The first round series begin the Philadelphia Sixers and the Detroit Pistons is shaping up like a classic Championship fight where the two combatants keep getting knocked down and coming back for more.
Last nights 95-75 surprising beat down by the Sixers gave them a 2-1 series lead that no one could have predicted in their wildest dreams.
The win further secures the Sixers in the realm of legitimacy that they do indeed belong in the playoffs. No longer can the critics, myself included, say that the Pistons were caught off guard or played apathetically. This was as thorough a win as has been seen all year.
The sixers bloodied the Pistons into submission early and completed the onslaught with a 22-9 run to end a third quarter marked by fastbreak and alley-oop dunks that exposed and embarrassed the visitors from Motown, and left them with a broken nose, both figuratively and literally; Antonio McDyess left the game in the third quarter, thanks to an Andre Iguodala elbow.
McDyess’ status is unkown for Sunday’s game, …
It seems that fans are so starved for a wide receiver that they will eat anything thrown at them. Lito Sheppard was reportedly in the Tampa Bay area recently visiting some old friends, and wow, amazingly enough there is an NFL team in town! There may be a deal in the works with the Eagles and the NFC South champs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They get the two time pro bowler and we get….hmmm…. I don’t know! People are saying the Eagles will receive some late draft picks this season and maybe a 2009 first-rounder (fair price since we can’t get a receiver). Then there is some speculation that we will get receiver, Michael Clayton (now that’s just stupid). So now we’re going to trade a defensive play-maker, albeit an oft-injured one, for a 2004 first round bust who also has a few nagging injury issues of his own. His production has decreased drastically since his rookie season!! Isn’t it the …
I am sitting here in shock and disbelief as I write this. Tonight, I saw a Philadelphia Flyers hockey club play a very brilliant hockey game in which they defeated the Montreal Canadians. The problem is they couldn’t defeat the referees, who allowed two Montreal goals that were a direct result of less than stellar officiating.
The second goal that Montreal scored in the game was a rebound that went off Marty Biron high above the goal. Alex Kovelev hit it in clearly with a high stick. The instant replay showed over and over again that the puck was still above the crossbar when Kovelev’s stick made contact with the puck. Some how the referee, as well as the officials in the War Room in Toronto didn’t see what everyone else watching the replay could see very clearly.
The third goal was scored by Kovelev in the last minutes of the third period on the Power play to tie the game. The power play was a result of a bogus call made on …
Keys to the Series
This series will be won by special teams.
Power Play
The Habs sported the league’s best power play during the regular season, converting on 24.1 percent of its opportunities. The Bruins were able to shut down the Montreal Power Play, and that is how the Bruins were able to make round 1 a seven game series. Montreal has only converted on 9.1 percent of its opportunities during the playoffs.
The Flyers Sported the League’s second best power play converting on 21.8 percent of its opportunities. Unlike Montreal, the Flyers Power Play unit has been pretty hot. So far in the Post Season the Flyers have converted on 22 percent of their powerplay opportunities.
Penalty Kill
Both Montreal and Philadelphia finished in the middle of the pack during the Regular Season killing penalties. The post season has told a little bit of a different story.
Montreal has killed 90 percent of the other team’s man advantages this post season so far, while the Flyers have only managed to kill 77.1 percent of the other …
The Philadelphia Phillies are currently sitting third in the National League East division, a mere two and a half games back behind the division leading Florida Marlins, with a record of 12-11. They are one strong series away from first place despite having reigning MVP shortstop Jimmy Rollins and speedy centerfielder Shane Victorino on the disabled list; despite being fourth worst in the majors in errors with twenty one, only three behind league worst Pittsburgh; despite former NL Rookie of the Year and MVP Ryan Howard having one of the worst starts of any MVP in recent memory. Howard, batting .181 with four home runs and nine RBIs on the year, did not start today’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, in hopes that a day off might help him work things out (although I agree with J’ that this is perhaps not the most prudent option, as the only way he will get out of his fun is to physically work through it). No one on the Phillies currently has more …
I know a lot of fans like to jump on Charlie Manuel. Some of his in-game decisions are puzzling, and his southern drawl makes him an easy target. I’m not one of those people. While Charlie does frustrate me, I don’t subscribe to the theory that every loss is his fault, and we need a better manager. Charlie does a fine job, and I don’t need to defend him. Charlie’s record speaks for itself.
In saying that, he still makes some moves that leave me scratching my head. First and foremost why Cole Hamels was brought out to start the eighth inning. Despite a shaky first inning, where he allowed three runs on four hits, Hamels had a strong outing. When he finished the seventh he had only given up those three first inning runs and struck out a season-high eleven.
That should have been the end of his day. With 110 pitches under his belt, and the heart of the Brewers lineup coming to bat, it was time to hand the ball off …
This week’s The Starting 9, writer Jerry Crasnick discusses a position-by-position look at All-Star players who have not found much luck in the month of April. Obviously the Phillies own Ryan Howard is his choice at first base. His .181 average with 32 strikeouts (in 22 games), isn’t really what anyone expected out of the slugging first baseman almost a month into the season.
That $10 million salary arbitration award hasn’t bought Howard much peace of mind this spring. Last year, he got off to a poor start because of a strained quadriceps that forced him onto the disabled list in May. This time around, he’s just messed up mechanically.
You can’t hit what you can’t see, and Howard keeps telling manager Charlie Manuel and hitting coach Milt Thompson that he’s having trouble picking up the ball out of the pitcher’s hand. He doesn’t trust his hands or his eyes enough to wait at the plate, so he’s lunging at pitches and getting caught out in front.
“He’s not comfortable, and when you’re not comfortable …
The heart of a Champion truly lies in how they fight back, and the Detroit Pistons showed last night that they still have a knockout punch in their arsenal. With their decisive 105-88 win over the Philadelphia Sixers, the Pistons put to rest any upset talk, at least until game 3 on Friday in Philly.
Thadeus Young’s hot start and nice contributions from Lou Williams and Reggie Evans (again) off the bench, were not enough to overcome the less then stellar performances of Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert, and Willie Green. The three starters were a combined 4-23 from the field, and 18% shooting will not do much to get you a win, let alone keeping your team close.
In the end, this is what you had to expect after the Pistons got embarrassed on their home court in game 1 of the opening round series.
In game 1 the Pistons relied more heavily on Rasheed Wallace in the post one-on-one against Dalembert, which effectively took the Pistons away from their strength, which is normally …
There are rumors afloat that the Eagles are interested in Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive end Jared Allen (65 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 10 pass deflections). Allen is a great pass-rusher that led the NFL in sacks last season, and has had a stellar four years in the league compiling a total of 230 tackles, 43 sacks (resulting in 282 lost yards), 1 interception, 13 fumbles forced, and 25 pass deflections. In other words this guy is a BEAST! According to the rumors Allen is seeking a contract with $30 million in guarantees, but any team courting Allen has to go through the Chiefs as he is their designated franchise player. After a disappointing season the Chiefs are looking toward the future and want to stockpile draft picks. With important needs to address at free safety, left and right offensive tackles, kick returner, and wide receiver, I don’t believe the Eagles can afford to turn over their early round selections and concede to Allen’s $30 million …
Well they had three games to eliminate the Washington Capitals, and it went to overtime, but the Philadelphia Flyers continued their quest to bring Lord Stanley’s cup to the City of Brotherly Love, as the Flyers beat the Capitals 3-2.
Joffrey Lupul’s first goal of the playoffs couldn’t have come at a better time. With 6:06 left in the first overtime, he put a Kimmo Timonen rebound past Cristbal Huet, giving the Flyers the victory, advancing them to the second round to the playoffs.
Although the outcome was good, watching the game had to be nerveracking for even the most casual of fans.
The Capitals opened the scoring in the first, on a power-play goal by Nickolas Backstrom. With 48 seconds left of a 5-on-3 advantage, Alex Ovechkin fired a shot from the point, that was wide of the net, but bounced off the endboards right on the stick of Backstrom, who put it past a sprawling Martin Brion.
The Flyers bounced back with a power-play goal of their own to tie the game. Scottie Upshall …
In the ninth inning of last night’s game, Clint Hurdle made a game changing move. It was a move that in theory made sense, but still left me puzzled.
With the Phillies down 6-5 heading into the ninth inning, the Rockies brought in closer Manny Corpas. Corpas, a rock last year for the Rockies (no pun intended), has had his struggles early on this season, posting a 4.50 ERA with two blown saves.
Last night Corpas’ continued his struggles.
The first batter he faced, So Taguchi, singled to right field. Jayson Werth stepped to the plate next, and although he fought through a lot of tough Corpas pitches, struck out. With one on and one out, Chase Utley stepped to the plate and blooped a single up the middle. Taguchi, who took off at the crack of the bat, aggressively advanced to third with Utley taking second on the throw.
In stepped Ryan Howard, with the tying run on third and the go ahead run on second. The former Rookie of the Year and MVP, with …
Future Hall of Famer and former Philadelphia Phillie non-draft pick Frank Thomas was released by the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday April 20th, one day after being benched for his lack of production and public criticism of manager John Gibbons.
While there is always the possibility that someone will take a flyer on the dangerous slugger, it appears that Thomas’ illustrious, if not sometimes controversial, career has come to an end. There are few teams that are in serious contention in need of an every day designated hitter and it appears that, at least for now, Thomas refuses to play off the bench. There is also a crowded market for heavy hitting DH only players. Home run king Barry Bonds has yet to find a team willing to take on his circus and demeanor. Sluggers Mike Piazza and Sammy Sosa are also without a team. Bonds, Piazza and Sosa all have somewhat of a leg up on Thomas because they can all still play the field, if not on a regular basis. …
