You know about the unwanted step son. Let's look in at the dinner table:

"Ryan, super job, son. And don't worry about those strike outs, it's the dingers that count. And Chase, we are so proud of you. Leading the league in hitting, how nice is that?

"Cole, you make us proud. We'll get 'em next year, son, you wait and see. And Bret, it doesn't matter what happened in Boston, you keep working on closing out the game.

"Oh Chris, you did hit a home run yesterday, but what about the other two times up to bat? You failed there.

"Okay, except for Chris, who wants seconds for dessert?"

He's hitting .304 with five home runs and 22 RBI since they brought him in from camp Ottawa. He handles the pitchers as good, if not better, than Ruiz.

During the winter caravan, GM Pat Gillick spoke about the players he was bringing in: Werth and Dobbs to play the outfield, and Rod Barajas to share the catching duties with Carlos Ruiz. Coste heard it because he was there. Turned out, Barajas was a joke. You may not see him play another game in a Phillies' uni.

For Coste, it didn't matter what he did last season. The unwanted step son gets no seconds for dessert.

Last week, the Phillies picked up Pete Laforest, another catcher. Does this spell doom for Coste in 2008? Once again, the unwanted stepson who can produce--a two-run shot in yesterdays win over the Marlins--gets pushed to the side. Sure, he hit a two run home run yesterday to put the Phillies ahead 3-1. But what about his other two at bats?

Questions surround the Eagles season opener today against the Green Bay Packers and the biggest one has to be the durability of quarterback Donovan McNabb. Can he return to form and lead the Birds to another title run? Will he be able to play the entire season? Will he get up the first time he gets hit hard?

The second question is how much will Andy Reid's family problems effect the team? It has to effect the coach. He wouldn't be a father if it didn't.

Then what about leadership? Is it Donovan? Will it be Brian Westbrook? Brian Dawkins? Will the team leader be someone else?

Will the defense be good enough? Will Jim Johnson's defense we quick enough? Omar Gaither is unproven at middle linebacker. How much of a learning experience will it be for the Birds' defense?

Will Westbrook get his 20 carries a game? Will Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis get open and catch the ball (and hold on to it)?

The Eagles have more than a few good players, but they have become an veteran team. Do the pre-season losses indicate a problem, or are simply a meaningless warm-up for the regular season? Perhaps we'll know some of the answers by the end of today.

I look for a big win for the Eagles today, and a game from McNabb that will quite his critics...at least for the moment.

How 'bout them Wildcats, huh? Mechanicsburg High School continued to roll with a decisive win over Spring Grove, 34-13. The defense stole the show holding the Rockets on the ground and in the air. Last week Spring Grove racked up 41 unanswered points...but not this week, not against this defense! The 2-0 'Cats are on the move.

The Golden Boys from North Broad Street are not ready to make their mark. This coach needs time. Temple football hasn't had a pulse in years and one good coach can't turn it around overnight.

The Owls have the right man to do the job. Once he does, once he turns the corner, everybody--all the Owl bloggers--will be jumping on the bandwagon. Some day, Al Golden will look back at last year, this year, and say, "We hung tough and turned the program around."

Hang in there Coach.