Hurts to show | Sports Daily Newsletter

It was as much a coronation ceremony as any in Philadelphia, when Jalen Hurts, resplendent in his gorgeous green suit, with longtime love Bry Burrows and super-agent Nicole Lynn by his side, arrived to officially sign the multimillion dollar contract committing him to the Eagles.

With his knack for saying the right things, it almost seems as if the quarterback Prince of Philadelphia is too good to be true.

But one look at Hurts’ smiling teammates and Eagles staff surrounding him, with their joy at getting to play and work with a passionately disciplined star very evident, it’s easier to believe how eager he is to show he’s worth every penny.

As Mike Sielski put it, Hurts has fans daring to hope. It’s enough to make a few swoon.

— Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

❓If you do believe Hurts’ potential is for real, what convinced you? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

Getting drafted in the first round is the dream scenario for just about any aspiring football player. But for former Philadelphia Eagle Marcus Smith, it was a total nightmare full of hellish professional and personal consequences. Inquirer Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane explores Smith’s story, and examines how him being a first-round pick, combined with deep-seated personal issues, pushed him closer to a life-threatening crossroads. Listen here.

Teammates, coaches, and executives came out to the press conference in support of Hurts. And owner Jeffrey Lurie took the stage to discuss the franchise quarterback.

“The future, we don’t even know,” Lurie said. “The ceiling? There is no ceiling. It’s all there if we continue to surround Jalen.”

Lurie described Hurts as a “culture-setter,” and the Eagles will have the opportunity to continue adding to the team with the upcoming draft.

Is Georgia’s Jalen Carter the player they want?

The home runs got most of the attention because everybody still digs the long ball. And because a team that was built to slug hadn’t been slugging. So, sure, an eight-homer binge in three games over the weekend — one more than the Phillies hit in the previous nine games combined — was a relevant story. It just wasn’t the story. If the Phillies really got their groove back at Citizens Bank Park and end up parlaying a three-game winning streak over the noncontending Rockies into all the bigger and better things that are expected from them this summer, it will be because they got more from their top two pitchers. The Phillies’ fate rests more on Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola than their sluggers’ launch angle and exit velocity.

Next: The Phillies open a three-game home series against the Mariners at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday (NBCSP). Bailey Falter (0-3, 4.50) will start against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (1-1, 3.57).

P.J. Tucker’s path to the NBA was anything but a straight line. A former All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year, Tucker slipped to the second round and was quickly put off by the NBA. He decided to go overseas, taking on a long, winding road that led him to Israel, Ukraine and Germany. Tucker took on a similar approach when he returned to the league, playing in Phoenix, Toronto, Milwaukee, Miami, and, finally, Philly. He talked to The Inquirer’s Marcus Hayes about what he learned — and ate — during a world-wide career.

Next: The Sixers sit on the sidelines after their first-round sweep and await the winner of the Celtics-Hawks series.

Veteran defenseman Justin Braun made things official Monday, announcing he is hanging up his skates after 13 NHL seasons.

Braun, 36, had previously told reporters he was done following the Flyers’ season finale on April 13 in Chicago. The steady, stay-at-home defenseman played three and a half seasons with the Flyers, nine with the San Jose Sharks, and a half season with the New York Rangers.

In all, he logged 842 NHL games ... some accomplishment, especially given Braun was a seventh-road pick coming out of college.

If you’ve ever heard a Marine chant the battle cry of “Ooorah,” then you have a decent approximation of how to pronounce Mikael Uhre’s last name.

Supporters at Union games will be calling the striker’s name louder than ever after his recent three-goal outburst which won him MLS Player of the Week honors.

Tragic tale: A dream, a death and a reckoning are all part of Ahkil Crumpton’s story.

Real friends: Former Penn swimmer Lia Thomas talked on a podcast about what true support means to her and other trans athletes.

Which Eagles quarterback holds the all-time team record for passing yards? Email us your answer - on the honor system of not looking it up on the internet first.

A) Randall Cunningham

B) Donovan McNabb

C) Carson Wentz

D) Ron Jaworski

We asked, What’s your favorite Philadelphia sports song and why? Among your responses:

Of course.. Fly Eagles Fly..are there any others??? — Bill M.

Fly Eagles Fly. Hearing Jalen sing it after the NFC Championship game was hilarious. — Stiles B.

Favorite Philly sports song - too easy - Fly Eagles Fly On The Road to Victory. I believe it was first created in the 1950′s but was called Fight Eagles Fight. In 1998 it officially became Fly Eagles Fly and has been their rally song every since. Being an Eagles fan since 1948 I am prejudiced of course, but to me there is no better NFL team song than ours. — Everett S.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Christian Red, Jonathan Tannenwald, Olivia Reiner, EJ Smith, Devin Jackson, Marcus Hayes, Scott Lauber, Andrea Canales, and Mike Sielski.