Cole: Birds 'inches away from being great'
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Cole: Birds 'inches away from being great'
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
HARRISBURG -- It sure seemed like an inordinate number of Giants fans were filing past today, as Eagles defensive end Trent Cole signed T-shirts for charity and promoted his hunting enterprises in the Lancaster Archery booth at the Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show, the largest such event in North America.
Considering their team had won the Super Bowl less than 48 hours earlier, and the NFC East rival Eagles didn't make the playoffs, the blue-clad New York followers weren't too obnoxious. Then again, they were addressing a 270-pound, two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher separated from them only by a folding table, not some dumpy fellow fan in midnight green.
"They didn't stop. They finished strong, and that's what it's all about," Cole said, when asked his thoughts on the Giants winning Super Bowl XLVII. "We finished strong as well, but it didn't work out (to make the playoffs)."
Cole acknowledged he was pulling for the Patriots on Sunday, that a New England victory wouldn't have stung quite as much as seeing the Lombardi Trophy go to a team from the division, a team the Eagles beat at MetLife Stadium back on Nov. 21, six days before the Birds were crushed at the Linc by the Pats.
"We had a bad year. We just couldn't pull it off at the last minute," Cole said. "We were right there, inches away from being great, being a dominant team. I think some teams are going to be worried about playing us" in 2012.
Cole, an Eagle since 2005, said he is glad to see Eagles coach Andy Reid back for a 14th season, glad to see defensive coordinator Juan Castillo get a second chance, glad defensive line coach Jim Washburn and the "Wide 9" didn't get swept away in a tidal wave of disappointment over missing the playoffs.
"I think it's a great choice," he said, when asked about Castillo. "Numbers don't lie, and we put up some great numbers.
"If you can feed into (Washburn's) teachings, you'll do well. You've got to believe in what he teaches. Come off hard, fast. When you come off your stance, be an eruption."
Almost as many people filing past the booth wanted to discuss hunting as were interested in football. Cole, who grew up as a hunter in rural Xenia, Ohio, has a TV show available on DIRECTV, in which, he says, "ordinary, everyday working people" go hunting, mostly for whitetail deer. He is selling DVDs at the show, but also is selling for charity autographed T-shirts emblazoned with his "Blitz TV" logo, at $10 a pop. Cole is at the booth through tomorrow afternoon.
Hunting, Cole said, is "a calm place where all the BS stops."
He said he pursues all types of hunting but prefers bowhunting because it's more challenging than pulling the trigger of a gun.
"You've got an intricate machine in your hand, with a lot of bells and whistles," he said. "When that moment of truth comes and that game comes up on you, everything's got to be right. You've got to really focus. ... It's just like football, it's all repetition."
True Eagles Fan here. Trent you're a great player and please stay with the EAgles, we need you. We're going to get to the SB very very soon. Predictions are already out...and we don't have to have a 15-1 record like the Packers...Giants were 9-7 and they won. Shut the front door...hard!— Showtime226- The players are as delusional as the coach!— JTM-LA
- Andy Reid and his delusional players : champions of the Excuses Bowl in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011. It has been an unprecedented run of successful excuses almost every year. There was "youth", "nerves", "no offseason workouts", "learning from our mistakes vs. 1, 2, and 5" and "urgency". Oh yea and "injuries" and "we didnt expect them to do that". Thats another good one. Andy Reid cannot be defeated, and will always have a great excuse at the end of each season, no matter how bad, inept, or how many blown 4th quarter losses there are. "We can all count" so we must be mistaken. I, for one, am proud of Andy and what he has accomplished and given us Eagles fans all this time, and we should all be more thankful for the run of excellent excuses he has given us.— CharlieGarner25
- Draft a MLB first round, Trade desaen and asante and get another MLB. WE NEED TWO. Bring Dawkins back to coach these safeties. Acquire a stud WR in free agency to compliment Maclin and Cooper. Thats our only shot. If that fails this is Reids last year and another coach will Draft a QB first round and will reap the rewards. Hardball walked right in and took his team to the championship round. The same will happen with the eagles because the talent is here. Every year we beat good teams but break down in crunch time. Some of that can be blamed on the players but coaches have to put players in the right position to make plays. Reid is the common denominator after all these seasons. The AFC is calling for his services now he just cant cut it in the NFC. This is his last year to prove us wrong. This superbowl hurt because we can beat the giants and the 49ers and the Patriots. Lets see what happens in the draft i hope we trade up and get multiple picks on defense and offense. We need serious weapons. WR is a need we need to get physical on offensive in crunch time— Yes_General
- "Inches away from being great, being a dominant team." "Spags and Castillo working together in some capacity would be "dynamite." "Banner asserted that the Steelers were no more successful than his Eagles over the last decade, despite Pittsburgh’s two Super Bowl wins since 2005." "The Dream Team." "The Gold Standard." Are than any other accolades we can bestow on this great franchise. It's really unbelievable how good this team is.
— watsonmr 
It seems as though Trent Cole is just as lost as The Boston Whipping Boy Lurie,Yes Man 1 Banner,Yes Man 2 Roseman, The Fat Man. GOLD STANDARD!— citysims- How about saying the Giants were better? They are the champions and the Eagles got an early start on their vacation. Not going anyplace. Reid and Castillo still coaching and Howie still drafting. Let's get real. You make the same mistakes and you get the same results.— Ssteve115
- I see some of the fans are still delusional, still running their mouths with "ifs" and "buts". Hey 8-8 is 8-8, and you dopes know that even if the Eagles did make the playoffs, they would not win four consecutive games with the oft -injured and erratic Vick at QB. In fact, the Eagles will never win a Superbowl with Vick. But maybe you dopes know more than I do, and are basing your optimism on his career 2-3 playoff record. Vick is a joke, a circus act. He's not even a real quarterback, and most knowledgeable football fans would agree with me on that.— baabyrrej
- Yeah they just need to do something about the back 7 on Defense. Find a quarterback that can play 16 games. Find a physical receiver that can go after the ball like nicks and manningham. And by the way, next years schedule looks like it will be tougher than last years. I'm tired of the eagles. I would't care if lurie moved them to LA— franknbeans
- This is exactly what is wrong with this team and it starts at the top. Delusions of grandeur. This clown actually believes the Eagles are one of the best teams despite missing the playoffs in a division where 9-7 gets you in. "We are as good as the Steelers" ... "We are inches away" ... "No one wants to play us". It is laughable. No reason to change though as the sheep continue to buy merchandise and beer at the Linc. All in Dream Team.— Scope33
- Teams will be worried about finding the motivation to play an average team. "Time's yours."— rubicon24
- Thanks, I really needed a good laugh tonight! Greatness is proven on the field, not on the links.— dogman5
- Has Andy Reid apologized to Philly Fans yet?— fmMD
- NFC East Super Bowl Victories
Cowboys 5
Giants 4
Redskins 3
Eagles 0
Need I say more?
— LasVegasScott - Cmon he's towing the company line. What's he gonna say"yea we suck and Andy's a fool".?— MilesLong1
