Negril Notes

Fly Eagles, Fly…

January 14, 2007

Fly Eagles Fly, on the road to … ?

2006 Divisional Playoff - New Orleans, LA - 1/13/07
Saints 27 - Eagles 24

What did I do the morning after? I watched Rocky, the original one. I needed a dose of pure Philly heart, beacuse in the final anaysis that what my Eagles showed me last night, and these past eight weeks.

The team started out hot this season, but we were all suspect as to how good the team really was. After a few heartbreaking losses the team, and even the town seemed to lose focus.

The McNabb went down, and in came Garcia. I was one of the loud voices wanting A.J. Feeley to lead the team, win or lose, through the rest of the season, and yeah, I was cheering when Garcia too a big hit in the Colts game, and booed when he came back in after only one play. To say the least I was in a negative frame of mind.

Then week after week the team really showed me something. They were out, they had no shot, but they managed to win. Garcia managed the offense well. Everyone began to remember his time with the 49ers, we started to remember his three Pro Bowls. The guy was a gamer, I ate a lot of crow.

Brian Westbrook began to take over the offense, but best of all he took over the locker room. He became a team leader both on, and off the field. He showed a lot of heart.

Guys like Brian Dawkins and Jeramiah Trotter did the same for the defense. The whole team began to believe. It took a few weeks but the town began to come along.

Andy Reid, the coach, didn’t change his outward demeanor, but he deferred to his Offensive Coordinator, who was Garcia’s coach back in San Francisco, to call the plays. He took a step back to take a step forward, and he led the team to a Cinderella season winning the last five games. He captured the NFC East title, the respect of the NFL, and the imagination of the city.

Entering the playoffs, we all talked a big game, but in our hear of hearts we feared The Saints. We remembered how well they had our number earlier in the season, and that they had only gotten better since.

But in true Philly form our team, ravaged by injuries, tired from a short week, fought like warriors that game. The showed a lot of heart, they left it all on the field, they battled to the end, but just couldn’t punch it through in those last fifteen minutes.

All things considered, it was a good season. It was fun to dream about the Superbowl for a couple of weeks.

And like most of the nation’s football fans, I’ll start thinking about or chances in ‘07.

Go Eagles!

Vinny

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