It’s February, and we need new topics. I can’t take the Sam Bradford story anymore (until there’s some definitive outcome), and coming off a month where Doug Pederson was on a Daily News sports cover six(!) times – a sign that we’ve entered Bizarro Philly – it’s time for something to fill the vapid sports void that is our second-consecutive nuclear winter with something other than the Eagles. Pitchers and catchers when?

Let’s hit it!

 

But first, a word from our sponsors:

GostibsehereShirt

Ghost.  Shop now.

More. Already have all of our shirts? Check out Philly Phaithful.

Available. Sponsorships available for February. Email me if interested.

 

The roundup:

Here’s a Zach Berman piece about Doug Pederson’s high school coaching career. Reuben Frank thinks Doug Pederson and the Eagles are headed in the right direction in an article greeting you with a video of Rhea Hughes pondering the current state of the Eagles. GOD DAMMIT. MAKE IT STOP! How  about:

Sixers-Warriors

I went to the game on Saturday. My first Sixers game of the year. First one where I felt like I’d get my money’s worth, save for maybe Kobe’s last game here. Tickets on the secondary marketing were insane— from $130-$600. I could only find the $130 tickets on Vivid Seats, and nothing that low using my own Crossing Broad Tickets. Why? Crossing Broad Tickets includes fees in the pricing. Once I added those Vivid seats to my cart, there were $74 in processing fees for instant tickets, taking the price up to around $340. I finally settled on last-minute-release tickets from the Sixers– $99 to sit in what is usually the press box for Flyers games. Besides the fact that even ushers weren’t sure where to direct people because “they never sell these seats up here,” it wasn’t a bad deal or a bad seat. First, the balcony view is always better than the last 5-10 rows of the second level because it overhangs. Second, you have much more personal space, and a railing in front of you for food and drinks. The only issue was that the ratio of people-to-seats was not exact, forcing one of the 10 or so people in our area to always be standing. It wasn’t a huge deal since there was enough space to GATHER. I sat in seats like this in Boston for the Villanova-Pittsburgh Elite 8 game, and it was perfect because there was plenty of room to run halfway around TD Bank Garden like an idiot when Scottie Reynolds made his last-second shot.

The game: It was worth every penny. Besides the fact that Steph Curry was playing at about 40% speed, he and Klay Thompson did enough to excite, which is all I wanted. But, bonus!, the Sixers made it a game with an improbable 19-point comeback, tying it up with under a minute to go. I imagine this is as exciting as Sixers basketball will get this season:

But it was followed by the hardest dagger I have ever seen:

Now, for the idiots celebrating this as a Sixers victory: Was it a fun game? Yes. Would it have been awesome if the Sixers pulled out what became a wildly entertaining CONTEST? You bet. Was this a moral victory and should it be counted as such as sidgonuts wrote in r/sixers? No:

Last night was essentially Rocky.

The “has no chance against a good team” Sixers vs “best team in the league maybe ever” Warriors, and while it started off weak for the Sixers, we fought our way back and although we lost, we earned everyone’s respect. Hell, we even have our own version of Adrian – Nicki Minaj. I’m so fucking proud of us, guys.

Grow up, Peter Pan. The Sixers played… spirited(?)… but their getting back in the game had a lot more to do with Draymond Green admittedly chasing a triple-double and the Warriors throwing the ball around like some half-assed version of the Harlem Globetrotters for almost the entire second half (it stuck with them through eight turnovers in the first quarter of their game Sunday). By the time the Sixers cut their lead to around 10 or so, forcing the Warriors to put their starters back in, momentum had swung just enough to give a bunch of fringe NBA guys a chance to feel greatness. Even then, the Sixers’ defense, which gave up 73 points in the first half(!) but only 31 through about 22 minutes of the second half, was laughably deficient despite their max effort. I mean:

Voila_Capture 2016-02-01_08-34-35_AM Voila_Capture 2016-02-01_08-35-10_AM

That second one is Steph Curry, and he should be covered as such.

This was a fun game. Unexpectedly competitive. But it wasn’t a moral victory. It was the equivalent of an MLB team playing a college squad in spring training– unnervingly close, but indicative of no specific trend.

Tag Team performed Whoomp! (There It Is) at halftime. How much do you think they get paid to show up and scream “whoomp!” over the track containing the rest of the song? $10k? $20k? Did the Sixers game interfere with what I imagine is a very busy bat mitzvah schedule for them? So many questions, so few answers.

 

SO RESOURCEFUL!, is what I would write if I was peddling clickbait and linking to this viral video of Sixers fan fishing for Steph Curry’s autograph.

 

Claude Giroux and Jaromir Jagr are so adorable together [hit the volume]:

 

Wonder if he liked G’s cuffs:

 

Jeff Hornacek was fired as head coach of the Suns just a week after his owner blamed millennial players for being lazy shits. Soooo… which is it?

 

Wonder if this will cut Mike D’Antoni’s stay wildly short?

 

Another Amtrak train was hit with something in North Philly. Guessing the Northeast Corridor doesn’t have a scenic route?

 

The NFL tested using video rather than still shots on the sidelines during the Pro Bowl. Two things: 1) It’s remarkable to me that they don’t already do this. 2) Can’t wait for the first he’s looking at the play on one of their iPads slip-up by an announcer talking about Microsoft’s high-priced Surface placement.

 

Philly Auto Show this week. Time for the annual “Wow– Karen Rodgers!!!” text from my dad.

 

I don’t know if I would go that far, Jim, but it was fairly entertaining and the production, choreography and camera work was like nothing I have ever seen before. And yes, I totally lost the TV battle.

 

Frank Olivieri responding to coverage of health inspection infractions at Pat’s is great:

And, you know, it’s interesting that the two places that the news is focusing on are Italian. We are Italian strongholds in the city. Did they do this with Le Bec-Fin? … But no. You’ve got … Monica Malpass teasing it on the news like we’re serving fucking uranium and killing people.

 

#bullyingjokes

 

NBA announcers on Jeremy Lin’s hair.

 

Drew Rosenhaus wants to remind you about the greatness of his life:

 

The Wingette crop this year.

 

Travis Kelce is going to be on a reality show.

 

Disney movies as Tim Burton joints.

 

Patrick Kane fake fighting during the All-Star Game in a classic WWE heel-face showdown.

 

Meanwhile, Flyers prospects real fought each other in Juniors.

 

Podcast: Talking RADIO WARS, Josh Innes, best football broadcast teams, NFL rule changes and more.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/243878406″ params=”color=00cc11&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

This week– special guest John Kincade. Download and subscribe.