I know posts have been sparse lately, but with the holiday and a 6-day trip home to Philadelphia, I've been busy. But, there's always time to write a quick few words about the things that I am thankful for this time of year.

1. Hockey.

It's like this: You love your girlfriend, you think she's beautiful, and you can't imagine that things could get much better. And then she goes on a vacation for a couple of weeks, and comes home with a tan and implants. All of a sudden, she's all you can think about. I mean, you loved her before, but a combination of the makeover and the time apart has created even more passion that you thought possible.

That's how I feel about the NHL.

2. Josh Beckett.

Sure, it will be tough to judge the success of this trade for a few years, until we've had a chance to see how Hanley Ramirez develops, and how Beckett handles pitching in Fenway. But I have a sneaking suspicion that the Boston Red Sox and their marketing machine of Gammons and Company have just convinced everyone that Hanley is the second coming, and it just paid off in the form of Josh Beckett.

3. Bill Mueller.

The acquisition of Mike Lowell and a failure to produce anything offensively in the 2005 postseason seems to hint that Bill Mueller's career as a Boston Red Sox is nearing an end. Thanks, Billy, for being the most Professional member of the Boston Red Sox in years. Thanks for the World Series ring, the other ring that my fellow female Sox bloggers are so fond of, and the Grimace. And thank you, thank you, thank you for July 24, 2004. I will never forget what will go down in history as my favorite day at Fenway.

4.

This arrived on my doorstep on Monday, thanks to Claudia. It's currently sitting on a shelf with my Pedro Martinez box of Wheaties. Now I just need to find the Kevin Millar Collector's Edition bottle of Jack Daniels, and I'll be all set.

5. Chickie's and Pete's.

The finest establishment in Philadelphia, and I will be there. Tomorrow.

6. The Denver Broncos.

I would have preferred a blowout yesterday, but thank you, Denver, for sending all of those Cowboys fans home unhappy after an overtime loss. Happy Thanksgiving, indeed.

7. Family.

It took a whopping three minutes before our Thanksgiving dinner turned to a debate about the Eagles current situation, Terrell Owens, Andy Reid vs Ken Hitchcock, and Bob Clarke's success as GM.

It's good to be home.

8. Speaking of family, thanks to them, I'll be attending my first game at the Linc today. Sure, there will be no McNabb, no T.O., and while we're at it, no Hank Fraley, no Lito Sheppard, no Tra Thomas, no Greg Lewis, no Artis Hicks. But, it's still the Linc, it's still the Eagles, and it's still the absolute craziness of football in Philadelphia.

Go Iggles.

A-Rod beat out Ortiz for AL MVP.

The Flyers lost a game they should have won.

The Eagles lost to the Cowboys.



As far as I'm concerned, yesterday never happened.

Fox has given us such gems as The Simple Life, Who Wants To Marry a Multi-Millionaire, Paradise Hotel, American Idol, Temptation Island, and of course, Cops.

So then, should it really be any surpise that the dumbing down of America has resulted in poor ratings for Fox's recently cancelled Arrested Development?

You can't have it both ways, Fox. Way to go.

RIP Pelle Lindbergh
November 10, 1985

Two months before I attended my very first Flyers game at the age of 6, the death of the Flyers' 25 year old goaltender, the 1985 Vezina Trophy winnner, stunned the city of Philadelphia, not to mention the entire NHL and his homeland of Sweden.

20 years later, his memory lives on in the minds of Flyers fans, and hockey fans, everywhere. If you are not familiar with his story, I urge you to read this phenomenal account of his life and career, which were both cut tragically short.

Breaking News:

Terrell Owens opened his mouth one too many times, it seems. Andy Reid announced today that Owens was suspended for four games without pay and would not return to the team following his suspension.

On one hand, the Birds will no doubt miss his performance on the field, which was never anything less than stellar. On the other hand, perhaps this will allow the rest of the clubhouse to regroup, move on, and fully prepare for the Monday night game against the hated Cowboys.

One major knock against the Eagles this year has been that they've looked mentally unprepared. Whether or not that has something to do with the turmoil Owens has caused in the clubhouse, we'll never know. But since Owens was dismissed from the team, players have started talking, and what they're saying implies a connection.

Donovan McNabb: "Obviously, it's tough losing a guy of his caliber, but I think we might be better off. I think we played well together as a team. Nothing against him and his attitude, but this game is about playing together."

Hugh Douglas: "T.O. is a great receiver, but he's also a troubled soul. Something's not right. Most of the leaders on the team felt that T.O.'s a grown man and he needed to handle himself accordingly. But it was a situation where we didn't know how crazy this man was, you know what I mean? We just didn't know how many issues this man had and it just got out of hand. I think everybody was sitting around like, 'Wow, I didn't know this man was this crazy.'"

Anonymous Eagles Player: "People are tired. People want peace and calm in the locker room so they can focus, so they can think without distractions. When it's over and over and over and over and over, it wears on you."

Now that Owens is out of the picture, one would hope the Eagles will return to playing the kind of football they played last year, with the added motivation of wanting to prove they can win without Owens. Unfortunately, there's no formula for how long it takes to get back that chemistry. Last night, in a 17-10 loss to the Washington Redskins, we learned that two days isn't quite long enough. But with the Cowboys coming to town for a Monday night showdown, Eagles fans are hoping and praying that 7 days is more than enough.

There are a few things you can count on from the Eagles front office. They'll rarely offer a player over 30 years of age a contract renewal, they'll never give in on a contract dispute, and they like to show holdouts who's boss, even if that means jeopardizing the future of the team. Sometimes it seems like the Eagles front office enjoys nothing more than looking for every opportunity to piss offthe players with whom they're not in total agreement.

Today, after suspending Terrell Owens indefinitely, the Eagles were able to accomplish one of those goals in a big way, but they had to budge on another. On the eve of the signing deadline, the Eagles and Brian Westbrook agreed on a 5 year deal worth nearly $25 million. This signing, a huge relief to Eagles fans, was a bit surprising in that every contract dispute in Eagles history would have predicted this one not getting done in time. Are the Eagles front office glad to have Westbrook tied up for 5 years? Of course. But are they also thrilled that this signing will surely anger an already self-pitying Terrell Owens?

You bet.

Sometimes, a picture is not worth a thousand words. Every once in a while, a picture can't do justice to what was, hands down, one of the most beautiful goals any Flyers fan will see all season.

With under a minute remaining in the first period of last night's Flyers/Capitals game and the Flyers killing a penalty, rookie Jeff Carter stole the puck from Caps rookie sensation Alexander Ovechkin at the blue line. He flew past defenseman Jamie Heward and raced down the left side. Carter deked around defenseman Steve Eminger, faked a shot, and once goalie Brent Johnson had committed, he put the puck into an empty net to give the Flyers a 3-1 lead.

It was his second goal of the night, and only one of eight the Flyers scored that night, but it was by far the most magnificent.

Girl on Girl Action

This morning, a few foxy Red Sox bloggers tossed around the idea of hiring a female GM.

_______

Annette: Okay, here's a question for y'all: how would we feel about a female Red Sox GM? And how do we think she woud be percieved? Would she be judged on her own merits or would it be viewed as some sort of PR stunt?

I ask this because there are starting to be whispers about Kim Ng of the Dodgers being a possible GM candidate. She comes with excellent qualifications. She's the current assistant GM for the Dodgers and before that she was an assistant GM with the Yankees and worked closely with Stick Michael.

Kristen: I feel like it'd be a tough sell and not because it'd be viewed as a PR stunt. I think Boston is a notorious insider town. We loved Theo, in part, because he was a local boy.

Meredith: She'd be treated differently by the majority of the other GMs she dealt with and it would take a while for her to get them to take her seriously. Some bad trades/signings and, unlike Theo, she'd be roasted IMMEDIATELY. Some good moves and, of course, some people would say that she was being helped by others in the organization. I think the younger generation might react better to it than say, men of 60 or 70 years of age. I can't see older men approving of such a move.

But the bottom line is that she'd have to be given a fair chance by the owners, because she'd need twice as long to prove herself. She would have to work for owners who believe in her, wouldn't mind some public backlash, and wouldn't give up her after one bad trade.

Women in a man's world are never treated fairly. At least, not in the beginning.

Annette: I agree with both of you. And her not being given a fair shake would be what would concern me most. I think her being "a chick" would be fine for most anyone ages 2 to about 55/60. I think guys our dad's ages wouldn't have an issue with that. It's people our grandfather's ages that would probably freak out.

I think what would concern me most about it is that baseball is a notorious old boys club. It is very hard to break into baseball if you don't have a penis. But on the other hand, the fact that she rose to assistant GM in two of the largest baseball markets speaks to her tenacity.

If she's qualified, then I would hope that the Red Sox front office would be willing to give her serious consideration.

Amy: With the fans' mindset of how involved Lucchino is in processes right now, she might have a better mistake cushion here than elsewhere. There also may be MORE patience because she's female than a random male Theo replacement would have.

No doubt it's a tough road but the way male non-players have been becoming more visible, it's about time.

Meredith: Do any of you remember Manon Rheaume? She was a female goaltender who played a handful of games with the Tampa Bay Lightening when the team first started up. It was most likely a publicity stunt since the team was new and needed attention. But she was never taken seriously. She was a punchline, even before anyone knew whether or not she was any good.

To most men, women don't belong in professional sports, unless they're buying the beer, planning the event, or cleaning up after it's over.

Amy: Do you think location matters?

Meredith: Only in that Boston is a tougher city than, say, Milwaukee. I'd imagine a female GM in NY or Boston would have a tougher go at it than in Kansas City or Milwaukee.

Kristen: Agreed. I can think of only a handful of cities where the firing/resignation of a successful GM would cause the same kind of riot it's causing now. Boston, New York, possibly St. Louis and maybe Atlanta. The bottom line is that we are insane here and we pay attention to things like front office moves. I'd venture that a lot of fans in say, Milwaukee or Tampa Bay don't even know the names of the team's GMs. Which is fine. Different breeds of fans. That said, whoever gets the position will be under way more scrutiny than in one of those less rabid cities. It's the nature of dealing with a dedicated and passionate fan base. But I still think the scrutiny will be more severe it the GM is female. Deservedly so or not.

Annette: Would she though? Or would we be more accepting of a female GM than say a Milwaukee or a Tampa Bay?

It's fascinating to think about. And I think she has a better shot here than most anywhere else. This is the ownership that was not afraid to give Bill James a job. Or to hire a 28yr old "kid" back in 2003. They don't mind thinking outside the box.

Kristen: People still think that Hazel Mae is going to sleep with the entire team. Whether or not she is is almost beside the point. The fact that the issue ever gets raised is the point.

Breaking news:

Receiver Terrell Owens has told the Eagles that his availability for two key NFC East games against the Redskins and Cowboys is in jeopardy because of a sprained ankle he sustained against the Broncos in Denver on Sunday, sources have told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
______

Somewhere in Wisconsin, Freddie Mitchell cackles as he sticks another pin in his Philadelphia Eagles voo doo doll, which, at this point, has more holes than the Eagles D Line.

There were loads of questions surrounding the Sixers before their season opener. Are Webber's knees ruined forever? Can an older, achier Iverson continue to play at such a high level? Has Dalembert bulked up enough to become a force in the paint? Can Korver develop his game to become more than just a three-point threat? Can Mo Cheeks reach this team in a way that Jim O'Brien never could? Will Iguodala find ways to score other than highlight-film caliber dunks and become more of a complete player? And, of course, the biggest of them all: Will Iverson and Webber be able to co-exist?

Obviously those questions can't all be answered in one night. But given what we saw of Allen Iverson and Chris Webber, despite last night's disappointing outcome, Sixers fans have reasons to smile.

Despite leading for the majority of the night, the Sixers went cold in the final 70 seconds of regulation and lost 117-108 in overtime to the Milwaukee Bucks. Sure, it was a game they should have won. And sure, that is something that will have to be addressed. But if the Sixers continue to play the way they played last night, with a few obvious tweaks, of course, they should be in good shape. Iverson finished the night with 35 points and 9 assists, while Webber ended up with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists. It was Webber's finest performance in a Sixers uniform, and Iverson continued to do the things he's done his entire career. The two played as well together as anyone could have hoped.

The first basket of the season was a Chris Webber layup, assisted by Allen Iverson. One can only hope there will be much more of that in the Sixers' future.

"In my time as general manager, I gave my entire heart and soul to the organization. During the process leading up to today's decision, I came to the conclusion that I can no longer do so. In the end, my choice is the right one not only for me but for the Red Sox. My affection for the Red Sox did not begin four years ago when I started working here, and it does not end today."

With that, Theo Epstein resigned as General Manager of the Boston Red Sox. This morning, everyone has an opinion on why Epstein left what was, four years ago, his dream job. "He's greedy, and they weren't offering him enough money," some bloggers wrote. "He was tired of walking down the street and being noticed," others claimed. Still others feel that Epstein wanted more power over the future of the team than he was given. It's human nature to want to take sides, so to see Red Sox fans everywhere calling for the heads of CEO/President Larry Lucchino and Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy isn't much of a surprise.

But here's the thing: Theo did not leave the Red Sox for one specific reason, but more for a combination of all of the things summarized above - and more. Likewise, blame for Theo's departure doesn't lay with just one party.

It's no secret that Boston is a tough place to be a professional athlete - especially a member of the Red Sox. The city lives and breathes Red Sox baseball. Privacy is virtually non-existant; win and you'll be lauded everywhere you go, lose and you'll hear about it - often. In a city that loves their own, Theo, born and raised in Brookline, experienced a kind of fame like no GM in Red Sox history. Did this play a part in his decision to leave the club? Probably.

It's also no secret that there had been issues deep within the front office between Epstein and Lucchino. Perhaps Theo didn't feel he had the front office's full support to make the moves that would benefit the team in the future, such as promoting the team's young prospects instead of signing high-paid free agent veterans. Perhaps he resented the front office's negotiating tactics and penchant for using the media to spin stories their way. Did both of those play a part in his decision to leave? Probably.

And then there's the idea that perhaps Theo was just ready for a change. Much has been made recently of his desire to follow in his brother's footsteps and dedicate himself to a cause a bit more socially conscious than building a baseball team. Did this, possibly, play a small part in his decision to leave? Probably.

In the end, none of us will ever really know what prompted Theo to pack up his office on a cold Halloween night. What we do know is that while he isn't the only General Manager capable of building a winning team, his accomplishments will not long be forgotten. Many bloggers are falling over themselves this morning to point out that all Epstein did was inherit a winning team. While he did inherit a powerful brand name and a handful of terrific players, to claim that he inherited a World Series championship caliber team is nothing short of ridiculous. He signed a guy who had been waived by the Minnesota Twins in January of 2003 - a guy by the name of David Ortiz. ''He has a very high ceiling. You're looking at a player with the potential to be a middle-of-the-lineup bat in the big leagues, " Epstein said of Ortiz. He also flew to Arizona to have Thanksgiving dinner with the Schilling family in 2003 and proceeded to convince Curt Schilling, who was deadset against playing in Boston, to sign with the team. That same off-season he signed closer Keith Foulke, who, along with Schilling and Ortiz, played a key role in bringing Boston their first World Series in 86 years. But perhaps the move Epstein will be most remembered for came on July 31, 2004 when he traded Nomar Garciaparra, the face of the franchise and easily the most popular Sox player in years, and brought shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to Boston. He was villified for weeks in Boston for the unpopular move, but Theo had the last laugh on October 30, 2004, when Cabrera, Mientkiewicz, and the rest of Theo's Boston Red Sox paraded through the streets of Boston with the World Series trophy.

No GM is irreplaceable, but finding someone as charasmatic, intelligent, and well-liked as Epstein will be a challenge. Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, and Terry Francona have publicly expressed their disappointment with Theo's departure. There are countless rumors that Theo was the only member of the front office with whom the players identified, and that Lucchino, specifically, is disliked and distrusted by a majority of the players. These issues all raise key questions, some of which have already been asked by a handful of players: Will it be difficult to find a GM who knows, going in, that he won't hold 100% of the power? Will this affect future free agent's decisions to sign in Boston? Will this stunt the growth of Boston's farm system, something only Epstein seemed concerned with? Will this be the cause of a mass exodus among Theo's staffers?

"My passion for and dedication to the game of baseball remain strong. Although I have no immediate plans, I will embrace this change in my life and look forward with excitement to the future."

At the moment, Red Sox fans wish they could do the same.