This morning on NFL Insiders on ESPN, Stephen A. Smith quadrupled down on Chip Kelly being a racist. Here's what he had to say, courtesy of CSN Philly’s John Gonzalez.
I got stopped on the streets of Philadelphia by members of the Philadelphia Eagles who took the liberty of telling me how uncomfortable they were with [Chip Kelly] because of the manner in which he was treating them.
They felt he was somebody they couldn’t talk to. They felt he was somebody they couldn’t relate to and refused to relate to them. They felt that it was somebody that really, really made them uncomfortable.
And I’ll say that to say this, we’ve got Bill Belichick hardcore, Bill Parcells hardcore. You can go throughout history from the days of Lombardi to Hank Stram to Bud Grant to Jimmy Johnmson to Parcells.
Nothing, nobody, all white, I brought them all up for a reason, all white, nobody has ever said the things about them that they have said about Chip Kelly in Philadelphia.”
Welp. I mean, I guess I can totally buy some random Eagles players stopping Smith on the street while he's walking his dog in his sweatsuit and them opening up to him because he's, you know, such a great psychiatrist.
They may not keep him.
The Sixers are taking Okafor, and are gonna try and buy some time. Not certain he's gonna stay in Philly.
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) June 25, 2015
But they might.
The Sixers plan to keep Okafor --- for good, sources tell Yahoo. He won't be auctioned in a trade.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 25, 2015
If they do, you can say goodbye to Nerlens Noel or Joel Embiid. And I can't see Hinkie getting rid of Embiid before seeing him play. Then again... Hinkie.
The Lakers drafted D'Angelo Russell second overall. I am still trying to compose myself.
UPDATE: Okafor's agent told the Sixers to pass if he was available. They didn't.
Hearing Okafor's agent told the Sixers to pass on him if he's there. Still think the 76ers would grab him at 3 or field offers for the pick.
— Probasketballdraft (@Probballdraft) June 25, 2015
UPDATE II: Here are some Okafor highlights from Duke. Guess it won't matter if he's traded...
UPDATE V: Okafor's dad is great.
UPDATE VI: Knicks fans hate Kristaps Porzingis, who the Knicks took fourth overall.
The reaction inside the Barclays Center to the Knicks taking Porzingis is hysterical. pic.twitter.com/eEid5vuCR5
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) June 26, 2015
UPDATE V: Okafor already Vining for us.
The pick is in...styling and profiling at the 2015 #NBADraft! (Vine by @NBADraft) https://t.co/MQJyadve34
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) June 26, 2015
UPDATE IV: "I'm not too familiar with Philadelphia. But I'm excited to get to know the city a little better." ... "Joel Embiid texted me last night and said see you in Philly." -Okafor during his post-draft press conference.
UPDATE VII: Jake Pavorsky, who is killing it at the draft, says the Sixers may be in on Justise Winslow.
Continue reading "UPDATE: Sixers Draft Jahlil Okafor, Second Round Picks" »
According to a report from the New York Times, Jason Whitlock has been replaced as the head of The Undefeated, an ESPN website set to debut this summer highlighting the "intersection of race and sports."
In a statement, ESPN did not cite any recent incidents that prompted the change but implied that he did not have the management skills to run the site.
The company “decided to make some structural adjustments that will maximize the skill sets and strengths of our team,” ESPN said. The statement also said Whitlock “will now be entirely focused on what he does best: creating distinctive and compelling content, which will live across various ESPN platforms.” ESPN praised his work building the site’s editorial team.
Asked in March how he felt he was evolving as a manager, Whitlock replied, “I think it’s going well because I’m taking it seriously.” He added, “You’ve got to have enough self-awareness to know that you’re going to make mistakes. You can’t let your ego tell you, ‘I’m smarter than everyone, so I don’t make mistakes.’ I’m not smarter than anyone. I’m still the guy with a 2.3 G.P.A.”
This Deadspin story then uncovered some of the reasons why Whitlock's site wasn't getting off the ground - a site that was supposed to be ready for launch back in February and was terribly mismanaged. That story also includes quotes by Whitlock saying if anyone would rather work for a white person instead of a black person, he could make that happen, in what seemed to be a completely out of nowhere comment during a meeting.
Just over a month ago, ESPN and Bill Simmons, who started Grantland, parted ways, and not amicably. It's not known at the present time if Whitlock will be leaving ESPN altogether. Leon Carter will be taking over Whitlock's former duties.
Today, Grantland's Jonah Keri joined Keith Olbermann to talk about baseball. After sifting through the subjects of Torii Hunter and the Red Sox, Ruben Amaro, Jr.'s name came up, and boy did my ears perk.
The subject broached was that of Amaro's reaction to the rumor of requesting two of the Mariners' best prospects [Taijuan Walker and James Paxton] in return for Ben Revere, who sucks. Ruben had to address that trade rumor to make sure people didn't think he was really that dumb. [It didn't work]
The duo then talked about Amaro drafting family members of everybody. Then, good ol' Keith couldn't help himself.
"The snowball behind Ruben is still avoidable but it is picking up steam."
Full video of an otherwise good conversation after the jump.
Continue reading "Keith Olbermann Couldn't Help Taking a Shot at Philly Fans Today" »
Tim Hawk | For NJ.com
DeMarco Murray was very briefly injured today during OTAs. NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks confirmed by tweeting this:
Murray is down. Getting looked at by trainers. Came at the end of a run. #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) June 9, 2015
FIVE MINUTES later he then tweeted this:
Murray back in with first team offense. #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) June 9, 2015
So, for a total of five minutes, the extent of the DeMarco Murray's injury, or lack thereof, was unknown. However, he came right back in and it was business as usual.
Apparently, Cowboys fans either don't know how to read or aren't smart enough to actually follow up with what happened. I'm going to go with a little of both.
Shortly after the tweet confirming he was fine, the cockroaches still were going strong and in fact are still talking about it hours later.
With news of Murray's injury at camp today, please keep it civil. Let's not lower ourselves to the level of Eagles fans.
— Cowboys Nation (@CowboysNation) June 9, 2015
@CowboysNation One of the reasons I was not sad to see him go. But hope it's not serious, that way our D can show we can handle him.
— Raymond Beasock (@ItsBEASOCK) June 9, 2015
@DeMarcoMurray down and trainers helping him off the field! Ya that was a huge mistake not resigning him! 😂😂GTFOH #karmaisabitch #Cowboys
— Geoff Naples (@Cdnbluensilver) June 9, 2015
I hope @DeMarcoMurray get hurt this season ....................... Pussy
— ⛽️Tonioひ (@Bankroll_Yo) June 9, 2015
That's only a few, but to save my computer from a fist through the screen, I won't post any more.
Meanwhile according to ESPN, Murray's replacement, Darren McFadden, is already dealing with a hamstring issue and is a limited participant in the Cowboy's OTAs. Dallas' run game right now is a career back-up who wants Murray's meat, and that's about it.
Yet here Cowboys fans sit, waiting and praying they get to say, "I told you so." Just so they can fully justify what an absolutely idiotic move it was for their team to let Murray walk.
My blood is starting to boil for Cowboys fans and it's only June. The infestation is at an all time high.
UPDATE I:
Parks confirmed the minor injury by asking Murray what happened.
"I got hit in the balls," Murray said as he walked into the locker room.
I'm really starting to like this guy.
Note: Video and audio links included after the jump.
For the second Friday in a row, Stephen A. Smith found himself a athlete. This time, former MVP, Allen Iverson, was the center of the discussion. Why? Because in this book released earlier this week, the story of the practice rant was told, and it included an alcohol-impaired Iverson, allegedly.
Today, Iverson denied that accusation, through the ESPN platform with Stephen A.
"I've known Allen Iverson for 19 years," Smith said. "Allen Iverson and I speak every week. We spoke this morning for 45 minutes. I might know a thing or two about basketball. I might know a thing or two about a lot of things. I know a hell of a lot more about Allen Iverson and I challenge any journalist in America to tell you that they know him better than I do."
"This is a flat-out lie. Allen Iverson was not drunk the day he had that press conference about practice."
Stephen A. goes on to say Iverson told him to not tell him whoever it was that leaked that information because he seemingly thinks it's someone from his "inner circle."
Enter Skip Bayless with a counterpunch. "I don't know Allen Iverson, so I'm coming from a different viewpoint here. ... Not once as I watched [the press conference] did I ever think Allen was impaired while he was speaking. I didn't hear slurred speech, so to your point, I get that. From my perspective, he didn't seem irrational. He seemed like he knew exactly what he wanted to drive on. His point was that 'we're talking about practice'."
Oh, there's more? Go ahead, Skip. "To be fair, to be objective about this, I don't know the writer, Kent Babb. To be fair, his sources were not unnamed here. They were not anonymous here. He is saying that Larry Brown and Pat Croce indicated to him that Allen had been drinking before this press conference. So maybe we need to hear from them at some point how credibly they felt like they were quoted in this book."
Stephen A. began a retort before the video gets cut off at "I find that very, very difficult to believe, and here's why." Your move, Stephen Allen Smiverson. All this... from this.
Video via ESPN and audio from Smith's SiriusXM show after the jump.
DeSean Jackson was a guest on SportsCenter the other day to discuss things [like his new reality show], but of course weighed in on Chip Kelly and the issue of race.
“I’m mean, honestly, I’m further along than that. It’s been two years since I’ve been removed from the Philadelphia Eagles. I’m just excited where I’m at. I don’t really want to get to caught up in what’s going on over there in Philadelphia. LeSean McCoy is one of my great friends and he’s a great running back – he’s one of the best in the league – and I look at myself as one of the best receivers in the league. So as far as being removed from there, I can’t understand, why would you get rid of your best players on the team? It’s their loss. Moving forward, the teams we’re with now is the team’s that’s winning, the teams that’s gaining more of a respect of having them type of guys on the team.”
I... don't know. It's hard for me to even come up with a response to what Jackson said, because the Eagles have 20 wins in the last two seasons under Kelly - who was playing with Andy Reid's guys - while the Bills and Redskins have combined for 22 wins over that span. Soooooooooooooooooooooo.... there's that.
Video below.
The NY Times is reporting that Bill Simmons is leaving ESPN. It may read as well as Simmons leaving now instead of waiting for his contract to expire in September.
“I’ve decided that I’m not going to renew his contract,” said John Skipper, the president of ESPN. “We’ve been talking to Bill and his agent and it was clear we weren’t going to get to the terms, so we were better off focusing on transition.”
Skipper said that the differences between the company and Simmons were “about more than money,” although he would not offer details. He added: “We’ve had an excellent run with Bill, almost 15 years. It’s been good for us and good for him. It was a decision I had to make and he had to make to move forward.”
Grantland, the sports and entertainment site run by Simmons for ESPN, will be unaffected by his departure, Skipper said.
“It long ago went from being a Bill Simmons site to one that can stand on its own,” Skipper said.
Simmons without a doubt has grown a tremendous audience of his own that would probably follow him anywhere that he goes, whether it be Fox, CBS, or even on his own. Grantland won't be the same, though it could probably survive without Simmons. Read the whole story [told from only one point of view, so keep that in mind] here.
Note: I started liking Simmons after he called Roger Goodell a liar last year and got suspended for daring his bosses to fire him. He went right at the NFL and Goodell, and it was awesome.
THIS JUST IN: Cowboys sign former LSU OT La'el Collins. (via ESPN & multiple reports) pic.twitter.com/hEA2rbvkpW
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 7, 2015
Well, I'm not going to lie. This sucks. The Cowboys offensive line is their biggest attribute and they have now added another first-round talent to the mix. .
We told you yesterday that the Eagles were reportedly showing interest in Collins. But, it just didn't seem like the right "culture" fit for the Birds after all the continued rhetoric about getting the right character guys in the locker room.
That doesn't seem to be a concern at all for Jerry and his Cowboys. They were the only team willing to sign Greg Hardy this off-season, and they also drafted the highly controversial defensive end, Randy Gregory, in the second round.
You stay classy, Dallas.
I wonder how Dale Hansen feels about this...
LeSean McCoy recently sat down from an interview with ESPN The Magazine. You can read the entire interview here, and you should.
But the part that you'll be hearing about for at least the next week or so is right here:
You told The Philadelphia Inquirer in April that Chip doesn't "like or respect stars." What was the problem with you and Chip, and how did that relationship end?
The relationship was never really great. I feel like I always respected him as a coach. I think that's the way he runs his team. He wants the full control. You see how fast he got rid of all the good players. Especially all the good black players. He got rid of them the fastest. That's the truth. There's a reason. ... It's hard to explain with him. But there's a reason he got rid of all the black players -- the good ones -- like that. [The Eagles declined to comment on McCoy's statements.]
It seemed as though the dust had finally settled with the front office shake-up, the Mariota madness, and the ridiculous racism speculation surrounding the Eagles. That was until about fifteen minutes ago when this interview was published.
I can not understand how someone in the business that is the NFL, could be so outrageously bitter towards being traded to another team where they are actually making more money. This can not even be considered a rational argument, no matter where you stand.
Yes, Chip Kelly has gotten rid of players with talent. He's let white players and black players go. I honestly feel silly even typing it and I'm just some scrub blogger, let alone a multi-million dollar running back in the NFL.
It's just ridiculous that we have to now tally the white and black players that Kelly has brought in. That I have to mention that Todd Herremans and Nick Foles are white. Or the fact that Chip signed multiple black players in DeMarco Murray, Miles Austin, Walter Thurmond, Byron Maxwell, and resigned Brandon Graham. Or that I need to mention that five of the six players the Eagles just drafted were black.
Perhaps, and I know this is a stretch, Chip Kelly just wants guys who fit his system. Players who fit his "culture". He doesn't like divas and there's nothing wrong with that. These various comments by McCoy are only solidifying Chip Kelly's decision for trading him in the first place.
I think the most accurate description of what is truly going on here are Nick's comments on the matter, after I told him about what McCoy said:
Yup. That pretty much sums it up.
UPDATE I:
Of course Stephen A. Smith and the integrity-filled crew at ESPN First Take had to touch base on all of this:
Philadelphia's collective reaction:
Last night, a report years in the making aired on ESPN's E:60 about the developmental system in WWE now called NXT. Formerly using Ohio Valley Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling, WWE completely revamped their developmental system in 2012 and Triple H [real name Paul Levesque] took over the day-to-day operations and made it what it is today - a legitimate alternative to the main WWE product.
Beginning in 2011, ESPN cameras followed three developmental superstars to see what life was like trying to make it in the sports entertainment business with the globally-renowned WWE. Ray Leppan [Adam Rose], Austin Watson [Xavier Woods] and Matthew Polinsky [Corey Graves] all told their stories in a fascinating way, and in a way that a casual fan, or even someone that hasn't watched professional wrestling ever could understand. Short synopsis: Leppan was homeless for years, boozing it up, and only got a call from WWE after wrestling in South Africa for almost a decade. His first character, Leo Kruger, wasn't good enough for the company's brass, so he was told to come up with a new character or risk being released eventually.
Boy, did he hit a homerun.
Watson was working on his PhD while also trying to become a sports entertainer. He wants to be the first ever sports entertainer with a PhD.
Graves was told by WWE he was disqualified from in-ring competition after suffering too may concussions - they had told him he probably wouldn't stay healthy enough for them to invest in long-term. So they offered him a two-year announcer's contract. His reaction is awesome.
If you missed it, I highly suggest you catch the replay, which is currently slated to air May 12th at 9 PM. More videos after the jump.
Continue reading "The E:60 Piece on WWE's NXT Brand Last Night Was Spectacular" »
Well, that is that.
I never truly believed this would happen and did not want to get my hopes up like much of the city did. The jump from #20 to #2 is something that has never happened before in the NFL Draft. So, to think the Eagles would be able to pull something like that off without offering everything but the solar panels in the Linc parking lot, was a pipe dream from the beginning.
The Twittersphere says that people are pissed. People are calling Chip Kelly a fraud and some have even said they want him gone. These are truly ridiculous statements.
Yes, there has been speculation for months and months that this deal could happen. The media has pelted us with Mariota news and rumors. Every. Single. Day. But, nothing was ever certain.
People, and even some of the media, are already calling this Chip's "failure" to get Marcus Mariota.
"In the end, he kept his promise." @RoobCSN writs about Chip Kelly's failure to land Marcus Mariota: http://t.co/ZDWnpbA6do
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherCSN) May 1, 2015
It's just irresponsible. Chip Kelly told us before, he won't mortgage the future to move up for a player. He said it clear as day.
Yet somehow he is already being labeled a liar and fraud by people? I just don't understand it.
For now, Sam Bradford is your quarterback. Which is something Chip also clearly stated when Bradford arrived here in March.
Eagles pick is coming up soon...
UPDATE I:
#Eagles have drafted Southern Cal WR Nelson Agholor.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) May 1, 2015
The Eagles have selected wide receiver Nelson Agholor with the 20th overall pick. Really liking this pick. The Eagles biggest needs coming into the draft were safety, wide receiver, offensive lineman, and cornerback.They can check one of those off their list now.
Safety is the next biggest hole on this team and I fully expect the Eagles to address that in the very near future.
UPDATE II:
A lot of people really praising the pick. Algholor is being compared to Jeremy Maclin and the combine stats from each of the two are very similar:
Maclin: 6'0/198, 4.48, 10' broad jump, 35 1/2" vert, 7.06 3 cone Agholor: 6'0/198, 4.42, 10'5 broad jump, 36 1/2" vert, 6.83 3 cone #Eagles
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) May 1, 2015
He's also getting some high praise nationally:
Nelson Agholar is a star. I'm so happy production and heart won the day in Philly. Chip Kelly trusted the tape, @PFF @NBCSports
— Cris Collinsworth (@CollinsworthNBC) May 1, 2015
Via BleedingGreenNation:
ESPN's Chris Mortensen had some interesting things to say during an appearance on NFL Live on Monday afternoon. According the NFL Insider, the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to work on a contract extension with Sam Bradford. Here's the transcript:
"Very committed. I mean this is a guy that Chip Kelly traded Nick Foles to the Rams, a conditional second rounder next year, and a fourth round pick this year. They got a fifth round pick back from the Rams.
And they’re trying to work on a contract extension with Bradford. It’s a little bit tricky there. Bradford would like a no-trade clause for this year. So it tells you there’s skepticism right there. But he’s not going to sign an extension with any other team. In other words if there’s another team involved, and you’re trying to get Bradford to them so you can eventually get a guy like Marcus Mariota, Sam Bradford, who has one year left on his contract, will not sign an extension with any team but the Eagles.
And the Eagles want him. And their offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who was the offensive coordinator in St. Louis when Bradford was the Rookie of the Year. He’s rehabbing, he’s getting ready, he’ll up and ready to go certainly no later than August.
I can't remember this much hype going into an NFL Draft in my entire life. The Marcus Mariota talk has been out of control, to say the least.
Now, ESPN Insider, Chris Mortensen, is trying to put some of the fire out with this report. If this is in fact true, and Bradford is awarded an extension with a no-trade clause, you can forget about the Eagles moving up to draft Marcus Mariota.
In my opinion, this report may very well be true. However, I still believe nothing to this extent is going to happen until after Thursday, when the team knows for certain that there is absolutely no way they can make a play for Mariota.
But look at it this way, if Sam Bradford is truly the man Chip Kelly wants running his offense, then that's as far as it goes. There is no other argument. Whether we agree with it or not, Chip is going to try to retain Bradford in such a way that both the Eagles and Bradford are in a good situation. If this means giving him a no-trade clause, so that he'll take a multi-year extension that is more financially beneficial for the team, then that is what he is going to do.
So, people can argue until they are blue in the face about why Sam Bradford is not the right guy.
The bottom line is, while we have been loosing our minds about the coach getting "his guy" on Thursday night, Chip Kelly may very well have his guy already.
Talked to Philly Pretzel Factory (REPORTING!). They sent this box of Tebow Pretzels to @Eagles http://t.co/1qCoveb2je pic.twitter.com/iP4GRiIodE
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) April 20, 2015
Anyone want a Tebow pretzel? (via @PPFpretzels) pic.twitter.com/fRJejkOmeJ
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 20, 2015
There it is. Our potential 3rd string [at best] quarterback has now been immortalized in the form of hot, salty dough.
If you've never bitten the head off a sports figure and then dipped the rest of his body in spicy mustard to finish him off, then you've never lived.
Welcome to the Tebow Circus.
We told you last Monday that The Cuz, Anthony Gargano, would be joining the team over at The Fanatic, but the details were not yet ironed out.
Sources confirmed today, the new morning show will start on Monday.
Via Philly.com:
Starting Monday April 20, former WIP host Anthony Gargano will team up with Jon Marks to launch a new morning show for The Fanatic from 6:00-10:00 a.m., sources have confirmed.
The show, which will also feature Maureen Williams doing news updates and the return of Gargano’s producer at WIP Jamie Lynch (known to many listeners as “Silent Bro”), will replace the nationally-focused “Mike and Mike” show, which has aired since the station became an ESPN affiliate in 2008. Despite the move, I’m told that The Fanatic may not lose its ESPN affiliation, and negotiations with the Bristol-based sports network are ongoing.
Unless you really love hearing about what's going on nationally in sports, there's no reason to not be excited for a new morning voice in Philadelphia.
Whether you love or hate Angelo Cataldi, he was all we had to choose from.
It'll be great to have two guys, in Marks and Gargano, to give Angelo a little run for his money, which is most likely an absurd amount.
Unfortunately, the show may only last two weeks when the Eagles don't draft Marcus Mariota on April 30th and both stations collapse on themselves, leaving only a giant, steaming pile of source speculation.
CrossingBroad.com is reporting that The Cuz will be back on the airwaves in Philadelphia soon, this time with 97.5 The Fanatic:
Anthony Gargano and Jon Marks will co-host a morning show on 97.5 The Fanatic, with little-known Maureen Williams (whom I’m told used to work under WIP Operations Manager Andy Bloom) doing updates, multiple sources tell me. The show is tentatively scheduled to begin next Monday, April 20, but that’s not confirmed. Jamie Lynch, Gargano’s Afternoon producer at WIP – better known as Silent Bro - will be going over to 97.5 as well.
We knew this was only a matter of time when we told you this happened on April Fool's Day.
As of now, ESPN's Mike and Mike is the current morning show on The Fanatic. There is currently no word on whether The Fanatic will lose their ESPN affiliation all together and drop the nationally syndicated show for the new Gargano and Marks morning show.
What seems to be a definite is that Angelo Cataldi and Co. will finally have some competition in the morning time slot.
I wanted to shed some light on this since I'm convinced maybe 75% of the fan base still believes the Eagles will be getting Marcus Mariota a few weeks from now at the NFL Draft.
I'm in the boat that the Eagles will not be getting Marcus Mariota. Hell, I'm probably the one rowing it. I'm also not one to go against science. Especially science performed by the world wide leader in sports. That's basically a notch below NASA.
That being said, Marcus Mariota isn't looking too good after this, right? Best compared to Johnny Manziel? Yikes. I'd probably give him a little more credit than that, but then again I didn't have beakers and Bunsen burner's to come up with my opinion.
What we do know for sure is it's going to be a really interesting draft for this team. Maybe one of the most anticipated since the one in 1999 when the Eagles had the 2nd overall pick and more than 75% of the fan base wanted Ricky Williams.
Of course the Eagles didn't pick Ricky Williams. They picked Donovan McNabb. The fans were belligerently pissed and we were all wrong.
I have a feeling this exact scenario will be happening this year.
There's very few people in life who don't regret anything when they're older. I'm not one of them. Neither is Curt Schilling.
Over the weekend, Schilling penned a letter to a 16-year old via The Players' Tribune. In fact, that 16-year old was himself, warning of the dangers of chewing tobacco. In the letter, Schilling laid out what he's gone through and seen others go through years after chewing tobacco during his Major League years. The beginning was strong, and lets you know just how serious this was for not only Curt, but for others as well.
Dear 16-year-old Curt,
Tomorrow at lunch, a kid is going to dare you to take a dip of Copenhagen. If you say yes, like I did, you’ll be addicted for the rest of your life. Well, the rest of your life up to the point when you are diagnosed with cancer.
I get what you’re thinking. You’re 16 — you’re invincible, just like all your buddies. If you were to jump ahead 33 years, you couldn’t write a better dream than the one your life is going to be.
With one exception.
If you say yes tomorrow, you will become addicted to chewing tobacco and you will get mouth cancer.
The rest of Schilling's letter almost reads like an autobiography. In it, he mentions the death of his father, which occurred due to complications stemming from his own tobacco use. This is probably a letter most parents want to write to their kids about the mistakes they've made when they were their kids' age, whether it's threatened their life quality now or not. But this isn't just a letter detailing what tobacco use led to for Schilling. This is a wake up call to current baseball players, from high school all the way up to the Majors, who think chewing tobacco won't affect them in the future. They still think they're invincible. That they'll be the ones not having to worry about throat cancer in the future if they chew tobacco just this once. Once becomes twice. Twice becomes thrice. Before they know it, they've just increased their risk of throat cancer.
I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for Curt to write that. And, actually, maybe it wasn't difficult for him to write it at all. But he certainly made his point.
It's really an excellent read, so check it out here.
Maybe, just maybe, Darrelle Revis should not lie about being hacked and just own up to being an idiot on social media? You'd think these professional sports teams would give seminars on how athletes need to use social media, but the more and more we see stuff like this, the more I wonder if they really do educate their athletes on using it?
Anyway, that's all I got. And...
Here's your weekly reminder to check out The Philly Voice. As the pro wrestling contributor for The Philly Voice, I review WWE's Monday Night Raw and SmackDown, along with updates on any late-breaking WWE news. My Raw Roundup and SmackDown Rundown are posted on Tuesday and Friday mornings, respectively, along with any breaking WWE news during the week or weekend. I'll also have recaps of each and every monthly WWE pay-per-view. Check it out now!
Let's run it down:
Yeah, it's kind of like that.
The second annual Philly sports roast is next Thursday. We'll have a post on it later today on what you can expect. Hint: Mitch Williams and Lenny Dykstra.
A Philadelphia legend passed away last Thursday. Here are some great tributes to the late Stan Hochman.
Jordan Speith won the Masters, shooting 18-under 270. He's eight years younger than I am.
Photo via PGA Tour Facebook page
Juan Samuel translated for Odubel Herrera after he won the game Saturday night with his first career hit.
Meanwhile, a Phillies minor leaguer was charged with domestic violence.
And speaking of the Phillies, they had their lowest attendance ever at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night. A Friday night in April. Against a division rival. Lowest attendance ever.
A college football game broke out at a baseball game this weekend.
A soldier surprised his parents at a Coyotes game.
Hillary Clinton is running for president in 2016. But you... you already knew that.
Doubt this is true, but there was one report from a high schooler that NFL films had footage of LeSean McCoy threatening to hit Chip Kelly during the Eagles' last game of the season.
Bartolo Colon is better than a lot of Phillies hitters.
The Leafs didn't waste any time overturning their staff. And now, we wait for the Flyers to [hopefully] do the same.
Russell Westbrook incurred his 16th technical foul of the NBA season yesterday, and it's going to cost him. Here's Kevin Durant's reaction:
This woman might be the worst person on earth.
Here's Ricky Bottalico talking about the time he brawled with not only Barry Bonds, but also with Curt Schilling... when they both were on the same team.
Over the weekend, Joey Casselberry from Bloomsburg University was dismissed from the baseball team after sending a ridiculous tweet aimed at Mo'ne Davis and the movie Disney will be making about her. Some time between then and now, Davis and her Taney head coach, Alex Rice, requested via email to the university president, David L. Soltz, that they reconsider their decision to dismiss Casselberry from the team.
However, even after Davis' and Rice's request, the Soltz says they'll be "standing firm" in their decision. [TMZ]
TMZ Sports spoke with a rep for Bloomsburg who tells us ... President David L. Soltz received an email from Davis and her coach in which they ask that Joey Casselberry's dismissal from the team be reconsidered.
Casselberry was booted from the squad this weekend after he posted a tweet saying, "Disney is making a movie about Mo'ne Davis? WHAT A JOKE. That s*** got rocked by Nevada."
The team said Casselberry violated the athletic department's social media policy -- and possibly the school's code of conduct.
While Bloomsburg says they respect Davis' opinion and praise her for being incredibly mature about the situation -- the school will NOT reinstate the baseball player ... saying, "Right now we're standing firm."
Mo'ne legitimately seems like she knows people are getting tired of her exposure, and actually bringing it up is something we rarely see anyone do, much less a now-famous teenager.
This is the type of second chance I'm on board with. However, the baseball player in question shouldn't be brought back onto the team until next year at the earliest. It still was a ridiculous thing to do, and regardless of the mistake, he needs to pay the price.
Video after the jump.
The Patriots are signing former Eagles CB Bradley Fletcher. (via @MikeReiss) pic.twitter.com/SQjnwd1MD3
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 18, 2015
Are we missing something here? First, Cary Williams signs with the Super Bowl losing Seahawks. Now, Bradley Fletcher signs with the Super Bowl Champion Patriots. I can maybe understand the Williams signing. He's gritty and plays the physical style the Seahawks defense likes. Plus, he actually has two incredible safeties on that team to protect him.
But, Fletcher to the Patriots? I would have guessed at best the Philadelphia Soul if he was lucky. I don't know. Maybe we are all crazy. Maybe Billy Davis isn't a good defensive coordinator. Maybe the Patriots can turn garbage into gold (See: Patrick Chung). What I do know is, if I hear the term "Fletcher Island" this year and it's not intended to be a joke, I may get in the fetal position and cry for a little while.
Here's President Obama's bracket.
Why I oughta...
Video after the jump.
Lost in the shuffle of what has been an insane roller coaster ride in Philadelphia the last few days has been the emergence of Nerlens Noel's campaign for Rookie of the Year. Last week Grantland, who for all intents and purposes is the best place to read about the NBA, had a fantastic piece on Noel and his exploits so far this season. It is an absolute must read for any Sixers fan. Seriously, read it.
But for nonconformists who rebel against the tyranny of points, Nerlens Noel is your guy. The Sixers’ 20-year-old rookie is a lanky strand of sinew with a Big Daddy Kane flattop, a limited offensive game, and some of the most stunning defensive numbers ever posted by someone of his tender age. Not only does Noel lead all rookies in rebounds, blocks, and steals, he’s also the only NBA player in the top 10 in both blocks (eighth) and steals (10th). That’s not, you know, normal.
Since the All-Star break, Noel has averaged 11.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 2.8 steals a night. He rejected nine shots in a game against the Pacers last month. In the Sixers’ recent upset of the Hawks, he amassed 11 points, 17 rebounds, and five steals. (He has an absurd total of 19 acts of thievery in his last four games.) If you want to unspool a convincing narrative for why Noel should be rookie of the year, look no further than his defense.
....
Basically, he’s a 6-foot-11, 228-pound cable of razor wire that stretches from the rim to the 3-point line, with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and tightly coiled springiness. He ends up at locations and altitudes far more rapidly than opponents expect. On a single possession, he might poke the rock away from a point guard, swipe at the dribble of a big man posting up, and then bound across the paint to alter a shot as the weakside helper. According to Brown, Noel’s exceptional attributes include ambidextrous shot-blocking, an uncanny sense of timing, and a pogo-stick second jump. Plus, with the NBA’s emphasis on pick-and-rolls, the ability for a center to switch onto point guards is critical when assembling an effective modern defense.
Noel has become a defensive monster for the Sixers as the article points out. There's a reason he is part of Sam Hinkie's "master plan" unlike his former AAU teammate Micheal Carter-Williams, who was shipped out a month ago. Noel is quickly showing his potential may be more than even Sixers fans could have imagined. He is putting up historic numbers for a rookie on the defensive side of the ball and is becoming a very exciting player to watch.
The only downfall for him, and why I believe he won't win ROY, is the simple fact that his offensive game has not caught up yet. That's not to say he isn't deserving of the award, because I think he is. I just believe the NBA is all about scoring when it comes to these things. So, while Andrew Wiggins may average more points a night and have a much higher field goal percentage that will most likely earn him ROY, he probably doesn't have the same overall impact when he's on the floor for the Timberwolves as Noel does for the Sixers.
Grantland expresses that sentiment here:
Advanced metrics support the eye test. Noel’s Defensive Box Plus/Minus ranking is second in the NBA, his Defensive Rating is eighth, and, according to SportVU player tracking, opponents shoot only 45 percent at the basket against him, which places him in elite rim-protector territory. The Sixers surrender 99.5 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor — which is slightly better than the Rockets and Blazers, the third- and fourth-best defenses in the league. He’s the primary reason Philly’s defense has jumped from 27th last year to 12th this season — and it plunges back down when he leaves the hardwood, according to NBA.com.
The upside and excitement for a fan base here is Noel is only 20 years old. Think about that. He is already so advanced defensively that he may be looking at a Defensive Player of the Year Award in his future. I would think he's already a lock for at least the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in just his first year. His offense is something that can and will grow. Keep in mind, Noel played exactly 24 games at Kentucky before he was injured. That's it. He's still practically learning how to play the game. His raw talent combined with Brett Brown's direction and patience is something I believe will pay dividends for this team in big ways for years to come.
If you haven't watched many Sixers games this year, and let's be honest not many people have, here's great highlight reel for Noel so far this season:
Also, here's a future highlight reel of Joel Embiid, probably:
Well, how about this: Former Broncos and Patriots QB Tim Tebow is working out today for the Philadelphia Eagles, a source confirmed.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2015
Just when I crack a joke about things dying down around here, the very fabric of our Philadelphia football society inches one step closer to complete and total annihilation.
What is going on? Honestly.
I don't get. You don't get it. No one gets it.
Your 2015 Philadelphia Eagles, ladies and gentlemen.
UPDATE I: Just to be clear, I don't believe Tebow actually signs here for a millisecond. Chip worked out Terrelle Pryor last year as well and nothing came of it.
But, just to realize the media circus that comes with Tebow, it was tweeted out by Adam Schefter that Tebow was working out with the Eagles twenty minutes ago. Now this:
So news surfaces that Tim Tebow worked out for the Eagles today. And #TebowTime is the No 1 trend....WORLDWIDE. pic.twitter.com/7Ae6PDFJgN
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 16, 2015
Unbelievable.
UPDATE II: Just in case you were coping with this news by assumnig Tebow was being worked out as a TE or something other than QB, he wasn't.
Tebow worked out with Eagles as a quarterback, source said.
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) March 16, 2015
UPDATE III: Well, that was quick.
Tim Tebow has come and gone from Philadelphia. Team is not planning to sign him at this time. We'll see if anything changes.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2015
Exhale.
Darren McFadden reportedly agrees to deal with Cowboys. His 3.34 yds/rush the last 3 years are 2nd-fewest in NFL (behind Trent Richardson).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 13, 2015
Remember all those those Cowboys fans yesterday talking about how DeMarco Murray wasn't good anyway because he gets hurt a lot? Good times.
Well, if Dallas wanted to prove they have the best offensive line in football, here's their chance. One thing is for sure, the Eagles did a fantastic job bottling up Murray last year when they played the Cowboys. So, I don't necessarily see McFadden as any sort of threat. He's kind of just...there.
Jimmy Kempski did a great job articulating what I'm trying to say:
My official DeMarco Murray vs Darren McFadden analysis: pic.twitter.com/W7GRlZrz2q
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) March 13, 2015
Per @AdamSchefter, Murray is coming to Philadelphia today with the intent to sign a contract.
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) March 12, 2015
Ryan Mathews has NOT signed his contract yet. Interesting.
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherCSN) March 12, 2015
Ryan Mathews agreed to a deal with PHIL, he did not sign a deal. Question will be whether he signs if and when Eagles sign DeMarco Murray.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
Members of DeMarco Murray's inner circle are headed to Philly, which tells you where this situation is going.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) March 12, 2015
The DeMarco Murray news has not skipped a beat this morning. Multiple reports about Murray fully intending on signing with the Eagles. I don't know how they are going to work out his contract and cap hit or if they'll let Mathews walk.
The Eagles may even restructure current contracts or cut Demeco Ryans. It's all up in the air at this point. One thing is for sure, we will know very soon whether or not the NFL's leading rusher will be dawning midnight green next season.
More to come...
UPDATE I: You can follow the actual flight that DeMarco Murray is on, because we are Philly fans and are insane, here. Murray's flight is scheduled to land around 2:30pm.
UPDATE II:
Filed to ESPN: DeMarco Murray, en route now to Philly, is expected to sign with Eagles, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
Dallas now calling around for other RBs. Cowboys know they've lost DeMarco Murray to the Eagles.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
Still hesitant to believe it. But things are really looking like Murray will be an Eagle.
UPDATE III:
I still think Murray is in the air, but ESPN's Adam Schefter says this is a sure thing. He tweeted this moments ago:
DeMarco Murray's deal with Eagles is expected to be 5 years, $42 million, including $21 million guaranteed, per @mortreport and I.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
This is all but happening, people. DeMarco Murray will be a Philadelphia Eagle.
UPDATE IV: DeMarco says it was never about money. Sure. But it's about winning the Super Bowl. He thinks the Eagles have a better chance at winning the Super Bowl next season than the Cowboys.
"It was never about the money in any situation," Murray texted ESPN.com's Todd Archer. "If it was the money, I could've taken that a long time ago on a very high deal. It's about winning a Super Bowl and being fair."
Murray is expected to sign a five-year, $42 million deal, including $21 million guaranteed, with the Eagles, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen.
Of the $21 million, $18 million is guaranteed for skill and injury.
Let that sink in, Skip.
UPDATE V:
Former Chargers RB Ryan Mathews is STILL signing with the Eagles. He'll share the backfield with DeMarco Murray. (via @AdamSchefter)
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 12, 2015
Here we go. Murray, Mathews, Sproles/Polk is set to be your Eagles backfield. I would assume another move is going to be made. They do not need four running backs.
That being said, just a healthy Murray and Mathews is a tremendous duo to have. If Sproles is still here, watch out.
UPDATE VI: The Eagles have made it official. It's a five-year deal for DeMarco Murray.
#WaitingForDeMarco is over.
#Eagles agree to terms on a five-year deal with the reigning @nfl rushing leader. pic.twitter.com/fKmkEmd2RT
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 12, 2015
Tonight, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that DeMarco Murray would be traveling to Philly tomorrow to meet with the Eagles. This was hours after rampant speculation that there was a very real possibility that Murray could sign with the Eagles as early as tonight.
Current Philadelphia Eagle, Emmanuel Acho, thought it would be fun to reply to a tweet sent almost four years ago.
“@DeMarcoMurray: On my way to the airport. Headed to Philly!..” Make it a one way ticket! #Eagles
— Emmanuel Acho (@thEMANacho) March 12, 2015
The word is DeMarco still wants to go back to Dallas, but Dallas isn't showing a lot of interest in bringing him back unless it's their price, which is reportedly $5 million per year. So, this is either Murray's way of trying to lift that price tag, or he's really considering his only option that'll pay him more than Dallas.
But now, the Eagles have DeMarco's college teammate, Sam Bradford, who may be able to sway the running back into not leaving Philadelphia without a new contract. I'm not for or against this yet. To me, it's more intriguing than anything. I don't hate it, but I don't love it.
DeMarco Murray renewed Eagles' interest w personal call to Chip Kelly; not just spread offense ran at Oklahoma; Sam Bradford's roommate, too
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) March 11, 2015
To ask a question and then answer it myself: Are the #Eagles in it for DeMarco Murray? Yes. it is very real.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2015
DeMarco Murray top choice is #Eagles. The #Raiders & #Jaguars trail. NFL source doesn't believe Jacksonville has or will offer a big deal.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 11, 2015
Is it getting hot in here? If this is somehow pulled off and Murray is signed by the Eagles for less than they would have paid McCoy, Philadelphia is going to have one hell of an emotional turn around.
I don't want to get too excited for the possibility, but its tough not to when some of the biggest names in the NFL trade rumor business keep shoving these tweets in my face.
Murray is talking to Chip over the phone. Bradford has been calling and texting him. Hell, I'll buy him a years worth of cheesesteaks if he'd sign.
Hopefully, more to come...
You could probably replace "DeMarco Murray" in that headline with probably every free agent currently, but I digress. According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, the Eagles and free agent running back DeMarco Murray have mutual interest in joining as one. Or something.
Adam Caplan on NFL Insiders just said the Eagles and Cowboys free agent RB DeMarco Murray have mutual interest. pic.twitter.com/nFLkvKiPmG
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 10, 2015
Murray wouldn't be too shabby of a replacement for Frank Gore, who decided Chip Kelly's "overbearing approach" wasn't the way for him to go, according to FOX Sports' Mike Garafolo.
A source said Gore also indicated to a friend he was concerned with what he heard about Kelly's overbearing approach in Philly. Kelly's intense, no-nonsense approach — which has helped make him successful throughout his college and professional coaching career — initially rubbed McCoy the wrong way, though McCoy and Kelly were able to patch up their relationship for a good part of their two seasons together. However, receiver DeSean Jackson and cornerback Cary Williams were among those who didn't mesh well with Kelly's philosophy, and Williams indicated Kelly's lengthy, up-tempo practices were an issue for veterans who wanted to rest their bodies during the week.
I think it's hilarious Gore reportedly had a problem with Chip Kelly's system of running things. Plenty of players love it. The ones that don't are obviously more vocal about it, but you've seen more players the last two years say good things about the way Chip runs things, because they're not as loud as the LeSean McCoys and Cary Williams of the world. In hindsight, it was probably a good thing Chip didn't sign a 32-year-old running back to be his featured back in the offense.
Filed to ESPN: Rams close to trading QB Sam Bradford to Philadelphia for Nick Foles and draft-pick compensation, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2015
Holy Shit.
UPDATE I: I'm going to guess Bradford will be flipped to another team so the Eagles are able to move up in the draft.
UPDATE II:
Alright ... The basic agreement between the Rams and Eagles includes a swap of picks this year and a conditional going to Philly next next.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 10, 2015
UPDATE III:
Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was Rams offensive coordinator in 2010 when Sam Bradford won OROY. #Eagles
— Bryn Swartz (@eaglescentral) March 10, 2015
A lot of things pointing to Eagles keeping Bradford. But, it's only been a few minutes since this trade was announced..
UPDATE IV:
Calm down people... Just let the mad scientist go to work. #woosah
— Malcolm Jenkins (@MalcolmJenkins) March 10, 2015
Malcolm Jenkins wants us to trust the process.
UPDATE V: HUGE if true.
Alright ... The basic agreement between the Rams and Eagles includes a swap of picks this year and a conditional going to Philly next next.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 10, 2015
If true, Eagles will now have the 10th pick in the draft. Could be just what they needed paired with Bradford or other assets to trade even higher for Mariota.
UPDATE VI:
Updated NFLN graphic time. Eagles get Bradford, 10th and conditional 2016 pick for Foles and 20th. Advantage: Eagles pic.twitter.com/hgOvK0RJoJ
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) March 10, 2015
Nothing about the picks has been made "official", but NFL Netowrk seems to believe it is indeed a first round pick swap in the trade.
UPDATE VII: Sal Paolantonio said on 97.5 The Fanatic that through a family member of Nick Foles, he's overly excited to be leaving Philadelphia. I sad now.
Sal Pal: "Just talked to someone from Nick Foles family - he is absolutely pumped, overjoyed he's out of Philly."
— 975TheFanatic (@975TheFanatic) March 10, 2015
UPDATE VIII: The trade is now official, and it looks pretty terrible for the Eagles.
Eagles acquire QB Sam Bradford and 5th round draft pick in 2015 from Rams for QB Nick Foles, 4th round pk in 2015 and 2nd round pick in 2016
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) March 10, 2015
If Bradford doesn't start for the Eagles in 2016, they're getting back their second round pick. I think Bradford's being shipped elsewhere.
UPDATE IX: OK, so this may have gotten even worse.
Eagles will surrender 2016 2nd-round pick to Rams in QB trade no matter what. But will get back a conditional... http://t.co/xdhr2CLpWD
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2015
Eagles do not get that 2nd rounder back at all. So, I'm not really sure what is going on. Is Bradford a better fit than Foles in Chip's offense? I guess. But this move is so far out of left field that not a single person in Philadelphia is going to agree with it.
Still think they make a move for Mariota. Won't make final judgement until after the draft.
Have to give Chip credit. He's putting it all on the line to get the personnel he wants. He doesn't care what anyone else thinks and knows if it doesn't work out it will entirely be on him. Big Balls, indeed.
Thankful for the opportunity to start my career in Philly. Going to miss my teammates & Eagles fans who supported me. pic.twitter.com/x40rRlWzZJ
— Nick Foles (@NFoles_9) March 11, 2015
Goodbye, Nicky.
Other Eagles have chimed in:
“@NFoles_9: Thankful for the opportunity to start my career in Philly. pic.twitter.com/laPgH8cBJ3” You. Are. The. Man!
— Emmanuel Acho (@thEMANacho) March 11, 2015
Good luck to one of the greatest friends and teammates I've ever had @NFoles_9 in St. Louis! pic.twitter.com/IEyTv40HtN
— Zach Ertz (@ZERTZ_86) March 11, 2015
@NFoles_9 good luck bro #classof2012
— Vinny Curry (@MrGetFlee99) March 11, 2015
@NFoles_9 My wife left me
— Peter Laviolette (@fakelavy) March 11, 2015
Say what you will about Nick Foles, but he was an absolute class act from the day he started here. Best of luck in St. Louis. As for us, may God have mercy on our souls.
Via ESPN.com:
Philadelphia Phillies officials said Tuesday that Dr. James Andrews agrees with their diagnosis that the MRI of Cliff Lee's torn common flexor tendon shows no apparent change, but general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the team is "not terribly optimistic" that the veteran left-hander can avoid surgery.
On Tuesday, Lee threw lightly for the first time since reporting pain in the flexor tendon Friday. He has been cleared to resume a progression toward a "normal" throwing program again, Amaro said. However, if Lee feels discomfort, the GM said, "The next order of progression, I guess, would be to have a surgery."
...
Asked why Lee continues to feel discomfort if the MRI shows no additional injury, Sheridan replied: "Well, the MRI, he has a tear in it [the elbow], so he's still feeling that. There will be some changes in his MRI for the rest of his life. There will always be something on there. And you have to understand: The MRI doesn't always match up with the symptoms that you're treating. You can't treat the MRI. You treat the player."
...
Asked if he could damage the tendon by trying to pitch through it, he answered: "That's a question for the doctors. I don't know. I was wondering the same thing. I could try. I want to try. We'll see what happens."
Cliff Lee didn't sound optimistic he'll get better: "I’m not going to go out there in pain to where something bad can potentially happen."..
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) March 10, 2015
Sad turn of events here for Clifton. I totally can understand that Lee doesn't want to further injure his arm, especially for a team projected to be dead last in the MLB this year. But now is trade value is back to zero. So, sucks to suck, nerd.
This is no longer about whether or not Lee can stay healthy enough to get another pitching job. It's about Lee being healthy enough to enjoy the rest of his life with an arm that doesn't cause him pain every day.
Both parties seem like they are moving forward with cautious no optimism. However, I'd be surprised if this works out to where Lee not just pitches for the Phillies, but pitches at all the rest of his career. He has a torn flexor tendon in his left elbow - still - and it likely won't heal unless he gets surgery. [CSN Philly]
“We’re not terribly optimistic, but there’s still a possibility he can come back and throw with a minimal amount of discomfort,” Amaro said. “But we’ve tried to do this, rehab him non-surgically twice now, and the next order of progression, I guess, would be to have a surgery if it doesn’t pan out. Or at least that would be the suggestion from the doctors. Again, we’re not to that point yet. We’ll have to see how he does with his throwing progression moving forward.”
How much longer will Lee continue to throw before a decision is made?
“It may not even take a couple of weeks,” Amaro said. “It may take a couple of days. A lot of it will depend on how he does when he continues his throwing progression.”
Video after the jump.
Continue reading "Things Are Not Looking Good for Cliff Lee and the Phillies" »
FOX 29 News Philadelphia | WTXF-TV
Howard Eskin comes in with his fantastic comments on Stephen A. Smith around the 2:45 mark.
We don't get many opportunities like this, so I wanted to make sure we all can join together to appreciate this moment. No truer words have ever been spoken. Just a complete beat down on Smith by Eskin here and I loved every second of it.
I didn't want to touch base on the "Chip Kelly is racist" presumption made by Stephen A. Smith yesterday because it was simply one of the more ridiculous things I had ever heard. I honestly didn't even want to give it the time of day. However, it blew up and became a national story.
So, I will say this, what Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless do on First Take is embarrassing. It's embarrassing for ESPN. It's embarrassing for sports. Most importantly, it's embarrassing for its audience. They need to generate buzz and say outrageous things to get ratings. They are fame and attention whores who purposefully say and make ridiculous claims to receive a societal pat on the head to symbolize, "OK, we still know you're here." Much like clowns honking their horns on unicycles to get any sort of reaction. They are the Kardashians of ESPN.
All that being said, I completely understand why Smith said what he did. Because that is what he, and the program First Take, are all about. That part doesn't bother me. What bothers me is the people who actually listen to what these morons have to say and take it seriously. They hear garbage like this and think it could actually have any sort of real substance.
Is Chip Kelly racist? I don't know. I don't know him. Neither does Smith, apparently. But I'd venture a guess and say no, and if I was proved wrong, I'd admit it. Stephen A. Smith can say something like this with no merit or any real logical thinking behind it and it is coast-to-coast viral in less than 10 minutes. Chip Kelly will always have this associated with his name when being talked about by people who actually take what Stephen A. Smith says as anything more than a joke. That is what's wrong here.
This is the sad truth that will come from something that shouldn't have been said on national television. Stephen A. knew exactly what he was doing.
UPDATE I: Just in case you were wondering if any sort of apology or clarification would be made by Stephen A. Smith today, here's your answer...
Some very bad news for SOME of you out there: @ESPN_FirstTake is coming at us right now and SO AM I. Still here. Damn Skippy.#BuckleUp
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 10, 2015
UPDATE II: Here is what Smith had to say on the matter today on First Take. Via ProFootballTalk.com:
“It lends itself towards validating what I was trying to say yesterday,” Smith said. “And I know that made a few folks uncomfortable. So be it. I stand by what I said yesterday. And I pointed out how DeSean Jackson is gone, LeSean McCoy is gone,Jeremy Maclin is gone, but Riley Cooper is still here. I wonder why that is? That has obviously provoked some people to sit there and say I went on the air and called Chip Kelly racist. That is a lie, that is false, that is inaccurate. But it’s not surprising, because that’s what people want to do sometimes, just because they have a problem with you because I do have the ability to make some people uncomfortable, sometimes. I must acknowledge it actually makes me smile, it doesn’t bother me one bit. I know I’m going to make people uncomfortable sometimes, sitting in this chair. Such is life.”
Smith also went on to say that former Eagles offensive lineman Tra Thomas has said on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia that some of the team’s African-American players feel like they are treated differently by Kelly, that Smith doesn’t know Kelly well enough to label him, but that: (1) the decision to get rid of Jackson, McCoy, and Maclin but to keep Cooper is confusing; and (2) Kelly needs to remove that confusion.
“I have a right to sit back and legitimately ask the question. What is your agenda? Culturally, personality-wise. You’ve got nine players from Oregon. Is it gonna be the Oregon Ducks . . . or is there something else going on? I have a right to ask that question, and I don’t care what anybody says.”
...
“You’ve got people in Philadelphia that literally look at Chip Kelly and say, ‘What’s up with this dude?'” Smith said. “Now, they don’t know. They ain’t calling him out. They’re not labeling him. They’re not defining him. But they are asking questions. What’s up with this dude when a DeSean Jackson, a LeSean McCoy, a Jeremy Maclin’s gone but Riley Cooper’s here. What is up with that? I’m sorry, but I have a right to ask that question.”
Here is the video of Ex-Eagle Tra Thomas talking about Chip and these comments this morning:
FOX 29 News Philadelphia | WTXF-TV
Awesome. That should end that. Definitely won't be hearing anything about this again...
I apologize for the poor quality. Direct all hate mail to @NickPiccone
I don't even really want to dignify this with a response. People know what Stephen A. Smith is all about, so this shouldn't be taken that seriously. But I wanted to post it so you know what's going on when you're at the wooder cooler.
If you can't watch, I'll just break it down very quickly:
DeSean Jackson + LeSean McCoy + Jeremy Maclin = African Americans who are no longer on the team.
Riley Cooper = White and is still on the team.
Riley Cooper said racist thing = Cooper is racist.
Riley Cooper plays for Chip Kelly = Chip Kelly is racist.
Brilliant.
Editor's note: I knew this was coming from somebody in the media. Not surprising at all that it's from Stephen A. Smith. Chip has made some questionable calls in releasing DeSean Jackson for nothing, and trading LeSean McCoy in what we can arguably call his prime. He didn't break the bank for Jeremy Maclin, a receiver who likely had the best season of his career under Chip Kelly, and who likely won't see that production again. I honestly believe that. But... what if?
What if Chip released DeSean Jackson because he was a continuous problem [just like he was under Andy Reid - Reid even suspended him for one game because of it] in the locker room and Chip had enough of it? That seems like a fairly good reason to cut someone.
LeSean McCoy clearly took a step back last season and was going into this season with a $10+ million cap hit. He might have had a bounce-back year, but at that price, I'll take Kiko Alonso and Frank Gore. Oh, and Byron Maxwell. McCoy's trade helped facilitate all of that. Gore will probably be used in a three-RB rotation, which I'm completely okay with. That's what more and more NFL teams are starting to do. And, we always know Chip is in the forefront of change.
Jeremy Maclin doesn't deserve $11 million per year, but good for him for getting it. The Chiefs probably need him way more than the Eagles do. If the truth is, and I don't see any reason why it isn't, the Eagles always had receivers wide open during the season. Foles and Sanchez just couldn't get them the ball a lot of the time. But, they also did get them the ball a lot of the time. The Eagles will sign a veteran receiver and they'll be fine.
But, don't listen to me. Here's what Stephen A. said on ESPN this morning. [Transcript via SportsGrid]
Stephen A.: "Chip Kelly makes decisions over the last couple of years that, dare I say, leave a few brothas feeling uncomfortable. We're sitting there looking at some of these decisions that Chip Kelly makes and I'm like, 'What is...? What's up with that?' You got to be his kind of guy, you know, and I'm like, 'Cooper if your kind of guy?'"
Skip: "He's creating a system of culture that he wants it to be on his terms."
SAS: "Let's get beyond the system. The operative words is culture. The culture is what resonates with me more profound because I'm looking at a Chip Kelly and I'm like, 'Really?' You got to remember, Skip, where did I work for 16 years? This is Philadelphia! You know what I'm saying? I'm always in Philly. I'm telling you right now, you got people walking the streets - hell with it - you got brothas walking the streets going like this, 'What's up with Chip? I don't understand it.' I really don't understand. I'm not saying I know but I'm just going to say it does strike me as a tad bit odd. I'm going to repeat this one. Gone, LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin, you know, DeSean Jackson. Staying, Cooper. Really? Really?"
Smith went on his SiriusXM show and said he didn't imply anything racist. Alright, then.
That's... also ridiculous. Jeremy Maclin is good. He was great in Chip Kelly's offense. I think he'll be good in Andy Reid's offense. The Chiefs needed a wide receiver after failing to score a touchdown with one last season.
But... $11 million per season? The Eagles offer reportedly came in at just under $10 million per season. So, it wasn't exactly that the Eagles refused to pay big money for Maclin. Whether that was the best offer other than the Chiefs Maclin received remains to be seen. Honestly, I felt like a team would overpay Maclin after the Packers re-signed Randall Cobb for a $10 million/season deal. It doesn't surprise me that it was the Chiefs.
...
Keith, WHERE ARE YOU?
Hey, I'm just here photoshopping a Jeremy Maclin pic with a lot of money...
Is Maclin worth that much? To me, he's not. It only seems that way because we currently have a wide receiving corps that is a cause for concern. According to NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks, Maclin would now be the 7th highest paid receiver in the NFL.
I love Jeremy Maclin and am appreciative of everything he has done for the Eagles, but that is just too much in my opinion. The Chiefs may not even get 1,000 yards from him this year if last season was any indication of how their wide receivers are utilized. I'd honestly be shocked if he gets near his totals from last season.
The Eagles will find a replacement for him. A religiously offensive-minded coach like Chip will not risk points by not filling wide receiver positions with capable bodies.
Look at it this way, they have three legitimate personnel options in Matthews, Cooper, and Huff. Last time I checked, the Eagles usually head into the season with more than three WRs on their active roster.
Give it some time, Philadelphia. Free agency hasn't even technically started yet and we are already writing off the team and it's coach. Take notes from Aaron Rodgers and R-E-L-A-X.
We'll update you when the official terms of the contract are released.
Do you think he's worth that much? Tweet and yell really horrible things at me to get your point across: @KeithBurkhardt
Photo credit: Yong Kim
ESPN's Chris Mortensen just reported that Jeremy Maclin plans to go home, and reunite with Andy Reid and become a Kansas City Chief.
That's somewhat crushing news. Not only does that leave the Eagles will very little wide receiver depth currently - I'm sure they will get some veterans in there - but the fact that Maclin's leaving after the entire message from both he and the Eagles was he was likely going to re-sign is stunning. I honestly didn't expect it.
More as it develops.
A few weeks ago, it was reported that ESPN won exclusive broadcasting rights in the United States for the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the third installment of the hockey tournament that was once played in Philadelphia back in 1996. Yesterday, the agreement was made official. From the press release:
“We are thrilled to resume our partnership with Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League and to work closely with Gary and Don Fehr of the National Hockey League Players’ Association to make the World Cup of Hockey on ESPN a reality,” said John Skipper, ESPN President. “We look forward to presenting this compelling tournament, with national pride at stake, to fans both in the United States and internationally.”
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman added, "ESPN broadcast the prior World Cup of Hockey, from Air Canada Centre. Now the World Cup is returning, with ESPN broadcasting in the U.S. We are very pleased and hope our fans will be, as well."
“We are excited to have ESPN as our broadcast partner for what is going to be an incredible tournament featuring over 150 of the top hockey players in the world,” said Don Fehr, NHLPA Executive Director. “ESPN’s reach and storytelling approach will expose our players’ skill and personalities, something that we know will resonate with fans as the tournament unfolds.”
This tournament will occur next September at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The countries being represented are: the United States, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, and two All-Star teams consisting of under-23 European and North American players.
Though, this doesn't mean the NHL will return to ESPN any time soon. Their deal with NBC runs through the 2020-2021 season. But this is a huge step for the NHL to rebuild their brand within the U.S., given how ESPN's coverage of the sport has lacked, well, substance over the years. Like ESPN or not, it's still the top dog in the sports television industry. NBC has done a nice job with the NHL, but giving the sport this exposure on ESPN again will only enhance its image.
...and I don't think I'm alone in demanding the return of GARY THORNE.
The red line represents all running backs who have played at least four NFL seasons since 2001, with a minimum average of 75 carries per season. Overall, we see their careers peak at age 27. Afterward, their rushing totals drop by 15 percent in one year, 25 percent in two and almost 40 by the time they are 30.
LeSean McCoy will turn 27 on July 12th of this year, and, as you can see, one might think this season would have been his best given Chip Kelly's offense, a healthy offensive line [now sans Todd Herremans], and a [hopefully] re-signed Jeremy Maclin. Despite his relatively poor performance with good net statistics, McCoy didn't wow anybody last season the way he did in the season prior, so many were questioning if he lost a step. And that's a legitimate question.
The argument about the health of the offensive line is bogus. Sure, it would be nice to have a larger sample size, but the fact is that the offensive line was barely healthy all last season. That might matter for a running back that was a north-south runner. That's not LeSean McCoy. He predicated his game on running laterally, finding a hole, then exploding through it. Last season, he did the same thing. There was one difference.
He couldn't explode through the holes. The holes were there, just as they were there the year prior. The offensive line was opening up those holes, but Shady wasn't getting there nearly quick enough to explode through them. So there were a lot of short gains. Minimal gains. No gains. Negative yards. McCoy didn't have that burst that he showed the year[s] prior this past season. And that's why it's perfectly acceptable to think he may be on the downswing of his career.
And if he's not, so what? The Eagles are getting a defensive player, at 24 years old [25 in August], who was a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2013, who has a hell of a longer shelf life in the NFL than McCoy does. But the math works in the Eagles favor. In the graph above, that red line stands for NFL running backs with a minimum of four seasons that have averaged 75 carries per season. LeSean McCoy currently averages just over 243 carries per season in his first six seasons. You don't think that's a lot of tread?
Nobody can claim a winner of the trade yet. But to say McCoy is still in his prime is grossly underestimating the workload he's been under since being in the NFL. It's entirely possible his explosive speed is just simply good speed now. And apparently that message to work on his lower body was not getting through to him.
That's according to ESPN's Josina Anderson, who says a source close to McCoy says he is frustrated.
A source close to McCoy told ESPN's Josina Anderson that the veteran running back is not pleased with the move.
"He's a Pennsylvania kid. He's never played football outside of Pennsylvania -- high school, college, pro," the source said. "So of course he's not happy."
The source also told Anderson that McCoy is "frustrated" and is "not going to make it easy, that's for sure."
LaDanian Tomlinson mentioned on the NFL Network that McCoy told him a few weeks ago that he didn't think he was going to return to Philly next season. So, it seems like McCoy knew it was coming. Why he would "not make it easy" is a little confusing, considering I'm not sure he can exactly veto a trade.
Keith wrote on Wednesday how the Phillies were ranked dead last in their use of analytics out of 122 professional sports teams in the four big sports in a study by ESPN Magazine.
Friday, we found out who's first. And it's your Michael Carter-Williams and K.J. McDaniels-less Philadelphia 76ers, as you can see above. It's pretty clear that Sam Hinkie has become sort of a legend already when it comes to analytics in professional sports, whether for better or worse. He's become a polarizing figure not only in Philadelphia, but around the country as well. But he's acquired the most second round picks by any team in the league through 2021, as the below picture illustrates.
Hinkie clearly values second round picks as the greatest asset to have in the NBA short of a superstar. Why can you consider this a good thing? Because the Sixers are in prime position to find the next NBA superstar if they don't already have him. That's a position they were not in since they drafted Allen Iverson in 1996.
Ah, that feels good. Because Hinkie is trying to get the Sixers back to prominence and keep them there, instead of catching lightning in a bottle and then sink back into the abyss.
The Phillies? Glad you asked.
D'oh.
ESPN the Magazine ranked 122 pro teams on their use of analytics. The Philadelphia Phillies ranked 122.
— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) February 18, 2015
OK, so I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but almost every other day now there is an article or quote furthering the devastation that is the Phillies franchise right now. The latest is from the new issue of ESPN The Magazine which delves into the world of analytics in sports.
For those who are unaware, sports analytics are, in layman's terms, statistics on steroids. Data collection and pinpoint numbers on anything and everything to do with a specific player, team, arena, etc. They're the so-called "new-wave" in sports, especially baseball.
ESPN took it upon themselves to rank all 122 professional sports franchises by their use of analytics. And wouldn't you know it, Rube and the boys finished 122nd. It's irrelevant whether or not you believe that sports analytics gives franchises advantages or at least a better understanding of their personnel. The science behind it is out. It does in fact help, and its becoming more prevalent among teams who actually are competitive on a consistent basis.
I'm aware there are people out there who want to believe in the "sanctity" of the game of baseball. People who believe there is one way to do things and that is it. That old scout who refuses to use computer-based models on prospects because nothing beats his "eye test." Teams, like the Phillies, who - compared to what other teams are doing now - are essentially throwing a dart at a board of names and hoping their needle pans out. They're choosing to do this, when they could have been breaking down every facet of each one of those players with sports analytics to make the most educated decision available. They're the same people who we have to drag tooth and nail into an era of instant replay.
What these people need to understand is the way the world works now. The technology is readily available and waiting to be taken advantage of. Stop cursing the fact that your grandchildren are always on their phones at dinner, and accept the fact that times have changed.
I suppose a new way of thinking, or even thinking, is not something the Phillies are ready to do. Being in the middle of the pack on this list would have been understandable. Being dead last is inexcusable.
How's that saying go? Adapt or die.
Anyone know CPR?
One thing is for sure, this is making the man across the street that much more appealing to me.
This article will be in the March 2nd edition of ESPN The Magazine, the Analytics Issue. It has been available online since January 26th.
As the season goes on, you're hearing a lot less talk regarding the Sixers and the embarrassment they are to the NBA. Likely because the New York Knicks have taken over that title of embarrassment of the season, but also because the Sixers have become a respectable bad team in the process. Starting the season 0-17 obviously wasn't the best way to start a bad season if you cared about what everyone was saying. Now, more and more people are respecting the plan Sam Hinkie has put in place with Brett Brown at the helm.
It seems like so long ago that the NBA wanted to change the structure of the NBA draft lottery because of the tanking Sixers. Now, the Sixers are showing glimpses of what the future has in store for basketball in Philadelphia.
So it was, before an 18-point December loss against the Celtics, that Hinkie and three team executives met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver in Philadelphia to attempt to assuage the league's tanking-related concerns. No, the Sixers weren't throwing games -- no one who has watched them can reasonably begin to believe they were. But for two years in a row, one might point out, Philadelphia's top two lottery picks, Nerlens Noel (No. 6 overall in 2013) and Joel Embiid (No. 3 in 2014), have both been conspicuously injured big men who couldn't take the court their rookie seasons. "The idea of a teardown was the right thing to do," one Eastern Conference scout says. "But for this second year, smart, reasonable people I know are curious as to why they put together such a bad team."
This curiosity, of course, is why Hinkie and I are at lunch in New York. And before he summons the Uber that will usher him to tonight's game in Brooklyn, I want the GM to share, on the record, how exactly it is that he put Silver at ease. I want Hinkie to share, on the record, exactly why he has put together such a woeful team. I want to him to share, on the record, whether he minds that a supposedly brainy front office so often gets called myopic and brain-dead.
But his cost-benefit analysis finds risk in even publicly acknowledging these questions. Or any other ones. No, Hinkie won't discuss how he and his head coach were hired. No, he won't comment on his transaction history and the quieter strategies he's pursued. The very last thing Hinkie wants to do is admit his bets on 1) injured prospects and foreign players, 2) a collective-bargaining-agreement-driven, pre-apocalyptic stockpile of second-round picks, and 3) wingspan and subpar shooters. These Sixers may feel like "an educated science project," as Brett Brown, their coach, puts it. But it is Hinkie who intentionally lets his silence breed intrigue, fermenting disgust for his experiment like mold in a petri dish.
The article does an amazing job of revisiting the Sixers a year before they hired Sam Hinkie - the point where they promoted Tony DeLeo [I completely forgot about that, too]. How the mindset of owner Joshua Harris changed after deciding the Sixers needed a complete re-build after making one of the worst trades in Philadelphia sports history in acquiring Andrew Bynum. Enter Sam Hinkie. Then Brett Brown. Then players who can't shoot, but have huge wingspans that make them great defensively, and who can be taught to shoot. It's just all-around, solid, great stuff.
[Editor's note: Leave it to the national media to come around to the Sixers before the local media does.]
Via ESPN:
29. Philadelphia Phillies
Big offseason moves: Traded SS Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers for two minor leaguers; traded OF Marlon Byrd to the Reds for minor league P Ben Lively; umm ... signed OF Jeff Francoeur, which even as an act of desperation is a curious act of desperation; have shopped LHP Cole Hamels, RHP Jonathan Papelbon and 1B Ryan Howard; signed RHPs Aaron Harang and Chad Billingsley.
Most intriguing player: Hamels, obviously. He may start the season with the Phillies but nobody expects him to end it there.
Due for a better year:Domonic Brown gets what is maybe his final chance to prove himself as a big league regular. An All-Star in 2013 when he hit 27 home runs, he fell apart in 2014 with a .235/.285/.349 line. There's still some talent here, but how much?
Due for a worse year: Ruben Amaro Jr.I'm just the messenger: Everyone has been predicting the decline of the Phillies for a few years and Amaro finally admitted that a rebuilding was in order. He's been asking for a ransom for Hamels, understandably so because he's really the only valuable commodity he has, unless Chase Utley agrees to a trade orCliff Lee comes back and proves he's healthy. The past two seasons were painful for Phillies fans, but 2015 could be their worst season since losing 97 games in 2000.
The final word: Hey, on the bright side the Phillies outperformed my prediction last year by seven wins .. and still won just 73 games. If there's a bright spot, it's the bullpen, led by closer-in-waiting Ken Giles (1.18 ERA as a rookie), which should be solid even if Papelbon is traded.
Prediction: 67-95
Puke. Just uncontrollable vomit that would make the girl from The Exorcist look away.
I'm fine with accepting the fact that the Phillies are going to be a joke this season. We've been bracing ourselves for a losing season like this one for a few years now. But, one thing I could always count on was the Mets being embarrassing right along with us. Now they are supposed to be a legitimate team? This is just horrible.
The Mets will be at CBP ten times this year and even when their team stinks their fans are insufferable. They make me want to punt Mr. Met's head like a kickball. Imagine if they are in a playoff race with the Nationals when they are here in late September. I can't have it. I won't have it.
I can only take solace in the fact that despite predictions, they are still the Mets. Maybe seeing a late collapse by them will give me some semblance of baseball joy this late summer and early fall. If not, this upcoming baseball season just got a whole lot worse for Phillies fans.
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