Posted: Saturday, February 28, 2009, 5:23 PM | 52 comments |
 

Dawking The Dawk
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From early indications, EagleWorld is a fractured, unhappy place after the confirmation on Saturday that one of the most beloved members of the team will be moving on.

Never knew you felt quite that strongly about Lito.

The Eagles made a very good deal for disgruntled cornerback Lito Sheppard, getting a 5th-round pick and a conditional pick the following season from the Jets that could be as high as a second-round pick. The market for unhappy cornerbacks isn't what it used to be.

As for the other outgoing transaction news, that Brian Dawkins had signed a deal with the Denver Broncos that nearly assures he won't be finishing his career in an Eagles uniform, that one is the one that stung fans.

According to a source within the negotiations, the Eagles offered Dawkins a two-year deal for pretty decent money, but the Broncos blew that one away with a five-year, $19 million offer.

The deal should really be viewed as a two-year deal, for a total of approximately $9.5 million, with $7.5 million guaranteed, according to the same source. That $7.5 million is guaranteed even if Dawkins plays just one season.

For Denver, which is trying to rebuild things, bringing in Dawkins as a conscience of the defense, a veteran who will be an example in the locker room, there are benefits to offering this very generous contract that extend off the field. The Broncos are overpaying, but they are counting on receiving more than just a football player.

It won't go down well among most fans, but this is probably more about what the Broncos did -- and what Dawkins decided for himself -- than what the Eagles did not do. I try to make that point, and a few random others, in a column in Sunday's Inquirer. I'm hardly a company man for the Eagles, but you can't kill them for this one.

Well, you can, because all is fair in EagleWorld, but this time it would be wrong. 
Posted by BOB FORD @ 5:23 PM  Permalink | 52 comments
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:45 PM, 02/28/2009
    You can't fault the Eagles? Dude, there are certain decisions you make that go outside of numbers and facts. How do you quantify heart? How do you quantify leadership? Obviously these are not values high on the Eagles charts and apparently yours.
    — Oldehawks
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:47 PM, 02/28/2009
    Hey Bobby old boy, what were the Eagles offering and how much of it was guaranteed. Dont you think that BDawk was worth 9 million over two years for a team that underpaid him throughout his career and is 48 million under the salary cap? If we can't believe them for this, can we blame them for not having a fullback, a no 1 wide receiver, being 48 million under the salary cap and not picking up anyone better tham someone who has yet to come back from reconstructive surgery. How much you want to bet that they got Stacy Andrews at bargain basement prices.
    — GKC
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:06 PM, 02/28/2009
    "this is probably more about what the Broncos did -- and what Dawkins decided for himself -- than what the Eagles did not do." Agreed. speaking of greed, that is what #20 had. Unless the Eagles offered the veteran minimum.
    — mikemaddog
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:25 PM, 02/28/2009
    yea im with Bob and Mike, we did what we could. I would not have gone past 2 years as well, that is just ridiculous. I love BDawk probably in my top 3 of favorite Philadelphia athletes of all time, but it made sense to let the Broncos have him with their ridiculous offer.
    — robm0202
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:29 PM, 02/28/2009
    mikedog, don't you think that if the Eagles offered anything near what the Broncos did, Dawk would have stayed? The Eagles' track record is always supposedly making good offers, but then the players walk. Who is the inside source this time, Howard Eskin? Fce it, if the Eagles offered basically a one-year deal for for, say $5 million, wouldn't you take a ceal that offeed more $$, more years, and very possibly more close to $19 million. The Birds could have well afforded a similar deal and, that Dawkins took the Denver deal so quickly shows that the Birds made no decent offer.
    — mike l
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:33 PM, 02/28/2009
    Call me crazy, but I feel good about the Eagles young, yet experienced, defense. I have a feeling the Eagles are getting prepared to spend a lot on offense too - both in FA and in the draft. I was initially shocked too about Dawk leaving...but 5 years?! No way you could match that offer. Dawk is smart for taking it, the Eagles are smart for not trying to match it. Good luck to Dawk - I can now kinda get behind the Broncos in the AFC. Good luck to Eagles in FA and in the draft - now the ball is in the front office's court to get back in good graces with the fan base.
    — Fozzie27
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:51 PM, 02/28/2009
    okay Philly Fans.........get over it. Think about it........Dawk said it wouldn't take a lot of money to sign him......... Well, as always FOLLOW THE MONEY. It's ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY. And, Dawk went with the money.
    — NC Dennis
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:53 PM, 02/28/2009
    Beware of those who have to say they are not company men...........
    — Earl J
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:55 PM, 02/28/2009
    we'll miss you b-dawk
    — xrajux
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:56 PM, 02/28/2009
    OLDEHAWKS Want to quantify HEART...... How about.......... """"Broncos blew that one away with a five-year, $19 million offer""""
    — NC Dennis
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:57 PM, 02/28/2009
    MC Dennis---Dawk went for length of contract
    — born2b
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:57 PM, 02/28/2009
    MC Dennis---Dawk went for length of contract
    — born2b
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:04 PM, 02/28/2009
    YOU IDIOTS ITS A 2 YR DEAL FOR $9MM, THEN HE'S CUT. CHECK OUT THE NEWS. BOTTOM LINE,I AM DONE! SEASON TICKETS?? NO WAY I'M PAYING NOW, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SEATS BACK. YOU ARE $41mm STILL UNDER THE CAP AND YOU DON'T PAY TO BRING BACK THE HEART AND SOUL WHEN THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS? ANDY REID AND JOE BANNER IF YOU WANT ME TO BE A BRONCOS FAN, THEN A BRONCOS FAN I WILL BE. I WILL NEVER, EVER ROOT FOR THIS TEAM UNDER THIS REGIME EVER AGAIN. I AM NOW A DIE HARD BRONCOS FAN LIKE I GREW UP THERE. JOE BANNER CAN GO TO HELL HE IS A PIECE OF GARBAGE. I HATE YOU TOO JEFF LURIE YOU NO GOOD NORMAN BRAMEN WANNABE.
    — MOJR
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:04 PM, 02/28/2009
    Bob, Unless you know what money the Eagles offered in their two year deal, you can't claim it was "decent" - in reality, Dawks deal seems to be 2 years for 9.5 mil with 7.5 guaranteed. Is 4.75 per year too much for the Eagles when Gibril Wilson and Yeremiah Bell both signed for more than 5+ per year? FYI.. Joselio Hanson resigned with the Eagles for 4.2 per year with 6.4 guaranteed. The Eagles are 38 under this year's cap and there may not be a cap in the near future.
    — occasionalpost


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About Bob Ford
Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out. A former beat writer covering the Phillies and the 76ers, Ford became a general sports columnist for the Inquirer in 2003, following in and occasionally falling in the deep footsteps of Bill Lyon, Frank Dolson and many distinguished others. He comes to the Philly.com blogosphere after award-winning success as designer/editor of the fabulous Pen & Pencil Club softball blog. Likes: Palestra, inside-the-park home runs, sunny days. Dislikes: phony people, cloudy days, rewrites.
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