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Author: Gabriela Carroll

  • Joel Embiid talks about his first love — soccer — and more with Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett

    Joel Embiid talks about his first love — soccer — and more with Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett

    Joel Embiid says he did not start playing basketball until age 16. A young Embiid had dreams of being a footballer until the 7-footer grew too tall for that to be in the cards.

    Even though he can’t play anymore, he’s still a passionate fan of Real Madrid and, of course, the Cameroonian national team. With the World Cup set to come to Philadelphia in 2026, there might not be anyone more excited than Embiid.

    Soccer “is already huge, but having a World Cup here, it’s going to be even bigger,” Embiid said on the Switch the Play podcast with Roger Bennett of Men in Blazers. “I’m excited. I’m going to be all over the place. I’ve never been to a World Cup game before, so I’m going to go to a lot of them, especially to follow some of the best teams. Hopefully Cameroon makes it. Right now it doesn’t look likely.”

    Joel Embiid is embracing his new reality and a potentially new role for the Sixers

    Cameroon is in second place in its qualifying group and is tied for fourth in points for a group runner-up spot. The top four runners-up advance to a playoff that gives them a second chance to qualify for the World Cup. If Cameroon can’t make it, Embiid is also intrigued to follow England, but he expects that team to “choke again.”

    Embiid said he thinks his experience playing soccer growing up helped improve his footwork for basketball.

    “Hakeem [Olajuwon] was another one that started so late and made it into basketball, and he credits his football skills to be able to get better so fast. I think there’s a lot of similarities where — I’ve always been a type of guy to observe, and then you show me one thing, and I’m able to do it after one or two tries, and just pick stuff up so fast. If you’re not coordinated enough, or if you don’t have good footwork, that’s not going to be possible, and that goes back to football, using your feet and having soft feet.”

    His experiences growing up playing other sports before getting into basketball have him encouraging his young son to do the same. So Embiid won’t push him to specialize in any one sport — except for soccer, which he plays every Sunday. But Arthur is already enjoying following in his father’s footsteps.

    “He seems to be in love with basketball, but that’s where I struggle,” Embiid said. “I started at 16, and maybe I was lucky. It takes a lot of work to be able to make it to the NBA within three years of starting playing basketball, maybe a little bit of luck, but it took a lot of work. That’s where you’re like, if I started at 16, why should any kid start playing basketball at 6 years old? That’s where you’ve got to find that balance.”

  • How will the Sixers fare this season? Here’s what the national media are saying.

    How will the Sixers fare this season? Here’s what the national media are saying.

    The 76ers might be Philly’s most unpredictable team.

    Given their consistent injury struggles, the Sixers’ fate this year is nearly impossible to project. That didn’t stop the national media from making an attempt.

    Here’s what they’re saying about the Sixers ahead of the opener tonight against Boston …

    It’s complicated

    Are the Sixers built to win now or win later? ESPN says it’s complicated, ranking them 13th in its season-opening power rankings.

    Before last year, the Sixers thought they were in their championship window, and signed Paul George to a maximum contract to help get them to the next level. But after last season’s injury disaster, the Sixers now have a new, younger core of VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, and Jared McCain to help them contend potentially for years to come.

    “Last season’s 24-58 record suggests this isn’t the right time for any all-in moves from GM Daryl Morey, which might explain why Philadelphia still has several future picks in its cupboard,” Zack Kram wrote. “But as long as [Joel] Embiid is on the roster and even theoretically at full strength, the 76ers have to at least consider trying to maximize his remaining competitive window.”

    The health of center Joel Embiid will once again be a key for the Sixers.

    Ranked 13th again

    In 2024-25, Embiid and George played in just 60 games combined. With compounding injuries to Maxey and McCain, that was enough to sink their season. This year, though, the Sixers are hoping they have enough talent to be consistent and competitive even without Embiid on the court.

    “The Sixers have enough offensive talent even if their stars don’t play (just ask Quentin Grimes) and Nick Nurse is going to sell out and get his team to approach 10 steals per game even if it costs the rest of Philadelphia’s defense,” Law Murray wrote for The Athletic, also ranking them 13th in the season-opening power rankings.

    Tyrese Maxey is playing freely — and speaking up — in quest for Sixers turnaround and a steady ‘flow state’

    “There is too much on the line for everyone involved in Philadelphia, with the possible exception of Tyrese Maxey, so don’t be shocked if the 76ers rebound to their usual results of getting to the playoffs and not doing much while they’re there.”

    ‘Why not them?’

    For all the warranted conversations about the Sixers’ struggles with injuries, they’re not the only team in the East that’s missing players to start the year. Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton are both expected to miss most, if not all, of the year. Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, and Josh Hart are all missing the Knicks’ opener, and Jaylen Brown may do the same for the Celtics.

    ESPN’s Brian Windhorst dared to suggest that the Sixers may be the healthiest contender on the board, and their potential could be underrated leaguewide because of their perennial injury struggles.

    “Is it possible that the contender with the healthiest roster to start the season could end up being Philly?” Windhorst said. “ … If you’re Philly, I know you have to live day-to-day, you can’t be thinking, you almost don’t have the burden of worrying about the playoffs because you don’t know who’s going to be standing by Thanksgiving. Why not them?”

  • Eagles Week 8 NFL power rankings roundup: The Birds won, but they’re all over the place

    Eagles Week 8 NFL power rankings roundup: The Birds won, but they’re all over the place

    The Eagles snapped a two-game losing streak with a win on the road over the Carson Wentz and the Minnesota Vikings — but in some cases, that wasn’t enough for them to climb this week’s NFL power rankings. Here’s where they landed after improving to 5-2 on the season …

    ESPN: Third

    ESPN moved the Birds up two spots, to third, after the win. And Tim McManus shouted out Moro Ojomo as the Eagles’ most underrated player so far this year. Ojomo had two tackles, including a third-down sack, in the 28-22 win over the Vikings.

    “A seventh-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Texas, Ojomo tends to get second billing at defensive tackle behind the Georgia duo of Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. But Ojomo has been key in making up for the departure of Milton Williams to the Patriots this offseason.”

    Brandon Graham says he didn’t want to retire — and this isn’t the first time the Eagles tried to bring him back

    The Ringer: Fifth

    The Birds are up one spot following Sunday’s win, which proved to the Ringer’s Diante Lee that the Birds can still be unstoppable when they want to be.

    “A string of three-and-outs in the first half against Minnesota made me nervous that Philadelphia’s offense was going to melt down again, but halftime seemed to awaken an aggression in the passing game that Eagles fans have been begging for. Quarterback Jalen Hurts finished the game with a perfect passer rating thanks to deep throws on play action and trusting his receivers in one-on-one matchups.

    “If Philadelphia can actually play this well for more than a half at a time, they will be the best team in the NFC again.”

    Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni smiles during the fourth quarter of his team’s win over the Vikings.

    Fox Sports: Sixth

    Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacciano kept the Birds at sixth after their win over Minnesota, but he’s not too confident in them staying there over the rest of the season.

    “Jalen Hurts rediscovered his arm and his receivers, but this Eagles team still can’t run and struggles on defense,” Vacciano wrote. “It’s getting harder to justify having them way up here, but they’re still sixth for now.”

    Can the return of Brandon Graham fill the leadership void on the Eagles defense? | Marcus Hayes

    NFL.com: Sixth

    The Birds stayed steady at sixth, nestled in between the Packers and the Rams for the second week in a row.

    “This was the kind of offensive game we really hadn’t seen from the Eagles this season,” Eric Edholm wrote. “Jalen Hurts was dealing, especially with downfield shots, and getting the ball to his best playmakers. A.J. Brown had two TDs and the dagger catch to end it, while DeVonta Smith had more than half the Eagles’ net yardage. Things still aren’t churning up front in the run game behind a remixed offensive line, but when the aerial attack hums like this, it’s not as critical. Defensively, the Eagles had a few slip-ups and didn’t defend the perimeter of the field well enough, but they forced two INTs of Carson Wentz (including a Jalyx Hunt pick-six) and held Minnesota to 1-for-6 in the red zone. Job well done.”

    The Eagles defense celebrates after linebacker Jalyx Hunt’s pick-six against the Vikings.

    Pro Football Talk: Sixth

    The Birds are up two spots to sixth in Pro Football Talk’s power rankings, just behind the Denver Broncos, thanks to their strong offensive performance in Minnesota.

    “The mini-bye turned the offense around,” Mike Florio wrote.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 8 vs. the Giants

    CBS Sports: 11th

    The lowest ranking for the Eagles is at CBS Sports. They moved the Birds up just one spot, to 11th, after the win over the Vikings. But they’re still the highest-ranked team in the NFC East.

    “Jalen Hurts showed against the Vikings that he can still throw it for big plays when needed,” Pete Prisco wrote. “But they do need to get the running game going.”

  • Eagles lucky they weren’t facing ‘a major league quarterback,’ Jalen Hurts balled out, and what else they’re saying

    Eagles lucky they weren’t facing ‘a major league quarterback,’ Jalen Hurts balled out, and what else they’re saying

    The Eagles got back in the win column Sunday, snapping a two-game losing skid with a 28-22 victory over Carson Wentz and the Vikings in Minnesota.

    After six weeks of inconsistency and discord on offense, the Eagles’ passing game finally showed what it’s capable of — but the rushing attack remained stagnant. Here’s what national media had to say about the win and what it means moving forward …

    A ‘definite step in the right direction’ but …

    While one former defensive end, Brandon Graham, mulls a comeback from retirement, another, Chris Long, is still hesitant about the Birds despite the win, even as an improved offense had to leg it out against backup quarterback Wentz.

    “This is a definite step in the right direction when it comes to the big-play ability of the offense,” Long said. “You’d love to see them play with more rhythm. I’m not sitting up here hating on a win on the road, but I would like to see a little bit more consistency. If you play like that against a major league quarterback, it might not go that way.”

    Wentz finished with 313 passing yards, a pair of interceptions, and another 28 yards on the ground.

    Despite the too-close-for-comfort win, the offensive line was “fantastic” and Jalen Hurts was “perfect,” so it was still a big improvement over the Birds’ two previous losses, Long said.

    Eagles still can’t run the ball, but Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown made sure it didn’t matter
    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns in Sunday’s win over the Vikings.

    A reminder from Hurts

    After an offseason full of discourse about where Hurts ranked among the best NFL quarterbacks and the offense’s inconsistency to start the year, Sunday was a reminder of Hurts’ passing ability.

    Hurts put up a perfect passer rating in Minnesota, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns and competing 19 of 23 pass attempts.

    “This is a sign not just for the fans, or the people that hate on us, but really for our coaching staff,” LeSean McCoy said. “I think he has to remind you that he can throw the ball. … Jalen Hurts has a really good deep ball, and when you threaten the defense that you’ll throw the deep ball, that’s what happens. Why would we have a guy like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, if we’re not going to use him?

    “Jalen Hurts can play the quarterback position. It was time that we finally get to see him really play it.”

    Eagles’ Jalen Hurts again roasts Carson Wentz; A.J. Brown says ‘Just throw me the bleeping ball’ | Marcus Hayes

    Put ‘their foot on the gas’

    The Birds were aggressive with the deep ball, even on fourth down, taking advantage of their elite receivers and finding explosive plays that eluded them before Sunday.

    “The Eagles are so talented that it kind of makes them conservative,” former quarterback Alex Smith said Monday on ESPN’s Get Up. “That’s been the biggest complaint in the passing game and running game by the entire NFL world. Here we are, at Minnesota, against a Brian Flores defense, which is as exotic and aggressive as it gets, and you have to match that aggressiveness. … This team needs to play with their foot on the gas.”

  • A close call for Pam Oliver, echoes of Brandon Graham, and more from the Eagles-Vikings broadcast

    A close call for Pam Oliver, echoes of Brandon Graham, and more from the Eagles-Vikings broadcast

    The Eagles finally are back in the win column, snapping a two-game losing streak with a 28-22 victory on the road in Minnesota, against former Birds quarterback Carson Wentz.

    Here’s what you might have missed from the broadcast of the Eagles’ big win:

    Tush Push

    Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a new strategy to stop the Tush Push — have a defender lie down and roll into the center.

    Greg Olsen, noted Tush Push fan, said rookie linebacker Tyler Batty was playing in his first NFL game after being activated from injured reserve this week. What an assignment for your NFL debut.

    “Making his NFL debut, the rookie out of BYU, Brian Flores says, ‘Hey, I’ve got a very interesting job for you today,’” play-by-play man Adam Amin said jokingly.

    “Quite the meeting on Wednesday when you’re setting your Tush Push defense,” Olsen, the analyst, said.

    Grading the Eagles’ win over the Minnesota Vikings

    BG

    Could Brandon Graham unretire and return to the Eagles? The Inquirer reported just before kickoff Sunday that Graham is “strongly considering” returning to help the Eagles’ depleted pass rusher room.

    Just before kickoff, Graham’s Firstrust Bank commercial aired in the Philadelphia area. Is this a sign?

    OK, the commercial airs all the time. But it definitely felt a little different after seeing the news.

    Olsen’s drop

    Olsen usually is great to listen to, but even the good ones have some bad misses. Greg, come on, this is not a drop by Justin Jefferson.

    “Justin Jefferson, I’m going to call it a drop, for a guy as good as him,” Olsen said.

    That said, he did give credit to Cooper DeJean for the pass breakup earlier in his analysis.

    “Nine out of 10 times, Justin Jefferson comes down with it,” Olsen said. “They teach defensive backs, continue to fight through the hands all the way to the ground, Justin takes that left hand off the ball, and it’s just enough for DeJean to knock that ball loose.”

    Jalen Hurts has never been better in saving the Eagles against the Vikings | Mike Sielski

    Oliver’s close call

    Getting knocked over on the sideline is an occupational hazard for any photographer or sideline reporter. This week’s victim? Fox’s Pam Oliver, who nearly got bowled over by Jefferson early in the third quarter.

    Oliver managed to maneuver herself out of Jefferson’s way, and he profusely apologized getting up.

    “If there’s one person on that sideline who cannot be run over, it’s Pam Oliver,” Olsen said.

    “He was so polite, he said, ‘Are you OK?’” Oliver said. “I patted him on the helmet. I was glad I didn’t go down.”

    “He’s one of the nicest guys,” Olsen said.

  • Maddy Siegrist doesn’t ‘remember what I said’ while meeting fellow Villanova alum Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

    Maddy Siegrist doesn’t ‘remember what I said’ while meeting fellow Villanova alum Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

    Last week at the Vatican, two Villanova legends finally came together: Pope Leo XIV and former basketball star Maddy Siegrist.

    Siegrist took a short trip to Rome to visit the big landmarks, including the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum and spent a day with Villanova at an Augustinian conference, where she got to meet the pope.

    Last year, the Villanova women’s basketball team took a group trip to Italy and the Vatican, but Siegrist, still in the middle of the WNBA season, couldn’t attend. This time around, after the Dallas Wings were eliminated from playoff contention, Chrissy Quisenberry, who helps organize alumni trips at Villanova, reached out to let Siegrist know they were planning another trip and that they might get an audience with the pope, also a Villanova graduate.

    Pope Leo didn’t don an Eagles hat he received Wednesday, so we still don’t know whether he’s a fan

    “People always joke because he [went to] Villanova, like, ‘Is he going to do the wedding?’” said Siegrist, who’s engaged to Stephen Perretta, an assistant women’s basketball coach at Drexel and the son of former Wildcats coach Harry Perretta. “When it did happen, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is crazy.’ We have a family group chat of all my cousins and aunts and grandparents. I sent the picture, and they’re like, ‘Are you joking?’ It was kind of a last-minute trip, so I didn’t really tell anyone because I didn’t know — when they said audience, it could be 1,000 people outside, which would have been unbelievable, but I didn’t realize I was actually going to have the opportunity to shake his hand.”

    The group attended mass at St. Peter’s Basilica and toured the catacombs before meeting with Pope Leo. Siegrist got a photo shaking the pope’s hand — which she did have to pay for, like a Disneyland ride photo — and said it was a bucket list moment, which “rejuvenated” her Catholic faith.

    Pope Leo XIV wears a Villanova hat gifted to him during a meeting with an Italian heritage group in June.

    Pope Leo frequently goes viral for his White Sox fandom and has been pictured in Villanova hats on multiple occasions since assuming his new role. But even with a group from Villanova in the building, Siegrist said he was careful to stay impartial.

    “He’s not biased at all,” Siegrist said. “I’ve seen a few pictures of Villanova hats and stuff. I think he addressed that. Dr. [Barbara] Wall was on the trip, she was one of his professors, so that was pretty cool to be with her during that moment. He knew there was a small group from Villanova at the conference, I think about 20-25 people. Such a cool experience. I really don’t even remember what I said in the moment. You just get so starstruck. You’re so nervous.”