Vikes lose, Eagles can grab second seed

It's not often that I jump out of my seat and yell "TOUCHDOWN" when a team other than the Eagles scores.

I did tonight.

At times a frustrating game to watch, the Chicago Bears took down the Minnesota Vikings in a thrilling overtime game Monday night.

The Eagles are now one win away from an NFC East title AND a first round bye.

The Bears led 16-0 at halftime and 23-6 in the third quarter. However, the Vikings came back to tie it.

A huge kickoff return by Chicago gave the Bears a 30-23 lead with a few minutes left. Minnesota tied it with 16 second left to send the game into overtime.

Bears kicker Robbie Gould missed a field goal in OT, but the Bears later capitalized on an Adrian Peterson fumble. Jay Cutler connected on a deep pass to Devin Aromashodu for the game winner.

Beyond Chicago blowing a big lead and almost missing a chance to win in OT, I found myself sick to my stomach with all of the Brett Favre love talk from the announcers.

But when it comes to watching a game that could have a big affect on the Eagles, I'd suffer through anything.

And boy did this turn out to be a huge game for the Eagles.

Heading into tonight's game, the Birds needed a win next week and a Vikings loss tonight in Chicago or next week against the Giants.

Thank you Bears.

A win over Dallas next week would be absolutely tremendous for the Eagles, giving them a week to rest and one less game they would have to play in their quest for a Super Bowl title.

Dawkins return to Philly will be emotional

I've always held to the notion that a sports fan should be a fan of the team over any individual player. Players come and go, but the team is always there.

This rule does not apply to Brian Dawkins.

As we approach the return of Dawkins to Philadelphia as a Denver Bronco, I find myself more excited about him being back in Philly than the game itself.

Don't get me wrong, once the game starts I am certainly not going to be rooting for Dawkins to clock Donovan McNabb on a blitz. It's a big game for the Eagles and a win and Minnesota Vikings loss would put the Eagles in second place in the NFC.

But this game is different. It's special.

I'll never forget the day Dawkins signed with Denver. As rumors were swirling my heart began to sink. I had always assumed Dawkins, who played for the Eagles for 13 years, would retire in midnight green.

It was one of the worst days of my life as a fan when the signing became official. It just did not seem right. It didn't seem real.

The man was a staple to the Eagles defense. He made big plays. He was a leader. He was the heart and soul of the team. He was an icon.

In my mind and heart, he will always be an Eagles icon.

And I cannot wait to see him play this weekend.

It was reported that the Broncos defense will be introduced prior to the game this weekend. I can only imagine the reception Dawkins will receive when his name is called. He always did receive the biggest ovation for his intense introduction. It always pumped the fans up.

Dawkins will be wearing the wrong color this weekend and it will be painful to see him going against the Eagles.

But no matter what, he will always have my respect. He played the game hard, went all-out all of the time, and was a leader.

For that, Dawkins will always be one of my all-time favorite Eagles.

Flyers free falling fast

The Philadelphia Flyers flat out stink.

In a year when the Flyers were expected to make a run for the Cup, they are instead making a run for worst team in the league.

Losers of their last 14 out of 17 games, the Flyers are fading quickly. They are the second worst team in the entire league and seven points out of a playoff spot.

They can't score. They can't play disciplined hockey. They play with no heart. They can't do anything right.

They've fired their coach, but that didn't work. The Flyers are 2-7-1 since then.

Now what?

Well, they certainly are not going to catch first place New Jersey or Pittsburgh, who are 21 points ahead of them.

As a start, the Flyers might consider taking less dumb penalties. They are the most penalized team in the league (234 infractions). They are only killing 78 percent of their penalty kills.

The power play is not much better. They were 0-for-7 tonight against the Florida Panthers in a 4-1 loss.

They also might want to start scoring some goals as they only have nine in their last 10 loses. Oh yeah, their shots have to get through in order for the puck to go into the net. They had seven blocked tonight.

It's hard to believe, but the Flyers started the season 12-5-1. They are now 15-18-2.

They are 1-13 when trailing after two periods.

There are rumors that there is term oil in the locker room.

Some say that Chris Pronger is taking control of the locker room but that captain Mike Richards feels like his ties are getting stepped on. Grow up Richards and be a captain.

There are rumors that the locker room is divided on an affair Jeff Carter supposedly had with Scott Hartnell's wife.

Jeez. What else could go wrong?

The Flyers have become a pushover and laughingstock of the league.

Something has got to change.

It all starts with heart and pride, something they seem to have none of.

As a fan, only one word really comes to mind right now when thinking about the Flyers. It's something they have heard a lot of lately.

Booooo.

With playoff birth, are Eagles guaranteed trip to NFC title game?

The Philadelphia Eagles are headed back to the playoffs.

With A 27-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Eagles head the post-season for the eighth time in Andy Reid's 11 seasons.

So what does that mean for the Eagles hopes of advancing once the playoffs start?

Likely a trip to the NFC Championship game.

Of the previous seven appearances in the playoffs, the Eagles have made it to the NFC Championship game an astounding five times.

That is pretty remarkable.

The Eagles first NFC Championship game appearance was in 2001 against "The greatest show on turf." Despite being heavy underdogs, the Eagles almost pulled out a win over the St. Louis Rams, but came up just short, 29-24.

Despite the loss, the Eagles began a string of NFC domination which saw them advance to the NFC Championship four years in a row.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, all but one of those games ended in utter disappointment.

The Eagles hosted the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2002, a game they were favored to win. In what was probably the most heartbreaking championship game loss, the Bucs beat the Eagles in the final game at the Vet.

The Birds almost did not make it back to the NFC Championship the following year, but the famous 4th and 26th game led them back the Packers to face the Carolina Panthers. The lack of a solid receiver was never more evident in this game as they were shut down by Carolina, 14-3.

In 2004, years of suffering finally came to an end as the Eagles beat the Atlanta Falcons to head to their second ever Super Bowl. Of course, we all know the dream season ended with a loss to the Patriots.

After a disappointing 6-10 season in 2005, divisional round playoff loss to the Saints in 2006, and an 8-8 2007, the Eagles needed an absolute miracle to make the playoffs in 2008.

An Oakland Raiders improbable win over Tampa Bay on the final day of the season set up a showdown game with the Cowboys with the winner taking the division and the loser missing the playoffs entirely.

After a thrilling 44-6 thumping of the Cowboys, the Eagles beat the Vikings on the road in the wildcard round and then the Giants in the Meadowlands to advance to the NFC Championship game against the surprising Arizona Cardinals.

After falling behind, the Eagles made a valiant comeback but fell short, 32-25.

So here we find ourselves again, back in the playoffs.

There is still a lot to play for. Despite the Eagles being ahead of the Cowboys by one game, the NFC East is still up for grabs. The Eagles play the Denver Broncos this week while the Cowboys have the Washington Redskins.

Playoff seeding could very well come down to the last game of the season again - Eagles vs Cowboys.

No matter what happens in the regular season we know that the Eagles have a very good chance of advancing to the NFC Championship game.

And why not?

The top-seeded Saints have looked average of late and lost their first game last night, although they have been on the verge of losing for weeks.

The second seeded Vikings may be the toughest team to beat in the playoffs.

Arizona, Green Bay, and Dallas will likely round out the playoffs (the Giants could sneak in), but I can't see any of these teams being a major roadblock to the Eagles.


So I'll formally declare - NFC Championship game, here we come! Please just treat us a little nicer this time.

Realizing what Phillies have added

It's official - the Phillies now sport the games best pitcher at the top of their rotation.

Seeing Roy Halladay in a Phillies jersey today reminded me that while I was and am still disappointed that the Phillies moved Cliff Lee to Seattle, the Phillies have become a team that is nothing like the teams I cheered for growing up.

When in the world have we had a time where fans complained about losing one ace and landing another?

Lee is gone but Halladay is here and the Phillies are better off for it.

We are talking about a guy who has 44 complete games since 2003. The closest to him is CC Sabathia with 26. That's a difference of 18. Repeat after me...Halladay has 18 more complete games than anyone else in the past six years. Unbelievable.

We are talking about a guy who leads the majors in wins (130), win percentage (.688), shutouts (13), and complete games (46) since 2002. That is just about every major pitching category. Oh, and he is second in ERA (3.13) during that time.

These stats are certainly enough for me to start getting over the fact that Lee is no longer here.

Think about it for a moment. The Phillies have Roy Halladay. Roy freakin' Halladay.

Halladay is a six-time all star, 2003 Cy Young award winner, and has two 20 win seasons. He's led the AL in complete games during five seasons, including the last three.

Oh, by the way, he did this in the best division of baseball - the AL East - against teams like the Yankees and Red Sox.

So while I wish both Halladay and Lee were both here, I have no room to complain about what has gone down over the past couple of days.

The Phillies will have Halladay at the top of their rotation for at least the next four years at an absolute bargain.

Halladay could have finished out this year and become a free agent, easily drawing much interest from numerous teams winning to offer him well over $100 million. Instead he signed an under market extension with the Phillies for three years and $60 million.

The Phillies wanted Halladay and Halladay wants to be here.

And to that I say, boy am I excited to see what he can do for the Phils.

Phillies land baseballs best - why am I disappointed?

Through the trade deadline in July and into this off season, I have been absolutely fixated on the Phillies acquiring Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays.

Now that the Phillies have their man, I find myself extremely disappointed.

Such is the life of a Phillies fan these days.

After years and years of terrible players and terrible teams, I've come to expect nothing less than a chance to play for a championship. And after swinging two trades, I don't see the Phillies in a better place when this deal finally becomes official than they were when they lost to the Yankees in the World Series this past year.

Before I look at the pros and cons, let's take a look at both of the deals. Widely reported as a three team deal involving the Phillies, Jays, and Mariners, these are actually two separate trades.

Trade 1
Phillies get Roy Halladay and $6 million
Jays get prospects Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor (who will be flipped to Oakland) and Travis D’Arnaud

Trade 2
Phillies get prospects Philippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, and Juan Ramirez
Mariners get Cliff Lee

I love the first trade.

Halladay is one of the top pitchers in the game and has been absolutely dominant over the years. He was 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA and nine complete games and four shutouts last year. For his career he is 148-76 with 49 complete games and 15 shutouts. His career ERA is 3.43. Oh yeah, this is while pitching in the AL East where the Yankees and Red Sox reside.

Speaking of the Yankees, he is 18-6 with a 2.84 ERA against the defending champs. Wow.

Yes, the Phillies are giving up top their pitching prospect (Drabek) and their second best position prospect (Taylor), but they are getting one of the best pitchers in the game. You saw his numbers above. Imagine what they will be in the National League. 20 wins is not out of the question.

I hate the second trade.

Nothing is guaranteed, but a rotation of Halladay, Lee, and Cole Hamels sure would have given me confidence that the Phillies would win their second title in three years. Adding Halladay and removing Lee, while a minor improvement, really does not give the Phillies a big boost this year.

The Phillies did not need to make this deal in order to land Halladay. It is believed the move was made to relieve salary and replenish the farm system.

Only time will tell, but I'm not certain the Phillies got enough back in terms of the prospects they received from Seattle.

What I like
- Halladay in a Phillies uniform.
- The Phillies held on to stud outfield prospect Domonic Brown.
- The agressiveness of Phillies GM Ruben Amaro. He knows what he wants and he goes out and gets it.
- The Phillies evened out their rotation with Halladay being a right handed arm

What I don't like
- I hate that the Phillies gave up Lee.
- In the end, the Phillies have given up seven prospects in the past six months. In getting Lee the Phils gave up pitchers Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, catcher Lou Marson, and infielder Jason Donald. In getting Halladay they gave up Drabek, Taylor, and d'Arnaud. That's a lot. If Drabek was not actually untouchable as Amaro said during the season and offseason as well, why didn't they just trade for Halladay in July. Yes, the Jays were asking for Brown, but I'm sure if the Phillies had made Drabek available at the time something could have been worked out. They would have never had Lee, but they would have had the guy they wanted all along without giving up so many prospects.

What surprised me
- The Phillies giving up Drabek. He was considered untouchable in July. I was shocked they gave him up now.
- Thet the Phillies included a catcher in the deal. They have moved both of the top catching prospects and now have absolutely nothing in the farm as far as future catchers.

Very interesting thought
- Had the Phillies not made the ridiculous signing of Jamie Moyer for two years and owed him $8 million this upcoming season, would the Phillies still have moved Lee? Maybe for the prospects but money would not have been a problem. Just sayin'.

Overall view
- While I love the fact that the Phillies got Halladay, I am really disappointed that they got rid of Lee. Adding an ace and subtracting another ace really did not improve the Phillies that much for this season. Lee was 4-0 with an ERA of 1.50 in the playoffs last year. Can't really get much better than that.

It was reported Lee was going to test the free agent market after this season and that he would be asking for 5-6 years for over $20 million. First off, the Phillies would not have the money to sign both pitchers and second, they do not give pitchers deals more than 3-4 years. By securing Halladay, they have him signed for four years with an option for another year. The deal is reasonable at $20 million per year. That is a positive.

Yes, the Phillies got a few prospects by trading Lee. But why not keep Lee for one more year and then let him walk? If it's the money, then do whatever you need to do to trade Joe Blanton, who will only make $2 million less than Lee this year. Lee is signed for a great deal at $9 million. If it's the prospects, who cares? Go for broke!

I'm ecstatic the Phils have Halladay. But is it wrong of me to want two aces (and possible three if Hamels returns to form)?

As I said above, such is the life of a Phillies fan these days. Anything less than a world championship is a disappointment.

Amazing after all of the bad years that I am disappointed on a day the Phillies trade for the best pitcher in baseball.

Lastly, below is a breakdown of the minor league prospects on the move.

By the numbers in 2009
- Kyle Drabek - 12-3 with a 3.19 era
- Michael Taylor - .320 avg, 20 hr, 84 rbi
- Travis D'Arnaud - 13 hr, 71 rbi
- Phillippe Aumont - 51 ip, 16 sv, 3.88 era
- Tyson Gillies - .341, 9 hr, 42 rbi
- Juan Ramirez - 8-10, 5.12 era, 142 ip

Happy Hallidays? Confusion around players involved in blockbuster deal

My head is absolutely spinning around the reported deal of the Phillies acquiring ace Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays.

This much seems to be agreed upon my different media outlets - Roy Halladay is headed to Philadelphia and Cliff Lee is headed to Seattle.

Beyond that is anyone's guess. I've never seen so many different reports on players involved in a trade. Below is a summary of players moving in the deal (besides Halladay and Lee) from different media outlets.

ESPN:
Toronto would get highly regarded Mariners pitching prospect Phillippe Aumont, Phillies catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and another Phillies prospect in exchange for Halladay. Indications are that the Phillies have balked at Toronto's repeated requests for outfielder Domonic Brown, and the Phillies are offering highly touted outfielder Michael Taylor instead. Seattle would send two additional prospects to Philadelphia in exchange for Lee, who is a year away from free agency.

Sports Illustrated:
Seattle and Philadelphia are both expected to give up prospects in the deal, with the Mariners sending prospects to both the Phillies and Blue Jays. It is believed righthanded pitcher Phillipe Aumont, a Canadian, may be going to Toronto from Seattle. Other names discussed included Mariners athletic outfield prospect Michael Saunders and Phillies outfield prospect Michael Taylor.

Fox Sports:
Phillipe Aumont — a Canadian right-hander — is among the players headed from Seattle to Toronto in the deal; the source added the Philadelphia is expected to send one of its outfield prospects, possibly Michael Taylor, to the Blue Jays. Outfielder Michael Saunders and right-hander Brandon Morrow were also among the Seattle prospects in play. It wasn't immediately clear how many players would be included in the deal.

Comcast Sports:
The Phillies are expected send three prospects to Toronto. A source identified those prospects as Kyle Drabek, outfielder Michael Taylor and catcher Travis D’Arnaud. The Blue Jays would also get a prospect from Seattle, possibly Canadian pitcher Phillippe Aumont. The Phillies could also end up with a prospect from Seattle.

Associated Press:
Philadelphia could give up pitchers J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and outfielder Dominic Brown as part of a deal.

Toronto Sun:
Kyle Drabek is in the deal, but Phillippe Aumont is not.

Update: 11:10 PM
According to Jayson Stark of ESPN, the Phillies would send outfielder Michael Taylor, Phillies catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and a Phils pitcher Kyle Drabek to Toronto for Halladay. In exchange for Lee, the Phillies would receive Seattle's top pitching prospect, Phillippe Aumont and 21-year-old outfielder Tyson Gillies from Seattle.


More analysis to come as the the actual deal is confirmed.

Trading Lee to get Halladay would make no sense

In an article by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, he says he has a hunch that the Phillies might include Cliff Lee in a multiple team deal to land Roy Halladay.

That makes no sense.

Rosenthal proposes that the Phillies trade Lee to get prospects and in turn, flip some of those prospects as well as some of their own to land Halladay.

I just don't see how this would help the Phillies.

They would be in the same spot they are now - with two aces (including Cole Hamels). Lee and Hamels or Halladay and Hamels.

Yes, the Phillies might prefer Halladay over Lee, and I believe they do. Halladay was their top option at the trade deadline last year.

But Lee pitched brilliantly for the Phils, especially in the playoffs. Halladay really could not have done much better.

In Halladay, they might have a pitcher who is a little better, but there really is not a huge tradeoff in having one over the other.

If the Phillies were to have both Lee and Halladay this year, they sure would be tough to beat.

Sure, they would not be able to extend both pitchers to contract extensions (both will be free agents after the season), but having one year of both and then just extending one would be the best way to go.

Trading for Halladay a must for Phils

There is one way the Phillies can claim their honor back as world champs.

His name is Roy Halladay.

Imagine facing a starting rotation in the playoffs that consists of 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels as the number three guy. Oh yeah, the Phillies would have two other aces in front of him in Halladay and Cliff Lee, who they traded for at the trade deadline last season.

Nothing is guaranteed but that is about as close as you can get.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro has refused to talk about any deal involving Halladay, but why would he? Many reports have the Phillies and Angels as favorites to land the Blue Jays ace.

The Phillies need to make this happen.

Without Halladay, the Phillies would likely have a chance to repeat for the third straight year as NL champs. But I'm not so certain they could beat the Yankees in a World Series. The Yanks were clearly the better team last season, and they have already improved their team, adding outfielder Curtis Granderson.

Halladay would not only change the landscape of the National League, but also the whole league.

Already considered powerhouses in the NL, the Phillies would become immediate favorites to win the World Series.

Only a couple of years remain with the Phillies current homegrown nucleus in tact. The window is wide open to bring another championship to Philadelphia.

I understand the need to retain prospects and think long term. I'm not suggesting the Phillies trade away the whole farm. Luckily for them, the asking price will have to come down from last year, as Halladay will only affect one playoff run instead of two.

A package that consists of JA Happ, Michael Tayor or Domonic Brown, and another prospect or two would hopefully get a deal done. The big sticking point may be that the Jays are asking for stud pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, who the Phillies are unlikely to give up.

Then there is the question of money. The Phillies payroll is already going to be pushing $140 million. The Phils would have to shed payroll.

Amaro has been tight on money with his off season additions so far. Reports are saying that Joe Blanton and his $7 million are on the trading block. Good, get rid of him.

If the Phils were to lose Happ and Blanton in a trade, they would likely need to add another arm to the bottom of the rotation. They have been talking to veteran John Smoltz. He would be a perfect fit for the back end.

So, you want another parade down Broad Street? Here's how you can almost guarantee that - trade for Halladay.

Lee, Hamels, Happ, Blanton, and Jamie Moyer/Kyle Kendrick or Halladay, Lee, Hamels, etc.

Which would you prefer?

That is what I thought.

Flyers fire Stevens, captain change should be next

Flyers coach John Stevens took the fall today for something that is not completely his fault.

Stevens was fired by the Flyers after being named coach in October 2006.

Despite advancing to the Eastern Conference finals two years ago, the Flyers ups and downs over the past couple of years have been both confusing and absolutely maddening.

The Flyers have lost six out of their last seven to fall to 10th place in the Eastern Conference (13-11-1). This streak came on the heels of winning seven of eight.

The inconsistency of this team has been far too common. Stevens has been through two 10-game losing streaks in his time here.

Coaches often are the first to go when a team consistently struggles. And yes, Stevens is part to blame. This is his team and they are not winning.

But a coach can only do so much and the struggles of this team are on the players.

The team needs to look no further than the players, all starting with captain Mike Richards.

Richards is an excellent player, but it is often mentioned that he is still learning how to be a captain. This is understandable. He is a young guy who basically had the captaincy forced on his a couple of years ago.

Along with making a change in coaches, it's also time to make a change in the player leadership.

And the man who fits the bill perfectly is here - Chris Pronger.

In an article on csnphilly.com on December 1, Pronger talked about not wanting to step on Richards toes.

Who cares about stepping on toes? The Flyers need better leadership.

Just take a look at some of the things Pronger said.

According to the article, Pronger told CSNPhilly.com that Richards has not asked for his help and that he is wary of stepping on Richards’ toes and that he is walking a tightrope in the dressing room right now.

He went on to say "[Richards] hasn't come to me [to] ask me anything, and it's delicate because at the end of the day, it's his team." "He's the captain. He needs to show the rest of the players that it is his team. I don't want to be the guy that has to stand up every day and tell ourselves to look into the mirror and play better and all this stuff."

After a 1-0 loss to Atlanta, Pronger said, "How could we have won that game in Atlanta? Could it have been that [3-minute] power play? Absolutely! Could it have been not to take that bleeping penalty-and go down 5-on-3? Absolutely! How about scoring some goals 5-on-5? We need to make it [bleeping] happen on Thursday. It needs to [bleeping] happen now, so we can get over that hump and get this ship headed into the right direction."

Now that's the leadership I want to see and that's the leadership the Flyers need. Someone has got to step up, get is guys faces, and get things turned around.

Pronger is perfect for that.

Maybe Richards will be a great captain some day, but right now, the Flyers need a change - someone who will not let the team get in these long funks.

It's time for more than a coaching change. It's time for Pronger to take this team on his shoulders and show Richards how to be a captain who leads.

[Update: The Flyers will announce that Peter Laviolette, who coached Carolina to a Stanley Cup, will be named the new coach.]

Polanco not much of an upgrade

While Placido Polanco adds a different look to the Phillies lineup, I'm not so sure it is much of an upgrade over Pedro Feliz.

Positives:
- Won a gold glove last year, albeit at second base
- Contact hitter in a lineup that strikes out way too much. Over his career, Polanco strikes out only once every 15.39 at-bats. That is second best among active players.
- Career .303 hitter, while Feliz is a career .254 hitter

Negatives:
- Polanco's batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage have declined over the past three years. He's gone from hitting .341 to .307 to .285
- 34 years old and the Phillies will be stuck with his contract for three years.
- Has not played third base since 2005. Feliz is better defensively at third

Overall, there really was not much out there for the Phillies. Chone Figgins was the best free agent option but the Phillies did not have the money to pay him. Mark DeRosa's name was thrown out there, but he is more of a super utility man. There was also Adrian Beltre, who is a few years younger than Polanco. However, Beltre strikes out a lot more.

In the end, Polonco is comparable to Feliz. They lose a little in defense, but gain a little in offense.

I can't say I'm excited about this move as it does not put the Phillies on the same level with the Yankees.

Celek's attitude a breath of fresh air

I am sick and tired of football players complaining about being underpaid.

All too often a guy signs a long term extension and then in a few years whines about being underpaid.

It's ridiculous.

Sure, the player possibly gives up more money in the future by signing a deal now. But they also guarantee themselves and their family a financially secure life in a sport where your career can end at any point and time due to injury.

That is why I felt so refreshed to hear Brent Celek's comments today after signing a six year extension with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I'll tell you right now that I'm set and I'm happy with my deal," Celek said. "I can promise you that I won't be up here complaining about my deal. They put a trust in me by signing me early and have given me financial security for the rest of my life, so I owe it to them to play out my deal and that is personally how I feel and that is how I'll go about my business."

Wow. What a breath of fresh air.