Why Eagles Training Camp Sucks

Every year in late July, a group of millionaires known collectively as the Philadelphia Eagles head up the Northeast Extension in their giant custom SUVs, hyperbaric chambers strapped to the top. The destination: Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, Pa., birthplace of Jesus and home of Eagles training camp. Well, actually, it’s Lehigh’s “Murray H. Goodman Campus,” which is like 40 towns over from where all the academic buildings are.

Almost every year, the mood going into training camp is kind of sour. A player or two is holding out (this year, it’s Shawn Andrews for unknown personal reasons) and a bunch of players are unhappy with their contracts even though they’re not holding out.

The only reports from training camp that grab anyone’s attention are injuries; there’s not much fan interest in who’s going to end up the right gunner on punt coverage and there’s really not that much writers can do besides describe the day’s big hits over and over.

The only good news out of camp is, then, silence. But, no: Tons of players get hurt every year at camp. Victor Abiamiri has a broken hand, free agent signing Asante Samuel has a strained hamstring and Chris Clemons had to be rushed to the hospital today.

I scream at the TV screen whenever Charlie Manuel bunts with a perfectly good hitter in a stupid spot in May. By August, I can barely handle them. I can’t take six weeks of training camp injury reports with the only real news being updates on the “important” fullback battle. Oh, boy! Another whole month of this.

Image by texas_mustang, Creative Commons license

Two Rich People Collide In Phils’ Win

The Phillies rallied last night in Arizona to remain just percentage points behind Florida in the NL East, and they couldn’t have done it without Shane Victorino.

Vic raced for first after a dropped third strike and crashed headfirst into Conor Jackson, leaving both of them down for a couple minutes. More importantly, it got Victorino to first; he’d score on an Eric Bruntlett double. Utley eventually singled home Bruntlett in the top of the eighth to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead. Video of Vic’s crash after the jump.

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David Murphy Is The Toughest Meteorologist In Philly

An average television viewer might think the weatherguys and gals aren’t all that tough. Sure, Hurricane Schwartz talks tough about Christmas, but how many mall Santas has he punched out?

Well, I don’t know about the other weatherpeople, but David Murphy no-sold a separated shoulder at CBP the other day:

It was one hell of a catch, but 6ABC’s David Murphy suffered a dislocated left shoulder yesterday fielding a line drive by Q102’s Diego Ramos during the 10th Annual Richie Ashburn Memorial Home Runs for Heart challenge at Citizens Bank Park.

Murphy, a trouper, continued to play for 15 minutes after the injury before casually strolling off the field and driving himself to an area hospital, refusing to have an EMT called to the ballpark.

Drove himself to the hospital? Man. Somebody ought to tell Danny Tartabull that a weatherguy can play through an injury.

Dan Gross | Murphy’s catch [Daily News]