Homers versus Haters

[panthers55]

http://www.cat-------reader.com/2009/9/10/1024403/homers-vs-haters-the-philadelphia

An intersting blog from Cyberjag, one of our own:

mod edit....I'm sure this will be an unpopular edit but no links to other fan sites or blogs are allowed. all you have to do is fill in the blanks to figure it out though and hopefully cyberjag will cut/paste the whole thing here since he is the author.

Carolina opens its season this week by hosting the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that they've beaten only once in the regular season. The Panthers have never fared well against the NFC East. During the regular season, their combined record against East teams is 5-21. Against the Eagles they've gone 1-4. At the same time, John Fox is 14-9 in the month of September, and last year the Panthers were undefeated at home.

Philadelphia was a popular choice to go all the way this year, before training camps and the presesason gave everyone a look at teams around the league. Since then the Eagles have had several injuries and setbacks. The championship predictions have cooled off somewhat, but this is still a very talented football team. They've got it all--a franchise quarterback, a star running back, an up-and-coming wide receiver, an outstanding offensive line, and the third best defense in the league in 2008.

The Eagles went 9-6-1 in 2008, and it's a bit of a mystery that they didn't win more. Aside from their lofty defensive ranking, they were ninth on offense, with the sixth best passing attack in the league. But they also started out looking average, winning and losing in equal amounts until they found themselves at 5-5-1. At that point they turned on the jets, and finished 4-1 in their last five games to secure a wild card spot in the playoffs.

This season is one of high expectations in Philadelphia, and the first for them is a win at Bank of America stadium. Vegas agrees--in this game Carolina is one of four home underdogs.

Quarterback

Donovan McNabb easily meets all the criteria for a franchise quarterback. In his 11th year, McNabb has led the Eagles to more wins than any other quarterback in franchise history. He's the NFL's all-time leader in interception percentage, and third in the touchdown/interception ratio category. He's also a threat to run. McNabb is one of only six players in NFL history with over 25,000 yards passing and over 3,000 yards rushing. He holds the Eagles career and single-season marks in touchdown passes, completions, yards, and attempts. He's also been to the pro-bowl five times.

In June McNabb was awarded a 2-year, $24.5 million deal from the Eagles front office. His play down the stretch of the 2008 campaign more than justified these numbers. But, during the middle of the season he was benched for poor play. In the two-game stretch, McNabb was an uncharacteristic 36 of 76 in passing for a meager 398 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions. When his backup proved less than capable in his stead, McNabb was given his starting job back. He demanded an apology for the benching, but never received one.

In the offseason, however, the front office made it up to him in another way. They signed an all-pro offensive tackle to protect his blind side and spent their first three draft picks on the offensive skill positions. More than ever before, McNabb has the weapons around him to put up career numbers.

Homer says,

"Well, for starters every time the Eagles have turned the team over to Donovan McNabb he seems to find a way to stumble just enough to have the fans call for his head. How does a franchise quarterback get benched for poor play anyway? Last year McNabb's vaunted accuracy evaporated in away games, where he averaged an interception per game. Then there's the genius statement about not knowing NFL games can end in a tie? Maybe he should play to win whether he thinks it can tie or not. Starting next week, of course........

[Gman was right]

"Hater". had much better and logical points. Not sure why he would be called hater. The title should have been Homer vs Smarter

[PantherBrew]

"Hater". had much better and logical points. Not sure why he would be called hater. The title should have been Homer vs Smarter

You would say that. :dita:

[Fireball77]

Saw that! Well done by Cyber.

[Kingpatecu]

[firstdayfan]

I never understood the idea of being a homer. I pull for my team and my wife can tell you that I am pretty much a d head on gameday, and more so when they lose but I could never just blindly think that the Panthers are going to win every game. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes but that's a little idiotic to me. The difference between a Homer and everyone else is while everyone else is worrying about what could go wrong the Homer never thinks anything will go wrong. I don't get it.

[PantherBrew]

Thinking they can win, is not the same as thinking they are going to win.

[Sandy Claws]

You would say that. :dita:

Hard to believe that he cheers with the vigor that he seems to demand in others when all he seems to do is focus on negatives. I've said it before and he proves it more with every post, GMAN IS PART OF WHAT HE PERCEIVES TO BE A PROBLEM WITH FAN SPIRIT.

[firstdayfan]

Thinking they can win, is not the same as thinking they are going to win.

Well of course we know they can win, anybody can win on any given sunday. But Homer's tend to take that to another level, they generally feel that any given sunday means every sunday and nothing bad will ever happen. When someone tells them that the defense hasn't played well and the offense hasn't scored much they tend to get upset and spout out random stats that have nothing to do with the game. I guess there are some fans that see the glass half full all the time and others who see it half empty, and still others that just see a glass and couldn't care less about what's in it.

[PantherBrew]

Well of course we know they can win, anybody can win on any given sunday. But Homer's tend to take that to another level, they generally feel that any given sunday means every sunday and nothing bad will ever happen. When someone tells them that the defense hasn't played well and the offense hasn't scored much they tend to get upset and spout out random stats that have nothing to do with the game. I guess there are some fans that see the glass half full all the time and others who see it half empty, and still others that just see a glass and couldn't care less about what's in it.

I dont consider myself a homer, I think I am like many others... optimistic with doubts and concerns.

But yea, i get what you are saying.

[firstdayfan]

I dont consider myself a homer, I think I am like many others... optimistic with doubts and concerns.

But yea, i get what you are saying.

Yeah I wasn't calling you a Homer, your article just made me think of it. And yeah I'm the same way. I try to optimistic but sometimes I have big doubts.

[Fireball77]

I never understood the idea of being a homer. I pull for my team and my wife can tell you that I am pretty much a d head on gameday, and more so when they lose but I could never just blindly think that the Panthers are going to win every game. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes but that's a little idiotic to me. The difference between a Homer and everyone else is while everyone else is worrying about what could go wrong the Homer never thinks anything will go wrong. I don't get it.

I am pretty much the way you are. And like Brewski, thinking they CAN win not that they WILL. In fact for the most part I don't really know with this team week in and week out what the eff they will do or being SURE they had a good chance to win. 2008 was the closest thing I've seen to that in the Fox era.

Homers also think THEIR player at X position is better than any other in the NFL, facts be damned. Hence the dumb ProBowl voting.

[Cyberjag]

"Hater". had much better and logical points. Not sure why he would be called hater. The title should have been Homer vs Smarter

Coming from you, I really feel like I struck the right tone on at least one side of the debate.

[Fireball77]