Joseph Santoliquito

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who has written feature stories for SI.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, MLB.com, Deadspin and The Philadelphia Daily News. In 2006, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for a special project piece for ESPN.com called “Love at First Beep.” He is most noted for his award-winning ESPN.com feature on high school wrestler A.J. Detwiler in February 2006, which appeared on SportsCenter. In 2015, he was elected president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

May 9, 2018

Phillies

Phillies starter Aaron Nola is proving worthy of being called an ace

by Joseph Santoliquito

The eyes seem vacant most of the time. So is the face — expressionless, void of anything. Aaron Nola likes it that way. It keeps hitters guessing, just like his two-seam fastball, curveball, four-seam fastball and changeup do. Nola’s progressing maturity — and the command of those pitches, especially the changeup — made the San Francisco Giants guess wrong 26 times on Tuesday night.

May 7, 2018

Phillies

Carlos Santana is showing signs he can turn it around

by Joseph Santoliquito

It was an interesting contrast on Sunday, April 29, when the Phillies closed their longest homestand of the season with a terrible 10-1 loss to the resurgent Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

May 6, 2018

Boxing

A high school senior by day, Branden Pizarro spends nights fighting grown men to help support his family

by Joseph Santoliquito

With his Phillies cap tugged tight over his head and grey hoodie, it’s easy to confuse Branden Pizarro with the other mix of students on a Friday afternoon, as he wends his way through the halls of Swenson Arts and Technology High School in North Philadelphia.

May 2, 2018

Phillies

More than a month into season, Kapler's Phillies continue to be a mystery

by Joseph Santoliquito

The Flyers aren't the only Philly sports team with a identity problem. The club across the way at Citizens Bank Park is proving an enigma as well. The Phillies (16-13 overall) looked promising in April, finishing 15-10 for the month. Their April record was their best first month since they went 18-8 in 2011, the last season they made the playoffs.

April 30, 2018

Phillies

Did the Phillies give up on local prospect Jesse Biddle too soon?

by Joseph Santoliquito

The baby fat is gone. Jesse Biddle wears a more sculpted look these days, and a new perspective in a new uniform of the Atlanta Braves. The narrative six years ago, when Biddle was drafted by the Phillies in 2010, was supposed to play out at Citizens Bank Park.

April 28, 2018

Eagles

In Goedert, Eagles fans have a Dallas they can actually root for

by Joseph Santoliquito

The rare flashes of athletic ability always seemed to be there, lurking, shown in little glimpses here and there. Perhaps the one who saw it last was Dallas Goedert himself.

April 25, 2018

Flyers

2018 Flyers Stay or Go: Who should (and shouldn't) be back in Philly next season

by Joseph Santoliquito

Outside, beer cans, water bottles, towels and t-shirts that were just picked up off the ice filled the plastic trash bins surrounding the rink. Inside, locker cabinets were slammed and hallowed expressions were everywhere. Ivan Provorov’s welled-up, bloodshot eyes spoke volumes.

April 22, 2018

Flyers

Flyers can’t hold back Penguins as they watch their season come to an end

by Joseph Santoliquito

This was inevitable. It was the underlying feeling that permeated the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday. A blown lead, a squandered two-goal lead, a wasted short-handed goal, a blasted great effort by Sean Couturier, who revealed was playing with a torn MCL in his right knee, would come to fruition.

April 21, 2018

NFL Draft

Mike McGlinchey would love to play for hometown Eagles — but will Penn Charter grad be there at No. 32?

by Joseph Santoliquito

As the date nears, Mike McGlinchey is trying not to pay attention to the myriad mock drafts and white noise surrounding next week’s NFL Draft. It’s not easy for the towering 6-foot-9, 312-pound, four-year starting Notre Dame offensive tackle and 2013 Penn Charter grad.

April 19, 2018

Flyers

It wasn’t Nolan Patrick’s fault the Flyers were horrible in Game 5 loss to Pittsburgh

by Joseph Santoliquito

The smooth, round babyface implies a razor hasn’t touched his chin yet. He’s too young to buy a beer in this city, or even enter a bar, and way too young to carry an NHL team.