Heard in the Cheap Seats

The Philadelphia Eagles rumor mill continues to swirl at break neck pace. Just as soon as it looked the Eagles might pull of a trade for future Hall-of-Famer Tony Gonzalez it appears the disgruntled TE has been traded to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2010 second-round pick (according to Jay Glazer).

It has been thought all along that the Eagles would not be willing to pony up a second round pick for the 33-year old TE. Apparently, the Falcons finally bent to the will of the Chiefs and provided the pick Scott Pioli desired.

Gonzo would have looked great in midnight green but the asking price was too steep for the Eagles front office.

I have taken a couple days to reflect on a few things regarding the Flyers.  If you have been watching the series, then you know that the Flyers have certainly upped their intensity and level of play after the Game 1 debacle.  Unfortunately, they find themselves down 3-1 to the Penguins and facing elimination tonight at the Igloo.  To put it mildly, the Flyers are “up against it”.  Anything other than a great performance tonight, and the Flyers will be planning their vacations and making tee times this weekend.  The series is not over by any stretch, especially if the Flyers can continue to play with more energy than the Penguins.  But, the Flyers are in this situation because they brought it on themselves.

I am aware that Marc-Andre Fleury was great in Game 4.  But, all I have read for 2 days now is how he “stole” the game.  Writers, bloggers, and fans have been bemoaning the fact that the Flyers should at least be even 2-2 in this series.  Thinking this way isn’t wrong, but it fails to point out the fact that the team that should be winning this series is doing just that.  The whole “hot goalie” or a goalie “standing on his head” thing has always driven me nuts in hockey.  It has always seemed like a very convenient excuse that hides the real issues.  I mean, let’s be honest, in order to win an NHL playoff series, you are going to need very good goaltending.  It’s pretty rare that a team will make a run at the Stanley Cup while their goaltender is giving up 4 goals per game.  Was Fleury great in Game 4?  Of course he was.  But, to complain that the Flyers should be tied or winning this series if it wasn’t for that damn goalie is missing the true reasons the Flyers are down.  First of all, it’s sports and these are professionals who have tons of talent.  You have to expect great performances.  But, let’s use a baseball parallel for a second.  Sometimes, you are going to face a pitcher on a night where their stuff is close to un-hittable.  But, that doesn’t mean you can’t win the game nor is it an excuse to lose.  You have to overcome that, not use it as a crutch.  Honestly, the goalie excuse really drives me nuts.  I am not one that accepts excuses easily.  Every goalie in the NHL is going to make a ton of saves and have games where they are spectacular, but if you lose the game, it wasn’t because of the goalie, it was because you failed in some areas.  The fact that the Flyers only scored once in Game 4 didn’t just come from a great performance by Fleury.  Have we all forgotten that it was their 3^rd loss in the series and in those losses, they have scored a total of 4 goals.  It is a bit of a trend that has more to do with the fact that the Flyers have been terrible on the power play for the most part, and have only been able to get traffic in front of Fleury on certain occasions.  The two best players on the Flyers (Carter and Richards) have a total of 2 goals and 2 assists for the entire series.  This is not a case of the goaltender being some kind of impenetrable force, this is a case of the Flyers just not being good enough offensively in this series.  If you think about it, the Flyers have not played consistent hockey for a couple months now, which leads me to my next point.

Instead of complaining about bad luck and a “hot goalie”, Flyers fans (and yes, I am one), should be more upset with the real reasons the Flyers aren’t leading this series.  Like I said earlier, the Flyers have no one to blame but themselves.  They stumbled down the stretch and lost home ice advantage forcing them to open in Pittsburgh.  That had nothing to do with the goalie “stealing” the game.  They came out in Game 1 with an embarrassing effort, and then squandered away a victory in Game 2 with dumb penalties.  Again, not losses due to great goaltending.  They have had trouble all series long, particularly in Game 4 on the power play, and their stars have not contributed much all series.  Maybe they are a little tired from killing all the dumb penalties their teammates take.  When you are tired, usually things end up being a little off.  Like scoring chances, for example.  So, yes Fleury played great in Game 4, but to say that the Flyers should be winning and say he “stole” the game misses the fact that this series wasn’t stolen from the Flyers.  They have done plenty to hand it to the Penguins.  Can they still win?  I think they can, but it will take maximum effort from every single player in that locker room.  If the Flyers are not able to come back and win, it won’t have anything to do with Marc-Andre Fleury.

Our Q&A with Inside the Iggles is off to the races. Check out Scott’s first two answers to our questions over at Inside the Iggles and scroll down the page for our answer to his initial question.

In this latest round, Scott poses the following questions to “Heard in the Cheap Seats”: Who is the one player that has been consistently linked to the Eagles that you believe they have very little interest in drafting?

Another good question Scott. This year’s draft has been a bit different than past years when it seemed the Eagles were tied to most every player in the draft in some way shape or form. In some senses, most of the players that have been tied to the Eagles could be legitimate possibilities. This is probably a product of the fact that the Eagles have no gaping holes on their roster—putting them in a position to take the best player available regardless of team need.

That being said, there is one player that has been linked to the Birds in a fair amount of rumors that I just can’t envision happening even if he is available. That player is Chris “Beanie” Wells. It is no wonder that Wells has been tied to the Eagles in various mock drafts by so called draft experts. Much has been made about the Eagles supposed need for a big back as a change of pace to Brian Westbrook. With the addition of Leonard Weaver this offseason that need no longer exists. Instead, the Eagles require a second RB—big, small, tall, short—it doesn’t really matter. They simply need a player that can take the pressure off Westbrook on occasion. The problem with Wells is he doesn’t fit the mold of an Andy Reid type RB. Wells is a very talented downhill runner but has not displayed an ability to catch the football out of the backfield. This might simply be a product of the offensive system at Ohio State but does not negate the fact that Andy Reid will not take a chance finding out if he is a capable receiver. Even if Beanie Wells is available at 21, the Eagles will pass.

Now back to you Scott: “In reverse of your question, what player has not been linked to the Eagles in mock drafts that you think might be on the Eagles radar? Don””””t forget to head over to Inside the Iggles for Scott”””’’s response.

I hesitate to even write this because it strikes me as being way off base.  With that caveat, there is a rumor floating around that the Eagles are shopping RG Shawn Andrews.  I am not buying it at this stage of the game. 

The thinking earlier on was that some of the moves made on the offensive line this offseason were in an effort to add a cocoon around the fragile Shawn Andrews.  His brother Stacey was brought in to play RT and his former teammate at Arkansas was brought in to play LT.  That is quite a cocoon.

Apparently, Shawn Andrews is now unhappy with his contract and the Birds have been quietly shopping him to potential suitors.  Like I said, I don’t buy this rumor but wanted to put it up and let you all be the judge.

There are plenty of NFL mock drafts, speculation on who the Eagles will take and enough of Mel Kiper’s hair to evoke nausea for NFL fans around the country.  With one of the most anticipated drafts in recent memory, Eagles Nation will be anxiously awaiting each Reid move with rumors swirling right up until and even through draft day.

Instead of adding to the slew of routine draft-day previews, Scott over at the excellent Philadelphia Eagles blog Inside the Iggles cooked up the idea to do a little blogger Q&A.  Here’s how it will work, we’ll pose a question to Scott and he will post his response in his site with a question back to us.  Rather than sticking to the typical questions like who will the Eagles take with the 21^st pick, we will mix it up a bit to provide a different take on the draft.   

The first installment can be found at Inside the Iggles now where we asked Scott: Conventional wisdom when it comes to Andy Reid drafts says that the Eagles will trade out of the first round in an effort to stockpile picks. Should (or will) this be the year the Eagles throw conventional wisdom out the window?  Head on over to Inside the Iggles for his response. 

Scott’s question back to us here at Heard in the Cheap Seats was: Who is the one player you do not want to see drafted by an NFC East rival, and why do you think said player would pose such a threat?

Great question Scott.  The easy answer to this question would be a skill player that can take over a game in much the same way that Larry Fitzgerald can change the dynamic of a game.  But in looking through the skill position players, there is not an abundance of top-ten talent that would strike fear in the hearts of Eagles Nation.  The one player that might fit that description would be Michael Crabtree.  He has the size and strength that can give the undersized Eagles corners fits.  And with Philadelphia being the WR-crazed city that it is, I have a hunch Eagles fans would loathe seeing Crabtree donning the uniform of an NFC East rival.

But to answer this question I am going to go in a different direction and depart from the skill positions all together.  The player I would least like to see on the roster of an NFC East rival is Eugene Monroe, the offensive tackle out of Virginia.

I know what you are thinking, an OT is never going to alter a game in the way a WR, QB or RB can.  I beg to differ.  Look no further than the last season’s NFC championship game against the Arizona Cardinals.  Some Eagles loyalists want to point the finger at Donovan McNabb as the cause for that loss.  In reality, the cause of the loss was a lack of pressure on the QB, particularly from the front four.  The Eagles defense keys off getting pressure on the quarterback—often through exotic blitz packages.  If the Eagles can get more consistent and reliable pressure on the QB from their front four their defense will become even more frightening.  The lack of pressure in the NFC Championship game provided Kurt Warner with far too much time to pick apart the Eagles secondary. 

Eugene Monroe may not be the best OT in the draft, but is he unquestionably the best pass blocker available.  If any NFC East roster adds him to their arsenal it will make the job of the Eagles front four that much tougher.

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Over to you Scott: Throw out team need and priorities for the moment.  If you were building this Eagles roster from scratch, who would be your first pick in this year’s draft?  Why?

It’s another installment of our Phillies stat tracking segment.  These are the stats we view as important for the 2009 Phillies.  The following stats are from the recently concluded series against the Sand Diego Padres.  What was supposed to be a 4 game set, was shortened to 3 games due to rain, and was very nearly a sweep by the Padres, if not for the bottom of the 9^th heroics of Raul Ibanez on Sunday.  Here are the stats from the series, followed by our running totals for the season.

TEAM BATTING

31 for 105

.295 BA, .321 OBP, .590 SLG

RISP

6 for 19 with 11 RBI

.316 BA

STARTING PITCHING

0 Decisions

17 2/3 IP, 22 H, 12 ER, 6 BB, 13 K, 6.28 ERA, 1.63 WHIP

BULLPEN

1-2

2 Blown Saves

9 2/3 IP, 14 H, 8 ER, 5 BB, 9 K, 7.91 ERA, 2.09 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

31 for 105

17 Runs, .295 BA

VERSUS LHP

No Stats

BENCH

2 for 8 with 1 run, 1 RBI

.250 BA

Note: 1 of the hits was a Jimmy Rollins solo HR pinch hitting

2009 SEASON TOTALS ( Includes Last Night’s game vs. Milwaukee)

TEAM BATTING

.278 BA, .345 OBP, .481 SLG

Averaging 5.83 Runs per game

RISP

.269 BA

STARTING PITCHING

3-4

7.52 ERA, .333 BAA, 1.73 WHIP, 20 HR allowed

BULLPEN

3-2

3 saves, 2 blown saves

5.23 ERA, .232 BAA, 1.28 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

.277 BA, .343 OBP, .497 SLG

VERSUS LHP

.282, .352 OBP, .410 SLG

BENCH

.227 BA, .308 OBP, .591 SLG

6 RBI, 6 Runs

It’s becoming pretty clear to me that my biggest question mark coming into the season is becoming a serious problem.  The starting pitching has been bad and now the bullpen is showing signs of problems.  This bullpen will continue to be overworked if the starters can’t get past the 5^th inning.  Last year, the bullpen was lights out and I’m not sure if they can duplicate that performance.  The offense is obviously going to produce and score runs.  I have yet to see much from the bench and that concerns me.  There will be injuries and plenty of big spots throughout the year that the bench will be called upon, and I’m still not sure that the Phillies have the guys that can get it done consistently.  I am not as concerned with the bullpen as I am with the starting pitching.  They lead the league in home runs allowed and at the moment Brett Myers has probably been their best pitcher, which isn’t saying much at all.  This staff will be in huge trouble without good years from at least 2 of their starters, so we should continue to monitor this to see if the trend continues.  See you next time.

The Philadelphia Eagles rumor mill is kicking into overdrive as draft day nears.  First was the Jason Peters trade, than increased speculation around Anquan Boldin, the Sheldon Brown debacle and now the rumor that the Eagles have expressed interest in acquiring the services of Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez. 

Gonzalez, even at age 33, would be an instant upgrade for the Eagles aerial attack and would significantly bolster the red zone offense.  But more importantly, a move to acquire the future hall-of-fame tight end would be a clear signal by the team’s front office that is officially entering the “win now at all costs” mode.   Gonzalez is still a very productive player but he is also a departure from the Eagles traditional philosophy of building through the draft or bringing in younger free agents. 

The Eagles are said to be willing to give up a third round pick for Gonzalez while the Chiefs have asked for a second-rounder.  If the Eagles are able to land him for the price of a third rounder it has to be considered a solid move and one that would immediately improve this roster.  Things should stay interesting as the draft approached. 

I wanted to take a minute to clarify something I wrote yesterday, soon after the news broke that Sheldon Brown had demanded a trade.  I wrote that I “hoped” the Eagles worked out a contract with Brown.  It was essentially a mistake on my part from typing too fast and not paying attention.  That’s right, I misquoted myself.  Now, I am just like all those athletes, coaches, and GM’s who have claimed what they said was taken out of context.  In all seriousness though, let me explain what I was trying to say.

I am a big fan of Sheldon Brown, and I think he has been a very good player for the Eagles since he was drafted in 2002.  Brown has never been a corner that is going to get a lot of interceptions, with only 14 in 7 NFL seasons.  What Brown has been is a good cover corner, as well as a sure tackler, and strong blitzing cornerback.  He has also been reliable for the Eagles, having never missed a game in the NFL.  Brown has become a leader for the Eagles over the past couple of seasons, and would figure to be the main leader of the defense now that Brian Dawkins is gone.  He has always been an honest, stand up guy. 

What I was trying to say yesterday is that I hoped this situation could be worked out between the Eagles and Brown, but not by just giving him a new contract.  The problem is, I don’t know if that is even possible at this point.  We saw last season when Lito Sheppard did not get his wish for a new deal, how it affected his performance and he ended up basically as an after thought on the Eagles defense.  The Eagles, based on their released statement, obviously have no interest in reworking Brown’s current contract.  I don’t like some of the comments coming from Brown.  Yesterday he said that this situation might affect his play if it is not resolved.  That is not a good sign.

I have to say that I don’t blame Brown for wanting more money, but I am disappointed.  Yesterday’s events were obviously a calculated move by Brown, and one that I am surprised he made.  I just don’t see how he thought this would work.  It hasn’t worked for any Eagles other than maybe Brian Westbrook, but Westbrook didn’t demand a trade.  Has Brown outplayed his contract?  Yeah, he probably has, but no one forced Brown to sign an extension thru 2012.  I don’t blame Brown for wanting to be paid what the market dictates, as any one of us would want the same thing.  I guess we all wish that every once in awhile, a professional athlete will realize that they make way too much money anyway and as long as they are smart can take advantage of their status long after their playing careers are over.

I also don’t blame the Eagles for their position.  They made a long term commitment to Brown and rewarded him with a $7.5 million signing bonus when the contract extension was signed.  I know the Eagles have plenty of money, but a team can’t just redo every contract after a few years when the player decides that they no longer like their deal.  It’s funny how players are more than happy to get their signing bonuses from the Eagles, yet complain down the road that they don’t like how they do business.  They make it sound like they have been taken advantage of.  The Eagles have a sound philosophy of locking players up early that they see as part of their long term core.  It is one of the big reasons why the Eagles can then go out and upgrade by paying top dollar for free agents.  Say what you want about the Eagles front office, but there is almost no denying the fact that they are wizards with the salary cap.  I don’t feel sorry for the players at all.  There are plenty of players that don’t sign those deals and get big contracts down the road.  The Eagles are not forcing players to sign.  It always comes across like spilt milk to me.  The players rarely accept any responsibility for contracts they have signed, they just play the “disrespect” card when they feel they are underpaid.

Like I said, it’s hard to blame a player for wanting their full value, and it’s hard to blame teams for not wanting to give in to all the demands of their players.  Unfortunately, this is the way it will always be in the current NFL system.  With no guaranteed contracts, players know that a team can cut them loose at any time, so the more guaranteed money they can get, the better off they are.  With the changing financial climate in the NFL, players have continued to sign huge free agent contracts, paying them far more money than their teammates next to them in the huddle.  Teams have to find a way to field competitive teams, while staying within the guidelines of the salary cap.  This is how it works, and I don’t know how to change it.  There will always be soap operas between player and organization, even from players like Sheldon Brown, who you least expect it from.  So, you can blame the system, but I still blame the individuals.  In this world, no matter who are or what you do, you have free will.  Everybody signed up for this, but apparently no one wants to take responsibility for their decisions when things don’t go their way.  I don’t mean to “disrespect”, but that’s how I see it.

What a day for Philadelphia sports!  Yesterday could have been an absolutely horrible day, or an amazing day, and thanks to the performances of the Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers it ended up being the latter.  I had wanted to do a diary of the events of the day, but due to a nasty head cold I didn’t have the patience, so instead I just enjoyed the festivities like everyone else.  That nasty head cold I just spoke of is also the reason I am going to be short and sweet on this post.  Aren’t you glad you now know that and can continue with the rest of your day?  Plus, my timing isn’t great here so I think everyone knows what happened by now.  The great thing about yesterday was that it was a day where the teams epitomized Philadelphia, the city they represent.

We Philadelphians are a proud people.  You know when someone is from Philly because we make sure you do.  We are scrappy, tough, we can be a little brash and nasty at times if you deserve it, and we relish being the underdog.  One of the best things as a fan is when you can relate to the teams you root so hard for year in and year out.  We want teams and players that will represent the toughness of the great city and people of Philadelphia.  To me, that is why yesterday was so special as a Philadelphia sports fan. 

First, the Phillies looked like they were going to lose yet another April game.  This team has had a tough week with the passing of Harry Kalas and all the tributes surrounding it.  They continue to blow late leads and really just haven’t played very good baseball.  So yesterday, down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, and staring another possible loss in the face, up stepped Raul Ibanez.  Ibanez sent a towering fly to right field and into the stands for a walk off 2 run home run that sent the fans at home and at Citizens Bank Park into a frenzy and got the day started off right.  Oh, but that was only the beginning!

Next came the Flyers, a team that I have been quite critical of lately.  What did they do?  Well, in true Philadelphia fashion, they decided enough was enough and they pushed the Penguins around all day long.  They shoved gloves in Sidney Crosby’s face, hell even Claude Giroux dropped the gloves.  But, even with all that, the Penguins tied the game at 2-2 and the Wachovia Center was eerily quiet.  But, not for long.  You see, you may be able to knock a Philadelphian down, but we will always get back up.  The Flyers showed grit, determination, and a little nastiness in stomping the Penguins 6-3 to fight back in their series.  All in the spirit of Philadelphia.

Finally, the underdog Sixers took center stage in their first game against the Orlando Magic.  The Sixers were not playing in front of their fans, but they certainly did them proud.  The Sixers hung around for awhile, but then it looked as if reality had set in and the Magic were up 18 and looking like they were going to be able to rest their starters for much of the 4^th quarter.  Not so fast.  The Sixers stormed back behind Donyell Marshall, Lou Williams, and Andre Iguodala.  Iguodala hit a game winning bucket with 2 seconds left after almost blowing the game with 2 missed free throws.  The Sixers played the underdog role well and showed that they are in the playoffs to win.  After the game Tony DiLeo said “We won’t back down.  Let the chips fall where they may.”  Beautiful.

Yesterday was a day to remember for Philadelphia sports fans.  It wasn’t just because all 3 teams won, it was because of the toughness, the scrappiness, the nastiness, and the fight that all 3 teams showed.  Just like the city they represent.

Just when it looked like the Eagles off season was looking great, news is breaking that Sheldown Brown is requesting a trade. Not exactly what everyone wanted to hear today. The report is according to ESPN and Eagles insider Garry Cobb. I can’t say that is a huge shock because of how the Lito Sheppard situation played out. Brown watched Sheppard receive a big payday from the Jets, and by all accounts, Sheldon Brown has been the Eagles most reliable cover corner and has become one of the vocal leaders of the team. He has seen the Eagles give huge money to Asante Samuel and then trade Sheppard and let Brian Dawkins walk. My hope is that the Eagles are able to work a contract out with Brown. I think he is extremely important to the secondary. What we don’t know yet is whether Brown is willing to stay an Eagle and sign a new deal or if there is more to this story. Either way, it is pretty obvious that this is coming out right before the draft for a reason. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: YOU’VE GOTTA READ THE EAGLES RESPONSE THAT THEY RELEASED!!

Wow! I honestly can’t ever remember that kind of press release from a team during a contract squabble. This was released in a matter of hours and is an obvious PR move by the Eagles. This is going to get real interesting now. Like I said earlier, Stay tuned!