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  • Three wishes for the Union heading into a massive year for soccer in America

    Three wishes for the Union heading into a massive year for soccer in America

    It’s quite remarkable, really.

    For five out of the last six seasons, the Union have been the class of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. In those six seasons, the team has earned two Supporters’ Shield titles, five MLS playoff appearances, and in 2022 came close to winning arguably one of the best MLS Cup finals ever.

    It’s even more incredible when you realize that the franchise has done so with an ownership and front office that have been reluctant to spend any more than they have to, wallowing near the bottom of the league in terms of payroll while consistently being among the leaders in the Eastern Conference.

    It’s like that scene in Moneyball when Billy Beane, portrayed by Brad Pitt, asks owner Stephen Schott for a little more money to support championship aspirations. In the case of the Union, owner Jay Sugarman has played the role of Schott to perfection, while the team’s fans could be perceived collectively as Beane, asking for a little more star power to fuel the team to a title.

    Union chairman and majority owner Jay Sugarman has been stubborn on spending to bring in top talent. But results have shown he doesn’t have to.

    It’s been a stubborn approach that has proved successful enough to keep fans interested and engaged. And just like the way Beane’s Oakland team set a modern-day baseball record by winning 20 straight games on a shoestring budget, the Union lifted a trophy by knowing what they had and how much more they were willing to spend, and hiring a coach eager to prove his methods are championship-caliber.

    Although the Union lost a pair of key pieces this offseason following the departures of forward Tai Baribo to D.C. United and longtime defender Jakob Glesnes to the Los Angeles Galaxy, there’s a belief that the team can go even further this season.

    To kick-start a generation of city kids playing soccer, it will take more than just a place to play

    Their roster supports that claim — but Philly fans will be the first to remind anyone within earshot that a team on paper means very little around here.

    The proof is in what the product can consistently produce on the field. Said proof arrives in a little over two weeks as the Union return to Marbella, Spain, on Jan. 17 to kick off their preseason.

    The Union will play in 2026 without without Tai Baribo (center) and Jakob Glesnes (right), both MLS All-Stars in 2025 who were traded in the offseason.

    It’s also going to be a massive year for soccer in Philadelphia as one of 11 cities in the United States scheduled to host matches in the FIFA World Cup. So much soccer on the horizon will have an impact on the local team. Increased exposure for Philly as a soccer city can only benefit a team coming off one of its best seasons in recent history — assuming the Union can replicate it.

    If there was a crystal ball, genie, or whatever else is used to grant a wish for the new year, these are the three that probably are top of mind for most Union fans.

    Wish No. 1: Win something big

    There are 14 teams in Major League Soccer that have never won an MLS Cup — and seven of those teams were expansion clubs that arrived after the Union kicked off play in 2010.

    If there’s an original seven of sorts, the Union are among them. In a poll of Union fans on social media, one of the biggest responses was for the team to win a major trophy. This year, they have a chance to win three: Along with chasing an MLS title, they’ll have an opportunity to lift the Concacaf Champions Cup and the Leagues Cup.

    The USMNT, USWNT, and your kid’s youth team are all different. U.S. Soccer is fine with that.

    The Union will not be one of the 16 MLS clubs taking part in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup because of their Champions Cup berth, so the Leagues Cup, the competition in which MLS clubs face off against Liga MX teams, will be a third chance to take home some hardware.

    A title of any sort beyond boasting the league’s best regular-season record would go a long way in validating the Union’s philosophy and a coach eager to win big.

    Wish No. 2: Spend more money

    The Union have never been in the business of spending money on high-priced players. To their credit, they’ve arguably been the most successful MLS club to prove that the notion of building a roster around superstar talent isn’t a surefire way to success.

    However, the obvious problem with that idea is that it’s very hard to win it all without an anchor to guide you to the promised land, in this case an MLS Cup title, Champions Cup trophy, or even a Leagues Cup or Open Cup crown.

    This past season proved that bolstering a team around top talent can forge a championship as Miami, led by Lionel Messi — who, yes, just happens to be one of the greatest players on the planet — is the latest defending champion, with Messi collecting Most Valuable Player honors in both the regular season and in the title game.

    Wish No. 3: Take advantage of the World Cup

    The World Cup is one of the best possible opportunities for exposure. From the Union’s standpoint, they have a front-row seat to watching players from 48 nations, many of whom might be playing in lesser leagues. This is a chance for them to raise their stock and become an attractive move for a club full of talent but devoid of a go-to star (as yes, the jury is still out on 20-year-old newcomer Ezekiel Alladoh). Big tournaments allow players to showcase their talents and they allow clubs to get a look without having to tap their recruiting budget to find them.

    Ezekiel Alladoh signs his new Union contract at the team’s practice facility on Dec. 3.

    On the flip side, players want to come to an attractive club and in this sport, like so many others, you’re only as good as your last game. If the Union can replicate the success they had in the 2025 season (especially that stretch from mid-April to late June when they ran through teams in all competitions, setting a club-record 11-game unbeaten streak), then that’s when love affairs tend to become mutual.

    Also, a successful club entices interested parties to invest, and I don’t see a world where Sugarman isn’t going to listen to those interested in a minority ownership — or dare we even suggest that after 15 years as the primary funder of this franchise, entertain offers from those who might want to take the task off his hands.

    Going into the World Cup as one of MLS’s best teams when the eyes of the world are on America opens up a lot of possibilities. The last one might sound wild to envision — but it’s not out of the realm of reality.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Union soccer right here!
  • From the Eagles’ Super Bowl win to the Phillies’ bitter end, let’s look back at 2025 in Philly sports

    From the Eagles’ Super Bowl win to the Phillies’ bitter end, let’s look back at 2025 in Philly sports

    Dave Barry, arguably the funniest columnist ever and certainly the funniest Haverford College alumnus ever, has a tradition. Every December, he writes a piece in which he reviews everything that happened over the previous calendar year. Some of the things are true. Some of them are kinda true. All of them are hilarious.

    Barry got his start in journalism at the West Chester Daily Local News, was almost hired by The Inquirer in 1983, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988, and has written more than 40 books, including a terrific memoir, Class Clown, that was published in May. (Dave, when you update the “Acknowledgments” section for the paperback edition, it’s S-I-E-L-S-K-I.) So in honor of a great writer with strong local ties, let’s close out 2025 with a look back at the year in Philadelphia sports.

    January

    The year got off to a rough start when Howard Eskin, the Edward R. Murrow of autograph seekers, lost his very important job of telling everyone how awesome the Eagles are. Tanner McKee started the team’s final regular-season game and played well against the Giants, proving that he is better than Jalen Hurts, Tom Brady, and Joe Montana combined. Nevertheless, coach Nick Sirianni insisted on starting Hurts in the Eagles’ first playoff game, which led to wide receiver A.J. Brown’s decision to sit on the sideline and read a book called Magic in the Air, which was written by some hack from the suburbs. Hurts shook off his two tepid performances against the Packers and the Rams to play brilliantly in the NFC championship game against the Commanders, who aided him by refusing to cover any receivers or tackle Saquon Barkley.

    A.J. Brown plays football and has impeccable taste in literature.

    Meanwhile, the Sixers played 17 games in the month and lost 11 of them, which cut into the listenership for Paul George’s podcast. But on the bright side, Penn State lost a close game to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals, inspiring optimism that James Franklin finally would guide the Nittany Lions to a national championship the following season.

    February

    Speculation of a pro-Chiefs conspiracy among NFL officials swirled in the run-up to Super Bowl LIX, but those rumors were put to rest once Patrick Mahomes conspired to throw the ball to Cooper DeJean and Zack Baun throughout the first half. The Eagles thumped Kansas City, 40-22, prompting Brady to provide no discernable analysis on the telecast other than shouting “WOW!” after every significant play. At the Super Bowl parade, Eagles vice president Howie Roseman was struck in the head by a full can of beer. He immediately found the fan who threw the beer and signed him to a three-year, cap-friendly contract. On WIP, Spike Eskin argued that the fan should start ahead of Hurts.

    March meant a pink slip for Flyers coach John Tortorella.

    March

    The Phillies began the 2025 season with three wins in their first four games and the expectation that, if the team did not win the World Series, fans would storm Citizens Bank Park, bind and gag team president Dave Dombrowski, and throw him into the Schuylkill. Villanova’s men’s basketball team lost in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament and fired coach Kyle Neptune, which reminded everyone that Kyle Neptune had been coaching Villanova’s men’s basketball team. The Flyers lost 11 times in a 12-game stretch and fired coach John Tortorella, which reminded everyone that Philadelphia used to have a hockey team.

    Brandon Graham said he was retiring after 15 years with the Eagles. Yep. He said that. There was a news conference and everything.

    Aaron Nola elicited deep concern in April.

    April

    Aaron Nola lost four consecutive starts for the Phillies, which raised the concern that fans would storm Citizens Bank Park, bind and gag him, and throw him into the Schuylkill. Coaches and executives around the NFL began lobbying the league to ban the Tush Push. The Eagles responded by encouraging their offensive linemen to stop blocking altogether — a strategy they carried into the 2025 season. The team then drafted Jihaad Campbell, the first time that the Eagles had selected a linebacker in the first round since 1979 … two years before their head coach was born. Seriously.

    Big Five Hall of Fame induction continues to elude Pope Leo XIV.

    May

    A busy time. The Flyers hired Rick Tocchet as their new head coach, which prompted several 55-year-old South Jersey women to dig their TOCCHET, ZEZEL, and MELLANBY jerseys out of mothballs and start wearing them again.

    The Phillies won nine straight games, but bad news marred their hot streak. Major League Baseball suspended closer José Alvarado for 80 games and ruled him ineligible for the postseason after a drug test revealed he had not told gamblers that he was using a banned substance. Nola gave up 12 hits and nine earned runs over 3⅔ innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, after which the Phillies placed him on the injured list. Then Jesús Luzardo gave up 12 hits and 12 earned runs over 3⅓ innings against the Milwaukee Brewers, which raised the concern that fans would storm Citizens Bank Park and insist that Nola pitch again.

    DeJean and his fellow Eagles defensive back Reed Blankenship launched their podcast, Exciting Whites, which immediately rocketed up the audience rankings in Mayfair, Somerton, and Ridley Township. The College of Cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost, a Villanova alumnus, as the new Pope. In his first declaration as Pope Leo XIV, Prevost announced that “V for Villanova” would become the official Communion hymn for every Catholic Mass in the United States, replacing “Taste and See,” “Eat This Bread,” and the ever popular “One Bread, One Body.”

    The Sixers drafted VJ Edgecombe and everyone blindly trusted that the franchise made the correct choice.

    June

    The Indiana Pacers’ remarkable run to Game 7 of the NBA Finals — thanks in large part to T.J. McConnell — reminded Sixers fans of those halcyon days when the team tanked for three years to acquire a 5-10 backup point guard who might someday lead them to an almost-championship. Things got better once the Sixers selected VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick in the draft, allowing them to phase out Joel Embiid and George with a roster made up entirely of guards who were 6-4 or shorter.

    The Flyers used their first-round pick on a promising winger, Porter Mantone, though fans remained disappointed that neither Tocchet, general manager Danny Brière, nor team president Keith Jones would be suiting up for the team himself.

    Jalen Hurts and the Eagles did not win a single game in July.

    July

    The WNBA announced that Philadelphia would get an expansion franchise in 2030, provided that the WNBA still exists in 2030. The NCAA announced that it would keep the March Madness field at 68, quelling any remaining hope that any Big 5 team would ever qualify for the Tournament again. At the MLB trade deadline, the Phillies acquired Harrison Bader, who immediately became their best player, and Jhoan Duran, who immediately increased their in-game pyrotechnic production costs by 250%.

    The Eagles began training camp, and Hurts laid out the team’s message for the season: “We are focused on 2025. We’re acting like we didn’t just win the Super Bowl. We’ve forgotten that we won the Super Bowl. You either win or you learn. We are keeping the main thing the thing that is mainly the thing that we think is, in the main, what we want to be doing. What is the Super Bowl anyway? What is soup? What are bowls? Who am I? Why am I here?”

    Kyle Schwarber (right, with Bryce Harper) heated up the Philadelphia summer.

    August

    Kyle Schwarber became the 21st player in major-league history to hit four home runs in a game, raising questions about whether the Phillies would re-sign him in the offseason — questions that Dombrowski dispelled: “Kyle is an elite power hitter. He’s the most elite hitter we have. He’s the elitist elite hitter around. Got all that, Bryce?”

    Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced that they were engaged and that their wedding ceremony would be streamed live on the New Heights podcast. That way, someone would finally have a reason to listen to a full episode of the New Heights podcast.

    Jalen Carter’s one magic loogie earned him an early trip to the locker room.

    September

    Seconds into the Eagles’ season opener, Jalen Carter spat on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Carter was ejected from the game and, via referendum, elected mayor of Philadelphia. The Eagles won their first four games, which everyone agreed was awful, just like A.J. Brown said on Twitter/X.

    Before the ninth inning of a Phillies-Nationals game at Citizens Bank Park, Duran set himself on fire and jogged to the pitcher’s mound, where he sacrificed a goat to what he later called “the mighty spider god who gives me strength.” He then gave up two runs for his first blown save.

    After manager Rob Thomson benched him, outfielder Nick Castellanos complained that Thomson didn’t communicate well. When asked to respond to Castellanos’ comments, Thomson shrugged and said, “Welp.”

    Orion Kerkering could have done without all of that.

    October

    A not-so-great month. The Phillies lost in the National League Division Series when a Dodgers batter hit a ground ball back to the mound and reliever Orion Kerkering passed out. The Eagles lost back-to-back games to the Broncos and Giants. To adjust to their team’s limitations, Sirianni and new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo decided that Hurts would be forbidden from throwing a pass after halftime for the rest of the season. Penn State fired James Franklin after losses to Oregon, UCLA, Northwestern, Archbishop Ryan, and the Lenape Valley 10U Pop Warner team.

    The silver lining? Brandon Graham — surprise! — came out of retirement to rejoin the Eagles.

    Jalen Hurts and Kevin Patullo are pleased to give Eagles fans something to discuss.

    November

    The media who cover the Eagles grappled with a simple question: Does the offense stink because of A) Jalen Hurts, B) Kevin Patullo, or C) Yes? The Eagles then squandered a 21-point lead in losing to the Cowboys and got pushed around in losing to the Bears, leading NFL experts to wonder whether a team coached by Sirianni and quarterbacked by Hurts could ever win anything of consequence.

    Tocchet faced withering criticism from Flyers fans for limiting the ice time of Matvei Michkov, who showed up for training camp weighing 350 pounds and having forgotten how to skate. The Sixers got off to an excellent start as Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey showed they could form the franchise’s best backcourt since Isaiah Canaan and Ish Smith.

    The Flyers are good again and we all saw it coming.

    December

    The Phillies re-signed Schwarber for too many years and too much money for a 32-year-old designated hitter, handing him a contract that will prevent them from breaking down the roster and beginning the 15-year rebuild that any true fan would really want. In response to Dombrowski’s assertion that he was “not elite,” Harper began a new offseason training program similar to Robert De Niro’s in Cape Fear.

    The Flyers finished the month in third place in the Metropolitan Division and on pace to make the playoffs, disappointing those fans who hated the idea of tanking right up until the Flyers stopped tanking. Maxey and Edgecombe kept up their fine play for the Sixers, and Villanova won 10 of its first 12 games, even though no one, not even new coach Kevin Willard, could identify a single player on the Wildcats’ roster.

    In a possible Super Bowl preview, the Eagles beat the Buffalo Bills despite scoring one point and racking up negative-19 yards of total offense. Sirianni then chose to have most of the Eagles’ starters sit out the team’s regular-season finale, because if 2026 turns out to be anything like 2025, everyone is going to need some rest.

  • VJ Edgecombe’s short career is full of milestones. The Sixers think there are more to come.

    VJ Edgecombe’s short career is full of milestones. The Sixers think there are more to come.

    DALLAS — Maybe the 76ers should have listened to VJ Edgecombe sooner.

    With 18.3 seconds left in Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, coach Nick Nurse drew up a play with two options for the Sixers (17-14). The first option was for Tyrese Maxey to score a layup. But if Maxey drew a double team, he was instructed to dish the ball to Edgecombe, who would take the shot.

    The latter happened as Edgecombe’s defender left him to trap Maxey. And the No. 3 pick in June’s NBA draft buried a 25-foot three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime to give the Sixers a 139-136 victory at FedEx Forum.

    “VJ has been telling us for probably, like, three weeks that he deserves to get to shoot one game-winner,” Maxey said. “Like, at the end of the game, like, ‘Everybody has shot one! Let me shoot one!’ He shot one, and he made it.”

    Sixers takeaways: Edgecombe steals the show, staggering Embiid and Maxey, and more from OT win vs. Grizzlies

    This was actually the second game-winning basket Edgecombe has made during the first 27 games of his professional career. The first one occurred on Dec. 4 against the Golden State Warriors at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    He scored on a putback with 0.9 seconds left after Golden State’s De’Anthony Melton blocked Maxey’s shot. After that play, Maxey blocked Melton’s layup attempt at the buzzer, enabling the Sixers to escape with a 99-98 victory. But that was more of an athletic play by Edgecombe, who was in the right place at the right time.

    Tuesday’s effort showed that Edgecombe can be trusted to close out games. And his teammates are not surprised that he made the shot or that he dared to take it.

    “I said, ‘OK.’ I trust him,” Maxey said of Edgecombe asking for his number to be called. “Even that play, at first we were going to go 4-flat. I said, ‘Listen, let’s try something. Come up, set a screen, see if they put two on the ball. If they put two on the ball, slip out, shoot the three, and make it.’ And that’s what happened.”

    With VJ Edgecombe guarding him, Jalen Brunson was held to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half of the Sixers’ Dec. 19 victory over the New York Knicks.

    Joel Embiid thinks Edgecombe’s desire to attempt a game-winner was normal, especially given the looks others get on the team.

    “So everybody’s always bound to have that big moment,” Embiid said. ”It’s another thing to make it. … Then tonight, he made shots to give us the win.”

    Edgecombe finished with 25 points while making five three-pointers. He carried the Sixers in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points before adding the game-winner on his lone basket in overtime.

    The shooting guard, who starred last season at Baylor, has a knack for producing in the clutch for the Sixers, even on the rare nights when he struggles for three quarters.

    “We’re blessed to have him. Super,” Maxey said. “Thank you, basketball gods, Lord, Baylor, I don’t know. Daryl Morey. Everybody.”

    Edgecombe has made Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, look like a genius.

    The 20-year-old showed that he can be an elite scorer by producing 34 points on 13-for-26 shooting to go with seven rebounds in the Sixers’ 117-116 season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.

    Jared McCain has physically healed. But he’s not rushing the on-court results.

    He also exhibited the ability to be a lockdown defender, with his stellar effort guarding New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson in a 116-107 victory at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 19. Brunson, a two-time All-Star, finished with 22 points on 7-for-22 shooting and missed 6 of 7 three-pointers. With Edgecombe guarding him, the former Villanova standout was held to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half.

    And on Tuesday, Edgecombe showed that he can be a closer.

    Now, he and the Sixers turn their attention to a New Year’s Day game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Embiid is listed as probable for the matchup against the Mavs (12-22) with a sprained right ankle and right knee injury management. His absence from the game would create more scoring opportunities for Edgecombe.

    Edgecombe outperformed No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg in their first meeting, finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists in a 121-114 victory on Dec. 20 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The prior matchup against Dallas was Edgecombe’s fourth straight game with at least 22 points, tying Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel for the longest such streak by a rookie this season.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe has been mentored by the Warriors’ Buddy Hield (left).

    Edgecombe is clearly off to a fast start. So what’s his potential?

    “He’s 20. Let him figure it out,” Maxey said. “I’m not going to put a cap on him. People tried to put a cap on me, and now we’re here. So, who knows? It’s up to him. How much does he want to work? Who does he want to become?”

    For now, they’re enjoying the season the poised Bahamian is producing.

    “A game-winner for a rookie is pretty good,” Nurse said. “He’s made some big shots and big plays this season. He’s kind of even-keeled all the time. He never shows a lot of emotion, and that’s an incredible quality to have. He just goes and plays the game.”

  • Villanova rallies past DePaul for Big East victory

    Villanova rallies past DePaul for Big East victory

    Tyler Perkins and Bryce Lindsay scored 19 points apiece in Villanova’s 71-66 win against DePaul on Wednesday.

    Perkins had seven rebounds for the Wildcats (11-2, 2-0 Big East Conference) and Lindsay shot 7 for 17 overall, including 5 for 10 from beyond the arc. Duke Brennan shot 3 of 5 from the field and 3 of 7 from the free-throw line to finish with nine points.

    The Blue Demons (8-6, 0-3) were led by CJ Gunn, who posted 15 points and seven rebounds. DePaul also got 13 points from Layden Blocker. RJ Smith had 11 points.

    Lindsay scored 10 points in the first half as Villanova went into the break trailing 32-28. Villanova used a 13-2 second-half run to erase a two-point deficit, and gave the Wildcats a 69-60 lead with 1:45 remaining in the game. Perkins scored 11 second-half points.

    The Wildcats next will visit Butler in another Big East game, Saturday at noon (TNT).

  • Jalen Hurts says he trusts Eagles coaches with sit-or-start decision — and the offense’s direction

    Jalen Hurts says he trusts Eagles coaches with sit-or-start decision — and the offense’s direction

    For the first time in four months, Jalen Hurts is expected to watch Sunday’s game from the sideline.

    The perimeter of the gridiron isn’t necessarily the vantage point the Eagles quarterback enjoys. But with the playoffs looming, Nick Sirianni is expected to rest most of his key starters for the regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, even with the NFC’s No. 2 seed up for grabs.

    Kevin Patullo on struggles of Eagles offense: ’It never comes down to one thing.’

    That choice is out of Hurts’ hands. And he says he has faith in those decision-makers that they’re making the right one.

    “Just giving my trust to the coaches and trusting their plans and everything that we do,” Hurts said Wednesday. “Obviously, I’m very competitive. Every opportunity we have, we want to take advantage of and try and go out there and compete at a high level. So if that opportunity is given to us this week, I’ll have that mentality, just as I had last week.”

    That trust extends beyond Sirianni’s decision. For all of the ups and downs the Eagles offense has experienced this season, Hurts emphasized the trust he has in the coaching staff to put the players in advantageous situations going forward.

    Sunday’s 13-12 win over the Buffalo Bills was a microcosm of the offense’s inconsistency this season. The group had a solid start in the first half, then cobbled together just 17 yards in 17 plays in the second.

    Jalen Hurts and the offense had a miserable second half in Sunday’s win at Buffalo.

    The Eagles couldn’t recover from their inefficiency on early downs in the second half. They punted on all five second-half possessions, outside of the final kneel down.

    Following the early-December mini-bye in the aftermath of the loss to the Chicago Bears, Hurts said the sequencing of the offense from seasons past was one of the details he focused on in his film study. But as evidenced by Sunday night’s performance, an inefficient first down is going to make it more difficult on offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to sequence the ensuing plays.

    While Hurts acknowledged he has opinions and even a degree of influence over the sequencing of plays, he said it’s not his primary focus.

    “As a quarterback, you want to go out there and purely focus on executing what’s called and doing that,” Hurts said. “We all have a feel for the rhythm of a game and how it flows. And I think as a unit, you don’t want to speak from a place of divisiveness or anything, but we are what we are, and we have what we have, and we’ve got a great opportunity in front of us, and so everybody’s working together to try and figure those things out.

    “Ultimately, trusting my teammates to go out there and make plays. We’ve got to master the material. We’ve got to know what to do. We’ve got to know where to line up and operate efficiently and control the things we can, and then, from a coaching standpoint, I trust our coaches to go out there and put us in good positions.”

    Every year, Hurts is required to reestablish that sense of trust with his offensive play caller, which this season is Patullo. Hurts has had a revolving door of offensive play callers since he was drafted in 2020 (and even before that as a college player at Oklahoma and Alabama).

    One of his constant companions as an Eagle has been Tanner McKee, the 25-year-old backup who is expected to start Sunday for the first time this season. Since the Eagles drafted McKee in 2023, he has been a valued sounding board for Hurts.

    “I think the conversations, the dialogue, those things are very important in the quarterback room,” Hurts said. “And considering he’s been a constant in the room for the last three years he’s been here, being able to go through some of those changes together and process those things and take the coaching and go out there and play — I think that’s very beneficial.”

    For now, the focus is on preparing McKee and the rest of the backups for the Commanders. But in just two weeks, Hurts is slated to return to action as the playoffs begin.

    Three reassuring Eagles stats, and three reasons to worry ahead of the NFL playoffs

    It’s a stage he knows well, having appeared in the postseason in every year since he’s been the starter. That experience, Hurts said, is the biggest teacher, especially for an offense that has “played ball together” dating back to last season.

    Can that experience provide a spark in the playoffs? Despite the inconsistency that has defined the offense this year, Hurts is optimistic about the opportunity ahead.

    “For everything it’s been this year, we’ve got a great opportunity in front of us,” Hurts said. “And that’s not saying that in a bad way. We’ve done a lot of special things this year. We’ve set a high standard for ourselves. And when you’ve had the level of success you have that comes with it, ultimately, nothing else matters.

    “As we play through this week and prepare through this week and then enter the tournament, it’s 0-0 for everyone. And so the mentality is just go find a way to win.”

  • Penn beats NJIT, 80-61, as AJ Levine comes up with seven steals

    Penn beats NJIT, 80-61, as AJ Levine comes up with seven steals

    Michael Zanoni scored 23 points Wednesday to lift Penn to an 80-61 victory against New Jersey Institute of Technology at the Palestra.

    AJ Levine posted seven steals for Penn, which put the game away with a 17-0 run early in the second half. Levin’s seven steals were the most by a Quakers player since Ibby Jaaber had seven against Navy on Dec. 7, 2006.

    Zanoni made 8 of 15 shots including 5 of 11 from beyond the arc for the Quakers (7-6). Levine scored 19 points and added five rebounds. Augustus Gerhart made 6 of 8 shots and finished with 16 points, adding nine rebounds.

    David Bolden tallied 18 points to lead the Highlanders (5-10).

    The Quakers will begin Ivy League play on Monday at 7 p.m. in a road game against Princeton.

  • Flyers trade Egor Zamula to Pittsburgh for forward Philip Tomasino

    Flyers trade Egor Zamula to Pittsburgh for forward Philip Tomasino

    In professional sports, there can be a litany of reasons to make a trade, from a player being a bad fit to trying to upgrade the roster for a playoff push to a rebuilding team cashing in on a player’s value for future assets. Then there are “change-of-scenery” trades, in which teams swap players who are stuck in their organizations to see if a fresh start can benefit everyone.

    Wednesday’s Egor Zamula-for-Philip Tomasino trade between the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins is a prime example of a change-of-scenery deal. Zamula, 25, recently cleared waivers and has not played for the Flyers since Dec. 7, while the 24-year-old Tomasino, a 2019 first-round pick, has been buried in the minors since clearing waivers in November.

    Flyers’ Egor Zamula cleared waivers and will be assigned to Lehigh Valley

    Zamula’s days in Philly had been numbered, especially since Rasmus Ristolainen returned from a triceps tendon injury on Dec. 16. The Russian defenseman was placed on waivers two days later but cleared and was sent to Lehigh Valley. Canada’s Sportsnet had also mentioned Zamula as a potential trade or buyout candidate in recent weeks.

    Originally signed by the Flyers in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, Zamula has seen his career stall at the same time that other defensemen in the organization passed him. Once considered one of the organization’s top defensive prospects, he was often criticized by both John Tortorella and Rick Tocchet for not playing and processing the game quickly enough despite his skating and puck-moving abilities. It had become increasingly obvious in recent weeks that Zamula had become a surplus player and that he was seeking a fresh start to try and prove he is an everyday NHL defenseman.

    It turns out that fresh start will come just 300 miles across the state in Pittsburgh with the rival Penguins. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Zamula leaves the Flyers having tallied eight goals and 41 points with 48 penalty minutes in 168 NHL games across six seasons. He had five goals, 51 points, and 38 penalty minutes in 130 American Hockey League games for Lehigh Valley during the same time frame. This season, Zamula posted one assist in 13 games for the Flyers.

    Like Zamula, Tomasino, who can play center or wing, will welcome a change of scenery as he tries to get back into the NHL. The native of Mississauga, Ontario, and former hotshot prospect has been playing with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins since November and has five goals and 15 points in 14 games since going down to the AHL. Tomasino, who was acquired from Nashville in November 2024 for a fourth-round pick, had one assist in nine games for the Pens before his demotion.

    New Flyer Philip Tomasino scored last February against the Flyers.

    In 218 NHL games split between Nashville and Pittsburgh, Tomasino has potted 34 goals and added 61 assists for 95 points. His best season came as a rookie in 2021-22 when he tallied 11 goals and 32 points in 76 games as a 20-year-old. Tomasino scored 11 goals and had 23 points in 50 games for the Penguins last season following the trade.

    He is best known for his skating ability, as he has good speed and can provide offense on the rush. Tomasino’s also a skilled puck handler and has some deception with his shot. But his details away from the puck and a lack of strength have made him a “tweener” to this point in his career, as he hasn’t popped enough offensively to be in an NHL top six, nor is he a perfect fit on an energy third line.

    While Tomasino’s draft pedigree might suggest there is some untapped potential, that remains to be seen from someone who is joining his third organization in 13 months. For now, he will report directly to Lehigh Valley, although it wouldn’t be shocking to see him in the NHL this season in a depth role if injuries mount. The forward is a restricted free agent at season’s end and is currently on a one-year, $1.75 million contract.

    Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim makes Canada’s Olympic roster for Milan

    Tomasino represents the latest buy-low depth trade made by Flyers general manager Danny Brière. In October, Brière acquired winger Carl Grundström in a deal that saw the team rid itself of Ryan Ellis’ contract, and also flipped former second-rounder Samu Tuomaala for defenseman Christian Kyrou. Grundström has been a revelation for the Flyers with seven goals in 12 games from a depth role, while Kyrou has provided a huge boost to the blue line in Lehigh Valley with 14 points in 21 games.

    While there’s always a chance Tomasino could become the organization’s latest reclamation project — see Owen Tippet, Sean Walker, Trevor Zegras, and Dan Vladař — for now Tomasino will slide into the top six in Lehigh Valley, which recently lost Alex Bump to injury and Grundström and Denver Barkey to the NHL club.

  • Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore accused of domestic assault

    Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore accused of domestic assault

    New England Patriots defensive lineman Christian J. Barmore is facing a domestic assault and battery charge after his girlfriend told police he threw her to the ground in August at his home outside Boston.

    A criminal complaint issued Dec. 18 claims Barmore, 26, briefly took the woman’s phone, threw her to the ground, and grabbed her by the shirt inside the home in Mansfield, Mass.

    Mansfield Police Sgt. John Armstrong said the woman called police on Aug. 25 to report what had occurred almost three weeks earlier. The woman told police she had stayed at the home periodically during their relationship of several years.

    Barmore was a second-round draft pick in 2021 out of Alabama. He starred in high school at Lincoln before transferring to Neumann Goretti.

    Barmore’s lawyer, David Meier, issued a statement Wednesday saying “the evidence will demonstrate that no criminal conduct took place.” Meier called it a personal matter and said he expected it to be “resolved in the near future and both parties will move forward together.”

    Jets quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass under pressure from New England’s Christian Barmore on Nov. 13.

    The woman told police she took their daughter early the morning of Aug. 8 into Barmore’s bedroom, where Barmore was upset because the thermostat was 2 degrees warmer than he preferred. She said their daughter wanted to see him.

    She claimed Barmore “picked up the child, placed her on the floor just outside the master bedroom, turned back into the room and slammed the door shut,” according to police.

    As the woman packed her belongings to leave later in the day, Barmore took the phone from her hand and disconnected a call with the woman’s mother, according to the criminal complaint. When she headed for the front door to call for help, police said, Barmore allegedly “grabbed her before she could and threw her to the floor.”

    Barmore grabbed her by the shirt but “eventually let go” and the woman got up, she told police. A car provided by the team picked up the woman and their daughter and drove them to Delaware. She provided police with a photo showing bruises she said occurred when she was thrown to the floor.

    New England coach Mike Vrabel said that Barmore was away from the team with an illness Wednesday but that he hadn’t heard anything that would make him unavailable to play Sunday.

    “We’ve made a statement and we’ve taken the allegations very seriously,” Vrabel said, referring to allegations against both Barmore and receiver Stefon Diggs. Diggs has been charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery in a dispute with his former private chef.

    “I don’t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now. Let the process take its toll,” Vrabel said.

    An arraignment was scheduled for early February. The charge is a misdemeanor.

    The team’s public relations office e-mailed a statement saying it had been aware of the matter when it occurred and notified the league.

    “The matter remains part of an ongoing legal process. We will respect that process, continue to monitor the situation closely, as we have over the past few months, and cooperate fully with the league,” the Patriots said.

  • Jason Kelce: ‘I feel good about Round 1,’ Caitlin Clark discusses the NFL playoff picture, and more from ‘New Heights’

    Jason Kelce: ‘I feel good about Round 1,’ Caitlin Clark discusses the NFL playoff picture, and more from ‘New Heights’

    Entering Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, the Eagles were riding high after consecutive wins over the Las Vegas Raiders and the Washington Commanders. There still were plenty of concerns, though, regarding how they would look against a good team led by former league MVP and four-time Pro Bowler Josh Allen.

    The Eagles responded to those concerns with a 13-12 win over the Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. Former Eagles center Jason Kelce praised the team for the win on the latest episode of New Heights.

    “I mean, it’s a great win,” Kelce said. “For the Eagles to go into Buffalo and win this game, it just shows how good the Eagles are. Do you know how tough it is to beat the best team in the AFC — some people are saying — do you know how hard it is to beat that team when you don’t get a single pass completion in the second half? Do you know how hard that is? That’s how good the Eagles are. That’s how good we are, Philadelphia.”

    Of course, the win didn’t come without drama. After the Eagles took a 13-0 lead in the first half, the offense went silent in the second half. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley was held to 68 yards on 19 carries against one of the worst run defenses in the league.

    “It was a very frustrating game to watch offensively, to say the least,” Kelce said. “The Eagles have been trending better in running the ball, right? They did well against the Raiders; they did well against the Commanders. This was a chance to do it against a team that is going to be in the playoffs.

    “It was not a great performance, collectively, up front, to be honest with you. And that was — it’s frustrating, as a former offensive lineman, a guy in that room that knows how good all those players are. We’ve got to do better than this, boys.”

    After scoring a touchdown with five seconds left, Bills had a chance to send the game into overtime with an extra point or effectively end it with a two-point conversion. They chose the latter, and Allen missed his open man in the end zone to seal an Eagles win.

    The stifling Eagles defense got Jason Kelce’s attention.

    Despite the offensive struggles, the Eagles defense remained a bright spot vs. the Bills. They had five sacks and limited NFL rushing leader James Cook to 74 yards on 20 carries.

    “The defense played out of their mind,” Kelce said. “That’s the positive coming out of this thing.”

    The Eagles now prepare to host the Commanders to end the regular season. However, the Birds are expected to rest Jalen Hurts and the starters — a decision with which Kelce seems to agree.

    Cooper DeJean’s bromance with Reed Blankenship, preparing for Josh Allen, and more ‘Hard Knocks’ highlights

    “[In 2023], we decided to go out against [the] New York [Giants in Week 18] because we wanted to get some momentum going offensively because we weren’t playing great,” Kelce said. “And we ended up getting A.J. Brown hurt to where he couldn’t play in the playoff game. Jalen [Hurts] got his finger banged up. Like, it was catastrophic. So I am fully on board with do not risk getting anybody … anybody that you’re not going to be happy about missing in that playoff game, sit them on the bench. Unless you have the chance to get the No. 1 seed, I don’t give a crap who you’re playing, take the rest when you can get it.”

    Caitlin Clark expressed her admiration for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on the “New Heights” podcast.

    Playoff picture with Caitlin Clark

    Caitlin Clark made her highly anticipated return to New Heights to discuss her new Nike advertisement, her signature shoe, and the NFL playoff picture. The two-time WNBA All-Star asked Kelce who he likes in the playoffs besides the Birds.

    “I really liked the Rams until [Monday] night,” Kelce said. “The first half was kind of the first weakness that I kind of saw from them. To their credit, they did bounce back and almost ended up winning there at the end. But, the Rams feel like they have the least questions of everybody that’s in the playoffs.

    “Like, everything kind of has an answer. They’re great on the offense. They’re great on the defensive line. They run the ball well. They stop the run. Their quarterback [Matthew Stafford] is a proven — already won a Super Bowl and been around for a long time. So it’s like that’s the kind of the team that I think probably is the safest one.”

    When asked about the Eagles’ chances, Kelce responded: “I think they’ll do better than people expect.”

    “I mean, I know that the offense struggled in the second half last week and it’s struggled at times this season, but their defense is so good,” Kelce said. “And whoever they get in this first round, they’re probably going to get a team — whether it’s the Rams, who have said they’re going to play their starters, or San Francisco will probably be it. There’s a chance they could be the No. 2 seed and play Green Bay. They’re going to get a team traveling from the West Coast all the way to the East Coast, and the Eagles are probably going to rest. So, I kind of feel good about Round 1. I feel like they’re so talented that they have a chance to beat anybody at this point.”

    Clark revealed that she doesn’t have a horse in the race. However, she is a fan of a certain young quarterback in the running for league MVP.

    “I mean, I’m not cheering for anybody,” Clark said. “Honestly, I’m a Drake Maye fan. I think he’s been incredible, and I think the Patriots are — I mean, what is it? The NFC, I mean they’re all so good. The 49ers are really good, but they’re the most injured team, but they just still find a way to win, which is pretty crazy. I mean, I’ll probably be pulling for the Patriots. But I think the Rams are really good, too. [The Seahawks’] Sam Darnold seems like a good guy. So I could root for him, too.”

  • Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim makes Canada’s Olympic roster for Milan

    Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim makes Canada’s Olympic roster for Milan

    CALGARY, Alberta ― On Monday, Flyers coach Rick Tocchet joked that he was signed to a nondisclosure agreement by Hockey Canada. Travis Sanheim said it has been radio silence on his end.

    But the writing has been on the wall since February, and now it’s official: Sanheim needs to brush up on his Italian because the Flyers defenseman will be playing for Canada at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.

    He was nervous and didn’t get much sleep, but getting the early call on Wednesday was worth it.

    “With the game last night [in Vancouver], we flew to Calgary and got in, I think it was just after 2 o’clock, and then my phone went off just before 8 local time,” Sanheim said via Zoom. “I was up pretty early, not a lot of sleep, and I usually have trouble after games anyway, and I was aware of that potential phone call coming.

    “So just the excitement level and receiving that, and it means to represent your country and be a part of something like the Olympics, and I’ll take the sleepless night to take a phone call like that.”

    Travis Sanheim has come a long way to reach the top with Canada: ‘Anything’s possible if you put your head down and go to work’

    It’s been quite a journey for Sanheim.

    The 29-year-old blueliner grew up on a grain farm in Elkhorn, Manitoba, a small town of less than 500 people — he has about 100 text messages to still get through from back home — and remembers watching Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. As a 13-year-old, Sanheim just wanted to make the NHL; he never expected to be lining up alongside the all-time great seeking a gold medal.

    However, Sanheim opened a lot of eyes at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. At first, the American and Canadian media questioned whether he even belonged, then he was a healthy scratch in the tournament opener. But in the end, he was manning the blue line on the opening shift of overtime in the championship game.

    “You see these players, you compete against these players, but you don’t really know until you have them. And I’ve always, I’ve really liked his game,” Canada coach Jon Cooper told The Inquirer in November as he tried not to show his cards while complimenting the defenseman with a gleam in his eye and a little smile.

    “I’m a big fan of big D that take up a lot of space, and can skate, and he can do all those things. But his ability to jump into plays, he’s got an offensive mind to him.”

    The 6-foot-4, 222-pound defenseman also has an edge as a minute-muncher with the versatility to play either the left or right side. He can kill penalties and, as seen lately, he can play on the power play in a pinch.

    Travis Sanheim celebrates after Canada’s victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off last February.

    “He’s a guy who can play 25 minutes; they’re hard to find, those guys. When he’s on his game, he’s a really tough defender. He wheels the net, good skater,” said Tocchet, an assistant coach on Cooper’s Canada staff. “All I remember from the 4 Nations, when he went in the lineup, he really played well. He impressed Pete DeBoer, the D coach there. He impressed a lot of those guys.”

    At 4 Nations, Sanheim was a little wide-eyed at Canada’s first practice in Brossard, Quebec. By the end, he had one assist in three games despite playing with three defensive partners.

    “You step on the ice, and you look around and [there’s] guys you idolize growing up, and guys who are superstars in this league, and you don’t think that you really belong out there,” Sanheim told The Inquirer on Monday. “A lot of nerves, and then you start playing and realize that you belong and that you can compete with these guys. You get into a game, and the competitiveness comes out, and it’s just like any other hockey game.

    “[I] just really enjoyed playing with those types of players, and they make the game really easy, and they don’t make too many bad decisions and are always in good spots. So you know, if you’re a smart player, I feel like they make it pretty easy to adjust to playing with that type of speed.”

    Jon Cooper discusses Travis Sanheim’s Olympic chances

    Sanheim has donned the maple leaf several times before, including at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2014 U18 World Championship, snagging a bronze medal at each tournament; the 2016 World Juniors; and, until last season, at the 2022 World Championships, winning silver. Aside from 4 Nations, he also played for Canada at the World Championships in May.

    “I was watching the reveal myself today, and just sitting there, as proud as could be that I was one of those names named,” he said on Zoom.

    “Just looking back a couple of years, and where my career has kind of come, and never thought that this day would happen. It just goes to show that the work and dedication that I’ve had and put into this game, and just trying to get better each and every day, and I still continue to do that.

    “[I] feel like I can continue to grow my game and to get me at the level that I’m at now, and be able to play in an Olympic Games is really special, and something that I never thought was possible.”

    Flyers winger Travis Konecny, who played alongside Sanheim with Canada at the 4 Nations, did not make the cut this time around.

    But Sanheim is not the only Flyer booking tickets to Italy. In addition to Tocchet, forward Rodrigo Ābols made Latvia’s roster. The expectation is that goalie Dan Vladař and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will be named to Czechia and Finland’s rosters, too. Sam Ersson is also in the mix for one of the three goalie spots with Sweden.

    While rosters are due to be submitted today, the United States, Sweden, and Finland will reveal their rosters on Friday. The NHL will break from Feb. 6-24 for the hockey tournament, which will be played exclusively in Milan from Feb. 11-22.

    Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim has been a workhorse for the Flyers over the past few seasons.