Breaking News: McNabb traded to Redskins

For all those pitchfork salesmen and torch purveyors in Philadelphia, get ready for a brisk Monday morning.

According to ESPN, the Eagles have done what the previously unthinkable by trading starting quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins. Both sides are trying to finalize the deal, but the centerpiece coming back to the City of Brotherly Love is the Skins’ second-round pick, number 37 overall.

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The trade leaves the Eagles with only two quarterbacks on the roster in Kevin Kolb, who looks to be the heir apparent, and Michael Vick. The Redskins tendered an offer to free agent QB Jason Campbell, their starter for the four seasons, as well as picking up free agent Rex Grossman to complement Richard Bartel and Colt Brennan in camp.

More details to follow as they emerge.

– Matthew De George ’10

Why Philly Needs Andy

Growing up about 15 minutes from Philadelphia, I’ve learned a few things about Eagles fans: they have an extraordinary amount of passion for their team, they are one of the most dedicated and loyal fan bases in the NFL, and they are empty inside without a Super Bowl ring.

One thing is for certain, however: To fill that gaping hole in their ever-beating heart, Andy Reid has to be part of the equation. In light of Reid’s contract extension, here is an argument for why Philadelphia needs Andy Reid.

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You stay classy, Philadelphia

Eagles’s fans, copious amounts of alcohol, and record-setting amounts of snow.  There’s only one thing that could come of this combination: snowball wars.

The massacre of a pair of Niners’ fans in the Eagles’ 27-13 win was captured on video here at Deadspin. Philly wasn’t the only stadium with frozen projectile problems, as 29 ejections and one arrest were made at Giants’ Stadium during the Jets’ 10-7 loss to Atlanta. Just imagine the damage San Francisco had managed to escape the City of Brotherly Love with an upset.

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Perhaps the most hilarious aspect of the snowy ambush was head coach Andy Reid’s comments after the game. “We’re a classy crew in Philadelphia here, and we need to save that for the parking lot,” said Reid.

Right, Andy, because nothing oozes class quite like mauling innocent fans trying to get to their warm cars with hunks of ice. It’s also totally classy to refrain from chucking bottles at people in the stadium so that you can put them under their tires in the lot. Yeah, there’s no way karma plays into who wins the Super Bowl.

-Matthew De George ’10

Small Vick-tories for Eagles

All eyes in the Philadelphia sporting world were turned to Lincoln Financial Field tonight to see Michael Vick’s debut in an Eagles’ jersey. It was an abbreviated appearance in his first time under center in two years, but there were brief moments that may give Eagles’ fans renewed hope.

Vick received an overwhelmingly warm reception from the largely late-arriving crowd at the Linc. And fans didn’t have to wait long to see him on the field, as he was in the backfield on the second play from scrimmage, tossing a four-yard shuttle pass to LeSean McCoy out of the Wildcat package.

Here’s a rundown of each of Vick’s trips onto the field:

Dear Philadelphia, Give Vick a chance

As the news broke last night during the Philadelphia Eagles 27-25 loss to New England in the preseason opener, shock seemed to be the prevailing emotion from the media who seemed to be blindsided by the signing.

Listening to ESPN Radio 950 AM, Eagles’ fans seem outraged at the signing. Host Dan Schwartzman, one of the disappointed masses, referred to Vick as “the ultimate boogeyman” numerous times throughout the broadcast.

Now lets step back and analyze this just a little bit.

Why Mike?

I know I’m not the only one left in a quandary by the Eagles’ signing of Michael Vick. And while ESPN’s resident football gurus John Clayton and Chris Mortensen love the signing, I have to be honest: I just don’t see it.

A few points to consider:

– This has been an exceedingly tumultuous camp for Philly already. Between the death of the talismanic Jim Johnson, first-rounder Jeremy Maclin’s holdout, and Juqua Parker’s arrest for marijuana possession, there’s been a bunch of issues for the team to deal with off the field. Though the team has already broken camp and can enjoy relative privacy for a while,Vick becomes another distraction.