Baskett's 'strange' season leads to Super Bowl
Six months ago, Hank Baskett thought he might be in the Super Bowl as an Eagle.
Baskett's 'strange' season leads to Super Bowl
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Six months ago, Hank Baskett thought he might be in the Super Bowl as an Eagle.
"Things happen in a strange way," Baskett said this morning, wearing his blue No. 81 Colts jersey on media day at Sun Trust Stadium.
Baskett was shocked to be released by the Eagles as the season started, basically because Reggie Brown's cap number was too big for the team to eat. He'd seemed pretty solid after three years as the third or fourth receiver, the biggest target among Donovan McNabb's wideouts.
With his former team facing several offseason questions following a first-round playoff loss, Baskett said he didn't think McNabb would benefit from a change.
"Maybe next year, but not right now," Baskett said. "I believe what he said the other day (about unfinished business). He doesn't want to be seen as walking out on his guys."
Once he got over the shock of having his life disrupted, Baskett found being picked up by the Colts wasn't a bad gig. His primary role for the Colts is on the kickoff return team, as a blocker. He caught just four passes this season.
"It was crazy, coming in... Indy's known for having one of the toughest offenses in the NFL. That's a lot to learn," Baskett said. "Plus, you've got Peyton Manning back there. Like I learned very quick watching, if you mess up, he lets you know. That's what's great about Peyton - he's going to make the people around him great."
Don't read into that any implicit criticism of McNabb, who was one of Baskett's closest friends on the Eagles. Obviously, the comparison tilts in Manning's favor; he seems to be building a case as the NFL's best-ever.
"They're both great quarterbacks. They have different games," Baskett said. "Both of them are hard workers off the field. Both guys want to win, and they want to make the guys around them better.
"Best ever is a great category to put Peyton in. We're sitting in meetings, they're like, 'Peyton accomplished this milestone, Peyton accomplished that milestone.' I'm like, 'Damn.' How do you have 50,000 passing yards? That's just incredible. When he retires, he's going to be the best ever."
Baskett and his wife Kendra, the former Playmate, welcomed Hank IV seven weeks ago. The whole family is in Florida this week for the Super Bowl.
"She's loving it (in Indy)," Baskett said. "She likes the laid-back, friendly enviornment. She's never been in a place where you can look out your window and see snow every day."
Hank and Kendra's lives have been chronicled on a reality TV show. Hank said the toughest thing, which Kendra taught him, was to just go about what he was doing, to not be constantly talking into the camera.
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To read our earlier post on Howie Roseman, click here.
Comments (50)
His wife has amazing breasts— BHite15
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- In the Super Bowl, banging a bisexual playmate, making millions of dollars. What's Donovan McNabb doing?— General_Turgidson
- Hank married a chick that other NFL players used like their sock...— MikeD930
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- I am shocked I tell you, shocked, that it took this long to post this article. Now, we just need yet another article on Kyle Eckel, should be anytime now.— The Truth Hurts
- Why waste the space. FYI- he has 5 receptions all season for 34 yeards. He is Mr. Irrelevant. On top of that, he does not have the guts to say McNabb can't hold Peyton's jock..."They're both great quarterbacks". Give me a royal break.— rwolffd12
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- Another former Eagle making it to the SB with another team. That goes to show you that there was nothing wrong with our receiving corps. Maybe is our QB the problem being so erratic, specially during the clutch. Hank is going to the SB and MacNabb is going to the Toilet bowl. That's messed up!— CapitanesFua
- Wait, before you throw Kendra under the bus, check you own wife/girlfriend's resume. I bet you already knew she hung out with Shak and Dennis Rodman.— CapitanesFua
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- CapitanesFua: Is your username Spanish for "I smoke crack"? Baskett being in the Super Bowl is like Jack Haley winning a championship with those Bulls' teams. Or like (no offense) Frankie Edwards being on the '83 Sixers. Baskett has no significant role on the team. You guys probably blame McNabb for global warming and the earthquake in Haiti, too.— PhillyHouse JayDuce
- I'm sure Kendra's a very classy, sophisticated bunny. Hank's stealing $ from the Colts and Hef's laughing at him.— 5280philly
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- PhillyHouse JayDuce: My user name stands for 'Champion' in the local basketball league, which is something neither the Eagles nor you have experienced. By the way are you MacNabb's sidekick or mistress? We blame McNabb for choking and puking contaminating the sidelines. I got tired of rooting for him, but he's getting more and more incompetent by the minute and anyone who does seem to get a grasp at that, is far from reality.— CapitanesFua
- Let's see now Baskett 's on the Colts, G.Lewis is on the Vikings, Jabaar Gaffney, played on the Patriots Super Bowl team, even Charles Johnson was picked up by the Patriots and played on their Super Bowl team. There are probably a few more wideouts cut by the Eagles that I missed that have landed on winning teams. If these receivers are so bad, why do they land on top tier teams? Maybe the QB we have here doesn't make them better players.— watsonmr
- Im not saying Baskett is anything big in the Colts. The bottom line is he was let go by the Eagles and he is about to win a SB ring, something D-Mac won't bring to this city.— CapitanesFua
- watsonmr: You seem to have more sense than these Gumbos defending McNabb just because he's a 'primadona'.— CapitanesFua
- CapitanesFua - youre talking about Baskett making it to the SB,. he caught 3 passes ! Hes a bench warmer outside of kick returns ! He got a free ride to the SB, is like Reggie Brown making the SB...he sucks...and get 4 catches a year, If, the Birds were to get to the SB.— Will.i.Am
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- Les, thanks for defending McNabb again.— psu05
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- Capitanes - Baskett had NOTHING to do as a WR with the Colts getting to the superbowl... literally absolutely nothing!— JMick1215
- That baby has a little Tonner in it. And a little Genny Cream Ale too.
- What a bunch of sickos. It's the guy's wife for cryin out loud, show some respect you freakin low class, no character idiots. How would you like someone drooling all over your wife and makin sick cooments about her body parts. Oh I get it, no one ever will cause she's probably a bow wow.......— The Manager
- Im selling McNabb's jersey for $5. Everytime I wear it makes me vomit on the sidelines and it's causing a rash my Dr called 'The Loser Syndrome'. he, he.— CapitanesFua
- Cap'N Crunch and watson boy: Greg Lewis 8 rec 96 yds 1 TD. Hank Baskett 4 rec 28 yds. Charles Johnson 14 rec 111 yds 1 TD. They had some pretty good games...except for one problem. THESE WERE THEIR STATS FOR THE SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You claim McNabb didn't make these guys better, but you can't make chicken salad out of chicken (stuff).— PhillyHouse JayDuce
- McNabb surely has weaknesses, but those citing Baskett as evidence reveal either their stupidity or dishonesty, or both. For several years, McNabb had to rely on Baskett as one of his top 3 receivers; then Baskett goes to Indianapolis to play with arguably the best QB ever, and can only manage 4 receptions. On a team that was rebuilding its WR corps! If he was any good, he would have earned playing time and caught dozens of passes from Peyton Manning, thus proving how good Baskett actually was with a top QB. But the exact OPPOSITE happened, supporting the argument that McNabb has had to labor with sub-par wide receivers for a decade. Want more evidence? Greg Lewis leaves to play with Brett Favre -- and manages only 8 receptions! Want MORE evidence? Look at the stats of Charles Johnson, Torrance Small, James Thrash, Todd Pinkston and Freddie Mitchell AFTER they left the Eagles and McNabb! Practically NOTHING... I actually agree that McNabb might be fading, maybe; but 2009 was the FIRST season that he had TWO legitimate NFL wide receivers -- i.e. players who could be productive on OTHER teams.— PhilaLogic
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- JLJ: Garcia was outstanding that year. He did a great job. I just think your facts are not accurate. If McNabb couldn't hit WR with a "bazooka", then why did he have the highest TD % and the highest yds per rec in the NFL that year before he got hurt? And how did he have 18 TD in 10 games? And how did he avg 264 yds a game? Sorry for the facts; I know your head is spinning right now. PhilaLogic: Outstanding! That was good stuff. But if you make too much sense, these idiots' heads might explode.— PhillyHouse JayDuce
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- Good for Hank. Talk about falling into a pile of s**t and coming out smelling like a rose. That guy is living it the life. Now he will get to add a SB ring next to his trophy wife. Topher, #5 is not terrible. He is definitely not great either! Not even close to the level of Peyton Manning. He is a top 10 QB though and are best shot at the bowl, unless Kolb gets a shot and ends up being the next brady.— Atlas
- Saying the Eagles should have been better because players they cut went on to be benchsitters on a Super Bowl team is like saying the Houston Astro's should have been in the 2007 World Series because Eric Brunlett went with the Phils in 08 and 09.— towman
- WOW!!..The Haters are just ALIVE today! Congratulations Hank, if you weren't worth their investment of time this year,they would not have kept you there. Enjoy your winners share of the Superbowl! And to the miscreants, idiots and just plain a-holes that posted improper things about his wife....go to hell, morons.— TBear
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- To all the many (idiotic) people who want to take this as an indictment on McNabb, Baskett has 4 catches for 28 yards in 11 games for the Colts. Last year, he had 33 catches for 440 yards and 3 tds here. Hmmm...his new qb - Manning - must suck. Look, Manning is a first ballot HOF'er, and now finally showing signs of being a decent playoff qb. But how about these facts? Manning is now 9-8 in the playoffs, with 6 one-and-dones on his resume. 6 times they entered the playoffs and did not win a game. McNabb, with much lesser offensive talent over the years, is 9-7, with just one one-and-done - this year. Fact: This year, McNabb's offense with a beat-up line and mostly new faces, scored more points and McNabb had a higher YPA than Saint Manning. Hate to break it to some of you: both Manning and McNabb are HOF qbs.— MG44
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- PhillyHouse, put Gaffneys numbers up. He's had decent numbers everywhere but here, where he was cut. The point I was making about he others, is that even though they may have had no bearing on their seasons outcome,(although GLEW had a game winning catch that was shown over and over), they are still good enough to be on winning top tier teams. If they weren't any good or had no talent, they would not be on playoff rosters.— watsonmr
- GeorgeBushIsMyCoPilot is right (about the Eagles, not the "Prez"). The best roster in the league got a default playoff berth but had pretty much mailed it in by the 16th week. Nice motivational skills Andy, now go deal with your convict kids and leave coaching to the professionals.— Phils_World_Champs
- watsonmr, you may have set an all-time record for DISPROVING your own argument with the evidence you've offered. Let me count the ways: (1) your initial argument was "maybe the QB we have here doesn't make them better players," regarding certain wide receivers. Who then go to other teams and do WORSE. FAR WORSE. Which means, per YOUR argument, that QB's like Favre and Manning are worse than McNabb. Why didn't THEY make those WR's better players?? (2) "If they weren't any good... they would not be on playoff rosters." But by this logic, McNabb is GREAT because he's been on more playoff rosters than almost any QB out there. As someone here pointed out re Eric Bruntlett, being the scrub on a good team doesn't therefore make you a good player. Here's something that should help clear your mind: PLAYING well makes you a good player. (3) You cite Jabar Gaffney as evidence of a player who has good numbers everywhere but here. You were honest enough to say he was cut, but not honest enough to note he was cut before ever playing a regular season game with McNabb. And since starting QB's hardly play in the pre-season and only with other starters anyway, Gaffney had almost no time with McNabb. (4) But if your point re Gaffney is that a WR putting up good numbers elsewhere but not here is some indictment of McNabb, then look at the combined numbers of Baskett, Lewis, Johnson, Small, Pinkston, Thrash, and Mitchell with and without McNabb. They could barely compete in the NFL when McNabb was no longer their quarterback. Which means McNabb is better than a whole bunch of NFL QB's and/or McNabb has had below-average NFL wide receivers for almost his entire career.— PhilaLogic
- "In the Super Bowl, banging a bisexual playmate"..."Hank married a chick that other NFL players used like their sock"... these comments are why most people think guys' brains are below the Mendoza line....— KimThL
- Mcnabb has his problems, but I did not see any other QB step up and do better. For all the people who ride Garcia's jock, he lost in the playoffs also. Honestly, the Eagles can't win a SB no matter what. It seems like they are cursed. Negative energy maybe? I wonder where that could be coming from?— Bitemebiscuits
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- Peyton Manning is a great leader and student of the game on the field. He is also a complete goofball when he's off the field. I think Donovan has it backwards.— Eddie Spaghetti
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Eagletarian is your home for comprehensive coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Les Bowen
Daily News Staff Writer
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Daily News NFL Columnist
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