Aloha, and welcome to another riveting addition of Målvakts Slagsmål! As usual, I am here to guide you through a few of sports most stimulating topics to date, with only minor stops along the way for comedy.
Before we start, I would just like to remind everyone that when you see a word in a different, seemingly highlighted color, its a link. If you click the link, you get the prize, which is usually a fun picture or video. If you knew that, great. If you didn't, well then you've been missing out in a big way! So get clicking.
With all that behind us, lets get to topic. First at bat, Darwin Barney! Just kidding! (but really, he plays for the cubs). No, today, let's talk some Eagles. They have been unfortunately neglected in this blog, mostly due to the idiotic NFL lockout. I would love to rant and rave more about that topic, but today is not the day. No, I made a very important realization about the Eagles plans and future last night, and want to share the insight with all of you. So lets do it.
The primary Eagles topic every time I overhear people talking about them is whether or not they should/will trade Kevin 'Corn on the' Kolb. I myself have pondered this question many times. Finally, last night, it all became clear: Kevin Kolb's ass is getting traded, ASAP. The front office revealed their hand, and their plan is obvious. But how do we know? Let me show you.
In order to answer this question, you need to first answer this question about the Eagles management; Are they trying to win a SB now (as in the next three years) or in the future (as in 3-7 years from now)? They have the youth to build long term, if they so choose, with an offensive core that is as young as they are explosive (Jackson, Celek, Maclin, Avant, McCoy), and a defense that, while suspect, will get better as the younger players grow, and as I expect them to pick up pieces via free agency. So, the long term option is there.
Short term, the offensive players previously mentioned are great NOW. Injury, aging (DJack is only going to slow down), and cap space can and probably will thin out a player or two from that list. Conventional knowledge would say that, to become adverse to those risks, you play the for the immediate future. Likewise, the defense should be improved through the draft, and if/when FA happens, the Eagles will most certainly target the likes of the top tier defensive players available (Nnamdi 'The Nandi Bear' Asomugha among them), and load up to drastically improve their defense.
Obviously, the two names left out so far are seemingly the keys to this argument, in Michael Vick and Kevin Kolbinator. Vick is clearly the short term option, as he is AMAZING right now, albeit at risk for injury at any moment, while Kolb is the semi-dopey looking face of the future.
But wait! If they just keep Kolb on roster and resign him to replace Vick when he inevitably gets destroyed while scrambling, they can have both! Horseshit. I think Kolb is a nice guy, even a loyal and good guy as far as athletes go, but come on. This is entirely too similar to the Aaron Rodgers/Brett Favre scenario that played out a few years ago. Aaron Rodgers was not going to keep hanging around waiting for his chance. He was ready, and he needed to play, end of story. Kolb is ready, and needs to play, and he knows it. The difference here is that the Eagles have not gotten their fill of Vick's magic yet, while the Packers were (wisely) willing to part ways with their aging star in order to allow their future to become their present.
The Eagles are almost definitely going to keep Vick and resign him long term. I would be shocked to see them let him go, if for no other reason than Lurie LOVES the money Vick generates. So, I assume that the Eagles are going to resign him. Obviously, New Vick is not going to be the backup to Kolb anytime soon, so it would seem the Eagles are rolling the dice on the short term option. But outside of franchising Vick, what other evidence do we have of not just the short run conclusion, but that the Eagles should/will be trading Kolb? The answer is just another big question to the untrained eye.
What the hell were the Eagles thinking drafting a 27 year old rookie with their first round pick? I mean, I know they need offensive line help, but Gabe Carimi was available when they picked, and they are essentially the same player, except that Carimi will have a longer career and has more room to develop, where as Watkins is essentially entering his NFL prime. So what gives? Short run, win now. The Eagles stated loud and clear that they are going for it all in the next 3 years with Michael Vick at the helm. No shot Kevin Kolb stays.
That draft pick is exactly analogues to the larger choice at hand. Win now at the expense of the future, or build for later? They chose now. They are going now. Kolb is probably going to the Cardinals for a 1st rounder or 2 second rounders. With that, depending on a lockout shortened season, the Eagles will be able to bring in some more D support.
Additionally, they took an NFL ready safety out of temple, a backup CB in the third, and stole Casey Matthews in the 4th. Jamar Cheney will become a household name, and with Matthews and Bradley (if he stays healthy) in the LB corps, the Eagles defense really begins to take shape.
A lot of experts also predit Nnamdi Asumogha will become an Eagle to lockdown their non Asante Samuel side. Asumogha plays press coverage, which would force QB's to throw to Samuel's side on blitzes, which is exactly how Samuel intercepts 90% of his passes, by jumping routes. So, the Eagles turnover ratio should really jump up if that happens (and it really should).
That gives the Eagles the following defensive look: Graham and Cole at the ends, DT X & Y, Cheney, Matthews, and Bradley at LB, Allen and Jarrett at S's, and Asumogha and Samuel at CB, plus their serviceable CBs that can come in as needed. That really just leaves the DT position in question for them, which is important. Mike Patterson is acceptable, but Dixon is kind of crap, and it leaves open the gamblers question of the day; Do the Eagles take a shot on Albert Haynesworth?
Look, the guy is a terd. He has all the skills and abilities to be a monster, yet his attitude crippled his tenure as a Redskin. However, Mike Shanahan was never the right coach for him, and the Deadskins were never competitive while he was there. I'm not making excuses, but I do think that he is on the Randy Moss side of ego's interfering with performance. Moss was atrocious in Oakland, so bad that many people thought he was a fossil. But, given a much improved situation with real coaching and a decent team in NE, and boom goes the dynamite. To win a SB, you need to take chances. Haynesworth will come cheap, because Washington wants him out, and the Eagles may be one of the only teams that can take on his contract. It really may happen, and it could seal the deal.
All the pieces would be there. The Eagles are all in for the SB in the next 3 years. If Vick (among others) can stay healthy, if the youth on this team continues to grow, and if the abyss that is the O-line tightens up, this is absolutely a team that could win it all. Its a lot of ifs, but there always are. This is there shot. Management knows it, the players must know by now, and the fans are figuring it out. Lets finish making the moves, lets get them signed, and for monkey's sake, lets play some damned football.
Quick picks: Mavs over Heat in the finals, Lightning over Canucks in the SCF (I legit don't know how, but I am not picking the Canucks), and props to Shackleford for the Preakness.
I hope you had a good poop, Andy.
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