Eagles Training Camp 2007

[Rome]

. Punter Sav Rocca said this training camp was quite different from the ones he experienced when he prepared for an Australian Rules Football League season. "You got put with a police force and trained with them," Rocca said. "You'd work on your mental toughness and not necessarily the techniques of the game. They'd have guys holding a pole in the rain three or four hours after midnight, so they were sleep-deprived."

WTF?

Sounds like SEAL training.   

[SunMo]

Don't worry, be happy

Birds begin camp with few worries
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer


BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Expectations are high again.

Turbulence is low, at least in terms of football-related matters.

Sure, there are some health-related issues - quarterback Donovan McNabb and tight end L.J. Smith top that list - but you will find them at every training camp in the NFL.

The Eagles obviously believe they are a team built to win and compete for a Super Bowl title. The process of proving it started yesterday, when a group of 39 rookies and selected veterans checked into the dorm rooms at Lehigh University. They will practice for the first time this morning, then again in the afternoon. The remaining veterans are scheduled to report Monday night and, for the first time since the 2004 season, everybody is likely to arrive at camp on schedule.

No contract disputes, no bitterness, no sideshow distractions.

Before coach Andy Reid met with his players last night, he talked about his football team and made it clear that he had no intention of addressing the legal problems confronting his two eldest sons, Garrett and Britt.

"As far as my family goes, I'm not going to answer any questions on that," Reid said inside the media tent at the Eagles' practice fields. "Even if I could, I can't do that, and I'll maintain that throughout the season."

Reid, on the other hand, happily spoke about the dawn of a new season, the 75th in the franchise's history and the ninth for the head coach in Philadelphia.

"Expectations are high," Reid said. "I know it's that way among the fans, but it's even more so with this football team - the coaches and the players - and that's good."

At least for the moment, the list of injuries is minuscule compared to the start of some previous camps. A year ago, for example, the Eagles placed three players (Jeremy Bloom, Jason Avant and Correll Buckhalter) on the physically-unable-to-perform list before the start of camp.

Two years ago, Jerome McDougle was shot in the stomach the night before rookies reported.

"L.J. Smith is the only [injury] of great concern once the veteran players get in," Reid said. "We'll just take it nice and slow with him and see how he does and how he progresses. We'll probably keep him out of contact for the first few days, but he is progressing very well and he has been working out."

Smith, entering the final year of the contract he signed before his rookie season, is recovering from the May 30 surgery to repair a sports hernia.

"He's actually a little bit ahead [of schedule]," Reid said, adding that he will not allow his starting tight end to participate during the team's first three contact practices that begin Wednesday. "It might be a week. He wasn't able to participate in the minicamps, so I don't just want to throw him in there cold and have him do that."

As for McNabb, Reid said his starting quarterback would be ready to practice today, but could be wearing a brace on the surgically repaired right knee that prematurely ended his 2006 season.

"He'll probably start out with a brace on the knee for precautionary measures," Reid said. "I think it's just more of a security blanket for him. It gives him a little more stability on that knee. I think once the season kicks off, he'll probably get rid of that and move on, but we're going to use every precautionary measure that we can as we start. I'm going to take it slow with him."

That should be good news for rookie Kevin Kolb, who is expected to get quite a bit of work during the five practices before the full squad convenes for a Tuesday afternoon workout.

"I just want him to come out and be consistent," Reid said. "I want him to be relaxed, and to continue to become familiar with the offense and the different defenses and blitzes and fire zones he's going to see."

Reid wants Kolb to continue to learn how to become an NFL quarterback, but the coach also knows that this camp is more about McNabb and winning right now.

"I'm not coming into it thinking Donovan is going to get hurt this season," Reid said. "I'm looking at Donovan having a great season. Like I said before, he was on an MVP pace last year. I expect him to pick that up and go right through the season that way and stay healthy the whole season."

Expectations are high. Turbulence is low.

There's a definite correlation.

Extra points. Rookie receiver Dereck Faulkner, from Moorestown High School, checked into his dorm wearing a pair of spray-painted gold boots with two-inch- thick laces. The colors represent his college fraternity at Hampton University. "They mean a lot to me," Faulkner said. "They symbolize hard work, and I've come here to work. That's why I have the boots on." . . . Defensive tackle Montae Reagor said he still had 15 plates in his cheekbones from the surgery he underwent in November to repair a fractured orbital bone in his left eye. Reagor, however, said he had been cleared to participate in contact drills, which will begin Wednesday. . . . Punter Sav Rocca said this training camp was quite different from the ones he experienced when he prepared for an Australian Rules Football League season. "You got put with a police force and trained with them," Rocca said. "You'd work on your mental toughness and not necessarily the techniques of the game. They'd have guys holding a pole in the rain three or four hours after midnight, so they were sleep-deprived." . . . The morning practice today is at 8:45; the afternoon practice is scheduled for 3:30.

[Magical_Retard]

with mcnabb claiming to be at 75% what are the odds he opens the season as the starter? i always sort of figured that by week 1 he would be ready but im worried now.

i mean if hes 75% back physically he must be only 23% back mentally 

[Don Ho]

Nasti sporting a Colt Brennan for Heisman tshirt ala Heinekin graphics.  very nice.  didn't see him sporting that last week at the Rich Miano youth football camp.

[ice grillin you]

a nugget from todays inky....



BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Rookie Stewart Bradley lined up at middle linebacker yesterday and is getting a crash course at that position until the remaining veterans begin practicing Tuesday.
"There are always going to be some linebackers you want to learn how to play a couple of positions," defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said after the Eagles finished their second practice of the first day of training camp at Lehigh University. "We want Stewart to learn the [middle] and [strongside] positions."

Part of the reason Bradley is able to line up at middle linebacker is because veterans Jeremiah Trotter, Omar Gaither and Dedrick Roper haven't reported to camp yet.

"When the veterans come in, [Bradley] will be playing the [strongside] and competing with Chris Gocong for that job," Johnson said. "Bradley is still learning the [strongside] position, and it's going to take a good training camp to get there."

[PhillyPhreak54]

I'm going up tomorrow...hopefully it will not rain and I an get some good pics and notes.

IGY, I'll get a shot of Barksdale for you...

[ice grillin you]

youre my hero j

[jeffreyjpa]

Phreak, you should take over the camp blogging duties from Josh Wheeling and John Clayton on PE.com...their updates are interesting, but your stuff is better. Hope they don't get forced back inside again tomorrow, and look forward to hearing your take on early camp. Are you going back to Lehigh any other days this week?

Really hoping Big Ed and I can get up to Lehigh next Monday, or else I probably won't make it up this year...stupid job.

[PhillyPhreak54]

No, no...you're MY hero, IGY.

Thanks, Jeff. Now we just need to petition Spads to give me a job or at least an internship there. Being that I'm in school and eligible for them, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Hopefully y'all can make it up there. I can only go 3 days this year so I really hope rain doesn't farg me tomorrow. I know they won't be in pads and only rooks and injured vets are there, but still.

[Rome]

Sorry, Jay.  You're not homertastic enough to get a gig with PE.com.  Close, but not quite.

[SunMo]

which is actually saying alot, because he's pretty homertastic

[PhillyPhreak54]

Thanks!

Ryan Moats 4 MVP!

[Feva]

a nugget from todays inky....



BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Rookie Stewart Bradley lined up at middle linebacker yesterday and is getting a crash course at that position until the remaining veterans begin practicing Tuesday.
"There are always going to be some linebackers you want to learn how to play a couple of positions," defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said after the Eagles finished their second practice of the first day of training camp at Lehigh University. "We want Stewart to learn the [middle] and [strongside] positions."

Part of the reason Bradley is able to line up at middle linebacker is because veterans Jeremiah Trotter, Omar Gaither and Dedrick Roper haven't reported to camp yet.

"When the veterans come in, [Bradley] will be playing the [strongside] and competing with Chris Gocong for that job," Johnson said. "Bradley is still learning the [strongside] position, and it's going to take a good training camp to get there."

Nothing but a gut feeling at this point... but I think the Eagles got one right this time with Bradley.  If/when the Gocong experiment doesn't go as well as planned... I think he steps up and gives the Eagles a solid, stable option at SAM.

[PhillyGirl]

a nugget from todays inky....



BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Rookie Stewart Bradley lined up at middle linebacker yesterday and is getting a crash course at that position until the remaining veterans begin practicing Tuesday.
"There are always going to be some linebackers you want to learn how to play a couple of positions," defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said after the Eagles finished their second practice of the first day of training camp at Lehigh University. "We want Stewart to learn the [middle] and [strongside] positions."

Part of the reason Bradley is able to line up at middle linebacker is because veterans Jeremiah Trotter, Omar Gaither and Dedrick Roper haven't reported to camp yet.

"When the veterans come in, [Bradley] will be playing the [strongside] and competing with Chris Gocong for that job," Johnson said. "Bradley is still learning the [strongside] position, and it's going to take a good training camp to get there."

Nothing but a gut feeling at this point... but I think the Eagles got one right this time with Bradley.  If/when the Gocong experiment doesn't go as well as planned... I think he steps up and gives the Eagles a solid, stable option at SAM.

Ray Didy said the same thing when Eckel was trying to tell him that Bradley would be as good as the rest of the Eagles LB picks in teh draft. LOL

[Seabiscuit36]

He's a natural SAM, and basically the best sam available in the draft.  Who knows, but its never good when your backup plan is a Rookie, and the starter hasn't played LB since Highschool.