In the news at this hour

While I bask in the glory of Roy Halladay's guaranteeing the Phillies the best record in the NL with a two-hit exclamation point, whereupon he also slammed the door on the Cy Young race (and locked it, set the alarm, pulled down the security gate, unleashed the guard dogs, and loaded his shotgun), I thought it would be a good time to clear my head of some other sports musings before I focus on the Phillies astonishing playoff run. And, you know, diversify my portfolio a little bit.

First, I have to offer my humble apologies for not believing the Phillies had this winning tear in them. When I lamented about the Phillies not signing Dan Haren and instead targeting Roy Oswalt, the Fightins appeared to be dead in the water after a historic outbreak of injuries and slumping sluggers. But Oswalt rejuvenated his career and, along with the Phillies other two aces, carried this Phillies team to it's best win total in many years. Even Placido Polanco, who I've been trashing since before the season, has been contributing to the squad by grinding out some quality playing time with a bum elbow that will need surgery after the season.

Nice work, Phillies. Like everybody else, I worry a little that this lineup will go cold during the playoffs, but I am officially in on another Red October.
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Have you heard about what happened to Kassim Osgood, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver? Because it's nuts. Read the story for yourself, but here's how this guy spent a recent night in September:
1) Watched some TV at his girlfriend's house.
2) Got his TV viewing interrupted by a gun-wielding intruder wearing a plastic bag.
3) Had his head smashed by said intruder.
4) Was saved from further injury when his girlfriend, a Jag's cheerleader, got into a shootout with the assailant.
5) Jumped out a second-story window to escape.

He's ok, by the way, and so is his hero girlfriend. That's a keeper right there, ladies and gentlemen.
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How about Alberto Contador, Tour de France prendre fait et cause pour? A lab found a banned substance, clenbuterol, in two samples of his urine taken while he was competing in Le Tour. The lab also found plastic residues that turn up when an athlete is blood-doping.

The sample, incidentally,was taken right before Contador had a monster day on the bike that all but sealed his victory. Hmm.

In his defense, Contador claims that the drug invaded his system via a contaminated steak and that the accusations of blood doping are a "science fiction story." Hmm.

Contador is suspended from racing right now, but has not been officially found guilty of a doping violation.

Here's what I have to say about this. The ICU bent over backwards time and time again to accuse Lance Armstrong of doing everything this side of attaching a 900cc motor to his bike to win past Tours, and has succeeded in casting a shadow over Lance's victories. They jumped all over Floyd Landis less than a week after his positive performance-enhancing drug test. Yet here we are, three months after the Tour, and they are still dragging their heels about stripping Contador of his title?

What gives? I'll tell you what gives. The European-based ICU despises American competitors, and loves a hometown hero. Très lame. Contador needs to be stripped of his Tour victories and banned for life.

On a final note, it seems impossible to win a Tour de France without cheating. Maybe they should move it to the Midwest.

What the hell is Charlie thinking?

The Phillies beat the Braves today, increasing their lead in the NL East to six games and all but assuring themselves the division crown. That's incredible.

Know what is also incredible, in a bad way? Charlie Manuel deciding to have Brad Lidge close three high-stress games in a row. This, after Lidge had to take an 8 day mini-vacation to rest what he called a "hyper-extended elbow" from September 6th-14th. Great call, Charlie. Lidge will be fresh for the playoffs after his elbow explodes tomorrow and he takes the rest of the season off.

Vick becomes Top Dog until he is pounded into oblivion behind a weak offensive line.

"Well, let me say it again. I know I'm using poor English here; Kevin Kolb is the #1 quarterback." -Andy Reid, 9/15/10

"Yes [Kevin Kolb will start at quarterback]." -Andy Reid, 9/19/10.

"We'll see how it goes [at quarterback]." -Andy Reid, 9/20/10

"Michael Vick will be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles." Andy Reid, 9/21/10

I am absolutely shocked that Michael Vick has been named the new starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. Shocked because Andy Reid, obstinate tyrant, has never reversed fields like this. Stunned, because the Kevin Kolb era was etched in stone on this year's player guide. Dumbfounded, because if Vick is the quarterback of the future, there is no future beyond this season when Vick's contract expires.

Like I said before, Vick gives this team the best chance of winning right now. But like I also said before, starting him is the wrong decision. To recap my reasoning:

1. Despite the early results in the NFC East, the Eagles do not have the talent to compete for a Super Bowl.
2. If the Eagles wanted to compete for a Super Bowl, they should have kept McNabb and not dismantled their defense, punting good players like CB Sheldon Brown (7 tackles and 1INT for his new team in two games), DE Jason Babin (10 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 sacks), LB Will Witherspoon (12 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 sacks). Also, a team that wants to win would have made hard runs at free agents in this uncapped season.
3. Since the Eagles don't have a Super Bowl in them, winning a few more games with Vick will hurt their draft position.
4. At age 30, Vick may not be long for this league given the punishment he takes as a rushing quarterback, and you have to wonder how many miles he has left in his legs. If Vick's accuracy hasn't improved from his Falcons days, he's a bad quarterback without his mobility.
5. Kolb needs seasoning and development, and he can't get that on the bench.

Speaking of Kolb, what does it do to his confidence to be benched for the season after 2 quarters? What does it do to his teammates confidence in him? Professional athletes in the NFL are all supremely talented physically; all things being equal, it is their mental state that separates them. It's very possible that Kolb's NFL career is cooked.

I have to wonder what made Andy Reid change his mind about starting Vick. Kolb is owed $12 million this season and Reid has stubbornly backed him from the offseason until yesterday. Did he see something on film? Did ownership pressure him? Is he fighting for his coaching job? Or does he really believe that Vick has returned to a "superstar" playing level and that Vick is going to have a better career than Kolb from this date forward?

This is pure hearsay, but I wonder if the Eagles motive in starting Vick is not to end the Kevin Kolb era, but to prolong it. Whoever starts behind the Birds' woeful offensive line is going to get pounded, and perhaps Andy Reid is benching Kolb to keep him from breaking in half. If so, Vick is cannon fodder until the Birds rebuild their O-Line over the offseason. And I may not be crazy in this suspicion. Check out this tidbit from ESPN:

"Team sources told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that in the early morning hours on Monday, Reid, general manager Howie Roseman and the rest of the Eagles coaching staff and front office started going through the game film of Sunday's win in Detroit and saw the severity of the problems on the Eagles offensive line.

The film study showed that Vick, who was sacked six times, was under constant duress because backup center Mike McGlynn had difficulty recognizing blitzes and then setting the protection. As a whole, the offensive line did not play well, and Reid realized then that Vick, with his mobility, would be a better fit to start -- not Kolb. There was also a concern that the offensive line play was so poor that Kolb would be exposed to another concussion, sources told Paolantonio."

More after the jump- be warned, there is press conference video that starts automatically.

Roy Halladay wins his 20th game

Say hello to Mr. Cy Young 2010, because Roy Halladay just won his 20th game. Halladay's 20 wins are best in the NL, his 213 strikeouts are also tops, his 2.53 ERA is third, and he has walked a mere 30 batters. His closest competition in the Cy Young race is Adam Wainwright, but I think Halladay's wins, paucity of walks, and strikeout total will put him over the top. With two starts- at most- left in the season, I think it's safe to say that Halladay is going to win the prize.

Let's just hope he has something left for the playoffs.

The Controversy of the Hurtling Herpes... I Mean, Hermes.

****Note 9/21 Michael Vick has just been named the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. While that invalidates some of what I've said here, other points should stand out in stark relief.********

Michael Vick had a nice game yesterday against the Lions, throwing for 284 yards and 2 touchdowns. He ran for another 34 yards. The debate about keeping Vick as the Eagles starting QB is going to simmer until it reaches a boiling point next weekend, especially if Kolb has another bad game.

Right here, right now, I'm going to say that Michael Vick is the best option at quarterback this season if the Eagles want to win. That's a point that should be obvious, because:

1. The Eagles offensive line looks like it was constructed by the army corps of engineers. As he proved with some nifty escape moves against the Lions, Vick can elude pressure behind a leaky offensive line and still make big plays. Conversely, Kolb is going to suffer concussion after concussion behind the Eagles line. If a defense decides to blitz early and often as Detroit did, only Vick has a prayer of avoiding the rush.
2. The Eagles offense is currently better suited as a vertical passing game, and Vick throws a tremendous deep ball as evidenced by a 60 yard bomb that he dropped in DeSean Jackson's lap (splitting double coverage). Kolb's deep ball needs improvement.
3. Vick's mobility almost forces the opposing defense into designating a "spy" player who has the sole duty of shadowing him, which means that there is one less defensive player in coverage or rushing the passer.
4. Speaking of his mobility, Vick can make big plays with his feet- he ran for over 100 yards in roughly half a game of work in week 1. Having two running threats on the field at the same time- McCoy and Vick, is a big advantage for the Eagles. Defenses have to be aware of Vick's speed at all times because he can out-run defenders if they don't take proper pursuit angles. Vick can draw defenders toward him by scrambling and then burn them by passing before he reaches the line of scrimmage.
5. Vick's field vision and pocket awareness is much better than Kolb's. Kolb eyes his target so much that he oughta blush, and he has no idea when pressure is coming. Vick instinctively moves away from (and escapes) pressure.
6. Everybody says that Kolb is a more accurate passer than Vick. I don't think that's true right now.

 So, I say again- The Eagles have a better chance of winning right now if Vick is behind center.

The thing is, though, if the Eagles wanted to win this season, they wouldn't have traded McNabb and gutted the team. This team is in no shape to make a serious Super Bowl run, and winning a few extra games with Vick at the helm is only going to cost them draft position in the offseason. People are starting to say on Philadelphia sports radio that the Eagles have a chance in the division because the Cowboys are off to a terrible start and the Giants got smoked by the Colts- I say, stop that noise right now. The 'Boys are by no means buried in the division- they are one game back! They will come around. Meanwhile, the Giants are a strong team, they just ran into a Peyton Manning buzzsaw last week. Getting beaten by the Colts doesn't say anything about a team because the Colts beat everybody. So, the Cowboys and Giants still need to be considered the favorites in the NFC East. The Eagles are a long shot to take the division with or without Vick.

And, even if the Birds do miraculously win the NFC east, or, more likely, grab a wild card spot, they can't keep up with elite playoff teams. Beyond their NFC East rivals, the Saints, Falcons, and Packers are all much more talented and multidimensional than the Eagles. And to push the point further, the teams the Eagles would meet in the Super Bowl- the Colts, Texans, Ravens, Jets, Dolphins, Steelers, or Bengals- would embarrass the Eagles. We'll get two previews of a Super Bowl butt-whipping when the Eagles face the Colts and Texans this season.

Nope, the Eagles shouldn't play Vick just to squeeze out a few more wins. This team is all about the future, and Vick is not the future. The team needs to see if Kolb can develop as they planned, and then build a quality squad around him. If Kolb can't develop, then Kafka gets a shot next year. Vick, who is only signed through this season, is too old (especially considering his style of quarterbacking) to warrant an investment on a rebuilding team.

I assume that Eagles brass know this and that Kolb will be the starter next week. So, I have a revolutionary idea for the Birds. Trade Vick now while the season is young and his stock is through the roof. A ton of teams pulled their starting quarterbacks this week and would love to have a shot at signing Vick long term. Strike while the iron's hot and get something for him. Because Vick is gone after this season and useless on this team despite his ability.

Now, I'd try to pry a 1st or 2nd round pick from a desperate team for Vick's services. If that fails, then I'd be all about grabbing a useful, young, and maybe out of favor player from another team. What team would want Vick? Glad you asked, because I've identified 13 teams that I'm sure would love to have him. Here is my wish list of trade partners and players:

Team: Buffalo Bills
Reason they want Vick: Both Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick are terrible quarterbacks, and they're all the Bills have.
Who they'll give up: RB Marshawn Lynch. He's a perfect compliment to Shady McCoy because he's a tough, straight ahead, running back. The Bills buried Lynch on their depth chart and he's clearly in the doghouse. The Eagles should give him a second chance, since they're so fond of giving second chances.

Team: Arizona Cardinals
Reason they want Vick: Every player on the team is ready to win now- except the quarterbacks.
Who they'll give up: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. No, the Cardinals don't want to give up their 24 year old star corner, but they should be desperate and he's what I'm taking.

Team: Seattle Seahawks
Reason they want Vick: Matt Hasselbeck is in the twilight of his career, and Charlie Whitehurst is an unknown.
Who they'll give up: I don't want any of their players, honestly. I'd take a draft pick unless I could wrestle LB Lofa Tatupu from them.

Team: San Fransisco 49ers
Reason they want Vick: Alex Smith is bad. With Vick in place, this team is a super bowl contender.
Who they'll give up: I doubt they'll give him up, but the Eagles could use OT Joe Staley.

Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Reason they want Vick: Matt Cassel is not working out like they Chiefs thought he would when he signed a massive contract.
Who they'll give up: Draft picks. The Chiefs will want to keep their young talent, and the Eagles don't need veterans.

Team: Oakland Raiders
Reason they want Vick: Jason Campbell has already fallen out of favor in Oakland, having been benched for Bruce Gradkowski. Al Davis loves players with speed and questionable character- he probably wants Vick more than any GM in the league.
Who they'll give up: RB Michael Bush. The Raiders want to give Darren McFadden every chance to be their featured running back, and his hot start this year means that Bush is going to be spending his time on the sideline like he did last year. He's a powerful back and a terrific compliment to LeSean McCoy.

Team: Detroit Lions
Reason they want Vick: Matthew Stafford's latest injury should have the Lions wondering if he'll ever be able to stay on the field. Backup Shaun Hill has the arm strength of Michael Cera.
Who they'll give up: They probably won't give him up, but I'd make a play for RB Kevin Smith since Jahvid Best is clearly the Lion's starter at running back.

Team: Minnesota Vikings
Reason they want Vick: The Vikings need to win now, which is why they went to such great lengths to bring back Favre. With the old gun slinger off to a rotten start on one good ankle, the Vikes should be worried that he can't carry them at quarterback.
Who they'll give up: WR Sidney Rice. Hear me out. Rice won't be back until at least November, and even then there is no guarantee that he'll be healthy or effective this year. Since the Vikings are gunning for the super bowl right now, they should pull the trigger on the rumored trade for Vincent Jackson of the Chargers. With Jackson in hand, Rice becomes somewhat expendable, and the Eagles could really use a big target like Rice in their passing game. It's a long shot, but I think it's a win for both teams.

Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Reason they want Vick: Carson Palmer seems like he'll never return to elite Quarterback status. Vick would be an upgrade at the position, and the Bengals love players with checkered pasts.
Who they'll give up: Probably a draft pick, but I'd ask for rookie QB Dan Lefevour to compete with Kafka and Kolb. One of those guys is going to be an NFL quarterback.

Team: Cleveland Browns
Reason they want Vick: When Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme are battling for your starting QB spot, your team is in trouble. Vick's mobility could really open up their offense.
Who they'll give up: RB Jerome Harrison. Coach Mangenius hates Harrison, and drafted his replacement in the offseason. And when his replacement went down, Harrison has had to suffer the indignity of splitting carries with an inferior back in Peyton Hillis. Not sure what Mangenius' beef is, but Harrison is a useful back who would fit well in the Eagles offense.

Team: Carolina Panthers
Reason they want Vick: Matt Moore has thrown 4 interceptions, been sacked 8 times, and boasts a 41% quarterback rating in this young season. John Fox is battling for his coaching job, and Mike Vick might just be his only lifeline.
Who they'll give up: RB Jonathan Stewart. The oft-injured but very talented Stewart is in the last year of his contract, and he won't be re-signing with Carolina as long as DeAngelo Williams is top banana. If the Eagles can trade for Stewart and sign him to an extension, he'd immediately become the top RB option in Philadelphia. Stewart and McCoy would be the best 1-2 running back combo in the league.

Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Reason they want Vick: David Garrard was just benched after throwing 4 interceptions. He's a mediocre quarterback at best, and Vick would be a far superior option.
Who they'll give up: RB Rashad Jennings. He's a big back and would be a good compliment to Shady McCoy.

Team: Tennessee Titans
Reason they want Vick: They just benched Vince Young for Kerry Collins. In the words of the immortal Stan Lee, 'Nuff said.
Who they'll give up: Draft picks.

Eagles v. Lions, The Aftermath

Here are my Eagles-Lions thoughts, coming at you live from my parents' basement.

• Nate Allen made a nice leaping interception in the end zone. His interception last week was a gimme, but this one was timely and athletic. Nate adjusted to the ball in the air and inserted himself in front of the intended receiver.
• My pit mix, Beautiful Josephine, is really put off that Vick is starting this game. She just completely ignored Action Jackson's Usain Bolt style touchdown.

 

• I'm not sure if the Eagles offensive line is suck city, or if the Lion's defensive front is just mean. The Eagles O-line disintegrates right after the snap.
• That DeSean Jackson "catch" looked good to me. The ground cannot cause a fumble- so how can it cause an incomplete?
• Jason Peters had teammates roll up on his left leg not once, but twice.
• Tom Brady needs drama tutelage from Peyton Manning. His acting is stiffer 'n a dead porcupine.
• Jahvid Best is lighting the Eagles up. That's a speedy back. That's a spicy meatball. Not to take anything away from Jahvid, but the Eagles are creating a problem for themselves against the run by collecting defensive ends who are light in the butt. They are very good speed rushers, but these fast, relatively lights DE's are getting enveloped by bigger offensive linemen on running plays.
• Quintin Mikell just broke up what would have been a spectacular catch by Calvin Johnson. He stayed within his ability and out-muscled Johnson, who out-leapt him.
• Mike Vick is not very accurate, but he throws a beautiful deep ball. DeSean Jackson, by the by, catches a beautiful deep ball.
• Maclin is off to a slow start. He scored a touchdown, yes, but he had to get away with offensive pass interference to do it.
• Halftime score 21-17 Eagles. Sadly, I'll miss the rest of this game. I feel like the Eagles have the victory in hand now; as long as they devote their defense to stopping the run, I don't think Shaun Hill can beat them with his pitiful arm. Final score prediction: 31-23, Phila.

Packers v. Eagles: The Aftermath

Here come the post-game bullet points!

• The Eagles proved scrappy as they almost came back to tie a game that looked out of hand by halftime. It's good to see this team showing some mental toughness, because they are going to need to make it through a grueling season.
• Michael Vick is, right now, a better quarterback than Kevin Kolb. Before he got a concussion and went woozy, Kolb looked exactly the same as he did in the preseason: awful. Kolb is throwing into double coverage, misreading coverage, not going through his progressions, and NEVER looking off his intended receiver. Vick, meanwhile, is back to Pro Bowl form, running for over 100 yards and throwing the ball moderately well. I assure you that a quarterback controversy is about to erupt in Philadelphia. Dave Spadaro's assertion that "there is no quarterback controversy" means that the Eagles, for whom Dave is a mouthpiece, are worried that there will be one.
• Despite the above bullet point, Kolb will probably remain the starting QB after his brain stops rattling. Benching Kolb is tantamount to admitting that the Eagles should have kept McNabb, and management is not going to do that. And, frankly, Kolb may yet be the Birds' quarterback of the future with more development.
• If the Eagles escaped the preseason without serious injuries, their luck has certainly turned now. Looks like starting fullback Leonard Weaver and starting center Jamaal Jackson are going to be out for the season. With the rest of the offensive line spinning like turnstiles, losing these two players will have tremendous implications on the uprightness of Eagles' quarterbacks. Yet another reason to field Vick, who can at least scramble for his life.
• In the same vein, if OT Jason Peters can't get back onto the field... whoo boy.
• Rookie safety Nate Allen had a nice game- have the Eagles finally filled the void left by Brian Dawkins? Maybe. But don't get too carried away by Allen's interception of Aaron Rodgers, because that pass looked like it was intended for Nate rather than a Packers receiver.
• I have some bones to pick with whoever on the Eagles' staff made these decisions:

1. Calling a play using an illegal formation on the first offensive snap of 2010. Pardon? You had the entire offseason to script the first offensive play of the season, and you decided on something that results in a 5 yard penalty? Do you know the rules of football?
2. Letting Stewart Bradley back into the game after he clearly suffered brain trauma. After Bradley smacked his head, he wobbled on the ground, wobbled around aimlessly, and then keeled over in a wobbling heap. None of the trainers who proceeded to commiserate over Bradley's crumpled body suspected that he might have a concussion? Bradley eventually left the game, but not after someone on the Eagles' staff put his life in danger.
3. Letting Kevin Kolb back in the game after he suffered a concussion. Granted, Kolb didn't unfurl a mile-long red flag to signal his concussion as did Bradley. But upon viewing the pothole Kolb's helmet made in the turf, somebody should have taken a closer look at his dome. He was rubbing his jaw gingerly after the tackle, which was a clear sign that his head had sustained a substantial bump. Football players always want to go back into the game because their job is up for grabs every time they leave with an injury. It should be up to medical staff to decide if a player can go back into a game after an injury, not the player.

• The Eagles special teams is horrendous at covering kick returns. This was why I advocated keeping special teams standouts like Kelley Washington on the roster.
• Shady McCoy had a much better game than I thought he would against one of the better defensive fronts in football. He hasn't proven himself as a Westbrook-esque gamebreaker, but he is definitely an above average back.

NFL Predictions 2010

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys I really hate to admit it, but the Cowboys are stacked deep and wide. And tall. Only Wade Phillips can screw this team up.
2. NY Giants The Giants weren't a bad team last year, they just mysteriously quit trying. With the Eagles rebuilding and the Redskins down, the Giants have the talent to take second in the beast.
3. Washington Racists  Donnie Mac is going to lead this team from atrocity to mediocrity.
4. Philadelphia Eagles The Birds have some nice offensive toys, but they let a lot of talent go in the offseason and could have a dreadful defense. QB Kevin Kolb hasn't looked particularly sharp in the preseason. I just don't know if the young players on this team can grind out a winning season this year.

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers More talent than Dallas, I think, and so much more wholesome.
2. Minnesota Vikings (wild card) I love Brett Favre, but if the O-Line protects him like they did in that playoff loss to New Orleans, he's going to be ground into dust by the end of the season. The Vikes also are in trouble at the wide receiver position, where Sidney Rice will miss at least half the season, and Percy Harvin' status will be in doubt on a weekly basis.
3. Chicago Bears Da Bears made some bold moves this offseason, and they'd have a healthy shot at the playoffs if they didn't have such a tough schedule.
4. Detroit Lions I'm actually going to look forward to watching the Lions play this year. They are two years of development away from being Super Bowl contenders.

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons  Matt Ryan is ripe on the vine, as is the rest of the Falcon's core. The Falcons are a well-balanced team ready to overtake the villainous Saints
2. New Orleans Saints (wild card) The Saints played dirty in the NFC Championship vs. the Vikings, and karma + the Madden Curse will keep them out of the playoffs this year if there is any decency in the world.
3. Carolina Panthers The Panthers have two brittle, all-world running backs, a one-armed Steve Smith, and little else. Better luck next year.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Young and frisky, the Bucs are going to be a lot better than last year. But they need to grow a few more inches before they can get on the big boy rides. Also, Aqib Talib needs to stop punching cabbies.

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers  This tepid division will make the Niners look unstoppable. They have a strong defense and some quality pieces on O. Alex Smith is not one of them.
2. Arizona Cardinals  The Cardinals lost a whole lotta talent this offseason and didn't pick any up. They need to coax Kurt Warner out of retirement.
3. St. Louis Rams  The Rams are making a huge mistake starting Sam Bradford right out of the gate. This team is going to blow chunks with or without him, and he's likely to develop bad habits while running for his life behind a shaky offensive line. It'll be a shame to see him flame out.
4. Seattle Seahawks  Worst team in the conference this season. Pete Carroll wrote a book detailing his misguided ideas about how keeping athletes (and worker bees) looking over their shoulders is the way to bring out the best in them. The fact is, Pete doesn't know how to bring out the best in anybody- he just knows how to best utilize boosters to bribe the best talent into signing with what becomes the best college team. That formula won't work in Seattle.

AFC East

1. NY Jets  If this team stays hungry and the Sanchise blooms, they are a top Super Bowl contender. I love the offseason moves.
2. Miami Dolphins (Wild Card)  The Dolphins are a sturdy team. They ought to be sponsored by Carhartt.
3. New England Patriots  Resentment and discontent abound. Randy Moss feels disrespected by ownership. Pro Bowl Left Guard Logan Mankins feels so disrespected by ownership that he's holding out. Tom Brady (and his hair, see picture) should feel disrespected by ownership because they haven't made any progress on his contract. The Mass Pike is littered with the corpses of players disrespected by ownership. On the field, meanwhile, the Pats have no running game, a declining defense, and an admittedly "not one-hundred percent" Wes Welker. New England is going to be ghoulish by Halloween.
4. Buffalo Bills  Speaking of ghoulish, your 2010 Buffalo Bills.

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals  A solid team all around. Like the brick house built by the third little pig. Stout and mean defensively, above average and well-rounded offensively.
2. Baltimore Ravens (Wild Card) The Ravens have a phenomenal offense. The best four-man receiving corps in the league, an emerging superstar in Ray Rice, the best O-line in the league, a hard-nosed quarterback ready to break out, an underrated, dependable (when he's on the field) tight end, a bruising, old-school fullback, and a fine complimentary back in Willis McGahee. I don't know how any defense can game plan against the Ravens, especially if Donte Stallworth steps up as a deep threat.   The defense, on the other hand, is not what it once was. If that secondary is as leaky as it looks, I see a lot of shootouts in the Raven's future.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers  Big Ben is out for four games, Santonio Holmes is gone, and while the Head and Shoulders pitchman is back, the defense doesn't look like an Iron Curtain anymore. Rashard Mendenhall, the team's only decent running back, has fumbling problems. The Steelers have a lot of talent, but do they have enough to recover from an 0-4 start to the season?
4. Cleveland Browns  The good news is that Shaun Rogers won't be suspended for bringing a loaded gun to an airport. The bad news is that this team stinks.

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts  Peyton Manning is incredible, and this might be the best wide receiver rotation that he's ever had at his disposal. Young running back Donald Brown might be poised for a bustout. Yes sir, the Colts are going to be resting their starters again for the last two weeks of the season.
2. Houston Texans  With their depth of talent, there is every reason to think the Texans will make the playoffs this year. Except that they never make the playoffs.
3. Tennessee Titans  This is a really good team. Chris Johnson was unbelievable last season, and Vince Young went from suicide watch to pro bowl watch. They play the Roethlisberger-less Steelers in week 1 and the Colts B Squad in week 17. The Titans could easily swap places with the Texans and nab a wild card spot, but I think they are a lesser team.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars  MJD has a mysterious, undocumented knee ailment. Without him, this team falls flat.

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers The Bolts hold on to win this division only because it's putrid. They have a rookie at running back, a linebacker who lost his star power when he stopped taking steroids, and an elite wide receiver who is going to miss at least the first 6 weeks of the season.
2. Kansas City Chiefs  The Chiefs are coached up and have some bright spots on the roster. With a hearty running game and Matt Cassel's potential as a starting quarterback, they will be mildly better than last year.
3. Oakland Raiders  The Raiders were ready to grab 2nd place in this division before injuries hit in training camp. Jason Campbell has an iffy wrist, their best running back has an injury which prevents him from holding on to the ball, and their sleeper wide receiver is about to be sleeping on a surgeon's table.
4. Denver Broncos  I hate that B-Dawk is on this crappy team.

AFC Championship: Jets over Colts
NFC Championship: Packers over Cowboys
Super Bowl: Packers over Jets

53 men on a roster

The Philadelphia Eagles will whittle their roster to 53 men among men by 6pm this Saturday. Though it made my eyes bleed, I poured over the second string Eagles in Thursday's woeful final preseason game to take a stab at the lucky 53 before the Turk makes his cuts. Here's my guess at what the roster will look like heading into the 2010 regular season.

Physically Unable to Perform List: Victor Abiamiri
Injured Reserve: Marlin Jackson, Ricky Sapp

Offense
Quarterbacks: Kevin Kolb, Mike Vick, Mike Kafka

• These guys are iron clad locks to make the team

Running Backs: LeSean McCoy, Mike Bell

Fullbacks: Leonard Weaver, Eldra Buckley

• Despite a nice job on kickoff returns and his ability to catch balls out of the backfield, I say JJ Arrington misses the cut. Martell Mallett has shown some consistent, up-the-middle running ability, but I don't think he cracks the roster. He's a practice squad candidate.

Wide Receivers: DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, Kelley Washington, Riley Cooper

•  Coop had a solid grab in Thursday's game, but also missed a somewhat catchable ball a few plays later. Still, the phenom makes the team. I think Washington edges out Baskett for the last receiver slot, though Dave Spadaro disagrees. Washington made some nice special teams plays, and I think he's a more reliable receiver than Hank. Sorry, Kendra.

Tight End: Brent Celek, Clay Harbor, Cornelius Ingram

• Andy doesn't usually keep 3 tight ends, but this is a unique situation. Ingram isn't fully recovered from injury, but he could be a special player. Harbor has to stay on the team as insurance for Ingram, though. Unless one of the two goes to the practice squad, the Eagles have to keep all three.

Offensive Tackles: Jason Peters, Winston Justice, Austin Howard, King Dunlap
Offensive Guards: Stacy Andrews, Todd Herremans, Nick Cole, Max Jean-Gilles
Center: Jamaal Jackson, Mike McGlynn

• Injury concerns aplenty here, thus the need for 10 lineman.

Defense
Defensive Ends: Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, Juqua Parker, Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, Darryl Tapp

• I don't believe that Daniel Te'oNesheim has enough football smarts to become a great player, but Andy loves him. Got to keep Tapp for depth. Pannel Egboh flashed intriguing skills versus the Jets, and I say he makes the practice squad.

Defensive Tackles: Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley, Trevor Laws, Antonio Dixon, Jeff Owens

• I didn't notice Owens at all during the game, but I know the Birds have love for the big fella.

Linebackers: Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims, Akeem Jordan, Omar Gaither, Keenan Clayton, Moise Fokou

• Of the linebacker candidates on the team, I think Tracy White has to fear the Turk's footsteps the most. Moise Fokou seems to be emerging as a linebacker/defensive end hybrid.

Cornerbacks: Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, Trevard Lindley, Joselio Hanson, Jorrick Calvin

• Calvin sticks as a return man, and because the Eagles saw fit to trade away a potentially good fullback for him. I don't like Hanson's play and think the Eagles should consider cutting him and keeping Dimitri Patterson instead. They won't.

Safety: Nate Allen, Quintin Mikell, Kurt Coleman, Quintin Demps

• Kurt Coleman could be one of those players who isn't supremely physically blessed, but is nevertheless a smart and successful football talent. Also, au revoir, Macho Harris.

Kicker: David Akers
Punter: Sav Rocca
Long Snapper: Jon Dorenbos

• Duh. And Rocca is having his best preseason ever.

Practice Squad: Martell Mallett, Jordan Norwood, Boo Robinson, Jamar Chaney, Dimitri Patterson, David Pender, AQ Shipley, Pannel Egboh

• Tracy White, Macho Harris, Hank Baskett, and Chad Hall are my alternate picks for the practice squad. But I don't think any of them, except Hall, can't find spots on other teams.

Free, lovley dog delivered to your door.

I adopted a sweetheart of a dog from the pound, and I don't think I can keep her. Are you interested in making your life incredible by taking her in? I'll risk sounding corny for this little darling: she deserves a friendly, loving home.

Like all dogs at the PSPCA, she is up to date on shots, spayed, and microchipped. She is in very good health, with a pretty coat and a perfect smile. She's a master of cute dog stretches.

Josephine is a 3 year old darling- some kind of pit bull terrier mix, maybe with a kind of sporting dog? It's hard to tell from the pictures, but she has little brown spots in her white coat like a German Short-Hair Pointer. She's about 45 pounds and is a full-grown, medium-size dog. She was found on the streets, so not much is known about her background.

Josephine has shown zero aggression, and the shelter's behavioral test indicates that she isn't aggressive and gets along nicely with other dogs. In fact, she seems interested in making dog friends. We met a big, energetic doberman in the park on our first day together and she greeted him perfectly, like a very well-adjusted dog. She has met dogs of various sizes, ages, and energy levels on our walks- she was excited and happy to meet all of them. She is mostly interesting in sniffing and getting on with her walk.

Josephine is an incredible leash walker. She doesn't pull, and tends to walk just behind me (Dog Whisperer style). She's got a nice, steady gait. She really enjoys going on walks and checking out the scenery.

Josephine is housebroken. Her stall was never soiled at the pound and she's been holding it till we get outside at my house. She hasn't gone to the door to tell me that she needs to go out, but I've been taking her out so frequently that it hasn't come up.

She's not very good with the sit command, but she comes when you call her. When she's off-leash in my back yard, she doesn't wander far from me. If I give her even a hint of a firm tone about something, she stops what she's doing immediately. She's a fast learner, and keeps her eyes on you to make sure she's following directions. A dog this eager to please is going to learn fancy tricks. We just started obedience school.

From what I've seen so far, the dog isn't very food-motivated. I don't think she's gonna be the type that begs for food at the dinner table. That's an underrated, but most excellent, trait in a dog. Another bonus- she is not a chewer.

Here's a video of Josephine scratching her own back. It's really entertaining to see in person.

Josephine is very quiet and shy- but in no way hostile- around new people. She sometimes flinches if you make sudden movements, so she might have been abused. She appreciates it if you take it slow. You might mistake her uncertainty for a lack of affection, but this dog will lick the crap out of you once you give her some time to feel safe. Her tail didn't move when I first met her, but I'm getting full body wags now. She's definitely a dog in a shell, so it may be months before we see her true dog self. I do want to emphasize, though, that I haven't witnessed any odd behavior from her except the flinching and the shyness. With some patient love, nobody is going to suspect that she's a shelter dog. She just needs somebody to help her with her confidence.

She was nice and calm in the car during the ride back from the shelter. Being in a car is a new thing for her, so she's still working on her road legs.

This dog loves her some water. She jumped right in the plastic pool at the shelter, and she tried to wade into my parents' fish pond. Whether she can swim is currently a mystery. She isn't interested in taking a dip in Pennypack creek, but frankly, neither am I.

It doesn't seem like she needs obedience lessons, but we're taking some training classes to help her develop confidence and open up. I'll update this post as we learn more.

Eagles vs. Jaguars Preason Game Notes

• Kevin Kolb eyes his primary receivers like they was crab legs at a Chinese buffet. He also seems to be throwing to them even if the coverage is unfavorable. Those are rookie QB mistakes, and they'll turn into interceptions if he doesn't work on them.
• Kolb is showing some nice accuracy, however. His throws are on target short, medium and long.
• I'm not into Kolb's game face. It looks like a smooshed-up goblin grimace.
• Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are grabbing fistfuls of big money out there.
• The Eagles D looks ferocious! I expect them to be awful this season, but they don't want to hear my noise.
• Kolb has surprising mobility. He's picking up extra yards with his feet, and making blitzing defenders miss. He's no McNabb, but it's nice to see a QB that can move around a little.
• Speaking of mobile QB's, Mike Vick looked good on his first snap. He completed a sweet play action pass.
• I don't think Shady McCoy holds the ball tight enough to his body. I'm going to miss Westbrook.
• Vick's second pass was a bomb to Riley Cooper. Hank Baskett is not going to make the team with the 6'3", 220 lb Cooper playing like this. Cooper has beautiful flowing locks. Hank and Kendra are going to need to find a cheap one-bedroom in Northeast Philadelphia next to a Burger King. And Kendra is going to need to hostess at Chickes and Petes.
• Besides a gross fumble and inexcusable interception, Mike Vick looks much improved over last season. On his touchdown run, he was the lightning quick Mike Vick of old. Line starts here for trade offers.
• It's hard to figure out anything definitively when the scrub-on-scrub action starts, but today's scrub all-stars: Mike Kafka, QB, throwing with a soft touch; Chad Hall, WR-PR-KR-Scatback, with a dyno-mite burst; Martell Mallett, RB, bulldozing borderline NFL talent; Trevard Lindley, CB, with some playmaking moves (and missed tackles). As for the scrub all-scrubs of the game: Joselio Hanson, who isn't supposed to be a scrub, got scorched deep by one; Te'o-Nesheim missed a sure-thing, undefended QB sack because he couldn't change direction in time. I'm not going to learn how to pronounce Te'o-Nesheim if he's gonna play like this.

Horses and Phillies, live from Nana's house

This blog is coming to you live from Nana's house, from a computer that seems to be running a vintage '98 edition of internet explorer. Nana is partying down at the senior center, so I thought I'd throw out a quick blog update.

Roy Oswalt has indeed been traded to the Phillies. It's not as doom and gloom as I thought it would be, as Oswalt dropped his demand that the Phillies pick up his 2012 opion and Houston is paying $11 million of his salary for this year and next.

Though I still have many of the same concerns about Oswalt as I did in my last post, getting Oswalt for this year and next for $12 million represents good value for the Phillies. As long as Oswalt stays healthy, he'll be well worth that amount. The Phillies gave up JA Happ and some not-sure-thing prospects, and while losing Happ at his value-priced salary is a bit of a bummer, Oswalt is clearly the better pitcher, Keith Law has this to say about Happ:

"Happ is a fifth-starter type with good command and deception but fringy stuff without a real knockout pitch. He's a particularly bad fit for Houston's ballpark as a left-handed fly ball pitcher who has had some trouble with right-handed hitters. He's also coming off a forearm strain that has ruined his 2010 season. Other than that, he's everything you could ask for in a pitcher."

I pretty much echo those sentiments. I think Happ is a tough-minded pitcher who works very hard, but he's limited by his stuff. He would have to get by on guts and guile to become an elite pitcher, and that happens only rarely in the major leagues.

The Phillies are not in any shape to win it all this year, injuries and a world series hangover pretty much ensured that. But with Oswalt and the lineup waking up a bit, the Phillies do have the talent to challenge for a playoff spot. Next season looks bright as well, though I'd like the long term outlook a whole lot more if they'd have traded the same players for Dan Haren! Damn it!
By the way, Ed Wade has done his best work for the Phillies as GM of the Astros.

In horse racing news, the Haskell Stakes is this weekend. It's a tough field without any real longshots. Here are my quick picks:

1. Ice Box
2. First Dude
3. Lookin at Lucky
4. Trappe Shot
5. Uptowncharleybrown
6. Super Saver
7. Afleet Again
8. Our Dark Knight

I just recalled that I never wrote about how I did in the Belmont, so I'll recap those results when I do the Haskell finishes.

Dez Bryant makes a scene at Cowboys training camp

Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant refused to carry the shoulder pads of a veteran teammate at training camp, an innocuous hazing ritual that has been around for decades. I don't know if I like hazing, but I'll tell you what I do like: Dez Bryant already getting negative publicity for himself.

Oh, and the player whose pads Dez wouldn't carry? That would be Roy Williams, a former first round darling himself. Bryant is trying to steal Williams' position as a starting wide receiver- think that played into Bryant's refusal?

Let's hope Bryant's diva-meter keeps rising!

Phillies management look lost at the plate; Dan Haren signs with another red-and-white team

If you look back at my critique of the Phils' offseason moves, you can see that I've proven to know more than Phillies management when it comes to assembling a baseball team. I'll return to this subject in more detail in a future post, but here's a quick review of my knowing-better:

• The Phillies should have gone after Adrian Beltre instead of Placido Polanco.

• The Phillies should have kept Cliff Lee.

• The Phillies paid Ryan Howard more money than he's worth and more than he'd probably fetch on the open market.

Also, here are some things I would have written had I started this blog only a few months earlier:

• If the Phillies were going to make an ill-advised trade of Cliff Lee, they should have shopped him around and gotten more for him (You may think the trade was Roy Halladay for Cliff Lee, but it wasn't: The Phillies traded minor leaguers Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor and Travis d'Arnaud to Toronto for Roy Halladay. They then traded Cliff Lee to the Mariners for some minor league scrubs who you will never see at Citizens Bank Park- Phillippe Aumont, Juan Ramirez and Tyson Gillies.)

• The Phillies spent too much on, and gave too many years to Raul Ibanez.

• The Phillies should have matched the Astros' paltry one year offer to Brett Myers.

I'm not saying that the Phillies would win the World Series this year had they followed my advice, but I will say that the team would be in better shape right now and for years to come. Thus, I know more about assembling a good baseball team than Phillies management. The blunders by Phillies brass have had a trickle-down effect this season, and will for seasons to come.

Let's take the Polanco example. Polanco may be falling apart, and they've already invested in him for the next two years. Meanwhile, Beltre is batting .332 with 16 home runs with 63 RBI, and is slugging .547 (Polanco is hitting a respectable .316 but only has 6 jacks). Beltre is 4th in the league in batting average, 6th in hits, 7th in OPS, and has as many homers as A-Rod. And here's a trickle-down effect you won't find on the stat sheet: With Beltre on the Phillies, Shane Victorino would be batting 2nd, where he could go back to his comfort zone of slap hitting and stealing bases. Shane wouldn't be swinging for the fences as he thinks he needs to do now, and he'd probably be hitting closer to his career average of .280.

More trickle down: Raul Ibanez has been a classy and consistent baseball player throughout his career. But he is now 38 years old and you have to wonder how much chaw is left in his cheek. His current hot streak aside, he has been miserable at the plate this season and for the latter half of last season (he hit 12 home runs post-all star break 2009, but his batting average was .232). We're looking at an aging leftfielder who swings a declining left-handed bat in a left-handed lineup, and who plays a slow left field. The Phillies are on the books for 11.5 million next season for Raul, and even if they could find a sucker to take him in a trade, Raul has a full no-trade clause. The Phillies are stuck with Raul this year and next, and he's eating up payroll the Phillies could use on a better quality player (or players!).

More trickle down: Think the Phillies could use Brett Myers' 3.24 ERA in their starting rotation? Might his 6.68 strikeouts per nine innings be worth 3.1 million dollars? The Phillies didn't think so, but former Phillies GM and current Astros GM Ed Wade did. And, in case you don't remember this, Ed Wade is a moron. What does that say about current Philies management? The Phils wouldn't need to look for starting pitching right now if they'd have re-signed Brett Myers. They could focus their resources to other team needs.

But here's the trickiest trickle: After parting with Cliff Lee for nothing, and refusing to spare some chump change for Myers, the Phillies are now desperately searching for starting pitching. They halfheartedly tried to get Cliff Lee back, but his price had gone up (Seattle flipped him to Texas for more than they gave up in the Phils trade) and it's doubtful Phillies brass could have stood the embarrassment of admitting they should have kept Lee when all of Philadelphia had condemned them for letting him go in the first place.

After all this trickling, the Phillies are in a tight spot. Their playoff hopes are slim, and their world series chances are nil. Still, they seem to want to salvage this season (and be competitive in next season) by acquiring a starting pitcher that they wouldn't need if they listened to me (and all of Philadelphia).

To fill their pitching need, the Phillies braintrust zeroed in on two targets, one good (Dan Haren) and one that will only cause more trickling sadness (Roy Oswalt).

The good one got dealt today to a team in red and white, but it wasn't the Phillies.

No, The California Angels in Anaheim picked up Dan for a big bucket of nothing. According to Christopher Harris of ESPN, the prospects the Angels gave up for Haren "are not expected to be elite players," and the only major leaguer they included in the deal is "a lucky win artist." Keith Law calls said major league player "a mediocre, back-end starter"and the minor league prospects "three bodies." Are you telling me the Phillies couldn't have tried harder to get one of the top major league pitchers, a top-of-the-rotation-talent, a player who has 3 1/2 years left on his contract at a reasonable price (he'll make less than Ibanez this year, and slightly more thereafter), who is only 29 years old, who would have made the Phillies rotation dominant... and they didn't? What the hell, Phillies??? YOU SHOULD HAVE NABBED DAN HAREN, YOU IDIOTS!

**** Note, just after I wrote this, Dan Haren was smote by a line drive while pitching for the Angels and had to leave the game after pitching 4 2/3 innings and striking out 8(!) batters. That ball was my divine wrath, but I must say I wish it hit one of the bumbling fools who make decisions for the Philiies, instead.****

The Phillies will, sadly, focus their efforts on trading for Roy Oswalt. Oswalt is a good pitcher, don't get me wrong. But he isn't the answer for the Phillies, especially not like Haren could have been. Oswalt's ERA and strikeout rate are very good, but they are trending down from the elite level they peaked at from 2001-2006. He is not currently Dan Haren level, but Roy Oswalt is a good pitcher. The thing is, he isn't a good fit for the Phillies. Why? I present the trickling of Roy Oswalt, which will settle upon the Philadelphia Phillies if they trade for him-

• Roy Oswalt does not want to play in Philadelphia. He is an confirmed country boy and wants to live near his home in Weir, Mississippi. Oswalt has admitted that he'd rather be on one of his ranches than traveling from town to town with his current baseball team, which makes me question his dedication to baseball. If Oswalt is traded to Philadelphia, he'd be even farther from his coveted country real estate, and you have to wonder if living in a big city is going to affect Oswalt's already compromised focus. Unfocused pitchers ruin games.

• Roy has played on a lousy Astros team for too long, and he is habituated to losing. Losing attitudes are contagious.

• Roy demands that the Phillies pick up his 2012 option for $16 million. This, along with his $16 million pricetag for 2011 will further hamstring the Phillies payroll and make the team less competitive.

• Roy has had recent health problems, most notably a bad disc in his back for which he has already received 3 cortisone injections. Investing $16 million a year in a pitcher with a time bomb in his back is bad business

• The Bleacher Report has a nice article about why the Phillies are better off keeping JA Happ and not trading for Oswalt; The Phillies have much more payroll flexibility if they keep JA Happ.

Dear Phillies, heed my call. Do not go after Oswalt. And appoint me GM before it's too late. Sheesh. How could you blow landing Dan Haren?!

Like a hot dog left overlong in a gas station rotisserie, the last word on LeBron's "Decision"

Most everything has been said about LeBron and his Decision, so I won't pick at the bones too long here.

In the fading Decision winter, the ESPN Ombudsman posted an interesting dissection of the Decision-as-programming-event. He mentions a litany of complaints about the hour-long debacle, chief among them whether ESPN is guilty of paying for news rather than reporting it. An outgrowth of the paying for news accusation is whether ESPN is pandering to LeDiva by tossing marshmallow-soft interview questions when journalistic integrity might call for more incisive inquiry. Ohlmeyer's article is a good read and it gets to the core of who the blaming finger of public outrage should be pointed at: ESPN.

Because for what, exactly, should people be angry with LeBron? He claims to have donated all proceeds from "Decision" ad revenue to charity, so he didn't make any money from the event (if he didn't donate all of the cash, however, as speculated on Bill Simmons' recent podcast, then LeBron does have something to answer for). LeBron didn't make any promises about where he would sign in free agency, and it was well within his rights to sign anywhere he pleased. LeBron also took less money to sign with the Heat than he could have wrung from the Cavs, so we can't accuse him of being ultra-greedy.

The idea that LeBron somehow betrayed Cleveland is ridiculous. If you or I choose to accept a job in another town, are we betraying the people of our current city? What obligation does LeBron have to Cleveland? Just because a person is from Akron doesn't mean that he needs to stay there. Can you blame a 25-year-old, single male for wanting to move to Miami?

There is an argument to be made the LeBron was trying to use the hour to pump up his image as a celebrity and a philanthropist, but he failed miserably if that was his goal, and the PR hit he has taken should be punishment enough for that alleged crime.

The only things I find LeBron guilty of are egomania and lameness. Also, I find him guilty of choking in the playoffs. But I absolutely acquit him of any significant moral wrongdoing in his decision. As Ohlmeyer points out, it would have been nice if LeBron announced his decision with "style, grace, humility and appreciation," but should we expect that of our deified professional athletes?

Frankly, we, the public, are guilty of stoking the flames of this boy's egomania to the point that he thought his decision to make "The Decision" was a good decision.

What most disturbs me about the whole circus is the behavior of Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cavs. He wrote an embarrassing open letter to his fans, in which he (and I agree completely with Rev. Jesse Jackson) sounded more like the owner of a runaway slave than an owner of an NBA team. At one point in his venomous diatribe, Gilbert seethes, "Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there." Is this coming from a jilted lover or a business professional? What does dying have to do with basketball?

Gilbert released a statement that he strongly disagrees with Rev Jackson's assessment of him as having a slave owner mentality, but let's not let him off the hook too easily. As I see it, Gilbert's fury stems from LeBron holding all the cards in "The Decision," and Gilbert's being unable to control him. LeBron made NBA owners come to Ohio to meet with him if they wanted his services, ostensibly held everyone in the dark about his decision until he released it on his terms, and chose to go to a team where he could play with his friends and have fun in the sun. LeBron had the ultimate power, and Gilbert clearly resented that someone who was formerly in his employ was now free to move on- and, who now even had power over Gilbert.

Yes, absolutely yes, Gilbert displayed a slave owner mentality. I won't go so far as to say that he is a racist- though it is a reasonable assumption- but Gilbert's comments about LeBron did not, again to echo Rev. Jackson, reflect a view of their relationship as being between business partners. LeBron honored his contract to the letter, and Gilbert was not satisfied with that. He wanted LeBron under his thumb and filling his coffers. When Gilbert discovered that he did not own LeBron, and further that LeBron had power over him (in terms of selling Cavs tickets, which should be an easier get next season), Gilbert reacted like any slave owner who discovered his property to have fled his plantation.

World Cup Notes

• Most Villainous-Looking Player: Franck Ribery, France

• Best Player Name: Stephen Girard, England

• Second Best Player Name: Kaka, Brazil

• Third Best Player Name: Rafael van der Vaart, Netherlands

• Fourth Best Player Name: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany

• Fifth Best Player Name: Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast

• Best USA Player: Tim Howard

• Best Trivia about Best USA Player: Tim Howard has Tourette’s Syndrome

• Best Shot: Giovanni Van Bronckhorst versus Uruguay: See it here at the 12 second mark.

• Best Goal Celebration: Miroslav Klose flips after scoring on Argentina

• World Cup MVP: Thomas Müller, Germany

• World Cup Flopping MVP: Kader Keita, Ivory Coast. See him reenact The Scream after running into Kaka’s arm (and somehow Kaka gets slapped with a red card) here, at minute 2:10 of the video.

• World Cup Anti-Flopping MVP: Arjen Robben of the Netherlands should have flopped in the 82^nd minute of the World Cup Final, as he would have gotten a penalty shot and possibly won the game. He didn’t. See it at minute 2:40. Instead, Robben got a yellow card for yelling at the ref to give him the call.

• Best Team Nickname: Bafana Bafana, South Africa

• Second Best Team Nickname: Die Mannschaft, Germany

• Third Best Team Nickname: La Furia Roja, Spain

• Fourth Best Team Nickname: Los Charruas, Uruguay

• Fifth Best Team Nickname: To Piratiko, Greece

• Sixth Best Team Nickname: The Chollima, North Korea

• Best Uniform: Cameroon

• Runner-up Best Uniform: Ghana

• Sexiest Uniform: Les Bleus (France)

• Best National Anthem: Uruguay 

• Most commented-upon, and well-warranted, world cup annoyance: the drone of Vuvuzelas.
  
  
  

• Best World Cup “Fans”: North Koreans

• Best World Cup Sensation: Paul, the octopus.

• Poorest Sportsmanship: French coach Raymond Domenech refusing to shake hands with South African coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Later, when asked to explain his lack of sportsmanship Domenech said, "I have no intention of replying to this question.” When the question was repeated, he croaked: "If these are all the questions you are going to ask me, I am going to leave you, we are not from the same world."

• Best Fashion Statement by a Coach: Joachim Loew’s lucky blue cashmere sweater, available at Strenesse.

• Worst Officiating Moment: Koman Coulibaly calls a ghost-foul, costing USA a win over Slovenia.

• Second Worst Officiating Moment: Clint Dempsey “offsides” goal disallowed against Algeria. See it at the 24 second mark.

• Third Worst Officiating Moment: Frank Lampard of England shoots a ball off the goalpost that clearly lands in goal against Germany in the round of 16, which would have leveled the game at 2-2. The goal is inexplicably waved off, and Germany goes on to win 4-1.

• Fourth Worst Officiating Moment: Clint Dempsey takes a fist to the face, drawing blood, but not a red card against Algeria.

• Fifth Worst Officiating Moment(s): It’s impossible to pick the most terrible officiating moment in Howard Webb’s performance during the World Cup Final. He couldn’t figure out when to give corner kicks. He threw yellow cards when there should have been red cards, and yellow cards when there should have been no cards. Also, no cards when there should have been yellow cards.

• Most Ridiculously Despicable, but Quasi-Legal, Play: It cost him a red card and drew a (missed) penalty shot, but Uruguay forward Luis Suarez blocked a sure-thing goal with his hand and stole a win away from Ghana. In the NBA, if you stick your hand in the basket and block a shot that was going into the net, the shot counts. They don’t make you shoot a free throw to try to score the bucket again. FIFA rules are nuts.

• Most Exciting World Cup Last Minute Score, American Edition: Landon Donovan’s goal in the 91^st minute against Algeria, catapulting the US into the knockout rounds. Like I said before, you have Tim Howard to thank for beautifully setting up that goal.

• Most Exciting World Cup Last Minute Score, International Edition: Andres Iniesta wins Spain the World Cup with only 4 minutes left in extra time.

• Best Match: Germany over Uruguay, 3-2, in the third-place game.

• Best World Cup Announcers, English Speaking: Ian Darke and John Harkes. I fancy Ian Darke’s commentary, and wish he and any of his colleagues would sign on for an NFL gig.

• Best World Cup Announcer, Spanish Speaking: Jose Antonio Camacho

• Best Comment by a World Cup Announcer: “One of the softest goals you'll ever see at this level of football. It doesn't often happen in schoolboy play.” –Martin Tyler, on Team USA’s improbable score against England goalie Robert Green.

 

USA Defeats Algeria in the 91st Minute

Never forget that it was goal keeper Tim Howard who set up the winning goal for the US. He made a perfect outlet pass that caught Algeria flat-footed and set up a lightning strike down the right side of the field for the GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, ranked.

1. Chubby's Identical to the set on "Boy Meets World," except for the downstairs teenage dream hangout.
2.      Tony Luke’s  Tony Luke’s keeps it bona fide. I like my cheesesteaks served in a modest take-away under the shadow of the interstate.

3.      Dattilo’s  Dattilo’s is an authentic Italian-American deli that happens to serve up a tasty steak. It’s the Super Mario of cheesesteaks: above average in all its moves.

4.      Grey Lodge Pub  This place is one of Northeast Philadelphia’s premiere attractions. A terrific steak, and a phenomenal beer list. Tap it. Best Chicken Cheesesteak I’ve ever had, incidentally.

5.      Chink’s  Yes, Samuel “Chink” Sherman’s nickname is likely the result of the racism of his day. I can’t condone it. But I can condone the timewarped trip on which this shop sends me, meat in mouth.

6.      Pat’s  Hard to evaluate a Pat’s cheesesteak with judicial clarity. When real Philadelphians eat there, it is always at 3AM after closing down a bar. Tastes really fine during a fever dream.

7.      Steve’s Prince of Steaks  I wish it was called Steve’s “Prince” of Steaks

8.      Dalessandro’s  I feel like I’m cheating on Chubby’s when I steak here, but it’s a good change of pace.

9.      Station Pizza  Value-priced, solid cheesesteak. Plunk down $3.50 and hope to evade the salmonella.

10.  Geno’s  Geno’s is a little much. Too glitzy, too expensive, too proud of itself. Still, they manage a satisfying steak despite the tourist trappiness.