The Eagles announced today that they have reached an agreement on a contract extension with coach Andy Reid that will keep him in Philly until at least 2013.

At the end of his contract, Reid will have coached the Eagles for 15 years, the longest of any coach or manager in Philadelphia since the vaunted Connie Mack.

As noted by 97.5 The Fanatic Eagles beat reporter Brian Seltzer, this ensures that Reid will have responsibility on deciding the long term quarterback situation for the Eagles, as Donovan McNabb’s current contract will expire before Reid’s.

Reid is the winningest coach in team history, taking the Eagles to five NFC Championship games and one SuperBowl. The Eagles have reached the playoffs seven times under Reid. He has compiled 115 wins since being named Eagles coach in 1999.

Despite his obvious success as coach and de facto GM of the Eagles, Reid has his fair share of detractors. The biggest knock against Big Red is that he cannot seem to get the Eagles over the hump, and comes up short in the big game, as is evidenced by five NFC Championship appearances and only one SuperBowl appearance. As one of my friends said to me this morning when I told him of the extension, “Aren’t we lucky….I love being a brides maid.”

His clock management skills, or lack thereof, have become a thing of legend. And his is seemingly incapable of making adjustments in-game. He is arguably one of the worst game day coaches in the NFL.

Then again, he’s won 115 games, taken the Eagles to five NFC Championship games and the SuperBowl. He’s a great judge of talent, particularly when it comes to knowing when a player is past his prime.

Love him or hate him, he’s here for the foreseeable future.

Details of the contract extension were not immediately available, but reports of mass suicides in area sports bars are flying in.

Stay tuned, a press conference with Reid and owner Jeffrey Lurie has been scheduled for 11:30 AM.

There are currently two debates raging in the Philly sports world.

First, who wants Sixers’ center Samuel Dalembert out of the city more: Dalembert, or the city? According to a report this morning by ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Sixers are in talks with the Sacremento Kings, and possibly the Boston Celtics, about a deal that would send the embattled center to the Left Coast for Kenny Thomas. The Celtics would get Andres Nocioni. Tony Allen and Brian Scalabrine would also come to the Sixers, and the Kings would get J.R. Giddens.

According to the Philadelphia Daily News’ Sixers’ beat reproter, Kate Fagan, the deal does not appear to be close to happening. She also remarked, “don’t think Dalembert is content being a Sixer. His party is actively looking for a new home for the Sixers’ center.”

On the flip side, a comment by The 700 Level’s Enrico Campitelli aptly sums up the city’s feelings on the possible departure of the former Seton Hall grad:

Okay, let’s play a game. Here’s part of a quote from a Yahoo! post.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings were apparently discussing a deal that would send Samuel Dalembert out West in exchange for…

Do you even care what the end of that sentence is?

Uh, no, says the city. Enough said.

The second debate surrounds the health and well being of one of the city’s favorite sons, Eagles’ running back Brian Westbrook. After suffering his second concussion of the season, whether he will, or should, play again is the question of the day. Westbrook will meet with two concussion specialists in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Eagles’ head trainer Rick Burkholder released the following statement:

“The Eagles will first have Westbrook consult with neuropsychologist Mark R. Lovell, PhD,” the statement read. “Following that visit Westbrook and Lovell will consult with neurosurgeon Joseph Maroon, MD.  Dr. Lovell has been consulting with the Eagles’ medical staff on Westbrook’s recovery from the first concussion during the past three weeks.”

As a result, a debate has been raging whether Westbrook, who is 30 years old and already showing signs of the affects that the wear and tear of his position can have, should retire. A poll on Philly.com asking that question shows that 78.6% of the almost 2500 respondents believe that Westbrook should hang up the pads. Remember, this is a city that has lived through Eric Lindros and Keith Primeau. This is also a city that, despite its overblown reputation to the contrary, is one of brotherly love and cares for the well being of its sports stars.

No matter what the media and fans think, the debate will ultimately be decided by one person. Westbrook will likely not be easily deterred from an eventual return, whether it be later this season or next year. However, if Tuesday’s trip to Pittsburgh results in a couple recommendations to retire, coupled with a growing number of former football players suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia, the Eagles’ ultimate weapon could be forced to put his long term health ahead of his short term financial well being.

Consider your suffering eased, I have returned. After a month and a half hiatus, I am back at Hot Stove Philly, and you may all now breath a collective sigh of relief. Woo. Good.

Unfortunately, it seems I may have returned to the Philly sports world with little to be excited about. The Phillies season is over. The Eagles are inconsistent at best, and embarrassing at worst. The Sixers make the Eagles look good. The Flyers are the best thing going, and they’re in fourth place in their division. Could it be possible that the Phillies’ off season is the most interesting thing in Philly sports right now?

As the kids say today, wtf mate?

Despite another incredible season that saw the Fightins get to their second straight World Series, they were clearly outmatched by a superior Yankees team. The Bronx Bombers had better hitters, better starting pitching and a better bullpen. Hard to win when under those circumstances.

The series put into sharp contract the glaring holes that need to be addressed by GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and his team this off season. Now that they’ve let Pedro Feliz go, the team’s first priority is a starting third baseman, with Mark DeRosa, Adrian Beltre and Chone Figgins the top three contenders on the Phillies’ list, or so we assume.

The Phillies’ next priority has to be the bullpen. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported today that he believes Detroit closer Brandon Lyon would be a great fit in Philadelphia as a late inning set up man and emergency closer, should Brad Lidge decide to relive 2009 next season. Olney believes that “perhaps the best of the guys who might be OK coming in as a set-up man, and he’s coming off a solid season in which is posted a 2.86 ERA for the Tigers, allowing just 56 hits in 78.2 innings, with 57 strikeouts.”

There are several holes in the bullpen that need to be plugged, and the bench, that was so good just a year ago, needs a thorough rejuvination. The hot stove is heating up with free agency set to begin in just four days and it looks to be a particularly interesting one for Amaro and the Phils.

Across the street at Lincoln Financial Field, Andy Reid and the Eagles are headed in quite the opposite direction, as they find themselves loser of two in a row after falling to the San Diego Chargers Sunday 31-23.

The Birds have looked great at times this season (Carolina, New York) and awful at others (Oakland, Dallas). Their once heralded offensive line has been anything but, a result of the plague of injuries that has besought the group like a pack of demons. The defense as a whole is not much healthier. At least they have an excuse for playing lousy.

The offense? Even with a healthy Brian Westbrook (if you can ever call him that anymore) and Desean Jackson to start the game, the Eagles struggled to put points on the board, failing to get the ball in the endzone until the fourth quarter. That’s including three trips inside the Chargers 10-yard line in the second and third quarters. Kicker David Akers was a little too busy yesterday.

The reason? Donovan McNabb. Andy Reid. No O-line. None of the above. All of the above. Take your pick. The Eagles are uninspiring this season after what has to be one of the most exciting and hopeful off seasons in recent team history. Did I mention I hate training camp?

Luckily for the Eagles, the Sixers are even more uninspiring. Unfortunately for the Eagles, nobody cares about the Sixers so everyone is still talking about the Birds.

The Sixers are not living up to their offseason expectations either, which is pretty impressive considering how low those expectations were to begin with. The team is averaging 28.43 fans a game. Elton Brand, who is supposed to be the team’s best player, and is at least the team’s most expensive player, doesn’t play in the fourth quarter. Their center of the future, Marreese Speights is reportedly out until January with a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. They are, once again, the worst three point shooting team in the NBA. And they’ve won just four out of their last five games, their lone win coming against the 0-10 New Jersey Nets. And yet, thanks to an incredibly mediocre Eastern Conference, the Sixers are in third place in the Atlantic Division, one game back of the 5-5 Toronto Raptors. There’s a lot of basketball left to played and the Sixers have a great chance of being one of the many teams that will make the playoffs, so there is still hope that they will yet again miss out on a meaningful draft pick.

The Orange and Black are pretty much the only thing left to be happy about in Philly right now, winners of seven of their last 10. They are tied for the second best record over that period in the Eastern Conference with the surging Buffalo Sabres, topped only by their rivals up the Turnpike, the 14-4 New Jersey Devils, who have lost just once in their previous 10 games.

The Flyers boast the best goals for/goals against ratio in the NHL, scoring 1.44 goals for every goal they’ve allowed. They’ve scored the tenth most goals in the NHL with 59, and have allowed the third fewest in the league with 41.

Chris Pronger has been everything he was promised to be and more. He is second in the NHL with a plus minus rating of 13 and was named the league’s “nastiest and most intimidating” defender by The Hockey News. And according to the Philadelphia Daily News, he was named “the ‘best corner man,’ for winning puck battles along the boards. Pronger also figured in the discussion for ‘best shutdown defender,’ ‘best first passer,’ and honorable mention for ‘best point shot.’” He currently has a six-game point streak, recording seven assists and nine points and is second on the team behind Jeff Carter with 17 total points. Oh, and the Flyers have the NHL’s best power play unit, in large part thanks to Pronger.

Rookie winger James van Riemsdyk has also been everything he was hyped to be, coming into Monday’s game against the Devils fourth on the team in points with 15. He trails Carter, Pronger and captain Mike Richards. Not bad company for a kid not two years removed from the draft.

So while the Eagles and Sixers leave us wanting much, much, much more, the Flyers are worth watching, and the Phillies’ off season will be one filled with intrigue and ainticipation as we march to February and the start of Spring Training.

We apologize for our hiatus here at Hot Stove Philly but promise to bring you all the latest breaking news and commentary that you have come to love from here on out.

Jeremiah Trotter has officially returned to the Eagles, again.

This will be the veteran linebacker’s third go around in Philly and is a surprising twist in young season already chock full of incredible twists and surprises. It’s not surprising that Trotter wants to play again, as he has always had a hard time with the idea of hanging up the cleats, but more that the Eagles actually signed him. President Joe Banner, GM Tom Heckert, and coach Andy Reid are renowned for cutting ties with players who are on the verge of being past their prime (i.e. Brian Dawkins, Duce Staley, and Trotter).

“At some points, like last year, when I was sitting at home . . . I was like, ‘Should I give it up and start doing something else?’ Something just kept telling me to work out,” Trotter said.

The Eagles signed Trotter to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. He will wear his familiar No. 54.

Trotter underwent surgery in 2008 to cleanout his right knee, at his own expense, in hopes he could convince a team to sign him.

“I just trained, the whole [time] I was out,” he said. “I was able to get my body rest . . . I rehabbed and just stayed in shape. I changed my workout regimen, lost some weight, and did a lot of praying.”

He says that the Eagles told him his knees look better than they did two years ago.

By bringing Trotter in for a workout, it is clear that Reid and the Eagles’ coaching staff are not content with the defense’s current run-stopping capacity. After the loss of safety Brian Dawkins to the Denver Broncos this offseason and middle linebacker Stewart Bradley to a season ending injury suffered during training camp, the Eagles are looking for a veteran presence up the middle.

Both Trotter and the Eagles are hoping he can bring some of the intense and dominant play that made him a fan favorite the first two times around. In 103 games with the Eagles, Trotter has 536 tackles to go along with 11 sacks, seven interceptions, and seven forced fumbles. More importantly though, he is a fierce presence on the football field, something the Eagles are lacking after the departure of Dawkins.

“It’s going to be even more exciting when I can make that first big play and drop the ax,” he said.

Hopefully for the Eagles, there will be a lot of ax dropping.

In a somewhat surprising twist, the Eagles invited former linebacker Jeremiah Trotter to workout with the team on Thursday.

“We had a chance to work out Jeremiah yesterday and I just wanted to see where he was at,” coach Andy Reid said. “He had his knee taken care of after he left here, so I wanted to get him in here and see him move around a little bit, which I thought he did a good job with.

“I haven’t made any decisions on it one way or another, I wanted to make sure that I had a pulse of where he was at.”

By bringing Trotter in for a workout, it is clear that Reid and the Eagles’ coaching staff are not content with the defense’s current run-stopping capacity. After the loss of safety Brian Dawkins to the Denver Broncos this offseason and middle linebacker Stewart Bradley to a season ending injury suffered during training camp, the Eagles are looking for a veteran presence up the middle.

Trotter, who had surgery to clean out his knee last year, could fit the bill, although Reid would not commit one way or the other.

“You want to make sure you have everything lined up in case you need to go in that direction,” he said.

Trotter could also provide that veteran leadership in the locker room that has been absent after the departure of Dawkins and injury to Bradley.

Dr. Robert Watkins confirmed to Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer Thursday that Shawn Andrews‘ back injury is indeed serious and is not all that uncommon for someone who underwent the kind of surgery that Andrews did last season.

“He has flared up,” the physician said in an interview with The Inquirer. “He does not have an injury to the nerve, and there is no bad sciatic, but he is real stiff, and there is a lot of pain in his back. As he is right now, he’s unable to play football because his back is hurt too badly.”

According to Brookover, Watkins confirmed that no further surgery is required, but that he plans on administering one or two more cortisone shots to Andrews in the near future.

“Then he’ll go into the rehab program that focuses on core strength,” Watkins said. “I don’t anticipate any more surgery. That’s not the current plan. He should start the rehab program by Monday.”

So when should we expect Andrews to return to action?

“It’s hard to give an estimate because you don’t know how he’s going to respond to things,” Watkins said. “As soon as there is a decrease in inflammation, we’ll watch to see how he’s doing in his rehab. He’ll be doing an intensive core stabilization program with levels one through five. When you get to level five, the exercises become very sport specific. Sometimes guys get to a level then have a flare-up, and you have to back off.”

Watkins told Brookover that he believes Andrews will play again in the NFL, although it seems increasingly unlikely that will be with the Eagles. This is the second missed season in a row for Andrews, who is/has battled depression and often times appears to lack a desire to be on the football field.

The Eagles hoped that by bringing in his brother Stacey Andrews and his college roommate Jason Peters, his motivation level would increase, but whether or not that happened is debatable, as Shawn Andrews was sidelined with this back injury through the entire summer training camp and most of the preseason. The Eagles placed him on the Injured Reserve list last week, ending his season before it ever started.

As if losing 48-22 to the New Orleans Saints wasn’t bad enough, the Eagles appeared to be justified in not picking up running back Brian Westbrook’s option for the 2011 season, as he sprained his surgically repaired right ankle on Sunday.

“It was just sore,” Westbrook said. “I tried to put a little weight on it. Tried to be effective out there on the field. You don’t want to go out there and hurt the team. As far as running, I wanted to make some cuts, and I just wasn’t able to do it.”

The injury to Westbrook was just one of many problems coming out of the Eagles’ home opener. Despite a better than expected first half out of quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was making his first ever NFL start in place of the injured Donovan McNabb, things seemed to simply fall apart for the Eagles after half time.

Headed into the locker room down 17-13 at the half, the game was well within reach. Kolb looked impressive, completing 14 of his 22 pass attempts in the first half for 196 yards and one touchdown, including a 71-yard pass to DeSean Jackson that ended in the New Orleans endzone. Westbrook had 45 yards on nine rushes, including a long of 16 yards. David Akers was two-for-two. The Eagles defense had held the potent Saints offense to just 17 points.

Then the third quarter started and everything fell apart. Ellis Hobbs fumbled on the opening kickoff return, giving the Saints the ball at the Eagles 22-yard line. Drew Brees would need just three plays to put New Orleans up 24-13.

The Eagles would cough the ball up again on the next drive, when Kolb threw the first of his three interceptions to the Saints’ Scott Shanle. Brees got the ball again inside the Eagles 30-yard line, and would need four plays this time to get the ball in the endzone. Score 31-13, Saints, with just 3:16 gone in the third quarter.

The Eagles mustered a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, and then a throw away safety less than four minutes remaining in the game, for their only second half points of the game.

Despite a rough second half, Kolb’s day was much better than I ever expected. While he technically threw three interceptions, only the first one was of any consequence. The second two came with less than a minute and a half left in the game and the Eagles down by 26 points. The third interception was the final play of the game, a 32 yard Haily Mary desperation heave. Kolb ended the game 31-for-51 with 391 yards passing and two touchdowns.

The real story of the game was the Eagles’ defense, and of course, the Saints’ high powered offense. Brees actually threw for less yardage on fewer attempts than Kolb did (25/34, 311 yards), but threw one more touchdown and got a lot more ground support than Kolb did. The Saints ground attack, led by Mike Bell, rushed for 133 yards for two touchdowns. The Eagles, on the other hand, rushed for just 85 yards all day with no touchdowns. Westbrook, the once potent ultimate weapon for the Eagles, mustered just seven yards in the second half, bringing his game day total to 52 yards rushing and 14 yards receiving.

Coach Andy Reid said that he believed Westbrook would be OK to play next Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, but that they wouldn’t be sure until later this week.

“I think we’ll be fine there,” Reid said. “We’ll find out the next day or 2.”

Westbrook indicated that the injury was “definitely not” as serious as the one he suffered last season

Most of you reading this would agree that the Philadelphia Eagles are the greatest football team on the planet, ever. Unfortunately many people outside of the City of Brotherly Love have yet to learn this unquestionable truth. To that end some of us must go out amongst the heathens to teach them our West Coast Offensive ways. I’ve successfully survived outside of the Philly area for three years now. I thought it would be helpful to those of you who are planning on going out and spreading the word, or already find yourself far way from Mecca for me to give you some weekly advice based on my trials and tribulations as an Eagles fan wondering in the wilderness.

The first thing you need to do is know the schedule. Not just the weekly TV schedule the entire season schedule. Once it’s announced print that thing out! First of all, having a schedule reminds you that football will in fact return next year so celebrate it in much the way Druids once celebrated the Solstice. Once you’ve recovered from your Return of Football celebration also print out the local team’s (losers’) schedule along with any local events calendars, all of this information is crucial. Now that you have this together, start putting together a master calendar, make sure to consult each calendar for game times, byes, and weekend events. Also make sure to keep track of any distractions from your personal life, like weddings, births or Bat Mitzvahs that may encroach on your Sunday ritual.

Knowledge of schedule is crucial because not knowing what’s going on can ruin your Game Day. For instance in my first year here I thought I’d found a nice Sunday watering hole with plenty of TVs and good specials. One beautiful Sunday I scooped up a seat in front of their behemoth HD flat screen and order enough wings to get me through the first half, and enough beer to get me to game time. As game time approached I saw more and more local team fans trailing in. Now since I am in their back yard I always expect a few, especially since they know the road to the Super Bowl has a way of detouring through Lincoln Financial Field, but this time there was something different; there were too many and they were angry. They packed around me, cramming every corner and booth with loathsome non-Eagles fan. The air stunk like non mobile quarterback and unscripted opening plays.

Then the music cut out…

Then the fight song came on…

I was in the heart of a local team bar! I’d never known because for every game before that we’d played at 1:00 pm and they’d played at 4:00 pm or Monday. Now it was too late, I was sucked into a sea of nauseating red and yellow. Pathetic poorly conceived insults rained upon me:

“Is Donovan McNabb gonna be dumb today?”

“Nice… uh Green loser. You know that’s yellow mixed with red right?”

“Thanks for Todd Pinkston!”

Nobody puts Brady in the corner!

Obviously being an Eagles fan I could have easily pummeled them all and stolen their women. But being an Eagles fan, Andy Reid has taught me that when we make mistakes we have to pay for to pay the price so eventually we can learn a valuable lesson. If not for Freddie Mitchell there may never have been a DeSean Jackson. So I took it all in stride. They even tried to tempt my anger by relegating me to the ancient Magnavox in the corner, and forcing me to watch some bootleg version of an Eagles broadcast. I remained stoic.

Learn from my miscalculations. Know when the Birds are playing, know when the local team is playing, and know that you’re one step closer to being successful on the road.

The news that tackle Shawn Andrews is out for the season has solicited a multitude of emotions and reactions from Eagles fans, many of which can be found on his YouTube page.

The reactions range from concern for his health and well being

Cadiz215

Look homie I hope you get better. I’m obviously disappointed about whats happend but at the end of the day football is still a game. Everyone criticizing you doesn’t know shit because they’ve probably never played football on any level. Keep your head up and I hope you get back to Pro Bowl form again. I just thought you could use some love right about now instead of nothing but hate.

to pleading with Andrews to come back and play

clyons84

Shawn, you have Hall of Fame talent as a football player. Whether you like it or not, football is your calling. Please try to get on the football field so Donovan doesn’t get killed. You are a football player Shawn.

mcbrizzle46

Marked as spam

i think you need to get your jon runyan on

Can’t you see, the man just wants to freestyle?

I’m not buying all this talk from pundits and fans about how the Eagles need to give Kevin Kolb a shot to prove what he can do this Sunday in the home opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Why? Why do we need to give Kolb a chance?

We didn’t draft Kevin Kolb. We didn’t make him the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb. We’re not going to look stupid if Kolb turns out to be a dud. No egg on our face.

Sure, for Andy Reid to prove that he made a smart move when he drafted Kolb in 2007 he needs to start Kolb on Sunday. I get why he and the Eagles’ front office believe that they need to stand behind him.

But as fans, and objective pundits, there shouldn’t be a single person out there saying that Kolb should be the starter against the Saints. Not if you’re first priority is winning football games.

I don’t buy the argument that it’s still early in the season, so we can risk this game. That’s what the preseason is for, to see what players are capable of. These games count, Week 2 as much as Week 14. If you aren’t successful in Week 2, then maybe you’re not in a position to play an important game in Week 14.

Kolb has yet to prove that he can play at a high level in the NFL. Jeff Garcia, on the other hand, is a proven leader and winner. Yes, he is 39 years old, significantly older than Kolb. But he has the experience, in this offense and in this league, to put the Eagles in a position to win against a weak New Orleans’ offense.

Reid’s steadfast support of Kolb is simply an attempt to make himself look good, not a true vote of confidence in his ability to play quarterback. Garcia is the better, and only, option for Sunday.

Put him in coach.