The Making of a TItle Town (Pt.1)

If you happen to catch a Philadelphia sports fan in passerby, pinch them; if they're not already pinching themselves. While we may feel like we are in a dream, were are simply experiencing the euphoric feeling of being in a town that wants to win.

Friday afternoon the Eagles announced a 5-year $60 million dollar deal with cornerback Nnadmi Asomugha, the top rated free agent of the 2011 NFL off season. Nnamdi was highly pursued by the Jets, Cowboys, and Texans, but the Birds swooped in Friday and added the four time Pro-Bowler to what was already an impressive list of recent acquisitions (Jason Babin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Vince Young, Cullen Jenkins). He joins Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel in a secondary that for now features three pro-bowl corners. Whether or not there will be room for all three come Pre-season opener August 11th remains to be seen. Asomugha will become a cornerstone for a defensive unit that has yearned for one since the departure of free safety Brian Dawkins.

Friday night, not to be outdone, the Phillies made some noise of their own, when they ended their "hunt" for a right-handed bat by grabbing Houston's Hunter Pence. In a trade that sent four prospects, including Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton to Houston, the Phillies landed Pence with time to spare before the July 31st deadline. Pence joins the Phillies as the ninth ranked hitter in the National League, with a .308 average that will also be the best on the team. He will find a home in the fifth spot of the order, right behind Ryan Howard, who could certainly use Pence's All-Star protection. The Phillies have been discussing the idea of acquiring a right-handed bat since Jayson Werth signed his mega-deal with Washington this past off-season. The addition of Pence not only satisfies that long term need, but makes Carlos Ruiz the only Phillies starter who hasn't played in an MLB All-Star game.

Before the Phillies World Series title in 2008, the city of Philadelphia waited 100 seasons of big four sports for a Professional championship. This time, expect no drought.

JD

Has It Even Been Real?

Was Kevin Kolb's Eagles tenure the shortest proclaimed "Era" in franchise History? It is becoming safe to assume so. The Houston product looked promising in 2009, becoming the first QB to throw for 300 yards or more in his first two career starts, filling in for the injured Donovan McNabb. The following off season the Birds dealt McNabb to Washington, "The Kolb Era" began, and I sure hope you took pictures.

On Opening Sunday 2010, Kevin Kolb threw ten passes, completed five, and covered a total of 24 yards with his arm; the arm that Andy Reid tabbed as the future of Philadelphia football. With seven minutes left in the second quarter Kolb scrambled to his left to elude a Packers' third down blitz, and was chased down by All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews before he could scamper out of bounds. Matthews mugged him from behind, slammed his head into the ground, and ran away with Kolb's starting role in his back pocket.

Kolb was shaken up, got up slow, and was later diagnosed with a concussion at half time. Michael Vick took the helm with the Birds in a hole and rallied them back in style, in what would later prove to be a losing effort. "The Kolb Era" was over as soon as it had begun. For the remainder of the season he would be successful in spot starts when Vick's injuries permitted him on the field. Regardless, Michael Vick reemerged as the play making Falcon of old, which would keep Kolb's helmet regularly on the shelf.

Thursday, as if Matthews' blow wasn't enough, the Eagles made the end of Kolb official, sending him to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 Second Round pick. Should the anticipated departure of the Birds' back-up QB upset Eagles fans? It's not phasing me. The Kolb era was not only overwhelmingly short, it virtually didn't exist. Kolb's future in Philadelphia seemed bright, and his future in a Cardinals uniform should be even brighter. A 2010 Week 1 sack, and the revival of one of football's most wanted, has steered Philadelphia football in a whole new direction. Kevin Kolb has an arm for the West Coast offense, Reid's offense, but that arm didn't, and never will, fit in Eagles history.

JD

Vance

Move aside Matt Stairs, a new Phillies folk hero is emerging in the City of Brotherly love. Characterized by his uncut frame, unkept hawk, and unwavering consistency, Vance Worley is throwing himself into the NL Rookie of the Year conversation just in the nick of time. Sporting Clark Kent glasses on his round face, opposition still searches for Worley's kryptonite, and the burning questions remains: Where in Ashburn's name did this guy come from?

Vance Worley started the year on the farm, and in the first two months of the season made the trip from Lehigh Valley to Philadelphia countless times. Sent down after allowing 12 hits and 5 earned runs (8 total) in a loss against the Mets on May 29th, Worley has made the most of his June call up, cementing himself into Philadelphia's historic rotation once and for all. The Phils have won the last seven times that he has taken the bump, beginning June 18th, and Worley himself has won five straight decisions, bringing his record to 7-1. Since his latest call up Worley has additionally dropped his ERA from 3.41 to 2.02, only allowing more than one earned run once in seven starts.

Next to Worley's astounding stats there is still no indication of where the right hander is from. Sacramento? Impossible. The 3rd round of the 2008 Amateur Draft? Hardly the story. I want to know where he gets his running fast ball, his veteran control, his militant demeanor, the stuff you just don't get from third round picks out of California's capital. Worley defies everything that is structured about the game of baseball. He baffled the Red Sox in late June, and only yielded three hits to the defending Champion Giants in a complete game win Tuesday night. Everything about Worley is exciting, energizing, refreshing, and in a sea of stars, his "averageness" somehow shines.

At 4:00 pm Tuesday afternoon I catch up with a friend in passerby. At the tail end of the conversation he tells me that he is "going to see Worley tonight." Not Utley, Howard, Rollins, or even the aces that lounge in the dugout, but Vance Worley. Where did this guy come from? It hardly matters, here is here now. Unscathed, undetected, and certainly unreal.

JD

The Hypothetical Ultimatum

As time has told, the Phillies 2011 four-headed monster of aces can be further sub-divided to two. With Roy Oswalt's recently injury, and Cole Hamels lack of years, Cliff Lee and Harold Leroy Halladay are left; the two men who are writing the script for possibly the most consistent, most dominant 1-2 punch in Baseball History. Halladay never throws a pitch that doesn't move, while Lee never throws a pitch out of sequence. Both pitchers have factory made rubber arms, never quivering in late inning situations, always waiting for a day off to take a pitch off. Roy Halladay just recently tabbed his 11th win joining Jair Jurrjens as the top of the National League, where he is also second in strike outs, and second in ERA. Cliff Lee, who was "Cliff Lee shaky" to begin the season, won all five of his June decisions, only allowing one measly run in the month, and capping it with three straight complete game shutouts that put his record at 9-5. Aside from their most probable trips to Chase Field for this year's All-Star game next week, both Halladay and Lee will continue to pile up mind blowing stats, while being neck and neck down the stretch (along with Hamels and Jurrjens) for this year's NL Cy Young Award. Now here is the hypothetical ultimatum; if both pitchers had their full rest, and one game decided the season, who would Charlie Manuel turn to?

JD

Drafting Jimmer

Much speculation has been surrounding the draft status of College Basketball folk legend Jimmer Fredette, and in anticipation of Thursday Night's Radio City Music Hall event I will offer my opinion on the matter. Regardless of my undeniable, and unconditional allegiance to the former BYU point guard, the answer to the Fredette draft puzzle is very simple. The closest form of basketball to the National Basketball Association is the NCAA. Jimmer Fredette, in all his glory, did nothing short of dominate College Basketball for two full years. He sliced up defenses nightly, posted astounding numbers, and rightfully coined a shooting range that was unimaginable prior to his appearance on the Mormon hardwood. Am I guaranteeing that Fredette will dominate the NBA, or even check out as half of what he was in college? Absolutely not. I am simply saying that NBA GM's have no reason not to take a shot with Fredette. His game may resemble that of those who have proven busts in the past, but his pure dominance in the NBA's tune up league is means for taking a draft day risk.

JD

Smirk Nowitzki

When mauled by Miami defenders in this year's NBA Finals, Dirk Nowitzki has graciously accepted the routine whistle and proceeded to the charity stripe with a goofy grin across his face. The Smirk. The hardwoods of L.A., Portland, Oklahoma City, Dallas, and most recently South Beach have all collaborated to create Nowitzki's nation wide playground this post season, where he has dropped jaws on the monkey bars, and thrown opponents off the swings. In 2006, Dwayne Wade's Heat shocked Nowitzki and crew, when they erased a 2-0 series deficit to earn the Naismith Trophy with four straight stunning wins. Five years later, Dirk has Dallas a game away from capturing the Title that Wade single handedly stole from them; memories that Nowitzki revisits in the worst of late night dreams.

A Championship for Dallas would be the first for the franchise which debuted in the 1980-81 season. If the Mavs can achieve this elusive greatness Sunday Night, many critics will credit the victory to Lebron James' lack of late game luster. While James' on court woes and media antics have frequently made headlines this series, Nowitzki's lights out shooting and acrobatic heroics will in the end conquer all. If the Mavericks win, Dirk Nowitzki will hoist the trophy on basketball's biggest stage, and you better bet that he will be smirking; a nuance he continues to coin with every defender whom he makes silly.

JD