PHILLY SPORTS CORNER

Slow day in sports, coming off baseball's All-Star game, but here are a few thoughts...

* I wanted to watch the ESPYS last night and give a review today. I did catch the first part of the show, especially host Peyton Manning's monologue, which was funny. Manning is a natural ham. Many athletes in the crowd seemed to take Manning's scripted ribbing pretty well, except for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who looked annoyed and angry ( who knows what their problem was).

So, I was ready to settle in for 3 hours of sports fun-until the first presentation- "Breakout Athlete of the Year."
The disgusting winner was Dallas Cowboy quarterback Dak Prescott.

First, he had a good rookie year, but he wasn't all that. I would say his teammate, running back Zeke Elliot, had the most impressive freshman season.

Who votes for this crap anyway? Is it because he is  Cowboy- "America's Team" that Prescott won?

Even as Prescott was getting his ass off the chair to accept the award I turned off the TV in anger. What the hell?

So much for the stupid ESPYS. I should've known better to not trust them ever since they gave the "Most Courageous" award to Caitlyn Jenner a few years ago.

* The NBA schedule hasn't been announced yet ( soon) but there is a rumor swirling that the Sixers will play the Boston Celtics in London on January 11, 2018. The fame will be a Sixer home game, thus one less game in Philadelphia this season.

The Sixers front office and ownership are all about money now, especially with the team getting better and more popular. Instead of giving their loyal, long-suffering fans a break, they instituted that stupid waiting list policy recently, and now they take a home game away. Who can afford to fly to London for one game?Why is England even getting an NBA game? Bad enough the NFL goes over there several times each fall now.

The organization will say it's good PR for the team and especially magnetic young players like Joel Embiid, but to me, it's just yet another money-hungry scheme.

Sixers management are greedy, trying to wring every dime they could out of their beloved fans. People who believe in "The Process" won't care and will fork over their cash like sheep. But, for die-hard, old-school fans, it's tough.

Personally, if I get to one game this upcoming season I'll be lucky, and actually, happy. I won't mind watching the team on TV. Far less expensive. Plus, why should I give money to a bunch of carpetbagging, skin-flint, nasty owners who really don't care about basketball or give a damn about Philly fans?



* Three bright lights have made this historically-bad Phillies season a little better to deal with: Ricky Bottalico, Larry Andersen and John Kruk.

I love watching Ricky B. on the post-game show on Comcast, especially after a loss. He tells it like it is and is brutally honest. I don't know if I could take him in the booth as a color guy, but as an analyst he is great.

The other analyst, Tommy Greene, isn't as good. He makes excuses for the team and isn't as blunt as Bottalico .During this brutal season It's good to have a guy like Ricky around, someone who isn't afraid to point out the many flaws on the team, call people out, and make suggestions on how to improve the club

Larry Andersen is a gem. I wish he was on the TV broadcast of Phillies games, but I suppose he is perfect where he is, doing radio with Scott Franzkie.

LA is also honest, and I sometimes wonder how he keeps his job since he works for the Phillies. The fans would revolt if he were fired now for an opinion about the team.  He's funny and witty and down to earth. He's "fan-friendly", and like the late Richie Ashburn, he is becoming an icon as the years roll by.

John Kruk is new to the Phillies TV broadcasts but already I like him. He's honest too (a trait in all three mentioned), he pulls no strings, again, even though he is employed by the team. He is relatable to the fans and easy to understand.

The fact he is still a player most fans remember doesn't hurt either. They know they he knows what he is talking about.

I used to like the other color guy, Ben Davis, much more. He brought enthusiasm and youth to the booth. But compared to Kruk, Davis is more of a shill for the Phillies organization. Fans know when guys are making excuses and not telling it like it is. Fans have eyes and most are knowledgeable to the game. They don't like to be fooled. This summer Davis pales compared to the Krukker.

Mike Schmidt? I can tolerate him on home weekend games. He knows the game, of course, but he often pontificates and seems way above the average fan ( as was his cool demeanor during his playing days). I couldn't take him daily on the broadcasts. He would bore me to death. His best times are when he discusses Baseball with Kruk, but alone he's pretty much a snooze.