ESPN search engine optimized headlines for June

-- LeBron James' next stop: The Yankees?
-- Tim Tebow on the U.S. soccer team
-- Carmelo Anthony: 'I want to be the Brett Favre of New York'
-- Would two LeBrons beat Michael Jordan ... and LeBron?
-- Steven A. Smith breaks down latest NBA analysis by Steven A. Smith
-- NFL NFL NFL NFL

There's always a chance (except in the NBA)

Different franchises to win a championship, by sport:

NFL
Last 10 years: 8
Last 20 years: 13
Last 30 years: 15

MLB
Last 10 years: 6
Last 20 years: 9
Last 30 years: 17

NHL
Last 10 years: 7
Last 20 years: 11
Last 30 years: 15

NBA
Last 10 years: 5
Last 20 years: 8
Last 30 years: 8

So, in the last three decades, roughly half of the franchises in baseball, football and hockey have won a championship. Only a quarter of the franchises in basketball have.

But next year is a new season! Anyone has a chance to win it all (provided you’re in Miami, LA or Texas).

Silver lining

NL All-Star voting as of 6/9:

It's a terrible baseball season, but at least one thing is right in the world. 

Spinning the Phillies record positive

Entering Tuesday's game, from the "hope springs eternal" files:

Phils record vs NL only: 23-23
Phils record on the road: 12-12
Phils record in games south of Philly: 11-11
Phils record in extra innings: 4-4
Phils record in 1-run games: 11-10

Phils record in day games: 10-8

Phils record on the weekend: 11-7

If you just look at those numbers, the team doesn't look so bad. 

Fixing Natitude

The Washington Nationals dropped below .500 again this week, so I thought I'd help their promotions department by updating their print ads:

 

    

Alternatives to the current NBA draft

-- Three-on-three tournament for the lottery teams, in lieu of the NBA playoffs. Winner gets the top pick. That'll keep teams from tanking.

-- Team CEO battle royale. Last one out of the ring gets the prize.

-- Announce that Cleveland gets the #1 pick, no matter what. After all, they've gotten it three times in the last four years and another one in 2003.

-- Just, you know, give the worst teams the top pick, like everybody else.

Evaluating the Eagles 2014 draft, anagrams-style

Round 1: OLB Marcus Smith
Top anagram: I am sloth crumbs
Verdict: Questionable 

Round 2: WR Jordan Matthews
Top anagram: Drawn smart, jet how!
Verdict: Promising

Round 3: Wideout Josh Huff
Top anagram: I just fed woof, huh?
Verdict: Troubling

Round 4: CB Jaylen Watkins
Top anagram: Twinkly cab jeans
Verdict: Disturbing

Round 5a: DE Taylor Hart
Top anagram: A ratty holder
Verdict: Terrible

Round 5b: S Ed Reynolds
Top anagram: Sleds nerd, yo
Verdict: Weird

Round 7: DT Beau Allen
Top anagram: A belled tuna
Verdict: Adorable

The only sensible Eagles draft pick

With the NFL draft set to kick off Thursday, most of the so-called experts have Chip Kelly's Eagles taking a wideout or a defensive back in the first round. That would be a waste.

Sure, with the departure of DeSean Jackson, they need speed and size on offense. But a one-dimensional wide receiver or cornerback only helps half of the time. What would spur the team would be a perfect blend of both, a two-way player who can both score points and supply a stifling defense.

The right choice with the 22nd pick is to take Michael Carter-Williams.

Pros:
-- Led the NBA in points, rebounds and assists among rookies
-- At 6-6, provides a tall end zone target
-- Already familiar with Philadelphia
-- A natural "point guard" on the field
-- Not discouraged by losing or adversity
-- Will be available in the late first round

Cons:
-- Doesn't play football (Kelly's offense can fix that)
-- At 185, he'll need to put on some weight
-- As a non QB or kicker, likely can't wear #1
-- Did have recent shoulder surgery
-- Has prior commitments during some late fall weeks

Forget the scouting reports -- he's clearly the right fit for the birds. If they decide to take another route, there's still a chance he'll be available in round two, but I wouldn't let him slip below that.

Flyers in game 7s

Year	Opponent	Round	Home?	Result
2011	Buffalo	first	home	win
2010	Bruins	second	away	win
2008	Capitals	first	away	win
2004	Lightning	third	away	loss
2003	Leafs	first	home	win
2000	Devils	third	home	loss
1989	Penguins	second	away	win
1988	Capitals	first	away	loss
1987	Islanders	second	home	win
1987	Oilers	finals	away	loss
1981	Flames	second	home	loss
1976	Leafs	first	home	win
1975	Islanders	second	home	win
1974	Rangers	second	home	win
1968	Blues	first	home	loss

Overall record: 9-6

Away record: 3-2

Round 1 record: 4-2

Vs. NY record: 3-0

With Claude Giroux record: 3-0

Better NFL PR than NFL's PR shop

A mid-April NFL quiz for you: Identify which sentences below came from a serious news story by ESPN on the NFL's upcoming schedule release, and which came from a press release promoting the league from NFL headquarters:

"Annually, the release of the NFL schedule has become almost like a national holiday."
-- Answer

"Throughout the (schedule release) show, fans can interact with the analysts and voice their opinions on the 2014 NFL schedule by posing questions via Twitter and Facebook."
-- Answer

"Starting Wednesday, teams can start printing out schedules and fans can start making their plans for the 2014 season."
-- Answer

"A three-hour special hosted by Rich Eisen and featuring analysts Steve Mariucci, Warren Sapp, and Mike Silver breaks down the entire 2014 regular season schedule, division by division, analyzing the top matchups and primetime games"
-- Answer

"Within the next year, NFL owners are expected to vote on the addition of one more playoff team per conference, allowing each conference to have seven playoff teams."
-- Answer

"Finally! NFL will release 2014 schedule on Wednesday night"
-- Answer

OK, that last one was a trick. I guess ESPN isn't the only news org totally in the bag for the league.

Tax day for Philly players

Here's a look at all of Philadelphia's current athletic millionaires -- 65 baseball, football, basketball and hockey players currently make more than $1 million. Combined, they'll collect more than $341 million this year.

That means that through the Philadelphia wage tax -- which sits at just under 3.5% for non-residents -- this group will bring in almost $12 million in tax revenue for the city. Which means Philly will have enough money to hire LeSean McCoy ($9.7 million salary) and Michael Carter-Williams ($2.2 million salary) to pick up trash around City Hall, if they want.

Other interesting observations:

-- The top seven highest paid Philly athletes are all Phillies.
-- Kyle Kendrick gets paid twice what Claude Giroux does.
-- Only one current Sixer and one current Flyer crack the top 20.
-- Jonathan Papelbon stinks.

Phillies home openers, by the numbers

All stats before today's opening day loss.

** W/L in home openers in the last 30 years: 10-20

** Longest home opener winning streak: 2 games (once)

** Longest home opener losing streak: 4 games (twice)

** 10+ runs scored on home opener: 1
** 10+ runs allowed on home opener : 5

** Average home opener margin of defeat: 4.0 runs
** Average home opener margin of victory: 2.8 runs

** Home opener losses that lead to losing seasons: 11
** Home opener losses that lead to winning seasons: 9

** Home opener wins that lead to losing seasons: 6
** Home opener wins that lead to winning seasons: 4

** Home opener losses that lead to World Series appearances: 3
** Home opener wins that lead to World Series appearances: 0

So, ignoring everything but that last stat, be excited that the Phils got killed today. 

Meet the new Phillies

There are a handful of new faces on the Phils this year, so what better way is there to meet them than through anagrams?

Third baseman Cody Asche
-- Hired batsman, cash decoy

Catcher Wil Nieves
-- Relieve, can switch

Relief Pitcher Mario Hollands
-- Harpoon arm, chilliest fielder

Starter AJ Burnett
-- Better stat jar run

Pitcher Jeff Manship
-- no anagram needed

Just a friendly reminder

The Sixers were pretty bad even before the long losing streak. 

Field of 64, Philly style

It's that time of year again. Lots of ups and downs in the last year, and plenty of madness. But who had the best performance in Philly sports?

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Filling an Eagles void

Eagles starters at free safety, 2009-present

-- 2014 (projected): Malcolm Jenkins
-- 2013: Patrick Chung
-- 2013: Earl Wolff
-- 2012: Kurt Coleman
-- 2012: Colt Anderson
-- 2011: Nate Allen
-- 2011: Jaiquawn Jarrett
-- 2010: Nate Allen
-- 2009: Victor Harris
-- 2009: Sean Jones

Eagles starters at free safety, 2001-2008

-- 2008: Brian Dawkins
-- 2007: Brian Dawkins
-- 2007: Quintin Mikell
-- 2006: Brian Dawkins
-- 2005: Brian Dawkins
-- 2004: Brian Dawkins
-- 2003: Brian Dawkins
-- 2003: Clinton Hart
-- 2002: Brian Dawkins

-- 2001: Brian Dawkins

Welcome aboard, Jenkins. You don't have to replace a legend, but try not to be as easily replaceable as the other guys who tried. 

Longest losing streaks in Philly

An updated look at some of the worst stretches of Philadelphia sports:

** 1936-37 Eagles -- 11 consecutive losses
** 1999 Flyers -- 12 consecutive games without a win
** 2014 Sixers -- 15 consecutive losses (active)
** 1920 Athletics -- 18 consecutive losses

** 1971-72 Sixers -- 19 consecutive losses

** 1916 Athletics -- 20 consecutive losses
** 1943 Athletics -- 20 consecutive losses
** 1973 Sixers -- 20 consecutive losses
** 1890 Athletics -- 22 consecutive losses
** 1961 Phillies -- 23 consecutive losses

Bottom line -- the Sixers' current streak is nothing to worry about until they hit 20. Then it's historic.

Best deals for the rest of the Sixers season

The 76ers have lost 11 games in a row, sit 27 games below .500 and just traded away two starters for nothing. So, good seats are still available!

-- Orlando at Philadelphia, 2/26
** Second deck, center: $12.80 for a pair of tickets

-- Utah at Philadelphia, 3/8
** Three rows behind the basket: $59.20 for a ticket

-- Detroit at Philadelphia, 3/29
** Floor level, row 26: $43.60 for a pair of tickets

-- Charlotte at Philadelphia, 4/2
** Second deck, center: $120.40 for 14 tickets

Most painful Olympic results

Because all hundredths of a second are not measured equally...

Gold medal results

Men's 1500M skating, Koen Verweij places 2nd by 0.003 seconds
-- 105.009 seconds total time, 1/35,003th of the race

Men's 500M skating, Jan Smeekens places 2nd by 0.01 seconds
-- 69.32 seconds total time, 1/6,932th of the race

Women's 4x5KM cross country, Finland places 2nd by 0.5 seconds
-- 3183 seconds total time, 1/6,366th of the race

Women's Giant Slalom, Anna Fenninger places 2nd by 0.07 seconds
-- 156.94 seconds, 1/2,242nd of the race

Men's downhill, Christof Innerhofer places 2nd by 0.06 seconds
-- 126.29 seconds total time, 1/2,104th of the race

** The men's 15K mass start biathlon ended in a photo finish for gold. Although not an official time, Martin Fourcade appeared to finish 0.001 seconds behind the gold medal winner. The race took 2549.1 seconds, which would make his margin of defeat about 1/2,549,100th of the race.

No-medal results

Men's 2x15KM skiathalon, Russia places 4th by 0.1 seconds
-- 4096.9 seconds total time, 1/40,969th of the race

Two-Man bobsled, Russia places 4th by 0.03 seconds
-- 226.3 seconds total time, 1/7,543rd of the race

Women's skeleton, Katie Uhlaender places 4th by 0.04 seconds
-- 234.34 seconds total time, 1/5,589th of the race

Men's alpine skiing, Otmar Striedinger places 4th by 0.02 seconds
-- 78.69 seconds total time, 1/3,935th of the race

Men's 10KM biathlon, Anton Shipulin places 4th by 0.7 seconds
-- 1479.9 seconds total time, 1/2,114th of the race

Best names from the 2014 Olympics

Names that are too fun to say
-- Yumie Funayama (Japan, women's curling)
-- Byambadorji Bold (Mongolia, men's cross country)
-- Jenni Asserholt (Sweden, women's hockey)

Names that sound like they must mean something else

-- Havard Bokko (Norway, men's speed skating)
-- Karoly Gombos (Hungary, men's biathlon)
-- Anna Haag (Sweden, women's cross country)

Names that were changed just for the Olympics
-- Arielle Gold (USA, women's snowboard)
-- Gracie Gold (USA, women's figure skating)
-- Taylor Gold (USA, men's snowboard)

Names that sound like celebration cheers
-- Grete Gaim (Estonia, women's biathlon)

-- Beat Hefti (Switzerland, men's bobsled)

-- Tim Hug (Switzerland, men's nordic combined)

Names that should be even longer
-- Ida Ingemarsdotter (Sweden, women's cross country)
-- Thomas Hundertpfund (Austria, men's hockey)
-- Gerhard Unterluggauer (Austria, men's hockey)