Team Toughness

For the first time since I started watching the team (back in the late 70's), the Philadelphia Flyers will not dress an enforcer this year. While some years it seemed Philadelphia did not ice an enforcer (remember seeing Sean Antoski repeatedly whipped or Brashear look the other way when Desjardins was being hammered), there were actually fighters on the team. I cannot believe Clarke and Snider are doing this. Perhaps this is the way of the new NHL. Team toughness (also why Ovechkin is 100x better than Crosby).

Eagles heavy favorites

10/02 8:30 PM ET	Opening	BetWWTS	Sportsbook	Pinnacle	BoDog	WSEX
Green Bay @ Philadelphia	47 -10	48 -11	48 -11	48 -11	48 -11	48 -11

Matchup

Let's go Phils!

I don't really follow the Phillies because baseball isn't my thing. But I heard they had moved into the lead for the wildcard so I thought I would write a post to celebrate that fact. And all the sportstalk people and experts seemed convinced that they would be the wildcard team. Well, we all know what is going to happen next, if it hasn't started to happen already.

Other notes: Pat Burrell sucks. Lieby sucks. The umpires suck.

Eagles 38, 49ers 24

I was unable to watch this game but I followed somewhat on the internet and listened to the 4th quarter on the radio. Seems like the Eagles took control early, dominated, then slacked off just like last week. The offense's drives in the second half were 3 plays 5 yards, 3 plays -10 yards, 5 plays 80 yards and a touchdown, 4 plays 8 yards missed FG, 3 plays -3 yards, and then the final kneeldown to end the game. I know they were well ahead and in control but why is it impossible to put together a clock eating drive? Seems like the game was more one of big plays, with the Eagles making all of them, than anything else.

Westbrook was once again "the man". Akers missed another FG for the third straight week. Bring back Koy! The secondary was further reduced - Dawkins concussion, Hood couldn't finish, Considine went out, and Lewis suffered some leg injury. I need to see Patterson's fumble return.

<cliche>Time to move on</cliche>

9/24 4:15 PM ET	Opening	BetWWTS	Sportsbook	Pinnacle	BoDog	WSEX
Philadelphia @ San Francisco	42 6	42 6	41.5 6	42 6	42 6.5	42 6

Matchup

I'd like to make one more comment on last week. Reid has gotten lots of deserved criticism for the loss -- it's on him -- but it's been all over the place. Some saying he should have run the ball to kill the clock and then some saying he got conservative and went away from what was successful in the first 40 minutes of the game which was throwing the ball alot. Some complaining about both in the same call. I think Reid made some dumb calls but as I thought about it while staring into the void, restless at 3 AM monday morning, the game was lost when the players stopped executing. McNabb throwing the ball into the ground, Lewis booting the fumble, Westbrook fumbling, Reggie Brown, Stallworth, and LJ Smith dropping passes right in their hands, etc. And where did the pass rush and coverage go in the 4th quarter that was there the rest of the game? Where Reid blew it most I think is in not taking control of the situation before it slipped away instead of just burying his mustache in his Chinese food menu. Sometimes a coach needs to get in people's faces or at the least say a word or two to the right people instead of just standing there dumbly, watching as the tree slowly starts to tip and crash to earth before it pounds you into the ground like a railroad spike.

The most annoying team in history

Brutal or pathetic? I can't decide.

If anyone wants to know why Andy Reid and McNabb get criticized so much despite "their success" you only have to watch this execrable game. To me, and I said it at the time on the phone, the play that was the turning point was McNabb throwing it in the dirt to Westbrook coming across the middle on 3rd and 5 at the 48 in the third quarter. That was 3rd time in the game he destroyed a drive by throwing an inexplicably horrible pass to a wide open receiver while under no pressure. At that time late in the 3rd, they had been forced back into a 2nd and 24 (Runyan holding, Buckhalter -4 yard run) but picked up 19 on a pass to LJ Smith. I think if they converted that 3rd down they would have continued the drive and scored some more points, the Giants would have packed it in, and the Eagles could coast then. Instead they punted, the Giants scored a lucky TD on the next drive, and the Giants were back in the game. I knew 24 points would not be enough.

Of course anyone that is an Eagles fan also KNEW the Eagles would go 3 and out on their next possession for the first time in the game. It was a 100% guarantee, and of course the most annoying team in the world didn't disappoint. Of course the rest of the game the offense picked up a whopping 2 first downs and 40 total yards. They choked and McNabb joked. Ha ha ha. Good one McNabb! F'n heelarious!

Of course the defense did absolutely nothing to distinguish themselves down the stretch either, blowing a 17 point lead. And don't forget they started the game again by giving up an opening drive touchdown. When it really mattered they allowed Manning the time to make the game winning plays. Manning had 261 yards passing from the end of the third quarter on for a total of 318 yards.

Other notes: Andy Reid is stupid. They passed on first down 3 of the 4 "drives" in the fourth quarter. No more passes to Tapeh or Schobel the Bobble please. Stallworth and LJ Smith, who had been great the entire game, dropped first downs in OT. Why does McNabb throw a 4th down pass away instead of up for grabs? What's going to happen, a turnover? What an idiot. Why no blitz on 3rd and 18 at the end of the 3rd quarter? Another huge play that turned the game in the Giants favor. The defense (and the Eagles) can't recover a fumble to save their life at anytime. Why is Trent Cole kicking people? Michael Lewis won't be on the team next year. Kearse may be out for the year from an injury sustained in an OT that should never have happened. Worst loss ever? Most painful? Where does it rank? Will this effect the team the rest of the year?

Primeau retires

I admit I was never the biggest Primeau fan. You can read the archives of this here blog pre-playoff run of 2004 and find many a "Primeau sucks" comment. My main complaint was he blew golden opportunity after golden opportunity coupled with a festering dislike of the way he and the rest of the Flyers went out of the playoffs several years in a row capped with the ignominy of selling out Bill Barber instead of blaming themselves. But Primeau's performance during the 2004 playoffs that took the Flyers within one game of the finals won me over. If I remember right he was suffering from a concussion leading up to them and sat out the stretch run of the regular season recovering. So he went into the NHL's "second season" rested and ready. All the shots that he had previously buried into the goalie's mythic six-hole he instead blew by them. And the majority of the goals were big goals.

I attended game 4 in the series vs. Tampa and the one moment that's burned in my brain is Primeau skating down the wing and blasting a perfect shot shortside over Khabibulin's shoulder, causing the crowd to erupt in genuine, primal emotion. The Flyers then rode that momentum to a 3-2 victory. He then had a 2 goal, 2 assist performance in game 6 including the tying goal in the last seconds that was just as memorable. Gagne then won the game in overtime. I won't talk about game 7.

So today I am not surprised but somewhat saddened by his retirement. It seemed just as Primeau had started to take his game to another level and to solidify his standing as a memorable Flyers captain, he was sabotaged first by the strike and then by concussions. Even though he played 15 seasons, you feel it was a career cut short.

Other notes: Gagne signed for 5 years which is good news. Forsberg is the new captain. Clarke offered Ryan Kesler a one-year contract which if Vancouver doesn't match would give the Flyers 18 centers. The guy played with Umberger in college and is supposedly a clone. Training camp starts September 15th and the first exhibition game is next Wednesday.

Eagles favored

9/17 1:00 PM ET	Opening	BetWWTS	Sportsbook	Pinnacle	BoDog	WSEX
New York @ Philadelphia	42 -3	42 -3	42 -3	42 -3	42 -3	42 -3

Matchup

Solid win

It looked like last year all over again for the first 9 minutes of gametime and not much better for the majority of the first half. One horrible trend that the defense established last year was allowing the opponent to march right down the field on the first possession and score. The other one that killed them was allowing the opponent to score with under 2 minutes to play in the first half. Unfortunately they revisted both bad habits in this game but the offense came through with a big last minute drive of their own - 5 plays, 80 yards, 52 seconds, 1 touchdown - to provide the turning point of the game. Instead of going in at halftime down 10-7 to the lowly Texans, confidence shaky. They went in winning 14-10, used that momemtum to drive for another touchdown to open the second half, and then pretty much coasted to victory.

Other notes: Holy crap they ran the ball 22 times in the second half for a total of 30 attempts. And McNabb only threw it 35 times. That's not too far from 50-50. Westbrook was the man on offense. Stallworth was a close second making several big catches. McNabb was pretty good too except for that bad decision that led to an interception. Matt McCoy led the defense with 7 tackles? Trotter had 6. Bowtie guy had 1. How great was that Dallass loss? 24 unanswered points, 3 Bledsoe interceptions. The Giants loss was nice too but they did everything but win the game. Doesn't look easy for next week.

Eagles opening day favorite

9/10 1:00 PM ET	Opening	BetWWTS	Sportsbook	Pinnacle	BoDog	WSEX
Philadelphia @ Houston	30.5 3.5	37 5	37 5.5	37 5.5	37 6	37 5

Matchup

Predictions

Below is the Eagles Schedule. In the comments make your season long, game by game predictions. Also, what teams will be in the AFC and NFC championship games what teams will be this year's worst?

If anyone wants to embarrass themselves, read what was written last year.

2006 Regular Season
Date	Opponent	Time	Network
Sun., Sept. 10	@ Houston	1 p.m.	FOX
Sun., Sept. 17	Giants	1 p.m.	FOX
Sun., Sept. 24	@ 49ers	4:15 p.m.	FOX
Mon., Oct. 2	Green Bay	8:30 p.m.	ESPN
Sun., Oct. 8	Dallass	4:15 p.m.	FOX
Sun., Oct. 15	@ New Orleans	1 p.m.	FOX
Sun., Oct. 22	@ Tampa Bay	1 p.m.	FOX
Sun., Oct. 29	Jacksonville	1 p.m.	CBS
Sun., Nov. 5	BYE
Sun., Nov. 12	Washington	1 p.m.	FOX
Sun., Nov. 19	Tennessee	1 p.m.	CBS
Sun., Nov. 26	@ Indy	1 p.m.	FOX
Mon., Dec. 4	Carolina	8:30 p.m.	ESPN
Sun., Dec. 10	@ Washington	1 p.m.	FOX
Sun., Dec. 17	@ Giants	1 p.m.	FOX
Mon., Dec. 25	@ Dallass	5 p.m.	NBC
Sun., Dec. 31	Asslanta	1 p.m.	FOX

Pinkston and Detmer gone, Feeley returns

The Eagles did as predicted:

The Eagles made a flurry of moves on Wednesday, waiving wide receiver Todd Pinkston and quarterback Koy Detmer, and agreeing to terms on a two-year contract with quarterback A.J. Feeley.

Let us remember these longtime Eagles's greatest moments. Todd Pinkston scared and Detmer doing what he did best. I tried to find video of the spank dance, his actual greatest moment, but came up empty. This funny but scary video is the best I can do. I don't care about the SF game.

The greatest thing AJ Feeley ever did as an Eagle. (Har har)

Fans correct once again, everyone wins

Anyone with eyes could see the Eagles' receivers were weak, weaker, and weakest. Failing to get Jevon Walker during the off season, not wanting Lelee (who sucks anyway), not willing to pay Branch (NE is probably just messing with him), Reid and the Eagles continued to pretend that "the receivers are good enough". Now I don't know if the Eagles got really lucky in getting Donte Stallworth or pulled off a masterful heist, but either way it was a great move. Cherish it for now because these kind of breaks don't happen in Philadelphia. Simoneau sucks and maybe was even going to get cut with the rise of Matt McCoy and Jason Short. Sike, I mean Omar Gaither.

Stallworth was the first receiver taken in the 2002 draft at 13 and the only one in the first round. The second receiver taken, first in the second round, was Jabar Gaffney (who sucks). Deion Branch was the last pick of the second round at 65 and another big receiver name this offseason was Randle el, picked at #62. Stallworth supposedly has the speed to make the safeties back off while at the same time has toughness, will go over the middle, and is hard to bring down, i.e. lots of after the catch yards.

As a result of the trade, that pathetic 4 yard catch vs. Pittsburgh will probably be Todd Pinkston's last reception as an Eagle unless they run that quick pass to the sideline play (aka 2nd and 11) vs. the Jets as a tribute to Pinkston's storied career as an Eagle.

Now, will they do anything at running back? Rumor has it Domanick Davis of Houston is going to be cut, but he's injury prone as well. Then there's also the linebackers...

Mr. Glass 2006

I held off on this post to see if Buckhalter could make it through half a game; and he did. He even had a long run on a nice shovel pass screen and almost scored. Due to these developments however Buckhalter may lose his Mr. Glass title after a 3 year reign where he was untouchable. He won't be able to run away with it this year (no pun intended) like he has in the past. This season he has stronger competition than ever, the rest of the team has caught up, and the judges may now consider Buckhalter to be a one trick pony and want to see something new. There's only so many times you can blow out your knee completely untouched and still impress.

Pinkston made a really strong play last year for Mr. Glass but was just a rookie in the competition and rookies don't easily knock off the champ. Since then however he's shown he's learned alot and has remained injured the entire training camp without ever being hit. That's the strategy that made "Buck" the champ and now Pinkston seems to have adopted it as his own.

Buckhalters strongest competition the previous 3 seasons has been McDougle and this year he's challenging once again. After missing most of his rookie season, he went all out last year by getting himself shot and missing every game, but the judges frowned on the tactic because it happened off the field and was deemed "hotdoggish". Observers believed he was overcompensating to avoid the dreaded "sophomore slump". This year McDougle has gone the more subtle cracked ribs route, but he still hasn't mastered the art of getting severely hurt without getting hit.

Always placing in the top 5 but never winning it all is Westbrook. Westbrook makes a play for the title every year but you can tell his heart really isn't in it. His injuries are always bad enough to miss a couple crucial games but not bad or spectacular enough to really catch the judges' eyes. I think Westbrook sees himself more as an injury "auteur" and goes for weird things like torn triceps and this year's odd foot sprain. Injuries that are very subtle that no one saw happen. It might be art, but it doesn't win the title.

So who will win Mr. Glass 2006? There still is plenty of preseason left and plenty of cutbacks to make in practice before the opener versus Houston so all is not lost for Buckhalter. Never count him out -- He's the champ 3 years running for a reason. Pinkston has gotten this far with the Achilles thing but it's really run its course. He'll have to do something new and spectacular to legitimately take the title. Westbrook is always in the mix but I just don't think he will ever really have what it takes to be Mr. Glass. If I had to pick right now I'd take McDougle. He's worked really hard and paid his dues the last 3 years and you can tell he really wants it. Plus he's due -- don't think the judges are oblivious to that. I look for him to take it this year, maybe with a broken foot running out onto the field opening day, ala Hollis Thomas.

NCAA vs. NFL

ESPN is debating which is better, the NFL or the NCAA.

I used to be a big fan of college football but no longer. College football to me is best represented by teams like the University of Delaware - players playing not to go pro, but because they love playing.

I went to Rutgers for undergrad and Penn State for grad school. Both experiences at those universities turned me off to college football. Rutgers, for its pathetic attempts to go big time, wasting millions of dollars every year. Penn State, for the moron fans who up until last season were demanding Joe Paterno's head for a few losing seasons. But those fans are emblematic of what big time college football now is but can't admit -- a big giant cash cow for the NCAA and the few successful universities. Today winning is everything in bigtime college football so giants of the game like Paterno who have run their programs cleanly and with high graduation rates must go if they have 3 poor seasons out of 50.

In addition, Penn State probably makes as much money from its football program as some NFL franchises but it's all made on the backs of the players who get a pittance of that in the form of a scholarship. (The pro-college arguer says the NFL is the last bastion of socialism. The NCAA is the last bastion of indentured servitude and serfdom.) But the NCAA is loathe to admit what it really is and instead tries to maintain this huge phoney facade of purity, amateur athletics, and tradition. The NCAA is far more corrupt and just as money hungry as the NFL, but the NFL and its players have the decency to admit it's all about money and entertainment. The NCAA thinks their product is far more grand and "holy" and it's all BS. They're lying to themselves and they're lying to you.

Give me the NFL anyday. The NFL is sometimes cold, brutal, and mercenary, but they rarely pretend otherwise. Plus the level of competition, and more importantly the hitting, is about 100x better.