Alright everyone.  I am sure bye week boredom is setting in for all of us simultaneously.  Missing the anticipation of an Eagles game this weekend is really just completely throwing off my week.  With the loads of negativity we have seen on BGN this season, I thought it would be fun to get some positive vibes going.  Yeah we have problems, yeah there are a ton of questions, but what do we have that you are currently thankful for?  Who are your favorite Eagles?  This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with production, it can be whatever makes you root for a player.  I'll go first, but my goal in all of this is to try to identify BGN's favorite Eagle.  So in the comments section list your top 5 with a short explanation, and don't forget to take the poll.  Also, feel free to add in some 'honorable mentions', I know there are a lot of fringe favorites on this roster.

My top 5 after the jump.

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I wanted to post this and HIGHLY recommend that everyone check out this article.  I thought this thing deserved better than a fanshot.  Part of what makes this organization great is the players the FO allows into the locker room.  I don't think there is a single NFL fan that would question the man's skills, but this article tells me why our FO went out of their way to bring him in.  There are a lot of great players in this league, but this just proves what a great man we have signed.  This is a very very impressive dude.  Makes T.O. look like Satan . . . I kid, I kid.  Well, kinda.

The Man

If I'm not mistaken, Juan Castillo has been with Reid and JJ since the beginning.  My theory goes a little something like this . . .

When Reid fired McDermott, Juan Castillo mentioned to Reid that he (JC) could handle the defensive coordinator gig.  Reid intrigued by the prospect, puts it on the backburner, largely for two reasons:

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Hey all . . . we need ONE more willing BGNer to join our league.  Right now we are sitting at 11 people, and I am trying to get to 12.  This is a FREE league, with nothing on the line except BGN bragging rights.  Give your rants and fanposts that extra little bit of credibility!

If you want in . . . please post your email address.  When joining, please use your BGN handle as your teamname.  Draft Wednesday 9/8 @ 9PM.  If you cannot make the draft, you can always autorank, or pimp out one of your friends to draft Mike Bell in the third round.

League Format:

I added 1 flex spot in addition to the standard format.

Modest bonuses for 300 or 400 yards passing, 100 or 200 yards rushing and receiving.

6 playoff teams, weeks 14-15-16, seeding determined by overall standings (aka not divisions).  In other words, divisions will decide the 6 playoff teams, but the seeding will be determined by overall standings.

7 Bench spots.

Everything else standard.

I am flexible on changing things.

Come on in!

I am going to start a fantasy football league for BGNers.  The league will use standard rules, online draft will be held sometime in the coming week.  I know there was some talk of a CBS league led by Jason, but some people voiced their opinion that they wanted a free option.  I would really like to do 12 teams of BGNers seperated into two divisions.

So if you want in, please comment with a range of draft times you can do an online draft.

UPDATE:  If you want in . . . please post your email address.  When joining, please use your BGN handle as your teamname.  I have sent 7 invites, three people have joined.  There are still 4 spots open.  Draft Wednesday 9/8 @ 9PM. 

Okay, we are one week in to the preseason schedule . . . camp at Lehigh has broke . . . and I have your top 4 nominees here.  Find out who the horses are, after the jump . . .

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And the award for most ridiculous "reporting" on Philadelphia Eagles football goes to . . . Dennis Bakay.

Seriously, this is the most inane ridiculous BS I have ever read by a 'reporter'.  It really disturbs me when I see this level of stupidity coming from someone who is seemingly a professional . . . But just wanted to post it here and see what BGN thought.  

Philadelphia Eagles spit in DeSean Jackson's face with Avant signing

Once again, the Philadelphia Eagles are having a horrid start to the offseason.  In fact, this might be their worst offseason since 2005 just after losing the Super Bowl. Besides deactivating Terrell Owensin November, their biggest transaction was signing backup quarterback Mike McMahon.

Yesterday they continued their antics by virtually spitting in DeSean Jackson's face. How you ask? By signing Jason Avant to a contract extension!

The message this basically sends to the fans and Jackson is that the Eagles are more concerned with locking up their middle-of-the-road players like Weaver and Avant on the cheap.  Why bother trying to lock up Jackson for a long-term deal when they might have to fork over $20 million in a bonus?

It's almost laughable how the Eagles have become a comedy of errors in Philadelphia.  They have the national media in their pocket so they think anybody critical of the organization is just a negative fan.  I'm certain to get hate mail over this article, but I'm more concerned with telling you like it is then telling you want you want to hear (i.e. national media types and Banner-Reid loyalists).

Let's make one thing clear here.  If Jackson doesn't get a contract extension he will hold out of camp and perhaps sit out the season.  The Howard Eskins of the world will tell you that ultimately the organization has the upperhand, but at what point do you have to stick to your principles at the risk of turning away your top tier talent?

Even if Jackson holds out and comes back, he'll be disgruntled.  And, let's take it further.  He may just decide to go sign somewhere else, with a team more committed to winning a championship.

Because face it, what have the Eagles done in the past two years to really try and get over the hump?

They are light years away from the likes of the Saints and Colts.  And, their mediocre defense has more holes than a block of swiss cheese.

However, don't expect things to get out of hand like they did with Owens, despite Drew Rosenhausrepresenting Jackson.

From Spuds . . .

After a schedule filled with various conversations with many teams, the Eagles landed a linebacker to help a group in immediate need, and one who has a working knowledge of the complicated scheme that Sean McDermott runs. The team acquired veteran Will Witherspoon from the Rams in exchange for rookie wide receiver Brandon Gibson and a fifth-round draft pick in 2010.

With Stewart Bradley out for the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the Eagles have had trouble replacing their best defensive player. Bradley's ability to play well on all three downs has been missed terribly, and the combination of Omar Gaither, Joe Mays and Jeremiah Trotter has been sometimes good, sometimes lacking.

In Witherspoon, the Eagles get a player in his eighth NFL season who has played both the weakside and the middle linebacker positions. Witherspoon was originally a third-round draft pick by Carolina in 2002, and then signed a monster free-agent deal with St. Louis in 2006. He led St. Louis in tackles in 2006 and 2007 and finished third on the team in tackles in 2008.

Through six games this season, Witherspoon is third on the team 36 tackles as a starter from his weakside linebacker position.

How he fits in here remains to be seen. Witherspoon doesn't have ideal size, at 6 feet 1, 239 pounds, to man the middle against the rugged running games the Eagles will face in the weeks ahead. Certainly, there is concern with Omar Gaither's foot sprain and how long that will keep him out of action. Witherspoon should help immediately in coverage because he can still run and he can go sideline to sideline. The Eagles' linebackers have had trouble all year in coverage, and Witherspoon, signed through the 2011 season, is an instant upgrade.

But how long will Gaither be out? Is his injury significant? Can Jeremiah Trotter ramp up his game and help the team against the run and not be a liability in the passing game?

Questions, questions. The Eagles really miss Bradley, as they knew they would. They need a collective effort to improve the defense, particularly as the schedule heats up beginning Monday night against Washington, the first of three straight NFC East games.

Witherspoon has game, whether he comes in as a WILL or as a MIKE linebacker. He is going to help this defense. Witherspoon has missed only two games in his entire career, and he is a smart veteran who should quickly pick up the defensive system. 

Trading Gibson is tough, but the Eagles have a slew of receivers here and are going to develop DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin for years and years to come. Gibson played well in the preseason and earned a roster spot, but his chances of advancing in this rotation seemed slim unless another player in front of him was moved.

In the end, the rebuilding Rams wanted the younger Gibson over an older veteran. The Eagles are well-stocked in the draft for 2010, and they always find a way to acquire more picks between now and late April.

Looking for help at a position that has had some major talent taken away with injuries, the Eagles helped themselves at the trade deadline on Tuesday. How quickly Witherspoon can fit in and where he fits in is the key here. He can play. He helps. And the Eagles certainly need it after losing Bradley in the summer and Gaither for however long to a foot injury in Sunday's loss at Oakland.