Have either of you ever hugged an athlete? Because I watched Howard Eskin and DeSean Jackson embrace after practice, and my retina still burns.

You know that sign in the locker room that says "No autographs, please"? I'd like to add an amendment: "No touching. Stand back. Leave room for the Holy Ghost."

From: Ford, Bob
To: Gonzalez, John; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: DeSean and DeShameless

If you reference the Holy Ghost, you're not going to come off as the young guy. . . .

OK, DeSean and DeShameless: It's a rookie hazing ritual. They used to have them sing their college fight songs and pick up the balls after practice. Now they just make them hug Howard. Achieves the same goal.

From: Gonzalez, John
To: Ford, Bob; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: DeSean and DeShameless

That's what they'd say to us at CCD dances in the sixth grade. Leave room for the Holy Ghost.

From: Sheridan, Phil
To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John
Subject: DeSean and DeShameless

Full disclosure on hugging. I have not hugged an athlete or coach, but I have been hugged. It was 1988 and the Eagles had just clinched the NFC East title in Dallas. When the door to the locker room opened to the media, I stepped in and was immediately in the clutches of Al Roberts, who was Buddy Ryan's special-teams coach. I don't believe we'd been building up to anything. I think I was just the next person in Al's path.

I see Eskin as a kind of human barometer. If he's targeted DeSean Jackson as his new, bestest locker-room buddy, that means he thinks Jackson is going to be a star here. And that probably comes directly on the Andy Reid batphone. So we all learn a little something while battling our gag reflex.

From: Gonzalez, John
To: Ford, Bob; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: DeSean and DeShameless

I'll give either of you the money in my pocket (at present, $7, unless you count lint as currency) to bear-hug Jackson next time you're at the NovaCare. No hello. No small talk. Just down to business.