God Bless Savanah and all the men she propagates!!

Ah the cold weather, the nearing of an end to Football season, the beginning of REALLY watching basketball and hockey, and of course, pitchers and catchers! No, I'm not referring to Fuel and Waffles... I'm referring to the opening of spring training.

The awesomest of awesome World Series winners start on their trek to repeat in '09. Oh. Wait. What? The Eagles are still playing? They are? They were 9-6 and 1 for the season. How the hell do they make the playoffs let alone get through them to the Conference Championship?

They're playing the Cardinals?? The ARIZONA Cardinals? BLAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Super Bowl Here we come!!!! Christ we had our way with them on Thanksgiving, why should this game be any different. Hell, even Merryl Hodge, the bigget Eagles hater this side of John Madden picked them to win the damned game. How could we possibly lose? Ship it, and bring on the Stillers/Ravens. Either way, doesn't matter... It's DESTINY!!!

NOT!

Yeah yeah yeah, we destroyed them on Thanksgiving, but this is not the same team we played on Thanksgiving. This team actually has grown a defense who thinks the ball belongs to them on every play. The Cardinal defense has been flying around the ball during the playoffs, scoring touchdowns, creating turovers, and overall wreaking havoc on whichever offense happens to be on the field.

Now, I don't know that I believe they will win. I have to believe the Eagles win first and foremost because I am a fan of the Eagles. But this is certainly no 2 outer for the Cards. They are at home. They have THE best receiver in the game. Fitzgerald is a god out there. Boldin decides he wants to play. I don't know if that decision adds any problems but it certainly doesn't make it any easier. Edgeran James finally showed up. Hightower causes problems.

Kurt Warner is a dinosaur, but the man can still put the ball up a ducks ass while in flight if he chooses to (and has a little protection). I highly doubt this is going to be as easy a game as most seem to be making it out to be.

In town here, it seems as if people are at ease with the notion that the Eagles will win based on the fact that the Phillies won the World Series, therefore, it's the Eagles turn. If the Phillies can do it, so will with Eagles. This makes no sense to me and poses quite the paradigm shift for Philadelphia fans. Based on our history of impending doom, and always waiting for the other shoe to drop, you would think that most would believe that we have absolutely NO shot of winning BECAUSE the Phillies already HAVE won the WS.

But something has changed 'round here. Despite the ridiculous amout of statistics going against the Eagles winning this game (The most damning being that the team that has beaten the defeding Super Bowl Champions in the playoffs is a combined 0-9 in the following game), the fans around here seem to be content. At ease. Confident.

Astonishing really. But I'll take it. It beats listening to sports radio and all the crazies calling in BEGGING for the host to set his mind at ease and tell them that the Eagles will win, "cause they just don't feel it". Because this time around, apparently, they already do.

Sunday I turn 40, and will have a whole slew of folks over watching the game and tossing some cards around. The day itself will represent nothing to me other than hanging out with family and friends, and celebrating the Eagles playing in the NFC Champ game. Hopefully we can celebrate a win as well. I do have my "playoff beard" going. Been going for two weeks now. I'm not superstitious, just supportive. I wouldn't mind wearing it for another two weeks either.

I hope you all a great weekend!