Plax, DJax and Lehigh's Looking Unlikely
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Plax, DJax and Lehigh's Looking Unlikely
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
NFL owners are convening in Indianapolis for their spring meeting, amid no signs whatsoever that this confab will produce any sort of movement in the labor impasse.
At this point, it's hard to say what will spur any sort of resolution, and that's scary. The Eighth Circuit three-judge panel that stayed the injunction ending the lockout hears the NFL's formal appeal on June 3, but isn't expected to rule for weeks after that. The ruling that stayed the injunction made it pretty clear that two of the three judges are inclined to rule for the NFL, even though the players' filing in response to the stay decision argues forcefully that the Norris-LaGuardia Act, which the NFL and the two judges are arguing keeps injunctions from being issued in such matters, was never intended to be used as a tool against labor. In fact, interpreting the law the way the NFL urges might make the courts pretty much unable to do anything in labor matters, which is not the way things have been done in this country during the 79 years the law has been on the books.
Whatever the court rules, let's say that happens in late June. The losing side might be moved to reenter talks, but nobody thinks the whole mess will then be quickly resolved. This brings us to the topic of Eagles training camp, a huge event for fans each summer in Bethlehem. You might recall my story last month in which Lehigh University said it would like to know by early June whether the Birds are coming or not; Lehigh might be able to offset the lost revenue by running a high school sports festival or something if it has enough notice.
I have a call in today to Lehigh athletics director Joe Sterrett, to make sure nothing has changed, but I don't think there's any way Lehigh is going to know anything from the Eagles in early June. More and more it seems like if there is a training camp, it's going to be some sort of highly pressured, truncated affair at NovaCare, where the Eagles have assured neighbors they would not hold public workouts.
So there's that bright, cheery note for your summer plans.
The biggest deal in Eagles Nation over the weekend was the New York Daily News piece in which writer Gary Myers said he'd heard the Eagles might be "first in line" when wideout Plaxico Burress is reinstated to the NFL. I'm not sure what the reasoning is here. I am pretty sure this didn't come from the Eagles. The sense I got from the piece is that somehow the Eagles' signing of Michael Vick makes them the logical destination for Burress, that Andy Reid somehow is running "The Longest Yard" in midnight green.
I dunno. Because you signed one guy who'd just gotten out of jail, you're now the team that loves all ex-cons? Not feeling that.
Wouldn't upset me if the Eagles DID sign Burress. All he did was shoot himself in the leg. I think most fans could live with that. However, Burress hasn't played since 2008, turns 34 in August, and his yards per catch declined every year for five years in a row BEFORE he shot himself. He'd be the Eagles' fourth receiver. Maybe help a little in the red zone. If you believe Riley Cooper is worth developing, this probably wouldn't be a good move. And if you believe the fourth wideout should be a special teams standout, this probably wouldn't be a good move.
Finally, DeSean Jackson (represented by Drew Rosenhaus, as is Burress), really has found a cause in the anti-bullying movement. Glad to see. This and his efforts to fund pancreatic cancer research make the most explosive Eagle seem like less of a showboating caricature and more of a real, thoughful guy with a big heart.
Please stop with the development of Riley Cooper non-sense. If anything it would help Riley to have a veteran WR to observe. And last time I checked, we don't have any playmakers in the red zone. It is a low risk, high reward situation. Our WR core is not so stellar that it couldn't use a big, physical WR.— XanderCrews
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- I am not concerned about the offense. I am very concerned about this defense that was hideous in the red zone last season. I want to hear about some rumored interest in some defensive free agents to help out Juan in his first year as a coach.— WVEagle
- 3years is a long time but that just means he has a lot to prove. Our receivers are too small for the playoffs. When will the front office see this. The last time we had a large go2 receiver we went to the super bowl— Yes_General
- I think this is all a rumor Les and others are starting to keep people interested in football, when there isn't any. I honestly can't see Burress coming here, despite Reid's love of a good reclamation project. WRs are the last thing Andy needs to worry about right now, and especially guys with a lot of baggage. I know, that didn't stop him from snapping up Vick and proving people wrong about whether or not he could still play, but lightning in a bottle doesn't strike twice, ever.— MidStaterUXB
- OK Les...So THIS is how you're passing the time with the player lockout going on...nice job conducting.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTtuztpC8hA&NR=1— hope55
- Wouldn't mind giving him a shot...we def need a bigger receiver in the red zone...someone who is fighting for their career, and every inch matters.— MFPhils
- please, please, please stop using the term eagles "nation"...that term is reserved for dopey red sox, villanova and steeler fans...it's obnoxious— 1stamendment
