Eagles Chick | Philadelphia Eagles Football From a Chick's Perspective

Eagles' Employee Looses Job Because of Facebook Status About Brian Dawkins

Apparently employees for the Eagles cannot voice their opinions about the assanign decisions of the Eagles front office, if they want to keep their jobs.  Talk about feeling like you work for China, yeesh!

Dan Leone, who worked as a part time West Gate Chief, was like the rest of us here in Philly upset about Brian Dawkins going to the Denver Broncos and the Eagles not even offering a decent counter offer to keep him here.  Understandably upset he wrote "Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver ... Dam Eagles R Retarted!!"  Apparently both the Inquirer and ESPN are reporting about this.

Kind of stinks for the 6 year employee, doesn't it?  "I apologized 20 million times. I never bad-mouthed the organization before. I made one mistake and they terminate me? And they couldn't even bring me into the office to talk to me? They had to do it over the phone? At least look me in the eye. To get done dirty like this, I can't believe it. I'm devastated."

Likely he deleted it too.  Talk about a heavy handed approach, especially to such a touchy subject. I guess the Eagles front office, marketing and PR teams just really don't get it.  They are more about control than anything else.

Mr. Leone for what it's worth, there's a lot of people who agree with your post.  It's too bad the Eagles can't stand a dissenting viewpoint from any of their employees.

Update:  To add insult to injury, MSNBC.com is reporting that Mr. Leone suffers from a disease called transverse myelitis, which causes muscle fatigue.  Nice going Eagles front office, you guys are battin' a thousand!

At $19 million Under Salary Cap, The Eagles Can Open Their Wallet for WestBrook

$19 Million!  Yep, I said $19 million, that's how much wiggle room the Philadelphia Eagles have with the salary cap, according to the Eagles Salary Cap Tracking Site, EaglesCap.com.  How many businesses would love to have $19 million in extra cash for their budgets?  I have no doubt a lot of companies would love to have that kind of wiggle room.

This all goes back to the last post here on EaglesChick, that I wrote about Eagle's Running Back Brian Westbrook, looking to renegotiate his contract.  The guy deserves better money.  This guy deserves LaDainian Tomlinson-type money.  Westbrook, is the Eagles offense.  Westbrook, is the most valuable player the Eagles have, period.

With $19 million in wiggle room (which does currently include all the money in Westbrook's current contract), there's more than enough to pay this player what he's worth.  The guy is top notch, and he's top class.  He showed up for Training Camp and didn't hold out.  He's not held press conference on his lawn, like Terrel Owens did.  The guy hasn't spoken badly of his teammates or his coach.  This is the type of player that teams dream their entire team of was made up of.

The Eagles' front office is notorious for being a tightwad.  However, they have said Westbrook is severely undervalued.  At least we as Iggles fans should be relieved that they recognize this.  Hopefully they will also recognize that Westbrook is a fan favorite, because of his honest, and forthright personality as well as his ability to play the way he does even though injuries.  The fans, love Westbrook. 

It's about time that the front office opens that wallet and lets the moths out.  Time to give Westbrook the money he deserves, and be thankful that Westbrook didn't choose Drew "Give Me More Money" Rosenhaus as his agent and has Todd France instead. 

Dear Jeffery Lurie, please open your wallet and do the right thing, show the guy he is the Eagles' most valuable player.

*photos from philadelphiaeagles.com

Lito Sheppard Hires Drew "Give Me More Money" Rosenhaus

How many of you hear the name "Drew Rosenhaus" and cringe?  I know I just sighed, and rolled my eyes and said... "Oh no, here we go again."

The guys over at EagleTrain are reporting that Lito Sheppard's hired Drew "Give Me More Money" Rosenhaus.  Remember him from those agonizing last months of Terrell Owens' days as an Eagle?  Dear lord, what is Lito thinking?

I liked Lito, thought he was a decent guy, but seriously, hiring Rosenhaus makes me think differently.  Sheppard's come off a season with a lot of injuries too, and the Eagles (wisely) acquired Asante Samuel, who's got the only guaranteed starting spot.  What is Lito really expecting here?

I know I'm cringing, last time there was talk of Rosenhaus, we here in Philly were subjected to press conferences on the lawn and a circus.  Personally I want to see guys playing football, not that nonsense.

Regardless, at least Rosenhause does seem to be putting to rest those rumors that Lito was going to hold out on Eagles Training camp.  I just hope that's true.  That's one of the last things the Eagles need to deal with, the press contingent that is at Rosehaus' beck and call.

Donovan McNabb Interview on NFL Network

Watched a nice video this afternoon of Donovan McNabb talking with Scott Hanson (who is also a Syracuse Alumni) about not just what to expect of the upcoming game between the Giants and the Patriots, but he did address some of the issues that arose during the season.  The video itself is a pretty long one, but it's definitely worth the watch.

Donovan comes off very sincere when he speaks of his desire to retire as an Eagle.  He also shows a little bit of "fire" (not in a mean way) about wanting to go out and get play makers for the 2008 season.  He speaks honestly about how he's feeling physically and that everyone wants to see him running like he was 22 again, at 32 we all know that just doesn't happen!

Overall it's a really nice interview, Donovan always presents well in front of a camera, I think that that is in part due to his journalism degree from Syracuse.  They do joke in the video about if he does too good of a job the NFL Network might throw some money his way to be an analyst.  He definitely has the eloquence and knowledge to do it!

I just want D-Mac to stick around, the Eagles to get some play makers.  Maybe that will finally make some of those boo-birds shut up and stop squawking, but we all know ..... it'll be a frozen day in hell before that happens!

Hat tip to Enrico over at The700Level for the link to the video.  Just wish the NFL Network let you embed videos in blog posts.... grrr!

T.O. Needs To Repay the Eagles

It has been a bit since I've been able to actually break free enough to write about my beloved Eagles.  The season was a big disappointment.  However, we all can take great joy that it isn't the Dallas Cowboys in the SuperBowl, right?  Daaaaaaaayum right we can!

You know what else we can take delight in? 

T.O. has to pay back his sign on bonus to the Eagles.

According to the Associated Press & the Philadelphia Inquirer, the overbearing, self inflated, ego maniacal idiot that wears #81 and now makes Jessica Simpson cry (warning - that site is hideous and plays a really annoying rap song 'I'm back"), has been ordered to repay the Philadelphia Eagles $769,120.  That was the remaining amount left from him paying back $2.3 million from his signing bonus he received when he signed that infamous 7 year deal that brought him to Philly to begin with.

Funny, there's not a mention of that on his site anywhere *snort*.

And imagine this, his agent - Drew "I WANT YOUR MONEY" Rosenhaus - has yet to return calls for comment on T.O.'s arbitration loss.

I wonder - does that come out of Drew's stipend?  I mean he cried and wined when he didn't get part of T.O.'s original deal when T.O. came to the Eagles, so much that he nudged T.O. into asking for more money.  So does he help T.O. pay back the Eagles?

Yeah... I didn't think so either.  Poor T.O.

*giggles insanely*

New England Patriots Cheating Scandal Leaves Questions About the Eagles Superbowl XXIX Game Loss

The Patriots under suspicion for cheating, say it ain't so! 

• The NFL has seized tapes
• Belichick has issued an apology
• Goodell has determined the Pats broke the rules
  • Is it for video taping and stealing signals?
  • Is it for deliberate "communication" issues at Foxboro?
• Anonymous members of the Goodell's investigation team have indicated the investigation has been under way for a while now
• Various players from around the league have been very vocal about the cheating (both signals and communication issues) that has going on for years under Belichick's tenure
• And discussing how it crosses ethical lines.

So now, all of us Eagles fans are sitting here wondering, could this have affected the outcome of Super Bowl XXIX?  Even though my gut says "no", there's still this nagging bit of wonder and a ton of "What Ifs".  I'm sure a lot of the teams that met up with the Patriots in their SuperBowl and Playoff match ups are wondering the same thing. 

Everyone, no doubt is questioning the "greatness" of their dynasty now and just how tainted Tom Brady is, as the receiver of a lot of this information.  There's no doubt that few will believe that Brady didn't know about how the method of how the signals were obtained.  Perhaps someone should interview Drew Bledsoe, too?

At this point in time, the Patriots could become the more hated team above the Dallas Cowboys in Philadelphia.  Eagles fans are rabid, and don't like to be cheated, and this scandal just wreaks of nothing but cheating to win.  There is no doubt a lot of fans will now believe "our birds" were robbed.  It makes you wonder what T.O. might even say about it - will he change his tune from blaming D-Mac to now blaming Belichick's cheating scheme?

Whatever the case, it really makes an Eagles fan wonder, did they have our defense calls too?  If they did, they surely used them.  If they used them, then weren't the Eagles robbed, just as the Steelers were?  We only lost by 3 points in the Super Bowl, isn't it realistically possible that cheating won the Patriots that Vince Lombardi trophy that year?

What's your take?  Got an opinion, I'd love to hear it!

Donovan McNabb to Chicago Bears? Nah.... Just Speculation

Rumors, speculation and whole lot of "what ifs" have been tossed around this past week concerning Donovan McNabb.  ProFootballWeekly kicked it all off at the beginning of the week by speculating that Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb could eventually end up with Chicago sometime in the future.

That article took off like wild fire, and it turned into "trade rumors". Mere speculation around the fact Donovan's from Chicago, his family being there, his manager's from there, his high contract, drafting of Kevin Kolb, and a few statements Donovan McNabb's made in the past has managed to send the rumor mill into full tilt.

Donovan's not going anywhere this year folks, and likely not anywhere next year either - he is committed to the Eagles.  Heck, he even put together his own press conference after the Eagle drafted Kolb.  His contract is until 2011, and it is high, and I wouldn't doubt that after 2008-2009 season there's more talk of trades if Donovan's performance this season and next doesn't get them to be division or super bowl champs.  But there again, speculation and "what ifs".

There's no doubt the Eagles really like what they see in Kevin Kolb.  At this point, he is the likely successor to Donovan - down the line.  There's also no doubt Donovan's been a fall guy, just look at the crap he had to take with prima dona "he who won't be called by his initials" Terrell Owen, and he didn't know too much about the Eagles drafting Kolb.  Definitely can add fuel to the Chicago trade rumors.

Donovan's staying put for now, and to worry about next season or the season after is a little silly at this juncture in time. Now only if we here at EaglesChick can convince Donovan to loose the beard, that'd give us something more worthy to talk about. ;)

Kelly Holcomb Trade Rumors - Could the Eagles & Vikings Do a Deal?

Philadelphia Eagles football fans all know the Eagles have a problem, ever since the 2007 draft.  Four quarterbacks is just one to many and makes even the most devoted football fan just stand and scratch there head. 

As much as Kelly Holcomb is a nice guy and was a great find prior to the draft, the draft is what left everyone asking "Do the Eagles really need 4 quarterbacks?"  Most sports experts have been predicting we'll see Holcomb being traded before his cleats even hit the turf of the Linc.

On top of that, the rumor vine has been having a lot of whispers in the last few days.  The ESPN Insider (subscription required) has floated "what they've heard": Vike's head coach, Brad Childress (you know that guy who use to be a coach for the Eagles), might have use for Holcomb's services. 

Childress is still on friendly terms with the Eagles coaching staff.  Heck, I think all of Philly still likes the guy, except on Viking/Eagle game days.  These types of discussions makes perfect sense to any football strategy watchers.  The word is that Childress might trade take Holcomb off the Eagles' hands for a late 6th or 7th round draft pick in 2008.