FanPost

Regarding Hank Baskett

So, I've noticed that Hank gets an awful lot of hate from this blog (and others, but it seems like even more here).  And I just wanted to ask, sincerely, why?  I don't understand how everyone dislikes him so passionately.  I'm not saying he's a superstar or anything, but I do think he's a really, really good WR4 and cash money on special teams.  I'll explain why I like him in 4 points.

Hank-baskett-action--ea4893295cf72a45_medium

via media.lehighvalleylive.com

1. Special teams- He's always busy out there, and he makes a TON of plays on special teams, which hasn't exactly been a great strength for the Birds over the years.  In 2007, he was named Special Teams MVP, he led the team in special teams production points with a whopping 277.  I'm not a special teams coach, so I don't know what that means exactly, but I do know that if you watch him you'll that he makes plays on special teams, consistently.  And before you bring up the Super Bowl onside kick drop--  It was a really well executed kick, and excluding the Saints sideline, NO ONE knew it was coming.  Yeah, you should be ready, but when P. Manning is your QB, and it's the Super Bowl, you're not thinking about an onside kick.  You're thinking about picking up your block.  Just about anyone would have made that mistake.  

 

2. Attitude- Seems like he catches a lot of flak for dating someone who is probably a waste of oxygen by any objective measure, and maybe he's a little -A LITTLE- Hollywood for being on that show.  I think this can just be chalked up to bad taste in women, though.  Take that out of the equation, and he's always been a high character guy who really busts it on the field.  I mean, in training camp every year you hear about how hard he works, and he's one of those first guy on/last guy off the practice field types.  I've never watched Kendra, but everytime I've seen the dude speak in a football setting, he's impressed me with his humility and general class.

3. This

One of my favorite Eagles moments ever.  I watched this game in hostile territory in Texas, and to be honest, this might be an unjustly large part of the reason I'm such a Baskett fan.  

4. WR4- Up there, I mentioned how he's such a good practice guy, but that coupled with his apparent lack of production on the field tends to get him the "Workout Warrior" tag.  My counterpoint for that is-- he's not supposed to be a huge numbers guy.  He's a role player, and a really good one at that.  Stats (only going with his stats as an Eagle, in IND he didn't know the system, and had a totally different role, more of a WR5):

2006- 5 GS, 22-464-2

2007- 0 GS, 16-142-1

2008- 6 GS, 33-440-3

From a 4th WR, I'm more than happy with this plus the ST production.  So, yeah.  That's my defense of Hank.  Seriously, though, I want to know why you guys hate him so much.