Eagles Draft - Second Day Analysis

this is the best eagles draft i can remember. the birds' o-line and d-lines have undergone a complete makeover this offseason and they should be much, much better next season. with don healthy and hopefully getting time again, i think we should be in store for a nice bounce-back season.

dave barr's thoughts:

I was wrong this week...way wrong. I will never question the fat guy again. This is the best draft in my cognizant lifetime of following the Birds. I know that Buddy had some superb drafts where he grabbed cornerstone guys, but the Birds literally grabbed every single guy I was excited about.

Max Jean-Gilles

another good name and another great value pick. most scouting services had max as a second round talent. holy heck, with shawn andrews and max jean-gilles i'd have to say the birds are pretty set at guard for a long, long time.

"Regarded by many as the most dominant guard in college football, Jean-Gilles is a massive drive blocker with excellent power and surprising quickness for a player his size. He is a physical mauler with the strength to easily create rush lanes and has been a model of consistency and durability for the Bulldogs, having never missed any action due to an injury." - nice, very nice.

College: Georgia
Height: 6-4
Weight: 355
Position: OG
40 Yrd Dash: 5.48
20 Yrd Dash: 3.22
10 Yrd Dash: 1.92
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 27
Bench Press: 510 lbs
Squat: 500 lbs
Power Clean: 314 lbs
Vertical Jump: 24 1/2
Broad Jump: 7'11"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 5.08
3-Cone Drill: 8.56

Strengths:
Massive player with a large frame and long arms...Extremely strong and can manhandle opponents...Quick off the ball and is a solid athlete...Has good feet and moves well inside at guard...Delivers an explosive initial punch...Is equally effective as both a run blocker and pass protector...Tough and durable...Versatile and has a lot of experience at multiple positions along the offensive line...Plays on his feet and has the functional speed to get out in front on short pulls and traps...Lacks explosion off the ball, but knows how to use his body mass and above average strength to move defenders off the snap...Aggressive mauler with the strength to drive and dominate, creating a new line for the running game...When he locks on to a defender, he is quick to control and stalemate his man...Uses his hands well to keep defenders off his body and has the hand power to latch on, pull and jerk his man away from the ball...Outstanding run-blocker who moves his feet on contact and has enough quickness to reach block, doing a nice job of wheeling his hips to control...Takes good angles to compensate for a lack of second level speed, and consistently finishes...Does a great job of using his size to occupy space and when he gets his pads down and drops his weight to anchor, it is impossible to move him out...Won't punish you with his hand punch, but shows very good placement to gain position and control...Has enough lateral slide to play in a phone booth and uses his body well to engulf smaller defenders.

Weaknesses:
Needs to keep his weight in check and stay in proper physical condition so he doesn't wear down...Disappears at times needs to show more consistency...Has below average speed...May lack a nasty demeanor and killer instinct...Does not get to the second level of defenders...Has trouble handling speed rushers...Has had weight issues in the past, but has worked hard to stay under 360 pounds the last two years...Dominant drive blocker, but his motor runs hot and cold, as he wears down late in games...Lacks the quickness and acceleration to get out front on second level blocks...Gets too narrow in his base and crosses his feet when trying to adjust when working in space, failing to cut off linebackers at the next level...Has experience at tackle, but is best working in-line, as he does not have the retreat quickness to mirror vs. edge rushers...Has very good upper-body strength, but needs to punish the defender more with his punch...Labors when having to run long distances.

Ass:
Has a massive frame with a huge bubble, wide waist and hips, thick, tree-trunk legs, long arms, large and powerful hands, thick chest and broad shoulders...Despite his body mass, he is by no means overweight, as he has good frame distribution and tight skin.

Comparison:
Will Shields, Larry Allen, Edwin Mulitalo, Elton Brown

Jason Avant

welcome back gari scott!

don't know a darn thing about avant, supposed to have great hands though. hope he's better than gari scott and na brown were.

College: Michigan
Height: 6-0
Weight: 213
Position: WR
40 Yrd Dash: 4.60 (some report 4.45)
Vertical Jump: 39
Arms: 32-1/2
Hands: 9-1/2

Strengths:
Is a very good athlete...Has good size...Is a threat in the red zone due to his size, hands and ability to go up and get the ball...Very polished with good hands...Smart, tough player with good character and top intangibles...Productive and did a very nice job of stepping up to replace Braylon Edwards as a senior...Shows very good hand/eye coordination, doing a nice job of looking the ball in on underneath and intermediate routes...Uses his hand strength to defeat the jam...Keeps his feet in bounds working along the sidelines and keeps his pad level low and shoulders square to break arm tackles...Very smart and instinctive player who will have no problems digesting a complicated playbook...Does a good job of using his body to shield defenders from the ball...Has the natural hands to reach and pluck away from the body's frame...Shows good concentration and determination to make the tough catches in traffic...Aggressive face-up blocker who works well in combination with the tight ends and tackles when blocking in-line...Good stalker in the open field, taking good angles to get out and neutralize the linebackers when working in space.

Weaknesses:
Does not have elite speed or quickness...May have trouble gaining separation from cornerbacks at the next level...Is not much of a deep threat...Doesn't provide much in terms of running after the catch...Has been known to drop some catchable balls due to lack of concentration...May not have a whole lot of upside...Despite his good timed speed, he does not show explosiveness or the sudden burst to separate from defenders coming off the snap...More of a straight-line runner, but looks a little awkward trying to adjust his body when making the over-the-shoulder catches...Seems to lose track of the ball in flight when used on deep routes...Needs to do a better job of breaking off his routes, as he rounds off and fails to sell on his patterns... Despite his size, he can be taken down quickly in the open, as he lacks the burst to elude and does not use his hands well to fend off tackles at his legs...Needs to do a better job of securing the ball before heading up field, as he will drop a few easy passes in his haste to run with the ball.

Ass:
Has a thick upper body frame with long arms and legs.

Comparisons:
Michael Jenkins, Hines Ward

Jeremy Bloom

ladies and gents, we have our new kick returner!

College: Colorado
Height: 5-9
Weight: 173
Position: WR
40 Yrd Dash: 4.49
20 Yrd Dash: 2.62
10 Yrd Dash: 1.57
Arms: 28-1/2
Hands: 9

Strengths:
Extremely fast...A great natural athlete...Has outstanding quickness...Explosive and a terror to try and tackle in the open field...Knows how to train and work hard...An amazing return man who can literally change a game on special teams...Has very good balance and body flexibility, getting to top speed in a hurry...Has enough experience to juke the defensive back in his line release...Smooth open field runner who has the explosive burst to put the defensive back up on his heels...Shows good field awareness, doing a good job of anticipating coverage...Has the stride to run away from defenders in the open...Turns to the ball with good hip snap and is quick to extend for the ball and turn up field...Fights for the ball in a crowd and is a patient returner who follows his blocks well...Has the flexibility and body control to make adjustments coming back for off-target throws...Despite his slight frame, he plays bigger than he is, showing enough leg drive to break tackles.

Weaknesses:
Has not played football in two years...Extremely small with a frail frame...Upside is probably limited to that of a fourth or fifth receiver...Will need time to get his body back in football shape...Is he 100% committed to football and love the game?...Strong for his size, but unless he gets a clean release or jukes the defender, he will struggle to get free vs. press coverage...Relies more on speed than positioning as a receiver, but does bring much better value as a returner...Lacks a feel for the game, as he does not always locate the soft spot in the zone...Does not have the size or power to face up to defenders when asked to block.

Ass:
Has lean muscle mass with good shoulder width for his frame and tapered thighs and calves.

Comparisons:
Antwaan Randle El, Tim Dwight

Omar Gaither

the new Ike Reese.

College: Tennessee
Height: 6-1
Weight: 233
Position: OLB
40 Yrd Dash: 4.72
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 23
Vertical Jump: 37
Broad Jump: 9'7"

Strengths:
A solid natural athlete...Quick with a burst...Has good range and plays well in space...Does a great job in coverage...Has excellent football instincts...Intense and aggressive with a non-stop motor...Smart and a leader with top intangibles...Very active with his hands, doing a good job of properly placing them in attempts to disengage...Has decent agility working through trash and uses his hands effectively to protect himself from low blocks...Effective at anticipating the tight end's route progression and has a good feel for the switch-off, picking up the receiver quickly when working in the zone...More quick than fast, compensating for a lack of blazing speed by taking good angles to close in outside run pursuit...Decent wrap-up tackler when working in close quarters...Has developed enough of a burst off the edge to disrupt the pocket...Consistently reads and reacts to the play very quickly.

Weaknesses:
Does not have ideal size or bulk...Needs to get stronger...Lacks great hands and ball skills...Struggles a bit versus the run...Has some trouble shedding blockers and needs open space...Only started two years...Might be a SAM/WILL 'tweener...Has a soft mid-section and needs better body tone...Good at locating the ball in zone coverage, but is slow to react to the run, as he does not always see the play developing...Too stiff in his hips to play at a low pad level, causing him to get stuffed trying to shoot the inside gaps...Needs to be more forceful with his hands (gets good placement, but lacks punch) in order to shed blocks, and needs a stronger base to keep from getting driven off the line of scrimmage...Loses leverage on the ball working in space, as he has limited range and a reluctance to face up...Lacks natural hands for the interception as is a marginal pass rusher, as he seems hesitant to take on blockers and lacks pass rush moves to get an edge.

Ass:
Has a muscular build with good arm definition, big bubble and adequate athletic agility.

Comparisons:
Ike Reese, Bullet

LaJuan Ramsey

College: USC
Height: 6-3
Weight: 295
Position: DT
40 Yrd Dash: 4.93
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 32
Bench Press: 400
Vertical Jump: 32
Broad Jump: 8'11"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.81
3-Cone Drill: 7.78
Arms: 33
Hands: 9-3/8

Strengths:
Good penetrator and pass rusher...Athletic with good timed speed...Very quick and explosive...Uses his hands well...Really emerged as a senior when finally given a chance...Showed flashes of brilliance in 2005 and still has a lot of upside...Has good flexibility and change of direction skills...Shows a quick first step, and at times it can be sudden...Reads blocks and feels pressure well, showing the loose hips needed to redirect...Plays with leverage and uses his arms effectively to avoid being reached...Has the anchor to hold at the point of attack...Penetrates or inverts to disrupt and is active using his hands to shed...Good striker who can be a force in offside pursuit...Flattens with a good burst to close...Generally in good position to make the tackle, striking low and snapping his hips to invert the pocket.

Weaknesses:
Does not have elite size or bulk...Only started one year in college...Needs to hit the weight room and get stronger...Not stout at the point or against the run...Has some durability concerns and dealt with minor injuries throughout his career...Has a quick initial burst off the snap, but needs to use it with better consistency...Has a strong anchor, but will struggle at times to split double teams....When he gets too high in his stance, he can be washed out of the play...Needs to play with a higher motor, as he will throttle down when not involved in the play...Has a burst to close on the pocket, but will get a little reckless in his pursuit, failing to reach the quarterback to finish.

Ass:
Has a barrel chest, good arm muscle development, wide hips and thick calves and thighs.

Eagles Draft - First Day Analysis

wow. this is a *great* start to the draft. to come out of the day with both brodrick bunkley and winston justice is a big-time win for the philadelphia eagles. everyone figured the birds would be targeting bunkley, but most also assumed they would have to trade up to get him. buffalo picking that 5' 10" safety instead of ngata or bunkley enabled all of this to happen.

what a great freaking start to the season.

here's a rundown on the players drafted so far, gathered from around the web:

Brodrick Bunkley

personally, i'm not as high on bunkley as all the experts are, but if they think he's good and big red thinks he's good, then he's good enough for me. i saw florida state play a couple of times this year and didn't think bunkley was all that impressive -- plus he was well-nigh invisible in the orange bowl. that could have been due to double teaming though as i definitely was not focusing on him. patterson, bunkley, walker, truck driver... that's a pretty damn nice fat-guy rotation.

College: Florida State
Height: 6-3
Weight: 306
Position: DT
40 Yrd Dash: 5.01
20 Yrd Dash: 2.91
10 Yrd Dash: 1.71
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 44
Bench Press: 365 lbs
Squat: 365 lbs
Power Clean: 277 lbs
Vertical Jump: 32 1/2
Broad Jump: 9'5"
Arms: 33-3/4 in
Hands: 9-7/8 in

Strengths:
Very solid and compactly built...Extremely strong...Holds his ground and will not get pushed around...Has tremendous balance...Is very quick and explosive...Does a pretty good job of penetrating and makes a lot of plays in the opponents backfield...Has a motor that never stops...Plays with good leverage...Locates the ball well...Gets a great push up the middle...Had an outstanding senior campaign...Increased his size, bulk and power base during the 2005 offseason...Disruptive force whose improved hand usage allows him to push the pocket and get an edge of the offensive guards...Plays with good field awareness and is quick to locate the ball working in trash...Has a very explosive initial burst, getting good penetration and generates powerful pop on contact...
Stays low in his pads with a wide base to anchor at the point of attack...Can easily split the double teams and plays with natural leverage and strength...Has the upper body power to separate from blocks quickly and shows nimble feet in perimeter pursuit...Very hard to push and drive out of the hole when he drops his weight and plants his feet...Has the upper body power to wrap and secure as a tackler...His improved hand placement allows him to gain great inside position and he shows good determination to throw and shed blockers quickly.

Weaknesses:
Does not have great size or bulk...Durability is a concern and he has a history of knee and ankle problems...Has not been the hardest worker throughout his career...His lack of size might become more of a problem at the next level...Is on the ground too much...Was arrested for stealing a video game in 2003...Undersized for a two-gap system, but his quickness is better suited to play an under-tackle position...Has to stay low in his pads in order to be effective ? when he gets too high in his stance, he struggles to keep blockers off his feet...More of a bull rusher who does not possess valid rip and swim moves to sack the quarterback...Tries to out-muscle blockers when coming on backside pursuit, then is late getting off those blocks to close...Good wrap and secure tackler, but will get reckless at times and leave his feet (showed improvement in 2005)...Hard worker, but needs to be pushed at times, especially in the classroom...Had maturity issues when he first entered the program.

Ass:
Bunkley has a solid, thick frame with good upper body muscle development and broad shoulders, very big bubble, thick lower body frame, long arms and large hands. He emerged in 2005 as a disruptive force, reminiscent to former FSU standout Darnell Dockett (Arizona) during his final season with the Seminoles. Bunkley is bigger and slightly stronger than Dockett, but much like his former teammate he lacks the size and bulk to be considered a classic two-gap defender.

Comparisons:
Richard Seymour, Booger McFarland, Darnell Dockett

Winston Justice

again, personally not as high on him as the experts, but what the heck do i know? my questions about him are: a) i saw USC a couple of times and he didn't stand out... but again, i wasn't necessarily focusing on him and b) he seems to have a skinny neck and wrists, this signals to me that he's going to be injury prone. still, he was projected to go early in the first and everyone had him as the second best tackle in the draft. i'm fargin' happy with him.

College: USC
Height: 6-6
Weight: 319
Position: OT
40 Yrd Dash: 5.16
20 Yrd Dash:
10 Yrd Dash:
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 38
Bench Press: 460 lbs
Squat: 545 lbs
Vertical Jump: 39
Broad Jump: 9'2"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.43
3-Cone Drill: 7.32
Arms: 34-7/8 in
Hands: 9-7/8 in

Strengths:
Has great size and long arms...Still has room to bulk up his large frame...A tremendous natural athlete...Very strong and powerful...An outstanding run blocker...Great pass blocker who protected the blindside of lefty quarterback Matt Leinart...Mobile and quick with good feet...Has only begun to scratch the surface of his potential and still has a ton of upside...Has 3 years of starting experience...Very mobile for a player his size, showing excellent hand quickness and placement to defeat pass rush moves...Plays on his feet, demonstrating very good balance and body control...Does a fine job of adjusting to mirror the defender in pass protection, demonstrating proper kick slide agility...Stays in control and is not the type who will lunge or overextend to make the block...Has the sudden burst off the ball to get to his reach point and gain position...Protects the inside well vs. stunts and blitzes and has the foot movement to ride the pass rusher wide...Explosive hip roller with the strength and leg drive to drive defenders back and open up rush lanes...Uses his hands effectively to gain inside position and can make his man disappear when working in a crowd...Has a jolting hand punch, using his upper body strength to lock out, replace and shock...Plays on his feet in space and maintains balance working into the second level... Bruising run blocker who drops his weight and slides nicely, demonstrating above average balance to make the cut-off and reach his set point...Quick to readjust vs. counter moves...Uses his hands with authority to press and sustain...When working in-line, he shows very good foot speed to get out and pick up blocks...Uses his arms properly to separate and sustain...It is very rare to see him pushed back due to his balance and strong base.

Weaknesses:
Is still very raw and needs to be developed in terms of his technique...Had arthroscopic surgery to repair a dislocated right shoulder after his freshman season...Immature and character is a question after a series of off-the-field incidents which led to his being suspended for the entire 2004 season...Has some minor durability issues with 2002 shoulder surgery and 2003 ankle problems, but was fully recovered and in good shape in 2005...Uses his punch more to shock the defender rather than place them to finesse and sustain, but gets good success using this process...Still maturing and has had two major off-field issues in the past...Will sometimes play at a high pad level and has to sit down more, especially when taking on speedier edge rushers.

Ass:
Has a thick frame with wide shoulders, good chest definition, wide bubble and waist, large, developed calves and long arms. Justice is a massive pass protector with very nimble feet and a punishing hand punch. He returned to action in 2005 and played with much better focus and desire than he did in the past. He did have some previous off-field issues that might scare away a few teams, but showed good responsibility and work ethic since returning to the team in 2005. While away from the game in 2004, he spent his time at a Hollywood boxing gym, training with Freddie Roach, who trained Mike Tyson. That time in the gym helped him develop hand quickness and punch that few tackles in the game possess.

Comparison:
Jon Jansen, Jammal Brown

Chris Gocong

don't know anything about him, but how can you go wrong with a name like gocong? also, he has an engineering degree, so he's not dumb.

based on what the scouting reports say about him, i expect the birds to use him in a hybrid LB/DE role and possibly as a successor to the horrible dhani jones on the strong side. this guy can probably jam the hell out of a TE anyway, something we haven't had since 'los departed.

College: Cal Poly
Height: 6-2
Weight: 263
40 Yrd Dash: 4.70
20 Yrd Dash: 2.74
10 Yrd Dash: 1.61
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 28
Bench Press: 405 lbs
Squat: 550 lbs
Power Clean: 374 lbs
Vertical Jump: 42
Broad Jump: 10'5"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.09
3-Cone Drill: 7.06
Arms: 32-1/4
Hands: 9-1/4

Strengths:
Makes a lot of plays in the backfield and simply has a knack for getting to the quarterback...Intense and competitive with a non-stop motor...Smart and a hard worker with top intangibles...Plays with good leverage...Displays good strength and power...Was extremely productive and absolutely dominated at his level...Has adequate upper body definition, but generates good power...Strong wrap-up tackler who stays low in his pads when striking...Shows very good dip and body lean to get an edge on a blocker...Active with his hands in attempts to disengage and has the burst to slip past a lethargic offensive tackle...Wraps and does not soften when tackling, showing intensity and a desire to strip the ball from the ball carrier...Has an explosive initial step coming off the edge, taking good pursuit angles and showing intensity to close...Quick to read blocking schemes and has enough hand punch to shed...Possesses the lateral range to work down the line and the sustained speed to handle long pursuit... Makes good adjustments working down the line, flipping his hips to squeeze through tight areas...Does not shut down until the whistle...Excels at closing down the cutback lanes and will hit and wrap with authority.

Weaknesses:
Did not play against elite competition...Doesn't have the size or bulk you look for...Has trouble shedding blocks...Might not have the agility needed to change positions...Just a situational player?...'Tweener who may not have a pro position...Has good upper body strength, but lacks the size and bulk to stack and control when redirecting in-line...Can be washed out of the play at the point of attack when he gets high in his stance...Has good hand usage to wrap and secure, but needs to improve his placement in attempts to keep blockers off his body...Can widen blockers to disengage, but does not have much success splitting double teams.

Ass:
Gocong has adequate muscle definition, good bubble and defined legs. He shows good foot speed, balance and body control, generating an explosive burst coming off the snap. His initial step allows him to get an edge on the blocker and keep the advantage. He is a good read-and-diagnose type that recognizes blocking schemes and is quick to adjust. He has very good snap anticipation, doing a very good job of reading the cadence.

Comparisons:
Grant Wistrom, Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest

Next Steps for Bobby Clarke

i think it's clear that clarkie's next step is to figure out a way to pin this on eric lindros. it's the logical move.

Flyers Need GM Badly

from matt tyson:

U-G-L-Y...

The Flyers don't deserve no alibi...

That game was ugly...

uh-uh...

That game was ugly...

anyone out there need more evidence that the flyers need a new GM? yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck, YUCK! no speed, no skill, no entertainment.

CLARKE MUST GO!

Draft Analysis by Position and Round

great article on footballoutsiders.com today that analyzes the distribution of starters across the league by position and draft round.

here is a summary of the findings:

- positions where the vast majority of starters come in the first or second round - quarterback, running back, #1 wideout, d-tackle, and o-tackle

- positions where there is a gradual decline each round - defensive ends, cornerbacks, linebackers, tight ends, and #2 wideouts. interestingly, linebackers (inside and outside) reflect hardly any decline over the first four rounds (seems like the eagles are right to not draft linebackers with a first round pick).

- positions where the peak occurs after the first or show a flat distribution - safeties, centers, guards, fullbacks, and special teams players.

NFL Draft Thoughts

getting excited about the draft coming up this weekend. i think eagles' first pick is coming into focus, and it seems to me that really we're only talking about two players -- winston justice, the likely pick, and chad jackson, the people's choice.

i don't know much about either player really, as i never really noticed justice one way or the other the two times i saw USC play this season and i didn't watch a single florida game. however, i do have two data points that i find interesting but are probably irrelevant.

1) there is a picture of winston justice flexing on the front page of espn.com. he's a pretty big guy, but it seems to me that his neck (what you can see of it anyway) and his wrists are kind of skinny. i don't have any scientific evidence to back it up, but in my experience skinny wrists and necks = injury prone. can't make a draft decision based on that, but i'm just saying.

2) saw parts of some sort of college football challenge yesterday. the biggest thing that jumped out at me after watching is that i still think vince young is going to be a freaking *star* -- and not a michael vick hype-machine kind of star, i mean a real live michael jordan kind of star. the second thing that jumped out at me was this chad jackson. he looks pretty damn smooth and confident out there. the way he calmly snatches the ball with his hands is impressive.

btw - here is an article about reggie brown in usatoday. also, hockey playoffs are going on -- i thought umberger was going to die after watching that hit, but it seems like he wants to play. phillies stink. still gillick's grace period for me, but boy do they stink.

Professional Fullback

ok big red, there may be an opportunity for you to get a real, live, professional fullback on the philadelphia eagles for the first time in three seasons. hope you are getting ready to pounce on him.

i know everyone else if focused on the wideout position, but i think that keeping 5 on his feet and off his ass is the top priority for this team.

Pranks a Sport?

why is this being reported on espn.com? i didn't realize that stealing back your stupid cannon was sports news?

Two Peas in a Pod

saw this passage in peter king's "monday morning quarterback" column today.

I think what makes baseball so interesting, at least to me, was on display over and over in the first week of the season. It's so interesting because it's so ridiculously unpredictable. ESPN's Peter Gammons, who I respect as much as anyone in this business, said somewhere before the season that Baltimore righty fireballer Daniel Cabrera was the best pitcher he'd seen in all of spring training this year.

it made me chuckle as i think those two guys could be twins. both are highly respected national writers, who are influential in their respective sports -- when they talk, people listen. yet i think they are both absolute and utter buffoons.

if they're saying it, you can almost guarantee that it's going to dead wrong. it's not even like these guys are hitting 50% in their predictions. you could try to be worse than they are, but you'd be hard pressed to succeed if you were giving it an honest effort.

the counter arguments i've heard when people defend them are:

- guys like gammons and king take chances with their predictions to offer a point of view different than you can get elsewhere. (if by different you mean *wrong* then i'm following you.)

- guys like gammons and king make risky predictions because they know that people don't remember them, so if they hit they'll take the glory and if they don't no one will remember. (well this guy remembers, and let me tell you they are wrong waaaaaaay more than they are right).

i have no idea what value they are adding for their readers if they are so wrong about their positions and predictions so often, since neither of them gets you much "inside" scoop either (heck mike florio, a noted outsider, gets more accurate scoop than king, and florio makes half of his stuff up from scratch).

to top it all off, they're not even good writers for cripes sake. king might as well be writing a blog. i know it's his schtick, but come on, can you really get so well respected for just writing a lot of drivel for a long time? (rhetorical question, please don't answer)

the emporer(s) have no clothes! king and gammons you both stink!

Phillies Thoughts

from dave barr:

Why the Phils will be at best a .500 team again

I know a lot of people drank the Kool-Aid this year. I started to as well, but I think the Cardinals showed the world that the Phils are not ready for prime time yet. I know, I know, 0-3 leaves a lot of season, but you saw all you needed to see from those first 3 games, a pattern that will stay intact all year long and never get any better without appropriate gutsy moves. The Phils don’t do gutsy, so we’re stuck with another so-so team. I see it as a 3 pronged issue and I squarely blame 3 people. Allow me to elaborate.

• Their pitchers are all average at best, 3 and 4 starters on most major league ball clubs. They’ll look great some nights, but many nights they’ll do what they’ve done so far, nibble at the corners, throw too many pitches per batter, walk too many people, panic with men on base and give up big hits. That said, they could still be fine with a catcher who can really direct the staff and call pitches to get them out of jams. Herein lies reason for failure number 1-Lieberthal. We all know this guy sucks at the plate. He always swings at the first pitch (nice way to end a rally in the bottom of the ninth in game 2 Mike, grounding out to 2nd) and he never hits in the clutch. I could live with that if he wasn’t such a horrible defensive catcher. He cannot manage veteran pitchers, why do you trust him with young, fragile pitchers? No one on the staff likes throwing to him, and I’d argue he costs them wins behind the plate. He also has no arm and is a guaranteed stolen base for anyone with speed above a statue. Did anyone see that overthrow into center field in the 9th inning in game 2? It is an insult to the fans to have this knucklehead back behind the plate because every single one of them knows he isn’t good enough. They lustily boo his every move, good or bad. The Phils should’ve eaten his salary, yes all $8 million of it, and gotten a good defensive catcher. I seem to remember Benji Molina being out there. This was a non decision by Gillick and he needed to make a tough, good decision here.

• David Bell is an absolutely atrocious 3rd baseman. He is a major defensive liability. He broke open the opening day game with an error and had another gaffe yesterday. 2 errors in 3 games? At what some could argue is the key infield position (relax shortstop purists)? This just kills them. You cannot give away runs and his errant play does that night after night. And his bat is sorry too-way too inconsistent. I think he adds some leadership value, but his skills have clearly diminished to the point he is no longer an every day starter. They need to platoon him with Nunez on an almost every other day rotation. They won’t…they’ll lose.

• Charlie Manuel is the worst manager in pro baseball! Forget about his cumbaya club house vibe or his pleasant aw shucks Southern hospitality approach, this guy is a bad baseball mind! He still doesn’t understand the National league and he still has no clue how to set a line up. He has Rowand at the 2 spot and this guy struck out over 100 times last year. He’s already struck out 5-6 times in 3 games. Move him to 8th and move Utley to the 2. At least he’ll advance the leadoff man occasionally. In addition, Manuel is touted as a great hitting instructor-I don’t see it. They are the most undisciplined team in the league at the plate. They swing at first pitches all the time, especially in situations following walks. They never stretch pitchers and cannot hit in the clutch-0 hits yesterday after the 5th inning. If this guy knows so much about hitting, then why are they so undisciplined at the plate? Keeping him employed is again an insult to all of the fans who coach little league and understand some very basic strategic principles.

That’s my beef. If the organization made some bold moves and righted some of these wrongs early, they could produce this year and take us all on a magical ride. They won’t. they’ll keep throwing the “well we were one game away from the playoffs” argument in the fans faces and do nothing. Well 3 games in and they’ve been booed off the field 3 times. The fans will stop caring and stop coming if this travesty continues.

-----
i can definitely see where you're coming from, but i'm going to do what i said i would do coming into the season. this is pat gillick's mulligan season. i have no expectations that they'll win (even though i am excited about baseball for the first time in a long time). if they win, it's gravy.

for now, i'm just going to let pat do his thing and hope he can change the culture of incompetence inside the phillies organization.

2006 Schedule

schedule is out!

Sep 10 @Houston 1:00pm
Sep 17 N.Y. Giants 1:00pm
Sep 24 @San Francisco 4:15pm
Oct 2 Green Bay 8:30pm
Oct 8 Dallas 4:15pm
Oct 15 @New Orleans 1:00pm
Oct 22 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm
Oct 29 Jacksonville 1:00pm
Week 9 BYE
Nov 12 Washington 1:00pm
Nov 19 Tennessee 1:00pm
Nov 26 @Indianapolis 1:00pm
Dec 4 Carolina 8:30pm
Dec 10 @Washington 1:00pm
Dec 17 @N.Y. Giants 1:00pm
Dec 25 @Dallas 5:00pm
Dec 31 Atlanta 1:00pm

initial thoughts:

- wait a sec. i thought that christmas game was supposed to be at home!? well, it's probably for the best.

- first half looks pretty easy, so look for the birds to get off to a 6-2 type start

- second half is much tougher and look how they finish, with 6 straight tough games and 4 on the road. finishing up 4-4 is going to be a challenge.

10-6 at first glance...

Good "Bubble"

ever read an nfl scouting report? if you have, i'm sure you've come across the term "bubble". it's often used with a description of physical characteristics of a draft prospect -- usually something like "well-built, long arms, defined chest, thin waist, good bubble".

does that imply what i think it implies? why don't they just say "nice ass"? they don't replace any other physical traits with some other word. i think they should just go ahead and call it an ass.

"well-built, long arms, defined chest, thin waist, nice ass"

Love for Larry Brown

yes, i'm a bad person for it, but i can't help enjoying how the devil is finally getting his proverbial due after all these years. i love how LB is getting blamed for the mess in new york and how people are finally wising up to his schtick. yes, he's a great x's and o's coach, but he's a TO in the locker room. a cancer plain and simple.

Mr. Clutch

some interesting excerpts from baseball between the numbers: why everything you know about the game is wrong are posted on espn.com.

here is an exceprt about (myth of) clutch hitting. most interesting part of the article? our beloved von hayes is the 25th best clutch hitter since 1972!

next is an excerpt showing how pitching and defense do, in fact, win championships and why billy beane's "sh*t doesn't work in the playoffs."

there's another excerpt with an "analysis" of whether baseball needs a salary cap or not, but i think analyses that use postseason success of teams related to payroll as proof that baseball doesn't need a salary cap are silly and disingenuous. the issue is much more fundamental than that and only requires an answer to one question -- do you want competing teams to play under the same rules or not? it's a simple question.

Worst Organization Ever

if the results over 120 years aren't evidence enough, here's an article by paul hagen identifying all the many ways the phillies screw things up. blech.

hope gillick is strong enough to change the culture there.

Barkley Memories

sir charles made the hall of fame yesterday, prompting several sir charles retrospectives -- jasner, jerardi, aldridge, ford.

here is my "memory" of charles (didn't actually happen to me, but was something pretty neat that he did). in his rookie year, charles lived in the executive house on city line ave. a friend's brother was a doorman in that building and went to work without his coat one day. the day ended up being much colder than he expected, so he was standing outside freezing when charles walked by. charles said, "hey buddy, where's your coat?". my friend's brother said, "forgot it". charles took off his coat and said, "here take mine", and gave him a full length leather coat. that's the kind of person charles was.

i have a tough time thinking that i'll ever enjoy watching any sixer as much as i enjoyed watching charles -- by far my favorite basketball player ever.

NFL Still Rules Though...

depite my rekindled interest in baseball, i must admit i'm still more excited about the upcoming nfl season. unfortunately for baseball, i think most of the country agrees.

i saw an espn poll the other day asking what event people were most excited to see -- the masters, the nfl draft, mlb opening day, and something else -- the nfl draft won. how crazy is that?

i voted for nfl draft as well, but i didn't expect most of the country to agree.

Excited About Baseball

can't believe i'm saying this, but i'm excited about baseball again. it's been a while, but getting pat gillick in place is the best thing that this team has done in over 10 years. it's nice watching an actual professional GM in place. he's even taken the pressure off the team by setting the expectation that "we're not going to win this season", thereby assuming the pressure himself. now they're in a no-lose situation. if they don't win, then pat told us so. if they do win, then it's a pleasant surprise.

i actually think this team is going to be good.

ben schuchardt emailed his season preview:

Dear Bill Lyon and other Baseball Fans,

You walk out of the house in the morning and you sense it. The air smells like new life. The grass and trees tingle, itching to blink eyes and stretch after a longer winter nap. The Sun shines, courage restored, invigorated. You feel good and you know why. Spring is here. Your job doesn’t suck anymore, your wife is interesting and sexy (still), and your future is bright. Baseball begins again.

The Season starts next week and you have strong feelings, confidence almost, that the Phillies will win the National League East. You’re willing to endure ridicule to defend your theory, because you know that as March turns to April, others feel it to. It’s impossible to ignore.

Why you believe the Phillies will win 94 games (and win the division)

The Lineup
1B Ryan Howard. The kid is for real. Unless National League pitchers find a hole in his swing that hasn’t materialized over the last two seasons, you think this guy could be sitting on a monster year. In route to winning Rookie of the Year, Howard sprayed homers all over the yard, seldom pulling the ball with authority or showing his true power. This spring, you had a chance to see happens when he catches up with the ball. As much as you loved watching three clutch grand slams last year, you think you’ll enjoy seeing a few 500 foot jobs this year even more. You know, you know, the second time around can be tough, and Spring Training is a lap dance, but you don’t think the 10 homer, .351 BA, .784 SLG clinic Howard flashed so far is a particularly bad omen. Would anyone be shocked if he hits 35 home runs and drives in 110? You won’t be.

You hope Jim Thome rediscovers health or steroids in Detroit, but you know that trading him was the best and most significant move your team could possibly make in the off season.

2B Chase Utley. There are a couple of very good reasons Team USA picked this guy for its roster: character and ability. Will he hit 28 home runs this year or drive in 100+ runs? You don’t want to hang that kind of pressure on the kid, even tough you saw him do it last year with your own eyes, but you don’t see a good reason to think otherwise. The starting job is his. The team is his now. Why not, especially since he seems to have learned to hit against lefties and couldn’t hit them a lick until the end of summer last year? You grin when you remember the perceptions and snickers that he lacked range or couldn’t field his position. Hogwash.

SS Jimmy Rollins. You smile whenever the ball is hit to his side because you know he is the slickest shortstop in the National League. Egad, you think, how good could he be if he’d learn to take a pitch, drag a bunt, or smack a line drive instead of a warning track fly ball? But then you remember the last six weeks of 2005. You think of the possibilities if he can just get on base. You forget about the Streak and focus on the possibilities. All-star.

3B David Bell. Thunk. You start to sweat and try to think of ways to compensate for the ailing back, the egregious fielding errors, the poor situational hitting, and the declining power. You imagine the diamond beauty had Scott Rolen still been part of the infield mix and healthy. But then you cowboy up and recall the practical imagination of moves made by your new professional GM this off-season. Wait a minute, Nunez and Gonalez can play the hot corner, and play it at an average Major League level. And you remember that David Bell hit .400 against left-hand pitching last year. Can Charlie Manuel summon the guts to make this a workable situation? You have some legitimate doubts, but you feel confident that Pat Gillick understands the strengths and weaknesses of personnel and holds the hammer over the manager.

C Mike Lieberthal. You don’t care that he’s hit .331 so far this spring because you know he can’t hit in the clutch and that he’s a clubhouse cancer. Your ace doesn’t like to pitch to him and your staff seeks out opportunities to praise the back up receiver (no matter who he is). But you have a silver lining. Your professional GM parted ways with a popular quality back-up (Todd Pratt, age 39) expressly because he needed to find a replacement (Sal Fasano, age 34) to catch significantly more than 40 or 50 games this year. You smile when you consider the obvious implications because you know that contradictions do not exist. Fasano will catch 60 games, limiting Lieberthal’s menace, adding panache.

LF Pat Burrell. You’ve been hard on him in the past because he is overmatched by quality pitching (and by any pitcher who tosses close to 95 mph). You grimace when you see him dive away from fastballs down Broadway. You know he has no chance to handle the hard slider from a right-hander deft enough to paint the outside black. He looks great to the girls, but he looks like a slump waiting to happen to you. But then you glimpse at the statistics he posted during the 2005 comeback campaign. Will any of his weaknesses matter if he belts 32 homers and knocks in 117 in 2006? Did they matter in 2002 when he blasted 37 and knocked 116? Shine on you crazy diamond.

CF Aaron Rowand. You can’t believe the Phillies got this much back from the White Sox. There has to be a catch, you think, especially since Haigwood and Gonzalez seem like legitimate prospects and not lint. He didn’t hit much last year, did he? You enjoyed watching the ageless Kenny Lofton and surprisingly effective J. Mike, and you wonder how much you’ll miss the offensive production. But then you summon Dream Rolodex and conjure images of Gary Maddux’ erasing the defensive deficiencies of Bake McBride and Greg Luzinski at the Vet and you get it. He doesn’t have to hit. If he does, it’s a bonus. You peek at Grapefruit statistics because you’re still skittish after Rowand’s anemic start. You’re pleasantly surprised that the average is back from hell and over .250 and he’s getting on base at a .365 clip. You’ve seen him make three or four sensational plays in the outfield and remember how Lofton lost 3-4 games all by himself last April by not catching balls hit over his head. You hope someone, anyone, will explain to Mr. Rowand that the ball carries – seriously, dude – at the Bank.

RF Bobby Abreu. You defended his lackadaisical attitude for years until you started going to games again and realized that the Eskinites were right. You pray that this year he will swing the bat after the seventh inning and realize that Big League teams pay guys like Steve Jeltz to look for walks in key situations and not guys like Bobby Abreu. You grouse, but you know you can deal with what he gives you now, because the Phillies have relieved him of leadership responsibility. Rollins, Utley, Howard and Rowand run this team now. Rather than harp on his limitations, you vow to route for him this year, hoping secretly to win an invitation to the party at his house after the game.

Reserves. If Coste makes the team, you consider making good on a promise to carry Thomas Perez’ bags to the airport. Coste’s favorite position is catcher? Oh my, what a bonus. Everyone seems to be able to play third base, which makes you smile. Can anyone play outfield? You elect to wait to see.

So you run through the lineup and convince yourself that the Phils have what it takes to win 94, but the beast still lurks behind door #2, and you know it. Chicks dig home runs, but defense wins games. You’ve heard all grumbling…They need another arm. They have too many back of the rotation guys, no legitimate ace. They should have paid Billy Wagner. They should have taken whatever pitcher they were offered for Bobby Abreu. Franklin couldn’t win a game when he was ON steroids. They got NOTHING back for Padilla, who was a head case, but at least had good stuff. You know that pitching is the key to winning but you think the staff may surprise the pundits. Spring sunshine has that effect on you. You start to worry so you write down some positive thoughts to keep the vibe alive:

- They almost traded for Bronson Arroyo but didn’t pull the trigger. Ed Wade might have, if only to keep the idiots off his back. You chuckled when you read in print that Arroyo equated his trade from Boston with a traffic accident or plane crash involving his kids. A snide thought occurs to you: “He’s got a million dollar arm, but a 5 cent head.” That he once wore absurd island-style braids on national television confirms your suspicion. Better he go to the Jamaican Bob Sled team than peddle his act in South Philly.

- Brett Myers is ready to be an ace. He’s always had the stuff, but he seems more confident now. You loved it when he tired of spring training and campaigned for the season to begin. He’s 25, the same age most of us became adults. You’re convinced he can win 18 games, strike out 200, and make the All-Star team. You’ve seen this enough times to believe it can happen and remember when Curt Schilling started to pull it together.

- Flash Gordon had to learn something watching Sandman in New York. Sure, he’s 38, but that seems like such a small number to you nowadays. A part of you thinks gutsy Geoff Geary could fill the role if necessary. The kid throws hard, throws strikes, and seems to dare the world to take him seriously. If he had a better hair cut and didn’t have to throw for more than one inning at a time, who knows?

- Arthur Rhodes knows how to pitch. In an era of bullpen mediocrity, your professional GM picked up a bargain, but no one seems to realize it yet.

- Corey Lidle will probably pitch more innings this year than A. J. Burnett, who already has a sore elbow and cost the Jays $55 million.

- Ryan Madson is really a starter and his Grapefruit numbers have you giddy: 3-0, 1.50 ERA. He flamed out last year because Charlie used him up, but you don’t worry too much about bad personnel decisions this year because you now have a professional GM. At the Bank, the Head is once again a place to drain $6 beers. The kid has jerky motion, but a devastating change and a curve to die for. The 94 mph fastball doesn’t bother you either.

- Gavin Floyd looks like the guy we dreamed he’d be. His 4-0, 2.08 ERA Florida line looks as good as anyone’s. You forget about the shaky last start in Philly, and you focus on the big picture. The real significance of his making the team. You wonder if Ed Wade would have signed Franklin to an off-season free agent contract, seen him put good numbers in the spring, and still have had the courage to say “So what? The kid earned the spot. The best player wins.” You ask yourself if Chase Utley or Ryan Howard might have had an earlier impact if Gillick had been in town two years ago, but you know the answer and move on.

- Brito, Haigwood & Hamel may not be names you want on your opening day roster, but you’re sure as hell glad they’re around to give you a shot in the arm if you need them. You still hold out hope that Randy Wolf can do the same come Dog Days.

- Cy Young pitches middle relief for every team in the league except the Phillies. Sure he does. You hope that Adam Fultz, Rheal Cormier and anyone else who touches the horsehide gets swept up in the magic and contributes to the best of his ability.

- Jon Lieber has you worried, but it you’re worried about Lieber, you know it’s time to crack open a cold one and relax.

You were born in Philadelphia and haven’t sipped from Cinderella’s slipper since you were a college kid, chasing dreams. You’re conditioned for failure, but you don’t care. It’s Opening Day. Anything is possible. You vow that you will enjoy the ride no matter what happens.

Happy Baseball, everyone. Play ball!

i think i may actually go to a few games this season...