Philly Front Office

Episode 38: Desperation Inoculation

Last week, all I wanted to do was talk about the Eagles and this week the Phillies, so naturally, I reversed them Last week was the MLB preview while this week is all about how the Eagles moves so far has made them impervious to desperation for the rest of the spring and summer. Remember when the Eagles traded Sam Bradford to the Vikings for a 1st round pick all those years ago? Howie Roseman will never be on the receiving end of one of those monstrosities because he is always prepared. Here is how he does it...
News:
Flyers
Porter Martone leads Michigan State
The NHL Playoffs are in reach, but there is a lot of work to do
Sixers
Embiid is back after 13 games
Paul George is back after 25 games
The Play-In tournament is a sure thing, but we are dreaming of more...so are 5 other teams
NBA Anti-Tanking procedures are a complete joke
Phillies
Cristopher Sanchez extension!
Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford make the team!
Opening Day!
Alec Bohm sues his parents!
Eagles
Let's pour a little kerosene out for the always on fire Sydney Brown
Marcus Epps, JT Gray, Elijah Moore, and Fred Johnson are small but important moves
Cam Jurgens was hurt bad
This Day in Philly Sports History
March 25, 2018 - Scott Kingery signs a 6/$24m contract and it's the beginning of the end of his career
Late March 2005 - Shane Victorino's services are refused by the LA Dodgers and they are the first steps to the beginning of his legendary Philly career

Episode 37: It's Baseball Season!!!

Finally, our winter of discontent has ended and I can't believe I feel pretty good about the Phillies. The lineup has its issues, but that pitching staff??? Oh baby!!! Opening Day is set for Thursday, March 26 at 4:10pm against the Texas Rangers and I can't wait. Let's get you all ready for the season by previewing out division rivals, the Phillies, and the final boss, the Dodgers.
News:
Flyers
Get busy living, or get busy dying
The Flyers are one of 8 teams vying for 5 playoff spots in the East and I really miss being in the playoffs
Sixers
Basically, guaranteed to make the play-in but half the team is still hurt
Our destiny is the Knicks, the Celtics, the Pistons, or a 2.4% to 4.8% chance to keep out 1st round pick
Eagles
Darius Slay retires because the Bills are bitches
Dallas Goedert returns and changes everything
Filling in the gaps for Draft Freedom!
AJ Brown handshake agreement? (I forgot to get into it, but this would be the most logical explanation for all the rumors that keep not coming true, like a missing puzzle piece)
Phillies
WBC was probably the best possible outcome for Phillies fans
Dylan Moore forces the Phillies hand
Pitching looks great
Almanac
Darius Slay came to the Phillies 6 years ago
The Phillies both made and ruined Scott Kingery's life 8 years ago

Episode 36: Contracts, Contracts, Contracts!

NFL Free Agency may have started, but that didn't stop the Phillies from getting in on the contract action by giving Jesus Luzardo a big ol' extension. I talk about that plus Jordan Davis, Jaelan Phillips, Reed Blankenship, and damnit I'm just realizing as I write this that I completely forgot about Landon Dickerson altering his contract! I knew I was missing something. Well, I guess I get you caught up on most of the Eagles offseason.
Flyers? No one knows what's going on with the Flyers.
Sixers? We all know what is going on with the Sixers.
We aren't sure if we want either to make the playoffs with about a month to go in each season.

Episode 35: The NFL is Ready to Explode

News:
Flyers at the trade deadline send Bobby Brink to the Wild
Sixers will [cue sinister music] RE-EVALUATE Joel Embiid next week after he already missed 3 games plus how realistic is it for Josh Harris to sell the team?
Phillies lose Johan Rojas for half the season, but maybe forever too, why not? What does that mean for the final spot on the roster? Plus, the pitching is still nasty
Eagles are in rumor hell between AJ Brown, Maxx Crosby, Jalen Carter, and Jaelan Phillips.
Feature:
The NFL league new year starts on Wednesday with free agency starting on Monday. Hold on to your butts! This means player releases and trades galore are coming this weekend. Let's see what that means for the Eagles including how certain moves can affect everything else including this year's team, keeping guys down the line, and what to do in this year's draft.
Almanac:
In March 2004, Terrell Owens was traded to the Ravens AND signed with the Eagles at the same time. His agent F****D up big time. Everything worked out for the Eagles though... right?

Episode 34: The Life Cycle of the Franchise Saving Prospect

It's February which means there is simply not a lot of news out there. Sure, the NHL Trade Deadline is near, but nothing has really happened yet; it's Spring Training but we are still a month from real games; the NFL has the Combine but free agency isn't until next month; and then there's the Sixers...
Anyway, all of those things have me thinking about the lifecycle of a prospect. The Flyers need a star desperately. Over the past generation they've missed on several. The Sixers traded one and happened to get another. Had James Harden stayed, there's no way VJ Edgecombe would be in Philly. The Eagles had a big problem for years of avoiding draft talent. Thankfully DeVonta Smith changed all that. Finally, there's the Phillies and their rookie trio of Andrew Painter, Justin Crawford, and Aiden Miller. We don't know what they are yet, but if they're good it changes everything both this year and in the future.
Almanac:
- February 28, 2019: Bryce Harper agrees to sign with the Phillies for 13/$330m
- March 2, 1962: Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points

Episode 33: What We SHOULD Be Talking About

Philly media has been focused on the Eagles offensive coordinator search, the defensive coordinator possibly retiring, Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson following their O-Line coach out the door, AJ Brown being traded, and always ALWAYS Jalen Hurts. Well, it was all bullshit. As their talking points slip away, I want to bring up the Eagles topics they SHOULD be focused on like Tight End succession, the LB question, and who is going to rush the passer on 2026.
News:
Sixers duck the tax officially by signing Cam Payne and Jabari Walker
Flyers almost back and ready to trade
Phillies release Nick Castellanos but start Spring Training
Eagles have a new QB coach but no random retirements
This Day in History:
Wentz traded to Colts
AJ Feeley traded to Miami for a 2nd round pick
Phillies land Steve Carlton

Episode 32: More Rumsfeld Matrix

I had so much fun applying the Known-Knowns, Known-Unknowns, and Unknown-Unknowns to the Phillies this week I decided to keep doing it with the rest of our teams:
The Phillies with performance uncertainty
The Eagles with Jalen Hurts hot take artists like Emmanuel Acho
The Sixers with their unwillingness to exceed the luxury tax
I completely forgot about the Flyers and have no idea how to edit, but I would have talked about how the reality is that they need more high-end talent, otherwise the whole thing is pointless.
News:
Nothing other than Nick Castellanos getting released (and now signed with the Padres because that's what's in)
Philly Almanac:
JT Realmuto trade on February 7, 2019
Super Bowl 59 on February 9th, 2025
Ben Simmons for James Harden swap on February 10th, 2022

Episode 31: PANIC! at the Sports Complex

Everyone is panicking. Eagles fans think the sky is falling because Stoutland quit. Phillies fans think the team is going to fall apart. Sixers fans think their owner doesn't care (that one's true). The Flyers have lost 12 of 16. Let's talk about it in this week's feature.
News
Phillies do nothing
Flyers take 3 needed weeks off
Eagles might see some retirements
Sixers sell Jared McCain
History
7 years ago the Sixers traded for Tobias Harris
7 years (minus 1 day) ago the Phillies traded for JT Realmuto

Episode 30: The Sixers and the NBA Trade Deadline

The Sixers NBA Trade Deadline Preview Spectacular (me talking for 15 minutes)
News
Eagles: Sean Mannion is the new OC, Josh Grizzard is the new Passing Game Coordinator. What does this mean?
Flyers: Lots and lots of losing. Remember when this team was fun and made us feel good? Me neither.
Phillies: Despite getting name dropped by journalists as suiters for the remaining free agents, the Phillies are done for the offseason. Here's how I would have done it.
Sixers: The Trade Deadline is coming up and the team will need to make decisions on Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow very soon
Feature: Let's get you ready for the Trade Deadline Ball, Cinderella!

Episode 29 - What Could the Phillies Have Done Differently?

There is no joy in Philly-ville, the mighty Phillies have struck out. Things aren't actually as bad as they seem, but with the Flyers falling, the Phillies failing, and the Eagles wounds still raw, the health of Joel Embiid is the only thing between us and insanity. YIKES
News:
- Eagles: Christian Parker to the Cowboys might mean...
- Flyers: lose 7 of 8
- Sixers: Healthy and happy?
- Phillies: Everyone is going to the Mets except JT Realmuto
Feature: Looking back on the Phillies offseason to see where it went wrong