Philly can not handle another Eagles post-season flop
Kerith Gabriel
Issue date: 1/7/05 Section: Sports
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Once again we as a city have the best team in the National Football Conference. Again we are crowned Divisional Champions and we have a bye for the first playoff game and once again we have home field advantage throughout. However, if you are a Philadelphia fan, more importantly a die-hard Eagles fan you know that all that means absolutely nothing.
The road that got the Eagles to where they are now was as straight and easy as a late night ride on the Jersey Turnpike, with McNabb moonwalking and T.O. end zone dancing to a 13-3 record. Everything seemed so perfect, so fitting. But it is inevitable if you are a Philadelphia sports fan to have all good things come to a painful end.
Terrell Owens, the spinal cord of the team out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury, certain to miss the entire playoffs, and questionable for the (gasp) Super Bowl. Half of the defensive line is injured, don't forget about wide reciever Todd Pinkston being afraid to take a hit, and Andy Reid strategically losing to the Rams because claims we can strategically lose to the Rams. Top that off with the death of "Number 92", and you can see there isn't much to be happy about.
While the NFC was uninspiring this season, the playoffs are a much different story. On any given Sunday, a 13-3 division winning team can lose to an 8-8 team from anywhere.
We as a city know that.
We've been there before.
Sure we could think glass half full thoughts, like assuming Reid has the right system for each offense/defense the Birds will face throughout the playoff phase. Also we could hope that McNabb, Westbrook and Co. stay fit and can play well enough long enough to make it to Jacksonville in time for the T.O. Super Bowl show, but we also know that would be like expecting a puppy under the tree at Christmas and getting a hamster with a red bow instead.
So what do we do? What steps do the Eagles take to not become the Buffalo Bills of the NFC playoffs?
They can not repeat the past three seasons, the heart of this city can't take it. Last year should have been the year ask any green-blooded Philadelphian that, but apparently the third time is not the charm for us. Will it be lucky number four? All signs point to yes, but with the Iggles, you never know.
Kerith Gabriel is a senior majoring in communications.
The road that got the Eagles to where they are now was as straight and easy as a late night ride on the Jersey Turnpike, with McNabb moonwalking and T.O. end zone dancing to a 13-3 record. Everything seemed so perfect, so fitting. But it is inevitable if you are a Philadelphia sports fan to have all good things come to a painful end.
Terrell Owens, the spinal cord of the team out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury, certain to miss the entire playoffs, and questionable for the (gasp) Super Bowl. Half of the defensive line is injured, don't forget about wide reciever Todd Pinkston being afraid to take a hit, and Andy Reid strategically losing to the Rams because claims we can strategically lose to the Rams. Top that off with the death of "Number 92", and you can see there isn't much to be happy about.
While the NFC was uninspiring this season, the playoffs are a much different story. On any given Sunday, a 13-3 division winning team can lose to an 8-8 team from anywhere.
We as a city know that.
We've been there before.
Sure we could think glass half full thoughts, like assuming Reid has the right system for each offense/defense the Birds will face throughout the playoff phase. Also we could hope that McNabb, Westbrook and Co. stay fit and can play well enough long enough to make it to Jacksonville in time for the T.O. Super Bowl show, but we also know that would be like expecting a puppy under the tree at Christmas and getting a hamster with a red bow instead.
So what do we do? What steps do the Eagles take to not become the Buffalo Bills of the NFC playoffs?
They can not repeat the past three seasons, the heart of this city can't take it. Last year should have been the year ask any green-blooded Philadelphian that, but apparently the third time is not the charm for us. Will it be lucky number four? All signs point to yes, but with the Iggles, you never know.
Kerith Gabriel is a senior majoring in communications.
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