Does Michael Vick deserve more time on the field?

Thursday August 19, 2010 • 1 Comment 

It certainly looked that way when on the field in the pre-season game against Jacksonville.  Vick went 11/17 on completions, had 119 yards, and 1 interception.

Now, I know this was just a pre-season game and there are plenty more tough games ahead, but I can’t seem to shake the idea that Vick still has the talent he had in Atlanta. Sure he hasn’t shown us a ton of great plays, but he also hasn’t been on the field nearly as much either.

I always liked Vick. Now, don’t get me wrong, the whole dog fighting thing is most certainly NOT cool in my book, but give the guy some credit. He has paid his dues and was punished for his crimes. He has even done community service in Philadelphia. To all the Vick haters out there, give the guy a chance. He made a huge mistake, bigger then most people make, but he did his time and now he is just trying to get back to his career. It’s in the past.

Anyway, as far as the pre-season game against the Jaguars goes, I do believe Vick showed he’s still got it. I think it would be wise for Andy Reid to play Vick a bit more this season. Not just because of the whole transition into the Kolb era, but because he will ease some of that pressure off of Kolb. Vick has great speed, and makes great plays. Losing McNabb was a bit of a blow, but between Kolb and Vick, I think the Eagles will be just fine this season.

What are your thoughts? Does Vick deserve more playing time? Do you believe he’s still got that talent everybody says he left in Atlanta? Let us hear it.



Vick Officially Cleared ?

Thursday August 5, 2010 • 2 Comments 

Today it was reported that Eagles owner Jeff Lurie cleared Michael Vick,  stating that he made an error in judgement being there in an effort to appease certain members of his family and people from his old neighborhood-meaning, his dogfighting ring cronys-but that he was not DIRECTLY involved with any wrongdoing personally in regards to the shooting. 

Huh ?

I responded to this interview much in the same way I responded to the Eagles acquisition of the historically troubled quarterback in the first place. 

Any time I post in opposition to Vick, I get comments about the man having served his time and giving him another chance.  I responded then as I do now; If any of us were to repeatedly be involved in legal troubles of any nature, the world would not respond so kindly to our re-introduction as is any athlete or celebrity accustomed.

The Eagles have a strong young quarterback with limited experience in Kerry Kolb.  He can carry the franchise the next 5-10 years and possibly do great things, especially if the recieving corps is reinforced.  They need a proven veteran who is an asset to the team, in both action and attitude. They need someone who can step in if things get out of control, or Kolb were to get injured (always a possibility for starting quarterbacks in the NFL)

They don’t need Vick.   They don’t need the drama.    

They can do without his 68 yards passing, his 95 yards rushing, his 3 touchdowns, all at a bargain NFL ticket of  1.6 million.  This year he is making 5.2 million.  That we know of.  That’s more than $1,700,000 per touchdown.  Or $31,901 per yard.  Or $4 more a ticket you and me and everyone has to pay to see him play.  And he is hardly ever a factor, even when on the field.  

I don’t see him as ever being a factor and, based on his first year’s performance in Philly, I don’t see why Lurie relaxed his zero tolerance policy, which would of course NOT include looking the other way at any player being present at the scene of a shooting, to make an exception for Vick of all people.

It is sad.   The NFL allowed him to return to play after his incarceration.  Tony Dungy stood up for him. McNabb and Reid lobbied to get him on the roster.  Now Lurie is standing up for him.  What more does our young superstar desire ?   Why is it he can’t stay away from people who break laws and cause trouble  ?  He knows he is a celebrity so I would think he would be ultra careful. 

I will be rooting for Kolb to be strong out of training camp and eliminate any need to have further Vick discussion.  Let’s have him “star” in 50 snaps that gain a total of 200 yards for the season and pay him 3 times as much this year. 

Allegations regarding Michael Vick since he was drafted in 2001:

  • His father, Michael Boddie, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that in 2001, Vick was staging dogfights in the garage of the family’s home, kept fighting dogs in the family’s backyard, including injured ones which the father nursed back to health. 
  • In early 2004, two men were arrested in Virginia for distributing marijuana. The truck they were driving was registered to Vick. 
  • On October 10, 2004, Vick and his posse were at Atlanta’s Hartsfield International on their way to board a flight. A security camera caught 2 members of the Vick party stealing an expensive-appearing watch which belonged to Alvin Spencer.  Spencer filed a police report.  Although Vick representatives declined to make him available for an Atlanta police inquiry, six days later Spencer got the watch back from them.
  • In March 2005, Sonya Elliott filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from him in the autumn of 2002 and that he failed to inform her that he had the disease. 
  • November 26, 2006, After a loss to the Saints, in apparent reaction to fans booing, Vick flashed the double bird, was fined $10,000 by the NFL and agreed to donate another $10,000 to charity. 
  • January 17, 2007 – Vick surrendered a water bottle which had a hidden compartment to security personnel at Miami Internastional Airport. Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing


    • No punishment coming for Vick

    Monday July 26, 2010 • 1 Comment 

    For a change there is some good news regarding Michael Vick. According to an NFL spokesman, there will be no suspension forthcoming for Vick after his latest off-field issue.

    Eagles coach Andy Reid is scheduled to have a press conference at 5 p.m. to provide further information.

    Bellow is the Associated Press report:

    An NFL spokesman says there has been no change in Michael Vick’s playing status, so the Eagles quarterback reported to training camp on Monday as expected.

    When asked whether a league investigation of Vick has been completed, Greg Aiello tells The Associated Press in an e-mail the NFL would have no further comment on Vick at this time.
    Vick reiterated on Monday that he has done nothing wrong.

    The NFL and the Eagles have been looking into a shooting incident at a Virginia Beach, Va., nightclub, where Vick held his 30th birthday party on June 25th. Police say no charges will be filed in the incident because of a lack of cooperation by witnesses and the victim, who Vick’s attorney Larry Woodward identified as Quanis Phillips — a co-defendant in Vick’s federal dogfighting case.



    What I learned on my 2-week vacation Part 2: You have got to be kidding me!

    Thursday July 15, 2010 • 1 Comment 

    PSB writer Eric Schwartz spent’ the last two weeks on vacation traveling up and down the East Coast for two weddings, moving into a new house and doing a lot of sweating. Here is a five-part what he learned during that period and how it relates to the Philadelphia sports scene.

    Orlando, Florida is the setting of my next lesson and once again it is a wedding reception that serves as the background. This wedding had it all: a Disney backdrop, great food and even an appearance by Donald Duck. Yet a “You have to be kidding me!” moment was about to sneak up on the guests.

    During the cocktail hour an odd choice of music came on. I’m not sure of the title of the song but it was no doubt a selection from Nickelback.

    About 20 minutes later with the dinner now underway Nickelback was again the song of choice. Knowing the bride and groom I know this was not their choosing.

    Then inexplicably, 10 minutes later another Nickelback song was played. By this time the groom had had enough and ordered the DJ not to play any more Nickelback for the night. The crowd was thankful. Very thankful.

    Three Nickelback songs in one hour at a wedding? You have got to be kidding me!

    Which brings us back to Philly where Eagles quarterback Michael Vick once again found himself in the news for the wrong reasons.

    By now it’s old news that Vick left his birthday party just minutes after a co-defendant from his dog-fighting case was shot. For most media members the questions surround when Vick left the party and why the shooting happened in the first place.

    For me, I want to know why Vick is still hanging out with this crew?

    Vick got a second chance in the NFL after his dog-fighting past and said he would be smarter about the situations he put himself in and the people he hung out with.

    So far, Vick is 0-for-2.

    For now it looks like the Eagles will stick with Vick as their backup QB although there is a chance the team’s relationship with the player could still end. I can’t fault the team for sticking with him considering there is currently no direct evidence to link Vick to the shooting, I can only ask “What was Vick thinking?”

    On the bright side, I’m sure Nickelback wasn’t played at his party.

    Read Part 1: Avoiding disaster



    Mixed Messages

    Saturday July 3, 2010 • 1 Comment 

    The Philadelphia Eagles released a statement Saturday saying that they are not considering releasing quarterback Michael Vick at this time. The questions surrounded the star because he is in the midst of an investigation of a shooting. After signing with the Eagles following his two years in prison, Vick had seemingly stayed out of trouble, until June 25th.

    On the eve of his 30th birthday, a former defendant on Vick’s dog fighting case was shot outside Vick’s restaurant, where he was out celebrating. Vick insists that he was long gone from the restaurant by the time of the shooing, but questions still remain.

    This latest incident just adds to the controversy that surrounds Vick. The former Virginia Tech star, who was previously imprisoned for his famous involvement in a dog fighting ring, was given a second chance by the Eagles, but he does not seem to be making the best of his situation. While it is understandable that he can not have control over everything that goes on around him, it would be in his best interest to try to stay under the radar as much as possible.

    It seems that Vick has put the Eagles in a difficult position. With the release of Donovan McNabb this off-season, the team showed they are committed to quarterback Kevin Kolb, with Vick backing him up. Now the team will have to decide whether Vick is worth the risk.



    Jaws says Eagles look energized; Vick voted most hated athlete

    Saturday June 19, 2010 • Leave a Comment 

    If Ron Jaworski is to be believed the Eagles are a team with a ton of energy right now. With so many young players on their roster and the likes of Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Sheldon Brown no longer in the fold, there is a sense that things are fresher than they have been in years.

    Bellow is an excerpt from profootballtalk.com

    “I’ve spoken to a number of players, a number of the coaches, and the one thing I sense that was probably missing over the last couple years is energy,” Jaworski said this week to Mike Missanelli on 97.5, via Sheil Kapedia of Philly.com. “There’s almost that little-kid enthusiasm right now within the organization because of the changes they’ve made.”

    Time will tell if that energy translates into more wins.

    In other News Michael Vick has been named the Most Disliked Person in Sports by a poll provided by Forbes. Nothing too surprising there as people who read Forbes are still a little upset about the whole dog fighting thing. Rounding out the top five were Al Davis, Ben Roethlisberger, Tiger Woods and Jerry Jones.



    Donovan McNabb traded to Redskins

    Sunday April 4, 2010 • 9 Comments 

    This time it’s not an April’s Fools joke.

    According to espn.com, the Eagles have reached a deal to trade quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. That’s right, he’s staying in the NFC East.

    Bellow is an excerpt:

    The Philadelphia Eagles have reached agreement on a blockbuster intra-division trade that will send perennial Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins according to multiple sources close to the situation.

    The two sides still must finalize language, but McNabb is now headed to Washington. Sources said the deal involved the Redskins’ second-round pick in the 2010 draft and either a third- or fourth-round pick next year, depending on several factors.

    The move means the Redskins now have a new starting quarterback and the Eagles have a new one as well in Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick is now in line as the team’s backup.

    Read the whole story here:

    The timing of the news is surreal as we are just hours away from the Phillies opening up their 2010 season. Boy is the city is going to be buzzing. Philly Sports Blogs will have much more reaction to McNabb going to a divisional rival once the story is officaly confirmed.

    For now?

    Wow. Just wow.



    Loud writer has lost touch with city

    Thursday March 25, 2010 • 3 Comments 

    To be quite honest I’m surprised it took this long to bring my next guest into the woodshed.

    He’s loud, obnoxious, and quite often out of touch with the Philadelphia fans he writes for.

    Welcome Stephen A. Smith.

    Smith made a name for himself nationally once he joined ESPN but has been known for his hate-spewed ramblings in Philadelphia for much longer.

    Today Smith offered this observation on the whole Donovan McNabb trade drama:

    McNabb should have demanded a trade by now. Who cares if it’s to the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, or one of 13 other teams, by my count, that could desperately use McNabb’s services this season? With the Eagles having adopted their new and improved turncoat mentality, the biggest mistake McNabb appears to have made does not involve interceptions or NFC championship/Super Bowl losses.

    His biggest mistake was not demanding a trade years ago.

    The treatment McNabb has received year after year has been disgraceful. What has taken place this off-season has surpassed betrayal. And for what, exactly? One quarterback (Michael Vick) who’s still shaking off the rust of prison, and the other (Kolb) a bit rusty from riding the pine for three seasons.

    You can read the story in it entirety here: Just be warned, you might have a headache before you are done.

    He references the Eagles likely future quarterback as Kevin (Corn on the) Kolb. Really Smith? What are you seven?

    He then goes back into the well about McNabb only having two quality receivers in his whole career of any quality in T.O. and DeSeasn Jackson. Seriously, how does that well have any water left?

    It’s fine to argue that the Eagles would be making a mistake by trading McNabb, some people still feel that way. But in typical Smith fashion he offers nothing to explain why trading McNabb would hurt the franchise.

    Of course when the trade does go down and if Kolb becomes a star overnight Smith will be the first one in line to tell you how he saw this coming a mile away.

    He will do it in a loud, brash manner. That’s just his style.

    Hey any chance that when McNabb gets traded, Smith can be thrown in the deal?



    Reid says Eagles entertaining offers for all three quarterbacks

    Wednesday March 24, 2010 • Leave a Comment 

    Andy Reid has finally come out and admitted what everyone in Philadelphia already knew: The Eagles are entertaining trade offers for all three of their quarterbacks.

    You can read the report on espn.go.com

    While the news is not a surprise, the fact that it came from Reid is. The Eagles’ coach has been steadfast in his statement that Donovan McNabb will be the team’s starting quarterback next season and they would like to keep all three of their signal callers.

    The national media has not bought that for a second though, linking McNabb, Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb to different locations during the offseason. Someone is going somewhere.

    Of course tightlipped Andy was not about to go into any further details on any possible deals, as the article states.

    “This is the truth: Our three quarterbacks are Philadelphia Eagles,” Reid said Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “People are entertaining us with offers. Nothing’s been done, but we’re evaluating all of them. That’s the truth. There’s not a lot really going on other than entertaining.”

    So while we may not know more about the future of the Eagles quarterback position today than we did yesterday, at least Reid has come out and admitted the obvious.

    For him, that’s a big step.



    Eagles lock up Jason Avant

    Monday March 8, 2010 • Leave a Comment 

    Julius Peppers and Aaron Kampman are not coming to town to help the Philadelphia Eagles.

    However the team is taking care of its own.

    The Eagles announced a contract extension with wide receiver Jason Avant. Avant, who was a restricted free agent, signed a five-year deal, but terms have yet to be disclosed.

    The move comes on the heals of the team’s decision to pick up the $1.5 million bonus for Michael Vick. The bonus is part of the $5.25 salary Vick is set to earn this season. The move does not guarantee that the Eagles will keep Vick and it could just be a way to buy time for a trade.

    The other news out of Philadelphia came on Friday when the Eagles inked fullback Leonard Weaver to a 3-year deal. The deal is worth $11 million and will keep the powerful back paving the way for LeSean McCoy for the foreseeable future.

    While the moves have not jumped off the front pages of major sports publications, they are smart, sound football decisions. If the Eagles didn’t lock up Vick by Tuesday he would have become a free agent and the team would have been left with nothing in return. Now there are trade possibilities. Avant is young, tall and talented and has become Donovan McNabb’s favorite third down target. His upside is great.

    And Weaver is everything you could want in a fullback. He’s a great blocker and he can run when given the opportunity. He is also said to be a great leader and teammate.

    There are still holes that the team needs to fill, but by bringing back their own talent the Eagles have avoided creating new ones.



    3 question marks could define Eagles 2010 season

    Monday March 1, 2010 • 1 Comment 

    There is a lot up in the air this off season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

    Will they keep McNabb ?

    Will they draft a linebacker in the first round for the first time since 1979 ?

    Will McCoy be a satisfactory replacement for the departed Westbrook ?

    Here is my take on the situation.  The Eagles have a very good returning nucleus to last years team that, in my opinion, underacheived by not getting deep into the playoffs.  

    They need to keep McNabb.  I have been saying for years that the team, and the fans, do McNabb a disservice by even thinking of replacing him.  Last years pickup of Michael Vick could have been disasterous.  The first two career starts for Kolb could have also undermined the star veteran’s position.  But the truth here is, at this place, and at this time, McNabb represents the best chance the Eagles have of getting to the Super Bowl and winning it this time.

    If you look at his career, he is simply the best we have seen playing for the Birds, ever.  He has more yards passing, more yards rushing, more touchdowns, and more victories than any other Eagles quarterback in history.  This group includes O’Brian, Van Brocklin, Jaworski, and Cunningham.   McNabb also did this with only 2 world class wide receivers to partner up with, TO in 2004 and DeSean Jackson last year.  If Don had ANY season with two top echelon WR’s or had been partnered with a top ten WR for several years running and been able to develop a consistent set of “go to” plays, his passing stats could very well rival Manning and Brady.

    As it is, he has passed for nearly 30,000 yards and over 200 touchdowns to a mostly second level group of receivers.  To date, Harold Carmichael remains the career best Eagle receiver with 8978 yards and 79 TD’s over 13 years with 1973 being his best season when he caught for 1116 yards and 9 touchdowns.  If McNabb had a Rice, Largent, Monk, Irvin, or Lofton, he would be pushing 40,000 career yards.   He currently holds 7 team passing records and three NFL records as well as being the least intercepted quarterback per pass attempt of all time.

    Keep McNabb and keep grooming Kolb.  Kolb might not be the best fit here at this moment, but he is a good quarterback to have in the wings and every chance he gets to watch McNabb and be mentored by him, the better he will be when he becomes a full time starter.   

    As far as drafting a linebacker early, they absolutely should.  They are solid at QB, WR, RB, TE, DE and most the defensive secondary positions.   Last year, the only revolving door was at the linebacker position, a hole they filled admirably with a group of players that all stepped up to cover players lost to injury.  The offensive and defensive lines were starting to jell late in the season so the only real weakness the Birds may possess is in the linebacker corps.

    Finally, the Eagles made the right choice in dealing Westbrook.  I absolutely loved BW and if he had been more durable, his career statistics could have been mind blowing.  As it is, they were still pretty damn good indeed !!  I hope he gets a chance to play with significant time somewhere else (he is talking about wanting to go play in Chicago) but the bottom line is McCoy is a better fit for the current team.  We need a back that can pound out yards and take 30-40 touches a game for 16 games without suffering injury or having an off day and I believe the young 21 year old is up to the task after what he showed us last year. 

    So, if we make the right choices in the upcoming draft, and if there is a good enough linebacker still available when the Eagles turn comes up (24th) then I am calling the Eagles my favorite for NFC representative in the Super Bowl.  And I think if they get there, with McNabb at the helm, he may realize this could be his last chance at the twilight of his career, and not let a chance at the gold slip from his fingers like it did when they lost to the Patriots in 2004.   His numbers in that game were the third best in history for a QB in the Super Bowl but he still shouldered much of the blame for the 21-24 loss. 

    I can’t wait for the draft so I can see just how good this team is going to be, and there is alot of competition out there, but I am getting the early vibe that this year is the Eagles year.  God knows we are overdue !



    McNabb rumors swirl

    Monday February 8, 2010 • Leave a Comment 

    Not even the Super Bowl can be free of Donovan McNabb trade rumors.

    Les Bowen issued a piece in today’s issue of the Daily News talking about the latest speculation in on trades involving McNabb, as well as Vick and Kolb. He also stressed that as of now nothing is close to happening.

    Bellow is Bowen’s article.

     

    If there is one day in the NFL year when we ought to be free of worrying about Donovan McNabb and the Eagles , it should be Super Bowl Sunday. Alas, such is not the case.

    We’ve had reports today from ESPN folk who apparently have too much time on their hands, with their network not doing the game. Adam Schefter says teams have asked the Birds about all three of their quarterbacks and three teams have called about Michael Vick. Sal Paolantonio added that three teams — Cleveland, Denver and Buffalo — have had multiple conversations with the Eagles about Donovan McNabb.

    Don’t know the exact teams myself, but I understand there have been a lot of calls, many of them not about any QB in particular, just letting the Eagles know Team X is interested, should they look to deal any of their three. I’m also told nothing is anywhere close to happening, that all of the queries have been preliminary.

    This last point canot be overemphasized. NOTHING IS ANYWHERE CLOSE TO HAPPENING.

    As you know, Andy Reid has indicated McNabb will be the Eagles’ QB in 2010, and McNabb has said this is his strong understanding, as well. Vick has said he would like to go somewhere where he could start, and a few days ago down at South Beach, McNabb endorsed that idea. Kevin Kolb has said he’d like to start, but is a team player, and so forth.

    The Vick-to-St. Louis speculation makes a lot of sense to me.

    A scource close to the situation thinks at least half a dozen teams ultimately will inquire about Kolb — including Cleveland, where Tom Heckert, of course, is now the GM, working under Reid’s mentor, Mike Holmgren. Almost any team looking to draft a QB this season would be smart to look into Kolb, who presumably wouldn’t need several years of training to take over. This is not a great quarterback draft; if Kolb came out this year, he’d almost certainly be a first-rounder. Of course, with McNabb heading toward his 12th season and not under contract after 2010, trading Kolb would be quite a gamble for the Birds.

     We now return you to your regularly scheduled Super Bowl XLIV hoopla.



    Making the case: The final verdict at QB

    Friday January 15, 2010 • 2 Comments 

    Over the past few days phillysportsblogs has made a case for Michael Vick, Kevin Kolb and Donovan McNabb to be named the starter in 2010 for the Philadelphia Eagles.

    Now it’s time to get serious.

    Before I unveil the rightful choice for the job, it is time to look at one of the major factors in the decision that not yet been discused.

    The last two weeks have been hard on Eagles fans young and old. Entering the final week of the season the Eagles had hopes of a NFC East title, No. 2 seed and first round bye in the playoffs. Instead they were presented with two tail-whippings at the hands of the rival Dallas Cowboys.

    Over the course of those two games it became impossible for even the most stubborn Eagles fan to deny that the Cowboys have surpassed the Eagles in terms of talent and production.

    Before the start of the season Eagles’ President and CEO Joe Banner announced to the media that his team was the most talented in the NFL.
    Mr. Banner, you were wrong. Dead wrong.

    While there is uncertainty for the future in Minnesota and Arizona due to possible retirements at the quarterback position, Dallas and New Orleans look set for the several years to come. Each team has a multi-layered running attack, a proven quarterback (Yes, it’s time to award Tony Romo that status) and tons of weapons at the tight end and receiver positions. The Cowboys are also stacked on defense, while the Saints have shown drastic improvement on that side of the ball from a year ago.

    These teams aren’t going away so the only way for the Eagles to return to the Super Bowl — and maybe actually win it — is to improve to or above their competitions level.

    With a solid draft — and health — the Eagles should be able to see improvements on both sides of the ball. Stewart Bradley will be back at the MLB position and DeSeasn Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek will each be a year wiser.

    Is that enough?

    No.

    And that’s where the decision making comes to light.

    Everyone has seen what McNabb can — and cannot — do leading the offense. It is true that if McNabb has three or four years of success at his current rate he will surpass the 40,000 yards passing mark and with that likely secure a ticket to the Hall of Fame. If he is elected to the Hall he will go in as an Eagle.

    But even with that in mind, it is time for a change.

    There are anywhere from 8-12 teams that will be looking for a new starting quarterback in the offseason and there isn’t a whole lot out there. There are not 8-12 quality quarterback out there. In fact there might not be two.

    The market is led by Kyle Orton, Jason Campbell, Chad Pennington, Tavaris Jackson, and Kellen Clemens. Yhat’s it folks.

    I mention this because if made available McNabb jumps to the top of that list. He could even bring back a late first rounder, or a combination of a second and a third. This would help the Eagles fill a couple of holes on the lines in a hurry.

    So who then is the man to lead the offense in 2010?

    Kevin Kolb.

    If not now then it will be never for Kolb and the Eagles. He is a free agent to be next offseason and if the Birds do not commit to him next season there will be no reason for him to re-sign.

    There is no guarantee that simply placing Kolb in the starting lineup will vault the Eagles into contention with the Saints and Cowboys next year and beyond, but it is almost certain that is the Eagles return with McNabb they will not.

    As the saying goes “you are what you are.” The Eagles with McNabb at the helm have been a very, very good football team over the last decade. Yet at the end of the day the franchise has earned the same amount of Super Bowl rings as teams that are very, very bad.

    What McNabb has done for this city and team should not soon be forgotten. He brought the team to heights it had not been since the early 80’s and turned Philadelphia back into a football town.

    For that he should be thanked, and above all, appreciated. But the time has come to part ways.

    McNabb is still very good.

    It’s long past time for the Eagles to be great.

    Kevin Kolb, the time is yours.



    Making the case: Vick for starter in 2010

    Tuesday January 12, 2010 • 2 Comments 

    Michael Vick is a weapon, plain and simple. He can run, pass and he is capable of the big play at any time.

    When the Eagles signed Vick last offseason they did so to give an athlete with a troubled past a chance to rebuild his reputation in the community and show that he could also still get the job done on the field.

    I think most would agree that he went 2-for-2.

    It is almost a certainty that the Eagles will not keep Vick around as a backup considering his contract calls or him to make 5.2 million next season. Reid has already come out and said that Donovan is his guy next year, but plenty can change in an offseson.

    The Eagles have three options with “the original wildcat: They can decline his option leaving him to go free elsewhere; pick up the option and trade him; or trade McNabb and make Vick the starter.

    While option three seems the most unlikely, let’s examine it.

    It is hard to look too deep into Vick’s numbers this year considering he attempted only 13 passes during the regular season – completing six for 86 yards. He also ran the ball 24 times for 95 yards. Vick was used sparingly during the regular season and most of his plays were designed to set up this big moment on Saturday.

    It was the one highlight in an otherwise miserable day for the Eagles and their fans.

    For his career, Vick has been up and down. He has tons of highlight runs and has a cannon for an arm, but also lacks the consistency to be an accurate pocket-passer.

    So how does it make sense for him to become the starter in Philadelphia?

    I think it could be a good move for the franchise if they get an offer for McNabb that is too good to refuse – as in, above market value. The fans are clamoring for a change and starting Vick would certainly qualify. The team could keep both Vick and Kevin Kolb for next year and see how things transpire. If it becomes clear that Vick is not the guy, you have a young backup you can turn to. If it does work out you can negotiate an extension with Vick to keep him in Philadelphia.  Either way, one of th two QBs would become the “man” in the future.

    Is it likely? No. Could t work? Yes.

    Fans have seen what the McNabb-Reid combo can do. They want a new look and this could be the one.

    Check back on Wednesday when we make a case for Kevin Kolb to be the 2010 starter.



    The end of the McNabb era may have arrived

    Monday January 11, 2010 • 3 Comments 

    The late Albert Einstein is known for many great pieces of knowledge. In the sports world there is one phrase he coined that seems to trump all else:

    “The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result.”

    That phrase has been used by fans over the last few seasons to persuade  the Eagles front office breaking up the duo of Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid. Of course the front office has not taken that route, keeping the pair together and hoping for different results.

    As a result, the Eagles fan base has been driven insane.

    The Birds made it clear earlier this season that Reid will be back, signing him to a contract extension after back-to-back wins over Washington and Atlanta. What we will soon find out is if McNabb will join him.

    It’s not an easy call anyway you look at it. Few quarterbacks in the league have an arm as strong as McNabb’s. With DeSean Jackson on board McNabb got to show off that arm, throwing for over 3,5000 yards and 22 TDs. His 92.9 QB rating is well-above average.

    But then there is the bounce passes and the mental lapses. And for all that he has accomplished (five NFC title games), he still has a reputation for failing to deliver in big games.

    The Star-Telegram in Dallas has a good read on McNabb’s cloudy

    “And while the blame for the Eagles’ 34-14 loss to Dallas on Saturday shouldn’t be laid solely at the feet of McNabb, the fact remains he is what he is — the Eagles quarterback and the face of the franchise. When things go right, he usually gets credit. When things go wrong, and wrong they did go on Saturday, McNabb must face the music and bear the brunt of the criticism, as he did Saturday.

    But for how much longer?”

    The rest can be read here: http://www.star-telegram.com/332/story/1881936.html

    With Kevin Kolb’s contract will run out after next season and Michael Vick’s option only to be picked up if he is a starter (backups don’t make $5.2 million) there is clearly a decision to be made – a decision that will go a long way in determining the teams success over the next few years.

    Over the next three days I will make the case for Vick, Kolb and McNabb to be the starters, before rendering a verdict on Friday. In the meantime, who do you want to captain the Eagles next season?