The whole thing with Shawn Andrews just boggles my mind. I remember watching Daily News Live on Comcast about two weeks ago and one of the questions posed by host Michael Barkan was, "What is the over under on the number of games Shawn Andrews will play?" My first instinct would be to have stated four games. But much to my surprise, Marcus Hayes, a contributing editor to the Philadelphia Daily News stated that back in the green room the guests posed the same question and not one of them took any number other than "0".
It seems that LeSean McCoy is not the only person on the Eagles roster that should be mentioned in the same breath with the nickname "Shady". I say this because not all the pieces seem to fit together. Last year, Shawn "Shady" Andrews played the first two games of the season before "injuring his back." I am not one to doubt the severity of back pain. I myself suffer from herniated discs. However, there are reports that he had participated social games of physical activities (i.e. playing backyard football) that make you think twice about Shawn's injury. This all comes after sitting out mini camp and almost all of preseason dealing with depression. Again, I am not one to judge someone on how they feel, but according to statements from Andrews himself, this stems from being picked on as a child, loss of a father figure, homesickness, and other things. I can't believe that this would just pop up for a guy in his late 20s.
This all comes only one year after signing a 7 year, $40 million contract. He got his $10.5 million dollar contact up front, played 1+ years and is still collecting. So what did the Eagles do? They sought to replace their "aging" bookend offensive lineman, Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, with Shawn Andrews' brother Stacy (6 years $39.8 million) and acquired Shawn's college roommate (Jason Peters 6 years $60.657 million) to make Shawn "more comfortable". First of all, if you were replacing aging guards to protect Donovan McNabb, why would you sign Stacy Andrews who came off of season ending surgery from week 15 of 2008? Jon Runyan is a bit older, but had the same procedure done and knows the system. True Jason Peters is a one time pro bowl tackle, however he and Stacy Andrews both missed preseason time and each have missed a game already. Stacy Andrews even admitted that getting into camp late because of injury hasn't allowed him to "know the full system yet." Come on, we are talking meaningful games. There are only 16 of them.
The Eagles insist Shawn's back injury is legit, however too many things don't add up. Having to surround him with "comfortable" people and situations sends up a red flag for me. What about you?
If this guy ever plays another down in the NFL I will be more surprised than the time the Eagles signed the most controversial name in the sport. Gettin' your Michael Phelps on? Does that mean you were swimmin some laps in the pool? Or that you were shattering long standing world records? Or that you were winning 8 Olympic Gold Medals? Oh wait, it must mean that you are eating a 10,000 calorie breakfast and hittin' the bong. Now I see.
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