Going into tonight’s NFL game between Washington and Philadelphia, the league is showing that this is the year of sporadic performances. There are no teams or units, including the officiating that are consistently getting it done week in and week out. How can New England be beaten so soundly last week by Cleveland, and then be so dominate on the road in Pittsburg last night? What about the Giants? At home against the Cowboys they allowed themselves to be treated very rudely after five straight compelling wins.
It occurs to me, perhaps we shouldn’t even care. After all, in the big scheme, having a couple of Goliaths in the NFL isn’t going to solve unemployment or heat up our economy. But a lot of us don’t see the big picture all the time and we want to identify with a powerful and dynamic force, because maybe we don’t feel like we’re getting it done week in and week out.
I would ask if a team such as the Cowboys, who have two wins and seven losses, were to make it to the playoffs, and then manage to win the Super Bowl, would they be considered a worthy team? In reality if that were to happen, we would first have to sweep up all our mental shavings and filings from having our gears sheared. Then after numerous sessions with the therapist of our choice, we’d all have to agree it was quite an accomplishment.
Let’s not forget the perfect season handed in by New England several years ago. As dominating as they were throughout the regular season and playoffs; they suffered the ignominy of a second place finish in the Big Game. And were forever cast into Super Bowl Loser Hell with all of us formless, featureless souls that will always be trying to score that winning touchdown.
You know the more I think about parity; the more I’m inclined to like it. Without delving into Dante’s Inferno, isn’t the measure of a team, basically the measure of a man or woman. Don’t all the above share the same characteristics, with all having their particular virtues and imperfections. And in the end don’t they all strive for some kind of redemption. Ahh! Enlightenment! This calls for a celebration!
Oh, by the way, I’m itching to see what kind of effort and performance these two teams hand in tonight. Philly is riding high with Vick and would appear to be too much for a team, that appears to be fractured and irresolute. This could be the turning point for the team’s season as well as the careers of a couple of main men. Shanahan and McNabb, how did they become joined at the hip and why did Shanny treat his Siamese brother so harshly? Some of those answers will be unveiled tonight.
lol.....$78 mil.
ReplyDeleteIf I was going to pay anyone $78 mil ($40 mil guaranteed), I would be inclined to think that they were going to play football next year, right? And by that I mean that the NFL was going to play football.
Either that, or I would have WAY too much money to spend at Walmart for Christmas gifts.
Steve in Frederick
It is sad...the way current Skins management is screwing up the reputation of the Redskins!
ReplyDeleteAt least we can watch the Patriots for some real NFL football each week...
Athletes are citizens too, and despite their super salaries and (oftimes) super egos, they are tossed by the same currents of ineptitude, ennui and fiscal despair that rock the rest of the nation. As Dylan sang on his "Oh Mercy" album, "Everything is broken."
ReplyDeleteSo according to all the "experts" once again, we are supposed to believe that McNabb stinks this year because he has to learn a new system for the 1st time in 11 years. How about McNabb was never that good to start with and had a defense to save him again and again all those years? How about Jason Campbell? He had to learn a new offensive system, some of which I personally found very offensive, every single year and behind the same porous offensive line that Cerrato was supposedly going to fix 7 years ago. The Redskins gave up Campbell for this? Campbell in Oakland has a better qb rating, is .4 behind McNabb in completion percentage, and what is even better? The Raiders have a better record. The Redskins could have saved themselves 40-78 million by keeping Campbell. Another question is why do you have players on defense that have played nothing but a 4-3 their entire career and shove a 3-4 scheme upon them? Look at the games the Redskins have won this year. A last second flag against dallas to win. The 1st time with the eagles, the eagles WR dropped a clean pass hail mary to end the game besides McNabb's stellar performance. Green Bay missed a FG before it went into overtime. Hall returned an INT for the winning td in chicago. Thanks McNabb. The Redskins are lucky they are not 0-9. Luck, not McNabb, not the defense, is the only reason they are 4-5. If this was the effort we get to expect from McNabb, then bring back Campbell if they can not get anything better. Now for the 8th year running - GET AN OFFENSIVE LINE! Gibbs proved an offensive line is more important than a qb. Just ask Mark Rypien and Doug Williams. McNabb is living down to my expectations. Thanks Snyder! There go another 5 years of hope.
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