Spagnuolo officially hires Shurmur

New St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo officially hired Pat Shurmur as his offensive coordinator on Wednesday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Shurmur, 43, was the quarterbacks coach of the Eagles for the past seven seasons. He was hired by Philadelphia in 1999 - the same year Spagnuolo joined the club as linebackers coach.

Kobe could have helped Birds

Noted Eagles fan Kobe Bryant is convinced that he could have helped his favorite team beat the Arizona Cardinals.

“I’d be a wide receiver,” the 6-6, Bryant told reporters.

“I’d be a bad (man) too.

“No more red zone issue. Just throw it over the top. I’m (Randy) Mossin’ it.”

Eagles re-sign three from practice squad

The Philadelphia Eagles have re-signed WR Danny Amendola, WR Shaheer McBride and CB Trae Williams. All three players finished the season as members of the Eagles practice squad.

Amendola (5-11, 183) spent the 2008 regular season on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad after signing with the Cowboys as a rookie free agent following the 2008 draft. He was signed to the Eagles practice squad on January 7, 2009. The 23-year-old Amendola earned All-Big 12 second-team honors as a senior at Texas Tech after ranking fourth in the nation with 103 catches for 1,177 yards and five touchdowns in 2007. He also earned All-Big 12 first-team honors as a return specialist, returning 29 punts for 371 yards (12.8-yard average) as a true freshman in 2004.

A product of nearby Chester (PA) HS, McBride (6-2, 205) signed with the Eagles as a rookie free agent following the 2008 draft and spent the entire season on the club’s practice squad. A four-year starter at Delaware State, the 23-year-old McBride holds the school records in receptions (201) and yards (3,007).

Williams (5-10, 195) was selected in the 5th round of the 2008 draft by Jacksonville after a stellar career at South Florida. He finished his college career ranked second in school history with 16 interceptions, and first in return yards (219) and touchdowns (4). The Plant City, FL, native played alongside CB Mike Jenkins, a first round draft pick of Dallas in 2008, in college. Williams was added to the Eagles practice squad on September 1, 2008.

Howard asks for $18 million

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard asked for $18 million in salary arbitration Tuesday.

The team offered $14 million, a raise of $4 million over last year.

Howard hit 48 homers and had 146 RBIs last year, helping the Phillies win their
first World Series title since 1980.

Meanwhile, Jayson Werth asked for $4 million and the Phils offered $3 mil while Chad Durbin asked for $1.95 million and the club responded with a $1.35 million dollar offer.

This one really hurt

By Steve Lienert

The Phanatic Magazine

I believed.

I believed that the Eagles were a team of destiny; that they were going to win a Super Bowl.

I dreamt of a large, flashy, gaudy, diamond-studded ring on my right hand. I dreamt of being on a float for the championship parade the city has been waiting for 48 years.

You thought the Phillies parade was big? An Eagles’ parade would make the Phillies’ parade look like the Soul’s parade.

As it says on one of my cousins t-shirts that he bought in the parking lot of the Vet, Philly is a drinking town with a football problem.

It’s a problem with which I’m afflicted.

When the Eagles fought back to take a one-point lead against the Cardinals in the NFC Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, tears welled up in my eyes.

I have never been more proud to be an Eagles fan.

As I wrote in my story while waiting for the team plane to take off on Sunday evening, “The Eagles have weathered their fair share of violent storms during the course of this long season, but perhaps none was as vicious as the one Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner and the Cardinals put on them in the first half on Sunday. But just when it seemed the Eagles had their faith tested one too many times, their belief in each other helped them overcome yet another daunting obstacle.”

With the game in the hands of the defense, I thought the Eagles had risen from the depths of despair once again; that this team was the most resilient team I’d ever witnessed.

Every time they traveled through the Valley of Darkness, they did it together and emerged on the other side stronger. They were the anti-Cowboys – when things got tough, they didn’t start pointing fingers at each other.

Instead, they picked up whoever was down. The relied on each other like they were in a fox hole during a gun fight.

This time, though, it wasn’t in the Cards.

On 2^nd-and-1 from midfield, The Cardinals tried two consecutive running plays between the tackles. They were stuffed both times.

Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt, to his credit, went for it on 4^th-and-1. This was the defense’s biggest chance to win the game. It didn’t happen.

Whisenhunt didn’t try to slam it between the tackles a third time. Like Eagles president Joe Banner said after the game, if you do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result is the definition of insanity.

Instead, the Cardinals ran a version of the Redskins’ stretch play, running back Tim Hightower gained the edge and got the first down.

It was like a dagger in the back.

Later in the drive, the Cardinals had a 3^rd-and-goal from the Eagles’ 8-yard line. A stop there and Arizona would have to settle for a field goal and a two-point lead.

That would allow David Akers to make amends for missing an earlier field goal and extra point. Instead, Warner hit Hightower on a screen pass and he weaved his way into the end zone to essentially hand the Cardinals their first Super Bowl berth in franchise history.

For all intents and purposes, the game was over.

Hightower and Larry Fitzgerald now join the Rams’ Aeneas Williams and Kurt Warner, the Bucs’ Ronde Barber and Joe Jurevicius, the Panthers’ Ricky Manning Jr. and DeShaun Foster as guys that made their postseason bones killing the Eagles in championship games.

This one doesn’t fall on Donovan McNabb. This isn’t like the picks he threw to Williams (2001), Barber (2002) or Manning (2003). This one falls one the one thing we take pride in here in football-mad Philadelphia: the defense.

That’s why this one hurts in a more profound, spiritual way.

This defense is what got us believing in the first place. For them to let us down the way they did makes this NFC Championship loss unique.

It makes it hurt that much more.

Steve Lienert spent the last six months covering the Eagles on PhiladelphiaEagles.com. He can be reached for comment at stevelienert@hotmail.com.

Phils avoid arbitration with Victorino, Blanton

Shane Vicotorino and Joe Blanton both avoided arbitration Tuesday.

Victorino agreed to a 1-year, $3.125 million contract while Blanton signed a one-year $5.5 million dollar deal.

Victorino hit .293 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 146 games last season.

Earlier in the day, the team also officially announced a three-year extension with reliever Ryan Madson.

On the NBA: The NBA's Other Elite Team

When you talk about the NBA's elite, you begin with the obvious.

The conversation usually starts with the league's two marquee teams -- the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.

It's hard to argue with that. After all, the Celtics dispatched the Lakers to win title No. 17 last June and this season, Boston raced out of the blocks to the best 29-game start in NBA history. Meanwhile, LA remains atop the Western Conference.

Joining those two clubs in the discussion is LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs and James' ridiculously chiseled physique are overpowering the NBA to the tune of a perfect 20-0 home record and a 31-8 overall mark.

Like I said -- obvious.

But, one other club now has to enter the debate -- the Orlando Magic.

The Magic made some serious strides last season, winning a playoff series for the first time since 1996 before being summarily dismissed by the Detroit Pistons in five games during the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Dwight Howard and the Magic own the NBA's best record at 33-8.

Superstar center Dwight Howard called the playoff loss to the Pistons "an embarrassment" and the All-Star, along with his mates, seem to have used the Detroit debacle as fuel this season.

With Saturday's win in the Rocky Mountains, Stan Van Gundy's club finished a grueling four-game road trip in perfect fashion and improved their NBA-best road record to 17-5.

The Magic beat three division leaders on the trek, San Antonio, the Lakers and Denver, and have won 15 of their past 17 games overall. Meanwhile, the team's 33-8 record is now the NBA's best.

Last Friday, the Magic completed a season sweep of the mighty Lakers for the first time in franchise history. They also have already swept both games from the Spurs this season and routed another talented Western Conference team, the New Orleans Hornets, on Christmas Day.

Van Gundy has been riding his big four - sharpshooters Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, much-improved point guard Jameer Nelson and the incomparable Howard - and the results have been there on a consistent basis.

In Denver, Turkoglu scored a game-high 31 points in a 106-88 romp over the Northwest Division-leading Nuggets, while Nelson and Lewis dropped 23 points apiece.

Howard, the game's most dominant big man and the league's only legitimate 20-20 threat on a nightly basis, recorded his usual double-double of 14 points and 20 rebounds.

Denver coach George Karl was more than a little impressed,

"(The Magic) figure out how to play and how to win," Karl said after the game. "Tonight, we just had too many holes to fill in. You got an Orlando team that's beating everybody and confident."

Scratch that...the Magic haven't beaten everybody...just yet.

Orlando hasn't recorded a win against the Eastern Conference's top teams. The Magic lost to the Celtics and their old nemesis, the Pistons, in their lone outings with both clubs this season. Meanwhile, they haven't met up with James and the Cavaliers yet.

In other words, there is still room for improvement and plenty of opportunity for Van Gundy to push his talented club, but Orlando no longer needs any "Magic" to compete with the league's best.

Howard, Nelson, Lewis and Turkoglu are more than enough.

McNabb's Arizona home is vandalized

Can you imagine the uproar if this happened in Philly?

Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports reports that a group of juveniles vandalized the Arizona property of Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.

“Go Cards” and related messages were burned into the lawn, according to Silver.

One of the criminal masterminds was identified after leaving a box at the scene that had a mailing label with his name and address.

I guess Philadelphia doesn't have a copyright on poor fan behavior, after all.

Spagnuolo wants Shurmur

The Phanatic Magazine has confirmed new Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo has targeted Eagles QB coach Pat Shurmur to be his offensive coordinator.

Not sure that's the best place for Shurmur, however. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom actually preferred Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier over Spagnuolo. But, Rosenbloom said that it was general manager Billy Devaney’s search and that he would honor his recommendation. That means Spagnuolo will be behind the 8-ball early and the Rams aren't exactly a talented bunch.

Andy Reid's season-ending press conference

Opening remarks:

“We really don’t have any injuries to talk about. We are doing all the exit physicals as we speak here. Collectively, as an organization, as football coaches and players, we are disappointed in the outcome of yesterday’s game. I will tip my hat to the Cardinals for the job they did. I think they were well-prepared, they played well and are very deserving of the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl. I had a chance to meet with the team today. I think it’s important that the players feel and remember the feeling they have today, to help carry them through working that little bit harder in the offseason to get prepared for the next year. On a positive note, we have a good nucleus of players under contract who will be returning. The free agents, we have not addressed that at this point, so it’s a null point to even go in that direction during this press conference. I will address that after we settle down from this game. I have had a chance to meet with every player on the team and spent some time with them—free agents included. When we are all in a little calmer state and are over this game here, then we’ll look at all those things. There were some good things that took place this season. [We have] tremendous heart on this football team; great effort was displayed all the way from training camp. These playoffs are very final. You obviously have a bitter taste in your mouth right now, but I don’t want to take away, also, the good things that this team accomplished and the personality they developed this season. Next year will be a new year and new roads to travel as we put together a football team. This was a special football team, doing the things they did. It’s a shame we weren’t able to take it further.”

On whether he anticipates the front office structure to be the same next year:

“I haven’t even thought about that stuff. This is so fresh. I just literally got out of meetings with every player on this football team.”

On whether he and team president Joe Banner and owner Jeffrey Lurie ever talk about things like that during the season:

“I don’t go through all that. We never talk about that kind of stuff.”

On whether he is prepared to deal with assistant coaches going elsewhere if the opportunities present themselves:

“Again, I haven’t gotten there yet. I’ll evaluate, like I always do, what we have here. We are always going to take care of the Eagles first and then go from there with the consideration for the assistant coaches. Again, this is all too fresh right now. We will see how [things transpire] in the next day or so.”

On the process of evaluating older players whose contracts are expiring and where they fit in going forward:

“You have to take a little time. You have to go back and look at the film. You have to communicate with the personnel department, you have to look at the contract side of things and how that fits in. You have to look at everything; it takes a little time. It’s just not as cut and dry as people might want to make it.”

On whether he feels that FS Brian Dawkins still has the ability to start in the NFL:

“Dawk played very well this year.”

On whether there is a common thread in their NFC Championship games that have made it such a high hurdle to get over:

“One out of five probably isn’t good enough, at least not in my mind. Obviously you want to get over all of them. They’ve all been different. The end result is that I have to sit here and look at you guys and the football team. I’d much rather be moving on.”

On whether not forcing turnovers is a reason for the losses in NFC Championship games:

“There are other things that go into that. We have to analyze it, analyze the game and study it, analyze the personnel and the scheme. I’ve always said that it starts with me and works its way from there. You go back and you try to cover all the bases there.”

On the team being “on the rise” after NFC Championship losses in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and where he feels the team is right now:

“I think the league, with parity involved, gives you an opportunity to have success every year. With that, I’m just going to add to your initial comment that since the first NFC Championship game that we went to, when we lost to the Rams, I also heard that the window was closed. I don’t look at it that way; I never have and never will. I think, every year, you have an opportunity. We have to take advantage of them, obviously, when we get them, but I still feel good about the group of players coming back. Will there be changes? There’s always change, every year. I will try to make it change for the better.”

On whether he thinks RB Brian Westbrook can still be the player he was in 2007:

“I think so. I think Brian will have a good offseason and he’ll come back ready to go.”

On whether he thinks QB Donovan McNabb is the best quarterback for this team going forward:

“Yeah. You guys are asking me very specific questions on things that I’ve got to go back and look at. As we talk today, I feel very good about Donovan. I think Donovan had a heck of a year. I think you have to understand, though, that you’re gradually getting into all the personnel questions when I haven’t gone back and taken care of that. You’re jumping ahead here. My hat’s off to Donovan McNabb. I think he had a heck of a year this year. I thought he guided this football team as well as he ever has. He’s a great person and a great player.”

On whether the Cardinals simply out-schemed the Eagles in the game:

“We’re all in this thing together. We don’t have coaches sitting here pointing fingers at players or players pointing fingers at coaches. We could have done a better job on the offense, defense and special teams side and we didn’t do it, collectively. If you’re going to get to the Super Bowl, you have to do that when you’re playing a good football team.”

On whether he feels the offense missed something with Westbrook being limited this year:

“Brian wasn’t limited yesterday. Brian was out there, he was our starting tailback. We just didn’t take advantage of opportunities. I could have put the players in better positions to make plays. When you start kicking field goals and the other team is scoring touchdowns, that’s not a good situation. You’re coming up a little short.”

On whether it becomes more and more frustrating for him when they get this close and don’t make it time and time again:

“I can’t tell you that I’m the happiest guy in Philadelphia right now; I can’t tell you that. I’m disappointed that we’re not moving on. I can’t compare it to another time. There is a point where I heard people complaining about going to Hawaii and then when you don’t go for a few years all of a sudden Hawaii starts looking pretty good. I try and separate the years and focus in on the job at hand and that was to get our football team to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl. At that minute it was going through Arizona, we had to be ready for the Cardinals and we didn’t take care of business.”

On whether he takes some comfort in the fact that he has made it to the NFC Championship five times since many people didn’t think he’d ever win a playoff game:

“I don’t even go there. I don’t go there. This is not a grudge match against anybody. It’s whatever I can bring and this football team can bring to win a championship is all I care about. And I’m not in it for vindication or anything else. I don’t go there. It’s not my style.”

On whether he feels that after 10 seasons in Philadelphia he still has the same fire in him to continue:

“Yeah. (Jokingly) I’m sick of your questions, but yeah.”

On what makes him confident that Westbrook will have a good offseason and come back ready next year:

“I think what happened with Brian was he had the high ankle sprain and that’s where things went south for him a bit as far as the setback goes. And those last a long time, especially at that position. So then I thought toward the end here, and yesterday being one of them, I thought he looked and ran as well as he had run in the last month or so. He just looked like he had some zip yesterday and really was playing well.”

On what Arizona did yesterday in the first half that allowed them to get up and down the field:

“You know what, they got the ball out quick. They did it with a variety of ways, most obvious was with the crossing routes, the underneath routes. I thought they did a good job with their screen game, with double screens and quick screens.”

On whether he will go back and examine the 30-plus club, and whether he thinks that caused the team to have a slow start to the season:

“There’s a good chance that I go through and examine everything. I normally do that in the offseason, so that would be on the list too.”

Six Eagles to become free agents

Offensive tackles Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins, tight end L.J. Smith, running back Correll Buckhalter and cornerback Joselio Hanson are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on Feb. 27.

Wide receiver Hank Baskett is set to become a restricted free agent if the Birds make a tender offer.

Phils avoid arbitration with Madosn

The Phillies and Ryan Madson have reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension, worth $12 million, with incentives.

Madson, 28, was 4-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 76 games in 2008.

WCA announces inaugural card for Atlantic City

NEW YORK, January 19, 2009 – World Cagefighting Alliance (www.WCAfights.com) a Mixed Martial Arts Organization completes their first fight card called “Pure Combat” which will be premiering in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, February 6, 2009 at the Boardwalk Hall Ballroom.

The World Cagefighting Alliance, “Pure Combat” event will feature some of the best East Coast rising talent in the sport. The Co-Main Events will feature a Lightweight UFC, EliteXC veteran and Ring of Combat Champ Chris Ligouri (Team Ligouri) out of Tinton Falls, New Jersey vs. Former UFC and Pride Standout Marcus “Maximus” Aurelio (American Top Team) from Coconut Creek, Florida and Welterweight undefeated Ultimate Fighter 7 alum Paul Bradley (Lionheart MMA) out of College Station, PA will face Matt Lindland’s prodigy Nathan Coy (Team Quest) fighting out of Gresham, Oregon.

Other notable fights will feature a North Jersey connection pitting Welterweight Rich Ashkar (Team Oliveira) out of Redbank, NJ against USKBA Champ Tom Gallicchio (Team Pellegrino) from Toms River, NJ. Homegrown Vineland, NJ and former Cage Fury Lightweight champ, Al Buck (Team Evolution) vs. Jose Rodriquez (Rhino Fight Team) out of Keansburg, NJ. Doug Gordon (Team Rush) from Newcastle, Delaware will go against Mike Medrano (Rhino Fight Team) from Paterson, NJ and Brian Demuro (KPOZ Fight club) out of Blackwood, NJ will fight Cortland, NY’s Eric Henry (Bombsquad MMA).

World Cagefighting Alliance

February 6, 2009 Fight Card (order TBD):

155 lbs.: Chris Liguori (Tinton Falls, NJ) (Team Liquori) (9-7) vs. Marcus Aurelio (Coconut Creek, FL) (American Top Team) (16-7)

175 lbs.: Paul Bradley (College Station, PA) (Lionheart MMA) (9-0) vs. Nathan Coy (Gresham, OR) (Team Quest) (5-1)

170 lbs.: Tom Gallicchio (Toms, River, NJ) (Team Pellegrino) (9-3) vs. Rich Ashkar (Redbank, NJ) (Team Oliveira) (5-1)

155 lbs.: Matt Lee (Worcester, MA) (MMA Training Center) (11-6) vs. Dave Jansen (Team Quest) (Gresham, OR) (6-0)

170 lbs.: Al Buck (Vineland, NJ) (EVO Fight Club) vs. Jose Rodriquez (Keansburg, NJ) (Rhino Fight Team)

170 lbs.: Doug Gordan (Newcastle, DE) (Team Rush) (8-6) vs. Mike Medrano (Clifton, NJ) (Rhino Fight Team) (4-2)

145 lbs.: Kevin Roddy (Bricktown, NJ) (Team Pellegrino) (9-6) vs. Charles Oliveira Dasilva (Gold Team Fighter) (4-1)

145 lbs.: Steve D’Angellis (Toms River, NJ) (Team Pellegrino) (6-4) vs. Felipe Medeiros Avantes (Team Gold Fighters)(4-1)

145 lbs.: Lester Caslow (Tom’s River, NJ) (Team Pellegrino) (2-2) vs. Joey Comacho (NJ) (AMA Fight Club) (2-4)

170 lbs.: Ryan Smith (Delaware) (Team Rush) (1-0) vs. Anthony D’Angello (NY) (Panza MMA) (4-4)

170 lbs.: Brian Demuro (Blackwood, NJ) (KPOZ Fight Team) (4-4) vs. Eric Henry (Cortland, NY) (Team Bombsquad) (8-6)

145 lbs.: Anthony Leone (Cortland, NY) (Team Bombsquad) (2-0) vs. Patrick White (Pittsgrove, NJ) (EVO Fight Team) (debut)

205 lbs.: Roger Mejia (Tempe, AZ) (Arizona Combat Sports) (10-3) vs. Glen Sandul (Whippany, NJ) (AMA Fight Club) (3-2)

155 lbs.: Daniel Tavares (NJ) (KPOZ Fight Team) vs. Brian Danner (NJ) (EVO Fight Club (debut)

Weigh-ins for the event will be at the Host Hotel Bally’s Hotel & Casino in the Bally Room Thursday, February 5; on scales at 7:00 pm. Tickets are priced at $100, $75, $60 and $50. Cageside seats are available at $150. Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-736-1420. More information on fighters, tickets and a seating chart can be found at out www.WCAfights.com. The first fight begins at 7:30 PM.

Expect Heckert to exit

Eagles president Joe Banner made some clandestine remarks that raised a few eyebrows after the team's NFC Championship Game loss to the Cards.

Banner said doing the same things and expecting a different result isn't working.

That led many to believe Joe was ready to waive goodbye to Andy Reid or Donovan McNabb.

The Eagles president clarified his remarks through a spokesman this morning, indicating with no ambiguity that both Reid and McNabb will be back.

That my friends is bad news for GM Tom Heckert.

Trotter rips Jim Johnson

Former Eagles middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter had some interesting things to say on WIP's morning show.

Trotter ripped his former defensive coordinator, the highly-regarded Jim Johnson, saying the veteran coach is poor at making in-game adjustments.

"he lives by the blitz and dies by the blitz," Trotter said.

Trotter also felt Donovan McNabb threw his defensive teammates under the bus during his post-game press conference.

WR Brown inactive for Eagles

Inactives

Eagles: QB A.J. Feeley (3rd), DB Dimitri Patterson, RB
Lorenzo Boozer, LB Joe Mayes, DE Bryan Smith, G Shawn Andrews, WR
Reggie Brown and TE Matt Schobel.

Cardinals: QB Brian St. Pierre (3rd), CB Eric
Green, FB Tim Castille, LB Victor Hobson, T Elliot Vallejo, T Brandon
Keith, DT Alan Branch and TE Jerame Tuman.

Phils lock up Hamels with three-year deal

The Philadelphia Phillies have reportedly locked up World Series MVP Cole Hamels to a multi-year contract, avoiding arbitration with the star left-hander.

According to the New York Post, Hamels has agreed to a three-year deal worth $20.5 million. The 25-year-old San Diego native will earn $4.35 million in 2009, $6.65 million in '10 and $9.5 million in '11.

One of the best young pitchers in baseball, Hamels went 14-10 with a 3.09 earned run average in 33 starts last season, and then excelled in the postseason, going 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts.

The 17th overall pick of the 2002 draft, Hamels is 38-23 with a 3.43 ERA in 84 career starts for the Phillies.

Didinger to miss Birds game

Comcast SportsNet analyst and Hall of Fame scribe Ray Didinger will miss Sunday’s pre game and post game shows due to the illness of his father, Ray Didinger Sr.

Didinger, who also missed his
Saturday WIP radio show, is in Florida with his parents.

Greg Cosell of NFL Films will fill in for Didinger for the two hour pre-game
show beginning at 1 p.m. and the post game show at the conclusion of the game

Murphy moves to CSN

Former CN8 sports guy Gregg Murphy will host the first hour of Eagles
Post-Game Live Sunday at 1 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet.

Phils avoid arbitration with Dobbs

Troy Renck of the Denver Post is reporting the Phillies have re-signed Greg Dobbs to a two-year, $2.5M dollar contract with an additional $300,000 in performance-based bonuses.

The 30-year-old Dobbs hit .301 with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 226 at-bats for the World Champs last season.