Casey Matthews responds to fans' daggers
It has been a rough rookie season for Casey Matthews.
Casey Matthews responds to fans' daggers
Daily News staff
It has been a rough rookie season for Casey Matthews.
Thrown into the fire immediately as the starting middle linebacker, coming off an offseason with no playbook to learn, no OTAs and a defense struggling with all its new parts.
Matthews took a lot of heat, and probably unfairly.
One thing he might know now that he didn't figure a few days ago is that criticizing the fans does not sit well with ... the fans.
Matthews took to Twitter today with a series of tweets trying to clarify/make amends for comments he made yesterday to Tim McManus of Philly Sports Daily.
Now that he has taken a step back, has he come to terms with the fans?
“Have I come to terms?” he asked.
Do you understand them?
“No. I don’t think anyone will ever understand these fans. When we win they love you but when we lose it gets rough. That’s just how it is here. It’s like that in some other places, but not to this extent. Hey, just win and keep them happy.”
So you’re not exactly feeling warm and fuzzy towards Eagles nation…
“Some of them but not running off the field after a loss — not those fans. They think they know me,” Matthews said tersely.
Here was Matthews today in a series of tweets after the reaction to his initial comments:
"Setting the record straight, I appreciate the passion and loyalty that ALL Eagle Fans have. I'm just saying it's tough to hear boos at home. And I understand why you guys are all frustrated. We've been in a slump but we will get this thing rolling and give you something to cheer 4. But we need the support from the whole #EaglesNation and finish strong."
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Plenty to check out today on Eagletarian, including the latest episode of Word on the Birds, so click here.
From my Seat at the Linc....this year I've watched mostly in "Complete Disbelief".....The Era Is OVER.....Time for a Change.— daryl b- Hey Matthews, shut up. I blame the stupid coaching staff for putting you in a position where you were way over your head. That was unfair to you. But until you actually do something... anything on the field, just keep your mouth shut please.
You should work hard to become a mediocre linebacker. Then you will certainly earn a starting job with the Eagles and have a chance to earn the respect of fans. Until then, just be quiet.
Again, I don't blame Matthews for anything, he is over matched at this point. I do blame the big name, star players on the defense for lazy, gutless, heartless, stupid, sloppy play. For that fans have every right to Booooo!!— chocolatethunder - Casey Matthews, projected by many to be a FA ? That guy ? It was not too long ago that Eagle players did not dare to speak to the press via Twitter or anything else. Just another sign that AR has lost the team and control. Casey Matthews ? C'mon man.— oldBird
- Duh, really casey? You think the fans live by the iggles just a bit much? Everyone knows. The only thing he should have said was that iggles fans are just who they are, they live and die by this team.— flavious27
- Thanks for sharing your feelings Baby Thor but since I pay for Eagles gear, I pay for seats and I pay at games and I pay for Direct TV to watch run all over in the field as if you had inkling of talent, I reserve the right to boo. Casey, your Danny DeVito in this Twins movie.— albertpa
- CUT HIM, HE SUCKS.— Wise_Owl
- Matthews is right, Philly fans are a hateful bunch...Heck, some even hate you when you win (see Ryan Howard).— SilliBilli
- The Phillies haven't won anything in 3 years.
And as for Howard, what exactly has he done in the playoffs to make us cheer?
He is a symbol of the futility that is the Phillies for the past 2 years. H*ll, even his Achilles tendom tried to physically leave his body such was the awfulness of his play this year against Saint Louis.
Ryan Howard best keep his trap shut while he's making $125 and can't hit a breaking ball to save his life.
Casey Matthews needs to understand that until he does something, anything on a football field, he sounds pathetic.— fmMD - well, I'd say if you draft an outside linebacker in the sixth round, tell him he's now an NFL starting MLB, and throw him to the wolves with a new position and defense to learn, without even the benefit of a traditional off season, and the kid struggles....
I think it's safe to say that the coaches haven't put the player in a position to succeed.
Don't know whether Mathews is a good player or not, whether he should have been drafted where he was or not, but I do know that he didn't have a chance at succeeding.
I don't think we can accurately rate him as a player until he gets a chance a more reasonable opportunity, ...it wasn't his idea to name him the starting middle linebacker, ...he should have been brough along slowly, coached, taught, etc, ...gotten his feet wet on special teams, and right about now, he should be perhaps being spotted here and there to give him a chance to adjust to the league, and understand what's going on around him.
I also agree with the poster that pointed out that a young player like Mathews should have been taken under the wing a veteran and taught the ropes as far as what to expect from the fans and media, and how to handle it.— andyd - Well, Casey got a bad deal, in being drafted too high, shoved into MLB as a rookie, with no training camp or OTA's or anything, another example of Eagles moving someone into a position for which they are not qualified (Juan, Howie, Nate Allen, even Nnamdi playing zone) and expecting results. Ouch.— Eephus
- Fans are booing the coaches, organization, and the talent evaluators not the players personally. Casey doesn't appear to be a very good player, but I blame Reid and the marketing office who told us he was. All players need to come in here with thick skin
- Matthews is a nobody. Should be seen (very little) and not heard (at all).— rustypop58
- Tell Matthews that I said STFU.— rustypop58
- Hey Casey, what you need to realize is that too many Eagles fans have no f@#$ing life. Thus, their priorities are all out of whack and they say and do stupid, rude things. Over a game.— esesjay
- Hey Casey, I've been a diehard fan of this team since before you were even born. You haven't earned the right to talk to us fans like that. Shut your pie hole and get back to practice. God knows you need it.— BleedPhilly
