will be announced in the Daily Times and on delcotimes.com Saturday ... the winner of the annual Delaware County Sports Figure of the Year award, as selected by the Daily Times sports department.

As usual, there were plenty of candidates. This year, a small departure from tradition. Be sure to check it out.

This, from http://www.bovada.lv/:

"



How long will it take Patti LaBelle to sing the national anthem?
Over/Under                    2 minutes and 25 seconds

Will there be rain or snow during the 2012 Winter Classic?
Yes                  +250
No                    -400  "

What will be the game time temperature at the start of the 2012 Winter Classic?
Over/Under                    43 Fahrenheit (6 Celsius)          

Will there be a weather-related delay during the 2012 Winter Classic?
Yes                  +400
No                    -600

Who will win the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game?
New York Rangers         -110
Philadelphia Flyers         -110

How Many Goals will be scored in the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game?
Over/Under                    7.5

Who will score more goals in the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® Alumni Game?

Bobby Clarke                 +115
Glenn Anderson             -145

Mark Howe                    Even
Brian Leetch                  -130

Bill Barber                     +110
Mike Gartner                 -140

Eric Lindros                   -130
Mark Messier                Even

John LeClair                  -110
Adam Graves                 -110

Jeremy Roenick             -140
Nick Kypreos                 +110

Will an outdoor NHL game be held in Canada in the 2012-2013 Season?
Yes                  +150
No                    -200

That's what the Eagles have, and what they showed again Saturday. But they will not be headed to the playoffs because they were not prepared this season to win.

Expect them to hint at the shortened offseason, necessitated by the labor stoppage last summer. But dismiss that, because if the team with the longest-tenured coach in the league can't handle a truncated offseason, which one can?

At best, the Eagles will be 8-8 this season. Clearly, Reid wants that, for he played Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy into the fourth quarter Saturday --- McCoy even injuring his ankle. McCoy would return, but he is the future.

Problem is, Reid is the past ... and he doesn't want to miss any opportunity to win a game now.

So Saturday essentially was the first OTA of a long, long offseason. An unacceptably long offseason.


Check out my column in the Daily Times Sunday and, as always, on delcotimes.com

Just watched Bernie Parent working out for the Winter Classic alumni game ... and he still can make a save at age 66.

Check delcotimes.com today for the video.

Just the same, Bill Barber wasn't impressed.

Asked how he would be able to score on Parent during the light practice at Voorhees, he laughingly replied: "Should't be hard."

They never played to their potential, either. But they never quit. And with two games left in the season, that should be noted.

Four random events must happen for the Eagles to win the NFC East. Four-event parlays rarely connect. But the Eagles are still alive, and considering that they had every chance to quit this season, that gives them a source of late-season pride.

Next up, Dallas --- and they beat the Cowboys by 27 the last time they played.

Who knows ... maybe.

Check out my column in the Daily Times Monday and, as always, on delcotimes.com

Classy Saint Joseph's athletic director Don DiJulia, who has seen as many Big 5 games as anyone, understands the significance of the first Holy War game between the Hawks and Villanova at 54th and City Line.

That's why he left tickets at the box office in the names of Jack Ramsay, Rollie Massimino and the late Jim Boyle.

Also, he has arranged for Steve Donches to present the game ball to the officials. It was 45 years ago this season that Donches beat Villanova at the Palestra with a last-second, half-court shot (worth two points then, not three.) Billy Melchionni, a noted Wildcat of that time, was invited to participate but was unavailable. But one former Wildcat --- either broadcaster Whitey Rigsby or assistant coach Doug West --- will accompany Donches to the court.

Check out all the coverage of the first St. Joe-Nova game at the Hagan Arena in the Daily Times Sunday and, as always, on delcotimes.com

For the Sixers, it was --- a 103-78 exhibition victory over the Washington Wizards.

No, no preseason result should be taken too seriously. But good basketball can be appreciated at any time. And the Sixers were unselfish, balanced, willing to defend and rebound, deep and fast.

That meant there was every indication that they can be a very, very good team.

"We had great countenance," Doug Collins said. "I think our guys felt good being with each other."

Check out my column on the Sixers and their plans for the season in the Daily Times Saturday and, as always, on delcotimes.com

After missing practice Wednesday with pain in his healing ribs, Michael Vick made a full participation in practice Thursday at the NovaCare Complex and reported himself fit to play Sunday against the New York Jets.

"Ready to go," he said.

Nor is he concerned about further injury

“It's just my style of play,” he said. “I take a lot of hits. When I was young, man, I played football in the back yard and I got hit probably six million times up until this point. Then I played Pop Warner football. So it is something I am accustomed to. Me getting knocked to the ground is like me walking. It's nothing.”

Check out the complete Eagles coverage on delcotimes.com and in the Daily Times Friday.

That's what the Eagles provided Sunday in Miami --- a belated reminder that they could have been, should have been a very, very good football team.

Now, they are reduced to hoping for a miraculous collapse of the other NFC contenders and a chance to enter the playoffs at 8-8.

“This team can do anything it wants to do,” Michael Vick said after a 26-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins. “It's all about a mindset, and as long as our mind is set right, we can make it happen.”

Maybe. If not, they can regret it for a long, long time.

Check out my column in the Daily Times Monday and, as always, on delcotimes.com. Also, look for a feature on LeSean McCoy, who is stalking records set long ago by Hall of Fame back Steve Van Buren.

In alphabetical order, Ruben Amaro Jr., Doug Collins, Claude Giroux, Jeffrey Lurie and LeSean McCoy for Philadelphia's sportsman of the year, as selected by a panel of one.

Find the answer Saturday in my column in the Daily Times and on delcotimes.com.

Donovan McNabb was waived by the Minnesota Vikings Thursday.

With a 31-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks later, Andy Reid was never so close to being waived as the Eagles' head coach.

Even to the ironic end, those two have been professionally paired.

Check out my column from Seattle , along with a story about Vince Young and his reaction, in the Daily Times Friday and, as always, on delcotimes.com