What about Bob?

Despite inking second-round pick LeSean McCoy to a deal just two weeks ago, the Eagles are seeking more help for Brian Westbrook in their backfield.

According to a USA Today article, Philly is interested in signing 34-year old Warrick Dunn (scroll down to read the Dunn part).

Dunn, entering his 13th NFL season, is one of 24 backs to ever reach 10,000 yards rushing (his 10,967 place him 19th all time and third among active players). Last season with Tampa, he carried the ball 186 times for 786 yards, two TDs and no fumbles. He also caught 47 passes for 330 yards.

ESPN is also on the Dunn-to-Philly trail, which it's reporting in the Rumor Central area.

Dunn is a class act on and off the field, having done great work to help economically challenged single parents through his Warrick Dunn Foundation and providing down payments on homes through his Homes for the Holidays program.

Dunn was also instrumental in calling on his fellow players to donate time and money in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. For his efforts, he was given the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

From a football standpoint, it's hard to argue with Dunn's production — 4.1 yards per carry in his career with 64 touchdowns (49 rushing). He is small though, which would make McCoy (at 5-11, 210 pounds) the de facto short-yardage back.

-Chris Mascaro

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Speaking of rookie running backs who just signed, the Eagles agreed to a four-year deal with second-round choice LeSean McCoy (pictured) on Monday night. According to his agent Drew Rosenhaus, McCoy is the first second-round pick to sign.

Philadelphia selected the Pitt product with the 53rd overall selection. McCoy, 21, rushed for 1,328 yards and 14 touchdowns his freshman year with the Panthers and 1,488 yards and 21 TDs last season as a sophomore. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry each season, and caught 65 passes for 549 yards in his brief collegiate career.

More importantly, McCoy was a workhorse in his two seasons at Pitt, carrying the ball 276 and 308 times in '07 and '08, respectively. He'll provide a valuable insurance policy for starter Brian Westbrook, who's missed 13 games in his seven seasons with the Eagles. He'll be slotted into the back-up role immediately because Correll Buckhalter, Westbrook's understudy the past three seasons (and four of the last six), has moved on to Denver.

Philly has signed seven of the eight members of its draft class, with the lone exception being first-round wideout Jeremy Maclin.

-Chris Mascaro

The Eagles have scheduled a 10 a.m. presser at which team officials and quarterback Donovan McNabb will discuss the new contract agreement that had been a source of contention late last season and into the off-season.

"Donovan has played a large part of this team’s success over the last 10 years,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a release. “He has been a professional in every sense of the word.”

“We are thrilled that this all worked out,” team president Joe Banner said. "He is a great football player, a great person, and someone who gives back to the community. We are lucky to have him in Philadelphia.”

“The Philadelphia Eagles organization and the entire city of Philadelphia are fortunate to have a quarterback the caliber of Donovan McNabb,” coach Andy Reid said. “He has proven himself to be a talented player on the field, a caring member of the Philadelphia community, and a winner.”

McNabb, the Iggles' first-round pick in 1999, is signed through the 2010 season.

Ok, Iggles fans. You can exhale now.

Running back Brian Westbrook underwent successful ankle surgery today, although the doctor who performed the operation suggested Westbrook might not be available for the preseason.

According to a statement released by Dr. Mark Myerson of Baltimore, "It is unlikely [Westbrook] will be ready for preseason play."

Iggles trainer Rick Burkholder said Westbrook had bone fragments removed from the back and inside of his right ankle. One of the fragments had caused irritation to a tendon leading to Westbrook's big toe.

Westbrook will be immobilized in a boot for a month, and Burkholder said he expected a full recovery.

Tomorrow in Baltimore, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook will undergo surgery to clean up bone spurs in his right ankle, says Westbrook's agent Todd France to ESPN.com's Sal Paolantonio and John Clayton.

The surgery, which the Eagles term "a debridement" of the ankle, will be performed by Dr. Mark Myerson.

One source told the ESPN.com guys that the surgery could sideline Westbrook until well after the beginning of training camp, which starts July 29.

Said France: "We talked about it when he was at the doctor's office and went through the options and decided it was better to clean it up. The ankle has been bothering him since last year."

If that's the case, it's strange Westbrook would wait until this close to the beginning of the season to have the procedure done. Although, in his defense, Westbrook aggravated it further working out the past few weeks and Myerson said that playing through the pain with cortisone shots could be an option.

Westbrook had 936 rushing yards and 402 receiving yards last season and scored a career-high 14 touchdowns.

-Chris Mascaro

(Photo by Tom Mihalek/Associated Press)

As his battle with cancer continues, Eagles' defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has decided to take a leave of absence, according to ESPN's Sal Paolantonio.

Johnson, who was confined to a wheelchair after a recurrence of melanoma developed in the form of a tumor in his spine, is beginning a second round of chemotherapy. He will miss at least the upcoming OTAs, and it is uncertain when the 67-year old will be able to return.

Johnson has been with the Eagles since 1999, and is famous for his extensive (and intricate) blitz packages.

Secondary coach Sean McDermott will take over the defense while Johnson is gone.

Said Eagles head coach Andy Reid: "I told him to take care of himself first, and when he's ready to come back, come back.

"I'd like to tell you he's great, but he's not. He's struggling right now. I told him, when you feel like it, come back."

-Chris Mascaro

(Photo by Matt Rourke/AP)

So said head coach Andy Reid in an interview on WIP radio.

The Iggles shied away from any trade, because Reid felt it would have taken first, third and fifth-round picks - and a salary upwards of $10 mil per year - to get the deal done.

Instead, the Iggles came away with Missouri wideout Jeremy Maclin by trading up late in the first round with the Browns.

Smart business decision, I'd say.

... but the digruntled cornerback still wants out because he wants a new contract.

(He says it's not about the money, but as we all know from hearing former Giants GM George Young all those years, "WHEN THEY SAY IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY, IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY!!)

Brown thinks he's going to be dealt, because the Iggles traded for Pats veteran cornerback Ellis Hobbs on the second day of the draft.

(btw, I really, really like Hobbs as a player. He is an underrated athlete, can return kicks, and has a terrific attitude. He's never an excuse-maker, and is always willing to own up to his mistakes. When he gave up the winning TD in Super Bowl XLII to Plaxico Burress of the Giants, he was suffering from groin and shoulder injuries. But he never said a peep about his physical condition, even though he underwent shoulder surgery in the off-season.)

The Iggles signed Patriots free agent cornerback Asante Samuel last year, and now they've traded for his former Pats teammate, Ellis Hobbs, who was the cornerback defending Plaxico Burress when he scored the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII.

I like the move. The Iggles were a bit thin in terms of veteran leadership without Lito Sheppard (traded to the Jets) and Brian Dawkins (signed with Denver as a free agent). And with Sheldon Brown bellyaching about his contract, the addition of Hobbs at least settles things down.

Iggles cornerback Sheldon Brown went public with his request to be traded, but the team has taken a hard line and issued a scathing statement in response to Brown's request.

“It’s very unfortunate and counterproductive that Sheldon has chosen to go public with his feelings about his situation. After thorough evaluation by himself and discussions with his family and agents, he chose to accept an extension of his rookie contract early that provided his family financial security for the rest of his life. It removed any concerns about health or performance that all other players in his draft class had to worry about. He has four years remaining on that contract and, after taking the signing bonus and his first two years of salary into account, we feel that Sheldon is being paid fairly. Focusing only on a player’s salary for a given year is not a valid analysis.

"There have been league MVP’s, Super Bowl champion quarterbacks, and perennial Pro Bowlers who have been in a similar situation. All of their teams have required them to wait until their contract expired or there was only one year remaining before any adjustment took place. It is only in the most extraordinary, in fact, less than a handful of circumstances in the last ten years that any players two new years into a contract with three years left have been adjusted. We don’t think this qualifies as an extraordinary circumstance.

"Sheldon’s comments under the circumstances actually serve to devalue him in a trade if we were willing to consider it; which we are not."

Uh, Sheldon, I think you're out of luck.

Iggles president Joe Banner says the team might still swing another trade for a veteran player on or before draft day. That player could be Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, although Banner did not specify any particular player when asked whether he'd consider using his remaining first-round pick (21st overall) in a potential deal.

The Iggles traded their other first rounder (28th) and a fourth-rounder to Buffalo for left tackle Jason Peters.

We continue to believe that the Ravens and Jets will be major players in the Boldin sweepstakes, and give a slight edge to Baltimore because GM Ozzie Newsome has been intent on upgrading the receiver position for years. Like most teams willing to trade their own players, the Cardinals are wary of trading within the conference, making the AFC's Baltimore and the Jets far more attractive trading partners.

The Bills has expressed some hope of keeping their Pro Bowl left tackle, but Peters has been adamant about getting a new contract.

Buffalo has decided it's http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9466866/Sources:-Eagles-trade-for-Bills-Pro-Bowl-LT-Peters?MSNHPHMAbetter to part ways at this point rather than haggle over a new contract. FOXSports' Jay Glazer reports the deal.

Look for Buffalo to use one of its two first-round picks on a tackle.

Limited blogging for a few hours as we complete a Sunday piece that is on the unique side. It's an interesting draft-related feature on a guy whose career was thought to be over a few months back, and I don't want to screw it up any more than usual. Time to concentrate.

Iggles personnel director Tom Heckert speaks quite highly of the Alabama offensive tackle, who showed up at the Scouting Combine looking like Don Koharski after 15 Dunkin Donuts runs in 15 days and then had a disappointing individual workout for scouts at his pro day.

The Iggles are in the market for an offensive tackle after letting Tra Thomas go as a free agent to Jacksonville. Longtime right tackle Jon Runyan had knee surgery and is not expected back.

There are some draft observers who believe Smith will fall out of the first round, but my sense is he'll go no later than 25. As one personnel man told me, "The guy has some weight issues, but he doesn't have an issue with talent. He'll be a first-rounder, no question. He might even go in the first half of the round."

Harry Kalas, the voice of the Philadelphia Phillies and NFL Films, died today at age 73 in Washington just a couple hours before the Phillies were set to take on the Nationals (first pitch is at 3:05 p.m.). He was taken to the hospital after passing out in the booth while preparing for the game.

Team president David Montgomery announced the death a short time ago, stating "we have lost our voice."

In 2002, Kalas received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kalas also narrated the highlights on Inside the NFL, which are produced by NFL Films, since the show's inception in 1977.

He joined the Phillies in 1971 after a stint with the Houston Astros from 1965-70.

(**Here is an updated story.**)

-Chris Mascaro

Remember when we told you about Dan Leone, a 32-year old part-time Eagles' employee who lost his job over his Facebook status, which derided team management over the failure to re-sign Brian Dawkins?

Well, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, Dawkins, who signed with the Broncos last month, heard about Leone and decided to cheer him up with two tickets (his allotment for a road game) when Denver visits the Linc this season at a date to be determined.

Said Dawkins: "I thought it'd be a good gesture. Had I not . . . signed with Denver, that guy would still have his job. Obviously, he made a decision and out of emotion said something. He was one of probably thousands and thousands of Eagles fans who felt that way. That didn't surprise me, that someone said that on their Facebook. It did surprise me that he was let go, though. That really did surprise me. I felt it would be a good thing, to reach out to that individual and just let him know how much I appreciate it.''

Classy move by Dawkins ... I'm sure he made Leone's day.

-Chris Mascaro

(Photo by Tom Mihalek/Associated Press)

Doesn't seem all that preposterous, considering the Iggles need a left tackle after Tra Thomas signed with Jacksonville and Peters is still embroiled in a contract dispute that began before last season.

Still a long way to go on this, but the Bills certainly have options in the event they want to move Peters. Buffalo has the 11th overall pick in a draft class filled with quality offensive tackles.

But Bills coach Dick Jauron is reluctant to give up entirely on Peters, who wants to become the highest paid left tackle in the game. We've got Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew slotted for Buffalo's 11th overall choice in our mock draft.

This is why you kids have to be careful what you post on Facebook.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Dan Leone, a 32-year old lifelong Eagles fan who worked as the west gate chief at the Linc on game days for the past six years, was fired because of a rant he posted on his Facebook page after the Eagles allowed Brian Dawkins to become a free agent (he later signed with the Broncos).

Here is columnist John Gonzalez's take on the matter.

Leone posted the following on his page: "Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver. . .Dam Eagles R Retarted!!"

Within a week, he was fired. Let me also mention that Leone suffered from a neurological disorder called transverse myelitis that caused muscle fatigue and limited range of motion in his limbs, which forced him to work from a wheelchair when the pain of standing became too unbearable.

Continue reading "Eagles worker fired over Facebook rant" »

That's right, people.

The Philadelphia Eagles, whose locker room was obliterated by Terrell Owens after their 2004 Super Bowl season, have indicated they have no interest in re-signing the 35-year-old wide receiver.

Stunning!

Again, it boggles the mind to see all these teams coming forward so quickly to tell reporters that there is absolutely, positively no way in heck that they'd consider the man who has singlehandedly ruined all three NFL locker rooms of which he's been a part.

It also amazes me to see all the ways that Owens has sabotaged his reputation throughout the league, and not just with the three teams he's been a part of - San Francisco, Philly and Dallas.

Consider:

Continue reading "Breaking News: Eagles not interested in T.O.!!!" »

The Iggles will now have the Andrews brothers - Shawn and now Stacy - blocking for Donovan McNabb.

Stacy Andrews signed a free agent deal today, despite the fact he recently underwent reconstructive knee surgery.

He'll replace longtime right tackle Jon Runyan.

... 'cause the Iggles' hard-hitting safety will be playing in Denver this season.

A stunner here, as most folks around the league - and particularly in Philly - expected Dawkins to finish his career in an Iggles' uniform.

The specuation continues about Donovan McNabb's whereabouts in 2009, and that he has played his last game in an Eagles' uniform.

Has he?

Well, consider that McNabb is still miffed at being benched against the Ravens, and he still plans on a sit-down with head coach Andy Reid. And yes, he does want a revision of his contract, which has two years left on it.

All that aside, however, the indications are extremely strong that McNabb isn’t going anywhere.

First, he has been working out regularly at the team’s training facility. And while we’re still more than two months away from the team’s mandatory mini-camp, which some are speculating that McNabb will pass up, there are no indications internally that he plans to skip the team’s required functions.

So, the bottom line: Will McNabb be playing for the Eagles in 2009? We asked a league source with knowledge of McNabb’s situation if there was any chance McNabb would be with another team next season. Hie response: “No way.”

Before I get to the Super Bowl Fun Facts I promised, here are a couple of interesting stories that I came across...

-Donovan McNabb has an offseason home in Chandler, Arizona, which is not far from where the Cardinals play in Glendale. Apparently, two Arizona fans decided to vandalize his property by hanging a team flag on a tree (McNabb reportedly laughed that off and left it hanging, which I think is pretty cool) and by burning "Go Cards" (among other things) with diesel fuel into his lawn. (This all went down before Sunday's game.)

What baffles me is that the two morons — Rex Perkins, 37, and co-worker Ryan Hanlon, 28 — also left a cardboard box in McNabb's driveway with "Go Cards" written on the side, and it had a label with Perkins' address on it! How stupid can you be to leave your contact information at the scene of the crime? On a piece of evidence no less.

The two men were cited for misdemeanor criminal damage. Unreal.

-Switching gears, it was announced today that Kerry Collins will fill the AFC roster spot at the Pro Bowl that was vacated by the injured Brett Favre (shoulder) and Philip Rivers (knee). Rivers was the first alternate, but probably should have been taken over Favre, considering he had a much better season. But I guess it doesn't matter now.

Personally, I would have taken Chad Pennington, but I believe Collins is a worthy choice as well.

Kurt Warner and Peyton Manning are the game's starters.

(Photo by John Russell/Associated Press)

A pulled hamstring in training camp created some doubts about whether the Eagles had erred in pouring a ton of free agent money into cornerback Asante Samuel.

But there is no more second-guessing. Samuel was a big-time performer during the regular season, and has stepped up his game even more in the playoffs. He led the team with four interceptions and 21 passes defensed in the regular season, and his two interceptions in the playoffs have been huge. His first was returned for a touchdown against the Vikings in the wild card round, and his second set up a TD against the Giants in last week’s divisional playoffs.

“Picking teams is kind of hard [as a free agent], but I couldn’t have come into a better situation,” Samuel said. “We have a great defense, a good team, the fans are great and the city is great.”

Terrific piece in today's Philadelphia Inquirer from Frank Fitzpatrick about how the Iggles nearly moved to Arizona in 1984 when then owner Leonard Tose, deeply in debt from gambling problems, was looking to get some quick cash.

Thanks to the uncovering of the proposed plan by a newspaper columnist named Bob Hurt - yes, a newspaper columnist - the plan never went forward. As soon as Hurt wrote the news of the move, people in Philly - including politicians willing to offer a sweetheart lease deal to Tose - freaked out and the Iggles stayed put.

On the eve of the Iggles-Cardinals NFC Championship Game, it is required reading. And further proof that there is still a need for quality journalism in this fast-food Internet age.

The Iggles' coach admitted yesterday that he isn't superstitious about his routines heading into a game. "I'm not superstitious," he says. "I eat."

But there is a way he might lose a bunch of pounds. If you read through to the very end of my column in today's paper, you can find out how.

Whether the Iggles ride their late-season burst into a meaningful playoff run might rest not so much with Donovan McNabb, but with Jim Johnson.

No, he doesn’t play for the Iggles. He’s the defensive coordinator. And how his group deals with Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who led the NFL with 1,760 yards this season, might determine whether Philly makes it to the second round of the postseason.

The Iggles have given up more than 122 rushing yards in a game only three times in the regular season, and held opponents to an average of just 3.1 yards per carry over the last seven games.

Peterson will certainly challenge those numbers. Not only did he lead the league in rushing, but he had an NFL-high 20 runs of 20 or more yards and has rushed for 100 or more yards in eight of Minnesota’s last 11 games. The Vikings are 7-1 in those games.

“He’s a special guy,” Johnson said of Peterson. “You think you have the perfect defense, and one guy slips and falls down in a gap, and all of a sudden, he’s got that great explosion and hits it and turns it into a big play.”

If the Eagles were to give quarterback Donovan McNabb a new contract, then perhaps all the controversy over whether he should stay or go would finally die down.

At least that's the way McNabb sees it. Yesterday, he suggested a re-working of his current deal - a $115 million, 12-year extension that originally took him through the 2013 season.

Complicating factor in all this: The last three years of that contract were voided when he reached incentive clauses. Thus, the proration on the $20.5 million signing bonus he received runs through 2009. Which means $1.1 million of McNabb's $10.3 million salary-cap number for 2009 would count against the Eagles' cap if he were to be traded.

Gut feeling: The Eagles are open to keeping the 32-year-old quarterback, but if the right offer came along, they'd make a deal.

Several minutes after the Iggles beat the Giants today at Giants Stadium, Donovan McNabb walked out of the locker room. I happened to be in the vicinity after returning from the Giants' locker room, and we exchanged pleasantries. I congratulated him on the win.

"Hey, weren't you on some pre-game show last night?" McNabb asked.

I assumed he was referring to Giants Gameday on WNBC.

"Oh, you mean the one where I predicted the Giants would win?" I said.

Continue reading "Donovan McNabb motivated by Glauber Nation" »

... Brian Westbrook is expected to play against the Giants tomorrow.

If the Eagles are to beat the Giants, they need Westbrook. Big time. McNabb is a much, much better quarterback when he has Westbrook in the backfield.

If they go one-dimensional without the shifty running back, it'll be a huge disadvantage.

... I just realized something after spending the last 8 days buried in Plaxico Burress news. There's a football game tomorrow. A game! I very much look forward to it. If you're a Giants or Eagles fan, I hope you do, too.

Same if you're a Jets or 49ers fan ready for tomorrow's Bretts-Niners showdown at Candlestick. (At least I think that's what they call that sinkhole of a stadium these days.)

Nice effort by Glauber Nation regular "Danny Kanell" of Big Blue Interactive fame.

Here's the pic he offered up in response to the chaos in Philly what with the benching of Donovan McNabb.

Andy Reid will start Donovan McNabb in Thursday night's game against the Cardinals in Philly.

Right move.

Short week. Not enough time for Kevin Kolb to get ready. Give McNabb another chance to see if he can straighten things out. If he stinks out the place again, you've got 10 days to get Kolb ready.

The cries are growing louder in Philly for the ouster of Donovan McNabb ... and head coach Andy Reid, for that matter.

McNabb got yanked at halftime of the Eagles' blowout loss to the Ravens, although the move hardly panned out. He was pulled at 10-7, and the Birds lost 36-7 behind second-year QB Bobby Hoying ... er ... Kevin Kolb.

(Sorry, the Hoying comparison works for me. He's the one who was supposed to be the post-Randall Cunningham savior ... and wasn't.)

In any event, I wrote about McNabb being at the crossroads in today's newspaper, if you care.

Maybe some Ivy League blogger has some answers for what ails McNabb.

Speaking of Ivy League bloggers, Islander505 not a big fan of them. In fact, that took up quite a bit of discussion at last night's dinner in Phoenix, where I505 and I505Jr. joined forces with Glauber Nation and T-Rock for a power meal.

Hey, La Monica, what's your take on Ivy League bloggers?

The Kansas City Star columnist, who does terrific work while also moonlighting for MSN, begs to differ with those of us - myself included - who think Donovan McNabb not knowing that games can end in a tie is a big deal.

It's an interesting read that has already elicited many comments.

I will no doubt write about McNabb for Sunday's newspaper and will probably suggest a thing or two that should happen in Philly, what with all the controversy.

I wish it was easier to comment on this blog, but for some reason, the gremlins have taken over and that dang "comment submission error" screen keeps popping up. Thanks for those of you who keep trying.

Two days after Donovan McNabb conceded he didn't know a game could end in a tie, the calls for Kevin Kolb are growing louder.

... but I do know - and have known for a long, long time - that there are ties in the NFL because there is only one overtime period for regular season games that end in a tie in regulation.

Iggles quarterback Donovan McNabb admitted after yesterday's 13-13 with the Bengals that he didn't realize a game could end in a tie.

Iggles coach Andy Reid thinks it did not play a factor in how the team performed against the Bengals, especially in the OT period.

Maybe he's thinking about his impending nuptuals with former Playboy playmate Kendra Wilkinson.

Baskett, a third-year receiver, has become a bit player in the Eagles' offense, although his choice of Wilkinson as his life partner has certainly livend things up around the team.

Incidentally, I got into a little bit of hot water with the boss over my initial posting of Baskett's engagement. I used an article by the Washington Post as a link, rather than the Newsday story that has been among the site's most popular in recent days.

I apologize to La Monica for any inconvenience.

Meanwhile, the Giants have mostly kicked the stuffings out of the Eagles through the first half, but they go into intermission clinging to a 20-17 lead.

(UPDATE: Well, what do you know? The Eagles got the opening kickoff for the second half and drove for a touchdown to take a 24-20 lead on the Giants. And who caught the 7-yard touchdown? Baskett!!! May this man play forever. Or however long he's married to Ms. Wilkinson.)

Apparently, Eagles receiver Hank Baskett became engaged to Kendra Wilksinson last weekend when the team was in Seattle to play the Seahawks.

It's right here in the Washington Post.

Miss Wilkinson is in the hit television show on "E" called "Girls Next Door." It's the reality show featuring she and a couple other Playboy Playmates and 82-year-old magazine founder Hugh Hefner. There is a lot of frolicking around the Playboy Mansion.

According to the Post, Hef is delighted that his live-in is now engaged to the Eagles' receiver.

Hung out with the Eagles yesterday in advance of Sunday's game against the Giants, and quarterback Donovan McNabb, who always has something interesting to say, talked about how moved he was that Barack Obama became the first African American President.

McNabb said he has watched Obama very closely during the run-up to the election, and not only because he was intrigued by the campaign, but because he related to the candidate. Both men grew up in Chicago and both confronted plenty of doubters along the way.

Of course, there's no way to compare the level of scrutiny, but it was interesting nonetheless to hear McNabb talk about it at the Eagles' training complex. Here's a newspaper column I wrote about the subject.

McNabb once met Obama in 2005 and had a picture taken with him. Now he's hoping to get it autographed. McNabb also thinks it'd be cool to get a phone call from Obama after the last game of the season. Which would mean the Eagles win the Super Bowl in Tampa.

Love how Eagles coach Andy Reid suggested at his press briefing today that the stadium will be rocking for Sunday night's game against the defending Super Bowl champion Giants.

"It should be electric over at Lincoln Financial Field," Reid deadpanned. "I know the fans will be out of their mind. They will get plenty of a running start with it being an 8 o’clock game. They will be ready to go."

Running start? That's a new one.

Our assumption is that Islander505 has had plenty of running starts in his day. Perhaps Chilkoot Charlie can attest to some of them.

Eagles-Giants games aren't necessarily what they used to be nowadays, at least in terms of rowdy fan behavior. Back at the old Veterans Stadium, things got so rowdy that they actually had a makeshift courtroom in the basement of the stadium to process all the misbehaving fans who had gone into the game with a running start.

The Eagles' problems continue to mount. In addition to Westbrook's ankle problem, he now has cracked ribs.

Not good for a team that suddenly finds itself in last place.

... but Brian Westbrook may not be so fortunate.

McNabb practiced today and seemed fine after suffering a bruised chest in last week's win over the Steelers.

Westbrook missed another day of practice with a sprained ankle and may or may not play against the Bears on Sunday night.

The Eagles' veteran safety, an occasional critic of Upshaw, on the passing of the long-time union chief:

“From where the union started to where it is today is leaps and bounds. A lot of that credit has to go with Gene and what he stood for. He stood his ground on a lot of key issues. With the backing of the players he was able to get us in a pretty good position in terms of health benefits with the presidents at the time, be it Troy [Vincent] and Trace [Armstrong]. They worked to get us in a very good position, and he’s left us in a very good position.”

On how shocked he was to learn of his passing today:

“A tremendous shock. I don’t know the situation of when he was diagnosed. I don’t know any of that information. To have someone of Gene’s age and the way he carried himself, to all of a sudden receive a phone call that Gene has passed away was a huge shock to me. That’s why I always live my life in a certain way and that’s to make sure my house is in order because you never know when that time is coming.”

Here's Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie on Upshaw:

“On behalf of the Philadelphia Eagles, I am very saddened and shocked to learn of Gene Upshaw’s passing this morning. Whether it was as a Hall of Fame offensive lineman with the Oakland Raiders or as executive director of the NFL Players Association, Gene was a tremendous leader and a wonderful person. Gene always believed the best way to build the popularity of our sport was to craft a dynamic partnership between the players and the owners that served the best interest of the fans. We, as well as the entire NFL family, will miss his presence dearly and our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Teri, and their three sons.”

Eagles practices are regularly packed to the gills, especially for scrimmages and the like.

The Jets drew an estimated 10,600 for Favre's first day of practice last Saturday, but it's not uncommon to see crowds that big at Eagles camp no matter who the quarterback is. The Iggles once drew around 25,000 for a scrimmage when Terrell Owens was with the team.

Even so, the bustling crowds at Hofstra are a testament to the overwhelming popularity of Favre, who might be participating in his one and only camp in New York.

It is very cool, actually.

Especially after agreeing to terms on a new contract that will keep him in an Eagles' uniform the rest of his career.