Heard in the Cheap Seats

As Brian Dawkins likes to mutter in the tunnel prior to a game, “the time has come.”  Brian Dawkins is no longer a Philadelphia Eagle.  ESPN and the NFL Network are reporting that the Broncos have reached a 5-year deal valued at $17 million for the veteran safety.  The important number is that $7.2 million of that is guaranteed.

For the time being, I need to digest this and gather all of the facts before I share my reactions.  It goes without saying I am sad to see Dawkins go.

I wanted to get a quick post up that summarized all of the Eagles free agency news in one place.  For more in depth analysis, scroll down the page to yesterday’s post.  As with yesterday, we’ll continue to update as we hear things. 

Dawkins Update: A few quick updates this morning on the Eagles’ free agency front.  There are conflicting reports out there on whether or not Dawkins has signed.  The Sporting News is sticking with its story and tends to be a reputable source but Philly.com has a story up saying the deal is not done.  Let’s hope the conflicting reports end in Dawkins wearing an Eagles uniform but it doesn’t seem to be going down that path.  We’ll continue to update as we hear more.

Lito a Jet: NFL Network is reporting that Lito Sheppard has been traded to the NY Jets in exchange for a 5^th round pick in 2009 and a conditional pick in 2010 that would be no better than 2^nd round and no worse than a 4^th round depending on how Sheppard play.  At this point, the Eagles did not have much choice on what to do with Sheppard.  He was clearly disinterested last season and his play suffered.  Lito had some good, productive years in an Eagles uniform but I’m not sad to see him go.

Houshmandzadeh Update: Derek Gunn is reporting that the Eagles have all but closed the door on Houshmandzadeh unless he changes is negotiating position.  Apparently, Houshmandzadeh’s agent called the Eagles to let the front office know he would take less money to play for the Birds.  After checking around, it seems that it was the exact opposite.  Not surprisingly, the Eagles told Houshmandzadeh thanks but no thanks. 

Roundup:

I posted all of this yesterday but thought I would throw it in here as well.

– Correll Buckhalter is a Denver Bronco.

– Sean Considine reached a deal with the Jaguars.

– L.J. Smith is on the verge of signing with the Atlanta Falcons.

QUICK UPDATE: There are now conflicting reports.  Let’s hope Sporting News jumped the gun.

This one needed its own post.

The days of Dawkins emerging from the tunnel and morphing into Wolverine at Lincoln Financial Filed appear to be over.  According to the Sporting News, Brian Dawkins has agreed to terms with the Denver Broncos.

This stings.  If you have been a long time fan of the Eagles, regardless of your feelings on whether or not his skills are declining, this one hurts.  Brian Dawkins was the Philadelphia Eagles.  As my brother wrote a while back, he is an iconic figure in this city and one that seemingly stood for the same blue-collar attitude Philly prides itself on.  But now, it is time for the City and Dawkins to part ways.

What happened remains to be seen.  The Eagles reportedly offered a one-year deal to Dawkins prior the start of free agency but he decided to test the market in see if he could get two.  Prevailing wisdom was that he would let the Eagles match any offer that he received.  It’s tough to tell right now, but it appears by the timetable that he did not give them that opportunity.  We will surely know more in the very near future.

As free agency approached, there was a lot of talk from both sides that negotiations were progressing and they would likely come to a deal.  Well at some point they stalled and all of that hyperbole is for naught.  More to come from this blog on what happened and how this changes the Eagles offseason plans, but for the time being, we’ll have to mourn the loss of an all-time Eagle great.

Brian Dawkins is a Denver Bronco.  Read that sentence again.

BIG UPDATE–DAWKINS A BRONCO: I can’t believe I am typing this, but Brian Dawkins just signed with the Broncos according to Sporting News.  Thanks to 215SportsGuy for the tip below.  More shortly.

It’s not secret that both myself and my brother are huge fans of Brian Dawkins.  He was the heart and soul of this football team and to see him walk is disheartening.  This past year, some were pointing to his diminishing skills as proof that he had nothing left in the tank. He responded with a trip to the Pro Bowl.  Has he lost a step?  Absolutely.  He does not have the recovery speed he once did and struggles in pass coverage on faster receivers.  But when put in the correct spots, there were still few better in this game.  As I mentioned below, nobody has a knack for timing the blitz quite like Weapon X and his play against the run was always excellent.

Why did it happen?  Obviously the Broncos were willing to give him more money and more years than the Eagles would pony up.  What we don’t know is if Dawkins provided the Eagles with a chance to counter the Broncos offer.  Given the timing of the announcement, it seems as though he did not—but that remains to be seen.  Either way, it is a sad day in Philly.  A day when we should be talking about the big acquisition of Stacy Andrews will instead be about the day we lost an all-time great in Brian Dawkins.

UPDATE: Sean Considine signed with the Jaguars.  He was a solid special teams player last season and has been told he will have the chance to compete for a starting job in Jacksonville.  I personally think he just wanted warmer weather.

UPDATE: The Eagles offered Brian Dawkins a 1-year deal.  He will test the market and see if he can get a multi-year deal.  Somebody will give him two, the question is: will the Eagles match it?  Another quick update here, reports have Dawkins on a plane to Denver for a meeting.

UPDATE: It is official, Kellen Winslow is a Tampa Bay Buc: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3939777&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

UPDATE: There are some early indications that the Browns have traded Kellen Winslow to the Bucs for draft picks.  Details to follow.  This guy would have looked good in an Eagles uniform if they could keep his attitude in check.  There have been no serious rumors tying the Eagles to Winslow but it would been nice to see them make an effort.

UPDATE: Reports have L.J. Smith nearing a deal with the Atlanta Falcons.  I don’t think too many Eagles’ fans are shedding tears over losing Smith.  He is the prototypical tight end in appearance but never quite lived up to his vast potential.  Will the Eagles be content with Celek as the primary TE?  My guess is if they are, they will get someone who can block to fill the void.

UPDATE: As soon as I finished writing this section, the Eagles appear to have signed Stacy Andrews–older brother of Shawn Andrews.  Will they still move on Jason Brown and insert him at LG and slide Heramanns out to LT?  It’s not out of the question.  In any case, I like the move.  Stacy Andrews is massive at 6-7, 342 pounds.  He is a better run blocker than pass blocker and it appears likely the Eagles will move him inside and slide Shawn out to play the RT spot.  This gives the Eagles a very powerful right side of the line—a line one would think would be ideal to run behind.  There are some injury concerns with Stacy.  He is coming off of ACL surgery and this deal surely is contingent upon him passing a physical.  Moving him inside to the guard spot should help mask any lingering effects from surgery as he won’t have to chase down speedy DEs all game long.

UPDATE: It looks like Correll Buckhalter has signed with the Denver Broncos.  He’s said all along if he had a chance to start he would leave.  The Broncos must have offered that.

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A lot has transpired in the last week in the NFL and specifically as it relates to the Eagles.  Here is a quick summary of what’s gone down and what it all means.

Will they let the veterans walk?

If history is any judge, it seems unlikely that Brian Dawkins or Tra Thomas will be donning an Eagles’ uniform next year.  Some call it ruthless, others call it shrewd—call it whatever you like but the Eagles have always been wary of signing aging veterans.  On top of that, the Eagles rarely let the players they want to keep hit free agency.  Last night at 12:01 a.m., Brian Dawkins and Tra Thomas became the dreaded double-whammy—aging veterans that the Eagles let test the market.  Uh-oh.

And while history certainly does not seem to indicate these two players with a combined 24 years of service to the Eagles franchise will be back in midnight green, something tells me they will buck the trend just this one time.  For starters, Dawkins proved last year that if used correctly, he can still play at a Pro-Bowl level.  He may have lost a step in pass coverage, but he can still play the run with the best of them and his instincts on the blitz are uncanny.  But more than that, the Eagles cannot risk the PR disaster that would ensue if they allowed Weapon X to walk.  Few players in Eagles history have been as beloved as Dawkins and seeing him in an opposing team’s colors would be equally as unnatural as seeing Brett Favre sport a Jets’ jersey.  The guess here is that Dawkins will not test the open market and will come to terms on a deal in the next couple of days.

Big Tra Thomas is a more difficult situation to assess.  There is no doubt that the offensive line needs to be addressed.  Thomas is a known commodity for the Eagles that still plays at a high level.  But OTs are tough to come by on this market and Thomas may be tempted by the prospects of a big pay day.  The Eagles are unlikely to spend big dollars on Thomas so if he bolts, the team is left with an interesting quandary.  With both of last year’s offensive lineman without contracts, the Eagles would have some huge holes to fill.

I see this playing out one of two ways, the team signs 25-yeard old Jason Brown, inserts him at left guard and slides Todd Heramanns out to LT with Shawn Andrew moving out to the RT spot.  But I find this highly unlikely, that’s just too much turnover on one offensive line for a season.  Andy Reid always professes the importance of winning the battle in the trenches and this would shake things up far too much.  Looking at the market, it seems likely to me that the Eagles make an aggressive push for Jason Brown, insert him at RG and move Shawn Andrews out to RT.  They would then resign Thomas and keep the left side of the line intact.

Where will Donovan Get His Weapons?

In case you haven’t heard, Donovan McNabb allegedly requested additional weapons in a super-secret meeting with the Eagles’ front office.

If you believe this meeting took place, which I do, what are we to make of it?  McNabb has long been perceived as a player walking in lock step with the organization.  While controversy has seemed to find him, he has never been one to impose his will on the team (and sometimes a game for that matter).  This is a startling turn of events if it turns out to be true.  It’s a turn of events that I have no problem with.

McNabb has long been tortured with inept offensive talent surrounding him.  Names like Todd Pinkston and Charles Johnson are not soon going to strike fear into the hearts of any DB.  Yet Donovan continued to plod along, putting up productive individual and team seasons.  Why shouldn’t he ask for more to work with?  If Donovan held a press conference to voice his issues then I would have a major problem.  But he didn’t.  He had a closed door meeting that was supposed to remain between those involved.  What’s wrong with that?  At my work, I am empowered to talk to senior leadership on the direction of the company, the types of clients we should pursue and the people we should consider hiring.  It doesn’t mean they will listen but I can certainly voice my opinion.  Why should this be treated any differently?

So if the Eagles take Donovan’s request under advisement, where are they going to turn for help in this free agent market?  The talent is scarce meaning competition for what is out there will be fierce.  Will the Eagles make a play for TJ Houshmandzadeh or Lavernous Coles?  Could the possibly pull of a deal for Anquan Boldin or make a move on Marvin Harrison in hopes that he has something left in his legs?  Would they be so bold as to make an offer to a restricted free agent like Owen Daniels?  As you can see, questions abound and because the Eagles always play things close to the vest, answers are hard to come by.  One thing is clear: the Eagles could use an upgrade on the offensive side of the football.  We’ll see if fans and Donovan get what they want.

Three Eagles Tendered

As you probably saw, the Eagles tendered contracts to Hank Baskett, Nick Cole and Tank Daniels.  These moves were expected, not much to analyze here.

Eagles with $48 million to spend

As usual, the Eagles have plenty of money under the cap to spend.  And as always happens, fans will be up in arms when they don’t spend all of that money.  Let’s get it out of the way right now folks—there is not a chance in hell the Eagles spend all of that money.  First of all, with the way the current market is shaping up, they simply can’t spend that type of cash.  And before we are so quick to say the Eagles are cheap and unwilling to spend money, let’s check the facts.  The Eagles have made very large deals in recent years on the first day of free agency.  Do the names Jevon Kearse and Asante Samuel ring a bell?  The front office is willing to spend money, it may not be where the fans want it spend but they are not cheap by any means.

So what do you think about the start of free agency?  How will it play out?  Stay tuned for the latest developments.

At 12:01AM this morning, the NFL free agency period officially began. It is hard to stay patient, but things can happen from one minute to the next. So, I wanted to rake the opportunity to take a look at what has happened so far with the Eagles. It is just about 11Am as I am writing this, so use that as I guideline. I am heading out of town for the rest of the day, so I will not be able to update on my computer.

DAWKINS

I am going to star this post off with a negative (Big shocker!). When the clock struck midnight this morning, B Dawk became an unrestricted free agent. It’s hard for me to even type those words. I admit that I have no idea what the discussions were between Dawkins’ side and the Eagles. What I do know is that Dawkins has said repeatedly that he wants to be an Eagle. He wants one more contract before he retires. I find it hard to believe that he was asking for a ridiculous amount of money from the Eagles. So, how the hell is now a free agent? That just can’t happen! If he somehow ends up ending his career in another uniform it will be heart-breaking.

OFFENSIVE LINE

I think everybody knows that the offensive line is the position of greatest need. What we didn’t know is what the Eagles plan might be. It seemed for awhile that the plan was going to be to bring back Tra Thomas as a start, and then add to the line through free agency or the draft or both. Tra Thomas may still end up back with the Eagles, but it’s obvious now that they have not offered him a contract close to what he would like. In the meantime, it looks as though the Eagles plan to retool the offensive line may be getting clearer. It has been reported that the Eagles have signed Stacy Andrews, the older brother of Shawn Andrews. The deal is obviously pending a physical, and Stacy Andrews is coming off of ACL surgery. Maybe this signing will help keep Shawn Andrews’ head in the right place. The Eagles may end up sliding Shawn out to the right tackle position and having Stacy play inside. That would be 700 pounds of dude on the right side. Also, for a few days now it seems that the Eagles have had Ravens center Jason Brown on their radar. If they were able to sign Brown (who can play both center and guard), then it would seem that the offensive line reconstruction would be complete. They would have either Thomas (if they resigned him) or Herremans at left tackle, Brown or Jean-Giles at left guard, Jackson or Brown at center, and the Andrews brothers manning the right side. Not bad, but it hasn’t all happened yet. Keep in mind that the offensive line position is pretty loaded in this year’s draft as well.

BUCKHALTER

The running back position has officially become a desperate need for the Eagles. The indications are that Correll Buckhalter will be joining the Broncos. I have no idea what the Eagles are planning to do. They could look at Derrick Ward, but my guess is he will want to be a starter somewhere. I think their best bet would be to address the need for a big back/successor to Westbrook through the draft. There are quite a few running backs I like coming out, and at least one of them should be available to the Eagles in the draft. I’m sure there are varying opinions out there, but personally I love McCoy from Pitt. He is not a huge back like Wells, but I just think he is going to be a beast.

ANTONIO SMITH??

Supposedly the Eagles are interested in the defensive end from the Cardinals. I have no idea why personally. It would be nice to add a defensive end, but if the Eagles were going to do that it should be someone like a Julius Peppers. I know that’s off the table, I just mean a stud defensive end. We went through this last year by paying way too much money for Chris Clemons. I’m not sure why the Birds, with all the other pressing needs they have to fill, would use up money on a defensive end that had 3.5 sacks last year.

HOUSH WATCH

My gut tells me the Eagles are not going to take a serious run at Housh. Do I think he would be a huge addition to the offense? I do. I just don’t think the Eagles are willing to pay him the money that he will be asking. As I write this, Housh is apparently on a plane to visit Seattle, so stay tuned there. I would actually prefer adding Boldin (who wouldn’t?), but unless the Cardinals want to make a trade, that won’t be happening. But, let’s say the Eagles don’t get Houshmandzadeh, but they have retooled the line as we layed out, drafted a good running back, signed a fullback (which I think they will do), and somehow swung a trade for Tony Gonzalez. Would you take that? I would. We know the Eagles talked to the Chiefs about Gonzalez last season, so maybe they go after him again.

That’s about it at the moment, although, as soon as I post this other stuff will probably happen. I like the addition of Andrews to the line, but there is a lot more to be done if Eagles fans are going to be satisfied. The next few days will go along way into showing us what the Eagles offseason and draft plans are. Oh, and a quick memo from Eagles fans straight to the front office: SIGN BRIAN DAWKINS!!!!!!!!!!!

from kdrv.com

I have resigned myself to the fact that the Sixers are an average basketball team, destined to play .500 basketball, and maybe get as high as #6 seed in the playoffs (Note: I only say #6 seed because the Pistons seem to have packed it in completely for this year).  Sometimes I wonder why I watch every game.  I mean, it is true that I need to keep tabs on the team for the purposes of this website, but that has nothing to do with it.  Pure and simple:  I love basketball.  I always have and I always will.  I have loved the Sixers my whole life, and that is why I watch.  The NBA season is much different from the NFL season, so one Sixers loss certainly doesn’t inflict as much pain on me as an Eagles loss.  But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t care as much.  I have come to realize that I am the exact type of sports fan that many look at and shake their heads because they don’t understand.  Call me whatever you want, but it will never change the fact that sports has been a huge part of my life, my friendships, and my family.  I realize that maybe my passion can go overboard occasionally.  Either way, I am not the type of fan that is completely unaffected by losing and mediocrity.

I say all this because the Sixers are an extremely frustrating team to watch.  As a fan, it is frustrating to root for a team for 82 games, but also know that your team has absolutely no chance to win an NBA title.  That is where we are with the Sixers.  There is no chance of a title in the foreseeable future.  But, the funny thing is, this is a pretty fun team to watch.  They are young and athletic, but they are still an average team.  It’s frustrating, yes, but I guess I try to see the positives as much as I can.  My hope is that the Sixers young core can develop over time to become a part of the NBA’s elite.  What else is there to hope for?  In the NBA, it is tough to go from average to great unless the players you have develop.  With the salary cap the way it is, unless you get lucky and land an all-timer like LeBron James, or you’re the Celtics and you have the money to bring in KG and Allen in the same year, you have to “dance with the ones that brought you”.  I think that’s how the saying goes.  I have no idea what the future holds for the Sixers.  That is very hard to predict in the NBA, but I will continue to root for them the same way I did when I was 8 years old.

SIXERS VS WIZARDS

Speaking of frustration, one of the marks of a young team is inconsistency.  Well, if the Sixers do anything consistently, it s being inconsistent!  Not only are they prone to extended winning and losing streaks, but they are one of the most inconsistent team I have ever seen in the same damn game.  They have this uncanny way of looking like world beaters against even the best teams in the league, and in the very next quarter they look like an average Division III team.  Now, that is frustrating to watch, my friends.  All of this has led to the Sixers current 4 game losing streak that has crushed any momentum they had built with their 4 game winning streak heading into the break.  The Wizards are a terrible basketball team, so I fully expect them to end their slide, and if they don’t, it is inexcusable.  As I mentioned earlier in this post, the Sixers will not win an NBA title this year, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expect them to continue to improve, make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round.  They need to stop this trend of playing bad basketball for 4 or 5 straight games.  They are on one of those runs right now.  Say what you want about the Nets game and the fact that they lost on a buzzer beater, but it should have never come down to that.  That is the mark of an inconsistent team.  Inconsistent teams lose games that they should win.  Think of how many last second losses the Sixers have this year.  These young guys need to learn how to close out those games.  Before the break, the Sixers had a heart breaking loss to the Nets followed by a buzzer beater by Ray Allen and the Celtics.  They followed that up with a nice 4 game winning streak.  They need to regroup once again after another bad Nets loss.  It starts tonight.  It’s time to man up.  It’s time that one of the Sixers takes over in a late game situation and refuses to let the team blow another lead.  The Sixers have gotten away from the type of basketball that produces wins for them.  It all starts with aggressive defense and solid rebounding for the Sixers.  They have 27 games left in the season.  If this young team is going to gain anything from this season, they need to make these 27 games its own season.  They are 0-0 at this point.  Can they go on a run like they did in January and go something like 18-9?  That remains to be seen, but I am looking at tonight’s game as the starting point.

RANDOM NOTE

I looked up a very interesting stat.  The NBA game has dramatically changed over the years, and I think the stat shows that and also shows one of the obvious flaws in the Sixers game.  Three point shooting has become a huge part of the NBA game, and the Sixers rank dead last in the league.  What I found interesting was the teams that rank near the top and the teams near the bottom in this statistic.  Obviously, there are a couple exceptions, but it really stood out to me.  Get some shooters please!  Check it out for yourself here.

In case you haven’t heard, there are quite a few sources reporting that the Marvin Harrison era could be over in Indianapolis.  The reports say that the Colts and Harrison have been in discussions regarding a restructuring of Harrison’s 6 year, $66 million contract that was signed in 2004. Well, it seems they could not come to an agreement, and Harrison has asked to be released.  The Colts don’t have to release Harrison, but it looks as if the team is struggling with the salary cap and may not be willing to take Harrison’s huge cap hit. 

Of course, all this leads to a lot of talk in the Philadelphia area, because whenever there is a receiver that becomes available, the discussions start.  It is an annual thing for Eagles fans to be pining for the front office to bring in a #1 receiver.  When they finally did that, and brought in the jackass (sorry I just have issues with the dude) that now plays for the Cowgirls, it lead to their only trip to the Super Bowl in the last 28 years.  We all know how that saga ended.  The fact remains that Eagles fans love to debate the wide receiver situation.  I can’t say that I disagree with the argument that the Eagles have long been lacking in talent at that position.  The names Charles Johnson, Torrance Small, Todd Pinkston, Reggie Brown, Freddie Mitchell, etc are not going to strike fear in too many defensive backfields.  It’s really a shame when you think about it.  Say what you want about McNabb’s late game capabilities and all the other flaws that a lot of Eagles fans love to shout about, but for his entire career he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.  Yet, for really only one season was he given a top notch receiver, and he produced the best year of his career.  It’s always been baffling to me that Andy Reid, who believes so much in throwing the football, and came from a long line of West Coast offensive minds, has tried to make the argument that the Eagles haven’t needed a #1 guy.  Name me any of the successful teams that ran that offense, and didn’t have a stud receiver.  The Niners had Rice and Taylor, the Packers had Sharpe and Freeman, and on and on it goes.  With all due respect to Kevin Curtis and Desean Jackson…no, screw that…they couldn’t hold the jock straps of any of the aforementioned receivers.  Unfortunately, I have strayed off topic a little bit here.  My mind has a tendency to do that.  The point I was making is that some teams can get away with not having a true #1 guy, but not the Eagles.  Not in Andy’s Reid’s system where they continually throw the ball 60% of the time and use the passing game in almost every crucial situation.  In that type of system, how are you going to feed me Todd Pinkston, and expect me to not throw up?

All of that leads me back to Marvin Harrison (round and round we go, Jack).  There is no way to be certain that he will become available at this point.  The question is, if he does become available, should the Eagles try to reunite him with his college teammate McNabb?  If this was 4 years ago, there would only be one answer.  But, Harrison is coming off an injury plagued 2007, followed by the worst statistical season of his illustrious career.  Not to mention those pesky investigations surrounding Harrison and a shooting.  I’ve listened to quite a few NFL analysts who feel he still has something left in the tank.  So, should the Eagles go after Harrison if he becomes available?  At first glance, most people would probably say no, especially with names like Houshmandzadeh, Boldin, Ocho Cinco, and receivers coming out of college floating out there.  But, my question is, what if the Eagles weren’t able to get any of those names?  What if they completely struck out?  If you feel that the Eagles need to upgrade their receiving core, even if it’s just a little bit, then would you sign Harrison?  Well, Harrison missed one game last year, and ended the year with 60 catches for 636 yards and 5 touchdowns.  Nothing to write home about, I know.  Although, we should remember, the Colts do have a guy named Reggie Wayne and an up and coming Anthony Gonzalez to throw the ball to.  Kevin Curtis played in 9 games and had 33 catches for 390 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Those are pretty much identical to Harrison’s numbers over a full season.  Jackson played every game and ended with 62 catches for 912 yards and 2 touchdowns.  I think Jackson will obviously get better and better with experience.  Jason Avant had 32 catches for 377 yards and 2 touchdowns.  I guess my point is, I don’t think Harrison should be the target of the Eagles, but if they are unable to bring in any of the other receivers that we all covet, why wouldn’t they consider it?  If he truly does have a couple more years in his legs, and I think he does, how is he not an upgrade?  Let’s assume for a second that they can’t bring a receiver in, and that no one they draft at the position would contribute right away.  You tell me which receiving core looks better: Curtis, Jackson, Avant, Brown, Baskett, Lewis or Curtis, Jackson, Harrison, Avant, and whoever the hell else.  I mean, the Eagles didn’t even want Brown on the field!  I am in no way advocating that the Birds make Harrison a priority if he is released by the Colts, but I think it’s an interesting debate if he is available and they have not made any changes at all at the WR position.  What do you think?

“We’re streaking!  We’re going up through the quad to the gymnasium.”  Everybody knows that came from the mouth of Frank the Tank in “Old School”.  Well, it looks like the Sixers are streaking, too.  Only, they aren’t running drunk and naked through the streets.  The Sixers lost their 3^rd game in a row today by the score of 97-91 to the Miami Heat.  I know that reference was a little out of left field, but come along with me anyway. 

Actually, now that I think about it, the Sixers could have passed for drunk today against the Heat.  Collectively, they shot 37% from the field, including two starters (Green and Iguodala) that combined to shoot 4 for 25.  So during the 3 game losing streak, the Sixers have produced field goal percentages of 38%, 32%, and today’s 37%.  That is absolutely horrible.  The starters were absolute dominated today, except for Andre Miller.  Speights and Lou Williams came off the bench and played well, but it wasn’t near enough to overcome Dwayne Wade and the Heat.  It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the solution lies.  First of all, the Sixers just aren’t a good shooting team.  They thrive on creating easy buckets off turnovers and fast break opportunities, and recently they have not been able to do much of that.  Even when the Sixers shoot a high percentage, it isn’t from them hitting a bunch of jumpers. Either way, if you want to be a good NBA team, you have to find ways to convert in the half court.  There have been stretches under Tony DiLeo that the Sixers have played much better in their half court offense, but that is certainly not the case right now.  One of the biggest problems is that the Sixers just don’t have that reliable scorer who can get a high percentage shot whenever they want.  In reality, Lou Williams may be the closest thing they have, but his shot is not consistent enough. 

There were a lot of things that took place in today’s game that didn’t make a whole lot of sense.  I can’t figure out why Thaddeus Young sat for so much of the 4^th quarter.  I like having Lou Williams in the game down the stretch, so I would prefer seeing a lineup of Miller, Williams, Iggy, Young, and Speights.  I understand this lineup can’t be used in every game, but today the Sixers needed guys on the floor who could get themselves a shot, so I don’t understand why Young wasn’t on the floor.  There was one more thing that drove me insane!  We have already mentioned how poor of a shooting team the Sixers are, so why the hell with 24 seconds left and down by 3 do the Sixers draw up a play designed for Williams to force up a well defended three?  There was plenty of time to get a bucket and foul and then maybe if you are forced to, you go for the three.  Not to mention, the easiest way to get a 3 in that situation would be a drive and kick play.  So, why not run a play that is designed to get to the hole and then either get the easy bucket or kick for an open 3?  Granted, Lou didn’t have to shoot it, but it was obviously the designed play, and I think it was a bad call by DiLeo.  Last I checked, the Sixers traded Kyle Korver. 

So, where do the Sixers go from here?  Well, they have some winnable games coming up, and they need to seize that opportunity.  Plain and simple, the Sixers best offense is their defense.  It may be cliché, but it’s absolutely true.  That is where it needs to start for this team.  They have the ability to harass teams all over the court, and in order get out of this horrible shooting stretch, that’s what they need to do.  Let’s face it, easier looks equal better field goal percentage.  Let’s see if the Sixers can make Frank the Tank proud and go “streaking” in the other direction.

RANTS

I just wanted to mention 2 other things regarding the Sixers real quick that are really starting to piss me off.  Scratch that, I am already pissed.

1)       Willie Green- Willie Green has no business starting in the NBDL, let alone the NBA.  I honestly don’t get it.  He never plays in the 4^th quarter, so that shows how much they think of him.  If you won’t play him in the 4^th, why the hell is he starting?  Why not start Speights at the four, Young at the 3?  Or, insert Williams into the starting lineup at the 2.  Anything would be better than having to watch Willie Green pretend to be an NBA player.

2)       Sammy- He needs to shut his mouth!  I am tired of hearing him complain to reporters every time his name is mentioned for a trade or someone says he needs to play better.  Uh, hey Sam, you stink.  You are making millions of dollars and have absolutely zero ability on the offensive end!  He has some crazy idea that if he played 40 minutes a game, he’d be a 20/10 guy.  I’m sorry, I just can’t stand listening to him complain every time something doesn’t go his way.  Ok, I’m done.

It seems that the Pittsburgh Penguins have the Flyers number.  After dispensing of the Flyers in 5 games in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, the Penguins have followed that up by winning 4 of their 5 meetings with the Flyers this year.  The 4^th win came today in easily the most heartbreaking fashion of the season for the Flyers.  Not even the largest crowd in Flyers regular season history could prevent the Penguins from handing the Flyers a stunning 5-4 loss at the Wachovia Center.  It was a great game to watch, with both teams flying around the ice, good hitting, Cote catching Godard with a nice uppercut, and some nice end to end action.  The Flyers staged 2 3^rd period comebacks and still wound up on the short end of the stick.  I am not going to get on my podium and rant about one loss ruining the season because that would be stupid on my part.  The Flyers have a very good, young team that will have an opportunity to make a run at the Stanley Cup.  The fact that they were able to battle back today against the Penguins showed their toughness.  They were able to overcome a poor effort on the power play once again (0 for 4 and now 5 for their last 49).  Hopefully when Briere returns he can help cure some of the Flyers power play woes.  There were a few defensive breakdowns by the Flyers, but in the end, it will be one play from today’s game that stands out in everybody’s mind.  With about 3 minutes to go in the 3^rd period, and the score tied 4-4, the Penguins Dupuis had a breakaway, but was closely trailed by Coburn.  Marty Biron decided to come 30 feet out of the goal and attack Dupuis, and he was able to control the puck, but he had to get rid of it immediately or face a delay of game penalty.  What followed was pretty tough to watch.   Essentially, Biron dropped the puck behind him, right to Dupuis, who fired at an empty net and Sidney Crosby deflected the puck in for a crushing goal.  As I was watching the game, the CSN guys actually said that Biron made a “heads up” play and then got a bad break!  I almost threw my remote through the TV.  How was that a “heady” play?  To me, it was the exact opposite.  I understand what Biron was trying to do, but as I watched the play over and over, I felt he should have held his position and allowed Coburn to try and drive Dupuis off the puck, and if that didn’t happen, be a freaking goalie and make the damn save!  That one play ended up erasing another great effort by Mike Richards, along with many other Flyers. 

Again, I am not going to say that the world is ending or anything, but this game was a microcosm of the same glaring problem the Flyers have had for years.  They just can’t seem to solidify their goaltending.  We all know that with a good team and great goaltending, a Stanley Cup can be had.  Biron played very well in the playoff run last year, and seemed to be finding his groove here of late, but so much for all that!  Does any Flyer fan feel comfortable with Biron or Nittymaki as the goalie that will lead the Flyers to the Cup?  I sure as hell don’t.  Maybe they can make a trade for a goalie, but that is pretty tough to do.  What I do know is that myself, along with many Flyer fans, are pretty sick of being let down by the goalies.  It’s tough to know that you have a team with a lot of talent, a lot of guts and toughness, but without a goalie that you can lean on to make the tough saves.  Yes, the Flyers tend to have some defensive breakdowns, but that’s hockey.  It happens.  The problem is it seems the Flyers pay for every little mistake they make at the blue line because they do not have a goalie that can erase those mistakes.  I wish it was different.  I wish I felt better about the goaltending, but I feel like it’s Groundhog Day.  Déjà vu all over again as they say.

My intention when I started this series of posts looking at the Eagles’ offseason needs was to look at every position and assess the depth of the Eagles heading into the 2009 season.  But with my attention diverted and the draft right around the corner, it is time to speed this process along.

Instead of taking a look at every position, I will instead hone in on where the Eagles have pressing needs and will likely look to make significant upgrades either through the draft or free agency.  If I had control over the franchise for the offseason, this would be my blueprint.

Needs in order:

1.) OT: Here’s the situation at the OT position: their two aging and long-time OTs are without contracts and their supposed replacement, Winston Justice, is so bad that the Eagles are attempting to trade him.  Think about that: a team WITHOUT its two starters from last year is shopping the backup-who was a second round pick drafted for the express purpose of replacing Tra Thomas.  Clearly that plan is not going to pan out so it’s time to go in a different direction. 

With Runyan on the shelf for 4-6 months with microfracture surgery, it seems obvious that the Eagles will sign Thomas to a 2-3 year deal.  He is still productive-particularly as a pass protector.  But that still leaves a big gaping hole at the RT spot.  There is a chance the Eagles could slide Shawn Andrews outside and plug either Max Jean-Gilles or Nick Cole in at the RG spot.  It’s also not inconceivable that the Eagles would move Todd Heramanns to the RT spot and use either Cole or MJG at LG.  Every scenario has its risk and in recent days, the free agent options have dwindled as well.  Jordan Gross resigned with the Panthers, and Vernon Carrey resigned with the Dolphins.  My hunch is the Eagles will wait to see how Runyan bounces back from injury and resign him to a two-year deal if the recovery seems to be going well.  If not, they will look to one of the two internal options presented above.  Either way, I expect the Eagles to take an OT with one of their two first-round picks to put the successor in place (assuming they keep them both).

2.) RB: You’ll notice that I didn’t say backup running back.   This is a two-back league and the Eagles need to use a two-back system.  Ideally, they would bring in a RB that has some size, fits their system and can provide some much-needed firepower in short yardage situation.  There are some solid options available in the draft, but two things make it unlikely the Eagles will go that route for immediate help.  The first is they almost never take a running back on the first day.  Andy Reid has shown a general disdain for taking running backs early and those backs that he has drafted have been disappointments with the obvious exception of Brian Westbrook.  For years the Eagles have been searching for a Westbrook compliment in the draft and have whiffed on names like Ryan Moats and Tony Hunt.  The other factor at play here is the Eagles’ window for winning a championship-it ain’t getting any wider.  Because of that, they can’t afford to take a risk on a late-round pick in hopes that they can come in and help right away.  Given all of these factors, I would like to see them go out and get Deuce McAllister.  He is not nearly the player he once was but he tips the scales at 236 pounds, is a solid downhill runner, an above-average receiver and a decent blocker.  He fits the Eagles system well and if they can get him for reasonable money I’d take a shot on him.  His durability is a question but with 12-16 touches a game he should be able to stay fresh.  Another name to consider here is Leonard Weaver of the Seahawks.  He is 26 years old and weighs 246 pounds.  That being said, he is listed as a FB, though he is not a traditional lead blocker type. 

3.) FB: I know most people would probably put WR or TE in this slot and that is definitely a defendable position.  While those positions are areas of need where the Eagles will most likely make a bigger splash, this is an area that MUST be upgraded.  The Eagles need a fullback in the traditional mold that can provide solid blocking in run situations but also double as a serviceable receiver.  I mentioned Weaver above, but I’m not sure he is the type of blocker this team should be looking for-especially if it adds a back like McAllister.  Instead, the Eagles should address this need via the draft.  One player I like is Tony Fiammeta out of Syracuse—and not just because his name has a lot of vowels like mine.  At 246 pounds, he has the size needed at the fullback slot but also has above average hands for the position.  The Eagles could easily get him on Day 2 of the draft and he would at least add someone to camp that has the ability to lead block for Westbrook on the few occasions the Eagles go to a traditional I formation or pro set.

4.) WR: I mentioned in a previous post that Philly is a WR-obsessed city.  Many fans pointed to the lack of a true #1 receiver as one of the primary reasons for the failure this past year.  I don’t subscribe to that philosophy.  The Eagles have a very solid group of receivers that together, offer a wide range of skills.  In fact, I would go so far as to say the Eagles wide receiving corps is in the top half of the league.  So while I do think they should address the position, it is not as dire as some will lead you to believe.  The obvious target out there is TJ Houshmandzadeh.  He does not provide the size the Eagles sorely need but his production levels can’t be questioned.  And let’s not forget, he produced his monster year this past season with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center.  As difficult as it would be to type his name on a regular basis, I’d love to see him in midnight green.   Even if the Eagles do make the big splash the fans crave, they should still look for a big receiver for situational purposes.  One player that might fit the mold is Kenny Britt out of Rutgers.  At 6′-4″ and 227 pounds he has ideal size for a red zone target.  There are some serious concerns about his attitude but hopefully those can be addressed at his young age.  It’s not like DeSean Jackson is devoid of any character issues…

5.) TE: The Eagles like Brent Celek at the TE position and he rewarded that faith with some solid play down the stretch last year.   But Celek is a woeful blocker and is a liability when asked to stay in and help protect McNabb.  And while Celek does struggle in blocking situations, there are very few upgrades available.  Jim Kleinsasser is one intriguing name the Eagles should consider.  He is massive for the position, weighing 273 pounds.  However, he is known mostly as a blocking TE and not much of a threat in the receiving game.  He does have decent hands though and can be a reliable target.  He is by no means a top-flight TE, but can definitely be a solid compliment to Celek.  I doubt the Eagles go this route, but it might be a shrewd move.  Instead, I expect them to stand pat and perhaps add a player in the draft.

Other Possible Areas of Need: DE, CB, FS, LB

Quick Note: I find it almost impossible the Eagles won’t resign Dawkins so I didn’t even go into the possibilities of finding a replacement.

So that’s my blueprint-albeit incomplete, for the offseason.  What would you do?