Lakers and Magic Have Some Free Agent Concerns to Take Care Of

With the 2009 NBA Finals over, it’s time for both the Magic and Lakers organizations to answer huge questions regarding free agent signings if they want to make it back for rematch for a shot at the title next season. With key players Hedo Turkoglu of Orlando and Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza of Los Angeles all becoming unrestricted free agents, both franchises are looking at nothing short of franchise changing personnel decisions this offseason.

Orlando Magic

Hedo Turkoglu is the big unrestricted free agent for Orlando. Although, Marcin Gortat is a restricted free agent and Anthony Johnson is also looking for a deal, in a suddenly crowded backcourt.

The question for Orlando will be who to cut loose in order to make enough room to re-sign probably their most important player aside from Dwight Howard? There is no doubt Hedo will command an imposing contract, as he has made himself into one of the best players in the league.

While players like Lebron James may dazzle and razzle with his blinding speed, ridiculous athletic forays to the basket, and intimidate with his glistening muscles all at an imposing 6′8″ of raw ability, one could argue that Turkoglu does more as a 6′10″ forward who can play nearly 4 positions with his size and he can also handle the ball like a point guard, shoot three point shots with an assassin’s accuracy, and on top of that, he’s a reliable passer.

What doesn’t always show up on stat sheets is how important Turkoglu’s scoring can be. Far from being a stand still jump shot specialist, Hedo has become a savvy ball handler during critical stretches and represents Orlando’s most reliable scoring option.

It remains to be seen how Orlando will structure next season’s roster but it’s apparent that they’ll need to cut loose at least one contract to make enough cap room to sign their star forward. Orlando’s backcourt has become suddenly crowded, with All-Star Jameer Nelson back in the lineup. While, Nelson’s tentative play in the finals was less than inspiring, make no mistake, Nelson demonstrated all-star caliber play this season and is the clear undisputed point guard and leader of the Magic.

That leaves Rafer Alston or Anthony Johnson, two veteran point guards fresh off quality playoff runs. It’s hard to imagine Orlando keeping three point guards on the roster, so one will be gone eventually.

Orlando’s backup center Marcin Gortat could be looking for a pay raise as an unrestricted free agent to reward his productive 2008-2009 campaign. In a sad commentary on the state of NBA’s centers, Gortat may actually find a good supply of willing suitors. Orlando may be happy to let him walk, if only they weren’t so thin at center. With hardly any legit centers to back up Howard, Orlando has to answer some issues with depth at this position.

Los Angeles Lakers

It’s hard to actually quantify Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza’s importance to the Lakers, but if ever there were intangible x-factor type players these two guys basically exemplify that quality.

Odom is technically a bench player, but his stats, his play, and his minutes don’t say bench player at all. Much like Courtney Lee for the Magic “starts” the game, before he is quickly replaced by Pietrus, so too is Andrew Bynum mostly planted on the bench watching Odom gather most of the minutes as a “bench player”.

Most coaches rave about Odom, and it’s not hard to imagine why. Whether you want a 6′10″ body who can deliver nifty post moves and guard opposing power forwards, or you want a player who can launch three point jump shots and handle the ball like a guard, Odom has it covered. Odom is a quiet performer however, one who likes to quietly work his way into double-doubles. But he’s no doubt a glue guy. His defense on Rashard Lewis during the finals and help defense on Dwight Howard needs to be commended. Whether Odom plays as a long armed small forward, or a solid shooting, crafty power forward, he gives the Lakers a dimension of length and flexibility that is too important to ignore.

Some might disagree, but I don’t think the Lakers have a shot at defending their title without Lamar Odom.

Starter Trevor Ariza is another player the Lakers will look to re-sign. I’ve liked Ariza’s game since the beginning. I’ve compared him favorably to Mickeal Pietrus of Orland. Both players are young, athletic, great defenders with good wingspan. Ariza is a solid shooter and devilishly quick fast break finisher. Ariza provides that critical defensive stopper at the wing positions, an almost mandatory ability of NBA title contenders today. With Bynum performing poorly during the playoffs, Phil Jackson’s front court duties by committee depended on the combined efforts of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Trevor Ariza to frequently balance the might of Dwight Howard on the boards and in the paint.

Although, Kobe is often credited for having the best defensive game on the Lakers (if not the NBA), he is 30 years old now, and in the Finals Series against Orlando, the toll of the long postseason had taken a noticeable toll on the immortal Kobe. Meanwhile, it is obviously Ariza who has the freshest legs on the Lakers, and it will more often become Ariza’s assignment in the future to guard the Carmelo Anthonys, Paul Pierces, Lebron James’ or Hedo Turkoglus of the NBA. While Ariza doesn’t light up the scoreboard, his ability to limit opponents from doing so means he’ll need to return as an important cog in the Laker lineup if this team expects to be back to defend their title.

If the Lakers Want to Win Game 4, They Must Do These Things…

Although the Lakers lost Game 3, they have many reasons to feel optimistic. Kobe had one of his worst 2^nd halves in recent memory and yet the Lakers were still in it. The luster of L.A.’s first two victories has been dulled now, but they are still up 2-1 heading into Game 4 and in good position to take commanding control of the series if these things happen….

Kobe must play like Kobe

This ain’t breaking news, Kobe Bryant has to play well for the Lakers to win. He doesn’t have to score 40 points or anything nuts, but he surely can’t shoot 5-10 on his free throws, give up balls during crucial plays, and jack up hurried shots late in the game.

At times I think Kobe is a victim of his own greatness. I can only imagine the internal turmoil that must go through Kobe’s mind after having such a prodigious first half, he must feel like he could do anything. Well that’s not always so, and like all players, he needs to trust his offense and let the game come to him.

Lamar Odom must show up

Odom who was praised for his inspired play several games ago, has once again gone missing. While Dwight Howard is Superman, it is Odom who often runs into a phone booth during the playoffs to turn back into pedestrian Clark Kent.

Some people might label Odom an x-factor. I’m going much farther than that. I’m going to go as far as to say Odom is a key to the Lakers winning. Odom has the unique length, speed, and agility to help defend against Orlando’s tall lineup. And despite Orlando’s reputation for shooting, they have players who just love to penetrate at a moment’s notice. Odom’s shot blocking or shot contesting is an important supplement to Gasol’s slow footed defense and Bynum’s uninspired play.

Starters must rebound better

As a team, they Laker’s did alright on the boards in Game 3, but their main players did not. Gasol, Bynum, and Odom only managed 9 rebounds combined. The way this series is going, L.A. needs these guys on the court, and if they are going to be out there, they need to clean the glass effectively.

Pau Gasol must be involved in the offense

Gasol is too good to be merely a bystander to the Kobe Bryant Show. Gasol is a great post player and passer. His presence in the paint and even in the midrange area demands attention. As long as Kobe takes too much ball time and does too much (no matter how dramatically he can score) it takes away from the team’s ability to utilize Gasol’s playmaking ability in the post which in turn creates more high percentage scoring opportunities for the rest of the team including Bryant.

Also, having Gasol bang around the post a bit can help draw out Howard’s defense which can only be a good thing if they can manage to draw him into a couple defensive fouls. This is Orlando’s biggest fear, since unlike L.A. Howard represents the Magic’s first, last, and only front court presence.

 

Impact of 76ers Trading Reggie Evans for Jason Kapono

The Philadelphia 76ers are getting to work early after a season filled with promise ended in disappointment with a 1^st round elimination by the Orlando Magic. On Tuesday, the 76ers traded forward Reggie Evans to the Toronto Raptors for three point shooter Jason Kapono.

The addition of Jason Kapono finally addresses the 76ers league worse three point shooting, at least on paper. It also gives Philadelphia’s new incoming coach, Eddie Jordan, one of the league’s most accurate and prolific three point specialists, something that Mo Cheeks had been denied since 76ers President and GM, Ed Stefanski traded away an ironically similar player, Kyle Korver to Utah prior to this season.

Saying Goodbye Is Hard To Do

Perhaps, overlooked will be the impact of the departure of Reggie Evans who has become somewhat of a fan favorite in Philadelphia where hard working “blue collar” type players often endear themselves to fans.

Without Reggie Evans, the 76ers will be without one of their best rebounders, especially on the offensive glass. It is the opinion of this writer that Reggie Evans played a significant impact on changing the culture of the 76ers team. Prior to Evans’ arrival, the 76ers were horrendously soft with the likes of Chris Webber and Samuel Dalembert down low.

Reggie Evans, despite his quirks, is a player who changed the flow of the game off the bench. He would grab rebounds where nobody else wanted to go. He’d play full court defense, help trap opposing guards, and never complain about his lack of touches. In many respects he was a poor man’s Ben Wallace, able to affect games without scoring (although not as dramatically as Ben Wallace mind you.)

Without Evans, it remains to be seen if Dalembert, whose game is temperamental at best, will regress or grow. It also means that Ed Stefanski, is in effect upping his ante by placing the onus squarely on Elton Brand to return to his MVP caliber form this season after a disappointing first season in Philadelphia. Furthermore, it also means that the Sixers are confident moving forward essentially with second year big man Marreese Speights as the first big man off the bench. Jason Smith coming off injury and Thaddeus Young are also viable power forward/center options.

Looking To the Future

While it remains to be seen what changes new coach Eddie Jordan will bring to the 76ers, Kapono’s playing position and the makeup of the current roster makes it inconceivable that a one dimensional player like Kapono will crack the starting lineup even on a shooting starved team such as this. Iguodala, Young and Brand are locked in starters for the 2,3,4 positions.

Look for Kapono to be one of the first off the bench the 76ers who now feature a second unit heavy on shooters and light on defense with players like Louis Williams, Willie Green, Jason Smith and Donyell Marshall.

More likely Kapono will play strategic stretches with the starting lineup as a “zone defense buster” or to spell Iguodala or Young for small stretches. No doubt the 76ers hope that having an actual three point shooting threat on the team again will help to spread the floor for Elton Brand and Iguodala to work in Eddie Jordan’s new offensive principles.

While this trade is by no means a blockbuster, both the Raptors and 76ers hope small moves like this will somehow help move both of them further into contention in the Atlantic Division which is still wide open behind the Celtics.

5 Things the Orlando Magic Must Fix for Game 3

With the NBA Finals Series between the Lakers and the Magic heading to Orlando for game 3, the Magic turned in a good performance during Game 2. They should still be hopeful that three consecutive games at home will give them the opportunity to even the series and solve a few major issues that have been problematic in their two losses. Here are a few of my humble observations and suggestions for the Magic:

1. Players other than Orlando’s Big Three Must Make Shots. Orlando’s Turkoglu, Howard and Lewis combined for 73 of the team’s points in Game 2. But more importantly, almost every single positive play ran either through one of these three players or was initiated by one of them. While it’s nice to finally see Rashard Lewis play like the franchise player his contract says he is, nobody can possibly expect him to in 34 points, 7 assists and hit 6 three point shots at a 50% clip every game. While Howard is doing his fair share of work down low, battling with L.A.’s legion of long limbed defenders, Pietrus, Alston, Lee, and the recently returned Nelson need to make their shots. It’s just that simple.
   

    

2. Dwight Howard needs to take care of the rock. 7 turnovers in Game 2 is just too much in these crucial games. Now, interestingly Bryant also rang up 7 turnovers, but he also handles the ball twice as much as Howard and distributed 8 assists while Howard only accounted for 4 assists.
   

    

   But despite the turnovers, I still think that Orlando needs to find Howard more in the paint. And then provide him with clear cut passing options out of the double team. Howard seemed very comfortable making accurate passes out of the double team and L.A. had no clear answer to this scenario yet.

    

3. Courtney Lee can’t handle Kobe Bryant. It’s painfully clear during the past two games that Bryant is physically and mentally abusing this poor rookie whenever he tries to defend number 24. To be honest, I’m not sure why Pietrus hasn’t been a starter all along but obviously Van Gundy is more comfortable having Pietrus lead his second unit off the bench. Then again, Pietrus tends to get more minutes than some starters anyway sort of like Ginobili does with the Spurs. I would just go ahead and allow Lee to continue being a starter for psychological stability, but quickly turn to Peitrus as he offers the best chance guarding Kobe. Pietrus did a great job on Lebron James. He is a physical player with great length and speed. If Pietrus can stay out of foul trouble while containing Kobe, and contribute a few clutch three point shots, he may be Orlando’s x-factor.
   

    

4. Orlando’s Front Court is shockingly slim. This is more an observation than anything else, but I’m still shocked how Orlando made it this far with such a slim front court. When you consider that other than Dwight Howard, Orlando’s next real big man off the bench is either Gortat or Battie. One has to respect Howard even more for the load he’s been carrying on his shoulders all season.
   

   Also, now what I mention it. What good is Gortat? I’m sure that somewhere along the way he made some good plays to earn Van Gundy’s trust but at this point it couldn’t hurt to dust off Tony Battie to see if the old battle horse has any juice left in him for one last run at the Championship. I’m sure Battie wouldn’t do any worse than Gortat’s 4 points, 3 boards, and two turnovers in 15 minutes of play.

5. Orlando’s point guards must outplay the L.A.’s point guards. Derek Fisher is going to be Phil Jackson’s main man. Farmer may get a few minutes but not many as Jackson apparently prefers Fisher’s firmer handle on both offense and defense. But Fisher isn’t as dynamic as Jameer Nelson can be nor as quick footed as Alston is. With a series in the balance, Orlando needs to take favorable mismatches anywhere they can get them. Both Orlando’s guards need to really take it to Fisher, using their quickness and legs to pressure Fisher’s ball handling to take L.A. out of its offensive rhythm. On offense, both Alston and Nelson show they can blow past Fisher at any time. If the three ball isn’t falling (as in game 2) Orlando’s point guards need to start penetrating the paint where more opportunities can open up.

Reasons Why I’m Worried About the 76ers Management

As we prepare to feast on the drama of the NBA Finals and love the fest for Dwight Howard or Kobe Bryant that is sure to ensue, it’s time to look at my beloved 76ers who have predictably broken my heart yet again by exiting into obscurity during the 1^st round of the playoffs this season.

Looking at the past several seasons, I realize that patience is going to be necessary as this franchise is rebuilt. But I’m starting to become increasingly concerned with the organization’s decision making. What, if any, is the plan for the franchise as we proceed into next season and beyond? And does the organization really know what to do to make this franchise a contender? Here are a few areas of concern:

1. Head coaching. Where are they going? The 76ers are beginning to look like fools with their rate of coaching changes (even by NBA standards). Why fire Mo Cheeks only to install a non permanent interim head coach who didn’t really make much difference anyway? I realize that Cheeks had really seemed to gotten his team into a slump, but I have a feeling that Stefanski had be slowly greasing the skid for Cheek’s exit and Eddie Jordan’s hiring since the beginning. This is fine with me, my only demand is that Jordan better darn well know what he’s doing. The last thing we need is a buddy hiring job by Stefanski who is familiar with Jordan from his New Jersey days only to see this franchise sink further into the mud.
2. Why did they trade away Kyle Korver? The 76ers are the NBA’s worse 3 point shooting team and they traded away a young proven 6′7′ shooter? Sure, Korver wasn’t the best defender nor was he adept at many things other than shooting 3’s, but every good contender must have solid unflappable shooters. This current season’s playoffs should be evidence enough how important good shooting is! Was it that necessary to get rid of Korver? Critics of Korver’s lack of defense and one dimensionalism should note how well he’s fit into Jerry Sloan’s system in Utah, where defensive awareness and intensity is a must. Now the 76ers must find ways to fit better shooting threats into a roster filled with talented players but who all have inherently weak shooting touches. Good luck.
3. Am I the only one that is concerned about the point guard position with the 76ers? Other than Andre Miller, the Sixers depth at point guard is disturbingly non existent. I’m not going to give up on Lou Williams as a good NBA player but a true franchise point guard he is not. Arguably the team’s MVP for the past two seasons Andre Miller is also mysteriously mum when it comes to expressing his views on whether he wants to stay with the team after his contract is up. The feeling is, Miller is being diplomatic about his desires to spend his last seasons with a new contract somewhere other than Philly. Without him running the offense, the 76ers will be lost. It’s a little late in the game to be drafting young point guards, unless they can find a true stud. Derrick Roses and Chris Pauls don’t grow on trees. This is going to be a major problem if Andre Miller can’t be convinced to resign with the 76ers for a few more seasons.
4. Where did the 76ers expect to go in terms of team identity with Elton Brand? Ok, I admit, at the time I was excited. Actually, I was more jacked up about the hype and publicity that my long neglected 76ers were receiving from the national media and the fact that at last a true “star” was coming to the team instead of leaving. It just felt like a new day for the franchise.

    

   In retrospect, I’m starting to question how deeply the 76ers management had done their homework on such a move. Prior to Brand’s shoulder injury, he did NOT look any like the “franchise player” the 76ers had signed. Achilles injury aside, Brand didn’t even seem to play with the type of awareness, heart and grit that made him once an MVP type player.

   The one thing the Sixers roster has plenty of are guys who can fill up the mid range to rim game. That is, Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Dalembert, even Andre Miller are adept at working within the 3 point line and either shooting mid range jumpers or going directly to the rim for a fast finish. What the franchise needs is a dynamic 3 point shooter and playmaker OR a true low post threat who can break individual defenders down.

   Elton Brand must not have gotten the memo because upon arriving in Philly he became yet another 6′9″ player who exerted little impact on the game especially down low. I realize Brand has a nice shooting touch, but heck, the truth is, if the 76ers need a warm body to go in there and jack up some random 15 foot jumpers I can do that for you for a lot cheaper. I’m hoping that after yet another long rehab stint, Brand will be ready to return fully healthy and ready to work with Eddie Jordan to regain his true MVP form.

The 76ers have a lot of great young talent on the team. I have a lot of faith in the young talent that 76ers have quietly amassed, yet sometimes I wonder if we’ll ever see them succeed given the inability of the 76ers to find direction and identity recently.

UFC 97 Redemption: Post Fight Insights

UFC 97 Redemption fight card featured, among many things, the fall of an MMA icon (Chuck Liddell) and a star reborn (Shogun Rua). Also, we watched as a Champion (Anderson Silva) confounded perhaps by his own dominance, discovered that sometimes you can’t win, even when you get a win. How did all fighters do and what did we learn?

Luiz Cane (10-1) defeated Steve Cantwell (7-2)

The night started out with a highly competitive slug fest between two strong young contenders in an already crowded Light Heavyweight division. Steve Cantwell came into the fight highly regarded so far in his young career. He is a well built, tough young fighter who is resourceful and well rounded. Luiz Cane, is a Brazilian fighter who is quickly rising up the ranks in the Light Heavyweight division.

When it comes to Brazilian fighters, there seems to be two flavors: Either they are deadly ground based Brazilian Jujitsu tacticians or they are maniacal stand up strikers. Luiz Cane, would fall under the former category. This was evident from the very start as Cane rained punches in thunderous combinations putting Cantwell on the run early. Cane was very effective in weaving jabs while moving forward to set up a death dealing uppercut.

Cantwell to his credit demonstrated a great chin throughout the fight which stood up to some repeated tough blows. Catwell’s pose and toughness allowed him to stay in contention throughout the entire 3 rounds despite what seemed like a solid beating from Cane. Early on, Cantwell was no match as even Cane’s jabs seemed to do more damage than anything Cantwell could muster. But, Cantwell seemed to find his game during the second round when he stopped backing straight up and began to utilize head movement and well placed roundhouse kicks to frustrate the head hunting Cane. Cantwell’s roundhouse should be noted as it is a very nice motion which is deceptively quick but sufficiently powerful, but most importantly leaves him balanced and protected. Cantwell even unleashed what is best described in Tae Kwon Do as a jumping roundhouse kick which was on target although it was blocked by Cane. Compared to Cane, who’s powerful punches are more telegraphed, Cantwell also showed good compact form and discipline. This allowed him to take advantage of Cane as the fight wore on and he became increasingly sloppy.

Overall, this fight was Cane’s all the way. What impressed me most about Cane is his ability to generate fearsome power in both hands seemingly without effort. His jab is just about as powerful and damaging as anybody else’s straight right punch. For Cantwell, who was squarely beaten but showed some good skills, I think the biggest problem was lack of experience and game planning. Cantwell showed he could fight, but it wasn’t until late in the 2^nd round that he managed to begin hurting Cane enough to stagger him, and by then it was too little too late. In the future, he’ll adapt better and bring a better game plan to go with his extensive talent.

Cheick Kongo (14-4-1) defeated Antoni Hardonk (8-5)

This was a fight I was looking forward to very much. Nothing beats a fight between two goliaths. Both Kongo and Hardonk are accomplished Heavyweight fighters of similar age, weight and height, yet vastly different in style. Hardonk’s 6′4″ frame is a powerful athletic specimen, especially his legs, which give him a powerful base from which to deliver some of the most devastating leg kicks in the game as well as thunderous punches.

Kongo, on the other hand, is equally impressive in appearance but his relatively longer slender legs allow him to deliver kicks and knees with uncommon quickness and ferocity, yet once he’s on the mat, his immensely powerful upper body is a force in the ground and pound game as long as he’s got the upper position. It’s a classic Heavyweight thunder vs. lightening matchup of style preferences that was bound to produce a fighter who could be seen as a real possible Heavyweight contender.

After initially pushing each other around the ring and throwing, but not landing, big strikes, Kongo and Hardonk looked like they were struggling with one another’s significant size and strength.. More than a few times the two giants ended pressed up against the fence without many results. In the end however, lightening proved more dangerous than thunder as Kongo’s constant attacks found their way home and eventually the fight found itself on the ground with Kongo in dominant position against the stunned Hardonk. The predictable blows by Kongo came down in rapid succession finally forcing and ending of the fight.

Kongo mostly showed some considerable skill in this fight. His kicks and striking in general was top notch as always, but I think he used his strength very well in controlling the fight against a very strong opponent who does not easily get pushed about. Kongo’s performance might have been helped by the fact that Hardonk really didn’t want to take Kongo to the mat. Instead, I think Hardonk really was outclassed by a superior striker, and then perhaps surprisingly found himself overpowered. This was a strategic mistake for Hardonk. In the end, Kongo’s overall ground game is still questionable, but as with many dominant fighters, Kongo is finding his own groove and he’s becoming increasingly good at what he does.

Krzysztof Soszynski (18-9-1) defeated Brian Stann (6-2)

This was a short one, courtesy of a kimura by the Polish Experiment midway through Round 1. I like Soszynski a lot from what I’ve seen of him. He’s got great attitude and confidence, but also the appropriate amount of realistic class and respect for his opponents and
the sport. Brian Stann is a good solid fighter in real life as a marine and in MMA, he’ll bounce back. But Soszynski, looks to be yet another fighter in the Light Heavyweight division that can be a factor. His application of the kimura was a nice example of toughness, adjustment, and savvy. As Joe Rogan, described quite well, the final submission was actually a second attempt on the same arm. Soszynski had attempted the kimura from the half mount seconds before, but realized the perilous nature of his position and adjusted himself out of the struggling Stann’s guard. He then expertly reapplied the submission with devastating results to end the fight. Stann, on this occasion didn’t stand a chance against someone so knowledgeable, experienced, and tough.

Chuck Liddell (21-7) vs. Mauricio Rua (18-3)

This is the latest installment of fights that should have happened years ago, but are instead being marketed now by the UFC when the fighters are at a much diminished state in their careers (other examples ie. Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson UFC 93, Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra UFC 98.) In the coming years, we might actually look back at this fight and see it as a real turning point for both fighters.

This turned out to be as good of a fight as anybody could have expected. The two men at UFC 97 with perhaps the most “redeeming” to do fought like they meant it. Liddell, came out eager as ever throwing his usual brand of dangerous punches. He demonstrated relatively good movement around the octagon and most impressively managed to escape the aggressive takedown attempts (one of which was successful) by Shogun and even landed a take down of his own.

On the other side, Rua showed up with better conditioning than we’ve seen in years. Unlike his last fight against Mark Coleman, the Shogun showed no signs of letting up as he exchanged blows with the Iceman and pressed forward with the tenacity that made him once the most dangerous Light Heavyweight in the world.

As in three of the last four previous fights for Chuck, old problems and perhaps an old body ended his fight. Recently I noted in my Fight Preview UFC 97: Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun Rua the following concerns about Chuck Liddell:

“His once legendary hands are not finding their mark. His footwork is now more of a plodding gait compared to younger faster fighters. Liddell’s preferred hand position considered “unorthodox” because they hover below his shoulders are now suicidally low considering his entire head is open to a variety of attacks he can no longer react to or is unable to stop because his hands are so low.”

Near the end of an exciting first round, Shogun lunged forward with a sweeping left hook which cleared over both of Liddell’s gloves before crushing the Iceman’s face. Devastation was all that followed as Rua pounced and pounded on a semi conscious Liddell causing a stoppage. Essentially, it was Shoguns better explosive footwork and striking, and once again, Chuck’s inability to cover up and block such a blow that ended this fight.

To Liddell’s credit, the he apparently tried to work on a few things to update his game. He was in good condition and seemed light on the balls of his feet. He was obviously fully prepared to take Shogun to the last round if necessary. I’m not sure if it was just me, but it seemed like Chuck was also trying to tweak his glove position a bit by place them slightly higher than usual and a bit further away from his head too it seemed. Whatever Chuck was trying, in the end, it didn’t work out very well.

For Shogun fans, this fight was very encouraging. It’s obvious that the Shogun of Pride, still has enough pride to work on his conditioning and come prepared for prime time fights. This writer is not overly convinced that Shogun is really ready to contend yet, but he fought a very impressive fight. Shogun’s punching looked crisp and powerful and as we saw with his K.O. left hook, he’s extremely accurate. Shogun was also impressive with his conditioning. He pressed the fight against a fighter who’s hard to fight moving forward and looked more than ready with an arsenal of tactics. Shoguns standup defense, strike blocking, and head movement were also great. Chuck is still a great striker with devastatingly heavy hands, but Shogun never seemed bothered by anything Liddell could offer.

Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva (24-4) vs. Thales Leites (14-2) 

Leites, despite his impressive record, had everything to gain and nothing to lose in this fight. Anderson Silva who has strictly dominated his division and his opponents with dictatorial authority was in some ways, looking to bounce back with a definitive defense of his belt. Leites who is essentially a lesser known contender, was essentially playing with house money going into this fight, but he instead fought like he was gambling with his kids’ college savings.

Leites had the opportunity to stun the world or at least make a case for his own abilities if only he had pressed the action, perhaps winning a couple rounds by points or attempted even some semblance of an offensive maneuver. Instead, what we saw was one of the worst displays of timidity and conservative game planning in recent MMA memory. Round after round melted away, as the Montreal crowd was treated to an embarrassing cat and mouse game between Silva and Leites. The “challenger” was absolutely unable to even bring himself to touch Silva let alone land solid take downs or attempt a submission. And when Silva would advance the action, what we often saw was Leites quivering against the fence or resorting to sliding onto his butt like a quarterback avoiding a devastating sack. I feel sorry for both fighters, as the sport deserves better than this.

A silver lining in this disappointing fight was that Silva managed to keep MMA enthusiasts (and perhaps himself) entertained during the match by practicing a few new moves. Most notably was his vicious targeting of Leites’ left knee. I’m not sure if I’ve ever quite seen a single knee being struck this many times by kick strikes. Quite frankly, I was surprised his knee wasn’t blown out after half a dozen kicks as instant replays showed the knee nearly hyper-extending grotesquely after each impact. Imagine the “sweep the leg” scene from karate kid, if you want imagery of how pathetic Leites looked as his knee was being torn down one kick at time. Come to think of it, a crane move would have been perfect in this instance, since it might have been the only thing that could have beaten Silva at this point.

I was also pleased to see another seldom used martial arts move utilized by Silva, which was a leg sweep done with masterful timing and strength. One of the sweeps put Leites on his rear end, but in retrospect, Leites so frequently ended up on his behind during this fight, I question if this is as significant as it seemed at the time.

Overall, UFC 97 featured a very deep collection of talented fighters who have much of their careers left in front of them rather than behind them. It will be a pleasure to see these fighters continue to progress and develop their careers in the near future. The notable exception might have been of course Chuck Liddell, who has likely seen the last fight of his prolific career. I’m not sure what happened to Liddell during the past few years, because it’s not obvious why he has deteriorated so dramatically. The fact of the matter is that he was once a great fighter who had a magical ability to avoid the biggest hits and come back with bigger hits to end fights in dramatic fashion. Chuck never hid from the hard fights and even in defeat he always went down swinging as the saying goes, and for that you have to respect him.

NFL Draft Rewind: Philadelphia Eagles Class of 2005

Much like a national foreign policy or a 401k plan, the fruits of a well planned and executed NFL draft cannot be fully appreciated many times until years have passed allowing us to reflect on the impact of the various players, trades or signings that occurred in relation to that year’s draft.  As the 2009 NFL draft nears closer, there is much speculation and debate about what the Philadelphia Eagles will do to bolster their chances of capturing their first Super Bowl. But rather than look to the future in this article, let’s examine the past in order to see how well the Eagles front office performed with the Draft Class of 2005. 

Note: I’ve chosen 2005 because that is the class which entered the NFL 4 years ago, which seems like just enough time to really observe the contributions of each drafted player.  

 

 

 

Analysis:

 

Round 1, Pick 31

Mike Patterson, Defensive Tackle, 5-11″, 292lbs., University of Southern California

The knock on Patterson was that he was undersized to play defensive tackle in the NFL. Patterson however was known to be a resourceful “high motor” player. He certainly is, and has become one of the Eagle’s solid presences up front in the defense. Although he has not been voted to a Pro Bowl yet, he is certainly one of the reasons for the Eagle’s strong defensive presence this past season. The Eagles long ago recognized Patterson’s abilities and to their credit locked him into a long term deal in only his second year. He is signed through 2016. The Eagles did very well with their first round selection in this draft. Although they often say they don’t draft specifically for need, it was obvious that their aging defensive line needed immediate upgrades and Patterson was a great piece who contributed immediately and has actually gotten steadily better as he has matured in Johnson’s system.

Who they could have selected: Logan Mankins, OG. The Eagles love their offensive linemen, and as you can see later in this draft, they selected a slew of them. The Eagles had a chance to select a good one here in Mankins, who with the Patriots, was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2007.

Round 2, Pick 35
Reggie Brown, Wide Receiver, 6′1″, 197lbs., University of Georgia

With adequate size and speed, Brown was a very accomplished receiver in college. Considering that when Brown was drafted, the Eagles still had T.O. , Freddie Mitchell, and Todd Pinkston, Brown was expected to come into a receiving corps that was in utter turmoil and become a foundation of stability. In his rookie year, Brown led all rookies in receptions and yards. In 2006, Brown got his big break as the “Number 1″ receiver in Philadelphia. In 2006, he also got a big long term contract extension, with $10 million in guarantees. As of today, Reggie Brown is still on the Eagle’s roster although his role has been diminished to nearly nothing as he is seen as the last option behind Jackson, Avant, and Basket. This selection started well, but has since progressively gotten worse with each passing season. I’m not sure where Reggie Brown lost his mojo, but it has become apparent for some time now that he may never quite get it back. Instead, there was a receiver who the Eagles could have selected who has developed VERY nicely into a true number 1 option. I’ll mention him below.

Who they could have selected:
Vincent Jackson, a 6′5″, 230 lbs. wide receiver, was still on the draft board at #61. The Eagles have had a glaring need for a big tall wide receiver that can stretch the field and also jump up and catch balls where ever they are thrown. Here would have been a great time to get one. Last season Jackson had 59 rec, 1098 yards, and 7 TDs. His big size and leaping ability make him a great target and he’s slowly emerged as one of River’s primary targets other than Antonio Gates.

Round 2, Pick 63
Matt McCoy, Outside Linebacker, 6′0″, 234lbs., San Diego State University

With their second pick in the 2^nd round, the Eagles wanted to find a linebacker who could be a solid starter. They did not find one here. In fact, they didn’t even find a player worth keeping on the roster. After the Eagles released him in 2007, he was picked up by the Saints (who always seem to pick up Eagle’s linebackers off the trash heap for some reason) and then picked up by Tampa Bay after the season with the Saints. He is no longer regarded as a starter on most teams.

Who they could have selected: Justin Tuck, Defensive End. This guy has since been to the Pro Bowl and he won the Super Bowl with the Giants.

Round 3, Pick 77
Ryan Moats, Running Back, 5′8″, 210lbs., Louisiana Tech University

Ryan Moats is probably better known now for being the NFL player who was recently stopped in Texas and harassed by a police officer outside of a hospital while his mother-in-law died. It should be noted that, during the offseason when it was uncertain whether Brian Westbrook would be signed to a contract, the Eagles “coincidentally” drafted a Westbrook clone with Moats. Some observers claimed that this move was a premeditated move to force Westbrook’s hand. Unfortunately, Moats never made much of a name for himself otherwise. Now with the Houston Texans, he barely touched the ball during the 2008 season.

Who they could have selected: Frank Gore. Actually, this isn’t 100% true, Gore was selected at #65 but in reality, the Eagles should have chosen him instead of Matt McCoy with pick 63. They needed a running back, they had two choices and severely made an error. Instead, once again, Gore is the “big running” back that the Eagles severely need. This past season, he had over 1,000 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns with the 49ers.

Round 4, Pick 102
Sean Considine, Free Safety, 6′0″. 206lbs., Iowa State University

The search for Brian Dawkin’s eventual successor actually began as far back as with the selection of Sean Considine. Ironically, he ended up leaving the Eagles in the same off season as Dawkins. Considine isn’t a horrible player but he never seemed to find his groove in Philadelphia. At 6′0″ and just a shade over 200 lbs., Considine was also a bit small for his role. He now plays with the Jaguars.

Who they could have selected: Marion Barber. I’m going with the Eagles need a big running back theme again and say that Barber was in the 4^th round waiting to be a Philadelphia Eagle. Instead of drafting him, Eagles management thought it would be more fun trying to stop him as a Dallas Cowboy. In 4 NFL seasons, Barber has amassed 36 TDs, and over 3,000 yards rushing.

Round 4, Pick 126
Todd Herremans, Offensive Tackle, 6′6″, 321lbs., Saginaw Valley State University

Finally, a good pick emerges in the 4^th round. The Eagles always keen on finding quality players for their lines, picked up Herremans here although they didn’t yet need him to play heavy minutes at the time. He has since become an integral player for the Eagles strong offensive line.

Who they could have selected: None actually, the Eagles did quite nicely here finding a quality starter in the 4^th round is a good job.

Round 5, Pick 146
Trent Cole, Outside Linebacker, 6′2″, 257lbs., University of Cincinnati

Second great pick in a row! Trent Cole has thrived as a defensive end since he became a regular part of the rotation. While he’s regarded as slightly small for his position, he’s very disruptive and a sack producer. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2007, and in 2008 recorded 9 sacks, and 77 tackles. There isn’t much more that can be said, but finding a solid Pro Bowl quality starter for you defensive line in the 5 round is great work by the Eagles.

Who they could have selected: None. Again, you can’t ask for much more than a Pro Bowl player like Cole in the 5^th round.

Round 5, Pick 172
Scott Young, Guard, 6′4″, 312lbs., Brigham Young University

This is one of Andy Reid’s obligatory Brigham Young draft choices. After riding the bench for several seasons, Scott Young made his way to Denver and hasn’t made much of an impact their either.

Who they could have selected: Honestly, anybody. Just anybody would have been better than another offensive lineman who will fall into the endless abyss with the rest of the offensive linemen Andy Reid drafts by the battalion load.

Round 6, Pick 211
Calvin Armstrong, Offensive Tackle, 6′7″, 325lbs., Washington State Univeristy

Continuing to draft offensive linemen like they are on clearance at the Gap, Reid’s selection of Armstrong was pitiful. He was released almost immediately, and has since played everywhere but the NFL. He’s currently playing in Canada.

Who they could have selected:
Derek Anderson, QB, was selected by Baltimore only two picks later. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2007. Let’s be honest, a lot of people wish they had made this pick.

Round 7, Pick 247
Keyonta Marshall, Defensive Tackle, 6′1″, 290lbs., Grand Valley State University

Marshall’s first game with the Eagles in 2005 was also his last, as he was cut immediately afterwards. He’s apparently no longer in the league.

Who they could have selected: At this point does it matter?

Round 7, Pick 252
David Bergeron, Inside Linebacker, 6′4″, 245lbs., Stanford University

I’m not even sure Bergeron was ever in Philadelphia before he was cut. Oh well.

Who they could have selected: I guess since this was the last pick the Eagles had, I’ll suggest one name. I didn’t include players who were originally undrafted, since no teams drafted them, it would be unfair to be critical of the Eagles for missing them too. A bit ironically, I would like to mention that Leonard Weaver who was a recent Pro Bowl alternate in 2008 and signed by the Eagles this offseason, was undrafted.

Conclusion

In 2005, the Eagles had a total of 11 draft picks. This was a good thing (after they covet their draft picks don’t they?) The question is how did those picks translate to real contributions to the franchise, and also were there critical misjudgments?

Overall, the 2005 draft was a good (not great) one for the defense. Mike Patterson and Trent Cole literally saved this draft for the Eagles. Both players in their own way were seen slightly undersized and not legit “starters” but overcame those stigmas to carve out starting positions and solid young careers. On offense, despite drafting a phalanx of offensive linemen as usual, the Eagles only managed to keep one. But Herremans, has become a solid starter for the Eagles and he will be reliable upon heavily this coming season.

Out of 11 picks during this draft, only four players remain on the Eagle’s roster four years later. Of those four players, three are solid starters and Reggie Brown is now a backup.

The most damaging aspect of the draft lies in who the Eagle’s did not draft. While the Eagles selected Reggie Brown, they should have selected Vincent Jackson, a big, tall, athletic touchdown passing wide receiver. Instead of Matt McCoy, the selection of Justin Tuck would have given the Eagles a dominating defensive end combination with fellow draftee Trent Cole. Rather than select Ryan Moats to potentially, “replace” Westbrook, the Eagles should have addressed their need for a larger running back and selected either Frank Gore or Marion Barber who were both available when Moats was selected. Notice also that the Eagle’s failure to select future star players Justin Tuck and Marion Barber allowed them to be drafted into the NFC East rivals Giants and Cowboys respectively, where they now face the Eagles twice each season a piece.

This draft wasn’t the best one for the Eagles. The Eagles did well in getting a solid starter with their first overall pick, but in my opinion, that is expected of a first round pick. The Eagles found a gem in Trent Cole, but as always, that’s more a function of luck. If the Eagles known Cole was going to be a Pro Bowl caliber player, do you think they would have selected a slew of busts in the rounds before selecting Cole? The Eagles also managed to get Herremans, but only after drafting 3 offensive linemen. Nobody would say this is a model of efficiency. The thing that makes this draft less successful is the fact that many of the areas that continued to plague the Eagle’s teams for seasons (and still today) were addressed but not satisfied in this draft. The need for a larger physical running back to complement Westbrook, the need for a taller wide receiver who can catch “jump balls”, even a prototypical defensive end to replace Javon Kearse were all easily available to the Eagles as they instead selected players who only compounded their problems.

Eric Snow’s Magical Career Comes to An End: A Retrospective On His Impact

Many people probably didn’t notice. In fact, Eric Snow’s own mother probably wouldn’t have noticed, but the 35 year old point guard was released by the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 5th, 2009 officially ending what has been one of the steadiest and most unheralded careers in recent NBA history.

Eric Snow’s impact on the NBA can’t be measured in his stats, but instead can be measured almost everywhere else you look. Eric Snow was like a magician, in that his greatest trick was always to convince you that he wasn’t doing anything special, and that the action was happening somewhere else. While the audience was always mesmerized by Snow’s glamorous stage assistants whether they be Lebron James or Allen Iverson, it was often Snow who was the steady hand that kept the show going.

Consider that Eric Snow managed to reach the NBA Finals with 3 seperate teams. Consider the fact that in two of those NBA Finals teams, it was Eric Snow who was Co-Captain of the team alongside Lebron James in Cleveland and Allen Iverson in Philadelphia. Consider again, that since his early days with Philadelphia and currently Cleveland, Snow’s defensive abilities have transformed his teams into perennial NBA defensive stalwarts. 

If it sounds like I’m describing a coach more than a player, then it should come as no surprise to you that Eric Snow has been operating as an unofficial assistant coach to Mike Brown this past season as he rehabilitated his injured knee. It has also been rumored that Snow was named as a coaching candidate for the Chicago Bulls. 

You know those “intangible” things which don’t show up in the box score that coaches always talk about good players doing? Snow was a master of those intangibles. 

While the casual NBA fan typically appreciates the majesty of Ray Allen’s jumpshot, or the brutal nature of Lebron’s dunks, or the might of Dwight Howard’s rebounding prowess. What many fans don’t is that those stats are merely the end results of endless permutations of little actions taken by all the other players on the team. Eric Snow understood better than anybody else that these little things are eventually what makes one good team better than others. It is this understanding that allowed Eric Snow to guard opposing shooting guards with such effectiveness during his days in Philadelphia while the smaller Iverson guarded opposing point guards.

It should be noticed, that Allen Iverson had some of his lowest turnover per game averages in his seasons beside Snow, and then saw a spike in his turnover rate in the seasons after Snow departed. It was Snow’s snug defensive abilities on the perimeter which allowed Iverson to gamble the passing lanes, which in turn resulted in Iverson being among the leaders in steals in the NBA for many seasons. Iverson’s steals per game average have never quite been the same after parting with Snow.

It is a testament to Eric Snow’s capabilities that Kobe Bryant once singled Snow as his toughest defensive opponent saying, ”Eric Snow has always done a great job. Aaron McKie, too… Bruce Bowen because of his length, Portland has a cast of players who do a great job, but I would say Eric Snow….. He’s very intelligent…”

With his knee ailments, and recent release, it appears that Eric Snow has seen his last NBA game…. from the court. But, for careful observers herein lies Snow’s latest magic trick, while we’ve all be watching Lebron James’ porous defense improve dramatically before our eyes, much of the magic was again happening somewhere else. Do you think that Lebron James’ critically acclaimed defensive improvement might have something to do with the tutelage of his Co-Captain and player-coach, Eric Snow? If you don’t think a player like Snow could have such an effect on an superstar caliber player like Lebron James, you might want to consider that Allen Iverson a superstar and MVP in his own right, once stated that Eric Snow along with Aaron McKie were the two biggest influences on his life as leaders. 

While its a sad thing to realize that we will no longer be able to watch a classy and upstanding athlete like Eric Snow play anymore, just remember that magicians make themselves disappear all the time only to reappear, much to the delight of the audience, in another place. This writer firmly believes, Snow will reappear once again, when we all least expect it. And I can’t wait to see his latest magic tricks.

Fight Preview: UFC 97: Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun Rua

 UFC 97 Redemption features Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun Rua, two old names that better bring decisively new games to the octagon if either one has hopes of resuscitating their careers.

Where the Iceman stands

Chuck, is looking at a cross roads in his career (heck I’m tired of saying this, I said this before Liddell’s last fightwith Rashad Evans too!) The truth is, the Iceman has to thaw out his game and reinvent new fight strategies against today’s fighters not yesterday’s champs. 

Since his defeat of Tito Ortiz in 2006, Liddell has not looked the same. Coming out in his fight against Rampage Jackson in 2007, Liddell attempted his usual gameplan which is to stand in front of an opponent and let him throw punches and then counter attack with a superior punch, and walk home with the belt. But that was not what happened.

Rampage instead, pulled a “Chuck Liddell”…. on Chuck Liddell. That is, Jackson threw a right hook to the face of Liddell as Liddell was throwing his own left hook to Jackson’s body. The impact was devastating. The Iceman was shattered (enough ice related plays on words yet?)

Fast forward to our current fight, and as it stands, Chuck Liddell has lost three of his last four fights. Most disturbingly, his last loss against Rashad Evans (current LH Champion) was from yet another brutal knockout, the type where you don’t get up remembering your name. This is not a good sign for a man who’s primary game plan involved his unnaturally ability to always knock opponents out when they were at their most vulnerable (throwing strikes while moving forward). Now, it seemed that Liddell was increasingly off his rhythm or just a step too slow. 

Why he’s in trouble

Chuck is in fact seemingly aging before our eyes. His once legendary hands are not finding their mark. His footwork is now more of a plodding gait compared to younger faster fighters. Liddell’s preferred hand position considered “unorthodox” because they hover below his shoulders are now suicidally low considering his entire head is open to a variety of attacks he can no longer react to or is unable to stop because his hands are so low. 

Why he’s got a chance

Conditioning. Three of Liddell’s last five fights have gone into the 3rd round. He won two of those 3 fights. Liddell always technically has a chance to win a fight due to his ability to end a fight instantly with one punch. But in order to do that, he needs to keep from being either knocked out or taken down long enough to get his knock out opportunity. To do this Liddell typically features great take down defense as well as active hands to keep most shorter armed opponents away. Liddell’s conditioning means that many times his opponents suffer the worse of the punishment as they try to fight Chuck face to face or attempt a take down. This will be a very important factor in his fight against Rua. 

Chuck needs to diversify his tactics. Against Wanderlai Silva, Liddell mixed in a variety of kicks, punches, and then even landed a take down. The result was, he managed to keep Silva off balance throughout the fight while also scoring valuable points which ended up giving him the victory. Against Rua, Liddell faces an opponent who does not represent a sizablet threat on the ground. Liddell should exploit Rua’s reluctance to engage in a tiring ground and pound match with somebody who has heavy hands.

Where the Shogun Stands

Despite Mauricio Rua’s 18-3 record, he’s only 1-1 since coming to the UFC. Slowed by a knee injury, reportedly an anterior cruiciate ligament rupture, Rua has had a rough time in the UFC being battered and eventually choked out by former LH Champ Forrest Griffin before barely beating the legendary Mark Coleman, with only 24 seconds left in the 3rd round. 

Those who watched Griffin vs. Rua, remember it mostly for Forrest’s rise to prominence, more than for the ugly UFC debut of Shogun Rua, who was considered one of the best light heavyweights in the world at the time. Hoping against all hope that Rua’s shaky first UFC loss was a fluke, he was matched up against former UFC Champ Mark Coleman, who at 44 years old and moving down to light heavyweight was decisively showing the age now. Sporting two knee braces and a body that was much “pumped up” than it used to be, Coleman predictably gassed out early. Most observers assumed that Rua, only 28 years old currently, would easily dispatch of Coleman and send him off to retirement. Unfortunately, the crowd was treated to nearly 3 completely rounds of two men, completely gasping for breath as they lunged hopelessly at each other , throwing fists that couldn’t knock out my grandmother. For Coleman, it was a reminder that time catches up to all fighters. But for the Shogun, it did not look good. Rua did finally “knocked out” Coleman, or perhaps Coleman simply got so tired he took a nap, I’m not sure. But I’m not sure what to expect in from the Shogun’s third and maybe final UFC match.

Why he’s in trouble

I think we all know that no respectable UFC fighter (and Chuck Liddell is certainly still respectable) is going to stand around slack jawed for 3 rounds while Rua summons the will from deep within himself to launch more than a sissy slap. Despite Rua’s abilities and fighting acumen, most of which he demonstrated during his Pride days, he has shown a disturbing preference to simply hang out in the ring and let whatever happens happen. This won’t cut it. 

Why he’s got a chance

The guy is a real fighter. Yes, he’s looked horrible in his last two fights, but switching from Pride to the UFC and then suffering a serious knee injury can wreak havoc on training, conditioning, as well as mental preparation. Rua, while already an experienced and accomplished fighter, is still only 28, a relatively young age in MMA. There is still the chance that Rua, can overcome his recent injuries and regain the form that made him once a dominant fighter. 

One needs look no further than Shogun’s furious destruction of Rampage Jackson in Pride 2005, that left Rampage with broken ribs before being knocked out by kicks to the head. Jackson, who many believe is one of the top contenders today, was no match for the offensive punches, knees, and kicks that Rua can deliver from inside and outside his dangerous clinch. A healthy and motivated Shogun Rua is a dynamic and powerful fighter and if he is ready to start his comeback, he could also make it an early retirement for Chuck Liddell. 

My take on the fight:

Perhaps one day, the Shogun will find his lost mojo, but I doubt it has happened during the past several months since he slept walked and gasped his way through his fight with Coleman. Chuck Liddell finds an ideal matchup here against a Rua struggling to find himself. The Shogun doesn’t yet have a good enough gas tank to outlast Chuck, nor has he regained the confidence or will to unleash the devastating knees and strikes we saw in earlier years. I doubt Rua will have the smarts and tenacity to try and take the fight to the ground, where perhaps he might have a chance to launch some type of submission on Liddell. In either case, I see this being a stand up fight, with Chuck coming out on the winning end being that Shogun recently has been too sluggish and too ill conditioned to finish fights early or late. 

Chuck Liddell wins via TKO, 2nd round.

The Philadelphia Eagles Know When To Hold Em, Know When To Fold Em…

During the past several seasons in the NFL, one would not have to look far in Philadelphia to find criticism of Andy Reid and his administration for their inability to win the “Big Game” despite reaching 5 NFC championships. One reason for the simmering frustration felt by Eagles fans comes from the perceived lack of commitment from the Eagles front office in acquiring and retaining top flight wide receivers.

Adding to fans’ frustration, is the paradoxical fact that for many seasons, Andy Reid has masterminded one of the most prolific passing teams in the entire NFL, yet has never been able to draft an impact wide receiver nor been able to procure a long time pass catcher for McNabb.

To compound the criticism already at hand, many fans point to the one season the Eagles had a “true number 1 wideout” in Terrell Owens. With a dangerous weapon like T.O. to balance Westbrook at running back, McNabb had a tremendous season and the Eagles in dominant fashion, cruised to the Super Bowl. 

So, you can imagine the outrage, dismay, and frustration of fans when the Eagles were initially unable to reconcile differences with T.O. who had alleged that the Eagles originally low balled him on his original contract which was signed under unusual circumstances in his much publicized departure from the 49ers. 

As T.O. tore down the team from within and the Eagles imploded (McNabb’s own injuries played a large part also) the Eagles management decided they needed to unceremoniously cut ties with their troubled wideout. Owens, subsequently took his show, and double digit touchdowns per season, to arch rival Dallas. Now, when I heard he signed with the cowboys, I actually thought they were going to close the bridges in Philadelphia to stop people from jumping off. That’s how distraught people were at the time. 

In the ensuing seasons, with frustration and outrage boiling to critical levels in the City of Brotherly Love, things got very worse as fans first watched the NFC East become ever more talented at the wide receiving position, as the Giants signed Plaxico Burress. Then, the Eagles rejoiced when Donte Stallworth was acquired away from the Saints, only to be shown the door less than a year later. Once again, Donte Stallworth’s departure re-opened a familiar wound for Philadelphia fans when he signed with the New England Patriots. There were fans I thought at the time in Philadelphia who were ready to give their first born child, rather than let Stallworth walk away. But walk away he did, along with any big time threat the Eagles had at wide receiver. 

In the meantime, the Eagles drafted one class of rookies after the next, each producing absolutely nobody who could play wide receiver in the NFL. The irony of a coach who demands 60% passing plays on offense yet is incapable of evaluating good wide receiver prospects has not been lost on astute fans here in Philadelphia.

But then came the 2008-09 season, and a few things happened. 

DeShaun Jackson Arrives

Andy Reid has never fielded any wide receivers who could play much in the NFL (Freddie Mitchell might have been Reid’s best pick, if not for his entertainment value more than his actual athletic accomplishments) so it was no surprised that nobody thought DeShaun Jackson would be any different. Instead, with one season under his belt, DeShaun Jackson may finally be Andy Reid’s first real dangerous NFL wideout after all.

Jackson, one of the fastest receivers at the combine during his draft year, has proved himself to be very capable of scoring touchdowns from anywhere. In his rookie campaign, he amassed 912 yards which set the Eagles record for most yards in a rookie season, and is 2nd in receptions for an Eagles rookie with 62 receptions. 

It took him the better part of a decade to draft a good receiver, but it’s better to come late to a party than never. With Jackson lining up for his second year, there is optimism in the air that better days are in store for this pass happy offense.

Terrell Owens Released

The Cowboys released Owens on March 4, 2009. Owens was apparently shocked. He didn’t know what ever could have happened to make them cut him. He felt he was mistreated (Have I heard that one before?).

Donte Stallworth Drives Drunk

On the morning of March 14, 2009, Donte Stallworth had a few drinks before getting into his vehicle which struck and killed a pedestrian in Miami Beach, Florida.  On April 2, 2009 Donte Stallworth surrendered to police. 

Plaxico Burress Released

On  April 3, 2009 Burress was released by the New York Giants. His numerous prior legal and professional infractions can be found here. 

Andy Reid Vindicated

I would like to say that I take no pleasure in recounting the troubles of others. It is my most sincere wish that these men, especially Stallworth, find some peace and resolution in their lives. However that does not change the fact that their choices have landed them in the positions that they are in.

While Andy Reid and the Eagles management have been dragged over the coals in recent years, especially in Philadelphia. I’m going to stand up and say that regardless of how he arrived at the choices he did, he stuck to his guns. From the beginning Reid has been a no-nonsense man, who valued character above all else. That has been the philosophy at the core of an organization that has seen quite a lot of success in recent years. Despite the constant criticism for his inability to give the Eagles a star receiver we so desperately desire, Reid kept his steady hand on the wheel when weaker men would have caved.

In a little less than one month, we’ve seen the difference in the paths chosen by three prominant wide receivers who have occupied the envious minds and desires of so many Eagles during the past several years. Kenny Rogers would approve of Reid and the Eagles, who seem to have an ability to “know when to hold em, and when to fold em.” While Reid could have endured the destructive paths taken by Owens, Burress, or Stallworth he did not, opting to fold those cards and get out before more damage was done. For that, he endured the wrath of frustrated fans who wanted everything without consequences. Well, sometimes you gotta be patient and play the hand your dealt. It looks like Andy Reid knew that long before any of us.