Remember when we were all moist hoping the Eagles would draft a prototypical goal-line running back?  And then they did?  But we didn’t really care because we all got distracted by the Kevin Kolb pick? 

Yeah.  That was a year ago. 

Let’s fast-forward a year and imagine how we’ll reminisce this week in 2009:

Remember when we were all moist hoping the Eagles would draft a big wide receiver who could return kicks and be a threat in the red zone?  And then they did?  But we didn’t really care because we call got distracted by the [Jason Taylor trade/ Brian Westbrook holdout/ Tra Thomas surprise retirement].

Mostly we have no idea what’s going to actually happen on Saturday (especially since the Birds will likely trade some of those 11 picks) – but sometimes dreams do come true!  Even if it turns out that those dreams were kind of wrong because the Birds already had the best back in football on the roster!  

I’ll admit that I really couldn’t believe the “Brian Westbrook is going to get a new contract” rumors when they first started percolating a couple weeks ago.

Not because the 36 Chambers of Brian Westbrook doesn’t deserve a raise, mind you. My man crush on this topic is amply documented. It just didn’t seem like, ahem, the sort of thing that the Joe Banner administration was in the business of doing. That is, handing out new contracts to players who got new contracts two years ago.

But lo, the rumblings on the radio gave way to speculation in the blogosphere, and pretty soon the salaried classes of blathermonkeys were reporting said rumors as true! Talks have begun, they tell us.

I consider this to be awesome news for the following reasons: (Read the rest of this story.)

I know we’re supposed to pretend that this final win is bittersweet (since the Eagles aren’t going to the playoffs and will finish last in the NFC East), but whatever. It was still a real football game with real NFL players, and thanks to the cruelty of player contracts in the NFL, guys will play hard (with the possible exception of guys who’ve signed contracts in the past 18 months) even if the playoffs aren’t on the line.

And I certainly enjoyed it. This is my favorite TV show, and it brings me much delight when the good guys win. My quick hits from the game today: (Read the rest of this story.)

More real-time goodness from the PhiladelphiaEagles.com staff with a Pro-Bowl-themed splash page honoring Shawn Andrews and Brian Westbrook.

Good stuff — nice to see Dave Spadaro’s boys on the web staff working hard for their 43K/ year.

Link:
PhiladelphiaEagles.com

Thank you, Philadelphia Eagles! You made my favorite television show interesting for one more week.

Though it’s probably just a bump in the road for what is still the best team in the NFC (staring at ground in abject humiliation), it’s never disappointing to beat the Cowboys, especially in Texas Stadium. Some quick bulletpoints about the game this afternoon:

(Read the rest of this story.)

I don’t ask for much in this world. I sat through that hideous first Giants game at the Meadowlands and watched the Birds get pummeled. It wasn’t sweet. In my smaller and more bitter moments, I’d remind Giants fans that they didn’t play all the well that night either (16 points?), but that’s just sour grapes. They beat our team badly.

The thing is, as mentioned here previously, the Giants are definitely my least favorite team in the NFL. Big Blue, freakin’ royalty up there in New York, the darling of the league office (you mean they got the extra home game for the second time in three years? Really? That isn’t a big deal?), no cheerleaders, the geriatric fans, the Scott Norwood miss, Michael Freakin’ Strahan, tell us how awesome and personable you are, Tiki Barber, tell us how awesome and personable you are, etc etc. Really don’t like them. Would very much prefer if they lost horribly today.

There’s a big difference between this week and September 30: the Eagles’ best player will be on the field. (Read the rest of this story.)

Oh right, so I guess there won’t be a miracle division championship/ playoff berth this season. A week after throwing three picks and losing to the Pats on the road (but covering the outrageously generous spread), A.J. Feeley threw four picks and lost to the Nerdbirds at home. After braying for Feeley for the past few days, even the most devout Dunavivn haters will be begging 5 to come back for the Giants.

No matter, though. The Birds’ problems this season (and next) are bigger than the quarterback position. But that’s another post for another time. My take on the Nerdbirds - RIGHTEOUS BIRDS game:
(Read the rest of this story.)

Before any of us get too bent out of shape in re: this afternoon’s result — an ugly win over a craptastic team in horrible conditions — let us remember that the 2007 Eagles are a mediocre team that is .500 at best.

That is, we should be HAPPY that they won, and stop complaining that they didn’t do it in a beautiful or graceful manner. They aren’t going to win very many games in a beautiful or graceful manner: they’re just not that good. But if they get a couple bounces in the next month, and the other teams in the NFC play crappily, they just might make the playoffs.

If they don’t get lucky, they finish somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-8. They are who we thought they were.

My non-ankle-related stories from today (note: contains some ankle-related commentary):
(Read the rest of this story.)

Thanks to a lopsided result in the Green Bay - Minnesota game/ the glorious and generous mercies of the respective gods of football and television, the Fox affiliate here in Seattle switched to the Birds game with about 3 minutes left in the third quarter.

I wasn’t actually here to watch it (airplanes today; San Antonio to Seattle, layover in Houston where I was able to catch the first three quarters), but my extremely clever roommate DVRs all the games, so the exciting conclusion was waiting for me when I got home later tonight. I mean, I knew the result thanks to the refresh button on ESPN’s mobile site and a minor delay on the tarmac in Houston, but it was pretty sweet to get to see the screen pass to Westbrook, AKA THE BEST PLAY THE EAGLES HAVE MADE ALL SEASON on my very own TV.

(Read the rest of this story.)

So we’ve all heard this story before.

Many moons ago, back in the days before TO and the trip to the Thuper Bowl, the Eagles used to grind out wins with their QB, a feisty defense, some talent at TE and RB — despite a completely overmatched WR corps. If last night’s game is any indication of a larger trend, it sure looks like this team needs to start thinking about winning in the 2003 style and not the 2004 style, because their WRs are getting pushed around like Trash and Stinkston.

(Read the rest of this story.)