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This is an entry by guest blogger Allen Schatz. Allen may be familiar to some of you as "raschatz" on twitter and Facebook. Allen is a fiction writer and is currently shopping a murder mystery set on a baseball canvas. Those in the business may wish to click here , to find out more about Allen's work. Much has been said and written about how the Phillies have turned a corner in recent years, how they finally seem to "get it." I was reminded of that after another day of Eagles football came and went with a hauntingly familiar result. The Birds have taken over as Philadelphia's -- hell, maybe ALL of professional sport's -- Groundhog Day Team. You know, they do the same thing over and over and expect something different to result. Phil Sheridan of the Philly Inquirer hit on it in his assessment of their latest loss... "The veteran head coach has to take some of the heat for the way some very good drives fizzled..." "The Eagles' inabilit...

Jimmy Kimmel Live took an anti-Yankee look at the World Series Champions parade, last week. Here is that footage.

Remember when Phillies phans would have been fully satisfied with a run like this? Remember how the Phillies franchise used to be...with no post season appearances for periods that seemed like lifetimes? Remember that 14 year playoff drought? In 2007, Phillies phaithful were just happy to get into October and, "So what?", when they got swept by the Rockies. That state of mind doesn't exist any longer. After a 2008 run where the Phillies just couldn't be stopped, once they got hot in September, and the team brought home a World Championship, no Philadelphia baseball lover is pleased with anything short of being number 1! But, coming in second isn't that bad. The Phillies were runners up to a cheating performance enhancing drug user (Alex Rodriguez), that other performance enhancing drug user (Andy Pettitte), that "legend" who was shown on camera this postseason making sure the umpire wasn't looking when he wanted to add spit to the baseball he was ab...

The World Series is almost here. Check out this Phillies montage I created. As if you weren't jazzed up enough already, here's something else to get you feelin' it and ready to play ball! ----------------------------- Follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE !

It's a quote to go down in Phillies history. Spoken to his team mates, with the utmost confidence, by one of the biggest offensive threats in the league. Spat with the swagger of twenty rappers. Stated like he knew exactly what would happen. Delivered like a true World Champion. Ryan Howard has been using a song called "Forever" by hip hop sensation Drake as his walk up music since the home stand that began on September 28th. The snippet of the song that plays begins with Drake's first words of the opening verse of the track... "Last name Ever, first name Greatest." Could be true...for Howard, not for Drake. Drake is brand new to hip hop...a rookie. Howard, however, is experienced...an all star, a league most valuable player and is already widely considered the best first baseman in Phillies team history and he could go down as one of the best offensive players the game has ever seen by the time he is done playing. On Monday night, Howard's attitude in ...

Well, the Phillies beat them in the World Series. They fired back in the off-season by signing our free agent left fielder Pat Burrell. Pat has not performed well offensively for Tampa, due to an injury. Next step for the Rays to get back at the champs?...Act on a rarely used clause, in an agreement between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball, that allows a Major League club to prohibit promotions by a minor league team within 60 miles of their home. Friday's bobble head give away by Phillies single A affiliate in Clearwater, FL was slated to be the third in a series of figures from the World Championship lineup of the 2008 Phillies. The Rays have nixed tonight's Burrell bobble, as well as any future World Champs bobble figure promotions. PhuturePhillies.com has the full low down. The Clearwater Threshers are forced to apologize to their fans. Some Tampa paper has an article about it and apparently the Rays employ someone named Rick Vaughn . Rest easy, Phils pha...

Our Phillies begin a west coast trip tonight, when they visit San Diego. The Padres are so excited that the World Champs are coming to town that they've been seen hugging, leaping on, grabbing and grinding each other. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Dear Cardinals fan, When a homerun ball is hit in your direction, do not close your eyes and raise both hands far above your head, leaving your face/chest/neck/head defenseless. Jayson Werth long balls to the cranium are probably not very comfortable. Next time, let the guy in the pajama pants behind you take a crack at it. He may not know how to dress well, but he keeps his eyes open in the face of killer shots from World Champion outfielders. Love, PhoulBallz.com PS- Stay hot.

We all saw (and heard) the receptions that Pat Burrell and Adam Eaton got the other day at the Phillies' World Championship ring ceremony. Pat Burrell received the biggest reception of the day. It really had me wondering what exactly it is about Pat that phans love so much. His offensive statistics rank high on Phillies all-time leader boards, but Pat was never an all star and never won any individual recognition, as a Phillie. He was a sometimes-steady hitter, who learned to take more walks over his years, and had slumps as regularly as the weird guy in the cubicle next to me has belching fits and outbursts toward his computer ("Come awwwn! I hate you!"). Patrick the Batrick's performances against division rivals were not very outstanding, despite the misconception that he always killed the Metropolitans (.255 avg vs. Nationals, .249 avg. vs. Braves, .246 avg. vs. Mets, .243 avg. vs. Marlins). Perhaps the affinity for Burrell can be attributed to the fact that he was...

Okay, it's a slow April like usual. The Phillies have lost their first two games. I am confident most of you are aware that our Phillies have overcome slow starts the past two seasons. However, if there are still some phans who can't lean on those serious rebounds, I've got just one phrase for you..."It's Ring Day!" As in the Phillies won the World Series 5 months ago, and the players receive their individual recognition today, so relax. You are still allowed to enjoy that World Series victory. If rings aren't enough for you, the Phillies have been invited to the White House by President Obama, next Tuesday, in recognition of their championship. And if that's not enough, go have a shot of something good and call a therapist. ********* Amanda has a couple dozen more reason to hate the Mets. Swing and a Long Drive features a video of Johan Santana's different personal hand shakes/rehearsed hand jives with each teammate. More Hardball has a review of...

Tune in tonight when our Phillies start defending their World Championship on national television! Amanda has posted her ' 09 season predictions . And the GM's have opening night's Tale of the Tape . Have a look.

So, if you missed it last time , the initials on his cap stand for The Bat. He's back. He brought his new team along for a visit. Our Phillies beat them (again) tonight, on a Jason Donald walk-off hit, 3-2. The Bat's new team will play at Citizens Bank Park again tomorrow also. Then, on Sunday, it will be on, for real, as the champions of THE WORLD defend their title! The Metropolitans signed Gary Sheffield. I didn't think he'd be fit well with the Phils. Although, he surely would have plenty to play for and prove, after being released this week. The Phillies will open the season with three lefty relievers. "Jay" Happ and new acquisition Jack Taschner have made the opening day roster. Scott Eyre is, of course, the third left hander. Sorry, Koplove and Majewski...your spring ERA's (0.96 and 2.56 respectively) apparently weren't good enough. Macho Row has the full agenda for the opening night schedule, minute by minute. We'll see you all on Saturday...

The weekend is just about here, but it's not feeling great so far. My college hoops team lost, and my mail included a huge image of Mets star David Wright on the cover of The Sporting News. "All Wright"? Um, I don't really believe it is. Aside from the non-appealing cover, it's the MLB preview issue, so allow me to share some things I learned from this week's magazine. 1- Former Phillie, and regular Sporting News columnist, Todd Jones has gone insane. Jones predicts that Jamie Moyer will win the NL Cy Young Award, and that Manny Ramirez will run for governor of California after the Dodgers win the 2009 World Series. 2- Ichiro Suzuki rocks the party that rocks the body. Metropolitans reliever Francisco Rodriguez compares Jose Reyes to Ichiro, saying they do many of the same things. I must have missed Ichiro performing rehearsed celebratory hand jives after getting a hit or scoring a run in a losing effort. And I know I missed Ichiro getting caught cheating on...

A quote from former baseball commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti- It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. I think that sums up how I felt every year until 2008. With the Phillies coming up short every season that I can remember until last year, I felt as though I was left hanging. I would never stop falling in love all over again, with baseball, each Spring season, but I was surely heart broken each Autumn. This was surely brought on by my team not making it to the top. Being left feeling like there was unfinished business, just didn't sit well inside. 2008 was different. 2008 made it all worth it. It was the year when the phandom finally paid off. It was the pinnacle of my love of the sport. The Phillies' World Championship season gave my em...

This coming season, the farm teams have some worthwhile giveaways and promotions. Here is a glance of some of the best events, by team. Lakewood BlueClaws- Thursday, April 9th...Opening Night, Get your picture taken with the World Series Trophy! Friday, April 10th...Asbury Park Press Dollar Ticket Night! Thursday, April 23rd...Thirsty Thursday. $1 beers! It's true times two (repeats various Thursdays). Saturday, May 9th...Bark in the Park Night, bring your dog to the game. Tuesday, May 26th...Ryan Howard Cap Giveaway. Tuesday, June 9th...Lou Marson Bobblehead Dolls. Monday, June 15th...Charlie Manuel World Series Champions Bobbleheads. Saturday, June 20th...Wrestler "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan autograph signing. Sunday, June 21st...Celebrate Fathers' Day with a post game father/son catch on the field. Saturday, June 27th...Phillies World Series Poster. Tuesday, June 30th..."Jay" Happ Bobblehead Doll. Thursday, July 16th...World Series MVP Cole Hamels Bobblehead and...

The 2009 Phillies recorded their first win today! Rejoice, everyone! Our Phils recorded this win against the team they won their last game against, in the fifth and final game of the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays. Pat Burrell made his return to Clearwater , for the first time as a visitor. Pat was 1-for-2, with a double. Pat's return helped set a Brighthouse Field attendance record at 10,270. Burrell actually looks great in his new uniform. The letters on his hat and helmet no longer stand for Tampa Bay, by the way. It's now "The Bat". Prior to the Phillies ' scheduled game on Wednesday April 8 th , the Phillies have planned their World Series championship ring presentation. The Phillies have invited Burrell and he will attend that ceremony. The Rays are in Boston that night to face the Red Sox , and the schedule works out to allow Pat to make a trip to Philadelphia in the afternoon. John Mayberry Jr. continues to look like a quality acquisition, as he...

There is loads of news coming out of spring training this week. Most of which is from the Phillies' home of Clearwater, FL, but some is from Port St. Lucie, FL, where the Mets train. The New York media continues to ask every Metropolitan possible about the remarks of Jimmy Rollins in past years (about our Phils being the team to beat), and the statement by Cole Hamels, in December, to a NYC radio station about the Mets being "choke artists". It seems that the Metropolitans players are getting a vibe from all the media questions that the Phillies players are speaking about the Mets endlessly, when the fact is that the only material going is from the reporters who wish to build this rivalry, in order to get page views, sell papers, and gain viewers for NYC sports programming. Carlos Beltran was nice enough yesterday to state the Mets' desire to end Cole Hamels by saying, "The only thing I know is that he will be watched every time he faces us. Hopefully, we kill hi...

The Phillies are World Series Champions and, thus, are world wide celebrities. This recognition isn't enough, I tell you. Some of the champs could very well be confused with other major celebrities around the globe...or at least around my house. Let's dig in... Two look-alikes in particular have been widely discussed. Geoff Jenkins even made a sign on the table covering at his autograph station at last year's Phillies Phestival that he is not Brett Favre or phormer Phillie Randy Wolf. ------------------------------------------------------- Jayson Werth may be on his way to Wrestlemania. Jay-Dub is aware that he resembles Heavyweight wrestling champion Adam "Edge" Copeland. Are you? -------------------------------------------- Carlos Ruiz's fame was boosted by TBS during the playoffs, but he might be ready for his own Comedy Central sketch show, as he looks very much like Carlos Mencia. Dee dee dee! -------------------------------------------------- And whi...

Phillies Ball(z)girl Sam Arnone was kind enough to answer some questions for the PhoulBallz site and all of you. Sam will be entering her 3rd season as a Phillies ballgirl and is a junior at Drexel University. Sam hails from the great town of Mt. Ephram, NJ. 1- Since the Phillies are the World Champions of baseball teams, are the Phillies ballgirls the world champions of ballgirl teams? - Of Course!!! There are not that many teams that have Ballgirls, so the competition is a little scarce. I would definitely put my team up against any other Ballgirl team with full confidence! 2- What is your routine to prepare for a day of on-field duties? - Before a game, I am always a little nervous. Once I am ready to leave my house and head to the ballpark I triple check my bag to make sure I have my glove and then I check again. I always have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat because it keeps me full and gives me energy for the entire game. I guess I might have to find a new favorite sa...

This week, Shore Sports Network's Kevin Williams took some time out of his busy professional radio duties to answer some questions about baseball and his lengthy career. Thanks to Kevin, who is quick and to the point, for the most part. Kevin is a Metropolitans fan, by the way. 1. Kevin, Cole Hamels speaks the truth. He gave an interview where he confirmed that he thinks the Mets are choke artists. As a Mets fan, can I get your rebuttal to such a statement? (He's an) immature jerk who will regret the comment. The simple difference in the teams this year was the Mets lost Billy Wagner and the Phillies had Brad Lidge healthy for the season. 2. You suspended your Fox Sports 1310 AM blog once the Mets fell short at the end of the 2008 season. Do you have any intentions to start it back up, or will someone else be taking your spot? If you are discontinuing your page...who can take the most credit- the Brewers, the Phillies or the Mets? I really don't like blogging....it's fo...