Oranges look sweet for Penn State

After an exciting season that saw just one loss, in the last second mind you, the Penn State Nittany Lions are about to show America just what they're made of. As if the number three ranking isn't enough, a trip to the Orange Bowl to take on Florida St. is in store for them this Tuesday.

The coaching matchup provides some added intrigue. It pits no. 1 (FSU's Bobby Bowden, with 359) vs. no. 2 (PSU's Joe Paterno, with 353) in Division I-A football victories in what could become the bowl-game equivalent of Bobby Fischer against Boris Spassky. Neither coach wants their team to pack it up with a loss hanging over them, and both are proven victors.

So who has the better team? According to ESPN.com's "Bowl Pick-em," 88.6 percent of the voting public thinks that Penn State will reign victorious. I couldn't agree more. A team that went 10-1, took home the Big Ten title, and has earned a slew of major awards has to be the front runner.

I may be biased, but this season felt like the Big Ten was an all-around stronger football conference than the ACC. Sure the ACC sported Boston College, Miami and VA Tech. Yet beyond them the conference is full of major cupcakes with the likes of Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia and Wake Forest.

Ranked or not, the teams in the Big Ten are not cupcakes, though Illinois did stink it up this season. These teams have records that take a hit because their conference schedule is strong. For Penn State to have the season it did against this level of competition proves that they belong among the NCAA's elite.

Come Tuesday, the forecast in Miami will be calling for a white out. Too bad for FSU, it's a little too late to run and hide. The Lions are on the prowl.

Bedtime Fan Fuss - Could the Phillies' infield be improved?

When studying my bank statements, it's evident that I don't work in the Phillies front office. Thankfully. Because if I did I'd be on the verge of getting fired for speaking up about the organization's blasé approach to improving a team that just wasn't good enough in 2005.

Every time players are dealt and signed, I go into a deep malaise and wonder if new GM Pat Gillick is feeling it with me. Recently, after admiring the acquisition of another team, I began to think about what we need. More pitching and a bat with some pop. Pitching is going to be hard to come by as the best free agent reliever sits in aVenezuelann jail cell awaiting trial. But the bat with pop could be had.

It is widely known that second baseman Alfonso Soriano is unhappy with his new team's (Washington Nationals) decision to move him to the outfield. They won't budge and neither will he. If I'm sitting in the GM's chair, we're pouncing on this situation trying to offer Washington a solution. Soriano, who hit 36 home runs and drove in 104, could be the piece of the puzzle that the Phillies need not only to compete, but also squeeze some fans through the turnstiles.

Sure we have Chase Utley at second, but he can be moved to third. Adding Soriano would give us a top-flight infield of Utley, Jimmy Rollins (SS), Soriano and Ryan Howard (1B). Not too shabby.

Who, you might ask, would we trade? How about a package of Bobby Abreu and David Bell. Bell is worthless as a starter, but could be good in spot duty. Abreu, on the other hand, fills the Nationals' need for a quality outfielder. It's a "win-win" for both teams as Jason Michaels could move into Abreu's spot in the Phils' outfield.

If I'm contemplating this deal, I hope to God that Gillick is looking into it. Two teams getting what they're looking for is the key to all trades. This is one of those scenarios.

A Christmas wish unanswered

Signed, sealed and delivered. The official losing (below .500) record has returned to the Eagles doorstep. This time, it's worst of all, because the Birds entered the season with such promise that this outcome seems like a kick to the roasted chestnuts.

For the seventh time in nine weeks, the Eagles suffered a loss, dropping their overall record to 6-9. But today's loss comes at the hands of the perennial doormat Arizona Cardinals. Former division foes, the Cardinals were able to strike the Birds' secondary with their amazing weapons, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Too bad Philly lost the battle of two teams headed south for the winter; a .500 record would've been at least bittersweet.

Today's highlights are slim, but Mike McMahon did impress a little with three TDs and only one interception. The problem: His 21 rushing yards led the team. The next closest rusher was Ryan Moats with 13 yards.

The loss today also marks the third time this season that the Eagles have lost to another team named after a bird. Both Seattle and Atlanta previously took down Philly.

Before the afternoon crowd left the mall, I rushed to get on Santa's lap. I wished for an Eagles win and the fat man agreed. Must've been too much egg nog.

Bedtime Fan Fuss - Ageless Wonder

After a tumultuous start to the decade, Joe Paterno's age is finally a good thing. His Achilles heel, the thorn in his side, the reason he should've retired, age. Now, it's the thing that sets him apart. And the word "old" is being replaced by "experienced."

On Tuesday, the Associated Press named Penn State's JoePa as the NCAA Division 1A Coach of the Year. Congratulations, not just for such a successful season (Penn State finished third in the rankings behind only USC and Texas), but also for proving the naysayers wrong.

For a great article about subject, check out The Broad Street Journal article "Pennsylvania’s College Football Powerhouses: A Study in Contrasts," written by Mark Tavani.

The Faceless Fightin' Phils

Sitting in front of a classroom full of seventh graders today, I noticed that the students had art projects all over the walls. The main display showed a collage of what each child enjoyed in their lives. Most of the boys had sports-related items, and among them were photos of Donovan McNabb and Allen Iverson. But there were none, not one display, with any Phillies.

I started to rack my brain, thinking of who they could possibly add to their posters. Jim Thome? Traded. Billy Wagner? Gone via free agency. Bobby Abreu? Please, chico, no one wants to spend hard-earned cash to see a guy who's as exciting as a number 2 pencil. Pat Burrell or Ryan Howard? Maybe after a couple of more years like 2005.

As the Phillies miss out on one free agent talent after another, I'm beginning to wonder, who are they going to market to the fans to keep and attract season ticket holders? The new stadium factor only works for so long. Soon, you will need to provide a recognizable face. At this point, the Phils might as well add the first names to the back of the jerseys, because no one knows who these people are.

At this point, the most notable members of the organization work in the front office. Recently, Phillies executives partook in an event at a soup kitchen. The management, not the players. This could mean that signing a marquee player is not a serious priority.

Don't get me wrong, the Phillies are a decent team, and they might be improved in 2006 after finishing a close second in 2005. But a team without a star is a team without asses in the seats. And a team without asses in the seats, is a team with no added energy to pump them up in crunch time. Without an "in demand" product, the Phillies really won't have the home-field advantage of a raucous crowd.

A star player might not change the Phillies fortunes on the field, but it will add the zest a crowd needs to get excited. That electricity could be the difference between the playoffs and another extended winter break.

Philadelphia teams win, but lose

The Sixers and Eagles were both winners, yet could ultimately both be losers after an eventful weekend.

The win for the nowhere-bound Birds was ugly, save for the Ryan Moats TD run, and uglier still it could mess up their draft position. But the "W" was nice to see.

For the Sixers, victors of five of their last six games, the weekend saw a rout of the "can't get right" Toronto Raptors. But it also brought a reconciliation of sorts between Ron Artest and the Indiana Pacers, meaning that the 76ers won't be attaining his services. I guess Ron's ego took a hit when the organization, and fellow players didn't bat an eye when he made his announcement. Though several teams were interested in his services, none were willing to offer any of their top talent. On WIP, the rumor was that Sixers President Billy King balked at sending the oft-injured Samuel Dalembert.

I know the front office of sports franchises are like nepotism havens, but let's play armchair GM for a second. Check out the stats on Dalembert and then on Artest. Would you balk?

Supposedly the Pacers' players were not so warm to the idea of Artest returning after the stunt he pulled. Though he may appear like a hardwood version of Terrell Owens, but more violent, Artest never went as far as calling out teammates or the organization. He was just looking to play for a different employer if possible.

If Artest and the Pacers can't agree to get along, look for him to switch uniforms soon. In the instance that he can don Philly's logo, the Sixers just might have a chance to make some major noise down the stretch.

McNabb's problems anything but skin deep

Michael Jackson, yes that one, once said "It don't matter if you're black or white." That couldn't be more true than on an NFL football field where the only colors that matter are on the football field. No matter how many quasi-racist Rush Limbaughs or misleading NAACP President J. Whyatt Mondesires come out of the wood work, the knock on Donovan McNabb anything but color-based.

Some people cite the Super Bowl as when McNabb's problems were exposed. Not me. His problems started when he was injured in 2002. Sure he finished that game on a great note, but it was the Cardinals.

Since returning to his spot behind center, McNabb has proven that he can be a pocket passer, but only with a game-breaking target like the suspended (and all but gone) receiver Terrell Owens. Without the talent to make up for some bad, well downright awful, passes, McNabb is no more than mediocre.

Sitting in my recliner watching the Eagles take the field in the final minutes of the fourth quarter was the most nerve-wracking part of my week when McNabb was dressed and playing through the pain. With each snap, I felt like Curt Schilling with a towel over my head watching Mitch Williams pitch to Joe Carter.

McNabb is a quality QB, and the Birds will be hard pressed to find someone better on paper, or a better face for the organization. But he proved something through his performance in the Super Bowl and this season sans Owens. In crunch time, McNabb goes limp. He either lacks the talent or the heart to win it all.

A shot of "D"

Sure he was the main combatant in the worst brawl in American sports' history. Sure he has a bona fide, bad-boy reputation. But disgruntled Indiana Pacer Ron Artest has what the Philadelphia 76ers don't have, fire and energy.

Allen Iverson has talent and tenacity. He gives 100 percent, but he can hog the ball in crunch time making the rest of the team complacent. Chris Webber is a great player, but rarely has the ability to inspire his teammates' greatness. In contrast, Artest gives you 100 percent performance, is a decent scorer and can fire up the troops down the stretch. If the Sixers could somehow add his services to the current mix, they would become the team to beat in the Atlantic, hands down.

Sixers President Billy King has been quoted on the radio in recent days expressing his concern over the team's defensive play. No doubt the 76ers can lock it down (ask Kobe Bryant), it's just that the squad is inconsistent. The addition of Artest, who recently cuffed LeBron James, would be exactly what the doctor ordered. If King doesn't at least attempt this move, all the whining that he's doing over the defense would seem invalid.

I know we're all still in a hangover fog after the last of the city's malcontent experiments, but Artest brings to the table everything the Sixers need. Just ask King.

Bedtime Fan Fuss - Making it official

As if the 42-0, ankle-grabbing loss to Seattle wasn't proof enough, today's Eagles loss officially eliminated them from the playoffs. Just when there was some glimmer of hope for a victory, during a surprisingly exciting game, the New York Giants caused a fumble, recovered, and set up Jay Feely for the game winning, yet anything but automatic, kick. Final score, 26-23 in favor of New York.

After the demoralizing loss on national TV on Monday night, the Eagles set out to redeem themselves, and did. The makeshift offense (third string QB; second, third and fourth string RBs; second, third and fourth string WRs; second and third string linemen) made a real game out of it, making only one costly mistake. Mike McMahon can run well, but teach the boy not to hold the ball like a bag of fried pig skins. A bubble-blowing, 5-year-old girl could've knocked that thing from his hands.

In this season of unexpected disappointment, the third quarter missed field goal attempt from one of the few starters still healthy, David Akers, was just crushing. To know that if the ball traveled about two yards farther, the Eagles win 26-23 in regulation, is the kind of thought that will wake me up at night. (Ok, not really, but if it meant losing a Vince Lombardi Trophy, it would've.)

On the plus side, the Eagles current conglomeration of players seem to be like a kid's party grab bag: You really never know what you're going to see. Running back Ryan Moats was impressive, and McMahon shook off last week's pulling to post a mistake-free regulation. The defensive secondary even stepped up, especially in the fourth quarter.

If the Birds play like this the rest of the way, it should be an entertaining three weeks. All three games, @ St. Louis, @ Arizona, and home against Washington, are winable.

Bedtime Fan Fuss - (Nittany) Lions Pride

When the Dick Butkis Award for the nation's top linebacker was presented on Saturday at the Orlando Downtown Athletic Club, Penn State's Paul Posluszny became the second Nittany Lion to ever accept it. The only other Penn State alum to receive the honor, now in its 21st year, was LaVar Arrington in 1999.

"Playing linebacker, to win the Butkus Award means you're the top person at your position and that's the biggest thing you can do, " commented Posluszny after the announcement.

Posluszny, who racked up 111 tackles, including 11 for loss, and three sacks, also took home the Bednarik Award as the nation's best defensive player. That award was presented on Thursday.

Thanks to a staunch defense, led by Posluszny, Penn State took home a share of the Big Ten title and earned a berth in the Orange Bowl, facing Florida State on January 3.

Bedtime Fan Fuss - The great 8

Congratulations to Philadelphia University basketball coach Herb Magee, who won his 800th game tonight, becoming the eighth coach in NCAA history to ever reach that milestone. It's fitting that his milestone victory took place on the eighth of the month.

For in depth coverage of this story, check out ESPN.com at: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2253111

Bedtime Fan Fuss - The biggest loss of all

Losing is contagious. Nowhere in the NFC is this as apparent as in Philadelphia, where the Eagles look helpless. Not to say that the team is playing below their potential, they surely are not. This team just isn't the Philly team that played in February. The current crop is a glob of second and third stringers reaching their ultimate goal due to a sports injury, or injured ego. The Birds' biggest loss of all came on Monday (not the 42-0 drubbing by Seattle), when Brian Westbrook was injured thus ending his season.

On of the few top-flight Birds that has not been the subject of tabloid news articles or fan ridicule, Westbrook was quietly putting together a solid season. Sure he held out for a week of training camp, but that was merely a symbolic gesture to let the brass know his feathers were ruffled. Once he arrived, Westbrook left his business dealings to his agent, and just played football. He was handsomely rewarded with a new contract shortly before this fall's Philly implosion.

Westbrook, the fourth pro bowler that the Eagles have lost for the season due to injury, had amassed nearly 1,300 total yards with seven TDs. That's a great season for some, but he did it in only 12 weeks. His services will surely be missed, as the Eagles will now have a four-headed monster rushing attack; QB Mike McMahon, and RBs Lamar Gordon, Ryan Moats and Reno Mahe.

Lessons in humility have surly been learned this year by the Eagles. But this latest blow is the one that overshadows them all. Westbrook is the wingman that gets the job done well. And he does it with the silent dignity of an era gone bye.

28 Going on 45

Late last night I sat down in my recliner, flipped through the 400 channels of digital cable and, after watching about 2 hours of SportsCenter, settled on the Jennifer Garner chick flick “13 Going on 30.” Still awake when the film reached FIN, I went into my sports room, sat down with a beer and began to think, what would my life be like in 17 years, when I’m 45?

Then I started to think about Philadelphia sports 17 years in the future. I took a swig of beer, and rested my head against the wall. Must have been a little too hard, though, as one of those turnstile-gift bobble head Mike Schmidt dolls dropped down from a shelf above and knocked me on my head.

Suddenly, I woke up, in a strange place. There were Phillies World Series pennants on the wall from 2019, 12-year-old twins begging for lunch money, and the mirror showed me an image of a salt and pepper haired older man with a fading mustache. Frightened, I asked one of the kids their names?

“I’m Sonny and he’s Fredo,” one said. I immediately knew they were my sons. Who else would name their kids after characters in the “Godfather?”

“Honey? Get the kids ready for the bus,” a woman’s voice boomed from another room. I was scared as hell to find out to whom I was married. Wedding photos framed on the wall revealed she was cute, but it was an old photo. Then I saw her. Beautiful. She handed me a glass of orange juice, and I dropped it. When I bent over to clean up the spill, I slipped and whacked my head on the floor. I went out like a champion who fought one fight too many.

When I came too, I was in the parking lot of Commerce Bank Field (they had conveniently taken over every stadium in town) tailgating at an Eagles-Cowboys game, which was for the NFC Championship. I looked at someone’s newspaper and the date was January 23, 2022. The Birds, playing for head coach Brian Westbrook, had reintroduced the West Coast Offense, which had become passé by 2010. The Eagles won the game, and then beat the Jaguars in Super Bowl LVI. It was the Eagles second title, with the previous victory coming in 2008 over the Kansas City Chiefs. I went to the tickertape victory parade in Center City. Some jerk in one of the offices decided to throw his stapler out the window, striking me in the back of the head and ending my elation.

Magically I arrived at my next stop, a Temple University men's basketball contest, where John Chaney was finally ending his coaching tenure, just two months past his 90th birthday. Chaney had taken a page out of Jay Leno’s book, announcing his retirement five years earlier. At the same time that he made his announcement, James Kingston, an 8th grade point guard from Birmingham, AL, was being considered for the cover of Sports Illustrated. Chaney’s announcement beat him out of it. But Kingston was a tough kid, and made the cover four times over the next four years, with the last one reading, “Hoo, Hoo, I’m an Owl.” Kingston, and many of the other top McDonalds All-Americans got together and decided to play for Chaney, looking to win the coach his first ever championship. It worked, and in his final season, Chaney cut down the nets of March for first time in his illustrious career. I was celebrating in the aisles and jumping up and down, the last time missing the step and taking a bad tumble.

My next vision was game 7 of the NBA Finals at the old, dingy Commerce Bank Center. Sixers Head Coach Jim Boeheim, whose transition to the pros was rocky, had taken over a dismal club in 2019. His winning percentage in the league was below .300, and this would’ve likely been his last chance at redemption. It worked. The players bought into his system, and competed the next two seasons with no one standing out as a star. Their starting lineup was like a revolving door, with players receiving an equal amount of time on the floor. It was a revolutionary approach, but for a team of cast-offs, past-their-prime veterans, and hapless rookies, they had nothing to lose. The gamble paid off, and the Sixers hoisted the trophy for the first time since 1983, beating, who else, the Los Angeles Lakers. I was loving it, but I knew my time was about to end there, so I picked a fight with the meanest cholo-looking Lakers fan I could find, let him hit me with a good one, and went out like a light.

I eagerly awoke on an unseasonably warm October night. I was sitting on the first base side of the brand new Veterans Stadium at Commerce Bank Park, built on the same site as the original Veterans Stadium. After retro fields went out of style in 2013, the city council devised a plan to build an L-shaped skyscraper with a ball field as the centerpiece, and the Philadelphia skyline as the backdrop. It featured a retractable roof, could be easily converted into any nouveau or retro style should tastes change, and also served as a great business rental opportunity. The aging Darren Daulton was at the helm, with a coaching staff that consisted of Mike Schmidt, Curt Schilling, Lenny Dykstra, John Kruk and Von Hayes. With their knowledge of the game, the team could do nothing but win. It was their third title in four years, and second consecutive.

With the loud crash of a bottle of suds falling from my hand and smashing on the floor, my odyssey into the perfect sports world abruptly came to a halt. Because my glimpse of the future was so vivid, I immediately ran for my sports almanac. It confirmed that I was back in 2005, and reminded me of the 22-year drought of serious hardware.

I got knocked on the head in a city that hadn’t seen a title in 22 years, and in one magical journey I witnessed four championship victories. If my fantastic voyage is any indication, Philadelphia will be sports town U.S.A. in 2022.

On the edge looking up

For the first time in five seasons, the Eagles find themselves on the edge of their heated seats looking up at the rest of the NFC East. The team that's romped through the NFC East since the onsides kick to open the season against Dallas in 2000 is now one of only five teams in the league without a divisional win.

On the bright side, the Birds celebrated their second consecutive Sunday without a loss today. Tomorrow can be a celebration too, as the Eagles defense squares off against one of the top two running backs in the league, Shaun Alexander. The prolific running back, a main component of the NFL's top ranked offense, is the key to victory for both teams. Stop him, and Philly wins. Watch him run loose, and Seattle claims win number 10. If the Birds give Alexander the LaDanian Tomlinson treatment, the Seahawks will have to rely on the arm Matt Hasselbeck, turning their offense into a one-dimensional field day for Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson and his schemes.

Much like the San Diego game, with pitted Philly against a strong offensive team, a win on Monday night will depend mainly on three factors; contain the attack of Alexander, make plays on special teams (including returns for good field position), and avoid mistakes on offense. Accomplishing those tasks will help the Eagles fly.

Manny and his money

The rumors all over the radio are that the Phillies are trying to ship outfielder Bobby Abreu to the Red Sox for superstar Manny Ramirez. Both players are in their early 30s, but the trade would mark the end of the Abreu wait. Waiting for him to explode, waiting for him to peak.

The fact that he is now being shopped means that his ceiling has been reached. Don't get me wrong, Ramirez's best days are in the rear view mirror, but he's still a mega star, and possibly one of the 10 best talents in the game today.

If the Phillies have a shot at landing a guy like this to make up for the Jim Thome (at least the 2004 Thome) absence in the line-up, they need to take it. The fans in this town are title starved, and can be very fickle if they don't see a team producing. Sure newly acquired centerfielder Aaron Rowand is a good player, be he strikes fear in the hearts of no one. Right now, the Phillies don't possess even one fear striking batter. The line-up can still do some damage, but to break a pitcher's confidence at the site of the batter is a great advantage.

This trade is great for Philadelphia. So if there is a trigger to be pulled, I hope Gillick yanks hard.

Bedtime Fan Fuss - Go Navy! Beat Army!

Ever since I was a little tyke, I've always rooted for the Navy Midshipmen over the Army Black Knights. Well, the annual Department of Defense grudge match is Saturday in Philly, and once again I have to say, "Go Navy! Beat Army!"

If by no other reason to root for Navy, they're top rusher is also their QB, and his name is Owens. Their top receiver is a kid named Tomlinson. The reverse coincidences are enough for me to bet the line.

Go Navy! Beat Army!

Bedtime Fan Fuss - Flash of Greatness? (part 2)

Strike up the band and let the cymbals drop. On Monday night, I wrote about the possibility of the Phillies signing Tom "Flash" Gordon as their new closer. The very next day, ESPN.com reported that the New York Yankees were trying to keep him in the fold. I began to hope that the Yankees would outbid the Phils for his service, but it wasn't to be. Flash is now the bull in the pen waiting for the inning of glory.

The first thing that came to my mind was Kuni in the film "UHF" yelling, "stupid!" I've been doing some basic math, and figured out that the Phillies are going to save $9 million a year from Jim Thome's traded contract, and had the $10 million per year that they had offered to Wagner available to play with. That's $19 million, and the best guy they could get is Gordon. Not to mention, GM Pat Gillick offered Flash nearly double what the Yankees paid him this past season. All this for a 38-year-old guy who has, from 1999-2000, missed a season and a half in one stretch due to injury.

"Stupid! You are so stupid!" Another thing that got me was that the Phillies were offering around $10 million per year to Wagner, a proven closer with 284 career saves and eight seasons with more than 20 saves. The 34-year-old Wagner also boasts an ERA of 2.40 over his 10-year career. Instead, Gillick and the Phillies brain(less) trust offered $18 million over three GUARANTEED years to a guy with only 116 career saves, and only two seasons of more than 20 saves. The Phillies are saving only $3 million compared with Wagner's 2005 salary.

It's evidently clear that the Phillies are overpaying a "common" to replace an All-Star. What more can I say? Oh yeah, "STUPID!"