The Philly Smokescrean

All along Kevin Kolb was a smoke screen. Kolb put up some nifty numbers in college at the University of Houston in Conference USA but C-USA is hardly The NFL. Kevin Kolb came into the league as a back-up to future Eagle Hall of Fame QB Donovan McNabb. McNabb was the leader in Philly for the most successful run in Eagle history. McNabb incurred a few injuries in the past few years which prompted upper management to look for his successor and when he came along the Eagles quietly picked up their future QB giving him substantially more than market value and naming the future of Philadelphia signal caller's to an unproven youngster out of Houston.

This week the smoke screen was cleared and early in the post McNabb era the heir to the QB position has finally been cleared. Cleared from anti-organizations who preferred to have a clean cut kid taking snaps as opposed to an ex-con. The ex-con and scourge of PETA Michael Vick the former overall #1 draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons has finally been named the starter.

For years Andy Reid loved McNabb. Wanted him so bad as his QB that he passed over fan favorite Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams in the 1999 NFL draft to select McNabb. McNabb proved to be the right selection and five times McNabb led the Eagles deep into the playoffs to the championship game and once to the Super Bowl. Despite the boo birds in Philadelphia McNabb was very successful and the most decorated QB in Eagle history. Move over Randall Cunningham, move over Ron Jaworski, McNabb is the all-time Eagle signal caller.

Now for Andy Reid to send McNabb packing for an unspectacular college player, and unproven professional he would have to be out of his mind to believe in Kolb more than McNabb. Vick tho8ugh is another story. Vick has the great pedigree (no offense PETA). Vick was a top pick. Vick was the first QB to ever lead his team to victory in historical Lambeau Stadium over the Packers in the playoffs. Vick was electrifying on the field. Vick has had very raw skills and bringing him into Philadelphia was not about giving the guy a job it was about grooming him to be the successor of McNabb. If Vick was just supposed to be a bench guy the Eagles would not have ponied up $5 million a year for a bench jockey. The Eagles organization had to play the fans with Kolb. What else were they supposed to do announce, "your 2010 Philadelphia Eagles starting QB ex-convict Michael Vick." Vick is not a blue collar guy in a blue collar town. Vick is a flashy, he's not a role model, he's not even Italian which is both politically correct and would make the hometown fans ecstatic. But much like in 1999 when Reid named McNabb his QB of the future; Andy Reid can groom a quarterback. Vick's got the raw talent and the intangibles to become a great one while Kolb appears to be fitting into his true position of back up QB.

Nice smoke screen Andy Reid. You got your guy and you brought him in at the right time and fans will forget Vick is an ex-con as long as he wins. A win against Jacksonville this weekend will ease the tension in Philadelphia. Even though I absolutely loathe was Michael Vick did to numerous dogs I can say he showed great remorse by giving so charitably to dog farms to rehabilitate the lovable animals he nearly was part of killing. We know Andy Reid is all about winning and winning will cure all but should Vick not win this is Reid's job on the line.

My advice to Michael Vick every touchdown you score whether throwing or passing you donate $5000 to an animal shelter. And every win you get as a starter you donate $10,000 to an animal shelter. It's not going to hurt his pocketbook and it will soothe a lot of rightful feelings people have towards Michael Vick. He may have served his time but he certainly is a role model or a saint. Vick is still on probation in many ways.