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Monday, April 27, 2009
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Why is it that the Eagles seem to have no problem making players happy who are dissatisfied with their contracts or looking to better their situations as long as they are on someone else's team.

In getting New England cornerback Ellis Hobbs (left) on Sunday, a solid and understandable acquisition, the Eagles sent a message to Sheldon Brown that he might be on the way out for the sin of wanting to have his contract redone.

Now, with four years remaining and very little leverage, Brown may have spoken and acted out of anger rather than reason, but he was being honest.

Just as honest it turns out as Hobbs was being with New England when he said he wanted his contract improved. Hobbs may have a better case since there is only one year remaining on his contract, but nevertheless he spoke his mind, too.

The same goes for tackle Jason Peters in Buffalo, and for fullback Leonard Weaver in Seattle. The Eagles gobbled them up with the same speed that, in the past, they have dismissed their own disgruntled players.

The long list includes Derrick Burgess, Lito Sheppard, Corey Simon and Michael Lewis recently, and stretches back for as long as Andy Reid and Joe Banner have been doing the contact-and-contract work for the Eagles.

It just seems odd. The Eagles don't mind players who are offended by the business side of the game. They just don't like players who are offended at them.

Posted by BOB FORD @ 12:27 PM  Permalink | 94 comments
94
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Posted 11:17 AM, 04/27/2009
DirectusVeritas
HA!...ZiiiiiiNG...Take THAT F.O.
Posted 11:19 AM, 04/27/2009
jkjchs
Does that mean that if you aren't happy at the Inky and express your thoughts, that your bosses should be happy about it? And that if you go elsewhere, that your new employer is somehow guilty by association because they knew of your unhappiness at the Inky? Has the Inky ever hired someone who wasn't happy at their last job? Your logic is poor, but I know you need things to write about, so you got an article out of it. Well done.
Posted 11:24 AM, 04/27/2009
bobbyuk
Of the players you named, only Sheppard was complaining about his contract--and lke Brown, he had more than two seasons remaining on it. The contracts for Burgess, Simon, and Lewis all expired. And all, if I'm not mistaken were offered extensions but refused them--Lewis thought he was the best safety in the league in '04, but by '06, he couldn't cover my grandmother; Burgess was an injury concern--how many times in the 4 years with the Eagles was he on IR?; Simon had the franchise tag put on him--and he had said in February of '05 he didn't mind the franchise tag, but soon after a discussion with his agent, changed his tune. Hobbs is in THE LAST YEAR OF HIS ROOKIE YEAR DEAL. Sheppard and Brown signed long term extensions. And to compare those above with Peters is ridiculous--Buffalo moved Peters to LT--probably the 2nd most critical position in the game if you value the health of your QB--and were paing him like a guard. Weaver was a UFA--what was strange about the Eagles signing him? Haven't you media guys been crying for the Eagles to sign a FB for years--now that they have, you're crying becausse you say he was disgruntled. His contract expired.
Posted 11:25 AM, 04/27/2009
yahmpy
It's a league-wide issue, Bob, not just an Eagles issue. It's not really that odd unless that's how you want to look at it. Players hav the right to gripe about money just as much as any other worker, and their respective employers have the right to handle each individual situation as they see fit.
Posted 11:29 AM, 04/27/2009
fman727
Let Brown cry!!! Hey Sheldon go follow Bdawk and Buckhalter, I'm sure they are both so happy... Denver drafted 2 Safeties (bdawk will be cut next year) and they drafted Moreno (there goes buck starting)... What goes around comes around. Stop crying!!! Winning should matter
Posted 11:31 AM, 04/27/2009
woogie
Um...yea. I was going to chime in but I think bobbyuk pretty much said everything that needed to be said and ruined your article by stating the true facts.
Posted 11:35 AM, 04/27/2009
bleed green forever
Bob, I think that you are smarter then this, or i hope you are smarter then this article shows... there is a huge difference between having 1 year left on your contract (hobbs) and 4 years left (brown), if sheldon had one year left i think it is safe to say that most people would back him up... weaver was a free agent so money had nothing to do with that.. he wasnt unhappy with his contract it was just time for a new one and he didnt think seattle was being fair. and peters is considered the best tackle in football by some, brown has never been considered the best anything in this league... so lets start comparting apples to apples BOB
Posted 11:36 AM, 04/27/2009
Nutburgers
I think the point is more that the Eagles would rather sign another team's unhappy player than pacify their own unhappy player.
Posted 11:42 AM, 04/27/2009
draneym2
All these guys suffer from the grass is greener syndrome...they're happy to be out of one place, but they'll soon realize it's no better in another.
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Posted 11:57 AM, 04/27/2009
bsaw
Because the other guys are younger and with Hobbs he did not choose to take the sure money of an extension he is waiting to cash in and take the risk Brown did not. Peters is at a prime position and is a 27 yr old pro bowler not a 30 yr old solid 2nd CB.
Posted 11:59 AM, 04/27/2009
notch44
I am annoyed with Sheldon Brown. Last time I checked the Eagles D ( which he apparently was a part of) could not stop Arizona from scoring in the fourth quarter ( after no stopping them at all in the first half). I don't want to hear anything but " I am working my tail off this off season to get better, to put ourselves in a position where we can seal the deal. No distractions. Just dedication. Stop whining Sheldon. Play better and the money will come. Or just be satisfied with the 25 million you will get.
Posted 12:00 PM, 04/27/2009
IVUSDR
The difference is this - the Eagles are welcoming other teams disgruntled players that are young, in their prime and Pro Bowlers. Sheldon Brown is not any of those things. Lito fizzled as well due to injuries and poor play. Case closed.
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About Bob Ford
Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out. A former beat writer covering the Phillies and the 76ers, Ford became a general sports columnist for the Inquirer in 2003, following in and occasionally falling in the deep footsteps of Bill Lyon, Frank Dolson and many distinguished others. He comes to the Philly.com blogosphere after award-winning success as designer/editor of the fabulous Pen & Pencil Club softball blog. Likes: Palestra, inside-the-park home runs, sunny days. Dislikes: phony people, cloudy days, rewrites.
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