Vermeil, Papale, Carmichael weigh in on new-look Eagles

BETHLEHEM - Vince Papale sees it in the post-practice reps Chad Hall takes with a JUGS machine, sees it when Riley Cooper makes a catch in traffic during seven-on-sevens.

Dick Vermeil would have relished a chance to coach the 2010 Eagles.

"He would've loved it," said Papale, who played for Vermeil from 1976 to '78. "He would've considered it a tremendous challenge. Dick was always one about giving opportunities. Obviously, he gave the greatest opportunity to me, but that's what it's about. He loves teaching.

"I know he would love Chad and he would love Riley. He would just relish the opportunity to coach guys like that because they're just so full of zest and heart and enthusiasm."

It has been 28 years since Dick Vermeil paced the sidelines as coach of the Eagles, but the beloved city icon was back at Lehigh yesterday with his two grandkids to get an up-close view of the new-look Eagles.

Wearing white sneakers, jeans and a tucked-in blue-and-red-striped polo shirt, Vermeil soaked in a new era of Eagles football, positive of a bright future for the young, talent-laden squad.

"I never took over a team that needed rebuilding," Vermeil said behind tinted sunglasses, shielding his eyes from the scorching sun. "Kansas City was in the best condition of all the teams I took over.

"I was more of a patient guy, tried to build a common sense and work ethic and character and not take too many chances with personnel early and sacrifice too much down the road."

Added Vermeil: "The organizations that don't panic, that truly understand what it takes to rebuild a football team and keep it going, more or less are patient decision-makers, not impulsive decision-makers, and they don't listen to too many sources outside. They have confidence in the people they have, and that's how they make the decisions."

That's why Vermeil is all for the decision to trade Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins - a move he likes, in part, because it enables the defense to face a quarterback whose tendencies are known twice in a season.

With Kevin Kolb, Vermeil said he would tell the first-year starting quarterback the same things coach Andy Reid is telling him: Be patient, understand there will be good times with the bad, know how to handle yourself under those circumstances and never lose sight of the commitment you have to make on the field, off the field, to the game and to the organization.

"He really becomes your hood ornament," Vermeil said. "He's right up in front of everybody. He carries the flag of the Eagles. I have so much confidence in the organization, they wouldn't do something that wasn't eventually going to pay off bigger dividends. They're way beyond making mistakes like that."

Harold Carmichael, the Eagles' director of player development and alumni, or, more commonly known around Lehigh as the loud, baritone voice shouting out "right hash!" or "left hash" before spotting the football, said patience is a virtue for a largely young, unproven roster such as the Eagles' because so many guys are learning what it's like to play significant snaps in the NFL.

Carmichael, who played under Vermeil, compared Reid's training camp style to Vermeil's - both are intense.

Papale noticed some changes besides huge inflatable Pepsi bottles and carnival-style food stands.

"I'm looking at this, I'm just laughing," said Papale, who watched practice on a day where the full pads stayed in the lockers and no live-hitting took place. "I wouldn't break a sweat at practice like today. It's not all that intense. They're just doing a lot of stuff against air and against heat. I haven't been here to watch all the hitting, so I couldn't compare it."

Papale said the first 13 days of Vermeil's camps were in full pads for both sessions. Vermeil said Reid still runs a hard-nosed, old-school training camp, one of the reasons he likes coming back each year.

Vermeil's desire to return year after year shows a vested interest in the organization, Carmichael said. He added that Vermeil likes being around the game but knows to let Reid run the show.

And Vermeil, Papale and Carmichael will be watching it all unfold this season.

"It'd be unrealistic for you to think that you're going to bring some young guys in and expect them to perform at a Super Bowl level that first year," Papale said. "I think that if they become a little bit more competitive and they jell very nicely with the veterans that you have out here, who knows where the potential can be. It's a matter of coaching, how quickly they mature and how they can adapt to how quick this game is." *