👶 Saquon, the sitter | Sports Daily Newsletter

As if Saquon Barkley needed anything more to endear himself to Eagles fans worldwide, Inquirer writer Alex Coffey drops a gem of a story like this.

Before Barkley was well on his way to being one of the best running backs to come out of Penn State, mold himself into a star in the NFL, and now making a strong case as the most valuable player, he was Saquon, backup babysitter extraordinaire.

When Barkley was a student at Whitehall High School, he established a relationship with the school’s athletic director, Bob Hartman, who saw more than just a football player, describing him as “responsible.” So naturally, Hartman inquired if Barkley would potentially babysit his two kids.

From there, this story kind of writes itself. Oh, and did I mention that just this week, Barkley was named the NFC’s Offensive Player of the Month for November?

“I knew he could use the extra money, and my kids liked Saquon,” Hartman said. “They looked up to him, and I knew they wouldn’t get out of line. He was responsible. So it was sort of an easy decision.”

Yesterday, I suggested you read all about the chef cooking up high-priced cuisine at Eagles tailgates. Today, I put you on to Saquon’s sitting adventures.

I’d say I’m 2-for-2, Philly. 💪🏾

— Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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The 76ers can’t win. Some 20 games into the season, the ball hasn’t bounced their way despite the outsized expectations entering 2024-25. Now, as the Sixers wade deeper into the season, the stakes have risen. Joel Embiid is set to miss out on NBA awards for the second straight season. And the Sixers sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings a quarter of the season behind them. To make matters worse, officials missed two critical calls in the Sixers’ Tuesday loss to the Orlando Magic. After they managed to hang tight with the Magic despite holes in the roster, two calls went against Tyrese Maxey, whose foul on Franz Wagner went uncalled before he was hit before attempting a three-pointer and didn’t get a whistle.

The Eagles play in Week 14 against the Carolina Panthers. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.

Eagles defensive lineman Jordan Davis measures his individual success by the amount of dirt on the backs of linebackers Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun. Clean jerseys mean Davis is fulfilling his job as a run-stopper, a role he’s relishing in Vic Fangio’s defense. Davis knows his No. 1 job is stopping the run and doing that “is all the satisfaction that I need,” the 24 year-old said.

Meanwhile, the Eagles offensive line is enjoying the Barkley show. So much so that near their locker stalls at the NovaCare Complex, two photos of Barkley now adorn the wall, one from the Washington win on Nov. 14, and the other from the star running back’s record-setting performance against the Rams. Starting left tackle Jordan Mailata said Thursday that he wants Barkley to break the single-season rushing record more than being an named an All-Pro.

Dick Allen never had a chance in his 15 years of Hall of Fame eligibility (it’s 10 years these days), and he barely missed when baseball tried to wash away its shame. Baseball and Allen have another chance on Sunday when the 16-member Classic Baseball Era Committee convenes in Dallas to vote on eight candidates. Marcus Hayes writes that you can reasonably argue that, for 11 seasons, Allen was the most feared hitter in baseball. With that said, you cannot reasonably argue that he does not belong in the Hall of Fame.

With the Rule 5 draft scheduled for Wednesday at the winter meetings in Dallas, here’s a look back at some notable Phillies who were selected or lost in the draft.

Matvei Michkov was hyped as someone who wouldn’t shy away from the bright lights. Through his first 23 games, he’s come as advertised.

With his OT goal last Saturday against the St. Louis Blues, Michkov became just the fourth teenager to score three overtime game-winners. To go one step further, he joined Sidney Crosby as only the second rookie teen to accomplish the feat. Not bad company.

Michkov’s heroics have been part of a larger trend for the Flyers, who are 7-3 in games that have exceeded 60 minutes. In contrast, the Flyers were 8-11 last season, and just 5-13 in 2022-23 when games went beyond regulation. Will it continue? John Tortorella thinks the Flyers have a lot of improving to do if they want it to.

Dec. 6, 1961: Syracuse running back Ernie Davis wins the Heisman Trophy, to become the first Black player to win in the 27 years since the award was first established.

GINK LEOERE

The mother of this Eagles player had her dog stolen from the Target on Castor Avenue. Now, she’s asking the community to help recover her beloved pet. Side note: She’s also offering a $1,000 reward. Think you know? Take a guess and click here to see if you’re correct.

Here are our Philly fan photos for this week as part of our Friday lineup. We’ll need you to keep submitting photos with a Philly sports theme to keep this feature going. Send your photos here for the opportunity to be featured.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Gabriela Carroll, Avery Hill, Lochlahn March, Ariel Simpson, Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Jackie Spiegel, Isabella DiAmore, Keith Pompey, and Marcus Hayes.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

That’s all for this week. Stay warm, Philly. We’ll return your collective inboxes on Monday. — Kerith