2004 NFC Champions - Philadelphia Eagles

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Starring: Harry Kalas
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: 2005-09-06
Running Time: 125 minutes
This DVD celebrates the Philadelphia Eagles 2004-05 season, from training camp through their dominating performance against the Atlanta Falcons. This newly produced film goes beyond the typical NFL team highlight to bring the Eagles fan more highlights than ever before, interviews with key players and coaches, and several bonus features that help the Eagles fan get to know the players in a more personal, intimate way.

DVD Features:
Featurette:NFC championship game between Eagles and Falcons
Other:Bonus Features include: McNABB FOOTBALL CAMP

2004 Eagles DVD
Very enjoyable! This product uses footage from HBO's Inside the NFL to do a week-by-week review of the Eagles' 2004 season. While most of the replays are well done, some of them are way too short and don't include enough highlights from each game. Also, I've never been a big fan of Harry Kalas' narration of NFL games (to me, Harry is a Phillies icon).

The extras, while interesting, don't really convey a sense of excitement (Jeremiah Trotter's car wash? Please). One extra, however, which is almost worth the price of the disc alone, is "Game of the Week: Falcons vs Eagles," a virtual play-by-play recap of the 2004 NFC Championship Game. For those who have NFL Network, you know how great a show Game of the Week is!

The only other reason I'm not giving this DVD five stars is that it's too depressing to realize that the Eagles had such a great season, only to fall short in Super Bowl XXXIX!!

I DO highly recommend this product for any and all die-hard Eagles fans!

So much closer-- and yet...
Before I begin the review proper, I may as well come out and admit that I'm a Niner fan first and foremost (don't pity me, please... ESPECIALLY after last week's pathetic blowout (as of this writing)!). However, that doesn't keep me from rooting for other teams from time to time. In fact, I have a very soft spot for the hard-luck cases (so long as those cases aren't the Rams, Cowboys, or Raiders). And when it comes to postseason disappointment, there aren't any cases who have seen harder luck in recent years than the Philadelphia Eagles. Well, until last year that is, when they finally got over three straight NFC championship choke-jobs. And while I was rooting a bit more for the Patriots than I was for Philly in Supe 39, I could have lived with an Eagles championship had they won it. Heck, until the whole doing-calisthenics-in-the-driveway-after-being-booted-out-of-training-camp thing he did several weeks back as of this writing, I could have lived with Terrell Owens earning a Super Bowl ring (more on this later)!

And away we go...

I found this presentation a big step up from the 2003 NFC Champs DVD. Not only did the main feature run twice as long as that of its immediate predecessor (one hour vs. a half-hour), it also covered every single regular-season and post-season contest, from their opening day victory against the Giants to their heartbreaking loss to the Pats in the Super Bowl. There's even English subtitles, something the Pats' season highlights platter didn't even have! Unlike the '03 Panthers platter, though, they didn't include the almost-complete broadcast tape of Super Bowl XXXIX. Which is probably just as well; what self-respectin' Eagles fan would wanna watch a game his/her team lost, anyhow?! Unless he/she is a real masochist...

Then there's the background music, which is half the reason I love watching NFL Films shows. Sadly, most of the tunage they used here, I'd heard before in previous presentations. Fortunately, most of the "old stuff" was still pretty danged good... especially the one that accompanies Philly's second confrontation with the New York Giants. There were also a few good bits of new stuff to go with the Super Bowl highlights that added just the right touch of drama.

Speakin' of the games: some of the more notable week-by-week highlights include...

- Game 1 vs. New York Giants: WR Terrell Owens and DE Jevon Kearse make a noticeable impact- in both a literal as well as a figurative sense- in their first game in Eagles green. Eagles 31, Giants 17.

- Game 2 vs. Minnesota Vikings: an iffy-looking goal-line fumble by Vikes QB Daunte Culpepper is recovered by the Eagles, denying a score. Randy Moss' statement that "We'll (the Vikings) see `em again" would prove a prophetic one. Eagles 27, Vikes 16.

- Game 5 vs. Carolina Panthers: Philly gets a little payback and then some against the team that beat them in the conference championship. This segment ends with a cute moment starring middleweight boxing champ Bernard Hopkins.

- Game 7 vs. Baltimore Ravens: features some of the best hits in the entire show as Philly grinds out a tough 15-10 win against the Ravens.

- Game 8 at Pittsburgh Steelers: Much like they did when they ended the Patriots' record winning streak the week before, Pittsburgh quickly leaps ahead and never looks back as they handily take down the season's last unbeaten team in a 27-3 Steelers triumph.

- Game 9 at Dallas Cowboys: Man, do I love it when the BlowBoys get taken down like the candy-@$$ girly men that they are! Not that I'd say that to their faces, heh. Anyhoo, narrator Harry Kalas throws in a reference to the infamous T.O./'Desperate Housewives' opening to this less-than-thrilling Monday night mismatch. This game featured Philly QB Donovan McNabb making like Fran Tarkenton on a pair of really scrambly pass completions, as well as a 100-yard interception return for a big Philly score. Eagles 49, BlowBoys 21.

- Game 14 vs. Dallas Cowboys: Terrell Owens' leg injury happens here, the severity of which left many doubting that he'd be healed up enough to play in the Super Bowl, should Philly finally manage to make it in. The Eagles' 12-7 win over Dallas clinched NFC playoff home field advantage and had me revelin' in another BlowBoys loss.

- Divisional playoff vs. Minnesota Vikings: concerns about Philly's VERY rested starters possibly being "rusty" for this game were quickly put to rest with a fairly easy 27-14 win. This game features the show's most entertaining highlight: a pop-up fumble by one Eagles WR caught on the fly by another Eagles WR for a touchdown! Also included here is a Donovan McNabb "Chunky Soup" reference.

- NFC Championship vs. Atlanta Falcons: A big take down on a Falcons tight end named Crumpler is the big highlight of this game. Needless to say, on that play the Crumpler became the Crumplee! And the Eagles finally shed their image as the Buffalo Bills of the NFC championship game. Eagles 27, Falcons 10.

BTW the bonus features section includes an extended "NFL Game of the Week" highlight show that goes into this game in even MORE detail, as well as an intro and outro by NFL Films main man Steve Sabol. Also included is a nice buildup to the game as Philly fans get pumped up for some pigskin action the week leading up to the matchup. And after seeing how ardent some of the uberfans were, I thought to myself, "Wow... these people need to get a life!" I mean, seriously! Now I love the Niners and all... but I'm not gonna get all weepy and despondent if they lose. `Cuz if I did, I'd probably commit suicide by midseason if not earlier. As George Carlin once said, "If they win, fine. If they lose, (eff) `em! Let `em practice more. As for you (the sports fans)... FIND SOMETHING TO DO!"

And if you ARE a big-time sports uberfan, you have absolutely no right to make fun of Trekkies, Star Wars geeks, and other assorted pop-culture aficionados. `Cuz when ya get right down to it, you're not really all that different from them. You might THINK you are... but you're not. "The pot calling the kettle black" deal falls into play with a vengeance here...

- Super Bowl XXXIX: This segment was heavy on the first-half highlights as Philly took the first lead of the game, and ended the half all tied up at seven apiece against the NFL's latest dynasty-in-the-making. Then came the second-half stuff, which went by at a dizzying pace, but ended on a hopeful note about the Eagles having what it takes to make it to the big game next year... and winning it. Sadly, the second-half clips didn't quite reflect what I had seen in the TV broadcast. I'm loath to admit it, but after the Pats took a ten-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter, the Eagles played out the rest of the game in a daze, especially Donovan McNabb. Almost the entire team looked like it had stopped trying, and were just out there to kill time...which they did surprisingly well, thanks to less-than-frugal clock management. Even when they got in a late TD to pull within three of New England, the Eagles looked like they just up and quit.

Interestingly enough, the only Eagles player who still had some fire left in him in the game's dying moments was Terrell Owens, who looked to be back up to speed and fully recovered from his injury, hauling in nine passes to keep his team in the game. Along with his grabs, T.O. did all he could to keep his comrades motivated. Thanks to his cheerleading efforts, I gained a smidgen of respect for the man that I never had for him when he played for the Niners-- a respect he squandered with his little training-camp-expulsion stunt several weeks back (as of this writing). After this little "incident", I don't ever want to see T.O. sporting a Super Bowl ring. It's fine by me if he breaks all of the significant NFL receiving records, so long as he doesn't validate his accomplishments with a championship. And in case you care, I feel the exact same way about Barry Bonds. So needless to say, if the Eagles DO make it to Supe XL, and T.O. is suited up and fully able to play... I'll be pulling for the AFC champs.

Now I know there are a few Eagles faithful who after reading the previous paragraph are ready to burn me in effigy... or worse (BTW if you want to burn a fairly accurate effigy of me, my appearance is a cross between the comic book guy from "The Simpsons" and Peter Griffin from "Family Guy" (You're welcome, BTW)). Well, all I can say is: chill out, and have another cheese-steak. There now, don'cha feel better? But seriously: I wouldn't mind seeing McNabb pick up some Super Bowl hardware. I'd especially like to see DL Hollis Thomas win a ring; his wit, positive attitude and happy-go-lucky demeanor has made him my favorite Eagles player!

Finally there are the special features, most of which consist of behind-the-scenes looks at the off-the-field lives of various Eagles players. I dare say the NFC champs DVD bonus bits were far more interesting than the extra stuff that was included with the '04 Pats platter! Anyhoo: Donovan McNabb stars in two "Under the Helmet" segments as he, his parents, and several NFL stars direct a youth football camp, which is followed up by the noted signal-caller visiting a Philadelphia middle school. Then there's Hollis Thomas playing the part of foreman to a playground construction and mural-painting crew consisting of several notable Eagles players and a gaggle of local youg'uns. Also amusing is the "Trotter Car Wash" segment, which is one of the oddest jersey-number-swapping deals I've ever seen. But the most interesting extra bit by far is the one featuring kick returner Reno Mahe moonlighting as a greeter at a famous South Philly seafood restaurant. Sheesh, you'd think his NFL salary would be enough for him to get by without needin' to take on a second job! You just gotta budget properly is all...

Bottom line: the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles NFC Champions season highlights video is a must-have for any self-respecting member of the Philly faithful, and worth at least a rental for the pro pigskin aficionado, no matter where his loyalties lie!

`Late

Post Script: Remember back in the day when NFL Films used to use various Looney Tunes-style sound effects to bleep out the cussin'? I loved watching those classic bits of game footage featuring some big ol' lineman just yelling up a storm on the sidelines, his profanities covered up with duck calls and slide-whistle noises. Now NFL Films just mutes the naughty bits and turns up the crowd noise a little. It ain't nearly as fun to listen to as the old censoring method, ya know? Heavy sigh...

`Later