Tuesday Links

- les bowen is one of my favorite local writers as he seems more concerned about presenting a fair view of things and less concerned about making a name for himself. today, he takes on the mc-critics.

The Eagles aren't about to go off in another quarterbacking direction, but if they did, the odds say they'd likely end up with an Akili Smith or a Tim Couch. Precious years would be wasted figuring out that the developing quarterback wasn't developing. Then they'd start over.

Quarterback is the most important position on the field, and the Eagles have a talented one, who has tried to conduct himself with dignity and restraint. I don't buy the idea - pitched mostly by people who have never seen the Eagles' locker room except in the background of interviews they watch on TV - that McNabb has somehow lost some of his teammates in this bewildering mess of a season. But if he has, maybe the Eagles need to lose those teammates, and find some who understand what a privilege it is to play with a franchise QB.

- flyers lost in a shootout to buffalo yesterday. the article seems mostly upbeat and considers last night a moral victory because of how many injuries the flyers have. what i got out of last night's game is that the flyers need to avoid shootouts like the plague. they just don't have the skill players necessary to win more shootouts than they lose. after forsberg and maybe pitkanen, who is shifty with the puck? nada. that's who. the last three buffalo shooters were so shifty i thought nittymaki was going to hurt himself. he had no chance against any of those guys.

- on a positive note, derian hatcher is starting to play *much* better these days due to some combination of adjusting to the new game and getting healthier. if he can become the force he used to be and we can get desjardins healthy, the flyers will have a formidable top defense pairing come playoff time. working through all these injuries might, in fact, be the best thing for desjardins and the flyers. rico has a history of wearing down during the regular season and being ineffective in the playoffs. if these injuries allow him to be fresh for the playoffs and hatcher rounds into shape, i think the flyers might make some noise.

- sixers have outrebounded their opponents in 5 of their 7 games since cheeks brought moses to town to work with the team. dalembert in particular seems to have gotten the most benefit.