Best Of The Decade

The beginning of the new millennium was filled with many famous and infamous moments. Through it all, there was one constant that continued to bring us all together. Sports. So, as we get set to turn the page on the first decade of the twenty-first century, let's take a moment to look back at the best Sports had to offer during the past ten years.

Major League Baseball:

Team- New York Yankees (965 Regular season wins; Four 100 win seasons; 2 World Series Titles; 3 AL Pennants; 9 Playoff Appearances; 52 Playoff Wins, the most of any team in the Majors)

Players-
1) Mariano Rivera (397 Saves; 2.10 ERA)
2) Albert Pujols (.334 Avg; .427 OBP; .628 SLG; 1.055 OPS; '01 Rookie Of The Year; 3 Time NL MVP: '05, '08, 09)
3) Manny Ramirez (1,106 RBI; .317 Avg/ .600 SLG)

Moment(s)-
1) 2001 World Series; Most notably games 4 (Mr. November),5,7- Not just for Baseball, but for America. In the wake of 9-11, Baseball helped America heal, particularly the Yankees and the city of New York. Also in '01 was "Flip Play", but, now I'm just showing my Yankee bias.
2) 2004 Red Sox- Boston reversed "The Curse of The Bambino" in high fasion, becoming the only team in MLB history to overcome and 0-3 defecit. What made it even sweeter for Red Sox Nation was that history came at the hands of their fiercest rival.
3) Barry Bonds 73 Hr in '01- The debate can go on forever about the "Steroid Era". But a record is a record. And, steroids or not, this is an impressive feat.

National Hockey League:

Team- Detroit Red Wings (457 Wins, least amount of wins in a season was 48; 5 Presidents Trophies; 2 Stanley Cups; 3 Finals Appearences)

Players-
1) Nicklas Lidstrom (3 Times a +/- rating of 40; 6 Norris Trophies; 1 Conn Smythe Trophy
2) Martin Brodeur (4 Vezina Trophies; 308 Wins; .914 Save Percentage; 59 Shutouts)
3) Sidney Crosby (Three 100 point seasons; Art Ross Trophy; Hart Memorial Trophy; Youngest player to 200 career points) & Alex Ovechkin (Three 50+ goal seasons; Calder Memorial Trophy; First player to win Ross, Hart, Richard, and Pearson Trophies all in same season- '08)

*NOTE* I know both Crosby and Ovechkin started half way through the decade, But never have two players captured the sport of Hockey the way these two have. So, I had to make an exception.

Moment(s)-
1) Keith Primeau's 5OT Goal- Defeated Penguins in game 4 of '02 Playoffs allowing the Flyers to climb out of an 0-2 hole. The goal swung momentum in the Flyers favor, and they went on to defeat the Penguins in 6 games.
2) Ray Bourque finally winning the Stanley Cup- In 2001, the Bruins traded Bourque to the Avalanche to give him a chance to win. He did. And in a move as classy as the man himself, Bourque took the Cup back to Boston that summer for a tour.
3) '07 & '08 Stanley Cup Finals- For two consecutive seasons, the Deroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins put on a display that showcased everything that is good about the sport of hockey.

NFL:

Team- New England Patriots (3 Super Bowl Titles; 1 perfect regular season; 102 Wins)

Players-
1) Peyton Manning (41,967 Yds; 98.7 QB Rating)
2) Randy Moss (763 Receptions; 11,549 Yards; 15.2 Yards per catch)
3) Brett Favre (37,574 Yards; 86.7 QB Rating)

Moment(s)-
1) End of Super Bowl XXXIV- On the last play of the game, Kevin Dyson is tackled on the 1 Yard Line, preserving the Rams victory over the Titans in what was one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played.
2) David Tyree's "CATCH" in Super Bowl XLII- This is, essentially, the play that ended New England's bid for perfection. It catapulted the Giants to a championship and turned Tyree into a legend.
3) Music City Miracle- It is still debatable that Frank Wycheck's lateral to Kevin Dyson was, indeed, a forward pass. What's not debatable is that this is one of the most exciting plays in NFL history.

NBA:

Team- San Antonio Spurs (523 Wins; 3 championships)

Players-
1) Kobe Bryant- (28.6 Points Per Game; 19,580 Points)
2) Tim Duncan- (11.4 Rebounds Per Game; 21.2 Points Per Game; 2.3 Blocks Per Game)
3) LeBron James- (Perhaps the most recognizable figure since Michael Jordan. And in a show me League, that means a lot; 27.6 Points Per Game; )

Moment(s)-
1) Robert Horry's Winning Basket in Game 4 of '02 Conference Finals- With the Lakers down 2-1 in the Series, and by two points in the game, Horrylifted his team out of a nearly insurmountable hole and into a Series tie. The Lakers would go on to win another NBA Title.
2) Allen Iverson over Tyrone Lue in Game 1 of '01 Finals- The crssover, and the shot, may have put the Lakers on Notice. The 76ers didn't win the Title that year, but that shot is an exclamtion point on how AI plays basketball... All out and in your face.
3) Tayshaun Prince Blocks Reggie Miller in Game 2 of '04 Eastern Finals- After a Pacers steal, Reggie Miller seemed to have a clean layup. Until Prince came out of nowhere and blocked the shot.

These are just some of the memorable moments from the past ten years. I know there are countless more, but these were my best. Here's to hoping the next ten years give us just as many magical moments.

-MIke Tursi

A Look Into The Winter Of Mike

For those of you familiar with Seinfeld, the Term "Winter of Mike" was borrowed from an episode called "The Summer of George". The premise is that George was going to have the greatest summer ever. Thanks to the Yankees defeating the Phillies this past fall. This Philly native, and Yankee fan, is in the midst of having the greatest winter ever.

During the past month, Yankee fans have kept a close watch as the Hot Stove blazed and the 2010 edition of the legendary franchise began to take shape. And, in the coming months, fans will watch that team go out into the sunny Florida spring and prepare to defend their World Series Title. So, I'd like to take a look back, once more, on the fantastic story that is, The Winter of Mike.

The 2009 Season was just a prelude to The Winter of Mike. As the teams became set for the 2009 World Series, I knew I was going to take a lot of heat from family, friends, and even strangers. But, I was ready. And, as the 27th out was recorded on that glorious November night, The Winter of Mike officially began.

First was a phone call to my brother, whom, until that night, I had never beaten in anything my entire life. He would soon have to don a Yankee Jersey while his infant son would where his cousin's (my son) Yankee outfit for a picture to be proudly displayed in both of our houses (Well, mine would be proudly displayed anyway).

The Winter of Mike continued on through the fall. I wore Yankee apparel everywhere I went, even work. I drew scorn from some, disbelief from others. I enjoyed every minute of it. I am not one to gloat, but I took a huge measure of satisfaction with these quiet statements. Because, I knew, had this gone the other way, no one, and I mean NO ONE, would ever let me live it down.

Christmas brought a time to reflect on the joy of the Yankees winning this Title at the hands of the local baseball team. My wife, though it pained her, was kind enough to allow me this joy with presents that will ensure that The Winter of Mike will continue forever. A World Series DVD, Yankees World Series Champions tee shirt, And pub Glasses commemorating this special victory. These all have been adorned and used daily since Christmas Day.

And so, The Winter of Mike rolls on. And, whenever anyone sees me, they are reminded that this winter is mine, not theirs. Because my team defeated theirs to win the World Series!

So, Yankee fans, before we turn all of our attention ahead to what 2010 has in store. Take a look back, and join me in celebrating the greatest winter a Yankee fan living in Philly could have. Celebrate The Winter of Mike.

- Mike Tursi

Looking Back on the John Stevens Era in Philadelphia

The following post can also be found at The Hockey Herald (www.thehockeyherald.com).

It wasn't a long tenure, but it was marked with some of the organizations highest highs and included some of it's lowest lows. It began on October 22, 2006 when Stevens was called upon to replace Ken Hitchcock after the Flyers, who entered the season with high expectations, stumbled to a 1-6-1 start. That start not only cost Ken Hitchcock his job, but GM Bob Clarke as well.

New GM Paul Holmgren appointed John Stevens his head coach, and immediately set out making trades to improve the team. Despite the Flyers finishing the 2006-07 season with the worst record in the NHL, and worst record in franchise history, Holmgren made significant moves to allow John Stevens to get this team back on the right track.

Stevens did just that, as the Flyers reached the Conference Finals in 2008, the biggest turnaround in NHL history. But it wasn't all roses, even in the best of times. dispite the teams success that year, a late season winless streak put the team in jeopardy of missing the playoffs. They were able to turn it around in time and went on to make an improbable run. A run that may have started the ball on Stevens dismissal.

So, was John Stevens a victim of his own success? Maybe. After the 2008 season, expectations for the Flyers shot through the roof. Young, talented, and led by young Captain, Mike Richards, who reminded so many of the team's eternal face, Bobby Clarke, the Flyers seemed poised to do great things. But that's not how it turned out in the end.

Stumbling again at the finish line in April 0f 2009, the Flyers lost Home ice to the resurgent Pittsburgh Penguins, they're first round opponent. That turned out to be the season's penultimate moment. The end came in Game 6, with the Flyers blowing a 3-0 lead on home ice. It was a disappointing end to what was supposed to be another promising spring. The expectations started to turn into pressure.

As they do every year, the Flyers front office made sure that the team would have the best chance to meet the fans lofty expectations. They went to work quickly in the offseason. Making a low risk-high reward move signing ostracized goaltender Ray Emery and they pulled off a Draft Day blockbuster trade for Chris Pronger. This caused many prognosticators to pick the Flyers as Stanley Cup contenders again, which meant more pressure.

The 2009 season started out well. The Flyers jumped out to a 12-5-1 start. They owned the leagues number one power play. But there was trouble. Injuries, to both role players and stars, took their toll. And, the undisciplined penalties, a mainstay of the Stevens era, continued to put games in jeopardy. A west coast trip that started with a game saving performance by backup goaltender, Brian Boucher, soon dissolved into a prolonged stretch of losing, which also featured eight scoreless periods. The stretch of futility combined with the high expectations led to Stevens dismissal while the team still had a winning record (13-11-1), but out of the playoff picture. They are currently tenth in the Eastern Conference.

And so, the book is now closed. John Stevens career record in Philly is 120-109-34. Not bad considering that in his first year he inherited the worst team in the NHL. But, the expectations proved to much for the top brass who felt Stevens message was being lost on the players.

Now begins the Peter Laviolette coaching regime. An intense coach who led the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2006 StanleyCup. A fresh voice to get a message across to players who may have stopped listening. It hasn't started out like the Flyers wanted, an embarassing loss at home vs. Washington and a lackluster 3-1 defeat in Montreal. But, on day 5, they pounced on the New York Islanders for a 6-2 win. Led by their scoring stars, the Flyers looked better than they have in weeks.

The page has been turned. It's time to move on. There were some really good times. But, in the end, it just didn't work out.

-Mike Tursi

Famous Philly Sports Quotes

Yesterday's press conference marked the official return of Allen Iverson to the 76ers. But the buzz surrounding his return has lit up the city for days. And, as with the return of any famous athlete, there was a lot of reminiscing done in the various media outlets. But the single event brought up most never occurred on a basketball court. It wasn't his crossover of Michael Jordan. Or his stepping on Derek Fisher after making a clutch basket in the 2001 NBA Finals. No, the most reminisced moment of AI's first tour of duty here was the "Practice?" press conference.

So, this got me to thinking about some of the other famous quotes uttered by Philadelphia Sports figures. I came up with five of my all time favorites. They are in no particular order, so rank them as you please. And, if you think there is one that should be on here that isn't let me know.

We'll start with the inspiration for this list; "Practice?"

1) "We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the Franchise Player, and we're talking about practice. I mean, listen, we're sitting here talking about practice. Not a game, not a game, not a game, but, we're talking about practice."- Allen Iverson

This exchange took place in a 2002 press conference after the Sixers were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. When Iverson's practice habits were called into question, he and the reporter got into a heated exchange that has since become legendary.

While this may be the most famous quote, the next one is my personal favorite.

2) "For who? For what?"- Ricky Watters

If you want to endear yourself to the blue collar fans of Philadelphia, this is the best example of how NOT to go about it. In his first game after signing with the Eagles in 1995, Watters "Alligator armed" a pass over the middle from Randall Cunningham, for fear of getting hit pretty hard by a Tampa defender. When asked by a reporter about the incident, Ricky replied, "For who? For what?". While he went on to enjoy moderate success in Philadelphia, he was never able to live that moment down. It didn't end all bad for Watters though. He used the quote in the title of a book he later wrote about his career.

3) "All he does is catch touchdowns."- Buddy Ryan

Thanks to ESPN's Chris Berman, this quote has also taken on a life of it's own. It was Buddy's response to a reporter who asked why Ryan was releasing the talented Chis Carter. It was later revealed that the real reason Carter was released was due to his ongoing drug problem. Chris Carter says the move saved his life. He got cleaned up, became a Born Again Christian, and went on to have a Hall of Fame career as a wideout for the Minnesota Vikings.

4) "It is basically a choking situation that I call it right now."- Terry Murray

In 1997 the Flyers stormed through the Eastern Conference Playoffs, but were met by a road block in the Stanley Cup Finals in the Detroit Red Wings. After falling behind 3-0, coach Murray hoped to "inspire" his team to a comeback for the ages. Instead, the Flyers played listless in being swept and a domino effect of epic proportions rang throughout the organization. Beginning with Murray's firing and the eventual much publicized feud between Eric Lindros and Bobby Clarke.

5) "I can't wait for it to end"- Cole Hamels

While this is a fresh quote, it is on here due to the circumstances that surrounded it. With his team locked in a 1-1 tie heading into game 3 of the 2009 World Series against the New York Yankees, Cole Hamels took the mound looking for some redemption for what was, to that point, a forgettable season. Staked to an early lead, Hamels proceeded to give up a 2-run Home Run to Alex Rodriguez and an RBI to Yankees pitcher Andy Pettite. The Yankees went on to win that game, and eventually, the World Series. Hamels never got another shot to pitch in '09. When asked by a reporter about his troubles, Hamels said he needed a fresh start. Many Phillies fans were ready to give him that start right then and there.

So there's my five. I thought to include the many quotes of the Bob Clarke/ Eric Lindros saga, but that would have grown into it's own story. There is also T.O. working out on his lawn for the press, but I didn't think that was necessarily better than any of these, so to speak.

-Mike Tursi