Last night, Howard Eskin called into Glen Macnow's show on WIP and as he so often does, spoke for the organization and shot down the Lito Sheppard rumor.
Yesterday evening John Clayton broke a supposed "story" on ESPN and stated that the Eagles granted Lito Sheppard permission to seek a trade.
Primarily this is in large part due to his contract, which calls for a number of under $3 million this season. Lito Sheppard is still signed to a long-term deal he signed in the 2004 season, which is a bargain despite Sheppard's injury woes (because he is a great corner when healthy).
Ike Reese made some good points last night about the contract I like to call a "Joe Banner Special."
Banner locks up these young players in their second or third seasons to long-term deals and gives them decent upfront money. To players like Trent Cole who are still on their rookie deals, $9 million upfront is a lot of money, especially considering a player like Cole was picked in the 5th round and didn't get a lot of money on his rookie deal.
Then as time goes on other players in the league get big time deals and Cole is underpaid.
I agree with Ike in that it's a smart business move, but in the end it just pisses players off and especially now when the cap is out of site like it is. Free agency as we know it is dead.
We'll be lucky to see the Eagles "hopefully" overpay for Asante Samuel. I'd love for them to get Oakland's stud corner Nnamdi Asomogha via free agency, but I can't see how they can not franchise him.
And, the Joe Banner Special is going to become a thing of the past now that the Eagles will no longer have to worry about not signing their free agents.
The cap is once again going up this year, $7 million to be exact, and it will be at $116 million.
At some point it would be in Roger Goodell's best interests to stop allowing this cap to rise, because parity will become a thing of the past and we'll have a league much like the NBA.
And, who the hell wants that?
I say where there's smoke there's fire though in regards to Sheppard. Agents put these kind of stories out there to let the team know their player is unhappy. And, Sheppard knows he has the Eagles by the balls because their defensive backfield is a weakness, not a strength.
It would be in their best interests to not only keep Sheppard, but add a player like Asante Samuel.
That's if they can.
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Forsberg won't be the Flyers' savior
The Flyers confirmed yesterday afternoon that Peter Forsberg won't be coming to the Flyers or any team for that matter.
His agent told the team that his ankle will not be ready this season.
So much for that one.
They head to Ottawa tonight and will attempt to stop the bleeding known as their 7-game losing streak.
The Senators are on a 3-game skid of their own. And, being that they're the top team in the East, that doesn't bode well for the Flyers.
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Howard going for the 10 spot
Wednesday is the big day for Ryan Howard. He and the Phillies are set for the arbitration hearing on Wednesday.
Look for him to get awarded $10 million.
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