This isn’t some ode to the old-timers.

Or confirmation of the legitimacy of Oscar Robertson’s comments.

Or Phil Jackson’s comparison to Chris Jackson.

Nah, this is just a get-a-grip shout-out to the mind-numbed prisoners of the moment masses who have gone completely overboard with their hero worshipping rants and ravings about Steph Curry.

Guys, gals, experts, non-experts and anyone else with a memory span of, say, 20 minutes, yo, chill out.

The guy is a great player. He’s a worthy candidate to be pushed as the best player in the NBA currently. No doubt.
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But the best of all time, as many, seriously, mind you, are suggesting, with this “greatest season ever” as the harbinger of things to come? Holy smokes, people, settle down.

Curry is a wonderful testament to doing things a different way, succeeding in a physical sport without being a physical specimen, ballhandling at higher level and shooting at the highest level. He’s having a marvelous season, far, far greater than the one he had last season that yielded his first most valuable player award.

That being said, he’s not the best ever, and neither does his 2015-16 season stand above all others in NBA lore.

Frankly, his effort last year was hardly worthy of receiving the league’s top individual honor. That should have gone to Russell Westbrook, hands down, after he put a rather modern-day Big-O spin on things with averaging 28.1 points, 8.6 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game.

But we digress … or maybe not.

Thing is, if anyone is going to make the case for Curry as the game’s best player, they have to show he is the single most dominant force of presence in the league. Night in. Night out. Game after game. Year after year.

Right now, that case cannot be made. Curry is a brilliantly efficient player due to his shot-making proficiency with the ability to electrify a crowd with moves that snap defenders’ ankles and 3-pointers that seem to rain from the heavens.

He may be the best now, but best ever, no way.

He doesn’t impose his will in the same way as Michael Jordan did. Or Kobe Bryant has. Or LeBron James. Or even Westbrook, who isn’t even considered a “contemporary” by most. All four of those guys could struggle with their shot and still dominate a game, no matter how big the stakes. Sorry, but that ain’t Curry.

The national dis on Westbrook with regard to this is odd, since it easily could be rationalized that his two most recent campaigns, last year and this year, are comparable, if not better, than what Curry has produced in the same span.

Take a peek ...

2014-15

• Curry: 23.8 ppg, 7.7 apg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 spg, .487 FG, .914 FT
• Westbrook: 28.1 ppg, 8.6 apg, 7.3 rpg, 2.1 spg, .426 FG, .835 FT

​2015-16

• Curry: 30.7 ppg, 6.6 apg, 5.3 rpg, 2.1 spg, .515 FG, .908 FT
• Westbrook: 24.4 ppg, 10.2 apg, 7.5 rpg, 2.2 spt, .461 FG, .823 FT

There is no denying Curry’s merits as a shooter.

He may, indeed, be the best marksman the game has ever seen.

​But to look at those numbers and watch the two play, accepting the fact that Westbrook is a better defender, rebounder and disher, and come away with the notion that Curry is the greatest ever is ludicrous, especially when the same people doing so likely will, to hammer home their StephLove, scoff at Westbrook and claim he isn’t even the best player on his own team.

Look, Curry is great. He’s like Hall of Famer Pete Maravich with less trickery and a better stroke. He’s just not the greatest ever … and that’s OK, even if an old-timer or two may go a bit far in trying to emphasize that point.

​- Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

With apologies to Knicks executive Phil Jackson and Chris Jackson, the former LSU gunner and favorite Tourette’s Syndrome-afflicted NBA player, there is no need to delve that far back into the history books to bring some comparative-induced sanity into the equation in regards to the Steph Curry crushes all hype. Let’s just go with a couple contemporaries, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Where’s all the mid-major love?

Seriously, with the college basketball regular season winding down, you’d figure all the hype and propaganda for some quality non-Power 5 programs would be wearing thin on the nation’s nerves.

Usually we push it aside as best we can, only wishing to stomach the steady diet of discussion about the old-standbys, the big-name programs with big-time budgets.

But this season … hey, ain’t an issue.

Oh, how the mighty of the perceived non-mighty have fallen.

OK, sure, technically, Big East brethren Villanova (24-4 entering Saturday) and Xavier (25-3), currently ranked Nos. 1 and 5, respectively, could be construed with crashing the “entitled only” party. But, really, rightly so or not, those two and their conference are kinda given high-major clearance for starter … and, frankly, we’re not exactly getting a ton of pub about either at this point anyway.

Nah, we’re talking more the likes of Wichita State and Virginia Commonwealth and Gonzaga and Saint Joseph’s, small schools who have rocked the NCAA world at one point or another to varying degrees, with regard to this … this, for lack of better description, disrespect for the little guys.

Not for nothing, but the only recognized “true” mid-major that is ranked right now is American Athletic Conference member Southern Methodist (22-4), No. 24 in the AP poll.

Depending on whichever power ratings index the “exerts” opt to rely on, Saint Joe’s (23-5) and Dayton (22-5) of the Atlantic 10 and Wichita State (22-7) of the Missouri Valley all deserve to be in the Top 25.

The weird thing is with the latter two we’re not talking about programs that haven’t had an impact the past few seasons. The Flyers have danced the past two seasons, including a waltz right into the Sweet 16 in 2014. The Shockers have made serious NCAA noise with a Final Four run three years ago and a Sweet 16 last year.

Plus, their starting backcourt now – Fred VanFleet and Ron Baker – is the same as the one for both of those aforementioned squads.

Saint Joe’s? Well, here in Philly people still cling to that magical 2004 campaign that saw the hometown Hawks go 27-0 in the regular season, climb to No. 1 in the polls and fall short of the national semifinals by a single basket.

In truth, pretty partial here to the A-10’s VCU (20-8), which reached the Final Four in 2011 and seems to be far more worthy of a ranking than the coach, Shaka Smart, who bolted from it for Texas and his ’Horns positioned at the back end of the AP poll. Like Saint Mary’s (23-4), too, which already has topped West Coast Conference rival Gonzaga (22-7) twice this season.

Of course, the team that stands atop the mid-major rankings hasn’t even been mentioned here yet. Probably because Valparaiso (25-5) hasn’t made any splash in the NCAA tournament in a while. But the Crusaders did crack the Sweet 16 back in 1998 … and are now coached by the young man whose sharpshooting got them there, Bryce Drew.

Still, no love. Indeed, if any noise is going to be made about a mid-major this season, that mid-major will have to do it with its play in the postseason.

​- Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

With the NCAA tournament just a few weeks away, here are a few mid-majors to keep an eye on as potential pool-breakers.

Gonzaga Bulldogs
Record: 22-7
Biggest win: Then-No. 18 Connecticut (73-70)
Yeah, yeah, we’re all kinda sick of the Zags at this point. They’re the ultimate flame-outs when things really matter. Plus, they’re no sure thing to make the NCAAs anyway, not with Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Conference driver’s seat after beating Gonzaga twice. That being said, the Zags have two legit, future NBA big men in 6-11 Domantas Sabonis (17.3 ppg, 11.8 rpg) and 6-10 Kyle Wiltjer (20.8, 6.4), who was the preseason national player of the year in many outlets.

Wichita State Shockers
Record: 22-7
Biggest win: Then-No. 25 Utah (67-50)
Actually astounding to not see the Shockers ranked in the top 25. Both backcourt starters, Fred VanFleet and Ron Baker, will play professionally after this season and both have Final Four and Sweet 16 appearances under their belt. Wichita plays in a quality conference, the Missouri Valley, so it should be battle-tested entering the NCAAs, unless Evansville takes the MVC’s automatic bid instead. Plus, love him or hate him, Greg Marshall, is one helluva coach.

Virginia Commonwealth Rams
Record: 20-8
Biggest win: Saint Joseph’s (85-82)
The Rams’ frenetic pace, the way they push the action, particularly with their defense, is what makes them a dangerous prospect for opposing teams. The program’s all-time 3-point marksman Melvin Johnson (18.6 ppg) leads the offense. Like Wichita, they go 10 deep with their rotation in order to stay fresh. The main roadblocks to VCU, it seems, would be Atlantic 10 rivals Dayton and Saint Joseph’s somehow bumping the Rams from an NCAA berth. They’re tied atop the A-10 standings.

NCAA title? Yeah, possibly
Math ain't a strong suit
Not feeling the upset
Wake up the echoes
​Philly missing good games

Fear not, Nova Nation.

The sun will rise today. Or, if not today, since the forecast once again looks kinda crappy for the Philly region, it will someday in the near future.

OK, so your top-ranked Wildcats lost to No. 5 Xavier, 90-83, Wednesday night in Cincinnati. Their defense got undressed a bit by the Musketeers’ speed and quickness and sharpshooting. Their offense sputtered at times and short-circuited at others.

Still, with less than a minute to go, the ’Cats were scratching and clawing and draining 3-pointers to make what looks to be a legit Final Four team really sweat it out.

Let’s be honest for a minute, you didn’t really think Villanova was the best team in the country, did ya? Maybe the Big East, sure, but that fallacy was wiped away in this one with Xavier freshman point guard Edmond Sumner not missing the final 37.39 with a concussion. His absence turned a one-point game into a 31-point runaway for the host ’Cats in the prior meeting between the two teams.

Something to keep in mind: X was ranked sixth entering that initial matchup and Nova 16th. This latest display really seems to be a case of the Big East’s cream rising to the top in the Queen City.

But, make no mistake. Both of these NCAA-bound squads are good, very good. It’s just when it comes to talent and potential, frankly, X is better. Tougher? No, no team out-toughs Nova. Not as long as Jay Wright is the head coach and he has a leader such as Ryan Arcidiacono on the court.

But this loss was an eye-opener, or should have been. Nova needs to be on top of its game if it hopes to make a deep run in the upcoming tournament.

Perhaps this was the wake-up call that will prevent the ’Cats from enduring their annual, first-weekend fall.

​- Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

To all those who moan about the mistreatment of Ryan Howard, about how he hasn’t been appreciated and given his just due, got three words for ya:

Get a clue.

Seriously, enough with this drivel that has as much merit his $25 million price tag this season. Howard was as celebrated as any athlete in this town, including Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, during his prime and beyond. If anything, Howard has been handled with kid gloves the last handful of years, just like his former Phillies teammates were before departing town last year.

Yet, listen enough to his supporters and the PC police who reside among the local media, and you’ll get the impression this guy not only was held to a different standard, but had the villagers coming after him with pitchforks and fire in some sort of distorted pro sports version of a modern-day Frankenstein.

Hogwash.

Only two athletes in my lifetime, individuals who rated at Howard’s level, if not above, ever could have claimed to be placed in such a role:

MIKE SCHMIDT
It’s kinda amazing to hear Phillies fans old enough to remember Schmitty’s heyday strum the violin for Howard. There is no comparison to how bad it was for the former compared to the latter. Schmidt’s famous quip that noted Philly was the only place you could experience the thrill of victory one night and the agony of reading about it the next day had merit when it came to him.

His aloofness and often awkward way of communicating, in many ways, made him persona non grata with, first, the media in town, and, then, the fan base … because here the two are interminably intertwined, and forever influenced by the other. The fact he was arguably the best player of his generation didn’t even seem to matter – until the final days of his Hall of Fame career came to a close.

Sorry, Howard never suffered such foolishness.

DONOVAN McNABB
A more contemporary comparison to Howard, since their careers overlapped, D-Mac, as Eagles QB, held the most important position in town (sorry, mayor) for close to a decade and mostly excelled in handling the duties that came with it. But you’d hardly know it. Oh, he had supporters, no doubt.

Yet, even now, we spend more time discussing his failings and even one of his own protectors on the offense line leads the debate as to whether or not McNabb threw up during the Super Bowl. Really, we can’t move on from that? It was more than a decade ago.
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Rarely do we hear about McNabb’s toughness, including the fact he carried the Birds to victory one time in 2002 with a broken ankle. With Howard, it’s been a never-ending testament to the trials and tribulations he has endured due to a torn Achilles.

C’mon, people. Get a grip. This town isn’t nearly as tough on its athletes, its stars, as it likes to claim, and Howard certainly didn’t get the brunt of anything. McNabb and Schmidt did, and that’s about it.

The panic button.

It gets pushed a lot in these parts. From year to year, week to week, game to game and, heck, even play to play, we can erupt in an emotional frenzy over the simplest and smallest of things, certain that they will derail our teams’ quest for success, fair to middling to championship.

Injuries. Trades. New coach.

Anything that is cause for change creates quite the commotion in the Philly region, stretching from the fan base apparently right up to the front offices of the professional sports franchise.

Which explains why we’re so often a city overrun with old, antiquated rosters and staffs whose only true value is the memories they created years before. Or completely overrated individuals whose only true value is the potential they tease the populace with but never actually fulfill.

With that backdrop, it is no surprise serious politicking for the Eagles to keep Sam Bradford emerged from the moment media reports started wafting out of camp in his first summer in town that professed his passing accuracy prowess, arm strength and all-around super-guy status. Many bought in then. Others would later after possibly the most ballyhooed eight weeks of meaningless stat-accumulating drivel of all time completed its, yawn, 4-3 stretch.

Never gonna happen here, though.

So, while the scared-to-move-on masses keep hitting the button and simultaneously screaming “we can’t get anyone better,” the mind wanders …

What if the Eagles opted to let Bradford walk?

No question the free-agent class of QBs is weak this year. Not a single name jumps out and screams “major upgrade.” That’s not to say one wouldn’t be, but at this point, with the information and video tape available, we really don’t know.

Still …

EASY CALL

• Kirk Cousins. Not for nothing, but the Washington vet in his first season as a starter blew away anything Bradford has done in six years as one. Granted, the sample size is small, and he’s probably recognized more for his “You Like That” rant than anything he did on the field. But he’s a year younger, thus far free from the injury bug that has plagued the Birds’ QB and, at this point, more athletic. Then again, who isn’t? If the Redskins don’t sign him or franchise him, the Eagles would be foolish not to go after him.
• Brock Osweiler. The big unknown, and by big we certainly include his 6-8 frame and the right arm attached to it. Lost amid Peyton Manning’s second Super Bowl victory is the fact he and the rest of the Broncos likely never get there without Osweiler leading Denver to a 5-2 record while the NFL legend was out due to injury. Three years younger than the Birds’ QB, Osweiler posted a better TD to INT ratio, yards per passing attempt average and total quarterback rating than Bradford in 2015.
• Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now 33, the geezer of this group, and forever ridiculed, usually unfairly, for his Ivy League background, “Fitzie” had the Jets vying for a playoff spot in the final game of the season. Make fun of him all you like, but he doesn’t get injured and his 2015 campaign, which included career highs in passing yards (3,907) and TDs (31), tops what Bradford did here, or in St. Louis during any of his five years there.

TAKE A FLYER

• Chase Daniel … Kansas City backup. Connection to new Eagles coach Doug Pederson has him being suggested as a viable option. OK with giving the guy his first real shot.
• Drew Stanton … Arizona backup. Like the guns, not the dancing. At times has looked good filling in for Carson Palmer. Injury prone as well, but at least he ain’t Bradford.
• Matt Hasselbeck … Indianapolis backup. Same people who rave about Bradford consider this guy a journeyman. Career numbers and accomplishments beg to differ.
• Matt McGloin … Oakland backup. If we’re gonna get inundated by Penn Staters in the fall around here, might as well get the Blue & White version of Daniel.
• ​Michael Vick … Pittsburgh backup. Former Eagle. Still athletic at 35. Not Bradford. Works for me, especially in a groom-the-protégé sensei role.

Thing is, even if none of these guys float the Eagles’ boat, then make a deal for someone else. Remaining stagnant with Bradford does one thing, it keeps them exactly where they are: mediocre at best.
Just like him.

​- Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

A rundown of the second half of Sam Bradford’s 2015 season, which apparently has so many wanting the Eagles to keep him.

November 8, 2015  |  Dallas
EAGLES 33, COWBOYS 27 (OT)
Completes 25 of 36 passes for 295 yards, including a 41-yard TD pass to Jordan Matthews in the extra frame to beat a 2-6 squad.

November 15, 2015  |  Philadelphia
DOLPHINS 20, EAGLES 19
Completed 19 of 25 passes for 236 yards and one TD, racking up the highest passer rating of his second half at 118.1 before getting injured in a loss to a 4-5 team.

December 6, 2015  |  Foxboro, Mass.
EAGLES 35, PATRIOTS 28
Completed 14 of 24 passes for 120 yards and two TDs in the high-point game of the Birds’ season, one that wasn’t sealed until recently released Riley Cooper made two key plays.

December 13, 2015  |  Philadelphia
EAGLES 23, BILLS 20
Completed 23 of 38 passes for 247 yards, a TD and an INT to help keep team’s playoff chances alive.

December 20, 2015  |  Philadelphia
CARDINALS 40, EAGLES 17
Completed 28 of 41 passes for 361 yards, two TDs and two INTs as team fell to 6-8 on the season.

December 26, 2015  |  Philadelphia
REDSKINS 38, EAGLES 24
Completed 37 of 56 passes for a season-high 380 yards and a TD as team fell to 6-9 and was eliminated from playoff contention.

January 3, 2016  |  East Rutherford, N.J.
EAGLES 35, GIANTS 30
Completed 30 of 38 passes for 320 yards, two TDs and an INT.
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Note: Bradford’s best statistical game of the season came in the first half, when he completed 15 of 28 passes for 270 yards and three TDs at Washington on October 4, 2015 for a passer rating of 122.6. The Eagles lost that game, 23-20.