Super Bowl LII - Patriots: The Eagles Won The God Damn Super Bowl

[Sgt PSN]

Yeah, a black dude kneeling in front of a white. Sooooo epic.

[Rome]

No farging way I'm answering that question. 

Cart.  Horse.  Etc. 

[ice grillin you]

Players say Brian Dawkins, chef Tim are among Eagles' behind-the-scenes difference-makers

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — All season long, we've written about the players and coaches who have been most responsible for the Eagles' success.

But what about the people behind the scenes?

Last week, I asked 18 players one simple question: Who's someone behind the scenes that has played a big role in the Eagles getting to the Super Bowl?

Here's what they said.

Malcolm Jenkins: "From a defensive standpoint, Brian Dawkins is somebody, he's been around, and he hasn't tried to overstep his boundaries because he's not necessarily a coach, but he'll pull guys to the side. I guess he's constantly evaluating us, giving us tips on how we can improve our game. I know it's helped me this year. I know it's helped guys like Nigel [Bradham], Ronald Darby, a few other guys. You'll see him sometimes working with guys after practice on small things — whether it be technique, tackling, whatever. Just trying to give us small tidbits. I think it's been beneficial for a few guys on the team."

Kamu Grugier-Hill: "Well one of the silent assassins, I think, is Brian Dawkins. He always comes up to us. He's really involved with us in practice and helps us out with anything we need, trying to perfect our craft and sharpen our tools. It's always good to hear from a Hall of Famer and try to pick his brain. So that'd definitely be a good one."

How, specifically, has he helped you?

"After practices, he'll come up to you and be like, 'Hey, you could do this.' He kind of gives you just a different perspective that you don't have of just playing the game and things you can do better."

Jaylen Watkins: "Tim [Lopez] in the [cafeteria], the chef. When you come in, he knows everyone's order. It's a great way to start your day. For me, sometimes you don't want to choose what you want to order. Guys come in, their plate's ready, their food's good. It's just a great way to start your day. And even with the food that's out there, it's all healthy and things like that. I'm pretty sure everybody can say they can tell he loves his job. He's always upbeat. He's the first person you see in the morning. And that's a good way to start your day — with someone like him."

What do you usually order?

"It switches — what I'm feeling. But if I tell him once, the next day I come in, that's the usual. 'You want the usual?' All I do is say 'yes' and then, boom, it's done. And I change frequently. So for him to get it right every time is pretty good. I'd probably get everybody's wrong."

Trey Burton: "I would say Tim for sure. He's the first person you see every morning. He's always in a good mood. So he kind of sets the tone for the day for a lot of people. He knows everybody's order. He even knows when you're walking in, you don't even know you're walking in, and he's gonna put it on the grill."

What's your order?

"I go omelette with sausage, cheese and spinach on a croissant bun, and then I get my own oatmeal. He says, 'The usual?' I say 'Yeah' and he makes it."

Stefen Wisniewski: "The first guy that comes to mind is Steven Means. Plays D-End on scout team. Sometimes he's active; sometimes he's not. People probably don't see him on the field that much, but the guy goes a hundred miles per hour all the time, and honestly, I think both our tackles would tell you that he's a big reason why they're playing so great this year. They get all they can handle every day in practice from him. He definitely makes them better. I'm sure he gets on their nerves sometimes, going so hard. But he definitely makes them better, makes our team better."

Steven Means: "I'd say the look (scout) teams. All of the look team — playing better than some of the teams that's out there on the field, in my opinion. Giving them the real look so that the game is just like practice. It's easy when you've already seen it, already felt it. So when game time comes, it's easy."

Actually, Wisniewski said you for that reason. Is there somebody else on the scout team you can point to?

"It was Nick [Foles]. It was Nick a lot of the time before when [Carson] Wentz was in. Nick was dropping dimes in the secondary. Sometimes, there'd be passes in the air, they'd be great passes so you'd have the DBs running and have to really stretch to bat the ball down. So you see [similar throws] in games, you see them getting interceptions."

Mychal Kendricks: "Who can I say ... hmm ... who gets no farging praise and can possibly be the reason as to why we're in the Super Bowl?

"All the scout team guys. Hell yeah. Because they prepare us so freaking well. Our depth is ridiculous. We have very, very talented guys on this team. And I can honestly say that every day in practice, I'm practicing against some of the best. I'm talking about the scout team players. They get us prepared on both sides of the ball."

You're not the first guy who's said that. I'm guessing you think this scout team is unique. Who's a guy who pushes you every day?

"shtein, I mean, our backs give us a good look. I would say Billy Brown gives us a good look. Sometimes he fargs up, but he goes hard. I'm just being honest. It's hard to read a card and then do some shtein, but he goes hard as hell. You know what I mean? And I appreciate him. [Chance] Warmack gives us a farging great look. Isaac [Seumalo] gives a freaking great look. We've got receivers like [Greg] Ward and [Bryce] Treggs giving us great, great, great looks. Beating our guys over the top, making plays. And on the defensive side of the ball, we've got guys like Kamu going out there and busting their ass for the better good of the team. And the way that they come out and prepare is a testament to them. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Some of these dudes on that team are not getting paid like us. Some of the dudes on the team don't get none of the shine like us. Some of those dudes probably deserve to play somewhere. And they're here giving us some awesome looks every day, dude. Every day."

Brandon Graham: "The media, honestly."

How so?

" 'Cause they be talking shtein [laughs]! I've been waiting on that question.

"No, the guys upstairs, the scouts. The people who give us tips on certain things. I think a lot of guys trust what they give us. I know as a defensive lineman, we're always looking for little things that can help us in the game that take us like, 'Oh ok, we know what this is.' Or 'We know what that is because of this.' Some guys give away stuff that y'all don't get to know or get to see, but we're out there communicating, talking about it. So I think the scouts, the guys upstairs. And then obviously, the coaches. They prepare well and keep us prepared. But it's more scouts that give us the tips and reminders of what they do and what they give away."

Rodney McLeod: "For us defensive backs, I would just say [defensive backs coach] Cory Undlin. Our defensive back coach is probably one of the best I've been around as far as preaching technique, being disciplined, knowing our assignments, knowing your job and holding everyone accountable, regardless of who you are. And he demands a lot out of us. You see that week in and week out. Whether we win or lose, it doesn't matter. He's the same guy. I've gotta give him a lot of credit for our growth — him and [safeties coach] Tim Hauck and [defensive quality control/assistant secondary coach] Dino [Vasso] a little bit. They all do a good job at preparing us hard, making sure we're on point with our calls, our adjustments, how we're gonna play bunches. We spend a lot of time in that room, and because of him, and along with us being able to apply everything from the film room to the field, that's why we're so good this year."

Jalen Mills: "For sure, I know in our room, for the DBs, it would definitely be Dino. Dino is a guy who, he's here early in the morning. He's one of the last guys to leave. He's a guy who makes a lot of cut-ups for us. Anything I know I ask of him, he can definitely do it for me, for sure."

Nigel Bradham: "Dino. A guy who does everything for us, as far as personnel-wise, studying tape. He does pretty much everything, man. And he's much appreciated in our defensive room."

Lane Johnson: "Chris Long. Everybody knows it, but I think Chris Long. He's played for the Patriots. He's won. He's smart as far as defensive schemes. And he does great work with charities. And his personality, he's a funny-ass guy. He's colorful. And I think Means, just as far as the scout team. Ask everybody in here, the first thing they're probably gonna say is he practices and plays the hardest out of anybody here."

Beau Allen: "I gotta give a shoutout to my guy Steve-o, Steve Feldman, the athletic trainer. I tore my pec in the offseason, and he was unbelievable to me. Really went above and beyond to help me out and get me back on track, back on the field healthy. I really don't think I'd be here without him. He kind of just put up with all my bullshtein. It's a tough situation when you get hurt. I got nothing but love and respect for all our training staff, but I just want to specifically name my guy Steve-o just because he's done so much for me personally."

Rick Lovato: "I'd have to say [football operations administrative assistant] Kathy [Mair]. Kathy does a wonderful job for us. She's right over here and really manages everything for us — whether that's helping us find tickets or talking to us about our paychecks. Really just filling us in on everything we do around here. Anything that we need help with, we go to Kathy. So Kathy's been a huge help for us. I'd have to give it to her. She sacrifices a lot of time, a lot of work to help us all out and make sure we're all good with logistics and everything like that. She runs the show around here."

Marcus Johnson: "Our nutritionist, Mike [Minnis]. He's been good whenever we need anything. He's quick. He's efficient with it. You need fish oils, you need any kind of supplements, you need help with like, 'Is it OK to take this or that?' He does a lot. I know a lot of different guys come in. I feel like he helps a lot. Just outside of football, taking care of your body."

Mack Hollins: "Especially for the rookies, Kathy and [director of player engagement] Paul [Lancaster], who are just always there for anything we've needed, really anything anybody's needed. I know they've had a huge impact. They're the offices closest to us for a reason. And then, [ticket operations manager] Hannah [Barber]. All the guys would know her as the ticket lady. She's the one who takes care of tickets, makes sure everybody's tickets are set up right. So I know she probably doesn't get the credit that she would probably deserve, but she's another good one."

Brandon Brooks: "[Vice president of team security] Dom DiSandro. He's been here 20 years so he's seen it all, he's heard it all, he's done it all. He's a super chill dude that you can talk to about anything in confidence. And he's just a genuine dude. Like whatever he can [do] to help you out, he'll do it. Any time you call him, it don't matter."

Donnie Jones: "I think for us personally, as kicker, punter and long-snapper, it's Craig Blake, who works in the equipment room. So Craig is who we've [designated] as our representative to scrub the K-Balls on gameday. And, I mean, look, he's got 45 minutes, I believe, to break in four balls. That's a lot of work. These balls come out of the box sometimes, brand new, and his job is to get them in the best shape for us to kick. And he does a phenomenal job. He's a big reason why we're able to do our jobs."

[Munson]

PRetty cool to read about all that praise for a scout team player like Means.

[Tomahawk]

Rick Lovato: "I'd have to say [football operations administrative assistant] Kathy [Mair]. Kathy does a wonderful job for us. She's right over here and really manages everything for us — whether that's helping us find tickets or talking to us about our paychecks. Really just filling us in on everything we do around here. Anything that we need help with, we go to Kathy. So Kathy's been a huge help for us. I'd have to give it to her. She sacrifices a lot of time, a lot of work to help us all out and make sure we're all good with logistics and everything like that. She runs the show around here."

That's sofa king inappropriate

[PhillyPhreak54]

That was a good read.

Loved Kendricks response. And love seeing Means get some praise.

I forgot Hauck was on the staff

[MDS]

brady has gloves on indoors during this media day thing

oooooooooooooo

[MDS]

whenever an eagle talks theyre getting booed...im assuming this is butthurt viking fans?

[ice grillin you]

this is good....

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/eagles-nick-foles-super-bowl-52-lesean-mccoy-zach-ertz-20180129.html?utm_campaign=Philly.com+Sports+Twitter+Account&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=social&cid=Philly.com+Sports+Twitter+Account

[Diomedes]

farg that paywall

[ice grillin you]

ST. PAUL, Minn. – When Nick Foles was drafted by the Eagles in 2012, LeSean McCoy was in his fourth season and already a tough-skinned veteran of playing in Philadelphia. Having grown up in nearby Harrisburg, the running back was already familiar with the city's nit-picking reputation, but he said he also lacked an innocence that would sometimes make players like Foles vulnerable to outside criticism.

"A lot of players that come from other teams are like, 'The media is so different here. Like the fans, the radio stations are so different,'" McCoy said Monday during a telephone interview. "It's a different place. Not everybody is made for it. You got to have a thicker skin.

"But Nick is more like – I'll give you an example: The guy said two curse words the three years I was with him. You know what I mean? He's a good dude. So it was tough for him."

Foles so disliked negativity during his first tenure with the Eagles, according to McCoy, that when other players would disparage teammates who weren't in their presence, the quarterback would speak up rather than join in or stay silent, as is typically the norm.

"He's like, 'Come on, guys. Why?'" McCoy said. "He's nice — like innocent."

But the critical comments that were directed at him, and the general pressure of playing quarterback in a championship-starved town that can sometimes eat its own, would sometimes grate on Foles, current and former teammates said. He wouldn't lash out or openly complain, but he would carp to certain friends on the team — "more in a joking manner," according to tight end Zach Ertz.

"He would never show that he was seriously upset about it," Ertz said last week, "but he did throw 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions [in 2013] and people still doubted him that next year, like he didn't deserve to be the franchise quarterback."

Foles, of course, never got to have that designation with the Eagles. Chip Kelly traded him to the Rams after the 2014 season and the quarterback had a series of setbacks that left him contemplating retirement after he was released by St. Louis.

But the trials Foles encountered, he has said, have only made him stronger. And the natural maturity that comes with time and the perspective he has gained from marriage and fatherhood, he has said, have hardened his shell in his second stint with the Eagles.

It's difficult to imagine the 2012-14 Foles rebounding from a two-game struggle and the overwhelming doubt he faced at the end of this season as he has during his remarkable postseason run to the Super Bowl.

"That Nick is different from this Nick," Foles said. "You could ask yourself, 'Hey, when you were 20 are you the same person?' You're not. You may have the same values, you might look a little older, you might have some things that are the same, but your heart, everything about you, starts growing, changing – good or bad.

"It just depends on how you approach life. So me then and now – I've grown, I've changed, I'm married, I have a daughter. My life has changed."

Foles wasn't exactly unaccustomed to external pressures before he arrived in Philly. He played at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, a football powerhouse that had already produced NFL quarterback Drew Brees. In college, he played at the University of Arizona – not exactly a high-profile PAC-10 program, but at the Division A-I level, nonetheless.

But almost nothing could have prepared him for Philly.

"Playing in this city when you're young is obviously not the easiest," Ertz said. "You come from Stanford or you come from the University of Arizona – there's no media coverage. You're the best players in college and you don't have to deal with a lot of negative talk. It feels good when people talk well about you.

"I think the more you're in the city, the more adversity you face, everyone kind of builds that thick skin."

Ertz said he was talking about himself as much as he was Foles. But for quarterbacks, it's different. A team's prospects and manner are tied to quarterbacks more than any other position. They shouldn't fluctuate. And Foles, Ertz said, isn't "living and dying by every single play" anymore.

At that moment, Carson Wentz walked by Ertz in one of the NovaCare Complex hallways. The injured quarterback has shown a steely resolve in two seasons.

"Nothing bugs him," Ertz said of Wentz. "And it affects the whole locker room."

But Wentz was drafted to be the franchise quarterback. He didn't lose his head coach after one season. He didn't have to learn a new offense in his second season. He didn't have to play in a system in which the offense was run solely from the sideline.

Chip Kelly's scheme played a significant role in Foles' success in 2013. But it didn't allow for the quarterback to display traditional NFL traits. The plays were sent onto the field via signaling and cards. They were run at a hyper speed that didn't permit audibles. As former Cardinals coach Bruce Arians once said of the offense: "That ain't playing QB. No leadership in that."

When Foles returned to the Eagles this past offseason and he first called his plays in the huddle in Doug Pederson's more conventional offense, tight end Trey Burton said he and Ertz gave each other a knowing glance.

"You can see the maturity," Burton said. "It's just so different because it was such a different offense. Everything was blazing fast. But now it's slowed down and he can actually talk in the huddle. It's weird."

Kelly traded Foles just days after McCoy was dealt to the Bills.

"For real? Oh, wow," McCoy said with a chuckle. "He got us all out of there."

The Pro Bowl running back didn't hide his dismay after being sent to Buffalo. McCoy took several shots at Kelly and would refer to him only as "a certain person" during this interview. But he said he still has many friends on the Eagles and has been openly cheering on Foles and his former team.

McCoy and former Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin attended the Eagles' divisional playoff victory over the Falcons. They watched from defensive tackle Fletcher Cox's private box. He said he remains close with Cox, tackle Jason Peters, running back Darren Sproles, and several other players. McCoy said he's tight with owner Jeffrey Lurie.

"He still had something to do with the trade. Let's not kid ourselves," McCoy said. "But he's cool. He was put in a tough spot."

McCoy said it was easy to root for Foles. He recalled times when teammates would engage in locker room talk, and if the quarterback didn't like what he heard, he'd just walk away. He discouraged cursing, although when NFL Films had him miked during a 2014 game, he swore three times after a New York Giants player bent Sproles backward and injured his knee.

"It was funny hearing him curse," McCoy said. "I was like, 'Wow, he was pissed.'"

McCoy isn't shocked by his run to the Super Bowl.

"It's amazing to see. Now he's not Wentz. Wentz is a special type talent," McCoy said. "But I'm not surprised at all that Nick is doing this. He's going to start somewhere. There's a lot of bad quarterbacks in this league and he could be a starter on a lot of different teams."

He's battle-tested this time around.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Good read.

Can't wait to see what his SB MVP odds are

[SD]

Good read.

Can't wait to see what his SB MVP odds are

When do those lines usually break? I might put some money on a player.

[MDS]

Tom Brady-110 Nick Foles+325 Rob Gronkowski+900 Dion Lewis+1800 Danny Amendola+1800 Jay Ajayi+1800 Zach Ertz+2000 Alshon Jeffrey+2200 Brandin Cooks+2200 LeGarette Blount+3300 Fletcher Cox+3300 James White+4000 Rex Burkhead+6600 Chris Hogan+6600 Nelson Agholor+6600 Jake Elliott+6600 Stephen Gostkowski+6600 Torrey Smith+10000 Corey Clement+10000 Patrick Chung+10000 Devin McCourty+10000 James Harrison+10000 Malcolm Butler+10000 Malcolm Jenkins+10000 Brandon Graham+10000 Ronald Darby+10000 Phillip Dorsett+20000 Nigel Bradham+20000 Mychal Kendricks+20000 Patrick Robinson+20000 Jalen Mills+20000 Rodney McLeod+20000 Corey Graham+20000 Kyle Van Noy+20000 Trey Flowers+20000 Lawrence Guy+20000 Ricky Jean Francois+20000 Trey Burton+20000 Field +2200

thats all im doing

[PhillyPhreak54]

Good read.

Can't wait to see what his SB MVP odds are

When do those lines usually break? I might put some money on a player.

They're up now online and in Vegas...I just haven't dug into the props yet. I'll do that on the flight out Friday.

I think I saw someone say there's one with the o/u on Blount carries at 7. I'm slamming the over there