Open Mike

The groundhog was wrong

2012-02-14T17:40:00.000-05:00

Kate Upton is the cover model for
this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.

A couple of weeks ago, Punxsatawney Phil predicted 6 more weeks of winter. I beg to differ, and it has nothing to do with the warm winter temperatures and lack of snow we've experienced.

There are 2 reasons for me to be thinking spring.

First, the Phillies loaded a tractor-trailer with equipment on Sunday that was heading to Clearwater, Fla., for spring training. The 5-time National League East champions open camp this Sunday when pitchers and catchers report for their first workout.

And this week, another sure sign of spring bloomed again: the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. Model Kate Upton graces this year's cover.

Another voice silenced

2012-01-31T17:53:00.002-05:00

First it was Richie Ashburn in 1997. Then Harry Kalas in 2009. Now, another voice of my youth has been silenced.

Andy Musser was a Phillies broadcaster for more than
25 years.

Andy Musser, the third member of the Phillies broadcast team that was together for more than 20 years, passed away Jan. 22. Musser didn't get the acclaim that Kalas and Ashburn received from fans, but he was a solid baseball announcer.

He was also very versatile, broadcasting Sixers, Eagles and Big Five basketball games. Before joining the Phillies full-time, Musser also worked for CBS Sports where he did the Super Bowl and the Masters golf tournament.

Here are a few of his most famous Phillies calls.

The legend of Roy Halladay grows

2011-12-30T11:42:00.000-05:00

Since being traded to the Phillies in December 2009, Roy Halladay has become a folk hero.

In his first season with the team in 2010, he won 21 games -- including a perfect game against the Marlins -- and won the National League Cy Young Award. And, oh yeah, he threw a no-hitter against Cincinnati in his first post-season start.

This past season, he won 19 games and finished second for the Cy Young Award. His final game was a 1-0 loss to St. Louis in Game 5 of the National League Division Series.

So Halladay's been a larger-than-life figure for Phillies fans. That legend may grow after something that happened before Christmas.

According to the blog Zoo with Roy, Halladay, while on a fishing trip in the Amazon with professional angler Skeet Reese and others, saved a native boy from an anaconda attack.

Also on the trip was Halladay's best friend, St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter, who was the winning pitcher in Game 5.

UPDATE: Accounts question claim of chimp's owner

2011-12-28T17:31:00.002-05:00

According to an Associated Press story, some accounts from Hollywood are questioning if the chimpanzee that died in Florida on Christmas Eve was indeed Cheetah, who was a sidekick to Tarazan in some movies in the 1930s.

Here is the new story:

A Florida animal sanctuary says Cheetah, the chimpanzee sidekick in the Tarzan movies of the early 1930s, has died at 80. But other accounts call that claim into question.

Debbie Cobb, outreach director at the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary along Florida's Gulf Coast, said Wednesday that her grandparents acquired Cheetah around 1960 from "Tarzan" star Johnny Weissmuller and that the chimp appeared in Tarzan films between 1932 and 1934. During that period, Weissmuller made "Tarzan the Ape Man" and "Tarzan and His Mate."

But Cobb offered no documentation, saying it was destroyed in a 1995 fire.

Also, some Hollywood accounts indicate a chimpanzee by the name of Jiggs or Mr. Jiggs played Cheetah alongside Weissmuller early on and died in 1938.

In addition, an 80-year-old chimpanzee would be extraordinarily old, perhaps the oldest ever known.

According to many experts and Save the Chimps, another Florida sanctuary, chimpanzees in captivity live to between 40 and 60. Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, Fla., has a chimp it says is around 73.

A similar claim about another chimpanzee that supposedly played Weissmuller's second banana was debunked in 2008 in a Washington Post story. Writer R.D. Rosen discovered that the primate, which lived in Palm Springs, Calif., was born around 1960, meaning it wasn't oldest enough to have been in the Tarzan movies of Hollywood's Golden Age.

Cobb said Cheetah died Dec. 24 of kidney failure and was cremated.

"Unfortunately, there was a fire in '95 in which a lot of that documentation burned up," Cobb said. "I'm 51 and I've known him for 51 years. My first remembrance of him coming here was when I was actually 5, and I've known him since then, and he was a full-grown chimp then."

More than one chimpanzee appeared as Cheetah in the Tarzan movies of the 1930s and '40s.

Film historian and Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osbourne said the Cheetah character "was one of the things people loved about the Tarzan movies because he made people laugh. He was always a regular fun part of the movies."

In his time, the Cheetah character was as popular as Rin Tin Tin or Asta, the dog from the "Thin Man" movies, Osbourne said.

"He was a major star," he said.

At the animal sanctuary, Cheetah was outgoing, loved finger painting and liked to see people laugh, Cobb said. But he could also be ill-tempered. Cobb said that when the chimp didn't like what was going on, he would fling feces and other objects.

Chimp from 'Tarzan' movies in 1930s dies

2011-12-28T11:54:00.001-05:00

I should know that primates live long lives, but I was still surprised to read this morning that Cheetah, the chimpanzee sidekick from the Johnny Weismuller "Tarzan" movies from the 1930s, died recently at the age of 80. That's a long life, even for a chimp!

AP Photo
Cheetah, with Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane and
Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan.

Cheetah died on Christmas Eve of kidney failure, the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, Fla., announced.

Here's the rest of the Associated Press story:

Sanctuary outreach director Debbie Cobb on Wednesday told The Tampa Tribune (http://bit.ly/rRuTeJ ) that Cheetah was outgoing, loved finger painting and liked to see people laugh. She says he seemed to be tuned into human feelings.

Based on the works of author Edgar Rice Burroughs, the Tarzan stories, which have spawned scores of books and films over the years, chronicle the adventures of a man who was raised by apes in Africa.

Cheetah was the comic relief in the Tarzan films that starred American Olympic gold medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller. Cobb says Cheetah came to the sanctuary from Weissmuller's estate sometime around 1960.

Cobb says Cheetah wasn't a troublemaker. Still, sanctuary volunteer Ron Priest says that when the chimp didn't like what was going on, he would throw feces.

Animals make news at live Nativity scenes

2011-12-27T14:51:00.001-05:00

A couple of interesting news items happened over the Christmas weekend involving live Nativity scenes.

First, a goat in Minnesota fled the scene from a Nativity at Bethlehem Church in Fergus Falls, Minn. The 3-year-old Angora goat escaped its leash on Christmas Eve afternoon and remained on the lam on Monday.

The goat's owner said he tried to chase the animal for two hours, but a lack of snow made tracking it difficult.

There was some happier news Christmas Eve involving a Nativity display at The Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati.

There, the conservatory reports, a night watchman oversaw the delivery for a sheep that was part of the live animal display. Officials say the birthing went well and the mother and lamb were doing fine.

Officials said they may name the female lamb "Merry."

Hard to keep a good Lab down

2011-12-05T16:12:00.001-05:00

My black Labrador Disney -- wearing a cone
because of her knee surgery -- lays in the yard.


Disney poses for a photo after getting a bath months before her knee surgery.

For the past eight weeks, my wife Sharon and I have been health care workers. But we weren’t providing care to an ill child, or comfort to a relative. No, our patient has been our 10-year-old black Labrador, Disney.

In early October, Sharon and I were walking our two dogs when Disney lunged toward a pack of dogs that was being walked on the other side of the street and suddenly started limping on her right rear leg. Naturally, we were at the farthest point from our house, so I walked back home with the other dog to get the car to return and pick up Sharon and Disney.

The next day I took Disney to the vet. The diagnosis was a cruciate ligament tear. I was surprised, but apparently this injury is very common among Labradors, especially aging ones.

A few days later Disney had an appointment with an orthopedic specialist, who confirmed the diagnosis and set up a time for surgery to fix “the football injury,” as he called it. The surgery went well, but the doctor also found severe arthritis in the knee. I felt a little sad when Disney was brought out wearing a plastic cone around her head to keep her from picking at her sutures and with her right hind quarter shaved.

We received a long list of discharge instructions to help Disney in her recovery, among them changing her diet, limiting walks to “elimination” only, and keeping her confined — for 8 weeks!!!

That last one was going to be a little difficult for a dog that has had the run of the house for the past 10 years. The surgeon wanted us to keep Disney in a room about the size of a doctor’s examination room. But living in a two-story townhome, there are no small rooms on the first floor.

So we had to make do. We have some paneling in the basement, so we used a piece or two as a divider between the living and dining rooms. And to aid the “elimination” process, my dad built a ramp out of plywood to put on the deck so Disney could avoid using the steps.

For the first week of Disney’s recovery, I slept on a couch in the living room. No, I wasn’t in the dog house. But Sharon and I agreed that was probably best to keep Disney from whimpering. The patient also needed pain medication three times a day, and one of those times was usually around 2 a.m. — or whenever I woke up in the middle of the night.

But after that first week we needed another confinement plan. Disney learned that by using her cone, she could move the paneling and walk around downstairs. So we borrowed some baby fencing from our oldest daughter and set up a small pen for Disney in the dining room.

Her recovery was going well. Two weeks after the procedure, she returned to the surgeon to get the sutures out and lose the “cone of shame.”

But free of the cone, Disney was again using her ingenuity to get out of her confinement. She realized that if she put her nose on the floor, she could lift the pen and crawl underneath. It was a bit surprising to come home from work some nights and see that Disney had escaped. This happened so many times, we called her “HouDisney.”

I know she didn’t understand why she had to be confined, and probably thought she was being punished. But it’s not like I could talk to the patient and tell her about the recovery process.

Another two weeks passed quietly and a first set of X-rays on the repaired knee showed good progress. But then the surgeon said something that caused me a lot of angst: because her knee was healing, Disney would want to be more active and therefore her confinement had to be more strict.
He wasn’t kidding. The past four weeks have not been easy.

We used dining room chairs as clamps to keep Disney from getting out of the makeshift pen, but that didn’t stop her. She still managed to escape a few times. The issue was especially bad when we went to bed and Disney had to stay downstairs. For a couple nights in a row, we could hear the rustling of Disney trying to get out.

In one instance, Sharon went downstairs to scold Disney and saw her trying to CLIMB out of the pen. That was the last straw. So at 10:30 on this particular night, we were at Walmart buying a crate for our ornery patient. Disney didn’t like being crated, but we had to keep her as confined as possible. So close to the end of her recovery, we didn’t want her to screw up the surgery.

Being the stubborn old lady that she is, Disney hasn’t gone in the crate willingly. We’ve had to put a leash on her, then walk her into the crate. But she gets something out of it, because the only way Sharon or I could get her to move was when we said “treat.”

Disney’s final X-rays were scheduled for Saturday. To be honest, when we’ve been home we haven’t kept her totally confined. On Thanksgiving, she was walking around a lot as we entertained a house full of people, and she’s also climbed the stairs once or twice over the past 10 days.

She seems to be recovering nicely. Disney’s moving around about as well as she did before her injury — with a slight limp — so I expect the X-rays to show she is nearly healed. And based on inquiries from our neighbors, Disney’s been missed my many.

Our work isn’t done, however. Next are weeks of rehabilitation as we have to build up the strength in Disney’s injured leg. I only hope the rehab process is a little less aggravating than her recovery.

Mike Spohn is The Mercury’s Sunday editor. You can e-mail him at mspohn@pottsmerc.com, or follow him on Twitter @Merc_Mike.

If the Bradys used Twitter

2011-11-17T13:07:00.001-05:00

I'm a fan of "The Brady Bunch," so I had to open an e-mail I received recently.

The e-mail was for an article from another blog titled "5 Ways the Brady Bunch Could Have Used Twitter".

When "The Brady Bunch" debuted in 1969, there were no personal computers, no e-mail, no smart phones. Only letters, snail mail and land lines. As the article states," there was no 'virtual' reality, just 'real' reality." This article looks out how some of the situations the Bradys got into would be different today.

One example was the episode where Mr. Brady installed a pay phone in an effort to keep the telephone bill lower. Today, Mike would be upset over the kids' cell phone use, complaining that they weren't using unlimited texting or tweeting their friends.

The article gave four other examples, but here are some of my own:

After Marcia was hit in the face by an errant photo, she would have been tweeting "oh my #nose, oh my #nose."
When Peter knocked out the neighborhood bully, his tweet could have been "take that #Buddy #Hinton."
While Greg and Bobby were locked in the freezer at Sam's Butcher Shop, Greg could have asked for help: "Locked in #freezer @SamsButcherShop. Please #help."

Well, you get the point. "The Brady Bunch" in 2011 would be a lot different than it was 40 years ago.

Can you think of other examples? Leave a comment or e-mail me at mcspohn@gmail.com

Eating while driving

2011-10-21T16:58:00.002-04:00

Oak Park, Ill., is trying to crack down on distracted drivers.

A story came out recently that lawmakers in the community outside of Chicago want to create a comprehensive bill banning all distractions while driving. That means talking, texting, grooming and yes, apparently, even eating.

According to this story from the Chicago Tribune, if Oak Park ultimately passes an outright ban on eating while driving, it might become one of the first in the nation to do so.

Oak Park Village Trustee Colette Lueck, who is initiating the push against distracted driving, said she would like to ban applying make-up or drinking, in addition to eating and cell phone use.

“To me, this is an issue of public safety,” she said. “This isn’t government overreach; this is the government protecting people. Distracted driving puts everyone on the road in danger.”

Almost anything could be considered a distraction while driving: fiddling with a car radio or CD player; scratching an itch or blowing your nose. More and more, municipalities are allowing digital billboards along their roads and highways. Who's paying attention to the road when their watching the signs change?

Eating while driving a distraction? Yeah, probably. And if it is, I'm guilty.

It's almost a pre-requisite as a journalist to master the art of eating while driving.

In my former journalistic life as a high school sports writer for a weekly newspaper, eating in my car was essential. There were many Fridays or Saturdays in the fall where I would cover a football game in the afternoon, then another that night. The only way to find time to eat was to go through a fast-food drive-thru and scarf down a burger and fries on my way to the next event.

I wrote a column in the late 90s on the best fast food to eat while driving. (Unfortunately, that column is unavailable on The Mercury's website.) At the time, my unscientific study revealed that is was a McDonald's quarter-pounder with cheese. Now, it would be anything off a fast-food restaurant's value menu.

I don't eat as much in my car as I once did, but when I do, it's usually a breakfast sandwich or pastry instead of a burger and fries. And I don't believe it's ever been a distraction.

If you can't master the art of eating while driving, you mustn't be much of a driver!

Are "The Simpsons" nearing an end?

2011-10-05T15:15:00.003-04:00

I"ve been a fan of "The Simpsons" since it first started on FOX in 1989 and for years it was the best show on television. But now, the longest-running animated TV show in history may not make it much further.

"The Simpsons" producer said Tuesday that the show's current financial model may keep it from continuing. A report said that producers are demanding a 45 percent pay cut from the six voice actors, who reportedly make nearly $8 million each for a season. The website said the voice actors have offered to take a 30 percent pay cut in return for a portion of the show's syndication and merchandise revenue.

According to the Associated Press, the Fox network reportedly loses money each year on new episodes, even as all the old episodes run in perpetuity in reruns and are a cash cow for producers and creators.

"The Simpsons" is averaging 7.1 million viewers for its new episodes this fall, down 14 percent from last year. Back in the 1991-92 season, an average of 21.7 million people watched it every week, Nielsen said.

For more, go here.

World Series or bust

2011-09-30T16:37:00.000-04:00


Manager Charlie Manuel watches the Phillies work out Friday at Citizens Bank Park. AP Photo

When the Phillies signed free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee in the offseason, they instantly become the favorites to win the World Series this year.
With a club-record 102 wins and a fifth straight National League East crown on their resume, the favored Phils begin their quest for a 3rd World Series title on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Expectations are high, but there's a lot to be concerned about:

The offense: Sure, this team stuggled A LOT to score runs. But I believe that with the regular lineup on the field since the acquisition of Hunter Pence, the team is undefeated. Yes, it's only a handful of games, but you get the point. Manager Charlie Manuel's late-season change to put Chase Utley in the No. 2 spot, Pence third and Shane Victorino fifth seems to be the best use of his personnel this postseason. The key will be leadoff man Jimmy Rollins. If he gets on base, it will have a trickle effect down the lineup and guys on base for cleanup hitter Ryan Howard, who knocked in 116 runs. As Rollins and Howard go, so go the Phillies.
The bullpen: During the final month of the season, Antonio Bastardo, who dominated the first 5 months, struggled to get hitters out. As the lone lefty in the bullpen, his resurgence is crucial to postseason success. As is Brad Lidge. The former closer missed the first 3 months of the season with arm troubles, but was solid in the 2nd half of the year. He'll likely pitch in the 8th inning with the game on the line.
Health: The Phillies struggled with injuries all season and they are the oldest team in the National League. Howard has a sore left ankle/heel that he will play through, but who knows how it will affect him at the plate. Third baseman Placido Polanco has had problems with an elbow and a sports hernia. Utley missed the first 2 months of the season with a knee issue, but seems healthy now. Rollins was on the disabled list recently with an injured calf. Ironically, left fielder Raul Ibanez, the oldest player on the team at 39, was one of the few regulars not to spend time on the disabled list.

Phillies players celebrate their fifth straight
National League East title. AP Photo.

But one thing not to be concerned about is the starting pitching. Roy Halladay, Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt are all playoff tested. Oswalt missed two months with a back issue, but based off his performance in September, he's healthy. Halladay threw a no-hitter in his first postseason start last year. Cliff Lee is 7-2 in the postseason, his only losses coming in last year's World Series when he pitched for Texas. He was 4-0 with the Phillies in 2009. And Cole Hamels was the NLCS and World Series MVP in 2008.

The Cardinals, who ralled from an 8 1/2-game deficit to claim the Wild Card berth thanks to the Phillies' 3-game sweep of Atlanta in the season's final series, led the league in hitting and have future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols anchoring the lineup. But last year, the Reds led the league in hitting and the Phillies disposed of them in 3 games, including Halladay's no-hitter and a shutout from Hamels in Game 3.

This series will come down to the Phils' offense. If they can score 4 runs a game, they should have no problem with Halladay, Lee and Hamels lined up. They looked ready to go during their sweep of the Braves.

The Phillies are expected to get to -- if not win -- the World Series. Not winning the World Series will be a disappointment. Not getting there would be considered a failure. The Cardinals won the season series from the Phillies, 6 games to 3, which may cause some anxiety. But the Phillies are the better team, and they take their first step to the World Series against the Caridnals.

Phillies in 4.

Man gets 2 DUIs in 1 night

2011-09-21T12:01:00.005-04:00

So much for learning a lesson.
Police in western Pennsylvania have charged a man with driving drunk twice in the same night.
According to the Associated Press, Robert Brodnick, 58, of Washington, was arrested twice by state police for DUI -- the second time about 15 minutes after they released him into the custody of a friend.

Brodnick's blood-alcohol limit was at least double what the law allows when he was arrested, police charge. Trooper Joseph Christy says troopers released Brodnick to the custody of a "responsible party" but say that person must have dropped of Brodnick at his vehicle because the same trooper who arrested Brodnick saw him driving again.
Brodnick tells WPXI-TV that he had two or three beers and just wanted to drive his new car home.

Father, son die 67 minutes apart

2011-08-31T16:22:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a very difficult day for a family from Irwin, Pa., which is mourning the deaths of a father and son who suffered fatal heart attacks 67 minutes apart.

According to the Associated Press, Charles McCauley Jr. was rushing to his father's home Saturday after learning of the older man's death when the younger McCauley began suffering from chest pains. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Charles McCauley Sr., 83, had been watching the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason game on television at his Irwin home when he suffered a heart attack. His 54-year-old son was at the game and was stricken after being called by paramedics and walking out of the game to his car.

Family friends called the double tragedy difficult to grasp.

Abercrombie no fan of "Jersey Shore"

2011-08-17T16:29:00.001-04:00

Apparently, I"m not the only one who despises MTV's reality show "Jersey Shore." So does Abercrombie & Fitch.


AP Photo Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino

On Tuesday, the Ohio-based clothing retail giant released a statement saying that it is concerned that having cast memeber Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino wear its clothing could cause "significant damage" to the company's image.

The company is so adamant about the situation (no pun intended) that it has offered what it says is a "substantial payment" to Sorrentino and the show's producers so he'll wear something else. The company says the offer will be extended to other members of the cast.

MTV, however, isn't buying A&F's stance.

"It's a clever PR stunt and we'd love to work with them on other ways they can leverage 'Jersey Shore' to reach the largest youth audience on television," MTV said in a statement.

That's gotta hurt

2011-07-26T15:38:00.000-04:00

I don't know how much pain this guy was in, but it had to be pretty bad to consider self-surgery.

According to the Associated Press, a Glendale, Calif., man was in such pain from a hernia that he stuck a butter knife in his belly in an attempt at self-surgery.
After 911 was called, the man was placed on psychiatric hold in a hospital.

Here is the AP story:
GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California man stuck a butter knife into his belly in a failed bid at self-surgery to remove a painful hernia, police said Tuesday.
The wife of the 63-year-old Glendale man called 911 on Sunday night and told the emergency operator her husband was using a knife to remove a protruding hernia, Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.
"She said he had impaled himself with a knife," Lorenz said.
Officers found the man naked on a patio lounge chair outside his apartment with a 6-inch butter knife sticking out of his stomach.
The man's wife told officers that her husband was upset about the hernia and wanted to take it out.
While waiting for paramedics, the sergeant said, the man pulled out the knife and stuffed a cigarette he was smoking into the bleeding, open wound.
"What he was thinking, I don't know. I don't know if he was cauterizing it (the wound)," Lorenz said.
The man wasn't screaming or showing any signs of pain, the sergeant said.
Based on his actions and statements from the wife, Lorenz said the man was placed on psychiatric hold and taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.
Because he's on psychiatric hold for up to 72 hours under the state Welfare and Institutions Code, Lorenz said the man's name and condition cannot be released.
"You just never know what to expect," said Lorenz, who has been on the police force for 29 years. "I've seen self-mutilation, but not a maneuver like this."

Sherwood Schwartz, R.I.P.

2011-07-13T16:18:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'll admit it, I am a fan of "The Brady Bunch" and "Gilligan's Island." So it was sad to hear Tuesday about the passing of Sherwood Schwartz, who created both of the classic TV shows.


Florence Henderson, left, and Dawn Wells, who starred in "The Brady Bunch" and "Gilligan's Island" respectively, kiss show creator Sherwood Schwartz when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. AP Photo

Yeah, the shows are corny and yes, I still laugh at every episode. And I think I watched every re-incarnation of "The Brady Bunch" that came along since the initial show ended in 1974.

Not only did Schwartz create and produce the two shows, but he also wrote the theme songs that are hard to get out of anyone's head.

In an Associated Press story on his death, here's what Schwartz said about his shows relying on cheap laughs:

"I think writers have become hypnotized by the number of jokes on the page at the expense of character," Schwartz said in a 2000 Associated Press interview.

"When you say the name Gilligan, you know who that is. If a show is good, if it's written well, you should be able to erase the names of the characters saying the lines and still be able to know who said it. If you can't do that, the show will fail."

Thanks, Sherwood, for giving us TV fans years of laughter that will live on forever.

Kruk going into Phillies Hall of Fame

2011-06-15T16:48:00.000-04:00

The Phillies announced after the first game of today's doubleheader with Florida that former first baseman/outfielder John Kruk will be inducted into the team's Wall of Fame in August.

Kruk played for the Phillies from June 1989, when he was acquired from San Diego, through 1994. In 1993, when the team went to the World Series, Kruk hit .316 with 14 HRs, 85 RBI and 100 runs scored.

He played 744 games with the Phillies and had a .309 batting average, 62 HRs and 390 RBI, and 403 runs scored. Kruk was an All-Star from 1991-1993.

Kruk is now an analyst on ESPN.

Overzealous dad banned from Little League field

2011-06-14T12:20:00.000-04:00

Here's another lousy example of parental sportsmanship that I discovered on the Associated Press wire today:

A father in Michigan became irate at a Saginaw-area Little League game last week after finding out his son didn't make the league's all-star team. According to the report, the man got angry with a coach and was using the F-word. Police said the dad was involved in a minor assault with another parent before they arrived.

No arrests were made, but the irate dad was issued a trespass warning by police and told he'd be arrested if he returned to the Little League fields.

The league is for 7- and 8-year-olds.

That's what's great about baseball

2011-05-26T13:01:00.001-04:00


AP Photo Phillies infielder Wilson Valdez was the winning pitcher in Wednesday night's 19-inning marathon win over the Cincinnati Reds.

I stayed awake Wednesday night/Thursday morning to watch the Phillies' 5-4, 19-inning victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

While I'm feeling the effects of that decision today, it was worth it. It's games like that one that make baseball the great sport that it is.

First, there's no time limit. In basketball, if your team is down 5 points with 10 seconds left, the clock will tick to 0:00 and you lose. In baseball, your team could be trailing by runs with 2 outs in the bottom of the last inning, but your chance to win doesn't end with the sound of a buzzer.

And when baseball games last as long as that Phillies game did, you never know what you might see. Last year, Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt ended up in left field for a few innings in a 16-inning lost to Houston. On Wednesday night, playing 3rd base in the 19th inning was starting catcher Carlos Ruiz. The winning pitcher in the 19-inning marathon? None other than Phillies infielder Wilson Valdez, who started the game at second base.

Valdez became the first position player to start a game in the field and be the winning pitcher since 1921, when a guy named Babe Ruth did it. And that's probably the only time you'll see Wilson Valdez and Babe Ruth mentioned in the same sentence.

Unfortunately for the players, today's game was scheduled for 1 p.m., less than 12 hours after Wednesday's game ended. Phillies' shortstop Jimmy Rollins, third baseman Placido Polanco and Ruiz were not in the starting lineup for Thursday's game. And manager Charlie Manuel has to be hoping that starting pitcher Cliff Lee can pitch deep into the game, since the bullpen is wore out from the 19-inning marathon.

Randy "Macho Man" Savage dies

2011-05-20T13:46:00.003-04:00

Randy "Macho Man" Savage.

Back in the mid-1980s, I followed pro wrestling. I was in my early 20s, so I guess that's an excuse.
One of the more popular wrestlers back in the day was Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Well, the Macho Man died this morning in a car accident in Florida. He was 58.
His real name was Randy Poffo, and in the early 1970s, he played minor league baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. You can check out his stats here.
Here is the story from The Associated Press:
Randy "Macho Man" Savage, the professional wrestler known for his raspy voice, the sunglasses and bandanas he wore in the ring and the young woman named Miss Elizabeth who often accompanied him, died in a car crash Friday in Florida. He was 58.
A Florida Highway Patrol crash report said the former wrestler — whose legal name was Randy Mario Poffo — was driving a Jeep Wrangler when he lost control in Pinellas County around 9:25 a.m. The Jeep veered over the raised concrete median divider, crossed over the eastbound lanes and collided head-on with a tree.
Police said he may have suffered a "medical event" before the accident, but the report did not elaborate, and it said officials would need to perform an autopsy to know for sure.
The report said a woman in the vehicle, identified as Barbara Poffo, suffered minor injuries. A statement from Stamford, Conn.-based World Wrestling Entertainment said the passenger was the wrestler's wife.
"Poffo will be greatly missed by WWE and his fans," the statement said.
Savage was a charismatic wrestler made famous for his "Macho Man" nickname and his "Oooh Yeah!" catchphrase. He was a champion in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation, and later Ted Turner's now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.
Poffo was under contract with WWE from 1985 to 1993 and held both the WWE and Intercontinental Championships.
"Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. We wish a speedy recovery to his wife Lynn," WWE said.
Savage defined the larger-than-life personalities of the 1980s World Wrestling Federation (now WWE). He wore sequined robes bejeweled with "Macho Man" on the back, rainbow colored cowboy hats and oversized sunglasses, part of a unique look that helped build the WWF into a mainstream phenomenon.
For most of his career, his valet, Miss Elizabeth, was by his side. Elizabeth Hulette was his real-life wife. They later divorced, and Hulette died in 2003 — one of the many performers in the sport to die young.
The WWF made Savage their champion after a win over Ted DiBiase in the main event at WrestleMania in 1988.
Savage had not appeared for a major wrestling organization since 2004 when he performed for Total Nonstop Action.
He was both at times the most popular and most hated wrestler in entertainment. His flying elbow off the top rope was mimicked by basement and backyard wrestlers everywhere. Savage made good use of his deep, raspy voice as a corporate pitchman as well, for years ordering Slim Jim fans to "Snap into it!"
He's most known his legendary rivalries with Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair. Wrestlers took to Twitter to let fans know Savage won't be forgotten.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hailed Savage as one of his childhood inspirations and heroes, while Mick "Cactus Jack" Foley called Savage "one of my favorite performers."
Hogan said he and Savage had just started talking again after 10 years.
"He had so much life in his eyes & in his spirit, I just pray that he's happy and in a better place and we miss him," Hogan wrote.

Ryan Howard engaged to Eagles cheerleader

2011-04-08T17:51:00.002-04:00

Photo courtesy of philadelphiaeagles.com
Eagles cheerleader Krystle Campbell is engaged to
Phillies slugger Ryan Howard.

It's been a good start to 2011 for Phillies slugger Ryan Howard.

First, the first baseman has slugged 2 homers and knocked in 8 runs in leading the Phils' offense to a 5-1 record in the first week of the season. Now comes word that Howard is engaged to Eagles' cheerleader Krystle Campbell, at right.
Howard made the announcement prior to the Phillies' 11-0 win over the Mets on Thursday.
The pair are planning to tie the knot in 2012.

Music education is a lifelong experience

2011-04-05T10:53:00.000-04:00

Music filled the air of Berks County venues last week with the annual Berks Jazz Fest.
I attended one of the events, a night headlined by the U.S. Air Force Rhythm and Blues Jazz Ensemble — with guest soloist, trumpeter Randy Brecker — in front of a near capacity crowd at Boyertown Junior High West. Also performing that night were the Boyertown Directors Big Band, and the Berks County All-Star High School Jazz Band.
It was an awesome night of music. As I reflected on the event on my ride home, I realized how moved I was by the performance of the high school musicians. Then it occurred to me that in light of the economic tsunami area school district’s are facing thanks to dwindling revenues, ever-increasing expenses and state budget cuts, 10 years from now there may not be a high school all-star jazz band.
Yes, that’s probably an exaggeration, but because of budget deficits of millions of dollars, administrators and school boards have put a bull’s-eye on their music departments.
Several school districts — including Daniel Boone and Boyertown — have proposed eliminating music in the elementary schools, following the lead of the Governor Mifflin School District in Berks County, which axed its elementary music program last May. Some districts have considered extending the cuts into their middle schools as well.
Youth involved in music are some of the most well-rounded students in a school. The same student who is the lead player in their section of the band likely has a prominent role in the annual musical. Former Pottstown High School band director Chuck Dressler led the Berks all-star musicians. As he finished introducing the band members, he said, “This is what’s good in the world.”
Education isn’t just about reading, writing and arithmetic. When a child gets involved in music, it opens doors that can influence them the rest of their life. I started playing trombone in elementary school. Much to my surprise, 30 years after graduating from high school, I’m still playing — and loving it.
Music has allowed me to do things I otherwise never would have done: visit and perform in a solemn ceremony at Normandy Beach — site of the D-Day invasion — and play a concert while on a boat riding on the Seine River in Paris on a high school trip. As an adult, I marched down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, played in a concert in front of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., and participated in the Fourth of July midnight parade in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
These experiences have stayed with me. Had instrumental music not been offered in elementary school, I doubt if I would have picked it up as a seventh-grader.
In a recent discussion about possible cuts to the music program in Boyertown, one friend shared a story about his musical roots.
At the same time he started playing an instrument in fifth grade, he joined the Boyertown Midget-Mite football program. When he discovered the elementary school band would be playing at the annual Piggy Bowl, he shed the pads and helmet and traded one mouthpiece for another to sit with his fellow musicians in the stands.
He, too, wonders if he would have picked up the trumpet in 7th grade.
These are not easy times for school administrations or school boards. Revenues are low, expenses are high, and homeowners are taxed to the max. It’s not like the districts can make up these deficits from the change they find under the cushions of the couch in the faculty lounge.
In 2010, the Boyertown Area School District’s music department was rated as one of the top 174 in the nation by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation (www.nammfoundation.org) in its “Best Communities for Music Education” survey. The survey, according to NAMM, which is based in Carlsbad, Calif., “acknowledges schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment to and support of music education in schools.”
Whether that same support will continue in 2011 has yet to be determined.

Mike Spohn is The Mercury Sunday editor. E-mail him at mspohn@pottsmerc.com

Another 'honor' for Philly sports fans

2011-03-23T16:11:00.000-04:00

GQ magazine came out with its list of the Worst Sports Fans in America, and guess which fan base holds the top TWO spots on the list? Yep, Philadelphia sports fans.

The magazine tabbed Philadelphia Eagles fans and Philadelphia Phillies fans as Nos. 1 and 2 on the list and dubbed them "The Meanest Fans in America."

Here's the excerpt from the magazine. And of course, it brings up the whole booing of Santa Clause issue from more than 40 years ago!!!:

Over the years, Philadelphia fans have booed Santa Claus as well as their own star players. They've even booed a guy who just helped the city win a friggin' World Series title—while he was getting his ring. Boooo! Admittedly, there are some things fans have cheered. Like Michael Irvin's career-ending neck injury and a fan being tased on the outfield grass. Things reached their nadir last season, when Citizens Bank Park played host to arguably the most heinous incident in the history of sports: A drunken fan intentionally vomited on an 11-year-old girl. The truth is this: All told, Philadelphia stadiums house the most monstrous collection of humanity outside of the federal penal system. "Some of these people would boo the crack in the Liberty Bell," baseball legend Pete Rose once said. More likely, these savages would have thrown the battery that cracked it.

On the flip side, Brand Keys Inc. recently released its 19th annual Sports Loyalty Index and Phillies fans were ranked as the most loyal in Major League Baseball. Rounding out the top five were fans of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.

According to the group, the only other fan base to make the top 5 in its sport were Flyers fans, who came in second behind the Detroit Red Wings among NHL fans.

Surprisingly, Eagles fans did not make the top 5.

Spring is in the air

2011-02-15T17:19:00.004-05:00

After this nasty winter of seemingly endless snow and ice and colder-than-normal

AP Photo
Phillies starting pitcher delivers a
pitch during a workout
Monday in Clearwater, Fla.

temperatures, any thoughts of spring are welcome.

This week, there are three.

First, there's the weather, which later this week will see forecast highs near 60 or above.

AP Photo
Russian model Irina Shayk
graces the cover of the
2011 Sports Illustrated
swimsuit edition.

On Monday, the Phillies pitchers and catchers held their first workout of spring traning in Clearwater, Fla.

Then on Tuesday, Sports Illustrated released its annual swimsuit edition. The coveted spot on the cover went to Russian model Irina Shayk, girlfriend of soccer star Ronaldo.

Who cares what that groundhog thinks? Every year, these are the signs that spring is in the air.

Law firm has beef with Taco Bell meat

2011-01-25T11:33:00.000-05:00

A law firm in Alabama is suing Taco Bell, claming the fast-food restaurant is falsely advertising when it refers to "seasoned ground beef" or "seasoned beef" in its products.

The lawsuit states the meat mixture fails to reach the minimum standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be labeled as "beef."

The class-action lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in the Central District of California by the Montgomery law firm Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles.

Attorney Dee Miles said attorneys had Taco Bell's "meat mixture" tested and found it contained less that 35 percent beef.

Go here for more.

Snow in 49 states

2011-01-12T14:35:00.001-05:00

AP Photo
49 of 50 states have snow on the ground today.

As we dig out from another winter snowstorm, you should know that you aren't alone today.

According to the National Weather Service, there is snow on the ground in 49 of 50 states -- including Hawaii, which has 7 inches of snow atop the dormant volcano Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii.

The NWS estimates that more than 70 percent of the country is covered in snow. The only state that is snow free is Florida, the Sunshine State.

Click here for more.

Eagles prediction

2011-01-07T18:08:00.003-05:00

AP Photo
Eagles QB Michael Vick tries to elude a Green Bay
defender during their game in week 1 of the NFL season.
The Packers won that game, 27-20.

I don't have a good feeling about this game.

In the previous two games that meant anything -- against the Giants and Vikings -- the Eagles played lousy football for 112 of the 120 minutes. Except for those 8 minutes against the Giants, the Birds haven't been able to move the ball, and their offensive line has been a revolving door for opposing defenses as they continue to beat up on QB Michael Vick.

The Packers are playing great defense. I heard this morning that they've allowed only 104 points in this last 9 games, which amounts to a little more than 11 points per game.

Green Bay has a pretty good offense, too. QB Aaron Rodgers is better than anyone the Eagles have faced since Peyton Manning on Nov. 7. The Packers running attack isn't much, but they should be able to throw the ball against a depleted Eagles defense that is having trouble rushing the passer and has depth problems in the secondary. And the Eagles have the worst red-zone defense in recent NFL history.

To win, the Eagles will have to score at least 30 points. I don't see that happening. I hope I'm wrong, but here's the pick:

Green Bay 34, Eagles 24.

Unbe-LEE-vable

2010-12-14T16:42:00.000-05:00

In a stunning development, free-agent pitcher
Cliff Lee is returning to the Phillies.

Before heading off to bed Monday night, I went on the computer to see what was going on in the world. Much to my surprise, several sports outlets were reporting that the Phillies had become contenders for prized free agent left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee -- whom the Phillies had traded last December in the blockbuster deal to acquire Roy Halladay.

I shrugged it off, thinking they were just being used by Lee and his agent to drive up the price -- which was pretty high. Lee was already offered a 7-year, $154 million contract from the Yankees, and another significant deal from the Texas Rangers, whom Lee pitched to the World Series in October.

But what's the first thing I see Tuesday morning: that sources were reporting that Lee was returning to the Phillies.

I was stunned.

All indications are that Lee enjoyed his 4 months with the Phillies in 2009. And because of that the Phillies got Lee for a bargain: 5 years, $120 million.

So when the Phillies take the field in 2011, they will have quite the

poker hand: Four aces. With Halladay, Lee, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, the Phillies have the best starting rotation in baseball. Any of them could be the top guy with any other team; the Phils have all of them.

What it will mean next October, who knows? But if all four pitchers stay healthy, it should be a fun season.

Oh, and if this bitter cold pre-winter weather has you down, spring training starts in just 2 months, on Feb. 13.

The cost of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

2010-12-01T14:18:00.000-05:00

For the 27th year, PNC Wealth Management has estimated the cost of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." And if you wanted to buy the 364 items repeated in the song, that price tag would be close to $100,000.

The total is $96,824, an increase of 10.8 percent over last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management.

The 27th annual holiday index has historically mirrored the national Consumer Price Index, but not this year. The PNC Christmas Price Index grew 9.2 percent from last year, compared with just a 1.1 percent increase in the much broader Consumer Price Index.

Read more here.

Man says vending machine told him to attack

2010-12-01T13:30:00.000-05:00

Here's an odd story out of western Pennsylvania.

According to the Associated Press, a man was arrested on assault charges Tuesday and told police that a vending machine "made him" attack his mother, breaking her wrist.

David Huffman, 33, was jailed after he was unable to post bond.

New Sewickley Township Police Chief Ron Leindecker told the Beaver County Times that Huffman's father said his son was "flipping out" and attacked Ethel Huffman. Police say Huffman claimed "that the Pepsi machine at Costco made him hurt his mother" and he repeatedly apologized for his actions after his arrest.

Spectrum memories

2010-11-23T12:29:00.002-05:00

AP Photo
Security workers take a photo of the Spectrum prior to
the building being demolished on Tuesday.

Today, I say farewell to another part of my youth.

More than six years after watching the implosion of Veterans Stadium, a wrecking ball will be sent through The Spectrum as the building once known as "America's Showplace" gets demolished to make room for an entertainment and retail area in the South Philadelphia sports complex.

I don't have as many great memories from The Spectrum as I did from The Vet, but I saw dozens of events there, mostly basketball games. For a stretch covering 16 years, two of the greatest players in NBA history -- first Julius Erving, then Charles Barkley -- called The Spectrum home.

I didn't see a concert at the venue, but I do remember in college taking a trip to The Spectrum to watch a World Wrestling Federation card that featured WWF champion Bob Backlund fighting to retain his belt against Big John Studd.

And on those rare occasions our seats were in the third-level, the smell of marijuana wafting through the air.

There are a handful of moments that standout, but only a few games that are etched in my memory. So here are my top 3 Spectrum memories, in ascending order:

No. 3: Feb. 17, 1979. This was the first -- and only -- Flyers game I saw at The Spectrum. The Flyers were playing the hated New York Rangers when the blade of an errant stick jammed through the eye opening on the mask of Flyers' Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent. Parent's eye was permanently damaged and he had to retire.

No. 2: May 16, 1980. Unfortunately, another negative for the home team. It was Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Sixers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had sprained his ankle in Game 5 and didn't make the trip to Philadephia. So Lakers rookie point guard Magic Johnson volunteered to play center and had one of the best games of his career 42 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists in the Lakers' series-clinching 123-107 victory. It was a tough blow for a soon-to-be 17-year-old kid.

No. 1: March 28, 1992: This one I just watched as a college basketball fan. It was the NCAA East Regional championship between Duke and Kentucky. The seats were great. Fourth row on the floor to the left of one of the baskets. The only thing better than the seats was the game itself. It went into overtime, and with Kentucky leading 103-102 with 2.1 seconds left, Duke's Christian Laettner took a length-of-the-court pass from Grant Hill, dribbled once, turned and fired a shot that hit nothing but net in the basket just feet away from our seats to give Duke an improbable 104-103 victory. Laettner was perfect for the game, shooting 10-for-10 from both the field (including a 3-pointer) and the free-throw line for 31 points. For many experts, it it considered the greatest college basketball game of all time. Duke went on to win the title.

So farewell, Spectrum. And thanks for the memories.

A little extreme, don't ya think?

2010-11-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not a fan of "Dancing With the Stars." On those rare times I do tune in, it's usually to watch a so-called star (I think the show should be called "Dancing with the D-List and Has-been Stars") I don't care for fall on their rear end -- like Kate Gosselin this season.

STEVEN COWAN

But I do know who is on the show, and a lot of people question why Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, is on the show. Like I said, the show should be renamed because why is she a star?

From what I"ve read, Palin is an awful dancer, yet continues to move on as call-in voters continue to get rid of other contestants. After Tuesday's show, Palin advanced to the final 3 with a chance to win the title next week.

Well, one man in Wisconsin was so upset by this that he took out a shotgun and shot his TV. According to investigators, this led to an all-night standoff with a SWAT team.

According to the Associated Press, Steven Cowan, 67, was arrested Tuesday morning after officers coaxed him out of his house in Vermont, a farming community near Madison. Cowan, who is accused of threatening his wife with the gun after destroying the television, appeared in a Madison courtroom Wednesday on a charge of second-degree reckless endangerment. His bail was set at $1,500.

Cowan's wife, Janice Cowan, told investigators that her husband suffers from bipolar disorder and had threatened her life in the past.

Read the full story here.

One more year for "The Simpsons"

2010-11-12T17:35:00.000-05:00

As anyone who reads this blog (and the two of you know who you are) knows, I am a fan of "The Simpsons," though because of commitments, I'm not as religious a viewer as I was through the series' first 20 seasons.

But I was still glad to hear Friday that Fox has picked up another season of the longest-running comedy in television history. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie will be back for a 23rd season in 2011-2012, which when finished will have 515 episodes in the books.

"Like many 22-year-olds, 'The Simpsons' is extremely happy remaining at home, on Fox, and hopes it doesn't have to go out into the real world for many years to come," executive producer Al Jean told Reuters.

The animated series has won 27 Emmys, and patriarch Homer Simpson's catchphrase "D'oh!" has even earned a spot in the Oxford English Dictionary.

I don't think the show is as good or as funny as it was over the first 15 or so seasons, but it's still worth watching.

Eddie Munster in rehab

2010-11-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

Butch Patrick, who as a child star played Eddie Munster in the 1960s television sitcom "The Munsters," checked into a drug and alcohol treatment facility in New Jersey, it was reported Thursday.

According to the Associated Press, Patrick's agent, Jodi Ritzen, says Patrick is in rehab "to deal with a lifetime problem of substance abuse." Ritzen wouldn't disclose the name of the facility where he's being treated.

Patrick, at right holding a book he recently wrote, moved to the Philadelphia area earlier this year after being contacted by a West Chester woman who was a fan of "The Munsters" back in the 1960s. She announced last week that they had split.

Phillies prediction

2010-10-16T18:34:00.000-04:00

It's hard to look at things objectively when you expect the Phillies to win.

If one team can equal the Phillies' starting pitching trio of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, it's the San Francisco Giants, the Phils' opponent in the NLCS that begins tonight, who can pitch two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez and Matt Cain.

I think the Giants have a better bullpen, the Phils a better offense and defense.

And I think the Phils are a better team.

Despite the Giants' pitching, I expect the Phillies' offense to come to life and hit better than .212 as they did against the Reds in the NLDS.

Look for Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and yes, Jimmy Rollins, to carry the Phillies to their third straight World Series. It's going to be a tough one, but I see the Phillies winning in 6 games.

Phillies prediction

2010-10-06T16:11:00.000-04:00

An hour before first pitch, it's time to make my prediction on the National League Division Series between the Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds.

I expect the Phillies to be in the World Series, so why am I so worried about this match up?

The Phillies' three starters of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels are better than who the Reds are pitching. What concerns me is the Phillies' offense, which has had several stretches of ineptitude during the season. Now would not be a good time for another one, and Placido Polanco is out of the lineup for game one because of a sore back.

When the Phils hosted the Reds in a 4-game series in July, the Phils swept the series. But the first three games the Phils won in the final at bat. In fact in the third game, Reds' pitcher Travis Wood had a PERFECT GAME against the Phillies heading into the 9th inning in a game the Phils won, 1-0. The Phils won the final game, also 1-0, with Hamels on the mound.

The Phils need to jump on the Reds started and get a lead. The Reds bullpen is pretty good, and with lefty reliever Aroldis Chapman and his 100-plus mph fastball coming in to face Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in the late innings, it would be nice if the Phils were ahead when he came into the game.

But I expect the Phils' starting pitching and post-season experience to come out ahead in this series. Phillies in 4.

Happy 50th anniversary, Fred and Wilma

2010-09-30T17:43:00.001-04:00

On Sept. 30, 1960, "The Flintstones" -- a modern stone-age family -- debuted on ABC. It became the longest-running animated series when it finished on April 1, 1966, a record which stood until being shattered by "The Simpsons."

So tonight, Fred and Wilma Flintstone, along with their neighbors, Betty and Barney Rubble, are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Yabba, dabba, doo!

Wow, what a run!

2010-09-23T17:13:00.006-04:00

Phillies celebrate Wednesday's victory
over the Atlanta Braves./AP Photo

Two months ago, the Phillies were floundering.

Just two games over .500 at 48-46 on July 21, the two-time National League champions were in third place in the National League East, 7 games behind the Atlanta Braves.

I'll admit, I thought this was going to be a lost season: Too many injuries, too many players having below-average seasons.

Since that day, the Phillies have the best record in baseball at 44-15 and have turned the 7-game deficit into a 6-game lead -- thanks to the recent 3-game sweep of the Braves -- with just 9 games left in the season.

At 92-61, they also have a 6-game advantage for best record in the National League and are just behind the New York Yankees for the best record in baseball.

If the Phils finish with the best record in the NL, they will get an extra day off during the NL Division Series, which means Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt can pitch on regular rest. And thanks to the NL's All-Star Game victory, they'd have home-field advantage in the World Series, should they get there.

Another Red October will soon be upon us. Let's hope it ends with a November parade!

We're getting fatter

2010-09-23T16:06:00.000-04:00

And the U.S. is leading the way.

At least that's what the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developmet said in its first-ever obesity forecast released Thursday that states that citizens of the world's richest countries are getting heavier.

According to the study, three out of four Amercans will be overweight or obese by 2020, which will then lead to skyrocketing health-care spending and disease rates. I'm trying to reverse that trend, eating a little healthier and exercising regularly. I'm still not where I'd like to be, but I have lost 20 pounds in the past 12 months.

The Paris-based organization, which brings together 33 of the world's leading economies, is better known for forecasting deficit and employment levels than for measuring waistlines. But the economic cost of excess weight -- in health care, and in lives cut short and resources wasted --- is a growing concern for many governments.

In the Associated Press story, Franco Sassi, the OECD senior health economist who authored the report, blamed the usual suspects for the increase.

"Food is much cheaper than in the past, in particular food that is not particularly healthy, and people are changing their lifestyles, they have less time to prepare meals and are eating out more in restaurants," said Sassi, a former London School of Economics lecturer who worked on the report for three years.

Mmmmm, donut. Mmmmm, burger

2010-08-18T13:52:00.004-04:00

State fairs have been known for inventing interesting food ideas. Most of them recently have involved deep frying a favorite dessert: Twinkies, Oreos, or candy bars.

But a vendor at the Wisconsin State Fair may have gone over the top: a Krispy Kreme cheeseburger!

That's right, a cheeseburger between two halves of a Krispy Kreme glazed donut. The calorie count: 1,000. And for an additional cost, chocolate covered bacon is added to the burger.

This burger didn't originate at this year's Wisconsin fair, but that's how it is gaining its notoriety. As a fan of Krispy Kreme donuts I'd love to try one, though it definitely goes against the healthier-eating kick I'm currently on.

The Allentown Fair is in two weeks. Maybe it will show up there.

Philles Phans Phlock to Phlorida

2010-08-18T13:01:00.003-04:00

I just returned from a visit to Walt Disney World and August must be a popular time for Phillies fans to visit Central Florida.

Everywhere I turned throughout the four theme parks, I noticed an abundance of people donning a Phillies shirt or hat. In Epcot, I walked passed a man in a Phillies shirt who asked me how I was doing, just based on a Phillies batting practice jersey I had on. Moments later, another guy in a Phillies shirt fist-bumped me. Our paths then crossed again in the Rose and Crown Pub in the United Kingdom in the World Showcase.

Based on observations, the Phils were far-and-away the most popular team for Walt Disney World visitors when I visited. The Yankees were a distant second, followed by the Red Sox.

Gus Portokalos was right

2010-07-22T17:58:00.003-04:00

Don't know how many are fans of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," but the one thing that I"m reminded of about that movie is how dad Gus Portokalos, played by Reading native Michael Constantine, walked around with a bottle of Windex and squirted it on everything to make it work.

Well, thanks to the hot, humid weather, we've been having some trouble with a 20-year-old French door that leads to our deck. For about a week, the dead bolt lock was stuck and we couldn't use the door to get on the deck. We tried WD-40 and that didn't work.

So the other morning, just for the heck of it, I grabbed a bottle of Windex from the cabinet under the kitchen sink, walked to the back door and squirted a few streams of Windex into the lock. I waited about a minute or two and ... Voila ... THE BACK DOOR OPENED!!!!

I don't know how much of it was because the heat and humidity was a little lower Monday morning or because the Windex actually worked, but....thanks for the tip, Gus!

5 best summertime songs of all time

2010-07-22T15:10:00.002-04:00

This isn't my list, but found it interesting any way. It's the top 5 summertime songs of all time.

Frank Sinatra's "Summer Wind" is No. 5 and "California Girls" is No. 1. I'm not too sure about the others. I would have found a way to put "Beach Baby" by First Class on the list and probably Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville."

Things are getting worse for Phillies

2010-06-29T15:06:00.005-04:00

The Phillies are only 3 1/2 games out of first place, but as the season goes on, you just have a feeling this team isn't going to the postseason.

The latest reason came Tuesday afternoon, when the Phillies placed both second baseman Chase Utley, at right, and third baseman Placido Polanco on the disabled list. Utley injured his thumb sliding into second base Monday night against Cincinnati, while Polanco has been out of the lineup since Friday with an injured elbow that has plagued him all season.

With catcher Carlos Ruiz also on the DL, 3 of the team's regular 8 players are out of the lineup.

Since the start of the season, the Phillies regular lineup has been on the field together for 5 games -- all in the first week of the season. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins spent 5 weeks on the disabled list earlier this season. In addition to Ruiz, Utley and Polanco, pitchers Ryan Madson, J.A. Happ, Antonio Bastardo and Chad Durbin are also on the DL.

Kobayashi won't compete in hot dog-eating contest

2010-06-29T14:12:00.006-04:00

The biggest event of July Fourth weekend could be without one of its most prominent players.

It looks like a contact dispute with Major League Eating will keep Takeru Kobayashi, at right, out of Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest on Sunday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Kobayashi, a six-time winner of the event, is currently No. 3 in the world in the MLE rankings.

Ranked No. 2 in the world is Bob Shoudt of Royersford.

Read more here.

Sixers trade Dalembert

2010-06-17T16:01:00.005-04:00

After years of attempting to get rid of overpaid, underperforming center Samuel Dalembert, the Philadelphia 76ers have finally found a taker.

According to The Associated Press, the Sixers have traded Dalembert to the Sacramento Kings for center Spencer Hawes and forward Andres Nocioni.

Dalembert, shown at right, has been with the Sixers since 2001, when he was a first-round draft choice out of Seton Hall. He averaged just over 8 points and 8 rebounds a game for his career.

Calif. man arrested trying to kill bin Laden

2010-06-15T13:07:00.003-04:00

A Calfornia man was arrested in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday and told officials he was there to kill Osama bin Laden and fight the Taliban.

Gary Brooks Faulkner was carying a pistol, a sword and a scimitar when he was picked up attmpting to cross into Afghanistan. According to reports, Falukner had visited the region 7 times before his arrest.

He had expressed his intention to fight the Taliban and bin Laden, reports stated.

For more, click here.

2009 ugliest dog dies

2010-06-03T12:23:00.004-04:00

The dog who won Animal Planet's "World's Ugliest Dog" contest in 2009 has died near Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Miss Ellie, a small, bug-eyed Chinese Crested Hairless Dog, was 17 and had starred in shows at the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge, according to The Mountain Press.

Last Nov. 12 was "Miss Ellie Day" in Pigeon Forge to help her owner raise money for the local human society. Over the years, the dog helped raise more than $100,000 for the county human society.

For more, click here.

Guaranteed win

2010-06-03T10:47:00.000-04:00

The Phillies are struggling right now, but if you tune in to WPHT 1210-AM or 610 WIP tonight at 7 p.m., you are guaranteed to hear a Phillies' victory. That's because both stations are re-broadcasting Roy Halladay's perfect game from Saturday night.

3 runs in 5 games

2010-05-28T11:35:00.003-04:00

Are you kidding me?

The Phillies just got shut out in three straight games by the hated New York Mets. Counting the final two games of the previous series against the Boston Red Sox, including one game in which they only got one hit, the Phillies have scored in only 1 of the last 45 innings!!!!

That has to be some kind of record. And it's not like this is a bad hitting time like the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Seattle Marines. These are the two-time defending National League champions, for crying out loud!!!

Making this worse is that the Phils are in the midst of a 9-game road trip in which they now travel to Florida and Atlanta.

It better change soon.

'Field of Dreams' up for sale

2010-05-13T17:58:00.003-04:00

The owners of the site in Iowa where the baseball movie "Field of Dreams" was filmed more than 20 years ago are putting the property up for sale. The asking price is $5.4 million.

The farm has been in the family of Don Lansing for more than 100 years. He and his wife Becky are ready to retire and want to sell the property. Up for sale is the baseball diamond, a two-bedroom house, six outbuildings, including a concession stand, and a 193-acre parcel that included the cornfield from where "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and others emerged to play baseball (shown above).

The "Field of Dreams" is in the middle of a cornfield near Dyersville, Iowa. The movie, starring Kevin Costner, was released in 1989.

Phillies great Robin Roberts dies

2010-05-06T14:13:00.006-04:00

Phillies Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts died Thursday morning at his home in Temple Terrace, Fla.

Roberts, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, won 286 games in his career and holds several Phillies pitching records.

The Phillies held several tributes to Roberts before Thursday afternoon's game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. At right, a Phillies wreath is adorned next to a statue of Roberts at the first-base entrance to the stadium.

For more, click here.

Another stupid fan

2010-05-05T15:13:00.004-04:00

As if Monday night's incident involving a fan on the field wasn't enough, a copy cat struck during the night inning of Tuesday night's Phillies game.

The idiot was identified by police as Thomas Betz of Warminster, Bucks County, who apparently is an aspiring DJ. But unlike the Boyertown teenager who was Tased by a Philadelphia police office on Monday night, Betz gave up quietly and was led off the field by security guards.

Another difference? Betz is 34 years old, unlike the teenge in Monday's encounter.

Betz jumped onto the field in the top of the ninth inning with the Phillies leading, 1-0, and Cole Hamels on the mound trying to complete the shutout. Only Hamels knows for sure if he was distracted, but the next two hitters had doubles to tie the game and send Hamels to the locker room.

According to the Associated Press, the crowd booed Betz as he was led away and some people chanted "Tase him."

Based on the above photo, he should have been Tased for wearing those pants!

Boyertown teen Tasered at Phillies game

2010-05-05T15:03:00.005-04:00

In case you missed it, a Boyertown Area High School senior was Tasered at Monday night's Phillies game. Here is a story I wrote for the paper culled from video interviews with his mother, with home he lives in Gilbertsville, and his father, who lives in Upper Pottsgrove.

Bad loss for Phillies

2010-04-21T11:57:00.002-04:00

There are losses, then there are bad losses like the one the Phillies suffered Tuesday night in Atlanta.

Leading 3-0 with 2 outs and a man on in the bottom of the ninth inning, closer Ryan Madson gave up a two-run home run to Troy Glaus, then a game-tying blast by rookie phenom Justin Heyward to send the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Braves' Nate McClouth blasted his first homer of the season off Jose Contreras to win the game.

This was about as bad a loss as it can get. It spoiled a great pitching performance by Kyle Kendrick, who blanked the Braves on 4 hits through 8 innings. It was also the Phillies' fourth loss in five games.

It's why they call it March Madness

2010-03-18T15:19:00.001-04:00

The NCAA men's basketball tournament started this afternoon, and it was March Madness once again.

In the first three games of the tournament, one game was decided by 1 point, a second game went to overtime, and the third game went to double overtime. Villanova, the No. 2 seed in the South Region, escaped with a three-point overtime win over 15th-seed Robert Morris.

And there are still 61 games left to be played!

Tragedy on Hilton Head Island

2010-03-17T17:24:00.002-04:00

A tragedy happened on the beach on Hilton Head Island, S.C., Monday night when a jogger was struck and killed by a single-engine airplane that was making an emergency landing.

Gary Jones, a 38-year-old salesman for GlaxoSmithKline on a business trip, had ear buds in as he was listening to his iPod while jogging and couldn't hear or see the plane as it tried to land after losing its propeller. Oil was smeared over the windshield of the aircraft, making visibility difficult for the pilot, authorities said.

The plane was "basically gliding," said the coroner.

To read more, click here.

One week to go

2010-02-11T16:47:00.000-05:00

As we dig out from under another 20 inches of snow brought on by Wednesday's blizzard, here's a happy thought: The first workout for Phillies pitchers and catchers is next Thursday in Clearwater, Fla.

Just 7 days away!!!

Indy bus drivers may get Super Bowl Monday delay

2010-02-03T12:19:00.004-05:00

Those of you who have to get up for work early on the day after the Super Bowl know how difficult that is and would love to go into work a few hours late.

Well, they might just be doing that in the Indianapolis School District on Monday.

With the hometown Colts playing -- and favored -- in the Super Bowl, the school district has scheduled a two-hour delay for Monday to give bus drivers a few more hours to get to work. The only problem? State education officials don't like the plan because the big game doesn't count as an emergency.

After the Colts won the Super Bowl in 2007, so many bus drivers -- who are scheduled to report at 5:30 a.m. -- called in sick that the school district had to cancel all classes.

Eat pie on Saturday

2010-01-21T14:23:00.002-05:00

In case anyone didn't read the Sunday, Jan. 17 edition of The Mercury, Saturday is National Pie Day.

So be sure to grab a slice of pie on Saturday and celebrate!

Four weeks to go

2010-01-21T13:58:00.002-05:00

Let the countdown begin. It's only 28 days until Phillies pitcher and catchers report to Clearwater, Fla., for spring training.

Woo hoo!

Lidge undergoes second surgery of off-season

2010-01-14T15:56:00.005-05:00

Just five weeks until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, Phillies closer Brad Lidge, above, had surgery Wednesday to remove loose bodies from his right knee. Lidge spent time on the disabled list last year with a sprained right knee.

The surgery was Lidge's second of the off-season. In November, the right-hander had surgery on the elbow of his throwing arm.

The Phillies say Lidge could miss the start of the season, which is April 5 in Washington.

Vote for Reading Phillies' Team of the Decade

2010-01-06T13:15:00.003-05:00

The Reading Phillies, the Double-A affiliate of the two-time National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies, are asking fans to vote for the R-Phils All-Decade Team.

According to a press release, continuing each Monday for a total of 8 straight weeks, fans can vote for their favorite R-Phils from the past decade. The team will be announced on the team's Web site, www.readingphillies.com, and will be featured in a 2010 photo and T-shirt to be given away at a game later this season.

Every Monday, a new group of players, categorized by position, will be announced. The vote started on Jan. 4, with fans asked to pick the best right-handed pitcher of the last 10 years.

Among the players to pass through Reading in the last decade are 2006 National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Howard, 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP Cole Hamels, Ryan Madson, Brett Myers and Michael Bourn

For more information, click here.

Must have been a lousy hamburger

2010-01-06T13:02:00.002-05:00

I've had some bad food before at fast-food restaurants, but never thought of doing something like this.

A woman trashed a McDonald's in Kansas City, Mo., after not being satisfied with her hamburger and now police are looking for her.

According to the Associated Press, the woman caused thousands of dollars in damage when she became upset the restaurant wouldn't refund her money. She refused the offer of another hamburger.

A video released by police (a still photo from the video is shown above) shows the woman throwing a sign and a bucket of water over the counter and pushing off a glass display case and three cash registers.

It's appropriate

2009-12-18T11:59:00.003-05:00

The cafeteria at the state Capitol in Harrisburg was shut down Thursday and continues closed today because of mice infestation.

That's only appropriate, seeing as the halls of the Capitol are overrun with rats!!!!

With lost bet, man's TV becomes victim of gun shots

2009-12-10T14:53:00.004-05:00

The New Orleans Saints' dramatic come-from-behind overtime win Sunday over the Washington Redskins cost an Albany, La., man a television -- his 60-inch, high-definition, flat-screen TV!

Wayne Spring told his friends that if the Saints won, they could come over to his house and shoot his television.

As soon as the game ended, after the Saints' kicked a game-winning field goal, Spring said his phone started ringing. About a dozen gun-toting friends then came over and shot up Spring's TV in the back yard.

But the event turned Spring into an Internet star. He posted video of his TV being shot at on YouTube and received more than 145,00o hits in 3 days.

Albany is located about 50 miles northwest of New Orleans.

That's a lot of weight!

2009-12-09T16:02:00.002-05:00

Tuesday night was the live finale of season 8 of "The Biggest Loser" on NBC. My wife and I are in awe of the transformations the 16 contestants make from the the start of the show.

This season's big winner, Danny Cahill of Broken Arrow, Okla., at right, is literally the biggest loser in the history of the program. Cahill, who weighed 430 pounds when this season started in September, lost a staggering total of 239 pounds -- the most in the show's history -- to win the $250,000 prize.

The weight Cahill lost is 5 pounds more than what I weigh.

After 6 months and 3 weeks, Cahill lost 55.58 percent of his previous body weight.

Holiday concert scheduled for Saturday

2009-12-04T17:59:00.002-05:00

The Boyertown Alumni Band will present its sixth annual holiday concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at Morning Star Fellowship on Limekiln Road in Bechtelsville.

Selections will include "Greensleeves," "Sleigh Ride," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas Medley," "Wonderful Christmastime," "Jingle Bell Fantasy," and "A Christmas Festival."

Admission is free. A freewill offering will be taken to benefit the Boyertown Area Multi-Service.

Imagine hitting this on the road

2009-11-05T13:00:00.004-05:00

In southeastern Pennsylvania, we always worry about deer crossing our path while we are driving.

Well, an Oklahoma couple driving home from church hit something a little larger while on the road: an elephant!!!

Here are the details, according to the Associated Press:

An elephant that escaped from a nearby circus collided with the couple's SUV Wednesday night when it ran across a rural highway in Enid, about 100 miles north of Oklahoma City.

Police say the 29-year-old elephant had escaped earlier that night from the Family Fun Circus at the Garfield County Fairgrounds. The couple weren't injured in the crash, but police say the elephant had a broken tusk and an injured leg.

Authorities say the elephant's tusk tore a hole in the SUV's sheet metal.
After the crash, the elephant was taken to a veterinary school for an exam. Dr. Dwight Olson says the elephant doesn't appear to have serious injuries.

The dreaded pick

2009-10-28T16:40:00.002-04:00

Well, here goes. I've spent the last few days wondering about my pick to win the World Series, with the hometown Phillies battling the Evil Empire, otherwise known as the New York Yankees.

To be honest, I've been surprised by the Phillies so far this postseason. Yes, I picked them to beat the Colorado Rockies in 4 games in the National League Division Series, but the series didn't play out the way I had in mind, with the Phils winning two games in Colorado in the 9th inning.

Against the Dodgers, I had the Phillies winning the NL Championship Series in 6 games, and they did it in 5. They had few problems with the Dodgers vaunted bullpen, while the Phils' pen shut the door.

So, what about the Series? One minute I think the Yankees are going to win it, the next I lean toward the Phillies.

The Phillies are underdogs in this series. Few so-called "experts" expect them to win. Heck, the defending World Champions were the third choice by bookmakers in Las Vegas to win the NL crown.

This team continues to amaze me. They don't feel the pressure. And it's not like they haven't been here before. After all, they won the thing last year.

So with a split in New York and 2 of 3 wins at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies will repeat with a Game 6 victory at the new Yankee Stadium.

GO PHILLIES!!!!

Attack on Christmas has begun already

2009-10-28T16:23:00.003-04:00

It's not Halloween yet, but the attack on Christmas has already begun.

In Kentucky, the tree that will sit on the Capitol lawn will not be called a Christmas tree. Instead, the giant evergreen will be known as a "holiday tree."

A giant evergreen that will brighten the Capitol lawn this winter won't be called a Christmas tree. Instead, Gov. Steve Beshear's administration has dubbed it a "holiday tree." Beshear is a DEMOCRAT.

In an Associated Press story, the Rev. Jeff Fugate of Lexington says the change is offensive to Christians.

Beshear administration spokeswoman Cindy Lanham says the holiday tree reference is meant to be inclusive of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's. People found out about it Tuesday when the state sent a letter looking for someone to donate a tree.

Republican Senate President David Williams of Burkesville says Beshear is putting political correctness ahead of Kentucky values.

The pick

2009-10-15T17:42:00.004-04:00

I waited long enough, almost 2 hours before first pitch, to make my pick on the NLCS.

The key to this series is simple. The defending World Champion Phillies need to score early and often against the L.A. Dodgers -- something they did not do against Colorado in the division series, and really something they didn't do a lot of in the regular season. It seems the Phillies score most of their runs after the fifth inning.

But the Phillies can't afford to do that in this series. The Dodgers have the best bullpen in the National League, if not all of baseball. So if the Phillies don't have a lead in the sixth inning, that game's outcome isn't going to look too good.

I think the Phils' pitching will be pretty good throughout the series, so it's the bats that will need to come through.

I was right with my pick of the Phillies winning its NL Division Series over Colorado in 4 games. It didn't happen exactly how I had pictured it, but winning is the only thing.

Perhaps it's just wishful thinking, but here it is: Phillies in 6.

Go Phillies!

Sad day for 1980s wrestling fans

2009-10-14T14:41:00.004-04:00

I'll admit it. In high school and college I followed pro wrestling. And one of the great characters of that time frame was Captain Lou Albano.

So it's sad to hear that Albano, at right, has died at the age of 76.

Albano was with World Wresting Entertainment from 1983 to 1996, when he was inducted into its hall of fame.

Albano also played Cyndi Lauper's father in her video for "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" in 1983. According to WWE, Albano took credit for her success.

Playboy must be running out of models

2009-10-09T13:06:00.002-04:00

Playboy magazine must be having a hard time getting models.

For its November issue, the magazine will feature the never-aging matriarch of the Simpson clan, Marge Simpson.

Yep, Homer Simpson's better half, at right, will not only grace the cover, but will "pose" in a three-page pictorial. The magazine will hit newstands Oct. 16.

It's a first for the magazine, which has had everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Cindy Crawford to the Girls of Hooters and even the likes of Jerry Seinfeld on the cover. But it's never had a cartoon character before.

Marge isn't going to bare all, though, as the magazine says there will only be "implied nudity" in the 3-page pictorial.

New CEO Scott Flanders says the idea is to attract readers in their 20s to a magazine where the average reader's age is 35.

Another sign I'm getting older

2009-10-08T12:30:00.003-04:00

I was walking the dogs shortly after 7:30 this morning. The air was crisp, temperature in the low to mid-40s, so I was dressed in sweatpants, sweatshirt and windbreaker. And I felt comfortable.

During the walk, I came across another man who was out with his two dogs. He was probably 12-15 years younger than me and it showed in his choice of clothes for the morning walk: T-shirt, gym shorts and flip flops!!!!

Just one more sign I'm getting older.

Talk about a great pumpkin

2009-10-07T12:48:00.004-04:00

You'd be able to make a lot of pumpkin pies, bread, etc. from a pumpkin grown in Ohio.

Christy Harp of Jackson Township near Canton, grew a 1,725-pound pumpkin, shown above, that took first place at the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers contest last weekend. Harp won $2,500 and could claim lay claim to the world's biggest pumpkin.

Contest organizers say Harp's entry topped the 1,689-pound record-holder grown in 2007 by Joe Jutras of North Scituate, R.I.

The dreaded pick

2009-10-07T12:37:00.003-04:00

I have mixed feelings about how the Phillies will fare in their NL Division Series against the Colorado Rockies.

On the one hand, the defending World Champions struggled down the stretch, winning just 5 of their final 13 games. The starting pitching was mediocre at best, the hitting was practically non-existent, and the bullpen at times was in shambles.

The only regular player who had good numbers in the season's final month was Ryan Howard. Chase Utley saw his batting average fall 20 points from Sept. 1, and Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino had trouble getting on base.

But on the other hand, the team did what it needed to get into the post-season. And their 11-3 record in the playoffs last year shows they know how to play when the pressure's on.

Plus, the Phils owe the Rockies from 2007, when in a similar situation, the Rockies one the first two games at Citizens Bank Park en route to a three-game sweep of the NL East champs.

So here goes: I like the Phillies to win the series in 4 games. I expect Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels to pitch well the first 2 games in Philly and give the team a 2-0 edge.

But if that doesn't happen, it could be a short visit to the playoffs for the defending champions.

Wow, I got it right!

2009-10-06T14:21:00.003-04:00

As the Phillies prepare to open the National League playoffs Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park against the Colorado Rockies, I went back in the blog archives to see what I predicted for the season. Boy was I surprised.

Not so much that I correctly prognosticated that the Phillies would win the NL Eastern Division (though I thought it would be in a dogfight with the Mets), but that my analysis of a 93-win season was correct as the defending World Champions finished with a 93-69 record, 6 games ahead of the second-place Marlins and 23 games against the hated, injury-plauged Mets.

I'll have my playoff outlook before Wednesday's first pitch at 2:37 p.m.

History in the making?

2009-09-29T17:28:00.003-04:00

I haven't blogged much about the Phillies this year. Perhaps its because as the World Series Champions, I was cutting them some slack.

But through an up-and-down season, I'm finally fed up. Sure they're in first place, 4 games ahead with 6 games to play, but I feel incredibly uncomfortable over their prospects.

Just last week, the Phils were ahead by 8 1/2 games with just 13 to play, and 7 up with 10 to play. Do you see a pattern? They should be wrapping up the division and preparing for the playoffs; instead, the lead keeps dwindling.

There have been few positives for this team down the stretch. Brad Lidge's struggles have been season long. The rest of the bullpen, save for Ryan Madson, has been overcome with injuries. The offense has turned mediocre veterans and rookie starters into Cy Young winners.

The Phils only need to win 3 of the 6 games to clinch the division title. But since they are 0-5 this season against the awful Houston Astros, who the Phils host the next 3 nights, and then a visit from the always tough Florida Marlins ends the season, winning those 3 games will be tough.

The Atlanta Braves, who trail the Phillies by 4 games, have 2 more at home with the Marlins, then host the NL-worst Washington Nationals for 4 games to end the season. So it's unlikely the Braves will lose 3 times.

So if the Phillies end up losing the division title, they will make history by blowing the largest lead (7 games) in the shortest amount of time (10 games). Until now, that mark has been held by the infamous 1964 Phillies, who had a 6 1/2-game lead with 12 games to play, but lost 10 games and lost the National League pennant to the St. Louis Cardinals.

I think the baseball Gods are getting back at Phillies fans for last year. We had the ecstasy of a World Series title; now, will we get the agony of a blown division title?

Two holes in one -- in one round.

2009-09-18T15:07:00.002-04:00

The sport isn't this easy.

Twice within the past week, two people have hit two holes-in-one in one round on the golf course. And no, they didn't have to knock the yellow ball through the windmill.

The first was done by former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass, who carded two holes-in-one in a span of 11 holes during the team's annual alumni golf outing.

The other was accomplished by 64-year-old Ruth Day of northern England, who shot two holes-in-one in the same round at Whitley Bay Golf Club, where she is a member.

"A hole in one in itself is usually pretty amazing," Day said in Friday's edition of The Journal, a newspaper in northeast England. "But I couldn't believe it when I did the same thing 10 holes further on."

Day, a retiree, said she has been playing golf for about 10 years.

"Some people go through their whole life and never get a hole-in-one," Day said. "I think there's only a very small number of people around the world who have done it twice in one round."

The feat is rare. Golf Digest estimates the odds against a golfer having two holes-in-one in the same round at 67 million to 1.

Bye bye Baskett -- and Kendra

2009-09-15T16:03:00.005-04:00

The Eagles added suspended quarterback Michael Vick to the 53-man roster on Tuesday so he will be able to practice with the team prior to being allowed to play in the season's third game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

To make room for Vick, the Birds released wide receiver Hank Baskett. Baskett was an average receiver, but his biggest claim to fame is that he married "Girl Next Door" and former Playboy Playmate Kendra Wilkinson, shown at right, this summer.

Baskett got a lot of air time this year in Wilkinson's reality show "Kendra" on the E! network.

Numbers align for Wisconsin baby

2009-09-11T11:42:00.000-04:00

I find this hard to believe: A baby born in Wisconsin on Wednesday 9/09/09, at 9:09 a.m. weighed, get this, 9 pounds, 9 ounces.

To read more, click here.

Missouri nursing homes hold beauty pageant

2009-08-26T13:09:00.002-04:00

The crowning of a new beauty queen will take place tonight in Kansas City, Mo. It's not Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss World, Miss Universe, or Miss Informed.

No, this pageant is the 29th annual Ms. Missouri Nursing Home Pageant, a three-tiered, statewide competition.

The pageant's c0-chairwoman Carla Lungren, who works with the Missouri Health Care Association, is proud of the pageant.

"That's totally why we do what we do everyday in long-term care," said Lungren. "To touch people's lives and make them meaningful until the very end."

According to an Associated Press story, there ares no extravagant prizes or evening gown competitions, though some women prefer to wear a fancy dress or adorn their wheelchairs with flowers as they tell stories of growing up during the Great Depression and World War II. Some reminisce about vacation mishaps or decades-long marriages — and of their children, grandchildren, even great-great grandchildren.

Georgia, Alabama and California also have long-running pageants, and West Virginia held its event for many years before the death of its organizer.

To read more, click here.

Now this is a cupcake!!

2009-08-20T14:54:00.003-04:00

My stepdaughters love to bake, but I hope they never try to bake a cupcake this size.

The world's largest cupcake -- a 1,224-pound triple vanilla cupcake with pink frosting -- was unveiled Aug. 15 at the Woodward Dream Cruise classic cars event in Royal Oak, Mich.

A Guinness World Records representative was on hand to certify the cupcake's girth. The cupcake weighed more than 8 times the size of the previous record holder.

Some of the other insane numbers: the cupcake took 12 hours to bake, and included 800 eggs and 200 pounds each of sugar and flour. The cupcake was made by New Hampshire-based Gourmetgiftbaskets.com. Owner Ryan Abood told a newspaper the cupcake had an estimated 2 million calories.

Slices of the cupcake were served in exchange for donations to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer organization.

Pa. man guilty of groping Minnie Mouse

2009-08-11T16:40:00.002-04:00

A 60-year-old Schuylkill County man was found guilty Tuesday of groping a woman in a Minnie Mouse costume at Walt Disney World.

According to the Associated Press, John William Moyer of Cressona told the judge he is innocent. His son said before sentencing that his father would never inappropriately touch a woman, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Moyer was convicted Tuesday of misdemeanor battery and sentenced to write the victim an apology, serve 180 days probation and complete 50 hours of community service. Moyer must also pay $1,000 in court costs and possibly undergo a mental evaluation.

The victim says she had to do everything possible to keep Moyer's hands off her breasts.

Rough start for Eagles at training camp

2009-08-05T15:27:00.002-04:00

The Eagles are considered among the favorites to contend for the Super Bowl this season, but the first 10 days of training camp have been difficult for Andy Reid's squad.

First, the team received the devastating news that longtime defensive coordinator Jim Johnson and succumbed to cancer. Since being hired by Reid in 1999, the Eagles defense has been among the best units in the league.

First-round draft pick Jeremy Maclin did not sign until late Monday night and missed 9 days of camp.

Starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley is out for the season after tearing an ACL in a knee during a practice Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field.

Then early this morning, defensive end Juqua Parker was arrested on a marijuana possession charge near the team's training facility at Lehigh University.

According to the Associated Press, Lower Saucon Township police said Parker was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation at 12:33 a.m. near Lehigh University, where the Eagles train.

Parker was carrying "a small amount of marijuana" and was taken to Northampton County Prison, police said. Parker was released after posting $1,000 bail later Wednesday morning, a prison official said.

Eagles coach Andy Reid said he was aware of the incident.

"It's in the law's hands right now. As time goes on, I'll know more," Reid said. Reid said the team curfew was 1 a.m.

So most of the news coming out of Eagles camp has been bad. As a fan, I hope that isn't a pretense to the regular season.

"Mary Ann" to hold auction on Saturday

2009-07-30T14:41:00.003-04:00

Mary Ann is holding an auction.

Dawn Wells, at right, who played Mary Ann Summers on 1960s classic television show "Gilligan's Island," will be selling off the contents of her home in eastern Idaho on Saturday.

Wells, a native Idahoan who will turn 71 in October, said she will sign autographs for anyone who makes a purchase.

Among the items to be auctioned off are a Kenmore double-door refrigerator, antique Chinese rug, a picture frame cutter made in Denmark and memorabilia from the annual Spud Fest Family Film and Television Festival.

Phillies reach deal for hurler

2009-07-29T14:14:00.004-04:00

The Phillies reportedly picked up a Cy Young Award winner on Wednesday, but not the one most fans were hoping for.

Both Foxsports.com and Mlb.com were reporting that the Phillies had reached a deal with the Cleveland Indians for 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, above. The Phillies will also get right-hand hitting outfielder Ben Francisco.

The Phillies will give up three of their top Class AAA prospects -- pitcher Carlos Carrasco, infielder Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson -- and Class A pitcher Jason Knapp.

The deal means the Phillies will have 4 left-handed hurlers -- Lee, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and J.A. Happ -- in their starting rotation.

The deal means the Phillies did not have to give up either their top minor-league pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, currently pitching for the Reading Phillies, or their top minor-league player Dominic Brown, who is an outfielder with Class A Clearwater.

I was hoping the Phillies would acquire Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay, who would have balanced out the rotation. But Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. did not want to part with Happ, Drabek and Brown.

To read more, click here.

Dog takes newborn from crib

2009-07-22T13:32:00.002-04:00

A scary incident happened in Kentucky this week when a dog took a newborn baby from its crib and carried it outside of the home.

The baby was listed in critical condition with multiple punctures and brusies

The dog is a 4-year-old mixed breed called a Native American Indian dog.

Click here to read more.

Couple with same name to get married

2009-07-22T13:10:00.003-04:00

Couples meet through the Internet and get married all the time, but here's a new twist: this Florida couple has the same name.

Kelly Hildebrandt will marry Kelly Hildebrandt in October.

According to the Associated Press, it all started when 20-year-old Kelly Hildebrandt decided to search Facebook for other people with her name. Up popped Kelly Hildebrandt of Lubbock, Tex. For the next three months the two exchanged e-mails and then started calling each other.

He then decided to visit, and the couple, above, soon began dating. Eight months after Kelly Hildebrandt sent her first e-mail, he proposed. The couple plans to marry in October.

It hasn't been all smooth sailing. A trip on a cruise ship almost got canceled when the travel agent deleted one ticket from the system, thinking someone had plugged in the same information twice.

Mets falling apart all over

2009-07-22T10:54:00.003-04:00

As the red-hot Phillies continue their hold on the National League East, the hated New York Mets are falling apart at all levels of their organization.

On the same day the injury-riddled Mets, who know trail the Phils by 10 games, were shut out, 4-0, by the lowly Washington Nationals, it was reported that one of their officials went ballistic on a minor-league team.

According to the New York Daily News, Tony Bernazard, the Mets vice president for player development, pulled off his shirt and challenged the Double-A Binghamton Mets to a fight. The Binghamton team plays in the Eastern League, along with the Reading Phillies.

To read more, click here.

"The Dude" goes bankrupt

2009-07-09T12:59:00.002-04:00

Former Phillies outfielder Lenny Dysktra, who led the team to the National League pennant in 1993 when he finished second in the MVP voting, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday.

According to reports, Dysktra had between $10 million and $50 million in liabilities and only $50,000 in assets.

To read more, click here.

Why you should never keep reptiles in the house

2009-07-01T18:09:00.003-04:00

Police say a 2-year-old Florida girl was strangled by a 12-foot pet python on Wednesday. The python escaped from its aquarium and strangled the girl while she was sleeping in her crib.

The snake was the pet of the girl's mother's live-in boyfriend.

To read more, click here.

Picking up where he left off

2009-07-01T12:36:00.003-04:00

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins was mired in an 0-for-19 slump last week when manager Charlie Manuel rested the 2007 NL Most Valuable Player for 4 games.

Rollins, at right, was restored to the leadoff spot for Tuesday night's game against the Atlanta Braves and picked up where he left off when he last played in Tampa on June 24. He was hitless in 5 at bats, including two strikeouts. In 2 of the plate appearances, Rollins, now hitting .207, swung at the first pitch.

Much of the struggles for the defending World Champions this season are because of the pitching staff. But Rollins' problems are high on the list.

The Phillies need a lot more from their leadoff hitter. Rollins is 30th in the league with 41 runs scored. When he scores runs, they win. But it's hard to score runs when you can't get on base. Rollins' on-base percentage of .250 is the worst in the league for any regular.

Coming off a title, I expected more from this team than they've showed the first 3 months of the season. They should be running away with the National League East. But until Rollins begins to produce offensively, the Phillies will continue to struggle.

Sixers go old school

2009-06-25T15:15:00.003-04:00

The Philadelphia 76ers announced earlier this week that they were bringing back the team logo they used during the championship seasons of 1966-67 and 1982-83.

The logo is a "76ers basketball" logo with a red, white and blue color scheme.

Now if the 76ers could just come close to achieving the success those teams had a generation ago.

Sad day in television land

2009-06-25T14:18:00.002-04:00

Farrah Fawcett, the pin-up queen of the 1970s and one of the original "Charlie's Angels," died today after a 3-year battle with cancer. She was 62.

To read more, click here.

Another year older

2009-06-23T15:08:00.003-04:00

Today, I turn 46.

Ugh. Another year older, hopefully another year wiser.

So now I'm as old as Phillies' left-handed pitcher Jamie Moyer. Like Moyer, I'm left-handed. And also like Moyer, I can't get out major-league hitters, either.

Just one you thought the Phillies would surge...

2009-06-18T11:06:00.003-04:00

Coming off of a 7-3 road trip, including winning the last 2 games from the hated New York Mets, I thought the Phillies were prime to put a hold on the National League East. I should have known better.

The Phillies have continued their season long road woes throught the first 5 games of a 9-game homestand. They lost 2 of 3 to the Boston Red Sox and lost the first two games of their series with the Toronto Blue Jays, who last weekend were routed in 3 straight games at home to the Florida Marlins.

If that wasn't bad enough, the Phillies placed left fielder Raul Ibanez on the 15-day disabled list this morning with a pulled groin muscle. Ibanez was hitting .312 with 22 home runs and 59 RBI. He is second in the league in homers and RBI.

Fortunately, for the Phillies, the rest of the teams in the division aren't taking advantage of their ineptness.

And I thought my teens were text queens

2009-06-17T10:46:00.003-04:00

Judging by our cell phone bill, I thought my two teenage stepdaughters were text messaging queens. But I was wrong.

A 15-year-old girl from Des Moines, Iowa, was crowned the text messaging champion Tuesday after winning the LG U.S. National Texting Championship. (Yes, there is such a thing.)

The Iowa girl sends more than 14,000 texts a month, but this contest included texting while blindfolded and texting while maneuvering through a moving obstacle course.

For more, click here.

RA-UUUUUUU-LLLLL

2009-06-12T11:06:00.005-04:00

Anyone Phillies fans out there still want Pat Burrell?

Raul Ibanez continued his assault on National League pitching Thursday night with a 3-run home run in the 10th inning to give the Phillies a 6-3 win over the hated New York Mets. The victory pushed the World Champions four games ahead of the second-place Mets in the National League East.

The home run was the 21st of the season for Ibanez, shown above hitting the blast. He's also hitting .322 and leads the league in runs scored (49) and runs batted in (58). Not only has Ibanez been a more consistent offensive force than Burrell ever was, he's also a much better fielder and a better baserunner.