Major national sporting news took a back seat to one of the more eventful days in recent Philadelphia Sports history.  Like most Philadelphia-based athletic events, Sunday started wonderfully and ended with a little bit of pain.  I realized just how ready I am to welcome back football; and just how unprepared I am to give up on the baseball season.  When the dust cleared the Birds are looking forward to an early season showdown with the ‘Boys next Monday, and the Phillies are close enough to strike and far enough away to need to do it now.

It was a fun weekend that should set up a fun next couple of weeks.

the NFL MVP limps off of 2008

via chicago sun times

“I deal with it, we’re both good-looking.” - So Taguchi, on the identification problems that come with the Phillies adding Tad Iguchi to their team

Three lines on their world:

1. The curse of the Super Bowl loser continues: reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady is done for the year
   
2. Andy Murray held off Rafa and will face Federer in the U.S. Open final
   
3. and in the quintessential reminder that football season is here, Brett Favre was Brett Favre

Three lines on ours:

1. The Birds looked like world-beaters against the overmatched Rams
   
2. The Phillies closed the gap to one game
   
3. But couldn’t get the sweep in the nightcap and leave New York needing to climb out of a hole

In a day with three Philadelphia games we’re bumping the recaps and game notes to an “about last night” post later this morning, but Birds, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers and plenty of what everyone is talking about after the jump

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Because we’re intrigued by so much that is going on in the non-Philly sports world, I’m presenting you with the pre-weekend Friday Afternoon Procrastination Guidebook, which we’ll eventually come up with a better name for (and hopefully come up with a better tagline).

Will Leitch on Brett Favre: New York Icon.

Chad Ocho Cinco gets official approval to put his name on the back of his jersey, is insane.

Shawn Johnson needs better handlers.  This is so, so creepy.

Mouthpiece has a fantastic interview with Chuck Klosterman.

Tatum Bell tries to explain luggagegate to Dan Patrick.  Awful Announcing is all over it.

Poor Brisket! (He’s a hockey player, so this totally counts as fair game for a sports blog)

Jamal Crawford is blogging for Newsday and the title of his first post is hilarious.

Phils/Mets gets the SI treatment.

Dangerous city = bad football team.  We’re obviously an exception.

AL MVP frontrunner is out for the year.

Debunking the myth of the consistent jump shot. I don’t think I agree, at all, but the concept is interesting.

The Phils have licked their wounds, the Mets have cowered in fear and now the three game set we’ve all been waiting for has arrived. Phillies - Mets, with New York having the power to break the spine of the NL East Champions and the Phillies having the chance to break the spirit of the NL East runner-ups. 

Game one begins with each team throwing one of their hottest starters - Mike Pelfrey (13-8, 3.66) for the Bad Guys and Brett Myers (8-10, 4.40) for Philadelphia.

Myers, who is 5-1 with a 1.42 ERA in his last seven starts while Pelfrey has gone 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA and two complete games over his last four.  It’s do or die time, first time is scheduled to come in at 7:05.

Notes

• Carlos Delgado - who missed last season’s pennant race with an injury - has 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 44 games since the All-Star break.
• Five of Ryan Howards‘ major league leading 39 homers have come against the Mets
• Jayson Werth played all three outfield positions Wednesday. He started in center, moved to right and finished up in left.
• Disabled Billy Wagner may pitch Sunday in a Brooklyn Cyclones game.  He could be back as early as last week
• The next bag Jose Reyes steals with set the Mets’ record
• The Mets have already won the season series from the Phillies.  They’re currently up 10-5. The Phillies won last season’s set 12-6.

Local Blog Rounds, ATJ

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With Donyell Marshall officially locked up the Sixers now have 14 guys under contract.  I team can hold as many as 15, but any addition at this point would be a cosmetic change who wouldn’t see a minute of relevant burn all season (re-signing Shav, for example).  As such we’re in a position where we can take a look at the Sixers roster and see what they got, what they need, and where they’re headed.

The Team:

Andre Miller                Lou Williams               Royel Ivey

Andre Iguodala           Kareem Rush              Willie Green

Thad Young                Donyell Marshall

Elton Brand                 Reggie Evans              Marreese Speights

Samuel Dalembert       Theo Ratliff                Jason Smith (IR)

The thoughts:

The 08-09 76 team may not have a top five talent at any position  - Duncan, KG, Dirk, Bosh, Boozer, (and Gasol) over Brand; Kobe, Wade, Manu, Iverson, and at least one of the Kevin Martin/Brandon Roy/Monta Ellis group over Iguodala - but they do have excellent depth, a lot of players who can play multiple positions, and a system that fits their talent.  We’ll go position by position to see what they got, and how they’ll use it.

Point Guard

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For a day without any local sports being played, last night was faaaannnnnnnnnnnntastic.  Football season came back, and neither the Giants nor the Redskins looked particularly unbeatable (or good), plus Novak Djokovic got the entire U.S. Open crowd to viciously boo him, hopefully starting a rivalry with all of America (if Andy Murray takes him down, watch out).   

Now, in what seems like the biggest weekend since God rested, the Phils are geared up for a three game set against the choking Mets (capped by a Sunday Ace v. Ace finale) and the Birds start their championship run.  

If the Phils take less than two and/or the Eagles drop an extremely winnable game (not likely) I’ll be singing a different tune Monday, but for at least this morning … it’s a wonderful time to be a fan.

Oh football season, I missed you so. I seriously don’t know how non-sports fans can deal with seasonal change.  I’d hate to be them.

“I wouldn’t ever set out to hurt anyone deliberately unless it was, you know, important -like a league game or something.” - Dick Butkus

Three lines on their world:

1. In the glorious return of football season Plaxico and the Giants picked up where they left
   
2. Djokovic took out Roddick, and apparently wants to be the bad guy
   
3. Vandy knocked off Steve Spurrier and South Carolina

Three lines on ours:

1. After taking a day to rest up and lick their wounds the Phillies head to New York for three
   
2. The Birds gear up for Sunday
   
3. JoePa laid down the hammer on four Penn State players who weren’t smart enough to get rid of some week three hours after they were told to

Phillies, Birds, Sixers, Flyers and FUCKTHEMETS after the jump

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After finishing last season perfect against the spread (you heard me … prove otherwise) I’m back and better than ever, ready to make you some cash and expel my thoughts on the league.

It’s the hated first-week of the season, where no one really knows what to expect from teams.  It can either be a coup for gamblers (Vegas hasn’t seen anyone) or you can get killed (”Favre is winning the MVP, I can feel it!”).  I’m here to help.

My pick will always be the first one listed. Home team in caps, “over” if I’m picking a home team and “at” if it’s a roader.  All lines as of Thursday morning.

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So Chris Cooley, who despite hit questionable ethics is everybody’s favorite tight end, recently convinced a group of Redskins players to come over play fantasy football with him.  He videotaped it all, and it’s awesome. 

Here is the video:

And here are some highlights

• the entire team booing the pick of Marion Barber because “you can’t take a cowboy” (no complaints about Westbrook)
• Jason Campell, their QB, picking Drew Brees over himself
• The team making fun of Steve Smith for cold clocking a teammate