A Tale of Two "Big Johns"

One of them is a big right handed hitter whose power comes from a massive swing. The other is another big right-hander whose power comes from his strong serve. One plays baseball and the other plays tennis but in watching both the Phillies game and the US Open today I realized that John Mayberry Jr. and John Isner have a lot in common.

John Mayberry Jr., affectionately referred to as Big John or Junior by his teammates is a 27 year old Major League Baseball player with the Philadelphia Phillies. As of August 30, 2011, he is batting .264 with 12 HR and 41 RBI. He is 6-6, 230 lbs. Junior is a native of Kansas City, Missouri and attended Stanford. He has 2 years Major League experience all with the Phillies. In 2011 Mayberry was called up to the Phillies. He stayed for a few months before being demoted back to AAA. Mayberry received a second chance and hasn't looked back since. He really has been a breath of fresh air for the Phillies who were in desperate need for a right handed power bat once Jayson Werth left. Thinking they had that in top prospect Domonic Brown, the Phillies chose to keep Mayberry as a bench player. After Mayberry's demotion, the Phillies continued to look at Brown who seemed to struggle. As a result, the Phillies acquired Hunter Pence to sure up their outfield. Mayberry Jr. received a second chance to rejoin the bench when Brown was optioned back to AAA. Since then he has been explosive. At one point Mayberry had recorded 18 extra base hit in 25 ABs. He was on a tear and continues to be effective. Currently he platoons in RF with Raul Ibanez.

Mayberry may just be the right handed bat the Phillies were looking for and with Ibanez aging, it seems that he is the Phillies guy for the future. Mayberry who is a rookie this year is not the best defensive outfielder. He has a good arm but not great. He has some speed but is not the fastest guy. In most categories he would be considered slightly above average but where he excels and the reason why the Phillies have kept him is his bat. He has great power against lefties and is good off the bench or in the lineup. He is a great addition to the Phillies who look to once again return to the World Series.

"Big John" Isner is a 26 year old 6-9, 245 lb, tennis pro. He is a member of the USTA (United States Tennis Assoc.) and has been participating in the world tennis circuit since turning pro in 2007. He has risen from a mediocre player to now being ranked number 22 in the world and is one of the top three American tennis players, behind Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick. Isner is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and attended the University of Georgia where he played four years of college tennis. Just like how Mayberry is a breath of fresh air for the Phils, Isner is the same for the USTA. Isner, although 26, leads a young crop of American tennis players that have been carefully developed to help put United States tennis back on the map. Along with Fish and Roddick, Isner has become part of the face of the USTA with his recent success having a pivotal role in the winning direction U.S. tennis hopes to return to. Isner is 28-18 on the year, having won two singles titles. He is still in search of his first grand slam, which coming into this year's US Open, he looks to have a strong chance to at least make the quarters. Even if he doesn't win a grand slam, Isner has cemented his place in history by being the winner of the longest match ever which spanned over the course of two days, went five sets and ended in him winning the final set by a score of 70-68 at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

Like Mayberry, Isner's bread and butter is his power which he gets from a serve that reaches up to 140mph+ on the gun, averages approximately 120mph+ on first serves and 100mph+ on second serves. His serve is considered by many tennis analysts to currently be the most powerful serve in the world. Like Mayberry, Isner is not the fastest or most fit guy on the tour but unlike Mayberry his height can serve as a hindrance. Isner does not have the best net play and he isn't the best when it comes to cross court rallies. He has a pretty good forehand but his backhand is what sometimes gets him in trouble. Just like how Mayberry's defense isn't the best, Isner's serve return is what he needs to most improve on. Many believe that with his serve being as good as it is, that if he can improve his return game and cut back on the unforced errors, then he would be a legitimate contender to win a major.

So two guys, two different sports. Mayberry plays a team sport where his performance aids his teammates while Isner plays a sport where it is all about how individuals succeed. Both men have similarities in reliance on power to make a living and both are proving to be good athletes. Although Mayberry spent a good amount of time in the minor leagues and Isner has only really tasted success recently, both seem to have nowhere to go but up. Both are still young enough to improve and really are in the prime of their careers. I look for both "Big Johns" to have a lot of career success before all is said and done.

Philly's Own $100 Million Dollar Baby

In case you haven't heard the Eagles continued to make large strides to securing the first superbowl win in the history of the franchise last night by inking superstar QB Michael Vick to a brand new deal. The Eagles announced yesterday and are expected to confirm it in a press conference today at 2:30 that they have signed Vick to a 6 year, $100 million dollar contract. He is guaranteed $40 million dollars of that money without incentives and back end bonuses and is slated to make a little over $16 million a year. Now this contract is a far cry from when the Eagles first took a chance on Vick when he came out of prison and it shows how well he has progressed in the eyes of the organization.

Before Vick made his mark in Philly, McNabb was still at the helm. Now I love McNabb as much as the next guy and wish him well in Minnesota but as the years went by I started to realize that he wasn't the guy to lead us to a superbowl. He got close and in my eyes is the one of the best current QBs to never win a superbowl but without the right weapons, an offensive line that was bad to say the least and aging legs, McNabb's career in Philly was slowing slipping away.

With backup Kevin Kolb beginning to take first team snaps it was obvious that the Eagles had McNabb's replacement ready. Kolb was highly touted and at the time was to the Eagles brass, the future of the franchise. He was to be our QB of the future and to lead us forth.

It was at this time, in McNabb's final year with the Eagles that Vick was signed to a one year $1.6 million dollar contract with no guaranteed money. Plain and simple, the Eagles were taking a chance on Vick. If he didn't pan out they would have only wasted a measly million which to a football team as rich as the Eagles was like losing a penny.

In his first year with the team Vick was used only in the wildcat formation. No one was sure of his skill, athleticism and what he still had just coming out of prison and the Eagles still believed that Kolb was their guy. Vick wasn't great in the games he played in 2009 but he showed the Eagles enough that they decided to pick up his team option for 2010, giving Vick an additional $5 million.

The 2010 season began and Vick was listed on the QB depth chart 2nd to Kolb. Little did he know but he would be taking the reigns sooner than he thought.

In the first game of the season, Kolb and the lackluster Eagles defense had put us into a deep hole against the Packers. Kolb ended up getting injured and Vick was brought in to finish the game. Not a lot of people believed the Eagles could win and even though we didn't Vick made it close and competitive. His breakout game however came against McNabb and the Redskins when Vick threw for 333 yds, 4 TDs and rushed for 80 yds and 2 more TDs in a blow out win over the Skins. This was not only Vick's game of his career but it was also the best performance of the season by any QB.

In that game Vick proved he could still start and play at a high level. He led the Eagles to a great season and almost won league MVP. It was Vick's amazing 2010 that allowed the Eagles to trade Kolb and seal Vick's place as the franchise QB and to make him the 3rd highest player in the NFL, to only Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

So now that I established how Vick went from a million dollar man to a 100 million dollar man, I think it is time to ask the question everyone has on their mind: Is he worth it?

I think $100 million is a little too much for a guy who really just had one great season. The Vick before prison was good but never great. He ran more than he passed and often got into trouble. Now, the Vick we have has matured and is probably more in tuned to the mental aspects of the game than ever before. He is still quick and can still make great plays but I am not so sure he will replicate 2010. I believe he will have a solid year but I think last year was the exception not the norm. I'm glad the Eagles locked him up for the foreseeable future but he hasn't proven his consistency at least not yet like Brady and Manning have.

Now that Vick has Brady money he has to prove he was worth it. The Eagles are going to have a lot of expectations for Vick now that he is a 100 million dollar man and he needs to deliver. All of the pieces are in place for the Eagles to do well this year and with Vick at the helm it really does look to be superbowl or bust.

I'm glad the Eagles paid Vick but in closing thoughts I just hope the organization still has money to give to Jackson. I think he is more deserving of a high contract and he has certainly proven that. He is one of, if not the most explosive play maker in the NFL and he has averaged high numbers in catches, YPC, and TDs ever since he joined the team. If anyone deserves to paid more than $175,000 in this the final year of his rookie contract it is Jackson.

I'm sure Laurie has a plan to get our number one WR paid and happy by the start of the season but money doesn't grow on trees. The Eagles may have a young team but it is one that looks to be getting significantly better paid. Eventually the money will run out. I just hope it isn't before Jackson gets what he deserves.

Want Something to Watch? Watch the US Open!

It is that time of year again. No I'm not talking about the stretch run of the baseball season, which is setting up to be one of the best races in years. No, I'm not referring to the beginning of the much awaited football season, which is even more anticipated than before because of the long lockout. I'm talking about tennis and the best major of the year, the US Open.

Once a year for the month of September all of tennis' best stars gather in Flushing, NY at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center for the year's final major.

Now tennis purists will tell you the best major is Wimbledon. It combines history with a wonderful venue and is played in the city and country where tennis is most prevalent. I'm not saying Wimbledon is bad in any sense of the word but nothing is better than prime time at the Open.

Other people may claim the clay courts at Roland Garros give the best tennis to watch. Clay courts are fast paced and it takes a special kind of player to excel at them. The matches are great to watch but it is much harder for a wildcard to come in and make it to the semis, which always offers a magical aspect to the tournaments. Also, I repeat, there is nothing better than prime time at the Open.

As a player you relish in being able to play under the lights on center court in Arthur Ashe Stadium. You watch as the draw comes out and hope you get to play your matches at night, in the heart of the city in front of a television audience and crowd attendance unmatched by any other major. And if you're a star like the Federers, Nadals and Djokivics of the world and all Americans, you enjoy playing to the loudest cheers you've heard in your life. Plain and simple, playing tennis in New York is no different than playing any other sport there. Fans are passionate, enthusiastic and certainly love the sport.

The US Open is the only slam that has a qualifying series which each year has become more and more popular. It is the only major that has a tournament open to any one in the world to try to qualify as a wildcard. Simply put, it is America's major.


Whether you watch because the time zones are conducive to your schedule, you have favorite players or you just enjoy the game of tennis, tune into the US Open 2011.       I guarantee, you won't be disappointed.

Do squirrels understand stoppage time?

I'll admit it. Soccer isn't my favorite sport. I do watch it however, but I won't normally sit through 45+ straight minutes. It isn't enough action in my opinion for it to go on without a commercial break for that long. Soccer really is only exciting when someone scores a goal, makes a great pass or a goalie makes a spectacular save. There have been some amazing plays this year in soccer but you didn't have to watch the games to see them. Great soccer plays make highlights and great highlights make Sportscenter's Top Ten. That is really how I get my soccer fix. It allows you to see all of the best plays without watching 43+ minutes of the ball traveling down the field.

Despite all this I will watch the occasional Union game because no matter what the sport I support and try to watch all things Philly. Don't believe me? I even watched the Philadelphia Freedoms in World Team Tennis this year. I find when I'm watching a Philly team is the only way I can watch a game because I have a stake in it. I have a team I want to succeed because of allegiances. It is the same way in the Olympics, the World Cup, Golf, Rugby, Tennis you name it. If you are from America, consider me a fan.

With that being said I decided to tune into the Women's Professional Soccer Championship game because our own Philadelphia Independence were trying for the cup.Many people probably didn't even know that Philly had a women's soccer team let alone one that just like the Phillies in 08 and 09, has made it to the championship back to back years. Unfortunately unlike the Phillies, the Independence has nothing to show for their efforts but two second place finishes.

So I watched the game and like I said soccer can be boring, really boring. I was flipping between channels but when I put the game back on something caught my attention. A squirrel had ran onto the field in Rochester, New York and almost like someone streaking at a baseball game, refused to leave. It just kind of sat there and it was funny. Now that was entertaining. The only problem occurred in a little thing called stoppage time.

For those of you that don't follow soccer, stoppage time is accrued time that is added to the end of each 45 minute half, hence the 45+. Because in soccer the clock never stops, stoppage time builds up as a result of injuries on the field or other incidents that currently halt play such as a squirrel running onto the field. Now stoppage time is typically only a few minutes but it is not at all insignificant. Many games including this year's Women's World Cup which saw Abby Wambach of the USA score in the 90+ minute of last year's Men's World Cup which saw Landon Donovan also of the USA do almost the exact same thing, are decided by stoppage time.

So I doubt squirrels really understand stoppage time because a lot of not avid soccer viewers don't get it either, but one thing is certain. After the 45 minutes of the first half were up, stoppage time was added in the form of a few minutes to compensate for the time lost because of the squirrel on the field.

Earthquakes, Hurricanes and Evacuations, oh my!

Hello Blogisphere!

First off, I wanted to start this post by apologizing for not posting in about a week. I was on vacation and stayed in a hotel where there was shockingly no wifi. Because of that, I was unable to post and also unable and unfortunately so because a lot of crazy things happened in the world of sports and the world in general.

First an earthquake and now a hurricane. Now normally I wouldn't mind a little natural disaster except in this case it led to the postponement of many Phillies games. It is the stretch run of the season and now the Phils will have to play at least three double headers in the month of September. It might even be more depending on Hurricane Irene's wrath and the damage it may or may not do to Citizen's Bank Park.

But natural disasters are nothing new and the sports world is certainly accustomed to them. Baseball games have been cancelled because of rain and football games cancelled because of excessive weather. Even hockey and basketball games have been moved because of blizzard weather when getting people to and from the games becomes dangerous

One prominent example I can remember is the 2008 World Series. Bud Selig and Major League Baseball did everything they could to play game 5 in Philadelphia. It became obvious however that Mother Nature was not on the same side as the MLB. As the field became soaked there were slips and falls in the outfield and the dirt path between the bases turned into mud and became a hazard when it came to running the bases. A game that probably shouldn't even have been started in the first place, ended up being delayed by rain and became the first ever world series game to suffer such a delay. Of course there was controversy surrounding the delay. I personally believe if the game had been played in full the next day when conditions were better, that Cole Hamels would have gotten the win and been 5-0 in the postseason, making him the only such pitcher ever to go 5-0 in the postseason but that is neither here nor there. MLB made a mistake by playing the game but they were smart to delay it because it was unsafe for the players to play in those conditions.

Postponements and delays are meant for the safety of not only the players but us fans too. Even though in most cases fans, myself included, are not happy to see the games we are waiting to see cancelled, it really is for the best.

So with Hurricane Irene preparing to hit the PA/NJ area but early tomorrow morning, I leave you with this. Stay safe, be prepared and be patient because those games we missed will be played and look at this way, now we'll get three days of two Phillies games. Life and September will certainly be good.

Don't Panic Just Yet! Eagles Recap

Well Phans, it was a tough night for us last night. Luckily even Mother Nature couldn't stop the Phils from downing the Dbacks, so at least something went right last night.

The Eagles game however, well it didn't go as planned to say the least. After last week's win and great defensive effort and wonderful series by Vick, I felt confident that we would pull out a W in Pittsburgh.

My confidence dipped however almost as soon as the game started. I watched the Steelers march down the field almost with ease as my windows were pelted with bead sized hail. I thought the weather was bad but the Eagles defense was worse. Within the first two Steelers possessions, both resulting in touchdowns, I saw blown coverage from the secondary, missed tackles and a defensive line that seemed unable to stop the run.

It absolutely shocked me to think that the defense that looked so good last week with picks, stops and everything couldn't even manage to run simple routes without losing their men and leaving the Steelers open to reach the endzone not once, not twice, but three times before the first half ended.

It wasn't just the defense though that played poorly, the offense did too. Vick went 5-12 for 47 yards but the glaring stat was that he only threw two more complete passes to his own team then he did to the Steelers defense. While arguably his number one receiver, Desean Jackson, caught 0 passes from Vick last night, Troy Palamalu did manage to grab one of Vick's three picks.

Now I know, I know it is "just preseason" but I don't think it is weird to somewhat worry about the Birds performance last night. I've heard so many reasons not to worry such as the players are still getting used to each other, they are still adapting the new coaches and schemes and of course it is still early and it is only preseason, but despite all this there are still obvious holes that cannot be overlooked.

So what did I learn from last night's game?
1. Eagles need to find someone who can stop the run.
2. Casey Matthews is a nice rookie, but certainly not his brother, at least not at this point in his career.
3. The Eagles will sorely miss MLB Stewart Bradley this season if they cannot find an adequate replacement.
4. Mike Kafta is a solid player who would make a good number two on most teams.

Finally, I also learned that the Eagles aren't exactly a dream team, not yet. But I do think last night's lost is the first step in getting this team to the playoffs. The so called "dream team" needed to be taken down a notch and be taught they aren't invincible. Last night was just that. It showed the players and us fans that more then just acquiring top notch free agents is what is needed to win a Superbowl. I'm sure the Eagles have the grit and determination and they certainly have the drive to win a Superbowl. They just need to put all of the pieces together and I think by the start of the regular season the needed meshing will have taken place and this team will be a force to be reckoned with.

So in typical football fashion I'm going to establish an Eagles Panic Meter with one being least amount of panic and 10 being most. After this week's loss I'll simply say two, just because it is preseason but at the same time 5 total turnovers may be some cause for concern.

Expecting perfection isn't always easy

I've heard it said that every dog has its day. Never knew exactly what this meant but the best I can chalk it up to is that sometimes even the underdog wins because it has to get its day too. I guess this is kind of like any given Sunday in football. At any time, any team can win and any team can lose. This is what happened to the Phillies and Roy Halladay last night.

Now I'm not saying the Diamondbacks are an underdog, they lead the NL West after all, but what I am saying is that any team going against the Phillies aren't going to be favored. The Phillies have the best record in baseball and three of baseball's best pitchers. Of course they are going to be expected to win every game, at the very least all of Doc's starts.

But newsflash! The Phillies aren't perfect and neither is Doc. I know I know, he was in fact perfect during that one game against the Marlins next year but that is the exception not the norm.

In a way Doc's perfect game is now a problem for us Phillies Phans. Sure it was and is a wonderful accomplishment for him and the team for being a part of it, but as Phans we see him as untouchable and assume he should be perfect all the time. We watch his starts and sigh when he gives up a hit. We cringe when he walks a batter or puts runners on. We turn away when he gives up just one run in eight innings pitched. We look at his 15-5 record and wish and believe it should be 20-0.

When it comes to Doc we can't win. He'll pitch a nine inning shutout and we wonder why he gave up more than 3 hits. He pitches an eight inning game, only gives up two runs, gets the loss and we chalk it up to a bad day. The truth is eight innings of two run ball is a pretty darn good start for any pitcher. We expect perfection and when he isn't perfect we don't look at the start for what it is, we question if he is still the Doc we remember.

Last night was no different. Sure Doc gave up three runs and ended up losing the game but going nine innings and only giving up three runs, well I'd take that from any pitcher any day. The problem is when Doc pitches like that we expect more because we can't get that image of him pitching the Marlins 27 up, 27 down out of our heads.

The sooner we learn to forget the perfect game, the sooner we will be able to watch Doc's starts and to marvel at his pitching even when he isn't perfect.

There are 162 games in a season and the Phils aren't going to win them all, it wouldn't be baseball if that happened. A team's ability isn't determined by the amount of wins, it is by the ability to bounce back from tough losses like last night; losses that we make even tougher because of our expectations.

Before 2008, we could watch the Phils without high expectations and although the teams weren't as good, we definitely had less heart palpitations after losses. Its time to get back to watching the Phils like this and without expectations because that is the best way to enjoy Phils baseball.

So every dog has its day and yesterday the Diamondbacks had theirs. But in baseball there is always another game, another chance. Tonight its time for the Phils to have theirs!

By the Phans, For the Phans

Hey everybody! Hope this Wednesday is finding you well.

First off, I want to say welcome and thank you to whoever may have stumbled upon this blog and chosen to read it.

I'll make this short and sweet.

A Phan's Perspective is a blog that takes a look at all things Philly sports. From the Eagles to the Wings, from the Soul to the Phillies, this blog gives the Phans an in depth look at the players, coaches and all else Philly sports with an occasional splash of what is going on in the world sports of tennis, soccer, golf and the olympic sports including volleyball, swimming and snowboarding.

Although I'm from Philly and bleed Philly I love all sports and hope to cover as best as I can all things sports and all things Philly.

So again, welcome! I hope you enjoy your reading and that my posts do justice to the great sports city and great sports tradition that is Philadelphia!