Giving Thanks to the Past
by homestar2281 on Apr 6, 2010 2:01 AM EDT
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PrintThank you Jim Johnson
You were the puppet master of a great defense that helped get this team to the great things they achieved. I will never forget the way we manhandled teams with blitzes, the way it was almost a guaranteed win when we played inexperienced quarterbacked teams that couldn't dissect your exotic looks. May you rest in piece
Thank you Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan
We always had a great offensive line over your time here and you two were the cornerstones of it. It was so comforting not having to worry about who the other team had along the defensive line because I knew you two could handle anything.
Thank you Brian Dawkins
I will never forget your passion, your intensity, and your love of the game. You were the leader of our defense for twelve years and the emotional speeches you gave were legendary. I will remember the hit you laid on Alge Crumpler in the NFC championship game for the rest of my life.
Thank you Brian Westbrook
You were the most electrifying player the Eagles have ever had at running back. Little did we know when you broke that punt return for a touchdown to win the game against the Giants, and save the season that we would have many more years for greatness to appreciate and cheer. I felt like every time you were one on one with another player or even one on two that you would somehow find a way to escape.
Thank you Sheldon Brown
You were an underrated player on a great defense for years. You applied tight coverage that forced quarterbacks to throw to your team mates who would put up bigger interception numbers and you never complained once. Of course the thing you might be remembered for the most is your hitting ability which left us with many great memories.
Thank you Donovan McNabb
You were the centerpiece and leader of an offense that not only set team records but gave this team to the most successful decade in team history. I will never forget the playoff game against Green Bay, not only did you single handedly put the offence on your back but you also did the unthinkable and convert 4th & 26 which lead to a game tying fieldgoal and eventually the win.
Thank you all for sacrificing your bodies every Sunday and doing everything you could to try and bring home a championship. This era didn't end the way any of us wanted it to and I know any of would do anything to change that. So thank you for giving me a reason to sing fly eagles fly, thank you for making me jump out of my seat, thank you for making me laugh, cry, cheer and boo.
Here is hoping that the next decade is as good as the last, Cheers.
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Agreed
He was a beast in his prime, it’s a shame his prime got shortened due to nagging injuries.
My comments aren't random, you just can't think as fast as me....
by Zachary Beard on Apr 6, 2010 7:33 AM EDT up reply actions
seriously...
now that he really is gone, i would love to have joed admit the sliver of appreciation he has for mcnabb deep inside his heart. =)
by notfromphilly on Apr 8, 2010 3:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Well Said.
I really enjoyed this post. Running a spell check would have helped…..lol But honestly, I didn’t realized how much these guys did for the team until they were gone, except maybe McNabb, and I feel that he didn’t get much support from the fans, I followed him through all the injuries, and heartaches, and came back the next year to root the Eagles, and come this season, I’ll root the Eagles again, of course, I’ll have to root for McNabb for most of the season, minus the 2 games against the Eagles. I hope Kolb has a great career, and maybe it is his time, but I just wished that McNabb had a little more time to try and bring that Super Bowl to Philly, well, now its Kolb’s chance to bring the SB win to Philly.
yeah sorry
I tryed to clean it up as much as I could just now but honestly I’m exhausted lol
Let's get it Birds.
I think Dawkins was the best defensive player the Eagles have ever had
(Yup, better than Reggie White too.)
My comments aren't random, you just can't think as fast as me....
Better than Jesus?
My comments aren't random, you just can't think as fast as me....
by Zachary Beard on Apr 6, 2010 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Christ
My comments aren't random, you just can't think as fast as me....
by Zachary Beard on Apr 6, 2010 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
lol
My comments aren't random, you just can't think as fast as me....
by Zachary Beard on Apr 6, 2010 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Nice post
That was a good group. I really don’t think that you can overstate the importance of having Thomas and Runyan and those OT spots for as long as we did. That was a huge contributor to our success.
Go Eagles!
Nice post Homestar
Run the spell check again and maybe Jason will throw this up as a featured post. haha.
Nice idea though.
correct me if I'm wrong but I need more
of a grammar check than a spell check right
Let's get it Birds.
by homestar2281 on Apr 6, 2010 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Excellent post.
I think we are often quick to forget how lucky we’ve been for the past decade. Lesean McCoy and Kevin Kolb have humongous shoes to fill. Pretend McNabb isn’t worth anything all you want, but he is the best QB in Eagles history. I don’t know if I’ll ever forget some of his biggest plays. Not to mention that Cardinals game on a broken foot.
I never tire of watching Westbrook highlights. He was sooo good.
And who doesn’t love some defense? Dawk, you already know we miss you, and Brown, I know I can say I will miss you too (maybe too much considering the current secondary situation).
Good, good memories. If we have as many good memories this next decade we will be extremely lucky. If we can get a SB too, well, we will be blessed fans at that point.
A new era has officially begun. It has a lot to live up to.
Man we did have some beast on this team
I would of been scared of some of those guys out there… they had a toughness that we just don’t have on this team right now.
In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard.
-Theodore Roosevelt
Very true
You even have to include JJ on that list of “tough guys” too. He might’ve been the toughest of them all… and that filtered down through the whole team.
They will certainly all be missed.
Definitely can't forget JJ
Right now, the only player that can be considered intimidating (at least to my standards) is Cole.
In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard.
-Theodore Roosevelt
the worse part
is that none of them have a ring
"If I can get you to think twice, I'm in your head."
-Brian Dawkins
I really thought
‘08 was the year. Everything was lining up perfectly for a final moment of glory with all these guys. And they just couldn’t get it done. Against Kurt effing Warner.
I agree
I thought that was the year! The Phillies broke “the curse” and I thought the Eagles were gonna follow it up with all these key vets finally getting their Super Bowl. All the stars seemed to be aligned… We knocked off the “best team” in the NFC in the Giants and had the matchup we all hoped for in the Cardinals… ughhh I hate thinking of “what could’ve been.”
We can't forget either...
They were basically all-but-out of the playoffs before the stars really aligned for the last game of the season… Of course we all remember what happened then.
That was probably my favorite season ever as an Eagles fan… better than 2004 even.
Agreed
Dawkins played out of his mind that season. Probably Sheldon’s best season (no TDs against, ridiculous). Asante was clutch in the postseason. Stew broke out as our MLB of the future. JJ out schemed the Steelers (great game). We finally got an elite receiver and punt returner (#10!). Celek went wild in the playoffs. Akers rebounded from his disappointing ’07 with a huge season. So many great things happened that season.
What hurts even more is that we crushed AZ and beat Pitt in the regular season that year. I think we were better than both of them.
No question
That’s what hurt the most. Everything was set up perfectly. That’s why that Arizona loss hurt so bad. You knew there were gonna be some changes that offseason with Dawk, Tra, Buck, and Runyan all in the last years of their contract.
It didn’t help at all that I had to watch the game in North Jersey with my wife’s family who are all Giants fans…
Agreed
The Eagles Dynasty of the 2000’s is slowly dying off, when Reid finally leaves, this franchise will no longer be what it used to be.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkQhWGxnr60&feature=related
right after the play @ 4:08 there was a shot of dawkins kneeling and two players (McNabb and Westbrook, I think?) helping him up. I think that’s my favorite image from the era. I can’t find the picture though
Haha...
Freddie Mitchell should get thanks for two of the most memorable plays by an Eagles WR.
by Route36 on Apr 6, 2010 11:16 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I'd like to thank my hands for being so great
I remember him more for his quotes than for his on-field play.. Unfortunately.
"I'd like to thank my hands for being so great."
-FredEx
by micah15 on Apr 6, 2010 4:07 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i really hope McNabb gets the respect he deserves one day
he was a real class act. never got in trouble, a family man. Look at Rothlesberger, Vick, fatass Jamarcus, Vince Youngs crazy ass. We were blessed to have a stable QB on (most times) and off the field. i’m really gnna miss him
In 20 We Trust
As a Denver fan too
I was quite surprised to hear about us cutting Dawkins, but was pretty happy to hear about him coming to Denver, I have loved watching him play.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
We never cut dawkins..
Dawkins left in free agency to pursue a larger contract. However small the contract that the birds offered was, the fact remains he still chose to sign elsewhere for more money. I’m sure if the eagles came close to what Denver offered, he would have taken a little less to stay in green.. Still got love for the dawk!!!
"I'd like to thank my hands for being so great."
-FredEx
by micah15 on Apr 6, 2010 4:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Amazing
Well said bro
"I'd like to thank my hands for being so great."
-FredEx
by micah15 on Apr 6, 2010 4:02 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
nice...
gonna be a tough one…sad end to a great era!
"Eagles fans are a passionate group who love their team," said McNabb, "if not the actual players. It's not like winning a Super Bowl before the first month of the season is the hardest thing they've ever asked of me. That'd be all those times they asked me to go kill myself."
Not to often
Do you see a decade of being a top team, do you see it being torn apart in two years. But we are doing a good job of fixing our holes pretty quick, I really hope Kolb works out, he has quite a bit of potential.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
oh i have high hopes...
that our moves will pay off and youth of this team will be good. i like kolb, and he looks good so far. i said multiple times i would’ve been okay if kolb or mcnabb was traded/or started. just a sad one goin into next year w/o those familiar faces…
"Eagles fans are a passionate group who love their team," said McNabb, "if not the actual players. It's not like winning a Super Bowl before the first month of the season is the hardest thing they've ever asked of me. That'd be all those times they asked me to go kill myself."
by greenbean#twoOH on Apr 7, 2010 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Just got to hope
But it is still been a sad past two seasons to see all these players leave.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
One little thing. Trot deserves to be on there, he was a warrior and loves this franchise and this city.
by You don't have to be sweet, to be good on Apr 8, 2010 1:21 AM EDT reply actions
Nah you did a great job, I just loved watching Trotter make the middle of the opposing offensive line look like a landmine had detonated. Never seen a LB that could just send 2-3 offensive linemen flying on a blitz the way he could.
by You don't have to be sweet, to be good on Apr 8, 2010 1:38 AM EDT up reply actions
hahah
oh the sweet sweet memories. this era of eagles football really is over now.
I’m hoping for a great new one to begin this season, one that hopefully has a win in the big game.
by notfromphilly on Apr 8, 2010 3:57 AM EDT up reply actions
McNabb to Thrash, October 22, 2001 - Eagles beat Giants 10-9
Talk about a game-winning drive…what a game.
Man this era was the best
Going to miss watching Dawkins, westbrook, and brown tear it up.
These were my favorite players ever. Still dont agree trading sheldon
Great post, man.
Got a little sad reading it. I’m really gonna miss Westbrook, as I did Dawkins, and as I probably will with Brown. Gotta point out though, it’s rest in “peace” not “piece” either way, good job. Rec’d.
The Eagles WILL redeem themselves in the '10-'11 season, with a win at SuperBowl 45 in Dallas!
ahhh
The good ol’ days… lets see how this generation turns out.
Hold on tight guys!
In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard.
-Theodore Roosevelt
This past decade was a great one
Lets hope for another dominating decade.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
Amen Brother, Bleeding Green!
So many Eagles of the past will be remembered. For all they did and all that was given by them. Its sad on how most of them were kicked out of Philly by way of the sewer, with no apreciation or even a thanks. But the fans will remember. To all these above and to the ones not listed, Jeremiah Trotter, Lito Sheppard, Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, (goes back a few years that some of you may not remember, but they all went out the same) All of these will bleed green forever. (and yes some of you will say Trotter came back, and he did, but he should have never left, they got him back when they where 6 ft under with LB problems.) And Jim Johnson, the mastermind of our defense. He will be missed. All will be missed.
by diehardeaglesfan on Apr 14, 2010 8:00 PM EDT reply actions
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