Eagles Fans All Ablaze

On day two of the NFL draft the Philadelphia Eagles brain trust dared to explode three general rules of human psychology — instant gratification, hope, and conservatism — sending the Bleeding Green Fan base, and the taking heads that feed off this particularly fanatical base, into fits of blazing anger and darkest despair.

With their second pick of the 2020 draft the Eagles selected a quite good quarterback, Jalen Hurts. So what about this selection did Eagles fans see as an enraging crime? Well, first off, pro football fans want to see a draft pick that high up become an instant impact player. Since the Eagles already have a pro bowl QB, Hurts might never play a single down for the Eagles as a traditional starting QB — instant gratification violated.

In fact the only way Hurts becomes a valuable asset is if Carson Wentz become injured or somehow otherwise is prevented from playing. just the slightest mention of this possibility wounds hope. And finally no matter how much sports fans complain about their teams not being innovative enough, the second teams are innovative and it fails, the fan base screams bloody murder about stupid gadget plays, or whatever other type of daring move a team attempts to pull off — conservatism violated.

You can bet that had the so-called Philly Special (a wildly unconventional football play) failed in the Super Bowl and the Eagles had lost partly because of it, Coach Pederson would have been run out of town.

Sports fans in general are not deep thinkers, especially when it violates one or more of the afore mentioned rules of psychology. The most important factor in pro football among the top teams in the NFL is injury. It doesn’t matter how strong the roster is at the beginning of the season, it’s whose still standing at the end.

So for me, personally, if the Eagles want to steal a near starting level QB talent in the second round, I don’t care. I can face the possibility of Wentz getting hurt. The only important thing is that the Birds still have a chance to win. So if management wants to backup the most important position in sports with a second round pick, I say to hell with drafting tradition.

Maybe its because I’ve been an Eagles fan since around 1948 (yes, I’m quite old) that I’m used to taking the long view. But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.