There's been a lot of buzz about endorsements — or lack thereof — recently. Let there be no doubt where On Pattison stands.
Here are 10 endorsements from our team.
By no means is this a message not to be engaged politically, or that you shouldn't vote in the election.
But at a certain point, we get it. If you live in Pennsylvania, you've been inundated with political ads in recent weeks.
If there is a block with five commercials during a sporting event — which tend to be the events that candidates and PACs spend on because they draw the most viewers — there shouldn't be allowed to be more than two political ads. The same ad shouldn't be allowed to air more than three times per game.
You should be able to watch a sporting event without feeling existential dread every second the game isn't being played.
Should the Phillies check in on Juan Soto in free agency? Of course, given that he's only 26 years old, he's probably going to be the best MLB free agent since Alex Rodriguez reached the open market at the same age following the 2000 season.
But the Phillies have to go in with their eyes open — it's really hard to imagine Soto leaving the New York Yankees, and if he does, the crosstown-rival Mets are probably the most likely landing spot.
Where else could the Phillies go for a star free agent this offseason? If he's posted, 22-year-old righty Rōki Sasaki is a potential franchise-altering player worth making a push for even if starting pitching isn't a major need for the Phillies currently.
In four seasons for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, Sasaki is 30-15 with a 2.02 ERA. According to Brandon Tew of Sports Info Solutions, Sasaki has a three-pitch mix that features a 99 mph fastball, 90 mph splitter and 88 mph slider:
Rōki Sasaki, 99mph Fastball and 91mph Splitter, Overlay. pic.twitter.com/kxw6dTI9TT
The only concern with Sasaki might be his durability, as the 129 1/3 innings he threw in 2022 represent a career-high to this point. With that said, building up a 22-year-old's workload over the course of a few seasons wouldn't really be any different than what teams do with top prospects now. Andrew Painter, for example, has never thrown more than 103 2/3 innings in a season.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies weren't able to lure Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Philadelphia last offseason, as he ultimately chose to sign with the Dodgers for a 12-year/$325 million deal. That shouldn't discourage them from trying to break into the Japanese market.
West Coast teams will always have the geographical advantage over other organizations. Clubs like the Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres also have the advantage of having had multiple Japanese stars play for them either previously or currently.
Eventually, though, the Phillies need to break that trend. Japan is a market the Phillies need to tap into, and Sasaki might be the free agent to do it with, even if including some hazard pay is necessary.
I really don't endorse this idea. I just came up with the concept of a headline (a lot of concepts of things in an election year). But what I do endorse is competition, because I've always been a fan of there being a winner of something and a loser of something. Why else would I pursue a professional career in the sports arena?
Speaking of arenas, the $400 million facelift that the Wells Fargo Center received in the past few years won't be nearly as new and exciting in 2031. Hell, it won't even be known as the Wells Fargo Center after 2025. So, by that point, the 36-year-old building will be nearing the end of its days. Comcast Spectacor is going to build a new arena for the Flyers eventually. They'd like the Sixers to be a partner in that new venture. They would pitch it as a new era of orange and red and black and blue and white - or something.
The Sixers are going to do their damnedest to make sure that doesn't happen. Their first pitch, for 76 Place on the edge of Chinatown, is currently under consideration by the city despite mass opposition to the idea by the majority of the populous. There's always the possibility of Camden, which the Sixers flirted with briefly just to get Mayor Cherelle Parker to remember that it was the union trades that got her elected, so she had to get off the pot and say how great this terrible idea would be for the city.
But my Spidey sense has been tingling for quite some time that 76 Place isn't going to come to fruition because Comcast is far too powerful in this city to let the Sixers get such an easy win. Eventually, its influence is going to be wielded like a broadsword and 76 Place will go the same way as the former Mayor John Street's "world class" downtown stadium for the Phillies and that crazy ass Massachusetts businessman Socrates "Socco" Babacas who wanted to build the Eagles a retractable roof stadium in 2000 (that's a deep cut, but those who remember will appreciate it).
Instead, the Sixers will either have to look elsewhere or crawl back to Comcast-Spectacor with their tail between their legs and agree to partner with the Flyers on a new venue. And maybe, just maybe, the Flyers owner will agree to start construction sooner, to allow the Sixers to save the littles bit of face and start earning instead of renting sooner.
Meaning, the new arena will be ready by 2031, and not that the shovels go into the dirt in that year.
That is something I can get behind.
Even if Kelly Green is the best look for the Eagles, it's unlikely they'll ever ditch Midnight Green and go back to the old uniforms on a full-time basis. The Eagles have done a lot of winning – including their first Super Bowl — in Midnight Green. The organization can also make more money having Kelly Green in the rotation with Midnight Green as the primary than they would if Kelly Green was made the primary color and Midnight Green was eliminated.
With that said, there is one aesthetics area where the Eagles should absolutely abandon what they are doing currently — their wordmark.
The Eagles made the changes above to the wordmark in June of 2022. At the time the new wordmark didn't get a very good reception.
It took until this year for the wordmark to be updated on the uniforms, but it's clearly been a downgrade.
Ask yourself, is the Eagles' wordmark better off than it was four years ago?
Let's be honest, he's already living up to the hype. He's got nine points in nine games at 19 years old. He was the Calder Trophy favorite heading into the season - and fans are seeing why. In a time when the franchise is starving for attention, Michkov is the one player who everyone has their eye on with laser focus. He will be under the microscope for the length of his Flyers career, and he seems to have the demeanor to handle it. To relish it. To feed off it.
Sure, there are going to be growing pains. He's already a minus-5 in nine games, and that's because most of his points are coming on the power play. He's looked every bit the teenager he is at even strength.
But Flyers fans will accept that knowing the guy has the potential to be a creative, offensive dynamo.
He's pretty feisty too. He's not afraid to mix it up in a scrum, or even stand up for himself when he doesn't like the way teams try to knock him around.
Simply put, No. 39 is no Russia hoax.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson re-opened the door in his end-of-season press conference for the possibility that Kyle Schwarber won't be the primary leadoff hitter in 2025.
At this stage, it's not a debate about whether Schwarber — who set a new MLB record with 15 leadoff home runs in 2024 — can lead off. But the Phillies seem at least willing to consider whether having their top home run hitter leading off maximizes their lineup's potential.
Phillies Will Consider Whether Kyle Schwarber Leading Off Is Best Arrangement - @OnPattison https://t.co/Tk76qLvSXu
The guess here is that either Bryson Stott or Trea Turner will lead off to open the 2025 season, particularly because the Phillies seem to be trying to stress to both that they want them to make contact, steal bases and set the table for the rest of the lineup.
However, the New York Mets (Francisco Lindor), Los Angeles Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani) and Atlanta Braves (Ronald Acuña Jr.) have shown recently that there's some benefit to just having your best hitter lead off and figuring out the rest after them. Harper is the best hitter that the Phillies have. He's capable of opening the game with a home run or drawing a walk like Schwarber. But he's going to hit for a higher average than Schwarber, and while he's not necessarily a base stealer, he is quicker than Schwarber. Harper would probably get a few more at-bats during the season if he was leading off too.
Harper likes hitting third, which is one of the reasons that it's difficult to move Schwarber out of the leadoff spot. If Schwarber is hitting second or fourth, you have consecutive lefties in the lineup. You could have three lefties out of four in your lineup if Stott leads off with Schwarber and Harper both also hitting in the top four. Having Schwarber hit any lower than fourth doesn't make any sense.
In 169 career playoff appearances out of the top spot in the lineup, Harper has 11 home runs, 20 walks and a .932 OPS. If Schwarber isn't going to lead off, is having Harper hit first really that crazy of a concept?
I took a poll this summer. It wasn't very scientific, but it was randomized. I asked people of varying ages, races, genders, and baseball fandom, ranging from uber-passionate about the sport to barely watches it. I gave them a link to all of the existing City Connect Jerseys in baseball and asked them to rank/grade them and offer comments as to why they graded them the way they did.
The Phillies' city connects overwhelmingly ranked at or near the bottom.
Here were some of my favorite comments:
"Generally speaking, the City Connect uniforms rolled out by Major League Baseball are a bad idea. As an avowed capitalist, I appreciate a money grab; fools and their money ought to be separated. Every rule has its exceptions and this effort by the owners and their partners, Nike and Fanatics, are the exception for sartorial and moral reasons. The entire premise is flawed. A baseball team is part of the city. When the Phillies were dreadful (most of the team's existence), that was part of Philadelphia's identity. True connections, whether they be friendships, loved ones, or sports teams, are organic. It is not artifice. It cannot be constructed. Designing a team uniform to "connect" with the fans and the city is trying. As Ferris Bueller said, 'You can't respect someone who kisses your ass. It just doesn't work.' No one knew or cared why the Eagles wore those throwback blue and yellow jerseys a few years ago and no one knew or cared that it was a throwback and that they were an homage to the city's flag and that Philadelphia was originally settled by the Swedes. I know this because when the Phillies designed theirs they had to explain to everyone why they picked the colors they did. Add the dark blue pants and Garrett Stubbs is spot on - they look like a softball beer league outfit. Going with 'Philly' instead of 'PHILA' or 'Philadelphia' is also trying too hard. The only thing worse would be if they had 'jawn' anywhere on there." - Sean M. (coming in hot)
"This team is first in our hearts, but the jersey is last in the National League." - Kevin S. and Amelia S.
"Reddit user: 'Hey check out this edit I made with the CC jersey in red.' Stop it. The whole point of CITY connect is to connect to the city, and using the city flag's colors is a perfectly cromulent choice. The font on the "Philly" chest script and the numbers reads more Metallica than Declaration of Independence, though, and the gradient feels like a choice out of the back of the Oregon Ducks playbook (which...Nike, so). The hat is amazing, and a few small choices could've made this great, but it's just not." - Jeff M.
I get the city colors. I also believe these uniforms belong in Subaru Park on the Union." - Alicia R.
So much history to draw on in Philadelphia, as well as other iconic concepts that should have been considered before the Love statue and the city flag. Typical things like cheesesteaks, hoagies, the Phanatic, the fucking Revolution, Boathouse Row, etc... you see what I mean?" - Gabe C.
"Can we please stop doing gradient uniforms?" - Andrew S.
Look, these were a mistake, OK? Can we just admit it and cleanse our souls together? Like the White Sox collared jerseys and shorts in the 1970s, these should never be seen again. The Phillies weren't going to wear them if they had a Friday game in the playoffs. That tells you all you need to know.
My heart breaks for Oakland fans, it really does. I can't imagine watching a team you've followed since childhood skip town.
But.
That's exactly what happened to Philadelphians when the Athletics bounced to Kansas City, Missouri in 1954. A deal to sell the team to a Philadelphia-based ownership group was nixed at the last second, falling one vote short. The Philly baseball team with five World Series championships left town, and the Philly baseball team with no championships stuck around. (Thankfully, the Phillies have come through a couple times since then.)
If the A's are going somewhere new, why not bring them back home? I firmly believe that Philadelphia could support both the Phillies and an American League squad. Philly may not have the population of NYC or Chicago, but I'd wager it has more diehard sports fans per capita than any city in the U.S — certainly more than Sacramento or Las Vegas. And there's no shortage of locations to build a ballpark: vacant land, long-shuttered factories, and massive warehouse eyesores can be found throughout the city. Why not use a baseball team to help rejuvenate one of the many areas struggling economically?
I've even drafted some highly detailed plans:
After the edibles hit last night I drafted a plan to bring the Athletics back to Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/7mfhKSR6Jb
Ok sure, maybe it's not that simple. But, jokes aside, it certainly feels like an easier project to tackle than a new Sixers arena in Center City. And the financing for my plan seems to be just as far along as the financing for A's owner John Fisher's Vegas plan.
Maybe we build the ballpark and make Mexico pay for it?
Terrell Owens is the greatest wide receiver to ever play for the Eagles, but he didn't come to Philadelphia until his age-31 season and only played a total of 21 regular season games in Midnight Green. There's just not enough of a body of work for him to be the greatest wideout in Eagles history.
Harold Carmichael is a Hall of Famer and has a franchise-record 8,702 career receiving yards with the Eagles. That's a ways above the next two on the list in DeSean Jackson (6,512) and Mike Quick (6,464). Considering he spent 12 years with the Eagles, it may be difficult for A.J. Brown to ever top him in terms of receiving yards.
With that said, the 27-year-old Brown is in his third season with the Eagles and already has 3,360 receiving yards across 38 games with the team. He was signed to a new three-year/$96 million deal last offseason that basically assures he'll be with the Eagles through at least the 2026 season. He's been one of the top-five receivers in the league since joining the Eagles, and there's no reason to believe that won't continue for at least a few more years.
@saquon's reaction to A.J. Brown's TD is how we all felt 😂 pic.twitter.com/bh1UQVJNu4
Brown is capable of taking a slant to the house or just beating corners on a go-route. Whether he has the top marks in all statistical categories at the end of his time with the Eagles, he's going to be seen as the best wide receiver in franchise history. Heck, he may one day join Carmichael in the Hall of Fame.
Tim asked me if this is what I tell myself as the Sixers beat writer for this fine establishment.
First off, WOW. That's nasty work.
Second of all, no.
We live in a society of instant gratification. Chase the high now, baby. That high is inherently temporary, though. You're always looking for the next thing. Want to debate it? You can't. Every day, we find ourselves looking for quick fixes even if we don't realize it. Fast food is desirable because it's tasty, but also because you can get it instantly. Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts are gold mines - not just during the weekdays when people are busy, but on weekends, too. Why? Because America runs on coffee (or Dunkin') and you can get that fix at a drive-through window or on a phone app for quick pick-up rather than taking the time to brew it yourself at home.
Instant gratification. That's just two easy examples.
Where the hell are you going with this, man?
In a world of instant gratification, how long does championship glory really last? How long until you, the fan, are thinking about how the team can improve for next season? Maybe a month of basking in the glow of the trophy? Then what? You're moving on with life. Maybe memories start to fade. Maybe you try to immortalize it by buying the video of the championship game, but it's never quite the same. That moment keeps you smiling for maybe a month. Maybe an offseason. Then, you spend the rest of the time longing to relive the glory.
If we're being honest, perhaps the advent of social media introduced another gratification behind winning championships. How liberating, how glorious is it to talk shit to that account with a fake name and avatar, constantly reminding them that your team - not theirs - won it all?
Beyond that, championship-or-bust culture has allowed the general public to take some great players for granted. Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter are perhaps the two best recent examples of that, at least in the NBA. Now, to be clear, McGrady and Carter are enshrined in the Hall of Fame. They are recognized by their peers and those with voting power. But, how often do you hear the general public reflecting on them in natural basketball conversation? They're just two examples. There are more athletes across all sports who have been forgotten far too easily because they didn't climb all the way to the top of the mountain.
And if the championship-or-bust lens causes us to take some great athletes for granted, then perhaps we're consuming sports the wrong way. Perhaps it's just as much about the ride as it is about the destination.
