Wildcard Weekend - Quick Picks

Last season, I did a test-run against Vegas odds on NFL picks. Luckily, I decided to do so without wagering real money...as the results were not pretty. I finished well under the 50% break-even barrier, despite putting a fair amount of research and analysis into the cause.

So this year I took the opposite approach, basically going to the quick-click-pick technique. Again I decided not to put down any real money. Only this time, I finished 13 games over the break-even point (about 53%). Not exactly cash city, but at least I can say that I would have beat Vegas. Kinda.

And I’d venture to say that would probably even beat the “experts” on the Fox pre-game show…who don’t usually fare too well on their picks even without using Vegas odds. That’s right, Bradshaw…I’m calling you out.

So keeping with the trend, I’ll continue the quick picks for the playoffs. Wildcard weekend, here we go:

New Orleans (-10.5) @ Seattle

The Seahawks lost their way into the playoffs, dropping 3 of their last 4 before taking out St. Louis in the final week. Seattle hasn’t seen a loser like this since Shawn Kemp was in a Sonics uniform.

My pick: New Orleans to cover the spread, and then some

New York Jets @ Indianapolis (-2.5)

I’ve been brainwashed to think you can’t pick against Peyton Manning on home turf, so I’ll just go with that. Plus, I’m just tired of the season-long hype over the Jets.

My pick: Colts

Baltimore (-3) @ Kansas City

Nobody beats Charlie Weis after a home-cooked meal. Nuff said.

My pick: Chiefs in a close one

Green Bay @ Philadelphia (-2.5)

I hope I’m wrong about this one, but I think the Eagles are in trouble here. Just like last year, Philly had a chance to wrap up a first-round bye…but couldn’t get it done. The Eagles have had plenty of problems in the secondary as of late, and it won’t get any easier with Aaron Rodgers coming to town.

My pick: Green Bay wins, Philly fans boo

And that brings me to my final point, the Eagles are who we thought they were (cue Dennis Green rant).

The perception around the league is that Michael Vick has single-handedly revamped the Eagles, and the controversial move to ship McNabb out of town was sheer Andy Reid genius. Granted, Vick has rejuvenated his career (and life) with an incredible season…while Donovan pretty much stunk up with the Skins. Point taken.

But the reality is that the Eagles were 11-5 last year with McNabb, and 10-6 this year with Vick. As they say, one player doesn’t make a team…especially in football.

Not that stats tell the whole story, but here is something worth noting:

Donovan McNabb (2009-10): 14 games, 3553 passing yards, 22 TD’s, QB rating of 92.9

Mike Vick (2010-11): 12 games, 3018 passing yards, 21 TD’s, QB rating of 100.2

Obviously that doesn’t factor in Vick’s running ability, but the end results are strikingly similar. Surround a capable quarterback with top-tier talent, and you get positive results. Send a capable quarterback to Washington, and you get a Mike Shanahan shit-sandwich.

There is no question that Mike Vick has been a great fit in Philly, though as an Eagles’ fan and Vickweed critic…that’s tough for me to admit. All year long I’ve watched quietly as Vick took over the team…happy to watch them win, but unable to root for him 100%. He’s improved as a passer, a player, and a person. Good for him, but that still doesn’t make him my hero.

And as dangerous as the Eagles are, they are still somewhat flawed. They can strike quick on offense, but struggle to sustain long drives and control the clock. Their defense is even more problematic, with an underwhelming group of linebackers and an underachieving secondary. And all things considered, that leaves them in the roughly the same place they were a year ago.

But then again, I’ve been wrong before. Quite often, actually. We’ll see how wildcard weekend goes…

Business As Usual in Philly

After what seems like a decade of speculation, the deal to get Donovan McNabb out of Philadelphia is finally done. And of course, to the one place that nobody predicted or expected.

The Eagles officially moved into the Kevin Kolb era, by trading the former face of the franchise to the Washington Redskins. The move itself was expected, but not the destination. Most NFL teams abide by the unwritten rule that prohibits sending key players to division rivals. Although it’s been clear for years that the Eagles’ front office operates under their own set of rules.

As an Eagles’ fan, it’s just one more move that leaves me shaking my head. It’s the same kind of counterproductive head-scratcher we’ve seen from Andy Reid and the front office year after year. And at least for this fan, it’s quite possibly the last straw.

Early in his career, the Eagles failed to surround McNabb with playmakers. And when they finally did bring in a weapon, it came in the form of Terrell Owens…who did his best to tear the team apart after just one year of success.

During that time, they also failed to do much for Brian Westbrook…giving him a lion’s share of the workload, often on a bad knee. In 2007, he managed 368 total touches in 15 games. Then after a season derailed by concussion issues, he was cut like a piece of construction paper in a kindergarten class. Only in the NFL can you sustain a serious injury due to working extra hard for your employer, and then get fired for it.

Unbalanced play-calling. Unbalanced personnel. Terrell Owens. Bye Brian Dawkins. Bye Brian Westbrook. Hello Michael Vick. The list goes on…and on…and on.

I know, I know…it’s just business. Fair enough. I guess that makes me just a consumer in this little relationship. No, not the kind of consumer that buys $100 game tickets and $8 beers. But I am the kind of consumer stupid enough to buy $80 jerseys which are worn only about 4 times a year, and receives useless Eagles’ crap from family and friends for Christmas.

The customer is always right. Unless, of course, that customer is an idiot Eagles’ fan. So eager to rid of a hall of fame quarterback, only to make way for an unproven player who they’ll hate tomorrow anyway.

At least for this little consumer, there is still a choice. Maybe I’ll ask friends and family to buy me something for Christmas that doesn’t have an Eagles logo on it. Maybe I’ll go buy a Raiders or Rams jersey just for the hell of it. Maybe I’ll buy enough Tony Romo bobbleheads to fund a golden shitter for Jerry Jones.

But no way, no how…will I continue to support the Philadelphia Eagles franchise in any way, shape, or form. I despise the way the organization operates. I detest a hardcore fan base that once pelted two fans with a barrage of snow balls just for wearing 49ers jerseys to an Eagles’ game. I loathe the fact that Donovan McNabb never got the respect he deserved, while someone like Michael Vick got so much more than he deserved. I hope McNabb and the Redskins knock Philly into the bottom of the NFC East cellar for good.

As an Eagles’ fan, I think I’m pretty much done. But don’t worry Andy Reid, Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman, and the rest of the Eagles’ organization…it’s nothing personal. It’s just business.

And the award goes to...Mr. Michael Vick

Because when you think of courage and honor, you think of Michael Vick.

Just before Christmas, it was announced that Michael Vick would be honored as a recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award…an annual accolade given to one representative from each team in the NFL. The award is voted on by peers for the player that best exemplifies the “principles of sportsmanship and courage”. The gobbledygook about this award goes on to say that each recipient “symbolizes professionalism, great strength and dedication”…and also serves as a “community role model”.

Yeah, that sounds like Michael Vick alright.

As expected, Vick’s honor has been met with protest. There is even a petition underway to stop the foundation from giving him the award.

But if the petition doesn’t work, Vickweed’s courageous name will be immortalized alongside other former Philly recipients like Jerome “Temper Tantrum” McDougle and Duce “Show me the Money” Staley.

Of course, Philadelphia isn’t the only team to feature some odd selections for the courage award. In 1992, the Oilers handed out the hardware to Warren “smack a bitch to the” Moon. Daunte “Loveboat Captain” Culpepper was voted in by the Vikes in 2001. In 2007, the award went to Ben Ruthlessberger Roethlisberger of the Steelers…perhaps for his “community outreach” work in Tahoe. And then there’s my personal favorite, Travis “promise to pull out” Henry for the Bills in 2004.

I’m usually not one to support random public protest, but I find it hard to believe that Michael Vick is deserving of such an award. It’s unlikely that Vickweed is the best community role model on the Eagles’ roster…or even the Raiders’ roster for that matter. Not to keep bashing the guy, but there is absolutely nothing about his story that spells courage. I guess unless you count the courage it takes to use a community shower in lock-up without soap-on-a-rope.

And you thought this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was a joke…

Still sick of Vick!