It was the start of one era - and the end of another - for Philly sports fans yesterday.
More than 30,000 fans entered Lincoln Financial Field to witness the first public workout for the Eagles under new head coach Chip Kelly.
Halfway across the country, the Phillies were busy putting the first few shovels full of dirt on the grave of a great team, a rotting shell of the vehicle that captured a World Weries title just a few years ago.
After winning their first game after the All-Star break in New York, the Phillies promptly dropped eight straight. And just when you thought things couldn't get any uglier after the team got shellacked 10-0 Saturday night, the Phils took their slapstick act to new depths yesterday in getting dusted again in Detroit, 12-4.
This team can't hit, can't field and only pitches in fits and starts. Reliever Jake Diekman was his own worst nightmare after he entered the game in the sixth. He botched two plays in the field, opening the door to another blowout loss.
Rookie outfielder Steve Susdorf, in his first game in the big leagues, somehow managed to bollix a routine fly ball. Darin Ruf contributed to the hijinks by fielding a ground ball, then firing high in an attempt to gun down a runner at the plate.
This looks like a team that has quit, particularly after they sent Raul Valdes to the mound Saturday and watched him get torched.
There's not a lot Manager Charlie Manuel can do about it, even if he is the one who is likely to pay the price.
The Phillies' play has for the most part made the decisions Ruben Amaro Jr. needs to make this week as the trade deadline approaches an after-thought. It doesn't really matter now. Baseball season is over.
Football season has begun in earnest, and the Eagles already have suffered a big loss.
Starting wide receiver Jeremy Maclin crumped to the grass in the team's second workout Saturday. He'll miss the season with a torn ACL. It's the same one he ripped up in college.
Not the best start for the Chip Kelly Era. But nowhere near as ugly as the end of an era for this core group of Phillies.
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