Joe Banner Couldn’t Help But Reveal Battle With Reid
BREAKING NEWS, Eagles, Front Office, News Monday, June 18th, 2012
I’m sure Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was shaking his head when he read about former team President Joe Banner laughing about the deal the Birds signed with speedy wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
Lurie along with Banner, head coach Andy Reid and team COO Don Smolenski had put together a charade a couple of weeks ago to give all of us the impression that Banner wasn’t fired but had merely decided to go elsewhere in pursuit of a more stimulating challenge.
They all did a good that during the news conference except for when Lurie made a couple of mentions about he had to do what was best for the organization. I was about to swallow some of it until he said that. Now we all know it wasn’t really what had happened.
Banner let the cat out of bag because he couldn’t help but make his side of the arguments that have been going on in the Nova Care Complex be known publicly. Lurie’s life long friend communicated his side of the story in an interview with the Boston Globe.
“In his office that is still inside the Eagles’ NovaCare facility, former team president Joe Banner is having a good laugh. Jackson received his $47 million extension, in good measure, because Banner had his contract power usurped. Banner never would have done that deal”.
Clearly the former Eagles President didn’t make this deal and wouldn’t have made this deal with Jackson if he had been in charge of the negotiations.
This is one of the reasons Jackson was quoted on Philly.com last week talking about how “crucial” the 2012 season is to everybody in the organization. Jackson and his future with the Eagles is on the line and the guy who fought for him and his new contract, Reid have got to deliver with a big year.
Surely Reid has sat down with the key members of his football team like Jackson, quarterback Michael Vick and let them know what the situation is here with the football team. They must at least have a big year and go deep into the playoffs.
Truth is they want more than that so they can validate the decision by Reid to stand up to Banner and initiate the battle that led to the ouster of the Boston-native from his team President position.
Reid had been the good soldier in the past when Banner had refused to allow him to hang onto a player, who he thought could help the football team. The situation had changed now because Reid’s job is on the line going into the 2012 season.
He was no longer willing to stand aside and let Banner make de facto roster moves by low-balling players Reid wanted to keep but he wanted to get rid of.
The Jackson negotiation was a central point of the team’s post season meetings. Reid was on one side and Banner was on the other. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times by Sam Farmer, Reid laid it all on the line when he gave Lurie and the Eagles an ultimatum. Either he gets the power to overrule Banner on roster moves or he’s ready to leave the organization.
Obviously, we can see the Reid was the winner of the battle and Lurie knew during the struggle that it was time to say good-bye to Banner and his methods of running the football team.
Short URL: http://gcobb.com/?p=31063
Posted by GarryCobb
on Jun 18 2012. Filed under BREAKING NEWS, Eagles, Front Office, News.
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Gargano just confirmed it, via NFL.com & sb nation. It is a high injury risk, high reward move, but we need a good veteran safety. If he can stay healthy, he is a pro bowl safety. But he is 31 & had many injuries. Give it a shot.
it is on BGN also
yeah, but BGN barely confirmed it. Good to hear that Gargano said it too.
Jeff Mc tweeted that it isn’t confirmed yet because the birds need to cut someone to make room for him
***JUST 100% CONFIRMED ON WIP***
Nice D. Thanks
dude is canadian – only Danny Watkins and Vinnie the V are going to like this guy!
smart guy – solid but not spectacular career – some injuries… reputation as a ball hawk (25 ints and 16 FFs in 7 seasons ) – been in league a few years – I think this guy is exactly what the team needed – a veteran with a big upside, low risk move.. played SS in college, FS in the Pros…
played in the NFC east last year – has seen Romo and Eli twice..
hard to find anything wrong with the guy – but lets hold on.. I am sure the complaints will come – but would like to here from GMC and Pman – thoughts?
Dcar – I think a solid pick up here – did we have to cut anyone?
Navy – the roster was at 90 before the signing – so they will definitely have to cut someone. But at 90, there’s plenty of room to cut someone who has a much lower chance of making the team than Trent Edwards does….
PFE.com doesn;t have the story yet so I am assuming they are waiting for who they are cutting.. they had just signed a DE from Seattle… maybe the back up LS.. as long as Chad Hall and Trent Edwards are here – Songs will have a reason to live another day..
They just cut Joe Banner, doesn’t that count??
I really like the OJ pickup at this time. Now I really don’t have any confidence that he can still play at this time in his career but who knows maybe he will surprise some of us and reform back to what he was in his STL career. Yes he was a ball hawk/veteran which is what I like most about him. Bottom line is that if or when he blows the Birds will just be able to get rid of him easily like they did Sean Jones…Marlin Jackson etc without it costing them much at all.
I must say tho I think its ridiculous when people say by making moves like this with guys basically halfway out the door of being in the NFL it justifies them as addressing a certain position of need or in other words not ignoring it. Thats BS to me…thats like me saying I half assed studied for a day when it came to my final exam, which I would then end up failing like I mostly thought I would based upon the lifeless effort I put into that certain exam…And then me turning around and saying I addressed that exam and didn’t ignore it. No way you would be able to say that honestly with a straight face.
I wonder how JJ feels about the OJ pickup…
IM really hoping that JJ kills it tho this camp and looks brand new on the field come game time…Maybe he just needed a full offseason…well see i guess.
Really wanted Barron but cant complain about them not getting him since he went so damn high and still got Cox..However, I think our future stud safety will come in next year’s draft…the talent pool is loaded with guys that are physical and who can cover really well
pheages – I hear you but ignoring isn’t really a gray-scale rangy thing. Ignoring means not addressing. The Eagles have both drafted and signed actively at the safety position in the past few years. They have NOT ignored it. You just cannot say they’ve ignored it. You can argue the effectiveness of the players they added, but to say that they ignored the position would be 100% incorrect. Am I wrong?
Two second round picks, in both cases picking one of the top safties in the drafts, is not “half ass studying for a day”. Not saying it’s an A+ grade, but it’s not half ass studying for a day.
Looks like Sean Jones all over again. Slow and cant play.
Just a signing to bring in competition. Can’t be a bad thing. We’ll see how it works out, though I suspect he’s backup material. The reason? Guy can’t seem to get/hold a long term contract.
When his rookie deal ended he played 1 year on franchise tender. Then another 1 year deal. Then a 5 year deal with wsh but they cut him after 1 year. I’m a little concerned that there are2 teams who won’t comit to the guy.
wow dag – guy was on the track team at Stanford…
sean jones (who started the last two years all 16 games in Tampa) in 8 years had 17 picks and 3 FF
OJ A in 7 years has 25 picks and 16 FFs….
yeah – I see what you mean – look songs all over again. why base any post in fact…
Dagg, you need to change your name to dragg-olden. Damn, dude, be happy with something. And everybody calls me negative. JEESH!!!! It’s a good move. Veteran safety. High risk, high reward. If he gets hurt, or doesn’t contribute, it doesn’t matter, because we have the same as before. So it can’t hurt. If he’s healthy, he is a very good, veteran safety. We are devoid of veteran leadership, back there. He is well known to be a very good locker room guy. He can help the young guys. Good fit, but he just get’s hurt all of the time. I’m very optimistic for this year, but I’m just not too crazy about Vicks chances of staying healthy, or being accurate. We’ll see!?