NFL Playoff Predictions

There is really only one way to make predictions on the outcome of some game or tournament and have yourself taken seriously, and that is to make them before even a single moment has been played. So here we are, just moments away from the kickoff of the first game of the NFL playoffs, and that makes it time for my personal predictions on how this month-long tournament will play out.

Let's start at home with our Philadelphia Eagles. What a tremendous, in some ways over-achieving season it has been for the Birds. When the team left training camp in early September, most fans were planning on a rebuilding year as Kevin Kolb took over at quarterback after a decade behind Donovan McNabb. An 8-8 finish that showed positive signs for 2011 would probably have been considered a success at that point.

But in the opening game against Green Bay, Kolb was injured. In stepped Michael Vick. The rest, as they say, is history. Vick emerged as an uncommon weapon, and an NFL MVP candidate. The team took off behind his acrobatics, bolted to the front of the NFC East, and then capped it all with a rally for the ages in a late December game against the rival New York Giants to take the division crown.

That the team faltered in it's final two regular season games should not be as much cause for concern as it seems to have become for some fans and members of the media. The team was obviously thrown off by the sudden switch of the Vikings game from Sunday night to Tuesday night due to snow a couple of weeks ago. That surprising defeat led to the full-scale benching of regulars for the finale against Dallas, as Andy Reid basically gave them a bye week. The result was a close, last-minute loss by the Eagles subs to the Cowboys regulars.

The more important factors for the Eagles entering the opening week matchup are their opponents, and the condition of their own players. The Eagles have lost key contributors in the past couple of weeks, while the Packers have played extremely well since the return to health of their outstanding quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

I want the Eagles to win. I will be rooting hard for it to happen.
I want to be wrong. Because putting a gun to my head, which is what you basically do when you come out in public with predictions, and I will pick the Packers to advance. Most of Eagles Nation cannot be upset with me, because they feel the same way. In a poll taken at Philly.com, a full 50% of fans believe "The Pack will prevail", while 38% said the Eagles will "win - barely" and another 12% said "The Birds will win big."

Let's call the final score something along the lines of 27-20, Green Bay. The Eagles best chance will be for a beat-up offensive line to find a way to give Vick enough time to make a handful of big plays and have the Eagles win a high-scoring affair. I see the banged-up offensive line and a defense that still needs 1-2 more playmakers falling just a bit short. I hope I am wrong.

So with the Eagles fate out of the way with, time to turn attention to the rest of the tournament. In the rest of the opening weekend, I am looking for wins from Baltimore over Kansas City, New Orleans over Seattle, and Indianapolis over the New York Jets. I think the Raves are just physical enough to edge out KC on the road. The defending Super Bowl champion Saints are back, are hot, and are much better than the host Seahawks. And I am going to always find it hard to bet against Peyton Manning at home.

This means that my 2nd round matchups will have New England beating Baltimore, Pittsburgh beating Indianapolis, Atlanta beating Green Bay, and New Orleans beating Chicago. The Pats are just too good right now for anyone. The Steelers get Manning in wintry western Pennsylvania. The Falcons have too much offense, especially inside their dome. And the defending champs are just better than Da Bears, even outside on the road in winter.

In the respective conference title tilts, I will go with the Pats over the Steelers and the Saints over the Falcons. Again, until someone shows me that I am wrong, New England looks like the best team in football right now. And heading back indoors for the NFC Championship, I will pick Drew Brees over Matt Ryan in what should be an epic title game.

That brings us to the Big Game, the NFL Championship at Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, Texas. With the Cowboys thankfully not in attendance, I am looking for Tom Brady to lead the Patriots to the title for the 4th time in 10 years. This will put the New England Patriots franchise behind only the Steelers (6), Cowboys (5) and 49ers (5) for all-time Super Bowl victories. Brady should be the MVP.

There ya have it. Let the games begin. Again, I would absolutely love for Michael Vick to become a true miracle worker and lead the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl title. The team certainly has some of the top offensive weapons, has the 2nd best head coach, and has a rabid fan base. But it will again be the Patriots year come February 6th, 2011 in 'Big D'.

Goodbye, Donovan McNabb

There has been a battle brewing in my pro football-crazed town of Philadelphia over the past couple of football seasons. That battle has been over the fate and future of it's quarterback, Donovan McNabb. Is McNabb good enough to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl? Should McNabb be traded away? The answer apparently came on Easter Sunday night when the Eagles traded McNabb to the division rival Washington Redskins for a pair of draft picks.

Some have been waiting for more than a decade for McNabb to stumble and fall. These were the Eagles fans infamously known as the 'Boo Birds', the fans who showed up for the NFL Draft in 1999 hoping and praying that their beloved Eagles would select running back Ricky Williams to lead them out of the wilderness of losing seasons that had befallen the team. With the 2nd overall pick, Williams was there waiting for the Birds. But much to the chagrin of the rabid fan base, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue stepped to the podium and made this announcement:

"With the 2nd pick the Philadelphia Eagles select Donovan McNabb, quarterback, Syracuse University."

Never before has such a torrent of boisterous "boo" calls rained down upon an NFL Commissioner as the Eagles fans delivered on that infamous day. And that is saying a lot, considering the Draft is held in New York, rabid Jets fans show up regularly in numbers, and their team has made some awful picks over the years.

However, thankfully for the majority of Philadelphia Eagles fans, and also for those 'Boo Birds' even if they weren't yet ready or willing to admit it at the time (some never were) the Eagles made the correct selection that Draft day. The fans wanted someone to lead them out of the losing wilderness, and they got it in the outgoing, personable, talented, confident young man who coach Andy Reid had hand-picked to become his quarterback, centerpiece, and leader.

McNabb was coming off a storied collegiate career at Syracuse, where he had started every game and led the team to a 35-14 record between 1995-1998. He set school records for the longest TD pass and the most passing yards in a season. He set or tied numerous other school records, and accounted for 5 touchdowns vs. a vaunted Miami squad. In his senior season, he led the Orangemen to a berth in the Orange Bowl, and was brilliant in the team's narrow 34-33 loss to eventual National Champion Tennessee, a team that has been ranked as the 2nd greatest college football team of all-time.

McNabb was more than just a strong-armed passer, however. He was also a strong and fearless running quarterback. By the time that 1999 NFL Draft came around, McNabb had been recognized as the Big East conference's Player of the Decade for the 1990's, a first team all-conference selection each of his four years, and it's Offensive Player of the Year in each of his final three seasons. That the fans would boo a guy with this resume after years of watching the likes of Jeff Kemp, Brad Goebel, Bubby Brister, Rodney Peete, Bobby Hoying, Doug Pederson, and both Ty & Koy Detmer guiding their team shows just how ridiculous they can be at times.

Donovan McNabb got his very first start in his rookie season against, ironically, the Washington Redskins. He guided the Birds to a 35-28 victory that day and remained the starter from that moment until being traded away this past Sunday. In his first full season the following year, McNabb became a bona fide NFL star when he finished 2nd in the MVP voting and led the Eagles back to the playoffs for the first time in five years, including a playoff win over the favored Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2001, McNabb took the Eagles to another level, leading them to an NFC East title and taking them all the way to the NFC Championship game where they lost a heart-breaking tight contest to a heavily favored St. Louis Rams team led by the NFL MVP, running back Marshall Faulk. The 2002 season began brightly for the Birds, but became questionable when McNabb suffered a broken ankle in the 11th week. He worked and fought hard to return, getting back in time to lead the club to a playoff win over Atlanta. However, the team lost, this time as home favorites, in the NFC Championship to Tampa Bay in the final game ever at Veteran's Stadium. Despite McNabb's heroism and sportsmanship in getting back that year at all, some of the fan base began to turn on him that very day.

The 2003 season would just add more fuel to the fire, and more fans to the bandwagon, for getting rid of McNabb. He once again led the team to the NFC Championship game at home, once again as the favorites, and for the 3rd consecutive season to a loss in that NFC finale, this time to a devastating Carolina Panthers defense that beat the Eagles on the scoreboard and that physically beat up McNabb, knocking him out of the first title game at the new Lincoln Financial Field. It was after this loss that McNabb and the word "choke" officially began to become synonymous to a growing number of fans and media personalities.

The Eagles realized as an organization that something drastic needed to be done to get them over the hump of NFC title game losses, and drastic is just what they did, signing outspoken and controversial but mega-talented wide receiver Terrell Owens to serve as a key weapon for McNabb. For that one season, it was a match made in football heaven. McNabb had the best season of his outstanding career, and with Owens helping to lead the way the Birds again advanced into the playoffs. It seemed like a story-book ending waiting to happen until Owens suffered a broken ankle and looked likely to miss the playoffs. With Owens out, McNabb led the Eagles to a playoff win over the Vikings and then, finally, to an NFC Championship win over the Atlanta Falcons and young hotshot quarterback Michael Vick.

The Eagles were finally over that hump. They had actually won the NFC Championship, and had done it on their home turf at the Lince in front of their joyous fans. It was now on to the Super Bowl at last. Facing them would be the tough defending NFL Champion New England Patriots, and Owens was working furiously in an attempt to return from the injury that many believed had ended his season. Owens did indeed make it back, and the Eagles gave the Patriots fits in the NFL's big game before falling just short in a 24-21 defeat.

To say that McNabb was at fault for that loss is ridiculous, but many Eagles fans did say just that and still believe that to this very day. He completed 30-51 passes for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns, had his team tied with the NFL Champs after 3 quarters, and nearly engineered a great final-minutes rally in the 4th quarter. But he also threw 3 interceptions, and was sacked 3 times by a tremendous Pats' defense that kept him under fierce pressure the entire game. And then there was the 'puke' incident.

In post-game interviews, one Eagle said that McNabb was so hyper at one point in the huddle that he nearly puked. Despite the fact that it was disputed by McNabb and his teammates, and that there was no video evidence in the most camera-covered event of the year, some fans and media ran with it and said that McNabb had thrown up during the most important game of his life because he was too nervous, a sign that he couldn't take the pressure in a big game.

That loss in the Super Bowl was devastating to many fans. They had finally reached the NFL version of the promised land after so many recent attempts had fallen just short. Now to have had the game been so frustratingly close and have had the Eagles walk away with still no Lombardi Trophy was too much for some. McNabb threw three interceptions and threw up from bad nerves on the field. He simply couldn't win the big games. He was a choke artist. McNabb needed to go. This became the aura that surrounded the team, fed in particular by local talk sports radio station 610 WIP AM and their cast of buffoon announcers and borderline 'expert' sports analysts.

For most of the next few years, McNabb suffered a series of legitimate injuries that began to add concerns that he was also 'brittle' as well as being a choker. With each passing year, the voice of the fans and the radio media seemed to cry out louder and louder for McNabb's ouster, and when it didn't come, that anger and frustration began to turn also on head coach Andy Reid. Those fans who hated McNabb and wanted him out of town began to criticize Reid for being too loyal and stubborn to his longtime centerpiece player.

The calls for changes at both quarterback and head coach were temporarily eased when the Eagles once again, and somewhat unexpectedly, reached yet another NFC Championship game following the 2008 season. McNabb set a career high with more than 3,900 passing yards and guided the club to a romp over the hated rival Dallas Cowboys in the season finale to gain the final NFL playoff berth. He then led the team to playoff wins over Minnesota and the Giants before losing another heart-breaking close game in the NFC title tilt in Arizona.

It was during that up and down 2008 season that McNabb was first benched by Reid. During a difficult loss to the Baltimore Ravens, a healthy McNabb was sent to the bench and 2007 draft choice Kevin Kolb was given an opportunity to enter his first NFL game. When McNabb began the 2009 season following that Arizona title game loss with yet another injury, Kolb got a chance to start with more experience under his belt. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 300 yards in his first two starts, getting the Eagles off to a 1-1 start before McNabb returned.

That was the final straw for many. Not only was McNabb an injury-prone, aging, choking puker and loser when it counted most, but his understudy now appeared to be absolutely ready to take over the lead role. In what would prove to be his swan song, McNabb led the Eagles to an 11-4 record and a season finale showdown with Dallas once again. If the Birds won, they would get the NFC East division title, a #2 playoff seeding and a first-round playoff bye, and an easier path to the Super Bowl. Not only did Dallas blowout the Eagles that day, but then again a week later in the playoffs. The twin losses to their most hated rival by a combined score of 58-14 were the final nails in the coffin for the quarterback.

The story of Donovan McNabb's career as the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback stretches back now for a full decade. For the entire first decade of this new millenium, McNabb led the Birds to the playoffs 8 times in 10 seasons, a record not only unmatched but unapproached in franchise history. He set Eagles career records for pass completions, attempts, yardage, and touchdowns. He set franchise single-season records for both completions and yards. He led the team to 5 NFC Championship games and only the 2nd Super Bowl appearance in it's history.

For those who questioned the strong-armed McNabb's accuracy over the years, the facts speak otherwise. He holds the NFL record for consecutive pass completions, and is the NFL's least-intercepted quarterback per pass attempt of all-time. In that 2004 storybook season he became the first NFL quarterback in history to throw for more than 30 touchdowns with fewer than 10 interceptions. And to highlight his excitement and versatility, he is one of only six NFL quarterbacks of all-time to register over 25,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards.

The fact is that Donovan McNabb is simply the greatest quarterback in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles franchise. The era for which he will always be remembered should, in fact, be remembered as the greatest sustained era of winning excellence in the team's long history that is pock-marked by numerous losing years and eras. I have personally always been a fan and supporter of the man. He was never anything less than a positive role model in the community and a smiling, positive leader on the field. He was also, despite what the WIP nut jobs and those 'Boo Birds' will still likely never admit, a winner.

Goodbye and good luck in your future, Donovan McNabb. Thanks for the numerous great memories and big wins. I will personally be hoping that in those two games per year that the Redskins will play against the Eagles, that Donovan enjoys a fine afternoon but comes up short on the scoreboard. Of course, that is just what he was criticized for here over the years. It's ironic that this time the 'Boo Birds' would be cheering that type of result from him and his team.

The Philadelphia Eagles Are Winners

Within this same week we saw perfect examples in the tales of two Philadelphia pro sports organizations, one a winner and one a loser. First, the big 'L' gets hung on the forehead of the Philadelphia 76ers organization for signing one of its all-time loser players in Allen Iverson. I covered that topic already earlier in the week.

It's time now to highlight Philly's winning winter sports organization, the Philadelphia Eagles. This past week the Birds signed head coach Andy Reid, the winningest coach in franchise history, to a contract extension that will keep 'Big Red' as the football boss through 2013. By the conclusion of the contract, Reid will have been the head coach for 15 seasons, nearly unheard of in today's pro sports world.

After a decade in Philadelphia, Andy Reid is now the 2nd longest tenured head coach in the entire NFL, trailing only Tennessee head man Jeff Fisher. He has already passed Greasy Neale (1941-50) as the longest tenured coach in Eagles history. He has led the club to a regular season record of 105-66-1 and another 10 wins in the playoffs, which his teams have participated in 7 times. He has 5 NFC East titles and 1 NFC Championship and Super Bowl appearance to his credit.

Andy Reid's teams have fashioned a regular season .614 winning percentage which is the 16th highest in NFL history. The names ahead of him are all legends of the game with names like Lombardi, Madden, Halas, Lambeau, Shula, and Walsh. But the list of the 15 coaches ahead of him also highlights what his detractors see as his one weakness: he has never won a Super Bowl.

On that list of coaches ahead of Reid, 10 of them have won multiple NFL Championships. Only George Allen, the longtime head coach of the Washington Redskins who owns the 3rd-highest winning percentage of all-time, joins Reid in the frustration of never having won a title.

But that inability to win the ultimate prize is not a fatal flaw, it is simply a remaining goal. Only 3 of the men ahead of him on that all-time winning coaches list had fewer games than Reid has coached. He is in the prime of his head coaching career, his team is relatively young and talented, and he should have a number of shots at getting that ring in the coming years.

I grew up in an era of Eagles football during the 1970's in which you expected to lose, one in which the division rival Cowboys and Redskins were always expected to finish ahead of the Birds. That didn't change until a young Dick Vermiel came along and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl appearance in January 1981. Vermiel burned out quickly and the Birds took a decade to recover until the boisterous Buddy Ryan-led teams. But Ryan could never win in the playoffs.

Andy Reid is quite simply the best coach in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, and it isn't really even close. He has created a sustained winning atmosphere and record for more than a decade that has now led to head coaching jobs for three of his former assistants: Brad Childress (Minnesota), John Harbaugh (Baltimore), and Steve Spagnuolo (Saint Louis) all served under Reid. This has always been considered a hallmark of great head coaches, the ability of their assistants to move on to head jobs.

Owner Jeff Lurie took over the Philadelphia Eagles in 1994, and promised the rabid football fans of the city that the franchise goal was not only to win a title, but to win multiple Super Bowls. While that has not yet materialized, the organization of Lurie, Reid, and team president Joe Banner has kept the team as a legitimate contender throughout their time at the helm.

The Philadelphia Eagles are winners in any way that you want to measure that fact. While they have not yet won the ultimate prize in their profession, they have always contended for that title and remain a strong contender for the crown. With the signing of Reid and the continuity that provides the organization, the Birds should remain a winner well into the future.

Michael Vick Deserves a 2nd Chance

It was one week ago that the Philadelphia sports scene was thrown into a tizzy when the Eagles stole the headlines from the world champion Phillies, not with their efforts on the field in their first exhibition game, but off the field with the signing of quarterback Michael Vick.

For anyone who has been living in a cave during this past week, let's catch you up on the Vick story.

He first burst on to the scene a decade ago when as a freshman quarterback at Virginia Tech he finished 3rd in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Following his sophomore college season he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. Over the next six seasons, Vick grew into one of the most dangerous rushing quarterbacks in NFL history, and took the Falcons to the playoffs twice.

Vick became a major sports celebrity for his on-field excitement, but it was something that he was involved with off the field that would define the last few years. It came to light that Vick was not only involved directly in, but was also the financial backer for a major dogfighting operation. The losing dogs in the already vicious fights would usually be tortured and/or executed, often by brutal methods. Vick took an active role in this illegal and immoral activity.

In August of 2007, Vick plead guilty to federal charges that had been brought against him for the dogfighting operation. He was suspended indefinitely by the NFL. He was sued by the Falcons, and a court eventually ruled that he had to repay $20 million dollars in bonus money, some of which Vick had used to help finance the dogfighting. He went on to serve a year and a half in prison, then another couple of months under house arrest, and has filed for bankruptcy.

So a week ago when the Eagles announced the signing of Michael Vick, it wasn't only an announcement of the signing of a new player, but it was an announcement of the signing of a man who had become a social pariah in recent years. A man who was considered by many to be an outcast from society. Cruel, sadistic, manipulative, and even downright evil.

This was a surprise on a number of counts. First, the talks between Vick and various members of the Eagles operation had been going on for days, perhaps even weeks, with no one in the media having even a hint that it was happening. And second, the Birds have always been considered one of the NFL's more squeaky clean organizations, with coach Andy Reid in particular as one who did not tolerate bad behavior from players.

Fan and media reaction was immediate and intense. There were cries from fans stating that they would never again support the team. There were charges from radio talking heads that the Eagles had "gone crazy" and that the team was "forcing this on the fans" who now had to choose between loyalty to their longtime beloved team and their own moral convictions.

However, these were just a little more than half of the fan base speaking. About half of the people questioned on the subject believed that Vick deserved, in the spirit that everyone deserves, a second chance. This was my initial reaction, but I wanted to wait a little while until things settled down, and I had an opportunity to listen to others and also assess my own feelings a little more deeply.

For anyone who cares, here is how I see the Michael Vick situation.

I think that every person does indeed deserve that second chance, an opportunity to redeem themselves after a fall. I have personally committed actions during my own lifetime for which I have asked for and received that second chance. In fact, when examining your own lives, every single person reading this has needed or wanted a second chance at some point.

Now, having said that everyone deserves one, does that include Michael Vick? Of course it does. In saying that Vick deserves a second chance, does that mean that what he did wasn't heinous? Of course not, it most certainly was. Does it mean that I think what he did was right? Obviously not. Does it mean that we simply wipe the slate fully clean and forget what happened? Can't be done.

Does it mean that he gets away with it? Of course not, Vick served real prison time, lost a financial fortune, lost his personal and professional reputation. His name is now "Mudd" in as strong a way as anyone who has ever worn that label. Face it, Michael Vick has paid a price for what he did. What some people still need to reconcile with is how much punishment is enough, and are there some things in which he should never again participate?

Don't try to sell me on the worn-out idea that pro athletes are supposed to be 'role models' in any way. A role model is supposed to be someone who you look up to, on whom you may even try to pattern your own life direction, who provides you with inspiration. As responsible parents, we should be directing our children towards appropriate role models, not allowing them to drift towards slackers and criminals.

Now it's possible, likely even, that Michael Vick may indeed have become a role model for some youth of America due to his early career exploits and style. These young people likely would have had no idea of his off-field problematic behaviors, they just loved the player that they saw every Sunday on the field. For these individuals, the ultimate negative situations that Vick found himself in have valuable lessons that can be learned.

I believe that ultimately it is too important an idea to surrender, that idea of recovery, of restitution, of rehabilitation, of revival. I also believe that punishments should fit the crime, and in relation to this incident, I believe that a dog's life is not as important as a human beings life. I own a dog. I really enjoy my dog. He has been a major part of our home life for the past decade. But he is simply not as important as my wife, or my kids, or my grand kids. Period.

To me, that bottom line difference means that a man should not be sent to jail for life, or be executed, for a crime such as that committed by Michael Vick. I think that all of the punishment that he has been through already fits his particular crime.

So now it comes down to a pair of questions: should Vick be allowed to return to pro football, and if so, should the Philadelphia Eagles be the team that signs him? To the first I say that he should be allowed to return. His crime was not against football directly. He did not bet on the game, or throw the outcome of a game. He is not the first NFL player to spend time in jail and then return to the league.

An electrician, or a plumber, or a lawyer, or a politician would expect to return to work following a drunk driving episode. It happens every day. Vick is a pro football player, he should have the opportunity to return to his profession, if he will be allowed to do so by the league, and if a team will have him.

For any number of reasons, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to give him an opportunity with their organization. For my money from his perspective, there probably is not a better team that he could have that opportunity with than the Birds. He can be mentored, on and off the field, by a true leader in Donovan McNabb. He will be held accountable from here on out by an owner in Jeffrey Lurie and a coach in Andy Reid who will accept no slip ups, and who in fact will expect not only his best behavior, but also will watch for his acts of restitution.

I am a Philadelphia Eagles fan, and I will obviously remain one. I don't see me being 'forced' into anything by the team. I can support them or not, on various levels with my time and money. I choose to support them. I don't believe that Michael Vick will get a ton of opportunities as the team's quarterback, so I believe that the chance that I will have to root for him directly is small. If that time should indeed come, I will root for and cheer the result of any play that helps the Eagles win their games.

And as for Michael Vick, I will hope that he turns his life around. I hope that he truly grows to fully understand the depth of how wrong his previous actions were. I hope that he does everything in his power and then some to make amends to the community of his fellow man by donating time, money, and publicity towards the humane treatment of pets with the SPCA, the Humane Society, and other similar groups. And I hope that from this point forward he commits no further crimes or acts of cruelty.

If he should fail in some way, especially publicly, it will be he who is lessened for that failure, not us for giving him a chance. As a human being who has sinned and fallen and paid a large penalty, he deserves that second chance in my opinion, and I for one am glad that it was my Philadelphia Eagles who are giving it to him.

Faith in Eagles Management

There has been much lamenting and gnashing of teeth in Eagles Nation over the past week or so as players like Lito Sheppard, Sean Considine, Correll Buckhalter, and most especially Brian Dawkins have either been traded away or left the team via free agency. You also have the two twin towers of the offensive line for the past decade, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, very much in doubt as to their own returning for next season. Tight End L.J. Smith is shopping his services and is believed not wanted back by the Birds. These players make up a huge portion of the success that the Philadelphia Eagles football team has enjoyed over the past decade. But as they leave it is important to note something that is extremely important: this current Philadelphia Eagles management team of owner Jeffrey Lurie, team President Joe Banner, and GM/Coach Andy Reid almost always knows when to say 'when' with a player, no matter that player's reputation or popularity. From Duce Staley to Jeremiah Trotter to Hugh Douglas, the Eagles knew when it was time to say goodbye. Probably the only exception was Terrell Owens, and is there anyone out there as an Eagles fan who really wanted him to stay after all the histrionics and drama that he created? He moved on to the Eagles greatest rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, and put up some great stats. He has also continued his controversial ways there, and has helped the Cowboys achieve exactly nothing of note as a team in his two seasons in 'Big D' so far. Since the end of Andy Reid's first season as head coach in 1999, and since Donovan McNabb took over as the starting quarterback, the Eagles have fashioned a regular season record of 92-51-1. They have had just one losing season in that stretch, the injury and T.O. drama-marred 2005 season following their Super Bowl near-miss vs. New England. They have won five NFC East titles, and are coming off a 2008 season that saw them advance to the NFC Championship game for the fifth time. Eagles fans are easily among the handful of most passionate and knowledgeable fan bases in the entire NFL community. They are also notoriously emotional. They form bonds with their heroes that are commendable, but that would be disastrous if such emotion was demonstrated similarly and then operated on by the organization. The Eagles brain trust has to make difficult decisions to remain competitive year-in and year-out. Ask an Eagles fan if he would trade one single Super Bowl victory for ten losing seasons and most fans would take the Super Bowl. Ask the team management if they would prefer to win one Super Bowl and then lose for a decade, or continue to be a competitive club that wins division titles and is in the playoffs most years over the next decade, and I would bet the management would take the latter. That is because management is smart, whereas fans generally are not. 'Smart' in this respect meaning that there comes a time when every player has to move on, and management has to make those tough decisions no matter what the fans feel. It has happened with the popular players already mentioned, and it will happen sometime in the next couple of seasons with players like McNabb, David Akers, and Brian Westbrook. Father Time catches up with everyone, including pro athletes, and especially pro football players who take a pounding in one of the most violent sports ever devised by man. The management team in charge of the Philadelphia Eagles pro football team has proven itself over a decade that it knows what it is doing in keeping the team a strong competitor every year in perhaps football's toughest division. A great deal of leadership has aged and is now moving on as the team says goodbye to Dawkins and Thomas and perhaps to Runyan. But my money right now is on that management team to further develop the players still on the roster, and to bring in more complimentary players via the draft and free agency, and remain strong competitors for that fan base. Due simply to their track record, if for no other reason, I for one have faith in Eagles management to keep the team a winner.

It's Easy to Root for Kurt Warner

He is 37 years old now, which is getting pretty long in the tooth for an NFL starting quarterback. He is also a decade removed from his first trip to the Super Bowl, when he led Dick Vermiel's Saint Louis Rams to victory and was named the MVP of the Super Bowl. He also won the first of two NFL MVP awards that season. The midwest boy, born and raised in the Iowa corn fields, grew into one of the most accurate passers in the history of the National Football League. But perhaps more importantly, Kurt Warner grew into a leader of men, and a strong, positive example for mankind. That's a mouthful to say about a football player, but the Arizona Cardinals quarterback is far from being your normal high-profile athlete. First, that football career. Kurt Warner stayed home and played college ball at Northern Iowa. He was not able to win the starting job there until his senior year when he was named the Gateway Conference Player of the Year. Still, the NFL did not come calling. Warner went undrafted in 1994, and so he went to work at a grocery store. In 1995 the local Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League offered him a contract, and over the next three seasons he played well enough that he was considered the best quarterback in the AFL. The officials with the Saint Louis Rams noticed, gave him a tryout, and signed him to a contract for the 1998 season. Warner spent that 1998 season riding the bench and went into 1999 expecting to again be a backup. But an injury to starting quarterback Mark Bulger gave Warner an opportunity, and just as he had at Northern Iowa and with the Barnstormers, he made the most of it. Warner went on to an MVP season with the Rams, passing for more than 4,300 yards with 41 touchdown passes. He was named the NFL MVP, led the Rams to victory in only their 2nd franchise Super Bowl (their first in St. Louis), and was named the Super Bowl MVP as well. In both 2000 and 2001 Warner was again one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, and he won his 2nd NFL MVP award after that 2001 season. Then the career wheels fell off. Nagging injuries drove Warner to the trainer's room and to backup status. He left the Rams for the Giants, and then moved on to Arizona, all the while becoming more and more viewed as an aging, injury-risk, backup-type quarterback who was now just a shell of his former greatness. Coming in to the 2008 season, Warner was expected to be backup to young phenom Matt Leinert. But it was Warner who was healthy and shined in the pre-season, and it was Warner who was named the starter by coach Ken Whisenhunt. He was phenomenal, passing for over 4,500 yards and 30 TD passes. He led the Cardinals to their first NFC West championship, and now will lead the Cards franchise into it's first-ever Super Bowl on Sunday. Warner has thus gained a trip to the Super Bowl for both the city of Saint Louis and their former longtime Cardinals team. He may very well win his 3rd NFL MVP award. With this season and his latest trip to the NFL's biggest stage he has likely cemented his place in the Hall of Fame. But all of that only tells a part of the story, for it is Kurt Warner's personal life that has so endeared him to teammates and fans alike. Let's go back to those days when Warner was undrafted and stocking groceries for a year, prior to the AFL giving him his first shot at pro football. The story is told like this. Kurt was a stockboy at the supermarket when one day a new voice came over the loudspeaker asking for a 'carry out' at register four. Kurt was almost finished, wanted some fresh air, and decided to go answer the call. As he approached the checkout he noticed a new girl working there. As the girl smiled at him he thought how beautiful she was, but also that she was older. Turns out she was 26, while Kurt was only 22 at the time. He found out that her name was Brenda, and after work he offered her a ride home, which she accepted. When he dropped her off Kurt asked if he could see her again outside of work. She said that it wouldn't be possible, but he pressed her and she responded that she had two small children. Kurt was unfazed and volunteered to pay for a babysitter and so Brenda agreed to a Saturday night first date. However, when Kurt arrived she told him that she wouldn't be able to go because the babysitter had called and cancelled at the last minute. Kurt was again unfazed and told her that they could take the kids out with them. She again said that it wasn't possible, and again Kurt pressed her for a reason. As Brenda called out, her cute-as-a-button daughter came running, and Brenda went to get her other child. She came back with him: a wheel-chair bound son who was born with Downs Syndrome. "I still don't get it, why can't they come out with us?" Warner asked. Brenda was amazed, believing that most men would have seen this as their opportunity to bow out gracefully but quickly. After all, her husband had left when he found out about the disability and it's responsibilities. But Warner wasn't like most guys. They went out together that night, and any time that the son needed help, Kurt was there to provide it. Brenda and Kurt fell in love, were married a year later, and Kurt adopted her kids. Where did Kurt Warner get this fortitude, this maturity? It turns out that Kurt Warner is an open, out of the closet, wear it on his sleeves Christian. Kurt Warner, you see, has been touched by the Holy Spirit and has never been ashamed to talk to anyone about his love of Jesus Christ. His teammates on the Arizona Cardinals, as with anywhere else that he has played, have always been both moved and inspired by the depth and openness of his faith. Many of them have come to the Lord and been saved by his direct example and his willingness to share his beliefs with them. So as you can see, there are many more reasons to be a fan of Kurt Warner than simply because he is a great football player. Despite the fact that he beat my Philadelphia Eagles to get here, on Sunday evening I will be rooting for Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals to win the Super Bowl over the Pittsburgh Steelers. When you know the whole story, it's easy to root for a guy like that.

Trying to Find a Silver Lining

I have always been a pretty positive person. It's hard to get me down for long, and I've learned in the course of a life that is now well into it's 5th decade that most of the things that we worry over are somewhat insignificant. For instance, my hometown Philadelphia Eagles lost a heart-breaking NFC Championship game yesterday to the Arizona Cardinals. The defeat means that the team falls just short of reaching football's ultimate goal - the Super Bowl. It was very disappointing and somewhat frustrating as the final seconds ticked away and we came to realize that our team was not going to make it. What is even more ludicrous to me is what will happen over the next week or so, as all of the 'Monday Morning Quarterbacks' come out of the woodwork to criticize every poor play and missed opportunity. I will most definitely be avoiding all sports talk radio stations for the next couple of weeks. As for me, I try to find the silver lining. With the Eagles it will be in the way they played for the last six weeks of their season, when they had to win nearly every week to keep their season alive. They won most of those games, and it was a fun time to be a fan. To me, Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid showed that they are still among the best quarterbacks and head coaches in the league, and some strong young players leave me believing that next season will be a strong one for the team. So football is over for 2009 here in Philadelphia. Only the Arizona-Pittsburgh meeting in the Super Bowl remains for the NFL. Tomorrow will be an even bigger challenge for me in trying to find a silver lining. Today marks the final day of the Presidential administration of George W. Bush. One of the most liberal politicians to ever become the President of the United States, Democrat Barack Obama, will take the oath of office on Tuesday. He will have a mostly supportive Congress and Senate behind him, as the Democratic Party is back in charge of both Houses. And the big television networks and former mainstream media newspapers are all on board with this liberal Democratic government monopoly. The fact is that for conservative Republicans such as myself, the next few years are likely going to see one disaster after another play out against the country that we love. We are likely to see taxes raised for all Americans as the Dems both repeal the outstanding Bush tax cuts and raise them further with their own legislation. We are likely to become far less safe as the Dems slowly dismantle the security programs put in place by the Bush administration after 9/11. The budget deficits of today will balloon with pork-barrel spending that goes far beyond any savings found by repealing the tax cuts and bringing home some troops. And at least in the first year there will be partisan calls for investigations into members of the Bush administration for nothing more than political vindictiveness. It is going to be a very, very ugly time in America. But that is what Democrats do best. They complain, they whine, they distract, they get divisive and vindictive, and they bury America under taxation and regulation while playing Russian roulette with our national security. This is what is likely to happen over the next four years. We can only hope that the liberal Dems don't do too much damage before the Republicans can get our acts back together and reclaim power. In the mean time the positive attitude person inside me will be searching for a silver lining for America. For one, black Americans should have to finally set aside any thoughts that they have any barriers. The United States of America has proven that race and sex are no barrier in advancing to the highest offices in the land. That is a good thing. But which minority is the one that takes office and commands power, that has always been the real issue. A black or female President, or any other minority, is not the problem. A liberal Democrat President of any stripe is the problem. Here's to hoping that the Democrats finally find a way to get more things right than wrong for once. I pray for the success of Barack Obama in keeping America safe, in leading a fix of the financial problems our country faces, in maintaining traditional American values, and in building political bridges rather than allowing the country to remain distracted by the partisan politics of people like Nancy Pelosi. I will sincerely pray for those things. But knowing the nature of the Party to which he belongs, and that of the vast majority of its members in political power seats, I don't have much hope. But I will keep praying for America, and will keep looking for the silver lining.

Playing With House Money

Continuation of the 'Sunday Sermon' series, all entries of which can be viewed by clicking on that label below this posting.
I just heard a reporter on the ESPN flagship program 'SportsCenter' mention that the Baltimore Ravens players feel that they are playing today's AFC Championship game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers with "house money." It struck me because I had just prior to that been reading in the newspaper that some of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals were both using that same phrase this past week, that their respective teams would be playing the NFC Championship game with that same "house money." For those who don't understand, what the term 'playing with house money' refers to is the attitude that you have nothing to lose. It is an old gambling phrase that alludes to being so far ahead already in your expected winnings that you are not playing with your own money, you are playing with that 'house money' (the casino or sponsoring organization of the gambling being referred to as the 'house'.) So what the NFL teams here are saying is that they were not expected to get this far, or that they are such underdogs in todays games, that they have nothing to lose. I would argue that this is nothing more than a way to handle the pressure that they actually are feeling. I would argue that this is misleading in the sports context, and the same goes with your own life. Just as in today's respective conference title tilts, there is no such thing as a day in your life with nothing on the line. In the two games being played later today, the Eagles, Cardinals, Steelers and Ravens are playing for an opportunity to advance to the biggest stage in American professional sports, the Super Bowl. Most players will never reach that game as a competitor. If the Eagles should win and advance it will be just the third time since the game was established some four decades ago that the franchise has advanced that far. They have never won a Super Bowl. There is no house money on the line here. The Eagles are no longer that far ahead of things. They have played as well as any team in football for two months now. There is nothing surprising about their appearance here, they have fully earned it on the field. Should they lose today's game, the Eagles players and fan base will certainly not say "Well, it was a great run, we're happy with getting this far." The Eagles are not underdogs. There is something of worth on the line today. The game stands on its own as meaning something important. The prize in winning is large and worth playing, fighting and cheering for them. The same goes with your own life. We are never so well off, so safe, so saved that we can spiritually coast along. There is no highway to heaven. You can be a regular church-goer. You can pray regularly. You can participate in the sacraments. You can read your Bible. But you get no automatic pass into the Kingdom. All of those things are important. You should be doing them. They will help you live a far better, more secure life with more peace of mind. And they will give you something to hang your hat on when you ultimately leave this world and stand in front of Him looking for your place in eternity. But you cannot let down your guard. You can never say that you have prayed so much, gone to church so many times, given so much in tithing, memorized so many Bible verses that you can slip a little bit and still be safe. Sin is sin. You can do all of those good things, but if you turn your back on God and intentionally sin against his commandments at the end you will be in trouble. You will find at that time that there is no 'house money' with which you were playing. You will find that you have lost, and this time it is no game. NFL Hall of Fame coach Don Shula (pictured above) won a pair of Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins in the 1970's. He also lost his share of playoff games. Shula once famously said "..when you're there, it's not good enough to be there, when you're there, you better walk away with that ring." He went on to discuss the feeling the day after you lose following a nice playoff run. The feeling is no better, and in some instances is even worse, than a regular season defeat. The losers today will find out first-hand about the feeling of getting so close but falling just short of the Super Bowl, the goal for every player in the NFL. Just the same, you need to keep playing the game of life well all the way to the finish. You have to close the deal. You have to play well and practice well every day for your opportunity at the post-life of eternal bliss. Let down your guard and decide that you are playing with 'house money' and you will find yourself sitting in a worse place than today's conference game losers.

It Is What It Is

Father Joe was wrong. Man, I hope that doesn't get me in any trouble. In his homily at the 10:30am Mass yesterday our Pastor at St. Christopher's Church in Somerton said that he hated the phrase "It is what it is." When the words came out of his mouth they hit close to home because I use that phrase all the time. But as he went on to explain his opposition to the sudden popular usage of this phrase, I came to realize that there has obviously been a misunderstanding in either his interpretation or the use by some of the phrase. Father Joe was making the point that the phrase lent itself to our having to accept certain situations when in fact those situations were indeed subject to change if we just wanted it bad enough and worked towards such change. For instance, the statement "I am an alcoholic, and that isn't going to change. It is what it is." Now we all know that the alcoholic can indeed make a change in his or her life. Buying that bottle is a choice. Drinking the bottle is another choice. Change our choices, we change our lives. Under these types of conditions "It is what it is" just doesn't hold water, and that is what Father Joe was pointing out. No one says it will be easy, but we can accomplish change if we really want it bad enough and are willing to dedicate ourselves to it. However, anyone who would use the phrase in that manner would, in my opinion, be using it improperly as a copout or a crutch. That is not the proper use of the phrase, and when examined in its proper usage even Father Joe should change his opinion and embrace the phrase. When I use the phrase, I take it as a modern shortening of the old idea "Don't cry over spilt milk." The phrase "It is what it is" is meant to address events, activities, situations that have occurred in the past, whether a decade ago, a year ago, yesterday, or even just a moment ago. It is about getting past situations that in fact we simply cannot change. Dinner is about to be served. The food is on the table. The only bottle of juice is carried towards the table, but is dropped before reaching the family. The bottle shatters, and all of the juice spills out onto the floor. There is no more juice, and aside from tap water there is nothing else to drink in the house. Here is what will happen: you will clean up the mess, and move on to dinner. Folks will make due with water, or they will have nothing to drink. It is what it is. Period. Now some would say that you could run out to the store to get more. Ridiculous. Dinner is served, the food is warm on the table, the family is ready to eat. In the vast majority of cases, going to the store is going to require time way from the meal that you just don't have on a practical level. You move on without crying or whining about something that is in the past and that you cannot change. It is what it is. You are a New York Giants fan this morning. The Philadelphia Eagles have just knocked your team out of the playoffs despite the fact that you were the defending Super Bowl champions, won the NFC East title, and after you had the best regular season record in the league. You can cry, you can curse, you can call for the head of the coach. But the fact is that they lost, you have to live with it. You're not going to kill yourself. You're not going to quit your job and become a hermit. It is what it is. That is the true nature of the statement. It is a positive, not a negative. It is not meant to be a copout, it is meant as a rallying cry for folks not to let a situation beyond their control, or a situation that is over and cannot be reversed, knock them down and keep them down. "It is what it is" means deal with it, get over it, learn from it perhaps, and move on from it. I believe that Father Joe is wrong to hate the statement, although I give him props for hating the attitude that allows someone to wallow in a misery that may often be of their own creation, and that they can indeed change if they want it bad enough.

The Philadelphia Eagles Need to Replace...

...Brian Westbrook. What! What are you nuts, Veasey? Well we already know the answer to that question. After all, you're the guy who picked George W. Bush as your website 'American of the Year' for 2008. You're the guy who has consistently supported Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. You think Sarah Palin and Ann Coulter are hot. You whole-heartedly believe in this Jesus fellow, and that he died on a cross specifically for your individual sins that would not even be committed for another two millenia. But Brian Westbrook needs to be replaced? Well, now you are just simply over the top. If the old Byberry Hospital were still around, we might have you committed. Well gang, this is the response that I would expect, but let's talk about the facts that lead me to make this statement. First let's dispense with the obvious. For right now Brian Westbrook is one of the most important players on the Eagles roster. Some would make a solid argument that he is the single most important player to the team. I concur with their assessment, for this particular playoff run. He does not need to be cut, does not need to be replaced right now. But here is something to seriously consider, something the the Philadelphia Eagles management had better be seriously considering. Brian Westbrook will turn 30 years old at the beginning of the 2009 season. For most people that is nothing. It is the beginning of a decade that will be very much like their 20's, at least physically and where overall health is concerned. However, for a professional athlete, it quite often marks the beginning of the end. And for a Running Back playing in the National Football League, Brian Westbrook is already on borrowed time. As Jim Rome just said in the last few days about Ladainian Tomlinson, running backs who hit age 28 usually fall off rapidly and suddenly. Let's look at some examples from the past few decades. Remember Dallas great Tony Dorsett? TD rushed for over 1,000 yards every season of his career until first missing the mark at age 32 in 1986. He never again came close. Barry Sanders? He retired after playing at age 30. Walter Payton? He was strong through age 32, his fourth straight season rushing for over 1,300 yards. He was out of the game two years later after missing the mark at age 33. How about Marshall Faulk? A top contributor right through age 29, but at 30 and 31 showed serious wear and tear, and by 32 he was done. Perhaps the greatest of all-time, Emmitt Smith, was slowly declined through his 32-33-34 seasons. He resurrected his career for one last solid season at age 35, a true enigma, but was gone after that season. The fact is that while Brian Westbrook is not likely to completely lose his effectiveness next season, he is already now showing serious signs of the wear and tear that his heavy workload has put on his body over the past half dozen seasons. The Eagles might be able to squeeze one, maybe two more strong years from B-West. But the facts and history speak for themselves. Despite what many 'WIP'-styled fans feel, Andy Reid should coach the Eagles as long as he remains physically healthy. Donovan McNabb remains one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL, and there is no reason to feel that he won't stay at that level for at least another 3-4 years. But Brian Westbrook is at the edge of his productive career. The Eagles need to begin thinking about bringing in his heir apparent, or risk a sudden loss at the position that will leave them seriously reeling.

Eagles-Cowboys: Here We Go Again

No matter the circumstances, the playoff implications or the records of the two teams, football games between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys are the epitome of the word 'rivalry'. In two different eras, the Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett days of the 1970's and the Aikman-Emmitt-Irvin days of the mid-1990's, the Eagles and their fans had to sit through numerous defeats at the hands of the team from 'Big D'. The Birds got some revenge during the bluster of the Buddy Ryan era, and even more during their emergence as a perennial contender this past decade. Along the way there have been numerous unforgettable games and moments. This all started waaaay back on September 30th, 1960, a full year before I was even born. The Cowboys were an expansion team that year, and the Eagles were on their way to winning their last NFL championship to this day. But on that late September day it didn't matter that Dallas would end up winless, or that the Birds would win a title. The Cowboys fought the Eagles tooth and nail before the Birds finally overcame with a narrow 27-25 victory. Veteran sports writer Stan Hochman has told the story that the real beginnings of the venom in the rivalry can be traced to the late 1960's and an Eagles running back named Timmy Brown. He ran all over the Cowboys in those days, and so it was rumored that Dallas coach Tom Landry put a 'contract' out on Brown, some reward for one of his own players taking Brown out of the game. On December 10th, 1967, the 'Boys were delivering a beating, having the Eagles down by 31-3 at the half. Late in the 2nd half, Brown was finishing up his route as a decoy on a pass play aimed at a different receiver. As that pass fell incomplete, Dallas linebacker Lee Roy Jordan blind-sided Brown with a stiff elbow to the jaw. Brown's jaw was broken, he had six loose teeth, and he ate from a straw for a month and a half. Jordan got a 15-yard penalty. The rivalry was on. But it was mostly one-sided, as the Cowboys went on to win 17 of the 20 games played between the two teams during the 1970's. As the decade was ending, however, the Eagles were emerging from their losing ways, and were advancing towards their moment of deliverance. Under young, energetic head coach Dick Vermeil, the Birds advanced to the NFC Championship on January 11th, 1981. Who would be waiting there, standing between the franchise and its first-ever Super Bowl berth? The Dallas Cowboys, of course. But this day at cold, windy Veteran's Stadium would be different, and it would start early. Birds all-pro running back Wilbert Montgomery took a handoff from Ron Jaworski, slipped through the Dallas line, and bolted 42 yards for a first quarter touchdown. Eagles Hall of Fame linebacker Bill Bergey would say that it felt like 'millions of volts of electricity' was coming from the fans in the stands that afternoon. The Eagles went on to finish off the Cowboys by a 20-7 score in front of those delirious fans. As a 19-year old young fan myself, I remember it vividly, this great victory over our hated rivals which was coming just a little over two months after the Phillies had delivered us a World Series championship. We were on top of the world. Those are just some of the memories from ages ago now that have shaped the great rivalry. Tomorrow it will rear its head once again here in Philadelphia. It could mean a playoff berth for one or both of the teams. It could mean nothing in the standings. The Eagles fans will most certainly be ready, no matter the circumstances of the standings or playoffs, which will have been settled by game time. One thing is certain, it will mean something, because it is Eagles-Cowboys. If it ends up being the Eagles final game of the season, there are few better ways to end it than with a win over Dallas.

Monday Morning Quarterback

There is so much going on right now that one entry here needs to be devoted to a number of topics. So I'm driving home after dropping my daughter off at her boyfriend's home this past Friday evening and one of her neighbors has their house decorated for Christmas. I mean, that would make it November 21st, just one day after my birthday. A week before Thanksgiving. It's just too soon. When I was a kid, nothing 'Christmas' happened until after Thanksgiving. The day after, in fact. That became known as 'Black Friday', almost a national holiday itself, when all the Christmas shopping would begin. Now poor little Thanksgiving, a great holiday unto itself, is being shoved aside more and more. Moving on to the Eagles...do I really have to? After my hopeful entry just 48 hours ago, the 'Playoff Express' ran completely off the rails in yesterday's 2nd half in Baltimore. A promising beginning rapidly deteriorated for Donovan McNabb, and he was yanked at halftime of a 10-7 game that was a must-win for this franchise to have any hopes of a 2008 playoff appearance. Frankly, he was awful, but he has been awful early in games before and rallied himself and the team. This was a close game against a top defense on the road. And this is where Andy Reid chose to make the switch to Kevin Kolb? Kolb was at least as bad as McNabb, the game spiraled out of control, the Birds lost 36-7 while all their playoff competitors won, and the 2008 season officially ended. It's time to let the Kolb Era fully begin, with more roster changes to come quickly. The Eagles could not have picked a worse time for this to happen. Now they come home for their first Thanksgiving game in years, a game that was looked on with excitement until these past two Sundays. Now it likely will prove to be a source of indigestion after a fine family turkey dinner. Maybe the news holds better stories for us? Nah. It's more 'Saint Barack' 24/7. Something good happens, the front pages read: "Obama Announces Financial Plan; Dow soars 400 points", or "Obama Reaches Out to GOP". Something bad happens, it's: "Sarah Palin Causes Global Warming", or "Cheney Suspected in California Forest Fires". These guys are a laugh riot a minute. The only thing that won't be funny is if Al Franken somehow comes out on top in his Minnesota recount. Now that, like Franken's comedic stylings, would not be one bit funny. Here in Philly, we bury a cop today. Another cop killed this year in the line of duty. This makes four: Steve Liczbinski and Pat McDonald gunned down, Izzy Nazario and now Tim Simpson run down. It's too much for one department to bear, Lord. We need a break. Like a few years break. Today cops from all across the city and region will gather. Another ceremony honoring a hero. Another Mass at the Cathedral downtown. Another motorcade to Resurrection Cemetery in Bensalem. Another burial of a hero in front of a grieving widow and children. More fundraisers and benefits to support and attend. We do it all because we understand, and because we are family. But we would just as soon not have to do it at all. Please Lord, one gift for 2009: no Philly Cop funerals. A lot of bad news in this 'Monday Morning Quarterback' posting, I know. So I'll end it on a bit of an up-tick: Jack is back. For those of us who are fans of "24" you know just what I mean. Jack Bauer returned to the air last night with a bang, rescuing a bunch of kids in Africa, but ultimately being taken into custody himself and transported back to America to testify before Congress as the first female President of the United States was being sworn into office. Hillary had to be watching with a lump in her throat. But Jack was back with the 2-hour movie "24: Redemption" and he will be back protecting the nation full-time come January. So we got that going for us, which is nice. Here's to hoping that 2009 is a better year all-around, not just for '24' fans, but for Philly Cops, Eagles fans, Republicans, and anyone else who pays any attention to this blog. God bless the family of Tim Simpson, may they somehow find peace and healing this holiday season.

Donovan and Eagles at a Crossroads

Despite what the gloom and doom crowd at 610 WIP AM Sports Talk radio would tell you, the Philadelphia Eagles football team does not stink. Their coach does not need to be fired. Their quarterback is not washed up. Eagles fans have become spoiled by the Andy Reid era. That is a fact. They must have forgotten the Ray Rhodes era that preceded it, when the team went 29-34-1 over a four year period. Or perhaps the Rich Kotite era before that, when the team went 36-28 over four years but only made the playoffs once. Maybe they loved those brash Buddy Ryan years before that, every one a winning regular season. Of course there was that little matter of zero playoff wins. None. Marion Campbell, the 'Swamp Fox', and his 17-29-1 over three years and no playoffs? Forget those. Fact is that since the end of Dick Vermeil's final full season in 1981 and the start of the Reid Era, the Eagles floundered, sputtered, and crashed after brief periods of soaring. Fact is also that since the end of Reid's first season he has guided the team to an 88-52-1 regular season record, 8 playoff wins, 4 NFC east division titles, an NFC championship, and a narrow Super Bowl defeat to this decade's dynasty team. The biggest mistake that professional sports teams make is hiring the wrong manager/coach. The 2nd biggest that they make is hiring the right guy, then giving up on him when the going gets tough. The organizations that remain the strongest consistently, year-in and year-out over lengthy periods of time, which is exactly what their fan base wants, are the organizations that keep their good coach through the tough times. The fact is that the Eagles are in a transition period with their personnel, they play in a tough division with superior competitors, and their superstar running back is playing at less than 100%. Andy Reid and his staff deserve a full chance to work their way through this tough period. My bet is that they quickly have the team back in contention. Of course that's not to say that they aren't in contention right now. The team sits at 5-4-1, just a half game off the final Wildcard pace. Their defense has allowed the 8th lowest points in the entire NFL. Only 5 teams have scored more points than their offense. The simple fact is that they remain one of the top teams in the league. They don't get blown out. They do not get dominated. In other words, to say they 'stink' is to completely ignore reality. They are in such a difficult playoff situation because they have not come through in critical situations in close games, not because they are any worse than any of the teams to whom they lost. Their four losses were twice by 4 points, once by 5, once by 6, and then there is last week's dispiriting tie with Cincinnati. Their five wins have all been by more than a touchdown. In other words, this is a good team. They have simply suffered some bad breaks, and some bad breakdowns at key moments. You can blame that on poor coaching decisions and be correct in a few instances. You can blame that on the inability of players to make plays, and be just as correct. You can also look at the fact that their most dynamic offensive component, running back Brian Westbrook, has been a shadow of his Pro Bowl self in an injury-marred season. The Eagles are in a four-team race with Washington, Dallas, and Atlanta for the final playoff spot. A look at all of their schedules shows that none has a real advantage. In other words, the Eagles are a playoff contender during a difficult season. On Sunday they have a difficult challenge in playing at Baltimore, an AFC contender with a defense as good as the Eagles. It should be a defensive struggle for both clubs. It is up to Donovan McNabb, the veteran quarterback whose career in Philadelphia (but certainly not his entire NFL career) is perhaps at as big a crossroads as this team's season. If McNabb steps up and leads the team to victory this week, the Eagles stay in contention, the WIP crowd is silenced for at least a week, and McNabb stock rises. If the Ravens dominate him and win the game, the Eagles season is likely over, and perhaps McNabb's career here as well. The Philadelphia Eagles and their longtime quarterback are indeed at a crossroads. Their coach should not be considered in the same light.

No Soulful End to the Curse

The indoor Arena Football League played it's championship game yesterday, and the local boys, the Philadelphia Soul, took the Arena Bowl XXII title by downing something called the San Jose SaberCats by a final score of 59-56. The Soul are partly owned by famed New Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi, the very public face of the franchise, and have another local hero, former Eagles Super Bowl quarterback Ron Jaworski, among their official team hierarchy. So the club has found a niche in the local sports scene, much as the pro lacrosse Philadelphia Wings and indoor soccer Philadelphia Kixx have found. For those not from Philly, you may not be aware that we are in the midst of one of the worst major pro sports championship droughts in the history of such things. No major Philadelphia professional sports team has won a title since the 1983 NBA Philadelphia 76ers, led by Julius 'Dr. J' Erving and Moses Malone, took that championship from the LA Lakers. That makes it a full quarter-century since Philadelphians have experienced the thrill of a major title, and the ensuing victory parade down Broad Street. The Phillies last won the World Series in 1980, the Flyers last took the Stanley Cup in 1975, and the Eagles won the NFL championship in 1960 - they have never won a Super Bowl. We have come close, as each team made it to the championship series multiple times. The Flyers went to the Stanley Cup Finals in the springs of 1985, 1987, and 1997. The Sixers made the NBA Finals in 2001. The Phillies were in the World Series in both 1983 and 1993. The Eagles famously lost a close 2004 Super Bowl to the New England Patriots that was the city's best shot in recent years. Still, that makes just 7 seasons out of a possible 100 (25 years each for the 4 teams), or 7% for a top ten market to even appear in a championship, and that is beyond woeful. There were comments after the Soul win that the jinx may now be over, with Soul coach Bret Munsey saying "Now we can win championships in Philly. I hope that takes care of everything". Uh, don't think so Bret. Your boys did a nice job. Congratulations to you and game MVP Matt D'Orazio and Bon Jovi and Jaws and everyone in the organization. But it doesn't end a thing involving the jinx, or curse, or whatever you want to call this thing, because 'minor' pro sports teams have done it before. In lacrosse, the Philadelphia Barrage won MLL titles three times in four years between 2004-2007, and the Philadelphia Wings won six NLL titles between 1989 and 2001. In both 1998 & 2005, the Philadelphia Phantoms won AHL Calder Cup titles as the top farm club of the Flyers. The old Philadelphia Stars had won a pair of USFL titles in pro football back in the 80's. Perhaps the most famous Philly title since 1983 wasn't even won by a pro club, that being the Villanova Wildcats winning the NCAA basketball championship in a dramatic upset of Georgetown in the spring of 1985. In an online poll at Philly.com, local sports fans were asked "Does the Soul's championship affect the Philly sports jinx?" At the time of this article, over 4600 fans had placed votes, and more than 73% answered "NO, it has to be one of the 'big four' professional teams." The answer is clear, the jinx or curse is alive. The Soul did a nice job in their league, they should be proud of their accomplishment, and their fans should enjoy the victory. But the fact remains that the curse remains. One day, a major Philadelphia sports franchise will win a title. Perhaps Donovan McNabb of the Eagles will raise the Super Bowl trophy, or Mike Richards of the Flyers will hoist Lord Stanley's Cup, or Elton Brand will raise the NBA championship trophy, or maybe even Chris Coste will get to leap into Brad Lidge's arms as the Phils take the World Series. I was still a teen when Tugger and Schmitty and Charlie Hustle and Lefty won that 1980 World Series. I cheered Clarkie & Bernie and the boys on to a pair of Stanley Cups as a boy, and jumped for joy as Billy Cunningham's Sixers won that last '83 title. I have had the sports fan thrill, but it has been a long time. I was 21 years old when Mo Cheeks dribbled down the court, jumping for joy at yet another title in Philly. I thought that it would happen often, because at that point of my life in just the past seven years the Phils had been to the playoffs six times and won a Series, the Eagles were playoff regulars and had gone to a Super Bowl, the Flyers had been to the Cup finals four times and won twice, and the Sixers were regular title contenders and had now won one. Philly was Title Town in those days. Maybe one day I will live to see it all come around again.

Big Red Opens Green Camp

The Philadelphia Eagles opened training camp for their upcoming 2008 season on Monday at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. The camp will run from now through August 13th, when the Birds will pack up and head to Philly. The Birds open their pre-season schedule at the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 8th, then open at home on August 14th against the Carolina Panthers. The team will then close out it's pre-season with games at New England and at home against the New York Jets. Coming into camp, the Birds have been installed by the odds makers in Las Vegas as the 3rd best team in the NFC. Unfortunately, they are also the 3rd best team in their own NFC East division. Vegas has the Dallas Cowboys as the NFC favorites, with the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants ranked just slightly ahead of our Birds at this point. Over in the AFC, New England is the favorite, and is the overall favorite as well, followed by Indianapolis and San Diego tied for the 2nd overall favorite to win it all. Jacksonville is the 4th highest rated club, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are tied with the Eagles for 7th overall. The success or failure of the upcoming season is, as always, in the hands of Donovan McNabb. At age 31, McNabb will be starting his 10th NFL season at the helm of the Birds 'West Coast' offense, and will be trying to rally a club that started slow a year ago as he recovered from injury. In the end, McNabb didn't have a bad season last year. He was able to play in 14 of the club's 16 games, tossing over 3,000 yards for the 5th time in his career. His quarterback rating of 89.9 was the 3rd highest of his career, the 2nd highest among full seasons that he has played, and he completed over 61% of his passes. It was in many ways perhaps his 2nd best statistical season, trailing only the magical 2004 of 'T.O' and the Super Bowl. However, McNabb was often tentative through the first 2/3 of the year, when the Eagles struggled and fell to a 5-8 record before rallying to finish at 8-8 by winning their final three games. The Birds have some questions coming in: will the three-headed cornerback rotation of stars Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown and newcomer Assante Samuel work in practice? Will Brian Westbrook be able to get happy with his contract situation, stay healthy, and remain one of the top multi-purpose backs in the NFL? Can Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, and L.J. Smith team with McNabb to form a fully functional, productive receiving corps? Will Jim Johnson's noted 'bend but don't break' defense actually bend a little less, and break a little lesser? Will Marty Mornhinweg get the offense into the end zone from the Red Zone more often? And perhaps most importantly, can the Birds coaching staff fix the horrible problems on Special Teams that killed the club so often in 2007? The Eagles are once again a very talented football team, and they are led by one of the best coaches in the league over the past decade in Andy Reid, who has guided them to five NFC East titles, four NFC title games, and a Super Bowl appearance. Reid's very public family troubles of a year ago are largely behind him now, and his concentration should be totally back in the game. 'Big Red' and his staff know what it takes to win, and given health there is every reason to believe that the Eagles will get off to a better start this year. They remain the most dangerous team in the league after Thanksgiving, so what happens between the September 7th home opener at the Linc vs. the St. Louis Rams and that Turkey Day tilt with the Arizona Cardinals (yes, the Birds are on Thanksgiving this year, at home) will likely determine their season. This fan has rose, or should I say green-colored glasses. I predict that the Eagles will stay healthy and once again win their division, with starring turns from McNabb and Westbrook. Time will tell, but in the middle of the summer at the beginning of training camp, we are all allowed to dream of next January's NFL Super Bowl. The Phils will deservedly keep getting our attention here in the Philly sports world, but it's also time to start following the Birds. Time's yours...