This Is Sort of Awkward

I think I was one of the first people to point out last year that Dawk wasn't playing up to his usual standard in some of the early season game rewinds.  So I'm not averse to criticizing the guy as a player.  Especially when I think he'd probably agree that last year was tough for him.

But as far as what he means in the locker room as a team leader and as a high-character guy, I'm not as comfortable questioning his judgment.  Which makes this a little awkward:

"In the right situation, that would be an awesome situation," the Eagles' six-time Pro Bowl safety said yesterday during an interview at the NovaCare Complex. "This is not the right situation."

...

"The way it has played out, I don't see those three guys being here at the same time," Dawkins said. "It's a tough situation to be in, and this is somebody I'm close to and I consider a close friend. I don't like it for him. Whatever happens, I hope it works out best for Lito. I hate that this is happening to him."

I'm with Dawk all the way up to that last point.  He makes Lito the direct object, rather than the subject, when he says: "I hate that this is happening to him."

Well, actually, no.  Lito did this all himself.  I respect the way Lito's gone about his business this offseason (read: silently) and I have absolutely no desire to see him leave the team, but it's not the team's fault that:

• Lito agreed to a contract that gave him more than $8 million in signing bonus money several years ago.
• He had trouble staying healthy.
• He didn't play well when he was hurt.
• He took umbrage that the Eagles brought in another guy who plays the same position and happens to make more money than he does.

This isn't some scrub, either, by the way.  We'll see how he does in the Eagles' system, but Asante Samuel is considered one of the best two or three cornerbacks in the league.  It's not like he's some high-priced rookie that didn't deserve his bonus money.

Furthermore, Samuel is in exactly the kind of situation Eagles players always say they want to be in.  To this day, Brian Westbrook seems annoyed that he will never get back the money he lost out on by not being a higher-round draft pick.  Samuel was in a similar situation as a fourth-round pick and now has the contract he's worked for.

There's no question that Lito is one of the two best cornerbacks on this team.  He could have chosen to accept Samuel with open arms, take his position on the other side of the field, and have fun being part of one of the best cornerback tandems in the league.  He instead chose Door #2.

This situation didn't happen to Lito.  Lito made this situation happen.

Comments

[Mark Rampulla]

Great points...

[Paul]

Completely agree. Unless a player is nearly forced into a contract because of some outside reason. Like if he was hurt for an extended period of time and the only team that offered him anything was for 750k a year for 7 years. Granted no one literally FORCED him to sign the contract but if he wanted to play in the NFL, he had to, and then he starts outplaying his contract, than I could understand him haveing a problem. But Lito wanted that 8 million dollar signing bonus so bad he decided to take the yearly salary with it (which at the time was GREAT for a CB at his age).

It's how the NFL works, you get as much possible money when you can (free agency) which, if you're a star, will probably put you in the top echelon of salaries at your position. By the end of the contract you'll most likely be in the middle, which is where Lito is now. There's not a doubt in my mind that when Asante's contract comes to and end, he won't be in the top 10 of CB salaries.

In my opinion, you should bargain for the amount of years before you reach UFA with the first contract after your rookie one. That way you are as young as you can be and still be a UFA like Samuel.

[Tracer Bullet]

Yep. Michael Lewis turned down a long-term contract, stank and was allowed to sign with San Francisco as a free agent. These guys have to know that if they sign a long-term deal, they're not going to get the same kind of money as a guy who signs a few years later. I imagine their agents are telling them, "You can take the deal and the big signing bonus now, and since you'll surely outperform your contract, we'll get the to renegotiate in a few years."

Of course, that assumes 1) the team will renegotiate and 2) the player has outperformed his contract. Sheppard probably hasn't outperformed his contract and the team probably won't renegotiate. He should fire his lying-ass agent, but that probably won't happen.

[Dave]

You're right, it didn't happen to him. But Dawk said he's a friend. As a friend, he's not puting the blame on Lito, even if he deserves it. He could very well be telling Lito this to his face, but in public, he's being supportive of a friend.
I really hope Lito stays. I think that could really help our championship chances.

[Anonymous Dude]

Dude - you're way off base busting on Dawk and, with all due respect, you really are missing the big picture.

Dawk is sticking up for his teammate.

Do you think the Eagles front office really gives a damn that Dawk said this? They don't - especially Reid. In the same way the Reid sorta' likes to see those August training camp scrums between the linemen, Dawk's comments tell Reid that his players are connected.

If you've ever had to lead people (into battle, into a game, into any dire situation), you need them to trust and protect each other.

Do you think divisive elements among the players are a good thing (I think we know how that goes)? Dawk's comments have the opposite effect.

The players don't need to be on the same page as those that sign their checks - they need to be connected to each other. That's what Dawk's comments do.

Right or wrong, McNabb's "company man" attitude up until a year or so ago WAS NOT good for the team. Even though I agreed with McNabb's comments about T.O., siding with management DOES NOT foster trust between the players.

Dawk's comments are the components of team chemistry. Every pro sports athlete will tell you that they play for each other (well, after the money of course). But they don't play for Lurie, or Banner, or Reid. They play for the guys around them. If they don't trust each other off the field, that absolutely translates to what happens on the field.

[bigmyc]

Anonymous dude, they are still professionals, I don't care how much the "human" element needs to be a part of what they do.....every other team operates the same way.

[Anonymous Dude]

bigmyc,

What was so unprofessional about Dawk's comments? I still don't think the front office is really that put off by his comments.

And if they want professionalism from their players, they certainly don't set the tone themselves. Honestly, does anyone really think that they have handled the Lito thing that well:

1. They sign Asante and declare to the world that Lito has just lost his starting job. Why??? That's not professional. Why not say that he will be given a chance to compete and that the best 2 CB's will start??? They still had another 5 months until the season started. It has always been Andy's style to say, "we'll see what happens there", when asked who will start. They were taking a shot at Lito because he was unhappy with his contract. Not professional!

2. It is 100% obvious that they overvalued Lito's trade value. They paraded him in front of the entire NFL, citing "significant offers", though no real details ever surfaced. Then, after a trade couldn't be made, Reid tries to reel it back in. "He's a great football player... we weren't going to give him away".

3. And now you have Heckert throwing around his tough guy talk about Lito's diminished role:
"Asked for how he would expect Sheppard to act if the Eagles do not trade him and opt to employ him as a nickel back, Heckert said: ''He really doesn't have much choice.''"
Yeah, that's professional!

So the Eagles thought they were going to do a deal and say goodbye to Lito. They publicly fired him from his starting job, then publicly told him they couldn't care less if he doesn't like his new role. THOSE are not professional methods and statements. And now you expect him and his teammates to take the high road and keep their mouths shut??? Give me a break!

Keep this in mind:

Good GM's and Coaches are judged not by how they manage and get the most from the model employees (Ike Reese, Greg Lewis, Shawn Andrews), but how they manage and get the most from employees willing to challenge them (Lito Sheppard, Terrell Owens, Donovan McNabb).

Is there ANYONE that believes Reid couldn't have handled T.O. better? What other GM would allow T.O. and McNabb to take jabs back and forth for so long without stepping in???

Lurie's staff is good at winning games. Managing players...not so good.

[Me]

Yes, blame Reid for TO. Because of the two, Reid is the guy with the trail of bodies behind him.

They didn't say Lito had lost his starting job, they said Asante would play on the left side.

[Anonymous Dude]

[Edited by Derek: I warned you before about the lack of civility in your comments. Knock it off.]

[Steve]

Criticizing McNabb and/or Reid for "not being able to get along with TO" is sort of like criticizing Poland for "not being able to get along with" the Nazis.

[done with dmac]

Absolutely correct:
"Good GM's and Coaches are judged not by how they manage and get the most from the model employees (Ike Reese, Greg Lewis, Shawn Andrews), but how they manage and get the most from employees willing to challenge them (Lito Sheppard, Terrell Owens, Donovan McNabb).

Putting D-Mac in that class is wrong. He didn't challenge Andy until after his successor was hired. And they both seem willing to accept the 2nd prize and call it "success".