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Gene’s Update May 22, 2008

SEASON OVER ….FLYERS FLY HOME ……

To Philly from Pittsburgh last Sunday Night May 18, 2008 after being trounced 6-0 by the Penguins in game five. Well so much for that comeback bid by the Flyers after winning game 4 last week!

This put a cap on the 25th year that a Philly team went home without a Championship. So if you count 25 times the number of Philadelphia pro teams, we can now say that Philadelphians have enjoyed l00 seasons without a Champion.
Even though the Chicago Cubs have gone 100 years without a World Series Title, we are the only city with four pro teams that have not won a Championship in 25 years.

Pretty impressive, and don’t forget last Baseball Season the Phillies were the first baseball franchise to lose 10,000 games.

Now for all those who thought the Fly guys had a chance to come back from a 3-1 deficit (me included) reality really sucks doesn’t it?

But the Flyers put up a good fight before Crosby and Malkin showed up in a series.

Let’s face it though the Fly Boys overachieved this year by even making the playoffs and then beating Washington and Montreal before advancing to the Eastern Finals and losing 4-1 in the series.

This from a team that was dead last in the league last year!

A lot of credit goes to both Paul Holmgren and John Stevens for getting the most out of a group of players who had not really played together until this season except for the former Phantoms that came up to the big club with Stevens.

Things look a lot brighter for the home team especially since the Flyers core players Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Randy Jones and R.J. Umberger all have youth on their side.

The problem with that thinking is that the Penguins also have a very young team. And their youngest players also happen to be their stars Sidney Crosby (20) and
 
Evgeni Malkin (21) and star goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (23).
Dallas took Detroit to 6 games after winning two straight after being down 3-0 also, but the Red Wings prevailed and now have an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup again.

This marks the 5th time the Wings have advanced to the Finals in the last 13 seasons, having won the Cup three times in their last four appearances.

It will be the upstart Penguins against the old guard Red Wings and play starts Saturday May 24, 2008 in Detroit.
It should be a great Stanley Cup Final. It will match the #1 seed in the West – Detroit (54-21-7) against the #2 seed in the East – Pittsburgh (47-27-8).

Penguins have wings but they can’t fly. Personally, I think the Red Wings clip the Penguins feathers and win in 6 games.



“HOWARD GETS HIS GROVE ON”

With everyone in Philly and in a lot of other baseball cities citing what was wrong with Ryan Howard. How he should hold his hands. Maybe he should get his eyes checked or maybe he needs contacts. From standing deeper in the batter’s box to not waiting on the ball. Maybe he didn’t deserve that $10 Million payday. And various other reasons why RH has looked terrible at the plate.

Well all you genius’s out there, looks like the best method was just let the big guy get his groove on. Everyone can see Howard is at his best when he hits the ball where it’s pitched and doesn’t try to pull the ball. That’s why Ryan seems to be coming out of the funk he has endured this early in the season.

Ryan’s comment last night spoke volumes about his big night against the Washington Nationals when he had a two homer, four RBI performance on Wednesday May 21, 2008. “I was trying to hit ‘em where they were pitched each at bat, I was trying to get down, trying to hit it to leftfield. “

That’s all the big guy has to do …..hit them where they’re pitched. It’s just that for the last couple of weeks most times he was not even getting the bat on the ball as his K totals began to rise.

For whatever reason, Ryan now is seeing the ball better and not swinging for the fences but is making more contact. And any baseball expert will tell you that if you let the game get to you, it will drive you out of your mind.

I don’t think Howard had reached that point but some of the fans were up in arms.

I actually heard more than a few people say the Phils should trade Howard for some young stud pitchers, since they will probably not be able to keep him when he’s eligible to become a free agent.

Good theory, but how do you know that the stud pitchers will remain stud pitchers. Look at Gavin Floyd as exhibit “A”. The Phils tried to tell him how to pitch and screwed him up. He is now doing much better for the White Sox, because he’s got confidence and is relying on himself instead of what people were telling him.

So that means that a stud pitcher may or may not work out….in your organization.

How many guys are gonna hit Home Runs just by connecting with the ball?

Not many! He does get out of his groove sometimes, but it’s time’s like these that Ryan and most of Philadelphia knows it’s only a matter of time before he begins terrorizing pitchers in the National League again.

Look out! He’s hot again! He hit another one tonight, helping the Phils beat the Astros 7-5.

Brad Lidge returned to Houston for the first time since he was traded from the Astros to the Phils in November 2007. He posted his 12 save in as many tries in the Phils win.

Both Pat Burrell and Ryan Howard hit HRs and Howard also had an RBI double.

Lidge had saved 72 games for the Astros. He has now improved to 12 for 12 in save opportunities for the Phillies. Houston’s red hot hitter, Lance Berkman popped up to end the game.

Gene’s Update May 15, 2008

                              Joffrey Lupul                       Daniel Briere              

Flyers Refuse to Lose ……The 4^th game anyway! They live to see another day by winning 4-2 and will now play Sunday May 28 in Pittsburgh. Since only two teams in NHL history have come back in the Stanley Cup playoffs to win after going down 3-0 you might say that if the Fat Lady isn’t singing yet, she’s definitely in the wins getting her pipes ready.

The two teams that did come back were the 1942 Maple Leafs in the Detroit –Toronto Finals when the Maple Leafs beat the Detroit after they held a 3-0 lead.

The last team to do it was the 1975 Islanders in the quarter finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Could the Pens choke again on a 3-0 lead that is now only a 3-1 lead over the Flyers?

Probably not…..but it’s nice to see that it has happened before in the Stanley Cup playoffs.   

After being at the Flyers – Penguins playoff game Tuesday Night May 13, 2008, I thought the boys were done. The Penguins just looked faster and more skilled and actually played better Defense than the home team winning 4-2.

With both the Phils Braves game and the Flyers – Pittsburgh game starting about 7 PM Tuesday, traffic getting to the game was at a stand still much of the time. As a matter of fact I left my house at about 6:12PM and did not even get to my seat in Suite 68 where Frank and Ryan McDonnell’s Cork Industries Inc Super Box is located until almost 8PM. By that time it was already 2-0 Penguins and for intents and purposes the game was over. Since the Flyers only scored 1 goal the Game was over in the 1^st period.

My son, Matt Giello must be a better Good Luck Charm than me, as he made his way to the Wachovia Center tonight and the Flyers looked good and won. Maybe he better book a flight to Pittsburgh tomorrow for Sundays’ game? 

Wednesday Night I hit the Phillies Braves game with my youngest son, Todd Giello. By the time we got to Citizens Bank Park with traffic congestion in South Philly, it was the second inning and the Phils are losing 5-0. The Phils and Brett Myers let us down, although the Phils made it a game by having a 9^th inning rally, but fell short 8-6.

So that’s it. I’m not going to any games soon, lest the home team lose again.

There’s only so much I can take rooting for Philly teams. It’s 25 years and counting since Philadelphia has enjoyed a Major Spots Championship in Philly and that was Mo Cheeks Sixers. Is it any wonder why Philly Fans boo so much?

Last night the fans let Ryan Howard hear it after he struck out again before hitting a pitch into the left field stands in the 8^th inning. Of course everyone cheered him there. We don’t hold a grudge! But he mighty when it comes time to ink a long term deal with the Phillies.

Maybe the Big Guy is coming out of it! It was his 8^th HR of the season and his 2^nd in 4 games.  The Phils need Howard’s bat if they are to win the National League East pennant again in 2008.      

Cole Hamels pitched his first career shutout with a 4 hitter as the Phils beat the Braves tonight 5-0, thus taking two the three in the series. Notice how they won both games I did not attend, Tuesday night and tonight.

As good as Cole Hamels looked tonight the Phils #2 starter Brett Myers, continued to struggle last night as he gave up 8 Runs on 9 hits and Atlanta smoked him for 3 HRs too. By lasting only 4 1/3 innings last night it was imperative for Hamels to give the bullpen some rest and that’s what he did tonight pitching a complete game.

It’s a real special occasion now in baseball when a pitcher goes the whole game.

Back in the 50s and 60s that was not the case. Phillies Pitcher Robin Roberts once pitched 28 complete games in a row. With coaches using pitch counts now that would never happen today!

Gene’s Update April 28, 2008

 Well, Andy Reid did a great job Saturday in the draft. (If you’re rebuilding a team.)

See, he was crafty enough to get next year’s 1^st round draft pick from those Carolina Panthers. Plus Andy picked up the Panthers 2^nd and 4^th round pick in this year’s draft. Along the way, he did trade for Miami Dolphins running back, Lorenzo Booker. The Eagles were after him in last years’ draft but he apparently was off the board before they could nab him.

Does this mean that RB Tony Hunt is really buried on the bench now? Andy likes the way Booker can book it after he catches balls out of the backfield. Feels he will be a complement to B West and take some of load off of the Eagles best back since Wilbert Montgomery.

With 28 catches for 237 yards and 125 yards on 28 carries, maybe the Birds can back off some of the Defenders who constantly key on the Brian Westbrook now.

Interestingly enough Carolina wanted Pittsburgh‘s OL Jeff Otah, who many mock drafts had going to the Eagles with that 19^th pick that they traded to the Panthers. 

Anyway, the Eagles did take my advice and Jerry Rice’s advice and did get Cal’s WR/Kick Returner, DeSean Jackson. If you check out my April 8, 2008 Update you’ll see that I thought DeSean Jackson would be a great pick going by what Jerry Rice had quoted in one of the Sports Magazines that I subscribe to.

Of course Jerry Rice and I both thought that Jackson would go in the 1^st round before the Eagles picked unless they traded up by using Lito Sheppard as a pawn in a trade.

Turns out we were both wrong, as no wide receiver was even drafted in the 1^st round and the Eagles found Jackson in the 2^nd round probably because of his size. He’s listed at 6’ but is only about 5’10” and he only weighs about 175. As a matter of fact DeSean was available at the 49^th pick in the draft. A lot lower than where all the mock drafts predicted him going which was somewhere in the middle of the 1^st round.

Next the Eagles picked up Notre Dame Defensive tackle Trevor Laws. Laws who was a wrestle in high school seems to have that low center of gravity much like Mike Patterson has on the Eagles “D” line. Patterson was also a wrestler in high school. So if things don’t work out for Trevor in the NFL, there’s always the WWE.

Gene’s Update April 8, 2008

Phils Win!                                          Phils Win!

              Phils Win!

Actually I could go on another 6 times as the Phillies took out New York again today at the last home opener for the Metropolitans at Shea Stadium. Charlie Manuel’s team came from behind again to beat the Mets 5-2.

Make that 9 in a row against Willie Randolph’s team. You see this script started last year, as the Phillies have not lost a game to the Mets since June 30, 2007.

It was also the first time the Phillies have ever won a Mets Home Opener. They were 0-7 before today! It was the largest home opener ever with a record crowd of 56,350 for NY.

The Phillies have to eventually lose to their northern neighbor, but Jamie Moyer  was solid on this day pitching 6 solid innings. Met starter, Carlos Perez threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, but when reliever Scott Schoeneweis got wild the Phillies started their comeback. They took the lead in the 7^th inning on a Carlos Delgado throwing error. Jason Werth singled in the go ahead run off of Jorge Sosa in that inning and Rollins added an insurance run in the 8^th with an RBI. Seems like the Phils are not the only team with bullpen problems.  By the way, Tom “Flash” Gordon pitched a perfect 9^th inning and brought his ERA down to 12.27.

Friday night April 4^th we returned to the airways on 950 ESPN Philadelphia . We missed a couple of Fridays as WPEN was carrying the NCAA Tournament games and two Villanova games March 21 and March 28 were aired during our

10PM - 12 Midnight time slot. We did get a chance to be on from 9-11 PM on Wednesday March 26^th and I have to admit that it was fun to have a couple of Fridays off. But it’s always fun to get the real expert opinions when our listeners call the Sports Chatter Show and our Friday callers did not disappoint us.

 Last Friday was a fun night as the Sixers and Flyers both got into the playoffs and the Phillies beat the Reds 8-4. Plus we had our favorite Intern, Ian Sontag and 950 ESPN’s best Producer, Mike Mrezko helping us out. And believe me we need all the help we can get! These guys are really into the show and when they’re with us we have a ton of fun, the night goes quickly, and things run smoothly. I want to personally thank both Mike and Ian for their outstanding work ethic. 

The rest of the weekend was not kind to the Phils as they lost Saturday 4-3 and Sunday 8-2 to those same Reds, but they made up for it on Monday by closing out the Cincinnati series with a 5-3 win. At .500 with a 4-4 record, they sit in 2^nd place behind those 4-3 Marlins, who always seem to tear up their team every 4-5 years and then rebuild it. Perhaps, the season will not find Florida in this spot at the end of the year but they don’t seem to mind that they’re always out-spent by all the Major League Teams.

Interesting, the 2008 Marlins team makes less then A-Rod, who’s pulling in

$28 M with the Yanks. While the whole Marlins team payroll is only about $22M.   

Their payroll is the lowest in the Majors. Even Tampa Bay pays their players about $43.8M. The Yanks top all teams at $209.1M.

Meanwhile, the team who’s is in 2^nd place, as far as player salaries go, is the Detroit Tigers at $138.7M, and they have not won a game in 2008 yet and are 0-7. They are also the team that took 3^rd baseman, Miquel Cabrera and pitcher, Dontelle Willis off of the Marlins hands. So far it has not worked out for the Tigers, but it’s a long season with only one week completed so far.

Tigers manager, Jim Leyland has not exploded yet, but more of the same could see a tirade similar to what Larry Bowa or even worse, what Gene Mauch, might have done. Can anyone say, “Food being thrown every which way?” 

 Kansas Mario Chalmers celebrating his 3 pointer to tie the game  and send it into over time.

March Madness turns to April Sadness for the Memphis Tigers:

 I know all you gamblers out there lost money on the Kansas – Memphis game last night. Well I had the Final Four in my pool and also had the match-up for this year’s NCAA Championship game. As a matter of fact, I was in fourth place on my pool with over 300 entrants.

One small problem, I had Memphis over Kansas. And with 2.1 seconds left on the clock I was gonna be a Winner. Yeah Right! Who is this Mario Chalmers anyway? His 3 pointer at the top of the key had the Memphis players with their hands on their heads as he knotted the score at 63.

How could they blow a 60-51 lead with a little over 2 minutes to play? Easy, just foul the Tigers as soon as they got the ball and send them to the foul line and actually that was the only chance the Jayhawks had after falling behind by that score.

Even though I lost in my pool (no money was bet, it was for entertainment purposes only) when Kansas took the Tigers into overtime and won 75-68. But you knew it was over after Chalmers heroics. You could see Bill Self’s team grab the momentum and you just knew that John Calipari’s club had now been caught by the throat.

It was only a matter of time before Kansas would celebrate their first NCAA Championship since 1988 when Larry Brown coached the Jayhawks to a Championship against Oklahoma.

It was kind of ironic last night as Larry Brown sat behind the Memphis bench to show support for his buddy John Calipari.

As Philadelphia Daily News sportswriter, Dick Jerardi’s head line appeared today stated. “Memphis had it, Kansas took it.”

That was the only way to explain what happened last night but what a great game. If you love college hoops, this game was all it was billed to be. Just asked those Memphis Tigers…….. Better yet, ask those Kansas Jayhawks!

Gene’s Update March 16, 2008

Looks like Fran Dunphy’s Temple team is way ahead of schedule, as they took the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship last night at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall beating a tough St. Joe’s squad 69-64.

It doesn’t get any better than this if you’re an Owl’s Alum (like me) or just a College Basketball fan.

By beating St. Joe’s for the second time this year in March, after losing their first game with St. Joe’s earlier in the season, Temple is going to the BIG DANCE for the first time since John Chaney had his team there in 2001.

If that wasn’t enough Sunday was a great day for Philly’s Big 5 Schools as both St. Joe’s and Villanova, who were both on the bubble, were named at large schools for the NCAA Tournament.

Gene, Villanova Coach Jay Wright, Paul and Kevin

Villanova was named the #12 seed in the Midwest and plays #5 seed Clemson.

St. Joe’s # 11 seed in the East plays 6^th seed Oklahoma. And Temple gets a 12^th seed in the South and plays # 5 seed Michigan State. This is the first time since 1999 that three Philly teams in the tournament.

St. Joes Coach Phil Martelli

Temple will be in for the first time since 2001, when it lost a regional final. That ended a string of 12 straight tournaments under Hall of Fame coach John Chaney, though his teams never got to the final 4.

With only two years under his belt at Temple Fran Dunphy is no stranger to the NCAA tournament, as led his Penn Quakers there 9 times before he left to coach Temple in 2006. Penn went 1-9 in tournament play, with their only win against Nebraska in 1994.

Temple Coach Fran Dunphy

The Wildcats made their 4^th straight NCAA tournament while the Hawks are back for the first time since reaching the regional final in 2004.

Gene’s Update Monday March 10, 2008

It was the Sixers first sell-out of the year so how did they celebrate? By almost getting blown out of their own building in the first quarter, that’s how!

The Sixers 8 game home winning steak is history as the Boston Celtics came to town and put them down 100-86. The win was the Celts 50^th of the year which was the first time in 16 years that Boston has won 50 games.

When Boston started the game by going on a 15-0 run you knew that Mo’s young squad was in trouble.

The Big Three stats looked like this: Kevin Garnett led the Celts with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Ray Allen scored 21 and Paul Pierce had 17. 

 
Kevin Garnett

Make no mistake about the Celtics though, they can play some “D” and that is probably the reason why they lead the Eastern Conference with a 50 -12 record.

Garrnett & Pierce Slap the Sixers

For the Sixers “The Andres” - Miller scored 22 and Iguodala had 17.

Andres Miller

 Sammy Dalembert, who said he wasn’t having fun and complained last week about his playing time and touches missed his first 8 shots and scored two points. He played 32 minutes and had 10 rebounds. Why a guy his size continues to take outside shots instead of drawing fouls by going to the basket is a mystery to me!

To make matters worse, the Sixers lost starting shooting guard Willie Green in the first quarter with a strained lower back. With games coming up against Detroit, Chicago and San Antonio this week they better regroup quickly if they want to keep any hope of a playoff berth.

At half-time the Sixers honored the last team in Philly to win a Championship, the 1983 Sixers squad. That’s right, it’s now 25 years and counting since Billy Cunningham’s boys turned the trick. No other pro franchise in the city has won a title since.

Forget about Doctor J, Moses Malone and Mo Cheeks, back then Andew Toney was known as the Boston Strangler as he was the guy who hit outside shots while playing on bad wheels against the Celtics that year.

Either because he doesn’t like crowds or because he’s still mad at Harold Katz for insinuating that he was dogging it with his injuries, Toney has never been back for any Sixers activities celebrating that Championship season.

Do you want the Sixers to make the playoffs or do you think it’s a waste of time since they probably won’t make it past thire first opponent? Just click on  Contact Us to give us your answer.

Gene’s Update – Monday March 3, 2008

The Eagles made big news this year going after the #1 DB in free agency Asante Samuel from the Patriots and then signing him to a six-year contract before he left town. His $57M contract with $20M guaranteed was probably why Samuel struck around the Nova Care center and decided to stay in Philly.

Asante Samuel

The Eagles no doubt had a high hopes he would strengthen their secondary. Plus the fact that Asante has 16 interceptions was a huge factor because they need playmakers after the “D” last year had the fewest takeaways in the NFL with 19 in 2007.

So while Donovan and B West were looking for playmakers on the Offense, apparently Andy and Jim Johnson feel there’s more than one way to get the Offense going and that is by getting turnovers.

And the Eagles didn’t stop there, they got free agent Oakland Raider DE Chris Clemens to ink a 5 year deal.

Chris Clemens

After he had 8 sacks last year, it appears he will replace Jevon Kearse who was cut and then signed with his old team, the Tennessee Titans. With Clemens only on the field last year for 37% of the Raiders Defensive plays he tied sack leader Derrick Burgess.

Eagles thought so much of the way their young LBs, Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan played after Takeo Spikes got hurt at the end of last season and the $5M salary Spikes would be eating up, so they parted ways with the former Buffalo Bill after just one season. No doubt Jim Johnson felt his young LB corps could handle the heat. Who can forget that interception that hit Spikes in the chest and didn’t hold on to in that Seattle game that could have changed the tide of a game the Eagles went on to lose and the picture was clear that Spikes had to take a hike!

Andy even made a play for Randy Moss before he resigned with the Pats. But when he was asked if he thought the Birds needed a playmaking WR he said, “Anytime someone as Talented as Moss comes on the market you have to take a shot but that doesn’t necessarily mean we need a wide out. Huh?”

That’s crazy, Andy thinks so much of Asante Samuel that he gives him $20M guaranteed but he doesn’t think he’s needs a playmaking WR.

Like last year when he didn’t think he needed a punt return guy or a kick off return  

Man but he kicked the ball away from Devin Hester all game long against the Bears. Which meant that ‘Da Bears’ got the ball at their 40 yard line on almost every kick off that game. Which I feel ultimately led to that last 2 minute drive costing the Birds the game.

Devin Hester

After pursuing Arizona Cardinal WR Larry Fitzgerald and failing to land him in a trade, it looks like Donovan may have to wait for the Draft in April to get that playmaker he’s looking for.

What should the Eagles do to address their need for a play make besides Brian Westbrook and Donovan Mc Naab? Let us know, Click Contact Us  and give us your opinion.

Jerry Rice has endorsed Cal WR Desean Jackson. With his 4.31 in the 40 yard dash, Rice feels the Desean will go anywhere from 1 to 11. Plus he an explosive returner,   something the Eagles desperately need.

Desean Jackson

That means the Eagles would have to trade up to get him which is never going to happen, even if they have Lito Sheppard as trade bait. Plus the last time they picked a WR in the first round was in 2001, when they picked Freddy Mitchell. How’d that one work out?  

Freddy Mitchell

Gene's Update -Thursday March 13, 2008

Bert Brady - "No matter how you feel about the people who make decisions to send our soldiers to WAR, this guy has it RIGHT.

I wish he was around when I came home from Viet Nam in 1968.

Gene’s Update Friday Feb 22, 2008

How much is Baseball Player worth? If you’re Ryan Howard apparently $10 Million a year! The Phils offered Howard $7M, Howard and his agent Casey Close, said they wanted $10M. The Phillies hired Houston Astros President Tal Smith a renowned arbitrator who had already won arbitration cases this year against Mark Loretta and Jose Valverde. Smith wins almost two thirds of the cases he represents. One of the chief arguments was Howard’s lack of big league service which is 2 years and 145 days.

Now I’m no arbitrator but my first line of defense about my client’s lack of big league service would be, who’s fault is that? The Phillies kept Howard in the minors because the only position he could play was 1st base and he was buried behind Jim Thome a few years ago because the Phils had signed Thome to a huge contract in 2003, the year before Citizens Bank Park opened. As matter of fact we had talked about the Thome / Howard problem on the Sports Chatter Show back then and said that if Thome doesn’t get hurt in 2005 the Phillies may have traded Howard, instead of kept him.

Quite a few GMs were after the Phils young slugger, but luckily Thome got hurt the next year and before the 2006 season they traded Thome to White Sox for Aaron Rowand, Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood along with $22Million in cash.

Howard came up at the end of 2004 for a cup of coffee with the Phillies. He had 42 plate appearances in 19 games hitting .284. He had 2 HRs and 5 RBI with 5 doubles and was hit by a pitch. In early July 2005 when Jim Thome got hurt, Howard was the Rookie of the Year in the NL. And in 2006 he was the National League MVP. Did the Phillies forget all that? Did Tal Smith?

In a Fox Poll that was answered by almost 35,000 people, the question was: How much money does Ryan Howard deserve? 28% said $10M, 48% said less than $10M and 24% said more than $10!

After Howard only made $900,000 last year and $355,000 during his MVP season, the Phillies offered $7M but Howard became the first player to win in 6 arbitration cases this season, when he was awarded the $10M. I know all the baseball owners are making tons of money every year but $10M for one year seems a little out of kilter to me. Howard won’t become a free agent until after the 2011 season. But it would behoove the Phillies to get him signed to a long term contract as soon as possible. It’s probably would be a good idea for Howard to listen and agree to a long term deal, because if he gets hurt seriously this may be his last BIG Payday.

What are your thoughts on the arbitrator’s $10M award for Ryan Howard?

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We had DN’s Stan Hochman on the Sports Chatter Show a few weeks ago and he said the Phillies would lose this hearing with Howard. He said that they would have been better off giving him what he wanted to make sure he doesn’t get upset and raise the bar so high down the road that the Phillies won’t be able to keep him happy. Just like when Scott Rolen and Curt Shilling wanted out and would not sign new deals with the Phillies.

 Click on Sports Chatter Interviews for Stan’s thoughts about Ryan Howard and the Steroids Era.

Why can’t the arbitration work both ways? Meaning, if you sign that BIG Contract why can’t the owners take you to arbitration if you have a BAD year? Sort of like a salesperson. If you keep doing what you’re doing and increase your sales, you make MORE money but if you don’t increase sales your pay may go down?

Along those same lines, shouldn’t Freddy Garcia have to play for a minimal salary for the Phillies this year, after getting $10 last year for 1 win?

Flyers lost again 3-1 to San Jose. They are now 0-8-1 in their last 9 games. Simon Gagne is out for the season with his concussions. Forsberg is not going to be in Philly this year, Dan Briere is not a bargain anymore with that $52M free agent contract. Sprinkle in assorted injuries to key players and a loss of confidence and the Fly Boys look lost for the last 3 weeks. The winless streak is now at 9 games and counting. The Sharks Douglas Murray and Milan Michalek scored 42 seconds apart in the 3rd period and that was enough to sink the Flyers again.

With the combine in Indianapolis already underway and taking up your time as you watch the NFL Network, who will the Eagles Draft this April? One report has them taking USC’s DE Lawrence Jackson with the 19th pick. But not a tight end, now that L.J. Smith is the Eagles franchise player.

Speaking of the NFL Draft, does anyone out there know when the 1st NFL Draft was? And who did the Eagles draft in that 1st draft? How long did he play in the NFL? Who was the Commissioner of the League? Who owned the team? 

Click on CONTACT US and let us know your answer!

The first 10 people who answer those questions correctly will have their name put in a drawing to be a Guest Host of the Sports Chatter Show and be “LIVE” on air with Kevin, Paul and myself one Friday Night.

Remember the first ten. That means the sooner you email us with your answers, the better chance you have to make your Philadelphia Radio Debut. We need your full name, email address and phone number, so we can contact you! As the Staples commercial states. “That was easy!”

Buying MO Time! That was the back cover of the Philadelphia Daily News today as Maurice signs a new one year deal! GM Ed Stefanski wants more time to evaluate the Sixers and MO! Cheeks enjoyed himself even more as your 76ers demoralized the Knicks 124-84 Wednesday Night. Last question: how many Games will the Phillies win this year after getting into the playoffs with 89 last year?

Everyone has now crowned the Mets the team to beat after they gave the House and the Farm ($137.5 Million) to Cy Young winner Johan Santana. Both Santana and 7 Time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens made headlines for different reasons last week.

No need to rehash the MacNamee – Clemens circus on Capital Hill last week but let’s see what you think? Who goes to jail first Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens?

                   

Click on CONTACT US and  Give Us Your Opinion or
Call the Sports Chatter SOUND OFF HOT LINE
(484)-461-8775 Friday NIghts 10PM-12 and talk to us LIVE!

Suns get Shaq. Mavs get Jason Kidd. Cavs get Big Ben, Szczerbiak in 11 player deal. Who came out a winner in the these or other moves that were made in the NBA?

SPORTS CHATTER BABES

Carmen Electra	Carmen Electra
Rachelle Lear	Phils Fan Erika

Gene’s Update Sunday Jan 27, 2008
With ticket prices jumping anywhere from $2,450 to $19,446 on Stub-Hub, a unit of E-Bay, for the Feb 3 Super Bowl between the undefeated New England Patriots and the suddenly surging N.Y.Giants, one has to remember that this is really only a football game, not the Academy Awards. Not that I would ever pay that kind of money to go to either event, but it just goes to show how screwed up some people’s priorities are.
Think about it! How many people don’t even make $19,000 a year in income? And to think that you could buy one of those cheap Tata Nano cars, that are made in India, for about the same $2,500 price tag and you can see that some people just have to be there…….or they must have money to burn! I’m a big sports fan but I wouldn’t blow my money that way, would you? E-mail us at www.SportsChatterTalk.com and let us know? Just click contact us!


Good columns by Inquirer’s Bob Ford, Phil Sheridan and Frank Fitzpatrick.
But who do you hate most Boston or New York or some other team?
Again, email us at www.SportsChatterTalk.com and let us know?
The playoffs were good this year but who thought that Eli Manning and the Giants would be the NFC Champs and still be standing, after playing on the road for all of their playoff games? Now they have even made a believer out of Dr. Z in “Sports Illustrated,” who has picked the Midgets to win in an upset 24-20.
Is he crazy or has does this team, that looked so disorganized in the beginning of the season, now march to a different drummer with another Manning, and this time it’s Eli, banging that drum?
Is it possible for Archie’s boys to win back to back Super Bowls?
One can only dream at this time, but if it happens that would be a record that would never be broken.
In a few years, that would be a great Trivia Question: What two brothers won back to back Super Bowls at the QB position and what teams did they play for?
A follow up question could be: For what team did their father play QB and what was the year that team’s fans wore bags over their heads because their team was so bad?
Make no mistake, the reason the Giants are on their way to the Super Bowl is not all about Eli not making mistakes (interceptions and fumbles) and the offense, it’s also about the Giant “D” which has had a tremendous year under former Eagles linebacker coach Steve Spagnuolo, who may even be asked to be head coach after the game.
Their coming out party may have been that 12 sack game against his former team, the Eagles, when Andy Reid forgot that William “Don’t Call Me Tra” Thomas was missing from the lineup with an injury, and Andy didn’t give 2nd year man Winston Justice any help with a tight end.
As a matter of fact Justice was turning more than a subway turnstile trying to keep Giant Defenders off his QB Donny Mac.
Eli Manning finally did step up and win his 1st playoff game a few weeks back, as the Midets beat Tampa Bay 24-14. Then they went into Dallas and beat Tony Romeo and Jessica Simpson 21-17.

Then the Giants and their young QB bested NFL football legend Brett Favre on the “frozen tundra” of Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship Game in Artic-like conditions with an over time FG by Lawrence Tynes 23-20. Of course, Brett helped by throwing that interception to CB Corey Webster to start the overtime which lead to the winning FG.

I have to give props to Philadelphia Inquirer Eagles beat reporter Ashley Fox, who’s prediction of a Giants 28-24 victory was close, but what was even more impressive was her comment along with that score and I quote: “Call me crazy but I’m feeling one of those four-interception Farve games.” Also close but the 2nd INT was the killer. Way to go Ashley!

Brett Farve

Brett Farve 421st Career TD Pass

It was interesting to note that Manning beat one veteran in Tampa Bay, Jeff Garcia, then beat a young QB in Tony Romo, and then beat one another veteran and one of the best QBs ever, in his own back yard.
The key to Eli’s success is that he hasn’t made the mistakes he has been making throughout his career. He hasn’t thrown a pick in the playoffs while Brett Farve threw two in the Green Bay loss to N.Y. The last one cost his team a chance to go against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
Las Vegas apparently feels that the Patriots are the better team by installing them as 13 to 14 point favorites to complete their undefeated season and win their 4th Super Bowl in 7 years.
NO NFL team has ever won 10 straight road games the way the Giants have this season, but then again no NFL team has ever won been 18-0 on their way to the Super Bowl either.
But let’s face it, unless the Pats complete their undefeated season, they will not wear the title “The Best Team Ever in the NFL.” So they have to go 19-0 to even have a chance to qualify next to those 1972 Super Bowl Champ Miami Dolphins who set the standard for undefeated teams in the NFL when the ran the table, finishing at 17-0 and also got those Super Bowl rings.
Is it harder to have an undefeated season in this day and age with more players moving from team to team every year than back in the 70s when coaches more or less knew who was the core of their teams, before they even got to training camp?
Let us know: Go to www.SportsChatterTalk.com and hit the Contact Us - button with your answer.

Eli Manning

Corey Webster intercepts pass to Donald Driver

Speaking of those New England Patriots they certainly have not looked like the team that ravaged their opponents earlier in the season by running up the score, after the Spy-Gate incident.
Yeah they beat the San Diego Chargers 21-12, but it was not the kind of game that Belichick wants repeated in the Super Bowl, because the Chargers intercepted Brady 3 times. That’s was one more than the total number of incompletion in the Jaguars game, where the New England QB was 26 of 28 and the Pats only trailed 14-12 early in the 4th quarter.
Where New England would usually kill you passing the ball, they turned into a ball control offense in this one with Laurence Maroney rushing for 122 yards in each of their last two games.

Laurence Maroney

So the Pats have reinvented themselves because Randy Moss, who set an NFL record with 23 TDs this year and is their big play receiver, has only caught 2 passes for 32 yards in the last two games.
RB Kevin Faulk was Brady’s leading receiver with 8 catches for 82 yards.
They have also had to count on their Defense to seal the deal in both the Jags and the San Diego games.
The “D” held the Chargers to 4 FGs with 3 in the Red Zone which meant that all Brady’s Boys needed to end the game was drive the ball and keep it away from San Diego, who had an injured Antonio Gates and QB Philip Rivers hobbling around on one leg and LaDainian Tomlinson on the sidelines after 2 carries and one pass reception. They did what they had to do to end the contest by using a fifteen play 64-yard drive that protected the lead and closed out the game. The last 6 plays, before two-kneel downs were handoffs.
Call it winning ugly but the Pats put the 18th scalp on their wall and now just need to beat those big bad Giants to complete an undefeated and unforgettable season.
Could SD have beat the Pats if they’re all their players were healthy? We’ll never know, but if New England is going to run the table and beat the Giants in Super Bowl XLII they better not play like they did in the AFC Championship Game.

Last but not least! If the game gets out of hand one way or the other, I just hope there’s some great Super Bowl Commercials this year! Give us your favorite and why? Was it the Budweiser Frogs? The Clydesdales playing Football in the snow?
Go to: www.SportsChatterTalk.com and click on the Contact Us - button with your answer.

Gene’s Update Wednesday Jan 9, 2008
With the Eagles season over it was time to check out the NFL Playoff teams and it’s a good thing Jeff Garcia didn’t lead the Bucs in a win over the NY Giants or the fans in Philly would have been crying that we should have never let Garcia go.
But instead, it was Eli Manning who finally stepped up and won his 1st playoff game as the Midets beat Tampa Bay 24-14. Now the Eagles may also have to worry about Manning in addition to Tony Romo in the NFC East.
Usually Manning is good for a few turnovers a game as his interceptions almost matched his passing TDs this year. He has 23 TD passes and 20 interceptions this season.
Not so in this one however, as Eli had no interceptions, and was 20 of 24 for 184 yards with 2 TDs with a QB rating of 117.1. It also helps when RBs Ahmad Bradshaw has 66 yards on 17 attempts and Brandon Jacobs has 34 yards and scores a TD and the Giant Defense keeps pressure on Garcia all day!

Eli Manning

Tony Romo

Jessica Simpson

So much for home field advantage and resting your starters, as Jon Gruden did in the last couple of games while Tom Coughlin kept his starters in against the Patriots in their last game of the season in Giants Stadium when they were trying to stop New England’s 16 game win string. The Pats eked out a 38-35 win to remain undefeated for the regular season.
The victory over Tampa Bay was NY’s 8th road victory in a row, which is a single season record in Giants history.
The road doesn’t get any easier this week as the Midgets travel to Dallas to meet the Tony Romeo and Jessica Simpson…..I mean meet the Cowboys. The Giants road record could be in jeopardy however as the Cowboys beat Coughlin’s troops twice in 2007. So this could be a revenge match for those football Giants. And TO may not play, as he hasn’t practiced in a while but Eagles Fans know about that Hyperbolic Chamber that TO uses, so anything is possible this weekend.
Moreover, Will Jessica Simpson make an appearance at this game? Inquiring minds want to know! Maybe TO and Jessica can sit together?

Davis Garrard

Maurice Jones-Drew

Tom Brady

Jacksonville was also able to win away from home despite blowing an 18 point lead as they came back to beat Pittsburgh 31-29 last Saturday.
What’s their reward for that victory? Well, they get to travel to Foxboro to visit the only team in NFL history to sweep every game in a season and go 16-0. The Miami Dolphins went 14-0 in 1972 before the 16 game schedule came into existence.
Of course that won’t mean a thing if the Jags can take out the Pats at their home field. It will be a challenge but the Jags just might have the horses to pull it off by running the ball.

LaDainian Tomlinson

Peyton Manning

Meanwhile, the Pats must get 3 more wins and win their 4th Super Bowl in 7 years before they can truly call themselves “The Greatest team ever in the NFL.”
LaDainian Tomlinson leaped over the line for a 1 yard TD in the 4th quarter and that put the Chargers in the second round of the playoffs for 1st time in the last thirteen years. The home team beat the Vince Young and the Titans 17-6. Norv Turner did something that Marty Schottenheimer couldn’t do while coaching San Diego and that was ……win a playoff game.
Now the Chargers must face last year’s Super Bowl Champs the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning in the RCA Dome, home of the piped-in crowd noise that seems to be illegal. But the Colts still claim that they don’t know what people are talking about. They wouldn’t hear of such a thing!

Mike Holmgren

Brett Favre

The other home team also won last week as Seattle handled the Washington Redskins 35-14. And there is now talk that Joe Gibbs’ time may be up in the Nation’s Capital. Rumors are swirling that Gibbs may step down.
Mike Holmgren’s Sea Hawks will go to Lambeau Field, to rekindle memories of the Super Bowl win he had as the GB coach and no doubt to check out Holmgren Way which is a street named after him.
Holmgren’s Packers won Super Bowl XXXI against New England 35-21 in 1997, as Desmond Howard had a field day and scored on a 99 yard kick off return for a TD. Howard was named MVP of that Super Bowl.
Mike Holmgren helped make Brett Farve the QB he is today. It should be interesting to see if Holmgren’s Defense can sack Farve and ruin the Cinderella Season he is having this year. Can his old coach stop Brett’s Renaissance Season?
A Packer win will get Brett’s Packers back into the NFC Championship Game for the 1st time since Holmgren was his coach. This will be Favre’s 21st playoff game breaking a tie with Steve Young for fifth most all time.
All the home teams have a decided advantage with their home crowd noise, especially in Indianapolis with that Dome. But playoff games are decided most of the time by the team that makes the least amount of errors.

Roger Clemens

Barry Bonds

A little baseball news……………. Roger never did steroids and will he testify to Congress that he didn’t ? MacNamee is a liar says Clemens.
But wait a minute that hearing has now been delayed until Feb 13th when Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Brian McNamee will appear. Should be a REAL Circus!!

All I know is that baseball players, who are in their late 30s or early 40’s, don’t get better with age as Clemens did.

Kevin Midgette

Cindy Margolis meets Gene

My Co-Host Kevin Midgette has brought this out about Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens numerous times on the Sports Chatter Show. And for all you people who say that this was a race thing when the Barry Bonds steroid stuff came to light, can now see as Michael Jackson once sang…”Doesn’t Matter if you’re Black or White.”

And this just in…..any celebrity who has a sullied reputation will be Googled endlessly.
With the Roger Clemens news this week and his taped interview with his Personal Trainer, Brian McNamee still abuzz, he is hotter than Fergie, after she wet her pants or even Britney Spears wearing no underwear as she steps out of car, but is caught with a bare crotch by a paparazzi.

D. McNaab

K. Curtis

Gene’s Update Sunday Dec 23, 2007
Alright who wants McNaab to take a seat on the bench against Buffalo after the New Orleans game? I‘ve said, from the beginning of the year, that McNaab was not over his knee injury when the season started. The only game he really looked good in was the Detroit game when the Birds got up early and never looked back in a 56-21 win. Rookie QB Kevin Kolb even got in that game to mop up at the end!
But Donovan looked like his old self in the Saints game. And what better team to maybe, knock out of the playoffs in 2007, than New Orleans, the team that ran all over you during the season in 2006. And then the Saints knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs by running the ball down their throats in New Orleans.
The Eagle Defense played another solid game, especially Nebraska rookie LB Stewart Bradley. With numerous tackles and at least two stops on a goal line stance, Bradley showed real athleticism as he dove for a ball and an interception when Sheldon Brown knocked the ball in the air late in the game. He also sacked QB Drew Brees in 4th quarter with the game on the line. It was only the 2nd sack by an Eagles LB all year. Chris Gocong had the other one in the Patriots 31-28 win in New England. J R Reed played well also after Brain Dawkins was knocked out of the game.
TE Brett Celek had a solid game with two grabs for 35 yards and a great block on a Donny Mac’s 40 yard bootleg early in the game.
Last Friday on the Sports Chatter Show we discussed Andy and Tammy Reid’s decision to come out with a public article in Philadelphia Magazine talking about the Family problems with their sons Brett and Garrett who are in jail for drug charges.
I’ve said all year I thought Andy was distracted by what had transpired with his sons. Well today Andy did not look distracted at all and even flashed a few smiles during the game. Near the of the 38-23 victory Jon Runyon must have said something funny to Andy on the sidelines, as Reid smiled and told Runyon to go sit on the bench!
The best thing about this game was there was no drama with another Pam Oliver comment on TV. And A J Feely didn’t get a penalty this week for running into a ref on the sidelines, like he did in Dallas last week.
Kevin Curtis became 2nd WR in the Andy Reid era to have a 1,000 yard season and Brian Westbrook closed in on another Wilbert Montgomery record. Westbook is only 2 yards shy of breaking Montgomery’s 2006 yards from scrimmage.
But it was Donovan McNaab using his feet to get away trouble, that was the most significant aspect of the game, even if he did lose a fumble on a bootleg that went for 40 yards, before the ball was punched out from behind by a Saint defender. Luckily Kevin Curtis was hustling on the play and pounced on it in the end zone for an unlikely Eagle TD. Earlier in the season the Saints would have recovered that one.
And Saints head coach, Sean Payton made a curious call going for a TD on 4th down in the 3rd quarter. Doesn’t he watch game tapes and know when the Eagles are backed up to their own 10 yard line they stiffen worse than a guy on Viagra?
Of course not having RBs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush in the lineup because of injuries helped. WR Marcus Colston got hurt in the 1st half and not playing at all in the 2nd half, probably had something to do this win. But the Eagles have had to play without numerous starters this year too! That and the fact that McNaab has not looked totally healthy, except for the last few games, is the reason why the Birds won’t play into 2008 this season.
Well, my partner on the Sports Chatter Show, Kevin Midgette predicted the Eagles would lose their final 3 games. He’s 0-2 so far. If they can pick up where they left off last week and win against Buffalo at the Linc, they would end this year 8-8 and Kevin would have struck out on his predictions. He better stick to Bartending!
No 800 betting line number for K - Midge!

K Kolb

S Bradley

Gene’s Update Sunday Dec 16, 2007- Anyone who has ever seen any NFL running give up scoring a TD by sitting down at the 1 yard thus making sure your team can’t lose a game, please call the Sports Chatter Show!
That’s exactly what Brian Westbrook did last Sunday in Dallas securing a 10 – 6 win over those Dallas Cowgirls. It was the Boys first loss since they played the Patriots earlier in the year. As a matter of fact the NFC leading Cowboys could have assured themselves that they would be playing at home during the playoffs except the now 6-8 Eagles killed that dream for the moment.
After Minnesota beat the Bears Monday Night, the Eagles now play the Saints in New Orleans this week with the knowledge that they won’t be going to the playoffs for the 2nd time in 3 years. They were able to get in last year as Jeff Garcia led the charge and seemed to fire up the team after Donny Mac went down with his tore ACL.
I’ve said it all year that the Eagles should have resigned Garcia and given McNaab time to heal, but they were afraid that Donovan would be looking over his shoulder if Garcia was still here. But didn’t they do the same thing by drafting rookie QB Kevin Kolb? McNaab was stunned and is still a man who thinks his time in Philly has come and gone not matter what Joe Banner has stated.
Why else would Donny have told sideline reporter Pam Oliver that stuff about him playing next year no matter what team he’s on.
I believe Pam Oliver’s version of the story even after McNaab said he didn’t say what she said he said! It’s all too much like the end of the Lindros era to me!

Gene’s Update - Wednesday December 12, 2007 – after 2 years on SportsRadio950 the Sports Chatter Guys found out why it’s good to be “THE PRESS in Philly.
We were invited by Philly Sports Hall of Fame, President Ken Avallon and
Treasurer, Dan Fahy to attend the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Class IV Induction Ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at Penn’s Landing. Check out our NEWS section on this web site to see pictures of some of the Class IV Inductees as well as other notable Philly Sports celebrities.
You’ll see some of the great players, coaches and sports writers that have been part of the fabric that makes it FUN to be a Philadelphian fan, even if we haven’t won a Championship since 1983 when MO Cheeks slammed that dunk for the last basket against those LA Lakers.
Again the Philly Sports Hall of Fame is looking for volunteers to help them build this quality organization. You too can involved by calling 215-886-6657 (Ext 1) or just go to www.phillyhall.com.

B Westbrook

J R Reed

Gene’s Update Sunday Dec 9, 2007 –Please tell me how a team can go 68 yards on six plays after the opening kick-off and score a TD on their opening drive and don’t score another TD the rest of the game? The Defense holds the Giants to two field goals and the score is 7-6 at the half. The highlight of the game, if you were at the Linc was the Duce Staley retirement at Half-Time. After a 29 yard FG by Akers with 12:42 to go in the 3rd quarter. The Giants took the lead in the 3rd quarter with their lone TD on an Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress 20 yard hookup on a crossing route.
Earlier, Andy Reid lost a time-out for challenging a catch made by Amani Toomer over the middle of the field. It appeared as if Lito Sheppard had forced and recovered a fumble, but Toomer was ruled down by contact. Losing that challenge and the time-out hurt the Eagles at the end of the game. And ultimately cost them a shot in the playoffs.
Last year when the Eagles won close games and made it to the playoffs everyone assumed they’d be back in the hunt this year but would-ofs and could-ofs ruled this Andy Reid team and losing too many close games proved to be their downfall.
Losing at home to the Packers on Opening Day 16-13, the 19-13 Bears loss, the 28-24 Seattle loss and this Giants 16-13 loss is proof of that!
The only loss that was a blow out was the 38-17 whopping Dallas pinned in the Eagles on November 4th.
With a 2-5 home record so far this year, there has been NO Home field advantage for the Birds in 2007.

Gene's Update Sunday Dec 2, 2007-

Alright how many of you geniuses want A. J. Feeley to start over Mc Naab now? Especially, after his 4 INTs against those Seattle Seahawks cost the Eagles a chance to even their record at 6-6 and probably ended any playoffs hopes for 2007. As good as Feeley looked against the Patriots the week before, getting the ball out quickly and putting the ball in his players hands where they could run after the catch, he just looked lost against the Seahawks, especially in the 4 th quarter when all the Eagles seemed to do was run 3 plays from scrimmage and then have Sav Rocco punt.
He was consistent in one area though. He did throw an interception on his first throw and he did end both games with an interception that cost his team a win again. As a matter of fact one of his best receivers in the Seattle game was Seahawk LB Lofa Tatupa, who had 4 interceptions; the first two set up Seahawk TDs and the last one sealed the Seattle victory 28-24 with 23 seconds to play.
The only way the Eagles ever seem to be able to get any yardage on punt returns is when Brian Westbrook goes back there. Westbrook almost saved the Eagles again, as he ran back a 64 yard punt return to the Seattle 14 yard line with under 2 minutes to play in the game.
Seahawks punter, Ryan Plackmeier saved the game and possibly his job, when he was able to force Westbrook to step out of bounds at the 14 yard line. He probably saw his career flash right before his eyes as he kicked the ball to Westbrook. Brian seemed determined to reach the end zone just as he did a few years ago, when he ran back a punt late in Giants game that saved the day for the Eagles. The Birds were behind at the time but wound up beating their neighbors up the Jersey Turnpike on B-West's return.
The Seattle Seahawks now sit atop the NFC Western Conference with an 8-4 record. At 5-7 the Eagles appear to be a long shot to reach the playoffs, as they have The N.Y. Giants at home Sunday December 9, then meet the NFC Eastern Conference first place Cowboys December 16 th in Texas Stadium, travel to visit New Orleans December 23 rd in the Superdome before they play the Buffalo Bills at the Linc on December 30th.
On Friday November 30, 2007 we welcomed Ken Avallon and Dan Fahy from the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame to the show. Ken is the President and Dan Fahy is Treasurer of the Philly Sports HOF . They joined us in the SportsRadio950 broadcast booths Friday Night to talk the upcoming 4 th Annual Induction Ceremony that will take place Wednesday December 12, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Penns Landing. Emcee Pat Williams will be there to welcome past Hall of Fame Inductees and a who's who of local sports celebrities.
This year's inductees include: former Eagles, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Reggie White and former coach Earl ”Greasy” Neale. Beth Anders (field hockey), the Flyers Bill Barber, long time Inquirer writer Bill Lyon (Legacy of Excellence. Baseball Hall Fame's Chuck Klein and Mickey Cochrane. Earl “The Pearl ” Monroe (basketball), Harry Litwack (former Temple basketball coach). Emmy Award Broadcast Winner Jack Whitaker – (Legacy of Excellence). Women's basketball's Theresa Grentz, and soccer legend Walter Bahr. Rounding out the class is the 1980 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies team induction.Ken and Dan donated tickets to us to give away to the best callers to Sports Chatter Show. And since we will be working with the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, the Sports Chatter Guys will be there on December 12 th, along with all the other people who volunteer their time to the Hall of Fame and past inductees along with this year's group mentioned earlier. The Hall needs volunteers to help in any way possible. You too can involved by calling 215-886-6657 (Ext 1) or just go to www.phillyhall.com .

 

Philadelphia Hall of Fame	A. J. Feeley
Brian Westbrook

 

Gene's Update Sunday November 25, 2007 – After witnessing an almost win against the 10-0 Patriots some Eagles fans were ready to anoint A.J. Feeley as the QB for the playoffs run, hoping that he could ignite the Birds on to bigger and better things in 2007, just as Jeff Garcia had done last year after Donovan went down in the Tennessee Titans game.
Well, even thought Andy's troops looked a lot better than they had all year, they still lost 31-28. Assuming A.J. starts next week against the Seahawks , we should have a much better barometer to how much the Eagles and A.J. gained in this loss. One thing for sure, Philadelphia gave the Pats their biggest challenge of their undefeated season and threw a scare into the team who bested them in the 2004 Super Bowl 24-21.
Belichik didn't have to worry about running up the score, he was too worried about just winning the game. Feeley had one of his best days as a QB. He completed 27 of his 42 passes for 345 yards and 3 TDs while Tom Brady was 34 of 54 for 345 yards but had just 1 TD. The difference in the game was Feeley's 3 INTs. In fact, his first pass intended for Brian Westbrook was to DB Asante Samuel and went for a TD. And his last interception was also to Samuel, into the end zone late in the 4 th quarter and sealed the victory for New England .
Chris Gocong had a strong game and had a sack on Tom Brady. That was the first sack recorded by an Eagles Linebacker all year and helped slow the Pats momentum at a crucial time in the game. Defensive guru, Jim Johnson threw a few wrinkles at Belichik that he wasn't expecting and the Eagles could have stolen this game except for Feeley's key interceptions that plagued the Offense all night.
If they would have won the game, it would have been the Upset of the 21 st Century, as the Patriots were picked to win by 22/24 points by Las Vegas .
Friday November 23 rd was our first Prime Time Broadcast on SportsRadio950 . We were on air at 7:30 until 9:20PM, as we were sandwiched between the Villanova basketball game and the Penn basketball game. Villanova beat George Mason 84-76 but Penn lost to Virginia 100-85, with SportsRadio950's own Brian Seltzer along with Vince Curran, handling the play-by-play and color for the Quakers.
We had NFL Insider, Lloyd Vance on explaining why the Eagles would lose their match-up with Pats on Sunday. He wouldn't even venture a score but I did call a
30-20 loss to New England while Kevin predicted a blow out Pats victory to make sure people understood that Belichik was not cheating in his last Super Bowl victory over Philadelphia in 2004 before the Spy-Gate scandal of 2007.

Gene's Update Nov 18, 2007

Palestra - Cathedral of Basketball

Mikaelyn Austin

- Just as they did the week before against Washington the Eagles Defense had a goal line stance against the lowly Dolphins, who had a first and goal to go from the one yard line in the 4th quarter, when Jaqua Thomas tackled Jesse Chatman for a 13 yard loss. The Dolphins are now 0-10.

Thanks to Brian Westbrook's 148 yards on 32 carries, both career highs, and the Defense, the Eagles beat the Fish 17-7 and are finally at 500 with a 5-5 record. But it was not easy, as A.J. Feeley relieved Donovan McNaab midway in the second quarter. Feeley threw an interception near the goal line, much Donny Mac had already done, earlier in the game but the Eagles finally decided to use Superman's ( I mean Brian Westbrook's ) running ability to run the ball, to keep the clock running thus playing keep way from Miami.

When Donovan McNaab got hurt on a blitz, with 8 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, Westbrook had only carried the ball 9 times. But after Feeley entered the game and after the break at halftime, B West ran 20 times in the second half. 

A. J. Feeley was not spectacular, but he completed 13 of his 19 pass attempts and threw a TD to Jason Avant with 11 minutes left in the game givin the Birds a 17-7 lead that stood up thanks to the "D".

This is the 4th time in 6 seasons that Donovan McNaab suffered an injury in mid-November. Overall it is the fifth time in his career that an injury has caused him to miss games. With an ankle sprain and a jammed finger McNaab may not even get on the field at Foxboro against the 10-0 Patriots, who dismantled the Buffulo Bills 56-10 last Sunday.

Maybe that's a good thing for him! To find out if it will it be a good thing for the Eagles, one must wait and see ? Tune in at 8:15PM Sunday November 25th to see ! 

DelCo Daily Times Eagles beat reporter, Bob Grotz was our guest Friday November 16th. He said he thought that because Westbrook had not practiced all last week because of a tweaked knee, that the Eagles would probably not use him against the Dolphins to make sure he was healthy for the Patriots game. He didn't get that right, but he did pick the Eagles 23-13, which was a 10 point spread. He didn't get the score correct but the Eagles did indeed win by 10 points 17-7. So at least Bob was one of two on his predictions.

The Sports Chatter Guys also had the producer of "The Palestra" - Cathedral of Basketball, Mikealyn Austin on air Last Friday November 16. Mikealyn talked about the Comcast SportsNet Premiere of the film and how people could obtain a copy of her film on the internet by going to www.PalestraDocumentary.com. The Premiere on Comcast will be Friday November 23rd - 7-8PM (CSN Premiere). Sat Nov 24th - 4-5PM, Thurs Nov 29th - 9-10PM. Sat Dec 1st - 4-4PM and Mon Dec 24th - 9-10PM.  That's Christmas Eve, so instead of watching "It's a Wonderful Life" for the 800th time, watch Mikealyn Austin's The  Palestra - Cathedral of Basketball. Or better yet, buy a copy for your favorite College Basketball Fan at www.PalestraDocumentary.com as a Christmas gift

Mikealyn also appreared on Comcast SportsNet last week with Host - Michael Barkann and Daily News sportswriters, John Smallwood and Stan Hochman. Austin thanked us, because Sports Chatter on SportsRadio950 was the first radio talk show she appeared on. Mikealyn gave us a few copies her DVD that will part of the Chatter-IF-IC Gift Pak the next couple of shows. So tune Friday Nights from 10PM to 12 Midnight to Sport Chatter - "Where Your Opinion Really Does Matter" every week. For your chance to win FREE STUFF! And ..... CASH!   

      

Gene's Update November 11, 2007

Martelli Shouts to the Ref

Jameer Nelson and Coach Martelli

- With the Eagles visiting the Washington Redskins to see if they could win a game in their Division, we had St. Joseph's University Basketball Coach, Phil Martelli on the air waves with us Friday

Nov 9th, to talk about his recent induction into the PA Sports Hall of Fame, his team and the upcoming season and his new book - "Don't Call Me Coach " - A Lesson Plan for Life, which he authored along with Harold Gullan, PhD.

Martelli's philosphy on life is that your family is your first coach and he talks about how he treats his basketball team as Family. Meaning he doesn't want to be buddies with his team. He wants everyone to think of the team as a family - He may tell his players what they may not want to hear, but he makes sure they understand right from wrong, whether it's basketball or life situations.  
On his "Hawk Talk" TV Show, he mentioned how most College Basketball Coaches really don't want to have a TV show and it shows because of: And I quote Phil here! "How brutal these coaches shows are".

His approach is to have fun at anyone's expense on "Hawk Talk" - even his own! He and Joe Lunardi, the world's foremost "bracketologist", keep the show light, with the Hawk flapping his wings in the background. A combination "Gong Show" or "Wayne's World on Basketball", it is produced locally by Comcast SportsNet and aired nationally on CollegeSportsTelevision (CST). Sporting News voted "Hawk Talk" the nation's best coach's show. 

Phil said the show does serve a purpose. He said that as people are flicking through the channels, he wants potential players, their parents and students, to stop and say to themselves: "What is going on here"? And that if only one student  decides to attend St. Joseph's, because it may be a fun place to go to college, then the show is a success.

Even though he played point guard at St. Joe's Prep and Widener University and all his kids played college ball, Phil admitted that his wide Judy, who played for Immaculata College may be better than him.

Asked about one of his favorite subjects - "The Philadelphia Eagles" - Martelli said that the Eagles have their core players banged up and he thinks it's ironic that after the Eagles blew their first game to Green Bay. The Packers team has seemed to get better every week, while the Eagles keep slipping and have gone south after that 1st game.

By the way ,the Eagles did find a way (Goal Line stance by the Defense in the 4th quarter) to beat the Redskins 33- 25.

We wished Coach Martelli Good Luck in the upcoming season and Phil said, "If there's anything I can do for you guys throughout the year please give me a call". He'll be sorry he made that statement!  

Interview with Phil Martelli Click here
Interview with Harry Kalas from 11/2/07 click here
Hall of Fame Broadcaster Harry Kalas	Harry the K at the Vet

Gene's Update 11/2/2007 - We celebrated Sports Chatter's 2nd Year anniversary on Philly's SportsRadio950 with a bang. We were lucky enough to have Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and Phillies Broadcasting Legend Harry the K, Harry Kalas on the air with us. First, Harry congratulated us and then we talked about Harry singing "High Hopes" after the Phillies won the National League East Pennant this year. Harry thinks the Phillies may be able to advance even further this coming season if they get some more pitching. 

Of course, since our interview, the Phillies made the first big trade of the winter meetings by getting Houston closer Brad Lidge and utility infielder Eric Bruntlett for outfielder Michael Bourne, reliever Geoff Geary and minor league 3rd baseman Mike Costanzo. Assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said that Lidge will move into the closer's role and Brett Myers becomes a starter again thus shoring up two key pitching positions. And the Phillies didn't stop there. They made left handed reliever J.C. Romero  a priority after he went 1-2 with a 1.24 ERA in 51 appearances. Romero was a key piece of the Phils making their 1st appearance in the post-season in 14 years. They signed Romero to a 3 year $12 Million contract. Lidge and Romero will join Tom Gordon and Ryan Madson in the back of the Phillies bullpen.

Gene asked Harry, how he got started his Broadcasting career? He told us. while stationed in Hawaii in the service his sergeant told him the commanding officer wanted to see him. When he got there the CO said that he noticed that Harry had a communications degree and that a local radio station wanted to interview him. Harry went to the station and they asked him to do interviews with the serviceman on audio tape, (this was way before the internet and cell phones), so they could be sent back to the families of those overseas. After his time was up in the service he hooked up with the same radio station doing minor league baseball games in Hawaii until Bill Giles offered him a job with the Houston Colt 45s before becoming the Phillies announcer in 1971 when Veterans Stadium opened.

Paul asked Harry, what he would do, if he ever retired besides voice-over work for commercials and promos. Harry said he really didn't know what he would do, so Paul asked him, if he would join the Sports Chatter Show and Harry said, Why not? It was his best offer to date.

Kevin mentioned that the last time we had Harry on the air with us, in December 2006, before last Christmas, Harry had said he wanted to sing High Hopes after the Phils won the pennant. Kevin said, he hopes this upcoming season that Harry sings "High Hopes" again but after a World Series win by the Phillies.      

Harry Kalas, Gene Giello and Joe Conklin

Gene signing auotgraph for Harry Kalas

 

Gene Paul, Tony Bruno and Mark Willard

Raj with Gene

On Thursday November 1, 2007 Philly's SportsRadio950 Program Director Matt Nahigian invited us to a "Meet and Greet" Luncheon with Philly "Home Boy" Tony Bruno, who broadcasts on Sporting News Radio in LA with Mark Willard. Tony and Mark were in town for the Eagles/Cowboys Sunday Night Football game and broadcast their (9 AM to 12 Noon) Sports Radio Show in the WPEN studios on Thursday, Friday and Monday.

Paul and Gene showed up at the luncheon because .......let's face it. We got FREE FOOD!!!

It was also nice to meet Tony and Mark and Raj, their Producer, except Raj is a stinking Dallas Cowgirls Fan. I asked Tony how that happened? He said Raj lied during the interview process, because he said he was born in Philadelphia.

Well, he really didn't lie, because he was born in Philly. But he moved when he was about 10 years old and somehow became a Cowboy fan. Probably fell into that Amerca's Team crap back in the 70's and 80's. Or he likes to wear Blue with a Cowboy Hat like JR from that night time soap opera "Dallas." By the way, I liked Crystal in that show!   

Joining us was Station Manager Bob DeBlois and Sales Manager Ralph Nieves along with our sales rep Michael Shapiro and the other sales guys from the station.

The afternoon meal was catered by Assistant Manager, Patrick Gannon from Nick's Roast Beef in Northeast Philly. Food was good, but the conversation with these guys was even better! Lots of laughs, but can't mention some of stuff that was said. Not that it was bad or anything. Let's just say, it was not for a PG audience and we'll leave it at that!

We gave Tony and Mark and Raj SportsRadio950 - Sports Chatter - Philly Daily News Band Wagon tee shirts and Patrick Gannon threw in some Nick's Roast Beef tees as well ! 

A good time was had by all! SportsRadio950 should have more of these Lucheons, especially if Patrick Gannon brings the chow from Nick's ...it was Great!

Raj Tony Bruno Patrick Gannon Mark Willard

Paul Gene Mark Willard Tony Bruno

Gene's Update Oct 28, 2007 

Gene Giello - Producer Host	Kevin Midgette
Meet Chuck Kirlin - Super Sub	NFL Insider Lloyd Vance

 

We had a busy Oct and so did the Eagles and Flyers. Because Paul J Solari was busy promoting his Bonkers Comedy Shows the last two weeks, we had Super-Sub Chuck Kirlin fill in for Paul last Friday Oct 19 and we had Guest Host

"NFL Insider" Lloyd Vance on Friday Oct 26. Both hosts knew their stuff and added to the overall depth of knowledge about Philly Sports on the Sports Chatter Show. We are lucky to have these guys available when we needed them and we thank them for their insights. They both agreed to come back on the show if we need them again.

We even had a guest call-in from our buddy Dave "Doc" Dougherty who let us know that he would be in a movie on the Travel Channel called "Prison of Horrors - Eastern State Penitentiary" on Friday Oct 26 at 9PM and again Sat Oct 27 at 1AM and again at 10AM on Sat Oct 27, 2007. Doc played a Warden. Since he works for the Philadelphia Sheriffs Office it was not much of a stretch for Doc. Keep your eye on the Travel Channel this week as Halloween is just around the corner and the "Prison of Horrors" no doubt will probably show up again this week on the tube. 

Kevin Midgette's "Jack Ass of the Week" was the Boston Sports Fans on Friday Oct 26. Only because they have the Undefeated New England Patriots, who destroyed the Redskins today 52-7 and could go undefeated the way they're playing right now. The Redskins were the only team that Tom Brady had not defeated before.  

Then they have #2 Ranked 8-0 Boston College, the Boston Celtics on cover of SI and ESPN magazines and of course the Red Sox, who beat the Rockies 4-3 tonight, sweeping Colorado in 4 games and won their 2nd World Series in four years. It took them 86 years to win one but now they have two World Series wins in the last four.    

Can Boston throw Philadelphia a bone? After 24 seasons, we're hungry and thirsty for just ONE Championship amongst any of our Pro teams.

Speaking of Pro teams, after last week's debacle at the Linc, when the Chicago Bears Brian Griese looked like his dad Bob in his comeback in the 4th quarter with less than two minutes to play as he demoralized the Eagles 19-16. The Green and White finally put a W on their ledger beating the Vikings 23-16 and now have to face the 6-1 Dallas Cowboys on SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL this coming week. The Cowboys had a bye this week so they'll be rested. With Dallas' only defeat coming at the hands of the Patriots, the 3-4 Eagles will have their hands full. But if they want to climb back in the NFC race they MUST defeat the Cowgirls on Sunday Night Nov 4th. 

Meanwhile the Flyers still sit atop the Eastern Conference of the Atlantic Division with a 7-3 record, after defeating Boston 2-1 on Saturday. Randy Jones got a game misconduct for boarding after running the Bruins Patrice Borgeron into the boards and knocking him unconscious. Jones could be suspended for his hit and after two Flyers have been suspended for 20+ games already this season it is something the league wants to crack down on. That was the good news, the bad news is that Simon Gagne sat out his second game because of a concussion he got in Florida Panthers game last Wednesday Oct 24. The Flyers lost the first two games on their road trip 4-3 against the Florida Panthers and 5-2 Thursday Oct 25 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.   

     

WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON SportsRadio950 on FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2. 2007.  

Lloyd Vance Lo Bo	Tom Byrne and Ben Caplan
Tom Byrne - Producer of Sports Chatter	Lloyd Vance, Kevin Midgette, Gene Giello

Gene's Update Oct 17, 2007

After waiting 14 years to get there the Phils made a quick exit from the National League playoffs by losing 3 straight to the Colorado Rockies. Of course, the Rockies have still not cooled off as they have now won 21 of 22 games after also sweeping the Diamondbacks in the NLCS. They now await the winner of the Boston - Cleveland ALCS to see who they'll play in the World Series. You have to go all the way back to the 1920 NY Giant's 26 game winning streak to find a team as hot as the Rockies this point in the season.

I had planned a trip to Rome, Florence and Venice, Italy with my wife and sister-in-law and her husband about a year ago. I made sure that we were going during the Eagles bye week so I wouldn't miss any Eagles games but I forgot that the National League playoffs would start the first week in Oct. Now I'm  a big Phillies Phan but since they hadn't made the playoffs in the last 14 years one would think that it was a safe bet to be gone from Oct 1 through Oct 12. Boy was I WRONG!  

 

 

We had Delaware County Daily Times Eagles beat reporter Bob Grotz fill in for me while I was gone since he didn't have to worry about doing an Eagles game last week. I did call in to the Sports Chatter show on Oct 5th at 10:30 PM to talk to the boys. Since there's a 6 hour time difference, it was 4:30 AM Friday in Italy.

I won't even tell you about our trip to Gander, New Finland to refuel the plane before we could head back to Philadelphia. We were scheduled for a direct flight but the middle fuel tank had to be emptied before we took off from Marco Polo Aeroporte in Venice, Italy because the fuel pump wasn't working. We waited over 2 hours on the plane until the tank was empty and it got inspected by the Italian grounds crew. So a flight that was supposed to land in Philadelphia at about 3:15PM on Friday Oct 12th didn't land there until 7:30PM. After going through customs and getting our bags we didn't get home until after 8:30PM and then it was off the the SportsRadio950 studios to do the Sports Chatter Show.

I figured when the show ended at 12 Midnight I had been up nearly 24 hours. Unless you count the cat naps on the plane. I don't know about you, but I never seem to really get into a sound sleep on an airplane. We had gotten up in Italy at 6M Friday. Since there is a 6 hour difference, when the show ended at 12 midnight in Philly, it was 6AM on Sat Morning in Italy. 

 

Gene and Loretta - Italy	Tim and Chris - Italy
Street in Italy	Loretta

 

Hey, the Eagles won again after a bye week beating the NY Jets..Jets...Jets...16-9. The Eagles are an amazing 9-0 after a bye week under Andy Reid but his total record after a bye week may be even more impressive. Big Red's teams are 51-20 after the bye week. The only time the birds had a losing record under Reid after a bye week, was the debacle in 2005 when they went 3-8 after the bye.

Now anyone who thinks the Eagles can win consistently without Brian Westbook take a seat in tha back of the bus. The Eagles "D" did in the Jets in this game but even as good as the Defense has been playing this year the Birds don't win this game without RB Brian Westbrook. Even with that abdominal strain the Villanova product gained 120 yards on 20 carries and really put the icing on the cake at the end when the Jets knew he'd get the ball and still couldn't stop him! 

 

Oh, by the way Mr. Snider's Flyers are now 4-1 and in first place in the Atlantic Division, after tonight's 4-0 shutout by goalie Marty Biron, his first as a Flyer. Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Sami Kapenen and Randy Jones all scored for the Flyers.

 

Gene's Update Sunday September 30, 2007

Phillies Band Wagon Riders

Phirst Place and Playoff bound Phils - Can You Believe it? After 14 years We're in the Playoffs.

What a GREAT finish and an incredible TEAM EFFORT by the 2007 Phillies. And with over 3 Million Fans packing Citizens Bank Park this year, it was a team effort by the Fans also!

I was a little concerned when Charlie decided to start Moyer today but old Chuck made the right call. And for the first time since Stan Hochman penned his 2nd column on a Phils Band Wagon in 1993, we're in the Playoffs. Maybe the DN Sports Editor will print another article on the BAND WAGON NOW!

By the way, save your 2007 Sports Chatter / SportsRadio950 / Phila. Daily News Band Wagon T Shirt.......
It may be worth money someday!

J Roll has to be the MVP .....Like Stan Hochman said on the air after our 2nd Band Wagon Game on Friday Septemeber 7, 2007. If Jimmy gets his 20th Triple, he'll be the 1st player to have 20 Hrs, 20 triples, 20 doubles and 20 SBs since Willie Mays in 1957.

How ironic is it that Rollins got his 20th Triple with his last AB

Gene Giello - Host of Sports Chatter on Philly's SportsRadio950 WPEN 950AM Check out: www.SportsChatterTalk.com  for more SC info and Band Wagon pictures.

Lena LaVerne Todd Giello

Lena and LaVerne

Marty Hacketts Dad Uncle with Stan Hochman	Gene Taking Band Wagon Pics
Paul with Phils Fans before Game	Gene At Band Wagon Game
Matt Wallace and Friends	Luis Reyes and his wife
Band Wagon Members Steve and Andrew Hackett	Matt Wallace brother and Phils Ticket Winners
Stan Hochman Matt Giello Steve Hartner	Harrisburg Band Wagon Fans Stan Hochman
Mike and Mike Paul and Paul	Joe Jaworski and Family
Grace Steve Solomone - Phils Ticket Winners	Amy Winnimore Mom and Dad
Band Wagon Fans forever	John Campbell and Band Wagon friends stand to be counted

Gene's Update Friday Sept 7, 2007.
The Sports Chatter Guys had their 2nd Phillies Band Wagon Night at Citizens Bank Park on Friday Sept 7, 2007.
Philadelphia Daily News sports columnist  Stan Hochman helped us gather the troops once again. We did not have as many people as we did at the Original Band Wagon Game on May 30th, but those who showed have not abandoned their favorite team. They are the true Phans of the Phillies. What we lacked in numbers was made up by the enthusiasm of those that did show up for the game!
No doubt coming off a 2-4 road trip and two losses, where they had big leads against both Florida and the Braves and still lost, had an effect on the crowd. The  get-a-way game in Atlanta looked like a sure win as the Phils took a 5-0 and then a 8-2 lead in the game. The wheels fell off in the bottom of the 8th and bottom of the 9th and the Phils and Brett Myers blew the game 9-8. A team should be able to hold a 6 run lead going into the bottom of the 8th but Brett Myers, the Phils closer, could not... thus they lost two games they should have won. Charlie's boys would have been in much better shape with a 4-2 road trip instead of 2-4.
After Sunday's September 9th game that the Phillies won 8-5 against the Marlins, they still have a pulse. Unfortunately, the Mets have only lost twice in the last 10 games since the Phils took 4 straight from them before the Phillies went on the road. So the Mets still lead the Phillies by 6 games, but the Phils are only 2 games behind the Padres in the wild card race for a playoff spot. Since it was Latino Night at Citizens Bank Park, we got interviewed by a TV Reporter. You can check out all the pictures from the Band Wagon Game on our web site. www.SportsChatterTalk.com.

Lo Bo with Latino TV Repoter	Latino Night TV Crew
Patrick Paul Todd Latino TV Reporter Gene	Paul Latino TV Reporter Gene Patrick

NFL Insider Lloyd Vance, who has the www.BigPlayFootball.com web site, was our guest in the 2nd hour of the show and made some predictions for our Eagles and the rest of the NFL. He had the Eagles at 11-5 and 1st in the Eastern Conference and Dallas in 2nd with a 10-6 record and making the playoffs as s WILD CARD team.
Lloyd also talked about some changes this year in the NFL. Things like new HD monitors for officials to review instant replays. And the "NO SPIKE" outside of the end zone. Also, there will now be 3 games on Thanksgiving Day like last year.
Teams will now play games overseas during the season. On October 28, 2007 the NY Giants will play the Miami Dolphins in Wembley Stadium in London, England.

The Eagles laid an egg in Green Bay Sunday September 9th  16-13 because of their poor Special Teams play. Especially their punt returners Greg Lewis and JR Reid . Both caused GB points to be scored. The last muff led to a 42 yard FG by GB rookie K Mason Crosby with 2 seconds in the game. The ending was very similar to last year's loss to Tampa Bay when TB K Matt Bryant hit a 62 yard FG with only seconds left on the clock to win a game that was dominated by the Eagles . The opening day loss is nothing new for Andy Reid teams as the Eagles are 3-6 in openers under Reid.
This loss should be laid at his feet also because Greg Lewis and JR Reid have never returned punts in a NFL game.  

Greg Lewis

JR Reid

Gene's Update Friday August 31. Bob Grotz the Eagles beat writer for the Delaware County Daily Times was with us Friday August 31 and after A J Feeley had broken his hand in Thursday's Eagles - Jets game, thought maybe they had traded QB Kelly Holcomb too quickly. Because now that if Donovan gets hurt again, rookie 2nd round pick Kevin Kolb becomes the back up QB to Feely. Of course hind sight is always 20/20,  so the Eagles never would have gotten a 6th round draft pick from the Minnesota Vikings had they held on to him and had to cut him right before the season started.
Grotz thought that with all the snaps that Kolb had taken in the pre-season games,  Andy was preparing Kolb for just that type of scenario. Bob discussed the cuts that had been announced on the Eagles Web Site by mistake on Friday before they were officially announced on Saturday by Tom Hechert . That rookie Australian punter Sav Rocco made the team over veteran Dirk Johnson was a little surprising but with Rocco nailing long punts that died inside the 20 yard line the Eagles apparently felt his upside far out weighed his downside of never playing in the NFL. This man was a star in the Australian Football League. But of course that game doesn't resemble American football at all. There are no pads and the football is more rounded. Which means that you have to be tough to play in that league. Rocco's size 6' 5" and 265 lbs may have had something to do with the Johnson cut also.
Jeremy Bloom , the Olympic Skier apparently didn't bloom into the Kick Off-Punt Return Specialist the Eagles had hoped for. The Eagles re-signed JR Reid who had helped Andy Reid and Co. reach  Super Bowl XXXIX with his reckless returns of punts and kick offs in 2004. JR Reid had been cut by the NY Giants after spending time with the Rams and the Falcons . The only reason the Eagles had let the 4th round pick go in the first place is because it seemed that he never got his speed back after injuring his peroneal nerve behind his left knee in February 2005 right after the Super Bowl.
He tried to revive his career in 2006 and after making through Eagles training camp got cut right before the 2006 campaign. It seems that Reid is now finally healed and no doubt the 23.1 yards per Kick Off return he averaged as an Eagle's rookie looked very good to Andy Reid  now. And JR  knows Jim Johnson's complicated defensive alignments at safety which apparently was a real key for his return back into the Eagles fold.   

Paul  J. Solari, along with his son Paul Patrick Solari and Mike LoBiondo went to a Phillies game , gave out Sports Chatter t-shirts and talked with the fans about the Phillies chances for the playoffs as you can see in the attached pictures.

Paul J Solari with Phils Fans	Paul and Paul Patrick
LoBo with Phils Fan	Phils Fans get Sports Chatter T-shirt

 

Gene's Update Friday August 24 . Sports Chatter had two of the NFL beat writers on the last two Fridays in August. Lloyd Vance  NFL Insider and www.BigPlayFootball.com was on talking about the surprise cutting of Jeremiah Trotter and how bad the Eagles looked in their Pre-Season game against Pittsburgh.
He spoke about how Trotter had looked OK in the morning practices up at Lehigh University but in the afternoon sessions how he had looked a little slow. That's probably what the Eagles saw also and even though he had lost some weight in the off season he was not the JT of a few years ago. To Andy Reid's credit he cut Trotter sooner than later hoping that Jeremiah would hook up with another NFL team if he wanted to continue playing. And that was the case as Trotter recently signed a 1 year deal with the Tampa Bay Bucs.
The fact that Trotter held a Press Conference,  saying that Reid had done the right thing by cutting him, was stunning to the Philadelphia Press. Jeremiah Trotter remains one of the classiest players to ever put on an Eagles uniform. Don't be surprised if he helps Jon Gruden and Tampa win a few more games this year. Luckily, the Eagles don't have Tampa Bay on their schedule this year.

Lloyd Vance recently ran into Donovan Mc Naab at Lehigh in the attached picture.

Lloyd Vance and Donny Mac

Gene's Update: Friday August 17, 200 . We always tell everyone that the " Sports Chatter Show" is always about SEX.  That's because we talk about Sports and Entertainment and because the show is always X-citing!

Well our August 17th show proved that we don't lie. That's because we had Gary Lassin in the SportsRadio950 studio with us. Who???? 
The August 8, 2007 Philadelphia Daily News article by Shaun Brady lets us know that:
Gary Lassin is the man who created and runs the " Stoogeum ." Located in Spring House, PA the Stoogeum is a museum located in an office park in Gwynedd Valley honoring the history and careers of the Three Stooges .
You see Gary had married into the family of Larry Fine (the curly haired Stooge - NOT Curly ). He bonded instantly with his grandfather-in-law Morris "Moe " ( NOT that Moe ) Fineberg, the brother of Larry Fine , who was born Louis Fineberg at 3rd and South streets in Philadelphia, PA. Joe's Bar and Grille occupies that site now and pays tribute to its past with a large outdoor mural of Larry playing a viloin.
The 10,000 square foot three story "Stoogeum " was launced in 2004 after Gary had collected almost 100,000 Stooges artifacts and is open by appointment only. That means you have to go to www.Stoogeum.com to arrange an apppointment to get to see the largest collection of Stooges stuff anywhere in the world. Gary also has an 85 seat theatre where you can view most of the 190 Three Stooges short films that are still being shown on TV even today, 82 years after the  Stooges were formed by vaudeville comedian/actor Ted Healy.

Gary explained to us on our show that Healy died under some mysterious circumstances. He also explained the history of the Stooges and how Larry Fine was discovered by Moe Howard in Chicago doing an two person act dancing while playing the violin. Moe told Larry that he would pay him $90 a show if he would join the Stooges but $100 a show if he didn't play his viloin.  The Stoogeum also is the home of the 2,000 member Three Stooges Fan Club which meets every year.

To prove that Sports played a hand in the legendary comical genius that were the Three Stooges . Gary asked the quesion for our listeners: Who was the Philadlephia Eagle who appeared in the 1962 Three Stooges comedy film, The Three Stooges meet Hercules?  We used that as our weekly Sports Chatter Trivia question on August 24, 2007 and no one got the answer ! (Answer: Marlin McKeever played LB for Eagles for one year in 1970).

Click Here to read the story



Gene's Update - Friday August 10, 2007 was a remarkable night for the Sports Chatter guys. Matt Wallace , who has been blind from birth, but is on the Swimming Team  and an  Honors Student at Monsignor Bonner High School, was our Guest Host. Matt was referred to us by Jeremy Treatman of the Play By Play Scholastic Sports Network. Jeremy called us right after he had done his Sports Broadcasting Camp at  Villanova and said. "You have to get this kid on your show. He is one of the best student broadcasters I've ever had at my camps."
So we called Matt and asked if he thought he could make it last week and he said he'd love to be on the air with us. His father Jim brought him to the station and his uncle Marty Hackett and Marty's son and Matt's cousin Steve, also came with him. A good time was had by all as Matt showed us why Jeremy thought so highly of him.
Turns out Wallace's team is not the Phillies, but the Houston Astros. Matt thinks that Craig Biggio is a first ballot Hall of Famer and he didn't really get an argument from us. We agreed that next to Chase Utley .... Biggio is the man.
Of course, Biggio was the best 2nd baseman before Utley came along and even Biggio has been quoted as saying ... he loves to watch Utley play because...... Chase plays the game the right way.  
Matt gave Paul a run for his money when he told Paul to Stick to Sports after Solari had told a joke . But Paul got Wallace back when he was talking about his son Patrick's driving. Patrick had just gotten his drivers permit. Paul explained that Patrick is not the greatest driver .... Then Paul kiddingly asked Matt if he had gotten his permit yet?  Matt complained that he had asked his Dad but he had said no way!
Matt Walllace wants to be like Astros Hall of Fame announcer Milo Hamilton. We asked Matt to give us a home run call, but he sounded more like Harry Kalas than Milo Hamilton. We all agreed that Matt knows his sports and will someday be a great announcer .... if given the chance. For all the people out there who say they can't do something, Wallace is an example of someone who is "Chasing His Dream." Nothing is impossible, if you really believe you can do it! For all those naysayers who are contantly complaining about not having enough time , money or energy or have  hundreds of other excuses for not being able to do something, Matt is living proof that it can be done!  Watch out Harry Kalas and Milo Hamilton! Matt Wallace is chasing you now ....... he may not catch you for a while. but he is on his way!

Jeremy Treatman Matt on air Sports Chatter Show	Jim, Matt, Marty and Steve Matt, Steve and Jim

Gene's Update: 8/3/07
We started last week's show with the question... Why did almost 20,000 Eagle fans go up to Lehigh on a hot and muggy  Friday to watch PRACTICE? I said I don't get it! And asked some people to call and let us know why?
I'm still not sure why people do stuff like that and nobody really gave me a great explanation when they called, except to say it's because football season is about to start. And the Phillies are done once again near the end of the summer, so why not travel to Lehigh to see Philadelphia's favorite professional team!
After all,  Forbes magazine has ranked the Eagles first in the NFL in "Brand Value" at $90 million. Sponsorships, naming rights, local media, tickets and merchandise were all considered in the calculations. Everything except revenue sharing.
Perhaps Joe Banner's quote explains everything!  "There's a lot of hard work involved . It's a true indication of the passion the city of Philadelphia has and the great support this team receives."
With the Phillies still in the thick of the pennant race, and Bad Bad Barry Bonds trying to tie and break Hank Aaron's HR record  the Philadelphia Daily News choose to have 4 pages on the NFL and the Eagles  in particular on the Friday 8/3/2007 edition.
  So is it that the Media is shilling for the Eagles or are the Eagle fans just showing some of that great support that Banner talked about? Maybe that $90 million Brand Value has already gone up since the Forbes article? One would think that was the case with all those fans at Eagles Camp.
Later in the show  NFL Insider Lloyd Vance from www.BigPlayFootball.com called in and talked about the hugh crowd at Lehigh, as he was there in person talking to the players and getting ready to make his way to Canton, Ohio for the Football Hall of Fame inductions on Sunday. Vance got us some shots of the Eagles practice. We hope you enjoy them. Especially if you are into PRACTICE which I, along with Allen Iverson, am not.
Maybe the fact that the Eagles will break camp at Lehigh this week and take on the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Aug 13 in Baltimore has something to do with the hugh crowds driving up the PA Turnpike. As long as Donny Mac stays healthy this year, it looks like another playoff run is on tap in 2007. A poll on the Eagles Web Site shows that the fans think that DT Broderick Bunkley has to step it up this year for the Eagles to have a Super Bowl  run in their 75th Anniversary Year.

Most fans who called us on Friday said the same thing!

Kevin Kolb Don with the brace	Donny Mac Jeremiah

Matt Giello Widener wide receiver	Matt Giello - Widener Univ WR
Matt Giello - Widener University WR/RB - Football Letter Winner 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999. Senior School Record Holder in 1999. Second Team Middle Atlantic Conference wide receiver. 22.3 yards Per Reception, 43 receptions - 958 Yards, 5 - 100 Yard Games.
Matt Giello Bonner RB Punter	Matt Giello Bonner RB
Matt Giello - Monsignor Bonner RB/Punter - Was RB on Bonner's 1994 Philadelphia Catholic League Championship Team along with Tampa Bay Tight End Anthony Becht. Matt made All- Catholic as RB in senior year when he had 11 TDs. Bonner's only scored 16 TDs for the year. He averaged 25.8 yards on kick offs and 12. 5 yards on punts and made. All- City punter when he averaged almost 36 yards per punt. His 95 yard kick off return against Cardinal O'Hara broke the Bonner record for longest kick off return. Had 55 yard return against Glen Mills for a TD. and a 61 yard return against Roman for a TD also.

 

 

This group of pictures were taken at the Springfield Country Club for the 2nd Annual Bonner Football Classic Golf Outing which took place July 9th at Springfield Country Club and Paxon Hollow Golf Club. Tom Millison, Tom Wickersham and Pat McKenna were responsible for a great turn out with all the funds received benefiting Monsignor Bonner's Football Team.

Todd and Ron Jaworski	Anthony Becht with his Dad George
Paul with Tampa Bay tight end Anthony Becht Paul Todd Matt Bryant Anthony Becht with his wife and son	Paul TB kicker Matt Bryant and Gene Tampa Bay kicker Matt Bryant and Todd

 

 

The Oasis Club girls at Citizens Bank Park.	Gene, Paul and Todd with the Oasis Club girls.
The Sports Chatter guys with Stan Hochman at the Band Wagon Game May 30, 2007. That's  Doc with the hat and his hand on Stan's shoulder, Kevin with the drink in his hand and Paul and Gene to the right.	Fans with Stan and the Sports Chatter Guys with Gene's son Matt Giello in lower hand corner and his son Todd Giello on the right. Gene's brother  Tony Giello  is looking to his right between Gene and Paul in the background.

Gene Giello Update July 2007
Before baseball's  All-Star break, Stan Hochman took the pulse of the Band Wagon members and I got the last word in his column dated Wednesday July 18, 2007 . Stan has been a great friend to the SC guys and we have to thank him again for his kind words. Stan Hochman is legend in Philadelphia Sports Journalism and an all around nice guy.
With Eagles Training Camp opening on July 27, 2007 let's look back a little on some previous SC Shows .

If you missed the last few SC Shows here's a brief rundown on who our guests were: We had former Sixers, NJ Nets , Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards) and Portland Trail Blazers GM  and current Comcast SportsNet Basketball TV personality John Nash, on with us the night before the NBA draft

The following week Writer / Director and former Penn Basketball player Mikaelyn Austin , who made the documentary "Palestra - Cathedral of Basketball" joined the Sports Chatter guys. The Palestra documentary has been shown on ESPN U and ESPN Classic and the DVD is now available by going to: www.PalestraDocumentary.com   for your copy.

Next up was former NY Jet and present Tampa Bay tight end Anthony Becht , the Monsignor Bonner grad, who played on the 1994 Philadelphia Catholic League Championship team with my son, Matt Giello, who was a running back. 
Anthony did the interview by cell phone at the top of a Ferris Wheel in Ocean City, NJ with his son next to him and talked about Bonner's new football field and athletic facility at Garrett Rd and Lansdowne Ave in Drexel Hill , PA.  

The  2nd Annual Bonner Golf Classic was held at Springfield Country Club and Paxon Hollow Golf Club on July 9, 2007.   Becht's 2nd Annual Football Camp was held at Bonners' new field July 11-13 for grades 5-9. Strath Haven's Mark Jones as well as Archbishop Carroll's Maurice Stovall, who are now both members of the Tampa Bay Bucs, also helped at the camp as did many current Jet and Tampa NFL players.

TB WR Maurice_Stovall

Tampa Bay KR WR Mark Jones

Jim Burner, Bonner's head Football Coach talked about how the Media does not talk about all the great stuff most of the NFL players do in their communities. All we hear about are the Paceman Jones , Tank Johnson and Chris Henrys of the world. We can now add Michael Vick to that list of tainted personalities in the NFL. 

Paul and I had a chance to talk to Anthony Becht and kicker Matt Bryant at the dinner on Monday Night July 9, 2007 I asked Matt Bryant , who kicked that 62 yard FG that beat the Eagles last year with no time on the clock , what was his longest FG up to that point in his career and he told me a 51 yarder . I told him not to tell anyone at the dinner who he was!

The next week we had Tim Chambers on with us on Friday the 13th . He is a former Cardinal O'Hara and Penn football player , who is the writer and director of the movie  "Our Lady of Victory" which is the story of immaculate women's NCAA Championship team in 1972 . Another local guy is the producer of this movie. The "I feel great" guy himself, Pat Croce.

Tim Chambers, Carla_Gugino and Pat Croce

Last week July 20, 2007 was the first time we did not have time to ask the Trivia Question on the SC Show. With the Michael Vick story, the Barry Bonds story, and the  federal investigation story about NBA ref Tim Donaghy, we had our hands full just taking calls from our listeners.

We did have a great interview with Lloyd Vance ( www.BIGPLAYFOOTBALL.com ) , who also wrote " The Complete History of African American QBs in the NFL" , on with us last week . And we talked about Michael Vick, barking up the wrong tree, and of course, how healthy is Donovan McNaab?   

SB XXII MVP QB Doug Williams with NFL Insider Lloyd Vance

First and foremost the Sports Chatter Guys - Gene Giello, Paul J. Solari and Kevin Midgette want to thank the Daily News and Stan Hochman, the Director of Phillies Group Ticket Sales, Kathy Killian and Blake Summerfield, but most of all the Phillies Fans who joined us at Citizens Bank Park on Band Wagon Night Wednesday May 30, 2007. We had a great time and got to meet a lot of terrific Fans. Email us at www.SportsChatterTalk.com with your thoughts and if you want to have another night at the Park?
We hope you had a good time, even though the Phils did not pull the game out in the ninth.
We also met a couple of the Gentlemen's Club Oasis girls, who are pictured here. They too are big Phillies Fans so we thought it was a good idea to get them to pose with us, so everyone can see that we support all the Phillies Fans.

On Friday June 1st we had Playwright, Bruce Graham on our show. Bruce is the Producer of the "The Philly Fan" directed by Joe Canuso and conceived and performed by Tom McCarthy. There will be a one week only run at The Adienne Theatre at 2030 Samson St in Philadelphia from June 13-17. Tickets are only $25-$30. 215-922-4462 or www.thephillyfan.net to order tickets. Show times are Weds June 13 - 8PM, Thurs June 14 - 8PM, Fri June 15 -7PM & 9PM, and Sunday June 17 -3PM & 7PM.
This is The Perfect Fathers Day gift! Theatre Exile presents Tom McCarthy - the two time Barrymore Award Winner takes audiences on a hilarious journey through Philadelphia's Sports history of the last fifty years and all the frustrations that go along with it!
If you're a Sports Fan, especially if you're a Philadelphia Sports Fan. You don't want to miss this funny, touching one-man show. Tom brings you all the highs and unfortunately all the lows on the Philadelphia Professional Sports teams, and just like a train wreck, why we can't take our eyes off of them!

Gene, Paul, Todd with Oasis Girls	Todd with the Oassis Girls
Joe Canuso Tom McCarthy	Gene, Tom McCarthy, Paul, Bruce
Oasis Girls	Gene and Paul with Oasis Girl

Gene's Update: 5/30/07
Paul, Kevin, Gene, Doc with Stan Hochman at Citizens Bank Park for Band Wagon Night May 30, 2007 when 162 people showed up for the game. Unfortunately even though the Phils rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the bottom of the 9th they still fell short by a 4-3 score as Ryan Howard hit a line drive to the Diamondbacks 2nd baseman with one out and Michael Bourne was caught off of the second base for the double play which ended the game.


Gene's Update: 5/15/07

We had the Philadelphia Daily News sportswriter Stan Hochman on our show a few weeks ago. We talked about his Band Wagon article and that 263 people had qualified. I was one of the 263 and was also a rider back in 1993. So the idea of a Phillies Band Wagon Night at Citizen's Bank Ball Park was brought up by Paul J. Solari the night Stan was with us. We decided to carry out the plan and contacted Stan. He thought it was a good idea and so now we have the "NIGHT TO REMEMBER" for the 2007 Phillies season. Click Here to read Stan's Article that was in the Daily News today 5/15/2007 or visit Philly.com for more details.

Tickets are going fast for the "Band Wagon Game:" DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND !!! After you call us or email us with your name, phone number and the number of people in your party (including yourself .) The Phillies will have list with your name on it and how many tix you requested, when you  enter at the 1st Base Gate behind the Robin Roberts statue where the Ticket Sales Office is. That is where you pick up your tickets for the May 30, 2007 Phillies/Diamondbacks game. Game starts at 7PM but try to get there early as the Phillies are expecting a HUGE CROWD that night. The Sports Chatter guys hope to meet a lot of new friends 5/30/07.

We will call you back or contact you by email with more information. 


Gene's Update 4/20/2007.
With the NFL Draft date coming up on April 28th and 29th, we had the pleasure of having NFL Network analyst and Draft Guru Mike Mayock on air with us Friday 4/20/2007. I feel Mike's insight on the Draft is little more qualified than the other talking heads out there, like Mel "How's my Hair Look" Kiper or Sports Illustrated and Sporting News. And he's definitely better than some of the other publications that scream at you at this time of the year from the newsstands or even information that is available on the internet But of course, that's just my opinion.
My reasoning may not hold water but Mayock actually played football at the Haverford School and Boston College and was a defensive back in the NFL, before he began his broadcasting career. And the fact that Mike told us that he spends a lot of time at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, NJ which he feels gives him an added edge. And I agree!
Mike thinks the Eagles will take a corner or a safety if they stay at the 26th spot in the Draft. As of 4/23/2007 Mike likes safeties, 1st Round, LaRon Landry from LSU, 6-1/2, 213 lbs, 4.37 - 40 time, 3rd round, Sabby Piscitelli from Oregon State, 6-3, 224, 4.43 - 40 time and 5th round, Marvin White from Texas Christian listed at 6-1/4,199, 4.52 - 40 time. His corners include: 1st round, Darrelle Revis from Pitt, 5-11 1/2, 204, 4.38 - 40 time, 1-2 round, Eric Wright, UNLV, 5-10 1/2, 192, 4.36 - 40 time, 4th round, Usama Young, Kent State, 5-11, 196, 4.39 -40 time.
The Philadelphia Inquirer predicted the Eagles will take Miami safety, Brandon Meriweather, 5-11, 192 with the 26th pick assuming they remain there and don't trade up or down.
Of course The Sporting News has the Eagles picking a DE with their 26th pick - either Florida DE Jarvis Moss or Georgia DE Charles Johnson but then they cover their behinds by saying that it could be a LB such as Penn State OLB Paul Posluszny or Florida State OLB Lawrence Timmons. If it's a CB, then Pitt CB Darrelle Revis (A Mayock 1st round pick) or CB Tanard Jackson or Fresno State's Marcus McCauley, who both can also play safety, could be the pick.
The Daily News also have the Eagles taking safeties, Meriweather, Florida's Reggie Nelson or Texas' Michael Griffith. But if they go for a corner they predict, Texas' Aaron Ross or Chris Houston of Arkansas. UNLV's Eric Wright may be available in the second round as he has had some off field issues.
Which brings us to the unpredictability of this year's Draft, because of the tighter reigns Commissioner Roger Goodell has placed on NFL character issues. The one year suspension of Tennessee DB Pachman Jones and the 8 games the Bengal’s Chris Henry come to mind and will no doubt be in the GMs minds this weekend.
There you have it! Who do YOU believe? Let the mindless boobs who sit in front of their TVs Saturday and Sunday have their day in the sun.
On second thought...That's where I'll be ...out in the sun. There will be enough second guessing after the Draft as before, so I don't think I'll miss a thing!!!

Does anyone remember Mike Mamula........how about Freddy Mitchell?
Give us your thoughts on the NFL Draft.... Just click on contact us and have your say!

Allison Paul and Kathi	Debbie and Michele
Tiffani and Vanessa	Tom, Alyson and Paul
Christin	Shekinah and Ryan

Gene's Update 4/13/07
We had Bill Jenkinson join us in the studio last week. He is the author of a new book "The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs" and a consultant for the Baseball Hall of Fame , Major League Baseball , The Society for American Baseball Research , The Babe Ruth Museum and ESPN. He is also the acknowledged expert on the history of long distance home runs and the country's top Ruthian scholar. Jenkinson lives in Willow Grove, Pa. 
His uses statistics to show that Ruth still would have been the game's greatest slugger if he had played today. Case in point, Ruth hit more 450+ foot hrs than any other player in baseball history including Bonds, who has hit 36 to Babe's 198 Ruth's pattern of batted balls during the 1921 season would have been over 100 hrs in today's smaller ballparks and under today's rules. Hence the title "The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs. And that Ruth's single-season record of 60 hrs in 1927 would have totaled more than 90 hrs if he played today. He says the proof of his claims comes from the spray charts he has shown in his book, which show the old stadiums like the Polo Grounds, Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium and aerial views of where his home runs actually landed.
"Once you do the research you can't deny that Ruth was superior in terms of pure power," Jenkinson said. " Not only he stronger than his contemporaries, but he was also demonstrably more powerful as a hitter than today's players."
Jenkinson also said he believes that Barry Bonds would have made the Hall of Fame based on his previous merits before 2001, when he hit 73 hrs. He thinks Bonds got tired of seeing Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa getting all the recognition they got in 1998, when McGuire hit 70 and Sosa hit 66 HRs and 1999, when McGuire hit 65 and Sosa hit 63. That's the reason Bill thinks that Bonds was on the juice in 2001.
Bill Jenkinson's book is a fascinating read and after 28 years of research Bill remains a Ruth fan. You will be one too if you get a copy of "The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs ." Available in all book stores and online at Borders and Amazon.com.
When Bonds does hit number 756 to break Aaron's record . Hammering Hank has already said he won't be there.
I'm sure the Giants will keep Bonds out the lineup in other cities to make sure he hits the record breaker in SF where he will get cheered, instead of getting booed, which would have been the likely scenario in just about any other city.

Gene Update 4/2/2007.
Sports Chatter Show
April Fools day was Sunday this year but it was just over 1 year ago when the Sports Chatter guys pulled an April Fools Day prank that got us, not only ink in Dan Gross' column in the Philadelphia Daily News on April 4, 2006, but also the headline, "A Chatter Publicity Ploy."
Scroll down the this column to read what we pulled off last April Fools Day.

We had our first two hour show Friday Feb 30 in our time slot 10PM to 12 Midnight. We also had Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stan Hochman on the show talking about his Phillies Bandwagon. He said that there are currently 263 people who have qualified to be on the Phillies Bandwagon. Stan ran a similar contest during the Phils 1993 season which was the last time our local team was in the World Series. And we all know how that one ended.
This time you had to answer 15 Phillies Trivia questions. I think I got 12 correct but got ride on the Band Wagon because I have a Chartered Life Underwriter designation which is CLU. Stan thought it had something to do with the American Civil Liberties Union and when I explained what it stood for Stan sent me my certificate. I am honored to be riding again as I still have my 1993 certificate to go with my 2007 one now! Stan explained how some of the people got to ride this year and had an update in today's DN as more people got a chance last week by sending why they deserved to be a Band Wagon rider in 25 words or less.

Gene's UPDATE:  Friday 3/2/07 

Vince Valentine       

www.Cavemamia.com

Bernard Hopkins ( 47-4-1, 32 KOs) saying he will un-retire and now says he'll fight another 4 or 5 years. After beating Antonio Tarver last June 10, 2006, 'The Executioner' said he would retire to keep a promise he had made to his late mother, Shirley.  "My mama, I think would be OK with this. My sisters Bernadette, Yolanda, Marcie and Charmaine have signed off on it,"  said Hopkins as he tried to justify his decision.  
He now says he will fight the undisputed junior middleweight champion Winky Wright (51-3-1, 25 KOs ) on July 21 at a location to be determined and televised by HBO . When my son Todd and I caught up Hopkins in early February at the Upper Darby Gym above the Fire House across the street from the Upper Darby Police Station on West Chester Pike, he had mentioned that he was going to fight Roy Jones Jr. (50-4, 38 KOs). That has apparently fallen through so Hopkins will now take on Wright instead.   It's obvious that Bernard is looking for another "BIG PAY DAY."  Let's hope that Hopkins does not wind up looking like Muhammad Ali does now.... with Parkinson's Disease which some experts attribute to Ali being hit in the head so many times during his fighting career.

Bernard Hopkins Bernard Hopkins & Todd Giello Gene meets ex-Penn State Heisman Trophy winner John Cappellellti on February 26, 2007 To read his article click here Cappy, Joe Cirilli and Ray Didinger John Cappelletti with Gene Ray Didinger with Gene

2/1/07 Gene - We had DelCo Daily Times Eagle's beat writer Bob Grotz on the show 1/19/07 discussing Andy Reid's calling off of the Donovan McNaab press conference and Wilma's comments on her blog about if the Eagles had gone to the SB and won it how it would have been a "bittersweet" victory for her because then the Eagles fans would be all over her son next year. We kidded Bob after his prediction that The Patriots would win a close game over the Colts and that he was picking New Orleans over "Da Bears" too. I mentioned to all the listeners that Bob had also predicted an Eagles victory over the Colts back in November.
Bob reminded us that he may have been wrong about that game but that he had also picked the Eagles in the next 6 games after the Colts defeat and he was right on in those picks. He just happened to wrong on his Conference Champ winners also. We also had Phrustrated Phan Films Rob Marcolina and Mikaelyn Austin , producers of " The Curse of William Penn" Documentary on that night and they discussed the film and that the screening of the film would be at Chickie and Pete's in South Philly Thursday Feb 15, 2007 from 8-11PM . Co- Producer Dan Borkson could not make our show but had been on with us before back in December 2006.
Rob mentioned that they are fans first and would not have been upset if the Eagles had gone to the SB again this year and won it. They would just have to change the ending of the film to coincide with the celebration in Philly. Mikaelyn mentioned that she was not aware of how rapid the Fans of Philadelphia are until she moved here a few years ago from San Diego, California. But that she gets it now and is almost as passionate as the locals. She also told us that she is working on another documentary. This one is all about the Palestra. A lot of people may not know that the University of Penn's Palestra which opened in 1927 has hosted more games, visiting teams and NCAA tournaments than any other college facility in the country.
     
Mikaelyn Austin, Dan Borkson, Rob Marcolina

Getting back to the " Curse of William Penn " screening, we hope you will all join the  Sports Chatter guys on Feb 15, 2007 at Chickie and Pete's. Our own man on the street Dave "Doc" Dougherty" plays the part of the Philadelphia fan in the movie and does some excellent acting in this flick. (He told me to say that.) Switching gears: I don't know about you but after the second weekend without football I'm ready to go out and play in the snow... and there's not much of that left either!
At least I had last Sunday 1/28/2007 Sports section  to read but wait....all of a sudden I ran across an article written by two English Profs that was fascinating. But I really don't think these people get it! Perusing the Sports page in last Sunday's paper I got my first English lesson ever on a Sports page . You see I did not really know what Subjunctive meant until two Drexel English teachers laid it out in front of me in the sports section. Subjunctive is a grammatical term used for contingent or hypothetical action . It seems that Coach Andy has been using this on all of us here in Philly for all these years and we didn't even know it! Their quote: "If Eagles fans understood how smart he was, (I guess he isn't smart any longer) they (us) wouldn't criticize him so much ."
Let's see, we have a couple of Profs letting us know that if we could only see through the big guy's words after games we'd stop criticizing him because he doesn't deserve it. We'd know what a brilliant rhetorical strategist he is and master of that pivotal event: The Press Conference. I'm sure all the Philly sportswriters agree with that assessment.   These two must be a barrel of laughs watching an Eagles game! Lest they forget that part of being a fan is fanatical behavior. Isn't that the meaning of fan? Going crazy for your team !  So, no I don't need an English lesson about my team or our head coach. I'm sure neither of these two have been in Philadelphia for the 24 year Championship drought! If they have, then they're more clueless than any Philly fan will ever be.
We don't need a lecture, we need a Championship!

Kudos to Inquirer INQlings writer Michael Klein for his Q & A interview with Ed Snider in the last Sunday's Inquirer sports section. Michael usually does entertainment and radio and TV happenings in his INQlings columns. Michael asked some tough questions about Snider's thoughts on the Philadelphia 76ers and the Flyers. The fact that it is the 40th Anniversary of the Flyers had Snider saying, "This is the worst year ever for his team but that the fans realize that they have had good success in those 40 years. Injuries have plagued the team for the last two years and the fact that Forsberg has been in and out of the lineup has not helped."
Snider also felt it was time to trade AI because the 76ers were not winning with him. After 10 1/2 years, even though he is probably one of the greatest young athletes that Snider had ever seen it was time to move on. It may have been Steven A. Smith's column in the 1/21/07 Sunday paper that spurred the interview as Steven openly suggested that maybe it was time for Ed Snider to step down since both teams were going nowhere. This week Steven questions Donovan McNabb's leadership skills. Could a Michael Klein interview with Donny Mac be coming up this coming week? Tune in to find out!   

1/12/07 - Instead of going to a local restaurant, our man on the street, Dave "DOC" Dougherty went to St. Andrews School Hall on School Lane in Drexel Hill, PA last Friday Jan 12. 2007 for The Friends & Family of Bobby Staffieri 3rd Annual Scholarship Fundraiser .
Bobby was killed in a car accident in 1996 and the Annual Fundraiser has resulted in three scholarships in his name. These scholarships have been awarded to deserving students attending Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill. There was a silent auction of numerous items like Eagles jerseys signed by Jeremiah Trotter and Reggie Brown , Flyers - Simon Gagne , NBA jersey - Jameer Nelson and NFL jerseys signed by Tampa Bay Bucs TE Anthony Becht and John Cappelletti, who both played their High School football at Bonner.
There were many other items like concert tickets etc that were also available to the highest bidders. Doc asked the Sports Question of the Day to two young ladies named Betsy and Claire: Who was going to win the Eagles/Saints game on Saturday and what was the score going to be? Although she was an Eagles Fan,  Betsy said the Saints would win 30-24. Claire said the Eagles would win 24-21.  Doc also caught up with NFL Tampa Bay tight end Anthony Becht would predicted a close game with the Eagles winning,    24-23.


1/16/07 - Gene - It wasn't enough that the Eagles lost last Saturday night to New Orleans 27-24 but if you listened closely you could hear the Saints fans yelling "DEUCE" and "REG-GIE! REG-GIE!" at the top of their lungs during the game for Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush who both played their part downing our Eagles.
It reminded me of how we used to yell "DUCE" for our running back Duce Staley when he played for the Eagles years ago before he was given his walking papers in 2003 and went to the Steelers.
And of course we you used to hear "REG-GIE! REG-GIE!" at the VET for our own Hall of Fame Defensive End Reggie WHITE whenever he made a sack. So you might say that the New Orleans fans stole our Thunder, our Chants and our Hearts when the game was over Saturday Night and another season ended on a down note without a Super Bowl Championship or even a chance to play in another NFC Championship Game.
I don't know about you but I thought that even though the Saints had outplayed the Eagles for most of the game that Andy Reid made another plunder as Head Coach when he decided to punt the ball on a 4th and 15 after he had just gone for a 1st down on a 4th and 10 and WR Hank Baskett had picked up about 17 yards and a 1st down. Unfortunately the play didn't count because Offensive Guard Scott Young was penalized for a false start. This had all occurred after Reggie Bush had fumbled the ball on a Drew Brees pitchout with 3 minutes and 8 seconds to play in the 4th quarter and Darren Howard recovered it at the Eagles 44 yard line.
It sure seemed that the Eagles were going to pull another rabbit out of their hat as QB Jeff Gacia and the Offense, with Brian Westbrook leading the way, had been doing during their 6 game winning streak.
It didn't happen and the most frustrating thing for most Philadelphia Fans is that Reid seemed to give up by punting the ball! He should have known with only 2 timeouts left that his team could only stop the clock 2 more times if the Saints ran the ball after the punt, which they did and won the game by eating up all the time that remained on the clock. Ironically similar to what they had done in October when the Eagles lost by the same 27-24 score.

Brian Westbrook	Jeff Garcia	Donte Stallworth

What was he thinking? That his team was going to stop the Saints running backs! They hadn't done it all day and don't forget the Eagles Defense was on the field a lot Saturday because the Eagles had scored two TDs on quick plays. A 75-yard TD pass to Donte Stallworth in the second quarter and a 62 yard TD run by Brian Westbrook in the third quarter.
Plus the Eagles had to play on less than a week of rest after beating the Giants the Sunday before this game while New Orleans had a bye and were fully rested. He had to know his Defense was tired!

Just like I said on last Friday's show: With the Sixers and Flyers in the toilet this year, if the Eagles don't win this week it's
Lets' Go Phillies! So, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Brett Myers and Cole Hamels ........BRING IT ON!

Last Friday 1/5/2007 we discussed what a great Holiday Season the Eagles gave their fans this year. A Christmas Day 23-7 win against the Cowboys in Dallas and a 24-17 win on New Years' Eve at the Linc, using mostly second team players and third string QB AJ Feeley, who threw 3 TD passes against the Atlanta Falcons.
And even though Atlanta QB Michael Vick left the game early after he got hurt, Feeely and the rest of the Eagles Offense was playing against Atlanta's first string Defense. The Eagles had already clinched the NFC Eastern Divison Championship during the 1st quarter of the Falcons game as Dallas fell at home to the Detroit Lions 39-31 earlier in the day.
Last Sunday Jan 7, 2006 it was the NY Giants turn to take a seat on the playoff bench as Phila knocked out the Tom Coughlin's Gotham Midgets 23-20.
As has been the case during the Eagles 6 game win streak, RB Brian Westbrook was the weapon that the opposing team could not control. He rushed for 141 yards with 33 yards on the final drive as the Eagles ate up the clock and allowed David Akers to seal the deal with a 38 yard FG as time expired. Westbrook also had a 49 yard TD run in the second quarter that was the longest TD run by an Eagle RB in the playoffs and Westbrook's 1st career post-season TD. Wilbert Montgomery had a 42 yard TD run in the 1981 NCF title victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Vet's Stadium. It was also the first time an Eagles RB had topped 100 yards since 1993 when Heath Sherman had 105 yards against Jim Mora and his New Orleans Saints.
It's kind of ironic as the Eagles take to the road this week with an 8PM game in New Orleans at the SuperDome against Sean Payton's Saints, who beat the Eagles earlier this year 27-24 with a time consuming 8 minute 26 second drive in the 4th quarter. John Carney kicked a 31 yard FG as time expired just as Akers did last Sunday against the Giants.
Also, Andy Reid and Sean Payton are both finalists for the NFC Coach of the Year Award.
Brian Westbrook has rushed for 613 yards and 6 TDs in his last 7 games against the NY Giants. He has a total of 9 TDs in those seven games. He will have to put up similar numbers this Saturday against the Saints and the Eagles must win the time of possesion if they are to advance to the NFC Championship game the following week.






Bill Campbell "The Dean of Philadelphia Sports" was on the quest line with us on Friday Dec 15, 2006. Bill talked about his long and illustrious Broadcasting Career in Philadlephia and how he got started as a teenager down the New Jersey shore. Other topics included Allen Iverson , Paul Arizin , who had just died last week, and how after playing for Villanova and the Philadelphia Warriors decided, when Ed Gottlieb sold the Warriors to San Francisco, he would stay in Philadelphia with his family instead Paul worked for IBM in the off season. He played with the Camden Bullets in the Eastern League for 3 years to keep himself active instead of going out West when his team moved.

Campbell then compared that scenario with today's spoiled athletes and everyone wondering where Allen Iverson is going to go and what team he will be traded to....... saying it was a whole different atmosphere back then in the 50s & 60s. And how a guy like Paul Arizin just played for the love of the game. We discussed how what Arizin had done back then would never happen today! Arizin was one of the first NBA players to master the jump shot and averaged over 20 points a game, something unheard of back in the early 60s. Bill also said that Paul was one of the top five persons he had gotten to know during his broadcasting career and was voted one of the 50 Best Players in the NBA .

Switching to his favorite sports to broadcast Campbell said his first love was and still is Baseball. He spoke about how he was fired by Bill Giles when the Phillies moved to Veterans Stadium in 1971. By Samm and Richie Ashburn were his partners before the move but after he was fired Harry Kalas took his place in the booth along side Saam and Ashburn. Bill broadcast every sport but hockey. He did College games and Warriors basketball games. Phillies and Eagles games. he explained how Norm Van Brocklin taught him about football. How he thought he knew baseball but Manager Gene Mauch taught him more about baseball than he could have imagined.  We closed the interview with some highlights of his book written by Inquirer Sports columnist Sam Carchidi - "Bill Campbell - the Voice of Philadelphia Sports." We mentioned that it makes a great Christmas gift. Bill was just getting warmed up but we ran out of time. Campbell's book is must reading for any true Philadelphia Sports Fan. Bill Campbell promised that he will be back with us when baseball starts to warm us up in the Spring.   

Paul Solari, Bill Campbell
and Gene Giello

On Friday 12/8/2006 Phillies Hall of Fame announcer Harry Kalas appeared on the Sports Chatter Show. Harry talked about his new 3 year contract and the fact that Gary "Sarge" Matthews (Phillies 1981-83) will join the Phillies Broadcast team for the 2007 season. Matthews was the MVP in the 1983 National League Championship Series when the Phils beat the LA Dodgers.

Gene Giello asked Harry about the Pat Gillick moves, in particular the trade for ChiSox pitcher Freddie Garcia for RHP Gavin Floyd and LHP Gio Gonzalez, who the Phils had acquired in the Jim Thome deal last year. 

He thought that Gillick was doing a real good job overall and that he really likes the makeup of the team. He mentioned  that he is was excited about the 2007 Phils with a young nucleus of Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and MVP Ryan Howard. He told us some Richie "Whitey" Ashburn stories that had the guys in the booth laughing and we reminisced about how Richie would always thank Mrs. Jones etc. for sending up the brownies or cookies to the broadcast booth.

Kevin Midgette told Mr. Kalas that he makes the broadcasting of Phillies baseball games seem so easy. But Kevin has a real appreciation of how difficult it really can be because he has done some play-by-play work for the Camden River Sharks.

Harry also took calls and the callers spoke about trying to copy his signature home run call, "That ball's outa here" without much success. Another caller just called to thank Harry because he drove a truck for a living and Harry always kept him company while on the road. He said that he always knew when he was close to Philly because he would listen to the Phillies radio broadcasts and hear Harry's recognizable baritone voice.

Finally, Harry sent us on our way with "you guys are outa here" to wrap up the interview.

Kalas began broadcasting Major League Baseball with the Astros in 1965 and has been with the Phillies since 1971. That makes him the eighth-longest tenured broadcaster behind LA's Vin Scully and Houston's Milo Hamilton among others. Harry entered the broadcasters wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY in 2002.

A true gentleman and good guy Harry Kalas promised to call us again when Spring Training gets underway.

Doug Jamison, Todd Giello and Harry Kalas.

Jack Schulman from Wayne PA was high bidder and was a Guest Host on Sports Chatter Friday Night 12/8/2006. Jack did a few voices like Rocky Balboa and Bobby Clark and had a great time asking Harry Kalas a few questions!

Jack Schulman


You too can be a GUEST HOST! Just go to Contact Us and start the bidding.

Check out Jack Schulman who looks a lot like Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Jack Schulman & Dave Dougherty

Mike Krzyzewski

With Paul J. Solari hosting his Bonkers Comedy Club dates in November and December Denis Spizuoco from West Chester, PA appeared on the show last Friday, Dec 1st and filled in for Paul Denis had e-mailed us on SportsChatterTalk.com and asked if he could be a part of the show one night and so we gave him a shot. Denis works in the University of Penn Athletic Dept and was at "The Philly Fan" show at the Media Theatre in September and met the star of the show actor Tom MCCarthy.

Denis Spizuoco


On Wednesday November 8, 2006 the Sports Chatter guys Gene Giello and Paul J. Solari as well as many other media were invited to a private screening of Phrustrated Phan Films "The Curse of William Penn" at The Ugly Moose, 443 Shurs Lane, in the Manyunk section of Philadelphia.

Sports Chatter's Dave "Doc" Dougherty was on hand to meet and greet the many guests that included Harry Kalas, Joe Conklin, Phillies PA man Dan Baker, Star of the hit one man play the "Philly Fan" actor Tom McCarthy and Director Joe Canuso.

Phustrated Phan Films in Association with Philly Films "The Curse of William Penn" was produced by Rob Marcolina, Mikaelyn Austin and Dan Borkson.

It's a documentary on why Professional Sports Teams in Philadelphia haven't won a Championship in 23 years based on the fact that there is a Law on the books in Philadelphia that read that the founding Fathers of the city would not build any building higher the William Penn's hat at on top of City Hall.

With interviews with Kevin Bacon, Philly's SportsRadio950 host Jodie MacDonald, ESPN and Philadelphia Inquirer sports writer Steven A. Smith, Pat Croce, 2004 Naismith Coach of the Year Phil Martelli, Football Hall of Fame Sports Writer Ray Didinger, WIP host Glen Macnow, and Baseball Hall of Fame announcer Harry Kalas it was a fascinating look at the passion of frustration of all Philly fans and the what makes Philadelphia such a great sports town.

Joe Conklin provided many of the voices in the movie and Dave Dougherty appeared and narrated the movie along with Phillies PA Announcer Dan Baker.

Coincidently, the Philadelphia Daily News will have a pull out section Wednesday November 15, 2006 entitled "23 years of Tears" which is about the City's Quest for a Championship.

The Phustrated Phan Film producers, Rob Marcolina, Mikaelyn Austin and Dan Borkson appeared on the Sports Chatter Show 10PM Friday November 10, 2006 to discuss how they got the film off the ground and how all those interviewed in the film was so gracious with their time.

Rob Marcolina remarked how he couldn't believe that all they had to do was ask those who participated in the film if they wanted to be in the film and most said, "No problem!"

Joe Conklin, Todd, Harry Kalas and Paul	Harry Kalas, Kaitlyn and Jay
Doug Jamison, Todd, Harry Kalas	Joe Canuso, Tom McCarthy
Doc with Harry Kalas	Emil Latini and Harry Kalas
Dan Borkson, Doc and Rob Marcolina	Mikaelyn Austin, Dan Borkson, Doc and Rob Marcolina

The Sports Chatter Guys will celebrate our One Year Anniversary on the Philly's SportsRadio950 this Friday Nov 3, 2006. WPEN 950AM is also moving our show to 10PM Friday Nights so they can have two "LIVE" call in shows back to back as we will now follow the 700 Level Guys - Harry Mayes, Jamie Yannacone and Rob Ellis who are on from 7PM to 10PM.

The Troy Aikman Show, which is not a "LIVE" call in show will now follow us from 11PM to 12 Midnight.

Our in studio guest will be Comedian Vince Valentine who is again starring in Rob Becker's one man show " Defending the Caveman " at the Innovation Studio at the Kimmel Center from November 8-12 at Broad and Spruce Sts in Philadelphia PA. Broadway's Smash Comedy About Men & Women.
Tickets by phone 215-731-3333 / Groups 215-790-5883 or www.kimmelcenter.org or www.DefendingTheCaveman.com

Last week Sept 29, 2006 Delaware County's Stephanie LaGrossa - who twice appeared on the Reality TV show "Survivor" and was recently named as the one between periods hosts at The Philadelphia Flyers games, was on our show. Stephanie explained how she got picked as one of the contestants for Survivor and also about her recent marriage to long time boyfriend Michael Ward on the beach in Seaside Heights, NJ. She also had a small recurring role in the soap opera "Guiding Light" but is excited about her entertainment opportunity with the Flyers as she is also a long time Flyers fan.