Can the Eagles win it all?

As the 2009 season approaches the expectations for the Eagles are as high as ever. With a strong draft and some key veteran player acquisitions, all the pieces appear to be in place for a strong run that could take them all the way to Miami in February.

The question is can they turn all this potential into reality and finally win it all? They have been to five NFC Championships and one Super Bowl over the past nine seasons, but have yet to claim a world title. Is this the year they finally get over the hump and get a chance to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy in front of thousands of screaming fans lined up on Broad Street for the parade? At this point we can only dream of this scenario, but in my personal opinion the window for bringing a championship to Philly is open as wide as it has been for the last few years. I also know it will not remain that way for too long so they need to seize the moment while they can.

Donovan McNabb is not getting any younger and his legacy and potential trip to Canton, Ohio hang in the balance. Andy Reid has one of the longest tenures of any active coach which makes you wonder how much longer can he go before burning out. Defensive wizard Jim Johnson's health is a constant concern. Brian Westbrook's injuries continue to pile up as he is yet to have played a complete season. You want to avoid a "now or never" attitude but you have to wonder how many more shots they will get with their current cast of characters.

Since Jeff Lurie purchased the team in 1994, the Eagles have been one of the most successful franchises in the league. Andy Reid who took over the head coaching position in 1999 is closing in on 100 regular season wins. Donovan McNabb owns or will own just about every record for an Eagle's quarterback and is easily the best in franchise history. There is just one big gaping hole in all three of these gentleman's resumes. If I where to use a golfing analogy for this trio, they would be "the best player never to win a major."

So in essence it really is "now or never" and everybody knows this. The tools are all in place, they just have to go out and execute. Anything less than a Super Bowl win this year will have to be considered a disappointment. This brings me back to my original thought, can the Eagles win it all? The answer is a resounding yes. Will they win it all? Stay tuned.......