by Phil Schwarz
Philadelphia Flyers--Best in the NHL?
The Philadelphia Flyers this season have been everything a Philly fan could ask for, and more. Let’s take a trip down a team checklist, and see how they do:
1. Are they a league leading team?
In short yes. Though tied or vying for the league lead in points depending on where you read this, the Flyers are the best team in the NHL. Points are important, and not only do the Flyers have them, but they are getting them against the best the NHL has to offer. The Penguins? Caps? Red Wings? Flyers have points against all of them.
2. Young Talent?
The Flyers are chock full of it. James Van Riemsdyk, Claude Giroux, Sergei Bobrovsky. All these players have the potential to become huge stars in the NHL, and some might argue Giroux will be a star by the end of the season.
3. Are they a gritty Philly team?
Of course. What would the Flyers be if they weren’t tough. Chris Pronger played the beginning of this season on a foot he admitted wasn’t at 100%. I know it was year, but who can forget Lappy taking a puck to the face? And let’s face it, with Jody Shelly and Dan Carcillo in your lineup, a fight is never that far off in the future.
4. Enough veterans to make a run?
Again, yes. Briere, Pronger, Shelly, Timonen. Solid veterans with a wealth of playoff experience. And Van Riemsdyk and Giroux performed well in the playoffs last year and show no signs of slowing up or taking a different route in the playoffs this year.
In short, this is a Flyers team that fans have been waiting for since the 70’s. They have the experience, the youth, the skill, and the Broadstreet Bully spirit that Philly fans love. In short, this team is on that Philly has been waiting on ice for years.
Should Joe Go?
Is it time for Joe to go? These words have been whispered, then yelled, then whispered and are now building in volume again across the Penn State campus. Is it time for Joe to go? In short, yes.
Joe Paterno has now climbed the tower of NCAA football coaches. No one, I mean no one, can stake a claim to the summit more than Joe Paterno can. Bear Bryant? Can’t touch him in the wins category. Bobby Bowden? Close but no cigar. Woody Hayes? I don’t think so.
Paterno has more wins in the regular season and bowls than all of them. But what Paterno is rapidly running out of is time. Not time on this earth, I hope the man lives to be 150. No, Paterno is running out of time for a dignified exit. After losing to Florida 37-24, and keeping Matt Mcgloin in well past what would be considered prudent, one has to wonder what Joe is trying to prove.
Any other coach would have pulled McGloin in the 3rd quarter, after he threw his 3rd but what should have been about his 6th interception.(He ended up throwing 5, and the last throw, a bomb on Penn State’s final play, may be the worst coached play I have ever seen snapped by a Penn State offense). The team played better than Florida in the first half, but this does not mean they played well. And all year Penn State has just played subpar. Sure they aren’t terrible, but they are not great either.
And this has been the general trend of Penn State. Since 2005 we have had two 1 loss seasons, and won a ton of games. But in 2005, does anyone really think we could have beaten the Trojans? In short, no, we couldn’t have. And a couple years ago, with Mark Sanchez at the helm, the fact that we couldn’t beat the Trojans was proven. I have enjoyed watching Penn State football, but it is a lot like eating chocolate chip cookies and watching work out videos. Sure it’s fun, but don’t expect anything great.
And that isn’t Penn State. For years, Joe Pa could say, come to Penn State, you’ll play on a national stage and challenge for a title. Well, that isn’t true anymore. Joe Pa doesn’t even go out to recruit anymore. And they certainly do not look like a threat for a national championship next year, and they haven’t looked like one for years either.
I’m not saying I want Joe Pa fired. What I want is for Joe to realize it is time for him to go. He has done enough for this program, and the young men who have been coached to greatness by him. It’s time to retire, and enjoy his family. Penn State will get along without him. Sure, it might be rocky for a couple seasons, but eventually Joe has to let go.
Before it kills him.
Is Vick another McNabb?
Michael Vick and His Sparkling House of Glass
Michael is a talent. Undeniable. He’s great, amazing even. He engineered one of the greatest comebacks in Philadelphia, nay, NFL history. He turned 311-10 into 31-38. But here’s the kicker. I don’t want him on my team. And I’ll tell you why.
Michael Vick is Donovan McNabb. No, he doesn’t throw balls into the dirt. Or team mates under the bus. He seems to thrive under pressure, which is the exact opposite of McNabb. You always feel like you are in a game when Vick is under center. The only problem is that is only 11 games of the season.
This is where the McNabb analogy comes in. He always got hurt. Every season. He always missed a couple of games. And where did that get us? People will say 5 NFC championships. Who cares. I don’t want to win an NFC Championship, I want to win a Super Bowl. And Vick will not get my team to a Super Bowl
If the NFL goes to an 18 game schedule, which seems likely, here is what we have to look forward to. Vick played in 11 of a possible 15 games he could have started. And Don’t harp on that last game either, Cutler started and the Bears had nothing to gain. So 11 of 15 games. That’s 73% starting time. In an 18 game season where Vick is the starter going into the season? That’s a mere 13 games. And if we win say, 75% of those games, we’re looking at just 9 games from Vick as wins. Say we have a barely losing record with our backup, whoever that may be, and go 2-3 without Vick. That leaves us at 11-7. Is that good enough to get us into the postseason? Maybe.
But what we need is a quarterback who can take hits, and still play. Or avoid hits and learn to slide. But I don’t think the team as currently configured can win with Michael Vick because he simply can’t play enough games in the season.
So is Vick McNabb. No, he is a much better quarterback who thrives under pressure and seems to have discovered the joy of working for every win. But he is McNabb in one way which can’t seem to work away, or playbook away, or film study away. His body and his endurance.
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