I hate you. Photo via Manningface.com

We are almost there, kids. We have almost made it through two-week long national “Aren’t Eli and Tom the best?” fest. We have had to endure pronouncements that the younger Manning may, perhaps, be better than big brother Peyton. That he is indeed elite. All sorts of proclamations of the Giants’ collective awesomeness.  It’s been unbearable.

As for the national Patriots lovefest, in some ways it’s easier to handle. It’s nothing terribly new. Yes, Tom Brady is good–maddeningly so. Bill Belichick is an evil genius. Well aware of it. But it’s not like I can root for them.

The team that plunged Philadelphia into the depths of despair after defeating us in 2005 in  Super Bowl XXXIX? Oh hell naw. Such a glorious time of happiness and hope in this city the last 2 weeks of January 2005 were, and then…here we sit, seven years later, still without a championship. Sigh.

I despise both the Giants and the Patriots. I don’t want a victor. I want a sinkhole.

UGG. I hate you, too, Brady.

It’s the perfect solution, really. Players and coaching staff for the Patriots and Giants would be the only ones injured. No fans. We all win. Gisele will just have to send another kind of email asking for prayers of a different kind from family and friends.

Some have asked, if I truly feel this tortured by this Super Bowl, why put myself through it?

Because I must. It is football, after all. And it’s the last football for many long, torturous months. I, unlike many football fans, have the Madonna halftime show to look forward to (on top of my many other reasons of bitterness, I am mad at this Super Bowl for ruining what should be the perfect marriage of football and my most favoritest pop star of all time). But after that, depression at the fact that someone must win will set in.

Or, the sinkhole will open up.

So what are some ways to survive the home stretch, you ask? Here are some suggestions:

1. Focus on as many non-football related Super Bowl events as you can. Like the Puppy Bowl. Puppies make everything better.

2. Do the opposite of what you do for most shows. Mute the game, watch the commercials. Even the least likeable teams shouldn’t take away from what the Super Bowl is truly about–buying stuff. We’ve seen the preview of the VW one featuring dogs barking the Star Wars theme. Let’s hope the rest of the commercials will be of the same caliber to alleviate our suffering.

3. Make fun of Eli. This part is a given. Eagles fans are a witty bunch and I can already hear the Eli jokes that are to come. Yes, Peyton has his moments, but no one does Manning Face quite like Eli.

4. Listen to other witty, bitter fans. The hilarious guys at The Voice of the Fan will be doing a live show during the Super Bowl. They hate Eli. They hate the Giants. They hate the Patriots. They hate Chris Collinsworth. So turn down the TV and turn up their sardonic remarks as they try to release the pain through laughter. You can check them out by visiting The Voice of the Fan’s website here. Coverage begins on Sunday at 6 pm.

Call it brotherly love. Our shared bitterness and hatred for both teams WILL get us through this.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/phillysportmuse.

We all were thinking it at the back of our minds when watching the Giants v. Packers game on Sunday night.

How would the Eagles have performed in this game? Could they have made it to this point if they had made it to the playoffs?

It pains me to say it, it truly does, but it seems that the best team this season truly did win the NFC East and make it to the playoffs.

Though Philadelphia defeated the Giants in Week 11 at the Meadowlands, that was not the same New York team that we have witnessed kick ass and take names the last two weeks in the playoffs.

Sure, the Eagles surged in the last four games of the season. But none of those wins (Miami, Jets, Dallas and Washington) came against any teams that were even close to being the cream of the crop in the NFL. But, the Giants faced an incredibly similar slate of opponents their last four games of the season (Dallas, Washington, Jets, then Dallas again).

Yes, Eli Manning has been playing some of the best football of his career. But few could have predicted what the Giants have done thus far in the playoffs. That said,  they have proven each game, more and more emphatically, that they are in it to win it. They New York Giants want it all. » Continue reading “The Painful Reality Of The Playoffs”

LeSean McCoy was once again the only bright spot for the Eagles. Photo by D. Hallowell, Philadelphia Eagles

The two words used I used to describe Sunday’s loss against the Patriots by the Philadelphia Eagles were “epic” and “fail.” The two words I will use to describe where we stand after after the Eagles loss to the Seahawks are simply “four” and “eight.”

That’s right. 4-8. The Eagles record thus far this NFL season after suffering a 31-14 defeat to the Seahawks. Only six teams in the league have worse records than Philadelphia.

God tried to warn us all when the 1st offensive play of the game for the Eagles resulted in an interception by Vince Young. VY got 4 of those. In the postgame presser, the man actually said, “we just have to take care of the turnovers. That’s pretty much it. ”

That’s like saying,  all we have to do is stop losing. That’s pretty much it. No remorse expressed, no ownership of the mistakes that cost the game? Vince Young, ladies and gentleman. His numbers for the game were 17/29 for 209 yards for 1 touchdown, 4 interceptions.

But he doesn’t have that much to work on, according to Vince Young. » Continue reading “Pitiful Performance by Philadelphia in Loss to Seahawks”

Like Eagles fans, Vince Young has also thrown up his hands on this season. Photo via Philadelphia Eagles - B. Garfinkel

Two words summarize the Eagles game against the New England Patriots: Epic. And fail.  I predicted a loss for the Birds, but at least expected a close game. A fight. Clearly, I expected too much.

Sometime after quickly scoring a touchdown and a field goal and leading New England 10-0, the Eagles gave up.  At the half the Eagles were down 24-13. The flashes of brilliance displayed early in the game by the offense and defense seemed like a mirage. The final score was 38-20. Where did they go, and so quickly?

The Eagles are now 4-7. Four wins. Seven losses. Say it out loud, and never speak of the Eagles 2011 playoff chances again.

What storyline to pick to talk about from this horrid, horrid game? Perhaps we could talk about the fact that LeSean McCoy, the only Eagles player who has shown up and performed each and every game this season, was only given the ball 10 times. Or we could talk about the disgraceful 18-yard punt from Chas Henry. Or how about the defense once again getting amnesia and forgetting how to cover and tackle (Mike Patterson had the sole sack on Tom Brady). We could also discuss the play at the 1- yard line in the third quarter when Vince Young badly overthrew Brent Celek rather than run it in, missing a precious opportunity to get a touchdown and stay in the game.

Oh! Here’s one. Loved the two dropped touchdown passes by an Eagles wideout who thinks he is one of the top 5 receivers in the league. His play was so horrible that he was benched. A fitting response, as DeSean Jackson has clearly given up on this team. Oddly, he seems to see no correlation between his extended sulking and lack of production on the field with his hopes for a job with a fat paycheck next year. » Continue reading “Epic Failure on Many Levels in Eagles Loss to Patriots”

New England Patriots (7-3) v. Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)

4:15 pm EST

Broadcast: CBS (TV); 94WIP (Radio)

It was already assumed, but now it’s (somewhat) official. The NFL Network’s Albert Breer cites an Eagles team source as stating that Vince Young will have his second start as an Eagle come Sunday versus the New England Patriots. Can he carry the team to victory for the second time in as many weeks?

For the Birds to have any chance, Young is going to have to make far fewer mistakes than he did in his debut as a starter last week, when he had a 63.9 completion percentage, 2 touchdowns, and a troubling 3 picks.

As maligned as the Eagles defense has been this season, the  Patriots’ defense is a whole lot worse.  New England is ranked dead last in the league in total defense, allowing 404 yards per game. But New England is 7-3, sitting comfortably atop the AFC East, all with the worst total defense in the league.

The problem is that the Patriots more than make up for their woes on defense with a several weapons on offense. First among them is that quarterback of theirs Tom Brady has a QB rating so far this year of 102, with 25 TDs and 3266 yards. His precision and experience in controlling New England’s offense is THE challenge for the Eagles. Clearly, his abilities can and will continue to cover a  multitude of sins for the Patriots’ defense. Now may also be a good time to mention that Brady is 3-0 in his career. Bastard. » Continue reading “This Is It: Patriots v. Eagles”

CARDINALS V. EAGLES

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13

1 PM, FOX

There are two storylines that can make Sunday’s Arizona Cardinals versus Philadelphia Eagles game more exciting than it appears on the surface.

The return of Kevin Kolb to the Linc. The former Eagles backup returning to Philadelphia to show what he’s got as a starter. This scenario is unlikely to occur, however, as Kolb risks missing his second straight game due to a turf toe injury. Kolb remains a game time decision.

Well, there goes the first element of intrigue.

The second focus is the more critical one for the Eagles. Regardless of how little fans may be interested in seeing the team play a 2-6 Cardinals team led by backup John Skelton, Philadelphia must fight for its very life this game in order to have any hope of digging out of the hole the team has created. The 3-5 Eagles are currently in third place in the NFC East, and are 3 games behind the division leading New York Giants. » Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Cardinals at Eagles”

The Eagle has landed

Free agency started off with a bang Friday evening with a move that topped every other surprise presented in this week of surprises. And that’s saying something, in a week that saw the likes of Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth to the New England Patriots.

As he was the most  sought after free agent in 2011, it was fitting that the Nnamdi Asomugha deal occurred just moments after teams were cleared to begin signing free agents.

The Eagles landed Asomugha to a 5 year, $60 million deal.

Coach Andy Reid and GM Howie Roseman addressed the media shortly after the trade was announced.

Reid stated that the team had a “great plan for free agency and trades and so on,” then stated, simply:

“I think we all know about Nnamdi.

He’ll be a great addition to our cornerback core….right now we have 3 great corners. We’ll see how things go there.”

Yes we will. More on that list bit in a few moments.

Howie Rosen then said,

“We thought it was a great opportunity to our football team and an option we had to explore.”

We all know that Nnamdi is sick. That’s why everyone wanted him. Just how sick? Some info from the Eagles:

“A three-time Pro Bowler from 2008-10 and a four-time All Pro selection (2006, 2008-10), Asomugha (6-2, 210) has played in 122 career games (99 starts), and accumulated 310 tackles, 11 interceptions, 62 passes defensed and two sacks. Widely regarded as one of the top cover cornerbacks in the NFL, Asomugha earned his third straight trip to the Pro Bowl in 2010 after contributing 19 tackles and six passes defensed, anchoring a Raiders defense that ranked second in the NFL behind San Diego by allowing just 189.2 passing yards per game. “

Before the official start of free agency at 6 pm on Friday, it was widely thought that the chase for Asomugha was between the Jets and the Dallas Cowboys. Eagles fans, how happy are we that Nnamdi didn’t go to another NFC East team? » Continue reading “The Eagle Has Landed: Philadelphia Signs Nnamdi Asomugha”

And the ESPY goes to...

There is still no football, but now you can vote for some of the NFL’s best players and moments from the 201o season. This is where the fans’  voice really matter: Go forth and vote, my friends!

There isn’t a strong presence for the Eagles in this year’s nominations (BOOO!) but where there is, there is no contest. The Birds’ stunning victory against the Giants in December’s Miracle at the Meadowlands is nominated as the Best Game of the year. Other contenders are Auburn’s win over Alabama in the Iron Bowl;  Butler University’s upset of Pitt in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament; and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s victory over Memphis in triple overtime in the NBA playoffs.

Those were all some great games, but seriously. No contest for the Eagles. The Miracle is one of the best games I have ever seen in any sport, in 2010 or any other year. I mean, for God’s sake, no one even bothered to name those other games!

Sadly, the Best Game category is the only place where the Eagles are nominated for this year’s ESPY’s.

The nominees for Best NFL Player are New England’s Tom Brady; Houston’s Arian Foster; Clay Matthews of the Packers; Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu; and Super Bowl winning quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers is also up for Best Male athlete, and Foster is nominated for Best Breakthrough Athlete.

A full list of this year’s nominees can be found here. Place your votes for the 2011 ESPY’s here. Who knows, maybe by the time the broadcast airs (on July 13 at 9 pm EST) the NFL will be back in business!

Jeremy Maclin at Thursday's workout, 50% of the Eagles in attendance. Photo courtesy of Jeff McLane via Twitter.

And then there were two.

2 Eagles players showed up for the team’s informal workout yesterday. Two.  QB Mike Kafka and WR Jeremy Maclin were those who decided to show up and put in some work.

I’m not sure that this can be called a “team workout.” It sounds more like a couple of friends hanging out to play catch.

The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane noted via Twitter that “There were actually 5x as many members of the media as there were #Eagles” at yesterday’s practice.

Now that’s a shame.

While there is debate about the import and value of the  informal workouts being organized by NFL players around the country, the Eagles’ participation numbers thus far have been pitiful. If you’re going to do something at all, do it right. Two guys showing up to play catch? Why bother?

To be fair, on Wednesday 11 Eagles took part in their practice. And Maclin brought some other, non-Eagles receivers with him to Thursday’s workout. But when there are reports of the Cowboys and the Patriots getting participation from 40 or more members of their teams, the Eagles numbers by in these workouts are pathetic in comparison. » Continue reading “And Then There Were Two”