As I’ve said over the past few days, I am really happy that Allen Iverson is once again a member of the Sixers. I grew up a fan of The Answer, and he remains my favorite active basketball player (Sir Charles will always top my list). I freely admit that I was misty eyed during Monday’s night announcement of the starting lineups and overwhelmed with emotion.
That being said, I take issue with Iverson showing up late on his first night back in town. He hadn’t even played a game and already he was breaking the rules. Iverson arrived at the Wachovia Center around five minutes to six last night, little more than an hour before tip off.
The cause? “Traffic,” said Iverson, having to answer questions once again about a subject that caused so many problems with coach Larry Brown during his first go around with the Sixers.
So what was new coach Eddie Jordan’s reaction to his new star’s tardiness? “No. It didn’t mean anything to me,” …
“A 6 foot guard from Georgetown…”
Come on, tell me you didn’t get goosebumps. Whether you like Allen Iverson, or hate him, you watched Monday night. And if you’re an AI fan, you made sure to set the DVR and get home in time to turn the game on a little before 7 PM to make sure you didn’t miss the starting lineups, which you knew would be televised.
In case you missed it, the video is below.
Yea, the Sixers lost, and A.I.2 ended up stealing the show with a point performance, but it was really special seeing No. 3 back in a Sixers uniform again. True, it’s obvious he’s lost a little on his shot, and still has some work to do before he gets back to the appropriate NBA conditioning level, evidenced by his scoring only 11 points in 37 minutes and missing seven of his 11 shots….
Saturday was a tough night for Philly sports.
Peter Laviolette’s debut as the new coach of the Flyers was not exactly the first impression he was hoping to leave the faithful of the Orange and Black. It was a debut that will leave a bitter taste in his mouth for some time to come. And it started immediately.
The Washington Capitals struck in the first minute of the game, as well as on five of their first 17 shots on their way to an 8-2 win. All without star Alexander Ovechkin.
The firing of coach John Stevens was supposed to be a wake up call for the reeling Flyers; a jolt to jump start a run back up the Eastern Conference standings. Instead the Flyers looked as bad as ever. Goalie Ray Emery continued to struggle, having his worst outing of the season. He allowed five goals before being replaced by backup Brian Boucher midway through the second period, giving him a 5.36 goals-against average and .814 save percentage …
Who says you can’t go home again?
The day after the Sixers announced that Allen Iverson was coming back to Philly, it is being widely reported that the Phillies are aggressively pursuing former second baseman Placido Polanco to replace third baseman Pedro Feliz.
Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman reported on his Twitter page that the deal is said to be worth $18 million over three years. According to Heyman, the Phillies like Polanco to move over to third base and bat second behind shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Center fielder Shane Victorino would move down in the lineup to a stronger run producing spot.
MLB.com Phillies reporter Todd Zolecki is reporting that the deal includes a mutual option for 2013.
Polanco played for the Phillies starting in 2002 when he was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals for Scott Rolen until 2005 when he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Ugueth Urbina. He is a career .303 hitter with a .348 on base percentage.
The deal is expected to be finalized Thursday pending …
According to a report Wednesday by ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Phillies have expressed interest in former All Star reliever J.J. Putz.
Putz, coming off season ending elbow surgery last year with the New York Mets, saved 40 games for the Seattle Mariners in 2007. The Phillies believe that he could help sow up the back end of the bullpen and provide some insurance should closer Brad Lidge relive his 2009 season.
Putz doesn’t come without some risk though, as he has yet to prove that he is fully recovered from an injury that ended his season after just 29 1/3 innings.
That being said, he fits perfectly into what Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro is looking for as he is willing to accept a one-year, incentive laden deal. It would allow him to re-establish himself as a premier reliever, and the Phillies could rid themselves of him if he repeats his own disappointing 2009 season.
If Amaro did pursue Putz, he would face stiff competition, as Pittsburgh, Houston, Tampa Bay, Detroit …
Sixers’ GM Ed Stefanski announced Wednesday that the team has agreed to terms with their former number one pick, Allen Iverson. The deal is reportedly a non-guaranteed prorated contract for the league minimum, meaning the Sixers would owe Iverson approximately $600,000 and would be free to cut him before January without being responsible for the remainder of his contract.
Iverson, agent Leon Rose, and his personal manager, Gary Moore met with Stefanski, assistant GM Tony DiLeo, coach Eddie Jordan and assistant coach and former teammate Aaron McKie on Monday to discuss the possibility of his return.
Stefanski and Rose met again on Tuesday.
Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider gave his approval for the deal on Monday, saying that the final decision was up to Stefanski and the basketball operations people.
The Sixers, losers of seven straight, are in desparate need of a pick-me-up. Point guard Lou Williams will be sidelined another seven weeks with a broken jaw. Starting in his place is rookie Jrue Holiday. They have the second worst attendance …
There are currently two debates raging in the Philly sports world.
First, who wants Sixers’ center Samuel Dalembert out of the city more: Dalembert, or the city? According to a report this morning by ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Sixers are in talks with the Sacremento Kings, and possibly the Boston Celtics, about a deal that would send the embattled center to the Left Coast for Kenny Thomas. The Celtics would get Andres Nocioni. Tony Allen and Brian Scalabrine would also come to the Sixers, and the Kings would get J.R. Giddens.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News’ Sixers’ beat reproter, Kate Fagan, the deal does not appear to be close to happening. She also remarked, “don’t think Dalembert is content being a Sixer. His party is actively looking for a new home for the Sixers’ center.”
On the flip side, a comment by The 700 Level’s Enrico Campitelli aptly sums up the city’s feelings on the possible departure of the former Seton Hall grad:
Okay, let’s play a game. Here’s …
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Consider your suffering eased, I have returned. After a month and a half hiatus, I am back at Hot Stove Philly, and you may all now breath a collective sigh of relief. Woo. Good.
Unfortunately, it seems I may have returned to the Philly sports world with little to be excited about. The Phillies season is over. The Eagles are inconsistent at best, and embarrassing at worst. The Sixers make the Eagles look good. The Flyers are the best thing going, and they’re in fourth place in their division. Could it be possible that the Phillies’ off season is the most interesting thing in Philly sports right now?
As the kids say today, wtf mate?
Despite another incredible season that saw the Fightins get to their second straight World Series, they were clearly outmatched by a superior Yankees team. The Bronx Bombers had better hitters, better starting pitching and a better bullpen. Hard to win when under those circumstances.
The series put into sharp contract the glaring holes that need to be addressed by GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and …
One debate about the postseason roster ended Wednesday as veteran left hander Jamie Moyer was officially declared done for the season.
The 46-year old pitcher suffered three torn tendons in his groin and lower abdomen on the final pitch of his win over the Houston Astros at Citizen’s Bank Park on Tuesday. Moyer got four outs in the sixth and seventh innings of the Phillies 7-4 victory, setting up Ryan Madson for a six out save.The injury occurred when Moyer fell awkwardly to the ground on a pitch that got Houston’s Jeff Keppinger to fly out to deep centerfield to end the inning, and for Moyer, the season.
The injury will require surgery, and team doctor Michael Ciccotti said he was optimistic that Moyer would be ready to return by the start of spring training. He also noted that this was a timetable common for all players suffering this injury, and had little to do with Moyer’s age.
“This is an injury that does occur at all …
The Phillies will defend their World Series championship this October as they won their third straight National League East division title with an 10-3 win over the Houston Astros at Citizen’s Bank Park Wednesday.
The game was started by Pedro Martinez, who threw 84 pitches through four innings, allowing three earned runs. He got into trouble early, loading the bases in the first inning. But he managed to get out of trouble relatively unscathed, only allowing one run in the inning. He was lifted after four innings as a precaution. He left his last start early with stiffness in his neck.
The biggest story of the night belonged to the bullpen, who threw a combined five scoreless innings. Kyle Kendrick replaced Martinez and continued pitching like the 2007 pitcher that went 10-4 with a 3.87 ERA. Kendrick pitched three scoreless innings, allowing just two base runners while striking out four. He continues to look like he has turned things around from a rocky 2008 and is making a case to be on the big league squad in …
Jeremiah Trotter has officially returned to the Eagles, again.
This will be the veteran linebacker’s third go around in Philly and is a surprising twist in young season already chock full of incredible twists and surprises. It’s not surprising that Trotter wants to play again, as he has always had a hard time with the idea of hanging up the cleats, but more that the Eagles actually signed him. President Joe Banner, GM Tom Heckert, and coach Andy Reid are renowned for cutting ties with players who are on the verge of being past their prime (i.e. Brian Dawkins, Duce Staley, and Trotter).
“At some points, like last year, when I was sitting at home . . . I was like, ‘Should I give it up and start doing something else?’ Something just kept telling me to work out,” Trotter said.
The Eagles signed Trotter to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. He will wear his familiar No. 54.
Trotter underwent surgery in 2008 to cleanout his right knee, …
