...Everyone is in town for the full squad minicamp. Everyone is focusing on football. And, there certainly seems to be a complete lack of the kind of annoying distractions that the team dealt with all last season..
The black clouds have finally receeded, and the sun is shining once again.
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Reid overseeing happy campersBy LES BOWEN
[email protected]
Eagles coach Andy Reid was pleased to see all his veterans accounted for when the team began a 2-week, full-squad minicamp yesterday at the NovaCare Complex.
Contract squabbles caused key Eagles to miss this camp each of the previous three seasons, but in the wake of last season's stumble to 6-10, unity has emerged as the theme of the 2006 Eagles. Everyone talks about putting the team first.
"I think it's a tribute to the guys," Reid said. "They determine it. These are voluntary camps right now, so that's why you see players on other teams that aren't there. The players don't have to be here. We're not pulling something over their heads or anything else, but they make that decision. This shows me a little something - they all are here. They're all working like crazy and trying to get better as a football team."
Cornerback Sheldon Brown, who missed the first minicamp while recovering from shoulder surgery, participated yesterday, and spoke about how good it felt not to be asked about disputes or absences.
"The bottom line is, we're sitting here talking about football, and that's how it should be," Brown said. "This locker room is focusing and concentrating on football, not contracts and not other things. I hope it continues to stay this way. Even the week we play the other team."
Hmm. Wonder which team he meant?
Running back Correll Buckhalter (knee) and cornerback Lito Sheppard (ankle) did not participate yesterday. Fourth-round rookie wideout Jason Avant sat out with a hyperextended knee, Reid said. Wide receiver Todd Pinkston, recovering from an Achilles' tear, "practiced about half the practice, which we had scheduled for him," Reid said.
Reid said the Eagles are hoping third-round rookie linebacker Chris Gocong can rejoin them by tomorrow. Gocong has been unable to participate in minicamps the past few weeks because his Cal Poly class didn't graduate until this week.
The black clouds have finally receeded, and the sun is shining once again.
--------------------------------
Reid overseeing happy campersBy LES BOWEN
[email protected]
Eagles coach Andy Reid was pleased to see all his veterans accounted for when the team began a 2-week, full-squad minicamp yesterday at the NovaCare Complex.
Contract squabbles caused key Eagles to miss this camp each of the previous three seasons, but in the wake of last season's stumble to 6-10, unity has emerged as the theme of the 2006 Eagles. Everyone talks about putting the team first.
"I think it's a tribute to the guys," Reid said. "They determine it. These are voluntary camps right now, so that's why you see players on other teams that aren't there. The players don't have to be here. We're not pulling something over their heads or anything else, but they make that decision. This shows me a little something - they all are here. They're all working like crazy and trying to get better as a football team."
Cornerback Sheldon Brown, who missed the first minicamp while recovering from shoulder surgery, participated yesterday, and spoke about how good it felt not to be asked about disputes or absences.
"The bottom line is, we're sitting here talking about football, and that's how it should be," Brown said. "This locker room is focusing and concentrating on football, not contracts and not other things. I hope it continues to stay this way. Even the week we play the other team."
Hmm. Wonder which team he meant?
Running back Correll Buckhalter (knee) and cornerback Lito Sheppard (ankle) did not participate yesterday. Fourth-round rookie wideout Jason Avant sat out with a hyperextended knee, Reid said. Wide receiver Todd Pinkston, recovering from an Achilles' tear, "practiced about half the practice, which we had scheduled for him," Reid said.
Reid said the Eagles are hoping third-round rookie linebacker Chris Gocong can rejoin them by tomorrow. Gocong has been unable to participate in minicamps the past few weeks because his Cal Poly class didn't graduate until this week.
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