Phour for Phour: Bipolar Bats, Contest Winner Announced, and a Humiliating Loss to Boston

This week in Phour for Phour, we’ll take a look at an anemic Phillies offense turned monstrous, then turned anemic again; the new birds in the Eagles' nest; an embarrassing series opener for the Flyers; and a final look at the Sixers 2010-2011 campaign.

Before we begin, we would like to announce the winner of last week’s free Phillies ticket giveaway. Being the first person to get all five questions correct and correctly guess that Ryan Howard would have two hits, the winner is … Jeremy Lieberman.  Congratulations!  

For the hundreds of Philly faithfuls who didn’t have their name called, rest assured that you’ll have another shot at picking up a free pair of Phillies tickets.  Due to the overwhelming amount of submissions, we’re going to hold a new contest next week, with a new set of rules and a new way to win!

Now back to sports!

The Good

Rhino goes yard, twice!

As Patch readers across Montgomery County were watching Friday night’s game against the Mets, I don’t think anyone thought he would tie his career high of 6 RBIs in a game.

A couple submissions boldly predicted a home run for the big guy, and one even predicted a grand slam, but no one in their right mind could have predicted Howard would hit a two-run shot to the upper deck, only to be outdone by hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning.

It was quite a display from Howard, and it highlighted a week in which he batted .292 with 3 HR and 9 RBIs.

Before we move on, I would like to show some respect to the 10 or so readers who took a chance by guessing Howard would have six hits on the night.  I admire your optimism!

Question:  Will Ryan Howard break the team record for RBIs through the end of May?

- New to the nest

With the 23^rd pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Danny Watkins, an offensive guard out of Baylor.

The boo birds were out en masse, wondering why Andy Reid didn’t pick a DB, and complaining about Watkins’ status as a 26-year-old rookie.

The reality is that it’s never a bad idea to select an offensive lineman in the first round. If the Eagles want to have a legitimate shot at a title run, it is imperative that they keep Michael Vick upright, which is something they failed to do last season.

As for what Watkins brings to the table as a player, here is his scouting report, courtesy of www.nfl.com:

Strengths:

Watkins has good size for the guard position. Possesses excellent balance and the foot quickness to mirror defensive ends in pass protection. Shows proper hand placement and technique. Generates a good push in the running game and has the athleticism to make blocks in the second level. Plays mean and always finishes blocks.  

Weaknesses:

His arms are on the short side, and he may struggle to engage longer defenders. Raw football player that does not always recognize stunts and blitzes and can get caught out of position. Will lunge at times, making him susceptible to double moves. Lacks the knee bend to consistently thwart the bull rush.

Sounds good to me!

Question:  Who should the Eagles have picked in the first round?

- Turning the corner

The season is over for the Sixers, despite a valiant effort in their game five matchup with the Heat. Looking back at the season, what have we learned?

1.) The front office made the right decision in hiring Doug Collins. With practically the same squad as last year, the Sixers showed a drastic improvement, reflected by a 41-41 record, which is 14 more wins than last season.

2.) Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus Young, and Lou Williams all showed flashes during the season. Considering the youth on the Sixers, the future looks bright.

3.) With wins over the Bulls, Celtics, and Heat, the Sixers have proved they can compete with the big dogs in the East.

Question:  What changes would you like to see going into the 2011-2012 season?

The Bad

- Beating a dead horse

Boucher and Bobrovsky combined to give up seven goals during game one of the Flyers playoff series against Boston. 

The Flyers just looked awful Saturday night, in all aspects, but especially at goalie. At this point, it really doesn’t make a bit of difference who is minding the net because each goalie gives you the same result.

Now word is coming down that Chris Pronger skipped the morning session, and will most likely be out Monday and possibly longer. It’s hard to count the Flyers out, especially considering their historic comeback against Boston last year, but this squad just doesn’t seem to have it in them.

I hope I’m wrong.

Question:  What is your prediction for the outcome of the series against Boston?

- On again, off again

The NFL blew a perfectly good chance at generating interest for the 2011 NFL Draft.

The court ruled in favor of the players, ending the lockout and refusing to grant a stay. The NFL had its doors open for one day, when the 8^th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower courts decision and granted a temporary stay.

That decision sandbagged the draft, which is far more entertaining when player trades are allowed. Instead, it was a boring, drawn out process with little surprise and even less entertainment value.

As the Eagles made their pick in the first round, the normal stream of status updates on Facebook was nowhere to be found. That’s a stark contrast to years prior.

Question:  Did you watch the NFL draft?  If so, how much?

The Ugly

- Rauuuuuul

All I can do is shake my head. 

On April 20, I was at Citizens Bank Park when I was asked what my thoughts were on Raul Ibanez. I said he seemed a bit stiff in the field, and his swing had deteriorated into a flailing, helpless motion.

That was two days after Ibanez got his last hit.

Yes, you read that correctly.  Raul Ibanez is in the middle of an 0 for 35 slump, not having a hit since April 18. Though he’s a notoriously streaky hitter, this run may very well be the end for our everyday left fielder. 

When you consider Rollins and his lack of production from the three hole, and Wilson Valdez going through a 3 for 28 slump, it’s actually kind of surprising that the Phillies offense actually picked up for a few games.

What isn’t surprising is watching the offense come crashing back down to Earth.

Question:  Would you bench Raul Ibanez for Mayberry?

Quote of the Week

“I came inside and heard the news. There are some things bigger than the game and our jobs. I was inside. You could hear the crowd chanting, ‘U-S-A.’ And I got chills hearing that. It was a pretty neat atmosphere and place to be to get that kind of news. … It’s certainly a historic night and a great victory for the United States and the war on terrorism.”—Mets pitcher Chris Young,

Video of the Week

This video was submitted courtesy of Lansdale Patch reader Scott Kelly.  It may very well be one of the most amazing catches you will ever see, and it’s by a ball-girl.

My goodness!

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1324636203#!/video/video.php?v=210445612318133&comments

Looking Forward

The Phillies continue their home stand, with the Nationals and Braves coming into town. The Flyers look to rebound from their game one loss, with four games against Boston this week.

Also, be sure to check out next week’s Phour for Phour column for another chance to win free Phillies tickets.

Here is your schedule for the upcoming week in Philadelphia sports

Monday:

Flyers vs. Bruins Game 2  7:30 p.m. on Versus

Tuesday:

Phillies vs. Nationals  7:05 p.m. on CSN and MLBN

Wednesday:

Phillies vs. Nationals  7:05 p.m. on CSN

Flyers at Bruins Game 3  7 p.m. on Versus

Thursday:

Phillies vs. Nationals  7:05 p.m. on CSN and MLBN

Friday:

Phillies vs. Braves  7:05 p.m. on TCN and MLBN

Flyers at Bruins Game 4  8 p.m. on CSN and Versus

Saturday:

Phillies vs. Braves  7:05 p.m. on PHL17

Sunday:

Flyers vs. Bruins Game 5 (if necessary)  3 p.m. on NBC

Phillies vs. Braves  8 p.m. on ESPN

If you have any questions that you would like to see answered in next week's Phour for Phour column, please email them to slavetologic@gmail.com, as long as they don't include the words "doop" or "soccer."