The Philadelphia Eagles will play the San Francisco 49ers this weekend for the right to go to the Super Bowl. This will be a very close game. The 49ers and Eagles have been the best two teams in the NFC. The first team to score over 21 points will probably win the game because these are the two best defenses in the conference. If Jalen Hurts plays as well as he’s capable of, the Eagles will win this game. They have a big advantage at quarterback with Hurts since 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has only played six games in his NFL career so far. The 49ers may have an advantage in terms of run offense against the Eagles’ defense, but we will see. The game is the first on Sunday at 3 p.m. on Fox. Regardless of who wins the NFC title, they will have a tough team to face in either Kansas City or Cincinnati. Both are recent Super Bowl teams. Go Birds!
Scott Rolen was the only player elected this year on the writers’ ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played the first six-plus years of his career as a member of the Phillies at third base. He was a very good player. In 2002, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He enjoyed playing there a lot more because he didn’t like all of the media attention that came along with playing in Philadelphia. So he will probably go in to the hall with a St. Louis Cardinals cap on his plaque. Scott was on the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals team that won the World Series. If Scott can get in to the Hall of Fame, that should be good news for Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins’ prospects for getting in as well. Rollins is already on the ballot and got a disappointing 12% of the vote. He has seven or eight more years of eligibility. Chase is eligible starting next year. Scott, got 76.4%. You need 75% to get in.
The Australian Open tennis tournament is coming down to the end. Novak Djokovic is taking advantage of his ability to be eligible for the tournament. He’s a big favorite to take another title in Melbourne, which I believe would be his 10th Australian Open title. On the women's side, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will face off in the final. Rybakina has a chance to win her second grand slam title in three opportunities since she won Wimbledon last year. I will definitely report what happens next week.
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A 2002 Cape grad and 2007 UD grad, Lewes resident Sumner Spence is one of the Cape area's biggest sports fans. Although he’s used a wheelchair his entire life, he has lived vicariously through his sports-playing father, brother, and friends, who gave him his love of sports. He hopes to provide new and interesting perspectives on the sports stories and issues of the day. Email Sumner at sumspence@gmail.com.
