Michael Vick Promotion Might Haunt Philadelphia Eagles' Andy Reid

After Tuesday's stunning announcement, Andy Reid has seemingly painted himself and the Philadelphia Eagles into a relatively small corner. 

Reid's about-face in naming Michael Vick the starting quarterback until further notice surely has the potential to back fire on many fronts.   

On the surface, it would be difficult to argue that Vick has provided a spark to an otherwise moribund Eagles offense and would appear to give the team a better chance to win in the here and now. 

The post Donovan McNabb incumbent starter Kevin Kolb showed very little reason to believe that he was about to lead the team to a successful season— let alone become the next Aaron Rodgers as he had been routinely billed over the past several months. 

Although he never made the comparison, Reid himself consistently praised Kolb's ready for primetime capabilities and big upside potential as he figuratively pinched himself everyday to believe that he could be so lucky. 

Perhaps Reid was whistling in the dark? 

Perhaps he was forced to unload McNabb as some have speculated and needed to create a positive spin for fans as well as build the young QB's confidence?  

Perhaps he started to realize that he and the "so called young guns" overestimated Kolb's abilities or readiness with every misfired pass, every bad read, every unsuccessful effort to deal with a heavy pass rush, and every three and out through the pre-season. 

The only sense of hope was that when the curtain went up on the regular season, everything would magically click. After all, everyone knows— pre-season NFL games mean nothing. 

Unfortunately, things never fell in place for Kolb when the games started to count. Although his body of work was just two quarters, Kolb looked overmatched and devoid of confidence. 

Perhaps this sent shivers down the spine of Reid and the rest of the Eagles brain trust who had made such a  bold decision on Easter Sunday?

And, speaking of the "young guns", they seemed to quickly jump on the Michael Vick bandwagon. 

This is the same group that expressed pleasure when McNabb was traded and Kolb was installed as his successor. Subsequently, the group's recent enthusiasm for the former "NFL rock star" seemed to suggest greater confidence in Vick. 

With arguably the best quarterback in franchise history now enthusiastically wearing a maroon and yellow uni in the Nation's capital, there was no turning back. The Eagles brass had confidently looked forward to the "Kevin Kolb Era" as if it was a foregone conclusion that it would be filled with similar, if not greater, prosperity. 

As doubt transitioned from a creep to a steady flow— up stepped the pre-incarceration version of Michael Vick. Sleepless nights could be diverted for awhile why Reid and staff further evaluated Kolb or figured out the cure for his lackluster play. 

But, this all comes at considerable risk. Reid and team now have very little wiggle room and the potential for future troubles. 

Although it has been suggested that he has a tough exterior, it is reasonable to surmise that Kolb is smarting from a sense of abandonment by his coach and possibly the "young guns" who were singing his praises just months earlier. 

What if Vick's performance tails off?

Let's not forget that a UCLA Bruins colors-clad McNabb racked up something like 600 yards and 70 points in a half versus the same Detroit Lions team a couple years ago. 

Just like it was unreasonable to expect that McNabb would replicate that same level of play throughout the season, it is dangerous to assume that Vick will impersonate Steve Young in his prime the rest of this season. Even Reid described Vick as "playing out of his mind"— which tends to suggest a temporary state. 

What if Vick falls prey to the injury bug that is the occupational hazard of a 30-year old running quarterback?

In both of these scenarios, it would be very difficult for Reid, Kolb, and his teammates to simply hit the "reset" button and rally again around the "Kevin Kolb Era."

What if Vick continues to perform at a very high level throughout the 2010 season? 

Does a 31-year old become the QB of the future for the same team that just launched into a youth movement by jettisoning its more accomplished 33-year old signal caller? And, it is worth noting for a quarterback that has not been known for the pinpoint accuracy that the team was seeking for its West Coast offense. 

Perhaps Tuesday's move was simply "pure genius" on the part of Reid? 

With Vick having set the bar very high, the offensive line currently battered and broken, and Kolb not hitting on all cylinders— perhaps the risk of playing is greater than being unceremoniously benched after one half of live action? 

Only insiders really know the thought process as Reid and company continue to be unwaveringly vague and elusive when addressing the media. 

No one knows how it will all play out. As we have already seen, fate can quickly twist and turn in different directions. 

Maybe Vick will put together the best season of his career and lead the team to success. Or, maybe it will all get very messy.

One thing we can likely count on, though, is that the 2010 Philadelphia Eagles season will not lack for drama. It brings to mind a sage observation of the world around us—  real life can often be stranger than fiction.   

Eagles Need to Take Care of Business

After falling to 5-4 and out of first place, the Eagles have strung together four consecutive wins to regain the NFC Eastern Division lead. Considering that they face playoff contenders the last two games of the season, including a trip to Dallas, it is very important that the Eagles take care of business against the "also ran" 49ers. As they demonstrated Monday evening against the NFC reigning champion Arizona Cardinals, the Niners can pose a much greater threat than their 6-7 record might indicate.

Even if the Cowboys lose tonight against the undefeated New Orleans Saints, they can still finish at 10-6 defeating a struggling Redskins team and then the Eagles in the season finale. An Eagles loss tomorrow or the following week against the Broncos would set up the equivalent of a playoff game in Dallas as the winner will finish ahead of the other for the NFC East title or a playoff spot. A win tomorrow and next week would clinch the NFC East with a Cowboys loss tonight.

San Francisco has been particularly tough at home, but has won in Arizona and lost very close games in Minnesota, Houston, Indianapolis, Green Bay and Seattle. They are literally a few plays away from being a strong playoff contender. On Monday night, they dominated the Cardinals by forcing 7 turnovers while Frank Gore ran wild.

Intense coach Mike Singletary would like to use a similar formula against the Eagles, but will probably have less success consistently running the ball. Gore could hit a couple long runs, though, if he breaks through the box as the Eagles secondary is forced to make tackles. This will be fresh in everyone's mind as the Eagles are coming off possibly their worst tackling performance of the season last Sunday night against the Giants.

Singletary would love nothing more than to see his defense aggressively pursue the ball to get take-aways. Conversely, the Eagles are good at ball protection, so a repeat of the previous game is unlikely. Donovan McNabb will likely put the ball in the air to expose a vulnerable pass defense, but has been adept throughout his career at avoiding interceptions.

DeSean Jackson is coming off a spectacular game last week, and should be a focal point again this week with Jeremy Maclin sitting things out with Plantar Fascitis and Brian Westbrook still not cleared to play. McNabb will look for Jackson often, especially down the field. The Niners will try to limit him with double and triple coverage, so McNabb will find opportunities to hit Brent Celek and Jason Avant underneath.

The fact that the Niners can be tough against the run is just one more reason for Andy Reid to skew towards a heavy pass to run ratio. LeSean McCoy has been stifled the past two weeks, but Leonard Weaver has nicely picked up the slack, so expect to see both runners rotate throughout the game. Michael Vick is starting to find his legs and will likely be used more, especially in the passing game.

The Eagles defense is coming off a poor performance that is pause for concern. They surrendered more than 500 yards and 38 points after almost pitching a shutout the week before. Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott is surely going to want to get the team back on track and hopes that last week was more an aberration than a true indicator of ability. Shoddy tackling was the main culprit, so wrapping up was a key theme on the practice field.

Former #1 draft pick Alex Smith is back behind center after being removed last season for poor play. The time watching from the sidelines appears to have done him good as he is playing much better. He has a quick release and is best in the short to medium passing game. The Eagles would like to get into his face to create a couple turnovers, but he will counter by hitting short strikes to tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Both were high draft picks (6th and 10th, respectively) and are flashing the type of ability that had scouts drooling over them. Davis leads all tight ends with 11 touchdowns.

The bad news for the Eagles is that they continue to very poor at covering tight ends, so Davis could have a huge game. He will have ample opportunity, especially with attention diverted by the explosive tandem of Gore and Crabtree.

This will be a hard fought game that could be determined somewhat by the weather. Today's snow storm is forecasted to taper off before game time, but there still will be a fairly stiff breeze. McNabb's arm strength and experience plays to the Eagles favor as well as their secondary's ball hawking style.

Expect McNabb, Jackson, Celek and company to keep the points coming, while their defense picks off a couple Smith passes. In between, Gore and Davis will keep the Niners close.

Eagles 27

49ers 23

I'm just saying....

A weekly collection of random thoughts and observations for you to consider.

• Once again, the NFL seems to have its priorities mixed up and do not appear to be Eagles fans. While they forego suspensions on players testing positive for steroids, they decide to clamp down hard on the Eagles Joselio Hanson for taking a weight loss pill. And, last week they penalized the Eagles for a 1 second Captain Morgan pose after a touchdown. Perhaps the NFL front office are scotch drinkers and like players with a little bit of meat on them?
• Considering that the TV networks are continually looking to find new sources of revenue, Jorge Posada presented an excellent new opportunity in the World Series. In Game 2 of the World Series, Posada called 28 timeouts to visit the mound. Could the "Avodart or Directv Pitching Conference Moment" be in the not too distant future?
• Since things haven't seemed to take a turn for the better in Washington, maybe Sherman Lewis will become available for a consulting gig with Philadelphia? Last week's game against Dallas suggested that a "Time Management" consultant might be in order for the Eagles.
• Rumor has it that the Patriots are looking to add the Wildcat formation to their offense. If only they could have made that decision before the trade deadline....
• "LeBron" has spoken. He is calling for the league to retire #23 in honor of "Michael" rationalizing that if he is not going to wear the number, then surely nobody else should. Lets hope the NBA does not further inflate these two third person, first name-only egos by complying with LeBron's decree.
• Wade Phillips seems to over celebrate a little as if he knows he is on borrowed time. I was waiting for him to dump Gatorade on his players after the Eagles failed to convert a 4th and inches.
• And, speaking of 4th and inches, it sure would help if NFL referees actually spotted the ball in the appropriate place and then used the same video that was shown to all television viewers to get the call right after a challenge.

Eli Manning Hype Stoked into a Frenzy

The Eli Manning hype created by the New York media was stoked up by last Sunday night's "Jerry Jones' Stadium Unveiling" game. Truth be told, he did play better than expected in leading the Giants to a 33-31 victory. Although spared the embarrassment of having a punt rebound off the scoreboard, Eli was instrumental in ruining Jerry's 100,000 guest coming out party.

On this morning's ESPN Sports Reporters, the pundits took turns waxing poetic on the virtues of Eli. The premise of the discussion was who was better, big brother or little brother? Since big bro' Peyton is widely considered the best quarterback in football with Tom Brady rebounding from injury, the question was really whether Eli is the best in the NFL? One of the experts felt the need to say that Peyton is the best and that Eli couldn't be #2 because of Drew Brees.

Excuse me, did anybody watch Eli throw dying quails in the Giants final game of last season, when the Eagles knocked them out of the playoffs? Besides a blocked field goal and a prevent bend, but don't break late game statistic padding defense, the Eagles dominated the Giants all day. And, it was clear all day that Eli did not have the arm strength to throw through the stiff Meadowland's breeze like his counterpart in midnight green.

Eli Manning is a capable quarterback, but it is ridiculous to talk about him in terms of being the best in the NFL. He proved two years ago that he can operate with enough poise and precision to complement a strong team and ultimately win a Super Bowl. That Giants team had an excellent defense, offensive line and running game, so the team needed a signal caller who could protect the ball and make throws against defenses mostly stacked against the run. He did that in the playoffs and Super Bowl.

Putting things in perspective, Eli is probably somewhere in the second quartile of NFL QB's. If you took an objective look using the standard who is the best for this season to take age and future potential out of the equation, the following 8 players would rank ahead of him:

1. Peyton Manning
2. Tom Brady
3. Drew Brees
4. Philip Rivers
5. Curt Warner
6. Donovan McNabb
7. Ben Roethlisberger
8. Carson Palmer

Eli would likely fall somewhere within the next 8 QB's, that would include:

1. Tony Romo
2. Brett Favre
3. Matt Ryan
4. Joe Flacco
5. Jay Cutler
6. Matt Hasselbeck
7. Aaron Rodgers
8. Eli Manning

The ordering of both of these groups is debatable, but might be about right. The bottom line is that Eli Manning might very well be at the mid-point, almost dead in the middle of the pack. Mike Lupica, please take your New York, center of the universe rose colored glasses off.

NFL Power Rankings- Top 15 Week 2

Either we provided the jinx or had some teams over-rated as our top three and six of our top eight teams all lost in week 2. Additionally, a few other teams made a case to move into the top 15 spots. The Colts, Broncos and 49ers all ran their records to 2-0, while the Cardinals and Bills got untracked after disappointing week 1 losses. The Saints continue to demonstrate that they have the most dynamic offense in football rolling up 93 points in the first two games. After a strong season opening effort, our home town Eagles team took a hard fall. Big wins last Sunday included the Rex Ryan led Jets taking down the arch rival Pats, the Ravens outlasting the Chargers and the Giants spoiling Jerry Jones' attendance record setting, stadium unveiling Cowboys team.

Here are the greatly jumbled up rankings:

1. Saints (2-0)-Unstoppable offense + improving defense = contender
2. Jets (2-0)-Big win against Pats has their confidence soaring
3. Vikings (2-0)-Same story-have ingredients if Favre can stay healthy
4. Giants (2-0)-Pulled out see saw battle at Dallas, Eli looked good
5. Ravens (2-0)-Winning with offense rather than trademark defense
6. Colts (2-0)-Manning gives them a chance to win any week
7. Falcons (2-0)-Led by rising star Ryan, but won't sneak up on anybody in '09
8. Steelers (1-1)-Anemic offense
9. Patriots (1-1)-Chinks in the armor? Lucky to have one win
10. Eagles (1-1)-Outplayed in every phase by Saints
11. Chargers (1-1)-Tomlinson injured again and defense struggling
12. Cowboys (1-1)-Jones coming out party with Barber out, Romo ?'s
13. 49ers (2-0)- Could they be for real?
14. Broncos (2-0)- Flukey win followed by strong outing against Browns
15. Cardinals (1-1)-Offense came alive versus Jacksonville

NFL Power Rankings- Top 15 Week 1

The Pittsburgh Steelers squeaked out an OT win at home, but they were playing a tough Titans team and are still the defending champions. As a result, they find themselves at the top of our rankings after week 1. The Patriots did not look like the 2007 powerhouse that most expected with the return of Tom Brady....until the last couple minutes. As usual, they are potentially scary, especially for gamblers and fantasy footballers due to their passion for running up scores. The Eagles made a strong statement in week 1, but skeptics have a hard time drawing the line between their defensive dominance and the Panthers offensive ineptitude. The Vikings have the ingredients if they do not have to rely on their other scorned QBs. Lastly, the Giants Eli Manning's performance in last year's playoffs makes me wonder if he is hanging out with Mets players?

Without further adieu, here are our rankings after NFL season week 1:

1. Steelers (1-0)-Still the defending champs, will miss Polamalu
2. Patriots (1-0)-Brady's back, one year removed from 16-0 season
3. Eagles (1-0)-Strong start, but McNabb injury could cost week 2
4. Vikings (1-0)-Have ingredients if Favre stays healthy
5. Giants (1-0)-Strong defensive line and running game, but will lose at Dallas
6. Chargers (1-0)-Strong cast should win division if healthy
7. Cowboys (1-0)-Long TD throws are aberration, but still solid
8. Titans (0-1)-No shame in losing at Pittsburgh in OT
9. Jets (1-0)-Ryan defense, running game enough for Sanchez to win
10. Ravens (1-0)-Flacco taking next step
11. Saints (1-0)-Best QB in NFL will allow them to win shootouts
12. Falcons (1-0)-Led by rising star Ryan, but won't sneak up on anybody in '09
13. Packers (1-0)-Playoff possible with improving Rogers and defense
14. Cardinals (0-1)-History of complacency for defending NFC champs?
15. Bills (0-1)-Looked good until the nightmare ending

NFL Office Needs to Re-Examine Its Priorities and Logic

The National Football League has been wildly popular, a tremendous success story and the model for professional sports in many ways. That being said, the executives who run the league continue to have skewed priorities and counter intuitive thinking.

Over the years, the NFL has paid particular attention to ensure that their players wear uniforms with robotic precision, teams meticulously update injury reports to keep gamblers in the know and, heaven forbid, they drive any show of elation or fun to the confines of closed locker rooms. (Well, unless you are a Green Bay Packers player, which gives you license to jump into the stands and table dance with your fans after each and every touchdown while your team song pumps through the stadium loudspeakers.) Conversely, the NFL seems to have difficulty with the concept of protecting the safety of its players. A few recent events and NFL office rulings highlight their paradoxical approach.

On Sunday, the Eagles Donovan McNabb scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown run to extend the team's lead to 38-10, but his rib was broken when the Panthers 301 pound lineman Damione Lewis drilled him in the back at the end of the play. Not only was he already on the ground at the time, but he was also 3 yards into the end zone. Anyone familiar with NFL rules, including extra large sized 9-year veteran defensive tackles, knows that the nanosecond that a player crosses the goal line with the ball it is a touchdown.

A penalty was not assessed and the NFL office (relying specifically on head of officiating Merton Hanks) ruled that the hit was legal, no penalty should have been charged and no fines were in order. Perhaps Mr. Hanks needs to familiarize himself with the rule book as the play was dead on two counts with McNabb on the ground and well into the end zone. It also contradicts the league's longstanding desire to protect its signal callers. To add insult to injury, this same Panthers' team used a similar play to put McNabb out of the NFC Championship game a few years ago and help them advance to the Super Bowl- and did not get penalized or fined then, either.

While the NFL saw nothing wrong with a defender gratuitously breaking a marquee quarterback's ribs, they took strong objection to the Eagles touchdown celebration that took place an hour earlier in ironically the same spot. It was deemed to be a particularly heinous display of joy apparently due to the players' circular formation that smacked of premeditation. For their deeds, Eagles players were levied fines up to $10,000 apiece and $60,000 in total.

Speaking of fines and injuries, the NFL has just announced that it is fining the New York Jets, their GM and last year's since departed coach a total of $125,000 for not properly divulging Brett Favre's torn bicep injury last season. Of course, if they had, wouldn't that have put a large bulls-eye on Favre's arm for opposing team's 301 pound linemen?

Philadelphia Eagles 2009-2010 Forecast

After a surprising late season turnaround, last year's Philadelphia Eagles team made another run to the NFC Championship game. Unfortunately, their season ended with a disappointing loss to the red hot Arizona Cardinals. Although this would have been an unforeseen possibility a couple months earlier, most expected the Eagles to emerge from that game victorious to make their second Super Bowl appearance in the Andy Reid/Donovan McNabb era.

The team headed into the off season with several important player decisions to make, seemingly needing to choose between "winning now" or building for a sustained future. Key players and positions in question were Donovan McNabb and quarterback; Brian Westbrook and running back; Tra Thomas, Jon Runyan and offensive tackle; Brian Dawkins and safety; and the ongoing media and fan debate about upgrading the wide receiver position. Under Jeffrey Lurie's ownership, the team has historically opted not to extend contracts of aging veterans in an effort to maintain ongoing competitiveness, but the players in question have all been leaders and cornerstones in the team's success over the past decade. With the team coming so close to realizing its goals, the organization was walking a literal tightrope.

Consensus of most pundits was that the team did a masterful job in the off season addressing these areas. By most accounts, the Eagles appeared to have covered all their needs, upgraded the talent and gotten younger in the process. Of course, that is all on paper and in people's minds, and Sunday we will see the beginning of how it actually plays out.

There are also many intangible factors that will have a large impact on the team's fortunes this year. Losing Brian Dawkins to free agency removes the spiritual leader and a huge overall presence on the team. The passing of Jim Johnson has forced the Eagles to transition the defensive coordinator role to young Sean McDermott. Johnson was widely regarded as one of the best defensive minds in football and loved by his players, so this is obviously a huge void to fill.

And, it would certainly be remiss to not mention the "wildcat" wild card, Michael Vick. The team surprised the football world by signing Vick in August after he was released from incarceration, and life around the team has not been the same since. As expected, this has gotten and continues to get a great deal of attention and scrutiny. It remains to be seen how much it has distracted the team from preparing for the upcoming season and what impact it will have on focus and chemistry going forward. A teflon coating may be in order for McNabb and Reid as quarterback debates will surely occur throughout the season.

The team is clearly not settled as it heads into the season opener in Charlotte on Sunday. The offensive line is a new cast that has been banged up and practiced very little together. The team's emerging run stuffer, middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, was lost for the season early in camp, and the back-ups have shown little
in regard to being able to replace him. Westbrook's health has continued to be a concern, especially without any seasoned veterans to step in, so the team will likely be counting heavily on rookie LeSean McCoy.

Without the aid of a crystal ball, or a peek at the medical files, here is my forecast for this year's team and the upcoming season:

Offense

The Eagles finished 9th in total offense and 6th in scoring in the NFL last season. On paper, the offense should be better and has the potential to move to the top of the rankings. McNabb continues to be one of the top ten quarterbacks in the league, and although he is sometimes criticized on his passing precision, his great strengths are that he does not turn the ball over and he makes plays. DeSean Jackson and Brent Celek appear ready to step up to the next level of performance, and will have big seasons. The presence of Vick, as well as the health of Shawn Andrews and Westbrook will be critical factors. I see McCoy and Maclin making progressively greater contributions as the season unfolds. Everything considered, I expect that both Andrews and Westbrook will be in and out of the line-up throughout the season (the former out more) and the quarterback controversies will out weigh any pick up in offensive creativity. McNabb's performance will vacillate with the level of protection that he gets upfront, so Andrews' likely frequent absences will also fuel the debates. This will result in a similar point total as last season, but wide ranging week to week offensive inconsistency. Unfortunately, the NFL does not allow teams to put points on account for future use.

Defense

The defense will not perform to last year's level due to the loss of Johnson, Dawkins and Bradley. Rookie Victor "Macho" Harris has playmaking ability and has the potential to be a good player for years to come, but he will be learning on the job this season and is nowhere near Dawkins in run support ability. Bradley made a big difference in the Eagles' emergence as a top run defense last year, so expect more vulnerability despite strong tackle play up front. Overall, the defense should fall into the league's top third, but will not approach its #3 ranking from a year ago.

Special Teams

David Akers has not been as reliable as earlier in his career, but is still solid. The team is loaded with kick and punt returners, so expect them to be one of the most explosive units in the league.

Coaching Staff

Andy Reid has proven to be in the top echelon of NFL coaches as evidenced by the team's consistent success and the cultivation of coaches under him. The questions that continue to dog him (no pun intended) relate to his ability to win the big one, namely the Super Bowl. Jim Johnson has been a large part of that success through the years. Although it may come in time, it is doubtful that McDermott will be able to mastermind and lead the defense at the same level in 2009.

Prediction

The Eagles could stumble out of the blocks due to the multiple distractions and injuries. Vick will provide some ESPN highlights, but the net effect will be negative as controversies will distract and disrupt. The offensive line will never realize its potential, especially with its top player Shawn Andrews sitting out more games than he plays. The defense will lose aggressiveness and be more vulnerable as it tries to bolster its run support.

A couple months ago, I would have predicted seeing the Eagles in the Super Bowl with a legitimate chance to win. At this point, it seems that they will compete for the division title, make the playoffs, and then it will be a crap shoot in the post season. At that time, it will all depend on how the team has weathered the controversies and who is available to play, because on paper, the Eagles can beat any team in the NFC and possibly the NFL.

Eagles 11-5
Giants 11-5
Cowboys 10-6
Redskins 8-8

Favre's Most Recent Crack Back Block Draws Fine

Yesterday the NFL announced that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre is being assessed a $10,000 fine for his illegal crack back block in last Monday's pre-season game against the Houston Texans. Favre lined up as a receiver with the Vikings running a "wildcat" formation and took out defensive back Eugene Wilson with a blind-side block to his knees. The Vikings were given a 15-yard penalty in a meaningless exhibition game, which pales in comparison to the fact that Wilson was injured on the play.

Favre played the geriatric and "Mr Mom" cards saying that he will be 40 years old and 13 days ago was weed-eating, not thinking about throwing blocks. Of course, this is contrary to the notion that a seasoned veteran should surely know what constitutes an illegal, dangerous block. And, also this is contrary to the notion that it was not a problem for Favre to skip training camp because he knew his trade like the back of his hand.

Favre has been the consummate competitor, an obvious talent and a great deal of fun to watch through the years. This situation, as well as others, tend to get dismissed due to his folk hero-like stature. That being said, though, Brett, you should know better.

At the risk of becoming known as the Anti-Favre site, I couldn't help but point out the continuing paradox that this player has become. Besides the most recent incident, I see some major irony in the league fining the ex-landscaper QB for a crack back block. With his repeated waffling, isn't that what Favre did on a grander scale to the Packers and, maybe the Vikings, too? I'm just saying.....

The Dallas Cowboys Massive Scoreboard Blunder

Yesterday the NFL office ruled on the (shall we say) slightly embarrassing scoreboard conundrum in the Dallas Cowboys' soon to be opened Taj Mahal of stadiums. If you had not been aware, the issue revolves around the world's largest video screens (containing 30 million light bulbs in total) that make up the scoreboard being situated so low above the field that punted footballs bang into the bottom of it. And, it is noteworthy that the massive structure spans 60 yards from 20 yard line to 20 yard line, hanging over the field like a UFO mother ship. Oops!

Interestingly, after review by the NFL Competition Committee, the NFL gave what may amount to a temporary stay. The league has agreed that the Cowboys do not need to raise the scoreboard at this time, but will rather allow them to play special "do-over" ground rules for the 2009 season. Those rules are something along the lines of a backyard conversation you had as a kid: "If a ball hits the tree in left field, it is an automatic home run, but if a ball hits the big bush in right, it is a ground rule double...."

This is not a good combination for the ultra-precise NFL, which mandates everything from proper conduct after touchdowns to which body parts hitting the ground constitute a tackle to the appropriate way to wear socks. Since the season is quickly approaching, it would seem that this ruling was more a function of time and it is likely that the team will need to resolve the situation before next season.

The whole matter seems a little surreal since one would expect that the budget to build a $1.15 billion state-of-the-art football stadium would include enough money to hire top notch engineers and architects. Apparently, not, but the most unusual aspect of the whole affair may have been the reactions displayed by owner Jerry Jones and GM Rich Dalrymple as they watched the Titans punter boot balls that thudded into the bottom of the scoreboard.

As the two stood on the sideline and watched, they smiled with seeming amusement. This was an odd reaction as you would expect their look to be more along the lines of a ghostly, wide-eyed stare and as if they had each just swallowed a football while witnessing their organization's colossal error in planning. It appeared that their conversation went something like this:

Jerry: "Well, dang, look at that Rich. That ball just hit the Dallas Cowboys Mega-Tron."

Rich: "Yeh, and the ball was still going up."

Jerry: "Shoot, look at that, who would have thought a ball would go that high?"

Rich: "Not me, sir, but I think our punter kicks even higher."

Jerry: "Isn't that funny?"

One last thing, lets hope that the engineers calculated the right amount of support to hold up the massive scoreboard structure since they were a little lax with other things.....

See more on this in yesterday's post "I'm Just Saying....."