The event, however, lost some luster because Eagles players 30 and older (Donovan McNabb, Brian Dawkins, Tra Thomas, Jon Runyan, etc.) got the day off as part of coach Andy Reid's "30-plus club" he instituted for training camp this season. The 30-plus day had been scheduled for Wednesday, but Saturday's water-main break altered things.

Kicker David Akers, 33, skipped the morning practice but made sure he was around when the military men and women took the field.

"This is a job for us, but they are protecting everything that this country is about," Akers said. "If you're not going to be supportive of that and they're coming out here to get away from reality . . . as an American you have to support them. The reality is, they're fighting a couple different wars right now."

Akers said no one from his family is in the military, but he still has a strong sense of patriotism.

"I'm just proud of what they stand for and the job they are doing," Akers said. "We go away for training camp for a month. They go away for a year and a half at a time. They're coming out here to watch us as a break. . . . I feel honored that they chose us to come and watch."

Akers has a lifetime memory from training camp last year when he went up in an F-16 Thunderbird with some Air Force men.

"We flew over the ocean and did all the tricks they use in the show," Akers said. "It was amazing."

Missing the hits

The only things worse are the special-teams practice in the afternoon, watching pitchers take fielding practice during spring training, and any Olympic event involving rifles.

Catch of the day

Good day for Kolb

Two plays that stood out: A perfectly thrown 50-yard pass to Greg Lewis for a touchdown that was threaded between cornerback Therrian Fontenot and safety Quintin Mikell, and a nicely placed end-zone pass to Hank Baskett after the quarterback had sprinted hard to his right.

It's a good sign if . . .

You're linebacker Omar Gaither, and you break up a pass from Kolb to Baskett on one play, then knock down a Kolb pass on the next play.

You're linebacker Chris Gocong, and you bust through to break up a screen pass to Lorenzo Booker.

It's a bad sign if . . .

You're Richmond McGee, and your best kick of the day is a pooch punt on a fake field goal.

- Bob Brookover