Eye on the Eagles

So there I was, standing behind the video camera, and then Andy Reid says this:

"Westbrook I let go for personal reasons, and it's not due to injury."

A few seconds later there was this exchange between a reporter (I forget who) and Reid:

Reporter: Did Westbrook go, leave Lehigh?

Reid: Yes.

Reporter: Will he be back?

Reid: No.

Big pause.

As an old friend of mine likes to say, guh-wha? Here I was getting ready to do a video about a very good day for Donovan McNabb (though let it be said that none of the sideline cameras filmed his 60-yard touchdown bomb to Kevin Curtis), and Reid decides to take matters into his own hands.

So Westbrook was the first thing I asked Inquirer Eagles beat writer Bob Brookover about in today's video report. I also asked about McNabb and the latest news on Shawn Andrews' ankle injury.

Oh, and it was really hot out. If not for the breeze, I might have lost enough weight in sweat to make up for dinner at Waffle House last night. The TV cameras put a thermometer on the ground and you can see below what it registered.

The quote of the day, though, goes to the fan who called out the TV cameramen for the lack of journalistic value in filming a thermometer that may or may not have been fixed for theatrical purposes. One of the cameramen replied that they weren't going to let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Again, that's the TV cameramen. Not yours truly.

I didn't do anything until they moved away.

Click on the photo below to watch today's video.

Credit Zach with a hustle play this afternoon, reporting on L.J. Smith's injury and then updating the story with news of Brian Westbrook's return to camp.

Being the old-school reporters that we are, Zach actually called me earlier today with the Westbrook news so I could get it up in a hurry. Which I didn't do because I was still cutting video, but it's the thought that counts, right? Even if the phones were cell phone and mine's a BlackBerry?

Hey, we try.

Anyway, today I present you with not one but TWO videos. First up, Rich Hofmann discusses the impact of Smith's injury and the other injured Eagles, including Tony Hunt; then he responds to Donovan McNabb's statement that he'd "love to play" in the pre-season opener at Baltimore on Monday night.

The second video is a Philly.com exclusive: a one-on-one interview with legendary Eagles radio broadcaster Merrill Reese. Believe it or not, I had never met Reese before today. In addition to having a great voice, he's a really nice guy.

We really are spoiled around here with our broadcasters, aren't we? We have Merrill Reese, Harry Kalas and Dan Baker (who does Drexel basketball in addition to his public address work), as well as Scott Graham, who does college hoops on TV. Now if only we could get Big Al Meltzer back behind the mic...

Anyway, you care about football. So click on the left photo to watch Rich Hofmann and Donovan McNabb, and on the right photo to watch Merrill Reese.

So I'm back in Philadelphia now, and I've just finished putting together the last video report from Lehigh. This morning, Andy Reid announced who will and won't play at Baltimore tomorrow night, and I talked with the Inquirer's Bob Brookover about his reflections on this year's time at Lehigh.

Click on the photo below to watch.