Rod Hood... Michael Lewis... Brian Westbrook???
On Wednesday, Brian Westbrook inadvertently complained about his contract, saying, "The contract I signed back then (in 2005), it made sense to me at that point. Right now, I try not to get into the contract numbers and the contract talk right now."
Translation: "I'm not talking contract, because if I said what I feel, it would be a problem."
And so, it's a problem.
Westbrook practiced that day, but the next day he was out with knee swelling, the team blaming the move indoors to artificial turf. I'm 95 percent certain that there is nothing particularly rotten here, but that other five percent wonders at the timing of Westbrook's latest injury hiccup.
All indications out of the Washington game were that he was perfectly healthy. Then he cracks the front office with a backhand, making plain he believes he's underpaid, and suddenly he's questionable for the Miami game. It's probably a stone coincidence, but considering the fact that Rod Hood was inactive for a game last year for virtually no reason, and Michael Lewis shelved as well...
Now, if the Eagles try to make it without Westbrook this week, that doesn't mean he's getting sandbagged for speaking out. The Dolphins are bad enough against the run that the Birds coaching staff may actually believe that Correll Buckhalter can get it done on Sunday, and that they can get away with giving No. 36 an extra week of rest. That would be a mistake, of course, whether or not they turn out to be right. If he's at all physically able, Westbrook needs to be on the field, and he needs to get his touches. Need we remember the offensive futility of the Giants game? It wasn't all Winston Justice's fault.
I think Westbrook will play this week, and I think he'll have a good time. Since Purple Jesus has a real, honest-to-god knee injury, 36 will probably take over the league lead in total yards from scrimmage. And since he doesn't get enough carries to challenge for a rushing title, that's the most important category in which he can conceivably lead.
And if he finishes the season in that spot, just maybe the front office will look at that contract of his, and wonder what it might be like to have a sincerely discontent Brian Westbrook take the NovaCare Complex podium week after week in 2008.
Translation: "I'm not talking contract, because if I said what I feel, it would be a problem."
And so, it's a problem.
Westbrook practiced that day, but the next day he was out with knee swelling, the team blaming the move indoors to artificial turf. I'm 95 percent certain that there is nothing particularly rotten here, but that other five percent wonders at the timing of Westbrook's latest injury hiccup.
All indications out of the Washington game were that he was perfectly healthy. Then he cracks the front office with a backhand, making plain he believes he's underpaid, and suddenly he's questionable for the Miami game. It's probably a stone coincidence, but considering the fact that Rod Hood was inactive for a game last year for virtually no reason, and Michael Lewis shelved as well...
Now, if the Eagles try to make it without Westbrook this week, that doesn't mean he's getting sandbagged for speaking out. The Dolphins are bad enough against the run that the Birds coaching staff may actually believe that Correll Buckhalter can get it done on Sunday, and that they can get away with giving No. 36 an extra week of rest. That would be a mistake, of course, whether or not they turn out to be right. If he's at all physically able, Westbrook needs to be on the field, and he needs to get his touches. Need we remember the offensive futility of the Giants game? It wasn't all Winston Justice's fault.
I think Westbrook will play this week, and I think he'll have a good time. Since Purple Jesus has a real, honest-to-god knee injury, 36 will probably take over the league lead in total yards from scrimmage. And since he doesn't get enough carries to challenge for a rushing title, that's the most important category in which he can conceivably lead.
And if he finishes the season in that spot, just maybe the front office will look at that contract of his, and wonder what it might be like to have a sincerely discontent Brian Westbrook take the NovaCare Complex podium week after week in 2008.
posted by SMc. at 3:55 PM
2 Comments:
No question Westbrook is underpaid, But the Eagles will keep his salary as low as possible. The will never pay anyone top dollars as long as the current top power brokers remain in place, Andy Reid, Joe Banner, Jeffrey Lorie remain in charge!!!
fUNNY YOU SHOULD MENTION ABOUT HOOD AND LEWIS, WITH BUCKHALTER NOT DRESSING LAST WEEK AFTER THE COMMENTS HE AND WAS IT SHELDON BROWN? MADE ABOUT REIDS DRUG EMPORIUM "SPECIAL TREATMENT" BY THE NFL. MAKES YA GO HMMM...
Post a Comment
<< Home