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We discuss the news that the MLB is adding another wild card team. Also, the Nationals can't stay out of the news... or shut up. Are they for real?
Listen after the jump.
Continue reading "CB Radio: Discussing The MLB Wild Card and if The Nationals are For Real" »
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It’s going to happen, it seems.
According to bow tie man Ken Rosenthal, baseball will announce - as early as tomorrow - the addition of two Wild Card teams for the 2012 season. The plan, which was unveiled last fall, will add a second Wild Card team to each league. The two WC teams will then square off in a one-game playoff, with the winner presumably going on to face the team with the best record in their respective league. And, yes, we believe the Wild Card teams can come from the same division. Somewhere, Nats manager Davey Johnson jumps for joy.
It certainly adds incentive to win your division-- at least when taken at face value. But when you consider that, for the best teams, this could cause an even lengthier delay between playing meaningful baseball and the first game of the Division Series, you can’t help but wonder if the layoff will do more harm than good for teams that won 10 extra games in the regular season.
In November I ticked off a number of scenarios from recent years in which one-game Wild Card matchups would have been between teams finishing as many as seven games apart, and that’s hardly fair. Why not just lengthen the Division Series to seven games, making it harder for Wild Card teams - like, say, the Cardinals - to beat teams that finished 12 games ahead - like, say, the Phillies - in the regular season? I'm still bitter.
More from Rosenthal:
The schedule for this season already was set when the new CBA was reached, but adjustments might be required to squeeze in the new wild-card round.
The final details are not known, but officials discussed changing starting times for the final day of the regular season, the one-game wild-card knockout and possibly Game 1 of the Division Series.
Your thoughts?
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Ryan Howard missed his first opportunity to put his Twitter to good use... instead the team provided an update on Piece’s visit to the Baltimore-based surgeon who performed his Achilles surgery, Dr. Mark Myerson.
Howard needed to have a small procedure to remove stitches from what had become an infected area. There’s no damage to the all important Achilles, but since a new wound has to heal, there’s no timetable for his return to action, whatever action is for him right now. [Full Q&A with team trainer Scott Sheridan here]
Perhaps the infection explains this tweet from Piece’s fianceé, Krystle Campbell, on Sunday...
... or maybe she just really likes her cat.
Other news: Shane Victorino gave some extremely positive comments to Jayson Stark when asked about his impending free agnecy (earlier, he had told Phillies.com reporter Todd Zolecki that he “doesn’t plan on going anywhere”): [ESPN.com]
"What that statement was saying," he said, "was that I'm willing to give up free agency. A lot of guys won't. In the game of baseball, free agency is what every major league player dreams of. You want to maximize your value, and of course I do, too. But what's important to me is, I want to be here. I love playing here. My family loves the city. I love the city. So when I made that statement, that's what I meant."
ALOHA.
...
Per CSN's Jim Salisbury, you can listen to the Phillies-Florida State game on the school's website.
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The Washington Nationals - the Yankees of the NL East, according to Bryce Harper - have their swag on high. Somewhere, 2007 J-Roll™ nods.
Speaking to a leggy blonde from CSN Washington, Nats manager Davey Johnson was supremely confident in talking about his team’s playoff chances: [CSN via Washington Post]
Will it be a failure if your team doesn’t make the playoffs?
"No question in my mind. And they can fire me."
Strong words?
"Yeah, we should make the playoffs. There’s not doubt in my mind."
No doubt at all, Davey?
Still none?
OK.
Sure, it’s big talk for franchise that hasn’t had a winning record in six years. But, there’s no denying that Nats are going to be better-- what with Stephen Strasburg returning, douchebag Bryce Harper potentially playing with the big club, Jayson Werth continuing to underachieve, and, um, Brad Lidge...
Anyway, they're confident. Are you worried?
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Help us help you.
Guinness is one of our new sponsors, and they want CB readers to help them break a world record for The Largest St. Patrick’s Day Celebration ever.
Yeah, yeah... I know-- who cares? You should. 1) Um, be part of a world record involving beer drinking. And 2) for each CB reader who pledges to drink a Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day (drink responsibly, folks), Guinness is going to up their spend with Crossing Broad.
Great, but what’s in it for you?
The more people that sign up, the more we get paid. And, on St. Patty's Day, we’re going to pass back half of whatever that payment in the form of tickets to one reader who takes the pledge-- the higher the payout, the better the event and seating location (we’re shooting for rinkside seats (2) at a Flyers playoff game). Think of this as a FREE raffle ticket. Oh yeah, and by pledging to drink a Guinness on St. Patty’s Day, you can enter for a chance to win a free trip to Dublin courtesy of Guinness. Not bad.
Here’s all you need to do:
1) Click this link to go to Guinness.com.
2) Hit the big “Join the Party” button
3) Enter your first name, zip code and - very important - CROS as the “optional code.”
That’s it. Takes two seconds to be part of a world record and to up the 50-50 ante. You can also add a few more details to enter to win a trip to Dublin.
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E.T., bringing the heat: White Jeff Carter v-neck? Check. "Fuck yeah" lip bite? Count it. Sig. other making smoochy face and rocking matching Mardi Gras lanyards while eating on some outdoor patio with palm growing in the background? Yessssss, count it, and the fouuuul!
Last night, before and after a lopsided win against the Pistons, Evan Turner wanted to inform us all that he has a girlfriend. Meep meep!
Ohh play on playa.
As you might expect, this is my girlfriend, go check her out Tweets are among my favorite kind of Tweets. I immediately fired up the Google and Twitter machines.
Here’s what we got: Chels Cbella (full name?), an upbeat, seemingly religious, slender and (NBA-mandated) busty Philly girl who loves to make kissy face has been dating ET for at least a few months (judging by Tweets like this).
Chels appreciated the public gesture by ET:
I feel all warm inside. A full pictorial, for your viewing pleasure, is after the jump. Well played, Mr. Turner.
Continue reading "And Now, A Pictorial of Evan Turner's Girlfriend" »
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No image. We only have an image if the Flyers score a goal.
Well, poop. Aren’t you glad you stayed up until 1 a.m. to watch a 1-0 game with 58 minutes of scoreless hockey, yo?
No, no you are not.
Thanks to what I’m sure is some hokey agreement and the fact that Sixers games somehow bump the Flyers from what is essentially their own network, those of you (me) with FIOS had to watch the game sans HD on channel 99, Art Fennell's channel or something (I’m telling you, Apple is going to change the ridiculous TV industry soon). But whatever definition you watched the game in, no loosely pixelated puck crossed the goal line for the OnB. The Flyers lost to the Sharks, 1-0.
Before the game, reader (@RPM044) asked me the over-under on shots until Bryz let up a goal. He set it at 5.5, and I took the over-- 7. I should have taken the under. Former big leaguer, CB reader and Flyers fan Kevin Mench, among others, went with the under and won as the first shot of the game went in. Couldn’t put this one on Bryz, though-- he played quite well. It was the offense that came up short and Antti Niemi who [insert pun here]. Claude Giroux was held without a shot for the first time in 66 games and James van Riemsdyk ducked back into obscurity during the Flyers last game against a Western Conference opponent.
The takeaway story from the game - if there is one - is the hit on Danny Briere by Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who, yes, is related to the pickle people.
Danny Briere was knocked head-first into the boards by a pickle.
Briere told reporters he felt OK, but did admit to being dizzy after the hit...
Watch video of the hit on Briere after the jump. Full game “highlights” here.
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Photo via reader Cody
As always, this segment is sponsored by our friends from Drinker's Philadelphia, where you can get $1 hot dogs Flyers games. And really cheap drinks. Always.
Fucking Flyers fans-- you’re everywhere.
1) Remember last week when NBC weather girl Sheena Parveen made the voyage back to her native Clearwater to go on an awkward lunch date with Hunter Pence where she asked him strange questions and he showed her that move which looked like The Shocker but was really The Matrix that could be opened up to become The Turkey? Breathe. Well, the trip was a booty call... of sorts.
She has a boyfriend in Tampa, according to Dan Gross. His name is Jamison Uhler, a former NBC 10 anchor and PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS SEXY SINGLE who used to date Kerri-Lee Halkett. Yeah, you hate this guy. And so, perhaps, does Hunter.
2) SI.com has a gallery of all the goalie masks worn this year in the NHL. But they left out one of the three Bryz has worn. This one.
3) An arrest warrant was issued for Michael Vick’s brother, Marcus, today. He failed to show up for a court appearance for one reason or another. We really don’t care.
4) The very entitled David Murphy (Phillies beat writer), who doesn’t realize that the last person on earth you want to rip is someone with a following and no eddetour, told me today that I was like “an after school special on logical fallacy.” Guess he couldn’t fit those sorts of heady phrases into his 2,000 word prose on how the Phillies’ fastest player should use his speed more often.
5) This:
6) Ryan Howard, who already shortened his Twitter handle by dropping the 6, is currently following two females on Twitter: His fianceé, Krystle Campbell, and Kim Kardashian. That is all.
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Bum bum. You hear that? Fins to the left, fins to the right. The scriputals are mad as they tweet live from the Shark Tank in San Jose, site of tonight's Flyers-Sharks game. Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum.
I love it when scriptuals get mad.
For whatever reason, Bryz hasn’t spoken to the media since an overtime win against the Jets in Winnipeg last week, and the Flyers beat reporters, the few who are making this long journey out west, seem pissy, again.
The #Flyers say Bryz will end his silence and talk to media. Boycott lasted 2 games and no one is sure what triggered it.
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) February 28, 2012
Fans commenting here at shark tank about how many goals Bryz gives up in prax
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchCSN) February 28, 2012
So, why wasn’t Bryz talking?
Here’s a thought: Because after the Winnipeg game he joked about getting booed in Philly (jokes are only funny when you don’t let in 30-foot go-ahead knucklepucks-- ‘tis true).
Or because after the previous game, against the Penguins, he talked about needing to find peace in his soul to play in Philly.
Or because at the Flyers Wives Carnival he allegedly told a fan that he “cares too much.”
Maybe one of those things is the reason why the Flyers didn’t let him talk to the media.
So why will he talk tonight? Let me just present to you a theory, on which I have I no backing: What if the Flyers were so fed up with Bryz’s play and his comments that they were trying to pull off a miraculous trade involving him and his bloated contract?
What if they didn’t want him sticking his humongous foot in his mouth just before they tricked another team into taking on said bloated contract?
What if the team realized that the next dumbass comment to come from his mouth would kill whatever chance of trading him there was but now that the trade deadline has passed the point is moot?
What if....?
That or Bryz was just in a bad mood.
I guess we’ll never know.
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What up everybody. To answer your question: it is who you think it is.Hope everyone is having a great day . God bless
— Ryan Howard (@RyanHoward6) February 28, 2012
Held off on posting about this until there was a bit more information, but it’s legit.
On Saturday, a Twitter account - (@ryanhoward6) - popped up. It appeared real, both when you considered the professional-looking background (which includes link to Facebook and YouTube pages filled with positive things Howard has done) and the account’s followers: Shane Victorino, Excel Sports (an agency), Krystle Campbell (Howard’s fianceé) and various Excel employees.
I called Excel (this is what I do with my days...), they confirmed that they represent Howard and this is, in fact, “his official account,” which they are working on getting verified by Twitter. Philly.com’s Ryan Petzar confirmed with the Phillies that Howard himself is the one doing the tweeting, too. Sports business guru Caleb Mezzy notes that Howard’s agent, Casey Close, left CAA (another agency) for Excel last April. So, it all makes sense.
Your nerdy sports-business minute has concluded.
Just click follow, folks:
Just want to thank all my fans for the well wishes and prayers . Much love much appreciated.
— Ryan Howard (@ryanhoward) February 28, 2012
UPDATE: Ryan Howard has dropped the "6" from his handle. It's just (@RyanHoward), and is verified.
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Sharpshooter Plaxico Burress was on 97.5 with Harry Mayes, Brian Baldinger and his pinky today. One can surmise that there was a singular reason why Burress, who left prison last year wearing a Phillies cap, would go on the radio in Philadelphia. This reason:
“Nothing else would make me happier [than to play for the Eagles]. Obviously, coming to Philadelphia, you know, instituting myself into that offense (???), it just adds a unique dynamic to what’s already in place. You look at LeSean McCoy and what he did this year, having an All-Pro year, probably the best year at running back. Him and Maurice Jones Drew. And everybody knows what DeSean is capable-- being one of the most explosive big-play receivers in all of football. And Jeremy Maclin, who is getting better and better. And for myself, I just see myself in that offense being out there on the edge. You talk about all the guys that’s playing in that offense, I mean there are just so many options. You know, I always say, you can neutralize speed, but you can’t neutralize size.”
Burress also said that he talks to Michael Vick “once or twice a week,” not about football. “[Vick] can bring a championship to Philadelphia, and I would love to be a part of that," Burress added.
So, there you have it.
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Screen grab via Yahoo, AP
As you probably noticed by our Raul Ibanez post, the Yankees got their pictures taken yesterday. Some in the bathroom. Really.
Anyway, we can just throw a whole bunch of puns out there, like “their season seems poised to go down the toilet” or “for once an A-Rod urinal story didn’t result in a positive test,” but we’ll just let you watch the video after the jump.
BTW-- Anyone else think Alex looks a little flush?
Continue reading "This Photo of Alex Rodriguez Ain't Worth Shit" »
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