Trade Deadline Came and Went

The Phillies made no moves on the day of the non-waiver trade deadline.

The biggest move of the day was a three team deal including the Red Sox, Dodgers and Pirates.

The Dodgers received Manny Ramirez, the Red Sox got Jason Bay and the Pirates received Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen from the Red Sox and Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris from the Dodgers.

Also, Ken Griffy Jr. was dished to the White Sox for pitcher Nick Masset and second baseman Danny Richar. Griffy had the option to refuse the trade but he accepted the trade to the White Sox.

So we didn't get Manny, oh well either did the Marlins or Mets. Look for the Phils GM Pat Gillick to make a move over the waiver wire.

Rollins Late to Rubber Match

Jimmy Rollins was scratched from today's series finale against the Mets.

According to Jason Starks the Phillies showed up at 10:30 AM to Shea Stadium today, but J-Roll did not show up until 11 AM which bothered Charlie Manuel and is the reason Rollins was scratched from the line-up.

Apparently Rollins drove his own car to the game and was late because of "traffic". Either way he was late to the biggest game of the year, which the Phillies lost.

The Phillies are now in second place behind the Mets.

Last year's MVP has all the swagger with no swing this year. Jimmy needs to get his head in the game.

WNBA Brawl

Brawl in the Detroit Shock and Los Angeles Sparks game Tuesday night.

Time for Myers to be a "Rock Star"

Brett Myers will make his first start back in the majors tonight. Myers went just 1-3 in his short stint in the minors.

Myers (3-9) will start tonight in game 2 of the rivalry series against the Mets. John Maine (8-7) will make the start for the Mets.

Hopefully Myers fixed his mechanics and has prepared himself mentally during his time in the minors. Former Phillie now Phillies analyst Mitch Williams said Myers was jerking his head in his rotation this season, one of the reasons he was so unsuccessful.

Myers is currently winless on the road this season, going 0-6, with an 8.18 ERA. Myers will be looking to change that tonight in Shea.

Top 10 NFC Teams in 2008

1. Dallas Cowboys

   I hate to admit it but the Boys have the best team by far in the NFC. Pacman Jones will add a lot of punch on special teams and to the secondary. Pro Bowler Marion Barber is now the full-time running back and oh some guy named TO playing wide receiver makes any team dominant.

2. Green Bay Packers

   The Favreless Packers? Maybe. The Packers will still be a very good team with or without Bret Farve. If Aaron Rogers can play nearly as good as he did against the Cowboys last year, the Pack will be back in the NFC Championship game.

3. New York Giants

   Last year's Super Bowl Champions. The Giants made a big move this week getting rid of their cancer, trading away Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints. Eli Manning was a much better quarterback once Shockey was injured last year and out of the huddle.

4. Minnesota Vikings

   The Vikings are a young, up and coming team. They started off last season 8-4, before losing their last four games after quarterback Tavaris Jackson was injured. The Vikes also have a sick running game with second year player Adrian Peterson leading the way. If both players can stay healthy all summer the Vikes will be a threat in the playoffs.

5. Seattle Seahawks

   The Seahawks also seem to be in the thick of things. Their success may be because of the weak NFC West they play in, playing the Cardinals, Rams, and 49'ers twice a year. The Seahawks are getting older and the window of opportunity is closing to make a Super Bowl run, but they do have a bunch of veterans on the team and a very strong wide receiver core with Nate Burleson, Deon Branch and Bobby Engram. The Seahawks are without former MVP Shaun Alexander, but did sign running back Julius Jones from the Cowboys.

6. New Orleans Saints

   After falling off in 2007 the Saints will be one of the better teams in the NFC in 2008. The Saints have plenty of weapons on offense, a good quarterback, two good running backs, nice receivers and newly acquired tight end Jeremy Shockey from the New York Giants. Shockey will be out to prove himself in 2008, and will have a big season, being one of Drew Brees' go-to-guys.

7. Philadelphia Eagles

   Has the Eagles window of opportunity closed? Is this Donovan McNabb's last season in Philly? Will Brian Westbrook show up to training camp on time? Will the Eagles mediocre receiving core make due in 2008? Oh yeah, they added Asaunte Samuel to an already good secondary. Who is on the way out Sheldon Brown or Lito Sheppard? Or will all three corner backs get enough playing time to be happy? The 2008 Eagles season is filled with many questions.

8. Washington Redskins

   The Skins had a very solid draft picking up three receivers. The also added defensive end Jason Taylor this week. Expect nothing more then a playoff birth if that and a first round loss.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

   The Bucs are juggling many quarterbacks moving into the 2008 season. The Brett Favre rumors still are also being chattered about. The Bucs need to figure who is their QB either Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, Brian Griese or Chris Simms. Even with Cadillac Williams and veteran Warrick Dunn, the Bucs are nothing to sweat in 2008.

10. Arizona Cardinals

    Will Matt Leinart finally break out in 2008? The Cardinals sure hope so. If Leinart can stay healthy this season and get into rhythm with his strong receiving core, the Cardinals could be a competitive team, maybe even with a winning record. The Cardinals do not look too shabby when Kurt Warner is behind center either. The Cards are still not a strong enough team to win the weak NFC West nor make the playoffs.

Eagles Standing Room Only Tickets

The Philadelphia Eagles standing room only tickets for the 2008 season went on sale today at 10 AM.

I was lucky enough to get tickets for the season opener against the Rams, division battles against the Redskins and Giants, the Thanksgiving night game against the Cardinals and a Monday nighter against the Browns.

According to Philadelphia Eagles.com, "the tickets sold out in a matter of minutes." Like usual.

NFC East News

The Philadelphia Eagles training camp begin today. Rookies and selected veterans reported.

The Washington Redskins received defensive end Jason Taylor from the Miami Dolphins for a second and sixth round pick.

The New York Giants traded Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints for a second and fifth round pick.

Blanton Makes Phillies Debut Start Tuesday

Joey Blanton will make his debut start for the Phillies in New York against the hated Mets on Tuesday night to open a three game series.

Blanton has a 21-14 career second half record. Hopefully he can keep that going with the Phils this second half.

Once again Cole Hamels had a strong outing resulting in a no decision today.

The bats are very inconsistent when Hamels is on the mound. Hamels pitched eight innings, allowing just four hits and two runs on two solo shots.

Clay Condrey took the loss as the Phillies dropped the game in 11 innings.

Blanton will face the Mets ace Johan Santana Tuesday night.

The Phils last met Santana on Independence Day. J.A. Happ made the start for the Phils, but neither starting pitched was involved in the decision, the Phils beat the Mets in dramatic fashion with a walk-off single by Shane Victorino. The Phils still lost the series two games to one.

The End of the Spectrum

Today it was announced by Ed Snyder that after the 2008-2009 Phantoms and Kixx season, the Spectrum will be knocked down.

“This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” said Snider. “The Spectrum is my baby. It’s one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me, but after a lot of thinking and discussions, we all feel it is in our best interest to close the Spectrum at the conclusion of the upcoming 2008-09 Philadelphia Phantoms and Kixx seasons.”

The Spectrum is a place I grew up watching many Flyers, Sixers, and Phantoms games along with circuses and concerts. I will miss it dearly.

I was in attendance when the Philadelphia Phantoms won the Calder Cup in 2005.

But more importantly the Flyers won the Stanley Cup back to back seasons in the 1973-1974 and 1974-1975 . The Sixers won the NBA Championship in 1983. The Spectrum was home to all of these great accomplishments.

The Spectrum was opened in 1967, and was the home to the 76'ers and the Flyers. The Spectrum also had concerts, wrestling events, circuses and more. More recently the Spectrum has been home to the Phantoms and Kixx.

The Spectrum will surely be missed.
1967-2009

Boo? F*ck You!

"Boo? F*ck You!", Chase Utley's comment to the New York crowd on hand at the All Star Game's Home Run Derby when the crowd decided to boo Utley during his introduction.

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBtkQoeaNCE&feature=related

Phils in First Place at the Break

The Phillies are just a half game ahead of the red hot Mets going into the All Star break. The Mets are the hottest team in the majors, winners of their last nine games.

The Mets have gotten solid pitching during their nine game winning streak. The Mets young gun Mike Pelfrey pitched eight shutout innings on national television Sunday night against the Rockies. Pelfrey allowed six hits and struck out five.

NL East Standings
Phillies 52-44 --
Mets 51-44 .5
Marlins 50-45 1.5
Braves 45-50 6.5
Nationals 36-60 16.0

Brand Signed Jersey

Got the email today from the Sixers. Get a free autographed Elton Brand jersey with purchase of new 2008-09 Season Tickets.

I guess all you Sixers fans that already have season tickets are going to be pretty jealous or plotting to steal one some how.

Welcome to Philadelphia Elton Brand

A day after the Sixers traded Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, a first round pick and cash to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a second round pick the 76'ers signed free agent Elton Brand to a 5-year contract for $82 million.

Brand is the big man the Sixers have needed for years now to play along side Sammy D.

Brand is coming off of an achilles tendon injury which allowed him to play in just eight games last season. He did play strong in those eight games averaging 17.6 points per game and eight rebounds per game.

Brand is a special player, he is a 20 and 10 career guy.

Brand broke into the league with Chicago in the 1999-2000 season. He played just two seasons with Chicago, then played for the LA Clippers since the 2001-2002 season.

Brand will make the entire Sixers team better. He will be double teamed, leaving Andre Iguodala
with one defender on him at most times.

The Sixers are just a couple pieces away (a strong shooter) from being a strong force in the Eastern Conference. If Brand shines, I give it two to three years until Philadelphia is back in the NBA Finals.

Phils Lock Up Lidge

Brad Lidge will be closing out games until 2011 for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies signed the closer to a three year- $37.5 million dollar contract extension.

This shuts out all rumors about Brett Myers becoming the closer again next season. Thank God.

Lidge has not blown a save yet this season. He has 19 saves in as many tries, with an ERA of just 0.77.

Phils Win Game 1 of Rivalry Series

I was in attendance last night as the Phils defeated the Mets 3-2. Used my Uncle's season tickets, they were great seats. Section 122, second row behind the Diamond Club.

J.A. Happ was a little nervous in the beginning of the game throwing some balls but quickly gathered his composure and held the Mets to just three hits and two runs. Happ pitched just 4.2 innings, but was a much needed solid start for the Phillies.

Johan Santana pitched a solid game allowing six hits and two runs in eight innings of work.

The Phillies' Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell both had RBI singles in the sixth inning off of Santana to tie the game.

In the bottom of the ninth with two outs Shane Victorino knocked an RBI single into right field to win the game in dramatic fashion.

What a way to start off the four game series with a win over the hated Mets. Mets fans were not as strong in attendance as usual.

Atlanta's Josh Smith to Meet with Sixers?

It is rumored that the Hawk's Josh Smith may meet with the Sixers Wednesday to discuss plans of suiting up in a 76'ers uniform.

Contracts cannot be made official until July 9th.

Smith is only 23 years old, and would fit in great with the Sixers young dynamic team. Smith averaged 17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game last season. Smith also had a nice playoff series against the soon to be champion Celtics.

Smith would most liking play the four with the Sixers next to Sammy D.

Myers Sent Down to Minors

WIP's Howard Eskin announced today around 4 PM that Phillies' struggling starter Brett Myers (3-9) has accepted the option to be sent down to the Phillies triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

Since Myers has been a major leaguer for more than five years he had an option weather or not to accept going down to the minors.

Charlie Manual, Rich Dubee, Ruben Amaro Jr., Myers, and Myers' agent decided it was the best decision for the struggling pitcher. This way Myers came continue to start.

Myers will be down in the minors for a couple weeks, to make a few starts, then hopefully back up with the big club to help out in the second half of the season.

Myers is scheduled to start Wednesday night for the Iron Pigs against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees at Coco-Cola Park.