http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann RSS Feed for Rich Hofmann en-us Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:44:49 GMT http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091119_Rich_Hofmann__Eagles_QB_McNabb_calls_for_must_vs__Bears.html DONOVAN McNabb played the "must-win" card yesterday. Fascinating, that is. He talks a lot these days about how young this Eagles team is, about how veteran leadership is lacking, and now a quarterback whose tendency is to say nothing (in as many words as possible) has chosen this moment to draw a bright line in the shifting sands. To repeat, fascinating. http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091118_Rich_Hofmann__Eagles_can_t_afford_to_fall_short_against_Bears.html SUNDAY NIGHT, Soldier Field, Chicago. Also known as the scene of the crime. Late last September, this is http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091116_Rich_Hofmann__As_usual__red-zone_woes_costly_for_Eagles.html SAN DIEGO - It has played on a seemingly endless loop for years now, the same song. The Eagles get down near the goal line and they cannot cash. They lack physicality and cannot get a yard on the ground when they need it. They lack the big outside target and cannot convince the quarterback that anybody else can make an athletic play in a tight spot. Over and over it plays then, slowly, mournfully, forever: the red-zone blues. http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091113_Rich_Hofmann__Eagles_offense__The_half_and_the_half-not.html THE NUMBERS HAVE tumbled, like water over the rocks. Not much more than a year ago, it was possible to write a column about how the notion that Donovan McNabb and the Eagles couldn't win a close game at the end was really an unfair rap. (I know, because I wrote just such a column after the Eagles lost that shootout last year in Dallas.) Now, though, it is entirely fair. http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091109_Rich_Hofmann__Will_the_real_Eagles_please_stand_up_.html Al we wanted was some clarity. In the middle of the NFL season, has that really become too much to ask? http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091106_Rich_Hofmann__Phillies_should_start_building_for_next_year__starting_with_acquiring_Halladay.html AFTER THE STING wears off and everybody gets a couple of nights' sleep, the quiet pride in the accomplishment of making it to a second consecutive World Series will envelop Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., and all of them. They should be given so http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091105_Rich_Hofmann__Manuel_s_teams_never_lack_heart.html NEW YORK - You never get used to the suddenness of the ending. For the Phillies, it really does seem as if this has gone on for 18 months. The 2008 and 2009 seasons have always seemed joined somehow, inseparable, unforgettable. And then the Yankees flooded out of their dugout and it was over. http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091104_Rich_Hofmann__Poor_pitchers__Looks_like_a_batty_finish_to_World_Series.html NEW YORK - At times like these, great and historic and pivotal times for the Philadelphia National League Baseball Club, it is always wise to try to remember the acronym WWWS: What Would Whitey Say? http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091103_Rich_Hofmann__Rest_is_history_for_pitching_strategy.html SOMETIMES YOU get the 3 days' rest and sometimes the 3 days' rest gets you, or something like that. This World Series has come down to two managers, Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel, two men and two fundamental decisions they have made about how to use their pitching staffs. The contrast is rarely this stark and now there is no turning back. http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/rich_hofmann/20091102_Rich_Hofmann__The_moment_we_all_feared__Lidge_implosion.html FIVE APPEARANCES. Four innings pitched. One hit. No runs. That had been the postseason enjoyed by Brad Lidge before last night.