Archive for June, 2009

The rumors and innuendo finally came to pass late Thursday tonight. The Eagles did right by Donovan McNabb and restructured his current contract, which is set to expire after the 2010 season. Details of what exactly was done are still sketchy. Although, it’s believed McNabb was given a raise, some of which is guaranteed. McNabb and Andy Reid will meet the media Friday at 10am. At any rate, Donny Mac will break his pseudo silence and talk about dollar signs, decimal points, his future in Philly, and maybe, just maybe, the upcoming season. Congrats to Donovan. I think he’s worth [...]

Cornelius Ingram made it official today and inked a four-year contract. Adam Caplan from Scout.com also reported three players were released. Quarterback Adam DiMichele, running back Walter Mendenhall and defensive tackle Amon Gordon, who ruptured his Achilles tendon last month. *************************************************************************** Mike Sielski from PhillyBurbs.com posted an article on Lorenzo Booker. Man, Booker is a popular guy to interview. I imagine Westbrook‘s injury has a little something to do with that. Anyway, a couple quotes/anecdotes stood out for me. Booker took umbrage with the notion that he can’t be effective, but he wasn’t bitter: “It’s like my son. He’s not [...]

With all the hullabaloo surrounding the Phillies, by comparison things in Eagles Nation are relatively quiet. OTAs are wrapping up without much fanfare. However, there is still the matter of McNabb‘s contract situation. Derrick Gunn at CSN Philly has once again reported the two sides are nearing a restructured deal, which may involve an extension beyond 2010. In other dollar sign and dotted line news: Max Jean-Gilles has hired Mr. Rosenhaus to represent him. Max is in the final year of his initial four-year contract. With the depth the Birds have along the O-line, I’d be surprised if Max sticks [...]

I’ve always been a fan of the boys over at PFW. Their reporting is solid and their writers very knowledgeable. Now that I’ve dispensed with the praise, it’s time for me to pick some bones with Eric Edholm’s latest article on the Eagles. He tiptoes a perilous line in his parallels to the 2008 Cowboys: “Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sold out for the chance at a title last season. He put talent before character and chemistry, and the team paid the price with a 9-7 disaster. I don’t think the Eagles have taken this route, but I also am not [...]

I have a new obsession. It’s the Media Guide over at PE.com. If you’re a stats and records junkie like me, you’ll love it. Since I haven’t perused the Eagles record book lately, I spent over an hour scanning the names and numbers. One name kept popping out: Brian Westbrook. I guess that should come as no surprise. The dude has compiled an impressive resume in seven seasons. Are you aware how impressive? I sure wasn’t. Don’t worry, I chided myself for being ignorant. At any rate, since Brian’s current status is a tad unclear, I thought it appropriate to [...]

Wow, the Eagles are taking care of business early this year. Banner and the boys inked Cornelius Ingram to a four-year deal late Tuesday night. Congrats to Ingram. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and pick up the offense quickly. Only JMac and Shady are left. Since not many first-rounders have agreed to terms, we might have to wait a bit for their contracts to get done. Update: Per Adam Caplan’s (who first reported the story) Twitter page, the Birds must get down to 80-man roster before announcing the Ingram signing. Caplan says that should be on Thursday. Follow ITI on [...]

Joe Banner has been busy this week. Paul Fanaika and Moise Fokou have each agreed to four-year contracts. Five down, the big three to go. Follow ITI on Twitter

Florio over at PFT wrote a post last week about some players he feels are worth reworked contracts and some who aren’t. The names Sheldon Brown and Shawn Andrews were discussed. Florio is of the opinion that Andrews is more deserving, due in large part to his shift to right tackle. He makes a good point, but I think we should take the “wait and see” approach to Andrews’ new position, and more importantly, his new state of mind. If the Big Kid proves he’s ready to recommit himself to the game and displays the necessary skill-set to excel at [...]

I always forget there is a Supplemental NFL Draft every year. It’s not a huge event. Sometimes players aren’t even selected, but the latest one will take place July 16. Matt Mosley is surmising the Eagles may be interested in Kentucky defensive end Jeremy Jarmon. I’m not sure there is room for another defensive end on the roster, but at the cost of a low round pick, maybe the guy is worth it. Jarmon tested positive for a banned substance while at Kentucky, which made him ineligible for his senior season. Here’s the story. Follow ITI on Twitter

So, the elusive Donovan McNabb finally uttered some words over the weekend. Naturally, the media was all atwitter (anxious, not the social networking bonanza). Donny Mac spoke briefly in regards to his contract status. He elected to instead steer the discussion toward his Kid’s Clinic charity. Good for Don. I don’t really understand why some fans and most media types are up in arms about McNabb’s silence this offseason. Personally, I’m glad he’s removed himself from the front lines. For a guy who has taken a certain degree of heat for being a so-called “company man” and always doing and [...]

Joe Banner has successfully inked three members of the 2009 draft class. Macho Harris, Fenuki Tupou and Brandon Gibson all agreed to four-year contracts today. Three down, five to go. Let’s get all these guys done before training camp opens. Follow ITI on Twitter

I don’t know about other cities, but Philadelphia has some damn fine sports blogs, covering all four teams. Time to give these insightful, hard-working fellas some love here at ITI. Here is just a sampling of what they are talking about on their sites. Heard in the Cheap Seats is adamant that Brad Lidge should remain the Phillies closer. Igglesblog wonders if Jaun Castillo deserves the title of a great offensive line coach. Bleeding Green Nation discusses the duration of Brian Westbrook‘s recovery from ankle surgery. The 700 Level recounts a story about the Eagles fight song being sung at [...]