Things Are Looking Bleak for the Phils Big Bats

A few weeks ago I talked about how the Phillies were looking so good heading into spring training but how things have changed.  Now it is almost certain that the two big bats for the Phillies will not be in the starting lineup opening day.  Ryan Howard had some setbacks in his Achilles injury recovery and Chase Utley’s screaming knees are starting to take a serious toll on him. 

The real worry for Phils fans is that Chase’s career could be coming to an end due to all these knee problems.  Last year he was limited to only 103 games and hit only .259 while his career batting average sits at .290.  Another worry is that over the last five seasons we have seen a steep drop-off in batting average and OPS.   Many fans are upset that Ruben Amaro has not found a replacement for the 33 year old second baseman but that task is much easier said than done.  After the last few seasons Amaro has gained my full support in anything he does. 

In terms of Ryan Howard it looks like Jim Thome is in great shape and will be a difference maker in the lineup while Howard is out.  I am not saying that Thome can put up the stats that Howard did.  After all, it seems that Howard puts up 30+ home runs and 100+ RBIs every single year.  I am just saying that at least the Phils have a viable backup option to one of the best hitters in all of major league baseball.

While the lineup is in a little bit of disarray the Phils do have a full season with Hunter Pence, who seems to really be evolving into one of the better bats in the league.  Looks like this year might be another year that the Phillies pitching rotation will have to overcome the lack of runs scored for the team.  While things are not looking optimal right now, we still have three of the best pitchers in all of MLB! 

Overall though, it still looks like another good year to be a Philadelphia Phillies fan!

Finally the Eagles Fill the MLB Void with DeMeco Ryans

All I have to say is thank you, Houston Texans!  It’s crazy to think a team has too much talent on defense to keep a two-time pro bowler on their roster but that is the main reason why the Texans let go their middle linebacker.  After the team spent the last few seasons beefing up their defense, this was the year they finally had their coming out party.  DeMeco Ryans, a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker, was dealt to the Eagles for a fourth round draft pick in 2012 and a swap of draft picks in the third round.  The Eagles have been busy this offseason offering contracts to current players and now solidifying the middle linebacker position by going out and getting Ryans.

This now will make the Eagles draft a little more interesting.  While I still think that Andy Reid and the Eagles can use Luke Kuechly at the #15 spot in the draft, don’t be surprised if the Eagles draft someone else.  I mean if a top ten talent on offense or defense falls to the Eagles at fifteen then they should grab him.  It has actually been a few years since I have been this confused on what position the Eagles should get with their first pick.  This is a challenging question that any Eagles fan wouldn’t mind having after the last few seasons a single position every year was awful.

I can tell you that I cannot wait to see Ryans go back to a 4-3 defense in which he excelled in at Houston before their new defensive coordinator changed his defense to a 3-4 scheme.  Ryans was also saying all the right things during his official press conference after learning he had been traded.  He assured everyone that he is 100% healthy, looks forward to accepting the challenge of playing for Eagles fans, and is excited about going back to the defensive scheme that made him a two-time pro bowler.  While I am a little nervous about his Achillies tear, I feel a little less nervous after reading about some other players who came back after the same injury and had a major impact.

Clearly you can see the front office is seeking out to win a championship right now though.  If the Eagles can pick up where they left off from winning the final four games from last season, it should be an exciting 2013 season/postseason.

Congrats Eagles fans, finally we got a middle linebacker to get excited about.  This is the first time since Jeremiah Trotter!!

Erin Express

For those of you who do not know what this title means, it is time for you to pencil in a trip to Philadelphia next St. Patty’s Day.  Although I typically talk about Philly nightlife in this blog, I am sure that St. Patty’s day is an acceptable exception.  Erin Express is Philadelphia’s largest all-day BAR CRAWL.  During this event the bars open at 9am and stay open until 2am.  Starting at noon buses run free rides to every Irish bar from the Center City area to University City area.  Since I have been 21 years old I do not think I have missed one of these.  Kids just get crazy and drink starting when they wake up and see how long they can last throughout the day!

The one thing I did notice about the event from last year is that some places are crazier than others and it depends on the location.  Since Cavanaugh’s started the event 30 years ago in University City and it is near two party schools, the plays gets absolutely packed and crazy by 11am.  The one thing I would like to warn people about is that if you are arriving to Cav’s in the afternoon sober, you might just get annoyed with the drunken kids.  I personally do not know how the bartenders can handle the mayhem that is let loose on this day every year.  If you are looking for better bars to just hang and have a good time while drinking, Center City is the place to go.  I enjoyed Drinker’s in Rittenhouse a lot because in the middle of the day it wasn’t crowded.  This is where many of my friends like to start because all 10-15 of us can get a section in the bar and interact without getting knocked around like you would in University City. 

There is also the ‘Running of the Micks’ that takes place down by Finnigan’s and McFadden’s in Northern Liberties (around 2^nd and Spring Garden).  I have never attended this event but I was told this past weekend that it is also a great place to hang out and the atmosphere is kind of in between the University City atmosphere and the Center City Atmosphere. 

So if you do not have plans for St. Patty’s Day next year, let me suggest one of these events for you.  I promise you won’t be disappointed.  Also, how can you beat free shuttle rides around to your favorite bars!  Below is a list of the participating Erin Express bars:

•         Mill Creek Tavern | 42nd & Chester Street | 215.222.1255
•          Smokey Joe's | 40th & Walnut Street | 215.222.0770
•          The Blarney Stone | 3929 Sansom Street | 215.222.5340
•          New Deck Tavern | 3408 Sansom St | 215.386.4600
•          Cavanaugh's | 39th & Sansom Street | 215.386.4889
•          Slainte | 30th & Market St | 215.222.7400
•          Mace's Crossing | 17th & The Ben Franklin Parkway | 215.564.5203
•          Green Room | 1940 Green Street | 215.870.0586
•          Kelliann's | 16th & Spring Garden | 215.563.6990
•          Gallagher's on the Parkway | 22nd & Spring Garden Street | 215.751.0998
•          Drinkers West | 39th and Chestnut Street | 215.397.4693
•          T.A. Flannery's | 11 South 21st Street | 215.561.1193
•          Bonner's Irish Pub | 23rd & Sansom Street | 215.567.5748
•          Callahan's Grille | 26th & South Street | 215.732.6332
•          Westy's | 1440 Callowhill Street | 215.563.6134
•          Cavanaugh's Rittenhouse | 1823 Sansom Street | 215.665.9500
•          Copabanana | 40th & Spruce | 215.382.1330

Late Night Eats around the City

Sure there are plenty of fast food places open late night but why settle for that when you are craving something so much better.  Over the years I've tried all kinds of late night food around the city.  So now I am here to give you all the ‘low down’ of the best late night eateries.  Whether it’s a craving for pizza, burgers, Mexican, or a juicy cheesesteak I will cover it all.

If it’s before 2am and you are craving the biggest and best burger in Philadelphia then head to 500 degrees located on 15^th and Sansom Street.  If any of you have tried a burger from a place like Bobby Flay’s restaurant (Bobby’s Burger Palace), then you NEED to check this place out.  This was one of the juiciest sandwiches ever.  From the amount of bacon on the burger to the taste of the bun, this place had it all.  I would suggest this to anyone who is out in Center City or Rittenhouse Square.

I can’t tell you how many times I absolutely crave Pizza at 2am!  Whenever I am out and about in the city and that happens I hit up Soho Pizza on 2^nd and Market Street.  Olde City is a popular late night spot for people of all ages.  There are probably about 30 bars that people can bounce around to in this area.  However the only pizza place you should hit up in Olde City would be this one.

 For those of you who do not frequently get out to Philadelphia, let me tell you about the best late night cheesesteak you can get in Philly.  Jim’s Steaks (4^th and South Street) serves up a top 5 cheesesteak in all of Philadelphia!  Sure out-of-towners have heard of Pat’s and Geno’s, but this place BLOWS them out of the water, hands down!  If I can give one suggestion it is to try their ‘Pizza Steak’.  Another suggestion if you never ordered a steak in Philly is to order it by just saying ‘Wit or Without’.  If you don’t order this way you might be made a fool out of by the people making your steak and possibly even people in line.

How can I talk about late night eats at Taco Lou’s Cart on Drexel University’s campus?   This place was a staple every Friday and Saturday night whether it is coming home from a bar or party.  Unfortunately due to robberies, this late night cart had to shut down.  Yet he still owns a restaurant around Philadelphia but unfortunately it is not open late night.

Please comment if you have any objections or late night ideas that I might have missed.  I apologize if I missed them but if you throw them in there I will definitely make it a priority to visit it and let you know what I think!

The Sixers Recent Struggles and Trade Ideas

The Philadelphia 76ers division lead once sat at seven games.  After Wednesday their lead now is down to ONE game!  There can be many fingers pointed to why the sixers have been losing but what it comes down to is the ability to win during crunch time.  While they have lost eight of their last ten games, they’ve only been outscored by a measly five points throughout that stretch.  Sure you can look back on their awful shooting but having that kind of low point differential can only be attributed to their play in the last five minutes.  Since this might be their only flaw I think they should go out and get that type of player.  Maybe the sixers can make a run at a guy like Monte Ellis?  They certainly have the pieces to get the deal done.

If no one got the chance to see the end of the Chicago Bulls game then let me get you on my anti-Iggy bandwagon.  During a close finish to the game it was down to the stars from either team.  While Derrick Rose was driving to the lane and scoring basically at will, Andre Iguodala fired up a complete air-ball and a clank off the backboard.  Does anyone else find it weird that our boy Lou Williams is top 5 in the NBA in fourth quarter scoring?  Sure I know Iguodala’s defense is phenomenal but let’s get serious here. 

While the sixers still sit atop the Atlantic Division, I don’t think they have a shot to beat the Bulls or Heat in the playoffs.  I think now is the time to start talking about trying to go after a star player like Monte Ellis.  This guy has shown he can single-handedly put a team on this back! 

People are starting to blame these losses on a lack of confidence however they don’t play like anyone is better than them.  I haven’t seen as much havoc as they bring on defense in quite some while.  I just don’t think they have the fire power to withstand the closers in today’s game.  I mean look at Kobe, Wade, and Durant!  These guys just take the game over in the last three to five minutes.  You know when you play them that you need to stop them but at the end of the game they turn into Superman!

So I leave this post with a question for everyone.  Do you think the sixers should (a) keep Iguodala, (b) trade him as quickly as they can, or (c) they should have traded him years ago?  Yes I am Anti-Iggy which is why there are two negative choices in there.  Then again how can you not put the blame of your team on your ‘star’ player?  If you don’t understand that, see Lebron James! Haha.

Bar Ideas for the Broke College Kid

While Philadelphia is known more for over-charging people for drinks, it doesn’t mean good deals don’t exist in the city.  I know when I was a college student at Drexel I knew what specials were held on what days.  Happy hours, daily drink specials, and specialty drinks are hard to find since there are so many different bars in the city.  So here are several places throughout the week that can save money!

Drinker’s (Olde City, Rittenhouse, and West Philly)

Drinker’s has to be one of the most popular bars in the city.  They know how to operate by offering everyday specials along with a great atmosphere. Each of these bars are different but I wanted to touch up on them a little bit.  The olde city bar gets packed on weekends, offers $1.25 ponies of Rolling Rock, and other specials that can be seen here.  The downstairs opens up into a club and makes it a great party for college students. Rittenhouse is somewhat similar however it can draw more of a crowd of mid 20’s singles since it is located in an expensive living area away from nearby colleges. West Philly draws a huge crowd from Drexel and UPenn students. Everyday can be a cheap one if you come here as it was basically made for the crowd it attracts.  Thursday is the big day here (College Night) with $0.75 Miller High Life beers and $7 mixed drink pitcher.  Yeah, that would make for an interesting night.

Roosevelt’s Pub (22^nd and Walnut Street)

There is one day and time you want to stop at Roosevelt’s.  Friday from 5-7 for penny pitchers.  A $10 cover basically gets you unlimited drinks for two hours.  At that time it attracts some young professionals in the city, however, if you are trying to spend less than $20 for an early night pre-game this is your spot.   Been here a couple times and always had fun.

Mad Mex (34^th and Walnut)

If you are looking for the best ‘bang for your buck’ margarita in Philadelphia, look no more.  Mad mex offers half off margaritas on weekdays from 4:30pm-6:30pm and again from 10pm-midnight.  For $7 you get the biggest margarita you can ever imagine.  However you should be aware that there is probably approximately 4 shots in each one of these!  Half off food is also offered every night from 11pm-1am for students who come with a valid ID. 

McGillin’s Olde Ale House (13^th and Drurry Street)

Looking to head somewhere around Center City Philadelphia?  McGillin’s is your best bet in my mind.  With $6.50 pitchers all day everyday it doesn’t matter when you stop in.  The only downfall about this bar is that the mixed drinks are usually pricy.  My favorite nights here are Monday’s and Wednesday’s when they run karaoke.  The crowd is super friendly and the place gets packed for these events!

Reflection on the NFL Combine and the Eagles Draft Needs

There’s no doubt about it that the #1 priority for the Eagles this NFL offseason is the linebacker position. The way they fill this position is the real question here.  I think a lot of these questions will be answered as the start of free agency opens on March 13^th. The one big question that remains is, “What will the Eagles do with DeSean Jackson for this upcoming year?” They have the choice to either franchise tag him (entitling him approximately $9 million) or to release him and hope to sign another free agent.  The other thing would be to release him and draft a top end wide receiver like Michael Floyd.

Personally after watching this week’s combine for linebackers, I feel the Eagles need to just pull the trigger and draft LukeKuechly if he is available at #15.  The big knock on this guy is that he was not very athletic and the majority of his tackles were beyond the line of scrimmage. I think Kuechly’s 4.58 40 yard dash time, 38” vertical jump, and his 10’3” broad jump quieted all the critics out there. There are two things about this young man that are undeniable. His instincts and work ethic are definitely two qualities that NFL teams will be looking for during the 2012 NFL Draft.

As far as the DeSean Jackson debacle, I think the Eagles should go ahead and use the franchise tag to keep him.  I am hopeful that the Eagles can find a way to trade this cancer and pick up someone with a better red zone presence.  Personally I would love to see the Eagles go out and get Randy Moss, Vincent Jackson, or Marques Colston. Recent years have shown that red zone efficiency for Eagles have been a cause for concern and a player like DeSean Jackson has been non-existent in that area.

Problems with the ‘Not So Fly’ Guys

After going into the final week of January at 29-14-4 and in second place in the Eastern Conference, the Flyers have slipped in the month of February.  Last night the Flyers fell to 33-20-7 with a 0-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, who currently hold the second least amount of points in the entire NHL.  With problems ranging from an inconsistent defensive line to terrible goaltending, the Flyers recently made some moves before the trade deadline to bolster their blue line that is lacking in size and strength.  The void left by Chris Pronger’s probable season-ending injury will now be up to Nicklas Grossman (acquired from Dallas) and Pavel Kubina (acquired from Tampa Bay).

Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren hopes the new acquisitions can take the pressure off young blue-liners like Marc Andre Bourdon and Erik Gustafsson.  These new additions are giant defensemen that will give the Flyers more “Prongerish” type of players.  The major problem with the Flyers, however, has yet to be fixed.  Even after dishing out $51 million to obtain an “elite” goaltender, the Flyers are still near the bottom of the league in goals against and save percentage.  Ilya Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky are right there at the bottom of the league in goalie production, hovering around the hockey Mendoza line of 0.900 in save percentage.

The one bright side of the Flyers and seemingly the only reason they can be competitors in the playoffs is the offense.  Averaging a league leading 3.28 points a game, the front line led by Claude Giroux have exceeded their expectations.  This can put trade talks about going after Rick Nash to rest.  Not only is the asking price for him too high but the need right now is at an all-time low.

Another cause for concern is the Flyers problems within their own division.  Right now they are 6-8-2 against teams in their own division.  Recently they have lost the last five of those contests by a combined score of 12-23. This has caused the Flyers to fall back to being tied for third in their own division.  If the Flyers can put it together they must be able to beat teams like the New York Rangers.  The Atlantic Division will likely contain 4 playoff teams.  This means the odds of the Flyers facing off against a division foe are very likely, which is very worrisome right now.

I hate to say it but I feel like right now the only shot the Flyers have of even making it back to the Stanley Cup Finals is if Bryzgalov learns how to deal with the pressures of playing in the Philadelphia atmosphere.  It also could help if the NY Rangers get upset early in the playoffs, since they seem to be Philadelphia’s kryptonite.

Pitchers and Catchers Report to Camp

It’s finally that time of year again!  Time for the heartaches of last year to get put behind and the high expectations of this year to begin.  The Phillies pitchers and catchers finally reported to Clearwater, FL this past Sunday to start workouts for the upcoming year.  Some other notables that also returned were Chase Utley, Jim Thome, and RYAN HOWARD!  Yes I said it, Ryan Howard.  ‘The Big Piece’ was caught on tape taking ground balls like he didn’t just destroy his Achilles last October.  As for the pitchers, they were all saying the right things about this upcoming season. 

Cole Hamels contract talks have been the big story this off season and after one day at camp he put those talks to rest by making it known he wants to stay a Phillie.  You have to love when players can put this situation behind them and start concentrating on the real goal here.  Cole came out and said “I don’t have a deadline.  I think the only deadline that is set by major league baseball is five days after the World Series”.  How much has this guy grown since being named the 2008 World Series MVP.  Just incredible!  Jonathan Papelbon was also seen throwing with Cliff Lee at camp and he is looking forward to the pressure.  One thing about this guy is that you know he can handle the pressure since he was the closer for the Red Sox for the past six seasons.  The only worry is that he will not live up to his $50M contract.  As for Roy Halladay, Cliff, and Vance Worley I think you know exactly what you are going to get there.  They were three of the most consistent pitchers last season and Worley looking to repeat the incredible season of last year. 

The fifth starting spot in the rotation by the time the season rolls around is the big question.  Rumors are flying that the Phillies are examining the possibilities of trading Joe Blanton because of the Luxury Tax threshold.  Teams could be somewhat weary of taking on that kind of salary or they can be worried about how healthy he is.  These are the two biggest worries for the Phils.  With Kyle Kendrick signing a two year $7.5M contract I think the Phillies have no choice but to shop Blanton.  It’s hard to believe they awarded this guy that type of contract just to fill in as necessary and watch the Phils throughout the playoffs.  I mean I know he filled in alright last year but let’s use our heads here Ruben Amaro!  They could have bolstered their bullpen for that kind of money!  I guess I can’t complain if he is the only complaint about our pitching staff.  Other teams got bigger fish to fry with starting/relief pitching!

All-in-all I am confident in the team this year!  Bring the Commissioner’s Trophy back to the City of Brotherly Love!

The Dream That Became a Nightmare

In 2011 the NFL Lockout affected every team in the league but no more than it affected our Eagles.  The array of talent that was picked up in the offseason had every fan thinking super bowl or bust.  In the back of my mind I knew that having this mentality could only be devastating.  Every year it seems to be a dark horse team that wins the championship and this year was no different. 

This year the eagles should have rolled through the NFC East due to the inconsistency of the Cowboys and Giants. Looking back at the season now the Eagles only needed to win one more game to have the possibility of celebrating like the Giants are right now. The Dream Team turned out to be “Lebron Team” (the team who can’t close in the 4^th quarter).  Failing to capitalize on 4^th quarter leads to the Falcons, Giant, 49ers, Bears, and Cardinals because of stupid mistakes. Leading the lead with 38 turnovers also doesn't help matter much either.

In these five 4^th quarter meltdowns, the Eagles were outscored 60-3!  Much of the blame can be placed on the defense and defensive coordinator who should not have even been there!  However, three fourth quarter points in five games!  I can tell you that until I research this, I didn’t think it was remotely close to that pathetic. Then we finish off the last four games by outscoring our opponents 125-46.  So if the hottest team at the end of the year usually wins the super bowl, that team would have been us!  Another point to mention is that not only would the Giants not be in these talks but they would not have even been in the playoffs if the eagles won one of those five games!

A couple other things have been going through my mind too.  Should Mike Vick have toughed it out a little more?  Was the offensive play calling too conservative in the fourth quarter?  Should Juan Castillo be fired?

First off I don’t think it’s fair to me to hate on Vick because I don’t know what it feels like to have broken ribs.  However, I am a Philly fan and hate on every little thing.  So I do think he should have toughed it out and played more while hurt!  Look at Big Ben for god’s sake.  He went out there hobbling.  The fourth quarter play calling is probably just as much to blame as Juan Castillo’s terrible defense.  Finally, I am indifferent about Castillo because of the strong finish he had.  I agree with the Eagles organization that it is difficult to fire a guy who ended the season so well; unless of course that replacement was a guy by the name of Steve Spagnuolo.

So that’s my reflection on the 2011 season… Bring on 2012!  Perhaps with the addition of a Hall of Famer, Randy Moss!  I am all for that!