He wasn’t what everyone wanted, but he is exactly what everyone needed. Doug Pederson was the complete opposite of the flashy hire the Eagles fans wanted last off-season. Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman and company got roasted for “settling” for Pederson, for going back to the Andy Reid era. Many in Philly and around the NFL were skeptical, but now that the Eagles sit at 8-1 and at the top of the NFL everyone is happily eating crow when it comes to Dougie P.

In addition to being a solid NFL coach, Pederson also knows how to give great locker room speeches:

Let’s go.

The Roundup:

Week 9 in the NFL wrapped up last night with the Lions defeating the Packers on Monday Night Football.

Skip Bayless was probably watching last night’s game, but let’s hope he payed closer attention than he did to the Eagles game:

https://twitter.com/nickpiccone/status/927758549379436544

Kyle’s Morning Wood was better than usual yesterday:

That is all a very long, and very self-serving way of saying that WE’RE FUCKING BACK. Our teams have turned the corner and hit the accelerator. It’s time to dive into the giant pool of coconut oil, rub some on our loins, and get lubricious on our ass, because we have wins to celebrate, opponents to mock, and fucking trophies to grab.

The Eagles are contenders, if not favorites. Go ahead, bask in it.

What they did yesterday to a good Denver defense was remarkable. But it’s not just the sheer volume of points they point up, it’s the efficiency with which they did it.

First of all, they only punted twice, which is stupid.

CB’s Tim Reilly followed Kyle’s lead and basked in it:

I actually agree with this last contention. At this point in the season, the Eagles aren’t as good as the Patriots. They’re better.

In fact, the Eagles are Super Bowl contenders. They might even be the favorites to win the Lombardi Trophy.

To make it even better, the New York Giants are absolute trash and Eagles fans can bask in that as well.

To the hardwood now, the Sixers play at the Utah Jazz tonight at 9pm. They’ll be without Markelle Fultz, who is now shooting left-handed jumpers? From our Kevin Kinkead:

Markelle Fultz was on a separate court doing some VERY light work while the Sixers finished practice. I’d say he was putting about 10% of his energy into some basic movement and layup drills, sort of like how you’d warm-up if you were doing shootaround before a charity basketball game.

A couple of reporters noticed that he was taking some left-handed jump shots, which is not Fultz’s shooting hand.

Kinkead has more on the developments, including news on Joel Embiid’s status for the game.

Off the court, former NBA player Lamar Odom collapsed at a nightclub over the weekend.

In Major League Baseball, the finalists for NL Rookie of the Year were announced yesterday. Anyone missing?

Local D-II school Cheyney pulled out of a historic Thanksgiving Day game because it is broke.

In the news…

26 teen girls were found dead in the Mediterranean Sea

Meek Mill is going to jail.

Ever wonder why we sleep at night, when it is dark? Because of the dinosaurs.