The700Level.com - Philly Sports & Minutiae

Flyers Lose 10th Straight, and Worse... Richards for 3 Weeks

With just 3.7 seconds left on the clock, the Flyers were unable to clear the puck, and Florida's Jay Bouwmeester sent a floater in on goal, which somehow made it in (somehow=Ryan Parent screened Niitty, and the puck hit him on the way in). In overtime, Olli Jokinen severed the carotid arteries of every fan in the building, putting the game away for the Panthers. The lone bright spot was a goal by the struggling Pat Burrell Danny Briere.

But the worst news of the night is the loss of Mike Richards, who could miss 3 weeks with a torn hamstring. Richards was dragged down by Bouwmeester, stretching his leg awkwardly, took a minute to get up, and skated slowly to the bench, where he stayed for a while, but ultimately left for the trainers room.

Ten games ties a franchise record for losses, reminding us that maybe this team hasn't improved as much as we thought over last season. With Richards out for much of the remainder, the playoff hopes are looking slim.

Quotable: Mike Richards on Team Meetings

After losing niiiine tiiiimes, the Flyers had yet another players-only meeting to address the many on-ice problems leading to their recent futility. But we all know meetings alone won't do much; as Mike Richards puts it:

"You can stress everything, X's and O's, have team meetings out the ying-yang, but if you don't have the will to go out on the ice and do it as a team, you're not going to get too far."

This Flyers team has 3 former captains on its roster, but I think it's up to the guy we all know is the future captain to get this thing turned around. We'll be at the showdown with Florida tonight, and we hope to see some fireworks early so we know this team still has something left in the tank. [Quote via Ed Moran]

Beats the Hell Out of Goosebumps...

Meech has discovered that the Phillies' latest commercial is a take on none other than one of our old favorites, Reservoir Dogs. Although we like the Milici version better, big ups to the Phils for thinking to cast Uncle Chollie as Joe. That's some shit we'da never thought of, and it's perfect. Hopefully they keep the theme going, rolling out different scenes every few weeks. I want to see the boys walk onto the field in black ties on black suits or Jamie Moyer give the "Let's Get a Taco" speech to Cole Hamels. Head over to Bugs & Cranks for the commercial video.

Which Phillie would you cast in each role? Which scenes would make great Phils spots?

>>Reservoir Phils [Bugs & Cranks]

The Brad Lidge Era Limps Out of the Gate

Jim Salibury and Todd Zolecki bring this orange juicy tidbit from Clearwater this morning:

Closer Brad Lidge, the team's key offseason acquisition that allowed the Phillies to return Brett Myers to the rotation, limped off the field this morning after he caught his spike in the mound while throwing live batting practice on Ashburn Field at the Carpenter Complex.

The Phils say it's nothing serious, but any injury to this team's razor thin pitching staff is pretty The Ring-face serious to us.

>>Is Phillies' Lidge Hurt? [Inquirer]

Chase Utley Gets to Answerin'

Yesterday Shane Victorino got bombarded with wacky questions and today it's Chase Utley's turn.

Q: There are two cages over a pit of lava and both are descending. In one cage, there are blueprints for revolutionary emissions-free technology. In the other is Shane Victorino. You can only save one. Which one do you save?

- Greg G., Washington, D.C.

A: OK . . . I'm going to have to save my centerfielder. I'm saving my centerfielder, yes. I have his back. Hopefully, he'd do the same for me.

Chase also tells he's a Snoop Dogg fan.  That's cool, I guess.

>>Chatter on MVP chances, burgers [Inquirer]

Mike Patterson Likes Driving... On Weeeed...

We're hearing reports that Eagles DT Mike Patterson was arrested after marijuana was found in his car Saturday in New Jersey. Update:

Police said they found a vehicle on the side of the road with damage caused by a minor motor vehicle accident around 6 a.m. They said they smelled burning marijuana coming from inside and found Patterson and the marijuana inside. They said Patterson admitted it was his.

Also inside the car was Patterson's 28-year-old brother, Tyrone, who had several outstanding warrants for his arrest, police said. Police said he resisted arrest.

No word on whether they were listening to Creedence when they crashed.

>>Eagles' Patterson arrested on pot charge [Courier Post Online]

Andy Reid Caption Contest

The front page of Philly.com/sports currently has this shot of Andy Reid accompanying its top story. For a little happy hour fun, we thought we'd toss it up and ask what you'd have used for either the caption or the title.

Considering the story, we like "Andy Reid points out the obvious."

Not Satisfied With Having Simply a Burger "King" Visage, Eskin Goes Burger Stalin on Caller

I'm a big Jody Mac fan, and it's rare I listen to anything else on the ride home before 7PM these days. But as much as I like Jody's take on how to do a radio show, my decision on which afternoon drive time host to listen to is influenced almost as much by my dislike of Eskin as it is my interest in MacDonald. The Youtube below is a great example of why. Eskin rips a regular caller in typical fashion, not for disagreeing with the King, but because Eskin's learned that he also calls another local sports talk station [SR950].

He really gets going after the 6 minute mark, shouting things like, "This is the only radio station you're allowed to call!" Gotta love ruling your audience with an iron fist, and attempting to control their media influences.

Two Things Went Well for the Flyers Last Night

Riley Cote getting the better of someone in a fight was one of them. Jody Shelley is no slouch either, despite having two chick names. Maybe the MMA is paying off for Riley.

The other was the nifty tic-tac-toe goal by Mike Knuble from Ruzicka and Richards.

Quotable: Pedro Martinez Loves the Phillies, But...

Man this story has gotten legs upon legs since Stark first uttered the locker room gab on 950. Now Pedro Martinez has gotten in on it as well, saying he doesn't see a need to fight, but it sounds like he'll be ready to give Davy Lopes the ol' Don Zimmer if the [snot] goes down.

"I love Jimmy Rollins, I love [Brett] Myers, I love everybody ... but I would love to beat the [snot] out of them on the field," Martinez said.

>>Mets, Phillies Go Mouth to Mouth [New York Post]

Shane Victorino on the Clearwater Mini Golf Tour

AJ Daulerio of Philly Mag's Daily Examiner recently talked to Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino, who is down in Clearwater preparing for the season by, among other things, mini golfing with Gregg Dobbs and Geoff Jenkins. During the interview. Here's a little sample:

So, do you think you’re going to run any stop signs at third base this year?

Aw … I’ll run through. Hopefully I don’t. Hopefully I get the good signs this year. But if I’m coming around third and I can score easy on a guy like [Geoff] Jenkins like I tried last year … [interrupts self: “You cheat! I want my ball moved back …”]

Really? Did you know that Dobbs is ranked number two on the list of guys on the Phillies that white women under 30 want to bang? He’s behind Utley.

[Big loud Hawaiian laughter] Do you want to tell him that statistic? Do you want to tell him that statistic?

No, you can …

[Hawaiian laughter] Okay, okay, okay … the statistic is that you are number two behind Utley in the ratings for girls under 30 who want to … [loud, gasping laughter … howls … Dobbs, in background: “Call my wife!”] Oh, he’s gonna be in trouble …

For the complete interview, head over to the Daily Examiner.

Quotable: Aaron Rowand on Phillies Management & Fans

Aaron Rowand is already making his presence known on the San Francisco Giants.  On Tuesday, the  first full-squad workout day, Aaron got up and had a few words to say at a team meeting.

Rowand may be a Giant now but he certainly has some feelings about how things went down in Philadelphia.  From Paul Hagen's piece in today's Daily News:

Wagner Talks Brawl, Wants His Old [Butt] Kicked

Knowing what we do of Billy Wagner, we're not surprised to find out he was the first Met to respond to the talk of a possible brawl between the Phils and Mets this season. Speaking to Newsday, brought to us by Comcast Sportsnet, Wagner is at least not at all sure he'd win against one of the Phillies' "25 year olds."

'Scuse me, Napoleon. Last I checked, Pat Burrell was 31, and my money's on him if this supposed brawl does go down. We all know he's already gotten the best of Wags before.

Maybe This Is What the Flyers Are Missing

Fan favorite Jeremy Roenick came to town last night, and by all accounts, he was excited to be back in Philly. Gotta love JR.

Make a funny face!, originally uploaded by Alipyon.

If Nabakov Ducks on a Shot or Two Tonight, We Understand

The Flyers are hosting the Sharks tonight for the only matchup between the teams this season. Usually, if a goalie shies away from a big shot, it's easy to get on his case for having no faith in the equipment. But if Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov seems a little timid tonight, here's why.

All goalies are by nature crazy, so he probably shook it off and barely remembers the puck breaking his cage and cutting him on the nose earlier this week. Here's hoping Flyers buzz the tower a few times early to set the tone.

The Braves Are the Team to... Um... Be Heard From!

Last year, when we were all caught up in the hype between the Phillies and Mets, the Braves were overlooked as an NL East contender and then damn near took the division by surprise for a while there. And in 2008, it looks like we're off to the same start. All eyes are on Philly and New York again, and there's been little if any mention of the boys down in the ATL.

Until now... Chipper Jones has spoken, and he wants the world to know...

"I really don't care what's being said," he said. "The Phillies and the Mets know we'll be competitive. They know we'll be heard from."

For more commentary, head over to Walkoff Walk, the fine new baseball blog by Rob Iracane and Camp Tiger Claw of Deadspin fame, and bookmark 'em. Don't send them Phillies tips instead of us though. In fact, screw them.

Sixers Keep Team Intact as Deadline Passes

Ed Stefanski and the Sixers didn't shake up their roster today and allowed the trade deadline to come and go without any moves.  Nothing about this seems shocking as Stefanski has been hinting the past few weeks that teams simply weren't offering enough for him to part with PG Andre Miller.

The Paper of Record Weighs in on J.Roll (a.k.a., The Oracle of Adelphia)

It's February 21st and ass cold in Philly, with a winter storm on its way. And yet, we've already got baseball fever. Who do we have to thank for this? That's right... Jimmy. After backing up his bold statements last season by leading the Phils to a division championship and netting an MVP along the way, Rollins isn't backing down this year, and he's already at the center of the frenzy.

Even the New York Times is taking its turn painting him with a Shea-biased brush:

One-upping the Mets has become increasingly delicious for Rollins, an ever-grinning, hip-hop-loving chatterbox who unabashedly considers his game’s style inseparable from its substance. Wearing diamond earrings the size of lima beans and jeans so baggy they could fit a family of four, Rollins did not just predict that the Phillies would repeat as the division champions this season, but said they could win 100 games in the process.

Ol' hip-hop lovin' Rollins with those newfangled baggy pants and all that blingy bling!

The article does concede that after making his declaration last spring, Rollins went on to post record-setting seasons and play some out-of-his-mind baseball, but as TheKrisheim pointed out when he sent this our way, the author is also clearly doing his part to stir up the anti-Phillies/Rollins sentiment (we'd know nothing about that sort of tactic). And just for good measure, click here.

>>The Oracle of the Phillies Has the Last Words [New York Times]

Jimmy Rollins Custom Made Nikes

Jimmy Rollins is looking good.  Both on the field and off.  As far as his shape, Charlie Manuel said he looks good, "Same old Jimmy."  As far as his style, he's sporting some new custom made Nikes.

Nike rewarded the Phillies shortstop with his own custom-made sneakers. They are red, white and blue, and feature a Liberty Bell logo and, of course, the letters MVP.

"They definitely look nice," said Rollins, hoisting one of the shoes from a box yesterday. "Definitely hooked up."

The sneakers won't be for sale in stores, but that didn't stop Rollins from dreaming.

"I wish," he said with an impish grin. "We'd have to renegotiate."

See this is where the mainstream media fails us.  If you're going to write a nice story titled, "In new sneaks, Phils Rollins standing firm" you absolutely have to include a picture of said sneaks!

Any self respecting blogger would have at least captured a camera phone picture of the new kicks.

As Gus from The Wire would say, "We need better art on that!"

Hey Zolecki, get on it!

Breaking: Howard Wins Arbitration Case

We just heard over the 950 airwaves that Ryan Howard has won his arbitration with the Phillies, and he'll be paid $10 million for the next season. Both sides had their reasons for taking the case before the magistrates, and hopefully RyHo will enter the season satisfied with his take-home, despite the fact that it had to go to arbitration. Now that it's been settled, it's almost more disappointing that the Phillies didn't buck up sooner, since they're paying the extra $3mil anyway, but now it looks like they're doing so somewhat begrudgingly. It's a part of the game, and it's never exactly pretty, but at least as fans, we can be happy that one of the best athletes in Philly is getting his.

Zolecki's report.

'Fire Isiah!' Chants Follow Thomas to Philly

The Knickerbockers came to the Wachovia Center last night and were absolutely embarrassed by the Philadelphia 76ers.  It was ugly early and often for New York.  The Sixers led by 20 points after the first quarter and 45 points (!) after the third quarter.  Thaddeus Young led the way with a career high 20 points and even the Philly fans were laying into the debacle that are the Knicks.

The “Fire Isiah! chants followed Isiah Thomas from New York. So did 48 minutes of wretched basketball. Even the excuses — this time Thomas blamed the looming trade deadline as a distraction — came with the Knicks’ latest humiliation.
...
The Knicks had turnovers on almost every possession in some stretches, took bad shots and trailed by 46 points in the third quarter. By the fourth quarter, a few fans started the familiar “Fire Isiah!” chant.

Amazing.  I went back and watched the fourth quarter again to see if I could catch some video of the chants but my search came up short but not completely fruitless. I did find the amazing display of aerobatics by Knick stud Ronaldo Balkman seen below.

What to Read Before You Have Your Morning Oatmeal

"It sprayed at least two feet in the air." [DC Sports Bog]

Simon Gagne Out for Season, Vandermeer Heads North

It should come as a surprise to few, but Simon Gagne has been told to shut his season down after suffering multiple concussions this season.  With the Flyers struggling mightily in recent weeks, this is certainly not good news.  A streak of head injuries of any kind seems to put a hockey players entire career in jeopardy.

In more positive news, Jim Vandermeer has been shipped to Calgary for a third round draft choice.

Jimmy the Comedian

Jimmy Rollins on Beltran's comments about the Mets being the "team to beat."

"Pretty good.  Especially coming from him. He's a pretty quiet guy, so it was probably shocking when he said it. But not shocking in a bad way like, 'Wow, I can't believe he said that.' But like, 'Hey, he's finally saying something.' He's definitely a leader on that team. And you need to be a vocal leader. 

"But with that being said, two things: One, there are four other teams that are going to make sure that doesn't happen. And two, has anyone ever heard of plagiarism?"

"The words came out of his mouth," Rollins said of Beltran. "There's nothing for me to say. What I said last year still rings true. My mind isn't going to change. My feelings aren't going to change about that. After 162 games, we'll be looking to win the next 11."

You absolutely must love the shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies.  Not only is he the reigning NL MVP but he also knows exactly what to say at the right time. 

Mets Fans Have Begun Their CBP Takeover Plot

If you're waiting to buy your tickets to the Phillies-Mets games at Citizens Bank Park this year, particularly April 19 and 20, you best not hesitate much longer. Metsblog and its followers are already getting their jorts out of storage and organizing a sojourn to South Philly to take your seats.

The time to mount up is now. If you're a member of the Facebook group that's planning to invade Shea, more power to ya, but don't forget to defend the home territory. Remember how much fun it was to watch the Mets fans hang their heads after watching sweep after sweep in 2007? This is going to be one hell of a 19-game series.

>>Shhh: Buy Phillies Tix before Phillies Fans [Metsblog]

Phils #1 in ESPN.com Power Rankings

Er... Make that ESPN.com Page 2's Power Rankings. We're not sure what their formula is, because they don't mention it. The Royals and Marlins both come in ahead of the Red Sox, so we're pretty sure this has nothing to do with potential to win a pennant and much to do with stirring things up in the tabloidblogosphere. Their lone defining characteristic for the Phillies in their description is the signing of Kris and Anna to a minor league contract. But hey, Phillies #1, Mets #2. We'll take it.

>>Page 2's Preseason MLB Power Rankings [Page 2]

"Buddy's Watchin' You"

Sit back, relax, and enjoy.   A true classic in every sense of the word. 

From '88:

And make sure you go over to Inside the Iggles and thank him for resuscitating this.

Sixers and Cheeks Working on Extension

I like Mo Cheeks and am happy to read the Sixers are working on a deal to keep him here.  It seems only fair that after sticking with this team through the really low times that Mo should get a chance to guide them on the upswing.  Let's just hope it's a real nice upswing.

Flyers and Sens Decided in Shootout

Who needs to watch three periods of hockey plus an overtime then a shootout to see who gets two points?  All you really need to watch is the shootout.  In his first NHL game, rookie Claude Giroux got the chance to show his skill by being the first Flyer to get a shot at Ray Emery.  Video of the entire shootout below.

Stark on Mets-Phillies: There Will Be a Brawl.

If you're excited about the 19 games the Phils will play against the Mets this season, you're not alone. Speaking on SR950's morning show today, ESPN's Jayson Stark discussed how this is becoming one of the greatest rivalries in sports, and that we might see some real fireworks between the teams in '08:

"There were guys in that locker room the other day suggesting there will be a brawl this year."

Getcha popcorn ready!

For the audio, follow this link. It's a little over 9 minutes into the interview, toward the end. Before that, it's mostly Mitchell Report/Clemens stuff.

Flyers Trade for Defenseman Modry

Although he's not the Tomas Kaberle or a Dan Boyle we've been hoping for, the Flyers today made a deal with the Kings for defensive help in the form of Jaroslav Modry.

WATN: Jeff Garcia's Wife in SI

Former Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia had a fine season in Tampa Bay.  His wife, formerly known as Carmella DeCesare, seems to be doing just fine as well.  She recently appeared in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

You can see 16 of her photos here.

Quotable: Schmidt Es Muy Happy With Feliz

"He's an impressive young man.  Tremendously impressive hands, good arm, good batting stroke. I think he's going to be a big key for the club this year.
...

"Just watching [Feliz] on TV, he caught my eye. I can see a good, solid fundamental hitter. I don't know what his best year has been. I just know him as a mid-20s home run, 80-RBI guy. I don't know if he's ever gotten to 30 home runs or 100 RBIs, but he has that potential, without a doubt."

-Phillies Hall of Fame 3B Mike Schmidt on Pedro.

La Salle Shocks St. Joe's, Fans Storm the Floor at the Palestra

In a game that showed glimpses of the greatness capable in a Big Five rivalry, the La Salle Explorers stunned the St. Joe's Hawks 90-89 last night at the Palestra.  It was the Explorers first win in 9 tries against the boys from down on City Line Ave.  La Salle was sparked by an impressive array of three point shooting, finishing the night 16 for 29 (55.2 %) from beyond the arc.

To celebrate the win, a handful of La Salle faithful decided to storm the court at the Palestra.  According to the unwritten code of court storming, I believe this is acceptable (and also rather kickass.)  They snapped a long losing streak to a hated rival.  Video of the court rushing after the jump.

Maybe Billy King Wasn't a Moron

So maybe the title is a bit of a stretch (We kid!) but in an Inquirer piece this morning David Aldridge takes a very level headed look at this current Sixers team and admits that maybe Billy King left the skeleton of a legit team.

Latest Flyer Giroux Already Has His Own Nike Spot

With the team reeling after the loss of several key players to injuries, the Flyers have called up right wing Claude Giroux from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Just 20 years old, Giroux was the Flyers top pick (22nd overall) in the 2006 draft. The expectations are high for this kid, and he even has his own Nike spot. Video after the jump.

Lito Unhappy, Given Permission to Seek Trade

Lito Sheppard is a great corner when he's on the field.  For a guy that has been banged up the past few seasons, it was a little surprising to hear that Lito is unhappy with his contract and has been given permission to seek a trade.

Obviously the Eagles won't give Lito away for nothing.  If they were to trade Lito, they'd certainly have to get some good pieces and perhaps some picks in return.  With the secondary being an area of concern, getting rid of Lito would make it an even more pressing issue.

UPDATE: Interesting update saying that Sheppard thought it was all a joke.  Comcast Sportsnet's Derrick Gunn had this to say about his conversation with Lito this evening, "He told me he knew nothing about this.  As a matter of fact, he thought I was joking until he realized that I wasn’t."

UPDATE 2: The Eagles also deny it: "Any reports that suggest we have allowed Lito or his agent to seek a trade are absolutely and undeniably false," a team spokesman said."

Forsberg Not Likely to Play in NHL

His agent:

"The prospect of Peter having enough confidence in the foot-skate issue to commit to being able to play in the NHL this season isn't where it needs to be at this moment," Baizley told TSN. "As a result, teams are being told it is unlikely he will be able to commit to return to the NHL this season."

Is anybody really surprised?  Sure a healthy Forsberg would have been a great addition but what were the odds of him being miraculously healed?

>>Forsberg likely won't return this year [TSN]

"God Save the Fan" Book Tour Hits Philly This Week

Will Leitch, editor of Deadspin.com, will be in town on Wednesday to promote and read from his book God Save the Fan. I started reading the book last week, and it's great so far. The event details are as follows:

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
07:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE COLLEGE BOOKSTORES
UPENN Bookstore 3601 Walnut ST Philadelphia, PA 19104

Meech and I are planning to be there, and a few drinks at a local establishment are likely to follow. For a great interview with Leitch, check out Chris Illuminati's spot at PhillyBurbs.com.

Did You Know: Peter Zezel Was in "Youngblood"

Yep, the former Flyers center/ladies man was a Mustang alongside Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe in Youngblood. This screengrab is from about 2:21 into the classic Carl Racki clip that appears after the jump. Also, the number of homoerotic Youngblood clips is somewhat staggering, with some even set to music...

Injuries Continue to Mount; Downie and Tolpeko Latest to Fall

Another Flyers loss, another extended injury report. The team has clearly hit its lowest point to date, losing its seventh straight game and two more players due to injury. During Saturday's game, Steve Downie hit his head on the ice, but continued to play, and Ed Moran reports that when Downie woke up yesterday morning, he was experiencing concussion symptoms. The winger sat out last night's game, and it's not yet known when he'll return.

Sal Fasano in the News

There's been a Sal Fasano sighting in Florida.  Not only that but he's competing for a job on the Blue Jays with, get this... Rod Barajas!  Fasano didn't like the signing of Barajas one bit.

"I was really surprised and actually kind of heartbroken to be honest with you," Fasano said. "I really was looking forward to being on this team. I've got so many friends on the team you hate to leave.

"When they signed [Barajas], I said, 'I guess they don't want me any more.' So, I don't know. You just have to really explore your options in spring training and, hopefully, you'll have a good spring and somebody will see you and want to pick you up."

We're pulling for Sal, of course, but his prospects seem bleak.

Perhaps the best anecdote from the story: Sal named his recently born son Santino.

>>Fasano sings the backup blues [Globe and Mail]

Brian Dawkins' Family Comes First

Brian Dawkins had an off year in 2007 but it may not have been entirely due to his age.  He recently talked about the amazing ordeal he and his family went through when his daughters were born prematurely.