The Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA) articles from February 2005

The Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA) archives from February 2005

Cubs knew Sosa had to go.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Paul Hagen PHILADELPHIA _ Kids, please cover your ears and eyes. Sometimes the truth isn't pretty. The fact is that, in the increasingly image-driven world of professional sports, Sammy Sosa wasn't always the warm and smiling...

Here's a suggestion for Super Bowl parties.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Bill Conlin When I'm King of the World . . . All Super Bowl parties will be on a tropical island in a villa sunbathing a Donovan McNabb quick out from the crashing Atlantic . . . So you went and did it, dummy? You booked that...

Mitchell sets the tone with his smack.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Sam Donnellon JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ I would like to take some time out from my busy pre-Super Bowl activities to thank Freddie Mitchell. Freddie has officially stamped this as a smack-talk Super Bowl. Despite his part-time...

Age works against Johnson.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Paul Domowitch JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ When Super Bowl XXXIX fades to black Sunday night, Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will hop on a flight to Cleveland, where he is expected to be named the Browns' head coach. ...

Smith's time has arrived.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ There is nothing in L.J. Smith's football resume to prepare him for this role. He played his college football at Rutgers, a program that has gone 12 years without a winning record and...

Eagles' Book Mobile makes Super trip.
February 1, 2005... Byline: John Smallwood JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Sarah Martinez-Helfman still remembers the disappointment of two years ago. A victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game and the Eagles were headed to San Diego for Super...

Illicit fireworks: Married man may not be her best bet.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Steve and Mia Q: I'm a 20-something single woman who has been seeing this 40-something married man. We have been dating for more than two years. The man is currently going through a divorce. His wife has not lived in his house for...

Street aside, council sets budget dates.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Mark McDonald Feb. 1--Mayor Street was just trying to he helpful. Really, said his spokesman Dan Fee, it was all about the golden rule. That's all one needs to know about Street's so-called two "simple requests" of City...

Mirarchi still on city payroll.
February 1, 2005... Feb. 1--Four months after he pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to fix parking tickets, Charles P. Mirarchi III remains on the city payroll at an annual salary of $37,893. In the pay period ending Jan. 16, city payroll records...

Abraham launches re-election campaign.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Dave Davies Feb. 1--Surrounded by a host of Democratic Party stalwarts, District Attorney Lynne Abraham opened her re-election campaign yesterday, promising to be "hugely victorious" over opponent Seth Williams in the May 17...

Philadelphia Daily News promotes managing editor to top job.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Mensah M. Dean Feb. 1--Michael Days, a North Philly-born journalist who has worked 19 years at the Philadelphia Daily News as a reporter, business editor and currently managing editor, yesterday was named the paper's top editor...

Philadelphia paper has a new leader.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Barbara Laker Feb. 1--Zack Stalberg, the face, persona and heart of the Daily News, announced his retirement as its editor yesterday to a shocked staff, some of whom wept. After 34 years with the People Paper and 20 years at...

Fund-raising under way for mayoral hopefuls.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Dave Davies Feb. 1--Potential mayoral candidates for 2007 are mostly still in the fund-raising starting gate, according to campaign-finance reports filed yesterday. City Controller Jonathan Saidel leads the pack with $378,000...

Philadelphia Daily News Plugged In column.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Feb. 1--THE GIZMO: Forget the hot wings. Can the imported beer. If you want the crowd of the century to show up for the Super Bowl of the millennium, you're going to have to serve your constituency better....

AAA helping to outfit school-crossing guards.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Myung Oak Kim Feb. 1--A long-planned project to give the city's crossing guards new vests, stop paddles and additional training was announced yesterday at Police Headquarters. The city's more than 1,000 guards will soon receive...

State Rep. McCall has a sweeping plan for transportation improvements.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Dan Geringer Feb. 1--As SEPTA'S March deadline for "doomsday" fare hikes and service cuts races this way like a runaway train, state Rep. Keith R. McCall, D-Carbon County, top Democrat on the House Transportation Committee, is...

For De La Hoya, promoting is a golden opportunity.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Bernard Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ The shelf life of sports stars is relatively brief, given the natural laws of diminishing returns. Barring a Faustian deal with the devil, every athlete discovers that age is the one opponent that...

The owner's wife has clout with these high-flying Eagles.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Rich Hofmann JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The most powerful and influential woman in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles' franchise rarely speaks to reporters. Over the years, it has almost become a game, wondering just how quickly the...

Patriots' QB has plenty to brag about, but Brady doesn't.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Marcus Hayes JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Tom Brady has it all. He acts as if he has nothing. Brady sports stylish sideburns, a longish Princeton haircut and just enough scruff to accent his dimpled chin. He sports trendy Nike Air...

Super Bowl week a circus within a circus.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Sam Donnellon JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The big glass doors rolled up promptly at 10 a.m. Packed inside a restaurant atop ALLTEL Stadium, the mass of reporters, cameramen and assorted nuts cascaded down the concrete stands toward the...

Douglas, Jacksonville sports columnist trade barbs.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Hugh Douglas is not shy. He is not timid. He does not hold his tongue or try to be politically correct. He's also not stupid. Douglas knew what was coming Tuesday, so when he...

FOX broadcast team hypes the story lines.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Sam Donnellon JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The trash talking was intense. Tom Brady was no Joe Montana, not yet, said Cris Collinsworth. The Eagles will not be able to contain Corey Dillon for a game, said Jimmy Johnson, the former Cowboys...

Different jokes for different folks.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Stan Hochman PHILADELPHIA _ So some Eagles turned the trainer's room into a "Soul Train" dance floor before the NFC Championship Game. Jazzy Jeff (It Must Be Jelly Because Jam Don't Shake Like That) Lurie stopped by for a couple of...

Just a day in the Super Bowl Hype.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ They gave podiums to the big names at Eagles' media day Tuesday. They left one guy out. While reporters asked Corey Simon, Jevon Kearse, Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid, each other, the...

Patriots still talking about respect _ or lack thereof.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Marcus Hayes JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Perhaps if the New England Patriots win every Super Bowl for the next decade, they finally will consider themselves respected. Until then, rest assured that, despite current comparisons of...

National media get to see the funnier side of Donovan McNabb.
February 2, 2005... Byline: John Smallwood JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ If ever there were a legitimate time for "Bland Donovan" to make an appearance, this would have been it. Since he arrived in northeast Florida with his teammates for Super Bowl XXXIX, Eagles...

Schools told to change tutoring setup.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Mensah M. Dean Feb. 2--The way low-income children receive after-school tutoring from the Philadelphia School District will have to change, the U.S. Department of Education has ruled. While an entity of the district can still...

Mindless applause for Bush speech.
February 3, 2005... Byline: John Baer It was a mix of almost unending annoyance and a few fresh moments. I loved it, for example, when Dick Cheney popped a cough drop, or a No-Doze, or a nitro. But Wednesday night's State of the Union struck me mostly...

Lombardi would appreciate Belichick.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Sam Donnellon JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The little genius was fishing. That's what Jimmy Johnson had invited him to do, and that's what Bill Belichick was doing. Just a little fishing, that's all. "We finished and relaxed, had...

Eagles' fate is up to Westbrook.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Rich Hofmann JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Pro Football Weekly has 10 staffers who pick games, and all 10 picked the Patriots to beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl. While that likely won't help circulation in Philadelphia, it doesn't make...

Patriots' Pioli emerging from Belichick's shadow.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Marcus Hayes JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ You don't expect a guy who looks like Scott Pioli to be a numbers cruncher. What strikes you first about Pioli is his powerful frame that retains much of the size and strength that made him a...

Patriots' 3-4 defensive scheme could spell trouble for Eagles.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Paul Domowitch JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Football isn't rocket science, but it isn't "see Dick run" either. NFL playbooks, with the exception of the Washington Redskins', which was written on the back of a NASCAR race program, tend to...

Eagles' fate could rest on special play.
February 3, 2005... Byline: John Smallwood JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The irony of Super Bowl XXXIX for the Eagles is that despite the hype surrounding Donovan McNabb, the mystery of Terrell Owens and the lunacy around Freddie Mitchell, the first tone-setting play...

Going to prison a good career move for Martha Stewart.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Ellen Gray Nothing eases the transition from prison to freedom like knowing there's a new job waiting for you on the outside. Or maybe even two. Domestic diva and media mogul Martha Stewart sewed up hers before leaving...

Eagles' Brasher, 64, has seen everything.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Rich Hofmann JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Tommy Brasher's best friend since they were first-graders at Southside Elementary School in El Dorado, Ark., will be here. So will his family and friends who have stayed with him through all of the...

Blake's reason for joining Eagles comes to fruition.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Jeff Blake sat at his assigned table, paging through a copy of USA Today while reporters and camera crews walked by. Some folks stopped and if they did, most asked about Donovan McNabb and...

Owens' hometown not a shrine for star receiver.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Bernard Fernandez ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. _ The first thing you notice driving into this northeast Alabama mill town is what isn't there. Unlike, say, Kiln, Miss., which proudly announces itself with signs and Green Bay logos as...

When it comes to Owens, Mom knows the scoop.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Bernard Fernandez ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. _ Denzel Washington, the Academy Award-winning actor, was on the couch of "The Tonight Show" recalling the difficulty of being raised by a father who was a stern disciplinarian and a part-time...

Radio stations converge on Jacksonville.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Don Russell JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The Franchise and The Zone, The Score and The Ticket, The Sports Animal and The Sports Chix. They're all in Jacksonville this week, on Radio Row at the NFL media center. More than 100 radio...

Channel surfing.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Elen Gray PHILADELPHIA _ Too much television, so little time: * Holy Justin Guarini! Looks as if Bucks County, Pa., is back in the running on Fox's "American Idol." Anthony Federov, 19, of Trevose, made it through to...

Pats don't like playing on slippery surface.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Marcus Hayes JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ See, when it rains in Florida, the ground gets wet. And it stays wet. Especially in the winter. The Patriots seem to be ignorant of that. After grousing about wet ground Monday, they...

Former judge throws hat in for controller.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Dave Davies Feb. 3--Former Common Pleas Judge John Braxton declared his candidacy for city controller yesterday, promising to bring his experience as a lawyer, judge, management consultant and community activist to bear on the job...

Parade plans prepped.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Ramona Smith Feb. 3--Remember Rocky? The victorious Eagles -- and every football fan in the Philly area -- can prepare once again to hear the triumphant music from that movie during a huge celebration that's ready to flow...

In wake of our series, Brady proposes bill for school-zone safety.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Myung Oak Kim Feb. 3--Congressman Bob Brady has introduced a resolution that would encourage public awareness of traffic dangers around schools across the country. The Philadelphia Democrat's resolution, introduced last week,...

Williams, other black quarterbacks discuss perceptions.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Les Bowen JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Of the two starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl XXXIX, the one who reminds Doug Williams more of his own style of play, Williams was saying, is New England's Tom Brady. But the quarterback he'll be...

Coaches play crucial role in Super Bowl.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Sam Donnellon JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ They say the game is decided by players, and it's true. But sometimes it's the players who are not in uniform, the high rollers in headsets _ charts in one hand, guts in the other _ who tip the...

Patriots' makeshift secondary steps up to the challenge.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Marcus Hayes JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Really, it's hard to blame Freddie Mitchell for telling a TV camera he wasn't familiar with the Patriots' cornerbacks. One guy, the rookie, didn't get drafted. Another played wide receiver...

For Eagles, the plan begins with Andy Reid.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Les Bowen PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. _ You've heard about the notebooks, about the meticulousness, about the devotion to preparation. That and the minimalist approach Andy Reid takes to news conferences are the main things Eagles...

Crennel would break the mold of new head coaches.
February 4, 2005... Byline: John Smallwood JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? Well, this weekend, New England defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will be on the First Coast trying to help the Patriots defeat the Eagles in Super...

Want to make a little wager?
February 4, 2005... Byline: Ed Barkowitz and Bob Cooney PHILADELPHIA _ Sports writers Ed Barkowitz and Bob Cooney have a fictional $1,000 with which to wager on Sunday's game and are going head-to-head on propositions of their own choice. It's up to them to...

`Numbers,' `Medium' show family dramas are still thriving on TV.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Ellen Gray If you happened to read in Sunday's New York Times that Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick were working on a series about seven twentysomethings sharing a house in Chicago, you might figure this is the end of TV's tortured...

Super Bowl has a beauty _ and a burden.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Ray Didinger ___ Former Philadelphia Daily News sports writer Ray Didinger is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is now a senior producer for NFL Films. ___ PHILADELPHIA _ Steve Young was at the San...

Female accuser said to have tapes of conversations with Cosby.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Nicole Weisensee Egan PHILADELPHIA _ The Canadian woman who has accused Bill Cosby of drugging and groping her has taped conversations with him that occurred after she reported the offense to authorities, sources have told the...

Eagles' Lewis practices for a touchdown dance on the biggest stage.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ As the offense huddles during practice, every once in a while Todd Pinkston will look in the direction of teammate Greg Lewis. "He's over there dancing," Pinkston said, shaking his...

Black Vanderbilt QB was not only judged by his play.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Les Bowen PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. _ David Culley, the Eagles' wide receivers coach, has an unusual perspective on Donovan McNabb's quest to become the second African-American quarterback to win the Super Bowl. Culley knows...

For Eagles, it's really happening _ it's the Super Bowl.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Rich Hofmann JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ A cool rain fell Thursday, on and off, as the whole thing really began coming to life. Cruise ships now command the St. Johns River; portable bars spring up like weeds from the pavements outside...

When that Super moment hits you.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Paul Domowitch JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ At some point Sunday, the magnitude of the moment will hit them like a bullet between the eyes. Especially the ones who have never been here before. At some point Sunday, it will dawn on each...

Eagles fan keeps tabs on team from Alaska.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Barbara J. Isenberbg PHILADELPHIA _ Stranded in Russian waters last winter with only the score of the NFC championship game between the Eagles and Tampa Bay, Michael Anderson played out different scenarios of the game with a...

Eagles VP makes the right moves.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Paul Domowitch JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ When Andy Reid went shopping for a personnel adviser four years ago, shortly after Eagles owner Jeff Lurie promoted him to king, he was certain of one thing. He didn't want a yes man. ...

Patriots' receivers perform in anonymity but win.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Marcus Hayes JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ On a team paradoxically known for its anonymity, no unit is less known than the wide receivers. The Patriots' passing attack was plenty respectable, spearheaded by Pro Bowl quarterback Tom...

Eagles deserve a rematch after this one.
February 6, 2005... Byline: Sam Donnellon JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ At the half, you had to like their chances. They had survived some offensive implosions, got lucky on a fumble reversal. The Eagles' defense had hung tough, erased some mistakes, traded punches...

Scenes and shots from the Super Bowl.
February 6, 2005... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ The ride to the stadium, thanks to a circuitous route that included Georgia and parts of Tampa, took forever, but at least it gave you a chance to experience the Super Bowl. That's good...

The Chef's Table: Emptying the pantry: A recipe for that walnut pesto.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jim Coleman and Candace Hagan Q: I was given a jar of pesto made with walnuts for Christmas. Can I use it like I would regular pesto? Thanks for your help. _ Trish C. A: So, Trish, just now getting around to some of those "less...

Yes, Sir, halftime show lacked controversy.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Ellen Gray Be careful what you ask for. After last year's "wardrobe malfunction," many people apparently hoped for a Super Bowl halftime show they could safely watch with their children. What they got, of course, was a...

Producer laments lack of high-def audio.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Takiff While the high-def video revolution is gaining momentum big time, the high-resolution audio scene is languishing in a state of neglect or maybe even abandonment. And no one's feeling the pain worse than the...

Not time to say goodbye to `Gilmore Girls' just yet.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Ellen Gray It kind of feels right that Emily and Richard Gilmore (Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann) should be renewing their vows Tuesday night on the 100th episode of the WB's "Gilmore Girls." Like the couple _ two of the most...

McNabb can look to Elway for comfort.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Rich Hofmann PHILADELPHIA - The all-time quarterback to whom Donovan McNabb best compares stylistically is John Elway. They haven't accomplished the same things, not yet, but the big arm, powerful running style and excellent...

2nd woman says Cosby drugged, groped her years ago.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Nicole Weisensee Egan PHILADELPHIA _ A California lawyer says she has told Montgomery County, Pa., investigators who are probing sex allegations against Bill Cosby that the entertainer drugged her and tried to force himself on her...

For men, sex is main subject on their mind.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Steve and Mia Q: Are there really men on the planet who are capable of sleeping with any woman who crosses their path? If so, what percentage of the male population would you estimate falls into this category? Steve: About 110...

Philadelphia Daily News Plugged In column.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Feb. 8--While the high-def video revolution is gaining momentum big time, the high-resolution audio scene is languishing in a state of neglect or maybe even abandonment. And no one's feeling the pain worse than...

St. Louis bout was a throwback to better days of local bouts.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Bernard Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ Once upon a time, major boxing events were held all over the country. Philadelphia was a great fight town back in the day. The number of eyewitnesses who saw Rocky Marciano rip the heavyweight...

Butkovitz opens campaign.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Dave Davies Feb. 8--If campaigns are electoral warfare, city controller candidate Alan Butkovitz has opened his with a "shock and awe" display of political firepower. Joining the Northeast Philadelphia state representative as...

Advocates protest Bush cuts to education.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Mensah M. Dean Feb. 8--The release of President Bush's $2.57 trillion budget plan -- with deep cuts to, or complete elimination of dozens of education programs -- yesterday drew sharp protests from education organizations around...

Public high schools to shrink.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Mensah M. Dean Feb. 8--Philadelphia public high schools -- now the city school district's largest and least effective buildings -- will soon become smaller and better, school officials said yesterday. As part of a plan to give...

Some teams are sitting pretty for NCAAs.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Dick Jerardi PHILADELPHIA _ As we get to mid-February, with the NCAA Tournament now directly ahead, there are only eight teams unbeaten in conference play. You can pencil almost all of them into the tournament. It will be very...

History against Eagles in return bid to Super Bowl.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Paul Domowitch PHILADELPHIA _ History hasn't been very kind to Super Bowl losers since the advent of free agency and the salary cap in 1994. Six of 11 runners-up failed to qualify for the playoffs the following year, seven didn't...

Reid it and weep: Patriots' coaching staff made the difference.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Sam Donnellon PHILADELPHIA _ Kill the man with the ball! Remember when you used to call that out as a kid? Give someone the ball, then everybody else run after him and try to tackle him. Well, that's the way Super Bowl...

Deion Branch offers ideal lesson in learning from your mistakes.
February 9, 2005... Byline: John Smallwood JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Deion Branch had blown it. As a high school senior in Albany, Ga., Branch had played well enough to catch the attention of then-Florida coach Steve Spurrier and receive a scholarship offer to...

Here's how CBS' `Race' could be even more amazing.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Ellen Gray So Freddy and Kendra won "The Amazing Race 6." I'll never think of models the same way again. Right, baby. OK, so it wasn't quite the high of watching that nice Chip and Kim win, but the good news is that...

Layoffs planned at US Airways.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Regina Medina Feb. 9--US Airways, one of the largest private employers in the region, is set to layoff 203 employees at the end of March, according to a local business publication. The airline, in Chapter 11 bankruptcy...

R&B to Philly: Hall of Fame is on its way.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Earni Young Feb. 9--Remember when the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame almost came to Philadelphia, but took a last-minute turn to Cleveland? It's our turn now. Philly will soon be able to boast of being the home of rhythm and blues....

Cosby camp goes on attack against 2nd accuser.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Nicole Weisensee Egan PHILADELPHIA _ It didn't take long. The day after California attorney Tamara Green went public with allegations that Bill Cosby drugged and groped her 30 years ago, Cosby's people began circulating dirt on...

Hospitals, docs settle with feds in gene-therapy death.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Jim Smith Feb. 10--The tragic death in 1999 of 18-year old Jesse Gelsinger in a gene therapy study at the University of Pennsylvania may have led to reforms that could save other lives, federal authorities believe. Without...

More scammed Eagles fans.
February 10, 2005... Feb. 10--The Super Bowl ticket scam continues to swell as more disgruntled Eagles fans come forward to tell their horror stories of lost money, no tickets and broken promises. Local fans who claim they were duped have filed complaints with...