Phinally Philly

The decade for the Flyers will forever be described by the ups and downs. The organization went in as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and would roll out as such by the end of 2009 despite great periods, slumps, dramatic turnarounds, and even the worst season in franchise history.

The Flyers All-Decade Team

W -- Simon Gagne (2000-Present): 692 GP -- 270 G -- 261 A -- 531 P

W -- Mark Recchi (2000-2004): 451 GP -- 142 G -- 255 A -- 397 P

W -- John LeClair (2000-2004): 350 GP -- 124 G -- 124 A -- 248 P

W -- Mike Knuble (2005-2009): 334 GP -- 120 G -- 115 A -- 235 P

W -- Jeremy Roenick (2001-2004): 252 GP -- 74 G -- 120 A -- 194 P

W -- Danny Briere (2007-Present): 163 GP -- 66 G -- 76 A -- 142 P

W -- Scott Hartnell (2007-Present): 224 GP -- 67 G -- 69 A -- 136 P

W -- Sami Kapanen (2003-2008): 364 GP -- 53 G -- 76 A -- 129 P

C -- Mike Richards (2005-Present): 358 GP -- 103 G -- 171 A -- 274 P

C -- Jeff Carter (2005-Present): 375 GP -- 133 G -- 127 A -- 260 P

C -- Keith Primeau (2000-2005): 370 GP -- 99 G -- 148 A -- 247 P

C -- Peter Forsberg (2005-2007): 106 GP -- 34 G -- 89 A -- 123 P

D -- Eric Desjardins (2000-2006): 437 GP -- 54 GP -- 164 A -- 218 P

D -- Kim Johnsson (2001-2006): 324 GP -- 42 G -- 116 A -- 158 P

D -- Kimmo Timonen (2007-Present): 215 GP -- 14 G -- 100 A -- 114 P

D -- Derian Hatcher (2005-2008): 224 GP -- 10 G -- 28 A -- 38 P

D -- Joni Pitkanen (2003-2007): 227 GP -- 25 G -- 96 A -- 121 P

D -- Braydon Coburn (2007-Present): 236 GP -- 24 G -- 69 A -- 93 P

G -- Roman Cechmanek (2000-2003): 186 GP -- 101 W -- 23 SO -- 2.17 GAA -- 0.917 SV%

G -Martin Biron (2007-2009): 156 GP -- 76 W -- 9 SO -- 2.78 GAA -- 0.913 SV%

G -Robert Esche (2002-2007): 153 GP -- 73 W -- 8 SO -- 2.87 GAA -- 0.902 SV%

There is likely some dispute about Biron and Esche, but since both have similar goaltending stats as well as great playoff runs (Esche 2004, Biron 2008), I thought they both deserve a shot to make the team.

Honorable Mention: Justin Williams (2000-2004)  and Chris Therien (2000-2006).

Top 3 Players

Keith Primeau -- Say what you want about his salary or his return investment on the scoreboard. Keith Primeau rode into Philadelphia on the Rod Brind’Amour trade. Brind’Amour, a fan favorite of many Flyers fans, was lost in a trade with plenty of rumors swirling around. Primeau caught the wrong end of that, but if he came into Philadelphia as an almost unwelcome salary forward, he certainly left as a legend. In the magical 2004 playoff run he carried an entire team on his back running on heart alone. The old man still had some fight left, and as captain, he brought the team within one win of making it back to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately the Tampa Bay Lightning, who beat the Flyers in seven games during that final Eastern Conference Final of the old-era NHL, would go on to win the Stanley Cup. With the lockout destroying any hope for a 2004-05 season, many of the Flyers legends including John LeClair, Mark Recchi, and Jeremy Roenick would move on or retire. Primeau stuck with the team and accounted for a goal and six assists in nine games during the 2005-06 season before a concussion ended his career. He coached high school hockey in the area before taking a player development position with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. He remains one of the game’s foremost spokesmen for concussion protection and is even donating his brain to science upon his passing. He remains a legend in Philadelphia.

Simon Gagne -- Simon Gagne has seen all of Flyers’ hockey for a decade. Often though, he is an afterthought. Even with injuries he has made his way into the Flyers’ all-time scoring lists, and his love for the city remains even when the fans sometimes forget him. He was a promising young rookie when Brian Boucher carried the Flyers into the 2000 playoffs. He was there to watch Lindros’ career fall apart because of concussions. He was there with Desjardins and LeClair. He fought through the 2004 playoffs of legend and returned to play with the Peter Forsbereg, the one that got away, even through the black season. He’s seen the movement of many friends and teammates, the fall of the Flyers’ greats of the 90′s, and the rise of the new generation post-lockout. Gagne may not be the toughest or most hard-nosed Flyer ever to suit up, but he has seen this team through thick and thin; through injury, defeat, and heartbreak as well as victory.

Mike Richards - The advent of Mike Richards in Philadelphia was nothing short of a phenomenon. After the black year, it was Richards’ complete game that brought this team back to winning. Flyers hockey was once again, fast, hard-nosed, and high scoring. Richards played the game with a lot of heart, and everyone loved him for it. He was rewarded with a contract lasting until 2020 as well as a ‘C’ on his chest. When the team started to appear as if it was lacking heart though, the young captain was the first to take the blame. He reacted defensively when the media prodded into his partying lifestyle away from the rink. It was Richards and his good friend, Jeff Carter that took the fall for the slump of November 2009 whether it was their fault or not. Their scoring, along with some help from Briere and Gagne, would bring the Flyers back into a winning streak to close out 2009. The fans are still not sure what to consider Mike Richards just yet, but there are a lot of expectations on his shoulders.

Honorable Mention

• Danny Briere -- After the black season the Flyers acquired Danny Briere to put Philadelphia on the hockey map once again. Despite questions about injury and salary he continues to play hard on every shift. The midget scoring machine is easily one of the reasons the Flyers were successful in the latter half of the decade whether people believe it or not.
• Peter Forsberg -- Forsberg did not stay long, but the great “what if” had come back to Philadelphia, the team that traded him for Eric Lindros right after the draft, for another shot. Injury issues caught up with him once again, but for a short time, when he was on the top line with Simon Gagne, the city of Philadelphia fell in love with him. He remains a fan favorite despite his short stint with the orange and black.
• Chris Pronger -- The Flyers had come full circle by the end of the decade. They had been the favorites, had gone through the stages of an underdog, had dropped to the league basement, and even returned brighter than ever. Chris Pronger was acquired in a trade on draft day 2009 to get the Flyers over the hump. He was inked to a long-term contract and has so far been as advertised. Many have said that the Flyers and Chris Pronger were a match made in heaven…possibly hell. So far they have been right, but the results will have to speak for themselves.

Top 5 Moments

2004 Playoffs -- The entirety of the 2004 postseason was absolutely magical for the Orange and Black. It was the stuff of legends that will be told in Flyers history for years. Captain Keith Primeau brought a fire that Philadelphia had not seen in a long time, and even though it did not end in victory, it will forever be known as the highlight of the decade.

Lupul Lifts Flyers Back To Top - The 2006-07 season was the worst in franchise history. The black season had ripped a whole in Flyers hockey that many worried would last a long time. The Flyers had not missed the playoffs many times in their history, but that season in particular was terrible. The organization immediately tried to get back on top. They moved Forsberg for Upshall, Hartnell, and Timonen. Coburn was acquired from Atlanta. Biron came in, and the organization signed Briere. The Flyers came out hot in 2007-08, but almost immediately Gagne was lost for the entire season. That was when Richards emerged as a Flyer and, along with many new acquisitions, carried the team back to the playoffs. The orange and black were still not legitimate though. They were not a team to be feared again just yet. They entered a tough series against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. It raged on until the overtime of game seven where a goal by Joffrey Lupul announced the Flyers’ return to the NHL spotlight.

Flyers vs. Senators Roster Brawl 2004 -- Possibly the most memorable fight in all of Flyers’ history. Everyone knows where they were and what they were doing when this massive brawl broke out.

Hartnell Leads Great Comeback in 2008 -- On December 11th, 2008 the Flyers fell down 5-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes by the 3rd period. Hartnell had a huge fight as well as a hat trick as the orange and black came back to win the game in a shootout. It marked the biggest comeback in Flyers’ history.

Primeau 5 OT Goal in 2000 -- On May 5th, 2000 Primeau worked his magic to win the longest running game in NHL history in the 5th OT over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Future

Under a new head coach, Peter Laviolette, the Flyers are trying to regain their composure as a legitimate Stanley Cup favorite. The core is set up on the blueline and in the offensive zone. Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Claude Giroux, and James vanRiemsdyk have bright futures ahead of them. Even Matt Carle, Braydon Coburn, and Ryan Parent still have some growing to do. Meanwhile veterans like Danny Briere, Simon Gagne, Chris Pronger, and Kimmo Timonen will keep this team together.

The season right now is still a question mark, but could this be the generation that brings the Stanley Cup back to Philadelphia? We’ll find out in the next decade.

(Even though the decade doesn’t end until next year, I’ll still join the party and contribute)

Simply put, this has to be the best decade in Phillies’ history. On top of winning their 2nd World Series, the Phillies won 3 NL East titles and won the National League Pennant twice. The team had a record of 850-769 from 2000-2009 with only one losing season mixed in. (They went 80-81 in 2002, but didn’t make up a game, so I’m not counting that one) After finally getting over the hump in 2007, the Phillies have been dominating the National League. With no one having an Atlanta Braves-type NL East dominating run, I’d think it’s fair to say that the Phillies were the team of the decade in the East.

Let’s start off this Decade Recap by naming the Phillies’ All-Decade Starting lineup, brought to you by our own David Foley.

C -- Mike Lieberthal (2000-20006) 719 G, .279/.345, 83 HR, 359 RBI

1B - Ryan Howard (2004-Present) 732 G, .279/.360, 222 HR, 640 RBI

2B -- Chase Utley (2003-Present) 891 G, .295/.379, 161 HR, 585 RBI

3B -- Scott Rolen (2000-2002) 379 G, .284/.370, 68 HR, 262 RBI

SS - Jimmy Rollins (2000-2009) 1406 G, .274/.329, 146 HR, 621 RBI, 326 SB

LF -- Pat Burrell (2000-2008) 1195 G, .257/.368, 233 HR, 748 RBI

CF -- Shane Victorino (2005-2009) 607 G, .289, 44 HR, 220 RBI, 102 SB

RF - Bobby Abreu (2000-2006) 1050 G, .298/.412, 158 HR, 647 RBI

Bench -

OF -- Jayson Werth (2007-Present) 385 G, .276, 68 HR, 215 RBI

OF -- Aaron Rowand (2006-2007) 270 G, .290/.353, 39 HR, 136 RBI

OF - Doug Glanville (2000-2002, 2004) 532 G, .259/.291, 30 HR, 150 RBI

C - Carlos Ruiz (2006-Present) 366 G, .246,.337, 22 HR, 138 RBI

1B - Jim Thome (2003-2005) 361 G, .260/.386, 96 HR, 266 RBI

SS -- Eric Bruntlett (Kidding!)

2B - Placido Polanco (2002-2005, Present) 344 G, .297, 38 HR, 160 RBI

Starting Rotation -

Brett Myers (2002-2009) 1183.2 IP, 73-63, 4.40 ERA, 986K, 21/24 SVO

Cole Hamels (2006-Present) 736 IP, 48-34, 3.67 ERA, 686 K

Randy Wolf (2000-2006) 1053.1 IP, 63-51, 4.06 ERA, 855 K

Vicente Padilla (2000-2005) 741.1 IP, 49-49, 3.98 ERA, 496 K

Jamie Moyer (2006-Present) 609 IP, 47-31, 4.49 ERA, 376 K

Bullpen -

Brad Lidge (2008-Present) 128 IP, 153 K, 72/83 SVO

Jose Mesa (2001-2003, 2007) 242 IP, 188 K, 112/129 SVO

Billy Wagner (2004-2005) 126 IP, 146 K, 59/66 SVO

Rheal Cormier (2001-2006) 358.1 IP, 28-21, 246 K

Geoff Geary (2003-2007) 267.1 IP, 13-4, 173 K

Ryan Madson (2003-Present) 516.1 IP, 95 HLD, 15 SV, 421 K

Now, I’m sure there is going to be some disagreement, but here are what I consider to be the top five players and top five moments for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2000-2009.

Top 5 Players

Chase Utely- After being named to Sports Illustrated’s All-Decade team, how could the man responsible for coining the most iconic Phillies phrase, World Fucking Champions, not be the top Phillie of the decade?

Jimmy Rollins J-Roll has been the face of the franchise for the past few years. His personality defines this team. Ever since he declared the Phillies “The Team to Beat,” they’ve backed up their leader with their play on the field. While not the prototypical leadoff hitter, Rollins has put up the offensive numbers and was named NL MVP in 2007. This has been J-Roll’s team for the past five years and will continue to be until Rollins eventually retires as a Phillie.

Ryan Howard Ever since winning the NL ROY in 2005 after playing half a season, RyHo has been one of, if not the, best power hitters in the game. Following his ROY with a league MVP award in 2006 just reaffirmed his rapid ascent to the league’s elite. Tailor made to hit in Citizens Bank Park, he was the quickest player in major league history to 200 home runs, ending 2009 with 222 home runs. While he missed some time due to Jim Thome blocking him, Howard isn’t wasting any time catching up on that missed time.

Bobby Abreu While everyone in Philly knocked him for his lack of hustle, it’s hard to ignore his offensive production. During his six full seasons here, he averaged 25 HR, 97 RBI, 31 SB, and 110 walks while batting .300. Abreu was an offensive machine and will probably always be under appreciated here. During the early part of the decade, Abreu was the offense. He was extremely consistent, but he wasn’t’ around for the franchise’s turnaround. Trading Abreu was the catalyst that enabled the team’s younger core of Rollins, Utley, and Howard to take over the leadership and change the atmosphere around in Philadelphia. Trading Abreu was tough, but it led to the franchise’s revival.

Cole Hamels/Brad Lidge: I’ve combined these two, based on the recommendation of another Philly blogger, because without them, the 2008 World Fucking Champions probably wouldn’t have happened. Their impact over the course of the decade is arguable, but the World Series was a huge part of that decade, and without these two, we’d be in an entirely different discussion right now.

(Honorable Mention: Pat Burrell,  Shane Victorino, Mike Lieberthal, Brett Myers, Ryan Madson)

Top Five Moments: These aren’t necessarily the “greatest” moments of the last ten years, just the top five memorable moments, from my perspective.

1. Winning 2008 World Series. No words needed.

2. Winning 2007 NL East. After a few years of hanging around in the Wild Card hunt, the Phillies finally made a push and won their first NL East title since 1993. With Opening Day starter-turned reliever Brett Myers on the mound, the Phillies capitalized on a monumental collapse by the New York Mets to overtake them on the final day of the season. Even though the Phillies were swept in the playoffs by the Rockies, this was a sign that the Phillies had finally taken that first step towards winning a championship.

3. 2003 signing of Jim Thome. Philadlephia was always the place where free agents didn’t want to come and homegrown stars like Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen wanted out. This all changed when Jim Thome came to Philly. As CSN Philly’s John Finger put it:

Jim Thome’s arrival was bigger yet. Not only was Thome the biggest name on the free-agent market, but also he was a symbol that there were big changes coming.

Even though Thome was traded to make room for Ryan Howard, his arrival signaled a change in how Philadelphia was perceived. With a young core of talent and a new ballpark, this was a team on the upswing. It could only go up from there.

4. 2008 NLDS Brett Myers’ at-bat, Shane Victorino Grand Slam. When the Phillies made it back to the playoffs in 2008 few knew what to expect. Facing the Milwaukee Brewers and baseball’s hottest pitcher in C.C. Sabathia, it was going to be a challenge. Up 1-0 in the best of three NLDS, the Fightins’ were facing Sabathia at CBP. Pitching on 3 days rest for the 4th consecutive time, the Phillies finally broke him. With the game tied at 1, Brett Myers came to the plate. With chants of “C.C….C.C..” raining down from the largest crowd in CBP history, we all know what happened next…

…which led to this…

…which led to the Phillies ultimately winning the World Series.

5. Aaron Rowand runs into the wall. Philly has always been known as a blue-collar town, so when Aaron Rowand came over from Chicago in the Jim Thome trade, he seemed to fit right in. He elevated himself to legendary status in Philly with his catch on May 11, 2006. Due to MLB being a jerk about YouTube videos, you’ll have to make due with this picture.

Or, you can head here and watch the video from MLB.com. This is a catch that will be talked about forever.

(Honorable Mention: Kevin Millwood’s no-hitter, Winning 2008 & 2009 National League Pennant, first game at Citizens Bank Park, Last game at Veterans Stadium, Matt Stairs’ NLCS home run that still hasn’t landed in LA)

Heading into 2010, with Roy Halladay now on board, the Phillies seem to be in perfect position to continue their run in the National League.  The franchise is due for some turnover in the next few years, with some veteran players getting older, but with some solid prospects in the minors, the Phillies will likely extend their time as the best team in the city for a while.

The Nittany Lions will likely be a side-show for many in Philadelphia as we ring in the new year (rumor has it there is some hockey game being played in Boston), but in the college football landscape they will be the top show at 1pm. Penn State will play LSU in the Capital One Bowl tomorrow afternoon and it should prove to be a tough test.

For Penn State the 2009 season has been one that has fallen short of many expectations from their loyal fans. Dreams of a second straight Big Ten title and a return to the Rose Bowl or an appearance in the BCS Championship game may have been out of reach but Penn State really controlled their own destiny in the Big Ten. Their two losses this season came at home to Iowa and Ohio State. A win against either one would have sent Penn State on the path to a Big Ten championship. If the offense didn’t stall against either team the 2009 season, and the legacy of some of the players may have turned out a lot different.

For some the pressure of coming up with a big win is heavy. Nobody faces greater pressure than quarterback Daryll Clark. Clark, more than anybody, needs a big win before he leaves Penn State. The fifth year senior tends to be calm and collected but his own legacy can be changed with one more win.

LSU’s offense is woeful and that should play well for the Penn State offense. Meanwhile it will be the Penn State offense that will need to score some points on an LSU defense that has seen better days. I’m calling for Penn State to edge out the Tigers, but what do you think?

For more college football discussion read more form Kevin McGuire at Examiner.com and NittanyWhiteOut.com. You can follow him on Twitter as well.

Flyers on Four Game Win Streak to End 2009

The Flyers offense seems to have finally caught a second wind, and it has led to an incredible four game winning streak on the road to close out the 2009 calendar year. A ridiculous 16 goals in four games was only made that much better by the 6 total goals against with Michael Leighton, the human rebound machine, between the pipes.

The Flyers offense and defense both rallied behind the mid-season waiver pick-up from Carolina in incredible fashion whether it be Carle’s goal-line efforts against the Hurricanes or Gagne’s natural hat trick tonight to silence the Rangers.

Leighton gets the shutout in the 6-0 thrashing and has some impressive stats. Through the four wins he has a 1.44 goals-against-average along with a 0.958 save percentage. Granted he is out of position a lot and hands out heart-attack rebounds like candy. Still the Flyers have been able to find ways to keep rebounds out the net while sinking some pucks of their own.

Four Game Stat Reel

• Simon Gagne: 4 -- 2 -- 6
• Mike Richards: 3 -- 3 -- 6
• Danny Briere: 3 -- 2 -- 5
• Jeff Carter: 2 -- 3 -- 5
• Claude Giroux: 1 -- 4 -- 5
  
• Blair Betts: 3 -- 0 -- 3
• Ian Laperriere: 0 -- 3 -- 3
• Scott Hartnell: 0 -- 3 -- 3
• Oscars Bartulis: 0 -- 2 -- 2
• Chris Pronger: 0 -- 2 -- 2
  
• Dan Carcillo: 0 -- 1 -- 1
  
• Braydon Coburn: 0 -- 1 -- 1
  
• Kimmo Timonen: 0 -- 1 -- 1

Winter Classic is Next

Major props to the Broad Street Bikers are in order for making it to the NHL Winter Classic Webpage. We have done several stories here at Phinally Philly on the bikers, including an interview with one of them, Andrew Moriarity.

On the NHL Winter Classic Website you can do all kinds of things including watching Fenway’s continued transformation into an outdoor ice rink as well as live weather updates.

The weather updates may become more and more important as January 1st inches closer. With forecasts calling for either snow or freezing rain on New Year’s day, fingers are crossed all over North America.

No one is sure yet who Laviolette will choose to play between the pipes though. Will he ride Leighton’s hot-hand, though certainly dangerous, or will he go with Boucher? At this point it’s anyone’s guess, but the Flyers may really be healthy for the Winter Classic with the exception of Emery. There is still no word on Parent, but his injuries don’t seem serious. The good news is that Ray Emery is skating again and will be back in a couple weeks.

I don’t think I need to convince everyone to tune in for the game at 1 P.M. on January 1st, hangover or not. Set your alarms and get the aspirin ready.

Olympic Rosters Almost Set

As it stands right now, only five Flyers are headed to Vancouver for the 2010 games. An injury to Gagne kept the long-time Team Canada lock out of the line up. Carter’s slump was his undoing. Both have been named alternates in case of injury though. Richards and Pronger, however, will be members of team Canada with Pronger wearing the ‘A’. Timonen will suit up for Finland, Bartulis for Latvia, and Tollefsen for Norway if he is healthy enough to go.

Mika Pyorala, who seemed to have a very good chance of making the Finnish team with Timonen, will unexpectedly not be headed to the games. Prospect Andreas Nodl would have likely been on Team Austria had they not been edged out of the games at the last minute.

A couple Flyers from the last couple  seasons though will be making the trip. Patrick Thoresen (aka Thor), who is currently tearing apart the KHL, will join Tollefsen on Norway’s team. Lasse Kukkonen and Antero Niittymaki will be reunited with Kimmo Timonen on Team Finland. Peter Forsberg of course will be suiting up for Team Sweden. From defenseman Luca Sbisa will be suiting up for Team Switzerland.

The United States hasn’t announced their roster just yet, but that will come during the Winter Classic on January 1st. Matt Carle has an outside shot at making it on the blueline but don’t expect rookie James vanRiemsdyk to punch his ticket to the Olympics just yet. After starting out hot, his NCAA legs (college teams play a lot less games during a lengthy season) have started to get worn out. That was to be expected with the Flyers’ insane schedule over the last couple of months. A little rest from action during the Olympic Break will do him some good. Rest is something all the Flyers could use, but for right now, the focus is on the Winter Classic in a couple of days.

Prospect Joacim “Sunshine” Eriksson Lighting Up Europe

I’m sure everyone has seen the movie Remember the Titans by now. If you haven’t, go on youtube and find a clip of the quarterback they call “Sunshine.” No lie, Joacim Eriksson looks exactly like him.

That’s not all Eriksson is lighting up though. He has become a ray of hope for the Flyers uneventful goalie prospect group for the last two decades.

At 6’2, 189 lbs. he covers quite a bit of net but has all the athleticism in the world. His butterfly style has done him well, and his quick glove hand is nothing to scoff at. He has his positioning down and great rebound control. Of course, you’d have to watch him play to know all of this.

Before the advent of the KHL (Russian Hockey League), the SEL (Swedish Elite League) was often regarded as the 2nd best hockey league in the world behind the NHL. It has become the third because of the KHL’s massive draw, but even so, the league has stiff competition. Unfortunately for Eriksson he is currently stuck in the minor league of the SEL called the Hockey Allsvenskan thanks to someone often considered the best goalie of their year, Jacob Markström. Eriksson, who played for Brynas IF’s junior team, could not move on to their SEL team since Markström was occupying the starting goaltender position. Instead Eriksson ended up with Leksands IF in the Allsvenskan.

Eriksson though would make the best of it. Markström ended up the starter for Team Sweden in the 2010 World Junior Championships while Anders Nilsson, goaltender for Luleå, got the back-up position. In the SEL this season Markström has a 2.10 GAA and a 0.924 sv% over 27 games. Nilsson has a 2.59 GAA and a 0.900 sv% over 24 games.

Down in the Hockey Allsvenskan, Eriksson, who may have been snubbed for Team Sweden’s WJC roster, leads the league in save percentage with 0.934 and is fourth in the league in goals-against-average with 2.16 (first among starters). Oh, he also leads the league with six shutouts.

Eriksson right now is doing it all even after living in Markström’s shadow for a long time. Next year he hopes to get his shot in the SEL, but for now he’s got his priorities on the season at hand.

A little bit of patience could see Eriksson headed over to the States in a couple years.

Maroon Injury

Flyers’ power-forward prospect, Patrick Maroon, was severely injured tonight in an away game against the Albany River Rats of the AHL. He was carted off in a stretcher and taken to Albany Medical. Though he had regained consciousness on the ice, he is now alert and able to move his extremities. Further updates on Maroon’s condition can be seen through my twitter account: shafer22. For now, the Phantoms will be hoping for his safety and speedy return back to the lineup.

Another angle:

The hit heard ’round the Capital District by Tim McManus

First the good news: as of 10 p.m., Maroon was awake and alert at Albany Med with movement and feelings in all extremities. According to the Phantoms medical staff, his head and neck had been clear but they were still testing his back. Obviously, I’ll update as soon as I hear more.

My game story focused on the teams differing reactions to the hit. The Phantoms reaction can be boiled down to this:  “cheap shot.” Meanwhile, Albany coach Jeff Daniels said he thought Maroon may have been knocked out before Blanchard got there. I thought that was crazy when he said it, but after looking at the second angle, there’s a chance Brett Bellemore (34) may have hurt Maroon with two gloved shots to the head just before Blanchard gets there. However, it still doesn’t excuse Blanchard coming late and from behind. If he didn’t cause the damage, he certainly made it worse when Maroon was in a vulnerable position.

It seems a suspension is likely for Blanchard, a repeat offender. He was suspended earlier in the season for a blind side hit. Gilbert said if the league didn’t take action, it would be “a travesty.”

At live speed, I didn’t initially think Maroon was injured. But especially with hits from behind I think it has to do more with the angle and awkwardness of the impact rather than the ferocity.

One thing I did think immediately was that the whoever  running the sound board at the Times Union Center was making a massive mistake. They began a clip from the movie “A Christmas Story,” but if you were just watching Maroon, all you heard was the audio that began something like, “What, are you going to cry now? Come on, crybaby.” Not the time to be playing wise-cracking music. Terrible taste. It was pulled, but went on for an uncomfortably long time.

Jon Matsumoto was seething about it in the locker room. “I thought it was a little unclassy of them to play ads and music. That was absolute bullsh**. A total lack of class,” he said.

Few people are as insane as Andrew Moriarity and Patrick Montgomery, a few Flyers fans who have bled Orange and Black since birth. Their insanity however, is all for a good cause.

In a follow-up to the Phinally Philly breaking story about a pair of crazy kids ready to take a bike ride across six states (PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, and MA) in five days to land in Massachusetts in time to support the Flyers in their Winter Classic game on January 1st, 2010 from historic Fenway Park, Phinally Philly decided to have a chat with Andrew Moriarity.

PP: What made you come up with this insane stunt?

AM: Well, we knew we would find some way to go, so we started talking about how we were going to make the trip to Boston.  Out of jest, I used Google Maps to see how long it would take to walk, (for the record 5 days at about 16 hours of walking a day), and then Pat suggested we just bike it and turn it into a charity event, and from there, Wheeling to the Winter Classic was born.

PP: Have you ever been to Fenway Park?

AM: Neither myself, or my friend Pat have ever been, and I doubt either of us have the time to take a trip for a Phils game, so seeing the Winter Classic and getting our first look at the Green Monster is like killing two birds with one stone.

PP: I’m sure you’ve both ridden regular bikes before, but do you any experience on tandem bikes? Is it any different?

AM: Neither of us have ever ridden one before, but we will be picking up the tandem we will be using and getting a few practice rides in before we leave on Sunday.  We just want to thank the people at the Cycle Corner of Frenchtown (http://thecyclecorner.com/) for providing us with the bike and really stepping up to help us out.

PP: Are you worried about the weather though another blizzard is unlikely?

AM: Well, hopefully the internet is correct as it has a nice window of partly sunny days following a Dec 25th and 26th with freezing rain.  We are a bit worried about the weather, but not in the sense that we’d have to bike through it, we are more concerned about being visible to cars on the road to make sure we can complete the trip safely.

PP: Tell us a little more about the Blessed Sarnelli Community.

AM: The Blessed Sarnelli Community is an outreach program run by Father Kevin Murray, based in the Kensington Area of Philadelphia.  The organizational mission is to meet the needs of the poor, abandoned, and homeless people of Philadelphia.  They are currently in the process of renovating a new house from which they will base their operation.  They do weekly outreach trips around the city of Philadelphia distributing food, drink, and clothes to those who are less fortunate than ourselves.  Upon completion of the house, they will again begin to offer (as they did for ten years at a previous location) hospitality with and for people in need through weekly lunches, showers and personal hygienic needs, full supper one night a week, as well as guidance, support and referrals. The community is comprised of young adult volunteers who view all who come through the door as guests. At the core of the Sarnelli mission is respect for the human dignity of all who are served.

PP: How long have you been Flyers’ fans?

AM: Since October 27, 1986 at 8:37pm

PP: What is your favorite current player? All-time?

AM: My favorite current player would have to be Scott Hartnell.  He is one of the few guys that shows up to play every game.  Yeah, he might take some bad penalties at times, but the guy is a gamer, and I respect and admire that.  On a lesser note, I am also a huge Blair Betts fan.  The guy has a role, and he plays it perfectly, not to mention our stellar record with him in the line up as opposed to him injured.  Now, I am probably going to take a huge amount of flack for this but I’d have to say my favorite Flyer all-time is Eric Lindros. Now before I start to get hate mail, I was born in 1986, and grew up watching the Flyers through the 90′s and aside from Mario Lemieux, never have I personally watch a player so dominating on the ice.  It’s a shame the situation ended like it did, but I have forgiven him and most other fans should too.

PP: Do you think the offense can pull out of this slump, and what(who) do you believe is responsible for the lack of pucks finding the net?

AM: It is quite baffling, since the Flyers have too much talent to not be scoring goals at the moment.  Not being privy to the insider info, I can’t say if its the system, whether or not they’re partying too hard, or whatever, so I am just going to blame it on the shaving of Jim Jackson’s mustache.

PP: Where and how can we donate to your charity?

AM: The easiest way to donate would be through the donate portion of our web page, http://broadstreetbikers.webs.com/donate.htm , or if you don’t trust the internet you can mail checks using the following information:

Wheeling to the Winter Classic

PO 29303

Philadelphia, PA 19125

Please make checks payable to Blessed Sarnelli Community, and mention Wheeling to the Winter Classic in the Memo.

As you all sit comfortably at home watching the Flyers attempt to continue their nice little three game winning streak, the Broad Street Bikers are already on the way to Fenway.

Today was a long day! It started out with our family and friends cheering for us as we departed from the Spectrum in South Philadelphia at 8:30am. When we reached North Philadelphia my phone rang and ABC Action news asked if they could catch up to us and do a quick interview. We gladly accepted and pulled over to the nearest gas station and waited for them to come. The next leg of the trip went very smoothly, until we took a wrong turn when we were close to the PA/NJ border. This eventually led us to an on ramp to Route 1. Not where we wanted to be! So we called our trail car and had them lift us to a safer area. The next obstacle we ran into was our first flat tire. maneuvering around the streets of Trenton, NJ we looked at our back tire and saw it was completely flat. Again we called our trusty trail car and they arrived with all of the necessary fix it materials.

The rest of our ride was fairly uneventful, but it was a long 80 miles to Staten Island. This was our longest day of our trip, so we are very glad it is behind us! Thank you to Lina Tirro and her family for graciously hosting us tonight!

The Broad Street Bikers will continue their trek to Fenway through the week up until the big game with plenty of blog updates from their website. A couple stops have them in Connecticut over the next two days before stopping in Rhode Island and finally finishing in Boston, Massachusetts.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Temple Owls are about to play their first bowl game in three decades. On Tuesday the Owls will take on UCLA down in RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. in the EagleBank Bowl. It’s hard to believe but in a match-up that would be more likely to be mentioned in March the Owls and Bruins will play in what will be Temple’s first bowl game since the 1979 Garden State Bowl.

For Temple the spot in the EagleBank Bowl may not have been the ultimate goal that comes with a AMC championship but this is a special time for the program. After years of suffering and poor football on the field the Owls have finally broken free of all of the bad history.

The Owls enter as four point underdogs to UCLA. Temple should be able to hold their own against the PAC 10 opponent though as long as they can control the ball and limit turnovers. Vaughn Charlton has passed for nine touchdowns but has thrown nine interceptions. Freshman running back Bernard Pierce has given the offense new life this season. Pierce has rushed for 1,308 yards and 15 touchdowns with an average of 5.8 yards per carry.

UCLA does have an advantage in the passing game. The Bruins average 236.8 yards per game through the air while Temple manages just 156.9 yards per game. Temple’s defense could find themselves struggling to catch up if they can not apply pressure to UCLA freshman quarterback Kevin Prince. Temple’s run defense is the 19th best in the country so expect UCLA to try to exploit the passing defense.

If the game comes down to special teams, UCLA will have another advantage as they have one of the best kickers in college football. Kai Forbath recently won the Lou Groza Award as the best kicker in college football.

Regardless of what happens in the EagleBank Bowl one thing appears certain; Temple football is heading in the right direction.

For more college football discussion read more form Kevin McGuire at Examiner.com and NittanyWhiteOut.com. You can follow him on Twitter as well.

For much of the second half on Sunday it looked like the Eagles were going to blow a 17 point lead, and the game to the Denver Broncos. Last season that probably would have been the case, but then the 2009 iteration of the Eagles showed us why they are different and deserve to be taken seriously as a legit Super Bowl contender in the NFC.

In the Birds’ defense the game shouldn’t have been that close. Up 17 in the 3rd Asante Samuel picked off a deep Kyle Orton pass down the far sideline and took it all the way to midfield. The way the Eagles offense was clicking at that point in the game it seemed like they would cruise to an easy win, but a terrible unnecessary roughness call on Macho Harris (and an additional penalty on Samuel for delay of game) backed the Eagles up to their goal line.

The refs really screwed the pooch on this call because it wouldn’t be out of question for Tony Scheffler (the intended target of Orton’s throw and recipient of Harris’ vicious hit) to recover and tackle Samuel from behind. That makes Harris’ hit a block; a fantastic, CLEAN block. Thanks to those two calls the Eagles started the drive on their own 1 instead of the 50, and lost all their offensive momentum as a result.

Unfortunately that was not the only bad call to go against the Eagles. Don’t even get me started on the challenge that overturned a backward pass that should have led to an early defensive TD, or the poor spot on a late 3rd down that took a Reggie Brown first down catch and instead turned it into a punt (his knee was down with the ball in front of the first down marker.)

All of these calls contributed to a game that was closer than it needed to be, but when it mattered the most Donovan McNabb and Co. rose to the occasion. Two performances in particular stood out to me in playing a big part in the W:

- Jason Peters‘ day didn’t start out too well, as he was beat by Elvis Dumervil on the Eagles first drive leading directly to a sack and a forced fumble that Denver recovered on their own 32. From there on out though Peters was brilliant, containing the NFL’s sack leader and giving McNabb plenty of time to throw. Dumervil did end up with two sacks, but he beat Celek on the last one, not Peters.

- Jeremy Maclin may not have had his most impressive performance from a statistical point of view, but he had the play of the game on the Eagles winning drive coming up with a tremendous sideline grab that reminded me of something we’d see from Marvin Harrison in his prime.  The 27-yard catch came on a third and long with the Eagles just out of field goal range, and set up David Akers’ winning kick.

In a game where Desean Jackson was effectively neutralized by Champ Bailey, Maclin stepped up with six catches for 92 yards and showed just how important he is to this passing attack.

A few other observations from the Eagles win and the rest of Week 16′s games:

- Brent Celek had a huge first half, but wasn’t even targeted in the second. I’m sure the Broncos made some changes to their coverage but the Eagles still need to get the ball to him more consistently.

- Jason Avant continues to show he may in fact have the most reliable hands on the team. The focus and reflexes it took to snatch that deflected third quarter TD pass were remarkable.

- Brian Westbrook looked good in his return and forms a lethal duo along with Shady McCoy. I still cringe everytime he takes a big hit though.

- A pretty quiet game for Brian Dawkins. Made a few mistake on the Eagles first drive and was a step late on several plays, but I still would take him back in Philly in a heartbeat. All due respect to Sean Jones and Macho Harris, of course.

- I don’t know about you, but I felt like the CBS announcers started rooting for Denver more and more as the game went on. Jim Nance and Phil Simms kept harping on the few blown calls that favored the Eagles, while ignoring the countless ones that went against them. The icing on the cake? When Phil Simms said about Sheldon Brown, who had just knocked away a deep ball from Brandon Marshall, “He’s clearly not at 100%.”

Ok ok that may not be biased, but it’s definitely STUPID. I could see why CBS would favor Denver with their coverage; the Broncos are a team they’ve seen many times this season while the Eagles are rarely on that station (Fox usually gets the big NFC matchups.) Still it doesn’t give you an excuse to suck as badly as Nance and Simms did today.

- I don’t understand at all why Peyton Manning was pulled in a close game between the Colts and the Jets. One more Manning-led scoring drive could have sealed a win for Indy and preserved the perfect season, but instead Jim Caldwell put Curtis Painter in and the Jets had no problem victimizing the backup and pulling away late.

Look, I can see why you’d want to rest your starters with a first round bye already locked up, but the goal in every game is to win and if your team has a shot at making history and going undefeated you don’t tank a winnable game against a mediocre opponent. That was a real momentum-killer for the Colts, and Manning’s displeasure with the situation sums it up in my mind. Indy’s first year coach (and whomever else had a hand in the decision) screwed up, plain and simple.

- For those of you who missed Saints owner Tom Benson’s reaction to an almost game-winning field goal this amazing animated gif comes courtesy of Deadspin and 30fps. Geaux HOME Aints!

Images courtesy of ESPN.

**A quick note: some of you may have noticed that my posts have been few and far between lately. I’ve been busy with some personal matters (nothing bad, I assure you) and will be extremely busy through New Years. Once everything starts to settle down for me in early January I’ll start posting more regularly. Happy Holidays!**

While fan favorite Brian Dawkins will be returning to town on Sunday with the Denver Broncos, don’t expect the Eagles to stay sentimental for long. Although they’re guaranteed a trip to the playoffs, there are still bigger fish to fry, namely the division title and the elusive long shot – the second and final first round bye.

The Bronocs, who started the season 6-0, sit at 8-6 and although they currently have the last wild card spot, they sit on shaky ground. With two games left in the season, there are several hungry teams in the AFC at 7-7 who would love to make it into the playoffs. This game means as much to them as it does to the Eagles.

The Eagles come into this game on a tear, putting up wins in their last 5 games. While the defense has been spotty, they can kill on offense, showing the ability to put up points in any situation, both on the ground and in the air.

Adding to this big play ability is Brian Westbrook, who is likely to return from his second concussion of the season this week. While there has been debate on whether he should play, doctors have cleared him and he appears ready to go. Although LeSean McCoy will make the start, Westbrook is expected to make some carries.

The Eagles can clinch the NFC East with a victory on Sunday coupled with a Dallas loss to Washington on Sunday night.

Kyle Orton, who was swapped for Jay Cutler in the off-season, seems to have taken a liking to his new home. While Orton has completed over 60% of his passes for 3182 yards and 17 TDs, keep in mind that most of his success came early in the season. He’s only passed for 300 yards once this season, in week 5, and has thrown an interception in the last 4 out of 5 games.

Orton should be more of a test than the 49ers’ Alex Smith was last week, but if the Eagles can shut down Denver’s running game, he will be forced to throw. If he goes to the air, then the defense can focus on turning the ball over. The Eagles defense is currently ranked 11th, and are tied for third in the league with 23 interceptions. We’ve seen how they can turn the game around on turnovers, and if they continue doing so, they will remain a viable playoff team.

Brandon Marshall is Denver’s biggest receiving threat, he of the recent selfish 21-catch, record-setting game in a loss to Indianapolis. The defense has been burned by wide receivers recently and outside of tight ends, this remains their Achilles heel.

Marshall is at 1081 yards so far this season, his third time reaching that mark. While his average per touch is a career low, he has 10 touchdowns after 14 games, which is a career high. This is Denver’s big play guy.

Running back Knowshon Moreno leads all rookies with 224 carries for 879 yards, but has not put together a big game yet this season. He’s been stymied the last two games, going just 63 and 42 yards. Also keep an eye on former Eagle Correll Buckhalter who has carried the ball 108 times for 582 yards.

Adding to the challenge is Denver’s defense, currently ranked third overall and second on the pass. Old friend Brian Dawkins is a key member of this group, and the Eagles are well aware of what he can do and what he means to a team. His 81 tackles are nothing to sneeze at – currently ranked second on the team.

Elvis Dumervil is an absolute beast who will have Donovan McNabb in his line of sight at all times. The 5-11, 248 pound linebacker uses his hands well and is sporting 15 sacks this season, leading the NFL.

While the Birds may not be able to rely on the air attack, they can fight Denver where it hurts most, and that’s on the rush. LeSean McCoy has proven valuable, and Leonard Weaver has been firing on all cylinders the past five games. Couple them with the return of Westbrook and the Eagles will have a diverse ground attack.

Sentiments aside, this will be a big game for the Eagles on a number of levels. Dawkins may be back in the city where he is revered, but the Eagles have business to handle. By putting the Broncos away on Sunday, they both increase their stranglehold on the division and continue to nip on the heels of the Vikings for the second and final first round bye. If they continue their inspired play, this will be a game that they can put in the win column.

It’s been a long month for Flyers fans, but on the heels of a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning only a few days before Christmas as well as a relatively easy schedule on the horizon, things may finally be looking up.

With the exception of Ray Emery, the majority of the roster will be healthy to take on the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow night.

Simon Gagne has a goal and is playing some edgy, intense hockey. Darroll Powe is back and looking great. Blair Betts came back a bit ago but recently had his first NHL 2-goal game. Mike Richards seems to finally be getting into rhythm.

Now the only piece left is really Jeff Carter. If he finds his scoring touch and the rest of the important forwards, Briere, Hartnell, Gagne, Richards, Giroux, and vanRiemsdyk, manage to start potting some goals, the wins will start to pile on.

That is of course if they are able to get some offense under Laviolette’s system. We’re just getting into the double digits of the Laviolette-era in Philadelphia. There are certainly signs of improvement, but without wins, it is all just moral victory. Morale can only go so high without the team creeping back up the standings before people begin to get annoyed.

With a win right before Christmas (and hopefully a pleasant holiday for all the upset Flyers fans around the world) things seem to be in high spirits.

Even the nonsensical rumors that were created surrounding the Flyers have fallen apart over the tiny Christmas break for the Orange and Black.

Flyers Won’t Trade Carter This Season

At least one Flyer will be staying home for the holidays and well after.

League sources have told CSN’s John Boruk that center Jeff Carter will not be traded during any point this season.

Rip up your Ilya Kovalchuk dreams. There are many reasons why the Flyers would never trade a high-end prize like Carter for an impending UFA like Ilya Kovalchuk, not the least of which include his ridiculously high salary demands that won’t match well with plenty of long-term contracts already cemented in Philadelphia and the likely asking price of the Thrashers for a guy who would the Flyers would basically be forced to let walk when summer rolled around. There’s no reason to go after a rental forward that could potentially cost you a 24-year-old Rocket Richard Trophy runner-up.

Throw around your claims that Carter is a lazy forward (however unfounded they may be) because he isn’t as physical as Richards. Carter will not be going anywhere. Far more likely are trades involving Hartnell, Briere, Coburn, or Carle this offseason. There is a likelihood that one is in the middle of their last season in Philadelphia, especially when considering Emery and the organization would very much appreciate to have the young goaltender locked up long-term.

If the team is looking for rental forwards at the trade deadline there will be more rumors about availability after the Olympics. There are certainly some interesting looking Hurricanes that could be on the block in a bit.

Rumor Enrages Hartnell and Carter

On Dec. 14, a Temple University senior, Jerry Brennan, on a Web site that he said he created as part of a school project, made a posting. Under a headline that read “Affair Has Flyers Locker Room Split?”, he wrote the following:

“This one is out of the bizarre rumor mill, however, a credible source told “thephillyfour” a possible affair could be the reason the Flyers’ locker room appears to be split this season.

According to the source, Jeff Carter had an affair with Scott Hartnell’s wife, and the entire locker room is split over the situation. . . .”

Carter and Hartnell said that the rumor is false, that they are best of friends, and that the writer doesn’t realize the hurt feelings he has caused. The “story” has been picked up by numerous Web sites.

…

Peter Luukko, president of the Flyers’ parent company, Comcast-Spectacor, called the blog “vicious and irresponsible” and said the organization is considering a lawsuit.

“It’s just funny to see how much pull one guy can have,” Hartnell said of the article and how it has spread throughout North America. “It’s an amazing thing, the Internet, but for all the good things there are obviously some bad things about it, too.”

Hartnell added, “When [the blog] came out, I heard from my wife. She called me and [kiddingly] said, ‘I guess I’m sleeping with Jeff Carter now,’”

And that is that. All these rumors about Carter sleeping with Hartnell’s wife have been denied completely by every possible source. In fact, even after these rumors began to spread because of a careless Temple University blogger, Carter and Hartnell could be seen tearing up the ice on the same line. When Carter scored a couple games ago and seemed to have been breaking out of his slump, Hartnell was the first one to congratulate his close friend and long-time linemate.

As for the blogger, his Christmas will not likely be so merry. Freedom of speech is only protected by the Constitution in so much as it doesn’t impede on other people’s civil liberties. People have the right to be free from slanderous rumors more than people have the right to fabricate them. If he had proof there would be a little more to this claim, but just claiming to have proof is not quite the same as providing it. The responsibility falls solely on the blogger who made the post.

Well, I hope everyone has had a good Christmas. The Flyers are back to work tomorrow and facing off against their NHL basement cell mate, the Carolina Hurricanes. Let’s hope for a quick end to this disaster or at least a playoff position by Olympic break. It is Christmas after all.

Today the Eagles announced that Michael Vick has won the Ed Block Courage Award. It’s a yearly honor given to players that “exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.” Some of the past winners include Chad Lewis, Correll Buckhalter, Duce Staley, Jerome Brown, Mike Quick, and Ron Jaworski.

It’s safe to say that Vick may not have been the best choice for the award, despite being unanimously selected by his teammates. I firmly believe that everyone deserves a second chance, and we can debate whether his crimes are worse than others in the NFL, but the fact remains that he was convicted of brutal, premeditated acts.

While a player should never overshadow an entire team, that’s easier said than done with Vick’s history. He’s done his time, and while we should allow him to start over, the decision to give him this award has only further stirred the pot.

I respect that Vick has made positive steps to turn his life around and I can whole-heartedly cheer for him as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but Michael Vick the man needs to do more than a few appearances to help abused dogs. This is a worthy cause, but the Ed Block Courage Award specifically highlights players who help abused children and families in crisis.

This is neither the time nor the place to award him. His first year back in the NFL should have been all about redemption and getting back into playing shape – save the awards for when they are truly deserved and don’t use them as some hollow PR gesture.

Many of Phinally Philly’s Twitter and Facebook followers sounded off as well. Here are our some of the comments:

Frank T.: “He was/is not without courage, but I would think they could have found someone more deserving of that award.”

That Dude: “I think his teammates thought he deserved it. Now, I think his teammates need to be taught the proper definition of courage, but I digress.

Joe F.: Vick made a series of bad decisions, he owned up to them, and he did his time. I think he deserves the award for being able to turn his life around. I mean come on, he did two years in jail, lost millions of dollars, not to mention just about everything he had, was villafied relentlessy in the media, and is living under intense scrutiny where if he even has a drink in an airport he gets attacked. Let’s cut the guy a break, to go through everything hes been through and be able to turn your life around takes a lot of courage.

Terence M.: Donovan McNabb goes through a blizzard to play Santa to a shelter for kids and everybody hates him!! But this guy, gets rewarded for facing the music he brought on himself!! You can see the rationale here!!

Thanks to everyone for their comments.