Papale's Blog

Eventually all streaks end. Most end painfully. Except for the Cowboys.  Ask the Colts and Patriots or if you could, Joe DiMaggio.  Harold Carmichael knows all about the consecutive catch thing with his reception in a game steak… ended against who elsebut the Cowboys.  Most recent of course is the streak of Eagles first round playoff victories, ended brutally, without mercy, and with no prisoners taken.  While the gleeful, in your face Cowboys, strut,  as their streak of playoff failures finally is put to rest at the expense of the Eagles.  Humiliating.  And I had to witness it in Texas.  That’s right the land of the Cowboys.  

Yessir . . . I watched the game all by my lonesome in a deserted radio booth at The Alamo Dome in San Antonio. I was down there with my 13 year old son Vinny who was invited to participate in the Junior Rank scouting combine as part of the US Army All American Bowl for High School All Americans.  So here I am with one eye on Vinny P, on the turf, and the other on the TV watching the game . . . yelling like a maniac at the Eagles on the TV.  In the floor below me I can hear the cheers and jeers from the Cowboy yahoos gathered in the press box to cheer on “America’s Team.”  The cleaning crew was behind me at one point and lucky for me they didn’t call security to escort a raving lunatic out of the dome. 

For the past 3 days all you’ve heard is what the Eagles need to acquire or get rid of in terms of players or position.  I’m not going there.  What this teams needs is nasty!  We need guys with mean streaks on the field.   Guys like Bednarik, Runyan, Bergey, Dawkins, and Waters.  We need enforcers like a Dave Schultz.   This team looked soft … submissive.  It is  not the Eagles football I grew up with and lived and died for with my Dad, Kingie, in the Glenolden project.   This is not Philly football.  I saw hits harder from guys like Gook Delisio in the DELCO rough touch league in Ridley Twp.  We need guys who want to strap it on for the love of the game . . . with passion for the game, the city they play for and the fans that adore them.

An off-season attitude adjustment should be considered for a few who ought to reflect on a personal re-invention of their self.  A particulate one dimensional All Pro cornerback comes to mind.  Whatever happened to fundamentals in the pro game?  For example, with our youth teams we teach the kids to tackle with their head up and in front of ball carrier, wrapping their arms around their legs.  Then on TV they see their idols hit high, often leading with the helmet, or trying to strip the ball while the runner prances away.  Then there’s the celebration for doing what they get paid to do.  When you come home from a hard day’s work do you strut around the house high fiving your family or friends? 

Eventually the bandage broke.  It’s amazing to me that they got this far with all of the injuries, and patch working, and for that they should get a standing ovation.   However, the Eagles are exactly where the Cowboys were at this time last year.  Heading into the off-season  licking their wounds and looking for answers.  One thing they need to find and regain is their confidence and swagger.  They’ve lost it and desperately need to get it back.  The Cowboys have it and we don’t.  Leaders have to evolve and those that are self proclaimed can’t point fingers at youth and the other side of the ball.  Like the pioneers leaders have to take the arrows.  The “WE” has to return to team.  What saddens me the most is that I think I’ve seen the last of Brian Westbrook in an Eagles uniform.  His grace, dignity, and class are to be admired and emulated and he taught us all a lesson in humility.  He is The Papale Family Hometown Hero!

A beautiful thing happened at half time of the All American Bowl when All-Everything tackle Sharif Floyd, from George Washington High School, committed to Florida on national TV.  He was surrounded by a posse of well wishers all from Philly, and GW, including his Coach and mentor Ron Cohen, family members, six of his teammates, and his surrogate Mom, Dawn Reed-Seeger.  This is the Philly version of The Blind Side and if you saw Sharif and Dawn embrace at the end of the selection ceremony your knees would have buckled with your eyes welling with tears. 

The reason I’m a little tardy in getting my blog out is that I had to speak in Dallas . . . yes Dallas, on Monday morning.  So in honor of my fallen Eagles I visited the scene of the crime and got a tour of the new Cowboys Stadium.  Are you kidding me?  It was wild!  In true Eagle, and Philly, spirit I had to get a shot with Vinny and me on the Dallas Star (see attached).  No one even booed us or threw anything at us … and they call themselves avid fans.  HA.  Thanks CBS 3 for giving me the space to rant and to you great fans who all are Invincible.  From your #1 Eagle fan forever.  Analyze, Adapt and Achieve. Please visit my web site: www.vincepapale.com.  Who’s Nuts!  Vince

When you are playing a game and you know you have a mulligan, or a trump card, you have a totally different strategy than if it were a one-and-done scenario.  Whether it be short or long, inside or outside, blitz or no blitz, pass or run … you got the point. The one thing you don’t ever want to do is belly flop. And our beloved Eagles did just that in Dallas.  How can a team playing for the 2^nd seed and first round bye, a game so big, come up so flat and uninspired?  The only thing I can see is that they knew there was still a tomorrow … their trump or mulligan.  When there is no tomorrow you are dangerous!

I was ready … weren’t you?  How many of you got all Eagled Up?  I had it all going at my house with my gang of Eagle nuts totally fired up  … and me wearing Who’s Nuts and Invincible stuff, green underwear even.  Why even bother anymore?  If the game wasn’t bad enough then there’s the postgame when whatever intelligence we have left is insulted even more with comments like … “we have to do a better job of coaching and playing” compounded by your team leader saying that the younger players have to step up and make big plays two minutes after he took all the blame.

What’s wrong with being pissed off instead of being cool?  I loved it when Flyers Coach Peter Laviolette flat out said that when’s there no effort or passion you lose games.  Period. End of discussion.  The passion and hustle was all Cowboys yesterday sticking it into the faces of the Eagles.  If the thought of the Cowboys going for it, attempting a pass,  at the end of the game on a fourth down doesn’t get your blood pressure rising you need a gut check.  What was that all about?

The silver lining here is that it can’t get any worse … please.  A Saturday night show down in the house that Jerry built. And yes, once again, I will be all Eagled up but this time watching the game in San Antonio with my future Eagle, my son, Vinny.  We’ll be out there for the US Army All American Bowl.  Redemption is the sweetest sugar there is and with everything to lose this time, and no mulligans left in the bag, let’s hope our Birds come out dangerous with a huge chip on their shoulder!  GO EAGLES.

Posted by: Vince Papale

Does it get any better than this? Maybe not as good as the NFC Championship game at the frigid Vet 3 decades ago but it’s pretty close. To me, nothing gets the juices flowing more than when the Eagles play the Cowboys. The stakes were raised even higher with the Bears upset win over the slumping Vikings on Monday Night Football. That’s the way you want it to be. It’s there for the taking … NFC East Title with a first round bye. And, as always, the Delaware Valley Cowboys fans have emerged from underneath their rocks as vocal as ever about their Cowboys. Let the trash talking begin. It promises to be a big week.

It’s totally amazing to me that even though the Eagles have won 6 in a row the Cowboys have become the team to beat because they have finally made the playoffs for the first time with Tony Romo as their QB since '06. Talk about no respect, eh, Rodney Dangerfield. Last time I checked they still play the game on the field. What do you think the over/under will be for the FOX cameras to focus on Jerry Jones in his luxury suite? I’ll say 10.

What did you think of the game within the Broncos game and the return of The Dawk? I still remember the feeling when I was brought back to the Eagles after being cut from the squad.  Coach Vermeil had the Special Teams introduced and I was the last guy out of the tunnel and my feet never touched the ground as I sprinted out to the roar of the crowd. I can really appreciate the feeling that Dawkins had although I have to admit I never would have thought of doing a forward roll with a backward extension. Guess I am old school.

If you were the Head Coach of the Colts would you have tried to run the table and go for the undefeated season? I sure would have! Regarding the Colts . . . whatever happened to the “WE” in “TEAM”? After being pulled the starters sulked on the sidelines. Nice. In the Monday Night Game Brett Favre spiked the ball in frustration after being sacked toward the end of the name and got no penalty. But Asante Samuel was flagged for his spike after his interception. Same rule… delay … of the game, but I guess when you’re a legend you get a mulligan.

So as the decade winds down what is your most memorable Eagles play? There were many for sure but the one that sticks in my mind is the “4^th and 26” against the Packers back in the 03/04 Playoffs. You remember the play: McNabb to Freddie “Fred-Ex” Mitchell setting up Akers game winning field goal. Back in my day I’ll never forget the Miracle of the Meadowlands and of course who will ever forget Wilbert Montgomery’s sprint off right tackle that vaulted the Eagles into the Super Bowl. How bout them Eagles!  Have an Invincible New Year.

You can hum Frank Sinatra’s version of  High Hopes when you read this post as it looks and feels like déjà vu as here we go again . . . we’ve got those “high apple pie, in the sky hopes!”  A 10-4 record, with a five game winning streak with two games left in the season will do that to you, won’t it?  You talk about MoJo … hell, even Austin Powers would be impressed!  With the Vikings and Saints falling out of orbit, and the imminent return of Brian Westbrook,  there’s even talk about the Eagles making it to the game not to be mentioned!

“Next time you’re found, with your chin on the ground … there’s a lot to be learned, so look around”. How prophetic are those lyrics because that’s how we all were feeing after the dismal performance and loss to the Raiders followed a couple of weeks later by losses to The Stinkin Cowboys (at home) and the Chargers. Well, the Eagles and coaches did look around the locker room, and at each other, dug deep, and did a major turnaround in spite of crippling injuries to some of their marquee players. 

“When troubles call, and your backs to the wall … there’s a lot to be learned that wall could fall!”  Staring in the face of a 5-4 record and every game a must win situation they have scratched and clawed to double digit wins, a playoff berth assured, and in the cat bird seat to grab the NFC East Title once again.  It wasn’t always pretty but I’d take an ugly win any day over a stylistic loss.  The Favre honeymoon is over in Minnesota and The Saints have proven themselves vulnerable.  It’s all coming down to a classic showdown in Texas to ring in the New Year.

Tell me that this line from the song High Hopes doesn’t remind you of DeSean Jackson:  “anyone knows an ant can’t move a rubber tree plant!”  Even a cynic has to be wowed by his daring, explosiveness, quickness and grace.  His raw talent combined with unlimited potential is scary to think about.  It’s his on the field maturation that has really impressed me.  He made an adjustment yesterday on that first touchdown that is reserved for the savviest of veterans.  His initial route was what we call a “4” or button hook (curl) and as he came out of his break he saw Donovan flushed out of the pocket rolling to the Birds sideline.  When that happens “the scramble rule” takes over and receivers have to adjust to get open.  Jackson simply drifted in the same direction as his QB, got his attention, and all McNabb had to so was lob the ball to #10 even though he was running to his left.  He did just that, not forcing the throw, and just like that it resulted in a TD to end a perfect drive.  That was sweet.  How many times do you think DeSean was told he was too small to be playing in the NFL.  Well, the little ant is moving those rubber tree plants!

It’s not perfect fans but it’s fun and you’d be a fool not to enjoy this run. As for the playoffs, and possible NFC East Title, thank goodness for those “high apple pie, in the sky hopes!”  Whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year let’s hope it’s merry, happy and healthy! 

Cheers … Vince, Janet, Gabriella and Vinny

The NFC East table has been set and yesterday the Eagles devoured the appetizer.  Thanks to a ravenous Eagles defense that had no mercy on the depleted Falcons and the New York Football Giants who played  with a huge chip on their shoulder there will be fun and meaningful football for us in December.  Yesterday’s near shutout over the Falcons was not the laugher it appeared to be on the scoreboard as the Eagles still have Red Zone issues but it once again showed their resiliency. 

I’m glad this game has been won and it’s over and done with for a couple of reasons . . . now we can focus on the Eagles drive to return to the playoffs as a team and not an individual returning to his former home.  I wasn’t real crazy about the Birds bringing in Mike Vick and it wasn’t so much for his transgressions as it was with the Eagles contradiction of their philosophy of hiring players with clean backgrounds.  To his credit Michael has stood tall and has impressed me with his growth as a person.  The press was all over him this past week about returning to Atlanta.  Now that he has scored his first running and passing TD as an Eagle, and played the best he has all year, it’s time to bring him off the pedestal and re-focus on the team’s goal of winning the NFC East.

Leonard Weaver is an absolute joy to watch play and has become as impact player taking a lot of the pressure off of LeSean McCoy as he continues to develop.  It’s pretty cool to see how nimble he is the open field.  Weaver has great power 7 vision and when’s the last time you saw a fullback with wide receiver hands?  He bailed out Donovan twice with acrobatic catches and just continues to impress … on and off the field.  Did you know he was a tight end in college?  It was nice to see Reggie Brown shake off that first quarter TD drop and come up with two huge catches.  He has handled his demotion with class and came up huge twice.  His footwork to stay in bounds on that deep sideline pass was textbook stuff.  And, Sheldon Brown’s hamstring looked pretty healed on his 83 yard interception scamper for a TD.  He continues to emerge as the leader of that defense.

ESPN has their “C’mon Man” so I am going to create my very own “Are You Serious” for incredibly outrageous stuff on the field.  Was Asante Samuel serious after beating his chest when he knocked the ball loose from a totally exposed and defenseless Falcon receiver?  If he wants to pound something try taking on a running back coming off the corner rather than jumping aside like a matador dodging  a charging bull!  Were the FOX announcers serious when they suggested that Jason Avante mis-timed a high fastball thrown by Donovan.  Hell, Harold Carmichael couldn’t have come close to that one.  Finally, Goose . . . you’ve been riding the Eagles receivers pretty hard.  Lighten up man.

How much fun was it to watch the Giants come from behind to beat the Cowboys last night? Was last night the start of another Cowboy December Swoon? Did you notice the accurate throws and pocket presence of Kurt Warner as he sliced and diced the Vikings secondary? Finally, are you enjoying the maturation of Jeremy Maclin?  His skills, temperament, and speed are the ingredients of superstardom and I anoint him destined to be all that.  He was asked to do a lot yesterday and one task was to fill the shoes of Desean Jackson to return punts.  His explosive punt return in the first quarter set the tone for the game, and lifted the Special Teams to another level yesterday.  He gets my Who’s Nuts Award for the week.

Not that I’m superstitious or anything Andy, but don’t even think about washing that towel draped around your neck and keep it under lock and key until you wear it next week. What’s it now … 3 and 0 since you’ve added a towel to your wardrobe?  What would Howard Cosel say about your sartorial splendor?  Anyway you look at it it’s now a shoot out in the east.  The birds are getting healthier, have a good December track record, and are feeling it and believing it.  A very nice scenario wouldn’t you say.  It’s now time for the main course.

The on sides kick has odds of success lower than the slots & roulette combined.  We loved it a couple of years ago against the Cowboys when they were caught with their pants down.  Yesterday was no joy fest as it blew up in their faces.  After further review . . . I loved the call!  At first I’m thinking why would the Eagles let that play out of the cage against a struggling team … essentially spotting them 7 points.  Given the Vegas odds I bet there were some very unhappy people with Andy’s roll of the dice.  Hey man, life is a gamble and I saw the whole strategy as a challenge and a message.  In the end it worked out, and in spite of the spread, the Birds got the much needed “W” and grew leaps and bounds as a team.

The injury card was not in play yesterday for the Birds as the Skins were as, or more, battered than they. To me there’s nothing more daunting than being the heavy favorite especially when you are playing against a team that has nothing to lose.  There’s a great line at end of the movie The Replacements that goes something like this … “when there is no tomorrow you become very dangerous!”  The Redskins were all that and more and the Eagles fought  them off with a furious and impressive finish in spite of lapsing into a coma for a couple of quarters.

I’m curious how the NFL will handle the hit on Desean Jackson by London Fletcher.  He clearly launched when he “ear holed” our daring little wonder ringing his bell loudly enough to affirm it was a concussion. I know this is of little consolation for Jackson but he reminds me of my hero Tommy McDonald as to how  fearlessly he goes into the land of the giants to make a play.  What are the odds that one player on the same team could cause a concussion on the 2 most explosive Eagles offensive weapons?  Kudos to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for taking a pro-active approach on this concussion epidemic that has hit the NFL.  I’d be a hypocrite to tell you I never speared a guy before but I never went helmet-to-helmet and it’s time that the NFL cracks down on this tactic.  Somebody is going to get killed out there, literally! 

Speaking of Kudos I’ve got to applaud Donovan for some brilliant plays and throws he made yesterday.  His little spin move to his left to buy time and find Jackson open for the first TD was sweet.  Jason Avante is with a doubt our Wes Welker as he simply makes tough catch after tough catch to bail the Eagle Offense out.  The 90 yard drive and two point conversion is without reservation “The Drive” of the year and has subdued all talk about the come from behind thing.  Forget the opponent and their record as there was unbearable pressure to get it done and they did it flawlessly.  How about Leonard Weaver’s moves downfield after he breaks into the open and the poise and desire of LeSean McCoy to stay on his feet on the two point conversion?  The “D’ certainly gave up too many 3^rd and longs but for two games in a row when they had to make the stop they made the stop!  Keep grinding guys.

Who’s Nuts this week . . . that’s easy.  Andy Reid for his gutsy call, and certainly, David Akers for keeping the Eagles alive when they appeared to be “flat lining” eventually banging home the game winner.  The Eagles have a little MoJo going into Atlanta and you can bet the house that the Falcons will be prepared for an on sides kick to open the game. 

There’s so many ways to look at the results of this game and I think I heard and read all of them today.  Ugly as it was it was a win that is palatable because it was a must win, a come from behind win and a gutty win.  What, you think I’m crazy because I say a must win.  Look, after losing to Oakland nothing is a lock, so even if it looks like you can pencil in “W’s” in a couple of upcoming games you simply can’t mail it in because you just can’t forget Oakland.  It’s like you’ve been cheated on and can’t get it out of your mind.  From a mental aspect it sounds and feels much better when you say 6 & 4 rather than 5 & 5.  As inconsistent that this team has been all year, yes, it was a must win.  Finally the come from behind thing has been lifted off Donovan’s shoulders. 

Does Chris Collingsworth get under your skin, or what?  He was a fine receiver, probably a great Dad, and all of that but his disdain for us Eagles fans is obvious.  He took a subliminal cheap shot at us when saying the Bears fans are totally supportive of Jay Cutler and never boo him.  I guess they had boos piped in the whole game every time he missed an open receiver or threw the ball for an incompletion.  Then, he decides to praise the Offensive Line and just like that Jason Peters jumps the gun, again, and Donovan gets sacked twice!  Please Chris we like it better with no more accolades.

Were there times in the game when you wanted hit the GUIDE button on your remote looking for anything sports related?  I heard someone say today that watching the game was like doing homework.  After the Eagles went up 10-0 there was such a stretch of ineptness that I almost switched to “SPEED” but force of habit keep me glued on the game.  And thank goodness because I was rewarded with a gutty effort by Sheldon Brown and a patchwork defense and a textbook offensive drive.  It was fun to see Trot make a few hits too and fire up the defense.  But it all would have been for naught if Cutler had any kind of accuracy because if he had connected just once out of three the Birds are limping home 5 and 5.

What was with the towel around Coach Reid’s neck?  Maybe it was a Rocky thing.  Can the wool cap be next?  Geez Donovan, that little pep talk with Cutler after the game was a little over the top and a made for TV special.  Can you believe that Cutler had a completion average of less than 2 yards per completion mid way through the 3^rd quarter?  And, was Sav Rocca so spooked by Devon Hestor that he had one punt go for a net 11 yards after a penalty.  Speaking of Devon do you think he’ll get fined by the NFL for indecent exposure when he got his pants yanked down?  That was hilarious!

It was nice to see that game winning drive develop with a nice mix of pass and run.  Donovan was as crisp as he’s been all year on the drive and his receivers ran tough inside routes and made nice grabs.  It’s fun to watch LeSean McCoy develop and when he gets the timing down on the screen watch out.  It was even better to see the offense get 2 crucial first downs at the end of the game. 

Even with the win I did not see any tremendous heart stopping special teams plays to warrant a Who’s Nuts Award for this week.  But, I have to single out Tim Shaw from the Bears for his two monster hits on Eagles returners.  Finally, a special thanks to all the coaches, parents and kids on Merchantville’s St. Peter’s Saints 105 pound football team, that I help coach.  They lost a heartbreaker yesterday to end their season and shatter their dream for a repeat championship.  They played their hearts out and came out short on the scoreboard but as I always say … the victory is in playing the game.  Hold fast to your dreams!

There is a tremendous pre-game speech in the movie Invincible that is delivered by Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear).  Coach talks about character and soul and simply said a team with character will find a way to beat a team with talent … that the Eagles have got to find the soul of the team that drove great Eagle players like McDonald, Van Brocklin, and Van Buren.  This team is not lacking in character as they hung in there Sunday with a roster that was right out of the Replacements. But for those of you who bleed green, including me, the search is on for an identity that faintly resembles the playoff teams that we are used to seeing, cheering and hemorrhaging for.  As for the soul of the team look no farther than Brian Westbrook.  Unfortunately for Brian, the team, and his legion of fans we may have seen the last of #36 in an Eagles uniform.  That saddens me more than any loss to any team in the NFL including the stinkin' Cowboys.

Personally it is very difficult for me to watch a team that is as consistently undisciplined as this Eagles team is this year.  It’s making me crazy.  Yeah, I know that some of the calls on Special Teams are marginal, but jumping offside, lining up in the natural zone when you are a D’Back, or blasting a guy when he is 3 yards out of bounds . . . well, there is no excuse for that.  And then there are two punts fielded inside the 5 yard . . . one by a rook and one by a non-rook.  I’ll be the first to say that I played with my hair on fire but you have stay in control and make sound team decisions.

How confused were you with all the new faces on this team or faces and numbers that you don’t recognize?  I used to take pride in being able to memorize the entire roster!  To the Eagles’ defense it’s got to be tough with all the injuries and patchwork that is being done.  But, still, someone has to step up and make a play that really matters and changes the tide of the game.  I believe it simply called execution. Making a tackle when you are two touchdowns down and then pounding your chest is not doing it for me.  Neither is the play of our one healthy starting cornerback but that is another story.  On the positive side McNabb looked sharp and spread the ball around.   And is there a receiver in the NFL with better hands than Jason Avante!?

Do you think the identity of the team be will one of a team that can’t go 36 inches in 3 downs?  Are the Eagles that predictable that the TV analyst predicted the play action on that 2^nd and goal saying that in those situations they run on first down then go with play action on 2^nd if the run fails.  I really enjoyed Brian Billick’s “color” and his take of the game on both sides of the ball.  He had the Eagles nailed in key situations.  As did Chargers Defensive Coordinator, and former Eagles Coach, Ron Rivera. Yeah I know that Donovan threw for 1 ½ football fields but a lot of that yardage came when San Diego was in a prevent defense. When it really mattered and the field was shrunk into what is called is the Red Zone and there was no deliverance.

As for character look no farther than the youngsters I met at the Bert Bell Dinner this past week.  These are kids who did nothing wrong in their lives and were rewarding with the battle of their life versus cancer.  Talk about courage, soul and quality!  They get my Who’s Nuts Award for the week along with former Steelers Coach, Bill Cowher, present Eagles Leonard Weaver and Winston Justice who were honored for their charitable contributions to society.  And a huge shout out to St. Joes and Drexel for giving out full academic scholarships to deserving cancer survivors.

As for the Eagles we are going to find out what kind of heart and soul they have this week … aren’t we.  Character is always tested when things are tough and right now it’s not going to get any easier. 

Have you been to a 3D movie lately?  I caught one this weekend and was blown away by the amazing illusion that 3D presents.  The Eagles/Cowboys game last night was no illusion even though the 3D effect was very evident:  Discipline, Deliverance, and Disappointment. Or, should I say that lack of discipline and non-deliverance led to a major disappointment.  My disdain for the Cowboys goes way back to the Timmy Brown days when my fellow Eagle Dream Teamer got smacked across the mouth by Leroy Jordan.  The passion is still there and was filled to overflowing last night! 

I understand mistakes and miscues but what I don’t understand is the total lack of discipline on both sides of the ball.  Why is it that Jason Peters still has the yipps and his flinch cost the Birds a shot at a fourth and inch situation?  Next, it is very clear in the rule books that you just cannot block below the waist in the open field but one such block cost the Eagles prime real estate after the Sheldon Brown Interception. 

Then there’s Asante Samuel getting into the face of Marion Barber after finally making a tackle and getting a flag for taunting.  The refs don’t care that he and Barber are work out buds … it was just stupid.  Then there was the flag on Brent Celek for celebrating after his TD … probably for that leg lift.  But it was okay for Miles Austin to fire a missile into the stands after scoring what turned out to be the winning TD.  I give Celek a lot of credit for “manning up” on his penalty and for his passion after the game.  He actually looked like he was in fire fight and not coming from a fashion shoot for GQ.

As for deliverance the Birds have to find a way to come from behind and steal a win.  Third down conversions have to improve and they have got to get their small ball game going.  The “D” delivered yesterday as did David Akers and his band of Special Teamers.  Ellis Hobbs got robbed of his TD when Will Witherspoon got called for holding when actually he was hanging on for dear life while getting pancaked by a Cowboys wedge breaker. No deliverance from the refs there and on Andy’s Challenges.  Maybe he ought to just burn that red flag of his because it seems any challenge by Big Red is an automatic waste of a timeout.

 How disappointing was it that the offense could not get 1 yard in three tries?  Was second and one a perfect spot for the Wild Cat? Don’t blame that one on the officials.  I was really disappointed in the reaction of one of the Cowboys coaches after the refs stood fast on the call on the field.  He ran right to the fans behind the Eagles bench and was gesturing wildly and shouting loudly at the Eagles faithful.  And he compounded his boorish behavior by taunting the fans at the end of the game along with some other Cowboys.  I’ve seen better sportsmanship and class from parents at little league games.  That’s what fueled my fire more than anything.

 A big shout out to AAA and those fanatical fans who waited in line for over an hour prior to the game for an autograph and photo opp at the Diamond Club.  Also props to IBM and their team as well as a huge thanks to The Sprint Team for hosting the Papale Squad at their suite for the game.  Congrats to The Bishop Eustace Football Team for winning the Olympic Conference Title and also to Merchantville’s  Saint Pete’s 105’s for winning their 2^nd straight regular season title.  An Eagles win would have been the perfect Trifecta.  At least the weekend wasn’t a total disappointment.  Thanks Phils for all the thrills!  GO EAGLES.