Part of life is setting goals. Whether they're short term or long term, you strive to achieve these goals, striving for the ultimate result. We at Bleed Green are proud to share with you one of our "long term goals", that being our first current Eagle player interview. We've interviewed a few well-known people, from the beloved Tommy Lawlor to former Eagles player Carlos Emmons. But no one is as prestigious as a current NFL player, especially those who dawn Eagle green.

A couple weeks ago, we hooked up with Drew Martin, brother of Trevor Laws, who ultimately made this happen.

We want to thank Drew Martin and Trevor Laws for time away from their busy schedule.  We are very grateful.

Without further ado, we give you 1 on 1 with Eagles DT Trevor Laws!

Enjoy!

Continue reading this post »

When Scott Tunstall is not watching the Eagles, or discussing them with his friend Sean during one of their many "tipsy" conversations, he is writing about them.  Inside The Iggles is a blog that displays the latest Eagles news, as well as thoughts and opinions of the Birds according to Mr. Tunstall.  Scott first began bleeding green at the age of 8, and has worshiped them ever since.  Many find his articles to be engrossing, interesting, worth-while, and even a bit humorous.

Already this short week, Scott has bashed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the #1 sports media giant ESPN, so I definitely worded my questions carefully, hoping I didn't make myself his next target.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy as we dive into the mind of Scott Tunstall:

Continue reading this post »

I caught up with training camp expert Mike Lederer again, who this time, reveals his final review of the 2009 training camp.  Read about the "Top 5 Stars of Camp", "Who to watch during Preseason", and plenty more.

Enjoy!

Continue reading this post »

Philadelphia Eagles' fans are well-known for their high level of football intellgence.

Bird fanatic Mike Lederer is no exception.

Lederer is an Eagles fan who has attended nearly every training camp practice to date.  You can find all of his daily reviews on the official Philadelphia Eagles messageboard under the name "Sixerboy3". There, he offers fantastic and detailed insight on the highlights, lowlights, and player performances of the daily practices.  It seems nothing gets by this guy. In fact, if you ask him nicely, he may even be able to tell you what Andy Reid had for lunch each and every camp day. ESPN's John Clayton couldn't even do that.

Alright, enough hyping up the man.

Because I loved his insights so much, I requested that he answer some questions of mine, that I feel most fans would like to know.

Enjoy!

Continue reading this post »

There is less than a week left of this sluggish, mind-numbing part of the NFL off season before the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans can finally focus on football.  Camp Reid will soon launch from Lehigh University, and with it, an optimism that will permeate the Eagle faithful the entire season.

Fans have not seen their Eagles play in nearly six months, but their painful withdrawals from the game that they so passionately love will be quenched by the hot morning sun, and the flurry of a hundred echoing whistles during the waking hours of the long-awaited training camp opening.

Indeed, Eagles football is less than a week away.  This may very well be the longest seven days of your precious life.  To compare this moment to daily life, it is like a 20 year old kid, who is only six days away from his 21st birthday, staring in the fridge at an ice cold Bud Light.  His mouth-watering, and his body fighting the aching urge, he darn well knows that if he can just wait for one more week, he can enjoy a legal gulp.

This whole month, we have read numerous "Training Camp Previews", "Top 10 Training Camp Battles", and even "Position By Position Previews" to stimulate our need for birds 'ball.  I've read so many Training Camp Previews that I see them in my sleep.  It's scary.  However, with less than a week left, we're going to need something new, and something interesting about training camp that will make us want to strap on an Eagles helmet and enter ourselves into Training Camp '09.

Guys, I believe I have something just like that.

We have to look past all of the "Previews", "Battles", and that sports journalism "Drama" that unfolds before the pads are popped.  Not one "expert" will attempt to write about the darker side of the training camp phenomena, but I am ready to take it head-on!

So sit back, relax, and laugh out loud hysterically when you read:

Eagles Training Camp Pranks & Rookie Hazings

Let's do this.

Continue reading this post »

The Philadelphia Eagles have treated their fans very well this decade.  They've been competitive in nearly each of every season, made five appearances in the NFC Championship Game, and even made a trip to the Superbowl. And although we haven't yet hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, or attended the victory parade on Broad Street, the Philadelphia Eagles have given us every reason to be optimistic about our football each and every autumn.

The birds have fielded some fantastic teams, with unbelievable talent.  Throughout the decade, some of our starters, like Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, , Brian Dawkins, and the entire offensive line, may have been the best in the league at some point.

But for every all-star a team possesses, lurks a dud somewhere on the roster. Such as on a high school football team, for every All-State talent on the squad, lurks a nerdy, pimply-faced band geek who made a bad decision.  And although these "failures" attract finger-pointing and laughter, and sometimes want to make us eat ourselves because of their low level of athletic ability and unexcused mental mistakes, you have to admit, they do provide excellent entertainment.  You just have to laugh out hysterically when you see a superior linebacker clothesline a weaker running back, or an athletic quarterback stiff arm, to the ground, a 300 lbs. couch-potato of a defensive lineman. In this game, it happens. And when it does, it's amusing.

In the NFL, the talent gap is more narrow than the gap in high school. However, on every team, you can find two players of different abilities. Take our Eagles for example. We had an amazing talent in Jeremiah Trotter, but low and behold, Matt McCoy and his pile jumping ability was also present.

But we shall not neglect the lesser talented who are "playing" for our favorite team.  Let us rejoice and praise them!

They're not-so-good, but cheer-able!
They won't set the field on fire, but they're entertaining!
They're never in the news, but lovable!

With that said, I present to you...

The Top 5 Not-So-Good (But Lovable) Eagle Players of Recent.

It is time we honor them.

Continue reading this post »

It's July 8th.

The only thing going on in the football world at this time every year is Brett Favre deciding whether or not to play the game again.

Because the Eagles don't need a QB, and because the Eagle faithful could care less about the never-ending Brett Favre "drama", we usually have little to talk about.

I was surfing the web, thinking of ideas for a story, when I got the urge to look up some NFL draft history. (Has that statement ever been said before in the history of the English language?)

Out of curiosity, I decided to browse through the past Philadelphia Eagles drafts. And after a lot of grueling research and analysis, I came up with one conclusion: During Andy Reid's tenure, the Eagles have found a vast amount of "under-the-radar" talent within the 5th round of the draft.  In other words, while the rest of the coaches are taking a snooze during this round, Andy Reid raids the fridge for a midnight snack.

Continue reading this post »

Tommy Lawlor knows football.

When his preschool classmates were learning their ABC's, he was studying his X's and O's.  When they were watching Bambi at home, he was tuning into the Eagles vs. Cowboys.  And when his peers looked up to Scooby Doo as a role model, he looked up to Ron Jaworski. I could go on and on forever, but you get my point.

If you don't already know Tommy Lawlor (or goeagles99 on the official Philadelphia Eagles message board), then allow me to introduce him to you:

Meet Tommy Lawlor

• Writer for Philadelphiaeagles.com
  Click here to view his articles
• Creator of www.scoutsnotebook.com
• Has been trained by an NFL scout in the art of scouting and player evaluation
• Following the Eagles for almost 20 years
• Creator of well known Philadelphia Eagles blog: www.eaglesblitz.blogspot.com
• One heck of a Philadelphia Eagles fan

Tommy is well known and well liked by the Eagle fans that dwell the Philadelphia Eagles message board. He is the "go-to-guy" when it comes to draft questions and Eagles' game reviews.  His evaluations of Eagle games and players are very detailed and engrossing.

Because Tommy Lawlor knows his pigskin, I decided to conduct an interview with the "Eagles' Einstein" to hear his thoughts on various subjects, as well as the up-coming 2009-2010 Philadelphia Eagles season.

Enjoy!

Continue reading this post »

Defensive end Paul Kruger has had some football experiences that he will never forget. Such fond memories include being named a Freshman All-American at Utah, as well as being selected by the Baltimore Ravens as the 57th overall player in the 2nd round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

However, the 2nd round draft selection does have a few football related remembrances in which he truly never wants to re-live again. Take for example...one particular play when his Utah Utes took on the visiting Weber State Wildcats on September 27, 2008.   Before the play, Kruger did his usual thing, aligning his 6'4, 263 lbs on the flank of the defensive line. During the play, the Weber State Tight End, who was aligned on Kruger's inside shade, performed a down block to try to seal the interior defensive lineman. This would leave the 57th overall pick one on one against the Weber State Wildcat Fullback. Kruger hesitated, but that mistake shouldn't matter, right? I mean, he is a future day one pick, and we're talking about a full back from Weber State here!  Wrong.  The Wildcat Fullback clashes with Kruger, turns him around, and forces him to the ground. (You can watch this play here: Scroll to 2:31)

So who was the brute player that put the 2nd rounder on his back?
That talent was Weber State Fullback, and undrafted rookie free agent Marcus Malei.

Marcus Mailei signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in late April.  Fans of the Eagles will come to love Marcus Mailei, as he is a hard-nosed football player who will lay a shoulder into anyone. What is interesting to note about Mailei is that he wasn't used primarily for running while at Weber State, but for receiving, making 58 catches over the past three collegiate seasons. Andy Reid loves a pass catching back as much as he loves Geno's Steaks.

Marcus Mailei will join Eagles' fullbacks Leonard Weaver and Kyle Eckel upon entering training camp.

Continue reading this post »

www.bleedgreenforever.blogspot.com

Eagle fans are the most passionate supporters in the NFL. They are recognized for their high level of football intelligence, famed for their infinite obsession, and branded as the most merciless, most hard nosed enthusiasts of the entire pig skin planet.

What sets them apart from the other fans? I mean, I am certain that there are fans of the other thirty one squads that "bleed" the colors that dawn their team. How are Eagle fans so special?

Experts in the field of "I have nothing else to report/write about, so I will attempt to create a story out of the blue" have been hard at work attempting to solve this puzzling mystery for years.

Here are their main points of Philadelphia's passion:

1. During halftime of the last game of a 2-12 dreadful 1968 season, Eagle fans hurl snowballs at an unwanted, unentertaining Santa Claus.
   
   
2. When the team isn't playing well, the fans hoot, holler, boo, and make public of their disgust. When they are really ticked off, Eagles' fans will boo after every on-field mistake and incompletion.
   

Although these are valid arguments for the NFL's Most Aggressive Fans, they can hardly be a convincing basis for passion.

You can say Eagle Fans boast amazing tail-gate experiences, that the Philadelphia Eagles have the second-highest stadium capacity filling percentage since 1996, and that they have an impressive amount of traveling fans. You can say that they are the loudest, evilest, meanest, most unbearable, and most obnoxious fans on planet earth, but there is one category that truly embodies everything that passion stands for.

That category is superstition.

The Eagle Faithful are very superstitious.  Each individual superstitious Eagle Fan solely believes that his course of actions and pre-game rituals during the week will assist the team into performing well.  This, my fellow Eagle Fans, is passion. 

Most Eagle fans cannot attend the games, and, obviously, all of them are unable to play in them.  Therefore, the only way they can help the team is spiritually, and through the belief of superstition.  Anything to help the team, right?

Eagle fans have the best pre-game rituals, superstitious activities, and other good luck charms.

After doing some research, here are some that I have complied:

Passionate Eagle Fan #1:
"I wear my white Dawk jersey with a spaghetti stain on it. I got the stain during the Cowboy game [2007, Week 15 matchup], and refuse to treat it until after the season.  I am also eating 20 Asian style hot wings every Sunday, with the first wing being consumed during the opening kickoff."

Now tell me if a Lions fan wouldn't wash a spaghetti-stained jersey.

Passionate Eagle Fan #2:
"I've actually worn my black McNabb jersey, with a green Eagles sweatshirt under it, every game since the Carolina game [2006, Week 13 matchup]. During Christmas, I bought a Dawkins jersey and I want to wear it for a game but I can't mess with the streak now."

Not wearing a Christmas gift because he believes he is helping out his team is just downright heroic.

Passionate Eagle Fan #3:
"Haven't gotten a haircut.  Don't intend to as long as the Eagles are winning. If they win the next 2 games, I'll have a mini fro by the time they get to the Superbowl."

Growing a 'fro for a team that hasn't a clue that you even exist. That is what I call passion.

Passionate Eagle Fan #4:
"The night before [a game] I have to sleep with my Eagles blanket, right side up. During the game, I set my phone ringer to the "FLY EAGLES FLY" song and have a player background. Also, whatever I drink is in my Eagle punder glass. I've wore the same Eric Allen throwback every game I've watched.

Now if the Birds are playing badly, I have to change the channel two up, then back two down back to the game.

My wife thinks I'm nuts.....but I'll never quit."

Wow.

Any human being with a brain knows that superstition doesn't actually exist, or help the team win in any way at all.  However, this is truly a time when "its the thought that counts." (By the way, I would hate when my parents would say that after receiving a useless gift, and you know you did, too.)  These are ordinary fans who have a passion for their team, and want to help them win in anyway they can.

Because we at Bleed Green know for a fact that Eagle Fans are the most passionate fans to walk the earth, we would like to hear more superstition stories from you.  We believe the superstitions that have not been shared can out-do the ones that have been shared.  Inform us of a time during an NFL season in which your "rituals" actually worked.  Big or small, we would love to read them. After all, we all have had superstitious thoughts throughout our entire life.  Take me for example:  I now wear my shorts on backwards when I write, because the last time I did that I received 9 comments. But, I'll save that story for another day.

So, have you grown an unbelievably insane mullet? Have you worn the same underwear everyday until the birds lost? Or have you ate thirty-six chicken wings before a game to ensure that Westbrook has a great day?
Email: alec82@gmail.com or cjben0511@aol.com to share them with us. You may also comment below.

Your stories may get published in a future "Why Eagle fans are the most passionate" type article.

Well, I am done for now. The article is finished. I'm going to go grab a lemonade, and turn my shorts around.

--