Understanding the Philadelphia Eagles Fan

Almost each season, Philadelphia Eagles fans come into the year with high expectations for their beloved football team. After a mediocre 8-8 season in 2011, the Philadelphia Eagles were ready to come back strong in 2012, and make a Super Bowl run. Through four games, it looked as though they were well on their way. Then it all went wrong.

Five weeks later, the Eagles stand at 3-5, with four of their 5 starters on the offensive line out with injury, their much maligned quarterback Michael Vick out with a concussion, and head coach Andy Reid on his way out of Philadelphia. It is safe to say that this season has been a disaster thus far and the Eagles fan base is livid.

Philadelphia sports fans have often been criticized for being too hard on their teams. This past year I heard many fans of other NFL franchises scolding me for wanting Andy Reid and Michael Vick gone. They argued that Reid is still one of the league's best coaches and reminding me of Vick's epic comeback versus the Giants two years ago. "How would replacing those two help your franchise at all?"

What most other fan bases don't understand is the immense desire to win in Philadelphia. Not just win division titles or a few playoff games, but win the Super Bowl. Without a Super Bowl, each season goes by as a failure. Looking solely at division opponents, the Cowboys have won five Super Bowls, the Giants four, and the Redskins have won three. In the forty-four years that the Super Bowl has been in existence the Philadelphia Eagles have won zero.

Eagle’s fans have nothing to hang their hat on. Every one of their division rivals has at least three titles, yet the Eagles don't have a single victory in the final game of the playoffs. In a city that has only won a single championship since 1982, it is incredible that these fans keep coming back year after year. And it is not because they always feel great loyalty to this organization that they continue to pack the stadiums; it is their loyalty to their city. These fans love being from Philadelphia and will support their city no matter what.

The worst thing about these Eagles teams is that they are not perianal losers. This is not the Detroit Lions, who have not won a playoff game since 1991. In fourteen years under Andy Reid the Eagles have a winning percentage of .611 and are averaging just fewer than 10 wins a season in that time. They have won seven NFC East titles and gone to five NFC Championship games. The most painful part about the Eagles is that nearly every season they give their fans hope that they can win a title, and every season since 1967those fans have ended their season broken hearted.

So the reason that the Eagles fan base is calling for Andy Reid and Michael Vick to be gone is not because they are not both talented at what they do. It is clear that both, especially Reid, have had great success in the NFL and probably will after they leave Philadelphia as well. The reason that they both must be gone is because they are not going to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia and after forty-four years without a Super Bowl, their ties must be cut. This is one of the most loyal fan bases in sports and it is time to someone in who is up to the challenge to reward these fans.

Halloween Edition: Scariest Players in Sports 2012

Every fan has a certain player they never want to face with the ball in their hands at the end of a game, in the net in Game 7, or wide open beyond the three point arch. As I did last year, it is time to rank the ten scariest players in sports. The list features four NFL, two MLB, two NHL, and two NBA players, with only two returners from last years list.

10. Mike Trout, Around the Fence

Trout burst onto the scene in 2012 immediately throwing his name in the MVP race. He was second in the league in batting average, first in runs scored, first in bases stolen, and first in WAR. But what he makes this list for is his glove. With an incredible leaping and athlete ability, hitters have to hold their breath every time they hit the ball anywhere near his direction.

9. Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman, Against the Run

Willis and Bowman have together formed the leagues most feared linebacking core. The two use their size and speed to track down any opposing running back and teams often avoid running at all against them. At just 27 and 24 years of age respective, they should be terrorizing offenses for years to come.

8. Claude Giroux, In Open Space

Leading the Flyers for the past two seasons now, Giroux proved to the Penguins in the playoffs last year exactly how scary he was. In one of the most competitive, violent playoff series of recent memory, Giroux was at his finest. Claude came through in the regular season for the Flyers as well finishing second in assists and third in overall points. Whether he is squeezing a pass between two defenders or finishing a one timer, Giroux is a scary man in open space.

7. JJ Watt, Rushing the Passer

Watt is following up a solid rookie season with an outstanding first half in 2012. The second year defensive end out of Wisconsin uses a combination of size and quickness to terrorize quarterbacks. This season his he leads the league with 9.5 sacks through 8 weeks and seems to be always making plays for the 6-1 Texans.

6. Henrick Lundquist, Between the Pipes

Lundquist has proven himself to be the rock that holds the Rangers defense together. Over and over  we see the Rangers goaltender standing on his head to preserve a victory. His huge 2012 season where he posted a unbelievable 1.97 goals against average earned him the Venzina Trophy as the leagues top goaltender.

5. Rob Gronkowski, In the Red-zone

Coming off the best statistical season ever by a tight end last season, "Gronk" has been dominating the 2012 season as well. Tom Brady's favorite red-zone target is a terrifying matchup problem for linebackers and safeties across the league. His off the field antics along with his dominating talent have made him one of the leagues most intriguing players. He also likes to spike the ball...

4. Kevin Durant, As a Scorer

Kevin Durant has been a defenders worst nightmare in the NBA. He has now lead the league in scoring the past three seasons and developed into a star that can take over any game. When Durant is feeling it, he is nearly impossible to guard. His ability was on full display during the Western Conference Finals last year versus the Spurs when he and teammate Russell Westbrook led the Thunder from an 0-2 deficit.

3. Justin Verlander, Throwing Heat

During the past two seasons, Verlander has established himself as the best pitcher in baseball. Last season he became the first pitcher in nearly 25 years to win both the Cy Young award and American League MVP award. This season a favorite to win his second Cy Young. He has been known to throw heat deep into games often nearly 100mph in the 7th and 8th innings of games. Without a doubt Verlander is the scariest pitcher in baseball today, mainly due to his devastating fastball.

2. Eli Manning, 2 Minute Drill

Last year Tom Brady was the one listed as "Scariest" for his 2 minute drills however Eli Manning is proving time and time again that he deserves the title. It doesn't matter if Manning has played brutally for the entire game, he has an uncanny ability to forget a bad play as soon as it happens. Opposing defenses can never feel safe when Manning has the ball down late. And after leading two game winning drives in Super Bowls, Manning's "clutchness" can no longer be categorized as luck.

1. Lebron James, After Winning a Championship

The pressure surrounding James during the first eight years of his career may have been greater than that any other athlete has ever faced. Criticized for every shortcoming throughout his career, mentally Lebron was unable to handle the pressure at times and it affected his play. Now that James has finally gotten his ring the league needs to watch out. Being able to play carefree for the first time in his career, Lebron could lead the Heat to many more championships. The NBA and all of his rivals should be worried, because Lebron James is the Scariest Player in Sports.

HALLOWEEN BONUS:

Scariest Looking Players in Sports

5. Terrell Suggs, Ravens

4. Marquis Daniels, Bucks

3. Chris "Birdman" Anderson, Free Agent

2. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks

1. This Guy, Texas Tech

The Biggest Game of the Year That Means Nothing

Usually when Penn State and Ohio State meet, the game has big postseason implications. This year Ohio State is undefeated and ranked in the top 10 by the Associated Press. Penn State enters the game winners of five straight games and undefeated in league play. Any other year this game would be making national headlines. However due to the sanctions against both institutions, this game has no bearing on who will win the Big 10's Leaders division or who will go on to a BCS bowl.

Both schools must credit their success to their new coaches. Urban Meyer has been known for having tremendous achievement in his first year on campus and this season in Columbus is no different, leading the team to an 8-0 record. In any other season, Ohio State would be one of the favorites to make the National Championship game. Everyone knows what Penn State has gone through off the field and combined with losing several key players due to transfers in the offseason, they were faced with an almost no win situation. However first year head coach Bill O'Brien has inspired the team to prove the nation wrong. Almost no one believed Penn State could have any success after everything that the community and team had been through in the past year and after losing their first two games to lesser opponents, it seemed they were right. However after dismantling their past five opponents, O'Brien's squad has proved the critics wrong. The Nittany Lions are playing with a chip on their shoulder and out to prove each week that they will not become irrelevant. The winner of this game will mostly win the Big 10 Coach of the Year, baring a late season collapse. 

Ohio State is led by the electric sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller, who is dominating opponents with his arm and legs. Last week versus Purdue however, Miller was victim of a vicious hit and is now listed as questionable for this weeks game. Penn State is lead by senior linebacker Michael Mauti, who has lead by example and been a great leader through the entire ordeal, on and off the field. On paper, Ohio State is the more talented team, but Penn State is out to prove the world wrong, so there is no telling what could happen. 

This game has been written off by the national media as a game with little impact on the 2012 season, however this game has huge impact for both schools, especially Penn State. After losing some of their scholarships and postseason play for the next four years, recruiting has become extremely difficult for the Nittany Lions. O'Brien and his staff are still managing to compete with the rest of the nation and have five star quarterback Christian Hackenberg committed. This game, along with the entire season, is big to show recruits that Penn State can still compete at the highest level and though they have no postseason, the atmosphere surrounding big time college football is still very present in Happy Valley. 

Without a postseason to look forward to, this game has quickly become one of the biggest games of the season for both. The atmosphere at Beaver Stadium will be electric and should be the most packed game of the year. Bill O'Brien has his team believing in themselves and are playing for respect. Though a win for Ohio State would be big, they don't have same motivation to win that Penn State has. That combined with the home field advantage is why I predict a 34-31 Penn State victory. 

Reid Out of Answers

Andy Reid has lost control of his team. As Head of Football Operations for the Philadelphia Eagles, Reid is in total control of the players he brings in to the team as well as what happens throughout the season on the field. For the first 10 years(1999-08) of his head coaching career, he was one of the best at both getting the most out of his players and managing his team throughout the week. He won 5 NFC East titles, went to 5 NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl. He had a formula for winning and with Donavan McNabb and Brian Dawkins leading his offense and defense respectively, the team was one of the best in the league over the 10 year stretch. Since then, Reid hasn't won a playoff game.

Andy Reid is doing the same thing he has been doing since he was hired in 1999 but now, its no longer working. He has always been criticized for passing too often, has been inefficent with timeouts, and been mum to the media about what goes on behind closed doors, but before he was winning. Over the past four years(and especially the last year in a half) Andy Reid has become worried for his NFL life because he hasn't changed what he has done for so many years, but he is no longer producing dominating teams. He has brought in marquee free agents, tried to build through the draft, and made changes in almost every positional coach, but many have resulted in disasters. He is questioning everything he does because he has no explanation why things aren't turning out successful for him and his team.

All of the mistakes Reid has made over the past four years has led him into the hole finds himself in and unfortunately for Reid, the hole is becoming too deep to climb out of. Reid has become incredibly indecisive with his decision making, going back and forth on issues, mainly that of quarterback play and issues surrounding the defensive coaching staff. Yesterday Andy Reid fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, replacing him with secondary coach Todd Bowles. During his press conference, Reid left the door open for more changes to be made, including that of turnover machine, Michael Vick. Replacing Vick would come at cost to Reid's reputation as he would again be admitting that he made a mistake, like the one he made with hiring Castillo for the defensive coordinator position.

Standing at 3-3 going into the Bye Week, things are not all bad for the team. There are still ten games to be played and the team could rally around the changes Reid is making. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie has made it clear however, that Reid is skating on thin ice. Andy Reid is running out of excuses, running out of people to fire, and running out of time. Without drastic improvement from the mediocre first third of the season, Reid could be the one that gets axed.

No Clear Favorite, But A lot of Contenders.

The college football season is well underway and as we enter the second half of the regular season one thing is clear: There are a lot of dominant teams this year. Out of the top seven, only Alabama and Oregon have been in this position recently. It is an exciting group of newcomers featuring some teams we haven't seen in the top 10 for a few years. Let's breakdown the seven undefeated teams in the AP top 10. Alabama is clearly the favorite and have dominated everyone they have seen this year. Expect to see them again in the national title. Next is Oregon. After losing LaMichael James and Darron Thomas last season, many expected Oregon to be down this season. But Chip Kelly has once again proven that speed kills, with his do everything sophomore De'Anthony Thomas leading the way as one of the nations most exciting players. Next we see a pair of SEC East teams in Florida and South Carolina. South Carolina proven they are deserving of this ranking last week against Georgia, tearing them apart at home. Florida has returned to the top 5 after two down years and has a huge matchup versus the Gamecocks in two weeks. The Big 12 is well represented next with West Virginia and Kansas State. Outside of Alabama, these two teams may have been the most dominating so far, led by Heisman favorites Geno Smith for West Virginia and  Kansas State's Collin Klein. The two high scoring offenses are on a collision course, set to meet in West Virginia next Saturday. Finally we welcome back Notre Dame and Ohio State. Though OSU is ineligible for the postseason, it is clear that Urban Meyer's squad led by QB Braxton Miller are the real deal. Look for OSU to be National Championship contenders next season. Notre Dame may be the most exciting story this year in college football. Led by Senior Linebacker Manti Te'o, the Irish have stormed to a 5-0 start. They face their biggest test in Stanford this Saturday in South Bend.

So far, all of these teams look to be extremely talented and each could make a case for the national title game. The next three weeks will help decide which one of these dominating teams are the real deal, as all face huge tests. It will be interesting to see how these teams react to playing every game in the national spotlight. Out of the SEC I think that Alabama is too strong for anyone to beat again, though Florida will put up the biggest fight. In the Big 12 I am going to take the under-appreciated Kansas State Wildcats to win the division and would not be surprised to see Collin Klein take home the Heisman. In the Big 10 I think that Ohio State or Penn State will end up being the best team in the division but since neither can advance past the regular season I am looking at Nebraska to play in the Rose Bowl. Out west in the PAC-12 it will come down to whether Matt Barkley shows up to play versus Oregon or not in their matchup on November 3rd. He has been inconsistent thus far but if he does play well, I think USC wins the conference, but watch out for Oregon State too. I like Clemson in the ACC and Cincinnati in the Big East, though neither conference will have any impact on the National title race.

This year could turn out to be one of the most exciting in recent years with so much talent and explosive offenses in the Top 10. For my National Championship prediciton I see Alabama and Kansas State, with Alabama's defense leading them to a repeat.

Games to watch in the next three weeks

10/13

-Oklahoma vs Texas, 12pm

-Stanford at Notre Dame, 7pm

-South Carolina at LSU, 8pm

10/20

-South Carolina at Florida, TBA

-Kansas State at West Virginia, 7pm

10/27

-Ohio State at Penn State, TBA

-Notre Dame at Oklahoma, TBA

-Mississippi St. at Alabama, TBA

6 Questions to Ask as the NBA Season Approaches.

With NBA training camps opening around the league this week it's time to take a look at a few questions for the upcoming season:

Can the Lakers take down the Heat?

The Lakers obviously went all in this offseason. Adding Dwight Howard brought the Lakers the league's most dominate big man. Howard brings an intense defensive passion to the game and will create matchup problems on the offense end for most opposing teams. With Steve Nash at point guard he will be able to spread the floor and score when called upon, but he is no longer performing at the level of his two MVP seasons a few years ago. He is definitely an upgrade over what the team had last season however. Even with these two big additions, Kobe has been adamant that this is still his team, and he is correct. This team will go as far as Kobe takes them. The window is closing for the Lakers as they have become one of the oldest teams in the league (average age of starter is over 32). They will have to find quick chemistry and get the most out of their bench to be on the Heat's level. A better question may be will they be able to take down the young, explosive Thunder in the West?

Does the addition of Andrew Bynum make the 76ers a legitimate threat in the East?

Last season the Sixers surprised many people by making it to the second round of the playoffs and taking the Celtics to a 7th game. They did so by playing tough defense and winning at home. Doug Collins is one of the league's best coaches at getting the most out of a player. Losing Lou Williams won't be that big a loss as they filled his role with a better shooting Nick Young. The loss of Andre Iguodola may prove to be costly however. Iguodola often went unappreciated but the 2011 All-Star is one of the leagues best perimeter defenders and his loss will be noticed. Moving Iguodola was a move the team had to do in order to bring the NBA's second best center to the City of Brotherly Love. The Sixers have not had a dominating center like Bynum since Moses Malone. Bynum is a matchup problem for most of the Eastern Conference and his skill, along with Jrue Holliday, Evan Turner, and a deep bench should take the Sixers on a deep playoff run. Though their future is bright, this team, as it is put together now, will not win an NBA Championship. They must add one more star to the roster before they will be able to compete with the Miami Heat.

What rookie not named Anthony Davis has the best chance to win the Rookie of the Year award?

First overall pick Anthony Davis is the clearcut favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award but there a few other names that should definitely be considered. Out of Webber State, Damian Lillard is a name that is becoming known around the league, and he hasn't even played a game yet. Portland's score first point guard has a large athletic frame that helped him to dominate the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 26 points per game. In some eyes, Lillard should be favored to win the ROY award even with Anthony Davis being considered. Some other names to watch for are the Bobcats Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Detriot's new seven-footer Andre Drummond.

Will Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko return the All-Star form for Portland?

With Brandon Roy coming back from injury and Andrei Kirkilenko returning to the NBA from Russia,  Minnasota added two veterans to a young talented team. However, Roy is no lock to return to star status he had in Portland. His knee's health is a major question mark and the Timberwolves took a big risk by signing him. Kirilenko is by no means what he was three or four years ago in Utah but if he can learn to play a role coming off the bench, he does have the talent to help this team. The question marks surrounding both players are large, but IF Brandon Roy's knee is healthy and IF Kirilenko can learn to play a role, the Timberwolves have the talent to make a playoff run.

What team is poised for a breakout season?

Three teams come to mind when thinking of breakout teams in 2012. First, the New Orleans Hornets. Ask anyone around the NBA and they will tell you that Anthony Davis is the real deal. Fellow rookie Austin Rivers has star potential, but it is to be seen whether he can produce in the NBA. Teamed with one of the leagues most underrated guards, Eric Gordon, it will be interesting to see what this team of extreme potential produces. Another team that is bubbling with young talent is the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kevin Love is one of the league's best big men and if Ricky Rubio can return from ACL surgery producing at the same or greater level than his rookie year, the T-Wolves could play a big role in the Western Conference playoff picture. Finally, we have to mention the Brooklyn Nets. They created a lot of buzz with their big name signings this offseason. With Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Brooks Lopez, and Deron Williams, they have the makings of a playoff team. However, Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov seems to be throwing money around with no real plan other than bring in big name players. The Nets will definitely be much improved from last season, but still are no contender, and are not even the best team in their city.

Can anyone beat the Heat?

Simple answer? No. The Thunder and Lakers have the best opportunity but we saw how Lebron and Dwayne Wade dominated Durant and company in the finals last year and the Lakers are old and lack depth. It will be interesting to see how the Heat use Ray Allen. Playing with two players that demand double teams in Wade and James, Allen will see plenty of open three point attempts. However, Allen struggled last season and questions about his ability to defend have arisen. The Heat have a fairly easy run through the East setting up for a rematch with the Thunder or a matchup with star-studded Lakers. Whoever they face, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade seem to be unstoppable.

Boom Baby, It's Ryder Cup Time!

This week in sports, there has been only one topic people should be talking about: The Ryder Cup. Okay, maybe the replacement refs in the NFL can be mentioned as Bubba Watson did poignantly in a tweet Monday night.  The Ryder Cup is one of the few times in golf that athletes can perform as a team, which brings out some of the best in them. Though they are competing against each other every week on tour, many of these golfers are quite good friends, as seen in this hilarious music video with Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Ricky Fowler, and Ben Crane. We never get to see them doing anything but competing against each other. We learn to accept these men as just individuals, because so much of the time that is how we see them. However we watch the NBA, NFL, and MLB in part to see the camaraderie and teamwork between the athletes. The Ryder Cup shows us the best in the sport working side by side to side as teammates, playing for their country.

 It is not often that athletes have the opportunity to perform for their country. Every two years we meet new athletes that are competing for their country in the Olympics, but often these are unfamiliar names and faces that are forgotten once the Games end. In the Ryder Cup we see the worlds best golfers, who we watch each week all year long, playing for their country, something that cannot be said for most other sports. Playing for an entire nation(or continent in the Europeans case) alongside your countrymen brings out a new pressure of not letting down your country or teammates. This creates a great amount of drama and has every golfer (and fan) on their toes for each shot; of their own and their teammates. 

At the 2010 Ryder Cup, we had one of the most dramatic finishes in the events history, with Europe winning 13 1/2 to 12 1/2 over the United States. The match came down to the final hole, with Graham McDowell sealing the victory for the Europeans. In recent years the Europeans have gotten the best of the US winning 4 out of 5 events. This year the Americans will be seeking revenge with a team loaded with fresh faces. Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner, Brandt Schnedeker, and Webb Simpson are all coming off impressive seasons and bring a lot of depth to the US side. The US also has the familiar faces of Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, and Steve Stricker to anchor the squad. Rory McIlroy looks all but unstoppable and paired with Graham McDowell they should be a tough tandem to beat but I am looking for the US to pull out the overall victory by a score of 14-12.

By putting the best players on earth together, fighting for their team and country for four days, it brings out the best the game has to offer. We can only hope it will bring moments of emotion and excitement out of the golfers that we have waited two years to see. So take a break from football and the MLB playoff race this weekend, because Boom Baby, it's Ryder Cup time!

Weekly Debate: Stay Home or Attend the Game?

More than ever before, NFL fans are having to make the tough decision of whether to stay in the comforts of their home to watch their favorite team play or pack a stadium with 65,000 of their closest friends each Sunday. With the advances of television quality, increased availability of NFL Games on cable, and rise in popularity of Fantasy Football, many former season ticket holders are rethinking their choice to make the journey down the their hometown stadium on Sundays. I am here to tell you that if there is ever an option to go down to one of the eight home games your favorite team has each year, don't hesitate.

The reasoning behind wanting to stay behind is obvious. Comfortable couch. Big screen HD television. NFL RedZone to follow each member of your fantasy team. But that is available for each one of the eight away games the team plays. When the option is there to attend a game in person why not take it up?

There is absolutely nothing like watching an NFL game live. From the tailgate, to the fight songs, to the post game celebrations, NFL games will always be better in person. This past weekend a group of friends and I traveled up to Philadelphia for the Eagles vs Ravens game Sunday afternoon. A highly anticipated game for all involved as the two teams only meet once every four years and each team had come into Week 2 at 1-0. The experience began with a tailgate in the parking lot hours before kickoff. The excitement in the air even this early in the day is palpable. After some food and drinks in the parking lot, the main event begins. The atmosphere is electric from the opening flyover until the final kneel-down. Nothing compares to singing a fight song arm-in-arm with complete strangers after every score. After shuffling out of the stadium, the group walks a few hundred yards to the newly constructed Xfinity Live; a congregation of indoor and outdoor restaurants and bars where the entire Eagles Nation comes to celebrate the recent victory, while catching the West Coast games on the big screen TV's throughout the complex. The day is finished off the right way, with a cheesesteak from Geno's in South Philly.

What can't be obtained from a couch each Sunday is an experience. That is what fans are paying for. They are paying for more than just what happens between kickoff and the final whistle. That is why fans take up their entire Sunday for these games. That is why most NFL stadiums remained packed each weekend.  So when your neighbor offers you tickets to the game next weekend, don't pass them up. Unless however, you live in Cleveland, Jacksonville, or St. Louis. Then find a new city to live in.



Be sure to vote in the poll to the left.

Hope is a Dangerous Thing

The 2011 Eagles season was a mess from Week 1 on. After preseason expectations were set high, the “Dream Team” crashed and burned. With four games remaining, they had a 4-8 record and nearly all Philadelphia fans had lost hope. For 12 weeks, Eagles fans had given up hope on this team, expecting losses. They had cut emotional ties with games and were able to prepare themselves for what lay ahead each week. Then they won back-to-back games. Rumors began flying that if the right pieces fell into place, the Eagles could make the playoffs after all. All of the sudden, Eagles fans that had long since given up on their team, began to believe again. This hope is what once again let Eagles fans have their dreams dashed. In the past 13 seasons under Andy Reid, it seems that every year, there is a point in the season at which the fans seem to think to themselves, “We can actually do it this year,” and every year that team lets us down. It’s not just that they let us down. It is the way they do it. There might as well be a recipe for Eagles’ seasons of late: Begin the season hyped to win division. Struggle throughout the middle portion of the season (usually when the “Fire Andy” chants begin). Somehow put together a few big wins in a row so that an entire city is back on the bandwagon. Then crush their dreams with a late season loss or in 2011’s case, with another team (the Giants) taking the division away from them at the last moment. Just add water and repeat.

            This year it is another Philadelphia team that is poised to follow this recipe. The 2012 Phillies season has been anything but hopeful. The season began with their two most iconic players, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, on the Disabled List. When Roy Halladay went down in the first month of the season, fans let themselves believe, “If we can just hold on until the All-Star break.” With three of the teams best players missing, no one stepped up to fill the void left by the missing players. Cliff Lee struggled to through most of the first half of the season without a win and when the trade deadline came the Phillies were “sellers,” and Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino were dealt. Season over. Nothing that Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Roy Halladay could do with this roster would put them in a position to make the playoffs. “Not so fast, my friend.” Since losing back-to-back games to the Cincinnati Reds on August 20^th and 21^st, the Phillies have gone 14-4, the best mark in baseball over that span and have lost just two games since September 1^st. In the midst of a six game winning streak the Phillies are gaining ground on the second wild card spot everyday. On the 21^st of August when the Phillies run began they were 10.5 games behind the 2^nd place wildcard spot (held by the St. Louis Cardinals). As things stand today, they are a mere four games back of St. Louis and closing fast.

            As a Phillies fan I can’t believe that on September 12^th I find myself staying up late, “scoreboard watching” to see how far out we will be at the end of every night. The Phillies, like the Eagles do every year, have the city believing in them again. Hope is a dangerous thing to mess around with.  With ESPN.com giving the Phillies just a three percent chance to make the playoffs on September 12th, it is still an improbable feat, but with the run the Cardinals made last season, it seems possible. In all likelihood, the Phillies will fall short of their goal of returning to the playoffs (probably losing on the final day of the regular season with Ryan Howard striking out. Okay maybe I am just cynical…). In all likelihood, the Phillies will take a chapter from Andy Reid and the Eagles, and give us as fans hope, only to destroy that hope in the final moments of the 2012 season. I don’t know what is worse: accepting defeat early on in the season or becoming totally invested in a team then losing. But here is to hoping the Phillies prove me wrong and break the mold. Because, I mean, they are only four games out…