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On The Inside
 
August 30, 2008 | Last Updated: 8/30/08 10:54 AM ET | Comments (179)
National Eyes Are Open To Potential Of This Team

It came like a bolt from nowhere for many fans: Sports Illustrated is picking the Eagles to win 12 games and represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Suddenly, there is some national cred here. People are paying attention to what the Eagles did late last sason, how they approached the months since, how Donovan McNabb's health and good spirits mean so much to this football team.

Suddenly, the Eagles are legit.

I can't tell you how many fans I've come across in the last couple of days who have mentioned the Sports Illustrated scouting report. "The Super Bowl? Are we that good?" is the general line of conversation from the fans.

Surely, it remains to be seen how good the Eagles are going to be this season. We all know how long the season runs and how the many, many variables impact the wins and losses. And opinions from the media are, frankly, completely meaningless. Who really cares?

What makes the Sports Illustrated prediction so interesting, though, is that it clearly opened the eyes of some fans who may not have recognized how good this team can be. All of a sudden, I sense, some fans are sitting up and taking more notice.

I've always pooh-poohed these kinds of things, but right now I'm feeling such a good vibe from this team, and such a positive chemistry. There is a lot of forward momentum heading into the regular season. The Eagles are a together team, hoping to carry over into September 7 the winning ways that last December brought.

I guess right now, siting around and waiting for the final cuts to be made, keeping my eye on college football just a bit, feeling that feeling that all of us have right now, that the season is finally here and that next Sunday just can't arrive fast enough, I believe the Eagles can beat any team, anywhere. I have a great belief in this team.

Yeah, I'm giddy. The season is a series of stages to me, and every bit and piece of the off-season was fascinating. I loved the first weekend of free agency and the dribs and drabs that followed thereafter. The anticipation of the draft and then the actual weekend was a roller coaster of moves and reactions. The post-draft camps were part of the process, and then training camp kicked the on-field part of things into a new gear.

Preseason games? Sure, I jumped around on the sidelines when Quintin Demps returned a kickoff for a touchdown and then DeSean Jackson returned a punt for a touchdown on back-to-back returns. Preseason was promising. Nobody was injured to the point of being lost for the entire season.

Now, though, this is the real thing. It is within reach. The Eagles are the low men on the NFC East totem pole, so there is plenty of motivation to get off to a good start and stay at the top of the division.

I was already pumped before Sports Illustrated came out with Donovan McNabb on the cover. Now, well, I'm bordering on insane. It is a long week ahead, however, and the words of Rich Kotite keep ringing in my ears: "Don't leave your game in the locker room."

See how crazy I am right now?

National Eyes Are Open To Potential Of This Team
   
hungry4tacos@...
08/31/08
9:47 am ET
Yes! I, too am giddy, however, I do like when we are under the radar. Win some games, go unnoticed and BAM! We had our fantasy draft last night and I keep tellin' these guys watch out for my Eagles. Blah, blah, blah. Punks! All the way this year!
darq_eagle
08/31/08
12:05 am ET
I think I like it better when we sneak up on folks. I like being under the radar or in stealth mode and then BOOM, we drop the bomb on league. Superbowl here we come!!!
luvdemiggles
08/30/08
10:55 pm ET
My comments aren't posting. Am I banned already?
luvdemiggles
08/30/08
10:37 pm ET
I didn't see Owen Shmitt's name on the cut list. Did he make it wit them?
luvdemiggles
08/30/08
10:27 pm ET
Just took a quick look at the waiver wire and a couple of names jumped out at me. QBs: Brooks Bollinger, Joey Harrington, Jared Lorenzen, and Drew Henson. I'm not sure I'd take any of them over AJ. Maybe Jared 'cuz in a pinch we could use him as a FB or a run stuffing DT. Heh Heh. CBs: Deltha O'Neal and Ricardo Colclough. They'll probably get picked up by someone (and I couldn't really tell you what kind of corners they are), but both have a better pedigree (1st rounder/Pro Bowler and 2nd rounder)than Joselio Hanson. DE: Victor DeGrate. I know we don't need a DE, and I've never heard of this guy, but I still might change my name to Victor the Great.
GreenPhalanx
08/30/08
7:35 pm ET
MRI results plees.
phillybillybup@...
08/30/08
7:04 pm ET
It's good to see the EAGLES haven't fallen completely out of the eyes of the national/international media. The Sporting News doesn't even have them mentioned as close to the Super Bowl. Though they choose Brett Favre's JETS to be most definitely improved - who will he be throwing to, again? According to TSN, the Chargers will beat the Cowboys in SB XLIII (gotta atleast half BOO that mention, right?) HAHAHA!! 8D
thefirelion
08/30/08
6:17 pm ET
They're taking their time removing Reagor from the website roster...all the other changes are long done.
phillyboy11
08/30/08
6:12 pm ET
ITS GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR FOR US AS EAGLE FANS . IT OUR TIMES TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL . GO BIRDGANG !!!!! SUPER BOWL CHAMPION
thefirelion
08/30/08
6:09 pm ET
Guess that means the MJG injury isn't season ending at least.
icontutu
08/30/08
5:58 pm ET
Last minute Wheeling and Dealing! Who knows how long Management will take to format a delivery to us and all the others.
thefirelion
08/30/08
5:58 pm ET
It's up
Tommy J
08/30/08
5:56 pm ET
Youngearth: GREAT having you back on here
Tommy J
08/30/08
5:55 pm ET
amc: point taken. I hope they are very healthy all year and get spanked all year. Then everyone will know about the truth. Maybe they'll get that kind of "Pete Rose" thing where all his glory days were forgotten. My question is "were the players in on it too?" or just the coaching staff calling the plays and the players just happened to be standing in the right spot?
Meaglesfan
08/30/08
5:52 pm ET
tick tock tick tock
itsayoungearth
08/30/08
5:52 pm ET
7 minutes and counting.....
getmikeg@gmail.
08/30/08
5:52 pm ET
i keep refreshing and everytime it comes back all i see is thelast line of spud's article. "see how crazy i am now!"
itsayoungearth
08/30/08
5:51 pm ET
I don't like Belacheat either, especially when he walked off the field during the SB with a few seconds left and didn't even congratulate the winners. But, you are wrong about not coaching on the sidelines, I have seen him give instruction during games more than any NFL head coach I know
icontutu
08/30/08
5:50 pm ET
Just playing to your anxiety Miggles. Family is number #1 The results and comments will be here when you get back...
getmikeg@gmail.
08/30/08
5:47 pm ET
youngearth)) lol i thought so too. Until now... Another quick thought, with so many great ends( too many) maybe we should have used the third round pick for bryan smith for a receiver, FB, O Tackle, ETC. jUST A THOUGHT
thefirelion
08/30/08
5:40 pm ET
They're leaving us hanging until the last possible second aren't they?
luvdemiggles
08/30/08
5:39 pm ET
tutu)) I'm dragging my feet for all I'm worth. But all scheduling decisions are determined by my 15 month old daughter and are translated to me by my wife. Really do have to go now.
itsayoungearth
08/30/08
5:38 pm ET
and I thought I left long posts
amcconnell1@...
08/30/08
5:27 pm ET
Tommy J,the wheels have already fallen off the Patri........Cheaters wagon.It all started with the week before the Super Bowl,and the proof of more evidence.Then the loss to the Giants,which I'm sure Gooddell was guaranteeing that there was no way,that the cheats were gonna cheat that game.They lose to the #5 seeded NFC Wild Card team,after beating that same team on their home field of New York,less than a month prior.Next,Belicheat,shows his great "class",by walking back to the locker room,before the game has even ended,not even congratulating the victor.What's the first shot at the direct end of the Super Bowl?It's not the Giants celebrating,it's the Cheaters slowly walking back to the locker room,where half the team,or more,also showed their great "class",by not shaking hands,and congratulating the victor.Then,you hear that Brady wasn't 100% in that game from his trainer,claiming that he would have easily won the game,if not hurt.Brady,and Belicheat go into hiding,as the draft approaches,and the actual vidoetapes,of what they had been doing,including other team's snap counts,offensive signals,time of the play,play call,and actual play,followed by defensive signals,time of the play,defensive formation,and actual play,all of this followed by the game times,downs,scores,and complete scoreboards,of the game involved.Owner of the cheats,than comes out stating that they had no idea that what they were doing was actually "cheating",and then forces Belicheat to come on T.V.(60 minutes if I'm remembering)and claim that it was all a misunderstanding,while in a dress shirt for the first time in his life,claiming that he "misinterpreted the rules."Instead of the interviewer asking Belicheat"How can you misunderstand 'NO VIDEOTAPING OTHER TEAMS'?",but instead lets him give his "I Didn't know."speech,over and over.During the owner's meeting,Kraft has a "heartfelt speech to other owners,that is accepted".A speach that is accepted,by the same owners that wanted his head on a platter.This tells me,that Kraft wasn't crying because the Cheaters were wrong,he's crying because he knows that their team's done as far as Super Bowls go,and will fade into mediocrity.As the draft commences,they get a LB,Jerod Mayo,from UT,who's a good LB,but not anywhere near a top 10 pick,and plan to have him playing this season.Brady,still in hiding,misses all of TC,then suddenly shows up at the last pre-season game,although not playing,saying that he's "Good to Go" for week 1,but does have a foot injury.The Cheaters go 0-4 in the pre-season,getting hammered by all 4 teams.Belicheat for the first time in his head coaching career,can be seen in the pre-season,ACTULLY COACHING PLAYERS ON THE SIDELINES.Any other year,he just stands with his "hoodie" over his head,with his arms crossed doing nothing,unless Brady comes to the sidelines,to get a new "play call arm guard",whenever they get too far behind,or if it falls off during play,then suddenly disappears off the field.All these things tell me one thing,THE CHEATING DAYS ARE OVER.That one Super Bowl loss,put them out of the category of"60's Packers,70s Steelers,80s 49ers,and 90s Cowboys,cuz those teams NEVER lost a Super Bowl.The Patriots are a joke.......
icontutu
08/30/08
5:12 pm ET
Hey-hen peckles, tell her the shopping will wait an hour... 48minutes and counting...



 

 
 
 
 
 
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