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

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

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.

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…