After several weeks of speculation and interviews, the Sixers’ have chosen as their new head coach the guy everyone thought was the pick from the very beginning, Eddie Jordan.
Jordan, fired early into the 2008-’09 by the Washington Wizards as their head coach, worked with Sixers’ GM Ed Stefanski when they were both with the New Jersey Nets, as an assistant coach and general manager, respectively.
The deal is for three years, but the size of the contract is as yet unknown. The Sixers are expected to formally announce Jordan during a press conference on Monday.
“I saw firsthand the immense impact Eddie Jordan had in helping the Nets reach two NBA Finals, and as the head coach in Washington, he consistently put his teams in a position to win on a nightly basis.
“He embodies all the qualities I was looking for in the next head coach of the Sixers, and we are very excited to have him in Philadelphia,” Stefanski said.
Jordan’s career head coaching record is 230-288 during …
The verdict is in on Brett Myers hip, and the news isn’t good for Phillies fans. Myers will join Chase Utley and Alex Rodriguez and have surgery to replace a torn labrum.
Brett flew to New York yesterday to meet with Dr. Brian T. Kelly and he gave Myers two options. Surgery now or an anti-inflammatory shot and surgery at the end of the season. If Myers did get the shot he’d risk doing further damage to his hip, or even possibly hurting his arm. Myers (who you can’t blame), opted for surgery now.
Myers, a free agent at seasons end, could have possibly pitched his last game as a Phillie when he walked off the mound in pain during Wednesday’s 6-2 loss against the Marlins. The recovery from the surgery is about three months, but then Myers will need to get back in game shape, which could take anywhere from 3-6 weeks, meaning the chances of Myers returning to the Phillies before the end of the season are remote.
This loss is a big blow to the …
Brett Myers may need surgery to repair fraying in the labrum of his right hip. The news comes after Myers underwent an MRI Thursday.
“I don’t know what I am going to do,” Myers told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “First I am going to get a second opinion.”
Myers revealed after Wednesday night’s loss to the Florida Marlins that his hip has been bothering him for most of the season, which could be a source of the embattled pitcher’s struggles this year and part of last year.
“This has been bothering me as long I can remember,” he said. “I never knew what it was. It just became unpitchable this season.”
According to GM Ruben Amaro Jr., Myers make go on the DL.
“It is possible that Brett will not make his next start,” Amaro said. “That decision as well as any decision on a possible DL stint or surgery will be determined at a later date.”
Bob Salmi will not return next season as the color man for the Sixers’ television broadcasts, Comcast SportsNet announced Friday.
According to a statement issued by Maureen Quilter, director of communications for the network, “At the conclusion of the Sixers’ 2008-09 season, we evaluated all areas of the Sixers telecast. With this, Comcast SportsNet has decided not to renew the contract of broadcaster Bob Salmi. We thank Bo for his contributions to the network.”
Salmi reportedly declined comment when contacted by Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Salmi was an assistant coach with the Sixers, New York Knicks, and the Dallas Mavericks before succeeding The Mayor Steve Mix on the Sixers’ broadcasts.
After two games hitting fifth in the Phillies’ lineup, shortstop Jimmy Rollins will return to his customary leadoff spot against Chad Billingsley and the Dodgers in today’s day game.
In two games hitting behind Ryan Howard, Rollins went 2-for-7 with one homerun, two RBIs, and a stolen base.
Today’s lineup:
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Shane Victorino, CF
Chase Utley, 2B
Ryan Howard, 1B
Jayson Werth, RF
Raul Ibanez, LF
Pedro Feliz, 3B
Chris Coste, C
Cole Hamels, P
If you’ve ever listened to the afternoon drive show on 950 ESPN Radio with Mike Missanelli, you know that nothing upsets him more than when a member of the out-of-town media refers to Philly’s reputation as a town of tough, mean, rude fans. If you listen to his show, you also know that Missanelli, unlike many other radio personalities, does not hide behind the mike, but will confront those people he has issue with head on. He has recently taken on various members of the national media, from Yahoo sports to his own ESPN, including the oft controversial Collin Cowherd. This is why I have an immense amount of respect for Missanelli and in the spirit of full disclosure, I am an avid listener to his show.
That being said, it came as no surprise that Missanelli took particular issue with comments made on ESPN’s First Take on Monday by Skip Bayless. Bayless was discussing the actions of Dallas Maverick fans during a recent playoff game, and …
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sixers’ GM Ed Stefanski will Eddie Jordan for the team’s open head coaching job.
According to the Inquirer’s source, the two sides have already spoken via telephone. This would be an official face-to-face meeting between Jordan and Stefanski, who worked together as coach and GM, respectively, with the New Jersey Nets.
Jordan met with the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas earlier this week about their open head coaching position.
Jordan has stated publicly that he would be meeting with the Sixers, and a source close to him has said that he would take the job in Philadelphia if he could choose between the two, as the Sixers are in a better position to win now than the Kings.
Jordan was fired by the Washington Wizards earlier this season after their 1-10 start.
According to Kate Fagan at the Inquirer, this is the lowdown on Jordan’s coaching style:
His overall coaching record is 230-288 (.444), but those numbers have taken a hit because he was fired from the …
After several days of speculation, and denial, about whether Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel would move shortstop Jimmy Rollins out of his customary leadoff role in the team’s offense, he has decided to do just that.
In the series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, Rollins will hit fifth, with centerfielder Shane Victorino batting in the leadoff spot.
The Phils’ starting lineup looks like this:
Shane Victorino, CF
Chase Utley, 2B
Jayson Werth, RF
Ryan Howard, 1B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Raul Ibanez, LF
Pedro Feliz, 3B
Carlos Ruiz, C
Chan Ho Park, P
Rollins is hitting a paltry .195 on the season, with an on-base percentage of .231. While Rollins has never been a good leadoff hitter, in my opinion, he has particularly struggled in the role so far this season.
First pitch is 7:05PM.
According to a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Tony DiLeo will not return as the head coach of the Sixers next season.
DiLeo has reportedly withdrawn his name from consideration. It is unclear whether or not the Sixers were going to offer the job back to him.
That allows GM Ed Stefanski to openly pursue other coaches, such as Doug Collins, Avery Johnson, and Jeff Van Gundy, among others.
We will bring you mor eon this story as it is made available.
If Sixers’ General Manager was interested in pursuing Doug Collins as the team’s next coach, the former 76er-turned-coach-turned-analyst would take the call, according to his agent.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Collins’ agent John Langel told them that there had absolutely been no contact between the Sixers and his client, that while Collins has always left the door open to coaching again he would not pursue a job with a team that already has a coach in place, but if the Sixers removed Tony DiLeo as head coach, he would be interested.
“Certainly last year, he had an interest [in coaching],” Langel said. “He said if the right situation ever arose, he would be intrigued, but it would have to be the right situation, the right group of players. But he does not seek positions, particularly when someone is already in that position with a team; he has a good relationship with Tony DiLeo and has great respect for him and the job he has done.
“At this …
After a wild opening month in which it looked like the Phillies’ would never get out of the gate, they have finally made it back to where they were at the end of last season, first place in the National League East.
The Fightins moved ahead of the Florida Marlins, who lost to the Cincinnati Reds 7-0, with a 10-7 victory over the NL Central leading St. Louis Cardinals.
Last season, the Phillies won the World Series largely because of their pitching, both starting and relief. This season, however, they are winning in spite of it.
The Phillies’ starting rotation is the worst in baseball, with a combined earned run average of 6.54. Brett Myers, Tuesday night’s winning pitcher, has allowed more homeruns than anyone in baseball (10). The Phillies’ starting rotation has allowed more homeruns (46), more than the Baltimore Orioles (45) and and 15 more than the next closest National League team, the lowly Washington Nationals.
The Phillies’ bullpen, the best in the National …
St. Louis native Ryan Howard thrives any time he returns to the Gateway City. Last night was no different as strong pitching and a Howard-led offense gave the Phillies a 6-1 victory.
The Good:
- Starter Joe Blanton went six innings allowing one run on four hits. Blanton cruised through five innings, only to run into a jam in the sixth. After retiring Chris Duncan, Blanton loaded the bases on a walk, hit batter, and a misplay in the infield. Faced with the bases full of Cardinals and one out, Blanton stayed focused, striking out Tyler Greene and getting Brian Barden to hit into an inning ending ground out.
- Jayson Werth went 2 for 4. His two-run home run in the fourth inning gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead.
- Howard hit his second grand slam in a week (the first coming last Tuesday against the Nationals), the seventh of his career (tying Mike Schmidt for #1 all-time), off Kyle Lohse in the fifth inning …
