Posted: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 1:53 PM | 101 comments |
 

For Who, For Weaver?
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Some random thoughts while sitting around Boston waiting for a 10 p.m. basketball game (and some of those random thoughts involve the scheduling geniuses of the NCAA and CBS).

I don't know if Leonard's Weaver has great timing hitting the hole while carrying a football, but he does has great timing while backhanding the new city where he'll be working.

Weaver, signed to play fullback for the Eagles last weekend, didn't appear very excited about the prospect -- downright disappointed, in fact -- but his views got lscant attention during a busy time in which local interest was on the NCAA tournament and, of course, Andy Reid's "State of the Eggs" breakfast news conference from the NFL meetings in down-at-the-heels Dana Point, Calif.

The Eagles signed Weaver to a one-year, $1.75 million contract that could earn the fullback as much as $2.5 million if he meets incentive clauses. Good luck with that, Leonard, unless there is a clause for standing ready on the sideline.

All in all, of course, he'd rather still be a Seahawk.

"It's just been a hard deal knowing I want to be here, and I made that clear to the organization a number of times, and here it is we still can't get nothing done," Weaver told the Tacoma News-Tribune.

"And now it resorts to this," he added, "where I have to make a secondary choice, which I did. So, it makes it very tough."

Oh, no question. Having to accept a paltry $1.75 million is just a terrible insult, a fallback position that no one -- even someone who makes up verbs that don't agree with impersonal pronouns -- should not have to bear. Oh, the humanity. TO HAVE TO PLAY IN PHILADELPHIA FOR A TEAM THAT MADE THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AND LEAVE THE STINKING SEAHAWKS. It is too much to take.

Leonard is going to be a man about it, though. He's going to show up and play and look for his deluxe payday in the sky. In Philly? Maybe, not that he really cares.

"It's a good opportunity to show what I can do, not only to Philly but to other teams out there," Weaver said. "And then if Philly offers a long-term deal, that would be great. But, if not, hey man, it was a great time and we move on."

I'd say he's all about Philadelphia and the Eagles. Not a bit of him that's all about Leonard Weaver. Welcome to town, Leonard. So far, your timing has been good.

 
Posted by BOB FORD @ 1:53 PM  Permalink | 101 comments
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:13 PM, 03/26/2009
    Are they all like that after coming from Seattle?? For Who, For What? Who can forget Harrisburg native Rickey Waters? Talk about a selfish player...Rickey was for sure. He never played out to star potential we thought he was going to....Can we draft our own running back in the first round this time???
    — #1WRneeded
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:13 PM, 03/26/2009
    bored bob?
    — osi is hurt boohoo
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:21 PM, 03/26/2009
    Somewhat.
    — Bob Ford
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:28 PM, 03/26/2009
    Who named you the Grammar Nazi, Bob? Your first mistake: "I don't know if Leonard's Weaver". It's "Leonard" Weaver, Bob. Mistake #2: "but he does has great timing". Wow, and you're getting PAID for this!?
    — morvak
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:32 PM, 03/26/2009
    He's disappointed that the team he has played for didn't give him a good enough (in his eyes) offer and he had to leave. I don't see anything wrong or insulting with his statement. I'll bet Dawkins wanted to stay here despite what he may be saying in Denver, even before the Cutler fiasco. He appears to be a hard working, humble and honest player. How good he really is, we'll find out this year hopefully.
    — DMo
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:36 PM, 03/26/2009
    Well the same can be said for all players who openly admit they would prefer to have stayed where they were. i.e. Brian Dawkins. He cried about leaving Philly, and made such a big issue out of it, made it well known he wanted to stay in Philly (althogh not badly enough to accept their offer). I wonder if anyone in Denver noticed or cared?
    — Gary Varsho
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:37 PM, 03/26/2009
    Bob Ford, that is so lame... I said this before: the media in filthy fans the phan fire with dumb articles making up something negative where there is nothing there. Philly Phans should be upset at the local media because they cause the national media to give them a bad rap.
    — Wise_Owl
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:37 PM, 03/26/2009
    Who cares as long as he performs. Honesty ia an admirable trait.
    — Reggie92
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:37 PM, 03/26/2009
    Bob--You're an idiot. You sound like the Eagles explaining why they fired that Leonne guy. Insecure and whiny. It irritates me! The guy was happy in his home...so what? He didnt say he didnt want to play here...he said it was his second choice. Was the Daily News ur first choice? Give the guy a chance when he has the pads on b4 you judge him.
    — kookybeez
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:39 PM, 03/26/2009
    Just to follow up, you take it out of context. AR has said about the free agents that get one year contracts that they have an opportunity to showcase their talents around the league, and if they sign long term with the eagles later thats great, or they can find a home elsewhere. What do you expect a player to say? oh I love it here and only want to be here despite the organizations position? Bob, one good thing about this economy is that local rags like this are in financial trouble. Reading your articles I can see why.
    — Wise_Owl
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:42 PM, 03/26/2009
    as long as he helps us lose another nfc title game and keep our gold standard status, he's welcome here!
    — nittany4
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:43 PM, 03/26/2009
    There is nothing wrong with what he said. The shock factor is that most players arent honest with this. We tear apart players thinking all about the money, now a player is honest and doesnt appear to be all after a big payday people react like this?
    — 93phils
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:43 PM, 03/26/2009
    Come on, Bob. You're better than this. What was Dawkins directly, indirectly, and/or more elegantly saying about leaving the Eagles? So the guy has feelings for the team he has spent his career with. Get over it. It's nothing personal. You are known for some pretty solid writing, and a decent pulse of the city's sports teams and fans. But you missed on this one, Bob, and are simply reinforcing the notion that Philly is chock full of fans with thin skin and easily wounded egos.
    — EaglesWest
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:44 PM, 03/26/2009
    Ricky came from San Fran and then went to Seattle. At least he is a real fullback vs. a converted d-lineman or tailback
    — bsaw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:45 PM, 03/26/2009
    I don't see how he insulted anybody. The guy didn't want to move across the country to a new city - who can blame him? But at least he'll be playing for a genuine contender and as he says, it's a one year deal if things don't work out. This is a non-story, and an attempt to tap into the inferiority complex that seems to exist in some Eagles fans. Chill people.
    — p-diddy


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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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