By FRANK WARD
DailyPhiladelphian.com Editor

Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, Joe Banner and the rest of the Eagles better have been paying attention to the Super Bowl tonight. They must learn a lesson from the Saints and head coach Sean Payton: Be aggressive and don’t be scared to fail.

The Saints got off to a slow start, trailing 10-0 at one point, but they never got down. They never doubted themselves. And, if they did, coach Sean Payton wouldn’t let his troops roll over.

They Saints are hoisting their first Lombardi Trophy tonight because they were aggressive and took chances. That is often the difference between winning and losing.

Andy Reid and the Eagles need to get back to believing in themselves and not being scared to fail.

There was a point early in Andy Reid’s tenure in Philadelphia when he would gamble like Payton did on Sunday. He started his second season as Eagles coach with an onside kick in Dallas. The Eagles followed Reid’s confidence en route to spanking the Cowboys 41-14 as Duce Staley piled up more than 200 yards on the ground. That play was the spark that ignited a string of five straight playoff trips, four NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance.

Reid also tried an onside kick against the Chiefs to start the second half in a game a year later.

The point is that Reid took risks and usually made the most of them. His players believed in themselves because of his play calling.

In recent years, Reid has gotten too conservative. He is scared to fail and when you prepare and play that way, you lose. It’s that simple.

Sure, Big Red tried an onside kick to start the game against the Redskins in November, but that was against a bad team. Reid knew failing in that situation likely wouldn’t cost his team the game. He had nothing to lose.

Would Reid try that or another risky play in a bigger game? A playoff game? A Super Bowl?

That’s the question he and his quarterback need to ask themselves today. If they need proof on the impact gutsy, risk-taking play calling can have on a team, all they have to do is watch the tape of Super Bowl XLIV. They have the next five months to do so.

Drew Brees didn’t win win Super Bowl 44 for New Orleans. Neither did Reggie Bush.

Coach Sean Payton won the game with gutsy play calling and should be the MVP of Super Bowl 44. Obviously, he’s not a player and can’t win the award, but everyone has to realize that Bourbon Street isn’t partying right now if not for the Saints head coach.

The onside kick to start the second half will go down as one of the top plays in Super Bowl history. And, Payton will go down as the coach with the most guts in the history of sport.

Sean Payton will forever be a part of Super Bowl lore.

Trailing 10-6 to start the second half, many coaches would not start with an onside kick. Especially not in the Super Bowl! The SUPER BOWL!

That call was more about whether or not his team recovered the ball. Of course, the fact that Hank Baskett’s hands got soft from playing with Kendra’s breasts didn’t hurt.

Instead, that call was more about displaying confidence in his players, in his coaches, in his team, in his organization. Every person on the Saints sideline walked with more moxie after that play. If they thought they could win the Super Bowl when the game started and at halftime, they knew would win after that call.

The entire squad played even more aggressively, getting after Peyton Manning. Heck, when’s the last time a team has forced Manning to make a mistake with the game on the line in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. Tracy Porter did that by picking off Manning and taking it 74 yards to the house to seal the game and bring the Lombardi Trophy to New Orleans.

None of that happens without Sean Payton’s leadership. It doesn’t happen without his moxie. It doesn’t happen with the balls he had to try an onside kick.

When people look back on this game, they’ll think of Payton. The coach left his mark on the NFL on the biggest stage in all of sports.

Starting the second half with an onside kick is nothing new. Andy Reid has done it a couple of times in his career as the Eagles head coach.

However, doing it in the Super Bowl? That is almost unheard of. If it fails, the Colts have a great shot to score and take a 17-6 lead. The Saints recovered it and now have a shot to take a lead.

This wasn’t the first gutsy call Sean Payton made this game. late in the first half, he went for it on 4th-and-goal from the two. The Saints were stopped, but those calls showed confidence in his team and players. It’s calls like that that can win championships. Conservative play calling like the type displayed by Reid in recent years usually sends teams home.

Payton Manning looks to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for a second time today.

Whether you’re a hard core football fanatic or a casual fan, the 44th installment of the Super Bowl should continue the string of solid, down-to-the-wire contests we’ve seen the last few years. And, if you’re a person who dislikes defensive battles, you’re in luck.

With two of the best offenses in the NFL today, the Saints and Colts should have no trouble finding the end zone. Drew Brees and Payton Manning will be able to move the ball up and down the field, and both can lead their teams to scores on any given play.

We’re not going to make this a long post at all. There’s no point really. Block pools don’t rely on any actual football knowledge.

The bottom line is we see the Saints playing a tough game and being in a position to win. However, manning is on the road toward establishing himself as one of the best to ever play the game. He needs another Super Bowl win or two to join the conversation.

Consider it fair game to compare him and Montana after today.

PREDICTION: Colts 34, Saints 31

Since signing Elton Brand in his first offseason as the Sixers general manager, Ed Stefanski has done little right with Philly’s third best basketball team. (Villanova and Temple could both give the Sixers a run on the court these days.)

His chance to turn the tides like the weather pattern has turned this winter around ends next week. If, by Feb. 18, Stefanski hasn’t done something to alter the future of the Sixers, he doesn’t deserve his job at season’s end.

This is Stefanski’s El Nino.

Amare Stoudemire has been linked to the Sixers in trade rumors.

Andre Iguodala, once considered an untouchable, has regressed this season and will never be the clutch, sharpshooting player many have envisioned. He’s being thrown around in trade talks with Houston and Phoenix. Both deals could bring in expiring contracts at season’s end in the form of Tracy McGardy or Amare Stoudemire. Either way, the Sixers need to clear cap room and dealing Iggy may be the only way to do it.

More to the point, dealing Iggy and Samuel Dalembert to Houston makes too much sense to pass up. Dalembert’s contract has been untradeable, but it expires after next season. Suddenly, his contract has value, especially to a Rockets team that needs help in the paint with Yao Ming out for the season. Dalembert could fill that hole, then be shipped out of town next season.

McGrady, meanwhile, has played less than a complete game this entire season. Iggy could fill McGrady’s slot and add some spark to that squad, which sits at 27-23 and in the nine spot in the West. Iggy is no McGrady when the superstar is healthy, but something is better than nothing.

In today’s Inquirer, Kate Fagan discusses Stefanski’s meaningless words about making a deal if it makes “basketball sense.”

It's time to send Andre Igodala out of town.

Even if nothing presents itself in the case of Iguodala, Stafanski must make a move to clear some of these guys out of town. The Sixers have compiled a lot of young talent with POTENTIAL. The same guys who win championships for being under the salary cap win titles with potential.

The Boston Celtics tried to build a young nucleus and eventually gave up. Instead, they traded the young chips for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Together, with Paul Pierce, the cagy vets brought a title to Boston.

At this point, that is the model to follow. Trade Iggy for a Stoudemire and hope you can convince him to stay after this year (he holds an option for next season). If not, at least you’ve cleared some money to make a run at next year’s prized free agents.

And, if you can’t deal Iggy, then move a Thaddeus Young, or Lou Williams or even a Jrue Holiday if you can get value in return.

The only thing the Sixers can’t do is stand pat. Start to get pieces in place now so you can make a move next offseason.

The momentum for a deal is there. It’s up to Stefanski to jump on the jet stream and make it happen. Otherwise, he might as well just go bury himself in the snow because that’s where he’ll find himself after the season.

Two fifth round picks for a starting caliber cornerback in the NFL. Those opportunities don’t present themselves often and Andy Reid pounced on the chance to acquire Ellis Hobbs from the Patriots on Draft Day a year ago.

Once the starter opposite Asante Samuel in New England, Hobbs came to Philly after getting thrown in Bill Belichik’s doghouse because he had the audacity to complain about his contract. Ironically, many thought Hobbs was being brought in to replace Sheldon brown who was doing the same thing.

Realistically, Hobbs was never going to supplant Brown this year. He was brought in to enhance a special teams attack that was lackluster at best in kick returns. Prior to suffering a devastating knee injury, Hobbs averaged nearly 25 yards per kick return, placing him in the middle of the pack among NFL returners. On defense, Hobbs registered an amazing 11 tackles in eight games.

Hobbs now finds himself without a contract and may or may not be free to find another team. if  new CBA is not reached by march, Hobbs will be a restricted free agent. But, should the Eagles bring him back?

Ellis Hobbs wants a pick six straight to the bank.

WHAT THE EAGLES SHOULD DO: You can never have too many starting corners in the NFL, and although you don’t want Hobbs out there every play, he can do the job should the team suffer an injury to Brown or Samuel. He averaged more than two picks per year in New England. At the very least he and Joselio Hanson would give the Birds a nice 1-2 punch in nickle packages. If the Eagles think Hobbs is going to recover from his injury in time for training camp and can make an impact on the team, then tender him at the third round level and bring him back for another year. Even if you draft a younger guy — a certainty with Brown on the other side of 30 — Hobbs can compete with the kid in camp. And, he and Quintin Demps can compete for the kick returner role with the loser heading to the unemployment line.

WHAT THE EAGLES WILL DO: With Demps Andy Reid’s hand picked successor to Brian Dawkins, we don’t envision him going anywhere this early in his career. He’ll likely be kept even if just as a kick returner. That means Hobbs will have to stick as a corner. The Birds will tender him at the lower level this offseason. We suggest Hobbs sign the tender on the spot because when the Birds draft a corner in April, that tender may be pulled back — quickly. Whether or not the Eagles bring him back as a restricted free agent, we don’t see Hobbs having a spot on the teamif the Birds spend a first day pick on a corner. If they do, Hobbs may stay for depth, but join the Stacey Andrews list next season.

By FRANK WARD
DailyPhiladelphian.com Editor

Bernard Hopkins’ public dislike of Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb started a few years ago when McNabb was in too much of a hurry to get to the practice field and didn’t spend enough time talking the former boxing champs’ ear off, according to two former team publicists.

Rich Burg who now is McNabb’s personal public relations man recalled the 2004 season when Hopkins visited the NovaCare Center one day. McNabb didn’t know Hopkins was around and was in a hurry to get to the practice field. Hopkins took McNabb’s rushed greeting personally and has held it against the Pro Bowl signal caller ever since. The encounter was confirmed by Bobe Lange, a former eagles employee who now works for the 49ers. Details are on Philly.com.

Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins envisions Eagles QB Donovan McNabb when knocking people to the ground in the boxing ring.

Hopkins is so anti-McNabb that he brought the subject up himself on Radio Row at the Super Bowl this week. Hopkins was in town to promote his upcoming fight with Roy Jones Jr.

He said he doesn’t like how McNabb smiles after a bad play or game and never displays his emotion. Hopkins fails to realize everyone handles things differently. I’ve been known to hit the pole at basketball courts, kick fences and slap the ground in disgust when I make a bad play or take a bad shot. However, not everyone plays sports that way. That doesn’t mean you don’t care.

Your DailyPhiladelphian is a huge Hopkins fan and respects everything he’s done in the boxing ring. We also are thrilled a champ from Philly bleeds green. However, it’s time to stop going out of his way to blast McNabb.

B-Hop, just let it go, man. Blasting another pro athlete, the best chance to get us back to another Super Bowl, is unbecoming of a champion.

However, if he really wants to end the feud once and for all, let’s do it for charity. Both athletes have been known to hit a bowling alley. So, Hopkins-McNabb. Pinsetter’s in Pennsauken. Proceeds go to winner’s charity.

B-Hop, DMac — what do you guys say? Contact us and we’ll put it together.

Snooki had two words and a gesture when asked live on Fox29 what she thought of The City of Brotherly Love.

“Fuck Philly,” she said while flipping the bird to the camera.

In fairness, she had just been booed and heckeled by 20,000 people who packed the Wachovia Center to watch fat guys eat wings.

Super Squibb won the event for the second straight year.

Snooki of Jersey Shore fame has followed the lead of most castmates by using her new fame to cash in on appearances. She generally is received with open arms.

On Friday morning, she got a much different reaction. When walking into the sold out Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Snooki got the Kobe Bryant treatment.

She was booed and heckled loudly by the crowd at WIP’s Wing Bowl, Philly’s version of Mardi Gras.

The stadium even used her to get the crowd going by putting her on the screen to garner boos, and Wingettes on the screen to elicit cheers from the inebriated members in the audience.

If we get Snooki’s reaction to her entrance, we’ll update this.