It’s been two weeks since the seismic Jaylen Brown trade to the 76ers, and his former teammate and co-star, Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum, finally has a response.
“If I’m being transparent, it’s weird,” Tatum said in an ESPN interview at the ESPY Awards. “I’ve been on the Celtics for nine years, and he was my teammate every single one of those.”
Tatum joined Brown in Boston as the No. 3 draft pick in 2017, one year after Brown himself was selected third. Since then, the duo has played more than 600 games together and won a championship in 2024. Despite that bond, Tatum said he understands that “the NBA is a business” and is ready to turn his focus to next season.
“There’s still a human element of it that you feel those emotions. The city feels those emotions,” Tatum said. “But there’s also a side of like, we have to welcome our new teammates in with open arms, and we still have to attack the new season.
“So there’s like a balance,” he added. “But it’s weird.”
The reaction to Tatum’s response has been largely one of frustration among Celtics fans. Many of the top comments on X under a video of the interview call Tatum “fake” and say he “was asking for it.” The trade, which sent 36-year-old Paul George to Boston, has the team reshaping its roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. Tatum agreed in the interview that the team has a lot of work to do.
Jaylen Brown (left) and Jayson Tatum (right) spent nine seasons together with the Boston Celtics.Michael Dwyer
For Brown, the emotions about leaving Boston are complicated also. He expressed his thoughts in a statement on social media.
“I’m still processing how this all went down,” Brown said. “I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.”
He added in a Twitch stream that he is “excited for what comes next” despite the “lack of respect” from his former team.
Philadelphia, however, is prepared to welcome him with open arms. New 76ers president Mike Gansey expressed his gratitude, “We’re just super lucky to get him, and I know he’s motivated,” he said. Brown will be eligible to sign an extension with the Sixers on July 26.
For now, both players and fans seem to agree on one thing: after nine years together, there’s no clean way to say goodbye.
Philadelphia is on pins and needles waiting for LeBron James’ decision. Meanwhile, he seems to be living his best life.
Almost two weeks ago, James’ agent and Klutch Sports head Rich Paul first confirmed the 76ers were a possible landing spot for the four-time MVP. Since Paul’s confirmation, the buzz around James signing with the Sixers has only grown. Soon after, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president Bob Myers joined Paul’s Game Over podcast to indirectly pitch the Sixers to James. During his appearance, Myers argued Philadelphia would give James the “best chance to win.”
Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who Myers hired, made his position known on Tuesday.
“We’d love to have [James] in Philly,” Gansey told The Inquirer. “I think he’d really, really help us and add to our group. But he’s making a big decision here. It’s wild [that] at his age [41], he’s playing at such a high level. But it’s not surprising.”
On Monday, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that Sixers stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown have all communicated directly with James. Maxey, who is also signed to Klutch Sports, “lead the charge.”
With the entire NBA being sent into a frenzy over James’ impending decision, one person has stayed suspiciously quiet through it all — James himself. That could change with James appearing on a live-edition of the “Mind the Game” podcast during Fanatics Fest on Thursday. He will appear alongside Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who hyped up James’ upcoming appearance on X.
So what is taking so long? Well, it appears James has been a bit preoccupied. Here’s what the all-time great has been up to:
Golfing with Kevin Hart
On Tuesday, James spent a day on the links with comedian Kevin Hart — a Philadelphia native.
The two played in North Jersey and were joined by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. Notably, James has also been linked to Golden State as a possible landing spot. Green previously said he made a “crazy” pitch to James to join the Warriors while on a different golfing trip in Puerto Rico.
During Tuesday’s trip, clips were posted to social media of the trio golfing and razzing each other. From the videos available, it appears that Hart had the worst day on the course:
“You stink, you’re here because you’re Kevin Hart,” Green joked, adding “you’re here to provide jokes.”
Contrary to Green’s assertion, Hart’s ”jokes” might not have been the only reason the comedian made time to golf. Could he have been trying to sell the Sixers to James? Hart has made his Philadelphia fandom known in the past and did help entice Paul George to sign with the franchise in 2024.
Kevin Hart reveals how he pitched the 76ers to Paul George 😂
“It’s just fan energy. I have no alliance to that office,” Hart previously told Taylor Rooks on her podcast. “I’m not in the business. I’m just a diehard Sixers fan. Once I heard it could possibly be, or we could possibly have, that’s just me being a fan, and having a relationship.”
Attending three Jay-Z concerts
A few days before golfing in Jersey, James spent the weekend across the Hudson.
There, James attended all three days of rapper Jay-Z’s consecutive sold-out shows at Yankee Stadium. The two have known each other since James was a sophomore at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. James was spotted dancing to Jay-Z’s 2003 hit “Public Service Announcement” — which was released just over two weeks after James’ first NBA game.
Lebron James vibing to “PSA” at Hov’s extra innings show at Yankee stadium. 🔥🏆 pic.twitter.com/7v0ihL5xOv
James also was seen hanging with Celtics star Jayson Tatum at the concert. Unlike Philadelphia, Boston has not been floated publicly by James’ camp as a potential landing location. Maybe James asked Tatum about his former co-star Brown, who is now in Philadelphia.
Watching the World Cup
Maybe James — like the rest of us — is just preoccupied with the World Cup?
A vocal soccer fan, James showed love for US Men’s National Team striker Folarin Balogun after his Round of 32 goal against Bosnia. After scoring, Balogun performed the “silencer” celebration — made famous by James during his time with the Miami Heat.
LFG!!!!!! THE 🤫 HAS 🛬 at the World Cup! Helluva goal there Young 🤴🏾! 🫡. GO 🇺🇸 https://t.co/8wb2t2F6oq
Let the countdown to the 2026-27 season officially begin.
In 76 days, Flyers hockey is back with the season and home opener on Sept. 30 against their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The NHL begins the campaign the day prior, with five games including the Carolina Hurricanes raising their banner before hosting the Florida Panthers. It marks the league’s earliest start in North America.
On Wednesday, we also learned that the Flyers will play the following night against the New Jersey Devils in their home opener at the Prudential Center, in addition to also helping former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson and the Ottawa Senators open their home schedule on Oct. 8.
On Thursday, the NHL released the complete 84-game schedule — yes, there are two extra Metropolitan Division games this season for the Flyers. It is the first time the NHL season will play 84 games since the 1993-94 season.
Here’s everything we know about the Flyers’ 2026-27 schedule.
Noel Acciari (55), now wearing a Flyers uniform, will face his former team right off the bat in 2026-27.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
When is the Flyers’ first game of the 2026-27 season?
As mentioned above, the Flyers will host the Penguins on Sept. 30 at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7:30 p.m., TNT). The rest of the games scheduled for TNT, ABC, and ESPN, along with the NBCSP schedule, will be announced at a later time.
There will be some new faces on each team, with former Flyers forward Andrei Kuzmenko now on the Penguins and ex-Pens forward Noel Acciari facing his old buddies after inking a two-year deal with the Flyers on July 1.
“I’m glad to have them on my side now because they are very passionate, and they’re all up in your face,” Acciari said about the Philly faithful.
Of course, the Penguins will still have Evgeni Malkin, who re-signed after the Flyers eliminated Pittsburgh in six games in the opening round of the 2026 playoffs; Kris Letang, Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson, and Sidney Crosby, who has 139 points in 93 regular-season games against the Flyers.
It will be the eighth time the Flyers host the Penguins in the season opener (5-2-0) and the ninth time they will open the season against Pittsburgh (4-3-1-0). The Flyers are 33-18-5-2 in home openers and 29-20-7-2 in season lid-lifters.
The Flyers will get their first chance for some revenge on the Hurricanes, who swept them in the second round of the playoffs, in North Carolina on Oct. 3.
Could Alex Ovechkin’s final NHL game come against the Flyers?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
When does the Flyers’ 2026-27 season end?
The NHL will wrap up the season on April 10 when all 32 teams suit up.
Philly will face Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in the first game of the day, at 12 p.m. at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It could be the regular-season finale of Ovechkin’s storied career.
Signed to a one-year deal, the NHL’s all-time goals leader (929) will turn 41 in mid-September. This season will be his 22nd in the NHL, but he recently told Match TV, a Russian sports channel, that he wouldn’t mind hitting 1,000 NHL goals. He has scored 54 goals against the Flyers in 82 regular-season games.
Old pal Cutter Gauthier will show his face in Philly a week before Halloween. Kyusung Gong
When do the Flyers face Cutter Gauthier and the Anaheim Ducks?
The Flyers faithful won’t have to wait too long to give Gauthier another warm welcome in Philly. The Ducks close out a four-game road trip with a matinee game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Oct. 24.
Of course, there is a new wrinkle this year after Flyers general manager Danny Brière and the organization tendered an offer sheet with a five-year contract, worth an average annual value of $18 million, to center Leo Carlsson. The Ducks eventually matched, making the Swede the highest-paid player in terms of AAV in the NHL.
The Flyers will be in Anaheim on Jan. 3.
When are the Flyers playing during the day in 2026-27?
The Flyers play 15 games during the day, with eight in South Philly.
Sam Ersson will be back in Philly as a member of the Ottawa Senators in October. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
When does _____ return to Philly?
Garnet Hathaway: Traded in late June, Hathaway and the Florida Panthers make their first appearance at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Dec. 14 and return on Jan. 26. The Flyers also visit Sunrise, Fla., on March 27.
Bobby Brink: Sent home to Minnesota at the trade deadline in the deal that brought David Jiříček to the Flyers, Brink and the Wild visit South Philly on Nov. 3. The Flyers are in Minnesota on Dec. 5.
Emil Andrae: After being traded in June, the Maple Leafs defenseman gets a chance to take on his former team at XMA on Jan. 7, with two games in Toronto on Nov. 30 and Jan. 9.
Sam Ersson: While the Flyers will help the goalie and the Senators — he was originally sent to Toronto with Andrae — open their home schedule on Oct. 8, the Swede returns to XMA on Oct. 17. The Flyers are also in Ottawa on Nov. 19.
Noah Juulsen: Signing with the Colorado Avalanche in free agency, the defenseman will return Oct. 19, and the Flyers will kick-start the dreaded “Death Valley Trip” in Denver on March 9 before heading to Las Vegas and Utah.
Flyers goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoît will return to Toronto for the first time on Nov. 30. Acciari will be in Pittsburgh for the first time on Jan. 31.
Do the Flyers play on Black Friday in 2026?
Yes. The Flyers return to their rightful place of playing the day after Thanksgiving after being booted last season because of an Eagles home game. The Birds lost 24-15 to the Chicago Bears.
This year, the Flyers will host coach Rick Tocchet’s old team, the Vancouver Canucks, on Nov. 27 at 3 p.m. Since 2006, the Orange and Black have not hosted a game on Black Friday only three times — the 2020-21 COVID-19-shortened season and the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season, with each starting in January, and last year.
The Flyers have an impressive record of 26-9-1-4 in games played after getting their fill of turkey and cranberry sauce (only from the can is acceptable).
Where is the Flyers’ road trip going during Disney On Ice in 2026-27?
Every year, following the NHL’s holiday break, the Flyers head out of town for an extended road trip as Disney On Ice descends on Philly.
Last year, the Flyers headed to Western Canada and Seattle. This year, the Flyers begin with a pit stop in Chicago, which Connor Bedard (shoulder surgery) is expected to be back for, before heading to the West Coast for matchups against the Kraken, Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks, the Ducks, and Scott Laughton and the Los Angeles Kings.
Although it is a nine-day trip, it is not the longest for the Flyers this season. Assuming they head straight from a Nov. 5 game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden to Calgary, Alberta, the Flyers will be on a five-game, 10-day road trip. One nugget for this trip: This is the final year that the Flames are playing in the Scotiabank Saddledome before opening a new arena next season.
The Flyers have a four-game road trip that begins locally on Long Island (March 20) and continues to New Jersey (March 23) before rounding out in Florida, March 25 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and March 27 at the Panthers.
They also have a few three-game road trips: Oct. 5-10: Tampa Bay, Ottawa, Boston; Nov. 19-25: Ottawa, Montreal, Washington; March 3-13: Colorado, Vegas, Utah; April 3-8: Pittsburgh, Carolina, Columbus
Sean Couturier should reach the 1,000-games pinnacle with the Flyers this season. Karl B DeBlaker
News and notes about the Flyers’ schedule
With two games added to the schedule, the Flyers will play each of their Metropolitan Division opponents four times.
They have 12 back-to-backs, including a tough stretch Jan. 9-16 with five games in eight days.
The Flyers will play 16 weekend games at home, with 11 on Saturdays and five on Sundays.
On Monday, Feb. 22, the Flyers will play at 1 p.m. in Philly against the Montreal Canadiens. The game is early, not because it’s Presidents’ Day, which is the week prior, but because the game is being coined an “International Primetime Game.” According to the Flyers press release, the game is “specifically designed to reach a global audience through a European primetime broadcast window.” Goalie Dan Vladař is the headliner for the Flyers as it will be 7 p.m. in Czechia. The matchup at the Hurricanes on April 5, a 2 p.m. start, is another of the International Primetime Games.
If he plays in every game, captain Sean Couturier will skate in his 1,000th NHL game on Jan. 12 in Nashville. He will join Bobby Clarke (1,144) and Claude Giroux (1,000) as the only players to play in 1,000 NHL games solely with the Flyers. Forward Travis Konecny (723), and defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen (820), and Travis Sanheim (660) could also hit big milestones. Konecny would become the fifth player to hit 800 games as a Flyer, joining Clarke, Giroux, Couturier, and Bill Barber (903), and Sanheim would become the fourth defenseman to reach 700 behind Éric Desjardins (738), who he could surpass, Joe Watson (746), and Chris Therien (753).
The NHL’s All-Star Weekend will be held at UBS Arena on Long Island on Feb. 5-6. On the first night, 10 young stars, ages 25 or younger, will compete across eight events. The following day will be the All-Star Game, with five teams of 11 players representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States, and a “World” team competing in a three-on-three, round-robin exhibition tournament. The Flyers will be off Feb. 4-12
It may be mid-July, but the Flyers brass is still working.
On Thursday, Flyers general manager Danny Brière spoke to the media via Zoom less than 24 hours after inking restricted free agent Trevor Zegras to a four-year, $36.5 million extension with an annual average value of $9.125 million.
Of course, it wasn’t the only topic, as this was the first time he was speaking since sending shock waves through the NHL by tendering a five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson that the Anaheim Ducks eventually matched.
The Flyers still have a ton of cap space — Puckpedia has it at $20.4 million — and although Brière reiterated the mantra that they are always looking to improve the roster if it makes sense, he added, “What I can tell you is I’d be very comfortable going into the season with this lineup.”
Here’s what else Brière said.
Trevor Zegras became the highest-paid Flyer on Wednesday. Chris Szagola
On the Trevor Zegras contract
“Yeah, it’s a nice feeling,” Brière said of getting the contract done and avoiding salary arbitration next Wednesday. Had it reached that point, the Flyers would have had an option of only a one- or two-year deal set at the AAV decided upon by the arbitrator. If they had opted for two years, Zegras would have been an unrestricted free agent in 2028.
Brière continued: “Obviously, Trevor is a big part of our team, a big part of our future as well. Since we acquired him, it’s been extremely positive, and the way he carries himself, he’s lively in our locker room — he’s a big part of the locker room — but he’s also a big part of the community. People, they love him. So I’m glad it’s done. It’s much nicer to get a deal done, and a long-term deal done, rather than go through arbitration.”
There was some give and take with Zegras and his agent, Pat Brisson. Some wonder why the New York native, who said countless times this past season that he loves playing in Philly, wasn’t locked up for longer, but it sounds like four years were “the sweet spot” and that “they gave us some things that were more in our favor on a four-year deal.”
“He’s about winning. He cares about this team,” Brière said. “Even in this negotiation, he took charge. He’s the one who said, ‘I want to be in Philly. I love it here. I want to stay there.’
“So it’s a big reason why this contract was done, this extension was done, because Trevor was really involved, and Trevor was adamant that he wanted to be in Philly.
“ … He’s going to have to take a bigger part of the leadership process on this team. So I’m really excited about him and how he’s grown as an individual in the last year, especially with us. But I think it goes way back — he’s gone through a lot in his career, some ups and downs that weren’t always easy. I think that makes you stronger in the long run, and we’re fortunate that we’re the team benefiting from that.”
While the AAV looks more like the money doled out to a center, is that where the Flyers see him? Brière wouldn’t commit, saying it’s “not up to me to decide.” He did stress that the final contract to Zegras and the offer sheet to Carlsson, a center, had nothing to do with the other. “We wanted both on the team at the time when we made the offer sheet,” he said.
Brière talked for the first time since the Anaheim Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer sheet for center Leo Carlsson (91).John Locher
On the impact of the Leo Carlsson offer sheet
According to Brière, the league, including players and agents, took notice that the Flyers not only have deep pockets, but also want to be back on top.
“The answer is yes. I just can’t give you much detail, unfortunately,” he said, hinting at needing to avoid tampering. “But yeah, I mean, it was noticed. It was noticed around the league. But what I hope, too, is that it is noticed by our fans and by our players that we’re serious.
“The players did their part last year, and we’re trying to do ours, and we’re going to keep trying to improve the team to give them the best chance to just be a contender for years to come.”
Players are choosing to stay in Philly, like Zegras, like goalie Dan Vladař, who inked a five-year extension and is here for six years, and like forward Tyson Foerster, who signed an extension that will keep him around for nine more seasons. The next step is having a team that is trending to be a contender for the Stanley Cup, and while the Flyers did not get Carlsson, there were “many teams to choose from, and he selected us, which was a good sign.”
Did the massive AAV, which would have made Carlsson the highest-paid player annually, impact contract negotiations with Zegras and other restricted free agents? The Flyers still have to ink defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who has an arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday, Hunter McDonald and forward Nikita Grebenkin.
“No, I don’t believe it’s affected our other contract negotiations … The marketplace changes daily. There’s new deals being given or coming out on a daily basis,” he said, noting it may have impacted players who make above the high-end threshold.
“I think, in Trevor’s case, for example, when we were working on it three months ago and six months ago, the marketplace was totally different than it was last night when we were talking. So, not necessarily the offer sheet, but every other deal, yes, they were affecting our negotiation.”
Danny Brière said the team made some efforts to improve the power play but came up short in an outside acquisition. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
On not adding players for the power play
The Flyers’ power play is bad. This isn’t a new phenomenon under coach Rick Tocchet. It’s a problem that has persisted for five years and across three coaching staffs. It sounded like the Flyers wanted to take action to fix things, but while they were reportedly interested in signing unrestricted free agent John Carlson, who ultimately went to Tampa Bay, and Zach Werenski, who backed down from his trade request, they did not get either player.
“We took some swings there, too. I unfortunately can’t get into details because players are elsewhere, but we took some swings there,” the Flyers GM said. “We tried to improve the power play. We’re going to keep looking. At this point, most free agents are signed, so it’s more on the trade front. So if there’s a chance there, we’re going to look to improve that.
“But I also expect our guys to take a bigger bite of it. Adding a guy like [Porter] Martone, and [Denver] Barkey, and [Alex] Bump late in the season, you hope that they’re better at it with more experience. I expect guys like Trevor Zegras to improve on that. Matvei Michkov coming back and, after a sophomore — let’s call it a slump — we expect him to bounce back and have a big say in improving our power play.”
Controversy has long dogged Philly’s Rocky statues — controversy that on the surface is about what the statues represent and where they belong, but is really about class, commercialism, and community. But now, argues columnist Mike Sielski, the Rocky Exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Museum is a sign that the city has finally fully embraced the statue’s popular power and meaning. The big question is: Do you agree?
When 10-year-old Ryan MacLuckie found out he’d been picked to be part of the tribute to the 1993 film The Sandlot at Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game, he had one thought.
“‘I hope I get to be Benny,’” his father, also named Ryan MacLuckie, recalled. “When they gave him his wardrobe the first day we were filming, he got the Tug McGraw jersey, and it was open, and he had his hat on, and he said he felt just like Benny.”
The 11 kids at the center of one of the All-Star Game’s most touching and striking moments were all local baseball and softball players that the league found through the Phillies’ RBI baseball and softball leagues.
They rode their bikes onto the field, and spent about three minutes each with a big leaguer, as fireworks fired off in the background, reminiscent of the famous 4th of July scene in The Sandlot.
Driving down the Shore every summer, the younger MacLuckie would always point out Millville — “That’s where Mike Trout lives!” — so getting to talk to the local baseball hero was a dream come true. He brought his Little League bat for Trout to sign, but nearly forgot to take his marker onto the field. Leading up to the tribute, his father ran around the stadium in hopes of getting the marker in his hands.
“[Trout] was super nice,” MacLuckie said. “I asked him for help with my batting stance. He told me to move my feet more out, so I could hit.”
“He’s smiling so big right now, he can barely talk,” MacLuckie’s father said.
He’s not the only one who received advice from a big leaguer. Eleven-year-old Damien Davis plays catcher, and he got to talk to Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski about how he grips his pitches and generates his power.
Thirteen-year-old Joseph Lund from Port Richmond was lucky enough to get paired with a Phillies player, Brandon Marsh, who said after Tuesday’s game that he “couldn’t stop crying” during the tribute.
“We were talking about how that’s his favorite movie, and how Ray Charles always makes him emotional in that song, and then I was telling him about how my grandmother is a really big fan of his, and I got to take a video of me and him saying hi,” Lund said. “I asked him to sign my cap, and he said ‘Dude, you don’t need to ask. Anything you want, I got you.’”
It was an emotional moment for Brandon Marsh when "America the Beautiful" started playing and those kids rode their bikes onto the field during the All-Star Game.
He loved "The Sandlot" growing up in Georgia, so it was "a once-in-a-lifetime experience." pic.twitter.com/A4yY6OBpo0
Charlie Fontanez was the rare kid on the field who had actually never seen The Sandlot until recently. When his baseball coach called to ask if the 14-year-old would have interest in appearing in an All-Star commercial tribute to the movie, he finally sat down to watch.
Predictably, he loved it, especially the famous 4th of July scene recreated for the spot.
The kids who took part in the All-Star Game’s tribute to The Sandlot with the Phillie Phanatic. All of the kids were selected from local baseball and softball teams affiliated with the Phillies organization.Courtesy of Sandra Fontanez
Fontanez was at the pitcher’s mound with Dodgers star Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The two of them took a selfie, and then talked about pitching. Yamamoto admitted he’d been “a little nervous” in the World Series.
“[Charlie] was super excited,” his aunt, Sandra Fontanez, said. “He was talking about it for hours after. Literally, we probably went to bed at two in the morning because he was just telling me how everything went.”
Noah Postell, a 14-year-old from West Philly, paired up with Freddie Freeman, who asked if he wanted to have a catch. Postell, who is a middle infielder and hopes to play at Cardinal O’Hara next year, said his only regret was that he didn’t keep the ball they were throwing around as a souvenir.
“That’s where the parent in me comes in, like I wish I was able to tell my son what to do, you know?” Postell’s father, Gregory, joked. “The ball that he was playing catch with, I wish he would have kept that ball and had Freddie sign that ball. … Maybe one day we can connect with Freddie Freeman and get a ball, but it was just an amazing opportunity.”
Freddie Freeman having a catch with a young fan under the fireworks at the All-Star game.
Sophia Wright, a 13-year-old softball player from Roxborough, got paired with Bryce Harper. She was so immersed in the experience and starstruck by Harper that the marker she’d stashed in her pocket also went unused.
“There’s tons of pictures out there, at least,” Wright said.
Fontanez said that the commercial director told her the league initially thought to hire actors for the spot, to make it an easy shoot. But the director insisted on finding players from the area, which made the moment truly magical.
“They’re baseball players,” Fontanez said. “Who better than them to be able to play a role like this?”
Alejandro Bedoya thought he was getting the hang of things in his first TV job, working as a studio analyst for Telemundo’s World Cup coverage.
Then, as he was preparing for the U.S. team’s opening game against Paraguay, he was told he would also be in the booth during the game.
“I was the most nervous I’ve been in a while,” Bedoya said. “I thought I was just doing pregame, halftime, postgame, and then they told me, ‘Nope, you’re going to be up in the booth, chiming in on live commentary.’ That was pretty nerve-wracking.’”
But he ended up fine, thanks to the guidance of colleagues including Hall of Fame play-by-play voice Andrés Cantor.
“He was amazing throughout, just tapping me on my shoulder or giving me a look in terms of when it was my time to chime in and when I could have a say,” Bedoya said. “Watching the game from up there, you feel like you’ve got the best seat in the house because tactically you can see everything so clearly. … It was really nerve-wracking knowing that millions and millions of viewers are tuning in, and whatever I say, yeah, everybody takes notice of that. But it was still very cool and unique.”
Bedoya has always been fluent in Spanish, thanks to Colombian parents who raised him in North Jersey and South Florida; and has long been an outspoken character on and off the field. So it made sense for Telemundo to pick him as part of a new era of American pundits, along with former U.S. teammate Jozy Altidore.
“They were very important in building the fútbol culture in this country, and that means a lot,” studio host Miguel Gurwitz said. “You’re talking about two great players. They know our language, they get it, they know how important fútbol is for our community.”
Bedoya said he was “very grateful” for “an opportunity that would be hard to turn down, to be part of the World Cup following the U.S. team.”
🗣️ "QUEREMOS GANAR PARTIDOS Y LA QUÍMICA ESTÁ MUY BUENA"
🇺🇸 @Ricardo_Pepi9 destacó el buen ambiente que se vive tras la victoria de @USMNT ante Australia 🇦🇺 y aseguró que ganar en casa tiene un significado único.
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 19, 2026
He got to work on site at other games, too, including France’s July 4 contest in Philadelphia. There have been some eye-opening lessons about life in the media, from the frenzy of a game day to the travel logistics of moving all of a network’s broadcasters around three countries. And he has met some of the greats from around the world who are also working for Telemundo this summer.
“I never thought that, I mean, I’d be having breakfast with [Argentina’s] Gabriel Batistuta and [Brazil’s] Dunga and [Paraguay’s] Roque Santa Cruz and all these other legendary players,” Bedoya said. “I feel out of place, of course. I’m not at that level. But it’s been amazing just to be a little bit behind the scenes of everything, and of course, being able to be present at these World Cup games following the U.S. team, and their journey and their ride and the ride that they took us on.”
His travels also offered a glimpse of how much this World Cup has captivated the American audience.
“Seeing on all the flights the people tuning into their mobile devices, watching the games, has been awesome,” he said. “All the travel has helped me see how much people really got sucked into the soccer and the World Cup, and what the World Cup does to a nation. … Not just meeting the people I work with, but meeting fans and new people, strangers in the airports, in the lounges, at the hotels, and everything.”
Bedoya had lots to say about the U.S. team’s run, which electrified the country before the calamitous defeat to Belgium — and the controversy that came with it — in the round of 16.
“Like I talked about earlier in my travels and stuff, you really saw how Americans came together,” he said, “They did a great job of uniting the country and leaning on that pride for people to rally behind them. After that game against Paraguay, people started talking and people got really excited. They had another great game against Australia in Seattle.”
It wasn’t just the results, but the manner: a stylish win over Paraguay, a hard-fought win over Australia, and a gritty effort to hold off Bosnia after Folarin Balogun’s red card.
“In true American-spirit fashion, with their backs against the wall, they really were able to will it out and get that second goal with [Malik] Tillman’s free kick,” Bedoya said. “And then look, hey, the country is even more galvanized and ready to root for this team, and fall in love with them. And then that’s where the sour taste kind of comes into play.”
Bedoya played in the 2014 U.S.-Belgium World Cup game. So did four players on this year’s Red Devils squad, including three who played in the 4-1 rout in Seattle. Their age and the U.S. team’s talent and belief were among the reasons why Bedoya thought the Americans had a shot to, as he said, “go toe-to-toe with them.”
“The style that [Mauricio] Pochettino has tried to instill in them, which was to compete with at a level of intensity, aggressiveness that other teams can’t handle. … Well, the U.S. did not do that at all,” he said. “That’s the most disappointing part. Because I do think that this team has the talent to be able to compete better, and I don’t think they competed in the way that we felt that they could, that their level is.”
He believes the players “know themselves,” and “feel it [when] you know that you could have done better and it wasn’t good enough.”
Bedoya also noted the scandal of President Donald Trump’s intervention with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and its affect on the game.
Folarin Balogun didn’t ask for the scandal of President Trump’s intervention to try to get his red card suspension overturned.RUTH FREMSON
“And then you go on with all the other distractions and everything that was happening around the game that really was unnecessary,” he said. “There was so much good that had been happening up to that point — up to the day before, I guess you can say — and then it just really turned sour and negative. It’s unfortunate.”
He had sympathy for the players who had nothing to do with it, especially Balogun, “because I feel like he’s now synonymous with this issue, which is not his fault at all.”
Now the time will come, as always happens after World Cups, for a new generation of players to step up. Two potential candidates who are Bedoya’s Union teammates were at the Belgium game: Cavan Sullivan as a fan, and Andrew Rick as a practice squad goalkeeper with the U.S. for the summer.
Bedoya got to see Rick along the way, and was happy to know the 20-year-old made himself a sponge and took it all in.
Union backup goalkeeper Andrew Rick gained invaluable experience when he spent the World Cup run with the U.S. as a practice squad player.Jonathan Tannenwald
“He’s enjoyed this experience so much, he’s learned so much,” he said. “Training sessions, being around the hotel, the energy, the professionalism, being around the culture that coaching and staff is trying to establish, you can’t replicate that. … That’s the type of person he is, and that’s because he’s got a good head on his shoulders.”
Bedoya didn’t get to see Sullivan but sent the 16-year-old playmaker a text after the game: “Disappointed that the team didn’t perform well, but I hope you when you’re watching this game, you see yourself here, because you’re the future, right?”
Both players are “two of our most promising prospects and talents at the Union,” Bedoya said, and “great guys at taking directions and listening. I have great relationships with both of them.”
Now they have to take their potential and turn it into reality, not just with their skills but as much hard work as Bedoya has put in over his career.
Cavan Sullivan (right) battling against former Union midfielder Dániel Gazdag during the Columbus Crew’s visit to Subaru Park earlier this year.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“I did fly back to Philly for a few days in between these trips to train with the team, because I’m still actively playing,” he said. “Obviously I’m not a 90-minute player anymore, but I enjoy being in this kind of mentorship role because I can use every ounce of my experience and what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen, what I know, to give them tips here and there.
And if they need a reminder, they need only think about this moment.
“I’m just happy that they got to experience this — because experience goes a long way, but they’ve got to keep putting in work,” Bedoya said. “As that Belgium game showed, as much as we think this might be the most talented group of players, talent alone is not going to get you a great career. It takes passion, it takes intensity, it takes mentality.”
For the record, I like Zack Wheeler and Bryce Harper. They’re principled, they’re authentic, they’re candid, they’re generous to their teammates, and I respect them for both their professionalism and their competitiveness.
That doesn’t mean they’re not weird.
Wheeler kept the rib that he had removed last year to address his thoracic outlet syndrome. Who saves the relic from a surgery that robbed you of 5% of your career? Apparently, a lot of athletes do that. That doesn’t make it not weird.
Harper tries not to put anything in or on his body that isn’t all-natural and/or organic, from shampoo to lotion to coffee. He flushes and cleans his blood like his circulatory system is a car radiator.
Again, a lot of athletes participate in these behaviors.
That doesn’t make it not weird.
Recently, though, both Wheeler and Harper tipped the weirdness scale beyond its normal scope.
Hey there, you’re an All-Star
First, Wheeler and his All-Star snubbery.
Wheeler missed the first month due to the surgery but then went 8-1 with a 2.36 ERA in his first 13 starts. He was disappointed when he was not selected to the NL All-Star team via either the player ballot or as one of Major League Baseball’s six supplemental selections, announced July 4. Wheeler has said All-Star appointments are significant for him and his Hall of Fame legacy, but then, he declined to attend the game the last two times he was selected.
Nevertheless, Wheeler was doubly chapped when, three days after the initial All-Star rosters were announced, he was not selected by MLB to replace one of the three pitchers who, like Wheeler, were scheduled to pitch Sunday, two days before the All-Star Game in Philadelphia; Sunday starters were not eligible to pitch. Wheeler pitched on the day of the announcement, and pitched dominantly. He improved to 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA, after which he said, “It [ticks] me off, and it’s kind of B.S.”
Zack Wheeler didn’t want to be a fifth option and opted to sit out the All-Star Game. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
His point: He, like the other three Sunday starters, could have been named, could have declined, and would have had the All-Star honor on his resumé. Last Tuesday he said that, before the three replacements were named, he told MLB that he’d even be willing to throw an inning in the All-Star Game, since his bullpen day usually comes two days after a start.
Cool.
What made this a little weird is that one of Wheeler’s teammates, Jesús Luzardo, was one of the pitchers chosen as a replacement. It kind of sounded like Wheeler was promoting himself not just over the other two pitchers but also over his own teammate.
But wait.
Lo and behold, MLB relented. MLB offered Wheels the next spot in the game … but they did so too late for Wheeler’s taste. It wasn’t until Friday that they asked him to replace Reds pitcher Chase Burns, who backed out with a tight groin. That would have made Wheeler the fifth replacement.
Wheeler said, “I’m not gonna be the fifth option.”
What? So, being the fourth option was OK?
Wheeler has a right to feel however he wants.
That doesn’t make it not weird.
FanDuel? What FanDuel?
For the record, I don’t think Harper should face disciplinary action for recording a message on Cameo that FanDuel in 2024 used as a vehicle to pander to a client who either was, or who became, a gambling addict, and who now is suing FanDuel (and also DraftKings). The Inquirer reported this story last week.
The policy of Major League Baseball in relation to players promoting gambling sites is, like most policies in Major League Baseball, vague and open to interpretation. Harper clearly had no idea the gambler had a problem, if only because Harper wouldn’t risk his reputation over an $899 Cameo fee. Hence, I believe nothing should come of this. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Harper didn’t violate the collective bargaining agreement. The players association remains mum. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board says it is investigating, but with what authority it is investigating and to what end this might affect Harper remains unknown.
Still, it’s kind of weird that Harper, a straight-and-narrow kind of guy, would get in bed with FanDuel at all.
It’s super weird that Harper would deny knowledge that he was doing so.
In a statement posted Monday on Instagram, Harper said, “Contrary to the Inquirer’s suggestion, I did not know that the Cameo video would be used for a FanDuel VIP promotion.”
However, in the video to the gambler, Harper refers to “your host Bryttanni from FanDuel.”
So, yeah. Deny saying something you actually said? Super weird.
Then again, Harper advocated for using aluminum bats in the Home Run Derby (his suggestion was dismissed). They might as well have cruise missiles in the Home Run Derby. Kyle Schwarber with an aluminum bat? He’d have killed someone.
This is just the latest. As the kids say, Harper’s been on one.
The day after Christmas, in response to Phillies president Dave Dombrowski saying in October that Harper might no longer be elite (which was unwise), Harper, on Dec. 26., posted a TikTok video with him hitting in a batting cage wearing a shirt that said “NOT ELITE.”
When Harper arrived at spring training, in response to the Phillies having added only Adolis García as a candidate to bolster the No. 4 spot behind him, he said, “I think the numbers in the four spot weren’t very good last year for our whole team. Whoever is in that four spot is going to have a big job to do.”
After the Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson in April, Harper’s comment indicated that the Phillies were stuck in the mud because of the manager’s likely dismissal: “I think we were all just waiting for that ball to drop, waiting for something to happen. If Topper was going to get fired or he wasn’t, it was just kind of, ‘We need to get over this hump and get through this,’ whatever that looked like.”
Since Thomson’s firing, Harper also has supported less platoon play for second baseman Bryson Stott and outfielder Brandon Marsh. Harper cited Marsh’s everyday inclusion as the major reason Marsh was an All-Star — again, an admission of disagreement if not an outright criticism of his bosses. Thomson, with input from Dombrowski and the front office, was more likely to platoon those left-handed hitters, while interim replacement Don Mattingly has played them more to Harper’s liking.
I agree with Harper’s assertion that everyday play is usually smarter, and, as always, I applaud his candor.
That doesn’t make it not weird.
Maybe it’s Philly
Maybe it’s the heat.
With all due respect to Joel Embiid, who might be the weirdest of them all, and new Sixers teammate Jaylen Brown, who just called most athletes dummies, no one has faced or now faces more pressure to win in Philadelphia than Wheeler and Harper.
Wheeler, at $42 million a year, is the highest-paid non-hitting pitcher in baseball. Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract in 2019, which was then a record. They’ve been worth every penny, and more. Wheeler has been the best pitcher in baseball since he initially signed with Philadelphia in 2020. Harper has sold more tickets than Taylor Swift.
However, Wheeler has not won a Cy Young Award. Harper won a second career MVP in 2021, but he’s battled injuries. They’re the best Phillies duo since Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton, and both of them have been magnificent in the postseason, but Harper’s on his fourth manager. Wheeler’s on his third. The Phillies have been to one World Series since they became teammates, and their last three trips to the playoffs have ended in bitter disappointment and, arguably, underachievement.
It’s not just them.
Maybe it’s us.
Philadelphia is a place that can love its own and can eat its own, sometimes in the same game.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a weird athlete or coach or executive.
Jalen Hurts and his aphorisms and his crazy work ethic, riding a VersaClimber at midnight. Jason Kelce and his berserker persona. A.J. Brown reading a book on the sideline during a game.
The book AJ Brown was reading on the sideline is “Inner Excellence” by Jim Murphy, per the FOX Broadcast. pic.twitter.com/c8ikhIGxKN
Ben Simmons with his training camp holdout scrimmaging with his iPhone in his pocket. James Harden, with his training camp holdout and his crazy fashions and that tiny mouth inside that massive beard.
Former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and the Seasons of Coconut Oil; stiff-collared Sixers president Bryan Colangelo and his burner accounts; former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie and the 13-page Resignation Manifesto; former Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov and his fear of bears and his awe at the humongous-ness of the universe; and, of course, Terrell Owens doing biceps curls and situps in his driveway.
I love that Wheeler’s warmup song, “Rooster,” came out when he was 2 years old, commemorating a war that began more than 60 years ago. I love that Harper, from cleats to headbands to suit-coat liners, has more Phillie Phanatic gear than any 8-year-old Phillies fan.
Bryce Harper arriving for home opener at CBP 👌🏼
Wearing green suit showing his love for the Phillie Phanatic once again.l
LAS VEGAS — LeBron James has been everywhere — and nowhere — during the NBA Summer League.
It has been more than two weeks since the all-time great told the Los Angeles Lakers that he will play somewhere else during the 2026-27 season. Yet as the NBA’s prominent figures converged in Sin City, more speculation than actual insight has percolated about where that next destination will be — and the 76ers’ status as a contender.
New president of basketball operations Mike Gansey acknowledged to The Inquirer on Tuesday morning that his team is “waiting, like the rest of the NBA” for James’ decision. Young standout VJ Edgecombe beamed when asked Monday about his team’s pursuit of James, but added, “If we do get him, I’m happy. If we don’t, I’m still happy.”
Elsewhere, a conversation among league followers and participants earlier in the week led to pondering if James would make his choice on Wednesday — aka, the annual dead day in the American sports calendar following the MLB All-Star Game (spoiler: he did not). Perhaps James’ scheduled appearances at Fanatics Fest NYC on Thursday and Friday will be the stage for such an announcement.
During this leaguewide wait — which has mostly put the second wave of free agency on hold — on-court basketball things still have occurred.
Labaron Philon Jr., the Sixers’ first-round draft pick, has demonstrated why this new-look front office believed it could not pass on him at No. 22. Second-year big man Johni Broome has recovered from knee surgery, and has flashed interior dominance in an environment where he should thrive. Quintessential Summer League stories have emerged from the Sixers’ team.
Here are some final nuggets from The Inquirer’s stay in Las Vegas:
Philon’s creativity
Philon has been a fearless shot-maker, averaging 19.7 points and sinking 38.9% of his six three-point attempts in his first three Summer League games before Wednesday’s 7-of-24 clunker from the floor (1-of-13 from beyond the arc) against the Orlando Magic.
Perhaps even more impressive has been the rookie’s sharp ballhandling and passing, especially with a team that was assembled quickly. His more “freestyle” or “backyard-type” moments, he said, draw inspiration from Jason Williams and Kyrie Irving.
Sixers first-round draft pick Labaron Philon Jr. has flashed offensive creativity at NBA Summer League. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
“Just being able to make one move and go,” Philon said, “I feel like that will be important for me with better defenders and stronger guys [in the NBA]. Just being able to have that creativity is important. … I don’t really see a lot of young guards with that kind of creativity.”
Dalen Terry’s daughter steals the spotlight
A massive Sixers contingent sat courtside for Tuesday’s game against the Houston Rockets, including owner Josh Harris, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president Bob Myers, front office executives Gansey, Jameer Nelson, and Prosper Karangwa, and players Edgecombe, Dominick Barlow, and Justin Edwards.
Significant Sixers contingent here for this afternoon’s game, including owner Josh Harris pic.twitter.com/LEUhycVZ0i
Yet Dalen Terry’s baby daughter may have been the most popular person on the team’s version of celebrity row.
“This is something I’ve always dreamed of, just having my kids here,” Terry said. “I want her to be able to see a picture of her on my lap asleep during the game. In 10 years, she’ll be like, ‘I was there?!’ [I’ll be] like, ‘You were right there on TV and everybody was talking about you.’”
After signing a two-way contract with the Sixers following the February trade deadline — which was converted to a standard deal late in the regular season — the team picked up Terry’s $2.6 million option for the 2026-27 season. The 24-year-old guard said he had “no doubts” the Sixers would re-up with him, though his deal is nonguaranteed until Jan. 10.
The Sixers picked up Dalen Terry’s (left) $2.6 million option for the 2026-27 seasonMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Terry added that he has spent this offseason drilling his shooting, what he called the “biggest knock” on his game with career splits of 44.3/31.4/63.8 in four NBA seasons. He also found value in experiencing the playoffs for the first time — even while playing the final minutes of the New York Knicks’ dominant sweep of the Sixers.
“You see the rotations get shorter,” Terry said. “Everything is just so much more compact. Every mistake matters. … It was crazy to just see how intense the games were. It was almost like college, the Final Four every game.”
Meet ‘Big Fish’
During a timeout in Thursday’s opener against the Detroit Pistons, Isaac Johnson had this message for his new teammates: “Welcome to Vegas. You can make a lot more money than at the tables right now.”
Meet one of Summer League’s more colorful characters.
Johnson, a 7-foot, mustache-sporting center originally from Utah, is nicknamed “Big Fish” because of a middle school inside joke between him and a much-shorter friend that stuck. He became a fan favorite during a winding-yet-successful college career that took him to Oregon, then to Utah State, then to Hawaii. While at Utah State, Johnson had a name, image, and likeness deal with local fast-food chain Arctic Circle, creating a milkshake with the Swedish Fish candy.
“I love people, and I love genuine people,” Johnson said of why he naturally connects with fan bases. “So I try to be as genuine as I can. I’m one that hopefully gives more than I take.”
In Las Vegas, the undrafted Johnson said he hoped to demonstrate team-first defensive qualities such as helping on screens, protecting the rim, and boxing out.
And to shoot the ball when he is open.
Isaac Johnson (center) played for three schools across five collegiate seasons and landed with the Sixers’ Summer League team.Craig Mitchelldyer
That was on full display in the Sixers’ first win over the Pistons. He scored 20 points in 20 minutes and went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, including a falling four-point play that prompted an enthusiastic scream upon hitting the deck.
“I’m usually a very logical person, so I don’t react in any negative ways,” Johnson said. “But as long as it’s energy-giving, my emotions are very big. So you can see that in my celebrations.”
Matt Rogers’ road back
Matt Rogers drilled a corner three-pointer late in Saturday’s overtime win over the Indiana Pacers, right in front of new Sixer Jaylen Brown.
It was not only a highlight moment for an undrafted player using Summer League to “try to get my name out there” for opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. It was evidence of Rogers’ road back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, which sidelined him for about 16 months.
“I’m just blessed to be out here,” said Rogers, who starred at American University before his injury. “ … I’m just happy to be out here and showcase my skills again.”
Rogers scored 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting in Saturday’s victory and complemented that outside shooting with productive cuts to the basket.
“He makes smart plays,” Sixers summer league coach T.J. DiLeo said of Rogers. “He’s in the right spot. He takes what’s given to him.”
Quotable
Johnson on Philon’s game: “He might be the steal in this draft, I’m not going to lie. Too many teams let him slip. For him to fall here? He is incredible. How quick he is. How tight his handle is. How he’s able to shoot the ball [and get] down the lane. His passing instincts. He honestly might be the steal of the draft, and I’ll say that very confidently.”
One of the coolest things we’ve seen this week (in addition to another heroic comeback by Argentina in the late stages of a World Cup match) was a moment before the fifth inning at the MLB All-Star Game inside Citizens Bank Park.
If you’ve ever seen the 1993 baseball film The Sandlot, you vividly remember the scene where the ragtag group of boys who only wanted to play baseball used the lights of a neighborhood July 4 fireworks display to get a game in.
That iconic moment was recreated Tuesday night as a group of Philly-area kids rode onto the field at the Bank on bicycles in front of thousands of onlookers — including the All-Star players on hand. Inquirer writer Gabriela Carroll caught up with a few of the 11 boys who got to hang with baseball’s biggest stars while recreating an unforgettable scene in the process.
Also, we take a look at who was dressed to impress during this week’s red carpet event for the All-Star Game as well. I wish I had better news about the weather, but if you’re pining for a cooler day, know that we’re looking at partly cloudy skies with highs approaching the mid-90s.
Flyers center Trevor Zegras inked a four-year extension with the club late Wednesday, valued at $36.5 million. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Trevor Zegras isn’t going anywhere. Late Wednesday, news broke that Zegras inked a four-year extension and a whopping $36.5 million. It comes at the perfect time as Zegras is coming off a season in which he ranked high among the team leaders in points (67) and goals (26).
Earlier on Wednesday, the Flyers announced a few of their games to begin the 2026-27 season. The team will open at home against Keystone State rival Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 30, then head up the turnpike the next night to face the New Jersey Devils. The full 84-game NHL schedule will release at 1 p.m. today.
Eagles fifth-round draft choice Cole Payton shown at rookie minicamp on May 1 at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
All summer long, a team of Eagles reporters has been assessing the intangibles of a crop of new talent trying to crack head coach Nick Sirianni’s 53-man roster. In the latest version, Olivia Reiner breaks fifth-round pick Cole Payton, a lefty quarterback from North Dakota State, and an undrafted rookie safety who is also from the Dakotas vying for a roster spot.
Sixers president Mike Gansey (left) and NBA star LeBron James competed in high school, where James beat out Gansey for Mr. Basketball Ohio in 2001.Tom Gralish and Charles Fox / Staff Photographers
LeBron James has been everywhere — and nowhere — during the NBA Summer League.
It has been more than two weeks since the all-time great told the Los Angeles Lakers that he will play somewhere else during the 2026-27 season. Yet as the NBA’s prominent figures converged in Sin City, more speculation than actual insight has percolated about where that next destination will be — and the 76ers’ status as a contender.
Gina Mizell, who was in Las Vegas covering the Sixers’ summer league team, has more on the James waiting game, first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr.’s creativity, and more takeaways from the on-court action.
July 16, 1994: The first airing of Baseball Night in America drops on ABC with broadcaster Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, and Lesley Visser as a sideline reporter.
Citizens Bank Park was the Mecca of the baseball world this week as the venue for MLB All-Star week. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“I can name a half dozen other stadiums that are worth a special trip. Each is unique in its own way. Yet they all have one thing in common. They aren’t Citizens Bank Park. I don’t know if the whole world saw it on Tuesday night. But anybody who attended sure did. The 68 players. The two coaching staffs. The nearly 50,000 fans who packed the rows and the aisles and seemingly every square inch of concourse.” — David Murphy’s latest takes a look at just how impressive Citizens Bank Park performed, given the spotlight for MLB All-Star week.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
VICEK NOMIGGLEN
This MLB All-Star had quite the night soaking in all of the festivities — from the comfort of Philadelphia, just a few miles from his hometown. This one should be a layup. Think you know? Take a guess and then click here to see if you’re correct.
What you’re saying about the Phillies
We asked: With the All-Star Game behind us, what would you like to see the Phillies do at the trade deadline?
The Phillies’ biggest trade deadline needs are quality middle relievers, a fifth starter, and a right-handed power hitter. With what the Phillies have to offer in return, I am very skeptical that they will achieve much. — Everett S.
Clearly, the Phillies need a fifth starter (please, no more bullpen games!). In addition, a right-handed outfield bat with some pop and a set-up reliever, we can no longer trust [Orion] Kerkering or [José] Alvarado. — Bob C.
Get Mike Trout and a starting pitcher. — Tom M.
The Phils can use a lot of things: A right-handed power bat, a starting pitcher, and at least one relief pitcher. The farm system is not overflowing, and I am afraid that giving up too much will bankrupt the farm system. Despite that, my first choice would be to bring Mike Trout home. — Richard F.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jackie Spiegel, David Murphy, Olivia Reiner, Gabriela Carroll, Gina Mizell, Mia Messina, Own Hewitt, and Conor Smith.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
I’ll be back to get your weekend started tomorrow as well. But live in the now and enjoy today, Philly. — Kerith
