Let me preface this post by saying I'm not one of those negative Eagles fans who always finds something wrong with every move the Eagles make. I've long been a Donovan McNabb supporter when he was here. Same goes with Andy Reid, though I have to admit my support there is waning.
My biggest annoyance with Eagles is not the players or coaches, it's the front office. More specifically it's Joe Banner, and to a lesser degree Jeff Lurie. Overall, they have put together a pretty nice franchise. For the past 10 or 11 years the Eagles have always been considered contenders going into the season. Winning the division and making the playoffs are expected each year. I don't have a problem with the product on the field, it's the arrogance and disconnect with the fan base that bothers me the most.
To me, Joe Banner defines arrogance. It was on full display in a recent interview on WIP. (Side note: Banner's interviews are hard to listen to. I just get the sense that he's talking down to everyone. He has an attitude of "I know what I'm talking about, I'm the president of the Eagles. You're just a fan, you have no idea").
In the interview, Banner compared the Eagles success over the last decade to that of the Steelers. Banner tried to make the case that the Steelers really aren't more successful than the Birds because Philly made the playoffs nine times in the last 11 years and Pittsburgh didn't. What he didn't mention was that the Eagles went to one Superbowl and lost, while the Steelers went to three and won two of them, in that span (3 > 1, 2 > 0). He defended this comparison on a subsequent interview with Mike Missanelli. Really Joe, really? I understand that he has to be confident in his team and be positive. You can achieve that without comparing the Eagles to a franchise that has won six Superbowls, two in the last decade. He refuses to even admit that, as much as the team has won, they ultimately can't be considered successful without winning a Superbowl.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey Lurie still insists that the Eagles franchise is the "gold standard". I think he threw that gem out there 3 or 4 years ago. Every year, in his state of the team address during training camp, he is asked about the gold standard comment. Are the Eagles still the gold standard? And every year he confirms that they are. I'd consider the birds to be more the bronze standard. We have been consistent, but we've never finished first.
As much as I don't want to believe it, I think Lurie and Banner are OK with this. Why? Because the team is pretty much printing money down at the Linc. Fans are packing the stadiums, buying Eagles gear and supporting the team.
Which leads me to my next point, Banner and Lurie haven't done all that much to give back to the fan base that has turned this franchise into a billion dollar entity. I've noticed this more and more over the years. One example of this, which also relates to their arrogance, is the fact that the Eagles refuse to post scores in their stadium for other Philly sports teams. The Phillies were updating fans when the Flyers were in the playoffs last year. I remember I was at a Flyers game during a '93 world series game, the Flyers were giving constant updates with each inning or score change. The Eagles would never, and to my knowledge have never, updated fans with Phillies scores (or updates on any of the other local teams). It seems that the Eagles want to be top dog in this city and they don't want to share that designation with anyone else. It doesn't matter that the fans just want to be fans of all or most of the city's teams.
Another thing that irked me about this team was what they did with the Linc. They had the chance, and the money, to build an incredible fan friendly stadium. Big swing and a miss on that one. That stadium is bare bones, just a field surrounded by tons of steel. There is nothing to it, nothing that enhances the fan experience. It was never more evident to me then after my trip to Green Bay to see the Eagles take on the Packers. The day before the game we took a tour of Lambeau Field, which had recently gone over some renovations. One aspect of the renovation was to add a nice atrium to the stadium. With this new addition came a huge sports bar, restaurant and even an arcade for the younger fans. Below the stadium is a Packers museum consisting of all types of memorabilia and Packers history. (I know the Eagles don't have as much history as the Packers, but they have been around for over 75 years now). The museum, along with the atrium, are open on non-game days as well.
Fans don't have to go as far as Green Bay to see this point illustrated, they can just look right across Pattison Ave. The Phillies did it right with their fan friendly stadium. They've made going to the ball game an experience. They put Ashburn Alley in the outfield and attached a bar to the stadium. The stadium is open and inviting, as opposed to the cold and gray Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles didn't take the fan experience into account when building this stadium. They knew the fans would come, regardless of the stadium built, so why spend the extra money? It would have added no value to them. This is one of the many instances that demonstrates how they take the fans for granted.
This ownership is about the money, not the fans. I was just informed by a season ticket holder (thanks Dogg) that they already made him pay for his 2011 season tickets pending a lockout. The Eagles know that a 2011 season may not happen, but they want their money anyway. Sure, they will refund it, if need be, after they invested it and made money off of it. They don't care that they're making Eagles fans put out all this money for a product that they may never see. Again, why cater to the fan?
The Eagles have done a lot right with some of their charities and with the product on the field. But it doesn't hide the fact that this management and ownership don't seem fully invested in winning and pleasing the fans.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Is Michael Jordan Really The Best Ever?
Warning: This post may be blasphemous to some.
I know this doesn't relate to Philadelphia sports specifically, but it's something I've thought about for a while and want to write about. Most major sports have their player who is considered the best to ever play the sport. In hockey, it's Wayne Gretzky. I think this is the most clear cut case out of the four major sports. He holds records that will never be broken. 92 goals in a single season. 163 assists in a single season. In fact, he holds 10 of the top 11 highest single season assist totals. I could go on and on, listing his records and career rankings.
In baseball, it's Babe Ruth. Though a lot of his records have been broken, I still believe he is the best ever. He hit 714 career home runs, a record that stood for almost 40 years, and is still good for third all time. He still holds the records for highest career slugging percentage and OPS. And he is second all time in RBI's, on base percentage, and home runs per at bat. To top it all off, in the 148 games he started as a pitcher he won 94 of them with a career ERA of 2.28.
Football doesn't lend itself to this kind of conversation. Each skill position would have to be analyzed separately. My best skill position players would go like this: WR: Jerry Rice (not even a close second here), QB: Joe Montana, RB: Walter Payton.
In basketball, it's Michael Jordan, right? I'm not sure I agree with this one. At the very least, it's not as clear cut as it is in the other major sports. I'm not saying he isn't one of the best ever. I just don't think he is the unanimous, no-brainer, number one that many people consider him to be. Jordan does hold a lot of NBA records, including most career points per game at 30.1 and most MVP's. But I think that the real reason he is considered the greatest is twofold.
1. He played in an era when the NBA was at it's peak popularity. The dream team crushed the Olympics, Magic vs. Bird was in full swing and the dunk contests were epic (Wilkens vs. Jordan, Spud Webb, etc.). Within that era of basketball, Jordan was the best player. He won 6 championships and led the Bulls to an NBA record 72 wins in 1996. He was the face of the NBA in a time when the NBA was much more than it is now.
2. He changed the NBA in numerous ways. He paved the way for players to be more popular and recognizable than their team. He was the first player to really market himself as a brand. He became an international phenomenon because of his shoe, cereal and other apparel deals. The "I wanna be like Mike" commercials were wildly popular. His sneakers were coveted by any young basketball player wanting to play like Mike. He opened the door for players like Iverson, Kobe, Shaq and Lebron to really market themselves and to make their own brand outside of their NBA team. However, none of this is related to his play on the court. Though I think this is in the back of people's minds when they consider Jordan to be one of the greatest.
I think the case for the greatest player to ever play basketball is better made for Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell. Personally, I think Wilt is the best player of all time. He's second to Jordan in career points per game by only .05 points per game. Though he is second to Jordan, he holds 5 of the top 6 highest point per game averages for a single season, ever. In the 1961-62 season her averaged 50.3 points per game (PPG), a record that will never be broken (I know in sports you can never say never, but I think it's safe to use it here). Not even his 44.8 PPG in the 62-63 season will be touched. Another record of his that won't be touched: scoring 100 points and grabbing 55 rebounds in a single game (separate games). Wilt also holds the records for career rebounds per game at 22.9 and total rebounds. Though blocked shots weren't tracked when Wilt was playing, it is largely considered that he would hold that record as well. One game his coach asked the score keeper to keep track of the shots Wilt blocked, he counted 25. He even finished in the top seven in assists per game in four different seasons. In total, he holds 72 NBA records.
All of this is really impressive, but how his play forced the NBA to make rule changes is the thing that astounds me most. The NBA widened the lane to keep him further away from the basket and hopefully less able to dominate games. The NBA instituted offensive goal tending and changed rules regarding inbounding the ball, all as a direct result of Wilt. The funniest, and most fascinating, rule change was the rule that was created governing how free throws can be shot. Wilt reportedly had a 50 inch vertical leap, he was literally able to convert foul shots via a slam dunk without a running start. He completely undermined the difficulty of the shot. Now, you can't cross the line when shooting a free throw.
I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize his "achievements" off the field. Wilt claimed to have slept with over 20,000 women, though I won't use this in my argument.
I think the knock on Wilt is that he only won two NBA titles. This was due to the fact that the Bill Russell's Boston Celtics were busy winning 11 titles and consistently knocking Wilt out of the playoffs. I don't factor championships into the best player discussion as much as other people do. These are team games, so many factors go into winning a championship that are beyond any one players control.
The best player to ever play a sport is really a matter of opinion. It's my opinion that Jordan isn't the best player that every played basketball, like most people consider him to be.
I know this doesn't relate to Philadelphia sports specifically, but it's something I've thought about for a while and want to write about. Most major sports have their player who is considered the best to ever play the sport. In hockey, it's Wayne Gretzky. I think this is the most clear cut case out of the four major sports. He holds records that will never be broken. 92 goals in a single season. 163 assists in a single season. In fact, he holds 10 of the top 11 highest single season assist totals. I could go on and on, listing his records and career rankings.
In baseball, it's Babe Ruth. Though a lot of his records have been broken, I still believe he is the best ever. He hit 714 career home runs, a record that stood for almost 40 years, and is still good for third all time. He still holds the records for highest career slugging percentage and OPS. And he is second all time in RBI's, on base percentage, and home runs per at bat. To top it all off, in the 148 games he started as a pitcher he won 94 of them with a career ERA of 2.28.
Football doesn't lend itself to this kind of conversation. Each skill position would have to be analyzed separately. My best skill position players would go like this: WR: Jerry Rice (not even a close second here), QB: Joe Montana, RB: Walter Payton.
In basketball, it's Michael Jordan, right? I'm not sure I agree with this one. At the very least, it's not as clear cut as it is in the other major sports. I'm not saying he isn't one of the best ever. I just don't think he is the unanimous, no-brainer, number one that many people consider him to be. Jordan does hold a lot of NBA records, including most career points per game at 30.1 and most MVP's. But I think that the real reason he is considered the greatest is twofold.
1. He played in an era when the NBA was at it's peak popularity. The dream team crushed the Olympics, Magic vs. Bird was in full swing and the dunk contests were epic (Wilkens vs. Jordan, Spud Webb, etc.). Within that era of basketball, Jordan was the best player. He won 6 championships and led the Bulls to an NBA record 72 wins in 1996. He was the face of the NBA in a time when the NBA was much more than it is now.
2. He changed the NBA in numerous ways. He paved the way for players to be more popular and recognizable than their team. He was the first player to really market himself as a brand. He became an international phenomenon because of his shoe, cereal and other apparel deals. The "I wanna be like Mike" commercials were wildly popular. His sneakers were coveted by any young basketball player wanting to play like Mike. He opened the door for players like Iverson, Kobe, Shaq and Lebron to really market themselves and to make their own brand outside of their NBA team. However, none of this is related to his play on the court. Though I think this is in the back of people's minds when they consider Jordan to be one of the greatest.
I think the case for the greatest player to ever play basketball is better made for Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell. Personally, I think Wilt is the best player of all time. He's second to Jordan in career points per game by only .05 points per game. Though he is second to Jordan, he holds 5 of the top 6 highest point per game averages for a single season, ever. In the 1961-62 season her averaged 50.3 points per game (PPG), a record that will never be broken (I know in sports you can never say never, but I think it's safe to use it here). Not even his 44.8 PPG in the 62-63 season will be touched. Another record of his that won't be touched: scoring 100 points and grabbing 55 rebounds in a single game (separate games). Wilt also holds the records for career rebounds per game at 22.9 and total rebounds. Though blocked shots weren't tracked when Wilt was playing, it is largely considered that he would hold that record as well. One game his coach asked the score keeper to keep track of the shots Wilt blocked, he counted 25. He even finished in the top seven in assists per game in four different seasons. In total, he holds 72 NBA records.
All of this is really impressive, but how his play forced the NBA to make rule changes is the thing that astounds me most. The NBA widened the lane to keep him further away from the basket and hopefully less able to dominate games. The NBA instituted offensive goal tending and changed rules regarding inbounding the ball, all as a direct result of Wilt. The funniest, and most fascinating, rule change was the rule that was created governing how free throws can be shot. Wilt reportedly had a 50 inch vertical leap, he was literally able to convert foul shots via a slam dunk without a running start. He completely undermined the difficulty of the shot. Now, you can't cross the line when shooting a free throw.
I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize his "achievements" off the field. Wilt claimed to have slept with over 20,000 women, though I won't use this in my argument.
I think the knock on Wilt is that he only won two NBA titles. This was due to the fact that the Bill Russell's Boston Celtics were busy winning 11 titles and consistently knocking Wilt out of the playoffs. I don't factor championships into the best player discussion as much as other people do. These are team games, so many factors go into winning a championship that are beyond any one players control.
The best player to ever play a sport is really a matter of opinion. It's my opinion that Jordan isn't the best player that every played basketball, like most people consider him to be.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
What Baseball Team Should I Root For?
I'm rooting for the Phillies, always have and always will. I just wanted to share this flowchart I found. I think it's hysterical.
Here's the link, in case you can't read this well.
http://www.interpretationbydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IBD_baseball_flowchart.jpg
Here's the link, in case you can't read this well.
http://www.interpretationbydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IBD_baseball_flowchart.jpg
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
I Sense A Classic Philadelphia Panic Coming On
Baseball America ranked Domonic Brown as the fourth best prospect in all of baseball. Naturally, with that ranking comes great expectations. Expectations for Brown have been high since it was revealed that the Phillies were unwilling to part with him in a trade for Roy Halladay. Baseball America just validated what Phillies fans already knew.
This city can be notoriously unforgiving when it comes to riding players who aren't playing up to expectations. Former first round draft pick Pat Burrell is a prime example. He was targeted by the fans at points in his career because the expectations were so grand and his play didn't live up to it. It's not to say that he didn't play well, he just wasn't the hall of famer fans were expecting him to be.
I feel a similar situation could be happening with Domonic Brown. Due to injuries he was promoted to the majors last year. He started out with a bang, hitting an RBI double off the wall in his first major league at bat. Expectations grew even more, at least for me they did. Later in the year, when Victorino came back from his injury, Brown played sparingly. He got rusty sitting on the bench, something he wasn't accustomed to. He ended up with a .210 batting average for the year. The fans forgave that, chalking it up to coming off the bench or age and inexperience (22 years old at the time he was brought up).
So far, the fans aren't being so forgiving this year. Brown has gone hitless in his first three spring training games. To top it off, he has struck out in eight of his first twelve at bats. He's already getting killed by the fans. People are calling talk radio shows and labeling Brown a bust. Though I don't listen to Angelo Cataldi in the morning anymore, I can guarantee you that he is leading the pack with this one. I was following yesterday's spring training game on the philly.com chat, people were ripping him when he came up to bat. Saying things like "Oh here comes Dom Brown, get ready for another strike out". I know these people don't represent all fans, but they are a small sample size that I think proves the growing anxiousness the fans have about Brown.
Three grapefruit league games do not make a player. Especially one who is considered to be one of the best prospects in baseball and is still only 23 years old. Hell, he didn't even start fully focusing on baseball until he was drafted out of high school. He was considered to be a better football player. He needs time. The proof that he can be a good player is there. He raked through the first two levels of the minors. He didn't get much time to play triple A ball because he was called up to the majors only 30 games into his triple A career. But, in that limited action in triple A, his batting average was well above .300.
I think it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to let him start the season in triple A. Let him grow there, work on his defense and get more experience at the plate. He's only 23, let's reel in the expectations a little bit for now. He's not there yet, but I'm sure he will be some day. Don't panic and get on him like we have to players in the past.
This city can be notoriously unforgiving when it comes to riding players who aren't playing up to expectations. Former first round draft pick Pat Burrell is a prime example. He was targeted by the fans at points in his career because the expectations were so grand and his play didn't live up to it. It's not to say that he didn't play well, he just wasn't the hall of famer fans were expecting him to be.
I feel a similar situation could be happening with Domonic Brown. Due to injuries he was promoted to the majors last year. He started out with a bang, hitting an RBI double off the wall in his first major league at bat. Expectations grew even more, at least for me they did. Later in the year, when Victorino came back from his injury, Brown played sparingly. He got rusty sitting on the bench, something he wasn't accustomed to. He ended up with a .210 batting average for the year. The fans forgave that, chalking it up to coming off the bench or age and inexperience (22 years old at the time he was brought up).
So far, the fans aren't being so forgiving this year. Brown has gone hitless in his first three spring training games. To top it off, he has struck out in eight of his first twelve at bats. He's already getting killed by the fans. People are calling talk radio shows and labeling Brown a bust. Though I don't listen to Angelo Cataldi in the morning anymore, I can guarantee you that he is leading the pack with this one. I was following yesterday's spring training game on the philly.com chat, people were ripping him when he came up to bat. Saying things like "Oh here comes Dom Brown, get ready for another strike out". I know these people don't represent all fans, but they are a small sample size that I think proves the growing anxiousness the fans have about Brown.
Three grapefruit league games do not make a player. Especially one who is considered to be one of the best prospects in baseball and is still only 23 years old. Hell, he didn't even start fully focusing on baseball until he was drafted out of high school. He was considered to be a better football player. He needs time. The proof that he can be a good player is there. He raked through the first two levels of the minors. He didn't get much time to play triple A ball because he was called up to the majors only 30 games into his triple A career. But, in that limited action in triple A, his batting average was well above .300.
I think it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to let him start the season in triple A. Let him grow there, work on his defense and get more experience at the plate. He's only 23, let's reel in the expectations a little bit for now. He's not there yet, but I'm sure he will be some day. Don't panic and get on him like we have to players in the past.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Digging The New Style Of Sixers Basketball
With the Sixers winning their fourth straight game and finally getting above the .500 mark for the first time this year, I wanted to talk about this team and how I like their style of play. They are not built the way that most succesful teams in the NBA are built right now. I'm not saying I'm ready to call the Sixers an overly successful team just yet. But the progress they have made from last year, and even the beginning of this year, to now has been impressive.
Teams like the Celtics, Lakers and Heat are built around superstars. Players that can take over a game and single handedly carry a team through the playoffs. The Cavs had that in Lebron James. The Cavs went from perennial number one or two seed in the East with Lebron to the worst team in the NBA without him.
Despite what the Sixers payroll says (I'm talking about Iguodala and Brand's max contracts), they don't have that superstar. They're a team of very good young players, but no great player. They play selfless basketball on offense. They routinely have 5 or 6 players who score double figures in a given game. A lot of their points, something to the tune of 50 per game, come from the bench. The Sixers lead the league in bench scoring thanks mostly to Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young. I believe they have one of the best young point guards in the league in Jrue Holiday. He's your protypical point guard who sets up the offense and makes everyone around him better. Being only 20 years old, he's just going to get better.
The Sixers also play great team defense. Iguodala, as much guff as he gets for being overpaid and overconfident, is one of the better defenders in the league. He can completely shut down an opposing team's swing man. Not long ago I read a quote from a rival coach calling Iguodala the Darrelle Revis of the NBA. That may be a bit of a stretch, but it's a testiment to how good of a defensive player he is. Holiday, at 6 foot 4, is bigger than most point guards. Smaller guards have a problem trying to put up shots over him.
I feel that this is the way teams should be built and how teams should play. It's old school, which is the kind of coach Doug Collins is. He has them playing as a team, when most of the league plays as individuals. However, they do need another piece or two to complete the puzzle. Ideally, it would be a dominant 7 foot center. I'm not holding my breath on that one though, players like that come by once a decade. Until they find this missing piece, or pieces, I'm just enjoying the ride. I'm excited for Sixers basketball again, it's been a while since this team has been watchable. I really believe that they have the chance to make some noise in the playoffs. And, with Collins as the coach, they should continue to improve over the next couple of seasons.
NOTE: I wanted to title this post "Digging The New Brand Of Sixers Basketball" as a joke. I was afraid people would think I'd be serious with that title. I'd say about 1 in 5 articles I've read about the Sixers since Elton Brand signed here has played off his last name in the title. It's overdone.
Teams like the Celtics, Lakers and Heat are built around superstars. Players that can take over a game and single handedly carry a team through the playoffs. The Cavs had that in Lebron James. The Cavs went from perennial number one or two seed in the East with Lebron to the worst team in the NBA without him.
Despite what the Sixers payroll says (I'm talking about Iguodala and Brand's max contracts), they don't have that superstar. They're a team of very good young players, but no great player. They play selfless basketball on offense. They routinely have 5 or 6 players who score double figures in a given game. A lot of their points, something to the tune of 50 per game, come from the bench. The Sixers lead the league in bench scoring thanks mostly to Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young. I believe they have one of the best young point guards in the league in Jrue Holiday. He's your protypical point guard who sets up the offense and makes everyone around him better. Being only 20 years old, he's just going to get better.
The Sixers also play great team defense. Iguodala, as much guff as he gets for being overpaid and overconfident, is one of the better defenders in the league. He can completely shut down an opposing team's swing man. Not long ago I read a quote from a rival coach calling Iguodala the Darrelle Revis of the NBA. That may be a bit of a stretch, but it's a testiment to how good of a defensive player he is. Holiday, at 6 foot 4, is bigger than most point guards. Smaller guards have a problem trying to put up shots over him.
I feel that this is the way teams should be built and how teams should play. It's old school, which is the kind of coach Doug Collins is. He has them playing as a team, when most of the league plays as individuals. However, they do need another piece or two to complete the puzzle. Ideally, it would be a dominant 7 foot center. I'm not holding my breath on that one though, players like that come by once a decade. Until they find this missing piece, or pieces, I'm just enjoying the ride. I'm excited for Sixers basketball again, it's been a while since this team has been watchable. I really believe that they have the chance to make some noise in the playoffs. And, with Collins as the coach, they should continue to improve over the next couple of seasons.
NOTE: I wanted to title this post "Digging The New Brand Of Sixers Basketball" as a joke. I was afraid people would think I'd be serious with that title. I'd say about 1 in 5 articles I've read about the Sixers since Elton Brand signed here has played off his last name in the title. It's overdone.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Is Anyone Else Worried About The Phillies Season?
I'll be the first to admit that I think the Phillies are the best team in the NL, and probably all of major league baseball. However, the best team doesn't always win, or even make it to, the World Series. A lot of things need to go right for that to happen. Injuries need to be minimized and key players need to step up.
Is anyone else concerned about the lofty expectations placed on this team and the kind of affect it could have on their season? What about the fan base? How will they react to anything less than a World Series appearance or title?
I can't remember a Philly team going into a season with so much hype. I can't even come up with a close second. This team has garnered so much attention (nationally and locally) because it's a team filled with proven offensive talent and one of the best pitching staffs ever assembled, at least on paper.
Jimmy Rollins recently predicted that this team would win 100 games and contend for the all time record in games won by a team in a single season. While I love when Jimmy comes out with his annual predictions/trash talk in spring training, I think this just shows how high expectations really are this year. I'm not saying this team isn't capable of winning 100 games, they certainly are. Most fans are expecting 100 wins and a World Series title. When expectations are that high the disappointment can be huge.
This has never been a team that looks ahead or coasts through the regular season, but with the media and all the fans already looking forward to October, could this team be looking ahead? I don't know the answer to that, but I know it is a concern. Charlie Manuel addressed the team before full squad spring training began, a main point he wanted to get across to his team was to take this season one game at a time. He said that this team can't look to October, no team can. They need to look at April 1st and then April 2nd and so on. With the talent that they have on the roster, Charlie knows it will be easy to look forward to October. Can thay avoid that trap? Ultimately I think they can and will, but that doesn't mean it doesn't concern me.
Is anyone else concerned about the lofty expectations placed on this team and the kind of affect it could have on their season? What about the fan base? How will they react to anything less than a World Series appearance or title?
I can't remember a Philly team going into a season with so much hype. I can't even come up with a close second. This team has garnered so much attention (nationally and locally) because it's a team filled with proven offensive talent and one of the best pitching staffs ever assembled, at least on paper.
Jimmy Rollins recently predicted that this team would win 100 games and contend for the all time record in games won by a team in a single season. While I love when Jimmy comes out with his annual predictions/trash talk in spring training, I think this just shows how high expectations really are this year. I'm not saying this team isn't capable of winning 100 games, they certainly are. Most fans are expecting 100 wins and a World Series title. When expectations are that high the disappointment can be huge.
This has never been a team that looks ahead or coasts through the regular season, but with the media and all the fans already looking forward to October, could this team be looking ahead? I don't know the answer to that, but I know it is a concern. Charlie Manuel addressed the team before full squad spring training began, a main point he wanted to get across to his team was to take this season one game at a time. He said that this team can't look to October, no team can. They need to look at April 1st and then April 2nd and so on. With the talent that they have on the roster, Charlie knows it will be easy to look forward to October. Can thay avoid that trap? Ultimately I think they can and will, but that doesn't mean it doesn't concern me.
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