Kevin and Russ break down all of the Eagles’ options with using the franchise tag on Nick Foles, LeVeon Bell rumors, Joel Embiid and Furkan Korkmaz’ injuries, Angelo Cataldi’s piece on Manny Machado, thoughts on the Machado deal and what a Bryce Harper deal could/should look like, assessing how attractive Philly is to free agents, and an update on the Flyers/Penguins Stadium Series game.
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Conflicting reports.
Josina Anderson says that Giants safety Landon Collins cleaned out his locker ahead of looming free agency:
I’m told that Giants S Landon Collins cleaned out his locker today at the team facility and said his goodbyes to teammates, coaches and trainers. It doesn’t seem like Collins expects to be a Giant for much longer, per sources.
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 20, 2019
How about that? Pretty interesting stuff.
But wait… is it true?
Paul Schwartz dodged Anderson’s left hook and countered with a straight right:
Attention those who care about the New York Giants: Landon Collins HAS NOT cleaned out his locker at the team facility.
Repeat: Landon Collins HAS NOT cleaned out his locker at the team facility.
Go about your business and have a nice day.— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) February 20, 2019
Soooo… which one is it? Did the guy clean out his locker or not?
Collins himself ducked the straight right and came back with a flying karate kick, after the jump:
Sports Betting Updates
The 91st Academy Awards is most certainly a momentous occasion for New Jersey’s legal online sportsbooks. For the first time, companies like FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook are… wait for it… rolling out the red carpet… and offering legal betting odds outside the realm of sports and allowing you to bet on the Oscars. As a Garden State guy myself, I can’t say that I have ever really been into the Oscars, BUT I AM NOW.
I guess you could say that those within the film industry aren’t the only ones with a chance to win big on Hollywood’s biggest night! Am I right?
Whatever. Even the jokes in the opening monologue sometimes fall.
If you’re looking to get in on the Oscars betting action in NJ, FanDuel Sportsbook is offering up odds across 16 different categories on which films will take home the hardware during Hollywood’s biggest night. Betting options go well beyond headliner awards like Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress, and Best Director.
Think the costume design by Mary Zophres in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was simply resplendent? Take a shot at +1800 odds.
Maybe you thought the makeup and hairstyling done by Jenny Shircore, Marc Pilcher, Jessica Brooks in Mary Queen of Scots was positively radiant. HAMMER IT at +650.
DraftKings Sportsbook is offering similar action and for new users is offering 100-1 odds on Best Picture. This means a $5 bet will pay out $500. One of the best promos we’ve seen yet.
Haven’t seen any of this year’s nominated films? No sweat. With football season now over, fill the void and get caught up before the Oscars night on Sunday, February 24.
Let’s get it back to the Eagles.
Nothing new today with the Nick Foles “tag or no tag” situation, but this popped up in relation to the Le’Veon Bell saga:
Steelers ultimately decided not to tag Le'Veon Bell after having final talks on the matter. They will move forward with Connor and perhaps add another back in the draft or free agency. Team moving on without brown or Bell
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) February 20, 2019
Bell is Seeking a deal worth 50 million dollars in the first two years of the deal. Plenty of skepticism he will approach that number. Jets, Eagles, Bucs could be among the teams involved
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) February 20, 2019
Too much money, I’d say.
The Eagles definitely need a running back, but you’re not putting 50 million dollars into two years of Le’Veon Bell, not unless he gives you years 3 and 4 for 10 cents each.
Wayne Simmonds was pissed off and rightfully so.
The Flyers were trying to furiously come back from another three-goal deficit against Tampa Bay when it seemed Sean Couturier had cut the lead to one with 47 seconds remaining in the game.
Referee Graham Skilliter called off the goal, however.
As a regular observer of hockey, I can tell you I’m not sure Skilliter initially knew why he was waiving off the goal. It wasn’t done emphatically, and as soon as the Flyers seemed to voice their complaints, he held them at bay saying he was going to discuss it with the other officials.
Then, the four zebras gathered near the scorer’s table in a huddle, talked for a moment and then decided to rule it was no goal because of goaltender interference.
An easy out would have been that Skilliter lost sight of the puck and was about to blow his whistle. But, considering the Flyers were burned last week in a game against the Penguins on a poorly timed ref’s whistle, you could see a moment of trepidation by Skilliter waiving it off. So, they had to find a different call. And they went with goaltender interference.
The reason? It’s a call that can be challenged. Knowing Flyers coach Scott Gordon would likely issue that challenge, the officials knew they could get another review of the play on video and then they could make the correct call.
Welcome to professional sports officiating in 2019, where the decisions being made on the field, court or ice aren’t necessarily what you saw or thought you saw, but rather a vague possibility that could elicit replay review so the officials can get a second look at a play they missed and don’t have to suffer the slings and arrows of a blown call.
The problem this time though was that even after looking at a replay, which was clear as day that this should have been a goal and there was no interference, the officials still got it wrong.
Can someone tell me where is Goalie Interference on the Flyers#Flyers #TBLvsPHI pic.twitter.com/cC8LN2IqG0
— David Malandra Jr (@David_Malandra) February 20, 2019
They said the call on the ice was “confirmed,” although there isn’t one person who can clearly identify what constitutes interfering with a goalie anymore.
Even Couturier was flabbergasted afterwards saying, “I don’t know what goalie interference is anymore.”
Per Sixers press release:
STATEMENT FROM PHILADELPHIA 76ERS VICE PRESIDENT OF ATHLETE CARE DR. DANIEL MEDINA:
FEB. 20, 2019 – Joel Embiid is experiencing left knee soreness and will undergo treatment involving physical therapy and load management. He had an MRI which revealed no structural damage. As a precaution, he is listed as out and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.
Furkan Korkmaz sustained an injury to his right knee during the team’s Feb. 12 matchup vs. Boston. He underwent imaging, and an MRI revealed a meniscus tear. Treatment options, including surgery, are currently being assessed and considered. Korkmaz remains out, and an update will be provided as appropriate.
Well that’s not good. At least the MRI results were positive.
Embiid played in Sunday’s All-Star game. A one-week re-evaluation would result in him missing the Thursday and Saturday home games with Miami and Portland, plus next Monday’s road trip to New Orleans. If he’s deemed healthy at that point, then he would play Thursday in Oklahoma City.
As for Korkmaz, I’d think this would pretty much end his season. With James Ennis and Jonathon Simmons now in the fold, and the Sixers likely to trim their rotation as the playoffs approach, I imagine his time in Philly is basically done. He’s a free agent at the end of the year.
The Major League Baseball hot stove has experienced all sorts of temperature fluctuations this winter.
First it was really hot, then it became ice cold. Nothing happened in free agency for something like two months, and the stove was colder and more desolate than the southern tip of Argentina. Now the stove is hotter than hot. It’s like putting your tomato soup on the surface of Venus.
The latest in Harper Watch 2019 brings us this snippet from Jon Morosi:
🎙️@jonmorosi: "The Bryce Harper signing is gonna break about three minutes before the Manny Machado press conference happens, and I think it'll be with Philadelphia."@howaboutafresca & @SwollenDome. https://t.co/lXtT3WgCe0
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) February 20, 2019
I would not put it past Scott Boras to steal the spotlight from Dan Lozano with a pre-presser leak. That would be a total dick/power move on his part.
FYI the Machado press conference is tentatively scheduled for Friday in San Diego. San Diego, course, means “a whale’s vagina.”
I missed this yesterday, but Todd Zolecki wrote about the Manny Machado/Padres deal and what it means for the Phillies.
He shared the quote Bob talked about yesterday, this one:
“If the reports are true, then this contract will exceed our valuation and sometimes you have to be willing to walk away,” Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said at Spectrum Field. “We made our bid, put our best foot forward and he ended up signing with the Padres.”
I don’t have a problem with that quote, because it doesn’t necessarily mean the Phillies have the same valuation of both Machado and Bryce Harper. Maybe they’re willing to go $300 million and beyond for Harper’s services.
But one Zolecki passage that jumped out to me is this one, which is infuriating:
The Phillies were not completely crushed by Tuesday’s development. They had some misgivings about signing Machado, following his “Johnny Hustle” comments last fall in the National League Championship Series. If the club was going to give somebody $300 million, they wanted to feel confident that he would not be booed on Opening Day.
Wow.
What. the. fuck. is. that?
