The Phils Are on Fire, College Football is Here

I know that I promised an extensive college football preview but I just do not have the time or patience right now to put it all together. So you will have to settle on some quick hitters on this Friday afternoon:

• How about those Phillies? The sweep of the Mets in itself was huge, but the way they did it, coming from behind 10-8 in the 8th & 9th after being ahead 5-0 and 8-5, was exciting and great to see. It just goes to prove what I and most Philbert observers have said all season: this team has tremendous heart, and they never give up.
• Pat Burrell has been as good as any player in baseball over the last two months. He has been incredible. I think this means you keep him between Utley and Howard in the batting order for the rest of the year so you do not enable teams to bring in a lefty and face back to back left handed hitters.
• Jayson Werth has been searing lately as well. Shane Victorino may have trouble getting a full time spot back in the immediate future.
• The series against Florida is HUGE this weekend. The Phils cannot afford to lose this series, as it gives back too much (in the standings and psychologically) what they gained in the last 4 days against the Mets. Florida has given them fits over the past several years, so the Phils need to really focus down in Miami.
• Weird week in baseball. Besides the Phillies, the Angels swept the Mariners, the Yankees swept the Red Sox, Tampa swept the Oriloes, the Tribe swept the Twinks, Texas swept the Pale Hose, and the Dodgers swept the Nats. That is an awful lot of broom sales going on.
• College football started last night and two of the top Heisman candidates, Brian Brohm of Louisville and Ray Rice, were outstanding in blowout wins. Of course, I am not certain those Heisman voters (I will have to ask my buddy George Rogers, who gets a vote) will be all that impressed by the Murray St. and Buffalo defensive opposition.
• I am telling you right now, my Duke Blue Devils, holders of the longest losing streak in the country at 20 games, will end that streak tomorrow in the friendly confines of Wallace Wade Stadium with a victory over the Connecticut Huskies. Take the 4.5, and you can send me a thank you note later. This Duke team will be much better than people think this year.
• Georgia Tech will beat Notre Dame in South Bend tomorrow. Who is starting for the Irish at QB anyway? The bettors seems to know this, as they have moved the lines from ND by 3 to ND by 1. Take the Jackets.
• It will be an emotional scene in Blacksburg as the Hokies host East Carolina. Look for a lot of tears to be shed in the stands and on the field before the game. Look for the tears once the game starts to come from the East Carolina sideline.
• The best game of the weekend should be my buddy JPL's Cal Bears who have revenge on their minds as the Volunteers from Rocky Top come calling. Tennessee is missing their best running back due to suspension, and Erik Ainge, who improved leaps and bounds last year as the Vols' QB, is not at 100% with a broken pinky finger. Looks for Nate Longshore and the Bears to win in a good game.

It looks like most of the country is in for a great weekend weather wise. Hopefully everybody will enjoy some great golf, swimming, barbeques, and fun before summer comes to a close.

I will try to get back on this weekend with some observations from the sports world, along with anything else that may suit my fancy....