myerstownherald.com

By ERIC FISHER
Let’s view Saturday night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 through the eyes of Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch.
Vickers enters the Richmond race, the final one before NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup begins, just 20 points behind 12th-place Matt Kenseth, who would earn the final Chase berth if the season ended today. Busch is 37 points behind Kenseth.
Kenseth will be their primary target. Not only is he closest to Vickers and Busch in the standings, but Kenseth has not finished better than 10th at Richmond since 2006. His average finish there from 2006-09 is 23rd. Kenseth has been consistent this summer, finishing between 10th and 14th during the past seven races, but that might not be good enough if either Vickers or Busch makes a run at the lead.
On the other hand, like lions searching for the weakest member of a herd, Vickers and Busch will be on the lookout for cars heading to the garage. Except for the four drivers who have locked up Chase berths (Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin), everyone else is vulnerable.
Even Carl Edwards, who is in fifth place, could fall out of the Chase if he’s not careful. Edwards is the leader of a tightly packed group of seven drivers (Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, Gregg Biffle), all within 37 points of one another. If any of these drivers encounter the type of disaster that befell Edwards and Kurt Busch during Sunday’s Pep Boys Auto Club 500, when they finished 37th and 38th, respectively, Vickers (68 points behind 11th-place Biffle) and Kyle Busch will be ready to pounce.
Vickers and Kyle Busch, of course, will also keep a close watch on each other. Vickers struggles at Richmond, averaging a 27th-place finish there from 2006-09, but he’s on a terrific streak these days, having finished no worse than 12th in any race since June.
Kyle Busch’s track record at Richmond is excellent. He won at Richmond earlier this year, and his average finish there from 2006-09 is between sixth and seventh.
So, like Vickers and Kyle Busch, keep an eye on Kenseth on Saturday night. But also keep an eye out for any drivers from 5th to 11th place in the standings headed for the garage. If Vickers and Kyle Busch have their way, a trip to the garage might be a ride right out of the Chase.

By ERIC FISHER
Aaron Maybin is with the Buffalo Bills. Derrick Williams is with the Detroit Lions. Rich Ohrnberger is with the New England Patriots. A.Q. Shipley is with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, and Pat Devlin is at the University of Delaware.
Not included on that list of departed Nittany Lions are receivers Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler, defensive ends Maurice Evans and Josh Gaines, offensive tackle Gerald Cadogan, kicker Kevin Kelly and Penn State’s entire starting defensive backfield.
Consequently, there are a lot of holes to be filled. Yet, as I look at Penn State’s roster and schedule, I see a promising road ahead, albeit one filled with dangerous potholes.
Sometimes we focus too much upon who is gone instead of who is back. That’s especially true with star-studded teams like last year’s Penn State team, which came within a one-point loss at Iowa of being involved in the national championship game.
Believe it or not, this year’s team could reach the national championship game. Please note: I didn’t say Penn State would reach the national championship game. I merely said it’s possible. How? Let me show you.
We’ll start with Daryll Clark. The senior quarterback can throw (2,592 yards, 59.8 completion percentage, 19 TDs and only 6 interceptions), run (386 yards, 10 TDs) and lead. His leadership will be crucial due to the relative inexperience of the offensive line and receivers.
Clark, however, doesn’t need to be a one-man band. He can also turn around and hand the ball to Evan Royster (1,266 yards, 6.5-yard average, 12 TDs) or Stephfon Green (588 yards, 5.5 average, 4 TDs). Royster and Green are also both dangerous receivers out of the backfield.
Senior tight ends Andrew Quarless (6-foot-5, 248 pounds) and Mickey Shuler (6-4, 247) should play larger roles this year in the passing game. They also will be counted upon to help the inexperienced offensive line protect Clark and open holes for Royster and Green.
On the defensive side of the ball, the key returning player is senior linebacker Sean Lee. Remember, Lee didn’t play at all last season, due to a torn ACL, after recording a remarkable 138 tackles as a junior. So, in effect, Penn State is adding Lee to its defense.
Lee joins fellow linebackers Navorro Bowman, who led the Nittany Lions with 106 tackles last season, and Josh Hull, who filled in admirably last year in Lee’s absence.
There had been talk of Mike Mauti, who played as a true freshman last year and has been tabbed as the next great linebacker at Linebacker U. (after Lee graduates), cracking the starting lineup, with Lee moving to middle linebacker, as Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor did later in their college careers. But, following an unfortunate pattern set by Lee and Posluszny, Mauti tore his ACL in August and will miss the entire season.
With Mauti sidelined, Hull stays in the middle and Lee remains on the outside. That’s certainly not a bad situation. Lee and Bowman may be the best set of outside linebackers in the country.
The linebackers should all benefit from having Lebanon’s Jared Odrick return at defensive tackle. The active senior is a disruptive presence, frequently breaking into the opponent’s backfield to pressure a quarterback or break up a running play. At the very least, the all-Big Ten first-teamer occupies blockers, allowing linebackers to flow unimpeded to the ball carrier.
One frequently overlooked returnee is punter Jeremy Boone. Penn State only allowed 64 yards in punt returns last season. The first time I read that statistic, I thought it was a mistake. It’s not.
By contrast, Penn State had 259 yards in punt returns last season. That’s nearly a 200-yard difference in the punting game, and that doesn’t take into account Boone’s ability to drop punts inside the opposition’s 15-yard line. Did I mention that Boone also holds for field goals and extra points? Don’t underestimate the impact of this valuable senior.
There’s another important guy returning. He’s 82, wears thick glasses, rolls up the cuffs of his pants … recognize him? Yeah, I thought you would.
Joe Paterno returns for his 44th year as head coach with a new right hip and a three-year contract. If anyone can find ways to utilize the returning talent while successfully mixing in new offensive linemen, receivers, defensive ends and defensive backs, it’s Paterno.
For example, I expect Paterno to take advantage of the size of the receiving corps, which includes junior Brett Brackett (6-6, 232) and sophomore Derrick Moye (6-5, 198). Mix those guys in with the two big tight ends and Clark has some big targets.
So where will Penn State finish? I expect there to be some rough spots early, especially along the offensive line. But this team has enough returning talent to get through the rough spots. The question is whether the Nittany Lions will be good enough by mid-October to survive a rough stretch that includes consecutive road games against Michigan and Northwestern before returning home to face Ohio State.
Prediction: 11-1, a Big Ten title and another BCS bowl.

By ERIC FISHER
The summer of 2009, nearing its end, has been notable as much for what didn’t happen as for what did happen. Tiger Woods didn’t win a major. Lance Armstrong didn’t win the Tour de France. Roy Halladay wasn’t traded. Brett Favre didn’t end his retirement and sign with the Minnesota …
Well, we’ve got to scratch that last item about Favre, but you get the idea. Many of the major stories this summer were about things that didn’t happen. In fact, all of golf’s major tournaments were as much about who didn’t win as who did win.
As we wrap up the “Summer of Non-Events,” the following is a list of some other things that didn’t happen.
Eagles offensive lineman Shawn Andrews didn’t make it to the practice field during the entire training camp at Lehigh University. Andrews, making the move from guard to tackle, injured his back during the camp’s opening-day run, then never showed his face again.
The Phillies didn’t have to give up rookie of the year candidate J.A. Happ or any of their top prospects to acquire former Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco.
Cliff Lee didn’t lose a game as a Phillie.
Cliff Lee didn’t give up more than one earned run in his five starts as a Phillie.
There weren’t any challengers for horse racing’s Triple Crown.
Most of America didn’t notice that there weren’t any challengers for horse racing’s Triple Crown.
Carl Edwards didn’t win a race. The preseason choice of many, including me, to oust Jimmie Johnson from NASCAR’s championship throne, Edwards has not won a race all year.
Nobody called a sports talk station to discuss the 76ers.
Penn State didn’t have a competition to be the starting quarterback.
Eagles head coach Andy Reid didn’t announce that middle linebacker Stewart Bradley’s knee injury was a season-ending ACL tear because he was perturbed that reporters did their jobs and tried to find out the severity of the injury before King Andy read the official proclamation.
The Arena Football League didn’t survive.
The Baseball All-Star Game didn’t end in a tie.
Two preseason voters in The Associated Press preseason college football poll didn’t vote for Florida as No. 1.
South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier didn’t vote for Florida’s Tim Tebow, the leading Heisman Trophy candidate, as the preseason all-SEC team quarterback.
Point guard Andre Miller, arguably the team’s most valuable player the past two seasons, did not re-sign with the 76ers.
Barry Bonds didn’t sign with a Major League team, even though plenty of them, especially the San Francisco Giants, could use another big bat in their lineup.
Eagles president Joe Banner didn’t really say that the Eagles have the best roster in the NFL, did he?
The Eagles didn’t really sign Michael Vick, did they?
Charles Barkley didn’t mince words when asked his opinion.
Charles Barkley didn’t mince words when nobody asked his opinion.
Charles Barkley didn’t improve his golf game.
The New York Mets didn’t get any better.
Phillies fans and broadcasters didn’t miss any opportunity to point out the Mets’ failures.
The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t have a winning record – unless they play incredible baseball in September and climb back to .500 – for the 17th consecutive season, breaking the record they shared with the Phillies (1933-48) for the most consecutive losing seasons by a North American professional sports franchise.
Danica Patrick didn’t win a race. But that didn’t prevent her from being far and away the most visible Indy Car driver in the United States.
Boxing didn’t make the slightest dent in the consciousness of the average sports fan.
Mike Tyson didn’t get arrested (as far as we know).
Phillies pitcher Brett Myers didn’t sustain an injury in the vicinity of his left eye while having a catch with his son, as he originally told the Phillies.
Brett Myers didn’t mention that he sustained the injury on the same night he had been in a bar where a friend of his got into an altercation.
Brett Myers didn’t tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The Eagles’ projected starting offensive line didn’t take one snap together, not even in practice.
Nobody wrote a column or started a Web site calling on Joe Paterno to retire.

By ERIC FISHER
Who is Michael Vick? He’s an NFL quarterback, a man responsible for the torture and murder of numerous dogs and a human being asking for another chance.
What is Michael Vick? He’s a symbol, a risk and an insurance policy. Oh yeah, he’s also a Philadelphia Eagle.
The Vick signing shocked the football world. The Eagles pride themselves – or should “pride” be past tense? – on having players with character. They were one of the last teams anyone could imagine signing Vick.
The signing triggered a tsunami of opinion. Little of the heated discussion, however, concerned Vick’s value as a football player, so we’ll save that issue, including my theory that he’s an insurance policy, for later in this column. First, we’ll deal with Vick as a symbol.
Vick is a symbol of cruelty. He is a symbol of inhumane treatment of animals. He is a symbol of depraved and despicable behavior.
Why does signing Vick elicit these feelings and provoke so much outrage? Read the specifics of what was done to the dogs on his property. Look at pictures of the abused dogs. You’ll understand.
On the other hand, Vick is also a symbol of everyone who needs a second chance. He lost a fortune, spent time in prison and is saying all the right things.
The Eagles emphasized the notion of Vick symbolizing anyone seeking a chance for redemption during their news conference last Friday. The redemptive element was front and center as Eagles coach Andy Reid, former Colts coach Tony Dungy and Vick spoke to the media. Little was said about how Vick could help the Eagles on the field.
Vick’s potential on-field contributions were pushed even further into the background when Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie took center stage. During his riveting news conference, Lurie even said that the signing of Vick would not be judged by how many yards he gains, but rather by whether he becomes a valuable, productive member of society.
If Vick doesn’t become a productive member of society and take a proactive role in addressing animal abuse, Lure said, this signing will be judged as “a terrible mistake.”
Lurie, who spoke lovingly of his dogs – past and present – knows that signing Vick is a risk. A huge risk. The Eagles’ carefully crafted public image has already taken a tremendous hit. The public outcry and protests at the team’s practice facility must make Lurie uncomfortable.
Vick’s past actions are going to dog him – if you’ll excuse the expression – for the rest of his career. Now, Vick’s problems are the Eagles’ problems. That’s why signing Vick was such a huge risk.
What reward would be worth the risk of signing Vick? Some say there is no reward, not even a Super Bowl victory, great enough to justify this signing. Others are more forgiving, but are still waiting for a valid explanation.
Despite what Lurie and Reid have said, giving Vick an opportunity to redeem himself isn’t enough of a reward to justify this signing. I believe Lurie when he speaks about being agents of change, and, given Reid’s experience with his two sons’ legal troubles, I believe he’s sincere when he speaks about second chances.
But that can’t be the whole story. The Eagles aren’t in the business of helping people turn their lives around. They are in the business of winning championships. (Or, as cynics might point out, trying to win championships.)
Speculation has centered on Vick’s role in the wildcat formation. Quarterback Donovan McNabb said he wouldn’t mind Vick taking five or six snaps per game. He may also be valuable on two-point conversions.
Five or six snaps and a two-point conversion aren’t worth the risk of signing Vick. There must be another reason.
That’s why I think Vick is an insurance policy. My theory is that Reid realized the vaunted offensive line the Eagles assembled during the offseason isn’t going to be nearly as good as he had hoped.
When Reid put the organizational wheels in motion to sign Vick, one week before the actual signing, right tackle Shawn Andrews hadn’t practiced yet due to back problems and prized offseason acquisitions Stacy Andrews and Jason Peters had been limited by injuries. Then left guard Todd Herremans injured his foot. By the time the Eagles signed Vick, four of their five starting offensive lineman had questions marks of varying sizes.
A troubled or inconsistent offensive line makes it more likely that McNabb will get hurt. If McNabb gets hurt, would the Eagles replace him with a less mobile quarterback? No.
If McNabb sustains a serious injury, the best chance the Eagles have to salvage their season behind this offensive line would be to have a mobile quarterback. Regardless of what anyone says about the rest of his skills, nobody questions Vick’s mobility.
Vick is the Eagles’ insurance policy – an expensive one in terms of the Eagles’ public image – in case the offensive line falters and McNabb gets hurt.
This is simply a theory, of course. But, for me, it’s the only one that makes sense.

By ERIC FISHER
Maybe we all got ahead of ourselves. Including me.
Two weeks ago, while praising the Phillies for acquiring left-hander Cliff Lee, I emphasized how much the trade would help them during the postseason. But I didn’t spend one sentence pondering whether the Phillies would make the playoffs. Even without Lee, I wrote, the Phillies probably would have won the National League East.
That was then. This is now.
Losing three out of four games against the Giants in the first full series after acquiring Lee (who had the lone win), then getting swept at home by Florida last weekend changed things in a hurry. Winning the series against the Marlins would have left the Fish at least eight games out of first place, but getting swept allowed the Marlins to jump right back into the playoff picture.
Even worse, Atlanta is back in the picture as well. Entering Thursday’s action, the Braves and Marlins were both four-and-a-half games behind the Phillies.
I don’t want to overstate the case. The Phillies are still in the driver’s seat. They should still win the division.
But certainty has been pushed aside to make room for doubt. All of a sudden, the playoffs don’t look like such a sure thing after all. The postseason certainly doesn’t seem to be the Phillies’ inevitable destination, as it was just two short weeks ago.
Keeping one team at bay is a simpler task. Beat that team head-to-head and it’s very likely you’ll win the division.
With both the Braves and Marlins chasing the Phillies, however, the Phils can’t extend their lead unless both challengers lose on the same night.
How did the Phillies fall into this predicament? After a robust July during which they won 14 of 15 games at one point, their potent offense wilted. The big bats in the middle of the lineup – Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez – suffered a power outage. Until Wednesday’s 12-5 victory over Chicago, none of the big three had hit a home run during August.
The big three aren’t the only culprits. Jayson Werth struggled, as did Pedro Feliz. More importantly, nearly everyone was putrid with runners in scoring position.
After getting swept by the Marlins, the Phillies rebounded nicely against the Cubs. This weekend the Phillies face a crucial test in Atlanta, where they were swept by the Braves as June turned to July. One difference from last time, and this is not good news for Phillies fans, is that the Braves are playing much better than they were six weeks ago.
The Phillies are also a different team. Their rotation now includes former Cy Young Award winners Lee and Pedro Martinez, although neither will pitch this weekend.
Martinez won his Phillies debut Wednesday night. Considering he hadn’t pitched in the majors since last September, Martinez looked pretty good. But his pitching line of five innings, seven hits and three runs doesn’t look any better than the typical outing of Jamie Moyer, the man he replaced in the rotation.
We can’t judge Martinez’s worth based on one start. It’s a lot easier to pitch when your teammates stake you to a 12-1 lead, as the Phillies did for Martinez on Wednesday.
The Phillies would probably be happy if Martinez gave them six good innings in each start. And that brings us to the next issue: the bullpen.
As wrong as I was two weeks ago when I prematurely placed the Phillies in the playoffs, that’s how correct I was seven weeks ago when I identified the bullpen as the team’s major concern.
At the time I wrote that column, the Phillies were mired in a stretch during which they lost 11 of 13 games. They aren’t slumping like that now, but the bullpen concern is just as real.
Let’s start with Brad Lidge, the key to last year’s championship. When he entered a game last year, you knew the game was over. When he enters a game today, you close your eyes and pray.
Lidge didn’t blow a save last season. This season he has blown seven, more than anyone else in the majors. He entered Thursday’s game with an 0-4 record and a horrific 7.29 ERA. If he were anyone other than the guy who had a perfect season last year, he would no longer be the closer. He might even be in the minors.
The bullpen problems don’t stop with Lidge. Ryan Madson has pitched fairly well, but, with 56 games under his belt, he’s in danger of burnout. J.C. Romero and Clay Condrey are still on the disabled list, Chad Durbin just returned, and it’s uncertain how Moyer will adjust to a bullpen role.
All you need to know about the bullpen woes is there is serious talk of Brett Myers, who had hip surgery earlier this season, helping out in the bullpen and, if Lidge continues to struggle, even becoming the closer.
Even with Lee, the Phillies’ prospects for playoff success look a bit shaky – assuming they can hold off the Marlins and Braves.

By ERIC FISHER
BJ Penn. Kenny Florian. Anderson Silva. Forrest Griffin.
Do these names mean anything to you?
Some of you are scratching your head and thinking, “Silva is a middle reliever … I’m pretty sure Florian is a utility infielder … Penn sounds familiar, but I can’t place him. I’ve never heard of that Griffin guy.”
Others immediately became wide-eyed with excitement – all right, semi-excitement – and thought, “I can’t believe Fisher is finally writing a column on UFC!”
UFC, for the uninitiated, means Ultimate Fighting Championship. The four names listed in the beginning of this column are involved in the co-main events in UFC 101: Declaration, a live pay-per-view event Saturday night emanating from the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.
Some of you must be thinking, “UFC 101? When did they hold the first 100?” Well, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the UFC phenomenon, here’s a crash course. UFC is a mixed martial arts (MMA) organization that has become the hottest property on pay-per-view.
It appears that UFC 100, featuring Brock Lesnar successfully defending his heavyweight crown and avenging his only defeat, may have been the most-watched pay-per-view since Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. squared off in 2007 (2.15 million buys).
Official numbers have not been released, but the well-respected Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Web site cites sources indicating that the estimated number of buys is an astounding 1.72 million! By the way, seven of the top 10 2008 pay-per-views in North America were produced by UFC.
UFC also fills major arenas. An online check Wednesday night revealed that the only remaining seats for Saturday’s show are in the $400-$600 range. The upper level of the Wachovia Center ($50-$100) is sold out, as are the $200-$300 lower-level and club box seats.
As is evident by ticket sales and pay-per-view purchases, UFC has a loyal and growing audience. Readers who are part of UFC’s growing fan base not only recognized the four names at the top of this column right away as the headliners of UFC 101, but they could also tell you that Penn is defending the UFC lightweight championship against Florian and that UFC middleweight (170-185 pounds) champion Silva is stepping up to light heavyweight (185-205 pounds) to face Griffin.
Ardent UFC fans could also tell you that although Penn lost in January to UFC welterweight (155-170 pounds) champion Georges St. Pierre, considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in UFC, Penn is undefeated at lightweight (145-155 pounds).
They could also tell you that Silva and Griffin are both big-time “strikers,” and that their fight is likely to end with a knockout.
There was a time when many dismissed UFC and the entire MMA genre as a glorified toughman competition. There was a freak show element to it, with huge sumo wrestlers facing Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists. It was almost like a real-life cross between Spike TV’s “Deadliest Warrior” and the “Man vs. Beast” shows that used to populate the airwaves.
That image started to change when UFC, which was founded in 1993, was taken over by new management in 2001. Weight classes were established, rules were standardized and the entire organization was given an overhaul.
Today’s fighters are in excellent physical condition, as one must be to last even one five-minute round. They also are generally well-rounded fighters. A fighter who relies on one discipline (wrestling, judo, karate, etc.) isn’t likely to find much success.
Even so, state athletic commissions have been reluctant to license UFC. Some still view UFC as “human cockfighting,” as Sen. John McCain infamously called it during the 1990s.
The battle to get sanctioned in Pennsylvania was a long one and UFC still isn’t sanctioned in many states, so Saturday’s event in Philadelphia, UFC’s first fight card in any of the major Northeast cities, is important to its future. If Philadelphia is a success, expect future events in New York, Boston and Washington, D.C.
Those cities, as well as most media, are already late to the party. Despite very little mainstream press or television, UFC already has developed a rabid fan base and created stars. The next step is to cross over into the mainstream.
The UFC received a boost in reaching a larger audience when Lesnar entered the octagon (an eight-sided cage that forms the perimeter of the ring.) Lesnar, an NCAA wrestling champion, built name recognition by excelling in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Because of his pro wrestling background, many MMA purists rooted for Lesnar to fall flat on his face. In fact, many of them still do.
But UFC realizes it has pure gold in Lesnar, an incredible physical specimen and charismatic individual who has dominated all five of his MMA opponents, including Frank Mir during Lesnar’s one defeat. Lesnar learned from his submission defeat and hammered Mir to register a TKO in UFC 100’s main event.
Given the enormous success of UFC 100, both Lesnar and UFC are difficult to ignore. In other words, it won’t be long before more of you recognize names like Penn, Florian, Silva and Griffin.

By ERIC FISHER
Remember the not-too-distant “bad old days” when the Phillies would invariably acquire a mediocre middle reliever or two at the trade deadline?
Those days are over. As the acquisition of left-handed starter Cliff Lee demonstrates, the “new” Phillies are willing to do what it takes to win championships.
All right, they didn’t get their No. 1 target. But once they determined the asking price for Toronto ace Roy Halladay was too high, the Phillies turned to their No. 2 target: Cliff Lee.
Lee isn’t Halladay, but he isn’t chopped liver. Lee won the American League Cy Young Award last season with a remarkable 22-3 record while pitching for the average-at-best Cleveland Indians.
The Phillies acquired Lee, along with outfielder Ben Francisco, who provides a needed right-handed bat off the bench, without giving up any of the top prospects the Blue Jays were asking for in return for Halladay. Most importantly, the Phillies didn’t give up anyone, such as J.A. Happ, contributing in the majors this season.
The Phillies added Lee and Francisco to their big-league roster without trading anyone off that roster. That is why their chances for postseason success received such a big boost from this trade.
Postseason success is what this trade is all about. The Phillies could probably have won the National League East and made the playoffs without acquiring Lee. But the playoffs were a different story.
The importance of having several good pitchers at the top of the rotation is magnified in the playoffs. The rotation is usually reduced to four, and sometimes even three, pitchers. In a five-game series, three or four games will be pitched by your top two pitchers. In a seven-game series, four or five games will be pitched by your top two pitchers.
The Phillies’ rotation is significantly better with Lee inserted alongside Cole Hamels than without him. The top three pitchers now are Hamels, Lee and Joe Blanton. If the Phillies need a fourth starter during the playoffs, they will have a choice between Happ, Jamie Moyer and possibly Pedro Martinez. Without Lee, the top two consists of Hamels and Blanton, with the third pitcher being Happ, Moyer or Martinez.
With no disrespect intended toward the other pitchers in the rotation, the Phillies’ playoff options are a lot better with Lee in the mix.
Lee is just 7-9 this season, but he has had poor run support. That shouldn’t be a problem with the slugging Phillies. Lee’s 3.14 ERA is a much better indication of his performance this season than his record.
So what’s the catch? There has to be a catch, right?
Well, if you’re looking for a black lining in the silver cloud, it’s that Lee gives up a lot of fly balls. That could be a problem in Citizens Bank Park.
A potential long-term problem could be that pitchers Jason Knapp and Carlos Carrasco become stars. Knapp, 18, is 6-foot-5 and throws 98 mph. Carrasco is just 22. Catcher Lou Marson and infielder Jason Donald could also become everyday players with the Indians.
Worrying about potential pitfalls down the road, however, is the old way of thinking. These are the new Phillies. This team tries to win championships. The attitude of the day is optimism, not pessimism.
So we won’t dwell on Halladay getting away. We won’t point out that one year ago Carrasco, Marson and Donald were highly thought of within the organization, just as pitcher Kyle Drabek and outfielders Michael Taylor and Dominic Brown – the minor-league prospects Toronto reportedly wanted, along with Happ, in exchange for Halladay – are today.
All that matters is the Phillies are closer to winning a World Series today than they were before the Lee trade. It’s clear that winning one World Series wasn’t enough for the Phillies. They are willing to do what it takes to win it again.
•••
Excuse me for cutting the Phillies trade column short, but Jim Johnson deserves a mention in this space. Actually, Johnson deserves an entire column dedicated to his accomplishments, but the former Eagles defensive coordinator never did care about being in the spotlight.
Johnson died of melanoma Tuesday at age 68. He leaves an impressive legacy, on and off the field.
Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid may have been the faces of the franchise for the past 10 years, but the heart and soul of the Eagles was their aggressive, hard-hitting defense. The defense connected with the fans. Its nasty, blue-collar style was a perfect match for Philadelphia.
The defensive style was also a recipe for success. We frequently hear that the Eagles have been to five NFC championship games with McNabb as quarterback and Reid as head coach. What we didn’t hear often enough was that the Eagles reached five NFC championship games during Johnson’s decade as their defensive coordinator.
Johnson was as “old school” as it gets, yet he was an innovator with regard to defensive schemes. This old dog was always willing to try new tricks.
Despite his relatively common name, there was only one Jim Johnson.

By ERIC FISHER
By all accounts, the Eagles had a good offseason. Some would even say they had a great offseason.
Will we be able to determine how good the offseason was by following Eagles training camp, which opens Sunday at Lehigh University? No.
Does that mean that training camp is useless in determining the progress made in the offseason? No.
There is still plenty we can learn during this highly anticipated training camp, which runs through Aug. 12, and during the exhibition – excuse me – preseason games that follow.
How healthy is the offensive line?
The Eagles revamped their offensive line during the offseason. Gone is the long-time tackle tandem of Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas. Their replacements are Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews, although Andrews will actually line up at right guard so his younger brother, Shawn, can move from guard to right tackle.
We may not be able to tell how good the offensive line can be, but we should be able to tell if they’re healthy. Stacy Andrews is coming off a serious knee injury. Shawn Andrews missed most of last season with back and mental health issues. If either Andrews brother or Peters miss substantial time due to injuries, or even misses time with nagging minor injuries it would be an ominous sign.
Will the Eagles get a better pass rush from their defensive ends?
Trent Cole would benefit greatly from having a strong pass-rushing defensive end on the left side of the line. The unofficial Eagles depth chart on www.philadelphiaeagles.com lists Juqua Parker as the starting left defensive end, but many people believe third-year lineman Victor Abiamiri will be the starter. Another player to watch is Chris Clemons, a free-agent signee last year who makes an awful lot of money to be a third-string defensive end, which is where he’s listed on the unofficial depth chart.
How much will Jeremy Maclin contribute this season?
Only the most astute observers can judge how well receivers run their routes during training camp. But anyone can judge speed and hands. If Maclin gets open a lot and doesn’t drop passes, that would indicate that the Birds’ first-round draft choice will contribute a lot during his rookie season. If he can’t seem to get open or experiences the dropsies, expect his contributions to be relegated to special teams.
How will Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb react to McNabb’s new contract?
I doubt the new and improved contract will make any difference in McNabb’s level of play. What will be interesting is to see how McNabb’s contract affects Kolb. Barring an injury to McNabb, the starter’s new contract almost guarantees that Kolb, a former second-round pick, will sit on the bench for the next two years. Kolb’s patience certainly will be tested.
Will Ellis Hobbs replace Sheldon Brown as the starting right cornerback?
This should not happen. If it does, however, then it’s a clear sign that the Eagles are sending the unhappy Brown a message. Brown wants to renegotiate his contract, but the Eagles haven’t been overly receptive. Acquiring Hobbs could be interpreted as a message. Giving Hobbs repetitions at starting cornerback couldn’t be interpreted as anything but a message.
Can any of the tight ends block?
Brent Celek is expected to be the starter, following the unlamented departure of L.J. Smith. Celek has terrific hands, but his blocking is suspect. The same goes for draft pick Cornelius Ingram. Matt Schoebel also is not known for his blocking. If either of the offensive tackles struggle, the lack of a blocking tight end will be magnified.
How much difference will having a true fullback make?
Watch for short-yardage situations during preseason. If the Eagles hand the ball to Leonard Weaver or have the tailback follow Weaver through a hole, then it could make a huge difference.
Who will replace Brian Dawkins?
Quintin Demps appears to have the inside track, but the Eagles signed Sean Jones and Rashad Baker during the offseason. Keep an eye on this battle, with Jones likely to make a strong case to start.
Will Brian Westbrook return to his old form?
This is one question that won’t be answered. Westbrook is expected to miss the entire preseason after having surgery on his injured foot in June. The thought of an Eagles offense without Westbrook is scary, which leads us to the next question.
How good is LeSean McCoy?
If Westbrook isn’t ready when the season begins or is forced to participate in a diminished capacity, McCoy will become a key to the Eagles’ fortunes. Watch the second-round draft choice during training camp and preseason to see how quickly he finds the hole and how well he makes receptions coming out of the backfield.
How will Jim Johnson’s absence affect the defense?
This is another question for which we won’t have an answer. Interim defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will handle the X’s and O’s just fine. The question is how well he will adjust and how much confidence he will inspire in the players. Please say a prayer for Johnson in his battle with cancer.

By ERIC FISHER
Five Phillies played in the All-Star Game. None of them were pitchers.
That tells you all you need to know about the first half of the Phillies’ season. The Phillies are in first place, four games ahead of the Florida Marlins, with whom the Phillies opened an important four-game series Thursday night.
They are in first place because of their offense. The Phillies lead the National League in home runs and runs. It wasn’t an accident – or even hometown favoritism by Phillies and NL all-star manager Charlie Manuel in picking reserves – that their Nos. 2 through 6 hitters were at the All-Star game.
But if the Phillies want to stay in first place and defend their World Series championship, they need better performances from their pitchers, especially their starting pitchers.
The Phillies need more performances like the ones their starters delivered during the 9-1 homestand that preceded the All-Star break. In seven of the 10 games during the homestand, Phillies pitchers allowed two runs or fewer. If pitchers continue to perform at that level, the Phillies will run away with the National League East Division.
Even when the starters don’t pitch well, the Phillies have a decent chance of winning. Their 26 come-from-behind victories lead the NL. During their recent homestand, the Phillies won two of the three games (8-7, 9-6) in which the pitchers allowed more than two runs.
The Phillies, however, don’t want to be dependent on compiling 26 come-from-behind victories during the second half of the season. Those come-from-behind victories take their toll on the bullpen. The homestand before the All-Star Game and the three days off during the break gave the bullpen some much-needed rest. If the Phillies get involved in too many slugfests, the relievers’ arms will wear down again.
The Phillies know their starting pitching needs to be better. That is why they signed 37-year-old Pedro Martinez this week. Martinez went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA last season for the Mets, but the Phillies think he’s worth a shot.
If Martinez pitchers poorly in his minor-league stint or suffers yet another injury, the Phillies’ interest in Toronto ace Roy Halladay will perk up again. The price for Halladay will be steep, but you don’t get the chance to acquire the top pitcher in baseball very often.
Without Martinez and Halladay, the Phillies’ starting rotation looks like this: Cole Hamels (5-5, 4.87 ERA); Joe Blanton (6-4, 4.44 ERA); Jamie Moyer (8-6, 5.99 ERA entering Thursday’s game); J.A. Happ (6-0, 2.90 ERA); and your choice of inexperienced pitchers brought up from the minor leagues.
Do you want to go through the second half of the season and, hopefully, the playoffs with that pitching staff?
Hamels has been inconsistent. Hopefully, he’ll rebound during the second half of the season. Moyer has occasionally looked his age this season. Blanton has looked good and Happ has been a revelation. But you certainly shouldn’t count on Happ matching his performance thus far as more teams begin to get a book on him.
Remember, this team has set a high standard. Making the playoffs isn’t good enough. These are the defending World Series champions. During the playoffs, the importance of teams’ top two pitchers is magnified. The Phillies would not match up very well right now.
We may learn a lot about the Phillies’ chances of repeating during the rest of July. Due to a few scheduling quirks, including moving the Phillies’ Sept. 21 game at Florida to Thursday and a make-up game against the Padres on July 23, the Phillies open their second half of the season by playing on 18 straight days.
This 18-day stretch doesn’t contain many cupcakes, either. The Washington Nationals are nowhere to be found.
After the current four-game series at Florida, the Phillies return home for three games with the Cubs, the make-up game against San Diego and three games against first-place St. Louis. Then the Phillies hit the road for three games at Arizona and four at San Francisco. Only four games – against the Diamondbacks and Padres – will be against teams below .500.
The performance of the starting pitchers during these 18 games should tell us a lot about the rest of the season. If the starters falter, there won’t be any rest for the weary. If the bullpen is forced into extensive action, the relievers’ arms may be worn out by the end of the season, when they will be needed the most.
It’s not enough to emerge from this 18-game stretch with a winning record. The Phillies must win in convincing fashion. They must win with good pitching.
The recipe for success was spelled out during the Phillies’ most-recent homestand. Limit the opposition to a few runs, win a blowout or two (like the 22-1 destruction of Cincinnati) and rally to win the few games when the starting pitchers don’t get the job done.
The question is whether the Phillies’ rotation – with or without Martinez – has the right ingredients to follow that recipe.