This Is Your Team

"We want Jimmy.  We want Jimmy.  We want Jimmy."

"I would hope you'd support who we are, not who we are not.  These six individuals have made the choice to work, the choice to sacrifice, to put themselves on the line 23 nights for the next four months, to represent you, this high school. That kind of commitment and effort deserves and demands your respect.

"This is your team."

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Ahhh, Norman Dale.  Now there's an inspiring coach.

After the crowd at Hickory High starts the Jimmy Chitwood chant, Dale strides out to the microphone and delivers one of the best put-em-in-their-place speeches in the history of film.

Eagles fans right now are a restless bunch.  Worried about the future of the team and unsure about whom to blame, the fanbase is lashing out like a blind prizefighter, swinging wildly at any target within reach.

I understand the frustration.  I've spent a lot of Sunday nights this season apologizing to my wife for being such a grouch that Sunday afternoon.  In fact, the way things are going, I should probably just get a standing Monday morning order in for flower delivery. 

FTD: "The usual, mate?" 
Me:   "Hmmm, terrible loss to the Titans, better make it a double."
FTD: "Two dozen roses, coming right up."

There's something I don't get, however.  My shit list for the loss to the Colts goes something like this:

1. Walker
2. Cole / Howard
3. Trotter
4. Jim Johnson
5. Donte Stallworth
...
146. Jeff Garcia

So why is it that so many Eagles fans are up in arms about Garcia and his alleged shortcomings?  The guy went out there, played a very fine, controlled game, and did exactly what a backup quarterback is supposed to do -- give the team a chance.

Now, since they were playing Indy, there wasn't much of a chance anyway.  The Eagles weren't going to beat this team even with McNabb under center.  But check this out:

Manning - 14/20, 183, 1 TD, 94.4 RAT
Garcia - 19/23, 140, 2 TD, 121.0 RAT

That's Peyton, folks, not Eli. 

Of course, Manning is a far better quarterback than Garcia.  I'm not suggesting he isn't.  If he were our backup we'd be in great shape.

But Garcia played well, he looked like he gave a crap, and he wasn't the guy who got run over by every single blocker.  I'd rather root for that guy than complain about him. 

I know there are lots of people who love AJ and want him to play instead.  But look at the situation we're in right now.  There are three possibilities for this Garcia thing:

1) Garcia plays well the rest of the year and still wants to start somewhere else. Eagles trade Garcia for a respectable draft pick and improve the team.

2) Garcia plays well and is fine being our backup or potential season-opening starter depending on Donnie's rehab. Great, we're set for next year and we've got good depth with AJ.

3) Garcia craps the bed the next three games, Reid benches him in favor of AJ for the last two and we find out what we have there. That's the worst-case scenario for this season, but we still have time to figure out next year.

It's possible I'm just reading the wrong message boards, but there seems to be a real anti-Garcia vibe going, which frankly I just don't understand.  I don't usually ask for comments, but if you've got one on this Garcia thing, I'd love to hear it.

Comments

[Tom G]

I'm with you. I wrote this up last Sunday:
http://www.ballssticksstuff.com/2006/11/eagles_qb.html

[JB]

Wow, no McCoy on your shit list...

[Me]

Ha! He was somewhere between six and 10.

But honestly, he's too small. I guess I see him get pancaked by a tight end and think, yeah, that's why linebackers should weigh more than wide receivers.