TAMPA BAY IS NOW HOME

FOR QB JEFF GARCIA

I know that's A.J. Feely, renewed back-up quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles you're seeing but I figured he deserved a nice photo in this string of Philadelphia's management entanglement's.

A.J. FEELY

Photo Credit - Stock Photo

The ink has dried and Jeff Garcia is now a Tampa Bay quarterback. Most likely the starting QB for next season. I insisted he was going to Tampa Bay but fellow Fox Blogger's and newspaper writer's insisted on writing up all sorts of theories as to him going to Denver and then settled that Garcia was going to Oakland whereupon great conversation ensued as to how terrible he would perform there. Some took his side and said ,as I did, Garcia needs a decent offensive line and a  a wide receiver and running back  who could perform and he would be fine. But it was all for naught and the reading proved empty for me.

So poor Chris Simms is being shelled with Garcia arriving in camp and the Buc's have obtained the right's to Jake Plummer, if he chooses to stay in football, and a once bright, starting QB is fighting for his playing life now.

Garcia seems a bit more on track now as he is more upbeat talking about reaching the Super Bowl. And he believes he has an excellent shot with the personell who make up the Tampa Bay team. I wish him all the luck to get his wish and, as Donovan McNabb said just last night, I'm gonna miss him.

 

ALWAYS A MAIDEN

NEVER A BRIDE SPORTS  TOWN

 

Jeff Garcia, the so called backup quarterback who led the Philadelphia Eagles to the doorstep of the Superbowl, was not resigned or offered a contract by Jeff Laurie, owner of the Eagles.

Photo Credit AP

This is routine for a Philadelphia sports team. Letting talent slip out the door for the sake of controversy. I could cite examples in Philadelphia's baseball and basketball catagories too but it's too long a list and too irritating and dangerous to my mental health to provide for you. Or, on the other hand, a certain Philadelphia sports team, I will say, might acquire a talent which ends up languishing in mediocrity due to poor management of balancing the total team talent evenly.

Jeff Garcia had recently made it well known he had settled in Philadelphia and was willing to take less money to stay as a backup than to have to pack up and move to another city, learn another system and start all over again. He had just recently re-newed his lease on an apartment in the area.

This isn't a contract dispute. Garcia , outright,  was not offered a contract or asked to stay on. Garcia is not hiding the fact he is angry about this either.  A very upset Garcia expressed his suprise at this turn of events. Poor guy...If only he talked to some real sports fans in the area he might of had a clue as to his fate.

The common perception is that the Eagles are avoiding controversy by not making the signing. Heaven forbid Donovan McNabb perform poorly and the crowd begin chanting for Jeff Garcia. McNabb perform poorly? I haven't seen the "greatness" McNabb is attributed as possessing  since he arrived on the scene. Yes, I've seen moments of extreme precision with his passing. But mostly I have witnessed overthrows, throws into the ground, low throws and the rare last minute drive to the goal line and a winning touchdown. It seems what I hear constantly is his scrambling ability. Heck McNabb led the team in rushing one year. A QB is NOT supposed to lead the team in rushing, receiving, etc. This is what makes McNabb the premier QB for Philadelphia...Scrambling.

It's almost an annual event, McNabb goes down and backup's take the team to the top, then McNabb comes back and the ship sinks. For example the year Detmer came in, won 5 in a row then a young QB named Feely wins 4 more when Detmer is hurt, all done with pin point passing and scrambling by both QB's,  pulling a faltering Eagle's team into the play-offs.  McNabb returns  from his injury and  an Eagle's Team nose dives to earth.  Ending the run where he left off. 

Though he might have caused a turbulance in the city don't totally blame Terrel Owens for what happened to the Eagles in their Super Bowl the last time. Owen's, not shy of speaking his mind, said exactly what I wanted when he asked what that last drive in the Super Bowl was all about when McNabb was calliing a huddle with seconds to go in a 2 minute drill at the end of the game. Sure, McNabb threw up during the drive. I also saw a young guy this past year, New Orlean's RB got slammed so hard it knocked his lunch and breakfast up which, after one play out, he came back in to rack up a couple TD's and a few hundred yards. McNabb didn't even get hit. He was "exhausted" coach Andy Reid said. And?....On to another year.

McNabb,  performong poorly, the Eagles lingering near the bottom of their division,  another injury to McNabb and once again,  a backup comes in and takes the team to the top. Only I don't really consider Garcia a backup. Sure, he's getting on in years for a QB but i####uy like Garcia has the talent around him he can perform wonders. Look at Brett Favre, for example.  Add some talent and Favre is back to form. Nothing wrong with Farve. I'm sure he has a bunch of hurts and aches but if he wants to play I say he can. So out goes Jeff Garcia,  another hero of a sporting season past,  sent packing to be soon forgot by the crowd in the seats as they cheer for yet another bowl run.  Futile is the word.