Another lockout update; DeSean gets ripped
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Another lockout update; DeSean gets ripped
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
The headlines have looked the same for months now. And many of you have probably ignored them. I don't blame you.
Cautious optimism followed by setbacks has pretty much been the ongoing cycle during the NFL lockout.
While there is still no deal in place, the latest update from ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen cites sources indicating that an agreement will be in place and ready to be ratified by July 21 at the league meetings in Atlanta.
What does that mean for training camp, the preseason and most importantly, player movement?
Per the report, a document known as "The Transition Rules" is already in place and contains a detailed timeline of what we could be looking at.
And the key date is July 28. Per the report, that would potentially be the date when the new league year would start and free agency and trades would be allowed.
Teams would be able to sign undrafted free agents a few days before on July 25. And rosters would have to be set at 90 players by August 2.
Restricted free agents would have to be signed to offer sheets by Aug. 3, and teams would then have a four-day period to match.
The two sides have discussed a deadline for signing rookies (which could be Aug. 12), but that has not been agreed on.
According to the report, all training camps would be able to start on time, and the only preseason game in danger would be the Aug. 7 Hall of Fame game between the Bears and Rams.
As a point of reference, Eagles rookies reported to Lehigh on July 26 last year, and the first full-squad practices were on July 31. This year, the Birds are scheduled to open the preseason at home against the Ravens on Aug. 11.
Again, there's still nothing definite in place, but this is the most detailed look that's been released of a potential timeline.
DESEAN GETS ROASTED
DeSean Jackson got a lot of positive pub earlier this offseason for his crusade against bullying (which, to his credit, is ongoing).
And now, he's taking heat for comments made during a radio interview.
I thought ESPN.com's Dan Graziano had a strong, but fair, take on Jackson:
Jackson's Saturday Twitter apologies were pathetic -- the minimalist work of a man who's apologizing because people are upset, not because he's truly sorry for what he did. He backed them up with defiant, all-capital boasts about how people want to bring him down but he's not going to let them. Said he was "standing tall."
He shouldn't be standing tall. He should be sitting sadly by himself, thinking about the impact of what he said and how it relates to the things for which he wants us to believe he stands. He should be wondering what he'll say the next time he's at one of those schools making one of those speeches and a child raises his hand and asks, "So, if it's wrong to bully and call people names, why did you say what you said to that guy on the radio? Why did you call him the same thing the bullies call me?"
The whole post is definitely worth a read.
Meanwhile, Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com wonders whether Jackson is trying to be someone he's not.
Why he chooses to propagate a false image as a homophobic, showboating, fake tough guy is a mystery. Because I actually don't think that's him at all.
Jackson might be making the cold calculation a handful of other African American athletes do and figure it's more marketable to act the fool -- see Owens, Terrell -- than be outwardly professional and studious.
Who is DeSean Jackson?
He's still figuring it out.
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Who cares what Jackson says anyway.— JBinPA
Phillies are in first place. The NFL is in lockout, nuff said— jamarder- you're beat, nuff said. — beerflow
philly_mike -- very true. its just ashame that somebody can be disrespectful and he has to be the bigger person just because he can run fast. not fair. thank god we dont have to censor ourselves like this.- Sean catches footballs. Good. As to his non-PC slurs, all will be forgotten and should be when in Nov. he wins a game for the Birds.— Koons
- Meanwhile the days keep marching onward, and the Phils keep winning; the Birds need to quite yapping; settle up and start practicing...— M60tanker
- I sure hope that they get this new deal done soon. This whole ordeal has been such a pain.
For those interested, check out our NFL Team Recipe Series starting this week. We kick things off with the Philadelphia Eagles:
http://sports-glutton.com/2011/07/11/philadelphia-eagles-cheesesteak-recipe/
— sportsgrinder 
Comment removed.- I'm glad the "punk" is on our team!! He's the man!! Everyone needs to settle down a bit and stop getting so wound up over young people or comedians using slurs. I know, they shouldn't say it. EVERYONE reading this has said something inappropriate. Probably within the last week!! Wonder if DeSean or Tracy Morgan have every been called a "slur". They both do much, much more good than bad. Again, probably more good than most of you reading this. Tracy Morgan is funny and DeSean is the best WR we have had since T.O., Freddy B, Mike Q and Harold before him. Who cares what he says, especially when his intent wasn't a big deal!! Don't sweat the small stuff people!— The Sherm
- FairmountFrank, if you are going to attack someone's education, or lack thereof, you should not butcher the English language while doing so. Learn what a comma splice or a sentence fragment is before you attack someone. Idiot.— phillyinsd
- In my studies I have found that more often than not, those who use homosexual slurs are themselves self-hating homosexuals.— rmnixon
- Methinks that our height-challeged AllPro just latched onto a "Cause" because that's what BigMonied NFLers......do. And lord knows Shorty McScrewyall desperately NEEDS to be a BigMonied dude. No harm, no foul....keep haulin down those balls Shorty!— TBear
- NOBODY CARES!!! Stop writing these non-stories.— nonshad
- I think it is important to end intolerance. How can he stand up there in front of kids that are being bullied for the same exact thing. Why is it ok for him to say it just because he probably didn't mean it as a deragatory statement towards gays. I don't think it's agenda pushing. It's trying to get rid of words/statements that are used a little too freely. African Americans had to put up with the same things for years. We all said the same thing then, but with continual pushing, the racial slurs are no longer considered ok.— dgabs
- Comment removed.
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