Thanks, Big Guy!

Well, here's something that's never happened to me before.


I was in the middle of writing a blog about how much I love a guy and how much joy he brings me on a nightly basis... when he got traded. (And yes, that’s how long I’ve been trying to get this one out the door.)


Oh Jim Thome. I miss you already!


Now, I know this trade is good for everyone involved. This little experiment just didn't work out. The Phillies need bodies on the bench who can play the field, and Thome has a bad back that no amount of yoga can fix. So, the Phillies traded him to a place where all he has to do is hit dingers and sit back down on the bench.


It just wasn't supposed to go this way.


My heart – still broken from the whole losing to the Cardinals thing – grew three sizes that day Jim came back to us in December. It may not have made a whole bunch of "on the field" sense, but I hoped adding a guy like Thome could help a team that seemed to forget that playing baseball was supposed to be fun. I had visions of him lifting a very large trophy and retiring to Cooperstown in red pinstripes, not being part of a season gone terribly, terribly awry. He couldn’t keep the Phils from scuffling, but, even when things were at their worst during the first half, there was one of the best homerun hitters of all time belly laughing in the dugout, smiling that Jim Thome smile. 


I'll never forget the way I felt when Thome signed here before the 2003 season. It was just a few months removed from when my future husband, Scott Rolen, was traded – and made his less than fuzzy feelings for the organization and the city very public. At the time, I just couldn't believe that one of the best homerun hitters in the game would choose to come to Philly. (I was also in complete shock that Ed Wade could pull of such a signing.) I don't think anyone realized it then, but things changed big time that day. Thome was the catalyst for Philly becoming a destination, not a baseball death sentence. Thome ended the string of awful signings, like the Andy Ashbys, David Bells and Adam Eatons of the world and brought on the Placido Polancos, Roy Halladays and Cliff Lees. It was a major swing in the history of the organization, and Thome deserves a lot of credit for seeing beyond the losing seasons to the potential of the team. Combined with the new ballpark, he helped put butts in the seats and more money in the front office's pocket. That money enabled them to keep the up-and-coming stars in the organization and eventually win the 2008 World Series. Thome certainly isn’t the only reason the organization is where it is today, but you can’t deny the parallels and his role in its rise to success.


I think that following Thome's career – all 609 homeruns of it – is and always will be one my favorite parts of following this amazing game. He is a man who knows how lucky he is to play baseball for a living, and does it with the joy of a really big toddler in a candy store. He brings fun and passion to the field every day, and has showed an entire generation how to be a good teammate and leader – just ask Chase Utley (here, 1:50 mark). 


No, things aren't great with the Fightins at the moment, but that doesn't mean we can't appreciate what we've gotten the opportunity to witness during Thome’s time here. A player like this just doesn't come along very often...

The Law of Ex-Phillydom and the LA Kings

I have this theory about former Philadelphia athletes: Most of them get better once they are out of the City of Brotherly Love.

The Law of Ex-Phillydom applies to three types of players:

1. Players that show signs of promise but infuriatingly never blossom to their full potential, until they leave. Think Michael Bourn and Joffrey Lupul.
2. Players who have solid stints in Philly but put up career numbers once they leave. Think Placido Polanco.*
3. Players who the front office deem too old to be productive and contribute regularly but go on to their new teams to do just that. Think Rod Brind'Amour, Brian Dawkins and Mike Knuble.

Qualifying players aren't usually superstar busts, but players you hope can consistently perform for a long time, and help lead to team success. (If Matt Carle leaves the Flyers via free agency, he is a prime candidate to reap the benefits of the Law of Ex-Phillydom.) You get the idea.

Players are bound to have varying career paths, but what’s happening now is unprecedented: The Law of Ex-Phillydom is affecting an entire organization!

The LA Kings were referred to as Flyers West before Mike Richards and Jeff Carter got there, and now it's just silly. Former Flyers have completely infiltrated all aspects of the Kings organization. It’s the Law of Ex-Phillydom escalating from individual players to an entire team. Shall we run down the list?

On the ice: Richards, Carter, Simon Gagne**, Justin Williams

Behind the bench: Assistant Coach John Stevens (Terry Murray was the Head Coach until mid-season)

In the front office: VP and Assistant GM Ron Hextall

Sometimes the law of Ex-Phillydom doesn’t really matter. Players leave and go on to have solid careers very far away and out of the division/conference, and we’re happy for them. But a lot of times, like with Richards and Carter, it feels like a swift kick to the stomach.

Before the Flyers/Pens series, I wrote that if the Flyers could beat Pittsburgh, it would justify every radical move that the front office made last summer.

I made that statement without the thought that the Kings could or would ever advance out of the first round, let alone make it to the Cup finals.

Yet, here we are, and it makes evaluating the moves slightly more interesting.

It seems like forever ago that Philadelphia practically exploded with joy when the Flyers made their unexpected run to the Cup Finals in 2010. The series against the Bruins was one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. The loss to Chicago, although disappointing, hinted that the team, led by Richards, would be back to the Cup finals before long.

But then last season happened: Dry Island, absurd pictures of boozing with less than reputable (or sober) girls, and crashing frat parties. It all seemed like innocent fun by a bunch of young guys, until it exploded onto the ice. The team choked. After an amazing first half of the season, the locker room strife took a toll on the team’s performance. An embarrassing second round exit (I'm still not sure how they even made it that far), led to the drastic decisions that Paul Holmgren made.

Sometimes, for whatever reason things just don't click in the locker room, and that was clearly the case with Richards and Carter in Philly. The Flyers organization trusted Richards and Carter to lead them to a parade, and they didn’t. So, for them to end up back together (in a place that serves up even more distractions and beach time than Philadelphia and Sea Isle combined) and make it to the Cup finals the very next year, after everyone decided it couldn’t happen again with them in Philly? It’s like an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend meeting their future spouse right after they broke up with you. It stinks.

You know that old joke about the Phillies sending championship rings to Houston as a thank you? Well, if the Kings win the Cup, the Flyers organization might just deserve a ring, and the Law of Ex-Phillydom will have reared its ugly head again.

Let’s Go Devils? Ugh.

*Note: Polanco’s first stint with the Phillies was in no way shape or form unimpressive, but his numbers with the Tigers after the Phils foolishly traded him are out of this world. Oddly enough, Polanco hasn’t come close to his Detroit numbers since he’s been back in Philly – point proven.

**Simon Gagne winning a Cup would be the only plus side to this whole situation

Why I Am the Way That I Am

During the Flyers Game 6 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the following exchange took place in the Burnston household:

Me: "That’s delay of game! THAT'S DELAY OF GAME!!!"
(Long pause)
My Mom: "Hey, that should be delay of game."
Me (kidding): "Oh, sorry. Is there an echo in here?"
My Mom (yelling): "WHO TAUGHT YOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW?!"
 
You know what? She brought up a very good point.

Many of you may have wondered how on earth a 24-year-old girl fell in love with sports, knows so much about them and spends so much of her free time writing a sports blog. The answer is my family, and most influentially my mom.

My mom’s been a sports fan her entire life. She grew up watching her dad coach her brothers’ Little League team. She fell (and remains) in love with the toothless Broad Street Bullies and learned everything there is to know about the game of hockey. She loved talking about and watching sports in a time where it wasn’t exactly commonplace for a woman to do so.

A few years later, it turns out that her daughter loves doing all of those same things. When I fell in love with baseball, I got made fun of in middle school, because people didn’t understand why a girl was so excited to go home and watch a ball game. But my family always got it. They brought me to every softball field in the tri-state area for 11 years (and even come to watch me play in my current “grown-up” slow-pitch league). They supported me when my childhood dream wasn’t to be an actress, but a beat writer for the Phillies. They were on board with my decision to go to college near Philly so I could possibly work in the Philadelphia sports market (even though I’m sure they knew it was also partly so I could be closer to the ballpark).

My interest in sports didn’t happen because my family made it happen, it happened because my family allowed it to.

This may seem like a sports story, but it’s really about more than that. Now that I’m older (and clearly wiser), I realize that if it hadn’t been for my mom being such a strong woman and telling me it was okay to be both a sports nut and paint my nails, I’m not sure if I would have been able to stand by what I loved and become the person that I am today.

So, on this Mother's Day, a public thank you to my mom for always being herself, and for teaching me to do the same. Thank you for your priceless insights, like how hockey was better when players didn’t wear helmets because you could see how good-looking they were, that you should always know what you’re going to do with the ball before you get it, and that loving sports is about so much more than winning or losing – it’s about enjoying the game itself and sharing it with the people you love.

Oh, and of course, thank you for picking my father so wisely.

Mother's Day 2007 at CBP

Knock Knock, I Loved This Season

It’s funny the difference a year makes.

Last May, the 2010-11 Philadelphia Flyers lost in the second round of the playoffs to a team everyone thought they should beat, and when the season was over, I couldn’t believe what terrible shape the team was in.

After one of the best first half performances I had ever seen, the Flyers completely crumbled after the All-Star break. They somehow managed to hold on to the 2^nd seed, just barely beat Buffalo and then they got embarrassed in a goalie-roulette sweep at the hands of the soon-to-be Stanley Cup Champion Bruins. The team’s on-ice chemistry fell apart as badly as it did in the locker room. (I bet you can’t remember a time before the term “Dry Island.”) It was painful to watch, and after such a downward spiral, it almost felt relieved when it ended. I couldn’t help but be brought down by the way the team was crumbling and wonder if that group of players would ever be able to put another Cup run together.

Last night, the 2011-12 Flyers were also eliminated in the second round by a team everyone thought they could beat, and now that the season is over, I can’t believe how positive I feel about what they accomplished.

After one of the most drastic off-seasons (possibly ever), no one expected too much from the Flyers. They were too young, too inexperienced and too unfamiliar with each other to make a run at the playoffs. Yet, all season, they did nothing but work hard, have fun, and routinely surprise everyone. They stayed in the top of conference all year. They overcame adversity, and came together as a team to not only make the playoffs as the 5^th seed, but eliminate their archrival in the first round. When it all came to an end, I only felt sad about having to wait until the fall to see the Orange and Black take the ice again.

It’s hard not to get frustrated when your team gets eliminated from the playoffs. You spend a lot of time cheering for them, and you feel emotionally invested to the point where you feel like you’re the one that lost. There’s always a long list of “what-ifs” that could leave fans up at nights for weeks. I know I’ve fallen victim to this before (cough, cough, the 2009 World Series), but I don’t feel that way today.

This season ended with the Flyers running into a buzz saw. Sometimes in the playoffs, you just run into a team where everything is clicking at the right time. You could argue that the Flyers were tired, hurt, or emotionally drained from the Pittsburgh series, but the Devils were the better team and deserve the credit for advancing.

What’s more important than how the season ended are all the good things that happened during it. Even with the loss of Chris Pronger, and the absurd number of man games to injury, this team exceeded expectations all year. Peter Laviolette infused confidence into his rookies by treating them like anything but. Consistency escaped them at times, but the balanced scoring attack and even more balanced leadership corps delivered a solid season with good experiences for the younger players to learn from. They were an unbelievably entertaining team that the fans got to “know” better than any other Flyers team before them thanks to 24/7.

No, not everything is perfect. There are plenty of areas for improvement and some issues that need to be addressed for next year, but that’s for another day.

For two years in a row, the Flyers have to swallow second round exits. But, make no mistake about it: This this year was the beginning of a new era, not the end of a disappointing one. 

They may not have gotten the 16 playoff Knock Knocks we were all hoping for, but I vote we do this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bMmhKz6KXg) one last time to close out an overall successful season. After all, they beat the Penguins!

Mayhem on Ice

People all over are talking about the NHL Playoffs. Yep, that's right. The general public in America is talking about hockey.

I wish it was for a good reason.

The first round of the NHL playoffs has been dominated by Slap Shot-esque moments, dangerous situations, and serious injuries… pretty much everything but the hockey part.

Regular season games occasionally get out of hand, but in the playoffs, teams usually keep their composure a little better. Discipline is often one of the first keys out of coaches' mouths because every penalty and resulting power play has a lot more meaning this time of year. Most teams even sit their fighters in favor of more scoring depth. Playoff hockey is a showcase of good defense, good goaltending, and the occasional fight to settle a dispute.

I don't want to talk about the individual plays and suspensions. I think we can all agree some of them were really bad and that the punishments have been confusing to say the least. What I'm concerned about is what happens next to make sure this doesn’t all continue. How can the NHL stop the craziness?

First of all, the refereeing has to be more consistent. What receives a major penalty and a game misconduct in one game is let go in another game. The refs have to take a hard look at what they are calling and find a way to make it even across all series and all games. I honestly can’t blame the players for being a bit confused as to what they are and are not allowed to do. (And then being even more amped up when calls go against their team and not their opponent.) The refs also can’t favor certain players. I don’t care what anyone says, referees in the NHL protect Sidney Crosby. It might be subconscious given his “importance” to the league or his concussion problems, but it cannot happen. When any superstar player decides to be a (insert whatever bad name you want here) and start fights, let someone on the other team give him what he's asking for. Do not jump in and try to save him. People less familiar with the game may not understand the role of fighting, but hockey is a sport where the on-ice fights control the game as much as the guys in black and white stripes.  Fighting is a way for players to self-police actions, and trying to protect certain players throws this whole system off balance.

(Side note: I think one of the biggest issues with refereeing in today’s NHL is the over-calling of stick minors. I can’t tell you how many times a player gets called for hooking – without actually impeding the opponent’s progress, at all – but cross checks to the back and other actually dangerous plays get let go.)

The league’s discipline department also needs a consistency lesson. When players assault an opponent (yes, I said assault) by bashing their head into the glass, call a penalty and suspend the player, no matter who he is. The length of suspensions should be a sliding scale based on suspension history and degree of the infraction. Basing the severity of suspensions on whether the recipient of the action gets hurt or not is absurd. The same play could knock one player out, or cause no serious injury to another, but it’s the action that the NHL needs to punish, not the result.

Something that I haven't heard anyone mention during the last week is the role that the players play in these situations. The Penguins’ Matt Cooke has been suspended five times during his NHL career, and most notably, was not suspended for his atrocious hit on the Bruins’ Marc Savard. At the end of the season last year, Cooke elbowed the Rangers’ Ryan McDonagh (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emTQpD8jmuw), and was suspended for the entire first round of the playoffs, where his team lost in 7 to Tampa Bay. Since then, Cooke – who is still a scrappy, often obnoxious player – has admirably, actually learned something from his punishment. He is nominated for the Masterton Trophy this year (the NHL award given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey) mostly because of how he’s cleaned up his act. Cooke made a public point that he was going to learn how to be an effective player without getting suspended. He sat with his coach Dan Bylsma and dissected hit after hit trying to figure out how to restructure his game. You know what? It’s worked. He's dropped his penalty minutes from 129 last year to just 44 in 2012 and hasn’t been suspended this season.

Athletes often don’t deserve their role model tag (and I’m not in any way saying that Cooke is an exemplary role model for kids), but they do have a responsibility to the game and their opponents. The players need to realize their role in what’s happening and take it upon themselves to change it. I know it’s hard in the heat of the moment, but sometimes you have to skate away. Don’t hit people in the head, don’t leave your feet, and definitely don’t be a 2 year-old and push your opponent’s glove away when they are trying to pick it up. I’m not just bashing other teams, either.  I was as completely disgusted by Zac Rinaldo in Game 4 of the Flyers/Pens series (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MgWAkER0S_k#!). This game was already so far out of reach and Rinaldo flat out lost control. The Flyers were in their offensive zone, trying to get back on the board for the first time since the 1^st period when Rinaldo snapped. No, this wasn’t nearly as dangerous as some of the other plays that received suspensions, but it’s the exact play that players have to be smarter and try to avoid.

There’s no question that the NHL is in a tough spot. There are some new fans watching because they want to see what crazy hit happens next. You have the players on the ice who are literally at risk if this stuff keeps up. Then, you have actual fans grimacing at the joke these playoffs are turning in to. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say that Game 3 between the Flyers and Penguins was the best hockey game they've ever seen. I have to wonder how many hockey games these people have actually watched, or if they really prefer cage fighting. That was not a hockey game. There was no defense. There was no structure. The NHL playoffs so far have rarely been anything but pure Mayhem on Ice, and I hope the NHL can fix it. 

Things I Think Heading into Game 1 of Flyers vs. Penguins

IT'S TIME FOR HOCKEY PLAYOFFS!!!!!

Okay, sorry. I just had to get that out.

I've been thinking a lot over the last week... dangerous I know. Here are a few things that are on my mind as we head into Flyers/Penguins Game 1 tonight.

1. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally here. If you're not a hockey fan, you might think I'm crazy, but it literally does not get any better than this. Nothing compares to how intense, gut-wrenching, liver killing, nail biting and grueling the NHL playoffs are. No other sport puts such a challenge between its teams and the championship. Baseball may be my favorite sport, but I love hockey playoffs more than anything.

2. I don't know if the Flyers have it in them to win the Cup this year, but I really don't want them to lose to the Penguins in the playoffs, again. The Battle of Pennsylvania has resulted in playoff exits for the Orange and Black twice since the lockout. The eliminations in 2008 and 2009 (in the Conference Finals and Quarterfinals respectively) at the hands of Sidney Crosby et al. were two of the more difficult moments of the last few seasons. I really don’t want to have to stomach that again. Not to mention losing would mean an early exit for a team that has been more fun to watch than any Flyers team in quite some time.

3. If the Flyers do beat the Penguins, it justifies everything the organization did in the off-season. The Mike Richards Flyers couldn't beat the Pens, but what if this Captain-less team can? It may be unfair to judge the most recent iteration of the Flyers on their first playoff series together, but I can't help think how much it would mean if they pulled it off.  I'm not sure anyone thought the Flyers would be as good this year as they were (especially given the almost 350 games lost to injury), but if they can somehow advance out of the first round, it would more than justify every move the front office made last summer. Not that there are many doubters left, anyway.

4.  Peter Laviolette will not win Coach of the Year, but he has been amazing. I never thought the Flyers were "rebuilding" but it was hard to imagine a team with so many new, young players being able to dominate in the league. Yet that's exactly what the Flyers did this season. They have eight players with more than 15 goals and multiple players having career years. Peter's ability to plug so many new pieces into his system and still yield a balanced attack is truly impressive. He's infused confidence into his players, even when they may not have been deserving of his faith. His sarcasm, seemingly never ending supply of orange power ties, and unparalleled use of timeouts have made him one of my favorite Philadelphia sports figures, ever. Oh and then there's that time he tried to attack Dan Bylsma. He is the best.

5. What if the rookies don't collapse? Everything I've heard and read has the Flyers losing the series because of the inexperience (and quantity) of their rookies. While I understand that view point (and it may be right) I have to bring up another scenario: What if the rookies continue to exceed expectations? They've been doing it all year. Their coach trusts them in any and all situations. It's entirely possible that the rookies step up, shut down the Penguins stars, put the puck in the back of the net and help the Flyers advance to the next round. Seriously, stranger things have happened. It may also be a good thing that no one in the media expects them to win. Without the burden of being the favorites, the rookies can focus on winning hockey games.

6. How cool would it be if Jah-RO-Mur scored the series-winning goal? I'm imagining Joffrey Lupul's Game 7 OT winner against the Caps in the 2008 Quarterfinals, only with Jah-RO-Mur… in Pittsburgh. It probably won’t happen, but it would be the coolest thing ever.

There are a lot of other things on my mind like how Claude Giroux is going to be unbelievable, that Max Talbot is going to the X Factor in the series, and that I really miss Captain Prongsy. However, writing this is getting me too excited, so I must stop.

Here's to a (hopefully) long and memorable playoffs!

“What I’m asking is don’t just play the game to let it go by. Play the game to make a difference. Every guy in here, go out there and don’t let this settle in. Go take charge of it right now. Let’s be great start to finish, every guy in here. We’re being great tonight.” – Peter Laviolette

Opening Day is No Time for Battered Fan Syndrome

Opening Day – the most glorious day of all the days – is tomorrow. The pure joy that I feel heading into this event cannot be diminished, but I am a little annoyed by the general feeling of doom and gloom I am sensing from Phillies fans. Everywhere I go, I hear people worrying about the season and preparing themselves for a subpar team.  

Um... What?

This recent behavior has left me with this (possibly offensive, but true) realization: Phillies fans suffer from something I'm going to call Battered Fan Syndrome. The biggest symptoms of Battered Fan Syndrome include a severe inferiority complex, inability to appreciate success, consistent complaining about the "stress" that comes with being a fan, and threatening to jump off the bandwagon but always coming back for more. This type of damage can only be caused by such miserable years that a World Series and five straight playoff trips can't help. (Not to mention the harm that comes from the other three Philly teams.) The media often exacerbates this condition with its pretty much constant negativity and ability to press the panic button faster than the speed of light.

The syndrome explains why Phillies fans are never comfortable being on top and are completely consumed by their fear of the good times ending and being back in the gutter. But Opening Day 2012 is not the time to let the ghosts of summers past creep into your brain! No, it’s not ideal to begin the season without your starting right side of the infield and no, nothing will ever top the Clifton Phifer rapture of last Spring Training, but let’s try to be rational.

First of all, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley aren't dead. Ryan will be back 100% most likely before the All-Star break, and while it could take him some time to regain his swing, he will be fine. The outlook for Chase might be slightly cloudier, and while it's upsetting because we love him and will miss seeing his beautiful face on the field, let's remember his numbers last year. He hit .259 with 11 HR and 44 RBI and only played in 103 games. The Phillies finished with 102 wins. If they could perform in 2011 with Chase's fill-ins, 2012 should actually be no different.

Then there's good ol' Charlie. He still can't manage a bullpen, but the man knows how to win ballgames. It's clear from Spring Training’s emphasis on bunting, and the focus on adding utility depth during the off-season, that this team is ready to win games by any means necessary. Charlie and his staff seem dedicated to the "Get 'em on, Get 'em In" strategy (see: Juan Pierre) and clean, fundamental baseball. This game plan will only help the team when Ryan is back in the line-up, considering he hasn’t hit more than 35 homeruns in the last two years.

I’m going to throw Jim Thome into this list of reasons to be positive, as well. This guy is a huge reason that the organization is where it is. When he signed here in 2003, he ended the era of superstar players running out of town, and started the era in which people like Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee choose to come to Philly. Now, he’s back – possibly for his last season – and just seeing him in red pinstripes again gives me a feeling that anything is possible. He is a mentor for the younger players on the team, an experienced veteran who has been through pretty much everything, and someone who can infuse some fun into the team – something I think was missing from the 2011 campaign.

Oh, and of course there are those starting pitchers. No one can touch the Phillies rotation. Roy, Cole, Cliff, Vance and Joey B. are hands down the best 1-5 in the league. Other teams' rotations have gotten better, but they aren't this good, experienced or diverse. I truly don't even see any reason to comment more on this.

After seven awful, baseball-less months and images of the Cardinals winning the World Series on repeat, it's finally time for the 2012 Phillies season to begin. Whether you're worried about Ryan and Chase or Cole's contract status or the glowing centerfield acid trip in Miami (no wait, that actually is worth being upset over), Phillies fans, I beg you to relax. Have a cheesesteak, enjoy the quality product this organization has on the field, and remember: Life is always better during baseball season. There may come a time when the Fightins' are at the bottom of the NL East again, but IT IS NOT THIS (Opening) DAY.

 

(Cue inspirational 9th inning movie clip, Lord of the Rings style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXGUNvIFTQw)

I Bet Batman Never Had A Degenerative Knee Condition

When the news broke about Chase Cameron Utley leaving Spring Training to go see (another) knee specialist, it sort of felt like that moment in an old cartoon, where the hero gets trapped in a terrible situation and the narrator comes on to say, "Will our Hero make it out alive to save the kids from the flaming school bus? Find out next week!" Only, in the cartoons, there’s never really a doubt that the hero will be fine, save the kids, and get the girl.

I bet Batman never had a degenerative knee condition.

Degenerative: Adj. (of a disease or condition) getting steadily worse.

I know, I know, me of all people talking like this so close to Opening Day.

While I do not think Chase’s career is over, I can't stop thinking about the bigger picture, and how it could have been different.

When Chase first came up, every Phillies fan saw the whole beautiful picture playing out in their head. A long, happy marriage between a team, a city, and it's phenomenally good looking second baseman. A gritty, hard-working player whose unparalleled baseball mind could make anyone's heart melt (or maybe that's just me). No, his range at second wasn’t great, but we knew that because of his work ethic, it would come.

Yes, the first couple years were blissful. We could see MVP awards, Cooperstown and eventually, some cushy job as the team’s alumni ambassador, or something.

Then, that stupid pitch from John Lanaan in 2007 broke his hand.

That's where things got shaky for our hero. A cranky hip throughout 2008 required surgery after the celebrations ended. A sprained thumb in 2010, and then the knee problems started. All in all, he's missed 106 games in the last two years.

The numbers certainly aren't what we expected. Most players would be thrilled to have a career .290 batting average with an .882 OPS and 1,198 hits. But, we’re talking about the difference between a solid Major Leaguer and the legend we thought Chase might become. If he had stayed healthy, and kept on pace with his 2006 season (160 games, .309 BA with 32 HRs, 102 RBI and 40 doubles), it's easy to imagine what his career numbers could have looked like. He has fallen out of the top five in most Fantasy Baseball rankings for second basemen and after five straight years on the list, he hasn’t cracked the top 10 in WAR since 2009.

It's hard not to think about the what-ifs. What if Chase hadn't gone to college and started in the system earlier? (Actually that one's easy, he would have been playing for the Dodgers.) But what if Chase didn't have to wait for the Phillies to clear space for him? What if he hadn't played in so many games early on? The speculations are endless, but it doesn't seem to matter much now. Now is a 33-year-old second baseman with a degenerative knee condition shrouded in mystery and secrecy by a general manager whose remarks on the subject usually involve “different stretches and exercises.”

I am in no way shape or form acting like Chase is dead or that the Phils never have a chance to win again – because they do. If anything, I'm already nostalgic about this core group of guys, the ones who brought us a parade and so many good memories. It’s hard to imagine the Phillies without Chase, Ryan and Jimmy, but it seems the end of this love affair is closer than we thought. After almost 10 years, it’s hard to say how many more summers we have left with this group of players together.

The 2012 Phillies are still incredibly talented, experienced and, oh yeah, there are still those three guys in the rotation. This team will not fade from contention, but they need to pull together, regardless of who takes the right side of the infield. Like an aging pitcher with less velocity, it’s time to reassess the arsenal, and find a way to win, even if it means adopting a different strategy. For the fans, it’s time to start letting go of the “what-ifs” and focusing on what’s on the field – what I believe is still one of the best teams in baseball.

Even if Chase can never get back to 100%, we should count ourselves lucky for getting the chance to watch him play when he was healthy (and that the team around his has gotten so much better). He brought a lot of passion back into Philadelphia baseball and the organization owes him a lot for getting them to where they are.

But, maybe our hero will surprise us all yet. Because, after all, “Chase Utley, you are the man.”

(Proof you really can find anything on Google.)

I Love Jah-RO-Mur Jogger

Saturday night in Toronto, the Flyers went into overtime tied at 4 with the Maple Leafs. Jaromir Jagr grabbed the puck and dip-see-doodled around the Leafs’ zone, made their defensemen look like cones, and kept possession of the puck for a solid 40 seconds.

The only thing going through my mind was, “Forget it. I love Jah-RO-Mur.”

Flashback to July 1, 2011: I remember exactly where I was when a friend called to inform me that the Flyers had just signed the 39-year-old. I remember because I had to leave the room due to the waterfall of confused, flabbergasted expletives coming out of my mouth.

Jah-RO-Mur Jogger, the man whose real name had never come out of my mouth – mostly as a testament to my deep-rooted dislike of him. The Penguin with the awful mullet I grew up hating. (Literally, my first Flyers game was against Pittsburgh and I still remember the way the Spectrum shook with boos and jeers when Jah-RO-Mur took the ice.) The guy who caused me to berate the Flyers defensemen from my living room because they wouldn’t hit him when he would play Follow the Leader around the ice. The guy who when he faded away to the KHL, everyone assumed he was just another burnt out superstar too afraid to let go of the game. The list goes on and on.

Between Jah-RO-Mur’s age, his history with the fan base, and with the Mike Richards and Jeff Carter trades having happened the week before, I truly thought that Flyers General Manger Paul Holmgren had lost his mind.

But, I’ve been wrong before (see Charlie Manuel over Jim Leyland circa 2005), and I did really enjoy how angry the Penguins fans were.

Come back to Saturday night. That was the moment I decided to stop fighting it. Somewhere in the last six months, Jah-RO-Mur has turned into an endearing nickname. I realized that you can’t hit what you can’t catch. And I finally admitted that I am a Jah-RO-Mur fan.

More than anything, I’ve loved the intangibles that Jah-RO-Mur brings to the locker room. On a team whose play on the ice could put you to sleep a year ago, the man who always seemed like such a grump has infused life and old-fashioned little kid fun into Flyers’ game. His 46 points don’t hurt either.

In no way does Homer need my apology – or will he ever read this – but I need to get this off my chest: I was wrong about signing Jah-RO-Mur. Not only was it not a bad decision, it was a great decision. I – much like when Peter Forsberg graced us with his presence – have enjoyed seeing one of the game’s greatest players night after night in the Orange and Black.

Now, if only he’d bring Philly a Cup…

Bring It, March!

I hate March.

I really, really hate March.

It’s still cold. I’m not in Clearwater. I’m pale as anything.

Baseball is around the corner, but really, that just makes my desire to be at the ballpark even worse. Yes, the hockey is good, but the last 20 games are so stressful. I don’t do March Madness. The same reports coming out of Spring Training, every day. The list goes on and on. Essentially – with the exception of St. Patty’s Day – this month makes me want to crawl in my bed and not come out until Opening Day.

This year, I’m preparing early with my 5-step “Make March Less Awful” plan.

Step 1: Listen to Spring Training games on the radio at work. This is a perfect combination of things, and a carry-over from March 2011. It makes the afternoons at work absolutely fly by and it’s so comforting to hear those familiar voices. Usually the broadcasts are full of funny stories from Spring Training and Scott Franzke and LA making fun of each other about all of the things they did over the winter. Win.

Step 2: REALLY pay attention to the late innings of Spring Training games. I don’t like to talk about it, but the fact is the Phillies are getting old. In the next couple of years, the franchise is going to look substantially different. So, for the first time in a while, those unknown minor leaguers playing in the 9^th inning of Spring Training games may seriously have an impact, either on the field or in a trade. Now is the perfect time to pay attention to their mechanics, fundamentals, and most importantly, figure out what assets the team can play with.

Step 3: Watch my favorite sports movies. Once baseball season starts, there is very little time to watch movies. What better way to infuse fun and joy into these miserable March weeks than to watch all my sports movies? Opening Day is 5 weeks from today. I think I shall try to come up with my top five favorite sports movies of all time. There will be more on this soon…

Step 4: Try not to lose my mind watching the Atlantic Division points totals. For all the reasons that I hate March, scoreboard watching usually takes on a life of its own. Without much else to entertain myself with, I sit and watch the standings. It’s stressful, and the thought of not having the Flyers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (aka the greatest thing in sports) hurts my heart.

Step 5: Watch this interview with Chase every day. Watching Chase get completely smitten about his son (and Jim Thome) is just about the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I love him. Watch this and you'll be instantly happy – perfect for March! You'll also probably wonder if the Phillies forgot to pack sunscreen.

Okay, this may not be the greatest plan I’ve ever come up with, but at this point, anything will help! Bring it March – I’m kind of ready for you.

ESPN Stole My Idea – No big deal

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I guess ESPN loves me. Now I never imagined that my blog would catch on so fast, but this is hard evidence to the contrary. Thanks ESPN. I love you too! (And I’ll be expecting some kind of check in the mail any day now…)

Three Reasons Why I Can’t Be A Sixers Fan

I found myself watching the Sixers/Lakers game last week.

Not good.

I can’t lie, I feel myself getting drawn in to all of the excitement, but there are three, very real reasons why I just cannot be a Sixers fan: Emotional Damage, Scheduling Conflicts, and Drawer Space.

1. Emotional Damage: There are countless things that could go into this category to exemplify my point, but I shall explain through three dramatic dates in 2009.

a. January 18, 2009: Less than three months removed from the Phillies championship parade down Broad Street, the Eagles were in the NFC Championship game. Everyone was talking about Philadelphia being the next Title Town, and finally stepping into the forefront of America’s sports cities. After an up and down season (you know the one with the tie to the Bengals), they defeated the Vikings, and the defending Super Bowl Champion Giants in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Problem was the Eagles weren’t actually very good and they lost (again) in the NFC Championship game. 2009 Bummer #1.

b. April 25, 2009: After a horrendous end to the season (which started right around the deadline deal of Scottie Upshall for Dan Carcillo) the Flyers slipped down in the conference standings and lost home-ice advantage in the playoffs. They opened up on the road against Pittsburgh, where the Penguins dominated both games. After battling back to get the series to 3-2, the Flyers had a commanding three goal lead in Game 6 at home… and lost. Stupid Penguins. 2009 Bummer #2.

c. November 4, 2009: AKA one of the WORST DAYS EVER. I won’t even really bother going into too much detail here. There’s no reason to. Phillies lose the World Series to the Yankees. 2009 Bummer #3.

If I had cared equally about the April 30, 2009 Sixers first round loss to the Orlando Magic as I did about the other three losses, I think I may have snapped. Uhh, snapped more than I already did.

2. Scheduling Conflicts: I am really bad at only having a slight interest in things. If I like something, I tend to borderline obsess over it. Whether it's my three sports teams, John Mayer, or – apparently – dips, I dive in head first. While I have been told several times by a variety of people that I don’t actually HAVE to watch every game, it’s not really something I’m comfortable with. When you love something, why would you want to do something else? I often rearrange or make plans around my ability to watch games, and adding a fourth team would just be too much. For example, this is what my schedule would have looked like last week if I cared about the Sixers:

Saturday, February 4: Flyers vs. Devils
Saturday, February 4: Sixers vs. Hawks
Sunday, February 5: Flyers vs. Rangers
Sunday, February 5: Super Bowl
Monday, February 6: Sixers vs. Lakers
Tuesday, February 7: Flyers vs. Islanders
Wednesday, February 8: Sixers vs. Spurs
Thursday, February 9: Flyers vs. Maple Leafs
Friday, February 10: Sixers vs. Clippers
Saturday, February 11: Flyers vs. Rangers
Saturday, February 11: Sixers vs. Cavaliers
Sunday, February 12: Flyers vs. Red Wings

Okay, no one likes sports more than I do, but with baseball around the corner, even I need a mental break. As I type right now I’m watching The Voice. Yeah, The Voice. Why? Because I need some things to talk to the rest of the female population about! Well, that and Adam Levine is so ridiculously attractive. But really, that schedule is absurd, and we know if I really got into the Sixers I would have found a way to watch every one of those games.

3. Drawer Space: You may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with watching the Sixers?” If you are, you need to go back and read point #2 again. It's a documented fact that I have a serious Philadelphia sports merchandise problem. There are two huge storage containers packed full of memorabilia crammed beneath my bed... and three more in the garage. I have two entire drawers full of t-shirts, and a good portion of my closet is full of jerseys and sweatshirts. (See picture below, taken both to illustrate my point and also because I needed to reorganize my drawers anyway.) I literally, couldn't possibly add any Sixers stuff into my collection, and what kind of fan doesn't have at least one little t-shirt?

Long story short, I hope the Sixers do well, but for my quality of life, it’s probably better that I don’t partake.

*Author’s Note: Is there a support program for Modells addicts? I wanted to count, but I think it would lead me to face that I actually have a problem. Not to mention, I haven’t done laundry in a while, so I’m pretty sure the total wouldn’t be complete. There will probably be more on this in the future…

The Dip-Off

The 2011 NFL season may be remembered for a lot of things, like the infamous Asante Samuel butt tackle, or the Giants magical run to their second Super Bowl victory over Bradichick. There were plenty of indelible moments, but, for me, this season was about something FAR more important – and it only kind of had to do with football.

In 2010, I missed eight football Sundays due to my then interning responsibilities with the New York Jets. While yes, it was a memorable, informative experience, I couldn’t escape the reality of how much I missed sitting on my couch, watching the games on TV and eating all sorts of fun Sunday snacks. I also really missed sweatpants. It turns out, part of the reason I love football so much is the experience of doing nothing, while doing so much, for 21 delightful Sundays.

I decided to celebrate 2011 with a food competition unlike many have ever seen before. The Dip-Off consisted of a battle between 16 dips – one per Sunday of football season, allowing myself one bye, because it turns out making dip each week is kind of tiring. The best dips would then move on to the playoffs, with the winner being crowned on Dipper Bowl Sunday. (Yeah, no one actually called it that. I just thought of it now. Damn it. I would have napkins made. Anyway…)

The schedule looked like this:

Week 1: 8 Layer Taco Dip

Week 2: Turtle Cheesecake Dip (Yes, Turtle Cheesecake Dip)

Week 3: Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Week 4: Buffalo Chicken Dip

Week 5: Pizza Dip

Week 6: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Week 7: Kahlua Dip

Week 8: Pumpkin Dip

Week 9: Bruschetta Dip

Week 10: Mexican Corn Dip

Week 11: Chili Dip

Week 12: Chocolate Mousse Dip

Week 13: Parmesan Crab Dip

Week 14: Greek Feta and Olive Dip

Week 15: Black Bean Salsa Dip

Week 16: Baked Brie Dip

You’ll see that the dips covered a wide range of ethnicities and types. Dessert tips were completely perfect for night games, and my friends and family have rarely been so thankful for my existence. I was even able to plan ahead and make dips to coincide with special occasions, like Pumpkin Dip around Thanksgiving and Loaded Baked Potato Dip during Wildwood’s Irish Weekend.

At the end of the regular season, I chose six dips to advance to the playoffs, seeded them, and arranged them into a bracket. (Note: The bracket started in the divisional round because I got too confused to try and incorporate Wild Card weekend. Make fun, but you try. It’s hard.) The top two seeds got an automatic bye to Championship Sunday.

The seeds looked like this:

1. Turtle Cheesecake Dip

2. Pizza Dip

3. Bruschetta Dip

4. Pumpkin Dip

5. Baked Brie Dip

6. Black Bean Salsa Dip (Chef’s note: Pair with Magic Hat #9 for a delicious, complimentary orangey flavor)

During Divisional Weekend, it was easy to see who got eliminated from the NFL playoffs, but choosing between strong performances by Dips 3-6 wasn’t as straight forward. A panel of four people (with incredibly strong food judgment, might I add) decided that Pumpkin Dip was a lock to move on, but they were upset that Loaded Baked Potato Dip didn’t make the top six. So, we threw the bracket out the window and replaced Black Bean Salsa Dip with Loaded Baked Potato.

Then, on Championship Sunday, we ate seeds 1 and 2 as well as Loaded Baked Potato, and had to pick two of the six overall to advance to the finals. Turtle Cheesecake Dip and Pizza Dip advanced easily, with Pumpkin Dip coming in a close third. It might not have been a perfect system, but we definitely got the call right.

Then, between the 3^rd and 4^th quarter of the Super Bowl, the people spoke and voted Turtle Cheesecake Dip the winner of the 2011 Dip-Off by a final vote of 8-5.

On behalf of Turtle Cheesecake, I would like to thank all of those who made the Dip-Off possible, including the consumers of the dip, my co-conspirators, and Google. I would like to apologize to the teenage girl at my grocery store who I started to freak out and ended up having to avoid on Saturday mornings because of my no doubt seemingly strange need to buy so much cream cheese every weekend.

Now, what to do in 2012…

Sports Fans Need to Learn How to Window Shop

Sports fans need a serious lesson in window shopping. When you window shop, you go to the mall, walk around, peruse the expensive stuff you’ll never actually buy, and then you leave. Window shopping involves spending no money (except perhaps on a delicious Auntie Anne’s pretzel, which we all know is not actually a waste), and no buyer’s remorse. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

Sounds nice doesn’t it? Well, that’s exactly what All-Star Games are all about. The games give viewers the chance to admire talent they don’t get to see often, all without the pressure and the permanent scars left from Johnny Damon double-steals in the World Series and the like.

Yet, no one seems to watch?

I know the formats aren’t perfect. Fan voting turned All-Star Games into worse popularity contests than homecoming court, and resulted in 87 Ottawa Senators on one hockey team. The Pro Bowl got moved to the Bye week before the Super Bowl to avoid, as Roger Goodell said, "a somewhat anticlimactic" end to the season. Now people hate it even more. Oh, and then there’s Bud Selig and the whole “This Time It Counts (again and again and again),” thing. I mean deciding who gets home field advantage in the World Series by who wins an exhibition game? Really?

Disagree with these things as you might (and I do), the leagues are doing what they can to keep the events alive, bring in some viewers, and draw some revenue from them. It’s a business. I get that part. But what I don’t get is why these games don’t gather the usual, ravenous fan base?

Near as I can figure, it’s the lack of actual competition, which is sort of sad when you think about it. If people can’t be completely emotionally invested in something, it’s like it just doesn’t matter. But isn’t that exactly the point? These games don’t matter. These events are supposed to be an opportunity for the best and brightest to show off their skills and for us the fans to enjoy their talent. No one’s supposed to live or die by these things.

In this year’s NHL All-Star Skills Competition, the sport showed off the fact that it’s stronger than it’s been in a long time. Players that aren’t Ovechkin or Crosby displayed their personalities and talents in a hell of an entertaining evening. Patrick Kane both dressed up like Superman and put together an exploding puck. Goalies were practically doing somersaults in net. And, Daniel Sedin was Daniel Sedin all over the passing competition. (See YouTube here, 13:45 mark or preferably just watch the whole video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TnnohSzTzs) The night had no impact on anything – it was just fun.

The Home Run Derby and Midsummer Classic are two of my favorite days of the year. The best baseball players from the first half of the season gather together to hit the crap out of some baseballs and play each other in an exhibition game, just like all the baseball All-Stars have done every year before them (the Derby as we know since 1985 and the Game since 1933). Players bring their kids, enjoy the honor of being an All-Star and then proceed into the best months of the season. What’s not to like? Why does it have to matter?

I’m sure even on post #2 you’ve all figured out that I’m a bit of a purist, but if you put the best talents in a sport on TV in a celebration of skill, individual achievement, and the sport itself, I’ll be watching… even if I’m the only one.