Exactly one year ago today, our friend and guest blogger, Marisa Gothie, posted a note thanking our 2010 Phillies... crazy how time flies and seasons swoop by.

Note:   It was my hope that when I was writing the reflection of this season it wouldn’t be until November; written after many celebrations, a parade down Broad Street and a ring ceremony in the future.  Sadly, this is not the case.  I needed time to compose myself after the NLDS loss to the Cardinals but hope you enjoy this reflection. One phrase to describe the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies Season….roller-coaster.  A roller coaster filled with high hills and low dips, one with twists and turns and flips that can turn you 180 degrees.  It was a season highlighted with some of the highest highs this franchise has ever seen:  102 wins, shattered pitching stats, batting crowns won and marred with inquiries and non production at times.

Did you know that women watch more sports than soap operas! Yep, BigResearch Media Study found us that over 60% of women watched sports regularly vs. 42% who watched soap operas regularly. Thanks to sites like Jersey Girl Sports for recognizing this and creating a one stop shop for for female sports fans around the world! Today we are happy to have one of the founders of this great site, Marcelle English, who has been in the sports industry for almost 7 years, share her experience with us. 

Very similar to LadyBallers, Jersey Girl Sports strive to create an experience where a woman can find her place and add value within her favorite sport. Additionally they educate, inform and entertain women who enjoy sports. Jersey Girl Sports understands the power and influence that women have in sports and thus creates opportunities to capitalize on the strengths and value they bring to the industry.

Please give us a little background on how you got to your current role: I have been a sports enthusiast for since high school. I did my first celebrity athlete interview in high school with baseball and football Great, Bo Jackson, and I went on to cover the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. While in college I wrote for the sports section of my college paper. While doing morning drive radio in Atlanta, I met a number of athletes and when leaving that job I decided to open my own PR/Marketing Agency that catered to professional athletes. My first client became the starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys, Quincy Carter. So taking all of my sports passion and knowledge, I was able to put all of that into what I do today with Jersey Girl Sports.  

We have been on a little hiatus due to the NBA Playoffs (RIP Magic) taking our attention but we are back with a BANG! Today we are featuring Lauren Shehadi with CBS as CBSSports.com/CBS College Sports Network Anchor and Reporter.

How long have you been in the sports industry? 6 years

Please give us a little background on how you got to your current role: I work daily as an anchor for CBSSports.com. I also cover college football and action sports for The CBS College Sports Network.  I remember when I stopped playing sports, there was a void to fill. At the time, I was a freshman at the University of Florida and thought I could keep sports a part of my life by majoring in sports journalism. My first interview was Steve Spurrier, I was shaking in my boots.

Guest blogger, Ray Lau.

On July 28, 2010, Sports Illustrated released a list titled “the 25 Most Hated Teams of All Time.” Of course, the usually suspects were there; the “Almost Perfect” Patriots, the “Bad Boys” Pistons of the 80s, and topping the list was the Jimmy Johnson led “86 Hurricanes, who were infamously upset by Penn State in the National Championship game.  Surprisingly, the 2010-2011 Miami Heat team cracked the list at #25, WITHOUT PLAYING A SINGLE GAME.  (Just for the record, there were 3 Miami teams on that list.  Guess where Sports Illustrated headquarters is? New York City. Look, just because Miami has better weather than New York does not mean we deserve this hate.) Even though I don’t agree with it, I can understand the hate from anyone who is not a Heat fan. The Heat just pulled one of the most earth-shattering off-seasons in the history of the NBA by landing a 2-time MVP in Lebron James, an All-Star power forward in Chris Bosh, and re-signing a franchise player in Dwayne Wade, while your team did nothing, or close to nothing (See: Stoudemire, Amare). The Heat are a perfect target for hate.

Guest Blogger: Marisa Gothie

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet my all time favorite Phillie, Darren “Dutch” Daulton. Darren was making an appearance at Appetites on Main, in Exton, PA.  I tried not to act like too much of a crazed fan but all my dreams of meeting him came true.

When Darren played for the Phillies he was a force to be reckoned with.  All his teammates looked up to him and all the fans wanted to know him.  He played hard and epitomized what a Phillie was supposed to be.

I fell in love with Darren Daulton after Terry Mulholland threw his no hitter in 1989.  I was watching the post game coverage of this feat, when the most handsome man I had ever seen filled the screen.  He had bright eyes, a strong jaw and, his muscles bulged. I was hooked.  It was from this point on that I became an avid Phillies fan and gave my heart to Dutch.

Guest Blogger: David Mitchell

By most standards, I am tall. Some would call me very tall. At 6 feet 3 inches, I do not have to look up very often in order to look people in the eye. When I do have to look up, I always think that the object of my gaze must have played basketball somewhere. High school? College? Europe. The NBA? Those guys are not just tall. They are freakishly tall.  Yes, I have conveniently determined that the dividing line for freakish height is established as anyone taller than me.

Basketball is a sport that generally favors those freakishly tall fellows. Even at my height, if I were to try to take a jump shot in front of Dwight Howard, assuming of course that I could jump, which I can’t, Dwight would casually raise his mighty arms and swat the ball out of the air.  In all likelihood the ball would come crashing down out of the sky, hit me in the head and knock me to the floor. Absent the use of a large tranquilizer gun, I would never be able to score on Dwight.  He is just too big.

Mr. Weathers! @ManBehindClouds - What a great guy. I met him a while back when we worked at the Eagle together and what stood out about him to me, #1 he always had a smile on and #2 he always made other people smile.  

He is a huge sports fan and recently joined as one of our guest bloggers!  Now even though he is a die hard fan of everything Boston, I still think he is pretty cool. Just playing, I have some love for Boston but he does stand out as a true fan who is not evil or mean, you can have an educated conversation with him and he will not be rude, which I find to be a rarity in Boston fans (personal opinion).

Guest blogger, Rico Albarracin.

Guest Blogger: Marisa Gothie

At the age of 47, most professional Major League baseball players are spending their time enjoying retirement.  They are reflecting on post season games they may have played in and big situations they had gotten into; They are not usually playing. But this is not the case with Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Jamie Moyer.

Jamie Moyer has reached many milestones in his career: Last year he was honored for his 250th career win and this past start Jamie reached 4,000 innings pitched. He is showing no signs of slowing down and he is proving to Phillies' fans that he is a pitcher they can count on as he enters the last year of his contract.

Moyer isn’t a “razzle dazzle” pitcher.  He isn’t someone that you see blow a fast ball by a hitter in speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. In fact, most of the times when he is pitching, as a spectator you know that you are in for a game that will go over the 2 hour mark. He is a methodical pitcher. One who knows his strengths, his weaknesses as well as his batters.

Guest blogger, Payal Doshi.

Check out my video below as I voice my displeasure with the remarks Hedo made on Turkish television this past Friday.