Sports

Is it negativity, or simply reality?

During an interview with Andy Reid the other day, WIP's Angelo Cataldi asked, "Can you not understand the negativity is from 48 years without a championship and a decline from the Super Bowl year of 2004?"

"I'm not seeing the decline," Reid responded ... before deftly asserting that Cataldi was just trying to be negative. Reid's contention: Negativity sells and Cataldi is seeking to garner revenue for himself and the station. He then urged Cataldi to "change his tune" because of the new partnership that will return Eagles games to WIP, and chastised Cataldi for never attending practice.

Reid refuses to acknowledge the obvious despite the evidence to the contrary; that is, the Eagles, obviously, have declined. If Reid believes that there is no decline, perhaps Eagles fans should be concerned. After all, he controls personnel decisions at NovaCare Way. Reid only will concede, "We've come up short a couple of times here and we need to get back."

How "coming up short" is not a decline from a Super Bowl appearance is unclear. What is clear is that ignoring the decline comes across as another reason why Reid cannot seem to connect with a fan base that has such high hopes -- a fan base that, simply, wants to hear that he feels what they feel.

That Reid also says, "This is about wining football games," provides the only real measuring stick. The Eagles' record is the absolute truth.

Since the Super Bowl year, the Eagles are 24-24 (6-10, 10-6, 8-8). They have won one division title and earned the accompanying playoff berth, but also finished last in the division twice. That record ties them for 14th in the NFL over that 3-year span, well behind both the Cowboys and Giants, and with the same record as Washington.

NFL COMPOSITE RECORDS, 2005-07

1. Indianapolis: 39-9
2. New England: 38-10
3. San Diego: 34-14
4. Seattle: 32-16
5. Dallas: 31-17
    Chicago: 31-17
    Jacksonville: 31-17
8. NY Giants: 29-19 
    Denver: 29-19
    Pittsburgh: 29-19
11. Carolina: 26-22
      Cincinnati: 26-22
13. Green Bay: 25-23
14. EAGLES: 24-24
      Washington: 24-24
      Baltimore: 24-24
      Tampa Bay: 24-24
18. Minnesota: 23-25
      Kansas City: 23-25
20. Tennessee: 22-26
21. Cleveland: 20-28
      New Orleans: 20-28
23. Atlanta: 19-29
      Buffalo: 19-29
25. Arizona: 18-30
      NY Jets: 18-30
27. St. Louis: 17-21
28. Miami: 16-32
      Houston: 16-32
      San Francisco: 16-32
31. Detroit: 15-33
32. Oakland: 10-38

Money talks
Two former Eagles are having contract issues with their new teams ... They seemed to have contract issues here, as we recall it.

Terrell Owens is going into the final year of a 3-year, $25 million contract and says he wants to remain in Dallas. "There was a situation where the contract didn't work out in Philly," he tells the Dallas Morning News. Gee, you think? He says he is not going to let that happen again.

In Tampa Bay, Jeff Garcia is going into the second year of a 2-year deal and says he is frustrated by the slow progress toward an extension. "It's at a snail's pace it seems right now," he tells the Pewter Report.

Elsewhere
* ESPN has posted its offseason NFL rankings and the Eagles are No. 13. The comment reads: "Last season, they hit their stride when it was too late. With a fully healed Donovan McNabb and an improved secondary, the Eagles could be dangerous."

* Betting Web site Docsports.com had the Eagles at 45-1 to win the Super Bowl, the 19th choice on the board. "Philly was another injured underachiever last year and could bounce back." New England is the top choice at 5-2 followed by Dallas at 6-1. In case you are wondering, you can get 20-1 in Vegas on the Phillies winning the World Series.  

* Former Cal and current Eagles receiver/returner DeSean Jackson will grace the cover of NCAA Football 09 for PlayStation 2, EA Sports announced recently. The game is available July 15.