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.