When a Playoff Win is More Painful than a Playoff Loss

After a weekend in which the Sixers came back from a double-digit second-half deficit much to my surprise – thanks largely to excellent play by Thaddeus Young and Jrue Holiday – to make it a game against the Heat and the Flyers outlasted the Sabres in a wild, terribly officiated game (on both sides) to even the series, I was all set to what each team had in store last night.

While the Flyers had yet to play their best game, they were the better team in both game 1 and game 2, and they had the best player through the first two games in James van Riemsdyk. I expected nothing less in game 3, perhaps even thinking the Flyers would put together a more complete game. That did not happen.

Things started out well, sure. The Flyers came out and applied some nice pressure early, earned themselves a power play and somehow, some way, miraculously tallied a power-play goal on a gorgeous shot by Jeff Carter.



Carter, who had played pretty poorly in the first two games, kept finding the puck on his stick in that first period, and he made no mistake on that laser of a wrist shot to beat Ryan Miller. But after that goal, the complexion of the period completely changed. As has been the case ever since the Flyers got in their late-season funk, they took the gas off the pedal once they got the lead.

The Sabres outworked the Fleyrs in every single aspect of the game, outshooting, outhitting, outchancing and out-faceoffing the Flyers. It was only a matter of time before Buffalo scored, and it came on the power play. What started out as a promising period devolved into complete domination by the Sabres. They outshot the Flyers 16-6 in the opening period, and for the first time all series, Buffalo looked like the better team.

Luckily Brian Boucher was up to the challenge the way Miller was in game 1, and the Flyers escaped tied at 1. Then they reversed roles in the second, with the Flyers outshooting Buffalo 15-10 and scoring twice to take a two-goal lead. One came on an awful turnover by the Sabres on a faceoff win. Scott Hartnell gave a little nudge, took the gift and hit Briere for an easy goal.



That goal gave the Flyers the jump-start they needed. From there, they began to play much better hockey, keeping most of the play in Buffalo’s end and asserting themselves. And with just over three minutes later, the much maligned Richards line broke through. Kris Versteeg made an awesome play to get the puck, found Mike Richards who waited patiently for the defense to come to him, then hit Nikolay Zherdev for the slam-dunk goal. It was a beautiful tic-tac-toe play, the type of thing we’ve been waiting for out of this line for months. In his first playoff game as a Flyer, Zherdev lit the lamp, giving all the people begging for him to get in the lineup even more ammunition.

I have to admit, it is nice having the play-making and finishing of Zherdev in the lineup, especially with the way this team has struggled to score goals heading in to the playoffs. But if you watched Zherdev closely last night, you can see why he’s in Peter Laviolette’s doghouse. Defensively, he was appallingly bad, rarely ever skating hard to back-check, often skating away from Sabres in the defensive zone and generally looking disinterested defensively. That’s why he has trouble staying in the lineup. He is a brilliant offensive player. He really is. And right now, the Flyers need that. But his defense is beyond terrible.

Speaking of terrible, I pretty much laid into Kris Versteeg after game 1.



Beyond his two-goal game against the Maple Leafs, he’s been so underwhelming since coming to Philadelphia and has dragged Mike Richards down with him. But last night, Versteeg was really good. He made very few bad decisions, kept it simple and worked extremely hard. His play to set up Zherdev’s goal was outstanding, and he had far more of those types of plays last night than the lazy, terrible and downright stupid ones he’s made a habit of. Last night, he was the player I thought the Flyers were getting, and that’s an extremely encouraging sign.

What was discouraging was that after a strong period in which they took a two-goal lead, the Flyers gave up a back-breaking goal less than a minute and half later. With less than two minutes remaining in the period, Brian Boucher completely boxed an easy shot to stop from far out. Of course it landed right on that little gnat Nathan Gerbe’s stick, who beat Boosh and completely changed the momentum of the game.

The Flyers did head into the third with the lead, but that goal took the wind out of their sails and gave Buffalo life. That led to a third period that was a lot like the first. Yes, the Flyers escaped with a 4-2 win on the empty-netter by Kimmo Timonen, but they weren’t the better team last night. The Sabres outshot the Flyers 11-4 in the 3rd, forced the Flyers to take a ton of penalties and ended with a 37-25 shot advantage.

Honestly, it was a painful game to watch, and it didn’t exactly instill a ton of confidence. Yes, they won, but the Sabres worked harder, looked hungrier and played better. Ville Leino was a nonfactor yet again, playing pretty poorly. The defense coughed the puck up way too much, with Braydon Coburn making two glaring giveaways in the 3rd. They failed to play well with the lead yet again. Richards, despite the great feed on Zherdev’s goal, still didn’t look right.

But a win is a win, especially in the playoffs. And despite being outplayed, there were plenty of good things to take away as well. The Flyers killed off a crucial 5-on-3 and a 4-minute double minor on Scott Hartnell. The work that Darroll Powe and Blair Betts do on the penalty kill is simply remarkable to watch. Without those two last night, no way the Flyers win that game.



JVR was once again the best player on the ice. He may not have shown up on the scoresheet, but he was everywhere once again. The guy is turning into a certified beast. He just won’t be denied. I can’t believe how far he’s come since last postseason. Riemer has been a lot better than anyone else on the ice in this series thus far, and I’m incredibly excited to see what he turns into. Versteeg had his best game in a long time, perhaps his best since becoming a Flyer. Timonen and O’Donnell played very well on the back end. And Boucher, despite boxing that one to lead to Buffalo’s second goal, was outstanding, stopping 35 shots and really stealing the victory.

You can say what you want about Boosh, but the guy shows up in the playoffs, evident by the fact that he has the fifth best goals against averages in his playoff career among active netminders. Great game by Boucher last night.


Having said that, the Flyers absolutely have to play better tomorrow night if they want to prevent the Sabres from evening this series up. In the first two games, the Flyers looked like the better team. The same cannot be said for last night’s game. Thank goodness for Brian Boucher.

As for the Sixers, their game turned out exactly as I expected. Game 1 was a wakeup call for the Heat. I’m sure Miami was just as surprised as I was that the Sixers didn’t fade after going down pretty big in the second half on Saturday, but they weren’t going to be caught off-guard again.

Miami played absolutely suffocating defense, limiting the Sixers to just 31 freakin points at half and winning going away 94-73. It was never even a contest and not a single Sixer besides Evan Turner of all people looked remotely competent offensively. This was the type of game you expect a team like the Heat to have. Miami’s third best player is so far superior than Philadelphia’s best, which is why I had and have no delusions that the Sixers might take a game. They did have a shot in game 1, but now they have none.

LeBron was a beast, scoring a game-high 29 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Oh yeah, and he did this:



Dwyane Wade wasn’t spectacular stats-wise, but he looked like his migraines were not an issue at all.





And Chris Bosh had his second straight double-double, putting up 21 and 11. The Sixers simply have no one who can even remotely match up with Bosh. Andre Iguodala, who has been awful offensively, can bother LeBron defensively. The Sixers can have guys funnel Dwyane Wade to help. But there is no one who can contain Bosh, and he’s been taking advantage.

That was what you call a good old-fashioned ass-whooping, and I’d honestly be surprised if either of the next two games in Philadelphia (I’ll be at game 3 on Easter Sunday, by the way) are remotely close. The Heat look like the team everyone thought they’d be when Wade, LeBron and Bosh united. And that’s a frightening thought.

Though as badly as the Heat beat in the Sixers’ brains last night, I didn’t find myself overly upset. The Heat are simply way better than the Sixers. But watching the Flyers get out-worked and outplayed in a victory was incredibly painful. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but watching that Flyers’ win was way worse than watching the Sixers’ blowout loss.

As for the Phillies, GM Carson said it best:

why is Kendrick in the bullpen and what the hell is the purpose of Michael Martinez. Rosters spots could be better spent.

The same thing goes for Danys Baez. Way to make me stay up for that loss, jerks.

I'm on Twitter Now, and No, I'm Not Happy About It

I heard so much about Twitter two years ago in one day that I never wanted anything to do with it. But Ed's been on me for months to get it, and now that meech brought The Fightins back, I'm joining the Twitter party. No, I'm not happy about it. So just follow me already: @RevPaulRevere

Nice of (One of) You to Show Up

As you may have heard, I attended game 1 of the Flyers-Sabres series last night with Adam EatShit. Maybe it was because I was there and felt the energy (and lack there of) of the building that led me to slightly disagree with Matt P's assessment of last night's 1-0 loss:

Sifting through the ashes of the Flyers' 1-0 loss to the Sabres to open the playoffs, it's hard to come down too hard on them despite losing a game we really wanted to see them win. They played well overall, with a single play that was by no means terrible leading to the game's only goal. The Flyers generated some very good scoring opportunities, but couldn't beat Ryan Miller, nor his defense, which clamped down on the slot and surrounding area once the Sabres had the lead. 

Yes, the Flyers outshot the Sabres 35-25 last night. Yes, they won the faceoff battle. Yes, they took less penalties, threw more hits and had more scoring chances. But being at the game and watching it all unfold, the Flyers hardly played well, at least offensively.

I agree 100 percent that the defense played extremely well. The Flyers surrendered just 25 shots, and the Sabres generated very few chances. When they did, Sergei Bobrovsky was there to answer the call. In his first career playoff start, Bob was stellar. While he did leave a big rebound on the game's lone goal, he did just about everything right last night, absorbing the puck and leaving few rebounds, never losing track of the puck, making all the saves you can expect. It was perhaps his best start in a month.



You'll get no complaints on Bob from me. Nor from the defensive work of the Flyers. The only negative came on that rebound goal by Patrick Kaleta, with Danny Syvret letting him get behind him and bang it home.



It would have been nice to see Syvret get in better position and take that away, but I won't be too hard on the young defenseman. He played fairly well.

What absolutely disgusted me last night was the complete lack of energy from any forward not named James van Reimsdyk.



First, let me get the good out of the way. JVR was absolutely awesome last night. He was head and shoulders the best player on the ice for either team, and that even includes Ryan Miller. This time last season, van Riemsdyk was struggling to get ice time in the playoffs and looked completely lost. But over the past couple of months, with the Flyers slumping, he's been one of the few consistently good forwards. Last night, he carried that over into the playoffs. JVR was flying all over the ice, creating a ton of scoring chances, backchecking hard, blocking shots, and honestly playing perhaps the best game I've ever seen him play. He was all amped up and ready to go.

The problem was none of the other forwards seemed too eager to join him. Yes, the Flyers looked really good early, creating a lot of chances, but after the first couple of minutes, many of those 35 shots were easy saves for Miller. Claude Giroux had some of his typical brilliant moments, but he also gave the puck away a ton. Danny Briere was humming, but he didn't really get things going the way he typically has against his former team. And barely anyone else did a damn thing.

Honestly, for all the shit the fans give Andreas Nodl, he may have been the second-best forward on the night for the Flyers. At least he consistently busted his ass and looked determined. I can't say the same for anyone else.

Ville Leino made a habit of trying to go through too many people again. Scott Hartnell was relatively quiet, failing to even stir the pot. The fourth line worked hard but couldn't generate anything more than a modest forecheck. Jeff Carter, save for his one great chance, was damn near invisible. And Kris Versteeg and Mike Richards actually were invisible, not doing a damn thing.



And that brings me to the root cause of the problem with the Flyers. Remember earlier this season, when the Flyers were ripping through the NHL and night in and night out looked far better than anyone else? During those times, Mike Richards was quietly playing some of the best hockey of his entire career. While the Briere line was lighting the lamp like crazy and Giroux was getting the headlines with his all-star level play, Richards was racking up the points himself, and doing so while being given a revolving door of wingers.

Every time a player hit a rough patch, Peter Laviolette would put that guy on Richards' line, and he'd snap out of the funk — Nikolay Zherdev, JVR, Dan Carcillo, even Nodl. Richards was not only playing his typical style of hockey, but he honestly was making his linemates better on a nightly basis.

Then Paul Holmgren went out and acquired Kris Versteeg, and everything changed. At the time of the trade, I was ecstatic. Versteeg has been a very good, very productive player for the Chicago Blackhawks before going to Toronto this season, and Holmgren didn't have to give up anyone on the roster to get him. It looked like a brilliant addition — another player who could play in all situations, a scorer and defensive player. But ever since that trade, the Flyers have been a mediocre hockey team at best. And Versteeg has been complete and utter shit.

I have no idea where the guy who looked so good in Chicago went. But I have been nothing but underwhelmed with Kris Versteeg since he put on the Orange and Black. He came here with a reputation of being a smart, hard worker who could make plays. He's shown absolutely none of that. At all.

Versteeg has been an even bigger perpetrator than Ville Leino when it comes to trying to do too much with the puck. He routinely tries to stickhandle through 2, 3, even four guys, rarely ever succeeding. He seemingly refuses to shoot, a trait that has rubbed off on most of his teammates. He rarely dumps the puck in to make the simple play, and he makes so many ill-advised passes that it drives me nuts. Last night, Versteeg continued to do all of those things, and he was without a shadow of a doubt in my mind the single worst player on the ice.

It pains me to say that, because I was all for this trade and actually liked Versteeg before he came here. But he has sucked ever since he got here, and he's sucked the life out of this team, especially the captain. Since being paired with Versteeg, Richards' play has plummeted. Initially, the two looked to have a good rapport, finding each other often and looking very comfortable. But it was all an illusion. All of Versteeg's bad traits have rubbed off on Richards, and the bad traits Richards' already had have magnified. Those two are supposed to be two of the top players on the team, but lately they've been playing like fourth-liners. And last night, they were completely invisible, save for the glaring bad plays Versteeg made.

Though the offense didn't go silent solely because of Versteeg and Richards. It began with the power play literally stifling all the early momentum the Flyers had in the game.

When the puck dropped, the Wells Fargo Center was rocking. The place was loud and energetic and the Flyers started well. Then they went on the power play and things came to a screeching halt. As has been the case virtually all season, the Flyers couldn't even get set up, let alone create opportunities. It was so bad that I honestly wished they could decline penalties in hockey.

And the biggest killer of all was the brief 5-on-3 they had in the second period. The Flyers came out in the second with their skates on fire, building a shot advantage and actually taking it to the Sabres. Eight minutes in, they went to the power play, and at the beginning it actually looked competent. Then Shaone Morrison slashed Richards to give the Flyers an abbreviated two-man advantage. The home team had all the momentum in the world. The place was rocking. And I was certain JVR was going to score sooner or later, if not on this power play than before the game was over. He just had that look in him last night.

But with all the momentum on their side and the Sabres reeling, Laviolette decided to use his timeout. I know he's a magician with his timeout use, especially in the playoffs, but to me this timeout made absolutely no sense. I understand maybe he wanted to set up a play and get his guys composed with the two-man advantage, but he also let the Sabres get a breather and gain their footing. It made no sense to me. Buffalo was on its heels. That timeout allowed them to get their bearings. And whatever was said in the timeout didn't work, because instead of generating any really good chances, the Flyers looked more determined to break the record for most consecutive passes without shooting on a power play ever.

It was embarrassing to watch. No one would pull the trigger. They just kept passing and passing and passing. And of course they didn't score. When the second penalty expired, all the air went out of the building. From then on, the place was dead quiet more than it should ever be in a playoff game. Sure, there were uproars when something happened, but the Flyers showed so little life after that that it was like a funeral in there.

I have to give credit where credit is do. The Sabres, despite surrendering 35 shots, played tremendous defense. They bottled up the front of the net, rarely let the Flyers establish their forecheck and cleared any rebounds Ryan Miller left out there, which were few and far between. And Miller was outstanding, just as you'd expect him to be. Even with the lack of quality chances, the fact the Flyers did spend more time in Buffalo's zone than their own, the fact that they did fire 35 shots at the goaltender, the fact that they did set up about 4 or 5 really great scoring chances would have been enough to beat damn near any other goaltender in the league. But Ryan Miller isn't just any other goaltender. He's a stud, and he played like one.



But to me, that doesn't and shouldn't let the Flyers off the hook. Simply put, not enough guys showed the desire to win, a common trait for this team heading into the playoffs. The only two players I can confidently say had really good games are JVR and Bobrovsky, and let's fact it, if your two youngest players are making the rest of the team look fairly bad in comparison in the playoffs, you're in trouble. And that was the case last night. Other guys had their moments, but no one else played with the intensity and desire that those two did, which is just unacceptable.

I also want to voice my extreme displeasure with Laviolette last night in the third period. Typically, when Lavvy sees a player that is simply going harder than anyone else, he'll double shift him to make sure he's on the ice as much as possible. He's done it numerous times this season, even if it's a fourth-liner like Darroll Powe. Last night, JVR was clearly that guy. He was infinitely better than the next best skater for either team. Yet when it got down to desperation time in the final six minutes, he didn't double shift Riemer at all. Instead, he double shifted Carter a couple times, a guy who showed very little last night. The one time he looked like he was going to do it, putting a makeshift line of Briere, Giroux and JVR out there, he called back JVR and sent out Hartnell instead. I just didn't understand it.

Maybe Laviolette wasn't comfortable putting a 21-year-old in that type of position, but it was a move I think you had to make. JVR was the best player on the ice, and he should have been given more time in the 3rd.

I guess it's hard to complain with him getting 18:29 of ice time, but he should have definitely been out there more than Carter, Hartnell and Leino, all of whom saw more action.

Now the Flyers find themselves in a 0-1 hole, a place they certainly didn't want to put themselves in with the way the season has turned on them. But it's nobody's fault but their own. Yes, Ryan Miller played great and the Sabres were limited offensively themselves, but the Flyers just didn't bring their A game offensively. And in all honesty, they haven't had their A game offensively in months. Trying to get it back against Ryan Miller and a stingy Buffalo defense is a tough proposition.

All I know is that the rest of the forwards better join JVR and Bobrovsky tomorrow, or this team will be watching the Phillies like the rest of us very soon.

At least Cliff Lee is still the greatest man who ever lived. Lee followed up Roy Halladay's complete-game win on Wednesday with a complete-game shutout of his own, striking out 12 Nationals while walking one and surrendering just three hits, giving the Phils the 4-0 win and 2-1 series victory. So there's that. At least all of the Phillies have been showing up to play.

It's Friday, Time to Dance

Remember Villanova forward Will Sheridan? Played on those Randy Foye, Allen Ray, Kyle Lowry, Mike Nardi, Curtis Sumpter, Jason Fraser teams? Yeah, well, apparently he's completely and utterly insane.



I honestly have nothing to add to that.

Good News for People Who Like Good News

Ladies and gentlemen, this is one grand day. Why, you ask? Because I'm going to game 1 of the Flyers-Sabres series in a mere couple of hours, and …

THE FIGHTINS IS BACK!



Thank you so very much, Meech, for coming back to us. This is such great news that I'm seriously considering getting Twitter out of respect for Meech, who hated it as much as me and now has become a tweet connoisseur.

LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!!!

Harry in Our Hearts

Two years ago today, Harry Kalas passed away. Eerily, it happened in Nationals Park, where the Phillies are right now, set to take on Washington in the second game of a three-game series.

Listening to Harry Kalas call all of those games year after year was a privilege I cherished and always will. It's been two full years since we last heard him call a game, yet he's still the first person I think about every time I watch a Phillies game. We may never get to hear him call a live game again, but Harry will forever be in our hearts. Watching and listening to baseball just hasn't been the same without him.

















R.I.P. Harry.

Penn State Lands 5-Star Recruit Jarron Jones

Despite the never-ending chorus that Joe Paterno's age and the uncertainty of who his successor may be is hurting Penn State's recruiting, the Nittany Lions have been doing work on their 2012 class. And yesterday, they received a verbal from their most talented prospect yet: 6'6" 305-pound Jarron Jones, a five-star defensive tackle that looks absolutely frightening.



Jones pretty much had his pick of the litter, receiving offers from damn near everyone including Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Pitt, Ohio State and Virginia Tech. I'm not sure who should be more excited, Penn State fans or Larry Johnson Sr.

Liberated Fandom, Free Darko and the Sixers

Over the past couple of weeks, I've written fairly glowingly of the Sixers. They turned in a much better season than I expected in Doug Collins' first season at the helm, play hard and truly embrace team basketball. But after hearing the devastating news that Free Darko and its liberated fandom posts are closing up shop and then watching the Sixers take on the Magic last night, I realized something: I don't particularly like the players on the Sixers.



That doesn't mean I hate all of the players on the roster. In fact, there are a couple guys I really like. But as I watched Chester native and St. Joe's grad Jameer Nelson rain threes en route to dropping 19 points and 7 assists, including the alley-oop to Dwight Howard that essentially decapitated Jrue Holiday, I came to the realization that there are no players on the Sixers I love the way I love Jameer … and a large number of other players throughout the league.



The liberated fan in me doesn't get excited that much about anyone on the Sixers. Now, I am a Sixers fan first and foremost, which is why I'm so happy with the season this team put forth and why I cannot ever abandon them. But I'd be lying if I said I'd be devastated if they traded away a certain player. When Allen Iverson was traded, I was devastated, even though we all knew it was coming, knew it had to happen and that it was the right move for the organization. When Charles Barkley was traded in my really young days, I was devastated, because I loved watching this 6'4" monster outrebound players half a foot taller or more and then go coast-to-coast.

The Sixers always had at least one player I loved, whether it was Hersey Hawkins, Dana Barros, Allen Iverson, George Lynch, Theo Ratliff, even players like Aaron McKie, Dikembe Mutombo and Jerry Stackhouse. There was some sort of emotional attachment to those players that was different than just pulling for the team. But it truly dawned on me last night during that 95-85 loss that if any of these players were on any other team, I don't think I'd really care about them at all. There is no Jameer Nelson, Brandon Jennings, Blake Griffin, Josh Smith or any other number of NBA players that I love for one reason or another on this roster. There just isn't.

The closest thing to that is Jrue Holiday.



I remember hearing about Jrue coming up through the ranks out in California as one of the nation's top recruits. He was highly touted and heralded, but I didn't really latch on to him the way I did to Brandon Jennings or Tyreke Evans and Maalik Wayns (for obvious reasons with those last two) when he was in high school. And even though I was intrigued with him in college, he had an underwhelming year. Still, I was excited that the Sixers were able to nab him in the draft, because the word on the street was he had top 10 talent. The problem is I would have much preferred that the Sixers drafted Ty Lawson, a player I fell in love with during his three seasons at North Carolina.

I still like Jrue a lot and expect him to become a nice point guard in this league. He's the one I pull for the most on this squad. And who knows, maybe in a year or two he will that player I absolutely love. I do like him a lot. But I know in my heart of hearts that I wouldn't really care that much about Holiday if he wasn't a Sixer, while I follow Lawson's box score damn near every night.

Honestly, the only other guy who can even enter the discussion is Thaddeus Young. Two seasons ago, Thad was emerging as the Sixers' best player, and his energy, hustle and dedication to improving his game had me all sorts of excited.



Then last year happened. Under Eddie Jordan, Thad regressed. He fell in love with a three-point shot that he can make but shouldn't take often. He stopped slashing to the hoop, getting out in transition and rebounding with abandon. He was a different player, a softer player, and he started to fall out of favor with me. I still liked him, but I honestly didn't care if the Sixers decided to trade him.

This year, Thad has been tremendous, and of late, he's back to emerging as the most explosive player on this team. I enjoy watching him. I like him. And I want to root for him. But if the Sixers let him walk, I'm not sure I'd be heartbroken. I can't really explain why. Maybe it's because I see he probably won't become an all-star. Maybe it's because I expect more consistency. Or maybe I would be devastated and just don't know it yet. But for whatever reason, Thad isn't quite there with me. He's good, he's had a great season, and he's one of the main reasons watching this team is so fun, so maybe he'll get there too, the way Jrue looks like he may sooner rather than later.

But beyond that, I don't have a particularly vested interest in any other player. I like Lou Williams as a Jason Terry-type player — a potent bench scorer. But again, I'm not attached to him in any way.



Andre Iguodala is the Sixers' best all-around player and most talented athlete. I absolutely love to watch him throw down emphatic dunks, play lock-down defense, and rebound and pass as well as any point-type forward out there not named LeBron. He's playing arguably the best basketball of his life, easily the best defense of his career and not trying to do too much. But there's always the matter of that crippling contract, him being miscast as the man and his god-awful end-of-game shots.

In Iggy's case, he's a victim of the status bestowed upon him by the team. It's not fair to him, I know, because I actually really, really like Andre Iguodala's game. If he was cast as the the third or maybe even second best player on the squad, asked to be the defensive stopper and a distributor/slasher on offense, he probably would be that guy I'm attached to. But he's not. He's the guy the Sixers were comfortable turning the keys over to. So comfortable that they traded Iverson. And he just can't fill those shoes. When he shoots an ill-adivsed three, dribbles the ball off his foot or takes an 18-foot fadeaway on a last-second shot, or stops attacking the rim, it frustrates the hell out of me to the point that it can overshadow all of the incredible things he does on the court. Iguodala is a great defender, excellent rebounder, tremendous finisher around the hoop, good passer. But at times he just tries to be more than he is, because the Sixers ask him to. This year, he's been at his best because Collins hasn't asked as much of him. But he's still tasked with being the leader that he's not meant to be, and it takes something away, whether that's fair or not.

Then there's Elton Brand, a player I'll never like because he went to Duke, has never been a winner in the NBA and simply is not the 20-10 guy this team thought it was getting. Elton's had a great year. He leads the Sixers in scoring and rebounding. And truth of the matter is he's been the team's best, most consistent player all year long. I respect that, respect the work he's put in after last year's injury-riddled debacle under Jordan. But I'll never like Elton Brand. I'll root for him because he's a Sixer, but I'll never like him. That's just he way it is.



The same goes for Evan Turner, the Sixers' increasingly underwhelming 2nd overall pick. I'm not giving up on Evan Turner because that would be foolish. He's had some really good games for the Sixers this season and shown flashes. But the fact remains that he hasn't been very good overall. Last night, watching him play versus watching Andres Nocioni play, it's incredibly clear that Nocioni is by far the better player right now. It's not even close. And that's not very reassuring for a No. 2 overall pick, being significantly less effective than a career journeyman, albeit a tough-minded, effective one.

It doesn't help that Turner is from Ohio State, a school I deplore. And last night it hit me that much like Elton Brand, I hate Evan Turner. I hate that he's a Buckeye. I hate that he was the guy this team had to take at No. 2 overall. I hate how his elbow sticks out on his jump shot. I hate his voice. I hate that he has had an unimpressive rookie year. I just really don't care for Evan Turner.

Despite all of that, I want him to succeed. I'm pulling for him to turn into a really good player worthy of his selection, because that would be best for the Sixers. But I don't think I'll ever be able to fully embrace Evan Turner. He's a guy I hated in college and would hate if he was anywhere else more than I already don't care for him. I hope he can become what the Sixers expect and sway my opinion, but he doesn't excite me at all.

The rest of the roster I have very little feelings toward at all: Spencer Hawes, Jodie Meeks, Nocioni, Antonio Daniels, Marreese Speights, Tony Battie, the carcasses of Craig Brackins and Darius Songaila. Those guys are what they are, which Speights being the most intriguing but most frustrating, because he is the most talented. But I don't get overly worked up about him either. Once upon a time I liked Jason Kapono, but then he forgot how to do the one thing he was actually good at doing when he came to Philadelphia, so I don't care at all about him anymore.

The Sixers are a fun and exciting team to watch. They're learning how to win on a small scale. They aren't going to stand a chance against the Heat and can't contend with the star power of most teams, but they are a team that will put up a fight and a team that you can get behind. But they don't have many individual players that get my blood going, that excite and infatuate me.

I love the Sixers the way I love the Flyers and Eagles and Phillies. But I don't love the players. There is no Allen Iverson, no DeSean Jackson, no Claude Giroux or Kimmo Timonen. There is no Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee. No Ryan Howard or Shane Victorino. There is no Jameer Nelson. No Brandon Jennings. No player that I am fully invested in.

It took the shuttering of Free Darko for me to realize that. And that's just another reason why it's a sad day to see Bethlehem Shoals shut down shop. Liberated fandom will live on even without Free Darko, even if it feels like something is missing. I just hope it happens with someone on this iteration of the Sixers for me. Because being a fan is more fun when you really, truly care about the players on your favorite teams.

The Good (Chooch and Shane), the Bad (Friday) and the Flyers

Quite an eventful weekend for Philadelphia this weekend. It began with three of the four major sports teams in this city in action on Friday night and ended with a career day for Carlos Ruiz, a division title for the Flyers and yet another series win — and nice bounceback game from Cole Hamels — for the Phillies.



Friday night was the perfect time to have a relaxing, stay-at-home Friday night. The Flyers, Phillies and Sixers were all in action. The Flyers took on potential (and as it turns out eventual) first-round opponent Buffalo in a huge game for both teams — the Sabres needed a point to clinch a playoff berth, and the Flyers needed a point to stay ahead of the Penguins and two points to have any hope of catching the Capitals. The Phillies opened their third series of the year against their toughest division opponent, traveling down to Atlanta for their first road series of 2011. And the Sixers hosted the Raptors in their third-to-last game of the season, needing a victory to keep within reach of the Knicks.

So instead of going out, we got a case of beer and some food and watched the games on our two-TV setup.

Early on, things were going perfectly. The Flyers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a goal by Scott Hartnell and outshot the Sabres 13-10. At the same time, the Phillies scored three quick runs off of Tim Hudson in the first two innings, giving ace number 2 Cliff Lee a 3-0 lead right out of the gate. And the Sixers, who tipped off the earliest, outscored the Raptors by 10 in the first quarter and took a 12-point lead into half.

It was roughly around that time when Adam EatShit said, "So, 3-for-3 tonight? We went 0-for-3 the other night, so looks like 3-for-3 tonight."

And with that, the jinx was on. After being spotted a 3-0 lead after two, Cliff Lee began to unravel. He couldn't locate his pitches for the life of him, lethal for any pitcher but especially for Lee, an ace that relies on location much, much more than stuff. Damn near every pitch Lee threw either caught too much of the plate or was up in the zone. Immediately in the bottom of the 2nd, he gave all three runs back, giving up three straight hits to start the inning — a triple by Jason Heyward, double by Alex Gonzalez and single by Freddie Freeman — followed by another double by Martin Prado.

From that moment on, Tim Hudson calmed himself down and shut down the Phils, while Lee couldn't right himself. Just two innings later, Lee continued with his struggles, hitting a batter to lead off the inning and getting tagged for three more runs before his night was through.



Lee lasted just three and a third innings, getting shelled for 10 hits and six runs. It was kind of funny that the night before, my roommates and I were talking about how Roy Halladay never really gets shelled, while Cliff will get smacked around a couple times a season. Same with Cole and Oswalt and most pitchers. But Halladay always seems to give up 4 runs or fewer, typically only surrendering more than that a couple times year. Even when Halladay is fighting himself, he finds a way to have a decent outing at worst. Lee, like every other pitcher in the world, has a night like he did Friday when he's fighting himself. That's baseball.

But even with Lee's clunker, the Phillies still had a chance in the game and a huge opportunity to get to Hudson again. In the 5th inning, right after Lee gave up his final three runs, the Phils answered. Kyle Kendrick of all people started the rally by leading off with a single. Then Shane Victorino — who has made a career of killing the Braves (I mean, who can forget the walkoff throw to preserve Brad Lidge's perfect 2008 season?) — made it back-to-back singles. After Placido Polanco grounded into a fielder's choice, Jimmy Rollins reached on an error, loading the bases with just one out for the red-hot Ryan Howard.

Howard has been absolutely smashing the ball early on, putting together great at-bats and making solid contact all year long. Down three runs in the 5th, the Phillies needed to at the very least get one run home and get some momentum. That meant all Howard needed to do was put a decent swing on the ball — worst-case scenario with a good at-bat he gets a sac fly at makes it a two-run game, best-case he gets a hit and scores a couple runs or more, making it a one-run game, tie game or even taking the lead with a grand slam. But instead, on a freakin 1-0 pitch, Howard check-swings and makes contact, softly hitting it right back to Hudson. Disaster. Hudson calmly begins the painfully easy 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. It was the biggest at-bat of the game, and Howard made a completely boneheaded play.

Why was it boneheaded? For starters, he was up 1-0 in the count with the bases loaded. In that spot, the pitcher has to come to you, or you don't swing. He has nowhere to put you, and you're ahead in the count. You look for your pitch to drive there, simple as that. If it's not that pitch, you leave the bat on your shoulder. Howard didn't do that. After laying off a low slider — the pitch that has given him trouble in his career but the same pitch he's been so disciplined at laying off of this year — Hudson threw another, not wanting to give in to Howard with a fastball. Only this time, when the only he should not have done in that spot is swing at a low slider, Howard began his swing at a pitch that clearly he didn't want to hit. Dumb. And to make matters worse, he stopped his swing, practically bunting the ball right back to Hudson to start the easy double play. Here's the thing: If you're going to go ahead and swing in that spot, then just swing. Don't try to stop it. Even chasing a bad pitch, if Howard just lets loose, he has a chance to hit it hard somewhere and potentially score a run. Maybe he grounds into a double play anyway, but at least he gives himself a shot at a hit. By checking his swing, he simply made the entire thing easier for Atlanta, and he did it in a spot where it is insanely stupid to check your swing: up 1-0 in the count with the bases loaded. That's just bad baseball. Stupid baseball. And it derailed any chance at a comeback right there because Hudson cruised the rest of the way before handing it over to the young, flame-throwing duo of Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel. Venters struck out the only batter he faced, Raul Ibanez, and Kimbrel had a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

Not exactly the way you want to start a series, with your prized offseason acquisition getting knocked around and your cleanup hitter having a miserable at-bat with the bases loaded.

As all that was going on, the Flyers saw their 1-0 lead vanish just 25 seconds into the second period, then found themselves behind a goal less than four minutes later.

There's nothing more dangerous than a desperate team just trying to get into the playoffs, and the Flyers saw that firsthand. Suddenly, a once promising night looked much more bleak. And to pull the trifecta of disappointment, the Raptors came roaring out of the locker room in the second half to outscore the Sixers 30-19 in the third quarter, all but erasing that 12-point lead. Just like that, it was a one-point game, thanks largely to Jerryd Bayless inexplicably going off.

Thankfully things turned around a bit. The Phillies couldn't come back, but the Sixers and Flyers responded. Thaddeus Young continued his monstrous stretch of play, scoring 20 points of the bench, and Elton Brand continued what has been and for some reason still is a quietly excellent season. Brand led the Sixers with 22 points and added 8 rebounds in the 98-93 victory, a win that showcased team basketball coming out on top over great individual performances.



As I mentioned, Jerryd Bayless had a career night, dropping 24 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, and he was complemented by fellow youngster DeMar DeRozan, who added 27 points and went 11-12 from the line. DeRozan and Bayless really did have nice games, but they simply didn't get quite enough help. Ed Davis was the only other Raptor to score in double digits, posting a very respectable 14 and 10 double-double. But other than that, the Raptors got very little from anyone else besides Reggie Evans and his usual gritty play. The former Sixers power forward, by the way, had a game-high 15 rebounds.

Conversely, Brand and Young had plenty of help from all over the lineup. Four other 76ers netted double-digit points, with Andre Iguodala getting 16, Jrue Holiday with 13, and Jodie Meeks and Evan Turner each putting up a 10 spot. Jrue also had an all-around good floor game, dishing out a game-high 11 assists to go along with 4 rebounds, 4 steals and a block. And even though Meeks continued to struggle mightily with his shot, shooting just 2-11 from the field and 2-9 from three, he found other ways to contribute, like getting to the line 6 times and grabbing 7 rebounds from his two-guard position.

That's what makes this Sixers team so fun to watch and what has them back in the playoffs. They get contributions from so many guys, something they have to do with no discernible superstar. Andre Iguodala is playing the best defense of his life and has cut down on his shots. Elton Brand looks nothing like the washed-up, injured player he was before, even if he isn't quite the perennial 20-10 all-star he once was. Thaddeus Young has been the team's best player for a few weeks now, or at least their most energetic. Jrue had taken another step forward in his second season. Jodie Meeks and Spencer Hawes know their roles and perform them admirably. And Lou Williams, who is hoping to be healthy for the playoffs, has combined with Thad to be one of the most potent offensive one-two punches off the bench in the entire NBA.

Then you add Evan Turner's slow development, Andres Nocioni prepared for whatever minutes Doug Collins gives him and the options on offense (Speights) and defense (Battie) at the power forward position. The Sixers won't win a playoff series, and they'll probably have a hard time winning more than a game against either the Celtics or Heat, whichever one they play. But Doug Collins has this team heading in the right direction and playing the type of basketball no one really expected in year one after the debacle that was Eddie Jordan.

As the Sixers were holding off the Raptors, the Flyers also responded themselves, though admittedly, it looked like they were going to squander yet another game and fall into a tie with Pittsburgh. A couple minutes after Buffalo took the lead, Darroll Powe made a rare mistake, the firing a clearing attempt in his own zone over the glass and out of play — a 2-minute penalty. A power-play goal for Buffalo would make it three straight and probably spell death for the Flyers in the game. But instead of letting up a dagger of a goal, they scored one of their own, as Claude Giroux found Kris Versteeg for the shorty, tie game. And less than a minute later, the Flyers found themselves back on top as Danny Briere a one-timer past Jhonas Enroth off a great spinning play to enter the zone and tremendous feed by Scott Hartnell.

Quite a roller-coaster of a period. Up a goal, then down a goal, then up a goal again. Essentially, the Flyers treaded water in the period, but it was incredibly frustrating at first, then incredibly exciting. But the euphoria of getting the lead back wouldn't last. Sensing the urgency of the situation and needing at least one point to clinch a playoff berth, the Sabres sent Ryan Miller out for the third period. Miller stopped all 8 shots he faced in the period. Sergei Bobrovsky did not.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, Nathan Gerber used his speed to enter the zone, cut to the middle of the ice, and as the screen was setting up, he sent a backhander high to Bobrovsky stick side that found its way in. Bob never even saw the shot, and just like that the game was tied.

Luckily for the Flyers, Buffalo ragged the puck for the final minute instead of going for the regulation win. All the Sabres needed was a point to get in the playoffs, so they didn't want to take any chances at losing in regulation. And the Flyers were perfectly content with that, because getting the overtime point meant they would stay ahead of the Penguins. Of course, it would have been nice to get two points, but that didn't happen, as Buffalo made quick work of the Flyers in overtime, scoring just 1:16 in to end the game.



The good news was the Flyers gained that all-important point to stay ahead of the Penguins. But it was hardly the type of statement you wanted to see out of them following Pittsburgh's charge to overtake them. And it was yet another loss in a two-month stretch filled with losses. Point or not, a loss is a loss.

And that made two losses out of three Philadelphia teams in action despite great starts by all of them. What started out as a wonderful Friday night devolved into a drunken malaise that pretty much sapped all the energy out of everyone. There would be no going out and having a good time. It was just finishing up the beer and going to bed. Hopefully Saturday would yield better results.

Unfortunately, Saturday started out a lot like Friday. In their afternoon start in Atlanta, the Phillies again jumped on the Braves early. Shane Victorino continued his assault on Atlanta, leading the game off with a double, and a few batters later Ben Francisco brought him home with an RBI single. But Roy Oswalt looked like he was having the same problem Lee had the night before, albeit to a smaller extent. Roy just didn't seem like he quite had command of his pitches, leaving a lot of them up in the zone. And in the third, it cost him, as the Braves strung together three hits to get two runs before Nate McLouth lined into a double play to thankfully stop the bleeding.

I thought it would be deja vu all over again. The Phillies catchers had other ideas. The very next at-bat for the Phils, Brian Schneider got those two runs right back and gave the Phils the lead again by absolutely destroying a Brandon Beachy meatball after Beachy had just thrown five straight balls — walking Raul and falling behind Schneider 1-0.



I mean, he just absolutely crushed the ball. It was the type of approach that Howard should have had in his bases-loaded at-bat Friday. Schneider got ahead 1-0 and sat dead red for his pitch. When he got it, he made Beachy pay.

Of course, Brian Schneider wasn't the real story on Saturday. No, that distinction belongs to his fellow backstop and teammate Carlos Ruiz. With the day game after a night game, Ruiz was given the day off, or at least supposed to have the day off. But when the Phillies were still only up a run in the 7th inning against a lineup that includes Chipper Jones, Dan Uggla, Brian McCann and Jason Heyward, Charlie was going to do everything he could to get some more runs. Raul helped him out by leading off the 7th with a double. That's when Fredi Gonzalez went to his bullpen, bringing in lefty George Sherrill, who the Phillies know well, to face Schneider. That's when things go interesting.

The Phillies had the lead. There was a runner on second with no one out. Brian Schneider had already homered today, he was giving the starting catcher a much needed and much deserved day off, and he's a lefty who could conceivably pull the ball to the right side, even off a lefthanded pitcher, to move Ibanez to third with less than two outs. A lot of managers in that spot would have left Schneider in the game, given his big home run, and let his starting catcher truly have a day off. But Charlie didn't like the lefty on lefty match-up, so he called Schenider back and pinch-hit John Mayberry. Mayberry, who already has a walkoff hit to his credit this season, didn't disappoint, singling to left center to put runners on first and third with no one out. Sherrill, clearly rattled, walked Wilson Valdez.

With the bases loaded and the pitcher spot due up, Manuel didn't hesitate. He called on Ruiz to pinch-hit. Sherrill was lifted for Scott Linebrink, who quickly got ahead of Ruiz 0-2 with two sinkers. Then, inexplicably, Linebrink threw an 0-2 fastball right down the middle, and Chooch turned on it. As soon as he hit it, I started screaming, "CURBBALL!!!!!!!" You just knew it was gone. Ruiz demolished it, hitting his first career grand slam to put the game away.



He added an RBI double before it was all said and done, finishing with a career-high 5 RBIs and hitting his first career grand slam. Not bad for a guy who wasn't even supposed to be playing that day.

Let's face the facts, if you don't like Carlos Ruiz, you can just get the hell out. I love that guy.

So Saturday got off to a good start, and the Flyers decided to keep the good times rolling. Just 16 seconds into their final game of the regular season, Kimmo Timonen gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead. And just 31 seconds later, Ville Leino made a long stretch pass that Scott Hartnell flagged out of the air onsides, burying the breakaway.



Just 47 seconds into the game, the Flyers had a 2-0 lead and it looked like they were going to end the regular season with an emphatic victory. I had a feeling the Flyers, after all their struggles of late, would destroy the Islanders on Saturday. New York was a team the Flyers owned all season, and you know the Flyers were looking to put together a full 60 minutes of hockey before the postseason begins.

But as incredible as the pass was by Leino to spring Hartnell for the goal, the play he made later in the period was just as bad, if not worse. Up 2-0 and needing two points to clinch the Atlantic Division no matter what Pittsburgh did in its finale, Ville Leino made an absolutely inexcusable play. Instead of getting the puck deep on a rush, he tried to make a pass back to the point he was already high near the blue line. Instead of connecting, it sprung Michael Grabner the other way for the breakaway. Grabner made no mistake, easily depositing the puck between Bob's gaping five hole to make it 2-1.

It was exactly the type of play that makes you understand why the Red Wings traded the infinitely talented Leino away. He is an incredible playmaker, a creative scorer, and I'm thrilled he's a Flyer. But then he'll go and make an absolutely crippling, stupid play like that, one that completely changed the momentum of the game. No wonder Leino has been the taking the brunt of Peter Laviolette's ire of late. It's plays like that that drive a coach nuts.

Then the Islanders added a power play goal to tie it after Andrej Meszaros was called for a questionable elbowing call, but one that is defensible for the referee. While the replay showed Meszaros didn't connect with an elbow, he did go in high, making it seem like an elbow.

Just like that, the quick start was erased. But again the Flyers responded as Danny Briere continued to be hot. Birere rushed up the ice and lifted a backhander right past the swiss cheese that Rick DiPietro has become, giving the Flyers the lead again. Of course, the Flyers surrendered the lead before the period was done, because no lead is safe with this team anymore. It was a pretty dumb goal, with Bobrovsky losing sight of the puck as it slid right by him in the crease to a wide open John Tavares. Tavares tapped it in for the tie, and Bob was pulled for surrendering 3 goals on just 10 shots.

After the Islanders took a 4-3 lead in the first minute of the second period, we were completely disgusted. Adam and I discussed how pathetic this team is with the lead, when I said that beyond Chris Pronger's absence, this team really misses guys like Simon Gagne and Ian Laperriere. Gagne and Laperriere were excellent defensive players (an underrated part of Gagne's game), two guys who rarely made mistakes and knew to always make the smart, simple play with the lead. These Flyers, for all the talent they have assembled, just don't make the game simple for themselves when they get the lead. Damn near everyone tries to do too much entering the zone. They make stupid, ill-adivsed cross-ice passes. They try to dump the puck back or juke someone coming out of their own zone instead of just chipping the puck out of the zone and living to fight another shift. They turn the puck over at the blue lines and in the neutral zone. It's maddening. When you have the lead, you get the puck out and get the puck deep, then work and win battles. That's how you close out games, not by trying to make the cute, perfect pass or highlight-reel goal. Yet most of these guys just don't seem to grasp that a lot of the time.

Thankfully, the Flyers did wake up, thanks largely to Andrej Meszaros.



Meszaros was named the Barry Ashbee Award winner this year, given to the Flyers' best defenseman, and Saturday night he showed just why. For starters, Meszaros was flying all over the place, laying out Islanders with big checks, standing people up at the blue line and joining in on the rush offensively. And with the Flyers trailing, he tied the game in the second, then assisted on the go-ahead goal by Scott Hartnell — his second assist of the game and Hartnell's second goal. Then he made it a two-goal lead with a power-play goal in the third, as the Flyers added an empty-netter by Darroll Powe to win 7-4 and clinch the second seed in the East as the Atlantic Division champions.

Meszaros, easily the best offseason addition for the Flyers, was far and away the player of the game. He has come to Philadelphia and put the struggles of the past two seasons in Tampa behind him. Playing on a team with defensive stalwarts like Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen (and Matt Carle and Braydon Coburn), Meszaros has been the most impactful all season long. He was no different Saturday night, literally willing the Flyers to the division crown.

He got some help from Hartnell and Briere, as that line is getting hot again going into the postseason. And Brian Boucher was oustanding in relieving Bobrovsky, stopping 24 of the 25 shots he faced and giving Flyers fans confidence that he will do a great job, just as he did last year, if Bobrovsky should stumble in the playoffs.

When it was all said and done, it was an odd game. The Flyers surrendered a two-goal lead and then coughed up another lead, ultimately finding themselves behind before scoring four unanswered goals. It was hardly the statement type of game we all wanted to see, but it did garner two points and prevent a huge collapse.

The Flyers are the Atlantic Division champions, the second seed in the East, and they take on the very same Buffalo team they lost to ini overtime Friday night in the first round.

So Saturday was infinitely better than Friday, and I celebrated accordingly, drinking more than enough drinks with a few of my friends. And the weekend culminated with Cole Hamels throwing a gem yesterday to make up for his god-awful performance in his season debut. Cole responded with 7 innings of shutout ball, striking out 8 will giving up just 4 hits and a walk. It was a great outing, finishing off with ease by Ryan Madson and Jose Contreras, with the offense using a solo home run by Shane and small ball to win 3-0 and improve to 7-2 on the season, winning all three series thus far.

Curbball provided the biggest single-game highlight with his pinch-hit grand slam and five-RBI, three-inning day, but it was Shane Victorino that had the best series. Shane continued to be a Brave-killer going 9-for-13 with a double, homer, five runs, three RBIs and two stolen bases in the series. I'd say he's enjoying the leadoff spot thus far.

Sixers take on the Magic tonight without Andre Iguodala, trailing the Knicks by a game for the sixth seed, and the Flyers being the postseason at home on Thursday against the Sabres. The Phils begin a three-game set down in Washington to take on Jayson Werth and the Nationals.

It's Friday, Time to Dance

Yesterday, Average Bro wrote a controversial piece that was dripping with homerism over at Ed the Sports Fan, proclaiming that John Wall will eventually be (much) better than Blake Griffin.

The article itself was pretty over the top, stating that "five years from now, he won't even be half the player John Wall is. Not even in the same stratosphere."

That's a completely and utterly absurd thing to say, because it's pretty clear that both of these guys are studs that work incredibly hard at their craft and seemed destined for greatness. There's no way in hell one of them is vastly superior in terms of talent or potential, so such a statement is simply hyperbole. Personally, I think both players are going to be superstars sooner rather than later. I don't think one will be far superior than the other, though personally I love me some Blake Griffin.



But all of this is beside the point. The point is, it reminded me of when John Wall did the Dougie before his D.C. debut against the Sixers.



Then he went out and damn near had a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 13 assists and 9 steals. Those 9 steals tied a Wizards record for most in a game. So yeah, he's good. Really good. And he's only going to get better. But the same thing goes for Blake, who oh by the way is a lock for Rookie of the Year, won the Dunk Contest, made the all-star team and is averaging a double-double (22.5 and 12.2). Moral of the story? They're both awesome.

Opposite Day

Tuesday night was just about as miserable a night as it gets for Philadelphians. It was cold, uncomfortable and all three Philadelphia teams that played not only lost, but got embarrassed. Last night, the Phillies and Sixers had a chance to redeem themselves. As it turned out, they had polar opposite nights.



The Phillies were out for revenge after Tuesday's all-around awful 7-1 loss, while the Sixers had to rebound a night after losing to the Celtics convincingly in order to hold on to the 6th spot in the Eastern Conference.

As it turned out, the Phillies got off to a scorching start, scoring 7 runs in the first three innings to take a 7-0 lead. Joe Blanton worked out of a jam in the first when Jose Reyes led off with a bunt single, then stole second and advanced to third on a lazy backup play by Shane Victorino. Blanton proceeded to strike out Willie Harris and David Wright before getting Carlos Beltran to fly out, escaping the inning with no damage done.

From there, it was all Phillies for the next three innings, and it had the similar, but reversed, feeling as Tuesday's game. The Phils put the pressure on the Mets right in the first, with Shane Victorino leading off with a triple, Placido Polanco getting him home, Ryan Howard doubling and Ibanez singling Howard home. Then after another run in the 2nd, the third inning began to unfold a lot like New York's third inning Tuesday night. Howard, who is swinging an insanely hot bat to start the season, led off with a solo homer. Raul followed with his second hit of the game, Mike Pelfrey then walked Francisco, Pete Orr singled to load the bases and Pelfrey's night was done.

Taylor Buchholz came in for a big at-bat. If he could get Brian Schneider out, he then would face the pitcher and could see his way out of the inning with little or no damage. Unfortunately, Buchholz did just that with Schneider, striking him out with the bases loaded. Now suddenly there was one out and Joe Blanton in the batter's box. All I could envision was another strikeout or even worse a double play to end the inning with no runs. Instead, Blanton took a page out of Chris Young's book and pulled a single down the third base line, driving in Ibanez and Francisco.



And after Victorino struck out, Polanco singled in Orr to make it 7-0. The Phils got out to a red-hot start and looked to have the game in control.

Meanwhile, the Sixers were getting run off the court. The Knicks came in just a half game behind Philadelphia for 6th in the East, and they were determined to leave a half game up. The Knicks jumped out to a double-digit lead that hovered between 10 and 14 points seemingly all night, and the Sixers looked to be dead in the water.

Naturally, I decided to focus on the Phillies game, seeing as they were playing much better and looked destined for an easy victory, while the Sixers were down double digits and looked lifeless. But next thing I knew, the roles had completely reversed. Blanton, who had cruised through the first three innings, started to get sloppy, leaving damn near every pitch he threw up in the zone. The Mets responded by tagging him for two runs in the 4th, and then all of the sudden 5 more in the fifth. Just like that, the game was tied, a 7-0 lead completely gone.

Thankfully, the Phillies responded by getting two of those runs right back as Polanco and Howard — the two stars of the night for the Phils — each drove in a two-out run to make it 9-7. And after taking over for Joe Blanton, Antonio Bastardo pitched brilliantly. He did let one inherited runner score in the fifth, but then he was flawless from there, mowing down the Mets in the 6th and getting the game into the hands of J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson and Jose Contreras.

I really can't say enough about Bastardo's performance last night. If he can be counted on like that this season, the bullpen will be just fine.

As all of this was going on, I caught the Sixers-Knicks score on the bottom line. At first, I thought my eyes had deceived me. All night long, the score had read something to the effective of 76-62 New York. But now it read 87-86. I quickly told my roommate to flip over, and wouldn't you know it, the Sixers were down just a bucket with a couple minutes to go.

Just as the Mets had come all the way back from a huge deficit and tied it up, the Sixers came all the way back, and when I flipped over Jodie Meeks got a steal and exploded the other way, hitting a layup to give the Sixers a brief 88-87 lead. I couldn't believe it. Suddenly, it looked like the Sixers just might steal this thing.

But it wasn't meant to be. Just as the Phils had responded to the Mets' furious comeback, the Knicks countered the Sixers' blow. Toney Douglas of all people drained a huge three to give the Knicks a two-point lead. Then Jrue Holiday got blocked, and Thaddeus Young turned the ball over. The Sixers then fouled Douglas with 42.2 left. He hit both to put the Knicks up four, and the Sixers looked to be dead in the water again.

However, Andre Iguodala answered right back with a clutch three, a shot I thought had not shot going in, and just like that it was just a one-point game again. Maybe the Sixers could pull this off, I thought for a brief second. But Carmelo Anthony, far and away the best player on the floor last night, sank any of those dreams, answering Iggy's three with a three right back in Andre's grill with just 11.8 seconds left. That was all she wrote.



In the end, the Sixers dug themselves too deep of a hole, especially against a team with Carmelo Anthony. Toney Douglas made some huge clutch plays in the 4th, scoring 17 important points off the bench, but it was Carmelo who was the difference. Melo had a game-high 31 points and hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds. Even with Andre Iguodala playing hounding defense, he couldn't be stopped. And he hit the dagger in an enormous game, leading the Knicks back into 6th, a half game ahead of the Sixers.

It was a valiant comeback by the Sixers. Thaddeus Young was brilliant yet again, scoring a team-high 25 points and hauling in 7 rebounds, and Elton Brand was solid with his 24 and 9, but the Sixers just didn't quite have enough. Jrue Holiday, who has been very good this year and continues to grow, still struggles late in games. Last night, he was just 5-17 from the floor and made a terrible play getting his shot blocked late. Iguodala shot just 5-14, Meeks just 2-11 (0-8 from beyond), Hawes 0-5 and Turner 2-8. Without Lou, they were missing a much-needed shooter. And now they're back in 7th, right now matched up with the very same Boston team that destroyed them two nights ago. Of course, all that could change in the final three games, with the Sixers still just a half game behind the Knicks and the Celtics just a half game up on the Heat.

As the Sixers were failing in their bid for a comeback victory, the Phillies closed the curtain on New York's hope of having two big victories last night. Francisco added a solo homer to make it 10-7 Phils, and Romero, Madson and Contreras nailed down the win with little drama.

While Joe Blanton didn't have a good outing, the offense and bullpen more than made up for it. Bastardo, Romero, Madson and Contreras combined to give up zero runs and just two hits in four and two-thirds innings. And the offense put up 16 hits and 10 runs, led by Ryan Howard's 4-for-4, 2 RBI night that included two doubles and homer, and Placido Polanco's three hits and three RBIs. In all, the only starters without a hit were Brian Schneider and Jimmy Rollins. Victorino had a double and a triple. Francisco homered. And Raul even stole a base. It was a nice rebound victory for the Phils.

Just like it was a tough loss for the Sixers.

Last night was opposite day for the Phillies and Sixers in just about every capacity. The Phils jumped out to a big lead against a New York team, blew it, but then found a way to get the win. The Sixers fell behind big against a New York team, came storming back, but then couldn't finish off the comeback.

The Phils get another crack at the Mets today with Roy Halladay taking the mound at 3:05, while the Sixers must wait until Friday against Toronto to try and get back in the win column.

A Cold Night in Philadelphia

Yesterday, I was incredibly excited to take in my first live Phillies game of the season following the three-game sweep of the Astros over the weekend. I left work early, met up with Toonces, silver fox and a couple of other friends to tailgate and couldn't wait to see Cole Hamels take the mound against whoever the Mets' fourth starter was slated to be (turns out, Chris Young).



Coming off a near 80-degree day Monday and a fairly mild afternoon on Tuesday, I headed down to the stadium right from work with nothing more than a pair of pants, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt. I knew it was supposed to get colder, but I hadn't checked the forecast carefully enough. Because when I got off the subway and headed toward Toonces' car in the Linc parking lot, the wind was whipping. Big time. And it wouldn't relent as the temperature dropped. Needless to say, I was freezing.

However, the plan was to drink a few beers to warm ourselves up, head inside and prepare for a 4-0 start to the season. I should have known things weren't going to quite work out as I had hoped before I even stepped foot in the stadium. In the hopes of making my beer foam up and start to spew out of my bottle unless I chugged it, silver fox slammed the bottom of his beer bottle on the top of mine — a drinking tradition that never seems to get old. But instead of the intended outcome, the top of my bottle shattered.



With still nearly half a beer left, I thought nothing of it and decided to keep drinking. As anyone with a brain can deduce, that's not a smart idea, drinking from broken glass. Of course I cut my lip in three different places and began to bleed. Fantastic.

Right then and there, I should have known it was going to be a long night. I was cold, bleeding and about to get even colder.

When I got to my seat in section 301, the wind was gusting at an even greater pace, and the temperature was plummeting. To make matters worse, Cole gave up a leadoff single to Jose Reyes, then hit Angel Pagan. Then, Reyes and Pagan executed a double steal. Just a few pitches into my first game of the year, the Mets had two runners in scoring position and nobody out.

Thankfully Cole got out of it by striking out David Wright, getting Carlos Beltran to pop out and then striking out Scott Hairston, but the precedent had been set: Cole didn't have his good stuff.

It all came to a head in the third inning. After two uneventful at-bats by the Phillies and a perfect 2nd by Hamels, everything fell apart. Cole gave up a leadoff single to opposing starter Chris Young, and I couldn't contain myself, screaming, "Really, the fucking pitcher?" It only got worse from there. A bunt single, a walk, followed by a two-run single by Wright, and the wheels completely fell off. After Beltran struck out, Wright stole second. Then Pagan scored on a passed ball, Hamels walked Hairston, and Ike Davis and Brad Emaus got back-to-back singles to make it 5-0.

Then to put a capper on the whole thing, Cole surrendered a two-out single to Young to make it 6-0, the opposing pitcher's second hit of the god damn inning. Unreal.



My calls for Kyle Kendrick (yeah, it was that bad) were finally heard by Charlie, but the damage had been done. The Phillies were down 6-0, Cole lasted just 2 and 2/3, the opposing pitcher was getting all sorts of hits, I was freezing and the girls sitting next to us hated our guts because we were cold and cranky (and drunk) and yelling at Hamels. Not exactly the way I wanted to get my season viewing at Citizens Bank Park started.

When it was all said and done, the Phillies had created a miserable atmosphere last night made infinitely more miserable by the cold, windy weather. They lost the series opener to the hated Mets, and Cole was atrocious. That's nothing to be alarmed about after just one start and four games into the season, but it sure ruined my night.

Not even a cheesesteak run before I got home could lift my spirits much, especially when I walked in the door to my house and both the Sixers and Flyers were getting embarrassed.



Now, the Sixers' loss isn't very surprising or even discouraging. Yes, everyone would love to see them beat the Celtics with the playoffs right around the corner. There's no doubt about that. But the Celtics are clearly the better team, the Sixers were missing a key cog with Louis Williams out the rest of the regular season and frankly, the expectations aren't very high for the Sixers. Everyone is excited and happy that the team is headed back to the playoffs and that the Sixers are finally moving in the right direction. They're fun to watch, they play hard and Doug Collins has got them playing with more confidence than ever. But no one expects the Sixers to beat the Celtics, Heat or Bulls in the playoffs. And the Celtics were out to make a statement that they're still top dogs. So the 99-82 beating is what it is. At least Evan Turner had a good game.

But the Flyers are far more disconcerting. A 5-2 loss to drop two points behind the Capitals for first place in the Eastern Conference at this point in the season is downright awful. And honestly, that's probably the most appropriate word for the Flyers' play coming down the stretch.

I tried my best last week to convince myself that the Flyers will be just fine. In fact, I honestly believed that. Even with this extended slide, I just thought this team has been too good for too long this season, that it has too much depth both offensively and defensively, that the goaltending has played more good hockey than bad and would rebound. As my friends and those around me were getting worried, I felt like at some point, with Peter Laviolette manning the bench, these guys would turn things around and right the ship again.

I have to admit, that feeling is wavering. Do I believe the Flyers have as good a team as anyone in hockey still? Yes. Do I believe things will get better when (if?) Chris Pronger gets back? Yes. But I'm not nearly as confident as I was even just last week. Not with that embarrassing showing last night.



The Flyers have just two games left in the regular season, and for the first time in forever, they've truly lost the grip on first place. They are two points behind the Capitals and now just one point ahead of Pittsburgh. Two months ago, the Flyers looked like a lock to be the top seed in the East. Now they may not even win their own division, in serious danger of dropping down to fourth place.

Honestly, with the coaching change that took place last year, I didn't think this kind of thing would happen. Peter Laviolette just seems like the type of coach that would find a way to make his players learn from their past mistakes and finish strong in the regular season. But for the third straight year, the Flyers are faltering heading into the playoffs. Two seasons ago, it cost them home-ice advantage in the first round, and they were bounced rather easily by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Penguins. Last season, their horrid play made them have to win a shootout on the final game of the regular season just to get in. That didn't hurt them in the postseason, as we all know, getting all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, but you would think the team would learn its lesson.

It hasn't. The Flyers are stumbling into the playoffs for the third straight year. They're still in prime position to get home ice and maybe even get the top seed, but not with an effort like last night's. They'll have to play infinitely better at Buffalo on Friday and at home against the Islanders Saturday if they have any chance of reclaiming first and fending off the Penguins. They've let opportunity after opportunity to ice the top seed slip through their fingers the past two months. Now they're running out of chances.

The good news is that anything can happen once the playoffs start. It's a whole new season. We all know that. And hopefully the Flyers will be healthy and motivated to finish what they started last year. But I'd feel a whole lot better about their chances if they closed out the regular season with two resounding victories, or at least showing up with some fire and determination.

So basically, the complete opposite of last night, when Philadelphia fans were left out in the cold.

Everyone Got Dunked On

The 2010-2011 college basketball season is now officially over, with Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb and Alex Oriakhi leading UConn over Butler in the ugliest national championship game ever.

But just because the season is over doesn't mean you can't enjoy the best of the best dunks from the year. Courtesy of our friend Antone, here is damn near everyone who got dunked on this season.

Paging Sidney Deane and Billy Hoyle

Last night, Jacob Tucker emphatically told the world that, yes, (some) white men can jump, even some that are just 5-10.

















Somewhere, Brent Barry is extremely proud.

Derrick Rose in 9th Grade

During the third quarter of the Sixers' win over the Bulls the other night, I sent this text message to some friends as Rose was completely going off in the third quarter:

"If you could combine the best of every player on the Sixers, Derrick Rose would still be better."

And even though the Sixers won, I honestly believe that. The man is just on another level than most other players in the NBA right now, and it's all sorts of fun to watch.

Coincidentally, someone at work sent this video of Derrick Rose doing ridiculous things as a 9th grader.



That's just not fair. Not fair at all. It's crazy athleticism like that, along with his superb intelligence and mature game, that make Derrick Rose the favorite for the 2010-11 NBA MVP.

It's Friday, Time to Dance

Yesterday was Major League Baseball's official opening today, and at 1:05 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today, Roy Halladay will throw out the first pitch of the season for the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies. So naturally, you have to listen to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." It's the American thing to do.







And of course, no opening day for the Phillies would ever be complete without the late, great Harry Kalas.



Play Ball!

Five Alive

Chase Utley is hurt and out for god knows how long. Brad Lidge is out 3 to 6 weeks with shoulder problems. Placido Polanco is banged up, his elbow still bothering him. Shane Victorino has been hobbled at times. Raul Ibanez is another year older. So is Jimmy Rollins, who's battled injuries the past few seasons himself, something he never dealt with prior. Ryan Howard is coming off his least productive season at the plate. Domonic Brown is injured and not even on the roster. And Jayson Werth now resides a couple hours down I-95, leaving some big shoes for Ben Francisco to fill.

All of these things are reasons to be concerned about the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies' chances at getting back to their third World Series in four years and trying to win their second in that span. Yet here we are, on MLB's opening day and less than 24 hours away from the Phillies' first pitch, and I'm not overly concerned. I should be, I know. But I'm really not. Why? Because I honestly believe that the Phillies starting five will keep this team alive.



Never in my lifetime has a starting rotation had this much pressure and such high expectations. That includes the Maddux-Smoltz-Glavine Braves that saw the fourth guy rotate: Steve Avery, Denny Neagle, Kevin Millwood, Mike Hampton, etc. This team has four legitimate aces and arguably the best fifth starter in the game. Roy Halladay is the defending National League Cy Young Award winner, the second Cy Young to his name. Cliff Lee won the 2008 2008 American League Cy Young and has continued to dominate ever since, pitching in two straight World Series (2009 and 2010). Roy Oswalt is a former 20-game winner who for years was the staff ace of the Astros, pitching in a World Series himself. Cole Hamels is an NLCS and World Series MVP. And all Joe Blanton does is win, going undefeated in the 2008 postseason to help the Phillies become World Fucking Champions, hitting a home run in the World Series for good measure.



If any pitching staff can take pressure of an injured and uncertain offense, it's these guys. Yes, that means the pressure is squarely on their shoulders, but I think it's safe to say these guys thrive under pressure. Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter in his first career playoff start, then refused to let the Phillies be eliminated in the NLCS despite having a pulled groin. Cliff Lee is simply the greatest man who ever lived, completely and utterly dominating every team he has ever faced in the postseason minus one bad outing against the Giants last year. Roy Oswalt is a cool customer who gets the job done and will even play left field for you if you ask him to.



Cole Hamels became a king in 2008 and truly started letting the bad things roll off of him last season. And Joe Blanton has never really shown any evidence of succumbing to pressure. He just goes out there, gets his 6-plus innings of work in and keeps the game close, giving the Phils a chance to win.

There is ice water in all five guys' veins. They want to be the best, and they compete with each other to be the best. That's only going to elevate their games even more, trying to one-up each other day in and day out.

That doesn't mean the Phillies are a lock to get back to the World Series or even win the division for a fifth straight year, but it does give them something no other team in baseball has: Four legitimate aces, and a fifth guy that would be damn near anyone's three or four.

These five will keep the Phillies alive as they find their way offensively and adjust to their new roles. I just have a feeling.

Age and injury and production are all valid concerns, things that very well could do this team in. But with a bona fide ace trotting out 4 out of every 5 games and an extremely dependable starter out there to take the other, you still have to love the Phillies' chances. Frankly, I cannot wait until the umpire points to Roy Halladay tomorrow afternoon and yells, "Play ball!"

Finally, we'll get to see what this potentially historic rotation can do.

Philadelphia State of Mind

For the past couple of months, the Flyers have not played to the same level they had played for the majority of the regular season. It's been pretty clear that they aren't dominating the same way they were.

Still, the Flyers sit atop the Eastern Conference and have garnered points in 10 of their last 11 games, highlighted by last night's emphatic 5-2 victory over the Penguins.



Any rational fan would be happy with the way things are playing out. Sure, there's cause for concern with the level of play tapering off a bit and the ever-present goalie uncertainty that is Flyers hockey, but when you look at the big picture, the Flyers still remain as the top seed in the conference with 102 points and six games to play.

When you think about it, a lull was bound to happen sooner or later for several reasons. Number one, the Flyers were incredibly lucky with their health during the first part of the season, especially with their key players. That hasn't always been the case since. Several key players, namely Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, missed a few games here and there with the flu. James van Riemsdyk, who has really taken the next step this year, had some groin trouble and missed a few games. And most notably, Chris Pronger has been out with a broken bone in his hand. Then you add in the loss of seventh defenseman Oskars Bartulis, and the Flyers haven't been quite as lucky in the health department. Oh yeah, and Kimmo Timonen suffered a lower-body injury last night.

Then you add in the fact that at this time of year, the teams fighting for playoff position are desperate … and they play with that desperation. It's easy to say that every team should come out with the same intensity every night, but that's not realistic. The Flyers built such a big cushion early that they simply haven't had the same desperation as the teams chasing them and chasing playoff spots. That's been another huge factor of late.

It was bound to happen, and when you really think about it, you had to expect it. But this team is still in first, still as deep and as talented as anyone, and still primed to make another deep run in the quest to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.



Flyers fans should recognize that and take some comfort in that. But this is Philadelphia, and that's not how things work. It just isn't. It's part of our DNA. Philadelphians are so used to being the unlovable losers that they always expect the worse. It's been a way of life for too long, one that was washed away briefly when the Phillies became World Fucking Champions, but something that cannot be forever taken away with one championship in 25 years.

I'm guilty of this. I know I am, especially when it comes to the Eagles. But I've recently reached a point in my life where that Philadelphia state of mind — always expecting the worst — has become tiresome. Yet I cannot avoid it, mostly because of one friend in particular.

Shortly after the all-star break, he started griping about the Flyers' play. His grumblings became louder as the team continued to look flat. And in the past two weeks, he's completely abandoned ship, saying after the shootout loss to the Capitals in which Sergei Bobrovsky and Brian Boucher let up four soft goals that the Flyers aren't good enough to win with Bobrovsky and Boucher in net, completely forgetting that this same team made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last year with a revolving door of average-at-best goalies. He's called them dogs, pointed out every flaw, and completely and utterly jumped off the belief this team — a team with the most points in its conference and second-most in NHL — can win it all.

Frankly, I'm tired of it. I just don't want to hear it anymore. I really don't. Am I upset and troubled by the way the team has played for the past two months? Yes. But do I think it spells doom? No. This team has been too good for too long. They have the depth and the talent, and they'll be getting Chris Pronger back right around playoff time. The pieces are still there. Do they have to turn it around and play better? Absolutely. Will they? I don't know, but I don't need to be told they can't. Last year is evidence that anything can happen, from a low seed finishing just two wins shy of the Cup to a top seed winning it all. And these Flyers aren't in position to miss the playoffs altogether or even squander hosting a first-round series the way they were the past two seasons.

We overreact in Philadelphia — as most sports fans do everywhere — to every slump and every loss. I get it. I've spent my entire life here and have done the exact some thing. But sometimes we all need to step back and look at the big picture. The Flyers have enjoyed a comfortable lead and good fortune for the majority of the season. They were bound to get complacent and hit a rough patch. It's just human nature. In professional sports today, it's rare for a team to dominate from start to finish without any hiccups along the way.

But with the Capitals, Bruins and Penguins putting the heat on the Flyers of late, they've been beginning to turn things around, even without Pronger. And last night they passed a crucial test. The Flyers entered Pittsburgh just two points ahead of the Penguins. A loss in regulation, and the Flyers would suddenly be tied with their cross-state rival in the standings, albeit with a game in hand. But the Flyers turned their game up a notch after falling behind 2-1 in the second period, scoring two goals in 47 seconds to take the lead.



They never looked back, as Ville Leino added two more in the third to put the game out of reach. With the pressure squarely back on the team's shoulders, they responded emphatically. The Danny Briere, Ville Leino, Scott Hartnell line reasserted itself, playing at the level it did in the early going. All three players had at least two points, with Leino leading everyone with three. Jeff Carter and Claude Giroux both scored, continuing to be a dynamic duo. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 of 27 shots, and the Flyers picked up two crucial points without allowing the Penguins to get any. And as bad as they've seemingly been playing, the Flyers are 5-1-4 in their last 10 games. They've earned points in 10 of their last 11. And they still have a three-point lead on second-place Washington with a game in hand.

I'm from Philadelphia, born in Abington Hospital, raised in the Northeast and the suburbs, and residing in the city once again. I get the negativity. I pretty much perfected it over the years. It's the Philadelphia way. That's why we bitch and moan even as the Flyers sit atop the conference and control their own destiny for home ice advantage.

It's the Philadelphia state of mind, for better or worse. But frankly, I'm growing tired of it. I don't want to expect my team to fail just so I can I told you so. I'm not sure I'm capable of doing it, and I'm certainly not promising anything. But I'm trying because like most things Philadelphia is noted for — cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, tastykakes, scrapple, murder — the Philadelphia sports state of mind can't be good for your health.