A camp without turmoil? Dream on

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Andy Reid declared this week that it sure would be nice to have a training camp without distractions.

"It allows you to focus on football, which is the most important thing, and that's a good thing," Reid said. "You want to try to eliminate as many distractions as you can that don't pertain to production on the football field."

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said a little turmoil in training camp wasn't the worst thing in the world.

"No, there always are distractions," he said. "Some adversity is pretty good, because you're going to have adversity through the season and you have to overcome those things. There's nothing wrong with a little bit of adversity."

And the Eagles, of course, had a little bit yesterday when guard Shawn Andrews didn't show up for training camp for personal reasons and running back Brian Westbrook arrived still campaigning for a new contract.

Mornhinweg gushed when asked about Westbrook's value to the Eagles' offense.

"Brian is a heck of a player," he said. "I still think he's underrated, even though he made the Pro Bowl. I think he's vastly underrated. I think he's a great player for us. He does many things, and he does them all very well. He's a dynamite player."

That said, Mornhinweg felt as if he might have used his star running back too much last season.

"I thought there were several times that we had to overuse Brian a little bit," Mornhinweg said.

Westbrook had more than 15 rushing attempts in 13 of his 15 games and more than 20 touches in 13 of 15 games. In his first five seasons combined, he had more than 15 rushing attempts just 18 times and more than 20 touches just 24 times.

Belated birthday gift

Eagles receiver Kevin Curtis said he was dreading turning 30 until he realized that it was happening just in time for him to become part of Reid's "30-plus club."

"I just turned 30" on July 17, Curtis said. "I never thought I'd be so happy to be 30."

Curtis was asked whether Reid knew he had just turned 30.

"If he doesn't, I'll remind him," the Eagles' No. 1 receiver said.

Membership in the "30-plus club" means Curtis will get extra time off during training camp.

Running back Correll Buckhalter is a little more than two months shy of his 30th birthday, but Reid said only those 30 and older qualified. Buckhalter said his two surgically repaired knees should qualify him.

"Actually, though, my knees feel like they're 25," he said.

Tight end Matt Schobel is a little more than three months short of his 30th birthday.

"Schobel and I were talking about it," Buckhalter said.

It might help Buckhalter and Schobel that they aren't part of the 30-plus club because both veterans will have to battle for roster spots in this camp.

Tackle Tra Thomas, 33, said Reid was a little late with his "30-plus club" idea.

"Three years ago, I wish he had done that," Thomas said.

Extra points

The Eagles will go through conditioning tests this morning, then hold their first full-squad workout at 3:30 p.m. Both sessions are closed to the public. The first full-squad public workout will be tomorrow at 8:15 a.m. It also will be the first time the team practices in pads with live hitting. . . . The Green Bay Packers contacted the Eagles to see whether they were interested in Brett Favre, but the Eagles weren't. "We've got a great quarterback situation here," Mornhinweg said. "Brett's a great, great player. He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He's kind of riled things up, hasn't he?"

- Bob Brookover