Sorry, not buying it.
What I am buying is what my brother Michael has been selling for years and years, peddling it on the street corner like some produce huckster of days gone by. And that is the unadulterated, irrefutable and undeniable sheer pomposity and arrogance of Andy Reid, Joe Banner, et al.
And this past weekend was just another example in the never-ending line of supercilious (Frank Costanza reference) actions perpetrated by the Eagles front office.
‘Ok we know what all the so-called experts think we should do… but we’ll show them. We know more than they do and we certainly know more than our fans do. See it’s our system that’s the difference, not the players. That’s why we’ve been so successful… except for last year of course… oh and that other year but that was all Terrell Owens’ fault, had nothing to do with our gold-plated system.’
Yeah, I think that sounds about right, don’t you?
Headline from ESPN.com re: the NFC East Teams’ draft:
NFC EAST: GIANTS MIGHT HAVE A STEAL; BOYS, SKINS SHREWD
Hmmm… aren’t there FOUR teams in the NFC East?
At 7:30PM Eastern Standard Time last night (Sunday), an ESPN.com poll, which asked fans to grade the Eagles draft, had amassed 4,030 votes. Here’s how the voting looked:
B – 32%
C – 26%
F – 17%
A – 15%
D – 10% (including my vote)
As for the self-proclaimed NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper… he grades the NFC East out thusly:
Eagles – C+
Cowboys – B+
Giants – C+
Redskins – B+
To paraphrase my friend Ray Didinger… how can a team that finished 8-8, last in their division not see the need to draft anyone that could help their team with their 1st Round Pick? How indeed…
Obviously John Harbaugh did not spend enough time around Andy Reid come draft time during his tenure with the Birds. How else can you explain the fact that Harbaugh, now head coach of the Ravens, saw a need (QB) and immediately went out and filled it, drafting Delaware’s Joe Flacco?
Conversely, it’s obvious that Vikings head coach Brad Childress got his draft genes from Big Red. See the Vikes needed to upgrade their QB spot, too but Brad, much like his mentor, did not fill that need with an early round pick, opting instead to wait until the 5th Round to take USC’s John David Booty. Yes the Vikings had only 1 pick in the first 4 Rouns but they could have traded up in an attempt to get the QB everyone thought they needed. Everyone but the front office of course.
Hmmm… that has a familiar ring to it.
In the 4th Round of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Jack Ikegwuonu, Cornerback, Wisconsin…
Yeah, I know, he sounds like one of the bad guys McGarret and Dan-O would chase down on Hawaii 5-0.
In actuality the guy has some talent except… well let’s read what one expert had to say about Jack Ikegwuonu.
“Ikegwuonu sustained a serious knee injury while preparing for the combine and is not expected to play this season, making his selection by Philadelphia a bit puzzling. Before the injury, he was a physical corner who used his hands well and could slow down wideouts at the line of scrimmage. However, he's never had great speed, and the injury makes that even more of a concern. He could move to safety in the NFL.”
OR…
He could opt not to sign with the Eagles and reenter the draft next year, which means the Eagles will have wasted a 4th Round pick. Oh wait, it’s the Eagles, draft picks (rookies) don’t play anyway.
OR…
He could go to jail! In November 2006, Ikegwuonu and his twin brother were arrested on charges of residential burglary and criminal trespassing. They allegedly were trying to steal an Xbox.
And by the way, what’s the deal with Andy Reid draft picks and video games? Brodrick Bunkley, their first-round pick in 2006, was arrested for stealing Grand Theft Auto from a Wal-Mart.
Can someone make sure all Eagles rookies have copies of Madden NFL this year?
“It was a strange and wonderful and, in the end, extremely productive Day One in the draft for the Eagles. The Eagles deserve an "A" for effort and for creativity and, yes, for making the most of their assets in the draft.”
Who do you think said the above?
A. Dave Spadaro
B. Dave Spadaro
C. Dave Spadaro
D. All of the above
Tote that company line Davey boy... tote that line.
Some more on some of the Eagles picks from the “experts”…
DeSean Jackson
You know how the wide-receiver position tends to attract an inordinate share of head cases? Here's your next one: Only Jackson won't be anywhere near as productive as a Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson. Heck, he wasn't overly productive in college last season, ranking 88th nationally among receivers with 65 catches for 762 yards.
***
The Eagles give Donovan McNabb the playmaker he has coveted for years. The diminutive Jackson possesses outstanding speed, and his penchant for producing big plays in the return game will boost the Eagles' mediocre return game. Although he lacks the size to be an every down receiver initially, he gives Andy Reid another weapon to incorporate into the Eagles' game plan.
Trevor Laws
The Eagles pick up a high-motor defensive tackle with the selection of Trevor Laws. Though he may be a little undersized by some standards, his quickness and relentless motor are a nice fit in defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's blitz-heavy scheme.
Oh and here’s what Felix Jones, AKA the new Dallas Cowboy RB did last season at Arkansas:
• Averaged 8.7 yards per rushing attempt last season at Arkansas, the highest average in college football in more than a decade.
• Ran 4 kickoffs back for TDs.
Yeah, clearly he could not have helped the Eagles if they had selected him with the 19th pick, what was I thinking?
Lastly, not sure what hallucinogen SI’s Peter King is currently on but…
Of all the teams in all the league, he ranks the Eagles as #2 among the Five Teams he likes re: the draft.
Altogether now… HUH?
Here’s what PK says:
"The Eagles always ask for too much in trade. Always. They couldn't get rid of Lito Sheppard last weekend, but that was primarily because Sheppard, who gets hurt too much, wants a new contract even though he has four years left on his current one. But the Eagles were able to auction off the 19th pick in the draft for a mind-boggling sum, which they got from Carolina -- second- and fourth-round picks this year and the Panthers' first-round pick next year.
On the draft-trade chart, the 19th-overall pick is worth 875 points. If you assign Carolina an average 2008 season and give them the 16th pick in the first round next year, this trade will be worth 1,546 points on the trade chart -- almost double what the 19th pick is worth. In terms of real additions this year, DeSean Jackson as a receiver/returner with the 49th pick is excellent value."
I don’t think any of us would agree that next year’s Panthers’ pick will be very good... but two things to remember there Pete:
1. This is the Eagles so whose to say they actually keep the pick and make a selection?
2. It does nothing help the team this year!!! The same team that by the grace of God, finished 8-8, and could have and should have finished worse! I say should have because perhaps then and only then would Andy, Joe at Co. get the point, which is THIS TEAMS IS NOT AS GOOD AS YOU THINK THEY ARE!!
‘Til next time.
1 comment:
I just don't understand your arguement regarding the Eagles and their so called arrogance and pomposity. So what you are saying is that the Eagles are just being spiteful to the fans? I'm sorry are we suddenly back in the the 6th grade? That they know they are wrong in their draft selections but make them anyway just to prove a point? Sorry not buying it. Here's the fact and you can slice it anyway you want to but Reid, Banner, et al DO KNOW MORE THAN YOU AND YOUR BROTHER MICHAEL WHEN IT COMES TO DRAFTING FOOTBALL PLAYERS. You have ranted and railed about Reid and the management staff for years but are you really saying you know more about football than they do? Now I ask you, who is being arrogant and pompous? Yours is the classic children's arguement of "I'm right and they're wrong." Stop it already.
When are you going to learn, as I have been saying for years, that they (Reid, Banner, Lurie) DO NOT CARE WHAT YOU THINK! Their stadium is sold out for years to come with a waiting list for season tickets decades long. They are never going to tell you what they are thinking or planning nor justify themselves to you or anyone else for their actions. Ever. Get over yourself.
With all of that being said however I agree with you and Didinger (for completely different reasons however) and am puzzled as to why no first round pick for the second year in row. I, however, think it has everything to do with $$ than anything else. In the end, as most things in life are, their reasoning can be traced back to money.
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