Why Blow It Up? June 6, 2013
Posted by Sean in Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Philadelphia Phillies
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Call me a homer or what have you, but I really don’t think it’s necessary that the Phillies blow it up, and that all of these articles across the web saying so are just that typical “Negadelphianism” that happens an awful lot. Even if Hamels is somehow reverting to his 2009 form and Halladay is probably done (sad), we still have Cliff Lee blowing people away, and Kyle Kendrick somehow or another following closely behind. I hate the guy, but even Papelbon has been solid, and outside of Pettibone, the kids in the ‘pen need some work, which is fine by me, as long as they have Lee/Kendrick (wtf)/Hamels before them and Papelbon after them.
And that’s just on the mound. Dom Brown is quite obviously lighting it up, Utley’s not done yet, and Galvis and Hernandez still have more to prove. The Phillies aren’t going to win the World Series with the roster as is, but I think they’re closer than people give them credit for. Why should they blow it up? Why not retool and continue to take a shot?
Crosspost! Fuechse! Stomp Stomp Stomp May 30, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Alexander Petersson, Berlin, Fuechse Berlin, Germany, Team handball
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Handball is basically the greatest thing ever, I wish it were this big in America…
Original here: http://wordpress.philau.edu/germany2012/2012/05/30/fuechse-stomp-stomp-stomp/
#15: The 2002 Phillies January 15, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Doug Glanville, Jeremy Giambi, Jimmy Rollins, Mike Lieberthal, Pat Burrell, Philadelphia Phillies, Randy Wolf, Travis Lee, Vicente Padilla
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The 2002 Phillies sucked on ice. But 2002 was the first year I started paying attention to baseball and the Phillies. I was 10 years old. Now, the Phillies may not have been very good, but they were my team and I loved every single one of them, except Jose Santiago, fuck that stiff. Oh, and Scot Rolen. What a fucking traitor. Oh, and Travis Lee, fuck that whiner. But there were some interesting characters…
Doug Glanville, the hometown engineering student from Penn (what an egghead!). Pat Burrell, the lady’s man (what that means to a 10 year old? It meant all the ladies played his Playstation, of course!). J-Roll, the young stud that was going to be the anchor for at least the next ten years. Mike Lieberthal, the greatest catcher in team history. Jeremy Giambi, who was the latest in a line of wrong brothers on the Phillies (holy hell could he mash the ball!). Randy Wolf and his Wolfpack. Vicente Padilla and his near no hitter. Jose Mesa, aka Joe Table.
Listen, the team wasn’t very good. But the players were fun, and 10 year olds love fun.
#14: The 2009 Phillies January 14, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: New York Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies
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2008 was a great run, but 2009, in my opinion, was an even funner ride. We saw what this team could do (win the whole fuckin’ thing), and they only got better (adding such characters as Pedro fucking Martinez, Rauuuuuul Ibanez, and Chan Ho Park) on their way to their second straight pennant. Perhaps it might not have been as fun without the reining WFC over our heads, but it seemed that 2009 was wire-to-wire ecstasy. We lost in the World Series, but somehow it seemed OK. I mean, the Yankees are stupid, but they absolutely outplayed us while we played our best, and we were the first team to make back-to-back World Serieseses since those Yankees in 2000 and 2001. The end was disappointing, but it all seemed OK. We were in a magical place, and everyone could feel it.
#13: The 2008 Phillies January 13, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies, WFC
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🙂
#12: The 2010 Phillies January 12, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, San Francisco Giants
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As much of a dicktease as the 2011 playoffs were, 2010 was bigger. It started off innocently enough, the team was reeling off two back-to-back pennants, and was the heavy favorite to win a third, especially so after trading for Roy Halladay, the best pitcher in baseball. Even Opening Day showed promise, with an 11-1 pounding of the Washington Nationals, but at some point all the wheels fell off the wagon. It seemed that everyone was injured. We fell to second place. Then, we fell back seven games. All seemed lost. But then suddenly the team got hot. They won seven in a row, and then traded for the best available starting pitcher on the market, Roy Oswalt. He had a rocky first start (breaking our win streak in the process), but after that he rattled off 7 straight wins to finish off the year. By mid-August, the team had caught fire again and was now two games back of the hot, young Braves. The Phillies retook first place on September 7th, and then took it for good four games later. The Phillies brought back proper form in August-September, and went on to beat up competition again, and finished in first place by an astounding seven games. All was right with the world. The Phillies kept up the hot streak in the playoffs, including that one game, you know, that had a whole bunch of zeroes or something. Whatever. And then they won the next two games to sweep the Reds. Whatever, bring on the next sacrificial lamb, the juggernauts of the NL were doing their thing.
But then something went wrong. As had been the trend lately, the hotter team heading into the playoffs went on the roll over their opponents.
Except this year, it wasn’t the Phillies. It was the fucking San Francisco Giants. I hated those guys. They had that douchebeard Brian Wilson, that goddamn elf Cody Ross (who somehow managed to make his way from the Marlins to the Giants via waivers), turdface Aaron Rowand, and the overhyped Tim Lincecum. The only redeeming qualities the Giants had were getting Pat Burrell his second ring, and that beautiful ballpark of theirs. Grumble, grumble. Whatever, fuck the Giants.
Really, 2010 wasn’t meant to be. That great three-month spell was a hell of streak, but 2010 just wasn’t our year. But it was one heck of a year. Perhaps, in fact, the most eventful one of recent memory. So here’s to the awesome ride that was 2010.
#11: The 2011 Phillies January 11, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).add a comment
102 Wins.
Roy, Cliff, Cole, Roy.
Domonic Brown.
Hunter Pence.
There’s not really much more I can add here, I mean, this team was, with no slight trepidation, the greatest team to ever play in Philadelphia. The only not awesome part?
Ugh. (via Washington Times)
…yeah. I still love the man, but he gets really frustrating at times.
Ryan Madson Signs With Cincinnati January 11, 2012
Posted by Sean in Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Madson
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1 year deal, as per Jerry Crasnick on the Twinker. I guess he wasn’t opposed to a one-year deal, but was opposed to not closing. In return, the Phillies are to be compensated with the 14th pick in next year’s June draft, which, according to Phuture Phillies, is the highest they’ve held since drafting the awesome Gavin Floyd 4th overall in 2001, as well as a sandwich pick in the early-to-mid-30s (exact pick TBD). RIP Mad Dog, it was a great ride.
For more, read up at The700Level, as well as Phuturephillies.
Update: For some reason, the Red’s pick is protected under the old CBA, so instead of the 14th pick, they now get the 72nd pick (originally the Reds’ second rounder). What a bummer. We still get the 30-something sandwich pick, however.
#10: Kevin Millwood’s No Hitter January 10, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Kevin Millwood, Philadelphia Phillies
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via ESPN
Back when the Phillies weren’t very good and I was just getting into the glorious sport of baseball, my dad took me (and usually my little sister) to a lot of Phillies games. One of those games was April 27, 2003, also known as the day Kevin Millwood pitched the last no hitter in Veterans Stadium. I don’t remember much of this game, I mostly rely on stories from my dad as well as the internet for resources. One of those stories my dad has is this one: “Once he struck out Bonds in the 7th inning, it was that moment that I knew he was going to throw a no hitter.” According to the baseball-reference boxscore linked above, that was the 7th inning, which is right around the same time I remember getting really excited that something good was about to happen.
I remember the 9th inning. Millwood had made it to two outs. The stadium was about to erupt. Grissom took a pitch, ball one. Millwood sets up again. Nails it in there. Grissom swings, makes contact. Ball’s hit deep. Ledee chases it. The ball keeps flying. Ledee runs toward the wall, the ball in his sight. The crowd is on its feet. The wind is swirling. The ball comes down. Ledee makes a running grab. He caught it! He caught it! Millwood pitched a no hitter! Everyone is screaming!
I remember going to school the next day, very excited to tell my classmates about what I had witnessed. To this day, that game there was one of my favorites. In fact, all the way up until 2008 to the present, the 2003 Phillies were my favorite team to ever suit up in Philadelphia. This team and that game will surely be one I tell my future kids about.
Winter Classic Review (Part III) January 9, 2012
Posted by Sean in Beards (and other aesthetics), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Adirondack Phantoms, American Hockey League, Hershey Bears, NHL Winter Classic
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This is the third and final installment looking back at the Winter Classic that was. Part I (the Flyers sweater) can be found here, and part II (the Rangers sweater) can be found here.
Citizens Bank Park is an excellent, beautiful ballpark (I mean, come on! Look at my background!). And as we found out Monday, it makes a kickass hockey venue, too. Continuing in the festivities, the Adirondack Phantoms (the AHL affiliate of the Flyers) played the Hershey Bears at CBP in what the AHL is calling the “Outdoor Classic” Friday night, a game in which I was glad to take part in. Take a look at a select few of my pictures and tell me that this isn’t a beautiful venue for both baseball and hockey:
Self-taken. All credit goes to me, Sean Maguire
Self-taken. All credit goes to me, Sean Maguire.
Self-taken. All credit goes to Sean Maguire
Hell of a game that was (4-3 Phantoms win in OT). Hell of a venue, too.
An interesting note about the AHL: I found it interesting that, while the NHL uses colored jerseys at home, AHL teams wear white (or “white,” as it were) at home (or “home,” as it were). As you may know, the NHL designated white as the home jerseys from 1970/71 through the 2002/2003 season (a reversal of precedent, actually; colored sweaters/jerseys were worn at home from ancient history to 1970), and my guess is that the AHL followed suit, but did not followup on the return to colors at home in 2002.
#9: Jim Thome January 9, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Jim Thome, Philadelphia Phillies
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via Wikipedia
Jim Thome. When I first started watching baseball, it was 2002. It was pretty cool watching guys like Burrell, Glanville, and Rollins play everyday but the team was kinda mediocre. But then that winter I started hearing rumors about the Phillies signing some guy from Cleveland who hits a lot of home runs. Now I didn’t know a lot about baseball yet, but home runs are always exciting to 11 year olds. Skip ahead however long, and then he has that press conference where he choked up a little about leaving Cleveland (and then he made a joke afterward!), he instantly became my favorite player. And then he went out and almost hit 50 home runs! And single-handedly made the Phillies playoff contenders! I really couldn’t like him any more, it was impossible.
The next year I started middle school, and they always have this book fair thing every fall. One time I was in there and I saw a Thome poster, and I knew I had to have it. That night I put it up over my head above my wall, and it’s been there ever since (I even brought it with me to college). It makes me feel safe at night. Even though he’s not a Phillies anymore, Jim Thome is still easily one of my favorite players, and that poster will stay above my head right up until the day it falls apart.
That day this winter when he signed himself back, I couldn’t have been happier. I was walking to the wood shop that night, and I literally danced on my way for awhile (no one was looking, of course). The fact that my boyhood idol came back to my team for a very, very good chance at his first ring really makes me giddy for this spring.
Even though it wasn’t in Philadelphia pinstripes, I’m glad he got to 600 home runs. The twelve year old me hopes he stays with the Phillies long enough to hit 700 (how cool would that be?), maybe even 763 (!!!), but the 20 year old me knows that won’t happen. I’ll just be glad if he finally gets his ring.
#8: High-cuffed Pants and Stirrups January 8, 2012
Posted by Sean in Beards (and other aesthetics), Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Baseball, legs, socks
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Baseball is an old-timey game. A relic, if you will. That’s part of the charm of it– baseball is virtually the same as it was when our grandparents’ grandparents saw it, and it will be the same when our grandchildrens’ grandchildren watch it (unless blurnsball takes over by then). Part of the charm of today’s game is when players still dress in that “traditional” look, the high-cuffed pants and stirrupped-socks. There’s no way you can possibly say that this:
via Wikipedia
via Wikipedia
via Wikipedia
looks worse than this:
via baseball-ladies.com
via ESPN.com
via NY Daily News
It’s just not possible. You’re wrong. No offense to Ryan Howard, Manny or David Wright, but that look just isn’t right. It’s interesting that I found that picture of Wright, in fact. If you do a quick Google search for him, there are some images of him with stirrups, and some without (like above). I wish I knew the answer, but perhaps it’s an institution of the new Mets regime? For their sake, I sure hope so. They may play like crap, but at least their legs will look good.
Winter Classic Review (Part II) January 5, 2012
Posted by Sean in Beards (and other aesthetics), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Hockey, Jerseys, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, NHL Winter Classic
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This is part two of a three-part series about the Winter Classic’s aesthetics. Part I can be found here.
via Sports Logos.net
Unlike the home team counterpart, I’m a little disappointed in the Rangers’ duds. Both teams looked really great on the ice, and the orange Flyers looked amazing against the cream/”vintage white” Rangers, despite there being no reason for the Rangers to wear that color. I’ve said it before (I’ll say again), going retro does not mean vintage white, and vintage white does not mean retro. I hate that trend, it’s become nothing more than a cheap gimmick. Initial grade: C+
These jerseys actually really bug me. A few issues: just like the Flyers, the Rangers didn’t directly draw from any one era, but rather drew inspiration from several. The only problem is, the Rangers are one of the Original Six and have been around since forever (not really; they were founded in 1926). And except for three seasons, the Rangers have had “RANGERS” spelled out in diagonal capital letters across their sweaters. It’s what they’re known for! So why would someone give complete disregard to that and put a new/old crest on the front instead? It doesn’t make any sense. They’re also known for the distinct number design, the block font with the drop shadow, why just abandon the shadow, even if it’s for one game? This was an ill attempt at honoring history, but they look nice. Final grade: C-
Thing I like about this sweater:
- The hemstripes. They’re very American, and if there’s any hockey team that I think of as “America’s Team,” it’s Tex’s Rangers, even if I hate them.
- The shoulder yoke. It provides a nice balance to the waist stripes, and gives the sweater an even feel.
- The yoke stripe. I don’t know of any other sweater that has a striping pattern like that on the shoulders, it makes it unique, and relates back to that balance thing I just talked about.
Things I don’t like about this sweater:
- The crest. The Rangers don’t wear crests. Get rid of it.
- Vintage white. GRRRRRRRRR
- Inconsistent striping. Why are the sleeve stripes blue-white-red-white-blue if the waist and shoulders are blue-white-red?
- No number drop shadow. Except for a little hiccup in the 70s, they have always worn dropshadowed numbers since the 40s. If the point of this sweater was to draw from history, why would they go against history and leave it off…?
- Vintage white. I just hate it so much.
- It’s from New York. Just thought I’d throw that one in there.
Bottom line, this sweater would make a fine fashion jersey, or even a solid alt if there was no claim to be historical. But since this is a Winter Classic sweater where everything is based on history, it’s not very good.
#5: Hitting a Baseball as Hard as You Can January 5, 2012
Posted by Sean in Burritos (and other awesome things), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Baseball, Jim Thome
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Tying into yesterday’s post, the next awesome thing is hitting a ball as hard as you can (fresh new bat optional)…
I was never very good at baseball (that’ll be a recurring theme here, I’m sure), but I still loved to play it all the way up until the very end. My favorite thing to do up at bat was to swing as hard as I could, which was probably one of the reasons I wasn’t very good. I’m a big guy, so I always pictured myself as being the team slugger, or the cleanup hitter. Jim Thome, if you will. So I always would go up and try to mash the ball. When it worked, it was fun (even if I never hit it out of the infield), and the team always got a thrill out of it. When it didn’t work, I looked like a free-swingin’ doofus who rode pine more than stepped on a field. But I had fun, so who cares if I was more Travis Chapman than Jim Thome?
Winter Classic Review (Part I) January 3, 2012
Posted by Sean in Beards (and other aesthetics), Sports (and other things relating to sports).Tags: Hockey, Jerseys, New York Rangers, NHL, NHL Winter Classic, Philadelphia Flyers
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So the Flyers played that Winter Classic thing yesterday. Despite the ending, it was a pretty exciting (and beautiful) game.
via Icethetics
In a vacuum, I LOVE the sweaters/jerseys. Both teams looked really great, and the Flyers’ orange really popped off the white of the ice, and played really well against the cream/vintage white of the Rangers. I give them a B-
However, the whole point of the Winter Classic is that it harkens back to days of old, and is supposed to celebrate the heritage of hockey. Reflecting this, the sweaters have usually been directly inspired by previous designs. More times than not, they’ve been combinations of eras, evidenced most clearly by the Penguins’ 2011 threads. But because the Flyers have only been around for about 50 years and basically wear the same design they first wore, the team didn’t have too many styles to choose from. I mean, the design they wore from roughly 1982 to 2007 would have been a good start, but I guess 2007 is too recent to harken back to… With all of that in mind, I still give the Flyers a B-, but a lesser one at that (more 80% than 82%).
Things I like about this sweater:
- The bright orange of the body
- The existing hemstripes
- The keystones behind the Captain’s C/Assistant’s A
- The colored nameplates (I don’t like the ones on the white roadie sweater, but I can’t get enough of it here or the home orange)
- The vintage white (I’m not usually a proponent of using vintage white as a retro gimmick, but it works really well here against the orange)
- The black yoke. It really provides a great focal piece and works well as a contrast to the orange
Things I don’t like about this sweater:
- The hemstripes look unfinished (why are there two, unbalanced stripes? It looks like either the black should be thicker, or there should be another thin black stripe around the bottom)
- The white outline around the back numbers is way too thick. This is also an issue I have with the rest of the Flyers’ set
- Shoelaces. I usually think hockey laces are pretty nifty, but the Flyers have never worn them, why start now?
All in all, I think this made a very good one-off sweater. I’d rather not see it as a regular third, especially since it would create color redundancy with the home sweater (which isn’t always a bad thing, however), but I wouldn’t object if they gave it limited (indoor) ice time.
I <3 Jayson Werth’s Beard May 5, 2010
Posted by Sean in Beards (and other aesthetics), Phillies.tk Archives.Tags: Jayson Werth
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It’s so awesome. I love it. Don’t you?
P.S. we’re back
Thoughts from Underneath a Phillies Cap 
