Extreme Philly Sports Forum

The most surprising name on this list is Dan Vladař in Philadelphia. After spending his first four NHL seasons as a backup in Calgary, the big Czech netminder signed with the Flyers this offseason for a chance to prove he’s more than that, then spent the summer working hard on his lateral movement. That’s typically an area of weakness for goalies his size, but Vladař has been noticeably quicker going side-to-side this season, and the results have been stellar.

Vladař’s improved lateral quickness has led to more highlight-reel saves on back-door passes. His .827 save percentage on high-danger shots around the net is his highest in four years, and his explosion off of his posts has been especially noticeable.

Heard that Vladar had hip surgery last season.  Healthy hip most likely helped with his lateral movement.  He appears to anticipate plays well, too.  Great sign by the Flyers.

Little knick-knack injury has Joel on the bench for the last 11 games.

An oblique isn't a knick-knack injury.  It regularly sidelines MLB players for 3-6 weeks depending on severity.   Its pretty common in baseball.  When he went down with it I knew it was going to be a while.

Fortunately, I have no experience with one.  So, it's not a knick-knack injury like the shin before it.  Then it's another example of something that just happens to Jo out of the blue.  Love the guy's skill but it's always something every season.  Can't imagine him staying healthy throughout a long playoff run when he hasn't even done it through the history of short ones.

Fly guys take down the Kings!

Playing with 11 forwards due to injury in the 2nd of a B2B with Ersson in goal on the road.

Trading AJ before June 1st is now an option

Right now the Eagles are weaker than they were going into FA.  They added a starting corner with a rep and nothing else.  The OL is weaker.  Trading Brown will really hurt the offense.   This looks  like it will be a down year but trading Brown will guarantee that.

People were saying the Eagles were doomed last year at this time as well after losing Sweat, Williams, etc.  Defense wasn't the problem in 2025.  That starting CB with a rep can play a lot better than Adoree Jackson & Kelle Ringo, that's for sure.  He just needs to stop with the antics after making a play.  Almost cost Seattle in the NFC Championship game.

I'd like for the Eagles to keep AJ if at all possible.  But if he's going to be an issue again, then it's time to move on.  It was only one game last season, but when AJ missed the Vikings game, Hurts had a perfect passer rating with 326 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs.

Howie's 1 year free agents have historically not panned out, but this year he's paying a little more to get guys who were analytically great on their prior teams.

Zack Baun & Mekhi Becton were key pieces to the Eagles SB LIX title.

Patrick Robinson, LeGarrette Blount, Alshon Jeffrey & Chris Long did the same for SB LII championship.

Although not winning SL LVII, James Bradberry, Linval Joseph & Ndamukong Suh helped the Eagles get there.  And I still maintain that was a BS call on Bradberry to seal it for the Chiefs.

lol it doesn’t matter, does it?

Championships don't matter?  Maybe the Aces titles you flaunt about.  But an NBA title is an accomplishment.

We give Ersson too much credit for simply being average in between the soft goals he gives up.

He's the lil teej of Flyers nation.

Does that mean you can beat Ersson skating in on a breakaway? 

Watched the Prime show Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association.  Pretty cool 4-part show about the league and that time period.  The Doc was must -see back then.  Along with Gervin & David Thompson.  Those guys could fly.

Few things I didn't recall or ever knew:

Julius signed with the Atlanta Hawks, but the courts ruled it an invalid contract, so he had to go back to the Virginia Squires.

Never knew the Kentucky Colonels were run by women.  They won an ABA title, too.

Never knew Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) would have signed with the Nets rather than the Bucks.  ABA owners approved paying him $1M, but then President George Mikan wouldn't give it to him.  How basketball would have changed.

Spirit of St. Louis weren't allowed to join the NBA.  Only the Nets, Pacers, Nuggets & Spurs were allowed to merge.  The owners sued and settled on a contract in which they received 1/7 of the NBA's TV contract money.  Back in that time, the NBA wasn't a TV draw.  Championship games were on tape delay.  But over the years, the two owners of the Spirit made $800M with that settlement.