Sunday, September 30, 2007

Pat Burrell Signals the Phillies are #1




Phillies-Nats-Mets-Marlins

1:44 The Mets burped up seven runs to the Marlins in the first inning. Tom Glavine lasted 1/3 of an inning. Wow. Things are off to a good start. Jamie Moyer surrendered a first inning double to the Nationals, but escaped further damage. If the Phillies can just manage to get the lead, they can play free and easy and end up with the W.

1:47 MVP Jimmy Rollins leads off with a single.

1:52 Rollins stole second, but the Mets have the bases loaded with two outs. They now trail 7-1.

1:53 Rollins stole third. He is single handily trying to pull the Phillies into October.

1:54 Chase Utley plates J-Roll with a sac fly. Come on, Marlins, get the third out.

1:55 Ask and receive. Florida gets out of the first, only giving up one run. I can't keep this up. I will have a stress induced heart attack. I am turning off the computer for at least a few minutes.

2:13 Plan for the afternoon: I have both games on the internet. Every few minutes or so, I check in and then quickly leave. Mets have 1st and 2nd with two outs in the 2nd. David Wright is up. Florida can't really let them score six more times, can they?

2:15 Wright strikes out. Exhale.

2:17 Moyer is fine through three innings. Carlos Ruiz, Moyer and J-Roll are due up.

2:22 Ruiz doubles. Moyer fans. Time for J-Roll.

2:23 J-Roll walks. Shane Victorino now up. Time to break open this game.

2:25 SV gets plunked by pitch. Bases loaded. REALLY time to break this thing open.

2:28 Utley has worked count to 2-0. Dinger, baby, dinger!

2:29 Cuh-rap. Utley pops out to short. Ryan Howard now up. Strike out time?

2:30 Mets have first and second with one out.

2:33 I disappeared for three minutes to settle a backyard dispute (my son and daughter have friends over for play dates). While playing peace-maker, Howard must have singled in two runs! Phillies now up 3-0.

2:34 Mets have base loaded and two outs.

2:37 Dontrelle Willis has been lifted from the game?!? Paul Lo Duca is up with the bases loaded.

2:40 Once ahead in the count 2-0, Lo Duca grounds out on a 2-2 pitch. Inning over.

2:42 Nats and Marlins batting in the 4th. Time to catch my breath and prep the (hopefully celebratory) rib roast for dinner.

2:51 Rib roast is prepped and in the oven. Natties scored a run while I was away. Phillies up, 3-1 in bottom of 4th. Mets are down to last out in bottom of 4th, still trailing 7-1.

3:06 Marlins add one to go up, 8-1. Moyer needs one more out to close the fifth inning.

3:09 Moyer gets the final out. Phillies up in the bottom of the 5th. Mets now batting in bottom of 5th, too, trailing 8-1. 12 more outs and the Phillies get the W. Hopefully, Moyer can keep it up. I would just assume bypass Flash Gordon and get right to Brett Myers. Maybe mix in a little JC Romero, too.

3:19 Back from helping the kids (plus half the 'hood) videotape a "movie" outside, the Mets and Phillies fail to score in the bottom of their respective 5th innings.

3:32 Oh my. While I was outside with the kids (yet again), Moyer got himself into a one out, first and second situation. And then Flash Gordon came in and got an inning ending double play?!? Wow. Double wow. Phillies are safely through six innings. The rib roast is just begining to smell good.

3:39 Charlie Manual has made substitutions. Pat Burrell walked and was replaced my Michael Bourn. Chris Coste has replaced Ruiz and was promptly hit by a pitch. Uncle Abe Nunez, in for Greg Dobbs, sacrificed the runners over. Now Flash Gordon is due up. Does Charlie dare pinch hit for him? Maybe it's time for J.C. Romero in the 7th? If so, does Myers go the final two innings?

3:42 Is the damn computer not working?

3:43 I would hit for Gordon and bring in J.C.

3:44 The delay was on Manual's part. Tadahito Iguchi is hitting for Flash.

3:45 Sac Fly!!! Phillies up, 4-1. Man on 3rd for J-Roll with two outs.

3:46 Mets go down in the 6th. They still trail, 8-1.

3:49 J-Roll triples in Coste! MVP!-MVP!-MVP!

3:52 Play date(s) over (finally), I call in my kids to show them the facts on the computer. I then get nostalgic on them saying, "Did you know that the last time the Phillies made the playoffs was 14 years ago? Your mother was my girl friend. My daughter giggles. My soon looks confused.

3:55 Romero Time! Already one out. Eight more to go. Mets still trail 8-1, and are batting in the bottom of the 7th.

3:59 Mets have a man on with 2 outs. Nats have the same. Both games in the 7th.

4:00 Mets fail to score and are down to six outs.

4:01 J.C. retires Tony Batista. Six more outs. I am guessing Charlie has Myers warming up to come and drop the hammer on the Mets, errrrrrrrrrrrrrr, Nationals, errrrrrrrrrrrrrr, both.

4:10 Just came from kitchen where I was loading EVOO into new container and Ryan Howard hit a dinger while I was away! 6-1, Phillies. Former Phillies killer Jeff Conine leads off the 8th for the Mets.

4:12 Having worked a 3-2 count, Conine flies out to center.

4:15 Phillies begin the top of the 8th with Romero still in the game.

4:19 Mets go down in order in the 8th.

4:20 Romero gives up a lead-off single. Time for Myers?

4:21 Of course not. Romero gets Ronnie Belliard to hit into a double play.

4:22 J.C. gets a K to end the 8th. Three more outs for the Mets. Three more outs for the Phillies. That's all that stands between Your Philadelphia Phillies and THE PLAYOFFS.

4:26 Kelly Gregg (32 saves) is in to close the door --and the season-- on the Mets in the 9th.

4:29 Gregg quickly gets two outs. "All we need is one more pin, Rodney!"

4:31 THE METS ARE DONE! TOTALLY DONE! REPEAT, THE METS ARE DONE!

4:32 Myers strikes out Dmitri Young.

4:33 Adam Kearns flies out. Willie Mo Pena is up. I smell a BIG K.

4:37 Willie Mo does what he does best. He strikes out. THE PHILLIES ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1993!!!!!

Phillies Need Old School Karma Today















NFL Stone Cold Lock of the Day, IV

I will admit I spent less than 60 seconds making this pick. Been too busy with the Phillies. There aren't a lot of sure things on the NFL schedule today. But, I will take the Pittsburgh Steelers to win on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. Hopefully, I will be 4-0 and still alive in the pool next Sunday.

And that's Your NFL Stone Cold Lock of the Day.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Shocker! Eaton Leads Phillies to Defeat

If Charlie Manual and Stand Pat Gillick had any stones, they would announce tomorrow morning Adam Eaton has been released from the team. If Jose Mesa had his way, he would bean Eaton in the head from point blank range. If Brett Myers gave in to his dark side, it would be Eaton's face he would pummel, not some other helpless soul's.


The Phillies started the day with a one game lead on the Mets. Eaton took the mound. The Phillies are now tied with the Mets.

Any questions?

Now of course, it was not all Eaton's fault. Geoff Geary, his partner in pitching ineptitude, turned in his usual performance (1 inning, 1 run).

The offense? It choked. No other way to look at it. By the time the Phillies took the field, the Mets were wrapping up their 13-0 victory over the Marlins. For the first time in a long time, there was no scoreboard watching. The Phillies started the game knowing they had to win. The result? The bats produced just six hits (including home runs by Ryan Howard and Aaron Rowand).

So tomorrow is the final day of the regular season. The Phillies are sending out Jamie Moyer (13-12, 5.15) against Jason Bergmann (6-5, 4.33). The Mets will use Tom Glavine against Florida's Dontrelle Willis.

What's more likely to happen -- will the Phillies' bats awaken? Will the playoff veteran Glavine come up with a gem? Will Willis revert to his Big Game form of years ago?

It pains me to say this, but it says here Glavine gets a W, while Moyer gets an L.

And that will be the perfect way to end my crappy sports weekend. I didn't even get to enjoy first place for 24 hours. Almost as bad, My Oklahoma Sooners played like crap and lost to unranked Colorado, 27-24.

Ugh. Double ugh.

Friday, September 28, 2007

10:42 P.M.-- Phillies take over 1st place!

Phillies 6 Nationals 0
Marlins 7 Mets 4
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Bad Fran...Bad Fran

If there was any doubt prior to this, you can now write it down in ink and throw away the pen. Texas A&M football coach Dennis Franchione is DONE as the school's football coach. His latest infraction (to go along with poor coaching, poor leadership, poor clock management, poor game decisions and a poor record) is that he charged fans $1,200 a year to get inside information from him via an e-mail newsletter called "VIP Connection". Player injuries and brutally honest player evaluations were the big drawing cards.

When questioned about it by San Antonio Express-News, Coach Fran said, "I knew it was probably going to be controversial. When I knew you guys were starting to ask around a bit, I thought, 'Maybe we shouldn't do this.'"

Maybe we shouldn't do this?!?

Hello? Hello! Is anyone home upstairs?!?

And what about subscribers who might have been tempted to give the inside dope to gamblers?

Coach Fran told the Express News, "We asked them to sign something. And for them not to do that. Most of these people are tremendously loyal Aggies."

Oh my gosh. He has to be the dumbest man on the coaching planet. And soon, be it next week or at the end of November, he will be the dumbest unemployed man on the coaching planet.

To read the Express News article, click here.

Yahoo! Sports columnist Dan Wetzel's take on Coach Fran.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram's coverage.

Happy Friday

Good Friday Morning to all. Tons of good stuff to write, errrrr, blog about (and link to).

The National League Playoff Hunt And to think that some people thought the Wild Card concept in baseball was bad, wrong and just evil. There are SEVEN(!) teams still with a legitimate chance to be playing fall ball in October. Nearest and dearest, of course, are Your Philadelphia Phillies. Only two weeks ago, the Phillies trailed the New York Mets by SEVEN(!) games. This morning, they are both tied for first. (They are also both one game behind the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card.) Tonight, the Phillies send Cole Hamels against the Nationals, while the Mets send Oliver Perez against the Marlins. Tomorrow, the Phillies will trot out Adam Eaton, while the Mets will run out John Maine. Sunday, the Phillies will go with Jamie Moyer and the Mets will counter with Tom Glavine.

The pitching match ups favor the Mets. Big Time. If the Phillies lose ground tonight (with Hamels on the hill), they are in serious trouble. And with Eaton pitching tomorrow, you can bet that every pitcher not named Hamels will be in the 'pen ready to go when (certainly not if) Eaton gets into trouble.


While the pitching match ups favor the Mets, that's about all they have in their corner. They have lost four in a row and their offense is on the skids and their bullpen is actually worse than the Phillies -- a feat that is hard to fathom.

Kyle Kendrick = Bob Walk? Walk was the kid who helped the Phillies get to the playoffs (along with Hard Marty Bystrom) back in 1980. No one projected him to even make the team coming out of spring training. No one even knew who Kenrick was in spring training this season. He was at AA with mediocre numbers and got a call-up because the Phillies needed a live body to give some innings to their injury-riddled staff. Without Kendrick, the Phillies would be playing minor league kids, getting ready for yet another off-season of failed hopes. Philadelphia Daily News columnist Bill Conlin, who Knows All about the Phillies, recently wrote about the Kendrick-Walk connection. To read the piece, click here.





West Virginia faces a HUGE test tonight at South Florida. Now, how strange does that sound? WVA, ranked fifth in the country, plays the undefeated and 18th ranked Bulls on ESPN2. The Bulls have been around for a whopping THREE(!) years. Two weeks ago, they slapped Auburn on the road, 26-23. Last week, they dominated North Carolina 37-10. A loss will end the Mountaineers' National Championship hopes. A win puts them in position to move up in the polls next weekend when LSU and Florida, ranked second and third, respectively, battle.

In an unrelated, but very funny story, WVA's Big Gun (or one of their Big Guns) Steve Slaton "almost fainted" when he had an encounter with ESPN Babe Erin Andrews.

Let's Get Academic (if only for a minute). Great article this week in the Boston Globe business section on Red Sox owner John Henry. Any column that makes reference to Jay Gatsby, is definitely worth reading.
Wondering who Gatsby is? Fret not.

OK, One More Academic Note. Great story about a High school principal who tackled his school's summer reading list over the summer. Did you read 15 books in eight weeks? Didn't think so. But this guy did.

Knight Rider Returns! Two questions -- will Hasselhoff be on the show? Will he sport the leather jacket?

NYT Loves A.D. The esteemed New York Times ran a great piece on NFL Rookie of the Year Shoe-In Adrian Peterson. A.D. went to OU, which means we think he's more than OK.

New England Patriots to Go Undefeated? We don't know (yet). But if they do, what will the 1972 Miami Dolphins do? Boston Globe funny guy Dan Shaughnessy contemplated that question last week. He wrote: "Weight-loss commercial star Don Shula and some members of his 1972 Dolphins will be punished by Roger Goodell for videotaping Patriot coaches from the stands and sending the tapes the Indianapolis Colts." Click
HERE to read the rest.

















Thursday, September 27, 2007

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Vince Young = "Self-absorbed Punk"?!?

Yes -- according to Mike Wilbon of Pardon the Interruption. Yikes. Read about it here.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Coach Pete and (still) More D-McNabb Stuff

We represent the Oklahoma Sooners. As My Friend Rich always said in high school, "No big secret. No big surprise." However, I love USC coach Pete Carroll. He says sophomoric things like, "I'm jacked and pumped...and feeling a bit dangerous." He's like an overgrown kid. He failed as head coach in the NFL with both the Jets and the Patriots, because players walked all over him. He clearly belonged on a college sideline. Why this didn't occur to people is beyond me. For cripes sake, he was, like, Southern Cal's seventh choice as head coach. Now, he's on top of the college football world with a program that is the envy of everyone not connected to the Florida Gators. The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy wrote a great piece on Coach Pete several weeks ago. (The reason why I am just now linking it is fodder for another day.)


The Donovan McNabb story refuses to go away. In fact, it's even bigger now that #5 played well in leading the Eagles to their first victory of the season last Sunday against the Lions. ESPN.com columnist Jeff Chadiha, you remember him probably only because I take such delight in making fun of him, wrote about McNabb a few days ago. The gist of his story? Well, I am not really sure. Chadiha somehow has mastered the art of being a columnist who writes about, well, nothing. 500 words of pure nothing. Looking to get to sleep faster tonight? Click here and read his column of nothing. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ


On the opposite end of the columnist spectrum is Sal Paolantonio. Sal Pal is My Guy. Whatever he writes (or says), I take as gospel. His Sunday morning column about the importance of the Eagles-Lions game for McNabb was great reading. A Philly Guy, Sal Pal has the inside dope on all things Eagles. Once you have woken up from your Chadiha-induced slumber, give Sal Pal's column a read.

Lastly, D-Mac himself has blogged about the whole situation.


Changing over to the Phillies (now tied for the Wild Card lead), the Philadelphia Daily News has a story in today's paper that quotes Old Man G.M. "Stand" Pat Gillick as saying next season will be his last. Excuse me for a moment while I jump up and down, pump my fist (a la Coach Pete) and give thanks. Gosh, I guess wasting money on top notch free agents like Adam Eaton and Wes Helms, and making blockbuster trades for all-stars like Kyle Lohse is just too much for the 70-year old. As for those who are worried that Stand Pat will hang 'em up this winter? Fret not. He told the DN, "I'll fulfill my contract [which ends after next season]."

Great. I can hardly wait until the winter meetings to see how Stand Pat wastes money this time around. He'll probably re-sign Freddy Garcia.

Monday, September 24, 2007

The New England Cheatriots

Bang Cartoons does great stuff. Their latest is on the Patriots and Spygate. It's not their finest, but the Anti-Blitz Cannon and an intoxicated Robert Kraft are priceless. Click here to see it.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Marcia Brady


Let's see. EVERYONE grew up watching The Brady Bunch. What a great show. The one where Greg got selfish and went solo with his music career (cutting out his siblings) and became Johnny Bravo. Or the time Cindy asked Santa to bring back her mom's voice so she could sing on Christmas Eve. Ahh...good times, always.

Years later, we all grew up and found out some interesting things about the real lives of our favorite TV family. Mr. Brady was gay. Greg once went out on a date with Mrs. Brady. Peter became a reality show star on cable.

But this past weekend tops all that. Marcia, allegedly, is preparing a book in which she admits to a lesbian encounter with Jan Brady.

Oh my. What's next? Sam the Butcher was watching the two sisters?


NFL Stone Cold Lock of the Day, III

Wow. I thought last week's pick would produce a worry-free Sunday. Wrong! The Denver Broncos needed overtime to finally shake off the Oakland Raiders, 23-20. So I am still alive (barely) in the football pool. Today's games don't offer a lot of sure bets. (Do they ever?!?) But there is one A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E sure thing. The New England Patriots will crush the Buffalo Bills.


And that's Your NFL Stone Cold Lock of the Day.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Saturday Night Odds & Ends

A few quickies to hold you over while we pig out on Saturday night SEC football...


We love Alex Beam, Boston Globe columnist. We also love making lists. So when Alex writes about lists, we are happy. Very happy.

Want to know why good food --in this case good steak-- costs so much in restaurants? So do we.

Our Philles got to meet Our Guy W. How great is that?!?

The only journalistic thing worse than bad writing is stupid writing. The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo actually started Saturday's column with this gem: "Deep down inside, the Red Sox want to win the division." Oh, really?!? Thanks for breaking that news story. Want to waste five minutes? Read the rest of his stellar column.

Finally, you can never have enough Britney Spears news, eh? This time, it's a Conspiracy Theory. No, really, it is.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Happy Friday

Miami 34 Texas A&M 17 Two weeks ago, the 'Canes got smoked by Oklahoma 51-13. So what does that say about the Aggies, who entered the Orange Bowl last night ranked 20th and promptly got completely dominated? For one thing, it means that the heat is back on Coach Fran. Chances of him coming back next season? I'd say less than 50 percent. Read what the Dallas Morning News has to say about the topic.


USC's Tailback Riches Coach Pete started camp in August with 10 highly touted tailbacks. Last week, Coach Pete listed three co-starters. Stafon Johnson ripped off 144 yards against Nebraska and most assumed he would become the singular man. Not so, says Coach Pete. Instead, he will start senior Chauncey Washington, who had a modest 43 yards on 12 carries.


Spygate Nick Saban, personal friend of Coach Bill (W), wants EVERYONE to know that he was never spied, in part, because of his "obligation to young people." I love Nick. I am thrilled he is back in the college game. But, man, does he sling the B.S.


Pennant Fever That phrase has not been associated with the Phillies in recent years. But it sure is now.

Donovan McNabb to the Chicago Bears?

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Chicken Parm & Chicken Fingers

Last Sunday, I whipped up Chicken Parmesan. I also made chicken fingers for my five year old, who had no interest in the chicken parm. I used Italian bread crumbs and added a heavy dose of Italian spices, with some pepper and kosher salt. The chicken breasts were bathed in egg-wash and then drudged in the bread crumb mixture.



Next, I coated the All-Clad pan with olive oil and turned the heat up to medium high. Once the pan was hot, I put in the chicken. The first side cooked for about 5 minutes and then the other side went down for 4 minutes. (I have also used thin-cut chicken breasts before...those times can be reduced by about 2 minutes a side.)


Once the chicken was done, I placed it in a Pyrex pan that had a layer of spaghetti sauce in it. Each piece was covered with thin slices of fresh mozzarella and then capped with more sauce. (Sometimes I put the don't put sauce on the mozzarella.)

The pan went into a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Here are the chicken fingers. I simply cut up the chicken breasts into manageable chunks, then did the whole egg-wash and bread crumb thing. Those went into the All-Clad pan (with olive oil) for about 3 minutes a side.


Sunday, September 16, 2007

Eagles - Redskins...Do You Remember?

The Body-Bag Game!



Phillies Sweep Mets (AGAIN)!




Thanks to Greg Dobbs' pinch hit grand slam in the sixth inning today, the Phillies defeated the Mets 10-6, to sweep the weekend series. Combined with last month's four game sweep, the Phillies have now defeated the first place Mets seven straight games.

NFL Stone Cold Lock of the Day, II

Coming off last week's opening round prediction (Steelers over the Browns), I am still alive in the pool and ready to pull the trigger again. And, boy, do today's games seem like easy pickings. There are at least three sure games today: Colts winning on the road against the Titans; the Steelers smacking the Bills at home; and Denver hitting cruise control against Oakland.


With the rules stating I can't pick the same team two weeks in a row, Pittsburgh over Buffalo is not in play. While I am positive Indy will win, there is no easier pick in sports these days than taking the Raiders to lose. Just lose, baby!

Broncos over the Raiders. Your NFL Stone Cold Lock of the Day.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Classic W

Friday, September 14, 2007

Friday Night: Chicken Wings & London Broil

Last Night's Cheese Steak

Rib Eye on the grill, thinly sliced with melted Provolone

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Coach Bill (© W) Scandal

Jackie MacMullan of the Boston Globe weighs in on Bill Belichick

Even non-sports columnists are jumping all over Coach Bill (© W)

Oh, the Mighty have Fallen...

No School = Cheese Steaks for Dinner


With no school today, the Friday weigh-in was today. As such, I can relax and actually plan a meal for tonight. Having had Tony Luke's cheese steaks at the Phillies game (while on vacation in August), I am in the mood to try to duplicate his delicious, albeit greasy, sandwich. On the side will be Cesar salad -- smothered in a new recipe for a low-fat dressing.