5 Best/Worst Moments of the Decade in Philly Sports

With the 2000's reaching their final day today we figured we would take a look at the best and worst moments in Philadelphia Sports this decade. Let's take a look at the 5 moments that made us sick to our stomach and re-live them. Why not, right?

5. NFC Championship loss to the Panthers in 2004 and Cardinals in 2009

Both of these losses were devastating because the teams were favorites in each game. Both games were drastically different though. Watching the Panthers game was like watching a Varsity team beat up on a JV squad. This was the Eagles third straight time in the NFC Championship and everyone thought they would win, but no one told that to the receivers who couldn't break press coverage which resulted in 3 Ricky Manning INTs. They were harassed the whole night and this game served as the evidence needed when the Eagles were contemplating signing TO.
The game against the Cardinals had a completely different feel to it. The Eagles had won two straight road games to make it to the Championship game, taking out the number one seed Giants in the process. There were basically two games in one for this. In the first half, the Eagles offense could get nothing going and the defense could not contain Larry Fitzgerald. In the third quarter the Eagles offense scored on three consecutive drives and holding the Cardinals to 3-and-outs in the process. The Eagles took the lead in the 4th but the defense couldn't hold it, and Kevin Curtis' dropped pass in the final drive signaled the 4th loss in NFC Championship games this decade for the Birds.

4. Flyers lose ECF to Lightning in 2004 and Devils in 2000

Both series went to game 7, both series saw great games and great goaltending. In 2000, the Flyers were up 3-1 in the series and lost 3 straight games to the rival Devils. In the process, in game 7, Scott Stevens effectively ended the Eric Lindros era in Philadelphia by giving him a concussion.
In 2004, with their backs against the ropes in Philadelphia for Game 6, the Flyers won in Overtime thanks to a Simon Gagne goal. However, the Flyers would fall 2-1 in Game 7.

3. 2009 World Series loss

This would normally be higher, if not for the absolute euphoria flowing through Citizen's Bank Park the year before when we did win the Series. But this still hurt. The Phils jumped out to a 1-0 series lead thanks to a masterful performance from Cliff Lee in Yankee Stadium. The Game 4 loss was particularly demoralizing. After a Pedro Feliz home run to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th, Brad Lidge gave up 3 runs in the top of the 9th to seal a victory for the Yanks.

2. Super Bowl XXXIX loss to Patriots and the fallout

After three straight years of NFC Championship losses, the Eagles finally made it to the Promised Land. In Jacksonville they took on Tom Brady and the Patriots. In the first half the Eagles scored first and managed to keep Brady in check. But three Donovan McNabb INTs were too much and the Eagles could never recover in time to pull it out. Even though it was against Belichick and the Pats, you always had the feeling that the Eagles were the more talented team, but alas, they came up short. Ultimately, this loss ended the honeymoon of McNabb and Owens which spilled into next season, eventually getting Owens suspended and the Eagles finishing 6-10 in 2005.

1. NFC Championship loss to Bucs

No-brainer. Last game at the Vet. A team that sucks in cold weather. A team you beat the last three times. Get off to a 7-0 lead in the first minute. I was in the building for this game and never in my life have I ever been so distraught over a sporting event. After the game, so many fans just sat in their seats in shock and disbelief at what they witnessed. This was the perfect setup and the Eagles blew it. Even though it was 6 years ago, it's still hard to forget.

OK enough of the depressing stuff, here are the best moments in Philly sports this decade.

5. J-Roll & Matt Stairs own the Dodgers in NLCS

Both of these moments have become iconic within the last year so I had to combine them. Jimmy Rollins walk-off in the 2009 NLCS against the Dodgers was a thing of beauty. The Phils fought back as they often do and Jimmy finished the job with a shot to right center-field. The year before Matt Stairs hit a pinch-hit home run that still hasn't landed yet, that tied the game and was eventually won later in the inning by Carlos Ruiz. Both shots came off Jonathan Broxton.

4. 4th & 26

This was our modern day "Miracle at the Meadowlands." There was no way in hell that they were gonna get this first down...until they did. Donovan McNabb hit Freddie Mitchell for a first down and the rest is history. Brett Favre throws a quacker that Brian Dawkins intercepts and David Akers kicks the game-tying and game-winning field goals to propel the Eagles to the NFC Championship.


3. Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals

A true David vs. Goliath matchup between the Sixers and their diminutive leader AI against Shaq, Kobe and the LakeShow. Even though the Sixers ended up losing the series, this game was one for the books. Iverson's step-over of Tyronne Lue will forever live on in Sixers lore. This was the culmination of an exciting year with the Sixers.

2. NFC Championship Victory over Atlanta

The city had just survived a blizzard the day before. The fans knew the situation all too well. It was the 4th straight NFC Championship appearance for the Eagles, third straight at home, and all the city wanted was a W. With TO on the sidelines, this game was won on by the defense containing Mike Vick and the offense spreading the ball around. Chad Lewis scored two TDs, breaking his foot on one of them. This was a glorious day in Philadelphia.

1. Phinally "World F*ckin Champions!"

The city had waited 25 years to be called champion, and when Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske to give the Phils their second title in the team's history, the city was able to call itself a champion once again. The stadium erupted like never before, strangers hugged each other, people cried, it was a truly surreal scene at Citizen's Bank Park. The parade that followed was equally amazing, as well.

Thanks Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and Sixers for providing us with all these great moments, good or bad, and hopefully the next decade provides us with a few more parades.

A Birthday Fit For A King

The reigning NBA MVP LeBron James celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday. How did he celebrate, you ask? Well, he danced all over the Hawks to the tune of 48 points, 10 boards and 6 assists and a home win. However, it was Anderson Varejao who gave the King his best present which was a game-winning three pointer. It was the first three pointer of his career. Happy Birthday King.

AT&T Drops Tiger's Call/Endorsement

Adding insult to insult, Tiger has lost another big-time sponsor in the form of AT&T. They have joined Accenture, Gillette and TAG Heuer as endorsers who have either dropped him completely or have begun phasing him out of their advertising.

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SIxers on a Winning Streak

That's right, your Philadelphia 76ers have won back-to-back games for the first time since October. After winning in Portland earlier in the week, the Sixers took down the Kings in Sacramento 116-106. The Sixers took the lead for good in the 3rd quarter, thanks to Iverson's 11 points in the quarter. Lou Williams led the team with 22 and and Andre Iguodala finished with 19 points, 7 boards and 9 dimes. The Sixers look to extend their win streak tonight against the Clippers.

Top 10 NBA Plays of Decade

AI at 7...

The Rooster Sings...Beyonce?

Funny vid of Danilo Gallinari singing some Beyonce.

Bay Joins The Enemy

The Mets made their annual big-name free agent signing, by picking up left fielder Jason Bay. The contract is a 4-year deal worth $66 million. Bay, a three-time All-Star, hit .267 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs for the Boston Red Sox in 2009. Welcome to the NL East.

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6 Eagles Headed to Pro Bowl

David Akers, Trent Cole, Asante Samuel, DeSean Jackson, Jason Peters and Leonard Weaver were selected to represent the Eagles in the Pro Bowl. Only Minnesota had more players selected with 8. We are happy for all the Eagles who made it, but are particularly feeling for Brent Celek and Sheldon Brown for being snubbed. Brent Celek has 69 catches and 8 TDs, but Jason Witten was selected over him. Witten has 88 catches, but only one TD. Vernon Davis was the other tight end selected and he definitely deserved it thanks to his breakout season. Sheldon Brown, after yet another solid season has yet to be invited to the Pro Bowl. Only three cornerbacks were selected and they all had better numbers than Sheldon (not by much and only in specific categories), but he is a guy who plays hard, plays injured, and is the type of guy you would love to have on your team. One day he'll get his invite and Celek will definitely have multiple Pro Bowl invites in the future. Attached is the link for the entire rosters and a breakdown by team.

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Eagles Highlights/Dawkins Entrance

Money Mayweather with Some Tips

Floyd Mayweather helps SportsCenter anchor Brian Kenney with his right hand.

The Chin is Ready to Return

The best chin in sports, Bill Cowher, is ready to return as an NFL head coach. Sources close to Cowher and his family say that he is definitely ready to coach again in 2010. A lot of people are linking him to the Panthers job, since he lives in North Carolina. However, he is being linked to the Tampa Bay Bucs, where first year head coach Raheem Morris appears to be in over his head. Maybe that has changed with his big victory in the Superdome today, but if the Bucs front office has a chance to land Cowher, that would definitely spell the end for Morris. More to come as the story develops.

NFL Sunday Wrap Up Week 16

Photo Courtesy of ESPN.com

Buffalo Bills-3
Atlanta Falcons-31
In a game with absolutely no playoff implications, the Falcons throttled the Bills in the Georgia Dome. Brian Brohm faired about as well as Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards did all year. Terrell Owens became only the 6th receiver in NFL history with 1,000 receptions.

Kansas City Chiefs-10
Cincinnati Bengals-17
The Bengals sealed up their playoff spot with a victory at home against the Chiefs. Larry Johnson faced his old team, but it was Cedric Benson who rushed for over 100 yards for the 6th time this year. Carson Palmer threw a TD to Ocho Cinco late in the game to seal the win.

Oakland Raiders-9
Cleveland Browns-23
In the Charlie Frye Bowl, his former team got the best of his current team in a battle of irrelevant teams. The highlight of the game was a 61-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski, good for 4th-longest all time.

Seattle Seahawks-10
Green Bay Packers-48
The Packers abused the Seahawks in every facet of the game. Matt Hasselbeck threw 4 INTs for the second straight game. Aaron Rodgers became the first QB in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in his first two seasons as a starter.

Houston Texans-27
Miami Dolphins-20
The Texans moved to 8-7 and kept their playoff hopes alive with a victory in Miami. "The U" alum Andre Johnson scored a TD and the Texans held on to win despite a late rally from the Fins.

Jacksonville Jaguars-7
New England Patriots-35
Thanks to 3 Randy Moss TDs, and a flawless QB performance (how it wasn't a perfect QB rating is beyond me) from Tom Brady, the Pats steamrolled the Jags. Fred Taylor squared off against his old squad for the first time and the Pats wrapped up the AFC East with the win.

Tampa Bay Bucs-20
New Orleans Saints-17 (OT)
In the biggest upset of the day, the Bucs got their third win of the season in the Superdome. The Saints dropped their second straight game after starting off the season 13-0. Cadillac Williams rushed for 129 yards and a TD and Connor Barth hit the game-winning field goal in OT to give the Bucs fans something to cheer about.

Carolina Panthers-41
New York Giants-9
Big Blue closed out Giants Stadium with a dud of epic proportions. The Giants were harassed all day and they were never able to get back into the game. Steve Smith (Panthers=the real one), broke his arm and scored a TD on the same play...unbelievable.

Baltimore Ravens-20
Pittsburgh Steelers-23
The Steelers avenged their loss to the Ravens early in the season with a W today at Heinz Field. The Ravens have themselves to thank for the loss due to multiple penalties in key situations and a ridiculous drop of a touchdown from normally reliable Derrick Mason.

St. Louis Rams-10
Arizona Cardinals-31
The Cardinals were all over the Rams with Kurt Warner slinging it all over the field. The Cardinals already had the NFC West wrapped up and the Rams can't wait for the offseason to start. Kurt Warner threw for 313 yards and 2 TDs against his old team.

Detroit Lions-6
San Francisco 49ers-20
The Niners took down the Lions at home. The Lions are joining the Rams on vacation, but then again I don't think either team came back from last offseason's vacation. Frank Gore surpassed the 1,000 rushing yard plateau in the game.

New York Jets-29
Indianapolis Colts-15
The Colts opted not to go for the perfect season and instead rest their starters in the second half, which resulted in their first loss of the season to the Jets who are still very alive in the AFC playoff picture. Rookie Curtis Painter came in relief and was hardly Peyton Manning.

Denver Broncos-27
Philadelphia Eagles-30
In Brian Dawkin's return to Philadelphia, the Eagles held on thanks to a last second field goal from David Akers. The Eagles squandered a 17 point lead in the third quarter but Donovan McNabb led a game-winning drive in the final minutes to set up the field goal thanks to an amazing catch by Jeremy Maclin.

Dallas Cowboys-17
Washington Redskins-0
Dallas shut out Washington tonight, another team who has officially mailed in the rest of the season. This sets up a great last game against the Eagles where the winner gets the NFC East crown.

Urban Meyer Steps Down

The Florida AD released a statement today informing that Urban Meyer will step down as head coach. Meyer cited a need to focus on his health as his reason. Meyer will coach the Gators in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. This is an absolute shocking development, more details as they come in.

Bolts win 10th in a row

The Chargers completely dismantled the hot Titans on Christmas night. With the victory, the Chargers clinched the number 2 seed in the AFC for the playoffs, guaranteeing them a first round bye. Philip Rivers is undefeated in his career in the month of December. Hats off to the Titans who were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. For a team that started 0-6, they battled back valiantly behind Vince Young and Chris Johnson and with a win next week they'll have a chance to finish the season at .500, which no one thought would have been possible 10 weeks ago. Chris Johnson, the NFL's leading rusher, gained another 142 yards on the ground last night and is only 118 yards away from being only the 6th player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 in a season. Eric Dickerson's all-time single season record is 234 yards away so that appears to be safe, but anything is possible.

Christmas Basketball Wrap Up

Miami Heat-93
New York Knicks-87
In the first game of the day, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat took down the Knicks in the Garden. Wade finished with 30, 9 and 5, and held on to win despite a run by the Knicks late in the fourth.

Boston Celtics-86
Orlando Magic-77
The Celtics improved to 13-1 on the road this season with a win in Orlando yesterday. Rajon Rondo had a double-double with 17 points and 13 dimes. Vince Carter led the Magic with 27 but it wasn't enough. The C's are now sporting the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland Cavaliers-102
Los Angeles Lakers-87
In the marquee matchup of the day, the Cavs took down the Lakers at Staples and it wasn't even close. Despite 35 and 9 from Kobe, the Cavs controlled the entire game. The real losers, however, were the LA fans who threw foam fingers and other paraphernalia onto the court when the game was in it's final minutes. I guess Philly isn't the only place where fans throw things? Video Below.

Los Angeles Clippers-93
Phoenix Suns-124
In the blowout game of the day, the Suns beat the Clippers by 31 in Phoenix. Amare Stoudemire had 26 points and the Suns just steamrolled the Clips from start to finish.

Denver Nuggets-96
Portland Trailblazers-107
The Blazers held on at home to beat the Nuggets thanks to 41 points from Brandon Roy who was sporting a thin brace on his left shoulder. Carmelo led the Nuggets with 32 points of his own in a losing effort.

Still the Best on the Corner

Let me just start by saying that this post was inspired by an ESPN.com article which is linked at the bottom of the post regarding the success of Charles Woodson, a personal favorite of The Let Out. Since 1997 I have been a huge Charles Woodson fan, and as much success as he has had over his illustrious football career, I still feel he doesn't get the recognition he deserves when football "experts" talk about the elite players in the NFL. With all the hype surrounding cornerbacks such as Nnamdi Asomugha and Darrelle Revis, Charles Woodson has been overlooked over his career, which is unbelievable considering how successful he's been. Woodson, the heisman trophy winner from Michigan over a decade ago and former first round pick has had arguably his best season as a pro this year for the Packers. The Defensive Player of the Year candidate, at 33 years young, has amassed a season including 8 INTs, 4 forced fumbles, 2 sacks, 2 defensive TDs and 70 tackles at the cornerback position. Woodson was the leading Pro Bowl vote getter among NFC corners with over 360,000 votes. He has anchored a number two ranked Green Bay defense, despite losing Pro Bowlers Aaron Kampman and Al Harris. In his 12th season, in my opinion Woodson is finally getting the respect as a pro that he deserves. For 12 seasons he has done nothing but play his game, while other corners have always gotten more ink than him. What I love about him is he is a complete FOOTBALL player. He is always around the ball. For those that were lucky enough to see him play in college saw the beginning of an amazing career that is possibly coming to a peak in this 2009 NFL season. To this day, Charles Woodson is still the best defensive college football player I have ever seen. Attached is the ESPN.com article mentioned at the top, chronicling the various parts of Woodson's career including his split with the Raiders, his first impressions of Green Bay and all that he does within the community. Woodson, like a lot of great athletes, plays with an enormous chip on his shoulder, and it has paid off. For those that are only starting to appreciate Woodson now, better late than never.

Things you may not know about the greatness that is Charles Woodson...
-In his Heisman season of 1997, Charles beat runner-up Peyton Manning by over 200 votes
-He is still the ONLY primary defensive player to win the Heisman
-After being the 4th pick in the 1998 Draft, he validated his draft position by winning Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to his first Pro Bowl
-5 time Pro Bowler, 2 time All-Pro First-team

Career Stats: 511 tackles, 44 INTs, 11.5 sacks

For those that have been following his career since Michigan, you will remember these memorable moments...




And that #24 Raiders jersey is still one of the baddest jerseys of all time.



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Sidenote: How were the Bucs and Packers the only teams that contacted him when he became a free agent. Mind-boggling.

The Christmas Post

The Let Out would like to wish all of our readers a very safe and happy holiday. Also, this is our 100th post, so thanks for all the support. Even if no one read this thing I would still do it because I truly enjoy it. Cheers.

Space Jam Mayhem

'Tis the season for holiday Jordan releases, and this year was the highly anticipated "Space Jam" XI. The hype was real for this shoe as it sold out all over the country and had lines of people at every sneaker store hours before their release. There were incidents all over the country regarding people attempting to steal the shoes. There were acts of vandalism in different cities, attempted burglaries and people generally not feeling safe waiting in line for their shoes in certain cities. Here is a video from FOX5 in Atlanta where there was a smash and grab robbery the night before the Jams were to be released. For those readers that got their pair, hopefully they remained safe in the process. Waking up early in the morning and going to a mall everyone forgets about FTW.

Brand Frustrated, Questions Effort of Teammates

Elton Brand seems to be frustrated, and he should be. The Sixers have underwhelmed all season and now sport a 7-21 record which is good for second to last in the conference. With the team's ping pong balls accumulating with each loss, Elton Brand has questioned the effort of his teammates, particularly one who is assumed to be Marreese Speights. The Sixers have been getting off to slow starts with Elton Brand coming off the bench lately. He doesn't understand coach Eddie Jordan's rotation, when Jordan allows people to play who don't "box out, rebound, weren't tough." This appears to be directed towards Speights. "Certain guys are on longer leashes than others, so they played longer and the mistakes were shown" he said. When Brand tipped in a Speights miss for the game winner against Boston, Brand said "Speights got the ball you knew he wasn't going to pass. He doesn't pass." 'Tis the season.

Last Time We Played Denver

Way back in Week 8 of the 2005 Season, the Eagles walked into Denver and got orange crushed 49-21. Jake Plummer destroyed the Eagles D thanks to 309 Yards and 4 TDs. The Eagles were down big but rallied back with 21 unanswered points. They were driving to tie the game when McNabb threw an INT to Dominique Foxworth in the end zone. The Broncos scored 21 unanswered of their own en route to an easy W. The highlight for the Eagles was a 91-yard pass from McNabb to Owens. This would be the last game Owens would play in an Eagles uniform. This would also symbolize the beginning of the unraveling of the Eagles season. They would go on to finish 6-10 that season with season ending injuries to McNabb, Westbrook and the suspension of Owens for the remainder of the season.

Jake Plummer is now Kyle Orton, Terrell Owens is in Buffalo and Brian Dawkins is on the other sideline. A lot has changed since that game 4 years ago.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

MacDougal in the Bullpen?

We reported earlier that the Phils were looking at Fernando Rodney to help fortify their bullpen. Apparently, Mike MacDougal is another option. MacDougal saved 20 games since joining the Washington Nationals last May. The Hot Stove is burning.

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Westbrook Cleared to Return

Reports are the B-West did "perfect" on all his tests and is "ready to roll" this Sunday against the Broncos. Always good to add another weapon to the offense. No more concussions please.

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Vick Wins Courage Award, Yeah I Said It

Michael Vick is the recipient of the Eagles Ed Block Courage Award. Given annually, the award honors NFL players who exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Recipients are selected in a vote by their teammates for team effort as well as individual performance. It's nice that his teammates are behind him, but come on.

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Stay Classy, Young 'Nova Fan

Look at the young 'Nova fan telling the camera his team is number one.

The Return of Weapon X

In this Sunday's matchup against the 8-6 Denver Broncos, the one person everyone at the Linc will be watching is Eagle legend Brian Dawkins. Weapon X will forever be an Eagle to everyone in Philadelphia and seeing him on the field on the other side will be surreal. B-Dawk is one of the most beloved Philadelphia athletes of all time and I look forward to seeing him at the Linc this Sunday. Although he is in the twilight of his career, you will never be able to replace his leadership and personality in the locker room. He is a type, in the Ray Lewis mold, where he can inspire someone to raise their game to another level. His intensity is unmatched and that is what everyone loved about him, as well as his devastating hits (i.e. Alge Crumpler in the 2004 NFC Championship Game). Attached is a link to Bob Brookover's piece from the Inquirer where he talks about how hard it will be to replace the Wolverine.

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Phils Honing In on Rodney

Sources tell ESPN's Buster Olney that the Angels and Phillies are among the teams talking to relief pitcher Fernando Rodney. The 32-year-old Rodney saved 37 games in 38 opportunities for the Tigers last season.

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Yanks Re-Acquire Vazquez

The Yankees acquired Javier Vazquez yesterday from Atlanta in exchange for Melky Cabrera. Other players/prospects were involved, but these are the key components. The last time Vazquez pitched in pinstripes was in Game 7 of the infamous 2004 ALCS against Boston, giving up home runs to his now teammate Johnny Damon (although he may not be his teammate for long). After the acquisition of Curtis Granderson, Melky became somewhat expendable, as they now have a 5-tool player in center. The move pushes the Yanks payroll to more than $200 million. Vazquez, with a 15-10 record, ranked second in the National League last season with 238 strikeouts and sixth in ERA at 2.87.

No Answer for Agent 0

The Sixers dropped another game tonight, this time to the Washington Wizards thanks to Gilbert Arenas who dropped 31 and 8, just two nights after dropping 45. Both teams, who figured to at least make the playoffs, and probably be significantly better in Washington, have just a combined 16 wins 2 days before Christmas. Elton Brand had a nice 18 and 12. AI missed another game and it is unknown whether he will be available for their next game in Utah the day after Christmas.

Thank You for Giving Them More to Talk About

I hate when national analysts/talking heads/whomever say things about how nasty Philly fans are and how we booed Donovan on draft day (hundreds of players are booed on draft day) and how we threw snowballs at Santa 100 years ago. I'm sure once national media gets a hold of this video then another log will be tossed onto the fire. There's always a few that gotta ruin it for everyone, I guess.

GIants Embarass Redskins

The Giants completely steamrolled the Redskins at FedEx Field tonight, 45-12. The Redskins looked completely emotionless, except when Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall were fighting Brandon Jacobs. Eli Manning shredded the Redskins defense for three TDs, the defense harassed Jason Campbell all night and the Redskins attempted the worst fake FG I have ever witnessed. The Giants move to 8-6 and still in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Redskins face the Cowboys next week, but have serious decisions to make before the start of next season. The coach and quarterback are both likely to change after this season.

Myron Rolle on the "Rhode"

For those of you who don't recognize the name, you should really get to know it. For those that don't know, Myron Rolle is a former Florida State Seminole cornerback and current Rhoad scholar studying at Oxford. I know that his decision to go to Oxford is relatively old news, but I read a Wall Street Journal article on him I thought I should pass along. The article talks about what he's doing, how he is planning on making some money prior to the NFL and what he thinks of the people who don't agree with his decision to bypass the NFL.

He decided to not enter the NFL Draft last year and spend this year as a Rhode Scholar and study and travel Europe. Rolle graduated from FSU in under three years and is now pursuing an M.A. in medical anthropology. He is an interesting story and a true dual-threat, being a beast on the field and even better in the classroom.

What I love about this kid is that he truly doesn't care what anyone thinks. He's had many former teammates, classmates and coaches who have questioned his decision to hold off on the NFL, but he could care less what they think. "Cool is my own definition of cool," he says. "That's what's important. Cool to me is getting straight A's. Cool to me is scoring three touchdowns. Cool to me is shaking the hand of our mayor," he said. "Cool to me is helping out at the nursing home. Cool to me is playing in the jazz band, and playing the lead role in 'Fiddler on the Roof.' I like to define my own path and my own journey." he said in the Wall Street Journal article. The guy is truly a role model and trailblazer, kudos Myron.

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Christmas x Puppets x Rappers

We loved the Kobe/LeBron puppet commercials last year during the playoffs and this season. For the holiday season, Nike has made some new ones featuring rappers Lupe Fiasco (as Blitzen) and KRS-One (as Santa).

Holmgren Hired to Revive Browns

It was announced today that Mike Holmgren has been hired to be the new team President of the Cleveland Browns. Holmgren, the former coach/GM of the Packers and Seahawks, has been hired in a Bill Parcells-type role to rebuild this once proud franchise. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much to work with except for a high draft pick in 2010. They need to first decide if Brady Quinn will be their QB of the future. Then they will need to surround him with weapons at ALL skill positions. After trading Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, their skill positions lack playmakers. Their lone bright spot, WR/KR Joshua Cribbs wants a new deal. We won't even talk about the defense, which ranks in the bottom 5 in every major category. Mike Holmgren will need to work a miracle in order to make the "Dawg Pound" proud.

More Hilarious Phoenix Suns Vids

These dudes are hilarious.

Randy Moss Addresses the Haters

Randy Moss Postgame Presser (Audio Only)

One of the Let Out's favorite players, Randy Moss, addressed everyone who was questioning his heart over the last week. MOSSSSSSSS.

Photo of the Week

In honor of the newest member of the Philadelphia Phillies, we thought we'd show you a preview of what he'll look like in Red. I found this photo just searching through some message boards, looks amazing.

NFL Sunday Wrap Up Week 15

Photo Courtesy of ESPN.com.

New England Patriots-17
Buffalo Bills-10
The Pats barely held on in Buffalo, despite a very pedestrian game from Tom Brady. This was the first time the Pats won on the road in the US all year. Randy Moss bounced back from the worst game of his career last week and scored a TD.

Arizona Cardinals-31
Detroit Lions-24
The Cardinals clinched the NFC West crown today thanks to their win in Detroit combined with the 49ers loss in Philly. Larry Fitzgerald caught his 11th TD of the season. Beanie Wells and Maurice Morris both rushed for over 100 yards and a score.

Miami Dolphins-24
Tennessee Titans-27 (OT)
Rob Bironas kicked the game winning field goal in OT to bring the Titans to .500 after starting the season 0-6. Chad Henne threw for 349 yards, but threw 3 picks in the process. Vince Young threw for 3 TDs and Chris Johnson had yet another 100 yard game.

Cleveland Browns-41
Kansas City Chiefs-34
For two teams that are absolutely brutal on offense, they put up quite a lot of points. Highlighted by 2 kickoff return TDs by Joshua Cribbs and a franchise-record 286 rushing yards (and 3 TDs) by Jerome Harrison, the Browns beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead despite a season-high 331 passing yards from Matt Cassel.

Houston Texans-16
St. Louis Rams-13
In a pretty boring contest, the Texans took down the Rams in St. Louis to climb back to .500 for the season. Andre Johnson continues to make "The U" proud with another 9 catches and 196 yards today.

Atlanta Falcons-10
New York Jets-7
Thanks to a TD pass from Matty Ice to Tony Gonzalez with 1:38 left, the Falcons dropped the Jets down to .500 with so many other AFC teams in the hunt for the Wild Card. Mark Sanchez threw another 3 INTs and one 65-yard TD pass to Braylon Edwards.

Oakland Raiders-20
Denver broncos-19
JaMarcus Russell, yeah that JaMarcus Russell, threw the game-winning TD pass to Chaz Schilens with 35 seconds left to beat the Broncos in Denver. Denver falls to 8-6 and has to head to Philly next week for B-Dawk's highly anticipated return.

Cincinnati Bengals-24
San Diego Chargers-27
Playing with a heavy heart, the Cincinnati Bengals fell just short to the San Diego Chargers thanks to a Nate Kaeding 52-yard field goal in the final minute to give the Chargers their 9th straight win and another AFC West crown. Carson Palmer passed for 314 yards - his first 300-yard game since the final week of 2007.

San Francisco-13
Philadelphia Eagles-27
Despite two INTs from Donovan McNabb, the Eagles still won by a comfortable two TD margin against the 49ers at the Linc. The Eagles D forced 4 turnovers en route to a playoff-clinching victory, and in the process eliminating the 49ers from playoff contention.

Green Bay Packers-36
Pittsburgh Steelers-37
In the game of the day, Ben Roethlisberger threw the game-winning TD to Mike Wallace to give the Steelers a one point victory in a game that was a see-saw the whole time. Big Ben threw for a franchise record 503 yards. A-Rod threw for 383 yards and 3 TDs, including an 83-yarder to Greg Jennings as well as running in another score. The win ends the Steelers 5-game losing streak and brings them back into the playoff picture.

Tampa Bay Bucs-24
Seattle Seahawks-7
Tampa Bay snapped a five-game losing streak and scored more than 17 points for the first time in four games. Matt Hasselbeck threw a career-worst 4 INTs, leading to another loss in what has been a dreadful season for the Seahawks.

Chicago Bears-7
Baltimore Ravens-31
Joe Flacco threw for 4 TDs and Jay Cutler had a QB rating of 7.9...pretty much all you need to know. The Bears arrived in Baltimore late because of the snowstorm, they probably should have just stayed in Chicago.

Minnesota Vikings-7
Carolina Panthers-26
In a game that was fairly boring until the Panthers re-opened the scoring in the 4th quarter, the Vikings dropped another game on the road and are now in jeopardy of losing their #2 seed in the NFC playoffs. Behind some big plays by Steve Smith, the Panthers came up big on Sunday Night.

Phils Looking At Bullpen

After landing the best starting pitcher in baseball, the Phils are looking at bolstering their bullpen. With Brad Lidge coming off a shaky season and J.C. Romero coming off an injury, it is definitely a cause for some concern.

LINK

No Answer for Another Week

76ers coach Eddie Jordan said tonight that AI would not suit up again until at least Dec. 28th's game against Portland due to lingering knee issues Iverson is dealing with.

LINK

NEW LOGO

As you can see, we finally have a logo for the site. Special thanks to Kevin Hack for helping out and making our ideas come to life. Much more to come in the New Year. Thanks everyone for the support.

And Then There Was 1

The New Orleans Saints lost their first game of the season tonight against the Dallas Cowboys in the Superdome. The Cowboys won 24-17 behind a flawless game from Tony Romo and 2 rushing TDs from Marion Barber. DeMarcus Ware played inspired with 2 sacks and the game-winning forced fumble of Drew Brees. The Cowboys are 9-5 and move within a 1/2 game of the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East. The Saints are still in first place in the NFC and in the driver's seat to get the number one seed for the playoffs. Brees was under duress most of the night and the high-flying offense was never able to get off the runway. Nick Folk, with a chance to ice the game with about two minutes left, missed a chip shot field goal, giving him multiple misses in big spots the last few weeks. It will be very interesting to see if he is still a member of the Cowboys come Monday. This leaves the Indianapolis Colts as the lone undefeated team in the NFL.

Sixers Lose to Clippers, Yeah I Said It

In front of a crowd that would rival some high school games, the Sixers lost to the Clippers at the Wachovia Center amidst a snowstorm of epic proportions in Philly. After what we thought was a game-winning buzzer beater from Andre Iguodala was waved off, the Sixers never came off that high in OT. The Clippers won 112-107 behind 24 points from Chris Kaman, 20 and 13 dimes from Baron Davis and 22 boards from Marcus Camby. Marreese Speights led the Sixers in scoring with 28.

Ocho Cinco Unlikely to Wear #15 Jersey

Chad Ocho Cinco was planning on wearing deceased teammate Chris Henry's jersey tomorrow against the San Diego Chargers. However, he was informed that it would bring a heavy fine and the NLFPA said they would cover the fine. Chad said he does not want this to become a distraction so it is unlikely he will wear number 15 tomorrow, but expect Chad to play with a heavy heart for his fallen friend.

Brand Tips-in a W

Photo Courtesy of Yahoo.com Sports.

The Sixers took down the Boston Celtics in TD Banknorth Garden last night, ending the Celtics 11-game winning streak 98-97. The game was won on an Elton Brand tip-in with 7 seconds left. Brand finished the game with 23 points and 8 boards. The Sixers were without AI who has arthritis in his left knee and had it drained twice. KG led the C's with 21 and 10. The Sixers next game is at the Wachovia Center tonight against the Clippers.

Eagles Game Pushed to 4:15

With the blizzard that has hit much of the area, two NFL game times were changed tomorrow. The Eagles/49ers game was changed from a 1 o'clock to a 4:15 start, and the Bears/Ravens game in Baltimore was moved to 4:15 as well. The Bears are still stuck in Chicago, waiting for the Baltimore area to clear up, while the 49ers arrived in Philadelphia on Friday night.

Breaking Down the Decade in the NBA

Lakers or Spurs? Kobe or Shaq? Everything is broken down in this great article on the decade's best in the NBA. I personally think that Game 1 of the 2001 Finals should have been mentioned for best playoff game.

LINK

Shanahan, 'Skins Talking

A day after GM Vinny Cerrato stepped down and was replaced by Bruce Allen, Dan Snyder is going after one of the high-profile coaching candidates out there, Mike Shanahan. Jim Zorn, however, is still the head coach...

Cliff Lee on the Trade

America's Team?

With the success the Saints have had since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the support the country has given them, combined with the fact that the Cowboys haven't been relevant in the post-season in the last decade or so, ESPN proclaims that the Saints are now America's Team. I don't care who it is as long as it's not the Cowboys.

LINK

Another Day at the Office

Peyton and the Colts continue their undefeated season after taking down the Jags in Jacksonville 35-31. The Colts moved to 14-0 thanks to 308 yards and 4 TDs from Peyton Manning. The loss drops the Jags to 7-7 and stuck in a massive pileup of teams in the hunt for Wild Card spots. The Colts face the New York Jets next week.

Halladay Press Conference

Welcome, Doc.

Addressing the Flyers Rumors

After posting the blog entry about a potential rift in the Flyers locker room regarding two players and one wife, we have found out that those are more than likely not true. According to a Deadspin article, these types of stories come out once in a while. There is definitely a schism in the locker room for the Flyers but it is unlikely this is the cause, read all about it as well as other urban legends HERE.

Sixers Lose to the Cavs

Photo Courtesy of ESPN.com.

After winning their first game in their last 13 games, the Sixers started another losing streak last night after dropping one to LeBron and the Cavs 108-101. LeBron dropped 36 points including a couple of clutch 3s in the closing minutes. The Sixers look to rebound at Boston tomorrow.

Kobe Continues to Do Work

Photo Courtesy of ESPN.com.

Kobe Bryant hit another game winner last night in Overtime against the Milwaukee Bucks. Kobe attempted basically the same shot at the end of regulation and missed it, so when he had a chance to redeem himself in Overtime, he wasn't going to miss. The Lakers won 107-106 and Kobe finished with 39 points. Pau Gasol had another great night finishing with 26 points and pulling down 22 boards.

Flyers Locker Room Split

There's a rumor going around in Flyers land that Jeff Carter had an affair with Scott Hartnell's wife and the locker room is split over it. We'll see how this story develops.

LINK

Chris Henry 1983-2009

Cincinnati Benglas wide receiver Chris Henry died today at the age of 26 after falling from a pick-up truck during what proved to be a fatal car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chris was on injured reserve after breaking his forearm a couple weeks ago. Henry, often more known for his off the field issues than his play on the field. Henry appeared to turn his life around for the better before this fatal accident. Chris is survived by his fiance and three young children. Rest In Peace.

Fantasy Football Ruins Lives

Fidelity Investments fired four employees for being in a fantasy football league.

LINK

Erin Andrews is Pissed

Erin Andrews appeared in court today and testified against her stalker and she demanded the maximum sentence. Andrews has "nightmares" and fears that he "will walk inside my house and hurt me." The maximum sentence is 5 years for the 48-year old Michael Barrett.

LINK

Eldrick Voted AP Athlete of the Decade

Despite all Tiger has been through over the past couple weeks, the AP couldn't let that overshadow all he has accomplished this decade. Other athletes receiving votes were Roger Federer, Lance Armstrong, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt and Tom Brady.

LINK

SIXERS WIN!!!

For the first time in 13 games, the Sixers won an NBA game last night. They beat the Warriors 117-101 but the game wasn't that close. The Sixers had a 31 point lead at one point. Thaddeus Young had an excellent game with 26 and 14, and AI chipped in with 20. With all the hoopla surrounding Roy Halladay we almost forgot to congratulate our boys. Keep it up.

Breaking Down the Halladay Deal

ESPN and Philadelphia's own Jayson Stark breaks down the trade and gives his opinion on all the teams and players involved.

Jayson Stark Breakdown

T-Mac Returns

T-Mac made his season debut tonight against the Detroit Pistons. When he entered the game, he received a standing ovation and his only basket was a three pointer that almost brought the house down. The oft-injured T-Mac only played in 35 games last year, hopefully he doesn't suffer any setbacks this year. We're rooting for you T-Mac.

LINK

Halladay Season

The Phillies, Mariners and Blue Jays have agreed on a three-team deal that will put Halladay in Philadelphia and Cliff Lee likely in Seattle. More details to come.

2009 Season Stats
Roy Halladay- 17-10, 2.79 ERA, 208 K's, 9 CG
Cliff Lee- 14-13, 3.22 ERA, 181 K's, 6 CG

SI.com Article

MLB.com Article

Maclin Tears Plantar Fascia

Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin tore the plantar fascia in his foot last night in the Meadowlands in the 2nd quarter. He will definitely miss next week's game against San Francisco.

Link

Even the Beer Bottles Can't Catch DeSean

Apparently unruly fans are in cities other than Philadelphia...who would've thought?

According to Rich Hoffman's column, two beer bottles were hurled at DeSean Jackson after he got behind the Giants D on this play for one of his many long TDs this year.

Link

A Look at Tiger's Remaining Sponsors

With Gilette diminishing Tiger's role significantly in the coming months in their ads, Accenture has officially dropped Tiger as a sponsor. With Tiger proclaiming that he will be taking a leave of absence from the game of golf due to this media spectacle that is his ruined personal life, ESPN took a look at the remaining ten sponsors and what possible dangers he could be in with them going forward.

Tiger's Remaining Sponsors

Photo of the Week

For this week, we decided to go with an animation rather than a picture because this was too priceless to pass up. Look at Big Red's MJ tongue wag and hangtime, incredible.

NFL Sunday Wrap Up Week 14

New Orleans Saints-26
Atlanta Falcons-23
The Saints stayed undefeated, but did face a strong test in the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome. Without Matt Ryan and Michael Turner, the Falcons pushed the Saints to the limit but ultimately fell short. The Saints remain undefeated and face the Cowboys next week in what looks to be their only real test remaining on their schedule.

Green Bay Packers-21
Chicago Bears-14
Behind 137 yards from Ryan Grant and the Packers defense picking off Jay Cutler twice, the Packers moved to 9-4 and in great position for a Wild Card spot.

Denver Broncos-16
Indianapolis Colts-28
The Colts remained undefeated despite an NFL record 21 receptions from Brandon Marshall. Peyton Manning threw three TDs to Dallas Clark but also threw three INTs. They face Jacksonville on Thursday night.

Buffalo Bills-16
Kansas City Chiefs-10
The Bills picked off Matt Cassel 5 times at Arrowhead Stadium to preserve a rare road victory. Terrell Owens found the endzone again and has now scored for the 3rd time in the last 4 games.

Cincinnati Bengals-10
Minnesota Vikings-30
Adrian Peterson rushed for 97 yards and 2 TDs as the Vikings remained undefeated at home and dropped the Bengals to 9-4 and in 3rd place in the AFC Playoff picture with a huge matchup against the 10-3 Chargers next week.

Carolina Panthers-10
New England Patriots-20
The Patriots held on despite three turnovers and no effort whatsoever from Randy Moss. Steve Smith caught a long TD pass but the rest of the team couldn't capitalize on New England's mistakes.

New York Jets-26
Tampa Bay Bucs-3
Josh Freeman throws a ton of picks and the Jets don't give Kellen Clemens a chance to make mistakes as they ran it most of the day. The Jets move to 7-6 and still alive in the Wild Card hunt.

Miami Dolphins-14
Jacksonville Jaguars-10
Both teams are now at 7-6 with Miami holding the tiebreaker in the Wild Card hunt. Ricky Williams rushed for over 100 yards again en route to the victory.

Detroit Lions-3
Baltimore Ravens-48
The Ravens throttled the Lions and the subs took over for most of the second half. Daunte Culpepper started in place of the injured Matthew Stafford and did not generate much offense.

Seattle Seahawks-7
Houston Texans-34
The Texans got off to a hot start as Matt Schaub found Andre Johnson for a long TD on the game's first play. Johnson finished with 11 catches for 193 yards and 2 TDs.

St. Louis Rams-7
Tennessee Titans-47
Despite losing Vince Young early in the game the Titans slaughtered the Rams, picking off QB Keith Null 5 times. Chris Johnson had almost 200 total yards on offense and 3 TDs.

Washington Redskins-34
Oakland Raiders-13
In his first start, Redskins running back Quenton Ganther scored twice as the Redskins took down the Raiders. Bruce Gradkowski was injured and JaMarcus Russell replaced him who immediately got back into midseason form and threw an interception.

San Diego Chargers-20
Dallas Cowboys-17
The Cowboys December slump continued losing their second straight game and lost DeMarcus Ware to a neck jersey in the process. The Chargers moved into second place in the AFC playoff picture with the victory and the Bengals loss.

Sunday Night Football
Philadelphia Eagles-45
New York Giants-38
In the most exciting game of the day, the Eagles thanks to explosive plays from DeSean Jackson took down the Giants in the Meadowlands and in the process, took over sole possession of first place in the NFC East. The Eagles, at 9-4 now control their own playoff destiny.

It's All About "The U"

In ESPN's 30 for 30 sports film series, tonight they premiered the highly anticipated "The U" by Billy Corben. It chronicled the Hurricanes rise in the 1980's amidst racial turmoil and a drug epidemic in Miami. The documentary was awesome for any college football fan, particularly a fan of "The U." "The U" is always a lightning rod for controversy in college football and they have just as many fans as they do critics. Through all the criticism Miami football has been through, and most of it being legitimate and some of it being based on perception, it doesn't hide the fact that they have produced so many Pro Bowlers and potential Hall-of-Famers. "The U" has seen a resurgence this year under Randy Shannon and new quarterback Jacory Harris and the program looks like they are headed in the right direction for the first time in years. But for tonight, it was all about "The U."

ESPN 30 For 30 Presents: The U

John Wall Watch

With the Sixers having the third worst record in the NBA, it's never too early to start looking to the draft. And so far, it's becoming increasingly clear that John Wall is the cream of this year's crop. The Kentucky freshman had another impressive national televised game in Indiana today. Wall only had 11 points today, but he added 7 boards and 8 dimes to only one turnover, along with a couple highlight reel dunks. The Wildcats are 10-0 for the first time since the '92-'93 season.


John likes the idea of coming to Philly next year.

A Happier Time in Sixers Land

Amid a 12-game losing streak for our beloved Philadelphia 76ers and all the electricity and nostalgia surrounding AI's return nearly evaporated, I wanted to take Sixers fans back to the last time this team had the city of Philadelphia's attention. It was a great night in the summer of 2001 when for just one game, AI took down the Goliath known as the Los Angeles Lakers. It was the only highlight of the entire series for the Sixers but it is still a great memory for all fans. Enjoy the highlights.

Sidenote:

Ingram Takes Home Heisman

On the 75th Anniversary of the coveted Heisman trophy, Mark Ingram did something that no other player in the storied history of Alabama football ever did...take the trophy home. Ingram barely edged out Standford RB Toby Gerhart by 5 first-place votes and 28 points overall. It was the closest vote in the history of the award. Ingram led his team to an undefeated-SEC Championship season, with a trip to the National Championship game against Texas coming next month. He finished the season with 1,542 yards and 15 touchdowns. Toby Gerhart was better statistically with 1,736 yards and 26 TDs. Ingram's team enjoyed much more success than Stanford's 8-4 record, helping him in the end. I'm sure Alabama fans are ecstatic, however they will be even happier if they take down the Longhorns next month.

Here's how the rest of the competition stacked up...
Third place went to Texas QB Colt McCoy, last year's runner-up. Colt led his team to an undefeated season and a Big XII Championship, although saw all of his numbers slip compared to last season. He still finished with 3,512 yards, 27 TDs and 12 INTs.

Fourth place went to the most dominating defensive force in college football, Ndamukong Suh. Suh was an absolute menace on the D-line all season, wreaking havoc against every opponent. He is expected to be a top pick in April's NFL Draft.

And in fifth place was Tim Tebow in what has been the worst two weeks of his successful college football career. Tebow was attempting to be the first two-time winner since the only person to do it, Archie Griffin. Tebow led his team to a one-loss season at the hands of Alabama in the SEC Championship game. His passing stats were down significantly from last season, explaining his drop in the voting.

Phillies Raising the Bar in NL

In an article by SI's Tom Verducci, he shows the growth of the Phillies into a perennial contender in the National League and the respect they are receiving from other teams in the NL.

Philadelphia Phillies boldly raising the bar in NL

Brooks Extends Sixers Losing Streak to 12

The Sixers lost another close game, this time to the Houston Rockets 96-91. Aaron Brooks scored 16 points in the second half and sparked a 13-0 run for the Rockets in the 3rd quarter. Iguodala led the Sixers with 24 points and Iverson chipped in 20 with 12 of them coming in the 4th. The Sixers try and end the skid Monday against the Warriors at the Wachovia Center.

Kobe Breaks Finger, Lakers Win 11th Straight

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

Everything was going right for the Lakers this season. They were off to a 17-3 defending their NBA championship, Pau Gasol was back healthy and Ron Artest was behaving. It was all peachy until Kobe Bryant injured a finger on his shooting hand while reaching for a pass in the first quarter. At halftime a splint was put on the finger and he returned to score 20 points en route to an easy 104-92 win against former Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis and his Minnesota Timberwolves. The win was the Lakers 11th in a row. Pau Gasol was the real star of the night with 17 points and 20 boards along with 7 dimes. Al Jefferson had 24 and 13 for the T'Wolves and Kevin Love added a career-high 19 boards as well. It remains to be seen what effect this injury will have on the team, but be aware that the rest of the Western Conference is salivating.

Champs Drop Another

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

Those are the faces of deflated football players. Tonight the Steelers lost to the lowly, one-win, no semblance of an offense Cleveland Browns. The loss is the Steelers fifth straight and their third "surprising" loss after losing in Kansas City and at home to the Raiders (that's why they play the games). The Super Bowl seems like a lifetime ago and these Steelers, without Troy Polamalu, have not been able to execute when it matters the most. The Steelers failed to score a touchdown tonight against a team that they had beaten the previous 12 times. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 8 times and was never able to get into a rhythm. The Steelers are now 6-7 with their playoff hopes all but shot. An amazing fall for a championship team that started the season 6-2.

'Nova Wins Holy War

In a Big 5 Showdown, my alma mater St. Joe's took on Villanova last night at the Palestra in the annual "Holy War." The Wildcats were sporting an 8-0 record and were ranked third in the country, but regardless of where they were they knew this was going to be a tough game, and it was. With less than two minutes left, the Hawks charged to within 4 points, but Duke transfer Taylor King hit a three pointer for the Wildcats and they never looked back. The Wildcats improved to 9-0 with the 97-89 victory over the Hawks. "In some ways, it was like a bout," said Hawks coach Phil Martelli. "They took a swing. We took a swing." Scottie Reynolds led Villanova in scoring with 22 points and King chipped in 20 of his own, including clutch three pointers in the closing minutes. For the Hawks, Idris Hilliard had a career-high 22 points and Darrin Govens scored 19. Phil Martelli was heated in his post-game press conference emphatically stating that "we weren't good enough," and that being told "you played hard" is the worst compliment an opponent can give you.

Sidenote: Probably the highlight of the night for Hawks fans was seeing Taylor King get rim-rocked on a breakaway layup in the second half.

Info was gathered from an ESPN.com report.

Sixers Skid Reaches 11

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

In game two of the Iverson 2.0 era, the Sixers dropped another game against a former Iverson team, the Detroit Pistons, and extended their current losing streak to 11 games. Iverson scored 11 points including the game-tying jumper with one minute left. Down two and with time expiring, Iverson passed to a WIDE OPEN Andre Iguodala who missed the potential game-winning three pointer. With no Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon, the Pistons pushed their record to 9-12 with the win behind 27 points from Rodney Stuckey. The Sixers, at 5-17, now have the third worst record in the NBA behind New Jersey and Minnesota. They hope to get a W in the next game against Houston tomorrow at the Wachovia Center.

Lakers Are Most Valuable NBA Franchise

According to Forbes, the Los Angeles Lakers are now the most valuable franchise in the NBA, valued at $607M, up 4% thanks to their championship run last season. The New York Knicks, who were number one for the past 4 seasons, fell to number two at $586M, down 4% from last season. Info was gathered from an ESPN.com report.

Eagles Extend Reid

Andy Reid will be the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles at least for another 4 seasons. Andy signed a three-year extension to be the head coach until 2013, terms of which were not officially disclosed but it is believed to be in the neighborhood of $5-6 million per year. Jeffrey Lurie called the extension "inevitable" and does not see an end to the Reid era any time soon. "I've always valued stability," Lurie said, and the Eagles if anything are stable in the head coaching department. Reid is the second longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Tennessee's Jeff Fisher. Reid has often been the object of many fan's gripes over the years whether it be over is time management deficiencies, lack of a dedication to the running game and mostly because he has never delivered the Lombardi trophy for a fan-base that is starving for one. Combined with the fact that there are many high-profile former head coaches waiting for teams to call them with job offers, this will inevitably rile up Eagles fans who have been waiting for the Reid era to end.

Through everything Reid has gone through, you cannot tell me that the man is not a successful NFL coach. All coaches have strengths and weaknesses, but there are not many like Andy Reid who have been this successful for this long. To put it into perspective, Andy Reid joined the Eagles in 1999 and has amassed 115 wins and a .611 win percentage. Inheriting a 3-13 team, in only his second season he led them to an 11-5 record and into the playoffs. In NFL history, there are only 4 coaches who have led the same franchise to 100 or more wins in a decade and they are Bill Belichick, Tom Landry, Don Shula and now Andy Reid. Not bad company. Combined with the family issues Reid had to endure and still is with one son still incarcerated, he has continued to lead this winning franchise with class. Not to mention the fact that Reid has ALWAYS appreciated the Philadelphia fans. "I love Philadelphia," Reid said. "The fans- there's nothing like them. They're always there." You always hear Reid thank the fans at his post-game press conferences, particularly on the road when the fans travel in droves to wherever the team is traveling to.

His fiercest critics point to the Eagles performance in the biggest games as one of Reid's biggest downfalls, going 1-for-5 in NFC Championship Game performances and losing their only Super Bowl appearance in 2004 to the Patriots 24-21. Not all of the blame should be on Reid because he wasn't the one who threw those 4th quarter interceptions or couldn't get off the line against Ricky Manning or couldn't stop Kurt Warner. I know the deal, it comes with the territory for coaches and quarterbacks. You never get the respect you deserve when you win and you get too much of the blame when you lose. But luckily there is a cure for all the criticism that Andy and Donovan take, and that is just win. We saw last year in this town a team in the Phillies that for years the city wanted David Montgomery to sell the team and get a WHOLE new regime in there. Then they win the championship and all is forgotten. A city that once destroyed Charlie Manuel now adores him, a city that cursed Pat Burrell will now give him a standing ovation when he returns. The same thing could happen for Reid if he leads this team to the promised land. The only way we'll know if this extension was a good move or not is if in 2013 there is a Lombardi trophy or two in the NovaCare complex.

Highlights from Iverson's Return

Sportcenter highlights of AI's return last night.

The Rich Get Richer

At baseball's Winter Meetings, a blockbuster three-team deal has been agreed upon in principle that would see the defending champion New York Yankees add another all-star to their roster. The three teams involved are the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Tigers. The deal involves New York receiving All-Star outfielder Curtis Granderson, Arizona receives Tigers pitcher Edwin Jackson and Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy, and the Tigers receive Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth from Arizona as well as Phil Coke and outfield prospect Austin Jackson. The deal is not finalized, therefore the general managers cannot speak on it, however Yanks GM Brian Cashman hinted that there is "a lot of noise out there."

Ocho Cinco fined $30K

Ocho Cinco was fined yet again by the NFL for his TD celebration last week against the Lions where he brought out a sombrero. Atleast he's entertaining. Video is below.

Clean Hands

Steve Nash shows Alando Tucker the importance of keeping yourself germ-free during flu season.

Iverson Interview with John Thompson

In a piece on NBA TV, Iverson's college coach John Thompson sat him down for a one on one interview. All three parts are below.

Rough Homecoming

The Answer made his long-awaited return to the Wachovia Center tonight to a sellout crowd as the Sixers took on the Denver Nuggets. The pre-game player introductions gave the feeling that it was Game 1 of the NBA Finals rather than a 5-15 team in the middle of a dreadful losing streak. But that was the point, this was what this team and this fanbase, most importantly, needed. When Iverson was announced to a raucous crowd and he kissed the logo at center court, it was yet another moment in the memory book of Allen Iverson's time in Philadelphia. He may not be the player he was when he won Rookie of the Year, or when he won MVP and carried a team to the NBA Finals. He may not even be the player he was in 2007 when he still was scoring over 25 points per game. But what is not debatable is that he is still a hero to this city and the fans showed their appreciation for him tonight. Even if it was just for tonight, Philadelphia was the capital of the NBA and all eyes were on the city and their prodigal son.

However, after the love fest, there was a game to be played. The Sixers came out playing inspired basketball, especially Andre Iguodala who scored 31 points on 11 of 21 shooting. The Sixers led most of the way but could never seem to pull away from the Nuggets, even with Carmelo Anthony being held to under 20 points for the first time all season. Chauncey Billups, who dropped 31 points along with 8 boards and 8 dimes, led a 22-3 run between the third and fourth quarters that distanced the Nuggets from the Sixers. As for Iverson, he finished with a pedestrian 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting and 6 assists in 37 minutes, a lot of playing time for someone who hasn't played in 34 days. Iverson received a standing ovation as he was taken out of the game with 45 seconds left. The Sixers losing streak is now at 10 games, however tonight, if only for tonight, they had a spark that has not been in the building in years.

Sidenote: The most spectacular play of the night didn't even count. As the end of the first half wound down, Andre Iguodala threw up a full-court heave just for fun and he drained it. The crowd erupted, unfortunately it did not count as time had already expired.

Photo of the Week

To commemorate our first week, we're introducing our Photo of the Week. This week Allen Iverson gives us a shout out at his press conference on Thursday.

NFL Sunday Wrap Up

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

Philadelphia Eagles-34
Atlanta Falcons-7
In Mike Vick's return to Atlanta, he scored twice (1 pass, 1 rush) and the defense smothered Chris Redman to move the Eagles to 8-4 and in a tie with the Cowboys for first in the East.

St. Louis Rams-9
Chicago Bears-17
Jay Cutler did NOT throw an interception and held on to defeat the one win Rams at home. Steven Jackson again rushed for over 100 yards...absolute warrior.

Detroit Lions-13
Cincinnati Bengals-23
The Bengals D picked off Matthew Stafford twice, taking one back for a score, then knocked him out of the game to ensure their second winning season in the last 19 years.

Tennessee Titans-17
Indianapolis Colts-27
The Colts remained undefeated thanks to 2 Joseph Addai touchdown runs and superb red-zone defense.

Denver Broncos-44
Kansas City Chiefs-13
The Broncos completely stampeded the Chiefs at Arrowhead behind a balanced rushing attack where Correll Buckhalter rushed for over 100 yards and Knowshown Moreno reached paydirt twice.

New England Patriots-21
Miami Dolphins-22
The Pats blew another game thanks to missed 4th down conversions. Another big game by Brady that included a 58-yard TD to Randy Moss and an 81-yard TD to Sam Aiken ultimately came up short as Brady also threw 2 costly interceptions in the 4th quarter.

Oakland Raiders-27
Pittsburgh Steelers-24
The Steelers were up 24-20 and the Raiders had the ball with less than 2 minutes left at home...AND LOST. The Raiders handed the Steelers their 4th straight loss dropping the defending champs to 6-6. Louis Murphy had a surprisingly useful fantasy day with 128 yards and 2 TDs.

New Orleans Saints-33
Washington Redskins-30 (OT)
The Saints remained undefeated but needed Overtime to do it against the now 3-9 'Skins. Brees threw for over 400 yards and Robert Meachem scored two TD's, one coming on a strip of a Redskins interception.

Tampa Bay Bucs-6
Carolina Panthers-16
The Panthers picked off rookie Josh Freeman 5 times and Jonathan Stewart ran for over 100 yards and a score to seal the win.

Houston Texans-18
Jacksonville Jaguars-23
The Jags balanced attack took down the Texans. Matt Schaub was temporarily knocked out of the game but returned after Rex Grossman threw an interception in relief.

San Diego Chargers-30
Cleveland Browns-23
The Browns kept it surprisingly close but ultimately fell short to the Chargers thanks to 373 yards and 2 TDs from Philip Rivers. LT found the endzone once again and passed Jim Brown on the all-time rushing list.

Dallas Cowboys-24
New York Giants-31
On cue, the Cowboys lose a December game. Tony Romo threw for 392 yards and 3 scores on 55 pass attempts. However, the Giants made plays when they needed to, generating turnovers on defense and getting a punt return TD from Domenik Hixon.

San Francisco 49ers-17
Seattle Seahawks-20
Olindo Mare kicked a game winning field goal as time expired to defeat the division rival 49ers. Alex Smith threw for 310 yards and 2 scores in a losing effort.

Minnesota Vikings-17
Arizona Cardinals-30
In the Sunday night finale, the Cardinals passing attack shredded the Vikings secondary. Kurt Warner threw for 285 yards and 3 scores, 2 to Anquan Boldin and 1 to Larry Fitzgerald. Brett Favre threw two picks and Adrian Peterson was bottled up the whole game in only the Vikings second loss of the season.

Oden Done For Season

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

Greg Oden fractured his patella and will likely be shut down for the season. The injury-plagued center was hurt when he collided with Aaron Brooks in the first quarter. Oden was placed on a stretcher and wheeled off the court. An MRI was performed revealing the fracture. In Oden's short NBA career he has already missed one year and several games in the one year he played since being the number one pick in the 2007 Draft.

BCS is Taking Shape

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

With conference championship games in the books, some ending in dramatic fashion, the BCS championship game is looking a little clearer. Alabama defeated the defending champion and undefeated Florida Gators 32-13 stamping their ticket to the BCS National Championship Game. Mark Ingram rushed for over 100 yards and 3 TDs proving why he is a worthy Heisman candidate. The Crimson Tide's presumed opponent is the Texas Longhorns who squeaked by Nebraska 13-12 in the Big XII Championship Game. Trailing 10-12 with one second remaining in the 4th quarter, Texas kicker Hunter Lawrence kicked a 46-yard field goal to move the Longhorns one step closer to a national championship. The national championship will take place January 7th in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl.