IS GETTING ITS DRAFT BOARD READY
The Eagles got tight end L.J. Smith back from a back injury as they began preparing Wednesday to play the Redskins this weekend. Running back Brian Westbrook made it through the morning walkthrough; it was unclear the extent to which he intended to participate in practice. It didn't sound as if he would do much, but Westbrook said: "I'm close. Getting closer daily."
P.M. UPDATE: Westbrook was listed as a limited practice participant. "It went well, it went well," Westbrook said afterward. "It went as well as could be expected."
Quarterback Donovan McNabb indicated he is thinking he will have Westbrook this weekend, until Westbrook really practices at full speed, no one knows that for sure.
Last year, the Redskins prepared for the Eagles by using practice squad corner Byron Westbrook to mimic his older brother, and the younger Westbrook is again one of the Redskins' extras. Yesterday, Brian Westbrook said he didn't think that gimmick could really help Washington. "He's not as good as me," Brian joked.
McNabb acknowledged his contused chest is still pretty sore, and that it is something that is "not going to get healed in a week or two," but McNabb felt his throwing motion wasn't restricted against Chicago and he doesn't expect it to be hindered this weekend. UPDATE: McNabb also was listed as limited in practice.
There was much discussion Wednesday of how Sunday's loss brought back unpleasant memories of last season, and close losses to teams that didn't always seem to have superior talent.
"You can't play 3 1/2 quarters of good football and not capitalize at the end," McNabb said.
Eagles coach Andy Reid said DE Victor Abiamiri has gotten the screws removed from his wrist and should be able to practice soon. Reid said RG Shawn Andrews was being examined by a back specialist today. UPDATE: Andrews said he was encouraged by the way his back is feeling and by what he heard from the specialist, whom he declined to identify.
Also, punter Sav Rocca has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month, the first Eagles punter to win the honor. Also the first Eagle from Australia to win anything. And the first Eagle named "Sav."
Les Bowen has covered the Eagles for the Daily News since 2002. Before that, he spent nearly 13 years covering the Flyers. It took Les only a few seasons after the switch to figure out that there was no penalty box at the Linc, and that the time really wasn't his, despite what Andy Reid kept saying. Les came to Philadelphia and the Daily News from Charlotte in 1983. In the intervening years, he has pretty much lost track of NASCAR, and his accent. He, his wife Barbara, and their two sons live in Haddon Township, New Jersey.
Paul Domowitch has been with the Daily News since 1982. He has spent most of his 27 years at the paper covering the Eagles and pro football. For the last 10 years, he’s been a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A native of Wilkes-Barre and a graduate of Wilkes University, Domo came to the Daily News from the Fort Worth (Tx.) Star-Telegram, where he covered some god-awful Texas Ranger baseball teams. His first beat at the Daily News actually wa s boxing, which he covered just long enough to lose two sports coats to blood spatter before moving on to football. Domo and his wife Shelley, a University of Oklahoma grad and very dangerous to be around following a Sooner loss, have been married 29 years and have raised 2 terrific daughters – Allison, 26, a lawyer and graduate of Boston University School of Law; and Amy, 23, who graduated from Clemson and works in marketing and sales for a professional baseball team.
