Yesterday I chatted with Eagles’ running back Brian Westbrook, who is promoting an online program presented by Gatorade called REPLAY, which can be seen at missionG.com.

REPLAY is about the rematch of the 1993 Easton and Phillipsburg high school football game, which ended in a 7-7 tie. The Easton/Phillipsburg rivalry has been named #1 high school football rivalry in the nation by USA Today and the upcoming game will be the 104th meeting of the two schools. The game, to be held on April 26 at Lafayette College Fisher Stadium, will be the same players, four quarters, full pads, in a rematch to decide the true winner.

For more information on the game, the rivalry, and REPLAY the show, head over to http://www.missiong.com/show/Replay.

Below is a recap of our conversation.

Jonathan Atwood, HSP: Thanks Brian for taking the time out to talk with us today. The big question on everyone’s mind is: How is the knee?

Brian Westbrook: Oh my knee is doing great. I’ve gone through eight weeks of rehab and everything feels great. Now it’s just a matter of getting my muscles back in football shape.

JA: So you expect to be ready for training camp?

BW: Oh definitely, definitely.

JA: It is being reported that the [New York] Giants are in talks with the Cleveland Browns about acquiring wide receiver Braylon Edwards. What do you think a guy like Edwards brings to the Giants? Would he tip the balance in comparing the Giants and Eagles receiving corps?

BW: Well I know that Braylon is a very good receiver in Cleveland and I was able to watch him there and we’re friends. I think it will definitely bring some playmaking ability to their team. Hopefully for us we’ll find the defenders to stop him. I think that we have a very good defense on our team and we have some good players as well so our goal, as far as our defense, is to not let whoever they have receiving, Plaxico [Burress] or Braylon or whoever else they have to make any plays. So I think our guys will do a good job of doing that as well. I’m glad for Braylon but our goal is to win football games, no matter if they have Braylon or whoever else they have playing receiver.

JA: Speaking of defense, obviously I have to ask, how do you think the loss of Brian Dawkins will affect the Eagles. On the field, you were just talking about the defense matching up against other teams, but in addition to on the field, how do you think the loss of Brian Dawkins is going to affect the Eagles in the lockerroom, where he was a renowned leader?

BW: Well Brian was a great leader and a great friend of mine as well so for me directly I will definitely feel the loss of him just not being here but at the same time in football things like that happen, a guy that’s been playing here for 13 years, he’s going to go to another team and end his career there, and I think that’s unfortunate. But as far as the team, we have to move on, we have make our next move, which is getting ready for this ’09 season. I truly believe we have the guys on this team that have the ability to try to make up for some of the things that Brian brought to the game.

JA: Speaking of Denver, your fellow backfield mate for seven years, Correll Buckhalter, also went to Denver. Obviously there is an effect on the field losing a guy like that, but how does that affect you personally, losing a guy that you have worked with so closely for the majority of your career with the Eagles? Does that touch you more emotionally than losing a guy on the defensive side?

BW: Some of probably my best friends on the team, Brian and Correll, they’re in Denver now, and it’s definitely going to affect me personally. And Correll is a great leader on this team and he was a great backup for me. He was a guy that I always felt as though had enough talent and enough ability to be a starter in the NFL. I’m happy that he’s going to get the opportunity to go out there and get a nice sized contract out there, but to go out there and start and play the way that I think he can. And he’ll do a great job in Denver, I know that.

JA: ESPN’s Michael Smith is reporting that the Eagles have expressed serious interest in Chad Johnson from the Bengals. What do you think a guy like #85 can bring to the Eagles?

BW: Well Chad’s a good player and he’s made so many plays in his career and he does so many different things in his career in Cincinnatti. So he’s a great player and I wouldn’t expect anything different from him on any team that he’s on, because he has that ability. I truly believe that the receiving corps that we have now is very talented as well. We have a lot of different guys that do a lot of different things well. So anybody that you add to that, whether it’s Chad or anybody else that you would add to that, all it would do would increase the athletic ability that generally, the health of this team, that he can bring to this team. I think if that happened, that would be exciting, but if it doesn’t happen I know we have guys on this team that can get things done.

JA: Michael Smith is also reporting that the Eagles are in talks with the [Buffalo] Bills regarding left tackle Jason Peters. After the signing of Stacey Andrews, Peters would seem to sure up the Eagles’ offensive line as one of the best in the NFL, which, as a running back, has got to be something that would really excite you.

BW: You always want to have talented guys in front of you and I’ve had that for all of my career, I’ve had guys that are big in size, that have speed and quick and things like that. And anybody that’s an All-Pro like Peters, that would be great as well. We added Stacey Andrews this year, and hopefully we’ll get Shawn Andrews back as well, and those are both great players. We still have a lot of talent left over from the guys that left through free agency and hopefully we continue to add to those positions and add to that talent that we already have and we’ll be in great shape.

JA: For Eagles fans, the teams they like to see the Eagles beat the most are the Cowboys and then the Giants. As a guy who has been here for a number of years in college and as a pro, and having grown up a few hours away in Maryland, who is your favorite team to beat? Is there a team that you get particularly jacked up to play against?

BW: I grew up right around Washington, D.C., so we really didn’t get too much into the rivals of the Eagles. But going to Villanova and seeing the Eagles’ rivalries up close before I got into the NFL. It was a great chance for me to understand how much they hate the Cowboys, how much they hate the Redskins as well as the Giants. And then playing here it was a great opportunity for me to see that as well. I see the passion that the fans have, that the players have about those teams, and this is a great way to show their support for their team.

JA: Speaking of Villanova, did you get a chance to follow their run to the Final Four? Was that exciting for you as a grad of Villanova?

BW: Yeah, that was definitely exciting for me. I went down to the Final Four game. It was exciting for me and a great opportunity for me to go down and see my team play. I think Jay Wright and those players on that team did a great job of representing our school and representing themselves. They played hard, they played well, unfortunately they were outmatched by a very good North Carolina team.

JA: A lot has been said over the past couple years with the way that the fans have reacted to Donovan [McNabb] and the comments made by Phillies’ star shortstop Jimmy Rollins and the national reputation the fans have of being too tough on their players and not appreciating what they have. What is your relationship with Eagles fans? Do you think it’s a positive one, or do you think the fans could appreciate you more?

BW: I think it’s a positive relationship. I hope that they feel that every game I put everything I have on the field and try to leave it on the field. I think that the Philadelphia fans understand that and they can see that. I just pray that they continue to support us as a team and all the players on the team as well.

JA: Now to the issue at hand. How did you get involved with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and the REPLAY program?

BW: Well Gatorade called me up and told me the background story that you said and I thought it was a great opportunity for these guys to come back. There were so many games in high school that I would love to go back and play again, but just these guys having the ability to go back 15 years and replay that game. I’m sure there are games I wish I could go back and replay from last year. It’s a great opportunity for these guys and you can tell from the first couple episodes, that you can definitely tell the passion these guys have for the game. And they’re all excited about it and everybody is willing and ready to play this football game. And all the towns and all the cities are excited about it as well.

JA: Now these are guys who have, for the most part, now played any serious football in 15 years. So what will you and Coach [Andy] Reid be doing to get these guys prepared for the upcoming game?

BW: Well you know we’re going to send them through a lot of the same drills that we go through ourselves getting ready for a football game. Of course not playing for fifteen years you want to get into pretty good shape, first of all, but you also want to be able to have some type of physical strength so that you don’t hurt yourself. I think the number one thing is not to hurt yourself, but try to get into pretty good shape to go out there and perform at your highest on the field.

JA: Will they be training all day? Are you going to have these guys doing two-a-days?

BW: No, they won’t be doing two-a-days. They’ll be training for a good portion of the day, going out here, just trying to get in shape, and getting ready to play this football game.

JA: Growing up in Maryland, which is only a few hours away from where this rivalry takes place, did you hear about this while you were playing high school football?

BW: No, I did not hear about this rivalry down there, but we have a lot of similar rivalries in Maryland and it’ll be a great opportunity for these guys here. As well as just from watching the first couple episodes you can tell how much they want to play and how excited they are about playing and it’s a great opportunity for these guys to replay this game.

JA: I know you’ll be training players from both teams, but on game day, New York Giant QB Eli Manning will be the honorary coach for Phillipsburg High School. In a strictly friendly manner of course, does the rivalry between the Eagles and Giants, and therefore the rivalry between you and Eli Manning make you want to root for Easton High School, coached by his brother Peyton Manning?

BW: Not at all, not at all. I’m more excited about these guys and it kind of overrides my views about Eli and the New York Giants.

JA: Well we thank you for taking the time out to speak with us today. Do you have any predictions for the upcoming season?

BW: No, I don’t have any predictions right now. Every season is different, you never can really tell until you get out there on the football field.

JA: Well we thank you for talking to us and we wish you the best of luck on rehabbing your knee and for the upcoming Eagles season.