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?
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
5 Biggest Question Marks for the Sixers
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.
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.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Top Players in College Basketball
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?
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?
Monday, October 1, 2007
Things I Saw in Week 4 Against the Giants
-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.
-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.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Week 3 Detroit Lions versus Philadelphia Eagles Preview
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.
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
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
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
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Bottomline for the 76ers
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!
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!
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