Morning Extras: Phils Have Already Made History

Think about it. This Phillies team has already made history.

I'm not just talking about back-to-back division titles (something this franchise has only done two times before) or the fact that they won more than 90 regular season games for just the fourth time since 1980 (note: every Phillies team to win 90 games since '80 has gone to the World Series).

This team has already made history because of the position in which they find themselves heading into game five tonight. The Fightin' Phils are up three games to one in the National League Championship Series. A win in any of the next three games and they'll be hanging the National League pennant in Philadelphia for the first time in 15 years.

Think about that '93 squad. We still know everything about those guys. We still talk about that team like they're the collective crazy uncle who bought us our first six pack and taught us how to dip without swallowing the juice. (Different kind of juice, Hollins...)

This year's team has the chance to be remembered like that. We'll remember the first half by Utley and Burrell. We'll remember Howard's September. We'll remember Brett Myers' reclamation project. We'll even remember silly things like Eric Bruntlett's beard showing up at shortstop, left field, right field, wherever they needed him. And 'like I said' we'll remember the Flyin' Hawaiian, Stairs' swing, Myers' bat and Utley's glove and Hamels' arm for their post season heroics.

We're so desperate for a winner in this town that we revere the teams that get the closest even if they don't win. Getting to the World Series is not enough to erase this silly curse William Penn has saddled the four major sports teams with. But getting to the Series is something we'll never forget.

So heading into game five, the Phils are up 3-1 with one win to make them unforgettable. Three straight losses and the biggest playoff collapse in the history of the city...well, that'd make them pretty unforgettable too. So you see, they've already made history. Tonight, with your best pitcher on the mound, go make the good kind.

NLCS LINKS:

• Did you know there was a debate tonight? For those political wonks, get your DVRs ready because there's a game on that's just a little more important to us than the future of our country, no?

• I love when a paper/website sends 100 writers to cover a team because the depth of the coverage is unbeatable. Philly.com has done a great job with this playoff run. Then you get an off day. Saddled with old stories about how great Brad Lidge is (it's well done, but didn't we get this 20 times this year) and how great the moves of Pat Gillick have been. (You think if Stairs struck out there or Lidge blew the save we'd have these same stories from the other angles?)

• We also get Gonzo's look at Matt Stairs. "When you look at Stairs, you don't think now there's an athlete. Jayson Werth and Pat Burrell look like ballplayers. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley look like ballplayers. Matt Stairs looks like a ballplayer about as much as Matt Drudge does." I guess Gonzo will be DVRing that debate. We also get this:

Quick little yarn for you: While I was interviewing Fox analyst Tim McCarver last week, Harry Kalas wandered over to say hello. McCarver complimented Kalas on the fine job he did when introducing the Phillies' lineup on Fox before Game 1.

"Thanks," Kalas said. Then he nodded in my direction and asked McCarver, "Did you tell him the bait story?"

During his appearance on Fox, Kalas introduced Pat Burrell as "The Bait," then said that was a story for another day. That day has come. Here's that tale: During Burrell's first few years with the club, before he was married, the older players used to command him to make appearances at the bar while the Phillies were on the road. They dangled him as "bait" to attract women.

"Can you imagine how many hearts Burrell has broken?" Kalas said.

• This is pretty interesting. The last few times the Phils made the series, we can see what was going on around the country and the world. Great, Iran-Iraq war, Beirut and Somalia. Uplifting stuff.

• With tonight being a big game and all, DO's Kevin Roberts writes that Cole Hamels is the man.

• Chamo over at the Fightins tapped Shane Victorino's phone and got the transcription of his conversation with the Dude.

• I like the guys at Phils-ville. I think they do a good job, by and large, and Patrick Berkery is a really good guy. This, however, posted by Dave M, is irresponsible and just plain stupid. Both LCS are 3-1, so "McG" took it upon himself to throw a giant bucket of water on our excitement by saying the Phillies will get swept in the World Series. This is so lazy and terrible. And small time. And not the day for this. And amateurish. He's obviously doing it just to get people mad at him and to boost his page views and his comments. Cheap. So you know what, unleash on him. Tell him what you think of this "journalism". You know, keep his mom and his dog out of it, but please feel free to let him know what you think of this. It's obviously what he wants.

ALCS LINKS:

• That boy who was suspended from school because he had a RayHawk will be on Cold Take First Pizza today.

• Finally. The empty seats covered in tarps at the Trop will be available for games 6-7* or the World Series. How bad does that look on TV?

The caveat is the 5,762 seats that will be uncovered and put into use had been taken out of play for a reason.
"Some are obstructed-view, some don't have seatbacks, and they're pretty high up," Silverman said. "But you're in the ballpark and you're there making a difference to the team."

For Phils fans expecting to make the trek down to Tampa, get ready for OV on your tickets.

• John Romano says this is payback for the Rays. And he throws his punches right at Big Papi.

• Bob Ryan is one of the best sportswriters in America. He writes today about the youth of the Rays. They aren't just good, they're young good.

• Red Sox Monster asks the question all of Boston is asking: Can the Sox pull the comeback once again?

• WEEI has some good post game sound, including BJ Upton saying he's never heard Fenway that quiet.

RANDOM LINKS:

• The Flyers lost, and it's the worst start since 1995. Wow, it's only been three games, right?

• The Cowboys lost Pac Man for a few weeks, maybe forever. But they got Roy Williams. I wonder if he'll teach them the motion offense.

• No moves for the Birds, other than Tony Hunt being cut. Let the questioning of personnel decisions...continue!

• Speaking of football, I interviewed Steve Sabol of NFL Films for yesterday's show. Great history lesson of the game, including the real story of "The Frozen Tundra." Turns out, Lombardi hated the term. Great stuff.

• A former Marine was arrested for the shooting of the dad on I-76 the other day. Christian Squillaciotti, an out-of-work sheet metal worker, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and other offenses, police said. Honestly, think about crazy nutjobs like this next time you cut someone off or dare think about yelling at another car.

• Last, there is a debate tonight. People are starting to wonder if this is McCain's last stand. Come on...we all know it's going to be 51-49 someone on Nov 4. This polling crap is stupid.

Comments

[John]

Someone, anyone, preferably Kulp, answer me this...why did the Eagles get some random LB when they have Joe Mays riding the bench every week?

[Mr. Bryan]

"Can you imagine how many hearts Burrell has broken?" Kalas said.

and hymens.

[Sean]

Oh my God I am so excited for tonight I don't even know what to say, gooo philliesssss

[Pete D]

Speaking about history, has anyone mentioned 'Whoomp! There it is'? Heard it on WIP this morning and I remembered how that rediculous song became a theme for the rediculousness that was going on in '93. Not sure if this team has a favorite song we could all rally around...

[Anth]

colehamelsfacts.com decided I wanted to pull out a gem today while he will be the man. This is so surreal right now. Back in 93 when I was ten and watching Joe Carter round the bases, some part of me said I wouldn't see the Phils in the WS for a very long time. Now that I'm 25, I'm soaking up every single moment of this postseason, and this time it doesn't seem like their last for 13 years... GOOOOO PHILS!

[Bryan]

Is it 8:22 yet?

[Brett]

I recommend Broken, Beat, and Scarred by Metallica, good song and great lyrics to say about the team.

"You Rise, you fall, your down, and you rise again/ What don't kill you, make you more strong."

[John]

Someone, anyone, preferably Kulp, answer me this...why did the Eagles get some random LB when they have Joe Mays riding the bench every week?

[Civil Negligence]

I remember how in 93 and even 94 I used to customize my Phillies line-ups in video games to reflect the 93 team roster and batting order--all from memory. Pretty good for an 11 year old!

[Civil Negligence]

John, with all due respect: take the Eagles whining somewhere else. Philly is a baseball town now.

[John]

Not whining, not even caring really, just want an opinion on the roster move, doesn't seem to make sense with Joe Mays here and him not playing

[Civil Negligence]

And the place to do that is a Phillies post? Riiiight.

For Pete D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnrLloO7nFQ

[Dan Levy]

In his defense, this is the Extras for the day and there is a link to the Eagles roster moves, which was his point.

Obviously the big attention is on the Phils today.

[Civil Negligence]

Oops! My apologies. Still, Philly = baseball town.

[Paul]

Interesting with the what was going on when the Phillies last made the World Series. It should have included the first two World Series appearances by the Phillies. In 1915, World War I was just starting, although the United States hadn't joined in yet. Also, in 1950, the United States had just entered the Korean War. I just hope T.J. Simers doesn't find a way to connect us to the Holocaust or something.

[Johnny G]

As a philly fan here in tampa... I urge each of you to follow the link below and register to buy tickets for the games here in tampa... with the prices of the tickets at the bank through the roof... it would be cheaper to enter this drawing to buy the tickets at face value and fly down for a game... plus it will put some philly fans in the crowd to assure i'm not the only one getting hit with full water bottles and hot dogs

http://tampabay.rays.mlb.com/tb/ticketing/postseason_tixop_form.jsp

[Hoosier Poppa]

Appropo of nothing, what we need is a new version of I76 for the Phillies. (Not that I'm hating on that old school Phils track posted last week, but G Love's tune is overdue for an update, and it would nice to tie it to a potential WS berth.

[MPR529]

comcast sportsnet's website had a title of WHOOMP! There it is! overlayed on shane victornio's home run picture in game 4. It has not been forgotten.

Phils in 5.

[John B.]

GOOOOOOOOOO PHILS!

This is ridiculous..I can't concentrate at all at work right now. Sooooo pumped for the game tonight, rockin the Phillies gear up here in Boston. Anyone win the ticket lottery for the WS??

Does Matt Stairs remind anyone of Incaviglia??

[Pete D]

@MPR529, Civil Neg,
Thank you for keeping the flame alive.

Lets go Phils. Impossible to do anything at work this afternoon while constantly thinking about this game, and the games ahead...whether that means game 6 or game 1.

Playoff baseball is a sickness, I don't know how yankees fans did it every year. But then again they are dbags.

[ARphillyfan]

So there's this test I've been craming for, making last night and early this morning really rough. But right before the test I was getting dressed and in putting on my Burrell shirt I got this wave of excitement and adrenaline. I love this team and the instant pick-me-up it provides just thinking about them!

[Sean]

To Pete D:
It's funny that you mentioned that, because I was just thinking of that song this morning in regards to the '93 team. I think if the Phillies beat LA tonight I might have to crank that song up in celebration, haha.

[Ryan Abrams]

Somehow, I have managed to keep myself totally on the level about the Phillies. Until the last pitch is thrown and they are victorious in one of these three games, I will maintain my disbelief.

Like a previous poster said, I was 10 in '93. I vividly remember Joe Carter's home run, and living the last 15 years being happy with 70 win seasons. I am still recovering from my Eagles hangover of 2001-2004. No need to go through that again.

[ben]

Look at this:
http://theilladelph.blogspot.com/2007/06/breaking-first-look-at-comcast-centers.html

[Kulp]

John, sorry I'm late answering your question... read Dan's post, but not the comments initially.

They didn't bring in this Tracy White guy to play linebacker. If somebody gets hurt, the first two guys that will be inserted to the lineup are Akeem Jordan and Mays.

If Gocong continues to struggle in coverage, there is some possibility, probably slight, that Bradley could move over to the strong side which he played in college, and Mays could take over in the middle. They have to really like what Bradley has done so far, but Mays really looked like a natural during the preseason, another Trotter almost.

Expect only to see Tracy White on special teams and extreme spot duty at LB.

[Pete D]

Heard on 610 earlier today that the city is discussing putting a phillies jersey on billy penn if they make it through to the series...this would be a serious no no. Please wait until AFTER they win anything to consider donning ol' bill with any sports clothing.