Ahhhhhh the memories. The off season before we got T.O., being on that white ass official Eagles message board. Clamoring for us to NOT get him, because I thought he wasn't worth the hassle. Because at the time I was so hamstrung on the idea of locker room chemistry and people needing to get along to succeed. I also was only 18 and didn't know shyt about getting work done regardless of how you feel about your coworker.
But. soon as we got him, I was like, OHHHH shyt, WE GOT US ONE... MCNABB GOT HIM ONE!!!!!!
Then the first play in the preseason against the Ravens was a bomb for a TD to T.O.
Then starting the season beating nikkas asses, McNabb to T.O. looking like the best QB to WR combo, paired with a defense that just had one of the best statistical seasons in NFL history a year or 2 prior. I'm eating all kinds of crow. Saying all kinds of apologies and just running with the greatness that is the 03-04 Eagles. Then, just like Wentz a few years back, our best weapon (T.O.) gets injured late in the season and all hope is lost. Its going to be another NFCCG loss. But, somehow these nikkas make it to the Super Bowl without him... making him
almost irrelevant.
Then the Spygate Super Bowl matchup occurs. Westbrook can't really be contained in the pass game. Pinkston was somehow dominating the Pats secondary while they focused on an injured T.O. The defense is doing its part.
Then half time comes, Jim Johnson's defense can't defend a screen pass for the life of them all of a sudden. Deion Branch becomes Jerry Rice all of a sudden. And the Pats defense seems to be a step ahead and knows what's coming all of a sudden.
The rest we all know. McNabb throws up. Overthrows to L.J.-can't-catch-shyt-was-drafted-waaaaay-too-high-Smith, it's picked off. Eagles lose.
But a nikka like me is not even hurt. That was the least painful loss I have ever witnessed as an Eagles fan, even though it had the highest stakes to that point. I was just a young nikka happy to experience it all so early into my fandom. I was bred to be a philly sports fan, but I didn't truly take to football until high school in 98 because it was never around me until then.
So the off season comes following that Super Bowl loss. I already knew it was all bad, before a single media outlet spread a single rumor. My initial concern about having T.O. on the squad reared its ugly head almost immediately after that loss and I knew that I might be like my pops, die a fan that never gets to see his team win it all. Next we see the finger pointing, the desire for a new contract a year after signing one, the focus on the past instead of trying to build on the future. All shyt that Skip would call, Team Obliterator type shyt. Mind you, Andy Reid is HUGE on the locker room being together.. and there was no peeps about any issues inside his locker room before T.O. Now we hear about him throwing hands with Hugh Douglas. Almost fighting someone else. People taking T.O. side because he is such a difference maker and others taking McNabb's side due to loyalty and his position on the field and within the organization.
So what is someone like me supposed to think? I'm a teenager who is super emotional about his favorite sports team. Just saw them lose and thought that after witnessing that regular season and finally making the Bowl, that years of success were on the way. As an added caveat, I also was on that same white ass message board, arguing with bigots that McNabb deserved to be the Eagles QB over AJ Feeley and Koy Detmer (YES, they fukking clamored for those nikkas over McNabb). Due to that, naturally I sided with McNabb, given everything I wrote previously and the debates with bigots about McNabb as a black QB who can't win the city a chip. So of course I harbored ill will towards T.O. for years, like bruh, you got out of frisco with Jeff Garcia, finessed your way out of the trade to Baltimore to come play with McNabb, bossed up and got to your first Super Bowl. Yet, you had to fuss over funds immediately after the loss? With strict ass, no emotion having Joe Banner as team president? Then go on a very visible back and forth with your QB, who happens to be thought of as an MVP candidate and one of if not the best dual threat QBs in the game? COME ON BRUH!!!! ?????
I say alllllll of that to say this. For the absolute longest I was solely on McNabb's side. But as of 1/26/2020, seeing all I have seen and hearing all I have heard over the years. I blame them both but am closer to blaming McNabb a little bit more than T.O. on some 60/40 shyt.
At least I did end up seeing the team get that ring unlike my brother and pops.
Apologies for the long, drawn out post. I've been drinking, my mom is dying, I'm not handling shyt well emotionally at all and it leads to me figuring out ways to distract myself. Titangraphs seem to be that... for now.
EDIT: As I typed all that... I got a text that Kobe died. WHAT THE fukk IS LIFE!? RIP MAMBA.