Why it is bad to smile.

EB – MRPH has a point. Remember when Jeff Garcia was here? He would get so pissed if he missed a throw of if someone lined up in the wrong spot, or dropped the ball. He would run over with fury and start yelling at the player or condemning himself if he f-ed up. McNabb on the other hand smiles after a couple of bad throws and then starts thumping his chest indicating it was on him. It’s not exactly what a blue collar city wants to see. Do you get it?

We all know this topic is entirely too subjective to really debate.

McNabb supporters will say things like: So, what, he has to be pissed off if we’re losing? You don’t really know what’s going on in the huddle/locker room, he’s just trying to keep loose, etc. etc.

People that want to give Kolb a shot will say the opposite; neither side has pretty stats and percentages to back it up, so discussing it will just trading opinions based on what is seen on TV/press conferences, or invalidating those observations with the cop out phrase of “You can’t know for sure you’re not in the huddle” or some other variation of arguing without making an actual point.

/thread

… I always hated how guys frowned on the sidelines and threw their helmets and all that. I feel like all that screwface shit a lot of times was an act to look like you care in front of your teammates. To me, I’d be more impressed if that dude spent less time throwing his helmet trying to look like he cared, and more time talking to his position coach about how not to get his ass kicked again. THAT’S caring.

Also, positivity during a football game is not a bad thing. Every team is going to trail at some point during a season, have a bad quarter or what have you. I remember we played one year at Bridgewater (please excuse my small-college tales, they have a purpose) who was 0-8 and took a 20-0 lead on us. I remember a guy on the sideline being like “I can’t believe we’re going to lose to Bridgewater.” In the third quarter! I remember yelling at him to think positive … you can’t think you’re gonna lose. We scored four TDs in the last 9:56 and won, 28-20. Part of the reason we came back is that they were so used to losing, that as soon as we got rolling, I don’t think they believed they could win even though they were still ahead.

One more thing I hated … the other team coming on your field and yelling a whole lot during warmups. I used to laugh. I’d be like you guys yell all you want, we’re still gonna whip y’alls ass.

Short story long, don’t believe everything you see in terms of outward emotion. It’s not necessarily what counts. Some guys do it your way, some guys see it my way, some guys probably see it another way. Doesn’t make one right and the others wrong. The notion that there’s one certain way a successful football player must act is absurd.

but I really don’t understand smiling while sucking unless you don’t care.

To me that shows confidence, that you believe things will be fine even though they don’t always look great. I’d much rather get behind that leader than the guy who looks defeated after the first few three and outs (and Lord knows if the Eagles did that …)

(Some outward expressions, like selfish celebrations when you’re losing big, or grandiose antics for routine plays, do bother me. I do have my pet peeves … but everybody’s are different and nobody’s are necessarily law over anyone else’s)

and pretend like they can see inside his mind. Who knows what all that stuff really means, and if it has all that much to do with winning and losing.

Personally he comes off to me as a little standoffish, maybe not completely genuine because he seems like he’s trying to say the right thing. I kinda always disliked Kobe for similar reasons … but you know what? Doesn’t make him a bad player.

I much appreciate that he doesn’t throw picks, you’ll never have to worry about him getting a DWI or picking up a hooker before the Super Bowl or some other dumb crap … Even though I pretty much hated T.O. after what he did to divide the locker room, he probably was on point about the way McNabb can rub some people the wrong way.

But unless we can get our hands on one of the top 3-4 QBs in the game, I’d much rather have a guy whose flaws are what they are as opposed to the opposite.

I feel like if surrounded by a complete team, and often when not, McNabb gives the Eagles a very good chance to win. And in this game, that’s all you can ask for.