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Philly teams know how to throw good money after bad

With $121.3 million going up in smoke, the Flyers, Sixers, Phillies and Eagles have turned wasting money into an art form.

It's as if Philadelphia upset some karmic balance and stuck itself in sports purgatory. And the teams keep paying. (AP photos)
It's as if Philadelphia upset some karmic balance and stuck itself in sports purgatory. And the teams keep paying. (AP photos)Read more

IT'S AS IF Philadelphia upset some karmic balance and stuck itself in sports purgatory.

And the teams keep paying, and paying, and paying.

With the news that the Flyers will buy out the contract of alleged franchise goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, another redwood fell.

The Flyers will eat $23 million to kiss Bryz goodbye after two unremarkable seasons marred by his alternate sulking and spewing. This, on top of the $3.3 million they paid fading scoring threat Danny Briere to leave last week.

Last summer, the Sixers spent $16.1 million to erase Elton Brand from their payroll and salary cap. They added Andrew Bynum, who, like Brand, landed as damaged goods; but who, unlike Brand, showed no heart and never played a minute. It cost the Sixers $16.9 million to help him heal his knees.

That is a total of $59.3 million committed by two teams for nothing in return. All of these were the results of gambles gone bad.

Would Bynum be willing, or able, to play on chronically bad knees? No.

Would Bryzgalov live up to the billing of elite goaltender in a major market after thriving in anonymity in Phoenix? No.

Would Briere be worth the cap commitment of $6.5 million at age 35? Considering the new collective bargaining agreement, and considering Briere's production the past two seasons, well, no.

Would the cap space gained by jettisoning Brand be used wisely? Not really.

Theirs is the only money that has been totally wasted.

Phillies signed setup man Mike Adams after Adams underwent surgery to remove a rib to relieve a nerve issue. Adams has been hurt all this season, too, and now might have surgery to repair his shoulder. Adams will earn $5 million this season - $5 million wasted, considering his 1-4 record, his 3.96 earned run average and his medical condition.

The price tag just rose to $64.3 million. If Adams is not effective next season, when Adams is owed $7 million, the cost will be $71.3 million.

When the Phillies signed Chase Utley to a 7-year, $85 million deal in January 2007, it seemed a value-laden deal for three seasons. It cost the Phils only about $25 million for the best-hitting second baseman in the National League.

It is costing them more than $60 million over the past four seasons, including this one, to watch Utley erode before their eyes - an erosion that, given Utley's style of play, was not unforeseeable. Now, Utley has contributed, but for no more than half of his paychecks' worth. Call him a $30 million loss.

So, we're up to $101.3 million in lost money . . . and we're just getting to Ryan Howard, who, at 30, signed a 5-year, $125 million extension in 2010.

Foot, ankle, Achilles' tendon and knee problems have cost Howard power and playing time this season and last, during which he will make $40 million. Worth it? Not close; but his very presence makes him valuable. Make it a $10 million loss . . . so far.

So, $111.3 million gone.

On to the Eagles, whose blockbuster summer of 2011 created a perpetual tongue twister of a punch line:

Nnamdi Asomugha.

It cost the Eagles $25 million in guaranteed money over the past two seasons to discover that Asomugha could not effectively play in a zone defense, including the $4 million portion guaranteed for this season. Again, Asomugha did show up, and occasionally showed flashes of talent that convinced the Birds to hire him in the first place.

But $25 million worth? Hardly. At least $10 million was wasted.

So, a total of $121.3 million, gone.

Utley is a free agent after this season, but the Phils have Howard around their necks for at least $85 million through 2017, and, as mentioned, Adams for $7 million next season.

There are other arguable mistakes: the Sixers' free-agent moves last summer; the trades of Flyers stars Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in deference to Chris Pronger and Claude Giroux; the Eagles' extension of Michael Vick; the Phillies' acquisition of the limited Youngs, Michael and Delmon.

Those are, by comparison, minor miscues or bad luck or whatever you will (yes, including Vick).

The others: franchise-altering decisions that alter the future of the organization (yes, including Adams, considering the amount spent and the commitment relative to the position).

All decisions made in less than a decade, all with devastating impact in the past 2 years.

As if there were a curse.

On Twitter: @inkstainedretch

Blog: ph.ly/DNL