Nnamdi talks expectations, pressure
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Nnamdi talks expectations, pressure
Jonathan Tamari
As a disappointing season heads into its final quarter, Nnamdi Asomugha talked about the expectations heaped on the Eagles this year, and the backlash the team has faced as a result of their 4-8 record.
As usual, he was thoughtful and insightful, pointing to a difference in the way Eagles fans have reacted -- disappointed because they had such high hopes -- and the national reaction, where the corner thinks many put big expectations on the Eagles so they could revel in their struggles.
"Sometimes expectations come from excitement, and I think the town and a lot of people were excited for the possibilities for what we had. When you look at the quick offseason and the people we were able to bring in and what we were able to do and that type of energy, it was an exciting period," he said.
It seems long ago, but when the Eagles added Asomugha, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins, Ronnie Brown, Vince Young and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in a matter of days, it was hard for anyone not to get caught up in the possibilities for this team. Many pointed to the youth and low-round picks at linebacker and questioned whether Juan Castillo was the man to lead the defense, but the overall feeling was that the Eagles' strengths would outweigh their weaknesses. Asomugha could understand that excitement.
"But you don’t look at the whole picture and how is it all going to be put together, how quickly will it be put together. You just see it on the surface and you get excited," he said.
Outside of Philadelphia, he sensed something other than hope.
"Obviously there was the other group of people that it wasn’t as much excitement, but it was like 'let’s throw these expectations on them and then when that doesn’t happen we can try to beat them down' sort of thing," he said. "It kind of worked both ways. With the Philly fans, with the people over here, it was a lot of excitement. Elsewhere, there was a lot of 'I hope that this doesn’t work out sort of thing,' so we’ve be tried a lot this year."
I think Asomugha's right that many around the country are enjoying the Eagles' struggles, but that's hardly unusual when it comes to big-spending teams, and I don't think the Super Bowl expectations were unfair. The Eagles won their division last year and unquestionably added more raw talent. Any playoff team that made the signings that the Eagles did would have been expected to contend for a title - and at the very least the NFC East crown. Management, while rejecting the "Dream Team" label, certainly embraced the notion that this was a team built to win a championship now.
The Eagles are hardly the only star-laden team to become the subject of national scorn. That's the burden of being a favorite: some love you, but many want to see you fall. Think of the Yankees and the Lakers, the early 2000s Patriots and, of course, the current Miami Heat. (UPDATE: I should add that the backlash is usually directed at teams that pull themselves together by out-spending everyone else on free agents; teams like the mostly homegrown Packers usually get a pass even when they're good).
I mentioned the Heat example to Asomugha. There was another team of stars that had immense talent, but that many wanted to see fail.
References to the Heat, Asomugha said with a smile, are "banned in this locker room."
Nnamdi is a human turnstile that cannot tackle. Mamula caliber signing.— kelprod2- man i was excited when we signed Nnami i was very happy im glad we got him and DRC n den the whole trade wit Asante thang man idk y they couldnt have 3 star corner backs on this team atleast Dallas nor Jets have them i mean think bout it Nnami & Darrelle Revis ya!! but u no u just feel bad for the guy cuz he came here 2 win a championship and to finally play in the playoffs the Raiders never been to the playoffs b4 and he thought well philly goes to the playoffs everyyear but how Juan Castillo used him speaks for its self! — VickaDelphia24
- Only Andy Reid can reduce a perennial all-pro and consensus "best-cover-corner in the league" into an overnight has-been.
Reid's not only done it with Nnamdi, but with so many others, including Babin, who's gone from a bust to all pro and back to bust.
How could you compare Asomugha to Mamula, you nit wit? Mamula never did anything.
No other coach could do so little with so much talent.
Doesn't 4-8 speak for itself? - But, he will stay and others will go. The team might have to go.....perhaps Phila. should ask USC to come to town and start with them with Barkley at QB. LOL— Koons
- mamula was a draft pick, genius. not a free agent signing.
- Forget the Miami Heat . Think this team more resembles a Daniel Snyder mess Washington Redskins. You need look no further than your own division for a failed blue print.— adipaolo
- The only blueprint the Redskins can provide is not give boat loads of money to old over the hill FA's like Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders. Eagles have always signed FA's on the defensive side. Jevon Kearse, Blaine Bishop just to name a few. Do you people actually follow this team or just interested in the hype? Redskins signed offensive players that would have been good signings had they had others around them. Skins sign Portis but that's it they sign Randel El but that's it, being one dimensional. Skins sign guys like Larry Johnson. Eagles don't sign guys like that.
- they traded for Portis their only good move... didn't get him in free agency, it was the Portis for Bailey trade. — sasquatches
- Nnamdi is better than Joselio Hanson, DRC, Brandon Hughes, and Curtis Marsh period. But he has given up a lot of plays and not played up to expectation and hype. what does that tell you of the rest of the Eagles CBs other than non-tackling Asante? The fact is that losing Jim Johnson (RIP) has been the biggest reason this team has failed in the past few years. I am convinced that JJ was a far better coach than Castillo can ever dream of.— 46 and 2
- The Eagles weren't looking to sign Nnamdie once they got DRC in the trade with Arizona. Nnamdie wanted to come to Philly and the Eagles were able to work out a contract. It might be the reason why DeSean's contract got put on hold. This year is a bust, but as usual... wait til next year, we'll make the playoffs and have a SB run.
- I have to give Nnamdi credit.
unlike a number of the Eagles "stars", he can at least form a coherent sentence.
— ekw555 - The Eagles can go much farther next year but not with this coach! After 13 years of failing to "put his team in a better posisiton to succeed", Andy Bleed needs to depart from Philadelphia! Bring in Bill Cowher with this same team and I GUARANTEE the Eagles will be in the NFC Championship in 2012, if not the Super Bowl!— Panthro2011
- A new coach maybe but Bill Cowher? I guess it didnt take him 15 years to win one in Pittsburgh not to mention the fact that I dont believe a former super bowl winning coach has ever gone to a new organization and won again.
- Boston...no crud, idiot, but they did sign him to a contract. Dope.— kelprod2
- He's absolutely right. A pleasure to listen to an intelligent and dedicated professional. These psychological factors are real. Expectations in Philadelphia spell doom due to the increased pressure. Remember all too well the expectations in January 2003 prior to the Tampa NFC championship game. Celebrations in the subway stations before the game. The "no way we'll lose" attitude of the fans. I told my brother on our subway ride from center city..."this isn't good...first big play by Tampa, that crowd will be quiet and pensive and the Eagles will tighten up." Hmmmmmm— retzlaff
- castillo is main problem. second is the lack of linebackers and third, the safeties. whoever is in charge of drafting on defense shouod either loose their job or not be allowed near that draft room again.— psualum
- howie roseman needs to be fired, period— dreinterests
- Sorry guys, new coach or not, the first priority is getting Castillo out of the DC position. At that point, you need to figure out what you are going to do with Asante, and DJax. I think Reid deserves another year to clean up the mistake he hiring Jaun as the defensive coordinator....— PhilliefaninAZ
- If they don't hire a Ravens or Steelers assistant for defensive coordinator, then there is no hope.— Penfold18
- Lets not forget, Nnamdi was the one of the best man cover corners. When you take a player out of the game he knows how to play and place him in a new situation, the results won't always be pretty.— zeusalmighty5
- The eagles secondary has problems in part because the corners are all wrong for each other. Samuel is a flat out zone corner waiting to break on the ball. Nmandi is a man to man, press coverage corner. DRC is suited to either type of coverage, but on the outside... so of course he is playing in the slot. However, none of the three can tackle worth a darn. This team is as soft as its coach.— Strom
