Philadelphians of 2008

This is the final installment of the 2008 CuseAdelphia Preview. We asked bloggers from around Philly to give their most influential members of the Philadelphia sporting community. I'd like to thank Inside the Iggles, Sixers 4 Guidos, A Citizen's Blog and The Sports Hernia for contributing to our list.

When I asked The Sports Hernia for his vote, he gave me this comical response,

"Yeah, I've been following the Sixers for years, albeit a mostly painful experience throughout. We'd be glad to take part in the Philly portion of this. Here's our blurb -- since we're a satire site it's obviously tongue-in-cheek, but I think it expresses our soft spot for Sixer basketball.

Since we were dead-on in 1989 when we said Kenny Payne would put the Sixers over the top and clearly in the zone in 1993 when we said Shawn Bradley would not only dominate the NBA, but the entire world, we'll play it safe again and say no one's impact on the Philly sports scene will be greater in 2008 than Herbert Hill's."

Sixers 4 Guidos told us he only truly follows 76ers Basketball. They said Ed Stefanski and Ed Snider would be the two most influential members of the 76ers franchise. He said this about the two:

These two guys (well, actually more the first one than the second, but the
second happens to be his boss!!) have the task to bring a stroried franchise
to the level it deserves, and I hope/think that they will do that in
2008..it's gonna be a decisive year for the team's future, in the next
summer. We'll see howthey will do that.

Philadelphia's Top 10: Five complete ballots were submitted for the Philadelphians of 2008. I tallied up all the votes with 10 points going to the first place, 9 nine to second, etc... Also each individual or group received two points for every ballot they appeared on.

10. Daniel Briere (16, on three ballots.) Briere signed a massive eight year 52 million dollar deal. He and Mike Richards are going to be the centerpiece of this team for almost a decade. After the worst season in Flyers history, Briere has been of several reasons this team stands around sixth in the conference.



9. Cole Hamels (19, on two ballots.) Hamels will anchor the Phillies pitching staff in 2008. Questions about his health and durability will once again plague Hamels in 2008. He has gone to the disabled list during his stay in the minors and majors numerous times. If Hamels can stay healthy, a 20 win, 250 strikeout season is not out of the question

8. Charlie Manuel (19, on two ballots.) Manuel will be in charge in managing what should be Philadelphia’s most successful team in 2008. He did a fine job platooning and sub players throughout games, with a deep bench again Manuel will have to do it again to get the most out of this explosive offense.

7. Ed Stefanski (20, on three ballots.) Sixers 4 Guidos said best above, he’s in charge in putting a storied franchise back together and into a contender.

6. Pat Gillick (23, on two ballots.) With the Phillies coming off their first division championship in 14 years, it will be Pat Gillick’s job to ensure this team has all the right pieces to do it again. He’s made several key off-season moves including signing Geoff Jenkins and trading for Brad Lidge. Look for Gillick to make a move for a 3B or a pitcher during the season.

5. Andy Reid (24, on three ballots.) The Eagles are the dominate team in town, so contributors to poll consistently put four different members of the Eagle’s organization towards the top with Reid being the fourth. Reid will prove to be a dominating force in Philadelphia in 2008. He’ll have to deal with his sons’ legal problems and the never ending list of issues involving the Eagles. Reid will have to take a long look at his career and life during the off-season to decide whether he wants to and can continue with the team.

4. Joe Banner (24, on two ballots.) Banner runs the most influential sports organization in Philadelphia as the chief operating officer and president of the Eagles. He’ll play a major role in key off-season decisions: keeping McNabb, Westbrook’s pay day, evaluations of the coaching staff, the draft, and what to do with aging players like Jon Runyan, Jevon Kearse, and Brian Dawkins.

3. Brian Westbrook (28, on three ballots.) Westbrook proved to be the key to the Eagles offense in 2007. When he played, he was a dynamic difference maker on every play. Against the Giants when he sat out, the Eagles offense was completely anemic. 2008 will be the year Westbrook gets paid big time. Another story line to follow will be whether Westbrook lives up to the pay day he will receive.

2. Donovan McNabb (47, on five ballots.) McNabb is the Eagles most well known player across the country despite Brian Westbrook’s phenomenal year. The Eagle’s decision to keep him or let him go in 2008 will be the biggest story in all of Philadelphia for the rest of the year. The sports world will be asking whether the decision the Eagles make was good or bad during mini-camp, training camp, and the regular season. If he can return to his 2006 form in 2008, the Eagles offense will be flyin’ high again and probably into the post-season.

1. Phillies Infield (53 points, appeared on five ballots.) I grouped Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard together because they appeared very high on every ballot. Together, they are an offensive unit that is unmatched. Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins are coming off back to back MVP seasons with Chase Utley an early favorite for 2008. Together they combined for 99 homeruns, 333 RBIs, 337 runs, a .298 batting average, and 112 doubles. If this trio can stay healthy in 2008, expect those numbers to dramatically increase. They will be the nucleus of the Phillies for years, but also be the focal point during their defense of the N.L. East title.

Others considered:
Andre Igoudala (11), Flyers GM Paul Holmgren (10), WIP Radio Personalities (10), Jamie Moyer (6), Mike Richards (6), Brian Dawkins (5), Brett Myers (5), Delaware QB Joe Flacco (4), Marty Biron (3)

Tourney Time?

According to ESPN.com, if the NCAA tournament started today Syracuse should be in. While they are not a lock, this line can't hurt them: 12-4 (2-1), RPI: 20. A disappointing 74-66 loss to Cincinatti is most recent in the minds of Cuse fans, and is something we all hope tomorrow's game at West Virginia can fix.

If the Orange can continue to play well in the absence of Eric Devendorf, then all will be well for the rest of this season. If they cannot, it's a different story. The Big East is a tough conference. As of today, four teams are in the AP Top 25: Georgetown (7), Marquette (15), Villanova (19), and Pitt (20). Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Louisville all received votes as well. It is not an easy road for Jim Boeheim and company. However, the win against Virginia will help them out come Selection Sunday.

This year's Big East play holds great potential. With all the strength of this conference, every win is a big one. Games to look forward to: Saturday afternoon games at the Carrier Dome. SU hosts Villanova (1/19), Georgetown (2/16), and Pitt (3/1). Chances are that each team will be ranked when they visit the hill. The Orange really needs to take care of its "Dome Court Advantage." Those three victories will be huge. Additionally, Boeheim and the boys take to the road January 21 for a Big-Monday contest vs. G-Town (flashback: last season, senior day, Big Monday, victory, storm the court, these phrases ring a bell??). Should be a great, and not to mention extremely challenging, matchup. Honestly, I can't pick a single game on this schedule that I'm not excited about.

This team is exciting to watch, and that will continue. If solid play becomes a staple, expect more Orange to receive individual Player of the Week honors as they did so frequently over the past month or so. The guys have stepped up without Devo; they understand how much they need to do for success.

I've basically been away from the team for the past month. Being from suburban Philadelphia, SU games aren't exactly in high demand on regional television. I'm glad to be back and able to judge the team live.

Prediction for this season: Syracuse loses in the second round to the Big East tournament but returns to the NCAAs and bows out early. Donte' Greene leads this team and is labeled a high draft prospect, so he bails for the big leagues. There's a reason why Jimmy B's top recruit for next year, Mookie Jones, is a forward.

Prediction for next season: Without Donte' Greene, the team can still go far. I don't consider them national championship-caliber, but I definitely consider them steady Top 25-caliber. Through 2008, the team will only play its non-conference schedule, which has yet to be released. Bet on a tournament to open the season and a mix of tough winnable games and obviously winnable ones.

What I WANT to happen: Syracuse gets a tourney bid (they aren't going to go far... so while I want them to...) and loses in the second round. Donte' Greene realizes that if he stays, when Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf come back the team will be awesome. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if they played defense, the team could contend for the title.

More Goosebumps in 2008?

We are almost exactly a month away from pitchers and catchers. And that means it's time to get pumped for your Phightin' Phils in 2008! After completing the (statistically) greatest regular season comeback in the history of baseball, the Phillies have even bigger expectations for their encore performance. Their first division title in 14 years puts even more pressure on Charlie Manuel and his ballclub to succeed in '08. So what exactly is in store for the Phigthin's this year? Well, there are a few things that could be improved:

FOR ONCE GET OFF TO A GOOD START
I don't need to remind Phillies fans of the lackluster Aprils of baseball's past. We all know this team has a tendancy to come out of the gate slow (very slow in fact), and last year illustrated this point the best. A 3-10 start put the Phils in the basement early, and from there it was catch up for the next 143 games until Philly finally took the lead in the division. How about we put ourselves in a better position after the first month of the season for once? Yeah, the team showed it has enough talent to overcome a disastrous April, but getting off to a hot start wouldn't kill anybody.

TRY TO STAY HEALTHY
Ryan Howard. Chase Utley. Brett Myers. Cole Hamels. Freddy Garcia. Jon Lieber. Tom Gordon. Shane Victorino. Ryan Madson. I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody. None of these guys could make it through the full season, and it hurt the team. No team lost more man-games to injury in 2007 than the Phils, and still they were able to win 89 games. I don't forsee another season in which so many key guys go down for extended periods of time. But if they go through another year with so many players on the disabled list, we may not be so fortunate this time around.

BETTER BULLPEN PRODUCTION, DUH
Okay, we all know this is the Phils' achilles heel. I've never seen a team with such shoddy pitching out of the 'pen win so many games. The Phils went out and got Brad Lidge from Houston, hoping he can be the force he once was as a closer for the Astros. Tom Gordon, who was on/off last year, will set him up. There's a plethora of guys in front of them who will be competing for the remaining bullpen spots. Doesn't matter who's in there, just so long as they get the job done. We could see both Durbins, Condrey, Zagurski, lefty specialist Romero, Matheison, Madson and the list goes on. Good-Time-Chollie needs to find the right mix.

With the off-season essentially over, it's pretty safe to say what we have now is what we'll have when the season starts. Here's what the opening day lineup should look like, at least if I were running team:

vs. Washington Nationals (righty Jason Bergmann is projected starter)

SS Jimmy Rollins - L
CF Shane Victorino - L
2B Chase Utley - L
1B Ryan Howard - L
LF Pat Burrell - R
RF Geoff Jenkins - L
3B Greg Dobbs - L
C Carlos Ruiz - R

Few lineups, if any, in either league can match the firepower that the Phils have. There are six lefties to go against a right-handed pitcher, four to lead off, which is excellent news. There's incredible speed at the top of the order, solid power in the middle, and great protection behind Howard in the form of slugger Burrell and a couple of lefties in Jenkins and Dobbs. Of course, Manuel could switch things up a bit. He may hit Jenkins in front of Burrell, or hit Ruiz in front of Dobbs to mix the right-left combination up. No matter what he does, though, there's a little bit of everything in that lineup (speed, average, power). Here's what the lineup SHOULD look like against a lefty starter:

SS Jimmy Rollins - R
CF Shane Victorino - R
LF Pat Burrell - R
2B Chase Utley - L
1B Ryan Howard - L
RF Jayson Werth - R
C Carlos Ruiz - R
3B Wes Helms - R

Thanks to the miracle of switch hitting, the Phils can have six righties go up against a left-handed pitcher. Manuel worked Burrell into the 3-hole toward the end of last season and got serious results, so I wouldn't be surprised to stick him there again. However, it's also possible he would put him in cleanup and let Utley hit ahead of him. Either way should work equally. Werth replaces Jenkins and Helms replaces Dobbs because they're righties. Helms bats behind Ruiz because he's Helms. This lineup isn't as fierce or scary, but it still has a solid top of the order and utility guys who bat well against lefties.

Here's what the Phillies would have on the bench most nights:

C Chris Coste
OF So Taguchi
OF Jayson Werth
3B Wes Helms
IF Eric Bruntlett
OF Chris Snelling

I think Taguchi is a great pickup. He's a seasoned veteran who hits for average and is very fast. He adds a lot of depth in the outfield, and of course you have Werth as well to come in at any time against a lefty. Coste of course is a gritty player who will be on and off. A couple of guys who may or may not make the team are Bruntlett and Snelling. Neither one is very special, but they wouldn't make terrible role players to come off the bench. The depth on the bench is a little thin, but I think there are enough complementary players here to create a good mix of talent every night.

And here's what the starting rotation will probably be:

L Cole Hamels
R Brett Myers
R Kyle Kendrick
L Jamie Moyer
R Chad Durbin

The biggest story is Myers returning to the rotation after a year as the closer. He NEEDS to regain his old starting form if this rotation wants to have any teeth at all. Hamels will be solid, but who knows what we'll get from Kendrick in his sophomore season and Moyer is 45 years old. He showed serious signs of wear and tear late last year (discarding his incredible final day performance). I think Durbin beats out Adam Eaton for the final starting spot. I don't see how Eaton will get that spot back after last year's debacle. Manuel has to make that call. The key here is MYERS. He must get back to where he once belonged. If he does, the Phils have an awesome 1-2 punch with support behind them. Of course if he doesn't, the rotation won't be very scary to a lot of teams.

And now the part everybody's been waiting for, the BULLPEN...here are the guys who are a shoo-in to make the roster (at least I think so, I could be wrong):

R Brad Lidge
R Ryan Madson
L J.C. Romero
R Tom Gordon

These guys are veterans who will be on the 25-man roster to start the season. It would take some revelation in spring training to keep them off in my opinion. Lidge will be the closer and Gordon will set him up. Madson will be a long reliver and Romero is everyone's favorite lefty specialist. This team may live and die with the performances of Gordon and Lidge. Both are aging veterans who have seen better days. Lidge needs to regain his old form and Gordon has to do just enough to hold most leads for him. It's not so much to ask, is it?

Two spots left, who are the combatants?

R J.D. Durbin
R Scott Matheison
R Clay Condrey
R Adam Eaton
L Fabio Castro
R Francisco Rosario
R John Ennis
L J.A. Happ
L Mike Zagurski

Yes, I know Adam Eaton is on the list. Really, do YOU think he's good enough to cut it on a division champion's roster? Well, he probably is just good enough and would be taken over the majority of these guys. I really don't see him in the rotation. Condrey has proven to be decent and has a good shot at claiming a spot. J.D. Durbin started a few games last year and wasn't bad out of the bullpen. Matheison is back from injury and we're not sure what we'll get from him. I'm not going to talk about the rest of the guys individually, but I imagine this will be a tough choice for the Phils. There are a lot of guys on this list who stepped up their games last year during the pennant race, but there won't be room for all of them. And THEN there are some younger guys who will try to make it as well. It's up in the air. No matter what, it seems the Phils are choosing between average and below-average players.

There will be a more extensive overview of the entire league when we do the MLB 2008 preview right before the season starts, but these are the basics for the Phillies for the upcoming season. If they want to repeat as division champions, their pitching must come through. In my opinion, the key guys will be Myers, Lidge and their 5th starter. Yes, of course the rest of the guys are just as important, but I think the line between good team and playoff team rests on those three. Myers and Lidge have to get back to what they do best, and that 5th starter (whoever it will be) has to be a major upgrade from the disaster that was Eaton. The lineup can play with anybody. It's the pitching, and those three in particular, that will determine the fate of the Phillies in 2008.

-ajd

2008 Syracuse Football Preview

1-10, 4-8, 2-10 are the records of the last three years of the Syracuse Football team under Coach Greg Robinson. His 7-28 record hasn't been enough to get rid of him to athletic director Darryl Gross. Gross still his faith Robinson can get the job done in 2008. Robinson ended 2007 on the right foot by pulling in some highly touted recruits. This class should go down as the top class of Robinson's short tenure.

Among some of the players Robinson received commitments from

• Four star running back Averin Collier. He's ranked 10th in the country at his position by Scout.com. He's also described as a very strong open field tackler, which means a switch to defense is always possible if he doesn't pan out as a running back.
• Four star wide receiver Marcus Sales who's ranked 27th at his position. He's a decently sized guy and could prove as another down field threat. Apparently he's a pretty good basketball player.
• Four star defensive end Romale Tucker is ranked 36th at his position by rivals. He's big at 6'4'' 230 pounds. He chose Syracuse over Virginia despite Virginia's strong season. Rival's lists him as an outside linebacker which puts him in the same boat as senior Jameel McClain.
• Three star DE Mikhail Marinovich is unranked in his class but has great size at 6'6'' and 210 pounds. With good old Mikhail, you'll be getting his family too.
• Three star WR DeAndre Preaster is 123rd in his class. Preaster is another tall wide receiver with good speed. The Orange beat out Ohio State and Pitt for this fairly local product.
• S.U. also picked up several strong two star recruits in the secondary and the offensive line.
• They also picked up two star recruit Ryan Nassib, a quarterback, out of Malvern, PA. Nassib was described by some as the best quarterback recruit this team has had since Donovan McNabb. The scouting agencies didn't agree, rating him just a star quarterback. From what I've read, he comes off as a pretty polished pro-style quarterback.
• Here's Scout's list of Syracuse recruits for 2008.

2008 Forecast:

This team can only get better from 2007. They will lose six impact seniors, two from the secondary, two from the defensive line, and two from the offensive line. They also lose Taj Smith who's declared himself eligible for the NFL draft. Even with that said, this team retains the rest of its skilled players and most of a young offensive line. The offensive won't be great, but it will be much better. Delone Carter will return from his hip injury for the 2008 season. He'll be one of the biggest question marks on this team. If he can return to form and pickup where he left off, he could become a dominant force for this offense. An established run game that only existed in a few games last year, will open up the passing game for Andrew Robinson and Mike Williams. The offense didn't even average 20 points a game in 2007, but with most of its parts still in place, could average between 21 and 25 points per game. Also with new offensive coordinator Mitch Browning, this team could have a new dimension to its running game. Browning worked wonders at Minnesota with running backs Marian Barber and Lawrence Maroney.

The defense in 2007 horrendous. They were at the bottom of the barrel in the FBS in most defensive categories. They couldn't stop the run, they couldn't stop the pass when they had to, they didn't cause turnovers, and they couldn't stop teams on the third down. With four of their best defenders gone, this team shouldn't improve much on defense. With a better offense, this unit shouldn't have to be on the field as long, and their performance should improve.

2008 Schedule:

The Orange opens the schedule with four non conference games home against Penn State and Akron, a road game at Northwestern and a game to be announced. There's a strong possibility that last game could be filled with Division I-AA Villanova. This schedule allows Syracuse to enter Big East play with two or three potential wins. Akron is a winnable game as is Northwestern, but the Wildcats are a decent program so it is still very likely this team will lose that game. Also Penn State loses some key players which makes this team somewhat beatable in the Dome. That game won't be much a home a game though, as Penn State faithful will probably make the short trip from PA and make this a border war and fill the Dome. Villanova should be a win, but anything is possible with a Greg Robinson coached team.

They also play Notre Dame towards the end of the season in South Bend. Notre Dame is also rebuilding which means a win for the Orange is a possibility.

The Big East looks to be pretty strong again. S.U. will have home games against Louisville, Pitt, and UCONN. They should be able to come away with a win against one of those three schools. They'll go on the road against South Florida, Cincinnati, West Virginia, and Rutgers. Rutgers will prove to be the most winnable game of the three without Ray Rice. This team at most can probably win three games in the Big East, but will probably win just two games.

In total this team could win as many as five games, three coming from the non-conference schedule and two from the Big East slate. I think they'll probably win only three or four games, but again five games is definitely possibly.

A few not so bold predictions in bold print:

1. Syracuse finds a role for Max Suter other than in kick returns. He'll make an impact at that position and will be named to the Big East second team.

2. The offense is explosive at times, scoring at least 30 points four times. The defense will stand be bad causing S.U. to lose two of those games.

3. Mike Williams will go pro after the 2008 season after he sets almost every single season Syracuse record for a wide receiver.

4. Arthur Jones will have another stellar season and will have his name thrown in the hat for Big East defensive player of the year.

5. Syracuse wins four games, Greg Robinson gets another year, and pulls in four more four star recruits.

2008 Sixers Preview/Breakdown

Before the Korver trade happened, the Sixers were fixing to end 2007 on a high note. I would have even bet they squeezed into the playoffs. The playoffs are still not entirely out of the picture, as the Sixers are 14-21 in 11th place. Only five games separate teams 4-13 in the lackluster Eastern Conference. However, I don’t think the Sixers will make the playoffs.

This team is going to fall apart. The collapse has already started. I know you readers are probably sick of my dwelling on the Korver deal, but hear me out:

Billy King was fired. My immediate reaction: it finally feels good again to be a Sixers fan. But the honeymoon hardly lasted. Less than a month into his tenure, Ed Stefanski pulled the trigger on the Korver deal. You can argue all you want that this team will be fine without him, Philly can go out and get a free agent, Giricek will be gone after his contract expires, etc. All positives.

But this is the immediate future we’re talking about. The Korver deal has made everyone on the team realize that if Stefanski will trade a fan favorite who was also a major “do-gooder” in the community and close friend to most of the players on the team, no one is untouchable. The uncertain futures have everyone playing disjunct.

As I said, things were really starting to click before the trade and now all that has been washed away. Since the trade, the Sixers are
1-5. I don’t see that getting much better. Even after the trade deadline February 21 passes, there are no guarantees for any player on this team to come back next year.
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Should the Sixers prove me wrong and squeeze into the playoffs, a Celtics match-up would be most intriguing. The storied rivalry always makes Sixers-Celtics games interesting. As recently as 2006, the teams played to triple overtime. In the 2002 playoffs, Philly fought back from an 0-2 deficit in the then-best-of-five series to tie things up and then lost in the final game. It’s always a saga when these two teams meet. And you can bet the Sixers wouldn’t get swept. They wouldn’t even come close to winning the series, but they’d take at least one game.
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ANYWAY… things the team needs to improve on:

1. Box out, especially in late-game potential outcome-altering situations. It’s simple and requires no explanation.
2. Execute out of time-outs. I can’t tell you how many times this season I’ve seen the Sixers come out of a time-out only to turn the ball over.
3. Don’t rush shots. The young guns get a little over-excited sometimes and take unwise shots too early in the shot clock.
4. On that note, team basketball is key. Lou Williams is especially guilty of hogging the ball.
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Other important things to look for this season:

1. Watch the demeanor of the team as the trade deadline approaches. Nerves will be flying and the Sixers might end up adopting an every-man-for-himself attitude, whether the players are fighting to increase their trade stock with better teams or fighting to stay with the Sixers. At this point, I think the Sixers need to hold on to the Andres and Lou and go after a frontcourt presence.

2. The February 22 contest with the Magic is the Sixers’ first after the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see who is still on the team after the February 21 deadline.

3. March 19 is Allen Iverson’s first game in Philadelphia since being traded to the Nuggets last season. After Sunday night’s game, he said something to the effect of feeling like the Sixers through him away like a player who’d only been with the team for a day. Expect a lot of emotion on Iverson’s side, a lengthy ovation from the fans, and a crowd bigger than the Sixers have seen in a while.

4. Lou Williams will continue to improve. His progress this season has already been great. Last year, he averaged 4.3 PPG. This year, that’s up to 10.9. His minutes have doubled and Sweet Lou’s hitting 40% from three. He’s still got a ways to go with assists, rebounds, and steals, but that will come with time. He is now way more confident on the floor. He’s not afraid to drive to the hoop. In fact, the And 1 is becoming his signature play. He’s got lots of energy and is just excited to be out there playing NBA basketball. Remember—Williams came right out of high school. He never had the chance to play against the big boys in college and that definitely slowed his progress. His stint in the D-League, his expiring contract, and the increase in minutes have finally married Sweet Lou and the NBA. The fans cheering “LOUUUUUUUUUUUU” after he scores doesn’t hurt his confidence either. Look for big things from him as he continues to get better.

5. If you’re not watching this team play, then you’re not overly impressed with Thaddeus Young. But this guy’s a difference-maker. Early in the season Thad-Yo was seeing only limited action. I was at a game Thanksgiving weekend and my dad told me to look out for #21 when he came in the game. I started paying attention and I was impressed. He’s tall, long, and a great presence under the basket. Plus, the rookie also has an outside J and draws the defender away from the rim. He does a lot of the little things that don’t show up in the box score. He’s a nitty-gritty player and I’m glad he’s finally getting a chance to prove his worth to this team.
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End of the season prediction: The Sixers finish in 10th place, not good enough for a playoff spot but good enough that they don’t get a top five draft pick. And the Sixers being the Sixers, they probably wouldn’t fall in the top ten either. Philly will watch the postseason from home as Coach Cheeks remembers that playoff season 25 years ago when his team brought the city of Philadelphia its last major sports championship.
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This offseason is of monumental importance for the Sixers for several reasons:

1. Mo Cheeks has been on the brink of losing his job for a while now. In his two-plus seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, Cheeks has an 87-112 record. The Sixers have definitely underachieved during his tenure. As much as I like the guy and his history with the team etc, if Ed Stefanski is really going to tear this team apart and rebuild, he has to start at the top. That means Mo’s gotta go.

2. The Draft. The pick from Utah has to wait till at least 2009, but see end of the season prediction for why the Sixers won’t have a top 10 pick. Stefanski has to find the gold in the middle of the first round players.

3. Resigning Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams is big.

4. Andre Iguodala’s contract is up. Former GM Billy King could not agree on an extension with Dre before the season started. He’s a restricted free agent after this season, so the Sixers can match any offer sheet he receives. AI’s going to demand more money than he’s worth because a) the Sixers have unwisely convinced everyone that he is the future of the franchise even though he’s proven he is not capable of carrying this team and b) the Sixers will have a ton of cap room so AI can push for more money even though Philly needs those extra dollars to…

5. Go after a big name free agent. Someone who can work with Iguodala to create a strong 1-2 punch and bring this team back into contention. The Sixers need to focus on underneath the basket. Sammy Dalembert has drastically improved this season even though he still drops half the passes thrown his way. Imagine what a complimentary player in the paint could do for Sammy. He’d take some of the attention away.
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Key Free Agents to look at:

1. Elton Brand (Unrestricted) – Probably the Sixers best chance to get a big guy. At 28, he’s still fairly young. The numbers speak for themselves – over 20 points, 9 boards, and 2 blocks per game. Brand controls his own future and can choose where he lands this summer. Landing a guy like Elton would be huge in Sixerland. What’s keeping him in LA? It’s not like the Clippers are going anywhere anytime soon. Especially not in the Western Conference.

2. Josh Smith (Restricted) – This guy’s a gem. He just turned 22 and averages 17.9 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game. He would be perfect for the Sixers young nucleus and he’s just what the team needs. However, he’s restricted. And Atlanta would be crazy to not match any offer he receives.

3. Emeka Okafor (Restricted) – His numbers are comparatively much lower; while Brand or Smith would be a better choice, Philly has to go with what it can get, so Okafor can’t be totally forgotten in all this.

4. Big name free agents who would never want to play for the Sixers… but hey, a girl can dream: Shawn Marion, Allen Iverson, Baron Davis, Jermaine O’Neal… the list goes on. Want to see for yourself? ESPN.com has a complete list of free agents for 2008.

Additionally, I say bring back Theo Ratliff. Pay him the minimum. He’d be great coming off the bench, especially if Mo Cheeks is still the coach. Where did that outburst come from, you ask? I was a big Theo fan back in the day. Trading him because he was injured in 2001 was the moment I knew Billy King was no good. Took Ed Snider nearly seven more years to figure that one out. Then he hired Stefanski. Ok, enough dwelling on things I can’t control.

If Stefanski likes risks he could always go after Ron Artest.

Let’s just say the new GM will be under very close scrutiny from me and many others this year. The Sixers are starting fresh in 2008 and only time will tell just how fresh.

Will Ed Stefanski clean house?
Orchestrate a brilliant deal?
Keep quiet at the trade deadline and go after a big-name free agent?
Still be the Sixers GM when the 2009 preview rolls around? (KIDDING. It took Ed Snider long enough to fire Billy King. We’re stuck with Eddie Boy for a while…)

~emz

Cusian's of 2008

For part of our 2008 Preview of CuseAdelphia, we are going to break down the figures in both cities who have the biggest impact on their respective city. Today we'll take a look at who in Syracuse will play the biggest role in Syracuse sports. I asked several bloggers and the staff here at CuseAdelphia to name their most influential. Thanks to Troy Nunes and Three Idiots on Sports for helping us out.

1. Darryl Gross: If Greg Robinson falters, Gross is going down with him. That is, if he sticks around long enough. He controls the fate of SU Athletics which makes him number one.

2. Greg Robinson: Greg Robinson's fate will be determined by the performance of the football team. Another poor season from the Orange not only affects Robinson's tenure but the national and financial position of Syracuse University. It cannot be expressed enough how important it is for the Orange to rebound in 2008.If SU continues to be less than even lackluster in 2008, will Gross still stick with G-Rob? If not, this could turn into a case of the Isaiahs, with fans booing and protesting that he be fired. Just to clear things up, no sexual harassment charges for G-Rob. That's only Isaiah. Don't want this comparison to be taken the wrong way…

3. Nancy Cantor: While she's not directly related to the sports programs, she has the final say on whether or not Greg Robinson will return. And Daryl Gross too. She makes her presence known at every football game down on the field.

4. Jim Boeheim: No one is more associated with Syracuse University and his impact on and off the court is always paramount. With a crop of young talent, Jim Boeheim has to perform one of his best coaching jobs ever to get the young guns to play all-around solid basketball to get this team back to the NCAA tournament.

5. Andrew Robinson: With a lot of talent at the skilled positions around him, this will be a make or break year for Andrew Robinson. Andrew will confirm whether or not he's to be named in the same breathe as Donovan McNabb and Don McPherson or alongside Troy Nunes and R.J. Anderson.

6. Donte Green: Even if he goes pro after this season, he'll have people in Syracuse talking all the way through the draft. He'll be leader on the court for this team through the end of this season. If he returns for 2008-2009, look for him to be up towards number for the most influential people of 2008 when we look back at this year next year.

7. Quentin Hillsman: Coach Q has quickly assembled one of the greatest women's basketball teams in the program's history. This team will quickly begin to make a big impact on the Syracuse athletic community as it's only a matter of time until the community comes out in droves to watch the ladies play. If the women's team makes good in 2008 on their amazing start, SU could soon become a baksetball destination for both sexes.

8. Mike Leveille - Leveille is going to be the leader on this team. They HAVE TO rebound in 2008 and Leveille will be the one to lead them to redemption. NCAA lacrosse has become too competitive and SU's schedule is too tough for them to start slow.

9. Delone Carter/Curtis Brinkley, Doug Hogue - One of them will need to assert themselves as the starting halfback. Each of them has positives and each has drawbacks but one will need to step up or Syracuse is doomed to another season without a running game. Number five on our list Andrew Robinson needs one of these three guys to step it up and help him establish this offense as a real threat.

10. Gary Gait: What better way to help a team get over the hump than hire one of the best to ever play the game. That's what number one on our list Darryl Gross did to help women's lacrosse try to get over the hump. Gary Gait is a pioneer to the game and hopes to bring his skills and knowledge to the women's game. The Ladies had a great season last year and with most of their key parts still in place, a big season ahead is definitely possible behind Gary Gait.

Others considered but didn't make the cut:
From Football: Ernie Davis - "The Express" will finally make Davis' story a worldwide one. It will affix the national spotlight on Syracuse and specifically the football program. A fitting tribute and a fantastic stage for the Orange. Mike Williams: Could have the best season in the history of the program for a wide receiver in 2008. But will he go pro after next year? Max Suter: Will he turn into more than just a dynamic kick return threat?

Basketball: Jonny Flynn- If Donte Green goes pro, this will be Jonny's team to lead. Paul Harris: Without Josh Wright, Eric Devendorf, and Andy Rautins, it's up to the sophomore to lead his team in Big East play. Can Harris provide this leadership?

Lacrosse: Pete Coluccini: The junior had a subpar season last year and SU failed to make the NCAAs for the first time in 25 years. It's extremely cliché but 100% true: defense wins championships. The road back to the tournament and living up to the Orange's LAX reputation starts with the anchor of the defense: the goalie.

Women's Basketball: Chandrea Jones/Fantasia Goodwin - This dynamic duo has the chance to put SU women's basketball on the map after years of mediocrity.


Also check out our articles in our 2008 Preview on the Women's Basketball team and lacrosse team.

2008 Women's Basketball Preview

The end of 2007 brought the ladies the most success this team program has ever had. They are off to their best start in school history. What's behind the sudden turn around for a program that's been usually towards the bottom of the Big East? A new coach and a handful of very talented players is a start. Look for 2008 to be a breakout year for Coach Quentin Hillsman and the Syracuse women's basketball team.

How they finished the 2007-2008 season:
The Big East is pretty strong in women's basketball, so like the men, every game is going to be tough. Every team has at least an 8-5 record through the first week of Big East play. They play every team once and Georgetown twice. Look the Lady Orange to score 10 or 11 victories in conference play and finish the season about 22-7 or 23-6. They have the talent to go to the Big East Tournament semifinals. Should they do this, a four or five seed in the NCAA tournament is likely. In the tournament, they again have the talent to reach the Sweet 16, but probably not any further this year. This is all the best case scenario. The ladies will have to continue to play together and hit the boards.

Against North Carolina in 2007, they struggled shooting the ball and turning it over. What separates the best teams from the good ones like UCONN vs. the rest of the country is their ability to shoot and convert put backs into points. Syracuse has improved dramatically as the year has gone on against tougher competition. Look for Coach Q to have this team hitting their stride through Big East play.

The Ladies first real test comes Wednesday against Pittsburgh in PITT. After that UCONN comes to the Dome two games later on January 16th.

After the season, Coach Q will the recruiting trails for his class of 2009. He already has a very strong recruiting class coming in for 2008-2009. Most recruiting services have it ranked in the top 15. S.U. will start the 2008-2009 season well again, probably with only or two losses in the non-conference depending the schedule. I talked to Coach Q at a men's game earlier this year, and he said he was trying to get Maryland on the schedule.

How the community will embrace the team:
The students are starting to get into this team. By the end of the year expect the bottom floor seats to be filled for the biggest Big East games and for UCONN a decent sized student section. The Syracuse community will also begin coming to games. Attendance will jump of 1,000 people a game instead of the approximately 500 a game they draw now.

My final not so bold prediction put in bold lettering:
The Ladies finish the season 11-5 in the Big East and 23-6. They go the Big East Tournament a three seed and lose to Rutgers in the semifinals by a dozen points. They reach the NCAA tournament as a 5 seed and advance to the Sweet 16.

Philadelphia Flyers 2008 Preview/Midseason Review

To me it makes sense to couple the 2008 preview edition of the Flyers with an 07-08 midseason review. So that's what happening. First, a look back on what's been going on, and then, a preview of what's to come.

***

How's this for perspective: on January 4 of last year, the Flyers were 11-25-4 and had the worst record in the NHL with only 26 points. It's pretty remarkable how far the team has come in just one season, from the doldrums of the league to a legitimate playoff contender. Of course, we're still mired (temporarily, hopefully) in the basement of the Atlantic, but it's way too early to tell where we may end up (and bear in mind we've played the fewest games of any team in the league so far).

The Flyguys sit at 19-14-4 with 42 points. As of January 4, that puts them in the 9th spot in the conference, just a point behind the Islanders and two points behind the Rangers (who have played 4 more games than us so far). So we're in a good spot in that case. But I don't think many people gave Philly a chance at the beginning of the season just judging by how we finished last year. What have been the keys to the turnaround?

Coaching - The Flyers surprised a lot of people when they fired Ken Hitchcock in the middle of the season last year. They brought up John Stevens from the Phantoms to take his place, and the Flyers continued to struggle. This year, however, with the coaching situation stable, Philly has thrived under Stevens. He's had a full year of experience at the NHL level now and his quiet demeanor seems to get the job done. He must be doing something right, as Paul Holmgren gave him an extension just a couple weeks ago.

Goaltending - I don't have to go through the litany of failed goalies the Flyers have had since Ron Hextall retired. So it's certainly a relief to me to see solid goalie play through the first half of the season. Marty Biron was a terrific acquisition by Holmgren last year, and he has lived up to his #1 goalie potential. He's 7th in the league in save percentage, even though his GAA is 26th (he faces a ton of shots consistently). With Antero Nittymaki behind him, the Flyers have a solid 1-2 combo that should see them through to the postseason. Not to mention Brian Boucher is with the Phantoms. Wouldn't it be nice if he could regain his 2000 form?

New guys- Danny Briere and Joffrey Lupul are 2nd and 3rd on the team in goals and points. Holmgren made it a priority in the off-season to find offense for a team that had almost none last year. He definitely found two guys who can get it done on a consistent basis. Lupul has especially surprised me with his ability to go off for multi-point games. The Flyers were smart to sign these two, they give you offense every night.

Better defense - Again, Holmgren made sure to completely revamp the D and he did. Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn, Jason Smith, Lasse Kukkonen, Rory Fitzpatrick and Jim Vandermeer have all been brought in during the past 12 months (Vandermeer just recently). Combine them with Randy Jones and Derian Hatcher and it's simply a more productive defense than last year. The departure of Joni Pitkanen certainly hurt, but it was necessary to bring in other guys to help the team.

Young guys - You can't say enough about the value that Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, R.J. Umberger and Coburn among others have brought to this team. Richards has emerged as a big-time player who'll be around until 2020 if he plays out his contract. Carter is finally becoming the goal scorer that everybody thought he could be. Umberger leads the team in +/- at 10. The emergence of these players has been vital to the team's success. Last year, with these same guys, there wasn't nearly as much production.

NOW WE LOOK AHEAD TO 2008

Where the Flyers are right now, they have as good a shot as any team in the East to qualify for the postseason. And as with any sport, the divisional games will be the most important. I've always said, whether it be football, hockey or whatever, if you're solid within your division, chances are you're solid without it. There are some critical division games coming up in the near future that the Flyers would be wise to get two points in:

Tonight - at New Jersey (have lost their last three to the Devils)
1/10 - at N.Y. Rangers (winless against NYR this year)
1/19 - at N.Y. Islanders (one point behind them for a playoff berth)
1/22 - vs. New Jersey
1/24 - vs. Pittsburgh (3-0 vs. Penugins this year)
1/31 - vs. N.Y. Rangers

And that's only in January. No other league puts as much of an emphasis on playing division games than the NHL, and the Flyers will be riddled with games like that for the rest of the year. For the most part, they've been average against the Atlantic (6-4-1) but it could be better, especially against the Devils and Rangers. The Flyers have to win most of these division games in January to send a message to the Atlantic and to make a chase for the division title.

Of course, what everybody is looking forward to in the second half are the triumphant returns of Simon Gagne and Steve Downie. Gagne because he's a big-time goal scorer who will only provide more offense for an already offense-driven team, and Downie because he's a big hitter/enforcer that the Flyers could use as the season winds down. Yes, Downie was suspended for his ridiculous hit on former Flyer Dean McAmmond, and yes, he'll probably be head-hunting upon his return. I'm not going to complain about that. Gagne's return will bolster the offense even further, so I'm looking forward to seeing even more goals in the future.

FIVE NOT-SO-BOLD PREDICTIONS FOR THE SECOND HALF (though as always they're in bold)

5) Biron goes through a rough patch - He's playing a lot of games, and he's facing a ton of shots every night. It'll catch up to him and he'll struggle for a few games.

4) The Devils fade from their perch - Before the 9-game winning streak, they were 7-10-2. Since it, they are 6-5-0. They don't have the consistency to win this competitive division.

3) The Flyers won't sign Peter Forsberg - Not gonna happen. No matter how much I want it to, it won't. He's old and he's hurt.

2) 8th seed will have 90+ points - It seems to be the trend in the new NHL. If that's the case this year, the Flyers are well on their way to achieving that.

1) The Flyers get in the playoffs...but lose the division - It's too competitive. But it'll be close, they'll probably just lose out to the Rangers or Penguins. Flyers are destined for a 6 or 7 seed.

The Flyers have come a long way since the debacle that was 2006-07. Everything has improved and they're playing with much more confidence. But they have to keep it up. Biron has to stay relatively steady for the whole season, because as we know what plagued the Flyers teams of the past was shoddy goaltending at the worst times. The big three scorers (Richards, Briere, Lupul) need to continue to generate a lot of offense, Gagne has to be back to 100% and provide more offense, and of course the defense has to continue its solid play. With such an even-matched conference and division especially, anything can happen. The Flyers could be on the cusp of winning the Atlantic in the last couple weeks and end up missing the playoffs. That's just the way it is. If the Flyers play well against their divisional opponents down the stretch, they will find themselves in a familiar position that was abandoned last year: the playoffs.

-ajd

2008 Syracuse Lacrosse Preview

The 2007 season was one of the best and worst seasons ever for Syracuse Lacrosse. The men didn't reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in over 20 years while the women had their most successful season ever culminated with a Big East title.

Both teams return most of their key players for 2008. Here's a look at both teams.

Syracuse Women's Lacrosse:
Last year's record: 13-6
Last year's accolades: Big East Championship and trip to NCAA quarterfinals.
Key Addition: Syracuse legend Gary Gait will coach the ladies in 2008.
Key losses: Ashley Pike and Jill DePretis.

What's in store for 2008:
The Big East will be tough this year with four teams in the Top 25. Syracuse ranks the highest of the four at fifth overall. Georgetown at 11, Notre Dame at 12, and Rutgers at 19th are the other ranked teams from the Big East.

The team brings back many of their top scoring options. Among those who will be back:

• Katie Rowan: Team leading 59 goals and 86 points
• Christina Dove: 47 goals and 12 power play goals
• Haley Quillinan: 50 goals
• Kristen Brady: 28 goals and ground balls
• Bridgey Looney: 13 goals and team leading 42 ground balls.

Scoring will not be a problem for the Orange this year.

Back in the net will be Amber Pardee-Hill who allowed less than 10 goals a game for the 'Cuse.

Taking a look at their schedule, this team should easily win 12 of 16 games on the year. They only play two teams ranked ahead of them. If they play to their potential a 14-2 or 15-1 regular season is definitely possible. They should be the favorites heading into the Big East tournament again. This team could have 17 wins entering the NCAA tournament which will put them in good position for a top seed.

Gary Gait factor: Gary Gait should help this team improve their offense even further as he'll bring a new dimension to women's lacrosse never seen before. The Orange attack will be even more explosive than last year when they averaged 15 goals a game. Their scoring average this year could increase to over 17 goals a game with Gait at the helm.

Final Prediction in bold, but isn't quite so bold: The Ladies finish the regular season and Big East Tournament with a 16-2 record. They go to the NCAA finals and lose a heart breaker to Northwestern 17-15.

Now for the men's preview:

Last year's record: 5-8

Last year's Accolades: None. No playoffs and no conference tournament because the men are independent.

Key Addition: Freshman John Galloway from West Genesee could replace Peter Coluccini in net by the end of the year.

Key losses: Greg Rommel, Steve Panarelli, Danny Brennan, and Jon Jerome. Syracuse loses its top two face off winners in Brennan and Jerome.

What's in store for 2008:

I don't think 2008 is going to be a whole lot better than 2007. I do think they will have a winning record, but the team lost some very valuable players. Mike Leveille, Dan Hardy, and Steven Brooks are All-Americans and should have ridiculous offensive numbers, but defense could pose as a problem again. Which team will show up on an everyday basis? The one who blew the living daylights out of Rutgers and played top ranked Cornell tough or the one who couldn't score against Army and got hammered by nation powers like Virginia and Johns Hopkins.

Coach John Desko has eight games on the schedule of 14 that are pretty winnable games. After that, they have six tough games against ranked opponents. A 9-5 regular season record is probably the most likely with 10-4 a distinct possibility. It should be enough to get this team back into the NCAA tournament.

The Orange return their top five scorers from a year ago:

• Leveille: Team high 22 goals and 39 points.
• Hardy: Team high 22 goals and 32 points.
• Kenny Nims: 18 goals and 30 points.
• Steven Brooks 19 goals and 26 points.
• Greg Niewieroski: 19 goals and 24 points.

Final Prediction in bold, but isn't quite so bold: The Orange finish the season 9-5, but begin to find their identity late in season and show why they are Inside Lacrosse's 11th ranked team in the preseason. They go to the NCAA tournament, winning in the first round, but lose in the second round.

Check back tomorrow for the 2008 Philadelphia Flyers Preview.

Philadelphia Eagles 2008 Preview

Having finished dead last in the NFC East for the second time in three years, there is nowhere to go but up for the Eagles in 2008. There are a couple glaring weaknesses that need to be addressed in the offseason, but on the whole it seems to me that this team is not far away from being a contender once again. Little things on a game-to-game basis ultimately did us in, but with some acute free agent signings and a strong draft, there’s no reason to doubt that the Eagles will be back with a vengeance in ’08. And just look at the last three games of the season – just further proof that we had a chance this year, but we just didn’t capitalize when it meant the most. There’s reason to be optimistic.

POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

Wide Receiver – Big surprise, huh? Yet another year goes by leaving Eagles fans pining for a big time, big play receiver. Kevin Curtis proved his worth by having a career year, and anybody watching the games knows his a terrific possession receiver. However, I think he’s best suited as a #2 behind a real stud who will be the gamebreaker the Eagles so desperately need to complement Brian Westbrook. Reggie Brown is not that guy and should be delegated to the slot in ’08. Hank Baskett and Greg Lewis are what they are – guys who will give you one or two catches a game on third down. For some reason this is always a problem in Philadelphia. Hopefully Joe Banner recognizes it and makes something happen. If he does not, many Eagles fans will be left angry and the offense will routinely struggle again. This problem should be fixed in free agency and not the draft, since it’s more of an immediate need. But that doesn’t mean the Eagles shouldn’t think about using their first pick on a wideout. Not a great list of free agents, but a couple HUGE names that the Eagles have to attack.
FA: Randy Moss, Bernard Berrian, Bryant Johnson, Drew Carter
Draft: Early Doucet, DeSean Jackson, Malcolm Kelly, Mario Manningham
P.S. Also look for the Eagles to pursue Chad Johnson in Cincinnati.

Defensive End – Don’t worry about Trent Cole. He’s a legit player who probably should have made the Pro Bowl this year with his 13 sacks. It’s the other end that draws a lot of concern. The platoon of Jevon Kearse and Darren Howard does not get it done. These two are as good as done in Philly, thanks to age catching up with them. The Eagles didn’t register many sacks this year aside from Cole, but Juqua Thomas is a good rotational player who will give you a good effort when he’s in there. Bottom line, the team needs one more legitimate pass rusher to complete the defensive line which is otherwise very good. Cole, along with run-stoppers Mike Patterson and Broderick Bunkley, form a solid line that would be complemented by one more big defensive end.
FA: Terrell Suggs, Justin Smith, Tommy Kelly, Jared Allen, Mike Rucker
Draft: Chris Long, Derrick Harvey, Vernon Gholston, Quentin Groves

Secondary – I don’t think it would kill the Eagles to grab another safety or cornerback in the offseason. Brian Dawkins, as much as it pains me to say, is not the player he once was. Not to mention Sean Considine wasn’t exactly what the Eagles were hoping for when they made him the starter. As for the corners, Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown didn’t have career years, but they should be back as the 1-2 combination. Philly needs to find a solid nickel back behind them, because I don’t think William James is the answer. Joselio Hanson isn’t bad, but the Eagles should look to sign another shut-down corner. As for safety, I would bring in somebody to rotate with Considine and Quentin Mikell, and even someone to rotate with Dawkins from time to time.
FA CB: Asante Samuel, Marcus Trufant, Drayton Florence, Randall Gay
FA S: Gibril Wilson, Erik Coleman, Ken Hamlin, Atari Bigby, Eugene Wilson

OTHER POSITIONS THE TEAM SHOULD UPGRADE
Outside Linebacker
Lance Briggs, Boss Bailey, Demorrio Williams, Michael Boley
Tight End
Dallas Clark, Eric Johnson, Bo Scaife, Ben Troupe, maybe L.J. Smith
Punt/Kick Return specialist

WHAT THE EAGLES SHOULD DO IN THE DRAFT

All signs point to Philadelphia taking a wide receiver with their first pick, which is the 19th pick overall. Now if they sign a big time free agent, that should not discourage them from taking a receiver anyway, because drafting a solid WR in the first round means he could stick around for a long time and be a focal point of the offense (right, like former first-rounder Freddie Mitchell). A lot of people like DeSean Jackson from Cal, and he would bring a presence right away. The Eagles would be able to insert Jackson into their offense quickly, which Reggie Brown may not appreciate, but he would be a valuable asset. If not a receiver in round one, then perhaps go with Andy Reid’s specialty – take a lineman, more specifically, a defensive end. Just like the Dallas Cowgirls have done in the past few years with DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, draft a solid pass-rusher who would make an impact right away. Those two positions would be the most logical first round selections, but you could still argue for drafting a safety or cornerback as well. Not to mention, maybe a big time punt/kick returner. And an offensive tackle on the left side perhaps. This is how I would use the first of the team’s draft picks, all other things equal:
1st pick – WR
2nd pick – S/CB
3rd pick – KR/PR specialist
Again, the team could go in any number of directions depending on free agent signings, draft day events, etc. But I would say those are the biggest needs right now, with a left offensive tackle included.

THE CONTINUING STORY OF BUNGALOW BILL (and Donovan McNabb)

Really, what would a yearly preview be without a Donovan McNabb opinion? Well, I think it’s pretty simple. For all the crap the media has given him throughout the past few months, beginning with the drafting of Kevin Kolb, this franchise would be bonkers to dump McNabb before next season. If there was any doubt in Joe Banner’s mind concerning McNabb before the last three games of the season, it should be gone by now. He proved he could still run, throw and manage a game just like he has since the turn of the century. Here’s a guy who has given you five NFC East titles, four NFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl appearance in the last seven years. He is the franchise. Sure, Westbrook is the most dynamic player and biggest weapon on offense, but McNabb is the face of the Philadelphia Eagles. He is, at his best, one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the league. At least 75% of teams in the league would do anything to have a quarterback of his caliber. Let me make this clear: he should not be traded before next season.
People are nuts if they think Kolb or A.J. Feeley is a better option at the position. They’re nuts. The Eagles are not far from being a contender. If they reload in the offseason and get the weapons necessary to compete, McNabb gives Philly the best chance to win. He’s aging, no question, but that doesn’t mean his throwing skills are diminishing. The mistakes in his throwing mechanics are the same they were in his prime, and we won then, so why wouldn’t we be able to win now? You’ll say our defense was much better back then, but I’ll say our receiving corps was worse (minus the T.O. year) and Westbrook was still coming into his own. McNabb has something to prove. If we trade him, he will light it up wherever he goes. If we keep him, he’ll do everything he can to help us win. So long as he doesn’t get hurt…again.

FIVE NOT-SO-BOLD PREDICTIONS FOR 2008 (but I'm putting them in bold)

5) Donovan McNabb stays in Philly. Because Joe Banner is not an idiot and will realize if he wants to win he’ll keep the 5-time Pro Bowler.
4) The Eagles sign ONE big-time free agent. Whether it’s a receiver, a D-lineman or anybody else, one big name comes to town, with a few above-averages ones as well.
3) David Akers bounces back strong. I’m being a little homer-ish here, but I think 2007 was just an aberration for Akers. Something tells me he’ll be back on track.
2) A cut will be made that stuns everyone. This year it was Jeremiah Trotter out of nowhere. Don’t know who it will be, but our front office is infamous for this.
1) The team will be widely criticized for its offseason moves. That’s a given. That’s why I’m predicting it, so I can be right on at least one of these.

The Eagles are in the basement of the division. The good news is, I don’t think it’s going to take much to climb out of that hole. The Eagles should make moves this offseason with the mindset of comparing themselves to the other teams in the NFC East. The only way you become good in the NFL is to become good within your own division. Six out of 16 games come against those same teams, and if you’re successful against them, chances are you’re going to win your division. It’s no coincidence that the Eagles were 5-1 against the division in 2006 and won it, while this year they were 2-4 and finished last. Banner should compare his talent to Dallas, Washington and New York and do what he can to make it more equal. On paper, I would say the Eagles have just as much talent as those teams, but, as I’ve said before, the little things killed us: lack of defensive turnovers, no special teams threat, poor kicking, etc. The Eagles should fill those potholes in the offseason and come back in 2008 ready to win. After this past year, it’s going to be a loooooooong summer.

-ajd

'Cusian and Philadelphians of 2008

Part of our 2008 preview will include who bloggers think will be the most influential members of the Syracuse and Philadelphia athletic communities. I've contacted many of the blogs on our blogroll. If you read our site, I haven't contacted you, and have a Syracuse or Philadelphia blog email me at jsflemin@syr.edu with the 10 most influential people in 2008 for the city you cover.