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Why do you think they drafted Kolb? They're probably figuring McNabb has around 3 good years left in him before he makes Kurt Warner look like Reggie Bush.

I'm actually impressed they haven't found Dawk's replacement yet.

What do you think Gaddis is?

Unfortunately, they still haven't found Damon Moore's replacement.

"How is it that Trotter couldn't at least provide some decent situational relief at the minimum?"

...while allowing to kjeep a locker room leader/ motivator to boot?

Is his skills any worse then Hugh's were when the Eagles brought him back?

Different position, different circumstances, I know... just sayin'

Unfortunately, they still haven't found Damon Moore's replacement.

That's shockingly true in hindsight. White Thunder will make us all forget about Damon Moore, though.

"How is it that Trotter couldn't at least provide some decent situational relief at the minimum?"

...while allowing to kjeep a locker room leader/ motivator to boot?

Is his skills any worse then Hugh's were when the Eagles brought him back?

Different position, different circumstances, I know... just sayin'

By cutting him, the Eagles are saying he's finished. They are essentially saying that whenever Trot is on the field, the opposing offense is going to target him and attack his weaknesses. If he can still blow up the A gap, he's good for a couple downs per game and a 1 dimensional player is difficult because teams know what that dimension is and go another way when the player is on the field. They could be wrong, but that's why they cut him.

As far as his leadership goes, I'm not sure anyone leads batter than Trotter, but he's a fiery, emotional, vocal leader who challenges guys. He challenges their manhood, he demands they play at his level of intensity, and he'll call guys out for the betterment of the team.

The problem with that kind of leadership (IMO) is you have to be on top of your game for it to be effective. When he's on the sideline telling the front 7 they need to bow up because they look like shit, he would go out and blow some plays up, show the axe, and everyone would be pumped...they'd feel compelled to rise to his level of intensity and execution.

When Trot called out the players last year, I think they started tuning him out. I think they were probably seeing him miss a lot of plays on film and were getting a little sick of him telling everyone to do their job better when he maybe wasn't doing his that well.

Most leaders need to be good players to be good leaders, but Trotter had to be an especially good player to be a good leader because his job in the leadership circle was to say exactly what he felt and tell guys when they weren't carrying their fair share of the load. I think limited his value as a locker room leader at this point in his career, though he could still have value as a Badassador if he can't find a gig.

Remembering Trotter, I don't know if I have a favorite play, but his entire career was fun to watch. I don't know if the Eagles will ever have a backer with his size and speed again...it was amazing to watch (especially early in his career) and he allowed the Eagles to do a lot of different things in their defense. When you have a MLB who is the size of a defensive end and can run, you have a very special player and he absolutely abused running backs when he tackled them. He used to to smack people coming across the middle in the pass game, but those hits vanished over time.

The biggest regret has to be not giving him that contract. He was a 25 year old freak of a linebacker with a Pro Bowl or two already under his belt. He had bad knees and he guessed a lot, but I was just looking back at some old stuff and his 2002 free agent contract was essentially a 5 year deal worth $21 million and included a $7 million signing bonus. Last year would have been his final year on that original deal (originally reported as 7 years $35 million, but the final two years were voidable $7 million seasons).

His knee injury might have happened here and it might not have. The point is the Eagles BLEW that move. Failing to pony up for a linebacker they knew probably cost them a Super Bowl. What's worse, is you can see in hindsight it wasn't all that much money. The Eagles have since given more money to lesser players and the salary cap has ballooned. They washed their hands of the guy and likely tossed away a Super Bowl over a $7 million signing bonus. It's gotta be the one move that has keep the Eagles front office up at night over the years.

I was thinking the same thing last night F-d as I remember Joe J galloping down the field for 70 yards.

Then I remembered the EAgles offense didn't do crap that day either.

You're right, but the long pass was a backbreaker (that likely wouldn't have happened) because it completely changed the momentum, was essentially worth 7 points, and swung field position...from their own 5 yard line, it might as well have been a minimum 10 point swing on 1 play.

Maybe it wouldn't have mattered, but I'll always believe it did.

I hope he retires rather than try to latch on, and either not make thier team or be benched/released halfway through the year. I dont think you need to worry about the Skins- I think he has such a negative taste in his mouth from that experience, and the way he's put it down, I dont know. Im concerned that it makes perfect sense for the Giants to call him, honestly. They're a mess and could afford a situational guy- as long as he has SOMETHING left.

On the leadership:

A lot of what FD says is on point, much of it IMO, but to just be blunt, this is how it is:

You cannot be a leader, from the sidelines.

Period.

Regardless the respect he has, the friendships formed, the career he had, the manner in which he lead in the past-firey and all that- its simply impossible to maintain leadership status amongst the rest of the defense when you're not out there or if you're only out there to kick off a series for the 1st down or 2, or in a goal line set.

Cant be done. Its not even something the others are goin to be concious of, durin the heat of the game, nothing personal.

The Birds know that and to a man, it was clear they all (Andy, Banner, Lurie) respected and understood the intangible side to what 54 brought to the table, the room etc- but Ried knew that even that aspect would dim as the season wore on. It truly was time, and I feel foolish for reversing my thinking, when out here in winter I was sayin I thought I saw the last of him in Green. When we went to Lehigh, man, I was so PUMPED to see him divin over the line (in hingsight- goalline package, no questions IMO that he could still do that), gettin hype, layin people out. I kinda turned a blind eye to the fact that this 5th round rookie was gettin behind him by 7 yds and haulin in a pass- figured "he wont be in there anyway when its a passing down".

I truly left my objectivity in the car. I knew it then and I feel like lookin back, I was still thinking like a kid perhaps, when it came to Trotter.

Favorite moments? Cripes, this is tough. The Pickle Juice comes to mind, the INT, the sacks, etc..

I recall a rather uneventful play, in that Bears Playoff game, when Dez White cuts across the middle and Trot abolutely PLANTED the kid. Honestly the hardest Ive ever seen him hit ANYONE and the WR didnt have the body to absorb it. It looked like a truck hit him, when I was there live. On the replay (Taped) when I watched it a couple times, it was awesome. The WR eventually got up, with at least 2 lbs of turf stuck in his facemask. It was fantastic. The type of hit you dream about administering when you play LB and the kind you try to envision yourself layin on someone before a game. A bone rattling, lung deflating, pride stripping, heart taking hit on another player.

I also always loved the connection he had here with the fanbase and city. Asking the, ahem, Male Cheerleader, years ago, if he could lead the team out with the big flag, something he'd later do often, thats kick ass. It was the start of the game, and it was like here come THE EAGLES- YOUR EAGLES, to the 68,000 in attendance. Today, with F.A., ruined rivalries etc, you dont see a lot of players act like they're a (Insert team name here)- you get the sense its more about the individual accolades durin the start to a game.
As much as I love B Dawk, the game intros for him are about gettin himself hyped- no doubt with the help of the fans, but the wolverine bit, the high stepping or crawlin or whatever- Trotter plenty of times asked to carry out the flag displayin the logo of "the laundry."

I get the "whys" of his release.
Just tough to take.

Not to mention, aside from Spikes who's in his 1st yr here folks- your most experienced LB in the system is 1 Matt McCoy.

*Gulp*.

GoCong better be the man, and this Bradley cat better be able to be relied upon if need be.
A lot of "IFS" suddenly, with the removal of what Id have called the lynch pin, on what I had considered to be a largely improved part of the team, just a wk ago.

The more I think about the more depressed I get.

The Eagles have a better team now then they had when they started their run several years back, but the new guys are mostly gutless pussies.

As the physical, nasty guys like Trot, Duce, Dawk, Runyan, etc. (who propelled those under-talented, gritty teams to a lot of wins) give way to the younger crew they are brining in now I just don't see an obvious emotional leaders stepping up.

Maybe Andrews if he can stay healthy. Maybe Gaither if he plays well. The new crew is just as vanilla and emotionless as it gets.

Laundry.

Just read this quote by Sheldon Brown-

"The way you become a leader by making plays. Nobody follows the guy who sits on the bench . . . Trot was a fiery guy; if a guy was having a down day, he would motivate the guy. But the only reason people listened to him was that he was productive in his game. Now you just go to another guy that's productive."

Essentially, he's right.
Im pouring over everything Trotter, all am, all over the internet.

How long til I stumble upon a "Do we want Trotter back?" thread on Extremeskins?
ugh.

in 3...2....1

F-D, welcome to the new Sports World. They just don't make enough of the in your face, snarly, brutal, visceral players anymore. these guys are all businessmen.

Interesting sidenote on Trotter. Awhile back, I was at a bar in CC with some friends and saw J Russell Peltz. He used to run a lot of cards at the Blue Horizon and I used to go to most of them. We talked to him about some stuff, mostly Tyson and his troubles, when my buddy asked why their weren't that many great American Heavyweights anymore. He said, "Look at Jeremiah Trotter. There's the prototypical body for a Heavyweight. All the good bodies are playing MLB."

Extreme Skins take on the whole situation.

Thanks.

I scoured all over the place, and oddly enuff, found no "We signed Todd Pinkston!" threads.

Actually, no mention of him at all.

Odd, that.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp07/news/story?id=2984329

Trotter had three years left on his contract, at base salaries of $2.635 million (2007), $2.72 million (2008) and $3.28 million (2009). His release was not a salary cap move, however, since the Eagles are comfortably under the $109 million ceiling.


Eagles under the salary cap.... I'm shocked!

Trotter visiting with the Broncos tonight...

Shades of Joyner.

How appropo.

Love em or hate............

The FO has a history of cutting loose those who can no longer make the contribution needed to get the team to the next level.

Look at all the former Eagle "Pro Bowlers" who went on to do?????

Absolutely nothing!

JT you were and in my mind still are the man! I hope you retire as an Eagle!

The Brother!

On the other hand, according to Donovan,

Trotter was asked to slim down and he did, came into camp in good condition, and played well in 2 pre-season games. Donovan didn't see the reason for letting Trotter go. And he says he still doesn't have the answer.

I like that Donovan is willing to say something different than the team line.

Trotter visiting with the Broncos tonight...

The Broncos are in love with any "name" defensive player they can get their hands on, so I guess its not that surprising. They've traded for Courtney Brown, Gerrard Warren, Ebenezar Ekaban, Champ Bailey, Dre Bly, and signed John Lynch all in the last 2 or 3 seasons.

Ox-

He's coverin his own ass/interests. He even alluded to his own release being similar, and coming "Out of nowhere" someday "soon".

I rolled my eyes when I heard him runnin his yap- it came off as 80% self serving and maybe 20% tryin to play "lockerroom leader"- except that most of the lockerroom seemed to be OK with the release, once they saw Trotter understood why, and was willing to sit under the team banner and give a press conference.

Trotter is now headin to Tampa, where he's coveted as a BACK UP (Who presumabley will NOT play special teams...)

Trotter is now headin to Tampa, where he's coveted as a BACK UP (Who presumabley will NOT play special teams...)

The one and only thing you have to be able to do in Tampa's D is run. I can't imagine a worse fit off the top of my head, even as a backup.

I figured the Panthers might be a good landing spot given they like to play physical football and Dan Morgan is a lock to miss at least 5 or 6 games every year.

Yeah, and fuck McNabb by the way. The self serving bullshit is on overdrive and it's more than a little annoying.

Everything he said about Trotter was really about himself. He didn't even attempt to disguise it.

Its the same shit he pulled with the Vick endorsement. He doesn't actually like Vick. I don't the impression there is much time in his day to think about anyone but him and his martyrdom. The whole "It's like I always said...if you can't trust family, who can you trust?"

First, "snitching" doesn't have anything to do with trust. Don't be a criminal...that way no one can snitch on you. Second, your "saying" is fucking stupid. It isn't clever. It isn't insightful. It's fucking dumb.

What you should do is break out the silk screen machine and print out a copy "My PR guy gets hazard pay because I'm a retard" shirts.

Please...just play. Do what you do best. I can't take your dorky, self-serving ass off the field anymore.

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