Scovil’s story | Sports Daily Newsletter
He died in 1989, but his mentorship shaped legendary Eagles.
Don McPherson still gets emotional when asked about his former position coach.
Doug Scovil was known for shaping Randall Cunningham into a Birds legend. But he also had an impact on another Eagles quarterback in McPherson at a time when Black players were shifted away from the position. Scovil, who also mentored the likes of Roger Staubach and Jim McMahon at the college level, symbolized a safe space for McPherson, Cunningham, and other Eagles of the late ‘80s before he died suddenly at Veterans Stadium the day before a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
“In the madness of practice, in the madness of training camp, I had this really calm, deliberate coach who was helping me get better,” McPherson said. “I’d never had that before.”
Mike Sielski shares Scovil’s story in the latest installation of our Kelly Green series.
— Maria McIlwain, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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It’d be an understatement to say that defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs is one of the biggest wins of the year for the Eagles. On the road, against Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the Eagles came from behind and exorcised a few demons.
It wasn’t the Super Bowl, but you could tell how much it meant.
The win led to Nick Sirianni’s triumphant interaction with fans in Kansas City. Yes, there are deficiencies within the Eagles that need fixing. But a win against Andy Reid is a big one.
Two top teams with MVP candidates in a rematch? Sign us up. With Jalen Hurts continuing to rack up rushing touchdowns and make smart decisions in the air, he could be named MVP ahead of the Super Bowl.
The win got us thinking: Maybe this Eagles defense has what it takes to be championship-caliber if Sean Desai keeps coming through with adjustments in big moments. Newcomers Kevin Byard and Bradley Roby also had roles in forcing turnovers by the Chiefs’ stars.
Next: The road isn’t getting any easier for the Eagles, who return home to face the Bills on Sunday (4:25 p.m., CBS3).
De’Anthony Melton is one of the most athletic players on the 76ers’ roster. So it’s no wonder that his teammates, including Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, gave him grief when he had trouble finishing at the rim to start the season. And now that Melton has emerged from that slump, they’re in his corner cheering him on. Entering Tuesday, Melton’s shooting numbers skyrocketed to 56.6% from the floor and a blistering 60.7% on 5.6 three-point attempts per game in the five previous games.
There’s “a chance” Kelly Oubre Jr. could return after he is reevaluated in a week.
As for the team’s overtime loss to the Cavaliers on Tuesday, a game in which they battled from 18 down to create one of the most thrilling games in this still very early season, writer Keith Pompey says that there were a few key takeaways to consider.
Next: The Sixers hit the road to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday in the second night of a back-to-back (8 p.m., NBCSP+).
Noah Cates had an impressive rookie season with the Flyers, particularly on the defensive side of the puck.
This season, he is off to a slow start and has seen his minutes decline as a result. But Cates isn’t sweating and could be due some more minutes in the coming games, according to Flyers coach John Tortorella. Jackie Spiegel has more on how Cates is trying to ignite his offense to complement his defensive work.
Next: The Flyers are at the New York Islanders on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., NBCSP).
Olivier Mbaizo typically reports to Cameroon during international breaks, but this time around he stayed in Philly.
Why? He was dealing with a minor injury and wanted to ensure he was at full strength for the Union’s playoff game this weekend. Here’s why Mbaizo will be in full focus on Saturday.
Next: The playoffs continue for the Union, who will take on host FC Cincinnati on Saturday (8 p.m., Apple TV+).
Worth a look
Waiting is the hardest part: La Salle head coach remains at 599 wins following the Explorers dropping its first game of the season to Duke.
Play it again: Meet the organization giving kids the equipment and subsequently the opportunity to keep on playing.
Trivia time answer
We asked you: I was a first-round draft pick who played for both the Eagles and Chiefs. Who am I?
Answer: B: Jeremy Maclin. Maclin was picked 19th overall by the Birds in 2009 and played for them from 2019-14 before playing for the Chiefs from 2015-16. Stephen T. was first with the correct answer.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Mike Sielski, David Murphy, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, Josh Tolentino, EJ Smith, Keith Pompey, Gina Mizell, Jackie Spiegel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Anders Pryor, and Isabella DiAmore.
That’s it for today! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and we’ll be back after the holiday. — Maria
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