Former Stanley Cup Finals Rival Kris Versteeg Now A Flyer

I was walking to a nearby campus restaurant during a short break of my evening class when I check my phone. As it turns out, my brother tried to call me 10 minutes earlier. I call back.

"The Flyers traded their 1st and 3rd round draft picks for Kris Versteeg."

"WHAT?!?!?!?" could be my own reply. Versteeg for a first and 3rd rounder. Homer is out of his mind. Again.

I hung up, grabbed my food, and went back to class. My first thoughts on the trade was that of an obvious overpay. A 1st round draft pick and a 3rd round draft pick? Never mind that Versteeg is a solid, young 2-way forward whose prime is still ahead, a 1st and a 3rd rounder seemed like a little much. But then I got back from class, went online, and learned a thing or two about this year's upcoming draft class. As it turns out, it basically sucks. Suffice to say, I am much happier about this trade now than I was a few hours ago. It is still a bit of an overpayment, but given that the Flyers draft picks are going to be picking near the bottom in this very weak class and that Holmgren is clearly bracing the Flyers for "win now" mode, and this trade is not as bad as it initially seemed.

The Flyers can easily slot Versteeg on the line with Richards and JVR, while bumping Andreas Nodl down to the 4th line and benching two of Nikolay Zherdev, Dan Carcillo, and Jody Shelley. It is likely that the Flyers are not done making moves as they have 15 forwards on their roster, 14 if you exclude Ian Laperriere who is on LTIR. It is very likely that Dan Carcillo and/or Nikolay Zherdev will be shipped off before the deadline. While an enigma, Zherdev has been able to light the lamp when given the opportunity by Peter Laviolette. The problem is, Laviolette has this thing where he is not willing to give Zherdev a lot of meaningful ice time and frequently lists him as a healthy scratch for games. And with Jody Shelley signed to a 3 year, $3.3M contract, it is unlikely that he is movable. I will be very surprised if Dan Carcillo is a Philadelphia Flyer once the trade deadline surpasses.

If you are having problems getting excited about Kris Versteeg in a Flyers uniform, allow this to change your mind set. Though I must insist for multiple reasons, watch this video with the sound off.

The Jamie Langenbrunner Sweepstakes Are On

Surprise, surprise. The Devils are so desperate for life that they have asked longtime player and current captain Jamie Langenbrunner to waive his no-trade clause earlier today. Even more surprising, one of the top contenders to trade for Langenbrunner turned out to be the Philadelphia Flyers. In fact, the Flyers played the Devils in the Prudential Center tonight and what only seemed like an awkward game of hide and seek broke out between Paul Holmgren and Lou Lamoriello. At least according to the Flyers reporters, who kept saying that Homer was looking for Lou.

A trade for Langenbrunner would be very interesting, and one that I am not sure is wholly necessary. The Flyers are one of the best teams in the NHL, why do you need Langenbrunner? Is Laviolette that upset with Nikolay Zherdev?

Langenbrunner's contract expires after this year and is due to be paid $2.8M. That's a pretty big cap hit for a team that is currently just under the salary cap, an amazing feat for Holmgren whose strong points in life do not include math. Rumored offers from the Flyers include a 3rd and 5th round draft pick. Eklund has reported for hours now that Langenbrunner to Dallas is a done deal, though no one else is saying that, including the very reliable Tom Gulitti of The Record, who is saying this whole Langenbrunner saga is a big unknown amongst anyone. Flyers reporters are disagreeing with each other, from Panotch quoting Eklund's Dallas report and getting that report over the air on CSN, to Sam Carchidi of the Inquirer's above tweet that has the Flyers still in it with an exact offer, to Anthony San Filippo of the Delaware County Times yelling at me after tweeting a quote from one of his sources that the Flyers were not getting Langenbrunner moments after Eklund's "report" came out and me asking him if Eklund was his source.

Basically, this whole thing is a huge messy unknown that Lou Lamoriello appears to be sleeping on.

Update: Jamie Langenbrunner is a Dallas Star.

I Want To Go To The Flea Market With Howie Roseman

At the expense of Mike Bell and only Mike Bell, the Eagles have traded for RB Jerome Harrison of the Cleveland Browns. Remember him? He only did this last year.



Okay, so he lost the job to Peyton Hilis and found in himself in Eric Mangini's doghouse, the fact of the matter is, the guy who had the above performance last year is now the back up running back of the Philadelphia Eagles. I'm hard.

Flyers Essentially Acquire The Rights To Nabokov For At Least A Week In Verbal Agreement With Sharks

I am a frequent critic of Paul Holmgren, but I will give credit where credit is due. Now I am not a huge Nabokov fan and am not thrilled about the prospect of getting him, but to acquire his rights for almost nothing, as the Flyers have in fact done so, is pretty ingenious. From CSN Philly's Tim Panaccio

According to league sources, the Flyers have a verbal agreement in place with the San Jose Sharks to fork over a seventh-round pick next season if they can sign San Jose’s Evgeni Nabokov before July 1, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Don Meehan, the agent who represents Nabokov, told CSNPhilly.com earlier that his client’s no-trade clause is not an issue. San Jose obviously has given the Flyers permission to get a deal done and Meehan is willing to engage the Flyers ahead of July 1.

Make no mistake about it, Evgeni Nabokov, even at 34 going on 35, is an improvement over Michael Leighton. He is a solid regular season goaltender, but he has a nasty habit of coming up real small in big games. While it certainly was not the first time it happened, you can look at Russia's quarterfinal match against Canada in the 2010 Olympics as the most prominent example of Nabokov's smallness in big games. All that being said and no disrespect to San Jose and Team Russia, but Evgeni Nabokov was never behind a defense as good as the Flyers defense is now with the likes of Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen, and Matt Carle.

Just because the Flyers basically have Nabokov's rights, though, does not mean he will be a Flyer this coming season. The Flyers have his rights until July 1 when he becomes an unrestricted free agent if he goes unsigned. If the Flyers sign him between now and July 1, they will only owe San Jose a 7th round draft pick in the 2011 Draft.

Again, I am not thrilled about Nabokov and would like the Flyers to be thinking more long term than this, but if the Flyers are dead set about getting Nabokov, this is most certainly the best way to go about it.

(See the below post for the World Cup Round of 16 Open Thread)

The Flyers And Penguins Make A Trade At The Draft

The Flyers have a grand total of 0 draft picks, but holy hell was today full of Flyers rumors. The most prominent one being that the Flyers want the rights of Evgeni Nabokov. They are apparently in competition with one other team, who is yet to be named. The deal could get done either later tonight or tomorrow, sources are contradicting themselves, as they have all evening long.

As far as the Flyers trading the rights to Dan Hamhuis to Pittsburgh is concerned, let's make one thing perfect, the Flyers did exactly that. They traded away his rights. His rights. Pittsburgh still has to sign him, and if the rumors are true that Hamhuis only wants to play for a Western Conference team (or Pittsburgh just can't sign him), the Flyers would have officially conned the Pittsburgh Penguins out of a 3rd round draft pick in the 2011 draft. That ain't too shabby, folks. But if he does sign with Pittsburgh, then it is definitely trouble for the Flyers as Pittsburgh signing Hamhuis would likely make Pittsburgh better, provided he does not give them the big cap hit that he is projected to give wherever he does end up signing and Pittsburgh keep Sergei Gonchar, which is looking more and more unlikely. Sergei Gonchar is better than Hamhuis, and if Hamhuis is Gonchar's direct replacement, then once again, the Flyers would have just conned the Penguins.

Now the million dollar question: Is Evgeni Nabokov the next goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers? Unless the Sharks give the Flyers the world's greatest discount, the answer better be no.

Eagles Get Their Man And A Ga Ga Ooh La la

While I celebrate the fact that the Flyers are still the only team in the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, here is my good and bad from today's Eagles day in the NFL Draft.

The Good: Nate Allen. The Eagles needed a safety and they got what many are calling a safe bet in the NFL. He is a good cover guy who can also play corner if need be, but he is a safety first and safety is exactly where the Eagles should put him.

The Also Good: Andy Reid's House of Trades! May we take your draft picks? Good grief, after selecting Nate Allen, the Eagles traded down 3 times to garner what would total as a 3rd round draft pick, 4 4th round draft picks, 2 5ths, a 6th, and 2 7ths. In other words, we got picks like Andy Reid has cheesesteaks.

The Bad: Daniel Te'O Nesheim. Rated 2.0 out of 10 by NFL.com, considered a 6th round prospect coming in, cited as an overachiever at the University of Washington, a position we no longer needed to fulfill right away when others still existed. Yeah. Thus far, this is the only skidmark on what has been a solid draft for the Eagles. To me, this is a classic case of Andy Reid trying to show the rest of the league that he is smarter then them, but really, there is little doubt in my mind he could have taken Te'O with one of his 4 4th round picks.

As far as tomorrow goes, I've got my eyes on Bruce Campbell, any center, any corner, a 5th string WR, and a 3rd string QB. Live blog tomorrow at 10. Be there or be square.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

So After Thinking About It A Bit.....

I've decided the Eagles made the right move by drafting Brandon Graham. When Tom Jackson calls you the best defensive player in a draft consisting of Ndamukong Suh and Eric Berry, you're a stud defensive end.

This is nowhere near as bad a pick as I once thought it was, mainly because I hardly ever heard of the guy before, and we passed up 2 of the guys I had my eye on and wanted the most in this draft (Earl Thomas and Kyle Wilson). And all in the process, gave up 2 3rd rounders while keeping both of their 2nd rounders, one of which is the 37th overall pick in the draft. Not to mention this pick completely stuck it to the Giants who had their eyes on Graham and were a sure bet to take him. Instead they end up with Jason Pierre-Paul. Brandon Graham >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> JPP.

The Eagles have pressing needs at safety and there are still 2 really high rated safeties available, Nate Allen and, dare I say it, Taylor Mays. If Allen gets taken and the Eagles do not want to take a chance on Mays (something I won't fault them for at all), offensive tackle Charles Brown would be a helluva steal at #37 for the Eagles, as they need some offensive line help as well as help in the secondary.

Off-topic, but it must be said, FLYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOHOO!!!! 1ST TEAM TO ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND! HELLZ YEAH, BITCHES!

Some Eagles News, Notes, And Draft Commentary

With all of the playoff hockey going on right now, the NFL Draft this Thursday has gotten a bit lost in the shuffle of things. But alas, the Eagles resumed their wheeling and dealing today, finding themselves in the midst of a three-way deal that saw them give up a 5th round draft pick while getting a starting linebacker, Ernie Sims. From ESPN.com

The Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions have pulled off a three-way trade, with the Lions obtaining former Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler and the Eagles receiving ex-Lions linebacker Ernie Sims.

The Eagles sent a fifth-round pick in this week's draft to the Broncos, while Denver sent its seventh-round pick to the Lions to complete the trade on Monday.

In 59 career games, all with the Lions, Sims has been credited with 420 tackles including 2.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception. He was credited with 49 tackles last season.

"Ernie Sims is an impact player at the linebacker position," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He brings a lot of energy to our already energized defense. We are looking forward to adding him to our team."

In the simplest form, the Eagles just traded a 5th round draft pick for a proven starting linebacker. Thus it goes without say that this is a massive steal for the Eagles and a great trade for them. Sims was a bit nicked up last year, true, but it was felt by many that he was not a good fit in Detroit's system whereas he will be much better for the Eagles. Of course, that trade leaves the Eagles with 10 draft picks for the 2010 draft (but they still have 5 in the top 87 in a very deep draft class), so the question naturally becomes what to do with them. The Eagles first pick is #24 overall and there are a lot of enticing options. Adam Schefter tweeted the following earlier today: "Packers, Eagles have expressed interest in trading up to 10-12 range. But it could depend on how board falls. Good prospects everywhere."

I'm not going to argue with him because as I mentioned above, this is a very deep draft class. The Eagles 2 glaring needs above all else are S and CB. The Eagles have what it will take to trade up in this year's draft, but if they do it, it will be for the right person.

In this case, there is only one right person the Eagles can trade up for: Eric Berry. Will he make it down to 10 is a mystery but if you are the Eagles, you have to do everything in your power to trade up for Eric Berry. He is your guy. You may have to go up higher than 10 to 12, but you have to make sure that you get your guy, and Berry is the Eagles' guy. The other options, if you are sticking in the 10-12 range is Earl Thomas, but 10 to 12 might be too high for him. Besides, he is at best unpolished, and the Eagles need someone who can come in and start for them now. That guy is Tennessee Safety Eric Berry. I would not be majorly pissed if the Eagles end up with Thomas, but if they have a chance to get Berry, they need to get him. Actually, if the Eagles do trade up with Berry still on the board and they draft Earl Thomas instead I will cry tears of great sorrow.

Berry is the only guy the Eagles I would like to see the Eagles trade up for, that being said, given Schefter's range, it does seem like it might be too low for Berry but too high for Thomas. I do worry that the Eagles might actually thinking about trading up for......(*gasp*) Joe Haden. Joe Haden is nothing but hype and if the Eagles take a chance and draft him I will cry great tears of sorrow.

Now if the Eagles don't trade up (likely the smartest thing if you don't get Berry), I see two very good possibilities at #24. The first one is the guy who I see as one of, if not the, best cornerback in the draft, Kyle Wilson. Now he's a CB who I would love to see in midnight green and a CB that I think can come in and start playing right away. Another option that I really like at #24 is Mike Iupati. The Eagles do need an offensive lineman, and when it comes to OL, I have a literal hard-on for him. He will likely be available at 24 if the Eagles elect not to trade up for a DB.

As far as draft day itself goes, yes, there will be a live blog of the entire NFL Draft, but on Thursday, I have a problem. The draft starts at 7:30. The Flyers play Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series at 7:00. What will happen is I will watch the 1st period of the hockey game, flip to ESPN and/or NFL Network (I have not decided what network's coverage I am watching yet) just in time to see Sam Bradford in a Rams uniform, then flip back and forth like a madman between hockey game and draft until the hockey game ends and I can focus solely on the draft.

I Repeat: Donovan McNabb Is A Washington Redskin

Now that I am over the initial shock of this deal, I think I can try to break this down and communicate my opinions in words, bearing in mind that I am still experiencing secondary shock that the Eagles quarterback I grew up with is now gone.

I am shocked. I am not sad. I am not angry. I will not miss McNabb.

On the outset of things, I said that a fair deal for the Eagles would be a 2nd rounder for McNabb. That's what they got and a 3rd or 4th rounder in 2011. For a 30+ year old quarterback past his prime, that's not bad at all. Value wise, it's actually a very good deal. The Eagles now have 11 draft picks, which include 4 of the first 82 and 5 of the first 87. Andy Reid likes draft picks and I will certainly take that, especially this year, because by most accounts, this is a deep draft in the top rounds.

Making this puzzling, it is being reported now by ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Raiders are a bit miffed because they wanted McNabb as well. Now the million dollar question is what price were they willing to pay? If the answer is Nnamdi Asomugha, I'll be a bit pissed because the Eagles need a corner. If not, then value wise, I don't see the Raiders giving us much more than the Redskins did.

Forget about the team that did not get him, now let's talk about the team the Eagles traded McNabb to: the Washington Redskins. Like the move or hate the move, one thing is for sure: trading one of the greatest QBs in Eagles history within your division takes a lot of balls. Lucky for the Eagles FO, they are cocky, arrogant, and have more balls than you can ever imagine. Sometimes it pans out, other times it doesn't, but the Eagles are cocky.

A lot of Eagles fans are angry. Outraged. Upset. And completely overreacting. We all remember Donovan McNabb right? You know, the injury prone quarterback who constantly overthrew wide open receivers, underthrew wide open receivers, and flat out missed wide open receivers. Just because he is wearing different colors, he has not turned into the next Joe Montana. Going back to being injury prone, the Redskins do not have a real good offensive lineman. If they were smart, they would pick an O-lineman with their #4 overall pick. Now if they are geniuses, they can identify a guy that they want and if they think he can fall, they can trade their #4 overall pick to Denver for Brandon Marshall and get their much needed O-lineman at #11 because let's face it, Devin Thomas and Santana Moss are not DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, although it can be said that Chris Cooley is as good as if not better than Brent Celek. As far as McNabb's other favorite pass option goes, the running back, well, the Redskins certainly have the best running backs that 2006 has to offer!

And now the little snafu that comes with trading a QB within your own division...the twice a year meetings that we all love. Donovan McNabb will (likely barring a typical McNabb injury) play a game at the Linc next year in a Redskins uniform. In other words, there will be a complete media circus for 2 games of the year and the whole world will get to witness McNabb play his former teams on national TV not once but twice. It will be like Favre vs. Rodgers, only the Eagles traded McNabb to Washington to "do him right" whereas Green Bay screwed Brett Favre over and he went to Minnesota for revenge.

As far as who got the better of this deal, well, time will certainly tell. Is McNabb an upgrade to Jason Campbell? Likely, he is. Does he the last piece of the puzzle? I say work on those WRs, Offensive linemen, and tweak the defense (especially the secondary) in the draft and then we will talk. However, I won't forget what Shanahan did to Elway in his first couple years at Denver. Is McNabb the new Elway? But here is the other question. What if McNabb regresses like most older QBs do? What if McNabb is not Elway? What if his overthrows, underthrows, and flatout misses are worse? Even if the Skins get Marshall, he still can't catch balls 6 feet in front of him. If that turns out to be the case, then this move could be genius. Draft pick wise, we got the right value. The Eagles now have 11 (11!) picks in the 2010 draft as mentioned above and you can certainly expect them to be wheeling and dealing on draft day as they still have needs on the defensive side of the football and offensive line, and frankly, I don't think you can plug all those needs with rookies and expect to go far, even if your offense is dynamite. But still, if McNabb falters, then we just screwed the Redskins beyond belief. All Kolb needs to do is continue to improve and lead an offense filled with dynamite weapons and we'll be good to go on that side of the ball. The Eagles don't need McNabb anymore. The defense is my biggest concern, and that what needs to be looked at through the draft and trading draft picks. I hope you guys like hearing the Eagles talked about on TV because you can expect a lot more wheeling and dealing in the next few weeks leading up to and culminating with the 2010 NFL Draft.

It goes without say now that barring injury or a complete bombshell that the Eagles 2010 starting QB will be Kevin Kolb and the back up will be Michael Vick. On this Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, Kevin Kolb has risen!!!......up on the Eagles depth chart!

BREAKING: Eagles Trade McNabb To Redskins

This. Is. Insane.

Redskins get: Donovan McNabb
Eagles get: 2nd round pick in 2010 pick (37th overall) and a 3rd round and/or 4th round pick in the 2011 draft

Wrong team. Fair value.

More on the repercussions of this later.

Now For A Whole Post Dedicated To Donovan McNabb

When it comes to these McNabb trades, I think I have a tendency to throw around nuts and bolts of things without giving you all the necessary background information on the deal. Seeing as the seemingly impending McNabb deal as so many nooks and crannies to it, I figured I would put up an article on here that explains everything really well as to what McNabb's contract is like, why the Raiders are the current front-runners, and why a deal may not get done until after this year's draft. From the National Football Post.

Why would the Eagles trade Donovan McNabb?

Although this is a major organizational decision to move on from the team’s signature player for the past decade, it appears to be more about Kevin Kolb than McNabb.

The Eagles, like the Packers two years ago with Aaron Rodgers, have identified their future at the position and are prepared to move on with that player. Kolb has the confidence of the coaches and management that he’s ready to assume the role of leading the team.

Like the Packers two years ago, the team would not be prepared to move on from their longtime fixture at quarterback if there was not a strong option. It’s not like the Packers or the Eagles would have to resort to a stopgap veteran while they looked for a successor. The successors were/are already in the building.

Teams evolve, and it’s hard to know the right time to make a change. The Eagles have apparently decided the time is now.

Why is McNabb’s contract a big part of any trade negotiations?

For the Eagles to consummate a trade, there will be two negotiations in play simultaneously. As with the Jason Peters negotiations mentioned on Monday, there are two parts to the deal.

First will be the negotiations between the Eagles and the acquiring club over the compensation for McNabb. Related to that, however, is the financial compensation for McNabb beyond 2010. Were a team to acquire him without a contract extension, it would, in effect, be renting him for the season while preparing another player for the future.

Acquiring McNabb without an accompanying contract extension would (or should) merit far less in trade compensation to the Eagles than acquiring him with an extension, thereby securing McNabb as a long-term solution at quarterback. That is, of course, unless the acquiring team is the Raiders.

Why would the Raiders acquire McNabb without a contract extension?

As we know, the Raiders tend to do things a bit differently, perhaps for that reason alone. Prior to last season, they acquired defensive end Richard Seymour from the Patriots in the last year of his contract and did not secure, or even attempt to secure, a contract extension. Rather, they placed an exclusive franchise tag on Seymour for 2010 and now have Seymour’s services for at least two years – 2009 and 2010 – and about $16 million in exchange for the 2011 first-round pick they surrendered. Using that as a guide, the Raiders might be the one team that would trade for McNabb without an extension.

With JaMarcus Russell due $9.45M this year and McNabb due $11.2M, the Raiders would have $20.65M in cash expense to two quarterbacks, along with the second-round tender signed by Bruce Gradkowski of $1.76M. If they decide to part ways with Russell, they would be on the hook for $3M of his contract, the amount guaranteed for this year, after having paid Russell $36.35M since he arrived in 2007. There may never have been so much paid for so little in the history of the NFL.

Why is McNabb’s roster bonus the defining date for any trade from the Eagles?

As part of a renegotiation last year, the Eagles gave McNabb significant raises from what was due for 2009 and 2010 without any additional years added. Here are some particulars from McNabb’s contract adjustment (it was not an extension) in June of last year:

• McNabb’s 2009 salary of $9.2M was guaranteed, and $3.5M of his 2010 salary of $5M was guaranteed.

• $500,000 ($31,250 per game) of 45-man active roster bonuses were added for both 2009 and 2010.

• $1M ($500,000 per season) of potential Super Bowl incentives were added.

• A $2.8M roster bonus in 2009 was added.

• A $6.2M roster bonus in 2010 was added.

Unlike many large roster bonuses, which are due on or around the first day of the new league year – usually in early March – McNabb’s bonus is due on an express date two months after the start of the 2010 league year, May 5. Obviously, this date was put in to allow the Eagles to evaluate their options and situation after the 2010 draft. Simply, the later the date for the earning of the roster bonus, the more options they may have, or so they would think.

The quid pro quo of the June adjustment was that McNabb was able to have raises in both years with no strings attached in terms of commitment beyond 2010, while the Eagles have maintained the flexibility of paying-as-they-go to McNabb, keeping options open for a future where all of their quarterbacks have expiring contracts.

The May date – as opposed to early March, as in the Michael Vick contract -- was a benefit for the team, allowing the flashpoint timing of the draft to sort out their situation. The issue will take on greater meaning if the draft passes with May 5 hot on its heels. Writing a check for $6.2M raises the stakes, and that must happen if McNabb is still an Eagle on Cinco de Mayo.

Again, we will see, with a date now certain by which McNabb’s home team for the upcoming season will be known.

I hope that clears up a lot of questions that you may have had regarding this situation. It's like I said before, in years before this I did not think there was a chance in hell that the Eagles would ever trade McNabb, even as recently as last off-season. Now I think they are at a point where there is no turning back. Kolb is untouchable. Teams saw Michael Vick throw this off-season. The Eagles can't enter training camp with 3 QBs in the last year of their contract. In years past, I would have been shocked if the Eagles did trade McNabb. This year, I'll be beyond shocked and stunned if they don't.

The Carnival Is Back In Town

Isn't this time of year the best? Seriously. There have been countless rumors going around that Team X and Team Y are interested in Donovan McNabb and then there is the standard the denial that no offer is on the table and so on and so forth. But a curious set of statements today followed by the most concrete rumor we've ever heard on the matter makes it seem like the Donovan McNabb error may really be coming to an end.

The day started with a statement from Andy Reid.

``I’m listening (to offers) out there,’’ Reid said at the NFC coaches media breakfast. ``I’m not saying I’m doing anything. But we’re keeping our ears open.’’

This is the first time that Andy Reid has ever wavered from his position of "sod off and die, we are not trading McNabb". It was reported about a month of so ago that the Eagles FO wanted to trade McNabb but Andy Reid was playing the role of the holdfast. Now that it seems Reid is letting up on what has always been a firm stance of the Eagles are not trading McNabb, perhaps something is imminent.

But, that was just the start of what was a wild day for the Eagles. Later on in the early afternoon, Donovan McNabb had a few words on the situation himself via his blog.

I was asked to respond to statements made at the NFL owners meetings that the Eagles would entertain offers to trade any of their three QBs. Here is my response:

"My position hasn't changed. I've said all along that I would like to win a Super Bowl and finish my career in Philadelphia.

"I understand the situation well and just hope whichever direction the Eagles decide to go in, they do it quickly. I think that would be best for me, Kevin, Michael, the Eagles, and any other teams involved. No matter what happens, I've already begun preparing to have an outstanding season in 2010."

He says he wants to stay and finish his career in Philly, but does that last paragraph really sound like he is optimistic that he is returning next season?

But the bombshell of the day was dropped earlier this evening by Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane.

The Eagles have an offer on the table that would give them St. Louis' second-round draft pick (33d overall) in exchange for McNabb, according to a league source. The deal, however, is "not yet completed," and the Eagles have other offers, the source said.

The Eagles had no comment. Rams general manager Billy Devaney told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he has not "talked to Philadelphia about any of their players."

Rams free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe could also be involved in the deal, according to speculation. Atogwe is a restricted free agent that has yet to sign his tender. He couldn't be traded until he signed his tender, which was at the lowest level.

McNabb would be willing to go to the Rams if he was given a contract extension, according to a source close to the situation. He would not be willing to play for Buffalo or Oakland, two moribund franchises that might be willing to take McNabb without an extension.

That rumor pretty much shook the foundation of Eagles fandom. The 33rd overall pick for Donovan McNabb? Immediately my thought was, if this offer is on the table, and the Eagles were to turn it down, then for Andy Reid an eternity with Beelzebub and all of his hellish fiends would be nothing short of a picnic in paradise in comparison to what I would do to him if I ever got him alone in a dark room for 5 minutes with a sharp, pointy pencil in my grasp.

Sadly, a couple of hours after that story broke, the Rams issued what may have been the most vehement denial in the history of denials.

Per Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Rams G.M. Billy Devaney says that report of a trade is "[a]bsolutely false" and "utterly ridiculous."

Howard Eskin of WIP echoes that report, citing an unnamed high-ranking Rams official who said that the Rams have never even spoken to the Eagles about McNabb.

Well then. So much for that one.

So after all that, what are we left with? Well, reports have been floated and around and substantiated that there is not a single person in the NFL that would touch Vick with a 10 foot pole, let alone sign him on their team. Cross him off the trading list. The Eagles value Kolb more than anything and unless some team has concocted a plan to give us 8 first round draft picks for him, then Kolb will be an Eagle next year. Cross him off the trading list. It is also highly doubtful that the Eagles want to keep all 3 QBs again next year, so at this point, the odd man out is Donovan McNabb. We've known for awhile that teams are interested in him and it is becoming more and more clear that the Eagles are willing to listen to other team's offers. More specifically according to Jay Glazer, the Bills and the Raiders as well as two other unnamed teams have interest in trading for the Pro Bowl Eagles starting QB. I will go out on a limb and say that those unnamed teams are some combination of St. Louis, Minnesota, Arizona, and Seattle.

If you are looking at what would be a solid deal if you are talking a straight up trade for McNabb, look for a 2nd round draft pick at best and at worst a 3rd round draft pick. And another thing here is that the Eagles are the same team that traded for Jason Peters and signed Michael Vick behind everybody's back. No one rumors were ever out beforehand and no one knew until the deal was done.

Just like it was last July and December when the Phillies were trying to get Roy Halladay, the carnival is back in town. Strap yourselves in, it's going to be a wild ride.

The Tears Of Kendra

Oh, Kendra! How long ago it was when all we did in Philly was worship your hotness and hope that Hank overcame his lack of skills to make you the happiest girl in all of Philly! And oh, how we have lost you and reduced to laughing at your husband for his unforgivable folly of not catching the onside kick that turned the game around at the start of the 2nd half! But whatever you, do Kendra, please don't cry! No! It's not worth it! None of it's worth it! Wait? It's too late. She did cry last night? What a shame.

Nothing is sadder than the tears of a wife who for the first time realizes that her husband is a complete waste of space.

But oh, for us, Eagles fans, how Hank can provide us with glory after all! For releasing Hank Baskett, we were able to add Michael Vick to the roster, and with Vick, oh, the Eagles can do so much with him this off-season! Pick up his option and then do the glorious trade! And what a glorious trade it will be! Yes! Yes, Kendra, your useless husband may have started a chain of events that gives your husband's ex-team a 3rd round draft pick! How we love you so!

Update:: We have a statement from Kendra via her Twitter account! She tweets: "I wasn't cryin cuz of the damn game it's cuz the paparazzi have no soul..they wouldn't leave me n family alone!!!!" and "people like to twist this stuff..we asked them to stop cuz of the baby n they were way too close n they didn't care at allllllll"

Well, the Paparazzi are about as soulless as her husband is useless on a football field.

The Winner Of The Ilya Kovalchuk Sweepstakes Is.......

............The New Jersey Devils.

I'm in hockey hell right about now. Unless they just gave up Parise for Kovy. Then this would be awesome.

The price for Kovy: Oduya, Bergfors, Cormier and a 1st round pick. The Devils also get Anssi Salmela from Atlanta and the teams will swap 2nd round picks in the upcoming draft.

Here's hoping that Jacques Lemaire has problems fitting in a great offensive star like Kovy into his defensive first system in New Jersey.

More Thoughts On The Halladay Trade

First of all, as the deal stands now....

Phillies get: Roy Halladay, Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, and $6 million.

Blue Jays get: Kyle Drabek, Travis D'Arnaud, Michael Taylor (who they will trade to Oakland for Brett Wallace)

Mariners get: Cliff Lee

I know there are people that like this trade. And I know there are others that want Ruben Amaro, Jr. to go find the nearest hole, crawl in it, and stay their for the rest of his life. That's the way things are going to be when you make a trade like that.

However, from a baseball perspective, this was the right move. You can jump at me and say that Drabek took things one step too far, but Drabek is just a prospect. While we in Philly may think that he is the future Cliff Lee/Roy Halladay, there are people out there who see him no more as a #2 or a #3 starter on a team. Instead of looking at what we lost, let's look at what we got in return.

We've got arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Harry Leroy Halladay III. Yes, he is better than Cliff Lee. His wins and losses are better than Lee's and his ERA is better than Lee's all despite the fact that Lee has played on teams that went to the World Series.

People will see the World Series and say that OMFG CLIFF LEE IS DA BESTEST EVER! No. No, he is not. He is a good pitcher, yes, and Seattle made out damn good all things considered, but let us remember Cliff Lee in 2007. And let us remember Cliff Lee in September of 2009. Remember coming into the postseason there were actually questions about Cliff Lee. In September he stunk. He was not the same pitcher that the Phillies acquired in July nor was he the same pitcher that pitched brillantly in the post season. The bottom line is Lee can be inconsistent. Now that's not to say that Halladay does not have slumps as well, but when Lee slumped, good grief, it was like watching Chien Ming Wang earlier in the year. Just dreadful dreadful stuff was happening to him.

And there is another argument that the Stupid Move Phillies club has by saying that Halladay has never pitched in the post-season before. And granted, Lee proved himself this year, but this was the first year that he actually pitched in the post-season. He was injured when Cleveland made their post-season run. So to say that Halladay has never pitched a post-season game before is nonsense when you consider the fact that Lee had not pitched in the post-season either prior to 2 months ago. Where were those question marks on Cliff Lee heading into the post-season last year. There were question marks about his performance in September, sure, but did anyone question his lack of post-season experience when he was on a staff with Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez, and Joe Blanton, all of whom had not only pitched in the post-season before but all own World Series rings (and Hamels was the 2008 World Series MVP)? Where were the questions then? And not only that, but in his first post-season start when he went up Ubaldo Jimenez, who not only pitched in the post-season before, but had beaten the Phillies before in the post-season? In other words, a pitcher quite comfortable with the position he was in versus a pitcher who had never pitched a post-season game before? My point is this. No one questioned Lee's post-season experience coming into the 2009 playoffs, why are we questioning Halladay's now? For all we know, Doc could throw 3 post-season no-hitters.

And lastly, the prospects. The Phillies may have given up the once untouchable Drabek, but they have gotten 6'7" Phillippe Aumont in return. And while he did see some action out of the Mariners pen last year, he struggled somewhat with control, but whenever you have a 6'7" guy with power, that is going to catch an eye and there is definite potential. And another prospect that the Phillies will end up getting, Tyson Gillies, may have the potential to be the fastest guy in baseball. So while the Phillies are giving up a farm for Halladay, they are getting a farm right back, so in the end, when you trade prospects for prospects, is just that. You wins and who loses will be judged 5-years from now, not today. You can't judge this based on today. You can only judge whether or not right now this was a smart move.

And all in all, I think it was a smart trade for the Phillies as they are on a strict budget and thanks to the "aw shucks, we love you" $7 million contract they gave to Moyer after winning the World Series with him, financially, this was the only thing they could do to lock up a Cy Young winning pitcher long-term as that Moyer contract pretty much made it impossible for the Phils to have both Halladay and Lee for 1-year. Because let's face it, Cliff Lee was going to want CC Sabathia money and a long 5-6 year deal and the Phillies just don't roll like that. They don't dish out that kind of money nor do they sign pitchers for that long. There is without a doubt that Cliff Lee would walk and take the money instead of coming to Philly for a discount.

If the Phillies did not trade for Halladay, then they would be screwed in 2011 when they lose a lot of key players, and that will in turn send them into a tailspin of mediocrity that categorized the early 2000s. Now with Halladay, you can bet your bottom dollar that the Phillies will be perennial contenders for the NL pennant for the next 4 (possibly 5 years) and at the end of the day, isn't that the ultimate goal?

I'll end by summing up a quote of Dan Levy's in The Sporting Blog this morning, the Phillies may have paid a high price, arguably too much for Halladay, but can they afford to move forward into the future as a World Series contender without making this move? The answer: No.

And Here We Go! The Doctor Is In Philadelphia! HALLADAY'S A PHILLIE!!!!!!!!!! And Cliff Lee is a Seattle Mariner

I interupt my working on a research prospectus to announce 2 things:

1). I'VE GOT MY INTERNET BACK!

2). We may be days, or even hours away from one of the most blockbuster trades in recent MLB history.

This weekend, Ken Rosenthal wrote of a crazy hunch based on no factual information (no, really, he was hypothesizing based off of nothing) that the Phillies might somehow involve Cliff Lee in a trade for Halladay. At the time, I thought that Ken Rosenthal was on some nasty drugs or someone wanted 1500 words in an hour and Kenny had nothing to write.

But, Kenny Rosenthal might have been on to something. Jim Salisbury issued this stunning report today that says the Phillies would open to trading Lee to another team (Seattle's said to be interested) for prospects they can ship to Toronto for Roy Halladay, who is currently located in the City of Brotherly Love where talks of an extension are already occuring.

So here it goes. The $10,000,000 question that will make Ruben Amaro, Jr. a genius or run him out of this town faster than J.D. Drew was. Assuming the Phillies can sign Doc Halladay to the extension, do you still pull the trigger on the trade if it means that Clifton Phifer lee will not be a Phillie next year?

Phillies have already said they won't trade Hamels, so this is it. If the Phillies can do it without trading Lee, I'll be running to the store buying new underwear, but is Halladay and the extension worth giving up 1-year of Lee?

The question will soon be answered. If you want to beat the Yankees, you have to play the game. The dice are now squarely in the hands of Ruben Amaro, Jr.

Update: Amaro did it! Roy Halladay is a Phillie! It's a 3-team deal. The 3rd team is Seattle. It was originally reported that they got Lee but that has been changed to likely. I'll keep you posted. But the bottom line is this, after 6 months, it can finally be said, ROY HALLADAY IS A PHILADELPHIA PHILLIE!!!!!!!!!!

Update: If Jim Salisbury is right and if Kyle Drabek is indeed part of this deal, you can kiss the Phillies future goodbye. Please be wrong, Salisbury. Isn't the whole idea of trading Lee to begin with to lock up a Cy Young pitcher long term while preserving the farm?

Update 3: Is it just me or is Dash Treyhorn of The Fightins correct in that this is just the trade that Toronto and Ricciardi wanted back in January for Halladay only with an extra side dish of a straight up Cliff Lee for Seattle prospects trade including Phillippe Aumont (which will hopefully make up for the loss of Drabek). Crazy crazy stuff.

The Eagles Make One Of The Few Big Trade Deadline Moves Of The Year; Trade For LB Will Witherspoon

Lost in the fold of last night's dramatic Phillies victory (aspeaking of baseball, there is an ALCS open thread below), is the fact that today was the NFL's trade deadline. And while nothing completely earth-shattering occured, there was one move of note on the Eagles part, and that was trading WR Brandon Gibson and a 5th round draft pick for linebacker Will Witherspoon. Via Yahoo! Sports

The Philadelphia Eagles have acquired linebacker Will Witherspoon(notes) from the St. Louis Rams for rookie wide receiver Brandon Gibson(notes) and a fifth-round pick in 2010.

The Eagles made the trade Tuesday to get Witherspoon, an eight-year veteran who spent his first four seasons with Carolina. He was the Rams’ starter at the weakside spot and had 36 tackles and one forced fumble this season.

Witherspoon has recorded more than 100 tackles three times in his career and has missed only two games to injury.

Not the most earth-shattering move in Eagles history, but a good one nonetheless and an ultimate bang for the buck deal. While the draft pick can be anyone (you can't get this kind of analysis just anywhere, you know!), Brandon Gibson is a wide receiver who I liked in training camp and has shown a lot of potential, but due to the great depth of the Eagles at WR, was inactive every week this season. And while the kid could definitley be a really good wide receiver, Jeremiah Trotter was not the solution at middle linebacker. Ever since Stewart Bradley got hurt, it's been a carousel starting in the pre-season with Joe Mays, then Omar Gaither, then the Ax-Man, and now Will Witherspoon.

Witherspoon is a vet that has been around the block before so he should be well equipped to come into Philly and make a positive difference for the Eagles defensively.

Did I mention that there is an ALCS open thread below?

Jake Peavy Traded To The White Sox Again

The trade deadline has ended with a bang and, aside from the Sawx getting a local V-Mart near them, the biggest deal of the day has been saved for last. I feel like we are back in May or something as once again the San Diego Padres have dealt Jake Peavy and once again, they have dealt him to the White Sox. Only this time, it appears as if Jake Peavy will approve that trade. From Jon Heyman's Twitter feed.
Well then! Certainly an odd move to say the least, and a complete 180 on Peavy's part, but I guess that is what an injury and a sucky team can do to you. At this point, I would think that Peavy would just want to get on a playoff team and with the Padres all but out of it and the White Sox looking good right about now, I guess you can't really blame him for changing his mind.

Update: It appears that in return the Padres are getting "left-handers Aaron Poreda and Clayton Richard and right-handers Dexter Carter and Adam Russell" according to MLB.com

Phillies Trade Mainly Second Tier Prospects To Tribe For Cliff Lee

Even though I was at work all day, I am fully aware today of the Phillies earth-shattering trade. Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson to Cleveland for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco! You read that right (even though I doubt there is a person in the country that has not heard by now) Cliff Lee is a Phillie!

Instead of boring you with my unabashed joy or giving you a blockquote to a story that you already know, I'll offer up a few points on this worth considering.

First of all, what does this mean for the Phillies rotation as essentially we now have 7 active major league starting pitchers (Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, Rodrigo Lopez, and Pedro Martinez who is currently completing minor league rehab stings) another on the 60-day DL (Brett Myers). Thus now that we've got Lee, what will become of the starting pitching line-up? My best guess is is that the Phillies will in all likelihood either sent Lopez back down to the minors, release him, or put him on waivers. Seeing as the Phillies are unlikely to move Jamie Moyer or Joe Blanton at this point, it is likely that either Pedro Martinez or J.A. Happ will be sent to The Pen while the one who is not sent to the Pen will be a starter in the rotation. My guess is that Happ will be the one that ends up in The Pen just because I can't imagine the Phillies moving Hall of Fame shoe-in Martinez to the Pen and I have even bigger problems seeing Martinez excepting that role.

Another interesting point that is worth bringing up are the Phillies really going for the jugular in a way that would even make the New York Yankees envious? Think about it. The Toronto Blue Jays in their first offer to the Phillies requested J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek (the Phils top pitching prospect), and Dominic Brown (perhaps our top outfielding prospect), and none of them were traded to Cleveland. The Blue Jays' eyes are basically bugging out at the sight of Drabek, so you have to believe that that offer is still on the table. Now will the Phillies do it, I would certainly give it a less than 5% chance of happening, especially seeing as the Phillies like their prospects and with very few exceptions, are a home grown team and they value their prospect deeply (we can afford 4 for the Indians because the Phils do have great depth in the minor leagues at this point in time) but it is certainly worth thinking about it. Could you imagine a starting rotation featuring Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Pedro Martinez, and Jamie Moyer? Good grief!

Lastly, WHAT A DEAL THIS IS! As I said in the title, these are mainly 2nd tier prospects we gave up. The only one that I feel may have any chance at making it big in the majors is catcher Lou Marson. A year or 2 ago, Carlos Carrasco was seen in a light that the Phils view Kyle Drabek now. On The DL's Dan Levy put it best a week or so ago when discussing Phils trade options and some of our prospects that he has since become "persona non grata". He can get Ks, but he has struggled a bit, hence and the Phils feel that he needs to mature more. And that is evidenced just by the fact that the Phils have gone to the farm system numerous times for pitching this year (Happ, Bastardo, and Lopez) and not once has Carrasco even been brought up for a bull pen stint. Hell, Kyle Kendrick and Tyler Walker were chosen essentially over Carrasco to fill-in for what has suddenly become an injury plagued Phillies bullpen.

And you have to wonder when Cliff Lee will make his first Phillies start. Happ is scheduled to pitch tonight and even if he is destined for the bullpen, unless Cliff Lee is magically in Arizona and ready to go tonight, the Phils have no other starter that can go tonight, so he will still go. I do point out that after this trip to Arizona, the Phillies head to San Francisco for a 4-game series which will feature a Saturday showdown with Tim Lincecum. Could you imagine? Cliff Lee vs. Tim Lincecum? Talk about one hell of a pitching duel.

Phillies land Lee from Tribe (MLB.com)

The Phillies Are The Favorites To Get Roy Halladay

Please let this actually happen!!! Days after announcing that the Blue Jays would be willing to trade Halladay, the Phillies have emerged as the favorites to trade for him. And yes, I'd be giddy if we got him!!! From the New York Post

I have talked to a half-dozen baseball executives this morning and the general consensus is that the Phillies should be viewed as the front-runner if Roy Halladay does get traded. Boy the news keeps getting worse and worse for the MetsNew York Mets .

More than one of the executives used this term: "No team in baseball is more motivated to get a starter than the Phillies." If I were to synthesize what was said about the Phillies and Halladay it is this: 1) They are a now team and Halladay gives them a major boost in trying to repeat. 2) He is a groundball pitcher, which only makes him more attractive to a club that plays home games in cozy Citizens Bank Park. 3) He is dominant in the AL East, so the Phillies have to think his stuff would play up to a greater degree in the NL. 4) Philadelphia has volume in good to very good prospects, but might not have the one sure thing to front a deal for a player as special as Halladay unless the Blue Jays see Kyle Drabek, Jason Knapp, Dominic Brown or Michael Taylor in that way.

TRADE FOR ROY HALLADAY!!!! Even though I have questioned the Flyers giving up so much for Chris Pronger, I'd be willing to give up the entire farm for Roy Halladay. And by farm, if it is what it takes to put the deal over the top, I would not mind seeing J.A. Happ in the deal. I think he has done an awesome job and has been one of our best and most consistent pitchers this year, but for Roy Freakin' Halladay, it would be well worth it in my eyes. Come on Ruben Amaro, Jr! Do the right thing! Put this team over the top and back on top in the NL! TRADE FOR ROY HALLADAY NOW!