Category: Eagles Football


Thelinc Oooooh pretty!

Yesterday, National Football Post ranked the 31 NFL stadiums (remember the Giants and the Jets play at the same venue, folks… come on, get it together). They were selected taking five factors into  account. Those would be architecture, history, weather, fans, and location. Here’s their top 5:

  1. Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)
  2. Cowboys Stadium (Dallas Cowboys)
  3. Qwest Field (Seattle Seahawks)
  4. Heinz Field (Pittshburgh Steelers)
  5. Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia Eagles)

And here is what they said about the Linc:

This place doesn’t feature the same hostility or 700 level chaos that could be found at Veterans Stadium back in the days of Buddy Ryan and Randall Cunningham, but trust me, that doesn’t mean Lincoln Financial Field is a friendly environment for visiting teams.

I’ve sat in the last row at the Linc and get tell you first hand that this place doesn’t have a bad seat in the house. In addition, fans are treated (I use that term loosely) to scenic views of the Philly skyline out of the west end zone.

The true beauty of Lincoln Financial Field comes before kickoff, as this venue is part of a Philadelphia sports complex that is also home to Citizens Bank Park (Phillies) and the Wells Fargo Center (Flyers, Sixers). With all of the parking available, fans have the luxury of tailgating with their 69,000 closest friends prior to game time.

Bonus: Matt Bowen was heckled by an old lady at the Linc while on crutches when he played there with the Rams back in his glory days.

Just a quick thought before I delve more into this… I would love to find that old lady and give her a big hug, maybe buy her breakfast at a mediocre diner. That probably helped us with the “fans” part of this whole thing. Read the rest at Crossing Broad.

"Michael Vick is heeeeerrrrre! Everybody, gets, a carrrrr!"

Pay no mind to the fact that the Eagles have yet to franchise Michael Vick for the 2011 season. Until action is taken on that front, you’ll have to find your Michael Vick news elsewhere…

…like, on Oprah.

My Fox Philly broke the news this morning that Vick will appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show after speaking with Dr. Lee Cohen, a podiatrist for Unequal Technologies. Cohen will be a part of the taping in Chicago, to take place next Tuesday, February 22.

Unequal Technologies is “significant” because they were the first company to sign Vick to an endorsement deal since he was jailed for dogfighting in December 2007. Read the full article at Crossing Broad.

Kevin Kolb keeps talking, but is anything going to change?

With Michael Vick likely to be franchised by the Eagles some time this week, Kevin Kolb’s situation in Philly continues to look bleak.

He has made it clear that he wants to start in the NFL next season, whether it be with the Eagles or another team. Arizona was on the list of possible destinations long before Kolb’s name came out of Larry Fitzgerald’s mouth. But the news clearly hit the embattled quarterback’s ears and he did not hesitate to respond when talking with Howard Eskin and Ike Reese on WIP yesterday. Via PFT via Moving the Chains. Read full article.

"I'm going to be an Eagle.... WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly will sign defensive end Phillip Hunt to a three-year deal. Hunt currently plays for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, and led the league with 16 sacks in 2010.

Playing his college ball in the University of Houston, Hunt went undrafted in 2009 and “took his talents” to the CFL. His recent success north of the border also caught the eyes of the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings, but it looks like he will land in Philadelphia for the 2011 season… if there is one.

It’s an interesting move by the Eagles, and it will likely be an affordable risk for a team undergoing a near-complete overhaul on the defensive side of the ball. If signed, Hunt will be under the tutelage of new defensive line coach Jim Washburn.

Washburn’s reputation as a d-line coach in his 12 years with the Tennessee Titans continues to follow him. If there’s anyone to learn from as Hunt makes his transition from the CFL to the NFL, it’s likely the experienced and respected Washburn.

Diamond in the rough? Probably not. But it seems worth the shot. An example to support that thesis would be the success story of 2010 Pro-Bowler Cameron Wake. Adam Caplan of FOX Sports elaborates:

Miami Dolphins second-year OLB Cameron Wake was a former two-time CFL player of the year. He finished third in the NFL this season with 14-1/2 sacks and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

You never know, folks.

Ice, ice baby. Duh-nuh-nuhnuh, nuh-nuhnuh-nuh.

I suppose you can’t control an ice storm, but that wasn’t the only issue in Dallas this week, as The host city of Super Bowl XLV (that’s the number 45 in roman numerals, folks) encountered a number of problems. It was enough to prompt someone to create superbowlsuit.com, a site designed for disgruntled attendees of last night’s game to share their grievances.

So let us recap what went wrong:

  • A major ice storm hit the Dallas/Fort Worth area early in the week, forcing the temporary close of their international airport. It also caused intense travel problems. Here are some photos of the storm, to paint a better picture for you. However, Super Bowl Media Day did go on as planned, so all was not lost. Whose fault was it?: Mother Nature – she’s been a pain in everyone’s ass this winter. Thank God that groundhog stepped in… he just better follow through.
  • Six people were injured when ice fell off the roof of Cowboys Stadium just two days before the Super Bowl. A new round of snow and ice led to the incident. The six injured were all contractors for the event. Whose fault was it?: Jerry Jones – he’s the guy who wanted this all this to happen. He built the stadium for this very purpose. With the snow and ice being a threat for the majority of Super Bowl week, the necessary precautions should have been and needed to be taken. Ultimately, he becomes responsible.
  • Injuries on the Cowboys turf: Steelers rookie wide receiver Emmaunel Sanders was carted off the field in the second quarter after injuring his foot. Donald Driver sprained his ankle. Charles Woodson broke his collarbone. Bryant McFadden and Flozell Adams suffered less serious injuries and returned. You could argue it was the icing on the cake of a terrible week, but you have to ask honestly Whose fault was it?: Football. Blame football, and the NFL, where injuries happen. I hate the Cowboys, folks. But this one wasn’t on them.
  • The Seating Issues: About 1,250 fans were relocated after temporary seating areas in Cowboys stadium were deemed unsafe. Now, the Dallas Morning News is reporting that the NFL and the Cowboys both knew that the temps could have been unusable. Wowsah.  This is the icing on the cake, folks. Eric Grubman is the NFL’s executive vice president of business ventures. He said, “The attendance record was not the goal. The goal was to use this great building in a way that showcased the NFL, showcased North Texas and showcased the great players we have in the NFL.”… bullshit. Whose fault was it?: The NFL and the Dallas Cowboys. You can’t go out on a limb with something like this. And refunding those affected with three times what they paid for their ticket doesn’t really make it better.

Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star reflected on some of the other issues, including rolling blackouts and canceled events. The length of cab rides between Dallas and Arlington was apparently 45 minutes long, too. He also claims that Indianapolis will be plenty more prepared for the Super Bowl in 2012 (if there is one).

It’s just nice to see Dallas have a terrible season, and then flounder as the host of the 2011 Super Bowl.

It makes being an Eagles fan a bit more tolerable this time of year…

Other observations from this weekend:

And he's good at Wii?! This guy!

  • It’s really hard not to like Aaron Rodgers. Congratulations to the Packers
  • I had no idea in September that we were playing our first game against the Super Bowl Champions.
  • Nine catches for Jordy Nelson, but don’t forget about those drops.
  • Greg Jennings looked good last night
  • So did Mike Wallace. That kid’s future is nothing but bright.
  • Was it me, or did Ben Roethlisberger look like a completely different quarterback after his first interception? My confidence in him faltered from that point forward, even after 14 unanswered.
  • I was in bed last night when this Jon Gruden fiasco began, and I had to get out of it to share it with you. I initially wasn’t happy about it.
  • The Sixers-Knicks game was frustrating to watch. They fought like hell and got close several times in the second half, but Amar’e Stoudemire is a freakin’ beast.
  • Glad to hear Anthony Gargano back on the radio after a bout with pneumonia. I’ve been through that before and that is NOTHING you want. We missed ya, cuz.
  • A source is reporting that the Rangers Michael Young wants to be traded. H’es been moved three times on the field in his 11-year career in Texas and now is slated to be the team’s designated hitter. I think Young is right in wanting to part ways. Their captain should have been treated better.
  • The Super Bowl had the most viewers of all-time. In other news, no shit.
  • Six days away from pitchers and catchers reporting and it feels longer than it did when we were 60 days away.
  • Had a great time seeing LeCompt twice on Friday. Once at Wing Bowl and once at The Buck Hotel in Feasterville, PA.
  • I actually feel bad about everything that has happened to the New York Mets. I don’t even consider them a rival anymore.
  • Watching the Flyers on Saturday night was actually relaxing. I never was under the impression that the team lost control of the game.
  • With Malkin out for the season, and no definitive timetable for the return of the concussed Sidney Crosby, I have to just say… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
  • Howard Eskin is really making an ass out of himself lately. First, he attacks Roy Halladay, and then he attacks Paul Domowitch from the Philadelphia Daily News in an accusatory fashion. The link will send you to Crossing Broad, where you can read all about it.
  • I was largely unimpressed by the Super Bowl commercials this year, but this one was special.
  • And so was this one.
  • Enjoy Monday, folks!
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