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Former Eagle Tra Thomas retires
Former Eagles’ offensive lineman Tra Thomas has retired according to an Associated Press report. Thomas was a stud tackle for the Eagles from 1998-2008, helping protect Donovan McNabb. Thomas made three Pro Bowls during that time.
Bellow is the complete AP report:
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Chargers say 35-year-old left offensive tackle Tra Thomas has retired, leaving the team woefully thin at a crucial position.
Thomas was signed as insurance when it became apparent that Marcus McNeill might stage a prolonged holdout. Thomas, a 12-year veteran, had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
General manager A.J. Smith didn’t return a call seeking comment Saturday.
Even if McNeill ended his holdout, Smith placed him on the roster exempt list on Friday, meaning he’ll be suspended for three games once he signs his contract tender.
McNeill is unhappy that he hasn’t been given a long-term deal. Instead, the Chargers tendered the restricted free agent a one-year deal for $3,168,000.
Are the Eagles suddenly booring?
Many Eagles fans have been excited about the ongoing training camp do to the fact that the team that will take the field on Sundays starting in September will be vastly different than the ones that have proceeded it for the better part of a decade. We don’t know if it will be better, but right now the word “different” also stands for “hope.”
Then there are those who are not so excited about training camp. Without McNabb shooting off his mouth or Sheldon Brown looking for a bigger check, this preseason has been more about actual football and less about drama. To me that’s a good thing, yet some people just need their taste of daily drama.
Philadalphia Inquirer writer John Gonzalez is one of those people. He misses the old Eagles already. Check out his take on the current group compared to that of years ago.
Here is an extended clip from Gonzalez’s piece, which can be read in entirety here.
The Eagles’ locker room was once stocked with oversized personalities willing to yammer in front of a television camera until the battery lost its charge. If Lito Sheppard wasn’t grumbling about his contract, there was always the possibility Sheldon Brown might pop off and say something of note. They’re gone now. So are Shawn Andrews and Terrell Owens, Freddie Mitchell and Hugh Douglas and others. And though it was time to move on as far as football goes, those of us who enjoy a solid sideshow will miss Donovan McNabb’s often ridiculous one-man Party of Five.
Compared with some of the guys who once served under Andy Reid, the current crop of Eagles is about as entertaining as Michael Strahan’s short-lived show on Fox. Who is going to hold the driveway workout/news conference? Who’s going to catch a locker room beat down courtesy of the team’s ambassador? Who’s going to get his Michael Phelps on or thank his hands for being so great or rock an air guitar at the worst possible moment?
Who’s going to give us something to talk/complain/laugh about?
Maybe most of what happened in the past was detrimental to the team, but it was also entertaining. If the Eagles have any shot of continuing the town’s best Off-Broadway production for a 12th-straight season under Reid, only one man can make it happen – and he’s not talking.
DeSean Jackson has gone into the sort of disciplined communication blackout usually reserved for covert military missions or the morning after a one-night stand. The once outspoken wide receiver hasn’t said much during training camp. On the day he arrived, Jackson said he had nothing to say (how very Meta of him). And on Monday, he told The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane that he’d “talk with y’all closer to the regular season.” It didn’t seem possible, but the preseason just became even more unbearable
So how do you feel. Is this preseason an exciting one for you because of the uncertainty surrounding the changes or is it just a little too bland for your taste?
Full Training Camp now underway
The veterans are all in. Eagles Training Camp has officially begun.
As the Birds usher in a new era with the likes of Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Sheldon Brown no longer on the roster, this camp has a feel unlike any other in the last decade. For the first time there is a bit of uncertainty as to what to expect from this team. Will the youth movement result in the Eagles taking a step forward or back? Is Kevin Kolb the real deal at QB? What can we expect from the Eagle’s defense in Sean McDermott’s second season?
Over the next few weeks phillysportsblogs.com will examine those questions and many more.
But for today, here is a look at some highlights from last season as football fans get pumped up for their favorite time of year.
Mixed Messages
The Philadelphia Eagles released a statement Saturday saying that they are not considering releasing quarterback Michael Vick at this time. The questions surrounded the star because he is in the midst of an investigation of a shooting. After signing with the Eagles following his two years in prison, Vick had seemingly stayed out of trouble, until June 25th.
On the eve of his 30th birthday, a former defendant on Vick’s dog fighting case was shot outside Vick’s restaurant, where he was out celebrating. Vick insists that he was long gone from the restaurant by the time of the shooing, but questions still remain.
This latest incident just adds to the controversy that surrounds Vick. The former Virginia Tech star, who was previously imprisoned for his famous involvement in a dog fighting ring, was given a second chance by the Eagles, but he does not seem to be making the best of his situation. While it is understandable that he can not have control over everything that goes on around him, it would be in his best interest to try to stay under the radar as much as possible.
It seems that Vick has put the Eagles in a difficult position. With the release of Donovan McNabb this off-season, the team showed they are committed to quarterback Kevin Kolb, with Vick backing him up. Now the team will have to decide whether Vick is worth the risk.
Jaws says Eagles look energized; Vick voted most hated athlete
If Ron Jaworski is to be believed the Eagles are a team with a ton of energy right now. With so many young players on their roster and the likes of Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Sheldon Brown no longer in the fold, there is a sense that things are fresher than they have been in years.
Bellow is an excerpt from profootballtalk.com
“I’ve spoken to a number of players, a number of the coaches, and the one thing I sense that was probably missing over the last couple years is energy,” Jaworski said this week to Mike Missanelli on 97.5, via Sheil Kapedia of Philly.com. “There’s almost that little-kid enthusiasm right now within the organization because of the changes they’ve made.”
Time will tell if that energy translates into more wins.
In other News Michael Vick has been named the Most Disliked Person in Sports by a poll provided by Forbes. Nothing too surprising there as people who read Forbes are still a little upset about the whole dog fighting thing. Rounding out the top five were Al Davis, Ben Roethlisberger, Tiger Woods and Jerry Jones.
Joe Gibbs doesn’t understand
Remember when Joe Gibbs was retired from football and just stuck with his racing team?
Yea, those were the good days.
Gibbs threw in his two sense about the Eagles trading Donovan McNabb. Naturally the former Redskins coach can’t understand the move and think the Eagles are fools. Bellow is an except of his conversation with ESPN’s First Take courtesy of our friends at Profootballtalk.com:
“I didn’t quite understand that one,” Gibbs said when asked about the trade in an interview on ESPN First Take. “Because what you’re doing is you’re taking someone in the division and giving them a quarterback.”
Gibbs said that he has first-hand knowledge of McNabb’s abilities from coaching against him, and that the Eagles just gave the Redskins exactly the kind of quarterback they need.
“My problem with Donovan was when we played against them, he hurt us,” Gibbs said. “He’s a big man, he scrambles out of the pocket, he’s hard to get down, and when he gets out of the pocket, he makes big plays down the field.”
Added Gibbs of McNabb in a Redskins uniform, “I think Philly’s going to be holding their breath on this one.”
Well Gibbs, we here at PhillySportsBlogs think you’re old and should have been out of the game years ago. … Speaking of that, take it away Jim Carry.
McNabb Apologizes
Donovan McNabb apologized Friday, to the fans in Philadelphia for not bringing home a Super Bowl trohpy to the city. The former Eagles quarterback spent 11 seasons in the city of brotherly love, taking the team to the 2004 Super Bowl and 7 playoff appearances, but was unable to bring home the ultimate prize.
The quarterback, who was traded to NFC East rival Washington Redskins during the off-season, feels that he let the city down by not achieving his goal. While many fans had hoped the face of the franchise would bring a much needed championship to the city, the overall feel seems to be sad to see him depart, especially to a rival.
So the question is, do you think Donovan needed to apologize? Whether he needed to or not, I think his intentions are good. He feels he let down a great amount of people who supported him, through the good and the bad, down and by acknowledging his own disappointment, shows how much he cares and looks fondly on his time in Philly.
McNabb has certainly cemented a place in Eagles history, only time will tell if his successor will be able to deliver a Championship.
What do you think of McNabbs apology?
McNabb-Westbrook together again?
Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook might still be teammates after all.
Westbrook was in Washington for a visit with the Redskins/ If the Skins decide to take a chance on Westbrook, he will be paired with McNabb, who the team acquired earlier in the offseason.
Bellow is an excerpt from an Associated Press report:
The longtime Philadelphia Eagles standout visited the Redskins on Wednesday. General manager Bruce Allen called it “a good meeting” and that he will “probably have some meetings down the road” with the 30-year-old back.
The Redskins already have plenty of experienced star power at the position. In addition to 28-year-old incumbent Clinton Portis, they’ve added 30-year-old Larry Johnson and 29-year-old Willie Parker this offseason.
While I still think Westbrook can be a great third down back I don’t see Washington would bring him on considering their depth at the position. If they do sign him, expect Portis, Johnson or Parker to be cut in training camp — maybe even two of the three.
For the Eagles sake I hope this doesn’t happen. Having McNabb come to town in a different uniform will seem strange enough without Westbrook being beside him.
Eagles give Kevin Kolb extension
Not that there was any question that Kevin Kolb was the Eagles leading man after the team traded Donovan McNabb to Washington earlier this month, but Philadelphia reinforced the point today signing Kolb to a one-year contract extension.
The deal gives Kolb a guaranteed contract of $12.26 million over the next two years.
This was a move expected by many. When the team trades away a player like McNabb it has throw some dollars to the new QB and that’s exactly what they did. Another smart thing about this deal is that it doesn’t cripple the team should Kolb not pan out as planned.
Read the complete details on philly.com.
These people must be high
The date 4/20 is associated with — by some — as national marijuana day. While we here at Philly Sports Blogs are not endorsing such activity it has been brought to my attention that many of our current athletes are high all the time. Maybe not in the literal sense (well, yes, in the NBA it is the literal sense), but in the sense that they must be high to do some of the things they have been doing. So here is a list of a few people and organizations that are acting so dumb it must be as a result of narcotics.
NASCAR: Look at Denny Hamlin in the photo. After winning the Samsung 500 he came out in this getup. Does he think he’s is, Yosemite Sam?
Gilbert Arenas was looking at jail time after bringing a gun into a locker room. I know the guns Hamlin showed off were not real and the situation is quite different, but what type of message is NASCAR sending.
Its crap like that that will keep the sport’s reputation as hick entertainment.
Roger Goodell: This three-day draft idea is pure garbage. Clearly he has never hear of the “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” saying. Much more on this in Thursday’s Grinding my Gears.
Donovan McNabb: Now you want T.O. to be your teammate. Did you see him in Buffalo last year. He’s not the same guy that caught bombs from you in 2001. He is still the guy, who drops a pass a game though. I get the whole fresh start idea, but asking to reunite with T.O. sounds like asking for trouble.
Ed Stefanski: Time and time again since the firing of Eddie Jordan he has insisted that he did not overestimate the talent of the roster and that he believes the roster he has can get it done with a few tweaks. Only major drugs can make someone believe that.
Joakim Noah: It was clear in his days with Florida that this guy wasn’t all there. Now he’s just making an ass of himself. Noah continues to throw jabs at the Cavaliers and the city of Cleveland. Meanwhile he team is on its way to being swept out of the playoffs.
He said that he chooses to stay in his hotel room because there is nothing to do in the city. He then calls Kevin Garnett a dirty player. Keep in mind that the Bulls will have a ton of cap room this offseason and are looking to lure LeBron James or Dwayne Wade to town.
But what superstar in their right mind would want to play next to this fool?
Lineups announced for Opening Day
And now we step away from Donovan McNabb. Don’t forget, it’s baseball season now.
The Phillies open up their 2010 season today at 1:05 against the Washington Nationals in what is an early season mismatch between the best team in the division the last three years and a traditional bottom-feeder.
Roy Halladay makes his Phillies debut today in the nation’s capital, only after the President throws out the first pitch.
It should be a beautiful day down in Washington as the forecast is clear. Nothing better than daytime baseball in the spring.
Here are your starting lineups:
Phillies
1. Jimmy Rollins (SS)
2. Placido Polanco (3B)
3. Chase Utley (2B)
4. Ryan Howard (1B)
5. Jayson Werth (RF)
6. Raul Ibanez (LF)
7. Shane Victorino (CF)
8. Carlos Ruiz (C)
9. Roy Halladay (P)
Nationals
1. Nyjer Morgan (CF)
2. Willie Harris (RF)
3. Ryan Zimmerman (3B)
4. Adam Dunn (1B)
5. Josh Willingham (LF)
6. Adam Kennedy (2B)
7. Ivan Rodriguez (C)
8. Ian Desmond (SS)
9. John Lannan (P)
Did Reid get best value for McNabb?
Andy Reid has never been one to put on an entertaining press conference – ever.
So it should come to no surprise that Reid gave few details in his post -Donovan McNabb trade press conference. One thing that jumped out Sunday night was his refusal to answer a question which is sure to be discussed in Philly from now until the two teams meet next season.
The question: Was the offer from the Redskins (Second round pick this year, No. 37, and a third or fourth next year) the best on the table?
Reid sidestepped the question twice, answering that he did what was best for the Philadelphia and that he felt that Washington was a great fit for McNabb.
Later on CSN he repeated that he wanted to do what is best for Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles.
So was there a better offer from a team like the Raiders that wouldn’t have made McNabb happy? Did Reid turn down a better offer from Buffalo because McNabb didn’t want to be there? Did Reid’s personal relationship with McNabb have an impact on his business decision?
In a perfect world both McNabb and the Eagles could get got the best possible deal out of this. This isn’t a perfect world, though.
This is a question that will be debated often. It’s one of about 100 questions that have popped up since the deal went down.
For the first time since 1999 the Eagles will have a leader under center not wearing No. 5
The post-McNabb era has officially begun.
Donovan McNabb traded to Redskins
This time it’s not an April’s Fools joke.
According to espn.com, the Eagles have reached a deal to trade quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. That’s right, he’s staying in the NFC East.
Bellow is an excerpt:
The Philadelphia Eagles have reached agreement on a blockbuster intra-division trade that will send perennial Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins according to multiple sources close to the situation.
The two sides still must finalize language, but McNabb is now headed to Washington. Sources said the deal involved the Redskins’ second-round pick in the 2010 draft and either a third- or fourth-round pick next year, depending on several factors.
The move means the Redskins now have a new starting quarterback and the Eagles have a new one as well in Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick is now in line as the team’s backup.
Read the whole story here:
The timing of the news is surreal as we are just hours away from the Phillies opening up their 2010 season. Boy is the city is going to be buzzing. Philly Sports Blogs will have much more reaction to McNabb going to a divisional rival once the story is officaly confirmed.
For now?
Wow. Just wow.
Raiders closing in on McNabb
It looks like the Donovan McNabb era in Philadelphia will truly be coming to an end.
ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Raiders have emerged as the front runner for the quarterback and have all of the ingredients for the trade in place.
You can read the entire article here.
After reading this report there is only one thought in mind: Only the Raiders.
Oakland appears willing to deal away its second round pick (No. 39 overall) for McNabb even if he does not sign a contract extension before the deal is completed. This means they would be giving away a top pick for a one-year rental. Does anyone believe the Raiders will contend next year even with McNabb? Of course not. They are several years away from contention, but with Al Davis running the ship this news is not all that surprising.
If these reports do turn out to be true I would have to laud the Eagles for making the move. Knowing that the team does not intend on bringing McNabb back after next year, the ability to get a high second round pick in a stocked draft this season is a good bargain.
The only losers in this deal would be Oakland.
And that’s something Raiders fans are quite used to now.
In case you missed it …
With all of the excitement in the NCAA Tournament this past weekend you may have missed some of the things that took place here in Philadelphia. Heck you may missed things because you had a family commitment or simply were out boozing with friends. We don’t discriminate here. Whatever the reason, Philly Sports Blogs has you covered. In what will become a Monday tradition, we unveil the first “In Case You Missed it.”
Because even though you are not always watching, we are.
— Playing goalie for the Flyers might be the most dangerous position in all of sports right now. Johan Backlund, the latest victim of the injury bug, never even got a chance to show his worth. Making his first start in place of the injured Michael Leighton, who was in for the injured Ray Emery and the slumping Brian Boucher, Backlund left Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Penguins in the second period after aggravating a groin injury. Taking Backlund’s place on the roster is Carter Sutton, who was called up from the Phantoms. Sutton only appeared in four games for the Phantoms, going 1-2-1 with a 2.70 goals-against average.
—The Flyers salvaged the weekend. The news wasn’t all bad for the Orange and Black as they put together their best effort in the month of March with a 5-1 thrashing of the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. It was a much needed win as it moved the Flyers into a 6th place tie in the Eastern Conference with Montreal and four points ahead of 9th place Atlanta.
— The Sixers (yes they are still playing) actually put together a nice win on Friday, defeating the Atlanta Hawks, 105-98. It was the second-straight win for Philadelphia, something that could be cause for celebration they way the team has played. One of the recent revelations has been Jason Kapono, who has stepped into the starting lineup and produced. He scored 14 points against Atlanta, and 10 in Wednesday’s win against the Bucks. Who knew that putting an actual shooter on the floor would force opposing teams to lengthen their defense, thus creating more space for the other Sixers on the floor?
— Donovan McNabb is still here. Nothing more to be said.
— Ryan Madson will open the season as the Phillies closer. With Brad Lidge set to start the season on the DL, Charlie Manuel elected to go with Madson over the newly-acquired Danys Baez. Madson struggled in that role last year, saving 10 of 16 games and posting a 5.82 ERA, but gets a clean slate to work with. So what happens if Madson starts the season on fire saving 6 of 6 games? Does Lidge still come back and take over?Likely, but it sure will be fun debating about it.
So there’s your Philly weekend in a nutshell, just in case you missed it.
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