Phillies take next step
While Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook were marching the Eagles down the field on their first possession, shortly before a DeSean Jackson punt return for a touchdown, Jimmy Rollins belted a leadoff home run.
While Washington chewed up most of the second quarter and part of the third, after the Eagles had decided to stop rushing the ball despite finding early success on the ground, Pat Burrell drilled a three-run homer to left. Jayson Werth followed with a home run, and Burrell later added a solo shot.
And as the Eagles completed one of their most pathetic, disgusting losses of the past two years, the Phillies celebrated on the mound at Miller Park and popped champagne corks in the clubhouse.
Phils starter Joe Blanton, who delivered one of the best performances of his career, earned his stripes to become a true Phillie (you know, like a “true Yankee”) which — believe it or not — actually means something these days.
Maybe it was good that TBS and Major League Baseball dumped all over Philadelphia fans by scheduling the Phillies’ game opposite the Eagles when there was absolutely no reason to do so. What better excuse to flip off the rotten Birds than to watch the Phillies clinch their first appearance in the NLCS in 15 years?
Still, it’s typical of Philadelphia sports: All joy must be tempered by nausea.
You know what? For this week, forget the Eagles. We’ll vent today, but let’s not allow Andy Reid’s lack of passion (“Hrumph, hrumph … It’s my responsibility. We’ll get it fixed.”) and failure to correct the mistakes he’s been making for 10 years to sully the Phillies’ accomplishment. Let’s not allow Donovan McNabb’s symbiotic lack of passion and failure to correct the mistakes he’s been making for 10 years to dull the shine on this Ferrari that is the 2008 Phillies. Let”s not allow the Eagles’ frustrating stubbornness to drag down the optimism the Phillies are creating.
Not just happy to be here: You kind of figured they wouldn’t sweep the Brewers. Milwaukee has too much heart. But you figured Sunday would be the Phillies’ day. Yet, as exciting as it is to get this far, to be able to play for the National League pennant with a trip to the World Series on the line, you get the feeling this team is quietly focused on the ultimate prize. There’s a maturity about this team, a hard-knocks quality, a bit of a jagged edge that comes from weathering disappointment and controversy. You’ve got to feel good about the Phillies’ chances against the Dodgers.
Quotable: “Thank God the Phillies won. It’s the only thing that will keep a number of Philadelphians from suicide today. It sucked from the beginning to the end.” —Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, on the Eagles” loss to the Redskins.
“Hopefully we’re going to turn this town more red than it is green.” —Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels
