Greetings again from icy Philadelphia. I have survived three weeks of cheesesteaks, driving the Schuylkill Expressway, Flyers fans, and boring training classes, and I’m not sure which of the above was most harmful to my health. I had the opportunity to attend both a 76ers and a Flyers game, and I want to report on that, as well as look around the NFL briefly. Also, with Christmas next week, there will be no Glass Eye, look for an NFL playoff preview the following week.
Last week I had the opportunity to take in my first NBA game ever, at the Wachovia Center. The 76ers were hosting LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Luckily one of my classmates here has a friend who works for the team and got us free club box tickets, without that I probably would not have attended – as I mentioned a few weeks ago, in general the NBA does not interest me. The atmosphere was pretty laid back, and not close to a sellout, which surprised me. The 76ers were really struggling, but I figured James would be a big draw. Now, the following paragraphs are my token NBA analysis for the year:
LeBron James is definitely the real deal. He hit 2 crazy 3-pointers and seemed able to take defenders off the dribble at will. He also didn’t play much defense the whole game – maybe because he knew the 76ers were not a match for his squad, maybe not. I will make it a point to watch the Cavs vs. a team like the Celtics to see if he plays any more defense against a really good team. The 76ers also had no real answer for 7’3″ Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Overall I was fairly impressed with the Cavaliers, but the quality of competition must be taken into account.
Speaking of their competition, had this column been posted last week I would definitely have predicted 76ers coach Mo Cheeks’ ouster (which happened Saturday) – it was clear during the game that the players were tuning him out and were not pleased with him, and I could see why. Best example involved Andre Miller – he had 10 points, 7 assists, and 1 or 2 rebounds in the first quarter, and they led after the quarter. Then, inexplicably, Cheeks benched him for most of the 2nd quarter, even as the they fell behind. Then, in the middle of the 3rd quarter, Cheeks again pulled Miller, and this time Miller threw his hands in the air, shook his head and sat on the very end of the bench, as far from Cheeks as he could get. Now, I understand his frustration – I didn’t understand Cheeks’ decisions all night – but this type of behavior is one of my big problems with the NBA. I find it offensive that a player will so blatantly defy his coach and show him up on the court.
In summation, the game was interesting, but mainly because watching James was fascinating. The 76ers played horribly, the crowd was mildly into the game, and the PA announcer was very annoying. In short, I’m not in any hurry to see another NBA game.
On to the Flyers game, which I attended Tuesday. The Flyers hosted the Colorado Avalanche, who were playing the second of a back-to-back set and were at the tail end of a long road trip, whereas the Flyers had 2 days of rest and were in the midst of a long homestand. Despite having beaten the Red Wings before, I expected the Avs to look tired compared to the Flyers and they did, losing 5-2. In general the Flyers outworked the Avs and got some GREAT scoring chances. The most interesting thing about the game was watching the Flyers’ power play, they consistently got great shots from the point and had someone screening the goalie (sometimes TWO screeners) almost every shot. Pittsburgh should study what the Flyers do, and if necessary put a Talbot or even a Godard in front of the net simply to screen the goalie. Ryan Malone is DEFINITELY missed for this role. Overall I was impressed with the Flyers, I know the Avs were tired but the Flyers are rolling and will be a real threat in the playoffs.
Now, a little about the arena. With Pittsburgh about to get a new arena, and the outside artists’ drawings looking eerily similar to Philly’s Wachovia Center, I felt like attending these games would give me a bit of a feel for how the new Pittsburgh arena (to be called the Consol Energy Center) will look, as well as seating, acoustics, and atmosphere. Frankly I hope that the Consol Center varies from the interior design the Wachovia Center used, because while all the sightlines were good, the seats were quite cramped and the overall atmosphere was not as intimate or fan-friendly as the Igloo. For example there is nowhere to hang signs, which is a Pittsburgh tradition. On the plus side, the arena is easy to drive to, there are multiple escalators, and frankly everyone was a lot more friendly than I would have expected. Now, had I worn my Pens jersey it might have been different, but even when I tell people down here I’m a Pens/ Steelers fan they have not given me any grief. Perhaps Philly’s boorish fan reputation is a bit overblown – or perhaps I just haven’t met the ‘right’ fans yet.
Last note for the week: We’ll go over the NFL in detail in two weeks, but consider this: the Steelers, with a patchwork offensive line and a myriad of injuries to their running back corps, are playing for the #1 AFC seed this weekend and have already locked up a bye. With the schedule they have played, I would have never guessed they’d be this successful. Once again the Rooneys seem to have found a keeper in coach Mike Tomlin, who clearly has become a better coach in his second year. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Ben Roethlisberger now holds the record for most wins in a QB’s first 5 seasons (50 and counting). He’s had a few ups and downs, but he’s on a hall-of-fame track and I certainly hope Steeler fans appreciate what they have in Big Ben.
Happy holidays everyone, enjoy your families!
Dave Glass lives in Clearfield with his wife, Suzanne, and their six children. He can be reached at buggyracer@verizon.net
