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