Down Pat
Last night’s thrilling loss – you heard me – to the Patriots seemed to follow the script for Philadelphia fans: the Eagles, for all intents and purposes a footnote to the Patriots’ attempt at perfection going into last night’s game, trotted out a backup quarterback and gave the best team in decades a run for their money. Once again, though, a late-game interception wiped out a game’s worth of scrappy play by inferior players and conventions-be-damned coaching by Andy Reid. The fact that all this happened on the arm of A.J. Feeley instead of Donovan McNabb adds in the familiar seed of doubt in the franchise quarterback, who has never been fully embraced by his hometown fans. For weeks, no matter who starts, we will hear how foolish the decision is, and for weeks, we will hope to be proven wrong. And once again, even if the Eagles improbably fight their way to the playoffs, defeat will be snatched from the jaws of victory, and the offseason will begin prematurely, and the cycle will start anew.
Little Victories
Congratulations to Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who was today named National League MVP, edging out Colorado’s Matt Holliday. The MVP voting, of course, is based solely on regular-season play, so the fact that the Rockies steamrolled over the Phillies in the first round of the playoffs – the Phils’ first appearance in the postseason in 14 years – did little to improve Holliday’s case. With Rollins joining first baseman Ryan Howard in the annals of MVP winners, giving the Phillies two winners in as many years, it’s nice time to be a Philadelphia baseball fan. But with barely a sniff of the World Series in those two years, fans are left to get by on the little victories, compromising a championship for the privilege of having two of the best players in the league. Second baseman Chase Utley is already a strong candidate for the award next year, but frankly, I’d gladly sit through another year in which Chase missed a month or so if it meant a World Series win.
Signs of Life
As early-season loss to a young team, featuring more turnovers than I’d like to see and disconcerting trouble at the foul line, is something that, last year, would have shaken my confidence in the Hawks. But Tuesday night’s 72-69 loss to Syracuse didn’t disappoint me so much as it did show promise for the coming months. Though sloppy play did the Hawks in, they also showed improved team defense and more shooting and passing confidence when facing a zone defense. Pat Calathes, who has taken his share of hits from me, played one of the best games of his SJU career, and newcomer Tasheed Carr (a transfer from Iowa State with sophomore eligibility) and sophomore Darrin Govens provided a much-needed leadership boost. Sure, 1-1 is not as good as 2-0, but seeing the strides the Hawks made, even in a loss, I’ll take it.
TO Much, TO Soon
As much as we would love for tonight’s tussle with Dallas to be about the Eagles’ chances to make the playoffs, or the continued rehabilitation of Donovan McNabb, or the intense rivalry between the Eagles and the Cowboys, we all know what the announcers are going to focus on: Terrell Owens. Get ready for discussions of “next question,” of Owens doing situps in his driveway, of “I love Donovan.” Every time T.O. lines up against the Eagles, local news media spends the week rehashing the acrimonious year he sat out. I always wind up thinking instead of the year he played, and how great things now could have been if he had stayed. Of course, I’ll be happy if Brian Dawkins lays him out, and I’ll get angry if he finds his way to the endzone. But nothing will be as painful has having to hear his name all night when he isn’t even near the ball.
October Road
Edited 11:30 p.m. to add.
The air at Citizen’s Bank Park was thick today. Thick with excitement. Thick with anticipation.
Thick with lint.
A full house waved their rally towels nearly to the point of disintegration today as the hometown Phillies completed the most breathtaking comeback in franchise – and dare I say, league – history, climbing out of a 7 game hole with 17 to play and overtaking the New York Mets as champions of the National League East. The Phillies are going to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, and I was there to see it happen.