Didn’t see that one coming… Asante ripped GM Howie Roseman and team president Joe Banner for playing “fantasy football” with the Eagles — and all this after Asante told us yesterday he was going to accept his gag order from coach Reid with grace…
Maybe this is a tempest in a teapot… or maybe it’s a timely controversy to fire up the team to new awareness of a season on the line… I just don’t feel it’s as big a deal as others may think. Think of the late Al Davis and his good Raiders’ teams— they often had something like this brewing in the clubhouse and the press.
GM Howie Roseman was insinuated to be more powerful than head coach Andy Reid in personnel and trade decisions by Samuel… it will be interesting to see how Roseman plays the delicate political balancing game with this one…
Samuel made some statements Wednesday about his feelings toward the organization that Nick Fierro of the Allentown Morning Call said “will live in infamy.”
“I was happy when they traded for Dominique [Rodgers-Cromartie],” Samuel said. “I was happy when they signed Nnamdi [Asomugha]. Definitely was happy. But when they made the call to me and said they were trying to trade me, that’s where it went bad. It’s not nothing where it’s a rumor. I know it’s a fact. They called me and my agent, talked to both of us.”
Samuel went on to say he doesn’t believe head coach and executive vice president of football operations Andy Reid has as much power as we’ve all been led to believe — which is all-encompassing when it comes to personnel. “No, actually I don’t,” Samuel said. “I think there’s a power struggle around here. But it’s all good. Like I said, me and Andy are cool. I’m here to play for Andy. He’s my head coach. That’s what matters.”
Samuel also said that general manager Howie Roseman and president Joe Banner were “playing with a lot of money, playing a little fantasy football, doing their thing.”
Moments after that bomb was dropped, Samuel emerged from a personal meeting with Reid, no doubt hastily called by the coach to minimize the fallout of those viral comments, and issued the following statement:
“So me and Coach talked, and obviously I let my emotions get the best of me. And everything is good. I’m happy to be here and everything is settled and he explained to me how the business works and I’m that much more educated about how the business works in the NFL, and everything’s good. Let’s get a win Sunday.”
Just when you thought things were calming down around here! I’ll be back in a few hours with the Fancy Fantasy Football results for Week 7… and get your reactions to the Samuel outburst…
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EEB Fancy Fantasy Football Results and Standings, Week 7:
BriSuksEgg League:
Green Machine (David Calvo, 1-6) outlasted Team Bone (Boner, 2-4-1), 90- 87;
Lancaster RubberNecks (Gary, 3-4) crushed McLuvin’s Pastries (Leo, 1-6), 161- 93;
How You Like Dem Apples (Hud, 5-2) edged Sunny’s Jock Strap (Mothra, 5-2), 93- 83;
Dem Stinken Bums (ATV, 4-3) mauled Team Conahan (Robert, 3-4), 168- 78;
The Amputatoes (Jerked, 3-3-1) defeated Marty Funkhouser (Harry Organs, 5-2), 126- 96;
Team Jax Eagles (Andrew, 5-2) outlasted the Nut Chokers (JB, 4-3), 103- 73….
WEST DIVISION: W L T Pctg. GB
Marty Funkhouser 5 2 0 .714 —-
Sunny’s Jock Strap 5 2 0 .714 —-
Team Jax Eagles 5 2 0 .714 —-
Dem Stinken Bums 4 3 0 .571 1
Lancaster RubberNecks 3 4 0 .428 2
Green Machine 1 6 0 .143 4
EAST DIVISION:
How You Like Dem Apples 5 2 0 .714 —-
Nut Chokers 4 3 0 .571 1
The Amputatoes 3 3 1 .500 1.5
Team Conahan 3 4 0 .428 2
Team Bone 2 4 1 .333 2.5
McLuvin’s Pastries 1 6 0 .143 4
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More back-story on the Asante Samuel incident:
A few hours after blaming the front office for making him the subject of trade rumors last week, he had another meeting with coach Andy Reid and then apologized for labeling general manager Howie Roseman and president Joe Banner as the “guys upstairs playing fantasy football with the owner’s money.”
Samuel first aired his troubles during training camp in a failed attempt to get the Eagles to rework his contract. He signed a six-year, $57.14 million deal with the Eagles in 2008 that included a $6 million signing bonus and another $8 million in roster bonuses he collected in 2008 and 2009.
“I’m a realist,” Samuel said. “I keep it real. That’s the only way I know. It’s no disrespect or nothing. That’s just me. That’s how I roll. I’m not going to sugarcoat anything.”
Reid issued a statement after his second meeting Wednesday with Samuel. “I am aware of how Asante felt, and we have since talked,” Reid said. “We both left with a positive feeling going forward.
Samuel, 30, is considered one of the league’s most productive defensive backs. His 43 career regular-season interceptions rank fourth among active players behind Baltimore safety Ed Reed (56), Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson (52) and Denver cornerback Champ Bailey (48), and he leads the league with 37 interceptions since 2006.
“I’ve never been a troublemaker,” Samuel said. “I’ve always been a leader, a player that goes out to be productive and does what he’s supposed to do. Regardless of what is said or what is done, they’re in business and I’m in business. We’re going to roll like that. As long as I’m getting paid on Tuesday, I’m going to go out and do my job to the best of my ability.
“I just want to be where I’m wanted, wherever that is. I’m here now, so I must be wanted here. We’ll see where I’m wanted next year.”
Asante would have made a good tennis player… Nice backhand.
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