Let me formally introduce myself. I'm Dylan Malitsky a junior at William Tennent Highschool. For my grad project (a mandatory course of all WTHS students) I've decided to give a run at researching and "becoming" a sport's journalist. My favorite form of sport's journalism is the blog, certainly the most entertaining. Over the period of time I am (required) to write here, I hope to gain a knowledge of blogging, and improve my sporting intelligence, while gaining an insight as to what it's like to report on my love, sports.
Let's jump right into things. So its been about 60 hours since the game that was SUPPOSED to be an utter blow out of the Cardinals by my beloved Eagles... I'm still in awe, after scraping into the playoffs, getting into the NFC championship game against a ragdoll team with a decent offense, that we still managed to lose. Don't get me wrong that they have a decent record, (11-5), but the teams they played were all mediocre... What it come's down to is the playmakers from each team and how they played individually between the two games. You look at the QB's, Warner was 21/39 3 TD's 3 Int's in our Thanksgiving outting, but McNabb compiled 4 TD's and went 27/39.. RB's Arrington and Hightower combined for 9 carries & 17 yards.. garbage. and Mr. Eastbrook had 110 yards on 22 carries, 2 TD's..
Let's compare now to NFC Championship, as Eags playmakers just weren't there, while Arizona's were. Warner was the one perfect with 4 TD's, while McNabb although 3TD/1Int had 375 yards couldn't come up in the clutch like Warner. Westbrook was again nonexistent with 12 carries and 45 yards, while this outting James was healthy with 75 yards. the big stat? 175 yards, 3 TD's for Larry Fitzgerald...
Either Andy isn't working on stamina in our offseason program, or just not playing the reliable healthy guys, somethings wrong, and a change needs to be made particularly at RB and WR.. Our defense we can ride into the sunset with all youngings, and I say we give our O-Line at least one more year... Donovan stays, and Andy stays. Without question. But if we ever get into another situation like that, 2:45 left in the 4th with the ball, everyone needs to be ready.
Last night riding home I listined to 950 ESPN, and Mike Missinelli was talking about how he thinks the fans care more about the game when they lose. His argument was that they get paid no matter what, and he referenced Asente Samuel and Buckhalter immediatley after the game smiling and hugging the winning team, but this is completely wrong.
This game is their career, their life, for some the team is their only year-round family. Us fans merely use this as a hobby, as we go back to our jobs, school, and lives as normal. Hockey, basketball, baseball, we all still have. But football players, they have that last game they played before the next season to think about, and think about, and think about. The money is a big deal actually. If the Eagles would still have been playing today, they'd get a minimum of $40K for LOSING the superbowl, but even better $80K for winning. Damn. Big money, for many on NFL rosters lost. They've worked there whole lives to get to win a superbowl. Players like Brian Dawkins, and the older Philadelphia crew must be devastated, they there dream is squashed to yet another year of their career (which tends to be short as it is). Mike, your wrong... You can't speak if you only see it from one side. Idiot.
And to the dropped passes ALL year of the Eagle's recievers comes down to this. If your a starting reciever in highschool, your job is: a. Run a crisp route. b. Get to the ball, no matter where it is. c. Catch the ball and get up field... In the pro's I can only guess what it's like... You can't blame the quarterback, because the recievers are trained to catch those balls behind your back, and to catch the ball in the open field, and to curl and fight off a defender to get to the ball. Now the quarterback has his own responsibilities, but being a WR, means those above, and if you can't do that, for one you throw your QB under the bus statistically, and two you can't play in the NFL.. simple. Eagles need guys that can catch... it really isn't hard.
Eags see what they gotta do, but will they do it? Probably not.
