What I Really Want for Christmas…

I enjoyed doing this post last year, so I figured I’d do it again this year. I know it’s well past Christmas, and I shouldn’t be greedy since I got some sweet stuff (thanks to the girlfriend for the Lou Marson signed game-used bat and ball!), but some of the stuff I asked for last year came true, so I’m going for it again…and expand the list…

First, let’s recap what I asked for last year:

1. A receiver for Donovan McNabb

The point of this was that the Eagles make a bold move to give Donovan another shot with a T.O. caliber receiver. It certainly appeared that they tried, but they didn’t get a veteran. They did, however, land DeSean Jackson is the draft, who looks like he could be a special player. So we got what I wanted, just not the way I wanted it.

2. A heatlhy starting rotation for the Phillies

The Phillies rotation was as healthy as you could ask for in 2008. None of the starters sustained any major injuries during the season.

3. Anybody but the Cowboys or Patriots winning the Super Bowl

Am I allowed to “thank” the Giants here?

4. David Lee and Kyle Lowry traded to new teams

Neither has been traded, but Lee is finally getting some PT under Mark D’Antoni and is in the top-5 in the NBA in double-doubles.

5. That Notre Dame football is playing on New Year’s Day in 2009 – and that they deserve to be there

No, and no. For those who don’t follow ND football, Charlie Weis has all the same bad qualities that Andy Reid has, only much much worse.

6. Villanova makes the Final Four, at some point

Might have to recycle this one…a little vague on the end.

7. A Championship, for God’s sake!

I thought this was easily the least likely to transpire…

Now let’s move onto this year. These are not in order of what I want the most. Just in the order of how they came to me.

1. The Sixers trade Andre Iguodala to Memphis for Mike Conley and Steve Francis’ Corpse.

I was baffled that we were able to win with Andre Iguodala as our star player last year. But since we were winning, I convinced myself that maybe I was wrong and he could continue to improve and be a great player. Then, the Detroit series exposed him for what he is, a complementary player, who believes he is a great player. The entire series, as he threw up air balls, forced shots, turned the ball over and raised his hands in the air as if to say “it can’t possibly be my fault I’m playing this bad, whose is it?,” I was screaming at the TV: “SHOW HIM THIS TAPE WHEN HE COMES TO NEGOTIATE HIS CONTRACT!”

Needless to say, we gave him a giant deal that ignored that tape, and in the giddyness following the Elton Brand signing, we accepted it. Now? Iguodala has regressed and has clearly shown he is not a primetime player. His jump shot has deteriorated, he has consistently turned the ball over in crunch time and still hasn’t come to terms with the type of player he is. I know people might think this is overreacting, but I don’t like his attitude, his game, or his contract. So there.

Memphis has cap space and is looking to trade a PG, and I think Mike Conley can be special in the right situation. Would they be willing to play Mayo at PG and Gay at SG? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s not out of the question. This would enable us to get a PG of the future, trade Miller away for another young player or draft pick and get Thaddeus Young developing at the SF spot. Pipe dream, I know. But that’s what this list is all about.

2. Cole Hamels pitches 200+ innings

The biggest concern I have about the Phillies title-defense is the health of Cole Hamels. Included the playoffs, he pitched 262.3 IP, more than anyone in baseball, including CC Sabathia. That’s 79 IP more than any other season of his career. Many times, this jump in IP can increase the risk of injury. Hopefully Hamels smooth delivery makes him an exception.

3. The Phillies do the right thing with Ryan Howard

I just don’t know what that is yet. Howard is 29 and has 2 years left with the Phillies. They can either sign him to a reasonable contract (say, 5-6 years, $100-120 million), or trade him after the 2009 season for a bounty of young prospects. Those are both fine options. Not fine options? Signing him to an unreasonable contract (the 8 years, $180 million Teixiera got), trading him mid-way through the 2010 season, when they will get 50 cents to the dollar, or, keeping him for the 2 years, letting him leave through FA, and then taking the draft picks (and hopefully not getting screwed like these teams). There are 2 right answers, and 3 wrong ones. Let’s see what they do.

4. The Eagles use their first-round picks

The Eagles always target only a couple players in the first round, and if they don’t get them, they trade out. This year, they have two first round picks (their own, and Carolina’s) and I would like to see them use both. They need an OT, TE and S, and could have a chance to pick up some good prospects (Taylor Mays and Michael Oher, for instance). 

5. The Sixers find a way to draft Stephen Curry or Ricky Rubio

I’m not going to go into a scouting report on either of these guys, but I think the team could benefit from the defensive- minded and extremely gifted Rubio or the smooth shooting Curry. Also, as a fan, I love watching both of them play.

6. Michael Taylor, Dominic Brown and Kyle Drabek break out

The improving Phillies farm system is full of young talent, but these 3 perhaps have the most to gain or lose in the upcoming season. If Taylor and Brown both take steps forward, the Phillies could be confident that they will make up 2/3 of their future outfield. Drabek has the most electric arm in the system, but will be playing his first full season since he was drafted in 2006. Will he go the way of past first rounders Cole Hamels and Brett Myers or Tyler Green and Carlton Loewer? This year will tell us a lot about his future. 

7. The Phillies win the division, the Yankees and Mets fail to win the pennant, and the Cubs win the World Series

Obviously, I want the Phillies to win the World Series, but with only 2 of the last 6 World Series Champions even making the playoffs the next season, I will be content with keeping the Mets at bay and joining the ‘76-’78 squads as the only Phillies teams to win 3 straight division titles. And the Cubs? Now that I have my championship, I’d really like to see the Cubbies win. Not for the fans my age, but for the AARP members that haven’t seen their team win a title. As for the Yankees, I think it’s good for baseball when they are good, but bad if they buy championships. They are dangerously close to have no more “real Yankees” on their team at all. 

8. Manti Te’o commits to Notre Dame, and they win 10 games next season

I tend to keep my obsession with my Alma Mater’s football team off the blog, but it has to rear its ugly head sometimes. First, who the hell is Manti Te’o? He is an ILB from Hawaii who is arguably the top-rated defensive recruit in the country. He is the type of player that almost always commits to USC, but Notre Dame has worked relentlessly to stay in the race. Even, some would speculate, going as far as to accept an invite to the Hawaii Bowl, instead of the Motor City Bowl, so that Te’o could attend their practices and the game. As for next season, there are no more excuses for Charlie Weis. This will be the first season that he has all his own players, and is returning most of the starters on offense and defense. There is no reason the team shouldn’t go 10-3. 

9. Villanova’s freshman class lives up to their billing

As I mentioned in a previous post, Jay Wright will likely bring in the nation’s #1 recruiting class to the Main Line next year after adding 5-star SG Dominic Cheek to a class that already included 5-stars PG Maalik Wayns, PF Mouphtaou Yarou and 4-star Isaiah Armwood. If these guys can come in and contribute to a team that will have Scottie Reynolds, Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher, Villanova should have their best team since Foye and Ray left town. 

10. ReclinerGM hits 1,000,000 visits

In our first year, the ReclinerGM had just over 300,000 visits, has been featured on several major websites and has developed a loyal, intelligent following. I have to say, this is a lot more than I would have predicted (though Dannie may have had higher expectations…) and I’m very grateful to all our readers. Now, of course, when you have success one year, what do you do? Make unrealistic goals for the next year. Hopefully, we can double our readership this year, and get ourselves over 1,000,000 visits by 2010. Tell you friends, unless they are Mets fans, and we’ll keep trying our best to keep unique, interesting and intelligent content and conversation on our end. Thanks to all and Happy New Year. 

January 3, 2009