The End of an Era

Number 5 is now a Washington Redskin. I never thought I'd see Donovan wear any other color than midnight green and black for the rest of his career, Burgundy and gold are his new threads though and the world moves on. I grew up in the McNabb-Reid era. I was too young to really remember the Buddy Ryan-Randall Cunningham days. I was a sophomore in high school in 2004 ( the most recent year the eagles made it to the super bowl) I remember I was on a bus heading home from Birmingham, Alabama coming home from my JROTC's Drill competition.

I grew up in a team that at one point had a three headed monster of a back field with Duce Staley, Corell Buckhalter, and Brian Westbrook our Wide outs were James Thrash and Todd Pinkston and in the slot we used Freddie "I love my hands" Mitchell. None of these guys are on the team anymore. The only constant for the past decade when it has come to the Eagles has been Donovan. This year's offense seems to be the best offense the iggles have had in years, no injury concerns to our running backs, a shored up Wide Reciever corps, an O-line that finally has seen some stability, and now, we discard the leader.

I remember back in 2000 my mom bought me a black McNabb jersey, I didn't want to take the thing off. My dad told me that he doesn't buy jerseys anymore because no one seems to stick around anymore. (This was because he owns a Flyers Eric Lindross jersey and gets boo'd whenever he wore it to a game.) Two years ago for his birthday I bought him a Brian Westbrook jersey. We Eagles fans never stop to think that these guys will ever leave. We want them to die wearing the wings on their helmets.

Kevin Kolb is the new Quarterback, Kolb threw for 300+ yards in both starts he made during the season when McNabb was injured and was named NFC player of the week in his 2nd start. Seeing #4 behind center on the first game of the season will take a little getting used to, then again so was seeing Brian Dawkins wear a Denver Broncos uni.

People grow attached to sports figures because they view them as representatives of themselves . McNabb had that smile in the huddle and the goofy celebrations that made you adore him, Despite constant critisism and people calling for his job, he kept his cool, never once going out and throwing anyone under the bus or complaining about everyone else besides himself. Donovan has acted as a professional throughout his tenure.

Even though Donovan never won the eagles a super bowl, he's still the most dynamic figure in the team's history, the legacy he leaves with this town is that of someone who could have jumped the ship when things started heading south, but stayed onboard and helped the team get back on track. When The Eagles play the Redskins during a monday night football game on October 26th, expect me to wear my #5 jersey even though his will be a different color, he's always gonna be an Eagle.

2009 College Football summed up in 10 words

Bradford's shoulder. Bobby's Career. Urban's heart. Ingram's power. Carrol's wallet.

Brad's Top 10 Games of the 2000's

10. Super Smash Brothers Brawl (2008)- Finally a game that can decide the age old debate, can Solid Snake kick Samus Aran's ass? oh, it also had Sonic and Mario and a bunch of other nintendo characters.

9. Counter Strike (2000)- Like to hack? Ever get pissed off so bad you want to throw your monitor out of a 5th story window? Ever wonder where the word "noob" was practically invented? Look no further. A multiplayer Half-Life mod, this game was the granddaddy to the modern FPS experience.

8. Rockband (2007)- Harmonix devoleped the perfect combination of casual and party game, with a pre-installed fan base the game allows for everyone to feel like a musician. Four players can play Bass, Guitar, Drums and Sing, the game became such a selling point Conan O'brien used the game as a segment during the 2007 writers strike.

7. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (2000)- Before Marvel split away from Capcom the company responsible for the Street Fighter franchise developed several solid fighters featuring the marvel lineup, I was super happy when this came to Xbox Live Arcade in 2009. Featuring 56 fighters and the ability to make teams of three create some incredible depth and intricate strategy, well, for a fighting game anyway.

6. World of Warcraft (2004)- 11.5 millions subscribers. The recently announced cataclysm expansion is set to cause huge changes to the game with entire zones being changed for good.

5. Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)- Rockstar perfected the open world game with this one. Grand Theft Auto has always been a hot selling title, This one coupled with the DLC that has come out since the release has given fans of the series plenty to be happy about.

4. Uncharted 2 (2009)- The Game plays like a movie, but that's not a bad thing cause it's a fucking awesome movie. The game itself has some of the most beautiful visuals ever in a game and it's no wonder why this title has been named GOTY 2009 by several sources.

3. Halo 3 (2007)- Hard to believe a game that's almost three years old would still be one of the most played online games. Bungie has released a standalone "expansion" as well as four map packs since the game's release, while the single player may be lagging it's the multiplayer that has given gamers a reason to keep going back to Master Chief.

2. Left 4 Dead (2008)- Having never been a huge fan of the Resident Evil Series but a huge zombie fan was a bit of a problem most of my life. Which is why I am eternally grateful to Valve for making this game, This game requires some intense 4 player team work to survive wave after wave of zombies.

1. Fallout 3 (2008)- I can't count how many nuclear wasteland fantasies I've had where I'm humanity's last hope. This game just gave me the framework to act them out. The game has a framework for a story, but the game is pretty much left up to you. Bethesda released plenty of DLC for the game extending the already super long game tenfold adding atleast another 15 hours of gameplay.

A decade under the influence, what 2000-2009 meant to me.

This decade saw me grow up. All of my defining life experiences happened these ten years. I came into this decade as a precocious 11 year old who thought he was gonna be a professional football player/Astronaut when he grew up. in the Year 2000 I entered Woodlands Middle School and met the other half of this writing tandem. I sat through the events that unfolded on September 11, 2001 in my seventh grade english class with my best friend and then girlfriend. I had my first kiss. I had my first breakup. And met friends who I maintain to this day. This was all before High School. I'll never forget August 20th 2003, my first day at Lake Worth Community High School. I was an AFJROTC cadet along with one of my best friends who would go on to be my first college roommate. My freshman year of high school was spent playing football and chasing girls, something that would not deviate too much for the next four. My sophomore Year I had my first serious girlfriend. They say you always remember your first, well, somehow I'm still good friends with my first, despite myself. Around this time I realized I saw the world differently than most, I seldom took anything seriously and used my sense of humor as a coping mechanism to deal with the soul crushing effects of being a teenager. By self medicating with drugs and alcohol I learned who I was going to be when I grew up. I realized a few things about the world and decided maybe I was meant for something more than a self-serving life. I still carried on as a teenager but it wouldn't be until my senior year of high school when I would make a commitment. I remember my dad wanted to call up my recruiter and punch him in the face. I had a future, and to him it was not one of an enlisted man. I had another girlfriend at the time who was willing to do anything for me, not wanting to worry about anyone back home and wanting to life my life on my own I cast a perfectly nice person aside for my own gain. I now live with that every day of my life. I've been forgiven by her numerous times and told that it was no one's fault really, but I know better than that now, such is growing up. I would move out of my parent's house and up to tallahassee where I would attend Florida State University, I would spend my time there lazily spending my days on a couch where I would either drink myself into oblivion, play video games, or both. I found out I would be deploying to Iraq in the fall of 2008, I didn't have the balls to tell my family for nearly three months. This deployment has taught me a lot of who I am, who you can depend on in life, and what other people live like in other parts of the world. I've learned I'm very proud to be an American and consider myself fortunate enough to grow up where I did. I end this decade the same way I came into it. Single. full head of hair. and sober. here's to the aughts. the decade that I grew up in.

Brad's Top 10 Films of the 2000's

10. American Psycho (2000) - This movie made Christian Bale, as Patrick Bateman he was Dexter Morgan before Dexter Morgan. He realized what he was and the best part he was completely fine with it. Without this movie I don't think I would be able to tap that inner sociopath I posses. I may not murder people, well not literally anyway.

9. No Country For Old Men (2007) - Having never seen a movie with Javier Bardem before I saw this movie and the guy sold me completely on his character. Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones are given's in almost any movie you put them in. The cat and mouse game between Bardem and Brolin is solid throughout and the cameo by Woody Harrelson doesn't completely kill the movie.

8. Wall-E (2008) - If this movie doesn't bring a tear to your eye you're inhuman. Also, the recycling and exercise subtexts are a nice touch.

7. Star Trek (2009) - JJ Abrams is a better director than Michael Bay and this proves it. You can make a movie biased on a franchise and you don't have to make it explosion porn, you can have a story, you can have layered characters, you can make a good movie off of a popular title with a large fan base and not disappoint people.

6. any Lord Of The Rings movie (2001-2003) - Peter Jackson used to be a fat hump who had an epic beard, now he just has the epic beard. Watched as a episodic movie it serves as an awesome cinematic experience, a little draining, but awesome nonetheless.

5. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - Rushmore was one of my favorite movies in high school and this movie stands out more than The Life Aquatic did to me. Wes Anderson is a great director and his newest movie The Fantastic Mr. Fox is slowly growing on me.

4. Inside Man (2006) - Clive Owen is hands down my favorite actor, Denzel is a close 2nd, I had forgotten this movie was directed by Spike Lee until I imdb'd it.

3. The Dark Knight (2008) - Christopher Nolan knows how to paint Gotham City, after Joel Schumacher ruined the batman franchise with Ledger's death polarized a movie that already promised to be intense and it only made the Joker role all the more haunting. Michale Caine as Alfred described the character perfectly "some men just want to see the world burn."

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - Charlie Kaufman scripted a movie that I first saw days after breaking up with my first real girlfriend, I cried. Hard. I just remember feeling the way Jim Carrey's character Joel felt in the scene where he's driving his car and sobbing as he listens to a tape on his radio. Jim Carrey is known as a comedian, but this movie is hands down his best work as a lead actor.

1. City of God (2002) - Growing up I thought Brazil was a tropical paradise that had women with huge boobs, awesome beaches, and a giant jesus statue (and Bob Burnquist, I really liked skateboarding.) After watching this I my entire opinion of that country changed in a heart beat, it's like a third world version of The Wire.

The Only Good Thing About Your City: Philadelphia

Ah, Philadelphia. The nation’s first capital city. Home to the Liberty Bell and Philly cheesesteaks. I am going to be honest Philadelphia, the only good thing about your city is It’s Always Sunny. I would much rather spend an evening at Paddy’s than at a Sixers game.

76ers: Originally the Syracuse Nationals of the NLB, moved to Philly in the 60’s. In 1965 they acquired Wilt “I have slept with thousands of women, the Stilt" Chamberlain. Later that season their championship dreams were shattered by none other than the Boston Celtics. The following season they would go on to beat ‘em and win it all. The most recent championship they have won since was in the 1982-83 season. Despite many conference and division titles since their big win, they have been unable to repeat success. Allen Iverson is perhaps the greatest player in Sixers history. Fast forward 9 years, things are not looking too hot but ey, with 5-8 at least they’re better than the Nets.

Flyers: The Flyers were brought to your city in 1966. Their only Stanley Cups were won nearly thirty-five years ago. Kudos on being one of the all-time most winningest teams in the NHL. They have been division champs many times, but have not held the title since the 03-04 season. Last conference championship was thirteen years ago. Meh, hockey.

Phillies: The very first World Series win for the team came while Pete Rose still had a good name. With that win, finally the last of the original major league teams would have World Series title. Jesus, it took them long enough. Fast forward twenty-eight years and BAM! Two back to back appearances. After struggling for so long it was about time they came around. As a Yankee fan, I really dislike the Phillies. I don’t hate them or anything but I could do without a few of their players (especially you, Chase Utley). I’m not a total douche and can step away from my blue and white haze long enough to give credit where credit is due. The Phillies are one hell of a team. They’re strong on both sides of the field. I know it hurt you guys to lose this one with the loss of Harry Kalas.

Eagles:

Before 1999 the Eagles had fifteen playoff appearances and six division championships. The Andy Reid/Donovan McNabb era ushered in success including seven playoff appearances and five NFC East titles It seems they just can’t make it ALL-THE-WAY. Last August they picked up reformed citizen Michael Vick fresh out of prison to compliment Donovan McNabb. I still haven’t gotten used to seeing him in green and white.