Everything You Want to Know About Philly Sports

NBA Draft talk

2008-12-24T17:59:00.000-08:00

This is a very weak draft imo (which means literally nothing because like in any draft it is a complete crapshoot). There are only two players that are bonafied superstars imo and they are Ricky Rubio and Blake Griffin. Rubio has Derrick Rose potential, and Griffin is a clone of Karl Malone. Both are 1 and 2 and are interchangeable. That much is a given.

Now the rest...top 5 based on Sixer needs.

I've had the pleasure of watching Jordan Hill from Arizona multiple times and the talk of him being the most improved player in college is absolutely spot on. Hill made his mark as a Cdeib favorite as just a premiere defensive big man out of the Pac 10. Not anymore. Hill has developed the post skills and touch inside the paint needed to be a top tier big man prospect. After watching several of his games, I have come out with my jaw dropping. Everyone may think 'we already have Brand and Speights blah blah blah'. But the disapointment that the Sixers are, you can't pass up on talent, which is exactly what the Sixers lack.

James Harden might be the best basketball player in this draft. As a medium sized SG, Harden is a finesse type guard that uses his body and fundamentals to fill up the stat sheet. Harden has all the ability to take over in the college level, but I'm not that positive that it will translate to the NBA level. A lot of Harden's points come from inside the paint, and even though Harden has an excellent jumpshot, it's not any where near the level it needs to be (yet). Still, all things considered, Harden is THE top player on the Sixers big board. Harden would be a perfect fit on the Sixers run and gun type of offense. When I think of Harden I think of Mardy Collins with higher offensive skills.

Al Farouq Aminu is the best player in college you haven't heard of. With a Hakim Warrick-esque body and higher developed offensive and defensive skills (just a freshman), there is no doubt in my mind that Aminu will be a top ten pick in this draft. While Hakim Warrick has difficulty translating to the NBA as a wingman, Aminu fits in perfectly with a better handle and better overall skill set. While I understand that Aminu is a SF and we already have Thad and Iggy, there is no chance the Sixers can pass up on this talent. Aminu may have the most potential out of any player in this draft.

Stephen Curry might not be a popular player to select in the lottery. What is the biggest weakness on the Sixers? Everyone will tell you a lack of a shooter. While Curry might not be a pure starter in the NBA, a lot of people said the same thing about Ben Gordon when he was drafted. While undersized, Stephen Curry has shown IMMENSE improvement in his point guard skills. I know I may end up eating my words, but Stephen Curry might be the best NBA ready player in this draft (even above Blake Griffin). Curry is exactly what he is, a gunner with the ability to take a team on his shoulders. Isn't that what we need? I'm in love with this kid. I think he is exactly what we need, which is why I have him as number two on my Sixers big board.

Brandon Jennings.... I don't really know much about this guy because I haven't seen him play. The truth is he was the top high school prospect in America and he has apparently played well in Europe so far, which is a surprise imo. There is no doubt that Jennings will be jumping to the NBA, and that Andre Miller will be traded or leave to another team by the end of this season. Jennings is a point guard prospect with super athleticism. That's all I can really tell you about him until I see him play more. Based on what I've read and heard about him, he is worth taking a waiver.

The best of the rest: (in order of Sixer need)

Darren Collison
Jrue Holiday
Demar Derozan
Patrick Patterson
Dejuan Blair
Hasheem Thabeet
Gani Lawal

Thoughts?

Sixers lack chemistry and consistency, but one HELL of a win last night!!!

2008-11-15T05:48:00.000-08:00

The Sixers cannot continue to be this inconsistent on both ends of the floor. Iguodala should never have the ball in his hands unless he is attacking the rim or on the fastbreak, period. Ever since the playoffs last season his shot selection has gone from bad to being a nightmare. In fact, that is a major problem for this team. When the Sixers were losing in the first half, it wasn't like the Sixers were just missing shots. The Sixers took terrible shot after terrible shot, did not push the tempo and gave up waaaaaay too many easy points in the paint. That IS something to worry about since our interior defense is suppose to be the biggest strength on this team. Samuel Dalembert is completely lost out there. We knew he had transition issues before but now, without a role on offense, he is playing like his head got cut off. SOMETHING must be done about the chemistry between Andre Miller and Elton Brand. If I see Miller pass to Brand just inside the 3 point line one more time I will freak out. Brand must be given the ball closer to the hoop and until then we will continue to be this inconsistent. I was hoping for more out of Kareem Rush last night. When they entered the game at the same time last night it reminded me of fellow Zona alums Iguodala and Richard Jefferson played each other for the first time. Rush didn't have a big game, but I would have liked to see Rush get more than one shot from the field last night. LouWill's shooting has been below average lately since the first game of the season, which is largely responsible due to Willie Green's emergence. I have no problem with LouWill and Willay splitting the backup guard position based on who is hot and who is not. Our back court players are getting a lot of wide open looks so far this season and this is a huge complement to Elton Brand.

Bottomline, the POTENTIAL is definitely there. The question is when will they put it all together? We do have a good chance to get something going here with the weak schedule, but I am simply not confident in this team due to zero chemistry all around. Mo Cheeks has zero control over this team. In the first half I saw Sixer players running up and down the court on a regular basis, turnover after turnover and zero plays being run on offense. They wait WAY too long to get a shot off, and throwing it up with 2 seconds left on the shot clock will not help your field goal percentage. Even worse, the shots they get off are horrendous. When the chemistry gets there, this team will be tough, but until then, this is exactly what we're gonna see: inconsistency, predictability on offense, and bad shooting.

Some Early Observaions in College Basketball

2008-11-15T05:27:00.000-08:00

Dejuan Blair- 17 poins 13 rebounds. Other than Griffin Blair is the best NBA PF prospect in the draft. Him and Lance Fields are one of the best duos in the country.

Hasheem Thabeet- 23 points 17 rebounds 5 blocks. I wrote this guy off a couple of years ago, but after seeing Roy Hibbert show some life in the NBA, I'm starting to warm up to this kid. Obviously there is no possible way a team like Western Carolina could stop a 7'3 big man, but Thabeet is quietly becoming the best player in the best conference in college basketball.

Damion Jones had a quiet night with 13 points and 7 rebounds for Texas. Same with Connor Atchley, one of the best role players in college bball.

Blake Griffin had a typical night with 24 points and 18 rebounds. The most telling prospect for college big man, imo, is field goal percentage and Griffin was no slouch going 9-11 from the field. Griffin is far and away the best prospect big man in college.

James Harden had 24 points and 10 assists. This is the best SG prospect in the draft, bar none, and a lock for the lottery.

Jerel Mcneal is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft in my opinion. He had 20 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds last night. Mcneal is one of the best defensive guards in college and should be a solid second round pick for anyone.

Nick Calethes had 16 points and 7 assists. Of all the prospects in college this kid has flown the most under the radar. We'll see how he plays, but I think he has lottery pick potential.
My BOY Stephen Curry had 29 POINTS, 9 STEALS, and 10 ASSISTS. Curry is no doubt one of the best scorers in the league, but this season he is smartly transfering his skills to the point guard positin which benefit him in the draft. He'll always been seen as an undersized guard, and could be a college wonder that never could hack it in the NBA, but if he shows some kind of point guard skills this season I would not be surprised to see someone take a gamble on him in the lottery.

Al Farouq Aminu had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. Aminu is the best freshman in the country in my opinion. After watching him numerous times in high school, there is no one in college with his athleticism, talent, size and wing span. Aminu is the best player you never heard of, and he is a lock as a top 3 pick.

Ok night for Scottie Reynolds with 13 points and 6 assists. Villanova has crazy depth at guard, and I'd like to see Scottie work his best on his point guard skills this season. He was a standout freshman because of his playmaking skills, but had a somewhat dissapointing sophomore season because he tried to score too much. Stokes and Fisher are one year older, and Reynolds must spread the ball as much as possible if he wants to be looked at as one of the top point guards in the country.

Disapointing night for Patrick Patterson who only played 27 minutes for 8 points and 7 rebounds in the loss to Virginia Military. Patterson is an undersized big man that gets by with his athleticism and wingspan, but I'm a little worried that he is not a game changer. He is injury prone and must make Kentucky a contender in a weak SEC. Jodie Meeks had 39 points last night. His average ppg has been 8 so I'm not sure where this offensive explosion came from. I'll be watching him for sure.

Dionte Christmas had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists in a good win for my Temple Owls. Christmas is one of the most fluid scorers in college and is a likely late first round pick when he declares. Underrated big man Lavoy Allen had 14 points and 15 rebounds and could fly under the radar. Allen was a key component to Temple's tourny run last season as a freshman, and should evolve as one of the best big man in the A10 very soon.

Ahmad Nivins had an excellent night with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Nivins is the best player on St. Joes, and I cannot wait to see Christmas and Nivins go at it this season.

Things that must improve for the 76ers

2008-11-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

Still frustrated after last night...

Off the top of my head:

Andre Miller is NOT running the show and cannot get Brand the ball in the paint where he is most effective, Mo Cheeks is having terrible difficulty finding a rotation that can find any sort of rhythm, Thad NEEDS more plays for him on offense as he is clearly our best offensive player right now, Iguodala cannot do anything right, his jump shot looks worse than last year and the offense must not be run through him anymore, Dalembert has zero chemistry with Brand in the paint and is still trying to do way too much on offense, Speights needs to play more, Louis Williams is our second best offensive player and could give Miller the boot (I think he's a better option at PG right now than Miller).....

Games like last night make me think about Miller's effectiveness with this team. Last year Miller was excellent at controlling the tempo of the game and getting others involved. This year he simply cannot do that. I don't know if it is Mo Cheek's substitutions, the new players, the lack of chemistry or due just to poor performance. When the Sixers get eaten alive by a guy like Mario Chalmers, who no disrespect is a decent player and one of my favs from Kansas, you have to wonder something is very wrong here. All in all I place the blame of last night's perfomance on the Andres. They simply must play better.

I think what we will see is a change in offense from Mo Cheeks. The offense is not working because Iguodala is expected to do too much and honestly, his handle is so poor that you cannot give him the ball and expect him to make a play for himself or others. THADDEUS is our best player right now and should take over his Iggy's role of getting others involved. Will that happen? Doubt it. We have to remember that it's only the 5th game and chemistry issues are to be expected. But last night's performance was unacceptable and frankly pathetic. I don't think I've ever seen a team so out of sinc since Iverson was here.

As for Mo Cheeks, it is clear that he has not instructed what he needs our players to do.

Samuel Dalembert CANNOT continue to put the ball on the floor after getting a offensive rebound a foot from the hoop and CANNOT continue to take jump shots.

Elton Brand CANNOT continue to take jump shots from the perimeter. Our rebounding has been good, but our offense will never flow until he is given the ball inside the paint on a consistent basis. Lets be clear, there have been MINIMAL plays running off of Brand on offense and Mo has to do a better job of that.

Thaddeus Young CANNOT continue to be our best option on offense in the first half, only to be completely dismissed in the second. Thad has leap frogged Iggy and has risen as our second best offensive player behind Elton Brand. More plays must be designed around Thad.

Andre Iguodala CANNOT continue with his dismal shot selection. He is trying to be Dwayne Wade and is far from it. A HUGE part of Iggy's ineffectiveness is a result of our lack of a transition offense and defense. The Sixers are creating turnovers therefore not getting any opportunities to run, which was Iggy's strength last season. When that happens his performance will increase, but his little step back jump shots just inside the 3 point line are making me go insane. Iggy's role should be limited to fast break points, put backs, getting to the free throw line and running off screens and pick and rolls. That's it.

Andre Miller CANNOT continue to turnover the ball. He is our leader and our entire offense. Last year he had a career year, so expectations might be a little high this season. He must learn how to get others involved fast, or our rising superstar Louis Williams might take his job sooner than we have imagined.

Overall Mo, Iggy, and Miller need to step up there game. No more half court offenses, run run run run run. Get Iggy in the game by pushing the tempo. Get Brand the ball in the paint and not at the free the line. Run some damn plays for Thaddeus Young in the second half. Tell Dalembert to stay in the paint and if he doesn't he will get b^tch slapped. Get Speights big time minutes. Get Reggie Evans the hell out of Philadelphia.

And that's the bottomline.

Sixers' Preseason Opener Game Review

2008-10-08T19:01:00.001-07:00

Sixers vs. Celtics game review 10/08/2008

First preseason game

Theo Ratliff- Still has excellent shot blocking ability and runs the floor much better than I thought he would. Missed an easy dunk when it looked like his knee went out underneath him. Got posterized against Kansas State disappointment Bill Walker on a broken play. If he doesn’t perform Speights could very well take his minutes, very fast. Grade C minus.

Louis Williams- Showed excellent handling and defense on the perimeter. Was looking for teammates in the first half, but showed that he is still the Sixers best offensive player. Next to Thad, LouWill looks very, very good. Came in as PG for Andre Miller. Pure stroke from 3 and showed excellent confidence with zero hesitation at the end of the third quarter. Made a circus shot in the fourth where he appeared to be blocked but threw the ball up just as he touched the ground and banked in the shot. Looked like Iverson on a cross over drive when he got fouled and made both free throws. Made multiple steals in the fourth quarter that were huge turn arounds to the game. Looked dominant at times. Found an open Speights after driving from the right, very Iverson-esque. Made two crucial free throws late in the game with 20 seconds left to give the Sixers a 3 point lead. The “start Louis Williams bandwagon” has officially begun. Grade A plus.

Andre Miller- Looked lazy on offense in the first half. Made an excellent transition pass to Thad. Looked good on a drive in the second half, which is his game. Grade Incomplete. Not sure what I really saw from him.

Andre Iguodala- Looked extremely passive in the first half. Made a bone head lob to Sammy when he could have just drove to the hoop for an easy lay up. Has no idea where to get Elton Brand the ball in the paint and looked very uncomfortable together. Finally showed a good touch from 3 when he had an open look. Looks to be taking command of the ball more on the transition. Jump shot reminds me of last year, inconsistent. Found Brand down low on a nice drive and dish to the hoop, Brand got fouled and made the free throw. This is key to the season. Really picked up his game in the second half. Grade C.

Thaddeus Young- Our best player in the first half. Showed incredible smarts and defense on the perimeter. Outside shot looks 100 percent improved with excellent fundamentals. Stroke looks extremely smooth and fluid. Made an excellent step back jump shot to start the second half. Looks twice the player he was last year. Can’t say it enough, his jump shot looks soooo much improved, another huge key to the 08-09 season. Made an excellent steal and finished with a silky smooth layup using his left hand on the break. Made an unbelievable play while double teamed under the hoop and made the basket. Played almost 40 minutes. Grade A.

Elton Brand- Looks a bit slow in the first half. Got blocked several times due to elevation, but he was never a high riser in the first place. Looked ok in the first half, not worried. Looked very bad when he got pick pocketed from Rajon Rondo. First step looks very slow. Shows excellent snap and finish on his free throws. Rimmed out a turn around jump shot that looked like it could have gone in 9 times out of 10. Was charged for an offensive foul on a BS play where Leon Powe deserved an Oscar. Grade B minus.

Royal Ivey- Trying to make his mark on the offensive end but failed miserably. Shot selection was bad in the first half. Plays and looks a lot bigger than his listed size. Could be a solid defender but looked very sloppy on both sides of the ball. Made his first basket of the game with a minute left to give the Sixers the lead, talk about ironic.Grade D. Saved himself from an F after making a key basket with less than a minute left.

Samuel Dalembert- Looked ok in the first half. Showed nice touch on a pull up j on transition. Good boxing out skills. Boston is running an offense similar to a street game so Dalembert really does not have a role tonight. Grade C.

Marreese Speights- Looked excellent in the first half. The kind of player you build around. He is always around the ball. He is definitely an NBA player. Shows excellent hands around the hoop and is an excellent finisher. Showed an excellent block on the weakside that was picked up by a Celtic for an easy lay up. Showed excellent help defense for Reggie Evans and caused a poor shot for the Celtics. Broke up an alley oop using his athleticism and long wing span. Made a huge steal with a minute left and looked horrible on a missed lay up. Was always around the ball late in the game though. Grade B minus.

Willie Green- Started out fast in the first half and did his role which is to score. First guard off the bench for Mo Cheeks in the second half. Airballed a wide open mid range jump shot. Louis Williams and Willie Green are now light years apart on offense. Grade C minus.

Kareem Rush- Didn’t even hear or see his name. Grade N/A

Reggie Evans- Looked like an absolute scrub in the first half with 3 fouls and giving the team no fire. First big off the bench. Looks very slow, much slower than last season. Traveled while trying to make a move on offense. Offensive game is scary similar to lsat year. Foul machine. Only good play was when he screamed for the ball when the refs gave it to the Celtics and won it back. Was attacked on defense countless times. Missed a wide open lay up with no one in front of him with 2 minutes letft. We’re gonna miss Jason Smith. Out muscled Leon Powe for a crucial rebound after a Celtic miss with 22 seconds lefts. Grade D plus.

First half- Very sloppy at times. Outside shooting looked to be solid but ironically our inside game was very poor. We didn’t seem to be into the game, maybe since Boston could not miss from outside. Announcers were extremely, extremely annoying and said nothing about the Sixers at any point in the game. I found it funny how the one Boston commentator said that Bill Walker was going to make the roster because he made a dunk lol. Boston simply made shot after shot in the first quarter. Every time the Sixers got it close the Celtics put it away with long range shots.

C minus

Second half- Thaddeus Young looks like he is playing 1 on 5 with the starters. No chemistry seen with our starters. Young is every where on the court from running in transition to fighting for offensive boards. Every time the Sixers cut it close the Celtics put it away again with a ton of mini runs on offense. A completely different team in the third quarter with hustle and pushing the tempo. Iguodala played a lot better but still shows an out of control type of offense with shot selection and bone headed passes. Brand got more involved in the third and took control. Defense really stepped up, both on the inside and perimeter. Elton Brand lost position to Leon Powe in the paint and gave up an easy lay up. Evans absolutely looked like the worst player on the court. Similar to the first half, LouWill and Thaddeus Young are the two best Sixer players on the court. They look much improved from last year, on defense and offense. LouWill dominated on offense for the Sixers once the fourth quarter began. Announcers continue to be horrendous when they say Gabe Pruit was playing good defense on LouWill when Williams was dominating on offense in the fourth lol. Disgraceful. LouWill and Thaddeus Young were simply every where on the court in the second half and looked like man among boys. Scalabrine…what a joke. Does the Irish mafia pay the Celtics to keep this guy on the roster? Speaking of a joke, those UMASS fans are horribly annoying after calling Reggie Evans an asshole for a legal rebound with 20 seconds left. Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young carried us the entire second half.

Grade B plus.

Player of the game: Louis Williams

Men's College Basketball Top 13 and Sleepers

2008-08-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

My Preseason Men’s College Basketball Top 13

1. Pittsburgh- The deepest, best team in the country. I don’t see how any team in the nation will be able to match up against DeJuan Blair this season. Blair was an absolute beast as a freshman last season, and this season I have him and Hansbrough going toe to toe for the top team in the country. While Hansbrough may get all the votes, Blair, without question, will own Tyler in the paint. Blair is a man’s man in the post and other than Blake Griffin is the top college player in the nation in my opinion. Add in a healthy Levance Fields and solid big man Sam Young and you got one heck of a physical team.

2. UNC- This is easily the most talented group of kids in the nation, led by top college player Tyler Hasbrough, this is a make or break season for the Tar Heels. In other words, it will be a massive failure for North Carolina not to win the national championship. Ty Lawson, although I am not a firm believer of this guy, is one of the top college point guards in college. Although he has skills, Lawson is simply too small and doesn’t display enough point guards skills to make it in the NBA, but in college he is a big time play maker and the spark of UNC with his speed and defense. Philly guard Wayne Ellington is ready to explode and become a regular household name in college basketball. Simply put, if UNC wants to cut down the net this year, it is up to Wayne Ellington. He needs to show more than his silky smooth shooting and become a reliable, impact scorer. Either way, this team is a lock for the Elite Eight. Look out for freshman Ed Harris to round out a weaker PF spot on the tar heels.

3. Gonzaga- I like this roster so much I could have easily put them ahead of UNC. Although elite prospect Austin Daye was a massive disaster last season, I expect him to have a stellar season for the Bulldogs. This might be the best starting lineup in college basketball. A healthy Josh Heytvelt, one of the top power forwards in college, will only make this team better. PG Jeremy Pargo is a very underrated leader, and Matt Bouldon and Micah Downs are very, very strong players to make a very, very effective back court. This team will be on easy street all the way to the tournament with such a strong lineup, which could be a bad thing come tourney time as they will not face difficult competition.

4. Michigan State- Raymour Morgan is one of the best players in the country, bar none. Similar to Pitt, this team doesn’t have many top prospects but are very deep with solid guys all the way around. Add in Tom Izzo who is the best coach in college basketball and Michigan State is a lock for the Elite Eight. Look out for top power forward, freshman prospect Delvin Roe who just adds even more talent to an already extremely deep Spartan roster.

5. UCLA- I simply cannot go against tradition. Every year this team simply recruits and performs. Although the Bruins lost Kevin Love to the lottery, they add in another elite prospect guard in Jrue Holiday and top center, freshman prospect J’Mison Morgan. Don’t forget about the top college point guard in the country in Darren Collison, and the Bruins are primed and ready for another tournament run. Youngest, best team in the country? Without a doubt.

6. Texas- This team really surprised me last season. Gary Johnson and especially Connor Atchley showed up to be very solid players last season. Top player Damion Jones makes this Texas team a top 13 team, and AJ Abrams is no slack. Although they lost DJ Augustin to the draft last year, this is another deep Texas team that is deep and solid all the way around.

7. Tennessee- Always an underrated squad, the Vols look to build upon last season with a run to the national championship. The SEC is in for another low season in basketball imo, and Tennessee is the best out of the bunch. JP Morgan and Tyler Smith lead the way for the Vols, while Wayne Chism is no slouch in the paint. Look out for top SF prospect Scotty Hopson to make an instant impact for Tennessee.

8. Oklahoma- Although I think Oklahoma is a bit overrated and playing in a poor conference this year, you can’t put away the team that has the best player in the country. Blake Griffin is a man among boys in college basketball, and should continue to show the same kind of dominance he showed as a true freshman last season. They’re not very deep, but elite freshman shooting guard Willie Warren hopes to make the Sooners an early powerhouse in 2008.

9. Duke- I always believe Duke is one of the most overrated teams in the country. Although they have a budding superstar in Kyle Singler, I don’t think this season will be any different. Greg Paulus is what he is, a decent college point guard who doesn’t do anything great. Philly boy Gerald Henderson has been in Wayne Ellington’s shadow his whole career and better put up more of a fight or this is going to be a long season for the Blue Devils. I have always thought that the ACC has been overrated, and this year is no different, so it will be the Tar Heel/Blue Devil show once again on ESPN. Look out for elite SG prospect Elliott Williams to round out a solid backcourt for the Blue Devils.

10. Arizona State- 2008 Player of the year candidate James Harden was the surprise freshman of the year last season. James Harden is a tall, smooth scorer that can finish, run, jump and score at any point on the court. Harden should put up staggering numbers this season. After last season’s dominance, it is a bit of a down year for the PAC 10 and the Sun Devils should coast into the tournament. Jeff Pendergraph looks to continue his success this season as the second scorer.

11. Notre Dame- Luke Harangody, the country boy who came out of no where last season, but I have a feeling this Notre Dame team is a bit overrated this season. Plus being in the top conference in the country doesn’t help the Fighting Irish. Although they’ll surely make the tournament, I see difficult times for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

12. Villanova- The one team I can see sky rocketing up the charts are the Villanova Wildcats. Although they aren’t nearly as good as Pitt, the Nova backcourt is as good as any in college basketball. Playmaker Scottie Reynolds is one of the most electrifying guards in the country, but needs to work on his shot selection as he had difficulty with his field goal percentage last season. Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes are very good, young guards who should lead Nova into the tournament.

13. Syracuse- I have feeling that Jonny Flynn is going to take the world by storm. Jonny Flynn is more than a dynamic scoring point guard and Paul Harris is the do it all type of forward that should be on a powerhouse team.

Top Sleepers

Al-Farouq Aminu- top freshman in the country imo
Marquette- another year for McNeal and James could be huge
Georgetown- if Greg Monroe puts it together Gtown could make some noise in the Big East

Extensive Sixers 2008 Season Preview

2008-08-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Guards

Andre Miller- Has to show- Mid range game

Andre Miller was easily the best player on the Sixers last season. Statistically, Andre Miller did not blow anyone away, but his leadership, getting others involved and control the offense was a pleasant surprise for Sixers fans that haven’t seen a true point guard play at an elite level in years. The Sixers made the 2007 playoffs with one of the least talented rosters in the NBA, a direct reflection upon Miller’s true ability to make those around him improve significant areas of their game. What Andre Miller must show this season is to continue to show the ability to hit the mid range jump shot at, again, a high frequency. With Brand and Iguodala spreading the court, Miller will gain the opportunity to receive much more, wide open jump shots around the perimeter. With defenses likely crowding the paint, our strength, to force the Sixers to shoot from the perimeter, our weakness, Miller must show efficiency in the mid range game on a team that lacks shooters.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 13-14 points, 8-8.5 assists, 3-4 rebounds

Royal Ivey- Has to show- Perimeter Defense/Ball Handling

Lets be honest…Royal Ivey was not brought here for his offense, we all know that. Royal Ivey’s main role for the Sixers will be to provide ball handling and defense to allow an emerging star guard, Louis Williams, to play his natural position and allow him to do what he does best: to put the ball in the hoop. Ivey is in a very good situation here. Although, not much will be asked of the young guard in this spot, but Ivey has real potential to surprise fans with his scoring ability. While not the most talented, Ivey does have skills to put it in the hoop. I have a strong feeling that Ivey, with his energy and defense, will become an instant fan favorite among Sixer fans. With a strongly defined role, Royal Ivey could really thrive in this position on the Sixers as a 3rd or 4th guard off the bench to provide hustle and defense.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 6 points, 3 assists

Andre Iguodala- Has to show- Range on his Jumpshot/Scoring

Andre Iguodala can’t even justify his own, overpaid contract, which literally makes him an upper echelon player in the NBA. Despite continuing to show improvements in all facets of his game, Iguodala is an above average player getting paid like a star. While his stats put him right up there as a top 30 or 40 player in the NBA, for a player that doesn’t do anything ‘great,’ that contract is pretty hefty. There is no doubt that this contract came from the Elton Brand signing, which quickly represented the Sixers’ willingness to go for a championship within the next 4 to 5 years. What Andre Iguodala must show this season, unless he wants to be a quick target from Philly fans, is that he is not just a run and gun scorer. Iguodala is being paid like a top scorer, and must display improvements in his ability to shoot with range and efficiency. If Iguodala develops a consistent mid range jump shot with range out to the 3 spot, Iguodala will certainly justify such a contract. The Sixers were, however, in no position to lose a player of his caliber. All things aside, it is good to have Iggy back in the fold. With Elton Brand giving the Sixers a true post presence, Iggy will have all the opportunities in the world to become a premiere scorer. With wider lanes, less double teams and less pressure, Iguodala is in prime position to make the All Star team this year, which his contract basically suggests he will be, but we all know that is all dependent on wins and losses.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats- 20 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals

Louis Williams- Has to show- Point Guard Instincts

There is no doubt, at all, that the biggest key to the Sixers’ season revolves around a budding star in Louis Williams. With Andre Miller continuing to stress that he will not stay in Philadelphia after this season, all eyes will be on the incumbent Louis Williams. Is LouWill a combo guard or a natural shooting guard? Will Louis Williams performance force the Sixers’ front office to trade Andre Miller? After receiving a very fair contract extension, we will certainly find out where Louis Williams stands in his development. Regardless, Louis Williams is the first player coming off a very good bench and a premiere candidate for sixth man of the year. Williams is primed and ready to jump into the spot light as a house hold name in the NBA. While Williams showed an improved handle and ability to find the open man last season, Williams still has ways to go until he becomes the starting point guard for the Sixers, especially with Iggy getting a large contract to be the SG and an emerging star at SF with Thaddeus Young. Despite the challenges to being a point guard, Louis Williams is a natural born scorer and an integral part to a Sixer playoff run.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats- 14-16 points, 5 assists, 1 steal

Willie Green- Has to show- Consistency

Every offseason Sixer fans demand to see consistency from Willie Green. A good scorer from the perimeter, Willie Green has shown flashes of being a solid starting NBA two guard. Unfortunitely, those streaks of brilliance are far and away thrown off by long patches of inconsistency and poor defense. Willie Green has potential to be an excellent option off the bench, it is a shame, however, that a player like Willie Green cannot possibly succeed in such a role. Willie Green is a rhythm player, therefore needing more touches to get in the rhythm of the game and thus be effective in the offense. With such a deep bench and the additions of Ivey and Rush, Willie Green is on the way out looking in at this point.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats- 2-3 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound

Forwards

Thaddeus Young- Has to show- Mid range game

Everyone couldn’t have been more impressed with the rook that took the world by storm once inserted into the starting lineup. Thaddeus Young was a huge factor in the second half surge that took the Sixers to the playoffs in 2007. With his elite defense, ability to finish around the hoop, run the court and play to his strengths, Thaddeus Young put up averages of 12 and 7 as a starter and looks to build upon those numbers in 2008. What was most impressive for such a young rookie last year was Thad’s ability to play the game to the best of his strengths, which was using his athleticism and wingspan to crash the rim, scoring off putbacks and in transition and playing defense on the perimeter. Although he showed a natural ability to hit big shots from the key, Thad’s biggest area of improvement must be his mid range shooting. As Thad moves from power forward to his natural position at small forward, he must continue to do all the things that allowed him adjust well to the challenges of the NBA. Thad is the key to the 2008 season, as it is his progress and development that’ll make the Sixers a playoff team to a championship team. How long will that be? I don’t know about you, but I’ll put my money on Thad.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block

Kareem Rush- Has to show- 3 point shooting

Another one of Ed’s FA signings, Kareem Rush was brought here for one reason, to shoot the three. Similar to Ivey, and with a smooth stroke, Rush is in another excellent position to thrive on a team that needs shooting. Kareem Rush will idol Kyle Korver’s role on the Sixers a year prior, providing a spark with his long range jay and a steal every now and then. Rush is in a great position because of the player in front of him. Although Thaddeus Young showed excellent strides last season, no one is quite positive as to how many minutes Young will ever put forth for an entire season. Enter Kareem Rush, Thad’s lone back up who could get more minutes than any other back up on the bench other than Louis Williams. Rush is another player on the bench that could become an instant fan favorite with Philly fans.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 6-7 points

Elton Brand- Has to show- Durability

The Sixers finally obtained their superstar in Elton Brand, a defensive minded power forward who is arguably a top 15 player in the NBA. Last season the Sixers went as far as their post play took them. Without a legit post threat, the Sixers were in a large hole every game as opposing teams used their lack of a post presence to their advantage. Although starting Thaddeus Young at the 4 spot helped with their fast break, when it came to the playoffs where the half court offense is almost required, the Sixers did their best to manage with Reggie Evans. Elton Brand gives the Sixers a legit threat in the paint that will command double teams and open up the entire game plan for the Sixers. With so many athletic wingmen and a pass first point guard, the addition of Elton Brand should lead an offense that is aggressive and physical to say the least. The only area Elton Brand needs to improve upon is durability, and to earn the contract he received. As Elton Brand goes, so do the Sixers.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 19-20 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 assists

Marreese Speights- Has to show- Hustle

Lets be frank… Despite how good Speights looked in the Summer League, he will receive ample playing time this season due to being the back up of Elton Brand. Speights’ playing time will most likely come during garbage and/or the latter parts of the season when Brand will need more time off to get ready for the playoffs. Still, one cannot simply ignore the skills displayed last Summer. Speights showed incredible athleticism, an incredibly smooth mid range jumper, the ability to finish with both hand and excellent ability to rebound and block shots from the weakside. In other words, Speights has all the tools in the world to succeed in the NBA along with excellent frame, size and wingspan. Due to receiving ample playing time, Marreese Speights must show the effort and hustle he displayed in the Summer League. Why? Due to the depth of our front court, Speight’s role will be to hold on his in the paint and play defense.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block

Reggie Evans- Has to show- Leadership

In my opinion, Reggie Evans can be saved until the playoffs. He is an absolute lock to make this roster due to the youth on the roster, and his physical play, combined with the fundamentals of Elton Brand, has a great chance of rubbing off on Marreese Speights on how to play the game (which is huge). I’ll admit, I was against bringing Reggie Evans in for Steven Hunter…. But shit was I wrong… Reggie Evans, with the way the Sixers play, is the life and soul of this team. His leadership is an absolute must for our roster because he symbolizes how the Sixers should play. With the Sixers size advantage, athleticism, defense and rebounding, Reggie Evans should show our youngsters a thing or two about the life of the NBA. Evans, ironically, almost single handedly carried us in the playoffs against Detroit, and he is a perfect bench player to have on any team trying to make a run in the playoffs.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 3 points, 2 rebounds

Centers

Samuel Dalembert- Has to show- Role

Last year WAY too much was being asked of Samuel Dalembert… to the point where the Sixers turned him into a jump shooting big man that stayed clear of the paint. Not happening this year. With Elton Brand commanding double teams, Samuel Dalembert should be primed and ready to catch any kind of lob or pass headed his way for an open bucket. What I want to see out of Samuel Dalembert is a more defined role for the offense and defense. Instead of staying outside on offense, Dalembert should focus on centering around the paint and looking for the lob or dish around the hoop, period. On defense, where he should shine, Dalembert should, like on offense, stay in the paint and simply look to rebound and block shots. Dalembert should have a huge year defensively for the Sixers, and this should be his primary concern. No more long bombs from the perimeter. Dalembert should get plenty of looks from a slashing Iggy, double teamed Elton Brand or on the fast break.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 9-10 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks

Theo Ratliff- Has to show- Energy

Theo Ratliff has been brought back to do one thing, provide energy off the bench and spell Samuel Dalembert in case of foul trouble. Not much is expected of Ratliff, but one thing is for sure, he was a fan favorite in Philadelphia and should get a ton of rousing applauses from the fans. In fact, I would be shocked if he doesn’t get a standing ovation each time he runs onto the court this season. People say he’s oft-injured and he certainly is, but he definitely looked pretty good albeit horrible front court last year in the playoffs when he played for Detroit. If he gives us half of what he gave us in 2000-2001, our front court should simply be nasty, and not fall off a bit when Sammy D takes a few minutes off to relax on the bench.

Likely 2008 NBA Stats: 3 points, 4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks

In total that is about 102 points per game, exactly where I expect the offense to be around this season.

In summary, the Sixers have excellent wingmen, a top 10 point guard in my opinion, one of the best front courts in the NBA as well as one of the best benches in the entire NBA.

Wins 56.

Early 2008 NBA Draft Stock Watch

2008-02-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

Stock Rising:

Michael Beasley: Had a 40 point, 17 rebound performance last week. He's easily the best prize in the draft, and all around talent. Unanimous top pick.

Brook Lopez: Lopez has just been having monster game after monster game lately. As Stanford gets closer to the tournament, I fully expect Brook Lopez to sky rocket up the charts. He is a clear top 5 pick in the draft, and I must say he has me eating crow. I never knew he was this good.

Donte Green: After a slow start Donte Green is silently putting together one of the greatest freshman performances in college history. After a huge 18 pt 16 reb performance to beat Georgetown, Donte Green and Syracuse have just about sealed the deal with making their bid for the tournament. Those Carmello comparisons don't seem that far off anymore do they?

Eric Gordon: The best shooting guard in college, bar none. His stock continues to rise, like others, as the tournament picture begins to appear itself. While Gordon has a reputation as a gunner, he's a much better passer than people know. Height and comparisons to Ben Gordon will always be his downfall, and the reason he may slip in the draft. On talent alone he would be a top 3 pick.

Jerryd Bayless: Has already proved himself as second top lead guard in college basketball. His combo of offensive, passing and team leadership skills at such a young age is frightening. Bayless has had an unbelievable week averaging around 34 points per game. No one has increased their stock this season more so than Bayless. He is a lock to go in the top ten.

Davon Jefferson: The other guy on that struggling USC squad. Mayo's struggles has led to Jefferson's arrival as a top tier SF prospect. He easily has one of the best mid range games in college, and is also an excellent finisher on the break. A lock to go in the top 20.

Hasheem Thabeet: woa woa woa, look who decided to step up. Thabeet has been steadily improving this season, showing to be more a part of the offense. More importantly, Thabeet clear strengths revolve around his rebounding and shot blocking ability. Players like Thabeet are always taken in the top ten, so I'm putting my money on some team biting for Thabeet. Right now I say he is a lock for the top ten. Uconns late season win streak has his stock soaring.

Darren Collison: Now that he's getting back to being healthy, Collison has been putting together a stretch of magnificent performances lately. With UCLA being a potential number one seed in the tournament, Collison will shortly get that much deserved credit. He's a lock for the top 20, but I think he's better than that. Anyone who drafts this guy will have a future starter/potential star on their roster.

Jason Thompson: The potential of Jason Thompson continues to gather attention. While he may be a senior, people are still very high on Thompsons' potential in the NBA as he has improved drastically season after season. His height and wingspan and athleticism make him an intriguing prospect and his performance may have sealed the deal to be a top 15 pick.

Stock Neutral:

Derrick Rose: While Memphis may continue to win games, Derrick Rose has been in a bit of a slump lately. Still considered as a top 2 pick, I'll put my money on this lead guard on any game in the tournament. He is an impact player on both sides of the court too. The only way he falls out of the second pick of the draft is if he stays another year at Memphis.

DeAndre Jordan: Similar to all big men in college, his stock remains the same due to measurements alone. I still feel Jordan is more of a name right now, and is being a bit overrated. Still, he's a lock to go in the top 5 whenever he declares based on his height, athleticism and decent offensive game. Some team will bite.

Nicolas Batum: I haven't heard much news on the guy lately while playing for France overseas. Still, he is the top overall guard in this draft class due to his height, wingspan, range on his jumpshot, passing and athleticism. He was a top 5 pick last year in the draft, where does he fall this year? Private workouts will be the telling tale of where this frenchy falls. I love this kid and I think he will be a star on the next level. A lock for the top ten.

Danillo Gallinari: See Nicolas Batum. Perhaps Ricky could share some light on these two prospects. Gallinari has potential to climb up the big board once private workouts begin. He has the potential to be a top ten pick, but I believe will go to a team in need, which may cause him to drop a little.

Roy Hibbert and Kevin Love: Unlike DeAndre Jordan these two players have below average athleticism, which will cause their stock to fall before the draft. A lock for the top 20 though.

Stock Falling:

OJ Mayo: He will always be a household name, but Mayo has played below expectations all season long. Although he averages almost 20 per game, one has to be aware of his dismal shooting percentage. He'll most likely go in the top ten based on potential alone. USC is a lock to make the tournament due to playing in the toughest conference in college and having a few big names on their roster, so OJ better learn how to be an efficient lead scorer like Eric Gordon soon.

Darrell Arthur: Once considered the top power forward in college, Arthur remains to be the toughest player to scout due to the talented and deep Kansas roster. He appears to have an NBA game but I'm still not sure what his ceiling may be. He has played better as of late, but I'm afraid he's riding the talent train that is the Kansas Jayhawks.

DJ Augustin: Once a top ten pick, Augustin has slipped lately. He's had a below average week and must step his game up to be among the top 3 or 4 guards in college basketball. Regardless, a lock to be a top 20 pick.

That's it for now.

The Perfect Eagles Mock Draft

2008-02-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

My dream draft:

1st pick, first round: DE Calais Campbell: 6'8 defensive end with good quickness and athleticism. The Eagles must address DE in the draft with Kearse and Howard likely on the way out. Frankly the Eagles need a starting caliber de next to Trent Cole. Juqua Thomas is a good player but not a starter and more effective rotating along the edges. With our DTs looking to be much more solid, the Eagles must address their pass rush and I think this is a no brainer. The Eagles also need to add size to their front line. The rotation of Trent Cole, Calais Campbell, Juqua Thomas and Abiamiri would be solid.

2nd pick, 2nd round: TE Martellus Bennett: One of the biggest weaknesses of the Eagles last season was the lack of a consistent, pass catching TE. Enter Martellus Bennett, a 6'7 TE from Texas A and M with good weight and very good hands. From what I've read he is also a solid blocker as well. McNabb wants playmakers, this pick would be in that direction. Despite the salary, I'm not sold on Schobel making this team next year after the solid, rookie campaign of Brent Celek. This position is not good enough and an upgrade is a must of the Eagles want to improve their offense. Bennett would be the big, pass catching, touchdown threat we have always wanted. Another no brainer in my opinion.

3rd pick, 3rd round: FB Owen Schmitt: I thought Tapeh had a pretty decent year but again, the Eagles must upgrade this position and stop platooning players to fit their mold of a FB. Schmitt is the nastiest player I have ever seen. He is big at 6'3, 260, and with the idea of Westbrook's performance level declining due to age, why not get him a big, premiere run blocker to run behind? With all the talk about Westbrook deserving more and this and that, I think this would be a very safe pick and send a good message to the team (Bdawk included).

I'm not going to go into the fourth round because after the first day of the draft the rest is a crap shoot. I know the Eagles also need to address their defensive backfield but I'm just much, much higher on the guys I've picked and where they were picked. CBs can be found in the later rounds of the draft.

Bottomline the Eagles need impact players and cannot afford to keep high draft picks on the bench and think they're going to get to the next level. All three picks here would fit into their roles and get playing time. I have a feeling that Kearse and/or Howard will be released before the start of next season. Drafting Calais Campbell would make our pass rush much more effective due to his size and presence. Drafting Martellus Bennett would give the Eagles a top prospect TE that will demand playing time due to his receiving ability and size alone. He'd instantly be our tallest receiver and would give McNabb a HUGE target to dump balls in the middle of the field. The lack of a tight end killed this offense last year. The rotation of Bennett and Celek would be a drastic improvement to what it was in 07. Drafting Owen Schmitt would place the importance of running the football. Lets face it, the entire offensive line underperformed last season. Schmitt is a team player that plays the game as hard as Dawkins. He would be an instant fan favorite and future leader on offense on a team that lacks leaders on offense. He simply puts it all on the field, and he'd be as reliable as it gets.
Thoughts appreciated!

Sixers' Midseason Report

2008-01-28T06:56:00.000-08:00

My first blog in a long time. Enjoy.

Andre Iguodala: Before the season started I predicted Andre Iguodala would really struggle this season. While statistically he is having the best of his career, you can't argue that I was spot on with this one. Iguodala has been extremely expressive over his frustration with the roster. As the losses begin to pile on, Iguodala is growing more and more tired of this team. My opinion? There is nothing wrong with his attitude, period. Iguodala is a young player beginning to come into his own, is in a contract season, and simply wants to win. You gotta love that in a player. Iggy has performed up to expectations this season, and then some. He is a fantastic ball player. But if Iggy is to decide that he wants franchise money, he has to be kidding himself. Currently the Sixers only have 17 wins and are on pace for 25-29 wins, right around what I expected. How can you pay a guy franchise money who has already proved that he does not win you ball games? Iggy is a second tier player playing in a first tier players' body. I love him, but Iggy is a great player playing second fiddle to an even better player alongside him. Grade: B plus.

Andre Miller: Let me start by saying Andre Miller is the ultimate class, professional. He has shown that he can consistently impact the game on a very high level. Now, let me get this off my chest. WHAT THE HELL IS HE STILL DOING HERE? I mean come on, granted Ed Stefanski is most likely looking for the best deal out there, but you are just wasting this guys' career Ed! Andre Miller deserves to be an integral part of a contender. He is arguably having his second best season as a pro, get him out of this town Ed. Grade A minus.

Willie Green: Before the season started I predicted that Willie Green must show greater consistency. Willie Green is easily having one of his best seasons as a Sixer, but he has also shown he simply not the same player he was before his injury. While he is a great scorer when on, his inconsistency just kills the Sixers and is a large part to why the Sixers' offense lags many nights. Not only has his offense been inconsistent, but his defense, while improved, has been off and on all season long. This is one of the greatest weaknesses of the Sixers for a reason. In my opinion, due to his inconsistency on both ends of the court, there is no reason to start Willie Green any longer. While there is no one solution to solving the Sixers' problems on offense, something can be done on the defensive end. Thaddeus Young, our future starting swingman, has already proved he can hack it in this league at 19 years old. Regardless, Willie Green is much more effective coming off the bench as an offensive spark. Grade C.

Samuel Dalembert: Let me start by saying I was one of Samuel Dalemberts' biggest haters. I just did not like the way he played the game, or his lack of knowledge for the game, and his ridiculously overpaid salary before the season started. Simply put, the Samuel Dalembert has been the BEST Sixer this season. Dalembert is really coming into his own before our very own eyes. Already averaging a double double this season, Sammy easily has the largest impact on the offensive and defensive end when on the court. Even better, his contract looks rather reasonable right now. In my opinion Sammy is now a top ten center in the NBA. Want proof? Just watch the effectiveness of the offense and defense when Sammy is NOT playing. It drops considerably. If the Sixers can find a bruising PF in the draft or free agency this offseason, watch out. Samuel Dalembert could be even better if he has a scoring big man that takes up space next to him. Grade A plus.

Louis Williams: Once a risky, second round pick, Louis Williams is now viewed as one of the top up and coming scorers in the league. Louis Williams is an electric scorer anytime he is on the court. He can light up the score board inside and out, and make a few defensive plays that really impacts the course of a ball game. The negative? What position does he play? I don't think anyone really knows yet. Williams has taken great strides in his point guard skills such as dribbling, controlling the tempo of the game and limiting turnovers. He definitely has poing guard potential due to his very young age. But, would Williams be better if he played the two guard, which is his natural position, or even coming off the bench? I believe the answer is a combination of both. I think Williams has proved he is a starter in this league, that much is a given. This offseason is going to be huge for Louis Williams, not only for getting his new contract, but the Sixers FO really need to make a decision on where they would like Williams to play. Since a consistent, scoring shooting guard is a clear need for this team, do they add one in the draft or give Williams the position to put the ball in the hoop? A decision has to be made very soon due to the importance of the 2008 nba draft and our likely lotto pick. Green cannot start for this team anymore. Start Williams at the two guard or move Thad in at SF and Iggy to the two guard. Changes have to be made. Grade: A.

Thaddeus Young: I loved this kid in college, and even more now in the NBA. Lets get this out of the way, Young has a lot to learn. Thad displays dificulty handling the ball and staying within himself on offense. He simply looks nervous out there, but all of that is understandable since he is a rookie. What you have to like about Thaddeus Young is that he is already an impact player while being so raw. His potential as a defensive player is outstanding. One of his biggest weaknesses before he was drafted was his inability to rebound the ball. Well you can throw all of that out the window. He is a rebounding machine when in the paint, where he plays most of the time. While he doesn't get his points, it is not his fault. I don't think there is a play on offense where Thad is the number one scorer. Most of Thads points come from second chance opportunities and on fast breaks. He even got his first start last week. His potential is through the roof. I never would have thought he would look this good at such an early point of the season. Grade: B plus.

Jason Smith: Another great pick by the Sixers. Jason Smith has all the tools in the world to be a successful, starting power forward in the league some day. Rebounding, quick feet, an excellent finisher around the rim, good mid range shooting stroke, great fundaments, great athleticism, size, you can go on and on. Even more impressive is his understanding of the offense and defense. How many plays do you see Jason Smith taking a break on offense? Smith is constantly active on the offensive end, setting picks for others and making smart decisions with the ball. On defense, he is an excellent rotational defense evident by his better than believed shot blocking ability and aggresiveness in the paint. Grade B plus.

Reggie Evans: the worst player on the Sixers. Granted he has made the Sixers one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the league, it is just that his offense is THAT bad. If he was anywhere near adequate on offense the Sixers would have at least 5-10 more wins guranteed. Grade D plus.

In the grand scheme of things you have like the core of this roster. Louis Williams, Iggy, Jason Smith, Thad, and Samuel Dalembert. The biggest strengths of this team are athleticism and defense. That's about it. The two biggest weaknesses of the team are clearly the lack of a consistent scoring SG and a scoring PF in the paint. The Sixers are on pace to win a little less than 30 wins, right around what was expected. Everything is right on schedule. Miller has already proved to be one of the most underrated point guards in the league. Miller is a difference maker and should be moved sometime near the deadline of before or during the draft. We should get a considerable amount for Miller. Changes must be made in the starting lineup. Evans and Green should not be starting and that change will occur sometime in the next few weeks or so. Thad needs to start. Williams needs more playing time. Smith needs more minutes at PF. This entire season was and still is intended to see the young guys develop and progress their skills. Don't stop now.

Crockpot Theory on Future of the NBA and Sixers

2007-12-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

If we have a chance to improve this roster at all, we do it. Josh Smith not be a prototypical power forward, but I truly believe the Suns model of offense and defense is the future of the NBA, especially the power forward position. The era of slow big men who rebound and collect garbage points is finished. The new PF position will be bigger, faster, quicker and demand a include more fundamental skills like passing, perimeter shooting and a better handle. Michael Beasley is the wave of the new future imo. The future of the NBA lie on big men who can spread the court with their jump shot and attack the rim with their handle. I say we start early. Stand firm, continue to draft players with an all around game, super athleticism, and emphasize defense. What happens when you have the most athletic team in the nba with players that all pride themselves on defense? Championship baby.

The three players other than Iggs that will be our new core for the future will be Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith and Louis Williams.

Thad has already shown glimpses of why he must get more minutes. He has struggled with his shooting a bit, but has already shown that he has excellent mechanics and has range from the mid to long range field. Most importantly what he has shown is a tendency to always be around the ball defensively. I am very confident that Thad will be a premiere defensive player in this league some day. He is an absolute monster in the paint with his size, wing span, soft hands around the rim and athleticism. His offensive game will come to him, but I want to see the coaches continue to place the demand on rebounding and defense with Thad. Thad is at a crucial point in his NBA career. The way he is coached will impact the way he plays the game for a long time. I firmly believe Thad, in a few years, will be a defensive player of the year candidate and average around 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals per game. He seems to be a solid, all around player with a very high ceiling.

Jason Smith has impressed me on his defense. On offense he has shown that he is fearless, has a very reliable mid range shot, attacks the rim relentlessly, and can make the extra pass to find the open man. But on defense, he has shown that he is a great shot blocker, he has a very high motor, hustles, and can hold his own in the paint against bigger players. Jason Smith has a huge skill set that he will be able to work with as he develops his game. He may never be a Dirk or a Bosh, but he will be a very good player in this league some day based on his well rounded skill set. There are only a handful of 7 footers in the league with Smith's ability to run the court, hit the jumper, rebound, block shots, make the extra pass and with a quick step strong enough to attack the rim facing the basket.

Louis Williams is one of the most impressive young talents I've seen across the NBA in a while, especially for a 21 year old. His ability to see the floor and make the smart pass is improving every game he plays. His defense has shown a drastic improvement compared to last season as well. Last year he looked completely lost on defense, losing his man on the court on multiple occasions. Granted he has done it some this season, but he is doing other things that make him an excellent defensive player. Filling the pass lanes, pressuring the handler, relentlessly looking for steals.

What I like about these 3 young players is that they are impact players to say the least. Each player brings multiple layers of their game to the Sixers. Players these days cannot solely rely on one skill set to improve the team. They must be able to pass, rebound, shoot, play defense, etc... This is a great core to start the rebuilding process. The 07 draft is looking to be a very good one, and we haven't even seen Herbert Hill yet, who was the most impressive Summer League player on the Sixers.

Rebounding, athleticism, defense and passing are the elements that win you a championship and it is good to see the Sixers holding strong on this foundation. I have complete confidence that after whomever we get in free agency, and after whomever we draft next year, the Sixers will be the most athletic team in the nba in 08. The Sixers finally have something we've needed for years: an IDENTITY. It is a good building block for what is to become. Opposing teams will finally know what to expect when they play the Sixers. They will have to compete to the fullest level to keep up our future uptempo game, which has shown a ton of flashes already this season.

Rebounding, defense and athleticism, now that is a great start in molding a championship contender.

My Updated Top Ten 08 Draft Picks for the Sixers

2007-11-30T16:32:00.000-08:00

I have now updated my top ten draft picks I want the Sixers to target before the 08 NBA draft.

1. PF Michael Beasley- he's the prize of the draft. He IS the future of the NBA power forward. The size, attitude and rebounding tenacity of Kenyon Martin when he entered the NBA + the dribbling and shooting of Lebron James = BEST POWER FORWARD PROSPECT I HAVE EVER SEEN. He can simply do it all. His ceiling is through the roof and a can't miss talent. Beasley would instantly change the entire offense of the Sixers the second he plays. He may not have it on defense, but his ability on offense more than makes up for his laziness on d.

2. PG Derrick Rose- the 'other' can't miss prospect of the nba draft. His athleticism and first step quickness is beyond anything the nba has ever seen. While he may not have the best mid range game, he does have solid and fluid mechanics to be a reliable jump shooter. Passing, intangibles, transition, finsishing, and leadership qualities are all there and top notch. Bottomline, his skill level is the best I've ever seen in a point guard prospect, which is even more incredible due to the fact that he is a pass first point guard.

3. SG Eric Gordon- the Michael Jordan comparisons of Eric Gordon before he played a single college game don't seem that far off now do they? A freshman shooting guard averaging almost 30 per game? That is unheard of. After watching several of Gordon's game so far, I can tell you right now that his ability to score the ball are right up there with the best of them. He may not have height, but his ridiculous and consistent ability from range and freakish ability to attack the rim and finish in traffic are top notch. I'm almost completely confident that Eric Gordon will lead the NBA sometime in points per game. IMO he is a Dwayne Wade clone with better range. Oh and by the way, he is a MUCH better passer than first stated.

4. PF Blake Griffin- another freshman power forward that won't get much media due to the storm that is following Michael Beasley. Blake Griffin, a bruising power forward, is quietly averaging 15 and 9 for the Sooners early on. I've only seen him once, but other than Beasley, he is extremely athletic for a power forward. This is more of a need pick. While the Sixers desperately need a point guard and OJ Mayo could be their guy, I believe that the need to seriously upgrade their front court is more important.

5. PG/SG OJ Mayo- surprise! Another freshman! OJ Mayo is a hit or miss prospect IMO. While he is and will be extremely streaky in the NBA, no one can argue his ceiling or scoring ability. He is a lights out, premiere scorer who may have just as potential as Derrick Rose. He is the total package, it just isn't as developed as much as Derrick Rose right now. Other than Beasley and Rose, in terms of pure talent, Mayo is just a slim notch below them. Any team that has the opportunity to get this guy will have a future all star on their team for many many years. While many stray away from the hated 'combo' guard, you just can't get away from his talent. I've always been one to put the 'true' point guard on a pedestal, but I would take OJ Mayo in a heart beat if we had the chance. He has every shot to be as good or even better than his competition, Derrick Rose in the NBA.

6. C Kosta Koufas-As many of you know I am not a fan of Samuel Dalembert. There is nothing in Sammy D's game that shouts out as him being a championship worthy center in this league. The Sixers need a fresh, new look with their front court, and moving Sammy might be the key. I've seen more than I need of Koufas' game to know that he is a premiere talent, plus it would be nice to start getting into the foreign market with the American/Greek big man. He is an Ilgauskas clone with an even better jump shot and more range. Unlike many white centers, his wing span is immense and he is an aggressive scorer in the paint with excellent moves already. He is extremely polished and has more of a face to the basket type game. His defense isn't where you would want it to be right now, but he is an offensive center and there aren't many of those in the NBA these days.

7. C Roy Hibbert- see number six about Dalembert. Hibbert may not have the highest ceiling in the world for an NBA center, but his size, dependability, offensive polish and presence are significant enough to make him a top 5 pick in the NBA draft. Hibbert and Koufas will battle it out as the first center taken off the board, and it will be a close one. IMO it will done by teams' need instead of talent because they are both very, very good prospects. Where Koufas may give you 18 and 9 someday down the line, I think Hibbert will give you 10/10 for a very long time. That's much more than you can ask in terms of the quality of centers in today's NBA.

8. SG Nicolas Batum- he was my number one guy in last year's draft before he opted out at the last second. He's a 6'8 off guard with the largest wingspan I've seen in a long time. While he's extremely talented in passing, defending, leading and athleticism are all top notch, he is a bit inconsistent shooting the ball. With all that said, his ceiling is just as high as Eric Gordons' potential. Why? If Batum can ever put it all together he will be literally unstoppable. He, like Michael Beasley of the power forwards, is the future of the NBA 2 guard. Big guard, top notch athleticism, daunting wingspan and defense, extremely good passer, significant team player, etc. He reminds me of a lesser shooting but even better defending and rebounding Richard Hamilton. I love this kid. I fully expect Batum's stock to continue to rise all the way to the minute before the draft. He is THAT good.

9. PF Kevin Love- dependable, consistent, mature, physical, tenacious,... these are all words you hear frequently with Kevin Love. The hype of this kid before he entered college was immense, but he backed up all that talk with his early play so far this season. He's got the most sound, fundamental game I've seen since Tim Duncan, unfortunitely his athleticism is very poor for him to be a top pick. Regardless, some team will find him as a lock for the lottery. Love unfortunitely reminds me of Kris Humphries. Humphries was a top recruit for Minnesota, had an incredible freshman season and went to the draft. What has he done? Not much. I like his skill set and talent right now, but I'm afraid what you see is what you get with Kevin Love, which isn't that bad in the end.

10. PF Serge Ibaka- As some of you probably know I am a HUGE fan of this kid. Why? First, unlike many of the top prospects from Africa Ibaka already possesses very good skills and hands around the rim. He may not be experienced, and he has never faced top notch level like in college basketball, but you better watch out for this kid. He has just been approved to play overseas in Europe. Everyone better watch out because if he does well I see this kid skyrocketing up the charts. He has top five pick potential. This is the guy to look out for. Make sure you keep an eye on him because I know you'll fall in love with him.

There is my top ten list that will surely change a ton as the season progresses. Some notes: DeAndre Jordon is not on the list. I am not sold on him unlike many experts. While he may possess a top notch frame and high ceiling, I'm not sold on his athleticism and offensive game. He has to prove to me he is not just another big time recruit, because that is what I think he is. I don't have Chase Budinger up there because, well frankly, he is not anywhere near as good as the players I feel I have selected for my top ten. He may have good size and athleticism, but IMO he is not a difference maker or impact player. Donte Green did not make it because of the Sixers' needs. He is a top talent and surely among the top 10, maybe top 5, of teams who need a SF. Darrell Arthur did not make the list because I firmly believe Kansas will be his downfall. With so many talented freshman, especially freshmen bigmen, I believe his stock will only keep falling. Why? College basketball is now officially a numbers game. The numbers the freshman are putting up are staggering. Kansas is too deep and too talented. Arthur will have to become more insertive on offense or have an incredible tournament to be mentioned in my top 5. Regardless, he is a top talent.

Thoughts?

My First Eagles' Mock Draft of the Year!

2007-11-30T11:45:00.000-08:00

1st pick (somewhere 10-14): Martellus Bennett TE Texas A&M

With Schobel in a contract year and LJ on his way out, the Eagles desperately need a playmaking TE on the roster. The lack of offense, imo, has really come down to the absence of a solid tight end, especially in the middle of the field. Bennett is an underclassmen who will skyrocket up the draft board after the NFL combine (think Vernon Davis). 6'7 size, excellent hands and very good atheleticism. Bottomline, this offense needs a playmaker, and someone future QB Kevin Kolb and grow with. Bennett is also a very solid blocker as well. He is the complete package and the best tight end in the draft. I got a feeling about Bennett. I think he has Antonio Gates potential. Why? He's another great basketball player turned football player and I think he's in the same exact mold, and maybe even more athletic.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=177364

Other considerations for the first pick: DE Miami Calais Campbell, OT USC Sam Baker

2nd Pick: WR Desean Jackson CAL

The deficiencies of the offense have been displayed constantly this season. I think Reid will continue to go away from what he has drafted on, and go with Kelly. First, I believe Kelly will be the WR that may slip this season. Many teams will see him as another Sidney Rice due to inconsistency and youth. Desean Jackson has immense quickness and speed to be an elite NFL wide receiver. Second, I think the Eagles need towards the route of obtaining a very solid punt/kick off returner, and this is the guy. Some scouts even say Jackson has more punt/kick off return ability than Devin Hester. I think the Eagles need to continue on trimming the fat off this roster, especially on offense. Guys like Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis, Reno Mahe, etc should not be on this roster. Jackson replaces Lewis and Mahe instantly is gives the offense another down the field threat playmaker they desperately need.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=174193

Other considerations: OLB USC Keith Rivers, DE Florida Derrick Harvey, CB Zona Antoine Cason, S Arizona State Josh Barrett

3rd Pick: S Michigan Jamar Adams

I have suspition that Brian Dawkins may be one and done after this season due to his age and health concerns. With AJ or Kolb starting next season, the Eagles have the opportunity to focus on rebuilding, which means they don't have to bring in any high priced veterens until 09 or even 2010. I highly doubt the Eagles bring in any high priced safeties, due to the solid showings JR Reed and Quintin Mikell have shown this season as starters. The Eagles desparately need another talented player in the defensive backfield and Adams may be the guy. Standing at 6'2 and weighing 214 pounds, Adams has a good frame and good speed along with excellent size to fill in at the backfield.

There it is. My first three picks. The Eagles really need playmakers on offense, and guys to fill around a developing Kevin Kolb. They do that by adding Bennett and Jackson. They help out the defensive secondary by adding a big, strong safety Jamar Adams who has close ties with Jason Avant.
Thoughts?

10 Things that Bother Me About the 76ers

2007-11-22T17:42:00.000-08:00

1. How about starting Lou at PG and having Miller come off the bench like Jason Terry? Terry has shown he can be extremely effective coming off the bench. Mo needs to tell Miller about the goals of this season, which is to develop the young guys. I know people feel that you would be hurting his trade value, but why can't Miller come off the bench and play 5-7 less minutes than he was? Miller is going to be traded soon anyway, goodbye Andre.

2. How about you give major minutes to Jason Smith? Start him and THEN put in Reggie Evans on a need by need basis. Isn't it obvious that this offense and defense run MUCH smoother with Jason Smith in the lineup? Evans cannot start anymore. He's a big reason why this team gets down so early in the game. Sure he's an excellent rebounder, and I love the guy because he gives it all every night, but he doesn't offer anything more than offensive and defensive rebounds.

3. If Thad starts to 'get' it on the court, he makes Korver and Carney extremely dispensable. Carney has been a complete disapointment, and Korver has only one tool that is better than Thad right now, the three point shot. But Thad is a very good shooter and does have range out to three. Thad is a very fluid scorer. He is something special. Scoring appears natural to him, which I like. His dribbling needs work, no big deal. The foursome of Smith, Lou, Iggy and Thad playing on the same court together is something we should be hopefully seeing a lot in the near future. They are the future of the 76ers, bottomline, and I like what I'm seeing from them early on.

4. Scoring. I think, in the future, the Sixers are going to be one heck of a offensive team. Williams has shown he can put the ball in the hoop without effort. Iggy is a reliable scorer, 20 per game. Thaddeus is showing signs of what he may become, which is a pure, natural scorer in the mold of Paul Pierce and Antawn Jamison. Don't forget about Jason Smith who has impressed me more than anybody so far this season. He is fearless, has excellent hands around the rim and he attacks the rim hard. He hasn't even learned any moves in the paint. What happens when he does that? His first step and athleticism and excellent mid range game are all the incredible tools he could use as he develops his game.

5. Why the heck must Reggie Evans try to score the ball every time he gets in the paint? He tries to make any kind of move and walks every time. Has anyone told Reggie that this is...um...u know... EMBARASSING! I find it hilarious. In fact, lets make a drinking game out of it. Every time Evans walks with the ball you have to bong a beer, in hopes to forget about the play you just saw. Aw $hit, I'm drunk already lol. jk.

6. Carney, what happened to Carney? He has been given every chance to make a name for himself but he has such difficulty getting into any kind of rhythm or momentum with the flow of the offense. It's a shame. I think it's the half court offense that is slowing him down. I'm a Carney guy, I like him and I think he is more talented than the majority of the Sixers' roster. I just hope we're able to draft Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley so we'd become more of a uptempo offense. Hopefully that uptempo offense could jump start, or should i say, resurrect Carney's career.

7. Calvin Booth. Calvin Booth. Calvin Booth. Why is he on this team? Are you flipping telling me we couldn't find a young kid with more talent than Calvin Booth? Don't even get me started on Amundsen. I really hope the Sixers obtain multiple draft picks this year so we can begin to round out our roster. Having these scrubs on our team is embarrasing.

8. On kind of the same topic, (this doesn't necessarily bother me), but how good must it feel to be Herbert Hill? The Sixers are in such a mess right now offensively and defensively that Mo and the FO may just give Herbert Hill the chance for major minutes. Hill will take the place of Calvin Booth and LA on the roster and use those minutes to help with offensive and defensive rebounding. I firmly believe you have to earn how many minutes you get to play, but Hill is going to be thrown into the fire extremely quick.

9. Jersies. I don't want to see the black jersies anymore. Those red jersies are without a doubt the best jersey in the nba. I absolutely love the retro, red Phila jersies. When Rose or Beasley come to the Sixers, I'm going to be the first one in line getting the Phila jersey with one of their names on the back. Get rid of the black jersies, they're worthless and only get us more fouls lol. On road games rotate between red and blue Phila jersies, and I'll compromise saying that they can keep the white Sixers jersies they use for home games.

10. Billy King has to talk to Mo Cheeks about goals and aspirations about the 07-08 season. Willie Green averaging over 28 minutes per game is an absolute joke. Reggie Evans should not be averaging 28 minutes per game, pathetic. Louis Williams should not be averaging 20 minutes per game, pathetic. Even worse, Andre Miller should not be averaging over 30 minutes per game, pathetic. Smith and Williams have been the Sixers' most consistent players and Smith only gets 18 minutes per game. Mo NEEDS to switch Evans' minutes for Smith's minutes soon. This season is about developing the youth, not giving them glimpses of daylight and stashing them on the bench. Play the young guys! What do we have to lose?

Draft Needs For The Top Lottery Teams

2007-11-14T04:56:00.000-08:00

Draft needs for top lottery teams. Feel free to add as much as you can.

Seattle Supersonics: Seattle needs a shooting guard, without a doubt. They have no one on the team besides Durant that can score, and Durant is far from a starting shooting guard. They have a ton of versatile 1st round pick power forwards/centers that are young and developing, which tells me that they won't be wasting another pick on their front court (Saer Sene, Robert Swift, Johan Petro, Nick Collison). Also due to the signing of Chris Wilcox, it doesn't make sense for them to go after Michael Beasley, a PF/SF who is exactly what Durant and Jeff Green resemble. My likely picks for Seattle would be Eric Gordon, Chase Budinger, Nicolas Batum, or a scoring combo guard in OJ Mayo. In all likelihood, I can see Seattle trading down this year in the draft. They have their pieces in Durant and Green, they desparately need veterens in there. Thoughts?

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Twolves have a very deep, young squad. They picked Randy Foye, their point guard of the future. They picked Corey Brewer, their small guard of the future. They already have their franchise power forward in Al Jefferson. And they also already have a potential starter in Gerald Green at small forward. This leaves one position left for the Twolves and it's obvious. Roy Hibbert. They have no depth at the center position whatsoever. I think it's a no brainer. The combo of Hibbert and Jefferson is SCARY. Why? Both are physical players and they both have back to the basket games. When is the last time a team has had two HUGE front court players with excellent back to the basket games? Duncan and Robinson? Thoughts?

Indiana Pacers: This is the wild card in the draft imo. The ONLY position I feel that they wouldn't go would be shooting guard. They appear to be very high on Danny Granger as a part of their future, which scratches out Gordon. Jermaine O'Neal is a free agent, but they also have a solid young piece in Ike Diogu who they may want to give a shot at starting next season. Besides that, they could go for a point guard, either Derrick Rose or OJ Mayo. They could go small forward, either Donte Green or Nicolas Batum. Or they could go center, which could be Hibbert or DeAndre Jordon. They could go anywhere. I feel the Pacers desparately need to rebuild their front court. I think they will pull for Hibbert if they have the chance, or draft Rose or Mayo they have one of the top 3 picks. Thoughts?

I feel the Bulls, Wizards, Warriors, and Heat (once Wade comes back) will turn it on very soon and won't be in the high lottery like the Sixers. Memphis and Atlanta appear to be very improved. Portland, with the continuing progression of Brandon Roye and Lamarcus Aldridge, are a threat for the 8th seed in the west. Charlotte looks much improved so far with the addition of Jason Richardson and the health of Okafor.

That leaves the Sixers, Pacers, Sonics and Twolves left to battle it out for the top pick.
On a very positive note, the Sonics, Twolves, Hawks, Griz and Blazers DO NOT need a power forward like the Sixers do. They've thrown way too much money in the position to draft a power forward due to Wilcox, Gasol, Horford, Aldridge and Jefferson. This is huge because it will allow the Sixers to draft either Michael Beasley or Kevin Love. I like it.

Thoughts?

Top Draft Picks to Targetted by the Eagles

2007-11-05T05:39:00.001-08:00

Here are the top picks in the draft that should interest the Eagles where they pick.

OT Jake Long, Michigan
DE Chris Long, Virginia
OT Sam Baker, USC
OT Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
S Kenny Phillips, Miami
DE Quintin Groves, Auburn
WR Limus Sweed, Texas
WR Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma
WR Desean Jackson, California
TE Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M
TE John Carlson, Notre Dame
CB Reggie Smith. Oklahoma
CB Antoine Cason, Arizona
CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
CB Mike Jenkins, South Florida
LB James Laurinitis, Ohio State
LB Rey Malaugua, USC
LB Keith Rivers, USC

Those are picks that the Eagles would seem to target the most in the first round. This years' draft is jammed full of quarterbacks and very good offensive tackles. That should move someone that we want right to our spot. The only good safety worth taking Kenny Philips out of Miami, but he'll be a top 10 pick so we NEED to tank the rest of the games to get him. He is the best player in the draft imo. WRs Limus Sweed and Malcolm Kelly are the real deal, just a notch below the talent of Calvin Johnson. I absolutely love Malcolm Kelly. He's the tall, fast WR that this team needs to pair with a young, up and coming Kevin Kolb. TE Martellius Bennett is an excellent TE prospect with great size and hands. He'll be a top 20 pick imo after the Combine. LBs Rivers, Laurinitus and Maluagua are super linebackers. I don't put Conner up here because I think they're a notch above him. CBs Malcolm Jenkins and Reggie Smith are the real deal.
Thoughts?

Thoughts from the Sixers Season Opener

2007-11-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

Andre Iguodala: while he struggled in the first half he maintained and displayed his dominance in the second half. once he got into the flow of the offense he was truly unstoppable. i don't understand why they didn't post up iggy in the paint in the first half. iggy is going to put up unbelievable numbers this season, should be fun to watch. he will be an all star this season, guranteed. you can't ask for anything more than what he brought tonight. this is his max imo, and what we will see all season long. A minus

Willie Green: way too many minutes for this guy. i understand he needs time to get his jump shot going, but this is ridiculous. we all know when he's on he's very good, but when he's off he's a ticking time bomb. he looked good in the first half but completely dissapeared in the second half. settled for way too many long range shots. willie needs to be relentless at attacking the rim and stop taking low percentage field goals. if don't stop willie, your minutes will diminish. C

Andre Miller: i don't like the 17 shot attempts that he had, but given this teams' struggles i understand completely. i just feel so bad for this dude. he does not deserve to be on this team. what a difference maker. he just understands the game so well, both in the half court and transition game. he's a joy to watch. he settled for way too many long mid range jump shots, even though he knows it is out of his range. you can't really ask for more than what he brought tonight, especially in the points category. 32 minutes last night, right on what he should play every night. B plus

Reggie Evans: i was very impressed with this guy last night until the fourth quarter. his rebounding was so stellar that i completely forgot about how bad he is on the offensive end, until the fourth quarter. late in the game when the sixers need two huge free throws he missed both, which really cost them, so his lack of offense did come back to haunt them in the end. but you just gotta love the guy. if he can bring this type of energy every game then i will change my opinion on this dude very quickly. reggie evans played 21 minutes last night, good minutes mo. This was a great night by Evans and I don't expect much more than this. A.

Samuel Dalembert: really struggled on offense last night. could not find his jump shot or get into the rhythm of the game at all. on defense, he was excellent. on defense he was as impactful as we all imagined him to be. you can tell sammy d is not at full strength, maybe not even near it, but you have to give him credit for sticking out there and giving it all he had. 25 minutes last night was right around where i expected him to play. C plus.

Kyle Korver: the player of the game imo. he was lights out all game long. also showed excellent ability in the passing game with 4 assists. we will need this kind of performance all season long to stay in a lot of games. we can't expect more than this from korver every night. excellent excellent game from the gunner. i can't imagine i'm going to say this but 32 minutes out of korver is pretty good considering how important he is to the offense. he also displayed excellent defense running rotations against that crazy toronto offense, especially against bosh. i'd like his minutes around 23-27 range but there is just no way mo can take him out of games when he's on fire. A plus.

Rodney Carney: showed some talent in the first half. he actually made me a believer that he improved his game in the first half, evident by a nice mid range stroke, getting some rebounds and joining the team in transition. in the second half, however, he got right back to what he was last season. carney just absolutely dissapears at times in games that it hurts the team. 16 minutes per game is right about where i would keep this kid. he must show he can become a larger part of the offense or mo will be forced to keep willie green playing as much as possible. shame. Unfortunitely getting 7 points per game out of Carney this year might be the best we see. B minus

Louis Williams: excellent first showing last night. had a huge transition bucket late in the game that got it close. this kid needs to play period. we cannot afford not to play him. 15 minutes last night is an insult to this kids offensive talents. i'm hoping he sees more and more playing time throughout the season. B.

Jason Smith: what a night, talk about impact. this kid enters his first game in the nba and gets 4 points, 4 boards, a block, a steal and an assist all in 15 minutes. talk about fearless. last night he displayed excellent hands around the rim AND good range in the perimeter. this kid is a stud. there is no doubt that his playing time will go up and up. smith has all the tool set in the world to be successful in the nba. his potential is through the roof, but right now, he is an excellent role player with incredible and rare nba knowledge for such a young kid. B plus.

Overall: This is exactly the type of game we will see all season long. The Sixers have a TON of character and heart that will keep them in most games this year, but in the end it will always be mental mistakes and lack of experience that kill their runs in the fourth quarter. They just don't have the talent to take a team and knock them out. The Sixers had an excellent chance to take that game over in the fourth but came up short on mental blocks that hurt them in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. What's even worse? This was probably the best game we will see out of the young Sixers, defensively and offensively. I don't expect much more out of Evans, Iguodala, Korver, Carney, Williams, and Andre Miller. Willie Green could play better but lets be real, he's no difference maker. Last nights loss was completely indicative of the type of season this will be. It will test our limits, our passion and most importantly our patience. Do you have enough to battle the storm?

5 Biggest Question Marks for the Sixers

2007-10-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

1. Iggy has never had to carry a team a full season. Lets see how he does getting double and triple teamed all night every night. It could be a long season for Iggy. He should take his money now. The question remains: was last years Iggy the best we will see? He strained his back after carrying the team for half a season, which limit my expectations. All in all, Iggy is not a number one scorer, rather a great second scorer. He desparately needs someone to hit a spark on offense, someone like Rodney Carney, Louis Williams or Samuel Dalembert. This could easily be the downfall of the 2007/08 Sixers' season. Iggy can not do it alone, who is the guy that steps up? Right now I have no clue and that qeustion has 4 days to be answered.

2. Reggie Evans has never played more than 20 minutes a game in his career, and they'll ask him for much more than that. Can he handle it? Will his offensive woes hurt the team? I don't buy into his 20 point performance in preseason. The team already lacks on offense, giving Evans more than 20 minutes per game will seriously hurt this team and could cost them some games. He will no doubt improve rebounding on the defensive and offensive end, but in the end how much will he impact the games? I don't see him as an impact kind of guy, rather an energy guy who gets garbage points. We had that before with Lynch and Tyrone Hill, but at least they had a slim amount of offensive game. Evans would be great on a team like Washington where they have great shooters and can afford for him to be a role player. Unfortunitely we do not have that luxery right now.

3. Jason Smith, Herb Hill and Thaddeus Young have never played in the NBA. They should tire out sometime mid season. The NBA season is twice as long as the college season, so we'll see how it goes. Smith is going to be counted on for minutes at the 4 and 5 position, so he's a likely candidate for fatigue. I know they won't play major minutes, but expecting one or two of these guys to get any regular and consistent minutes is a bit of a stretch. Smith should get around 20 minutes per game, and with his fearless attitude and reckless style, how long will he last? He hasn't gone up against any of the premiere big men yet, so I'm taking a wait and see approach to how he handles the intangibles of the NBA. Herb Hill should see around 5-10 minutes per game based on his rebounding alone. Frankly, I do not see much difference between Hill and Evans. In fact, I like Hill's offensive game over Evans and Evans with the slim advantage over Hill on defense.

4. Samuel Dalembert has a lingering injury which could carry throughout the entire season. Getting Sammy back doesn't excite me either. He's not that big of an upgrade over Calvin Booth. He's a big that found his niche on offense last season shooting from the perimeter. This is exactly what we don't need right now. With troubles on offense, I see this team settling for a ton of low percentage, mid range jump shots. Sammy cannot stay around the perimeter period. Although most of the time he's lost on both sides of the ball and gets into foul trouble way too early, he has a excellent ability to throw it down close to the net. That is his job. Plus, with more time spending with Andre Miller, the chemistry 'should' be improved. Will his injury slow him down? Speed is his greatest attribute, especially when defending on the weak side. He needs to show the same consistency he showed last season for this team to have any kind of success.

5. Will Mo Cheeks play Louis Williams? The kid has to play, whether it's at PG or SG. He is the best scorer on this team and on a team with one player who can put the ball in the hoop. How will Willie Green's minutes impact the time LouWill gets on the court? Will Mo favor the vet Willie over Williams? LouWill is on path for a break out year and keeping him on the bench would be a huge mistake. Louis Williams should be the number 3 player off the bench this season, right after Korver and Jason Smith. I expect 20 minutes per game for Williams and even more than that on good nights. He is the top candidate for breakout player of the year IMO and should see a good amount of nights in the starting lineup based on the matchups.

Top Players in College Basketball

2007-10-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

With my favorite sport beginning in one month, I thought it'd be a great idea to make a list of the top college players in the nation. These players are in order, ranked in terms of how much impact they will have with their team and the season. Now I'm sure there will be players who will put up better stats than some of the guys in this list, but these are the top NBA prospects, whether they are a senior or a freshman.

Point Guard:

1. Derrick Rose, Memphis- most dynamic point guard prospect in a long time
2. OJ Mayo, USC- should carry the team to the top of the pac ten
3. Darren Collison, UCLA- one of the most electric players to watch
4. Chris Lofton, TENN- mr. clutch
5. DJ Augustin, Texas- no durant has me worried
6. Scottie Reynolds, NOVA- could flip this one with augustin
7. Ty Lawson, UNC- wait and see with lawson
8. Drew Neitzel, Mich State- limited ability but always finds a way to put it in the hoop
9. Jerryd Bayless, ZONA- THE player to look out for this season
10. Sean Singletary, VaTech- very solid floor general
11. Patrick Beverley, Arkansas- shows lots of promise
12. Derrick Low, Wash State- somehow gets it done, a top player in college
13. Jamont Gordon, Miss State- could jump up the standings considerably this year
14. Dominic James, MARQ- not sold on him but the talent is there

Shooting Guard:

1. Chase Budinger, ZONA- top cat
2. Eric Gordon, Indiana- best pure scorer to go to college since durant
3. Marcelus Kemp, ZAGS- big time breakout season for kemp, watch out
4. Paul Harris, CUSE- freshman donte green will help him considerably
5. Bill Walker, Kansas State- when healthy he's a big time scorer
6. Tyler Smith, TENN- super athlete to pair with lofton
7. Gerald Henderson, Duke- mr. smooth
8. Terrence Williams, LouVille- big time scorer with excellent range and athleticism
9. DeMarcus Nelson, Duke- singler will help him immensely
10. Jerel McNeal, MARQ- best player you never heard of

Small Forward:

1. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis- pure stud
2. Brandon Rush, Kansas- his size and length is staggering, effortless scorer
3. Donte Green, CUSE- top recruit will be the man for cuse, and a freshman
4. Kyle Singler, Duke- will be the man at duke, i'm sure the offense will run through him
5. L.R. Mbah a Moute, UCLA- loss of affalo means more points for the prince
6. Wayne Ellington, UNC- fluid player who needs to be more aggressive
7. Kyle Weaver, Wash State- not a good shooter but has the skill set
8. Josh Shipp, UCLA- will have all the opportunity in the world to perform
9. Dajuan Summers, GT- swingman so big he could be a power forward
10. Anthony Randolph, LSU- 6'10 freshman swingman with jaw dropping athleticism

Power Forward:
1. Darrell Arthur, Kansas- no question ,he's the top player on one of the top teams
2. Michael Beasley, Kansas State- big time player, potential franchise player in the nba
3. Tyler Hansborough, UNC- mr. college basketball
4. Kevin Love, UCLA- if duncan was white, he'd look like kevin love
5. DJ White, Indiana- big fan of his, arrival of gordon makes white a big time player this year
6. Joey Dorsey, Memphis- super athletic and big, will be derrick rose's best friend
7. Josh Heytvelt, ZAGS- if healthy he could jump a couple of spots
8. Derrick Caracter, Louisville- weight and heart are question marks
9. Jeff Adrian, GT- with jeff green out, he's the man next to hibbert
10. Brandon Costner, NCState- TOP big man to watch out for this season
11. Jon Brockman, Washington-no hawes means some question marks
12. Taj Gibson, USC- mayo and gibson will be jumping over the opposition
13. Devon Hardin, CAL- must have a break out year
14. Deon Thompson, UNC- wildcard, showed a lot of promise in limited minutes
15. Nick Calethes, GATORS- top man for a rebuilding gators, also a freshman

Center:

1. Roy Hibbert, GT, will surprise and be the number one pick in the nba draft
2. Kosta Koufas, Ohio State- exact opposite of oden, but may have the same results
3. DeAndre Jordan, TexasAM- big time post presence, freshman
4. Brook Lopez, Stanford, excellent size and offensive polish
5. Andrew Ogilvy, Vanderbilt,
5. wash, wait and see

Overall, the depth of stud PGs may be one of the best since I can remember. I ranked Dominic James as the 14th best PG, but even he is THAT good enough to carry his squad to wins in the tournament. That's how deep it is. Not a very good year at center, but an interesting one at PF. The two wildcards at SF are Kyle Singler for Duke and Donte Green for Syracuse. Singler will without a doubt lead the team in point per game, and maybe even rebounds, while Green will create the fearsome duo along with big time prospect, sophomore Paul Harris. Duos of Gordon and White and Mayo and Gibson have me pumped. They should be an excellent team to watch in terms of highlight reels. The top team, IMO, is Memphis. I don't think anyone touches them this year. Rose, Douglas Roberts and Dorsey are going to run teams out of the gym. Should be an excellent year of college basketball.

Thoughts?

Things I Saw in Week 4 Against the Giants

2007-10-01T05:35:00.001-07:00

-McNabb is clearly not ready to be back on a football field. When pressured, McNabb's mobility and ability to improvise are not there, making him just barely above an average quarterback in this league. Until McNabb shows he's healthy, this team will have much difficulty making any kind of impact. What worries me if that McNabb won't really be healthy until November, so the season may be over very shortly. McNabb's decision skills, accuracy, acceleration/burst, ability to improvise and confidence are absolutely shot right now. What happened to his confidence with Reggie Brown? It's clearly evident that he has none in the 3rd year receiver. Now without a good tight end or Westbrook, McNabb has no help. More importantly, the Eagles CONTINUE to abandon the run.

-In a night where the Eagles rushing attack averaged 5 yards a carry, the Eagles found themselves running straight down the field multiple times only to go 3 and out on 3 straight passing plays. The offense cannot continue to run like this. They don't have the receivers, the quarterback doesn't have the ability or confidence, the o line obviously cannot pass protect, the coach cannot make any kind of in game adjustments to help this team, etc etc. The bump and run is our worst nightmare on offense, and could end our season very quickly. Are there any quick fixes? I don't think there are.

-Give it up for the defense. While the front four wasn't everything I hoped it to be last night, you have to be proud of how the young linebackers and defensive backfield performed last night. With Lito and Dawk out, I expected the Giants to go deep on a consistent basis to Shockey and Burress all night long. I haven't watched the tape yet, but it seemed that Mikell and Sheldon Brown had extremely solid showings. IMO Sheldon Brown is quietly having a career season. William James looks completely lost on defense.

-Mike Patterson had a very very good game, as well as Broderick Bunkley. Patterson and Bunkley have been strong all season so far. It's a shame the offense is in such a funk because these guys have been outstanding and would get more recognition. It's obvious that that Bunkley and Patterson are really getting off the snap extremely quickly.

-Gocong is really developing much much quicker than I expected. On one stand out Giants rush to the right side, Gocong completely blew up the gap and caused Ward to find a new hole and step back a few yards before getting a 3 or 4 yard loss. His coverage on Shockey was also very strong last night. What else can you say about Omar Gaither? He not only looks like a starting MLB in this league, but he looks like a stud. He may not be the biggest linebacker in the league, but the dude is a straight out playmaker. I've been so impressed with this kid all year long. He was obviously the player of the game on defense with 9 tackles and an interception. Spikes had an ok day. He seemed to have trouble getting to the quarterback and shredding blocks.

-Overall. We lost this game due to the coaches inability to make adjustments. There is no excuse for leaving Winston Justice out there to dry and not give him any kind of help. The tight ends, running backs continued to look over Strahan's shoulder all night long. What game was Reid or Morningweg watching? This is the kind of nonsense that will continue to hurt the Eagles' playoff chances all night long. Even worse, Reid seems to have the horrible tendency to abandon the only element that seems to be working on offense all together.

-Stat of the game: Eagles pass run ratio was 31-10 in the second half. Despite all the offensive struggles, the Eagles were only down a couple of scores the majority of the game. There is no excuse to abandon the run so quickly. I hold this loss solely on the coaching staff, especially Reid and Morningweg for their failure to make adjustments and not get their team prepared. This team showed zero intensity, zero sense of urgency, zero heart, I was extremely ashamed to be a fan of this team last night. While the race for winning the division is now over, I am extremely worried about this team making the playoffs. It's not the injuries. Forget the injuries. Would Westbrook had helped last night? Sure. But check this out:

-We have: an offense that can be easily exploited, an offensive line that is horrendous has pass protection, an offense that abandons the run in the second half, a coaching staff that cannot make in game adjustments or get their team prepared, a quarterback that is not healthy and can't improvise making him an average quarterback, injuries to many key players that seem to be worse than Reid has told us, a rookie LT which is one of the most important positions in football, I could go on and on.

-Simply, not good.

-What are the answers? Are their answers? I don't have any. Reid and Morningweg deserve their criticism for the next couple of weeks. They simply called an extremely poor game last night. Actually, 3 out of the 4 games they've had very poor games. Does that change? Hopefully you have the answers because I don't.

Week 3 Detroit Lions versus Philadelphia Eagles Preview

2007-09-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

Isn't it strange how McNabb will be celebrated as the greatest Eagle quarterback of all time Sunday all meanwhile the dismantling of the Eagles' season?

Things we know for a fact: 1, McNabb is no where near ready, mentally and physically, to start in the NFL. 2, Andy Reid is not giving him any favors making him throw the ball over 40 times a game. 3, There is no reason McNabb should be starting if he has rust by week 2, put that on the coaches. 4, Unless McNabb becomes miraculously healed within this week and until Marty learns that Westbrook is the best offensive player on the team, the offense will continue to run in circles.

As Sunday nears, major questions remain for the Eagles as many players are bitten by injuries.

Will McNabb regain his early form? There is no excuse to have a starting quarterback on your team with this much rust, especially at week 3.

Will the Eagles run the ball this year like the Fat Man promised?! Sure the o line hasn't played up to its potential so far, but there is no excuse with the current offensive scheme the Eagles are running. Fat Man continues to state the running game needs to get better. That might be so, but what about Westbrook's average of 5 yards per carry?! lol. If Westbrook doesn't become more of the offensive gameplan, this will be a loss.

Will the lack of a tight end continue to kill the Eagles offense? Opposing defenses have learned that if they can play bump and run with the Eagles' receivers, they can force McNabb to beat them with his arm. This makes the tight end position that much more important. As LJ Smith continues to be out for the Eagles, they will need significant production out of Schobel and Celek this week. On the opposing end, Chris Gocong had a weak showing against the Redskins last Monday night. He will have to play better for this defense, but those struggles, especially this early, are expected.

Will the absence of Lito Sheppard and questionable Brian Dawkins be the nail in the coffin for the Eagles this week? You have to be worried about this. With William James getting picked apart last week, luckily Sheldon Brown had a career game last Monday night. With Lito out, and the chance of Dawkins missing from the stinger, this defense is in big trouble as it faces the NFC's best receiving trio of Johnson, Williams and McDonald.

Key Matchup for the Lions: Shaun McDonald versus the lack of depth for the Eagles. With all that coverage leaning towards Johnson and Williams, Shaun McDonald has had a couple huge yet quiet games for the Lions and is a huge reason for their 2-0 record. Joselio 'Mmm bop' Hanson will have to have a very solid showing to stop this Lions offense. While Hanson will have a huge part in this game Sunday, it really all comes down to pressuring the quarterback. In other words, Hanson will not be held out to dry. The defense will have to show a team effort to stop that offense. The entire front seven must play light outs, bottomline. I could have gone with Tatum Bell against Omar Gaither due to their spread offense, but this is a passing offense. Tatum Bell has only had 15 and 9 carries in their first two games.

Key Matchup for the Eagles: Brian Westbrook versus the Lion's weak linebackers: It's obvious the Eagles have to run the ball to be successful this season, but this week there should be more emphasis placed on screens with Westbrook. The Lion's defense has been vulnerable so far to the big play in the passing game. While I expect Westbrook to have at least 20 carries Sunday, he should also have at least 6 or 7 designs in the passing game to get him in open field. Viking RBs had huge plays in the passing and running game against the Lions last week and I expect the same results this week.

Overall Feel for the Game: In just the 3rd week, the Eagles are surprisingly looking at a MUST WIN. What has me worried most about this game on Sunday all comes down to confidence. The Lions are a team on the rise that has a sense of swagger, while the Eagles are a team with a lack of confidence and one looking to get on the same page. Not a good mix, especially with so much at stake. Based on these past two games, nothing about the Eagles makes me confident that they will beat the Lions. With Lito and possibly Dawk out tomorrow, the Eagles' offense may be forced to put up at least 24 points to beat the Lions? CAN they do it? Of course. Will they? That is the question, and one that I'm extremely hesitant to answer. Not because I can't, but because I have a feeling what the end result may be.

Prediction: 28-27 Eagles

The Eagles, on the shoulders of Brian Westbrook, will have a late 4th quarter comeback after trailing all game that saves the season. McNabb will continue to show rust, and the play calling will remain stagnant. The WRs will have a great game, putting up lots of yardage, but overall the offense will remain scrappy.

Top 5 Reasons Why to Watch the 76ers

2007-09-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Reasons Why to Watch the Sixers... for the average Sixer fan...

1. The emergence of Andre Iguodala: the emergence of this SG/SF could easily make his first Allstar game of his career if he continues to display what he showed after the trade. What impressed me the most out of Iguodala was his understanding of his own physical assets. Iguodala took a page out of AI's notebook to realize how unstoppable he can be if he attacks the net on a consistent basis. Simply put, Iguodala's ball handling, passing, rebounding and scoring sky rocketed when Andre Miller came to the Sixers. Playing along side a pure point guard in Andre Miller resulted in exactly what I expected, a type of offense that plays to Iggy's strengths such as his all around game. With McNabb on his way out and the city looking for a new superstar to become enamored with, look at Jimmy Rollins! Iggy is about to make his case as one of the best swingman in the entire NBA.

2. The Excitement Factor: Make no mistake about it, this may not be a team that leads the league in wins, but this Sixers roster should at least but one hell of a team to watch. BK has built this roster around one thing, athleticism. Carney, Iggy, Jason Smith, Dalembert, Thaddeus Young, and Louis Williams are all top notch athletes who excel at running the court and finishing. The Sixers may not be the best rebounding team, but I gurantee you this team will be looking to push the tempo often and to much success. All fed by Andre Miller, there's really not much else to be said about the quickness of this roster and the alley oops will be plenty. The Sixers should be a fun team to watch this season.

3. Getting Back to Fundamentals: When AI was here, this team had zero identity to make them a worthwhile team in the NBA. This team was sloppy, a mess, pathetic. The addition of Andre Miller has taken this team back to respectability with how they approach the game of basketball: fundamentals. This Sixers' fan will finally be able to watch his favorite team without the surplus of heartache that was these past 5-6 years. In fact, this could easily be number one on my list. For someone who enjoys watching every single Sixer game like myself, and with the Eagles struggling so early, I need a Sixer team that is based on fundamentals lol. This team showed a lot of heart and hustle in the second half of the season and I look forward to seeing that same determination this season.

4. The Rooks: The rookies BK has brought in has me excited. The addition of Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith, Derrick Byars and Herbert Hill will seriously trim the fat of a very poor roster in terms of depth. They may not be where they will be in a few years, but these 4 draft picks were excellent picks in my opinion. Why? They're natural born leaders, they're winners, they're smart kids, they love to play team basketball and they continually emphasize defense. Neither one should get major minutes this season, but their progress this season will be closely monitored all season long. Main points to watch for: Thaddeus Young and his ability to rebound. Jason Smith and his ability to hit the mid range jumper. Derrick Byars and his all around game. Herbert Hill and his back to the basket game.

5. The insertion of Thaddeus Young in the Starting Lineup: Nothing has me more psyched to see Thaddeus Young alongside Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala. Why? Pound for pound Thaddeus Young may already be the most physical player the Sixers have on the roster. Thaddeus Young's ability to defend and rebound is a perfect complement to Andre Iguodala who will be guarding the opposing team's best swingman. What I love about Thaddeus is his ability to play inside the paint. He has excellent hands around the rim, making him an extremely valuable in getting offensive rebounds and putbacks. The future of the Sixers rests in the development and chemistry of Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala, and while I hope Rodney Carney has success as the temp starting 2 guard as of right now, Young should definitely be registering significant minutes in the second half of this season. The chemistry between the two physical swingmen Young and Iggy will be one to watch for. I'm hoping they learn to feed off of each other's strengths this season.

Other Top Nominees

- Reggie Evans and team rebounding
- Carney as the new Sixers' starting two guard
- Dalembert ability to show consistency following an excellent season

The Bottomline for the 76ers

2007-09-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

Can you compare the second half of last season to the success of the entire 07/08 season?

You can't. Too many factors come up before and during the regular season, especially with this team. Based on the way the Sixers played last year, you would think they would be a lock to make the playoffs.

But given how young this team is, is it really possible to make the playoffs? I think this team has potential, but the non-homer kiddo sitting on my right shoudler says it's not. Has a team of 20 year olds ever made the playoffs?

Will Andre Iguodala continue to shine and play at the pace he played to end last season? Will Samuel Dalembert learn consistency? Will Andre Miller show signs of age? Can Reggie Evans really rebound the ball? Is Carney a starter in this league or is he more of a track star in the wrong sport? Can Korver improve on his defense?

Everything is being judged on paper right now. On paper the Sixers are one of the worst if not the worst in the conference. I really like our team, just not for this season. Next year or the year after that we'll really see what this team is made out of. BK is doing things the right way. Build around defense, rebounding, passing and players who hustle every game. Will our draft picks turn out to be players in that mold? It's all on paper, we don't know.

The bottomline is BK is solely depending on the development of four rookies to take this team into the playoffs. The Sixers lacked depth last year to the point where it cost them game after game. BK is bringing in big men for a reason. When Shav got injured last season, BK really had no plan for the PF position. He lucked out by Steven Hunter doing an admirable job filling in. Joe Smith was a god send. He single handedly won the Sixers several games late last year by his leadership, presence and jump shot. BK traded for a rebounder in Evans that seems to be a good fit but what can we really expect from a guy that's never averaged more than half a game's minutes in any season.

Sixers fans look to last season as a sign of hope. Objective fans look at last season as a debacle, one that turned from obtaining a superstar in the draft to something meaningless. I'm somewhere right in between. Last year they found a niche that has not been seen in a long long time. We obtained a point guard with a winners mentality that got everyone involved. On one hand it was Andre Miller that cost us a draft pick, but on the other hand it showed us exactly what a solid point guard can do alongside team first players.

While I believe the Sixers will have a horrendous season (33 to 36 wins), I really believe this team will show signs of life. While some fans will be displeased with the win total, true Sixers fans will really enjoy this season. Fans such as myself have been dying to see their team reach back to respectability. Lets face it, we lost that when AI was here. Not that it was solely his fault, but our team was undisciplined, a mess, and even a joke. Speaking frankly, we (Sixer fans) cannot be quick to evaluate this team in October and November. This season is for two things only: to build chemistry and gain experience for the future.

What's different about this season? We have a direction. With such a young team the only way to go is up. Sure there will be fumbles and growing pains along the way, but it's completely natural. This roster will show glimpses of what is to become, but consistency will be the nail in the coffen, especially in the fourth quarter.

BK has a plan, I can feel it. I predict the Sixers will be right in the high lottery this season, but will I be mad to see them make the playoffs as an 8th seed? Never. I'm just ready to get back to watching 'smart' basketball. A team that plays with discipline, fundamentals, hustles and shows heart, which is exactly THE component to any successful franchise. It may not be this season for our Sixers, but it's coming along from the players BK is building around. The team is being rebuilt around defense and passing, which brings a smile to my face. How many times the past 4 seasons did we wonder what our identity was? We had none.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. It's there. Unfortunitely this is a slow moving train that won't see the prize for a little while longer.

Bring on the season baby. This Sixer fan is ready. Are you?

LETS GO SIXERS!

Get Rid of Willie Green and the Sixers are Set

2007-09-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

Sixers trade Steven Hunter and Bobby Jones for Reggie Evans

Decent trade. Fills needs for the Sixers and the Nuggets.

Why the trade is good for the Sixers:

Hunter simply had no space on this roster when the Sixers drafted PF/C Jason Smith. Sure he had a reasonable contract for what he brought, but the Sixers DO NOT need the type of player he is. Lets face it, Steven Hunter is no complement to Samuel Dalembert. The Sixers do not need another guy who does nothing but block shots and take up a roster spot. The Sixers need a bruising power forward who can rebound, rebound and rebound. Jason Smith and Steven Hunter are practically mirror images. Although they both block shots and can run the floor, Jason Smith is much much more polished and has a better touch on offense. Steven Hunter provided excellent defense while he was here, make no mistake. He filled in admirably as a interim starter for our beloved Sixers and I hope he has a great future, he just doesn't have a spot given the emergence of Amundson and Herbert Hill. Where does the trade leave Shav? Shav may be on the way out based on his injury history and I feel the coaches favor Amundson over Randolph. My one fear going into the regular season was Bobby Jones making the team over Derrick Byars. There is no way a team can cut an SEC player of the year over a guy like Bobby Jones. With Jones gone, the 2/3 position just got a whole lot better IMO. Reggie Evans is a heck of a rebounder, exactly what we lack. I'm not quite sure the whole future Evans obtains with the Sixers, but he is the bruiser they really need. I can easily see Reggie Evans being trade bait along Andre Miller at the trade deadline. Evans will start from the first day guranteed. Either way, I don't see this trade having any effect on this upcoming season because it doesn't fix our woes on offense, but the team should be much better defensively. I absolutely LOVE what Billy King is doing to this team. He's filling a roster built on defense and rebounding, the best way to go. The way I see it, Evans will be an overpaid energy guy coming off the bench in a year or two but will not get many minutes. He'll be traded or cut in a year or two and won't have an impact with the future of this roster. He will not be starting mid season. Ricky Sanchez will never put on a Sixer uniform.

Sixers Current Starting Lineup

Andre Miller, Louis Williams
Rodney Carney, Willie Green
Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver, Thaddeus Young, Derrick Byars
Reggie Evans, Herbert Hill, Louis Amundson
Samuel Dalembert, Jason Smith

Why the trade is good for the Nuggets:

The Nuggets got exactly what they needed, which was pretty much the opposite of what the Sixers needed. Whereas the Sixers needed rebounding and a physical presence in the paint, the Nuggets needed a guy like Hunter who can block shots and run the floor. The Nuggets run a super uptempo style of offense and Hunter should fit right into the Nugget's offensive scheme. They needed a guy who can alter shots on defense, exactly what Steven Hunter can bring. Bobby Jones is defender which is what the Nuggets lack. He won't get playing time on the Nuggets, but he's worth a look on a team that struggled to find role players in the post season.

Overall:

I give the better grade to the Nuggets for this trade. They get a valuable player, a role player for a team that just cannot seem to find any. Hunter will jump right in and block shots, exactly what they need. The Nuggets also save some cash, Evans will battle to start for the Sixers, and will probably win the job, displaying how poor the position really is in Philadelphia. I think him and Andre Miller could develop some good chemistry together. The Sixers lack a veteren and a bruiser, and they get that with Evans. Evans is now the only rebounder on the Sixers roster and could average over 10 per game this season, no joke. More importantly the Sixers get roster space and can add one of their promising young players like Herbert Hill or Derrick Byars. Good addition by subtraction for the Sixers.

Now all that is left is for the Sixers to get rid of Willie Green, which will allow future all star Thaddeus Young and Derrick Byars to get some playing time this season. Get it done BK!

Grade for the Sixers: C plus
Grade for the Nuggets: B minus

I think fans of both teams should be pretty content about this trade.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers Preview and Predictions

2007-09-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

2006-2007 Eagles versus Packers Preview

It's football season baby!

Life can now offically begin.

Pressure the quarterback, pressure the quarterback, pressure the quarterback. The team that shows the best ability to pressure the quarterback will be victorious on Sunday. It's as simple as that. There will be blitzes coming from all angles on Sunday, especially from Jim Johnson in order to hide the deficiencies of Omar Gaither and Chris Gocong. The Packers will use the short game to keep our offense off the field by throwing screen after screen to exploit our young linebackers.

Key Matchup for the Eagles: The defensive line versus the rook Brandon Jackson. The Eagles caught a break in that the Packers starter Vernand Morency remains injured, therefore despite the inability to stop the run the Eagles have the advantage here. What an excellent time for the young backers to step in and show them what they got early in the season. The Eagles should take care of business here, but the Eagles always start out slow, so this has me worried here. Do the Packers have the potential like the Saints to run it down our throats? There will be breakdowns but I don't think so.

Key Matchup for the Packers: Brett Favre versus Our Linebackers. This is what scares me. I have nightmares of Brett Favre, a seasoned leader, taking advantage of the inexperienced backers SAM Chris Gocong and MIKE Omar Gaither. Get ready for the Packers to do everything they can to exploit this part of the defense by running screen after screen, attacking Gaither right up the middle and seeing if Gocong can defend against the pass. The Packers have had a year to gameplan for this game. This is what we will see. Can our young linebackers shed blocks, make the open field tackle and read play action?

Key Player for the Eagles: Brian Westbrook. As Westbrook goes, so do the Eagles. Brian Westbrook has barely played all preseason, but he prime and ready for the opener. There's no doubt he's the most dangerous weapon on either team, and the Packers have an aggressive front seven that likes to blitz. Get ready for a ton of dumps, delays and screens due to an over pursuing defense to let Westbrook run loose. He's gonna have a huge game.

Key Player for the Packers: Donald Driver. Will he play? It seemed, at first, he'd be out quite some time but apparently he practiced yesterday and looks ready to go. He's probably the best player on the Packers and there is no doubt the Pack will use him as a possession receiver on those quick slants Favre likes to throw. Lito better be ready because he's gonna have an extremely active game.

Prediction: Eagles 23 Packers 17

This game will go back and forth in terms of emotions. There will be many occurances where the game is in the Eagles hands but defensive breakdowns and penalties will keep the Pack in this game til the very end. I predict the Eagles will get on the board early and often but fail to score the remainder of the game. Although McNabb will look on target and an early MVP candidate, drops by the WRs and mistackles by our linebackers will be the main heartache for Eagle fans.

Top 5 Eagle Players Under the Spotlight Sunday

2007-09-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here is my list of the top 5 players in order that will be under the microscope on Sunday afternoon against the Pack.

1. Donovan McNabb- Has 5 returned to form? McNabb will have an excellent opportunity to show he still belongs in the NFL elite, especially against a very active Green Bay defensive line. Our offensive line will have their hands full Sunday, making McNabb's short passing game and ability to run out of the pocket on display for everyone. There is no doubt Green Bay will bring the blitz almost every down, no question. Rather than focusing West, I feel they will make McNabb beat them with his arm after missing the last 6 games of the 06 season. Does McNabb still got it? He showed in preseason that he has not lost his touch, but the difference in tempo between preseason and the regular season is vast.

2. Sav Rocca- It seems it's not just me, but Rocca is just about as big of an unknown than Gocong, Gaither and Considine. Can he display consistency in the kicking game? Can he hold snaps for Akers? Is Akers comfortable with Rocca holding the ball? One thing is for sure: The moment Rocca botches a snap is the last snap he will ever hold in an Eagles uniform. Regardless, Rocca has that rare ability to wail the ball 60-70 yards on any given punt. That kind of advantage is SO important to a football team, given that the game is nothing more than a game of field position. If Rocca can show what he has shown in preseason on a consistent basis, it will be a huge step forward for the Eagles, which is why I'm putting this at number 2. The Eagle's offense may show a lot of 3 and outs on Sunday, making Rocca's performance is huge. Dirk Johnson haters, like myself, finally have our boomer, but will he fold under the pressure?

3. Jim Johnson- No doubt about it. This will be a huge game for Jim Johnson given the lack of experience and youth in the defense. Can Jim Johnson create a scheme that hides inexperienced players like Chris Gocong, Omar Gaither and Sean Considine to play to their strengths? Gocong and his ability to make an open field tackle, Gaither and his inexperience being the leader of an NFL team and read play action, Considine and his ability tackle and not make bone head plays. These three young players looked awefully tentative during preseason and cannot be seen in the regular season. I want to see that dawg in each of these players come Sunday afternoon. No hesitation on opportune sacks. No thinking, just puttin a hurtin on. The potential is there: The rotation of our defensive line is top notch, Broderick Bunkley will become a reliable starter, possible stud, Patterson and Van Oelhoffen will rotate to stop the run, our defensive backfield is top notch, spare an unproven Considine. It's up to Jim Johnson to get it done.

4. Shawn Andrews- This could be the offensive line as a unit, but since Andrews hasn't played all preaseason, I'm gonna single him out. He is, without a doubt, the best players on the Eagles roster. What he showed along with Runyan on the right side was just out right dominance in the second half of last season. I fully expect that kind of dominance this season as well. The question that remains is the insertion of Andrews to the offensive line and whether or not they have lost a step or not. Westbrook needs his carries if this team wants to go to the Superbowl, and it all starts with Andrews.

5. LJ Smith- Everyone knows the story on this kid. He's been injured, he is in a contract season and the Eagles don't seem to want to resign him, and he's got a young kid named Brent Celek breathing down his neck for playing time. Can LJ Smith regain his form and play at the level we're used to seeing him perform? Like it or not, the Eagles NEED LJ to get his ass back on the field. Celek looks good but is he ready? Absolutely not. This is a huge game for LJ. He can set the tone for the entire season all year by having a dominate game. A major reason for the dominant running attack in the second half of last year was LJ Smith. He went from being a below average run blocker to a very good one in a very short amount of time. Can he show the same blocking skills he showed or will his injury hamper that ability? Will he be a liability on the field because of this? Huge game for LJ Sunday.

Top Skill I Want to See Improve From Every Sixer

2007-08-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Here is an early breakdown of what each Sixer must improve on their game in order for the Sixers to be successful this season.

Enjoy.

Louis Amundson: Must show CONSISTENCY. Amundson has showed he has the heart, size, hustle and skill set to be a very good role player in the NBA. What he lacks is consistency. He's shown he can be that hustle player off the bench that can block shots, shoot a high percentage, rebound the ball and get the crowd involved. Just one problem, he has never played more than 10 games in one regular season. I firmly believe he's a lock to make this roster and he'll be counted on to be a key figure coming off the bench. If he can bring that all around game he's shown in the Summer Leagues he'll be that impact player off the bench we've lacked for a long time.

Derrick Byars: Must show ROLE. There's no doubt the kid can play, as evident by being the SEC player of the year and projected by many a first round pick in one of the deepest drafts of all time. Although he was hampered by an injury during the majority of the Summer League, we all know he has skills to make this youthful roster. The only problem is what are those skills? We know he has range to hit the three, play defense, good athleticism, make that extra pass and has all the intangibles in the world that makes him an excellent leader in the club house. But what separates him from the rest? Byars must show what role he can excel in in order to make the roster.

Rodney Carney: Must show PASSING. Carney has a sweet sweet stroke with range, world class athleticism and an excellent ability to finish around the hoop. The only problem is that's all he's got going for him. We all know he can score the ball and his the available three from downtown, but unfortunitely what we do know is that he brings nothing on the court other than scoring. Averaging a horrible 0.4 assists per game, those numbers must improve if Carney wants to be a part of this spread offense., especially as a starter.

Samuel Dalembert: Must show EXPERIENCE. Everyone knows Samuel Dalembert is one of the top athletic centers in the game of basketball, but unfortunitely everyone knows Sammy D is one of the dumbest centers as well. The man simply cannot grasp the game of basketball, evident by inconsistent play, rotating off the wrong man on defense and making ridiculous fouls keeping him out of the game. Sammy finally showed his potential last season averaged over 10 and 8 and starting in all 82 regular season games. In order for the Sixers to be successful next year, he must improve in those stats. I'm looking for Dalembert to go from young, center pro to proven vet this season. 12 and 9 and 2 blocks a game should be about right with Miller and Iggy all improving this year.

Willie Green: Must show ALL AROUND GAME: Willie Green is a great scorer. Duh. He's just not anything else, similar to Carney. In my opinion he's the key guy to get traded or cut from the team prior to the start of the regular season due to this. Green shows nothing in terms of passing the ball and rebounding for him to be a starter in this league. Guys like Willie Green are a dime a dozen.

Herbert Hill: Must show REBOUNDING: It's as simple as that. On a team that features zero physical players that can rebound the ball both on the offensive and defensive side, the second round pick Herbert Hill finds himself in a surprisingly excellent spot to make this roster. To boot, he's even showed he has excellent hands to finish in the paint. I believe Herbert Hill is a lock to make the final roster on a team that lacks exactly what he can bring: a guy that can make the big rebound and finish around the hoop. How badly did we get beaten rebounding in the offensive and defensive paint last year?

Steven Hunter: Must show WORTH. Steven Hunter filled in admirably as the Sixers starting power forward late last year. He played good defense, could rebound the ball somewhat on the defensive end and could finish a bit on offense. Too bad he's a center fooling himself as a power forward in the NBA. All he brought last year was a good shot blocking power forward. Although it was an improvement over a miserable performance by Chris Webber last year, his skill set only shouts shot blocking. Even though he did pretty well starting, he's still considered a bench player at best and not a starter in this league. Can Hunter improve in his starting role as a power forward on this team or is he the same old 2nd round draft pick trade bait that's plagued his career?

Andre Iguodala: Must show DEPENDABILITY: We all know Iggy is on the verge of becoming an Allstar. He's a premiere defender, passer, rebounder and leader for such a young player like himself. What he lacks is that dependability factor, but only for the reason that he's not played at the level he performed after the AI trade. After AI was traded, he averaged over 20 and 6 and 6 for the rest of the season. Can he do it again? With a bad back? Iggy will be counted on not only to improve on last years numbers but become the superstar we all think he can be. This is the year he makes himself a house hold name.

Bobby Jones: Must show UNIQUE ABILITY. Bobby Jones was drafted on his defensive skills alone coming out of Washington. On a team that is built with depth in SGs and SFs, Bobby Jones finds himself in a struggle to compete. Jones must show he has obtained a reliable jump shot and can do all the little things that makes guys like him successful in this league. Think of Bruce Bowen. Jones must make one ability unique, whether that's shooting, passing or rebounding that separates him from the rest of the SFs on this roster. Will he get playing time? That's the key factor keeping him from making this roster.

Kyle Korver: Must show DEFENSIVE RELIABILITY: Kyle Korver showed great improvement in his ability to extend his offensive game, including a reliable turn around jump shot. Korver has a great stroke, duh. What he must prove this year is that he can step it up on the defensive end. What sucks about this is that this is probably as good as it gets for Kyle Korver. Physically speaking Korver just cannot play on the same court with upper tier athletic players. Can Korver improve his offensive game enough to prove that he belongs on the court?

Andre Miller: Must show VETEREN LEADERSHIP: With Miller and Hendersen being the only vets on this squad, Andre Miller must continue to show why he's the best point guard the Sixers have seen in a long long time. Miller will be counted on to lead a roster full of youngsters. His offensive game could show some improvement but lets face it, the guy is clutch. Not much else to say. If only Andre Miller was 3 or 4 years younger......

Shavlick Randolph: Must show OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING: Lets face it, the only reason Shav was on this team was due the lack of depth in the paint and his ability to get offensive boards. After a season of disappearance, Shav must show that he can do exactly what he showed two years ago that made him a fan favorite. Shav is battling Jason Smith and Louis Amundson for second on the depth chart at starting power forward and it will be this ability that puts him over the top.

Jason Smith: Must show KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME: Jason Smith has proved he has the ability to rebound, block shots, hit the open shot, dribble a bit and run the court. What he hasn't shown is that he has the intangibles to start in this league. Jason Smith needs to gain that moxy that'll make him the starting power forward on this team, which is yet to be seen. He's shown flashes as a power forward that can spread the floor off the dribble and shown that he has a reliable mid range game, but I do not believe that is his strength. After watching the Summer League games, he has extreme hops and is a much better defensive rebounder than I thought. If Jason Smith can show those hops on a consistent basis and reliable hands in the paint, he should be starting in no time. I'm very impressed by his ability to finish and his soft touch around the hoop.

Louis Williams: Must show CONTROL: We all know Louis Williams has the ability to average over 13 points per game as starter in this league, what we don't know is his ability to lead a team as the starting point guard. If only Lou Will was a few inches taller. Since he's so short, he must be a point guard. Louis Williams has extreme natural scoring ability, he just needs to prove that he's not as turnover prone as his age denounces.

Thaddeus Young: Must show BALL CONTROL: I really think this kid has it all. Shooting, rebounding, hustle, intangibles, leadership, passing, reputation.... What Thaddeus Young lacks is his right hand lol. The lefty simply cannot dribble with his right hand. Thaddeus Young has the smarts that will make him a star in this league, but will they translate this season? I'm not so sure about that. I believe Thaddeus Young will show incredible flashes this season, but those exact weaknesses will display themselves often.

Current Starting Lineup in October (very subject to change)

Andre Miller/Louis Williams
Rodney Carney/ Willie Green/ Derrick Byars
Andre Iguodala/ Kyle Korver
Steven Hunter/ Louis Amundson/ Shav
Samuel Dalembert/ Jason Smith/ Herbert Hill

Eagles/ vs. Ravens Review and Grades

2007-08-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

Interior o line received the worst grades. D line was horrible, evident by inability to stop the run and get to the QB on key third downs. The Ravens consistently blitzed up the middle and off the edge and we could not stop it whatsoever. Highest grades were received by Brent Celek, Kevin Kolb, Brian Westbrook, Broderick Bunkley, Sav Rocca, Rashad Barksdale, and Nick Graham.

QB

AJ Feeley- Looked ok to me. Made a couple nice throws but missed on a wide open Reggie Brown on the sideline. Made a nice pass to Curtis for an 8 yard gain. His struggle was mostly not his own, as he was given zero pass protection, evident by the Ravens constant blitz. He really didn't show much other than the fact that he's no more than a number 2 or 3 quarterback. Grade: C.

Kelly Holcomb- Looked better than AJ last night. Similar to AJ he was pressured in every series but unlike AJ he made several very nice passes and threw a very nice ball. Made a fantastic pass to Greg Lewis on the right sideline in tight space during a pass rush, which was very impressive. He hit almost everyone in stride and displayed much more promise than AJ Feeley really. Grade: B.

Kevin Kolb- Definitely looked confident throwing into coverage last night and hit his man not only in stride but in between multiple defenders. Quick feet, quick release, strong arm, great swagger, good mentality- looks like a Garcia clone. Most importantly what he showed last night was that he CAN read a blitz and he CAN make both passes long and short. At first I thought he was just a system QB who can throw short and accurate passes, but this guy simply has a gun. I am very encouraged with our future QB. Give him 2 years to learn the system and this guy could be deadly, I really mean that. Even though his stats may not show it, I really like what I saw from him. He was hampered by drops and fumbles by the WRs and I don't believe the fumble was his fault. Showed lots of promise with his accuracy in tight spaces and down the field. Grade: A minus.

RB

Brian Westbrook- Didn't have any help from his o line, but he displayed exactly what we saw from the second half of last season. Loved the screen pass that he broke for over 20 yards. Get him a couple of series on Friday against the Panthers and then keep him out of the remaining 2 preseason games. We can't afford him getting hurt and he is the most important piece to our offense. Grade: A.

Correll Buckhalter- Due to the lack of effort by the o line, didn't do anything really, rushing and in the passing game. Didn't show any burst getting through the gaps and looked indecisive. Not much to talk about here other than the fact that he didn't impress. Missed big time in the blocking game, on multiple plays looking completely lost. Did not pick on the blitz. Grade: D minus.

Tony Hunt- Couldn't get much done in the running game, no one did, but did show something in the passing game, getting 2 catches for 11 yards. He didn't get to show his 3rd and short ability due to way too many 3rd and longs by the offense. Shame. Hopefully Friday we'll get to see it. Did show a decent burst on one run up the middle, but got pushed back on the rest. Impressed me more than Buck last night. Grade: C.

Ryan Moats- May have had a career ending injury. If you didn't have half a tear going down your face when you saw him on the ground and in the stretcher, you're not an Eagles fan. Such a shame. He was never going to make the team but you never want to see a player go down like that. Wasn't it hilarious how the Ravens broadcasters kept talking about this guys injury and how it will hamper the chances of the Eagles season? And Pat Burrell is a fast runner (thank you Joe Morgan) lol!. Grade: I'll give him an A because he'll need it lol.

Nate Ilaoa- Didn't show the burst I was hoping, looked pretty big for such a small guy out there. Looked ok. Nothing in the run game, but showed something in the passing game, which is his strength. Grade: C minus.

FB

Thomas Tapeh- Was he on the field? lol. Seriously, didn't do a thing. Poor blocking, no carries, receptions. Did not impress. Grade: F.

Jason Davis- Looked much more impressive than Tapeh as he made a decent carry up the middle, in his only carry lol. Did a better job blocking IMO than Tapeh, which isn't saying anything really. Grade: C minus.

WR

Reggie Brown- Made a nice catch for 6 yards near the sideline but other than that did not do much. Much due to the lack of pass protection, he didn't have the opportunity to shine. Looks like the real deal and I believe he's ready to take that third year WR step. Grade: C.

Kevin Curtis- One nice catch for 9 yards on the first play of the game. Looked smooth and ran a quick route effectively. Grade: C.

Jason Avant- He's still the physical, great blocking WR he was last season. Made a reception for 12 yards, and that's it really. Reliable, consistent, physical, a great possesion receiver and a great run blocker that will fit in very well in this offense- no wonder why the Eagles FO loves this kid. Grade: C plus.

Hank Baskett- Showed great hands catching a ball for 9 yards in between two defenders. Grade: C plus.

Jeremy Bloom- Made a couple really good catches in between defenders and took the hit well. Showed excellent hands. Those two receptions will go a long way in him making the team. If he does that again on Friday he's a lock to make the team, due to his punt return and kickoff return ability. Showed an excellent juke on one punt return. Showed great acceleration and quickness, but had no holes or gaps to run in between as the special teams were aweful just like the o line. With better blocking he has potential. Grade: B.

Greg Lewis- Made a great catch on the sideline on 3rd down for 10 yards, but it was an even better throw by Holcomb. Shows that he's an excellent 3rd down receiver, which made him effective last year. The progress of Avant and Baskett will make it hard for the Eagles to keep him but he'll definitely have a job somewhere else. Grade: B minus.

TE

Brent Celek- What a performance by Celek. He showed exactly what reports out of TC have reported. Runs excellent routes, great hands, great ability after the catch and is very advanced for his time in the offense. What else can be said that has already been said? Grade: A plus.

O Line

William Thomas- Got beat off the edge and on one play his man got the sack. Could not read the blitz coming off the edge. Did not seem prepared or into the game whatsoever. Grade: D.

Todd Herremens- This is where it got ugly. Ravens blitzed up the middle on a consistent basis, which really did not fit well with Herremens. From all the progress he has reportedly been given during TC, I'm left unimpressed. Grade: D minus.

Jamaal Jackson- Similar to Herremens. Was outmatched by the Ravens blitz. Seemed lost. Could not run block or show anything that made him a top center in the league last season. Grade: D minus.

I don't even need to go further with the rest of the o line. It was simply pathetic. Scott Young, Max Jean Gilles, etc, etc were all noticably bad. Not giving them all an F but they could very well deserve it. Isn't this position our strength? They looked like they have never seen a blitz before and very unmotivated. Very very very poor showing. Way to represent guys.

D Line

Broderick Bunkley- Must be consistent if the Eagles want to get to the Super Bowl. I truly believe it's as simple as this: If the Eagles stop the run, they're the best team in the NFC. Bunk is a huge huge part of that and so much is riding on him. It was good to see a sign to see him so effective in the run game. Made two GREAT plays getting the running at the LOS. A completely different player than last year. This is the guy we drafted in the early-mid first round. Great showing. Grade: A.

Mike Patterson- Was really nonexistent. Didn't show anything. HAS to play better, especially when our blitzing linebackers don't do anything. He's not there for his run defense, so he has to pick it up and become a factor. Got eaten up on several run plays over 10 yards. Grade: D.

Trent Cole- Did not show any kind of pass rush or help against the run. Did not even come close to making a tackle. Very poor showing. MUST play better. Grade: D minus.

Jevon Kearse- Similar to Cole. Not one tackle. Don't really care though. As long as he stays healthy really. Grade: D minus.

Juke Thomas- Made a couple nice tackles, especially one getting the RB from behind. Still the good blitzing rotational guy we expect. Grade: C.

Victor Abiamiri- I was pretty impressed by his play. Made a couple nice tackles in the backfield and showed good strength against the run. Performed the best out of our group of DEs. He's a lock to make the roster from his overall game against the pass and run. I like it. Seemed to be the only guy wanting to make the final roster on the d line. Grade: A minus.

Jerome McDougle- completely nonexistent. Not making the roster. Grade: F.

LB

Takeo Spikes: Didn't show much really. Not exactly sure how much he played really. Didn't notice. Only made one tackle. Hope to see more on Friday. Grade: D.

Chris Gocong: Made a great tackle along the sideline, but that's about it. Grade: C.

Jeremiah Trotter- Could not get off blocks on several plays, and on one big run. I didn't see the improved, quicker Trotter. Not a good sign. Grade: D minus.

Stewart Bradley- Showed flashes getting into the backfield but took several bad angles allowing for big runs. Must improve reading defenses. Definitely out of position at Mike linebacker. Seems to be better than Simoneau, which is a breathe of fresh air. Needs time, maybe a year to learn the defense. Grade: B.

Omar Gaither- Very unimpressed by Gaither. Looked lost, especially when he completely let up on getting Boller out of bounds, allowing him to run for an extra ten yards. Could have been due to the lack of players around him. Must improve. Grade: D.

Tank Daniels- Made one good tackle on a pass but that's about it. Nonexistent in the run defense. Will not play this year at linebacker. Still a project. May get some time on special teams but that's it. Grade: D plus.

Matt McCoy- Looked much better than last year getting off of blocks and wrapping up RBs in stride. I was really impressed with him as he looked stronger, more physical and decisive than last year. Not big but a fastball linebacker that can play some snaps in nickel situations. Will definitely make the roster and be effective on special teams. Grade: B plus.

CB

Sheldon Brown- I didn't even notice him on the field. Did he play lol? Grade: Incomplete.

William James- Got beat on a big 3rd down play that led to a score. Didn't seem into the game. Looked lost. Definitely not starting over Sheldon Brown this year. Must improve for our pass defense to be effective. Kinda worried here. Grade: D minus.

Joselio Hansen- Made several nice tackles and broke up on pass play on defense. Looks more confident this season after a year under his belt. I think he'll make the roster. Grade. C.

Rashad Barksdale- VERY impressed by this kid. He just looks natural out there in the backfield. Was all over the field, broke up a deep pass in the end zone and was a great tackler. I don't think he missed one tackle. He has excellent size too. Great pick and he has much potential. I think he'll make the team as the last DB. Much less of a project that I thought. Grade: A plus.

Nick Graham- Like Barksdale he was all over the field. Great performance to get his name out there. Excelled in garbage time and looked like he belonged. Grade: A.

S

Sean Considine- Very strong performance in coverage by a key player in the first preseason game. Must be a consistent tackler against the run. Seems to be a smart player. Was horrible blitzing and could not get off the line at all. Do not blitz this guy. Grade: B minus.

P

Dirk Johnson- Had a pretty good game actually punting the ball. Grade: B plus.

Sav Rocca- Excellent performance today. Punted one ball from the back of the end zone to the opposing teams 30 yard line! WHAT?! That's what I've been waiting to see. I believe Rocca has taken the lead as the teams first string punter. Hopefully it continues. Grade: A plus.

Top Tight End Prospects in the 2008 NFL Draft

2007-08-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

For those who think this will be LJ Smith's last year, here are the early top TE prospects entering the 2008 NFL Draft.

Just getting you ready for some intense TE chat when LJ leaves for free agency next year lol.

Here's what I got my info from: http://walterfootball.com/draft2008TE.php

And here are the top 5 TE prospects in the 2008 NFL Draft, not in order.

USC Fred Davis

His stat page from last season: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=156173

Texas A and M Martellus Bennett

His stat page from last season: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=177364

Other Info: Best TE in the country in my opinion, 6'7 frame too

Missouri Chase Coffman

Stat page: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=177294

Notre Dame John Carlson

Stat page: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=150292

Michigan State Kellen Davis

Stat page: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=160704

Bottomline, there aren't many stand out TEs in this years class but it's a pretty deep year IMO. Most are projected in the second and third rounds due to their slow 40 time. One thing about this years class is that they are all HUGE and physical. I like Bennett the most, but I think Carlson has the most potential out of the group since he's coming from a great TE school and coach in Notre Dame and Charlie Weiss. I think Carlson is in for a huge year.

I think Bennett and Carlson will be there when we make our pick in the mid 20s next year, and either one is a leading candidate for our pick. I know this is way too early, but I thought it'd be fun.

The Eagles will also be looking for a safety in next year's draft.

Here's a link talking about the cream of the crop: http://walterfootball.com/draft2008S.php

The 3 Most Important Players to the Eagle's 07-08 Season

2007-08-02T06:13:00.000-07:00

(Not Named McNabb and Westbrook)

1. Broderick Bunkley- In order to make the playoffs, let alone Super Bowl, the Eagles MUST improve their run defense. I don't think there is any way around it. Yea sure Mike Patterson must improve, and Ian Scott should be an upgrade, but the guy that must prove his worth (being a top first round pick) is Broderick Bunkley. Here is a guy that showed up late and out of shape at last years TC, missed a flight to a game, and had tons of hype as the answer to our defensive woes. According to early reports, Bunkley has been working his ass off all offseason and has looked good in his first hitting day at TC. Dawkins said yesterday that Bunkley's maturity has significantly improved, and defensive coordinator Jim Johnson even said that the difference is light and day between the way Bunk approached the game this year compared to last year. In my opinion, Mike Patterson will be what he is, a reliable but only good defensive tackle for his career. Bunkley has a ton of untapped potential, and he is the key to our defense, even Super Bowl run, if he plays like he's suppose to. The Eagles know they need a significant boost to their run defense, and a much more mature Broderick Bunkley will be relied upon heavily in the 07-08 season. If the Eagles can stop the run, I don't think this Eagles team can be stopped, but that's a big if.

2. Chris Gocong- It's no secret that Dhani Jones was one of the worst linebackers on the Eagles last year. Over the last 3 years, Dhani Jones has amounted 1 sack. 1 Friggin Sack! That's just absolutely pathetic. But that's not the worst part. Jones was consistently out of position all year, every year he's been an Eagle. Countless NFL tapes show Jones being too slow off the snap, being too late to fill the gap and not being able to break through any blocks to make a play in the back field. Enter Chris Gocong, who has all the size, speed, instincts and intangibles you look for in a linebacker. The only question, and it's a big one, is can he play linebacker in the NFL? With a year under his belt of studying the playbook, it's all a matter of putting it all together for the sophomore from Cal Poly. Strictly speaking, any performance from our strong side linebacker this year will be an improvement over the last 3 years of Dhani Jones, so performance out of the position can only go up. Last year the Eagle's linebackers were exposed. In fact, only one Eagle linebacker, in my opinion, had a decent year and that was Omar Gaither who will be backing up Trotter this season. The addition of pro bowler Takeo Spikes should lighten the load a bit on Chris Gocong, but his performance will go a long way in deciding the success of our beloved Eagle defense.

3. Marty Morningweg- Not a player, but THE guy that will determine whether Westbrook will run wild in 07-08. There's not much to say here then what has already been said. We all know how good our offense is, but what we were exposed to last year shows how a conservative, time consuming offense impacts the defense. Morningweg needs to maintain the exact same game plan the Eagles utilized the second half of last season and continue to trust, in my opinion, the best offensive line in the NFC. I also want to see Morningweg utilize the two RB system that seems to be the trend right now in the NFL. Give Westbrook 20 carries a game, but split 10 more carries between Buck and Tony Hunt. THIS is the way we get to the Super Bowl. Last year we proved we can be that grind it out, power running team that Eagle fans have said we could be. The second half of last season it became a reality and it took us to the playoffs. There is no reason why it should stop.

Honorable Mention: Reggie Brown, Jevon Kearse

Great Day for the 76ers: Thank you Boston!

2007-07-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

Boston has just traded Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and 2 first round picks for Kevin Garnett.

Ummmm, what?

Way to trade away your entire FRANCHISE Danny Ainge.

What a friggin' moron!

This is a great day for the 76ers.

Why?

Boston just traded away their ENTIRE future for another superstar that's on the decline, costs a huge chunk in salary, and one that only makes them above average in the East. Sure they will win more games then us, but you have to be concerned if you're a Boston fan. This move could jeapordize the Celtics for at least 10 years. Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, and two first round picks, GEEZ! Boston got screwed IMO. After 2009, we won't be hearing anything from the Celtics for a long long time, which is when we should be starting to compete.

Mark my words:
Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, OJ Mayo, Nicolas Batum or Michael Beasley will be a Sixer next year. As the division improves moderately, and only in temporary fashion, we will finally get our superstar. Rose is the best point guard prospect to enter college in years. OJ Mayo is a pure scoring, ulra athletic point guard similar to Gilbert Arenas. Nicolas Batum is a do it all, 6'8 shooting guard, who may not have a role on this team, but has a ton of potential. Eric Gordon is a downtown shooting shooting guard that is similar to Ben Gordon but has more polish. Michael Beasley is OUR guy. He's the big, number one option PF we need. Why will the Sixers get one of these players? 5 reasons...

1. We have the youngest team in the NBA.
2. There are no cupcakes in the NBA anymore, East and West.
3. Teams will not be blatantly tanking like last year.
4. We still have significant rebounding and offensive problems.
5. We're easily the worst team in the division.

While we secretly rebuild our roster over the next 2 years in the lottery, teams like the Nets, Knicks and Celtics will all be on the decline, leaving only the Raptors there to challenge us for the division title.

Celtics have 2 years max to get to the Finals. Nets don't seem to know what direction they're headed. The Knicks are the Knicks, continuously overpay overrated players.
I would have a fit if the Sixers made this kind of move. If the Celtics don't make the Finals in these two years, the team will be in complete disarray due to lack of talent. I couldn't believe Boston threw in 2 first round drafts along with the players they added in the trade. I thought Al Jefferson, Theo and Gomes would have been enough. But they throw in 2 first rounders AND Gerald Green. Ridiculous. Al Jefferson and Gerald Green are going to be fantastic players. They've shown a ton of promise and they're both extremely young.

Meanwhile, I love Minnesota right now. Talk about a team on the rise, and a team that should contend with the Sixers for a top 5 lotto pick in next year's draft. Just check out how deep their talent is in a couple of years:

PG: Randy Foye/ Sebastian Telfair
SG: Corey Brewer
SF: Gerald Green/ Ryan Gomes
PF: Al Jefferson/ Craig Smith/ Chris Richard
C: no one as of right now

The Timberwolves just went from a team in one of the worse situations of any team in the NBA to one of the top rebuilding teams in the NBA IMO.

We know more than anyone else that you NEVER sacrifice your future for someone that's overpaid and doesn't significantly improve your team. Congratulations Boston with your big land, but will you win the NBA championship? No.

What else is good?

The Celtics are now the worst run franchise in the NBA period.

The Curse of Philadelphia: Is it real?

2007-07-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

You tell me...

Intro:

1. Our Flyers have lost in the Stanley Cup twice, 1987 (7 games) and 1997 (4 game sweep)
2. Our Phillies lost in the World Series in 1993 (Joe Carter)
3. Our 76ers lost in the 2001 NBA Finals against of the dominant squads of all time, LA Lakers
4. Our Eagles lost the Super Bowl by 3 points to one of the NFL's greatest dynasties

It gets worse:

1. Our Flyers were up 3-1 against the New Jersey Devils in the ECF when they came back and won in game 7
2. Smarty Jones loses the Triple Crown by one length in the Belmont in 2004
3. The Villanova Wildcat's mens bball squad, in 2005 fail to get to the Final Four after botched call by the ref at the end of the game against the Tar Heels
4. The St. Joes Hawks lose on a last second shot to Oklahoma State, keeping them out of the Elite Eight
5. The Temple Owls have just missed reaching the Final Four 5 times

As bad as it gets:

1. Barbaro, our Philly horse who is favored to win the Triple Crown, dies
2. The Phillies are now the only team in professional sports to get to 10,000 losses
3. After Ryan Howard finally gets on track, Pat Burrell begins to regain focus and the Phillies are 2 games out of the wildcard and hot with a month and a half left of baseball to play, Chase Utley, a NL MVP candidate, goes down with a broken hand

Is it real? It's hard to ignore the facts.

I think it's time to knock down all the skyscrapers in Philadelphia.

Who's with me?

2007 NFC East Preview

2007-07-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

With TC approaching I thought I would do my 2007 NFC East preview. Here I will discuss each team's biggest question marks.

Washington Redskins: While they obtain the best rushing attack in the NFC east, I think their ability to protect the pass and defend the pass is what will bring down the Redskins this year. Their linebackers are getting old and they have minimal depth at defensive tackle, I see a ton of teams running down their throats all season long. Sure they have some highly talented safeties, but their cornerbacks are nothing special. Their o line is solid with the run, but their pass blocking and qb Campbell needs to know the playbook and not look so lost in order for their entire offense to be a threat this year. He has a high ceiling and has shown that he has a great arm and can really let it loose, but this is not the year he puts it all together. Their inability to generate a pass rush will be their demise. Adding Laron Landry was a great great pick to sure up a lacking defensive backfield, but they are still very weak in their front 7. They added London Fletcher who's a productive player but he won't be a major impact to what was the worst defensive d line in the league last year (last in the league in sacks). Player to look out for: Laron Landry, who's playing alongside one of the best in Sean Taylor. How they gel and play next to each other will be fun to watch. Prediction: 5-11

New York Giants: Simply the ability to establish a running game. With Tiki Barber gone, opposing defenses will force Eli Manning to beat them with his arm. It won't happen this year, but this could be the beginning of the end for Manning. IMO it's a career year, but he's got tons of opportunity with guys like Steven Smith and a more developed Moss. He needs to establish what he is in the NFL and must do so without leaning on a hall of fame running back this season. However, in the end, I don't see this team as having that bad of a season. I think they'll be competitive enough to challenge for a wildcard spot. They should be able to fill in production in their running game enough to be mediocre this season. Everywhere else, their decent. Their in the middle of the pack in the division terms of passing game, running game, stopping the run, and defending the pass. I see this team giving the Eagles headaches; scrappy team that is inconsistent and unpredictable. Player to look out for: Mathias Kiwanuka, who had an up and down rookie year. Prediction 7-9

Dallas Cowboys: Easily it's the stardom of Tony Romo. Is he the qb that got to the pro bowl or is he the qb that teams learned to beat? Stopping Romo became clear: keeping him in the pocket will keep him from creating plays out of the pocket, his strength. Other big quesiton marks are their running game and their ability to defend the pass. Not their running back, but their offensive line. To beef up their o line, they've added Leonard Davis, a big name and body but will have to shift to guard in order to remain effective. They added versatile Ken Hamlin to the defensive backfield, but even Hamlin has cover issues. Player to look out for: Anthony Spencer, who should become an excellent complement to Demarcus Ware in the 3-4. Spencer must be an impact player this year if the Cowboys want to make the playoffs. Prediction 9-7

Philadelphia Eagles: Of course one may say the Eagles biggest question marks revolve around the health of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, but IMO it's the run defense. All year the Eagles were burned by their inability to stop the run. All offseason they've beefed up the front seven by adding guys who are quicker and more physical such as Takeo Spikes, Ian Scott, Victor Abiamiri and Steward Bradley. Chris Gocong looks to add more strength and physicality to the front seven. Much of their failure to close out games early last season was due to the big play nature of their offense. This year the Eagles look to rely on a much more balanced attack with the running game of Brian Westbrook. Rookie Tony Hunt, who is an upgrade in blocking and receiving in the backfield, looks challenge Correll Buckhalter as the second running back in the depth chart. The health of Jevon Kearse will make a huge impact this year. The Eagles proved last year that they can be extremely successful by rotating players in and out of their d line. After Kearse was injured, the effectiveness of that rotation and depth was significantly reduced. The loss of Donte Stallworth was replaced by speedy, sure handed receiver Kevin Curtis. Player to look out for: Jason Avant, who could surprise and end up being the number 3 slot receiver on offense. He's a great pass and run blocker with sure hands and a big body. Prediction 10-6

Ten Bold Statements:

1. The Eagles will establish the running game this year and Brian Westbrook will rush for 1500 yards.
2. Tony Romo will have an excellent but inconsistent season and make the pro bowl.
3. Rocky McIntosh will emerge as a solid weak side linebacker for the Redskins this year.
4. Eli Manning will have more interceptions than Jason Campbell.
5. The lack of a pass rush will keep the Giants out of the playoffs.
6. If McNabb gets injured in 2007, it will be his last season as an Eagle.
7. Jeremy Bloom will emerge as an elite return man (3 return tds).
8. Anthony Spencer will emerge as a great complement to Ware and be one of the most productive rookies in the NFL (10 sacks).
9. Ladell Betts will have more rushing yards than Clinton Portis.
10. Takeo Spikes will be in the pro bowl.

5 Things We Should Focus On In Training Camp

2007-07-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

With Eagle's training camp looming near, a lot of people are quick to point out the main questions of the Eagles such as will they maintain the balance in the run and passing game, will Broderick Bunkley perform like a first round pick should perform, and will Donovan McNabb be healthy enough all season?

I'm going in a different direction. Of course all of those questions above are extremely pertinent to the success of the 07-08 season, I see things in a different manner. Here are my 5 things I'll be looking for in training camp.

1. The health of Jevon Kearse: We all know Kearse came back from his injury into mini camp thin as rails. In JJ's system, the d line must get pressure on the quarterback for the system to be successful, making the health of Kearse that much more important IMO. Last year, before Jevon's injury, his presence on the field led a dominating Eagle's d line. After his injury, you could see and feel the loss of Jevon. If he has not built himself up during this break between TC and mini camp, I think we're in for a long season.

2. The performance of Chris Gocong: Having yet to play his first snap as a linebacker, he has all the tools to make it happen; size, speed, instincts, motor. Having had no playmakers on the linebacker side of the Eagles the past 3 years, there is a lot of hope and hype for Chris Gocong. How does it play out? I don't think anyone knows. If Jevon is back to form, and Gocong plays to his so called 'ability,' we could be witnesses to a dominating front 7.

3. Sean Considine: Considine came in to split time with Lewis last season and came out as the starter for the 07/08 season. Considine is a good but not great football player that has some range and can go sideline to sideline. The one thing he lacks is his ability to tackle as he missed several should be tackles in the second half of last season. He needed to get much stronger and apparently he did this offseason gaining over 20 pounds of muscle. This year he won't have the opportunity to take a break on defense with Lewis gone. Quintin Mikell will get some time at SS in long passing downs, but it looks like Considine is our guy for this season. He can be a solid player in the backfield, but can he stay healthy? He's a good player when healthy, but when he's not he doesn't deserve to be on the field.

4. The return of our return game: Jeremy Bloom is a lock to make the roster as the lead punt and kick off return man. Early reports from mini camps (Gcobb) have reported that Bloom has regained his quickness and speed that makes him such a huge weapon. Last season, in fact since the release of JR Reed, the return was completely extinct. The Eagles know they need to establish the return game in order to make the Super Bowl this season. Football is a game of field position, making the health and progress of Jeremy Bloom SO important this season.

5. The Great Australian Reefer Sav Rocca: I can't wait to see this guy boom 60-65 yard punts. I don't see anyway the Eagles are comfortable allowing Dirk Johnson to be their starting punter this year. With punters coming into the NFL who are able to punt longer than ever these days, a reliable, big time punter is what the Eagles need. Now if we stay away from 3 and outs on 3 passing plays on 3 downs this shouldn't be much of a concern, but if not we need a boomer. Rocca may not have solid form but his ability and potential are top notch. I think the Eagles will go in a new direction with this guy. Dirk Johnson is completely replaceable and I think Rocca is our man this year.

Lots of question marks, but lots of potential.

GO EAGLES!

A Realistic Look at our Current 76ers

2007-07-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

The absence of Joe Smith will hurt the Sixers more than anyone thinks. Sure he didn't put up Allstar caliber numbers, but his presence will be sorely missed. For one, especially in the second half of last year, Smith was THE leader/vet in the lockeroom that reached most of the young guys. Not only that, Joe Smith literally won us about 5 or 6 games last year in the remaining seconds of each contest. Take out Joe Smith last year and we would have had a top 6 lottery pick guranteed.

Second, 0ur young players will not have a guy like Joe Smith to depend on this year, which will lead to much more inconsistencies and struggles compared to last year.

With Smith out of the way, guys like Jason Smith, Shavlick Randolph and maybe Amundsen are gonna have to step up considerably. Bottomline, I see the same weaknesses on this years team that harmed the season prior - rebounding. Our perimeter defense may be a bit improved, but that won't stop opposing teams from getting consistent offensive rebounds, which killed our season last year. Offensively it'll be the same story. Sure the chemistry may be a bit improved, but the Sixers were a poor offensive team last year. There are lots of question marks surrounding Rodney Carney, like his dribbling, passing and rebounding, who must step up if the Sixers want to make the playoffs. Unfortunitely our most natural born scorer, Lou Will, is only 20 years old and will get extremely limited minutes this year (10 per).

I see this team as worse as last year. Inabilities to rebound and stop teams from rebounding on the offensive end will haunt this squad the entire season. Gone are proven vets that provide leadership and limit rookie mistakes. Our rookies will show flashes, but expect the 07 Sixers to lead the league in turnovers.

Due to this team being so young, (no pun intended), there is hope. This is the year the Sixers, as we all hoped last year, will have their rebuilding season. Because of their limitations, the Sixers will have the ability to get a quality player in the high lottery next season. I fully expect a top 5 draft pick for the team next year. I anticipate no more than 25-28 wins for them as I see a ton of growing pains in the upcoming season.