Paul Hagen, a baseball writer for the Philadelphia Daily News, posted some interesting numbers earlier this week. It wasn’t anything Earth-shattering either. He simply pointed out the Phillies record around this time of the season over the last three years. Those would be the last three years that the Phillies made the playoffs, by the way. The Phillies were a Wild Card team in 2007 and they won the NL East in 2008 and 2009. They also managed to win a little thing called the World Series in 2008 as well.

The Phillies current record on June 18th is 34-30. That puts them in third place in the NL East and 3 1/2 games out of first place. In 2007, they were 47-48 as late as July 19 and still managed to win the Wild Card. On July 8, 2008 they were 48-43 and went on to win the division and the World Series. And on July 2, 2009, they were 39-37 and still managed to win the NL East before losing to the steroid cheating Yankees in the World Series.

So I was right all along. Nothing to worry about. This is just standard operating procedure for this Phillies team. They start off slow and heat up with the weather. By September, they’ll be rolling right along and if they aren’t already in first place in the NL East they’ll blow right by the Atlanta Braves and the Mutts from New York.

Think about it this way. The Phillies couldn’t possibly be playing any worse than they are right now and they’re only 3 1/2 games out of first place in the division. It’s so bad that they are currently 21st in runs scored in MLB. Last season they were 4th in runs scored and first in the National League. And I think I remember reading where some guy predicted they would lead MLB in runs scored in 2010.

Former MVP Ryan Howard never hits well in the first half, so he’s due for his annual offensive explosion. Raul Ibanez hasn’t hit since he got hurt last June, but he has started hitting better in the last week. Jayson Werth started off the season on fire and then couldn’t hit anything the last four weeks. His average has dropped from .374 to .281 since May 26. He’s also looking a bit better lately, including a homerun in the Phillies win over the Yankees on Wednesday night.

Chase Utley is completely out of whack right now. His average has dropped from .315 to .257 since May 15. Either he’s hurt or he has just totally messed up his mechanics. Utley isn’t the most physically gifted athlete. He works hard to be the best he can be. He normally has that nice compact stroke, but it looks a bit longer than usual this season. Utley is a tireless worker, so he may have tried to correct one problem with his swing and thrown off five other things. All I know is that he is a career .293 hitter who is currently hitting a paltry .257. That simply can’t last. Regarding Utley a scout said: “He has always hit, so why would this year be different than years past?” Exactly.

Then there is the absence of former MVP and three-time Gold Glove SS Jimmy Rollins. I minimized the impact of Rollins’ absence has had on this lineup, but maybe I was wrong. He has only played in 12 games all year. His replacements are the immortal Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez. That’s quite a drop off at the plate and even more so in the field. Apparently Rollins is more of a leader than he was given credit for. He might not lead in a conventional way, but that swagger of his was obviously contagious. He is on a rehab assignment and assuming he doesn’t get re-injured again, he should be back next week. His return can only help.

The Phillies pitching has actually been pretty damn good this year all things considered. The pitching staff doesn’t have the best stats in MLB, but they are doing their part. They are 12th in MLB with a 4.00 ERA. Despite injuries to third starter Joe Blanton and fourth starter J.A. Happ, the Phillies starting pitching has been just fine. The best way to explain how well they’re doing their job is that the Phillies bullpen has thrown the least innings in the NL so far this season. That kind of thing pays off at the end of the season. You know, when this Phillies team generally plays well and wins the division.

Closer Brad Lidge has just come back from injury and set-up man Ryan Madson is due back after the All Star Break, from a broken toe. I was a bit worried about the bullpen before the season, but they are doing just fine in spite of the injuries.

And let me just say that I am not using the Phillies injuries as an excuse for their lack of hitting and their poor record. On the contrary, I am pointing out that this team is doing what is always does, in spite of the injuries. Only losers like Mets fans use injuries as an excuse for poor play year after year.

This Phillies team will be just fine. I am confident that they will be knocking the ball around the diamond and out of the ballpark soon enough. They just took two of three from the Yankees in New York and scored 13 runs in the last two games. This lineup is just too good not to hit. That’s not just an opinion, it’s a statistical fact. Once Rollins is back in the leadoff spot, Shane Victorino will be moved down to the 7-hole to provide a spark to the bottom of the lineup. Just like I predicted before the season.

Roy Halladay has an 8-5 record with a 2.36 ERA in 14 starts and everybody thinks he’s having a bad year. Please go back read those stats again and get back to me. Roy is as dominant as ever, with five complete games and the perfect game against the Marlins. I still say he has a shot at the NL Cy Young Award. Jimenez is nearly unhittable right now, but he’s young. Let’s see if he can do it for an entire year before we give him the award OK. And Lincecum’s velocity is down this year and he is walking way too many batters this season for it not to bite him in the ass eventually. Hell, he has less wins than Halladay and a 3.11 ERA already. I’ll take my chances with Roy as the team ace.

So once again I am here to tell you that I am not worried about the current status of the Philadelphia Phillies. Yes, they’re in third place in the NL East, 3 1/2 games out, but they couldn’t possibly have played any worse for the last month and they are still in third place in the NL East and only 3/12 games out of first place. All things considered, I’ll take it.

I’ll leave the panic to Chicken Little and the uneducated baseball fans. Me? I’ll take comfort in the historical stats, because they tell me that this Phillies team will be just fine.  So let’s enjoy the second half… and Happy Father’s Day!

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

Philadelphia Phillies Fans - Worry Not!

There seems to be universal agreement on what the Eagles need. In no particular order, they need a safety, a cornerback a linebacker, a defensive end and a few offensive linemen, specifically a center. They may even draft a quarterback to groom for the future. And I wouldn’t even be surprised if they took a defensive tackle who could actually rush the passer. It’s not like any of the previous first or second round draft picks by Andy Reid at that position ever sniff the QB or anything.

The Eagles have 10 draft picks, including five in the first 87 picks. That’s a good thing considering that they only have 58 players on the roster right now. That’s a low number. Even general manager Howie Roseman agrees. “We have 57 players on our roster right now and we’ve got to get to 80 by the time we have our first minicamp,” he said.

But they’re not rebuilding. Oh no. It’s just a coincidence that there isn’t a single player on the roster who was drafted by the team before 2005. Got it. This is a young team and it is going to get even younger through this draft and by adding undrafted free agents to fill out the remaining 22 spots before minicamp.

I can’t tell you who the Eagles will take with each of their picks because I think they will make multiple trades during this draft. I expect them to either move up or down in the first round. History has shown that Reid likes to move around in the draft. His waistline shows us that this might be the only time he likes to move around, but that’s a different story. If the Eagles trade down for more picks, or God forbid trade picks this year for future draft picks, I’m not sure how they will spin the notion that they are not rebuilding. They’ll certainly try though.

So I think the easiest way to do this is to look at each position and assess the team’s needs and what they might find in the draft. Let’s just assume that only an idiot like Al Davis drafts kickers and punters and be done with that. Also, I think Tight End is fine with Brent Celek backed up by Cornelius Ingram (if he can ever stop blowing out his ACL). They may bring in a blocker for training camp. And Fullback is set with Leonard Weaver. “You can’t stop the WEAVE!” With that in mind, let’s look at the rest of the positions.

Quarterback

With Kolb as the starter, the only pick they would make here is a late round flier on a developmental guy. Personally I think Vick gets traded during the draft along with another draft pick to move up in a round so the Eagles can save face and get rid of his useless ass. They then sign Garcia and draft the aforementioned “Flier”. Possibly BYU QB Max Hall, since Reid loves his fellow Mormons.

Running Back

I can’t see the team spending anything but a late round pick on a RB. LeSean McCoy will get the majority of the carries, with Mike Bell and Weaver (”You can’t stop the WEAVE!”) shipping in and getting the short-yardage carries. They also have Eldra Buckly, Martell Mallett and Chad Hall on the roster. I could see the Eagles taking Michigan’s Brandon Minor because he just had rotator cuff surgery last week and we all know how the Eagles love to get injured players so they can sign them cheap.

Wide Receiver

Reid drafted DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin the last two years, so I can see them spending anything but a late-round pick here as a possible special teams guy. Jason Avant is a good 3rd down WR and they brought back Mr. Kendra Wilkinson (Hank Baskett). What more could you want?

Offensive Line

Reid always drafts O-linemen and he will again this year. The thing is, the only spot where they really need immediate help is at Center. Jamal Jackson is coming off a December ACL injury and we all saw how great Stacy Andrews played last season coming back from that injury. The thing is, Andy Reid has never drafted a Center. Jackson and Hank Fraley were both undrafted free agent signings. Nick Cole is the starter and after watching him get his ass kicked twice in a row against the Cowboys, I have seen enough. They have Mike McGlynn, a 4th round pick two years ago who’s never played and A.Q. Shipley who they signed off the Steelers practice squad.

I wouldn’t be unhappy if the Eagles took Florida Center Maurkice Pouncey in the first round, who could step in and start from day 1. That would send most Eagles fans into a rage, but you have to give Kolb some time in the pocket and he won’t have it without a decent Center. They could also wait until the middle rounds and get BC’s Matt Tennant or NC State’s Ted Larson. They need to take a Center in this draft.

Defensive Line

Anybody want another DT with the team’s first pick? Didn’t think so. Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson are good DTs, but neither one gets enough pressure on the QB. Trevor Laws is a complete bust. They can’t trade up to get Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy, so DT is out until later in this draft or maybe not at all. There are bigger needs elsewhere.

The Eagles need a DE opposite Trent Cole and I read that Peter King thinks they will trade up and draft Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan. This does make sense in that the Eagles place a high value on pass rushers. Tennessee’s Jason Pierre-Paul has been compared to Jevon Kearse, but Eagles fans didn’t like the version of “The Freak” that they got, so maybe this wouldn’t be the right spot for him.

Linebacker

The Eagles just traded a 5th round pick for Ernie Sims to be the starting weak-side LB. That still leaves a gaping hole at the strong-side LB spot if you believe that Stewart Bradley will be fully recovered from knee surgery to man the MLB spot. Reid is awful at picking LBs. If you don’t believe me then I have just two words for you: Quinton Caver. I just got a chill. The Eagles will not draft a LB early, but they will get one. My dark-horse pick is Sean Lee in the 2nd round. The ex-Penn State star can play any LB position and simply makes plays. Plus, the last time Reid picked a player from a local college it turned out pretty good. Some RB from Villanova, I think.

Cornerback

With the trade of Sheldon Brown, the Eagles don’t have a single CB on the roster capable of making a decent tackle. Asante Samuel will gamble his way to around 7 INTs, but he’ll also give up that many easy TDs. Ellis Hobbs will most likely be the other starter, but they need some depth besides Joselio Hansen. The Eagles should be able to get either Boise State’s Kyle Wilson or Alabama’s Kareem Jackson at 24. Both are physical CBs who would make a nice compliment to Samuel. Joe Haden is the best CB in the draft, but they would have to trade up to get him. He might even be worth it. Or they could wait until the second round and still get Rutgers’ Devin McCourty, who isn’t as good as the other three, but would still be a great pick for the Eagles.

Safety

Before last season the Eagles let Brian Dawkins go over money and tried to replace him with a bunch of crap. Quintin Demps is an idiot and Sean Jones couldn’t quite get it done, so they settled on a rookie who was originally drafted as a CB in Macho Harris. Brilliant! They signed another CB in Marlin Jackson and plan to play him at safety. Did I mention he’s yet another player the Eagles have coming off an ACL injury? Do they get a bulk rate discount on their Healthcare coverage if all the players have the same injury or something?

The Eagles need to draft an impact safety and, if necessary, move Jackson back to CB. They aren’t getting Tennessee’s Eric Berry, who is the top safety in the draft. For all of you people who are buying into the Taylor Mays hype, I will tell you that he doesn’t fit into the Eagles style of defense. He is a hitter, who is suspect in coverage. The Eagles blitz a ton and ask their safeties to cover WRs regularly. He’s the next Roy Williams of the Cowboys and that is not a good thing. I want them to draft Texas’ Earl Thomas. They probably will need to trade up into the late teens to get him, but maybe the 24th and 55th pick get them there. At the very least they need to take South Florida’s Nate Allen in the 2nd round.

Well there you have it. Lots of conjecture and useless information that won’t mean anything once the draft starts and the Eagles start screwing up as usual. If you doubt me then please explain why from 2003 to 2008, the only players drafted by the Eagles to make the Pro Bowl are Trent Cole and the recently released Shawn Andrews. Damn, now I’m depressed.

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

Philadelphia Eagles 2010 Draft Day Preview

During Donovan McNabb’s introductory press conference in Washington after being traded to the Redskins he said, “I’m here starting a new chapter in the book of Donovan and I look for great things to happen.” What a load of crap. He’s the same old Donovan that I’ve been ripping for years and now another team’s fans are about to realize what I was saying all along. Maybe then the national media, who don’t have a clue because they don’t follow his every move like we do here in Philadelphia, will find out I’ve been right all along too. You’ll see.

Oh sure, McNabb said all the right things during his press conference on Tuesday, but I’ve heard this line of bull from him before. He is the most disingenuous person you will ever encounter in sports. You had to see his face during the press conference to really understand the amount up bullshit he was shoveling.

McNabb said that he won’t be looking for revenge when he gets to play the Eagles twice each season now: “I don’t look at it any different than playing the Giants or Dallas,” he said. When asked about being free from the Eagles fans he said, “As far as a burden off my shoulders, there was really never ever any burden on my shoulders.” Yeah, because the quarterback has no responsibilities I guess. When asked if he was sad to leave Philly he said, “I would have loved to (stay in Philadelphia), but it didn’t happen.” And finally, when asked about the fans he said, “I thought I was treated fairly. Never have you heard me complain about what the fans are doing or the media. That’s not my concern. I block that out.” That one may have been my favorite bold faced lie. Is he friggin’ kidding me?

The national media doesn’t know that that was classic, passive-aggressive McNabb. Saying one thing in news conferences, but doing and sometimes even saying the complete opposite. He complained constantly about being criticized by the fans and any media who dared to question him. To this day he holds a grudge against all Eagles fans because 30 drunken idiots from a radio station booed him at the draft. His feelings got hurt so much by Terrell Owens and the resulting media coverage that he ridiculously referred to it as “black on black crime.” Several teammates confirmed that McNabb threw-up in the huddle during the Superbowl, but he denied it ever happened. He does that type of crap all the time. You’ll see.

The Washington media will soon find out what McNabb is really like. A large contingent of Philadelphia sports writers attended the press conference in Washington for obvious reasons. McNabb was the starting quarterback in Philly for eleven years and that made him the focal point of the city’s sports landscape, for better or worse. The problem was that McNabb would only answer questions from the Philly media with smirky, one-word responses, such as “Easter”, when asked when he first thought he was going to be traded. Then he refused to do any small-group interviews with any of the Philly-based media outlets. It takes a small man to hold a grudge for perceived slights that are only in his own mind. You’ll see.

He even took a shot at Eagles coach Andy Reid. “It starts with the run game,” McNabb said when asked about Shannahan’s version of the West Coast offense. “I know probably a lot of you from Philly don’t know much about that run game. But we will run the ball here.” Look, I agree that Andy never runs the ball and it’s one of the reason’s he’ll never win a Super Bowl, but McNabb should shut the hell up. The reason the Eagles traded McNabb to a division rival was because Reid wanted to make McNabb happy. McNabb’s agent had said that McNabb would refuse to report to Oakland and Buffalo if he was traded there. Reid did him a favor and he rips him? Classic McNabb. You’ll see.

If you think I’m reading too much into what McNabb said then you also must not agree with Brian Mitchell, who played for both the Redskins and Eagles during his NFL career. Mitchell talked with McNabb and came away thinking that the QB would be looking for “a little revenge” when he plays the Eagles. Mitchell also said McNabb “wants to show the Eagles they made a mistake.” Both of those quotes are obvious and honest. The problem is that they didn’t come from McNabb. He is never open and honest with the media or the fans. You’ll see.

Another thing  - McNabb is not is a leader. This is something that I have been screaming from a mountain top for years. Apparently, McNabb’s ex-Eagles teammates weren’t sorry to see him go. Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson said, “It was time for a change. At the end of the day, I’m not the owner. Obviously, that’s not just my opinion. But I’m not getting caught up in saying….whatever.” Up until this point Jackson had tried to stay neutral when asked about the QB situation, but you could sense that he favored Kolb, since he never backed McNabb even when Andy Reid was doing so. Now, his true feelings came out.

That obvious animosity came from when McNabb threw his teammates under the bus after the humiliating 24-0 loss to the Cowboys at the end of last season. McNabb said, “We showed our youth, in situations where everyone began to look around to see who was going to make a play, rather than stepping up and making that play. That’s something that comes with the territory when you have a young group.” Jackson probably still has the tire marks on his back after that one.

And remember the year before, after the NFC Championship game loss to the Cardinals when McNabb said that he got the lead in the 4th quarter but the defense couldn’t hold it? That completely ignores the fact that McNabb and the offense got the ball back with four minutes left in the game and McNabb couldn’t produce a game-winning drive, as usual. There will come a time when things don’t go right in Washington and he will throw his new teammates under the bus. You’ll see.

McNabb is still a good QB, but he is not an elite QB. And he sure as hell isn’t a Hall of Fame QB yet, as he has been dubbed by the national media. His supporters point to his winning record and the fact that he led the Eagles to 5 NFC Championship games. While that is all well in good, it ignores the fact that he chokes in the biggest games, as evidenced by his 1-4 record in those Championship games and his 0-1 record in the Super Bowl.

To support my argument let me point out a very telling number. It is logical that when a team wins the quarterback plays well. As such, McNabb has a QB-rating of 92.3 in his playoff wins. But, when the Eagles lose, all of his backers are quick to point at everyone else but McNabb. The truth is that his QB-rating in the playoff games that he loses is 66.4. That’s pathetic. The truly elite quarterbacks elevate their game in the playoffs and carry their teams to victory when things may not be going well. McNabb doesn’t do that. When things go bad, he throws his teammates under the bus. You’ll see.

He’ll even turn on the Washington reporters eventually when they try to ask tough questions. After the Eagles got blown out of the playoffs last season and McNabb didn’t play well - he got sarcastic. Since he received grief in the media (which he just claimed that he didn’t pay attention to) he sarcastically took all the blame for the loss. You could tell by his stupid facial expressions and tone that he didn’t mean it. Most of the media saw it the way I did. He also said the team had an “outstanding season”. Then he added, “We didn’t win 16 games, I’m sorry for that.” He couldn’t have been a bigger jerk. Now he’ll be doing it in Washington. You’ll see.

I finally found a national reporter who agrees with me about McNabb. NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger played part of his 11-year NFL career in Philadelphia and he gets to study game tapes at NFL Films. I claim to have seen just about every pass McNabb has ever thrown, but I’ll bet Baldinger has actually seen every single pass. Here is what he said about McNabb:

“The Eagles should be ecstatic. I view McNabb as a flawed player, and it was never more apparent that in the back-to-back losses to the Cowboys last season. His flaws will never go away. Now, the Eagles get at least two chances to expose the same flaws they’ve been covering up for 11 years. It works against the Redskins that McNabb is still in the division. Andy Reid can finally stop covering up for one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the history of the game. The Eagles will go to the playoffs. The Redskins will be watching from the golf course.”

OK, I don’t agree that the Eagles will be making the playoffs in 2010, but the rest of that is a nice little summation of exactly what I have been saying about Donovan McNabb for years. That means that either I’m a genius or Baldinger in a raving lunatic. I guess we’ll see.

The rest of the national media thinks McNabb will lead the Redskins back to the playoffs. I look at their terrible offensive line and their average at best wide receivers and I don’t see it. Sure he’ll make them better since Jason Campbell stinks, but it won’t be enough. Even if he gets them close to a playoff birth, he’ll choke in the deciding game of the season. I’ve watched that act for the last eleven years. I can guarantee it. You’ll see.

McNabb is still a talented quarterback, but since he can’t run as well anymore, he is not a top quarterback. He isn’t accurate enough to effectively run a west coast offense and his leadership skills are non-existent. He will make goofy faces and play the air guitar. He’ll try to be funny, but you’ll find out that he’s not. He’ll turn on his teammates at the first sign of trouble. He’ll give stock answers to the media, and then contradict himself later. He’ll play the victim and ultimately pout. I know he’ll do all these things, because I’ve watched him do them for the last eleven years. Donovan McNabb isn’t what you think he is and you’re all in for a rude awakening.

All of you who praise him now and rip the Philly fans won’t like what you get once you look inside the “Book of Donovan”. You’ll see.

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

The Book of Donovan (McNabb) is Pure Fiction

The fact that McNabb was traded is not surprising. The fact that he was traded to the Washington Redskins is the part that has caught everybody off guard. Starting quarterbacks aren’t traded very often, but they are never traded to a division rival. This just further proves that the Philadelphia Eagles misplayed this situation.

There have been reports that the Eagles missed out on opportunities to trade McNabb to teams like the Browns because they were asking for more than a first round pick. In waiting as long as they did this was the most they could get in exchange for McNabb. I guess under the circumstances they could have done worse. I’m just happy they finally made this move.

I didn’t think McNabb was ever going to win a Superbowl here, but I will admit that he was a very good quarterback. The problem was that he isn’t an elite quarterback and he didn’t play well in the big games. Say whatever you want to defend him, but his record in five NFC Championship games was 1-4 and he was 0-1 in his one and only Super Bowl appearance, where he literally choked.

McNabb played 11 seasons in Philadelphia after being the 2nd overall pick in the 1999 draft. That was Andy Reid’s first draft pick with the Eagles. McNabb leaves the Eagles as the franchise leader in passing yards, touchdown passes, pass attempts and completions. He will be remembered for being a very successful quarterback with the Eagles, but he was never able to get that elusive Championship. That may have more to do with Andy Reid’s offense than McNabb himself though. Now that McNabb is gone I guess we’ll get to find out.

Sal Paolantonio of ESPN reported that McNabb’s agent, Fletcher Smith, said that he would not report to the Oakland Raiders or Buffalo Bills if the Eagles traded him to either of those teams. Andy Reid denied that, but what do you expect him to say. He doesn’t want to say anything negative about McNabb or any other franchise in the NFL.

Reid was asked about his previous statements that McNabb was his quarterback and he responded the same way he always does. “I said he was the starting quarterback until he went elsewhere,” Reid said. Gee thanks Andy. That’s deep. Reid said that, “We did what we thought was best for our organization.”

Reid also said that he spoke to McNabb and that the quarterback was happy to be going to the Redskins. Apparently, McNabb was ready to move on as well. He said just last week that he hoped the situation was resolved sooner rather than later.

With the Redskins, McNabb will be playing for a coach in Mike Shanahan with a reputation as a quarterback guru. The problem is that the Redskins offensive line is in shambles and they don’t have very much talent at wide receiver. The good thing for McNabb is that Shanahan also runs a West Coast offense, but he relies heavily on the running game in his version. That means that McNabb won’t have to carry the offense like he was sometimes asked to do for the Eagles. And sometimes that weight was too much for him.

As for those members of the national media who said that the Eagles were disrespecting an elite quarterback like McNabb, this proves that they were wrong. An elite QB gets you more than a 2nd round pick back in a trade. Elite quarterbacks aren’t traded to division rivals. And other elite quarterbacks like Brett Favre and Joe Montana were also traded. McNabb isn’t even in the same class as Favre, who won a Super Bowl and was a three-time MVP and Montana, who won four Super Bowls. If they can be traded, how is it disrespectful for the Eagles to trade McNabb or the fans to want him gone? The answer is that it isn’t and the national media are just a bunch of uninformed clowns who only see the highlight reels.

I got to watch just about every single throw of McNabb’s career. I got to see him play well and I got to see him throw repeatedly at his receivers’ feet and sail throws over their heads. I got to see him hold a child-like grudge that 30 guys booed him at the draft. And I got to see him repeatedly throw teammates under the bus after tough losses. It was time to move on. It’s better for the team and it’s better for McNabb.

Now, the Eagles offense will be turned over to quarterback Kevin Kolb. Nobody knows how good he will be, but it was time to move on and rebuild the team with the young quarterback. Even Andy Reid said that, “Kolb needs to prove himself.”

Kolb showed flashes of brilliance in becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 300 yards in his first two games last season. But he also showed his inexperience in throwing too many interceptions. Young quarterbacks will make mistakes. At least now we’ll get to see the young core of the Eagles offense grow together. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson is going into his third year in the NFL, WR Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy are going into their second seasons and tight end Brent Celek is still relatively young. The big issue will be what the Eagles can do about their offensive line.

That issue, and the many holes on the defensive side of the ball, are going to be dealt with through the draft. The Eagles now have eleven picks in the 2010 draft, including five of the first 87 picks in the draft.

Maybe now the Eagles will admit the obvious; that they are in full-fledged rebuilding mode. Again, I am all in favor of taking this path for the franchise and I am putting my money where my mouth is as a season ticket holder. They were not going to win the Superbowl this season, even if they kept all of the veterans with whom they’ve parted ways this off-season. The humiliating defeats to the Dallas Cowboys at the end of last season proved that. I applaud the Eagles for picking a plan and going with it.

It may make for a tough 2010 season, but that’s the way it works in the NFL. There are no quick fixes. You need to build through the draft and supplement your roster with free agents. The only issue I may have is that I’m not sure Andy Reid and the rest of the Eagles brain-trust can pick the right players. But that’s an article for another day.

This day is about the end of an era in Philadelphia. Donovan McNabb had a very good career for the Philadelphia Eagles. The problem is that it can’t be considered a great career, because he never won a Superbowl. After eleven years, it was time to turn the page and move on. I, for one, am excited to see what the next chapter in Eagles history has in store for us.

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

Donovan McNabb Era Ends: Philadelphia Eagles Trade McNabb to Washington Redskins

The Phillies are the best team in the National League, as evidenced by the fact that they have represented the National League in he last two World Series. If they make it there again this season, they will be the first NL team to do a three-peat appearance in the games since the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals.

The Phillies pitching is in a state of flux. They traded away postseason star, Cliff Lee who went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five postseason starts. But they made another trade for the guy who I think is the best pitcher in baseball, Roy Halladay. Halladay is my pick to win the NL Cy Young award for many reasons. First of which he is sure to win 20 games with the Phillies lineup behind him. More on that later. Then, you look at the fact that he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last decade while pitching in the AL East. Halladay went 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 208 strikeouts in 239 innings in 2009. Now he moves to the NL, where there is no designated hitter and the lineups in the NL East are far less imposing. President Obama is even going to throw out the first pitch when the Phillies face the Washington Nationals on Opening day, just so he can watch Roy Halladay pitch. He’s that good.

The rest of the Phillies rotation is a question mark. Joe Blanton just strained his oblique and will be sidelined for 3-6 weeks. This is the first time in his career that Blanton will have ever missed a start. The injury isn’t believed to be serious so he should be back by early May. That means that Kyle Kendrick is the #3 starter after he lost the battle for the #5 spot to ancient Jamie Moyer. Neither of them is flashy, but they will give you innings, which is what any pitching staff needs. J.A. Happ should have won the NL Rookie of the Year award last season when he went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 119 strikeouts in 166 innings in 2009. He most likely won’t achieve those lofty numbers again, but he would have to have a total collapse to be a disappointment as the fourth starter.

The wildcard of the rotation is Cole Hamels. With Hamels, the question is which pitcher we’ll see in 2010. Will it be the guy who had a good 2008 season, then went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 30 strikeouts in 35 postseason innings while winning the NLCS and World Series MVP awards? Or, will it be the guy who enjoyed the banquet circuit a bit too much that off-season and came back in 2009 to go 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 168 strikeouts in 193 innings?

The fact that he threw almost 200 innings after such a heavy workload in 208 at least proves that he’s healthy. The league may have caught up with his fastball - changeup repertoire, so Hamels added a cutter and has concentrated on using his curve ball move in spring training. I beleive he’ll bounce back nicely and provide the Phillies with one of the best 1-2 punches at the top of the rotation in all of baseball.

The Phillies bullpen scares me a bit…

When the team won the World Series in 2008, their bullpen had the best ERA in the National League. Injuries and ineffectiveness dropped the bullpen ERA to ninth in the NL last season. And yet the team still made it back to the World Series.

The big question marks going into this season are JC Romero and Brad Lidge. Both are recovering from off-season surgeries and both will start the season on the disabled list. Until Romero gets back the only lefthander in the bullpen will be untested youngster, Antonio Bastardo. Luckily Romero is due back by the end of April.

The biggest concern is Lidge, who is recovering from knee and elbow surgery. He also just got a cortisone injection into his pitching elbow this week and is not projected to be back until the end of April at the earliest. Lidge started the 2008 season on the DL as well and that one turned out just fine. In 2008 he went a perfect 41 for 41 in save opportunities during the regular season with a 1.95 ERA and then another 7 for 7 in saves with a 0.96 ERA in the postseason. In 2009 Lidge hurt his knee, which affected his mechanics and caused his elbow injury. He pitched through both injuries and the results were ugly: 0-8, 7.21 ERA and 11 blown saves in 42 opportunities. Maybe starting the season on the DL and saving himself for later in the season agrees with Lidge. I sure hope so.

Until Lidge returns, Ryan Madson will be the closer. The problem is that although he is a great set-up man, he isn’t so great in the 9th inning. Madson blew 6 saves in 16 opportunities in 2009, but most of them were early in the season. Maybe he got more comfortable in the role as the season wore on. That means that new addition Danys Baez will assume the 8th inning set-up role. This is less than ideal, but it should only be temporary.

The Phillies had some serious issues with their pitching last season and still made it to the World Series. The reason for that is that the Phillies have the best lineup in all of baseball. They simply mash the ball. Last season the Phillies were only ranked eighth in batting average, but first in slugging percentage. Even in their World Series winning season of 2008, they were only 10th in batting average but second in slugging.

This lineup also scores a lot of runs. They were the only NL team in the top five in runs scored last season and they did that without the DH like they do in the AL. As a matter of fact, the Phillies have led the NL in runs scored in three of the last five seasons.

The lineup is unbelievable: SS Jimmy Rollins, 3B Placido Polanco, 2B Chase Utley, 1B Ryan Howard, RF Jason Werth, LF Raul Ibanez, CF Shane Victorino, C Carlos Ruiz. The first seven of those eight players are former All-Stars. They are scary-good. Almost all of them are also still in their prime.

The big offseason addition was Polanco. He will take over at 3B and the second spot in the batting order. When first base coach Davey Lopes was asked about Polanco hitting in the two-hole he said, “It’s about as close to perfect as you can get.” Sounds like Lopes read my analysis of the Phillies hitters last week: “Polanco is a career .303 hitter and the perfect two-hole hitter for the Phillies. In a lineup with too many strikeouts, Polanco excels at making contact to advance runners and get them into scoring position or even play a little hit and run. The Phillies were the top scoring team in the NL last season without a player to do that. Now they have a guy who does it very well.” (Reach back. Pat self on back)

Rollins isn’t the perfect lead-off hitter, with his low on-base percentages, but he’s a former MVP and he’ll score 100 runs. Utley is without question the best second baseman in baseball and there is an MVP in his immediate future. Howard is another former MVP, who hit 200 HRs faster than anybody else in MLB history. Werth had a career year in 2009 in his first season with a full-time job. Now he’s going into his contract year. Cha-ching! Ibanez was putting up MVP-type numbers in the fist half, but suffered a sports hernia and wasn’t the same after June. He had surgery (same doctor as famous sportswriter, B-Dub) and is good to go in 2010. Victorino moves to the bottom of the order where his free-swinging ways will result in more RBIs. He will also be able to run more. Ruiz is in there for his defense.

The Phillies also have three Gold Glovers in their lineup. Rollins has won it the last three years in a row and Polanco and Victorino also won a Gold Glove last season.

The Phillies offense will make up for any shortcomings with the pitching staff as they try to get healthy. Also, the rest of the pitching staffs in the NL East aren’t that imposing other than the Braves staff, Johan Santana on the Mets and Josh Johnson on the Marlins. The pitching should get better as they get guys back from injury. And Roy Halladay is going to dominate NL hitters.

All of that adds up to the Phillies being the best team in baseball in 2010. They’re definitely the class of the National League, so we’ll just have to wait and see who makes it out of the American League to meet them in the World Series. Personally I’ll be rooting for the Evil Empire. Nothing beats a little revenge and after last season. The Phillies owe the Yankees a little payback.

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

2010 Philadelphia Phillies Season Preview!

Let’s take a look at each team in the NL East. They are listed in order of their projected finish, with last season’s record in parenthesis.

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)

The Phillies won the NL East the last three years in a row and there is no reason to think they won’t do it again in 2010. Sure, they traded away Cliff Lee, but they replaced him with arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Roy Halladay. Halladay is a front-runner for the NL Cy Young award now that he is away from the hitters in the AL East with the DH.

The rest of the Phillies rotation is solid. Cole Hamels won the NLCS and World Series MVP awards in 2008, then never seemed to find his groove in 2009. He’s developed a cutter and curve ball this spring to add to his fastball and knee-buckling changeup. J.A. Happ was a finalist for rookie of the year in 2009 and Joe Blanton is the kind of innings-eater every staff needs. The #5 spot should go to Jamie Moyer. The effectiveness of the bullpen depends on how well closer Brad Lidge comes back from off-season knee and elbow surgery. Ryan Madson is a top-notch setup guy, but doesn’t do well in the 9th.

The lineup is easily the best in the NL and possibly the best in all of baseball. The addition of Placido Polanco at third base gives the Phillies the perfect #2 hitter that they lacked in the past. His high-contact rate is desperately needed in a lineup with too many strikeouts. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard have each won an NL MVPs and Chase Utley is sure to win one in the near future. All three outfielders, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, and Raul Ibanez made the All-Star team last season, so you know this lineup is packed. Plus, Polanco, Rollins and Victorino all won Gold Gloves last season. They win the division by 7-10 games.

Atlanta Braves (86-76)

The strength of this Atlanta Braves team is their pitching. They had so much pitching that they traded Javier Vazquez to the Yankees for a package of prospects and Melky Cabrera. Vazquez was 4th in the NL Cy Young voting last year and they still have a great staff without him. Jair Jurrjens has ace stuff. Derek Lowe won 15 games and Tommy Hanson won 11 in only 21 starts in 2008. Tim Hudson is now two years removed from Tommy John surgery and Kenshin Kawakami had an ERA under 4.00 last season.

The Braves revamped their bullpen by bringing in Takashi Saito as the setup man and Billy Wagner as the closer. Both are an upgrade from last season.

The Braves batters are a mix of young an old. Super prospect Jason Heyward will start, but may have an adjustment period facing major league pitching. Cabrera and Nate McLouth round out the outfield. The infield features the face of the Braves over the last 15 seasons, Chipper Jones, and newcomer Troy Glaus, who is moving to 1B. Brian McCann is one of the top catchers in baseball, but overall, this is not a powerhouse lineup.

Bobby Cox is retiring after this season, so the Braves front office may be inclined to make a trade deadline deal if they’re close in the division or Wild Card Race.

Florida Marlins (87-75)

The Florida Marlins had the lowest payroll in MLB last season at $36.8 million. It is so bad that Major League Baseball demanded that the Marlins spend more money on their roster. The team responded by signing ace Josh Johnson to a four-year $39 million deal. In spite of the low payrolls every year, the Marlins have managed to win two World Series in their short existence. That’s because they manage to obtain great young prospects when they have fire-sales every few years to keep that payroll low.

Johnson will be teamed with Ricky Nolasco, who could strikeout 200 this season. The problem is that the rest of their rotation is young and third starter, Anibal Sanchez has never started more than 17 games in a season. Leo Nunez saved 26 games last season and will be the closer again. The rest of the bullpen are guys you’ve never heard of like Renyel Pinto and Dan Meyer.

The Marlins are paced on offense by one of the premier players in the game, SS Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez sacrificed stolen bases to move into the 3rd spot in the batting order, but still managed to win the NL batting crown with a .342 average. He also had over 100 RBIs for the first time in his career. The other Marlins batters are young, except for Dan Uggla and Jorge Cantu.

Somehow the Marlins always manage to be competitive, but they will most likely be close to the middle of the pack in the NL in 2010.

New York Mets (70-92)

The New York Mets used 117 different starting lineups (not including the pitcher) in 162 games last season. Injuries decimated the team, but that may have only saved them from choking for the third straight season. Jose Reyes is back, but Carlos Beltran will start the season on the DL after right knee surgery.

The Mets big off-season move was to sign outfielder Jason Bay. Bay will help the middle of a Mets lineup that had nothing beyond David Wright, in the worst statistical season of his career, in 2009. They will also need Beltran to return as quickly as possible. The biggest question for the Mets will be how well Jose Reyes bounces back from his injury-plagued 2009. It’s not a good sign that a player whose whole game is speed suffering injuries to his legs. Reyes also regularly leads baseball in getting caught stealing, so he doesn’t have much margin for error to begin with. The bottom half of the Mets lineup leaves much to be desired.

The Mets rotation is Johan Santana and not much else. Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Jonathon Neise and Oliver Perez are all average at best. The Mets bullpen also has question marks. Their biggest off-season signing for their bullpen was Kelvim Escobar, who has thrown exactly five innings in the last two seasons due to injury. He will setup Francisco Rodriguez, who does not have elite closer stuff any longer. He was the only pitcher in baseball who gave up two walk-off grand slams last season. That’s hard to do.

The Mets simply don’t have the talent to compete in 2010 in spite of their high payroll. Another lost season should finally be the enough to cost the Genera Manager, Omar Minaya, his job.

Washington Nationals (59-103)

The Washington Nationals will again be one of the worst teams in baseball in 2010. The only question is whether they will make it three 100-loss seasons in a row. The team knows that they won’t contend, so the roster is filled with young players.

The biggest name on the Nationals is a player who won’t even start the season in the majors. That would be pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who was the number one pick in the 2009 draft. Strasburg will get called up in May, so that his arbitration clock will be held back for one additional year and save the franchise some money. The rest of the rotation includes guys like John Lannan, Scott Olsen and free agent signing, Jason Marquis. Marquis is the only member of the rotation over 27 years old.

The Nationals bullpen had the worst ERA (5.02) in the NL last season. They signed Matt Capps from Pittsburgh to be their closer, but they still won’t be very good.

The Nationals lineup consists of promising youngsters like 3B Ryan Zimmerman, CF Nyjer Morgan and SS Ian Desmond. They still have Adam Dunn to hit 40 HRs and 100 RBIs and they signed Ivan Rodriguez to be the catcher until 25-year old Jesus Flores is ready for a full-time role.

The Nationals won’t hit and they’re pitching isn’t great either. They will allow their young players to grow and start to build around them. Strasburg has a bright future ahead of him, but it won’t be in 2010 for him or the Nationals.

The Bottom Line

The Phillies win the division with ease. The Braves may contend for a Wild Card if they’re a buyer at the trade deadline. Nobody is ever surprised anymore when a young Marlins team makes a run at the postseason, so that’s always a possibility. And the Mets and Nationals will fight for the basement in the division.

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

Major League Baseball: National League East Preview

The Phillies were the only National League team among the top five in runs scored in 2009. And that was without a single Phillies player hitting over .300 for the first time under manager Charlie Manuel. Yes, the Yankees led MLB in runs, but their core is getting old, while the core of the Phillies lineup is in their prime. Plus, the Phillies replaced Pedro Feliz at 3B with Placido Polanco. Polanco is a much better hitter than Polanco and is the prototypical two-hitter.

Here is the Phillies projected starting lineup with their 2009 stats:

Player Name: AVG HR RBI R SB SO OPS

SS-Jimmy Rollins .250 21 77 100 31 70 .719
3B-Placido Polanco .285 10 72 82 7 46 .727
2B-Chase Utley .282 31 93 112 23 110 .905
1B-Ryan Howard .279 45 141 105 8 186 .931
RF-Jayson Werth .268 36 99 98 20 156 .879
LF-Raul Ibanez .272 34 93 93 4 119 .899
CF-Shane Victorino .292 10 62 102 25 71 .803
C-Carlos Ruiz .255 9 43 32 3 39 .780

Those are some impressive numbers when you consider that only Werth and Victorino had career years in 2009. Now let’s take a look at them one-by-one.

SS - Jimmy Rollins

2009 was one of the worst seasons of Rollins’ career and he still scored 100 runs. It’s amazing that his stats looked as good as they did in 2009 considering that Rollins was batting .205 as late as July 1. He hasn’t been able to match his MVP season of 2007, but he’s still one of the best shortstops in MLB. He could take more walks, but as long as he’s scoring 100+ runs a year it doesn’t really matter how he gets on base. Then there is also the little matter of Rollins being the best fielding SS in MLB, as evidenced by his three straight Gold Glove awards the last three years.

3B - Placido Polanco

Polanco is a career .303 hitter and the perfect two-hole hitter for the Phillies. In a lineup with too many strikeouts, Polanco excels at making contact to advance runners to get them in scoring position or play a little hit and run. The Phillies were the top scoring team in the NL last season without a player to do that. Now they have a guy who does it very well. The only downside to Polanco is that he has absolutely no power. And he will also be changing positions after winning a Gold Glove at second-base last season. He did play third-base before though, when he was with the Phillies previously. It shouldn’t be a problem.

2B - Chase Utley

Chase Utley is, without question, the best second baseman in MLB and there is sure to be a NL MVP award in his future. 2009 was a down year in every offensive category except stolen bases (24 steals without ever getting caught) for Utley. He is a lock for 30+ HRs, 110+ Runs and 100+ RBIs. You can’t get those numbers from any other second baseman. His performance in last year’s World Series, where he hit a record tying 5 home runs, proves just how great he is.

1B - Ryan Howard

Howard is a classic power-hitter who strikes out too much. The thing is, he’s so good, you can live with the Ks. Howard was the Rookie of the Year in 2005 and the NL MVP in 2006. He was also hit 200 HRs faster than any other player ever in MLB history. Since 2006 he has led the NL in homers twice and runs batted-in three times. Sure the Ks tend to lead to a few slumps, but those always occur early in the season. Howard has a track record of getting better as the season wears on. When he’s locked in he’s on Pujols’ level. In short, he is one of the most feared hitters in the middle of a packed lineup.

RF - Jayson Werth

Werth had career highs in every single offensive category in 2009 because he had over 500 at-bats for the first time in his career. As a matter of fact, it was only the second time in his career that he had over 400 at-bats. He made the most of the opportunity and made the All-Star Team. Werth offers production in every category and is a valuable right-handed bat in a lineup load with left-handed hitters. The balance he provides for heart of this lineup is critical. He is also in a contract year, so he has even more incentive to set new career highs.

LF - Raul Ibanez

Ibanez was having an MVP-type season in the first half of 2009 and made the All-Star team. Then he suffered what turned out to be a sports hernia and slumped in the second half. He had off-season surgery and is ready to go this season. Even with the slump, Ibanez put up numbers that would make him the #1 outfielder on some other teams. Now that he’s healthy, he should be able to do some real damage in 2010.

CF - Shane Victorino

Victorino had a career year in 2009 and made his first All-Star game. Now he’ll be moving down to the 7th spot in the lineup, where he’ll have more RBI opportunities. He’ll also be able to run more with only Ruiz and the pitcher hitting behind him. As good as Victorino has become at the plate he’s even better in the field, as evidenced by the Gold Glove he won last season. Whole lot of Gold Gloves on the Phillies aren’t there?

C - Carlos Ruiz

Ruiz’s stats may not look that impressive, until you compare them to other catchers. Or even to the #8 hitters in other lineups. When you do that they’re still that impressive, but at least they look average. Ruiz’s strength is his ability to handle a pitching staff. Any offense he provides is gravy. It was nice to see him hit .341 with 2 HRs and 9 RBIs during the 2009 postseason though.

One through eight, the Phillies lineup has no equal. The presence of the pitcher’s spot in the batting order means that they won’t score the most runs in MLB, but that’s just because the AL teams don’t play the game the way it was meant to be played.

When you take into account both offense and defense, the 2010 Philadelphia Phillies starting lineup has no equal and we think they’ll be right there in their third consecutive World Series in 2010.

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

Philadelphia Phillies Hitters: The Great Eight

The Philadelphia Eagles have Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, and Michael Vick all going into the last year of their contracts. Everyone assumed that the Eagles would trade one, if not two, of those QBs. Well, here we are at the end of March and all three are still on the Eagles’ roster.

I have said before that I think the Eagles should trade McNabb since they need to completely rebuild their roster. I’m still hoping they can do that, but the team waited so long that most of the teams that were in need of a QB have already made a move.

The Bears, Cardinals, Seahawks and Browns have all made moves to address their respective quarterback situations. The Panthers are going with Matt Moore. And the Vikings are willing to wait and pray that Brett Favre doesn’t retire….again.

That means that only a few teams are even in need of a QB anymore. The 49ers have Alex Smith, who hasn’t proven anything and they just fired the GM who drafted him. The Bills and Raiders have no QB, but they also have no chance of winning anything next season. It is believed that McNabb would not sign an extension with Buffalo or Oakland, which those teams would want before making any trade. Without a contract extension those teams would have to put the franchise tag on McNabb for 2011, if that designation even exists in any new labor deal, for roughly $20 million.

The hot rumor at the league meetings going on in Orlando is that the Eagles will trade McNabb to the Rams for the Rams’ 2nd round pick (#33) and safety Oshiomogho Atogwe. The Rams have shot down that rumor and I don’t see it happening. First of all, the Rams can’t trade Atogwe, since he is a restricted free agent who hasn’t signed his tender, making him ineligible for a trade. I hate it when someone makes stuff up without knowing the most basic of facts, don’t you? Plus, the Rams are going to draft Sam Bradford with the 1st pick of the draft to be their franchise QB. McNabb is a lot of things, but a mentor to a young QB is not one of them.

The fact that the Eagles organization has completely botched this situation shouldn’t come as a surprise. These idiots screw up everything they ever do. After team president Joe Banner said the Eagles had the best roster in the NFL before last season, they recently purged a quarter of that roster this off-season in a massive money dump allowed under this uncapped year.

They signed Michael Vick last season and he produced absolutely nothing. I’m sorry, he completed 6 passes for 86 yards last year. Woo Hoo. So, the only logical explanation for that signing is that they thought they could flip him for a draft pick this off-season. Oh well. There doesn’t appear to be any market for Vick and his stated desire to start. I’m still holding out hope that Al Davis trades a late round pick for him, but that dream is fading.

Andy Reid came out right after the humiliating ass-kicking at the hands of the Cowboys in the playoffs and said that McNabb was his quarterback for 2010. Then, Banner said the team had to discuss the quarterback situation. Then, Reid started making vague statements about how he envisioned McNabb as his QB in 2010. Now in Orlando, he’s changing his tune even more.

When asked if McNabb was his quarterback for the 2010 season Reid said, “Well, I mean, I said Donovan’s our starting quarterback. I guess we’re all living for the day here. To answer your question, yes, today he is our starting quarterback.” “Today”??? Don’t book that flight to Philly for post-draft mini-camps just yet, Donovan.

When asked if the team is actively trying to trade McNabb, Reid answered, “I’m listening. I’m not saying I’m doing anything, but I’m keeping my ears open, which we do on every player.” Sure sounds like Reid has changed his story, doesn’t it?

For his part, McNabb seems to be tired of all the speculation. McNabb released a statement on his website: “I understand the situation well and just hope whichever direction the Eagles decide to go in, they do it quickly. I think that would be best for me, Kevin, Michael, the Eagles, and any other teams involved.” For once I agree with something McNabb has said.

The Eagles have reportedly dropped their demands for two 1st-round draft picks for McNabb. Now they seem open to accepting a 2nd-round pick according to league sources. Those same sources have also indicated that other teams have been much more interested in trading for Kevin Kolb. This makes sense since McNabb is 33 and Kolb is 25.

One top-level NFL executive said that if the Eagles were really willing to trade Kolb, they would have already traded him to the Cleveland Browns. Ex-Eagles General Manager (in name only) Tom Heckert is now the GM for Mike Holmgren in Cleveland and he recommended drafting Kolb when he was with the Eagles. But the Eagles waited so long, or initially asked for too much, that teams looked elsewhere. The Browns signed Jake Delhomme and traded for Seneca Wallace. Typical of this Eagles organization.

Reid drafted McNabb with his very first draft pick in 1999. They have won a lot of games together, but not the big ones. Together they have won six division titles, gone to five conference championship games and one Super Bowl. The problem is that they are 1-4 in those championship games and 0-1 in a very winnable Super Bowl. And that Super Bowl loss was 6 years ago. The defense and offensive line are in shambles and all of the skill position players are young. It’s time to turn the page and think about all the missed opportunities.

I would also like to point out that all those McNabb-backers and national media members, who said how great McNabb is look like total fools now. If McNabb is so great, and I was so wrong about him all this time, then why can’t the Eagles get even one 1st-round draft pick for him? Certainly one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL should be worth a 1st round draft pick. Unless of course he isn’t a top QB anymore. You know, like I’ve been saying all along.

The Eagles have overvalued their hand and the rest of the NFL seems to have called their bluff regarding McNabb. Reid insisting that McNabb was still his guy in an effort to increase his trade value backfired. By waiting so long, the Eagles have destroyed any bargaining power they might have had. I still hope they trade McNabb and begin to rebuild the roster around youngsters Kolb, WRs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy. They could then sign a veteran backup QB like Jeff Garcia. The problem is that won’t be getting much in return for McNabb now.

Once again Andy Reid and the Eagles had trouble with time-management. This time it’s not just going to cost them a game, it may cost them extra years in rebuilding the franchise. All of this because they waited too long and now Andy Reid doesn’t have any timeouts left. Some things never change do they?

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

Philadelphia Eagles Run Out of Time With McNabb Quarterback Situation

To make this is even better, the geniuses that run the Philadelphia Eagles have decided that  Marlin Jackson will not only be trying to come back from a major knee injury, but he will also be playing a new position. Marlin Jackson spent his first five years in the NFL playing cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts, but he will be asked to play free safety for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Philadelphia Eagles general manager, Howie Roseman, confirmed that the Eagles signed Marlin Jackson to a two-year contract and that he will compete with Macho Harris and Quintin Demps for the starting free safety job in 2010.

“We are going to start him out at free safety,” Roseman said. “He has the versatility to play nickel and line up in the slot. He has some size (6-0, 196 pounds). He’s a good football player so we’re going to get him healthy, get him right and then go from there.”

Holy crap. There are so many things wrong with this that I don’t know where to begin. Let’s start with the obvious. The Philadelphia Eagles are a bunch of cheap idiots. I guess they didn’t learn anything about signing players coming off of ACL surgery with offensive lineman Stacy Andrews and tight end Cornelius Ingram. Andrews hardly played in his first year with the Eagles in 2009, and was forced to take a pay cut this off-season, and Ingram was drafted by the Eagles in the 2009 draft after a knee injury in college. Did I mention that Ingram injured the same exact knee in training camp last year? Yeah, what could possibly go wrong with this Marlin Jackson signing?

Jackson missed 11 games in 2008 with a torn ACL in his right knee. Then he missed all but the first four games last season when he tore the ACL in his left knee. He literally doesn’t have a leg to stand on. The Colts had so little faith in his ability to recover from these injuries that they did not even bother to tender Jackson, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent.

Now let’s consider the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles are going to ask him to change positions. Marlin  Jackson was a very good cornerback during the rare occasions that he was healthy during his five-year NFL career, but he has never played safety in the NFL.

The only time Jackson played safety was during one season at Michigan. The Wolverines were thin at safety going into his junior year so then-head coach Lloyd Carr asked Jackson to switch positions. Jackson did it, but struggled mightily.

Maybe they’re just trying to make Jason Avant happy after they signed him to a new contract, by signing his old college teammate. They tried that once before when they signed Jason Peters to baby-sit his old college roommate Shawn Andrews last year. Oh wait, that didn’t work out so well did it? Oh well, I’m sure it will work out better this time.

I’m not necessarily saying that Marlin Jackson can’t make the switch to safety, but why couldn’t the Eagles sign somebody who has actually played safety in the NFL? Is that really too much to ask of a team that is making me pay for half of my season tickets right about… now?

This reminds me of other instances where Andy Reid figured any player could play a new position in his perfect offensive machine. Anybody remember defensive tackle, Dan Klecko, being converted into a fullback, then back to DT, then back to FB again? How about the season where Reid cut Jeremy Bloom at the end of training camp, which left him without a single player on the roster who had ever fielded a punt in the NFL? The Packers certainly remember that game as the gift win the Eagles gave them due to numerous fumbled punts.

Roseman called the signing a “risk-reward” move. No Howie, this is a “the Eagles are cheap bastards” move. The contract maxes out at $6 million if Jackson hits every incentive. He won’t do that coming off the surgery. The Philadelphia Eagles know that, too.

The Eagles signed Marlin Jackson because he was the best player available at THEIR price. Jackson had no leverage because he’s coming off injury. And the Eagles value their draft picks like Donald Trump values that comb-over of his. That means they weren’t going to sign any restricted free agents that would have cost them one of their precious draft picks.

This is the best Eagles fans can hope for. Unfortunately it’s just more of the same crap that has left the Eagles without a championship in Andy Reid’s eleven years with the team. At least the Eagles are pumping money back into the local economy by keeping the local medical professionals so busy. I can’t stand it.

Post from: Philadelphia Event Calendar

Philadelphia Eagles: Sign Marlin Jackson, Twice Surgically Repaired Knees

Recently released runningback, Brian Westbrook, went on Dan Patrick’s radio show and called the Eagles cheap. “The thing for them, the Eagles, it’s always money. It’s always dollar signs,” Westbrook said. “If they can find someone to do it a little bit cheaper, they’ll go with that guy.”

Patrick then followed up with a question about whether it’s more important to the Eagles to make money or to win a Championship. “I’ve seen them go the money route with so many players,” Westbrook answered. “I wouldn’t know. You’d have to ask someone with the Eagles. With the players winning is the priority. With the management, I would hope winning is the priority, but I don’t know that.”

I do Brian. The answer is that they would much rather make more money than win a Championship. We have a decade-and-a-half of proof from this ownership that they don’t value winning over profit. Sure they would like to win, but only under their strict guidelines.

They will only spend as much as team president and “capologist,” Joe Banner, determines is the correct amount. They will only sign certain players. And they insist that their way of doing things is superior to all others. The only problem is that their way of doing business in the NFL hasn’t produced a Lombardi Trophy yet, and that’s all that matters.

OK, that’s not all that matters……to them. They only want to win if they can make truckloads of money as well. Owner Jeffrey Lurie was recently declared a Billionaire, with a “B”. That’s amazing when you consider the man never earned a dollar in his life and has no job other than owning an Eagles team that he bought with his family’s money. The NFL is a money-making machine, but not all owners simply treat their franchise (fans?) like an ATM machine. Lurie does.

You also need to keep in mind that Westbrook said these things about the Eagles a week after he was released. This wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction from a player whose pride was hurt and was looking for revenge. Westbrook was always a loyal company man during his time with the Eagles. He seemed to simply be stating a fact when he spoke to Patrick.

Still don’t think the Eagles are cheap? Well then you are either an idiot, a member of the Eagles organization, or you’re high on some drugs you bought from Andy Reid’s sons. The Eagles rank around 15th among NFL teams in player salary per year over the last decade. In 2009 Forbes ranked the Eagles as the 7th most valuable NFL franchise. Sure seems to me that they’re pocketing a large portion of the money. And it apparently seems that way to Brian Westbrook as well.

Now maybe some of you Eagles apologists will finally admit what a bunch of mindless sheep you all are. The Eagles are using their fans’ loyalty against them. I won’t give up my season tickets, because I plan to outlive that fat bastard Reid and the little rich boy who bought the team with mommy’s money, Jeffrey Lurie. Outliving them is our only hope for a Championship. You know, because they’re cheap, just like Brian Westbrook said.

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Philadelphia Eagles: Brian Westbrook Calls’em “Cheap”