1. I, on the other hand, dont mind Eagles players talking about how dangerous they would be if they had reached the playoffs. Dont mind it at all. A lot of fans (and media members) were furious to hear Michael Vick, Nnamdi Asomugha, Cullen Jenkins, Jeremy Maclin and several others say how their late-season surge would make them such a difficult opponent in the postseason.
Delusional! Arrogant! Out of touch!
But it doesnt bother me. Not a bit. I want a confident team. I want a bunch of guys who believe in themselves, even after a 4-8 start. I want guys with a little edge, a little swagger. The Eagles finally have that, and I dont want them losing it.
2. The Eagles scored 20 points on 387 yards Saturday in Dallas, becoming only the second team in NFL history to have five games in a season in which they gained 375 or more yards, but scored 20 or fewer points. The 2005 Arizona Cardinals also did it.
3. I understand DeSean Jacksons faults and flaws. Hes not the biggest guy. Hes not the most reliable guy. He doesnt have a perfect attendance record. But if the Eagles let him go, how do you replace 4,000 receiving yards over four seasons? How do you replace 29 touchdowns? How do you replace 12 TDs of 60 yards or more in the last four years? How do you replace the double coverages he draws down the field that open up the middle for Brent Celek, Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin?
Since entering the NFL in 2008, Jackson ranks 10th in the NFL in receiving yards. So offer him a deal that makes him the 10th-highest receiver in the NFL -- about 9 milli0n per year over five years with 10 million up front. Thats fair for both sides. If he doesnt accept, move on and sign Marques Colston, Vincent Jackson or whoever else the top UFA receiver is on the market. But I think hed take it. He wants to be here. The Eagles want him here. Make it work.
4. On the other hand, as much as I love watching Asante Samuel make those big interceptions and those long touchdown returns, I cant help thinking this is a sounder defense with Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie outside and Joselio Hanson inside. So I expect Asante will be somewhere else next year.
NFL
5. If Michael Vick starts and finishes 16 games next year, the Eagles go to the NFC Championship Game.
6. I like Andre Iguodala. I really do. The guy fills up the box score like nobody else. He rebounds, runs the floor, distributes, draws fouls when he drives to the hoop. But for crying out loud, hes got to get out of this mindset that hes going to take the last shot of every close game, no matter what. No matter whos guarding him, no matter how much time is left, no matter who else is hot, no matter who else is open, no matter how deep beyond the 3-point arc he is. Seems like hes trying to prove hes a superstar at the end of games instead of just playing the sound brand of team basketball he generally plays the first 47 minutes, 45 seconds of each game.
7. My Eagles MVP ballot: 5. Todd Herremans, 4. Brent Celek, 3. Jason Babin, 2. Jason Peters, 1. LeSean McCoy.
8. In his last 27 games, Aaron Rodgers has thrown 70 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Thats insane.
9. If it was recorded with Auto-Tune, its not music.
10. Note to tailgating drivers: It wont work. Until you get off my butt, I will continue to gradually slow down until Im driving two miles per-hour. And youll be stuck back there fuming. And I dont care. And theres nothing you can do about it. You wont make me speed up. Im not in a hurry. And if you are, too bad. If you dont give up, I might even toss a 40-ounce Slurpee out my window and nail your windshield.
11. Alex Henery has the second-highest career field goal percentage in NFL history among kickers whove attempted 25 or more field goals. Seriously.
12. One of these days, Im finally going to convince Big Daddy Graham that Tales from Topographic Oceans really is one of Yess best records.
13. Wow, that Ryan family really knows how to back up its bluster. Buddy, Rex, Rob ... all of em. Just a bunch of winners right there in that group.
14. Glad to see Laura Nyro inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Nobody could rock it out like ol Laura. Nobody. She ROCKED.
15. Im still getting emails from people who are convinced that if the Cowboys and Giants tie, the Eagles will win the NFC East. Is it really that difficult to understand that seven losses is better than eight losses? That 8-7-1 beats 8-8? That a tie is better than a loss?
16. Heres a list of the Eagles potential unrestricted free agents: Victor Abiamiri, Ronnie Brown, King Dunlap, DeSean Jackson, Derek Landri, Trevor Laws, Evan Mathis, Juqua Parker, Owen Schmitt, Smith Smith and Vince Young. Additionally, Antonio Dixon is due to become a restricted free agent.
17. Victor Abiamiri? Wow.
18. My 25 favorite Gin Blossoms (and side project) songs: 1. Lost Horizons, 2. Not only Numb, 3. Mrs. Rita, 4. Hey Jealousy, 5. In between two Worlds, 6. Learning the Hard Way, 7. Allison Road, 8. Letter, 9. Kelli Richards, 10. What, 11. Till I Hear it From You, 12. Angels Tonight, 13. Brackish Waters, 14. Until I Fall Away, 15. Competition Smile, 16. Dead or Alive on the 405, 17. Little Stars, 18. Found out about You, 19. Seeing Stars, 20. Spark, 21. Hands Are Tied, 22. Go Cry Baby, 23. Pieces of the Night, 24. California Sun, 25. Heart-Shaped Locket.
19. I truly believe that the quality of life for all Philadelphians would be drastically improved if they just shut down the Schuylkill Expressway and turned it into a jogging path and bike trail.
20. OK, this one will cheer you right up. Here are the longest current championship droughts in major sports: Chicago Cubs (108 years), St. Louis Cards (64 years), Cleveland Indians (63 years), Sacramento Kings (60 years), Detroit Lions (54 years), Atlanta Hawks (53 years), Eagles (51 years) and Vikings (have never won a championship in 51 years).
Note that the Cards were based in Chicago when they last won a title, the Kings were in Rochester, N.Y., and the Hawks played in St. Louis. So among franchises that havent moved, only the Cubs, Indians and Lions have gone longer without a championship than the Eagles.
21. With 24 more passing yards, Michael Vick will join Randall Cunningham as only the second player in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards in two or more seasons. R.C. did it three years in a row -- 1988, 1989 and 1990.
22. The new Cowboys stadium goes against everything I believe in. Its garish, tacky, over-the-top in its absurd hugeness, a 1.2 billion testament to poor taste. But for some reason, I get a kick out of the place. Anywhere but Texas, it would be embarrassing. But in Dallas? It just kind of fits.
23. A high-speed bullet train runs between Japans two largest cities -- Tokyo and Osaka, about 250 miles apart -- every four minutes, each train carrying more than 1,300 passengers. The average train arrives within six seconds of its scheduled arrival time.
24. Really bummed Christmas is over now, and I wont be hearing that Yoko Ono Christmas song every time I walk into a store.
25. Seven months 'till Lehigh.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com