During the lockout, if you wanted football news that did not have some sort of legal jargon mixed throughout, the only thing to look at was draft news.

Mock drafts, big boards, and all other sorts of stuff that usually proves worthless when all is said and done was the only thing to give us our fix.

Unfortunately, as is the case most years, I'm left pulling out my hair wondering how and why the guys with journalism degrees think their opinion should be taken seriously.

Then I get the urge to dive off a bridge when their opinion actually is taken seriously and regurgitated by some fans.

It happens every year in Philly without fail.

This year, the "expert" opinion that has my head spinning is all the talk about what a huge need right tackle is for the Eagles.


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After two losses at the hands of the juggernaut known as the Miami Heat, the Sixers know what needs to be done.

In an interview with PhillyBurbs.com on Wednesday, Andre Iguodala summed it up best when he said that he and the rest of his teammates "got to play... near perfect to get a win."

While that may have seemed obvious before heading into this series, the first two games in Miami did nothing but reinforce the point.

The Sixers' game plan worked perfectly for the first 12 minutes of the series as they sprinted out to a 31-19 lead in the first quarter of Game 1.

Then, the roof caved in.


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It's not a rarity when the Phillies win a game using only the long-ball. It is a rarity, however, when the big shots come via lead-off man Shane Victorino and his No. 2 man Placido Polanco.

But that's exactly what happened Wednesday afternoon as the Phillies prevented what would have been the team's first real slump of the season.

Down 3-0 in the sixth, Polanco smacked a ball into left field with two runners on to tie the game up at three a piece.

Victorino then broke the tie in the eighth with a monster shot to right-center field. Jose Contreras then finished things off by recording his fourth save of the season in as many attempts.

Starter Cliff Lee had to battle through this game, giving up eight hits and three runs (two earned) along with one walk and only one strikeout in six innings pitched.


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J.C. Romero entered the game in the Phillies' 6-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning, and could have seen his last action for at least a couple weeks according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Romero tried to field a ball knocked back up the middle by Ryan Braun, but missed as he tried to push himself off the mound and immediately began hopping around on his left leg before falling to the ground and grabbing at his right calf.

The trainer came out and Romero was led off the field in obvious pain. After the game, skipper Charlie Manuel and Romero himself made it clear the injury was just as bad as it looked.

"He's probably going to miss a little time," Manuel told the media after the loss.

Romero agreed, saying he would "probably" miss some time. "I don't know," Romero continued. "Hopefully it's 15 days or so."


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It didn't seem like much at the time.

During the 76ers' 110-105 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 9, starting power forward Elton Brand was hit hard on the back of his left hand, a blow that resulted in a "very minor fracture,"according to Philly.com.

"Elton got banged...the other night and I think he's going to be OK," said 76ers coach Doug Collins two days after the game. "He went through shoot-around today and seemed to be fine."

While he hasn't missed any action since that game, Brand averaged 13.8 PPG and 6.9 RPG during Philadelphia's next eight contests—a slight decrease from his season marks of 15.2 PPG and 8.7 RPG prior to the injury.

Brand himself will tell you that his hand is bothering him. And in the next breath, he'll completely dismiss the notion that the injury will cause him to miss any time, especially with the playoffs on the horizon.

"It is definitely a problem," Brand said when asked on March 27 about the injury. "It is nothing that will stop me from playing."

That response tells you all you need to know about what Elton Brand brings to this young Philadelphia team.


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Show your love.

With their impressive 115-90 victory Friday night over the New Jersey Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time in two years.

That may not seem like a huge accomplishment when taken at face value. For most Sixers fans however, it feels like a quantum leap when compared to last season.

But aside from the confetti that fell from the ceiling shortly after the final buzzer, it was hard for one to gauge the importance of last night's win.

76ers coach Doug Collins flashed his customary smile and gave out his usual post-game hugs, of course. But there were no overt celebrations, no champagne being uncorked in the home team's locker room.

With eight games left to go, and with playoff positioning still in the balance, the Sixers know that they have plenty of work to do before the postseason kicks off two weeks from today.

"The celebration is over," said Lou Williams shortly after the game. "We're excited to be back in the playoffs, but we're a long way from being done."


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All games are created equal, but some are more equal than others.

The Sixers' 97-85 win over the Chicago Bulls Monday night only counts as a single victory in the standings, but the impact that it will have on a young team over the rest of the season is immeasurable.

"When we got together at 9:30 this morning, we won the game," said a beaming Collins after the victory. "We talked about what we believe in, how we do things and how we wouldn't waver from them... I could not be more proud of this team."

It's been an eventful week for Doug Collins and his charges, to say the least. Last Friday, they took their talents to South Beach and battled the Miami Heat in a possible playoff preview. Despite a 16-point second quarter lead, the Sixers couldn't stop Dwyane Wade (39 points) down the stretch and lost to the Heat 111-99.

Against Sacramento on Sunday, not only did the team come out flat, but they wasted several chances to put the Kings away early, and wound up on the wrong end of a 114-111 overtime defeat. After the game, 76ers guard Lou Williams alluded to the fact that he and several teammates attended a Lil' Wayne concert the night before, possibly contributing to the loss.


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Chris Pronger is arguably one of the best defensive defensemen in the league.

His talent and production in all three zones makes him irreplaceable in the Flyers lineup. The only positive with this injury is that he will be better rested for the long playoff haul.

The Flyers, like every other team in the NHL facing injuries, have backup plans for their team. Let's take a look at five of those potential backup plans to replace to production of Pronger.

Nick Boynton

Nick Boynton is not the best defender in the league, but he doesn’t have to be with the Flyers.

He just has to be good enough to fill in at the sixth defender position and eat up some regulation time minutes.
Boynton is solid enough on the ice to where he isn’t a liability and his Stanley Cup experience is something you can’t teach.


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The chance that Kevin Kolb remains a member of the Philadelphia Eagles seems to be dwindling by the day.

Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com is reporting that, according to a league source, the "Eagles are hoping to acquire at least a first-round pick and a second pick somewhere in the first three or four rounds for Kolb."

I don't doubt that head coach Andy Reid and general manager Howie Roseman have told that exact thing to any teams calling about Kolb, but if a team like the Arizona Cardinals offers up their first-round pick, which is the fifth pick overall, I believe the team will jump on that offer.

Reid is fairly greedy when it comes to trades, always trying to squeeze the other team for all they're worth, but asking for a pick in addition to the fifth overall pick, or any pick in the top 10, would take some gall. Just asking could turn a potential trade partner off and kill the deal.


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It was bound to come sooner or later, but since he's already been chastised for the comments comparing what NFL players are going through to slavery, it's hard to know if Leonard Weaver's apology is sincere or simply a public relations move, but it did come rather quickly.

Wednesday morning, Weaver took to Twitter in an attempt to explain himself.

"Now, that I have seen it, I will say that it was hard for me to watch and after thinking about it, I've come to the conclusion that I represented my family, friends and organization the wrong way," Weaver said.  "I'm sorry for those words I used and if I offend anyone, please forgive me. To all my fans whom I've disappointed I'm sorry."

The initial comments surprised me because of the way Weaver usually carries himself, but I suppose he deserves the benefit of the doubt. It's entirely possible that, during the conversation, he simply got caught up in what he was talking about and said something he didn't really mean.

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First, it was Adrian Peterson trying to convince us that NFL players were going through something similar to modern-day slavery.

"It's modern-day slavery, you know?" Peterson told Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports last Friday. "People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money ... the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money."

Now, one of our own is piggy-backing the ridiculous statement. Fullback Leonard Weaver went on CSNPhilly to talk to Derrick Gunn about the lockout and found a way to compare the situation to slavery.

"We as players want to make a statement that you know what, we love playing for you all, we love your owners, you know?" Weaver told Gunn. "We love you guys very much, but at the same time we need to see some equal opportunity here and stop treating us basically like Adrian Peterson said, like slaves..."

Weaver is not a dumb guy. In fact, in the brief amount of time I've had to speak with him, he came across as very bright. This, however, is not a shining moment.


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The Philadelphia Flyers may not be playing their best hockey right now but their season overall has been excellent.

In all of the talk about the depth of the team -- the defense, the goalie situation and all the new acquisitions -- Flyers forward Jeff Carter has been overshadowed.

Maybe it's better that way.

The Flyers signed Carter to an 11-year extension worth $58 million on Nov. 12. Carter was scheduled to become a restricted free agent on July 1. He has rewarded the Flyers with his stellar play this season and has regained his scoring touch in the second half of the season.

The season didn't start off great for Carter but he has 15 goals in his last 23 games and looks to get hot in time for another deep playoff run.

"We don’t like how last year ended," Jeff Carter said. "We have to work harder to win it all."


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According to SI.com's Peter King, the Philadelphia Eagles have received an offer from a team that includes a first-round pick.

King also points out that head coach Andy Reid and general manager Howie Roseman believe they can get a better offer if they wait (not that they really have a choice until the Brady v. NFL ruling on April 6th), so there's a chance that the pick being offered is in the latter portion of the first round.

Of course, that's assuming there really is an offer at all.

That's not to say King is necessarily lying, but there's a very good chance the Eagles are the ones who leaked this information to King. And as we know, the team is not above leaking false information to get some of the more quarterback-needy teams a little closer to the edge.

It's quite possible that teams like the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, and others all got a little antsy when this report came out. If they all believe they're bidding against another team, it might make them more willing to give up their first-round pick, and maybe even a late-round pick in addition.


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After Friday night's 102-80 victory over the Sacramento Kings, Sixers' coach Doug Collins gave Elton Brand the option to sit out tonight's game against the Portland Trailblazers.

Brand's response? "I’ll be out there. We’re greedy."

Greedy, because the Sixers are inching ever closer to a coveted playoff berth. Friday's win, coupled with the New York Knicks' 99-95 loss to the Detroit Pistons, moved the Sixers into 6th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Sacramento didn't do much to stand in the way of the 76ers' 36th win of the season. After a slow start, the Sixers got hot early in the opening period, ripping off an 11-0 run to take a 32-23 lead after the first quarter.

Jrue Holiday dominated the game's first 12 minutes, finishing the quarter with 12 points, 3 steals, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

He and the rest of his teammates pretty much controlled the game from the opening tip. At one point, the Sixers missed eight consecutive shots in the third quarter and still outscored the Kings 25-16 during the period.


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According to Aaron Wilson of NationalFootballPost.com, the Philadelphia Eagles were on hand Monday to watch the workouts of a couple Ohio State linebackers: Brian Rolle and Ross Homan.

Rolle (5'10, 229) ran a 4.56 40-yard dash at the combine, which was third-best amongst linebackers. He was also a first-team All-Big Ten selection with 76 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions.

Even though he played middle linebacker at Ohio State, Rolle has been working out at defensive back for some teams and seems to be exactly what the Eagles look for in their WILL linebackers; see: Keenan Clayton and Ernie Sims.

Homan (6'1, 240), on the other hand, probably translates to MIKE or possibly SAM at the next level.


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Closer Brad Lidge has been struggling a little bit in Spring Training, and now we know why. Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. recently announced Lidge has tendinitis in his biceps.

The injury, however, is normal for Lidge this time of year. At this time last year the swelling from the tendinitis required a cortisone shot, and another in May.

Lidge battled through the pain in his arm and it showed in the first half of the year as Lidge didn't really get back to form until after the All-Star break.

But this year, as in others, Lidge and the entire organization is downplaying the severity of the injury.

"Just a little biceps tendinitis," Lidge told the media. "We'll let it calm down for a couple of days and then see how we feel - maybe play catch for a couple of days and then get back in there soon."


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At virtually every level of basketball, a quality starting point guard is essential to a team's success.

Never has that been more true than in today's NBA, where many of the league's elite are directed by an All-Star caliber lead guard: Chicago's Derrick Rose, Boston's Rajon Rondo and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, just to name a few.

Sixers' point guard Jrue Holiday hopes to add his name to that list soon enough.

As the youngest player in the NBA last season, Holiday experienced his fair share of growing pains during his transition to the pro game.

As a 19-year-old rookie, he struggled at times to make the conversion from scoring guard - which he was during his one season at UCLA - to a more conventional point guard role.

Less than two years removed from his days back at Pauley Pavilion, the Sixers' lead guard has quickly blossomed into one of the best young talents in the NBA.


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Without Chris Pronger in the lineup, the Philadelphia Flyers found a way to win back-to-back games for the first time in nine games as they escaped the ACC Centre with a 3-2 victory on Thursday night.

Claude Giroux and his line contributed a goal and three assists while Brian Boucher stopped 27 of 29 shots as the Flyers pushed their lead in the Eastern Conference to four points over the Boston Bruins.

Giroux scored his 22^nd goal of the season at 14:40 in the second period when he fired a touch pass from James van Riemsdyk into an open net. Giroux's goal turned out to be the game winner.

He's the Flyers' leading scorer with 63 points.

In the first period, Giroux picked up an assist on Andrej Meszaros' power play tally at 4:55. With the power play set up, Giroux fed Meszaros a one-timing pass with traffic in front of Toronto goalie James Reimer.

The goal was Meszaros' sixth of the season.


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There are no such things are moral victories in the Sixers' locker room.

However, after Wednesday's night's disappointing 110-105 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, many Sixers' fans probably came to a similar conclusion.

We may have something here.

Heading into the game, it was logical - reasonable, even - to have expected the Sixers to lose against the Thunder. Oklahoma City was coming off of a bad loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, and is battling to hold onto the 4th seed in the Western Conference.

Even after the Sixers started out the game on a 12-2 run, it seemed that it would be only a matter of time before the Thunder inevitably came back, which they did in short order in the first quarter.

What happened next was a bit of a surprise.

The Sixers - one of the hottest teams in the NBA - stood toe-to-toe with the Thunder all night, virtually matching them shot for shot. The last two quarters were especially frenzied - the dynamic Oklahoma City duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook carried the Thunder on their backs as they withstood the Sixers' multi-dimensional attack.


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Recently, former Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook expressed a desire to return to Philly, hinting along the way he'd be fine with a backup role to up-and-coming star LeSean McCoy.

"I talk to Coach (Andy) Reid every week or so," Westbrook told NBC 10 and Comcast SportsNet. "We always talk. And I would love to be back in Philly, so we'll see how things go ... I think I can help out. I think they have a very good group of young guys on the team, as far as every position. But I still think that I can help this team win."

I was never as big a Westbrook fan as most around the city seemed to be. There was no doubting that he was a great all-around player as he could do a lot of things very well, but I thought he was more of a play-maker than he was a real running back.

Outside of 2006 and 2007, Westbrook never really displayed great field vision and more often than not was running with his head down into the pile for a yard or two. He might follow that up with a swing pass for 15 yards, but that's not the makings of a great running back, it's the makings of a guy who should have always been the second option in a 1-2 punch.


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