April Month In Review

April is always one of the best months in sports simply for what's going on. Baseball season is beginning, the NBA and NHL playoffs are just getting going, March Madness rolls over into April; for those of you in college towns, spring football holds their first practices and of course the NFL Draft.

With that said, a lot has gone in CuseAdelphia during the month of April. Six CuseAdelphia teams are in action and winning. Now this post comes in May, the day of the 76ers elimination from the playoffs, but the Sixers reached the playoffs for the first time in several years.

The 76ers, the Flyers, and Syracuse Lacrosse are all having tremendous bounce back years after terrible 2007s for those teams.

The 76ers completed only a five game turnaround, but their late season surge through March and April put them in the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The youthful bunch of players created some lasting memories with Andre Iguodala's thunderous slams down the lane and Thaddeus Young's emergence.

The Sixers under new GM Ed Stefanski reached the playoffs looking to pull off an absolute shocker by taking down the two seeded Detroit Pistons. Things looked good early for the 76ers after Game One. A frenetic comeback in the Motor City meant Philly would head into Game Two with a 1-0 lead.

Game Two ugly. Sixers lose badly.

Game Three. Things are much different. Mo Cheeks' crew figures out what they did in the second half of Game One and blow the Pistons out of the gym.

Then things got ugly. Really ugly again. For the next three games it would be terribly ugly.

The Pistons outscored the Sixers by 19 points in the second half of their Game Four win. Game Five was domination all game; Pistons by 17.

Game Six was the worst of all. The 76ers season was officially declared dead at 8:12 PM EST. A 10-0 lead for the Pistons was essentially as close as Philly would get the rest of the game, Pistons win by 23.

Syracuse Lacrosse has also made a very solid turnaround. After a 5-8 season in 2007, the Orange rebounded in 2008 in impressive fashion. SU finished April undefeated, beating their opponents on average 14-6.

The Orange have dominated behind the likes of Tewaaraton Trophy nominees Mike Leveille and Steven Brooks. Leveille has a team leading 61 points while Brooks has anchored the midfield all year. In goal, John Galloway has played increasingly well as the year has gone on.

The 'Cuse capped off the perfect April with an absolute handling of recent pain in the UMASS 16-3. The Orange scored the first nine goals of the game and scored more goals in each quarter than UMASS had the entire game.

Philadelphia's team in orange- the Flyers - also completed the best turnaround in the NHL this year. The Fly Guys were last, dead last in the entire NHL in 2007, but managed to reach the playoffs as the sixth seed in the East.

Being the sixth seed is one of the best seeds you can be in the playoffs. Often the third division winner is always barely worthy of the playoffs, and this year was pretty much no different. The Capitals needed a long winning streak at the end of the year to reach the playoffs, but that streak ended at the hands of the Flyers.

Seven games, several blown leads, one Alexander Ovechkin explosion, and one Daniel Briere goal scoring binge later the Flyers were moving onto the next round.

Now throw in four more games, three of which are Philly wins, lots of angry Canadians, some more blown leads, no Briere scoring binge, but rather one by R.J. Umberger and you get a 3-1 series lead against the Montreal Canadiens.

One CuseAdelphia team already has won a title. The Syracuse women's Lax team took home a Big East Championship in South Bend in dominating fashion. A 22-7 blow out followed by a 12-6 victory over rival Georegtown and the women have an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.

Basically every scoring record you think of, Tewaaraton trophy nominee Katie Rowan broke it.

Two CuseAdelphia teams used April to get off to extremely solid starts.

The Phillies finished out April 15-13. Now that doesn't seem too impressive, but when you look at their past four Aprils, it's rather impressive. 11-14 in 2007, 10-14 in 2006, 10-14 in 2005, 10-11 in 2004. You get the picture.

The Phillies did it in probably the most improbably way: great pitching from both the starters and bullpen. The entire staff has posted a combined ERA of 3.79, the lowest its been in years.

The relievers have been much better; the Phillies' pen ranks first in the National League in ERA. J.C. Romero, Brad Lidge, Chad Durbin, Rudy Seanez, and Tom Gordon (minus the first week) have been lights out.

Cole Hamels is throwing his name in the hat for Cy Young during the early season with his 2.70 ERA and 36 strike outs in April.

Chase Utley and Pat Burrell have provided MVP moments throughout the entire month as the two are near the top of practically every offensive category. Utley ends the month with a major league leading 11 home runs.

The team that plays across the parking lot, the Philadelphia Soul of the AFL has been blistering hot. Two QB's Tony Graziani and Matt D'Orazio have combined for astronomical numbers in leading the Soul to an undefeated record through April.

Bon Jovi's team finished off the month with a 57-28 romping over the previously undefeated Dallas Desperados. Philly held Dallas scoreless in the first quarter, a monumental task in of itself.

The other football team in Philadelphia just completed the 2008 NFL draft with some disputed success. The Eagles set themselves up for a monster 2009 draft with the acquisition of the Panthers 2009 first round pick. The Iggles also got another second round pick in the same deal when trading away their first round pick to Carolina.

Now the Eagles only got one player that will have an immediate impact this year with DeSean Jackson, but it's still a major accomplishment to get one of the most explosive players in the draft half way through the second round.

The Birds also grabbed DT Trevor Laws who's a workhorse on the defensive line.

The later round picks weren't anything special, but the Eagles overall had a solid draft.

No matter how good all of CuseAdelphia's teams did, there's going to be a few bad notes that cannot go unmentioned.

In the same NFL draft, no members of the Orange heard their names called for the first time since 1975. Taj Smith, Jameel McClain, DoWayne Davis, and several others eventually found a home, but it wasn't for NFL draft level money.

Orange fans also learned they might hear the name of one of the fabulous freshmen from the 2007-2008 seasons. Donte' Greene declared he's making himself eligible for the 2008 NBA draft, but he left some hope for Orange fans when he didn't sign an agent.

Greene's team also found themselves sitting at home from the NCAA Tournament and NIT Tournament finals which both took place in April.

Finally on a sad note, we remember John Marzano who was found dead in South Philly home. The cause of his death hasn't been revealed yet.

Eagles Draft Breakdown

Okay, so every blog, website, and TV station has covered the Eagles draft ump-teen times.

But I'm still going to provide my perspective.

I'm fairly happy with this draft and the moves the Eagles made. Now a couple of the picks were a little questionable, but overall I think the Eagles did a pretty solid job with the draft.

I wouldn't give them an A or A-, but probably a B or B+. The Eagles made three very solid moves and a few not so solid.

• The trade with the Panthers was very good and a little bad at the same time. It was bad from the stand point the Eagles haven't drafted in the first round for two years now. For a team that finished 8-8 and last the division it would have been nice to get a player who could make an impact now. With that said, the haul of picks the Eagles brought in was quite impressive. When I first saw the trade I was like oh yay! they got a second and fourth, but then it was announced they also got the Panther's first round for next year. There is a realistic chance Carolina is going to be awful next year and that pick will be a top five or ten pick. I think the window is closing on this group of Eagles within the next two or three years, so to have potentially a great pick next year will definitely help put the Eagles over top.
• The next move is getting DeSean Jackson in the second round. He's got first round talent, mid-round size. He's got tremendous potential as a kick returned and a burner downfield. He should see playing time right away with the lack of talent the Eagles have at the wideout.
• The final move is a move that didn't happen. Not trading Lito Shepard means the Eagles have one of the deepest secondaries in the league. The Eagles will have three solid corners with Asante Samuel, Shepard, and Sheldon Brown. With the questions the Eagles have at safeties with Brian Dawkins's age and health of Sean Considine/can Quentin Mikell be an every down player allows the Eagles to move Shepard to safety if they absolutely have to.
• I'm not really a fan of the Jack Ikegwonu pick. From what I've read, he's high risk, high reward, but the guy had a devastating knee injury and has some legal issues. I'm skeptical he'll ever step on the field as an Eagle with those issues.
• A lot of teams made a lot of solid picks in the late rounds, but the Eagles didn't with the exception of the 7th round. I really liked the King Dunlap pick. A lot of experts projected him in the fourth round, but he slipped down to the Eagles in the seventh. He's got excellent size at 6'8'' 310 pounds. If he matures well, he could fit in nicely with the gigantic line the Eagles are used to having.

Initial Thoughts on 2008 Eagles Schedule

Look below or click here for complete 2008 Eagles schedule.

Here's some initial gut predictions and thoughts.

Week 1, St. Louis: The Rams are probably going to be better this year, but they still aren't that great. This is a nice game for the Eagles to open with and should probably be a good opportunity for the Eagles to win even if they struggle. Of course that's what I thought with last year's opener against Green Bay...we all know how that ended.

Week 2, @ Dallas: Oh boy. Statement time week two. One of these two teams is going to put up or shut up. Both Philadelphia and Dallas have somewhat easy openers, so this game probably won't mean the loser begins the season 0-2 and in a hole.

Week 3, Steelers: The Black and Gold come to Philadelphia in the NFL's attempt to divide a state. The Eagles will play their second straight tough game of the year. If the Iggles can get through these opening three games 2-1 they will be in good shape.

Week 4, @ Bears: I'm not sure what to think of the Bears yet, they could be anywhere from really good to really bad. Will that offense and defense rebound? Or will they struggle again. This game should be a good opportunity for Philly to pick up a win.

Week 5, Redskins: Washington hasn't really added a lot of good players or lost any this post season so this team will probably be very similar to last years. Wouldn't surpise me if these two teams split their season series with the home team winning each game.

Week 6, 49ers: Remember the last time the 49ers played Philly? Mark Simoneau was kicking extra points. Not the same 49er team unfortunately for the Eagles. Should be a tough game. Home crowd should help the Eagles win this one.

Week 7, Bye. Pretty solid timing for the bye. Not too early, not too late.

Week 8, Falcons: If the Eagles don't win, they've got serious issues. You can thank the Eagles last place finish last year for this game.

Week 9, @Seahawks: Very few teams win in Seattle with that stadium and crowd. The Seahawks are going to be good; I'll be shocked if the Eagles win this game at this point.

Week 10, Giants: The Eagles finally play the Super Bowl Champs in week 10. This game will be home and probably coming off a loss. A quick start will be very important for the Iggles.

Week 11, @Bengals: Cincinnati has the potential to be very dangerous, especially if Chad Johnson plays. Who knows maybe he'll be returning to Cincy in green. That's a nice thought to have for Eagles fans.

Week 12, @Baltimore: The Rust Belt tour continues with Baltimore. The Ravens aren't going to be very good again most likely. Should be a good chance for the Eagles to pick up a "road" win. Not much of a road game for the Eagles since its only 90 minutes away.

Week 13, Arizona on Thanksgiving: So many bird jokes leading up to this game. Also quick turnaround could make this game tough. Luckily it's at home and the Eagles played just to the south the week before.

Week 14, @Giants: This game starts a very tough stretch to end the season. I'm guessing the Eagles will split this season series like they will against the Redskins and the Cowboys.

Week 15, Browns: I just don't see the Browns being as good as last year. I wasn't too big on Derek Anderson last year, I think he was somewhat a fluke. We'll know by this point in the season whether he's the real deal.

Week 16, @Washington: Continues a favorable schedule for the Eagles travel wise. Week 12 on the furthest the Eagles go is New York.

Week 17, Dallas: What a way to start and end a season. Week 2 against Dallas, week 17 against Dallas. Thanks NFL. The Eagles beginning and finish will have extra meaning this year.

I think this schedule definitely has the potential of producing 10-12 wins for the Eagles. I can't really see them winning more than 12 games or winning less than about 8 as of right now. Weirder things have happened of course.

Eagles 2008 Schedule Released

The NFL released the 2008 schedule today and the Eagles will be on Monday night football when Philly will travel to Dallas on September 15th.

The Eagles will play the AFC North this year. Pennsylvania will be divided by green and gold instead of Obama and Hillary. On September 21st the Eagles will host the Steelers.

The Eagles host the Browns December 15th on MNF. Really. The Eagles and the Browns on MNF...together? I definitely didn't see that one coming.

The Eagles also play on Thanksgiving against the Cardinals.

What a weird schedule this year.

Here's the whole schedule:

Week 1
Sept. 7
St. Louis Rams
1 p.m.
Week 2
Sept. 15 (Mon.)
at Dallas Cowboys
8:30 p.m.
Week 3
Sept. 21
Pittsburgh Steelers
4:15 p.m.
Week 4
Sept. 28
at Chicago Bears
8:15 p.m.
Week 5
Oct. 5
Washington Redskins
1 p.m.
Week 6
Oct. 12
at San Francisco 49ers
4:15 p.m.
Week 7
Oct. 19
Bye

Week 8
Oct. 26
Atlanta Falcons
1 p.m.
Week 9
Nov. 2
at Seattle Seahawks
4:15 p.m.
Week 10
Nov. 9
New York Giants
8:15 p.m.
Week 11
Nov. 16
at Cincinnati Bengals
1 p.m.
Week 12
Nov. 23
at Baltimore Ravens
1 p.m.
Week 13
Nov. 27 (Thurs.)
Arizona Cardinals
8:15 p.m.
Week 14
Dec. 7
at New York Giants
1 p.m.
Week 15
Dec. 15 (Mon.)
Cleveland Browns
8:30 p.m.
Week 16
Dec. 21
at Washington Redskins
1 p.m.
Week 17
Dec. 28
Dallas Cowboys
1 p.m.

More to come...

Chad Johnson anyone?

I just saw an article on ESPN.com that a "source" has said Chad Johnson may sit out the entire 2008 season with the Cincinnati Bengals if he is not traded. I don't know how much merit there is to a "story" (rumor) like that, but let's pretend for a moment it's the truth and that Johnson will be traded in the off-season.

What would stop the Eagles from shipping a few picks to Cincinnati for this guy? Yes, I know, we don't want another T.O., we don't want more clubhouse dissension, we tried it once and it didn't work out. But if I'm not mistaken, when we brought Owens in, we immediately went to the Super Bowl. Probably not a coincidence.

A guy like Johnson would give the offense a completely new dimension, but that's obvious. What people may not believe is that McNabb will return to his franchise quarterback form if he gets a legitamate #1 WR. But if you couple Johnson with Kevin Curtis (a very solid #2), Reggie Brown, Brian Westbrook, and an O-line that can still get it done, I don't think it's crazy to say that's one of the best offenses in the NFL, if not THE best. How many other teams will be able to say they have a top 5 RB, top 10 QB (if he has the weapons he is top 10) and a top 5 WR? I would probably be able to count them on one hand.

McNabb had the best regular season of his career when T.O. first came here. His QB rating was over 100, his completion % was his highest ever, and he became the first QB in NFL history to throw more than 30 TDs while throwing fewer 10 INTs. I truly believe Chad Johnson, at his best, is very close to Owens's level. Bringing him in would bring the offense back to its glory days of just a few years back.

McNabb is aging. He doesn't have much left in him. Westbrook is in his prime. It would be disgraceful for the Eagles organization to let his golden years go by without seeing anything come of it except individual accolades. If Johnson wants to be traded this badly, GO GET HIM! You think anybody didn't want Owens when the Eagles were pursuing him? NO! When you have the opportunity to grab one of the best receivers in the game and transform your offense from above-average to superior then you do it. That's what championship caliber teams do. That's what the Patriots have done. It's not a coincidence!

I can't be any clearer about this. Now, obviously, bringing him in doesn't make everything peachy-keen. The defense is still iffy. But, really, imagine the offense firepower we would have if we got him. There shouldn't be a fan out there who doesn't want Chad Johnson. And if there is, they clearly didn't watch our receivers in action this year. Curtis was very good, but imagine how much more effective he would be as a posession receiver in the #2 spot? Seems like gold to me.

Give McNabb the weapons. Get Chad Johnson. The window of opportunity while D5 is here is closing. I guarantee you the organization will not regret it if they pull this off. I mean, really, it won't be any worse than Terrell Owens. Let's get Chad Johnson!

-ajd

Philadelphia Roundup

Lots of news out of Philadelphia from the last few days.

The Baltimore Ravens hired Eagles secondary coach John Harbaugh as their head coach Friday. He lost out on the UCLA head coach and was the fallback option for the Ravens. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett decided to stay in Dallas so the Ravens went after Harbaugh and got their man. The Ravens picked Harbaugh despite the fact he has no experience in the NFL running an offense or defense. He's only spent time in the league as a special teams coordinator and as a secondary coach. The Baltimore Sun put a poll up on their website asking readers if John Harbaugh was the right hire for the Ravens. Surprisingly 71% have said yes so far.

To me, it seems surprising that a guy like Harbaugh could jump straight from a being a secondary coach to being a head coach without any experience at positions in between. What's more surprising is how happy Raven's fans are that he's their new head coach. If Andy Reid left and the Eagles went after a former special teams and secondary coach, I don't think I would be too happy since he has no experience even handling an offensive or defensive unit of a team.

The Phillies and Ryan Howard are headed towards arbitration. The Phillies offered former MVP Ryan Howard a seven million dollar contract, but Howard is asking for three million more at ten million a year. The three million dollar gap was the largest of any player seeking arbitration. The Phillies avoided arbitration with Brad Lidge because he signed a new deal Thursday. This might be one arbitration hearing the Phillies might lose. With the contracts players have received during the last few years, it's hard to believe Howard won't get ten million when the guy hit 47 homeruns in 2007.

The Flyers won 5-3 against the Islanders last night. Scott Hartnell is awesome. He recorded another hat trick in front of all those Islander fans in New York. Hartnell now has 15 goals on the year and Mike Richards also scored his 21st of the year. The Flyers over came a 3-1 deficit in the first period by scoring two in the second period and two in third. The Flyers are now 25-15-5 on the season for 55 points. That ties them with New Jersey for second in the division, and puts them two points behind the Penguins for first place. They do have one game in hand with the Devils and two with the Penguins. The Flyers are also 8-1-1 in their last ten games, but so are the Penguins. The Flyers have beaten the living daylights out of the Penguins this year, winning all three games by a combined score of 16-5 including an 8-2 whooping at home with Joffery Lupul scoring six points. The Flyers take on the Ottawa Senators tonight.

It's time to take a trip down memory lane. The Flyers and Senators played an epic game in 2004 that ended in hundreds of penalty minutes and both teams left with about two players on each bench. The final two minutes of the game last forever as almost every time the refs dropped the puck, a brawl broke out. So now I bring you parts one, two, and three of the greatest brawl in NHL history.

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

A Very Brief Review of the 2007 Philadelphia Eagles

I think we can all agree that when we look back on the 2007 Eagles season, all we'll be able to think is "If only this..." or "We should have that..." It was 4 months filled with heartbreak, disappointment and a lot of underachieving. And not even a 3-game winning streak to finish the year could make up for any of it. I bet at the beginning of the season if I were to tell you the Eagles would win at Dallas, at New Orleans and vs. Buffalo to finish the season, you would think they were a shoo-in for at least a playoff berth. I mean, the rest of the schedule wasn't that bad. But lo, for the second time in three years, the players will be watching the playoffs instead of partcipating.

The tone for the dismal season was set right away in the form of an UGLY 16-13 loss to Green Bay. Two muffed punts of all things did us in. And that's exactly how the rest of the season would go. Little things like that would continue to plague us until it was too late to recover. So here is my very brief season review. Hope it brings back good/bad memories.

THREE BEST GAMES OF THE SEASON:

3) November 11 - Eagles 33, Redskins 25
The Eagles sat at 3-5 halfway through the season, desperately needing a strong start to the second half of the season to keep their playoff hopes afloat. And thanks to a great performance by Donovan McNabb, they did just that. Despite falling behind 25-20 with just 4 minutes to play in regulation, McNabb found Brian Westbrook in the flat on the ensuing drive, and Westbrook broke it for a 57-yard touchdown to put Philly up 26-25. The Eagles got the ball back and scored again to seal a 33-25 victory. McNabb went 20/28 for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns with zero INTs. The comeback win put the Eagles at 4-5, only a game behind Washington and in the thick of the playoff hunt.

2) September 23 - Eagles 56, Lions 21
After dropping their first two games, the Eagles assured the fans they still had the offensive firepower to compete. McNabb threw 4 TD passes in the first half en route to a perfect QB rating for the game. Westbrook ran for 110 yards and 2 TDs. But the real story was the emergence of Kevin Curtis, who exploded for 11 catches, 221 yards and 3 TD receptions. The Eagles led 42-21 at halftime and didn't allow the Lions to come back in the second half. Philly got its first win of the season.

1) December 16 - Eagles 10, Cowboys 6
Of course this is the best win from 2007. Anytime you pull off an upset of the best team in the conference, let alone the Cowboys, it's pretty damn good. At 5-8 and with almost no shot at a postseason berth, the Eagles came out and derailed Dallas's plans to gain home-field advantage through the playoffs. A 7-3 lead at halftime never got bigger, but Dallas never regained the lead in the second half, and Westbrook's brilliant maneuver at the goal line just before the two minute warning sealed the most satisfying win of the season.

THREE WORST GAMES OF THE SEASON (this was not easy to wittle down)

3) October 21 - Bears 19, Eagles 16
This wasn't bad as so much the Eagles didn't play well, but instead they completely blew a hard-earned victory in the end. With a chance to get to 3-3, the Eagles trailed Chicago 12-9 late in the 4th quarter. Unable to reach the endzone all day, McNabb orchestrated a final drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Matt Schobel with just under 5 minutes remaining. The Eagles took a 16-12 lead over the defending NFC champions. The Bears started last drive with 1:57 to play on their own 3-yard line with a chance to win the game. And despite their offensive struggles in this game and all season, Brian Griese led the team 97 yards on the Philly defense, culminating in a TD pass with 9 seconds to play. Eagles drop to 2-4.

2) December 2 - Seahawks 28, Eagles 24
Bottom line, the Eagles should have had this one. And this was despite A.J. Feeley's absolutely horrendous performance. The Eagles let a 24-21 slip away, but found themselves in a position to win with under a minute to play. The Eagles drove the field on their final drive, getting the ball deep into the Seattle redzone with just a minute remaining. But Feeley threw his 4th interception when Lofa Tatupu picked him off at the 4-yard line, ending any Eagles chance at a win. The loss cost Philly another shot at .500, as they dropped to 5-7.

1) September 30 - Giants 16, Eagles 3
Most Philadelphia sports fans remember this as the day the Phillies triumphantly clinched the NL East for the first time in 14 years. However, later that night, there would be an equally disgraceful performance. McNabb was sacked 12 times, six times by Osi Umenyiora. The Eagles generated nothing on offense all game, settling for a field goal in the 4th quarter to avoid being shut out. To put things in perspective, Correll Buckhalter was the leading rusher AND receiver in this one. This certainly made everyone forget about the 56-point outburst the week before.

THE GOOD FROM 2007

Brian Westbrook - He continues to remind us why he's an elite running back even though people keep overlooking him. Rushed for 1333 yards and 7 TDs, and caught 90 balls for 771 yards and 5 TDs. His 2104 total yards from scrimmage is an Eagles franchise record. He was the lone consistent performer on this offense all season. Thankfully he was not passed on for a Pro Bowl spot.

Trent Cole - The Eagles have an emerging star in Cole. He led the team with 13 sacks, giving him 25.5 for his career in just three seasons with Philly. And he's only 25, meaning he could be doing this sort of thing for the next 5 to 7 years. He's a relentless pass rusher off the end and certainly everything we expected to get from Jevon Kearse when we signed him. The Eagles would be smart to hang on to him.

The Strong Finish - Don't try to tell me the Eagles didn't want to finish .500 for the season. Their performance in the final three games was exactly what we thought we were getting for the entire year. A great win at Dallas was followed up by delivering a shocking blow to the Saints' playoff hopes on the road. And then a final win at home against the Bills to finish at 8-8. Remember Andy Reid's first season in Philly, when the team was 3-11 and destined to finish with the same record as the year before? Well two surprising wins over the Patriots and eventual Super Bowl champion Rams gave the Eagles and upbeat finish to the season. And next year they carried that momentum to an 11-5 mark and a playoff win. Do I see a trend here? I certainly hope so.

THE BAD FROM 2007

Special Teams - Yes, we all know what happened in Week 1. But there was little improvement aside from actually catching punts. In a year where it seemed like every team was returning kicks and punts for TDs, the Eagles never once came close, except for the one Westbrook returned in the Seattle game. Truth is, if Westbrook isn't back there to return, there is no threat. Reno Mahe can catch, but he sure as hell can't break one loose. Is it because he's not good enough? Or is the coverage poor? Or maybe the reason is because John Harbaugh left his post as special teams coach. Whatever the reason, the Eagles have to find a weapon. Starting from your own 40 is much better than your own 25, but it was the latter for Philly throughout most of 2007.

Defensive Big Plays - Similar to the special teams problems. Not one TD was returned this season either via interception or fumble return. The Eagles were the only team in the league to accomplish that wonderful feat. Perhaps even worse was the complete lack of big-time plays from the defense. Jim Johnson's D is based on crazy blitz schemes that force the opponent into mistakes, which of course equal turnovers. Not this year. Only 19 takeaways all season for the Eagles, the least in the NFL. Only 11 interceptions. That element wasn't there for Philly this year, putting us at a significant disadvantage.

Jevon Kearse and L.J. Smith - Put a fork in these two. Kearse is old and presents nothing on defense. His 3.5 sacks is nothing compared to what he's getting paid. As for Smith, his once promising future is basically shot. He missed six games due to injury, but in the 10 games he actually did play in, he was ineffective. He caught one TD all year and never caught more than 4 passes in a game. Expect these two to be cut.

And that list could go on. Reggie Brown, Lito Sheppard and David Akers all had disappointing years. Home field advantage was non-existant. Brian Dawkins may be too old. Takeo Spikes wasn't exactly a big-time linebacker in the middle. But of course, the big issue is Donovan McNabb.

What do we make of McNabb's season? Well, here are his stats:
89.9 QB rating, 3324 yards, 61.5 comp pct, 19 TDs, 7 INTs, 14 games

Statistically speaking, McNabb had one of the best seasons of his career. And he completed over 60 percent of his passes for just the second time in his career. So how can the fans say he's done if those stats are true? To me it seems as if he can still throw the ball with a lot of efficiency. Sure, he had one or two HUGE games that kind of padded those numbers, but I'm pretty sure more than a handful of teams in this league would take that kind of production from their QB. And it looks like he can still move around. That run against New Orleans? Certainly looked like the McNabb of the early 00s out there. And what is there if there is no McNabb? Unproven Kevin Kolb? Feeley? Joe Banner/Jeff Lurie/Andy Reid would be wise to keep D5 in town for at least one more year. They insist the Eagles are just a couple of pieces from being a Super Bowl contender. How about give McNabb a big time receiver to complement Kevin Curtis and see where that takes us. 2007 was a disappointing season, but if the last three games are any indication, that proverbial window of opportunity is still open, albeit maybe just cracked.

-ajd

Jessica Simpson has a New Man

I found this picture on the facebook group "2/3 of the World is covered by water...the rest is covered by Brian Dawkins." Well done whoever made this picture.

8-8...whatever

My season in review post will probably come tomorrow, so for now I'll just reflect on the final game of the Eagles 2007 season. A 17-9 win over Buffalo wasn't very exciting, but the Eagles showed flashes of why they could have had a great season (and flashes of why they did not have a great season).

Donovan McNabb was relatively solid. My only issue was his interception in the red zone. Not a smart play by a veteran QB who should know NEVER to make that throw when you're that close to the endzone. That's one reason we came up short this season. Too many drives were killed with senseless turnovers (whether it be on McNabb's or Feeley's shoulders). Our redzone offense struggled this year, and that play was just a microcosm of the problems we have had.

Otherwise, good game from D5. He made some great throws, particularly the fade to Westbrook with Aaron Schobel covering him and the final throw to Greg Lewis which sealed the deal. He still has the game to be a starter, and I would hate to see him go. More on this heated topic at a later date.

I have always said Jim Johnson plays the "bend-don't-break" style of defense, and it was very evident today. Plenty of big plays given up between the 20s, but once again lock-down defense near the goal lines, a staple of the Eagles D since Johnson took over in 1999. Granted, we played the Bills, whose offense actually stinks, but to hold the opposition to only field goals is always good in the NFL.

So we're done. Another Eagles season has come to a close. And this was maybe the most maddening, disappointing season in awhile for Philly (on par with the 2005 debacle). I'll have plenty to write about it tomorrow when I feel like doing research. And then of course we'll preview what's to come for the Eagles in 2008.

Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon Should Not Announce Games Together

I pretty sure that's the biggest thing I got out of watching the Eagles-Bills game today.

Donovan McNabb looked solid again today. He looks like he's really starting to get his accuracy back. In years past, when he missed a wide receiver, he's always would under throw him. Earlier this year, when his accuracy was really off, he started over throwing wide receivers. He' started to under throw guys again which to me is a good sign if that makes sense.

Late in the fourth quarter when McNabb hit Greg Lewis down field, he showed he's still got great awareness. As soon as Lewis got off the line McNabb knew where he wanted to go with the ball. Lewis got two steps on his man and McNabb recognized with Lewis's speed that's all he needed to get the ball to Lewis. McNabb put the ball right where Lewis could catch it easily.

Earlier this year I wasn't sure what I wanted the Eagles to do with McNabb. As of three weeks ago, I was leaning towards the Eagles should probably cut ties if they could get something good in return through trade.

The last three weeks showed Donovan can still play and deserves another year with this team. I think he's a definite upgrade over A.J. Feeley and the "QB of the future" Kevin Kolb. I was at training camp this year almost every day covering it for ESPN radio. At training camp I saw McNabb and Kolb everyday running the same drills. Kolb just couldn't hit his wide receivers in simple 7 on 7 drills. Kelly Holcomb and A.J. Feeley had no problem doing it, but Kolb couldn't. Kolb didn't show much of a deep ball either. Now I understand, this was Kolb's first training camp, but when he's their top draft pick and "QB of the future," he should be able to easily hit wide receivers in non-contact drills.

The Eagles should have waited a year to draft McNabb's heir. There are much better QB's in the draft this year. I think Brian Brohm, Andre Woodson, Matt Ryan, and Colt Brennan should all prove to be better NFL quarterbacks than Kevin Kolb.

Harbaugh Stays Put

John Harbaugh will not being going to UCLA as their new head coach. Harbaugh, the secondary coach for the Eagles, interviewed for the spot, but UCLA named Rick Neuheisel head coach.

John Harbaugh would have joined his brother in the PAC-10 as his brother Jim is the head coach for Stanford.

My First Thoughts

Hello there. My name is A.J. Donatoni and I'll be one of the writers here for CuseAdelphia. I'm a sophomore at Syracuse University and a native of Malvern, PA, which is about 45 mintues outside Philadelphia.

As a Philly sports phan for my whole life, I've had my heart ripped out at least once a year. And I haven't lived to see a parade down Broad Street. I'm still waiting for the day, because when it comes, we're going to throw a party like the city has never seen before.

I've only been a fan of SU sports for a couple years now, but the passion that Central/Upstate New York shows for SU lets me realize just how important the teams are to people. The energy at basketball games demonstrates the commitment that the people have for its sports teams, and it's exciting to witness.

Every Philadelphia team holds a place in my heart, and I will be sure to write plenty on each team. My first official post will be a review of the Phillies' offseason thus far and how they measure up to other teams in the NL East. Then, after this Sunday, I will post my thoughts on the Eagles' (maddening) season and what they have to do to return to NFC East supremacy. And seeing how it's hockey and basketball season, there will plenty of Flyers and 76ers posts to follow. For now, I leave you with a list of Philadelphia teams that have made the playoffs but failed to capture the title since I was born. The list is ridiculously long. For those of you keeping score at home, 36 times in all. 11 of those teams made it to at least their sport's conference finals. It's pretty sad.

1988 Flyers
1988 Eagles
1989 Flyers - CONFERENCE FINALS
1989 Eagles
1989 Sixers
1990 Sixers
1990 Eagles
1991 Sixers
1992 Eagles
1993 Phillies - WORLD SERIES
1995 Flyers - CONFERENCE FINALS
1995 Eagles
1996 Flyers
1996 Eagles
1997 Flyers - STANLEY CUP FINALS
1998 Flyers
1999 Flyers
1999 Sixers
2000 Flyers - CONFERENCE FINALS
2000 Eagles
2000 Sixers
2001 Flyers
2001 Eagles - NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
2001 Sixers - NBA FINALS
2002 Flyers
2002 Eagles - NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
2002 Sixers
2003 Flyers
2003 Eagles - NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
2003 Sixers
2004 Flyers - CONFERENCE FINALS
2004 Eagles - SUPER BOWL XXXIX
2005 Sixers
2006 Flyers
2006 Eagles
2007 Phillies

-ajd

How We Are Going To Do Things Here At CuseAdelphia

My goal for my fellow writers and myself will be at least 20 posts a week, we'll probably do a lot more during college basketball season because I'll be providing nightly breakdowns of games that are important to basketball fans. Here are some features we'll most likely be doing.

• Nightly games of interest for Syracuse fans.
• As we near selection Sunday breakdowns of how Syracuse compares to other teams in the nation.
• Our ballot for the weekly Big East Blogger Poll.
• Previews and post games for Syracuse men's lacrosse, basketball, football games, and women's basketball game.
• Our thoughts on the latest news in the Syracuse world.
• Recruiting news for Football and both men's and women's basketball.
• Turning to the Philly side, post game reactions to the Flyers with select previews for certain games.
• Previews and post games for Eagles games (yes I know there's one left.)
• A draft preview for the Eagles and 76ers.
• Reactions to 76ers news, transactions, and games.
• Daily Phillies news, post game reactions, and columns.
• I'll also be creating a daily link dump around 3-5 EST everyday including weekends.
• A 2008 preview and predictions for what's in store for Syracuse and Philadelphia sports.

We'll be posting new content on here within the next couple days.

I'd like to thank Troy Nunes and Inside the Iggles for letting readers know of us.

Anything else you'd like to see us do. Comment below or e-mail me at jsflemin@syr.edu.

For now, check out every single link to the right. They are all goodies, if they weren't, they wouldn't be on the blogroll.

Inaugrual Post

If somehow you stumbled across this site and see it very bare and boring, come back in about a week and you'll see a guide to Philadelphia and Syracuse sports. We'll hopefully be officially launching this site on January 1st, 2008.