Have You No Sense of Perspective Sir, At Long Last?
Football season is four days from being over and the Eagles have cleaned their lockers for the winter, but stories and scuttlebutt are flying over the airwaves like training camp is days away. Say it isn’t so. I absolutely cannot believe that the city of Philadelphia has swallowed the story that a genuine quarterback controversy exists within the Eagles franchise. Yet, the message boards are all a-titter with the latest scenarios of Donovan McNabb being traded away for a starting middle linebacker, defensive lineman, power back, and number one draft choice...or maybe just a third rounder. Meanwhile, the fans envision the immortal Jeff Garcia’s scrappy mojo propelling the team to the Super Bowl victory that Donovan could never bring. Last week, Andy Reid’s veto of his injured QB’s press conference was the latest supposed "sure sign" that the coach was planning on letting Garcia maintain his momentum right through next season. Unfortunately, McNabb is actually giving these people credence by saying he’s not jealous or worried about his job, but just by acknowledging that he could be he seems like he’s trying to convince himself of that fact, as well.
I’ve never been a huge Eagles’ fan, but I do admit I like to see them win, if only because it makes this city an easier place to live. People are happier, the sun shines brighter, and my utilities cost less. Otherwise, I am fairly indifferent having grown up a Lions fan. This fact makes me something of an expert on the subject of “Jeff Garcia really not being that great.” He came into a similar situation in Detroit last year (replacing the starter) and wowed no one by throwing three touchdowns, six interceptions, and winning only one game (against the Browns). This is not to say that everything was his fault - the Lions are a veritable graveyard for NFL quarterbacks. But Eagles fans are always lauded for their supreme understanding of the game - shouldn’t it be painfully obvious that this one person is not, in fact, capable of propelling his team to victory by virtue of his competitive will?
A parallel situation is playing out on the red carpets of Los Angeles this winter movie season. Here comes Eddie Murphy, storming back into cinematic relevance with his supporting performance in Dreamgirls. He brought home a Golden Globe and stands a decent chance to win again at the Oscars. In recent years, we all forgot Eddie was still making movies. I stumbled across a mid 80s SNL clip of him on YouTube and felt myself reminiscing about how funny this guy was, just like Richard Pryor, Mitch Hedberg, or Bill Hicks. The only thing is, those other three guys took their routines to Valhalla while nobody knows where Eddie took his funny. But back to the SNL-era Eddie (or Delirious, Trading Places, and Coming to America-Eddie). While not the funniest guy of all time, there was an era when he was edgy and insightful and as good as it got in comedy. Jeff Garcia had his stretch like that, too; back in San Fran. Pro Bowls, playoffs, about as valiant an effort to replace Steve Young as anyone could have mustered.
(I know, again with the NFL and Hollywood link, but the Eagles and Saints were both compelling stories. This also says something about my winter, which has been entirely made up of Netflix, the theater, and bowl games/playoffs. Next week will contain neither, I swear.)
Then comes the dry spell. Something changed - mainly the people on the receiving end of their deliveries. Eddie started going for the family market, because a movie that is rated PG can bring in waaaaay more at the box office than a movie in his raw R-rated tradition. 2000-2006 saw the following edgeless parade of mediocre films: The Nutty Professor II, Dr. Doolittle II, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, I Spy, The Haunted Mansion, and animated voice-over after animated voice-overs that I don't want to even mention. Garcia had lost Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, and eventually found himself on the wrong side of a salary dump. Attempted resurgence went appropriately unnoticed during seasons in Cleveland, Detroit, and here in Philadelphia for the first two-thirds of 2006. These guys had fallen completely off the general radar of the American public.
Certain situations are tailor-made for an aging veteran ready to make their last run at the big time. They usually involve some sort of a reduced role in the overall scheme and a reevaluation of what they do best as a professional. They are surrounded by younger cast members who are all performing at a high level. It turns out that Eddie Murphy can do some of his most celebrated work by not being funny at all in Dreamgirls. It also turns out that Jeff Garcia can be a reliever who does the minimum required of him to win the game (most of the time): getting the ball to Brian Westbrook. It was a feel good situation for both these men and they have been duly celebrated in the process. On the way to lunch I pass an SUV permanently parked in a downtown parking lot with stickers on the windows saying something to the effect of “You should drive a car from the same dealer as Jeff Garcia.” It was an underdog story and we ate it up in predictable fashion. But what comes next is not something upon which you should bank the future of the franchise.
The first time I saw a preview for Norbit, I knew things had returned to status quo. Jokes about fat people. Irrelevance. That is what we’ve come to expect if we are paying any attention to the situation at all. Jeff Garcia has had some really great moments and was part of a turnaround (along with a reborn defense and a complete reconfiguration of the offensive scheme), that had this city bubbling over with excitement. But he is no Donovan McNabb. He couldn’t single-handedly bring home a championship, even an NFC Championship. As Garcia made his best effort, on the sidelines stood the face of the franchise, who has taken similar teams to the cusp of the Super Bowl four different times. Are people really eady to get rid of him?
I hope that Donovan takes something away from his experience this year. He saw an aging veteran lead his team with fire and determination that wasn’t afraid to play his role when necessary. If he can blend that attitude in with his already outstanding skill and (most of the time) execution, he will make Philadelphia a great place to be. McNabb shouldn’t feel his territory has been intruded on; a situation was taken advantage of by a willing veteran who will fade back into the scenery with the coming of the next year. If Donovan wants to see who really runs the city, all he has to do is look up right behind the Jeff Garcia stickered SUV at the 35-foot billboard with himself on it. He is head and shoulders above his competition, but someone forgot to tell him about that.
I’ve never been a huge Eagles’ fan, but I do admit I like to see them win, if only because it makes this city an easier place to live. People are happier, the sun shines brighter, and my utilities cost less. Otherwise, I am fairly indifferent having grown up a Lions fan. This fact makes me something of an expert on the subject of “Jeff Garcia really not being that great.” He came into a similar situation in Detroit last year (replacing the starter) and wowed no one by throwing three touchdowns, six interceptions, and winning only one game (against the Browns). This is not to say that everything was his fault - the Lions are a veritable graveyard for NFL quarterbacks. But Eagles fans are always lauded for their supreme understanding of the game - shouldn’t it be painfully obvious that this one person is not, in fact, capable of propelling his team to victory by virtue of his competitive will?
A parallel situation is playing out on the red carpets of Los Angeles this winter movie season. Here comes Eddie Murphy, storming back into cinematic relevance with his supporting performance in Dreamgirls. He brought home a Golden Globe and stands a decent chance to win again at the Oscars. In recent years, we all forgot Eddie was still making movies. I stumbled across a mid 80s SNL clip of him on YouTube and felt myself reminiscing about how funny this guy was, just like Richard Pryor, Mitch Hedberg, or Bill Hicks. The only thing is, those other three guys took their routines to Valhalla while nobody knows where Eddie took his funny. But back to the SNL-era Eddie (or Delirious, Trading Places, and Coming to America-Eddie). While not the funniest guy of all time, there was an era when he was edgy and insightful and as good as it got in comedy. Jeff Garcia had his stretch like that, too; back in San Fran. Pro Bowls, playoffs, about as valiant an effort to replace Steve Young as anyone could have mustered.
(I know, again with the NFL and Hollywood link, but the Eagles and Saints were both compelling stories. This also says something about my winter, which has been entirely made up of Netflix, the theater, and bowl games/playoffs. Next week will contain neither, I swear.)
Then comes the dry spell. Something changed - mainly the people on the receiving end of their deliveries. Eddie started going for the family market, because a movie that is rated PG can bring in waaaaay more at the box office than a movie in his raw R-rated tradition. 2000-2006 saw the following edgeless parade of mediocre films: The Nutty Professor II, Dr. Doolittle II, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, I Spy, The Haunted Mansion, and animated voice-over after animated voice-overs that I don't want to even mention. Garcia had lost Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, and eventually found himself on the wrong side of a salary dump. Attempted resurgence went appropriately unnoticed during seasons in Cleveland, Detroit, and here in Philadelphia for the first two-thirds of 2006. These guys had fallen completely off the general radar of the American public.
Certain situations are tailor-made for an aging veteran ready to make their last run at the big time. They usually involve some sort of a reduced role in the overall scheme and a reevaluation of what they do best as a professional. They are surrounded by younger cast members who are all performing at a high level. It turns out that Eddie Murphy can do some of his most celebrated work by not being funny at all in Dreamgirls. It also turns out that Jeff Garcia can be a reliever who does the minimum required of him to win the game (most of the time): getting the ball to Brian Westbrook. It was a feel good situation for both these men and they have been duly celebrated in the process. On the way to lunch I pass an SUV permanently parked in a downtown parking lot with stickers on the windows saying something to the effect of “You should drive a car from the same dealer as Jeff Garcia.” It was an underdog story and we ate it up in predictable fashion. But what comes next is not something upon which you should bank the future of the franchise.
The first time I saw a preview for Norbit, I knew things had returned to status quo. Jokes about fat people. Irrelevance. That is what we’ve come to expect if we are paying any attention to the situation at all. Jeff Garcia has had some really great moments and was part of a turnaround (along with a reborn defense and a complete reconfiguration of the offensive scheme), that had this city bubbling over with excitement. But he is no Donovan McNabb. He couldn’t single-handedly bring home a championship, even an NFC Championship. As Garcia made his best effort, on the sidelines stood the face of the franchise, who has taken similar teams to the cusp of the Super Bowl four different times. Are people really eady to get rid of him?
I hope that Donovan takes something away from his experience this year. He saw an aging veteran lead his team with fire and determination that wasn’t afraid to play his role when necessary. If he can blend that attitude in with his already outstanding skill and (most of the time) execution, he will make Philadelphia a great place to be. McNabb shouldn’t feel his territory has been intruded on; a situation was taken advantage of by a willing veteran who will fade back into the scenery with the coming of the next year. If Donovan wants to see who really runs the city, all he has to do is look up right behind the Jeff Garcia stickered SUV at the 35-foot billboard with himself on it. He is head and shoulders above his competition, but someone forgot to tell him about that.
No comments:
Post a Comment