Archive: May, 2009
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Just a brief programming note to our loyal Birds' Eye View readers: I joined ace Bob Brookover on the Eagles beat last month and begin my blog contributions with this post. Hopefully, subsequent postings will be more informative.
I will provide a different voice and perspective than that of Brookie's, but more important, I'll be another reporter on the ground looking to get you Eagles news as fast and accurate as possible. In order to do so, I've jumped into the 21st century and joined my narcissistic Gen X contemporaries on Twitter and Facebook. So go ahead, be my friend, follow me, stalk me -- do whatever it is the kids do on this thing they call the Internets.
As mentioned in my bio to your right, I come to the Eagles from the Penn State beat. I've had experience with blogs having authored the Nittany Lions version, "Lion Eyes" and The Inquirer's long ago, first general sports blog. It had two loyal readers (Thanks, Mom!).
David Sell
Eagles offensive lineman Shawn Andrews, who missed the 2008 training camp because of depression, told The New York Times that his sunnier public demeanor during the team's recent mini-camp was not a completely accurate view of his his mental situation.
“There’s some good and bad in there,” Andrews told the Times, referring to himself. “If you know the song ‘Tears of a Clown,’ that would kind of describe my past a little bit up to now.”
Andrews told The Times that his bouts with depression prior to the 2008 season were exacerbated by concerns about the obligation of being a new father, having been raised in by a single mother.
David Sell
Eagles rookies and some veterans are scheduled to report for training camp in Lehigh on July 26, with the rest of the squad due in on July 29.
The Eagles will break camp at Lehigh on Aug. 12.
The Eagles’ first exhibition game is Aug. 13 against New England at Lincoln Financial Field. The game time has changed. The contest will start at 7:30 p.m., not 7 p.m. as originally announced.
Bob Brookover
For the first time since being diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in his spine, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson answered questions about his condition this afternoon at the NovaCare Complex.
After coaching the Eagles' defense from a motorized red scooter as the team went through its second day of workouts at this post-draft camp, Johnson talked about his battle with cancer without ever mentioning the word.
"I feel good," Johnson said. "I appreciate all the concern about my injury from the fans and (media). I'm still going through treatment. The biggest thing I'm trying to get now is just the pain out of my back. I've got some broken bones in the lower part, so it allows me to not be on my feet quite as much. Everything else I feel fine and I just keep working at it."
Bob Brookover
It wasn't all that surprising to see Shawn Andrews at right tackle when the Eagles' first-team offense lined up for the first time today.
The fact that Andrews is likely to stay at that position, however, is big news.
After signing Shawn's older brother Stacy Andrews to an expensive free-agent contract earlier this offseason, the thought was that he'd replace Jon Runyan as the Eagles' right tackle. By the way, Andrews stood in front of Runyan's locker while talking to the media. Notice we didn't say old locker. That's because Runyan's name plate was still on top of the locker and his stuff was still in it. Not sure what that means, but the educated guess here is that it's still unlikely Runyan re-signs with the Eagles.
