WATERCOOLER CHAT: VICK JOINING EAGLES, BRADY’S COMEBACK
FOOTBALL
It’s final. He got the call. Michael Vick will be joining the NFL this coming season. Which team?  A team that wasn’t really on anybody’s radar in the rumor mill. We heard New England, Buffalo, Cincy, Oakland. But the lucky recipients… The Philadelphia Eagles. Wow! That came out of left field. It’s a one-year deal worth 1.6 million with an option for a second year valued at $5.2 million. But, get this, now Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has yet another soap opera on his hand.
McNabb has always been plagued by the harsh Eagles fan base. He’s been booed on his home field, criticized by the local media, dealt with tons of trade rumors, and watched the Eagles pick a quarterback in the second round 2 years ago. However, he’s still standing strong, and led the Eagles to the NFC Championship Game last year. You’ve gotta give him a lot of credit for surviving all that. But, can he deal with Michael Vick looking over his shoulder for the starting gig?
With Vick, the Eagles become an extremely interesting team. McNabb is already a mobile, running quarterback. That versatility can fool defenses, as McNabb can take off for 15 yards when you least expect. But now, with Vick in the mix, the Eagles become even more dangerous, and thoroughly more confusing. For example, if Vick lined up at receiver, would he run a route, do a reverse for a handoff, or just fool the defense into thinking he’s even part of the play as McNabb takes off the other direction for 10 – 20 yards. It’s pretty exciting. Plus, the Eagles have an exciting downfield receiver in DeSean Jackson, and another versatile athlete in Jeremy Maclin, whom they drafted in the first round. Maclin, too, was a double threat in college, as he used to play receiver and running back. The Eagles will be a thrill to watch next season! Of course, this could also be a complete train wreck.
However, with all this talk about Michael Vick, everyone forgets the immortal Tom Brady is making his comeback. He hasn’t played since Game 1 of 2008, and last night, he played his first exhibition game. Against, coincidentally, the Philadelphia Eagles. Of course he was overshadowed by the arrival of Michael Vick, but Brady looked good, throwing for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. Don’t be surprised if you see the Eagles and Patriots meeting again in the Super Bowl this season. New England 27, Philadelphia 25.
