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  • BRAVO, Phil!

    Phil Sheridan | McNabb's history suggests Eagles can climb to the topBy The run is not over.

    While the Eagles may not be the winning machine they were in their Super Bowl season of 2004, they certainly are not the 6-10 junker of 2005. If you had to chart the prospects of the 2006 version of Andy Reid's team, you'd put them much closer to '04 than '05.

    To be precise, they are about where they were in 2003, the third year of their run.

    Start with the most basic truth: Every time Donovan McNabb has been the full-time starter for an entire season, the Eagles have won at least 10 games and gone to the playoffs. This fact, which is ignored by those with obvious agendas, is why it is more rational to expect this team to win 10 or 11 games than seven or eight.

    It has become popular to pick against the Eagles. That's because there is no sizzle in picking a consistently successful team to remain successful. The TV empty-headers care more about creating a reaction than about being accurate, so they must create the illusion that they're separate from the pack.

    The irony, of course, is that the entire herd thinks the same way. And that's why so many of your national so-called experts are talking about the Eagles as if last season proved their run was over.

    All they forget is that (1) McNabb was seriously injured; (2) he was NFC offensive player of the month for September despite being injured; (3) Terrell Owens sawed away at the support beams holding up Reid's entire program; (4) injuries decimated the offensive line; (5) Mike McMahon, barely an NFL QB, had to play behind said decimated line; (6) half the projected starting defensive line, Jerome McDougle and Corey Simon, never played a down for the Eagles; (7) Todd Pinkston missed the whole season; ( Brian Westbrook got hurt; and (9) did we mention Terrell Owens' epic sabotage job?

    Last season wasn't just unusual for Reid's clockwork organization. It was as complete a breakdown as any sports franchise has experienced in recent memory. We're talking Murphy's Law to the nth power.

    If you believe the Eagles brought some of that on themselves - failing to re-sign Simon? Reid's pass-crazy, fog-of-war play calling? McMahon as a backup? - then fine. There is plenty of blame to go around in a 6-10 season. Let's sum that up by saying Reid and the front office were perhaps a bit full of themselves after reaching the Super Bowl.

    And now? After choking on the exhaust fumes of the entire NFC East, after getting completely humiliated by his mentor in a 42-0 Monday night loss to Seattle, do you really believe Reid swallowed all that like a prime rib and loaded baked potato?

    If so, you haven't been paying any attention since Reid took over in 1999.

    The events of the last couple of weeks should make Reid's determination crystal clear. By trading for Donte' Stallworth, whacking Pinkston and Koy Detmer, and signing A.J. Feeley as a proven backup to the already upgraded backup QB, Reid has demonstrated what he'll never deign to say in a news conference.

    He had allowed some dry rot to set in. He spent the last six months cutting it out. And then, after seeing that McNabb is healthy and the defense is back, he took steps to load up for another shot at a championship.

    If, in his heart, Reid thought maybe 2006 was going to be a one-step-back, two-steps-forward kind of season, that's gone. McNabb has only so many seasons left to play. Every one is a chance to win a Super Bowl. So Reid owes it to himself, his quarterback, his coaches and players, and, especially, to Eagles fans not to waste another of those precious few seasons.

    It is easy to understand the fans' hesitation to believe again. Getting close and losing hurts way more than just missing the playoffs, or losing a wild-card game on the road. Four years in a row, the Eagles fell short by just one play here or one player there. You get conditioned to look for that small weakness - depth at linebacker, skilled wide receivers - that proves fatal in the biggest games.

    This is not a perfect Eagles team. But then, there is not a perfect team in the NFC, let alone its Eastern Division. The Cowboys have a wobbly offensive line and questions at quarterback, not to mention the sawing sounds provided by Mr. Owens. Washington would trade Mark Brunell and half of Dan Snyder's fortune for McNabb. The Giants are a mirage.

    It has been a long time since the Eagles had the luxury of playing without the crushing weight of Super Bowl expectations. They should enjoy this, because it won't be long before that weight is back.
    http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

  • #2
    Spot on article. Bought time somene in this town wrote this
    Were from Philly F in Philly no one likes us we DON'T CARE!

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    • #3
      Nice read. No other way (IMO) to fight that couple of paragraphs... I mean the part that there's no pressure stokes me- cause I too believe it will be back this year- In the NFCCG!
      http://www.myspace.com/r3nj

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      • #4
        After the first four games of the season, all questions will be answered - and these "pundits" will disappear. The real talking, as Trotter said, will be done by the players on the field.
        "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein." - Joe Theismann



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        • #5
          You know, it SEEMS like there has been a bit of a turn in the prognosticators predictions for the Birds over the last couple of weeks. Not saying that we are an overwhelming favorite or anything, but the doom and gloom predictions have dropped off, and there is SOME support cropping up for our Iggs. I think seeing the performances by our first team in preseason games is partly responsible, the lack of injuries and possible contributions from guys like Bucky helps, and add in the addition of Donte.......maybe we're not gonna totally SUCK afterall, huh?
          http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

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          • #6
            depends on who you are talking about Fresh. the local guys, I would say so. but, the national media still gives us nada. just on Wed, Schlereth and Salisbury gave us 8 wins.

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            • #7
              I found that article incredibly satisfying.

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              • #8
                I still do not buy the "dry rot" or "hangers-on" theory....

                If Pinky was healthy, he would be here and Stallworth would be in NO...if Tapeh had been healthy last year, Parry would have been gone...if NO did not want Simy in the trade for Stallworth, he would still be here.

                The only case that makes sense to me is Detmer, but again Reid has let important vets and/or picks go every year like Hugh & Simon last year, Trot, BMitch etc. so it just does not feel that different IMO...

                The rest of the article talking about the resurgence of the team after last season and the absurdity of the claims of the window closing or our run over is on target and well said....
                Eliminate distractions, create energy, fear nothing, and attack everything.

                -Andy Reid

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by nyc_eagle
                  I found that article incredibly satisfying.
                  NYC,

                  I totally agree with you, that this was a very satisfying article that gave a more balanced analysis of the Eagles chances this season.

                  What really stood out to me was this comment.

                  Start with the most basic truth: Every time Donovan McNabb has been the full-time starter for an entire season, the Eagles have won at least 10 games and gone to the playoffs. This fact, which is ignored by those with obvious agendas, is why it is more rational to expect this team to win 10 or 11 games than seven or eight.
                  For some of the idiotic (so called) experts (Dr Z, Hoge, Don Banks, etc.) that have predicted a 7 - 9 or an 8 - 8 finish for the Eagles, I will be looking forward to the season leaving them with eggs on their face.

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                  • #10
                    ED, this is my favorite:

                    "The TV empty-headers care more about creating a reaction than about being accurate, so they must create the illusion that they're separate from the pack.

                    The irony, of course, is that the entire herd thinks the same way. And that's why so many of your national so-called experts are talking about the Eagles as if last season proved their run was over."

                    Refreshing to hear a member of the media say what all of us here having be screaming all preseason.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by ekravitz
                      depends on who you are talking about Fresh. the local guys, I would say so. but, the national media still gives us nada. just on Wed, Schlereth and Salisbury gave us 8 wins.
                      ekravitz,

                      I hear you, but I am starting to see some definite movement towards giving more positive season projections for the Eagles.

                      Like in the message I posted yesterday, where Bill Simmons (The Sports Guy) is showing the Eagles as the NFC representative in the SB.

                      Not that it matters to us Eagle loyalists what the media says, but it always better to read positive views of your favorite team than one that is denigrating them.

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                      • #12
                        Wow, how sweet was that!

                        The only problem with it is that he says the "Giants are a mirage" and then ends the story. That sounds like a bit of fan-speak that taints the article a bit. Obviously he probably didn't have room to expand on why the other team's won't be as good, but to just say "The Giants are a mirage" is a little weak.

                        But that's just nitpicking. That was totally cool.

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                        • #13
                          I loved it. And he'll probably take some heat for denouncing some of the mulet heads in the media. I just wish he'd called them out by name, instead of referencing their predictions. But it's about all we could ask for.

                          And VFK, you and I can go round and round on this, but face it, I'm obviously not the only one who sees it. Fans, members of the media and even the players themselves see and feel the change. You can dismiss it if you want, doesn't really matter.
                          http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

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