The Year of the Bird

12:49:22 PM EDT

Most Eagles bloggers (yes, I'm quite sure we number in the millions) are busy crafting entries about the pros and cons of our first and second round draft picks. You know, how the Eagles have accounted for some serious deficiencies on both lines with defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley and Winston Justice at right guard (as predicted in my previous entry). 

I, on the other hand, am far more concerned about our fifth round pick. This is where being a perpetually diehard Eagles fan becomes well worth it.

 "I am just pinching myself that I am coming to Philadelphia." -- Jeremy Bloom

Don't worry Jeremy, I'm just pinching myself that I could be seeing you in a green and black uni come September.

If you're wondering where you've seen this guy before, this pic might jog your memory ...

Yeah, he's a wide receiver slash kick returner slash Olympic skiier. I'm pretty sure he saves distressed animals and volunteers at a homeless shelter in between. At least that's what I like to tell myself.

Now, mind you, this guy has had a two-year hiatus from football, while focusing on the skiing thing. It's unclear whether or not he's going to be ready to play pro right away.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the entire Eagles organization for a fantastic decision in the fifth round. He can ride the bench all year. I seriously don't care if he becomes Andy's donut bitch. Just keep him on the sidelines and this Eagles fan, for one, will be eternally happy.

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 9 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

4:01:19 PM EDT

What the Fans Want

- The highest-profile position for the past two years, for better or worse, has been wide receiver (we need not delve into details). As a result, the departure of an All-Pro player at a skill position has many fans crying for a guy like Santonio Holmes (Ohio State) or Chad Jackson (Florida) with the 14th pick in Round 1. Don't count on this, though. The Eagles picked up Gaffney from Houston in the off-season, and Andy has consistently said that he wants Reggie Brown to step up as their go-to guy.

- Injuries and a lack of depth at the RB position have caused the running game to be a glaring achilles heel for the majority of Andy Reid's tenure in Philly. The fans love Westy, and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield, but he's not a powerful back. A lot of people would love to see the Eagles take a Deangelo Williams (Memphis) or a Laurence Maroney (Minnesota) off the board in the first round. Or, they could always gamble on a guy like Lendale White (USC) if he's still available in a later round.

 Deangelo Williams

- Here's a stat that's scary enough to strike fear in the hearts of even the most casual of Eagles fans -- The Birds racked up a total of 47 sacks in the '04 season, followed last year by a paltry 25. Injuries in the secondary didn't help Jim Johnson's options on D, but the lack of a compelling pass rush is more than evident. A speedy defensive end could be just what this team needs to revitalize a once great defensive presence. The Philly fans love a crushing D (just listen to the stadium when Dawkins delivers a bone-crunching blow -- especially if it's to a Dallas chump).

What the Team Will Actually Do

"We've got to do a better job up front. That's where it starts. Up front. If the playoffs showed one thing, it's that you better be solid on both sides of the ball up front. You do that, you'll usually be OK." -- Andy Reid

- Andy traditionally focuses on the front lines, and that means that this year will (most likely) not be any different. Though they need help up front on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, if a guy like Haloti Ngata (Oregon) -- no, I can't pronounce it either -- is still on the board by the 14th pick, they'll snatch him up with a quickness. He could be a great addition to the pass rush at defensive tackle, working next to last year's first round pick, Mike Patterson. Even if they can't nab him, don't be surprised if Andy focuses on the D line in the first round.

 Haloti Ngata

- Though the defense needs a lot of help, Andy will rely on the fact that when his secondary was healthy two years ago, they sent three of the four starters to the Pro Bowl. Reid has also never drafted a linebacker in the first round. Considering the Birds already re-signed Shawn Barber, don't expect to see an LB behind the podium in the first round. The second most-likely possibility for a first round pick is on the offensive side of the ball. Not a WR or a RB, but rather an offensive lineman. Here, they lack depth, not to mention the fact that left tackle Tra Thomas is coming off major back surgery, and right tackle Jon Runyan is 32 years old. The top offensive tackle that's available in this year's draft, D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia) will be snatched up far earlier in the first round than the 14th pick. USC's Winton Justice was apparently in town last week for a chat, but the Eagles might not be wise to draft him so high.

Wild Card

- This may shock some of you, but the Eagles need to start thinking QB. If not this year, then very soon. McNabb is pushing 30 and though they just signed Garcia at back-up, he's clearly not the future of this franchise.

The Big Question

Will Philly fans boo the organization's first round pick? Most likely. If what I've discussed above is any true indication of the disconnect between who the fans want to see drafted, and who's on the top of the Eagles' list, there could be discontentment in the City of Brotherly Love. For once.

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

1:57:26 PM EST

 Credit: Ron Heflin, AP -- This is not a real photo, it's actually a composite representation of everything Philly fans hate the most -- Dallas and T.O.

Sure, everyone deserves a second chance ... But isn't that what Owens had in Philly?

I proudly present seven reasons why the T.O. / Jerry Jones union will last about as long as a Dennis Rodman marriage (I started with five, then realized I had more). Print them out and hang them on your fridge, so when I say I told you so, you can have it for quick reference ...

1) The Cowboys lack locker room leadership. And you thought Owens ran wild in Philly ...

2) Drew Bledsoe is the Dallas quarterback, and he's simply not as talented as D-Mac (anymore). Bets on how long it will take T.O. to bitch about that? He'll be begging for Jeff Garcia in no time.

3) The Cowboys aren't as solid of a team right now as the Eagles were when they picked up The Cancer. Owens won't be happy with anything short of a Super Bowl ring. Trust me, he gets antsy.

4) Owens will play well in Dallas. Why is that a problem, you ask? Well, because he gets a cool $10 million in the first year of his $25M contract. And after that first year (which was a good one in Philly, too), you can't convince me that he won't be running through the streets of Dallas demanding a restructured deal. 

5) T.O. is a liar. Straight up. He says he's misunderstood. He says he's learned from his mistakes in the past, and that he won't be a problem anymore (not that he particularly acknowledges that he ever was a problem). Oh, really? Is Drew Rosenhaus still your agent? OK, then you have learned NOTHING.

6) T.O. is a cry baby. Do you honestly think that Parcells is going to put up with his "groin injury"? Just wait until he asks why Terry Glenn even had the ball thrown in his general direction.

7) Apparently, Owens now thinks he can rap. Nothing good could ever come of this.

Some may disagree, but history does tend to repeat itself. Ah, I remember it well ... Philly fans once rejoiced about the #1 receiver in the league coming to town ...

 

And now, partially thanks to the one-man trainwreck that is Terrell Owens, the Eagles are a team on the mend, "rebuilding" if you will. I'm sure Dallas fans have high hopes. And to that, I have the same response I would have with or without T.O. I hope you all crash and burn miserably, crying at the bottom of the NFC East with all of two wins to rub together. I hate Dallas, and everything that the team represents. I really do. This just adds fuel to my fire.

Do you think the Cowboys have a chance of taming the wild beast?

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

12:44:42 AM EST

Well, it's official. The hair has been grown and thankfully, it's not on my legs.

I mean, can any man on Sports Bloggers Live actually grow some decent facial hair? Seriously ... 

Baby-faced Lush ...

                    

Lush sporting a "mustache." I use the term loosely ...                                

Extreme close-up (what the hell is Lush so happy about anyway?) ...

Word. He's straight outta Compton (by way of New Jersey) ...

Let it be known that Lush is now 3-1 in the all-mighty Mustache Bet, not 3-0-1 as he might have you believe. He lies a lot. It's not his fault.

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

10:34:47 PM EST

And thanks to the Steelers, I'm still allowed to use it. Here's the deal... During last Thursday night's kickass Sports Bloggers Live Super Bowl extravaganza, Lush and I made a friendly bet.

If you're a fan of the show, you know that Lush is rather proud of his "undefeated" record in the mustache bet. Being that I (thankfully) am unable to grow facial hair, I offered that if the Seahawks were to win Super Bowl XL, I would grow out my leg hair for two weeks, followed by two days of wearing a long skirt and complete with photos on our lovable host Jamie's blog. 

There are some rumblings of an armpit hair bet. These are nasty and unsubstantiated rumors. Listen to the tape, Lush!!! Regardless, he finds himself on the losing end of this being that the Steelers were victorious. It's two weeks of growth and two days of full-on porn star 'stache for Lush. He denies that he has lost, only reinforcing the fact that I am always right and he is, indeed, always wrong.

I feel compelled to post a "before" picture, only because you'll see that in reality, the hair need only migrate from his lower lip to his upper lip. Not a big deal.

One thing is for sure, I've got my money on Lush being able to sport a sweeter 'stache than Jamie did when he lost the 1st ever SBL mustache bet...

Random.

Anyway, stay tuned for some "after" shots of Lush in all his glory. Just be thankful that I didn't lose the best, or my next entry would look something like this.

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 3 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

11:44:58 AM EST  At this point, I think the entire Eagles squad is beyond frustrated, especially after falling to 0-4 in the division.

And so are the fans... The Eagles needed to beat the Skins, the Cowboys and the Giants in successive weeks to set themselves up for a playoff run. Not only were they unable to win all of those games, they were unable to win a single one of them. This is not the Eagles team that we are used to seeing take the field. They look defeated before they even have a chance to give up a couple first quarter touchdowns. So what now?

First of all, McNabb needs to have his damn surgery already. The man is the walking wounded. It was a step in the right direction to sit him for the Giants game but let's admit that barring a complete meltdown of the two teams sitting atop the NFC East, the Eagles will be hanging up their pads at the end of the regular season. Wow, it feels like 1999 all over again.

I wrote many entries ago that McNabb should have been shelved as soon as he got injured. Suffer through four or five games without him (mind you, the bye week would have been included there). People told me I was nuts, that the Eagles can't chalk up a win without McNabb. Look where we are now. We're late in the season and we're minus our franchise QB. He would have been back by now and would not have sustained subsequent injuries to his groin and ribs. Sigh. I need to stop living in the past.

I welcome comments from my fellow Pigskin Bloggers who have discovered a coping mechanism for making it through the rest of the season once your team has been effectively eliminated from the playoffs. Do I sell the rest of the season rather than endure a six-hour roundtrip voyage to the City of Brotherly Love for the rest of our home games? I know, I sound like a fairweather fan but I'm reeling. I'm used to a tradition of excellence laid out by Andy Reid & Co. and I've believed in it since he arrived in Philly six short years ago. I'm a snot, I'm used to winning!

Now, instead of answers, only questions surround this team. Not to worry, I'll be in my seat, Section 235 Row 10, next year. But as for the remainder of this year, there's only one thing left to say. LET'S GO FLYERS!

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 5 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

3:08:25 PM EST

 Owens may be smiling, but he won't be doing it in the City of Brotherly Love any longer.

Many of you may have heard the resounding thud as I hopped off the T.O. bandwagon after he decided to sport a Michael Irvin throwback jersey following a loss to Dallas. In my mind, he wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth the trouble, the aggravation or the distraction to the team. If I thought that then, I'm now lobbying to have some drunken South Philly thug take out his knees.

Andy Reid and the rest of the Eagles organization have had enough. After suspending him for four games for conduct detrimental to the team (i.e. challenging an entire locker room of large, athletic men to a fight), the Eagles have announced that there is no room on the roster for a loud-mouthed POS like Terrell Owens.

There are two questions on everyone's mind: 1) Can the Eagles win without T.O.? and 2) Will any team in the NFL gamble on this one-man wrecking ball we call a wide receiver? I will attempt to answer both.

Can the Eagles win without T.O.? Yes. They have and they will. I'm more concerned about Donovan's injuries than I am about the loss of Owens. We made it to the NFC Championship game several years in a row with a weak receiving corps. T.O. had a broken ankle in the first two games of the playoffs last year and didn't play. Andy Reid is quite used to coaching his way through adversity. Without the constant distraction of a guy like T.O. in the locker room, things should smooth out in Philly.

Will anyone pick this guy up? Unfortunately for whoever it is, yes. It will probably be a mediocre team lured in by the promise of a game-breaking wide receiver. No solid organization in their right mind would let the cancer that is Terrell Owens step a foot near their locker room. Too bad for the Raiders they already scooped up Moss. They could have self-imploded more quickly by signing Owens.

All I have to say is I'm sick of T.O. dominating SportsCenter. I'd rather be around naked sumo wrestlers after a large meal of pork and beans than hear about this guy for one more day. He's gone, move on. I know the Eagles will.

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

9:34:01 PM EST
Feeling Embarrassed
Hearing My Cat Snore

 Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell both rushed for over 100 yards as the Broncos romped the Birds 49-21.

Early in the fourth quarter, it appeared as though both teams were playing true-to-form. The Eagles, who had been previously been shut out in the first quarter on the road this season, were again shut out in the first quarter and the Broncos, who had blown a couple of big leads in the second half of the game, watched their 28-point lead dwindle to a single touchdown.

But last-minute heroics were not to be for the Eagles this Sunday. No blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. No miraculous performance by McNabb in the fourth quarter. In fact, how about a heartbreaking interception by Dominique Foxworth as the Eagles were a mere 24 yards away from the tying score?

You can't skate by on magic in every game and unless the Eagles can get their fundamentals in check, they could easily slip to 4-6. With tough divisional games coming up in the next three weeks, Andy Reid and the rest of the coaching staff have their hands full. This reportedly excellent Eagle D gave up more than 500 total yards to the Denver offense and allowed Jake Plummer to have a career day.

Donovan is another story all together. The quarterback that was looking like the league MVP just a short month ago is now struggling to stay in the game. He looks timid on some throws, too excited on others. His numbers certainly got better in the second half, but the offense hasn't shown up in the first half for the last few straight games. That's not going to cut it in the NFC East. Let's be honest, it would barely cut it in the NFC North.

In fairness, the offensive line couldn't pick up the blitz to save their lives this week and McNabb was hurried practically every time he dropped back in the pocket in the first half.

I can't really bring myself to study the stats of this game. A few inevitable numbers managed to make their way into my brain and I wish I could shake them out. Is this the same defense that held Ladainian Tomlinson to 7 yards rushing a short week ago? This is truly a tale of two teams. And they're both named The Eagles.

 The Eagles were undefeated in games where T.O. scored a touchdown. But not today. Not in Denver.

The Skins suffered a shutout at the hands of the evil Giants today, 36-0. And we all know how well the Eagles fared against the Broncos. So these two struggling teams will meet under the lights this week to battle for position in the NFC East.

I would love to brashly proclaim, as usual, that the Eagles have this one locked up. After all, we have beaten them every time we've played them in recent memory. But as this season draws on, I realize that there are no guarantees when it comes to this Eagles team this year. No certainty for a repeat trip to the Super Bowl. Only the realization that the Eagles no longer dominate the NFC. And we're going to have to fight for every victory we chalk up in the win column.

I mean, even my fantasy team sucked this week. I need to go to bed.

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 5 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

11:29:42 PM EDT

 18 consecutive games with a TD didn't mean much in the City of Brotherly Love as the most explosive player in the league is held to a mere 7 yards rushing. For those of you keeping score, that would be the lowest in his illustrious career.

I said on Sports Bloggers Live that if we could shut down L.T., we'd win the game. After all, the Chargers were 0-3 on the year in games where he was held to under 100 yards rushing and 3-0 when he eclipsed the century mark.

Allow me to tell the story of the most-amazing play of the game with pictures rather than with words....

 He could... go... all... the... way... and he does... Who would have thought that Quentin Mikell and Matt Ware would have made the game-turning play?

It was a nail biter at the Linc. A lot of the crowd had already left when the blocked field goal was returned for the go-ahead touchdown. I celebrated so hard I twisted my ankle. All in the name of a win we might not have exactly deserved. Ok, ok... Eagles fans allow me a moment to explain before you begin pelting me with batteries.

Let me throw a couple of stats your way... If you throw out the pathetic 49ers game, the Eagles have been outscored 48-0 in the first quarter so far this season. The Birds have chalked up a grandiose one offensive touchdown in the last two games. It was thanks to a dominant defensive performance (two INTs and a fumble recovery that sealed the game) and a little luck on special teams that the Eagles pulled off a victory against the Bolts this week.

In Philly tonight, no one was calling 610 WIP to talk about the win. "Donovan was inaccurate." "We didn't even try to establish the run." "There was poor play calling on the offensive side of the ball." And you know what? I can't disagree with any of it. When you run the ball 15 times and pass it 54 times, you make it rather easy for a defense to shut you down. Which the Chargers did in the second half (note the 200+ passing yards for McNabb in the first half vs. 75 yards in the second). Just play the pass. You know we won't run.

But everyone wants to blame it on Westbrook. I say the offensive line is to blame. There simply weren't any holes up the gut and when he would try to work the edges, he never had a lead blocker. Just my opinion, but if I was Westy, I'd be pissed.   

And I only have one thing to say about Donnie Mac. When he loses confidence, he's actually scary.

Enough with the game analysis... The most-bizarre event of the afternoon was not the field goal. Picture this... With 4:30 left to go in the game, the Chargers are up by 4 points. Suddenly a deafening alarm goes off in the stadium and an annoying female voice bellows, "The fire alarm has been set off, please exit the stadium immediately." My friend turns to me and says, "F*** that! I'll stay in here and die but we'd better score a f***ing TD!" Aah... I love Philly fans.

How shocking was this Chargers loss?

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 3 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

3:24:31 PM EDT

 At this point, I must ask... is T.O. the biggest punk in the NFL? Based on his antics following Sunday's devastating loss to the Cowgirls, I would have to say 'yes.' The question is, will Philly fans forgive and forget?

If you haven't seen the story yet, you're not the only one. It seems that Owens donned a throwback Michael Irvin Dallas Cowboys jersey in the Eagles locker room, then proceeded to wear it on the bus and the flight home after the 'Boys beat the 'Birds by a margin of 33-10.

My question is... How do you just happen to have that lying around? It had to have been premeditated. And someone needs to remind the boy that he had 5 catches for 50 yards on the day and no touchdowns. No doubt he would blame this on Donovan, true to form.

Apparently Andy Reid is unfazed, as always.

From the Asbury Park Press... "No Eagles teammate seemed particularly outraged by Owens' choice of apparel. Maybe that's the price you pay after a game like Sunday. You get dominated like that, pushed around like that, and maybe you lose the right to be outraged."

Well, as a blogger, I haven't lost my right to be outraged. Talk about the lowest form of disloyalty to a team. I don't care how many catches you have for how many touchdowns... I've just jumped off the T.O. bandwagon... officially.

Eagles fans: how pissed are you?

Written by igglzfan04 Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 22 comments: Show Recent | Add your own