BadNick

Philly sports news update:

...I know the Phillies will be repeating their recent great performances and getting back on top in the race for the Pennant:
How sweep it is: Phillies take three from Nationals
By DAVID MURPHY
Philadelphia Daily News


The natural inclination is to look for a turning point, and there are several from which to choose. Start with the Phillies' struggles in Queens, when they lost two out of three games to the Mets and forfeited first place for the first time in 53 days. Fast forward to the closed-door meeting prior to the series opener against the Braves Friday, when manager Charlie Manuel implored his team to shake out of its slump. Then there was the Phillies comeback win over Atlanta the following day, when they shook off a six-run deficit, rebounded to win 10-9, and haven't lost since.
Whatever the true reason for the Phillies recent revival may be - an informal straw poll of player in the clubhouse chalk it up to simply playing better baseball - it continued last night with an 8-4 win over the Washington Nationals.

The once-embattled Phillies offense scored at least eight runs for the fourth time in 5 days, and Kyle Kendrick turned in his second straight solid start, allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings.

The Phillies have now won five straight games to improve to 59-49, tying their longest streak of the season.

"[The losses to the Mets] might have shaken us up a little bit," said Jayson Werth, who hit his 15th home run of the season in the second inning off Washington lefthander John Lannan. "We've got veterans in here and nobody likes to lose, especially the Mets. But I still think we were just kind of in a lull offensively there for awhile."

Granted, the Phillies were playing a Washington team that entered the night 20 games out of first place in the National League East. In fact, things have apparently gotten so bad for the Nationals that after the game general manager Jim Bowden released veterans Paul Lo Duca and Felipe Lopez.

But they've struggled against the Nats in the past - they entered the series having lost three of six this season to Washington, including an 11-6 defeat on Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park - and needed a sweep to carry some momentum into a big weekend series with the contending Cardinals.

"It was huge," said Kendrick, who improved to 9-5 and lowered his ERA to 4.59. "Definitely after the first two games we wanted to come here and get a sweep. It was huge for us to win tonight. It was a big win."

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins was the offensive impetus, hitting a two-run home run off Lannan in the fourth and finishing the night 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Shane Victorino, who earlier in the day was relieved to hear he had not been traded at the July 31 deadline, went 2-for-4 and scored a run and extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Ryan Howard, meanwhile, went 2-for-5 to lift his batting average to .239

Kendrick, on the other hand, was solid on the mound. Since allowing seven runs in a 9-5 loss to Florida two starts ago, he has allowed just three runs in 12 2/3 innings. One of those runs came in the second inning on a wild pitch. In one of the more amazing statistics, it was the first wild pitch of Kendrick's season-and-a-half major league career. But it came on a changeup with a man on first base, a pitch he likely would not have thrown in that situation in the past. So even on one of his few mistakes of the night, there was a silver lining.

"He did a pretty good job," Manuel said. "Six and two-third innings, 110 pitches . . . he did OK."

But the big story was the offensive performance. The Phillies rapped out 11 hits. Pat Burrell was the only Phillies regular without one.

"It doesn't matter what the competition is, when you hit the ball you hit it, and that's what we've been doing," Manuel said.

And to round out my triple photo montage, even though the Eagles' defensive line is still somewhat unsettled, here's my favorite recent local sports acquisition:

Eagles cheerleader Janelle
By Peter Mucha INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

What a whirlwind ride for Janelle Stangl.
The topper is today, when the September issue of Maxim - the one with tennis' Anna Kournikova on the cover - officially hits newsstands, and inside, there's Stangl, touted as one of the NFL's four "most gorgeous" cheerleaders.



Not bad for an Eagles rookie.

Less than four months ago, Stangl, 21, who hails from Bethlehem, Pa., was a junior studying dance at the University of Arts. Then she got picked to join the Eagles cheerleading squad. Soon, it was off to Punta Cana for annual calendar shoot - which led to her being chosen to be August 2009. Then Maxim called the Eagles and requested the 5-foot-2, blue-eyed blonde Stangl for its 2008 NFL guide, with "the best match-ups, the craziest predictions" and "the 2008 All-Maxim Team." That roster of players includes ex-Eagle Al Harris, the New York Giants' Brandon Jacobs and the Dallas Cowboys' Flozell Adams - but no Donovan McNabb or Brian Westbrook. Stangl's the only Eagle mentioned. The other three members of Maxim's "Pom Squad" are from the Washington Redskins, the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. National recognition isn't new for the sideline squad. In February, Janipher Choi represented the Eagles in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue. Maxim sent a classy chauffeured car to drive Stangl from Bethlehem to a Manhattan studio for the shoot. She was shown a picture and asked to replicate a pose, using an Eagles flag - in size somewhere between a blanket and a towel, she said. She was excited and nervous, because it was only her second professional photo shoot ever, the calendar being the first. "It was very well organized," she said. "I was only there a few hours." Last week during practice, Stangl was surprised by who was texting - her mom. She'd found an early copy at a bookstore, and was quite excited. The cheerleader said seeing the actual picture in a national magazine "was a little bit of shock." But the jazz dance major was pleased. "I'm very critical of myself, but I like the picture. It's flattering." Maxim actually refrained from picking one of the photos that showed more skin, to her relief, she said. Not that she has strong reservations. In the Eagles "eco-sexy" calendar photo, only her arm and hand cover her upper torso. "I'm proud of my body and I feel like the shot was completely tasteful," she said. Her suit, designed by Aaron Chang, was made of polyester fibers from recycled plastic soda bottles. She was also bitten by bugs during the shoot, and suffered "the worst itching I've ever felt," she told Maxim. Perhaps her favorite moment so far as a cheerleader, though, came during Thursday's game against Carolina at Lincoln Financial Field. The skies opened up, and lightning forced the players, coaches and cheerleaders off the field - and sent many fans scurrying to their vehicles. But after toweling off, the cheerleaders went back out - to applause from some appreciative fans. The squad members "really are dedicated fans, just like them," she said. "... I think it meant a lot to them." Some spectators who'd headed for the exits decided to turn around and stay. For the cheerleaders or because the rain was letting up? "Maybe a little bit of both," she said. Clearly, Stangl is an upbeat sort, as is especially evident on her recent video blog that's on the Eagles website. "I'm a really easy-going person," she said. "Nothing really fazes me. Life is too short."

uncle phil

go, bills...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Fly

fuck the bills......go cheerleader..........

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

uncle phil

nonononono...fuck the cheerleader...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Fly

oh right.........sorry

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

BadNick

...it seems there are more than three...but you see all those beauty marks on her belly?...or did somebody shoot her with buckshot?

uncle phil

only beauty mark i see is a navel...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

ring

Spattered with mole sauce perhaps.

ottopilot

I accidentally ran over a mole with the lawnmower in my back yard. There was mole sauce.

__________________
"It rubs the lotion on Buffy, Jodi and Mr. French's skin" - Uncle Bill from Buffalo

Ourcrazymodern?

(redundant)

My cock and my balls,
they comfort me.

(Please realize this came after I got excited seeing sillygirl's name)

__________________
BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

uncle phil

hey, it's your rod and your staff...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

BadNick

I took 3 (at the same time!) when I fished in OCMD a couple weeks ago.

This was on a shad rig, about 7 or 8 feet long, with five shiney gold hooks spaced about 18" apart each one with two little white plastic wings. The shad were hitting this like crazy.

Fly

wow.........i damn near ran over a rabbit carcass that the dogs got...........too bad i didn't get to it earlier..........."RABBIT STEW BABY"


time to set out the snares i think.

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

uncle phil

/me waits for the bastard skwerls...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Fly

dogs took care of them when we first moved down here,haven't had an issue.......

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

ottopilot

It's like a raining sawdust in a mill walking beneath our oak trees... damn squirrels gnawing their way to tasty nuts.

__________________
"It rubs the lotion on Buffy, Jodi and Mr. French's skin" - Uncle Bill from Buffalo

Fly

yup......they can be a pain in the ass them skwerlz...........

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

uncle phil

saw a red one yesterday, about the size of a chipmunk...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

BadNick

I heard red ones don't taste good, though I've never eaten one. Nice fat gray squirrels that live on farmland I've eaten...while small game hunting and the birds are laying low in the warm afternoon, so we sit under a tree and wait for squirrels. One - Two - Three bamm!!! ...braised with mushrooms.


PS: talk about "red" ....GO PHILLIES!!!

....Mets suck

uncle phil

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

ottopilot

that sir is an exceptionally large p. A dandy.

__________________
"It rubs the lotion on Buffy, Jodi and Mr. French's skin" - Uncle Bill from Buffalo

uncle phil

nick sounds like a phanatic...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

ottopilot

yes... one of "those"

__________________
"It rubs the lotion on Buffy, Jodi and Mr. French's skin" - Uncle Bill from Buffalo

Fly

fuckers.....

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

uncle phil

not them...THOSE!!!

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Fly

oh right..........sorry

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

Ourcrazymodern?

Never forget that I love you.

__________________
BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

sillygirl

Hey guys, everyone still alive and well?

__________________

Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly-Rose Franken
....absence makes me miss him more...

uncle phil

alive...and somewhat well...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Fly

hey silly.....good to see you again dear.

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

uncle phil

signs, signs, everywhere signs...

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Jetée

Here's a sign ...

that i'm stayin' alive...

__________________
As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi

ottopilot

what else is there for me?

__________________
"It rubs the lotion on Buffy, Jodi and Mr. French's skin" - Uncle Bill from Buffalo

uncle phil

you really do?

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

Fly

BOOOOOOOOOOYAAAAAAAAAA


getting Mettalica tickets this morn

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

Ourcrazymodern?

Guess what we've been doing.

__________________
BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

Fly

what?

__________________
BASTARD

SterlingStudios

ottopilot

chicken butt

__________________
"It rubs the lotion on Buffy, Jodi and Mr. French's skin" - Uncle Bill from Buffalo

Baraka_Guru

why?

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

uncle phil

where?

__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
-----------------------------------------
"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
-----------------------------------------
never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.