Eagles agony | Sports Daily Newsletter
Accepting fate and farewells.
Jalen Hurts ran for three touchdowns and threw another, but it still wasn’t enough for the Super Bowl win. However, it was more than enough to finally quiet the doubters and skeptics who harped on his limitations and previously questioned whether he could lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl, writes Jeff McLane.
The epic performance from Hurts didn’t mean his big game was error-free, however. Marcus Hayes examines which Eagles mistakes most people are letting slide and which ones are getting all the attention.
Many people are calling it one of the greatest Super Bowl games ever, but for Eagles fans who watched their team soar in the first half and who could almost taste the champagne of victory, it’s a particularly sour defeat now. But there was a somber pride in the team’s effort, with players taking responsibility and promising to learn these hard lessons, writes EJ Smith.
— Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
❓What do the Eagles need to do to return the Super Bowl and win it? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.
It may be difficult for some to process, but David Murphy is already moving on from the Eagles Super Bowl loss to analyzing which players need to be a top priority for the team moving forward.
In a similar look to the future of the Eagles, Devin Jackson has mock draft picks ready to go.
McLane is looking back, however, at the Eagles defense in the Super Bowl.
Despite all the pain of the Eagles loss, for many longtime fans, there’s at least a small consolation in watching a former favorite coach, Andy Reid, revel in his victory.
Mikal Bridges’ career started with a trade. A Philly native and Villanova star, his hometown 76ers famously shipped to the Phoenix Suns on draft night. That crash course in NBA life prepared Bridges’ for the latest phase of his career, which started when he was included in the Kevin Durant blockbuster deal. Bridges spoke with the Inquirer about that deal, how he feels about Brooklyn and when he plays to reunite with Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson, two former Wildcats who also play in New York.
Against the Houston Rockets, the Sixers stayed focused, doing what needed to be done to work Tobias Harris into a scoring groove again.
Next: The Sixers play their last game before the All-Star break against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.
The 2017 Team USA that went on to win a World Baseball Classic championship had plenty of star power, but this 2023 tournament will have more. Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado and Clayton Kershaw will be on Team USA. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado and Julio Rodriguez will play for the Dominican Republic, and Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish will play for Japan. It will not be easy, but J.T. Realmuto, one of eight Phillies committed to play in the tournament, thinks that could be a good thing so early in the spring.
As the Phillies attempt to duplicate last season’s run to the World Series, their games will have a familiar sound on both television and radio.
The NHL season is drawing closer to the postseason and Flyers coach John Tortorella wants his team to meet the moment. The veteran leader has asked for more intensity and called for his team to learn from their early season experiences and apply them when it matters most. So far, as The Inquirer’s Giana Han notes, that philosophy has netted mixed results.
Next: The Flyers get another shot at the Kraken at 10 p.m. Thursday in Seattle.
The adage in a lot of sports is, you can’t teach speed. It also applies to height, which is a something midfielder Taylor Kornieck is blessed with, but getting her on the field entails her playing out of position. Is it a worthy experiment ahead of the World Cup? Jonathan Tannenwald weighs in on the pluses and minuses of the move from U.S. women’s coach Vlatko Andonovski.
Worth a look
Fantasy gear: The Eagles didn’t win Super Bowl LVII, but there’s some gear out there that says otherwise. Find out what happens to it.
Feeling the pain: Philadelphia’s sports teams have made the finals a regular thing, but oh, how it hurts to fall just short.
Jordan Mailata’s excellent American adventure: Even without a win, it was a special moment for the offensive line standout to have his family finally on hand to watch him play an NFL game.
🧠 Tuesday Trivia 🧠
Which rugby team’s youth squad did Mailata play for in Australia?
A) South Sydney Rabbitohs
B) Wellington Wallabies
C) East Sydney Eels
D) West Sydney Roosters
What you’re saying about how you’re feeling after the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss.
Gutted. — Gary S.
The boys did us proud. No need to hang their head. Mahomes was just unbelievable and their whole team responded. A key play that will be overlooked was that false start, followed by the fumble. May have cost the Eagles 7 points. — Stephen L.
Although I’ve lived in NYC for 18 years, I’ll always be a Philly girl at heart. I could barely watch the last minutes of the game. I’m still wearing my Eagles shirt. I ordered the Eagles cupcakes from Termini and am waiting for them to arrive. Jalen Hurt was fantastic! Although my heart is heavy, I can only hope and pray that next year will be the charm and will keep this in mind when I eat the cupcakes! Go Birds! Better luck next year! — Cheryl S.
How are Eagles fans holding up? Not well. — Bill M.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jeff McLane, Marcus Hayes, EJ Smith, David Murphy, Mike Jensen, Jonathan Tannenwald, Jesse Bunch, Giana Han, Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, Gina Mizell, Keith Pompey, Gus Elvin, and Devin Jackson.