The Eagles Throw it Back

The Philadelphia Eagles 56-23 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday proved that after a series of staggering defeats, the football doctors have a cure all. Just like “Blue Oyster Cult” needed famed music producer Bruce Dickinson to remind them that the only way to make “Don’t Fear the Reaper” a great track was to play the hell out of the cowbell, the Eagles turned to Ben Franklin and the Swedish inspired original colors of the city flag to cure their collective fever. In addition to throwback jerseys, the grow up doctor recommends a motivated McNabb and a healthy dose of Westbrook to make the Eagles all better.

The Birds wore the 1933 Blue and Yellow jerseys to celebrate the team’s 75^th anniversary of playing football in the city of brotherly love. Despite the players admitted disdain for the old school colors, they played better than they had all year. I know I’m not the only one in the Delaware Valley wondering if the Birds rock the throwbacks all season long can score 50 plus points per contest? After the game when asked a similar question, Coach Reid responded, “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

Personally, I always loved throwback jerseys. In fact, I would wear one everyday of the week if it were allowed in the dress code of my employer. Dress code or not, the mail guy will never stop struttin’ around in a Mike Vick jersey, G-Unit sneakers and a Flava Flav clock. I’m not making this up. Nothing says professionalism better than an oversized jersey and a baggy pair of jeans.

Nobody has a bigger closet full of throwbacks than Exhibit. It seemed like he wore a different one for every episode of “Pimp My Ride.” He single-handedly paid for both Mitchell and Ness’s comprehensive financial plans. His collection was so extensive that in NFL Street he even showed off a Reno Mahe jersey. Now, I wouldn’t go that far, but I have compiled a brief list of throwbacks that I covet. This list is comprised solely of Iggles and does not include current players. The criteria used for this short list include talent, personality and overall coolness. Not the most scientific means of analysis, but who cares, it’s my blog and I can do what I want.

Tommy McDonald #25 – He caught a 35-yard TD in the 1960 Championship game against the Packers. His toughness could not be measured by his physical stature, at 5’-9” 176 lbs. he's the smallest player enshrined in the Hall of Fame, rather it was his immeasurable heart that made him as strong as steel. An indicator of his fearlessness has to be the fact he was the last non-kicker to play without a facemask. Surprisingly, he never broke his nose while playing. McDonald refused to let an opponent think they got the best of him. No matter how hard of a hit he took he always made a point of bouncing right back up for the next play. When asked by Philly Inquirer reporter Bill Lyon about his ability to keep taking hits, McDonald replied, "I made that my signature, that bouncing up after a hit. And, oh, that'd make them mad. I was dying, but I didn't want to let them know that. I didn't want to let them know I was hurt. I did want them to know they weren't going to intimidate me."

Steve Van Buren #15 – Arguably the greatest Eagles of all time. My buddy John and I once said that for any bit of Eagles trivia, the most logical answer is always Steve Van Buren. Who scored the only TD in the 1948 Championship game at snow covered Shibe Park? Steve Van Buren. Who hitchhiked to that game? Steve Van Buren. Who was nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning?" Steve Van Buren. What Eagle was born in Honduras? Steve Van Buren. Who won a bronze medal in the 400 and a silver medal in the 4 * 400 in the 1952 Summer Olympics? Ollie Matson. O.K., so "The Movin’ Van" didn't win an Olympic medal, but the next time you are asked an Eagles related trivia question, answer Steve Van Buren, at least you'll feel confident that you have a good chance of being right.

Mike Quick #82 – This is actually for my brother Brian, a.k.a. Hands. We used to go parties and say that Brian was an All-State wide receiver and he wore #82 in honor of his favorite player, Mike Quick. Like no other Eagle, Quick’s name was his game. His long strides made it look like he was gracefully gliding over the field his feet not touching the ground. In addition, I prefer to watch the televised games with the sound off so I can listen to the play-by-play of Mike and Merrill Reese. I’d rather hear their call of the game over Joe Buck and Troy Aikman any day.

Vince Papale #83 - The Eagles adaptation of Rudy. Uplifting story of a hard nosed local bartender who impresses head coach Dick Vermeil in open tryouts to earn a roster spot on his hometown team. Papale’s triumph truly is an inspiration to all working class schlubs with big dreams. If you haven’t seen “Invincible” you have to put in on the top of your Netflix queue immediately. And if you really do bleed green, then I guarantee you will get emotional.

Jerome Brown #99 – The Eagles version of the Notorious B.I.G. Young star on the rise tragically dies before his time. Most people can recall when they heard JFK was assassinated or when John Lennon was shot. For me, it’s Jerome Brown and Biggie Smalls. Bring it Home for Jerome and RIP Biggie.

Wes Hopkins #48 – One of the hardest hitting safeties of all time, just ask Eric Dickerson. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, he and Andre Waters patrolled the defensive backfield with malicious intent.

Randall Cunningham #12 – I had one, but it was sold at a yard sale for $5. I’m still upset about that. “The Ultimate Weapon” revolutionized the quarterback position with his rocket arm and amazing athleticism. Randall put up ridiculous numbers, particularly in 1990 when he threw for 3466 yards, 30 TD’s and ran for 942 yards and 5 more TD’s. If ownership could’ve assembled the right personal, chiefly on the offensive line, Randall’s Eagles could have been serious contenders for the Super Bowl. Or, at least win 1 playoff game.

Chris Carter #80 – Buddy Ryan once said, “All he does is catch touchdowns.” I thought the object of the game was to score touchdowns. So why did the Eagles release him? Carter admits that he was cut due to drug and alcohol problems and credits Buddy Ryan for helping him change his life around. That’s great and all, but Chris Carter is 1 of only 4 receivers to have over 1,000 career receptions. Sure would’ve been nice to have him around instead of Charles Johnson, Torrance Small, James Thrash and Todd Pinkston.

Other players worth considering: Keith Byars, Reggie White, Mike Zordich, Andre Waters, Eric Allen, Herm Edwards, Harold Carmichael, Wilbert Montgomery, Bill Bergey, Chuck Bednarik and Ron Jaworski.

It wasn’t just the uniforms that motivated the Eagles. Given the amount of criticism the Eagles took from the media and the coaching staff, the players needed to come out and perform well. The onus was squarely on the leaders of the team to set the tone. When you talk of leaders on this team, look no further than the franchise player Donovan McNabb. No stranger to controversy, Donovan once again had the spotlight directly on him after his racially charged HBO Real Sports interview aired days before the Lions game. Add in the fact that McNabb’s performance in the first two games of the season was so bad it made Popki from “Necessary Roughness” look like Joe Montana, he had to have a near perfect outing.

Things didn’t start out too hot for Donovan. When he was announced during the team introductions, a few fans that forgot that Super Five took the Eagles to 4 straight NFC Championship games could be heard booing. I may criticize McNabb after a tough loss, but he’s undoubtedly the best quarterback this team has ever had in its 75-year existence. It’s high time that Eagles fans give him his due. But let’s get one thing clear, Philly fans’ frustration with McNabb has nothing to due with race. It has to do with winning, plain and simple. Philly polity is so desperate for a winner that sometimes the best players get vilified for not delivering the city its World Championship. By the way, I’m so sick of hearing about Boston sports fans, in particular Red Sox Nation, that I’m coining a new term for Philly fans, Philly polity. This may not be the catchiest phrase, but Philly Phanatic is already taken. I can hear Joe from South Philly say, "what da hell does polity mean?" So please feel free to voice your opinion and make suggestions for the new phrase.

The jeers quickly turned into cheers late in the 1st quarter when McNabb hit Kevin Curtis for a 68-yard touchdown strike to give the Eagles a 21-7 lead. It’s funny how one long bomb can bring hope to an entire season. All of a sudden the Eagles have a viable big play threat not named Westbrook. I’ll be the first to admit that I was hard on Kevin Curtis last week, but he certainly made me eat my hat, er made me eat crow. (Note to Governor Ed Rendell, the saying is eat crow, not eat hat. Eating hat is disgusting and frankly, makes no sense. Not that eating crow makes any sense either, but you get the picture.) Curits was noticeably upset with himself after dropping that key 4^th down pass Monday night against the Redskins and was eager to redeem himself. I think it’s safe to say that his 11 catches for 221 yards and 3 TD’s spells redemption in any language. Ask Curtis, however, and he’ll be quick to point out that he dropped the catch that would’ve broken Tommy McDonald’s single game reception record of 237 yards. Sorry Kevin, but you have to do a heck of a lot more to get on my throwback jersey wish list.

Donovan’s terrific performance was arguably the best of his career. The numbers speak for themselves, 21-26, 381 yards, 4 TD's and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. His acumen was on full display on Sunday. He threw the deep ball effortlessly. Even his movement seemed more fluid, sans bulky knee brace. McNabb shedding the knee brace was symbolic in that he was confirming that he is putting the ACL injury behind him and is ready to regain his top form. The most impressive aspect of his game was his accuracy. It's no secret that McNabb has struggled with control throughout his career. At times, he's looked worse than Adam Eaton, spraying erratic pitches all over the field. If Donovan had an E.R.A, it would've jumped by at least 10 runs after the Redskins game.

The Lions game was huge for Super Five's confidence. He needed to prove to himself, his teammates and the restless fans, that this is still his team. He had to showcase the skills that made him a Madden cover boy and perennial MVP candidate. And he did just that, at least for one more week.

On a side note, Kevin Kolb’s first professional football experience was inauspicious, at best. His line: 0-0, 0 yards, 3 carries, -2 yards and 2 sacks. Of course, he had the pleasure of playing behind third string offensive lineman. Sounds like what Randall Cunningham had to put up with.

One aspect of Sunday’s game that complimented McNabb’s great day was the awesome performance of the running backs. The key to their success was the offensive line’s ability to simply dominate the line of scrimmage. The combination of excellent blocking and varying formations allowed the three-headed monster of Westbrook, Buckhalter and Hunt to run for a combined 154 yards and 4 TD’s.

If the Eagles are going to be contenders, they have to have a balanced offensive attack. Throwing the ball 50 times a game will not win us ballgames. Last season was a perfect example of the need to stay committed to running the ball. When McNabb went down and Jeff Garcia took the helm, it was the running game that carried the offense and the team to the playoffs. We need more of that to have success this season. And these 3 backs compliment each other nicely in that they each bring something different to the table.

Correll Buckhalter can be the guy who can get the tough yardage up the middle and the guy who can break away form the pack when he kicks in that extra gear. His multiple knee injuries have prevented him from having an outstanding career, but he still can do some positive things. On Sunday, he looked light on his feet carrying the rock 7 times for 43 yards and a score.

Tony Hunt was drafted in the 3^rd round to be the big bruising back that the Eagles didn’t have for those clutch short yardage situations that can be the difference between winning and losing games. He finally saw game action in the goal line package and was rewarded with his first career NFL TD.

The spotlight, however, clearly belonged to none other than Brian Westbrook. He continues to display his uncanny agility and elusiveness game after game. With 14 carries for 110 yards and 2TD’s and 5 catches for 111 yards and 1 TD, Brian Westbrook became the 7th player in NFL history to record 110+ yards rushing and 110+ yards receiving in the same game, according to Stats, Inc. Those numbers have to be good for at least 50 Madden gamer points. They certainly are good enough to put him in the top 5 rushing leaders in the league, ahead of LaDanian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and Shaun Alexander, and top 15 in receptions. If he stays healthy, he has a legitimate chance to run and catch for over 1,000 yards. He’s that good.

Being an Iggles fan is the best. Our attitudes change week to week, depending on the outcome of Sunday’s game. We think a loss is the end of the season, and the world for that matter. The next week, they blow out a mediocre team and we think they’re capable of scoring 50 points per game on their way to a title. We are quick to trounce on our star quarterback when it looks like he can’t hit the broad side of a barn or blows chunks in the biggest game of his life. But when he’s on his game, it seems as if nothing can stop him from making the opposition dizzy watching the deep balls fly by. For now, it’s time to start up the bandwagon and grab your favorite throwback jersey because, all of a sudden, this season just got a lot more interesting.