Donovan McNabb will retire as a Philadelphia Eagle, he said Monday night.

The controversial quarterback, who also played for the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins during his 12-year career, will sign a one-day contract with the Eagles, McNabb said on his NBC Sports Radio show.

McNabb will most likely be honored during the much anticipated Week-3 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs when long-time Eagle coach Andy Reid returns to Philadelphia.

McNabb led the Eagles to five NFL championship games and a losing-effort in the 2005 Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.

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The fans of Philadelphia have launched a quiet rebellion against our pro sports teams, and they are doing it with the biggest weapon in their arsenal — their wallets.

In fact, if the teams joined together for an ad campaign, the most accurate slogan they could roll out right now is: Good seats still available. Very simply, fans have finally grown weary of mounting losses and broken promises. They are disgusted with a playoff shutout by our winter teams, a horrific 4-12 season by the Eagles and now a sub-.500 start by the Phillies.

The biggest story in Philadelphia sports is not the Roy Halladay saga or Chip Kelly’s first public practices. It is what happened at the box office last Thursday, when the Eagles put single-game tickets on sale, and — for the first time in more than a decade — had them available the next day, and the day after that, and even now. That’s right. You can buy tickets to an Eagles game right now.

For a team that had a waiting list for season tickets of 50,000 just a few years ago, this sudden turn of events came as a surprise to everyone, including the Eagles. Their decision to raise ticket prices after a 4-12 season reflected an arrogant belief that the fans would answer the call, regardless of the quality of the product. Welcome to the real world, Jeff Lurie.

Equally clear now is the fact that this Eagles ticket issue is not an isolated case in Philadelphia. Remember, Sixers tickets were selling for as low as four cents on the secondary market during the Andrew Bynum fiasco, and even Flyers tickets — always the least vulnerable to fan dissatisfaction — were available for a small fraction of their face value in the final month of a terrible season.

Then there are the Phillies. Somehow, in a single year, the Phils went from selling 44,021 tickets a game to 37,321. Last year at this time, you could not buy a Phillies ticket on the primary market. Today, you can sit behind home plate.

Why are the fans rebelling? Well, the obvious answer is that the teams are all pretty awful right now. They aren’t worth the money. But it goes beyond that. Fans are tired of watching players like Jimmy Rollins not run hard, they are fed up with ticket hikes by billionaires like Lurie and they have been insulted one time too many by bums like Bynum.

The fans have had enough. They aren’t buying tickets the way they have been, and they won’t reach back into their wallets until the teams fix what they broke. And what the teams broke is the trust of their fans.

Sixers finally get something right 

The Sixers finally took a positive step last week when they reportedly hired Sam Hinkie — that move will become official Tuesday at a 4:15 p.m. press conference — to become the face of their lost sports franchise. I know almost nothing about the former Houston Rockets executive, but I can say with great confidence that he will be a major upgrade as GM. The truth is, a sea otter would be a major upgrade.

Hinkie subscribes to what owner Joshua Harris calls “analytics,” which sounds a lot like an NBA version of Moneyball. Through the study of sophisticated statistical models, Hinkie plans to rebuild a team that hasn’t interested Philadelphia since 2002. The good news here is that Sam Hinkie actually has a plan. At this point, any plan would do.

And the better news is that Tony DiLeo has left an organization that he put to sleep for most of the past decade: as an assistant GM, a coach and GM. After DiLeo’s snoozefest, Hinkie can win huge public acclaim immediately by announcing that Andrew Bynum will never play for the Sixers.

As for the rest of the roster, Hinkie should set aside Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young, then fumigate these hopeless underachievers. With a player option at $3 million next season, Kwame Brown’s permanent spot on the bench should be declared a toxic-waste site.

As for Spencer Hawes, soft center tweeted after Hinkie was hired “Hate, Hate, Hate” and then made an idiotic remark about statistics that was aimed right at the new GM. Well, at least a Sixer has actually exceeded our expectations. Hawes is even dumber than we thought. Good riddance to you, Spencer — and to most of your loser teammates, too.

More apologies, please

Roy Halladay issued an apology last week to Phillies fans for his horrible pitching this season. Good for him. After lying for months about the condition of his aging, sore pitching shoulder, he owed us some expression of accountability.

Now, while they’re at it, how about some more acts of contrition? At the top of the list is GM Ruben Amaro, Jr., who actually said — it’s on tape — that he was OK with Halladay hiding his sore shoulder for two weeks while the Phils absorbed two straight 14-2 losses with the former ace on the mound.

Next in line is Rich Dubee, the dour pitching coach, who has refused to discuss Halladay’s pitching (or arm condition) because he didn’t like the tone of questions being asked when Halladay was getting crushed early in the season. Dubee is a bad pitching coach with a worse attitude. He needs to apologize for being such a black cloud over the organization.

Of course, no expression of regret over this Halladay mess will be complete without a few well-chosen words from manager Charlie Manuel, who gets paid $4 million a year to  let his players manage themselves. The skipper allowed Halladay to pitch with a sore arm at the end of last season — ever wonder what kind of damage that caused? — and was still ready to send him back out there until Halladay fessed up.

That noise you heard when Halladay’s arm problem became official last week was the slamming shut of an era of prosperity unrivaled in Phillies history. They are not going to find their way back from this nightmare of a season. Deep down, we all know that now. What they can do is show some dignity in these difficult times. At least Halladay started that process with his apology last week.

Idle thoughts from Cataldi

• In nine years of strategic bumbling, Charlie Manuel just finished his worst week ever. He blew three straight one-run games with illogical moves, the most glaring when he replaced Antonio Bastardo with Mike Adams to face Miguel Montero in Arizona. Asked why he didn’t exploit the lefty-lefty matchup, Manuel said: “Adams is my eighth-inning guy.” Oh.
• Jimmy Rollins was lollygagging on the basepaths so badly last week that broadcaster Chris Wheeler called him out on it by shouting, “Run, Jimmy, run.” The shocking part of this is not that Rollins failed to hustle again. No, it was that Wheeler — the ultimate homer— actually told the truth for once.
• Tom Heckert got yet another personnel job last week after dreadful runs with the Eagles and Browns. Denver hired him, raising the question: Does anyone ever scout the scouts in the NFL?
• Ilya Bryzgalov had a busy week, even if the Flyers didn’t. The goalie ducked under a puck in the hockey world championships, got caught playing Angry Birds after being benched, and then ripped the Philadelphia media again for being unprofessional. Hmmm. Is Bryz trying to get the Flyers to dump him?
• Eddie Jordan, a fraud during his brief tenure as Sixers coach, apparently is a fraud off the court, too. He never graduated from Rutgers, which recently signed him to a five-year deal, even though he has always claimed he did. Soon, we’ll find out his Princeton offense comes from a community college.

The post Cataldi: Wallets now optional for jaded Philly fans appeared first on Metro.us.

The music blared and the pace was frenzied. Coaches at Chip Kelly’s first open practice stood on the sidelines and used hand signals to get calls in. Players just smirked as they left the field.

“We want to be efficient in our time,” Kelly said. “We don’t want to be on the field for a long time, want to maximize the time we’re on the field, and obviously you see us go from tempo periods to teach periods.”

Players sprinted from drill to drill, rarely huddled up and listened to the loudspeaker for instructions. They had a musical playlist that included everything from Nicki Minaj to Duran Duran.

“There’s a lot of science behind it,” Kelly said without elaborating.

Fast food banned

Chip Kelly’s attention to good nutrition is already evident.

The coach has done away with “Taco Tuesdays” and “Fast Food Friday.” Kelly has removed items like pizza, fried chicken and other fried foods from the cafeteria. He is also limiting the amount of red meat consumed.

Kelly believes “elite athletes need optimal nutrition,” according to ESPN.

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Some guys seek out the girlfriend experience. Others want the true general manager experience.

For those of us who dream of being Jerry Reese, rather than being with Sasha Grey, we have dynasty leagues. The players we draft can be with us forever, we can sell prospects at the deadline to go for a title and we can build a perennial contender. It’s the truest form of fantasy.

The NFL draft provides a unique opportunity for dynasty owners. There are certain players that might not make a huge impact right away, but project to be major assets down the line:

Manly Christine
Why did the Seahawks use a second-round pick on Texas A&M’s Christine Michael when they already have Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin? Three reasons. First, Lynch has a balky back and is a candidate to be a cap casualty as soon as 2015. Second, Lynch is facing DUI charges and a possible suspension. And third, they really like Michael as a potential feature back down the line. It makes him an ideal dynasty stash as the Seahawks project to be a dominant, run-heavy team for years to come.

Backfield in motion
Denard Robinson is 5-foot-10, 199 lbs., ran a 4.43 at the combine and has the jukes to make defenders look silly. That sounds a lot like Chris Johnson. Robinson was a running quarterback at Michigan, where he piled up an absurd 4,495 yards and 42 touchdowns. The Jags drafted him to play running back, where they have Maurice Jones-Drew in a contract year. Robinson has the makings of a steal.

Cut the Cord
Cordarrelle Patterson played one year of Division I football. In that year, he caught 46 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns. The Vikings made him a first-round pick because of what he can be down the line, not what he is now. The most naturally gifted athlete in his class, Patterson will start off behind Jerome Simpson, catching mostly screens and running reverses. Within a couple years, he’ll be the Vikings’ No. 1 wideout.

NFL news
The biggest injury of the offseason is Robert Griffin III’s knee. Next up is Rob Gronkowski’s forearm. We’ll find out within the next couple weeks if he’ll need a fifth procedure on his infected left forearm. If he does, Gronk’s Week 1 status will be in doubt. The infection, however, is not expect to prevent him from smashing beer cans against his face and fist-pumping shirtless.
MLB pickups
Junichi Tazawa, RP, Red Sox: Joel Hanrahan and Andrew Bailey are both on the DL. For now, Tazawa is the closer.
Andrew Cashner, SP, Padres: We’re always trying to add pitchers who call Petco home. This ex-reliever is now locked into the rotation.
Jedd Gyorko, 2B/3B, Padres: A highly-touted prospect, Gyorko is hitting .360 with three homers over his last seven games. The light is on.

The post Adam Levitan, Living the Fantasy: Dynasty owners are drooling appeared first on Metro.us.

Is Mike Vick already ahead of Nick Foles on the depth chart?

According to Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, he is. Apparently Vick has been taking the majority of snaps with the first team.

“Right now, you got Mike going with the ones and Nick sprinkled in some reps here and there,” Maclin told Philly.com.

Maclin was stating how the voluntary camps went, not interjecting any opinion.

The Eagles open rookie minicamp Friday at the NovaCare Complex. On Thursday, the team released its finalized 42-man roster for that camp. The list includes a good mix of undrafted rookies and journeymen veterans, including former Eagles linebacker Chris Gocong. Some other names of note: Temple alums Marcus Green (LB), Montel Harris (RB), Devin Tyler (OL), along with Penn State’s Pete Massaro (LB). Undrafted rookie free agent running back Miguel Maysonet is an intriguing one to watch.

The team also announced that it had signed five draft picks: tight end Zach Ertz, safety Earl Wolff, defensive end Joe Kruger, cornerback Jordan Poyer and defensive end David King.

Eagles OTAs begin May 13 and continue sopradically through May 31.

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Fans who wanted Andy Reid out as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles can help him move.

Reid, who after 14 years with the Eagles was fired and then named head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in January, is selling some of his stuff at Harriton High School on Saturday as he prepares his move to the Midwest.

“Andy and Tammy Reid are having a ‘moving sale’ and you’re invited!” according to a news release from the Rosemont, Pa.-based high school.

Eagles-themed items will be on sale from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. inside the main of gym of the high school, where all five of Reid’s children attended.

Autographed merchandise, new and used gear, jewelry, Christmas decorations, women’s wear, luggage, household items as well as apparel from other teams and universities will all be sold, according to the school, as well as Tammy’s “Everything Bling” jewelry line.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy will also sign autographs for $25 each.

All proceeds will benefit the Laurel House, a shelter and anti-domestic violence agency, and the high school’s football program.

Donations will be made in the name of Garrett Reid, the coach’s oldest son, who died in August 2012 of a heroin overdose in the dorms of Lehigh University during Eagles training camp.

And, of course, “All sales are final,” the statement read.

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They did it in front of an elephant, on top of a picnic table and on a Jersey Shore pier.

A select number of Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders modeled for the first photoshoot for the squad’s 2014 swimsuit calendar.

The cheerleaders posed in two New Jersey locations: at the Lucy the Elephant landmark in Margate and at Congress Hall in Cape May.

They will all model in N.J. shore towns in support of revitalization efforts after the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy last year.

“We think fans will really enjoy seeing Eagles cheerleaders alongside some of their favorite vacation spots,” said Barbara Zaun, Eagles cheerleading director, in a statement.

Local contractors wandered over from other projects to watch and snap photos with their smartphones.

“They the best,” said one construction worker, giving the thumbs up.

Cheerleader Chelsey, of Lakewood, N.J., wore a robe more so than her bikini on a blustery May day.

“I don’t normally travel this far south, only because I am from more central Jersey,” she said.

She usually goes to Belmar, LBI or Island State Park for vacation.

But she must love Margate now, right?

“Definitely,” she said.

See the gallery from the photoshoot here.

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The Eagles are bringing in (gasp) … a Cowboy?

Well, not yet. But the team did work out free agent running back Felix Jones Tuesday at the NovaCare Complex, according to multiple reports.

Jones, who rushed for 2,728 yards and 11 touchdowns in five seasons in Dallas, has battled injuries in recent years.

Jones, a 2008 first-round draft pick, is a dual-threat back who can run the ball, catch it out of the backfield and even return kick-offs (24.0 yard average). The 5-foot-10, 215-pounder turned 26 years old Wednesday.

The Eagles are short on depth at running back, too. The team has only two veterans — Bryce Brown and Chris Polk, both second-year players — on the roster after trading Dion Lewis to the Browns.

Brown was impressive in limited action last season, but he struggled with protecting the football. Polk flashed potential in training camp, but rarely saw the field. New head coach Chip Kelly has been raving about Polk’s speed.

The post Eagles work out former Cowboy Felix Jones appeared first on Metro.us.

They did it In front of an elephant, on top of a picnic table and on a Jersey shore pier.

A select number of Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders modeled for the first photo shoot for the squad’s 2014 swimsuit calendar.

The cheerleaders posed in two New Jersey locations: at the Lucy the Elephant landmark in Margate and at Congress Hall in Cape May.

They will all model in NJ shore towns in support of revitalization efforts after the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy last year.

“We think fans will really enjoy seeing Eagles cheerleaders alongside some of their favorite vacation spots,” said Barbara Zaun, Eagles cheerleading director, in a statement.

Local contractors migrated over from other projects to watch and snap photos with their smartphones.

“They’re the best,” said one construction worker, giving the thumbs up.

Cheerleader Chelsey, of Lakewood, NJ, wore a robe more so than her bikini on a blustery May day.

“I don’t normally travel this far south, only because I am from more central Jersey,” she said.

She usually goes to Belmar, LBI or Island State Park for vacation.

But she must love Margate now, right?

“Definitely,” she said.

The post PHOTOS: Philadelphia Eagles open cheerleader photo shoot in Margate (Updated with story) appeared first on Metro.us.

While Charlie Manuel was telling the media on Sunday afternoon that Roy Halladay was fine, the former ace pitcher was right down the hall informing everyone that he was not fine. There is no better way to capture the current dysfunction of the Phillies than in those two contrasting scenes.

Halladay, a $20-million pitcher with the worst ERA in baseball, lied to Manuel and the fans for two weeks about the state of his aging arm for one very simple reason: he could. The culture on the Phillies under Manuel has always been player-friendly, even if that means doing something that is not in the best interests of the team. Whatever Roy wants, Roy gets.

Remember, Chase Utley hid his offseason injury a year ago until it became a three-month in-season injury, and Brad Lidge lied about his fickle arm for years before that. Players have usually done whatever they wanted under Charlie Manuel, the manager who often chooses not to manage at all.

So, as the drama unfolded Sunday, Manuel played the part of complete fool to perfection, unaware that his legendary pitcher had already been undergoing medical tests from a training staff that didn’t bother to notify the manager of a potentially serious injury. Where pitching coach Rich Dubee was during all of this is anybody’s guess. He also functions with no apparent supervision.

That the Phils have become a model of ineptitude should be obvious now to anyone who is still paying attention. Even before his current crisis, Halladay was demanding that he pitch with a sore arm in his final start last season, and openly feuding with catcher Erik Kratz about pitch selection last month. It is hardly a secret now that Halladay has become a bit of a prima donna.

Just don’t expect anybody to do anything about it while Manuel is still managing. Only now, with the ballclub in free fall, is the truth emerging about the most successful skipper in team history. He is overrated, absurdly overrated.

Even setting aside his undeniable struggles with strategy, wasn’t managing the personalities in the clubhouse widely viewed as Manuel’s biggest strength? Then how should we rationalize this Halladay fiasco?

All you really need to know about the way Manuel has handled Halladay this season is what happened after the prickly pitcher announced to the world — not to his loyal manager — that he had a sore arm. As Manuel himself described it, he spotted his former ace on the flight to Arizona but never approached him to get the real story.

“I didn’t want to bother him,” Manuel said.

Halladay deserves plenty of blame for placing his own interests above that of the team, which absorbed two 14-2 losses because he wouldn’t acknowledge his injury. But Manuel is the bigger culprit here because he refuses to do his job. As usual, he is far more interested in making friends than in running a baseball team.

How many more embarrassments like this will it take before someone in power on the Phillies does something about Charlie Manuel?

Rich athletes being rich athletes
Andrew Bynum was not in the NBA playoffs last week. He was flamenco dancing in Madrid. Claude Giroux was not in the NHL playoffs last week. He was karaoke singing at a Center City bar. Thanks for nothing, rich boys.

While the Wells Fargo Center was dark, two of our highest-paid players took a moment from their busy social calendars to wave a middle finger at the fans of Philadelphia. And the saddest part has been the fan reaction — or rather, the lack of it. In an Internet poll, 78-percent said they were OK with players cutting loose in public even when their teams were spectacular failures. Really? Have we actually reached the point now when basic civility is no longer required?

Bynum received $16.9 million to play in zero games for the Sixers this season, which is not to suggest he led a sedentary life. No, he injured his brittle knees bowling and saved his best moves for the Café de Chinitas in Madrid last weekend.

The Giroux fiasco at McGillin’s in Center City drew less attention because he played hard during a brutal Flyers season. Still, he is captain of the team, he did not meet expectations and he should know better. In this smartphone age, he had to realize that the image of him joyously warbling off-key would look bad. But he didn’t care. We haven’t made him care.

This city has been a proud, supportive, demanding place for a very long time. The Flyers sold out every game. The Sixers banked millions of extra dollars under false pretenses. The sports fans of Philadelphia deserve much better than they got last week. And they will get it. But only when they demand it.

Eagles steal top spot back from Phils
Well, that didn’t take long. After a few years battling the Eagles for supremacy in Philadelphia, the Phillies are back in second place, and the teams appear to be heading in opposite directions with their fans.

Attendance at Citizens Bank Park has been dropping sharply for the first five weeks of the 2013 season, down more than 8,000 per game. The only team experiencing a bigger drop is Miami, a decimated franchise with a despicable owner. The buzz is gone in South Philly for our baseball team, because an ordinary club doesn’t appeal to us after the thrilling teams of recent vintage.

Even more depressing is what lies ahead. Take a look at the current starting lineup and name the players who will definitely be stars three years from now. Time is up. The answer is none. There is not a single position player certain to bloom into the upper echelon of baseball. The closest thing is Dom Brown, and we’ve traveled that road to nowhere many times before.

Meanwhile, the Eagles are proving right now that fortunes can change quickly — in this case, as fast as removing a tired act like Andy Reid with an exciting new approach from Chip Kelly. No one can predict, Kelly included, how well he will do in his rookie NFL season, but it will definitely be fun.

Single-game tickets for the Eagles go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. If you want them, don’t wait. They will be gone by 10:15. The Eagles are kings again in Philadelphia. Thank you, Chip Kelly.

Idle thoughts from Cataldi
» Flyers chairman Ed Snider called Paul Holmgren’s work as GM “outstanding,” which leads to one simple question: What platitude would Snider have used if the Flyers had actually made the playoffs this season?

» The PR campaign for Rich Dubee is laughable. The surly pitching coach, whom manager Charlie Manager said he would defend “until I die,” has $65 million invested this season in three aces whose team is 5-15 in games they started, and the coach is blameless? Then how should Dubee be evaluated? By his charm?

» Now that his dream of playing again in the NFL is over, Terrell Owens has turned to bowling. That’s right, bowling. The former Eagle is already a semi-professional, and he is predicting great things. Hey, maybe Andrew Bynum is available for some pointers.

» Michael Vick finally accepted the challenge in a footrace with LeSean McCoy, and the aging quarterback proceeded to smoke the young running back by five yards over the 40-yard course. McCoy says Vick cheated. Now what in Vick’s past suggests that he’d ever do anything like that?

» According to Andy Reid, the former Eagles coach has already tried 50 barbeque places in Kansas City, and he has loved them all. In a related matter, Reid just got an endorsement deal with Tommy Bahama big-man shirts, and is in serious talks with a prominent tent company.

Bynum sure can dance on those bum knees.

The post Angelo Cataldi: Phillies officially a train wreck appeared first on Metro.us.

Joe Kruger has heard the comparisons to his more famous brother, Paul.

Paul recently won a Super Bowl as a pass-rushing specialist for the Baltimore Ravens, then cashed in by inking a five-year, $40 million deal with the Cleveland Browns. Joe, selected in the seventh round of last weekend’s NFL draft by the Eagles, called his skill sets similar.

“I would compare our game a lot. I think we are both powerful players,” Joe said. “I think Paul is going to be dropping more and playing more linebacker now. This offseason they [Cleveland Browns] had him lose a little bit of weight. So, I guess we’ll see what the Eagles have me do. We’re similar motor. We both go to the ball until the whistle has been blown and both have the same mentality. I’m a guy that hates to lose and I really don’t sit well with it.”

The only knock — if it is a knock — on Joe going into the combine was that he was too raw. In a 3-4 defensive scheme, with the proper NFL coaching, he could thrive. Joe had 30 tackles and six sacks last season at Utah before leaving early for the draft.

“At the end of the season, I kind of just looked at my future and looked at what was going to be best for me and I thought I played well enough to leave this past season and I think I’m mature enough and strong enough.”

Joe isn’t sure exactly where he fits in with the Eagles, or which position he’ll play. He’s played outside linebacker and defensive end in his career.

“I’ve played both positions and they really haven’t told me what kind of defense they will be running this year, so I can do both, but right now I don’t know what I’ll be doing,” he said.

The post Eagles banking on younger Kruger for pass-rushing help appeared first on Metro.us.

Eagles safety Colt Anderson started a mini controversy Thursday when he posted a tweet about Mike Vick beating LeSean McCoy in a foot race. More specifically, it was a 40-yard dash.

“Vick just beat Shady in a 40 yard race. @MikeVick,” wrote Anderson in the original tweet.

Later, Vick confirmed it and added more details. Apparently, McCoy had been calling the quarterback an “old man” and telling him he was slow for the past few weeks. On Thursday, Vick — with permission from coach Chip Kelly — accepted his offer for a race.

“So today at the field 1 of my teammates called me old & bagged to race me in the 40yd dash. Anybody want to guess which player? #Bird Gang,” Vick wrote on Twitter.

Vick added that he won by a few yards — and that didn’t sit well with McCoy, who jokingly sent out his own tweet claiming that Vick cheated.

“My brother a cheater haha,” wrote McCoy, adding, “Monday rematch going down lolRT.”

It’s nice to see the Eagles are having some fun in the offseason. The only real question is, were was DeSean Jackson? Surely he could smoke both Vick and McCoy.

The post Mike Vick beats LeSean McCoy in 40-yard dash appeared first on Metro.us.

Ask LeSean McCoy if Michael Vick has lost a step.

The aging Philadelphia Eagles quarterback beat his young teammate in a 40-yard race at the team’s South Philadelphia practice facility earlier today, according to safety Colt Anderson’s Twitter page.

While the numbers show Vick, eight years McCoy’s senior, declined in 2012, those intense Chip Kelly practices may be paying off.

At 32, Vick is by far the oldest quarterback on an Eagles roster that includes 4 other players at that position, including recent fourth-round draft pick Matt Barkley out of USC.

The post Michael Vick out runs LeSean McCoy at Eagles practice appeared first on Metro.us.

The first running back in last week’s draft didn’t come off the board until the second round. The highest profile college back saw 60 names come off the board before he was called. And a player many draftniks had as their No. 2 runner (Johnathan Franklin) lasted until the fifth round.

However, the loss of real-life value hasn’t affected the fantasy value of rookie running backs. This year has a chance to be a special class:

1. Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers
The Steelers gave up on Rashard Mendenhall, have identified Isaac Redman as a complementary piece and are trying to trade Jonathan Dwyer. Add it all up and we have a potentially monstrous workload for Bell. The Michigan State product isn’t the most talented rookie, but he projects to play on all three downs and averaged 4.99 YPC in the rugged Big Ten.

2. Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers
Lacy fell to No. 61 overall due to medical concerns. He had toe surgery in 2012 and showed up out of shape to his Pro Day thanks to a hamstring pull. Still, Lacy is entering a high-upside situation. At the very least, the powerful 231-pounder will be the clear-cut goal-line in arguably the league’s best offense. At the very best, he’ll get the 14.2 carries per game Cedric Benson was getting last year and be far more productive.

3. Montee Ball, RB, Broncos
As of now, both Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno are on the Broncos’ roster. Thanks to a combination of injuries and salary, they are both candidates to be released at some point before the season. So John Elway grabbed Ball with the No. 58 overall pick and clearly expects him to be able to protect Peyton Manning out of the gate. Ronnie Hillman is nothing more than a change-of-pace option.

4. Giovani Bernard, RB, Bengals
The man with the most wiggle turned out to be the first running back selected. Bernard is explosive with a 4.53 forty at 202 pounds, but he’ll start off as the speed complement behind BenJarvus Green-Ellis. There’s a ton more Dynasty appeal in Bernard than re-draft value.

5. Tavon Austin, WR, Rams
No player generated more buzz than Austin ahead of the draft. By the time Thursday night came around, you would have thought a fair trade would have been Austin for the No. 1 pick and Joe Montana. The Rams certainly bought into the hype, as they traded up to No. 8 overall to select a 5-foot-8 slot receiver. It’s a wise move, however, as Austin is a Percy Harvin/Randall Cobb kind of talent. He’ll make plays right away in the Rams’ revamped offense.

6. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans
Andre Johnson has never played across from a legit No. 2 receiver. At long last, the Texans got him some help. Hopkins is a Roddy White clone, one that isn’t the fastest guy but knows how to get open. He’ll step right in as the starting “Z” and benefit from single coverage all day long.

Thumbs down: Veteran losers on draft day

 
1. Kenny Britt: The Titans used a second-round pick on Justin Hunter after using a first-round pick on Kendall Wright last year.
2. Kevin Kolb: The Bills shockingly used a first-round pick on E.J. Manuel. You can bet they hope the massive rookie starts Week 1.
3. Brian Quick: Once thought of as an intriguing small-school gem, Quick is getting lost in the shuffle. Tavon Austin and newly-acquired Jared Cook will get more targets.

Sleeper alert: Jordan Cameron

 
The Browns run a tight-end centric scheme and they didn’t use any picks on a tight end. Jordan Cameron, a natural pass-catcher, is the man. Coach Rob Chudzinski has squeezed career seasons out of Kellen Winslow, Antonio Gates and Greg Olsen at previous stops.

The Bengals traded up and grabbed Tavon Austin with the No. 8 pick.

The post Adam Levitan: Analyzing NFL draft from fantasy perspective appeared first on Metro.us.

Everyone is trying to figure out what happened to Jordan Poyer on draft day.

Poyer, a 6-foot, 191-pound cornerback out of Oregon State, ranked second in the country last season with seven interceptions. His immeasurables, despite a slow 4.54 dash time at the combine, are off the charts, according to most scouts. Poyer was even a two-sport star in high school who was drafted by the Florida Marlins.

Poyer went into last weekend’s draft expecting to be taken in the second or third round. Yet, there he was, still sitting around when the Eagles selected him in the seventh round (No. 218 overall). He isn’t mad, but he’ll definitely use that as motivation.

“It was [agonizing to fall], but I kind of want to have an idea of who passed me up because I kind of use that stuff when I play,” Poyer said. “I’ll remember who passed me up and I’ll use it and let it fuel me.”

One reason for the slight may have been for his involvement in an off-the-field issue. Poyer got mixed up in a fight at a bar when he was underage, something he claims the media blew out of proportion.

“It wasn’t a fight,” Poyer said. “It was more just me being dumb. I wasn’t 21, going into a bar and kind of refused to leave and then got 60 days banned from the bar, got kicked out of the bar and wasn’t allowed to come back.”

Poyer has a legitimate shot at competing for a starting job with the Birds. The team is very thin at cornerback, especially after the departure of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Free-agent additions Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher are the projected starters right now.

“That’s my plan. I just want to come in here and show what I can do,” Poyer said. “I know once I get the opportunity and once I grasp the playbook, I think that I’ll have an opportunity to play. I’m just going to learn from the older guys, learn from the vets and just make the most of the opportunity.”

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Patrons that head to any area Iron Hill get a Burger Month Bonus, when they eat any five of the 31 burgers of the month. If you eat five, you get $15 off your next purchase. Click here for the full list of burgers — there’s a different sandwich featured for every day of the month.

The first one that caught our eye was May 1, the Chip Kelly Burger. The new Eagles coach already has his own meat monster. The Chip Kelly Burger boasts Oregon blue cheese, red onion confit, crushed potato chips and mushroom spread.

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Chip Kelly acts quickly and decisively, confident in his football intelligence. There were many fascinating twists last week in Kelly’s first draft, but none overshadowed the simple impression that Kelly represents a major upgrade over the slow-minded era of Andy Reid.

The Eagles picked up a versatile offensive tackle (Lane Johnson), a sure-handed tight end (Zach Ertz) and a promising young quarterback (Matt Barkley) among a small army of smart, committed, athletic new recruits. Whether they meet expectations will require years to determine, but it’s obvious these aren’t the same, old Eagles.

First of all, the face of the draft wasn’t GM Howie Roseman, whose gushing style never matched the underwhelming results. Roseman was conspicuous only by his relative absence during and after this three-day talent hunt, and we can all be grateful for that.

Secondly, Kelly’s draft plan was a far cry from the bizarre approach of Reid, who chose a volunteer firefighter (Danny Watkins) with his first-round pick two years ago and an Olympic skier (Jeremy Bloom) as a kick returner before that. Reid bumbled annually by trading up and down, with no logic behind his moves. Kelly simply executed a meticulous plan.

And, for the first time in 14 years, Eagles fans got treated with the respect they deserve. Kelly didn’t say Johnson was the top pick on his draft board; the coach merely said the young lineman was in his top five. He didn’t deny that his top choice was his own defensive end at Oregon, Dion Jordan.

When the new coach wasn’t offering honesty, he was providing real hope, especially in his startling trade up to acquire Barkley. In one move, Kelly proved that he really doesn’t require a running quarterback and that he can score a coup over his counterparts before his first NFL game.

More significant than any one selection, though, is the efficient way the Eagles presented themselves throughout the draft process. There will never be a time under Kelly when it takes 30 seconds to get a play in, the way it did with Reid in the final minutes of the Super Bowl. Kelly doesn’t just speak more quickly; he thinks more quickly, too.

Chip Kelly may not win as many games as Andy Reid did in Philadelphia, but the new coach has already established that it’s going to be a lot more fun — and a lot less frustrating — rooting for the Eagles.
Pitching coach deserves our venom

Rich Dubee took a few precious minutes away from mismanaging the Phillies’ pitching staff last week to make a complete fool of himself. When Charlie Manuel is fired —hopefully, soon — it will be a joy to see this obnoxious ingrate go with him.

In the best of times, Dubee has been a fowl wind at Citizens Bank Park, providing a steady flow of misinformation about his pitching staff in an off-putting style. A baseball vagabond before arriving here, Dubee has avoided criticism both because his team won a World Series in 2008 and because Manuel has always been there to absorb the venom.
Last week, the moratorium on ripping Dubee abruptly ended when he refused to discuss the rejuvenation of Roy Halladay. Rather than explain what had changed Halladay’s fortunes, Dubee sneered at the “roller coaster” of opinions presented by the media and waved off all requests to explain the most interesting story of this otherwise disappointing April.

Dubee is an inept pitching coach, getting worse all the time. He has misused the back end of his bullpen all month, consistently opting for unproven relievers like Jeremy Horst and Phillippe Aumont in critical situations while under-using the best arm out there, Jonathan Papelbon. Meanwhile, there is no logical explanation for how Dubee has employed set-up man Mike Adams. None.

Since Dubee doesn’t have enough respect for the fans to answer simple questions about Roy Halladay, we are left to draw our own conclusion: The proud pitcher figured it out with no help from his miserable coach, Rich Dubee.

Flyers are definition of insanity

After missing the playoffs for the second time in 18 years, the Flyers have come up with a thrilling plan to reverse their fortunes next season. They are going to bring back all of the people responsible for this horrible failure. Not one member of their brain trust will be leaving as a result of this debacle. And fans still wonder why this franchise hasn’t won a championship in 38 years?

Chairman Ed Snider will be back, of course. He has been here from the start, offering the same blind loyalty to executives and players who have failed him for close to four decades. One of his favorites, GM Paul Holmgren, will return for an eighth season of fruitless transactions and public lies. Coach Peter Laviolette, who repeatedly failed to motivate his team this season, will provide even less inspiration in 2013-14, his fourth year here.

And so it goes. The Flyers have become a living symbol of sports insanity, as the organization keeps doing the same dumb things, year after year, expecting a different result. Snider has escaped the intense scrutiny of other Philadelphia owners because he did win two Stanley Cups and because he has never hesitated to spend money to improve the team. But when Is enough enough?

The one change the Flyers probably will make is to pay off colossal bust Ilya Byrzgalov and exercise one of their amnesty exemptions to remove him from the roster and the salary cap. If there was still any doubt that the Russian goalie doesn’t fit in, he removed it last week when he called his last victory “pointless” because the Flyers had already been eliminated from playoff contention. There is no place on the Flyers for that kind of public honesty.

After the final game, Holmgren put the entire mess into perspective when he snapped at reporters who kept asking if Laviolette would be returning next season.

“How many times are you going to ask me?”

Uh, until the answer makes some sense.

Idle thoughts from Cataldi
» Leonard Weaver retired as an Eagle last week after a career spanning 17 games here. Honorable people like Weaver want to experience some closure to their careers, but a tradition like this loses its meaning when no one even remembers that the player was on the team.

» The Flyers ended the season with four straight wins, and six out of seven. In other words, they realized their potential as soon as they were eliminated from the playoffs. There’s a term for this kind of team: Gutless.

» The Phillies finally showed some life over the weekend by sweeping the Mets. The big question now is, can they score runs like that against a major-league pitching staff?

» ESPN moved the time of the Phanatic’s birthday promotion on April 21 from 1:30 to 8 p.m., ruining the event for thousands of young Phillies fans. There’s only one conclusion to draw from that heartless decision: ESPN doesn’t care about kids.

» Donovan McNabb did a media tour last week as spokesman for a honey liqueur (no joke), held a kickball game in Times Square and whined during a dinner with NFL prospect E.J. Manuel about getting booed at the draft. Don’t you feel silly now thinking the guy had no future after football?

The post Angelo Cataldi: Chip Kelly making all the right moves for Eagles appeared first on Metro.us.

Chip Kelly’s first NFL draft is being mostly applauded.

He went with the safe choice to start things, with Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson at No. 4 overall, then moved up three spots — ironically jumping over former coach Andy Reid — to land USC quarterback Matt Barkley in the fourth round.

Barkley, who was regarded as a first-rounder in last year’s draft, finds himself in the mix on a team desperately seeking a franchise quarterback.

“I’m going to come in and compete. My mindset is I’m starting Day One,” Barkley said. “Whatever happens, whatever the situation is, that has to be your mindset. Coming in and competing like it’s your job. Pushing myself, challenging myself day in and day out. I think it will be great to be able to learn from Michael [Vick].” 

Eagles draft recap

1. Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma (first round, No. 4 overall)

2. Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford (second round, 35th overall)

3. Bennie Logan, DL, LSU (third round, 67th overall)

4. Matt Barkley, QB, USC (fourth round, 98th overall)

5. Earl Wolff, S, NC State (fifth round)

6. Joe Kruger, DE/LB, Utah (seventh round)

7. Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon St. (seventh round)

8. David King, DL, Oklahoma (seventh round)

He said it …

Chip Kelly was asked to compare his first NFL draft with recruiting college kids. The coach said he prefers the draft over recruitment.

“The draft [is better] because it’s over and done with in three days and you’re not on the phone with a 16-year-old high school kid for five years,” Kelly said. “Three days and it’s done. There’s nothing you can say about it. I think the last guy to hold out was [John] Elway in [1983]. I don’t think that’s happening.”

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The Eagles had Lane Johnson targeted all along, they just had to wait to see if he was there.

He was and Chip Kelly pulled the trigger by selecting Johnson with the No. 4 overall pick in Thursday night’s NFL draft.

Johnson fell right into their laps, after Oakland traded the No. 3 pick to Miami, who chose Oregon defensive end/linebacker Dion Jordan. The Eagles didn’t waste any time giving Johnson’s name to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Johnson, a dominant left tackle out of Oklahoma, wasted no time in donning a green Eagles cap and celebrating with family and friends.

“I’m very happy right now, looking forward to protecting Michael Vick,” Johnson told NFL Network reporter Deion Sanders. “I’m looking forward to playing in Chip Kelly’s offense.”

Johnson is considered an athletic freak. He played quarterback in high school before switching to tight end in college. Johnson played right tackle as a junior, then jumped over to left tackle as a senior.

When asked if he would consider playing quarterback in Philadelphia, Johnson laughed and replied, “I better rest up my arm.”

Johnson will presumably start training camp as a backup to starting left tackle Jason Peter on the depth chart. Peters is coming off two Achilles tendons surgeries last offseason.

No matter what Kelly’s plan is, the 23-year-old believes he is ready for primetime. He ran a similar scheme at Oklahoma.

“I just think coming from a spread scheme, up tempo, [Kelly] ran close to a 100 plays per game [at Oregon],” Johnson told reporters last week. “That’s exactly what we did at Oklahoma.”

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It’s been a big week for everyone’s favorite female basketball star, Skylar Diggins.

Diggins, who was recently selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, signed on with Jay-Z’s new sports agency, RocNationSports. She was immediately captured throwing up the “dynasty” sign. Diggins joins the Yankees’ Robinson Cano and the Giants’ Victor Cruz on Jay-Z’s client list.

Earlier in the week, Diggins and injured Lakers star Kobe Bryant enjoyed some light-hearted banter on the Twittersphere.

Bryant initiated the conversation while remarking on Diggins’ appearance at a Nike camp, writing, “Heard @SkyDigg4 is visiting my Nike fam campus! It would be great to have her be the 1^st official #ladymamba rep #mambamen …”

To which Diggins re-tweeted and replied, “Lady Mamba lol”

No word yet from Vanessa Bryant …

Feeling a draft

The NFL Draft is mere hours away as we sit here typing. While the experts — and yes, even Metro did a mock draft — break down the best of the best, we want to use this space to introduce you to the first WAG we’ve come across.

Matt Barkley is a quarterback for USC. He may go in the first round, if a team desperately seeking a quarterback wants to reach. More likely, he’ll go in the second or third round, and maybe his suitor will secure the steal of the 2013 draft.

More likely, we’ll all just be cheering for him to go early, so we can get up close and personal with his girlfriend, Brittany Langdon, much like we did a year ago with Ryan Tannehill and his smokeshow disguised as arm candy.

In the meantime, enjoy Brittany, courtesy of BustedCoverage.com.

Happy drafting everyone!

The post Playing the Field: Skylar Diggins signs with Jay-Z, flirts with Kobe Bryant appeared first on Metro.us.

The Florida State quarterback has the speed and agility of Mike Vick, combined with the size (6-foot-5, 237 lbs) and arm of the 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick. He worked out of the shotgun mostly in college, something that Kelly employed at Oregon. More importantly, Manuel has been lauded for being an “intelligent, high character team leader.”

If you Google Manuel’s name, you might think he was a surefire first-round draft pick. However, most mock drafts having him going in the second round, with a multitude of teams waiting anxiously, perhaps impatiently, to gobble him up and claim the steal of the 2013 NFL Draft.

The Eagles are one of those teams. In fact, Manuel is being mentored by former Birds quarterback Donovan McNabb, who had dinner with him Tuesday night in New York City. When asked about the Eagles’ interest in him, Manuel boasted, “They want me pretty bad,” to Comcast SportsNet.

The theory is if Manuel gets past the Jets (picks No. 9, 13) and Bills (pick No. 8), then he’ll be there in the second round. The Eagles own the third pick in that round (35th overall).

“But I think it’s just a matter of who takes me first, because I know the Eagles may want me, the Cleveland Browns may want me, the Buffalo Bills and the Jets,” Manuel told CSNPhilly.com. “I think those are all sequential picks, you know what I mean, within those top 13 picks or whatever. I’m just hoping one team loves me, because really, that’s all you need, one team to fall in love with you.”

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The Eagles are on the clock.

The same place they have been since the midpoint of 2012, when the season unceremoniously spiraled out of control. The franchise’s reward was the No. 4 overall pick in Thursday night’s draft.

The names being considered there are common knowledge: Dion Jordan, Lane Johnson, Star Lotulelei, Eric Fisher, etc. But don’t rule out the real possibility of the Eagles trading down, if the right opportunity presents itself.

They could swap the No. 4 pick for a combination of a lower pick in the first round and a late-round selection. Several reports have surfaced in recent days that the Eagles might be talking to Miami, who holds the No. 12 pick.

Coach Chip Kelly mentioned last week that there was no sure-fire choice.

“There is not a can’t-miss player, is what I’m saying,” he said. “So no matter who you take.”

No matter which name Kelly calls out, it will be memorable. After all, it is the start of the Chip Kelly era in Philadelphia.

Predicting the No. 4 pick

Dion Jordan is the one name Chip Kelly mentioned, unprompted, when he first started discussing the draft weeks ago. The defensive end/linebacker starred at Oregon under Kelly and would be a perfect fit in an attacking 3-4 defense. Problem is, the Eagles have a myriad of hybrids already on the roster, including Brandon Graham, Mychal Kendricks and Connor Barwin. Jordan has raw skills, but he might not necessarily be the right fit — or even be on the board. Several mock drafts have Jordan going No. 2 overall.

Lane Johnson is probably the most athletic offensive tackle in the draft and has been rising up boards as of late. Johnson privately worked out for the Eagles, then made an official visit to the NovaCare Complex … so interest is there. Johnson is fast — 4.72 in the 40 — can jump out of his cleats — 34-inch vertical leap — and has quick, quick hands. He played quarterback in high school and both tight end and defensive end at Oklahoma before switching to right tackle in 2011. Then, he moved to right tackle in his senior season. Huge upside here.

Dee Milliner is the top-rated cornerback, and he’ll no doubt be sitting there at No. 4. He’s considered a tough, physical corner adept at pressing receivers at the line (sound familiar?) We’re not saying that’s a bad thing … if nothing else Milliner would fill a dire need in the secondary. However, there are huge risks with Milliner, in the form of five surgeries, including a shoulder operation in March. If drafted, he will miss the start of training camp.

The post 2013 Eagles: Predicting Draft Night appeared first on Metro.us.

Doug Collins did something unprecedented in his final few months as coach of the Sixers. He rendered his status as a Philadelphia sports hero obsolete. Never again will he be the gritty overachiever who cared so much about winning. Now and forever, he will be the man whose raging ego ruined his legacy.

After a week of shameless public lies about his intentions, Collins finally stepped down last week in one final flurry of self-serving bravado. He prefaced his tribute to himself by saying he had been plotting with his bosses a dignified goodbye, making his nauseating exit yet another spectacular failure in this disgraceful season.

In fact, it is impossible to imagine a less dignified send-off than the one he gave himself. If there were any remaining doubts about his total disconnection from the fans (remember, last month he advised them to pray for Andrew Bynum) they disappeared during his final news conference.

At one point, Collins actually had the audacity to blubber about his loving relationship with the fans, after stonewalling all of their questions for months. Now we have learned — from him, no less —that he had decided to leave last Christmas.

His final words to the city included a detailed recitation of his resume, conveniently omitting the fact that he was a loser here with a 110-120 record. He also emphasized his amazing kinship with his players, none of whom he thought highly enough to confide in his plans to leave. And he actually said he was “always a winner, never a champion.”

Always a winner? Was he a winner when he publicly attacked his players for “not breaking a sweat” after one awful loss? Was he a winner when he berated reporter after reporter for asking valid questions about the Bynum disaster? Is he a winner now, with his team 14 games under .500 this season and in far worse shape than when he got here?

Doug Collins thinks he can bamboozle the fans with bluster about his playing days here, about his commitment to the job and his love for Philadelphia. If he did love our city, he wouldn’t have spent the final months of his tenure here insulting the fans with his public tantrums and his bold lies.

It is almost impossible for a sports hero in Philadelphia to lose that designation. Allen Iverson is a national embarrassment now, but he still receives standing ovations every time he returns. Lenny Dykstra is in prison, and fans still speak fondly of his playing days here.
Collins managed to soil his legacy in a way even those two pathetic cases didn’t. In the end, he didn’t respect the fans. Ultimately, he cared only about himself. He left with no class, and with no dignity.

Blame Manuel for this debacle

As the Phillies continue to flounder below .500, a fascinating debate is emerging about whom to blame more for their failures, GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. or manager Charlie Manuel. The correct answer is Manuel — by a wide margin.

Now, I understand that Manuel won the World Series here in 2008, while Amaro was just a front-office assistant, so the folksy skipper still holds the support of a majority of the fans. Philadelphia never stops loving a champion. Just ask the 1973-75 Flyers.

But Manuel is the bigger problem here, as he proved again with some abominable strategy last week. On successive nights late in tie games, Manuel placed the team’s fate in the hands of relievers Jeremy Horst and Phillippe Aumont. In both cases, the far better choices — Mike Adams and Jonathan Papelbon, among others — sat in the bullpen until it was too late.

Manuel’s explanations for these obvious mistakes were totally illogical. He said he was “getting concerned” about how much Adams was being used, although the set-up specialist had pitched exactly six innings in the previous two weeks. Papelbon is used only in save situations, then he entered a game two nights later with the Phillies one run behind and holding a four-run lead on Sunday.

Amaro did his job. He provided Manuel with two of the best late-inning relievers in baseball, but Adams and Papelbon can fill their roles only if the manager uses them.

Charlie Manuel should have been fired a year ago, after his 102-win team lost in the first round of the playoffs because of strategic blunders. If you really want to blame Amaro, rip him because he hasn’t had the courage to get rid of his beloved — and overrated — manager.

NFL thinks 2013 Eagles stink

There was no press release or news conference, but the NFL made a bold statement last week about the 2013 Eagles: They stink.

This appraisal was hidden in the new schedule, which has jarred the Birds back to their Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time days before Andy Reid. In the first season under Chip Kelly, the Eagles are slated to play only two night games, and those are in the first 11 days of the season. Barring a late flex-schedule change, the Birds will not appear in the marquee Sunday night game.

What the NFL is saying here is obvious. The debut of Kelly and his newfangled brand of football is worthy of attention; hence, the Monday night opener in Washington. And Reid’s homecoming in week three deserves a Thursday-night stage. After that, forget it.

Unintentionally, the NFL appears to have done Kelly and his new team a huge favor. Facing the Redskins and a still-gimpy Robert Griffin III in the opener is a gift, followed by winnable games against the Chargers and Chiefs. Is it ridiculous to think the Birds could be 3-0 on Sept. 22? And even if they’re 2-1, can you imagine how much that start will help Kelly’s players to believe in the new system?

Even before the draft, it is becoming obvious that the Eagles will be better than the pundits believe. Kelly’s refreshing new approach — fast-paced practices, shuffled locker assignments, custom-made smoothies — is already providing some genuine hope after the drudgery of Reid’s final years.

Here’s my first prediction of the Chip Kelly era: Despite the new schedule, the Eagles will not stink in 2013.

Idle thoughts from Cataldi
» It’s a new season and a new coach, but the same old Mike Vick. The quarterback declared last week that the Eagles are “still my team.” Unfortunately, “his team” was 4-12 last year because he couldn’t stop throwing interceptions or getting hurt. The worst thing that could happen this season is for it to be “his team” again.

» Marcus Vick, Mike’s hilariously clueless brother, resurfaced on Twitter last week with some homophobic remarks directed at the Arizona Cardinals. Am I the only one who will miss Marcus more than Mike when they both finally leave?

» The Flyers will end one of the worst seasons in their history this weekend. So who goes first? If it were up to me, it would be GM Paul Holmgren, followed by goalie Ilya Bryzgalov and then coach Peter Laviolette. If all three are back next season, the Flyers can expect to miss the playoffs again in 2014.

» Jonathan Papelbon used the Boston Marathon tragedy to spout his views on gun control. Hey, I happen to like the Phillies closer. I’m just more comfortable when he’s throwing a 95-mile-per hour fastball than when he’s using the pitching mound as a pulpit for his political views. That’s all I’m saying.

» Confronted by reporters at the Doug Collins’ goodbye news conference, perennial NBA bust Kwame Brown — the lazy Sixer center who made $3 million for doing nothing this season — literally sprinted for the exits to elude their questions. Who said the big lug never hustles?

The post Cataldi: Doug Collins tarnished his legacy forever appeared first on Metro.us.

Former Eagles fullback Leonard Weaver will be at the NovaCare Complex Tuesday afternoon to retire as a Philadelphia Eagle.

Weaver, who earned a Pro-Bowl invitation in 2009, will sign a one-day contract with the team and officially announce his retirement. Weaver was highly regarded as one of the best fullbacks in the NFL before tearing his Achilles in the 2010 season opener. The gruesome tear went viral and he never returned to the field.

In 2009, he led all NFL fullbacks in rushing attempts (70) and yards (323), along with four total touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving). Weaver played in 63 games in his career, including 19 starts, in six NFL seasons.

The post Leonard Weaver to retire as an Eagle appeared first on Metro.us.

It wasn’t an easy debut season for Fletcher Cox.

First, the 12th overall pick in last year’s NFL draft saw his best friend and cousin die in a tragic car accident. Then, Cox had to adjust to two different defensive line coaches (and two defensive coordinators), while fighting for snaps on a crowded defensive line, all while enduring the usual rigors of being an NFL rookie.

“It’s just part of maturing and growing up,” Cox said of the experience. “Being thousands of miles away from home, it’s just part of growing up.”

Somehow Cox made it work. As the season progressed, he emerged as one of the bright spots on a bad defense. Cox finished with 5.5 sacks and established himself as a building block for the Eagles.

“I think I played pretty good, but I know I got a long way to go to be a great player in this league,” Cox said. “Going back and evaluating myself, I know I have a long way to go.”

There’s no doubt that Cox will start in 2013. The question is, at what position? The Eagles are shifting to a 3-4 defense, or at least some form of it. At last week’s spring practices Cox was lining up all over the field. He still isn’t sure where his final spot will be.

“They tell us that nothing is written down right now. I don’t know where I would play. I’m all over the place,” Cox said.

The only thing Cox does know for sure is that these aren’t Andy Reid’s Eagles. On the field, the practices have been much quicker, similar to his days at Mississippi State. Off the field, there’s been a focus on proper nutrition and sleeping patterns.

“It’s real different,” Cox said. “It reminds me of a year ago, when I was in college, you know, how fast everything goes, what the tempo is, just having fun and enjoying everything — all the energy out here.”

The energy, as evidenced by loud dance music being pumped into the practice field at the NovaCare Complex, will translate itself for real in the Eagles’ season opener — Sept. 9 at Washington.

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All those fans that wanted to see Chip Kelly on the national stage … get ready.

The Eagles will open the season Sept. 9 on Monday Night Football when they travel to D.C. to battle Robert Griffin III and the Redskins.

The Birds will kick-off the first part of a double-header that night to conclude NFL’s opening weekend. It marks only the second time in franchise history the Eagles have opened on Monday Night Football, and the 10th time they start against Washington.

The team will play its home opener the following week (Sunday, Sept. 15) against the San Diego Chargers at 1 p.m.

And they won’t have to wait for the Andy Reid reunion, which takes place Sept. 19 when Big Red brings his Chiefs into the Linc. Save the date.

Other highlights include: at Denver (Sept. 29), at NY Giants (Oct. 6), vs. Dallas (Oct. 20), at Green Bay (Nov. 10) and vs. Chicago (Dec. 22). The Eagles also endure three straight road games for the first time since 2006, when they went 3-0 against the NFC East.

2013 Eagles schedule

Sept. 9, at Washington, 7:10 p.m. (ESPN)
Sept. 15, vs. San Diego, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Sept. 19, vs. Kansas City, 8:25 p.m. (NFLN)
Sept. 29, at Denver, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Oct. 6, at NY Giants, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Oct. 13, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Oct. 20, vs. Dallas, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Oct. 27, vs. NY Giants, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 3, at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 10, at Green Bay, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 17, vs. Washington, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 24, BYE WEEK
Dec. 1, vs. Arizona, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 8, vs. Detroit, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 15, at Minnesota, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 22, vs. Chicago, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 29, at Dallas, 1 p.m. (FOX)

The post Eagles to open season against Redskins appeared first on Metro.us.

Brittney Griner recently came out as a lesbian. No surprise there.

She talks like a man. She has the stature of a man. And she dunks like a man. None of that is wrong or meant to be insensitive. That’s just how she comes across on appearances — and that’s a good thing for the game of basketball, and sports in general. We sincerely hope that Mark Cuban stays true to his boast and drafts her in the NBA Draft.

We only hope that this could lead to a bigger outing, maybe in the NFL.

Free agent safety Kerry Rhodes is attempting to squash rumors that he is a gay man playing in the NFL. Rhodes’ alleged longtime boyfriend and assistant Russell “Hollywood” Jackson has gone on record saying Rhodes was “like his wife.”

The gossip website MediaTakeOut has published pictures of the two seemingly enjoying a romantic vacation. Instead of embracing the moment, Rhodes has pulled a trick from Richard Nixon’s playbook. Deny, deny, deny.

“Photos have been circulating of my former assistant and I that have caused some rumors regarding my sexuality, and I wanted to address the situation … I am not gay,” Rhodes tells TMZ.com. “The shots were taken during a past vacation in a casual environment with my entire business team … I know a lot of people are recently talking about athletes struggling to come out to their fans right now, and I support them, as well as wish those individuals comfort.”

We don’t know anything about Rhodes’ sexuality. Until he utters the words, “I am gay,” we’ll have to accept his statement as truth. We just hope — if the rumors do turn out to be true — Rhodes will have the courage to stand up and forge a new trail for gay athletes everywhere.

The post Playing the Field: It’s time for a gay NFL star appeared first on Metro.us.

One day after new coach Chip Kelly insisted the starting quarterback job is a three-horse race, one of them claimed to have the inside track.

Mike Vick, speaking from the heart as he usually does, told reporters that he still views the Eagles as his team.

“Honestly, I just look at it as it’s still my team, still my job,” Vick said Thursday. “I’m trying to rejuvenate myself and really take advantage of the last couple of years I have.”

On Tuesday, Kelly said all three quarterbacks — Vick, Nick Foles, Dennis Dixon —

were even. Vick restructured his deal in the offseason and took less money to stay in Philadelphia.

“We’re going to use the full time available to make a full evaluation. I think it fosters competition,” Kelly said.

Vick noted that Kelly’s offense is very up-temp and fast-paced, as previously advertised.

“It’s something like I’ve never seen before,” he said.

The post Mike Vick: ‘It’s still my team, still my job’ appeared first on Metro.us.

Three’s not a crowd.

Chip Kelly held his first practice as Eagles head coach this week.

When he addressed the media, he made one thing clear: The quarterback competition is wide open. Kelly has Mike Vick, Nick Foles and Dennis Dixon on the roster. All three men are viable options to be the starter. The three players split the first-team reps evenly at the team’s first practice.

“It’s April 16 and we’re not playing until next September, so we’re going to use the full available time for us to make evaluations of who it is, and I think it fosters competition,” Kelly said. “I think those guys love competition, that’s why they’re in that position and they know it. Our guys really understand that. I think everybody right now knows where they stand, and that’s a big thing for us. There’s not a lot of grey area with this.”

The Eagles also released veteran backup quarterback Trent Edwards.

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One of the best phrases of all-time, which holds true in nearly every walk of life: “You never want to be the guy to follow THE GUY.”

This phrase rings true in most family structures in addition to professional environments. As fun as being Billy Madison is, you really don’t want to be Billy Madison when all is written. You want to be Billy Madison’s dad. You want to be the creator, the innovator, the guy who gets the credit, the guy who gets the good lookin’ gal, the guy who built the dream.

That’s why, contrary to most reports, it sucks to be Nate Montana.

Nate is the son of legendary 49ers quarterback Joe Montana and, of course, he has big dreams of following in daddy’s footsteps. Save for members of the Manning family, this plan rarely works out.

Nate chucked the ball around Cowboys Stadium on Monday as part of the NFL Super Regional Combine, with NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks calling Jr. Cool (bad ass name he should already be using) a “long shot.”

While the sports geek in me wants to combat Mr. Brooks and say foolish things like, “Yeah, that’s what they said about Tom Brady, idiot,” and “I can’t recall the last time a Super Bowl quarterback won due to having the best ‘zip,’” Mr. Brooks is probably right. I’m guessing Nate will be waking up hungover as hell at the crack of noon at the Montana family pool come late April instead of spending countless hours learning an NFL playbook.

In fairness, Nate Montana did have a decent Division II college career. He led the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in passing last season with 2,480 yards and 19 touchdowns while the starter for West Virginia Wesleyan, a school that boasts just over 1,400 students (but the tailgate scene is amazing.)

The worst thing that could happen to Nate going forward is some NFL team inviting him to camp just because he’s Joe Montana’s son. If Nate actually earns a spot, well, then, great.

Maybe the motivation here is Nate Montana’s need for daddy’s approval (shocker). We know that Joe Cool can be a little ornery at times and we know that he doesn’t really appreciate underdog stories like that of former teammate Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger.

So maybe Nate just wants to stick it to No. 16? Good luck, Jr. Cool, we’ll be rootin’ for ya.

Follow Metro Boston sports editor and columnist Matt Burke on Twitter @BurkeMetroBOS

The post Playing the Field: Nate Montana, Joe Montana’s son, wants to play in the NFL appeared first on Metro.us.