My vote goes to Ryan Howard for NL MVP

The decision was a tough one for the Phillies last year. Trade their star first baseman Jim Thome or trade their up and coming star first baseman, Ryan Howard. Former GM Ed Wade did not screw this one up - thank goodness.

Howard was the NL Rookie of the Year last year after only playing a little more than half of a season. He has lived up to the hype this year.

The young lefty who won this year's home run derby leads the majors with 48 home runs and 122 RBI. He is also hitting a cool .294.

But Howards means more to the Phillies than just stats. He is right smack in the middle of a lineup that also consists of young stars Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins. But the Phils need Howard to roll.

The Phillies were out of the race when they traded players like Bobby Abreu and David Bell at the trade deadline. Howard has led a resurgance ever since. Before tonight, Philadelphia trailed in the Wild Card race by only a game and a half.

If not for Ryan Howard, the Phillies would not be in this race. He is the most valuable player to his team.

Why each team in the NFC East will win the SB or not win the SB

In alphabetical order:

Dallas Cowboys
Why they will win - In the biggest move of the offseason, the Cowboys acquired one of the top receivers in the league in Terrell Owens. Owens is a game breaker and opposite Terry Glenn, this tandum will be very tough to stop. Dallas also has two very good running backs in Julius Jones and Marion Barber and a top notch TE in Jason Witten. The defense is solid with star safety Roy Williams. Mike Vanderjagt has joined the team as one of the best kickers in the NFL.
Why they will not win - T.O. Bill Parcells is already visably annoyed with all of the media attention around Owens. He can break a locker room apart - he did it in Philadelphia. While Owens is solid on the field, he disrupts a team off of the field. Owens was recently fined for missing meetings. That coupled with the fact that the aging Drew Bledsoe is behind center could cause for some tension on the sideline.

New York Giants
Why they will win - Quarterback Eli Manning is coming into his own. And if he is anything like his brother Peyton, watch out. Tiki Barber is one of the best all around backs in the league, they have a top receiver in Plaxico Burress, and one of the top tight ends in Jeremy Shockey. With the offseason acquisision of linebacker Lavar Arrington to go with Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the defense is solid.
Why they will not win - Manning is still young and makes mistakes. He looked horrible in the playoffs least year. Strahan is getting old and has lost a step. Barber has talked about retiring after this year and one has to wonder if he is wearing down.

Philadelphia Eagles
Why they will win - Coming off a horrible season, the Eagles have a lot to prove after not making the playoffs for the first time in 5 years. Donovan McNabb is the divisions top quarterback. Running back Brian Westbrook can hurt an opposing defense from anywhere on the field. With the addition of receiver Donte Stallworth and the emergence of Reggie Brown, the offense is looking like it is going to put up a lot of points. Both the offense and defense first teamers have looked fantastic in the pre-season.
Why they will not win - The second half of their schedule is brutal, with three straigh division road games, surrounded by games versus Indianapolis and Carolina. Westbrook hurt his foot and misses time every year.

Washington Redskins
Why they will win - Washington has done a lot this offseason. They added receivers Brandon Lloyd, Antwaan Randle El, and running back TJ Duckett. The Redskins already had pro bowlers Santana Moss and Clinton Portis.
Why they will not win - Quarterback Mark Brunell is getting old. Portis is hurt and Washington has looked horrible this pre-season.

There you have it. This will be the best division in football and two teams from the division will make the playoffs. My guess is that it is the Cowboys and Eagles.

Decision on High School football players absolutely ridiculous

For those of you who have not heard this story...

Two high school football players from Kenton, Ohio placed a fake deer on a dark, windy road. What they were trying to do, I don't know. What they did was ruin the lives of two others.

Driving on this road, two other high schoolers saw the fake deer and swerved to avoid it, not knowing it was fake. The two kids were in an accident and one has had 11 surguries and the other is now mentally hadicapped.

The case went to court and the judge decided that the two boys be sent to juvinile detention.

But here is what gets ridiculous.

The judge said that they could play in their high school football season for "rehab" before going to jail. The case also went to a vote (I think it was school board members) who also determined the same thing.

Where is the accountability? What are these kids being taught?

Look, I doubt the kids were trying to hurt anyone. But choices have consequences. And they ruined the lives of two others. I can't imagine how furious the parents of the two who got hurt are.

What are your thoughts on this issue and how athletes are coddled?

T.O. not going to cut it in Dallas

Jerry Jones made a huge mistake by bringing in Terrell Owens and I think that Cowboys coach Bill Parcells wanted no part of it.

There is no question that Owens is a phenominal football player. He is one of the top receivers in the game and could have a huge upside if he were on his best behavior.

But along with aquiring Owens comes being under the microscope - every single thing being analyzed by the media.

By my perception, Parcells is already agrivated.

Owens has been unable to practice most of the preseason due to a hamstring injury. Rumors have it that Parcells demanded that the trainer get him back to practice. Owens returned to practice only to have to stop again. Parcells recently said he has to see Owens play before he can use him.

It looks like Parcells is using excuses. He knows what T.O. can do on the field. Owens is a proven player. No doubt he is one of the best in the game. What does he need to see?

All of the attention that T.O. brings is just not worth it. Sure, he can be a help on the field. But the distractions far outweigh the good.

As a Philadelphia fan who already hated the Cowboys, I can't wait until this whole thing explodes.

McNabb will be holding Super Bowl Trophy this year

The above picture was a long time waiting for the Philadelphia Eagles and its fans.

All that waits now is a Super Bowl.

The Eagles enter this season as huge underdogs in a very tough NFC East. It will be a dog fight, but if the Eagles can stay healthy, they have as good a shot as any team in the East of winning the division. But the Eagles have what others do not - big game experience.

With McNabb returning to the ranks of the franchise QB and the talent he has surrounding him, Philadelphia is in a good position to make a run at it's second trip to the Super Bowl in three years.

Are there question marks? Sure. The Eagles don't have a stud WR. They don't have a big running back. While I would like for them to go out and get an upgrade receiver such as Ashley Lelie, they don't need him to have a chance to win the Super Bowl.

It's been a long time coming. Philadelphia fans are still looking for a parade down Broad St. This is the year they will get their wish.

What the Phillies need for next year - position by postion breakdown of offense

Cather - current players are Mike Leiberthal and Chris Coste. It is time for the Phillies to start over behind the plate. With a high salary, it is unlikely Leiberthal will be back. The Phillies could use a lower paid, good defensive catcher.

1st base - current player is Ryan Howard. After trading Jim Thome in the offseason, Howard finally got a chance to be an every day player for a whole season. He has not disappointed. Howard leads the league in home runs and will be one of the young faces of this franchise for years to come.

2nd base - current player is Chase Utely. Uttley has a 35 game hitting streak to his name this year. He is evolving into one of the best offensive second baseman in the league. Like Howard, Utely is young and has a lot of talent. He will be around for a while.

Shortstop - current player is Jimmy Rollins. He has speed, power, and is a great defensive player. Rollins will be in a Phillies uniform for years to come.

Third base - current player is Abraham Nunez. They traded away David Bell and Nunez has taken over as an every day player. He is hitting below the mendoza line. It is time for a change.

Outfield - current players are David Dellucci, Aaron Rowand, and Pat Burrell. After trading away Bobby Abreu, Dellucci has proven he can be a quaility every-day player. The Phillies shouls sign him. Rowand is a terriffic center fielder. Burrell is up in the air. He has a big contract and a no-trade clause. He is an ok player but if there is a chance to dump his salary, they should do so.

Veteran Gordon blows another one

Veterans are supposed to come through when it really matters.

In a huge game that could have pulled the Philadelphia Phillies to within one game of the NL wild card lead, Tom Gordon allowed three earned runs in the ninth, allowing the Reds to once again put Philadelphia three games behind.

This came one night after Gordon blew a save opportunity. Luckily, the Phillies were able to come back that time.

But last night, it was too much. The Phillies did score one run in the ninth on a Jimmy Rollins home run. But with two guys on and Ryan Howard at the plate, Cincinnati closer Eddie Guardardo got the NL homerun leader to strike out swinging.

Although Philadelphia is led by youngsters Chase Utley, Howard, and Rollins, it is the veterans who are going to have to come through if the Phillies have a chance at making a run at a playoff bearth. Arguably their best pitcher this year and an All-Star, Gordon has faltered the past two nights.

"I just didn't have the feel that I'd like to have," Gordon said after the game.

Well, if the Phillies want to have a shot this year, they will need to be able to close out games.
Hopefully Gordon can get that "feel" back soon. Otherwise, it will be yet another long offseason

Phils still alive after thrilling win in 14 innings

So the Phillies have life afterall.

Philadelphia overcame deficits in the eigth and ninth innings last night to pull within two games of the wild card lead with a thrilling 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 14th, Aaron Rowand hit a line drive over the second basemans head. Earlier in the at-bat, a pitch was thrown that almost hit Rowand. But he mistakingly moved out of the way.

David Delluci led of the 14th with a single, Chase Utley walked and Ryan Howard was intentionally walked to load the bases. Because the Phillies did not have any position players left, relief pitcher Aaron Fultz had to bat. He lined out to a drawn in infield.

The Phillies have won seven of ten after dealing quite a few players at the trade deadline.

General Manager Pat Gillick addressed the media after the frenzy of trades and said the Phillis may not be in a position to compete until 2008. But the players have another idea. They think they can compete this year.
Stranger things have happened. Philadelphia is currently two games under .500. Arizone, Houston, and San Diego stand between them and the Reds.

There is no doubt the Phillies lineup is capable of scoring runs. But the doubt comes in their starting pitching, which has been at the bottom of the pile in the National League. The return of Randy Wofl will help. But it may not be enough to catch teams with strong pitching like the Reds and Astros.

But all you can ask for is a chance. And the Phillies have put themselves in a position to have a chance.
The problem is that the Phillies have to play the best team in the NL, the New York Mets, seven times this month.

We should know for sure sometime over the next couple weeks if the Phillies are contenders or pretenders. Whichever, they are fin to watch right now. With two more games against the Reds, the Phillies could be tied for the wild card lead by the end of the weekend.

Finally, the start of football season

It has been a long offseason for Philadelphia Eagles fans. Especially when we are used to the team making it at least to January and the NFC Championship game.

But last year was a huge disappointment, as the Eagles missed the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

Fans spent the offseason analyzing how the team fell apart. We wondered how much the T.O distraction had to do with it. We wondered if egos would heal.

Players spent the offseason healing from so many season ending injuries.

This will be a different team on the field tonight in the Hall of Fame football game. There will be guys on the field we have not seen in a while due to short seasons last year. There will be some new guys in the mix.

Eagles fans will watch with intensity.

It's time - football season is here once again.

Reggie White goes into Hall of Fame a hero

Without a doubt, one of the best defensive players in NFL history, Reggie White was inducted into the Hall of Fame Sunday, about 18 months after passing away at age 43.

White, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, will mostly be remembered for his amazing football abilities.

However, White would rather be remembered for something else - his willingness and dedication to serving the Lord.

"I hope that my life serving God and doing what he called me to do would overshadow anything I did in football," White told The Associated Press in 1998.

While White's calling as an athlete led him to be one of the most dominant defensive players ever, it was his calling to serve God that I will most remember him. He gave everything he had on the football field, but gave even more in ministry off the field.

"He ministered to everybody, but his first ministry was to his teammates," LeRoy Butler said. "Because he knew that if he could get you to live right, the team was better off."

The Minister of Defense focused on more than football. His focus was on life itself and living not for his own purpose, but that of the Lord's.

With chants of REG-GIE, REG-GIE being shouted among the crowd in Canton, Ohio, his late wife, Sara White, remembered him for the person he was.

"Reggie was an honest, humble, honorable, dedicated, determined, passionate and caring man," she said. "He is inducted today not only because of his athletic achievements, but because he was a great player on the field in accordance with being a great person throughout life."

White was a two-time defensive player of the year who made 13 straight Pro Bowls. He is second on the career sacks leaderboard with 198.

He played for the Philadelphia Eagles for 8 years before joining the Green Bay Packers and leading them to a Super Bowl.

I will always remember White leading a phenominal Eagles defense in the 90's.

But looking back at his life and the person he was, I will remember him more for the positive effect he had on others.

Phils get hot after trading away talent for very little

Bobby Abreu. David Bell. Cory Lidle. Sal Fasano.

All gone from Philadelphia courtesy of a lousy season and the trade deadline.

Yet somehow, the Phillies have caught fire and are only 2.5 games out of the wild card lead.

You have got to be kidding me.

Coming fresh off a sweep of the powerful St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia beat the first place New York Mets last night.

What in the world is going on? Too bad the Phillies got nothing in return for any trade they made, especially the deal with Abreu and Lidle going to the Yankees.

Is it possible Philadelphia could make a run at a playoff spot?

I will admit - the last couple of days a glimmer of hope has emerged in my mind. Anytime a Philadelphia gets close to any type of success, I can't help but hope. After all, the cities last title came in 1983.
But I know all too well how the story ends. Just as you think they have a shot, all hope is ripped out from your heart.

Without a doubt, the Phillies will stumble - and probably soon. With nine more games against the Mets this month, there is not a chance they will still be in the wild card hunt heading into September.

That is what logic and history tell me.

But I fan can hope, right?