Here We Go Again .......

Howard Eskin: Just reported on TV Eagles have some interest in b farve once they trade kolb. Sources told me its possible. Not sure what farve thinks

Jeff McLane: I'm not discounting @howardeskin report about #Eagles interest in Brett Favre. But a team source told me it's still a "long shot" and ... that "a lot of things would need to fall into place" for it to happen. BTW, there's was never a denial about the #Eagles' interest.

Well Here's An Interesting Story

Jon Gruden allegedly spent Sunday Night meeting with Andy Reid.

Well, that's more of where we are at now. Where have we been the past day? Well for the past 24 hours, the questions has been more of where haven't we been. Sometime during the Super Bowl last night, a story that I was only made aware of after the Big Game broke. That story? Jon Gruden is replacing Andy Reid as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. After being taken somewhat seriously for the night, it got shot down quicker than a MLB video on YouTube by every Eagles beat writer and even national outlets like Adam Schefter and Pro Football Talk. And the Eagles themselves issued a formal denial.

That was 11 hours ago. Why is this still a story then, you ask? First of all, the Eagles have also told us this year that Kevin Kolb was their starter as late as the conclusion of the Week 2 win against Detroit, the Eagles have also told us that Sean McDermott was staying as defensive coordinator after the season ended, and the Eagles said they had no plans on trading McNabb last off-season. And that's all been in the past year. Suffice to say, they are not a primary, go to source for information at this point.

The real answer may seem unbelievable, but one journalist and blog writer, Cody Benjamin, has been in contact with sources he trusts and have steered him in the right direction in the past (Cody knew Dawkins was leaving for Denver 4 days before it actually happened), remain confident that after working the ESPN Pre-game show, Gruden flew up to Philadelphia where he ultimately spent the night. In the morning, shortly before every denial in the world, he was spotted at the Eagles' NovaCare Complex.

Two things two consider here. First of all, Cody allegedly got in contact with Gruden's people. Instead of issuing a flat out denial, instead of saying "what? You thought Gruden was in Philly? Nah, Jon's at home in Tampa," and ending this once and for all, Gruden's agent gave no comment. If this were the complete fabrication and joke everyone is saying it is, wouldn't Gruden's agent have said so?

Then, around an hour ago, the report from Cody that I started this post with came out. There was an initial thought that Andy Reid is unwell and needs to step down for off-the-field reasons. If Reid is unwell, he is not so unwell that he can't spend a night at Ruth Chris's Steakhouse. It could be two friends having dinner one night, but the sightings at the NovaCare Complex and the fact that common sense would dictate that Gruden flying to Philadelphia on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon to meet with Reid is aloof enough in it of itself to warrant speculation that something bigger is going on. For what it is worth, Reid and Gruden were sighted at said steakhouse a couple hours after they had closed to the public. As I have verified with my own research, you can book a private reservation their past the hour the restaurant closes to the public (9:00 PM on Sunday). Hell, you can book them as late as 12:45 if you want.

Is Reid stepping down? Is Reid stepping up into a front office role? If so, is Gruden the replacement? Is Cody, an aspiring journalist who is currently employed to two newspapers, has his own blog, and contributes to another being lied to? Just how crazy is former Eagles fullback Kyle Eckel, who fueled the rumor last night, said it was a joke this morning, said he was just being careless this afternoon and shouldn't have said anything, and told Cody to not pursue this any farther tonight? Are Adam Schefter, PFT, Les Bowen, Jeff McLane, Reuben Frank, and other Eagles beat writers about to be out-scooped?

I don't know for sure if Cody is right or not, but I can't wait to see how this ends.

Update, February 8, 2011, 4:25 PM: Here is a statement released by Cody on the report.

Danny Knobbler Would Like To Cause A Frenzy In Philadelphia

I believe I've gone on responsible reporting rants before so I won't do too much with this one other than point out the irresponsible reporting on the part of CBS's Danny Knobbler, who in writing about the Phillies interest in Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt has caused quite a bit of anger amongst Phillies fans. Which would be fine, if for a few seconds Knobbler thought about what he was writing and how he was writing it, something he clearly did not. That is not to say that reporters and columnists can't say bad things about Philadelphia, they can, but it has got to be something better than this, and something that can be proven as factual. From CBS.com.

Astros owner Drayton McLane told the team's website that "nothing's imminent" on the trade front, and suggested that any deal would wait until closer to the July 31 deadline.

A deal for Oswalt remains complicated, for all the reasons we explained last month and more. ESPN.com reported Wednesday that Oswalt would require a team to pick up his 2012 option as part of agreeing to any deal, and sources said the Phillies aren't inclined to do that. Oswalt may not really want to pitch in Philadelphia in any case, having told people in Houston that he would rather not go anywhere with a large and aggressive media contingent.

Notice something missing? Like, oh, I don't know, A DIRECT QUOTE! I have checked Houston media sources and Astros beat writers and I am yet to find anything about Oswalt not wanting to play for Philadelphia because of the "aggressive media." Knobbler indicates his source as "people in Houston." Well? Who are these people? Where can I go to confirm that Oswalt said such a thing?

And while the Oswalt-St.Louis trade talks may be very real, I am left wondering whether or not this would actually happen. After all, St. Louis has Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, and rookie sensation Jaime Garcia in their starting rotation. The last thing the Cards need is another starting pitcher, especially when their offense outside of Albert Pujols is not a very good one when facing teams not named the Philadelphia Phillies.

Now For A Whole Post Dedicated To Donovan McNabb

When it comes to these McNabb trades, I think I have a tendency to throw around nuts and bolts of things without giving you all the necessary background information on the deal. Seeing as the seemingly impending McNabb deal as so many nooks and crannies to it, I figured I would put up an article on here that explains everything really well as to what McNabb's contract is like, why the Raiders are the current front-runners, and why a deal may not get done until after this year's draft. From the National Football Post.

Why would the Eagles trade Donovan McNabb?

Although this is a major organizational decision to move on from the team’s signature player for the past decade, it appears to be more about Kevin Kolb than McNabb.

The Eagles, like the Packers two years ago with Aaron Rodgers, have identified their future at the position and are prepared to move on with that player. Kolb has the confidence of the coaches and management that he’s ready to assume the role of leading the team.

Like the Packers two years ago, the team would not be prepared to move on from their longtime fixture at quarterback if there was not a strong option. It’s not like the Packers or the Eagles would have to resort to a stopgap veteran while they looked for a successor. The successors were/are already in the building.

Teams evolve, and it’s hard to know the right time to make a change. The Eagles have apparently decided the time is now.

Why is McNabb’s contract a big part of any trade negotiations?

For the Eagles to consummate a trade, there will be two negotiations in play simultaneously. As with the Jason Peters negotiations mentioned on Monday, there are two parts to the deal.

First will be the negotiations between the Eagles and the acquiring club over the compensation for McNabb. Related to that, however, is the financial compensation for McNabb beyond 2010. Were a team to acquire him without a contract extension, it would, in effect, be renting him for the season while preparing another player for the future.

Acquiring McNabb without an accompanying contract extension would (or should) merit far less in trade compensation to the Eagles than acquiring him with an extension, thereby securing McNabb as a long-term solution at quarterback. That is, of course, unless the acquiring team is the Raiders.

Why would the Raiders acquire McNabb without a contract extension?

As we know, the Raiders tend to do things a bit differently, perhaps for that reason alone. Prior to last season, they acquired defensive end Richard Seymour from the Patriots in the last year of his contract and did not secure, or even attempt to secure, a contract extension. Rather, they placed an exclusive franchise tag on Seymour for 2010 and now have Seymour’s services for at least two years – 2009 and 2010 – and about $16 million in exchange for the 2011 first-round pick they surrendered. Using that as a guide, the Raiders might be the one team that would trade for McNabb without an extension.

With JaMarcus Russell due $9.45M this year and McNabb due $11.2M, the Raiders would have $20.65M in cash expense to two quarterbacks, along with the second-round tender signed by Bruce Gradkowski of $1.76M. If they decide to part ways with Russell, they would be on the hook for $3M of his contract, the amount guaranteed for this year, after having paid Russell $36.35M since he arrived in 2007. There may never have been so much paid for so little in the history of the NFL.

Why is McNabb’s roster bonus the defining date for any trade from the Eagles?

As part of a renegotiation last year, the Eagles gave McNabb significant raises from what was due for 2009 and 2010 without any additional years added. Here are some particulars from McNabb’s contract adjustment (it was not an extension) in June of last year:

• McNabb’s 2009 salary of $9.2M was guaranteed, and $3.5M of his 2010 salary of $5M was guaranteed.

• $500,000 ($31,250 per game) of 45-man active roster bonuses were added for both 2009 and 2010.

• $1M ($500,000 per season) of potential Super Bowl incentives were added.

• A $2.8M roster bonus in 2009 was added.

• A $6.2M roster bonus in 2010 was added.

Unlike many large roster bonuses, which are due on or around the first day of the new league year – usually in early March – McNabb’s bonus is due on an express date two months after the start of the 2010 league year, May 5. Obviously, this date was put in to allow the Eagles to evaluate their options and situation after the 2010 draft. Simply, the later the date for the earning of the roster bonus, the more options they may have, or so they would think.

The quid pro quo of the June adjustment was that McNabb was able to have raises in both years with no strings attached in terms of commitment beyond 2010, while the Eagles have maintained the flexibility of paying-as-they-go to McNabb, keeping options open for a future where all of their quarterbacks have expiring contracts.

The May date – as opposed to early March, as in the Michael Vick contract -- was a benefit for the team, allowing the flashpoint timing of the draft to sort out their situation. The issue will take on greater meaning if the draft passes with May 5 hot on its heels. Writing a check for $6.2M raises the stakes, and that must happen if McNabb is still an Eagle on Cinco de Mayo.

Again, we will see, with a date now certain by which McNabb’s home team for the upcoming season will be known.

I hope that clears up a lot of questions that you may have had regarding this situation. It's like I said before, in years before this I did not think there was a chance in hell that the Eagles would ever trade McNabb, even as recently as last off-season. Now I think they are at a point where there is no turning back. Kolb is untouchable. Teams saw Michael Vick throw this off-season. The Eagles can't enter training camp with 3 QBs in the last year of their contract. In years past, I would have been shocked if the Eagles did trade McNabb. This year, I'll be beyond shocked and stunned if they don't.

The Carnival Is Back In Town

Isn't this time of year the best? Seriously. There have been countless rumors going around that Team X and Team Y are interested in Donovan McNabb and then there is the standard the denial that no offer is on the table and so on and so forth. But a curious set of statements today followed by the most concrete rumor we've ever heard on the matter makes it seem like the Donovan McNabb error may really be coming to an end.

The day started with a statement from Andy Reid.

``I’m listening (to offers) out there,’’ Reid said at the NFC coaches media breakfast. ``I’m not saying I’m doing anything. But we’re keeping our ears open.’’

This is the first time that Andy Reid has ever wavered from his position of "sod off and die, we are not trading McNabb". It was reported about a month of so ago that the Eagles FO wanted to trade McNabb but Andy Reid was playing the role of the holdfast. Now that it seems Reid is letting up on what has always been a firm stance of the Eagles are not trading McNabb, perhaps something is imminent.

But, that was just the start of what was a wild day for the Eagles. Later on in the early afternoon, Donovan McNabb had a few words on the situation himself via his blog.

I was asked to respond to statements made at the NFL owners meetings that the Eagles would entertain offers to trade any of their three QBs. Here is my response:

"My position hasn't changed. I've said all along that I would like to win a Super Bowl and finish my career in Philadelphia.

"I understand the situation well and just hope whichever direction the Eagles decide to go in, they do it quickly. I think that would be best for me, Kevin, Michael, the Eagles, and any other teams involved. No matter what happens, I've already begun preparing to have an outstanding season in 2010."

He says he wants to stay and finish his career in Philly, but does that last paragraph really sound like he is optimistic that he is returning next season?

But the bombshell of the day was dropped earlier this evening by Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane.

The Eagles have an offer on the table that would give them St. Louis' second-round draft pick (33d overall) in exchange for McNabb, according to a league source. The deal, however, is "not yet completed," and the Eagles have other offers, the source said.

The Eagles had no comment. Rams general manager Billy Devaney told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he has not "talked to Philadelphia about any of their players."

Rams free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe could also be involved in the deal, according to speculation. Atogwe is a restricted free agent that has yet to sign his tender. He couldn't be traded until he signed his tender, which was at the lowest level.

McNabb would be willing to go to the Rams if he was given a contract extension, according to a source close to the situation. He would not be willing to play for Buffalo or Oakland, two moribund franchises that might be willing to take McNabb without an extension.

That rumor pretty much shook the foundation of Eagles fandom. The 33rd overall pick for Donovan McNabb? Immediately my thought was, if this offer is on the table, and the Eagles were to turn it down, then for Andy Reid an eternity with Beelzebub and all of his hellish fiends would be nothing short of a picnic in paradise in comparison to what I would do to him if I ever got him alone in a dark room for 5 minutes with a sharp, pointy pencil in my grasp.

Sadly, a couple of hours after that story broke, the Rams issued what may have been the most vehement denial in the history of denials.

Per Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Rams G.M. Billy Devaney says that report of a trade is "[a]bsolutely false" and "utterly ridiculous."

Howard Eskin of WIP echoes that report, citing an unnamed high-ranking Rams official who said that the Rams have never even spoken to the Eagles about McNabb.

Well then. So much for that one.

So after all that, what are we left with? Well, reports have been floated and around and substantiated that there is not a single person in the NFL that would touch Vick with a 10 foot pole, let alone sign him on their team. Cross him off the trading list. The Eagles value Kolb more than anything and unless some team has concocted a plan to give us 8 first round draft picks for him, then Kolb will be an Eagle next year. Cross him off the trading list. It is also highly doubtful that the Eagles want to keep all 3 QBs again next year, so at this point, the odd man out is Donovan McNabb. We've known for awhile that teams are interested in him and it is becoming more and more clear that the Eagles are willing to listen to other team's offers. More specifically according to Jay Glazer, the Bills and the Raiders as well as two other unnamed teams have interest in trading for the Pro Bowl Eagles starting QB. I will go out on a limb and say that those unnamed teams are some combination of St. Louis, Minnesota, Arizona, and Seattle.

If you are looking at what would be a solid deal if you are talking a straight up trade for McNabb, look for a 2nd round draft pick at best and at worst a 3rd round draft pick. And another thing here is that the Eagles are the same team that traded for Jason Peters and signed Michael Vick behind everybody's back. No one rumors were ever out beforehand and no one knew until the deal was done.

Just like it was last July and December when the Phillies were trying to get Roy Halladay, the carnival is back in town. Strap yourselves in, it's going to be a wild ride.

The Debunking Of A Rumor That Jeff Carter Put His Non-Hockey Stick In Scott Hartnell's Wife

There are plenty of good things about blogs and the fact that these days just about anybody can have their own website. But the downside of that is the one simple fact that pretty much every idiot can have their own website these days. And that's what happened to Jeff Carter and Scott Hartnell.

If you've been reading around by now, you know the story of the "rumor" spread by a web site (not actually a blog as the Philadelphia Inquirer will have you believe; it may be no good, but let's call a website that can be described as a poor ripoff of a website like CSN Philly here a website and let's not mis-categorize it just to fulfill our stereotypes of bloggers), called the thephillyfour.com a week ago where it's author Jerry Brennan, got a "story" from someone he claims to be a "reliable source" that told him that Jeff Carter had an affair with Scott Hartnell's wife. In not so nice terms, Carter banged his teammate's wife.

Now every person outside of Mr. Brennan has all agreed on one basic principle here. This is a false story. Now I'm not going to go on a long-winded explanation further shoving this story down the throat of Mr. Brennan, that would be useless.

Instead I will direct you to other sources such as Deadspin, and Puck Daddy, who interestingly enough, may have discovered Jerry Brennan's reliable source that, well, is quite laughable, for how interesting is it that Jerry Brennan was not the first person to break this story? Read the Puck Daddy article for more on that as I am too lazy to copy and paste all his screenshots on the ordeal.

The Flyers are in a tailspin now and there are some legitimate reports that there is some locker room friction within the team, however, this story is not the cause of it. Whenever a team is in an unwanted and unexpected tailspin, this stuff pops up all the time, but it brings up an interesting point that as people with our own websites and blogs, we must be careful of what we put out there for the entire world to access it if need be. Jerry Brennan was a lot like us, he's not a big-named guy in the Philly sports media world, not many people go to him for their Philly sports updates, but if you put out something like that that's controversial and the right person by some twist of chance lands on your page and picks it up and publishes it, then you are responsible for that piece even if you legitimately thought that there was no one alive that read your site. What started out as a class project has upset Hartnell and Carter so much that that they have stated that they are upset that someone would report such a thing.

My point is this: even if you are not a big name and even if you believe only 3 people read your blog regularly, be careful of what you put out there as you never know who else is reading. Everything I put on here I try to get from credible sources and if the story is questionnable, I search around for proof of it.

Now Jerry Brennan was a different situation, he received some "insider information" (although his insider information has come from a bogus gossip site as Puck Daddy points out). But even if it was actual information like the tip that I got earlier this year from someone my dad knows who knows Eagles President Joe Banner in the off-season that the Eagles were going to make a "big move", I keep it to myself and if I trust you enough to not say anything, I will tell you don't say anything but here is what I heard and move on with it. Knowing that it is insider information that may not be true is enough to get me to not start something and put me in the middle of something that I do not want to be in the middle of like poor Jerry Brennan is now.

Now what was that big move and did it happen? I don't know. It could have been the plan of drafting Maclin, it could have been the plan of trading for Jason Peters, it could have been that there was already a plan in place to pick up Michael Vick. But if I had reported that on this blog, and someone would have picked it up, there would have been a firestorm against me, and even with these things happening, I don't know, if I would have been vindicated as sure, I could say, look I was right, the big move was Mike Vick, surely, it had to have been. But then again, you could say, no, how could everyone have thought that out that early in advance. In other words, perception is not reality, reality is reality and the reality is I could have posted something with no hard evidence that would have never been fully proven right either inside of our little community or outside of it if a big name picked it up.

Like I said, every person in this day and age can have a website and a blog, just don't be an idiot with it or else dangerous things can happen. Jerry Brennan now knows that all too well.

This Is The Dawning Of The Rest Of Our Lives

Here we go! And you thought the Roy Halladay rumors were bad before the trade deadline. Today and today alone, the Halladay talk has ratcheted up 1,000 degrees to a whole new level. Ken Rosenthal has pinned the Phillies (along with the Angels) as the frontrunners to land Halladay, Todd Zolecki went on WIP today and reported that the Phillies were a frontrunner for Halladay.

All the moves the Phillies have not been making in terms of their pitching staff: the not re-signing of Eyre and Park, the not persuing Brandon Lyon. All of the crazy rumors that have circulated, such as trading Joe Blanton and signing John Smoltz, it all makes sense if the Phillies sign Halladay. They need to clear up some salary space, so of course they are not going to sign 2 people that want a shitload of money right now, and Blanton is due another shitload of cash, so if the plan is Halladay, then it all makes sense because you need 3 shitloads of cash for him. Smoltz is going to be fairly cheap nowadays and really he can be a back-of-the-rotation starter or a reliever. I'm not crazy about Smoltz, but it makes sense if we get Halladay and naturally, regardless of his feelings about Citizens Bank Park, he is going to want to go to a winner.

The way I see it, the Phillies have gone deep into this. The rumors have gone too far. The Phillies cannot come out of the upcoming weeks without Roy Halladay. They just can't. We've been pulled in to deep once again. Last time we got away with thievery by nabbing Cliff Lee for an incredibly low price (relatively speaking). The Jays need to get rid of him ASAP. What is the price and how will this end? Because like it or not, it's going to end with either the ultimate euphoria or the ultimate heartbreak.

But alas, this is the dawning of the rest of our lives on holiday Halladay.

This Is Why You Don't Get Angry At The Yankees For "Buying" Championships

Because when your team (in this case) the Phillies position themselves to do the same thing, it can be, in the words of Dash Treyhorn of The Fightins on Twitter, "pants wettingly awesome". The rumors of Doc Halladay to Philly have started up again and while it looks like the Phillies will end up parting with J.A. Happ, to get Doc for now would be worth it. The Phils have Drabek waiting in the wings as the young guy and, I've brought this up before, with the core of the 2008 team sure to disintegrate in 365 days, you gotta make 2010 the year.

It's official. The Phillies have declined the $5M dollar option on Pedro Feliz. And while they could theoretically sign him for less, considering all that is out on the market, I would be shocked if they kept Pete Happy just based off of the fact there are so many 3rd basemen free agents this year. The names being tossed to Philadelphia the most are Chone Figgins and Adrian Beltre. Both have their benefits and drawbacks. Figgins is lightning fast and gets on base a lot, but he is not exactly Mr. Postseason and despite his speed, he does get caught a lot (although Davey Lopes is one of the best base-running coaches there is, so that could fix that; after all Ryan Howard is 9 for 9 career stealing bases). Beltre on the other hand I am reading would fit in perfectly with the Phillies clubhouse, although he appears to be injury prone, especially as he is the only player in the majors who plays without a cup. The more I read, the more I would be shocked if Beltre does not end up a Phillie. While it seems like Figgins could remain in LA with the Angels now and the names Mark DeRosa, Placido Polanco, and Dan Uggla who would convert from 2nd to 3rd have been tossed around to Philly, the likeliness of them coming to Philly is probably not as high as Adrian Beltre's.

Another interesting discussion with the Phillies is that of the closer. As much as I know some want it, Brad Lidge is not going to be traded this off-season, period. The Phillies owe him way too much money for that to happen and who would we get for him? A 5th starter? Meh. A bullpen guy? Talk about a horrible move, especially with Lidge reverts back to '08 form after surgery. A 3rd basemen? With all of the guys on the market this year, no fucking way. However, that does not mean that Lidge or for that matter, Ryan Madson, will be the teams closer this year. According to MLBTradeRumors.com, the Phillies could be able to land the best available free agent closer, Jose Valverde for a real bargain. According to Tim Dierkes of MLBTR

"One way to shore up a shaky bullpen: sign the best closer available. Few teams are seeking closers, and even fewer have money, so the Phillies should be able to get a relative bargain."

I like Valverde and that would be a good move, besides, I like Madson 20 times better as an 8th inning set up man. He got his shot at closer this year and while he was better than Lidge was this year, he was still shaky and I would not trust him in that position for the whole season. It would be the same song and dance as last year at closer.

But we're not done yet. In fact, I have not dropped the bombshell on you yet. Actually, I mentioned this above, but the Doc Halladay to Philly rumors have started up again. Last time, Ricciardi wanted way the farm and Happ, the Phillies were unwilling to deal that much for him so they turned to Cleveland and paid a lot less relatively speaking for this guy named Cliff Lee. Ricciardi is out of Toronto now, and given the fact that he was somewhat shaky in the post-season both in his Colorado start and coming out in the pen, they could be willing to deal him, especially if the farm price is not too high. I am more confident about parting with Happ now than I was back before the deadline. That being said, though, Halladay is also a free agent in a yearso whether it's him or Lee, if the Phillies will make the move, they will have to lock one of them up long-term.

I know not everyone believes in "buying" teams through free agency and it may not be right and fair to the Tampa Bays of the league, if you are in the position where your payroll dictates you can and you have the solid management and a good skipper like the Yankees do with Girardi and can get the group of players to come together like that, it really is a beautiful thing to watch. The Yankees did it in 2009. In 2010, to quote the gramatically awful slogan of the 2008 run, why can't us?

Whether you are for what may transpire or are against what may transpire, one thing is for sure, the Phillies may be about to take the baseball world and all of the Phillies fanbase on the ride of their lives that no may never be forgotten.

Kendra Will Soon Weep...

The Eagles have to make room for the Garcia signing, and it looks like in all likelihood that Kendra's hubby will be out of a job. From ESPN's Sal Paolantonio via Rotoworld.

According to ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, the Eagles have placed WR Hank Baskett on the trade block.

The Eagles need to make room for Jeff Garcia, so they have to cut or trade someone. They'd like to get rid of Reggie Brown, but nobody is making an offer. The Eagles have a slew of young receivers and can afford to move.

I'm pretty sure that says more about Reggie Brown than it does Hank Baskett. Let's see, Reggie Brown is a 2nd round draft pick and nobody is willing to take him, yet Hank Baskett came into the Eagles as an undrafted wide receiver previously signed and traded by the Vikings for Billy McMullen (we all know who got the better end of deal), and he is more valuable to most teams than Brown is. Incredible. I would miss Baskett, though, and not just for Kendra and those stories. With all of the smaller, faster receivers the Eagles have, Baskett is a tall guy that can run a fade route in the endzone and while he's not great, that's something that aside from him they don't have. Please, if there is any takers, any, even if it is for only a 7th round draft pick, PLEASE TRADE REGGIE BROWN!

Michael Vick's Fate Will Soon Be Learned; Possible No Suspension At All

With all of the surprises that have gone around the Eagles, it seems as if the most surprising story is heading to a rather un-surprising conclusion. It's more than safe to say that Michael Vick will play before Week 6. Heck, there's a chance that Vick could play Week 1, which assuming that Vick has not broken any clauses that we were not made aware of, also would not be surprising. Via NFL.com

Michael Vick met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell today, according to a source, and a decision on when Vick could be reinstated will likely come by the weekend.

That decision could also come as soon as today, depending on the tenor of the meeting. If the meeting proceed as expected — Vick has abided by all statutes of his probation and league reinstatement — a decision could be expedited.

After talking to some long-term execs with some clubs, there is a sense that a resolution might come with Vick reinstated at the midpoint of the possible timeframe — around Week 3. The Eagles have a tough game in Week 2, and would surely want him back by then.

The Eagles have a bye Week 4, and without a doubt the worst possible scenario would in this as far a Vick's playing time is concerned, is that he comes back Week 5. And that in itself has to be considered a longshot at best at this point in time. But wait, there's a great possibility that through all of this, Michael Vick might not be suspended at all. Which all things considered and the fact that as far as we know he's done everything asked of him, would not be at all surprising. From Fanhouse.

A final resolution to the Michael Vick issue could come as soon as this weekend, and two sources close to the situation told FanHouse that they expect NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to reinstate Vick immediately, making him eligible to play in the Eagles' first regular-season game on Sept. 13 in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers.

ESPN.com reported earlier Wednesday that Goodell is expected to make a decision about further discipline on Vick by Saturday so that the Eagles could take it into account when setting their final 53-man roster. One of the sources confirmed that report, and both said they believe the decision will be a full reinstatement that suspended Vick for no regular season games.

"I think it's a no-brainer," one of the sources said. "The main reason Roger set up the suspension the way he did was to gauge public backlash, and the public backlash has been minimal."

Granted that Fanhouse report was typed last night whereas the NFL.com article was from this morning, but really not much could have changed between now and then.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brett Favre signing with the Vikings was the best thing that happened to Michael Vick for it took the attention away from him and it put it squarely on the shoulders of Favre. Once Vick's name was out of the media everyday, the public cooled down about it and the backlash from it all was greatly reduced from it. After all, the Vick headlines went away right after Favre signed in Minny. So if it turns out there is no suspension at all and if a Vick play is a key factor in an Eagles win at Carolina, then all I'll have to say is Thank Goodness for Brett Favre!

Now Who's Getting Doc Halladay?

With the Phillies getting Cliff Lee, the matter of Roy Halladay is still getting some attention. With the Phils out of the picture, the front-runners appear to be the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox. From Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports

In the wake of the Philadelphia Phillies’ acquisition of starting pitcher Cliff Lee(notes), the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox have become the frontrunners to acquire Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay(notes), according to baseball sources.

While other clubs – the Yankees, notably – remained peripherally engaged, there appeared to be a two-team race for Halladay with a little more than 24 hours left to the non-waiver trading deadline.

Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi has asked for as many as a half-dozen prospects in return for Halladay, the former Cy Young Award winner who would lead the Dodgers’ rotation and join Josh Beckett(notes) atop the Red Sox’s.

The Dodgers’ offer is believed to be all minor league prospects except right-handed pitcher James McDonald(notes), who has pitched 38 major league innings. Starters Chad Billingsley(notes) and Clayton Kershaw(notes) have not been offered, and neither have any of the team’s starting position players.

The Red Sox’s offer includes top pitching prospect Clay Buchholz(notes), as Yahoo! Sports reported Wednesday. The Blue Jays also have been given the choice of reliever Justin Masterson(notes), Triple-A pitcher Michael Bowden(notes) or Double-A first baseman Lars Anderson(notes), with lesser prospects from the farm system filling out the Boston offer. The Red Sox from the beginning have included Buchholz because the Blue Jays made it clear he would have to be the starting point of any deal.

After weeks of believing that the Jays would indeed trade Halladay, I am definitley leaning the other way now. The bottom line is is that not a whole lot of words have been coming out of JP Ricciardi's mouth in order to get this deal done. Pretty much everything that he has said for the past few weeks has come straight out his ass and that is not going to get things done. It also does not help them that they want half of a team for Halladay either. It seems more and more that in the long run, Cliff Lee was the better option for the Phillies than Halladay would have been.

And just a little FYI for those that like to stay up late on the east coast, I will be over at Keith's Sports Journal tonight live blogging the Phillies-Giants game. He's a Giants fan. I'm a Phillies fan. Come on, you just know that this is going to be a good time!

Flyers Interested In Ray Emery???

The Flyers are known as an aggressive hockey team and them and their fans are pretty much hated by everyone in the NHL. However the Flyers may take the aggressiveness to a whole new level, by signing perhaps the most aggressive, physical, problem-causing big-name goalie out there in Ray Emery. Via ALL THINGS PHILLY SPORTS.

While common sense would point to the Flyers re-signing Biron and allowing recently signed Johan Backlund be the back-up when Niittymaki signs elsewhere, apparently the Flyers are looking at other options. Rumors have surfaced that the Flyers have had discussions with hothead goaltender Ray Emery, formerly of the Ottawa Senators, with the idea of bringing him in as the starting goaltender. Emery did lead the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007, but has since been basically banished to the KHL, a Russian League, after Ottawa waived him for poor play and bad off-ice behavior in 2008. Emery did have a stellar season in the KHL, putting up a 22-8 record and a sparkling 2.12 goals against average, and by all reports his behavior has improved. Still, how can the Flyers be seriously considering handing this guy the keys to the net?

I have to agree with ATPS on this one. While he may have a solid upside and may be a slight upgrade, his downside his so much that it may end up being one of those Dan Carcillo-esque moves. The downside is so much that the fact that he may be just a tad better than Marty Biron who has shown time and time again that he is all about the team and has not caused trouble once. Ever since Ron Hextall retired, the Flyers, a team that had always had consistency between the pipes with the likes of the great Bernie Parent, Pelle Lindbergh who was a young goalie in the 80s that was considered to be the next Bernie Parent until his life was taken from him way too soon in a car crash, and the aforementioned Ron Hextall, have had inconsistency between the pipes at best and no one has ever really lasted in Philadelphia for more than a few years. Since his retirement in 1999, the goalies that have more or less been featured by the Flyers include John Vanbiesbrouck, Brian Boucher, Roman Cechmanek, Robert Esche, Anterro Nittymaki, Jeff Hackett, Sean Burke, and Martin Biron. And perhaps most amazing of all, is that in the seasons played in this time frame, the Flyers have only missed the playoffs once. Meanwhile for comparisons sake with the goalies, the New Jersey Devils have had Martin Brodeur for that entire timeframe!

While I am not necessarily saying that Martin Biron can't become a Flyers staple if he can play on a consistent level (he's the best thing they have going for them), I'm just saying that Ray Emery is definitley not the guy and he is not their long-time solution to a problem that has lasted for 10 years. As mentioned, he is someone who is selfish, problem-causing, and out for himself. And say what you will about the nature of the Flyers and their fans, the Flyers themselves are a team that is united with little to no in-fighting and Emery just does not fit their mold.

And just as a little P.S., seeing as before the lockout, I watched hockey as much if not even more than the NFL, I am well-versed in past Flyers goalie fails. ;-)

The Eagles Are Interested In Who??????

There are a lot of possible receivers that the Eagles could be interested in, but this one just struck me as odd and very un-Eagles like. The wide receiver that the Eagles are showing interest in is Chad "My Last Name Is No Longer Johnson" Ocho Cinco! Seriously. After the T.O. fiasco, the Eagles are interested in this guy! Via The Recliner GM

Michael Smith of ESPN is reporting that Eagles have shown interest in trading for WR Chad Johnson and OT Jason Peters.

Here is what he said:

"I am hearing there is interest in Chad Johnson. Now there’s been some back and forth as to whether or not he is officially on the market. I think everybody in Cincinnati has signed off on moving Chad Johnson except for owner Mike Brown. The Eagles could be in the picture. They have two first-round picks. They need a receiver"

He also said that the Eagles have engaged “in serious discussions” about Peters.

Well then! As far as acquiring Ocho Cinco goes, probably much to your surprise, I'm not sure if I could get all too giddy about that move, especially if it costs them a first round draft pick. He can be a trouble maker and is the master of the unnecessary celebration penalty. It also does not help him that he is getting up their in age. He's 31 and his productivity last year was not that high, although it must be said that Ryan Fitzpatrick, not Carson Palmer, was the starter for most of the year. The Bengals (for reasons that not even I know) are my 3rd favorite team in the NFL and I like Chad Johnson, but I just do not see the fit working here. If they want a dep threat like him, they'll be much more well-served to go after Anquan Boldin.

And just as a little FYI, I am thinking of adding a "song of the day" feature. I know what you're thinking, "what in the blue hell does that have to do with Andy Reid, Eagles, or sports in general?". The answer: it doesn't, but it's a little touch that I think might be nice to add to personalize it a little bit and to put a little more of me into this thing. And I don't always go for current pop. The types of music that will probably show up most often is alternative rock/hard rock/metal from 2000 onward, although, I'll probably stick in a few pop songs, some older songs that I like, and then there is my favorite, the non-single that no one has ever heard of. Some of my favorite songs are songs that were never released on the radio and/or as a single. And the one that I am planning on posting tomorrow is a great example of that. And while I will try to never intentionally repeat songs, chances are I will repeat artists at times, although never back to back, unless the occasion is special.

Michigan State Spartan Fans Are Not Exactly Fans Of GuJo

Frankly, I'm shocked that AA has not picked this story up yet. Then again, I do not think I have found any blog to pick this one up, just Facebook and forums, which leads me to greatly doubt the veracity of the claim, but nonetheless, a lot of Spartans are certainly outraged by what Gus Johnson allegedly said during the Friday Sweet 16 game between Michigan State and Kansas. In fact, there is an "official Facebook group" dedicated to this that already has over 13,00 members. GuJo's fan page has pretty much been trashed by angry Spartan fans (that's how I came about this story). And now, I bring you the best source on this story I can give you.....the description from the official Facebook group and what angry posters said on his Facebook fan page!

Gus Johnson seems to think that Izzo would be better off at Arizona because he's "not appreciated" in East Lansing. We beg to differ.

Well then! That certainly tells you everything you need to know about this story! No links, no articles, no videos (or none on GuJo at least; just on how much they <3 Tom Izzo), just that. And this group has over 13,000 members and they developed 10,000 during the first 24 hours of it's creation! But, because it is always hilarious, let's delve more into this group and into Gus Johnson's fan page to see what everyone has to say to our good friend, Gus. (to protect privacy and humiliation, I am withdrawing people's names. For more, here's the link to the FB group and the GuJo fan page; and yes you need an FB account to see these). My commentary comes after the quotes.

From the group: "good example of how the media is a big pile of bullshit!" You stay classy, now!

Also from the group: "Gus Johnson you are an idiot if you think that Izzo is not appreciated here. . .even though i am a Michigan fan Izzo is an amazing coach and has resurrected MSU since he has been there. . .he will get signed to a huge deal after this year because of what he has done for that program. . .Gus Johnson, you should see an MSU basketball game and there fans before saying things like that. . ." I am almost ashamed to admit that we have the same first name...

Now we'll delve into the real fun. Here are some of the gems from the GuJo fan page.

"I am not a fan of yours and never will be. I hope you are at Detroit so you can see first hand how much Tom Izzo is appreciated in East Lansing. Go State! and thank you Tom Izzo!!" Because he won't be able to tell from watching the games on TV??? And besides, there are going to be over 70,000 fans there from 4 different schools. It will be hard to decipher who is screaming what.

"You are a piece of shit- We spartans appreciate Izzo more than anything, why the hell would our student section be named after him if we didn't appreciate him and why would we have a billboard up saying "Thank you, Tom" ? Really? Yeah you suck and the 47,000 spartans you insulted deserve an apology, asshole. " Well then! I'm sure Gus has learned his lesson from reading that. If he even said anything. I still have not found an article or a link or a video or anything that has proof that he actually said "Izzo is not appreciated".

"I'd have to say unless you publicly cleanse your mouth of the blasphemies you have spoken of Tom Izzo and his loyalty to Michigan State, this is never going to end. I suggest something involving fire. Fire always works." And may I suggest some therapy for you!

Good times going on now over at MSU........good times. On a more serious note, though, if anyone can find me a link or an article or something of credibility that backs up that Gus said this, I would much appreciate it.


These have nothing to do with these posts, but here are 2 other posts from his fan page that I found particularlly interesting....

"Hey Gus! I'm the kid in the Red Sox sweatshirt who shook your hand before the game today!" And hello to you! Somehow I doubt that Gus remembers that altercation

And lastly....

"Gus, is it true you're going to be calling Canadian Football this year? The CFL on CBS! This week's sign of the apocalypse. " Not quite sure it would be on CBS, but if FSN or someone picks him up......I may actually watch a few CFL games.

(FYI, the CONMEBOL standings have been updated. Click on the link at the side to see the updated standings).

Update: Many, many thanks to RJBO for pointing this out in the comments section. Thanks to him, I was able to look like the exact quote, and while I can't post the video from CBS (without an embed feature; I don't know how to take a video from the internet and save it and edit it so that only these few seconds play). And it appears that Gus was in part taking out of context. During the stoppage with 8:12 to go in the first half, this is exactly what Gus said. "A lot of rumors swirling around that Arizona is looking for a head coach; Tom Izzo, a possible successor. Rumor has it that he does not feel as appreciated in East Lansing as he should be." Not that the fans don't appreciate him, just that Tom Izzo feels he should be appreciated more. Big difference. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to school 14,000 Spartan fans.....

Update 2: This is what I wrote in a group discussion thread (due to space constraints, I posted a slightly shorter version of it on the wall).

"Let me just say, you guys did a great job of not citing any sources or any articles or even telling us where we should go to hear what Gus said. So, I'll do it for you.

If you go to ncaa.com and the MMOD video of the MSU-Kansas game (or assuming it works, click on this link: http://mmod.ncaa.com/video/player?ts=1238608537&t=000106b2fe8c4e8f3d2834ddb354e9e2&w=90), at the 8:12 mark in the first half, during the stoppage at that point, this is exactly what Gus Johnson said.

"A lot of rumors swirling around that Arizona is looking for a head coach; Tom Izzo, a possible successor. Rumor has it that he does not feel as appreciated in East Lansing as he should be."

First of all, Gus is citing a rumor he heard, not a definite fact. Second of all, the rumor is about how Tom Izzo feels, not how he perceived Spartan fans to feel. So nice one, not only do you not cite anyone or anything, but you took what he said out of context and changed the meaning of it so that you could get a bunch of people to join your group on Facebook. Well done!

Stay classy, Spartan fans, and next time, do your research!"

I love schooling the ill-informed like that!

Eagles Thinking Of Moving Up In The Draft?

Apparently that may just be the case. Seeing as the Eagles got their fullback in Leonard Weaver, there is no longer a great need to settle for Chris "Beanie" Wells, so with a multitude of draft picks and cap room, the Eagles could end up being the big wheelers and dealers at this NFL Draft.

The Eagles' two first-round selections will be the 21st and 28th overall.

"Throw in the 12 picks, and we can do anything we want," Heckert said. "We can probably get up as high as we want or we can sit there and pick who's there, but we have enough ammunition to do anything we want."

Heckert believes the Eagles may be able to forge their way into the top five if that's the direction they want to go, but trade discussions have not heated up.

Speculation that the Eagles will make an attempt to trade for Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin does not figure to go away any time soon. A league source said yesterday that the Cardinals plan to have another round of contract negotiations with Boldin's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, in the near future, and if they don't go well, the team may be willing to deal the unhappy wide receiver.

If the Eagles don't make a trade for Boldin or Cleveland's Braylon Edwards, who reportedly is also available for the right deal, they could use their combination of 12 picks to move up on draft day.

We'll see what's in the works come draft day! If the Eagles use Leonard Weaver right, there is no need to take a running back in the first round, but if he is just going to be blocking, then they might need to draft Beanie Wells and NOT Knowshon Moreno. The guy is a good running back no doubt about it, but he is just another Brian Westbrook and he does not have any skill set that Westbrook does not.

Somebody Hand Jay Cutler A Bottle And A Binky

I'm sure that most of you have heard this by this point, but Jay Cutler was almost traded to the Broncos and to say the least, the Bronco QB is not at all that happy. This is his response from the Denver Post.

"My understanding at this point is they're trying to trade me," Cutler said this afternoon. "We'll see where I end up at. I liked it here, I liked playing with these guys but obviously they're not going to let me have that opportunity."

[....]

"I'm upset. I mean I'm really shocked at this point," he said. "I could see why they want Cassel. I don't know if they think I can't run the system or I don't have the skills for it. I just don't get it. Or if they don't think they can sign me with my next contract. I just don't know what it is. I've heard I'm still on the trading block."

[...]

If Cutler is not traded, and he stays with the Broncos, can his situation be mended? Cutler took a long pause before answering.

"Anything can be mended," he said. "I'll always play with the guys we've got. I love playing for those guys. Obviously, Josh and I's relationship has taken a few steps backward. I don't play for the coaches anyway, I play for teammates. As long as we keep the guys we've got I'll go out there and play. I love those guys."

Cutler said he had spoken with teammates Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler and Casey Wiegmann, among others, about his trade.

"I know they love playing for me and I love playing for them," Cutler said. "There's going to be a lot of problems if they try to trade me. Well, they've already tried to trade me, but if they trade me for sure."

Aww, poor Jay-Jay Cutty Wutty is upset because he was nearwy twaded by dose mean, nasty, Bwoncos.

Okay, so what exactly then was this big trade all about? Well, it's a complicated matter. NFL-Network's Adam Schefter has more.

While New England and Kansas City were agreeing to Saturday’s trade of Cassel to the Chiefs for the draft’s 34th overall pick, there were more teams in the mix. Detroit, Tampa and Denver were involved in trade talks of their own also tied to Cassel, according to sources in the respective NFL cities.

Tampa approached Denver to try to make a three-way trade that would have sent Cassel to the Broncos and quarterback Jay Cutler to the Buccaneers. The Broncos entertained the notion and pondered it but ultimately decided against it.

Also, the Lions approached the Broncos about a trade for Cutler, trying to dangle Cassel as bait. Once again, Denver debated the deal and opted against it apparently. What made it a moot point was that while all Tampa, Detroit and Denver engaged in trade talks with New Engalnd, the Patriots went ahead and dealt Cassel to the Chiefs.

The Broncos firmly maintain that they never intended to trade Cutler, that they were approached to make the trades. But, as of Saturday afternoon, Cutler was angry to hear that his name had been floated in any trade conversations.

Now the Chiefs have Cassel, the Broncos still have Cutler and the Lions and Buccaneers continue their search for quarterbacks in one of the wilder and more complex behind-the-scene dramas the NFL has seen in any recent offseason.

That's an article that should start with the words "Warning: May cause severe headache".

But in all seriousness, there are trade talks with almost all players and almost all teams, and very few of them ever come to fruition. Look at Donovan McNabb. There have been trade rumors and discussions regarding him for the past few years now and look where he still is and look at how he's handled the situation. How many hissy fits as he thrown over his career over trade rumors?

And before you call me a hypocrite for crying over Dawkins and yet here I am making fun of Cutler, remember this, Cutler is a multi-millionaire professional, I'm an unpaid hapless blogger who lives in my mother's basement.

Update: It appears as if our buddy Jay Cutler is a hypocrite. For according to SI's Peter King, Cutler wanted to be traded out of Denver. According to Peter King

I heard one other interesting thing Sunday: Cutler asked for a trade shortly after the Broncos lost offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates -- Cutler's confidant -- to USC after the season. So maybe both sides need to go into marriage counseling here.

Marriage counseling? Seriously Peter?

But getting to the meat and potatoes of this story, it appears as if Jay Cutler only wants to be traded when it is a benefit to him, not right after the Denver Broncos hit the non-Albert Haynesworth jackpot during free agency. Typical prima donna quarterback. Jay Cutler, I take no shame whatsoever in calling you a selfish, hypocritical douche bag!

Jay Cutler upset with Broncos after trade talks (The Score Report)
King: Cutler had already asked to be traded (The Score Report)

The Latest In Whacky Eagles Rumors That Won't Come To Fruition

If I had a penny for every different Eagles off-season rumor that I have seen/read/heard this year, I'd have more money than Jeffrey Lurie, Andy Reid, and Donovan Mcnabb combined. And yes, there have been some that I did not report on here. And just when I was beginning to resign myself to stop reporting here on every major possibility that I came across and just wait for the actual free agency to begin, I came across this gem that really stood out at me and even gave me that giddy feeling in my stomach. The latest possible Eagle.....Marvin Harrison! Via InGameNow

Marvin Harrison is not ready to retire, but as valuable as he is to the Colts, the two parties cannot seem to agree on a new contract. The Colts acknowledge that his services are getting to be too expensive for them to keep, with Harrison taking up $13.4M in salary cap. Harrison has played for the Colts for the past 13 years.

While it appears Indianapolis will be releasing Harrison very soon, the most logical speculation is that he may end up in Philadelphia. He can play in the city where he already lives, while at the same time reunite with his old Syracuse teammate Donovan McNabb.

It does make all the sense in the world that should Harrison indeed be released by the Colts that the Eagles would be a frontrunner to get the receiver. For one thing, the Eagles need a big-time receiver (whether Heckert will admit it or not) and for a second thing, Harrison went to the same school as McNabb ('Cuse) and on top of that, the man still lives in Philly!

However, one has to wonder, would the frivolous gun accusation on Harrison stop the Eagles from making the move? Personally, I always thought he was innocent and now I believe I read somewhere the other day that the man making the accusation was either being tried or in jail for, of all things, lying to police! One also has to question his age. The man is 36-years old, so the question also becomes does he still have it in him to be a stand-out player? I think yes, but I have thought wrong many times before.

To wrap things up, if Harrison does become available, I'd love to see him as an Eagle. That would be awesome, especially seeing as the Eagles may only have one or two more years before they enter a re-building stage that will consist of them sucking for several years.

FYI, I was hoping to put up a Top-10 coach's press conference meltdowns today but the internet in my building has been having tons of problems. It's been down for most of the day, and I've resorted to being in a campus CPU lab to get on the internet (which is where I am posting this from). And sadly, some people in here are actually working so I do not want to play the videos (I have to check to make sure I'm not putting up some guy doing a cheap imitation).

The Eagles Are The Frontrunners To Get The Unavailable Anquan Boldin

I'm seriously beginning to think that this saga won't go away until Anquan Boldin is either a). traded or b). the tradeline in October comes and goes. The good news, Philly fans (and Cardinal-haters): The Eagles are the frontrunners to trade for Anquan Boldin! The bad news: Anquan Boldin is not going to be traded. So, if Boldin is not available, what on earth makes the Eagles the frontrunners? Wouldn't the Cardinals then be the frontrunners to keep him. Sigh...here's the article from ALL THINGS PHILLY SPORTS.

Two reports have come out in recent days regarding Anquan Boldin and the Eagles continuing search for a top wide receiver. The reports aren't earth-shattering, it's the typical information and misinformation we have been hearing all along.

The first report is encouraging to Birds fans. According to John Clayton of ESPN, the Eagles are the frontrunners to acquire Anquan Boldin with the Giants the next team in line. Clayton believes it would take a 1st and 3rd rounder to get Boldin, certainly a reasonable price for the Eagles since they have that extra first round pick to dangle.

The second report is not as promising. According to ProFootballTalk.com, the Cardinals have no interest in trading Boldin. Boldin is under contract for 2 more years so Arizona doesn't feel any pressure to move him right now. Despite his requests for a trade, the Cards want to hold on to the disgruntled receiver, much like the Bengals held onto to Chad Johnson despite his many trade demands. Boldin may just have to wait it out and play for his measly 2.75 million next season. He won't have any leverage to leave town unless he holds out during training camp.

Does your head hurt yet? I guess it's pretty straight-forward what's going on here, but all of the reports that are flying out on this story are enough to make you stop and think, "what the hell is really going on here?"

There's certainly no lack of trying on the Eagles' part to get that big name receiver. Last off-season, they waved more money in front of Randy Moss than he ended up signing for with New England and the Eagles continously waved Lito Sheppard in front of the Cardinals in hopes of trading for Larry Fitzgerald. That, was, of course, when Lito was still considered to be a potential starting cornerback.

Now what's really interesting here is what would happen should the Eagles trade for Anquan Boldin. The Eagles have 2 1st round picks this year, surely they would have to give up one of them (and most likely as the article above mentioned, a later draft pick), which puts them in a tough bind. The Eagles have two pressing needs in the early part of the draft and that's running back and offensive tackle. The question becomes which pick would they give up? Personally, I'd rather them lose their 28th pick because I think they need to get Beanie Wells. There is a better chance, in my view, at least, of drafting a future Pro Bowl offensive lineman in the later stages of the draft than a running back. But we all know Andy Reid. He goes after those linemen early in the draft as if they were a Philly cheesesteak. We'll see what happens, but if the Eagles trade for Anquan Boldin (which would be great, no doubt about that), the odds that Beanie Wells becomes an Eagle decrease dramatically to slim to none, and I'm pretty sure slim just left town.

Chargers Are Again In Talks With L.A.

I swear I read about these talks every year and every time a deal can't be reached with the City of Angels and the San Diego SUPER-Chargers. But alas, for your reading pleasure, here we go again. From the LA Times.

"As is always the case with the on-again, off-again saga of the NFL's flirtation with the nation's second-largest market, nothing is written in stone. In fact, it's more like murky skywriting, completely at the mercy of the fickle winds of change.

But more smoke signals came Monday when the Chargers signed a deal with Los Angeles-based Wasserman Media Group to market the franchise in L.A. and Orange County, a development that surely will be viewed by some as greasing the skids for a move north. There hasn't been a team in the L.A. area since the Raiders and Rams left after the 1994 season.

"The bottom line is Los Angeles and Orange County are two of the most lucrative markets in the world," said Mark Fabiani, the team's point man on stadium issues. "There's no NFL team in those markets, and there's no reason the Chargers can't pursue those areas in these difficult economic times."

Possible motivations aside, this much is clear: The Chargers, who have been working on a San Diego stadium solution for seven years and so far have been unsuccessful, are better positioned to move than any other NFL team.

Beginning on Super Bowl Sunday -- of all days -- the Chargers will have a three-month window in which to relocate. And, under the team's current lease terms with the city of San Diego, that window will reopen every year from this point forward. The city cannot sue the Chargers or the NFL to block a move, provided it is paid a $56-million lease-termination fee that will decrease over time."

This is interesting to say the least. And while whispers have always been going on about the Chargers re-locating, this seems to be the loudest it's been in quite some time. The big part, in my mind, is that if the Chargers get the deal with L.A., San Diego can't save them. And while I'm sure there are still some nuances known only to a few privileged men, this is about as wide-open a door that an NFL franchise can have to relocate if they so choose to.

And it's also interesting to note that at the NFL Owners meeting in March there will be talks about the location of Super Bowl L (for those not well versed in Roman numerals, that's Super Bowl 50), and it seems right now that Los Angeles, the city where the first Super Bowl was ever played, is the front-runner to host the golden anniversary Super Bowl. A Super Bowl has never been hosted by a non-NFL city, so perhaps this might be a bit of leverage for the Chargers to move, especially if L.A. gets the Super Bowl in March.

A new lease on life for the NFL in L.A.? (Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood to Get a Shocker? (Russakoff Rules)

Eagles Thinking Of Some Big Moves This Off-Season?

From the outset of things, it certainly does appear that that's the case. Especially after reading this article from Eagles Gab via The Philaelphia Inquirer describing two rumored off-season moves for the Philadelphia Eagles. One of which, for me, at least, is more of a good-riddance. While the other is a big of a surprise to me.

"If Joselio Hanson doesn’t get a lot of attention on the market, the Eagles could try to bring him back as their third cornerback, because it seems likely that they are going to cut ties with Lito Sheppard and save $3 million in salary-cap space.

The Eagles will also have a decision to make on wide receiver Reggie Brown, who did not dress for Sunday’s NFC championship game. He would be more difficult to cut because he will enter the first year of a six-year contract extension he signed in 2006, and getting rid of him would cost the team nearly $3 million."

If you can recall from earlier in the season, Lito Sheppard is not exactly my favorite Eagle and the fact that he ended last year as a starting corner and is now fourth on the depth chart is not going to help him keep his job. Much to my delight, of course. Sheppard is often injured and when he does play he sometimes a bit too eager to jump routes to make plays that just are not there.

Meanwhile, Reggie Brown does come as a bit of a surprise to me. And while he certainly has underproduced, I always thought that the Eagles were high on him and that if they were to cut a receiver, it would be Greg Lewis, who did very little this year. There's no doubt that Brown has potential and the fact that the Eagles would think about getting rid of him is somewhat odd. Unless, of course, the Eagles are planning to go after a big-money, big-name wide receiver in the off-season. The Eagles made headlines last off-season by trying to pry away Larry Fitzgerald away from the Cards and by offering Randy Moss more money than the Patriots did, which leads me to believe that although we have DeSean, the Eagles want more. In case you have not figured it out, even though he's not a free-agent, the Eagles may be more than a bit interested in Anquan Boldin....

Birds to Cut Ties w/ Sheppard and Brown? (Eagles Gab)