I've been reading in various places that the Eagles have a good chance of becoming the surprise team of the 2008 season. However, at this point in the offseason, I'm having a hard time seeing it.
It seems like this season has been one minor squabble after another. First, the Birds signed Asante Samuel to extravagant contract which annoyed Lito Sheppherd, one of their few Pro Bowlers. Then they basically failed to sign anyone else of consequence, despite various rumors of them trying to acquire a top notch wide receiver.
Then the draft came and the Birds once again inexplicably traded away their first round draft pick and came away with an underwhelming, undersized group of players that project to be career backups and role players at best. (My personal favorites were the 220 lb 3rd round Div IAA DE and the 6th Round Div III kid they discovered on You Tube. Christ, I wish I was kidding on both counts.)
Over the last couple weeks, all we've been faced with is Lito's hold out, Hugh Douglas publicly calling out Winston Justice as a gutless dog, whispers that B West is totally unhappy with his contract, the failed Dan Klecko fullback experiment (seriously, did anyone see this working out?), and now the news today that D Mac has a bad shoulder.
The news of #5's bad shoulder should not be minimized. The QB's ability to throw is his lifeblood. When your QB's arm goes bad, your offense becomes entirely predictable because the deep passing game is totally eliminated from the repertoire. Ask Jets' fans what it's like to root for a team with a QB like Chad Pennington that has a bum arm. As someone who watched a fair share of Jets games with a big time Jets fans last year, I can tell you it seems incredibly frustrating.
Camp get here soon enough because I can't wait to finally get some good news about this team.
12 comments:
you're so soft i'm gonna start calling you Charmin.
Justice has played exactly 6 quarters in the NFL. No one knows anything about him and he's projected as a backup to the 2 best tackles in Birds history.
Lito wants more money, get in line, so do I. Here's a 1st round pick, who had his deal ripped up and signed a second deal for (at the time) big money. Now, after missing major parts of the last 3 seasons, he wants his deal torn up again. There's no way this will happen. Asante, is on his 2nd deal, so is Newmann in Dallas. Lito should pray he can stay healthy and then can talk his way out of here in '09.
The draft, call me in '10. But there are some starting players on this squad that were FA or late round picks. Gaither, Mikkell, Herremanns, etc.
The shoulder, whats the difference between Pennington's injury and McNabbs....... Pennington got spiked on the field. Donovan injured himself by overthrowing. Its called a "dead" arm, its really not a big deal. Its not like he was injured by contact.
Lastly, and most importantly B West. Whats the difference between BWest and Lito. One is a stud and the other is a good player w/ a history of injury. Additionally, B West was a 3rd round pick, not the 21st overall so he's millions of dollars behind Lito. He deserves to have his 2nd deal ripped up, but really will that happen? He's 29 now? A RB in their 30's is often a terrible investment. Time will tell on this one, but I'd like to see him get paid. Again, remember, he signed his 2nd deal in 2005.
I was waiting for the fatalists to come out and here is the blog to prove what is wrong with fans. I will keep this short and sweet, the last time McNabb was diagnosed with tendonitis (which isn't that big a deal anyway, but I digress), was in 2004. Now, do you remember how "terrible" that year was? I vaguely remember a trip to Jacksonville in February.
Rough Crowd!
Anonymous #2 must not be that familiar with the Eagles. One must be skeptical of anything that the Eagles say. It took forever and it was like pulling teeth just for Reid to admit that there was tendonitis, so it could very well be something more.
what more could there be? He somehow seriously injured his shoulder in a non contact voluntary passing camp?
You guys are either paranoid, scared dogs, or are really bored. The guy has his faults and has had some injuries (contact injuries) and he's getting older, but to be concerned w/ shoulder pain from a non contact situation 4 months from the beginning of the season is ridiculous.
Paranoid, scared dogs or really bored?? Oh man, Anonymous REALLY doesn't know the Eagles. Or Philly sports in general.
And why "Anonymous"? Hey Tone, maybe it's actually McNabb reading your stuff!
George is right. They are definitely covering something up there. Why would they try to shove the topic under the rug every time it is brought up by the media in a press conference.
Andy's arrogance really came out when 950's Brian Seltzer tried to ask him a question about McNabb's shoulder. Andy laughed at him after the question, then proceeded to walk out and end the press conference early.
This team's attitude really grates my nerves as a fan sometimes.
Extra points. Coach Andy Reid told the Daily News yesterday that McNabb has had an MRI exam that revealed no structural damage to the quarterback's ailing right shoulder. The coach said Tuesday that McNabb has been sidelined for the remainder of this camp by tendinitis. . . .
Are we still concerned? 90 days to the opener.... i think his tired arm will be just fine.
I've been criticized for being negative, but sure seems to get a good response. I think I know how to proceed w/ this blog.
By the way, I also forgot to add a comment about the fact that the Birds hiring a 31 year old lawyer to run their personnel department. (I wish I could add the audio of the Guiness guys "Brilliant!) This season just doesn't feel good to me. I don't feel the momentum.
Only someone as soft as Charmin would come away from this offseason thinking we have a stud team on our hands.
How about the 29 yr. director of scouting. Kid looks like he's a jr. in HS. Its a young mans World, we're on the downside.
Oh my god, you have a brother.
Yesterday, 11:32 AM Post #1
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Team: Eagles
Supposedly known fact: McNabb has shoulder tendinitis.
We read of the Eagles and their concerns with McNabb's offseason training and weight
lifting, etc.
Oftentimes when a naturally strong person(and I will give McNabb that, he qualifies there)
lifts weights they are able to "bull up" large amounts of weight with their large muscle
groups without properly preparing the tendons and ligaments before hand.
I believe this may be a possible injury source.
It is said McNabb has trained with a trainer of baseball pitchers. Looking into this pitching
guru's background, there is a story that he has worked with pitchers who have injured
their shoulders, often severely.
Someone said , because McNabb will throw mostly straight balls , and not the elbow twisting
movements involved in baseball throwing the rehab will be less complicated. It has been shown
that in cases of severe elbow injury, the pitcher will undergo "Tommy John" surgery , rehab
for a year, and usually return good as new. In cases of severe shoulder injury, it may take
3 or 4 years to regain arm strength.
Were McNabb to lose the power in his throws it would mean the loss of a prime asset.
Also distance could be affected. These would be his greatest strengths, I say, rather
than pin-point accuracy and good judgement.
So, in summation, this may not be the minor issue it is made out to be. Especially, if
there are still things to be sold.
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