Categories
General Sports

May 7 2009 episode of Poor Man’s PTI

We’re in the thick of NBA playoffs, NHL Playoffs, and a bizarre story about Dirk Nowitzki’s gf/fiancee?/baby mamma? Cristal Taylor You can download this week’s podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.

If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.

This week’s topics include:

  • What is Dirk Nowitzki doing with a woman with 10 aliases and 8u warrants?
  • NBA Playoffs: Boston-Orlando and Houston-LA
  • Stat Boy explains why Mine That Bird could save racing
  • That’s just Manny Being Barry
  • Alex Ovechkin’s death thread
  • Sidney Crosby’s whine
  • A-Rod fatigue
  • Arsenal fan kills himself after loss to Manchester United
Categories
Philadelphia 76ers

Sixers Show True Colors

Forget the two wins the Sixers managed in this first round series against the Orlando magic.  They stole one while the Magic were napping.  Then they held serve in their first home game for the second win.  But when it came down to gut check time, this Sixers team showed exactly why they dropped six out of seven heading into the playoffs, with the sole win coming against a Cleveland team resting their starters.   No direction.  No leadership.  No defensive clue.

The good news Sixers fans is that there’s some silver lining to this embarrassing 25 point loss at home to the Magic without two of their starters.  (By the way, this was the easiest game to call, you only had to look back at what the Sixers did against OKC without Kevin Durant and Jeff Green for the blueprint of what this team was all about.)  The silver lining is that Ed Stefanski will have to shake up this roster in the offseason if he expects to make any gains into ticket sales for a team that ranks 23rd in the league, sharing the bottom third in attendance with moribund franchises like the LA Clippers, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Categories
Uncategorized

April 9 2009 episode of Poor Man’s PTI

Ryan and Vin run through this week’s top stories including the tragic death of Angels’ Adenhart. You can download this week’s podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.

If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.

This week’s topics include:

  • Recap of the worst Final Four in recent memory
  • Death of Angels pitcher
  • Other athletes deaths and plane crashes
  • Adam Eaton booed at Phillies ring ceremony
  • Augusta or Bar Rafaeli?
  • Fenway to host Winter Classic
Categories
General Sports

April 2 2009 episode of Poor Man’s PTI

Ryan and Vin run through this week’s top stories focusing mostly on the NCAA tournament and jail time. You can download this week’s podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.

If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.

This week’s topics include:

  • Recap of the NCAA tourney and Final Four talk
  • Donte Stallworth vs Plaxico Burress: who will spend more time in jail
  • Michael Vick’s construction job
  • Jay Cutler to the Bears
  • 2009 MLB betting odds
  • and a tremendous audio guess the state
Categories
College Basketball

How’d it get so sunny in Philadelphia?

I used to (and still do) daydream about what would have happened if Joe Carter doesn’t hit that home run, if Ronde Barber doesn’t intercept that pass, if Robert Horry doesn’t make that three in game 2 of the 2001 Finals, if Scott Stevens doesn’t leave Lindros in a crumpled heap on the ice.  I daydream because I can only hope for those things not to have happened in a (better) alternate universe.

But now things are different.  I think about the wicked line drive off the bat of Zobrist that hangs just enough to settle easily into Jayson Werth’s glove.  In my nightmares, that line drive gets past Werth for extra bases.  I think about Levance Fields’ desperation 75 foot heave that clangs off the  backboard and  ricochets harmlessly to the floor.  In my nightmares, that ball goes straight into the hoop.

It’s so much better to imagine the worse case scenario knowing that in reality, the good guys win. As some wise man once said (on this site, no less), it’s easier to write joy and anger.

Categories
General Sports

March 26 2009 episode of Poor Man’s PTI

We discuss the top news stories of the week along with a breakdown of the NCAA tourney. You can download this week’s podcast directly (running time 60 mins) or subscribe to the feed.

If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.

This week’s topics include:

  • Ryan Moats and the worst officer in Texas
  • The Wonder Years
  • Charlie Villanueva’s in game twittering
  • brackets brackets brackets
Categories
Philadelphia 76ers

An open letter to Ed Stefanski (or how to fix the Sixers experience)

Dear Ed,

Long time fan, first time season ticket holder here.  I know you’ve got a lot of problems on your plate right now: the Sixers have been freefalling since the All-Star Break, your prize free agent acquisition (and $80M man) is sitting in street clothes, the team can’t play perimeter defense with under 30 seconds left, and the arena is half-empty (not half-full!) on most nights.

Now, I can’t help you with any of the first three issues (although I’m pretty sure trotting out Willie “9ppg” Green as our starting 2 guard isn’t helping anyone), but perhaps I can shed a little light on why nobody wants to go to the Sixers games.  And while winning would fix everything, in lieu of winning, perhaps you can make the in-person experience just a little better so I don’t regret buying season tickets this year or have to beg someone to go with me on certain nights.

Categories
Philadelphia Eagles

Reid and McNabb: More fool’s gold for Philly fans

mcnabb4

It was week 12 of the 2008 NFL season and the unthinkable happened: Donovan McNabb was benched for the second half. Kevin Kolb stepped in and promptly screwed the pooch some more. That poor pooch had a rough couple of weeks as he’d already been screwed repeatedly by McNabb in previous quarters. Every Eagles fan and reporter thought, “wow, this is the end of the McNabb era.”

Not so fast. While I sat around and wished for the Eagles to lose their remaining games to hasten a regime change (I even came up with a clever term for it: f’ing the kennel), the Cardinals came to town and promptly laid down for the Eagles, starting a run that will go down in Eagles history: finishing 4-1, knocking the Cowboys out to sneak into the playoffs as a 6 seed; beating the Giants twice, once in the NFC Divisional round to make the NFC Championship game.

Riding high on emotion and momentum, the Eagles were a 4 point favorites on the road against the Cardinals and did what they do best: choke.

Categories
Philadelphia Phillies

Hoping for the end of the world

The Tampa Bay Rays are in the World Series. First pitch is in about 5 minutes and then it will be official. They are the Cinderella team, the feel good story, the team that went from worst to first, winning the AL despite one of the smallest payrolls in the majors. They have a storied franchise history that has reached double digits. They have fans that have followed the team since the first George W administration! That, folks, is dedication.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ledger, we have the Phillies, the losingest franchise in all of sports (Washington Generals aside), a team that harkens back to the 1800s, a team that has something called tradition — you know, little things like keeping the team name the same, not changing up uniforms like the new spring fashion line, not having a ridiculous manufactured theme song (“Feel the Heat! Rays!”), etc. A team with a fan base that can make more noise with towels than all of Tampa with cowbells. A fan base that would actually appreciate a World Series and understand what it means.

And since we all know that (Sports) God is dead and/or hates Philadelphia, there is no question that the Rays will win the 2008 World Series. At 2:3 odds, they are a bargain. Go ahead and bet the farm.

Categories
NFL General

Week 6 2008 NFL Picks and Podcast

Week 5 of the NFL season was pretty rough.  Ryan continues to lead both the picks straight up and against the spread while RJ continue his streak of anti-locks.  We’re eagerly awaiting this week’s lock so we can bet against it.  He’s nothing if not consistent.  The featured games this week are Ravens @ Colts, Jaguars @ Broncos, Cowboys @ Cardinals, and Giants @ Browns,  which we pick against the spread.  Good luck in your office pools.

You can download the podcast directly  (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.  

If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.