For shame, Brandon Jacobs, for shame!

Some horrifying comments that they don’t really let you live down should you dare speak them to fans from the Illadelph in this morning’s NY Post:

RB Brandon Jacobs was tripped up on a 5-yard run midway through the third quarter and limped off after tweaking his left knee. He did not return.

“Didn’t cause any more damage to it, just a little pain,” Jacobs said. “It wasn’t frightening because I knew what it was, I do it almost every game, that time I just did it real good.”

Jacobs said he could have come back into the game. “But why?” he said. “We couldn’t get anything going and we didn’t play as good as we’re supposed to play.”

Jacobs had 52 yards to give him 1,002 for the season.

[Emphasis mine.]

BUT WHY???????   Um, to win the game and clinch the division?  To end the Eagles’ season?  To honor the effort of your teammates?

(But also to potentially help out Grand Theft Porno, who didn’t realize they’d be starting someone so gutless in their imaginary football playoffs this week.  File under “The last time I allow a NY Giant to be the feature back for GTP.”  BOOOOOO!  The Grand Theft Porno fans are aghast!)

Big props to BGN for the find.

Count me among the Eagles cognoscenti who thought that the whinging about the state of the wide receivers corps was the surefire sign of an unsophisticated Eagles/ football fan. Sure, everyone WANTS to have a top-flight wideout, but everyone should also want to have a top-flight corner, defensive end, running back, etc., and well, you can’t have everything. Those who insisted that the Eagles upgrade at wideout were still living in 2004 and hadn’t reset their expectations.

(Of course, we’ll discount the part where Andy Reid took a run at Randy Moss in February and where I’ve been lusting after Anquan Boldin. That means nothing!)

So don’t I feel a bit silly right now as the Eagles enter Week One without the services of their two presumed starters at wide receiver. Sure, they’re still 7.5-point favorites (can we really lay ALL those points on an Andy Reid team opening weekend?) and the backups are at least familiar with the team and the offense (with the exception of wunderkind DeSean Jackson), but, um, shouldn’t this be cause for concern? I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t having horrific visions of Green Bay last September, and a Birds team that thought it could play without a punt returner.

I’ll admit that I have no idea who’ll actually catch the most balls on Sunday.  I needed to grab a Birds WR off the waiver wire (DeSean Jackson was already on a roster) in one of my imaginary football leagues, and I really didn’t know who to take.  Seriously.  I was at a total loss.  AND I READ THIS FREAKING STUFF NON-STOP.  My final analysis was that Avant was the best imaginary football bet (for some imagined red-zone value), even though the team seems to be higher on Baskett?  Anyone?  Seriously, I’m baffled here. 

We can only dream, as Rich Hoffman did earlier this week, that the absence of the starting wideouts will convince Andy Reid to play Big 8 football circa 1985.  If nothing else, it’ll help resurrect the “Eagles should run more” meme that’s been so noticeably absent this off-season.  Though I guess it’s tough to b*tch about playcalling when the Eagles haven’t called a play since December 2007.   

(My bad being offline the past day or so — lots of airplanes and not much free time.  We got some catching up to do this weekend!)

Let us all rejoice: real NFL football is back and ready to sign.

Despite the fact that the season premier episode features Peyton Freakin’ Manning and the freshly annointed America’s Team (who hath inspired us all, no doubt!), I’m still in a very good mood about the return of actual football, in all its glorious forms! Welcome back fantasy football, gambling, HDTV viewing! We missed you so!

Anyhoo, I shall now shamelessly recycle a posting from two years ago to express my glee in re: the return of football. The game started about five minutes ago and the guy that I drafted first (#3 overall) in one of my imaginary football leagues got hurt on the game’s first offensive play. That means I’ve already had my first official “shouting at the television” moment. Super duper!

Link:
The Return of My Favorite TV Show, Interactive Product, and Live Event