Is it really this bad?

[tinopuno]

In the Lane Johnson thread...the best feel good story of this preseason... Fresh posed the existential question that confronts all Eagle's fans on a recurring basis, Is it really this bad..?.or am I just going off the deep end?

(I can't get to sleep because I ran out of Ambien. So I thought I'd rant a little)


Based on what I've seen for the last 55 years, you're on pretty solid ground.

Things may not be downright awful, but they'll suffice until either Clinton or Trump are elected.

'Let me count the ways':
- There are serious talent deficits on both O and D...and they seem to be increasing daily.
- There are a couple big, bad contracts that have left the Birds in a shitty cap position.
- We have a new head coach who's resume highlights might read: no serious criminal history; unlikely to complain to superiors...ever; content with being chosen last when choosing sides; has a mind uncluttered by original ideas; and dresses himself without assistance.
- The eager beaver/ boy genius that is the common thread in virtually all of the poor draft choices in the last 8 years and who now essentially runs the whole show. (Let's remember, until this news broke today, Johnson was being lauded as one of few good 1st round draft choices in the last 8 years.)
- And finally there is 'The Jeffy', our fearless leader and the CEO of The Howie Roseman/Chip Kelly Make A Wish Foundation. Howie was granted his 'wish' as a result of the marvelous essay he wrote in 5 grade stating his life's goal was to be an NFL GM. Chip's wishes (2 of them) were granted because Chip...actually, I have no clue why Chip's wishes were granted.

I accept the sad fact that, like the other old timers on this board, I have no choice but to continue bleed green until the final gun. But there are times when I really wish I could just say, "Fuck this shit! I'm done", and really mean it.

Birds fans have a bad reputation that the trolls in the media love painting us with that results from a small, embarrassing minority of truly obnoxious assholes. But the reality is that Bird's fans are as loyal as any in the NFL, with arguably little justification.

And the larger truth is that the Eagles organization is unworthy of us.

[FRESH]

That is how I am feeling , tino. this tino doesn't deserve my undying loyalty. What are they doing to deserve that? THey ae an embarrassment to me. Chip Kelly was certainly an embarrassment....and we look to be headed downhill from there. My gosh, how nice must it be to be like a Pittsburgh fan? Totally different concept.

It is devolving to self mutilation....and I am mutilated enough.

[rspurr]

And we haven't even played a snap yet.

[Eagle60]

My old man was right over 40 years ago. "The Eagles will never win. Pick another team." With my luck I would have taken the Lions.

[Rossovich]

For the first time ever I have interest in following a second team. The Jaguars are a fun team to watch. Looking forward to watching them play, the Eagles not so much. If Wentz gets in I'll have more interest watching them. Im ready to move on from the lame duck starting QB. Too bad Bradford didn't attend Oregon, lame duck would be the perfect nickname lol.

[stocknowledge]

I deem this "POST OF THE DECADE," for it succinctly encapsulates the exact feelings I have had for the past 56 years, and it does it with a good dose of comedic relief which prevents me from weeping uncontrollably over the tragic saga of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Thank you, Tino!

[kyfred]

I think we are in for several years of ugly. I hope I am wrong, but we are a bottom 5 in the league kind of ugly. I hope I am wrong, but this is my thinking.

I will start with Wentz. I do not agree that trading several picks for a QB is the way to go. When I look at incremental value, I am not sure the talent jump isn’t great from a FCS school than indicated. Would we have been better off with two top 10 picks and a second last year than Wentz. We shall see, but this is a desperate move to go big or go home. I just don’t like operating that way and the consistently good franchises don’t take these kind of risks.

We overpaid for our top 2 QB’s, kept them on short term deals and really have no back up solution beyond this year and possibly next. We will end up over paying for a back up because nobody wants to sit and lose.

We lead the league in dropped passes, invested the future in a new QB, did not draft a WR picked up castoffs in FA and over-reached for an OL in the draft. We now have a left tackle that may be done in by injuries, a right tackle that may have played his last game as a eagle, a center coming off his worst season ever and at least one guard that did not look good last year and a FA that has missed at least one game in every season he has played.

Our best WR developed a case of the drops and none of the others on the team alst year appears to have stepped up.

We have an OL that lacks depth.

2 of our 4 starting LB’s have not played a 16 game season – ever. Another has been arrested for beating someone up.

Very few of our early round draft picks have panned out and we lack depth.

Our coach has no experience and is a student of the man we fired a few years ago.

Sproles is 32 and the only RB to be active and healthy all of last year.

I am not a fan of putting that much money into Cox. I don’t know that I ever saw him truly take a game over. I understand you need playmakers, but on a team that has no depth, I would have rather spread the money and had more talent. He will be a very good player on a shitty team.

[Rossovich]

Kyfred, thanks for brightening my morning! ������

[Eagle60]

Cut the moron and bring in a real receiver next season.

[stocknowledge]

Kyfred, you nailed it.

If Wentz is a bust, we are doomed. We can only hope that he is the second coming of Johnny Unitas.

Our OL is a shambles, our WR corps a joke.

Our defense is not bad, but it certainly isn't championship, or even playoff, worthy.

We are in for 3-4 years of mediocrity, if not misery.

[kyfred]

I am hoping we see a team that wants to play and hit. Last year we sucked and the team gave up. This is a product of leadership and Chip is gone. However, I think some of it is also Bradford. Great QB's lead. He whines.

[NoDakIggle]

Damn. Pack the bags honey the house is on fire. Things aren't good but Damn.
The birds spent a lot of years at the bottom of the league but that changed in 99 or so and was lauded but most of the league. They are down now and could be a bottom dweller again but I still hold some hope that it isn't the case. They spent money on QBs but many don't see that as a long term weight and the birds can get out from under that. The DL has potential to be bets in the league while the safeties are certainly NFL quality. CBs and LBs still have something to show. Depth is an issue on D but that happens lots of teams.
The O? guess I don't know. I am not a Bradford guy but I acknowledge he has pedigree and could be great this year but they are hurting everywhere else.
I believe in Wentz although I wasn't a believer in giving up so much. I think the F/O looks at this as a rebuilding year where we try to compete. Hopefully they can do that.

[RobLew65]

I am an Eagles fan through the good the bad and the ugly. I love my team. I cannot turn on it even if there are bad/ugly times. I endured the Kotite years and the Ray Rhodes bottoming out years. I watched Marion Campbell coach. This team was so bad in the 70s that the Harrisburg NFC station would show other NFC East games. Yet I am still here. Cant stop now. Wont stop now. Don't agree with a lot of what has happened recently but I will still watch. No moving on!

[kyfred]

I think this is a Philly thing. we bemoan the littlest thing, but will be there every week. I do think we will suck, but will watch every game I can and commiserate here. At some point I will enjoy watching a defense like Carolina an offense like NE, Pitts or Arizona, but will still be an eagles fan.

I think people are coming to the realization that the girl you bought all those drinks for isn't the one you woke up with and your buddies got the pictures.

[Pliny]

I am still pretty happy with our ownership and front office. They are constantly trying to be the best they can be. The Eagles do great things for the community.

But I agree with Kyfred, the next few years are probably going to be ugly. The latest news regarding Lane Johnson just dampened what little hope I had for this team this season (underline 'little'). I had thought that our OLine was going to be a strength.

I liked the Chip hire originally. You knew at the time it was going to be super bowl or bust with Chip. Unfortunately, it was bust. And now, we have to pay for that gamble and I expect the Eagles to be an afterthought for quite some time.

The potential success for the next decade falls squarely on the shoulders of Wentz. No pressure son