Sunday, September 30, 2007
Can I change my mind on that?
Tell me I didn't joke last week about getting a Winston Justice jersey. Please.
Shock: Phillies IN playoffs.
Yes, I'm shocked. The Phillies are in the playoffs. Granted, they're about to be up against either the stupid hot Rockies or the Padres trotting out Peavy, Young, and Maddux. So prospects of further advancement aren't terrific, but when the franchise's last playoff appearance was 14 years ago, and it involved the first come from behind World Series-ending home run, its just nice to back in the post season. Well, its good to be playing in October, I'm going to watch the games, have a beer, and enjoy it while it lasts.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Eagles, Week 3
Ok, that's more like it. Seven sacks by defensive linemen, McNabb 21 for 26 for 381 yards and 4 TDs, 110 rushing yards for Westbrook, and Kevin Curtis stepping up and looking like a legit starting receiver. Can't be happy with John Kitna throwing for 446 yards, 204 of those to Roy Williams, but with Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins not playing, some weakness in the secondary is expected. Most of my concerns of earlier this week have been addressed. I could complain, but it just sounds like nit picking when your team won by 35 points, so I'll stop.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Phillies and playoffs
Another big reason for the blog: so my friends don't have to listen to me bitch about the Iggles, Flyers, Phillies, and Sixers. Today, its the Phils, and in fact, I've had most of this blog has been written for a week and has been sitting unposted. I know, I'm supposed to be excited about the Phillies playoff prospects, but I'm not, and haven't been all season. Every time the Phils gets within a couple games of a division lead, media goes all "pennant race" nuts, and I'm just not with it. Here's the scoop: its the Phillies, they're almost guaranteed to blow it. The quick prediction: they finish the regular season tied with the Mets for the division lead and lose the one game playoff at home against the team they've beaten eight straight times. Combine that with the Padres clinching the wild card on the last day of the season and Philadelphia will be out of the playoffs, a tidy ending to a season, and exactly the type of kick in the nuts the Phillies are prone to giving their fans. In short, I'll be shocked if the Phils make the playoffs. Pleasantly shocked, but shocked none the less.
Camera/Spy/Belichick-Gate
Yay, a non-Eagle blog! Quick point about the Patriots recent scandal. If you're videotaping defensive signals, its probably not so much for the second half of the game, its more for the next time you play someone. You wanna bet Belichick doesn't have a veritable library of illegal video documenting other teams signals and calls stashed somewhere? I'll take that bet. All I'm saying is what are the chances that the first and only time you speed you get a speeding ticket? Pretty damn slim. Now, do I think the Pats are an excellent team and Belichick a top head coach? Absolutely. Do I think this is the first time they've taped another team illegally? Of course not. Do I think they've been doing it for years? Maybe, tough to say, there's really no way to be sure how long its been going on. Do I think it casts a taint over the Patriots recent years of NFL success? To an extent, yes. To what extent is what I don't know, as I think we may not see all the relevant evidence and testimony immediately.
Monday, September 17, 2007
The first real post! NFL Week 3, 2007
The tipping point in starting this blog was the Eagles loss last week to the Washington Redskins. They're 0-2 and I'm just forced to write about it. After their week one loss to an inferior Green Bay Packers team, I thought we would be OK. First game, on the road, playing against a veteran QB (even if it is one who should be shilling for Depends by now, not Wranglers), a loss was no big deal. Sure, it was a kick in the groin when we lost to GB due to two fumbled/muffed punts. That should have been a 20-6, maybe 16-9 Philly win. But it wasn't, and I chalked it up to first game jitters, team not being in sync yet, etc. Now comes week two. And we have a loss at home to a division opponent that's not even a particularly good team. So here are the Eagles issues that I want to get off my chest.
1- Linebackers. I know I have an unnatural appreciation for Jeremiah Trotter*, but it sure seems like it would be nice to have him around this season. Its not like we needed to free up money to sign someone else post haste, that cap room isn't going to be used until next year. Even if he could be our top second string LB and we bring him in situationally, why release him?. I know at this point in his career he's below average in pass coverage, but the guy can still get off blocks, tackle running backs, and he's a great positive leadership force on a team. With regards to our remaining LBs, Takeo Spikes looks (in a MarshawnLynchism) solid, Omar Gaither hasn't looked bad at the Mike spot, but where's Chris Gocong been? Did he get a single mention by the announcers in last week's Monday Night game? I'm usually looking at the linemen more often than LBs when watching football (a product of my playing offensive tackle in high school), so I'd have to watch the films again (which I really don't want to do after tonight) to see if he was just getting whipped or if others were getting to plays just before him, but only three tackles in each of his first two games seems to confirm my initial suspicions that he hasn't been good at fighting his way to ball carriers.
*Not like that. I'm just saying that the only Eagles jersey I currently own is a #54. I mean, did you see the guy's farewell press conference? I don't care who else he played/plays for, that guy is an Eagle. Bleed-midnight-green Eagle. This is not a point you can argue with me.
2- Defensive line. I have no qualms with our play against the run, I think holding Clinton Portis to 69 yards was a good effort, its the pass rush, or lack thereof, that I found frustrating. I know that in Jim Johnson's defensive scheme pressure often comes from LBs, CBs, and safetys, but the ends and tackles still need to lead the charge against opposing quarterbacks. Jason Campbell was hurried at times tonight, but to get only one sack against a team that's not really terrific in pass protection AND is missing TWO of their starting offensive linemen is unacceptable. As much as I'd like to say that Jevon Kearse should be the leader here and is under performing, I can't really pin this on a specific player; its attributable to the whole D, but IMHO, it starts with better line play.
3- McNabb. Yeah, you were waiting for this one. He had a bad week against Green Bay. He was average against the Skins. 28 of 46 for 240 yards with no interceptions is a pretty good night for a guy who is playing at 80%. I feel like he'll be better next week and that by the time we get to the Jets in week six he'll be in the ball park of the old Donovan. That's providing his health continues to improve, which isn't a given with McNabb after the past few seasons.
4- Westbrook. Man are we screwed if he's seriously injured. It seems awfully recent that I was expecting him to split carries with Correll Buckhalter evenly, now I'm ready to write off a season if he's hurt. That knee strain of his had better be a minor injury. Perhaps the most important back to his team in the NFL (discuss).
5- Offensive line: Not bad. Not great, but not problematic. As always, the less you say about the O-linemen, the better.
6- Receivers. Cue the groundskeepers from Major League: "they're still shitty!" Kevin Curtis hasn't particularly impressed yet, but he looks like a workable #2 receiver. Not as in "lets throw a pile of #2 at him," but as in "if there's an actual good receiver on the team that demands double coverage or the other team's best corner he'll have some good games." Unfortunately there's nobody on this team that demands that kind of respect from the opposing secondary. Reggie Brown and his 3 catches for 41 years sure as hell doesn't look like that guy. Our best wide receiver so far is a guy who coming into this season figured to be behind Brown, Curtis, Greg Lewis, and Hank Baskett on the depth chart, Jason Avant. Avant has eight catches for 99 yards in two games, and has given the overall impression of a good possession receiver. Side note: wouldn't hurt to have L.J. Smith healthy. Also wouldn't hurt if he was as awesome IRL as in my Madden franchises. The more I think about the Eagels receivers of the Reid era, getting T.O. was, to borrow an analogy from Bill Simmons, the ultimate "girlfriend who bakes cookies" for McNabb.
7- Andy Reid. I'm generally a Reid supporter, and I like to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but calling a time out when you opponent is about to kick a field goal with 14 seconds left on second down reminds me of the quote from Napoleon, "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." Unless you think they're faking and you don't have the right personnel on the field (or are short personnel on the field, I theory I've heard but not seen proof of), there was no good reason to call that timeout. Thanks for handing the 'Skins four points. If we don't do that, at least at the end of the game we're only trying to make up one score. Thus on the second to last Eagle drive we go for a touchdown on 4th down from the Washington 3 yard line. In fact, even if you forget the timeout debacle, if you go for that 4th down, score a touchdown and make the conversion, our last drive concludes with a game tying field goal. Sure, you needed two scores, but are you going to get a better chance for the necessary touchdown than from the three yard line? Probably not.
8- Random thoughts (I know, like the rest of the blog isn't). Lito Sheppard, come back, we miss you. If Winston Justice turns into a starter at some point, I may have to get his jersey and dub it The Jersey Of Justice!
1- Linebackers. I know I have an unnatural appreciation for Jeremiah Trotter*, but it sure seems like it would be nice to have him around this season. Its not like we needed to free up money to sign someone else post haste, that cap room isn't going to be used until next year. Even if he could be our top second string LB and we bring him in situationally, why release him?. I know at this point in his career he's below average in pass coverage, but the guy can still get off blocks, tackle running backs, and he's a great positive leadership force on a team. With regards to our remaining LBs, Takeo Spikes looks (in a MarshawnLynchism) solid, Omar Gaither hasn't looked bad at the Mike spot, but where's Chris Gocong been? Did he get a single mention by the announcers in last week's Monday Night game? I'm usually looking at the linemen more often than LBs when watching football (a product of my playing offensive tackle in high school), so I'd have to watch the films again (which I really don't want to do after tonight) to see if he was just getting whipped or if others were getting to plays just before him, but only three tackles in each of his first two games seems to confirm my initial suspicions that he hasn't been good at fighting his way to ball carriers.
*Not like that. I'm just saying that the only Eagles jersey I currently own is a #54. I mean, did you see the guy's farewell press conference? I don't care who else he played/plays for, that guy is an Eagle. Bleed-midnight-green Eagle. This is not a point you can argue with me.
2- Defensive line. I have no qualms with our play against the run, I think holding Clinton Portis to 69 yards was a good effort, its the pass rush, or lack thereof, that I found frustrating. I know that in Jim Johnson's defensive scheme pressure often comes from LBs, CBs, and safetys, but the ends and tackles still need to lead the charge against opposing quarterbacks. Jason Campbell was hurried at times tonight, but to get only one sack against a team that's not really terrific in pass protection AND is missing TWO of their starting offensive linemen is unacceptable. As much as I'd like to say that Jevon Kearse should be the leader here and is under performing, I can't really pin this on a specific player; its attributable to the whole D, but IMHO, it starts with better line play.
3- McNabb. Yeah, you were waiting for this one. He had a bad week against Green Bay. He was average against the Skins. 28 of 46 for 240 yards with no interceptions is a pretty good night for a guy who is playing at 80%. I feel like he'll be better next week and that by the time we get to the Jets in week six he'll be in the ball park of the old Donovan. That's providing his health continues to improve, which isn't a given with McNabb after the past few seasons.
4- Westbrook. Man are we screwed if he's seriously injured. It seems awfully recent that I was expecting him to split carries with Correll Buckhalter evenly, now I'm ready to write off a season if he's hurt. That knee strain of his had better be a minor injury. Perhaps the most important back to his team in the NFL (discuss).
5- Offensive line: Not bad. Not great, but not problematic. As always, the less you say about the O-linemen, the better.
6- Receivers. Cue the groundskeepers from Major League: "they're still shitty!" Kevin Curtis hasn't particularly impressed yet, but he looks like a workable #2 receiver. Not as in "lets throw a pile of #2 at him," but as in "if there's an actual good receiver on the team that demands double coverage or the other team's best corner he'll have some good games." Unfortunately there's nobody on this team that demands that kind of respect from the opposing secondary. Reggie Brown and his 3 catches for 41 years sure as hell doesn't look like that guy. Our best wide receiver so far is a guy who coming into this season figured to be behind Brown, Curtis, Greg Lewis, and Hank Baskett on the depth chart, Jason Avant. Avant has eight catches for 99 yards in two games, and has given the overall impression of a good possession receiver. Side note: wouldn't hurt to have L.J. Smith healthy. Also wouldn't hurt if he was as awesome IRL as in my Madden franchises. The more I think about the Eagels receivers of the Reid era, getting T.O. was, to borrow an analogy from Bill Simmons, the ultimate "girlfriend who bakes cookies" for McNabb.
7- Andy Reid. I'm generally a Reid supporter, and I like to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but calling a time out when you opponent is about to kick a field goal with 14 seconds left on second down reminds me of the quote from Napoleon, "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." Unless you think they're faking and you don't have the right personnel on the field (or are short personnel on the field, I theory I've heard but not seen proof of), there was no good reason to call that timeout. Thanks for handing the 'Skins four points. If we don't do that, at least at the end of the game we're only trying to make up one score. Thus on the second to last Eagle drive we go for a touchdown on 4th down from the Washington 3 yard line. In fact, even if you forget the timeout debacle, if you go for that 4th down, score a touchdown and make the conversion, our last drive concludes with a game tying field goal. Sure, you needed two scores, but are you going to get a better chance for the necessary touchdown than from the three yard line? Probably not.
8- Random thoughts (I know, like the rest of the blog isn't). Lito Sheppard, come back, we miss you. If Winston Justice turns into a starter at some point, I may have to get his jersey and dub it The Jersey Of Justice!
Welcome to the Midnite Green blog!
Alright, the blog has begun, and I thought I'd start with a little FAQ.
Q: Big question: is there anything the world needs less than another sports blog?
A: Well, probably not, but I'm about fed up with the lack of actual analysis and intelligent discussion in the ones that exist, so here we are. That, and I'm tired of blogs centered around New York and Boston sports, and I generally just want to rant.
Q: What can I expect to read about here?
A: I'm originally from the Philadelphia area (read: Cherry Hill), now displaced in Arizona, so that's the perspective the blog will be from.
Q: Why does your writing suck so much?
A: Here's the deal, I'm not a writer. I'm not even really a blogger. I'm an information technology consultant/glorified repair guy/computer fix-it monkey. I know the writing sucks, reminding me is a waste of your time and mine.
Q: Why is the blog called "midnite green?"
A: Because Midnight Green was taken (by some wanker in Minnesota nonetheless)! Seriously, because the Philadelphia Eagles main uniform color is named midnight green and I wanted to start an Eagles blog. I eventually, however, felt the need for a wider scope than just talking about the Eagles.
Thanks for stopping by. If you have questions ask 'em, leave some feedback if anything else comes to mind, and enjoy the blog.
Q: Big question: is there anything the world needs less than another sports blog?
A: Well, probably not, but I'm about fed up with the lack of actual analysis and intelligent discussion in the ones that exist, so here we are. That, and I'm tired of blogs centered around New York and Boston sports, and I generally just want to rant.
Q: What can I expect to read about here?
A: I'm originally from the Philadelphia area (read: Cherry Hill), now displaced in Arizona, so that's the perspective the blog will be from.
Q: Why does your writing suck so much?
A: Here's the deal, I'm not a writer. I'm not even really a blogger. I'm an information technology consultant/glorified repair guy/computer fix-it monkey. I know the writing sucks, reminding me is a waste of your time and mine.
Q: Why is the blog called "midnite green?"
A: Because Midnight Green was taken (by some wanker in Minnesota nonetheless)! Seriously, because the Philadelphia Eagles main uniform color is named midnight green and I wanted to start an Eagles blog. I eventually, however, felt the need for a wider scope than just talking about the Eagles.
Thanks for stopping by. If you have questions ask 'em, leave some feedback if anything else comes to mind, and enjoy the blog.
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