Danny Rogers

Well well well, after the smoke cleared Monday night the folks in Green Bay have something else to talk about besides Brett Farve and he goes by the name of Aaron Rodgers. After three seasons in Brett Favre's shadow, Rodgers made his first career NFL start tonight going 9-for-15 for 117 yards, one TD, and one int...and he looked pretty damn good doing it.

Looking back on the Aaron Rodgers saga, Rodgers, out of California, was expected to be selected early in the 2005 NFL Draft and was for a long time considered the potential number one pick overall. Thats right, how quickly we forget. Aaron Rodgers was once considered (and remained consdered all the way until the waking moments of the draft) the 1st overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft. As a junior, Rodgers led California to the No. 4 regular season ranking. The Bears lost only one regular season game that year, a closely contested and well-played game at #1 Southern California that the Bears lost 23-17. In that game, Rodgers set a school record for consecutive completed passes with 26 and tied a NCAA record with 23 consecutive passes completed in one game

As a matter of fact, after being shunned in the green room, his slip to the 24th overall choice became one of the biggest stories of the 2005 draft, but still he was the second quarterback taken in the draft behind the eventual #1 overall pick Alex Smith (who stinks by the way).

Rodgers, who came out to a semi standing ovation tonight, played the entire first quarter of the Packers first preseason game vs the Bengals (who also stink) and remained poised and confident throughout. His lone interception wasnt really his fault as it came on a bad drop by WR Chris Francies when the ball bounced off Francies' chest after Rodger hit him squarely in the bread basket. His TD came on a short slant route to second year WR James Jones who made a nice play on the ball thrown a bit high by Rodgers. James leaped for the ball, made the catch, got hit and ran about 15 yards into the end zone without his helpmet which was dislodged on the play. Rodgers, was all smiles, and so were the fans.

Welcome to Green Bay Aaron Rodgers and Goodbye Brett Farve, good bye.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"It's a good deal for Louis," Merle Scott, Williams' agent, told the Daily News. "It gives him a chance to grow with a team that's building and allows him to stay with the team he came into the league with."

Williams has been a pleasant surprise for the Sixers the last few seasons. The Sixers drafted Williams with the intent that he would eventually be the teams starting point guard someday but  the 6' 5'' Guard drafted 45th overall by the Sixers in the 2005 NBA draft out of South Gwinnett High School in Snelville, Ga., has become quite the scorer appearing in 80 games last season and averaged 11.3 points in 23 minutes. He provided most of that scoring off the bench being the 6th and 7th man in the rotation pretty much all year.

One down, one to go as the Sixers now continue to focus on signing last year's best player highly-coveted restricted free agent Andre Iguodala.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 05:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, well, well, the 2008 Major League Baseball trade deadline came and went at 4 p.m. today without the Phillies making any last minute moves. The Phillies claim they attempted to acquire a left handed reliever in order strengthen up their pen and provide lefty J.C Romero with some formidable help, but they apparently were unable to get a deal done for any of the available relievers.

"There are guys that slip through, but there is just a larger pool of players to pick from prior to (the deadline)," Gillick said.

Despite popular reports, the Phillies were never serious players to land Boston slugger Manny Ramirez, who would up being dealt to the LA Dodgers.

So what the plan now? I guess J.A. Happ is the savior? Please. Another year, same garbage.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

James Bell, the 6'5" G/SF from Orlando, FL has announced that he will join Villanova University to play for Jay Wright's Cats upon graduating Montverde Academy High School in 2010.

“I spoke to Coach (Jay) Wright and coach (Pat) Chambers and I talked it over with my mother and my grandmother,” “I like the coaching staff. I met the players. There’s a 100 percent graduation rate. I want to get my degree and be a part of the family that Coach Wright has created.”

Bell is known to be physical, strong and very athletic and can get to the rim and finish through contact. He also can shoot the 3 ball and is very quick in the post. Mostly all recruiting databases have Bell as a TOP 100 recruit for the 2010 class, ESPN has him listed as the 31st overall prospect.

This is another fine signing for Villanova as Jay Wright continues to build an empire which hopefully culminates with a championship. Dom Cheek, get on board my friend and lets go for a ride!

Posted by Danny Rogers at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Villanova's recruitment of Pennsbury High's star guard Dalton Pepper ended yesterday as the 6-5  senior-to-be gave a verbal commitment to Bob Huggins and the West Virginia Mountaineers. The gifted combo guard was one of several recruits for Jay Wright's Cats for the 2009 class and Pepper choose West Virginia over other local schools as well such as Lasalle and Temple.

"I liked it down there when I visited and wanted an opportunity to play," said Pepper, who averaged 22 points a game in leading the Falcons to the PIAA Class AAAA state semifinals and a school-record 30-3 mark. "I wanted to go away. That was a big factor in my decision. If I would have stayed home, I probably would have decided on Temple. Fran Dunphy is a great coach. But I really liked coach Huggins and West Virginia."

With the recruitment of Pepper officially over, Villanova can now focus more of their efforts on lureing all-american guard Dominic Cheek (St. Anthonys, NJ) to be the next big time recruit to land in Nova's already strong 2009 class.

Like all local talent, we wish Pepper the best and a long and succesful career in the big east.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Spectrum opened on Sept. 30, 1967, playing host to the Quaker City Jazz Festival. The first sporting event to be held there was a boxing match between Joe Frazier and Tony Doyle on Oct. 17, 1967. But for most of the devout Philadelphia sports fans in the area, the Spectrum holds a secure place in all our hearts as it graciously hosted the Sixers, the Flyers and their fans for several decades.

Comcast-Spectacor officials revealed yesterday that the city's oldest major professional-sports venue will be demolished to make way for a proposed hotel, retail and entertainment complex at the Broad Street and Pattison Avenue site. The dismantling will serve as an important step towards the construction of Philly Live!, a 300,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment complex to be built adjacent to the Wachovia Center. At least part of the complex is expected to sit on the area currently occupied by the Spectrum. Initial plans released in January had a hotel in the spot where the Spectrum now sits.

Ed Snider, who was instrumental in getting the arena built in 1967, said the demolition likely would take place next spring, after the seasons of its pro sports tenants, the Phantoms and Kixx, who are not sure where they will play in the future. “This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” said Snider said in a press release. “The Spectrum is my baby. It’s one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me.”

To be frank, it was one of the greatest things that happened to alot of us as we were all in some way touched by the Spectrum. As a youth hockey player for the Gladiators of Voorhees, NJ, I played quite a few games on the Spectrum ice. I also refereed two youth hockey games during intermissions of a two different Flyers games in the late 80's. The ice was so crisp and sharp and I remember thinking that the seats (and the fans) looked like they were right on top of you. Maybe that's because they were, and maybe thats why it was so loud.

Thinking back, it was definitely hockey, more than any other sport, and the Flyers, that put the Spectrum on the map, particularly the Stanley Cup teams of the mid-1970s. 

On May 19, 1974, Philadelphia was sent into euphoria after the organization's first Stanley Cup Championship was with a 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins at the Spectrum which ended with Gene Hart's legendary call of, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Flyers are going to win the Stanley Cup. The Flyers win the Stanley Cup. The Flyers win the Stanley Cup. The Flyers have won the Stanley Cup!" 

But it wasn't the Championship moments that i remember the most.  The thing I associate the Spectrum with the most, in terms of the Flyers, is their controversial Cold War showdown with the Soviet Central Red Army hockey team, widely considered the best team in the world. During the 1975-76 season, the Soviet red Army team toured North America and played a series of four games apiece against NHL clubs. The final game of the Soviets’ tour was played at the Spectrum on January 11, 1976 against the Flyers. Entering the contest, the Red Army was undefeated.  

The Flyers out-shot the Soviets, 49-13 and crushed them in an easy 4-1 victory but it wasn't the score or any of the goals that defined the game, or the Flyers, or its fans. Easily the most unforgettable moment of that game was when Flyers defenseman Ed Van Impe absolutely buried all-world center Valeri Kharlamov with a check in open ice. Kharlamov laid on the ice for minutes seemingly paralyzed as the Soviet bench screamed in protest. Red Army Coach Konstantin Loktev then, in a most cowardly gesture, removed his entire team from the ice and declared that the Soviets would not finish the game. The crowd and the Spectrum erupted.  I always remember my father telling me that Ed Snider raced down to the Soviet dressing room like a mad man after the Soviets left the ice to tell them that if they did not return, they wouldn't get paid. It was my father's favorite part of the story and he told it to me every time, and every time his smile got bigger. I never actually thought it was true. But later I found out it was. The Soviets returned, and the Flyers destroyed them.

There were other hockey memories as well from the Spectrum that stick out to me. How about Dec. 8, 1987 when Flyers goalie Ron Hextall became the first goalie in NHL history to shoot the puck into the opposition's goal. I loved Hextall, he was such a Flyer. 

Or May 28, 1987 when J.J. Daigneault scored the winning goal in Game 6 of the 1987 Stanley Cup finals against the Edmonton Oilers to force a game seven. I was at that game and it got so loud right after that goal that I couldn't even hear myself think. What an arena.

But the Spectrum was by no means just a hockey arena. The Spectrum also housed one of the most memorable moments in college basketball history when, in the Elite Eight of the 1992 NCAA tournament, Duke’s Christian Laettner hit a buzzer-beater to stun Kentucky, 104-103 in overtime.  Laettner's one-dribble, fake-left, spin-right, 17-foot jump shot at the buzzer became perhaps the most historic shot in NCAA basketball history and it happened right on the Spectrum floor.  Duke went on to defeat Michigan, 71-51, in the title game in Minneapolis to capture its second straight title but no one talks about that game, they only talk about "the shot". Why the heck didn't Kentucky guard the in bounds pass anyway? I'll never understand that.

And lets not forget your Philadelphia 76ers, who played many memorable games on the Spectrum floor, including 2 during the 1983 NBA finals when the "Fo, Fo, Fo" Sixers gave the Philadelphia its last championship.

And what about Dr J's dunk, and the many breakaway two-handed dunks by Sir Charles, all on the Spectrum floor.

We can go on and on and on.

All in all, the demolishing of the Spectrum will be a sad day for Philadelphia Sports fans but it also can be viewed as a symbol of growth and development for the city and its loving sports teams. But i will say this, for Philadelphia sports fans, there was no place, and i mean no place like the Spectrum to watch a game. I am just so glad that I was a part of it.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I had the opportunity yesterday to go with Paddy Da Pounder to the Reebok All-American Camp final day All-Star games at Philadelphia University in East Falls, PA and it was nothing short of spectacular. There were two All-Star games last night, one for the class of 2010 All-Stars, and another for the class of 2009 All-Stars.  In this column I will break down for you each of the Villanova recruits/prospects that participated in the both games as well as note the non-Villanova recruits who made an impression on me.

But before I start, I would like to mention that there were quite a few big name head coaches there last night to watch their respective recruits. When the Pounder and I arrived we immediately seated ourselves directly behind Florida head coach Billy Donovan who within moments scurried away to the front row to sit next to his buddy, Texas head coach Rick Barnes, so they could discuss mutual recruits such as all-everything guard Kenny Boynton from the class of 2009 (see my discussion on Boynton below). Other coaches of note that attending last night’s all-star game included Bill Self (Kansas), Bobby Huggins (West Virginia), Lorenzo Romar (Washington), Bruce Pearl (Tennessee) and Phil Martelli (St. Joes). Jay Wright did not attend but Villanova assistant coach Brett Gunning attended on his behalf.
 

Class of 2010

Tony Chenault, PG: Neumann-Goretti H.S. (PA)
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 170

Philadelphia’s own Tony Chenault from Neumann-Goretti, whom Villanova is known to have some interest in, didn’t start and played only sparingly in the 2010 All-Star game but from what I can tell, Chenault appears to be a power point guard who isn’t incredibly quick but is very efficient and always in control with the ball. He has enough strength inside to draw contact at the basket and has great court vision as well which was exemplified by the many times he was able to find the open man on the wing or underneath. To that end, he has a good upside and should continue to get better. He is definitely a high major point guard.

 

Joe Jackson, PG: White Station H.S. (TN)
Ht: 5'11" Wt: 160

Although on the 2010 All-Star game roster, speedy point guard Joe Jackson from White Station H.S. in Memphis Tennessee, whom is known to be linked to Villanova in terms of recruiting, did not play in last night’s all-star game for undisclosed reasons.

 

Patrick Young, PF: Paxon School For Advanced Studies (FL)
Ht: 6'8" Wt: 210 

Chenault and Jackson were the only two class of 2010 players on the 2010 all-star roster known to be linked to Villanova’s recruiting but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this kid in my synopsis of last night’s game. Where do I start. Well, he’s a beast. He is a freak athletically and was all over the glass, both offensively and defensively. He had numerous put backs, and quite a few thunderous dunks. In addition to being an incredible athlete, he runs the floor well and even has a very good handle for a big man as he lead the break a few times and was able to find the open man on the run. He has a pro body right now.  The reason why I think we aren’t hearing an awful lot about him as being a big time high major recruit for the 2010 class is that he is incredibly raw at this point and will need quite a bit of development in terms of establishing better footwork and simply becoming a basketball player in general. But trust me, this kid will end up in a high major conference somewhere and, if he develops, will turn out to be an terrific collegiate player. I know that Florida State and Virginia Tech are known to have interest in Young but after this camp and last night’s game, they will no longer be able to pluck this diamond out of the rough. Jay Wright, can you hear me? Recruit this kid…PLEASE.

Class of 2009

The class of 2009 All-Star game had a few notable Villanova recruits and players of interest:

Terrell Vinson, F: Montrose Christian H.S. (MD)
Ht: 6'7" Wt: 195

This kid is a really, really nice looking ball player. He moves smooth and effortlessly with and without the ball in the paint and on the perimeter and is one of those versatile, do it all players who can score a variety of different ways.  Last night, on offense, he set up mostly inside with his back to the basketball and when the ball was delivered to him he usually scored within the blink of an eye. No joke, he attacks the basket so well with the ball that he seems almost impossible to guard down low. He just finds a way to score. But besides having a great inside game, he can certainly pop up and stroke the 3 too, which he did a few times last night. He is just an extremely intelligent player with a good nose for the ball and a knack for scoring. Oh, and he plays “D” very well too. Last night be defended both the 3 and 4 positions very well.
It is well documented that Villanova is on a short list of schools that Vinson is now considering (Duke, Georgetown, Villanova) and my sources tell me that Villanova is the strong favorite, especially since Duke hasn’t offered  him yet. Landing Vinson, along with Waynns and Armwood, will give Jay Wright a top recruiting class in 2009 no doubt.

Aaric Murray, C: Glen Mills School (PA)
Ht: 6'11" Wt: 265

Villanova big man recruit Aaric Murray also made the 2009 All-Star game and started at Center. Here is what I learned about Murray. He’s a true 5 who rebounds and blocks shots effectively and enjoys banging in the low post. He’s not incredibly athletic but he does run the floor well for a kid his size and is certainly not unathletic by any means. He can also face up and shoot a decent eight to twelve-footer, score off a one or two-dribble spin move to the hoop, or finish feeds to the post. He’s without question a high major big man and will probably have a good career in the big east wherever he lands. West Virginia and Villanova appear to be the favorites for his services but I am hearing WVU is the clear front runner at this point. I actually had a chance to speak with Coach Huggins last night briefly about Murray and he really likes him. “He will be one of the top big men in the country when he is a senior” said Huggins “because remember, he has only played organized basketball for a few years and has made incredible strides in such a short time”.  I like Murray too, but just not as much as Huggins does. Either way, Villanova can use a true center who can play and that’s what Murray is.

Non-Villanova Recruits:

Kenny Boynton, G: American Heritage H.S. (FL)
Ht: 6'2" Wt: 180

Boynton was the best player on the floor last night, period, end of story.  Mostly every single recruiting database has Boynton ranked in the top 5 nationally for the class of 2009 but with all due respect to the other 4 players (none of whom I’ve seen play live) I find it hard to believe that there is a better player in the country than Boynton in his class. This kid was just amazing. He is your classic “one and done” player at the college level and he will be a lottery pick in the NBA draft in 2010.  First off, he can not be guarded. He is super fast with the ball, has a terrific handle and displayed an array of crossovers that left defenders just dizzy. He shoots the ball off the dribble with ease and is an outstanding finisher at the basket. He also shot the ball well from 3. He is strong both offensively and defensively and just flat out explosive.  I see him as a point guard in college (and the pros) although he can score with the best of them. Just a super, super player. He had Billy Donovan and Rick Barnes (both in the mix for Boynton) drooling at times over the thought of his services.
 

Avery Bradley, G: Bellarmine Preparatory School (WA)

Ht: 6'3" Wt: 180
 

Man this kid is really good too. He was the 2^nd best player on the floor behind Boynton both offensively and defensively. My notes on Bradley from last night: “Great handle”; “quick, good shot”; “bulldog on defense”; and “nice hops”. He guarded top guard prospect Brandon Knight most of the game and just flat out shut him down. On the other end of the court, Knight had an incredibly difficult time staying with Bradley. I was really impressed with him. He will be an outstanding collegiate player and future pro.

Abdul Gaddy, G: Bellarmine Preparatory School (WA)

Ht: 6'3" Wt: 180

Avery Bradley’s teammate and backcourt mate, Abdul Gaddy was probably the best pure point guard in the game last night and he is another special player.  He is a true lead guard who possesses a crisp handle and has a flair for the spectacular when it comes to passing in transition. His court demeanor is excellent, he never gets rattled, and is a clever finisher. I can’t imagine trying to game plan against a backcourt of Gaddy and Gradley at the high school level. It must be terrorizing.

 

 

  

 

 

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Posted by Danny Rogers at 01:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Its official Cats' fans. Villanova has received a verbal commitment from Isaiah Armwood, the 6'8 Four Star Forward from Montrose Christian of Rockville (MD). Armwood joins Philly star Guard Maalik Wayns on the list of class of 2009 recruits to verbally commit to Jay Wright's Cats. Make no mistake about it, this is great news for Villanova who was desperately in need of a high profile big man recruit; and Armwood, ranked by just about every recruiting database as a top 50 recruit, is just that.

If Jay Wright can lure Armwood's teammate, Terrel Vinson, SF/PF: Rank #20 (overall), into committing to Villanova, Villanova will likely have a top 5 recruiting class nationally for 2009.

Oh, and don't forget that former McDonald's All-American Taylor King, who transfered from Duke after last season, will also be eligible to play for the Cats in 2009. Not bad Jay Wright, not bad.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 09:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

For what its worth, class of 2009 recruit Dominic Cheek, out of Saint Anthony's High School, NJ visited Villanova's campus yesterday. Sources say that Nova may be on the outside looking in with respect to a commit from the 6"5 athletic wing however a visit to the campus is surely not a bad sign. 

Cheek remains top 10 player nationally in the class of 2009.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

 Maurice Sutton, a 6-10, 210-pound center-forward from Largo High (Upper Marlboro, Md.), is heading to Villanova. 

"It's a great opportunity for him," Howard said. "He felt like it was close to home and he liked what Coach [Jay] Wright was saying to him and the style of play they play at Villanova."

At Villanova, Sutton will join a roster that includes previous All-Mets Dante Cunningham (Potomac, Md.) and Scottie Reynolds (Herndon).

"They have quite a few local kids," Howard said. "That was a draw with him as well."

Sutton also considered Indiana and Seton Hall.

Villanova, who returns everyone save Grant from last year's roster, may end up red-shirting the 3 star recruit in order for him to gain some strength and size to his slender frame.  Either way, this is a good signing for the Cats who could use all the help they can get up front.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 09:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Three star 2008 recruit Maurice Sutton, the 6-11 big man out of Largo (Md.) High, will visit Villanova today, fresh off visiting Indiana last weekend. Sutton has limited his potential college choices to Indiana, Kentucky, Villanova and Seton Hall, according to Largo coach Lewis Howard.

Sutton, originally from Newark, is ranked No. 30 among centers in the Class of 2008 and averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and 9 blocks per game while leading Largo to the state 3A championship. In one game earlier this year against Crossland, Sutton had 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 blocks.

 Indiana and Kentucky appear to be the front runners.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The more and more sports articles I read by so-called “experts” about how the Sixers “stunned” the Pistons and “shocked” the sports world Friday night with a 95-75 victory in game 3, the more I wonder if these experts no what the heck they are talking about or if they are just clueless altogether. Folks, the Sixers beat the Pistons in Game 3 by TWENTY points, that 2-0 points, not 2 points, and further, the completely dominated the game from start to finish. They are now up 2 games to 1 in the series after winning the first game in Detroit with a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series at home on Sunday. At what point will all these experts cease being stunned and shocked? At what point will they realize that the Sixers actually have a very talented team, that they play hard, and that the Pistons can not and will not beat them in this series unless they too play hard and play up to their ability. Listen, I am not saying the Pistons don’t have a good squad, they have a better than good squad filled with all star caliber players but they can not expect to just show up every night and beat the Sixers. That’s just not going to happen. Trust me.

The Sixers continue to get solid contributions from their young guys like Lou Williams, Rod Carney, Thad Young etc, and Dre Miller continues to prove to me why he is the MVP of the entire city as I watched him kick Mr. Big Shot’s butt all over the court last night forcing Billups into a horrid shooting night (2-11 FG; 0-5 3pt). Sam Dalembert, who I have been critical of over during his tenure in Philly, had a very good night as well scoring 22 and pulling down 16 boards too boot.

On a related note, my recommendation to Mr. Big Shot and the rest of his cronies would be to refrain from issuing statements to the press akin to the following which was issued by Billups following Game 3:

"They're not supposed to be where they're at," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "They're up 2-1 against a team nobody thought they could beat. I could understand why they're happy."

Ummm HUH? Perhaps Billups would like to make it even harder for the Pistons to win Game 4, thats the only reaonsable explanation for saying something like that but either way that works for me being a Philly fan.

I want everyone to listen to me right now. The bottom line is this. The Pistons are good, but so are the Sixers and if the Pistons expect to win this series they need to immediately recognize that the Sixers are good or they most definitely WILL lose this series…and, despite the consensus expert opinion, that should come as a "shock" to no one.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The Sixers, tremendous underdogs in Game 1 and in the Series in general, stormed in the Palace at Auburn Hills tonight and "stole" Game 1 from the big bad mighty Pistons, or did they? Remember I told you that the Sixers matched up great with the Pistons, that they had answers for everything the Pistons had to offer, that they would rather face the big bad Pistons than the machine that they call Dwight Howard (who by the way had an unhumanlike game 1 in an easy victory over the Raptors). Well now what do you think?

Andre Miller scored 20 points and Willie Green had a career playoff-high 17, helping the Philadelphia 76ers past the Detroit Pistons 90-86. But the best player of them all just may have been reserve forward Reggie Evans who had 11 points and 14 rebounds off the bench and time and time again seemd to be pulling down a huge board or making a circus shot at a crucial time. Rookie forward Thaddeus Young also played well in his first ever playoff game, particularly early on scoring all 10 of his points before the break.

The "veteran" Pistons lead by as much as 15 midway through the third quarter but the Sixers refused to give up.  After the Sixers trailed 62-47, Green made two baskets to start a 10-0 run that sparked another remarkable comeback for a squad that seemingly loves to play from behind. Dre Miller gave Philadelphia a lead midway through the fourth quarter for the first time since late in the first.

After Chauncey Billups missed three of four free throws and a layup in 2-plus minutes late in the game, he made two from the line to pull the Pistons within one with 45 seconds left.

Detroit's Jason Maxiell drew a charge on the ensuing possession, giving the Motor City Bad Boys a chance but the Pistons set up a play that created an open shot for Tayshaun Prince, but his jumper was short. After Andre Iguodala made one of two free throws with 11 seconds left, Rasheed Wallace missed a shot near the basket that would have tied it at 88.

Iguodala then made two free throws with 7 seconds left to seal the win.

Former Tar Heel and hometown Philly boy Sheed Wallace had 24 points, nine rebounds and matched a franchise playoff record with seven blocks, but it wasnt enough as the Sixers prevailed and are up 1 game to NONE in the series.

Both teams will get two days off before Detroit hosts Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 08:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Now that the Tyreke Evans sweepstakes is finally over with, Villanova, who returns every single player from last year's roster besides Malcolm Grant (transfered), is looking ahead to the 2008 season with high hopes of repeat success from this past year. Although Nova does not have one single recruit in their 2008 class, they do have a strong list of recruits (see below) from the graduating class of 2009 who are considering Jay Wright's Cats:

2009 Recruits:

1) Dominic Cheek, SG: Rank: #8 (overall)

Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
Saint Anthony's High School
Ht: 6'5" Wt: 170

Considering: Villanova, North Carolina, Uconn, Florida, Ohio State, Wake Forrest, Rutgers, & Texas

Cheek is a multi-dimensional perimeter player capable of playing three positions. Thin, but aggressive to the basket, his Tayshaun Prince build loves to draw contact and finish. An unselfish teammate, Dominic boosts terrific long range shooting accuracy.

Dominic is one of the top players in the country. He is an athletic wing that can shoot, slash and score. He is the best player at famed St. Anthony High School playing for the legendary Bob Hurley. Dominick has all the tools. He is long and has nice bounce. He is a good scorer inside the arc. His game is best 19 feet and in.  Dominic is a top 10 player nationally in the class of 2009.

He is a big-time player who shows unmatched explosiveness. He can flat out score, inside or outside. He can pass and has an overall feel for the game. His defense continues to improve which puts him at the top of many high-major wish lists including Villanova's.

2) Maalik Wayns, PG: Rank #15 (overall)

Hometown: Philadephia, PA
Roman Catholic High School
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 185

Posted by Danny Rogers at 09:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (26) | TrackBacks (0)

The 76ers last night were the victims of a brutal call by an official which had the direct affect of not only changing the outcome of the game but also the outcome of the playoff seeding in the entire eastern Conference, but i think in a favorably way for the Sixers.

With the victory, Cleveland (45-36) clinched the fourth seed and will open at home against the fifth-seeded Washington Wizards.

With the loss, the Sixers (40-41) are now locked into the seventh seed and will open the playoffs at Detroit. Had the Sixers won, they would have had a shot at moving past the Toronto Raptors (41-40) for the sixth seed with a match up against the third-seeded Orlando Magic.

But to be honest, the Sixers are better off not facing the Magic in the first round for one simple reason. Dwight Howard. Notwithstanding that the Sixers have been playing incredible basketball as of late, they would have NO answer for Howard down low. They MIGHT be able to find a way to contain him for one game but he would eat them alive in a multi game series and thats just the hard truth.

On the flip side, the Pistons are certainly no cake walk and will undoubtedly be the heavy favorites to win the series, but the Sixers most definitely have a shot against them. I don't see anyone beating up Sam Dalembert inside as Rasheed Wallace plays mostly outside and on the perimeter at this point in his career and, save Wallace, they really don't have another legit big man on their roster. Antonio McDyess is 1400 years old and has no knees anymore and the rest of their big guys like Jarvis Hayes stink. The balance of their roster is made up on swing men and guards like Rip Hamilton , Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups etc who are all nice players but the Sixers have answers for all those guys (e.g. Dre Iguodala, Dre Miller, Thad Young, Rod Carney, Lou Williams et al.)

All in all, the call last night was brutal and cost the Sixers the game and potentially the 6th seed in the East. But, in the long run, the Sixers will now face a beatable opponent in the Pistons and have a realistic chance to advance out of the first round. Oh, and they also will end up will a better draft pick!

Posted by Danny Rogers at 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"It's just everything - the family atmosphere and the fact that Coach Wright and his staff are great guys," King said. "I just feel like it's the perfect fit for me as a basketball player."

Now, I know there are a select few, like Paddy Da Pounder, who will continue to proclaim that King is overrated, plays no "D" and cant rebound. I disagree. I think this is a steal for Villnova who basically will be adding to their 2009 recruiting class a McDonald's All American out of no where, and one who has already seen court time in a high major conference, and one who can shoot the lights out of the ball from 3.

Nova's potential starters for 09:

F/C Antonio Pena

F Corey Stokes

F Taylor King

G Scottie Reynolds (or Dominic Cheek if Reynolds turns pro)

G Cory Fisher

Doesn't look so bad, eh?

Posted by Danny Rogers at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

The playoffs begin tonight for the Flyers and i am wondering how excited we should be.  I like their chances in the first round against the CAPS but i am not sure how far they can really go with average defense and "iffy" Goal-Tending. I was big on Biron when they acquired him last year but I've been somewhat disappointed in him this year. Nonetheless, he has never played in a playoff game before so he could pleasantly surprise us, or terribly disappoint us.  In any event, its been about a decade or so since the Flyers have had a legit contender (don't you remember the Big E's MVP speech in 1998 about how he promised to bring a championship to Philly?), and I would like nothing more for them to advance far into this year's playoffs.  They can certainly score goals so we will see what happens and I'm not really scared of the Capitals to be honest even though they do have probably the best player on the planet right now. I don't know, they just don't scare me, at least not in the sense like the Edmonton teams of the late Eighties did. I hated Wayne Gretzky. I hated Jari Kurri. I hated Grant Fuhr. I hated them all, but you have to admit that they were damn good. I dont see that in any NHL team this year, i haven't seen it in a while actually, which is even more reason to believe that every team in the playoffs this year has a shot to win this thing, even the Flyers. But, we shall see.

In any event, speaking of the Gretzky lead Oilers Teams, I actually went to quite a few games in the 87' playoffs with my dad when the Flyers went to the Cup Finals and lost to those "damn good" Oilers. Most notably, I was at the conference finals clincher against Quebec when Dave Poulin scored a shorthanded goal in the 3rd period on a 5 on 3. I was also at 2 Stanley Cup games in the Oilers series in Philly, including the most memorable sporting event of my life, Game 6 of the 87' Stanley Cup finals when the Flyers hosted the Oilers at the Spectrum. I think every Flyer fan remembers Brian Propp tieing the game with 6 minutes left in the 3rd followed by the infamous JJ Daignault goal from the point to win it to send it to game 7. I swear the walls of the Spectrum shook that night. Anyone who was there that night will certainly agree with me. God the Spectrum was great.  I haven't heard a sporting event in Philly that loud ever again. Game 6 of the 1993 NLCS when the Phillies won the Pennant was pretty close, so was Game 7 of the 2001 NBA Eastern Conference Finals when the Sixers beat the Bucs, and so was Game 6 of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals when the Flyers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 in overtime, but nothing compared to Game 6 of the 1987 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Spectrum. By the way, me and a friend of mine actually flew to Tampa Bay for Game 7 of 2004 NHL Eastern Conference Finals. Too bad, unlike me and my friend, the Flyers failed to show up for the game. What a disappointment that was, never again.

 I really would like nothing more than to be at a meaningful Flyers playoff game this May like the ones i went to in 87'. My question to you is, is it possible?

Posted by Danny Rogers at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

As some expected, Villanova guard and top 3-point shooter Malcolm Grant received a release from his scholarship on Friday and will pursue a transfer to another school.  

Grant, from Brooklyn, was huge in Villanova's amazing comeback win against LSU on Dec. 6 at the Wachovia Center. The Wildcats trailed by 15 points with 3 minutes left. Grant scored 14 points in the next 2 minutes. He also had 22 in the Wildcats' 64-63 win over Pittsburgh.

After that five-game streak ended, Grant had six DNPs, limited minutes in other games and did not score in 14 of the team's final 18 games. 

"He has been exemplary as a student and a teammate at Villanova," Wildcats coach Jay Wright said. "However, he deserves starter's minutes. We are grateful for all that Malcolm has given to Villanova and support him in this decision."

Grant most likely will end up at a school outside the Big East. The A-10 seems likely, perhaps even cross city foes St. Joe's and Temple could be possible suitors for Grant.

It a shame to see a talent like Grant transfer out of Villanova but the bottom line is that there most likely wasnt enough minutes in Jay Wright's guard heavy lineup for the 6 foot guard as he was clearly behind Scottie Reynolds and Cory Fisher on the depth chart. Also, with Nova already getting a commit from city star point guard Maalik Wayns (class of 2009) and Jay continuing to court mega talent guards like Tyreke Evans (class of 2008) and Dominic Cheek (class of 2009) it was unclear where Grant fit in to Nova's plans, if at all.

Posted by Danny Rogers at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

The countdown has already begun for the eagerly awaited college decision of High School phenom Tyreke Evans. The 6'6 Guard from The American Christian H.S. in Aston, PA is scheduled to make his college choice live on ESPN April 16th ...and the decision is one that the could shape the future of the Villanova Basketball program for many years to come.  We all know the short term effects that could come about if Evans chooses Villanova...the team made it to the sweet 16 this past year...they do not graduate one single player...the addition of a recruit such as Evans together with a now seasoned Nova squad should spell instant success. But we really need to start thinking big picture in terms of what a signing like this means for a program that was THIS close to knocking off eventually national champ UNC in the sweet 16 a few years back followed by the well publicized loss to eventual national champ Florida in the Elite 8 the year after.

If Jay Wright is able to land a player of the caliber of Evans away from recruiting powerhouses like Memphis, Texas and Uconn, this will only pave the way for this program to be in line for other top recruits in the following years. This will be the first top 5 recruit landed by Nova since Wright landed the nations top High School center Jason Fraser in 2001. Even Sumpter, Ray, and future lottery pick Randy Foye, were not 5 star recruits like Evans. I believe you would have to go back to the class of 1997 for our last legit top 5 star recruit when Steve Lappas was able to land Tim Thomas from Patterson Catholic High in New Jersey. The long term effects of this signing could be monumental as, lets face it, stars attract stars and the growing trend of winning programs in college basketball is now, grab the "one and done" players (such as Evans) and win now. Just look at Cuse with Melo Anthony a few years ago, Ohio State last year (almost) with Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr., and Memphis and UCLA this year with Derrick Rose and Kevin Love respectively.

Indeed, Jay Wright hosted Evans and his camp at his home this past Tuesday night in what was Evan's final official visit to any college this year, and, according to Evans, the visit went "extremely well". The talented 6-6 shooting guard, who was selected MVP of the prestigious McDonald's All-America game last week, is considering Villanova along with, Memphis, Texas, and Connecticut but sources close to Evans believe that the decision will come down to Villanova or Memphis.

One thing Wright has in his favor is proximity. Evans is close with his family, including older brothers Reggie, Julius and Pooh. The family lives in Chester.

"I have no problem coming right out and saying it - I hope Tyreke does go to to Villanova," Julius "Doc" Evans said. "But it is ultimately up to Tyreke where he goes."

Well one thing is for sure, the Main Line faithful will be tuning in to ESPN on the night Wednesday, April 16th in anticipation of what could end up being, from Villanova's perspective, a decision which could shape the future of their basketball program and put Nova firmly on "the map" for years to come.

-Danny Rogers

Posted by Danny Rogers at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Please welcome our fantasy guru.

Posted by nsp at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)