Eagles Week 1 Review - 9/14/09

....and Jake Delhomme throws another interception. The Eagles coasted to a 38-10 win in Week 1, but at what cost? We talk about how the McNabb injury will affect the Birds, and whether or not Kolb or Vick will be at the helm if McNabb should miss extensive time. We also break down what we saw from the rest of the NFC in Week 1.

Thursday Morning Links

Thursdays news fresh off the presses.

Sixers:

Here's all the coverage of the Sixers' game 2 loss to Orlando.

ESPN's coverage is here, Rich Hofmann both blogs and writes a column, and Kate Fagan gives us this piece from the Inquirer.

Phillies:

The Phillies managed to get two consecutive games with decent starting pitching, of course the squandered Blanton's effort, which you can read about here.

Joe Blanton's outing isn't enough according to Andy Martino of the Inquirer.

David Murphy of the Daily News talk about the Phillies lack of a rhythmatic offense.

We also have a pair of pitching updates, one on Brad Lidge trying to regain his form, and this piece on the progress of young starters Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco.

Eagles:

The Eagles talk these days seems to surround three topics:

1. The latest on Sheldon Brown, who now claims that there are other disgruntled Birds around the nest.

2. The Draft. There is speculation whether the Eagles will keep their pick or trade it. If they keep it, here's a peek at what their draft board may look like for offense and defense.

3. The quest for receiving help. ESPN insider reports that the Eagles are the front-runners to land Tony Gonzalez, with an offer on the table of the 85th pick in the draft. The article speculates that one of the Birds' fifth rounders may have to be added to make the deal worthwhile for Kansas City.

Flyers:

Just a pair of stories for the orange and black, first about their impending elimination, and this piece from Phil Sheridan explaining that the Flyers not improving like many of their Eastern Conference foes.

Wednesday Morning Links

Here's this morning's links following a busy sports day that featured a Phillies win, a Flyers loss, and continued drama surrounding Sheldon Brown.

Flyers:

From Philly.com, here's the game 4 recap, as well as a pair of opinions; Sam Donnellon wondering about Jeff Carter's scoring touch, and Phil Sheridan writes about how the Flyers are in a tough spot with only themselves to blame.

ESPN's Scott Burnside gives Marc-Andre Fleury his due.

Phillies:

The Phillies sat through the rain Tuesday to collect a big win.

A few words on the early success of Raul Ibanez from Paul Hagen.

Sixers:

There's a decent amount of Sixer's stuff today.

First Kate Fagan writes about the Andre Iguodala bandwagon filling back up.

Rich Hofmann talks about the injured Jameer Nelson of the Magic.

Marcus Hayes talks about the strategy being planned before tonight's game 2 match-up.

Eagles:

Fan-favorite Dave Spadaro wonders about whether the birds will pick a corner due to the Sheldon Brown situation.

Speaking of Brown, here are random thoughts from Paul Domowitch.

ESPN insider leaves just three teams in on the Boldin sweepstakes, The Jets, The Giants, and The Eagles. (Subscription required.)

Speaking of trading WR's ESPN's Len Pasquarelli thinks Reggie Brown may be moved soon, and the Eagles own website gives the breakdown on the WR's that the fans have clamoured for this offseason.

Tuesday Morning Links

Here's todays news and notes for Philly Sports.


Eagles:

Sheldon Brown has made it clear he wants a raise or a trade because he feel unappreciated, ESPN covers it here, and Bob Brookover covers the Eagles response, and it wasn't positive.

Still hoping for Anquan Boldin, maybe Ochocinco? Check out this about the costs of getting either receiver.

Also, if you have ESPN Insider, check out this piece about the Eagles being a likely Boldin destination.

Bob Ford credits Donovan for prodding the Eagles into spending this offseason.

Phillies:

With the rainout there's no new news, but Charlie Manuel talks about being concerned about the team's attitude and performance. The Inquirer has a version here.

Sixers:

Here's a piece from Rich Hofmann about Lou Williams importance this offseason.

ESPN's Daily Dime starts off with David Thorpe talking in depth about Donyell Marshall.


Flyers:

Apparently Penguins forward Chris Kunitz will not be disciplined for his hit on Kimmo Timonen.

Sam Carchidi writes about Briere and the rookies coming up big in game 3.

PSP Podcast for April 20, 2009

After a glorious sports Sunday, Greg is on the podcast covering all four major sports, and breaking down the happenings of the week.

LISTEN - Click here to open the player. Be sure to play the Podcast from 4/20/2009

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Stallworth Charged with Manslaughter

Former Philadelphia Eagle, and current Cleveland Brown, Donte Stallworth will be charged with killing Mario Reyes, 59, last month while driving drunk.

The DUI manslaughter charge carries a possible 15-year prison sentence. Stallworth's blood-alcohol level after the crash was .12, well above Florida's legal limit of .08, according to results of a blood test.

Inside the mind of the Philly sports fan

During the research and the subsequent debates that were a part of doing our “Greatest Philadelphia Athlete” podcast, I repeatedly came across a common storyline, that we as fans turn on our superstar athletes and run them out of town. Its uncanny how many times the fan base here in Philadelphia have found something wrong with a premiere athlete and how often popular opinion has swung against a player whose performance should grant them some sort of immunity from that type of uprising. Successful or not, over time it seems as if Philly fans just get sick of the same players being the focal point of their teams.



If you try to hypothesize why this is the case, your first instinct would be to say it’s because the fan base demands a winner, and unless you win it all you get the label of a failure. This isn’t actually the case when you look further into this behavior. Mike Schmidt, for example, had a very vocal crowd of detractors throughout the ‘80s despite being a World Series champion, MVP of that World Series, a 12-time all-star, a 10-time gold glove winner, and a 3-time NL MVP. Schmidt was the greatest player of his time, yet still faced the wrath of the Philly crowds. They claimed he didn’t hustle and that he seemed nonchalant in the field, despite his records for fielding. At the time Schmidt grew frustrated with the crowds, calling them a mob scene and saying they were beyond help. Well, 25 years later not much has changed, a new generation of fans has come to be, and they are just as tough as their predecessors. 25 years later, I wonder if the great Michael Jack Schmidt was right, are we beyond help?

I’m not sure if we’re beyond help, but Michael Jack has nothing on today’s superstars. Today we live in a world with a television channel and two radio stations that are dedicated to covering Philadelphia sports exclusively. You think we used to nitpick in the ‘80s Mike? You ain’t seen nothing. Today every facet of professional sports is picked apart and criticized as a part of an endless 24-hour news cycle. Nobody feels this scorn and criticism any harsher than Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. This pair represents the best the Philadelphia Eagles organization has ever put on the field, the winningest coach and the best quarterback. So why do we as fans do nothing but rip these two apart day in and day out. I often criticize McNabb for things not related to his play, and I claim to know better. Who am I to say that he isn’t a leader, or that he doesn’t command respect like other quarterbacks? Why do fans think that Andy Reid is a smug, arrogant bastard even though all he ever does is win football games and take all criticism on himself. That’s what a real man is supposed to do, chin up, don’t complain, just continue doing what you feel in your heart is right. Andy Reid is a very good coach (although a flawed one), and Andy deserves to get better treatment from Eagles “fans”. If you raise this point to an Eagles fan, they’ll tell you it’s because he has never won a Super Bowl, but ask Mike Schmidt how long the bloom stays on that rose, and he’ll tell you not very long. Once Philly decides your aren’t a “Philly guy”, the chances of escaping that determination are slim to none.

Just ask Scott Rolen. Rolen came up to the big leagues at the end of 1996 and showed flashes of greatness, those flashes materialized into a rookie of the year award in 1997 and Scott was on his way to becoming a Phillies legend. Then something odd happened, Scott won a few gold gloves and blossomed into one of the best young third basemen in baseball when the fans started saying that he wasn’t hard-nosed enough. After time Rolen began to bristle at this distinction and that was a huge mistake. It’s all well and good for the fans to slander you, but if you dare even hint that you resent their opinion, then you’re dead to them. It got to be so bad, that when Rolen started to question the team’s commitment to winning the fans took THE TEAM’S SIDE! So Rolen decided he wanted out, and he got a crybaby label for it. The label was further cemented by his feud with fiery manager Larry Bowa, who had never been a successful manager, yet is still loved by Phillies fans due to his passing the feisty personality litmus test with flying colors.

Scotty Rolen was just the tip of the iceberg. Remember Eagles’ star Randall Cunningham, who went from MVP to pariah in about three years. What about Eric Lindros? He went from hockey god to pansy-ass Daddy’s boy in about three years. You only need to look at The Answer himself. We named Allen Iverson the greatest athlete of the last 20 years, yet he was exiled too. He was labeled lazy for not making a handful of practices, yet all anyone talks about when he’s mentioned is how hard he played and how much effort he gave night in and night out. So what gives? Why do we continue to vilify our stars? Who is next to face the wrath of the infamous Philly backlash?

If I had to guess, the next in line is World Series MVP Cole Hamels. I vividly recall the fans declaring that Hamels wasn’t a big game pitcher, and that he was a pansy and cowardly for not pitching a day early last season, a move that would have matched him up against the Mets instead of the Marlins. That’s right, Cole Hamels had his heart and big-game ability questioned a mere weeks before he carried the Phillies to a World Series title. I remember arguing that if the kid isn’t comfortable pitching early, then respect that he has the maturity to recognize his limitations. Cole didn’t want to risk messing up his routine, and I think that decision worked out pretty well. Brett Myers, meanwhile, returned to the big-league roster after being sent to AAA to straighten out a horrible season as popular as ever, despite having a terrible season and recent legal troubles of a disturbing nature. Part of that was us fans knowing that Myers needed to perform well down the stretch for the Phillies to have a chance to win the East, and we decided that we were going to be behind Brett all the way for the good of the team. Then again, how often are we positive for positivity’s sake, I think as big a part of his maintained popularity is that Brett Myers always had that feisty demeanor on the field, and Philly fans respond to that.

The scary part is that those toughness related criticisms probably aren’t behind Cole. If Cole only makes 50 starts over the next two season, and the Phillies don’t win the East in those two years. I would not be at all surprised if the questions of his toughness crept back onto barstools and into the radio waves of the sports talk world. I heard Ike Reese on Monday evening say that Hamels is “overly cautious” when it comes to his body. This is before he’s thrown a single regular season pitch after a dominating World Series run that you’d think would have granted the kid some sort of a pass. If Cole isn’t currently immune, then is anybody in the Philadelphia sports scene ever going to be safe? After a few seasons without repeating as NL East champions, I could easily see the current group of Phillies falling out of favor. It won’t take much for Manuel to return to being Charlie from Mayberry, and Ryan Howard’s giant strikeout totals could very easily become a reflection of how he doesn’t work hard enough to get better, rather than a natural byproduct of a non-steroid era slugger.

So I ask, are we wrong? Are we hurting our teams more than we help with the way obsess like we do? As much as I love my teams, and as much as I love dissecting every move and game, maybe I’m not helping either. Should I restrict my opinion making data to what happens between the white lines? To answer this questions let’s consider the end of Andy Reid. I feel like when/if Reid is ever released by the Eagles, it will be due in part to the large, vocal group of fans who don’t like Reid because they find him arrogant and condescending. Odds say that our next coach will not be as good as Andy, since he is the winningest coach in team history; in fact odds are the next five coaches won’t be as good. So when Andy goes, if public opinion based on his personality is a factor in that decision, then we as fans will have chosen to have an inferior coach who is a better interview or who is a fierier guy on the sidelines, than a winner who is stone faced and boring. How insane is that? How insane are we?

Well, insane enough to spend countless hours picking apart every angle of the Eagles offseason, insane enough to pack Lehigh every year at mini-camps, insane enough to sell out every game for an entire 81 home game schedule despite a collapsing economy, and insane enough that three guys with full time jobs spend most of their free time building a website about Philly sports. We are very dedicated, is that so wrong? Is it wrong for fans of Lost to pack message boards and go over every frame of every episode? Absolutely not. The only thing that would be wrong is if the producers of Lost read those message board postings and make knee-jerk reactions to the feedback. It’s also wrong if the show’s producers completely ignore what those message boards say, not acknowledging what the show’s most hardcore fans believe.

In the end when you commit to following a team on a daily basis, you are also deciding that the team will be your primary entertainment source. Fans want a payoff for their time, money, and troubles. That is why we dislike boring Andy Reid, we want entertainment, and while the game day on-the-field product may usually be a quality one, what about our entertainment on the other 349 days of the year? If we aren’t working towards a title, the triumph of which is our ultimate payoff from this entertainment, then we need to be getting something else for our commitment, namely drama. The drama of the big game, the drama of the offseason where characters are added or removed from the roster, and sometimes we just need to add the drama ourselves. Drama, after all is second to triumph in what we hope to experience from watching sports to begin with.

That’s really the answer, I think, that when triumph isn’t an option, we want drama, and we are willing to create it ourselves as necessary. When that drama is created it is a pretty basic idea that the bigger the star involved, the bigger the drama. It works in Hollywood, it works on television and it works in Philadelphia sports. That why Scott Rolen was a superstar in the making who got the boot, but Pedro Feliz is a huge underachiever who gets a pass, because one was a leading man, and the other is playing a bit part. I think it really is that simple: we want drama, so we create it, and when we create it, we create it around our biggest stars. So when Philly’s brightest stars find themselves knee-deep in the quicksand of public opinion, don’t blame their downfall on us. After all, it’s our job as fans to follow along with the drama and even to embrace it. It is our right as fans to start the drama when it looks like that triumph we long for isn’t coming anytime soon, or when things are getting boring.

Weekly Podcast for 3/30/09

On this week's episode, we talk some college hoops and some Eagles...mostly Eagles though. We start off by congratulating Villanova on making it to the Final Four, and discuss whether or not this city will go nuts if they manage to win the whole thing. We then shift our focus to the Eagles, as Paul and Greg get in a heated debate over whether or not the Eagles have done enough to improve their chances of winning the Superbowl. Are we jumping the gun with the Eagles, or should we at least let them draft before making our judgment? There was supposed to be some Flyers talk, but since we ran a bit long, we decided to just add another Podcast for the Flyers, which you can hear tomorrow. That's right, you read that correctly...another podcast tomorrow!



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Eagles Sign FB

The Eagles have signed fullback Leonard Weaver to a one year contract worth $1.75 million. Weaver has played with the Seattle Seahawks since 2005 when he was signed as an undrafted free agent.

The Philadelphia Eagles finally addressed one of several needs identified following their lose in the NFC Championship game. They were able to sign the 26-year-old full back who was also talking to the Vikings, Seahawks and Buccaneers, among other teams.

After having a limited role in 2005 and spending the 2006 season on IR, Weaver became the starting fullback for the Seahawks in week 6 of the 2007 season.

Weaver is a significant upgrade for the Birds, as he is a capable blocker and is a decent receiver out of the backfield. Hopefully we'll continue to see the Birds begin to plug some of the holes on their squad. We'll keep you posted.

And another...

Nothing to do about much?

This offseason has been a perplexing one for the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite a handful of needs going into the offseason the Eagles haven’t addressed a single one. The moves the Eagles have made only filled holes that they created this offseason. Even though I believe that Stacy Andrews and Sean Jones can each be an upgrade over Jon Runyan and Brian Dawkins respectively, I do not consider either move as a step towards addressing the team’s needs as they stood at year’s end.


At the onset of this offseason, I considered the Eagles biggest needs to be RB, TE, and WR as well as depth added to the safety position and the offensive line, possibly replacing Dawkins and either Runyan or Thomas with somebody younger. I did not expect a blow out on all older models, which is exactly what we got. Andy Reid has done this before, released veterans when their contracts were up despite a tide of popular opinion going the other way. I don’t remember anything quite like the furor that arose from Brian Dawkins’ departure, but there is a very clear precedent for this cycle of retooling and reaction.

The addition of Sean Jones is a nice pick-up, and I am on record as a Quentin Demps supporter. I am on record as saying that after Jordon Gross, Stacy Andrews was the best tackle due to hit free agency this offseason, and I include Runyan and Thomas in that group. The problem is that despite adding these pieces, you haven’t considerably improved your team. Jones and Demps will never be the player Dawkins was, but either man is capable of replicating, and possibly improving on, what Dawkins has been the last few seasons. Stacy Andrews gives you a boost over the aging Jon Runyan, but it’s hardly night and day.

So what have the Eagles done to get better? The answer is not very much; all they’ve done is make moves that allow them to be as good for longer. However routine maintenance is not sexy and it sure isn’t going to appease the angry mob that is storming the Lincoln Financial Castle. The Eagles now have five glaring needs as I see them RB, TE, WR, LT for the long-term, and PR, and that’s public relations before you ask, I’m quite happy with DeSean fielding punts.

Neither Jones or Andrews’ signing is big enough to put this team over the top, so while they may be good moves unto themselves, they remain unpopular. Unpopular because they aren’t a part of a larger, flashier overhaul as much as they’re unpopular because of the fans’ love for Brian Dawkins. I think Dawkins’ departure would have caused a much smaller uproar if the Eagles had made a big addition like Boldin or Houshmandzadeh in the days leading up to his signing with Denver. To fix this blitz of criticism the team is facing, the answer is to be aggressive. The Eagles simply cannot draft a RB, TE, WR, and OT with their first four picks in the draft and call it a day. They have two options; they can trade up in the first round to land a player at one of these positions, preferably not at LT as it just isn’t the flashy skill position that will help mend the hurt feelings of Eagles Nation. If they decide against moving up for a skill position guy, the alternative is to trade away a handful of the dozen picks they hold in the upcoming draft, and land a prize in return that will cure what ails this offense.

If the Eagles decide to trade up in the first round to land a player, who might they pursue? I think it may be easiest to assess their option by position.

WR: Well the cream of this year’s crop at WR is Michael Crabtree, who projects as the next Larry Fitzgerald, and won’t make it past the top-8 despite a broken bone in his foot. Following Crabtree is another probable top-ten pick in Jeremy Maclin of Missouri. Maclin is a burner, and at 6’ 200lbs. would give you basically a slightly bigger version of DeSean Jackson, which would hardly be a bad thing. The problem is that to land a top ten pick in this draft the Eagles would have to trade both of their first round picks as well as something else. Another option at WR, that would come at a much lower price tag to trade up for, would be Percy Harvin of Florida, who doesn’t project as a traditional WR as much as a Reggie Bush type hybrid. The problem is that you already have one small fast receiver, so why add a second. If the Eagles do move up to get a WR it would probably be Darrius Heywood-Bey of Maryland who is a lot like Maclin in that he’s slightly above 6’ tall, and he runs as fast as anyone in NFL. Heywood-Bey was reported to have given the Eagles a private workout, a sure sign of at least modest interest. If the Eagles stick with the numbers 21 and 28 picks when it’s all said and done, then options at the end of the first round include former Tarheel Hakeem Nicks or Rutgers’ Kenny Britt. Britt is intriguing due to him being about 6’3” which would make him the Eagles tallest threat at WR. I can say that, because despite being 6’4”, Hank Baskett is certainly not a threat.

TE: If the Eagles move up to add a TE, it will be Brandon Pettigrew. This kid has had trouble in the past including a charge of assaulting a police officer, but his talent is unquestionable. The kid can run, catch, and BLOCK, something I haven’t seen an Eagles TE do well since Jason Dunn headed out west. Anyway if Pettigrew gets past Buffalo at 11, then there’s a chance he slides into the late teens where the 21st pick and a third selection should get you to where you need to be to get him.

RB: Four running backs have come up in conversation as 1st round selections. In some mocks they would have to move up to land one guy or another, often they are projected just to select one at either 21 or 28, so let’s just compare the talent. There is Chris “Beanie” Wells, who is the biggest of the group and probably the popular choice among fans, the problem is that you would have to sacrifice the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield a bit to get that size, which makes him less likely to be able to take over once B-West retires. (By retires, I mean gets released before a roster bonus and the fan base goes crazy about it.) Knowshon Moreno is a better receiver but there are questions about his size and versatility, I’m not sure we need another guy listed as questionable every week. There was talk of Pitt back LeSean McCoy being among the 1st rounders, but his stock seems to be falling, so the Eagles won’t have to move up to get him. Another guy the Eagles shouldn’t have to move up to get is UConn RB Donald Brown, who I was unfamiliar with until Mel Kiper interjected this young man into the picture by projecting the Eagles to take him at 21. If they were to do that it would be a disaster, the fans want a name they know like Wells or Moreno. They may not have seen either man play more than 2 college games, but they know they want one or the other.

OT: Then there’s offensive tackle, which there is a ton (literally) of talent at this year in the 1st round. I read Dave Spadaro’s chat on Monday, and he called Oher’s toughness into question. If they had any interest they wouldn’t be insulting the guy on their website. The rest of the guys who project as 1st round picks are:
• Jason Smith, Baylor, 1-3 overall
• Eugene Monroe, Virginia, 2-7 overall
• Andre Smith, Alabama, 4-15 overall
• Michael Oher, Mississippi, 11-29
• Eben Britton, Arizona, 28-40
I can’t really offer too much in terms of talent or scouting, but Andre Smith was the consensus #1 OT before questions about his motivation and staying in shape caused him to drop from as high as #1 overall to as low as the teens. If he falls past the top ten, the Eagles would be foolish not to take a chance on a great athlete, and make the necessary move to land him.

The tough thing about projecting draft picks is that by the time the draft actually arrives the Eagles may have no picks left in the first round at all. If the Eagles are going to trade for help, they won’t do it to get a TE, if they passed on Tony Gonzalez for a second round pick, and didn’t get into the Winslow talks, then there isn’t another TE in the league they would trade for outside of Antonio Gates or Jason Witten. I can’t think of a RB available currently that is young enough to make the sacrifice for, yet good enough that it would justify moving a first round pick to acquire that player. So that leaves OT and WR as holes that the Eagles may make trades to fill.

Obviously the WR everybody is watching is Anquan Boldin, who may or may not be on his way out of Arizona. If he is in fact available, it would make a lot of sense both in football and public relations terms to do whatever it takes to make a deal happen. Other possible WRs worth exploring would be anyone on a team with a new head coach, such as Brandon Marshall in Denver, Braylon Edwards of Cleveland, Calvin Johnson in Detroit, or Dwayne Bowe on Kansas City; I doubt any of these guys would be considered for a trade by their current employers, but then again look at Jay Cutler. Apparently coaches like bringing in their own guys, so it’s at least worth a phone call.

As far as OTs go, I’d have no leads if it weren’t for John Clayton telling Mike & Mike in the morning the he believes the Eagles have interest in the Buffalo Bills’ two-time pro bowl LT Jason Peters. If true, it would be both an upgrade over Thomas, and an aggressive move, so maybe these fans would cut the Birds some slack.

Whatever the plan is, The Eagles had better set it in motion soon. The inaction of this offseason is creating a panic among their fan base, and, as we covered, there aren’t a ton of options outside of the draft. Until the Eagles play a game where either Todd Herremans or Shawn Andrews plays effectively at LT, or until they fill that hole with a legit player or prospect, they have to be considered worse than when we last saw them. We last saw them leaving the NFC title game in defeat, seemingly just a few plays or players short of being a Super Bowl team. For them to take three steps backwards, and only two steps ahead, leaves me thinking that they surely can’t be done adding proven talent. The problem is, as I said at the top, they don’t seem to have anything in the works despite these glaring needs. Although I have faith in this front office to realize the situation and address it, the public is growing frustrated with this inaction. To the fans it seems as if the Eagles are content with having nothing to do about much.

Greg

Are the Eagles in a Rebuilding Phase?

The Philadelphia Eagles were in the NFC Championship game this past season. Under normal circumstances, finishing the season in that position signifies that your team is moving in the right direction. Generally, once your team hits that mark, it is assumed that only a few adjustments need to be made in order to get your team over the hump to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender. However, since free agency began on February 27, the Eagles have given the impression that they are now in a rebuilding mode, despite what they are saying.

Experts say that the way a message comes across mainly depends on the contents of the message. But research shows that at least half (and according to some studies even more) of the effect depends on body language. In this case, the Eagles seem to be shrugging off their free agent departures and despite their verbal reassurance; their body language is screaming that they are rebuilding the core of the team.

The Eagles have allowed long time Eagles Tra Thomas, Jon Runyan, Brian Dawkins, Correll Buckhalter, and LJ Smith to walk away. Former two-time Pro Bowler, Lito Sheppard, was traded to the Jets. Thomas, 34, Runyan, 35, and Dawkins, 35, were all starters and played significant roles on the Eagles for the past nine seasons. LJ Smith, despite his injuries and the fact that he played himself out of a job, was the Eagles starting tight end at the beginning of last season. Buckhalter was a situational player, the “change of pace” back, who was expected to contribute and actually began to be utilized during the Birds run to and through the playoffs. Despite his disappearance after Asante Samuels signed with the Eagles last year, Sheppard has shown that he is a top tier defensive back when healthy. In all, six players have been lost, all of whom the Eagles believed would play significant roles on the 2008-09 team.

I am not disagreeing with the decision to allow some of these players to move on, but these moves do make it appear that the Eagles are entering a rebuilding phase, at least on offense and certainly when it comes to leadership in the locker room. The Eagles identity is slowly changing and although the thought of rebuilding an offense, while keeping the 32 year old quarterback and 30 year old running back, seems questionable, it does appear to be the case.

Would it really be all that surprising to learn that the Eagles have their own long term plan that extends past next season and into the 2010-11 season? The Eagles may be making these changes now with the thought of making more significant changes in the near future. Will we be witnessing the beginning of the Kevin Kolb era in the near future? It is possible, despite how horrid he looked in his brief cameo this past season. Keep in mind, that all of the players who have left the team were synonymous with the success Andy Reid has had in his decade with the Eagles, the “gold standard” era as the Birds front office has termed it. However, those teams are also synonymous with losing the big game: 1-5 in NFC Championship games, 0-1 in the Super Bowl. Is Big Red slowly making the changes it will take to give this franchise a fresh start, out with the old, in with the new?

In all likelihood, Brian Westbrook only has a couple of years left as a top back. The Eagles have no heir apparent for Westbrook, they have no answer for the tight end problem, no quality full back and will need to supply a supporting role if DeSean Jackson is going to flourish. Are Andy Reid and Joe Banner cleaning house before they start to remodel?

I want to win now. For all my criticism of Reid, McNabb, Dawkins, etc., our best opportunity to win a Super Bowl now is by giving McNabb and Westbrook the supporting cast they need. Both have peaked and Jackson is on the verge of breaking out, after a good rookie season. However, it looks like Andy and Joe may already be looking at a changing of the guard of sorts on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully they have a good plan laid out and hopefully someone on the squad can step up and take over in the locker room. Let’s see what they say, better yet, let’s wait and see what they do.

TO Has Something to Cry About

The Dallas Cowboys have cut ties with controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens.

Since a mid-season trade brought wide receiver Roy Williams to Dallas from the Lions, many people assumed Owens' time in Big-D was limited. That feeling grew during a late season episode in which Owens' claimed that quarterback Tony Romo and Tight End Jason Witten were secretly meeting and devising their own plays, apparently in an effort to limit Owens' role in the offense. Owens' continued to have issues with Witten into the off-season.

Following the end of the season, rumors continued to swirl and in late February, Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones issued the following comment when asked about Owens' possible release: "That [Cowboys vice president and Jones' son] Stephen [Jones] and I were debating about Terrell, that's just misinformation. That's just not accurate. I don't know where that comes from. That's just total misinformation."

Despite Jerry Jones' comments in February, Terrell Owens has been released despite the fact that the transaction triggers a nearly $9 million salary-cap hit against the 2009 salary cap.

Neither Terrell Owens nor agent Drew Rosenhaus have released statements.

There have been no immediate reports regarding potential suitors for the unemployed receiver. We'll keep you posted.

Weapon X is now Ex-Weapon

“No, I will not give you false hope on this strange and mournful day…”- Paul Simon

Saturday February 28, 2009 will long be a sad day in history of the Philadelphia Eagles as it marks the ending of one of the greatest tenures in team history; Brian Dawkins is no longer a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. It was announced Saturday afternoon that he signed a five-year deal with the Denver Broncos. I have been an Eagles fan since birth, and I can say that 28 years later no player has performed at such a high level for so long during my lifetime. (Tra Thomas is close, and doesn’t get the respect deserved, but that’s another day.) I am very sad to see Dawkins go, but instead of watching youtube clips of #20 with a gin and tonic in hand and a tear in my eye, I have to write a column justifying my own heartache.



I don’t know what the future holds for the Eagles at the free safety position. I assume either the Eagles sign a free agent or they are going to promote Quintin Demps to starter. Week 1 will be a bizarre day, when fans scan the field on first down, and there’s no #20 to be seen. The Broncos are scheduled to come to Philly in 2009, so we at least we all will have a day to tell our former warrior how much we love him. Today isn’t that day, today is when we plan for the future, and when we admit to ourselves we’re better off without him.

During the season, I took the unpopular stance that Dawkins was finished. Dawkins is too slow to cover today’s faster tight ends, too slow to make the hit when the ball arrives instead of a second-and-a-half too late, and too slow to help in run support. The Dawk who made the initial contact behind the line of scrimmage on running plays is long gone. Quentin Mikell is that guy now, and maybe Demps will be some day, but the fact is simply that Dawkins is done being that kind of player. Quintin Demps is going to be a better player than Brian Dawkins from this point until the end of his career. Demps has Dawkins outclassed physically, although he currently has next to nothing in the very important experience and leadership qualities that Dawkins has in abundance. Despite his leadership and experience, Dawkins needed to be replaced; he was the weakest link in this defense. If you’re going to upgrade an elite unit, you obviously start at its weakest point.

What upsets me most is that I as of yet haven't been able to properly mourn this loss. As I drove into work this morning I turned on my radio, and I wanted to hear fans retelling the tales of Brian Dawkins’ glory days. Instead I heard 35 minutes of non-stop anger and hatred spewed at Andy Reid, Joe Banner, and Jeffery Lurie. The hosts on both sports-talk radio stations called the Eagles’ front office team arrogant, and talked at length about how the Eagles overplayed their hands and bungled this signing. The callers all agreed adding greedy, heartless, and stupid to the already embarrassingly vile conversation. Both host and callers alike wondered aloud as to how this could happen, and why they weren’t more aggressive financially if, as Joe Banner stated, they had more money than they could spend. Nobody seemed to be able to answer this question, so I’ll step in here and supply the answer: THEY DON’T WANT HIM BACK BECAUSE HE’S A LIABILITY ON A SPEED BASED DEFENSE!

What is so hard to accept, and why is it this fanbase’s first instinct is to bitch and moan and just s*** all over everything the Eagles try and do? (I am firmly against swearing in my articles, but I couldn’t think of another word that properly covered the emotions involved here.) Get a faster safety and the defense improves, it’s that simple, so why all the commotion? Don’t these people shouting themselves hoarse remember Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor leaving? I was ready to give up on identifying myself as an Eagles fan because I don’t want to be considered in the same peer group with this morning’s callers. Rather than disown my (…sigh) brethren, I worked to understand them, and I do now understand. What they are experiencing is a basic process all humans encounter in their lives unfortunately. It’s simply the grieving process, and they have reached step 2: anger. There are five stages in total, and I will gladly lead you through them now.

1. Denial- Nobody last season would acknowledge that Dawkins was slower, or that he had become a liability, especially in coverage. Whoever I spoke with on the subject would say I was just hating, and that he may be slightly slower in coverage, but that he was every bit the hitter he was in his prime. They weren’t willing to see what was obvious, that we were nearing the end.
2. Anger- Just turn on the radio, and you’ll be inundated with vicious ranting from a die-hard group of fans who are forced to give up one of their all-time favorite players. When somebody we love dies, we blame God for taking them away from us, and we curse him and his “Plan.” When somebody we love gets cut from our favorite football team, we blame the guys that took him away from us; in this case we curse Andy, Joe, Tom, and Jeff.
3. Bargaining- This is beginning to happen now and should take root over the next day or two. Calls like, “If the Eagles don’t add TJ Houshmandzadeh or trade for Boldin, then I’m done with this team and this ownership,” will start to hit the radio shows, and similar emails will bombard the PSP. I heard a few already, and more are on the way.
4. Depression- This one’s easy for Eagles fans. Come Monday or Tuesday if the Eagles have yet to make their move, I fully expect the naysayers to be out in full force. They’ll site a lack of leadership and a lack of commitment to winning before talking up the Redskins and newly signed Albert Haynesworth as the reason why we’re doomed and that the playoffs are an unrealistic dream for this team.
5. Acceptance- This one might take awhile. Unless the Eagles get Boldin, the fans will be down on the team until training camp, but one day they come to realize the truth and accept it. The truth in this case is that Dawkins was old and had to go. The truth is the defense will be better in 2009 than it was in 2008, although Demps will be crucified for any miscue he makes by the same folks who were apologists for Dawkins. The truth is that despite spending a record amount of money, the Redskins will still struggle because pro football is equal parts system and talent, and their system is broken. When the Eagles are in the playoffs, and the Broncos and Redskins are not, then this rabid outrage will just seem silly, as if it already doesn’t.

So my frustration is lifted, grieve on fellow fans, I know it’s not your fault that you are acting and talking irrationally. What you guys are going through is natural, and it’ll get easier with time. One day, when you’re ready, you’ll love again. You’ll come to terms with what seems beyond understanding, and you’ll realize your life was better just for the chance to cheer one of the all-time greats. As for me, I’m settling in front of my desk, a fresh lime floating on top of my freshly poured glass of mourning, the gin will ease the pain of letting go and I’ll fire up youtube and watch a man in his prime wreaking havoc on opponent after opponent.

Brian Dawkins you were everything I (and this entire fanbase) ever wanted from a football player. Thank You.

Greg

Eagles to Lose Face of Franchise

I can't believe the reports I am reading out of Atlanta today. How can the Eagles let this happen? Our "franchise" tight end is leaving the Eagles to join the Falcons? Andy, please, I am begging you, don't let LJ leave.


In case you haven't figured it out by now, I am having a little fun with the reports out of Atlanta today. The Falcons appear poised to reel in free agent tight end LJ Smith. The Falcons are dreadful at the tight end position, getting only 18 receptions from Justin Peele and Ben Hartsock combined last season. This move makes sense for the Falcons, because it provides an upgrade at a position they desperately needed help at. However, the upgrade may not be all that significant, because LJ Smith is only better than two tight ends in the league, and they just so happen to be named Justin Peele and Ben Hartsock.

No details about the terms of the deal are available yet, so I can't yet destroy Falcons GM Tom Dimitroff for overpaying for a guy who can't catch, block, stay healthy or protect the football when he does happen to make a catch. The Eagles, who placed the franchise tag on Smith last year for some reason, paid him 4.522 million for his services.

My question to any Falcon fan who may come across this post is where did the Falcons acquire their video of LJ Smith from? Did they watch different games than me?



I went to Youtube to find a clip to post of LJ Smith's greatest highlight, a catch and run against the Vikings in the 2005 playoffs which resulted in him getting hit at the 10 and fumbling the ball 15 yards forward into the endzone for a Freddie Mitchell TD. The only problem was it was nowhere to be found. They only had 5 videos of LJ. Two were of him getting KO'd by the Patriots Lawyer Milloy, one was a Rutgers highlight, one was an interview for some rap song, and the other was a video of a guy catching a TD pass with LJ in Madden. Seriously? LJ Smith doesn't have one Eagles highlight worthy of Youtube? Some guy made a better play in Madden with LJ than LJ ever made in real life? Inconceivable!

If you have watched the Eagles for the past 6 years, you know that LJ Smith is a bust. I guess Falcons fans will know soon enough just how frustrating it is to watch this guy every Sunday. Good riddance LJ, you will not be missed.

Steve

Free Agency 2009

Although you could argue that the off-season began the second the Eagles fell to Arizona in the NFC championship, it is now official. With the Pro Bowl over, and no more games remaining on the 2008-09 schedules, now it’s time to begin the fight for 2009-10, and the quest for Super Bowl XXIV. Over the last few weeks every possible free agent has been signed in some hypothetical or another, as well as every Eagles player either cut or traded to make way for a better player or plan. Now it’s my turn to play the GM game.

Despite what you may hear on the radio, the Eagles 2008 season was a success. They went further than most fans expected, and gained a ton of important experience for a young defense that retains just two starters from the ’04 Super Bowl team.

Also, the Birds are in the pole position going forward in the NFC East. The only team the Eagles currently trail in the East’s hierarchy would be the New York Giants, a team currently positioned to retreat slightly in 2009, unless they can get a huge contribution from their draft class. The Giants will probably lose Plaxico Burress for the season, as well as at least half of their pair of 1,000-yard running backs, Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. The return of Osi Umenyiora will help bolster their already stout defense, but the offense that sputtered out at the end of ’08 looks like it will be back nearly man for man in 2009. The Giants have a little salary cap space, but a big part of what they do have will go to bringing back Jacobs, and the rest probably isn’t enough to make a significant signing.



The team that finished just a half-game back of the birds, The Dallas Cowboys, is in an even worse position. First of all, they self-destructed to close out 2008, and they made no changes to the team. Wade Phillips was retained, so don’t expect Dallas’s penchant for stupid penalties and media circuses to subside any time soon. Jason Garrett is back as O coordinator, and Garrett still wants to run the ball and use Jason Witten as his primary passing target. The problem is that TO is also back, and he’ll never allow that to happen peacefully. As long as TO wears blue and silver, he demands that he be the central focus of their offense. Wade and Garrett are helpless to stop Owens’ outbursts as long as Jerry Jones is in charge. Jerry loves his “star” players and Jones seems to be more than willing to condone selfish behavior. It should probably also be mentioned that Dallas has just 2.75million in cap space, hardly enough to scratch the surface of free agency. (Cue Peter Faulk) “Just one more thing…” I guess it’s relevant that Tony Romo has been terrible in three straight December/Januarys and there are serious doubts in the minds of the team and the fans if he can win the big game, and the pressure only grows with each failure to perform in season-closing moments.



The Redskins aren’t nearly as talented as the rest of the division, and they have no cap space. I wasn’t being glib by the way; they have literally zero dollars available as of this writing. I can’t see this team escaping the cellar in 2009, unless one of the three other QB’s in the division ends up injured or just plain melting down. (Not impossible for any of the four starting QB’s in this division. The funny thing is that I’d rate McNabb, Romo, and Manning all as among the league’s 10 best, yet if any of them washed-out next year I would hardly be surprised. What does that say about the state of the NFL Quarterback nowadays?)



Now back to the Eagles. They have a young excellent defense that returns all 11 starters. They have several needs on the offensive side of the ball, but they have over 45.2 million dollars to spend once they get credit for their LTBE bonuses (Unearned bonuses that were counted against the 2008 cap, that now get added to the 2009 cap since they were unattained). Normally the Eagles would hold back some of that spending power unless they LOVED somebody, but this year you can’t roll over salary, because there is no salary cap to protect in 2010. That means the Eagles have 45.2 million to spend or lose. (Plus about 4m more once Lito and Greg Lewis are cut.) The focus of the off-season needs to be reinforcing the O-line, and adding playmakers where possible.



Now comes the fun part of this job, spending all that cash. The first thing to consider before you can really speculate on the Eagles moves is to try and predict what will go on in Carolina. The Panthers are the source of two of the most attractive players to the Eagles, OT Jordan Gross, and DE Julius Peppers. It looks like the Panthers are going to franchise Peppers, and force another team to trade for him, rather than just let him walk for nothing. That decision is much easier if they are able to resign Jordan Gross before the Feb. 19 beginning of free agency, until that date the Panthers still may franchise Gross for the second straight season and just let Peppers walk. Popular theory is that with their limited finances they can’t keep both players, although they will try. If I’m the Eagles I want Gross more than any other free agent, but to be fair Gross is going to be priority one for Carolina as well. The only thing going for the Eagles is that Gross has made it this far without resigning, so unless Carolina breaks the bank this week, it seems likely he’ll test the free agent waters. The Eagles plans are closely linked to what Carolina decides to do over the next few weeks, but here’s my outline based on the current word from Carolina.



The Offense:



QB: The Eagles will return with the same three QB’s that they had in 2008. The only possible change in the position is whether the Eagles decide to give Donovan McNabb the new deal he reportedly is seeking. I am strongly against the Eagles losing any of their cap space to rework McNabb’s deal. If Donovan can be resigned to a deal that extends the back end, but doesn’t effect his 2009 cap number, then I’m all for it. Otherwise, they need to convince Donovan to play this year out, with the guarantee that he get a new deal next season when there is no salary cap. In a perfect world they resign Donovan, and increase this year’s available money. Decision: No changes. Cap space remains at 45m.



RB: Correll Buckhalter is an unrestricted free agent (UFA from here on out), and the Eagles appear to have very little interest, which gives me a hint that they have an eye for somebody. Who ever the replacement may be isn’t simply the new #2; he needs to be the #1a to Brian Westbrook’s #1. The top free agents are the current New York Giants tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward, and both 1,000-yard backs proved they are quite capable runners who have shown a willingness to share the spotlight. The problem with signing either runner would be that each man would be expensive. Last season Michael Turner signed a 6-year/34.5 million dollar deal to join the Falcons, so there is a jumping off point for either man. Ward will cost something similar, and Jacobs would be a million or two extra for each year. For the money I’d much rather draft a running back with one of our first round picks. There are three backs expected to go in the second half of the first round, the best of this year’s crop seems to be Knowshon Moreno from Georgia, although he seems almost certainly to be off the board when the Eagles time to pick arrives. So that leaves either Chris “Beanie” Wells from Ohio State and LeSean McCoy from Pitt. I’d prefer Wells since he is much larger at 6’1” and 235 lbs. Last season Felix Jones was drafted late in the first round and received a 5 year/ 10.525m dollar deal, so there is an idea of the cost involved. Lorenzo Booker is scheduled to return as the team’s #3 back, although I’m not thrilled about what he brings to the table. Booker can be kept or replaced with a midlevel draft pick, either way I’m fine. Kyle Eckel also returns as the fullback after a decent, if unspectacular, debut season with the Birds. Decision: Do not pursue Buckhalter, cut Booker, and draft a RB in both rounds 1 and 4. Cap space reduced to approximately 43m.



WR: First thing to do is to throw the bank at TJ Houshmandzadeh; the soon-to-be former Bengal is a red zone beast and exactly the type of WR that will boost the Birds red zone performance. It will cost you a pretty penny, but it’s really what the team needs. As a ballpark, let’s say 4 years/33million. To move space on the roster, Greg Lewis needs to go away. Reggie Brown can be cut as well, freeing up 2 million or so extra, since at this point he’s your 6th receiver at best. Restricted free agent (Hereafter RFA) Hank Baskett should be resigned given that Brown is cut and his deal is cheap, either way whichever player stays is fairly inconsequential as they’ll be behind TJ, Jackson, Curtis, and Jason Avant on the depth chart. Decision: Sign Houshmandzadeh, resign Baskett, cut Reggie Brown and Greg Lewis. Cap Space reduced to approximately 35.5 million.



TE: Goodbye UFA LJ Smith. Brent Celek showed flashes over the season, and then had a break-out two touchdown performance against Arizona in the NFC championship. Celek is flawed as a player however, so reinforcements are necessary. I’d like the Eagles to grab somebody in the second round, as there are four TE’s that project as second round picks. My favorite is probably Chase Coffman, who has the best size of any of the group, and he caught 90 passes with 10 TDs last season at Missouri. Last season Dustin Keller went at the end of the first round, and got a 5-year/8.5 million dollar deal. So you can expect to pay about 1 million per year for a late second round TE. Decision: Allow LJ to leave, draft a replacement in round 2. Cap Space reduced to approximately 34.5 million.



OT: This is the most important position of the off-season. Carolina Panther Jordan Gross is about to become an UFA, and he needs to be the team’s top priority. Gross was a Pro Bowler at RT and All-Pro at LT, so he can be signed to play at either spot. I think Thomas has more to offer at this point than Runyan, but it’s harder to replace a LT than a RT, so it’s probably best to keep Jon and get Gross to replace Tra. I think your third round pick needs to be a tackle for depth, as it seems that the Eagles are now kind of thin at tackle. Gross played under the franchise tag in 2008, and made $7.5 million. The Eagles will need to pay about $8.5 million a year with a sizeable signing bonus to get Gross to join them. Decision: Resign Runyan, allow Thomas to leave, Sign Jordan Gross, draft an OT in round 3. Cap Space reduced to approximately 18 million.



G: The birds have Todd Herremanns and Shawn Andrews in line to start at guard in 2009. Nick Cole is a RFA and can play any interior position, and should be resigned for depth. Of course Shawn Andrews is a question mark after a mental health/back injury stay on the injured list in 2008. When healthy he’s among the league’s best, and hopefully he can return to form in 2009. Decision: Resign Cole. Cap Space reduced to approximately 16.5 million.



C: RFA Nick Cole returns as a back-up. Here is another chance for improvement on the Eagles. I’d like them to sign Jason Brown of the Ravens, an UFA, and make Jamal Jackson the back-up. Nick Cole can then focus solely on being the team’s third guard. Brown is young and very able to anchor the center of the line for years to come. The last young center to sign as a free agent was LeCharles Bentley with the Browns, and he received a 6-year/36 million dollar contract, although I don’t think it will take quite that much. Decision: Sign Jason Brown; refocus Nick Cole on playing guard only. Cap Space reduced to approximately 11.5 million.



The Defense:



DE: In no scenario can you get both Jordan Gross and Julius Peppers, so forget adding Peppers. The quartet of Howard, Cole, Abiamiri and Clemons all return. The only move I’d like to see would be for the Birds add a fifth end with their second of two first round selections. The Eagles hold the 28th overall pick, which was also used to select a DE in 2008, with that pick Seattle selected Lawrence Jackson and signed him for 5 years/ 11.25 million. The options at 28 appear to be either Tyson Jackson from LSU or Paul Kruger from Utah. Decision: Draft another DE in round 1. Cap Space reduced to approximately 9.5 million.



DT: Nothing doing here, keep Bunkley, Patterson and Laws. Continue to rotate Howard inside on passing downs. Decision: Stand pat. Cap Space unchanged at approximately 9.5 million.



LB: No changes here either. This is a very young, talented group that should remain intact for years to come. Decision: No Changes. Cap Space unchanged at approximately 9.5 million.



CB: Something must be done with Lito Sheppard. After failing in attempts to trade the Pro Bowl CB during the 2008 off-season, the Birds should take whatever they can get at this point, even if it’s just a third or fourth round pick. The Eagles also need to make a decision on RFA nickleback Joselio Hansen, I would prefer to retain Hansen if possible, we can match the money, but not the offer of a starting job. Rod Hood received 5 Years/15 Million when he left to go to Arizona, so it may take a similar offer to retain Hansen. Decision: Trade Sheppard for a 4th round pick, resign Hansen, draft another CB with the selection received for Lito. Cap Space reduced to approximately 6 million.



S: I’d love to see the Eagles sign RFA Dawan Landry away from the Ravens, but I don’t like giving up draft picks to sign him. So I’d only advocate signing him if you can work out a deal with Baltimore to avoid the RFA compensation, maybe something with Lito since his former secondary coach is Baltimore’s head coach. Otherwise, I guess I’d like to see the Eagles retain UFA Brian Dawkins at a deal that pays something similar to what he made last season. Sean Considine is also an UFA, (cue Bob Uecker) and I think this closes book on Sean… and Thank God! We can draft his replacement in the 5th round. Decision: Resign Dawkins, allow Considine to go, draft a safety in the 5th round. Cap Space reduced to approximately 2 million.



Special Teams:



K/P: No changes here, no free agents, no issues with the current talent. Decision: No changes. Cap Space remains at approximately 2 million.



Obviously these plans are contingent on things going according to a specific plan in Carolina. These moves show that you can come back next season as, quite possibly, the favorite to win the NFC by making smart, aggressive moves this off-season. The teams ahead of you look like they are going to take a step back, and your peers aren’t in as good a position to really step out ahead of the pack. Your defense was #3 overall last season, and they should only get better with another year of experience. The offense has concerns, but those issues can be addressed by signing proven talent to fill the voids. The contracts I laid out are accurate in their totals, and the Eagles can always front-load one or two of the deals to take further advantage of their cap situation. Remember, next season there is no limit on player salaries, and I am certain the NFC East will be by far the highest spending division in football. This will cost the Eagles their biggest advantage, so with this off-season they basically have a one-year head start on the big spending. Let’s make sure we get the most out of it.