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Originally published August 31, 2009 at 6:09 p.m., updated August 31, 2009 at 7:13 p.m.
By David J. Neal
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
A cross country trip — connecting through Dallas, of course — separates that other Hollywood from the NFC East. Only one other division, the NFC South, didn't have a team with a losing record in 2008.
Don't let the geography orsuccess fool you. The NFC East, which might be the league's toughest division, definitely reigns as the most soap operatic collection of teams.
Just look at the position most associated with drama — wide receiver.
Philadelphia made the NFC Championship Game with rookie DeSean Jackson, who blew a touchdown by spiking the ball a yard before the goal line last year, as its best wideout. Dallas found Terrell Owens too much of a high maintenance drama king (which is saying something for a team owned by Jerry Jones) and cut him. The Giants looked like a repeat Super Bowl winner until Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg, thus revealing his unlicensed concealed weapon.
Will the Giants continue spinning down the track, the way they ended the 2008 season? Will Philadelphia ever be satisfied by Donovan McNabb or will the city fall in love with the Eagles new backup quarterback? How happy is Washington with Jason Campbell and how soon will they call on his replacement? How soon will what's going on behind closed doors in Dallas new house become public consumption?
A CLEARER PICTURE
Tune in next Sunday and every Sunday at 1, 4 or 8.
Dallas not only jettisoned Owens, but quarterback Tony Romo cut girlfriend Jessica Simpson, thus giving In Touch, Star and People stories for a few more weeks. Romo's first full season as a starter ended with an upset playoff loss to the Giants. In last year's season finale, Philadelphia blasted the Cowboys out of a playoff spot. The Cowboys weren't off the field before fans started the summer arguing over whether Romo could succeed Staubach and Aikman as Cowboys Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks.
"Until we do something that people want to be proud of, they're going to say that," Romo said. "They deserve that right. That's part of being a fan. I'm the same way when I watch other sports. 'Aww, what's he doing? Oh, gosh. Why'd he make that decision?' I'm not naive to that."
Donovan McNabb isn't. Every year, a small but vocal group in Philadelphia howl for McNabb's demotion. With those calls muted somewhat by the Eagles stunning drive from nine-win wild card to minutes from the Super Bowl, this looked like a quiet Eagles training camp.
Then, longtime defensive coordinator blitzmaster Jim Johnson died, and the Eagles signed a guy who just did a stretch for funding and engaging in a dogfighting operation (more about him elsewhere in this section).
COMFORTABLE
"We've had a lot of success here and I think the comfort level of myself as well as with Andy Reid and the organization, knowing that we have the best chance of winning when I'm out there," McNabb said. "I try to get better every year and put us in a position to possibly win a Super Bowl. We've been very close and actually gotten to a Super Bowl, so the door continues to be open for us to achieve that goal."
Should one or two of the Giants young wide receivers grow to replace most of what the Giants lost in production and threat with Burress, New York would get many nods as the division favorite on paper. Of course, paper doesn't play.
"For so long we've been hearing that we have so much depth," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "I don't know what you're watching, but the guys who are supposed to be the depth have hardly even practiced. Some haven't practiced, some haven't played. I think you're talking about something that looks good, but hasn't really materialized."
Asked if he saw things coming together as they did near the end of 2007, linebacker Antonio Pierce said, "The Super Bowl season was two years ago and we don't talk much about that around here. We're looking forward to a new season, a new week, a new practice today and that's where it starts. Everything that happened in the past — 07, 06, 08, 1958 — is all irrelevant."
___
(c) 2009, The Miami Herald.
Visit The Miami Herald Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.herald.com/
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new...fceast-soapopera-adv03mi-_-sports/?sports&nfl
By David J. Neal
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
A cross country trip — connecting through Dallas, of course — separates that other Hollywood from the NFC East. Only one other division, the NFC South, didn't have a team with a losing record in 2008.
Don't let the geography orsuccess fool you. The NFC East, which might be the league's toughest division, definitely reigns as the most soap operatic collection of teams.
Just look at the position most associated with drama — wide receiver.
Philadelphia made the NFC Championship Game with rookie DeSean Jackson, who blew a touchdown by spiking the ball a yard before the goal line last year, as its best wideout. Dallas found Terrell Owens too much of a high maintenance drama king (which is saying something for a team owned by Jerry Jones) and cut him. The Giants looked like a repeat Super Bowl winner until Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg, thus revealing his unlicensed concealed weapon.
Will the Giants continue spinning down the track, the way they ended the 2008 season? Will Philadelphia ever be satisfied by Donovan McNabb or will the city fall in love with the Eagles new backup quarterback? How happy is Washington with Jason Campbell and how soon will they call on his replacement? How soon will what's going on behind closed doors in Dallas new house become public consumption?
A CLEARER PICTURE
Tune in next Sunday and every Sunday at 1, 4 or 8.
Dallas not only jettisoned Owens, but quarterback Tony Romo cut girlfriend Jessica Simpson, thus giving In Touch, Star and People stories for a few more weeks. Romo's first full season as a starter ended with an upset playoff loss to the Giants. In last year's season finale, Philadelphia blasted the Cowboys out of a playoff spot. The Cowboys weren't off the field before fans started the summer arguing over whether Romo could succeed Staubach and Aikman as Cowboys Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks.
"Until we do something that people want to be proud of, they're going to say that," Romo said. "They deserve that right. That's part of being a fan. I'm the same way when I watch other sports. 'Aww, what's he doing? Oh, gosh. Why'd he make that decision?' I'm not naive to that."
Donovan McNabb isn't. Every year, a small but vocal group in Philadelphia howl for McNabb's demotion. With those calls muted somewhat by the Eagles stunning drive from nine-win wild card to minutes from the Super Bowl, this looked like a quiet Eagles training camp.
Then, longtime defensive coordinator blitzmaster Jim Johnson died, and the Eagles signed a guy who just did a stretch for funding and engaging in a dogfighting operation (more about him elsewhere in this section).
COMFORTABLE
"We've had a lot of success here and I think the comfort level of myself as well as with Andy Reid and the organization, knowing that we have the best chance of winning when I'm out there," McNabb said. "I try to get better every year and put us in a position to possibly win a Super Bowl. We've been very close and actually gotten to a Super Bowl, so the door continues to be open for us to achieve that goal."
Should one or two of the Giants young wide receivers grow to replace most of what the Giants lost in production and threat with Burress, New York would get many nods as the division favorite on paper. Of course, paper doesn't play.
"For so long we've been hearing that we have so much depth," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "I don't know what you're watching, but the guys who are supposed to be the depth have hardly even practiced. Some haven't practiced, some haven't played. I think you're talking about something that looks good, but hasn't really materialized."
Asked if he saw things coming together as they did near the end of 2007, linebacker Antonio Pierce said, "The Super Bowl season was two years ago and we don't talk much about that around here. We're looking forward to a new season, a new week, a new practice today and that's where it starts. Everything that happened in the past — 07, 06, 08, 1958 — is all irrelevant."
___
(c) 2009, The Miami Herald.
Visit The Miami Herald Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.herald.com/
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new...fceast-soapopera-adv03mi-_-sports/?sports&nfl
Some of the most piss poor "writing" I have ever read.