The bitter divorce between the Philadelphia Eagles and wide receiver Terrell Owens is back in the news once again. The Eagles filed suit against their former star wideout with the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia on Monday, claiming that TO still owes the team almost $770,000 after an arbiter ruled in January that the Eagles were entitled to approximately $1.7 million in bonus money paid to Owens when he joined the Eagles. Drew Rosenhaus, Owens’ agent, declined to comment on the matter, a rarity for both agent and player.
In case you forgot, Owens was suspended by the Eagles for conduct detrimental to the team midway through the 2005 season. Owens had demanded a new contract one year into his seven-year deal worth almost $49 million and went on to publicly criticize the organization and star quarterback Donovan McNabb. The Eagles withheld his final five paychecks, which totaled approximately $965,000 and cut him after the season was over. The Eagles contend the remaining $770,000 of the initial $1.7 million is still …

Martin Biron was again the star of the game as the Flyers held off the Montreal Canadiens to take a two games to one lead in the best of seven conference semifinal. Biron stopped 32 shots as the Flyers erupted for three goals in the second period and held his composure after a rough patch midway through the third period to carry the Flyers to the win.

After a scoreless first period, Scottie Upshall broke the tie with a bullet past Canadiens’ goalie Carey Price 7:04 into the second period. Mike Richards added the second goal of the period with a short handed goal during a Lasse Kukonen penalty. Richards was third best in the NHL in short handed goals during the regular season with five. What would become the winning goal was scored by R.J. Umberger, who one timed a rebound off a Jeff Carter shot. One of the biggest criticisms of Hart throughout these playoffs is his perceived lackadaisical approach, often times not going after the rebound and lazily playing …

We are approaching the end of April which means that we are just about a entire month into the 2008 Major League Baseball season. So far this young season we have encountered our fair share of surprises.
For starters, who would have guessed that the Baltimore Orioles would be atop the American League East? Even better, who would have guessed that Tampa Bay would be tied with them? The O’s and the Rays are tied with Boston for the top seed in the East, one and a half games up on the Yankees. The Toronto Blue Jays are sitting in the cellar, just three and a half games back out of first. Tampa has won six in a row and that is with staff ace Scott Kazmir on the disabled list. Filling the void is last year’s surprise James Shields with three wins and a 2.54 ERA, including a complete game shutout. They also have one of the youngest and most talented lineups in the game, led by B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria …

Wow, what a draft! I think Andy Reid is allergic to the first pick, maybe he’s realized if he stays away from the inevitable as first round bust as much as possible during his tenure as GM he will receive actual tenure. He traded the Eagles first round pick (19th overall) to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for their second round (43rd overall), their fourth round (109th overall), and also, my favorite, their first rounder in 2009. Then we all received a sneak peak into Andy Reid’s mind when he traded a fourth rounder (114th overall) to the Miami Dolphins for running back Lorenzo Booker. Then, just when we thought they were done Reid traded the 43rd pick from Carolina and a fifth-rounder (152nd overall) to Minnesota for their second-rounder (47th overall) and a fourth-rounder (117th overall). When asked about his trade from Miami Booker said, he was surprised but seemed genuinely happy to be heading to the Eagles. Here’s a pick by pick analysis of the top players …

On June 1st, the Phillies will sign catcher Mike Lieberthal.  No he’s not going to be playing, it’s so he can retire as a Phillie.  Lieberthal, who was a fan favorite, spent 13 of his 14 major league seasons in red pinstripes, so it’s fitting he returns home when he calls it quits. 

“Philadelphia has always been a second home to me, so I’m really looking forward to this,” Lieberthal said in a statement. “I spent half my life there and still follow the team closely on television.”

The two-time all-star was the Phillies first round pick in the 1990 draft.  He holds the Phillies record for games caught (1,139) and fielding percentage (.997), but will be most remembered for his spectaular 1999 season when he hit .300 with 30 home runs and 96 RBI’s. 

Libby was one of the good guys.  When he signed with the Dodgers after ther 2006 season I was sad to see him go.  It’ll be nice to see him return one final time.

In a formal press conference earlier today, Stanford University announced that they were hiring former Philadelphia 76er and current Duke associate head coach Johnny Dawkins to coach the California school’s men’s basketball team. Dawkins is a former Blue Devil star, setting the school record for most career points. He held that record until J.J. Redick broke it in 2006. He is a member of the Duke Sports Hall of Fame and has had his number 24 jersey retired.

“In my 28 years at Duke, no one did more to build our program as a player, coach or a person than Johnny Dawkins,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. “He is as responsible as anyone for the success we’ve had for more than two decades.”

Dawkins beat out two other candidates for the position, Stanford assistant and former Idaho State head coach Doug Oliver and current Portland head coach Eric Reveno. During his nine years under Coach K, Dawkins, as lead assistant for player development, saw four National Players of the Year, …

Yesterday the Philadelphia Phillies capped off an otherwise successful road trip with a loss to their intra-state rivals the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 5-1 defeat at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park. Despite a lackluster offensive performance, with just one run on two hits, it was the pitching performance of staff ace Brett Myers that I found the most unsettling.

Myers struggled from the very beginning, giving up a lead off home run in the first inning to Nate McLouth, who had two homers on the day. Jose Bautista had three hits and an RBI and Jason Bay, Adam LaRoche, and Luis Rivas each added two hits of their own. All in all, Myers lasted five innings, giving up eight hits, four runs, and a walk, while striking out five.

The Phillies, on the other hand, only managed to put together one run and two hits, all coming in the fifth inning. Pat Burrell hit a double and later scored on an Eric Bruntlett single to center. Pittsburgh starter Paul Manholm threw a complete game, walking …

Every Monday at Hot Stove Philly, we’re going to go around the minors and highlight some future Phillies and their progress as they look they look to make an impact one day in Philadelphia.

Antonio Bastardo continues to own the Florida State League. Bastardo shut down the Tampa yesterday as the Threshers beat the Yankees 5-0. Bastardo went eight innings allowed two hits and one walk, while striking out thirteen. In five starts this season, Bastardo is 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA, and a minor league leading 47 strikeouts (in 30.2 innings). A couple more starts like he had yesterday and Bastardo will be making a trip up north to Reading.

Greg Golson is already in Reading, and is have a strong first month in the Eastern League. The Phillies have been real patient with their first pick in the 2004 draft, moving him through the minors slowly, and it appears it’s beginning to pay dividends. Golson is hitting .312 with 15 RBI’s and 8 stolen bases through 28 games. The biggest concern …

As we sleep tonight the dust will settle and the seemingly bizarre events that transpired over the weekend will clearly show that the Philadelphia Eagles made some interesting, if unspectacular, moves.

Sure, the fans and so called draft “experts” will pan the Eagles for their decision to trade out of the first round for the second year in a row, but when you consider everything as a whole, do any of us know one way or another?
Felix Jones, Rashard Mendenhall, Limas Sweed, Mario Mannigham, Jeff Otah,  and Kenny Phillips remained on the board (along with many other highly rated prospects), when the Eagles decided to trade their first round choice with the Carolina Panthers, for the Panthers second round choice and a fourth rounder, (which they also traded away) and Carolina’s first pick next year.

Once Eagles fans wipe their tears and calm themselves, a look at the big picture may not be of comfort, but has to be realized before making any rush to judgement.

At the end of the first day of …

The Detroit Pistons took 24 minutes before delivering their message to the Philadelphia Sixers tonight, but it was received loud and clear nonetheless. Nearly doubling their point output of the first half, the Pistons overtook the Sixers early in the third quarter tonight and kept their proverbial foot on the Sixers throat the rest of the way.

Philadelphia was outscored 34-16 in the decisive 3rd quarter, after taking an impressive 10 point lead heading into the break. Lou Williams, Jason Smith, and Andre Iguodala led a fired up Sixers team during the second quarter, when their lead reached as many as 15 points at one point, but the Pistons came out fired up themselves and seemingly sank every shot starting in the second half, on their way to a 93-84 win

Looking at the stat sheet, the Sixers held their own against the Pistons, shooting better from the floor and keeping pace with them in the rebound department. But the Pistons had 6 more offensive rebounds on the offensive end, and prevented the Sixers …

RJ Umburger might have had two goals to lead the Flyers to their 4-2 against the Canadiens last night, but the reason the Flyers knotted their best-of-seven series at one was the play of goalie Martin Biron.

The Flyers had a 3-1 lead entering the third period, but did everything in their power to give hand the game to Montreal.  Bad penalities, multiple turnovers, the inabliity to clear the zone. Thankfully Biron wasn’t about to let the Flyers strong play early on go to waste.   Biron finished with 35 saves, and none of them were easy as be faced odd-man rush after odd-man rush.

 If not for his strong play, the Flyers would be heading back to Philadelphia with their tail between their legs, down two games to none.  Unfortunately the third period has been a struggle for the final month of the regular season, and it’s carried into the playoffs.  John Stevens needs to do a better job reminding the guys that a hockey game is 60 minutes, not 40.  Biron is a great goaltender, …

Kris Benson left in the third inning of yesterday’s spring training game with a groin strain.  Benson will be re-evaluated today, but this latest setback will most likely kill his hopes of joining the Phillies by June 1st.

Benson will be re-evaluated today on the severity of the injury, but this setback isn’t very encouraging given it was his first live game outing since being shut down for a sore arm.

I still think Benson will be able to help the Phillies at some point this season, but it will be sooner then later.   Given the current sucess of the rotation he’s not needed at the moment, but the odds that no starters will miss any time is unlikely,  Hopefully Benson will be ready at that point to step in if needed.