It didn’t take long for newly-signed nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga to make his presence in Philadelphia known.
During his introductory news conference on Wednesday, Sopoaga made a bold statement, promising Philadelphia that the Eagles will return prominence in the NFL soon.
“We are here to hunt. We are here to win,” Sopoaga said. “I believe and I promise that we’re going to shock the world.”
On one hand, Sopoaga’s words might be enough to make a number of Eagles fans groan. It’s only March, and already the team has a player talking about the team achieving high levels of success for the third year in a row. Two years ago we had Vince Young infamously dub the 2011 Eagles “The Dream Team”, and just last season we had Michael Vick spewing delusional nonsense that 2012 would be the start of a dynasty. And now we have Isaac Sopoaga, immediately declaring that the team that finished 4-12 a year ago is going to enjoy a complete and immediate reversal of fortune, and become a winning team again.
One of the problems here is that Sopoaga isn’t an elite player, and can only command so much respect in the role he’s going to play for this team. His winning attitude and leadership could be a great asset for this team, but he’s going to need help from some other veterans. Another issue I have is that it’s too early for any player to make a statement like that about a team like the Eagles. Not only is the Eagles roster still in the early stages of construction, but so are the rest of the teams in the NFL. Right now the Eagles have made only marginal improvements, at best, to the roster that won only four games in 2012. It’s a little ridiculous to say that right now, the Eagles are going to surprise anyone. Any player or analyst hoping to make such a statement should at least wait and see how the team looks when they get to Training Camp.
However, on the bright side, I don’t think Sopoaga’s statement is nearly as bad as Vince Young’s absurd “Dream Team” or Michael Vick’s laughable dynasty quotes. Sopoaga’s words didn’t strike me as a product of arrogance and delusion, but rather they were words from a veteran who has enjoyed significant success on a winning team over the last couple of seasons. Hopefully, this is an example of a guy who is simply bringing a winning attitude to the table, and the way he carries himself in the locker room will help inspire other players to fight and not accept losing as they’ve done in the past.
But even so, the bold predictions from Young, Vick, and others have left a very bad taste in my mouth that still lingers to this day. After listening to a lot of different players on this team talk big games and fail to deliver on empty promises about how good they are, or how they’re only a couple of adjustments away, I would have preferred that we didn’t get any guarantees of any kind from anyone wearing midnight green until the time comes when they actually accomplish something on the field.
Denny Basens is the editor of GCobb.com. Email him at dbasens@ycp.edu
Wes Welker to the Broncos. Great addition
for 2 Years and $12 Million.. add him in the slot with WR’s Danarius Thomas, Eric Decker and TE Jacob Tamme .. looks like the Broncos will be the favorites in the AFC to compete with the Colts, Chiefs, Dolphins, Bengals & Titans during the Playoffs as perennial Playoff Teams like the Pats,Steelers, Ravens and Texans all take a Step Back in 2013
The Texans made the playoffs for the 2nd time last season . They are not a “perennial ” playoff team paulman. Give me a break , and you think you can do a better job at running a professional football franchise ?
I like the signing. He’s Samoan and they are tough and mean. And i know this because i live in Oceanside and we have a ton of Samoans living here. He will bring a nasty streak to this D
What was he supposed to say? I came here to get paid and we’re going to suck. They aren’t off to a great free agent start but hey it’s early.
I would have rather that he just said something like “I’m excited about the vision this team has, and I look forward to helping this team win again.” Something along those lines would have been fine…like I said, “Shock the world” isn’t nearly as bad as “Dream Team” or “Dynasty!”, but I don’t want to hear anyone from this team talk until they prove that they’ve actually improved, or are at least headed in a positive direction.
AMEN DENNY!!!!!!
Yep just keep quiet and suck and nobody will notice, come on Denny be real nobody is talking Super Bowl obviously he’s excited and likes what he’s heard. I guess Chip Kelly should shut up too after all he said if they don’t have that attitude then they don’t want them here. So again how is anything wrong with what he said? We read too much into what these guys say and it’s only March geez.
Again, to make any guarantee regarding this team’s success is in really bad taste after the last two seasons. The failures of the 2011 and 2012 were made even worse with the Dream Team and dynasty quotes floating over those teams…the words of Young and Vick were just salt in the wound that made this team a laughing stock.
After the last couple of guarantees have gone horribly wrong, hearing anyone on this team still come out and chirp about how good they’re going to be is just nauseating.
There’s nothing wrong with a guy being excited over a new team, but for him to come out and declare that the Eagles will “shock the world” before the roster is complete, before the team even gone through an OTA, before he’s even met most of his teammates…that’s why it’s over the line to me and why I have an issue with it.
Just for one year, I want this team to shut up and let their play do the talking.
To you it might be nauseating Denny, I don’t put much stock into anything these guys say especially in March. Everybody wants vocal leaders in the locker room maybe this guy will be one of them.
Yeah exactly, the optimistic side of what he said is that hopefully this is a case of a 10-year veteran that has been on a winning team that can help change the attitude of the locker room(I even mentioned that in the article)…as I much as I’d rather not have had him come out and say what he did, I do acknowledge that there’s a positive side to what he said.
Hopefully that’s what the case is.
Sopoaga optimism is based on the coach and the possible game plan, utilization of players… This is quite different than “Dream Team/Dynasty”, he’s not boasting about how talented players are …To me his comment is more about “hunger” than anything else.
After Sopoaga said “shock the world” he immediately followed with the following…
“I believe that coach Kelly has a big solid book out there for us. We’re willing, and we’re willing and anxious to taste it, to show it, and to show it in action”
The addition of TE/FB Casey, was a good pick up, because he is a good fit to what Kelly wants to do….Casey was not signed based on how many balls he catches, he was signed because of his versatility (catch, run, block) which makes him a good fit. Especially if you think about the Eagles running more of a split back or a T formation set…I like this signing.
The signing of Chung, I am not ready to make a decision on as of yet…A lot of the lack of production is Chung’s injuries…if he can stay healthy he will be an upgrade over the current safeties…Also depending on who the CB’s are, will help…The less he it utilized to cover a WR the better, not that he can’t do it….but try to keep him playing to his strength where he can be a “go getter” (he’s a solid blitzer, blitz him) when’s the last time you remember a safety blitz from our squad, with Chung, we’re gonna see a few…I definitely don’t recall an effective safety blitz in years….That skill set alone gives us something we haven’t had at the safety position… Chung could be a very good pick up. But we could still use another safety, won’t hurt.
The Phillips pickup…not much to say…except his familiarity with the 3-4 is beneficial. From what I’ve read, he is a solid special teams player…Jordan was a solid special teams player for the Eagles…with him being a FA, this signing could mean, he won’t be back…
Fletcher signing…not better than DRC or Nnamdi…Eagles need to look at another CB (Cary Williams, Keenan Lewis) I dont see Revis happening Deangelo Hall is available?? although I have reservations, I’ve seen him get lit up a few times….. or scoop up a top rated CB in the draft…Xavier Rhodes, please!
zone read option is typically a one back set but the TE position is very important i agree with that.
no doubt…zone read option is a one back set, normally…
But I am expecting to see many different types of formations with Kelly, not just zone read….more split back with McCoy/Brown possibly even see a T formation from time to time with a Casey in the backfield…The possibilities could be endless…why I think Casey is a good pick up.
i guess that is why gcobb is blowing up this off season- no one has any idea of what truly to expect- i originally thought a patriot type of offense (casey, foles certainly fits) then i thought straight zone read (vick, dixon etc)now i’m wondering if its not going to be a hybrid or even a combination 2 qb thing (which i don’t like)
point is people who say the off season is a disaster are just sscared people because we truly don’t know!
Eagles have been anything but shocking this entire offseason. So what Nnmandi didnt work out no one is faulting them for going after Nnmandi everyone in the entire city was pumped that they added so many pieces 2 years ago. It just didnt work out. That doesnt mean you should stop trying to add talent to a team of players that have no bussiness playing in the NFL.
Pats should call Greg Jennings ASAP. Julian Elderman showed promise last season so you add Greg Jennings, Elderman and you get Gronk and Hernandez back then the Pats should be fine.
Please, the Eagles should call Greg Jennings…….
Don’t count out the Vikings, Chiefs, Titans for Greg Jennings
And he may actually remain in Green Bay even though he Pulitzer his home up for Sale 6 Weeks ago..
Honestly Danny I don’t think the players care what you think.
Denny
Haha that’s not exactly a big revelation right there…I would be the first to agree with you.
This comment is only annoying because of the ones made by Vick and VY. Good to see a player on the roster with some actual passion though.
Every Eagles fan out there was jumping for joy when the Eagles shocked the nation with the Asmo signing. But your right EaglesSuck (by the way dude i hate that name) they shouldn’t stop or be afraid to sign big time free agents just because Asmo “the politician” didn’t workout. And I’m not saying go out and sign every big time free agent, but definitely target that particular player and get the deal done. I have a feeling something big is going to happen soon. An impact player is on the horizon..
DMAN- i wish but im not seeing it. A big trade? Who? Not revis… then who? We need 2 corners and 2 S’s. I dont want to hear anyone say we have any of that right now. We need a nose tackle… we got one. Sweet. Now lets keep going.
I was not DMAN and wanted nothing to do with Asmo, VY & Ronnie Brown
And stated so for the record, it’s all water under the bridge in 2013 and I like the Players they have signed so far (except for Chung) but I know Chip Kelly knows him well from Oregon days so I will give home benefit of the doubt
i believe the word you used with the asmo signing was ‘estatic’ or maybe it was ‘elated’ either way it proves you a fraud because they are synonyms!
Danny Amendola with the Patriots…
What does that tell you?
Its tells us that The Patriots lost a terrific WR in the Slot Wes Welker
and what do they do? They replaced him in a couple of hours. WOW.
Seahawks added Percy Harvin and Clifff Avril. So I guess by them adding those two will doom the franchise right? So adding Harvin will hurt the teams offense? adding Avril is going to make an already good defense worse?
But they are a player or two away from the Super Bowl. That’s what the birds thought when they spent in 11.
But Frank why is the perception is you have to build through the draft to win? thats not completely true. For the Ravens Anquan Boldin was not built from the draft. Bernard Pollard was not from the draft Jacoby Jones was not through the draft but without those players the Ravens would not be your Superbowl champs.
The Dolphins are having a terrific off season by adding Wheeler and Wallace and they still have 5 draft picks in the first 3 rounds. Why not have your cake and eat it too.
Dolphins still have 5 draft picks in the first 3 rounds
All the teams that win on a consistent basis do build through the draft and add a stud in FA along the way. Not saying it can’t be done, but look at the teams that have done this in the past. Cowboys, skins, birds. They have no continuity through the year.
Time will tell with the dolphins, don’t forget all the analyst were calling the eagles the favorite for te Super Bowl in 11 & 12
You guys cant tell me that by The Eagles not adding some of these key names in free agency would make them worse off. It may not work out but at least you can say that you put yourself in the best position to win. This team has not done that thus far.
what gives anybody the idea that even by adding a big name they can win next year! they have a lot of holes this is a rebuild not a retool!
Sopoaga 3.75 million this year
Chung 3 million this year
both over paid — no wonder why they jumped on the plane to collect that payday
Howie taken advantage by 2 more agents in negotiations
You do realize that Tom Gamble has a lot of say in all these moves right? Should we fire Gamble for not getting the big names you guys want?
Kelly & Gamble are new, they deserve a fair chance to prove themselves.
Lurie and Howie don’t
eagles…they don’t deserve anything..this organization have done nothing of late that translate to us trusting or giving them a chance.
you don’t raise ticket prices after an atrocious product last season the expect trust….ok?
We’ll see when it happens until then the fan base stands pessimistic not optimistic.
Agree completely songs, and anyone who feels differently is just a lap dog, ball licker, how long have we been fighting amongst ourselves , because of losing, the eagles get no benefit of the doubt, none
so how did we improve the worse secondary in the NFL again?
Chung was toast before getting benched and is the equivalent of nate “ass” allen.
Does anybody have any scoop on the other DT from the 49ers who came in to visit today?
andrew, he left without a contract. He’s visiting the Colts. So don’t expect him back!
OT Jake Long to the Rams pending Physical
LB M Fokou to Titans
RB Shon Green to the Titans
QB Drew Stanton to Cardibals
CB Deayton Florence to the Panthers
LB Stewart Bradkey to Broncos
TE Dustin Kelker meeting with Dolphins
Understand that he just came from a 49ers team that he saw go from worst to first in a season and Tom Gamble, the guy that probably recruited him for the 49ers is with the Eagles and Chip Kelly’s name still has a bit of fire in it considering how many teams were wanting him and how many years multiple teams have been hot after him.
Breaking news, DRC was just signed by the Broncos
Shut out ability. LOL
funny, a future classic Chip Kelly quote,
thanks for reminding me how funny it is
e0, this entire off-season, has been a joke!!!!
Questions, how much cap do they have left, and how much do they HAVE to spend? Doesn’t seem right to me. Something bigger has to be in the works if they had more than 40 million and have to spend like what 90% of it?
pre Free Agency 43 Million
since
James Casey 4.8 million
Isaac Sopoaga 3.75 million
Patrick Chung 3 million
Bradley Fletcher ?
John Phillips ?
might be able to squeeze in a couple more players this year
snipet from Lurie’s Voluminous Notes
Howie’s first trade as GM ( #13 pick to NE for #24,70,87)
#13 DE Brandon Graham
for #24 WR Dez Bryant, #70 TE Ed Dickson, #87 WR Eric Decker
GONNA SHOCK THE WORLD! Yeah, with how much they’re going to suck!!!
i’m going to have a field day with that qoute this season is this guy is having his ass given to him in this rugged NFC East. You’re not in Rainbow land buddy!
With every loss I’LL respond with……YOU SHOCKED THE WORLD!!!!!
LOOOL!
You guys are trolls. Why do you even bother rooting for the Eagles? Do your homework on some of these guys. They’ve essentially upgraded four positions. I don’t like very move either, especially bringing god awful Vick back who will just give the ball to other team, but give it a chance. Reid isn’t here anymore which your assholes are obviously still hurting from his time here.
I’m far from a troll @$$clown! I’m a realist, not an apologist! I know everything about every FA signing & did my homework!
Chung- mediocre safety. can tackle; Can’t run or cover well; Lost his starting job.
Fletcher- 2 ACL tears; Slow; can tackle; Lost his starting job to a rookie.
Sopoaga- 32 years old; NT who is weak against the run (scouting report, not my opinion); space eater; 2 down player.
Phillips- ST’s only; NO SHOT as a starter.
Casey- I don’t mind, not bad; Not a dire need; Luxury signing.
Upgrades????? Yeah from complete mutts, to mediocre backups & ????’s OK, try again!
Eagles should still have Approx $15-$17 Million of Cap Space Available
Which can be another 3-4 Signings or so..
Wow, a player comes in with a positive attitude, talking about hunting and Shocking the World and that’s Negative??? Hell, we need 21 more players coming in to hunt and shock the world. I want players with some fire, and some attitude…
chuck…..what will be positive when the Eagles are 2-6 at the halfway mark?
Will you be surprised if we’re talking about how pathetic the safeties are, along with mentioning the countless chances they had in the offseason to get ballers?
I won’t.
There’s no team in the NFL needed the best Safety on the market than the Eagles. Even the Bucs recognized the need and committed to the best on the market.
How can the Eagles rationalize not addressing the Safety position with a pro bowl caliber Safety?
So come on guy……We’re the same guys who hate them for letting Dawk walk and then passed on his replacement in Earl Thomas while guys like you claimed Nate Allen was the answer.
We were right and we’re still right and until this pathetic ass organization get with the program we’ll continue the downward spiral into obscurity.
its a rebuilding year if they are 2-6 at the halfway point i’d say i expect that!
we are not the same guys who let dawk walk away and passed on earl thomas… one of those guys is in cleveland and one in KC–
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06:53 AM ET 04.25 | Howie Roseman is on the clock now. The new Philadelphia Eagles general manager, just 34 years old, is officially on the hook for the success of the team now that he has led the front office through the NFL Draft. Roseman pushed Eagles coach Andy Reid hard to draft Brandon Graham in the first round, and Philadelphia moved up a dozen picks to do just that. It was an expected draft spot for Graham, but an unexpected destination. The common wisdom said Philadelphia would draft a safety in the first round, probably moving up to do so. Even Graham was surprised, as his only interaction with the team was a brief meeting at the NFL Combine. So does Roseman know what he’s doing? Time will tell now.
Philadelphia Inquirer 2010
still apples and oranges- ‘he pushed AR’ ok maybe so but AR set the tone of what he wanted and where he wanted it.
I used to have a close contact in the eagles war room, he has recently gone to KC that stated ‘what AR wanted AR got’–
cigar…who pushed Andy Reid to trade up and pick Graham again?
Was that pick better than Earl Thomas?
Graham has started to come into his own. He could very well prove that it was the right pick. I wanted Earl Thomas too but hindsight is 20/20.
no it was not…absolutely not! howie roseman is the first GM EVER to have a 1st round pick go bad.
i’m telling you what i know from very reliable source- nothing happened personnel wise that AR wasn’t on board with… so the inquirer or you can say whatever-
as of now they are 0-0 and its a rebuilding year… if they are 4-12 or something i’m ok with it…
cigar ..of course you’re ok with it…..when they’s losing for the next 5-10 years I’m sure you’ll be ok with that too.
5-10 years? Really Songs?
of course not-that is an idiotic statement- i know you have to crack an egg to make an omlet- their roster is terrible- bad drafts and over rated FA’s have decimated it… i give them a year to right the ship
At the end of the day, we can pick up every big time FA and draft the best players; it won’t matter until we find a real franchise QB,
btc…no one asking for them to pick up every big time FA….what was wrong with picking up 1 at a position that have been pathetic since Dawk was dissed?
See, this is what you losers do…..
When we talk about them a clear weakness you guys turn the conversation to fans asking to sign every high priced free agent.
Everyone here know that’s not realistic ..ok?
But there is no excuse not to have signed one of the better high priced safeties when there was an influx of good ones on the market.
Last year we were told the safe tie position in free agency was weak….now what is the excuse when there’s a strong crop and the Eagles have more money under the cap than any other team?
The Eagles have wasted money on Chung…..he’s not worth what the Eagles gave him and that money could have went into the amount it would have taken to get a real pro bowl type safety.
so, don’t shift this to fans wanting every high priced free agent.
Why even wait for free agency only to see them sign 4 guys who are nothing special.
this roster is ass!
ridiculous songs as per usual. getting a 31 year old superstar does nothing for them at this point.
cigar?
So, Chung does something for them?
And don’t give me the talk he’s an upgrade from what’s here…hell anyone would be an upgrade from the ass clowns who were fielded last season at safety.
They think they can sell the fan base Chung who was benched last year because he was toast and out of position big play after big play?
We are smarter than that…..He was a cheap option who played under Chip Kelly.
He’s no where near the 31 year old player’s level you’re speaking of here.
I don’t care how old a player is…..I would rather have a 31 year old baller than a young bum.
.how about you?
no need for a 31 year old baller on a team that isn’t built to win. they could have made a huge splash for lets say ed reed (i think he’s older than than 31) and paid a lot of money and he may have a year or two left but they would still suck and in a year or two when hopefully they are good he will be done. like all the people that want revis– is he a great player absolutely, would he help absolutely but they need young players who can hopefully become impact players– and who can build as they develop some of their own impact players.
i’mm 100% with songs on this. They needed 2 Cb’s, 2 S’s more than any other spot on this D. More than NT. there was a bunch of them. and we landed the bottom of the FA market.
Dont get me wrong…. i like the pickups we have… i do. But this was a chance to address GLARING GLARING needs and to date they have not.
you all are also forgetting that for a free agent to sign….it has to be a 2 way street, just because you want him doesn’t mean he will sign…it takes two to tango!
you are forgetting how much money we had/have starting FA.
you are forgetting the words that were spoken about Goldson at 4pm…..”Eagles not interested”.
and of course maybe he left out the first part when he could have said “to come to this rebuilding team you are going to have to pay me $1 mill more than a team i think has a better shot at winning”…everybody puts a spin on things, only true idiots believe 1 word a coach or player says… especially in negotiations.
cigar..don’t understand
Didn’t Lurie and Roseman tell us that FA’s love coming to Philadelphia last year?
What changed in such a short time?
wow i guess its true what they say you ain’t to bright my man…what changed?….lets see when that was said they had a winning record like 8 out of the last 10 years, a player friendly established coach and a nucleus that was thought by A LOT of people to be on the cusp of being a title contender– thats whats changed- wow you are dense
and they should have done it cigar. How many people have the eagles used to try and replace dawk? (who btw….i was ok with leaving. I was wrong… sorry).. again…. how many people? And did they pay any of them? No… they outsmarted themselves over and over again. draft picks… mid level talent…. no stars. And they’ve needed one. Sometimes…. you need to overpay.
well what i say is i spend an hour a day, maybe two reading what i can on the internet. they make their living 24/7 trying to develop a team- i’m not talking about the old regime anymore- should they have replaced dawk– duh yeah no doubt- did they– no they didn’t — what did they get? a shitty team and fired– lets see what their plan is. replacing dawk is like saying they never found an adequate replacement for bergey…
oh and songs… those two are management people of course they would say that… man you don’t get it.. i guess its my fault because i said don’t believe a coach or player says in negotiations… my bad i should have included management… i implied it and figured readers would infer the statement to mean management as well.
so you just go on and keep believing what anyone connected to pro sports tells the media..
Oh and to all you guys who want to jump into the big name FA market I just read of a huge competition between the 49ers and the saints for a very high profile FA…. maybe we should join them, make a splash, get excited about football around here, these clowns should really jump in because they need CB help– thats right a bidding war for …..hold on….wait…. i’m sure the eagles brass is too stupid to bid on this former all-pro… they are (^$%&*^(%$$ clowns, they want to keep the roster ass– thats right this bidding is for Namdi
Reed is all we need to be a captain in our backfield. He has 2 good years left in him. Lets also go after the “honey badger as our primary kick returner/ cb help.
It’s CB Keenan Lewis that both the Saints/49ers want..
Also rumored that Ed Reed is on the Radar also as is Charles Woodson to both Teams.. Reed is from Louisiana and wants to play close to home if he can’t get a decent Deal from Ravens and Woodson wants a SUper Bowl which is why he will play for less $$ for the 49ers or Saints
(These Players have no Interest in Philly or any other rebuilding Franchise)
namdi is a big name… thats what these guys want– give the fans what they want–
as for reed why in the world would they sign him? lets say he has two good years left– he will be gone by the time they are good.