Call it the Good, the Bad & the Ugly.
In other words, just another day in Philly sports.
Unfortunately, we have to start with the bad. The Flyers are down 1-0 in their Stanley Cup Playoff series after being shut out by the Caps last night in D.C. Not only did the Flyers fail to light the lamp in getting blanked, 2-0, but they also may have lost a crucial player. Sean Couturier looks like he might miss the rest of the series after being slammed into the boards.
Rob Parent has all the details on the game, and Jack McCaffery notes the Flyers once again will need to dig themselves out of a hole.
The Good? That's easy. I can say it in two words.
Vince Velasquez.
It's hard to believe the Phillies got a bunch of players in addition to Velasquez in that deal that sent closer Ken Giles to the Astros.
Velasquez was simply on fire in his second start yesterday in a sun-splasahed Business Person's Special at Citizens Bank Park. He struck out 16 Padres en route to a complete game 3-0 win.
Velasquez is now 2-0 on the young season. He's pitched 15 innings and has not yet surrendered a run, while striking out 25. He did not walk a batter yesterday.
In the process, the Phillies scratched their way back to the .500 mark, evening their record at 5-5.
How dominant has Velasquez been? There have only been two other pitchers since 1913 to strike out 16 and not walk a batter in a game. Maybe you've heard of them, their names are Dwight Gooden and Kerry Wood.
Pete Mackanin continues to get dominant pitching, but things will get more interesting tonight, when the 1st-place Nationals arrive for a weekend set.
Raise your hand if you saw this coming after the Phils got off to an uninspiring 0-4 start? Yeah, me too.
The Ugly in Philly sports. Well, I don't know how ugly it is, but it is the knee-jerk reaction that comes with the arrival of the Eagles 2016 schedule.
Why should I be any different? Here's how I see the Birds after one glance at their schedule, which includes the usual sprinkling of prime-time games:
WIN in opener vs. Browns.
WIN vs. Chicago on Monday night Sept. 19.
LOSS vs. Pittsburgh at home.
BYE WEEK, and yes, it's entirely too early for the bye week. Thanks, NFL.
WIN on road in Detroit.
WIN in Washington.
LOSS at Minnestota.
LOSS at Dallas in prime time Sunday night.
LOSS at NY Giants.
WIN at home vs. Atlanta.
LOSS at Seattle.
LOSS at Green Bay.
LOSS at Cincinnati.
WIN at home vs. Washington.
LOSS at Baltimore
WIN vs. NY Giants at home Thursday night before Christmas.
WIN on New Year's Day at home vs. Dallas.
That puts them at 8-8.
Somehow they need to steal one more game to get to 9-7, which I think will win the division and get them into the playoffs.
That is your challenge, Doug Pederson. Now get to work.
Remember you heard it here first.
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