You hate the "What If's." You wonder what if "The Rotation" held up and made it through the 2011 season healthy. Would it have brought the team another World Series championship? We may never know. All we know is that Roy Halladay—once the franchise ace of the Philadelphia Phillies—may be riding off into the sunset. Doc's tenure with the Phils is bound to come to an end this year now that he is on the shelf facing shoulder surgery next week. Maybe he comes back at the end of the year and pushes the Phils into the playoffs for a World Series run. Doc's contract is up at the end of this year …

There's a lot to get excited about if you're a Philadelphia Eagles fans these days. For numerous years, the fan base has shaken its head after hearing the news about who the Philadelphia Eagles took in the NFL Draft. Does anyone remember Mike Mamula? How about Freddie Mitchell? At least he had great hands—well, Mitchell said he did. So when the Birds were gearing up for the recent NFL Draft, many fans were cringing over who their selections would be. We had visions of Andy Reid dancing in our heads. And even though owner Jeff Lurie absolved general manager Howie Roseman from blame for past …

"And with the second pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Quarterback Donovan McNabb from Syracuse..." Boo, Boo, Boo, Boo, Boo. That's the sound that drowned out that selection when Coach Andy Reid made a major decision with a major draft pick, thus shaping his tenure and the team's future for the next decade. And that pick didn't turn out so bad: McNabb is easily one of the greatest quarterbacks in franchise history, having taken the Eagles to the Super Bowl and five NFC Championship Games. So can Geno Smith be McNabb all over again? After an awful season, the …

We interrupt the start of the baseball season to report that another Philadelphia sports team won't be making the playoffs this year. So much for your Philadelphia 76ers. After a past few years of exciting new ownership, promising playoff victories and high-profile trades, the Sixers have sunk to the lowest depths of the four Philly sports franchises this year. The finger pointing is endless. This has been one disaster of a season. In the beginning of the year, the possibilities and promise were endless. The team, with numerous free agent signings and trades in the off-season, appeared prime …

They're calling this the possible Last Waltz. It's the title of the last performance by the late great The Band, which decided to retire from the road and end its successful run. But is this the end for the band of Philadelphia Phillies still left from the World Championship team of 2008? Big Boppers Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are finally healthy and they join the aging Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz as the core of champions past. Throw in Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee as staff anchors and Jonathan Papelbon and Mike Adams as bullpen stabilizers and you've got the makings of a strong nucleus. But …

First comes spring. Then March Madness. And after that, baseball. Opening Day is right around the corner—less than two weeks away—and teams like the Philadelphia Phillies are trying to figure out who is going to make the 2013 roster. Each team carries 25 players. For manager Charlie Manuel, some of those selections for roster spots are simple. Count on shortstop Jimmy Rollins, first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley and third baseman Michael Young as your starting infield. (So those are four spots.) Carlos Ruiz will have a place as catcher but he is banned for the first 25 games…

Philadelphia Phillies fans are getting hopeful this spring that the team might be able to turn it around after an off-year. They're hopeful that Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Roy Halliday will rebound from injuries and that Cliff Lee will return to form. They're hopeful that Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz will have eben bigger seasons than 2012. And that some key additions in the bullpen like Mike Adams and Chad Durbin will provide some balance. But who is going to play the outfield? That is possibly the biggest question mark facing the Phillies this spring training. No longer does…

The casualties continue to mount. Once the Philadelphia Eagles fired Andy Reid, you knew that any new coach coming on board would want to shake up the roster. Now that Chip Kelly is here, General Manager Howie Roseman is starting to make some roster cuts. That's expected from any team once a season concludes and a Super Bowl ends. This time of the year is the business side of football when front offices review contracts and try to cut corners to help with some manueverability with the salary cap. The Eagles are no different. The first move the team made was restructing the contract of …

They may not be like the 1983 team dubbed "The Wheeze Kids." But the Philadelphia Phillies squad that takes the field Saturday to start a month's worth of spring training games before Opening Day is getting a little grayer around the edges. These aren't your World Champion Phillies of five years ago. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz and Cole Hamels are seasoned veterans now who have gone through the past few years nursing injuries and massaging egos after a season last year that put them out of playoff contention for the first time in a half-dozen years. Throw in Roy …

It was the last game of the season, a horrible loss to the New York Giants. And Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick, returning for the first time in more than a month after injury, had once again been battered and bruised. But this time, Vick lashed out: blasting his teammates for a lack of effort and heart. We all thought that was the last Birds fans would ever see of the controversial QB. After all, Vick had spent most of the season injured. And when he was on the field, he was producing too many costly turnovers. He was due a bonus if kept on the roster. And about $15 million if …

This news for sports fans beats news that any groundhog could deliver. It's the sound of a baseball pounding a catcher's mitt with a solid thud that makes most of us feel warmer than any sunny day. On Wednesday, hope springs eternal when pitchers and catchers report to camp in Clearwater, Fla., for the start of spring training. After a dismal season last year, it's time to wipe the slate clean for Manager Charlie Manuel and company. Every team in Major League Baseball gets a new lease on life. And the Phillies could certainly use one after not making the playoffs for the first time in a half-…

For the first time in forever, the Philadelphia Eagles will not feature a player in the Pro Bowl. That just goes to show how badly the team played this year with its 4-12 record and how bad the rest of the league measures the Birds' talent. Back in the day, this was a no-brainer. Birds were always among the elite. Donovan McNabb, Brian Dawkins, David Akers, Reggie White, Jeremiah Trotter, Randall Cunningham, Brian Westbrook...to name a few. Now, normally, tackle Jason Peters would be in this game. He's ranked as one of the top tackles in the league, but Peters missed the entire season due to …

He seemed geniune. He appeared engaging. And he certainly was humble. Chip Kelly, the new coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, is no Andy Reid. And that was evident during his press conference Thursday in which he was introduced as coach and presented to the Philly media. Kelly showed charisma and charm. He showed emotion. And he offered something that Philadelphia Eagles fans have been seeking for some time: hope. What the former University of Oregon coach will also bring is a high-powered offense and attacking defense. Now that Kelly is on board as the 21st coach in franchise history, the next…

Can Andy Reid do it again? Can the former coach of the Philadelphia Eagles take another franchise and rebuild it into a champion? Hired Monday as the new coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, Reid hopes to revive a franchise that was once the talk of the AFC, a terror that used to give the Vince Lombardi Green Bay Packers a run for their money. The Chiefs have made two Super Bowl apperances, just like the Eagles. But they've already won a Super Bowl, something the Birds still have never done. Reid built a sound resume during his 14-year tenure as Eagles coach. He can count off numerous NFC East …

The Philadelphia Eagles have a big decision to make. It's a decision that will impact the direction of this franchise for at least the next few football seasons. Get it right, like when the team hired Andy Reid as coach 14 years ago, and fans can ride a wave of success for years to come. Maybe even a Super Bowl. Get it wrong and the team could sink to even lower depths than a 4-12 season. So many names are being tossed around right now about who the next potential coach of the Philadelphia Eagles may be. Which way should owner Jeff Lurie and General Manager Howie Roseman go? Find a proven …

Rebounding, not rebuilding. That is hopefully the mindset of the owners of our four Philadelphia sports franchises as their teams head into 2013. First off, who knows when the NHL will return to play any games this year, but if so, the Philadelphia Flyers will make their usualy Stanley Cup run. The Philadelphia 76ers have fought hard so far this year, sparked by the young shooters Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner. But in order to get into the playoffs and maybe over the hump, getting center Andrew Bynum on board -- even for a month or so -- just might be enough to turn this team into an elite …

Dick Vermeil is beloved in Philadelphia. As the coach who turned the Philadelphia Eagles into a playoff contender and beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship in 1980, Vermeil will always have a place in the hearts of Philly sports fans. But what about Andy Reid? The longtime Birds coach may be coaching his last home game Sunday against the Washington Redskins. Reid has suffered through his worst year as coach as the Birds have stumbled and fumbled their way to the finish line this year in a season marred with injuries and inconsistencies. Fans have wanted Reid's head over the past few…

The pain just won't go away. We Philadelphia sports fans are suffering with no hope for happiness as we head into the holiday season. The Philadelphia Eagles, once a regular playoff contender, have lost seven straight games going into a Sunday night game against the rival Dallas Cowboys. The Philadelphia Phillies, after falling apart last year, have yet to pull the trigger on a major free agent signing. The Philadelphia 76ers had hoped to have a big man in its lineup that would put the team over the top. And we don't have the Orange and Black to get us back because the Philadelphia Flyers are…

Editor's Note – This is the first of two parts. Some of your Philadelphia Eagles jerseys of players on offense might become outdated soon. As the team now ranks as one of the worst in the National Football League, fans should expect many players – offense and defense – to join Coach Andy Reid when he is expected to be shown the door at the end of this dismal season. (We'll take a look at the offense first.) Count Quarterback Michael Vick among one of the first to go. Vick is sitting out due to a concussion and so the team can take a look at rookie QB Nick Foles. If the team decides to stick …

Should he stay or should he go? With the Philadelphia Eagles playing at 3-6 and on a five-game losing streak, is Coach Andy Reid a goner after the season ends? Probably. But maybe not. There's talk that owner Jeff Lurie could call Reid back into action for his 15th year next year, even though the owner stated at the end of last year that the team needed significant progress and improvement from its 8-8 record last year. After all, Reid went into the season facing the death of his son Garrett during the preseason at training camp at Lehigh University. Also, Reid has one final year remaining on…