Eye on the Eagles

Introduction:

“I don’t have a lot of intro to say, I’m just extremely excited about the new season. We don’t often like to talk about the past season, but just for a few seconds. I think it’s worthwhile because it was so special. When you lose your franchise quarterback and star pass rusher, and to be able to go as far as we did—within a whisker of the NFC Championship game—what I think it really does point out is the competitiveness, the heart, the soul of the team, the players that we really have. It was pretty incredible. If you go and take away [Patriots QB Tom] Brady and [DE Richard] Seymour, or [Colts QB Peyton] Manning and [DE Dwight] Freeney or [DE Robert] Mathis, or [Saints QB Drew] Brees and [DE] Will Smith, that’s what we were doing. It’s a credit to the players, the coaches, the personnel people, who were able to fill in with players that had tremendous value. Everyone rallied together when we were 5-6 and had an outstanding run. That, in and of itself, gives me a lot of faith in the character and toughness of the team. Add to that the development of so many players on the team, some of the offseason moves, and what you see out here. As an owner, I’m extremely excited about this coming season. The time is yours, as [head coach] Andy [Reid] says.”

On the decision to not resign QB Jeff Garcia:

“We had a team that really bonded together and succeeded. Jeff did an outstanding job. I think what happens in the salary cap system, we correctly judged that he was a quarterback who was capable of starting for several teams in the NFL. If that’s the case, the way it was going to play itself out was that he deserved to start and he deserved to have a starting salary on another team. That’s exactly what we thought would happen, and that’s exactly what did happen. I’m thrilled for him and we’ll continue to root for him. Of course, the better he does, the better the compensatory pool looks, so we always look at it that way too.”

On whether he wonders about how much longer QB Donovan McNabb can be the franchise quarterback:

“To me, he’s in the prime of his career. He’s had these injuries, but as you know, the average age of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, I think, is about 30 or 31 or right around there. He’s right in the prime. Unfortunately, the sports hernia thing happened, and then the ACL happened—totally isolated and very different injuries. He’s right in the prime. He’s one of the—in my opinion—top three quarterbacks in football when healthy. We do, as a philosophy, prioritize around this position. We think it’s the hardest to find, the most important position, and the scarcest position in the sport. When we were faced with the decision, at the time, to pick a quarterback back in 1999, or a running back, our top quarterback was Donovan and our top running back was [Cardinals RB] Edgerrin James. It was not a tough decision, but you have to choose right. We do believe that. That’s the best way to sustain success and try to win, if you can find that quarterback. It’s the hardest position to evaluate and the hardest to find.”

On whether he feels like he has found another franchise QB in rookie Kevin Kolb:

“We hope. It’s only a hope at this point. Andy’s philosophy, and the team’s philosophy has been that if ever there was a quarterback that fit everything we were looking for, we would pull the trigger, regardless of anything else, because it’s so hard to find. It’s like a left tackle. The year before, we traded up for [LT] Winston Justice. I think you have to solidify the hardest positions to fulfill and the most important positions. If you have a surplus for a while, then you have a surplus for a while, that’s a great thing to have.”

On whether McNabb is viewed as independent of the organization:

“No. In fact, I think the more Donovan can express himself, and as the public gets to know him even more as a veteran in this league, the better. You’ve been around him, we know him awfully well. He’s a wonderful person and a wonderful quarterback. He’s had to deal with a lot of different issues from the outside world and he’s just a great guy. I think the more people see the human side, and get to know him, however that comes from, I encourage it and I think it’s great.”

On the importance of limiting distractions:

“It’s a positive, but I don’t think you ever want to base your decisions on lowering the chance of distraction, because that’s not necessarily the way to win big. You can win and you’re going to have 53 contracts a year, you’re going to have holdouts, you’re going to have questions about different players finishing their contracts and all that. I don’t think you shy away from that. I think it’s a plus when it’s not a distraction, but would we ever not go after a player because it might be a salary distraction or contract thing? Never. Go for the gusto, and if you’re a sports team that wants to win big, I think you’ve got to take risks, as we’ve done. Don’t make lack of distractions a priority.”

On how the Eagles have been able to avoid off-field problems:

“It does start with a high priority in the draft room and who you acquire. It doesn’t mean it’s fool proof. I think a little bit of luck comes into play as well. When we approach the draft, there are so many players taken off the board. Some become good players, some, and many, don’t. More than most don’t. I think it does start with who you bring in. It’s a mentality, so that if now we had a player who was not acting very professionally, the other guys would pretty much say, ‘that’s not the way we do it here.’ It does take discipline, because the scouts will say, ‘This guy is by far the best cornerback, how do you want to deal with him?’ Usually, and almost always, the answer is, ‘If he’s a bad guy, no.’”

On the perception that the Eagles aren’t willing to take the extra step to “go all the way”:

“That sounds crazy. Basically, I think we do everything possible that we can, to win and win big. It involves a lot of planning, a lot of strategy, a lot of aggressiveness. We re-sign more of our players than any team in the league. We go aggressively for players we think can help us. That’s why we’ve won. If you lose a Jevon, you lose a Donovan, you lose a [RB Brian] Westbrook in the playoffs, you’ve got to have, at the end, some luck. You’ve got to have good health, and there’s no accounting for that. In terms of the strategy and aggressiveness, it’s full throttle, and it always is full throttle.”

On whether he has a sense of urgency as an owner:

“I do. It’s a singular thought. You just base everything on wanting to win the Super Bowl. Nothing gets in the way of that thought. We’re all obsessed, there’s no question about it. I’ve been lucky enough to surround myself with people who are extraordinarily obsessed with this. There’s nothing else that even takes close priority.”

On the value of coming out to training camp:

“I love it out here. It’s a whole different atmosphere when you can be in a more close setting, casual, see the players, the interaction, the coaching, hear the coaching. Honestly, it’s just a question of what the football people feel is the best in terms of the chemistry of the team. If Andy and group told me it’s much better for us to practice at [the] NovaCare [complex], then that’s what’s going to happen. I just support their feel of the situation. But, I love what the fan base brings up here. It’s exciting, and I don’t think a lot of franchises have that enthusiasm, and it’s a nice place.”

On who decides to take bad character players off the draft board:

“We’re all on the same page with that. If I had a coach who didn’t believe in that, we wouldn’t be on the same page, because I believe very strongly in that. If Andy had an owner who didn’t believe in that, he wouldn’t be on the same page, because he believes very strongly in that. It just so happens that you’ve got everyone feeling extremely strongly that character [is important]. Last year was a great example. When you’re having an early-season great run, mid-season terrible play, and at 5-6, what’s going to happen, it’s the high-character players who are going to help you. It’s not going to be the guys who are pointing the finger and walking away and looking where they’re going away on vacation. That’s, I think, where it really pays dividends.”

On the importance of celebrating the history of the franchise:

“I was honored to buy a team that was an old-line NFL team with a fan base. I didn’t grow up with that; I grew up with an AFL team that started in 1960-61. I didn’t have that as a fan. I’m very appreciative of the history and what’s gone into it and the generations of fans that have supported the team. It’s nice that this is the 75th season. It’s really the first time since I’ve owned the team that we’ve celebrated a large anniversary. It’s exciting. It’s great to integrate everybody. You hate to see when the alumni aren’t part of what you’re doing now. You just want everybody to feel part of that family. I know we mad a little bit of an unorthodox choice of what to do on the colors of the uniform. There aren’t a lot of NFL teams that are based in urban areas and I felt that, in a way, Philadelphia doesn’t get the credit. This is Philadelphia’s team. Yes, it’s the region’s team, but we train in Philly, we work in Philly, our stadium is in Philly, they’ve got amazing facilities with Lincoln Financial Field. Why not adopt the city’s colors? That’s how the team started—with the city. It got altered and became a green team, and that’s great and we love it. But, Philadelphia, in a way, has a negative image, sometimes across the country, as a city. Murder capital of the U.S. now, and things like that. So, if they can feel a bond, which I think we all do, with the football team, the most popular sport by far, give that partnership a boost. That was really the genesis of it. It will be a new look, but I think it’s symbolic of partnering with a city and not a suburban stadium type of situation.”

On what accounts for the growth of the brand of the Eagles:

“My attitude of that is, [it happens] if you win. I think all that stuff with branding is great, but it’s based on winning. It’s based on having a great rapport with your fan base, that they know you’re trying hard, year after year, to win. It’s an amazing football city. If you can win, with a great fan base to begin with, and develop that fan base, you’re going to have an amazing brand. We have great people in that organization that develop that. Winning is what produces it.”

On being able to do it without winning a championship:

“[Winning a championship] would even extend it further. I think that our fans really do appreciate all the success that’s happened. They know how committed we are to taking it even one step further. There’s just that appreciation. You go into every season for a long time now, and you really do believe that your team has a very chance good of getting to the NFC Championship game, getting to the Super Bowl, and possibly winning the Super Bowl. With a little bit of luck at the end with health and momentum, that’s where it’s at. I was thinking about this a few days ago. If you’re an owner who approaches a season in August or September, and it’s been so long since we’ve had to do that, where you just hope you’re going to win seven or eight or nine games. That’s the furthest thing from our thought now. For a long time, it’s all about trying to win that elusive Super Bowl, and build it in a way that’s responsible with the community. That’s a great feeling. I don’t look forward to the day someday in the future where we are, like so many others, [saying], ‘well, maybe we’re going to get to the playoffs.’ Hopefully, we’re far past that.”

On whether this team can be better than the 2004 team:

“Yes, I think it can. No question.”

On whether the alumni approach him about the issue of taking care of retired players:

“They haven’t. I hear it more in the national media, but they have not.”

On why he thinks this team can be better than the 2004 team:

“I think we have excellent talent level. I think we probably have better depth than the 2004 team. When you say better, it’s winning one more game, or getting four more points in the final game. That would be the goal. You need health, and you need everybody to play at their potential. We have a great mix of veterans and young players developing. You need the veterans not to descend; you need the young players to ascend. All of that has to come together; that’s the way most good teams are built. We’re right there. There are other teams. If you look at New Orleans, with Drew and [RB] Reggie [Bush], those players are not going to get worse. Those players are going to get much better. Who knows about [Redskins QB] Jason Campbell, [Cowboys QB] Tony Romo, and [Giants QB] Eli [Manning]? If Jason is the next Donovan McNabb, that’s a big threat to us in the division. If Romo is a consistent quarterback, that’s a big threat to us in the division. If Eli is Peyton, that’s a big threat to us. We’ve been very dominant in winning our division. We’ve been dominant in going further and winning in the playoffs, but you’ve got to continue that. It’s not set out there that we’re going to win the NFC East—it’s game by game by game. Andy always says that, and it is. If you don’t play really well most of the games, you’re not going to win your division, you’re not going to get a top seed, you’re not going to get a bye, and it stacks it up against you a little bit.”

On whether he’s more optimistic this year than any previous year:

“I can’t evaluate that. I’m very optimistic, but tell me who’s going to be playing in November, December, and January in terms of our roster. We’ve all been doing this too long. Is Donovan going to be healthy this whole year? Is Westbrook going to be healthy the whole year? Is Jevon going to be healthy the whole year? We have good depth. There are a lot of teams who would love our four quarterbacks. Kelly Holcomb could start for a few teams in this league. When you’re playing in the end, trying to win your division and playing against very good teams, if you do, who is putting the healthiest team on the field? Who is putting the team on the field that the players are ascending and all coming together? I am very optimistic. I love the coaches, the enthusiasm, the players, the dedication. It’s obvious to anyone out there, the hard work and intensity of it all. After that, you just hope for the best.”

On how difficult it is to get over that final hump:

“To me, that’s the single biggest frustration owning a team in a collision sport. You can do all the planning you want, you can assemble the best possible roster, have a great coaching staff and excellent player personnel. I don’t know what would have happened if [RG] Shawn Andrews had played in the second half [of the playoff game against New Orleans], or if we had [CB] Lito [Sheppard] or Donovan or Jevon in that game. It’s out of your control. You have to build the roster carefully with a combination of depth and attention to star players at certain positions. You just try to do your best with that. People ask me if I enjoy owning the team. Yes, I love owning the team. But, the pain of a playoff loss like that just kills you for months and months. It’s really up until the moment training camp begins that I can let go of 2nd-and-1 down in the redzone in New Orleans, or whatever it is. It just sears you. I guess that’s great, because if you can win, that’s so wonderful. It does hurt bad when you don’t win and you really want to.”