2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, February
Persib runs a friendly match against local football team, IM UD Rahayu due to the cancellation of Persib-Persija match that was scheduled to take place on 22 February 2014. Persib won 8–0 with Hermawan and Rudiyana scored two goals, while Abdul Rahman, Tantan, Atep and Coulibaly each scored a goal.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, March
Seven Persib players were called to represent the Indonesia national football team for a match against Saudi Arabia on the 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification and the first phase of the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup training camp on Alzira, Valencia, Spain. Those players are Made, Supardi, Jufriyanto, Utina, Ridwan, Sinaga and Tantan.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, March
Persib was planning to run a friendly match against Malaysia Super League team T–Team F.C. on 1 March 2014 to fill the empty dates due to 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification. But after rescheduled to 3 March 2014 due to T–Team's unpreparedness, the game is cancelled due to Persib's unpreparedness. Replacing this game is a match against local team, UNI. Persib won 10–0, with three goals by Rudiyana, two goals each by Konaté and Coulibaly. The other three goals were scored by Tantan, Jajang, and Vujović.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, March
Their second friendly of the month on 26 March 2014 resulted in a 5–0 win against Pelita Bandung Raya U-21. Two goals were scored by Rudiyana, and three others by Atep, Agung and Konaté. The team won another friendly match on 29 March 2014 against local team PS Setia with 4–1 score. Two goals were scored by Atep, and the other two by Sigit And Rudiyana.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, March
On their only ISL match in March, Persib won 2–0 against PS Barito Putera on their ground. The two goals were scored by the ex-Barito, Djibril Coulibaly.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, April
On 2 April 2014, Persib run a friendly that ended up as a 3–3 draw against First Division team, Persibat Batang. Two goals and one goal were scored by Rudiyana and Agung, respectively. Then, from 3 to 5 April 2014, Persib held a training center at Pangandaran. There, they played a friendly against local players under the name Pangandaran Selection. Seven goals were scored by Konaté while the other two scored by Taufiq and Agung.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, April
On 8 April 2014, Persib was visited by Gamba Osaka representatives to check the Jalak Harupat Stadium's worthiness as they would visit Indonesia for a friendly match in June 2014.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, April
On 10 April 2014, Polda Jabar initiated a reconciliation to avoid unnecessary future clashes of Persib and Persija's rivalry. This meeting concluded with six agreements that will be the ground rule if one or both sides broke the agreements on future dates.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, April
On the first April matchday on 13 April 2014, Persib dramatically won 3–2 against Arema Cronus. The goals were scored by Coulibaly, Utina, and Konaté. On 20 April 2014, Persib won 4–1 in Gresik. Two goals were scored by Sinaga, while the other two by Ridwan and Atep. The match was postponed for 15 minutes due to flares lit by the supporters. On the next match, Persib lost 1–0 at the Bandung Derby to Pelita Bandung Raya on 27 April 2014.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, May
On 4 May 2014, Persib run a friendly match against local team Bone FC, which ended up as a 9–0 win for them. Four goals were made by Coulibaly, two goals each by Atep and Rudiyana, and a goal by Tantan. Then on 14 May 2014, Persib played a friendly against 2013–14 Eredivisie champions, AFC Ajax as a part of their 2014 Indonesian Tour. The game resulted in a 1–1 draw with Konaté scored Persib's lone goal.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, May
Persib had a goalless draw against Persija Jakarta on their last game of the ISL first round on 8 May 2014. This game marks the 9th draw on the Old Indonesia derby since the Liga Indonesia era. On the first match of the ISL second round, Persib had a 2–2 draw in the Bandung Derby against Pelita Bandung Raya on 20 May 2014. Tantan and Sinaga scored a goal each. They had another 2–2 draw against Arema Cronus on 25 May 2014 in Kanjuruhan. Striker Ferdinand Sinaga scored the goals. They received their first win in the second round against Gresik United with 4–1 score. Firman Utina, Makan Konaté, Ferdinand Sinaga, and Djibril Coulibaly scored each a goal.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, May
Persib runs a trial for Japanese striker Atsushi Yonezawa on 27 May 2014.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, June
On 2 June 2014, Persib decided not to add any players on the ISL second round after releasing Atsushi Yonezawa.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, June
Persib runs a friendly against Persima Majalengka on 5 June 2014 which ended up as a 13–1 win. Two goals scored each by Coulibaly, Rudiyana and Sigit Hermawan, and the rest by Sinaga, Utina, Tantan, Vujović, Abdul Rahman, Jufriyanto, and Atep. However, their long-planned friendly against Gamba Osaka was canceled in honor of the presidential election.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, June
Their last ISL game before the long break was a 3–1 win against Barito Putera on 10 June 2014 in Bandung. Makan Konaté scored two goals to his former club, with one additional goal by Ferdinand Sinaga.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, June
Five Persib players were called up to the national team to international friendlies against Pakistan U-23 and Nepal, which are I Made Wirawan, Achmad Jufriyanto, Firman Utina, Hariono and Tantan.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, July
On the first friendly on the long break, Persib won 3–0 to Bara Siliwangi FC in Pusdikpom Field. The game was played 40x2 minutes, with an own goal by Bara's defender and two goals each by Ridwan and Vujović. On the second friendly match, Persib won 9–0 in Pusdikpom Field against Benpica Karawang. Vujović scored a quattrick, three of them were penalty kicks, Coulibaly scored a hattrick and a goal each by Sigit and Atep.


2014 Persib Bandung season, Review and events, July
Five Persib players were called back by the national team to a friendly against Qatar on 14 July 2014 in Doha. All of the previous players were called except for Tantan, who is replaced with Ferdinand Sinaga after his detention is lifted.


2014 Persija Jakarta season
The 2014 season is Persija's 81st competitive season. Persija was finished in 5th but they didn't enter to second round. In this season, Ramdani Lestaluhu was showing his great potential with 8 goals.


2014 Persija Jakarta season, Season overview
In the 2014 season, Persija are in the western group of ISL 2014 and coached by Benny Dollo and Fabiano Beltrame is the team captain. Persija doesn't have a striker who is quite satisfactory despite being filled by Ivan Bošnjak who had played for Croatia in World Cup 2006.


2014 Perth 400
The 2014 Perth 400 was a motor race meeting for the Australian sedan-based V8 Supercars. It was the fifth event of the 2014 International V8 Supercars Championship. It was held on the weekend of 16–18 May at the Barbagallo Raceway, near Wanneroo, Western Australia.


2014 Perth County municipal elections
Elections were held in Perth County, Ontario on October 27, 2014 in conjunction with municipal elections across the province.


2014 Perth County municipal elections, Perth County Council
Perth County Council consists of 10 members and uses a weighted voting method so that member's votes match the populations of the constituent communities.


2014 Perth Darts Masters
The 2014 Perth Darts Masters was the inaugural staging of a tournament by the Professional Darts Corporation, as a third entry in the 2014 World Series of Darts. The tournament featured 16 players and was held at the HBF Stadium in Perth, Western Australia from 22–24 August 2014.


2014 Perth Darts Masters
Phil Taylor won the title by defeating Michael van Gerwen 11–9 in the final.


2014 Perth Darts Masters, Qualifiers
Adrian Lewis decided not to compete in the event and was replaced by Paul Nicholson, who was originally a wildcard selection. An additional place was therefore on offer to the leading non-qualified player from the DPA Australian Grand Prix Order of Merit on August 18.


2014 Perth Glory W-League season
The 2014 Perth Glory FC W-League season was the club's seventh participation in the W-League, since the league's formation in 2008.


2014 Perth Glory W-League season
During this season, the Glory Women broke several W-League records including most points in a single season (30), as well as most goals scored by a player in a single game (5, Kate Gill). Gill also won the Season 7 Golden Boot award for the second time in her W-League career, with a total of 12 goals. They began the season going from strength to strength notching 6 straight wins, their best ever start to a season.


2014 Perth Glory W-League season
This was the final season before Perth Glory FC resumed control of the club from Football West. With no premiership trophy being offered by Football Federation Australia, Football West commissioned a trophy when the team won the W-League premiership against Western Sydney Wanderers.


2014 Perth Glory W-League season, Players, Squad information
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2014 Perth Glory W-League season, Players, Transfers in
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2014 Perth Glory W-League season, Players, Transfers out
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2014 Perth Hills bushfire
The 2014 Perth Hills bushfire, sometimes referred to as the Parkerville fire, was a bushfire that burned from 12 January to 1 February and affected the Mundaring municipality of the Perth Hills in the Australian state of Western Australia. During a major run of the fire on the afternoon and evening of 12 January, fifty-seven houses and numerous non-residential buildings were completely destroyed, and a further six houses were damaged in the suburbs of Mount Helena, Stoneville, and Parkerville. Approximately 386 hectares (1,000 acres) of uncleared land and pasture—the majority on private property—were burned during the 21-day duration of the fire. None of the residential subdivisions impacted had been formally declared as being within a bushfire prone area.


2014 Perth Hills bushfire
The cause of the fire was recorded as accidental by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES). The source of ignition was determined by both the DFES and Energy Safety to have been a fallen power pole, which ignited extremely dry vegetation at approximately 11:00 AWST (UTC+8) during a period of easterly winds gusting up to moderate gale force and temperatures in excess of 40 °C (104 °F). A considerable quantity of property in Stoneville was destroyed following a wind change that brought fresh breezes from the south west to the fire ground, just prior to 15:00 AWST.


2014 Perth Hills bushfire, Background
In the Mt. Helena, Parkerville, and Stoneville suburbs of Mundaring Shire there are a mixture of large properties with stands of open woodland and pastures, and standard residential blocks with trees in a close vicinity to houses. The majority of the area eventually burned was within a broad valley sloping gently upward, west to east. The fuels were typical of a Eucalypt open forest; an over-story composed primarily of jarrah (eucalyptus marginata) and marri (corymbia calophylla), with scrub, leaf litter and patches of grass constituting the fuel load in the under-story. The estimated average fuel load was 15 tonne per hectare (t/ha), with a maximum fuel load of 20 t/ha in some areas of the fire ground.


2014 Pertiwi Cup
The 2014 Pertiwi Cup season is the fourth edition of Pertiwi Cup. The season is scheduled to begin on August 2014, but in the end PSSI decided that the competition will begin on 12 September 2014 and ends on 21 September 2014.


2014 Peru earthquake
An earthquake struck near Misca, Peru at 21:35 September 27 local time. The shock had a moment magnitude of 5.0 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong). The focal mechanism displayed primarily normal motion with a small left-lateral component. The event resulted in the deaths of 8 people and damaged or destroyed 60 homes in the region, with rock slides and power failures affecting the epicentral area.


2014 Peru earthquake
Misca, a remote Andean village, was most affected by the quake. The small village experienced the collapse of around 45 homes. Four children and four adults were killed according to emergency workers. The president of Peru, President Ollanta Humala added that Misca, which was also 90% damaged, had been erected directly on a geological fault line and should be rebuilt in a different location after proper  geographical survey of the area.


2014 Peruvian Segunda División
The 2014 Segunda División season, was the 69th edition of the second tier of Federación Peruana de Futbol. The tournament was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis.


2014 Peruvian Segunda División, Teams, Promotion and relegation (pre-season)
A total of 16 teams played in the league, 2 more from the previous season. They include 10 sides from the 2013 season, four from the 2013 Copa Perú, and two relegated from the 2013 Torneo Descentralizado.


2014 Peruvian Segunda División, Teams, Promotion and relegation (pre-season)
Pacífico and José Gálvez were relegated from the 2013 Torneo Descentralizado. Pacífico made an immediately  return to the Segunda División after being promoted the previous year. José Gálvez was relegated for the sixth time after a brief two-year tenure in the top division thus becoming the Peruvian side with the most promotions and relegations in history. Los Caimanes was promoted to the Torneo Descentralizado as the champion.


2014 Peruvian Segunda División, Teams, Promotion and relegation (pre-season)
The teams which had been relegated from the Segunda División the previous season were Sport Áncash, Alianza Cristiana, and Sportivo Huracán. Both Sport Áncash and Alianza Cristiana were disabled mid-season and relegated to the Copa Perú for outstanding debts with the SAFAP. Sport Huracán retiered for financial reasons and was relegated to the Copa Perú.


2014 Peruvian Segunda División, Teams, Promotion and relegation (pre-season)
Four Copa Perú teams were promoted: Union Huaral, Willy Serrato, Carlos A. Mannucci and Comerciantes Unidos. Union Huaral was promoted as 2013 Copa Perú runner-up. Willy Serrato, Carlos A. Mannucci and Comerciantes Unidos were invited to fill in the vacated spots after a strict financial analysis.


2014 Peshawar cinema bombings
The 2014 Peshawar cinema bombings refers to a series of back-to-back bombings that took place in Shama Cinema and Picture House between 2 and 11 February where 20 people were killed and 54 others were injured.


2014 Peshawar cinema bombings, February 2 bombings
During the February second bombings there was from 90 to 100 people inside the Picture House movie theatre who were watching Ziddi Pakhtun at Qissa Khawani Bazaar. The attackers threw two grenades after the movie was paused while still sitting in the back of the cinema. The grenades killed five which was followed by a stampede during which 31 were injured. The wounded were transported to Lady Reading Hospital where two of them died.


2014 Peshawar cinema bombings, February 11 bombings
The February 11 explosion happened during the Pashto language film called Yarana at Shama Cinema. According to Ejaz Ahmed, the Capital City Police Officer, the cinema contained 80 people (50 under other sources) and that three grenades were used by the attackers. After the blasts there was blood on caps and shoes as well as human remains scattered around. It was followed by a stampede soon after, which caused majority of injuries. The injured were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital.


2014 Peshawar cinema bombings, February 11 bombings
No group have claimed responsibility but the cinema received warnings prior to the attacks. It was believed that the attack happened because the theatre used to show pornographic films. The blasts were later condemned by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan and mentioned that it will hinder peace talks as well. Some hours later, the attack was also condemned by the Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain, as well as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Altaf Hussain.


2014 Peshawar cinema bombings, Suspects
It was suspected that Taliban was behind the second attack.


2014 Peshawar school massacre
On 16 December 2014, six gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar. The militants, all of whom were foreign nationals, comprising one Chechen, three Arabs and two Afghans, entered the school and opened fire on school staff and children, killing 149 people including 132 schoolchildren ranging between eight and eighteen years of age, making it the world's fourth deadliest school massacre. A rescue operation was launched by the Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG) special forces, who killed all six terrorists and rescued 960 people.


2014 Peshawar school massacre
According to various news agencies and commentators, the nature and preparation of the attack was very similar to that of the Beslan school hostage crisis that occurred in the North Ossetia–Alania region of the Russian Federation in 2004.


2014 Peshawar school massacre
Pakistan responded to the attacks by lifting its moratorium on the death penalty, intensifying the War in North-West Pakistan and authorizing military courts to try civilians through a constitutional amendment. On 2 December 2015, Pakistan hanged four militants involved in the Peshawar massacre. The mastermind of the attack, Omar Khorasani, was believed to have been killed in a drone strike in eastern Afghanistan on 18 October 2017, but was added to the U.S State Department's Rewards for Justice wanted list on March 7, 2018, indicating that he is still alive. On 16 August 2021, Omar was executed by the Afghan Taliban after their capture of Kabul. The Supreme Court of Pakistan  upheld the death sentences of two more convicts involved in the attack in the Said Zaman Khan v. Federation of Pakistan case on 29 August 2016.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Background
In June 2014, a joint military offensive was conducted by the Pakistan Armed Forces against various groups in North Waziristan which has been the site of a wave of violence. The military offensive, Operation Zarb-e-Azb, was launched in the wake of the 8 June attack on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, for which the TTP claimed responsibility. It is part of the ongoing war in North-West Pakistan in which more than 2,100 have been killed so far, and, according to the Army, almost 90% of North Waziristan has been cleared.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Attack
The day of the attack a total of 1,099 students and staff were registered in the school. The attack began at around 10:30 A.M. when seven gunmen, wearing explosive belts entered the school after having scaled the walls. Army Public School is located at Warsak Road near the Peshawar Cantt, and is part of Army Public Schools and College Systems that runs 146 schools in Pakistan. Before entering the school, the gunmen set fire to the Suzuki Bolan ST41 van in which they had arrived.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Attack
The terrorists, bearing automatic weapons and grenades, moved straight toward the auditorium located at the centre of the complex and opened fire indiscriminately on the children who were gathered there for an assembly on first aid training. According to the Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the public relations department of the Pakistani military, Major-General Asim Bajwa, the terrorists did not intend to take any hostages but instead wanted to kill as many people as they could. As the terrorists opened fire, many of the people ran toward the two exits on the other side of the auditorium, but many of them were gunned down in the garden.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Attack
Reports also surfaced that pupils  were forced to watch teachers, including principal Tahira Qazi,  killed in front of them. Within 15 minutes, the SSG teams had stormed the school and entered the premises from two sides in their heavy armoured vehicles and trucks. Immediately, the SSG personnel engaged the terrorists, preventing them from going after and killing other remaining teaching staff and students. The gunmen moved to the administration block of the school and took hostages there.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Attack
One of them was shot by the military personnel near the auditorium, while the other five managed to make it to the administration block. The emergency trauma teams, and units of the Army Medical Corps in military armoured vehicles were rushed to the school, Army Corps of Military Police and the provincial civilian Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police (KP Police) worked toward closing off any potential escape routes for the terrorists.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Attack
Meanwhile, the SSG commandos had reached the area and surrounded the administration block. Most of the operation took place in the attempt to clear this block and rescue the hostages taken by the gunmen. Special teams of snipers and their spotters pinpointed the terrorists; one of the six attackers was killed by the snipers from the windows and air vents, while the other three were killed when the commandos stormed the building and rescued the remaining hostages in the process. Seven commandos, including two officers, were injured in the battle.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Attack
A search and clearance operation was started immediately to defuse any IEDs planted by the gunmen within the school premises or in the suicide vests that the terrorists were wearing. The terrorists were in contact with their handlers during the attack, but soon after the SSG had moved in, the security forces intercepted the terrorists' communications. "We know who they are and who they were in contact with but details cannot be shared due to operation reasons. They were aware of locations and they must have carried out the recon of the area. And it is highly possible that someone from inside might have tipped them off", said Bajwa.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Victims
An estimated total of 1,099 peoples and teaching staff were present on the school premises. Responding forces were successful in rescuing approximately 960, though 121 were injured. 149 people were killed, including 134 children and school staff members.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Victims
The provincial Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa announced PKR 2,000,000 (US$20,000 approx.) as compensation to the kin of each of the deceased in the terror attack and PKR 200,000 (US$2,000 approx.) to the seriously injured.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Responsibility
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as revenge for Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the Pakistani military's offensive in North Waziristan that started in summer 2014.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Responsibility
TTP spokesman Muhammad Omar Khorasani said that "we targeted the school because the Army targets our families. We want them to feel our pain. ", "Our six fighters successfully entered the Army school and we are giving them instructions from outside," said Khorasani by phone. Khorasani also said "Our suicide bombers have entered the school, they have instructions not to harm the children, but to target the Army personnel. It's a revenge attack for the Army offensive in North Waziristan."


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Responsibility
Later though the Taliban claimed contrary by putting out a statement saying, "More than 50 sons of important army officers were killed after being identified." The attacks were mainly coordinated by TTP leaders operating in Afghanistan. Moustafa Seyan Sediqyar was later killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan on 9 July 2016.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Responsibility
On 18 December 2014, a video was released by TTP on their website showing a man named Umar Mansoor revealing that he was the mastermind behind the Peshawar School attack. However, the Pakistan government officials commented that the planning of the attack was actually carried out by Saddam Jan, who was instructed by Umar Mansoor on behalf of Maulana Fazlullah. On 26 December 2014 at midnight, Jan was hunted and killed by the special forces in Khyber Agency in a secret hideout alongside six unidentified high-value targets.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Responsibility, Nationalities of the terrorists
The Pakistani intelligence community conducted an investigation to determine the nationalities of the terrorists, whom the FIA determined were all foreign fighters. The pictures of six of the gunmen were released by the Pakistani Taliban:


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Responsibility, Nationalities of the terrorists
The SIM card of the cell phone that was used by the terrorists was found to be registered to a woman belonging to the rural area of Hasilpur, Punjab.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
I have decided to proceed to Peshawar and I will supervise the operation myself. These are my children and it is my loss.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
The attack sparked widespread reactions in Pakistan, receiving condemnations from public, government, political and religious entities, journalists, and other members of Pakistani society. Pakistani media reacted strongly to the events, with major newspapers, news channels and many commentators calling for renewed and strong action against militants, especially against TTP.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
International reaction to the attack was also widespread, with many countries and international organizations condemning the attack and expressing their condolences to the families of the victims. Many important personalities around the world also condemned the attack.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack, calling it a national tragedy and announced a three-day mourning period during which the national flag would fly at half mast. President Mamnoon Hussain and chief ministers of four provinces reacted strongly to the attack and condemned it.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
Artists from around the world also expressed their concern and were very upset by this horrible act. Pakistani artist and singer Shehzad Roy sang a new song for the victims of the Peshawar attack, which is now the official song on the National TV channel of Pakistan, PTV.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
Major Pakistani political entities denounced and heavily condemned the attack on innocent children, calling for a strong reaction against the militants. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan calls off the protest.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai condemned the attack, saying in a statement: "I am heartbroken by this senseless and cold-blooded act of terror in Peshawar that is unfolding before us". Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai said his "heart is bleeding" and his family is "traumatized" over the Peshawar school massacre.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
The terrorist organization al-Qaeda's spokesperson said that "Our hearts are bursting with pain" and that the soldiers should be targeted, not their children.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Reactions
Following the attack, Pakistani authorities launched crackdowns on Afghan refugee settlements to apprehend illegal immigrants. During the period, at least 30,000 Afghans left for Afghanistan, out of which close to 2,000 were deported due to lack of legal documentation.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
Many international media organizations referred to the attack as Pakistan's "9/11". The popular opinion was one of anger against the TTP soon after the attacks. Pakistan's Government and its Armed Forces showed immediate reaction to the incident.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
According to the Iranian-American scholar, Vali Nasr, "the Taliban may be trying to slacken the resolve of the military by suggesting that there could be a tremendous human costs to the military offensive and create public pressure on the military to back off from this offensive, but it may actually ricochet on them."


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
On the second day after the attack, the moratorium on capital punishment was lifted in terror-related cases by Nawaz Sharif after which Mohammed Aqeel along with Arshad Mehmood, the convicted for a failed assassination attempt on the previous President, General Pervez Musharraf, were executed on the 19th of December.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
Protesters in Pakistan's capital Islamabad surrounded a pro-Taliban mosque and reclaimed the space.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
A series of candle vigils were held throughout Pakistan in solidarity with the victims. A number of international communities recorded their protest to condemn the attack.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
On 30 December 2014, Pakistani batsman Younis Khan visited the school. The Pakistani team played a test match against New Zealand on the second day after the massacre. Younis Khan handed over cricket kits and a cheque sent by the New Zealand cricket team.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
ISPR released the songs "Bara Dushman Bana Phirta Hai Jo Bachon Se Larta Hai" and "Mujhe Dushman Ke Bachon", to pay tribute to the victims.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
In 2015, Pakistan renamed 107 schools after school children killed during the massacre in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath
The 2015 video game Pakistan Army Retribution is set during the Peshawar school massacre. After a negative review on the website of DAWN, people on Twitter also outed their criticism on the game. Pakistan Army Retribution was pulled from the Google Play Store in January 2016.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath, Reopen
The Army Public School Peshawar was reopened on 12 January 2015 under the guard of Pakistan's security forces. To uplift the morale and spirit of the students and victims of school the chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif himself attended the morning assembly of the school and confirmed them that no such incident will ever occur in Pakistan again  they will break the backbone of Taliban.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath, Lifting of moratorium on executions of terrorists
On 17 December 2014, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved paperwork to remove the moratorium on the death penalty in terror-related cases. Sources from the Prime Minister's Secretariat stated: "The Prime Minister has approved abolishment of moratorium on the execution of death penalty in terrorism-related cases."


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath, Lifting of moratorium on executions of terrorists
Pakistan has had a moratorium on executions since 2008. Currently there are approximately 800 people on death row in Pakistan in terrorism related cases. The move comes following the widely held perception that terrorists are never brought to justice in Pakistan. Many times, the judges and witnesses are too scared to come forward and award due sentences to the terrorists. And even when the terrorists are convicted and sent to prison, the frail policing system of Pakistan has seen many jailbreaks, including the Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan jailbreaks, in which many high-profile terrorists escaped.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath, Lifting of moratorium on executions of terrorists
David Griffiths, Deputy Director for Amnesty International Asia-Pacific opposed the decision, saying "Resorting to the death penalty is not the answer – it is never the answer. This is where the government should focus its energies, rather than perpetuating the cycle of violence with the resumption of executions."


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Aftermath, Anniversaries and memorials
Yearly anniversary tributes are held in Peshawar, Pakistan with prayers, memorials and candlelight vigils. The main ceremony is held at the Peshawar Army Public School, with the parents of victims and Pakistani army officers in attendance, with portraits of victims displayed in the school and along the road into the city.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Retaliatory UAV and air-strikes
Since the school attack, the combined unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and air-strikes on terrorists have been geared up, and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is on a manhunt for  Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah; he narrowly escaped a UAV strike on 25 November. On 17 December, the PAF's F-16s and JF-17s jets engaged in bombings against terrorist hideouts in the Tirah Valley, close to the Afghan-Pakistani border targeting 57 terrorists. Twenty additional aerial bombing missions were carried out using dynamic targeting. On 16 December, a United States CIA UAV strike killed four TTP terrorists in eastern Afghanistan.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Retaliatory UAV and air-strikes
On December 20, another UAV strike targeted and killed five suspected terrorists in North Waziristan, and according to officials, the death toll was expected to rise. During the same time, around 21 TTP terrorists were reportedly killed by PAF strikes in Khyber Agency as they attempted to escape to Afghanistan. On 20 December 2014, an unconfirmed media report stated that Fazlullah was killed by PAF  air-strikes in Afghanistan. Air Intelligence and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have not commented on the report; no official response was given by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) over the reports.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Retaliatory UAV and air-strikes
Mastermind of the attack, Umar Mansoor, was reported to have been wounded in a United States drone strike in Paktia Province of Afghanistan on 17 October 2017. He was shifted to an undisclosed location and reportedly succumbed to his injuries. TTP confirmed his death in a statement sent to journalists through e-mail and added that Khalifa Usman Mansoor will replace him as the new commander for the areas of Darra Adam Khel and Peshawar.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Targeted killings of Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists
Reports were circulating widely in televised news media about law enforcement agencies tracking down the militants and targeting TTP operatives in a series of police encounters taking place in all over the country. After the school attack, Pakistani intelligence agencies chased down and apprehended four TTP terrorists in Quetta, before they could make their escape to Afghanistan. In a police encounter with Karachi Metro Police and the Crime Investigation Department (CID), the TTP leader, Abid Muchar, was chased and gunned down along with his three associates in Musharraf Colony.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Targeted killings of Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists
In a separate action in Karachi, the CID teams, in a high-speed chase in Hawke's Bay Beach, pursued and apprehended five members of  Al-Qaeda's South Asian chapter who are suspected of planning an attack on  Karachi Naval Dockyard in September. On December 20, a team of Pakistan Rangers personnel raided a safe house in Manghopir area of Karachi and killed five members of the TTP in a shootout.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Targeted killings of Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists
During the afternoon of 20 December, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police (KP Police) and the special agents of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)  raided a safe house in Shabqadar, a town located 30 km (19 mi) north of Peshawar. In an exchange of fire at the safe house, the KPK police and other law enforcement agencies gunned down the six TTP fighters, including their commander and two other high-value targets who assisted in the school attack.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Targeted killings of Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists
Acting on Pakistani Military Intelligence information, Special Service Group Navy (SSGN) teams were inserted into the secret hideout in Khyber Agency and stalked the six terrorists led by Saddam Jan — the mastermind of the Army Public School attack. In a late night operation, the SSGN teams reportedly killed Jan along with his six militants. An unnamed senior Pakistan Government official confirmed the report.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Targeted killings of Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists
On 9 January 2015, the CID teams gunned down four Al-Qaeda operatives after another high-speed car chase took place in Qayyumabad in Karachi. In another separate midnight action in Lahore, teams of  FIA agents, assisted by the Punjab Police, raided a house located in Burki Road. After an almost two-hour gun battle, the FIA agents gunned down Roohullah (alias: Asadullah) – the mastermind of  the Wagah border attack – along with three of his associates. Since the attack on the school, the FIA had been on the hunt for Roohullah, and he was finally killed in a police encounter in Lahore.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Communications with Afghanistan and ISAF
On 17 December, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, accompanied by the Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant-General Rizwan Akhtar, went to Kabul to meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and General John F. Campbell, the commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan. According to news sources in Pakistan, General Raheel asked for the handover of the TTP leadership and asked the Afghan government to act against hideouts of the Taliban terrorists in its territory.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Communications with Afghanistan and ISAF
At the meeting with Afghan officials, General Raheel delivered a message to Afghan National Army's Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Sher Mohammad Karimi, "to take decisive action against sanctuaries of the TTP or else Pakistan would go for a hot pursuit." One intelligence official confirmed the message relayed to the Afghan president and reportedly cautioned that "if Afghan authorities fail to act this time, we will explore all options, including hot pursuit."


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Communications with Afghanistan and ISAF
In further talks, General Raheel told the Afghan president that "Pakistan's military could eliminate TTP's sanctuaries in Kunar and Nuristan Province on its own but was showing restraint due to Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity." President Ghani assured General Raheel that his country would take all the necessary steps to root out the terrorists. A joint operation against the Taliban was also discussed with the Afghan leadership. In a media report published in The Nation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan released a separate statement to Afghan president on a "hot pursuit" and has sent a message to Kabul reportedly stressing: "Wipe out Taliban or we will."


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Communications with Afghanistan and ISAF
The Pakistani military went into active pursuit in the form of manhunt missions after the attack. On the night of December 18, the Pakistan Army's military units stalked the fleeing terrorists and immediately launched a simultaneous ground offensive in the Khyber Agency and the Tirah Valley when the terrorists were on the run to Afghanistan. In the assault, there were reports that some terrorists had fled and had left behind the dead bodies of their fellow terrorist companions – photos of which have been circulating on social media. In a separate air strike in Khyber Agency on the same night, the PAF's fighter aircraft reportedly hunted and killed a top commander and 17 other terrorists who were attempting to flee to Afghanistan.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, Communications with Afghanistan and ISAF
On 14 January 2015, five men were arrested in Afghanistan over suspicion of being involved in the attack in Afghanistan by Afghan security forces after the Pakistani authorities provided intelligence information. On 9 July 2016, the mastermind of the attack Khalid Khurasani was confirmed dead in a U.S. drone strike in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, Retaliation, 21st Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan
On 6 January 2015, both houses of the Parliament of Pakistan unanimously passed the "Constitution (Twenty-First Amendment) Act 2015", which was signed into law by the President on 7 January 2015. The Amendment provided a constitutional cover to the military courts that were established in the country for speedy trials of the terrorists. The Amendment contained a "sunset" clause and ceased to be part of the Constitution after two years on 7 January 2017.


2014 Peshawar school massacre, In popular culture
Peshawar is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language web series by Ullu. It is based on the terrorist attack and focuses on the background of the incident.


2014 Peterborough City Council election
The 2014 Peterborough City Council election took place on 22 May 2014 to elect members of Peterborough City Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections.


2014 Peterborough City Council election
The Conservatives lost four seats to give them a total of 28 seats, Labour gained one seat to give them a total of 12 seats, UK Independence Party won three seats, the Independents maintained seven seats, the Liberal Democrats maintained four seats and the Liberal Party maintained three seats.


2014 Peterborough County municipal elections
Elections were held in Peterborough County, Ontario on October 27, 2014 in conjunction with municipal elections across the province.


2014 Peterborough County municipal elections, Peterborough County Council
Peterborough County Council consists of two members from each of the county's constituent municipalities.


2014 Petit Le Mans
The 17th Annual Petit Le Mans presented by Mazda was the 2014 edition of the Petit Le Mans automotive endurance race, held on September 30–October 3, 2014, at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Georgia, United States. This marked the first Petit Le Mans run under the newly merged Tudor United Sportscar Championship. As part of the new series, Daytona Prototype endurance-style cars were eligible to participate for the first time.


2014 Petit Le Mans
The race was won by Wayne Taylor Racing in 10 hours (400 laps). A record number of 13 cautions was set for the event.


2014 Petit Le Mans, Race, Race result
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of their class winner's distance are marked as Not Classified (NC).


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season
The 2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season officially began at the 2014 Apia International Sydney.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Early hard court season and Australian Open, Sydney International
Kvitová started her season in Sydney. As the second seed, she received a bye into the second round. There, she defeated qualifier Christina Mchale before going to on to beat compatriot Lucie Šafářová in the last eight. In the semifinal, Kvitová  suffered a shocking loss to qualifier and eventual champion Tsvetana Pironkova in straight sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Early hard court season and Australian Open, Australian Open
Seeded sixth at the Australian Open, Kvitová drew world No. 88 Luksika Kumkhum in the opening round, and was upset by the Thai in three sets. It was Kvitová's earliest exit at a Grand Slam since 2011 US Open.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Middle East series, Qatar Open
As the third seed at the Qatar Open, Kvitová received a bye in the first round. In the second round she faced former world No. 1 Venus Williams, whom she beat in three sets. She then saw off Šafářová in the round of 16, before losing to Jelena Janković in the quarterfinals.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Middle East series, Dubai Tennis Championships
Kvitová failed to defend her title in Dubai, losing her opening match to Spain's Carla Suárez Navarro in three sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, North American hard court season, Indian Wells Masters
At the 2014 BNP Paribas Open, Kvitová was seeded eighth and won her first two matches against Coco Vandeweghe and Svetlana Kuznetsova, but lost in the fourth round to Dominika Cibulková in straight sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, North American hard court season, Miami Masters
Kvitová was the eighth seed at the Miami Open and she reached the quarterfinals of the event for the first time in her career, having never advanced beyond third round previously. She defeated Paula Ormaechea and Donna Vekić to set up a clash with 12th seed Ana Ivanovic in the last 16. Despite losing the first set, Kvitová then double-bagelled the Serb to take the match. In the last eight, she lost to Maria Sharapova in straight sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Fed Cup semifinal
In her first match, Kvitová was pitted against young Italian Camila Giorgi and she won in straight sets. In the following round, she avenged her loss to Roberta Vinci from last year by defeating the veteran in straight sets as well.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Clay court season, Stuttgart Open
Kvitová, seeded third at the Stuttgart Open, suffered a shocking loss in the second round to former top 30 player Alisa Kleybanova.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Clay court season, Madrid Open
Seeded fifth at the Mutua Madrid Open, Kvitová won her opener against Sorana Cîrstea in three sets. Then, she defeated Varvara Lepchenko and Šafářová to reach the quarterfinals where she was supposed to play world no. 1 Serena Williams. However, her opponent conceded a walkover and Kvitová moved into semifinals where she lost to Simona Halep in three sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Clay court season, Italian Open
At the Italian Open, fifth-seeded Kvitová was defeated in her opening match by Zhang Shuai in three sets


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Clay court season, French Open
At the French Open, Kvitová comfortably won over Zarina Diyas and Marina Erakovic in the first two rounds, before facing former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. There, she fell to the Russian in a tight three-setter.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Grass court season, Eastbourne
Kvitová started her grass court campaign in Eastbourne. She defeated compatriot Šafářová and Lepchenko to reach the quarterfinals, where she was forced to withdraw with a hamstring injury.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Grass court season, Wimbledon
Kvitová entered the Wimbledon Championships as a heavy favourite, having won her maiden Grand Slam title here in 2011. After winning the first two rounds against Andrea Hlaváčková and Mona Barthel comfortably, Kvitová faced former champion Venus Williams in the third round. Similar to their Doha encounter, Kvitová was pushed to a third set. The decider featured both players playing well, with the Czech ultimately sailing through.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Grass court season, Wimbledon
Kvitová secured her berth in the last eight by defeating Peng Shuai in the following round. She then beat compatriots Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová and  Šafářová in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. In the final, Kvitová completely outplayed 13th seed and maiden finalist Eugenie Bouchard in only 55 minutes. The match was the fifth-shortest women's final match in the tournament history.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, US Open Series, Canadian Open
Kvitová officially began her US Open series campaign in Montreal. After receiving a bye in the opening round, she defeated Casey Dellacqua in her opener but then lost to eventual semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova in three sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, US Open Series, Cincinnati Masters
At the Cincinnati Masters, Kvitová lost to Elina Svitolina in her opening match in straight sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, US Open Series, Connecticut Open
Kvitová entered New Haven as the second seed. She defeated Makarova in straight sets in her opening match and the quarterfinals, she beat Záhlavová-Strýcová. She reached the final for the third straight year when she overcame Samantha Stosur in the last four. In the final, she faced Magdaléna Rybáriková whom she defeated in straight sets to for the title.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, US Open Series, US Open
Kvitová was seeded third at the US Open. In the first round, she defeated France's Kristina Mladenovic. She then beat fellow Czech Petra Cetkovská. She then lost in the third round for the second straight year, this time to Serbian Aleksandra Krunić in straight sets.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Asian swing & WTA Finals, Wuhan Open
Kvitová cruised into the third round of the Wuhan Open with a win over Italian Karin Knapp. She then booked her spot in the quarterfinals with a three-set victory over compatriot Karolína Plíšková. In the last eight, she went on to defeat Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia and set up a semifinal clash with Svitolina, whom she lost to in Cincinnati in August, but Kvitová was too good this time, beating her straight sets to reach the final, where she defeated Eugenie Bouchard to win the inaugural title of the tournament.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Asian swing & WTA Finals, China Open
Kvitová next played at the China Open where she was the third seed. She defeated Peng in her opening match and reached the quarterfinals after a walkover from Venus Williams. She then beat Vinci in straight sets before moving past Stosur in the last four in a three-set battle. In the final, she suffered a defeat at the hands of  Sharapova.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Asian swing & WTA Finals, WTA Finals
Kvitová was the third seed at the WTA Finals and was drawn into the same group as Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwańska and Caroline Wozniacki. She lost her first match against Radwańska in straight sets but then went on to upset Sharapova in straight sets, thus recording her first victory over the Russian in five attempts. Her hopes of qualifying for the semifinals were dashed when she lost to Wozniacki, finishing last in her group as a result.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly summary, Fed Cup final
Kvitová  represented her home country where they faced Germany. In the opening rubber, she defeated Andrea Petkovic in straight sets. As a result of compatriot Šafářová winning the second match, the team was one win away from the title and all hopes were on Kvitová. She faced Angelique Kerber in her next match and won in tight three sets, thus helping Czech Republic claim its third Fed Cup title in four years.


2014 Petra Kvitová tennis season, Yearly records, Head-to-head matchups
Ordered by number of wins, as of Fed Cup final


2014 Philadelphia Cycling Classic
The 2014 The Philadelphia Cycling Classic is a one-day women's cycle race held in the United States on 1 June 2014. The race had a UCI rating of 1.1.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2014 Philadelphia Eagles season was the franchise's 82nd season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Chip Kelly. The Eagles led the NFC East for most of the year, but when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Indianapolis Colts in week 16, they were eliminated from playoff contention.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season
After quarterback Nick Foles led them to a 6–2 start, despite struggling with turnovers more so than he did in 2013 (where he threw only 2 interceptions and lost 1 fumble), he was injured in week 9, causing backup Mark Sanchez to take over as starting quarterback. The Eagles suffered one of the worst collapses in NFL history starting the season 9–3 before going 1–3 in the last four games with two losses against their division rivals, the Cowboys and Redskins.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season
Despite missing the playoffs, they had 9 selections for the 2015 Pro Bowl, second only to the Denver Broncos, who had 11.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Roster changes, Roster changes
On March 28, 2014, after what was the statistically best season in his career, the Eagles released wide receiver DeSean Jackson. As a free agent, he signed with the Eagles' division rival, the Washington Redskins, on April 2, 2014. The team made headlines when, on May 5, they signed Alejandro Villanueva, who is an Army Ranger, having served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, and has not played football since 2009.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Eagles started their season at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars dominated the first half 17–0 with quarterback Chad Henne throwing two touchdown passes to rookie wide receiver, Allen Hurns. The Jaguars defense forced two fumbles on quarterback Nick Foles. In the second quarter after a Josh Scobee 49-yard field goal, Foles threw an interception in the end zone to Alan Ball. The ensuing drive led to a Scobee field goal that was blocked by the Eagles.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Eagles scored on their opening drive in the second half after veteran running back, Darren Sproles rushed 49 yards for a touchdown in his first game as an Eagle. Then, Foles threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Tight End, Zach Ertz on the next Eagles drive. Then on the first Eagles drive in the fourth quarter, Cody Parkey kicked a 51-yard field goal to tie the game up at 17.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 1: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Then on the first play of the next Eagles drive, Foles threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Jeremy Maclin to give the Eagles the first lead of the game, 24–17. Then, after stopping the Jaguars on fourth down, the Eagles marched down the field which led to a Parkey 28-yard field goal, bringing the lead to 27–17. On the next Jaguars drive, Trent Cole forced Chad Henne to fumble and Fletcher Cox picked it up and returned it for a touchdown. The Eagles won the game 34–17. With the win, the Eagles were 1–0.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 3: vs. Washington Redskins
This was DeSean Jackson's first game against his former team. The Eagles improved to 3–0 with this win.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 6: vs. New York Giants
This marked the first time the Eagles had shut out an opponent since they did so also against the Giants in 1996. Darren Sproles tore his MCL during the game. The Eagles also introduced their blackout uniform in this game.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 8: at Arizona Cardinals
Carson Palmer lofted a 75-yard touchdown pass to rookie John Brown with 1:21 to play to give the Arizona Cardinals a stunning 24–20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in a matchup of two of the NFL's four remaining one-loss teams.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 8: at Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals (6–1) had a goal-line stand that forced the Eagles (5–2) to settle for a 20-yard field goal that put Philadelphia up 20–17 with 1:56 left. Then on third-and-five, Palmer - who also had an 80-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald - heaved the ball deep, where the speedy Brown gathered it in and crossed the goal line just as he was being tackled. The Eagles drove to the Arizona 16. On the last play of the game, Jordan Matthews caught a pass from Nick Foles in the end zone but landed out of bounds.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 9: at Houston Texans
Mark Sanchez would play for the first time as an Eagle when Nick Foles was injured in the first quarter. Darren Sproles returned from injury.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
The Packers started hot and never looked back, cruising to an easy win over the Eagles, who were tied for the best record in the NFL.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
The Packers took the ball and went 75 yards, with the big play being Aaron Rodgers hooking up with Jordy Nelson for 65 yards. However, two incomplete passes forced the Packers to settle for a 27-yard Mason Crosby field goal. After an Eagles punt, the Packers stormed 88 yards in 13 plays, taking 6:47 off the clock, ending with Rodgers connecting with DaVante Adams for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Rodgers continued to show that the Eagles' secondary was no match.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
The Eagles went three-and-out on their next drive, but this time Micah Hyde returned the punt 75 yards for a touchdown, extending the Packers lead to 17–0 in the first quarter. The Eagles finally managed points on their next drive, going 44 yards in 10 plays before Cody Parkey hit a 33-yard field goal with 13:08 remaining in the half. Unfortunately, for the Eagles, there was no stopping Aaron Rodgers. The Packers advanced 80 yards in only 6 plays, with Rodgers throwing for 60-yard on the drive, including the 27-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
The Eagles offense continued to sputter, punting on their next possession. The Packers continued their utter domination, moving to the Eagles 19-yard-line, but Malcolm Jenkins was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, moving the ball to the 1 yard-line. Eddie Lacy took it in on the very next play(the Packers two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful) and the Packers led 30–3 with just 2:00 minutes left in the half. On their next drive, the Eagles managed to move 65 yards and Cody Parkey hit his second field goal of the half, trimming the score to 30–6 at halftime.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
The Eagles drove into Packer territory on their first possession of the second half, but Mark Sanchez lost a fumble that was recovered by Nick Perry. The Packers punted for the first time all night on their next drive, but the Eagles did nothing, punting themselves. The Packers proceeded to march 48 yards and Crosby was successful from 33 yards away, giving the Packers a 33–6 lead. On the following drive Mark Sanchez continued to give up the ball, with defensive end Julius Peppers returning an interception 52 yards for a touchdown making the score 39-6(Crosby's PAT was blocked).


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
Sanchez drove the Eagles 80 yards, hitting Jordan Matthews 10 yards for a touchdown, closing the gap to 39–13. Rodgers responded by hitting Lacy 32 yards for a touchdown on a screen pass. Sanchez threw his second interception of the night on the next possession, but Crosby missed a field goal. Once again Sanchez turned it over (this time on a fumble), and Casey Hayward returned it 49 yards for a touchdown, making the score a humiliating, 53–13. Sanchez hit Jeremy Maclin for a 20-yard touchdown pass on the next Eagle possession, to close the scoring, giving the Packers a 53–20 victory. The Packers outgained the Eagles 475–429, but four turnovers (all by Sanchez) buried the Eagles.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 12: vs. Tennessee Titans
This win marked the Eagles' first ever win against the Tennessee Titans, since they changed their name and city from the Houston Oilers. Also Josh Huff scored a 107-yard Touchdown on the opening kickoff


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys
With this win, the Eagles were not only the sole leaders of their division, but at 9–3, they tied the Broncos, Patriots, Cardinals, and Packers for the best record in the entire NFL.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 16: at Washington Redskins
Even though the Redskins were 3–11 and had a 6-game losing streak, the Eagles lost to their divisional rivals due to a 4th quarter interception by Mark Sanchez. With the loss, the Eagles fell to 9–6, and were officially eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since 2012, after the Cowboys defeated the Colts the following Sunday.


2014 Philadelphia Eagles season, Schedule, Game summaries, Week 17: at New York Giants
With the win, the Eagles finished their season 10–6 and barely missed out on the playoffs. The team also swept the Giants for the first time since 2010.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season
The 2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season was the 14th season of the franchise (in its current incarnation) in World TeamTennis (WTT).


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season
The Freedoms had 9 wins and 5 losses and finished second in the Eastern Conference. They qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2007, losing to the Washington Kastles in the Eastern Conference Championship Match. The Freedoms were led by WTT rookie Marcelo Melo who was named WTT Male Most Valuable Player.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, James Blake trade
James Blake was selected by the Freedoms in the 2012 marque player draft and played for the team that season. Blake did not register for the 2013 marquee player draft, but he signed with the New York Sportimes as a wildcard player. Since WTT teams are permitted to have only one wildcard player of each gender, Blake was effectively released by the Sportimes when John McEnroe was designated as the team's male wildcard player on July 18, 2013. Consequently, the right to protect Blake, should he register as an eligible marquee player, remained with the Freedoms under WTT rules.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, James Blake trade
On February 11, 2014, WTT announced that the Boston Lobsters  had traded Blake to the Springfield Lasers for undisclosed consideration. Therefore, an apparent unreported trade which sent Blake to Boston took place between the Freedoms and the Lobsters between the end of the 2012 season and the 2014 marquee player draft.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Drafts
Since the Freedoms had the second-worst record in WTT in 2013, they had the second selection in each round of both drafts. The Freedoms chose Victoria Azarenka in the first round of the Marquee Player Draft and chose not to protect Sloane Stephens. They passed on making a second-round pick. At the Roster Player Draft, the Freedoms protected Victoria Duval and Liezel Huber and picked WTT rookies Frank Dancevic and Marcelo Melo.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Duval misses the season and is replaced by Townsend
On July 4, 2014, the Feedoms announced that Victoria Duval would miss the entire season, because she had recently been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. As a show of support for Duval, the Freedoms wore special patches with her initials on them on their uniforms during the 2014 season. The following day, the Freedoms announced that they had signed Taylor Townsend to replace Duval.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Six road matches to start the season
The Freedoms started the 2014 season with six road matches. In the season opener against the Springfield Lasers, the Freedoms fell behind, 10–6, after two sets and trailed 16–14 heading to the final set. Taylor Townsend earned a 5–4 set win in women's singles to send the match to overtime with the Freedoms still behind, 20–19. Townsend then won the first game of overtime to tie the score at 20 and force a super tiebreaker which she won, 7–3.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Six road matches to start the season
After three straight losses, the Freedoms cruised to a dominant victory over the Austin Aces, 25–11, winning all five sets. Frank Dancevic took a set from Andy Roddick, 5–3, in men's singles and teamed with Marcelo Melo for a 5–3 set win over Roddick and Treat Huey in men's doubles. Townsend won the women's singles set, 5–2, over Vera Zvonareva and partnered with Liezel Huber for a 5–2 set win in women's doubles. Huber and Melo won the mixed doubles set, 5–1.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Six road matches to start the season
The Freedoms lost the following match, 23–14, to the three-time defending champion Washington Kastles. With the season less than half finished, it was already the second time the Freedoms had visited Washington; they lost both matches. This defeat dropped the Freedoms' record to 2 wins and 4 losses.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Winning streak and a playoff berth
The Freedoms faced the San Diego Aviators in their home opener at The Pavilion on the campus of Villanova University on July 15, 2014, as Victoria Azarenka made her debut with the team. It was the first of four straight home matches on four consecutive evenings. After falling behind 10–4 after two sets, the Freedoms got set wins from Frank Dancevic (5–2 in men's singles), Azarenka (5–3 in women's singles) and Azarenka and Marcelo Melo (5–3 in mixed doubles) to earn a 19–18 victory.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Winning streak and a playoff berth
The following evening, the Freedoms lost both singles sets but won all three doubles sets on their way to a 21–18 victory over the Springfield Lasers. Liezel Huber and Melo closed out the match with a 5–3 mixed doubles set win.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Winning streak and a playoff berth
On July 17, 2014, the Freedoms faced the Washington Kastles. After Huber and Melo won he opening set of mixed doubles, 5–3, over Venus Williams and Leander Paes, Taylor Townsend took the first three games of the women's singles set from Williams. The Kastles substituted Anastasia Rodionova for Williams, but Townsend continued her dominance, winning the set, 5–0. Dancevic extended the Freedoms' lead to 15–5 at halftime with a 5–2 set win in men's singles. The Kastles won the women's doubles and men's doubles sets to send the match to overtime with the Freedoms holding a 21–15 lead. dancevic and Melo won the first game of overtime to give the Freedoms a 22–15 victory.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Winning streak and a playoff berth
In the final match of the homestand, the Freedom won all five sets in a dominant 25–14 win over the Boston Lobsters. Dancevic, Huber, Melo and Townsend were each involved in two set wins. With their fourth straight win, the Freedoms swept their homestand and improved their record to 6 wins and 4 losses.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Winning streak and a playoff berth
While enjoying a day off on July 19, 2014, the Freedoms clinched a playoff berth when the Kastles defeated the Lobsters, 23–9.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Winning streak and a playoff berth
The Freedoms won their fifth straight match on July 20, 2014, when they beat the Lobsters on the road, 23–21. Dancevic started off the match with a 5–4 set win over John Isner. Huber and Townsend followed with a 5–4 women's doubles set win. Heber and Melo took the mixed doubles set to give the Freedoms a 15–12 halftime lead. After the Lobsters cut the lead to 18–17, Dancevic and Melo took the mn's doubles set, 5–4, to close out the victory.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, End of the regular season
After their only home loss of the season (21–18 to the Austin Aces) ended their winning streak, the Freedoms responded with their most lopsided win of the season, a 25–6 drubbing of the Boston Lobsters. It was the third time during the 2014 season that the Freedoms had won all five sets in a match and the second time they had done it to the Lobsters. Taylor Townsend had a 5–0 set win in women's singles and teamed with Liezel Huber for another 5–0 set win in women's doubles.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, End of the regular season
With the Washington Kastles having clinched home-court advantage for the Eastern Conference Championship Match the previous evening, some of the drama was taken out of the Freedoms' regular-season finale. In a playoff preview, the Kastles won the first two sets to take a 10–5 lead and held an 18–13 advantage after four sets. In the final mixed doubles set Liezel Huber and Marcelo Melo topped Martina Hingis and Leander Paes, 5–2, to send the match to overtime with the Kastles clinging to a 20–18 lead.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, End of the regular season
Huber and Melo won two games in overtime to send the match to a super tiebreaker which they won, 7–4, to give the Freedoms a 21–20 victory. The win gave the Freedoms 9 wins and 5 losses on the season, just one match behind the Kastles in the Eastern Conference standings.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Playoffs
The Freedoms met the Washington Kastles in the Eastern Conference Championship Match on July 24, 2014, in Washington. Taylor Townsend's 5–2 set win in women's singles over Martina Hingis gave the Freedoms an 8–7 lead after two sets. The Kastles won the next two sets to take a 17–11 advantage to the final set. In a bizarre scene during the fourth set of women's doubles, Liezel Huber was struck in the back of the head by a Townsend forehand shot. Huber was unable to continue. She was diagnosed with a concussion, taken to the hospital and later released.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Season recap, Playoffs
With no substitute available, Townsend was left to finish the set alone. Playing two against one, Townsend was not permitted to return serves on Huber's side and dropped the set, 5–1. Frank Dancevic and Marcelo Melo won the men's doubles set, 5–3, to send the match to overtime with the Kastles leading, 20–16. The Kastles won the first game of overtime to earn a 21–16 victory and end the season for the Freedoms.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Draft picks
Since the Freedoms had the league's second-worst record in 2013, they had the second selection in each round of both WTT drafts.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Draft picks, Marquee player draft
The Freedoms did not protect Sloane Stephens effectively making her a free agent. The selections made by the Freedoms are shown in the table below.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Draft picks, Roster player draft
The Freedoms protected two players from their 2013 team: Victoria Duval and Liezel Huber. They drafted WTT rookies Frank Dancevic and Marcelo Melo. The selections made by the Freedoms are shown in the table below.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Statistics
Players are listed in order of their game-winning percentage provided they played in at least 40% of the Freedoms' games in that event, which is the WTT minimum for qualification for league leaders in individual statistical categories.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Individual honors and achievements
Liezel Huber was second in WTT in game-winning percentage in mixed doubles.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Individual honors and achievements
Taylor Townsend was third in WTT in game-winning percentage in women's singles and sixth in women's doubles.


2014 Philadelphia Freedoms season, Charitable support
During each night of the 2014 season, the WTT team with the most aces received US$1,000 toward a local charity of the team's choice as part of a program called Mylan Aces. In the case of a tie, the award was split accordingly. The Freedoms earned $4,500 for Assistance in Healthcare which works in partnership with Cancer Treatment Centers of America through the program.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2014 season was the 132nd in the history of the franchise. After a disappointing 2013, the Phillies entered the offseason with a strategy to reload rather than rebuild; they did not want to relinquish the opportunity to do well in 2014 in hopes of being competitive down the road. Commensurate with this strategy, among their key acquisitions were right fielder Marlon Byrd and starting pitcher A. J. Burnett.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Phillies began the season with new coaches (as Ryne Sandberg entered his first season as manager after taking over on an interim basis in August 2013) and new broadcasters; Jamie Moyer and Matt Stairs, two members of the 2008 World Series squad, replaced Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews as analysts on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season
After offseason headlines indicated a tenuous relationship between Sandberg and shortstop Jimmy Rollins and controversy about draft picks who did not sign with the team, the season began auspiciously with an opening-day win; however, the Phillies then lost their next two games. April continued in that fashion; the team played .500 ball in their first 26 games, exceeding expectations. One commentator called them "pleasantly mediocre", despite a horrific performance from the bullpen.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season
May was a frustrating month for the Phillies; failing to win games they were in a position to win, they posted an 11–16 record and a .230 team batting average (the worst in the National League). June was almost as bad; although the team had 12 wins and 17 losses, the bullpen improved to one of the best in the NL. In the 2014 Major League Baseball draft that month the Phillies selected Aaron Nola as their first-round pick, encouraging optimism from fans and the media. Although the Phillies began July at the bottom of the National League East Division, they amassed a five-game winning streak shortly before the All-Star break. This moved them to within nine games of .500, but they lost the last two games and had a 42–53 record at the break.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season
As the trade deadline approached, it was speculated that the Phillies would surrender older players to obtain younger ones. They made two deals, neither involving key components of the team. In August they had their best month of the season: a 14–13 record, thanks to strong pitching and adequate hitting. Although the Phillies began September with four pitchers combining for a no-hitter, their month deteriorated from there. The squad had an 11–15 record, finishing the season with 73 wins and 89 losses. Significant personnel changes on the field and in the front office were expected during the offseason.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions
The Phillies entered the offseason with a strategy of "reloading, not rebuilding".


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions
According to Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Bold best describes what Rubén Amaro Jr. has done so far in putting together the 2014 Phillies and it sure is appropriate that the word ends with the letters O-L-D." The team wanted to re-sign Carlos Ruiz (or find another catcher) and sign a right-handed-hitting corner outfielder and a middle-of-the-rotation starter to supplement Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee after the departure of Roy Halladay and the discovery of medical problems in Cuban Miguel Alfredo González, signed by the Phillies the previous summer.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
The Phillies' first offseason acquisition was Shawn Camp, a right-handed middle reliever coming off an "awful" season with the Chicago Cubs who was signed on November 11, 2013, to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. The next day, they signed the right-handed-hitting corner outfielder for whom they were looking: Marlon Byrd, a member of the team from his debut in 2002 to 2005, signed a two-year contract for $16 million.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
Soon after the agreement was announced, Phillies general manager Rubén Amaro, Jr. was criticized by analyst Keith Law for overpaying Byrd; according to Law, Byrd's 2013 season was a "fluke" and an "outlier". Near the end of that week, the Phillies signed two players to minor-league contracts with invitations to spring training: outfielder Clete Thomas, who led Minnesota Twins outfielders in games played in their 2013 season (with a .214 batting average), and Cesar Jimenez, a left-handed specialist who pitched 17 innings with the Phillies in 2013.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
The following week the team signed infielder Reid Brignac, a well-regarded prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays who had struggled in the major leagues, to a minor-league contract with a spring-training invitation. Shortly afterwards the Phillies addressed their catching needs, re-signing Carlos Ruiz to a three-year contract (with an option for a fourth year) worth $26 million. Similar to the Byrd deal, Amaro was criticized for signing a 35-year-old catcher to a three-year contract. Cliff Corcoran wrote for Sports Illustrated, "While Ruiz may have been an underrated player in the past, heading into his age-35 season, he doesn't have far to fall before he's little more than a replacement-level catcher."


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
The Phillies made no more acquisitions until December; on December 2 they signed Jeff Manship, a right-handed pitcher who was mediocre as a starter and reliever (since 2011, he had an 0–5 record and a 7.44 earned run average), to a minor-league contract with a spring-training invitation. The next day they made their only trade of the offseason, sending 2013 backup catcher Erik Kratz and minor-league relief pitcher Rob Rasmussen to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Brad Lincoln, a veteran right-handed relief pitcher who the Phillies hoped would improve their bullpen's depth and leadership.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
Uncertain if minor-league catching prospects Cameron Rupp, Tommy Joseph and Sebastian Valle were ready for the major leagues, the Phillies signed "strong defensive catcher" Wil Nieves to a one-year contract for $1.125 million as a backup. On December 12 they selected Kevin Munson, a right-handed pitcher from the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, in the Rule 5 draft; if Munson did not remain on their 40-man roster, they had to offer him back to Arizona.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
On December 18 they brought back Lou Marson, a top catching prospect for the Phillies "languish[ing]" on the Cleveland Indians as part of a package of players traded for Cliff Lee, on a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. That day, the Phillies signed four other players to minor-league contracts with invitations to spring training: right-handed relief pitchers Sean O'Sullivan and Chris Bootcheck and outfielders Dave Sappelt and Tony Gwynn, Jr.. Right-handed starting pitcher Roberto Hernández, formerly known as Fausto Carmona, was signed to a one-year contract worth $4.5 million.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
It was nearly a month before the Phillies signed another player; on January 13, 2014, journeyman infielder Ronny Cedeño was signed to a minor-league contract with a spring-training invitation. Just over a week later they signed Chad Gaudin, a right-handed pitcher with starting and relief experience, a 5–2 record and a 3.06 ERA with the San Diego Padres in 2013 (before an August season-ending carpal tunnel injury), to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training; he was released on February 13, 2014, after failing a physical.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
On January 21 they signed Bobby Abreu, a member of the Phillies from 1998 to 2006 who had not played in MLB since 2012 but had performed well in the Venezuelan Winter League, to a minor-league contract with a spring-training invitation. On February 12, when Cole Hamels announced he would not be ready for opening day due to tendinitis in his throwing shoulder, A. J. Burnett was reportedly signed to a one-year, $16 million contract despite Amaro's previous assertion that the Phillies would make no more major acquisitions.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Player transactions, Acquisitions
Burnett's salary was later clarified as $15 million, with a $1 million buyout clause and a partial no-trade clause. To make room for Burnett on the roster, the Phillies designated former first-round draft pick Joe Savery for assignment; Savery was later claimed from waivers by the Oakland Athletics. Shortly before opening day, the team acquired infielder Jayson Nix (younger brother of Laynce Nix, whom the Phillies acquired for their bench several years earlier) from the Tampa Bay Rays.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Coaching changes
In Ryne Sandberg's first full season as manager (after replacing Charlie Manuel near the end of the 2013 season), he reconfigured the Phillies' staff. Among his first acquisitions were long-time friend Larry Bowa (who managed the Phillies from 2001 to 2004) as bench coach and former bench coach Pete Mackanin as third-base coach. At the same time, the team announced the retention of Steve Henderson as hitting coach. Shortly thereafter, the Phillies announced that Juan Samuel would switch from third- to first-base coach and Wally Joyner would return for a second season as assistant hitting coach.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Coaching changes
About a month later, the team reported that the Detroit Tigers had lured Joyner away as their hitting coach. Although the most difficult position to fill was pitching coach (vacated by Rich Dubee at the end of the 2013 season), on November 21 the Phillies announced that they had hired Bob McClure and retained pitching-coach candidate Rod Nichols as bullpen coach and Jesús Tiamo as bullpen catcher. Sandberg finished his staffing a week before Christmas by promoting minor-league assistant John Mizerock to assistant hitting coach.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, TV and broadcast changes
On January 2, 2014, the Phillies and Comcast Sportsnet announced a 25-year, $2.5 billion TV contract; although it averaged $100 million a year, it was structured to begin below the average and end above it. Soon after the agreement was reached, Comcast (who would hire announcers under the deal) removed 37-year announcer Chris Wheeler and seven-year announcer Gary Matthews. Although the remaining Phillies announcers were disappointed with the decision, they all returned for the season. One replacement analyst was planned, and early candidates included Ricky Bottalico, Mitch Williams, John Kruk, Chris Coste, Jamie Moyer, Brad Lidge and Matt Stairs.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, TV and broadcast changes
Lidge and Kruk were among the first to be contacted, but both declined. Mickey Morandini was a possibility, but Stairs and Moyer reportedly interviewed well and were favored. On February 11, Comcast announced that Moyer and Stairs would join Tom McCarthy and Gregg Murphy on the Phillies' TV broadcast team. The company later announced that Moyer and Stairs would each call over 100 games, including 30 games together with McCarthy. After the first spring-training game, it was announced that Mike Schmidt would join the broadcast team for Sunday afternoon games.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, TV and broadcast changes
Early in the season, the new broadcast team "struggled"; Josh Folck called Moyer boring and monotonous and Stairs inarticulate, with a tendency to mumble. McCarthy was forced to "carry the broadcast and talk as much as possible" to minimize (but not eliminate) dead air. By the season's second half it was agreed that the broadcast team had improved, but Chuck Darrow criticized Moyer's "esoteric" commentary and Stairs' poor enunciation; fans may have judged the new announcers based on standards set by Hall of Fame announcer Harry Kalas and partner Richie Ashburn. According to Awful Announcing, the broadcast team was one of the most improved in the major leagues; when Moyer announced that he would not return in 2015, the website called it "a damn shame".


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Unsigned draft picks controversy
On February 20, 2014, Baseball America revealed that the Phillies reported Ben Wetzler and Jason Monda (two 2013 draft selections who did not sign with the club) to the National Collegiate Athletic Association for violating the NCAA's no-agent rule: student athletes may not use agents to negotiate professional contracts. Although players observe the "patently ridiculous" rule by routinely hiring "advisors" (usually agents), the NCAA suspended Wetzler for 11 games. The Phillies were criticized for reporting the players:


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Unsigned draft picks controversy
The question remains: What's the upside for the Phillies here? The practice of using agents in something less than a sanctioned manner will continue, and if anything they've made a number of advisors and college programs less likely to cooperate with them in the future. This is a pretty pitiful organization top to bottom these days, and now that indictment absolutely extends to the amateur scouting department. Bad show, Phillies.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Unsigned draft picks controversy
David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News asked if the Phillies wanted to punish Wetzler for not signing with them. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Phillies' reporting of Wetzler and Monda would hurt the team in the long run: "As time passes and the Phillies' silence continues, the impression hardens within the industry—particularly among agents and college coaches—that the team acted out of vindictiveness, because neither Wetzler nor Monda accepted their offer." He called the Phillies' decision "breathtakingly abhorrent", saying that the debacle would "tarnish the reputation of a respected organization". Amaro dismissed the likelihood of retribution by agents or players, replying, "No, I'm not", when asked if he was concerned that the organization's reporting of Wetzler would hinder its ability to "glean accurate and detailed information about a player's willingness to go pro, or even gain access to said players".


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Jimmy Rollins and Ryne Sandberg
A lack of rapport between veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins and manager Ryne Sandberg attracted attention during the offseason; ESPN's Buster Olney described sentiment in the Phillies' organization that Rollins should be traded. Amaro and Rollins dispelled the rumors, with Amaro calling them "absolute silliness". Sandberg praised backup shortstop Freddy Galvis' attitude (which many in the media saw as the manager sending a message to the team that no one – including Rollins – was above team rules), and one column examined the point at which Rollins ceased being the team's unquestioned leader.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Preceding offseason, Jimmy Rollins and Ryne Sandberg
Rollins (who had a good relationship with former manager Charlie Manuel) said, "He's [Sandberg's] completely different from Charlie from the very onset, their personalities. He's pretty much a real quiet guy, he really is. Charlie was a get-in-your face with jokes type of guy. We're still learning him, he's still learning us from this side of it. Being a coach and being a manager are completely different things – you deal with so much more being a manager."


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, Spring training
After three spring-training games the Phillies' starting rotation already had significant health concerns, predominantly with throwing shoulders; Cole Hamels had discomfort in his left shoulder, and Jon Pettibone and Ethan Martin in their right shoulders. Although the club hoped to avoid a "patchwork" starting rotation like 2013's, it already lacked pitching depth; two top prospects, Adam Morgan and Shane Watson, were lost for most of the season due to shoulder surgery.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, Spring training
Mike Adams, acquired by the Phillies as their setup man but who missed most of the 2013 season before offseason surgery, threw a bullpen session in late February and said he felt "real good" and hoped to join the bullpen by April. David Buchanan started the Phillies' fourth spring-training game, pitching two good innings; after the game, MLB.com Phillies beat reporter called him a dark-horse candidate for the Phillies' starting rotation. Miguel Alfredo González was less effective in that game.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, Spring training
Early in March the Phillies announced that Hamels had a "setback" in his recovery (arm fatigue), and the likelihood of his pitching in April was "remote"; this necessitated a new fifth starter. The top candidates were Buchanan, who pitched well in his next few outings, and Jeff Manship; both had ERAs at or below 1.50 through March 11.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, Spring training
On March 8 the Phillies made their first minor-league demotions: seven players, including two (Michael Stutes and Luis García) with major-league experience, and top pitching prospect Jesse Biddle. On March 17 Sandberg confirmed speculation that Cliff Lee would be the Phillies' opening-day starting pitcher against his former team, the Texas Rangers and Yu Darvish, and Rule 5 draft selection Kevin Munson was returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, Spring training
Concerns arose about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the Phillies' spring-training clubhouse at Bright House Field when, on March 21, Freddy Galvis was placed on the disabled list with a staph infection; Galvis was hospitalized, missing opening day, and the clubhouse was disinfected after the next game. Darin Ruf was also placed on the DL with an oblique strain, incurred during batting practice that day. On March 22 the Phillies demoted Maikel Franco to minor-league camp, making Cody Asche their opening-day starter at third base.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, Spring training
Although he had been expected to make the team, Kevin Frandsen was cut from their 40-man roster; this increased the possibility that "darkhorse candidate" César Hernández would make the team. Frandsen rejected his minor-league assignment, electing to pursue free agency. The Phillies also released Ronny Cedeño, once a top candidate to replace Galvis during his injury. The club's bench narrowed when the Phillies announced that Bobby Abreu would not make the team (primarily due to lackluster defense), leaving Tony Gwynn, Jr., John Mayberry, Jr., Reid Brignac, Wil Nieves and Hernández likely to remain. The team acquired Jayson Nix from the Tampa Bay Rays, assigning Brignac to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies began the season with six players on the DL: Galvis, Ruf, Mike Adams, Miguel Alfredo González, Cole Hamels and Ethan Martin.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, Opening-day roster
The Phillies announced their opening-day roster on March 29, near the deadline. Since they did not need a fifth starter for two weeks, four starters, eight relievers, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders made up the roster. Two players who did not expect to make the team when they began spring training were left-handed reliever Mario Hollands (who said he was in "shock" when he heard the news) and outfielder Tony Gwynn, Jr., ending a "long road back to the majors".


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
The Phillies opened their season with a three-game series in Arlington, Texas against the Rangers. On opening day, although they took a 6–0 lead (thanks in part to a grand slam by Jimmy Rollins, his 200th career home run), but Cliff Lee gave up seven runs in the next two innings. The Phillies tied the game in the fourth inning, and over the next several innings Marlon Byrd and Cody Asche homered. Texas scored two more runs, but the Phillies won 14–10.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
Despite the 14 opening-day runs, Ryne Sandberg changed the lineup for the Phillies' second game (against left-handed Martin Perez) by replacing three left-handed hitters with right-handed hitters (perhaps to maximize the Phillies' platoon advantage). A. J. Burnett started, pitching six innings and giving up one run. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning before the Rangers won, 3–2, on a walk-off single by Adrián Beltré in the bottom of the ninth.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
Although Kyle Kendrick allowed one run in seven innings in the series' final game, Jonathan Papelbon gave up three runs in the ninth inning (including a walk-off walk to Shin-Soo Choo) to blow the save. The Phillies lost two of their first three games, despite strong starting pitching in the last two.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
The club then traveled to Chicago to play the Cubs. They won the first game of the series, 7–2, thanks to home runs by Utley and Mayberry and strong pitching from starter Roberto Hernández (who got credit for the win) and five relief pitchers who combined for 4+2⁄3 scoreless innings. The next day Lee threw seven scoreless innings and Papelbon recorded his first save of the season as the Phillies defeated the Cubs, 2–0; Utley was three-for-three, including a home run, to lead the team offensively. The Phillies lost the final game of the series, 8–3, as Burnett gave up eight runs (four earned) in 5+2⁄3 innings and the offense was 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
In the home opener against the Brewers, starter Kyle Kendrick gave up two of Ryan Braun's three home runs and allowed six runs (four earned) in five innings for a 10–4 loss. The next day the Phillies again lost, 9–4, after the bullpen gave up five runs in the last three innings; three of the Brewers' nine runs were unearned, after two infield errors. They were swept in the series, losing the final game 6–2 (the first time since 2007 the Phillies were swept in their first home series). In the series the Brewers scored 25 runs on 38 hits, 17 of which were extra base hits. Sandberg said, "The good news is they are leaving town. Now we have to concentrate on gaining some momentum ... "


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
The home stand continued with a three-game series against the Miami Marlins. In the opener, Marlins starter José Fernández gave up a career-high six runs. A. J. Burnett, the Phillies' starter, left the game after five innings with an apparent groin injury (although he did not miss a start) and the Phillies won 6–3. Jonathan Pettibone made his season debut the next day, pitching five innings and allowing one run. The game went into extra innings, and in the bottom of the 10th Rollins hit a walk-off home run for a 5–4 win. The Phillies had their first series sweep of the season and returned to a .500 winning percentage (six wins and six losses) the next day, defeating the Marlins 4–3 with two RBIs from backup catcher Wil Nieves and a home run by Utley to break a late tie.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
The Atlanta Braves then visited Philadelphia for a four-game series. In game one, Hernandez started for the Phillies and Ervin Santana for the Braves. After a pitchers' duel through seven innings, the Braves hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the top of the eighth before the Phillies rallied with five runs in the bottom of the inning (a two-RBI single by Byrd and a three-run home run by Domonic Brown) for a 6–5 lead entering the ninth. Since Papelbon had pitched in the previous three games, he was unavailable as a closer.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
Jake Diekman pitched the ninth inning, allowing a grand slam by Dan Uggla for a final score of 9–6. Jackie Robinson Day, scheduled to be celebrated by the Phillies and Braves on April 15, was postponed to the following day when the game was rained out. On April 16 Lee pitched nine innings, striking out 13 batters and giving up one run for a 1–0 loss. In the series' last game, Burnett pitched seven shutout innings in a scoreless game before Ben Revere hit an RBI single in the eighth; Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the save in the 1–0 win. The Phillies finished the home stand with a 4–5 record.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
The Phillies began a road trip with a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies. In game one, Pettibone gave up eight runs in four innings; with two hits, the Phillies lost 12–1. After the game, Pettibone was sent to the Triple-A (AAA) Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Although Kendrick had a quality start in the second game, the Phillies scored one run in a 3–1 loss. They salvaged the final game of the series, winning 10–9 despite Hernandez giving up six runs in four innings; Ryan Howard was four-for-five at the plate, including a home run, a triple and three RBIs.


2014 Philadelphia Phillies season, Season notes, March/April
The Phillies lost the lead three times before winning the game. The team then opened a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lee pitched a "gem" of a game, striking out 10 batters in eight shutout innings; Carlos Ruiz, in the cleanup spot, hit two doubles and a home run for four RBIs (his first of the season) for the Phillies' 7–0 win. They won the second game in 10 innings; Brown doubled, scoring Ruiz in the top of the 10th for a 3–2 lead held by Papelbon for his sixth save.