Blogs > Jack McCaffery's blog

Jack McCaffery is the lead sports columnist for the Daily Times and delcotimes.com. He has spent several decades covering everything from the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and Sixers, to college hoops, to high school sports in Delco.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Jeffrey Lurie hustled to a microphone Monday, welcomed Leo Carlin and Troy Vincent to the Eagles' Hall of Fame, then stormed out of the room.

Questions?

Don't ask.

Thus, it was up to the numbers to speak. And there were these: Carolina 30, Eagles 22, Eagles eight losses. And since Lurie specifically mentioned than an eight-loss regular season would result in a coaching change, where does that leave Andy Reid?


“We haven't really talked about that,” Reid said. “He (Lurie) has been supportive. Obviously, he is as competitive as anybody. He wants to win games. That's what he is in this business for. So we really haven't gone there. I'm trying to get this football team to win games. That's where my energy is.”
 
Lurie hasn't addressed the press for weeks. But his silence is saying plenty.
 
Check out my column on the situation and more on Reid's shaky job status in the Daily Times Tuesday and, as always, on delcotimes.com
      

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Clock ticking on Reid


LANDOVER, Md. --- There are 360 minutes of Eagles football left in this season.

What possible reason could Jeffrey Lurie have now to trust them to Andy Reid?

In a 31-6 loss to the Redskins Sunday, too many Eagles played with a lack of passion. They dropped passes. They failed to tackle with authority. Their offensive line sagged.

Reid's wail: “I don't think it is a lack of focus. I see them playing hard. I see them focused at practice. I think at times we may be trying too hard and you can't press them and make plays.”

Really?

At 3-7, the Eagles will not show the substantial improvement from their 8-8 finish in 2011 that Lurie said was necessary to avoid a coaching change. Now, they are playing that way. The fans deserve better.

Check out my column on delcotimes.com and in the Daily Times Monday, along with some videos from FedEx Field and a story on quarterback Nick Foles' rugged start.













Sunday, November 11, 2012

Reid's last card burned

All through the Eagles' miserably underachieving season, there was, at least, one distant hope: That some day, maybe, Nick Foles could provide a rescue.

Never mind.

Though Foles was not the only reason the Eagles lost, 38-23, to the visiting Cowboys Sunday, he did make two turnovers, each good for a Dallas touchdown. For whatever reason, he was not ready to help the Eagles win when Michael Vick suffered a concussion.

“I made some mistakes,” said the rookie from Arizona. “I can't turn the ball over and that's the most important thing to win games. You can't turn the ball over. I turned it over twice and they ended up being touchdowns. And I can't do that. But that's a learning experience. I'm going to learn from it and get better. We'll get back to work and that's something I've got to get better at.

“Can't have that.”
 
Foles almost certainly will start next week in Washington. But at 3-6 and stashed in third place in the NFC East, the Eagles' season is about over.
 
Reid has already changed his defensive coordinator, and now is onto his second quarterback. And that had to be a jolt. For he has to know what's next, doesn't he? He has to know that he is out of buffers between himself and Jeffrey Lurie's ire.
 
Check out my column on the situation, along with a story on Foles, in the Daily Times Monday and, as always, on delcotimes.com

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Sixers injuries, memories of A.I., other notes


The Sixers Scoop/Jack McCaffery



NEW ORLEANS --- Already down one center, 76ers coach Doug Collins is concerned that his troubles at the position could prove to be twice as deep.

Due to the calf injury that he'd battled in training camp and which caused him to leave the last game against the Knicks early, Kwame Brown did not play Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets. Also, Collins said, the 11-year veteran was unlikely to play Friday in Boston.

“Any time you have a big guy like that who has a calf the size of a softball even when he is healthy, you worry about him,” Collins said. “He is a heavily muscled guy. Are we worried about that? Yes.”

The Sixers are playing without Andrew Bynum, who has been working to return from sore knees. They were hoping the 6-11 Brown could blunt the loss, but he has played just 11 minutes over the first three games, all in a 110-88 loss Monday to the New York Knicks.

“You look at our team right now with no Andrew and no Kwame and we are small,” Collins said. “We are a small front line. Now you are asking Thad Young to play the four. You are playing Dorell Wright some at the four. You are playing Damien Wilkins at the four.”

For those reasons, Collins has been hoping 6-10 rookie Arnett Moultrie can become a factor. Moultrie has played only in the Monday loss to New York.

“We need to get Arnett ready,” Collins said. “He needs to be ready to play for us.”

l l l

Pat Riley. Don Nelson. Gregg Popovich. Mike D'Antoni. Doc Rivers. John MacLeod. At one time, Monty Williams played for and learned from them all.

Then, there was his one season as a 76er, abbreviated by a knee injury, when he soaked up as practical basketball-coaching tutorial.

That's when the New Orleans Hornets head coach watched as Larry Brown mined the most from Allen Iverson.

“Allen, to me --- and he'd be the first one to admit it --- didn't make the right decisions all the time,” Williams said. “But he always struck me as someone who was the proverbial guy who would take his shirt off his back and give it to you. And that's the thing that was eye-opening. He was the most talented person I have ever been around. He could sing. He could dance. Obviously, he could play basketball. He could imitate guys. He could draw. And he was really engaging in his conversations.

“So the dynamic between he and Coach Brown --- it was what it was. But I remember Allen as the most talented person I have ever been around.”

Having been exposed to so many brilliant basketball minds, Williams had his choice of coaching styles. While layering Williams with heavy praise, Collins characterized his philosophy as distinctly from the Riley template.

“Monty Williams cut his teeth with the Knicks and the Spurs,” Collins said. “Any of those teams with Pat Riley and any of those mentor-ships, they all have the common theme: Keep that ball out of the paint. Keep it on one side of the floor. Make the team shoot jump-shots to beat you.”

Williams insists, though, that his one season as a Sixer was critical, too, to his coaching development.

“I got to play for Larry Brown, which was something that I valued,” he said. “The things he taught me as a player, I have tried to implement as a coach.

“And I did value that time there. It was unfortunate that I blew my knee out and couldn't play like I wanted to. But the knowledge of that fan base is second to none. Their passion --- and brashness --- is also second to none.

“Obviously, it is a great city. I love the history of the city. My wife (Ingrid) and I had a great time getting out there a little bit. Being from D.C., it was so close to home. I met a lot of Eagles and got to know a few of those guys. So it was a cool time, unfortunate for me health-wise. But I did have a good time.”

Williams played 21 games for the 2002-2003 Sixers, starting twice and averaging 4.4 points.

l l l

The Sixers were without Jason Richardson Wednesday. The shooting guard is recovering from an ankle injury.

After a morning shoot-around, which was closed to the media, Richardson said he was “getting better” and that he'd experienced no swelling.

Just the same, Collins is not expecting Richardson or Brown to play Friday in Boston.

“Kwame, probably not,” Collins said. “J-Rich? My guess would be no right now. He is getting a lot better. But we miss him. We miss his toughness, his energy, his shooting. That's a big loss.”

The Sixers have lost their last three regular-season games in Boston, dating to Dec. 18, 2009. They did defeat the Celtics in the Garden, 82-81, in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last May.

l l l

From the flat start to the Sixers' season, Collins was able to identify a positive: Thad Young.

“He's played great,” Collins said. “He has been sprinting down the floor, giving us speed on the open court, ducking into the paint and being very active. He has done a great job with that. Thad has been fantastic. He has been a leader for us. I am really, really happy with him.”

After three games, Young had averaged 34 minutes, 14.3 points and seven rebounds.

l l l

The Hornets Wednesday were without heralded rookies Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. Davis was the No. 1 player selected overall in the last draft. Rivers was the 10th player selected.

Davis has a slight concussion. Rivers has a sprained left index finger.

Following the loss of Davis, Williams was fined $25,000 by the NBA for comments critical of the league's concussion-protection policies.

“Now, they treat everybody like they have white gloves and pink drawers and it's getting old,” he had said. “It's just the way the league is now. It's a man's game. They're treating these guys like they're 5 years old.”

After a morning practice Wednesday, Williams was quoted as saying, “What I said was inappropriate and you have to deal with the consequences.”

l l l

Neither Collins nor a Sixers spokesman offered much of an update on Bynum. Collins did insist, however, that the center is, “getting better.”




Monty Williams had every right to his opinion

NEW ORLEANS --- Hornets coach Monty Williams was fined $25,000 for saying that the NBA treats players like 5-year-olds when recovering from concussions, preventing them from playing when otherwise they are physically able.

If anyone had the right to say that, it was the longtime NBA player and former Sixer. That's because Williams was once warned to stop playing basketball altogether ... and instead persevered and became a first-round draft choice.

This, from Sports Illustrated: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/nba/01/19/monty.williams/index.html


Concussions can be dangerous, etc. But the spirit of Williams' message was perfect: If a grown-up wants to go to work and is able to perform the job, then he or she doesn't need protection from other grown-ups. Youth sports, another story, obviously.

Frankly, the NBA can be too protective. Recently, on the threat of severe weather, the Sixers denied media access after a practice ... for the media's protection. Never mind that the players and coaches were able to travel to and from the practice site.

Treated like 5-year-olds, indeed.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Sixers showing growth

NEW ORLEANS --- The Sixers held the New Orleans (formerly Charlotte) Hornets to the fewest points in the the 24-year history of their franchise Wednesday, winning, 77-62.

But it wasn't just the defense that helped the Sixers improve to 2-2. It was the way, Evan Turner said, that they protected the ball.

"We had 14 turnovers in the first half," Turner said. "If not for that, we would have been up by double digits. In the second half, we had one turnover and went up 20. As opposed to the game being early, I guess we made it hard on ourselves and got it over late."

Either way, Doug Collins  was satisfied.

“We made a lot of changes this year,” Collins said. “And a lot of the pieces we were counting on are not there yet. But you have to fight the thought that you want to win games early. What I want to see is growth. Are we making progress? That’s what I want to see."

In particular, Collins noticed improvement from the first half to the second.

"We were just so hesitant and indecisive in the first half on offense," he said. "We were passing up shots to try to throw the pass into an area that there was no place to go. We were so out of sync. We had 14 turnovers in the half. I told our guys that we had a playoff game last year and I think we had five under the greatest pressure we could have. It was carelessness.

"I think guys are growing. I do. The way they are talking to each other and stuff, I see some growth. And it is nice to get a win, I'll tell you that."

The Sixers snapped a two-game losing streak and will play Friday in Boston.


Check out the Daily Times Thursday --- and, as always, delcotimes.com --- for complete Sixers-Hornets coverage, including videos from the New Orelans Arena. 

Collins concerned about Kwame Brown


By JACK McCAFFERY


NEW ORLEANS --- Already down one center, the Sixers have acknowledged a concern that their troubles in the middle might be doubled.

Due to the calf injury that he'd battled in training camp and which caused him to leave the Sixers' last game against the Knicks early, Kwame Brown will not play in the 8 p.m. game against the New Orleans Hornets. The Sixers will also be without Jason Richardson, who was ruled out with an ankle injury Wednesday.

After a morning shoot-around in the New Orleans Arena, Doug Collins admitted that he is concerned that Brown's issue could linger, and all but ruled him out of a Friday night game in Boston.

“Any time you have a big guy like that who has a calf the size of a softball even when he is healthy, you worry about him,” Collins said. “He is a heavily muscled guy. Are we worried about that? Yes.”

The Sixers are playing without Andrew Bynum, who has been working to return from sore knees. They were hoping the 6-11 Brown could blunt the loss, but he has played just 11 minutes over the first three games, all in a 110-88 loss Monday to the New York Knicks.

“You look at our team right now with no Andrew and no Kwame and we are small,” Collins said. “We are a small front line. Now you are asking Thad Young to play the four. You are playing Dorell Wright some at the four. You are playing Damien Wilkins at the four.”

For those reasons, Collins is hoping 6-10 rookie Arnett Moultrie can become a factor. Moultrie has played only in the Monday loss to New York.

“We need to get Arnett ready,” Collins said. “He needs to be ready to play for us.”

l l l

After the shoot-around, which was closed to the media, Richardson said he was “getting better” and that he'd experienced no swelling.
 
Just the same, Collins is not expecting Richardson or Brown to play Friday in Boston.

“Kwame, probably not,” Collins said. “J-Rich? My guess would be no right now. He is getting a lot better. But we miss him. We miss his toughness, his energy, his shooting. That's a big loss.”

l l l

The Hornets Wednesday will be without heralded rookies Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. Davis was the No. 1 player selected overall in the last draft. Rivers was the 10th player selected.

Davis has a slight concussion. Rivers has a sprained left index finger.

Collins is expecting the Hornets to rely heavily on power forward Ryan Anderson. The Sixers will counter with Thad Young.

“That's a tough matchup,” the Sixers' coach said. “Sometimes, I think people think of him only as a three-point shooter. Absolutely not. He can post. He probably has 30 pounds on Thad. We have to be very aware of that matchup.”

l l l

The Sixers (1-2) will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak Wednesday. In their two losses, both to the Knicks, they shot 34-for-79 and 29-for-86.

“The one thing about our group right now is that sometimes you have to look at the games that you play,” Collins said. “And New York did a very good job. I told our guys yesterday that we are not going to take these two games against New York and try to reinvent the wheel with who we are. We've got to do a little bit better I saw a couple of things in the tape that I think I can help our guys with to get a little bit better shots.”

Evan Turner shot a combined 5-for-18 in the dual losses to New York.

“It's not about what they do, it's about what we do,” Turner said. “It's about how we do it and how we execute. We have to just worry about ourselves right now, to execute and make things easier on ourselves.”






Monday, November 5, 2012

Maybe the Eagles' next players-only meeting will help

NEW ORLEANS --- The Eagles held a team meeting last week, reemerged in the NovaCare Complex and declared themselves whole.

They were a Dream Team again, a dynasty, a gold standard, the team to beat. Oh, wait. That was Jimmy Rollins' line. Never mind.

But they were back, even after surrendering points on their first six possessions against Atlanta.

“Well, I mean, I think things just need to get cleared up,” Brent Celek said, after the much-reported assembly. “Nothing major. I’m not really going to go into specifics about what we talked about, but probably a few things needed to get cleared up and it happened.

“And it was good for our team.”
 
Right. Good for the team. Great, actually.
 
That's why the Eagles lost, 28-13, Monday to the Saints to dip to 3-5. That's why they were all but useless in the red zone. That's why Michael Vick was sacked seven times. That's why they have run a losing streak to four, and why they haven't won a football game in 37 days.
 
But those are the Eagles. The best team, now and always.
 
Should be a real treat to see how they announce that this week.
 
By the way: Remember when Dallas Week used to be a big deal?
 
 
Check out my column in the Daily Times and as always on delcotimes.com Tuesday, along with my story on the ever-ineffective Eagles' offense and some fresh video of Andy Reid doing his postame soft-shoe.

Prediction: Eagles, easily

NEW ORLEANS --- The Eagles have arrived at the Superdome, all of them, their coach, their quarterback, their new defensive coordinator. They remain, believe it or not, in one piece.

They haven't won a game in 36 days, yet somehow, they've survived. They watched every other NFC East team lose Sunday, and they can move into second place in the division with a victory tonight over the Saints.

For them, the worst is behind.

The line opened with the Saints roughly a 4-point favorite, but it squished down to 3. A players' meeting restored some confidence, and Andy Reid has committed to Michael Vick. The Saints are injured, still in a bounty-gate swirl and rarely bother to defend.

The Eagles should have played with desperation last week and didn't. They should play with desperation tonight and, if so, will win in the most rudimentary fashion: With their many dangerous offensive players frolicking in a domed environment against a defense with no chance at finding an answer.

Prediction, from the Superdome: Eagles 30, Saints 21.

Jack McCaffery