Drop the Puck!

          With less than 24 hours until the Flyers take on the Bruins in the TD Garden for the season opener, I would like to give my predictions on the Metropolitan division and playoff predictions. Also in this article, I will tell you who I think will the win the biggest awards at the end of the season. Lets get started with the last place team, leading all the way up to the first place squad.

          Carolina Hurricanes - I feel bad for this team. They have young talent with the Staal brothers and Jeff Skinner, but just don't have the defense or a goalie to compete in this tough division. The best thing Carolina could have done this off season was part ways with longtime goaltender Cam Ward, but that didn't occur and that's one big reason the hurricanes won't be making any noise near the top of the standings.
          Prediction: 8th in Metro, No playoffs, Must figure out goalie situation

          New Jersey Devils - Jaromir Jagr is entering yet another season in the NHL, and hes coming off leading the Devils with 67 points. That's not something to be proud of if you're a member of the Devils and only player had 60 or more points. Cory Schneider is now the #1 netminder with Marty Brodeur exploring free agency, but even if Schneider plays his best, this team will not score many goals.
          Prediction: 7th in Metro, No playoffs, Jagr finishes season in the West and retires after 21 seasons

          New York Rangers - Getting to the Stanley Cup was all about luck for the Rangers in 2014. If it wasn't for Steve Mason being out for game 1 and 2 of the round one showdown, the Flyers may have been that team facing the Kings in the championship series. Ryan Mcdonagh was named the 27th captain in Rangers history and they do have one of the top goalies in the league (Lundqvist), but like the Devils they don't score enough goals to make the playoffs. Relying on Hank year after year will finally get to them this season, and the the Blue shirts will not be hosting any playoff games in the Garden.
          Prediction: 6th in Metro, No playoffs, Hank comes back down to Earth

          Washington Capitals - Washington had a late push last season but fell short of making the playoffs, and they could be in a similar position this year. Ovechkin has another new coach (Barry Trotz) and will score 50 plus goals, but the guys around him won't produce nearly enough. They did add Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen who were linemates for the Penguins a season ago, and very well could be paired again. Braden Holtby struggled a little bit, recording only 23 wins and losing 15 times. Holtby is getting better, but that big season will not happen this year.
          Prediction: 5th in Metro, Miss playoffs by 4 pts, Ovechkin records 112 points

          New York Islanders - Adding Jaroslav Halak between the pipes this year and a healthy John Tavares will be the reason the Isles are back in the playoffs for 2015. Garth Snow did everything right in the off season adding forwards Nikolay Kulemin, and Mikhail Grabovsky, but then addressed what was needed most with the final game in the preseason by trading for Blackhawks defender Nick Leddy, and Bruins right-handed point man Johnny Boychuk. Before the Islanders head to the Barclays center for the 2015-2016 season, the Nassau Coliseum will have at least 2 more playoff games.
          Prediction: 4th in Metro, Playoffs, Halak fights for Vezina and Tavares finishes in top 5 of MVP voting

          Columbus Blue Jackets - Ryan Johansen is signed, Scott Hartnell has been acquired, and Sergei Bobrovsky is playing extremely well for the city of Columbus. Last year I said the Blue Jackets would miss the playoffs, but be a threat for the future. The future is now for Columbus as they reached the playoffs but lost to Pittsburgh in 6 games. This year I see them making it out of the first round, and possibly reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. This team is going to be good for awhile. Mark my words!
          Prediction: 3rd in Metro, Playoffs, Johansen hits 90 points and is named captain

          Philadelphia Flyers - Steve Mason in net, Mark Streit running the point, and Claude Giroux leading the offense, yea this team is going to be fun to watch. Giroux will be centering Brayden Schenn, and Jake Voracek and they could produce as one of the top lines in the Eastern Conference. Wayne Simmonds is coming off a career year and will look to to expand those numbers even more this season. Vinny Lecavalier will look to bounce back after having a rough season and not even reaching 50 points. He is locked in as the second line center and will be complimented by Simmonds and Umberger, and should get back into Vinny Lecavalier form. The 3rd and 4th line consist of the young guns, Matt Read, Sean Couturier, Michael Raffl, Zac Rinaldo, Blair Jones, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. On defense, the pairings will likely be Streit and Coburn, Macdonald and Del Zotto, and the final pairing of Luke Schenn and Nick Grossmann. This team looks solid on paper and should have no problem getting back into the playoffs.
          Prediction: 2nd in Metro, Playoffs, Exciting year for the Flyguys

          Pittsburgh Penguins - Crosby, Malkin, Letang. Need I say more? The Penguins lost Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik to free agency, but still have 6 defensemen who can easily make fans forget the names of those 2. Crosby is coming off an MVP year and Malkin is always producing. Even if Marc-Andre Fleury isn't at the top of his game, the guys in front of him score so much, they're going to have no worries making it to the playoffs.
          Prediction: 1st in Metro, Playoffs, Acquire a big scorer at the deadline

          Last season I only correctly picked 9 of the 18 teams to make the playoffs, but I'm looking to bounce back and be in double digits this time.

Eastern Conference

1st - Boston Bruins
2nd - Pittsburgh Penguins
3rd - Philadelphia Flyers
4th - Tampa Bay Lightning
5th - Columbus Blue Jackets
6th - Montreal Canadiens
7th - New York Islanders
8th - Ottawa Senators

Western Conference

1st - St. Louis Blues
2nd - Chicago Blackhawks
3rd - Colorado Avalanche
4th - Anaheim Ducks 
5th - Dallas Stars
6th - Los Angeles Kings
7th - Minnesota Wild
8th - San Jose Sharks

East Matchups:

Bruins defeat Senators in 5 games
Islanders defeat Penguins in 7 games
Flyers defeat Canadiens in 6 games
Blue Jackets defeat Lightning in 7 games

Bruins defeat Islanders in 6 games
Flyers defeat Blue Jackets in 7 games

ECF: Bruins defeat Flyers in 7 games 

West Matchups:

Blues defeat Sharks in 6 games
Blackhawks defeat Wild in 6 games
Avalanche defeat Kings in 7 games
Stars defeat Ducks in 6 games

Blues defeat Stars in 7 games
Avalanche defeat Blackhawks in 7 games

WCF: Avalanche defeat Blues in 7 games

STANLEY CUP FINAL:

Bruins defeat Avalanche in 6 games to win Stanley Cup

Awards:

MVP - Steven Stamkos
Vezina - Semyon Varlamov
Norris - Erik Karlsson
Coach - Ken Hitchcock

What's your predictions?

Thanks for viewing!

-Jimmy Forte

Philadelphia Sports Fans Have A Reason to Smile

       

Philadelphia Sports Fans Have A Reason to Smile

          Back in October the Phillies were watching the MLB playoffs from their couch. The Sixers were getting ready to start their season knowing they had little chance to make it back in the NBA playoffs, and the Eagles were off to a brutal 3-5 start and couldn't find a way to stop the opposing offense. The Flyers started their season off 3-8, which led to former coach Peter Laviolette getting fired after losing the first three of the new campaign. After missing the playoffs in the 2012-13 lockout shortened season, it seemed as if the Flyers were ready for a long disappointing year. Then magic happened!

          November arrived and all of a sudden the Flyers were a reborn hockey team. Racking up nine wins in the month, and moving up in the standings, the Flyers had life again. Craig Berube had this team turned around and headed in the right direction. It was the start of good things for the Flyers and the city of Philadelphia.

          The Flyers started playing their best hockey in the month of December, and what better way to have your team succeeding than captain Claude Giroux leading the way? Giroux had a rough start to the season, not registering a goal until the ninth of November, which led to frustration and a lot of broken sticks. The commitment and sacrifice he showed on the ice every night in this month truly pointed out that he was the right choice to be named Captain. The team went on to have eight wins in 14 games and had managed 18 points out of a possible 28.

          A very cold month of January in the city didn't fare well for the team as they finished with six wins, seven losses, and two overtime losses, making this their first month since October where they weren't over .500 for that month. However, with these losses Giroux seemed to get better and better every night. Whether it was scoring a goal, feeding a player with a beautiful pass, drawing a penalty, or making a big hit, the team could count on G giving 110% every game.

          "Snubbed" was the word used when Giroux wasn't picked by Steve Yzerman to play on team Canada in the 2014 Sochi Olympic games. A tough start to the year probably led to the Flyers captain not being selected, but still many media members believe he should have represented his country on the ice. Giroux was very upset with the diss and I believe this fired him up even more, which led to his seven point month in five games, where the team only lost one decision.

          As March approached, there was still uncertainty that this team had what it takes to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again. The Flyers had the toughest month in the NHL looking them right in the eye, with home and home series games against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals, and then against MVP favorite Sidney Crosby and the first place Penguins. The Flyers took one of two from Washington, and played their best games of the season in both Penguins match ups taking all four points. The schedule got even tougher with a four game home stand against the West, starting with the Cup champs Blackhawks. Securing a point and forcing overtime, the Flyers looked sure to be heading to a shootout. But with 4.2 seconds left in overtime Claude Giroux put the puck past Antti Raanta with a blazing wrister for the victory. Thursday brought in the Stars and the Flyers scrapped all night for a 4-2 win. On Saturday the Best of the West St. Louis Blues came into town, and the Flyers dominated all game long picking up a hard fought 4-1 victory.

          With 12 games left in the season, the Flyers are in sole possession of 2nd place in the Metropolitan division and currently hold a one point lead over the Rangers with two games in hand. Philly looks bound for a playoff berth and could be destined for a big playoff run. In my early season prediction, I had Pittsburgh and St. Louis in the Final. I have changed my prediction and have put the home team back in the Cup for the first time since 2010 against the team that broke all of our hearts that year-the Chicago Blackhawks. It will be a rematch of the series that went six games and then all of a sudden "disappeared". In the final 12 games, look for the Flyers to keep winning and gaining momentum into the postseason, giving Philadelphia sports a reason to smile once again.

          Monday night, I will be on the Sports Goombahs podcast talking all about Flyers hockey and where they stand. So if you have an opinion and want to be apart of the show, give us a call and tell me how you feel about this hockey team with only 12 games left before the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thanks for reading!

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Sports Goombahs Blogger)

Preview of the Metropolitan division and Who Will Win Lord Stanley's Cup?

          With the 2013-14 NHL season underway, I will preview all 8 teams in the Metropolitan division, with their strengths, weaknesses, and my prediction for that squad. During the off season, the NHL and NHLPA approved the division realignment, which has shook up the conferences quite a bit. Instead of 6 divisions (3 in each conference), there is now only 4. Columbus and Detroit has moved to the East, and Winnipeg has moved to the West. Lets take a look at where the eight competitors stand, and who will bring home Lord Stanley's Cup this year.

          The Metropolitan division consists of 5 former Atlantic division contenders and now 3 new teams.

          Carolina Hurricanes - The Staal brothers come to mind when you think of the Hurricanes. A team that missed the playoffs in the lockout shortened season, and could very well miss out this year because of there defensive struggles. Losing Joni Pitkanen to injury in the off season will play a big part, and now Carolina looks to Cam Ward as their savior, who could be out by the trade deadline if the team is not performing well.
          Prediction: 8th in the division, no playoffs, and Cam Ward is out as goalie.

          New Jersey Devils - Acquiring Corey Schneider at the draft shocked the NHL world, as the Devils possibly have the best 1-2 tandem in the league, unless Marty Brodeurs' age slows him down and New Jersey misses the playoffs. They signed Damien Brunner, and Ryan Clowe during the off season, along with Jaromir Jagr, but I just don't see this team as contenders and they sit second to last in the division in my prediction
          Prediction: 7th in the division, no playoffs, and Jagr is traded to a contender at the deadline.

          Columbus Blue Jackets - This team is so close to playing in late April they can taste it. But the taste won't be too sweet this year. The reason for that is, they are in a new conference in a new division playing tougher opponents, and need to adjust which will take them a year. The talent on this squad is off the charts, but they will not have success until late in the season which will prove to be too late. Next off season they will build up their defense and become a dominant team in the East.
          Prediction: 6th in the division, no playoffs, dangerous threat for the future

          New York Rangers - A team that will rely on their goalie to bail them out in a ton of games tells you one thing, they have trouble scoring. I know i'll get questioned on why I have them 6th in the divison, considering they have Nash, Stepan, Callahan, Richards, and Hagelin, but they lost Gaborik who is a dominant scorer. Their defense is good, but you can't win games if you don't get goals. With new teams joining the division, I can see New York falling in the bottom of the standings simply because of not enough goals scored.
          Prediction: 5th in the division, no playoffs, bounce back year in 2014-15

          New York Islanders - This is a team that should be in the playoffs for the next 5 years, because sooner rather than later they will have a goalie that is consistent, and I believe Ryan Miller will one day be that guy. They have the potential to be good, and this season is exactly what they will be.
          Prediction: 4th in the division, playoff bound, Tavares has huge year as captain
          
          Philadelphia Flyers - A healthy defense, new goalies, added veteran leadership, and one of the top 5 players in the NHL (Claude Giroux) will prove to be what the Flyers needed to get back into the playoffs. The addition of former Tampa captain Vincent Lecavalier, former New York Islander captain Mark Streit, and rejoining the Flyers for his second stint goaltender Ray Emery, who is coming off a 17-1 year backing up Corey Crawford for the Blackhawks, who are the defending Stanley Cup champions. With these additions brings a veteran presence to the locker room, something the Flyers can definitely build off. I look for the young studs Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier, and Matt Read to have solid years and be a big reason they make the playoffs.
          Prediction: 3rd in the division, playoff bound, Peter Laviolette does not get fired, but rather gets a contract extension when the season is over with

          Washington Capitals - Ovechkin and company lead the Caps back into the playoffs, as Braden Holtby has a career year. Mike Green and John Carlson both have good arguments to be the Norris trophy winner, and could this be the year the Capitals finally make it out of the first round?
          Prediction: 2nd in the division, playoff bound, Ovie scores 60

          Pittsburgh Penguins - Easily the best team in the East, if not the whole league. Led by Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Sutter, Letang and Orpik, the Penguins will win the division, and possibly the President's trophy. However, things could go terribly wrong for the Pens if they don't figure out their goalie situation. Marc-Andre Fluery is not the goalie he used to be, and Tomas Vokoun is coming off the back surgery which might force Pittsburgh to get a backup, which could be former Flyer Ilya Bryzgalov. The Penguins should have no problem scoring, but if they get in a slump, they might be looking up in the standings instead of down.
          Prediction: 1st in the division, playoff bound, Crosby plays all 82 and wins MVP

          With the division set, I'd like to give my prediction for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and ultimately who will win it all.

Eastern Conference:

1st - Pittsburgh Penguins
2nd - Detroit Red Wings
3rd - Washington Capitals
4th - Boston Bruins
5th - Ottawa Senators
6th - Philadelphia Flyers
7th - New York Islanders
8th - Toronto Maple Leafs

Western Conference:

1st - Chicago Blackhawks
2nd - Los Angeles Kings
3rd - St. Louis Blues
4th - Vancouver Canucks
5th - Minnesota Wild
6th - San Jose Sharks
7th - Edmonton Oilers
8th - Nashville Predators

East Playoffs:

Penguins defeat Maple Leafs in 5 games
Islanders shock Detroit in 7 games
Flyers beat the Capitals in 6 games
Senators beat the Bruins in 6 games

Penguins defeat Islanders in 6 games
Flyers defeat Senators in 5 games setting up "Battle of Pennsylvania" ECF matchup

Penguins defeat Flyers in 7 games to advance to Stanley Cup

West Playoffs:

Blackhawks defeat Predators in 4 games
Kings defeat Oilers in 5 games
Blues defeat Sharks in 7 games
Wild defeat Canucks in 6 games

Blackhawks defeat Wild in 5 games
Blues defeat Kings in 7 games

Blues defeat Blackhawks in 6 games to advance to Stanley Cup

Stanley Cup Final:

St. Louis Blues defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in 7 games to hoist their first Stanley Cup as a franchise!

Thanks for reading!
- Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Associate producer for the Sports Goombahs radio show)
          
        

         

Will Things Turn Around?

          With just 18 games remaining left in the shortened 48 game NHL season, the race for the Stanley Cup  Playoffs are heating up. Philadelphia is currently in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and sit 5 points back of the eighth and final playoff spot. It seems like whenever things start to go right, everything goes wrong. The Flyers are winning one game, and then losing two or three in a row. If they want a shot at the playoffs, they must find a way to rack up consecutive wins, and this five game home stand would be the perfect start.

          After Sunday's game in Pittsburgh, the Flyers will be home for five straight games with match ups against the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, and the home stand ends with a big game against the Montreal Canadiens. Out of those five games, only two are in the top eight, and the rest are fighting for the final spot just like the Flyers. A win on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins (winners of 11 straight) could really bring some momentum to the team when they take on the Rangers on Tuesday. There is no question the Flyers need at least four in these next six crucial games, and even that may not be enough to get them where they want to be.

          Although many people want a splash trade to happen, with the deadline coming up its likely that Philly stands pat, and plays out the rest of the season with the crew they've had all year. The main reason is because they do not want to trade players on the roster for a rental player who will only play maybe 10-15 games in orange and black. If they were to make a trade this year, It would make more sense if they traded for a player, but got that mans word that he would sign an extension to stay in Philadelphia for years to come. The only man I see the Flyers trying to bring in is Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien. Big Buff is a right handed d-man with a laser for a shot. He could easily be paired with Kimmo Timonen, especially for the power play. Many fans in Philadelphia probably still don't like Buff because of the big role he played when Chicago beat us to win the cup in 2010, but they would get over it by watching this kid play his heart out every night. So if the Flyers become "buyers", Byfuglien is the only guy that makes sense to bring in for the final games of this lock out shortened season.

          Will it be a struggle for the Flyers to make the playoffs? Yes. Will it be tough to play consistent hockey for the final 18 games? Yes. But with these questions, anything can happen. Just remember what happened in 2010 when Philly beat New York on the final day of the season. They got hot, made a historic comeback, and missed the Stanley Cup by 2 wins. If the Flyers get in, they will be have the momentum, and could run wild on teams, and make another big playoff run.

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)

-Coming soon: Will the Flyers try to bring Weber to Philly?

It's Only a Matter of Time

          Injury reports have been happening ever since the NHL season started on January 19, but the team suffering the most from players hurt is the Philadelphia Flyers. The flyers didn't have Danny Briere for the first   four games, where the team went 1-3. When Briere came back, Scott Hartnell went down with a broken foot, and will be out for another three to four weeks. Andrej Meszaros hurt his left shoulder a few days after Hartnell, and he will miss a month of hockey. Zac Rinaldo also missed four games due to a puck striking his ankle in the second game of the season against the Buffalo Sabres. The latest injury is forward Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds was elbowed in the head by Washington Capitals defenseman John Erskine, who was suspended for three games by the NHL safety committee. Simmonds was ruled with a concussion but is looking to return for the weekend. With all these injuries, Paul Holmgren has been on the phone with GM's, and in a couple weeks look for someone new rocking the Orange and Black sweater. Lets take a look at some players that Holmgren could possibly make a play for.

          Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames) - Iginla is a name that has been floating around the Flyers organization since 2010. He would bring energy to a team that isn't scoring alot of goals. From 1998 to present time, Iginla has scored 25 goals or more including six seasons with 35 or more, two seasons with 40 or more, and two seasons with 50 or more goals. At the age of 35, Jarome can still skate fast, score plenty of goals, and would be a nice presence in the locker room. How could the Flyers get him? Back in 2010 it may have taken a big package to acquire the sniper, but now it may only take a young guy and a draft pick. Scott Laughton was sent to juniors after five games in the NHL. His time in Philly may be short, as he is said to be apart of the package to deal to bring in a scorer. In my opinion, I'm pulling the trigger and getting Iginla to Philly, especially if Brayden Schenn, or Sean Couturier isn't included in the trade.

          Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks) - Perry is a goal scorer at ease, and would easily get along with Giroux and Briere on line 1. Perry is another right handed sniper that has great puck movement, and could fill the stat sheet every night. I think the Flyers should wait to get Perry, considering he will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and he would probably cost a little more than what it would take to get Iginla, being that he is only 27 years old. Perry would be a nice mid-season pickup, but if i'm Paul Holmgren, I get someone that will cost less, and then go for Perry at the end of the year.

          Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks) - Corey Perry's teammate and a Cherry Hill, New Jersey native. Ryan, like Iginla has been on the Flyers radar for quite some time. You could compare Ryan to Jeff Carter by the way he skates, and how hard of a wrist shot he has. He's a play maker that the Flyers need. A man who can open up defensemen and get Claude Giroux and company the puck, with his finesse passing. Ryan is only 25 years old, and it would probably take Brayden Schenn, Scott Laughton, and a draft pick to acquire him. Although the package is high, if Paul Holmgren made a risk it all trade, he could bring Ryan and Perry to Philadelphia for the price of Schenn, Laughton, high draft pick, and probably Matt Read. Ryan hasn't proved that he is a top player in the NHL, so with that being said the Flyers should only go for him if the price is right.

          There are a few other names out there. Brenden Morrow of the Dallas Stars, Ryan O'Reilly of the
Colorado Avalanche, and Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks. Getzlaf would be the easy choice here, given that he is tall, big, and can score from all angles. Morrow is the captain of the stars, and his shown capability of winning an MVP, but injuries have hurt his value. O'Reilly is a young prospect that hasn't had a chance to show the NHL what he's all about, because of a contract dispute.

          Jarome Iginla is the best choice for the Flyers at this point. There's no need to trade your two top sophomores for a guy that will be a free agent at the end of the season. A defenseman may be added this season to help out, but don't expect any big named star. The main goal is getting Shea Weber to Philly at the end of this season. With all this being said, I expect in a week or two for Paul Holmgren to announce a trade that will help the offense, and get this team on the right track to the playoffs.

- Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)
- Twitter: @jimmyforte28
- Facebook: Sports Goombahs

Prediction is a Rematch

EAST

PENGUINS (1)
BRUINS (2)
CAPITALS (3)
FLYERS (4)
SABRES (5)
RANGERS (6)
CANADIENS (7)
HURRICANES (8)

WEST

BLACKHAWKS (1)
SHARKS (2)
BLUES (3)
KINGS (4)
WILD (5)
CANUCKS (6)
OILERS (7)
STARS (8)

PITT DEF CAR - 5 games
BOS DEF MON - 6 games
WSH DEF NYR - 7 games
PHI DEF BUF - 5 games

PHI DEF PITT - 7 games
WSH DEF BOS - 6 games

PHI DEF WSH - 5 games

EAST CHAMPS - FLYERS

CHI DEF DAL - 5 games
SJ DEF EDM - 4 games
STL DEF VAN - 7 games
MIN DEF LAK - 6 games

CHI DEF MIN - 6 games
SJ DEF STL - 7 games

CHI DEF SJ - 7 games

WEST CHAMPS- BLACKHAWKS

PHI DEF CHI - 6 games

CUP CHAMPS - FLYERS

- Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)
- Twitter: @jimmyforte28
- Facebook: Sports Goombahs

NHL Gearing Up for Big Weekend

          On Friday, training camps in the NHL will end and the race to the Stanley Cup will begin. The 48 game season starts on Saturday, January 19th and ends on Saturday, April 27th. From start to finish, it is 98 days or three months and eight days before the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Lets take a look at the weekend games that will get this season underway.

          The NHL on NBC returns on Saturday when new captain Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers host Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the battle of Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh will be looking for revenge as they were knocked out by Philly in six games last year in the first round of the playoffs. On the West Coast, the Los Angeles Kings will raise their Stanley Cup banner as the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Staples Center. The Kings went into the playoffs last year as the eighth seed in the West and were able to upset the number one Vancouver Canucks four games to one. They then went on to defeat the number two seed, St. Louis Blues, with a clean sweep of four games. In the Western Conference Finals, they breezed by the number three seed, Phoenix Coyotes, four games to one. In the finals, it took six games to prove that whenever the playoffs start anyone can raise that cup, even if you did barely make it into the playoffs. These two games will have a pregame show at 3 p.m. and then FINALLY at 3:30 p.m., the puck will be dropped for the first time this season.

          Some other rival-type games consist of the Boston Bruins hosting the New York Rangers in TD Garden. That game can be seen on the NHL Network at 7 p.m. The battle of Canada starts with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Ottawa Senators, and the Montreal Canadiens hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Another Atlantic Division rival game features the Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Devils visiting Long Island to take on the New York Islanders. In the Southeast division,, the Washington Capitals take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Carolina Hurricanes with newly acquired Jordan Staal take on the Florida Panthers. The remaining games on Saturday are Detroit vs St. Louis, Columbus vs Nashville, Phoenix vs Dallas, Colorado vs Minnesota, and to top off opening night, the Anaheim Ducks head to Vancouver to take on the President's Trophy winner Canucks.

          Having broadcasted games on both Saturday and Sunday will be the first time in TV history that NBC has done this. The Sunday game once again consists of the Philadelphia Flyers making the trip to Buffalo to take on the Sabres. This game will start at 12:30 p.m. and will be Buffalo's season and home opener. San Jose takes on the Calgary Flames at 6 p.m., and Pittsburgh travels to New York to take on the Rangers at 7 p.m. in Madison Square Garden. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter play their first game in Minnesota as the Wild take on Jaromir Jagr and the Dallas Stars. Edmonton plays their first game of the season when they take on the Vancouver Canucks in British Colombia. Opening weekend ends when resigned captain Shane Doan takes on Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks in the Jobing.com Arena.

          The season is just one day away and fans have been anticipating this moment since early October. The wait is finally over and hockey is ready to return to the ice with no labor negotiations for at least eight years. I'm going to make a bold prediction for the season that every local fan wants to hear. Eastern Conference Finals will be the Flyers vs Capitals with Philly winning in six games. In the West, the Chicago Blackhawks will take on the San Jose Sharks, with Chicago winning in five games. In a Stanley Cup Final rematch from 2010, the Philadelphia Flyers will defeat the Chicago Blackhawks in six games with Claude Giroux winning the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Stanley Cup in his first year as captain.

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)
-Twitter: @jimmyfort28
- Facebook: search Sports Goombahs

- Thanks for reading!

Coming Soon to an Arena Near You

          That's right folks, the NHL lockout is finally over! It took 113 days but early Sunday morning news broke everywhere that the NHL and NHLPA have agreed to the framework of a new CBA. 10 years is the length of the new deal, so fans can breathe easily for at least a decade.  the maximum length of player contracts will be seven years with an exception permitting teams to re-sign their own free agents for eight years, and the salary cap for the 2013-14 season was set at $64.3 million with a floor (minimum) of $44 million. There is also a 50-50 revenue split that was agreed upon last month. There was one particular hero who played a huge role in ending the lockout, and that mans' name is Scot Beckenbaugh.

          Beckenbaugh was the federal mediator who joined the sessions back in December and almost got the two sides to agree on a deal, but things turned for the worse, when Fehr announced the meetings went really well and the lockout would be shortly over. Minutes later, Bill Daly and Gary Bettman stood at the podium and announced that was a false statement and they were miles apart, and was disgusted by the way things were going regarding the negotiations. This time however, the mediator sat with the NHLPA on Saturday for about four hours, took a lunch break, and then met with the NHL for around four hours and felt an agreement was close. He was absolutely right! After the individual meetings, Beckenbaugh held a marathon session that lasted close to 16 hours. After the 16th hour, Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr went to the media room side by side and announced to the press the five words fans wanted to hear most "hockey will return this season". This is where it gets fun.

          On Wednesday the Board of Governors ratified the new CBA deal, and announced the season would be 48 games starting on January 19th with training camps opening January 13th. After the BOG meeting, Bettman made his way to the podium and had some deep statements, that showed he really didn't want to cancel any games, and that he was very sorry for all the fans and players' that had to go through this. If you watched the press conference, it looked like Bettman was tearing up when he talked about the fans. I know people blame Bettman for all this mess, but like I said before the real culprit is NHLPA leader Donald Fehr. The blame game is over and we are just nine days away from seeing the puck drop for the first time this year.

          The Flyers will open up the season at the home against their keystone rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins. This game will be an afternoon matinee starting at 3:00PM. Philly beat the Pens in six games last year in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and there was alot of fire burning on both benches. If you want to relive that memory just search "Chris Therien tirade" on YouTube. Paul Holmgren announced he will have a new captain by the start of the season, and everyone's guess is 24 year old Claude Giroux. Giroux would be the second youngest captain behind Mike Richards who got the "C" when he was 23, but now a Stanley Cup champion in Los Angeles. This season is going to be real fun and I can't wait for it to get underway. I look forward to start writing about recaps and rumors in the next 5 months, and watching the Flyers make a run for the Stanley Cup.

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)
-Twitter: @jimmyfort28
- Facebook: search Sports Goombahs

- Thanks for reading!

          

It Could Be Fun Right From the Start

Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr according to many different sources are really close to unlocking the doors to allow the National Hockey League in North America to return to the ice. With a few issues remaining that have to be solved, we are getting closer to the finish line. Pension seems to be the biggest cause of concern, and if the season was cancelled because of this reason, I wouldn't blame the fans who already left to never come back and watch another NHL game.

Bettman was told by many owners that cancelling the season will not be acceptable this year. They have been said to say if the season is cancelled over the issues that remain, there would be a vote that would unanimously be through the roof to have Bettman relieved of his duties as NHL commissioner. With that being said, the two sides were back at it today. Meetings were set for 10:00am this morning and lasted a little over 4 hours with the NHLPA just now leaving the offices in New York City to discuss the latest talks between the two parties. The two sides will meet again tonight at a time still to be determined. All week long joining the meetings was a federal mediator, who usually participates in talks if things are serious. Well folks we sure are getting serious. Another big step today was bringing in a professional who handles talks about pension. The signs continue to be positive and it should only take a matter of days before a settlement is finally reached.

With the season predicted to start on January 19th, the rivalry between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins is expected to renew as hockey returns. As PGH Tribune reported earlier, the Flyers have a scheduled day game at 1:00pm against the Calgary Flames. With a shortened 48 game season this gets wiped out since it will only be conference games played. Every team will play on January 19th and this particular matchup would be must-see right from the start. On the 19th at 7:00pm the Penn State Nittany Lions will play Vermont at theWells Fargo Center which will be their first time ever stepping on that ice. The Consol Energy Center home to the Penguins is booked at 7:00 which makes the rivalry matchup more likely to happen. This would be a great way to bring hockey back and making it a National televised game on NBC would be even better. First game of the year and we get to hear the legendary voice of Mike "Doc" Emrick, color commentator Eddy Olyck, and inside the glass reporter Pierre McGuire. If the NHL wants their fans back, it doesn't get any better than a Flyers Penguins afternoon matinee to kick off the "2013" season. Much more to come in the next couple of days.

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)
-Twitter: @jimmyfort28
- Facebook: search Sports Goombahs

- Thanks for reading!

The Final Stages, and where the Flyers Stand

          The NHL led by Gary Bettman have put another proposal on the table, in attempt to salvage the 2012-13 season. Like I said many times, Donald Fehr is the reason we haven't seen the Flyers on the ice yet, but I do believe this offer could be the one that gets the puck dropped on January 19th. The Los Angeles Kings have been waiting to raise their Stanley Cup banner, and in less than three weeks there wish should come true. The leagues latest offer was over 300 pages long, so I will break it down with the most important details that can truly end this lockout.

          Gary Bettmans' main goal is to win the fans back. He may have done that by offering a 10 year agreement through 2021-22 (with an option to opt out after 8 years). This would give fans plenty of games to watch without having to worry about whether or not we will have a season. A 50-50 revenue split between Clubs and Players with current HRR Accounting is next in the offer, which was one of the biggest requirements requested by the Players' Association. Next, the NHL posted a $300 million make-whole payment to compensate players for the reduced value of Player contracts in the early years of the new CBA. Plain and simple, there are contractual roll backs of players salaries. Clubs can operate with an effective Upper Limit of $70.2 million in 2012/13; must come into compliance with $60 million Upper Limit for the start of the 2013/14 season. The final part is expected to be counter offered by the PA, and the sixty million will be changed to 70 million. You can read all about the new proposal if you click this link http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=412383. With a few tweaks by Fehr and the owners, I believe this season will be saved.

          When this lockout ends, I will finally be able to start writing about how the Flyers are doing in the standings, whose on fire, and whose struggling. Below I will give a preview of what's to come for the Flyers, who I think will be playing their first game on the 19th.

           Unfortunately, it looks like captain Chris Pronger has played his last game in the NHL. Chris moved back to Saint Louis during the off season, and hasn't really made any progress since being struck in the eye with a stick back in November of last year. With Pronger done, Ed Snider and Paul Holmgren will name the 19th captain in Flyers history. I think it comes down to three candidates; Claude Giroux (24), Danny Briere (35), and Kimmo Timonen (37). Giroux has shown he is ready and I think he'll get the call, if Pronger officially retires. They don't have the team they had last year, but still could be competitors especially with Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn playing in their second full year. Below I will put together what the lines will most likely look like come the first game. The parenthesis will show how old everyone is.

Line 1: Voracek (23) Giroux (24) Hartnell (30)

Line 2: Simmonds (24) Briere (35) Read (26)

Line 3: Couturier (20) Schenn (21) Talbot (28)

Line 4: Fedotenko (33) Wellwood (22) Rinaldo (22)

Defensive 1: Timonen (37) Coburn (27)

Defensive 2: Grossmann (27) Meszaros (27)

Defensive 3: L.Schenn (23) Gustafsson (24)

Goalie: Ilya Bryzgalov (32)

          With only 5 of the listed 19 players 30 or over, the Flyers come in as one of the youngest teams in the NHL. This team is our future and I look forward to covering them in the next decade. Hopefully my next update talks about the lockout being over, but for now the optimism bar must remain high.

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)

Twitter: @jimmyfort28

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It's Almost Time

          January 2nd is just around the corner and that means we will finally get a decision on what will happen with the 2012-13 NHL season. Today marks the 103rd day of the lockout, which has cancelled over 600 games total and half of the Flyers season.

          Two weeks ago we were apparently at the finish line, but once again that was a complete lie. Donald Fehr has told the players they are going to wait and see if the NHL is bluffing with their deal which is expected to be their final offer on the table. I don't see how Fehr keeps his job if the season is dropped. Frankly,I don't see Bettman making it to his 21st year as the commissioner. 

          It has been two weeks since the NHL and NHLPA have had face to face talks and reported to the media. However, according to many sources they may be having secret meetings which could be a good thing. They don't want the media to be a part of the final stages reporting false information, which has been the case for the past three months.

          January 2nd will be a day that has fans attached to their Twitters and NHL.com. If the NHLPA files a disclaimer of interest, just like 2004, there will be no season. However, if they do not file the disclaimer, they will agree to start negotiating again and January 10th will likely be the drop dead date for the season to be axed.

          I believe the fans who have suffered immensely will get to watch some intense hockey games that could have playoff implications starting January 20th. This would be when the season starts and 48 all conference games will be played. On January 2^nd, if the NHLPA is smart they will not file the disclaimer and they will negotiate until a deal gets done. They have already lost millions of dollars so you have to think they don't want to lose a penny more. Right? More to come in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for reading!

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat reporter for the Sports Goombahs)

Follow me on twitter: @jimmyfort28

Like the goombahs on Facebook. Just search Sports Goombahs

Whats Next?

          The rumors swirling around twitter and Facebook were 100% false involving Josh Hamilton and the Phillies. Today the Los Angeles Angels signed Hamiltion to a 5 year 125 million dollar contract. The Angels now have rookie of the year Mike Trout, slugger Albert Pujols, and now Hamilton. This is the first time in MLB history that an outfielder will make 25 million per year. The Phillies made the right move by not offering Hamilton a long term contract, but will now have to make up for it by signing one of the remaining free agent outfielders that remain on the market. Not getting Hamilton means Ruben Amaro Jr. has money for a corner outfielder, 8th inning pitcher, and a 5th starter in the rotation. Lets take a look at the Phillies options are.

          Cody Ross is probably the first option. A right handed batter who hits well at Citizens Bank Park, and has a good arm in left field. Ross would bring 20+ home runs and 80+ runs batted in. Phillies fans know this man very well, because of what he did in the 2010 NLCS hitting 2 home runs in one game off Doc Halladay. He later went on to win the NLCS MVP and would then help the Giants beat the Rangers in the World Series. Philadelphia booed him then, but if he signs a deal here, I'm sure we would be willing to give him a fresh start.

          Nick Swisher is the other outfielder available. Swisher is a switch hitter who can hit for power and contact. He played right field very well with the Yankees, and I don't think we would see a difference if he came here. Swisher hits home runs, brings home plenty of base runners, and is a guy that can spark this team in the locker room. The only concern is, do we really want another batter who strikes out over 125 times? at this point Ruben has to take the risk. In my opinion Swisher is the guy I want in the lineup. He can hit from both sides and he could help mix the batting order by batting 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th to help Utley and Howard.

          Another option is to trade for Chicago Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano. Ruben Amaro tried to sign him in 2007 when he received a deal he couldn't refuse from the Cubs. Soriano provides power smacking more than 25 home runs a year in 9 of the 12 full years he has played. In order to get Soriano, the Phillies would have to part ways with Dominic Brown. The best part about this is that the Cubs have been said to eat 26 of the 36 million owed, so the Phillies would only pay him 10 million which is affordable. I would like this deal a lot and I think Rube should pull the trigger.

         After getting a corner outfielder the Phillies need to do two things plain and simple. Sign Jair Jurggens as our 4th starter, and sign Mike Adams as the setup man for Jonathan Papelbon. All the cards are on the table for Ruben, and he needs to go all-in if he wants a championship. I'll have an update on where we are in the NHL lockout coming soon. Stay tuned.

Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)

Follow me on twitter: @jimmyfort28
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Spoiler Alert!

         The Philadelphia Eagles have been officially eliminated  from playoff contention for the 2nd straight season. This is the first time under Andy Reid that the birds missed the postseason two years in a row. Fans are hoping they lose out and get a good draft pick but here's what I think they should do:

          Like they say "go out on a high note" that's exactly what the Eagles should do. On Thursday night Cincinnati comes to town, with hopes to stay alive in the AFC wildcard race. The Eagles should go out on Thursday show us fans that they still have heart and play this game like it's for the NFC championship. Andy Dalton has been a solid QB and AJ Green is one of the best receivers in the game right now. With the firing of Jim Washburn came a new defense not called the wide nine and the birds played really good against Tampa Bay and I think they can shut down Dalton as well. My hope is that Nick Foles performs well, wins the game, and causes the Bengals to miss out on the playoffs.

          Revenge is what the Eagles will be looking for in two weeks when Washington comes to town. The skins beat us badly by a score of 31-6 back in week 11. RGIII was nearly perfect going 14/15 with 4 tds and 200 yards. A late run by the Redskins have them hoping to knock the Giants and Cowboys off for the NFC east title. This is another home game for the birds and I think with the new defensive setup, that Foles and company can beat Washington, and put them in danger of missing the playoffs.

          The Eagles best game of the season came against the Giants on September 30, by winning 19-17 on the night they retired Brian "Weapon X" Dawkins' number. At that point the Eagles were looking down at standings in 1st place with a 3-1 record and a rest of the year schedule that could have given them 9 or 10 wins. Well, after that win the Eagles lost 8 straight and were quickly out of the playoff race. The final game of the season is against Eli and the Giants. It would be perfect if the Eagles went to the new meadow lands and were the reason the Giants didn't make the postseason.

          With the final 3 games I believe the Eagles can win out and put all their opponents in danger of missing the playoffs. So why not play the spoiler role, and send Andy Reid out of Philadelphia with 4 wins in a row. I expect to be a playoff team next year and I expect the rest of Philly sports to have bounce back years as well.

Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)

Follow me on twitter: @jimmyfort28
       

True or False?

         There have been reports going around on twitter that Ruben Amaro Jr. has offered free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton a monstrous 3 year deal worth 80 million dollars. As of right now this is the best offer Hamilton has received from anyone. The Seattle Mariners offered 3 years 60 million but appear to be out of the race. At this point the Texas Rangers and the Philadelphia Phillies are his likely landing spot. Who will give the most money? well I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

        Last week the Phillies got their everyday starting center fielder in Ben Revere from Minnesota. Revere is making a little more than 500,00 dollars, which gives the Phillies some room to work with, by bringing in a corner outfielder and a setup man. A couple days later the Phillies sent Josh Lindblom and Lisalverto Bonilla to Texas in exchange for 3rd basemen Michael Young, a guy who has been on Amaro's radar since 2010. Young was owed 16 million dollars and the Rangers ate 10 million to help the Phillies. This is where the story gets interesting.

         Michael Young and Josh Hamilton are best friends. Cliff Lee was apart of the world series run Texas made back in 2010 where they were defeated by the San Francisco Giants. Lee developed a good friendship with Josh, and I believe Young and Lee could be a reason why Hamilton might choose Philly. If Ruben makes the big splash and signs the power hitter, the Phils would become immediate contenders for the World Series title.

          Could you imagine how many home runs Hamilton would hit at Citizens Bank Park? My guess would be close to 40. Josh is a left handed hitter, which causes some concern for the organization considering we have Utley and Howard, making the 3, 4, 5 hitters all lefties. There shouldn't be a concern however, because Hamilton can crush righties and lefties. If Hamilton lands in Philadelphia the projected lineup for opening day would look like this:

          1. Jimmy Rollins (SS) (Switch)
          2. Michael Young (3B) (Right)
          3. Chase Utley (2B) (Left)
          4. Ryan Howard (1B) (Left)
          5. Josh Hamilton (LF) (Left)
          6. Erik Kratz (C) (Right)
          7. Darin Ruf (RF) (Right)
          8. Ben Revere (CF) (Left)
          9. Roy Halladay (P) (Right)

          With this lineup you have to remember that our everyday catcher Carlos Ruiz is suspended for the first 25 games of the season because of violating the league's drug policy. I can see Amaro going for a low end 5th starter to replace Vance Worley and also an 8th inning guy to setup closer Jonathan Papelbon. Pitchers and catchers are reporting in 2 months and hopefully we will see some new guys in red pinstripes.

Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat reporter for the Sports Goombahs)

Follow me on twitter: @jimmyfort28

Hope is a Virtue

       On Monday the NHL cancelled the remaining games scheduled in December, which turns out to be a total of 35 games lost for the flyers so far. These cancellations don't really mean anything however, because the season at the earliest would start January 1. With the games being cancelled, it gives a chance for concerts, and other events the opportunity to book the arena they want that they couldn't have because of the scheduled games.

        Back to the table is where the NHL and NHLPA will be on Wednesday afternoon. With the recent collapse, Gary Bettman, and Bill Daly have decided that it would be best that the owners stay out of this meeting, since they could have been the reason no deal was done last Thursday. As of right now there is a 99.9% chance the season will start on January 12, with either a 48 or 52 game season.

        This would make the season a lot of fun to watch considering every game will be seen as crucial and could have the playoff atmosphere that we see in mid April all the way to late June. Hockey fans should be getting an early Christmas present when they find out that this dreadful lockout approaching day 90 has finally come to an end. The 48 or 52 game season will be all conference games, so the Stanley Cup match-up would consist on two teams that didn't see each other in the regular season.

        Many fans have said they are done with the NHL, and I feel your pain, but in all honesty if you are a die hard hockey fan do you really think you will turn away from one of the best sports ever? I think you'll be back along with many others. What happened last Thursday needs to be forgotten and on Wednesday Bettman and Fehr will sit down at the table and should not leave until a deal is done. When Donald Fehr announced he was very happy with the talks and that the lockout would be over shortly, he was lying straight to our faces. This man is the kryptonite of the NHL and needs to either resign or be fired after a settlement is reached.

        Gary Bettman stated that the proposed deal on Thursday was ready to be accepted, until Fehr told the players he could get more. I've said it a few times on the Sports Goombahs radio station he will not, I repeat will not get the players more money in this deal. I know it sucks right now with no hockey, but come January i think the winter will get a lot better with players finally stepping on the ice. I really hope that this is my last post that has anything to do with the lockout. I am ready to start writing about Claude Giroux amazing the NHL world, and watching Ilya Bryzgalov have a comeback year. Two things we should remember; there will be a season this year, and hope is a virtue.

Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Sports Goombahs Beat reporter)

Don't Have a Panic Attack!

        The Sixers have a 9-6 record, placing them 3rd in their respective Atlantic Division. Some new additions to the squad have been real fun to watch, including the 3 point specialist Jason Richardson, sharpshooter Nick "Swagy P" Young, and the high flyer Dorrell Wright who can also shoot the 3 ball. Jrue Holiday is showing that he is the new leader with Andre Iguodala being traded to the Denver Nuggets in the off season, that brought one of the best centers in the league Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia.

        Andrew Bynum however, hasn't played one game for the Sixers this year, and no one knows if he ever will play this year. That makes it even bigger for Jrue to have a year to remember. Holiday is averaging close to 19 points a game and 9 assists, putting him third in the league for assists per game. Jrue always played in the shadow of Iguodala, and now that he's gone the spotlight shines very bright on the former UCLA guard.

        Thaddeus Young is racking in the rebounds every night, and has that sweet left hook that he gets opponents to bite on 9 out of 10 times. Thad signed a contract extension before the season, and Doug Collins said he would like Thad to be a Sixer for life, along with former number 2 draft pick from Ohio State Evan Turner, who has had a solid year so far. Turner has become the everyday starter and is showing signs of improvement with his jump shot, and he is close to averaging 8 rebounds a game.

        Losing Lou Williams, and Elton Brand along with Andre, gave the Sixers a chance to bring in some young talent, and that's exactly what they did. They got Jason Richardson who is ranked 14th all time in 3 point shots made with over 1500. Nick Young is a sharpshooter and can hit a basket from almost anywhere on the floor. Dorrell Wright signed as a free agent this year and he brings a healthy 3 point shot and can also rattle the rim with some high flying dunks. Wright also brings to Philly great defense which the Sixers lost when they lost Iguodala. Doug Collins is very high on Dorrell Wright, and the fans should be too

        I know everyone is concerned about not seeing Andrew Bynum yet, but I'd rather see him play when he's 100 % ready rather than 50 % where he can't perform to his best ability. The way the team is playing right now I am confident that we can place in the top 5 of the Eastern Conference and have Andrew Bynum ready to dominate in the playoffs. So fans in Philadelphia, don't panic just yet about Bynum, because once he steps on the floor for the first time, you will be amazed what he can do, and understand why he took all the time he needed to rest that knee. SHOW YA LUV AND LETS GO SIXERS

Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat writer for the Sports Goombahs)

Free Agent Possibilities.

        With the Phillies missing out on the guy they wanted most this off season B.J. Upton, they're still a few guys left in the market that I think can suit the phils perfectly. On Wednesday night, it was confirmed that  Upton would sign a 5 year 75 million dollar deal with the NL EAST rival Atlanta Braves. The Phillies and Braves were in a bidding war, but it looked like Ruben Amaro Jr's best offer was 5 years 55 million, so Atlanta won their guy.

        With Upton in Atlanta, Michael Bourn will not return as their center fielder and could have a reunion with the Phillies this season. Bourn was originally drafted by the Phillies in the 2003 amateur draft and played just 2 seasons with them until he was traded to the Houston Astros, which brought Brad Lidge to the Phillies.  That deal worked out because Lidge was perfect and won the world series in his first year. Recently Bourn has been providing stolen bases, runs scored, and became a decent lead off hitter in Atlanta. Bourn has been linked to the Phillies this off season and in my opinion I don't think we need another guy who strikes out 125+ times a season.

        Next on the list is Josh Hamilton. Hamilton declined the Texas Rangers qualifying offer of 3 years 33 million, and is hoping to receive close to 7 years 160 million dollars. Hamilton has been an RBI machine, home run hitter, base stealer, and he has a strong arm in the outfield. Ruben Amaro is known to make a splash during free agency and at the trade deadline, so look for the Phillies to sign Hamilton and don't worry too much about his off the field events, just be amazed what this guy can do on the field.

        Reunited and I don't think it would feel so good. The man I am talking about is Shane Victorino. Shane was a big part of the World Series championship in 2008 and is a threat in all areas. The problem is he is trying to hit home runs every at bat like Ryan Howard. He is starting to remind me of Willie Mays Hayes from  the "Major League" movies. Trying to hit a home run, but evidently popping up and striking out. Although he knows the organization well, and he's a great outfielder, I don't think the phils will bring back the Flying Hawaiian.

        The last 2 guys on my list is Cody Ross, and Angel Pagan. Cody Ross is a right handed hitter who can provide some power which we've been lacking and can knock in close to 100 runs. Angel Pagan who is coming into the market as a world champion, had a solid year and will probably make some decent money. Out of these two, I would want Pagan who is a switch hitter, and has good speed on the bases and can score plenty of runs.

        Out of these guys, My first choice is Hamilton. If we can't get him, and we go for Bourn, I would hope RAJ brings in maybe Victorino or Pagan to play right field, and then we could use Darin Ruf in left field. From what others are saying, I am actually comfortable with Frandsen as our everyday third basemen and look forward to seeing him become a big part of this organization. Lets hope with all this talk Ruben makes the right move that will bring the World Series trophy back to Philadelphia.

Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat Reporter for the Sports Goombah's)

When Will It End?

        The frustrating lockout in the NHL continues today, and is getting close to day 80. As it has been reported by numerous sources, many fans have given up on the season and will not rely on the NHL to play a season this year. Meeting after meeting there just wasn't any progress going on between the NHL and NHLPA, so a mediation group joined the table a couple of days ago. Today was the final meeting between them and below is what www.hockeybuzz.com reporter Eklund stated:

        "Mediation has ended and apparently no results to speak of...however the mediation was cordial and one of the by-products may be the sides realizing the personal aspects of these negotiations are killing the potential deal. With that in mind it is being reported that Bettman has proposed the sides meet without he or Fehr. Just Players vs. Owners. I agree 100% with Gary on this one. It has gotten too personal...Players are making this about Gary, owners are making this about Fehr.....It should be about deal making."

        Let's just say this process is getting way out of hand. Donald Fehr is becoming a joke and in my opinion should be fired when and if a deal ever gets done. The NFL was in a lockout but got a done before the regular seasons first game. The NBA was in a lockout and got a deal done so a shortened 66 game season could be played starting on Christmas last year. The MLB has had work stoppages but never so many days to cancel the season at least from the time I was born. So the question coming from fans is, why can't they just agree on a deal. The answer is and always will be MONEY. Players want to play, Donald Fehr wants more money for the players. This isn't going to happen and Fehr should torched ASAP!

        To conclude this blog, I believe somehow someway the players will force Fehr to make an agreement with Bettman, and we will see hockey right after Christmas or right after New Years Day. Here's to hoping that we get to watch some hockey this upcoming winter.

-Jimmy "the Fish" Forte (Beat Writer for the Sports Goombah's)