Sports Tonight: Flyers or Sixers, that is the question

Well, I knew the Flyers/Sixers dilemma was going to present itself eventually.

With the seasons of Philadelphia's professional hockey and basketball teams running at nearly the same time, nights of conflict were bound to arise.

Which to pick as the local big event tonight? Sixers or Flyers? Flyers or Sixers?

Well, the Flyers play the winless Phoenix Coyotes at 7 at the Wells Fargo Center. The game will be televised on NBCSP, but the radio broadcast shifts to 93.3 WMMR.

A bonus factor is it looks like a good chance for a win in a game that fans can attend live.

The Sixers, who are experiencing the expected up-and-down start of a young squad, are in Houston, with the bitter taste of the at-the-buzzer loss the Rockets dealt them last Wednesday in South Philly.

The near-collapse down the stretch against the Mavericks on Saturday was both a sign that the Sixers still have lessons to learn and an indication of growth because they passed a pop quiz on the same subject immediately after Houston.

This game starts at 8 and is moved over to NBCSP+ for television but stays on the flagship radio station for both teams, 97.5 The Fanatic.

Yes, it's confusing, but since I'm out of space, you make the call.

Both the Denver Broncos (3-3) and the Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) are riding two-game losing streaks into their meeting on Monday Night Football at 8 in Arrowhead Stadium on ESPN.

Depending on who gets off the snide, the outcome could determine whether the AFC West is going to be a tight race the rest of the way or an easy run for the Chiefs. A win would give the Chiefs three more wins than all the other AFC West teams at the midpoint of the season. Denver would be one win behind with a victory.

The Chiefs are led by rookie third-round pick Kareem Hunt, the only NFL running back averaging 100 yards per game.

Despite yielding a league-low 258.5 yards per game, the Broncos have a minus-10 scoring ratio. Trevor Siemian is 25th in quarterback rating, and the rushing offense is 25^th. That helps explain the .500 record.

The Phillies have bought into analytics over experience as an actual baseball manager. Staff writer Matt Gelb gives insights into the thinking of Gabe Kapler, who he reports will be the new Phillies manager.

The Eagles improved to 7-1 with a methodical win over the San Francisco 49ers. Staff writer Jeff McLane discloses what we learned from the Birds' latest victory.

Third down is called the "money down" for football offenses, but it also the critical down for defenses. Staff writer Paul Domowitch tells how the Eagles defense makes a priority of getting off the field in third-down situations.

A lot of Flyers fans have been waiting to see what young defenseman Samuel Morin can do in the NHL. Staff writer Sam Carchidi says an injury will keep Morin from being called up to Philadelphia for the game against Phoenix.

In a wacky season of college football, Penn State became the latest top team to see its playoff hopes scrambled. Staff writer Mike Kern lays out the fallout for the one-point loss to Ohio State.

We are used to seeing football players go down with knee injuries and broken bones, but the body is complex. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Bears tight end Zach Miller needed "urgent surgery" to save his leg after being injured.

Unfortunately, the societal taboos related to sexual abuse, particularly involving children, are some of the things that the predators count on in their efforts to conceal their crimes.

Because of the possibility of not being believed, shamed and in many cases actually blamed, victims often choose to remain silent and sometimes end up suffering for years with the knowledge that they have been abused.

As tragic as the crimes committed against them were, the recent trend of Hollywood celebrities' telling their stories has forced us to finally deal with a demon in our society. Their speaking out has given courage to others to tell their stories.

Seattle Storm star Breanna Stewart wrote an essay on The Players' Tribune revealing how she was sexually abused for years beginning when she was nine years old.

Her chilling statement of not being able to fight off her attacker burns the soul:

"I wasn't strong enough. I was a just a kid."

NFL
Broncos at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)

NHL
Coyotes at Flyers, 7 p.m. (NBCSP; WMMR-FM 93.3)

NBA
Spurs at Celtics, 7:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
76ers at Rockets, 8 p.m. (NBCSP+; WPEN-FM 97.5)
Warriors at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (NBA TV)

Soccer
Premier League: Burnley vs. Newcastle United, 3:55 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLS playoffs: Toronto FC at New York Red Bulls, 7 p.m. (FS1)
MLS playoffs: Portland Timbers at Houston Dynamo, 9:30 p.m. (FS1)

NHL
Flyers vs. Coyotes, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center