If there were any doubt among us, NFL football is far from a glamorous sport...

It is about a small window of opportunity... and that window is framed by heavy lifting, a lot of running up hills with weights attached, severe diet control, and incredible confrontation with heat and physical abuse... and that's just the entry point of qualification for training camp.

And if you survive all that noise, your best bet of a career is 5 years... that will get you an NFL pension, which is a meaningful reward for a youthful investment of your sweat and pain into a game we armchairs love to watch.

Hopefully you will still be able to walk and talk coherently at the age of 50...

And the pressure to survive in the NFL is huge. What other sport can you cite where it is routine for players to vomit before a game?

This is all a prelude to the saga of Danny Watkins, the former #1 pick from Baylor of Andy Reid's Eagles just a few years ago...

Jordan Raanan of NJ.com reports:

"Last season went so poorly for Danny Watkins that four months later, he still doesn't want to reflect about what went wrong. The third-year pro is trying to pretend the forgettable year never happened. He won't even touch it with an extra-long firefighter ladder. "

Watkins didn't want to even mention the difficult season as the Eagles began practicing this week at the NovaCare Complex. The moment last year was discussed, Watkins quickly became at a loss for words.

"I'm not ... well ... I don't want to," Watkins stammered.

There's good reason for his reluctance. The 2011 first-round pick started just six games. He was inactive for five, including the final two of the season when he was a healthy scratch. There is also some doubt about whether he was actually injured to the point where he couldn't play in three others.

From start to finish, it was a disappointing year for the player and team that drafted him so highly. Watkins was the 23rd-overall pick in 2011.

Still, there remains an opportunity for redemption. The Eagles have a new coaching staff in place, including a new offensive line coach in Jeff Stoutland. He replaced Howard Mudd this offseason, and the refreshed and recently-married Watkins doesn't seem too disappointed by the change.

"Howard had a very untraditional pass set and coach Stout has a more traditional pass set. That is first and foremost," Watkins said. "[Stoutland and I have] spent a lot of time together. He's a coach you can relate to and you kind of look up to him and work hard for him and do the best you can for him."

Watkins and Mudd never seemed to mesh. The aggressive and demonstrative Mudd sent his young (in football years) lineman into a shell. Watkins, 28, never came out of that shell to play in 2012.

Without Howard Mudd in the picture, this is Danny Watkins' last chance to shine.

If Watkins wants a bona fide shot at an NFL pension, he's got to impress a whole new coaching staff that he's the real deal.

Uneven rookie season... disastrous sophomore year... Watkins is on the verge of being cut.

Hopefully for the beleagured Watkins, the change in coaching staff will give him a fresh start.  I always believed in Watkins' native ability. He has what it takes mentally and physically to be a great guard in the NFL. Certainly Andy Reid saw that in him. And Reid knows offensive linemen.

Watkins was disheartened and disinterested at the end of last season. Getting bumped down to the inactive roster will do that to a guy.

Howard Mudd gave up on Danny Watkins. Now it's Jeff Stoutland's turn to bring out the best in Watkins.

It's just another curious wrinkle in the fabric of a ground-breaking season about to unfold in Philadelphia football history.

I feel guilty about playing off a national tragedy to test a website...

But gosh darn it, I promised our Bored members a real test of this site... I'll keep this short.

First the incredible saga of the two weirdo brothers is over...

It's sad on so many levels...

Got to admit this boy put up one hella fight... But now it's time for him and his bro' to rot in hell...

I don't get why anyone in their right mind would go down this path... But I've got to take a side on the innocent victims of this deluded fraternity of losers...

Life is weird and sucks sometimes...

Now I got my own problems...

Livefyre is acting up. Once the saving grace of our forsaken Eagles Nation after the big bomb hit at OTI, it is now driving our followers away into the desert.

This is a personal disgrace for me. I've got to perk up and salvage this exodus.

But alas, I am not a programmer. And I can't afford to pay our resident programmer Spiffo to fix it...

So I (and we by extension) are at the mercy of a lovely lass named Dharia...and a tough-hearted Swede by the name of Derek at Bloguin.com....

They either get together and fix us... or they don't.

So this is kind of a test blurger...

Let's pick a quick Eagles topic to make it real...

Okay, Trent Cole (DE) and where does he fit into the new defense?

Trent Cole went from his usual double-digit sacks to just 3.0 last season. He was injured. Pretty badly from what Cole described to reporters on Wednesday after the second day of Eagles voluntary minicamp.

Cole claims he originally hurt his right wrist during the 2011 season. He says the tendon tore and it broke some time during the 2012 season, when he appeared on the injured list just once — Week 4 — with a shoulder injury.

"It was an injury I had two years ago but I kept playing with it. It finally snapped in half," Cole said as he sported tape on both wrists. "I played through the season with it and I had to get surgery. I tore tendons and everything. I snapped the bone right off the joint."

Cole wouldn't use it as an excuse. He admitted to being disgusted by his performance and vowed to bounce back with a vengeance.

"In this game, there are injuries that happen all the time," Cole said. "I can tell you about injuries you wouldn't believe I played through. There are a lot of other guys who have been through tough injuries and still played."

Cole, 30, underwent offseason surgery on the wrist in February. He was ready for the first day of practice earlier this week.

Now, he's out to redeem himself after the lowest sack output of his career. Cole had reached double-digits in sacks each of the three previous seasons. He managed just 3.0 in 755 snaps last year.

It may be difficult for him to reach that mark again considering he's changing positions. With the Eagles switching to a 3-4 defensive scheme, Cole is expected to play outside linebacker. He'll be asked to be a stand-up rusher for the first time since high school.

Okay---there's the hook--- Trent Cole was playing injured, and so is Livefyre...  Maybe we both can rehab and come back strong? I hope so...

I'm very upset about our Livefyre engine being on the fritz these past few days... I'm also worried if it doesn't get fixed by the time of the Draft next week, this site will be toast.

After all, nobody comes here to listen to me talk... in fact, I come here to listen to our esteemed posters do THEIR THING... and if they can't get in with their smarticles, I am irrelevant.

All right, there are no guarantees in relationships or life, so I'll just have to hope for the best.

Now, we finally have our NFL schedule...

The Eagles 2013 schedule was announced on Thursday night, and the team's first game of the season will be a Monday night showdown against the defending NFC East champion Washington Redskins.

This is just the second time in franchise history the team has started the season on Monday night. The Eagles will kick off at 7:10 that night, meaning they are the first game of the traditional double-header on Monday night to start the season.

Despite kicking the season off in prime time, the Eagles have only two nationally televised games this year- a drop off from the amount they used to get. The Eagles second prime time showing will be on Thursday night in Week 3 when Andy Reid returns to town with his Kansas City Chiefs.

Kelly, who has spoken at length about his love of practice time, can't be happy with the way the schedule breaks down. It begins with the team playing three games in the first 10 days of the season. The team also doesn't get their Bye Week until Week 12, the latest it has been since 2000. That means the first 11 weeks of Kelly's introduction to the NFL will be a fast and furious indoctrination.

The Eagles home opener is Week 2 vs. the San Diego Chargers, but they spend the majority of the early part of the season on the road. Four of the team's first six games are on the road.

The toughest part of the schedule appears to be Week 4 thru Week 8, when they travel to Denver, to New York for a matchup with the Giants, then a visit to Tampa Bay, and then home to face the Cowboys.

Here is the full schedule, with home games in bold:

Monday, Sept. 9 at Washington Redskins................7:10 pm
Sunday, September 15 vs. San Diego Chargers......1:00 pm
Thursday, September 19 vs. Kansas City Chiefs.....8:25 pm
Sunday, September 29 at Denver Broncos.................4:25 pm
Sunday, October 6 at New York Giants....................1:00 pm
Sunday, October 13 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers......1:00 pm
Sunday, October 20 vs. Dallas Cowboys..................1:00 pm
Sunday, October 27 vs. New York Giants................1:00 pm
Sunday, November 3 at. Oakland Raiders...............1:00 pm
Sunday, November 10 at Green Bay Packers.........1:00 pm
Sunday, November 17 vs. Washington Redskins....1:00 pm
Sunday, November 24............BYE WEEK
Sunday, December 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals.............1:00 pm
Sunday, December 8 vs. Detroit Lions.....................1:00 pm
Sunday, December 15 at Minnesota Vikings...........1:00 pm
Sunday, December 22 vs. Chicago Bears...................1:00 pm
Sunday, December 29 at Dallas Cowboys..............1:00 pm

Weeks 11-17 are subject to flex scheduling.

Jordan Raanan of NJ.com actually had a very nice piece on the culture changes happening in the Eagles organization right now.

"There's plenty of reason for excitement as the Eagles begin to unveil the Chip Kelly way. It's new, it's fresh, it's not Andy Reid. That in itself may have rejuvenated the previously stale NovaCare Complex."

"Still, there's more. The Eagles have only practiced two days, but already the differences are evident to even the most untrained eyes, even more so than the expected fast pace and blaring music. There's hurdles and heart monitors on the field, personalized shakes and Kashi bars lined on tables inside the practice facility and sleep monitors that players are wearing in the comforts of their own home."

Say whaaaaaa?

These are just some of the obvious alterations at the NovaCare Complex. Surely there are plenty more changes hidden deep in the hallways and meeting rooms. And according to Brent Celek, they'll all take a backseat to the real game-changer Kelly is bringing to the NFL.

"I think from a communications standpoint, I was saying it earlier, it's going to change the league," Celek said. "I'm not going to tell you guys how.... but it will. "

Okay. In mid-April, I'm a believer. Let's re-evaluate in mid-October...

Flash cards? Really?...

Pre-draft minicamp is underway for the Philadelphia Eagles. The guys are in shorts and shells. It's a unique opportunity for a new head coach and his staff to get some decent film on players and basic formations. Teaching moments and skull sessions will follow.

Chip Kelly's minicamp sessions are closed to the public and the media, so I'll just give you a quick rundown ripped straight from the Associated Press wires:

Michael Vick, Nick Foles and Dennis Dixon each took reps with the starting unit when the offense took the field Tuesday for the first time since Kelly replaced Andy Reid as the head coach. [No mention of QB G.J. Kinne in the AP report...]

"There wasn't one set guy that just went with the ones the entire day," Kelly said. "All those guys got an opportunity to roll through."

"It's April 16, so we're not playing until next September. We're going to use the full available time for us to make a full evaluation of what it is. I think it fosters competition. I think those guys love competition. That's why they're in that position, and they know it."

The former Oregon coach compared his depth chart to a "seating chart." He said it's way too early to determine starters at several positions and this pre-draft camp is all about getting players familiar with his system.

"I think our guys really understand and I think everybody right now knows where they stand, and that's a big thing for us," he said. "There's not a lot of gray area. It's everybody knows we're all going to get a lot of reps. We want to get film on tape so we can teach. Really sometimes the only way you can teach somebody is they've got to make a mistake. You can coach off of it. What did you see here? What was going on in your mind when you made this decision. Do you understand we have to make this decision, and our coverage dictates us going one way as opposed to another way? You can talk about that all you want, but until they do it, that is the biggest thing for us."

"We'll find a way no matter who our quarterbacks are to put a game plan in where they can be successful," Kelly said. "Sometimes there's a misconception of what I'm looking for in a quarterback. I'm looking for a quarterback that can help us score points and win games. If we have to throw it 50 times, we'll throw it 50 times."

Speaking of quarterbacks, it turns out Trent Edwards had actually asked for his release.

The Eagles' third-stringer last year was granted his wish and waived earlier this week.

"Trent actually asked us, 'could he get an opportunity, could he fit in somewhere else?'" Kelly said. "We helped him out with that more than anything."

I still think Edwards will find a job as a backup in a west coast offense somewhere in the league. I doubt we've heard the last of him. There was a point of no return for Edwards when Andy decided to go with Foles when Vick went down. Then Kelly was hired and the "mobile quarterback" became the flavor du jour.

Finally, a salute to a guy who was not only a good football player and a great TV announcer, but who was also Tom Brookshier's best friend:

Pat Summerall, 1931-2013

In the end it's just a game. We tend to gravitate toward our favorite sports to get away from harsh reality...

But there's no escaping the cruel truth that one or more nutjobs tried to blow up the Boston Marathon. This kind of tragic reality justifiably defers the focus of football fans who were just getting into the OTA's and the Draft itself.

At least 3 dead now and over 150 injured... what kind of sick mind really thinks they did good work on Patriot Day by blowing apart a bunch of innocent kids and their attentive elders?

It was the somewhat amateurish execution of a terroristic act that leads me to believe it was really the sick action of one or more local nuts. Although police and the FBI are now denying it, an unexploded trash can is revealing intricate clues to identify the perpetrator(s) as we speak. Hard to believe it was anything more than a crazy crime committed by one or two ego-crazed individuals out to establish a false sense of control in a dramatic way. There's probably something surviving in that little unexploded bomb kit or a remnant of the blast that will finger the predator---and expose the wildcat criminal mind of the idiot who designed and executed this madness.

This is not the kind of "catching lightning in a bottle" the 2013 Eagles had in mind...

But carry on we must.

It's time to focus briefly on the latest Eagles Mock Draft, this one provided by Rant Sports.com:

1. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
2. E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State
3. Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
4. Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State
5. Lavar Edwards, DE, LSU
7. Terry Hawthorne, CB, Illinois
7. Michael Williams, TE, Alabama
7. John Boyett, S, Oregon
7. Brandon Sharpe, LB, Syracuse

Seems like the national draft experts are getting more in line with solid-value picks like the ones above, and less in line with the more spectacular names out there, like Geno Smith.

I hope you caught an obscure interview with Chip Kelly's very first QB, Ryan Day, who played for Kelly when Chip was OC at New Hampshire.

Day, now the offensive coordinator at Boston College under previous Temple coach Steve Addazio, was a three-year starting quarterback when Kelly first took over as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator from 1999 to 2006.

Kelly’s spread offense and schemes were in the embryonic stages when Day was at New Hampshire.

“That was Coach’s first year as a coordinator and that was my first year starting, but yes, that was the beginning stages of his offense and that’s one of the things Coach does a great job with, moving and adjusting,” Day said. “He doesn’t have a lot of blocking schemes, but window dresses his offense for defenses. They’re basically the same plays with different looks. When he was at UNH, we were a little more exotic, changing the offense every week. And every week, it created problems for a defense."

"Coach is a great teacher. He’ll do a great job of teaching it with the Eagles. The way he explains things makes a lot of sense. He gives players the things they need to understand, and he can conceptualize things. That’s where he’s done a tremendous job.”

Day admits he didn’t have the mobility of Colin Kaepernick during his playing days at New Hampshire. In fact, Day even hinted that what Kelly brings could be a nice fit for Nick Foles, who’s far from Kaepernick himself.

“Coach Kelly is a master of playing really, really fast, which has become an edge for him,” Day said. “Going into my senior year, he told me in the off season to lose some weight. I wasn’t super mobile. We ran zone option, side to side. From there on, his quarterbacks have run a little bit. But I wasn’t Colin Kaepernick by any means. I was able to run the offense, and I wasn’t running by too many people in the secondary. The best thing I can say about Coach is that he’s always been able to adapt his offense to the personnel that he has. He was like that at UNH and then at Oregon. But coach Kelly’s offensive background is in a lot of things, the run-and-shoot. He has backgrounds in the pro passing game, the spread, and read-option."

“He’ll take the best things the Eagles can do and he’ll use them. One of his greatest strengths as a coach is he’s a great thinker on his feet—that’s accurate. His players love playing for him. I played for him 10, 12 years ago and he’s one of my closest friends in college coaching. I can thank him for everything in football that I’ve had. He leaves an impact on people’s lives.”

Day recalled the spring breaks at New Hampshire. Everyone associated with the football program, players and coaches alike, spread out everywhere, going away, going home. Kelly would go off to other colleges to visit their coaches and continue to learn.

“That’s him, that’s Coach,” said Day, who obviously speaks about Kelly in deep reverence and speaks to Kelly at least once a month on the phone. “He’ll keep working and working and working. Football is his love and his passion. He’s a super competitive person. He loves to coach and teach football, and he lives to win. He’ll be doing this his whole life. He’s going to do everything he can make it happen to win a Super Bowl for Philadelphia.”

[This interview first appeared back in January of 2013 in CBS Philly.com, and was conducted by Joe Santoliquito...]

It's a day of transition. Akeem Jordan, the free agent (UDFA 2007) ILB and ST-eamer  from James Madison, has left the nest to sign with his old mentor, Andy Reid in Kansas City.

More importantly, the mother of our good friend JB-Sage-Lion has passed away at too young an age. Our thoughts go out to JB and his family.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Even in the transition from Coach Reid to Coach Kelly, there are still truths which we hold constant:

1. You usually need to win 2-out-of-3 games throughout a season to make the playoffs;

2. To win 2-out-of-3 games, you need to tackle and block well.

All indications are that Chip Kelly will emphasize the fundamentals of tackling and blocking when OTA's and training camp really get underway.

Kelly was never known for a multitude of blocking schemes in his offense, but he sure emphasized the fundamentals of downfield blocking.

He also did plenty of tackling drills while he was at New Hampshire and Oregon, but he was usually more forgiving of a missed tackle than a missed block.

"Sometimes the other guy makes you miss on a tackle," Kelly once said at Oregon. "You've got to understand that a great running talent can do that. But there's really no good excuse for missing a block."

So from that quotation I am taking the cue to predict: we will be seeing a lot more emphasis on Eagles downfield blocking and technique in 2013.

What improvement in technique exactly does "blocking" require to make a difference in the NFL?

I had to go back to some basic concepts of blocking to even consider the issue. There are actually football schools around the nation that teach blocking. Many of them can be accessed at Football Plays and Drills.com ....

Types of Blocks:

1) Drive Block---  You'll hear a lot of arguments about whether to shoulder block or to use the hands when executing the Drive Block.

Let's start with the shoulder football blocking technique. Begin in a proper stance with the head up and the eyes on the defender's number. The lineman's first step should be with the foot on the same side of the body as the shoulder he'll use to make the block.

As the player explodes forward, be sure the eyes are focused on the target. They can't hit what they can't see, right? After the initial step, the blocker should drop the opposite knee so their base remains low and they can charge "upward" and into the defender. Keep the head up, eyes on the defender's middle, then slide the head to the side as contact is made with the shoulder.

You may want to employ the drive blocking technique on quick hitting plays or on short yardage and goalline plays, since your blockers don't need to maintain their blocks as long.

Now for the hand football blocking technique. This might be a blocking scheme to use when you need your offensive linemen to maintain contact with the defenders longer. The difference here is that when the blocker explodes out of the stance, they'll slam their hands up under the shoulder pads. The fingers should point outward, wrists close together as the palms make contact with the defender's chest.

The blocker must stay lower than the defender, gain the proper leverage on contact, then explode the legs up so the defender is thrown upward and back. Remember, the idea behind the drive block is to get the defender moved off the line and, if possible, knocked to the ground.

2) Trap Block---  This block requires a lineman, usually one of the guards, to pull behind his linemates across the formation.

Your pulling guard should pass the lineman blocking the inside of the hole, then seek out the defender located outside the hole. To make the trap block effective, it's extremely important for the pulling guard to keep his head between the defender and running back as he makes contact with the opposite shoulder.

As far as the fundamentals of the "pull", let's say your offensive lineman is pulling right. Teach him to swing the right arm back as he turns the right foot in that direction. The left foot pivots right and the head swings right so the blocker sees where he's going. He then needs to move swiftly parallel to the line and find his defender to demolish.

3) Scramble Block---  Start the scramble football blocking technique by stepping out of a proper stance just like the drive block. However, the aim of this football blocking technique is to get your linemen into the defender lower and a bit more quickly.

Players should make low contact, with the head placed on the outside of the defender's play side thigh. As the inside shoulder explodes into the defender, the head and eyes should remain up and the opposite hand should be on or just above the ground. Maintain contact and "scramble" (bear crawl on all fours) to move the defender away from the play

4) Cross Block --- This is where one blocker "crosses" in front of a teammate as the teammate "pulls" behind. This can be used between a tight end and tackle or a tackle and guard, etc.

The outside blocker goes first for this football blocking technique by moving toward the defender (usually a lineman or linebacker) positioned in front of his teammate. The inside blocker then pulls behind his teammate and blocks the next defensive lineman out. It is emphasized to the outside blocker how important it is to explode out of his stance quickly to keep his defender out of the backfield.

Those are the four basic techniques of blocking. I expect Kelly and his offensive and special teams staff members to be doing a lot of drilling on the various blocking fundamentals. It will be presented to players as a "refresher course", I'm sure. And in that vein, it wouldn't hurt for Kelly and staff to review for their team the three biggest No-No's of blocking:

1. No player on offense may assist a runner except by blocking for him. There shall be no interlocking interference.
2. A runner may ward off opponents with his hands and arms but no other player on offense may use hands or arms to obstruct an opponent by grasping with hands, pushing, or encircling any part of his body during a block. Hands (open or closed) can be thrust forward to initially contact an opponent on or outside the opponent’s frame, but the blocker immediately must work to bring his hands on or inside the frame.--- Note: Pass blocking: Hand(s) thrust forward that slip outside the body of the defender will be legal if blocker immediately worked to bring them back inside. Hand(s) or arm(s) that encircle a defender—i.e., hook an opponent—are to be considered illegal and officials are to call a foul for holding.....Blocker cannot use his hands or arms to push from behind, hang onto, or encircle an opponent in a manner that restricts his movement as the play develops.
3. Hands cannot be thrust forward above the frame to contact an opponent on the neck, face or head.

The main problem with all sports movies is the usually inaccurate depiction of the sport itself... Hollywood has a problem with getting the background athletics and their nuances just right...

This is not a major offense of "42"---the Jackie Robinson story. They do the base-running scenes pretty well. Football fans may not know it, but Jackie Robinson was a runner---he played QB and running back at both Pasadena Junior College and UCLA. He was also a world-class long-jumper.  In fact, baseball was his "worst sport" in college.

The way he ran the bases was maybe the biggest part of his calling card to getting signed to the major league baseball organization in 1945 by the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The movie is true to this important biographical fact. For that alone, I say it's okay to buy a ticket to see "42" in its premier theatrical run...

I went out to see "42" expecting the worst. And yes, there are mawkish moments when the soundtrack music swells up and the camera points up at Jackie and we are basically being told "Take off your hats, this is a heroic moment and a heroic man"... Oh I hate those contrived moments and phony musical soundtracks!

But allowing for those few maudlin insanities, it's a pretty good sports movie...

My biggest problem will be somehow apologizing to the masses for the fact that one of the biggest racial tormentors of Robinson when he broke into the big leagues in 1947 was the Phillies organization, led by Negro-hater and southern redneck Ben Chapman, the Phillies' manager at the time.

Chapman's Phillies were not the only NL team to oppose integration – several Dodger players had allegedly tried to petition management to keep him off the team  – but during an early-season series in Brooklyn, the level of verbal abuse directed by Chapman and his players at Robinson reached such proportions that it made headlines in the New York and national press. Chapman instructed his pitchers, whenever they had a 3-0 count against Robinson, to bean him rather than walk him.

Chapman's attempts to intimidate Robinson eventually backfired, with the Dodgers rallying behind their teammate, and there was increased sympathy for him in many circles. The backlash against Chapman was so severe that he was asked to pose in a photograph with Robinson as a conciliatory gesture when the two teams next met in Philadelphia in May. This incident prompted Robinson's teammate Dixie Walker to comment, "I never thought I'd see old Ben eat shit like that."

Robinson went on to stardom and a ten-year career, a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and a revered position in American sporting and civil rights circles. Chapman's baseball career, however, was coming to an end. He survived the 1947 season, but the Phillies fell to seventh place. In July 1948, with the team still in seventh, Chapman was fired and eventually replaced by Eddie Sawyer. He would surface one more time in the majors, as a coach for the 1952 Cincinnati Reds.

Chapman's career major league managing record was 196-276 (.415). He died of a heart attack at age 84 at his home in Hoover, Alabama.

And so it went down, and so it goes...

Brent Lang of Yahoo.com had a concise review of the film which matches what I saw:

"42," the new story of how Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color line, is connecting with critics.

"The film, which stars Harrison Ford as executive Branch Rickey and newcomer Chadwick Boseman as the man himself, debuts Friday, and has earned strong notices. "42" received a solid 73 percent fresh rating from critics aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviewers singling out Boseman for particular praise."

In TheWrap, Alonso Duralde faulted the film for "soft-peddling" the uglier side of America's post-World War II racism, but said overall the film is an inspiring portrait of one of the sport's seminal moments.

"'42' is a fairly slick confection, but it wisely avoids hagiography, mostly sticking to the facts in telling a compelling story about a truly extraordinary man," Duralde writes. "It's by no means the final word on the subject of Jackie Robinson (or baseball, or race relations), but it's a dazzling celebration of genuine daring."

For Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly, "42" is an old-fashioned story, but one that doesn't suffer from sticking with a traditional approach to storytelling. He was quite taken with Ford's work, noting that it was a departure for the action-movie icon.

"As Rickey, a stogie-chomping grump with a heart of gold, Harrison Ford seems to have reinvented himself as an actor," he writes. "He gives an ingeniously stylized cartoon performance, his eyes atwinkle, his mouth a rubbery grin, his voice all wily Southern music, though with that growl of Fordian anger just beneath it."

A.O. Scott, writing in the New York Times, faulted the film for ironing out some of the pricklier historical details in the service of making Robinson's story more accessible. Yet he did note that the film remains an entertaining and vital lesson for fans of the sport who may be unfamiliar with Robinson's heroism.

"In other hands - Spike Lee's, let's say, or even Clint Eastwood's - '42' might have taken a tougher, more contentious look at the breaking of Major League Baseball's color barrier," Scott writes. "But Helgeland, whose previous directing credits include 'Payback' and 'A Knight's Tale' (and who wrote 'Blood Work' and 'Mystic River,' speaking of Clint Eastwood), has honorably sacrificed the chance to make a great movie in the interest of making one that is accessible and inspiring."

Rex Reed of the New York Observer groused that the film was overly slick, but still found much to admire beneath the polished veneer.

"It's a good enough biopic to make you wish it were a better motion picture," Reed writes.

Dana Stevens was not a fan of the sanitized heroics on display in the film. In her review inSlate, she griped that films like "The Help" and "42" continue a troubling trend of having white filmmakers depict painful moments in black history.

"I don't mean to impugn the motives behind those who make films like '42': There's no problem, in principle, with a white filmmaker making a movie about a black cultural hero, or vice versa," Stevens writes. "But if we're going to have a conversation about race in America, I'd rather it revolve around the awkward, even offensive Brad Paisley/LL Cool J collaboration 'Accidental Racist' than around the sanitized pieties of a movie like 42, which tiptoes so reverently around its subject it leaves no room for accidents at all."

Like Stevens, Variety's Scott Foundas lamented that "42" comes gift-wrapped in hagiography, with nary a trace of Robinson's private demons or tortured relationship with his barrier-breaking legacy.

"A movie about Robinson isn't obliged to be dark or edgy, but for all of '42''s' self-conscious monument building, the cumulative effect is to render its subject markedly smaller and more ordinary than he actually was."

Hmmmmm....

All I can tell you is the book is better, but the movie ain't all that bad... it's better than the average sports hero biofilm because of the athletic realism and the authenticity of period background details...and while Chadwick Boseman obviously worked out hard to be in top athletic shape to play the part of Robinson, Harrison Ford steals the show as GM Branch Rickey. Who knew Ford would evolve into a great character actor?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
Unlike the Phillies, the Eagles never had a real "color issue" with bringing in talented young players. But it wasn't until 1952 that the Eagles signed their first "Negro" player.. A case could be made that Jackie Robinson's success in breaking the color barrier in modern-era baseball made it a lot easier for the NFL to begin signing African-American talent without fear of reprisal from white fans en masse...

Ralph Goldston of Youngstown State was the first black player for the Eagles in 1952. AT 5-11 and 195, Goldston played both running back and defensive back. He was a number 125 overall pick in the 1952 Draft.

He played four seasons for the Eagles.  Goldston then played nine seasons for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League. He helped the Tiger-Cats to two Grey Cup wins in 1957 and 1963. He was a 4-time all-star with the Ti-Cats, intercepting 32 passes and returning them for 416 yards. Goldston finished his career with the Montreal Alouettes in 1965. . After retiring as an active player, Goldston spent 30 years as a college coach (Harvard and Colorado) and finally a scout for the Seattle Seahawks.

Goldston died in 2011.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
General manager Howie Roseman and new coach Chip Kelly have options. They have plenty of them when combining the uncertainty of this year's draft with the current roster at their disposal.

"Going into free agency and hitting on some needs, some areas that we thought we needed to address, leaves us open to hitting on the best player with the fourth pick," Roseman said.

The Eagles have been adamant about picking the best player available (BPA). Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie admitted that is where things went wrong at the end of the Andy Reid era.

This year the BPA could mean an offensive lineman. It could mean a quarterback. It could mean a pass rusher, defensive lineman or somebody in the secondary. The Eagles could use players just about everywhere, but don't need players anywhere in order to field a respectable team this season.

Of course, there are some positions where their first-round pick would slide directly into the starting lineup or play larger roles. Here's how NJ.com currently reads the biggest opportunity job openings for the 2013 Eagles:

Offensive Guard/Offensive Tackle
Right now Danny Watkins appears to be the Eagles' starting right guard by default. Julian Vandervelde and Dallas Reynolds sit as the other options with Todd Herremans still presumed as the right tackle. Watkins is the same player that lost his starting job to a veteran off the street (Jake Scott) and was inactive the final two games of last season. Herremans is coming off a serious and "rare" injury. Left tackle Jason Peters (Achilles) didn't play a snap last year. So the Eagles have no right guard and two tackles coming off injury. They don't currently have a single proven commodity waiting in the wings. Even King Dunlap is gone. He signed with the Chargers this offseason. Whether it's a veteran in free agency or a top prospect in the draft, the Eagles need an infusion of talent and depth on their offensive line. It doesn't matter whether it's at guard or tackle. They need a strong contingency plan so a repeat of last year (48 sacks allowed, fifth-worst in the NFL) doesn't happen.

Defensive End
The Eagles are switching to some sort of 3-4 defensive alignment. That's been obvious ever since Chip Kelly's arrived. It became fact when they signed nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga at the start of free agency. With Fletcher Cox penciled in as one of the starting defensive ends, there's a gaping void on the other side. The options appear to be Cedric Thornton and Vinny Curry, who is attempting to bulk up and play the foreign position after being a pass-rushing end throughout his college and pro career. The Eagles tried to sign Desmond Bryant and Ricky Jean-Francois in free agency to start at defensive end opposite Cox. Both were deemed too expensive. Now the options are to find a suitable player in the draft or sign a veteran (players like former Patriots and Raiders DE Richard Seymour are still available) on the secondary free-agent market next month.

Quarterback
This is really the biggest and most important need to the Eagles if they want to be Super Bowl contenders with Kelly as their coach. They need a quarterback to build the team around. It's obvious Michael Vick, 32, is not that player long-term and there are concerns about Nick Foles' operating in Kelly's offense. Roseman admitted after the dismissal of Reid the two most important jobs for the organization were to find a coach and quarterback that could lead the franchise. The coach is in place. Now it's time to find that quarterback. And since they aren't going to find that type of player in free agency, it's up to the draft for Kelly and the Eagles to land their future franchise quarterback.

DDD's Reader Poll: What Is Best Option For Round 1? (278 respondents)---
Stay at 4, take best on board  65.47%
Move down, get more picks  29.5%
Trade pick for veteran player  4.32%
Get out of first round entirely  1%
Try to trade to top of draft  0%

All of this intrigue will play out soon enough.

Chip Kelly wasted little time in clearing out Andy Reid's project hold-overs...

First he got rid of Dion Lewis by trading him to Cleveland for injury-ridden but future-hopeful LB Emmanuel Acho...

Then he released linebackers Ryan Rau, Marcus Downtin, wide receiver Ron Johnson and cornerback Chris Hawkins on Thursday. All four were considered long shots to make the team. Still, it shows that Kelly isn't content to keep warm bodies on the roster to fill out spots.

I kinda liked Ryan Rau and was hoping he could get to TC one more time to prove his mettle. I guess that won't be happening...duh...

Rau impressed last year in the preseason and worked his way onto the active roster in December. He appeared in four games as a special teams contributor before suffering an ankle injury in the season finale.

Rau, 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, likely didn't fit in the Eagles' new defensive system. The Eagles seem to be favoring bigger, more physical players in their base 3-4 scheme. The former Portland State star didn't fit the mold.

Johnson, meanwhile, suffered a gruesome leg injury in training camp last year while Downtin was signed to the practice squad late last season. Hawkins, who played for the Titans in 2011, signed with the Eagles in January.

The Eagles currently have 75 players on their roster. They are allowed 90 for training camp.

The word "release" sends me to a different world where I don't have to worry about players and their agents scrambling for last-minute job openings...

That's the part of the business I dislike.

Instead, the word "release" now sends me into contemplation of the perfect "release point" as I continue my personal quest for the perfect spiral.

Every pro QB has his unique release point when throwing the ball. Working upon finding my own optimum release point has been difficult at best.

I've been working on duplicating Drew Brees' release point. I'm a little taller than Cool Brees but we share similar builds. So I'm starting there.

There it is. The arm angle, the release point about 18 inches above eye level. That's the ticket...

There’s an old coaching adage that “you can’t change a throwing motion... a quarterback either can throw or he can’t. Period.”

You hear this all the time, this idea that a quarterback’s mechanics can’t be changed. Commentators, football dads, and coaches proclaim: “It’s impossible to change a quarterback’s throwing motion. Just coach his footwork.” Older quarterbacks in particular get subjected to this tunnel vision.

It says more about the coaches than it does the QB. The message it sends, however, is that, “We don’t have time to improve a young QB's throwing mechanics...Or we don’t know how — we don’t have the technical skills needed to coach them up. Why bother if we can just go find another kid who can already throw it better, without coaching”?

But what is passing talent? The mentality that some guys “have it” while others don’t shouldn’t apply to throwing in the same way it might to raw speed or quickness. Yet it comes up so often. There are many high-profile “athlete-quarterbacks” who are world-class athletes but aren’t very accurate. They can throw a spiral and an accurate pass or two, but because of their latent talent the theory is that the best thing to do is just to “let them play” and the last thing you should do is “overcoach” them. The old myth comes back: Just coach their feet; ignore the upper body.

Ironically, the same coaches who preach a “footwork only” gospel also throw out plenty of meaningless buzz-phrases in lieu of actual coaching: “Follow through,” “Come over the top more,” “Raise your elbow,” “Turn your shoulders more.” This double standard of non-coaching and coaching-via-cliché is confusing — for both the coach and the young QB.

Darin Slack, noted QB tutor http://www.quarterbackacademy.com/ provides us with these insights:

"If we reduce the wrist’s ability to “change” position, we make it more efficient on the throw. How is this done? The adjustment is simple. Hold the ball at the pre-pass pass position and cock the bottom end of the ball outward at a 45 degree angle off the body, making sure that the point away from you doesn’t go above parallel to the ground. This “cocking of the wrist” reduces joint movement, presets wrist pronation, increases the ball’s spin rate when thrown, and increases ball control with the fingers."

.

"The second aspect we’ll look at is the elbow. This is the joint that can cause the most problems for the throwing motion. The elbow must “lead” the throw. Most coaching suggests that if the elbow is simply above the shoulder — or “comes over the top” — as it comes forward in the motion, then it is sufficient. Yet in their effort to keep it simple coaches are missing a significant opportunity. We throw with muscles, not joints."

"For the torque of the body (i.e. the force created when a passer twists as he releases the ball) to pass through the arm it is necessary to align the joints in the best possible position, at the right moment, to use the arm’s muscles properly. If the elbow is merely “above the shoulder” there is no guarantee that the thrower will achieve proper bio-mechanical position. But what is this “best position”?"

"Take your arm and, as if you had a dumbbell in your hand, do an over-the-shoulder triceps extension. Did you notice where your elbow ends up? Roughly six inches forward of your shoulder in a slot called the angle of the scapula (or in line with your shoulder blade curving around from the back — see the image below).

"The name we use for this position has orthopedic foundations. We call it “zero” because it is “muscular neutral.” It is the safest, strongest position for the arm to be in, as there is no stress on the shoulder joint muscles, the front or the back. It is the perfect “middle point” in the throwing motion. This should be the location of your elbow at the exact moment your chest and hips are square to the throwing target. Everything in the turn up to achieving this position is about generating torque from the body and storing it, and everything after it is about releasing that stored energy through the triceps. Simply put, it is the lead position of the elbow on a throw."

"During the motion, if your arm is too low or not far enough forward of the shoulder to be able to achieve the “zero” position then there are a series of adjustments your brain will make automatically to compensate for your poor arm alignment. None are really optimal. The brain “locks” the shoulder to protect itself from the lower angle, which also forces the wrist outward around the elbow (sidearm delivery) to reduce exposure to injury. If your elbow is too high your wrist elevates too quickly;  this creates the same effect, only higher. This side arm or slashing” release widens, or elongates, the intended target hallway. Of course that reduces accuracy but it also, more importantly, reduces the power you can generate with your throw."

Imagine trying to bench press a full set of weights over your belly button. You couldn’t do it because the angle is wrong: you can’t get your chest muscles involved properly. In the same way, if the triceps muscle misses “zero” your arm muscles won’t fire efficiently and your power will be reduced. Understanding this feedback concept is a key part of self-correcting your throwing motion.

"If the elbow hits “zero” at the right time then the triceps can release all the torque from the body. And the results can often be remarkable, because so few get there. It’s like a two people jumping on a trampoline together. When they hit at the same time, the smaller one flies much higher. The triceps is the smaller person that goes much farther with the help of our much larger body."

Just by changing two simple things in the mind, the feel, and with the timing of the quarterback’s motion, a QB coach can increase his player's consistency, power, and accuracy dramatically – and this says nothing about the feet. The feet will support everything said here, but if the arm misses the “sweet spot” of “zero” on the release path, the footwork is irrelevant.

While almost every other facet of playing the position is well documented in great detail (run game mechanics, drops, coverage reads, etc.), there is a dearth of information about effective passing mechanics. Lots of old 'sacred cow' tips such as "stick the ball in your ear"..."come over the top"..."finish withyour passing hand to the opposite pocket"...but, very little in the way of a meaningful approach to changing and optimizing a QB's passing mechanics.

 Here's an interesting, if not fascinating, quote from Bill Walsh's 1985 Stanford QB Manual regarding the chances of a coach successfully changing his QB's passing mechanics:

"Don't talk to the QB about his throwing motion. You can spend two years trying to change his throwing motion and it won't make a difference. He's going to have a natural throwing motion..."

Walsh eventually changed his tune---- the year that Kerry Collins entered the NFL Draft (1995), he had a very odd hitch at the top of his throwing motion related to his wrist position. Walsh actually worked with him extensively before the draft to correct this element of his throwing.

Sean Payton changed Tony Romo's throwing motion when he came to Dallas. Romo had used a sidearm delivery in college, and the Cowboys changed it to a 3/4 delivery. Maybe not the ideal throwing motion, but certainly a better one.

Don't get me wrong---  I yearn for the day when a female player can pass muster and qualify for an NFL roster...

That would be something that could rock our world... and add to our entertainment value as fans, to be sure...

But it ain't happening just yet...

The obvious position for the ultimate breakthrough would be placekicker---- sorry, Alex Henery, no slight intended...

I stole this piece from my former mentor, long-time FoxSports NFL writer Alex Marvez.  And I'll tell you, I have a grudge against Alex--- he is the president of the NFL Pro Football Writers Association, and for years now he has DENIED me a certified membership in the union. Reason?--- I am a "regional" team blogger, with "too much bias aimed in favor of the Eagles".

What? I'm willing to pay the $150 annual dues to join the union--- What is Alex afraid of, that I would suddenly bolt from a press box and discard all my clothes and streak naked across the field at halftime at an Eagles game?

Egad!

Welp, now Alex is working for me--- I could care less if he sues me. Go ahead, seize my farmhouse in Glen Arm, Maryland with the hole in the roof where the rain gets in... Now Alex can pay the taxes to an insane local government on a property that is virtually worthless.

You may think I'm under your thumb, Alex---  but Eagles Nation trumps your tyranny in the end.

Anyhoo...

Alex does give us a neat glimpse into the little-known world of the Dallas Super Regional Combine...

The day of the “Draft Sleeper” is finally being put to bed.

Scant secrets remain about prospects on the league’s draft radar. Few, if any, of this year’s draft picks will cause a team’s fans or front-office members to scratch their heads and ponder, “Who?” when names are announced April 25 to 27 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Expansive scouting services and the internet flood of draft information from league, media and independent outlets make it impossible for a well-regarded prospect at any level to remain clandestine. And thanks to the league’s Super Regional combine, the same discovery is happening with some less-ballyhooed talent that once would have flown under the draft-day radar.

Here's where Alex Marvez gets into the weird part of trying out for the NFL, the part where you have to PAY to get evaluated:

Held on April 7 and 8 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the Super Regional showcased 215 players who didn’t receive an invitation to the main Indianapolis-based NFL Scouting Combine in February. This gathering featured the crème de la crème of the staggering 2,700-participant pool that individually paid a $275 entry fee for tryouts earlier this year at eight regional combines held nationwide. There were 700 more participants than when the regional concept debuted in 2012.

"The predominant number of those attempting to live out their gridiron dreams clearly had no shot in reality. Lauren Silberman, a female kicker, was the most blatant example of a Fantasy Football failure. A kicking performance that drew mainstream press was so horrific that some have speculated Silberman’s tryout was always a publicity stunt for someone “trying” to become the NFL’s first female player."

Harsh, Alex!

Lauren Silberman deserved better reviews from Alex Marvez....just sayin'...

Among the best of the rest at the regionals, a few Vince Papale-like stories have emerged. Three players who were eligible to immediately sign with NFL teams (i.e. members of previous draft classes) inked deals with teams after the workouts were held.

Four players at the 2012 Super Regional were drafted in the sixth round. Eighty-three others attended NFL training camps after being signed as minimum-salaried free agents. Another four long-shots were signed during the regular season.

NFL vice president of football operations Ron Hill said 14 members of the overall group finished the season on a 53-man roster. Another 14 players were on practice squads. Two Super Regional alumni – St. Louis kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Johnny Hekker – were among the league’s best specialists in 2012.

Western Michigan quarterback Alex Carder is hoping the Super Regional launches the same kind of opportunity that Zuerlein and Hekker received. Carder displayed intriguing potential when throwing for 7,000-plus yards during his first three college seasons. His senior year was derailed by a broken middle finger on his throwing hand.

Like the best of the other Super Regional participants, Carder is projected as either a late-round pick or college free-agent signing.

“This gives guys like me and people with talent an opportunity to show what they can do,” Carder said Monday before leaving to New Jersey for a pre-draft visit with the New York Jets.

“Seeing the scouts here and how much interest this has drawn and getting an opportunity to come here has been awesome for me. It’s a lot of traveling but it’s all for the sport we love so it’s well worth it.”

As one of the more well-known college players at the Super Regional, Carder said he also has received “some attention” from Indianapolis and Jacksonville. A few of those participants who come from more obscure beginnings may now start receiving the same kind of notice.

That includes someone who has never taken a practice snap or knew what position he wanted to play when attending a regional combine in Atlanta.

Lawrence Okoye was the talk of the 72 scouts in attendance last Sunday after an outstanding workout that included 40-yard dash times of 4.78 and 4.88 seconds. The 6-foot-5, 304-pound Okoye is a 21-year-old Olympic discus thrower from London who holds the British record in the event. A former rugby player as well, Okoye decided to forsake another run for the gold to purse an NFL career.

With his size and speed, Okoye is projected as a defensive lineman. He could be a late-round pick by a team willing to invest in developing a raw talent whose only American football background is watching the game on television.

It’s these types of prospects that make long-time NFL executive John Beake believe the Super Regional is a worthwhile endeavor for a league that doesn’t sponsor its own developmental program after shuttering NFL Europa in 2006. The UFL’s demise last fall was the latest example of a minor-league venture that could nurture NFL talent being torpedoed by economic failings.

The Super Regional concept was purchased by the NFL in 2011 from ELITE Football Combines founder Stephen Austin, who had run preparatory camps for aspiring NFL players. The NFL has subsequently added some new twists to the standard program at the main Scouting Combine. One is having drills for prospective “Leos” – i.e. hybrid outside linebacker/defensive ends – at the Super Regional. Hill said the drills, which were conducted by pass-rushing specialist Chuck Smith, would be pitched as a potential addition to future Scouting Combines because of the growing popularity of that position.

Beake attended all eight regional workouts this spring to help league-hired scouts whittle down the Super Regional pool. Beake liked what he saw in Arlington.

“We had kids from all different schools,” said Beake, who is the league’s scouting director at the regional combines. “We had two kids who looked great from junior college. They would have never had that chance to show their skill and ability without this Super Regional.”

Despite endorsement from NFL headquarters, there are current and former team executives who loathe the Super Regional concept. They believe the yield isn’t worth having to invent the man-hours required to scout players who have far longer odds of success than highly regarded prospects deserving of greater attention.

With a far more modest budget, the Super Regional is held on a far smaller scale than the main NFL Scouting Combine. The league doesn’t perform detailed physical or psychological exams or extensive background checks on the participants. This then requires more leg work from clubs since such criteria is considered a must for clubs interested in drafting a particular prospect.

Even so, teams don’t have to put in nearly as many man-hours to unearth a – get ready for another draft cliché -- “diamond in the rough” like in previous generations.

Harlon Hill fits that bill.

Hill, who died in March at age 80, is best known for having the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy named in his honor. He also is a prime example of a sleeper who once slipped through the NFL cracks.

As long-time NFL executive Joel Bussert tells the story, Chicago Bears vice president Clark Shaughnessy received a tip while scouting the 1954 Senior Bowl. The best player in the region wasn’t at the event. Hill, an NAIA All-American, was attending classes at an upstate teacher’s college in Florence, Ala.

Hill has admitted he was stunned when the Bears made him a 15th-round draft choice. The investment immediately paid dividends when Harlon set team receiving records for running backs as a rookie. Harlon was subsequently voted to three Pro Bowls in a nine-year NFL career.

“Did (the Bears) have video or film on him? I kind of doubt it,” Bussert told FOXSports.com. “Even his (speed) times, height, weight … It was word-of-mouth scouting that probably led to that pick. Sometimes that was pretty reliable to identify sleepers during a day when a large number of players were under the radar.”

Gil Brandt helped build the Dallas Cowboys with his sleepers. Bobby Beathard did the same in Washington. Eleven of the 49 players on the 1983 Redskins were drafted in the fifth round or later.

Those eras were before video footage became readily available of every NFL aspirant. The internet didn’t exist in 1974 when John Stallworth played at Alabama A&M. The Pittsburgh Steelers caught wind of Stallworth’s talent and, according to Bussert, didn’t return the lone copy of his game film to the college in a timely fashion hoping to keep potential suitors off his tail.

The tactic was successful. The Steelers used a modest fourth-round selection on Stallworth, who became one of the NFL’s best wide receivers while playing a pivotal role in four Super Bowl-winning seasons.

If he were in college today, Stallworth surely wouldn’t have left his professional faith in the hands of Alabama A&M’s video department. Stallworth could have posted his own internet video to draw attention like the ones showing one-handed catches by Clemson’s DeAndre Hopkins and tricky grabs by Texas A&M’s Ryan Swope.

Such technological advances also are the reason Joe Linta believes the "sleeper" will never completely slip into dreamland.

Linta is best known for negotiating Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco’s recent six-year, $121 million contract extension. But like with Flacco -- a future Super Bowl MVP who was a lowly regarded NFL prospect after his junior season at Delaware -- Linta excels at representing NFL-caliber talent that has eluded others’ eyes.

Linta’s personal pitch helped successfully entice then-Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli into using a 2011 seventh-round pick on Yale fullback Shane Bannon. The reason Linta made such a discovery: Bannon attended the workout of a teammate whose father had asked Linta to try and give his son a draft boost.

Linta told FOXSports.com that Southern Illinois linebacker Jayson DiManche is his latest underground prize and touts an internet highlight package as proof. Linta then explained the reason he believes scouts didn’t have DiManche on their watch list. It stemmed from the now 232-pound DiManche playing at 206 as a junior.

“A national (scouting) service like BLESTO will put grades on some kids saying they’re rejected or not even graded,” said Linta, whose agency scours the internet for potential clients through on-line workout footage.

“Jayson was a 6-0, 218-pound linebacker. He had a really good junior year but the scouts who went into the school either rejected or didn’t look at him entering the season. When my guy found this kid on the internet, I had a look and was like, ‘This kid is unbelievable!’”

There may come a day when any DiManches of the college world won’t escape the NFL’s eye. Ron Hill didn’t dismiss the possibility of future regional tryouts being held in even more cities because of interest in the event.

That would keep team scouting departments even more awake trying to identify sleepers.

“This puts players on a platform where they can be seen by all,” Beake said of the Super Regional. “It gives teams a chance where they can bring a kid in for an interview and take another look at him before the draft.

“There are steps to it all but the mystery is out of a lot of the "sleeper".”

Thanks, Alex Marvez...and I still hate you...

I hereby banish the word "rebuilding" as applied to the 2013 Eagles...

We are one good draft away from escaping Goldfinger's laser ray. Chip Kelly and the Eagles have a license to thrill...

We're making the moves and picking the poisons. Secret agents abound. We got this.

This is not pie in the sky or "Ream Team" talk... The stars are aligned.

A realistic harvest is upon us. New intelligence abides. And secret weapons everywhere...

Now it comes to pass that power alliances with other nations in the name of the triumph of goodness are being forged...

The Miami Dolphins are talking with us about a nuclear trade-back scenario...and the Dolphins are allies.

Super-agent Drew Rosenhaus is “hearing from everyone” that the Miami Dolphins are targeting an offensive tackle in the first-round, per Ben Volin of PhinNation.com. Since losing Jake Long to the Rams, the Dolphins have been linked to every available free agent offensive tackle, but they haven’t shown serious interest in guys like Eric Winston, Andre Smith or Bryant McKinnie. As far as the draft is concerned, the Dolphins will have a tough time landing any of the top-three offensive tackles. Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher could be taken within the first five picks and Lane Johnson would have to get by the Cardinals at No. 7 and the Chargers at No. 11 in order for them to take him. Miami has an additional second and third-round pick to work with, so there’s a very real chance they could trade up and secure one of the top tackles. Alabama OT D.J. Fluker is reportedly rising up draft boards in the days leading up to the draft, so there’s at least a chance he could get some consideration as high as No. 12 overall.

Enter the Eagles and their secret weapon, Agent #4....

Oh the gold that is there to be spun with our friends in Miami...

Add that business trip to Mr. Roseman's expense account, Miss Moneypenny...

The Dolphins lack of faith in Martin at left tackle is the reason they’ve been involved in discussions with Kansas City for Brandon Albert.  It’s also the reason that many are reporting that the Dolphins are ‘high’ on left tackle prospect Lane Johnson.  The only problem with that theory is that the Dolphins might not have the luxury of sitting at #12 to select Johnson.  Johnson is one of the 3 elite left tackles in this year’s draft and could be gone by the time the Dolphins are on the clock.

The former Oklahoma Sooner is 6’6″, 303 lbs.  He’s very athletic for an offensive lineman.  He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.72 seconds at the Combine, following an impressive Senior Bowl.  He was the backup QB in high school and in junior college before converting to tight end.  Then at Oklahoma, he made another move, this time to offensive tackle.  JB-Sage-Lion doesn't like his run-blocking abilities so much. But the boy can pass-block...

So really, the question is: How much do the Dolphins really like this guy.  If they like him, they’ll probably have to move up into the top 8 to select him.  That means trading away a 2nd or 3rd rounder to do so.  This type of trade will only happen on draft day because the Dolphins will have to see how the draft board is unfolding before making the move.  For example, if only one of the elite 3 tackles is taken in the top 7-8, the Dolphins might sit tight and hope that one of them falls to them at #12.

However, if the Chiefs take a left tackle with the #1 overall, there’s a chance the second big-name tackle could be off the board by pick #5.  This would mean that Jeff Ireland and crew would need to make a deal to move up and get their man.  Would they hate giving up a 2nd or 3rd round pick and the #12 to get a tackle?  Of course.  But think of it this way:  If Johnson is a bonifide starting left tackle, he would play the first 4 years of his career at a very manageable salary.   Contrast that with a potential trade for Brandon Albert, which would probably cost a 2nd round pick.  Albert is a proven commodity, but will not only cost a draft pick but also a lot of money ($10 mil +) in a new contract.

Here's where the Eagles come in and make a "Live and Let Die" deal...

Howie Roseman and Chip Kelly must know the Dolphins' interest in "trading up" for a Left Tackle is partially a smoke screen designed to put pressure on the Chiefs to lower their trade demands for Brandon Albert. As each day ticks off and the 2013 Draft gets closer, the more pressure there is on the Chiefs to unload Albert in favor of a LT, most likely Luke Joeckel. They want a 2nd rounder in trade now, and Miami has been the only real suitor. If Miami is "reported" to be interested in moving up for an LT, then the Chiefs leverage continues to dwindle.

There are 6 teams ahead of the Dolphins on draft day who are potentially shopping for an OT. The question is... are they all specifically shopping for LT? Only one "expert" (the analyst for NFLDraftScout.com) has the Eagles getting an OT--- and that being Eric Fisher--- so the next question would be...If Fisher is gone by the 4th pick.. would they still be looking at OT? Let's say they would not... because their needs seem to be more geared towards the future QB position.... so that would leave 5 teams ahead with 3 top OT's in their grasps. The way these experts see it, by the time the Lions come around, the one top OT left standing would be Lane Johnson... so would Philly be a willing trading partner, considering all their needs? Would the Lions?  And at what expense?

Enter Menelik Watson, a Brit OT from Florida State... no trades, no sacrificing of any picks which the Dolphins also need... They can hope these other teams go BPA and that Lane Johnson, if he gets past San Diego, would fall to Miami. How likely is that? I'd say about 70-30, with the Dolphins being on the 30 side, but again, remember my homie Menelik... such a good bloke from jolly ole England... tea time in Miami. Ta ta.

Here's where the Eagles do their Dr. Blofeld thing...they negotiate a deal with the Dolphins, who end up getting Eric Fisher, while the Eagles get two extra picks in the mid-1st and mid- 2nd. The Eagles not only secure their desired playmaking target in the 1st, but they also acquire an OT prospect in the 2nd---perhaps even Menelik Watson himself---and more.

Sheer brilliance. Very Bond...license to thrill. Designed by "Q" himself...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Blasphemy Chapter 5....

I don't really believe DeSean Jackson's walk-off punt return against the Giants in 2010 was the greatest play of all time...

This is a small step for Eagles Eye, and a "giant step" for Sunbutts...

Dubbed "Miracle at the Meadowlands No.2", DeSean Jackson's amazing punt return vs. the New York Giants in 2010 has been voted the "Greatest Play of All Time" by NFL.com

Jackson's 65 yard game winning punt return- with no time left on the clock- beat out a Steve Young touchdown run vs. the Minnesota Vikings. Jackson's punt return won by close to 16 million votes (58,635,836 to 42,853,011). The winner was decided by a fan vote.

The voting has been going on for close to a month and started with 64 plays. Jackson's punt return beat out a Michael Vick touchdown run, a hail mary by Billy 'White Shoes' Johnson, a touchdown run by Barry Sanders, 'The Catch', and a Troy Polamalu flying tackle.

Jackson's famous touchdown came on December 19th, 2010, with just 12 seconds left, capping off a 21-point comeback by the Eagles. After fumbling the punt initially, Jackson took off and went almost untouched on his way to endzone. Tom Coughlin told Matt Dodge to not punt the ball to Jackson, but the punter was unable to do so.

At the time, the win was viewed as the start of something special for the Eagles. Things did not work out that way, however, as they lost in the first round of the playoffs that year. It was a devastating loss for the Giants as it kept them out of the playoffs.

To my mind, Eli Manning's miraculous escape combined with David Tyree's improbable helmet catch with Rodney Harrison draped all over him is a play which set up the greatest upset in Super Bowl History...and should be the winner. It is not just this crazy play itself, it's the setting and the consequences. If that play is not made, The 2007 Patriots would be celebrated as the greatest team ever. Besides...it makes me smile every time I see it.

As for the poll, recent events always trump older ones. Hard to believe that DeSean's play beat out actual playoff and Super Bowl plays. Maybe if the Eagles had actually won the SB that year I could buy into it more.

The "greatest plays" are defined not only by the skill involved but by the moment at stake. "The Immaculate Reception", "The Catch", the "Music City Miracle" were named because these plays changed football history. While DeSean Jackson's play is worthy to be remembered in Eagles lore, in actuality, it was a good return after a shoddy line drive punt with a change-of-pace bobble thrown in--- and it propelled the Eagles to exactly nowhere.