Baseball and a little basketball too.

So i guess that I should stop procrastinating and start working on this whole blog thing. Its crazy time goes by so fast is weird to think that it is already October. And with the onset of fall comes two very important things in the world of sports and those are hockey and basketball. Its crazy because we philly fans have been so spoiled in the last three years with October baseball that we forget to realize that its now time for something else other then the fightins. Don't get me wrong this is nothing better in life then waking up at noon, watching two hours of sportscenter then going straight into three back to back games of good quality baseball. Even though they lost yesterdays phils game was exactly what we have come to expect from this team, down to the wire quality baseball.

I listen to the onslaught of ignoramus on wip and how they constantly want to bitch about Cole Hamel's and his control and how he had a rough outing today. Personally i don't think it was a bad day for Cole. Yes seven hits on 83 pitches isn't spectacular but you try to concentrate on baseball when your wife is waiting to have your first child. (btw on a side note CONGRATS). The thing that baffled me during that game was the use of the bullpen. I could see using Blanton or Happ as a backup to eat up innings but why both. not to mention you use Eyre and Madson. We still need to win two more games to move on and i cant think of who they will use as a started after Pedro pitches Saturday. its one of those classic ideas that when it comes to a bullpen if it works then the manager is a genius (crosses fingers) but if it fails then you become the Mets.

Anyone off that note now its time to talk about the real reason I wanted to write this and that is the upcoming winter sports season. I have been so interested in baseball that I completely forget that hockey season was starting. Now I am not a huge flyers fan and i think its cause i cant relate due to the fact that I cant ice skate. (which is odd cause I'm 5'8 and love basketball). I felt bad cause the only thing i really remembered about hockey and the flyers this season was that they were playing in the winter classic at fenway and for some reason thought that was going to be the start of the season. but hey look at those flyers they start our 3-0 with a new goalie that fits the perfect Philly stereotype. (angry, a felony conviction and a bad attitude) AWESOME. I did finally get down to watching a game and it was last nights game against the penguins.

I really only did that is cause katies family loves pittsburgh and it would have given me good fodder to joke with her dad (its just sad to make so many pirates jokes its like poking a stranded jellyfish with a really pointy stick). But i gotta say the flyers played well. I mean yes we are exactly what the flyers should be: old, angry and above all else scrappy. Infact i actually think I saw someone bite someone else at the end of the game. (mike tyson anyone). If this is the way the hockey season is going to go then hey bring it on its time for some hockey. (btw it was nice to see them beat the caps, i really dont like ovechkin). So with one season beginning now its time for the real fun to start.

I know what your saying, how bout that ufl...... j.p losman and weird uniforms. I think not. No really people there still is another sport out there and its called basketball.

Its finally time for sixers basketball season. Just like the other 5000 people that actually paid attention to the sixers last year its actually exciting for me to see some new basketball games in philly. I think it helped that i spent the summer enthralled in everything comcast and sixers so i guess i am part biased. But seriously guys this team could be really good.

The Sixers made the playoffs and pushed the eventual Eastern Conference champs to a very tough opening series and even though the team hired probably the dumbest coach in NBA history this team has a chance. (as long as this give up on the whole Princeton offense nonsense, i mean guys come on we saw how well it worked in Washington). The team has talent and have actually fixed some of their only problems from last year (accept for the fact that SamuelDalembert is still a sixer but that is a rant for another day.)

The sixers had two main probelms last year: Post play and three point shooting.

The sixers made only 31.8% of their threes last year and most of those were made by Igoudala who should have been the only person shooting the ball last year anyway. So to fix this problem the sixer bring in Jason Kapono who shoots a career 45% from three. So in this aspect Ed Stefanski made a smart move (brace yourself its the only time ill probably ever say that). One problem solved one more to figure out.

Post Play: In comes a hopefully healthy Elton Brand. The 14 million dollar machine will hope to play an entire season with bruising his surgically repaired ankle. If healthy this could be exactly what the sixers will need. The only fault i see what this is that we all know Brand will not play every minute so there will be times that there will have to be other post players in the game, your options: Jason Smith or Dalembert. On this one ill choose the white kid.

Now ive met Jason he is a really nice guy and at 7'0 he could be a promising young post player. We really dont know what he has to bring to a pro game seeing as he was injured all last season but as we have seen in the sixers past philly has a may to make 7'0 guys look productive (todd mccullough!).

So in this sense I really thing the sixers can do something this year. Heck they made the playoffs and at 41-41 last year the teams has no where to go but up. I mean if you start average and are coming off an average year and you add and average coach and average players how can you not expect to become average. Anyway that all i got for now.

Maybe ill update during the phils game on saturday.