When local sports teams win, the local television just gets absolutely awesome. Here’s Action News sports anchor Gary Papa after the game last night, informing the fans about all the things they had seen this year, including the death of Charlie Manuel’s mother.
More from last night’s coverage coming later today or over the weekend; there were simply some incredible moments. Only the Good Day Philadelphia anchors dancing with mascots on Monday (hint, hint, guys!) could top it.
After two disappointing and depressing losses in a row, nobody really wants to get on the guys who are doing the worst — Ryan Howard and Chase Utley — but fortunately the manager made a stupid move and now we’re all back to hating him again. Yep, it’s all that yokel Cholly Manuel’s fault! He brought in Kyle Lohse to relieve Kyle Kendrick with the bases loaded in the top of the fourth with two outs, and all hell broke loose. A 3-2 Phillies lead evaporated, quickly. Badly. 3-2 became 6-3, and a few innings later, 10-3.
Now that Cholly doesn’t deserve any of it. Okay, if Lohse doesn’t throw an 0-2 gopherball to Kaz Matsui, maybe none of this happens. But he also brought in Jose Mesa and left him in after back-to-back walks. The Philadelphia Phillies cannot bring in Jose Mesa in the biggest game in 14 years and expect to be taken seriously by their fans.
Road to 10,000 Losses is a countdown to the Phillies’ 10,000th loss, coming sometime later this year. With a 5-4 loss to the Nationals yesterday, the Phillies stand at 9965 losses, only 35 away from 10,000.
I’ve written before about how it’s perfect the Phillies will be hitting loss number 10,000 this season because they are finding new ways to lose each and every game so far this season. There are plenty of ways to lose a baseball game. But if the Phillies continue playing as poorly as they are this season, they might actually exhaust all those possibilities.
Last night in the top of the 11th inning, with a man on second and two outs, Cole Hamels — a pitcher pinch hitting because the Phillies were out of players — walked. Jimmy Rollins, one of the best Phillies’ players in this young season, came to the plate. Washington changed pitchers, and the TV broadcast went to commercial.
It wouldn’t have been bad enough — this is Philadelphia, after all — for Jimmy Rollins to ground out on the first pitch thrown by Ryan Wagner. No, instead Rollins ends the inning while Philadelphia fans watching on CN8 see a commercial for the circus.
In a shocking story breaking late last night, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel nearly got into a fistfight with popular insurance spokescaveman The Geico Caveman.
The Geico Caveman has been dogging Manuel for years, especially this season in light of the Phillies 3-9 start. Last night, after answering the charges on the popular radio program Drive Time Live With The Geico Caveman. The Caveman urged Manuel to become more ferocious with the players, a tactic The Geico Caveman thought would help the Phillies be more successful. Manuel then had his own “Don Imus Moment,” telling The Geico Caveman that idea was so stupid”only a caveman would have thought of it.”
After the Phils lost, 8-1, to the Mets, Manuel challenged The Geico Caveman to come into his office. Most observers at the time felt the manager was simply going to apologize for his earlier remark, but Manuel went into a tirade, as observers overheard “We’re going to win!” and referring to cavemen and cavewomen as “You people.”
Manuel then had to be restrained from attacking The Geico Caveman by Phillies coaches Milt Thompson and Mick Billmeyer. 101-year-old Phillies coach Jimy Williams was killed in the fracas.
The Geico Caveman was referred to in the Daily News today as simply “a local man known best for his cave dwelling,” further complicating the controversy.
Last night, before the Phillies game, manager Charlie Manuel gave it to Phillies front office advisor Dallas Green. Green, you may remember, was the manager of the Phillies’ lone World Series win, and like most everyone connected with that fated team, continues to work for the organization. (I think a food vendor from that season is now a coach with the Lakewood Blueclaws.)
In the past few years, Dallas Green only comes up when (a) a caller to talk radio says the Phils should hire Green to “teach these young millionaire jerk players some lessons” and (b) he says something disparaging about the Phillies. (Oh, yeah, and he was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame the other day.)
Well, recently Green criticized Cholly in an interview, and Manuel fired back at him last night. Jim Salisbury of the Inquirer does the post-argument recap:
Now an adviser to general manager Pat Gillick, Green criticized Manuel’s job performance during a radio interview several weeks ago. It got back to Manuel, and people close to him say he has seethed about it ever since.
Sources say that Green was “slapped on the wrist” for criticizing Manuel and that his “punishment” included staying away from the field, clubhouse and dugout, not that Green was often seen in these areas.
The whole thing lasted about 60 seconds and Manuel, 62, appeared to do all the talking. At one point, he angrily jabbed his index finger in front of Green, still robust at age 72. Other than that, Manuel kept his cool while delivering his message. [...]
“He said he doesn’t like what I said, and he doesn’t like me,” Green said.
He shrugged.
“I don’t give a [hoot],” he said. “He’s entitled to say what he wants. I’m entitled to say what I want. He got some things off his chest.”
In his office moments after the quick but pointed confrontation, Manuel was more tight-lipped than Green.
“It’s like I always tell you guys, if I’ve got something to say, I’ll say it,” Manuel said. “I felt like I needed to say something and I did. [...]
Manuel said Green left him a voice mail several days after the critical radio interview, but he scoffed at the timing of the phone call.
“He called me at 7:15, after the game had started one night,” Manuel said dismissively. “This was the first time I saw him. That’s all I want to say.” [...]
[Green said:] “This race has kind of jumped up on all of us. It’s so [messed] up, anything could happen. These guys have a great opportunity and they should be proud of that. They’re playing with more passion. They like each other. That’s a credit to Charlie. He’s made it happen.
Two things can be taken away from this: (1) Charlie Manuel is not the best manager in the world, but he’s still kinda awesome. And (2) Dallas Green is a [poo-poo head].
Headline on Philly.com: “A 4th cougar sighting in Delaware.” Sources say that, although four cougars have been spotted, there is no danger, except to men in their early-to-mid twenties, and even then, it might have some mutual benefits. (Don’t read New York papers or watch the Today show? Wikipedia to the rescue!) [AP/Philly.com]
• The family of William Berkeyheiser is suing the private investigator who helped Stanford Douglas Jr. find him. Douglas, who is serving a life sentence, shot Berkeyheiser to death last year. He says it was for telling a “racist joke” in 1998, which Berkeyheiser’s family denies. [Bucks County Courier Times]
• In case you didn’t see, the Phillies bullpen blew another game today, making it three losses in a row. Since we’re Phillies fans, let’s handle this like professionals: Fire Charlie Manuel! [The 700 Level/FireCharlieManuel.com]
• One good thing if Mort Zuckerman (of the New York Daily News) buys the Inquirer and the Philly tab: It’s okay if you don’t turn a profit. Or if you lose millions. [Gawker]
Well, we have an Andy Reid impersonator. Why not a Charlie Manuel one? From Craigslist:
Actor needed for philly sports site
I need an actor who looks like Charlie Manuel, the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies to participate in comedy sketches. He must really resemble the Phillies manager. Also, the actor must be able to emulate his voice. [...]
I just hope he doesn’t get fired from the Phillies before we get a chance to churn out some material! Again, I only want an actor who looks like and can talk like the Philadelphia Phillies skipper.
Now this is a job. You think there wouldn’t be a market for Charlie Manuel impersonators, but then again, this is Philadelphia.
There’s nothing like a conversation about old-school video games to get everyone excited. Mention Tecmo Super Bowl in a group of 20-to-30 year old guys and you’ll get bombarded for an hour with stories of QB Eagles, ridiculously long punts and braggadocio about 106-0 wins and 14 safeties in a game.
Tecmo may be the gold standard of Nintendo sports games, but one that wasn’t far behind was Mike Tyson’s Punch Out! (You must spell this game’s title with the exclamation point.) The plot of the game is this: You’re a 10-year-old (or so) named Little Mac and you fight guys three times your size, culminating in the final fight against Mike Tyson.
And yesterday, as the Phillies were photographed for the upcoming game MLB ‘07 — MLB ‘06 is due out next week — Charlie Manuel shared his fondness for the 1980s classic:
Most, too young for the Atari revolution, first played a version of the ricochet game “Breakout” on a personal computer before graduating to the wonders of Nintendo staples “Super Mario Brothers,” “Donkey Kong” and “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out.”
“You got to fight Bald Bull,” recalled manager Charlie Manuel, a “Pacman” fan who, at 62, owns a “Tetris” game.
Yep. You got to fight Bald Bull. (Twice.) Go get ‘em, Fightins!
Headline on Philly.com: “
There’s nothing like a conversation about old-school video games to get everyone excited. Mention Tecmo Super Bowl in a group of 20-to-30 year old guys and you’ll get bombarded for an hour with stories of QB Eagles, ridiculously long punts and braggadocio about 106-0 wins and 14 safeties in a game.
