Growing Sentiment

Westbrook is the latest Eagle to speak up about lack of weapons



Westbrook is now the latest Eagle to jump on board with McNabb in regards to speaking up to the front office about getting playmakers.

Whereas a crazy person would be a few cards shy of a full deck, the Eagles are a few weapons shy of an arsenal.

And, considering that Westbrook and McNabb are the two leaders of this team, it would stand to reason that the sentiment is growing throughout the team. Sure, Shelden Brown recently said McNabb went about it the wrong way, but it's clear as day Banner, Reid, and Heckert have to deliver.

"I think having more weapons on your team takes pressure off of everybody," said Westbrook.

And, when Westbrook was on Howard Eskin's show yesterday he said he would not hold out, despite clearly being underpaid.

To quote Bill Parcells from the Coors Light commercial, "That's a good thing, not a bad thing, but a good thing."



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Flip Flopping

Michael Irvin is officially out of his mind. On Comcast the other day when he was asked about McNabb pining for more playmakers, and he said Donovan shouldn't have gone about it that way.

Then, turn to yesterday on Howard Eskin's show live from Glendale, Arizona and Irvin said he absolutely did the right thing.

Huh?

It was like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde with Irvin. In the span of 48 hours he made two contradictory statements!

Was he hitting the crack pipe the other day? He must have because his voice sounded slurred too.



This all but cements the fact that Irvin's opinion is worth about as much as a dirty syringe left in an alley.

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Sixers set record last night

The Sixers last night set a record for the highest point margin in a win in the Wachovia Center with a 43-point win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Nevermind that they played without their best player Michael Redd and were on the road and playing a back-to-back game.

The Sixers deserve to commended for this monstrous victory. Now, they gotta get back to tanking, because nobody gives a damn if they say they're two games out of the playoff race. That means jack (expletive deleted)!

Mets Acquire Santana

Mets acquire coveted pitcher; have 72 hours to work out deal



Ok, now you've heard that the Mets have acquired Johan Santana via trade, unless you've been asleep for the past day or in a cabin in the woods.

It's bad enough that he makes the Mets an instant World Series contender, and the favorite to win the NL East now, but it was worse to see they gave up slop to get him.

Carlos Gomez?

Phillip Humber?

Are you friggin' kidding me? The Phillies could have given up Carlos Carrasco (a top 25 prospect and better than anybody the Mets gave up) and some slop in the minors and it would have been better than the (expletive deleted) the Mets gave up.

The Phillies should have at least attempted to get into the Santana race. Having seen what the Mets gave up (a decent outfield prospect in Gomez and 3 2nd rate pitchers) makes me bitter.

And, I hate the Twins forever for giving Santana away to the Mets.

Maybe if a legitmate owner was in place, instead of a bumbling, petty fool in Montgomery as the president and a trumped up "limited partnership", the Phillies would have engaged the Mets in talks.

But, this ownership has a propensity for cheaping it out on pitching. They don't like to commit more than 3 years on any pitchers. What the hell are they going to do when Hamels wants an extension?

We as Phillies fans should start protesting outside the home of David Montgomery. Forget boycotting the games. That won't happen.

It would be another thing to literally run Montgomery's ass out of town and force them to sell.

Now, we have to "hope" for the Phillies to "fill out" the rotation by getting somebody like Livian Hernadez or Kyle Lohse.

Meanwhile, the Mets are the team to beat in the NL.

And, the carpetbagger from Penn, David Montgomery is laughing all the way to the bank again.

All we can hope for is the Mets somehow can't work out a contract with Santana in the next 3 days.

Yeah, that might happen! And, frogs will rain from the sky too!

Phils make a move

Phillies sign third baseman Pedro Feliz to two-year deal



The Phillies yesterday agreed on a two-year contract with former Giants third baseman Pedro Feliz for $8.5 million over 2 years.

I said before that I was against the Phillies signing him. His bat is poor; he has a career on base percentage of .288, which ranks among the worst OBP's in history.

Defensively, he's a huge upgrade over Helms and Dobbs. Think Abe Nunez with a better bat. In fact, he was ranked #1 among all third basemen on defense in the "Fielding Bible", which is many baseball people respect.

It's a decent move for the Phillies, but only by default. Anybody is better than Wes Helms. Now, you have a starter at the position and Dobbs can be utilized at third and in the outfield in a reserve role, thereby making better use of his skills.

I'll offer up a caveat though. When is the last time the Phillies have signed a free agent in the offseason and we can say that was a good signing? Think about it.

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Pay Up!

T.O. ordered by arbitrator to pay Eagles nearly $800,000



Remember back when T.O. was banished from the team and they took things a step further and wanted to take his money back...well their money back.

Well, an arbitrator ruled that T.O. must pay the Eagles back nearly 800 G's-to the tune of $769,120.

The grievance was originally filed by the NFL players' union on Owens' behalf nearly two years ago and just now the ruling has come in.

So, T.O. will have to ante up nearly $800 grand to his former team.

That will be enough to make him cry.

Uh Oh!

Latest report has Santana possibly going to Mets within 10 days



According to Newsday, there are reports out of Minnesota (note not some rumor rag in New York) that the two-time Cy Young winner is expected to be moved to the Mets within the next 10 days.

Sure, there have been other cases when a superstar (see Alex Rodriguez going to Boston in 2004) was all but headed to a team only to see the trade fall apart.

However, it's ominous news for the Phillies because it will swing the balance of power in the NL East greatly in the Mets' favor as it gives them the most dominant starting pitcher of this generation.

The Mets have the ammo in the farm system to pull such a move off. They have top notch prospects like infielder Fernando Martinez, pitchers Kevin Mulvey, Phil Humber, and Mike Pelfrey, and outfielder Carlos Gomez.

It's unlikely the Mets will be able to acquiesce Santana and give him the $200 million deal he's seeking. The Angels were in discussions with them, but backed off.

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Sixers guard Louis Williams lands a radio show on 100.3 The Beat



76ers up and comer, Lou Williams will start a weekly radio show beginning on February 10th.

It will air on Sundays from noon to 4 on 100.3 The Beat. And, the youngster will have full creative control over his show.

He said the main goal is promote himself, his teammates, and the Sixers' organization. Hopefully, this will get more butts in the seats at The Wach, according to Williams.

Lots of luck on that this year, but it will be interested to see how he makes out with his side gig. Just imagine if A.I. would've had a gig on radio! Then again, he might be better off on XM uncensored. I'd pay to hear that!

Weekly Wrap-Up

Al Swearengen would make both sides work out Howard's contract issues



Been a slow news week this week in Philly. The big item dominating the headlines has been the Phillies' reluctance to give Howard a long-term contract. In fact, they're hesitating to give him $10 million this year. And, both sides are set to face on February 20th for an arbitration hearing.

Ryan Howard is currently on his third agent. It's clear that his parents are having a major influence on him, much like Eric Lindros' parents had on him.

And, we know how that story ended. It was uglier than Calamity Jane in "Deadwood."

So, part of the fun with the weekly wrap-up is we get to imagine if some of my favorite characters from TV or the movies get to be involved in sports.

And, what if Al Swearengen were Ryan Howard's agent? He certainly wouldn't (bleep) things up for Howard.

Dave Montgomery: We understand your position Al, but we don't see why we have to sign Ryan now, when he won't become a free agent until 2011. We don't need another Burrell situation.

Al: You're going to compare Howard to Burrell? That's like comparing that slimy, little, worthless c***sucker E.B Farnum to Bill Clinton. There is no comparison. Did Burrell win rookie of the year? Did he follow it up with an MVP season and 58 f***ing homeruns? Did he follow that up with 40-some more homeruns? F*** no!

Dave Montgomery: No, but he....

Al: (in a child's voice) No, but he what? But, he put a f*** load of asses in your seats at that bandbox you fools reap the benefits from. You c***suckers have a license to print money with that stadium. You never lose money because you have a f***ing budgets, as if such a f***ing thing should exist in the world of sports when you want to win a championship. Not with you though Montgomery.

Montgomery: I see your point Al. Ryan has provided the fans with a reason to go to the ballpark.

Al: A reason? He is THE reason to go down there. Tell him Ryan.

Ryan Howard: I put a lot of asses into the seats David.

Al: I'll tell you what Montgomery, if you don't give Ryan a 7-year deal in the $120 million neighborhood, and don't give us that Pujols contract bulls**t either, because that was a few years ago, and market forces change. So, if you don't give us this modest increase over Pujols' numbers, we'll walk you blundering, f***Ing fool.

A long pause.

Al: So, what's it gonna be? You gonna start the s**t storm by nickeling and diming us and taking it to the arbitration hearing only to lose. And, then we'll f***ing walk after 2001. Or, are you gonna unglue that wallet from your fat ass and make good?

Another long pause.

Montgomery: You win Al. You win. We'll draw up the contract and have it out to you this afternoon.

Al: My kind of man. Now, lets spit in our hands and shake on it.

Everybody spits in their hands and they shake hands and the deal is consummated.

And, "The Rhino" remains a Philly for seven more years.

Tanking It

Sixers fall to Pistons 86-78, on "Phillies Night"

Last night it was deemed "Phillies Night" at the Wach, but it turned into the Pistons' night.



The 16-27 Sixers feel to 8-13 at home and they are now 7th in the lottery and the third-worst team in the Eastern Conference.

You won't hear me bitching about that! The Blazers and Sonics were the 5th and 6th worst teams in the league and we see what they ended up with. Portland had the #1 pick and Seattle won the #2 pick.

I think it's safe to say the Sixers are doing the right thing and going into "tank mode" since the Korver trade.

Keep tanking them (expletive deleted) games fellas!

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Brett Myers is cool with the move



Brett Myers said he's down with returning back in the Phillies' rotation.

Although my buddy Mark thinks it's a mistake, I love the move. He he feels "Mr. 5 and 2/3" (his nickname for Myers) is way too inconsistent.

Well, I beg to differ. Myers has been quite dominant as a starter before. Need evidence?

Check out his numbers after he returned from the suspension in 2006. He went 7-4 down the stretch with 11 quality starts! Aside from a mini-slump in August he was pitching at an "ace level."

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Larry Brown talks about A.I., coaching again, Mo Cheeks



In the latest issue of Philadelphia magazine, former Sixers coach Larry Brown came clean about the Iverson era and why he'll never coach the Sixers again.

His main issue with Iverson was doing the right thing and how it used to drive him nuts.

He also admitted he won't return as coach of the Sixers, because he could never stab Mo Cheeks in the back.

Future Plans

The braintrust down in South Philly proposes future plans for the Sports Complex



Marcus Hayes compares the future plans for where the Spectrum now sits to Inner Harbor and Atlantic City.

Ed Snider and company are thinking big.

The proposed complex would include a health club, a movie theater, retail shops, bars, clubs and restaurants.

The estimated price of this project is deemed "a lot" by developer David S. Cordish, who is partnering with Comcast on the project.

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Flyers get whooped again by the Devils

Even though the Flyers were playing arguably their best hockey of the season and facing the Devils at home, they came up completely empty against them.

The result was a 7-3 ass kicking last night.

Can we say now that the Devils are simply just a better team? The Devils are now 15-1-1 in their past 17 meetings against the Flyers.

Yeah...they have their number alright.

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The Media is beating the drums

Bob Ford stated today that the Eagles are close to the Super Bowl.

He uses the Packers as a model for a team that the Eagles are close to.



I'd be willing to bet this is spin coming straight from the front office. In his article, Ford said "with some help" at about five different positions they'd be back as a contender. That's a little bit more than "close" in my humble opinion.

Free agency is just over a month away. And, don't expect a rookie to contribute. The Eagles' M.O. is to reshirt their rookies in recent years. All of their top picks have sat the majority of their rookie seasons with excpetion to Reggie Brown and Shawn Andrews (but he got hurt in the first game of the 2004 season).

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Finally, a very funny photo submitted to me by a reader.

Kudos to whoever came up with this gem!

Open Minded

Andy Reid said he's open to the idea of adding difference makers



If there's one thing we've learned over the years, it's not to believe anything the Eagles front office says before free agency begins.

Back in 2004, they said they were ok with their receivers, and of course they went out and traded for T.O.

This time around however, Andy Reid has softened his stance and said he's open to the idea of the team adding playmakers.

Word has it that he and McNabb had a good old fashioned sit-down this past weekend, where they compared notes on who they think this team needs to bring in.

Even Banner, Reid, and company have to realize that this team is just a hair off. Hell, a blind man could see this team had plenty of holes.

Sure, they could have gone 10-6 and had things go their way and they could be in the same position as the Giants (as I stated yesterday), but the fact is they were 8-8 and in order to compete with the big boys they need to deliver in this offseason.

The wildcard in all of this is teams locking up their own players either to long-term extensions or tagging them with the "franchise tag" before the enter the open market.

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Howard getting lowballed

The Phillies need to buck up and lock Howard up to an extension before he gets pissed and walks when he's eligible to become a free agent.

He can't be too happy with them low-balling him last year for $900,000. And, now they offered him $7 million while he countered with $10.

Both parties are set to go to arbitration. And, Howard will get that number.

Albert Pujols' 7-year $100 million contract would be a barometer for Howard's camp to go by. And, that would be a bargain considering how the Cubs overpaid Soriano for $130 million over 8 years.

Really?

Giants pull off the shocker and defeat the Packers and are now in the Super Bowl



No, it wasn't a nightmare. The Giants are going to the Super Bowl.

Watching this game made me angrier and angrier as the game went on.

Not once did I think the Giants would actually win this game...until the end of the 4th quarter. It seemed like the Packers just weren't on their game. They, like the Dallas Cowboys the previous week didn't bring it against the Giants.

And, then the Giants missed a field goal at the end.

"Thank God", I said in my text to my friend after Tynes missed that field goal. And, then Favre choked in overtime and the rest is history.

I was shocked and angered. Angered because the Eagles are a better team than the Giants. And, had they not given away 3 games, they would be in the Super Bowl.

Of course, they would probably get shellacked by the Patriots, because I don't see anybody beating them at this point. They are on a mission and as dominant a team I've ever seen. Say what you want about them "almost" losing three games. They are undefeated.

And, the Giants don't have a snowball's chance in hell. All of America, except for fans in Boston, displaced Patriots fans, and the front-runners who became Patriots fans in the past 5 years (who cares about them anyway) were rooting for Favre.

And, we Eagles fans have been kicked in the balls again. SheLI Manning is in the Super Bowl.

I'll be rooting for the Patriots too. The last thing I want is for the rival Giants fans to remind us again about how many rings they have. It's not an easy decision. Hell, it's akin to choosing between having to make out with your mom or your sister.

The next two weeks will be hell because the bottom feeders at ESPN will be jamming Eli Manning down our throats and trying to convince what a great quarterback he is and how he deserves a lot of credit for the Giants getting to the Super Bowl.

Anybody with a lick of football knowledge knows that's a load of (expletive deleted).

Weekly Wrap-Up

What if Tony Soprano were managing TO and advising Jerry Jones?



It's that time again. Not only is Friday the end of the week, payday for many of you, party-time for many of us including yours truly, and of course time for the weekly wrap-up.

Aside from TO's crying game on Sunday, we saw major league baseball make an asinine decision to extend Bud Selig for three years, Bobby Fischer kicked the bucket today, the Phillies re-signed a couple of their players for one-year deals, and the Cowboys in effect made Wade Phillips a lame duck coach.

Shall we begin?

We can analyze the TO press conference in many ways. Was it genuine, or was it just another example of TO pulling a stunt to get attention? I'd be inclined to believe the latter is the case.

So, what would Tony Soprano say to TO, if he were TO's manager? Just picture Tony chiding him as if he were his son A.J. after getting busted for snorting max alerts in the back of a classroom.

Tony: So, I see you were on TV again and pulling some more s**t. What's the matter with you?

Tony smacks TO in the side of the head.

TO: Ouch. Tony, don't do that. I'm sorry man, but I wanted to express my feelings about Tony.

Tony: Listen, you f***ing pussy, you make several million dollars and lost a game. It's not the end of the world. Getting whacked is the end of the world. So what? They're ragging on him. Look at him. He's a cookaloo and hanging out with that broad Jessica and trying to get attention-just like you. You were a disgrace. A total embarrassment. Why didn't you just wear a bras under you're f***ing suit and pull off the suit to show off a bras.

TO: I don't appreciate you talking to me like this.

Tony: What did you say?

Tony gets up and gets in his face.

TO: Look-I'm sorry. Next time I'll try not to do that.

Tony: Repeat after me. "I Terrell Owens, promise not to act like a pansy any longer, and will never again."

TO: I-

Tony: I Terrell

TO: I Terrell Owens, promise not to act like a-

Tony: pansy any longer

TO: a pansie any longer, and will never again.

Tony: Good. Now, get the f**k outta here and act like a man. You make my son look like Chuck Norris, you half a f***ing f*g.

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What about the lame duck coach of the Cowboys?

And, what if Tony were advising the owner of the rival Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones? As you may have heard the Cowboys just inked offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to a $3 million a year contract, making him the highest paid assistant coach in the NFL. This will all but make Wade Phillips a dead man walking in Dallas.

Tony: What are you trying to do make the Eagles get a leg up on you? You extend this little pipsqueak Jason Garrett to a big contract and treat him like he's the greatest thing since Holsten's onion rings.

Jerry: Well, Tony I need to sure up my coaching staff for the future and ensure we pull him off the market. I know that Wade can't get the job done and it's only a matter of time.

Tony: So, why not just get rid of him. Look, I'll fire him myself. He can't win a playoff game to save his f***ing life. All you're doing is creating a distraction for your team.

Jerry: Well, that may be true.

Tony: It is true! Your team is gonna fail in this situation next year and you'll let the godd**n Eagles get back on top!

Jerry: Don't worry Tony. I'm not concerned about them. They don't ever make any big splashes in the offseason.

Tony: Yeah, that may be true, but I don't like this s**t one bit. You go down there and fire Wade Phillips right now. If you don't, I'll whack him myself. He's a f***ing dead man walking anyway.

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And, imagine if Tony were deriding the MLB owners for extending Bud Selig for 3 years. Picture Tony bringing them all together for a meeting at a downtown hotel in New York City and speaking to the room.

I'll leave that up for your imagination.

No Ocho Cinco

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis says wide receiver won't be traded



Eagles fans, No Ocho Cinco for you!

Instead of "the soup nazi" being the bearer of bad news, it's Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who said Johnson will not be traded.



Of course, we've heard that line before from coaches only to see a player moved. Hell, the Eagles said they were fine with their wide receivers after they took a dump in the 2004 NFC Championship, and of course they went and traded for TO.

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The Cole Train is headed to Hawaii

The biggest snub in the NFC, defensive end Trent Cole will now go to the Pro Bowl. He will replace Patrick Kerney who got injured.

Cole, should have been selected to begin with. Osi Umenyiori had 12 sacks, but 6 of them came against Winston Justice in that debacle of a game.

Cole, gives the Eagles a total of three pro bowlers. He joins Westbrook and Shawn Andrews.

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Arbitration Time for Phillies

Four Phillies have filed for salary arbitration. Ryan Howard, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, and Eric Bruntlett. Howard stands to make $7 million, while Lidge is in the final year of his "arbitration years" so he'll become a free agent after this season.

Ryan Howard still has 3 years to go before he becomes a free agent so we needn't worry about him for a while.

However, what's interesting is that Lidge will become a free agent after this season. So, will the Phillies cheap it out if he has a great year? Will they Tom Gordon us again and go out for a bargain basement option when their #1 option becomes a free agent?

You can be assured that if Lidge has an amazing season and commands over $10 million on the open market next year that the Phillies won't resign him. However, if he stinks it's all a moot point.

Just some food for thought.

Celebration Time

Sixers win first game in 2008



Let the fireworks begin! The Sixers have won in 2008!

We're halfway through the first month of the year and they finally notched their first W; a 111-107 victory over Houston, in Houston!

Whoa baby. And, they did everything they could to win this one by scoring 37 points in the 4th period.

Ok-it's nice to get a win once in a while. Now, get back to the real task at hand and tank this season!

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Phillie Phanatic is Number One



A marketing research company has determined that the Phillie Phanatic is the best mascot in pro sports.

It's all about brand identity baby.

Rounding out the top 10 are:
2. The San Diego Chicken (originally San Diego Padres),

3. Mr. Met (New York Mets)

4.The Racing Sausages (Milwaukee Brewers)

5. Benny the Bull (Chicago Bulls)

6. the Rally Monkey (Los Angeles Angels)

7. Sourdough Sam (San Francisco 49ers)

8. Rowdy (Dallas Cowboys),

9. Rally (Atlanta Braves)

10. Miles (Denver Broncos).

Media Circus

On the sad state of affairs in sports

So, TO does a Chris Crocker impression by telling everybody to leave Tony Romo alone.



And, don't think for a second it wasn't calculated. The dude aint right. He loves the attention and this latest episode has America talking about him.

Meanwhile, the sodomites at ESPN must be pissed that the Cowboys got bounced from the playoffs. They couldn't wait to tell us the latest Tony Romo news and were geared up to talk about this tabloid quarterback as if he were the next Brett Favre had they faced off in the NFC Championship.

What a crying shame though. The bottom feeding sports network that is a glorified propaganda machine for big market teams is now resorted to focusing on shoving the Patriots down our collective throats.

Turn on ESPN and you can't go 5 minutes without some sort of content about the Patriots or what Tony Romo is up to. Hell, they probably would've updated us when he would eat dinner or take a dump had the Cowboys made it to the Super Bowl. They gotta fill that time somehow.

TO's "crying game" is a microcosm of the state of sports and entertainment today; it's a sad state. Gone are the days when players like Butkus, Bednarik, Nitschke, and Unitus went about their jobs much like a blue collar worker goes about his.



Many athletes have been reduced to media magnets and entertainment props. And, the bottom feeders at ESPN, who masquerade as journalists can't wait to tell us what their props are doing next.



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And, in other news the Sixers have lost again.

Make it 7 straight!

They have now lost 20 of their last 21 games in San Antonio.

It's Not Fair

In case you haven't heard, TO has lost it again. Yep-he was crying during his press conference because the ole media wouldn't leave poor little Tony alone.

Yep-the same media, which has made him a superstar has now reduced him to a scapegoat. I wonder what TO was saying when ESPN was hyping him up and shoving him down the throats of non-Cowboys fans on a daily basis.

In case you haven't seen the video; here's the link.

Choke Job

Cowboys go another year without a playoff win with loss to Giants



It's now been 12 years since the Cowboys won a playoff game. And, Wade Phillips is still winless in the playoffs as a head coach.

So much for the so-called offensive juggernaut and ball-hawking defense. They were bounced by a mediocre Giants team, who aren't much better than the Eagles.

But, it's not how you do in the regular season; it's how you step up in do or die time in January.

And, it's not as if the Cowboys looked unusually bad or weak or lethargic. They haven't been a good team since November!

They went 2-2 down the stretch, including hideous losses to the Eagles and Redskins, and averaged just 15 points a game over the final stanza of the season. And, Tony Romo had just 3 TD's over that span.

The Cowboys also made history today, by becoming the first #1 seed in the NFC to ever lose in their first playoff game.

Imagine that, SheLi Manning has now moved on to the NFC Championship. I'm looking into my crystal ball and I see a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI between the Packers and Patriots, with the Packers prevailing. How cool would that be to see Favre leave on top like John Elway?




So much for the over rated Tony Romo. ESPN's latest hype creation has failed to deliver once again.

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Ruben Amaro Jr. does an online chat session with the fans




Amaro answered questions on everything from their platoon situation in the outfield to addressing the hole at third base and what player they might bring in.

He can't of course talk about players who are currently under contract with other teams, but one interesting thing I derived from his session was that they are in talks with Kyle Lohse's agent, the devil...uh hmm, I mean Scott Boras.

Lohse is still un-signed and it's not because he's a bad pitcher. Oh, quite the contrary, he did a very nice job for the Fightins down the stretch, but his agent is an ass and tries to get way more for his players than they're worth.

Even still, if the Phils can get Lohse in the red and white pins come March, I would say this has been a successful offseason at least in terms of improving their pitching staff.

Their staff would consist of:

Hamels
Myers
Kendrick
Lohse
Moyer

That staff would be as good as any staff in the NL not named the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The latest news is that Boras is lowering the contract demands from a 4-year deal and the Phils would like to ink him to a 3-year deal. Lohse went 3-0 with a 4.72 ERA in 11 starts with the Phillies.

Weekly Wrap-Up

A lot in the news this week. Everything from McNabb finally speaking up in public to the front office, to Roger Clemens' bizarre press conference, to the fraudulent Ohio State team getting blown out by LSU, to Bobby Clarke defending thuggery. The perfect guy to handle the wrap-up is the character Joe Cabot from Reservoir Dogs.



Who can forget Lawrence Tierney's portrayal of "The Boss" from this classic movie, which happened to be Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut in 1992.

Let's see how Joe Cabot would handle the Eagles' situation if he were in Lurie's shoes.

Banner: I think McNabb is getting a little out of hand by questioning us Joe. I think it's time to trade him.

Cabot: We aint trading nobody. This aint a goddamn f***ing city council meeting.

Banner: Well, I do think he should be reprimanded at least.

Cabot: Not gonna happen. Mr. Green is staying in Eagles green. And, for now on you're Mr. Pink.

Banner: Why do I have to be Mr. Pink? Why not Mr. Black, since I save a lot of money?

Cabot: Somebody else is Mr. Black, you're Mr. Pink.

Banner: Why?

Cabot: Because you're a faggot alright! You're Mr. Pink.

***Roger Clemens' bizarre press conference****

Let's imagine if Cabot were the head of Clemens' legal team. You gotta like the charm Clemens' lawyer showed at the press conference, but nobody can compete with Cabot.

Clemens: Joe, I think I'm up s**t's creek without a paddle. Nobody is gonna buy that 19-minute tape. We really don't have proof that he's lying.

Cabot: Are you kidding me? The little c**ksucker obviously sung to the feds and made the story up to save his ass. He was going to jail if he didn't give up a big name and that's you. And, if he gets caught for lying, which he will, he's going to the joint.

Clemens: But, we don't have proof!

Cabot: You don't need proof when you got instinct!

Clemens: Tell that to a court of law.

Cabot: F**k the law. We're gonna pay those c**ksuckers off and this will be water under the damn.

Clemens: My legacy is hanging in the balance Joe.

Cabot: Calm down. We're gonna pay them off, you can take a trip, and we'll keep these media and congress f***s off your tail. Relax. Now, let's get to work.

****Bobby Clarke's defense of goonery****

Cabot: What a way to tell these pussies Bobby. I'm sick of them trying to f**k up hockey by making it PG-13. That's like putting black bars over a broads knockers and carpet in a porno flick.

Bobby: I love the way you talk.

Cabot: Good man Bobby.

***The Phillies still doing nothing***

Now, lets fantasize that Joe Cabot is one of the Phillies owners and prodding Dave Montgomery. Ah, we can dream can't we.

Dave Montgomery: Joe, I know you want to speak up, but the bottom line is they put me place to make the decisions and you guys are silent partners.

Cabot: Silent my ass. If you don't start making some moves Montgomery, you'll be floating in the f***ing Schkuykill with the f***Ing muskies you rat bastard.

Montgomery is stupified.

Cabot: What? You got nothing to say to that. I think I might just call you Mr. Pink.

Montgomery: But, I thought that was Banner's name.

Cabot: No, it's yours now. You're Mr. Pink. You proved it time and again for the last 23 f***ing years. And, that's a long time buddy boy. I'm so pissed off at you I can hardly think. Get your ass out of my site until you pull that wallet out of your pockets and spend some money and get a real f***ing third baseman and a real f***ing starter in here.

Montgomery: Yes sir.

Cabot snorts and looks at Montgomery in disgust.

That's all for this week folks!

And, in other news Steve Odabashian, also known as the Andy Reid impersonator, got some ink. You might know him from the Eagles pregame shows on Channel 3 with CBS' Bob Kelly.

In case you don't know, Steve is a hell of a piano player. He's also a former attorney, stock broker, and many other things. He's a hell of a talented guy needless to say.

Here is the link to the article in Today's Metro.

Steve plays piano every Friday from 5:00 to 8:30 PM at Cascamorto on 1939 Arch St. in Philly. And, he doesn't play any piano. He plays anything from Biz Markie to heavy metal and rock.

Congrats on the ink Steve!

Back to Earth?

Sixers lose 5th straight game and are still winless in '08



For a second, just a split second basketball started to get a little interesting around here for the Sixers.

And, then they lost 5 straight. They went from the penthouse to the shithouse in the span of two weeks.

Now, they're coming back to Earth. This doesn't signify a trend. It is what this team is. They were supposed to be a 30-win team heading into the season. They got lucky early on and were close to .500 and now that they're playing quality teams they're back to where they should be.

And, I couldn't be happier for this franchise. I hope they lose over 50 games this year and get an elite pick. Which is what they should've done last year.

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Bobby Clarke Loves "The Punch"

When asked about Steve Downie's latest fracas Bobby Clarke said, "I loved it."

If you haven't heard, Downey sucker punched Jason Blake, while being restrained by the refs.

Many have said it's low rent and a dastardly act, but Bobby Clarke said he deserved it for calling out Downie before the game by saying he deserved to be suspended for life.

This is in sharp contrast to GM Paul Holmgren, who condemned the punch by Downey.

Ah...another case of good cop, bad cop.



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B West an All-Pro



Route B West 36 has stopped at a new territory. And, that's called the First Team All-Pro team. He's the first Eagles back since Montgomery to receive the honor.

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Chris Bosh Brings the Funny to get votes

Sixer killer Chris Bosh, who has stung them many times over the past few years and in consecutive nights this week has a great ad campaign out.

He dressed up as a Cowboy in a suit in this video and wants YOUR vote for the All-Star campaign.



I gotta give him props for bringing the funny in this video. He hails from Texas and this is the style of commercials that they run on local TV down there (I'm assuming for car commercials).

You can vote for Chris Bosh on his website at www.chris-bosh.com.

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And, no news on the Phillies' front. They seem to have forgotten that they still have holes at third base, their starting rotation, and bullpen.

Help Wanted!

McNabb asks for playmakers on his blog



Donovan McNabb took the words out of all of our mouths in his latest blog by sending a message to the front office to get some help.

He opened up his blog by saying he hopes they "some playmakers in all three phases of the game." He pointed to the Patriots and how they were agressive in adding studs on offense and defense.

And, hurray for being realistic about 8-8. The front office is trying to convince us they're close by winning the last 3 games to end up with a lousy .500 record.

That's fool's gold and McNabb doesn't buy it and neither do we. Kudos to Donny Mac for speaking up.

I don't think that's being disrespectful to any of my teammates. It's certainly not my intention. I bet that anyone who wants to see the Eagles win – from Mr. Lurie, to the entire locker room, to every Eagles fan who bleeds green would agree.

Who says he's not a leader? This epitomizes what a true leader would do. And, that's speak up on behalf of his teammates and the great fans of this team.

Andy Reid needs to wake up from his slumber. He's become too complacent after 9 years. Their philosophy needs to change from the top on down, otherwise they'll never get over the hump.

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The Rhino gets his face on a video game



Ryan Howard was picked to be the face of Sony's video game "MLB 08 The Show."

He will supplant David Wright, who was on the cover of the '07 edition.

Ryan Howard has officially become a superstar.

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Sixers still winless in '08

The Sixers dropped another one last night to the Toronto Raptors 87-83 and fell to 14-21 on the year.

They STILL haven't won in 2008 and we're 8 days in.

They have a schedule coming up with just one sub-.500 team in the next two weeks.

Keep them losses coming and the ping pong balls increasing!

Flying The Coop?

Tom Heckert interview with Falcons

Tom Heckert flew to Atlanta, but isn't going to fly the coop just yet.

Word is that Tom Heckert has the Falcons' GM job if he wants it, according to sources within their team.

However, he wrapped up his interview yesterday without a job offer, because they are going to do more interviews and make a final decision this week.

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Downey gets off with a warning

Steve Downey is the Flyers' madman. He's to the Flyers what Tyson was to boxing.



Once again Steve Downey got into some hot water, in just his fourth NHL game!

Has anybody ever had such a wild beginning to their career in any sport?

"It's Steve's [fourth] NHL game. He's walking a fine line there, which is basically what he was told. My conversation with Steve was a little harsher than Colin Campbell's", said Flyers GM Paul Holmgren.

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Coming and Going

With Joffrey Lupol on the fritz for the forseeable future due to a neck contusion, Simon Gagne is set to return Thursday night.

He likely will wear a neck brace. "I am going to stay here and get two to three treatments; it's helping," Gagne said about not playing at Atlanta tonight. "By staying here, I'll be pretty much 100 percent on Thursday night."

AI's Revenge

AI scores 38 in second game against Sixers since the trade

Count me among the many people who said the Sixers had to trade AI last year. In fact, I was saying it for a few years. He's an incredible player; one of the 50 best players of all time, but it had run it's course.

It's amazing to see him still play the way he is, at such a high level. On post game live last night, Lance Crawford and Alvin Williams brought up some great points about him and it's really amazing when you think about how small he is and how he plays that he STILL hasn't broken down yet.

AI is like the Energizer bunny.



But, I still think the Sixers are better off having blown this team up and rebuilding.

Let's just hope good judgment prevails and they don't overpay the other AI when he becomes a free agent this summer.

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Giants set to play the Cowboys

Well, well, well. It seems like every team in the NFC East is enjoying some playoff action except the Eagles. Wait...every team has.

The Skins got bounced in Seattle, but the Cowboys and Giants are slated to duke it out on Sunday.

It's almost every Eagles' fans worst nightmare. Who do you root for?

It's like choosing between a root canal and having a catheter put in. Choosing between brain cancer and liver cancer. Choosing between banging your sister or your mom.

Ok, maybe not that bad, but it sucks to see division foes playing eachother in the playoffs. Doesn't happen often.

I hate to say it, but I'm going to root for She-Li Manning on Sunday.



And, ultimately I don't see the Cowboys making it anyway. Remember Wade Phillips hasn't one jack (expletive deleted) in the playoffs. He has zero, count 'em zero playoff wins. He is the poor man's Marty Schottenheimer in January.

Mark this one down. The Seahawks will play the Colts in the Super Bowl.

I've been wrong before though, many times, but I'll proudly admit it.

Your Eagles GM on Crack

Tom Heckert thinks no major changes are necessary

Starting this week, on Fridays I'll give you a special called the Weekly Wrap-Up. It is what it is, my funny take on the big topic or topics in weekly sports.

This week I'll focus on the Eagles' GM Tom Heckert.

This is your GM of the Philadelphia Eagles Tom Heckert.



This is your GM on crack.



Clearly, he's not right in the head judging from his interview with Rueben Frank.

Those of you who are fans of the show Deadwood, you'll see where I'm going with this. Tom Heckert's interview with Frank reminds me of the scene where Al was interrogating Jimmy the drug addict and complained of the "cat piss smell."



Reading this interview, you'd think the Eagles were in the playoffs. Hell, you'd think they went 13-3 and have a first round bye like the Packers and Cowboys. Heckert must be smoking the rock if he thinks this team isn't in need of changes. Even Howard Eskin think this team needs a lot of changes!

Heckert even had the guts to say Jevon Kearse is still a good player when healthy.

Just imagine if Al Swearengen were in the room with Heckert.



Al: So, this Kearse c***sucker, we're gonna get rid of him right?

Heckert: Well, no Al. I think he's still effective when healthy.

Al: You've gotta be s**ting me you little c***sucker. The smell of cat piss in this room is overwhelming.

Heckert: Well, I am a little nervous.

Al: Nervousness, doesn't cause that. Lying causes cat piss smell Heckert. Now, throw yourself off this balcony into that mud pit you little c***sucker and stay down there until I come down!

Angelo Cataldi said it right this morning (and I don't agree with him much). Heckert is nothing more than a glorified PR man for the Eagles.

He's set to interview with the Falcons on Sunday for their vacant GM position.

Don't let the door hit you in the ass if you leave Heckert.

And, lay off the crack too Tommy boy!



You'll be looking like this guy soon if you keep smoking that (expletive deleted).

Bad Numbers

Eagles' numbers from 2007 leave a lot to be desired



Interesting column in the Daily News today by Paul Domowitch.

He looks at a lot of ugly numbers from the Eagles. The one that is extremely glaring is McNabb's touchdown percentage on third downs; it was just .032. He was ahead of only Damon Huard, Vince Young, and Trent Edwards.

And, they gave up sacks on every 11.75 pass plays when McNabb was in there, while notching just 37 sacks.

They were brutal in many other categories. One that really sticks out to me is the number ZERO, as in number of touchdowns from special teams and defense.

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Korver Sinks Sixers

Barely traded a week ago, Kyle Korver got a chance to get back at his old team. He knocked down 5 of 6 free throws in the final seconds to ice the game.



Despite big games out of Iguodala (30 points), Andre Miller (25 points and 8 assists), and Dalembert (20 points, 10 boards, 3 blocks), the Sixers didn't have enough in the ole cannister to quiet the Jazz.

The result was a 110-107 loss on the road in the land of no alcohol.

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Phillies deal Roberson to Orioles

The Phillies traded bumbling outfielder Chris Roberson to the Orioles for cash.

It's hardly like the Red Sox selling the Bambino to the Yanks. It couldn't be further from that.

Roberson stinks worse than the Phillies' ownership. And, that's pretty bad.

New Years Resolutions

Eagles have many decisions to make heading into 2008 season



The season is only three days old, but already the Eagles are beginning work on the 2008 season.

The NFL has become a 12-month season. Aside from the drama off the field, the winter, spring, and summer have become a hot stove akin to baseball's offseason.

What will the Eagles' New Years Resolutions be? Who will get extended, traded, and who will they look to in free agency and the draft to improve the roster?

Word is Westbrook will get extended.

And, McNabb is only due a base salary in 2008. He has no guaranteed money and can be cut or get screwed if he gets hurt. His agent Fletcher Smith will surely look to rework that contract so McNabb has some security.

So, if Joe Banner wants to play hardball, perhaps that might cause the Eagles to trade him. And, that would still be a mistake in my humble opinion. There are 20 some teams with quarterback issues and the Eagles have a good one. Simple as that.

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An Imminent Retirement?

According to Comcast's Derrick Gunn the Eagles are "ready to replace another player who may not return in 2008."

Apparently, it's somebody important and the decision by the player will be imminent.

Could it be Runyan? Or, Tre Thomas? Or, Brian Dawkins?

Jon Runyan does his weekly show with Anthony Gargano tonight on WIP, so it could be interesting to hear.

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Most room in the NBA?

Imagine, that the Sixers might be the team with the most cap room in the NBA this summer.

As is stands right now, they will be $10 million under. This is hardly enough to sign Gilbert Arenas (who will command the max salary around $20 million annually) but it could aid them in making a deal to land a superstar.

With that said, GM Ed Stefanski is in no rush to move Andre Miller.

I think this is posturing on his part though. Why would he want to take the first offer that comes? They have a valuable commodity in Miller who could put a contender over the top.