Disappointment: Reflection of the Andy Reid Era

New year, same old "We're going for it all" speech by Jeff Lurie and the horrible play calling and poor execution by the Eagles. It was supposed to be different this year. But again, all we are left with is the memories of a once-dominant team that never got the job done in the big games.

Is that it? Memories? This team that was supposed to be a success and make a deep playoff run looks the same as the 2007 team that came in with Super Bowl aspirations and ultimateley failed to even make the playoffs.

But what hurts the most is the lies that the front office feeds us loyal fans, year after year. Week after week and game after game, Andy Reid, Jeff Lurie, Joe Banner, and Tom Heckert continue to believe that this team has the capability to be a contender, yet when they fail, there are no improvements.

Let's go back to the beginning of the Andy Reid era, shall we?

Andy and McNabb were missing one thing from 2000-2003, RECEIVERS, then Terrell Owens came to town. Immediateley, you could see the explosiveness he brought and the dimension he brought to the table. We came up a bit short that year but there was still a big ray of hope on the horizon.

Yet, when T.O. opened his mouth (which is inevitable), the front office was so quick to pull the trigger and let him leave, and from then on, unsuccessful, disappointing seasons.

Just the sheer arrogance of the front office to just let a player of that caliber walk away and go to the evil Dallas Cowboys. Yet the front office still had the balls to say that they were fine the way they were, and they would still be a contender.

But my immediate reaction to their arrogance and blindness was sheer amazement. The only reason the Eagles were successful from 2000-2003 was the strength of their defense and how they were able to step up in big situations and make a stand. But the offense, aside from McNabb's legs, was never there.

After the Super Bowl disappointment of 2004, and the frustration of those three heartbreaking Conference Championship losses, I was surprised that Andy Reid still had a job.

Any other organization would have sacked their coach after being so unsuccessful in the big games. But no, Big Red's ineffective, predictable system is still in place and is being exposed, game after game.

After the disgrace of the 2005 season, 2006 looked bright, and Donovan McNabb was on pace for an MVP-type season, but once again, as the season wore on, the scheme got predictable: pass, pass, pass, pass, run, pass, pass. How is it possible to have success when you run such a one-dimensional attack? Can you even call it an attack?

When McNabb went down, Garcia came in and all of a sudden, HOPE. The strategy finally changed, they began to run the ball and the offense was dynamic again. But the season was lost again in the playoffs by a horrible decision to punt the ball away with the game on the line, which led to the disappointing end of a Cinderella season.

So for the past two seasons, we have been led to believe that this team can compete. We have been led to believe that they are for real, and they are going for it all. But what are we left with? Losing teams that can't produce in the clutch and become predictable after the first quarter.

This article is not being written to be a tremendous piece of literature. This is an angry fan, sick of watching a group of four men (Heckert, Lurie, Banner, and Reid) stand by, oblivious to the fact that this team is in need of some serious changes.

I may be whining like a little b**** right now, but I have a good reason for it. Here is my reason, if you can't figure it out: FIRE ANDY REID!

Seriously, what does it take?? 10 years and no Super Bowls. One Conference Championship. 10 years of excuses and reasons why this team is good. It's time for a change—a big change.

Andy has brought a lot of great memories to this city, but he has also brought his share of disappointment and failure. It's time to close the curtain. Please, just close it and save us from more frustration and disappointment.