What price Nola? | Sports Daily Newsletter

Aaron Nola is not having the final contract year of his dreams. He’s still capable of producing some gems, but alongside those, the number of difficult games is adding up.

The time is also quickly approaching in which the Phillies will have to consider and decide on the terms of a contract offer.

Thing is, many fans remember not only the sheer number of games Nola has pitched for the Phillies during his tenure with the team, but also the gangly young Nola who came up through the farm system of the team and made his big-league debut with the team in 2015.

He’s a part of Phillies history and the team hasn’t always respected players who have long histories with the team. It’s also time to decide, even with all of the respect due to Nola’s status as the longest-tenured player with the team, what exactly his future with the Phillies should be.

David Murphy takes stock of the situation.

— Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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❓If you were Dave Dombrowski, what would your contract offer to Nola look like? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

Jalen Hurts continues to develop as a young quarterback and on Sunday looked good while facing the blitz in practice.

And top target A.J. Brown looked sharp as well going up against cornerback James Bradberry. The two have found that their training camp matchups have helped in preparing for the season.

For updates on those battling for roster spots, there was punter Arryn Siposs discussing the need to improve himself in wake of the release of competitor Ty Zentner. And linebacker Myles Jack plans on retiring after a two-week stint with the Eagles in training camp.

Eagles Hall of Famer Maxie Baughan, a former linebacker for the team who made nine Pro Bowls in his career, died at 85 on Saturday.

Next: The Eagles will hold a walk-through today in advance of Tuesday’s joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts.

Bonus Episode: Join Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane and Brandon Graham as they run down his 13-year career and discuss his upcoming retirement in this bonus episode of unCovering the Birds. Hear about Graham’s journey, mentorship, and the legacy he hopes to leave behind. Listen here.

Listen to all episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Coping with a loss is never easy. But it is easier when a two-time MVP is available to talk you through it. After the Media Little League team lost to Rhode Island in an elimination game on Sunday afternoon, Phillies star Bryce Harper met with the Delco players. He told them their loss was a stepping stone to being great. “That’s what you guys are all going to be, is great,” he said. It meant a lot to the players, particularly first baseman/pitcher Trevor Skowronek, who said Harper is one of his favorite players. “He told us to keep our heads up,” Skowronek said. “He said it’s a part of baseball.” It turned out to be a busy day for Harper.

Perhaps the busy day took a toll, however, as the Phillies did not bat well and lost to the Nationals.

Next: The Phillies return home to open a three-game series against San Francisco at 6:40 p.m. Monday (NBCSP). Aaron Nola (10-8, 4.58) will start against Giants left-hander Scott Alexander (6-2, 4.06).

Regardless of whether England or Spain won, the number of countries that have had both men’s and women’s national teams win a World Cup title would double.

It turned out to be Spain that joined Germany in that exclusive club.

There’s not many who would have expected it, mostly because friction between the players and coaching staff led to an open revolt of certain players refusing to play for Jorge Vilda.

So, for a new leader of the U.S. women’s national team, is it better to be feared than loved, as Machiavelli famously wrote? Legendary former USWNT goalkeeper Brianna Scurry may not go that far, but she’s certain of one thing, and that is that Vlatko Andonovski simply didn’t get the job done and needed to go.

Well, Daryl Morey and James Harden are no longer getting along as swimmingly as this photograph above suggests. But it’s another level of escalation when the league gets involved and investigates because of the language used when one party attacked another.

And that’s exactly what is happening.

Rebound win: Sure, the Union weren’t able to divert Lionel Messi’s seemingly inexorable march to the Leagues Cup title, but the team bounced back with a dominant performance in the third-place game.

Exiting center stage: Media made history and that’s something to be proud of, even as the team’s Little League World Series run is done.

A legacy to leave: The next generation of Black quarterbacks is in good hands with a pair who fell into the role with no initial intent.

In 1936, one of the greatest NBA players in history was born in Philadelphia. He went on to play for Overbrook High as well as the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Chamberlain is still the only NBA player to score 100 points in a single game, and he won two NBA Championships and four MVP awards.

Our Sports Daily MVP was so nice, he offered advice twice!

To the Phillies: Keep having fun, and supporting each other. you have the best lineup in baseball, and stay positive and the runs will come consistently. the pitching is good enough, a stronger starting rotation now with Lorenzen added. And a deeper bullpen than last year when you made it to the World Series.

To Rob Thompson: have more faith in the starters to go another inning in games when they have pitched well. they will respond, and the bullpen will stay strong.

To the all Eagles: Last year’s great season is now over. Now, forget about it. Attack each game this year like you did last year. It will be harder to produce the same result, so work even harder. Expect to win. Your roster is the best in the NFL, but a lot of work is needed for that to show. Go for it all.

To the Sixers: that was a dismal end to a very promising season. It was a team result.

To Joel Embiid: being the MVP is not the main goal. To your lasting credit, you have improved in many aspects of your game each year, through hard work, which is clear to see. Continue to challenge yourself to get even better. You have the talent to be the best player ever, or up there with Jordan at least. Attitude matched with disciplined development could get you there. Focus on team results above all, and that effort will repay itself to you personally. Jordan is not the greatest because of his individual results, but those of the teams he played on.

To James Harden: stop being a prima donna, on and off the court. You are not the same player you were, but could still be great. You did serious damage to your legacy last season, and even more damage to it in the off season. Stop demanding everything for yourself and at least act like you are only as good as the team you play on. when you play poorly, as you did often, admit it. Philly sports fans know your heart and your head. Get them in the right place, regardless of whether you stay or go.

To Tyrese Maxey: your development into an NBA star is great to watch. Stay on the path you have charted, and don’t stray, as you are not there yet.

To all Sixers: Listen to your new coach, he has produced great results for many teams over his coaching years. Support him, he will support you.

To all the players and coaches on all our teams: Get us some championships. In Philly, when you do, your life will be wonderful. Just ask the 1980 and 2008 Phillies, many who came back this past weekend to be honored.

Take two:

to the Sixers: Please ask Harden to return his locker room keys and all Sixers gear he has as he leaves. And he should not collect more money as he passes Go. He never was committed to this team and its success (only his own), and should never again be seen wearing the Sixers label. Don’t celebrate until he is out of the state. It is “addition by subtraction”. Even before we get anybody in return, it is a big plus. Consider that this is just the last chapter in the story we will celebrate. Subtracting Harden is on top of extricating Simmons. That’s double “addition by subtraction”. To Morey: Getting a highly rated G league player will be a good deal. You can spring for the champagne for the celebration. I suspect Maxey and Harris to celebrate the most, and maybe Embiid and Nick Nurse too.

to the Phillies (Rob Thompson): Keep Schwarber out of the lead-off slot in the batting order. I can think of no reason to waste that important slot with a .185 hitter who will strike out over 200 times. I have 2 degrees involving stats, and no well grounded Analytics program would support it. That is especially true when some other guys are starting to drive in runs. He should be able to hit “schwarbombs” and 40 HRs from a lower place in the batting order. More people might then be on base. A win-win-win. Sometimes I think the modern game of baseball is complicated beyond recognition. See ball, hit ball, run.

to the Eagles: great season last year, thanks. but that is in the past now. wash that from all brains. We fans have. you have the best roster in the NFC, and maybe the NFL. But you have to show it to get the credit again this year, and that is done by playing consistently smart and hard as a team. you probably will do that, and we expect you to be playing often in January.

To the Flyers: I don’t know a damn thing about hockey. The only thing I can think of is that smart people are those who know what they don’t know.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from John Leuzzi, Gina Mizell, Alex Coffey, David Murphy, Aaron Carter, Jonathan Tannenwald, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, EJ Smith and Josh Tolentino.