Tonight’s final preseason matchup against the Jets will be one for the hardcore fans. The game, which begins at 8 at the Linc, will be devoid of all of the familiar faces. While you won’t be able to get your fix of Celek, Kolb, or DeSean, there will be plenty of important things to keep an eye on that will have an effect on the team as they head into their season opener on September 12 at home against Green Bay.

With 10 days to go until the season begins, the final 53-man roster is all but wrapped up, but we could see guys slide up and down the depth charts, or if there’s a really remarkable performance, one or two guys sneak on to the team.

These are the things that I looking at tonight:

1. Michael Vick: The backup quarterback has actually looked worse this year. Although his speed seems to be back, lost are his throwing accuracy (not that he was ever the best passer) and his ability to hold onto the ball. There are some people who have it in the back of their mind that Kolb’s success isn’t assured, so the Birds need to have a guy at backup ready to step in. The jury is still out on Vick, and he needs to show tonight that he can make the right decisions under pressure.

2. Macho Harris: While his action has been limited due to a severe hamstring injury, the second-year player needs to make a case for himself at the crowded safety position. He will be competing with Quintin Demps and the so far impressive rookie Kurt Coleman. Admittedly, I’ve never been high on Harris, but this is a position of need for the Birds, so having some extra push and pull could motivate all of these guys to go above and beyond.

3. Wide receivers: In my mind, the guys that are a lock are DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, and Riley Cooper. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess and the last 1 or 2 guys will come down to three guys – familiar face Hank Baskett, Kelley Washington, and Chad Hall. We all know the story with Baskett, and Hall started out training camp by pulling down everything in his sight, but Washington could usurp them both by showing that he is strong enough to play in the NFL.

4. Rookies: Plenty of rookies have really made a name for themselves during the preseason, and none are more obvious than first round pick Brandon Graham and free safety Nate Allen (the Donovan McNabb pick), but how the roles of a few other guys play out will be very interesting. One guy I particularly like is tight end Clay Harbor, especially with the constant confusion surrounding Cornelius Ingram. Harbor has proven that he can catch the ball, but more importantly, he looks to be the blocking complement to breakout
star Brent Celek. Fourth-round cornerback Trevard Lindley will likely hit the field with the starters tonight, and he could continue making his case to the team.

After tonight, the countdown to the 2010 season will be officially underway. While many casual fans will choose to tune out of this contest, this matchup is just as important for the team as the three previous games. The way things shake out with Vick and the rookies will be particularly important for the Birds going into this season.

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When the Sixers took Andre Iguodala 9th overall in 2004, they drafted him in hopes he’d become the eventual face of the franchise. Since then the team has gone through it’s ups and downs. Now 6 years later, the future maybe now.

Iguodala has earned a spot on the USA Basketball squad for the 2010 Worlds, something that could jump start his career. The opportunity to play with some of the NBA’s best young talent, under the tutelage of Coach K, is one Iguodala has seemed to take full advantage. His game has continued to grow in other areas besides the point total.

Only a few short months ago, the Sixers were shopping Iguodala heavily around the NBA. Now, it seems as if he’s going to get another opportunity to become what the Sixers had hoped he would when they drafted him 6 years ago. Iguodala deserves a lot of credit for earning the teams changed perception of him. When things were at their worst, he stood tall, reiterating his desire to stay in Philadelphia,  again and again. 

Like any successful player, one needs a strong supporting cast. With the revolving door of head coaches, and some foolish front office moves, it’s been an uphill battle for Iguoala. He could of openly asked for a trade like Samuel Dalembert did, moaned and groaned his way out like Chris Webber. Criticized the organization like Greg Buckner or just plain given up like Glenn Robinson  or the aforementioned Mr. Webber. Though, he hasn’t, he’s shown the desire to compete. Now does he have the will? 

The future molding of that answer maybe in the process of being constructed at the World Championships.

I asked my Twitter followers (follow me @Mike__SB) what they thought. Will Iguodala’s experience playing for Team USA help his game? Leadership? Or the Sixers chances? 

Here’s a few responses: 

“I think he is what he is at this point. He doesn’t have to be the leader there either so not much will change” ( @ArenaMj )

-Could be right, may have little affect on his leadership with the Sixers. I still believe that he’s really embracing the role, and the younger guys will look to him for leadership. 

“Playing for Coach K never hurt anyone, that’s for sure.” ( @GregDietz )

-Can’t argue with you there. Coach K is certainly running this team like a team. A team made up of equally important parts, not just a team of superstars. 

“Think it helps his defense. He is seeing how important it will be in this setting. Collins will have the same message. I feel he could be more of a leader because of this.” ( @NBAtipoff )

-I agree, Iguodala is already, in my mind, a terrific defender. It will surely help ready himself for Doug Collins whose going to preach defense first. As well as offense from defense, no Princeton offense this season. 

“Maybe help him realize he will never be the star but just a role player. Know your role!” ( @ScrappleSports )

-The Sixers hope some of the scoring load will be taken off his shoulders with Evan Turner on board. If Turner is successful I think we’ll find out exactly how important and perhaps underrated Iggy is. 

With lots of work left to do, the Sixers believe they are finally headed in the right direction. 

Along with new Head Coach Doug Collins, 2nd overall pick Evan Turner, and a young nucleus headed by Jrue Holiday, the Sixers are poised for a rebirth of sorts. A franchise that last season was in the doldrums of the NBA , suddenly has hope. 

This hope hinges on what type of impact Iguodala will have going forward. The experience he takes away from playing in the Worlds could have the biggest impact on what happens to the Sixers this season. Having some success at the international level, representing your country? Don’t let the magnitude of that become lost. Whether or not you care about it as a fan or not doesn’t mean it couldn’t have a great effect on Iguodala himself. The hunger and desire to make his own success at the NBA level can only become larger. 

Iguodala may not be lighting up the scoreboard at the Worlds but he’s continuing his growth as a player. I say continuing because it started during last seasons disaster of a season, for the 76er. Last season Iguodala achieved his highest averages in rebounds, assists, and blocks per game. Seems as if the growth of his game is starting to build. 

Will Iguodala be able to take his game to the next level? Become the leader of this young Sixers team? 

Those questions will likely be answered soon. 

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Taking too much stock in preseason football can make a pessimist out of even the most positive fan. This team has taken their lumps in many of the expected areas, and while the playoffs seem like a longshot this year, things are not all bad.

The outcome of a season can never be based on the results of the preseason, especially when the starters only see action in six quarters over the course of four games. These games are more about figuring out chemistry and fleshing out the roster.

With 75 players still in camp, there’s a lot of trimming needed to be done to get down to 53. We now know that guys like receiver Riley Cooper, defensive end Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, and tight end Clay Harbor will be important additions to the 2010 Eagles team. Training camp and the three preseason games played so far helped these guys rise to the top of a very crowded fray.

Look at the rest of the NFC East and their preseason slate. Things haven’t looked good for “America’s Team” Dallas Cowboys, who all of the experts are already calling Super Bowl-bound. With a terrible offense that has not scored more than 16 points in any game, they’ve looked like shit. I doubt that anyone is worried, especially not their smug fans.

Just down 95, things aren’t so nice in Washington, D.C. Donovan McNabb is – wait for it – injured yet again, and likely will not be ready for the season opener. Offensively and defensively these guys are just not gelling.

Boy wonder Eli Manning has gotten battered, and he and his Giants got absolutely clowned by the Ravens yesterday. Granted Baltimore is a very good team, but judging a team’s worth by the score in the preseason is as ineffective as picking a Cy Young winner strictly on the games won.

As the Birds come home to face the Jets in their final matchup before the regular season begins, the starters will be sitting in lieu of the guys on the bench. Will it be nice to win the game? Sure, but it won’t mean anything.

While some disappointing things have happened this preseason, fans have seen just as many good things go down as well. The Eagles have a tough road ahead of them, so it’s going to take the first team consistent playing time together before we judge this season a bust or not.

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It wouldn’t be a preseason without an injury to tight end Cornelius Ingram, and almost like clockwork, he’ll be getting an MRI on his left knee this week. He missed several days of training camp and practice with a swollen calf and issues with this knee, and with an overall disappointing preseason, this almost seemed inevitable.

This is the same knee that suffered an ACL tear while he was in college, and as well, one last year during training camp. While you want nothing but the best for a guy that should slot in right behind Brent Celek on the depth charts, it’s gotten to be a little too much by this point.

In typical Andy Reid fashion, the injury was downplayed, relaying to the media:

“He just has some swelling there. It’s just precautionary measures. It’s bothering him, so we’re going to get it checked out.”

While it sounds like this is all speculative, based on history and his excessive time missed already, Ingram is likely going to miss significant time. With rookie Clay Harbor getting plenty of first team reps – and making impressive plays left and right – the team’s backup plan is already in full effect.

What I expect to happen is that the team moves forward with two tight ends – those being Celek and Harbor, and Ingram ends up on injured reserve. This would be his second time time on IR in his two-year career. While there is the off-chance the team would just cut him, it’s hard to throw in the towel this early on a young talent.

For the sake of the team and Ingram, let’s hope I am wrong.

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Lots of people have been talking about how bad the Eagles looked on Friday. After looking back at a few key moments and letting things fester for a few days, I agree…and disagree. The key issues remain some of the team’s classic, perennial issues – converting for a touchdown inside the redzone, penalties, and the offensive line’s inability to effectively protect the quarterback.
While the team had other problems, these are the big ones that were apparent in the first half, which was when the first team was on the field.

It’s easy to say that the Birds need to get their shit together and execute these tenets of an upper echelon football team, but many of the issues run much deeper.

The offensive line is not quite decimated, but it’s not the line that the team should be putting on the field. Starting center and keystone Jamaal Jackson is recovering from his ACL tear faster than expected, but he’s still unlikely to play at all during the preseason. Mike McGlynn has been good, but he’s not what the team needs at this point. Jackson knows the line and his blocking skills are impeccable.

Additionally, Todd Herremans sat out once again, presumably not because he can’t play but because the team is being very careful with him due to his recent injuries. He’ll likely be playing against the Chiefs this week in Kansas City. Arguably the strongest member of the interior offensive line, he’ll help to offset issues brought on by the terrible Max Jean-Gilles. While McGlynn and Stacy Andrews have their own spate of issues, but the recently lapband-equipped left guard should not be playing with the first team. Defensive backs all too often run circles around him, and the excellent Bengals defense took advantage of this.

Most importantly, before you decry Andy Reid for abandoning the run, just remember that you would do the same thing if you were getting no support from your O-line.

The penalty situation is a funny one – like not funny as in “ha ha,” but funny in a “this happens all of the time” way and why the hell haven’t
you guys learned from your mistakes yet?

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for just over two years, and each Sunday I watch the game at a Philly sports bar in Santa Monica called The Shack. Not to get too far off track here, but it’s nice to be surrounded by people from back home and fans that understand the complex love/hate relationship we all have with this team and Andy Reid. Nothing exemplifies this more than the stupid penalties the Birds consistently commit. After two years of regularly going to this bar, the hooting and hollering that happens after these blockhead plays is ingrained
in my psyche.

Will this year be any different? While there is hope, I don’t expect the team to flip a switch and make everything better. Just like calling for a pop fly in baseball, this is stuff you learn when you’re a kid. It should be easy.

Over two preseason games, the Eagles have not scored one touchdown. Not one. While penalties can explain a fraction of these red zone failures, and the offensive line question marks likely make up most of the rest, it seems that this is more of a procedural problem than one of culture or mentality.

While sometimes honesty can bring pessimism to the forefront, I am feeling optimistic about the Birds turning things around inside the 20. This shiny new offense will hit their stride soon as Kolb becomes comfortable with who to use when. Also, as the offense line comes together, the run game will improve.

The three things that have held the team back from scoring a TD so far have been penalties, the offensive line, and fumbles, all of which can easily be addressed in practice. I am not worried about turnovers as that has never been the M.O. of this team. If I had to choose one thing that fans needed to seriously worry about, it’s the offensive line. Of course this is fodder for a (much, much) longer piece, but why Reid and company didn’t address this huge issue in the draft is beyond me. When your starting center and left guard are injured, young talent needs to be seriously considered.

The big issue Friday night were the illegal formation penalties which happened not once, not twice, but four times. Completing ignoring the old adage “learn from your own mistakes,” the team even caused a Jason Avant TD to be pulled back. Jason Peters was responsible for two of these penalties. Although this can be attributed to a preseason mindset and just trying to work out kinks, this needs to addressed in practice.

So was there some bright spots from this young team? Of course there were.

Young Captain Kolb looked great under pressure, both scrambling and getting rid of the ball early. Newly anointed starting left defensive end Brandon Graham reacted well to pressure and expertly helped to shut down the run game. All of those early predictions that he could be the Defensive Rookie of the Year don’t seem so far-fetched any more.

DeSean Jackson remains the de facto man at wide receiver. He isn’t pulling down those massive deep catches of yore, but most importantly, he’s using his speed to outrun secondaries and consistently get open. He nabbed four catches for 74 yards this past Friday against a very tough defense.

Other guys that look good include Sav Rocca (early indications point to him having a better season), David Akers (a model of consistency), Trent Cole (often unnoticed, but always great), and finally, Stewart Bradley. His huge hit on Ochocinco got the receiver talking (whining, if you want to be specific) and he’s emerging as a true defensive leader, one that was sorely missed last season.

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Strictly looking at the score, last week’s preseason opener against Jacksonville was a win, but digging a little deeper, there are plenty of things the Eagles need to work on. While some of those issues may be new, many of them are long-standing ones that plague the team year-in and year-out. Tomorrow night’s matchup in Cincinnati against the Bengals will be the perfect place to address them.

Phiadelphia’s longest-tenured athelete, David Akers, had plenty of chances to show everyone that he’s still got it last week by kicking five field goal. It’s great to make it in the red zone a lot, but it would be nice if the Birds were converting more of these opportunities into touchdowns. While we’re dealing with a young team with many new parts, this is not a new problem. If there’s ever a time for the first team to break this bad habit, it’s now. Reid and company need to find a better way to mix plays to get the ball into the endzone.

The secondary will be focal point, especially the two safeties that have stood out in camp, Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman. If both of these guys pan out – and this is looking more likely each day – then the team will be set for years to come. Both of these guys will potentially have a special challenge, which is guarding prolific loudmouths/receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. While the latter is more of a threat, both will provide the test that these rookies need.

The wide receiver corps should continue to play out this week, and surprisingly, Hank Baskett will likely be the odd man out. We all know that DeSean “Nats Hat” Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Jason Avant are locks, but the fourth guy on the depth chart is not vets Baskett or Jordan Norwood, but rookie Riley Cooper. He had a great camp, and if he continues to impress on the field, the Florida receiver will be your #4 guy come week 1.

While Jamaal Jackson is off of the PUP list, he won’t be playing in the preseason or at least the first few weeks of the regular season. Nick Cole was the presumptive guy to close out last year, but Mike McGylnn has slotted nicely into the role throughout training camp. If he continues to play well – and he has been better than Cole – it’s his job until Jackson is ready to come back.

As for who will play and how long tomorrow, Kolb and the first team will be in for the first half. Vick will have the third quarter, while Mike Kafka will be in for the final quarter. The second teamers will be in for the third and the third teamers will be in for the fourth quarter.

A few guys are questionable, including Mike Bell and Asante Samuel. Victor Abiamiri, the aforementioned Jamaal Jackson, Nick Cole and cornerback David Pender are all out. Additionally, and most troubling of all, Todd Herremans will be sitting out, presumably as a precaution.

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Over the past few years, it’s gotten progressively harder to obtain Phillies tickets. Now, I’m not saying that they’re impossible to get, but the days of having an entire section to yourself like at the Vet are long gone.

Part of this could be attributed to the bandwagoners that have jumped in with the Phillies during their recent string of successes. However, that’s going to happen when your team starts to win games. Hell, there was talk of replacing Fenway Park a few years ago, and now the Red Sox are on a 609 game sellout streak, dating back to May 15, 2003.

The Inky has a great stat today, showing how much the Phillies fortunes have changed since moving over to Citizens Bank Park. In 33 years at the Vet, the Phillies only had 47 sellouts. Now, the Vet was a lot bigger than CBP, but there was some good teams that played at the Vet. In comparison, the Fighins already have 271 sellouts at Citizens Bank Park.

All of these sellouts have kind of come at a price though. There are lots of people coming to these games just to be seen and to socialize. College kids come to tailgate and indulge in Dollar Dog Nights. (I’ve done this myself, so I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.)  All of these new “fans” have tamed down the baseball atmosphere a tad. People are trying to start The Wave in the 9th inning of a 1-1 ballgame against a divisional opponent. Now, I’m against the Wave ever being done, but that’s just ridiculous. I sat at the home opener in 2009 and the people next to me thought Raul & Chooch were being booed when they were introduced. That’s just sad.

I’ll finish this up by congratulating the Phillies on getting to 100 straight sellouts. The atmosphere at The Bank has made the Phillies a better team. There is no doubt about that. In reality, those congratulations should be given to the fans. They are the ones that have supported this team and are now being rewarded for a long string of bad teams.

To keep up to date on The Streak, which has become one of my favorite Tweets to see, just give a follow to Mandy Housenick of The Morning Call.  With the team playing the way that they are, I expect this streak to easily continue through the end of this year and pick up next year, with the season opener of the 3 time defending National League Champions.

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With training camp winding down, the Birds have been fortunate not to have any of their key players suffer any significant injuries. Today when All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel left practice with a hamstring injury, there probably wasn’t any fan whose heart didn’t skip a beat.

Losing this interception machine for any significant time would place a huge burden on a relatively untested secondary, and no one wants to see Joselio Hanson start. While it would be nice if Samuel laid down a tackle every now and then, he is definitely worth the money that the team is paying for him.

The good news, according to the Daily News, is that Samuel’s injury is not serious. He will likely not miss significant playing time, although his status for this week’s preseason matchup against Cincinnati remains uncertain.

It should be noted that when he left the field and later when he exited the field house, he did not have ice or a wrap. Perhaps this was just all him wanting to leave the field early to catch True Blood with Todd Herremanns.

It would also seem that he was ready for the training camp to be over.

“I’m too old for this!” Samuel said, presumably referring to two-a-days.

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Although his time in Philadelphia ended months ago, a part of Brian Westbrook will always be an Eagle. While the always active rumor mill reported that he was going to end up in such places as Denver, St. Louis, and even Washington with his brother Byron and another certain former Philadelphia Eagle.

Today Westbrook inked a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers for a base salary of $1.25 million which could double with unspecified incentives. With the surprise exit of Glen Coffee, the team needed a back-up for the All-Pro Frank Gore.

In sticking with recent Eagles tradition, the team will be facing the Niners in week 5 in San Francisco, a week after they face the former face of the franchise. Two great storylines in what is already shaping up to be an interesting season.

While I wish Westbrook the absolute best, he has much less left in the tank than McNabb. Since he spent half of last season out of action, this reduced role in a offensive structure that’s similar to the one in Philadelphia should allow him to stay healthy and take on a leadership role.

Good luck to #36…except in week 5.

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(With the Phillies on an off day, I figured it’d be a perfect time to jump back into the Phillies blogging. I’ve been a bit busy with work and dealing with a golf ball trying to replace my eyeball. I’m getting back on track. -KK)

As of today, the Phillies are tied with the San Francisco Giants for the NL Wild Card and are only 2 games back of the Braves. With the schedule backloaded with games against the rest of the NL East, the fight for the division crown is going to be a slugfest. With 6 more games against Atlanta and 3 more against San Francisco, the Phillies’ chances for a 4th straight NL East crown lie firmly in their own hands.

At 66-51, the Phillies are at a season high 15 games over .500. In 2009, the Phils were 68-49 through 117 games. It’s simply amazing that this team is only 2 games off the pace of last year.

Injuries have decimated this team, but you would never know it just by looking at the record. The scary part for the rest of the Senior Circuit is that it appears as if the Phillies will be back to full strength in a short amount of time.

Ryan Howard has started to take grounders in the field and will probably be back within the week. He’ll most likely play a rehab a few games down in the minor and then rejoin the big club for the stretch run.

Chase Utley has already started his rehab with Clearwater and has already hit a couple of triples, but has also made an error. We’ll chalk that up to him just being rusty. Uts doesn’t make errors.

With a few exceptions, the pitching staff has been phenomenal. Roy Halladay has been the Roy Halladay that everyone expected. Cole Hamels, while getting no run support, has been pitching very well. Roy Oswalt has finally gotten comfortable and has been pitching much better than his 7-13 record would suggest. Joe Blanton has been up and down, but has the experience to be able to contribute down the stretch. Kyle Kendrick has even put together some solid outings as of late.

The run to the playoffs has started and it seems as if the Phillies will be right in the thick of things, just as they have for the past 5 years. With a healthy team, the Fightins should have no problem returning to the postseason.

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