Imagine the life being sucked out of a room.
This fall, the Philadelphia Eagles will be an empty team because their soul has moved to another altitude.
Of course, the heart and soul of the Philadelphia Eagles, Brian Dawkins, has left to the Denver after 13 years of wearing green.
It happened with Duce Staley, Troy Vincent and Jeremiah Trotter all within this decide--under the two-man tandem of Andy Reid and Joe Banner.
The two powers that be in Eagleland seem to feel that when a player is over 30, they become invaluable because their on-field play will dwindle; without any regard for their leadership, both on and off the field.
And in all three cases they were proven to be right. They somehow had made the right decisions and in the end, they never really missed the players nor their leadership.
But there is an obvious reason why.
Previously, when veteran leaders left the Birds’ nest, there was still one consistent leader remaining to charge, motivate, lead and even to calm.
Guess Who? Brian Dawkins.
This time around, there is no one.
No one!
No one worthy to fill the giant leadership shoes of the great number 20.
Donovan McNabb has never established a true leadership role over the offense that a quarterback should--let alone the whole team.
On defense, there’s only one guy that has been around long enough to be the leader. That’s Sheldon Brown.
While Brown can cover and hit like a GM truck (a la Dawkins) he’s never been the “Ra Ra” type.
Perhaps there’s one person that could be the team leader of the Eagles.
David Akers.
He’s respected, well liked, has been around for big moments and has made many memorable, pressure-filled field goals.
There’s just one problem…He’s just a kicker!!!!!!!!!
Bottom line: There is no replacement for Brian Dawkins on the roster and there probably won’t be for quite some time.
Dawkins’ locker room value alone was worth more than the putrid and pathetic two-year, $5 million dollar deal reportedly offered by the birds.
At the end of the day the NFL is a business--as much as fans pretend not to recognize that harsh reality.
Yet guys like Dawkins made fans feel connected because he inspired and lead his teammates as much as he inspired the guys in the upper decks of Lincoln Financial Field.
With Dawkins gone, the Eagles locker room will undoubtedly be one filled with a bunch of check collectors, at least until a new leader emerges.
Who knows? Maybe McNabb or someone else will step up to the plate.
But until (or if) that happens, the Eagles locker room will be a very dismal and soulless place.
