🌴 Zack’s back | Sports Daily Newsletter

There was one encouraging sign and one unusual sight Thursday as the Phillies faced the New York Yankees in Clearwater, Fla.

In action for the first time this spring, Zack Wheeler fired his first fastball at 96 mph. After a Cy Young-worthy season, it’s good to see Wheeler get off to a strong start.

“Probably one of my better ones that I’ve opened up with,” the Phillies ace said. “So, happy with it. Obviously came out healthy and did well. So now just build off of that and build up the pitch count, and stay healthy.”

The strange sight? Kyle Schwarber wearing a first baseman’s mitt. The Phillies designated hitter is not known for his fielding prowess and has never played the position for the team. Manager Rob Thomson wants to give the Phillies more flexibility at the DH spot this season, though, and plans to play Schwarber at first base and in left field in Grapefruit League games.

Schwarber would rather get his mistakes in the field out of his system now. “It’s just different when you can be in spring training settings, and you go out and you have a spring training game,” Schwarber said. “You can screw up all you want, right? It doesn’t matter.”

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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With one week until the NHL’s trade deadline, Flyers GM Danny Brière figures to be a busy man.

While Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen are the likeliest to be moved, don’t rule out others hitting the trade block before March 7. Jackie Spiegel took a spin through the roster to sort players into four categories: those likely to be traded, those available for the right price, those unlikely to be dealt, and the untouchables.

One player who won’t be traded is Matvei Michkov. But the young phenom has found two new linemates — and a new mentor — since the Flyers returned from the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Last night, the Orange and Black missed an opportunity to celebrate a monthlong sweep of the Penguins after a 5-4 loss in overtime. But hey, two out of three isn’t bad.

Maybe there won’t be a Shayshawn Barkley signing this year. But when the Eagles kick off free agency, they will be able to see which players they’ll be able to retain. With the NFL announcing a larger salary cap, it could give them some breathing room to be able to run it back.

The team not only saw success on the field, but also it’s clear that the Eagles got behind-the-scenes contributions from their staff. At the NFL’s Women’s Forum held at the NFL scouting combine, director of football operations Ameena Soliman and associate performance coach Autumn Lockwood were highlighted. From what Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni describe, the two were important parts of the team’s success.

The combine offers the Eagles a chance to evaluate draft prospects, and they could be looking for a tight end.

This Sixers season has been defined by injuries, with Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey all missing significant time. That injury bug has continued to make its way down the roster, with Eric Gordon suffering a wrist injury that required surgery. The 36-year-old, who signed a two-year, $6.7 million contract with the Sixers on July 10, is likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing a procedure that will sideline him for three months.

The Sixers have another guard in the pipeline with Quentin Grimes, who arrived at the trade deadline. His role remains a work in progress.

In and around Philadelphia, Rocky will always be regarded as the greatest sports movie of all time, Mike Sielski writes. But Hoosiers, released 10 years after Rocky in 1986, is a close second, he says. Gene Hackman, who brought coach Norman Dale to life in Hoosiers, has died at age 95, and Sielski remembers the accomplished actor’s most memorable role.

Here are our Philly fan photos for this week. Want to be included? Submit photos with a Philly sports theme here for the opportunity to be featured.

Hot on the heels of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX championship, The Inquirer’s hit podcast, unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane, announces another live taping — and you’re invited. In a subscriber-exclusive event in partnership with the Fitler Club, join us in person on March 6 as McLane talks with Eagles legend and radio broadcaster Mike Quick. Jeff and Mike will discuss all things Super Bowl and what made the 2024 season so special. Limited seating is available exclusively to our subscribers on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP now.

We asked you: What are your thoughts on the Tush Push? Among your responses:

I’m having a problem wrapping my head around why the other teams’ coaches are protesting the removal. Again, it’s an “elevated” version of the quarterback sneak and to ban it, then the quarterback sneak in general should be banned. You can’t help but ask why? The play works, guys! Obviously, the Eagle coaches and perhaps players came up with the idea, perfected it, and have been successful time and time again.

The one issue being thrown out is the “push” seems to be the cause of injury, which is very weak. Other teams are attempting to copy it and no one has been seriously injured by it. Playing football, in general, is a tough, injury-provoking sport, however, to single out one play is really weak. — Karen L.

There is no documented evidence of injury with this play. This was reported this year. If this play were to be discontinued, then all pushing of a running back by any player on the same team would have to be discontinued also. Every NFL team that I have seen has had their offensive lineman push a running back forward at different times during the game. This play is basically no different. — Rich

There’s no doubt the tush push is risky. Just look up what Jason Kelce screamed every time they did it. But I think the debate in the NFL is that it is basically unstoppable when the Birds attempt it. All the other coaches whining about it should maybe consider trying it or learning how to stop the Birds from scoring when they do it. — Kathy T.

What’s up with all these old NFL traditionalists, can’t they appreciate the innovative idea of a competitor? I have been an Eagles fan since 1948 and really have enjoyed the Tush Push or Brotherly Shove since its introduction. It has brought controversy of course, but also a lot of entertainment for fans throughout the league as they watched their teams try to stop it. Come on, you defensive geniuses, don’t outlaw it, figure out how to stop it. — Everett S.

Here’s my two cents. Yet linemen push backs all over the field? Linemen run down and cheap shot players! They also create scrums around the goal line and first downs! Are we going to ban that, too? If you are going to stop one, you should stop ALL. — Sean M.

The “tush push” is an extremely creative play. The only reason the competition wants to trash it is simple. After all this time, they still can’t figure it out. I have to give Washington credit for at least trying in the NFC championship game. The play is based on timing as most plays are. All 11 players have to be in total sync, and our OL is the best in all of football. Washington tried to disrupt it by flying over their own players and crashing into the offense. How’d that work out after 4 tries? — Ronald R.

The Tush Push is nothing more than an enhanced way of executing the Quarterback Sneak, which has been a legal play in the NFL for my entire life and likely that of football itself. No individual component of the play is illegal. The Eagles have simply perfected execution with extremely skilled offensive linemen that are dedicated to executing the fundamentals that make the play successfully. For those that claim there is a greater injury risk, I say simply, “show me the data to prove it.” These coaches that are trying to outlaw the play are simply too lazy or ill-equipped to determine the method to defend it. — John P.

If Sean McDermott thinks that, why did he run it four times in the AFC championship, especially considering that it didn’t work even once? — Anthony P.

Oh boo hoo for all the coaches that can’t stop it. Name some players who got hurt either on the Eagles or on other teams. — Bill M.

Does this play (Tush Push) legally and ethically conform to the current NFL rules and regulations? What (if any) accurate statistics exist clearly showing that those involved in this play (either side) are injured more seriously and/or injured more frequently than any other short gain play that can be run? ... Will it then become a new NFL “standard that penalizing any NFL team for legal play creativity and consistent execution of that play becomes the new norm when other teams simply cannot duplicate it or defeat it?

The decision by the NFL to end the use of the Tush Push will certainly not stop there. That will become the new precedent for any similar play that becomes consistently unstoppable or cannot be well executed by most other teams. — Harry Z.

What a Run! traces the remarkable journey that was the 2024 campaign, from Saquon Barkley’s 2,000-yard breakout season in his first year in Philly to Vic Fangio’s formidable defense to the exhilarating playoff wins against the Packers, Rams, and Commanders that paved the way for revenge against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

Featuring electrifying stories and photos from The Inquirer, this commemorative book takes fans from Week 1 in São Paulo, all the way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans. What a Run! is available at Barnes & Noble, on Amazon, and at other retail outlets. Or you can order your copy here.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Lochlahn March, Devin Jackson, Mike Sielski, Olivia Reiner, Gabriella Carroll, Jackie Spiegel, Keith Pompey, Gina Mizell, Jonathan Tannenwald, Brooke Ackerman, and Isabella DiAmore.

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.

That’s all for another week of Sports Daily. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend. I’ll see you in Monday’s newsletter. — Jim