Asshole of the Week
Yo, Philly in the News
See Ya Sundee...
CinePhillyist
CinePhillyist Reviews... The Men Who Stare at Goats
Holy Sweet Tap-dancing Jesus! I agree with Angelo Cataldi!
The 610 WIP sports pundit revoked his own license as an Eagles fan in today’s Metro and, to be honest, I’m not exactly sure he doesn’t have a great idea. Fact is, we’ve all been frustrated by the Eagles over the last few years, but is there a point where it becomes too much to bear? Die-hard Eagles fans would say no, Angelo Cataldi says yes, and I’ll admit to being on the fence.
For years, I’ve noticed myself being unable to muster the enthusiasm and passion for the Eagles that I had for the Flyers and the Phillies. Sundays became like awkward family functions that you attend out of duty rather than desire. The games trudged on with the odd twinge of excitement here and there, but for the most part watching the Eagles over the last few years has been like witnessing a group of people who once gave it their all mail it in and not even feel all that guilty about it. Basically, it was like Season 6 of 24. There were points were I even stopped caring whether or not they won a game, and I talked to many Eagles fans who felt that same thing.
The problem is, I want to like them. I want to root for the Eagles as hard as I did during their 2002 campaign. The only problem is that I kind of resent them now. And it’s not that they tied, that happens [every six years], but how they ended up kissing their sisters that bugs me. Andy Reid calls for a punt on 4th and 1 with little over a minute remaining in overtime with no timeouts? Donovan McNabb doesn’t comprehend after 10 years in the league that ties are not a spectral phenomenon, or a metaphysical molecular theory, but an actual, tangible reality in the NFL?
Come on!
What really affected my numbness towards all things Eagles is the general philosophy surrounding the team. All of the top guys are arrogant condescending jerks who think they know football better than anyone, even if none of them have won a Super Bowl before. It’s a philosophy that’s reflected in the head coach who worships his own system above the natural talents of his players and refuses to adapt. It’s reflected in the infuriating “aw-shucks” smirk of their franchise quarterback after he tosses yet another interception or errant throw.
What makes it worse is that McNabb is not the real bad guy here; in fact, I understand that the “aw-shucks” smirk is a defense mechanism and probably the only way for him to survive in this city, but if you couple that smirk with poor play and the overarching philosophy of arrogance that encompasses the club, fans are eventually going to start thinking they're being played for fools.
And who could blame them?
At the end of the day, I’m not on board with Cataldi’s plan to abandon this sinking ship. I want to be, and I don’t blame him for getting out, but I just can’t. I still look at my old school Eagles hat and remember Randall and the good times. I remember the first few plays of the 2003 NFC Championship game, that fateful last game at the Vet. I hold out hope that maybe I can see what McNabb can do with one year under a new coach who understands his talents. I hold out hope that I can get even a fraction of excitement out of the Eagles that I get from the Phillies and Flyers.
But sadly, the Eagles are being run much like the Federal Government of the last eight years, and the only way to fix it is a fundamental shift in the philosophy that governs them. A seismic shift in personnel.
In short, the Eagles need an NFL Barack Obama.
I’m looking forward to rooting for the Eagles again, but until things change, I’m faced with simply not caring. I won’t root against them (except for gambling or fantasy purposes), but I can’t bring myself to root for them.
As a fan, I’m apathetic about the Eagles, because they’re apathetic about me.
Image Credit: Flickr user littlerottenrobin
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I will always love the Eagles, even when I hate them. Just get a new coach already. The main problem is Andy Reid. His play calling, his clock management and his inability to realize that running the same plays back-to-back is very, how do you say this, fucking easy to read is just annoying. Get him out and get someone else in and BOOM you'd have a team that would be able to actually beat the Bengals.
As I heard someone say last Sunday, " I swear that's a takeout Chinese menu Reid is looking at on the sidelines". He has no clue what winning is about. He obviously runs his family the way he runs this team. Loser!
I can't believe it's Andy's 4th and 1 punt call that's getting the most criticism this morning. The Eagles have a terrible 4th and short conversion record and going for it on their own 20 would nearly ensure a Cincinnati field goal. He made the right call.
That being said, it was one of the few right calls he made all game. When a play doesn't go right, Tecmo logic at times calls for the head coach to pick the same play again to deceive his opponents. However, when repeating the same play stops being the exception and starts becoming the rule, defenses begin to expect it and can easily shut it down. The Eagles have had back to back short-yard situations shut down. They've had back to back trick plays shut down (the wild cat play followed by the double reverse).
Yesterday's game was the last straw for me as far as Andy Reid goes. Donovan is still a mid-to-top calliber quarterback and doesn't deserve the majority of the blame he's receiving. A good field general can't help poor play calling.
I think it's time we get Terrence Stamp to shove Mr. Reid off a balcony.
I'm completely with you on being comfortably numb, Mike. When Penn State lost to Iowa, I curled up in a ball and tried to resist crying. When the Eagles looked like dogmeat in the first half against the Bungles, I went grocery shopping.
There was a period two years ago after McNabb went down and Jeff Garcia came in and led the Eagles back to the playoffs. They simplified the playbook and a lot of credit went to Marty Morningwheg, who might've sucked as a head coach but had good stints as cooridnator. Now, I'm wondering who is making these calls: him or Reid? Reid used to be pretty hands on, but it seems like he's lost his touch. I'm not sure I would have see him gone if he just kept to the basics and let his coordinators work. He trusts Jim Johnson to handle everything defensively; maybe he should stop trying to control so much on the offensive side. Especially with a quarterback change possibly looming in the next year or so....
As for intensity and being a fan, I think the Eagles are still in charge. You made the case (as have others) that the Phillies are king of the city now, but I'd say that's mostly because they are winning. Back in the late 90's before they both turned it around, more people showed up just to see Eagles draft prospects than whole Phillies games. Nothing would compare to a Super Bowl run. This World Series gave us catharsis, but the Eagles still affect the most emotions in the city on the whole, I'm guessing.
I could be wrong - I don't live there anymore, but I usually see the most nationwide support for Eagles first. I never saw other people wearing Phillies hats or shirts in LA before this year. I did see Eagles jerseys. So maybe.
I do agree on the Penn State loss, that was brutal.
This is still an always will be an Eagles town. Evidenced by the fact that during a late-season series with the Mets in a battle for the division, the lead story on the local sports news on TV and on KYW and the radio was the battle for the 3rd string positions on the Eagles. That's 2 years in a row, by the way. That is almost as annoying as the people chanting E-A-G-L-E-S at Phillies/76ers/Flyers/Villanova whatever games (or frankly anywhere but an Eagles game).
I still enjoy watching football, regardless of the team. I also still put my faith on the Eagles, for the sake that they are the hometown team.
This was a great post. Thanks, Mike.
I can't wait for baseball season to start up again . . .