Super Bowl Or Bust - Monday, July 21, 2008
264 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: Michael Bradley

   The phrase "Rookies and select veterans will report to camp" doesn't have the same magical ring as "Pitchers and catchers report," but in Philadelphia it can certainly get some people excited. The 2008 season begins in Lehigh today, and there hasn't been a more important one in recent Eagles history. If the team doesn't make it to Tampa, it will have ended an era without winning a championship.

  Make no mistake about it; this is it for a lot of Eagles. Tackles Jon Runyan and William Thomas will likely be gone next year. So will tight end L.J. Smith. Safety Brian Dawkins is in the final year of his deal, and at 35 (he'll hit the magic number in October) is likely playing is final season. And Old Number Five is absolutely on the clock, with Kevin Kolb waiting in the wings and a contract that has a hefty cap toll the next two years. Barring a tremendous year -- of which he is absolutely capable -- McNabb could be looking for work next winter. If all of those players were subtracted from the equation, the Eagles would be far from destitute, but they would not be among the better teams in the NFC, largely because of their youth.

   So, as the hitting begins, and the mysteries are solved, the sense of urgency grows. Coach/GM/Bon Vivant Andy Reid had better feel it, too, because despite a contract that pays him about $4 million for each of the next three years (2008-10), he isn't immune from some hot water. If Reid doesn't deliver a team that can do more than get bounced quickly from the post-season, owner Jeffrey Lurie may be forced to strip him of his GM post, the better to let Reid concentrate on coaching. The fact that just about every other NFL team does that will provide impetus for that decision, too.

   It's way too early to start reading into everything that happens at Lehigh. It's unwise to assign too much value to the outcomes of pre-season games, too. That's not the point here. Until the footballs start flying in earnest, on Sept. 7, Birds fans would be wise to keep their hysteria meters set on simmer. That doesn't mean expectations shouldn't be high. The last three seasons have featured disappointment, injury and too little success. With several players heading toward the end of their time in Philadelphia, it's imperative the team understands its 2008 mandate: Win big.

   Even in July, that's a fact.