter.

Temple then went on a 12-play, 76-yard scoring drive that was aided by two Pirates penalties. P.J. Walker threw incomplete on 3rd-and-5 from the East Carolina 27, but DaShaun Amos was flagged for pass interference. Teammate Josh Hawkins was displeased by the call and wound up receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, placing the ball at the 7-yard line.

After an incompletion on first down, Harper reached the end zone on consecutive carries, the last from two yards out. The Owls botched the snap on the extra-point try, leaving the score 20-3.

Temple quickly got the ball back when Isaiah Jones fumbled on the ensuing kickoff. Austin Jones missed a 50-yard field goal attempt, however, after the Owls mustered only three yards.

The Pirates continued to hurt themselves with penalties and turnovers the rest of the way. A holding call wiped out a fourth-down completion on the next drive. They ended up punting the ball away. East Carolina then fumbled on a lateral pass early in the fourth quarter, and Temple made the recovery at its own 38.

Notes: Temple also beat then-No. 16 Pittsburgh 24-21 in 1987 ... Walker was 7-of-19 for 70 yards ... Hairston had 153 yards on 21 carries ... East Carolina was tagged for 120 yards on 12 penalties ... The Pirates had 30 first downs to the Owls' 10.

The cult of Sam Hinkie

By John McMullen
jmcmullen@phanaticmag.com

PHILADELPHIA - Cults are basically born from misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or ideology.

Here in Philadelphia, Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie hasn't accomplished much -- at least not yet -- but he's pulled off a trick few others would even have the testicular fortitude to try in what was once regarded as one of the toughest markets in the country.

Hinkie is beloved by a significant segment of the city's basketball public despite little empirical evidence that points toward ultimate success or continued failure.

To those who don't like him, Hinkie's a con man who avoids the tough questions and spellbinds his deranged acolytes with talk of collecting assets. Those who swear by him consider themselves basketball elites and pity those who dare question any of his moves.

The truth undoubtedly lies somewhere inbetween.

All that's known right now is that the 2014-15 Sixers are awful, sporting perhaps the worst roster ever assembled by an NBA team.

And some are disgusted by Hinkie's over-the-top tanking techniques, most notably ex-Sixers coach Larry Brown, who took aim at his old organization last week.

"I hate what's going on in Philly," Brown told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday. "They don't have a basketball person in the organization. It makes me sick to my stomach."

"What they are doing to that city to me is mind-boggling," he continued. "That's the greatest basketball city in the world with its fans and you want them to sit back and watch you lose."

That salvo sent Hinkie's fan club into a tizzy and its members tied themselves into pretzels trying to protect the bell of their ball.

The Hinkie cult immediately puts critics into one of two categories, one utilizing ageism or if you happen to be among a younger generation, into a group that fails to accept the "settled science" of player-based analytics.

And Brown made it easier for them because he's over 70 and dislikes the term analytics.

"These analytics, they don't mean squat to me," the current SMU coach said. "Throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks. To say that these analytics guys have the answer is crazy. It doesn't apply to basketball."

It does to some degree and Larry actually contradicted himself a moment later but the Hinkie devotees already had all the ammunition they needed and pressed the stop button in their brains.

"Everybody uses the data you get, but that's what coaching is," Brown admitted. "Maybe it will work, I don't know. But it's a shame what those fans are going through waiting to see if it will."

No one should dispute that last statement.

It is a shame, even more of one when you realize the team raised ticket prices while staying over $20 million under the cap.

Hinkie is certainly playing a shell game with a new breed of journalist which at its core is a fan-based group that shrouds itself as innovative based on their own twisted view of those analytics.

It's almost a groupthink mentality unwilling to ask the tough questions or even consider opposing views that aren't in line with their own ideology. And it's always funny and a bit sad when the close-minded use the term innovation to describe conformity to one view, in this case the "you-have-to-get-
embarassingly-bad-in-order-to-get-great mentality."

If that sounds like a religion, give yourself a gold star. Any dogma resistant of other views, whether it's based on religious doctrine or "settled science" (an oxymoron) can be destructive.

Brown was over the top in saying there were no basketball people in the Sixers organization but anyone with a modicum of common sense knew who he was aiming that statement at so the Hinkie supporters went even further on the disingenuous scale by acting like that barb was anything more than it was.

Brown wasn't talking about Brett Brown, who will not survive this process even if it is successful, or the Sixers' assistants and scouts. He was directing his criticism toward owner Josh Harris, CEO Scott O'Neil and Hinkie -- the decision makers with the actual power in player personnel.

In regards to Harris and O'Neil, Brown's claim is unquestionably on the mark so he was really just calling out Hinkie and obviously has little respect for the current Sixers GM.

Because Hinkie refuses to talk, O'Neil acts as the team's mouthpiece and spent much of his time late last week retuning fire at Brown, a tact which comes across poorly if only because Brown will reside in Springfield for the rest of time and Scott O'Neil is well Scott O'Neil.

For now, though, forget about the personal stuff and think about the basketball issues O'Neil and by default, Hinkie, are trying to sell.

The organization constantly points toward Oklahoma City as the blueprint but that's laughable. Did the then-Sonics lose with Kevin Durant? Of course but KD was playing and more importantly learning next to others who could actually help him grow into a professional. The Thunder continued to build from there by adding Russell Westbrook and eventually James Harden in the draft.

How is that even remotely similar to what's going on here in 2014?

Nerlens Noel is nowhere near the prospect Durant was, and Michael Carter-Williams is a few notches south as Westbrook. Leaving that aside, however, both are still promising young players but who is teaching them the ropes?

That grizzled veteran Henry Sims or perhaps the always under control Tony Wroten?

Noel and MCW could learn more in Sonny Hill's Baker League.

Joel Embiid, who actually is the only current Sixers asset who could develop into a true superstar, will face a similar hurdle when he's finally ready to return from the court unless Noel teaches himself to be a pro by osmosis.Dario Saric won't be in Philadelphia until 2017-18 at the earliest and no matter how skilled he is as a player he will be facing the NBA learning curve.

To me though Hinkie has already failed at what he is supposed to be good at. You don't need the genius to figure out LeBron, Durant or Tim Duncan can play, you need him to find the role players that can complement the superstar and while Hinkie continues to churn the back end of his roster, there is little evidence he has found anyone.


The organization believes K.J. McDaniels may be that but so far the ex-Clemson star is stuck in the muck with Chris Johnson and Malcolm Thomas, bodies who are more suited for the NBADL.


Also remember the Hinkie apologists say this is all about building to a championship so why is O'Neil so quick to throw out the  Thunder nonsense? Did I miss the OKC championship parade?

The real comparison here should be the Detroit Lions of the NFL. The Sixers will be better at some point because if you pick in the top five every year, you have to improve.

But, when they get back to being a 40- or 45-win team, understand the sychophants who will try to paint that as progress are just following their Pied Piper over the cliff.

Sixers disappear late, drop road game to Bucks

Milwaukee, WI -- O.J. Mayo scored 25 points off the bench and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 93-81 in a matchup between last year's two worst teams on Friday night.

The Sixers failed to score a point in the final 8:21, missing all 13 of their shots and turning the ball over four times. Philly, which posted just seven points over the game's final 12 minutes, faces a tougher test on Saturday in their home opener against the four-time defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat.

"We missed a lot of shots ... We just couldn't score," Sixers head coach Brett Brown said.
Jabari Parker had 11 points and 10 rebounds, Brandon Knight tallied 13 points, eight assists and seven boards while Larry Sanders added 15 rebounds for Milwaukee, which fell at Charlotte in overtime in its season opener on Wednesday night.

"We closed the game out and it came from the defensive end," Parker said. "We just came together and pulled through."

Nerlens Noel posted his first career double-double, finishing with 14 points and 10 boards for the Sixers, who lost at Indiana in their first game of the year Wednesday night.

Hollis Thompson's triple with 8:21 remaining cut the Sixers deficit to 82-81. Mayo scored five points, including a game-ending clip starting jumper and a later triple, as the Bucks outscored them 11-0 the rest of the way.

Philadelphia was 3-of-18 (16.7 percent) from the floor and Milwaukee scored 15 points on eight Sixers turnovers in the final frame.

Earlier, the game was tied 24-24 after a quarter of play and Philadelphia led 47-46 at the break thanks to nine from Noel and eight by Thompson.

Neither team led by more than five in the third -- including Philly by a 73-68 margin with 1:39 left -- and the Sixers took a 74-73 edge into the fourth.

Notes: The Bucks have won 14 of 26 home games against the Sixers since 2000, including four in a row and seven of the last eight ... Milwaukee scored 23 points off 18 Philadelphia giveaways ... The Sixers were 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from beyond the arc and 12-of-22 (54.5 percent) from the foul line ... The Bucks held a 55-42 rebounding advantage.