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What to Make of the Eagles QB Situation

            This offseason, newly hired head coach Chip Kelly has been keeping many of his plans for the upcoming season very close to vest.  The only real training development that has surfaced is Chip’s infatuation with sleep monitors and proper dieting, which hardly satiates the fans’ desire to know what the Chip regime will look like.  We want to know how the offense is going to operate, what schemes the defense is going to unveil, and especially who will be starting under center.  Since Chip hasn’t let on much about who will be the starting quarterback, let’s reason through the possibilities for the upcoming season.

Eagles Training Camp Opens

    Rookies and quarterbacks reported to the NovaCare Complex for the start of training camp today, marking the beginning of the first camp during the Chip Kelly Era. The Eagles won't be holding camp at Lehigh this year, opting instead to stay at home to train. The camp should have a few interesting battles and see some situations play out.

76ers Offseason Report #1

         I miss the NBA already. Yes, I know the playoffs only ended last month but the Sixers have been out of it since April. Philadelphia's new GM, Sam Hinkie, made some franchise impacting moves on Draft night; moves that will likely take years to pay off, but that payoff could be huge.

GM Sam Hinkie Doin' Work

Phillies Drop Crucial Series to Mets

    At a terrible time, as the trade deadline approaches, the Phillies dropped a series to the lowly Mets. After a high scoring win on Friday, and a comeback that fell just short yesterday, the Phillies were shutdown by the Mets and their young Ace, Matt Harvey by a score of 5 to 0.

Don't be sad, look at my puppy!

Phillies: Buyers or Sellers?

    As the trade deadline approaches, numerous questions still linger for the Phillies. At 49-49 the Phillies sit in an awkward position as the time comes to decide whether they should buy for a postseason push, or sell to start rebuilding for the future.

Phillies Lose to Mets

    Whelp, the Phillies lost to the Double A Mets today in front of all 1,000 Mets fans on the planet. Clearly the only All Stars left in the Citi Field locker room were Cliff Lee and Dom Brown, but since it wasn't Cliff's turn to pitch and Dom didn't have his best day, the Phillies lost 5 to 4.

At least this guy gets the start tomorrow. 

New NHL Divisions & Expansion Possibilities

       While the rumor mill was spinning that the new NHL schedule was to be released today, that turned out to be false due to the NHL still working out travel arrangements for the necessary 3-week Olympic break in February.  Nonetheless, what better time to start thinking about October.  There are more big changes coming to the NHL this year than there have been in a while. (unless you count last year's changes i.e. hacking the amount of games by 34)  The biggest of these changes is the new divisional alignment.  A point that many hockey fans are split on. (personally I don't think it was necessary)

'The Challenge' Fantasy League. Week 1

       Hello, readers.  We have no doubt entered into troubling times.  That time of the year where there is no NFL, NBA or NHL action happening to quench our sports pallets.  This is the time where we must either watch the Phillies (a great option) or turn to cable television for our entertainment.  The Phils are at .500 entering the All-Star break and on the cable television end, MTV's hit reality show about ex-reality stars who have forgotten how to work real jobs and must compete in the jungle for their living wages has returned for it's 24th season.  That's right.  The Challenge is back.

Phillies Top White Sox, Head to Break at .500

    The Phillies topped the White Sox this afternoon to take the series 2 out of 3 and hit the .500 mark right in time for the All Star break. After playing 24 innings of baseball combined yesterday in the process of splitting a double-header, the Phillies topped Chicago by a score of 4 to 3 this afternoon.

This is my new German shepherd puppy playing tug of war with a yellow lab.   Read onward!

Phillies Top Nats, Take Series

    The Phillies squeaked out a win tonight to top the Nationals and take the series three games to one. With the help of some shutdown pitching and just enough timely hitting, the Phillies pulled out the win 3 to 1.

The Phillies don't always win, but when they do... celebratory Dos Equis. Read onward!

Phillies Squish Nats

    The Phillies topped the Nats and made tomfoolery of their "Natitude" tonight as they won 3-2. As is typical, the Phillies didn't score many runs, but with the help of some shutdown pitching, before the closer entered the game, they were able to pull out another division win.

The one clawed "Rally Crawfish" approves of this win. Read on!

Phillies Top In-State Rival Pirates

    The Phillies defeated their in-state rival the Pittsburgh Pirates last night by a score of 3 to 1, proving that the only good thing to come out of Pittsburgh in recent years was The Dark Knight Rises. While it wasn't an overpowering showing at the plate, its still nice to see the Phillies beat the team with the best record in the league (no you're not seeing things, the Pirates are doing good, for now).
   

This dog is enjoying his ride in the car, which has nothing to do with the Phillies. Read onward companions!

Phillies Drop Game, Series to Dodgers

    The Phillies dropped yet another game this afternoon as they fell to the Dodgers 6 to 1. The Phillies lost 3 of 4 out in L.A. and still look lost on the field. Two days after breaking out for 16 runs, the Phillies typical offense showed back up as they struggled to produce in any way.

This is the German Sheppard puppy I'm getting in two weeks. Adorable right? Read on!

A-10 Players Will Seek to Impress in NBA Summer League

    Just a quick few notes on some familiar names who played in the Philadelphia area and where they will be attempting to make an impact in order to gain a roster spot. While Khalif Wyatt, Ramon Galloway and C.J. Aiken did not hear there names called at the draft, it does not mean they won't get a chance.

2013 Sixers Draft Review: A Crazy Night

        The roster moves that the Sixers made in the 2013 NBA draft will have a serious impact on the future of the franchise for the next decade. In a night of madness full of trades and rumors, Philadelphia traded their thought-to-be franchise cornerstone in Jrue Holiday, ended up with the projected number one overall pick, and now hold two 1st round picks in next year's loaded draft. In his first draft as Philadelphia's GM, Sam Hinkie made sure his influence would be felt on the franchise, whether it be a surprising success or a disaster.

Flyers Offseason Report 1

       So it's been a while since we've covered the Flyers on the beat.  Albeit, there hasn't been much to cover. Thankfully the new season is less than 4 months away, the draft is in a week and the offseason moves are starting to take shape.

Phillies Drop Fourth In A Row

    The Phillies ran their losing streak up to four after dropping last nights series opener to the Twins.  The offense sputtered yet again, and the Phillies fell 3-2 in the end.
  

 This cat couldn't stand to watch so he passed out.  Read on.

Phillies Sweep Marlins

    The Phillies closed out today's series with the Miami High School Marlins, winning 6-1 to sweep the rotting fish right out of town.  The Phillies are now on a four game win streak and sit with a .500 record for the first time since Wheels had his real hair.

Nothing more American than a Phillies sweep.  Read onward!

Phillies Walk-Off in Grand Fashion

    The Phillies faced off against the Marlins from Miami Little League this evening.  After the offense was silent for most the game, the Phillies trailed 2-0 before eventually tying things up at 2 apiece.  After falling behind 3-2 in the tenth the Phillies tied things back up yet again in the bottom half of the frame, before walking off in the eleventh to win 7-3.

I hope you weren't sleeping like this dog when this game ended.  Read on!

Brown Hotter Than a Volcano, Phillies Win

    The Phillies won their second straight game tonight as they topped the Rookie League Marlins by a score of 7-2.  The Phillies were firing on all cylinders tonight, as they received dominant pitching and an outburst from the offense.

This is how I feel about tonight's game.  Read on companions!

Phillies Top Brew Crew

    The Phillies were able to salvage the last game of the series against the Brewers this afternoon with a 7-5 win.  An early outburst from what has often been a stagnant offense this year allowed the Phillies to hold on for a victory in the end.

Phillies Fall to Brewers Again

    The Phillies stumbled yet again today as they dropped yet another game to the Brewers.  The Phillies seem to have a phobia about scoring more than 3 runs this season and today was no different, as they lost 4-3.

This Phillies ice sculpture represents just how ice cold the offense has been all season.  Read on!

Phillies Bashed by Brewers

    In the first inning, things were looking up for the Phillies, Dom Brown cracked a three run home run and Cole Hamels would pitch with a lead for the first time since April 7.  That's when everything went completely wrong, leading to an 8-5 loss for the Phillies.

Despite the loss, lets rejoice in how hot Dom Brown is right now.  Read on!

Phillies Crushed by Red Sox

    I know all of you missed me last night, but I was sick and passed out for most the game, but here's a quick recap for you anyway.  The Phillies got demolished by the Red Sox in the series finale 9-2.

As you can tell this cat is angry at the Phillies level of play in this game.  Read on!

Solo Home Runs Boost Phillies to Victory

    The Phillies returned home tonight to again face the Red Sox, and squeaked out a win to move to within 1 game of .500 at 26-27.  Yet again it was a low scoring affair for the Phillies, but with the help of solid pitching the Phillies held on for the win.  The Phillies squeezed out a 4-3 win in the end, thanks to the help of Dom Brown, who provided comic relief by ripping his pants stealing a base early in the game.

File Photo of Dom Brown ripping his pants stealing a base.  Read on!

Follow the Lee-der

    One night after being embarrassed at the hands of the Boston Red Sox, the Phillies bounced back to squeak out a 3-1 win.  The offense still was not a juggernaut in any way, shape, or form, but plated enough runs behind a spectacular pitching performance.

This is a dog with excellent pillow utilization skills.  Enjoy and read on.

Phillies Blown Out by Red Sox

    To put things bluntly, tonight's Phillies game was extremely ugly as they fell to the Red Sox 9-3 at Fenway Park.  The Red Sox shelled the Phillies and they just pretty much rolled over and took it.

For a quick break before getting back to the recap, lets take a moment to remember all those who have fought and died for our many freedoms.  We salute you!

Embarrassment: The Story of Today's Phillies Loss

    Embarrassing may not be harsh enough to describe today's Phillies loss to the Nationals.  The game was cruising along as a pitchers duel until the bottom half of the seventh when the wheels completely fell off for the Phillies.

To cheer you up, here's a picture of a dog in a tuxedo at his doggy school graduation.  Read on!

Pettibone Solid Again, Phillies Top Nationals

    The Phillies beat the Nationals tonight 5-3 in front of all 300 of Washington's fans.  A miniature late inning rally, matched with Chad Durbin actually not allowing runs for a change allowed the Phillies to head home with a win tonight.

This is a dog.  Read onward!

Phillies Twisted Rationale to Martinez's Call Up

    So Chase Utley hit the disabled list and we all eagerly awaited the call up of Darin Ruf or Cesar Hernandez.  While Ruf is a first baseman / sad excuse for an outfielder, with Freddy Galvis to cover the fielding, many figured the Phillies would go for offense and give Ruf the call.  They did not.  At the very least, many assumed Hernandez would receive the call, as he is primarily a second baseman and has hit .312 this season in Lehigh Valley.  Wrong again.  This is about when every Phillies fan worst nightmare came true, the Phillies called up, gulp, Michael Martinez.

 

Here's a picture of my cat laying in an odd pose for no reason whatsoever. Read on!

 

Mercy Me, A Shutout From Lee

    Because I was too lazy to write a recap last night, here's a quick summary for you.  The Phillies beat that disgrace of an excuse for a professional baseball team, the Miami Marlins 3-0.

For your enjoyment, here is a lion singing the classic song "I Will Always Love You."  Read on.

 

Phillies Score Runs, Hamels Cries Himself to Sleep

    So in a complete 180 from last night's contest, the Phillies decided to actually bring their bats to Marlins Park tonight.  The offense broke out for 7 runs as they cruised to a 7-3 victory and no doubt assured that Cole Hamels will cry himself to sleep tonight after never receiving any run support.

For no reason at all, here is a picture of a cat at the bottom of some steps, enjoy and read on friends.

Phillies Offense Still Terrible, Lose to Marlins

    In an effort to keep their reputation as one of the least feared lineups in the majors, with the exception of the Astros and tonight's opponent the Marlins, the Phillies offense chose to do little to nothing yet again.  Unlike the late inning dramatics that saw the Phillies hit back to back home runs to win yesterday, there was no such excitement tonight, as they fell to the lowly Marlins 5-1.

Kratz and Galvis Homer to Stir Comeback Win

     If the Phillies performance today had to be compared to a mythical bird it would definitely have to be the phoenix. (Not the Arcticuno)

Wrap-up after the jump.

Despite Scare, Phillies Win

    The Phillies held a lead for the majority of tonight's game against the Cincinnati Reds, that is until the extremely shaky bullpen put an end to that.  After a solid effort from Cliff Lee, Antonio Bastardo did all he could to assure that Lee would not receive the win, although wins don't matter for the pitcher, only for the team so who cares.

Time to Move Michael Young to Lead Off

    The Phillies, as has been tradition the past few seasons, have gone into slumps in which they struggle to plate runs, wasting solid pitching performances by failing to back them up at the plate.  While the steady downward slide of the Phillies offense from the slugging machine it was only a few years ago can mostly be attributed to an aging lineup that has not been hitting for power, there is another problem as well, the lead off hitter.

Comparing the Phillies Outfield to Types of Job Candidates

    In the spirit of just finishing college and being on the hunt for jobs, we have decided to compare the entire Phillies outfield to the different types of job candidates you might be battling for the same position.  So here we go folks, hang on this could be a bumpy ride:

Phillies Pitchers Pulverized in Loss to Indians

    The Phillies entered today's contest on three game win streak, looking to sweep the Indians in a short two game series.  The Indians had something different in mind, as they walloped the Phillies and cruised to a 10-4 victory.

Phillies Sign Zambrano

    Are your eyes deceiving you?  No they are not, the Phillies have signed Carlos Zambrano to a minor league deal and he will report to extended spring training.  Most recently rumors had been swirling that Zambrano had agreed to terms with Atlantic League club the Long Island Ducks, however he apparently never signed the contract.

Could Galvis be a Starting Outfielder by End of 2013?

    Freddy Galvis presents the Phillies with a very interesting predicament.  He has possibly the smoothest glove on the roster, and has also shown growth at the plate since last season as well.  With Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley already entrenched in the middle infield positions, and Michael Young holding down third base, Galvis has seen sparing at-bats but has definitely earned more chances.  The solution you ask?  Allow Freddy Galvis to start in the outfield.

Phillies Speared By Marlins

    The Phillies suffered yet another embarrassing loss this afternoon to split this four game series with the Marlins.  The Phillies pitchers were thoroughly romped on the way to a 14-2 disgrace of a loss to a team that would probably lose to most Triple A squads.

Phillies Offense Does Disappearing Act

    The Phillies offense pulled yet another disappearing act tonight, something they have become famous for in recent years.  The Phillies made a 20 year old kid, who by the way is one year and one day younger than me, look like Cy Young himself.  So thank you to the Phillies and Jose Fernandez for making me feel quite terrible.

Kendrick Gets Phillies Back On Track

    After losing both games in a short series to the Indians, the Phillies returned home this evening to kick off a series with the lowly Marlins.  This series should be just what the Phillies need to get going, but with this team, you can't count on anything, that is except the solid early season performance of Kyle Kendrick (I know weird to say right?).  The Phillies topped a Double A team by a score of 7-2 tonight as they improved to 13-16 on the season.

Doc & Phillies Take A Beating

    Well I don't know about you but I haven't seen something from Philly take a beating this bad since Rocky Balboa's first fight against Clubber Lang (Mr. T).  The Phillies got absolutely hammered tonight by a score of 14 to 2, courtesy of seven Indians home runs.

Let the Delmon Young Experiment Begin!

    Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, step right up to see the great beast, the worlds largest and slowest outfielder, and I use the term outfielder lightly, Delmon Young!  That's right Phillies fans, Delmon Young has been activated from the disabled list after off season ankle surgery kept him out for all of Spring Training and most of the first month of the season.  So tonight, Ruben Amaro Jr.'s great outfield experiment begins.

Flyers End Season on a High Note

       The Flyers went into Ottawa tonight and stole one 2-1.  This pushes their final record above .500 if you listen to the commentators, though with overtime losses they still technically have more losses than wins.  At least 48 game seasons don't really count right?

Finding Doug Collins' Replacement

    While the NBA playoffs are heating up, the Sixers are at home on the couch: not exactly what Sixers fans had envisioned for their team during last offseason. But things don't always go according to plan and the 76ers need to move on and find Doug Collins' replacement.

Phillies Fall to Pirates...Again

    Yet again tonight the Phillies dropped a game to their in-state rivals the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Phillies fell by a final score of 5-3 and will now look to salvage a series split tomorrow in the series finale.

Phillies Forget Bats, Fall to Pirates

    In an all too familiar turn of events tonight, the Phillies forgot to bring their bats to Citizens Bank Park yet again as they fell to the Pirates by a score of 2-0.  The loss breaks up the exhilarating two game win streak the Phightins' had been on and drops their 2013 record to 9-12.

Phillies Sneak By Pirates

    The Phillies snuck by their in-state rival the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight by a score of 3-2.  With John "Despicable Me" Lannan on the DL, the Phillies were left with a decision to make as to which young starter they would call up for tonight's game.

Giving Each Phillies Player a Terrible Nickname

    Currently I have an hour to kill and I wouldn't be a good college student if I chose to spend it doing homework.  So, instead I will come up with some terrible nicknames for the Phillies players.  Hold on to your seats because here it goes, make suggestions in the comments or on Twitter: @BroadStBeat:

Phillies Win, Split Series With Cardinals

    The Phillies bounced back from an ugly loss yesterday as they defeated the Cardinals 7-3 tonight with the help of some late inning heroics at the plate.  The win salvaged a split in the series and puts the Phillies record at 8-11 so far in 2013.

Phillies Futility Continues

    The Phillies continued their terrible play that has followed them back from Miami and Cincinnati tonight as they opened a home series against the Cardinals.  The Phillies fell by a score of 4-3 as they continue to struggle to consistently get on base.

Doug Collins Walks

     On Thursday morning, Doug Collins officially announced his resignation as the 76ers head coach. This news was not a surprise as rumors were circulating as the Sixers' disappointing season came to a close. Philadelphia finished the season with a 34-48 record,  landing in the 9th spot in the East, missing the playoffs for the first (and now last) time in the three years under Coach Collins.

Phillies Dominated by Reds

    The Phillies managed to get beat twice in one day today as they dropped both contests to the Reds.  The first game, a continuation of last nights game that was postponed after the top of the ninth due to rain, was ended quickly as the Reds walked off with a 1-0 win after only 9 minutes.  The second game, however, was a complete blowout by the Reds.

Flyers Offense Peaks, Downs Montreal 7-3

       The Flyers, led by valiant efforts from Hartnell, Giroux and Voracek, came into Montreal and asserted their dominance over the second best team in the East.  The 7 goals (3 by Hartnell, 1 by Simmonds, Gustafsson, Voracek and Giroux) are more than Philadelphia has scored in their last 5 games combined.

Phillies Drop Series Opener to Reds

    In the first game of the series against the Reds tonight, the Phillies fell by a score of 4-2 to dip back to a game under .500.  Despite yet another great start from Cliff Lee, the Phillies simply could not get anything going offensively on the night, leading to another disappointing loss.

The Doctor Is In, Phillies Win

    Roy Halladay bounced back from a rough start to the 2013 season that had many questioning the state of his career today as the Phillies defeated the Marlins 2-1.  It is the second series in a row the Phillies have won and they now sit at 6-6 on the young season.

Halladay Looks to Silence Critics

    After a tenth inning 3-1 victory on Friday night and a walk-off 2-1 loss last evening, the Phillies enter the series finale at Marlins Park this afternoon looking to win their second series of the season and pull their record to an even .500.  Taking the mound in this afternoons contest will be two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay, looking to squash all the questions surrounding him to start the season.

Wawa vs. Sheetz

       We've been getting a little too heavy on the Kyle-written articles lately here at the Beat, at least that's what our metrics are telling us.  Though I've been a bit too busy lately to watch and report on all the Flyers games, I will get back on that wagon ASAP.  In the meantime, I find it necessary to cover an ever important topic that was being tweeted about last week when we compared old Roy Halladay to Wawa and new Roy Halladay to Sheetz...or Royal Farms or whatever it got whittled down to.

Phillies Win First Series

    Finishing the game just in time, as massive thunderstorms settled in, the Phillies left the field with their first series win on the season after a 7-3 victory over the Mets.  The game went into a rain delay midway through, and strong winds were a factor throughout, blowing trash all over the field, and I don't just mean the Mets players.

Bats Come Alive, Phillies Dominate Mets

       Off to a sluggish start so far in 2013, the Phillies entered tonight's second game of the Mets series seeking to piece things together and pull out a win.  Things came together pretty well for the Phillies on the night as they dominated the Mets, 8-3.

Shaky Start Continues for Halladay, Phillies

    Roy Halladay and the Phillies continued their shaky start to the season tonight as they were defeated by the Mets.  The Mets dominated the Phillies by a score 7-2 as cause for concern continued to grow for both Halladay and the Phillies early in the season.

Phillies Drop Game, Series to Royals

    The Phillies have now lost both series to open the season, after dropping today's game to the Royals by a 9-8 score.  The Phillies pitchers continued their early season struggles as the Royals hitters jumped all over them.

Phillies Walk-Off Against Royals

    The Phillies squeezed out a late victory over the Kansas City Royals tonight.  The Phillies won by a score of 4-3 tonight in front of a crowd that was under 40,000 for the first time in recent memory.  The team bounced back after a rough day for their pitchers yesterday as they fell 13-4.

Pitchers Fall Apart, Phillies Drop Home Opener

    The day started off bright and sunny in Philadelphia as the Phillies met the Royals in their 2013 home opener at Citizens Bank Park.  The Phillies jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the contest before the pitching fell apart starting in the fifth inning.

Lee Stifles Braves, Phillies Notch First Win

    The Phillies defeated the Braves by a score of 2-0 tonight to collect their first win of the 2013 season, after dropping their first two games.  The Braves had roughed up the Phillies pitchers in the first two games of the series as they scored a total of 16 runs in the games, but tonight was a different story.

Phillies Pitchers Roughed Up Again

    For the second game in a row to open the 2013 season, the Phillies pitching staff was roughed up, as they fell 9-2 to the Braves.  It was a rainy evening in Atlanta, and clearly the umps had all intentions of squeezing this game in after a few suspect calls.  Facing many questions after an uncharacteristic 2012 season and lackluster Spring Training, Roy Halladay got the start on the mound.

Sixers Fall In Charlotte

     The 76ers came into Wednesday's game in Charlotte on a 3 game winning-streak. Against the worst team in the NBA, the Sixers thought they had a shot to stretch it 4. However, in a game that came down to the final minute, the Sixers couldn't finish it out and would lose 88-83.

Breaking Down the Flyers Trade Deadline Acquisitions

Steve Mason (Columbus) for Michael Leighton and a 3rd Round Pick

       This is by far the most intriguing of the deals the front office has made this past week.  Many fans are speculating that this deal is a sign that Bryzgalov is on his way out of Philadelphia.

Comparing Each Phillies Player to an Animal

    With a day off already after only one game in the 2013 season, we will take this time and the boredom it has provided to analyze the Phillies players.  No we will not be analyzing the players in a traditional way using statistics, rather we will be comparing each to a different animal, so here we go:

Phillies Drop Season Opener to Braves

    The Phillies 2013 season kicked off tonight, although things did not go as they would have liked as they dropped the game to the Braves 7-5.  Cole Hamels made his first Opening Day start of his career and continued a streak of ugly first starts to the season he has had the past few years.  Hamels went five innings while allowing 5 earned runs and 3 home runs.

Flyers Take Control of Game, Beat Caps in OT 5-4

       Going into the third period today the score was 2-2 and both teams had registered 17 shots.  Talbot and Read scored for the Flyers and Backstrom and Green scored for the Capitals.  The third period was undoubtedly one of the most eventful periods of hockey this season though.

Keys to Phillies 2013 Season

    With Opening Day on Monday, it's time to go through the keys to the Phillies 2013 season.  If the team hopes to rebound from a disappointing 2012, they will need quite a few things to happen.  So with that said, lets move into my keys for the 2013 Phillies.

La Salle's Remarkable Season Comes to an End

    The clock struck midnight on the La Salle Explorers Cinderella season last night as they fell to the Wichita State Shockers by a score 72-58.  The size advantage the Shockers had proved to be simply too much for the Explorers as they were overwhelmed in the paint.  In the contest, Wichita State out-rebounded La Salle 44 to 23, and did a ton of scoring in the paint.

Questions Remain for Halladay as Phillies Head North

    Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies wrapped up their Grapefruit League schedule this afternoon.  The Phillies topped the Blue Jays by a final score of 7 to 2 with the help of home runs from Chase Utley and Laynce Nix.  Halladay pitched mediocre in the game, after struggling for much of the spring.  Halladay struggled with command yet again, while his velocity was slightly up from previous starts.  In four and one-third innings pitched this afternoon, Halladay allowed two runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out six.  The Phillies now head north to play two more exhibition games against the Blue Jays before opening the season on April 1 in Atlanta.  After a disappointing 2012 for both Halladay and the Phillies, both will be looking for rebound seasons in 2013.

Hamels Will Contend for Cy Young in 2013

    Cole Hamels had his final tune-up this afternoon before he will make the first Opening Day start of his career on April 1st against the Braves.  Hamels was sharp in his brief outing against the Tigers today, as he faced off against Justin Verlander.  Hamels tossed three shutout innings, while allowing one hit and one walk.  On the day Hamels also struck out three as he finalized his Grapefruit League ERA for 2013 at 0.95.  The Phillies managed to squeeze out four runs and win the game by a score of 4 to 1.  After the completion of a strong Spring Training for the Phillies left-hander, Hamels appears poised to compete for the NL Cy Young in 2013.

Phillies Bats Sting Rays

    The Phillies topped the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 10 to 1 in this afternoon's contest at Bright House Field.  The Phillies pitchers had a very solid outing on the day, but it was the hitters who truly stung the Rays.

La Salle vs. Wichita State Preview

    Thursday night in Sweet 16 action, there will be a battle of two underrated squads, both hoping to continue their Cinderella run.  While most of the attention nationally is going to Florida Gulf Coast, and rightfully so as they are a 15 seed in the Sweet 16, La Salle versus Wichita State is a game guaranteed to send a Cinderella team to the Elite 8.

Sixers Struggle in Utah

         The 76ers arrived in Utah for Monday's game coming off a solid win in Sacramento only the night before. The Sixers had won that game with high energy and great games from Jrue Holiday, Dorrell Wright and even Lavoy Allen. However, the Sixers' performance against Utah seemed like an entirely different team as they would trail the entire game in the loss.

George Mason Makes A10 Move Official

       George Mason University officially announced they will join the Atlantic 10 Conference via teleconference earlier today.  The Patriots will leave the Colonial Athletic Association and become members in all sports as of July 1, 2013.  What does this mean for the Atlantic 10?

76ers Snap Road Losing Streak in Sacramento

         The 76ers came into Sacramento Sunday night on a pitiful 15 game road losing streak. To make things seem worse, the Sixer were also coming off a terrible loss in Denver where they blew a 5 point lead in the final minute. But the Sixers would not dwell on the loss or their recent road woes and instead came onto the court looking quite confident and this would lead to a well-deserved win.

La Salle's Cinderella Story Continues

    The clock has still not struck midnight on La Salle's Cinderella season.  The Explorers, making their first NCAA Tournament since 1992, have now won their third game of this years Big Dance to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1955.  The Explorers pulled through in the waning seconds, to defeat Ole Miss by a score of  76-74.

Flyers Futility Continues

       Bryz looked good tonight, blocking 33 shots, but that wasn't enough as the Penguins stole one from the Flyers in OT, winning 2-1.  Possible pig creature, Tyler Kennedy, scored the winning goal halfway into the overtime.  Unlike most Penguins-Flyers game, this one was not the least bit action packed.

Temple's Upset Bid Falls Short

    For thirty-seven minutes Temple looked poised to be this years Cinderella team, as they battled Indiana for a Sweet 16 birth.  The only problem?  The game lasts forty minutes, and the three minutes  the Owls played their worst basketball came at the end of the game, the worst possible time.

Utley & Howard Homer Again, Phillies Come Up Short

    The Phillies fell behind early this afternoon to the Boston Red Sox, before charging back to tie the game.  The Phillies and Red Sox entered the ninth inning tied at 6 apiece, but Boston plated a run in the top of the inning, and took the game by a final score of 7-6.  Despite the loss, there were some positive signs from the Phillies on the day.

Utley Homers Twice, Phillies Top Orioles

    The Phillies power bats were on full display in this afternoons contest as they went deep five times.  The Phillies topped the Orioles by a score of 13-4 with the help of a solid outing from the heart of their lineup.

Villanova's Future Bright Even After Loss

    Villanova saw it's tournament hopes come to an early end last night in a defeat to eighth-seeded UNC by a score of 78-71.  The loss makes Villanova the first Philadelphia team to be eliminated from the field of 64 this year, but is just the beginning of a bright future for the Wildcats.

La Salle Holds On For Upset of Kansas State

    In the second nail-biter game for Philadelphia college basketball teams this afternoon, La Salle held on to survive a late charge from fourth-seeded Kansas State, and upset the Wildcats 63-61.  After dominating early, La Salle began to collapse, and nearly gave away a game that seemed to be in their hands.

Phillies Win on Ruf Walk-Off, Send Him to Minors

    The Phillies topped the Braves in walk-off fashion this afternoon by a score of 7-6.  With the game knotted at 6 apiece, Darin Ruf stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.  The outfield prospect took Daniel Rodriguez deep to win the game for the Phillies.

Temple Dominates Early, Holds On Late

    Temple fans can now exhale.  After jumping out to a big lead early in today's first round NCAA Tournament game against NC State, the Owls survived a late rally from the Wolfpack to advance to the round of 32, with a 76-72 win.  Temple seemingly had the game in control throughout, until raising the blood pressure of Owls fans everywhere for the final five minutes.

La Salle Cruises to Victory

    La Salle cruised to victory in their contest last night against Boise State in the First Four, to earn the right to play Kansas State on Friday.  The Explorers won the game by a final score of 80-71.  While the final score looks close, the Explorers were in complete control throughout, and dominated the Broncos for forty minutes.

FINAL FOUR Predicitons

   Although not directly relating to Philadelphia sports, the NCAA tournament is the hottest topic in sports right now. Here are our contributors predictions for the Final Four in Atlanta. (Remember: Join our BroadStBeat group on ESPN and submit your bracket!)

Saint Joseph's Season Ends on Buzzer Beater

    A Saint Joseph's basketball season full of letdowns came to it's disappointing conclusion this evening.  The Hawks faced off against the Red Storm of Saint John's in the first round of the NIT at Hagan Arena tonight.  Saint Joseph's lost by a final score of 63-61 on a buzzer beater shot to finish the season a mediocre 18-14.

Downtown Dom Brown Strikes Again

    The Phillies topped the Yankees this afternoon at Bright House Field by a score of 4-1.  Once again Dom Brown had an impressive day.  Brown hit his sixth home run of the spring in a 1 for 3 day at the plate, and is hitting .397 in Grapefruit League play.  Brown continues to turn heads this spring and appears poised for a breakout season in 2013.

Flyers Fall in Tampa

       Greetings all, hope you had a fun St. Patrick's Day.  While it was fun to drink all weekend in Philly/New York, I must admit I am excited for the coming week to take it easy and be sober, and there is nothing more sobering these days than Flyers hockey.  Tonight was another typical 2013 Flyers game.  In a game that was definitely winnable, and could have gained Philly some much needed ground, the team could barely get the puck out of their own zone, especially towards the end.  Heading into the third period tied 2-2 the Flyers gave up a 9th minute goal to Teddy Purcell and an empty-netter to Steven Stamkos to drive the final nail in the coffin.

76ers Win & Bynum Set for Surgery

       The 76ers beat the Trailblazers on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center, making it Philadelphia's second win in a row. The Sixers defeated the Pacers Saturday night with terrific games from Jrue Holiday(27 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds) and Spencer Hawes (18 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists, 7 blocks). In Monday's game against Portland, these players would once again have great performances.

Phillies Fall to Braves in Slugfest

              Runs definitely were not in short supply today, as the Phillies fell to the Braves 17-10 at the Wide World of Sports Complex.  No Phillies pitcher walked away from this afternoons contest with a clean line.  Rodrigo Lopez started for the Phillies and was absolutely shelled for 8 runs, 7 earned, on 8 hits, that included 2 home runs, in just two innings of work.

Remembering Jim Valvano

        As the NCAA Tournament is about to get underway, now is a great time to look back on the remarkable life of Jim Valvano.  Thirty years ago, Valvano's North Carolina State team made an improbable run through the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament to come out national champions. 

Phillies Beat Orioles

               Sporting their green uniforms for Saint Patrick's Day, the Phillies topped the Orioles 5-3 this afternoon.  The Phillies clearly did not have the luck of the Irish on their side to start the day, as Roy Halladay was lifted after one scoreless inning due to a stomach virus.  With Halladay's face greener than the Phillies uniforms today, Zach Miner took over on the mound.

Brown Delivers, Phillies Win

               The Phillies topped the Yankees 7-0 in this afternoons contest at Steinbrenner Field.  The pitching and offense were both running smoothly today as the Phillies easily defeated their opponent. Raul Valdes got the start for the Phillies, as Cole Hamels remained in Clearwater to pitch in a minor league intrasquad game.

Time For Fans To Grow Up!

               The Flyers won in a shootout last night at the Wells Fargo Center against the Devils, but the more important story is about a Devils fan who was hospitalized.  A 17 year old Devils fan was punched and choked by Flyers fans in the arena after the game, and as a result was hospitalized.

Temple Falls to UMass

               Temple suffered a disappointing loss last night to Massachusetts in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament, 79-74.  While the loss comes at a poor time for the Owls, it should not cost them an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, and probably will only change their seeding.

Saint Joseph's Season Comes to a Close

               Saint Joseph's fell to VCU by a score of 82-79 to bring a disappointing season to a close.  The Hawks season that began with such high aspirations truly fizzled out.  While the score looks close, VCU dominated for the majority of the game.  The "Havoc" VCU created overwhelmed the Hawks early and often, and the Rams took a 33-23 lead into the half.

Phillies Fall in Extra Innings

               The Phillies and Rays needed some extra baseball today to determine a winner, as the game went 10 innings, before the Rays came away with a 3-1 victory.  Off-season acquisition John Lannan threw five shutout innings while allowing only 2 hits, and striking out 4.

La Salle's Fate Lies in Hands of Selection Committee

               La Salle fell to Butler in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament, and as a result their fate now lies in the hands of the selection committee.  It was a hard fought game in a rematch from a meeting earlier in the season, in which the Explorers emerged victorious, but this time they could not pull out the win, falling 69-58.

Nova Still Dancing Even With Loss

               Villanova fell to 4th ranked Louisville tonight in a rematch of a game the Wildcats won earlier in the season.  The Cardinals won by a final score of 74-55 at Madison Square Garden to advance in the Big East Tournament and send Villanova home, for now.

The Hawk Is... Still Alive!

               Saint Joseph's narrowly escaped having their disappointing season come to an end tonight in a 58-57 win over Xavier in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament.  With the help of a suspect shot-clock violation call against the Musketeers in the waning seconds of the game, the Hawks got one last chance to take the lead.

Phillies Top In-State Rival Pirates

                In a tightly contested game this afternoon, the Phillies topped their in-state rival the Pittsburgh Pirates by a score of 2-1.  Neither team got on the board until the 6th inning when the Phillies took a 1-0 lead.  The Pirates quickly tied the game in the top of the 7th inning before the Phillies took the lead for good in the bottom of the 8th inning.

Phillies Fall to Yankees

               The Phillies fell to the Yankees 6-2 in a game at Steinbrenner Field tonight.  While the pitching and hitting were not exactly spectacular tonight, sloppy defense is what proved to be the downfall of the Phillies.

76ers Fall to the Heat in Crunch Time

         The 76ers put up quite the fight against Miami at home but couldn't hold on in the final two minutes, committing two lethal mistakes. The Heat came into this match up on an incredible 19 game win streak. Although not nearly impressive, the Sixers were coming off a nice win against Brooklyn on Monday. The second half of the season for these teams have been polar opposite; Miami has been unstoppable, while Philadelphia has been falling to the bottom in their division and conference. But much like their game last Friday, the Sixers would give Miami everything they had.

Villanova Win Should Punch Ticket to Big Dance

               The win by the Villanova tonight against the Saint John's Red Storm should seal the envelope to the Wildcats NCAA Tournament invitation.  Villanova came away with a 66-53 victory in a contest that was a little too close for comfort for the majority of the game.

ATLANTIC 10 Tournament Predictions

       We here at the BSB have wagered a case of Philly's finest milk steaks and jelly beans on who we think will win the Atlantic 10 tournament.  The field is wide open this year and will most likely be the most fun tournament to watch this week.  Games start at 12 tomorrow and are on the NBC Sports Network.  Predictions after the jump.

Roy's Command Goes On A Halladay

               Roy Halladay's command clearly decided to take a spring holiday in the Florida sun this afternoon.  Halladay was absolutely shelled by the Detroit Tigers as they took the contest over the Phillies 10-6.  The command and velocity just never showed up to Bright House Field for Halladay as he was tagged for 7 runs on 6 hits in just 2 2/3 innings on the mound.

Sixers Get Doug Collins His 100th win

       The Sixers got the win over their division-rival Nets at home on Monday to snap a five game losing streak. The 76ers got a great game out of Spencer Hawes and a solid game from all of their starters. The win came only one day after another disappointing loss to the lowly Magic on the road, yet in this game the Sixers were able to beat a playoff-bound Brooklyn squad. The win is Coach Collins' 100th win with Philadelphia.

The Curious Case of Domonic Brown

    Confusion, Impatience, and Frustration are just a few words that can be used to describe the Phillies organization and it's fans attitudes regarding the young career of Dom Brown.  A 20th round draft pick out of Redan High School in 2006, Brown quickly rose through the ranks of the Phillies minor-league system, turning heads at each stop along the way.  Brown found himself in Double A Reading to start the 2010 season, and impressed so much early in the season that he quickly was promoted to Triple A, where he also continued to hit the cover off the ball.  Brown earned a mid-season call up to the big club on July 28, 2010, and this is when things stopped going so smoothly.  Brown hit only .210 in 62 at-bats for the Phillies that season.  Despite a poor first look in the majors, Brown still found himself as the #4 overall prospect as ranked by Baseball America after the 2010 season.
    Since then, however, Brown and his performance have continued to baffle and frustrate the organization and it's fans.   Brown has suffered from injuries including a broken bone in his hand, and failed to produce when called up to the majors.  After dominating the minors, the Phillies refused to trade Brown, as they pretty much cleared house of all other prospects in order to acquire players like Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Hunter Pence.  As 2011 rolled around, the Phillies looked for Brown to possibly step into a starting role in the outfield, but he struggled at the plate, hitting .245 in 184 at-bats, causing the Phillies to trade for Hunter Pence to take over in the outfield.  In 2012 Brown again entered Spring Training with the opportunity to earn a starting spot in the outfield, but again failed to catch on.  Brown saw much more time after Pence and Shane Victorino were traded midway through 2012, but still only hit .235 in 187 at-bats.  Over the past few seasons he has been sub-par in the field as well, making numerous mental mistakes.  It's no wonder why the Phillies management and fans have grown impatient with Brown given his performance the past few seasons.
    While Brown is still only 25 years old, 2013 could be a make or break year for the young outfielder. At this point he has little trade value so it is unlikely he will be leaving the organization.  He entered Grapefruit League play this spring with an opportunity to earn one of two open outfield positions.  With Delmon Young likely to start the season on the disabled list, Brown was at a slight advantage at winning one of the positions.  Since camp has opened, we have a seen a completely different Dom Brown from the one who struggled the past few seasons.  Brown looks reminiscent of the player who tore through the minors early in his career.  Although it is a small sample size, Brown has hit .432 with 3 home runs in just 37 at-bats.  Brown has been making great contact through the spring thus far and has a remarkable .523 OBP, while also having a 1.252 OPS.  While it would be unwise to read too far into his spring numbers, Brown is showing quite a bit of promise and looking like he may finally be ready to be an everyday major leaguer.  Perhaps all he has needed was regular plate appearances in the majors to finally catch on, and barring an injury he is sure to get that this season.  So in 2013 we will get a deeper glimpse into the curious case of Dom Brown, and see if he is poised to break out or fade into the distance.

Flyers Get Back on Track With Win Over Buffalo

       While the Bahamas proved to be a fun time, not being able to watch the Flyers play was the next worst thing to the drinking water down there.  The past 3 games the orange and black played while I was away were a measuring stick for the team to see how they could deal with 3 of the toughest Eastern Conference teams in a row.  Sadly, they did not pass the test whatsoever, dropping Tuesday's game against the Rangers 4-2, losing to the Penguins Thursday 5-4 (after being up 4-1 nonetheless) and capping it off with a loss to the Bruins yesterday 3-0.  The scheduling gods have not been very kind to the Flyers this far into the season.

Phillies Shut Down Astros

               The Phillies pitching staff completely shut down the Houston Astros in this afternoons contest, as the Phillies cruised to a 7-1 victory.  Cole Hamels got the start on the mound and continued to look great thus far in Grapefruit League play.

Temple Win Should Punch Ticket to Tournament

               Temple took a giant step forward in punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament this afternoon in an 84-76 victory over the 21st ranked VCU Rams.  A loss in the game would not have hurt the Owls resume but most likely would have assured that they have to win at least one Atlantic 10 Tournament game to still receive an at-large bid.

Saint Joseph's Regular Season Ends on Low Note

           Saint Joseph's capped off a disappointing 2012-2013 regular season with a loss to Charlotte by a score of 52-40.  The loss drops the Hawks regular season record to an underwhelming 17-12 and 8-8 in Atlantic 10 play.  To put this as nicely as possible, the Hawks played absolutely atrocious tonight to finish a disappointing regular season.

Phillies Blown Out by Rays

               The Phillies faced the Tampa Bay Rays for the second day in a row, and for the second day in a row came away with a loss.  Today's loss was in blowout fashion, as the Phillies lost by a score of 15-7.  John Lannan got the start for the Phillies and gave up 4 runs in four innings on the mound.

La Salle Loss Could Cost Explorers Tournament Bid

         La Salle closed the regular season today with a crushing defeat to the 16th ranked Saint Louis Billikens.  While losing to the #16 team in the nation is nothing to be ashamed of, the loss may cost La Salle an at-large bid they had seemed destined to receive.

Learning From Flyers, 76ers Blow Lead Against Miami

        Just like their fellow Philadelphians, the Flyers, the 76ers blew a late game lead in Miami after keeping it close and leading for much of the game. The Heat, excuse me, El Heat, entered this match up with a 16 game winning streak, and the Sixers entered with.... well... 1 win in 11 games. But the game was much more exciting then expected thanks to a valiant effort by Philadelphia. 

Phillies Stung by Rays

               The Phillies lost a close game to the Tampa Bay Rays today by a score of 3-2.  Kyle Kendrick got the start on the mound and surrendered all 3 of the Rays runs on 5 hits, while striking out 3 in four innings pitched.  The Phillies did have a 2-0 lead entering the bottom of the third inning before Kendrick surrendered 3 runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Flyers Cough Up Lead, Game

               The Flyers met their in-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins last night at the Wells Fargo Center, and as usual it was a high scoring affair.  The Penguins unfortunately came away victorious by a score of 5-4 in a game the Flyers seemed to have complete control of in the first period.

Phillies Roughed up by Twins

         A game that started off so bright for the Phillies ended in disappointing fashion this afternoon as the Twins beat them by a score of 10-6.  The Phillies jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third inning, before being shutdown for the remainder of the game and watching the Twins score 9 unanswered runs. 

To Re-sign or Not Re-sign? That's the Bynum Question

       18.7 points, 56% shooting from the floor, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks: So reads Andrew Bynum's per game statistics from the 2011-12 season. Not to mention he also had the 2nd best player efficiency rating in the NBA. And remember, Bynum wasn't even the go-to guy in LA. This summer, Bynum will be an unrestricted free agent. A fan who hasn't kept up with the NBA this season would say, "Its a no-brainer, sign this 7-footer to a max deal! Lock him up for the future!" But oh how things have changed since Bynum was traded to the 76ers.

Sixers Beat By Atlanta, Lose Third Straight

      The Sixers were defeated by the Hawks in Atlanta on Wednesday, starting a new losing streak for Philadelphia. The Sixers played their 8th game in 12 days, winning only one of them. Philly was able to get out to a fast start, leading 8-0 and holding the Hawks scoreless for almost 5 minutes. However, the Hawks bounced back quickly and led for the rest of the game winning it 107-97.

Tournament Bid All But Assured for La Salle

         La Salle took one step closer to punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament tonight in an 84-70 victory over a mediocre George Washington squad.  The Explorers continued their impressive season and increased their record to 21-7 and 11-4 in Atlantic 10 play.

Temple on the Road to NCAA Tournament

         Temple easily took care of Fordham tonight and continued on their path toward an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.  The Owls defeated the Rams by a final score of 74-55 to improve to 22-8 on the season and 10-5 in Atlantic 10 play. 

Saint Joseph's Dominates on Senior Night

        The Saint Joseph's Hawks absolutely dominated the Rhode Island Rams on Senior Night at Hagan Arena.  The Hawks dominated from the outset, and finished with an 81-44 victory in the final home game for senior guard Carl "Tay" Jones. 

Villanova Upset Should Guarantee Tournament Bid

         Villanova knocked off the 5th ranked Georgetown Hoyas tonight at the Wells Fargo Center to almost guarantee an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.  The Wildcats defeated the Hoyas by a final score of 67-57 to notch their third victory over a top-five opponent this season. 

Joseph & Phillies Top Nationals

         In a match up against the 2012 NL East Division Champion Washington Nationals today, the Phillies emerged victorious by a score of 6-3.  The game was started by star pitchers for both teams, with Stephen Strasburg getting the start for the Nationals, and Roy Halladay for the Phillies. 

Sixers Defeated By Division Rival Celtics

        The 76ers faced off against their Atlantic Division rival Boston Celtics Tuesday night in Philadelphia. The Sixers have beaten Boston twice this season and took them to Game 7 in last year's playoffs. It was a good opportunity for the Sixers to get a win on their home court before a tough 3 game road trip. Although close throughout, the Sixers would lose this one 109-101. The 76ers would pick up a second loss in a row, losing an awful 9 of their 10.

Flyers Fall to Nash & Rangers

                The Flyers fell to the New York Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden by a score of 4-2.  The Flyers had a 2-1 lead at one point in the first period before allowing 3 unanswered goals.  The deciding factor in the game proved to be the play of Rick Nash, who the Flyers had so highly coveted in the off-season but could not acquire.

Phillies Rocked by Dominican Republic

         In non-Grapefruit League action today, the Phillies were absolutely demolished by the Dominican Republic national squad that will compete in the World Baseball Classic.  While the game has no meaning for the Phillies, and counts even less than a Spring Training game, it still stings with how bad of a defeat the team suffered.

Phillies One-Hit Pirates

         The Phillies pitching staff looks to have rebounded after being shelled yesterday against the Orioles and only pitching mediocre against the Blue Jays in split-squad action.  The Phillies pitchers combined today to one-hit the Pirates in a 5 to 0 win. 

Phillies Win One, Lose One

         The Phillies were in split-squad action on Sunday, defeating the Blue Jays while dropping the other game to the Orioles.  Both contests were complete blowouts, with the more powerful Phillies taking part in the winning contest. 

Villanova's Tournament Hopes Suffer Setback

               Villanova suffered yet another setback in their quest to make the NCAA Tournament today, with a heartbreaking 73-64 overtime loss to 23rd ranked Pittsburgh.  While losing to the #23 team in the country is nothing to be ashamed of, Villanova entered the day as one of Joe Lunardi's last four teams in, and needing a win to solidify their tournament hopes.  To make the loss even more heartbreaking, the Wildcats led by 3 points with 34 seconds remaining, when the Panthers hit a 3 to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Saint Joseph's Dominates Fordham

               The Saint Joseph's Hawks blew the Fordham Rams out of Hagan Arena on Saturday night, taking the game by a score of 82-56.  The Hawks dominated from the outset, as well they should have, since Fordham is a bad team and now has a record of 6-23 after the defeat.

La Salle Manhandles Duquesne

               The La Salle Explorers likely increased their chances at an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament this afternoon by completely running Duquesne out of the gym.  The Explorers improved to 20-7 and 10-4 in Atlantic 10 play with the 97-64 routing of the Dukes.  

Temple Continues Winning Ways

               Temple improved to 21-8 and 9-5 in Atlantic 10 play today in a 76-70 victory over Rhode Island that was a little to close for comfort.  The Rams who are 8-19 kept the game close against a very tough Owls squad that appears headed for the NCAA Tournament.

Phillies Blown Out by New-Look Blue Jays

                The Phillies pitching staff was manhandled today in a match up against the Blue Jays and the newly acquired, 2012 NL Cy Young, R.A. Dickey, that saw the Phillies fall 11-6.  Cliff Lee got the start for the Phillies and was hit around quite a bit in his three innings pitched, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits.

Phillies Top Struggling Yankees

               The Phillies bats continued to be lively today as they topped the struggling Yankees, 10-5.  Roy Halladay got the starting nod for the Phillies, in his second Grapefruit League appearance.  Halladay had a decent outing but was not quite as sharp as his previous start.

Sixers Losing Streak Reaches 7

         The 76ers traveled to the windy city to play the Bulls Thursday night and once again failed to win on the road. Both teams have played without their centerpiece player all season, but the Bulls are still in the playoff picture where as the Sixers are sinking fast. This match up featured Philadelphia with the lowest scoring offense in the league facing Chicago with the 3rd best defense in terms of opponent's points per game.

Temple Inches Closer to At-Large Bid

               Temple improved it's record to 20-8 and 8-5 in Atlantic 10 play tonight in a hard-fought 83-78 victory over a talented Detroit squad.  The Owls and Titans both entered the contest with solid resumes and looking to add another quality win in their quests for the NCAA Tournament.

Phillies Give Braves the Tomahawk Chop

               The offense was out in full force today as the Phillies defeated the Braves by a score of 10-5 at Bright House Field.  Chase Utley returned to the lineup and had an impressive day at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a double and 2 runs scored in the game.

Saint Joseph's Loss Sums Up Season

         Last night the Saint Joseph's Hawks visited the Saint Louis Billikens, and were pretty much run out of the gymnasium.  The 70-53 loss to the 18th ranked Billikens dropped the Hawks record to 15-11 and 6-7 in Atlantic 10 play. 

Gagne Post Game Interview

       Just gonna post this link to Simon Gagne's post-game interview for anyone still on the BSB.  Great to have him back in Philadelphia. Video courtesy of flyers.nhl.com.

http://video.flyers.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=209081&lang=en

Flyers Capitalize on Washington Errors: Flyers 4, Capitals 1

       The Broad Street Beat sent me out on assignment tonight, which is an embellished way of saying I bought a ticket with my own money with some friends for tonight's game.  If you had a favorite Flyer, chances are he probably scored a goal tonight.  That could be a biased opinion, but either way I shall explain.

Brown and Howard Continue to Impress

                The Phillies fell 12-5 to the Minnesota Twins this afternoon, and saw their Grapefruit League record drop to 1-3-1.  The Phillies pitching staff had an extremely rough afternoon.  Off-season acquisition John Lannan received the starting nod and had a mediocre start in his Phillies debut, pitching 2 innings while allowing 1 run.

Smith Trade Could Impact Eagles

                Earlier today the San Francisco 49ers agreed to trade quarterback Alex Smith to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2nd round draft pick and a conditional 2014 draft pick.  It had been widely speculated that the 49ers would ship Smith to a new team this off-season after Colin Kaepernick took his starting role while he was injured.

Win Against Billikens Could Save Hawks Season

          Tonight the Saint Joseph's University Hawks will visit the Saint Louis Billikens in an Atlantic 10 match up that could have huge implications for the Hawks.  After being predicted to win the A-10 in the pre-season, the Hawks have not lived up to their billing, but a win against the 18th ranked Billikens could be the turn around the Hawks need. 

One. Two. Three, Four, Five. Six Game Losing Streak

      The 76ers faced off against the Orlando Magic Tuesday night with a great chance to end their five game losing skid. A very young Magic squad arrived in Philadelphia without Jameer Nelson, one of their few veterans, as he was out with a knee injury. The Magic came in on a 10 game road losing streak and only winning 3 of their last 31 games. This could not be set up any better for the Sixers to snap their own streak against an inexperienced, losing team with five rookies on their roster.
      The 1st quarter was kept close even though at times it seemed the Sixers would race ahead. Philadelphia's defense kept Orlando to 18 points as the Sixers took a two point lead to the 2nd quarter. The 76ers went on a 9-0 run early in the 2nd quarter, but the Magic were able to take back the lead after four Philadelphia turnovers and scoring on the fast break with a run of their own.

Welcome Home Simon!

       One of the last things I expected to happen today was to get a text that Simon Gagne had been traded back to the Flyers, but weirder things have happened.  If you've been a Flyers fan for any longer than 5 years there is no way you can't be excited about this.  The Los Angeles Kings sent him back to Philly for a conditional 4th round draft pick.  We will have to see what the condition is on that draft pick.  Hopefully it's tied to Gagne playing a certain number of games.  Gagne has been a healthy scratch for the Kings as of late, and though he missed a majority of the season last year he came back in time to contribute to the Stanley Cup Series and get his name on the trophy.
       It would be nice to see Gagne suit up for tomorrow's game, since I'll be there on assignment, though there's no telling exactly when he'll hit the lineup.  If Gagne does play soon he'll most likely be on the third line with Knuble and Couturier.  It will be interesting to see who gets sent down to the Phantoms to make room, probably McGinn or Harry Z, though I hope not McGinn since he is entertaining as hell to watch.  $3.5 million against the cap sort of hurts this year, but I don't see Gagne sticking around much longer after this year and if he goes at least he will retire a Flyer.  Even though he's injury prone he can still be productive as a leader and mentor.  Gagne also put up 5 assists in 11 games this season and contributed an average of 14 minutes per game.  Nostalgia is in full swing today, glad to have you back Gagne!  What's a Stanley Cup ring look like?

What Can Brown Do for You? Dom Brown Goes Yard

                The Phillies picked up their first win in Grapefruit League play, in a game at Bright House Field against the Yankees.  Kyle Kendrick got the nod for the start of the game as he tries to solidify a spot in the starting rotation.

Eagles Update

                On Monday the Philadelphia Eagles released a pair of Defensive Tackles, veterans Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson.  This is just the beginning of what appears to be a busy off-season ahead.

Nova Loss Could Cost Them Tournament Bid

                Villanova who had been making a solid case for an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament suffered a bit of a setback in last night's loss to Seton Hall.  The Wildcats were leading when Fuquan Edwin hit a 3-pointer with 8.9 seconds left in the game to take the lead for the Pirates.

Voracek named NHL's #1 Star this week

       Jakub Voracek, whose output has absolutely exploded these past five games, was named the NHL's number 1 star for the week ending yesterday.  Nobody in the league had more points than Voracek this past week.  The Czech finished the week with 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points.  After registering his first ever 4 point game in a 7-0 thrashing against the Islanders, Voracek topped that with his first ever hat trick against the arch-rival Pittsburgh Penguins.  Voracek now leads the Flyers in goals (7), assists (15) and points (22).
       Voracek has benefited greatly from being moved to the top line with Claude Giroux.  Giroux is registering a higher number of assists as of late, thanks to Voracek, who has proved to be a more-than-suitable replacement for Jaromir Jagr, who is now entertaining tens of fans in Dallas.  Even in this strike-shortened season Voracek is on pace to break his NHL season high for goals.  If anyone had any reservations about Voracek after he signed his four-year, $17 million deal in July the last few games should resolve all that.  Voracek will be a mainstay in Philly for years to come.  It seems as though the Flyers have turned a corner this past week and Jakub Voracek was the catalyst.  Bring on the Caps.

Phillies Mauled by Tigers

               The Phillies were thoroughly mauled by the Detroit Tigers in this afternoons contest at Bright House Field in Clearwater.  The Phillies were able to collect only 5 hits in a blowout 10-1 loss to the Tigers, that saw few bright spots.

More Disappointment for the 76ers

         The 76ers began the second half of the season with a record of 22-29 and 4 games out of the 8th playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. Needing a solid second half start, the 76ers began play against the Kevin Love-less Timberwolves in Minnesota and following their trend of terrible play on the road they lost 94-86. The Wolves never trailed as Nikola Pekovic dominated the paint on both sides of the ball accumulating 27 points and 18 rebounds. The Sixers really had no one to contend with Pekovic's strength and size and it reflected in the numbers as the Sixers were out-rebounded 51-39. Evan Turner had 17 points to lead the Sixers and Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 5 assists after his first all-star appearance.

Temple Handily Defeats Charlotte

               After only defeating Charlotte by one point in an 89-88 victory February 6th, the Temple Owls manhandled the 49ers in the teams second go-around.  After an impressive win over a strong La Salle team on Thursday night, the Owls came out of the gate firing.

La Salle Defeats Rhode Island in Hard Fought Game

               In a game that was a little to close for comfort, the La Salle Explorers defeated the Rhode Island Rams 72-65.  The win improved the Explorers record to 19-7 while the Rams fell to 8-18.  The Rams figured to be an easy win for an Explorers team that has NCAA Tournament aspirations, but was anything but that.

Phillies vs. Tigers Recap

                The Phillies visited the Detroit Tigers on Sunday at Joker Marchant Stadium in their second game of the Spring.  The game featured a premier pitching match up between Roy Halladay and Justin Verlander, albeit for only two innings.

Phillies Fall in First Spring Game

                The Phillies kicked off their Grapefruit League action Saturday with an 8-3 loss to the newest member of the American League, the Houston Astros.  While the final score was not very good for the Phillies, there was promising moments in the game.

Saint Joseph's Picks Up Much Needed Win

                After being thoroughly outplayed and outmatched a week ago against La Salle at the Palestra, Saint Joseph's picked up a much needed win today against George Washington.  The Hawks won by a final score of  71-59 and dominated for the majority of the game.

Papelbon's Comment the Spark Phillies Need

               Jonathan Papelbon caused a bit of a stir yesterday after he talked about the lack of clubhouse leadership on the 2012 Phillies in an interview.  Papelbon was quoted as saying, "Since I’ve been here I haven’t seen any leadership."  

Big 5 Title Split by La Salle & Temple

                In a premier match up of Big 5 schools tonight, Temple was able to defeat La Salle by a score 82-74 and force a split of the Big 5 crown, preventing La Salle from taking the crown outright.    While the final score looks relatively close, the game was not as tight as it appeared.

Flyers even the score, beat Penguins 6-5

       Boy did the Flyers ever need this one, and thankfully they got it.  After losing the first game of the season to the Penguins at the Well every Philly fan was left with a sour taste in their mouths.  I, for one, refuse to be second best compared to Pittsburgh at anything, except for maybe obesity or depression, Pittsburgh pretty much has the market cornered on those.
       Losing this game was not an option tonight.  Only getting 1 point was not an option.  A win was needed so as not to waste the momentum garnered from the 7-0 beating placed on the Islanders two days ago.  This game was sloppy at times to say the least, but overall really fun to watch.  Voracek seemed to be everywhere tonight, recording a hat trick by the time the night was through.  Simmonds was also a force tonight recording a Gordy Howe hat trick, a rare pleasure. (2 goals, 1 assists, 1 fight)
       Though I'd like to say the Flyers high-powered offense was the reason for this win, the truth is Pens' goaltender Tomas Vokoun and their defense looked off tonight.  The first goal the Flyers scored, by Grossmann, came with ALL FIVE Penguins skaters inside the crease.  It was an absolute clusterf--k in front of the net.  Thankfully Grossmann was able to keep his eye on the puck and punch it in.
       The Flyers seemed almost determine to hand the game over to Pittsburgh in the third period.  After two double minors in a row for high-sticking and over 4 minutes of 5-on-3 play the Flyers managed to escape still in the lead.  After a minute or two of even strength play Brandon Sutter tied the game for the Pens.  Luckily Voracek was able to undo that a mere 32 seconds later with his third goal, another ugly looking one the Vokoun really shouldn't have let in.  Not a pretty win, but I'll take it.  With that win the Flyers move into a tie for the final playoff spot in the East with plenty of hockey left to play.

Notes: -The Flyers record in the Consul Energy Center is now 6-1.  Safe to say Philly owns that building.
           -In another act of general Pittsburgh douchebaggery the announcer now seems to be pretending the players are wrestlers after they score a goal.  As evidenced by James 'The Real Deal' Neal being used over the PA tonight.

Utley to See Spring Action For First Time Since 2010

               Reports emerged from Clearwater today that Chase Utley is due to see his first Spring Training action in 2 years.  More encouraging is that Utley is scheduled to play consecutive days, with an intrasquad game on Friday and the opening of Grapefruit League play on Saturday.

Time to Free Quarles & Other Reserves

                Only 5 games remain in Saint Joseph's University's basketball season, one that has been filled with disappointment.  The Hawks who were predicted to win the Atlantic 10 and received some votes to be ranked in the pre-season are currently 14-10 and 5-6 in conference play.

La Salle Visits Temple With Big 5 Crown Up For Grabs

                After overwhelming the Saint Joseph's Hawks in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday at the Palestra and shooting the lights out, the La Salle Explorers will travel to the Licouras Center to face the Temple Owls with an outright Big 5 Title on the line.

Heated Competition for Remaing Bullpen Spots

                The Phillies figure to carry 7 pitchers in the bullpen to start the season in 2013, and barring injuries, 4 of those spots are likely taken already.  Locks for the bullpen look to be Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Adams, Antonio Bastardo, and Chad Durbin.

76ers' Mid-season Review

All-Star Weekend marks the unofficial “half-way point” for the NBA season. Ok, maybe it’s not even close to the halfway point of an 82 game season, but it’s a good time to reflect on an underwhelming season for the 76ers. The preseason blockbuster trade that sent Andre Iguodala to the Nuggets and that acquired Andrew Bynum from the Lakers seemed to mark a new era for the Sixers, one where they could build around an All-Star center. Hopes were high that the Sixers could solidify a playoff spot for the third straight year. However, sticking with the theme of ‘disappointment’ in Philadelphia sports this year, things have not gone according to plan. Bynum has yet to play a game and through 51 games the Sixers stand at 22-29, not currently holding a playoff berth. 

Positives:

Jrue Holiday- The young point guard has had a breakout season so far and was named a first time all-star. Jrue has been proven himself as the best player on the roster and has been producing career highs in points, rebounds, and assists per game. He is also shooting a healthy 45% from the field and has already recorded 14 double-doubles and his second career triple-double. Luckily for Sixers fans, the 22-year-old signed four year extension with the team earlier this season and should be a star for years to come.

Thad Young-The sixth year forward has had a great season leading the team with 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Although the rotation was in question before the season, Thad has solidified himself as the starting power forward and should remain so if/when Bynum returns. The only downfall of Young’s play this season has been his decline in free throw percentage (57%, down from his career average of 70%). Recently, Thad has been sidelined with a hamstring injury but should return within the next two weeks and re-energize the team.

Negatives:  

            Injuries- The 76ers have been injury-plagued all season and it has certainly hurt their performance. Their once hoped-to-be franchise center has yet to play because of nagging knee injuries and has since suffered countless setbacks (...from bowling). At first Andrew Bynum was set to miss only a few weeks, then return in January, then return before the All-Star break, but each return date came and went with nothing to show except progressively stranger Bynum hairstyles. Knee injuries have also ended Jason Richardson’s season. The former Slam Dunk champ, bothered by injuries all year, was not the scorer they thought he would be when the team acquired him in the Bynum trade. And recently, Thaddeus Young has been out with a hamstring issue for a few weeks; however he should not be sidelined for much longer.

            

            Tough Division- Although starting out strong, the Sixers have fallen behind in their division and now are fourth in the Atlantic division, 10.5 games behind the first place Knicks and only 2 games in front of the last place Raptors. The Atlantic division has been particularly competitive this season with the Knicks off to a surprisingly dominant start, the Nets continuing to improve after firing Avery Johnson, and the Celtics playing well recently even after losing Rajon Rondo to a partially torn ACL. Even the Raptors have been making noise winning 7 of 9 after the Rudy Gay trade.

           

           Road Woes- The 76ers have been awful on the road, winning only 6 of 22. On the other hand, they are 16-13 at the Wells Fargo Center. Unfortunately, only 12 of the remaining 31 games will be played at home. Coach Collins needs to find a way to motivate his young team to elevate their play when away from Philly.   

            

           Blake Posterizing Spencer Hawes Last Week- Ouch… it was bound to happen to somebody. Maybe with Bynum in the paint that wouldn't happen… 

       The second half of the season for the Sixers starts February 20^th in Minnesota against the equally injured depleted Timberwolves. The remaining 31 games include 4 against divisional rivals and 3 against the reigning champion Heat. The Sixers are 4 games out of the 8^th seed, currently held by the Bucks, and 5.5 games behind the 7^th seeded Celtics. Hopefully the return of Thad and (cross your fingers) Bynum can spark the Sixers to catch up. Otherwise, the Sixers could be caught in the awkward spot of missing the playoffs and not owning a high enough draft pick to make an impact for next year.

Flyers 7, Islanders 0

       In one of the most impressive showings of the season so far, the Flyers downed the New York Islanders today 7-0 at the Nassau Coliseum.  Claude Giroux took responsibility over the weekend and told the Flyers that the production needed to pick up starting with himself.  G had one of those games that we all knew he was capable of, scoring only 26 seconds into the game.  When Giroux scores in the first minute of a game you just know it's going to be a good one, case and point: the shift against the Penguins last playoffs.  Giroux also tacked on an extra goal and assist in the second period for good measure.
       Jakub Voracek looked like a finely-tuned assist machine out there today, notching 4, a career high.  Danny Briere joined the party with 2 goals and Schenn, Read and Rinaldo each also had 1 goal.  Bryz had a great day too, earning his first shutout of the season by denying 19 shots.  Hard to take anything negative away from the Flyers today.  Hopefully this is the game that wakes them up.  They manage to pass the Islanders in the standing with this win.  Now there is no turning back.  If they can go into Pittsburgh Wednesday and beat the Penguins they will have all the momentum of a truck going downhill with no brakes when they come back to Philly the 21st for a 5-game home stand.
       On a side note, it was good to see Keith Aucoin out there on the ice today with 11 minutes for the Islanders.  Back when I had season tickets for the Hershey Bears (what? I grew up out that way) he was definitely one of the 3 most exciting players to watch on the team.  Even though he's getting on in years and it's already taken him this long to get to the pros at least he sort of kind of makes the Islanders worth watching.
       Islanders, you may now return to your post at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.