Birds Fly 5-1 Into the Bye

Lesean McCoy and the Philadelphia Eagles had something to prove last evening on Sunday Night Football. In front of a national audience and their passionate home crowd the Eagles answered the call and proved why they are a formidable force in the NFC with a 27-0 whoopin of the New York Football Giants.

One of the seven sacks recorded
by the Eagles Sunday night

I would say I told you so, but I didn't see this happening at all. I thought the Eagles were the better team and I thought they were going to win, but I thought it was going to be a shootout, a 38-35 type of game. I did not see the Eagles sacking Eli Manning 7 times in one game. Or the Eagles blocking another punt (even though they didn't score it's still impressive that they've blocked a punt in 3 straight games). Or the Eagles recording their first shutout since 1996 when the Eagles coincidentally shutout the Giants 24-0. I didn't see any of that coming. Especially against a Giants team who in the 3 weeks prior to last evening's game scored a combined 105 points, and who were looking very impressive after an 0-2 start to the year. 

Yet, the Birds were able to come right out of the gate and have their way with the Giants. It seemed like anything the Eagles tried worked, and anything the Giants tried the Eagles were ready for. 

It was a good win for many reasons. First and foremost, any divisional win is a good win. Second, it was the New York Giants at the Linc. The Birds better take care of business in Philly against the scum of the Northeast. Third, it was an absolute shelling in a nationally televised game of a pretty decent team. Fourth, the Eagles enter the bye with a very, very respectable 5-1 record. And fifth, and maybe most importantly, McCoy finally ran the way we know he can run. He finished with 22 rushes for 149 yards, a clip of 6.8 yards per carry. Going into Sunday's game McCoy was averaging 2.9 YPC. The stat line is nice, but Shady just looked like Shady again Sunday night, making people miss, finding holes, and turning what seemed like nothing into chunks of yardage time and time again.

Now, I could get into the whole "they should be 6-0, they were only 1.5 yards away from a win against the 49ers, should've run the ball" argument, but I don't think it's necessary.

The loss to the 49ers in week 4 was a heart-breaker, there's no denying that. But it may have been necessary for the Eagles to get where they want to go. Sometimes a team needs to fail in order to realize its flaws. Sometimes winning close games gives a team a false sense of security that they can win even with flaws. The loss to the 49ers, though it pissed me off to no end, may have been just what the Eagles needed to right the ship. 

However, the Eagles have been showing something that is really special all season long. They have shown it in all 5 of their wins, and they have shown it in their 1 loss. A very special characteristic that is hard to put your finger on, its hard to label it, but it is there. 

What I am alluding to is their will to fight, the way they never back down. The way that when they are nowhere near the better football team on that given day, they still find themselves within 1.5 yards of a victory. The way that they can be down by a touchdown to the Colts in Indianapolis by 7 on Monday Night Football with 5 minutes left and intercept a pass in the red zone, and on the ensuing drive score a touchdown to tie the game. Then force a 3-and-out and kick a field goal as time expires to win the game. 

The Eagles have shown an incredible ability to either win or, in the case of the 49ers game, give themselves a chance to win every week, whether they are playing well, or playing poorly. There is something to that. There is something to a team that may not be better than the rest of the league, but makes plays when plays need to be made, and end up winning. This team, this year, has something special going. 

The Birds have a passionate fan base that wants to back this team with everything they have. Last evening's beatdown of the Giants, and the won't-quit attitude that they have shown through their first 6 games has given this city hope. Hope for something that we haven't felt since 2008, and caught a whiff of in 2009. Going into their bye the Eagles need to sit back, be proud of how they have played, but not content with where they are at. The road leading to where the Birds want to go takes them to Arizona in week 8.

Also, here's a little highlight video from flyeaglesfly.com

Eagles Opener, Preseason Pump Up

As we all know the Philadelphia Eagles begin their 2015 Super Bowl Championship campaign this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This really, ultimately, should be the easiest game on the Eagles schedule this year. In the 4 weeks to follow they have to deal with Andrew Luck and the Colts in Indy, Desean Jaccson's return to Philly, a west coast game against the always tough San Francisco 49ers, and finally return home to play one of the best defensive lines in the entire NFL in the St. Louis Rams (even without Michael Sam). With all of these tough games coming up following a legitimately inferior opponent in the Jags, I would normally be freaking out about how the Jaguars will come in, and the Eagles will play down to their level, and the Jaguars will pull out an upset. Trap Game! It's A TRAP GAME! Normally I would say that. Normally.

But there is a lot of not so normal things about this situation. First, the Eagles offense is, was, and will be one of, if not the best offense in the NFL for years and years to come. Hands down. It's fast, efficient, exciting, and innovative. The Eagles will have no problem putting up points against a Jaguars defense who was tied for 27th in yards allowed last season. Second, the Eagles are opening at home, with a fan base who is more hype for this team than any other year in my memory. People are talking 12-4, 11-5 seasons. People are talking NFC Championship games. Sal Paolantonio is talking NFC representative in the Super Bowl! That's coming from a dude who eats, sleeps, and breathes football. That's not just coming from some over excited roster-bating 20 year old who writes blogs in his spare time. That is a legitimate expert opinion, that is going even further than I would go as for a prediction of this season. They COULD do it, I'm not saying they can't. There is a shot the Eagles make it to the Super Bowl for just the 3rd time in franchise history, but there are some tough NFC teams that the Eagles have to get through, and I have some reservations about whether the defense can hold up against premier high caliber offenses.

My final reason for why the Eagles season opener will not turn into a trap game is the Eagles have Chip Kelly. In Chip I Trust. That's it. #InChipWeTrust



This Eagles season will bring all of the excitement, heartache, thrills, tears, smiles, hugs, high-fives, and nervous butterflies that it always does. And I can't wait.




Now for an always welcomed preseason, goosebump spawning video by the guys at FlyEaglesFly.com
WOOO!!!! BIRD GANG!!!


The Eagles begin their season in Philly this Sunday at 1 PM EST on CBS.

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The Hink Tank: Doug McDermott, Final Chapter

I started this blog series with the intention of educating people about who the Sixers could potentially take with the #10 pick had all of my top 8 players been taken, with that being said, I hope all of my writing is for naught tonight. I hope one of the top 8 like Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Noah Vonleh or whoever fall to 10, that would be just swell. But as all must do in times like these, I must prepare for the worst while praying for the best and that's why I have to consider the possibility that if Nik Stauskas gets taken 9th and the Sixers really want a shooter/scorer, Doug McDermott may be their selection…

"3" ain't just a number on a jersey no mo'

DOUGIE MCBUCKETS. Everybody's favorite white boy stealing the college basketball scene the likes of which we haven't seen since Jimmer Fredette. One thing the two players have in common, they can shoot the lights out, at least in the college game. As we all should know by now, Fredette didn't exactly pan out in the NBA as his one real skill was shooting the ball into a hoop from a very long ways away, but the athletic standard increase from the NCAA to the NBA proved too much for the Mormon hero. McDermott has a little more staying power than Jimmer, though. McDermott's offensive skills set is much more polished. Here comes another Dirk Nowitzki comparison but McDermott's ability to shoot from long range combined with his post and fadeaway game, makes him similar to Dirk in many ways. Only problem for McDermott is that Dirk can get away with that stuff because he's 7 feet tall, McDermott is only 6'8". That translates into the man being a really slow small forward, or a very much undersized power forward in the NBA, not exactly ideal for any defensive situation. The true question for McDermott is how well he can make his offensive game work against the elite defenders in the NBA.

As previously mentioned, McDermott's biggest weakness is his inability to play defense well. His feet move too slow for him to guard NBA small forwards, he isn't long enough to contend with people playing similar position(s), he doesn't have the strength to contend with the typical NBA power forward, and his lack of a true position in the NBA may ultimately be his downfall. He's also not as much of a ball handler and distributor as one like Dario Saric projects to be. To me, McDermotts pans out to be a bench shooter and that's not exactly what I think the Sixers are looking for with the 10th pick. Another thing working against McDermott is his age. At 22 years old already, he is as old as they come in the NBA draft and that allows him even less time to develop than a project player who's only 18 or 19 would have. This does give McDermott the element of experience, but will that experience even matter when most players in the NBA have much more than he does anyway?

Still, someone will take a chance on the senior from Creighton. May God bless their soul. McDermott truly is a guy whose draft stock is greatly helped by the fact that he's the John Wooden award winner and has a name carrying a lot of weight. Unfortunately for him, if his skills don't translate over to the NBA like he hopes they will, all that name weight will disappear and he may just float away (literally) across the Atlantic to a Euro team. If there is one saving grace for McBuckets, it's that his ability to shoot (hopefully) isn't going to just go away. Teams will always need shooters and as long as he remains crafty enough to find a way to get his shot off, you can bet there's a good chance it's going to go in.

South Street Draft Rating: 3/10

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OH! And by the way, the NBA Draft is TONIGHT. Coverage starts at 7 pm on ESPN, expect the actual draft to begin at like 8-ish. Remember tonight is not about what could have been, but what will be. Trust Hinkie and the system and have fun. Enjoy tonight. There is bound to be times when you're confused as to how the Sixers got Jeremy Lin and a 1st round pick for absolutely nothing but don't be alarmed, all questions will be answered in time.

Previous Editions:

Nik Stauskas

Dario Saric

Zach LaVine

Gary Harris

The Hink Tank: Nik Stauskas

Tongue out like MJ, 3 balls like Ray Ray

For my 4th edition in my series leading up to the NBA draft where we are looking at some lesser known prospects that are outside of the top 8 who could potentially be the pick for the Sixers are #10, we will investigate the skills and ceiling of Nik Stauskas, probably the best wing player in the draft outside of Wiggins, Jabari and posssssiiiblyyyy… Aaron Gordon? If you're stretching the term that is. Anyway, he's a 6'7" SG out of Michigan with a 35.5" vertical, not bad for a Lithuanian-Canadian white guy, but his main skill is shooting, and boy, can he shoot. Here's some proof.

Stauskas is such a good shooter that he's sort of being labeled as a one trick pony in this draft. Comparisons to J.J. Redick are prominent and that's exactly the label Stauskas is trying to shake. The question legitimately is, whether or not Stauskas can develop into more than a spot up shooter. Obviously shooting is an important skill in the NBA, but is it really worth a top 10 pick in a loaded draft class just to get a one-dimensional player? I would be hesitant to think Hinkie would answer "yes" to that question. It took years before it was discovered that Redick was a useful player beyond shooting in this league, if Stauskas is drafted to the Sixers it won't take nearly as long to figure out his usefulness.

That's mostly due to the fact that the Sixers would throw him into the fire right away. And that could be a good and a bad thing for Stauskas who, certainly has NBA range on his shot, but is not as NBA ready in other aspects of his game. Ball handling and quickness are Stauskas two biggest improvement areas. Still, Stauskas has the size to see over most NBA 2-guards and his length would mesh well with the 6'6" MCW. Plus a SG that can start next to MCW and shoot the lights out would be a welcome sight in Philadelphia.

That's mostly the only argument that needs to be made for having the Sixers draft Stauskas. The Sixers need shooting, desperately, and Stauskas is the best player in the draft to provide that. At Michigan, he shot over 44% from 3-point range and made over 2.5 threes per game. Just what the doctor ordered for a team with a bunch of broken jump shots. The Sixers drafting of Stauskas though, relies heavily on what the team does with the #3 pick. If they take Exum, Wiggins or Parker, the need for another wing isn't as pressing (but the need for shooting still remains). If the team roles the dice and takes Embiid, than a shooter/wing will definitely be needed.

So far, I've looked at 4 prospects and have said that pretty much all of them would be good fits in Philly and that's mostly true in a vacuum. The Sixers need talent everywhere and all of these prospects are talented in their own way, but in order for the Sixers to bring the most out of these prospects, they have to draft in a way that gives them the best chance to succeed. For example, drafting Joel Embiid and Dario Saric could be a catastrophe because you probably can't start Embiid, Noel and Saric together unless you want to have a freakishly tall and slow defensive front court. Which is probably not going to work in today's NBA where quick guards rule the court. Likewise, if you draft Exum with the #3 pick, it doesn't really make sense to take Gary Harris or Stauskas because then you won't have a true SF to start; just two PG's and a SG. I think the best route for the Sixers to go is to link together a wing and forward, what combination of players they'll choose to draft and create that link however, is anybody's guess. Hinkie will have his "stone face" on for the rest of the draft.

South Street Draft Rating: 5/10

Next up: Doug McDermott

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ONLY 5 MORE DAYS!!!

Previous Editions:

Dario Saric

Zach LaVine

Gary Harris

The Hink Tank: Dario Saric

Not an accent I can get behind… 

After taking looks at two players who played basketball in the United States last season, Zach LaVine and Gary Harris, today I'll take a look at the draft's biggest mystery prospect after Dante Exum, Dario Saric. Like Exum, Saric is a lottery talent from overseas and not much is actually known about him since he has never played basketball in the States. With that being said, based on what we do know from the 6'10" power forward out of Croatia, he has the potential to be the next international superstar in the NBA if someone is willing to take the risk on him. Saric could be the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki, if Dirk could actually um… run… and pass… and handle the ball… at all.

Let's start off with a quick highlight video (ignore the musical choice) of the 20 year old...

DraftExpress.com's breakdown of Saric offensively versatility.

From watching him play you can already tell that he was born to play in transition, which if the Sixers offense continues in the same way as last year, would be perfect for the big man. One thing that stands out to me is the way he handles the ball like he's a guard, a stereotypical point-forward in the making. Only problem is that the Sixers don't really need a point-forward with MCW at the helm. Still, versatility in any way, shape or form is exactly what Hinkie craves and exactly what Saric provides, especially offensively. Based on his scouting video from Draft Express, Saric likes to spot up more than anything, which shows that he knows how to shoot the ball (or at least he thinks he does), a skill that would be especially valuable when paired with Nerlens Noel. However, after spot ups, the rest of his offensive repertoire is pretty evenly spread out and his highest points per possession come from transition and cutting to the basket so he's clearly the most efficient when playing that style.

Speaking of Saric's skills when paired with Noel, one of the reasons the Sixers could actually take a chance on the Croatian is because of Nerlens' skill set. Nerlens, as a defensive minded center, allows for there to be room in the front court for an offensive-minded player. Also, since Saric likes to space the floor so much, the lane won't be clogged up and then Nerlens can run rampant and reign over the rim with his shot blocking while also having plenty of room to develop his post up skills. All of these skills and more give Saric a pretty damn high ceiling, but based on the history of most European prospects, it's unlikely he ever reaches it.

Sure, Saric could become the next Nowitzki, but plenty of other European prospects have come into the league under the same pretense. While Saric does handle the ball like a guard and shoot pretty well for a big man, those aren't necessarily skills that instantly convert over to the NBA. He still has plenty to be desired when it comes to getting stronger and putting on weight if he is to guard anybody of size and stature in the NBA. He also can be seen running circles around players in the Adriatic League (Croatia, Yugoslavia, Serbia, Slovenia, etc.), but you can be pretty damn certain that players in the best league in the world are going to be much quicker. In order for Saric to be truly successful, he's going to have to learn to bang with the big boys and keep up with the little ones. There's no way for him to get out in transition, where he's most effective, if everyone on the court can run right by him.

Another problem involving Saric is whether or not he is personally ready to play in the NBA. There are reports out there that Saric would only be willing to make the transition next year if he gets drafted to the Lakers or Celtics. Which raises the question if he would actually ever play for the Sixers and if so, how long would it take for him to come over to the States? Is Saric worth the risk at #10 when he could just become the next European bust and/or not even come overseas for a couple years? I, for one, would be pretty disappointed if one, or both of the Sixers 1st round picks this year didn't play a single minute for the team next year (looking at you, Embiid) and I would assume the rest of the Sixers fan base would become pretty disgruntled too. Obviously, I still believe in Hinkie's plan but I think we're all getting anxious to see what this team can become, especially after all the hype there's been leading up to this draft.

At the end of the day, Saric could become a very good fit in Philadelphia and be the steal of the draft if he develops into the next Dirk. At the same time it would be a "calculated risk" drafting him, but there's no one I trust more than to make a calculated risk than Sam Hinkie. Be on the lookout for whoever drafts Dario Saric next Thursday, a very high risk, high reward type of pick.

South Street Draft Rating: 7/10

Next up: Nik Stauskas

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Previous Editions:
Zach LaVine
Gary Harris

The Hink Tank: Zach LaVine

Two days ago, I began my series that will be taking an in-depth look at who the Sixers options will most likely be at pick #10 and who they should take. My first installment focused on a SG out of Michigan State named Gary Harris. This second installment will look at another wing player who this time is from the University of California Los Angeles, Zach LaVine.

The name of the game with LaVine is upside, as a 19 year old freshman who can jump 46 (!!!) inches in the air, the ceiling may only be an obstacle on his way to the moon. LaVine has the most pure athleticism in the draft outside of the top 5 guys and may even rival Wiggins for most athletic in the draft, so that should put him into perspective for you. Also, LaVine is seen as a more than capable shooter from outside, that talent can be seen in the following video. Be sure to note how easily the flashy dunks look for him towards the end of the video. Still, even with all the shooting talent and athleticism, LaVine is one of the highest risk players in the draft.


Considered to be a raw talent, there's a lot that has to come to fruition for LaVine to be the player he's actually capable of being. At 6'6", the length and quickness is there to become a shutdown defender in the league, but whether or not that pipe dream is ever realized is another question. Another question mark of LaVine is how well he can handle an advanced scoring load at the next level. As the season wore on at UCLA, LaVine'e stats slowly took a turn for the worse as he took on more of the scoring responsibility for his team. For the season, LaVine didn't even manage to average double digit points per game. Part of LaVine's struggles were due to his inability to read into what a defense was throwing at him; he's also only an average ball handler, which doesn't bode well for the kid who hopes to become an NBA point guard. The good news for LaVine is that all of those problems are coachable, so long as he is willing to work hard.

So how does LaVine ultimately fit in with the Sixers? He's clearly a much more risky choice than a Gary Harris would be, but does that mean he's the wrong choice? Based on how the Sixers played this year, (1st in the league in PACE) LaVine could find a real nice niche in Philadelphia. First and foremost, he fits the need of a pure backcourt shooter that the Sixers desperately need to pair with MCW. Also LaVine thrives on the fast break so he would have no problem keeping up with the Sixers offense. Obviously I don't want the Sixers to "waste" a draft pick on the most high risk player in the draft if he turns out to be a bust, but the Sixers have one of, if not the best developmental staff in the entire NBA and if anyone can fix LaVine's problems, it's them.

LaVine is a really good look for the Sixers for 3 reasons:

1. He'll almost definitely be there at 10, there's a very low chance anyone inside the top 9 takes a chance on him.

2. He brings the most talent and upside to the team out of anybody outside of the top 8 and after the season the Sixers had, they need as much of that as they can get.

3. Sixers may be the best fit for LaVine in the league outside of like, the Spurs, because everybody's a good fit with the Spurs. LaVine combined with the Sixers coaching staff and offense may be the perfect storm for the freak of nature that is Zach LaVine. I think the worst LaVine becomes under the Sixers coaching staff is a future 6th man of the year, and I'll take that.

Zach LaVine will be the most "hindsight is 20/20" prospect in the draft, but I think his future success, more than anyone else, hinges on what team actually takes him. If the Sixers don't take a chance on him, I don't blame them but it could spell bad news for LaVine's career. Hinkie loves to take chances on players but that's usually when the stakes are a little lower than a top 10 pick in a loaded draft class. If Zach LaVine's name gets called to the Sixers on draft night, fans should know that the Sixers landed themselves a real wild card who could turn into a MCW-esque steal, or a Hasheem Thabeet type bust. Only difference is that LaVine won't be the Sixers only pick in this year's draft and will by no means be a franchise defining pick, so there's some extra motivation for buying into the risk. And seriously though, how could you be upset on draft night with getting a guy who jumps like this…?

South Street Draft Rating: 8/10

Next up: Dario Saric

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Previous Editions:
Gary Harris

The Hink Tank: Gary Harris

We are officially 17 days from the long anticipated NBA Draft and so I have decided to start a series that takes a look at who the Sixers could take with the 10th overall pick assuming all of my top 8 players have already been selected. For me, the top 8 players (in no particular order) consist of: Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, Noah Vonleh, Julius Randle, Dante Exum, Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon. If the Sixers can get any of those 8 with the 10th pick than I will be absolutely thrilled, but when it comes to Philadelphia sports, it's safe to say we've grown to be pessimists. So without further ado, let The Hink(ie) Tank begin!

The first prospect that I want to take a look at is the 6'4" sophomore guard out of Michigan State, Gary Harris. Gary Harris is one of the best shooters in the draft, even if you don't hear his name thrown around with the Doug McDermott's or Nik Stauskas's, of the draft. If you need proof other than my word, watch the video below:

Obviously when no one's guarding him and it's his video he can edit it any way he wants to in order to make him seem better than he really is, still, his shooting mechanics are pretty much perfect and it leads to a smooth, easy stroke. Also in this case, those are uncut shots of him making jumper, after jumper, after jumper, after jumper… and there's much more to Harris as a player than just shooting. Harris mentions in the video that he personally thinks that one of his strengths is defense and most scouts tend to agree. While Harris has no where near the potential ceiling of some of the freak prospects in this draft, his ability to shoot and play defense has his floor higher than most prospects as well.

Best case scenario probably has Harris' career coming out to be a "super" role player on a winning team, something like Manu Ginobili is right now at his current point in his career and that might even be a little too high for him. But worst case scenario for Harris only has him as a bench player/borderline starter who can come in and provide shooting without being a liability on defense. That makes him a player who can be very valuable to teams at the right price.

Is Gary Harris the flashiest pick the Sixers can make at number 10? Absolutely not. In my personal opinion, I think this Sixers team needs to acquire as much potential talent as possible, even if that means not hitting on every prospect. Therefore, if the Sixers do end up taking Gary Harris with the 10th pick after my top 8 are off the board, than I can honestly say I will be a little underwhelmed. He's just such an "eh, okay" pick to me, which is basically the opposite of my reaction to everything Hinkie has done thus far as GM. Still, he's a good fit for the Sixers and could end up being a smart pick depending on how whoever they pick at #3 pans out. Fans should just make sure they monitor their expectations slightly for the 10th pick if the Sixers do end up calling Harris' name on June 26th because his upside is certainly not as tremendous as people may be expecting after all the hype surrounding this draft.

South Street Draft Rating: 6/10

Next up: Zach LaVine

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Sixers Get Picks #3, #10 and Why That is Perfectly Okay

The NBA Draft Lottery finally decided to rear its head last night and almost a year of waiting through 26-game losing streaks, numerous 10-day contracts and the second worst record in the entire NBA culminated into a 19.9% chance that our beloved Sixers would end up with the #1 overall pick and the rights to take Andrew Wiggins in the 2014 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, the Sixers ended up getting the #3 overall pick and the #10 overall from the Pelicans. Thus, the harsh reality that is the NBA Draft Lottery has to be faced. Still, the outcome is nothing that should be met with tears, anger or conspiracy theories. If you'll recall from my piece about Dante Exum, the Sixers needed to land a top 4 pick this year in order for me to be satisfied. In that case, I'm ecstatic about how the chance to officially claim one of the draft's "Big 3" as our own. Trying to figure out exactly which one of those three will fall to us is another story for another day. Today is about how the big guys up top in the Sixers organization have taken another step towards the successful fulfillment of "The Plan."

"The Plan" is short for the act of laying an organizational foundation that can one day result in a team that will compete for multiple NBA championships over an extended period of time. This plan does not guarantee that the Sixers will win a championship, it doesn't guarantee they'll win the draft lottery and it certainly doesn't guarantee every draft pick will be the Rookie of the Year. But there is something to be said about maximizing your assets and thereby raising the probability that you'll one day be able to claim an organization that can be as successful as the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs are the model of success in the NBA. Sure most people hate them for how long they've stuck around, but you can't help but marvel at what they've been able to accomplish. As the great Drizzy Drake once said, "jealousy is just love and hate at the same time" and in the case of the Spurs, that hate is mostly formulated from the desire that their team could have a realistic shot at the championship every year for over a decade. Every fan would love for their team to be the Spurs and that's why they claim they hate them. Best case scenario for the Sixers, they will one day become the Spurs with the help of Sam Hinkie and Joshua Harris.

The real heroes of the 76ers, even if the fan base can't see it yet.

In order to become the model for NBA success however, you have to draft a superstar like Tim Duncan, have a coach like Greg Popovich, and hit on late 1st round draft picks like Tony Parker or even find second round stars like Manu Ginobili. That's why the Sixers "tanking" is so necessary in today's NBA. Teams need star power to win and unfortunately if you're not Miami, Los Angeles, New York or Chicago, you're not going to attract stars in free agency as frequently as you would like. So where does star power come from if you can't do it through free agency? Obviously, the draft. But in order to have the highest probability of obtaining that star power, you need to be higher in the draft. That is why "tanking" is merely a derogatory term for the maximization of the your draft pick assets. There's not much hope for a team middled in mediocracy to simply get lucky in the draft and find a superstar with the 18th overall pick, it just doesn't happen that way. Especially since teams that are contending for the 7th and 8th seeds every year are probably vastly overpaying for "stars" that plainly put, are not worth the money. That's what we saw from the Sixers for so long. Overpaying for the Andre Igoudala's, Elton Brand's and Chris Webber's of the world. These players were good enough to keep the Sixers in the playoffs every year but to expect them to lead you to a championship is a facade and it took a new ownership team to finally see through it.

Did the Sixers need to trade away two of their best players in Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes this year in order to be one of the worst teams in the league? No. But what's the point of holding on to a player if you know you're not going to want them in the future? Especially if you can trade them now and at least get something for them. Plus Sixers fans thinking that E.T. or Spencer were worth more than second round picks have to look at what those players are doing now for their teams. Spencer is a borderline backup center for a lottery team and E.T. is riding the pine on a championship contender. These guys were considered the Sixers stars and are certainly anything but that on the teams they're with now. So is a 2nd round pick a good deal in hindsight for a bench warmer? I'll take it every time. The trading of bum present day players for the future possibility of selecting a 2nd round star like Manu Ginobili is a deal you have to take. We know what Evan Turner is, and the pure possibility, no matter how small, of getting someone useful in the 2nd round makes the deal a good one. Not to mention that Hawes had no future here with Nerlens waiting in the wings.

So yes, the Sixers didn't win the 2014 Lottery, but who says they even needed to? Hinkie has been able to take a mediocre playoff roster and set himself up with insane cap flexibility, the Rookie of the Year, the best NBA prospect from last year, and the #3 and #10 overall picks in the best NBA Draft since 2003, which in terms of statistical probabilities, is exactly what the Philadelphia 76ers needed; a fresh start. "The Plan" is a process that doesn't happen in one year, the Sixers will not contend for a title next year, or the year after and that's okay. As their young building block players begin to grow together with the help of the best development coaching squad in the entire league, the Sixers will eventually find success. Sixers fans will be taught patience over these next couple of years and then will reap the rewards together later. Right now, it's important to enjoy watching young stars in MCW, Nerlens Noel and whoever the team drafts this year grow up and learn together. When you look at the big picture of the Sixers organization, the future is as bright as the spotlights beaming down on the Larry O'Brien Trophy and I'm okay with not winning every battle in the hopes of one day winning the war.

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Introducing Eagles 2nd Round Pick, Jordan Matthews

The Eagles first round selection was puzzling to most when they decided to go with Defensive End Marcus Smith out of Louisville. However, the Birds managed to salvage the draft, and did so quickly, when they acquired Vanderbilt Wide Receiver Jordan Matthews.

Eagles 2nd Round Pick Jordan Matthews
Shedding a Would-Be Tackler

Matthews gives us fans a reason to be excited about the incoming rookie class. He was by far the best player on Vanderbilt's team, while going up against top notch SEC defenses. He's 6'3'' 212 lbs. Fits the mold for Chip Kelly's "big people beat up little people" philosophy much better than ex-Eagle Desean Jackson's 5'10'' 175 pound frame did. He holds the record for most receptions (262) and receiving yards (3,759) in SEC history. He is also a relative of Jerry Rice, which is definitely a positive considering Rice is the greatest to ever play the wide receiver position. 

The Eagles made a great pick here. His coach at Vanderbilt, James Franklin, who is now the new head coach at Penn State, praised Matthews ability and work ethic in an interview with CSN Philly's Derrick Gunn. In fact, his first response when asked about Matthews was, "I have a man-crush on Jordan Matthews" That's the highest praise one man can give to another in my book, and now man crush Matthews (MCM) is on our side! 

His highlight film provides plenty of excitement because of the potential play-making ability he brings to the Eagles. Can't wait to see him do this on Sundays in midnight green:

Overall, great pick by the Eagles. Filled a need with the Departure of Desean, and did so with a guy who will not only beat defenders with his 4.4 speed, but also go up and get the ball in jump ball situations, and thus be a red zone presence, which Desean never was. Let's hope that Jerry Rice blood Matthews has running through his veins allows him to become an impact player from Day 1. He provides our Lord and Savior Nicky Foles with yet another versatile option to throw the ball to.

Bring us a Super Bowl Jordy!

BREAKING: Dante Exum Exists and Could Be Scary Good

Dante Exum is the mystery man from Australia in this year's NBA Draft. He's the projected 4th overall pick and the "next best thing" after Wiggins, Parker and Embiid. He was also at the NBA Draft Combine yesterday. The 6'6" self-proclaimed point guard has a 6'9.5" wingspan and an 8'7" standing reach. So he's an insane physical specimen. He also has an awesome last name AND AN AUSTRALIAN ACCENT.

I'm going to be honest. I'm infatuated with his accent and I used to think the Sixers not getting a top 3 pick this year would be the end of the world, but not anymore. Scouts say this guy is so good that if he played in the U.S. this year then he would have contended for the top pick. If professional scouts say that, who am I to question it? Top 4 pick or bust now, no doubt about it. Only problem is whether or not Exum and MCW will work together since they're both 6'6" slashing point guards with broken jumpshots. But knowing Hinkie, there's no guarantee MCW will even be here after the draft. PAUSE. What am I even saying? I'm not really sure but Dante Exum sure does HAVE A BEAUTIFUL AUSTRALIAN ACCENT.

But seriously for one second, let's entertain the thought. Pelicans pick and MCW for the rights to Dante Exum? Or some other combination? Would you do it? "That's absurd" most would say but you gotta think Hinkie would entertain that idea and ALL ideas on draft day. Especially since MCW isn't exactly the best when it comes to advanced stats. If Hinkie had the balls to pull the Jrue Holiday move last year then clearly we can't even begin to predict what he will do this year or any year after. Obviously if Exum turns out to be the Russell Westbrook/Manu Ginobili combination that he claims he models his game after, then that trade would look really good down the line. I'm not saying I support it so don't come at me like people did with Bob Ford from Philly.com. In a vacuum though, a "Big-3" of Wiggins, Exum and Noel could be a dirty combination. Plus we'd get to hear Dante Exum's AUSTRALIAN ACCENT FOR A DECADE OR SO and that may be worth it on it's own. 

At the end of the day, all these mock drafts and potential draft day trade ideas are irrelevant since no one will actually know who's picking where until Tuesday night. "Settling" for Exum is not the beginning of some Sixerspocalypse and could actually be a blessing in disguise. Wherever the Sixers fall, Hinkie has assets and he knows how to use them. So here's to trusting Hinkie, trusting the system and hoping the lottery balls fall in our favor come the evening of May 20th. Still, even if they don't, we will persevere.

OH AND DANTE EXUM'S ACCENT WOULD BE SO CUTE PAIRED WITH BRETT BROWN'S "BOSTRALIAN" ACCENT.

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Two Eagles Headline the Madden Cover Voting

The Madden 15 cover fan voting bracket was released yesterday and this time the game designers actually decided to make it a relatively exclusive honor and made the bracket only 16 players as compared to 64 from a year ago. Last year our very own LeSean McCoy was the only current Eagle to be included in the 64-man bracket BUT this year, with half as many players, McCoy and Nick Foles have graced the bracket. 

It's no secret as to why McCoy is on the cover. He's one of the league's most popular running backs. NFL fans love watching the shifty moves Shady is able to put on opponents week in and week out. Last year, McCoy was a 10-seed and upset the 7-seed, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson. McCoy could have made it even further through the bracket had he not run into the Adrian Peterson buzzsaw in the second round. Peterson continued on to the finals and McCoy was sent packing. This year, McCoy returns, this time as a 3-seed and ready to wreak bracket-havoc after leading the entire NFL in rushing yards.

Nicky Foles was brought on to the cover bracket this year following a fantastic sophomore year where he led the entire NFL in QB rating, even better than Peyton Manning's MVP year! Now, Folesy is only a 7-seed, but I think he has a chance to pull an upset in the first round against the 2-seeded Kaepernick. I, for one, believe that Kaepernick is seeded a little high after not quite living up to the expectations that he set for himself with his rookie year numbers. But then again, Kaepernick is a super popular player with his dual-threat playing style so all of Philly is going to have to rally behind Foles if he is to pull the upset. 

C'mon, now isn't that a beautiful sight?

While the Madden Cover doesn't actually matter as much more than a popularity contest and there's also the issue of the Madden Curse, I think we should all pretend that we're not superstitious just this once and try to help our hometown heroes make a run! If Donovan McNabb can make it to the semi-finals of the Greatest QB of All-Time Bracket, then I truly think anything is possible here. Also, it's always cool to be able to buy a game with one of your favorite athletes on the cover and is a form of league-wide recognition of how great a player truly is, SO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE FOR SHADY AND NICKY FOLES BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! The link to the voting **CAN BE FOUND RIGHT HERE!** The first round voting ends on May 15th so there's no time to lose. The eventual champion will be crowned June 6th so here's to having an All-Eagles Madden Cover final and having a little more incentive to drop $60 on a game that you'll only be able to play for a year until the next one comes out!

So Who in the World is Marcus Smith?

Oh...?! That guy...?! Yeah, still don't recognize him.

Well that was... underwhelming, to say the least. Eagles went into the draft rumored to potentially make a big splash and ended up with a guy that was projected to go in the late 2nd/3rd round. Not exactly tsunami level waves being produced there, Birds. The Eagles did make a trade, they moved back from 22nd overall to 26th overall; swiping an extra 3rd round pick from the Browns in the process. Now they'll be able to pick/trade/reach for another prospect tonight! Hurray!

Anyway, the team did make a selection at 26 as referred to above. His name is Marcus Smith (which is at least not common at all and very easy to remember) and he is an outside linebacker from the University of Louisville. Now assuming you're not some college football junkie getting high off Manziel TD passes or toking up on old Tim Tebow reruns, you've probably never heard of the guy. That's okay, because neither had I before last night. Here's some physical stats about Philadelphia's newest 1st round pick:

Height: 6'3"
Weight: 251
40 Yard Dash: 4.68 secs
Arm Length: almost irrelevent, 34"
Hand Length: definitely irrelevant.

Obligatory highlight reel where you can watch Marcus Smith beating up on assorted quarterbacks and looking like the second coming of Reggie White located here:


So how does he fit in, if at all? Well it appears he could actually be a perfect fit for the Eagles scheme. The Eagles were in desperate need of someone who can rush the passer off the edge and Smith's biggest core strength is his pass rushing ability! Further, he fits in well as a hybrid guy who can potentially play OLB and DE for the Eagles unique 3-4, 4-3 combo defense. The other saving grace for this guy in Philadelphia is his huge upside. The man was recruited out of high school as a quarterback so WE HAVE to be patient with him. He's been playing the defensive side of the ball for only 3 years but has pure athleticism and length that can help him succeed in the NFL. That being said, I doubt anyone in Philly is willing to give a first round pick 2, 3 or even 4 years to develop. I'm not saying it's a bad pick by the Eagles, I'm just saying I'm... underwhelmed. 

Chip Kelly did go on to state in his post-draft press conference that the team had SIX top-tier players that they were willing to take at 22 if they were there. Unfortunately it seems all of those players were gone by that time. Have to think that our man "HaHa" being picked at 21 to the Packers had to factor into that process. Those cheese-loving bastards.

We'll just have to learn to love our new man Marcus I guess. Or we can just boo him out of town... we'll see what happens.

Still trusting Chip though, until further notice.

Ha Ha Wants to be an Eagle

Sights set on Philadelphia?

We're a little bit over 4 hours away from the long-awaited 2014 NFL Draft and already one player has come out thirsty to get in on the Chip Kelly Experience. Despite the name, the man is no joker. Ha'Sean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix, the top-notch safety prospect out of the University of Alabama has a message for the Philadelphia Eagles: "Come and get me." The fit works. Ha Ha would fill one of the Eagles biggest defensive holes in the secondary. Ha Ha also personally thinks that he would harmonize perfectly with the Eagles defensive scheme based on the film he's watched. Only problem is that most mock drafts have Clinton-Dix projected to go top-15 in the draft and the Eagles are currently slotted to pick 22nd. Therefore, it seems the Eagles would have to trade up in the draft to get Orlando native.

Personally, I would be ecstatic if the Eagles could add this impact performer to their roster come eight o'clock tonight; especially if he fell to 22nd. But according to Mel Kiper's Final Mock Draft, Clinton-Dix is projected to go 13th to the Rams so that possibility looks more like a sheer wish than a reality. Still, Ha Ha is the type of player every Eagles fan could get behind. He has all the tools and physicality to bring a Dawkins-esque type of player back to the Eagles defensive backfield. Check out some of his highlights and a #TBT tribute to Young Jeezy and autotune Kanye here: 

While Clinton-Dix is not the best athlete in the draft, he makes up for it with great defensive instincts. He boasts a modest 4.58 40 time and 33-inch vertical. He does stand to add on some muscle but that's always something that can be done when he hits Chip's intense workout regimens. But he should be able to mask that lack of strength a little because he has solid height at 6'1" and wingspan at 78 1/2-inches. Combine all that with great hands and we could finally bring an impact safety back to the city for the first time in 5 years.

Don't get your hopes up too much though Eagles fans, Howie Roseman was quoted in saying "In terms of the safety group, I don't think it's a strong class at all." But Roseman is extremely high on the Wide Receiver group. Who knows, maybe it's the truth, maybe it's all smokescreens. Either way, Clinton-Dix doesn't seem too upset about the Eagles GM's comments, if he's even aware of them, or maybe he just wants to prove him wrong. South Street Bloggers
think he's a perfect fit, Clinton-Dix thinks he's the perfect fit, only thing left is that the people making the decisions need to agree. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if the Eagles are able to add Ha Ha and ensure their defense is no laughing matter.

Eagles' Options With First Round Pick

NFL Draft Baby!! An event that everyone tries to predict what will happen, and nobody is ever right. With the trades, and all the lies that organizations tell one another in order to keep their true intentions under wraps, there is no way to figure out what NFL teams are planning. Regardless, this is an exciting event, one which causes a lot of hope for the future. Every fan over-exaggerates the potential outcome of what each pick means for their team's future.  

The future of the Eagles franchise is in the hands of GM Howie Roseman, and the grading system that he and the Eagles' scouts have put together in order to rank potential picks. It all starts tonight as the long awaited 1st round of the NFL Draft begins at 8 PM. The Eagles currently hold the 22nd overall pick, and there is a lot of speculation about what the Eagles will do with that pick. Will they trade up, trade down, stay where they are?

If the Eagles were to trade up they have a couple of different ways of justifying that decision. The Eagles big needs are Defensive Line, Defensive Back, and Wide Receiver. The reason behind trading up is to ensure that you get a guy you are really high on, a guy that, in the first round, fits your system perfectly and will make an impact immediately for your team. There are a couple of guys that could do that for the Eagles. Top ranked WR, Sammy Watkins out of Clemson would be great as an Eagle, but hes probably going in the top 3, so he isn't really a possibility, the asking price would be way too high to make that sort of jump. Next is Mike Evans, WR out of Texas A&M. Evans is a possibility, but he could go in the top 10 as well. If he falls out of the top 10, then its possible the Eagles make the jump for him. So, Mike Evans is the only WR that the Eagles could trade up for in the 1st round. 

However, if the Eagles trade up to get a WR....I'll be pissed. The Eagles had a proven, play-making, spark plug of a wide receiver, coming off a pro bowl, best of his career season just under 2 months ago. And they let him go for NOTHING! So now, the Eagles are just gonna turn around and draft a WR after letting Desean Jaccson go? No. No. Unacceptable. Can't happen. If the Eagles feel the need to replace Jaccson's productivity by drafting another WR, they should have never let him go in the first place. That wouldn't make any sense. The only way to justify releasing Jaccson is if the Eagles believe that Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper are good enough at the wide receiver position to make the offense just as effective as if Desean were still there. 

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Intercepting A Pass In
Last Season's Game Against Notre Dame

At the moment some of the mock drafts are projecting that Alabama Saftey Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will fall to the 22nd spot. That would be by far the best case scenario for the Eagles. He, along with Louisville's Calvin Pryor are a close ranked top 2 for the safety position, and after those 2 there is a pretty big drop off. When the Eagles failed to sign Jarius Byrd or T.J. Ward during free agency, the possibility opened up for the Eagles to snag a top tier safety in the draft. The Eagles did sign free agent safety Malcolm Jenkins, however, he is far from the talent level that Byrd or Ward would have provided. 

The final option for the Eagles is to trade down. The only reason they would do that is if guys like Evans, Pryor, and Clinton-Dix are off the board. There is a lot of talent in this draft, and trading down and receiving additional picks is not a bad option if the guys you want aren't on the board anymore. 

Prior to recent mock drafts, Clinton-Dix was off the board within the first 15 picks, so if he falls to 22, expect the Eagles to jump on him. 

There are some reports that the Eagles will, "drop a bombshell" tonight at the draft. I really, really hope that does not mean trading up to get a wide receiver. Again, they gave up Jaccson for nothing in return. It doesn't make any sense for the Eagles to use that pick to replace Jaccson, when they could have just kept Jaccson. 

Here's to hoping the Eagles draft Ha Ha and laugh their way to the Super Bowl this season. 

Michael Carter-Williams Is Your 2014 NBA Rookie of the Year!

FUN FACT: MCW also won NBA Smile of the Year.

Well it's been a long time coming to say the least. I'm not talking about the waiting time in-between my last blog and this one either. Today we get to officially say that the Sixers have their first NBA Rookie of the Year since Allen Iverson in Michael Carter-Williams. Alright maybe it's not official yet but I trust the source for NJ.com and the fact that there's really no other candidate for this award this year. Anybody who says they expected this from the 21 year-old kid out of Syracuse would be lying.
The now 22 year-old pro with one year of NBA experience under his belt has grown exponentially since Draft Day 2013. MCW has always had the tools to become a star. He's blessed with extraordinary height for a point guard at 6'6", which allows him to see and pass over pretty much all those who guard him in the NBA. MCW has had a stranglehold on the Rookie of the Year spot ever since his debut when he almost had a QUADRUPLE-DOUBLE (22 pts, 12 Ast, 7 Reb, 9 Stls), went toe-to-toe with the best player on the planet and beat him and effectively turned into "Magic" Carter-Williams for the night. So what if the real Magic was actually 3 inches taller than our Sixers version? They're clearly the same player.

In case you forgot how amazing that debut really was, or if you need some cheering up after the Flyers ducking out in the first round of the playoffs and with the Phillies bullpen blowing every other game, here's the highlights that should put a smile on every Sixers fan's face:



Sure the guy has flaws, but we're not worried about that right now. His main weaknesses like strength and a jump-shot are all fixable and will be worked on. As long as MCW continues to grow himself into the leader that Brett Brown wants him to be and remains coachable, one day he should become the perfect point guard for the Sixers and hopefully be a perennial all-star. But even if he's not an all-star caliber player every year, that doesn't mean he's not a perfect point guard you'd want running an offense and doesn't mean he won't be helping them win playoff series in the future.

The bottom line is that MCW is a rising star in the NBA and deservedly won this award after leading all rookies in points, assists, steals, rebounds and double-doubles. You can't make much of an argument for anybody else when the man leads in pretty much every major category. MCW benefitted from a weak draft class but it's still awesome to think that even with a weak draft class, the Sixers potentially made out with the two best players. MCW will also assuredly make All-NBA Rookie First Team now, but also look for Hollis Thompson to highlight the All-NBA Rookie Second Team after leading all NBA rookies in 3-point FG%.

Dance, Dance.

Flyers Bounced Out of Playoffs in Game 7

The Flyers started their 2013-14 season with one of the franchises worst starts, posting a 3-11 record through their first 14 games. After dropping the first 3 games of the regular season they fired coach Peter Laviolette, which opened the door for former Flyers left winger Craig Berube to step in to lead the Flyers. Berube had a tall task ahead of him as the new head coach, and as we know he exceeded all expectations, leading the Flyers to the playoffs. It may have been an early exit, but just making the playoffs after that kind of start is something for this group to be proud of.

Flyers Goaltender Steve Mason's Incredible Effort
Not Enough Against Rangers

The 1st period tonight was a pretty even battle. Goaltender Steve Mason continued the dominance he showed in Game 6, repeatedly making big save after big save. Mason's effort kept the Flyers in this one, rejecting some excellent scoring chances produced by the Rangers offense. The 1st period ended with the two team still knotted 0-0.

The 2nd period was a completely different story. The Flyers never showed up in the 2nd period, allowing the Rangers to dominate in every facet of the game. Ex-Flyer Dan Carcillo, who was a healthy scratch in Games 5 and 6, found the back of the net 3 minutes into the 2nd period on a beautiful pass into the slot by Mats Zuccarello. The Rangers were able to score their second goal 8 minutes later on a shot by Benoit Pouliot. Both goals in the 2nd period Mason had no shot at stopping. He made some incredible saves this evening, but these goals were on the Flyers defense. No way a man can go unmarked in the slot multiple times in the same period of a winner take all Game 7. Mason did everything he could in this game, but one man can't win a game in a hockey game, even the man between the pipes.

The Flyers came out in the 3rd period with the fire they should have had from the very beginning. However, Mason's terrific performance kept the Flyers within striking distance, just a 2 goal deficit with 20 minutes left to play. Just 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the 3rd, Flyers forward, Jason Akeson netted his 2nd career playoff goal, beating Henrik Lundqvist top shelf stick side. Trailing just 2-1 with over 15 minutes left to play, the Flyers seemed to be right where they wanted to be. The Comeback Kids were priming yet another comeback to steal Game 7, and the series.

Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be. The Flyers seemed to lose some momentum quickly after Akeson's goal, playing more sloppy and desperate, than with a fiery purpose. They were able to add some decent scoring chances late, but no other pucks found their way past Lundqvist in this one.

Overall, the Flyers loss is obviously disappointing. Even though going into the series I thought the Rangers were the better team from an objective standpoint, as a Philly fan I couldn't help but convince myself that the Flyers were going to win this Game 7, move on to play the Penguins in a series they had a shot to win, and possibly advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Then, who knows, maybe Mason is still playing incredible hockey, the Flyers penalty kill stays hot, and they make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals. That's what I do as a Philly fan. Come up with unrealistic expectations, completely invest in the team emotionally, and inescapably get my heart ripped out of my chest every time the opposing team moves on and a Philly team doesn't. Happens every time. Cuts real deep.

Only time will heal the wound this first round Game 7 exit has caused. But there's hope for next year. The Flyers have (hopefully, please please please let it be true) FINALLY found a goaltender they can rely on to win them big games. Mason may have the best glove in the game, and the way he moved these past 2 games makes him seem much older and much more experienced than his 25 years suggests. Definitely need to add a goal scorer who can create his own opportunities. Maybe they have that in Jake Voracek, but only time will tell. Also, they absolutely have to sure up their defense. Need to get some guys on board who not only can hit, but can also move the puck effectively without turning the puck over in the defensive zone.

All we can do is wait, and appreciate the excitement the Flyers brought us this season. There was no playoff hockey in Philadelphia last year, and it was surely missed. The Flyers run may be over, but at least they made a run. The Rangers were the better team in this series and the Flyers were able to stretch the series to 7 games. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
 

Flyers Force a Game 7

The Philadelphia Flyers came into Game 6 with their backs against the wall, facing a win or go home situation Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center against the New York Rangers. They answered the call.

The Flyers were controlling the puck right from the opening faceoff. There were a few defensive zone turnovers early in the 1st period, but goaltender Steve Mason was able to bail the Flyers defense out time and time again. Mason finished the game with 34 saves on 36 shots faced. He was absolutely incredible Tuesday night, flashing his glove, moving post to post, getting set up early, seeing through screens. He played with a ton of confidence, making tough saves look easy. Mason's performance was just what the Flyers needed Tuesday night in a crucial Game 6.

The Flyers opened up the scoring on a powerplay goal by forward Wayne Simmonds 7 minutes into the 1st period. He set up to Rangers' goaltender Henrik Lundqvist's right, and kept gathering rebounds until he pounded the puck into the back of the net.

The Flyers held their 1-0 lead through the remainder of the 1st period. Simmonds hit the twine for the second time in the game just a minute thirty into the 2nd period. The goal was very similar to his first goal of the night. Simmonds was camped on the side of the net where Brayden Schenn found him for the assist.

Wayne Simmonds Celebrates After Scoring His Second of
His 3 Goals in Game 6

The Flyers penalty kill, which was perfect yet again Tuesday night, fought off a penalty committed by recently activated defenseman Erik Gustafsson. The penalty was a weak high sticking call in which Gustafsson's stick barely brushed the helmet of Rangers' forward Derek Dorsett, who has repeated flopped in this series to draw penalties. After the penalty was killed, Gustafsson broke out of the box, received an outlet pass, which turned into a breakaway, and Gustafsson beat Lundqvist through the 5 hole to give the Flyers a commanding 3-0 lead.

Simmonds found his way on the scoreboard again, with yet another powerplay goal to record his first career playoff hat-trick. The goal was set up by a smooth cross ice pass by Claude Giroux to Jakub Voracek, who wheeled into the slot and threw the puck towards the net, which found Simmonds stick for the deflection to beat Lundqvist and give the Flyers the 4-0 lead.

The Flyers were able to hold their 4-0 lead until the14th minute of the 3rd period when Rangers' forward Carl Hagelin put a shot past Mason for the first time in Game 6 to make the game 4-1. 2 minutes later, the Rangers pulled their goalie and Giroux was able to score an empty netter to put the Flyers back up by 4, with a score of 5-1. The Rangers added another tally with less than a minute left in the game with a goal by forward Mats Zuccarello. The final score was 5-2.

Overall, the Flyers played a great hockey game from start to finish. The power play was great, the penalty kill was great, Steve Mason was fantastic, and the Flyers dominated the hockey game.

The Flyers look to keep on rolling and harness the momentum they built up in their Game 6 victory by taking the train up to NYC, and finishing the Rangers off in a winner take all Game 7 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

The game can be seen on Wednesday night, at 7 PM EST, on NBC Sports.

Fun Fact of the Night: 640 hats rained down onto the Wells Fargo Center ice when Wayne Simmonds recorded his hat-trick.

P.S. It worked for Game 6, gotta keep the mojo going....

.

GO FLYERS!

Flyers Facing Elimination in Game 6

The Flyers find themselves in a must win situation tonight at the Wells Fargo Center in Game 6 against the New York Rangers. Over the weekend the Flyers were able to win Game 4 on Friday night to tie the series at 2 a piece. Goaltender Steve Mason looked fantastic in Game 4. After giving up an early goal on a sick wrap around by Rangers' forward Dominic Moore 4 minutes in to the first period, Mason did not allow another goal. He finished the evening saving 31 of the 32 shots he faced.

Then, Sunday rolled around, and the Flyers that played on Friday night were nowhere to be found in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the 2nd period. Flyers' forward Vincent Lecavalier scored a late 2nd period goal to put the game within reach, just a 2 goal deficit heading in to the final period. Late in the 3rd, with just a minute thirty left in the game, Flyers star Claude Giroux found the back of the net for the first time in the playoffs. The Comeback Kids' effort however was not enough, and Brian Boyle was able to notch an empty netter to seal the game for the Rangers with 15 seconds left to go and subsequently giving the Rangers the 3-2 series lead.

So, the Flyers are facing elimination tonight at home, and if they win, they take that trip up 95 to MSG for Game 7 tomorrow. No team has won two games in a row in this series, so hopefully that trend continues tonight, then the Flyers are able to break that trend tomorrow and move on to the second round.

Even though the Flyers have managed to win 2 games against the Rangers in this series, you get the feeling that the Flyers are simply out matched in this one. The matchup wasn't ideal on paper, and it is showing on the ice in this series. Giroux absolutely, 100%, has to come out of the gates like he did in the 2012 playoffs against the Penguins.....

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Giroux has to set the tone for the Flyers. The only chance for the Flyers to force a Game 7 is if their star plays like his head is on fire. The Flyers need a spark. Maybe Giroux's late goal in Game 5 will provide the Flyers captain with what he needs to spark a Game 6 win.

This series has been very frustrating to watch, but the Flyers are still just 2 wins away from moving on and facing the Penguins. Plus, the fact that there is no break between Games 6 and 7 aides the Flyers tremendously. If the Flyers pull off a win tonight at home and stave off elimination for 1 more game, they go right back to MSG and play tomorrow. The momentum will be in their favor. The Flyers will be riding high, and the Rangers will be down on themselves for not closing the deal in Game 6.

Time to get FLYERED UP!!!!!



Game 6 starts at 7:30 EST on Comcast Sportsnet, or TSN, or NBC Sports depending on your provider.

Union look to bounce back in Montreal

   After the first eight games of the 2014 MLS season, the Philadelphia Union (1-2-5) are certainly not where John Hackworth hoped they would be. Sitting on eight points, the Union are surprisingly right in the midst of things, occupying the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. And with 26 games left in the season,  it's hardly time to start panicking.
   An unfavorable schedule last week didn't help things, as Philadelphia played three games in six days, ending with a dull 0-0 tie at home with the Houston Dynamo. The Union were lucky to not concede in that first half, being outshot by Houston 12-1. Thank god for Zac McMath. And the post. The Union did manage to turn things around in the second half, controlling 60% of possession and outshooting Houston 11-0, but still could not manage to find the back of the net. Andrew Wenger has looked good in his first three games since being acquired via trade, but he has not helped the Union's scoring issues. While he seems more comfortable than Jack McInernery in the team's system, he has only one goal and missed a sitter in second half stoppage time against the Dynamo.
   Speaking of that trade, the Union travel to Montreal this Saturday to face the Impact and ex-Union striker Jack McInerney. As a Union original, this will be his first career game against the Union and you know he will be out to prove they made the wrong decision in trading him.
   Montreal boasts Major League Soccer's worst record, at 0-4-3, and will be looking for their first win of the season. The Union will struggle containing forwards McInerney and Italian legend Marco Di Vaio, who scored against Philly in their first meeting earlier this season, a 1-1 tie in week 3. The Union face a porous defense but are granted their best shot of finding the back of the net in the foreseeable future. It should be interesting to see the on-field relationship between McInerney and his ex-teammates. You can catch this game on CSN at 4:00pm.
   Sebastian Le Toux was not featured in last weeks starting XI, but should receive the start this Saturday in Montreal. I'll pretend I'm John Hackworth and leave you with what would be my starting lineup for tomorrow's game.
Zac McMath; Sheanon Williams, Amobi Okugo,  Austin Berry, Raymon Gaddis; Maurice Edu, Brian Carroll,  Vinvent Nogueria, Leo Fernandes; Connor Casey, Andrew Wenger.
We'll see what happens.
DOOP

Hamels is Back!

Finally some good news for Philadelphia sports fans. Last night the Flyers lost in horrific fashion by the score of 4-1 at the hands of the New York Rangers, thus allowing the Rangers to take a 2-1 series lead and take back home ice advantage as quickly as they had lost it.

Let's forget about all that because HAMELS IS BACK!!!

Cole Hamels Will Make His First Start of the 2014
Season Tonight Against the Dodgers

Cole Hamels will be making his season debut tonight in Los Angeles when the Phils take on the Dodgers at 10:10 EST time. Hamels suffered from shoulder tendinitis in the offseason and was about a week behind schedule at the start of spring training. He threw a bullpen of about 35 pitches and said that it felt like he had thrown a thousand. He was beyond fatigued after completing his 35 pitch bullpen, which raised a red flag for the Phils ace. Hamels was said to be out until around mid-April after the incident in the bullpen, but many members of the Philadelphia media thought the Phillies organization may have been downplaying the significance of the injury citing last year's incident with Chase Utley. Some members of the media thought Hamels could be out until late May, even early June. Those media members were thankfully wrong and Hamels has been activated and will start tonight. 

The Phillies have been very average so far this season and that is without their ace in the rotation. Hopefully adding Hamels to the mix will allow for some more wins to come the Phillies' way.

The Phillies are currently 10-10 and riding a 3 game win streak. Luckily for the Phils, the Washington Nationals have slipped up a bit and the Atlanta Braves have stayed fairly close to the Phils in terms of record. The Phillies 3.5 games out of first place in the N.L. East at the moment with 142 games left to play. Plenty of time to turn this mediocre team in to a playoff contending team.

Hopefully Hamels will give the Phillies the boost that they need to get back to 2008 style Phillies baseball.

Just to give you a reminder of the brand of baseball I am alluding to...

Sorry for the super small video, just full screen it and it looks fine.                                                               

                                                          

By the way, if you don't get chills at the 4:50 mark, you aren't a true Phillies fan. 

R.I.P Harry Kalas. Phillies games aren't the same without you.                                            

Flyers vs. Rangers Game 2 Recap

Sunday's game started off just as Game 1 ended. The Rangers opened up the scoring 4 minutes into the 1st period with a goal by Martin St. Louis. Flyers' defenseman Andrew MacDonald's pass was intercepted in the neutral zone, which sprung the Rangers' odd man rush, resulting in St. Louis' first goal of the playoffs. Later in the 1st period Flyers' forward Sean Couturier was called for a weak roughing penalty on Rangers' Dan Girardi. The Rangers took advantage of the man advantage when Benoit Pouliot delivered a powerplay goal.

The Flyers were in desperate need of a spark to ignite the offense and get them back on track. Trailing 2-0 in a 7 game series is a huge challenge compared to a series tied at 1-1. Plus, the idea of the Flyers being unable to win at Madison Square Garden kept building momentum and leaving a heavier burden on the minds of the Flyers' players as the consecutive loss number grew. 

The spark the Flyers needed came at the 14 minute mark in the 1st period. Flyers' forward, Jakub Voracek corralled a bouncing puck from Scott Hartnell at the blue line, burnt past Olympic caliber defenseman Ryan McDonagh, made a sharp cut right to left in front of the crease and put the puck past a sprawling Henrik Lundqvist. Voracek put the team on his back and proved to be just the spark the Flyers needed. 

Flyers' Jake Voracek Sparks Game 2 Comeback Putting
Puck Past Sprawling Rangers' Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist

The 1st period ended with a 2-1 Rangers lead, however the Flyers were bulding momentum. Within the first 5 minutes of the 2nd period the Flyers were on the powerplay. Flyers' forward Jason Akeson, who committed the terrible double-minor penalty in Game 1, subsequently killing their chances at a Game 1 victory, came through with a key powerplay goal to tie the game at 2 a piece. About 5 minutes later the Flyers were able to take their first lead of the game. Flyers' forward Vinny Lecavalier drew a delayed penalty (play stops and penalty is assessed once team who committed penalty touches puck) and before the Rangers could establish control of the puck, Flyers' forward Matt Read threw a shot on net. The rebound bounced right to Flyers' defenseman Luke Schenn who was able to deposit the rebound past Lundqvist to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead.

Flyers' goaltender Ray Emery was huge in this game. He allowed those 2 early goals, but after that he was a wall between the pipes. The Rangers' had plenty of scoring chances in the 2nd period, but Emery kept everything thrown at him out of the net. If any of those chances would have turned into goals the momentum of the game would have swung away from the Flyers and back to the Rangers. 

Wayne Simmonds added an empty net tally in the final minute of the 3rd to squash any hopes the Rangers had of taking a 2-0 series lead. 

The Flyers leave New York and take the 80 mile drive down 95 back to the Wells Fargo Center after stealing a win at MSG. The Flyers control home ice after Sunday's win. In the 2 games played at the Wells Fargo Center during the regular season between the Flyers and the Rangers, the Flyers came out on top in both of them. The Flyers look to continue that trend Tuesday night at 8 PM. The game can be seen on NBC. 

Just as a side note, anyone who had tickets for the Miley Cyrus concert at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday, the show was moved to Monday because of the playoff game. And now the show has been postponed until August because Cyrus had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic she was taking to treat a sinus infection. 

Happy Easter!