Monday Morning Mehta 12/5/06
Edition # 187
December 5, 2006
www.mondaymorningmehta.com
www.nba-jam.blogspot.com
Here we go...
Game Positives:
- Lito Sheppard. I thought Sheppard and Sheldon Brown played a very good game. They were beat a few times but against good WR's that has to be expected. Sheppard's interception with 27 seconds left was an absolute thing of beauty. Penalty? No. The funniest thing about the whole play was the side judge that made the 'no pass interference' call. A few years ago I went to Detroit to watch the Eagles/Lions game at Ford Field. On the plane I sat next to an NFL referee, his name was Rick Patterson, #15. Check the archives, I think I wrote about it. He's got the whitest hair ever, if you're watching NFL games you can't miss the dude. Anyway, he's the guy who made the non-pass-interference call. When I saw the game I noticed it was his crew doing the game so I was hoping he wouldn't have any "biases" towards the Panthers because he told me on the flight he lived in Charlotte (another USAir hub hence he had to take a connection through Philadelphia). Anyway, have I strayed enough for you?
- Jeff Garcia. For all the heat Garcia's gotten from everyone, including yours truly, he played very well last night. There were MANY throws where you scratched your head but for the most part he made things happen after a very shaky start.
- Donte Stallworth. Stallworth was open all night as the woeful Panthers pass defense got burnt on multiple occasions. I ripped Alligator arms last week, so I guess he somewhat atoned for his transgressions (whatever that means).
- The 3rd and 1 play in the third quarter where Correll Buckhalter ran the ball and got 4 yards. I seriously can't remember the last time I've seen that. Out of everything I saw last night, that was the most satisfying to see. Buckhalter and Westbrook can work as a duo running the ball, I'm convinced of it. If you sprinkled in Ryan Moats late in games when the defense is tired I think you'd really be onto something.
Game Negatives:
- LJ Smith. Hello??
Overall the Eagles now stand 6-6 and technically IN the playoffs by virtue of their 5-3 conference record ("IF THE SEASON WERE TO END TODAY" - a saying I absolutely hate). I think 8-8 has a great shot at making the playoffs, especially since the Eagles have tiebreak advantages. They'll need to go 1-2 in the 3 game gauntlet of @ Wash, @ NYG, @ Dallas, and then beat Atlanta at home. This way, they'd have the tiebreak advantage over Carolina and Atlanta. It's quite doable, but...
I think last nights game was the Eagles Super Bowl. National stage while the media and fans have been completely killing the players, front office, etc. for everything from coaching decisions to what color socks they wear during pregame warmups. The Eagles wanted this game badly. Whenever you get yourself on such an emotional high, especially in the NFL, you're bound for a letdown.
I'd like to make a bold statement about the Eagles, but everyone in the league is so bunched together that who knows what the heck is going to happen.
The run defense was improved but a few missed tackles really hurt them.
Around the League
Same ole same around the league. NFC has 8 teams bunched together, AFC isn't much better. Parity is abound and Paul Tagliabue sits back and probably is grinning from ear to ear this morning.
Thanksgiving on is the time you start to see teams "make their move". Who separates themselves from the pack and gets hot? Unfortunately, this year that team is the Dallas Cowboys. As for the Chargers, I can't take them seriously with that head coach. LT2 may be able to overcome that but it also worries me having a first year QB.
Don't have much more to add, kinda need to get to work this AM. Sorry, if you people would pay your subscription bills I'd write all day.
Dragon's Den
The Drexel Dragons are off to an up and down start to their season with a 3-2 record (not sure if Florida Gulf Coast is a real basketball team or a bunch of coast guard workers). The big win of the year so far is against city rival St. Joseph's, although SJU is sporting a pretty weak team this year, and it usually takes Phil Martelli a few months to find the right chemistry.
The Dragons have a huge stretch of games starting Saturday (Nova, Syracuse, Temple, all on the road -- who the heck would agree to play in Drexel's gym!!). Then begins conference play. The Dragons conference ain't a joke anymore kids. Last year the conference got 2 bids to the NCAA tournament including Final Four Cinderella George Mason, who the Dragons host on 12/28.
Phillies
The GM meeting began yesterday with a flurry of rumors, as usual. Manny Ramirez's annual trading speculation is the biggest news this offseason along with the ever escalating contracts for middle of the road players.
It seems to me like baseball is turning into a sport where your better off by signing the stud free agent for whatever he asks for, rather than giving Vicente Padilla or Ted Lilly $11 million dollars a year (that's not a misprint). There's tons of examples of extremely high priced average players in the last two seasons. I'm telling you, and this isn't a popular thing to say in Philadelphia, but look around: Pat Burrell's contract is suddenly not all that bad. Now, whether it's just time for Burrell to move on for a change of scenery is a different issue.
Pat Gillick at the GM meetings? I feel much more comfortable with Gillick there than Ed Wade. Wade at the GM meetings might as well have put on press credentials.
Look for Gillick to
- Unsuccessfully move Burrell (I think Gillick will realize Pat's contract isn't all that bad and he may be able to get much more for him next offseason when he's in his final year).
- Shop Jon Lieber. If they can get a decent prospect or a decent reliever I think Lieber is a goner.
- Shop Aaron Rowand. The White Sox are shopping one of Javier Vasquez, Freddy Garcia or Jon Garcia. My guess is Gillick would love to swap Lieber for one of these guys. Unfortunately, the Mets are desperate for pitching right now and may very well put Lastings Millidge to get a deal done, which GM Ken Williams would likely jump at.
- Try to get a catcher. Who?
- Reliever. Gillick knows he needs to sign a setup man. Setup men usually sign in bunches right around a week or so after the GM meetings.
Overall, it's too early to gauge the offseason. I do think Adam Eaton will be a decent starter and definitely a better pitcher and a cheaper price than Padilla or Lilly, but that's not saying much.
NHL Week in Review By : Ed Wasser
- OK, I'm back from my trip to my homeland (Ireland) and I'm refreshed and ready to resume my duties at MMM. For the record I actually have like 4 homelands. For those of you that don't know me my nationalities are Irish, Cherokee Indian, Icelandic, and Sephardic Jew. Anyway, a few observations from my jaunt into the land of the dentally challenged.....Obviously the most popular sport in Ireland is soccer, or as they call it, soccer. That's true. If you're an American most Irish people just call it soccer instead of football to avoid the old, "wait, that don't look like football!!", from ignorant Americans. But the other popular sports are horse racing, golf, rugby, and hurling. I couldn't grasp the rules of hurling but I think the object is to crack open the skull of your opponent with the Irish version of a baseball bat. I'm telling you, the first time I saw it I couldn't tell if I was watching a sport or the Rodney King video. And the entire sport, despite the popularity and the sold out stadiums, is completely amateur. So not only do the athletes get their arses kicked playing the game, they have to pick up their own hospital bills to boot. Rugby is played by professionals but it's just as insanely violent. The difference between those sports and the sports played in America, in my humble opinion, is that there is a huge skill level required to play American sports (linemen in football being the closest exception) were the sports of hurling and rugby require brut strength, no feeling of pain, and a complete disinterest of what your face and body will look like when you retire.....You know how the days of the hot stewardess have gone the way of the Seattle Pilots in the United States? Well those sexy stews are alive and well on Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus is like a flying strip club.
- As we continue to mourn the death of the Flyers season here's a few notes from around the NHL.....Dallas Star Mike Madano got engaged to "Dancing With The Stars" resident bimbo Willa Ford. Don't forget to sign the prenup Mike!!!.....Brett Hull is still the one of the greatest quotes in all of sports. He was interviewed on the CBC and he was asked about Ken Hitchcock, "until he adapts to the new NHL he'll never win again". He was asked about Mike Keenan, "the guy has ruined more careers then anyone in hockey. And he was happy to do it". Damn!!.....The NHL has these commercials were players appear in the lives of everyday people and when the person asks "honey, why is Peter Forsberg in our bed" or wherever the player is the response is "he's just here there to remind you that the season started". You know what, they need it because I'm not hearing anything about the league in the local or national media.....And the Ducks and the Sabres are far away the class of the NHL. So how does an Anaheim vs. Buffalo Stanley Cup Final grab you? Not exactly a ratings bonanza.
- Last week Flyer Mike Rathje did the impossible, he committed a turnover so incredibly bad it may have cost him his career. It was against the Predators and he fanned on a pass with 5 minutes left in the game and about 10 feet from the Flyer goal, Rathje put the puck on the stick of probably the worst person possible, Paul Kariya. Kariya promptly passed the puck to Mike Erat who buried the shot which turned into the game winning goal. The Flyers lost the game 3 - 2. So after Rathje's screw up every time he touched the puck he heard a thunderous cascade of boos from the Flyers fans. The next day it was announced that Rathje had an injury that may be career ending. Huh? When did that happen? And if Rathje gets well the Flyers want to "discuss Mike's future". Yeah, OK. It doesn't matter, good bye and good riddance Mike. The Flyers beat the Islanders 3 - 2 last Thursday which rocketed them past the Blue Jackets, Coyotes, and Blues in the standings so they no longer have the worst record in the league. YEAH!!! But last Saturday the Flyers lost to the Devils 4 - 3 in a shootout. So it was a nice 1 game winning streak for the Flyers. It's obvious that the main problem with the Flyers is team speed, so how are they combating it? They're getting slower. The brought back goon Todd Fedoruk and they're thinking of bringing back John LeClair. Why? It makes ZERO sense. The season is lost, accept it, so play the young kids. Let's see what they got. At any rate this is the lowest Philadelphia sports has been in memory. The Flyers and Sixers are terrible, the Phillies are treading water, and the Eagles are bad yet oddly enough they're still smug. This is going to be a long couple of years for Philadelphians.
December 5, 2006
www.mondaymorningmehta.com
www.nba-jam.blogspot.com
Here we go...
Game Positives:
- Lito Sheppard. I thought Sheppard and Sheldon Brown played a very good game. They were beat a few times but against good WR's that has to be expected. Sheppard's interception with 27 seconds left was an absolute thing of beauty. Penalty? No. The funniest thing about the whole play was the side judge that made the 'no pass interference' call. A few years ago I went to Detroit to watch the Eagles/Lions game at Ford Field. On the plane I sat next to an NFL referee, his name was Rick Patterson, #15. Check the archives, I think I wrote about it. He's got the whitest hair ever, if you're watching NFL games you can't miss the dude. Anyway, he's the guy who made the non-pass-interference call. When I saw the game I noticed it was his crew doing the game so I was hoping he wouldn't have any "biases" towards the Panthers because he told me on the flight he lived in Charlotte (another USAir hub hence he had to take a connection through Philadelphia). Anyway, have I strayed enough for you?
- Jeff Garcia. For all the heat Garcia's gotten from everyone, including yours truly, he played very well last night. There were MANY throws where you scratched your head but for the most part he made things happen after a very shaky start.
- Donte Stallworth. Stallworth was open all night as the woeful Panthers pass defense got burnt on multiple occasions. I ripped Alligator arms last week, so I guess he somewhat atoned for his transgressions (whatever that means).
- The 3rd and 1 play in the third quarter where Correll Buckhalter ran the ball and got 4 yards. I seriously can't remember the last time I've seen that. Out of everything I saw last night, that was the most satisfying to see. Buckhalter and Westbrook can work as a duo running the ball, I'm convinced of it. If you sprinkled in Ryan Moats late in games when the defense is tired I think you'd really be onto something.
Game Negatives:
- LJ Smith. Hello??
Overall the Eagles now stand 6-6 and technically IN the playoffs by virtue of their 5-3 conference record ("IF THE SEASON WERE TO END TODAY" - a saying I absolutely hate). I think 8-8 has a great shot at making the playoffs, especially since the Eagles have tiebreak advantages. They'll need to go 1-2 in the 3 game gauntlet of @ Wash, @ NYG, @ Dallas, and then beat Atlanta at home. This way, they'd have the tiebreak advantage over Carolina and Atlanta. It's quite doable, but...
I think last nights game was the Eagles Super Bowl. National stage while the media and fans have been completely killing the players, front office, etc. for everything from coaching decisions to what color socks they wear during pregame warmups. The Eagles wanted this game badly. Whenever you get yourself on such an emotional high, especially in the NFL, you're bound for a letdown.
I'd like to make a bold statement about the Eagles, but everyone in the league is so bunched together that who knows what the heck is going to happen.
The run defense was improved but a few missed tackles really hurt them.
Around the League
Same ole same around the league. NFC has 8 teams bunched together, AFC isn't much better. Parity is abound and Paul Tagliabue sits back and probably is grinning from ear to ear this morning.
Thanksgiving on is the time you start to see teams "make their move". Who separates themselves from the pack and gets hot? Unfortunately, this year that team is the Dallas Cowboys. As for the Chargers, I can't take them seriously with that head coach. LT2 may be able to overcome that but it also worries me having a first year QB.
Don't have much more to add, kinda need to get to work this AM. Sorry, if you people would pay your subscription bills I'd write all day.
Dragon's Den
The Drexel Dragons are off to an up and down start to their season with a 3-2 record (not sure if Florida Gulf Coast is a real basketball team or a bunch of coast guard workers). The big win of the year so far is against city rival St. Joseph's, although SJU is sporting a pretty weak team this year, and it usually takes Phil Martelli a few months to find the right chemistry.
The Dragons have a huge stretch of games starting Saturday (Nova, Syracuse, Temple, all on the road -- who the heck would agree to play in Drexel's gym!!). Then begins conference play. The Dragons conference ain't a joke anymore kids. Last year the conference got 2 bids to the NCAA tournament including Final Four Cinderella George Mason, who the Dragons host on 12/28.
Phillies
The GM meeting began yesterday with a flurry of rumors, as usual. Manny Ramirez's annual trading speculation is the biggest news this offseason along with the ever escalating contracts for middle of the road players.
It seems to me like baseball is turning into a sport where your better off by signing the stud free agent for whatever he asks for, rather than giving Vicente Padilla or Ted Lilly $11 million dollars a year (that's not a misprint). There's tons of examples of extremely high priced average players in the last two seasons. I'm telling you, and this isn't a popular thing to say in Philadelphia, but look around: Pat Burrell's contract is suddenly not all that bad. Now, whether it's just time for Burrell to move on for a change of scenery is a different issue.
Pat Gillick at the GM meetings? I feel much more comfortable with Gillick there than Ed Wade. Wade at the GM meetings might as well have put on press credentials.
Look for Gillick to
- Unsuccessfully move Burrell (I think Gillick will realize Pat's contract isn't all that bad and he may be able to get much more for him next offseason when he's in his final year).
- Shop Jon Lieber. If they can get a decent prospect or a decent reliever I think Lieber is a goner.
- Shop Aaron Rowand. The White Sox are shopping one of Javier Vasquez, Freddy Garcia or Jon Garcia. My guess is Gillick would love to swap Lieber for one of these guys. Unfortunately, the Mets are desperate for pitching right now and may very well put Lastings Millidge to get a deal done, which GM Ken Williams would likely jump at.
- Try to get a catcher. Who?
- Reliever. Gillick knows he needs to sign a setup man. Setup men usually sign in bunches right around a week or so after the GM meetings.
Overall, it's too early to gauge the offseason. I do think Adam Eaton will be a decent starter and definitely a better pitcher and a cheaper price than Padilla or Lilly, but that's not saying much.
NHL Week in Review By : Ed Wasser
- OK, I'm back from my trip to my homeland (Ireland) and I'm refreshed and ready to resume my duties at MMM. For the record I actually have like 4 homelands. For those of you that don't know me my nationalities are Irish, Cherokee Indian, Icelandic, and Sephardic Jew. Anyway, a few observations from my jaunt into the land of the dentally challenged.....Obviously the most popular sport in Ireland is soccer, or as they call it, soccer. That's true. If you're an American most Irish people just call it soccer instead of football to avoid the old, "wait, that don't look like football!!", from ignorant Americans. But the other popular sports are horse racing, golf, rugby, and hurling. I couldn't grasp the rules of hurling but I think the object is to crack open the skull of your opponent with the Irish version of a baseball bat. I'm telling you, the first time I saw it I couldn't tell if I was watching a sport or the Rodney King video. And the entire sport, despite the popularity and the sold out stadiums, is completely amateur. So not only do the athletes get their arses kicked playing the game, they have to pick up their own hospital bills to boot. Rugby is played by professionals but it's just as insanely violent. The difference between those sports and the sports played in America, in my humble opinion, is that there is a huge skill level required to play American sports (linemen in football being the closest exception) were the sports of hurling and rugby require brut strength, no feeling of pain, and a complete disinterest of what your face and body will look like when you retire.....You know how the days of the hot stewardess have gone the way of the Seattle Pilots in the United States? Well those sexy stews are alive and well on Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus is like a flying strip club.
- As we continue to mourn the death of the Flyers season here's a few notes from around the NHL.....Dallas Star Mike Madano got engaged to "Dancing With The Stars" resident bimbo Willa Ford. Don't forget to sign the prenup Mike!!!.....Brett Hull is still the one of the greatest quotes in all of sports. He was interviewed on the CBC and he was asked about Ken Hitchcock, "until he adapts to the new NHL he'll never win again". He was asked about Mike Keenan, "the guy has ruined more careers then anyone in hockey. And he was happy to do it". Damn!!.....The NHL has these commercials were players appear in the lives of everyday people and when the person asks "honey, why is Peter Forsberg in our bed" or wherever the player is the response is "he's just here there to remind you that the season started". You know what, they need it because I'm not hearing anything about the league in the local or national media.....And the Ducks and the Sabres are far away the class of the NHL. So how does an Anaheim vs. Buffalo Stanley Cup Final grab you? Not exactly a ratings bonanza.
- Last week Flyer Mike Rathje did the impossible, he committed a turnover so incredibly bad it may have cost him his career. It was against the Predators and he fanned on a pass with 5 minutes left in the game and about 10 feet from the Flyer goal, Rathje put the puck on the stick of probably the worst person possible, Paul Kariya. Kariya promptly passed the puck to Mike Erat who buried the shot which turned into the game winning goal. The Flyers lost the game 3 - 2. So after Rathje's screw up every time he touched the puck he heard a thunderous cascade of boos from the Flyers fans. The next day it was announced that Rathje had an injury that may be career ending. Huh? When did that happen? And if Rathje gets well the Flyers want to "discuss Mike's future". Yeah, OK. It doesn't matter, good bye and good riddance Mike. The Flyers beat the Islanders 3 - 2 last Thursday which rocketed them past the Blue Jackets, Coyotes, and Blues in the standings so they no longer have the worst record in the league. YEAH!!! But last Saturday the Flyers lost to the Devils 4 - 3 in a shootout. So it was a nice 1 game winning streak for the Flyers. It's obvious that the main problem with the Flyers is team speed, so how are they combating it? They're getting slower. The brought back goon Todd Fedoruk and they're thinking of bringing back John LeClair. Why? It makes ZERO sense. The season is lost, accept it, so play the young kids. Let's see what they got. At any rate this is the lowest Philadelphia sports has been in memory. The Flyers and Sixers are terrible, the Phillies are treading water, and the Eagles are bad yet oddly enough they're still smug. This is going to be a long couple of years for Philadelphians.
posted by Monday Morning Mehta at 9:08 AM
3 Comments:
Sound analysis.
Seriously, L.J. was nowhere to be found last night. Saw Garcia go to him early, then maybe one other time the rest of the game.
I was pleased w/the WR and CB play as well. Why bother w/Westbrook up the middle, have him run outside, let Correll handle the muck. Plenty of reasons to be positive though, I shared a fist pump w/Andy Reid on Lito's pick. Never thought that would happen.
The fans deserve mention for once again making Philly look less than classy. Cheering for Feely when Garcia took a big hit. I know Theismann said it was anti-Garcia more than pro-Feely. He can go fuck himself. Nonetheless, it was perceived as typical Philly hostility, and although I think sticking w/Garcia was/is the right call, a few beers and I could've been right there cheering. Frustration had fully set in around here, and I feel the crew didn't satisfy their obligation in spelling that out for a national audience.
Enjoy the week, right back to panic mode if they digress next week!!!
Phils, I expect more than Eaton and Helms going into next season. They'll give us something to laud or crucify soon enough.
Hockey story for me the Bandwagon Sabre fan. Alexander Ovechkin, one of hockey's golden boys, hits Briere w/what was deemed an illegal hit. He did hit him from behind no question. The automatic fine....wait for it......wait....100 dollars. Wow, hockey is a fringe sport! Earlier today they upped it to 1000 but it made the league silly: 100 whole dollars. I'd go down and a take a shot at Rathje for 100, no I wouldn't that guy would house me but you get my point.
Where's ftaok. Sean's stealing your spot as Lead Commentor.
The other funny thing is when you get fined by the NHL they don't give you the option of paying it out of your pocket, it's automatically deducted from your paycheck. That way they can assure that Ovechkin will pay the $100 and not skip town back Russia never to be seen again without paying his c-note.
ED
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