Fly Broncos Fly?

by E. James Beale

Let's start with an acknowledgement: Professional football is a business, and by most business metrics, Brian Dawkins probably isn't worth $9-plus million over the next two years. When the Birds' talent evaluators looked at the film and concluded that Dawk wouldn't earn his contract on the field, they were probably right. "Trying your best," without tangible results, just isn't good enough, and by that standard the Philadelphia Eagles made the right decision in letting their star safety flee to the Denver Broncos.

That said, if those are the rules the team wants to play by, let's play by those rules: As a fan of the Eagles, I'm done.

Brian Dawkins, more so than any other local athlete of this generation, has transcended the "sports as business" meme in which the Eagles have shrouded themselves. Dawkins cared about the city and embraced the community; he's donated to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and brought local high school student-athletes to games each week. He cared about his job, too, playing every down harder than the next guy, and was never the guy happily exchanging hugs with his opponent after a loss. Brian Dawkins was someone fans could point to when their sons needed to learn about playing — and living — the right way.

Minutes after Dawkins' departure was announced, a good friend who I hadn't talked to in weeks called in agony. "I can't fucking believe this!" he shouted, in lieu of the more traditional "hello." "He was my favorite player in the history of sports." He meant it, and Dawk earned it. Dawkins appeared in more games than any player in Eagles history, and he shares the club record with 34 career interceptions. He was voted into his seventh Pro Bowl last season, and he's headed to the Hall of Fame. He's the most respected local athlete of his generation, a guy who, in any given season, had an equal chance of winning the NFL's Man of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

So yes, if the organization bent its rules on his final contract, they would be treating him differently than everyone else. But with good reason — Dawk was different than everyone else.

Last week, as he looked over the numbers of the deal, Comcast SportsNet's Ray Didinger made an excellent point. He didn't say that the Birds should have gone toe-to-toe with Denver over dollars and cents. He said it was a disgrace that the Birds ever let things get to that point. They should have sat down with Dawkins, asked him what he wanted and given it to him before he ever hit free agency.

Maybe what's worse is that the Birds are going to walk out of this thinking they made the right call. Dawk is closing in on "glorified outside linebacker" status — he no longer has the cover skills required of today's free safeties, and will likely get exposed in the pass-happy AFC West. But the right call here was about the fans and the organization. Pro Bowl cornerback Sheldon Brown said as much when he was asked about the move: "I think in the bigger picture, guys should say, 'If they can let Brian Dawkins go, what can they do to you?' That speaks volumes." This psychological dynamic isn't everything — if the Eagles put up the money, most players will take it — but it matters. It's the type of thing that could tip players to one side or another if the team tries to gather support for a controversial move — like, say, benching the quarterback or ignoring his requests for offensive options. It might also matter to fans when they decide whether or not to accept Andy's monotone declarations that the team is "on the right path."

You see, the Eagles took loyalty out of the equation. As a result, just trying their best has become not quite good enough.

Next year, if the Birds remain competitive, the fans will stick around. But, increasingly, they shouldn't feel obliged to, and if the wagon runs off the road, more and more fans will not lose sleep over hopping off. Booing Dawkins meant booing Philadelphia; booing his replacement will just be booing another corporation.

For years, fans have shown their loyalty by creating a silver-and-green sea at home games. Next year, when Denver visits the Linc, that sea is going to be dotted with orange-and-blue jerseys, all with "Dawkins" printed on the back. And, for the first time in memory, no one will accuse those wearing an enemy color of being disloyal.

Beale ponders sports and morality at citypaper.net/sports.