Eagles Preseason

jdcoplnd · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004

Well, here we are. A new season, a new beginning. As you all know, the Philadelphia Eagles of old were notorious for one thing- losing the NFC championship. Well, times have changed. This team has been completely revamped, as has our attitude. No more will a good regular seaosn be enough. I have talked with Coach Reid, and I demand perfection. And i sincerely beleive that he will do his best to deliver me just that.

Some people may look at the trades we have made this offseason, and think... wow. They are really trading away their future! Yes, i noticed i have no 1st rounders or second rounders for the next 2 years. I also noticed that in those trades, i acquired a 21 year old receiver, ready to make a splash. A 25 year old Tight end, ready to bolster my receiving corps even more. A 26 year old defensive tackle, already one of the best in the game. Not to mention bolstering my secondary with Vincent and Taylor, both former eagles who are glad to be home.

Our motto this year is "Catch us if you can". It applies both on the field and off. The eagles look to be the team everyone is looking up at in the standings. To jump ahead though, we need veteran leadership. For these reasons, I hereby name to team captaincy Donavan McNabb, Jevon Kearse, and Brian Dawkins. I beleive these three men can drive into the heads of the 50-plus players on the roster that nothing is ever enough. Winning is not enough. Playing your best is not enough. Nothing is ever enough. This is our belief. Our work is never finished, and nothing is ever enough. Time to let the whole league hear it!

I would now like to open the floor for questions from other owners, as well as anyone else who would like to pose a query.

Chaos6 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004

With the fact that you lost the last 3 NFC championship games, and now this off-season have given up quite a bit of money and draft picks to bring in big name players, it may appear to some outside the organization that you are selling out your future to win now.

What do you have to say to those who may feel that way?

And where do you see your team compared to the others in your division, say in 2 or 3 years?

titansrule · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004

i would have asked much the same thing. however.

the big names brought in via free agency are big names. are they who you feel will bring you the superbowl now. if they dont, then where are you to go?

Ghs · #4 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004

Mr. GM sir, who do you think will be the greatest threat to your superbowl hopes, w/ in the NFC that is? And how are you so positive you will not need those picks, there are always career ending injury's and players who just don't pan out like you had hope, Do you think this will hurt you in the long run?

TheBillster · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004

Mr. Eagles owner, have you an idea about how high your salary cap hit is for the next season and how will you manage the situation?

jdcoplnd · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004

OK, lots of questions, this is what i love! I'll go in order.

Chaos- I do not beleive i have sold out my future at all. My Offense is full of guys under thirty, like McNabb, Fitzgerald, and Taylor. I beleive i have the perfect mix of youth and experience to contend now, three years from now, five years from now, and so on. As for the teams in my division, the only one with anywhere near the defense of mine is the cowboys, but their offense isn;t up to par yet. Same for offense and the redskins. The giants could be a threat, but it seems that their defense and offense is both in shambles. I expect to win the division this yea,r next year, and the year after for sure. After that, we'll see how things go. But my priority was one thing- to END our abscence from the superbowl. I beleive i did just that.

Titans- My favorite free agents, and even out of people i brought in trades, are Larry Centers and Mark Dixon. Both were acquired yesterday. Larry Centers is 36, but he is still a viable receiving and running threat. In my opinion, he is a sure-fire hall-of-famer. Dixon was brought in to fill the RG spot, but his best value is his versatility. Shawn Andrews is my backup RG, and in the event any linemen is hurt, Dixon and amdrews would be a perfect duo to fix it. Joe Horn, Larry Fitzgerald, and Dallas Clark were all brought in to take pressue off donavan mcnabb. I will be using Clark as a H-Back, and you will see more five receiver sets in Philly than anywhere else. When Todd Pinkston is your number five receiver, you can do this. Pinkston against a 5th or 6th string CB, a SS, or a FS? Maybe even a LB? The Eagles will revolutionize the game when it comes to creating favorable matchups. When Fred Taylor is the 9th option in your pass attack, you have something going for you. SO i beleive that it isnt just one person i brought in, but everyone. They give me depth, and they allow me to create matchups I want.

Seahawks- As for draft picks, I beleive that I hvae enough youth on my team to protect against retirements, and enough sheer depth to protect against injury. If McNabb goes down, Fred Taylor can run 40 times a game. If both go down, all Jeff Blake has to do is toss it in the general direction of Owens, 10 or 12 times a game. If Owens and Blake and Taylor and McNabb go down, Larry Centers, Dorsey levens, and Dallas Clark are here to redefine the meaning of smashmouth football. I have nothing to worry about. As for my greatest competition, I have to go with 2 teams. The cowboys scare me because they have a defense that is capable of shutting almost any team down any week. So, if i face the cowboys, and a few of my players are injured, then that could be a loss or two per year. Record-wise, i beleive that the Seattle Seahawks can put up a good number of wins, just based on the offenses in their division. However, the one team i would not want to face in the playoffs at this moment is Minnesota. Their offense is one of the most explosive in the league. Daunte Culpepper and McNabb himself are both magicians in making things happen. Hopefully, their porous defense wont help them any.

Bills- No, i have not kept track fo my cap hit. I estimate it to be about 5-6 million though, maybe lower. All of my trades were done with utmost care on the cap hit. Next year, i will not have the contracts of some of the players i signed. I have quite a few players signed to one year deals who will most likely not be back next year. The cap hit will replace their salaries, and I will find cheaper alternatives, since most of those guys are slotted in backup roles.

Thanks for the questions, any more and i would love to answer. Any other questions or rebuttals from these four people, and i would love to see them too.

jdcoplnd · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2004

Eagles Owner- No more questions??? Please???

titansrule · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2004

as an extention to chaos' previous question. what if these young guys dont work out, or they suffer a career damging, or even just a severe injury? how are you so confident everything will work? despite what you have said, if something doesnt work how it was planned this year, or one of those big names goes on holdout, or even just stops playing to his full ability, you are as what is world renpund as screwed. put politely. you simply lack draft picks and cap room now to make any moves if something is to go out of sinc, do you feel slightly trapped almost?

TheBillster · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2004

Yeah, thats a thing i wanted to say too...
Especially the salary cap hits will hurt a team soon or later. How will he be able to resign all those monster players wanting monster money with several cap hits reducing his cap room?
But there will be teams having more problems for the future with the cap hits than the Eagles...

jdcoplnd · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2004

i will have more cap room than you guys think next year. 8 million left this year, about six in hits, but i lose about ten in contracts, with few leaving after one year. Dawkins, Owenns Fitzgerald, and others are signed long term, so im confident the cap will not be a problem. Injuries are a problem for any team. IF McNair goes down, Titans are screwed. same for colts and manning. Noone can predict them, noone can prevent them. I am confident i have the dpeth to keep going though.

SlickRick1382 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-10-2004

Owens will affect Fitzgeralds production as will running Taylor so often. How do you plan to combat this? Do you thinkg your DB are good enough to stop some serious teams like NE who you may face in the SB? How about the Redskins? you never mentioned them but in sim league they will be a force to reckon with in my opinion.

SenorMatt24 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-10-2004

Will your team still be able to pressure the QB without Corey Simon?

jdcoplnd · #13 (**permalink**) 10-11-2004

Yes, Owen's production will drop than if he was the only guy on the field. So? If you mean Fitzgerald's progression as a player, then it makes more sense. Agin, so? Terrell Owens and Joe Horn are two of the four guys i would want on ym team to work with Fitzgerald, the other two would be Harrison and Rice. I tried to get them too, but to no avail. And I beleive i am one of few teams with three defensive backs the caliber of Vincent, Taylor, and Dawkins. Oh well, my fourth is Michael Lewis... He's only better than half of the safeties in the league. My main aims this offseason were to acquire more offensive punch, and to improve the secondary. I have done both. However, i dont beleive the redskins will be able to get through my or any other good offensive line, and i beleive the bailey/springs switch hurts them a lot too. Clinton Portis is a great Back, but i beleive i have the defense to stop him.

The loss of corey simon hurt, no doubt. The acqusition of Marcus Stroud almost totally knocked out my concerns there. I have no problem with my pass rush, the freak and hammerin Hugh will get to the quarterback, and marcus and darwin are two of the best run stuffers in the league. I have no qualms with my d-line.

#14 (**permalink**) 10-11-2004

Do you see yourself beating New England in the SB? What position are you most worried about if an injury were to occur?