Hugh Douglas' Thoughts On The Current Team - They've Quit

[PhillyPhreak54]

http://www.csnphilly.com/football-philadelphia-eagles/eagles-talk/Hugh-Douglas-Eagles-have-no-pride-accoun?blockID=806241&feedID=704

"To get over 30 points hung on you by two divisional rivals two weeks in a row?" it said. "That's ridiculous. I don't ever remember it being like that. I don't know how these cats feel about getting asses kicked like that."

The voice belonged to Hugh Douglas. I had called him Friday, looking to tap into his insights for a story I was writing about what I believed was a leadership void in the Eagles' locker room, one of those overlooked blemishes hidden beneath the sloppy turnovers, injuries, bad mechanics and questionable coaching decisions.

Leadership came naturally to Douglas, who spent six seasons with the Eagles and was one of the original members of Andy Reid's first team in 1999. He made three Pro Bowls and was always a demonstrative presence in the locker room.

He once gave an impassioned speech before the infamous "Pickle Juice" game, drumming up a firestorm of unprintable words to implore his teammates to ignore the suffocating heat and make a play against the rival Cowboys (they routed Dallas 41-14).

He once traded haymakers with Terrell Owens at the Eagles' headquarters in a show of loyalty to Reid and quarterback Donovan McNabb -- and Douglas wasn't even on the team.

I wondered if Douglas could detect from the outside the same suspicions I harbored about the Eagles, that they lacked a unifier, someone (like Brian Dawkins) whose mere presence sent a widespread message that losing -- and the acceptance of losing -- was intolerable, someone who other players were afraid to disappoint.

That's when he corrected me. Leadership, Douglas said, is an overrated concept. Being accountable is more significant than being a leader. And what he sees and hears from these Eagles -- actually, what he doesn't see and hear -- are enough mea culpas from each individual for their part of 3-7.

"Nobody is accountable for their actions anymore," Douglas said. "People get hung up on that word "leader," if a guy is going to be a vocal. That's not always the case. It's called accountability."

Douglas explained that he hears a lot of "we need to get better," "we need to play better," "we are letting down the fans." But the only one he consistently hears talking in first person is the head coach.

"It's just frustrating. If you're not playing for your coach, play for pride," Douglas continued. "Play so that people don't have to look at you getting your ass kicked every week. Play hard, that's who you are. That's the last thing people remember about you. Not only that, play for the simple fact that your head coach hasn't embarrassed you in public, has went out there and taken all the bullets for you.

"The man's son died at training camp and he sits up there every day and says, 'I've got to do a better job' instead of holding you cats responsible. Think about that. At least look like you're playing hard. You don't even look like you're playing hard."

"We were fighting in every game," he said. "The fans said we stunk but I can't remember one game where we quit or remember one game where we laid down. I remember being in the huddle with [middle linebacker] James Willis and he said, 'We will fight 'em all the way to the parking lot.' I remember that.

[Diomedes]

Once upon a time, I read these articles and got all excited about them.  Nowadays, they sound like so much TMZ.

I'm losing interest, you know?

[PhillyPhreak54]

Yep - although I do enjoy a good callin' out article now and then. Especially when its the truth. I liked the part about Whatchoo Talkin' About Willis though

[JackStraw]

I'm losing interest, you know?

this. especially when one contemplates the next 3 years of walking around the desert with Jeff and Howie.

You watch, the next coach will be lucky to last 14 months let alone 14 years. As befuddled as lurie looked up there tonight with his opera glasses i fully expect see a Marion Campbell or two in the future

[Eagaholic]

There was a post game sideline shot where Nnamdi was walking by in the backround, probably having just talked with someone on Carolina, and he had this big happy grin on his face.

[MDS]

maybe he was smart and took them -3?

[ice grillin you]

they havent quit at all...at least not as a team....they just arent good

[Tomahawk]

Receivers are short arming balls and defensive players run away from the ball

[ice grillin you]

defense has been doing that for two years....whether they were 3-1 this year or now 3-8....they are clearly trying they just stink

i think some individual players have quit but saying a team has quit is largely a cliche these days that people love to drop  because its a strong talking point but usually theres no thought behind it

[ice grillin you]

also for the record i believe they quit in the redaskins game but maybe like one out of ten teams dont quit down by 30 in the fourth quarter and getting totally dominated

i dont even consider that quitting...to me quitting is giving up during the week and not practicing or properly preparing for the game or not showing effort from the opening kick of a game....i thought they absolutely played hard to the end of the game last night...again i just think they are devoid of good players

its a broken record at this point but its ridiculous how bad babin and trent cole have been this year

[SunMo]

how infuriating was it when Celek did his jump up first down celebration in the first quarter?

[ice grillin you]

how infuriating was it when Celek did his jump up first down celebration in the first quarter?

i cant even look at him anymore....colt anderson was on the other side of the spectrum....he made that great special teams tackle and wanted to go nuts and was just about to but then he gained control of himself and just quietly tapped his chest...

there was actually a bunch of players last night really into the game and trying to fire up the crowd and shtein...its one of the reasons that i think its pretty clear they havent quit...they were into it way more than i thought theyd be

its a small consolation and doesnt mean much in the big picture but one thing i cant ever see an andy reid team doing it quitting

[BobbyT]

Laughing after a game you lose drives me insane....show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.

[DH]

i never mind that kind of stuff with one exception - seeing asante yuck it up with fitz after the 08 champ game was infuriating

[Rome]

They laugh because they just got PAID more money for three hours work than most of us will earn in a year.

If any of you think these losers care about winning, the fans, the organization or the city, you're kidding yourselves.

It's 2012, not 1975, boys and girls.