Jason Curtis

Ahem.

What a wonderful surprise THIS was.

Self-admittedly, I have been neglecting my duties as a fan of NC State, being that I am completely out of love with the whole process, but it will still be filed under "good news".

Really?

Donovan McNabb is now, REPORTEDLY upset with the team and the way things have gone down since his injury.  The big three "gripes" are this:

• McNabb reportedly is unhappy that Eagles coach Andy Reid didn't allow him to travel with the team to New Orleans for the team's playoff game against the Saints. The Eagles have a rule that players on injured reserve don't travel with the team.

Why would you be above a team rule?  The players need to focus on the game and executing the plan.  If you are injured and 7 games away from having played, what good can it do?  Fly yourself downthere if it is about providing moral support.  In short, support the team by playing your role (no matter how unfortunate that is)

• McNabb also reportedly might be getting the feeling that some with the Eagles might prefer Garcia as the team's starting quarterback after Garcia led Philadelphia to the playoffs and a postseason victory after McNabb's injury.

Jeff Garcia is a good quarterback.  You are in no danger of losing your job, but don't expect Garcia to go back to the bench quietly, he was a monster this season and, if your injury had happened earlier, maybe would have been Pro Bowl bound.  Why aren't you happy for him?  Why won't you be excited to play against him when he joins the Redskins (I really hope that is not true.)

• And McNabb also reportedly isn't happy with how his mother has been portrayed in the media and by Eagles fans for comments on her blog on his Web site. She wrote that watching the Eagles win without McNabb was "bittersweet."

Control what you can control, there is no time to worry about anything else.

Commercial Break

Like so many football seasons, I am now, officially, more interested in the commercials than the game itself.  Get ready for a Bears victory, with Indy committing more than 5 turnovers.

E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles Eagles Eagles

A couple weeks ago I posted about my beloved Philadelphia Eagles.  To say that I was acting 'fair weathery' would be accurate, although my intention was the opposite of that.

I'll admit, I had written them off after they had lost 5 of 6 and were faced with a uphill climb.

Yet, partly due to the weakness of the NFC and, apparently, a lot to do with the injury to Donovan, today the Eagles secured a place in the playoffs.

The best part?  There are so many:

1. It was against the Cowboys.
2. It was on Christmas day.
3. It was during a nationally televised game.
4. It was with Jeff Garcia, who also had a run-in with T.O. during his time in San Francisco.
5. It was in convincing fashion.

Now, as I wait to see how the NFC plays out, I am hopeful that the Eagles can make some progress in the playoffs and finish the season on a continuation of the strong performances we have seen from them in the past few weeks.

I don't know that I could be happier right now.

Thanks Andy, Jeff, Brian W., Brian D., and the rest of the squad for not giving up.  I would like to think that the feelings you got from the fans after the dismal middle portion of the season had something to do with it, but I would like even better to think that it is because you worked hard and fought through the rough part to reach your goals.

See ya in January.

Fly Eagles, Fly!

Sunday 11/26/06
Indianapolis, IN

Televised on ESPN.

The Eages WILL hand the Colts their first loss.

It will not be close.

T.O.O. Early?

There are just over 7 minutes left in the Philadelphia / Dallas game and 'sports' has triumphed again.  The fans have been well-behaved in terms of what has been shown on Fox's broadcast and T.O. hasn't done much of anything outside of pouting on the sidelines.

I had to remove myself from my comfortable position in front of my TV, but I am happy to report that drama has nothing to do with this game.  That is, off the field drama, as opposed to the natural drama created through the spirit of competition.

Time expires and the Cowboys are going to have the ball with under five minutes left with a chance to tie (or foolishly take the lead).  Philly is up 31-24 and what happened today was not a contained riot.  It was not newsworthy in any way that would transcend the news reporting of ESPN.  CNN won't talk about it.  Bill O'Reilly won't get his hands on it.  And Nancy Grace will not have a new legal case to abuse on-air.

Football is happening.  The game is the most important thing right now.  A classic game, in which the lead has changed four times with the early lead in the NFC East on the line.  This paragraph sounds cvliched, because it is.  Football is a tradition and a certain part of tradition is owed to the fulfillment of cliches.  Cliches can be comforting, and when they are combined with the smell of a distant fireplace and a perfect cloudy dusk, it makes things special.

T.O. may raise my blood pressure, but football season will remain truly beautiful. 

I just wish somebody had shot him today...

FUCKING FOOTBALL!!!

The NFL is back.  My fantasy team is set (Steve Smith needs to play), my eliminator group is going strong (Thanks for the win New England), the Pabst is cold, the couch is comfortable, and I am surrounded by fans.

A couple notes from today from what I have caught thus far.

- Reggie Bush had more than 100 yards combined today and New Orleans won.  Mario Williams had 2 tackles and an assisted tackle and Houston lost.  You do the math.
- My Eagles are 1-0.  Sure it was the Texans, but after last year's 5 win embarrassment I will take what I can get.
- McNabb had 314 yards and 3 TDs.  Nice.
- Trent Green got his ass handed to him on a completely legal play.  Sucks, but it was clean.
- Dallas just threw to T.O. on their first play.  First down.  I really want him to do well just to make the fall that much harder.
- Dante Stallworth went nuts for the Eagles.  Encouraging.

I love the fall.

Ryan "Howard"

In high school, I had a friend named Aaron who thought that the fact that my father's name was Howard was hilarious.

Well, WHO'S laughing now?

Ryan Howard looks like the MLB MVP.  And being from Philly, he's probably part of BBD, ABC, or at the very least, the East Coast  Family...but what strikes me as odd is that dude has 56 homeruns this season.  56.

Before Mark, Sammy and Barry ruined it for us all, 56 homeruns would have caused all sorts of excitement.  Now, eventhough we know that Barry took power-ups, Mark probably took power-ups, and Sammy corked his bats, there is no national excitement for Ryan Howard's feat.

So my questions are this; Is it because he is black? Or is it because he's a baseball player?

Whatever the answer, good job RyHo.  I think it's pretty awesome.

Ha Ha

HA HA

I'm gonna enjoy how this plays out...

Spanish for El Nino

So, the Hurricanes game last night was pretty much perfect.  Cable was installed at 7:45pm, the puck dropped shortly after 8pm, and by 9pm the game was pretty much in hand.  My three stars?

Cam Ward - The wall.  My friend Brian was at the game and brought a sign which read "Cam Roy-rd".  Perfect.
Rod Brind'amour - Just for his faceoffs.  No more, no less.  He is a rock.
Cory Stillman - Did you see his goal?  Not, did you watch his goal.  But, did you see his goal?  That motherfucker purposefully flipped the puck over the mass of bodies in the crease.  Watch it again.  It might be in the top five of all-time NHL goals.  Period.  It was simply sick.

Good luck in Edmonton boys, I selfishly hope you lose one up there so that the puck can be won at home.  And for those of you telling me to not count my chickens before they hatch...well, I hope you are wrong.  The series seems fairly solidly in hand.

Oh, and one more thing while I'm talking about sports.  Jason Grimsley, you are an idiot.  Barry Bonds, you are a bigger idiot for hinting at the unwritten code that keeps players from talking about other players that use.  I can only think of one other comparable situation which is the mafia. 

Now, Barry Bombs, does that make sense to you at all?  I spit on homerun #715.