sports

Is there an impending existential crisis for Eagles fans approaching?

Wikipedia defines an existential crisis as inner conflicts characterized by the impression that life lacks meaning and confusion about one’s personal identity.

Sundays were, and still are, my favorite day of the week. It’s a chance to recover from the work week that was, and a chance to take a deep breath and recharge before the new week ahead.

For most Italian kids, Sundays always looked the same. I’ll save you some time, because I’m sure you’ve heard this before: it was Mom or Grandmom’s Sunday gravy for dinner and time with family. In the fall and winter, it was that — plus the Eagles.

When I was a kid, I liked the Steelers. Yes, I know… please save me from your slander. I’ve heard it before.

Why did I like the Steelers? I don’t know. Maybe I was lost — a phase. I did think Troy Polamalu was sweet. Or maybe I just wanted to piss off my family. Most likely the latter. That rebelliousness felt good when I was younger.

It wasn’t until my early teens that the seed of Eagles fandom — one that had been planted in me — finally blossomed into what it is today.

Was all that necessary to tell? I don’t know. Probably not. But I feel like it fits into what I want to talk about.

The Eagles are Philadelphia’s one and only true love. No matter what, the city always comes back to them — through the losing seasons, the winning seasons that never ended with a ring, and every other frustration in between.

We always come back. No matter what.

That fight and passion is ingrained in the city’s DNA.

For a long time, the Eagles’ identity was: We’re going to be good, but we’ll never be taken seriously because we keep coming up short. It was always, There’s always next season.

Then, the Philadelphia Eagles won their second Super Bowl. They won big — and stopped an emerging dynasty in the process.

The Philadelphia Eagles are good. Really good.

Last year’s team was one of the best in NFL history — and certainly the best in Eagles history.

But now I’m asking: how will Eagles fans deal with this?

Eagles fans are entering uncharted territory. The Eagles are the team every other team in the league wants to be. They are the crème de la crème.

Talks of back-to-back championships are even being mentioned. Really?

Does that sound right to anyone else?

I mean, 2023 felt more familiar: dominance followed by soul-crushing defeat. The 2022 Super Bowl? Same thing — soul-crushing defeat. Those feelings hug Eagles fans like a warm blanket.

The feeling that we are always working toward next year — always growing from the losses — is part of our identity.

So how do Eagles fans deal with this growth?

The growth is grown. It’s grown and thriving like a sunflower in Kansas.

Are they supposed to be this good?

I thought I’d be telling my grandkids about 2018 and all the good memories from that amazing Super Bowl run. Now, we have one of the best players in the league and a Super Bowl MVP franchise quarterback.

How did that happen?

Wait… and they have an All-Pro linebacker too?

Yes. You can say that all of this is due in part to an amazing front office, and an owner who has built not only a multi-billion dollar franchise, but a culture of excellence and determination — a culture that not only puts the team first, but the fans first as well.

Don’t forget about the coaching, too.

The team didn’t roll over after the collapse of 2023 — they made the necessary adjustments and left that season in the past. That is what good teams do.

The amazing culture of the Eagles is nothing new to us fans, but now it’s being recognized by others. We all had to hear about the Patriot way for so long — now it’s the Philly way.

As a father myself, I hold the traditions of being an Eagles fan dearly. I feel a responsibility toward the next generation — to make sure they understand these traditions too.

But be cautious.

This type of winning will attract a certain type of fan.

Wait… you mean…?

Yes — front-runners.

The Eagles don’t have front-runner fans. How dare you say that!

That won’t happen. We won’t allow it!

Or… will we?

The Eagles are really good now. Is that not what happens with good teams? The bandwagon gets a little too crowded, and you have to let more people on?

Are we ready to pass on that sacred passion we hold so close to our hearts to other random people?

Sure, there are some things that still feel familiar. Eagles fans are used to winning — and regular season success. Jesus… we aren’t the Browns (sorry, Cleveland).

But I’m writing this with sincere honesty: are Eagles fans going to go through an identity crisis?

Can we talk about struggle ever again?

The Eagles have a franchise QB. Yes, I said it. Jalen Hurts is a franchise quarterback — despite what critics say.

By the end of his career, Hurts’ mental fortitude, leadership, and… butt will be talked about for years to come.

By most national outlets, he’s not seen as a top-tier QB, despite two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl victory. He finds ways to win — and that’s all he cares about. Regular season numbers and rankings don’t mean much to him. He plays the game to get better and to win. He delivers when his team needs him to.

Man, Jalen is going to get picked apart this year — by the media and the fans. The first INT he throws? It’s game over.

I guess that familiar feeling of fighting for respect will still hold true next year. We will never stop fighting.

With the NFL’s popularity growing more and more, and its need to dominate sports fans’ attention, I think most people won’t be surprised when, sooner or later, there are NFL games on every night.

This invites the casual fan — and the casual fan is attracted to the winners.

The Eagles are the winners.

How are diehard Eagles fans going to deal with that?

We’ll have to wait and see.

Clap your hands everybody, what the hell happened to the 76ers?

Where do we go from here?

Joel dropping 70 on Wemby is now a distant fading memory. My town, My team, My 76ers have become sad to watch and a championship is further away than expected and I still don’t know what the hell happened. How did we end up here?

“Uhhh yea, we are going to lose on purpose” not an exact quote so don’t fact check me on that. It was an ambitious thing to tell Philadelphia sports fans. In 2013 Sam Hinkie entered the chat. He told us he was going to start taking big risks with draft capital for eventual championships, we had to grind through 20 win seasons for the hope of multiple rings. The process began. Weirdly, We went along with it. We found ourselves approaching the cliff in a convertible Thelma and Louise style holding hands while Jrue Holiday flew out of the back of the car lost to us forever. Hollis Thompson, Arnett Moultrie, Jakarr Sampson and Tony Wroten all flew by our windows as we free fell into the ravine. We all bided our time while we waited to see if the big man we just drafted was actually going to play and to see if his ceiling was as high as experts said it was.

In 2014 the Sixers drafted Joel Embiid with the third pick from the University of Kansas by way of Cameroon. Embiid, still very raw, had only been playing basketball for a handful of years up until that point. He also was damaged goods The Sixers drafted Embiid knowing that he would have to sit out the full year. Even from the beginning of his career Embiid had been under pressure and scrutiny and his mentality was called into question. Famously, the night he was drafted there was a tape delay from wherever he was watching that showed him for a minute or so stone faced as the commissioner called his name making him a Sixer. We were all blinded by Embiid’s promise and talent being able to look past most of his immaturities not realizing they would linger with him this long. His twitter trolling, his attempts to win Rihanna’s affection and his shocking consumption of Shirley temples were all funny talking points while the Sixers kept tanking. Embiid sat out his first two seasons while we all waited patiently for him to be unleashed on the Association. It paid off. Embiid became a dominant big man and an undeniable scoring threat. Arguably one of the most talented scorers to ever do it. From 2021-2023 Embiid was appointment TV, a league pass superstar. He averaged around 31-11-4 and won an MVP in that time. Still a championship had eluded us and his mental struggles plague him and the team.

The Sixers tried. Simmons, Butler, and Harden were all run out of town. Second round playoff losses still piled up and Embiid’s championship mentality was continued to be called into question. Nothing worked. We were teased a little bit with Maxey and Embiid becoming a star duo but Joel’s body is failing him.

This year started with so much hope. Singing Maxey to his big deal, Embiid was going to learn from the best in the Olympics and get healthy and work on his conditioning and the team signed free agent prize Paul Geroge in the offseason. Record Scratch. Paul George has struggled as he’s dealt with injuries and age, very noticeably not playing to the level he is capable of. Embiid’s knee has gotten worse to the point of barely functioning..I guess the Olympics were a bad idea.. and Maxey is still Maxey. Not all hope is lost the Sixers do have a bright future with Tyrese Maxey and now Jared McCain two draft night steals and two Tasmanian devils seeking to test NBA defense’s cardiovascular systems for the foreseeable future. Even with Maxey and McCain to lean on, The Sixers future is still foggy and hard to predict.

I’m a positive person and have had a lot of patience with the Sixers (I thought Andrew Bynum was going to play) and I directed a lot of the positivity toward the team. I always have hope that a team can turn it around. It’s happened before. Though, this year it’s not. It’s been hard to stay positive especially with Embiid. I love Joel and have argued in his favor a lot over the years after he kept coming up short in big moments. I was pro him playing in the Olympics when most people said it wasn’t the right thing to do. It’s sad to see him in this situation whether you believe he put himself in it or not. It’s a sad situation for all of us. I love the Sixers. They were the team of my youth. The image of the Iverson step over is more iconic to me than that picture of the two people kissing in Times Square.

This is the reality we live in now. A June parade down Broad Street is more a mirage than an oasis at this point. Shut down the big man and start over. How the Sixers do that I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see.

Trust the process.

The Eagles are Super Bowl Champions

Jalen a Jordan brand athlete with his own Jordan-esque moment

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.

Yes, you are reading that right. For the second time in eight years the Eagles are bringing the Lombardi trophy back to South Philly.

The Eagles not only won last night they won in dominant fashion. Powered by the number one defense in the NFL the Birds were all over Patrick Mahomes right from the first snap. Making him uncomfortable and preventing him from going through his progressions they stopped him from being Mahomes. The Eagles defense accounted for 16 QB pressures and 6 (!) sacks without dialing up a single blitz. Vic Fangio looked like the Zack Galifinakis Hangover GIF out Spagsing Spags. They laughed in the face of the three peat.

The Eagles defensive line put on a masterclass of destruction. It looked like when Julius Campbell and Gary Bertier wreaked havoc in the Northern Virginia regional championship game. Even Bertier’s mama could have recorded a sack against that Chiefs O-Line last night. After the two weeks of build up this outcome was something no Eagles or Chiefs fan could have imagined. When I was asked my thoughts about the game by my family and friends I honestly felt pretty confident the Eagles would be victorious mainly because of this Eagles defense. 3 years ago in Super Bowl 57 the Eagles relied heavily on the pass rush of Josh Sweat, Hasan Reddick and Javon Hargrave. They had good cornerback play from Slay and James Bradberry, both aging players playing an athletic position. But that was really it. This year’s defense was ranked number one in most defensive categories and was great at every level. Safety, Linebacker (especially), and the D-Line. Zack Baun’s interception of Mahomes in the first half looked like he was playing shortstop and made a diving catch to save an RBI. Again, they again sacked Mahomes six times without ever drawing up a blitz and were holding a shut out well into the third quarter. What’s that old saying? Oh yea, Defense wins championships.

Cooper DeJean of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates scoring a touchdown off an interception return in Super Bowl LIX. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) — Damn Patrick, he’s just a rookie. I thought you were better than that

Let’s not forget about the offense. I think if you asked Chiefs fans leading up to the game and told them that the Chiefs D would contain Saquon and prevent his explosive home run type runs from happening I think they would have said ‘Where do we sign?’ Well they did do that. That meant Jalen Hurts had to take control and be great. He did and was. In Philadelphia the Eagles quarterback is more important than the mayor of the city, the pope, and Jesus Christ himself. He is the face of the city. After a couple of years of scrutiny and over analysis Jalen Hurts stepped up in the two biggest games of the entire year when he needed to the most and balled out (cough,cough kind of like the guy he just beat is known to do). In the press conferences leading up to the game there was a quiet confidence from Hurts. As if he was telling everyone you guys have know idea what’s coming. It’s like he knew the game was won before anyone else did. He played the game the Eagles needed him to play. The moment was and is never too big for him. Truly. The dude is a damn cyborg. He handled the Chiefs blitzes and used his ability to run when he needed to. Aside from the interception he threw..his lone turnover..He threw a great back shoulder throw as well as a touchdown to AJ Brown. He also threw a pass to Davonta Smith that was more beautiful than Jennifer Lopez. Which turned out to be the Mortal Kombat fatality that killed any chance of a Chiefs comeback.

After their Super Bowl 52 victory in 2018 the Eagles were facing a bit of QB controversy. Whether or not to stick with Carson Wentz who they had just drafted number 2 overall in 2016 or stay with the hot hand in Nick Foles who had just one the franchises first championship. This time there is no debate. The Eagles have their guy. Number 1. He went toe to toe with the mighty Mahomes and came out victorious. It’s time the league starts respecting him.

Last night was an ass kicking in its purest form, an ass kicking that no one saw coming, and an ass kicking I still can’t comprehend. After the Davonta Dagger (™) I was watching in disbelief. I could feel my body floating out of my seat like Eugene Levy’s eyebrows in the Little Caesar’s crazy puff commercial. I said in the post I put up on Saturday that I believe the Eagles are on the cusp of league dominance. I think over the next few years the Eagles will be feared just as much as the team they just beat.

I woke up today with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. That game meant so much to the city and the people that live here. The passion and love the city has for this team and one another is undeniable and inspiring. That’s what makes sports great, it brings people together. February 9, 2025 will be a day Philadephians will never forget and a day Kansas City will wish they can.

Broad St awaits.

The TB12 Method…Ownership edition?

“One day your 9-5 will become your side hustle”

Tom Brady…TB12, The Greatest QB of all time, and yes, too hydrated for sun burn…Has taken the side hustle (if you want to call it that) to a new extreme. No, I’m not talking about him selling 2000’s hip hop inspired graphic tees or personalized tumbler mugs on an Etsy page. No. Tom Brady has moved into the NFL ownership space, but will it be more than his minority stake indicates?

Before this NFL season started Tom Brady signed a massive Bryce Harper type deal with Fox Sports and inked a 10 year $375 million dollar contract to be the color commentator alongside Kevin Burkhardt on Fox’s A team America’s Game of the Week broadcast. Brady replaced Greg Olsen…who if you ask any Sunday ball watcher they will probably tell you he is the best in the biz right now…who was originally a part of that broadcast team. After a full regular season and now two playoff games under his belt, Brady’s broadcasting skills have been picked apart again and again this season. I guess when you’re great at one thing people think you’re great at everything. I am not as critical of Tommy as others. I think he’s doing an OK job and has gotten better as this season progressed. You’re never great at something in your first try.

But, the tribe has spoken. The people want Brady to choose.

Earlier this season Tom Brady was approved by other league owners and was allowed minority ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders. The future plans for Vegas sports seems big already having the Aces, Golden Knights and the Raiders the city is welcoming the A’s in the next few years and if I were to guess an NBA franchise soon too. The choice for Brady to want to go into business with Mark Davis and the crew seems clear. He wants to be a part of the city’s growing sports future. Brady had restrictions placed on him at the beginning of the year for calling games. Brady is not allowed to attend production meetings either virtually or in person and may not have access to team facilities, players or coaching personnel. Basically everything he needs to put together a well researched broadcast.

This made me ask the question. Has the side hustle reached its pinnacle? Is Tom Brady trying to be the GOAT of that too?

If you are someone like me you try to prioritize quality over quantity. Finding that one thing and working at it and mastering it is much more satisfying than trying to tackle multiple things at once. Do I (we) get caught up on the other side sometimes? The..‘I wake up at 4 am and stare at a picture of a Lamborghini because that’s out of my comfort zone. I really want a Ferrari instead”side Yes, of course and there is a lot to feel good about knowing that you did all you could and that you put in the work to succeed. But in our growing and what seems like our inescapable blob like internet hustle culture the message still seems to be the more you do the better you are and the better you will become.

Heading into the call of the NFC Divisional round game this past Saturday many people were wondering and were asking for Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady to address during the broadcast that Brady had been part of the interview process of Ben Johnson, Lions OC and Raiders head coaching candidate. And they did. With a small break in the action Burkhardt mentioned Brady’s side hustle (wink wink) and asked about the interview that was conducted. Tom kept it brief and said “Just been a great learning experience. What you realize is that the league is full of great potential. What I believe — the resumes, the accolades are all earned by what people do on the field. You earn your opportunities and you do your performance and let that all do the talking. Just as it should be and as I did when I was a player.”

I guess that counts for something. Brady never really mentioned Johnson’s name too much during the game. He was not overly critical of the Jameson Williams trick play call and was very excited about that crazy double-handoff-reverse- play-thing that was called.

Now, I know that most pro athletes are always looking toward the horizon knowing that their time being able to play a professional sport is limited. Most things in life are not guaranteed and having a long successful career in pro sports is a hard thing to do. Especially a career like Brady’s. Players are always hustling finding new ways to bring in revenue and have their name last long after they retire. We have already embarked on the player podcast journey and are firmly in the player “brand” era. These companies are giving away signature shoes faster than Michael Phelps in chlorinated water.

Is this conflict of interest going to become too much? Or are we all ok with Brady doing both because he’s Brady? Most people might not think so and might not really care if Brady does both. But there is a pure love for this sport that people have and I think there needs to be a decision made. As the NFL continues to pillage the villages of the NBA, MLB and NHL the sport is becoming bigger and hungrier. Like Barry Bonds in the 2000s and hopefully less weird. With more ways to watch and adding more games..an extra regular season game, the Black Friday game, and the two Netflix Christmas games this year.. fans are going to expect a certain level of analysis. A level that only a GOAT can provide. What are you even going to order at PF Changs when you go with Mark Davis?

Tom, stick to what you’re great at..dissecting defensive play calls, Identify the MIKE Linebacker, Give us the perspective of the QB at the line of scrimmage, Tell me why that corner needed safety help. I’ll even listen to another anecdote of the Pats dynasty if I have too.

You’re the GOAT for a reason, give us the GOAT analysis. Vegas sucks anyway.

Arvydas Sabonis

An inspiration for late bloomers and hard workers

Inspiration is a funny thing sometimes. It can come from unlikely places. A picture, a movie, maybe even an outfit someone is wearing. I am always looking for sources of inspiration. One of those unlikely sources for me is Arvydas Sabonis.

Hey Matt..Why does a 7’3 Lithuanian former professional basketball player inspire you?

I’m a late bloomer and I need to work harder than most to achieve or understand things. For most of my life it was something that embarrassed me and hurt my self esteem. But recently it has become a source of pride. This is who I am. I know all too well how it feels to feel lost in the world and how hard it is to tell yourself to keep going and to stay the course even when you think you’re further away from a goal than you actually are. It becomes a struggle to find the motivation.

It wasn’t until the other night while I was watching the new Netflix series Starting 5 that this unlikely source of inspiration came to be.

Starting 5 is a docuseries that follows the lives of five NBA players throughout the course of a NBA season. Lots of stretching and massages. Among the five players is Domantas Sabonis, an emerging star in the league and son of Arvydas. Hearing the name Sabonis sparked something in my brain. Sabonis..oh yea his dad was kind of a legend in the sport wasn’t he? Let me look him up. So naturally I went down a bit of Arvydas Sabonis rabbit hole. This is the moment where I became inspired and maybe you will too.

I love basketball but I consider myself a casual fan. I only really care about my team the Sixers and how they do. I don’t have League Pass so any future chance at employment at The Ringer is in jeopardy for me. I’m getting close to the point where I might make a Chris Croker style “leave Britney alone” type video in my bedroom for Joel Embiid.

Arvydas Sabonis was not a rookie in the NBA until he was 31 (with a body of a 65 year old). No he wasn’t drafted out of college at 31 he had a storied European career Br before entering the NBA. But his path to the league had its roadblocks. Sabonis was drafted 77th overall in the 1985 NBA Draft. A notable and controversial draft that featured two of the best big men of all time, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone. To Sabonis, Ewing was not a threat. As told by Kevin Garnett during an interview in Starting 5 when talked about playing with Sabonis at the 1996 Rookie Game in San Antonio.

“I played with his father, and we played at this thing called the Rookie Game in San Antonio, and it was the first player I ever seen in the locker room have his wife in the locker room, smoking a cigarette in his drawers, talking shit.”

“David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, I better than all of them guys,”

Due to a league rule Sabonis was under 21 and the NBA did not allow foreign players under the age of 21 to play at the time. Next year.. 1986.. Arvydas was drafted again this time 24th overall by the Portland TrailBlazers. Yet again he was met with another obstacle. The Cold War was going on and Soviet authorities would not allow Sabonis to play in America.

Around this time Sabonis suffered an achilles tear which is an absolutely devastating injury to receive as an athlete. Adding to the list of injuries that he suffered during his career. Like I mentioned before his body was basically in its 70s by the time he made it to the NBA.

Imagine suffering an injury like that in the 1980s in Russia. All I can picture is a bunch of sort of chubby balding Russian trainers chain smoking in a locker room telling him to “just ice it”.

That actually isn’t that far from the truth. During the 1988 Olympics Sabonis was part of the gold medal winning USSR Men’s basketball team, but was treated as an outcast and did not receive much attention from his teammates and coaches because he was from Lithuania and at that time Lithuania was not considered to truly be part of the USSR. But Arvydas continued to fly under the radar and put together an illustrious European career. Winning multiple championships and MVPs.

Maybe Sabonis wasn’t such a late bloomer. He was obviously touched by the hoop gods and those abilities did not get overlooked by his peers. Garnering this quote from the late great Bill Walton:

“ He had the skills of Larry Bird and Pete Maravich. He has the athleticism of Kareem (Abdul Jabaar) and could shoot the 3 point shot. He could pass, run the floor, dribble. We should have carried out a plan in the early 1980s to kidnap him and bring him back right then.”

But Arvydas Sabonis is an inspiration for those who grind and put in the work everyday even when you feel like you’re going nowhere. He is someone who wasn’t supposed to be a part of something but still made his way in despite the obstacles, or his age or his health. He said I’m going to do something great and kept on his journey. He had a NBA career that lasted 7 years and is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

If you’re inspired by hard work and keeping on your path maybe this post will inspire you or at the very least you can watch some Arvydas Sabonis highlights. Check out some of his sweet behind the back passes in the low post. Chef’s Kiss.

I guess what I’m trying to say is just keep working hard and you can reach any goal you set your mind to and always try to find your inspiration no matter who or what it is.

Thanks for Reading.

The 2024 Phillies..a week later

I walked to get coffee at my favorite neighborhood coffee shop this past week, and as I made my way to the shop I noticed sidewalk chalk drawings along the sidewalk. Drawings of Phillies P’s, Let’s Go Phillies and “Ring the Bell” the team’s home run slogan were beginning to fade away from their sidewalk canvas’. How fitting I thought. Like these children’s drawings our memories of this past postseason are…hopefully… beginning to fade also. But there are still some big lingering questions that are still remaining about this Phillies team.

“I want my F**king trophy back” became the rallying cry during Spring training. It made Phils fans..me included.. rabid for the start of the season. Especially after the heartbreak of the 2023 NLCS. I looked like Spike being held back by his weird Dad from the movie The Little Giants waiting for the start of the season. You know that scene when the Cowboys were being insulted by the Giants through the vents in the locker room before the big game? Spike was ready to go out and pummel the Giants. Maybe a poor reference considering it involves the Cowboys and Giants but you catch my drift, Phillies fans were hungry for a Championship. A Championship that we came so close to getting in 2022 and 2023.

At the beginning of the year that championship appeared inevitable. The Phils looked like they were shout out of a freakin ‘cannon. Holding the best record in baseball for most of the first half of the season and on pace to conquer the 2001 Mariners all time single season record. Barreling their way through their opponents. Schwarber was hitting lead off bombs, Bryson Stott looked like an emerging star, It was looking like Ranger and Wheeler were going to have to split the NL CY Young ( I had a future bet on Ranger actually winning the award) and Bryce was Bryce leading the team and donning the Phanatic details on his uniform and his Wawa headband. I was already getting ready to save a spot on Broad Street for the parade.

The All Star Game came and 3 of the 4 infield positions were occupied by Phillies. Bryce Harper at first, Trea Turner at short, and Alec Bohm at third. The second half was going in the direction of a fall to remember. The Phils were appointment TV. They were a must watch.

But like it always does in sports the team hit a skid. Bats went cold, injuries happened and the long haul of 162 game season began to take effect.

The Phillies limped their way into the postseason. Winning the NL East (the first time in 13 years) and clinching the first round bye all in the last week of the season. Now, with the postseason fully in our sights the questions about the postseason began to arise. Will the bye be a good or a bad thing? Who will be the game 2 starter? Will this offense be capable of getting back to its early season form? There was something that was just off from the start. My confidence in the team was waning. Then the NLDS happened.

And as most of you know it didn’t end well. A series loss to the Mets..

It had to be The Mets.

All of those questions were answered. The biggest one being the offense. Turns out The Phillies were not able to get back their early season form. Posting a .186 team average and a .302 team slugging percentage in the NLDS. Numbers you don’t want to see from the team with one of the best records in baseball. It was hard to watch. The Phils looked uninspired at times, trying to win on talent alone, except for game 2 every game after was hard to watch. I was waiting on every at bat thinking “this is it this is the at bat where we bust it open”. Nah. I was cursing the ghost of Tom Seaver, getting upset at the very sight of Mark Vientos, and asking the question how on earth is Pete Alonso a pro athlete?

There was no discipline at the plate, no adjustments to pitching, and errors in the field. An absolute brutal series to get through. The Phillies essentially faced the 2022 version of themselves.

A season that started with such hope and excitement went away just like that. Like it always seems to do in Philadelphia.

It had to be The Mets…

This week the Phillies announced they are bringing back Topper on a 1 year extension after another postseason short of a World Series title and questionable managerial decisions. Taking care of one of the first big offseason decisions they face.

In all honesty, I like the move. Good organizations have stability at the top and The Phillies are a good organization. Bringing back Topper shows that. Not only is stability important in the pursuit of championships but it also shows the players like to play for him. And we all know we have to make these cry baby millionaires happy!

Just kidding.

I know some people are pointing fingers at Rob Thomson for his minimal changes to the lineup and his easy laid back approach with his players, and some people are in the Dave Dombrowksi didn’t do shit at the trade deadline camp. But those things in my opinion had little to do with the postseason outcome.

The talk so far is that the team will run it back next year with the same group. But there really needs to be some changes. Trea Turner in center? Schwarber finally out of the leadoff spot? An actual serviceable outfielder? A closer? Plus add in a fully healthy Braves team and a Mets team most likely to add a superstar.

It should be an interesting offseason for the Fightins. I don’t expect them to fade away but who knows how long this window will be open.

Thank You 62

March 4 2024: A day that will be remembered in Philadelphia forever. It is the day Jason Kelce retired from the Philadelphia Eagles. Before his retirement presser began, my Brother Nick and I even received a text from Joe, a die hard Bears fan, saying:

“I’m not even a Birds fan and I’ve been pacing around my living room waiting for this to come on.”

Inside the Nova Care complex in front of reporters, staff, coaches, teammates, and his family; Kelce delivered yet another memorable and heartfelt speech.

Unlike his infamous Art Museum Steps speech given in February 2018, this one was bittersweet.

With tears streaming down his face, the sixth round pick and future Hall of Famer thanked every coach (and his band teacher) who impacted his life and football career. Most notably coach Jeff Stoutland, who Kelce credited for resurrecting his career in 2016.

He recalled memories of some the most famous Eagles games in franchise history. He mentioned the Snowbowl Game versus Detroit in 2013.

He mentioned Chip Kelly’s first game as the Eagles coach on a Monday Night against Washington, that in the locker room after that game he said that most of the team thought the same thing:

“We might have just been apart of something that will change the NFL.”

He talked about how “BG” Brandon Graham stopped Tom Brady just once, and how it felt when that final Hail Mary hung in the air for an eternity. And the collapse of 2023. Yes, he even mentioned the dreaded collapse of 2023.

It’s humbling to watch athletes retire. We watch them perform incredible feats of athleticism and strength on a daily basis, things that most of us couldn’t dream of doing. We see them as almost immortal.

Then, just like that: they become mortal and live their lives like one of us.

To this day on my phone, there is a picture saved that I took with Kelce from 2015 while out with friends at Independence Beer Garden. I like to show it off now and again, just like a fisherman would show off a picture of the prize 50 pound marlin they caught. I remember thinking while one of my friends took the picture: “Does anyone else even realize Jason Kelce is here hanging out??”

But that’s why he is so loved here. He is a man of the people. The salt of the earth.

Cemented in the pantheon of all-time Eagles and Philadelphia athletes, Kelce is the quintessential Eagle. To the younger fans, maybe even more than Dawkins. But you can have that argument on your own time.

For now, the Eagles face a Kelce-less future; and to see that future unfold will be interesting. Cam Jurgens? Nailing another late round pick?? Who knows. Time will tell.

But for now I just want to say Thank You Jason. Thank you for what you’ve done and will continue to do for the city and the Eagles.

“They will love you in this city if you love it the way you love your brother. You will be loved by going above and beyond to show that you care, because they care. They’ve been caring for generations in this town about this team. And they aren’t to accept a bunch of excuses and soft ass nonsense. Representing the name on the name on the front of the jersey, something they’ve invested their entire lives in.”

Congrats on your retirement.