Mopster101-sports talk.

Up Against the World

2011-02-26T22:42:00.001-08:00

My favorite baseball player of all time is Alex Rodriguez, a man everyone who isn't a Yankee fan hates. They hate him because he's a strange bird, he doesn't know how to be a normal person. A baseball prodigy from a young age, he was put in a bubble and protected from real life. Baseball is all he knows. Going to play a major league game is as common to him as taking a piss is to regular people. Michael Vick has only been a Philadelphia Eagle for 2 years, and already he is a legend in my eyes. Donovan McNabb was the quarterback of the team from the time I was 9 up until I was 19, but Michael Vick has already surpassed him in my mind. He is the greatest Eagle I have ever seen. I have 3 dogs and I love them more than anything. Michael Vick strangled and drowned dogs, and the ones he let live were forced to fight each other. A disgusting, unforgivable act. But I believe in redemption. I believe in taking a shit all over your life then rising up and finding a way to make a salad out of it. Am I biased? Of course, he plays for a team I love, but if he played for any other team, I'd secretly be rooting for him, because I love to root for the guy that no one respects, and everyone writes off. Allen Iverson is my favorite pro basketball player of all time, because I loved what he represented. To me, he represented swagger, carelessness, and most of all he was an unapologetic voice of my generation. I love sports history and have a great respect for it, but after years of older players complaining about players with tattoos, and players that listened to hip-hop, and players that wore baggy shorts, AI basically gave all of them the middle finger and told them to get the fuck out of the way. It wasn't his fault that you were stupid enough to hustle on every defensive possession of an all-star game, or that you believed in being a team player. He was going to play the game the only way he knew how, his way. And if people took it the wrong way, fuck em. Why do I love players like this? Players that the majority of people hate, that they treat with no respect? The answers simple: high school.

When I was a junior in the prison the spin machine that is the public education system calls high school, I was taking a test that I had to make up in the guidance center when a 40 something year old guidance counselor that was trying to make herself look 25 walked up to me to talk about my shitty grades. She told me I wouldn't graduate from high school, and that I would end up serving fast food to my classmates. I didn't say anything, I just starred at her. If it had happened now, I would have told her to go fuck herself and walked out. But I was still too young to have that kind of nerve. Something changed though. Up until that point, I didn't plan on graduating from high school. I decided right then and there that I was going to finish school no matter what, just so I could shove it up the asses of piece of shit bitches like her. So I could walk across that phony stage, take the fake diploma from the phony asshole giving them out, and let her know that she was wrong. I barely got by, but fuck it, I got by. I took night classes my senior year at a gateway school, and when I walked across the stage that June and received a diploma that meant nothing to me, I looked at all the faces of the teachers that told me I was a pain in the ass, or that I was a bum, or that I didn't have my priorities in order. That's why I love Michael Vick and Allen Iverson, because every goodie goodie two shoe that had it easy wants them to fail so they can look down on them and laugh, and guys like Mike look them dead in the eye and say "fuck em."

Fuck em. The two words that I live by. It doesn't mean I don't care about anyone, or that I'm selfish. It means I won't let anyone tell me how to feel about myself, or tell me what kind of person I'm supposed to be. When Mike Vick makes a defense look silly on a 40 yard scramble then flexes his muscles for the opposing fans, he's saying fuck em. When ARod hits a 3 run, 2 out homer in boston with the entire fenway crowd calling him afraud, he's saying fuck em. And when Allen Iverson broke Michael Jordan's ankles on a crossover a few years after almost going to jail, he's saying fuck em. When I'm living in Philadelphia, cooking food in a bar for a living, it'll seem like a modest life to most people. But according to the guidance counselor who told me I'd work at mcdonald's my entire life, it's more than I was capable of.

My all time favorite players that never played for a team I root for.

2010-11-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

Ken Griffey Jr.-When I was a little kid in the summer, I could be found wandering around my back yard with a backwards hat on and a fake magnetic earring. I tried to learn to hit left handed like Junior, but gave up after about a week. To put it simply, he is what made baseball cool to me. I only saw him play in person once, and by that time his famous sweet and effortless swing had become slower than a blind turtle. It didn't matter. 630 home runs, and there would have been many more if not for all the injuries while he wasted his career with the reds. I'll always remember him as a mariner, hitting balls in to the upper deck of the kingdome and leaping up like superman to make a catch at the wall.

Allen Iverson-As Iverson gets set to start a career in Turkey, it's easy to forget that in his prime he was one of the most exciting basketball players to ever step on the hard wood. He's also a hall of famer. If I had a time machine, I would pay a decent sum of money to be able to go back to 2001 and watch AI do his thing in Philly. One of the all time great scorers in NBA history.

Barry Sanders-Some of my earliest memories of watching football are Thanksgiving afternoons watching Barry Sanders find his way out of the arms of would be tacklers like a magician. Barry Sanders is the greatest running back of all time. The thing I admire most about him is that when he retired, it wasn't bullshit. He left and didn't come back. He didn't join the media or come back to play a year later. He would have broken the all time rushing record easily had he not retired early, but he had too much respect for the game.

Vladimir Guerrero-When I was a kid and I got Saturday and Sunday afternoon Phillies games on channel 15 in my parents bedroom, I was always hoping they were playing the Expos so I could watch Vlad. No matter how awful of a pitch he swung at, he always seemed to hit it hard. When he signed with the Angels I made it a point to try to go see them once a year so I could watch him play. He killed the Yankees in the 2005 ALDS, but I got over it eventually. If there was one guy I could put in pinstripes for just one season, this would be the guy.

Kurt Warner-Loved watching the 99 Rams play. He broke my heart twice when he beat the Eagles in the 01 and 08 NFC Championship games, but a class act and a hall of famer. He made it look easy out there. In the 2008 NFC title game, the Eagles game back from 3 possessions down to take an improbable lead in the 4th quarter. With 8 minutes left, I turned to my dad and said "I have no doubt Warner will drive them down the field here." Sure enough, he did. And that led to me not talking to anyone in my house for 5 days. Thanks Kurt.

2010 Yankee Report Card

2010-10-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Yankee season ended in a euphoric celebration of a world championship. The 2010 Yankees weren't as fortunate, falling just two wins shy of an american league championship and a trip to another world series. Despite the heartache of winter being upon us, there were still many great moments in the Bronx this year. Here's my individual grades for the entire 2010 Yankee squad.

Jorge Posada-C Plus: Jorge battled injures all year and at age 39 is probably a year away from retirement. His defense continues to decline and there's a good chance prospect Jesus Montero will be the starting catcher next season, making Jorge the full time DH. Sadly it seems as if Posada has lost the ability to throw out runners and his passed ball numbers are increasing every year. When healthy, he's still a force with the bat. A good clutch hitter who continues to have pop.

Mark Teixeira-C: Mark Teixeira is the greatest defensive first baseman that I've ever seen. His offensive output this year, however, was a major letdown after a strong 2009 campaign. He again showed pop with 30 homers, and drove in over 100 runs. But he hit around .250 for the season and was dreadful again in April. The biggest disappointment when it comes to Teixeira is his lack of clutch hitting, especially in the postseason. He had a big home run in game 1 of the ALDS, but didn't register a single hit in the ALCS.

Robinson Cano-A Plus: It wasn't a surprise that Cano forced himself in to the MVP talk this season with a monster season. He's always had the tools, and one of the prettiest swings you'll ever see. The difference this year was his approach with RISP. In years past he had been dreadful, this year he was a machine. He hit 30 home runs and had over 100 RBI for the first time. His defense is very underrated, as it seems like every night he made a play that makes you jump out of your seat.

Derek Jeter-B: It's been well written about that this was the worst season of Jeets career. It also wasn't as bad as people claimed it to be. He hit just .270, about 50 points below his career average. But he still had 179 hits, scored 111 runs, and drove in 67. The baseball "experts" that complain about his defense are off base. What he lacks in range he makes up for in other ways. He can't get to balls up the middle the way Jimmy Rollins does, but nobody can go to their left and make the jump throw in the hole like Jeter. He'll resign with the Yankees this winter and, baring a huge injury, collect his 3, 000th hit with the club.

Alex Rodriguez-B: ARod battled injury all year. It was obvious his hip was bothering him. He still managed to hit 30 home runs and drive in 125 runs, second in the major leagues. His defense was fine as always. He has one of the strongest arms in the game.

Nick Swisher-A: The only reason Swish doesn't get an A plus is his dreadful postseason performance. The Yankees right fielder had a solid season last year in his pinstriped debut, but this season took his game to a new level. He was basically a .300 hitter, had lots of pop in his bat and drove in nearly 100 runs. In past years his defense had been a liability, but this year played a far improved right field.

Curtis Granderson-B: If the season ended in early August, Curtis Granderson would be getting an F. The fact that he gets a B should tell you how incredible his stretch run was. He reconstructed his swing with Kevin Long in Kansas City and was incredible from that point on. In early August, he had 9 home runs. He finished with 24. His defense in center field was stellar. I look forward to seeing a complete season from Granderson next year.

Brett Gardner-B Plus: I went in to this year hoping Gardner could hold his own until next season, when we would surely sign Carl Crawford. By mid may it was obvious Gardner was the real deal, and now I just don't see the Yankees making a move for another left fielder. His speed is incredible, he stole 47 bases. He gets on base and causes chaos. His defense is supreme. His only problem is his tendency to look at strike 3 trying to work a pitcher.

Francisco Cervelli-B: Cervelli did what a back up catcher should do. His defense isn't great, but it's good enough. He doesn't have pop in his bat, but he'll get a hit every now and then. I feel comfortable having him back there. His enthusiasm is great.

Marcus Thames-A: I expected nothing from Thames this year. He ended up getting numerous huge clutch hits and home runs for the Yankees. I wouldn't mind bringing him back in 2011.

Ramiro Pena- B Plus: A utility infielder who did his job fine. Can't hit worth a damn, but a wizard with the glove.

Lance Berkman-C: Berkman came over in August in a trade and was awful. He was a clutch hitter in the postseason however, so he gets a C. I don't see the Yankees attempting to bring him back.

Austin Kearns-F: Terrible baseball player.

CC Sabathia-A Plus: This team wouldn't have even made the playoff's without the big man. The rotation fell apart mid summer and he carried us through the dog days without a wimper. The man is the definition of an ace. 161 dollars is looking like a bargain. Everyone should have a CC Sabathia in their life.

Andy Pettitte-A: Old Man Pettitte was having a career year before injuring his groin in July. Of course, he was masterful in every postseason start he had. If he retires this winter, it'll be a dark day in Yankee land.

Phil Hughes-B Plus: Hughes started off on fire, then looked awful, then bounced between not so great and really good. He's 24 years old, so that's going to happen. His future is bright. Phil Hughes is the real deal. We just aren't sure if he's a future ace or a solid number 3.

Javy Vazquez-F: Javy can't pitch in New York. Period. It doesn't help when you have a dead arm. 85 MPH "fastballs" that are straight as arrows aren't going to cut it in the AL East. Time for this bum to get out of town.

AJ Burnett-F: "AJ Burnett has great stuff." Every time I watch or listen to one of his starts, this is what I hear. If great stuff means constantly giving up 7 runs in 2 innings of work, being mentally unstable, and causing me to want to commit suicide every 5 days, he can keep his good stuff and shove it up his hill billy ass.

Kerry Wood-A Plus: When we traded for Wood, I just thought it was cool that I could say Kerry Wood was a Yankee. I expected nothing out of him. He ended up being a shutdown set up man. It'll take a miracle for him to accept a set up role after the year he had, but I'm hoping for a miracle.

David Robertson-B Plus: Robertson is who you bring in if the bases are loaded and nobodies out. He can strike out the side. He can also give up 4 hits in a row. He's still young and I expect him to be a big part of the Yankee bullpen for years to come.

Joba Chamberlain-C Plus: Despite my constant calling him a bum, you won't find a guy who wants Joba to succeed more than me. I love a chubby white guy that gets on the mound and tries to throw it by guys. Sadly when Joba takes the mound you don't know if you'll get a bulldog that's going to leave the opposing team shaking in it's boots for a moron from nebraska that looks like he has no idea what pitch to throw. It might be time for Joba to find a new home.

Boone Logan-B Plus: Nice surprise.

Chad Gaudin-D Minus: Chad Gaudin sucks, simple as that.

Sergio Mitre-B: He manages to mop up without making the mess bigger.

Dustin Moseley-B: He is what he is.

Mariano Rivera-A Plus: Game over.

The greatest Yankee game of my life.

2010-07-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

On October 9th, 2009, I turned 19 years old. It also happened to be the night the Yankees played the most glorious game of baseball I'd ever witnessed. I had followed them intensely all summer. Every year I listened to the games religiously, but this team was different. They were clutch, and they were more fun and less uptight than the former Yankee teams that had dominated the regular season and then fizzled out in the first round of the playoff's. I felt deep down that this team was going to win the world series, but after witnessing the collapse of 2004 and how it had ruined the team mentally in every postseason going forward, I was bracing myself for another early exit. CC Sabathia didn't let me down in game one. He dominated through 7 innings. There was the usual clutch hit from Derek Jeter. Alex Rodriguez, my favorite player, drove in two runs and began the process of getting the postseason RISP monkey off his back. The great Mariano closed it out. It was a breezy 7-2 win. I felt on top of the world, like I had just witnessed a classic October ball game in the Bronx. What I experienced that night would be nothing compared to the chaos that was about to take place two nights later.
As I said earlier, it was my birthday, a fact I wasn't happy about. My mind was on the game all day. My family had made arrangements to go out to dinner. I tried to get them to reconsider but they insisted. We headed out just as the game was starting. The place we were headed had just installed tv's in it's dining room. I hated this. There's nothing I hate more than watching a big game I care about around anyone except my dad. We ended up staying through the first 3 innings, and they were all scoreless. I'd take it. "Just get me out of here as quickly as possible", I thought to myself. I wanted to be home, on the deck, listening to John Sterling call the action.
AJ Burnett surrendered a run in the 6th and it was 1-0 Minnesota. Already I was ready to throw in the towel. I'm a pessimistic sports fan. It's in my blood. There's nothing I can do about it. In the bottom half of the inning Jeter responded with a one out double. Up came Johnny Damon. I waited for Sterlings call. "LINED DOWN THE LINE IT IS AAAAAA...FOUL BALL!!!". John Sterling, despite being a hero of mine, messes up an amazing amount of calls every year. Usually I could laugh it off but in this case there was no excuse. I paced back and forth on the deck as my dad tried to calm me down. "I THOUGHT HE HAD TIED THE GAME. JESUS JOHN. DO YOU HAVE EYES?!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!". Damon eventually worked a walk. Mark Teixeira followed and did nothing, so it was up to my favorite player, the always controversial ARod. This time John got it right. "hit on the ground....THROUGH FOR THE BASE HIT. HERE COMES JETER, HE'LL SCORE AND THE GAME IS TIED AT 1!!" All hell broke lose on a deck in the middle of Westminster, Maryland. My guy had come through. He was officially clutch. That euphoria didn't last long.
The Yankees gave up two two out runs in the 8th. It was 3-1 Twins. I was done. They did nothing in the 8th inning, the series was going to Minnesota tied 1-1. They would lose the next two in the metrodome and the dream season would be over, I told myself. I walked in to the living room where my mom was watching tv and sat down deflated. "They lost". "It's over?!" "No, it's the 9th inning, they have no chance of coming back." I walked out on to the deck and gathered enough strength to turn the radio back on and listen to my teams slow death. Then I was given hope. "Heres the 1-0...LINED in to center field theres a base hit for Teixeira." I started pacing. "Stop. Don't get your hopes hope. They aren't going to do it." Here came my hero Alex Rodriguez. The count went to 3-1 on him. "Take a walk", was my thinking at the time. What happened next is, without question, the greatest single sports moment of my life. I paced and paced and waited for the call. "It'll be a 3-1 to ARod.....SWUNG ON AND HIT HIGH IN THE AIR TO RIGHT CENTER AND DEEP. IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT ISSSSSSS GONE!!! HE'S DONE IT!!! ALEX RODRIGUEZ HAS HIT A GAME TYING TWO RUN HOME RUN IN THE 9TH INNING. AN UNBELIEVABLY DRAMATIC HOME RUN AN THE GAME IS TIED AT 3!!!". My dad had given up and gone to bed, I was too shocked to say anything, I threw something of the deck and in to the yard, I sprinted through the kitchen and in to the bed room. I said something that didn't quite make sense. Maybe a little like this: "GONE....AROD....HE DID IT. TIE GAME AROD WAS UP WITH A MAN ON IN THE 9TH AND HIT IT OUT. THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME. COME ON YANKEES!!!!" I would later read a New York sports writer say he never felt old or new Yankee stadium shake the way the new place did after that home run. I can say without question that it was the most emotional home run I ever have or will ever witness as a Yankee fan. There have been bigger home runs in bigger games, but this one meant something more to me.
The game was far from over. The Yankees went down without making any more noise in the 9th. In the top of the tenth, Alfredo Aceves put men on second and third with two out and got out of it. In the bottom of the 10th I thought we had the game won. First and third one out for Johnny Damon. "Heres the pitch..SWUNG ON AND LINED RIGHT TO CABRERA HE THROWS TO THIRD DOUBLE PLAY." I was sick to my stomach. I threw off my Yankees hat and lied down face first in the couch. My dad tried to calm me down yet again. "Just leave me alone...I need a minute to deal with this." I was overreacting, obviously, but that's the way it is when you're a fan of a team. Logic doesn't apply in any situation. In the top of the 11th, it looked like the Twins had the game won when they loaded the bases with nobody out. My dad's quote was perfect, "it's no longer IF they score, it's how many." I was emotionally exhausted at that point, and quite frankly resigned. I sat slumped in the chair outside. "LINED RIGHT TO TEIXEIRA. What a break. One away." Moments later, "HIT ON THE GROUND RIGHT TO TEIXEIRA. THROWS HOME, OUT. LOOKS TO FIRST THATS ALL THEY'LL GET." I was now out of the chair and pacing once again. Could this really happen. Could David Robertson, a guy that had trouble holding 5 run 9th inning leads this summer, get out of a bases loaded no one out jam. "HIT IN THE AIR TO RIGHT WE'RE GONNA GET OUT OF IT. GARNDER IS THERE HE...MAKES THE CATCH TO END THE INNING." This night had been a wild roller coaster. I tasted victory. The heart of the order was due up in the bottom half. Teixeira stepped to the plate and worked the count to 2-1 in his favor. Then I would receiver the greatest birthday present I've ever gotten. "SWUNG ON LINED DOWN THE LEFT FIELD LINE IT IS...." For a moment my dad and I stood still, waiting to here either "fair, base hit" or "foul". I was shocked by what I heard coming through the radio. "GONE.......GONE!!!! IT'S A WALK OFF!!!!!!". I can't really describe the way I reacted, because I'm still not really sure what I did. I started crying. did a combination of dancing/shaking, and in general lost my mind like never before. I'll never forget that night and I'll forever be thankful to that team for the experience they gave me all spring/summer/fall. They went on to win the world series, there would be more memorable games along the way. Nothing like that night in the Bronx on October 9th, 2009. The night the 250 million dollar man finally became a legend. The night a 24 year old drafted in the 17th round by the Yankees got out of the biggest jam of his life in the most famous stadium in all of sports. David Robertson will never be an all star, but someday when he's an old man he can remind himself, that he played for the 2009 Yankees. A team that gave me more pure joy than any other sports team ever has. A team that got the job done despite overwhelming expectations. The 2009 Yankees weren't the 1927 Yankees, or the 76 Reds, but there's not a team that ever existed that I wouldn't bet on them to find a way to beat.

2010-05-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

When I was a 12 year old kid, few things were more exciting then a 4 o'clock December Eagle game at the Vet against a division rival. As I've gotten older, I've realized that what made it so special was the attachment to the players on the field. Guys like Duce Staley, Troy Vincent, Hugh Douglass, and Ike Reese gave their all out there every time. Even when they let you down, you still loved them. Around 2006 I started noticing the team was wearing thin on players I felt a connection with, and with the loss of Brian Dawkins, Brian Westbrook, and Sheldon Brown in the past two years, I'm stuck with a team I love simply because of the wings on their helmet and what they mean to me and millions of other fans. Sure, I like Lesean Mccoy, Desean Jackson is fun as hell to watch, and Brent Celek is a hard nosed player, but they don't give me the same feeling Bobby Taylor and Chad Lewis did. On the other hand, the Yankee teams I rooted for in my teenage years were old and grumpy. Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu were nightmares to watch defensively. And there was nothing worse than seeing washed up versions of Kevin Brown and Randy Johnson take the hill. Of course, those teams were saved by the usual suspects. Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettite not counting the three years he pitched for Houston, and Jorge Posada. I loved A-Rod and Mussina. But for the most part, I felt like the Yankee team I rooted for was the team my dad would tell me about on the back deck while Kevin Brown was getting shelled. Reggie Jackson, Billy Martin, Thurman Munson and the Bronx zoo. Or the faint memories I had of being half asleep on the living room couch as my dad celebrated a world series won by Paul O'neill, Bernie Williams, and Tino Martinez. The Eagles were my team, the Yankees were a team that I loved because it had been engraved in my mind at an early age. Now, the Eagles are a team that I can't talk about for five minutes without feeling like I have to throw up, and the Yankees, they could lose 12 straight and I'd still want to talk about them for hours, and it has to do with more than just a championship trophy.
Obviously, the fact that the Yankees came through with a world series win last year is the biggest reason they take the top spot in terms of my enjoyment level and excitement as a fan. I've wanted a professional championship badly and when they recorded the final out it washed away years of a blown 3-0 series leads, world series losses, and numerous losses in the first round. But along with that, the guys on the team are guys that I really like to watch play the game of baseball. I enjoy rooting for CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher, Brett Gardner, and Mark Teixeira. I like them as people. If Joba Chamberlain gives up a run in a close game, I'm angry at him, but I like the guy to much to call him a bum. It wasn't hard to call Kyle Farnsworth a bum, because he was such a goddamn prick all the time. When CC Sabathia gives up 5 runs, I know he'll go and throw 8 innings of 1 run ball next time. Even guys I don't enjoy watching play like AJ Burnett have made the team fun again with things like pie in the face after walk off wins. Jason Giambi wasn't pieing anyone in the face, I can tell you that. Nick Swisher isn't a great player, but he gets the most out of his talent, and appreciates the fans. They've even loosened up the legends. Guys like Jeter, Mariano, Posada, and Pettitte seem to be having more fun playing baseball then they have in all the years I've watched them. In fact, watching this team is the most fun I've had watching sports since I was in middle school.
The Eagles, meanwhile, have done everything possible to alienate a fan base. They've gotten rid of the most beloved player in the history of the franchise behind Reggie White in Brian Dawkins, traded away the only member of the defense that carried his spirit, signed a man that was in prison for dog fighting, extended a coach we've all had enough of, made arrogant statements such as "we are the gold standard of the NFL" despite having won ZERO super bowl championships, and in general made no attempt to make their fans feel they are being listened to. Brian Cashman, meanwhile, is available to the fans multiple times through out a season and off season. Even when he tells us things we don't want to hear, like this winter when he said he wouldn't be sentimental and sign Matsui and Damon to large deals, he was honest with us. Lurie meanwhile refused to comment on Brian Dawkins when he left, instead bringing a fat injured Stacy Andrews, the brother of mental patient Shawn Andrews, to a podium and proclaiming, "this is Stacy's day, we won't be taking any questions regarding Brian Dawkins."
I don't know how many times in my life I've said the Eagles winning the super bowl would be the single greatest thing to ever happen to me. But I also know it'll be hard for me to bring myself to the point where I feel okay buying a ticket from this team this year. And if I do go, it'll be a Westbrook or Dawkins jersey, not a Maclin or Mccoy. Meanwhile, I have no problem spending 50 dollars on Yankee tickets, and when I wear my CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera t-shirts, it's not just the logo on the front that I'm proud of, but the name on the back as well. The Eagles have a long way to go before they become the Eagles again. I'll be there win or lose, but I won't be happy about it. What makes me happier, seeing the Eagles not being able to cover a tight end for the 8th year in a row on 3rd and 3, or hearing John Sterling on a warm summer night declare "ball game over, yankees win". The answer is the latter. On a warm sunday in August, the Yanks are playing the the A's and for a minute I feel like a kid when I hear "it's gonna drop in for a hit!! Two runs will score." I walk outside to the driveway where my dad is washing the car and say "runners on second and third two out, A-Rod with a base hit scored them both, 5-2 Yanks bottom of the 7th." That beats running outside in december when my dad is putting up christmas lights and shouting "3RD AND 17 AND THE EAGLES GAVE UP A FIRST DOWN. BALLS AT THE EAGLE 17. ANDY'S JUST STANDING THERE LIKE A MORON!!!"
All you can do is hope and pray that Nate Allen is the next Brian Dawkins, that Brandon Graham is the next Hugh Douglas, and that Mariano Rivera still has his cutter in 5 years. The Eagles, now 50 years departed from their last NFL championship, and having never won a super bowl, are about halfway to the cubs in terms of total number of years without a title. Sounds like Brian Cashman could teach Jeffrey Lurie a thing or two about gold standards.

11 Bittersweet Seasons

2010-04-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

Donovan McNabb is Washington Redskin. That's a sentence I was sure I'd never in my life find myself writing. But it's true. After 11 polarizing seasons in Philadelphia, number 5 is a member of a team I hate and a division rival. I remember the day I found out we had drafted him. I was eight years old, I'm now nineteen going on twenty. My Dad broke the news to me. Although I had watched all the games as the Eagles went 3-13 the year before, I barely knew what the NFL draft was. "The Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb. He was terrible in the orange bowl, he laughed about it too." I didn't think much of it, to be honest. I was in the third grade. I assumed the Eagles would always be a bad football team. I didn't know that I would go through many peaks and valley's in life, all with this man as the quaterback of my football team. He would become like a family member. Even though he had no idea who I was, by the 3rd year, you felt like you were just watching a really good friend play. A friend that pissed you off, made you laugh, broke your heart, and got you through some bad times when you needed a distraction. I don't really think I can put into words how I feel about Donovan, because frankly, it's too difficult to explain. I sit here with tears in my eyes knowing what was and thinking about what could have been.
The media has tried every year to make a story out of the Eagles fans feelings towards Donovan. They've said we don't appreciate him and that most of the time he "had no weapons". For the last time in my life, I am going to tell those people to go fuck themselves. Members of the media outside of Philadelphia DO NOT understand the relationship between the two parties. That is not my problem. I don't apologize for any anger I have towards Donovan. I don't feel bad about any of the mean things I might have said about him. At the end of the day, he's going to retire a rich man, and I'm going to be driving a truck somewhere at age 65. I think it's safe to say I'll never forgive him for the NFC championship game losses and for throwing up in the super bowl. For laughing when he throws at a wide open guys feet. Truth be told I could go on and on, but I don't want to make this a negative post. I've watched every game the man ever played in, so what ESPN or Deion Sanders says means nothing to me. Once again, and for the last time, they can go fuck themselves.
I'm going to remember Donovan McNabb fondly and with a head full of great memories. I could go down the list, game by game, talking about the plays I remember him making and the excitement he brought me, but it would take too long. When I was a 12 year old kid going to my first Eagles game at the Vet, Donovan delivered me one of the greatest days of my life on a broken ankle. When I was a 16 year old kid on my birthday depressed over a girl, Donovan went out against the dallas cowgirls and terrell owens and beat them, taking my mind off every silly problem I was having so that my main focus was that the Eagles were now 4-1 and maybe this year was the year. I remember most of all a cold winter night in late January when he went out and after three years in a row of failure won an NFC championship game to take us to the show. It saddens me that he failed to ever complete the journey. It makes me angry, I won't lie. But if you asked me if I would trade all the memories I have of watching him play for a super bowl championship, I would tell you no, because I've had so much fun over the years being a fan of this team and watching guys like him, Brian Dawkins, and Brian Westbrook. All of those guys are gone now, and we have a new era of Eagles football. It will take a while for me and people that have been watching this team for the past 11 years to get used to and embrace the change, but with any luck, a kid who is eight years old now will be writing something like this about Kevin Kolb eleven years from now, minus the part about him never winning it all.
I'll end in saying that I can only hope that Kevin Kolb carry's himself with as much class and dignity as Donovan McNabb did for his 11 seasons in Philadelphia. For all the times I've called him a bum, a shithead, a piece of shit, the worst quarterback of all time, and worm murderer, I know the one thing I'll never be able to call him is a bad guy. I may not have always appreciated his personality, but I was always proud of the way he handled himself on and off the field. Thank you Donovan McNabb for 11 incredible years. I'll never forget a single one of them.

The Myth of the "Yankee Problem"

2010-03-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday I headed to my mail box to check out the latest issue of sports illustrated. As I was flipping through the pages I noticed a short article that instantly had me rolling my eyes. It was yet another piece about the Yankees winning ways and the "lack of parity" in the league being bad for baseball. It's an argument we've all heard hundreds of times. Obviously as a Yankee fan my view is biased, but this is an issue I can't hold my tongue on any longer. I'd like to try and put to rest once and for all the myth that is the "Yankee problem".
The Yankees are a team that most people either love or hate. It's been said that hating them is as American as apple pie. I'd agree with that, but I also think there's something distinctly American about loving them. I admit I get caught up in the tradition of the team I root for. I love old footage of Lou Gehrig and hearing Mickey Mantle stories. Listening to my Dad tell me about the 77 team and Reggie Jackson's 3 home runs in the world series clinching game. It doesn't bother me when I hear fans of other teams call us the evil empire. In fact, I enjoy it, it means we're doing something right. But the two things I can't stand hearing from baseball fans is that the Yanks are bad for the game, and that there's no parity in the league. This past season the Yankees celebrated their first world championship in 9 years. When I tell my grandchildren about it I will always refer to it as "my championship". The Yankees other world series title this decade came in the year 2000, giving them two for the ten year span. Nothing to be ashamed of, no question, but certainly not such incredible domination that other teams around the league have no chance.
In 2001 and 2003, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Florida Marlins, two of the smallest market teams in the game of baseball, beat the New York Yankees to win the world series. The Boston Red Sox have two world series titles this decade, matching the Yankees, but they aren't treated like a team ruining the game, in fact they get treated like folk heroes even though they spend the second most money in all of baseball. In 2005 the Chicago White Sox took home rings, in 2006 the St. Louis Cardinals, and in 2008 the Philadelphia Phillies won their first championship since 1980, defeating a Tampa Bay Rays team that had finished in last place the year before. So 7 different teams won the world series this decade. This to me seems like more of a balanced league than the NBA, where the Lakers and the Spurs have won 10 out of the last 11 Western Conference titles. I dont see any shirts that say "The only thing I hate more than the Spurs are those damn Spurs fans." In fact, in a league like the NBA where only 3 or 4 teams have any chance at all, I hardly ever hear people talking about the playing field being unfair. In the NFL the Patriots won three super bowls in a row, and although plenty of people hate the Patriots, we don't complain about the NFL and it's lack of parity. People are always looking to take shots at baseball and bow down to the almighty National Football league. When a baseball player admits to steroid use, he's a terrible person, but when a defensive lineman is suspended for testing positive for a banned substance, no one seems to care. That, however, is a different topic all together.
The worst thing about the people who complain about the Yankees is that all this talk of us ruining the game has just started popping up again now that we've won the world series. From 2001-2008, instead of telling us we bought championships, people acted as if we were a laughing stock for not being able to win the world series with the payroll we had. Ah, the infamous 2009 payroll. People never mention that even after signing CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira, our payroll was actually lower than it was in 2008 because we released washed up veterans like Jason Giambi and and Bobby Abreu. And people always seem to forget that the core four, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada, are all players drafted by the Yankees. In 2009 many people contributed our success to making Phil Hughes the 8th inning guy, a pitcher we drafted. And Robinson Cano, the young up and coming second baseman that is exceptionally gifted but frustrating to watch at times, was drafted by yours truly. Yes, we spend a lot of money. Yes, no other team in baseball has the money we have. But the success of this team is still largely dependent on the draft.
As much as people say they hate the Yankees and are sick of baseball, the ratings are always great when it's the Yanks in the world series. I love baseball more than any other team sport, so if it's a Royals Pirates world series, I'll watch. But the fact is the casual viewer is more inclined to tune in if it's the Yankees taking on the Dodgers. The Yankees get ratings, and good ratings help the league, and when the league is thriving, it can bring you, the fan, a better experience. People say they don't care about the game anymore, but if you can't enjoy sitting in the upper deck with a hot dog on a cool summer night, well then I just don't see myself getting along with you.
I'm not saying that everyone should love the Yankees. If you're a fan of the Red Sox, the Rays, the Orioles, or the Blue Jays, I would expect you to hate the Yankees as a division rival. If you're a jealous Mets fan, hate away. Maybe even if you're an Angels fan after the decade long playoff rivalry the two teams have had. But if you're a Houston Astros fan, you look pretty stupid when you hate the Yankees more than a team in your own division.
I guess the moral of the story is this. The Yankees will continue to spend money and draft well. They won't win the world series every year, and when they don't the country will act like the team is a disgrace for not doing so. When they do win it all, the country will act like the team is ruining baseball. Fans in San Diego will sit in their ballpark at night with t-shirts that illustrate their hatred for a team that plays on the other side of the country. The Yankees will continue to make it possible for Major League Baseball to help pay for that ballpark. So before you decide to boo Derek Jeter but not Manny Ramirez, remind yourself that baseball is the cheapest major sporting event you can attend because it's so popular. And as important as teams like the Padres and Royals are to our game, where would the popularity of our sport be without the Yankees?

The pick.

2010-03-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

I remember it like yesterday. I was a fresh faced 12 year old with terrible teeth and a love affair with everything Eagles. I just knew they were going to win it all that year. There wasn't even a chance we would blow it. Every game I wore the same outfit. Eagles sweat pants, an eagles t-shirt, underneath another eagles t-shirt, underneath a Donovan McNabb jersey, underneath a Duce Staley jersey. I was at the Vet when Donovan broke his ankle, and after seeing them continue their winning ways with Koy Detmer and AJ Feeley at the wheel, I knew for sure that this was the year. It was destiny. Donovan came back in time for the playoff's. The week leading up to the game, I sat around the house crying because "my dad was making me look like a bad fan by not getting us tickets to the last game at the Vet". I came home from school Wednesday and he had left a message on our answering machine telling my Mom it was impossible to get tickets. That was just the first thing to go wrong in what would turn out to be a nightmare.
I woke up the morning of the game and put my jersey's on. I had made a sign that said "GO EAGLES" and had all my favorite players names written on it. I covered my face in green marker. I looked like a nut job. I went to church at 7:15 AM with my Dad and prayed. Not that I thought I'd need the extra help. This was our destiny. The last year at the Vet would result in a championship. My Dad told me about all the great things we would do after the game to celebrate. During the Fox pregame, they had a 20 minute segment on the history of the Vet. They were giving us the game. If we won we would get to play an inferior raiders team. Tampa had NEVER WON A COLD WEATHER GAME IN THE HISTORY OF THE FRANCHISE. Jessica Simpson sang the national anthem. I was ready. I expected the game to be over quickly. This was all a formality. Brian Mitchell took the opening kickoff all the way back to the Tampa Bay 20. He would later say he never heard a stadium as loud as he did the Vet at that moment. Two plays later Duce Staley took the ball into the endzone and just like that we were up 7-0. I ran around the house screaming and knocking things over. The festival had begun! Or so we thought.
I was feeling pretty good up 7-3 late in the first quarter, although I didn't understand why we weren't winning 42-0 already. I wasn't at all concerned, remember, this was a team of destiny. Then Joe Jurevicis took a pass from Brad Johnson all the way down inside the 5 yard line of the Eagles. There was silence in the stadium and in my house as he ran free. "Oh God", my Dad said quietly. As a veteran Eagle fan, I now understand what he was truly saying when he uttered those words. We were fucked. The Eagles were going to choke.
At halftime the score read 17-10 Bucs. My Dad decided we had to go outside and play catch. It was like he wanted to explain to me the horror I was about to experience. "You still think they're going to win, right?" Silence. We did nothing in the 3rd quarter, and by the 5 minute mark of the 4th, trailed 20-10. Plain old worry had turned into panic and anger. It was then that I first said the phrase that has become as common as "hello" in my house. "SCREW YOU DONOVAN!!!!!!!!!!" The love affair was over. I hadn't lost all hope though. My Dad walked out on to the back deck to drink, too angry to watch. I tried to urge them on, "COME ON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!!!" On third down with around 3 minutes to go, Donovan found Antonio Freeman inside the Tampa ten. The Vet erupted...one last time. What happened next is something so horrifying not even satan dares to talk about it. Donovan looked for Todd Pinkston, but he found Ronde Barber of the Bucs, who took it 92 yards the other way for a pick six. The game was over. The season was over. The dream was over. We had lost. For a second, I still didn't believe it. But it was real.
The Eagles will always find a way to kick you in the balls when you start to fall in love with them. To put salt in your wound when you've already gotten your ass kicked. Still, me and millions of other people love them more than almost anything on this earth. I will always show up to watch them player, no matter how little I believe in them. They deserve every boo and fuck you that comes their way.

Go Eagles, but thank God for the Yankees.

Sports Hatred.

2010-01-20T21:21:00.001-08:00

As a bitter sports fan, I know how to hold a grudge. Here's a list of the teams I hate the most, in a specific order.

1. Boston Red Sox
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. New York Giants
4. Washington Redskins
5. Duke Blue Devils
6. New York Mets
7. Tampa Bay Bucs(I'll never get over the 2002 NFC championship game)
9. North Carolina Tar Heels
10. Robert Morris Colonials

New York Yankees all decade team

2010-01-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

Well the Eagles just choked away a real chance to put themselves in a great position for the playoff's, so it seems like a good time to focus on the team that managed to not let me down this fall. The New York Yankees have had lots of greats and hall of famers over the course of the decade so this list will be tough. Let's give it a shot. I'm too frustrated to give explanations for these selections.

Starting Pitcher: Andy Pettitte

Relief Pitcher: Mariano Rivera

Catcher: Jorge Posada

First Baseman: Tino Martinez

Second Baseman: Chuck Knoblauch

Shortstop: Derek Jeter

Third Baseman: Alex Rodriguez

Left Fielder: Johnny Damon

Center Fielder: Bernie Williams

Right Fielder: Paul O'Neill

DH: Hideki Matsui

Stories of heartbreak and glory from the luckiest and most cursed sports fan in america part 2.

2009-12-31T21:51:00.000-08:00

Top ten Yankee wins of the decade:

1. World Series game 6 2009. The greatest sports victory of my entire life, without question. A huge weight came off my shoulders and I was happier than I ever have been. Only an Eagles super bowl win could rival it. A day I thought would never come.

2. ALCS game 6 2009. The world series win obviously meant more and was a bigger thrill, but winning the pennant was more emotional after 2004 and feeling like we would never get back. Truthfully, I thought we would win the world series once we got there. But I never thought we'd beat the angels and win the pennant.

3. ALCS game 7 2003. Down three runs in the 8th we come back against Pedro to win the game in extra innings on an Aaron Boone homerun. This was tainted a bit when we lost to the marlins in the world series but it's still a great memory. It was on my dad's birthday. Doing it against the sox and Pedro obviously made it sweeter.

4. World Series game 5 2000. I have to say at this point in my life I was a spoiled ten year old Yankee fan that was used to them winning it all so I wasn't crying tears of joy like I was this year, but it was a great memory. I remember my dad shouting "we did it! we did it!" over and over. People don't remember that we only won 86 games that year. Without Mariano we wouldn't have sniffed a world series ring.

5. ALCS game 2 2009. Another extra inning game. I watched it at my granddads house and will forever remember it as one of the greatest games I've ever witnessed. Three men, all Yankee fans, all related watching a game together. All part of different generations, all acting like kids in a candy store when Jerry Hairston crossed the plate around midnight.

6. ALDS game 2 2009. My 19th birthday. Down two in the bottom of the 9th ARod hits a 2 run bomb. The twins load the bases in extra innings with no one out and David Robertson gets out o it. Tex hits the walk off shot to win it in the bottom half.

7. World Series game 3 and 4 2001. Yes, we lost the series. But two nights in a row we were down to our final out and hit two run home runs to tie it. Two nights in a row!

8. August 2009 against Boston Red Sox. 15 inning game. ARod hits a two run shot with 2 outs to break a 0-0 tie. Was in Florida on vacation. Amazing game.

9. July 2009 against Baltimore Orioles. First time at the new stadium. Great day with an old friend. Got to see Mariano Rivera pitch in Yankee stadium, thank you Brian Bruney. The game I saw at the old stadium would have made it on here but we lost. Still a great experience.

10. September 2000. My first Yankee game in person at Camden Yards. Roger Clemens throws a 1-0 shutout.

Top Five Yankees losses of the decade:

1. World Series game 7 2001. Two outs away from our 4th title in a row. The moment I realized the Yankees, and Mariano, were human.

2. ALCS game 7 2004. The three loses leading up to this were actually way worse than game 7, when you knew we were going to lose. The only team in history to blow a 3-0 series lead, and worst of all blowing it to the red sox.

3. ALDS game 2 2007. Leading 1-0 in the 8th, we needed just six outs from Joba, who had been dominant out of the bullpen, and Mo. Somehow the stadium was attacked by bugs and Joba was unable to see. Throwing a wild pitch to let the tying run in. We would eventually lose the game and the series.

4. ALCS game 5 2009. I hate putting this one on here because we won the series, but after we lost this game I sunk into a deep depression and was sure we wouldn't win the series. Down 4-0 after AJ Burnett choked in the first inning, we came back to score 6 runs with two outs in the 7th. AJ then comes out and puts the first two runners on in the 7th, the Angels score three, and we trail 7-6. In the bottom of the 9th, God decides to fuck with me by loading the bases with two outs for Nick Swisher, who worked the count to 3-2 only to pop up to end the game.

5. World Series game 6 2003. Losing the world series to the Florida Marlins is not fun.

In 2002, 2005, and 2006 we lost in the first round. Games from those series could be included but it would be like telling the same story over and over again. The offense didn't show up, and the pitching was horrible. Oh well, 2009 world series champs!!!!!!!

The Philadelphia Eagles all decade team.

2009-12-31T11:56:00.000-08:00

Quarterback: Donovan Mcnabb-This one is obvious. Over 100 career wins. More than any quarterback in Eagles history. Better than Jaws and Randall. Having one of the best years of his career at age 33. Should be a hall of famer.

Running Back: Brian Westbrook-This one is pretty obvious too even though Duce Staley is my favorite Eagle of all time and deserves a mention. Correll Buckhalter also did a nice job when healthy. But Westbrook is second in Eagles history in rushing yards behind only Wilbert Montgomery, and he'll most likely end up in first if he can play anywhere near a full season next year. In 2007 he lead the NFL in all purpose yards.

Full Back: Leonard Weaver-He's only been in Eagle green for a year but he's without question the best fullback we've ever had. He's the first Eagle fullback to really be a part of the offense and he understands what it means to be an Eagle. Cecil Martin was a good blocking fullback but didn't do enough with the ball in his hands. Jon Ritchie was a huge bust.

Wide Receiver: Terrell Owens-Yes, I hate him. But he was dominant in his year and a half here and is a big part of the reason we won an NFC championship. When he was here, he was my favorite Eagle. If he hadn't run his mouth, him and Donovan could have won a championship or two together. He should be in the hall of fame.

Wide Receiver: Desean Jackson-One of the most exciting football players I've ever seen and he's only 23. Huge playmaker. Better speed than TO. Should be dominant for years to come.

Tight End: Chad Lewis-Brent Celek may soon take his spot but Chad Lewis was a consistent target for Donovan from 2000-2005. We all thought LJ Smith would make this list when we drafted him, and he turned out to be a walking torn hamstring with hands of stone.

Offensive Tackle: Jon Runyan/Tra Thomas- Another obvious one. Dominant and consistent for the entire decade. Runyan should be a hall of famer. Thomas was the leader of the offensive line.

Guard: Shawn Andrews/Jermane Mayberry- I hate putting Shawn Andrews on this list because he's a waste of talent, but when he does play he's dominant. Jermane Mayberry had a shaky start but was great here from 2002-2004. Todd Herremans came close to making this list.

Center: Jamaal Jackson- Bubba Miller and Hank Fraley were both good. This was really a toss up between three good solid centers. Jamaal Jackson gets the nod.

Defensive End: Huge Douglas/Trent Cole- Hugh Douglas was one of my favorite players of all time. Consistent and underrated every single year. Loved playing for the Eagles. Trent Cole is another underrated Defensive End that still manages 12 sacks a year with little help on the other side. Javon Kearse should have made this list but didnt' get it done while collecting his giant paychecks from the Eagles.

Defensive Tackle: Corey Simon/Hollis Thomas- The combo we have now of Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley is very good and could have easily made this list, but I miss the personalities of Simon and Thomas. Simon got too fat to play football and should have had a much longer career.

Middle Linebacker: Jeremiah Trotter- Just a great football player. He isn't what he used to be, but once he came back for this third stint with the team this season, it seemed like the team went from being an uninspired group of sloppy players to being an emotional group that wanted to win. A true Eagle.

Outside Linebacker: Carlos Emmons- Did something from 2000-2001 we haven't been able to do since, shut down tight ends.

Inside Linebacker: Steward Bradley- Yes, he's a middle linebacker and he's been on the IR since training camp. But we have never had an inside linebacker worthy of making this list, so I'm going with Stewart Bradley.

Safety: Brian Dawkins/Quintin Mikell- BDawk is the most obvious choice on this entire list. The greatest Eagle of all time. Nothing more to say than that. Quintin Mikell is a solid, underrated player and a quiet leader on defense.

Cornerback: Troy Vincent/Sheldon Brown- It kills me not putting Asante Samuel and Bobby Taylor on this list. I love all four of these players and all of them should make the list.

Punter: Sean Landeta- Solid for years. We haven't had a good punter since.

Kicker: David Akers- This is literally the only possible choice. Not what he used to be but still great.

Kick returner: Brian Mitchell- One of the all time greats at this position. He's a Redskin at the end of the day but he still gave us some great years and is the only choice here.

Punt returner: Desean Jackson- Like I said earlier, when he gets the ball in his hands, no one is more dangerous.

The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Yankees. Stories of heartbreak and glory from the luckiest and most cursed sports fan of the decade part one.

2009-12-30T22:49:00.000-08:00

Top ten Philadelphia Eagles wins

1. 2004 NFC championship game against the Falcons. First NFC title in 25 years.

2. 44-6 win over Dallas Cowboys on December 28th, 2008 to clinch a playoff berth.

3. 2003 NFC divisional playoff versus Green Bay Packers. The miracle of 4th and 26. David Akers hits the game winner in overtime.

4. November 2002 against the Arizona Cardinals. My first Eagles game at the vet. Donovan throws 4 touchdowns on a broken ankle.

5. 2008 NFC divisional playoff versus New York Giants. Last playoff game in giants stadium.

6. September 2000 against the Dallas Cowboys. Pickle juice game. 110 degrees in Dallas, Duce runs for over 200 yards and the eagles go on to make the playoff's a year after going 5-11.

7. October 2006 against the Dallas Cowboys. A day before my 16th birthday, TO's first game back at the Linc as a member of the Cowboys. Lito with a 100 yard pick six to seal it in the fourth.

8. 2000 wild card playoff against Tampa Bay Bucs. Andy Reid and Donovans first playoff victories.

9. November 2002 monday night football against the San Fransisco 49ers. Koy Detmer plays for an injured Mcnabb and proves everyone wrong.

10. 2006 NFC wild card round against the New York Giants. Jeff Garcia starts for an injured Donovan Mcnabb and leads the team to a last second field goal off the foot of David Akers to send us to the divisional round.

10 ten Philadelphia Eagles losses

1. 2002 NFC championship game against the Tampa Bay Bucs. Last game at veterans stadium. Our best chance to win a super bowl. A loss that will forever disturb me. To this day the worst feeling I have ever had. Missed three days of school after wards.

2. 2004 Super Bowl versus the New England Patriots. We go up 7-0 and end up losing by 3. Donovan throws up in the huddle.Had the ball with a minute left and threw a pick. Champagne was on ice and we were ready to celebrate the irst super bowl in the history of the Eagles.

3. 2003 NFC championship game against the Carolina Panthers. Three years in a row to teams that had never won anything before. We score a total of 3 points and Donovan plays scared. The Panthers run around our stadium with the trophy and mock the fans.

4. 2008 NFC championship game. After falling behind by 20 at the half, we work our way to a one point lead with 8 minutes left and allow Kurt Warner and the Cardinals to go down the field in 6 minutes, chewing up most of the clock and effectively ending another golden chance to win it all.

5. 2001 NFC championship game. The Rams were the better team but we still had a lead in the 4th quarter. Kurt Warner and the Rams offense proved to explosive and we lost a tight game. Chad Lewis drops a pass on the final drive that would have put us in a great position to score and win the game. I cried for days.

6. 2006 NFC divisional playoff against the New Orleans Saints. Blew an 8 point lead. A game we should have won.

7. 2000 NFC divisional playoff against the New York Giants. They run the opening kick back and we get beaten up and down the field. My first taste of heartache of the decade. This game was never even close.

8. December 2008 against the Washington Redskins. A win against a bad skins team and the cowboys the next week and we were in the playoff's. We came out flat and laid an egg only scoring 3 points. Down 10-3 with 8 seconds left Reggie Brown caught a pass at the one yard line but was kept out of the end zone. Time ran out and the season appeared over. Somehow though, we would get into the playoffs.

9. September 2003 against the Tampa Bay Bucs. First game ever at the Linc. Monday night football. Time to get revenge on the Bucs. We lose 17-0.

10. Every single game of the 2005 season. Fuck you Terrell Owens.

Number 36.

2009-11-16T23:36:00.000-08:00

Duce Staley is my favorite Eagle of all time for a few reasons. When I started watching the games in 98, we had no quarterback, no receivers, and no offensive line. Duce was the only player on that team I ever saw make a play. As the team got better, he was no where near the best player on the field. He wasn't flashy and rarely made a huge play. But if it was 3rd and 1 and you handed him the ball, it didn't matter if he was hit by two men in the backfield, he was finding a way to get the first down. He never gave up, put his shoulder down and ran hard. The first Eagles game I ever saw in person, at the vet, he caught a ball at the two yard line, was hit by two cardinals defenders, and kept his feet moving for a good three seconds before forcing himself into the endzone. In the same game, a rookie by the name of Brian Westbrook came into the game at garbage time, with the eagles up four scores. He took a handoff and ran for three yards up the middle. The half drunk bearded man in a Hugh Douglass jersey behind me shouted as he praised the young back. "I LIKE THAT KID!!!" I nodded my head in agreement, feeling like a man for the first time in my life in the 700 level of the vet. Two years later Duce was in Pittsburgh and the kid from Villanova was our featured back. He became the one player on offense we could not afford to lose. He saved the team from being average. In a game against the giants years ago, we had a 2-3 record and were down 10-7 with 1:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. We had no timeouts and Donovan never takes the team down the field when it matters most. We caught a punt near the 20 and, with barely any blocking in front of him, took the ball 84 yards down the field for a season saving touchdown. We went on to win 9 of our last 10 and finish 12-4 with homefield advantage. It's pained me to watch him this year because when he has the ball in his hands, he is not what he used to be. He was a magician out in the open field with a football in his hands in years past. It was a joy to watch. After suffering his second concussion of the year Sunday, I would love to see the man retire an Eagle now, come back as a running backs coach to mentor Lesean McCoy, and not take any risks. Over the years I've done my fair share of cheering when a player on the opposing team is injured or even cheering when someone on my team I don't like is injured, mostly out of bitterness. I've also pretended to care when a player goes down with an injury. That's why I was shocked when for the first time in my life a player was taken out of a game and I was more worried about his own health than what impact it would have on the game. Brian Westbrook has been embraced by the Philadelphia Eagles fans in a way that players like Donovan Mcnabb never will be. There's a reason for that. The media picks players that fan bases are supposed to like. Donovan was supposed to be that player in Philadelphia. I have mixed feelings towards Donovan, but at the end of the day, I love him and consider myself lucky to have watched him. That being said, he is not Peyton Manning, he is not Tom Brady, and as far as Eagles go, he is not Brian Dawkins, and he is not Brian Westbrook. He isn't a leader. Deep down, he thinks he hates us, the fans of the Philadelphia Eagles. That's fine, I don't care. The media doesn't understand that the reason people give Donovan shit isn't because he's never one of a super bowl, it's because he's never learned from his mistakes, and he's never just simply rolled up his sleeves and gotten it done. Brian Westbrook is a quiet leader. He leads by example. He never lines up wrong, gets called for holding, or misses a block. In a game last year against the Baltimore Ravens, we were down 36-7. The game was over. Donovan had been benched and he put a coat on, stood by himself on the sideline and refused to talk to anyone. BWest gathered up the entire offense in a game that they had no chance of winning. "I need a little bit more from everybody, just a little bit more." He wasn't screaming at people or throwing his helmet, he was asking for effort. The man has given his all to this franchise. I could not have asked for more from him. Players like him are why being an Eagles fan is worth it. If I don't have a super bowl championship by the time I have a kid I won't be able to tell him about the great drive we went on in the last two minutes of the super bowl to win it all, but I'll be able to talk about Brian Dawkins, a safety that hit harder than anyone I'd ever seen, Brian Westbrook, a player who could change a season with one play, and Duce Staley, a back with average talent that never gave up. There's an exclusive list of players that I will never boo or verbally abuse. Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Brian Dawkins, and now the great Brian Westbrook.

THEY DID IT!!!!!!!

2009-11-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

THE NEW YORK YANKEES ARE THE 2009 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Championship...pleasee....

2009-10-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

For the love of God Yankees, when my Granddad became a fan in the 30's, YOU DID NOTHING BUT WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS, when my Dad was my age, HE SAW TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW, Since I've been alive, God was kind enough to let you win four championships in 96, 98, 99, and 00, making it so that I was just a year or two too young to really grasp what was happening. Darn. Since then, I've cried through two world series loses, AND A 3-0 SERIES LEAD ON BOSTON IN THE ALCS THAT YOU BLEW, NOW COME ON, I AM NOT DEALING WITH YOUR SHIT THIS TIME, YOU HAVE FUCKED ME OVER FOR THE LAST TIME, IF YOU PULL THIS OFF, I DON'T CARE IF YOU ALL DECIDE TO RETIRE, BEAT YOUR WIVES, OR TAKE STEROIDS UNTIL YOUR BALLS FALLS OFF, JUST WIN ME ONE FUCKING TROPHY, END THIS, ENDDDDDDD THISSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your half-dead but genius boss, George Steinbrenner, has done something no other owner in baseball has cared to do. He didn't spend an ungodly amount of money on all of you to lose in the first round to an 85 win team from the mid west. He may not know your names anymore, BUT HE IS WATCHING YOU FROM HIS MANSION IN TAMPA, AND HE WILL FIND A WAY TO CALL YOU A FAT TOAD IF YOU FAIL TO GET A RUNNER IN FROM 3RD WITH LESS THAN TWO OUTS. ARod, I love you, when you're not pressing, there is nothing like watching you swing the bat. Now, this time around, when theres a man on second and third, just do what I've seen you do so easily year after year in the regular season, hit a ground ball to the second baseman, hit a deep fly ball to center, get a base hit up the middle, do anything but try to hit a home run. CC, I spent 30 bucks on a shirt with your name on it at our billion dollar stadium this summer, you're not going to make me waste 30 bucks are you? God knows you can't. I will lose my shit. Cano.....ugh. Melk man, deliver. Matsui, Posada, Derek, Old man Pettitte, I'm not worried about you guys. And of course the great Mariano. Two words. CUTTER AWAY, CUTTER AWAY, CUTTER AWAY. OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

0-7

2009-06-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

My entire life the Yankees beat up on the red socks like a nerdy younger brother. They hated us, and them whining about us made me hate them. Then in 2004 they came back from being down 3-0 in the American League Championship series and beat us in what might have been the most crushing defeat in Yankee history. After that, I had no choice but to respect them as our equal. It's made me hate them even more. I love the Yankees, and they mean more to the men in this family than just a baseball team, and that is why this losing to the red socks this year is more than just a few games in the lose column. I as a Yankee fan feel let down by a team that I feel is superior to any team in the league playing like rookies out there against Boston game after game. The fact of the matter is, the Yankees have lost all seven games they've played against Boston, and are only a game out of first place with a lonnnnnng way to go. We're in good shape as far as the standings go, but that is not the point. If we win the world series this year and fail to beat Boston once, the season is a failure.

Tonight, Girardi threw an incompetent pitcher out there against a great hitting team. We were down 6-3 early. Thanks to Mark Texeira, we made it 6-5 in the seventh. Plenty of time to get one or two more runs. In the 8th, we gave ourselves a good chance.

One out, Gardner on second, all we need is a base hit to tie the game. Derek Jeter, my favorite Yankee of all time, our captain, is up. I like our chances.

The man strikes out on an ankle high pitch and walks back to the dugout, deflated.

Johnny Damon is up, two out, man still on second, all we need him to do is get a cheap hit into center field, tie this game up.

Johnny strikes out on a pitch right down the middle of the ol' plate.

He walks back to the dugout like he could care less.

Tomorrow we have CC on the mound, our ace, the man we paid millions and millions of dollars for, a man who for half of last year was impossible to hit. He absolutely needs to win this baseball game for the Yankees. Regardless of what happens for the rest of the season, the Yankees need to know they can still beat up the little brother of baseball royalty.

HOW ABOUT THAT!

2009-05-19T22:36:00.000-07:00

THE BRONX BOMBERS ARE ON FIRE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN......

IT IS HIGH.....IT IS FAR.....IT ISSSSSS..........GONE!!!!!!!!!!

Pinstripes.

2009-05-08T21:52:00.000-07:00

Well, the Yankees had a God awful week. They could not get a lead and every time they managed to tie a ball game some bum from the bullpen came out and gave up a two out home run. Disgusting. Even Mark Teixeira decided it would be a good idea to get a double and score some runs, but in the end they couldnt resist the temptation of blowing it and hurting every Yankee fan in the world. I'm putting all this aside for a minute, because they played a down right beautiful game tonight against the Baltimore Orioles. HOLY SHIT, AN A BOMB FROM A ROD ON HIS FIRST FUCKING PITCH BACK, IT'S LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A DISNEY SPORTS MOVIE. I ALMOST BROKE MY FUCKING LEG RUNNING AROUND THE HOUSE LOSING MY FUCKING MIND. THANK YOU ALEX. To top it all off, CC finally lived up to his big money contract, throwing a complete game shut out. Amazing.

A lot of red sox fans are jacking off to the fact that they've beat the pinstripes five games in a row. I've only got one thing to say to these curse loving sons of bitches:

New York Yankees–Boston Red Sox

History
1st Meeting April 26, 1901
Last Meeting May 5, 2009
Next Meeting June 9, 2009
Number of Meetings 1,779
All-Time Series 993–783 Yankees
Largest Margin of Victory 22–1 Yankees (June 19, 2000)
Regular Season Series 982–775 Yankees
Post Season Meetings 11-8 (NYY)

HOLY SMOKES

2009-04-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

What an incredible draft. The Eagles did an amazing job and they didn't even have to go get a veteran receiver. I assumed that Jeremy Maclin would be gone in the top ten, for us to get him at 19 is a thrill. I think he'll be a huge part of this offense for years to come. Getting McCoy in the 2nd round is a huge steal as well. He'll fit well into our two back offense and eventually he should be BWest's successor. We got Ellis Hobbs in a trade with the patriots, and he should compete for playing time depending on what happens with Sheldon Brown, as well as be an excellent kick returner. Cornelius Ingram wouldn't have been there in the 5th round for us at tight end if it wasn't for his injury, he should have an impact playing behind Celek. Mini camp starts this weekend.....GET THE JOB DONE FAT MAN.

Now onto the Yankees....WHAT THE FUCK WERE THOSE MOTHERFUCKING SHITHEADS DOING OUT THERE IN BOSTON. THEY MUST LIKE TO HURT ME, BECAUSE ONLY A TEAM FULL OF BASTARDS THAT LIKE HURTING PEOPLE WOULD GIVE UP A TWO RUN LEAD IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH WITH TWO OUTS, AND THEN GIVE UP A SIX RUN LEAD THE NEXT DAY, ONLY TO GO OUT IN THE LAST GAME OF THE SERIES AND NOT TRY AT ALL........Despite this, they've somehow managed to win two out of three in Detroit, and we're only three games out. Thank you Phil Hughes.

The NFL draft vs. Yankees Red Sox.

2009-04-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

The torture I'm putting myself through in anticipation of the NFL draft is unbearable. I just want to know what's going to happen, and all these baseless reports that never fail to drive me crazy don't help. I would love for the Eagles to trade for a player like Boldin, Edwards, or Chad Johnson. Even if it means parting with a 1st round pick and a veteran like Omar Gaither or Reggie Brown. A solid 1st rounder could help the team right away, but why not get a guy like Boldin who can impact as much as any receiver in the game instantly. We haven't one a superbowl once in our entire existence, why not just go all in and see what happens. I hate to say it, but it nearly worked when we reached and grabed TO, who helped win us an NFC championship, and fall 3 points short of a super bowl. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, END THE TORTURE AND LET THE DRAFT HAPPEN.

The Yankees and Red Cocks play for the first time this season tomorrow. All I can say is I hate those Red Cock bums as much as I hate anything. I hope we eat them alive and stomp on their pretentious little Boston fans heads, piss on their urinal of a stadium, and shove 5 or 6 of our world series trophies up J.D Drew's ass. If I ever fuck up and have a son and he decides to rebel against me by becoming a red sox fan I will disown him only after telling him I thought I raised him well enough to realize Boston is full of snot nosed dipshits that get off on pretending Babe Ruth fucked them over for life even though the reality of it all is, GOD HATES THE RED SOX AND HE HATES BOSTON, SO GO BACK TO YOUR ART SCHOOLS WITH YOUR FADED OLD RED SOX HATS, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT THE ACTUAL GAME OF BASEBALL, YOU STUPID FUCKING BUMS!!!!!!

New Yankee Stadium Debut.

2009-04-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well, the Yankees open up the new stadium by splitting a four game series two wins a piece with the Cleveland Indians. Could have been better, certainly could have been worse. Not that it matters at this point in the season, but the bronx bombers are 7-6 and about two games out of first place. I'd say I'm pretty pleased. Obviously, I'm worried about Ching Ming Wang. He's gotten hit to death, to say the least, in each of the three contests he's pitched in. I suspect he's still not physically one hundred percent. Everyone else in the rotation looks great, especially Burnett, who is becoming one of my favorite players. I'm looking forward to that first Yankee, Red Sox game of the year.

I'm going to make some predictions. The team with the worst overall record this year will be the Washington Nationals. The let down of the year will be either the Tampa Bay Rays or the Philadelphia Phillies. And the surprise team will be the San Deigo Padres.

I'm estatic about the Eagles trading for all pro left tackle Jason Peters. It looks like we should have one of the best lines in football. With everyone on the line being 27 or under, two pro bowlers, the return of the big kid Shawn Andrews, and free agent pick up Stacy Andrews. I'm going to miss Tra Thomas and Big Jon Runyan, but they were both in their mid 30's and it was time. In my opinion, Jon Runyan was the greatest right tackle the franchise ever saw. The only downside of the trade is the improbablity of the birds going out and trading for Boldin. I think he'll either stay with the cards, or head to Baltimore. Edwards could become a Giant(vomit). I think Chad Johnson is a realistic option, and after some thought, I've decided I'd like to have him on the team. In my dream world, we would use our first round pick to take Moreno or Pettigrew, give our 2nd and Reggie Brown to the bengals for Chad Johnson, and then use our thousands of 5th round picks to play around with moving up in later rounds.

In other NFL news, I don't think taking a tackle would be a bad move for the lions, but I also think Stafford might be the real deal.

The NHL and NBA playoff's are exciting as always. My predictions? Boston takes the cup(sorry Detroit and Washington), and the Cavs role to a championship.

Welcome

2009-04-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone, this is Mopster101. Like a lot of people sports and the teams I root for are a big passion and something I look forward to experiencing. I've decided to start a little blog to talk about the ball clubs I go crazy for as well as anything else happening in the sports world I might find interesting.

I'm a die hard Eagles and Yankees fan. I also enjoy the Maryland Terps, Mount St. Mary's basketball team, and Detroit Red Wings hockey. Being from Maryland, I get lots of questions as to why I'm a fan of so many out of state teams. It's all because of my grandfather and the tradition and love he's passed down to us Breichner men. When he was in the Navy, he was stationed in Philadelphia for a few years and became an Eagles fan. He went to games at Franklin field when he could. Therefore my dad became an Eagle fan, while also developing a strange passion for the Detroit Lions(don't ask). My dad gave me a cheap eagles shirt when I was five, and by the time I was 9, I had taken my love for them a step farther, as I became obsessed with everything and they did. By the grace of God, I'm somehow able to watch every game they play. In my parents room, the tv gets a signal from a small PA town, and therefore I get "The Eagles network". They torture me, but I wouldn't be able to live without them.

As for being a yankees fan, something I get endless shit for. It's as simple as my grandfather grew up in a town with no real local baseball team, so he would read the papers and listen to games on the radio when he could, becoming a fan of Lou Gehring as a young boy. My Dad wanted to be Mickey Mantle as a kid, he also loved guys like Whitey Ford, Bill Martin. He lives and dies with the Yankees. I probably had a Yankee hat put on my head the second I was out of the womb. There weren't really any other options as a kid, I was born a yankee fan, never questioned it, never will, and I'm glad to be a part of the "evil empire".

Both these teams are a huge part a life and I look forward to discussing them on here. Don't get the wrong idea though, I'll be talking about other clubs. Just wanted to give some backround on where I'm coming from. I look forward to talking sports with the internet world.

Mopster101.