Begin Again

And so the posts begin again. I realize I haven't posted in quite some time. But I thought I'd post again, just to see if anyone still wanted to read my ramblings about sports. But now, on to what really matters. The sports.

Tonight, I have 2 tickets to the Eagles game. The Eagles will be hosting the 7-6 Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football. What does this mean for the Eagles? Well, in the end, not much. The writing appears to be on the wall for Andy Reid. at 4-9, the Eagles sit in the basement of the NFC East, and appear poised to stay there for the remainder of the season. The one bright spot tonight will be the play of young players, particularly Nick Foles.

Can he be the quarterback the Eagles need? Last week showed some flashes of brilliance, and a last minute drive. Both of which Eagles fans haven't seen for a while. And that will hopefully bring some energy to the home crowd tonight.  Because last week was his audition for whoever his new coach will be. But this week could be considered his audition for Eagles fans. Have we seen him play before? Yes. But have we seen him play after a victory like their win over Tampa Bay? No. But Foles won't be alone tonight

Playing behind Foles, but working equally as hard to guarantee a roster spot under a new coach will be Bryce Brown.

Brown has also shown flashes of ability in his games since LeSean McCoy went down with a concussion. Flashes that have left Philadelphia fans drooling. Imagine, a team with a competent head coach and a healthy offense line, directed by Nick Foles, with the tandem of McCoy and Brown in the backfield.? That sounds  like a  team Philly fans want to see. But until next season, all we have are games like tonight. A game with a bad offensive line. A game where the best thing we can do is play spoiler. But hell, its still a game, and the Eagles still want to win.

And I think they will.

The Trade Deadline

The Phillies made a lot of noise at the the trade deadline this season. And for the first time in a long time, it wasn't the Phillies signing a big name. It was the Phillies trading big names. Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino are gone. And with them, quite a bit of salary.

So where do the Phillies go from here? It's a tough question. with these trades the Phillies have clearly given up on the 2012 season, and also at any chance of the playoffs. And freeing up salary will let them sign players in the offseason that will help in a playoff run in 2013. But those hoping for a World Series in 2012 are out of luck.

And those who liked Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence are out of luck. Victorino was certainly a fan favorite, and though Pence hasn't played for the Phillies long, he's quickly become a fan favorite. So how will the Phillies replace these 2 players?

With wins, that's how.

Wins are what really matters. And with Hamels, Halladay, Howard, Utley, Rollins, and Lee still on the roster, plenty of fan favorites still exist. And plenty of players who can win are still on this roster. All the Phillies need are some every day players who can play up to expectations, and not give up bad defensive plays while batting poorly.

Does that mean Mayberry and Brown need to step up? Yes. It does. But with this season a lost cause, it gives the Phillies 40 or so games to see what they have. Will Brow or Mayberry step up? Int he end who cares? If they do, great! the Phillies have two outfielders they need. If they don't, then the Phillies know what they need to do in the offseason. Either way, these trades will let the Phillies better prepare for next season, and hopefully another playoff run.

The Decision

Silas Redd has made his decision. And for PSU fans, its not the decision that we wanted to hear. Silas Redd will be a Trojan in the 2012 college football season. Is this what PSU fans wanted? no. But should PSU fans be mad at Silas Redd? NO!

Redd committed to Penn State to play for Joe Paterno, and to play for bowl games and national championships. And despite the obvious irony of transferring from one school facing sanctions to another, I can't blame Redd for switching schools.

let's looka t facts. at PSU, Redd has 2 seasons of eligibility left. But after a stellar sophmore season, with over 1200 yards and 7 touchdowns, he faces no bowls or postseason for the rest of his career. At USC, despite sanctions, its a different case. He faces one year of postseason sanctions, then the trojans are free to compete for postseason glory. So after what will essentially be a warmup year, Redd will be able to lead the Trojans to glory in the weakest conference iin college football. In terms of a post college career, Redd probably made the right choice.

But it's not the choice PSU fans wanted to see. We wanted to see Redd stick by his word, and play for PSU despite sanctions. we wanted to see Redd lead this team to a winning record, and fight against what many view as unjust NCAA sanctions. But alas, it's not to be.

Instead, Redd joins Lane Kiffin at USC. A school that most PSU fans, myself included, detest. But we can't hate Redd for his decision. And we can't blame him for leaving. he made the decision that was the best for him and his future. Instead, PSU fans need to face this season with the team we have. And with the commits we have. and we have a strong team left, and strong commitments from high school players. The future of PSU players did not depend on Silas Redd. But he sure would have helped.

Will They Stay or Will They Go?

Today is the day of reckoning for Penn State fans. Penn State has had sanctions levied on them. But most of the players have reaffirmed their commitment to stay. Most of the recruits have also committed to Penn State. But there are still a few players who haven't made a commitment. And the most important of those players is Silas Redd.

Redd is expected to make an announcement concerning his decision to stay or go. And the school he's considering is USC. And can you blame Redd? He's a star and a stud running back. With a couple more seasons of good football, Redd has a solid chance to be high draft pick. The problem he faces is a matter of publicity. where will he get more? Succeeding at USC, and succeeding in bowl games? Or leading a Penn State team facing crippling sanctions?

It's a tough choice. USC not only means press and bowl games, it also means a probable chance at a national championship. The PAC-12 has been a playground for USC over the last 10 years. And with Matt Barkley leading the charge, and Silas Redd in the backfield, the Trojans would a force in the PAC-10. And for a young college athlete, this has to be an alluring offer.

But to stay at Penn State? That would take guts. leading a team for two seasons with no shot at a bowl. No shot at a Big 10 championship. And a virtual guarantee that each season will be worse than the last. But the respect and admiration that he would gain by staying? Unmeasurable. He would be a hero to the Penn State nation. And he would also be an example for his fellow players who are looking at other teams.

So Penn Staters are holding their collective breath. And praying that Redd chooses to stay. It's not that the season hangs on Redd one way or the other. But he will be a huge help to an offense that hasn't exactly lit up the scoreboard in recent seasos. So Redd would be a big help.

So all Penn State fans can do now is wait. And hope that the good qualities o Penn State, and the culture of the University can help convince Redd to stay. Because it wouldn't just be a big statement for the season, it would be a big statement for the University. It would show that despite the crippling NCAA sanctions, Penn State is going to fight hard on and off te field.

MLS All Stars vs. Chelsea FC

The MLS All Stars won the match 3-2. A fantastic result for MLS, especially considering their opponents were the Champions Leaague winners. So what does this victory mean for the league, and more importantly your Philadelphia Union?

Well, short term, it means nothing. But in the eyes of the world, I think it shows a of of growth for the league. let's face it, the MLS is often maligned as a league of weak players, and semi retired European players looking for some easy money. I think this year's friendlies, and the match between the AllStars and Chelsea, are starting to show the world what the MLS is made of.

Granted, the MLS is not up to par with European sides yet. premier League teams they are not. But they are  getting better. And the world would do well to recognize it. Not only do stars like Landon Donovan and David Beckham play in the MLS. But stars like Freddy Montero and Michael Farfan make their home here too. And as the talent level continues to rise, respect for league should grow as well.

But one All Star game does not mean instant respect. other MLS clubs need to step up to the plate. An All Star win is nice. But the MLS clubs in the Conacaf Champions League need to start winning too. International wins are what bring respect, and the MLS needs to step up to the plate and win some matches in international play.

But until that happens, I'll take a win over Chelsea any day.

Moving On

The next era of Penn State football is beginning. And while it appears to be a foregone conclusion the team will be mediocre at best, thanks to incredibly strong NCAA sanctions. But Bill O'Brien isn't going to let that stop him. As he made the rounds today, he outlined the reasons Penn State will continue to be a successful institution.

And what he mentioned are strong reasons for new recruits to come to Penn State.  Where else can you play 6 or 7 home games a season in front of 108,000 screaming fans? Despite the sanctions, Penn State will still be a nationally broadcasted team. And Bill O'Brien has coached teams in the Super Bowl. So there are still reasons to come to Penn State. Good reasons.

Unfortunately, that won't be enough. The current players have expressed their commitment to Penn State. Maybe they'll all stay. Some players will leave. Who will leave remains to be seen. And certain players can't be blamed for leaving. Silas Redd for example. He's a fantastic player, with a real chance to get drafted and play in the NFL. And on a Penn State team that could recruit normally and play in Bowl games, Redd may have had a chance to do something wonderful. But rumors have him talking to USC.

So all that's left now is to play some football, and let the chips fall where they may. The NCAA has seen to it that Penn State will be a sub par program for the foreseeable future. Once the current crop of players leave, Penn State will be a broken and battered program. Instead of scheduling small weak programs for us to beat up on in the opening weeks of the season, we will be that team. And that's not what PSU fans are used to.

But it will end. The sanctions will end, and when O'Brien gets a chance to recruit with the promise of bowl games and scholarships, the ship will right itself.

In the meantime, only 38 days until we play Ohio. And I can't wait.

Sanctions and Their Repercussions

Well, there you go. Joe Pa's wins are gone. 4 year bowl ban. And Penn State football is now being run by the NCAA. And what for? For a man who committed horrible atrocities and was not an employee of the University? Because criminal courts can't adequately punish those who committed the crimes? No, they are punishing a program because they feel they need to act.

And my problem with the punishments is just that. Sandusky is a monster. Who committed awful crimes. But he was not an employee. I can't stress that enough. He was not an employee. Did Sandusky's actions give Penn State a competitive advantage? Were their players committing crimes? Their coaches giving an advantage? No. None of the above.

So my question is, where does the NCAA get this power? It's an organization that was founded to promote fairness among athletic programs. And that is an admirable thing. Fairness is important. But this is so far outside of the NCAA's jurisdiction it's scary. There was no question of fairness, no question of on the field problems or infractions.

So now Penn State faces a 4 year bowl ban. And loses their win records. And all of these things may have been warranted. But the circumstances just seem a little off. Yes it was a horrible thing that occurred. But the NCAA didn't commission an investigation. They gave their president dictatorial power to lord his will over the Penn State football program. So where do we go from here?

Bill O'Brien had a nearly impossible job. Now it's even harder. His program has literally no incentive to bring players into the program now. you won't see a powerful Penn State football team for a decade or maybe more now. And that will have repercussions beyond just the football field. A bad football team will lead to a lack of fans attending the game. A lack of fans will hurt central Pennsylvania in a way the NCAA can't quite see. Central PA depends quite a bit on PSU football for economic prosperity. That will go away.

So was this the right thing to do? No. The people who committed these crimes are being punished criminally. Or they are dead. Vacating the wins? That I have no problems with. But the bowl ban? And the financial penalties? These are leveled by an organization far overstepping their bounds.  Penalties for a crime that had nothing to do with the football program.

And people will say hero worship. People will say it's a cult. And they can. But that's not what it is on my end. I'm completely fine with the loss of the wins. Take JoePa's wins. if he did everything they claim in the Freeh Report, that is a viable punishment. But to punish a program, when in reality it as the action s of a select few, all of whom are dead or being punished criminally, I think these are inappropriate punishments.