Curse of Billy Penn

Pictures from Clearwater: Phillies vs. Yankees - 3/4/10

Here are some pictures I took from the Phillies/Yankees game at Bright House Field on Thursday, March 4.  

Roy Halladay took the mound for the first time in a Phillies uniform, facing none other than Yankee's ace C.C. Sabathia.  Perhaps the two best pitchers in baseball faced off in a meaningless Spring Training game.  It was awesome!

The Phillies lost 3-2, but like I said, it was meaningless.  The good news: Halladay threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.  He threw 24 pitches - 21 of them strikes! 

First good sign of the day!

A wave hello from Hazel Mae of the MLB Network

The Enemy!

Cole Hamels...looking cool!

The man of the hour...Roy Halladay

Old teammates - C.C. Sabathia and Ben Francisco

Halladay heading to the bullpen

Sabathia warming up

Golfer John Daly and Mike Schmidt throwing out the first pitch

Halladay's first pitch in a Phillies uniform...

     

Check Out Pictures From: Phillies vs. FSU - 3/3/10 - Click Here!

Check Out Pictures From Practics - Click Here!

Sports Illustrated Ranks Ruben Amaro Jr. 19th among GM's; Ed Wade at bottom

Sports Illustrated ranked baseball's 30 General Manager's, and Ruben Amaro Jr. came in at No.19.  Our old friend Ed Wade - now with Houston - was ranked 29-of-30.  Fitting!

As General Manager of a team that just played in their second consecutive World Series, you have to ask the question: was Amaro cheated out of a more respectable ranking?  Does he deserve better than No.19?

Sports Illustrated gave him credit for his acquisition of both Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay - two Cy Young Award Winners - but criticized him for trading Lee away and signing 36 year old Raul Ibanez to a three year deal.

I'm not going to tell you Amaro is a bad GM, but I would have to agree that he hasn't earned anything yet.  Sure, his team just played in the World Series, but remember, he took over a team that just won the World Series.  Amaro may have helped build that team, but "helped" is the key word.  It was Pat Gillick - who built three World Series winners - that built that team.  

Lee and Halladay:  There is certainly credit to be handed out to a guy that acquires these two in back-to-back seasons.  There is also something to be said, however, for the guy who ships Cliff Lee out - especially when his price tag is a mere $8-Million for the season, a steal for an ace like that!

We are told the farm system was depleted and the trade was necessary to replenish it.  If you say so, but if I'm not mistaken, the Phillies could have worked out a contract with Lee or lost him to free agency.  If they would have signed him - highly unlikely with Halladay in the picture - I'm not sure you need a farm system for a while.  Take what you have and run with it!  If you lost him, however, the Phillies would have been given two draft picks as a result.  So where's the problem?

In the end, you have Halladay.  Perhaps the best pitcher in baseball, not too shabby.  Still, we don't have both!  I would praise him for acquiring both Halladay and Lee in a greater light if we were headed into the season with both pitchers.  That would be an accomplishment!  The reality is that it is not hard to acquire big name guys from teams who are looking to dump them when you are throwing big name prospects in their faces.  The Indians wanted to get rid of Lee, and Toronto wanted to get rid of Halladay.  At the price of Jason Donald and Kyle Drabek - the untouchable future star - we still only have Halladay.  I'm not arguing this was a bad deal; I'm happy to have him.  In the end, however, I need to ask: where is the real accomplishment?   

Locking up Halladay:  Amaro successfully locked Halladay up to a three year extension worth $60-Million, along with a fourth year option at $20-Million.  Kudos to Ruben!  Again, where's the real accomplishment?  Do you remember Halladay's demeanor when he was not traded to the Phillies last season?  He was full of disappointment!  It was clear he desperately wanted to play for the Phils!  Let me wave $60-Million in front of a guy, asking him to join my team - a team he would love nothing other than to be on - and I just might be able to close that deal as well!

Raul Ibanez and Jamie Moyer:  Sports Illustrated questioned the signing of the 36-year old left fielder to a three year deal, but I would have to question the signing of a 46-year old pitcher to a two year deal.

Ibanez was signed to a 3-year/$36-Million contract.  At his age, you could question that.  Despite his injury, however, Ibanez has been a blessing.  He appeared to be on his way to an MVP season until his injury, making Amaro look like a genius!  He never really came back the same way, and I don't expect to see that level of play from him ever again.  That said, assuming he can remain healthy, I expect productive results from him.  He may be overpaid - particularly with each passing year - but he is not a waste of salary. 

Jamie Moyer could potentially kill the Phillies!  Talk about a waste of salary.  Following the 2008 season, Amaro signed Moyer - 46-years old at the time - to a 2-year/$16-million contract.  He may not even make the starting rotation!  

In my opinion, Lee was traded to clear up salary.  It makes me cringe to think it wouldn't have been a factor if Moyer wasn't making so much money!  

In Closing:  I don't mean to sound tough on Ruben Amaro Jr. - I think he's doing a pretty good job.  All I am saying is that I can't justify pushing him further up the list just yet.     

Ed Wade:  For many years we booed him out of town.  Finally, we got our wish.  One of the first things he did when he became GM of the Houston Astros is give us Brad Lidge.  Lidge went on to have a perfect season, playing a huge role in the Phillies 2008 World Series Championship.  I think it might have been the first time Wade ever came through for the Phils!

Wade was ranked 29-of-30 on Sports Illustrated GM's list.  I don't think too many Philly fans will argue that one!    

  

Pictures from Clearwater: Phillies vs. FSU - 3/3/10

Here are some pictures I took from the Phillies Spring Training opener last week against Florida State University.  

The weather was far from what you would expect in Spring Training game.  Similar to an early April game in Philly, everybody was bundled up to deal with the 50-degree temperature.  I must admit, we actually left early.

The Phils won 13-6, but Phillippe Aumont looked shaky!  As one of the guy's we got for Lee, all eyes were on him.  It appeared his nerves got the better of him, allowing 2-hits, 5-runs, 3-walks, 1-home run, and a wild pitch.  He pitched just two-thirds of an inning.

The bad news: it was against college kids!  The good news: In his second outing against Tampa Bay on Sunday, he pitched 2 & 2/3 scoreless innings.  He even got Pat Burrell to ground into a double-play.  Go figure!

Bright House Field...and bundled up!

Tiki Terrace.  Nice relaxing place to watch a game, especially if your with a group of people!  Oh yeah, did I mention wind too?  Look at the Palm Trees!

Our view from the Tiki Terrace

Phillippe Aumont

Chooch!

Check out pictures of Phillies vs. Yankees - 3/4/10

Check out pictures from practice - Click Here!

Pictures from Clearwater: Phillies Spring Training - Practice Session

Last week I was down in Clearwater for the beginning of Phillies Spring Training.  Here are some pictures I took during a practice session from Monday, March 1, 2010.  Enjoy!

If you have been down to Spring Training before, you know how cool this is!  If you haven't been there yet, it is worth checking out!

The practice sessions are free and fans are allowed to roam between four fields and watch the Phillies' players run their drills.  You will catch the players as they walk between the fields, signing autographs, and in some cases, taking pictures.  It is relaxing and fun!

Roy Halladay wearing a Phillies uniform!

Tyson Gillies - the best part of the Lee trade.

On deck...Ryan Howard!

Dallas Green

Recognize that man?  It's Jason Werth!

Davey Lopes Instructing!

Catcher pop-up drills

Pictures from Wednesday, March 3 - Phillies vs. FSU - Click Here!

Pictures from Thursday, March 4 - Phillies vs. Yankees - Click Here!

Spotted at the Olympics...

Is Johnny Weir...

 

...the Hot Chick?

 

And could Evgeni Plushenko be...

 

...Johnny?

 

Advice from the coach...

 

 

Everything is going wrong at Olympics, and it's not over yet!

Canada is going to have trouble selling themselves as a host country for the Olympic Games again!  Murphy's Law states, "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."  If you don't believe it, look at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.  

Olympic Sliding Track:  Before the opening ceremonies even began, Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia was killed in a luge accident.  Not a good way to start the Olympic Games!  He crashed during a practice run on what what is considered to be the most dangerous track in the world.  The Olympic organizers insist the track is safe, and that the accident was due to human error.  

With the world's top luger's crashing during their practice runs, it appears that the track just might not be so safe.  The committee is correct, however, saying human error was the cause of the crash...the humans that organized this thing!  It was so fast that the men's starting point had to be moved to the women's, and the women's was moved to the junior's to make it safe.  There was not even the slightest of padding on the fully exposed beams.

On the first few days of practice, bobsledders struggled to navigate the course, resulting in 11 crashes.  Other than the fact that the world's best bobsledders can't handle the track, everything is normal! 

 

Indoor Olympic Cauldron:  After a long opening ceremony, Catriona Le May Doan, Steven Nash, Nancy Greene, and Wayne Gretzky met at the center of BC Place Stadium to light the interior Cauldron.  A few moments went by, but they just stood there.  Something wasn't right!  Four arms were suppose to raise - one for each athlete to light - but only three came out.  The fourth was broke.  With Le May Doan's respective arm malfunctioning, she stood back and watched the other three light the Cauldron.

Outdoor Olympic Cauldron:  After lighting the indoor Cauldron, Wayne Gretzky made his way outdoors - not in snow as you might expect at the Winter Olympics, rather rain - to the outdoor Cauldron.  He placed his torch to the Cauldron, bringing it to light.  No problems, unless you were a spectator trying to get a photograph of the Cauldron.  You would have had a nice shot of the Cauldron behind a chain-linked fence to put in the album. 

 After much criticism, the fence was altered to accommodate fans.

 

Women's Downhill: On Wednesday, February 17 - Day 6, a handful of skiers crashed out of the Women's Downhill.  One skier flew roughly 200 feet before crashing down at the bottom of the hill.  These athletes are going all out, and crashes are far from unusual at the speeds they are going.  It is odd, however, that the course was modified the next day, making it less dangerous.

Weather: The Winter Olympics are usually held in cold, snowy places.  When you think of Canada, it seems fitting.  The reality: Events canceled due to fog, rain, and winter events held in 60-degree (F) weather.  Truckloads of snow were brought in so events could be held!  

Speed Skating Ice: On Monday night, February 15 - Day 4, the men's 500 meter speed skate had to be delayed due to bad ice.  Yes, this is an indoor event!  The three "state-of-the-art" ice-surfacing machines (Olympia brand, not Zamboni brand, but a Zamboni for all intents and purposes) were unable to get the ice smooth.    

Shani Davis pulled out of the race during the delay, although we are told he may have done that anyway so he could prepare for the 1,000 meter.  Either way, I would like to apologize on Davis' behalf to the guy who didn't get to go to the Olympics so Davis could waste that spot!

It's Not Over Yet: As you can see, there have been quite a few mishaps at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  There is a good chance they will be remembered as the most dangerous games ever.  To top it off, we just passed the midway point.  What else can go wrong?  

  

Watch the Flyers in the Olympics

After wrapping up back-to-back wins against the Montreal Canadiens, the Flyers will be off for the next few weeks during the 2010 Winter Olympics.  That doesn't mean you have to miss hockey!  Many Flyers' will be participating in the Olympic games in what should be an exciting tournament.

Canada  

• Mike Richards - First Olympic appearance.
• Chris Pronger - Assistant Captain, fourth Olympic appearance
• Jeff Carter - Carter did not make the team, but will be there as an alternate.  In the event somebody is injured or can't play, he has a chance to make the team.

Finland

• Kimmo Timonen - Fourth Olympic appearance.

Latvia

• Oskars Bartulis - First olympic Appearance

Norway

• Ole-Kristian Tollefsen - First Olympic Appearance

To follow the Olympic Hockey results, visit us at www.nhlcomplete.com

Where will McNabb play next season?

After each passing season, the big question is, where will McNabb be playing next season?  So far the Answer has been in Philly.  Hell come up short, and then we write him off.  "It's time to turn it over to Kolb," we always say.  Each year, however, he always stays put!  

Naturally, after a first round elimination, the question has come up again.  Will he be back?  With Kolb as ready as he'll ever be, you have to start believing McNabb's days have got to be numbered.  Take that into consideration with a couple of openings around the NFL, and you have to wonder if he will really be back this time.

With the retirement of Kurt Warner and the possibility of Brett Favre retiring, there could be two playoff caliber teams looking for a starting quarterback.  Could McNabb be their solution?  Whether McNabb is the right guy for Philly or not, you have to honor the possibility that his departure could be beneficial to everybody.  It just might be time to turn the page.  A change of scenery could be good for both parties!

Favre runs up score against Cowboys. Gotta love it!

Brett Favre: You either love him or hate him!  When he's playing the Cowboys, however, it's safe to say Eagles fans love him!

With two minutes remaining, the Vikings led 27-3.  I didn't think it could get any better!  Then, Favre threw an unnecessary touchdown pass to give the Vikings a 34-3 lead. 

Was it inappropriate?  Was it tasteless?  Is it something you just don't do?  The answer to those questions would usually be yes, however, those rules don't apply to the Cowboys!  It was frigging awesome!

You may be tired of Favre and his "gonna retire/not gonna retire" shenanigans, but he earned some points on this one!  

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Cliff Lee or Jamie Moyer? The best and worst $9-million you can spend!

Cliff Lee is gone!  They could have had him for $9-million.  They tell us it's because they couldn't lock him up, and that he was going to walk at the end of the season and test the market.  They tell us it's because they depleted their farm system, and needed to acquire some prospects.

To address the first statement, Lee said he expected to finish his career in a Phillies uniform.  Not the sign of a guy that's gonna walk!  To address the second statement, the Phillies would have acquired two draft picks in the event that he walked, replenishing their farm system!

It doesn't add up!  Could it be a salary dump?  They tell us no, but then again, they told us they weren't going to get Roy Halladay either!

If it was a salary dump, we have to question the singing of Jamie Moyer.  If they don't have Cliff Lee right now because they handed a 46-year old pitcher a 2-year $13-million contract, what else can you say but...WOW!

If that is the case, then Jamie Moyer, you better have one heck of a season!

Vote: Is it time for McNabb to go?

Can you consider McNabb's career in Philadelphia a success?  Reaching the playoffs in eight of the past ten seasons, playing in Five NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl, I guess you can.  Important that it may be, however, it is somewhat irrelevant regarding their future. 

Michael Vick will almost certainly be leaving.  Do you stick with McNabb?  I think it may be time to move on!

Donovan McNabb:  Though McNabb's history is impressive, there are a lot of Eagles fans that feel he has failed us.  He has taken us to many Championship games, but still hasn't won a Super Bowl.  Every time they are eliminated, he takes the brunt of the blame.  Deserved or not, Eagles fans are losing their patience!  

Vaughn Hebron said it best during the Eagles post-game show, saying the relationship between McNabb and the fans has gone as far as it can go.  Whether he has been successful in Philadelphia or if he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, is no longer a factor.  Year in and year out we get the same result.  Though successful, it is stale.  It's just time for a change!

Time for Kolb?  It is time to give Kolb his shot!  Some say he doesn't have what it takes to be an NFL starter, but there has to be a plan for him somewhere.  If they feel he is not capable of being an NFL starter, then they should move on.  Otherwise, he is their No.1 pick.  They have money and time tied up in him.  If he is your future, you can't let him sit on the bench for years!  Give him his shot and let him grow with this core of young receivers. 

Is it that tough of a decision?  What's the worst that can really happen?  McNabb has gone down before, and it hasn't been a setback for the team.  In 2002 they won five of their last six games when McNabb broke his foot.  It was Koy Detmer and A.J. Feeley that helped the Eagles finish 12-4.  In 2006, McNabb left Jeff Garcia a 5-5 team when he went down for the season.  They ended up 10-6!

With the right team, and a solid quarterback, you can easily make the playoffs!  Do we really think Kolb can't take this team to the playoffs?  If you think about it, that's all McNabb has ever done.  You can argue that Kolb will never win you a Super Bowl, but guess what, McNabb has never won you one either!     

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Another Eagles' season ends in disappointment!

There's so much to say about the Eagles early exit from the playoffs.  Where do we being?

Coach: It was another disappointing big game coaching performance from Andy Reid.  He always changes his strategy in big games, steering away from what got him there in the first place!  They won six straight before their Cowboys' match-ups.  In those games they averaged 28 running attempts.  Against the Cowboys, they attempted 10 last week and 13 this week.  

How can you expect to win big games running the ball 10-13 times?  Reid believes throwing the ball 80-percent of the time is the way to win - though he has proven it is not - but he is unwilling to accept reality.  It is his way, and he will make it work...so he thinks.  This arrogance have prevented the Eagles from winning a Super Bowl!  That, along with his inability to make decisions during games.  He can prepare well for a game, but can't adapt during the game when things don't go as planned.

Defense:  You can argue that Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb are proven, having played in 5 NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl over the past ten years.  Don't forget defense played the biggest role in that then they did!  We have been spoiled, having one of the best defenses in football over the past decade.  We have lost some key players over the past couple of years, along with the best defensive coordinator in football.  The impact has been dramatic!

The Eagles defense has allowed an average of nearly 20-points per game throughout the season.  That number is over 30-points per game against teams that reached the playoffs.  You're not going to go far when you let teams run all over you like that!

I'm still trying to figure this out...Brian Dawkins?  It's a shame he will not be wearing an Eagles helmet when he takes the field at the Pro Bowl, as a starter no less.  But the Eagles know best, he's too old!  

Quarterback:  McNabb is the first name thrown out there when the Eagles are eliminated from the post-season every year.  McNabb takes the brunt of the blame!  You cannot blame McNabb for their loss Saturday night, as the team was beat in just about every aspect of the game.  Regardless of that, however, he has to show up!  Blame aside, McNabb has a history of crumbling when it counts.  It counted Saturday, and McNabb was nowhere to be found!  His biggest play was an interception that was fumbled for a relatively large gain in yards for the Eagles.

I'm not going to say he's a bad player.  He's not!  But at this point in time, I would have to argue that he can't get it done...because he hasn't!  Say what you will, he's had enough opportunities to prove that wrong!

Don't expect change:  Was it disappointing losing back-to-back games to the Cowboys that led to a first round elimination?  Sure!  It was also disappointing when they lost NFC Championship games to the Rams, Buccaneers, Panthers, and Cardinals!  It was disappointing when they lost the Super Bowl to the Patriots!  

The common factor binding those losses...Reid and McNabb!  Generally, when something is not working, you make changes.  Reid just got a three year extension, and said McNabb is his quarterback.  They don't appear to be making any changes, so don't expect any changes in results!

Could Saturday be McNabb's last game as an Eagle?

The big question going around: if the Eagles lose to the Cowboys on Saturday, could that be McNabb's last game as an Eagle?

This is the same question that comes up every season!  Just a week ago, there were huge hopes for the Eagles.  We had a chance to finish off the season with a victory over the Cowboys to win the division, earning a bye week in the playoffs.  Now it looks like they are going to get knocked out of the playoffs in the first round, by none other than the Cowboys!

Have the fans reached a breaking point with McNabb?  Are they ready to move on?  You can argue that McNabb has had ten years now, and just might not be the guy to get it done!  You can also argue that the Eagles have enjoyed much success under McNabb, reaching five NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl, and that their success would have been absent without McNabb.

Which of these statements are true?  Maybe both, maybe neither!  Maybe he was the guy to get it done, but never had the right weapons.  I have often been critical of McNabb, and I don't personally feel he is a big game quarterback, but I would pin most of their failures on Reid.  

Over the past ten years, the Eagles have reached the playoffs seven times, but I'm not convinced that success would not have been there without McNabb.  In 2002, the Eagles ended up 12-4.  McNabb missed 6-games, in which the Eagles went 5-1 without him.  In 2006, when McNabb was lost for the season, Jeff Garcia took over a 5-5 team, leading them to the playoffs with a 10-6 record.  The eventual Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts were the only team to beat the Eagles in a game that McNabb did not play in.

The real question is, how valuable is McNabb?  You can argue they would never have had the success they did without him, but it looks like they very well may have.  Nobody really knows the answer to that question.  One thing we do know, however, is that McNabb has never won the big one.  How many chances do you need before it's time to move on?

So if they lose...

Is it time for McNabb to go?  Here is something to consider: Kevin Kolb has been here for three years now, and is suppose to be the teams future.  Michael Vick is scheduled to make $5.2-million next year.  McNabb is set to make $11.2-million, possibly $11.7 if he plays all 16-games.  There is a decision to be made!

I'm not sure what to do with Vick, or exactly what their intention was in the first place.  If Kobl is your future, when do you take that next step?  The Packers eventually decided it was time.  Rodgers was their future, and they parted ways with Favre, who not only won them a Super Bowl, but had them in the NFC Championship game just months before.  

Whether you are a McNabb supporter or not, we all understand that this decision will one day come.  Getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by the Cowboys, when there was great hope they could go deep...this might just be the right time!

Should Saturday's game warrant that type of decision?  Considering all the circumstances, I would have to say yes.  After ten years of "almost," your "supposed" future quarterback ready to go (as ready as he will ever be), blowing their chance to win the division on the final day, getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by their arch nemesis, and considering the amount of money McNabb is scheduled to make next season...I think this is the type of game that warrants that type of decision!  

But this is the Eagles we are talking about.  They don't think the same way!  Team President Joe Banner once commented about doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.  Donovan McNabb will be back next year!

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Donovan McNabb has a lot to say; Blames team for loss

"We showed our youth.  In situations where everyone began to look around to see who was going to make the play instead of stepping up and making the play, and that's something that comes with the territory when you have a young group."

-Donovan McNabb, on losing to the Cowboys

That's an interesting take on McNabb's part!  I'm a little confused, if his receivers had more experience, would they have caught passes that were nowhere within their reach?  DeSean Jackson may be young, but the potential six points that sailed over his head had nothing to do with youth!

McNabb addressed the comment, saying he was not blaming anybody for the loss, took responsibility for his own level of play, and that he would never throw anybody under the bus.  I don't care how much responsibility he took for himself, he completely threw the team under the bus!  In fact, this isn't the first time he has done that. 

Following their 2008 NFC Championship game loss to the Cardinals, McNabb had this to say: "We were up, 25-24. (The Cardinals) drove down 72 yards by running the ball, probably, what, eight times?  And it reminded me so much of (the 2001 NFC Championship game) St. Louis where, coming back in the second half, they ran the ball nine times with Marshall Faulk to keep our offense off the field.  Because they were terrified of us going back out and scoring more points." 

His comments naturally didn't sit well with teammates.  Jeremiah Trotter had this to say about it: "(McNabb) hasn't done anything in big games.  When you look at championship games, the super bowl, he hasn't produced in big games.  He had plenty of time to go down the field and score and tie that thing up but he didn't get it done."   Hugh Douglas, who played on the 2001 team, also took exception.  "Some people will say it's not a big deal, but it is.  I know Donovan, I respect Donovan, in his mind, he didn't say wrong."  Douglas went on to say, "a leader thinks before he speaks.  That would never come out of a leader's mouth.  Every year, Donovan says something that's inflammatory, then he doesn't explain himself.  Explain yourself.  When you alienate people who have your back, I need to understand why.  I need to understand how he thinks.  right now, I don't." 

Could the young guys have played better?  Sure, but so could the veteran!  For a guy that is so critical about youth, McNabb's experience did very little to help him!  The only player to criticize his teammate that was correct was Terrell Owens, saying he was not the one that got tired at the Super Bowl, referring to McNabb.  You can hate T.O. all you want, but he was right.  T.O. wasn't suppose to even play in the Super Bowl, but he did, and played well!  It was McNabb that didn't show up!  

Eagles/Cowboys rematch - What's up Reid's Sleeve?

Last week, we thought the Eagles would finish 12-4, ending the season with a victory over the Cowboys, earning a bye-week for the first round of the playoffs.  It could have been so nice!  Now, it looks like it's going to be flat out awful!  The Eagles are in danger of losing back-to-back games against Dallas - in Dallas - to end the season.  Could you imagine?  Not only going home after one round of the playoffs, but losing to Dallas three times!

Maybe Andy Reid has a plan up his sleeve.  Is it possible that...

1. He didn't want to show his cards against the Cowboys, saving it for next week?
2. They are going to do something unexpected, like having Michael Vick play quarterback instead of McNabb?

No, I don't think that's very possible!  Rocky Balboa may have switched from being a lefty to a righty in an attempt to fool Apollo during their re-match, but I don't suspect the Eagles have anything like that up their sleeve!

Unfortunately, this is what I do expect...

With Dallas coming off back-to-back shut-outs, including a three-game winning streak that includes a victory over the previously undefeated Saints, the Eagles are in trouble!  If the Eagles had shown any signs that they could do something last Sunday, I would maybe have a little hope.  They showed nothing, however, and that is what I expect from them on Sunday...nothing!

On the flip side, somewhere you have to think there is no way the Cowboys can beat us three times in a season.  Also, how often do you see a team dominate another team, then lose in their next match-up?  We looked pretty solid against the Cardinals last season, beating them 48-20 on Thanksgiving day.  Their NFC Championship re-match told a different story!

We'll see, but don't cross your fingers!