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May 08, 2008Reading Phillies' Ryan Howard Snow Globe
Now that the bobblehead doesn't guarantee huge attendance like it once did, teams have to branch out with their giveaways. Philly Edge points us to the Reading Phillies giveaway tonight, which it calls "Best. Giveaway. Ever.": A Ryan Howard snow globe. Is he wearing a Santa hat? I'm not sure why Howard is batting with a french fry there. Posted by D-Mac at 04:04 PM | Comments (1) Specter Asks Us To Be Nice To Ry-Ho
Cheer Ryan Howard On Monday, I suggested on Angelo Cataldi's WIP radio talk show that Philadelphia fans should give Ryan Howard a standing ovation every time he comes to the plate. Those cheers would tell Howard that we understand the struggle, that we are with him, and that he still is the same hero in our eyes who won MVP and Rookie of the Year in successive seasons. Yes, apparently ol' Arlen is following in the footsteps of Post Game Live panelist/Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell and weighing in on the sports topics of the day. He's actually involved in all the facets of sports: Spygate, the NFL Network and Comcast, Ryan Howard's feelings. Aww, let's all be nice to Ry-Ho so he hits some dingers. Letters to the Editor [Inquirer] Posted by D-Mac at 09:52 AM | Comments (1) April 23, 2008Howard Nearly Runs Down Utley In Win
No, it was Ryan Howard running just a half-step behind Chase Utley as they both rounded third, looking to grab the go-ahead and insurance runs from the Colorado Rockies. Because Burrell's hit could have been caught, Utley held up at second and Howard went all the way near the bag; once it dropped, both sprinted for home plate like it was that one scene from Rookie of the Year. The Phillies are finally above .500 (they're 11-10) and swept the Rockies in a two-game series. Video of the game-winning hit and hilarious basepath action after the jump. Continue reading "Howard Nearly Runs Down Utley In Win" Posted by D-Mac at 10:15 AM | Comments (2) April 11, 2008If Ryan Howard Joins The Media, He'll Be Dead To Pat Burrell
Here's the relevant info, about whether Howard (a communications major at Missouri State) would join the media one day: Touching Base: Do you think you’ll be in the media someday? Incredibly (messed) up! Man, I can't wait for the Ryan Howard/Jared The Subway Guy Morning Show after he retires, though. Nine Innings: Ryan Howard [New York Daily News] Posted by D-Mac at 12:04 PM | Comments (0) January 18, 2008How Much Green Will Ryan Howard Get?
Howard's agent and the Phillies were unable to reach an agreement last year on a long-term deal, so the club re-upped him for a cool $900,000. Although roughly $950,000 less than I make, Howard wasn't all that happy with the deal of playing baseball for just under a million. He came into camp overweight and had a bit of a disappointing season, I guess, although he still hit 47 homers. (He also set the MLB strikeout record with 199.) Howard could get around $7 million to play for the Phillies this year, Zolecki guesses any long-term deal would have to be better than Chase Utley's seven-year, $85 million deal and Albert Pujols' seven-year, $100 million contract. Maybe Howard can stuff his face full of money so he won't say "It is what it is" ever again. Ditto Kyle Kendrick. At this point, the only way to stop sports stars from saying "It is what it is" might be to pay them. In other Phillies news, John Kruk is going to be on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Posted by D-Mac at 02:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) September 11, 2007Phillies Get Hopes Of Philadelphians Up Again
Howard and Utley were assisted by Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday, who managed to lose the ball in the corner, even though the ball only had one place to go. (Uh, the corner.) His failure to pick up the ball quickly allowed Utley to score from first without a slide and moved the Phils just 1.5 games back in the Wild Card. It goes like this every year: The Phils get our hopes up with four-game sweeps (or post-9/11 break surges, or Jim Thome game-winning homers in the Hurricane Game, or whatever) and then collapse down the stretch. And, despite your best efforts, you can't help but get into it. But, hey, why should this year be any different? Let's go Phillies! To the playoffs we go! We'll figure out who the hell besides Kyle Kendrick is going to start in the postseason once we get there. Phillies hurdle Rockies in 10th [Daily News] Posted by D-Mac at 02:34 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) August 22, 2007Ryan Howard Steals A Freaking Base
The Phils did end up winning, 5-4, and -- wait a minute. Ryan Howard got a stolen base? I was only half-paying attention last night, but I can only assume this "Rudy Seanez" is actually a pitching machine, which would have a fairly tough time holding a runner on at first base. Howard actually asked for the base after the game to celebrate his newfound speed. But the record! Before his first career stolen base, Ryan Howard was the all-time leader in home runs without a stolen base with 115. He had held that record, the most prestigious in sports, since at least sometime last year. The record is now currently held by some guy whose name I cannot figure out. But considering even Ryan Howard has a stolen base, it's unlikely the dude hit many home runs or lasted in the league very long. Next year, one can only assume Howard will go 40/40. Posted by D-Mac at 12:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) August 08, 2007Winners Do Use Drugs
Hey! Last night, some dude broke some record. In more important news, Ryan Howard broke out of his slump with a pair of homers. But to celebrate Barry Bonds' historic moment, here is a a photo of the legend:
Personally, I think all the players should be on 'roids. If Ryan Howard really cared about winning, he would have injected himself with some steroids and some great masking agents and woulda hit 79 last year. I mean, the Giants went to the World Series, why couldn't Howard care that much? Barry Bonds [Ron Newcomer's PITTSBURGH SPORTS STARS] Posted by D-Mac at 03:03 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0) May 23, 2007Ryan Howard Does Well In Meaningless Game
Ryan Howard, first baseman for the Phillies, continued his injury rehabilitation today by serving as the designated hitter for the single-A Lakewood Blue Claws. I think this Howard kid might make it eventually. Maybe he can lead the Blue Claws to the championship this year. Ryan Howard smacks double and homer in minor-league game [Inquirer] Posted by D-Mac at 03:07 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) April 02, 2007Another Season Of Disappointment Begins Today
The Phillies take on the Braves today on CBS 3 at 1 p.m. in the season and home opener for the local nine. There are high expectations for the Phillies this year -- playoffs, at the very least -- which makes sense, since the team returns MVP Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, etc. Heck, people are so excited about the Phillies this year the Inquirer unfroze Bill Lyon yesterday to write about the team. (He, like me, thinks they're going to break your heart again. But isn't that part of the fun -- finding how just how the Phillies will break your heart this time?) Continue reading "Another Season Of Disappointment Begins Today" Posted by D-Mac at 09:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) November 30, 2006Leftovers: Albert Pujols, Septuagenarian• Albert Pujols told reporters in the Dominican Republic that he should have won the MVP -- instead of Ryan Howard -- because he led his team to the playoffs even though the Cardinals won two fewer games than the Phillies. I think we should go easy on Pujols. Look: Sometimes as people get older -- say, in their mid-30s -- they begin to get a little senile and say stupid things. [AP/ESPN.com] • Oh, and, yes, you guessed it: Albert Pujols is a candidate for Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Probably because he always puts the team in front of himself, so much so that he hit .200 in the World Series so his teammates could get all the glory. Yeah. I'm sure that's why he did it. [SI.com] • I'll just quote the reader who sent this in: "I had to read this about four times before I figured out that he wasn't talking about Amish people in the title." [Craigslist] • An Annapolis paper on our city's fine mayor, John Street: "Sporting a hairstyle not dissimilar to that of Don King, the flamboyant Philadelphia mayor sounded somewhat like the famous boxing promoter when he declared the city was prepared to make an effort to keep the Army-Navy game 'for all-time.'" Awesome. [The 700 Level] Posted by D-Mac at 04:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) November 22, 2006Ron--Er, Ryan--Howard Is Everywhere
What makes this better is that this is the second Ryan Howard Day this city has had. He got a Ryan Howard Day when he won the Rookie of the Year. So John Street already gave Howard a citation making it Ry-Ho Day-O. (Sigh.) And he still didn't get his name right. Later, Ryan Howard went to a school and the kids painted a mural for him. He's also signing that giant banner at City Hall and it's going to be auctioned off. Ryan Howard, the city's savior. Update: Oh, yeah, also: Ryan Howard's name is in lights on the PECO Building. The only other people to get that honor are Pope John Paul II and Ed Rendell. This is the greatest thing I've ever heard about the city of Philadelphia. Posted by D-Mac at 02:06 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) November 21, 2006Reason #6 To Love Philadelphia: Ry-Ho
Last night, the Cira Center was lit up with a giant Phillies 'P.' Ryan Howard, a 27-year-old second year player, is MVP of the National League. Who woulda thunk it? After the Phillies signed Jim Thome for the 2003 season, Ryan Howard was expected to be moved. Well, okay, back then nobody really knew who Howard was, but once we all heard of this first baseman in 2004 who was hitting home runs at a ridiculous clip, we figured he'd be traded, since Big Jim was entrenched at first base. An injury to Thome and a Rookie of the Year award later, it was Thome who was shipped out of town. But Ryan Howard's second year was better than anyone could have imagined. He didn't just have incredible stats, he was a force. Teams didn't pitch to him. Teams were afraid of him. And, yet, he still managed to hit 58 homers. It's not just his stats, though. Ryan Howard is the most likable Philadelphia athlete in recent memory. He's easygoing, he's friendly and he really seems like a truly nice person. He's, as they say, a gentle giant. So let's celebrate Ryan Howard today, by simply asking him one question: Can you play linebacker? The Eagles need somebody who can tackle. All-Howardful [Daily News] Posted by D-Mac at 09:46 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) November 20, 200658 Homers + 149 RBI + 37 IBB + .313 AVG = 1 MVP
As you can tell from the headline, Howard hit .313 this year with 58 homers and 149 RBI. He also was intentionally walked 37 times, including at least once when he led off the inning. Ryan Howard fun facts! He's the third player to win the MVP and the Home Run Derby in the same season. He's also the career leader for most home runs without a stolen base. He's the fourth Phillie to win the award, joining Mike Schmidt -- who won it three times -- Jim Konstanty (1950) and Chuck Klein (1932). And he's only 27. Let's keep those ACLs tear-free, okay, Ryan? Howard beats out Pujols to win NL MVP award [ESPN.com] Posted by D-Mac at 02:16 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) September 26, 2006Can't You Read The Sign?
Yeah, a stalker is just what Ryan Howard needs at this point. Posted by D-Mac at 10:37 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) September 05, 2006Leftovers: Ralph Archbold To Sue For Copyright Infringement
• Don't move to the side when you see an accident? Oh, you're getting a ticket. Uh, wait, how would one not move when seeing an accident scene? Would you already get a ticket -- or at least a higher insurance rate -- for plowing into the cars in front of you? [KYW 1060] • Okay, it's all Phillies from here on out, so you can stop reading if you're so inclined. Is Ryan Howard on steroids? Uh, no. No no no. Don't even mention it. In fact, I bet he takes drugs to make him smaller, just to make it tougher for him. And he still hits 400 homers a game. [Daily News] • Speaking of Ryan Howard, it looks like the blogoambit has scooped the "Main Stream Media" again! Will Bunch on his blog: "Last week, we were the first to write about the possibility that the Phillies' Ryan Howard could hit as many as 61 home runs[.]" Somebody get that boy a New Era hat with "PRESS" in it; he's an old fashioned muckraker in a 21st century media world! [Attytood] • Best sportswriter in the world DJ Gallo on the Phillies playoff chances: "[T]hey have no chance of making the playoffs. Why? Because their general manager says so.... But then his players went out and started winning, and they seem to have no intention of stopping. Which is kind of rude and disrespectful to Gillick, if you ask me. It's not right for players to hang their GM out to dry like that." [ESPN.com Page 2] • Update, 6:37 p.m.: Brian Rochford, Society editor of The Evening Bulletin, passed away sometime over the weekend. He was 45. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. [The Evening Bulletin] Posted by D-Mac at 04:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Ryan Howard Inspires Crotch-Protecting StancesOver the weekend, Ryan Howard hit approximately 714 home runs, including a three-run homer game on Saturday. (The Phillies, naturally, needed a ninth-inning rally to win that one.) He hit another one yesterday, a near upper deck shot that gave the Phils a 2-1 lead. (They, naturally, needed extra innings to win that one.) Here's an Inquirer photo of the fans trying to catch Howard's homer yesterday by Inquirer photog Jerry Lodriguss (thanks, Enrico):
I don't know who's better: The guy protecting his crotch instead of going for the ball, or the guy in the green who looks like he's ready to dive over the stands in order to catch it. Either way, it's a great slideshow, and you should check it out. Slideshow: Phillies 3, Astros 2 [Inquirer] Posted by D-Mac at 02:35 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) August 15, 2006Leftovers: Prince Charming, I Presume?• Tired of spending nights alone in your bed? Well, now there's a charm school for those of you who can't pick up girls and have $1,600 to spend. Here's a tip: Don't say "I learned how to approach you at 'Charm School.'" [Reuters/Yahoo!] • A Mets fan wrote a letter to Ryan Howard threatening to put him in a wheelchair. Yikes. However, if he were in a wheelchair, Howard would probably have hit about only 35 homers so far this year. [Daily News] • 215 Festival, Oct. 5: Amy "Strangers With Candy" Sedaris and John "I'm a PC!" Hodgman. Huzzah. [Angst on a Shoestring] • The Inquirer comes out strongly against police officers using their power to extort sex. [Inky Fishbowl] • Puppy! [Phillyist] • This is laughable, disgusting, and quite possibly the most un-informative piece of "commentary" that I have ever read. [Luindur] Posted by D-Mac at 05:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) July 14, 2006Leftovers: Historical Marker News!
• Moving away from historic historical marker news, John Grogan continues his anti-puppy mill crusade (and probably sells a few extra copies of Marley & Me in the process). But, hey, Philadelphia Will Do is 100 percent against puppy mills, so kudos. And this closing paragraph was fantastic: "Dogs are not people, but they also are not widgets. It's time for serious reform." A dog is not a widget, people! [Inky] • Aww, a whole feature on Pete, the man who thought that The Onion was a real newspaper and that "I'm totally psyched for this abortion!" was a real opinion piece. Thanks, Salon! [Salon] • Ain't It Cool News on Lady in the Water: "Lady In The Water is a diarrhoea [sic] splat of storytelling so haphazard, ideas so undernourished, dialogue so banal, and characterization so criminally lifeless that if you'll be able to lift yourself out of your torpor you will be truly amazed." Uh oh. Then again, I liked The Village. [AICN via Wookified] • Rick Santorum sets a state record for Pennsylvania fundraising. They keep records for things like this? Is there a fundraising Hall of Fame somewhere? [AP/Philly.com] • Award-winning headline writer Peter Mucha reports that the heat wave could hit the high 90s next week. Get new air conditioning filters, people. [Inquirer] • And, finally, with the Phillies back in action tonight, let's take a look at the only reason to watch them for the rest of the season: Ryan Howard home runs. Go, Ry-Ho, Go! [HitTracker] Posted by D-Mac at 03:31 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) July 11, 2006The Highlight Of The Phillies Season (For The Second Straight Year!)
Seriously, folks: It's not going to get any better than this. Better get excited, or something. With advice from Abreu, Phillies' Howard wins Home Run Derby [AP/Yahoo!] Posted by D-Mac at 09:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) June 21, 2006Last Night's Goat: Ryan Howard
Okay, kidding, kidding. We Philadelphia fans aren't that bad. But what a disappointing game. Before that ninth-inning groundout, Ryan Howard hit the first home run to land in the third deck of right field, hit another homer to left and tripled to right. All three of his big hits broke ties. By the end of the game, he was tied for the major league lead in homers and alone in first in runs batted in. And the Phillies lost, 9-7. And they're now 9 1/2 games back again in the NL East. It seems like it's going to be that kind of year for the Phillies. When the hitting's there, the pitching isn't. And it probably means they're not a playoff team, Charlie Manuel will be fired in the offseason and one of the corner outfielders will be traded in the offseason -- if not sooner. (Burrell, not Abreu, please.) In the meantime, though, we can just watch Ryan Howard in awe. And sometimes that's okay too. A night to remember, and forget [Daily News] Posted by D-Mac at 09:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) March 27, 2006Blogicized: When Mr. Bush Gets Angry, People Die• A new memo, written before the start of the Iraq war, reveals that Bush was sending us into war even if Saddam apologized and sent the U.S. a nice basket of apples. Seriously, does this even surprise anyone? It's like the big news about Barry Bonds being on steroids. What a shocker! Next, you'll tell me that President Bush might've underestimated the military force an invasion of Iraq would take! Oh, wait, the memo says that, too. Hey, but at least nobody got hurt, right? Er. [Dick Polman's American Debate] • At his talk at Penn last week, Kevin Smith mentioned that, hey, Jason Mewes -- that'd be "Jay" in "Jay and Silent Bob" -- had sex with Nicole Richie in a bathroom stall. Somebody wrote about it in a blog and another blog picked it up and then another and another and, suddenly, it's in the newspapers. And Kevin Smith is now going, "D'oh!" over the whole thing. Of course it's news over the fact that Mewes overcame his drug addiction! We Americans like our news as disgusting as possible, and really it doesn't get any lower than screwing Nicole Richie in a bathroom. [Defamer] • Josh Beckett got into a spat with everyone's new favorite Phillie, Ryan Howard, yesterday, but no punches were thrown. Which is good, because I think Howard would tear Beckett in half like a baseball card. [Beerleaguer] • What's the best thing a Philly expat can do? Why, lead his team to a victory in a lego competition in Alaska, of course! What else do you do after you leave town? [To Philly, From Alaska, With Love] Posted by D-Mac at 03:13 PM | Comments (71) | TrackBack (0) March 24, 2006It Don't Matter If You're Black Or WhiteThis week's Citypaper contains an interview with Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, who has 10 homers already this spring and seems poised for a huge season. The interview with Howard is done by someone named Dave Hollander, who we can only assume is Dave Hollins' alter ego. The interview contains a thrilling Howard drive through order -- "Can I get some large fries, crispy. And can I get two bacon, beef and cheddar sandwiches. Um... and some Minute Maid lemonade." -- and this exchange between Hollander and Howard: CP: Your father, Ron Howard, has been a major influence on your personal and professional development. How often does he get confused with the Hollywood film director of the same name? Now, I don't know what Ryan Howard's father looks like, but I think it's safe to say he probably looks something like his son. So let's do a side by side comparison:
You know, it is kind of hard to tell them apart. Beast and Burdens [CP] Posted by D-Mac at 11:41 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) |
• The Repent America homophobes 
