ESPN's Skip Bayless says recent MRI shows Andrew Bynum has degenerative knees

Actually woke up to some Sixers coverage on ESPN this morning. Unfortunately, the coverage constituted of more bad news about Bynum.

Check out the original piece and video of the discussion over at Philly.com:

     "On Wednesday’s episode of ESPN’s popular debate-style show, First Take, there was a segment dedicated to the 76ers, in which anchors Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless discussed the state of the franchise going forward after Tuesday evening’s embarrassing loss to Orlando. 

"I love Tim Tebow!"

At one point during the discussion, Skip Bayless, not necessarily known for his NBA connections, claimed that a source inside the Sixers organization told him that the most recent MRI on Andrew Bynum’s knees showed degeneration, meaning in effect that they will never return to full strength. 

Skip continued by explaining that Andrew may show some flashes of the dominance he displayed last season, when he averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, but he will be unable to sustain it, as the knees will never be able to fully recover. 

Now, keep in mind that this is not an official report, and the fact that a popular pundit such as Bayless would be the only one with access to the information should make one somewhat skeptical. 

However, if it turned out to be true, this would be a huge revelation for the Sixers. The difficult decision looming large this summer as to whether or not they should take a chance on a big-money deal on Bynum, would be defunct; if re-signing him means five more years of knee injury issues and little (or no) production, then Bynum and the Sixers will go their separate ways."

50 Cent tries to kiss Erin Andrews, she wants nothing to do with it

I have to give him credit, 50 Cent has done an excellent job of keeping himself relevant without dropping a decent disc in a decade.

Headphones, movies, energy drinks, workout videos; the guy has been doing it all.

Most recently, Fifty was spotted hanging out at the Daytona 500, and was seen getting overly-excited when approached by ex-ESPN anchor, Erin Andrews.

Andrews, who was covering the event for Fox Sports, acknowledged the rapper as she was walking alongside the track. 50 then approached Andrews and tried to kiss her on the lips; an interaction she clearly was not interested in.

What followed was an awkward hug/cheek kiss between the rapper and Andrews, who fled from Fifty after the embrace, claiming "I gotta go talk to Danica Patrick!"

50 however hadn't had enough, and proceeded to follow Andrews around on her quest to locate Patrick, which was unsuccessful.

50's love of the spotlight is no secret, but in this video it's unclear whether he was more interested in some air time, or some Erin time.

Andrew Bynum (FINALLY!!) practices with the 76ers

The wait is over, Philadelphia. Andrew Bynum has finally practiced with the team!

Wait, isn’t that what everyone was waiting for?

Guess it’s fair to say that the outlook for the Sixers’ season has changed slightly since they initially acquired Andrew. At first there were realistic, semi-confident talks about a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. Now, not so much. 

It’s been such a long time coming that Bynum’s mere presence in practice seems like a victory for the franchise. In reality, Bynum’s presence in practice doesn’t mean much, as he could still be weeks away from game shape, and with 30 games remaining in a season that keeps slipping away from the Sixers, his overall impact may be minimal.  

So while reports that he participated in 5-on-5 activities for a period of time are promising, fans shouldn’t expect their season to be salvaged by Bynum, who has seemingly spent more time on his hairdo than on the hardwood.

Even if he does return this regular season as he keeps insisting he will, his minutes will be modest as he gets back into the swing of things, and thus he won’t be able to make an enormous, momentum-shifting impact on the squad this season.  

Improvement in his health however, evidenced by any impact he may have in the remaining games, will make things interesting for the Sixers this summer, as they consider the option of re-signing him to a long-term deal.

76ers acquire Charles Jenkins at deadline

 From Philly.com:

     "On an underwhelming trade deadline day, the Sixers found themselves making a move, albeit not the one fans were hoping for.

After being brought up in trade discussions for Atlanta’s Josh Smith and Orlando’s J.J. Redick, moves that would have at least ejected a little bit of excitement into the franchise, the Sixers only move was the acquisition of PG/SG Charles Jenkins from Golden State.

Jenkins, selected with the 44th pick of the 2011 NBA draft, is in his second season in the league, and boasts career averages of 5.8 point and 3.3 assists per game.

The Sixers gave up a second round draft pick for Jenkins, who will likely be part of a salary cap dump this summer."

-- Michael K-B, Philly.com

Andrew Bynum won't win back Philly fans

This past summer the acquisition of Andrew Bynum was met with excitement and enthusiasm, as fans felt they may have just found the future of the franchise.  However, after months of setbacks, bowling injuries, and a seemingly laissez-faire attitude about his return to the court on the part of Bynum himself, that eager anticipation has given way to disappointment and distaste for the player that just a few months ago was going to be the face of the franchise.

Philadelphia fans aren't known for their patience to begin with, and after a hellish sports year like the city just suffered through, any remaining particles of patience are quickly dissipating.  So, while the fan base was at least understanding of the organization's initial plan of not rushing Andrew into action, that understanding has given way to anger as the Sixers struggle and four months into the season, Bynum has yet to log a single second.

In other years the spotlight may not be so squarely centered on Andrew and his ailing knees, but after serious let-down seasons from the Phillies and the Eagles, Philly fans are searching for anything uplifting; such as the sight of a dominant center suiting up for the Sixers.

Bynum riding stationary bike at PCOM

Hell, Philly couldn't even win its own Wing Bowl this year; talk about a tough one.  Thus, with the lack of success this year came the elevated expectations, and increasing frustration forced upon Andrew Bynum.

And boy, has he disappointed. Rather than lifting up the spirits of the Philly faithful and providing a sign of hope, Bynum has instead become yet another piece to lament in a long line of Philadelphia franchise failures this year.

See, arguably Andrew's biggest issue since he has been in Philly is the perception of toughness, or lack thereof, that he has portrayed.  Just as Philadelphia fans aren't known for their patience, which Andrew is already trying, they are equally as known for valuing toughness.  One reason that Allen Iverson will always be revered in Philadelphia is because the fans appreciated the level of intensity, effort, and toughness which with he played the game.

Although maybe unfairly, fans are already looking at Andrew's continuously delayed return from a knee injury in which he was originally expected to return from months ago, and labeling the center as "soft," or saying he doesn't have the toughness it takes, mentally and physically, to take a team to the title.

So before ever even actually suiting up for the Sixers, Andrew has dug himself a deep hole with Philly fans, who are not known for being especially forgiving. At this point I don't see the fan base fully embracing Bynum for anything short of a championship, and let's be honest, if he can't even get himself out on the court, is he going to be able to lead an otherwise mediocre team to a title? Doubtful, to say the least.

This summer, the Sixers have a decision to make about Bynum; since he has already soured on fans and doesn't seem to be able to get his ass out on the court,  it doesn't seem sensible to keep him around any longer, especially not for the money that he will be seeking. 

If the Sixers could trade Bynum and get some sort of value in return than that is a route that may be worth looking into. However, with the trade deadline coming up quickly such a scenario is doubtful.

Instead, as Phil Sheridan of the Inquirer suggests, it is time for the Sixers to thank Andrew for his "services," and go in a different, healthier, direction. 

Jrue Holiday favored in 2013 Taco Bell NBA Skills Challenge

From Philly.com's Pattison Ave:

It has been a disappointing season for the Sixers thus far, as they currently sit out of playoff positioning, and have yet to see a single second of game time from their prized off-season pickup, Andrew Bynum.  It is fair to say that at this point in the season the team has left fans with little to be excited about.

The bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season for the franchise is the ever-improving play of young point guard Jrue Holiday, who will make his first All-Star appearance this weekend. At 22, Holiday is the youngest All-Star in Sixers’ history; a storied history which boasts names such as Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, and Allen Iverson.

Unlike the Sixers’ All-Star selection from last season, Andre Iguodala, Holiday is a fan favorite and a real sign of promise for the future of the franchise.  Holiday has improved in each of his four seasons with the Sixers, and he became the de facto leader of the squad this past summer after Iguodala was traded.

“I think my coaches and teammates really made the transition [to leader] easy. I’m more of a leader on the court, trying to talk to guys and get them into their best position to score and make plays,” Jrue explained in a recent interview with Men’s Health.

“This year I have a ton of responsibility,” he continued. “Over the years, I’ve progressively grown. I can read defenses. The game has slowed down a little bit. My jump shot has gotten better.”

The improvement in Holiday’s all-around game has been recognized League-wide, and his first All-Star selection is an acknowledgement of that improvement.  Holiday however, isn’t satisfied with his accomplishment and knows he needs to continue to work in order to keep his game elevated at the high level it has been throughout the season.

“I need to get better, and just be that tough player. Someone like Chris Paul is just so tough. He gets better every year, and as a point guard, he makes his team better every year. Even if he’s not having a good game, he always makes someone else better. It’s about the team.”

Holiday’s presence at the festivities in Houston gives Sixers fans a small reason to celebrate this weekend in the midst of what has been a dismal season. Although it will be exciting to see Jrue suited up alongside the likes of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, Holiday himself is not worried about how much he actually plays in the exhibition.

“I honestly don’t really care [how much I play], as long as we win. I’m going to help out my team a little bit, but I’m going to be the biggest cheerleader, man. This is going to be fun.”

Having someone to cheer for during All-Star weekend will be fun for Sixers fans as well.

Aside from playing in the actual All-Star game on Sunday evening, Jrue will also be competing in the Taco Bell NBA Skills Challenge on Saturday night, in which he is actually the favorite to win.

Super Bowl Saturday?

From Philly.com's Pattison Ave:

The NFL’s season-ending spectacular, the Super Bowl, is already facing an enormous change in 2014, and it seems that the league is considering altering another aspect of its storied championship.

The game, which is scheduled for February 2, 2014 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, will already be ground-breaking, as it will be the first Super Bowl to be played in an open-air stadium in the Northeast. The game is usually held at a location known for warmer weather, or at a stadium that boasts a dome, such as this month’s showdown at the Superdome in New Orleans. The potential for poor conditions has caused concern among some.

It appears, however, that the game’s location isn’t the only aspect of the event that the league may alter. 

According to Sports Illustrated, NFL officials are looking into the possibility of playing the Super Bowl on a Saturday, or even postponing it several days if the weather presents problems.
“If faced with an ominous forecast, the league could decide to play the game on Saturday,” a league source stated.

Although some would enjoy having a day to recover from the festivities if the spectacle truly does become ‘Super Bowl Saturday,’ a last-minute change in the actual day that the game is played could present travel problems for many.

We will certainly see at least one big change in next season’s Super Bowl, and we should be prepared for the possibility of further alterations.

Mike Bibby tossed out of high scool game

From Philly.com sports:

Many recall the flair, energy, and enthusiasm former NBA player and Cherry Hill’s own, Mike Bibby, displayed on a basketball court. Even though Bibby is not currently on an NBA roster, it seems that he has not lost that energy or his passion for the game.

On Friday night, Bibby could be seen getting overly-excited and eventually ejected from his son’s high school basketball game. Bibby’s son, Michael Bibby Jr., is the starting point guard for Shadow Mountain High; the same school that Bibby Sr. led to a state title almost twenty years ago.

Bibby may have gotten caught up in the excitement of a victory for his alma mater, as they snapped a 24 game winning streak by Sierra Linda. If nothing else, Bibby has drawn some additional attention to a school that has become a state power in Division II.

Check out the video of Bibby being escorted out of the gym, as well as some highlights of Bibby Jr. here.

Karl Malone, aka the Mailman, delivered when it came to Demetrees Bell

After the Eagles released Demetrees Bell last week I was doing a little background research for a piece I was penning on the topic.

Naturally, I ended up on Bell’s Wikipedia page, as everyone knows solid, reliable research starts with Wikipedia.

OK, well that might not be true, but the site can certainly be useful to find some background basics, and Bell’s was bursting with interesting information.

First of all “Demetress” didn’t know how to spell his name correctly until… 2012!?!

Yes, you read that correctly. It wasn’t until the ripe age of 28 years old that Bell learned that his first name was actually spelled ‘Deemetrees,’ rather than the ‘Demetrius’ he had been using. The fact that Demetrees went on that long spelling his name in a manner that varied from that on his birth certificate without knowing is actually amazing to me.

Wouldn’t his mother see it at some point throughout his childhood and correct him; on a test, homework, anywhere of the myriad of places that a kid is required to write his or her name?

My next question, which Wikipedia does not address, is how did he finally realize that he had been spelling it incorrectly? Randomly, in the middle of his twenty-eighth year of life he realized? Did his mother finally notice and inform her son that he had not been spelling his name in the way which she initially intended? I wonder.

It is safe to assume that it wasn’t his father who broke the news to him, as Wikipedia reports that the two don’t have much of a relationship. The ‘pedia page also explains that Bell’s father is NBA great Karl Malone, aka the Mail Man. From the article:

“Karl Malone has never offered public confirmation that he is the father of Demetress Bell. However, laboratory blood tests prepared for the Bell family's 1986 paternity lawsuit against Malone reportedly pointed to an over 99 percent probability that Bell's father was either Malone or a brother of Malone.”

So, Bell’s father is either Karl Malone or one of his brothers; apparently those details don’t matter much.

Bell won’t be having an impact for the Eagles this season, and he remains a free agent at this point. But, even if he doesn’t make many headlines this season, he already has one of the most interesting and entertaining Wikipedia pages around.

Technorati Tags: Karl Malone,Philadelphia Eagles,Demetrees Bell,Utah Jazz.

Temple Owls 2013 Signing Day Signees

I wrote a quick piece on Temple University's National Signing Day haul for Philly.com earlier today.  The article in its entirety can be viewed there, but the meat of it is right here.

Temple. who is entering their first season of Big East play, signed 23 student-athletes to letters of intent Wednesday.  

Potentially the biggest name in new Temple football coach Matt Rhule's first recruiting class is dual-threat quarterback P.J. Walker from New Jersey's Elizabeth High.
Listed at 6 feet and 205 pounds, Walker was a force in high school, winning the Newark Star-Ledger's offensive player of the year award. He is expected to at least compete for the Owls' starting spot. 

Some thought Walker would back out of his commitment to Temple after coach Steve Addazio left for Boston College this past winter. But Walker never wavered, and he is now the expected signal-caller of the future for Rhule.  

As The Inquirer's Keith Pompey writes, Walker has quite the work ethic, and is willing to put in the work to continue to improve.

In addition to adding a quarterback for the future, the Owls have also added a kicker of some renown in Jim Cooper. The product of Mainland High in Linwood, N.J. stands 6-1 and 205 pound, and as Mike Kern writes in the Daily News, Jim is following in his father's steps by committing to Temple to take on the kicking duties.

Jim Cooper Sr. also attended Mainland Regional and was Temple's kicker from 1984 to '87 under then-coach Bruce Arians.

Other signees announced by Temple and coach Matt Rhule today include:

Jarred Alwan: Linebacker 6' 2"/225 pounds (Camden Catholic / Cherry Hill, NJ)
Buddy Brown: Saftey/Linebacker, 6' 2"/205 pounds (Williamstown H.S. / Williamstown, NJ)
Brian Carter: Defensive tackle, 6' 4"/280 pounds (Harrisburg H.S. / Harrisburg, PA)
Dion Dawkins: Offensive tackle/Defensive tackle, 6' 5"/330 pounds (Rahway H.S., mid-year enrollee / Rahway, NJ)
Sharif Finch: Linebacker 6' 4"/215 pounds (Henrico H.S. / Henrico VA)
Artrel Foster: Defensive back 6' 0"/170 pounds (Meadville Area H.S. / Meadville PA)
Tyler Haddock-Jones: Defensive tackle, 6' 0"/295 pounds (Montour H.S. / Pittsburgh, PA)
Todd Jeter: Cornerback, 6' 0"/170 pounds (Gateway H.S. / Monroeville PA)
Leon Johnson: Offensive tackle, 6' 6"/300 pounds (Bound Brook H.S. / Plainfield, NJ)
Jihad Pretlow : Defensive back, 5' 11"/185 pounds (Blair Academy, mid-year enrollee / Elizabeth, NJ)
Semaj Reed: Offensive tackle, 6' 6"/275 pounds (Haverford School / Philadelphia. PA)
John Rizzo: Fullback, 6'1 220 (Richland H.S., mid-year enrollee / Johnstown PA)
Averee Robinson: Defensive tackle, 6' 0"/285 pounds (Susquehanna Twp H.S., mid-year enrollee / Harrisburg, PA)
Adrian Sullivan: Tight end, 6' 5"/265 pounds (Worcester Academy, mid-year enrollee / Babylon, NY)
Jullian Taylor: Defensive end, 6' 5"/230 pounds (Williamstown H.S. / Glenside, PA)
Kiser Terry: Defensive end, 6' 3"/265 pounds (Neshaminy H.S., mid-year enrollee / Featersville, PA)
Jahad Thomas: Running back, 5' 10"/170 pounds (Elizabeth H.S. / Elizabeth, NJ)
Zaire Williams: Running back, 5' 11"/188 pounds (Timber Creek H.S. / Sicklerville, NJ)
 
Check out Philly.com’s full Signing Day coverage here: http://goo.gl/LPR7N

Technorati Tags: Temple Owls,NCAA,National Signing Day,PJ Walker.

2014 NFL Super Bowl Odds

The streets of New Orleans may still be being swept clean after Sunday night’s Super Bowl celebration, but it is already time to look ahead. The odds makers in Las Vegas waste little time when it comes to laying lines, and despite being less than 24 hours removed from Ray Lewis and the Ravens’ second Super Bowl celebration, they have already released the odds for the 2014 Super Bowl. 

The game is to be played on February 2, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and if Monday morning’s odds hold up then we should be seeing some usual suspects. The listed lines have the Patriots as 7 to 1 favorites to take home the title in 2014, despite losing in the AFC Championship this season.  According to the odds, the Patriots would be playing the 49ers (8 to 1) in what would be their second straight Super Bowl.  

Super Bowl XLVII MVP, Joe Flacco

The Payton Manning-led Denver Broncos (8 to 1) and the Green Bay Packers (10 to 1) round out the top four favorites.  

It seems that the odds makers don’t have much faith in Philadelphia next season, as they are listed as a 50 to 1 favorite to win the Super Bowl; the same odds as the perennially poor Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, and Miami Dolphins. 

After such a disappointing season, teeming with turmoil and under-performance, such long odds are not a surprise.  In fact, considering the questions and uncertainty surrounding the team heading into the offseason, the odds could be reasonably higher.  The Eagles hired a college coach with no NFL experience, and don’t yet know who their starting quarterback will be; not usually the prerequisite sings of a Super Bowl season.  

Things could be worse for the Philadelphia faithful however.  At least the Eagles’ aren’t 150 to 1 favorites like the Jaguars or the Raiders.  Check out the full list of 2014 Super Bowl odds below:

New England Patriots: 7 to 1

San Francisco 49ers: 8 to 1

Denver Broncos: 8 to 1

Green Bay Packers: 10 to 1

Houston Texans: 14 to 1

Baltimore Ravens: 14 to 1

Seattle Seahawks: 16 to 1

Atlanta Falcons: 18 to 1

New Orleans Saints: 18 to 1

Pittsburgh Steelers: 18 to 1

New York Giants: 20 to 1

Washington Redskins: 30 to 1

Dallas Cowboys: 30 to 1

Chicago Bears: 30 to 1

Cincinnati Bengals: 35 to 1

Detroit Lions: 40 to 1

Minnesota Vikings: 40 to 1

Indianapolis Colts: 40 to 1

San Diego Chargers: 40 to 1

Philadelphia Eagles: 50 to 1

Carolina Panthers: 50 to 1

New York Jets: 50 to 1

Miami Dolphins: 50 to 1

St Louis Rams: 50 to 1

Kansas City Chiefs: 50 to 1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 60 to 1

Cleveland Browns: 66 to 1

Arizona Cardinals: 100 to 1

Buffalo Bills: 100 to 1

Tennessee Titans: 100 to 1

Oakland Raiders: 150 to 1

Jacksonville Jaguars: 150 to 1

Originally published for Philly.com: http://goo.gl/VsZPu

                                                                 

Video: Fan finds out his favorite player, Tayshaun Prince, is traded, doesn't want to wear his jersey anymore

Sometimes fans feel very strongly about a particular player.  A loyalty is developed between a fan and a player, often due to team allegiances, personal style, or other reasons. 

For such a fan, it can be very disheartening, even devastating if their favorite player is traded away from their team.  Each fan deals with this disappointment in their own way, some just happy to be funnier (and more public) than others.

The fan in this video was super-hype to slap hands with his favorite player, Tayshaun Prince, at a Pistons game last week.  When he doesn't seen Tayshaun trot out of the tunnel with the other Pistons, he does a little timely cell phone research and finds out (a little late)  that Prince is not suited up and instead is going to be traded.

If this guy is as big a Tayshaun fan as he looks, don't you think he would know that Taysh was getting traded?  What is he going to do with that jersey? Anyway, thanks to this dude for an entertaining fan video.