Peppers would definately help the Eagles this season

Peppers would be a logical target for the Eagles because he is currently only commited for 1 year, so the Eagles do not have to take on a long term commitment with a veteran player which is something that management has frowned upon recently.

The defensive front is seemingly the last hole that the Eagles need to fill this off-season after having addressed any offensive concerns in the draft. Peppers would most likely play opposite of Trent Cole. While this rumor is not concrete it does leave open the possibility that the Eagles are indeed going to grab a defensive upgrade this offseason.

I feel like I was waiting for that eye opening moment from the Phillies. That one thing that said to me, this is it, this is the team that actually has a shot to do something epic. I finally got my moment in Game 4 against the Dodgers. In what had been a fairly uneventful game the Phillies entered the 8th inning down by two runs against a bullpen that had been one of the best in the majors all season. First Ryan Howard singled to lead off the inning and after a Pat Burrell pop up, Shane Victorino, who is not exactly known for his power stroke, lined one down the right field line for a home run to tie the game. Exciting? Yes. Momumental? No. After an out by Pedro Feliz and a single by Carlos Ruiz, Dodgers Manager Joe Torre decided to bring in his star closer Johnathan Broxton to shut the door. Broxton hadn’t given up a homer since April, there was no way he would give one up here right? Phillies manager Charlie Manuel called on 40 year old Matt Stairs to pinch hit against Broxton. My first thought was “Really? This is all we have left?” This was a guy who had been picked up on waivers from the Blue Jays during the season and had not really produced, but I guess great things come from unexpected places.Broxton quickly fell behind Stairs and made a mistake and left the 3-1 pitch directly right in the middle of the plate, and Stairs made him pay.

Matt Stairs hit a homer the will always be remembered in Philly

The “moon shot” that ensued was not just a simple home run. Matt Stairs was what some like to call a “professional hitter,” and I have never in my live been so sure that a hit was a home run as I was when I saw the ball leave the bat of Matt Stairs on that October night. The ball landed about thirty rows deep in right field, a no doubter to say the least. Leading 7-5 the Phillies handed the ball to Brad Lidge and took a commanding 3-1 series lead, with Cole Hamels on the mound the next day. Matt Stairs essentially sent the Phillies to the World Series with one swing of the bat, and that swing is one I will never forget.

Oh and of course it led to one of the most talked about quotes from the MLB last season, I mean how often to hear a guy sound excited about having his “ass-hammered” in the dugout?

Richards led the league with seven shorthanded goals and nine shorthanded points. He is also the first player in NHL history to have three goals in his career while defending a 5 on 3 powerplay. He also recorded shorthanded goals in three consecutive games this season from Feb. 15-21, and according to the Flyers website he is the first NHL player to do this since Joe Sakic in 1998.

Daniel Briere: They overpaid for him when the franchise was terrible and now a third line player is their highest paid person. He needs to go, they proved that they could win without him this season.

Danny Briere is being paid too much for a third liner

Martin Biron/ Antero Nittymaki: Both are unrestricted free agaents and neither should be resigned unless its to a one year deal until someone better comes on the market, both have proven that they are not the solution to the Flyers goaltending woes

Marty Biron is not the franchise goalie the Flyers need

Joffrey Lupul: While he has been a servicable scorer for the Flyers, he has not lived up to his price tag and he is getting a raise next season on his contract, something that the Flyers can not afford. His place in the line up will easily be filled by James van Riemsdyk next year.

The Flyers can't afford to give Lupul a raise next season

 
Jeremy Maclin- Wide Reciever- Missouri- Many analysysts had Maclin going to the Oakland Raiders at #7, but with their, lets just say curious, selection of Derius Heyward-Bey that let Maclin fall enough for the Eagles to move up to get him. During the draft Mel Kiper compared Maclin to Eagle Desan Jackson, but with better potential. He has a great deal of speed, decent hands, and was considered to be the second best recieving prospect behind Michael Crabtree. Playing together Maclin and Jackson should be able to spread the field giving McNabb the ability to go deep and look for the big play, while relying on Kevin Curtis to be their slot reciever.

 
Lesan McCoy- Runningback- Pittsburgh- While McCoy won’t start immediately, his main purpose for the next year or so will be to spell the aging Brian Westbrook, which at age 30 sounds ridiculous, but runningbacks just are’nt lasting as long as they used too.  McCoy seemingly has the ability to both popund the ball and to make defenders miss. He is a very elusive back and was described by Mel Kiper on draft day as having the best catching ability for a running back in the draft.

Simon Gagne and co. will have to do something different to survive

The line combinations that coach John Stevens has been rolling out have not been working. The problem is that Stevens sometimes seems too concerned with matching up against Pittsburgh’s star forwards and does not let the Flyers play their game. In my opinion, Stevens should make the line combinations look something like this:

Simon Gagne - Daniel Briere- Mike Knuble
Claude Giroux – Jeff Carter - Scott Hartnell
Daniel Carcillo – Mike Richards - Joffrey Lupul
Jared Ross – Darrol Powe- Arron Asham

Each of these lines, with the exception of the energy line, give the Flyers a playmaker, a scorer, and a gritty player that can crash the net. These lines play to the Flyers strengths. If the Flyers were to shake things up a little bit, even if they do not go to these lines exactly they may be able to force Pittsburgh to have to match up against them instead of the other way around.

Martin Biron's performance is criticla to the Flyers' playoff hopes

Why the Flyers could win:
Scoring depth is something that the Flyers definately have, meaning unlike the Penguins they are not one injury away from not being able to score. The Flyers have four players with 30+ goals, and two more with 20+ goals, plus they have a healthy Daniel Briere who is known to step up his game in the playoffs. The Penguings however lost one of their best scorers from their playoff run last year in Marian Hossa. If Martin Biron plays as well as he did last postseason the Flyers will win this series. Biron carried the Flyers to the ECF and he has the ability to do it again this year. The Flyers are also much healthier than they were in last years series. Last season top defenseman Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn were both injured for the series and star left wing Simon Gagne missed the entire playoffs with concussion symptoms.

My Prediction:
Martin Biron stands on his head and stifles Crosby and Malkin for an entire series. Flyers win in 6 games.

Harry Kalas, the voice of the Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost one of the most beloved figures in their history on Monday afternoon. Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas, 73, died prior to the Phillies game against the Washington Nationals. Kalas collapsed and died in the broadcast booth. “Where else would he go, but in a ballpark in an announcer’s booth,” said former Phillie John Kruk, “That’s where he belonged and that is where his life was.”

CSN Tribute to Harry Kalas from Mike Meech on Vimeo.

Kalas was not an ordinary broadcaster by any means, his voice was one that was recognizible across the nation. Whether it was in a Campbell’s Chunky Soup Commercial, an NFL Films Production, or at almost every Phillies game, when Harry the K spoke, you listened.

Kalas is probably most famous for his catch phrase; “Outta Here!” when a Phillie hit a homerun, but that phrase is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether it was a dismal season, a playoff season, or a championship season, Kalas was the calming voice that kept both the fans and the Phillies themselves going. Whether it was the countless nicknames that he made famous such as Pat “the bat” Burrell or Micheal Jack Schmidt or his ability to take a moment and make it unforgettable, on thing is for sure, Philadelphia will never be the same.

Watching the Phillies win the World Series last year was spectacular, but it wasn’t until I watched the game again with Harry Kalas’ commentary that I got chills down my spine. The emotion he brought to each and every home run or double play was astounding. “His voice will resonate in my mind the rest of my life,” said Phillies Hall of Fame 3rd Basemen. “I will never be called ‘Michael Jack’ again without seeing his smile.”

Personally, I can not imagine Phillies baseball with out Kalas, I can’t imagine Chase Utley making a game ending catch without hearing Kalas exclaim “Chase Utley, You are the Man!” or watching Ryan Howard hit a homerun without hearing “Long drive! Watch that baby, Outta here!” When the Phillies win their next championship, sadly Kalas will not be able to celebrate on the field and sing high hopes on the microphone for all to here.

Espn’s Jason Stark, a Philly native, described his influence as “If you didn’t here Kalas call a play, its almost like it never happened.” He was that important.
Kalas you will be missed, you were loved like no other, your soothing voice will be remembered forever. Since 1971 you have brought your love of baseball to millions of people, and no one in Philadelphia will ever forget you. As Philadelphia Phillies president David Montgomery said on Monday, “We’ve Lost our voice today.”

For those non Philly fans, Kalas’s voice may be recognized from Chunky Soup Commercials: