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."
The Eagles players, coaches, front-office personnel and owner NEED to SHUT THE F*@* UP!! I'm sick of hearing them telling us they're so close and inches away from being great and bringing home a Lombardi Trophy. We've been hearing this for way too long and I can't take it anymore. the Giants have won two championships in the past four years. The Eagles have won NOTHING since 1960. SHUT UP AND JUST GO OUT AND BE GREAT, STOP TELLING US YOU'RE CLOSE TO BEING GREAT!! WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT ANYMORE!!— rich0376- Trent, I love your efforts. However, you must not have watched the same playoffs games that I watched. My beloved Iggs are miles away from greatness. Can you spell MEDIOCRE?— usedtobefromphilly
- Someone please tell Trent Cole that the Eagles will NEVER win a Super Bowl with Andy Reid!!! The quicker he is out of here, the quicker we can start to even think about a championship.— rich0376
- Still living the dream team.— schlippg
Comment removed.- The team willnot be sold untill Jeff(The con Artist) get his price he has his Just like Norman Branmam has his.Its all about money. If He get 2 . 5 billion for this team . He will be saying the same thing Saggle Puss saids Exit stages Right . And all you will see is Jeff 500 dollars loafers on the floor and him out the door— Ktoned53
- Here we go again; these guys never learn! Team Talkalot does NOTHING but TALK; just shut up and play!!!!!!!!!!!!— JBinPA
- Next season the Eagles need to win the Super Bowl or else the season is a failure and Andy Reid and Howie Roseman must be fired. Even if they make it to the Super Bowl and lose even by one point, that is still a failure. I don't want to hear from Jeff Lurie, Andy Reid or Joe Banner "We went deep in the post-season so it was a success and where going to keep the coaching staff and front-office the same!". One-year from today there better be a parade down Broad Street or else it's time to fire a lot of people and start over with a new regime.— rich0376
- I never seen a team that talks so much and wins so little. If Cole is counting that is now 12 Super Bowls for the NFC East and quess what team has none.— robbyag
- Trent Cole knows more about football and how good the Eagles were or were not than any fan ever will. He's talking about how they played down the stretch and what their potential. Reid and his staff is as good as any in the league. Vegas is picking the Eagles as the 5th most likely to win the Super Bowl next year. They give them a better chance than the Giants. But the commentors here know more than those guys. If you think the Eagles are so horid, find another team to follow. Nobody is interested in your ignorant, idiotic comments. To say that the Eagles aren't one of the most talented teams in the league and that they can never win a Super Bowl with Reid as their coach is so obvious wrong it's laughable.— MikeP
- Don't you want these guys to be thinking thy can win? What a bunch of crappy fans you are. Except mikep.— djack10
- Don't you want these guys to be thinking thy can win? What a bunch of crappy fans you are. Except mikep.— djack10
- blah blah blah blah blah we're close blah blah blah blah blah, others will be scared of us blah blah blah blah blah gold standard blah blah blah blah blah wait til next season blah blah blah!!! Just win the damn thing already!!!— Eaglehaslanded
- @MikeP - Dude, used to be in your boat. The thing is, we don't want to root for anyone else. But each year, it's the same mistakes over and over - drafting style, game plans, inability to adjust, etc. Where do you think Vegas had the Giants pegged this time last year?? Wake up Bro - things need to change.— sore richard
- We will all know by draft day how the Eagles will fare next year. No big free agent signing coupled with drafting yet another undersized DE will spell doom and drudgery for Eagles' fans.— billtfla
