Back On Monday With The Podcast!

After a 2 week hiatus the boys at ECB will be back to podcasting on Monday. With college back in full swing I had to get ready and I had some friends down from Pennsylvania who I needed to entertain. Look forward to speaking to all you folks soon. Holy Crap We're Back!

The Phillies Complete The Sweep

The Philadelphia Phillies, who at one point were 7 games back of the New York Mets in the NL East, have now closed that to 2 games. With this sweep the Phillies lead the season series 9 to 6. A combination of a healthy Chase Utley (who had the game winning hit last night) and a healthy bullpen were the catalysts. It doesn't hurt either when Pat Burrell hits 4 home runs during the series. Of course, the question on every Phillies fans mind is, "Can we keep this up?". A good question indeed.

The rest of the way the Phillies play some tough opponents. Teams the Phillies will play that are in the playoff hunt include 6 games versus the Atlanta Braves, 4 versus Colorado Rockies, 3 versus the St. Louis Cardinals, and 3 games against the Mets. It certainly will be interesting to see how the Phillies come away from that kind of schedule but after this series Philly fans are actually talking playoffs. PLAYOFFS!

Starting for the Jaguars Will Be.....Garrard?

The Byron Leftwich era was over before it even began. According to sources within the Jacksonville Jaguars organization David Garrard will start the 2007 season. For the last two seasons Leftwich has nursed an ankle injury and missed 15 games. Leftwich was in the last year of his contract and barring a great year probably would have been headed to another team come free agency. With the imminent release or trade of Leftwich the Jags are shopping for a veteran quarterback. Mark Brunell, who played in Jacksonville for 9 years, has been rumored to be one of the veteran quarterbacks they are interested in.

Let the Games Begin

It is almost September and "football season" is about to kickoff. But before the NFL pigskins are kicked off, September 1st marks the beginning of the college football season.

Here are some of the marquee matchups that fans can look forward to this weekend:

Georgia Tech at Notre Dame

- Last season GA Tech lost 14-10 to the Irish at home and now must travel to South Bend to avenge the loss. Despite the departures of Calvin Johnson and Reggie Ball, the Yellow Jackets should challenge for the ACC crown in 07' and will face only one tough opponent on the road this year (October 13th at Miami).

Oklahoma St. at Georgia

- High powered offense vs. a stout defense is the matchup here. Oklahoma State features speedy QB Bobby Reid, one of college football's best receivers Adarius Bowman, and RB Dantrell Savage. This is an interesting week one, non-conference game in early September between contrasting styles and SEC and Big 12 teams.

Tennessee at California

- This is easily the best game of the week with both teams ranked in the preseason top 25. Cal got thrashed a year ago in Knoxville in the first game of the two game series and hope to turn the tables behind standouts WR Desean Jackson and QB Nate Longshore. The winner will begin their season on a high note and both could make serious pushes for SEC and Pac-10 titles and BCS berths.

Florida State at Clemson

- The Seminoles will hope to rebound from a sub-par 7-6 season in 06' when they begin their season on Labor Day. The Tigers and the Noles' will compete in the "Bowden Bowl" to open their seasons, as father, Bobby, goes against son Tommy Bowden. Last year the son had the upper hand with a 27-20 road victory at FSU.

Public Relations and Jeremiah Trotter

Mike Vick today put in his guilty plea and could spend anywhere from 1 to 5 years in prison. The most exciting athlete in football probably will never play a snap but that doesn't mean he won't have an effect on the field.

When the Philadelphia Eagles parted ways with the 4-time pro bowl middle linebacker, fans and players alike were stunned. Current starting quaterback Donovan McNabb added his own two cents during a press conference, "You get answers, you're going to get answers," he said, "but it's all in the answers you accept. I mean, what's really the true answer? You talk to players that go through it and they move on (to a) given team. You ask questions to some people around the organization, but as a player, and knowing that a player has been released and you're still trying to find out why, you never really get a full answer of why."

Perhaps the answer is something no one wanted to hear. According to sources I have spoken with, Jeremiah Trotter was apparently involved with dog fighting. Whether this is true or not is truly speculation of course. The sources said that the news (if true) would break sometime next week. Even if this information regarding Jeremiah Trotter turns out to be false other players stand to weeded out from the NFL. According to federal documents, Vick will cooperate in full with federal prosecutors to tell them everything he knows. Let the snitching begin.

Rangers Score 30 Runs......30

The Baltimore Orioles were leading the game 3-0 entering the top of the 4th inning. That's when the slaughter started. This was only the 9th time in Major League Baseball history that team scored 30 or more runs in a game. The feat hadn't been accomplished since the Chicago Colts set the major league mark in a 36-7 win over Louisville in a National League game on June 28, 1897. Ramon Vazquez and Jardo Saltalamacchia both had two homers and 7 RBIs. Travis Metcalf and Marlon Byrd both hit grand slams. The Rangers are the first team with four players with four RBIs since the Phillies did it on May 17, 1979. Unfortunately for the Orioles, it's a double header tonight. Good luck Orioles, you're going to need it.

The Philadelphia Eagles Release Jeremiah Trotter

After meeting with head coach Andy Reid, Trotter learned that the Eagles would be doing a youth movement at the linebacker position. The 9 year veteran and 4 time pro bowler will be seeking work elsewhere and probably will find a home due to his affordable salary ($2.6 million). With the drafting of Stewart Bradley this offseason, the improving health of Chris Gocong, and the emergence of Omar Gaither last season it was time for the Eagles to move on. In 131 games with the Eagles (1998-2001, 2004-2006) and Redskins (2002-2003), Trotter has 1,184 tackles, 12½ sacks and nine interceptions. He has notched 100 or more tackles in seven seasons, and 150+ tackles five times, and had 202 tackles in 1999.

Your intangibles will be missed and every Eagles fan loved you Trot.

Who's Backing Up the Backup?

The Atlanta Falcons, in the wake of the Mike Vick dog fighting debacle, are now putting their faith (and I use that word loosely) in the hands of underachieving Joey Harrington. Battling for the backup position was 5 year veteran Chris Redman and 2nd year player DJ Shockley. Well, that battle got a lot easier for Redman. It was learned today that DJ Shockley tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and suffered damage to his medial collateral ligament in Friday night's preseason victory over the Buffalo Bills.

During the two preseason games in which Shockley played he completed 9 of his 17 passes for 123 yards. He also rushed 4 times for a total of 19 yards. Shockley injured himself during the 4th quarter of the Bills game on a scramble in which he gained 10 yards but went down in obvious pain when the play was over. He was promptly carted off the field and Chris Redman came in to finish the game. The only other quarterback presently on the roster is Casey Bramlet who has yet to take a regular season snap. Bramlet led the Hamburg Sea Devils to a 37-28 victory over Frankfurt Galaxy in World Bowl XV in which he was named the game's most valuable player.

It was believed that Chris Redman had the backup position well in hand even before Shockley went down with his injury. Redman had played under the tutelage of then OC of the Louisville Cardinals, Bobby Petrino, who now happens to be the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. And to think that most people feel the Falcons are in trouble with Harrington at quarterback, what would happen to this team if he were to go down? Get ready for a long season Falcons fans.

Mike Vick Takes Plea

In breaking news Mike Vick has taken the plea deal in order to avoid additional federal charges. Vick will now be looking at a lengthy prison sentence. According to a story on the Virginian-Pilot's Web site, Vick will enter a guilty plea to the felony conspiracy charge of traveling in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities next Monday morning. The offense could cost Vick 5 years in prison and a $250,000 dollar fine. In addition to the upcoming penalties of his plea deal, Vick could be facing a ban from the NFL for being involved in gambling activities under the leagues current player conduct policy.



Good riddance.

Johan Santana Throws A Gem

In front of a crowd of 36,353 at The Metrodome, Johan Santana pitched a heck of a game. In 8 scoreless innings Santana was able to fan 17 Texas Rangers and set a new Twins franchise record for strikeouts in a game. Santana retired the first 12 batters he faced before Sammy Sosa led off the 5th inning with a single. Sosa also doubled later in the game for the only 2 hits Santana surrendered in the game. Joe Nathan came in to close the game and picked up his 27th save in 29 opportunities.

Pre-Season AP College Football Poll

In what can be considered nothing but a landslide the USC Trojans are again a top the college football pedestal. Last year's champs, the Florida Gators, placed 6th. Football season is upon and I couldn't be happier.

1. USC (162)
2. LSU (2)
3. West Virginia (1)
4. Texas
5. Michigan
6. Florida
7. Wisconsin
8. Oklahoma
9. Virginia Tech
10. Louisville
11. Ohio St.
12. Cal
13. Georgia
14. UCLA
15. Tennessee
16. Rutgers
17. Penn State
18. Auburn
19. Florida St.
20. Nebraska
21. Arkansas
22. TCU
23. Hawaii
24. Boise St.
25. Texas A&M

Others Receiving Votes : Missouri 128, Georgia Tech 94, Boston College 75, Oregon 73, South Carolina 69, Miami (FL) 68, Alabama 66, Oregon State 42, Wake Forest 40, South Florida 28, Arizona State 17, Brigham Young 14, Southern Miss 12, Notre Dame 11, Virginia 7, Clemson 6, Oklahoma State 3, Texas Tech 2, Purdue 1, Houston 1, Kentucky 1, North Carolina State 1

AFC East Preview

Hello ladies and gents. It's time again for East Coast Bias to give you yet another NFL division run down. We have already completed the NFC Conference and begin the AFC with the AFC East.

When it comes to the AFC East it's not very hard to predict who will be number one. It's about as hard as predicting the plot of a "House" episode. The New England Patriots are the clear favorites after signing LB Adalius Thomas and acquiring the services of WR Randy Moss. The New York Jets did make strides last year with 1st year head coach, Eric Mangini and look to run with that success figuratively and literally, after signing RB Thomas Jones. The Miami Dolphins have been in the headlines all offseason because of their handling of current Oakland Raiders QB Daunte Culpepper and their head scratching selection of future PR/WR(?) Ted Ginn Jr. The Buffalo Bills saw CB Nate Clements leave in free agency, they traded LB Takeo Spikes for a guy who won't even play for them this season (DT Darwin Walker), and LB London Fletcher went to the Washington Redskins. So with all the additions and subtractions how will the AFC East play out?

1. New England Patriots - Last Year 12-4

It should be surprising to no one that the New England Patriots are the favorites in the AFC East. They are led at QB by infamous Tom Brady who last year did a lot with very little. Of Tom Brady's 24 passing touchdowns, 11 different receivers caught them. Even though the Patriots acquired Donte Stallworth from the Eagles and Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders, expect Brady to continue to spread the ball around. Expect Tom Brady's passing number (3,529 passing yds) to increase however with both of these guys lining up on either side of him instead of Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney.

At running back the Patriots are expecting great things from Laurence Maroney. With the release of long tenured RB Corey Dillon (13 rushing TDs), Maroney is expected to carry the full load. There are questions however about his durability after injuring his shoulder last season that limited his playing time. Maroney was able to accumulate 745 yards rushing on 175 attempts and 6 rushing touchdowns. H]e also showed good hands out of the backfield and became a favorite target of Brady's. Don't expect this guy to cough up the ball either, only 2 fumbles last year.

Along the offensive line the Patriots have no stars but five quality linemen. They like Tom Brady rely more on athleticism and intelligence than size and raw strength. Veteran offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, yes I mentioned an offensive line coach, has done a great job molding this line. The line averages less than five years of experience across the board and considering they only gave up 29 sacks, should only get better. Matt Light is the leader of this group and should provide quality leadership for the line.

As I mentioned before, the wide receiving corps has dramatically improved. Donte Stallworth comes over from the Philadelphia Eagles after only one season in which he caught 38 balls for 735 yards and 5 touchdowns. He has been injury plagued over his career so he could quickly become a non-factor if he get hurt, again. The most talked about move during the offseason had to be the trade for Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders. Moss, who had been a perennial pro bowler while playing for the Minnesota Vikings, played 2 drama filled seasons for the lowly Oakland Raiders and became a cancer on the team. The chances of that happening on the Patriots? Zero. The Patriots also added little Wes Welker who played very consistently for the highly inconsistent Miami Dolphins last year. With Reche Caldwell as their 4th option at WR, they are deep at this position. Also look for a lot of TE Ben Watson this season as defenses will be focusing a lot of their attention on Moss and Stallworth thus leaving a LB on him. With a QB like Brady, expect him to take advantage of that match up, A LOT.

The 3-4 defense starts with a solid nose tackle, and the Patriots have one in big man Vince Wilfolk. A solid run-stopper, Norfolk was attributed with 41 solo tackles last year and will be expected to anchor the line again this season. Veteran defensive ends, Richard Seymour and Ty Warren are superb run stoppers for their position. Ty Warren recorded a career high 7.5 sacks last year while Seymour had what many consider a sub par season with only 4.0 sacks. With the addition of do it all Adalius Thomas at LB Seymour could see less double teams and once again become a force rushing the QB.

Speaking of Adalius Thomas, the New England Patriots NEEDED him. While the likes of Teddy Bruschi, Roosevelt Colvin, and Mike Vrabel are all solid players, they aren't getting any younger. Thomas breathes new life into this unit. While playing with the likes of Bart Scott and Ray Lewis in Baltimore, Thomas was still able to sack the QB 11 times. His energy will be palpable and with Bruschi having his picture next to the definition of leader, this unit is going to be a force to be reckoned with this year.

The secondary is probably the only question mark the Patriots have. Pro Bowl CB Asante Samuel, who had 10 INTs last season, is holding out for an extension and could miss the beginning of the season. While many people debate whether Samuel is a shut down corner, there's no question that the Patriots are better off with him than Chad Scott, who would've taken over for him if he hadn't blown out his knee prior to the season starting. 3rd year starter Ellis Hobbs is expected to mature into a solid corner but his 8.8 overall YPA tied him for 70th in the league last year. The addition of Brandon Meriweather should alleviate concerns at the S position but Rodney Harrison 's skills are declining and Eugene Wilson is coming off a year in which he only played 4 games.

Bottom Line: With the addition of Stallworth and Moss, Brady is finally going to have targets to throw to. Moss probably won't mirror his seasons as a Viking, but he will certainly be more productive catching balls from Mr. Brady than he did from Andrew Walter and Aaron Brooks. (Before I move on, yes I know he had Deion Branch) On defense Adalius Thomas was, and I can't stress it enough, a huge addition for this 3-4 defense. The Patriots must stay healthy on defense if they are to make it to January. If all goes as it should, these guys are Super Bowl contenders and will dominate the AFC East. A real stretch, I know. Record 13-3 (5-1 vs. division)

2. New York Jets - 10-6

Chad Pennington, for the first time in his career, started all 16 games of the regular season. After 2 surgeries on his shoulder, Pennington had the perseverance to come back last season and have a solid season. He threw for 3,352 yards including 17 passing touchdowns. It was obvious however that he no longer has any arm strength to speak and was picked off 16 times. He is also not very agile in the pocket and was sacked in 15 out of 16 games. Don't look now but the 31 year old Pennington could be on his way out if he doesn't again have a good season. Former Oregon QB Kellen Clemens is waiting in the wings and could start as soon as next season should Pennington have a poor year. Also with Pennington's track record with staying healthy, Clemens could even start this year should Pennington go down.

Second year start D'Brickashaw Ferguson, along with right tackle Anthony Clement, gives the jets two good tackles who should provide ample protection for Pennington. Center Nick Mangold showed a lot as a rookie last season and should be a rock for this offensive line for a long time. Veteran guard Pete Kendall, who has expressed his displeasure with not getting an extension from the Jets, is currently holding out and could hurt the chemistry of this line. They only let up 34 sacks season, pretty good considering the immobility of Chad Pennington. They struggled on the ground however, only gaining a league-worst 3.5 yards per carry.

The Jets pulled the wool over the eyes of the Chicago Bears and stole Thomas Jones from them. All the Jets needed to give up was the 37th overall pick and in turn received Jones and the 63rd overall pick. The Bears went on to trade the 37th pick to the San Diego Chargers for some late round picks. But, enough about the Bears, the Jets are the ones who came out smelling like roses when this trade was done. Jones has rushed for 1,200+ yards the last 2 seasons and looks to stabilize the Jets running attack. Even with a running back by committee solution last year, the Jets placed 20th in the NFL in rushing while Leon Washington and Cedric Houston shared carries.

The WRs include consistent performer Laveranues Coles, who resurrected his career last year with 91 receptions and 1,098 yards receiving last year. If you asked most people however who was their big threat at the WR position,they would tell you Jerricho Cotchery. The 2nd year starter had career highs in yards (961), receptions (82), touchdowns (6) last year, and the most incredible reception of the 2006 season. Beyond these two performers the Jets don't have a lot of depth at this position ( Tim Dwight and Justin McCareins) and if either of these guys were to go down with an injury it would severely limit the Jets offense.

The defense is still coming together after Mangini installed a 3-4 defense last season. The defensive line consists of converted OLB to DE Bryan Thomas, who registered a career high 8.5 sacks last season. Even at 30, Shaun Ellis is still a solid DE who sacked the quarterback 5.0 times last year. Anchoring the middle is former 1st round pick, Dewayne Robertson. Kimo von Oelhoffen, who arrived from the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a solid DT, who will also get time at DE, and gives the Jets some depth at both positions.

With Jonathan Vilma at LB, the Jets have a great cornerstone for their defense. Another youngster should also contribute to this defense. Former Michigan product, and 1st year starter David Harris (whom I wanted the Eagles to pick after passing on Paul Posluszny) should immediately become a factor for this defense and provide Vilma with some relief so he can roam around. While Bryan Thomas is listed as a DE he will still see time at OLB and come off the edge as a pass rusher. Victor Hobson and David Bowens round out the rest of the linebackers. Both are solid performers but don't expect anything spectacular from either player.

Finally, the secondary is made up of solid safeties. Erik Coleman, a 3rd year starter, is coming off his 3rd consecutive 100+ tackles season. While a great open field tackler and solid run support safety, he is however a liability in deep coverage. Kerry Rhodes is coming off his best season at safety in which he had 5.0 sacks, 99 tackles, and 4 interceptions. Look for Rhodes to emerge as one of the best safeties in the AFC. The drafting of Darrelle Revis instantly upgrades the Jets CB situation in which Andre Dyson (4 INTs) was the number 1 guy last year. He will move over for Revis and become the number 2 guy for the Jets.

Bottom Line: The New York Jets are coming off a season in which they overachieved under the tutelage of Eric Man"genius". With the addition of Thomas Jones at RB, the offense has the chance to be a lot more consistent than they were last year. It should especially help Chad Pennington. The defense will only be better this year now that they had a year with the 3-4 system. It will be hard for the Jets to improve over last season's record, even with the upgrades during the offseason. But with Eric Mangini as their head coach, the Jets could see playoff success in the future. Record 10-6 (5-1 vs. division)

3. Miami Dolphins - Last Season 6-10

Coming off a season in which he suffered a frightening concussion, Trent Green is poised to take over the starting quarterback that Daunte Culpepper vacated this year in dramatic fashion. Trent Green is coming off an 8 game season in which he passed for only 7 touchdowns, threw 9 interceptions, and accumulated 1,342 passing yards . The Dolphins are obviously expecting a lot from the 37 year old quarterback, possibly a little too much. If Green were to go down though the Dolphins have depth at QB with Cleo Lemon(who's is giving Green a run for his money) and 2007 2nd round pick, John Beck.

The Dolphins will have a brand new offensive line when the 2007 season starts. Last year, the offensive line gave up 21 sacks in the first four games of 2006. If that's hard to believe, just ask Daunte Culpepper if it's true. After that disaster the Dolphins moved left tackle L.J. Shelton to right guard and right guard Damion McIntosh to left tackle. McIntosh and former starting guard Jeno James are now gone and will now be auditioning players for four positions. Experts and scouts say that this line will be strong for the running game but will take time to become a cohesive unit to give Trent Green ample time to get rid of the ball.

The Dolphins finished the 2006 season with the 22nd-ranked run offense in the NFL. Ronnie Brown looks to improve the 1,008 rushing yards he accumulated last year. With new coach Cam Cameron, Brown most certainly should considering Cameron has stated he wants to rush the ball more. In 3 of the 5 games when Ronnie rushed the ball 20 or more times he gained more than 100 yards rushing. So it would be safe to say that the more Brown gets the ball, the more effective he will be for the Dolphins. Ronnie Brown needs to breakout this season and under the tutelage of Cameron, he will get the opportunity to.

Chris Chambers, while overrated, is still a solid receiver who had 59 receptions, 677 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns. The Dolphins did lose Wes Welker but coaches are really high on 2nd year player, Derek Hagan. Look for Hagan to emerge as the Dolphins number 2 receiver as Marty Booker, who is still a solid player, declines as he is only getting older. The real wild card in all of this is Ted Ginn Jr. The Miami Dolphins were highly scrutinized for their pick of Ginn 9th overall. Many though that they would pick Brady Quinn and make him the QB of the future. Ginn Jr. is still nursing a foot injury he received while playing at Ohio State but coaches are high on him, especially his tremendous speed. Count on him being a return man in addition to being the 3rd option at wide receiver. Should he evolve into a quality wide receiver, Green could have a good bunch of WRs to throw to. And let me stress GOOD.

The Miami Dolphins defensive line is anchored in the middle by Vonnie Holliday and Keith Traylor. Both players, especially Traylor (17th season), are on the decline, even though Vonnie Holliday had the best season of his career last year with 7.0 sacks. It helps though when you have Jason Taylor running off the edge. Jason Taylor enters his 11th season and is as hungry as ever. His 13.5 sacks last season led the team and even had 2 interceptions, one taken back for a TD. Third year player Matt Roth is a grinder and what he lacks in athleticism, he makes up for in effort.

Channing Crowder. Zach Thomas. Joey Porter. These three players will anchor one of the best line backing corps in football. Entering his 3rd year with the Dolphins, look for Crowder to emerge as the team's best linebacker. That's saying a lot considering he is lining up next to Zach Thomas on Sunday. Thomas is coming off a career year in tackles (165) but is 33 years old. Entering his 12th year as a Dolphin, look for Thomas to have another good year but signs of age will become apparent. The Dolphins huge splash this offseason was their signing of Joey Porter. Porter registered 7 sacks last season but for the 3rd time in 2 years, had to have surgery on his knee. So considering that, it will be interesting if Porter can hold up and stay healthy this year. If he does, this front seven could be really scary.

Yeremiah Bell leads the Dolphins secondary into the 2007 season. Playing from the SS position, he is a great run stopper and always seems to be around the ball. Don't let the fact that he had no interceptions fool you, this guy is good. FS Renaldo Hill is a solid player for a guy who's undersized for his position (5'11" 190lbs.). While 2nd year starter and former 1st round pick Jason Allen had trouble adjusting to the Dolphins defensive scheme, look for him to contribute considerably this season. Will Allen and Andre Goodmanare both solid corner and will begin the season as the Dolphins starting corner backs but I expect Jason Allen to slip in sometime during the year and take over.

Bottom Line: While Trent Green will bring consistency to the QB position, he is not obviously, a long term solution. Should he get hurt the Dolphins are in serious trouble. Cam Cameron is hoping that Ronnie Brown lives up to expectations and becomes a bona fide number 1 RB. While the defense will of course be great again this year (Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas), the offense just won't be consistent enough to get the Dolphins above .500. Sorry Dolphins fans, yet another losing year and no playoffs. The drought continues. Record 5-11 (1-5 vs. division)

4. Buffalo Bills - Last Season 7-9

J.P. Losman is coming off a great year in which he had a 84.9 QB rating, 19 passing touchdowns, and 3,051 yards passing. Confident that he is the man in Buffalo, Losman is poised to have a great season, especially considering he has Lee Evans to throw to. The maturation of the Losman is key to the Bill success now and in the future. He will be a top 10 quarterback this year. You heard it here first ladies and gentleman! Then again, that's not really going out on a limb eh?...

The Bills offensive line is anchored by center Melvin Fowler and left tackle Jason Peters. With the exception of guard Derrick Dockery, the other two starters, right tackle Terrance Pennington and guard Duke Preston haven't started a full season. Like the Dolphins, this line will have to get together and become a strong unit, especially after giving up 47 sacks. The Bill also only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, and with rookie Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, they will be asked to make life easier for the rookie.

Speaking of the maturation of J.P.Losman, the running game will be a big part of that. The Bills traded away Willis McGahee to the Baltimore Ravens leaving a LARGE hole at running back. The Bills addressed that however with the 1st round pick of Marshawn Lynch out of California. While playing at Cal, he displayed tremendous burst, elusiveness, and cutback ability. Coming out of college, a lot of pro scouts compare him to a former TCU product, LaDainian Tomlinson. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not comparing Lynch to present day LT. I am only comparing them coming out of college. Only time will tell to see whether or not this comparison holds true. And I'm sure the Bills are crossing their toes and fingers that it is.

At wide receiver the Bills have Lee Evans. Really, anyone else on their depth chart at wide receiver are pretty inconsequential. Evans, who has never had a great supporting cast, and only recently had a decent quarterback, is a game breaker. I would argue he is the Steve Smith of the AFC. For preview purposes only I will reveal the rest of the Bill wide receiving depth chart. Peerless Price, whose decision to leave the Bills in 2002 was the worst decision of his life, is the team's 2nd receiver. Not much is expected from the 30 year old who has never been a consistent performer. Josh Reed is probably the most reliable pass catcher other than Evans on the team and isn't scared to go across the middle. He is however not a deep threat and has problems creating space between himself and the corner when jammed at the line.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Bills have a solid defensive line. Aaron Schobel has averaged 10 sacks a season over his 6 year career (14.0 last year) and his partner in crime, Chris Kelsay (5.5 sacks), give the Bills a great 1-2 punch on the end. Backup DE Ryan Denney added 6.0 sacks in reserve and will be crucial to getting pressure on the quarterback this season and give valuable rest to Schobel. The interior line is made up of 6 year veteran Larry Tripplett and undrafted 2nd year player, Kyle Williams. Rookie John McCargo was limited to only 5 games last year due to injury but will provide valuable depth this year if he stays healthy.

After losing London Fletcher and Takeo Spikes the Bills had two big holes to fill. They filled one of those holes with the 2nd round steal of Paul Posluszny. He will immediately start at middle linebacker and be expected to make an immediate contribution while adjusting to the NFL. It shouldn't be too hard considering while at Penn State he adjusted just fine when moved from outside linebacker to middle linebacker. Flanking Paul will be two other young players. Keith Ellison (23) enters his second year while Angelo Crowell (25) enters his fifth. Both players showed promise last year and with the addition of Posluszny, this group could be a surprise this season.

The Buffalo Bills secondary of course took a huge blow with the departure of Nate Clements. Pass defense was one of the strengths of this defensive unit (7th overall in pass defense) so to lose Clements will be felt. The new number one corner for the Bills will be 4th year starter Terrence McGee who is coming off his first season with no interceptions. The Bills did sign former Atlanta Falcon Jason Webster to solidify the corner position and provide some depth. Ashton Youboty (officially the funniest name in the NFL) could be a surprise at corner and should get a lot more playing time with the departure of Nate Clements. At safety the Bills have two 2nd year starters in Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson. Both of these guys could turn into quite a duo but will have to become more well rounded. Whitner is a strong run stopper and Simpson better in coverage. So while they compliment each other, the Bills would like to see them excel in both regards.

Bottom Line: The Bills could have traded places with the Dolphins had their schedule not been so tough. Here are their first 5 games of their season: Denver, at Pittsburgh, at New England, New York Jets, Dallas. The rest of it isn't any more promising. They could realistically be 0-11 entering week 13. I feel sorry you guys, really I do. J.P. Losman's maturation, Lee Evan's staying healthy, and Marshawn Lynch's first year contributions will be the key to the Bill success, although even if all things go well, this team's depth, especially on defense and talent level just doesn't stack up against the big boys in the AFC East. Record 4-12 (1-5 vs. division)

Tim Donaghy To Plead Guilty

According to sources familiar with the probe being done on former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, for his alleged involvement in betting on games he officiated, have said he will plead guilty on Wednesday. NBA spokesman Tim Frank told the Associated Press that the league was informed Tuesday that Donaghy would plead Wednesday. As of right now there are no indications any other referees or players are involved. When asked for comment Donaghy's attorney, John Lauro, declined to comment.

The Federal Bereau of Investigations first contacted the NBA league office on June 20th in regards to alleged betting and gambling. David Stern met with FBI representatives the following day, June 21st. Donaghy chose to resign on July 9th after a 13 year stint as an NBA referee. According to David Stern, Donaghy was one of the highest rated referees and there were no indications that he was indeed gambling on the games he was officiating. Guess he was wrong...

Mike Vick Seeking Plea Deal

If you aren't already familiar with this case, Michael Vick is being charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities, and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. All three of his co-defendants have now flipped and plan to plead out. Those plea deals now allow them to testify against Vick if he indeed does not plead out himself. According to recent news breaks Vick and his attorneys have met with federal prosecutors in order to negotiate a deal that would include Vick serving under a year in prison. Sources speaking to ESPN have said that Vick's attorneys have insisted he takes the deal if it indeed shortens his jail time to under a year.

I would include the details of the indictment but I can't because I literally get sick. Everyone has been talking about due process and innocent until proven guilty. Well, from what I have read recently, it looks as if Vick is going to save everyone the trouble and admit that he's a despicable human being and plead out. You could've smoked weed, had a gambling problem, or even been addicted to hookers, but you had to have a woody for seeing dogs tear each other apart. You and everyone else who is involved in the disgusting act that is dog fighting should be pariah ed.

East Coast Bias - August 13, 2007

Today's Headlines

- Tiger Gets Lucky 13th Major

- Yankees Playoff Chances

- Breakout Players in the NFL in 07'

The Weekly Phil

- Phillies Win Braves Series : Eagles First Preseason Game


On today's show we discuss the PGA Championship and Tiger's victory at Southern Hills. We move to the diamond to talk about the Yankees playoff hopes. Brendan and I pick some breakout players to watch for in the upcoming NFL season. And finally, we wrap the show up with The Weekly Phil.

Hanley Who?

Hanley Ramirez. The 2006 NL Rookie of the Year has quietly become the NL's best shortstop, and one could say even the best in baseball. With shortstops like Jose Reyes, Jimmy Rollins, and Edgar Renteria, being considered the best shortstop in the NL is no easy feat to accomplish. And like I said, one could argue he's the best in all of baseball, which would mean he would be better than Derek Jeter. If you're a New York Yankees fan you can either ignore that statement or just concede and accept that Ramirez is the best at his position.

The 23-year old Dominican is currently sporting the best BA (.341) among shortstops and places 4th overall in Major League Baseball. During his current 10 game hitting streak Hanley has hit 4 HRs, driven in 9 RBIs, scored 9 Rs, and collected 7 SBs. He leads the Florida Marlins in Runs, BA, and SBs. Without the overweight but very talented Miguel Cabrera, Ramirez would be carrying the team. Not only is he consistent (batted over .300 in every month except May (.279)), he is the definition of clutch. In close and late situations Ramirez is hitting .391, with 4HRs and 15RBIs. With men in scoring position and 2 outs he is hitting .311 and driven in 11RBIs. He however has done this all season to little or no applause because unfortunately he is stuck in America's wang, also known as Florida. Both Florida baseball teams, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Florida Marlins, are the only teams with under 1 million total attendance. The Marlins average only 16,909 fans a game and that's only slightly less worse than the last place team, you guessed it, the Devil Rays.

He does however have one glaring weakness, and that is his fielding. That can be taught and learned though. And with this guys love for the game (wanted to play and finish winter ball on his Dominican team after injuring his arm), that shouldn't too much of a stretch. Now I am certainly not implying anyone who knows their baseball doesn't know about Hanley Ramirez, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that everyone would be talking about this kid a lot more if he wasn't stuck in "hell".

East Coast Bias - August 10, 2007

Today's Headlines

- Bonds Makes History

- Brady Quinn's Future

Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks

- PGA Championship Winner

Countdown to Kickoff: Division by Division

- NFC West and NFC Recap


On today's podcast, we dive right into the controversy that is Barry Lamar Bonds. We dissect the 756th home run and look ahead to his future in baseball. We then move to the gridiron to discuss the signing of Brady Quinn and his possible success this season. For our Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks segment we predict the winner of this week's PGA Championship at Southern Hills. And we end the show with our Countdown to Kickoff segment were we preview the NFC West.

Countdown to Kickoff: NFC West Preview

The NFC West has been a one trick pony in recent years. Seattle has been the lone bright spot of the division with the Rams, Niners, and Cards a step behind. What was arguably one of the worst divisions in the NFL, should be vastly improved with the emergence of young talent such as Leinart, Gore, and Steven Jackson. The gap between the top of the division and the bottom has shrunk and would not be crazy to think that any team can win the west.

1. Seattle Seahawks - Last Year: 9-7 Prediction: 10-6

How the West was Won. A classic Western movie, a great Led Zeppelin album, and if your a Seahawk fan, a hopeful title for Seattle's 07' campaign. Behind Shaun Alexander's MVP year, Seattle went to the Super Bowl in 05'. With Alexander hurt last season, Seattle struggled losing 3 of their last 4 games, ending the season at 9-7. The nucleus of the offense stays intact and having Deion Branch for a full season should help Matt Hasselbeck continue his success as an upper-echelon quarterback. The departure of Jerramy Stevens at tight end was quickly fixed by the free agent pickup of Marcus Pollard from Detroit. It all comes back to Alexander however, who hopes to regain his 05' MVP abilities.

On defense, Seattle should be fine in the back seven. An excellent LB corps of Julian Peterson, Lofa Tatupu, and Leroy Hill will help stop opposing rushers. The secondary did lose Ken Hamlin to Dallas, but added two new starters in Brian Russell and Deon Grant at SS and FS, respectively. The defensive line will be the question. Yes, the addition of Patrick Kerney is nice, but at right end Seattle starts first-year starter Darryl Tapp. Chuck Darby is a below average defensive tackle and the other starting DT Marcus Tubbs is coming off knee surgery and his health could severely hurt their run defense. Seattle addressed the need of defense in the draft with their first three picks. Their best pick of the draft could be the 3rd round selection of Cal's Brandon Mebane, an All-American DT, who should get immediate playing time.

Bottom Line: Seattle remains a playoff team as long as Alexander is Alexander and healthy, and the defense regains a step after ranking 19th in total defense a year ago. However, this team has valuable components that aren't getting any younger so their window of opportunity may be closing.

2. San Francisco 49ers - Last Season: 7-9 Prediction: 8-8

A convenient truth for any 49ers fan is that Frank Gore is really good. And with that said, expect another big year from the running back that rushed for 1700 yards a year ago. A pleasant surprise of the 06' season was the maturation of Alex Smith. Coming off a rookie year that included a 1 to 11 TD/INT ratio, Alex followed it up with a more consistent 2800 YD, 16-16 TD/INT season in 06'. The first overall pick in 05' Draft proved that he can learn an NFL offense after playing for an Urban Meyer spread offense at Utah. Targets Vernon Davis and free agent acquisitions Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie should make life easier for the young QB. Gore and Smith are just two of the possible seven starters that have been acquired via the draft in the last two years, showing the success the future could hold.

Free agency has also been kind to the Niners. Additions of Nate Clements, Michael Lewis, and Tully Banta-Cain on defense should improve last year's 19th ranked team against the run and 26th ranked team against the pass.

Bottom Line: The 49ers struck gold with Gore, and at least silver with Alex Smith. San Fran was hands down the winners in the offseason with the free agent pickups and the drafting of future key players like Joe Staley and Patrick Willis. This team will contend for the division and is a year away from competing for NFC titles.

3. Arizona Cardinals - Last Season: 5-11 Prediction: 8-8

Arizona once again has a new coach. Ken Whisenhunt takes over for Dennis Green, who even though he loses his job, he now knows "the Bears were who we thought they were!!!" For the Cardinals to get an edge in this division, they will need "Edge" to be like the "Edge" of old. James had a career low 3.4 yards per carry and only 6 TD's. An effective "Edge" in 07' can only improve the Cards 30th ranked run game last year. One advantage of the Cards losing in 06', was the playing time given Matt Leinart. Leinart proved his worthiness of the 10th overall pick in 05' by throwing for 2500 YDS and 11 TD's in 11 games. Surely the weapons at receiver can only help Matt's development. In my opinion, the combination of Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and Bryant Johnson are the best 1-2-3 at WR in the NFC. The O-line has added Levi Brown but are weak at every other position then center (Al Johnson).

The Cardinals tried to improve their defense with the second round steal of DT Alan Branch from Michigan. The rookie Branch at nose tackle and Darnell Dockett now moving to DE, will be key in the trenches in the Cards new 3-4 scheme. DE's Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor become outside linebackers in the scheme to create a better pass rush. 16th against the run and 30th against the pass translates into the Cards needing to improve in the secondary. Underachieving in his second season, Antrel Rolle should emerge as a shutdown corner in the league.

Bottom Line: This offense will be fun to watch and will keep the Cards close in games. But the defense is a new scheme and a young squad, and probably are a couple years away from being respectable. This will be the best Cardinals team anyone has seen in a long time; sadly that could spell only mediocrity.

4. St. Louis Rams - Last Season: 8-8 Prediction: 5-11

The Rams finished 2006 8-8. That record may be deceiving with three victories to end the season over the likes of Oakland, Minnesota, and Washington. The offense looks dangerous as it has pretty much since their two trips to the Super Bowl. The young stud Steven Jackson carries the load in the backfield and Marc Bulger is still an underrated QB who threw for 4,300 YD's, 24 TD's, and only 8 INT's. Though Isaac Bruce had another 1,000 yard season, expect a drop off from him, but the addition of Drew Bennett from Tennessee should complement Torry Holt nicely. The interior of the offensive line is depleted but the Rams have stars at the tackles, Orlando Pace and 05' 1st rounder Alex Barron.

The offense should be great but where's the D? The rush defense gave up 2,300 YD's, third worst ever in franchise history. Besides the premium pass rusher Leonard Little, the defensive line stinks. They attempted to fix the situation with the drafting of DE Adam Carriker from Nebraska but the rest of the line (James Hall, Laroi Glover, and Jimmy Kennedy) need to improve. Will Witherspoon's move to middle linebacker highlights the unit, with the outside linebackers Tinoisamoa and Chillar being solid. Second year cornerback Tye Hill could be a playmaker for the Rams D, and the strong safety Corey Chavous brings veteran leadership to the secondary. With that said, the Rams lack the stars or playmakers that make defenses great and they should struggle because of this.

Bottom Line: The Rams ranked 6th in total offense and 23rd in total defense last year. Those numbers are unlikely to change and with no leaders on defense, the offense will soar and the D will butt heads (like rams) with opponents. Head coach Scott Linehan will need to rebuild the defense to make this team a contender for the future.

Catchers? We Don't Need No Stinking Catchers!

So you'd like to be a catcher? Here's what will be expected of you. Play a game three hours a day, 130 days a year, get paid an average salary less than any other position in baseball, and contain your anger when the pitcher blames you for his crappy performance. Count on broken fingers, arthritic knees and more bruises than you can count. Sounds like a sweet job right?...... Well obviously not sweet enough for young players to want to play it.

Since 1965 only 7 catchers have been inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame, which happens to be the same amount of designated hitters who have been enshrined. That is the lowest total of players enshrined for any position player and consider this, the DH is only used in the American League. Since 2000 only 15 catchers have been selected in the first round of the draft. Only 4 of them have seen time in the big leagues and with the exception of Joe Mauer, none of them have been to an All-Star game. The last catcher to be named Rookie of the Year? Jason Kendall won it in 1996 when he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nowadays catchers are either A. great offensively or B. great defensively, with the exception being of course the great Pudge Rodriguez. They concede one aspect because it's so hard to find the quality catcher who has all of the skills. Not since Charles Johnson has their been a catcher who exemplified talent offensively and defensively. Then again, he didn't really pan out that well (.245 career BA).

Not since the glory days of Thurman Munson and Johnny Bench have their been 2 tool players. Even players who were drafted as catchers haven't ended up fielding their position. Recent 3,000 hit club inductee Craig Biggio was originally a catcher but the Houston Astros later changed his position to 2nd base. Craig Biggio would have been the first catcher ever to reach the 3,000 hit plateau and the first to even reach 2,500 hits. So with that being said, high school baseball and college players listen up. If you want to be a lock to make the majors, be a catcher. All you have to do is intimidate opposing base-runners with a powerful and accurate arm, block pitches in the dirt, bravely stand your ground when a home-plate collision is imminent and be durable enough to keep coming back day after day. No problem right?

Countdown to Kickoff: NFC West

East Coast Bias's Countdown to Kickoff will continue tomorrow with the posting of the preview of the NFC West. Be sure to listen to Friday's show for the preview, and as always, the hot topics in the sports world.

Breaking News : Barry Bonds Passes Hank Aaron

In what is a truly sad day in baseball history Barry Bonds has hit home run 756 and become baseball's all-time leader for home runs. The Washington Nationals Mike Bacsik is the poor soul who will forever be remembered as the pitcher who served up the shot on August 7th, 2007. Sorry Hank, I really am.

Hand It Over OJ

With all the hoopla surrounding the release of the first 2K Sports football game since ESPN NFL 2K5, All-Pro Football 2K8 garnered unspectacular reviews. The game actually garnered more attention when it was learned that OJ Simpson could be assigned to a team called the Assassins that had a knife wielding mascot. A statement issued by Take-Two says the Assassins mascot is "not specifically associated with O.J. Simpson, and the game does not promote any such connection."

As everyone knows, the former star running back was found legally responsible for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in 1997 and was ordered to pay the Goldman estate $33.5 million. Recently the Goldman's caught wind of OJ's likeness being in All-Pro Football and have won a court decision that states that he would have to hand over his contract that he signed with Take-Two.

Murder, satellite dishes, and now this. It doesn't matter what decade it is, OJ Simpson is a lock for at least one major story.

What Could've Been Jimmie?

Just recently Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in baseball history to surpass the 500 home run mark. It's a shame however that the person he passed has not shared the same media coverage that Hank Aaron has with Barry Bonds about to break his mark. Jimmie Fox, one could argue, was the greatest first baseman of all time. Now, since ESPN has beaten everyone who watches SportsCenter over the head with Hank Aaron montages and how great a player he was, I would like to shed some light on the guy who, in the words of Yankees great Lefty Gomez, "He has muscles in his hair."

"Double X" or "The Beast" as he was nicknamed, was the second player to reach the 500 home run mark, and I'm sure everyone can guess who was the first. Jimmie Fox began his career with the Philadelphia Athletics and made his major league debut at the ripe young age of 17. The Hall of Fame 1st baseman began his career wanting to pitch or play 3rd base but settled in at catcher. Shortly after his stint at catcher he began playing in the outfield and at 1st base. Finally he began playing 1st base full time in 1929 then went on to hit .354 and smash 33 home runs; he was 21 at the time. In 1932, when he was 24, Foxx hit a staggering 58 home runs and won his 1st of 3 MVP awards. The following year Foxx won the Triple Crown, a feat accomplished only 16 times since 1878, and his 2nd consecutive MVP award with a BA of .356, 163 RBIs, and 48 home runs. Foxx hit more than 30 home runs for 12 consecutive seasons and had over a 100 RBIs for 13 consecutive seasons. The RBIs streak however was broken by Barry "The Clear" Bonds in 2004. Another opportunity I might add for someone, anyone, to remember the great Jimmie Foxx.

Unfortunately Jimmie Foxx had a drinking problem and many point to that as to why he only hit 34 more home runs after reaching 500. Other point to a sinus problem but in either case, the right handed Babe Ruth broke down during the prime of his career. Jimmie Foxx finished his 20-year, 2317-game career with 534 home runs, 1922 runs batted in, and a .325 batting average. Now, many baseball enthusiasts, mainly the younger generation, don't really understand the significance of 500 home runs what with the Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa era of baseball. But consider this, Foxx played in an era where the typical distance to center field was 450 feet, not like 401 or 410 like it is nowadays. I admit though, the left and right field foul poles were much closer than they are nowadays, well except for the joke of a stadium called Enron. There is also the fact that pitcher's mounds were higher thus giving the pitcher an advantage in terms of velocity. Current regulations require the mound to be no higher than 10 inches above home plate. Back in Foxx's day? 15 inches.

What could have been Jimmie Foxx if you weren't addicted to beer and had Tylenol Sinus? I guess we'll never know.

It's About Time

Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, has officially ended his holdout and signed a five-year contact with the Cleveland Browns worth $20.2 million, with $7.75 million in guaranteed money. Including incentives Quinn's contract could be worth somewhere in the ballpark of $30 million dollars.

Quinn has missed a total of 10 days of training camp at a position in which it is crucial to be there for the entire camp. Even though he learned under the tutelage of Charlie Weis while at Notre Dame learning an NFL playbook is a daunting task. The Browns have employed five different opening-day starters in the last five years and through three dozen practices in the spring and now in the first 10 days of training camp, Charlie Frye or Derek Anderson still haven't separated themselves enough yet to be called the number one QB.

Jermaine O'Neal Wants To Be A Laker

While attending Baron Davis and Paul Pierce's annual L.A. Stars charity basketball game at USC's Galen Center, O'Neal says he'd like for Indiana to trade him to L.A. O'Neal was quoted as saying, "It's time for me to move on. And the Lakers are the team I want Indiana to trade me to." He went on to say that after this year, if he indeed stays a Pacer, he will opt out and become a free agent.

In what has become the "Summer of Kobe", the Lakers have tried to trade for players to compliment Kobe Bryant. Earlier this summer, unless you live in a cave, already know that Kobe has made it clear to Lakers management that he wants out. Trade talks have stalled over Indiana's insistence that the Lakers' package include both Lamar Odom and 19-year-old center Andrew Bynum. The Lakers reportedly have countered with an offer that would send Kwame Brown, Brian Cook and Bynum to the Pacers but Larry Bird hasn't bitten yet.

Today's Regularly Scheduled Podcast

I woke up this morning feeling rather ill and could not join Jason to do the podcast today. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow so that we can record and give you the drug that is East Coast Bias.

Pacman Jones The Train Wreck

"PWInsider.com has confirmed that TNA has signed suspended Tennessee Titan cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones to a deal that will see the NFL star perform as a professional wrestler. The deal was signed late last week.

Jones is currently suspended for the entire 2007 NFL season without pay for off-the-field personal conduct problems, including a Las Vegas strip club shooting incident that left former independent pro wrestling Tommy Urbanski paralyzed. Jones' NFL suspension could be lifted 10 games into the season pending a hearing but was recently informed he wouldn't be allowed to attend the Tennessee Titans' training camp.

Come on Pacman, do you really think that Roger Goodell is going to even think of reinstatement after a stunt like this? Did someone in your camp actually say this was a good idea? If they did, immediately hit them because this may very well be the dumbest thing you have ever done, and that's saying a lot in your case.

300 Wins For Tom Glavine

Tom Glavine made history last night by becoming only the 23rd player in baseball history to win 300 games. The victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field was a convincing 8-3 win, with no doubt of the outcome unlike Glavine's last start vs. the Brewers. Glavine pitched 6 and 1/3 innings, giving up only 2 ER and 6 hits allowed. With his entire family in attendance, the 300 win club gets a new member and certain first ballot hall of famer. The lefty becomes only the 5th left hander in the 300 win club, joining very elite company. He improves to 10-6 on the season and will be an important part to the success of the Mets the rest of the way.

Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez Reach Milestones

In the 2nd inning versus the San Diego Padres Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron's all-time home run record with a blast to left field of pitcher Clay Hensley. His homer was his 72nd after age 40, tying Carlton Fisk for the most all-time. He has 21 homers this season, putting him five shy of last season. It took Bonds six games between his 754th and 755th home run while it took him five games to go from 714 to 715. Bonds said in his postgame news conference that he won't play in Sunday's series finale in San Diego. He's said he's opting to celebrate his historic home run with his family.

Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 500 career homers, as the Yankees blasted the Royals 16-8. Rodriguez joins Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle as the third player to hit No. 500 with the Bronx Bombers. A-Rod is the fifth active player with 500 career homers, joining Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr. and Thomas. This marks just the second time in MLB history there are five active players with atleast 500 home runs. Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew and Ernie Banks did it in 1971.

East Coast Bias - August 3, 2007

Today's Headlines

- MLB Rundown:

Yankees, AL Central Race, Braves

- NFL Training Camp News:

Strahan, Moss, and Culpepper

The Weekly Phil

- Eagles Training Camp

- Phillies Wild Card Chances


On the podcast today, we start with news from Major League Baseball. We discuss the Yankees wild card hopes, the Indians-Tigers race, and the trade deadlines moves of the Braves. We then switch to the gridiron and get into some of the big stories from the NFL for our next topic. Strahan's possible retirement, Moss's fit with the Patriots, and Culpepper signing with the Raiders are the topics we debate. And finally, Brendan and I talk Eagles/Phillies news in a segment we like to call The Weekly Phil.

Kevin Garnett Introduced In Boston

Boston sent the Minnesota Timberwolves forwards Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes and Gerald Green, guard Sebastian Telfair and center Theo Ratliff, two first-round draft picks and cash considerations. Besides Ratliff, 34, the other four are 24 or younger and Ratliff has an expiring contract that will leave the Timberwolves in a nice salary cap situation. With Paul Pierce and Ray Allen already on the roster, the Celtics now have arguably the best starting 5 in a weak Eastern Conference. Many are saying that this doesn't automatically make them contenders mainly because they have no bench and Allen, Garnett, and Pierce are all scorers. But we have seen the Suns contend in a stronger Western Conference with a scoring mentality so it will certainly be interesting to see just how far the Celtics go in the playoffs this year.