Heron's Nest

The dreaded Saturday Eagles pick

2009-11-07T06:12:00.003-05:00

OK, which Eagles team will show up this week, the one that trounced the Giants last week and looked like the class of the NFC, or the one that flew across the country and laid a giant egg against the hapless Raiders?

That is the Eagles' mantra this season: Consistently inconsistent.

Now they're back in the Linc for a prime time Sunday night showdown against the hated Cowboys.

The NFL schedule makers have given Philly fans a huge present. The Cowboys are the perfect antidote for the hangover many fans are suffering from with the Phils defeat in the World Series.

The Cowboys are in twn, the teams are tied for first place in the NFC, and all is right with the sports world.

This one is a game of matchups. The Eagles powerful, quick-strike offense should be able to put points on the board aagainst the Cowboys, even if Brian Westbrook is not operating on all cylinders. If nothing else, last week proved just how many weapons this team now features on offense, including rookie running back LeSean McCoy.

The big qeustion for the Birds will be on defense and if they can put enough pressure on Dallas QB Tony Romo to get him out of the rhythm he's been on the past three weeks. Romo has not thrown an interception during that span, but he'll be facing a lore more pressure this week. Look for a couple more turnovers for the Birds' opportunistic defense.

It says here the Eagles prevail. The Birds take control of the NFC East, and it's on to the playoffs. The Phillies' disappointing loss will be a thing of the past.
It's football season.

Make it Eagles 29, Cowboys 19.

Last Week: Who knew? The Eagles unloaded on the Giants in a game that was supposed to be a lot closer but was really over after the Eagles first drive of the day.

Season Record: 4-3, I'm now a game behind the Birds, who are cruising at 5-2.

Green with envy

2009-11-06T06:57:00.002-05:00

Go ahead. Admit it. Something is different this morning. Something just doesn't feel right. Something is definitely missing.

And not all those buses, trolleys and subways serving the city. They may be back on the street by this afternoon.

There's no Phillies game to talk about over the watercooler this morning.

One of the great things about sports is the way it unifies us as a community. We spent the last month painting the town red.

Now it's over, and all we have to look forward to is watching those damn Yankees parade down the canyons of Manhattan.

Uh, not exactly.

Remember that big edifice across the street from Citizens Bank Park. It will be packed Sudnay night.

The hated Cowboys will be in town.

Red October gives way to Green November.

The Eagles win, and they're alone in first place in the NFC East.

Are there more important issues than our preoccupations with sports? Sure. But they're not nearly as fun.

Go Birds!

End of the line for strike?

2009-11-06T06:56:00.001-05:00

There aren't many better people to have around in times of labor strife then Congressman Bob Brady.

The burly, South Philadelphia Dem leader, who actually represents a portion of Delaware County, is no stranger to the bargaining table.

Ask the guys at Boeing, or Sunoco. Brady, D-1, is a dealmaker.

The longtime city Democratic leader wields real political clout. And he doesn't mind using it, even if that means hitting you over the head with it.

So it is entirely good news to see Brady, along with his pal Gov. Ed Rendell, emerging from all-night SEPTA talks sounding confident that a deal may be within reach to end the strike by SEPTA city division workers that is going into its fourth day this morning.

It's a strike that likely never should have occurred. The fact that it happened in the middle of the night, with little or no warning to riders, only makes it that much more egregious.

Thousands of riders who depend on the system to get around have been put out. The region's economy has taken a hit. And all this with a deal on the table that most workers today would love to get instead of hearing of the latest cuts and givebacks.

Here's a tip to the TWU Local 234. Take the money and run.

And thank Congressman Brady on the way out.

The Daily Numbers - Nov. 5

2009-11-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

The Daily Numbers: 84 mph, what Pedro Martinez’s first pitch was clocked at last night. Not a good sign.
7-3 loss by the Phils to the Yankees, thus ending the quest for back-to-back World Series titles.
27 world titles on that crowded mantle now for the Bronx Bombers.
74, combined age of last night’s starters, Pedro Martinez for the Phils and Andy Pettite for the Yanks.
6 RBI for Hideki Matsui, including another homer last night off Pedro. Matsui was named the Series MVP. He may not even be with the Yankees next year.
7 World Series rings for 79-year-old Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner.
1 season, 1 World Series title for the Yanks at their 1.5 billion new stadium.
.174 batting average and 13 strikeouts – a dubious record – for Ryan Howard in the Series.
18 postseason wins for Yanks’ starter Andy Pettite. That’s also a major league record.
3.79 percent hike in revenue for Harrah’s Chester Casino in October over the same month last year.
25,625,358.31 dollars raked in at Harrah’s this year, as opposed to
$24,689,003.86 last year.
3, as in Day 3 of a strike by SEPTA’s city division workers. That means no buses, trolleys or subways in the city.
0 negotiating sessions between TWU 234 and SEPTA management. Nice.
32, age of woman in Kensington brutally beaten and raped. They’re on the hunt for a suspect.
1 person killed in a fire Wednesday in a home in Mercer County, N.J.
7 million dollar loss reported by Radian Group.
3 Wilmington men busted in the robbery of a teen in a restroom at Christiana Mall.
2 people injured when a car careened into a Wilmington restaurant.
140,000 dollar settlement for woman who wound up wearing adult diapers to work because she was now allowed to take bathroom breaks.
22 percent boost in profits at Comcast, even though they lost 132,000 TV customers.
80 million dollar jackpot up for grabs Saturday in the Powerball drawing.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.Let’s go, Eagles.
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I Don’t Get It: No talks are yet scheduled to end the strike by city division workers at SEPTA. I don’t get it.
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Today’s Upper: How many days until spring training?
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Quote Box: “It feels better than I remember it. It’s been a long time.”
- Yankees star Derek Jeter, after they won the World Series last night against the Phils.

Summer's over, Phillies fans

2009-11-05T07:45:00.000-05:00

Let the football season begin.

Red October has turned into Dread November.

Instead of painting the town red, we instead are seriously blue.

I’m not really sure why.

The Yankees are the world champions. It’s not the first time. It was, however, the first time a team was making a bid to win back-to-back world titles in decades.

But there will be no parade down Broad Street this year. They will convene instead on Broadway.

This will be the most un-Philadelphia thing to do. Or maybe it’s actually precisely Philadelphia.

I don’t feel all that bad this morning. Instead I choose to salute the Phils, despite failing to repeat as champions.

Do I wish maybe Charlie Manuel had given J.A. Happ a chance to start one game, preferably last night? Sure. It was clear last night after one pitch – clocked at 84 mph – that Pedro Martinez was a shell of the pitcher that once struck fear into opposing batters. I imagine Yankees hitters were falling all over themselves as they grabbed bats and lined up to take their whacks against their old nemesis.

I come not to bury the Phils, but instead salute them.

Thet gave us a great ride. It starts when we are still wearing long underwear and heavy coats. The Phillies’ arrival in South Florida means a rebirth, and the hope that spring can’t be far behind.

This year they took something else with them to Clearwater, a World Series Trophy.

Winter gives way to spring. Spring to summer. Summer to fall. Through it all there is baseball.

This year, we lost not only our bid to root home a second straight title, we also lost our “voice.”

In early April, Harry Kalas died. For many of us, he was the “voice of summer,” a trusted companion whose lilting baritone carried us through summer nights, along with the chirping of the crickets. Slowly but surely, I’m beginning to hear Scott Franzke and Larry Anderson in the same way. Just the sound of their voice warms me, reminds me of hot, muggy sweltering summer nights with my trusted radio sitting on the porch.

The Phils honored Kalas, in particular with their play on the field.
They raced to the front of the National League East and never looked back.

I see no reason why they will not do the same next year. Their nucleus is solid. Surely Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge will rebound.

It is now time for fall, and winter can’t be far behind. Red October gives way on the calendar to Gang Green.

A Philly fan can be left with only one thought: Hey, how ‘bout dem Iggles.

And a Phillie fan can be left with only this: How many days until spring training? And can summer be far behind?

Better luck at Harrah’s

2009-11-05T07:44:00.001-05:00

The luck is changing at Harrah’s.

No, not for the customers. I’m talking about the house.

I’ve made it a point to wonder why Harrah’s revenue has been slumping for almost a year. The slots parlor on the Chester waterfront ran off a streak of eight straight months where their take was down from the same month the year before.

That ended in October. Harrah’s fortunes went up 3.79 percent compared to last October. Talk about your trick or treat. That’s a lot of goodies.

Harrah’s took in $25,625,358.31 in October, according figures released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. (I’ve always wondered exactly where the 31 cents comes from.) That compares with $24,689,003.86 in October of last year. It also keeps Harrah’s in its lofty No 2 perch when it comes to slots gambling in the state, trailing only the $29.5 million raked in at Philly Park.

Across the state, gambling revenue rose 31.97 percent over the year before, although some of that is attributable to the fact that there are simply more casinos online now. The nine operating casinos in the state hauled in better than $177 million in gross revenue in October.

As is their usual custom, Harrah’s is not talking about their revenue.

A couple of things struck me about the uptick in fortunes at Harrah’s.
It comes at the same time that Delaware was instituting sports parlay betting on NFL games, and advertising it on billboards right outside Harrah’s front door on I-95.

And it comes as word arrives that it appears as if finally the path has been cleared for the SugarHouse casino on the Philly waterfront to kick in. They now hope to be up and running next spring or summer.

The competition is only going to increase to shake the last final few coins from their customers’ pockets.

And if that’s not enough, table games are on the way, if the clods in Harrisburg ever get around to finishing the work on the legislation to put it in motion.

Welcome to Pennsylvania, where we make “slots” of memories.

Sic Transit

2009-11-05T07:16:00.001-05:00

I think I have a way of solving the Philadelphia budget crunch.

How about a pay-per-view match between Mayor Michael Nutter and Transit Workers Union Local 234 boss Willie Brown? You could call it the “Thrilla in Phila.”

These two guys don’t like each other even a little bit.

Nutter started all this when he responded angrily to the surprise strike called by the union at midnight Monday night. Nutter had indicated over the weekend that a strike was off the table. That apparently came as news to the union.

The union walked, shutting down the system at 3 a.m. and offering something of a sucker punch to its customers. Most went to bed with no idea that their ride would not be there in the morning. Some who work the overnight shift actually used SEPTA to get to work, then were stranded when they finished their shift in the morning.

Nutter went off on the union on morning news shows, calling their move to hit the bricks “despicable” and an “ambush” on commuters who depend on the system.

Yesterday Brown responded, referring to the mayor as “Little Caesar” and saying he would not sit down at the bargaining table with Nutter.

Brown also added he did not feel nearly the same enmity toward Gov. Ed Rendell, who also was critical of the union’s move. Maybe that’s because, in Brown’s own words, the governor brought something to the table. That would be money.

Brown now believes most of the media coverage of the strike has been misleading, referring to himself as “the most hated man” in Philadelphia.

Now it likely will be up to Rendell to get these sides together and put an end to what appears to be a totally unnecessary strike.

That likely isn’t going to happen if it means getting Brown and Nutter at the table.

In the meantime, the riding public looks at the bleak prospect of Day 3 of a shutdown of the region’s transit lifeblood.

Nutter and Brown need to put their war of words behind them, and instead focus on duking it out at the bargaining table.

What’s at stake is bigger then either one of them.

Settle this thing now. Get the buses, trolleys and subways back in operation.

Sic transit? Yeah, we know all about it.

The Daily Numbers - Nov. 4

2009-11-04T08:51:00.000-05:00

The Daily Numbers: 2 seats on Delaware County Council captured by the powerful GOP. Nothing new there.
1 new position on the county Court of Common Pleas that also went GOP, with Linda Cartisano set to don the robe.
53,116 votes for Cartisano, the top vote-getter in the county
3 county row offices captured by the GOP simply because the Democrats did not field any challengers.
3 city council spots in Chester captured by Democrats, first time that’s happened since 1991.
1 school board in the county now controlled by Democrats. That would be William Penn, where Dems captured 2 seats yesterday.
21.4 percent of voters who bothered to exercise their rights yesterday. Disgraceful.
529 votes for incumbent Democrat Darby Mayor Helen Thomas, who fended off a challenge from Dem-turned-Republican former Mayor Paula Brown.
2, as in Day 2 for strike by union members of SEPTA’s city division. Still no bus, trolley or subway service in the city.
0 trains running this morning on the R5 Paoli-Thorndale line after a fire in a train this morning, forcing riders to flee near Overbrook station.
8, age of twin sisters struck by hit-run driver in Philadelphia.
5, age of child who has become Pa., first victim of H1N1 flu. The child lived in Adams County.
12 million dollars more spent by Democrat Jon Corzine than the GOP’s Chris Christie. Didn’t help. Christie dumped him.
1 black D.A. in Philly history, with the win yesterday by Democrat Seth Williams.
6, as in crucial Game 6 of the World Series tonight in Yankee Stadium. The Phils need to win to stay alive.
31 point loss for the Sixers last night at the hands of the Celtics.
12 goals scored by the Flyers in their last 2 games.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.Vote for Pedro. The Phils’ fate will be in the right arm of the ageless one as Pedro Martinez takes the mound in Yankee Stadium tonight.
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I Don’t Get It: It’s now Day 2 of the strike by SEPTA’s city division workers. And no talks are scheduled. I don’t get it.
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Today’s Upper: A win tonight by the Phils and we’ll all be in 7th Heaven.
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Quote Box: “This is unusual. And the message that is being sent from the community is that they are tired of the old way of doing politics and they want change to come to Chester.”
- Democrat Portia West, victorious along with John Linder.

Vote for Pedro!

2009-11-04T08:30:00.001-05:00

On the day after the election, there really is only one vote that still matters to most folks here in the Delaware Valley.

Vote for Pedro!

Pedro Martinez will carry the fortunes of the Phillies Phaithful on his shoulders as he strides to the mound tonight as the Phils’ starter in the pivotal Game 6 of the World Series tonight in the new Yankee Stadium.

For Pedro and the Phils, the task is obvious. They need to win to force Game 7.

Win tonight, and suddenly it’s one game for all the marbles as the Phils seek to defend their World Series crown.

Pedro will be seeking to silence the fans in a city that has long been his nemesis. No doubt he will again be serenaded by chants of “Who’s Your Daddy?”

But should he pitch well, and the Phils bolt to an early lead, the House the Ruth did not build (he played in the old park) will become silent as a tomb.

And should the Phils win, Phillies nationa will be in 7th Heaven.

Even if you voted yesterday, you need to vote again today.

Vote for Pedro!

A sucker punch from SEPTA union

2009-11-04T08:16:00.001-05:00

There’s a word for what SEPTA’s city division union did to riders in the city Monday night.

It’s called a sucker punch.

After agreeing not to strike over the weekend, at the same time the nation’s eyes were fixed on the city for three World Series games in South Philly, Tranist Workers Union local 234 reversed course literally minutes after Game 3.

They walked out of talks around midnight and said they would shut the system down at 3 a.m.

Unfortunately, that left a lot of people already out and and about – and dependent on the system - out of luck. Lots of riders who work overnight shifts left their jobs only to find out they had no ride home. Those who work in Delaware County learned they would somehow have to get to regional rail lines to get back into the city.

In addition, all across the city residents went to bed Monday night completely unaware their normal rides would not be available come Tuesday morning.

The union certainly has the right to strike. Although for the life of us we can’t figure out why they would turn down the SEPTA offer, especially in these perilous times. Union officials are expected to explain their stance later this morning.

First they should apologize to those who depend on the system for leaving them in the lurch – without warning.

Then they should get back to the table and end this ill-conceived walkout as soon as they can.

The Obama effect

2009-11-04T08:01:00.001-05:00

So much for the Obama effect.

In the first election since his historic win last November, the president made several visits to New Jersey to boost the chances of incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine.

It didn’t help. Corzine fell to Republican Chris Christie, and this despite a strong third-party candidate who was expected to hurt the GOP standard bearer.

Obama was in the Garden State on Sunday.

But voters showed Corzine the door.

Dems on the march in Delco

2009-11-04T07:45:00.001-05:00

If you put your ear the ground and listen intently, you can hear the rumble.

That’s the sounds of Democrats on the march in Delaware County.

No, they did not make a dent in the last bastion of GOP power, the fortress known as the Delaware County Courthouse.

The county seat remains firmly in Republican control. Incumbent Jack Whelan and longtime state Rep. Mario Civera easily outdistanced their Democratic challengers, Nancy Baulis and Keith Collins.

In the race for a new seat on the County Court of Common Pleas, it was much the same song, with current Republican Council Chairman Linda Cartisano turning back a spirited campaign from Nancy Rhoads Koons. The popular Cartisano was the top vote-getter in the county, with more than 53,000 votes.

In general the county GOP slated took a nearly 2-1 edge over their Dem counterparts.

But it was in other parts of the county where Democrats made some noise.

And nowhere was that tremor any louder than in the city of Chester.

Democrats Portia West and John Linder stunned the city GOP by capturing two seats in city council. It was the first wins for Democrats since 1991.

Perhaps most surprising is that it came at the expense at one of the most beloved figures in the city. Topping the GOP ballot was Fred Pickett, the legendary former hoops coach at Chester High. He teamed with Marsha Taylor.

But they got slam-dunked by the Dems. The unofficial vote totals show Linder as the top vote-getter with 3,287, followed by Taylor with 2,181.
Trailing were the GOP duo, with Pickett getting 1,949 votes and Taylor 1,920.

In conceding defeat, Pickett offered the idea that many people voted a straight Democratic ticket in the city. That once would be almost unthinkable in a town Republicans have controlled for almost a century.

And Chester was not the only advance by Dems.

Charlotte Hummel led a Democratic charge in the William Penn School District. In the process they captured control of the board for the first time in 30 years. They also become the only school board among the county’s 15 public schools districts to be controlled by Democrats.

In Millbourne Borough, council shifted into the hands of Democrats.

At this point you have to wonder how long the GOP can fend off their castle, the Media Courthouse, from the Democratic hordes making advances all over the county.

The Daily Numbers - Nov. 3

2009-11-03T08:32:00.001-05:00

The Daily Numbers: 3-2 deficit for the Phils after they blasted the Yankees, 8-6, last night in Game 5 of the World Series.
2 straight wins in Yankee Stadium, what the Phils now must do to defend their World Series crown.
2 home runs last night for Chase Utley, tying him with Yankees legend Reggie Jackson for most homers in a single World Series at 5.
.333, what Utley is hitting in the Fall Classic, a cool 6-for-18, with 5 homers and 8 RBI.
7 strong innings for Cliff Lee, who got the win, his 2nd of the World Series. He says he will be available if there is a Game 7 Thursday night.
18 RBI in the post-season for Yankees cleanup man Alex Rodriguez.
928,000 trips each day provided by SEPTA’s city division of buses, trolleys and subways.
0 rides offered this morning after SEPTA’s city union went on strike.
33, age of Ridley Park man charged with trying to rob a disabled vet in a wheelchair.
50, age of woman mauled by a pit bull that was menacing her granddaughter. She suffered a mangled leg and thigh.
100,000 dollars in bogus Phillies merchandise seized by police during a raid on the Sneaker Junction store in Old City.
2.5 million dollar pot ring that operated from New York to the Easton area by state drugbusters.
0.6 percent decline in revenue collected by Pennsylvania in October. That won’t help the budget crunch.
2 deaths that officials now believe may be tied to contaminated beef products.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.Chase Utley has a new nickname. Just call him Mr. November.
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I Don’t Get It: SEPTA workers are on strike this morning, meaning there is no mass transit in the city of Philadelphia. I’m not sure what kind of economic climate union members operate in, but they might want to join the rest of us in the real world.
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Today’s Upper: Philadelphia is now enforcing a ban on hand-held devices while driving. Good. Not it’s time for the state to follow suit.
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Quote Box: “It’s going to be terribly disruptive.”
- Richard Maloney, SEPTA spokesman, on this morning’s strike that has idled all buses, trolleys and subways in the city.

About that Inky ad

2009-11-03T08:05:00.001-05:00

You would think I would take any opportunity to mock the Philadelphia Inquirer.

After all, they are our major competition.

The Inky made a little news of their own yesterday. It seemed to give everyone – including many in the media – quite a chuckle.

Not me. I know exactly what happened. And I know it is a newspaper’s biggest nightmare.

What happened is this. The Inquirer ran an ad that was obviously not supposed to run. At least not yet.

Yesterday was the day after Game 4 of the World Series. My guess is some time ago, Macy’s booked ads tied into the possibility that the Phillies might have swept the Yankees and they would be celebrating, along with the entire region, by selling special World Series champion T-shirts.

Of course, the Phils did not sweep. In fact, after losing Sunday night they were actually down 3-1.

No doubt another ad was supposed to be substituted for the one that appeared in the paper.

Instead, an ad appeared congratulating the Phillies on their back-to-back world championships and selling special World Series T-shirts.

We routinely get placements for ads – one if the Phils win, another if they lose. You better believe everyone is aware of the ads and which one actually gets into the newspaper.

There’s nothing deliberate here. It was simply a mistake. Should it have been caught? Probably. It’s part of the vagaries of the technology that we in the newspaper business swim in these days.

The ad no doubt was placed on the page by a computer. I don’t know if it was actually visible on the screen when the news desk was putting that page together.

If not, it likely sailed right through the normal checks, the final one being someone noticing it as soon as the presses started printing papers. No one did. The ad appeared on the Back Page of the front section of the newspaper.

Many media outlets got quite the chuckle out of it. Some TV types could be seen holding up the ad on the newscasts last night. Some joked that the paper was simply being optimistic.

I’m sure no one at the Inquirer was smiling. They offered a quick apology.

They don’t have to apologize to me. I know exactly how they feel. And know that the next time it could be me.

In these days of the Internet, Facebook, Twitter and other instant media, it reminds me of something I am always stressing to my staff.

Simply this. Print is FOREVER.

I think everyone in the media can look at what happened at the Inky and offer a sigh of relief that it did not happen to them. I know I did.

I feel for you, guys.

Mr. November

2009-11-03T07:51:00.001-05:00

Just call him Mr. November.

The Phillies this morning are still alive in the World Series.

And they have Chase Utley to thank for it.

Utley blasted two homers and Cliff Lee went seven solid innings last night as the Phils made sure the World Series would go back to the Big Apple for Games 6 and 7 Wednesday and Thursday nights.

His two dingers last night puts the unassuming Utley in some fairly high-profile company. Utley is now tied with Yankees legend Reggie Jackson for most homers in a World Series.

All Utley is doing is hitting .333 against the Bronx Bombers, with five homers and eight RBI.

Jackson of course earned the moniker of Mr. October. Today, of course, the World Series has stretched into the same month as Thanksgiving.

Meet Chase Utley. Mr. November.

Agony of de-feet for SEPTA riders

2009-11-03T07:26:00.001-05:00

You have to hand it to SEPTA’s city division union. Their sense of timing is impeccable.

Last week the union threatened to bring the city’s transit system to a halt by going on strike, just as the eyes of the nation focused on the city for three World Series games at Citizens Bank Park.

Cooler heads prevailed. Gov. Ed. Rendell entered the talks, got the two sides back to the table, and got the union to say they would not walk out while the World Series was being played.

They were good to their word. They waited until a few minutes after Game
5 of the Series was over last night before announcing that talks had broken down and they would be on strike as of 3 a.m.

At least they allowed all those fans who used the Broad Street subway to get back on the system and back to their destination before hitting the bricks.

So as the region's Phillies fans this morning are enjoying the 'thrill of victory,' for SEPTA's city riders it will instead be the "agony of de-feet."

Here’s a few hints on what things will be like this morning. About the only thing running into the city will be the regional rail lines.

Here’s a tip. If you normally use regional rails, consider going farther west to get on. The trains likely will be packed. If you wait for trains to get to the eastern end of the county, they likely will be full.

If you use the Market-Frankford El to go downtown, make another plan.
It’s not running.

Once in the city, you’re basically on your own. You have two choices – a cab or your two feet. Wear comfortable shoes. Cabs will be hard to come by.

Foot power might be your best bet.

And finally this. Expect the afternoon commute to be a nightmare as well.

We survived the Series. Now we’re going to have to survive a “series”
transit mess.

Be patient.

It's Election Day

2009-11-03T07:23:00.001-05:00

It’s election day. Try to stifle the yawns.

No, there is not a real grabber race out there. No historic presidential faceoff such as the election of Barack Obama that captivated us this time last year.

Instead this is what is called the off-year municipal election.

In Delaware County, the ballot is highlighted by a race for two seats on Delaware County Council, as well as a new position on the county Court of Common Pleas.

Stop yawning.

Voters also will elect representatives to their municipal government and school boards.

Go ahead and snicker. But it’s likely these people have a bigger effect on your everyday life than many other votes you cast.

And remember, you forfeit your right to complain if you don’t take the time to exercise your basic civic rights.

Look on the bright side. It means an end to those incessant ads for the New Jersey gubernatorial race.

By the way, what does spending all that money get you? Apparently a dead heat. It’s going to be a long night in the Garden State.

The Daily Numbers - Nov. 2

2009-11-02T08:24:00.001-05:00

The Daily Numbers: 3-1 deficit, what Phils are staring at after a devastating loss in Game 4 of World Series last night.
2 stolen bases in 1 play for Yankees Johnny Damon, who stole second in the 9th, then kept going when he realized no one was covering third for Phils.
3 straight wins, what Phils must do to defend their World Series crown.
42 teams that have taken a 3-1 lead in World Series history. Of those 36 went on to win the crown.
0.54, post-season ERA for Cliff Lee, who takes the hill tonight with the job of keeping the Phils alive.
16 runs, all the Phils have managed to score in 4 games vs. the Yankees.
.308 batting average in the Series for Jayson Werth with 2 homers.
Unfortunately, he’s the only Phil hitting better than .267.
2 for 11 with runners in scoring position, what the Phutile Phils were Sunday night.
2 outs in the 9th, when Damon came up and things went down the drain for the Phils.
1-2-3, what the Phils went once again in the 9th vs. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.
10 a.m., when talks will resume this morning between SEPTA and its city division union.
19, age of student found dead inside his suite at Yale University.
1,277 deer currently in Valley Forge State Park. A plan to thin the herd to 185 over 5 years is drawing protests.
2.73 a gallon, what the Philly region is paying on average at the gas pump. That’s a nickel jump in the past week.
1 woman bound with duct tape after a home invasion in the Kingsessing section of Philly early this morning.
545,699 pounds of ground beef sold at several local stores that is the focus of a recall.
3 people rescued Sunday from capsized boat in the mouth of the Delaware Bay.
80, age of woman in Del. charged with abusing her husband. He’s 82.
3 killed, 2 injured in weekend violence on Philadelphia streets.
4 people shot outside a party in Long Pond, Pa., in northeast Pa.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.Hey, how about those Eagles. Yeah, I know. It doesn’t exactly lessen the sting of that Phils’ loss last night.
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I Don’t Get It: Police in Del. are looking for the suspect who broke into the home of a slain police officer and burglarized the place over the weekend. I don’t get it.
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Today’s Upper: The USS New York is scheduled to sail up the Hudson River today. It was made with some of the steel salvaged from the carnage of the World Trade Center.
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Quote Box: “I know that we’re going to come out tomorrow and play tomorrow to win. I knot that. I’ve seen us go through it before.”
- Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel, on do-or-die mission facing Phils.

Another night of infamy

2009-11-02T07:49:00.001-05:00

Manny Mota now has company.

His name is Johnny Damon.

It was Mota who drove a stake into Phillies’ fans hearts on “Black Friday” in the late ’70s, starting a series of events that led to a devastating loss against the Dodgers.

Fast-forward three decades. The Phils had just electrified Citizens Bank Park courtesy of a Pedro Feliz homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the Game 4 of the World Series against the Yankees.

That only set the stage for the same problem that has bedeviled the Phils all season long.

In other words, Brad Lidge.

Lidge started the ninth by promptly giving up a base hit to Damon. What happened next is one of those moments that will live in Philly sports infamy.

With the shift on against Mark Teixeira, Damon steals second. But with Feliz taking the throw at second, it dawns on Damon that no one is covering third. After a split-second pit stop, Damon bolted for third.
I’m not sure at what point it dawned on Lidge that he needed to cover third, but once he did he had no shot of beating Damon to the bag.

Of course the Yankees went on to score three times to seal the deal.

The Phils now find themselves with their backs to the wall. Oddly enough, that’s where they have played their best ball this year.

They will send their ace, Cliff Lee, to the hill tonight to extend the Series against A.J. Burnett, again starting on short rest.

Can the Phils win tonight to send the Series back to New York. Sure. Can they run off three straight wins? That’s a tall order.

None of which will change what happened last night, another dagger in the heart of a sports town that has suffered so many.

See Andy run

2009-11-02T07:23:00.001-05:00

Here’s what on the minds of Philly fans this morning.

How ‘bout Dem Iggles?

OK, so went went one-for-two in our all-day sports fest with the Evil Empire from New York. And no doubt most fans would probably have swapped the results, gladly suffering an Eagles loss vs. the Giants for a win by the Phils in that crucial Game 4 last night.

Wasn’t going to happen.

Instead, we witnessed one of the rare laughers when it comes to Gang Green vs. Big Blue. These contests usually come down to the last possession.

Not yesterday. This one was over early.

I have been a frequent critic of both Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. Not this morning.

My hat is off to both of them. They put together a brilliant game plan on a short week after a Monday Night Football appearance in D.C., and completely throttled the Giants.

And they did it without Brian Westbrook. But with a new emphasis on the running game.

Andy Reid rolled out a game plan featuring fullback Leonard Weaver and substitute starter Sean McCoy. That’s right, Andy Reid decided to run the ball. Both the Birds’ backs reeled off long touchdown runs.

It is something fans have long clamored for – the long-lost fullback position. The Birds signed Leonard Weaver in the off-season, and he promptly seemed to fall into that black hole Andy Reid reserves for the position.

Until yesterday. With Westbrook on the shelf recovering from the lingering effects of a concussion, Weaver stepped up and into a starring role. He set the tone in the Birds’ first drive, when he burst through a hole and rumbled 41 yards into the end zone.

His run was book-ended by flashy rookie tailback Sean McCoy in the fourth quarter. His 66-yard bolt finished off a 40-17 destruction of the Giants.

Maybe Reid has turned a corner. For some reason, he decided to run the ball at the Giants. And guess what? It worked. It put the Giants on their heels and set up McNabb’s passing game.

DeSean Jackson continued to blossom into the league’s latest superstar, hauling in still another 50-plus yards TD strike.

It was almost enough to make you forget what happened across the street a few hours later.

The dreaded Saturday Eagles pick

2009-10-31T07:26:00.001-04:00

Call this one New York, New York.

The Eagles are the first half of a daylong, Philly vs. New York sports extravaganza. And the Birds no doubt are chafing at their new role as the city's warm-up act. The Eagles haughtily consider themselves the No. 1 sports team in town. But they're deluding themselves this week. Of course, a huge win would go a long way toward restoring their luster, as well as putting the fans in a frenzy for what is to follow Sunday night. I don't think it's going to happen.

Look for fans to be in a surly mood at the start of tonight's Game 4 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park. They likely will be spitting out the remains of an Eagles' loss.

This is the game I have been pointing to that will tell us exactly what kind of team the Eagles really are. Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to like the result. That's because, basically, I'm still not convinced the Eagles are very good.

They have played exactly one quality team, and got smoked by the undefeated Saints.The laid an egg on the West Coast against a truly dreadful Raiders team, and they didn't play all that well against an equally woeful Redskins team on Monday night.

Now they face the Giants, a good - but also not great - team. The G-Men have now lost two in a row themselves.

The Eagles likely will be without the services of star running back Brian Westbrook, who is still battling the effects of a concusssion suffered Monday night. That will put the load squarely on the shoulders of Donovan McNabb. And that might not be a good thing.

McNabb has not played well since returning from a fractured rib. He consistently has been inconsistent, especially on third downs, missing open receivers, too often reverting to his old habit of firing balls into the ground.

The Eagles will need McNabb to once again get the ball into the hands of their new No. 1 weapon, emerging superstar DeSean Jackson. And they will need to do it while keeping the Giants' ferocious defensive line off McNabb's back. And in the process keeping McNabb off his back.

On defense, The Eagles will be tested by the Giants' powerful running attack.

As I said, this one will tell us a lot about the Birds. Maybe, I'm wrong. It would not be the first time. But I don't see the Birds winning this game. We'll have to settle for a win by the Phils in the second half of a New York double-header.

Make it Giants 27, Eagles 13.

Last Week: I was on the money again as the Eagles toyed with the Redskins on Monday night. Donovan McNabb did not play particularly well, but got the ball into the Hands of DeSean Jackson enough to get the job done. As for the Redskins: They're just a disaster.

Season Record: 4-2, same as the Birds.

The Daily Numbers - Oct. 30

2009-10-30T08:17:00.001-04:00

The Daily Numbers: 1win apiece after the Phils and Yanks split the first two games of the World Series in the Big Apple.
6 years, how long it had been since the Yankees had won a World Series game.
4 hits, all the Phils could scratch out against Yanks starter A.J. Burnett.
7 strong innings for Burnett, who struck out 9 and retired the last 8 batters he faced.
8 strikeouts in six-plus innings for Phils starter Pedro Martinez. He gave up all 3 Mets runs.
0 for 8 with 6 strikeouts for Yankees’ slugger Alex Rodriguez.
4 whiffs for Phillies star Ryan Howard, who has yet to find his stroke in the Series.
16, age of female high school student who was held up while walking to school in the 500 block of Industrial Drive in Yeadon.
1 person rescued and 1 still missing after they apparently fell out of a boat on the Delaware River near the Sunoco refinery in Marcus Hook.
4,700 SEPTA city division workers who are preparing to walk off their jobs tonight at midnight. That would leave a lot of people walking. And almost everyone having to drive to World Series Game 3 Saturday night in South Philly.
400,000 dollar fine being paid by Sunoco for clean air violations at a plant in Haverhill, Ohio.
12 and a half to 25 years in prison for three teens charged in the death of Starbucks manager Sean Conroy, a Delco native, on a center city subway concourse.
3 teens shot at a McDonald’s in Philadelphia in what police believe was a fight over a girl.
2 students and 2 frats that face charges at Penn State in connection with the death of a student who fell into a stairwell after a night of drinking.
200 million dollars in stimulus funds for Peco, which will use the money to deploy new “smart meter” technology.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.Yes, the Phils got a split in New York. But why does it seem they still blew a golden opportunity to seize control of the Series.
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I Don’t Get It: Three teens finally apologized to Sharon Conroy for their role in the death of her son. Earlier they had been laughing during court proceedings. I don’t get it.
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Today’s Upper: It will be nice to see real, live fans again when the World Series comes back to Citizens Bank Park this weekend. What did they do to Yankees’ fans, force-feed them all tranquilizers?
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Quote Box: “They’re the best team we’ve played all year.”
- Yankees star Derek Jeter, on the Phils after scatching back to a 1-1 tie in the Series.

Splitsville for Phils

2009-10-30T07:31:00.000-04:00

The Phillies did what they needed to in the Big Apple, carving out a 1-2 split. That means they come home knowing they now hold the all-important home-field advantage.

Still, there is a bad feeling that they squandered an opportunity Thursday night in going meekly against the Yankees in a 3-1 loss.

They seemed tentative, especially on offense, where they didn’t hit, and didn’t run when they had opportunities to do so. In short, they weren’t aggressive.

It’s almost as if they were satisfied to gain a split. Their comments after the game did little to dissuade such a belief.

Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins openly indicated they felt good about going home with a split.

Starter Pedro Martinez seemed to focus as much on achieving his dream of pitching again in Yankee Stadium, when he wasn’t informing us that he has not felt well for several days, as he did about failing to knock off his “daddy,” those Bronx Bombers.

The Phils now return home to what undoubtedly will be a much more souped-up atmosphere in Citizens Bank Park. Not sure what they put in the water at that New Yankees Stadium, but they should check it for tranquilizers. The place absolutely seemed like a tomb.

That won’t be the case Saturday night in South Philly.

Which brings this season all the way back to where it started.

Cole Hamels.

It will be up Hamels to re-establish himself as the guy who was the MVP of both the World Series and NLCS last year.

Not the timid, meek, inconsistent whiner who has showed up all too often this year.

Hopefully Hamels – and his teammates – left that guy behind in that cold, antiseptic new Yankee Stadium Thursday night.

Justice? It's laughable

2009-10-30T07:20:00.001-04:00

They say justice is blind. You probably wouldn’t get an argument from Sharon Conroy.

She’s seen all too much of it.

She’s also seen three young men – charged in the brutal attack that led to the death of her only son - laugh their way through the system.

Yesterday she saw them stand and offer an apology.

Finally, she hoped to see justice delivered.

She came away disappointed. It’s hard not to sympathize with her.

Conroy, who still lives in Lansdowne, dutifully showed up at every court hearing for the three teens charged in the death of her son, Sean. The 36-year-old Starbucks manager was the victim of a gang attack on a center city SEPTA subway concourse.

Ameer Best, 18, Nasheer Fisher, 17, and Kinta Stanton, 17, all were sentenced Thursday to 12 and a half to 25 years in jail.

Before hearing their fate, each stood, faced Sharon Conroy, and offered apologies for jumping her son in what appeared to be little more than a dare. Young men who had skipped school.

They had time to kill. Literally.

The three likely will be out of prison long before they even reach the age of Sean Conroy, who grew up in Upper Darby.

That fact was not lost on his mother.

“I’m disappointed,” she said outside the Criminal Justice Center. “I don’t think anybody left there happy today. As a parent, we were hoping for the maximum. Realistically, at least something equal to Sean’s life expectancy.”

But it was clear something else was bothering her. It was the young defendants’ callous attitude as they made their way through the justice system.

“I wake up to the sounds of his pleas for mercy while you laughed,” she said. “I don’t understand how you could laugh. You laughed right up to the verdict.”

Justice is supposed to be blind. It’s not supposed to laugh in your face.

You probably wouldn’t know that from the death of Sean Conroy, and the cavalier attitude of those responsible for snuffing out his life, and leaving his loved ones to pick up the pieces.

The houses that money built

2009-10-30T06:58:00.000-04:00

What happened to the “House that Ruth Built?”

My guess is something akin to what was once home of the Broad Street Bullies.

They will close the doors to the Spectrum one final time Saturday night, after the last of a series of farewell concerts by Pearl Jam.

The Sixers and Flyers no longer play there. They now play at the massive, sprawling edifice across the parking lot now called the Wachovia Center.

It has always struck me that it appears as if you could take the Spectrum and fit it inside the Wachovia Center.

You just couldn’t get the passion inside.

The same now seems equally true for the new home of the New York Yankees. It’s still in the Bronx, it’s still called Yankee Stadium, but it seems to have lost its heart and soul. Maybe they still reside in the shell of the original, which is slowly but surely being dismantled next door.

During the first two games of the World Series, I was shocked at how quiet the place was. This was not the place that once instilled fear in opponents’ hearts. It seemed almost antiseptic.

Then came the killer. With the Phils leading 6-1 late in Game 1, the evidence of the change was clearly evident: lots and lots of empty seats.

I am thinking these are not the same people who inhabited the joint next door.

Just as many of the folks who showed up at the Core States-First Union-Wachovia Center were not those same orange faithful. These people were wearing suits, talking on cell phones. They were conducting business.

There was a time when NHL opponents would come down with a case of the Philly flu, rather than subject themselves to the ordeal of appearing in the Spectrum.

Likewise NBA players would tell you how they could feel the fans’ breath on their shoulders. That’s how close, intimate the old place was.

All of that is gone now. Soon the Spectrum will be, too. Just as Yankee Stadium, the original one, is now just a memory.

They say you can’t go home again. I’m guessing Yankees fans would agree.