Nothing will ever change

[fly]

Really what nightmare is that? Will the seats be empty? Will the concessions and parking revenues drop ? Will fans stop buying merchandise? Will the TV stations ask for their money back?

Once again fans over value their worth based on emotion and not on logic.

It's a business, a big business, it's entertainment, and the players know it, the owners know it the coaches know it, the only people that don't seem to get it are the fans.

MD - have you not heard the outpouring of support for Dawkins and backlash against the FO? Look, the game is bigger than any team or any player...people will ALWAYS watch. We know that. This isn't going to harm the Eagles financially, but there's a price to pay for letting the most popular Eagle of all-time walk to another team.

This will be an extremely unpopular decision and one that the fans won't soon forget. I hope the "logic" of their decision makes them happy enough to offset the hatred for them from the city.

And of course emotion is involved. You don't think emotion has an impact on a football game? Honestly MD, I find this post a bit condescending.

[balto-eaglefan]

Once again fans over value their worth based on emotion and not on logic.

It's a business, a big business, it's entertainment, and the players know it, the owners know it the coaches know it, the only people that don't seem to get it are the fans.

I get what you're saying.....it's just that given that Banner has even said that we have more cap space than we can spend, it's hard to believe that the Eagles can't come up with a deal to keep Dawkins here. I remember hearing Spadaro use the phrase "...we [the fans] are all a part of the Eagles family..." and of course the phrase "gold standard" has come back to bite the Eagles on the behind.

I know that fans criticizing the front office for underspending happens all the time, and I'm sure that it happens in every city (except for Dallas and Washington, where they spend like crazy but they're fools), and sure, my emotions are playing a role here -- nobody's denying that -- but, this is Brian Dawkins we're talking about here, and it's not like Dawk is coming off a season like Trotter had in '06. If Dawk played most of the season getting burned deep like he did in our first game against Dallas, I might at least understand why this was happening. I don't know if he was a big part of the reason why our defense fell apart in the NFCCG, but he had to be a big part of the reason why they played lights out down the stretch. Such as it is, I can understand if our defensive coaches start reducing or changing BDawk's role, but this is worse than seeing Harold Carmichael retiring in a Dallas uniform.

As for PR nightmare part? Well, no, I don't expect fans to stop buying tickets or merchandise, but I honestly, wouldn't be surprised if someone lights a fire on Banner's lawn, phones in the odd death threat [not exaggerating, some idiots did that to Mitch Williams in '93], tosses a few eggs at his car, spray paints the word "cheap bastards" at the NovaCare complex, etc. Letting Dawk go when "we have more cap money than we can spend" will just cement our FO's reputation for being stingy, and I don't know how they'll shake that rep. It's not just letting Dawk go, it's letting one of the best and most beloved Eagles of all time go when he still has something left in the tank, and just a week or two after Banner said that "we have more money than we can spend." As PR blunders go, I'd say this one would be downright historic.

Well, that's my two cents. If Dawk plays here next year, and stinks up the joint, then I'll say, "Dammit, he's finished. Good that they kept him, but, dammit." If he plays in Denver and stinks, then I'll probably say, "Well, now we know. He still should've retired in green. This is like Johnny U retiring with the Chargers."

What would also be a trip, though, is to see where the dollar figures shake out. The NFL's money landscape has changed a lot in the last couple of seasons, and a lot of players seem to be overpaid. Is there a dollar figure that's so high, that it's not worth spending even for Dawk? It's tough to imagine that happening. But, we'll see.

[sfphillyfan]

but I honestly, wouldn't be surprised if someone lights a fire on Banner's lawn, phones in the odd death threat [not exaggerating, some idiots did that to Mitch Williams in '93], tosses a few eggs at his car, spray paints the word "cheap bastards" at the NovaCare complex, etc.

And that's just Fresh! Imagine if other people got in the act too.

[MDFAN]

BE I understand, I do... I have said all along that I would love Dawk to stay here. But that is the emotional response, the Eagles and Banner have to deal with the business side. It isn't just the money, it's a roster spot also. There are many things that go into both the Eagles and Dawks decision. And thankfully one of the reasons, IMHO, that we have had the caliber of fottball here that we have had is that the FO DOES NOT care ---- WHEN MAKING EITHER A FOOTBALL DECISION OR A BUSINESS DECISION--- what the fans think. Fans IMO think the total opposite in every football town including Philly.

[Eagle60]

BE I understand, I do... I have said all along that I would love Dawk to stay here. But that is the emotional response, the Eagles and Banner have to deal with the business side. It isn't just the money, it's a roster spot also. There are many things that go into both the Eagles and Dawks decision. And thankfully one of the reasons, IMHO, that we have had the caliber of fottball here that we have had is that the FO DOES NOT care ---- WHEN MAKING EITHER A FOOTBALL DECISION OR A BUSINESS DECISION--- what the fans think. Fans IMO think the total opposite in every football town including Philly.

What this franchise has thought about, IMO opinion, since this guy bought the team, is THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. This FO is for the most point the most arrogant bunch that I can possibly remember in sports for accompliching nothing.
Chest thumbers for drafting Donovan McNabb and beating the poor bastard to death with no help.