By MOLLY DAVIS
The fat lady is singing for “Jon & Kate Plus 8.”
It’s over.
Done.
Finito.
Kate will have one last hurrah next Monday on an hour-long special on TLC, where the mom of eight will answering “your questions about life, the show and moving on,” the network has announced.
It will be the last, dear fans.
It’s not clear whether she will address the breach-of-contract lawsuit between her soon-to-be-ex Jon Gosselin and the TLC network.
Coincidentally, the special airs the same day the Gosselins are due in court to try reach a financial settlement.
It’s all about timing.
And media manipulation.
Having known people who live in the same community as Kate, she has the reputation of being pushy, butting in lines, maniacally grabbing clothing off the racks at Gymboree and then huffily stuffing them in a bag while screaming at her kids, and demands star treatment.
She is not a star and her sense of entitlement is through the roof.
She is just another Pennsylvania housewife with a lot of kids.
No talent and certainly no class.
As for the kids response to the show ending, Kate says they are “angry” and “acting out.”
In an interview with Vanity Fair, the reality mom tells what went down when she told her eight cuties that the show was dunzo.
“Actually, times eight, there was wailing and sobbing,” Kate says. “They love our crew, they love the interaction, they love the events. There is nothing harmful about it. They are angry.”
And while Kate constantly scolds the paparazzi, she says the kids have become so used to their presence, that she has to “instruct” them how to act.
“I always tell [the children], ‘Turn your back and don’t look at them, don’t speak to them,’” says Kate. “I don’t even let them use the word. I mean, no five-year-old should be using the word ‘paparazzi.’”
“The ones claiming we are exploiting our children,” Kate says, “are the ones exploiting our children!”
It must be nice to be mayor of crazy town, Kate.
If she really feels she hasn’t exploited her kids, God bless her.
She goes on to say, “I’m trying to give them the grace to see, if they’re acting out of line, I’m trying to look deeper into why that is,” she says. “Why the kids are acting out. Cause it’s all inter-related. I mean, they don’t see it, but it’s all interconnected.”
The fate of this family remains to be seen.
Whatever happens, we won’t be seeing it on TLC.
Good thing for the paparazzi.
Sorry, Kate.
October 22, 2009
IT’S CURTAINS FOR KATE
OUR VIEW: NO COMPARISON BETWEEN NIXON-OBAMA
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., has compared President Obama to Richard Nixon. This statement is an outrageous insult.
To President Nixon.
Alexander compared Obama to Nixon because Obama is targeting media that are unfriendly to him and is thought to be making an enemies list. The similarities, however, end here. Nixon was a far more capable president, and he would not have made the myriad public relations and other gaffes that Obama already has committed.
When it comes to making policy, Nixon is better than Obama. Upon taking office, Nixon already had strategies to solve many of the country’s foreign policy problems. He implemented these strategies to improve relations with China and the Soviet Union. Even though the country was in a position of weakness because of the Vietnam War, Nixon actually turned the situation to his advantage. He appeared strong and decisive.
Obama, on the other hand, has appeared weak when conducting foreign policy. He has had trouble making a decision on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, and he has made his wavering public. Nixon never would have allowed such weakness to be projected to the rest of the world. Nixon stood up for America and praised the country’s greatness. Obama goes abroad and apologizes for the United States.
On domestic policy, Nixon actually achieved far-reaching environmental policies and got the economy turned around in his first term. Obama has yet to grasp the economic situation or articulate an economic policy that makes sense. Instead of letting the economy recover, Obama is still trying to pursue health-care legislation that only will drive up the deficit and weigh down job-creating businesses.
In public relations, Obama ran a great presidential campaign. Nixon ran three, and he won two of them. Once in office, though, Nixon has the upper hand in getting his message out. Obama overdoes it. He seemingly appears on every show, and is on television all of the time. People are tuning him out.
Nixon, on the other hand, realized that it is best to speak only when you have something to say. The most dramatic example was Nixon’s summit with the Chinese. He did not reveal his plans for a summit with China until this breakthrough had been achieved. As a result, Nixon received decisive momentum in the polls. The summit announcement would not have had the same impact if Nixon went on television every night and gabbed about it.
Getting to the substance of the current debate, Nixon and his administration, like Obama, did attack unfriendly media outlets. But Nixon’s attacks at least made sense. The mood in the country when Nixon was in office was hostile, and he felt that most of the media were against him. When he would make a speech, a news commentator would immediately criticize him. Nixon’s wariness of the media also was fed by the fact that he felt the media overwhelmingly favored John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election.
Criticizing the media made sense to Nixon. There were far fewer media outlets then, and people trusted the media more. Nixon had to point out that there was another side to the stories being written and broadcast.
Now, however, there are many media outlets, most of which are friendly to Obama. Obama’s own officials even acknowledge that most media run favorable stories about the president. Yet Obama is going after the one media outlet, Fox News, that is criticizing him consistently.
The Obama administration may have a point that Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck are not going to report favorably on the president. But who cares? These shows are opinion shows, and the opinion of the hosts is that Obama’s policies are harming America. The opinions of Hannity and Beck are legitimate. Not only that, many other shows favorable to Obama exist. It is not like people do not understand Obama’s point of view. They just do not agree with him on health-care reform.
When Nixon attacked the media, he was facing a near monopoly that was highly skeptical of him. When Obama has attacked the media, the monopoly no longer exists, although many powerful voices in the media appear to support him. Attacking the one outlet that is tough on Obama looks like weakness.
In surveying Nixon’s accomplishments, without taking into account Watergate, Nixon clearly was better than Obama. He better understood how the government works and how his policies would affect the country. Obama may be Nixon’s equal in campaigning, but when it comes to running the country, Nixon has the decisive edge.
—
For more on President Nixon, check out “Balancing Act: How Nixon Went to China and Remained a Conservative,” on amazon.com.
BASEBALL & PHILLIE FANS: BORING & ANNOYING
By MOLLY DAVIS
Baseball may be America’s favorite pastime.
But it’s definitely not mine.
Not that I don’t enjoy going to a game on a gorgeous day.
To socialize, get some sun, and have a beer… or five.
What I don’t enjoy is watching the snoozefest on TV.
Yes, I know, it’s exciting, the Phillies are world champs, blah, blah, blah.
All I care about is that TBS preempts my two-hour “Family Guy” marathon in lieu of the game.
I’d much rather watch Stewie Griffin’s hijinks rather than stare at my screen for nine innings of pitch, hit, repeat.
The other annoying thing about the Phillies?
The fans.
I’m being barraged nightly on facebook by rabid followers who update their statuses every five minutes.
Examples?
“Let’s Go PHILLIES! (clap, clap, clap).”
I guess I’m supposed to “clap” along while I read…
But I don’t.
I “hide” that person so I’m not subjected to their updates in the future.
It’s very un-American of me.
Another doozy?
“These TBS announcers SUCK!”
Multiply that update by 100.
People are focused more on hating the announcers than watching the game.
Those people are all “hidden” as well.
The only thing I’m sort of looking forward to is a Yankees-Phillies World Series.
And not because of the baseball.
So I can see the adorable Miss Kate Hudson in the stands.
She’s much more interesting than the game she’s watching.
PHILS GIVE FANS BOOST OF CONFIDENCE
By ERIC FISHER
This World Series thing is becoming addictive. And it’s a habit we’d prefer not to kick.
After going 125 years with just one World Series championship, the Phillies are in position to capture their second straight World Series title.
Remember, this is a team that had only been to five World Series before last season. The franchise hadn’t even won a playoff game for 15 years. But last year changed all that.
The Phillies are no longer the losingest team in professional sports. Well, technically, they still have the most losses of any pro sports franchise in North American history. But the 10,000-plus losses no longer define the Phillies.
Now, the Phillies are winners. They know it. Their fans know it. The opposition knows it. Everybody knows it.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers entered the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship Series with a 4-3 lead and flamethrower Jonathan Broxton on the mound, the Phillies knew they had a chance. They took advantage of their opportunity with Jimmy Rollins’ clutch two-run, walk-off double, lifting the Phillies to a 5-4 triumph and changing the complexion of the series.
When the Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody in the eighth inning of Game 5, it was the Dodgers’ opportunity to alter the series. Disaster was looming. But Ryan Madson calmly retired the next three batters, just as everyone seemingly knew he would.
It’s cool to see the Phillies play with so much confidence. It’s even cooler to see a fan base genetically ingrained with cynicism and a perennial sense of impending doom transformed into a fountain of positivity.
No longer do Phillies fans expect to lose. They expect to win. At times, they almost seem to will their team to victory.
The Phillies, of course, aren’t lacking in the will-to-win department. Nor are they lacking in ways to win.
These Phillies have numerous paths to victory. They can outslug you. They can outpitch you. They can beat you with their speed. They can beat you with their defense.
The Dodgers and Colorado Rockies can attest to the Phillies’ versatility. Both teams were shut down by ace left-hander Cliff Lee. Both teams, especially the Dodgers, were beaten by the Phillies’ bats.
If they aren’t scoring many runs, the Phillies aren’t done. Their pitching can keep them in the game.
If their starting pitcher struggles, the Phillies aren’t done, either. This team is never out of the game. If the bullpen can prevent further damage, there will be plenty of time for the Phillies’ offense to get cranked up and get them back in the ballgame.
The Phillies have Ryan Howard, who drove in a run in each of the Phillies’ first eight playoff games this year. Howard is a star. His power is scary.
The Phillies have Chase Utley, who has reached base safely in a remarkable 25 straight games. Utley shook off two errors earlier in the Dodgers series, refusing to allow those mistakes to affect him at the plate.
The Phillies have Rollins, who shook off a mediocre series at the plate with the series-changing double in Game 4.
The Phillies have Jayson Werth, whose five playoff home runs will make teams think twice about pitching around Howard.
Let’s not forget Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Pedro Feliz and the overlooked Carlos Ruiz, all of whom contribute at the plate and in the field.
The offensive outbursts, however, came against average pitching. The Phillies didn’t put big offensive numbers against Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, or Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. As I wrote before the NLCS, the Dodgers’ starting rotation doesn’t scare anyone.
The Phillies will be facing a tougher task in the World Series. At press time, the Phils’ World Series opponent hadn’t been decided, although the Yankees could have wrapped up the ALCS by the time you read this column.
The Yankees’ rotation would include C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte. That’s not exactly Clayton Kershaw, Vicente Padilla, Hiroki Kuroda and Randy Wolf.
On the other hand, the AL representative would be facing Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez and either J.A. Happ or Joe Blanton. A rotation featuring two Cy Young Award winners and a World Series MVP isn’t exactly chopped liver.
The Phillies are the first team to reach the World Series in consecutive years since the Yankees ended a three-year championship run in 2000.
They are the first NL team to reach the World Series in consecutive seasons since Atlanta in 1995-96.
Their crowning achievement would be to repeat as World Series champions, which hasn’t been done by an NL team since Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine turned the trick in 1975-76.
As we wait for the World Series to begin on Wednesday, let’s remember last year’s World Series celebration, at which Hamels said, “One thing that I can not wait to do is go down that Broad Street parade again … and again … and again!”
For a fan base that suffered for so many years, it’s amazing to realize that Hamels’ words may come true.
STUNNING SHOWDOWN FOR A-C, ELCO
By GARY SIEGRIST
You would think Annville-Cleona would be surprised to be playing a late-October game in Myerstown which will keep the winner in the race for the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Three championship.
You might even think that the Little Dutchmen might be a little in awe of the importance their meeting with Elco has taken shape.
Little could have predicted such during the early parts of this 2009 football season. Back when the relatively inexperienced A-C was struggling and Elco was seemingly preparing for one final “Dancing with the Stars” dream matchup with Lancaster Catholic on Nov. 6.
So maybe it’s good that Mother Nature threw the Dutchmen a curve ball during the week they were to prepare for a meeting between two teams trying to keep pace with Catholic and Lampeter-Strasburg.
Monday night, A-C came from behind for a 21-14 win at Columbia in a game washed out by last weekend’s rainfall.
That leaves merely three — or call it 2 ½ — days to prepare for its now biggest game of the season.
“The way it has played out,” said veteran Dutchmen coach Terry Lehman on Tuesday night, “we’re acually still a little sore from Monday night. It’s gonna be a fast week, so I don’t even know if it will sink in (how big of a game this has become). This week is really gonna be a blur.”
It won’t be a blur for the Raiders, who received a wake-up call two weeks ago courtesy of the Pioneers. Thanks to a blowout win over Pequea Valley on Friday, Elco has already begun to regroup from that initial loss of the season.
“I think that is now behind us,” said Raider coach Mark Evans of the 40-14 road loss to L-S. “And I think we have learned from it. We learned that we have to be mentally and physically ready to play each and every time we step onto the football field.”
The mental part hasn’t been a problem most of the year for the Little Dutchmen.
It’s the physical part which has been a challenge. Already very inexperienced when the season began, A-C has battled through injuries to both its starting quarterback and its best running back.
Rickey Snyder has battled a recurring ankle injury to post big numbers on the ground. Monday night, Snyder rushed for 149 yards on 34 carries.
And Tyson Hayes has become more and more comfortable replacing Jordan James at quarterback. Hayes had a both a touchdown pass and a game-winning QB sneak in the fourth quarter at Columbia.
“We played a tough non-league schedule, and basically had all new skill people except for Rickey,” said Lehman of the Dutchmen’s slow start. “Add to that the injuries and new quarterback, it has made us change our whole offensive attack.
“We didn’t just throw Tyson to the wolves. We have kind of controlled things as he has gone along. But he’s now at the point where he may be ready to let loose.”
It all blends to make an interesting dynamic for a game which Elco will honor the alumni of the 40 years Elco football has now been in existence. As if this game needed any more, Lehman is part of that group.
“We are proud to have the ‘Dean of Lebanon County coaches’ as part of the Elco football history,” said Evans with a chuckle. “He just loves when I call him that.”
Lehman didn’t mention it.
“We’ll be there, and we’ll play hard,” he said. “What happens, happens.”
—
Game: Annville-Cleona (3-4, 3-1) at Elco (6-1, 3-1)
Where: Elco High School Stadium, 7 p.m.
Last year: Elco 49, Annville-Cleona 42
If you’re A-C: As Terry Lehman has suggested, the short week caused be the Columbia postponement could be a positive. The Dutchmen played well during it’s other big Section III showdown in Lebanon County this season, before dropping a 21-7 decision at Northern Lebanon. And his surprising team doesn’t have a lot of time to contemplate the magnitude of this one. But anytime you have dealt with the injuries A-C has had, short weeks become a question mark.
If you’re Elco: After the L-S game Mark Evans put it to his team as only he could: “Pain of discipline or pain of regret? You choose. You can either move forward now or live in regret.” The Raiders moved forward last week, but against a considerably weaker opponent it will face on Friday. This will be the real test of how much the Raiders have recovered. Not to mention it is make-or-break time as far as the Section III title and District III AAA playoff implications are concerned. There has never been a greater need for that “complete game” Evans always speaks about.
The pick: Elco 38, Annville-Cleona 19
October 19, 2009
POLICE: SUSPECTED BURGLAR BAGGED
A man has been charged for allegedly committing two burglaries at the Bahney House Bar on West Main Avenue in Myerstown on Aug. 26 and Sept. 28, borough police said.
The suspect, Bruce Wenrich, 29, allegedly took cash and cigarettes, police said.
Wenrich was charged with burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, theft, receiving stolen property, and false reports to law enforcement agencies.
Two people escape burning vehicle
Two people escaped injury after the vehicle in which they were riding caught fire in West Brunswick Township on Oct. 17, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
A fire erupted in the engine compartment of a vehicle driven by Christine Kaiser, 31, of Minersville, on Route 61 near Municipal Road, state police said.
Kaiser pulled into the parking lot of a mini-mart, and she and passenger Matthew Livingood, 33, exited the vehicle without being injured, state police said.
Deer Lake/West Brunswick Fire Co. extinguished the fire.
Vehicle strikes retaining wall
Vehicles driven by Shayna Showalter, 32, of Philadelphia, and James Conrad, of Lancaster, collided on Route 72 near Spring Hill Lane in Cornwall recently, after Showalter’s vehicle went out of control on a wet surface, fishtailed, and crossed the concrete median, borough police said.
After impact, Showalter’s vehicle struck a concrete retaining wall, police said.
Losers burglarize three homes
Losers burglarized three homes in Muhlenberg Township between 7 a.m. and noon on Oct. 9, and a reward is being offered for information leading to their arrest, authorities said.
One of the burglaries occurred on Reading Crest Avenue, and two of them occurred in the Saylor Farm Estates area, authorities said. All three burglaries involved a door being forced or kicked open, authorities said.
Items taken include cash/coins, jewelry, and electronics such as an iPod, a small LCD TV and a computer.
At one scene, a neighbor reported seeing a gray Honda Accord with tinted windows, authorities said. At another scene, the homeowners reported seeing a white man – who was in his late 30s to early 40s, 6 feet, heavy, bald, and wearing glasses – walking past their house as they were leaving, authorities said. The burglary occurred shortly after they left.
Anyone with any information or who has experienced a similar incident is asked to contact Detective Sokolovich, of the Muhlenberg police, at 610-929-5454 or lsokolovich@muhlenbergtwp.com.
Crime Alert Berks County is offering rewards of up to $5,000 to people who provide information leading to arrests. People can call The Crime Tip Line at 1-877-373-9913, toll free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Vehicles collide head-on
Two vehicles collided head-on in South Lebanon Township on Oct. 16, township police said.
Vehicles driven by David Olson, 63, of Lititz, and David Morrissey, 58, of Lebanon, collided head-on on Route 897 near Flintville Road, after Olson’s vehicle went out of control on a turn, police said.
After impact, Morrissey’s vehicle and a vehicle driven by Jonathan Wyse, 23, of Lebanon, collided, police said.
Olson suffered minor injuries. Morrissey was transported by EMS to Good Samaritan Hospital.
Driver charged after accident
Vehicles driven by James Dotterer, 50, of Schuylkill Haven, and Dale Buhl, 49, of New Ringgold, were in an accident on Route 443 at Route 183 in Wayne Township on Oct. 16, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
Dotterer was charged with careless driving.
Vehicles collide in Annville
Vehicles driven by Teresa Haak, of Annville, and Travis Burdge, of Harrisburg, were in an accident at Weaber and East Main streets in Annville on Oct. 15, township police said.
Police: Man punches man in face
A man allegedly punched another man in the face outside the Corvette Bar and Grille in Annville on Oct. 10, township police said.
The suspect, Steven Hagerich, of Annville, was cited with harassment.
The victim is Dustin Flickinger.
Vehicles collide in N. Manheim
Vehicles driven by Philip Dengler, 39, of Seltzer, and Sharon Wolfgang, 57, of Shamokin, were in an accident on Route 61 at Richard Street in North Manheim Township on Oct. 16, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
American Hose Co. and North Manheim Township Fire Co. assisted.
Vehicles collide at intersection
Vehicles driven by Mary Goodwillie, 59, of York, and Bradley Brandt, 56, of Lebanon, were in an accident on Route 61 at Richard Street in North Manheim Township, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
American Hose Co. and North Manheim Township Fire Co. assisted.
Vehicle strikes embankment
A vehicle driven by Tricia Seidel, 20, of Tremont, went out of control on a wet surface on a curve, struck an embankment and came to rest beside a guardrail on Sweet Arrow Lake Road in Washington Township, Schuylkill County, on Oct. 17, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
Gas goons hit market
Goons pumped $19.99 worth of gasoline into a vehicle at Chestnut Street Market in Cressona on Oct. 16, and left without paying, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact state police at 570-593-2000.
VEHICLE STRIKES COW
A vehicle struck a cow that was in the road in Bethel Township, Berks County, on Oct. 17, township police said.
A vehicle driven by David Reiff, 47, of Fredericksburg, Va., struck a large Holstein cow that walked onto the eastbound lane of Old 22 near Merkey Drive, police said.
Reiff suffered minor injuries, and he was taken via The Bethel Ambulance to Reading Hospital.
The cow was injured, and it was reclaimed by its farm.
Rehrersburg Rescue and Bethel Fire assisted.
Vehicle hits large rocks
A vehicle driven by Lydia Remlinger, 19, of Lebanon, went out of control on a turn and struck large rocks at Lincoln Avenue and Monticello Drive in South Lebanon Township on Oct. 17, township police said.
Wet leaves cause accident
A vehicle driven by Carl Spece, 49, of Schuylkill Haven, went out of control traveling on wet leaves, traveled into a ditch, turned onto the passenger side and came to rest in the ditch on Browns Church Road at Route 895 in Washington Township, Schuylkill County, on Oct. 17, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
Summit Station Fire Department, Hook Hose and Ladder from Pine Grove, and Fire Police assisted.
Foggy windows lead to accident
A vehicle driven by Ashley Noecker, 21, of Auburn, went out of control on a wet surface and struck a guardrail on Route 183 in Wayne Township on Oct. 17, after the windows on Noecker’s vehicle fogged up, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
Summit Station Fire/EMS assisted.
Dorks damage two mailboxes
Goons used a blunt object to knock a mailbox off a post and smash another mailbox on East Mountain Road in Hubley Township on Oct. 16 or Oct. 17, state police at Schuylkill Haven said.
The victims are Yvonne Stiely and Bernadette Goodman.
Anyone with information is asked to contact state police at 570-593-2000.
Slugs swipe license plate
Losers swiped a license plate from a vehicle on East Penn Street in Lenhartsville between Oct. 4 and Oct. 13, state police at Hamburg said.
The license plate is Pennsylvania registration YWC5479.
The victims are Ward Swan, 74, and Ann Swan, 63.
Wet road sparks accident
Three vehicles were in an accident in Annville on Oct. 15 because of the wet road, township police said.
Vehicles driven by a 17-year-old girl, of Cleona, a 16-year-old boy, of Cleona, and Trisha Dougherty, 40, of Annville, were in an accident at Route 934 and High Street, police said.
Woman charged with false reports
A woman was charged with false reports for an alleged incident with her boyfriend, township police said.
The suspect is Stacy Hetrick, 34, of Palmyra.
Vehicle slams into parked car
A vehicle driven by Larcharicia Phillips, 22, of Dallas, Texas, struck a parked car on West Main Street in Annville on Oct. 6, township police said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to contact township police at 717-867-2711.
Man charged with terroristic threats
William Knoche, 40, of New Kingston, was charged with terroristic threats for an alleged incident in the area of Allwein Carpet One in Annville on Sept. 22, township police said.
October 15, 2009
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THESE DODGERS
By ERIC FISHER
Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf? What about a mid-sized, mid-80s throwing left-handed Wolf? No, Phillies fans aren’t scared of Los Angeles Dodgers starter Randy Wolf. And they aren’t scared of Vicente Padilla, another former Phillie in the Dodgers rotation.
The Dodgers rotation doesn’t frighten anyone. Clayton Kershaw (8-8) is a 21-year-old hurler with a bright future, but he isn’t scaring anybody yet. (If you’re reading this column in the Myerstown Herald newspaper instead of at www.myerstownherald.com on Thursday, you already know how Kershaw fared in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.)
Padilla, the starter for Game 2 Friday afternoon, was 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA after being signed by the Dodgers. But Philles fans remember Padilla’s struggles with consistency, not to mention that he was released on August 17 by the Texas Rangers, who were contending for the American League wild card at the time.
Hiroki Kuroda, returning from a herniated disk in his neck, will be the Game 3 starter. Wolf is scheduled to start Game 4.
Scared yet? Well, let me put a little fear into you.
Remember those fearsome pitching duos that we preferred the Phillies avoid during the postseason? San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain and St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter? The Dodgers finished ahead of the Giants in the NL West. They dispatched the Cardinals and their vaunted pitching staff and lineup, 3-0, in their playoff series.
The Dodgers beat those teams without an ace. That tells you something about the quality of the Dodgers’ lineup and bullpen.
Their success also tells you something about manager Joe Torre, as if we weren’t already familiar with his success. Torre repeatedly makes the right moves. He’s changed his rotation for each round of the playoffs. He used closer Jonathan Broxton in the eighth inning of each playoff game with the Cardinals.
But Torre isn’t doing it with mirrors. The Dodgers may not have starter pitchers with the pedigree of Cy Young Award winners Pedro Martinez and Cliff Lee or last year’s playoff hero, Cole Hamels, but L.A. has plenty of talent.
The Dodgers outfield may be even better than the Phillies’ vaunted outfield of Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino and Raul Ibanez. We’re all familiar with hitting machine Manny Ramirez, but casual fans may not be as familiar with Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp.
There is very little the 24-year-old Kemp doesn’t do well. He can hit, run, field, etc. Ethier seems to be coming into his own at age 27, entering what are often the prime years of a baseball player’s career.
Ramirez is always dangerous, but he hasn’t performed at Manny-like levels since returning from a 50-game suspension for using a banned substance. Ethier and Kemp are the outfielders who should be the biggest cause of concern for Phillies fans.
Another concern is the bullpen. The Phillies bullpen still is a huge question mark. I’m not buying the Brad Lidge resurrection based on two outings, one of which included more balls than strikes and one of which consisted of retiring one batter.
On the other hand, the Dodgers bullpen is very good. The Dodgers acquired former Orioles closer George Sherrill before the trade deadline to complement Broxton. The bullpen has also been bolstered by Ronald Belisario, who was rescued from the scrap heap and rewarded the Dodgers with a 2.04 ERA.
It would behoove the Phillies to take advantage of the Dodgers’ starting pitchers. A close game in which the bullpens play a major role is not a scenario favoring the Phillies.
Another factor working against the Phillies in close games is the bench. The Phillies’ bench players are not exactly a distinguished group. Unless Matt Stairs can repeat history with another bomb off Broxton, the bench edge certainly goes to the Dodgers.
Phillies fans should recognize one of the Dodgers’ big bats off the bench – although the uniform might look a little strange. Jim Thome, a short-lived folk hero who symbolized the rebirth of the Phillies’ franchise as it closed out Veterans Stadium and moved into Citizens Bank Park, now swings his lumber for the Dodgers. It was an amicable parting, but you know Thome must have dreamed of hitting a big playoff home run at Citizens Bank Park, albeit in red and white instead of Dodgers blue.
Speaking of those who at one time envisioned success in Citizens Bank Park, the Dodgers’ third-base coach is former Phillies shortstop and manager Larry Bowa, whom the Phillies replaced with Charlie Manuel.
Are you scared yet? Good, you should be. The Phillies handled the Dodgers during last year’s NLCS, but this year’s series could be very different.
After spending almost an entire column building up the Dodgers, let me tell you why the Phillies should win: Ryan Howard; Chase Utley; Jimmy Rollins; Raul Ibanez; Jayson Werth; Shane Victorino; Pedro Feliz; Carlos Ruiz.
Here are five more reasons: Cole Hamels; Cliff Lee; Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, Pedro Martinez.
The playoffs are about pitching. The Phillies’ rotation is better than the Dodgers’ rotation.
PREDICTION: Phillies in 6.
OUR VIEW: WHAT A JOKE!
The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama appears purely political. Obama has made speeches about peace, but he has yet to achieve concrete results. Under the logic used by the Nobel committee, many U.S. presidents could have received the prize, although few actually have.
The American public should receive the news of this award with at least a little skepticism. Because Obama has yet to achieve any lasting peace in any of the areas that were troubled when he took office, the move to give him the award likely is an endorsement of his rhetoric about peace, which is far more dovish than anything President Bush used.
Obama’s rhetoric, however, has contained passages blaming America and apologizing for America on the world stage. Obama has said this country is arrogant, and he has extensively detailed America’s faults. This type of language might be appealing to liberal Europeans, such as the people on the Nobel committee, but in the long run, America only will be able to effect positive change if its president discusses the country’s powerful virtues such as support of democracy and freedom.
So far, Obama’s policy of attempting to be nice to Iran and North Korea does not seem to actually have deterred these countries from abandoning their nuclear weapons programs. His conciliatory attitude toward Russia, which included taking the missile defense shield from Poland, may not yield any results either. Many of these rogue countries respect only a strong American foreign policy, and backing down will not help these situations.
Additionally, his policy toward the war in Afghanistan has been confusing when a clear strategy has been necessary.
An American president who truly did deserve the Nobel Peace Prize was President Theodore Roosevelt. He brokered an end to the Russo-Japanese War without firing a shot. In general, Roosevelt’s foreign policy consisted of projecting American strength, and the world largely was peaceful when he was in office.
We hope that Obama’s foreign policy succeeds. An American victory in Afghanistan is essential to the War on Terror. No one wants to see an Iran with nuclear weapons, or a more belligerent North Korea. Russian influence should be reigned in. But Obama’s foreign policy has not achieved these aims yet. The Nobel Peace Prize appears to have been awarded based on dovish rhetoric. Results, however, are more important.
REPORT: SHOW’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED
By MOLLY DAVIS
Hallelujah.
It’s over for Jon & Kate Gosselin.
And I’m not talking about the divorce.
Sources are saying that their reality show on TLC, “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” has about a month left before it is bounced off the air.
Is it wrong that “Ding dong, the witch is dead” from “The Wizard of Oz” is running through my head when I think about Kate’s TV demise?
Yes, it is.
But I’ll keep humming it anyway.
Now, before I break into full song and dance, let me say that TLC has not confirmed the rumor.
But according to RadarOnline.com there is only enough unused new footage to take them through about another month.
How many more hours can we watch of Kate cooking and doing “green activities” with the kids?
No one knows.
And no one seems to care.
Well, I don’t care.
And since Jon has forbid the network to film the kids, TLC will not challenge his wishes.
I’m not getting my hopes up for the cancellation, as Jon (or Kate) tend to change their minds every 10 minutes.
If he does decide that he needs his TLC paycheck, “Kate Plus 8.”
Don’t hold your breath.
Or hold it – the story could change tomorrow.
In the meantime, “Ding dong, the witch is dead…”
