Pennsylvania

Two days after the McDonalds Thanksgiving Day Parade down State Street, organizers reported that two of the parade’s beloved inflatable animals had gone missing. But late Saturday night, the Underdog and Scooby Doo Balloons were found buried in the sand at Oak Street Beach, right across the street from the Eagles team hotel, The Drake.

The Associated Press is reporting Major League Baseball will planning to expand its playoffs to include every team but the Pittsburgh Pirates beginning with the 2012 season.

Almost 30 years since Philadelphia foolishly dealt Ryne Sandberg to the Cubs for Ivan De Jesus, the Phillies reacquired the Hall of Famer to manage their Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs, completing the franchise's evil plot to steal back a player who's become the face of the Cubs.

On Wednesday the Cubs and Ryne Sandberg made the difficult decision to part ways. Predictably, many fans were upset that a team icon from the '80s and '90s was allowed to walk out the door with no fanfare. Many of those sentimental fans also believe Harry Caray's widow Dutchie should take over Cubs radio broadcasts.

After attacking numerous ships along the Somalia coast, a large group of Somali pirates staged their most daring attack yet when they overtook baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates.

After winning the NL MVP Award and nearly leading the Phillies to the Wild Card last season, Ryan Howard hit it big--sort of--when he signed a one-year deal that will reportedly pay him $900,000 in 2007. Not exactly big money for a guy who hit 58 HRs last year, but Howard, a baseball visionary since his high school days in Lafayette, Mo., is setting his sights on bankrupting the Phillies by 2012.