The last time that I tried to introduce my blog, it turned into a long argument that got heated.  We were both ignorant at times, and by the middle-to-the-end of it, we weren't even arguing about the thing were originally were arguing about.  Actually, if I have things right, what we were arguing about had nothing to do with the blog itself—kind of funny.

But that's behind us now, I delete that post and put it behind me, don't know about the individual who I was arguing with, but that's over with ... lol.

I realized that my post didn't come across what it was intentionally supposed to, so I decided to clear some things up with another post:  My Latest Update.  It wasn't neceassary but I decided to do so anyway, just made sense so I don't come across as an idiot.

So here I am again, introducing my blog:  It's called "The ToDo Dome".  I didn't know what else to name it, and since DMs own SpeezyP popped that nickname idea up to me earlier, I decided that would something cool to start with, I don't know haha.  It's just the first two letters of my first and last name.

http://tododome.mlblogs.com/

Hopefully, this won't end up with another record commenting spree argument!

Phil Martelli said it best.

"It's like we won't be watching baseball this year."

Harry Kalas, as you already know, passed away yesterday at the age of 73.

I expressed my feelings about his death yesterday, and a day later, it hurts even more.  It has sunk in even more that no Phillies game will ever be the same—no baseball game will ever be the same.  No home run will be as enjoyable anymore.  There will be no more "Outta Heres" and no more "Watch this baby".  There will just be silence.

For the fans of the Phillies, including myself, Martelli hit the nail right on the head.  We're not going to be watching baseball this.  What are we supposed to do when Ryan Howard hits a monster homer?  What about when Chase Utley makes a play that no one ever has before.  One that warrants the phrase "Chase Utley, you are the man!"

How do you replace a legend?  Can you replace a legend?  Those questions have one answer.  You can not replace a legend.  What's going are you going to do on the ride down the shore?  What happens when you tune into the radio, to a Phillies game, and you hear silenced?  Anyone?

David Montgomery said that "we've lost our voice".

For many, Harry Kalas was the only voice they grew up with.  The only guy they associate baseball with.  He was baseball to Philadelphia.  He was baseball to me.

In case you don't understand how big HK was in Philadelphia, here it is in a way a monkey could understand:

Harry Kalas is as big as a staple to Philadelphia as apple pie is to the United States.

When you saw a Phillies commercial on the tube, right away his voice was there whether he was featured in the commercial or not.  Once seven o'clock rolled around and you were excited for the ball game, you heard his voice.  You were set to sit back, enjoy nine innings of baseball while hearing a man call the game like no other can.

Come tomorrow, what am I supposed to do when the Phillies broadcast starts five minutes before the start of the game?  The previewing.  The annoucing of the starting lineups.  The first pitch.  The first home run.  The first run scored.  The first strikeout.  The first diving catch.  The first save.  The first win.  The first loss.

You turned on the radio dial, the television channel, the first sound you heard was a rich, baritone voice that once you heard it, all the troubles of the world disappeared.  If you were having a bad day, for three hours, everything doesn't matter.  It was time to sit down, relax and listen to a terrific man calling a baseball game.

Kalas brings back so many memories from my childhood—ones I forgot about when he with us—from Scott Rolen home run calls to Micky Moradini to Bobby Aberu to Pat Burrell to Chase Utley you are the man to Swing and miss, struck him out, the Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball, Brad Lidge does it again, 48-for-48 on the 2008 season, let the city celebrate.

For the better part of my lifetime, the Phillies have been horrible.  It wasn't until 2002 that I was able to see a winning baseball team, albeit one that didn't make the playoffs until 2007, for most for my childhood, they stunk.  But it was always the same Harry Kalas.  Whether it was that Tuesday in the hot summer day in July when the Phillies were some 18 games out of first place or that chilly late September day when the 2007 Phillies won the N.L. East for the first time since 1993.

Whether it was a win or a loss, the calls were the same.  It was the same, exciting "Long drive, watch this baby, outta here!" home run call every time.  It wasn't just the good times that he called.  He pointed out the bad without going in depth or anything extreme.

It was a simple "Oh no" that did it.  Or that September 8 night in 2005 when Billy Wagner cost the Phillies the Wild Card in blowing the save against the Houston Astros, a three-run blast from Craig Biggio.  His call went something like this:  "You got to be kidding me.  You got to be kidding me, a three-run home run Craig Biggio.  All runs unearned but who cares."

What is going to happen if the Phillies repeat this year?  My proposal, nothing.  No words.  Nada.  Silent.  Give the fans the opportunity to imagine what Harry the K would have said because that's how I'm going to do with every game from here on out.  I may even go as far as muting the TV and just listening to Kalas call the game from above.

I'm going to depart with one thing:

Harry Kalas was taken from this world from heart disease. How ironic.

Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas passed away on Monday after collasping in the broadcasting booth before the Phillies game against the Washington Nationals.  Kalas was 73.

Kalas was the Phillies play-by-play announcer since 1971 on both the radio and TV.  He was truly one of the best announcers to ever call a game.  He is to Philadelphia what Harry Caray was to Chicago.  A legend.

In case you are not familar with the great "Harry the K", you are, you may not know it.  Have you ever watched a NFL flim production and heard the narrator?  Or what about the Campbell Chunky Soup commercial?  That was Harry Kalas.

I wasn't blessed to grow up with Kalas as the voice of the Phillies from the start, however the 18 years that I was able to hear his great voice was more than enough to really fall in love with a man more than watching the games itself.  I loved Harry Kalas. He was a hero, he was a friend to everyone, no matter who you were.  He was your friend even if he didn't know you.

I'm not afraid to say it, I cried when I heard about his passing.  I knew that no Phillies game wil ever be the same again.

He wasn't just media.  He was part of the team.  He rode the team bus, he traveled with the team, he was a Phillie.  Harry Kalas was the Phillies.  He was as much the Phillies as the letter "P" on the uniform.

Curt Schilling said in his blog and on local Philadelphia television shows that Kalas was the only member of the media that he accepted and been around.

Schilling isn't one with the media, as one could say, but for that statement alone shows what type of person Mr. Kalas was.

Harry Kalas brought unscripted emotion to the booth.  I remember watching a Phillies-Braves game in 2007 when Chase Utley scored from second base on a groundball out to second base.  His call was "Chase Utley You Are The Man!"

His home run call was simple.  A simple "It's Outta Here!"  That call was brought more smiles to the face of Phillies' fans than the actually homer itself.

It isn't too often you run across a famous figure that will never refuse an autograph, take a picture, he would even record outgoing messages on people's cell phones.  Why?  He was a great person.

In 1980, Kalas wasn't allowed to call the only World Series Championship until 2008.  He wasn't allowed to call the Series because of the networks.  In 1993, he was able to call the Series, but that team that he loved so much wasn't able to win one.

He was in the clubhouse in '93 after the Phillies won the division and sang "High Hopes".  I was only three years old when that team's run occured.  I was to young to remember it, but watching the YouTube videos of it, the videos shown on Comcast Sportsnet, everywhere, chills run up my spine.

I remember him singing High Hopes when they clinched their first division title since '93 in 2007 and after the Phils won the Championship in 2008.  Watching a 71-year old man singing a song in front of the entire stadium and Philly on the field was something that I'll never forget.

Have you ever heard Mike Schmidt's 500th Home Run call?  No?  Well, it is a beauty of one.  "The 3-0 pitch, long drive, there it is, the 500th career home run for Michael Jack Schmidt"  Now that isn't the exact verbage of how he called it, but you can find the video or audio clip if you really want to.

His calls were amazing.  I don't know how else to say it.  I have memorized every single word of the World Series Champions call that he made when I saw my first championship as a fan of Philadelphia.

"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss, struck him out, the Philadelphia Phillies are world champions of baseball!  Brad Lidge does it again, 48-for-48 on the season, let the city celebrate!"

Watching the Phillies-Nationals game today just wasn't the same.  Ryan Howard's 3-run jack didn't feel like a home run.  For the matter of fact, it felt num not hearing "Long drive, that ball's outta here!"  Phillies games will never be the same, but before I turn this into a sobfest, he went the way he would have wanted to.  In the ballpark.

"Swing and miss, struck him, the Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball!  Brad Lidge does it again, 48-for-48 on the season, let the city celebrate!"

The Phillies voice is gone.  The voice has been silenced, but the echo will forever be loud.

Here's another note from the Phils game today, Jamie Moyer drove in the go-ahead run to make it a 2-1 game at the time, Harry Kalas would have made everyone jump in joy like "Yeah, there we go!  There's a run!  We're winning man!".  Instead, I was just num.  I didn't feel any joy.  I felt like something was missing.  There was something missing.

Harry Kalas.

His voice brought a smile to the face of everyone that he met.  I loved listening to him more than actual watching the games, and I'm not lying about that.

"Long drive, watch this baby, Outta Here!"

(Note:  I could have made this a bible long and could have made it a little more well written.  It is a sad day for Philadelphia.  I miss Harry Kalas already.)

Claude Giroux was the Flyers first round pick (22nd overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

If you're a Flyers fan, by now, you know who Claude Giroux is. If you live and die hockey, you know who Claude Giroux is. If you're just an average fan or you just follow one team without really knowing what goes on around the league, well this blog will let you know who Claude Giroux is.

Giroux is a 21-year old star-in-the-making for the Philadelphia Flyers. His natural position is wing, but he has been playing centermen for the Flyers. He is quite undersized, standing at 5'11" and weighing 172 pounds. Oh did I mention that he's a rookie?

He played his junior hockey with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL, and before he even played in the American Hockey League, he was making the Flyers fans aroused just to think what he could do with the big guys. Giroux went insane in the playoffs for the Olympiques last year, such a performance that I dropped my jaw.

In 19 games in the playoffs, Giroux had 51 points (17 goals, 34 assists), setting a team record for most points scored in the playoffs., as he led the entire QMJHL in points and assists. He won the QMJHL Playoff MVP and led the Olympiques to the championship game.

During the regular season for Gatineau, Giroux was named to his first all-star team with a phenomenal season. He posted 38 goals and had 68 assists for 106 points in 55 games. Giroux was second in the QMJHL in assists, second in points, third in plus/minus (plus-40), fifth in game-winning goals (8), third in shorthanded goals (6), and thirteenth in goals.

Now that was just Juniors, but those are some gaudy numbers, pretty gaudy numbers.

Giroux has played a total of 38 games for the Philadelphia Phantoms - Flyers AHL affiliate. In 2006-07, he played five games, scoring a goal and an assist with a minus-2 rating. He started there this year, and had 34 points (17 goals, 17 assists) in 33 games.

Many people were disappointed with Giroux because it seemed about everyone thought he would make the Flyers' roster out of training camp, but he had to have four wisdom teeth removed and just wasn't that ready yet.

He got his chance when injuries started to bite the Flyers' behind, especially that of Danny Briere. He played his first game with the Flyers this year (played two games last year, didn't score) against the Chicago Blackhawks back on December 26, 2008, which was a 5-1 loss.

As the season progressed on, Giroux got more and more effective and comfortable to a point where he's now a top-6 forward on a team with six players with 20 or more goals scored (Jeff Carter, 40; Simon Gagne, 30; Mike Richards, 28; Scott Hartnell, 27; Mike Knuble, 26; Joffrey Lupul, 21).

Recently, Giroux replaced the captain, my favorite player, Mike Richards on the top line, as he is centering Gagne and Knuble - he didn't replace him because Richards has been playing poor, he replaced him because John Stevens wanted to get Briere back to a top six player.

Although he now is the center of Gagne and Knuble, he has played with them on the powerplay, so there is a past sense of chemistry. Those non-Flyers fans may ask why do such act? Why take your best player off of the first line? ... that's a two part answer. First, Mike Richards creates no matter who he has on his sides. Second, depth.

In 32 games played with the Fly guys, Giroux has five goals and 14 assists for 19 points, he has a plus-10 rating and averages 15:07 minutes of ice time per game. Those aren't lights out numbers, but really, he hasn't played with any of the big players on the Flyers. Before the trade of Scottie Upshall - oh, how much I miss you - Giroux was either centering or playing right wing on a line of Upshall and Darroll Powe.

Yet he still impressed.

Giroux has 16 points in his last 26 games played, only having three points in his first six games - eight points in his last nine games - and has averaged around 15:42 minutes per game.

According to Sportsnet.ca's scouting report, Giroux is, I quote, "Has electric moves, outstanding offensive creativity and plenty of finishing skills. Is at his best with the puck on his stick." Those are his "assets" according to Sportsnet, and his "flaws" are "needs to get physically stronger and prove he can withstand the pounding of the National Hockey League game. Must adjust to the speed of the NHL.", and according to Sportsnet, his potential is a first line winger.

Well, as of today, he's a first line center ...

Giroux is a terrific player, kills penalties, scores goals, but what he does best, is make plays. He is becoming one of the best playmakers on the team. Behind Richards, Giroux - at least in my opinion - is the best passing forward on the roster.

Giroux assisted on Gagne's 30th goal last night, and after the game, Gagne said that Giroux reminded him of Peter Forsberg. With Forsberg, you must have your stick on the ice when he had the puck because more than probable, he would get you the puck. Giroux is just like that. He has great hands, great pass, great vision, great anticipation, and well, simply he's already a great player.

He's a "magician with the puck" - as the Flyers play-by-play guy Jim Jackson would say - and sometimes, he makes you think to yourself: "What the hell did he do that for?"...only two seconds later see a Flyer come and unleash a shot on goal.

The Flyers have played on NBC the last two Sundays, and each game, they have said a lot of good thing (eh, why not speak like a French-Canadien) about Giroux and even Versus (if you're lucky enough to find it...). I shouldn't be proud of that though, because I hate NBC and VS - mainly because they are biased against the Flyers, but eh, who the hell isn't and they don't really know hockey.

If you don't know the name Claude Giroux already, well, get to know it. In a year or two (maybe three), he will be a household name - when it comes to hardcore hockey fans - and he will be a pleasure to watch and I am extremely aroused at the idea that I'm going to be able to watch him possibly playing wing of Richards.

Today, it was found out that it was NO serious!  Long live the champs!!!

This blog isn't going to be long, but it will be quite short.  Cole Hamels was sent back to Philly today to visit a doctor about his elbow.  Let me put it in one sentence and this will be over with.

If Hamels is hurt badly, then the Phillies will have NO chance to making the playoffs.

The football universe found out this weekend that the Denver Broncos - not only killed the Philadelphia Eagles by signing Brian Dawkins - tried the trade for quarterback Matt Cassel in a three-way trade that would have sent flamethrower Jay Cutler to one of three teams.  In the end, that didn't happen, as Cassel was dealt to the Cheifs.

Josh McDaniels wanted to bring in his guy for quarterback and all the power to you, but by doing so, you pissed off what I think is a much better quarterback than Cassel.  Not only did they pissed him off, but the Broncos now face a very controversial decision.  Trade Jay or hope the situation can heal a tad.

Jay Cutler has the right to want to get the hell of out Denver.  It is obvious, to me at least, that McDaniel feels that Cutler isn't a good fit in his system and that another option is the way to go.  Except his guy is no longer an option as he was traded from New England to the Broncos division-rival Kansas City - which I kind of find funny.

The Broncos put themselves between a rock and a hard place because now their franchise quarterback is upset and rightfully so.  Denver has to hope that they can possibly move on with Cutler, but when you have to hope you're pretty much screwed.

The smartest move for the football team may be the toughest one.  Trading Cutler makes the most sense because who wants a pissed off quarterback who doesn't feel that he is the coach's guy?  You do lose a heck of a gunslinger but in turn you may end up with a first-round pick or at worse a second-round pick along with others.

Look at his numbers, he kind of reminds you of a Brett Favre in the making.  Everyone knows he has one of the strongest arms in the league, not only that, Cutler does some of the same things Favre does.  Cutler put up 25 touchdowns this past football campaign and threw 18 interceptions ... sounds familer a little?

The one question mark on Favre was his decision making.  He would try to fit in balls into microsopic spaces.  He has the most touchdowns thrown and most interceptions thrown.  He literally had a cannon for a throwing arm.

Cutler has a cannon as well and he makes 'stupid' decisions to some.  Jay forces balls into double-coverage and sometimes even triple-coverage.  Growing up watching Donovan McNabb throw the ball, I wish my quarterback wouldn't be afraid to throw the ball into coverage.

In 2008, Cutler carried the team on his arm, without him, Denver wouldn't have even been in position to blow the division.  But that's a different story.  Lets face it, the Broncos are no longer the team that produces a 1000-year rushers no matter the name and the defense is very questionable.

That brings me to a reason why Cutler would want to get out of Denver now that he has learned that they don't want him.  Why play for a team with no defense and no running game when possibily you could be playing for a team with both.

Everyone is throwing out the names of Tampa Bay, Minnesota, San Francisco, Chicago, New York Jets and the Detroit Lions.  Cutler would make three of those four teams a strong Super Bowl contender for the next season.  But am I the only one that thinks the Eagles should get in on Cutler?

McNabb and the Birds had a meeting over the NFL Scouting Combine, according to some reports, he basically told the Eagles to "get me weapons or get me out" - those probably weren't the words he used, but you got the point.  The only weapon that could have even helped the Eagles was T.J. Houshmandzadeh and now he's in Seattle.

Philadelphia will not get the services of any big time wide receiver -or for that matter, tight end.  It's not like they don't have the assets.  Two first-round picks this draft, why not package one of them along with a second and/or third and some other picks to Arizona for Anquan Boldin?  I know that answer, cheapass ownership.

Most of you know my position on McNabb and I don't like him as a field general.  I want him out of Philly and I think its time to bite the bullet and start rebuilding.  Andy Reid has to go, but that won't happen and McNabb needs to go (might happen, might not).

So why wouldn't the Eagles have interest in Cutler?  He's a great quarterback that has the potential to be in the names of Peyton Manning someday.  He's going to be out there to be had if the right price is there (two first-round picks may help!).  Spark up a three-team trade with Chicago and Denver and you got a deal.

My proposal:

Denver:

• Eagles 1st-round pick
• Bears 3rd-round pick
• Eagles 4th-roud pick

Chicao:

• Donovan McNabb

Philadelphia:

• Jay Cutler
• Bears 3rd round pick in 2010

Now that's just me throwing something out there that has no truth to it at all.  As an Eagles fan, I would go streaking with joy if that happened.  With Cutler, the Eagles wouldn't have to rebuild that much because quite frankly, I think Cutler can do well with the weapons McNabb had this year.

Why not the Birds?

*I wrote another blog earlier and I'm going to link it here because they were released pretty close together.

http://www.dynastymanager.com/blog.php?user=flyersdabe&post=3494

Ladies and gentlemen, this here blog was written because one of the best players in the National Hockey League isn't talked about enough.  It's not fair, it's not deserved and quite frankly, it needs to change.

When the question is asked, the response is either Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby and rightfully so.  But it needs a different taste because quite frankly there are plenty of flavors that are just as talented or more complete of a player.  You can look to Detroit with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, but lets go a different route.

I am here to defend my favorite player, Mike Richards.  Not only is he a very skilled and talented individual - like the among names - he is the best two-way forward in the NHL.  Of the above names (not including Richards), only Datsyuk and Zetterberg can say they're exquisite defenders.

As you pleasure your eyes while watching this young man play, you'll know why I think he's the best complete player in hockey.  He has everything one could ask for in a hockey player.  Playmaking, check.  Creativity, check.  Patience, check.  Shot, check.  Speed, check.  Anticipation, check.  Physical, check.  And the kicker, shutdown defender, check.

If you look at NHL.com and look at the stats, you'll see that Evgeni Malkin, Crosby and Ovechkin are the top three in points.  Those are very telling, but dont' get caught up in all those stats.  Goals, assists and points doesn't tell the entire story.

Want to go by stats, then look at these:

• 60 points - tied for 13th in the league
• 23 goals - tied for 23rd in the league (along with Crosby)
• 37 assists - 16th in the league
• plus-23 - tied for 11th in the league
• 7 shorthanded goals - 1st in the league
• 2 overtime goals - tied 2nd in the league
• 106 hits - 38th among forwards

Ovechkin has more goals, Crosby has more assists, but Richards has a better plus/minus rating than Malkin, Crosby and Ovechkin, more hits than Crosby and Malkin, has more overtime goals than Crosby AND Malkin, and leads only his teammates Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne - along with a few others - in shorthanded goals by three goals.

Richards has already broke an NHL-shorthanded record as the only player to ever score two 3-on-5 goals, he has tied the Flyers' record for most shorthanded goals in a season (7) and is just one more from breaking it.  He has 19 career shorthanded goals, just 13 goals away from tying Bobby Clarke's team record and is six shy from Mario Lemieux's record for a single season.

There is no doubt in my mind, and many other's, that Mike Richards is the biggest threat killing penalties.  Watching him kill penalties is like poetry in motion.  Once again, he's a complete package.

In conclusion, there is a bundle of players you can make an argument for the best player in the league.  My case simply says that Richards is.  Most DMer's know my dislike for Sidney "Cindy" Crosby, and as much as I despise him, he's a great player as is Ovechkin.

In the defense of hockey

Hockey is kind of on the backburner in the United States come sports wise, there are a lot of fans and a lot of citics.  I'm a passionate fan of hockey, no matter what brand it is.  I know some of my fellow DMers don't like hockey, some with reasons and some with no legit reason other than "made me miss part of an A's game" or something along that line.

I came along an article on CSNPhilly.com and one of their hockey contributors, Tim Panaccio, has a weekly update called "Sunday NHL Notes".  Well this past Sunday, he put up an excellent artcle defending hockey.  He pointed that hockey was the catalyst that built ESPN, and think about it, it's true.

Here is a direct link to the article:

http://csnphilly.com/pages/landing_flyers/?Panaccio-Sunday-NHL-Notes=1&blockID=41174&feedID=695

Please give it a read whether you're a hockey fan or not because it is a very good read.

When you think of rivarlies in Major League Baseball, the first that comes to mind is the Yankees-Red Sox.  ESPN will call it the best rivalry in baseball.  Although many would agree with that statement, in my opinion, it was the best rivalry in baseball when it was just the Sox and Yanks dueling for the A.L. East title.

It has calmed down in my opinion, ever since the Sox overthrew the "Evil Empire" and have been the East champs, the Yankees-Sox rivarly just isn't the same.  Over the past three seasons, the best rivalry in all of baseball has been the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets.

Two years ago, the rivalry heated up.  Phils shortstop said that the Phillies were the team to beat in the N.L. East and proved to be true as he won the NL MVP and the Phillies beat out the lowly Mets for the East title.  Before last season - in which the Phillies won the World Series - Rollins said that the Phillies will win 100 games.

The Phils didn't win 100 games in the regular season, BUT did win more than 100 games combined.  So that proved to be true and they won the championship - the best sports moment in my lifetime.

This year, once again, a Phillie stirred the pot.  Not Rollins this time, it was pitcher Cole Hamels.

"Last year and this year I think we did believe that. Three years ago we didn't because they smoked everybody, and I think we all thought they were going to win it all. Unfortunately that didn't happen. But, yeah, that's kind of what we believed and I think we're always going to believe that until they prove us wrong.  For the past two years they've been choke artists." -- Hamels

There isn't a person that doesn't think that.  Everyone knows it, even the Mets.  They know choked.  Two years in a row, the Mets blew a division lead in August-September and didn't make the playoffs.  That's a choke artist, and it wasn't needed to be said.  BUT the question was asked and Hamels said it.  No big deal.

The Mets have responded to Hamels comments during spring training.  Their manager, Jerry Manuel, Carlos Beltran, Fran'sucko' Rodriguez, Ryan Church and today Jose Reyes.

Suck-Rod said the Mets are the team to beat even though he this is the first year with the Mets.  I say to "K"-Rod, shut up until you blow a save against the Phillies pal.

Carlos Beltran had the best quote about it though.  He said this:  "The only thing that I know is he will be watched every time he faces us. Hopefully we kill him, and then he'll have to deal with the situation."

Hey Beltran, I can't wait to see your face when Cole strikes you out in the first appearance against you, your a bum.  You ain't nothing special, your overpayed - like every other pro athlete - you are overrated and just plain aren't good.  Remember a few years back when you were "so good"?  ...  Steroids?

What Reyes said proves to me that the Mets will once again be looking behind them - or ahead, this season.

"I don't know why they always focus on us. They are the ones to win the World Series, We don't say nothing about them. We just say, 'Congratulations to the Phillies.' They always say something about us and we don't even focus on them. We focus on them when we play against them. We don't worry about the Phillies. We focus about the New York Mets," Reyes said. "They have to be happy because they win the World Series. Why do they focus on us? What did we do to them? If they don't like us, that's OK."

Reyes doesn't seem like a guy that is focused on his team.  He says "they focus on us".  Oh really jackass, they haven't said a single thing about you.  Sure, Hamels did call you choke artists but that was earlier and its the damn truth and plus he was asked about you.

Reyes also said "they always say something about us and we don't even focus on them".  Oh really dumbass, I didn't realize everything coming out of the Phillies mouth is about how bad you are.  You don't focus on them?  Sounds to me like you do.

You also say "we don't worry about the Phillies".  Again idiot, it sure sounds like you do.  Why else would half your team be talking smack about the Phillies and saying that the Mets are the "team to beat"?

"We focus about the New York Mets".  Jose, why are you talking about the Phillies?

"They have to be happy because they win the World Series.  Why do they focus on us?  What did we do to them?  If they don't like us, that's OK."  Moron, of course the Phillies, their fans and I are happy we won the World Series.  The Phillies don't focus on you because there isn't a reason to focus on you.  What are you five and are the Phillies the bully that's taking your lunch money?  Grow the hell up and stop crying because you know you suck.

Jose Reyes is a great ball player, don't get me wrong.  He has a lot of speed and has five-tools.  He's a tad overrated, but he's still a heck of a player.  He's missing some crudentials though.

He isn't a team player.  Whenever he gets a double or a home run, he trots around pointing fingers and holding up the finger as saying "number one!".  Its not "the Mets are number one", its "whoa Jose got a hit!!!!  I'm ****ing awesome!"  Next time you play the Phillies and you hit a double or home run, think about this pal.  Who has a ring and who hasn't made the playoffs for a couple years.

He is an brilliant idea for the Mets:  Win something.

This upcoming season is going to be awesome.  There is going to be a lot of great baseball to be played. As a Phillies phanatic, its going to the second-best season in my lifetime.  But there's one thing.  Mets will not win the NL East.

Oh a few more things.  Jose, Suck-Rod, Beltchoke & CO, the Phillies and their fans have the right to trash talk ... we won the World Series.  Now I will add one more thing before I get fried.

I know this is the first championship that Philadelphia has had since 1983 - which I wasn't alive for - but I don't care.  I have the right to bash the Mets- or any other team, because my favorite team won the World Series.  I have this right until someone wins next season's trophy and/or eliminates the Phillies in the playoffs.

I forgive Alex Rodriguez, will you?

As everyone knows by now, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003 - in which he won the AL MVP and home run title - and he admitted it.  He also gave a time frame from when he did, from 2001-03.  Everyone has seen his apology and admission of taking steroids from that time table - heck, he even gave the time table.

I know some of my fellow DMer's opinions on this topic, and with some reason blogs, I decided to post one of my one addressing some of the comments.  Many of you, don't accept his apology.  Some of you, don't give a damn.  I am against 'roids to the fullest, but it has got to a point where I don't care anymore.

I hate Barry Bonds.  He's a lier.  He's a cheater.  For a lack of a better word, he's a jerk.  I am in the agreement with a lot of people that Hank Aaron is still the true home run king.  To me, anything Bonds has done since joining the Giants doesn't exist in my mind.  He has lied about taking 'roids, and still does.  He's taken them, it's obvious.

Rafael Palmeiro, he's an idoit in my eyes.  In front of Congress, and point your finger and say "I have never used steroids.  Period."  Only to gut busted some five months later.  That's as stupid as they come.

Mark McGwire is so pathetic that even his brother said he took them.  What's his response, nothing still.  Come on Big Mac, nobody cares whether you took them anymore, its been what a decade?  You're not getting into the Hall of Fame so come clean buddy.  Give youself a little chance to elected because your numbers say you deserve to.

Who's next?  The guy I call the "ultimate cheater".  Sammy Sosa.  Corked his bats and used the needle.  Whatever.

The final guy I'm bringing up before I get to A-Rod.  Jason Giambi.  He apologized for taking performance enhancers.  Is there any proof he did? ... No.  Has any positive tests surfaced? ... No.  He admitted his wrong before someone found evidence that he did.

Now to A-Rod.  Before Saturday, not one person would not say that Alex Rodriguez isn't in the top 3 hitters if you were to list them.  Who are the other two?  In my opinion, So Taguchi is not one of them, but Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez are the other two.  This next argument, you can say about any five of the names I listed.

Even before the '01 season, Rodriguez tore up the ball.  A-Rod could hit the seams off of the ball with his eyes closed - still could, probably.  Today, he still is amazing in the batter's box and even better, he's still a great defensive player (he's done a reasonable good job at playing third base for being a natural shortstop).

Take or leave it, he still has that ability.  He's a great hitter with or without steroids.

I am just as disappointed than the next guy (or gal).  There is always going to be that thought in the back of my mind that A-Rod did it tainted.  He'll still break Aaron's record, no doubt in my mind as long as he stays healthy.

I'm forgiving him because whether you agree with it or not, he did admit to it.  He apologized with genuine assent, at least I think so.  He looked to me like he was really sorry for doing it.  I think he's more sorry that he let fans and the Yankees organization and baseball down more than he got caught.  I think he's more sorry that he "cheated".

As I was reading over Bo Vandy's recent blog about this subject, I noticed some comments left by some Dmers.  And for a some majority, I agree with some of the comments.

"He lied in the beggining....When somebody interviewed him he sad no i did not take steroids.....Then now that they have evidence he wants to come clean.....A real Man would have come clean when they first started finding out who all did it" -- sdf4977.

That's simply not true.  If you're accused of murder for instance, are you coming clean right away if you did it? ... no you won't, you'll deny it.  Nobody wants to go to prison, its simply not a fun place.  You may say that you will, but that's talk.  Nobody does something wrong and then admits to it if they are directly accused to such act.

"As I posted in the forums, he's only sorry that he got caught. Had it not been published he would have continued to lie and hide everything." -- Pujols.

I don't think he's sorry only because he got caught.  I think he is really sorry that he let people wrong and that he cheated people.  Sure, he would have continued to not say anything because nobody accused him of.  Nobody that took steroids is just going to come out of the blue and admit to something he/she isn't accused of.

"I agree with you a ton of this bigi. If this was an instance where someone killed another person, and then after they were found to have killed them and they admitted and apologized for doing so - are they to be forgiven? Does the family of the decease get on with their life now because "oh, well he said he was sorry?" All sides are wrong on this matter. The MLB are dumbasses for not cracking down on this earlier, it's completely destroyed the game as we know it. Rodriguez is an idiot for doing in the first place, because once the MLB did start cracking down on it, he should have came out and admitted it then. But no, these money-hungry bitches feel that they're stuck in the lime-life and want the fans to still love them. You want us to still love you, DON'T CHEAT YOU ASSHOLE. I don't give a damn what anyone says. If I was in that situation I would not have done it. I'm one of those people who plays for the game. Money isn't the utmost importance - because I know what it's like to not have it. Fans aren't either - because I have people who have been with me since day one. This isn't a damn popularity contest. And then to say, I didn't know what I was taking? ARE YOU RETARDED? Do you seriously expect me to believe that you're dumb enough to not know what you're taking then you must be a complete buffoon. You could've been allergic to it, you could've died from taking it, and you're going to tell me you didn't know. Get out of my face with that bull. Alex Rodriguez does not deserves to go the Hall of Fame. If he breaks the HR record, it should not count (Hank Aaron is still the HR King to me). As for as what he does now, I could care less. What disappoints me the most is that I have to follow 162 games on his crap with the Yankees this year." -- GoKnicks.

Your example is a very good one.  If someone were to kill another person and apologized for it, some will forgive and some won't.  Some people just hold grudges their entire life.  You admit to murder, your going to pay the consequences.  But this isn't murder, this is just a game at which a player decided to do something wrong.

The MLB is at fault for everyone who tests positive for 'roids.  They handled the whole situation wrong and quite frankly should have just been more strict from the get go.

I think Alex Rodriguez does deserve to get into the Hall of Fame ... will he?  Time will only tell.

I respect all your opinions, and am not trying to discredit anything you may have said.  If I offended anyone, then sorry.

This blog isn't over yet.

The fact that A-Rod is the only name out there is a disgrace.  All 103 players on that list should be released now.  It was an anonymous poll that MLBPA and MLB needed to see how many players were doing them.  If A-Rod has to deal with the asterisk next to his name, every single player on that list should be as well.

I was in the chat room the other night, I think Sunday with the Doctor (aka DrMcAwesome).  He made some fantastic points.  He said that it was legal to take them back then.  It was, there was no law saying otherwise - in baseball at least.

As I end this blog, I have one question.

If this were a big-time NFL player, would this matter much?  Once he served the supsension, would you even remembered?  Remember Shawn Merrimen, he took steroids.  Do you care about that?  No you don't.  Why is the NFL different than the MLB?  Why is steroids not a big deal there but it is on the diamond?  Why?  Somebody answer the damn questoin.  WHY?