2 hours ago, mattwill said:

It’s a horrible nickname.  Do you really want a player who is invisible when the big plays need to be made?

The way Casper ran routes where he would disappear on the LB, DB and grasp catches out of thin air?  

But the humor of the DB room giving that to Blakenship and embracing it as a brotherhood, that’s pretty awesome too.  As a position, DBs in a heavy zone defense have to be able to depend on and trust each other.  It can be as choreographed as the OL and everything we’ve heard about Desai disguising his coverages suggests how important that will be. (Why I think Wilson didn’t get the job is Gannon’s weakness at disguises on both the DL and in the back seven, that was Wilson’s job as defensive pass coordinator.)  This isn’t Aso eating lunch in the car secondary.  With the revamp and new faces, there needs to be building on that group relationship.  So I take the mouthiness of Slay in practice, the embrace of Blakenship with that nickname, how Terrell talked in his interview yesterday and that the coach they included was McDonald all as positive signs of building on what they did last year.  Brown seems to be fitting in nicely.  Ringo needs to as well  I like that they have added slot to McPhearson’s role. Suggests Scott has to show significant improvement to have any shot at making the team.

16 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

Well there's no question that nicknames need not refer to actual things in reality (e.g. Brian "Weapon X" Dawkins), the words themselves have meanings.  When people think of ghosts they do not necessarily think of the Holy Ghost but ghosts that are frightening and make their presence felt without being able to be caught. Red Grange was nicknamed the Galloping Ghost because of his elusive running style.  https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00014213.html  Grantland Rice in giving the nickname described his performance where he gained 262 yards and scored 4TD in 12 minutes as follows: 

A streak of fire, a breath of flame
Eluding all who reach and clutch;
A gray ghost thrown into the game
That rival hands may never touch;
A rubber bounding, blasting soul
Whose destination is the goal.

Theologically speaking the Holy Ghost is consubstantial with Jesus and God while also being a distinct person.  He has also been described appearing as fire and wind. Nevertheless, when an NFL playes is assigned a nickname like ghost I think the reference is to a frightening, visible and elusive presence impacting the game.  

One of the things I enjoy is the intellectual richness of the Blog.  Great response.  I agree with your consubstantial assessment, but the words of the liturgy "all things visible and invisible” refer to that  consubstantial reality … if it is a reality, not just a belief.

23 minutes ago, Outlaw said:

 

 

 Matt, I know you're probably the closest to actually becoming one of anyone in here, but you do realize that calling him "Ghost" doesn't actually MAKE him one, right?

They aren't calling him ghost because of his play, they're calling him it because of his skin color. They could just as easily call him Mayo, Wonderbread, or Wite-out. 

...or Society Hill, Haddonfield....

20 hours ago, ManuManu said:

Clear your schedules. 

What number will Olamide Zaccheaus take when they retire #13

33 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

Well there's no question that nicknames need not refer to actual things in reality (e.g. Brian "Weapon X" Dawkins), the words themselves have meanings.  When people think of ghosts they do not necessarily think of the Holy Ghost but ghosts that are frightening and make their presence felt without being able to be caught. Red Grange was nicknamed the Galloping Ghost because of his elusive running style.  https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00014213.html  Grantland Rice in giving the nickname described his performance where he gained 262 yards and scored 4TD in 12 minutes as follows: 

A streak of fire, a breath of flame
Eluding all who reach and clutch;
A gray ghost thrown into the game
That rival hands may never touch;
A rubber bounding, blasting soul
Whose destination is the goal.

Theologically speaking the Holy Ghost is consubstantial with Jesus and God while also being a distinct person.  He has also been described appearing as fire and wind. Nevertheless, when an NFL playes is assigned a nickname like ghost I think the reference is to a frightening, visible and elusive presence impacting the game.  

A shout out to Grantland Rice for also naming the Four Horseman.

Quote

 

 After Notre Dame's 13–7 upset victory over a strong Army team, on October 18, 1924, Rice penned "the most famous football lede of all-time"...

Outlined against a blue-gray October sky the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below.

— Grantland Rice, October 18, 1924

 

10 minutes ago, paco said:

What number will Olamide Zaccheaus take when they retire #13

It will likely be a scenario where all Eagles players will wear #13, at least for awhile ..... a Jackie Robinson-like homage

 

@e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! I feel this will cement my wildcard entry into the Blog Racist Tournament

21 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

Well there's no question that nicknames need not refer to actual things in reality (e.g. Brian "Weapon X" Dawkins), the words themselves have meanings.  When people think of ghosts they do not necessarily think of the Holy Ghost but ghosts that are frightening and make their presence felt without being able to be caught. Red Grange was nicknamed the Galloping Ghost because of his elusive running style.  https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00014213.html  Grantland Rice in giving the nickname described his performance where he gained 262 yards and scored 4TD in 12 minutes as follows: 

A streak of fire, a breath of flame
Eluding all who reach and clutch;
A gray ghost thrown into the game
That rival hands may never touch;
A rubber bounding, blasting soul
Whose destination is the goal.

Theologically speaking the Holy Ghost is consubstantial with Jesus and God while also being a distinct person.  He has also been described appearing as fire and wind. Nevertheless, when an NFL playes is assigned a nickname like ghost I think the reference is to a frightening, visible and elusive presence impacting the game.  

Bringing poetry into the discussion of football. 👍

Technically, the Ghost in Holy Ghost is arguably a mistranslation to English in the King James Version. The original Hebrew and Greek used the same word that more correctly translates as Spirit.  

1 hour ago, Outlaw said:

 

 

 Matt, I know you're probably the closest to actually becoming one of anyone in here, but you do realize that calling him "Ghost" doesn't actually MAKE him one, right?

They aren't calling him ghost because of his play, they're calling him it because of his skin color. They could just as easily call him Mayo, Wonderbread, or Wite-out. 

He did kind of resemble a ghost when Davis Webb blasted right through him for a TD last year 

44 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

...or Society Hill, Haddonfield....

Not Haddonfield. All the houses are pastels.

1 hour ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Likely for 2-3 1sts.

 

So it’s not just Jalen Hurts’ Eagles career we’d have cut short, but we most likely don’t trade for AJ Brown, nor keep the pick that we ended up trading to the Saints to get Jalen Carter. And then possibly one of Davis or Nolan are also gone. One of the luckiest moments in team history just occurred and no one even knew

Someone send Wilson a gift basket. Holy crap we dodged a bullet

Amazing that he declined it since we've been known to have a top Oline in the league and that's something he really never had with Hawks

18 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

Someone send Wilson a gift basket. Holy crap we dodged a bullet

Amazing that he declined it since we've been known to have a top Oline in the league and that's something he really never had with Hawks

 

2 hours ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Likely for 2-3 1sts.

 

So it’s not just Jalen Hurts’ Eagles career we’d have cut short, but we most likely don’t trade for AJ Brown, nor keep the pick that we ended up trading to the Saints to get Jalen Carter. And then possibly one of Davis or Nolan are also gone. One of the luckiest moments in team history just occurred and no one even knew

 

 

I remember trying to explain to people that Russell and Watson did not want to come here and no one wanting to hear it because of their raging Hurts hate boners desperate to get any QB in here so that Hurts wouldn't be the QB.

2 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

 

I remember trying to explain to people that Russell and Watson did not want to come here and no one wanting to hear it because of their raging Hurts hate boners desperate to get any QB in here so that Hurts wouldn't be the QB.

Did that sound better in your head?

Also Howie was saved last season on two different occasions now.  First trying to sign Allen Robinson and then trying to trade for Russell.

7 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

 

I remember trying to explain to people that Russell and Watson did not want to come here and no one wanting to hear it because of their raging Hurts hate boners desperate to get any QB in here so that Hurts wouldn't be the QB.

I didn't have a raging boner but, erect nipples, yes. Thought you would want to know

For the record (yes I just looked up his stats), Hunter Renfrow has 70 career punt returns and has fumbled six times. That’s a freaking lot of times putting the ball on the ground. Be careful what you wish for. 

2 hours ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Likely for 2-3 1sts.

 

So it’s not just Jalen Hurts’ Eagles career we’d have cut short, but we most likely don’t trade for AJ Brown, nor keep the pick that we ended up trading to the Saints to get Jalen Carter. And then possibly one of Davis or Nolan are also gone. One of the luckiest moments in team history just occurred and no one even knew

Meh.  I don't believe the "basically done" in quotations.  A deal was never close without Russell Wilson's agreement, and he provided a list of teams to Seattle that he would approve a trade to -- the Eagles were never on that list ..... so, how close could a trade have been?  Cowboys, Saints, Raider, Bears.  That was the list in 2021.

In early 2022, Wilson was asked by a Washington reporter if he would consider adding the Commanders to his list.  He said he would not, because he wanted to stay closer to the West coast.  Incidentally, Washington offered more for Wilson than Denver did.  Wilson said No.

I'm sure Howie made an offer to John Schneider, but there was no deal to be had without Wilson's say-so -- so, no, there was no deal "basically done"

 

 

2 hours ago, BigEFly said:

The way Casper ran routes where he would disappear on the LB, DB and grasp catches out of thin air?  

But the humor of the DB room giving that to Blakenship and embracing it as a brotherhood, that’s pretty awesome too.  As a position, DBs in a heavy zone defense have to be able to depend on and trust each other.  It can be as choreographed as the OL and everything we’ve heard about Desai disguising his coverages suggests how important that will be. (Why I think Wilson didn’t get the job is Gannon’s weakness at disguises on both the DL and in the back seven, that was Wilson’s job as defensive pass coordinator.)  This isn’t Aso eating lunch in the car secondary.  With the revamp and new faces, there needs to be building on that group relationship.  So I take the mouthiness of Slay in practice, the embrace of Blakenship with that nickname, how Terrell talked in his interview yesterday and that the coach they included was McDonald all as positive signs of building on what they did last year.  Brown seems to be fitting in nicely.  Ringo needs to as well  I like that they have added slot to McPhearson’s role. Suggests Scott has to show significant improvement to have any shot at making the team.

Really good context. Thanks. 

2 hours ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Likely for 2-3 1sts.

 

So it’s not just Jalen Hurts’ Eagles career we’d have cut short, but we most likely don’t trade for AJ Brown, nor keep the pick that we ended up trading to the Saints to get Jalen Carter. And then possibly one of Davis or Nolan are also gone. One of the luckiest moments in team history just occurred and no one even knew

Wilson is a loser what a bullet we dodged 

26 minutes ago, FranklinFldEBUpper said:

For the record (yes I just looked up his stats), Hunter Renfrow has 70 career punt returns and has fumbled six times. That’s a freaking lot of times putting the ball on the ground. Be careful what you wish for. 

 

Covey fumbled at least 2 punt return catches last season.  Might have actually been 3.

2 hours ago, Outlaw said:

 

 

 Matt, I know you're probably the closest to actually becoming one of anyone in here, but you do realize that calling him "Ghost" doesn't actually MAKE him one, right?

They aren't calling him ghost because of his play, they're calling him it because of his skin color. They could just as easily call him Mayo, Wonderbread, or Wite-out. 

You filthy racist!  That is simply not true:

 

At Blenkinsopp Castle (probably originally called Blencan's Hope, i.e. valley) near Greenhead, the resident ghost is a White Lady who is reputed to be trapped as a spirit which cannot be released until the treasure which she hid from her husband, (thought to have been booty from the Crusades) is recovered. It is said that when the Norman conquerors were sharing out the land there were no takers for this part, so the sitting tenant, one Blencan, was allowed to keep it. A fire destroyed most of the building in 1953. What remains is now a private residence.

 

The Blankenship family history in Northumberland includes a Blenkinsopp castle on their ancient manor held from the 13th century. American Blankenship genealogy dates to a 1686 emigrant to Virginia. 

47 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

 

I remember trying to explain to people that Russell and Watson did not want to come here and no one wanting to hear it because of their raging Hurts hate boners desperate to get any QB in here so that Hurts wouldn't be the QB.

Interesting that your recollection would feature male erections.

Whatever.

2 minutes ago, Alphagrand said:

You filthy racist!  That is simply not true:

 

At Blenkinsopp Castle (probably originally called Blencan's Hope, i.e. valley) near Greenhead, the resident ghost is a White Lady who is reputed to be trapped as a spirit which cannot be released until the treasure which she hid from her husband, (thought to have been booty from the Crusades) is recovered. It is said that when the Norman conquerors were sharing out the land there were no takers for this part, so the sitting tenant, one Blencan, was allowed to keep it. A fire destroyed most of the building in 1953. What remains is now a private residence.

 

The Blankenship family history in Northumberland includes a Blenkinsopp castle on their ancient manor held from the 13th century. American Blankenship genealogy dates to a 1686 emigrant to Virginia. 

Exactly!  I'm pretty sure CJGJ has a PhD in 11th-century English History.

3 hours ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Likely for 2-3 1sts.

 

So it’s not just Jalen Hurts’ Eagles career we’d have cut short, but we most likely don’t trade for AJ Brown, nor keep the pick that we ended up trading to the Saints to get Jalen Carter. And then possibly one of Davis or Nolan are also gone. One of the luckiest moments in team history just occurred and no one even knew

This goes back to what I said last off-season that this was more than just howie checking in on Wilson and watson cause it was his job too. the Eagles were trying to get a deal done and wanted their franchise Qb at that time because they weren’t sold in hurts after the 2021 season and lurie has always said if you don’t have one then you are basically wondering and not really competing for a Super Bowl. It’s why I kept saying if the Eagles identify one that they loved they were gonna go after him cause they weren’t just going to keep waiting. Howie, lurie and the eagles likely believed Wilson had a handful of good years left that they’d make that deal if they could. but a deal was always unlikely because watson nor Wilson wanted to come here. this Along with what Zach Ertz‘s agent (joel correy) put out there that they were also in the Deshaun watson trade market. But the point was more there was more than just howie and checking in on QBs cause it’s his job.

I tend to agree with sheil and Berman analysis over the years that the eagles when they drafted him never envisioned him becoming the mvp candidate at Qb but as a guy who could be a competent starter if wentz went down. And possibly a good starter in the league over time and could ideally bring back assets if wentz held up his end of the bargain. last offseason they believed wilson and watson were closer to being that type of franchise QBs they desired and it’s why they were trying to figure out ways to close a deal for wilson (or watson). 

39 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

Covey fumbled at least 2 punt return catches last season.  Might have actually been 3.

How many did he lose?

Plus, I was at the game at FedEx where one of his fumbles happened.  It wasn’t really a fumble, although it goes into the record as one.  The wind blew that ball way toward the sidelines.  It was unplayable, but he stretched to play it regardless.  Bad judgment call, but he learned his lesson from that, and let similar punts later in the season bounce out of bounds

Note: I checked the Gamebooks and only two.  One in Week 3 against the Commanders and one in Week 5 against the Lions.