It’s Always Something In Philadelphia
January 20, 2010 – Flyers captain Mike Richards folds in the face of adversity and stoops to calling out the Philly press for “throwing us under the bus.” Eagles diehards are sending Donavan McNabb anywhere, and so fed up with Brian Westbrook that they want him to retire. Sixers fans are rolling their eyes at Allen Iverson and ready to put Elton Brand on a slow boat down the Delaware. And the Phils open their campaign next month with “only” Roy Halliday and Placido Polanco shoring up their runners-up ranks. Oh, to be a fan in Philly in January when The City of Brotherly Love becomes a sleeper cell of scorn for its professional sports teams.
The Eagles demise against the hated Cowboys, is only god’s way of punishing fans for “Fly Eagles Fly.” The annual Donavan McNabb debate rages on, despite an iron-locked contract. McNabb is not the mobile containment nightmare he once was, and youthful receivers Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson can be easily knocked off their routes. Shawn Andrews was missed on the offensive line and the unreliable Westbrook, and LeSean McCoy do not a running game make. Defensively, the Eagles miss Brian Dawkins and are willing to replace the entire foursome in the backfield, including pro bowler Asante Samuel, who is said to play too soft. In fact, this team is a good draft and a running game away from the mountaintop. The 2009 Eagles lost Jim Johnson, gained Michael Vick and stayed an upper tier team with no improvement. What they gained in receivers, they lost in Dawkins.
Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn were supposed to make the Flyers blue line deep and allow Richards, Danny Briere and Jeff Carter to score. Goalkeeping has been an issue with Ray Emery. Michael Leighton was found at the bottom of the barrel and contributed to an 8-0-1 spell. A 3-13-1 November and December has doomed the 23-win Bullies to the Atlantic cellar although they are currently only three points out of third place and a possible playoff spot. Grind it out Flyers fans, six teams have 30 or more wins with Chicago leading the NHL with 34. It looks like a year of Cinderella playoff possibilities.
14 wins and the Sixers contemplate a rebuild. This was supposed to be a team with Sam Dalembert at center, Brand at power forward, Andre Iguodala at small forward, and guards from a pack including Louis Williams, Willie Green, Jrue Holiday, Royal Ivey, Jason Kapono and finally, Allen Iverson. Eddie Jordan can’t figure it out. Either seemingly can Ed Stefanski. Iverson is still worth a ticket, if not for his play, then for the memories, which is all Sixer fans will have to go on for a few years. Until then, the college game is pretty strong in Philly, especially with Jay Wright and Villanova.
And finally, shut up about the Phillies. First in the NL and second in the world ain’t so bad. They are right in the mix for 2010.
