The Eagles are really clearing out some space in the locker room now, announcing yesterday that they had cut both defensive end Darren Howard and wide receiver Kevin Curtis.
After being signed to a six year, $30.5 million deal, Howard was supposed to be the pass rusher that Jevon Kearse wasn't in Philadelphia. Instead, he picked up just five sacks in 16 games in 2006, then saw his role reduced and recorded only one in 2007. The next year, Howard got back into a groove, bringing down the quarterback ten times before falling back down to earth this past season with 6.5 sacks. Though he never reached the level that Eagles fans wanted him to, I find this move a little bit odd. Yes, he was set to make almost $5 million this upcoming season, and he's already 33 years old, but without him on the roster, the Eagles are now dangerously thin at defensive end, and it's not like they were stacked there to begin with. Before, it was just the Trent Cole show. Now, it's the Trent Cole and hold on to your hats show. This move pretty much means that the Eagles have to be looking at a defensive lineman in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft.
If the player the Eagles draft in April doesn't put up at least similar numbers to Howard, I'm not going to be happy. Howard was a popular guy in the locker room, and while he wasn't great, he was at least a legit pass rushing threat. Now, there's an even bigger hole on the defensive line that needs to be filled, and I hope that the Eagles know what they're doing in terms of filling it.
As for Kevin Curtis, the writing was on the wall for a while with this move. After having a great first season with the Eagles in 2007, Curtis was felled by injuries each of the last two years, and only played in 11 games. For a 31 year old receiver with a bloated contract, that's not good enough. Plus, the Eagles had DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant each step into their own while Curtis was injured, making this move even easier for the Eagles. I always like Curtis, but there really isn't a place for him on this team anymore. Jackson and Maclin are clearly the number one and two wideouts, and Avant has the slot role down to a science. The Eagles may like Curtis as a person, but they were not going to pay him $4 million to be the number four wideout.
As it is when anyone gets cut that's been around for a few years, it's a shame to see them leave, but at least this means that the Eagles are confident with what they have at wideout. At defensive end, however, that remains to be seen. I just hope they made the right move by cutting Howard.
CSNPhilly.com: Eagles release Howard and Curtis
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Flyers wanted Brian Boucher to be the starting goalie, right?
As if the Flyers haven't had enough problems during a very inconsistent season, now they're going to be without their starting goalie for quite some time. Michael Leighton, who stepped in and has played quite well for Ray Emery, is going to be out for 8-10 weeks with a severe high ankle sprain. The injury couldn't have come at a worse time for the Flyers, who now have to put the load on Brian Boucher's back to get this team into the playoffs.
I'm not saying that the season is over because Leighton is hurt, but there's a reason why he ended up starting once Emery got hurt instead of Boucher. In his 27 games with the Flyers this year, Leighton was 16-5, with a 2.48 Goals Against Average and a .918 save percentage. Those are solid numbers, especially for someone that the Flyers were able to claim off of waivers in the early part of the season. Though Boucher put up similar numbers last season when he played for the San Jose Sharks, you have to remember that San Jose was the best regular season team in hockey last year. Having an offense to back up your goaltending is a very important thing. This year, Boucher is just 5-12-2, with a 2.72 GAA and a .901 save percentage.
I already said, this doesn't mean that the season is over, but the Flyers have been anything but consistent this season, and they looked like they were finding their way with Leighton in goal. Of course, Boucher did his job last night, stopping 27 of 29 shots as the Flyers beat the Dallas Stars to move them into the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference standings, but the gap between fifth and being out of the playoffs is just eight points, and with the Flyers taking on the ninth seeded Atlanta Thrashers in their next two games, wins are going to be important.
You do have to feel bad for Leighton, too. The man is living out of a hotel room, finally got himself a starting goaltending job in the NHL, and was more than likely going to be able to sign with the Flyers longterm, and now he's hurt. I still think the Flyers will sign him to a long term contract, because the way he's played this year, I'd be happy to see him as either a starter or a backup on this team next season. As for now, it's time to put faith in Brian Boucher. God help us all.
ESPN.com: Leighton out with high ankle sprain
I'm not saying that the season is over because Leighton is hurt, but there's a reason why he ended up starting once Emery got hurt instead of Boucher. In his 27 games with the Flyers this year, Leighton was 16-5, with a 2.48 Goals Against Average and a .918 save percentage. Those are solid numbers, especially for someone that the Flyers were able to claim off of waivers in the early part of the season. Though Boucher put up similar numbers last season when he played for the San Jose Sharks, you have to remember that San Jose was the best regular season team in hockey last year. Having an offense to back up your goaltending is a very important thing. This year, Boucher is just 5-12-2, with a 2.72 GAA and a .901 save percentage.
I already said, this doesn't mean that the season is over, but the Flyers have been anything but consistent this season, and they looked like they were finding their way with Leighton in goal. Of course, Boucher did his job last night, stopping 27 of 29 shots as the Flyers beat the Dallas Stars to move them into the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference standings, but the gap between fifth and being out of the playoffs is just eight points, and with the Flyers taking on the ninth seeded Atlanta Thrashers in their next two games, wins are going to be important.
You do have to feel bad for Leighton, too. The man is living out of a hotel room, finally got himself a starting goaltending job in the NHL, and was more than likely going to be able to sign with the Flyers longterm, and now he's hurt. I still think the Flyers will sign him to a long term contract, because the way he's played this year, I'd be happy to see him as either a starter or a backup on this team next season. As for now, it's time to put faith in Brian Boucher. God help us all.
ESPN.com: Leighton out with high ankle sprain
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
See you later, Shawn Andrews
In a move that was almost two years in the making, the Eagles today announced that they had released lineman Shawn Andrews, ending his six year run with the team. While some people could see the move coming, to many, it was bittersweet, as Andrews was one of the best linemen in the NFL when he was at his peak.
The only problem was that his peak was so short. After missing all but one game in 2004 with a broken leg, Andrews came back in 2005 and began to establish himself as a premier guard. In 2006, he took the next step and was named to the All Pro team, as he protected both Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia on his way to his first Pro Bowl. The next season was more of the same, as Andrews got a second straight trip to Hawaii, but then things went downhill from there.
At the end of June 2008, Andrews left the Eagles for what he called "personal reasons" that was later revealed to be a bout of depression that he was getting professional help for. When he returned to the Eagles, he was never the same. A back injury knocked him out for all but two games in the 2008 season, and despite the signing of his brother in the offseason, Andrews never returned to his former stature. He re-injured his back during training camp and was placed on injured reserve after the second week of the 2009 season. After three years where it looked like he would be one of the top guards in the NFL for the next decade, Andrews played in just two games over two seasons. The Eagles were justified in cutting him, but fans should have a bitter taste in their mouths over this one.
Andrews is always going to be one of the biggest "What-ifs" in the NFL over the past decade. Had he managed to stay healthy and keep his head on straight, I have no doubts that the Eagles would have their foundation on the offensive line for years to come. Instead, they're left with a bust of a first round pick from 2004, and Andrews is left without a team. He says he still wants to play in the NFL, but with his recent history, he's going to have to prove himself if he even wants a shot.
Best of luck to you, big man. You could have been one of the greats.
ESPN.com: Eagles release Shawn Andrews
The only problem was that his peak was so short. After missing all but one game in 2004 with a broken leg, Andrews came back in 2005 and began to establish himself as a premier guard. In 2006, he took the next step and was named to the All Pro team, as he protected both Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia on his way to his first Pro Bowl. The next season was more of the same, as Andrews got a second straight trip to Hawaii, but then things went downhill from there.
At the end of June 2008, Andrews left the Eagles for what he called "personal reasons" that was later revealed to be a bout of depression that he was getting professional help for. When he returned to the Eagles, he was never the same. A back injury knocked him out for all but two games in the 2008 season, and despite the signing of his brother in the offseason, Andrews never returned to his former stature. He re-injured his back during training camp and was placed on injured reserve after the second week of the 2009 season. After three years where it looked like he would be one of the top guards in the NFL for the next decade, Andrews played in just two games over two seasons. The Eagles were justified in cutting him, but fans should have a bitter taste in their mouths over this one.
Andrews is always going to be one of the biggest "What-ifs" in the NFL over the past decade. Had he managed to stay healthy and keep his head on straight, I have no doubts that the Eagles would have their foundation on the offensive line for years to come. Instead, they're left with a bust of a first round pick from 2004, and Andrews is left without a team. He says he still wants to play in the NFL, but with his recent history, he's going to have to prove himself if he even wants a shot.
Best of luck to you, big man. You could have been one of the greats.
ESPN.com: Eagles release Shawn Andrews
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
More Eagles free agency news
I'll be the first to admit that the Eagles haven't exactly set the world on fire during this free agency period, but with baseball on the horizon, the Birds did their best today to keep their names in the conversation. First, they sent Chris Clemons and a fourth round pick to Seattle for defensive end Darryl Tapp, and then, running back Mike Bell agreed to the offer sheet that the Eagles gave him.
I'll start with the trade for Tapp first. Though I don't think anyone is going to miss Chris Clemons in Philadelphia, trading both him and a fourth round pick for a guy that had just two sacks last season seems a little bit high of a price to me. Yes, Tapp is three and a half years younger than Clemons, but his best season was two years ago, and that year, he had four of his seven sacks in a single game. In 2008, he recorded 5.5 sacks, and last year, he had just 2.5. I don't like the decrease in numbers one bit when it comes to rushing the quarterback, but I do like the fact that Tapp is a bigger guy, and seems to be much more adept at stopping the run than Clemons ever was. While Clemons was more of a linebacker/end combination, Tapp is strictly a defensive lineman, weighing in at about 270 pounds. He recorded 49 tackles last season, and while I don't see him as much more than another rotational lineman, he still has a chance to make an impact opposite Trent Cole. That much I do like.
Then, we come to the Mike Bell offer sheet. Ever since Duce Staley left, people have been clamoring for the Eagles to sign a big back to pick up the short yards when they matter the most. Well, it looks like they've finally listened. Bell weighs in at 225 pounds and played a part in the Saints winning the Super Bowl last season, rushing for 654 yards and five touchdowns. You might remember him from the second week of the season, when he pounded the Eagles for 86 yards and a touchdown. He certainly wouldn't be the number one back with the Eagles, but he would be nice to see in the backfield on a third and one or two situation.
Of course, the Saints still have a week to match the offer sheet that the Eagles gave Bell, and at one year and $1.7 million, it's not going to break the bank for New Orleans to do that. However, with both Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush still under contract, I don't know how much the Saints want to keep all three of their running backs from last season. Bell certainly looks like the odd man out, and if the Saints don't match the offer, then he would come to the Eagles without any sort of draft compensation going back to New Orleans. As far as I'm concerned, that's actually the best part about this potential deal. Rather than have to give up a draft pick for what could basically be seen as a third down back, the Eagles could get him for just under $2 million for next season, and with Bell, Leonard Weaver and LeSean McCoy in the backfield, all of a sudden, the Eagles look even better at the running back position. Bell will be turning 27 years old before the start of the 2010 season, but with only 348 carries in his entire pro career, I don't see age being as much of a factor here as it was with Brian Westbrook.
Hopefully, the Saints don't match the offer sheet for Bell. I'd enjoy seeing him in Eagles green, at least for one season. Besides, it would give us Eagles fans something to be happy about in a relatively dull offseason so far.
ESPN.com: Eagles trade Clemons to Seattle for Tapp, Bell agrees to Eagles deal
I'll start with the trade for Tapp first. Though I don't think anyone is going to miss Chris Clemons in Philadelphia, trading both him and a fourth round pick for a guy that had just two sacks last season seems a little bit high of a price to me. Yes, Tapp is three and a half years younger than Clemons, but his best season was two years ago, and that year, he had four of his seven sacks in a single game. In 2008, he recorded 5.5 sacks, and last year, he had just 2.5. I don't like the decrease in numbers one bit when it comes to rushing the quarterback, but I do like the fact that Tapp is a bigger guy, and seems to be much more adept at stopping the run than Clemons ever was. While Clemons was more of a linebacker/end combination, Tapp is strictly a defensive lineman, weighing in at about 270 pounds. He recorded 49 tackles last season, and while I don't see him as much more than another rotational lineman, he still has a chance to make an impact opposite Trent Cole. That much I do like.
Then, we come to the Mike Bell offer sheet. Ever since Duce Staley left, people have been clamoring for the Eagles to sign a big back to pick up the short yards when they matter the most. Well, it looks like they've finally listened. Bell weighs in at 225 pounds and played a part in the Saints winning the Super Bowl last season, rushing for 654 yards and five touchdowns. You might remember him from the second week of the season, when he pounded the Eagles for 86 yards and a touchdown. He certainly wouldn't be the number one back with the Eagles, but he would be nice to see in the backfield on a third and one or two situation.
Of course, the Saints still have a week to match the offer sheet that the Eagles gave Bell, and at one year and $1.7 million, it's not going to break the bank for New Orleans to do that. However, with both Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush still under contract, I don't know how much the Saints want to keep all three of their running backs from last season. Bell certainly looks like the odd man out, and if the Saints don't match the offer, then he would come to the Eagles without any sort of draft compensation going back to New Orleans. As far as I'm concerned, that's actually the best part about this potential deal. Rather than have to give up a draft pick for what could basically be seen as a third down back, the Eagles could get him for just under $2 million for next season, and with Bell, Leonard Weaver and LeSean McCoy in the backfield, all of a sudden, the Eagles look even better at the running back position. Bell will be turning 27 years old before the start of the 2010 season, but with only 348 carries in his entire pro career, I don't see age being as much of a factor here as it was with Brian Westbrook.
Hopefully, the Saints don't match the offer sheet for Bell. I'd enjoy seeing him in Eagles green, at least for one season. Besides, it would give us Eagles fans something to be happy about in a relatively dull offseason so far.
ESPN.com: Eagles trade Clemons to Seattle for Tapp, Bell agrees to Eagles deal
Monday, March 8, 2010
Hey, it's Eagles Wide Receiver News!
No, they didn't trade for Anquan Boldin, or sign Terrell Owens (though that would make the news, wouldn't it?), but the Eagles did make a couple of moves at wideout today. First, they resigned Jason Avant to a five year extension, and then they followed that up by trading Reggie Brown to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a sixth round pick in 2011.
The Jason Avant deal is a nice one, because he's coming off of his best season to date, and has become one of Donovan McNabb's favorite targets on third downs. Last year, Avant caught 41 passes for 587 yards and three touchdowns, which are very solid numbers for a number three receiver. He fits perfectly into the Eagles' system, and I don't think I've ever heard him complain about getting the ball or anything of that nature. He knows his role with the team, and he fills it very well.
With Avant here for the next five years, and DeSean Jackson hopefully getting a new, long term deal, the Eagles are going to have their top three wideouts signed for the future, which is a very good thing, especially when they make the move to Kevin Kolb. Having an established set of receivers can only help a young quarterback along, and that's what the Eagles seem to be putting in place right now. You can't go wrong with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant and Brent Celek out there on offense. It's a winning combination of receivers and tight ends that are only going to get even better as time goes on.
Where the Eagles did go wrong was with Reggie Brown, and today, they tried to at least make good on their missteps. Brown was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today for a sixth round pick, ending his five year career in Philadelphia. After putting up decent numbers as a starter in 2006 and 2007, Brown's production dropped, as did his playing time, as the Eagles brought in other wide receivers. Some would argue that Brown never really did get a fair shake when the Eagles got Kevin Curtis and drafted DeSean Jackson, but at the same time, he needed to make the most of his chances, and he couldn't do that. What he did instead was play in just 17 games over the past two seasons, catching 27 passes for 407 yards and just one touchdown. Those numbers aren't going to keep you around, I don't care who you are.
Quite simply, Reggie Brown wore out his welcome in Philadelphia. After his two decent seasons, the Eagles rewarded him with a five year contract extension, and it never worked out. The fans turned on him for making his money without putting up the same numbers that he was producing before his contract, and once you lose the fans in this city, it can be very, very hard to get them back on your side. Reggie was never able to do that, and now he's gone. I don't know how he's going to do in Tampa, but I at least hope that he can produce a little bit better than he did with the Eagles these past two years. He needed a change, and now he has one.
I wish I had more to write about during free agency, but so far, the Eagles haven't done a damn thing, aside from the Jason Avant and Leonard Weaver contract extensions. Dammit guys, give me something to write about!
CSNPhilly.com: Eagles Give Avant Extension, Trade Brown
The Jason Avant deal is a nice one, because he's coming off of his best season to date, and has become one of Donovan McNabb's favorite targets on third downs. Last year, Avant caught 41 passes for 587 yards and three touchdowns, which are very solid numbers for a number three receiver. He fits perfectly into the Eagles' system, and I don't think I've ever heard him complain about getting the ball or anything of that nature. He knows his role with the team, and he fills it very well.
With Avant here for the next five years, and DeSean Jackson hopefully getting a new, long term deal, the Eagles are going to have their top three wideouts signed for the future, which is a very good thing, especially when they make the move to Kevin Kolb. Having an established set of receivers can only help a young quarterback along, and that's what the Eagles seem to be putting in place right now. You can't go wrong with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant and Brent Celek out there on offense. It's a winning combination of receivers and tight ends that are only going to get even better as time goes on.
Where the Eagles did go wrong was with Reggie Brown, and today, they tried to at least make good on their missteps. Brown was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today for a sixth round pick, ending his five year career in Philadelphia. After putting up decent numbers as a starter in 2006 and 2007, Brown's production dropped, as did his playing time, as the Eagles brought in other wide receivers. Some would argue that Brown never really did get a fair shake when the Eagles got Kevin Curtis and drafted DeSean Jackson, but at the same time, he needed to make the most of his chances, and he couldn't do that. What he did instead was play in just 17 games over the past two seasons, catching 27 passes for 407 yards and just one touchdown. Those numbers aren't going to keep you around, I don't care who you are.
Quite simply, Reggie Brown wore out his welcome in Philadelphia. After his two decent seasons, the Eagles rewarded him with a five year contract extension, and it never worked out. The fans turned on him for making his money without putting up the same numbers that he was producing before his contract, and once you lose the fans in this city, it can be very, very hard to get them back on your side. Reggie was never able to do that, and now he's gone. I don't know how he's going to do in Tampa, but I at least hope that he can produce a little bit better than he did with the Eagles these past two years. He needed a change, and now he has one.
I wish I had more to write about during free agency, but so far, the Eagles haven't done a damn thing, aside from the Jason Avant and Leonard Weaver contract extensions. Dammit guys, give me something to write about!
CSNPhilly.com: Eagles Give Avant Extension, Trade Brown
Friday, March 5, 2010
Free Agency Has Begun
So, the first 18+ hours of the NFL free agency period have now come and gone, and while the Eagles haven't made any major moves, they've done a little bit of spring cleaning inside the organization.
The most important move that they made today was resigning Leonard Weaver to a three year contract worth between $11 and $12 million, according to CSNPhilly.com. This was a move that I said before had to be done. The Eagles finally found their fullback with Weaver, and to let him go after just a single season would have been insane. Weaver was named to the All-Pro team last year, and even showed that he could spell LeSean McCoy as a starting running back if he had to. Throughout the Andy Reid era, the Eagles have been through more fullbacks than I even want to remember. Jon Ritchie, Tony Hunt, Thomas Tapeh and Cecil Martin are just a few of them, but none came close to having the season that Leonard Weaver had last year. Sure, the deal makes Weaver one of the highest paid fullbacks ever, but he deserves it. This was a necessary and smart move by the Eagles.
The moves continued later in the day, as Andy Schwartz reported the Birds had cut linebacker Will Witherspoon. This move comes as a bit of a surprise to me, not because of who was released, but what position he plays. Cutting Witherspoon is going to save the Eagles about $5 million next season, and the Eagles also believe that their young core of linebackers, headed by a healthy Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan, can pull the team out of the muck that last season had at that position. Witherspoon certainly wouldn't have been happy in a backup position, and I don't think the Eagles wanted to pay a backup linebacker $5 million to play special teams. Plus, after a great first game against Washington, Witherspoon's production dropped off, and the Eagles moved him from middle linebacker to weakside, which is where he played for the Rams. The only issue that I have with this move is that the Eagles were so bad at linebacker last season, it couldn't hurt to keep Witherspoon around until training camp and then see if you could get something for him. I mean, the Eagles gave up Brandon Gibson and a fifth round pick to get Witherspoon, and now they just straight cut him after 10 games. It doesn't make much sense to me.
Then comes the move that the Eagles really didn't get a chance to make. As soon as I heard that Julius Peppers was visiting Chicago, I knew that the Bears wouldn't let him leave without signing a contract. That's exactly what happened today, as Peppers signed a six year deal with Chicago. There were rumblings that he would have been coming to Philadelphia for a visit if he couldn't reach a deal with the Bears, but honestly, I think that might have just been posturing on his agent's part. The Eagles did make an offer to Peppers, but once Chicago got him to visit first, it was all over. I can't fault the Eagles for apparently making an attempt, but it wasn't good enough to bring him in. The Bears were desperate for any sort of help, and considering they don't have a first, or second round pick in the draft, they had to do it through free agency. Unfortunately, that leaves the Eagles picking at the scraps of what's left in the free agent pool when it comes to defensive end. I don't think that Aaron Kampman is going to be signed by the Eagles. He's coming off of an ACL injury, and after the Stacey Andrews debacle, there's no way that the Birds go after another player with the same type of injury. Kampman is good, but I don't think it's going to happen, and he's not on the level of a Julius Peppers.
What I want to see the Eagles do now is go after one of the free safeties that is still out there on the market. Darren Sharper may be 34 years old, but everyone saw how well he played for the Saints last season. I'd love to see the Eagles try and make a move for him, but I think his age might seriously be a factor there as well. Remember, Brian Dawkins got to walk last year, and he was 35, so I don't know how much attraction would be there for another older safety. Of course, all anyone working for the Eagles has to do is look at the tape of Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps from last year, and that should be all they need to go after Sharper. If he's not in the cards, then I say they have to go for Ryan Clark, the safety from Pittsburgh. He can tackle and play decent coverage, two things that the Eagles were lacking from their secondary for much of last season. Regardless, something has to be done aside from signing their own players. This team just can't sit back and wait for the draft.
Oh, and I'm not going to touch the Andy Reid blocking a Donovan McNabb trade. No way. I want to hear it from someone actually involved, first.
The most important move that they made today was resigning Leonard Weaver to a three year contract worth between $11 and $12 million, according to CSNPhilly.com. This was a move that I said before had to be done. The Eagles finally found their fullback with Weaver, and to let him go after just a single season would have been insane. Weaver was named to the All-Pro team last year, and even showed that he could spell LeSean McCoy as a starting running back if he had to. Throughout the Andy Reid era, the Eagles have been through more fullbacks than I even want to remember. Jon Ritchie, Tony Hunt, Thomas Tapeh and Cecil Martin are just a few of them, but none came close to having the season that Leonard Weaver had last year. Sure, the deal makes Weaver one of the highest paid fullbacks ever, but he deserves it. This was a necessary and smart move by the Eagles.
The moves continued later in the day, as Andy Schwartz reported the Birds had cut linebacker Will Witherspoon. This move comes as a bit of a surprise to me, not because of who was released, but what position he plays. Cutting Witherspoon is going to save the Eagles about $5 million next season, and the Eagles also believe that their young core of linebackers, headed by a healthy Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan, can pull the team out of the muck that last season had at that position. Witherspoon certainly wouldn't have been happy in a backup position, and I don't think the Eagles wanted to pay a backup linebacker $5 million to play special teams. Plus, after a great first game against Washington, Witherspoon's production dropped off, and the Eagles moved him from middle linebacker to weakside, which is where he played for the Rams. The only issue that I have with this move is that the Eagles were so bad at linebacker last season, it couldn't hurt to keep Witherspoon around until training camp and then see if you could get something for him. I mean, the Eagles gave up Brandon Gibson and a fifth round pick to get Witherspoon, and now they just straight cut him after 10 games. It doesn't make much sense to me.
Then comes the move that the Eagles really didn't get a chance to make. As soon as I heard that Julius Peppers was visiting Chicago, I knew that the Bears wouldn't let him leave without signing a contract. That's exactly what happened today, as Peppers signed a six year deal with Chicago. There were rumblings that he would have been coming to Philadelphia for a visit if he couldn't reach a deal with the Bears, but honestly, I think that might have just been posturing on his agent's part. The Eagles did make an offer to Peppers, but once Chicago got him to visit first, it was all over. I can't fault the Eagles for apparently making an attempt, but it wasn't good enough to bring him in. The Bears were desperate for any sort of help, and considering they don't have a first, or second round pick in the draft, they had to do it through free agency. Unfortunately, that leaves the Eagles picking at the scraps of what's left in the free agent pool when it comes to defensive end. I don't think that Aaron Kampman is going to be signed by the Eagles. He's coming off of an ACL injury, and after the Stacey Andrews debacle, there's no way that the Birds go after another player with the same type of injury. Kampman is good, but I don't think it's going to happen, and he's not on the level of a Julius Peppers.
What I want to see the Eagles do now is go after one of the free safeties that is still out there on the market. Darren Sharper may be 34 years old, but everyone saw how well he played for the Saints last season. I'd love to see the Eagles try and make a move for him, but I think his age might seriously be a factor there as well. Remember, Brian Dawkins got to walk last year, and he was 35, so I don't know how much attraction would be there for another older safety. Of course, all anyone working for the Eagles has to do is look at the tape of Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps from last year, and that should be all they need to go after Sharper. If he's not in the cards, then I say they have to go for Ryan Clark, the safety from Pittsburgh. He can tackle and play decent coverage, two things that the Eagles were lacking from their secondary for much of last season. Regardless, something has to be done aside from signing their own players. This team just can't sit back and wait for the draft.
Oh, and I'm not going to touch the Andy Reid blocking a Donovan McNabb trade. No way. I want to hear it from someone actually involved, first.
Monday, March 1, 2010
This is My Nightmare...
So I'll be the first one to admit that I don't really watch that much hockey if the Flyers aren't involved. When it comes to the "big four" in American pro sports, my rankings are baseball and football at 1 and 1a, followed in a distant third by hockey, and then basketball. I still enjoy watching hockey, but if something else is on, I'll watch that instead.
That wasn't the case last night in the Winter Olympics. After stunning Canada in the preliminary rounds, the United States had one last shot at their hosts, and this time, it was for the gold medal. No one expected the U.S. to make it to the gold medal game. Hell, the team even booked plane tickets for the morning of the game before the Olympics started, so that lets you know how much faith everyone had in this team. Yesterday, the U.S. Men's hockey team put out a great effort, but Canada seemed to have a little bit more. With just a minute left in the game, the Canadians were up 2-1, and the U.S. had pulled Ryan Miller. It looked like it was over.
Then, the improbable happened. Zach Parise scored with just 25 seconds left, making this the only time that I have ever cheered for a member of the New Jersey Devils. Now, the crowd was quiet, and it seemed like destiny was on the side of Team U.S.A. I for one didn't want to see a shootout decide who was going to win the gold, so I was hoping for an end in overtime, hopefully with a quick goal by the Americans. Instead, I got the worst possible scenario. Ryan Miller had done everything possible during the Olympics, short of standing on his head to stop the puck a few times, but he ran out of miracles last night. As I was sitting on my couch, saying "if Canada wins, don't let it be Crosby...don't let it be Crosby..." this happened:
Yep, that's Sidney Crosby, celebrating his gold medal winning goal in overtime, to beat Team U.S.A. It's bad enough to watch your country lose in the gold medal game, but to watch my least favorite player in the entire NHL score the final goal of the Olympics and make himself into a Canadian hero...that's too much. It's not that Crosby isn't a great player: he is. I, and just about every other Philadelphia fan, just hate the way that he plays the game. He is the torch bearer for the "new generation" of the NHL, which features less physicality and more diving and whining to the refs. I don't mind less fighting in hockey, but when players like Crosby, who is extremely talented, but plays like a punk, end up winning a Stanley Cup and a gold medal within a year...I can't take it.
With that being said, hockey should enjoy a bit of a bounce back following the Olympics. The entire tournament was great, and the finals brought a lot of extra attention to the game, and that should carry over into the remainder of the NHL season. I don't think that hockey is going to catch football or baseball any time soon, but it's got a shot at passing basketball, at least. Congrats to Mike Richards and Chris Pronger, too. At least two of the Flyers are coming home with gold, even if they did play for Canada.
Picture thanks to ESPN.com via Harry How/Getty Images
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