Stop calling it the Eagles "Wide 9"...

Yes, there was a morning OTA practice on Wednesday, but it was pretty much closed to media, so we didn't get our Twitter relays from Kenny and Boner. Livefyre "radio" lines were acting a little goofy, too, and Twitter is basically on the same network servers, so who knows, maybe Geoff Mosher and Les Bowen were trying to get through to us but couldn't...?

Personnel cuts have begun, as you probably already know. Graig Cooper (RB) and Aaron Pflugrad (WR) were released. We're down to 87 right now.

In catching up from Memorial Day hiatus, I plucked a nugget from one of Dave Spadaro's OTI pieces from the weekend. Since the comment count on OTI was way down at The Wall over the holiday, I think it's only fair to give Dave his due. This interview he got with Eagles DL coach Jim Washburn is very informative for me:

"I never heard of the Wide 9 in my life," said Washburn. "I hear of the 'over' defense with a '9' technique. We play a 4-3 defense and we've moved a defensive end to the tight end side and moved him over about 3 feet. That's all it is. It presents some different challenges, but ... the New York Giants played 32 snaps of '9' technique out of 61 plays in the NFC Championship Game."


Jim Washburn works with his linemen--- photo from last week's OTA in Philly...

"Over" Defense with a "9" technique... That's what I'm calling it from now on, too.  Now I can impress friends and relatives at weddings and funerals when they casually drop the "Wide 9" reference. I will show off my new football smarticles. I will be the understated voice of Eagles education wherever beer is sold. I'm on a mission from the Bored.

Giving credit to other Eagles coverage journalists on a news blackout day, here's a nice little story about Kurt Coleman and Nate Allen from last week's OTA sessions. Seems the two safeties have come up with a "Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff" trademark move--- it's from David Weinberg of the Atlantic City Press:

"Eagles free safety Nate Allen swatted away quarterback Michael Vick's pass over the middle during last week's practice at the NovaCare Complex, producing cheers from the rest of the defense. Strong safety Kurt Coleman immediately rushed up to Allen and the two broke out a choreographed celebration that rivaled Green Bay wide receiver Donald Driver's winning routine on "Dancing With the Stars. They exchanged some low-fives and some high-fives, a flying hip bump, then capped it off by snapping their fingers while waving their hands."

"I developed it after watching some episodes of 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air,' " Coleman said. "I grew up watching the show and used to see Fresh Prince (Philadelphia native Will Smith) and D.J. Jazzy Jeff do stuff like that all the time. I know Will's from here, so I wanted to do something that would bring a little bit of Philly into it."

"Allen and Coleman are hoping to treat Eagles fans to the routine a lot this season. After enduring trying seasons in 2011, they entered the team's organized team activities (OTAs) determined to recapture the promise both showed as rookies in 2010."


Thanks to David Weinberg of the Atlantic City Press for an original look behind the ropes at Eagles OTA's involving Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman...

Allen, a second-round draft pick, played well as a rookie before suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee in the 14th game. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder was slow to rebound from the injury last season. He lost his starting job to Jarrad Page in training camp before finally regaining it in the fourth week. Allen finished last season with 76 tackles and two interceptions.

Coleman, a seventh-round pick, was benched for two games last season after missing some key tackles against the New York Giants early in the season. Three games later, he returned to the starting lineup and produced a career-high three interceptions at Washington. He added another interception at Miami before tearing a tendon in his left biceps in the next-to-last game. "I feel a lot better physically and obviously mentally," Coleman said. "Going through adversity like that builds character and really makes you figure out who you are as a person and as a team."

Allen and Coleman have a strong bond, which was evident last week. They entered the OTAs as starters ahead of second-year safety Jaiquawn Jarrett and performed as if they are intent on staying in the lineup. Weinberg reports: "Almost every key defensive play during the Eagles' three-day session featured Allen or Coleman. There were a few occasions on which they spotted something in the Eagles' offense and made adjustments just before the snap."

"Kurt and I have chemistry," Allen said. "A lot of times we can just look at each other and make eye contact and know what to do back there. I think the fact that we're good friends has something to do with it."

Now on to the Thursday OTA sessions...DE Jason Babin and DT Cullen Jenkins are participating voluntarily after returning from leave (Babin stuck in Alaska, Jenkins playing "Mr. Mom" to his wife recovering from surgery and his two kids. Hopefully we'll get a lot more live media coverage the rest of this week...