* Nick Foles was on Ellen yesterday. He tossed a football around, had the Lombardi trophy with him, and was honest and gracious as always He got the rock star treatment, and even had an extended standing ovation form the audience..He deserves his moment in the sun, as do all the Eagles who are hitting the talk show circuit since winning the Super Bowl.
You gotta wonder: after all the fame and adulteration, will Foles want more money and a chance to start, either in Philadlephia or elsewhere?
I don't think so. I think Foles will stay in Philly if he wants to, unless Howie Rossman gets a first round draft pick offer, or a similar trade he can't refuse.The Eagles don't have a second or third round pick this April, so supplementing their selections, especially while Foles' value is at its highest, would make sense.
But, if given the choice, I do believe that Foles would be happy going back to holding a clipboard for the next few years behind Carson Wentz.
Foles already is making good money. Family values seems more important to him. He loves Philadelphia and the Eagles organization, especially after spending time with St. Louis and Kansas City, where things didn't go as well.
He has already won a Super Bowl and was MVP of the game. You can't go much higher, unless you repeat as champs. Plus he has to know that he may have a decent shot to play again as the Eagles' quarterback sometime, with Wentz' history of getting hurt. And, if Foles never plays another down for Philly, he is the best insurance policy on the sidelines there is in the NFL.
He is 29-years-old and could certainly play for another ten years or so. But playing football doesn't seem like the end-all to Foles, who thought about retiring a few years ago.
He and Wentz seem to work well together and get along. They know a good thing when they see it, and with the core of the team being young, and key players hopefully returning form injury, the sky is the limit for next season and beyond.
So, I think, in the end, Foles will stay. At least through the summer to make sure Wentz is OK. Would a second round or third round pick be worth losing the best back-up QB in the league? I say no, but if offered a first rounder, the Birds need to listen and think hard. After all, Foles is what he is, I don't think at this late stage of the gate he is going to emerge as the next Joe Montana.
Be aware that the Eagles really like Nate Sudfeld too, the third -string QB. Trading Foles would also save money off the cap, which the Birds are about $10 million over right now. So anything is possible
This is all interesting stuff and food for thought. It will keep us talking Eagles right up to summer training camp and beyond.
* It's exciting to know that players like CB Sidney Jones should emerge next season. Jones was thought of as one of the best corners in the draft last spring. The Eagles took a chance and drafted him in the second round, even though he was still rehabbing from a devastating injury. He not only will add depth but should start, with the investment the Eagles have made in him.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks will return too. The Eagles still need to prioritize picking a middle linebacker somewhere in the draft. I also see the team giving Donnell Pumphrey another look, if he has recovered from his injury. Will Darrell Sproles return or retire? Will he have the same speed as before or will he lose a step? Pumphrey can be the fast, shifty speed back the birds missed when Sproles went down. Considering that the team moved up in the draft last year to select Pumphrey, it makes sense they wouldn't give up on him so soon.
Add in Jason Peters, Chris Maragos, along with Wentz, to a championship squad, and it wouldn't surprise me if the Eagles have another long run in the playoffs next season. I get it that it's tough to repeat as champs. You may not be as hungry after hitting the rubber chicken circuit. You may not train as hard. Other teams will be gunning for the Birds, who are no longer underdogs. The schedule should be much tougher. Everything went right for the Eagles this season ( aside form injuries), even in the Super bowl. The breaks may not go our way next time.
But I'm still surprised that an aging team like new England is favored to win the 2019 Super Bowl. It's all reputation, Tom Brady,etc Vegas was wrong this year, as were plenty of so-called football experts.
I'll take another season of Philly being disrespected, as long as we win. To me, the Eagles are not a one-year wonder. could they be the new New England of the NFL, always winning their division and always in championship contention?
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The Phillies opened spring training in Clearwater, Fla. this morning as pitchers and catchers reported for duty. This new manager, Gabe Kapler, is a piece of work and will make an interesting story this summer.He is either going to be a refreshing breath of fresh air in the Phils' stale environment, or a total, Chip Kelly-like bust.
He does remind me a lot of Kelly, with his unusual methods of nutrition and training. He is also big-time into analytics, and he has zero experience at managing on the big league level. In that sense, he is the Donald Trump of baseball skippers.
The Phillies have to do something special to peak the interest of casual Philly fans. It's all Eagles all the time, and with the Sixers and Flyers making playoff pushes,and Villanova basketball striving for another national championship, the Phillies are near the bottom in fan interest about now.
You'll always have die-hard Phillies and baseball fans, who will go to the games and tune in on TV and radio no matter what. But catching the attention of that casual fan will be a challenge.
That's where Kapler comes in. With a young core of players, including Rhys Hoskins, Aaron Nola and soon-to-be Phil Scott Kingery, the team does have exciting players to build on , players fans can identify with, grow with and learn to love as time goes on. Sort of like the Utley- Rollins- Hamels years.
I still think GM Matt Klentak needs to do something soon to fuel the interest and make the team better. Who starts beyond Nola? Singing a free agent pitcher, like Jake Arrieta, or trading a package of Tommy Joseph, Cameron Rupp and Cesar Hernandez may bring you back pitching in return.
I know the Phillies time to really go for it will be after the 2018 season, when free agents like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper hit the market. But giving the fans hope now, giving them more to watch this summer, as well as improving the team - both now and for the future- is Klentak's job. It's not impossible to trade for pitching or sign an Arrieta or Alex Cobb ( owner John Middleton has already said he will do whatever it takes to make the Phillies a winner). So, no excuses form Klentak as the spring begins. Let's see some bold, yet sensible moves that will show fans the organization continues to be on the right path.
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The Flyers could be in trouble, losing goalie Brian Elliot for the next 5-6 weeks with an abdominal injury. I don't trust goalie Michael Nurwirth, who has had chances before to assume the No. 1 netminder spot and has been mediocre at best. The Orange and Black snapped their four-game winning streak last night, losing to the New Jersey Devils in a shoot-out.
Can the Flyers come together, in the face of adversity, like the Eagles did? We will see if this hockey team has what it takes in the next few weeks.
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