Maclin’s Honeymoon Over
April 28, 2009 –
Eagles fans yesterday expressed their growing disappointment with first-round draft pick Jeremy Maclin, citing, among other factors, the receiver’s utter lack of offensive production. “I was happy when they picked him [on Saturday], but what’s he done for us since?” carped South Philadelphia’s Len Chivis, 35, of the three-day Eagles veteran. “Just look at the numbers: zero yards, zero touchdowns. And he’s supposed to be our new weapon? Gimme a fuckin’ break.”
The former University of Missouri star’s off-field performance was also a source of discontent. “Did you see the tie he wore to the press conference?” snorted Logan resident Nick Royster, 42. “You know who wore stripey ties like that? Freddie Mitchell,” he added, invoking a similarly underwhelming Eagles first-rounder. West Philadelphia’s Terry Heiber, 29, was just as dismissive of the 6’0”, 200-lb. wideout. “Just from how Maclin looked in that hat, I think we’ve got another flop on our hands. I know they’re sayin’ he’s good, but I got a bad feeling about this.”
The 20-year-old Maclin, meanwhile, seemed baffled by the early criticism. “I know I haven’t scored any touchdowns yet or whatever—but we haven’t played any games yet,” he pointed out, shrugging. “I guess I’ll just have to do better somehow, that’s all.” Such vague reassurances did not assuage the anger of fans such as Chivis. “If you’re gonna play [in Philadelphia], you’ve gotta show us something,” he fumed. “We need more than a photo-op and a press conference to hold us over. What a fuckin’ bust.” |
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Flyers Still in Locker Room
April 28, 2009 –
Three days after their stunning, season-ending Game 6 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, a dejected Flyers team was today still sitting, in uniform, in its Wachovia Center locker room. “It was the hardest loss I’ve ever been involved with,” whispered red-eyed assistant coach Terry Murray, scanning the dead-silent room. “Even still, you’d think that at some point, they’d get up and go home.”
Goalie Martin Biron, who surrendered four unanswered goals after being staked to a 3-0 lead, had little to say about the historic unraveling. “What do you want me to say?” he mumbled, leaning all the way back in his locker, a hanging dress shirt partially obscuring his tear-streaked face. “We lost—remember?” Center Danny Briere, who scored the Flyers’ third goal—which, at the time, seemed certain to send the series to Pittsburgh for a decisive Game 7—was similarly curt. “I dunno,” he muttered, hunched in a folding chair, gnawing disinterestedly at the corner of a Saltine. “I dunno.”
Team spokesman Zack Hill seemed unsure about when, exactly, the crestfallen squad would disperse to their off-season homes. “I’d have to think they’re getting pretty hungry in there, so they’ll probably get it together fairly soon,” he said from outside the morgue-like room. “But it was a tough loss. Let them mourn.” Coach John Stevens agreed. “Just leave us alone for a bit,” he said from the floor of his office, a burning cigarette providing the only visible light. “We’ll see you next year.” |
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