This isn’t a football blog, but…

So, Michael Vick has been reinstated by the National Football League.  Meaning he’s clear to play if some team will have him.
We heard this on the network news the other night, and Mrs. Agitator, who usually ignores most of the news broadcast, turned to me and asked, “What team in the league would risk signing [...]

This isn’t a baseball blog, but…

Hmmmm…
Can an asterisk save baseball’s Hall of Fame?
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y (USA Today) July 27 – Reggie Jackson and other Baseball Hall of Famers were elated with Hank Aaron’s pronouncement that he would accept players linked to performance-enhancing drugs into the Hall of Fame only if there is an asterisk on their plaque.
“I’m thrilled that Henry spoke,” [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

Spare me.

An open pre-opening day of spring training letter to some baseball folks:
Please, Mr. Selig, spare me the feigned outrage over Alex Rodriquez’s admission last week that he, as a player for the Texas Rangers, used performance-enhancing drugs.  Please, do put a lid on the emoting, okay?  Who was it again who served in the role of [...]

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 [...]

Another reason why I don’t miss watching professional ice hockey.

Perhaps you can explain this to me.
In the National Hockey League, you can do
this,
this,
this,
this,
this,
and even this,
and what you’ll get is maybe a major penalty (five minutes off the ice in a little box where you’re supposed to hang your head in shame, I guess), and perhaps a few games off (and in the case [...]

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 [...]

“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 [...]

The curse of Sarah?

The hockey curse of Sarah Palin continues.
A couple weeks back, GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin dropped the puck for the Philadelphia Flyers’ home opener against the hated New York Rangers, and not only did the Flyers lose that game, but they went on to lose their next six in a row, their worst start [...]

Three.

Phils 10, Rays 2.
Phils up, three games to two.
Joe Blanton pitched a great game, and smacked a homer, right after I got done dissing his hitting style, or lack thereof.
Serves me right.  I’ll eat that crow.
One more to go, boys.

Even.

The Philadelphia Flat Bats lost to the Rays, 4-2, last night.
The Agitator is not amused.  Not after watching the not-so-Fightin’s go one-for-28 with runners in scoring position.  Sheesh.
Some of our “big stars” don’t seem to be seeing the ball very well right now.  At all.  Maybe it’s time for some testing by an eye doctor.
Or [...]

One.

One down.
Phillies 3, Tampa Bay 2.  Great game: a real nail biter.
Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Brad Lidge all came up big.
Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell?  Not so much.  Shake the dust off, scrape the rust off, and get back in the ballgame, boys.
Dear Tampa Bay fans?  Those cowbells?  Bush league, really.  Annoying.  Knock it [...]

PHAN-PHREAKIN’-TASTIC!

Sorry, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver (whose obvious bias was showing this past week). 
Sorry, all you late-arriving Hollywood types. 
Sorry, PETA.
The Philadelphia Phillies are champions of the National League, and they are going to the World Series for the first time since 1993.
I now thoroughly believe in the power of intercessory prayer.
Somewhere, my mom [...]

Just one more…

I’ve been reluctant to post about my Phillies this week, for fear of putting some kind of hex on them.  We’ve all been walking around on eggshells around here, waiting for the other baseball cleat to drop on their run to the World Series.  Amongst other idioms.
But last night’s comeback win over the Dodgers gives [...]

No child left unscathed.

TAMPA, FL (Tampa Bay Online) October 8  - At 12 years old, Zachary Sharples is a lifelong Tampa Bay Rays fan.
“I’ve been a Rays fan since they started playing,” he said. “I went to the second game in Rays’ history with my mom. I was 2. My dad went to the first game.”
His zeal for [...]