Breaking News:

ESPN Deportes is reporting that David Ortiz has signed an extension with the Red Sox to the tune of $50 million. The report states that the Greatest Clutch Hitter in the History of the Boston Red Sox would receive $12.5 million per season from 2007 until 2010.

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Some will say this is too much money for a 30-year old DH who is pretty awful in the field. I say:

Flyers vs Maple Leafs: A Series of Incomplete Thoughts

Brian Savage is a brutal career -76. The Flyers have been killed by injuries this year, but thank god he's healthy.

Michal Handzus for President? I'd vote for him tomorrow.

There are players that you hate only because they're not on your team, and should they be suddenly traded to your team, would become your favorite player. Then there is Darcy Tucker.

If Mario Lemieux saw Jean-Sebastian Aubin's performance tonight, he's mostly likely now curled up in the fetal position in his bathtub.

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The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and the regular hockey season is wrapping up. It's springtime in Philadelphia, the NHL playoffs are almost here, and surprise, surprise, we have a goalie controversy.

Ever since the Olympics, Ken Hitchcock has been alternating between his two goalies. While rookie Antero Niittymaki has been a little bit better of late, the playoff job certainly seems to still be up in the air. Unless you ask Robert Esche.

"The writing is on the wall," Esche said last Sunday. "[Hitchcock] hasn't said anything to me, and I really don't know what's going to happen, but I'll bet you right now that [Niittymaki] is the starter and is going to be the starter for the rest of the year.

"It's not tough to analyze, I don't think, anyway. I'm not really sure why but obviously [Hitchcock] has gotten a lack of confidence in my game somehow. I don't know why. I've been having a tough time all year trying to put my finger on it. So I don't know.

"I know one thing: This has been a frustrating year."

To hear a goalie concede the starting job might lead you to believe that his numbers are less than subpar. But that simply isn't the case. Niittymaki has 22 wins, 12 losses, and 6 ties with a 2.96 GAA and a save % of 8.96, while Esche has 18 wins, 9 losses, 4 ties, a 3.06 GAA and a save % of 8.92.

Ok, so if their numbers are nearly identical, maybe Esche is bothered by a lack of playing time. But a quick peek at the calendar shows that, no, that isn't the case either. Niittymaki and Esche have both started 7 games in March.

A closer look at the calendar shows that Hitchcock has simply been sticking with the hot goalie, and in most cases, it has paid off. There's another factor, too, that shouldn't be ignored. It's no secret that Esche has been a better goalie on the road than at home this season. In 17 games at home, he's got a 3.55 GAA, but in 16 games on the road, his GAA drops down to 2.55. Likewise, his save percentage jumps from 8.75 to 9.10. Thus, it would make sense that Esche would be the starting goalie on the road while Niittymaki, with a home GAA of 2.99, would start at the Wachovia Center.

I was content, until Sunday, with letting the two goalies split the remaining starts in an effort to prove their worth before the playoffs. But upon hearing these comments from Esche, I'm not sure he has the mindset of a playoff goaltender. Had he simply complimented Nittyymaki on his recent outstanding performances, no one would have batted an eye. But when you publicly put words in the coaches mouth regarding a lack of faith, you plant a seed that may or may not have been there already. Call it a self-fulfilling prophesy or an already obvious decision: Nittyymaki will be the Philadelphia Flyers' playoff starter.

A Rivalry Reborn: Why I Once Again Hate The New York Rangers



the end.

Breaking News

The Red Sox have traded pitcher Bronson Arroyo to the Reds, along with some cash, for 24-year old outfielder Wily Mo Pena.

(link)

More to come.

In early 2003, I wrote an article about how Terrell Owens personified Philadelphia.

"I've long been of the opinion that Philadelphia is a city that is misunderstood. It has its shortcomings, of course, but it gets a bad rap as far as its attitude goes.

Much like T.O."

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and I might just want a do-over on that one. The one lesson that the Terrell Owens saga taught us is that you can't judge an athlete based on one game or even one season. What an athlete does over the course of his career is a fair basis on which to judge his character. With that in mind, it's obvious that the athlete I should have written about that day is Allen Iverson.

Early in his career, Allen Iverson's tremendous play was overshadowed by his so-called "gangsta" image. The middle-aged white baseketball fan had a hard time accepting Iverson with his cornrose and multitude of tattoos, though they'd never admit it now. Over time, though, most of them came around when they saw what we are still seeing night in and night out: a guy who gives 110% every single night; a guy who would do anything to win.

You see, that's what we like in Philadelphia, because that's what we are. While every city certainly has its fair share of lawyers and doctors, Philadelphia's history is rich in blue-collar workers who felt they had to work hard for everything they earned. For as long as sports have been popular in Philadelphia, the city's personality has been reflected in the style of its popular athletes. Offer us two players, the first of whom has a neverending supply of talent but whose work ethic is lacking, and the second of whom has middle-of-the-road talent accompanied by a gritty, tenacious, blue-collar effort, and we'll always choose the latter.

Philadelphians have a bad reputation, something we feel isn't totally justified. We're the city people love to hate. Our critics love to talk about our violent temper, our lack of championships, and our poor attitude. But when it comes to our passion, our hearts, and our loyalty, even our most staunch critics wave the white flag.

If that description reminds you of a certain 6-foot point guard, well...you're not alone. Allen Iverson, who personifies so many of the traits Philadelphians have come to associate with their beloved city, has become Philadelphia's modern day Rocky. He may not be the biggest, he may not be the strongest, and he may not be the most talented, but he'll always be the guy on the floor with the most heart and the best effort. At a time when some athletes are using steroids to pad their own stats, and others seem more interested in the lifestyle their job affords them, Allen Iverson is, deep down, a fan. He hungers for a championship in a way that all Philadelphians can understand, because we all feel that same burning deep down in our chests.

As the Sixers hover around the .500 mark, you can sense the frustration in Iverson's eyes. They speak to a lifetime of hard work and calloused hands and bruised knees and busted shoulders. But like his fans, Iverson will not give up. Each night he'll allow other teams to punish his body in exchange for a chance to win, just as we make vulnerable our hearts each and every season, as the hope of a championship glimmers, vaguely, off in the distance. Together we work and together we bleed in the hopes that someday, we'll find ourselves together at the corner of Broad and Pattison, this time with a different look in our eyes.