From Vishal, We aren't just witnessing the final games of McNabb. We're witnessing the end of an Era. We're witnessing another "if only" in Philadelphia sports. We'll want to pay close attention because there will be a lot of "if only" said around this town after this season because it's all over.
The 5 year plan soon became the 10 year plan, and is bleeding into the 15 year plan.
If only he ran more. If only he was a demonstrative leader. If only he could be more accurate. If only he demanded better receivers. If only he demanded a balanced offense….none of this is going to mean a thing after two more months, because there is going to be no parade with Donovan McNabb as the Quaterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. Never. Never- Ever. Let that sink in. Todd Pinkston, Na Brown, James Thrash, Charles Johnson, Torrance Smalls, Freddie Mitchell- none of it matters anymore. It won't matter what Wilma posted on her web site last year, what Sam told the local news the year before, or who booed who at the draft. None of it matters anymore because number 5 is gone gone gone.
Gone too is the greatest FS in the history of the Eagles, if not the world. The dark masked Hero every Eagles fan believed would save the day as they watched in awe as he hoisted opponents off the ground like Superman for the past ten seasons, he too will be a distant memory. His great career too will be filled with "if only". If only Trotter wasn't replced by Simoneau in 2002. If only the tackles had been bigger. If only the offense would have run the ball against Carolina. If only Blaine Bishop had gone to the sidelines against Tampa Bay.
Our warriors are fading into a fog. It is sad. It's sad that our insane General keeps attacking with the same war plans he's had in his chest for the past decade, even as his men, his best warriors who supported him and bought into those plans are now slowly fading away, hobbled from sacrifiing their very bones to bring forth his ideals and philosophies of Football. Crippled, in the end, without ever attaining that ultimate prize they had been promised when the sun set on their playing days. Still the General will go on. Five more years, except this time we don't have number 5 and number 20 to fight for us anymore. Where have you gone 53, 54, 21, 22, and 23? If only we could have them all back again for another ten more years. If only they were just ten years younger. If only there had been a change in philosophies somewhere in the past eight years. If only.
