What a “radical” idea!

That Tyler Perry  What a “radical” he must be!
Tyler Perry Gives the Gift of Disney World to Philadelphia Campers
(Philadelphia Inquirer) July 21 – Six-year-old Creative Steps camper Dajuan Tucker doesn’t remember much about his last trip to Walt Disney World. He was only 4 years old and has vague memories of water slides and meeting [...]

Shane-O!

Victorino victorious in Final Vote
PHILADELPHIA, PA (MLB.com) July 9 - It doesn’t take much to get Shane Victorino to bounce around the ballpark.
But Victorino had a little more hop in his step Thursday when he learned he had won the National League’s Final Vote completion, which put him on the National League All-Star team. He will [...]

What we’re (still) up against.

Prepare to be angry.
Montco swim club accused of racial discrimination
PHILADELPHIA, Pa (Philadelphia Inquirer) July 9 - Days before a Northeast Philadelphia day camp’s membership at a private suburban swim club was rescinded, several of the campers said they had heard racial remarks about themselves at the pool.
Parents and staff members of Creative Steps Inc. day camp [...]

In case you missed it…

Our new team has a new coach!
Philadelphia Union names Nowak first coach
CHESTER, Pa. (Philadelphia Inquirer) May 30 - Major League Soccer’s newest franchise has tapped national team assistant Peter Nowak as its first coach.
Nowak will head Philadelphia Union’s soccer operations as team manager when it begins play next year.
Philadelphia Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz says Nowak [...]

“A call-up gone too soon.”

by Frank Fitzpatrick
(Philadelphia Inquirer) May 28 - Memorial Day always makes me think of Harry O’Neill.
A major-league ballplayer, a World War II hero . . . O’Neill’s story, I’ve often thought, might make a nice newspaper takeout, perhaps even a book or screenplay.
His short life was as sweet as any imaginable. And as bitter.
“Porky” O’Neill reached [...]

Swoon.

This will be of no interest to anyone but me, perhaps, but whatever.  It’s my blog and I’ll swoon if I want to.
Philadelphia MLS team named Union
(Philadelphia Inquirer) May 8 – To borrow a line from Woody Guthrie, they’re sticking with the Union.
That’s going to be the name of the region’s new pro soccer [...]

Outta here.

Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster Harry Kalas died yesterday.  He was 73.  I have to say that many of us had noticed that, as spring training games began this year, Harry looked a bit more frail than he had when things wrapped up last fall.  His passing, then, came as a shock but not really as [...]

Godspeed, Brian Dawkins.

The Philadelphia Eagles continued their slide into NFL irrelevence over this past weekend, by allowing Pro Bowler, future Hall of Famer, and heart-and-soul-of-the-franchise team leader Brian Dawkins to slip away in free agency.  He signed a five-year deal with the Denver Broncos.
Part of me gets this.  Dawk is 35 years old, which, let’s face it, [...]

Wev.

So I guess I need to post about this, even though I don’t want to.
Okay, so the Eagles lost.  Actually, I should say that the Cardinals won.
Forget the horrifically bad officiating that probably cost the Eagles two scores.  THAT will be what the Boo Birds whine about for the next week as they make excuses [...]

Birds of pray.

I prayed.  They won.
Happiness is beating the stinkin’ “New York football” Giants. 
In their house.  Somewhere, my old man is grinning, ear to ear.
Next up: Arizona. 
Is it too early to think about… destiny?
E-A-G-L-E-S-EAGLES!!!
(Photo: Getty Images)

Yes, I do believe in miracles.

A whole bunch of various stars had to fall into a very particular alignment yesterday in order for our maddeningly inconsistent Philadelphia Eagles to make the NFL playoffs.
And the Eagles themselves had to win.
And, amazingly, they did.  The stars, that is.  And they did.  The Eagles, that is.
It helps that the teams that had to [...]

Post-Christmas question:

I was going to ask you all “Whatcha get?” but then I thought that might kinda sound a bit greedy-grubby of me.
Although I am curious…
So I will ask, Did you receive a gift this year that came as total and complete and wonderful surprise?  Something that had a little extra meaning?
I ask because First-Born Son [...]

Chuck E. Cheese Meets G.I. Joe.

The Army Experience Center
by Jim Hightower
(JimHightower.com) December 5 – From football to beach volleyball, competitive games can get your juices going.
But the ultimate game, the one that’ll give you the greatest rush, is… what? Why, it’s war, of course. Yeah, man, you literally get to kill the other team! How great is that?
Such thinking (if [...]

Happy (jazz) birthday.

Happy birthday to Philadelphia’s own McCoy Tyner, born December 11, 1938.

An open letter to the owners of Philadelphia’s professional sports franchises:

Dear gentlemen:
Over the years, the citizens of the city which your teams call home, and from whom you have gleaned hundreds of millions of dollars through ticket sales, merchandise sales, and tax infusions (the ones that built those beautiful palaces you call stadiums) have cheerfully and happily contributed to your wealth and success.
Now it’s time for [...]

Friday (Phillies’ fan) baby blogging.

Little Will gets the phans fired up at the Phillies’ World Series parade.
Posted because things have been too darn serious here this week…

People Have the Power, v. 8.

A story about this young woman was running on CNN today while I was at the gym, trying to work off some stress before tonight’s round of parent-teacher conferences.
I am in a sad and cynical mood today.  A close friend and colleague at work got the call that every parent dreads last Thursday afternoon.  Her [...]

Million Phan march.

Shots of yesterday’s parade in downtown Philadelphia for our World Series champions.  The folks who know how are estimating that the crowd was at least 1.5 milllion strong.
Some of us had to work for a living yesterday, but we were there in spirit.  I had help: at least 30% of my students were there!
Guys ‘n [...]

PHINALLY!

The long summers of our discontent are over.
Somewhere up in Heaven, Momma Agitator and her dad are doing the happy dance.
Me?  I can’t stop laughing.  But first there were tears of joy last night.
What else canst thou say?
This:

“There’s no ’suspending’ in baseball!”

Argh.
If last night’s World Series game had been played back in the day, the Phillies would be planning a parade this morning. 
But that was back before Major League Baseball was taken over by network television and a cynical boob named Bud Selig.  Back when the rulebook actually meant something.
So the Phils lose a great start [...]