48 HRS in Hell
Since Wednesday afternoon, I and much of the FanSided Sports Network have been unable to access our blogs. Right about the time news of Brian Westbrook‘s impending surgery broke, WordPress (the lovely software us sports bloggers use to deliver our prolific posts) decided to take a Nate Newton-sized dump all over our computer screens. Nice, huh?
Needless to say, we were unable to login to our sites. Beyond frustrating. But Zach and his team of code-breakers worked feverishly to get us back up and running. They deserve a major thanks. My job is easy. I just invent some stuff to say and write it up. Those guys ensure that all of you out there navigating the Interwebs actually get to see what I type.
So, thanks Zach for allowing me to get back talkin’ Eagles football. It feels like I’ve been away for months. Anything happen while I was gone, Eagles Nation? Oh, yeah… Westbroke, er, Westbrook (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
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I’m sure it’s all been said on countless other blogs and sports information sites, but I feel compelled to offer my two cents on the most famous ankle in Philadelphia. Here it goes.
Are any of us shocked by the news, really? Isn’t this the exact reason Reid and Co. used a second-round pick on Shady? I for one am not expecting B-West to make it through 2009 unscathed. I mean, the guy has never completed a full season in his career. He’s missed only 13 starts (not counting playoffs), but he’s always had to endure ailments of a sort.
The fact that he has missed so few games (yes, 13 games in 8 seasons is not a lot) is a testimony to his toughness. He didn’t practice much of 2008, but still showed up on gameday all but twice. Sure, he wasn’t the same dynamic player we all love to watch, but at least he was out there trying. If not for his catch and run against the Vikings, the Birds probably would have been one and done in the playoffs. He made that play on one ankle and one knee.
So, he had the knee cleaned out a few months ago. Now it’s the ankle’s turn under the knife. I love how all these unnamed sources are calling the surgery “serious.” I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but the last time I checked, all surgery is serious. An appendectomy is considered routine, but people still die once in a while while having their appendix removed. Enough hyperbole, please.
Bone spurs are what they are. Painful as hell, if you don’t remove them. I guarantee Brian would have played through the pain if it was October, but it’s not, it’s June. Relax, people. Again, this is why LeSean McCoy is here. If the kid has to study extra hard and spend additional time after practice getting the plays and formations down, so be it. I trust the coaching staff will get him (and Booker) prepared.
Plenty of rookie running backs step right in and play. Damn, look at last season for example: Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, Steve Slaton, Kevin Smith and Jonathan Stewart played a lot and played well. And yes, most struggled with blitz pickup early on, but guys like Johnson and Slaton were playing on third downs by mid-season. Pass protection can be improved; it just takes reps. McCoy and the other backs are getting those much needed reps now, and will continue to get them come training camp.
The sky is not falling. Although, some would like us to believe it is. If you watch the bobble heads on ESPN and NFL Net, you might come to the conclusion that the Eagles 2009 season is doomed. It’s not. Westbrook will be back in September. Will he be 100% healthy? Probably not. Will he be the Westbrook from 2006 and 2007? I doubt it. Will his presence alone in the backfield still make defenses sweat? Yes.
Just like Brian Dawkins, Westy isn’t going to last forever. Perhaps as soon as 2010, we’ll be waving goodbye to him. Running backs over 30 just don’t last long in the NFL. How much he will be able to give in 2009 is unknown. I do know he’ll give everything he has left to help the Birds win. And that’s why we all love Brian Westbrook.