Meet the Users: Christof
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This is the eleventh edition of the popular Meet the Users series, where The Beast will be interviewing a particular ArmchairGM user. The goal for the series is to allow all users to know each other better. The eleventh edition goes to Christof
1. How did you learn about ArmchairGM?
This is a long story that I will try and make short. Back in the Fall of 1996, I was a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. A floor mate of mine (King Court Dorm, 2nd floor), Marc Dworkin, invited me into a keeper fantasy football league his friends from home had created a few years prior. I accepted. One of the owners in this league is Dan – one of the four founding fathers of Armchair. When Armchair was starting up, Dan would throw off ideas and I would give back feedback. In the end, I became the sixth member of ArmchairGM.
2. Have you gotten over the Phillies first round exit? Was it a fluke? Can they get back to the postseason?
I was at Game One of the Wild Card series against the Rockies. See, having partial season tickets do pay off at times! Anyway, when the Phillies lost the first game, I pretty much prepared myself for the end. I was thinking it would take four games. Instead, it was a clean sweep. The Phillies were lucky to make the playoffs. They finished with less than 90 wins again this season. The difference this year is that the New York Mets went on an epic collapse. This is why the Phillies made the playoffs. The Phillies have an outstanding core. This core is also young. Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, Michael Bourne. This is the core. What you see in those names is only one pitcher. That is the problem with this club. The Phillies, like every other club needs pitching. Whether the Phillies can sign, trade or develop this much needed pitching will determine whether the Phillies will make it back to the playoffs. With the National League as it is, I would say that it is better than 50-50 that the Phillies can get enough pitching to make it to the playoffs in 2008.
3. Will this be Donovan McNabb's last season in Eagle Green?
Barring the Eagles winning the Super Bowl, this will be McNabb’s last season in green. And let’s face it, the Eagles are not going to sniff the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl. My family has held Eagles season tickets since 1986. This season reminds me a lot of 1998, the year before McNabb and Andy Reid arrived. This season pretty much closes out an era; the McNabb Era in Philadelphia Eagles history. I can see why the Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb this past year. McNabb, in 2007, got off to a fast start. He, however, hit a wall in the middle of the season. If you look at his statistics in the three games before he injured his knee last year, you will find that his performance was below par. Take into account the two major injuries he has sustained the past two years, and it surely looks like we are talking about a player in decline.
The thing that convinces me that this is the end of the line for McNabb in Philadelphia is his comments. Honestly, I truly think that he is becoming more mentally insecure as his physical skills decrease. This is evident with his comments to the media. For example, take the infamous HBO interview from the summer. Many people centered on the racial component of the interview. Personally, I centered on the phrase “pressure.” If McNabb is talking about pressure – no matter the source associated – then it means that he is feeling the pressure. That was a red flag.
So, overall, yes, I think this is the end of McNabb playing in Philadelphia. I had a great time watching this era, even made it on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer due to attending one of the games. It has been fun, but like all good things, it is coming to an end.
4. As a big Philadelphia sports fan, where would you rank it among America's top sports cities?
Philadelphia has to rank as the number one sports city in the country. The reason why is simple. I do not think any other city would care about sports if they had four teams playing, and have gone since May of 1983 without winning a championship. That is 95 professional seasons, a strike shortened season, and a full year lockout season. Yet, through this time, no championship has been won.
The very fact that fans continue to attend these games is a testament to Philadelphia sports fans. The Flyers are still selling out the Center. There is a decades-long wait for Eagles season tickets. The Phillies drew over 3 million fans this year. The passion is alive and well, even after years of defeat and heartbreak.
What will be interesting to see is what will the fans do when the drought finally ends. Personally, I do not know I will react. Heck, I do not even know if I will still be alive! But if I am, I would say that I am likely to cry my heart out as to dance in the street.
And let me say it now – parts of Philadelphia may burn after the championship is won. This burning and looting will not be done by the fans. The fans have waited too long for this moment to do anything destructive.
With that said, I am sticking with the view that Philadelphia has the greatest fans in the country. Being the ugliest and fattest just makes us that much more great – and lovable!
5. You write a popular column known as the Friday Fryer. Where did you get the idea for the Friday Fryer?
The idea for the Friday Fryer came from listening to 610 WIP. WIP is the local sports talk station. The morning show, since the early 1990’s, have done a Winner/Weasel competition on Fridays. Who is the winner of the week in sports? Who is the weasel?
Also, on occasion, I joke around that the government should, as a revenue source, televise executions. This should be done as a pay per view event, named Friday Fryer.
Hence, I combined the Winner/Weasel concept with the Friday Fryer name to come up with the column.
By the way, I do like to thank all those people who have, or are currently reading my columns and this interview. I thank you for your support. And yes, I realize that people 50, 100, 500 years from now may be reading it. Just remember, everyone needs to start somewhere. And always, keep the faith!
