I'm just saying....

I'm Just Saying......

A weekly collection of random thoughts and observations for you to consider.

• I'm still confused by the NFL's decisions on fines as they seem a bit incongruous, but we are starting to piece together the price list of various transgressions.

Doing the Captain Jack pose after a TD....$10,000
Throwing on a sombrero after a TD...$30,000
Shoving a guy at the end of the half...$50,000
301 pound lineman piling on and breaking a QB's ribs.....priceless (or $0)

• As well as Ruben Amaro has done in his first year as GM of the Phillies, I can't help but fixate on the notion that trading Cliff Lee is a tremendous faux pas. He could have achieved the required expense control by trading Joe Blanton for one high level prospect, continued to work at signing Lee with a home town discount and gotten two high draft picks if he walked. That approach would have the Phillies positioned as clear World Champs favorites for 2010 and provided for the future.
• Furthermore, it is hard to believe that the three underwhelming prospects the Phillies received in exchange for Lee is the best they could have gotten for the Cy Young pitcher who wowed the baseball world with his mastery just weeks earlier.
• First Tar Heels Coach Roy Williams admonishes fans for not coming to see his team, then he has an opposing team fan ejected during a game for saying "Don't miss" to one of his players. I wonder if King Roy also has the authority to re-allocate repaid TARP funds?
• Apparently Andy Reid doesn't watch the Sunday Football Night in America Game of the Week or didn't hear the fallout regarding Bill Belichick's famous decision to go for it on 4th and short on his own 29. Reid elected to replicate that decision, turned the ball over on downs, but dodged a bullet when the Niners fumbled the ball back. All's well that ends well, but that decision falls into the same category as a game opening onside kick- "Things Not to Do."
• Based on recent reports, Brett Favre seems to have more authority than his coach, but it is strange that Brad Childress would even be thinking about pulling his QB in a 7-6 game with playoff implications. Simply, there must be more to the story than a couple changed audibles and a few sacks.
• Although fans still long for the first Lombardi Trophy, Jeffrey Lurie has done a remarkable job transforming the Eagles franchise into perennial winners, which all started with mapping out an organizational philosophy. But, sometimes it is wise to slightly veer off that course as is the case with Sheldon Brown. It would be a "win, win" to creatively renegotiate the substantially below market contract of a very good, highly dependable, "leader-by-example" player. It would keep him in the fold and send a great message to players that there are rare exceptions for loyal soldiers who out play their contract.
• Speaking of loyal soldiers, this is the week that Eagles fans have had circled on their calendar since the off season. Brian Dawkins comes into town with the Denver Broncos, which will be bittersweet for so many in the Linc that day, including Dawkins. It will be fun to see him, but I can't help but to think if he were still in midnight green, there would be a great deal more confidence about the Eagles chances to win it all.
• The Sixers would seem to have a lot better talent than 7-20.
• I love the Braves trade of Javier Vazquez to the Yankees for Melky Cabrero, at least for the regular season. This would seem to weaken the Braves and help the Phillies quest to repeat as NL East Champs, but of course, it appears to strengthen the current favorites to win it all in 2010. The Yankees will simply throw some money to pick up a new center fielder as good as Cabrero.
• What was John Fox thinking on Sunday night when he elected to throw a "Hail Mary" instead of kicking a 52 yard field goal at the end of the first half? Kicker John Kasay had just easily cleared the bar with a 47-yarder that was nullified by a penalty.
• And, speaking of field goal decisions, what was Jim Zorn thinking last night when he elected to try a ridiculous "not so trick" play at the end of the half rather than kick a mid-range field goal?
• Since we are talking about the Redskins, was last night's sorry effort against the Giants the players way of saying to brand new GM Bruce Allen "Get Me Outta Here!"
• Happy Holidays!