Dave Spadaro recently ran an OTI column titled “What do Eagles REALLY need?”…
The concept of Dave’s question dwelled within me. The organization is sound. The talent is undeniable. The coaching brains are smart.
Maybe a few pieces missing here or there which will undoubtedly be shored up…
A hundred cliches began to play in my head. “Nothing succeeds like success”…
“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”—David Brinkley
“Action is the foundational key to all success.” Pablo Picasso
“After I won the Oscar, my salary doubled, my friends tripled, my children became more popular at school, my butcher made a pass at me, and my maid hit me up for a raise.” Shirley Jones
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” Abraham Lincoln
“Belief in oneself is one of the most important bricks in building any successful venture.” Lydia M. Child
“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” Dale Carnegie
“Diligence is the mother of good fortune.” Benjamin Disraeli
“Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.”David Frost
Oh, that last one from David Frost hit home. My poster boy for that inspirational thought is not David Frost himself, but rather John Belushi…
Talk about a guy who did what he loved and just believed in it.
The Eagles need a little of that spirit, which is all about trusting your talent and your preparation. Games don’t need to slip away in the final minutes of the 4th quarter anymore. Breaks can go your way, too. Believe in it.
Maybe John Harbaugh, former secondary and ST teams coach of the Eagles (now head coach of the Ravens) says it better: “The biggest thing about putting together a winning season is being relaxed in the belief your team is prepared and has put in the study required to weather any storm…Yes, there will be a tough loss along the way… but the objective is to stack up Wins in a row which will nullify the effect of a tough loss… You don’t get to the playoffs or advance further if you are constantly pressing for a Win… you have got to play relaxed and confident…”
Maybe the Eagles were pressing themselves mentally in the first half of the season in 2011. Maybe guys as individuals were trying too hard to impress…and that includes the coaching staff.
I’m not football-smart enough to connect all the dots on the Zen thing in NFL team performance. But I sense an opportunity for the 2012 Eagles to prepare better, understand themselves better, and to let it all hang out a whole lot more… They were playing “tight” for a big part of 2011… and when they lost important games and were failing to stack up “W”‘s, even our favorite French fan Nathalie observed they did not seem to be playing “together”… but rather as somewhat confused and stressed “individuals” on their own personal hot seats…
Defensive tackle Dontari Poe might have emerged as the most intriguing Eagles story of the day. The massive draft prospect out of Memphis was spotted yesterday walking in the hallway outside the auditorium with defensive line coach Jim Washburn. Washburn tried to identify the popular Poe as another player. But Poe said: “I’m Poe,” as he walked by.
Judging by the way he performed at the NFL Scouting Combine, he won’t be “Poe” much longer. The massive and talented lineman is projected as a high first-round pick, which means he’ll be getting paid big bucks… Whether that’s by the Eagles would depend on their improving their position to be able to take him, because he doesn’t figure to still be around when they’re first due to pick at No. 15 overall.
The knock on Poe (6-foot-3, 346 pounds) was that he underperformed at times in college, took some plays off. But he exploded, Mike Mamula-style, at the Combine, where he established himself as the most skilled interior lineman in the draft, running the 40 in under 5 seconds and making a super impression in the weight room and on the field with the way he performed in drills. You would have to think with Washburn riding him hard the whole time, Poe could be a super fit for the Eagles.
Stay tuned.
Notable transactions and signings going into this weekend…
— Redskins re-signed LB London Fletcher to a 1-year contract, terms undisclosed…
— Denver released CB Andre Goodman ($4.2 million cap hit)….
— Bengals re-signed LB Dan Skuta to a 1-year contract at $1.26 million…
— Colts waived WR Blair White…
— Miami signed LB/ST Gary Guyton (Patriots) to a 1-year deal, terms undisclosed…
— Patriots re-signed C Dan Koppen to a 2-year deal worth $6 million…
— Giants re-signed LB Chase Blackburn to a 1-year contract, terms undisclosed…
— Chargers re-signed FB Jacob Hester to a 1-year contract at $1.26 million…
— Chargers re-signed OT Mario Henderson to a 1-year deal, terms undisclosed…
— Redskins signed troubled FS Tanard Jackson (Bucs) to a 1-year deal, terms undisclosed…
— Bengals re-signed TE Donald Lee to a 1-year deal, terms undisclosed….
— Texans re-signed ILB Tim Dobbins to a 1-year contract, terms undisclosed…
— Steelers re-signed T Trai Essex to a 1-year contract, terms undisclosed…
— Seattle re-signed LB Leroy Hill to a 1-year deal, terms undisclosed…
— Seattle re-signed LB/ST Matt McCoy to a 1-year contract, terms undisclosed…
— Titans re-signed DE Dave Ball to a 1-year contract at $1.2 million…
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