I stood in the Eagles lockeroom yesterday and listened to LeSean McCoy being interviewed by some reporters as his fellow running back Brian Westbrook toweled off at the next locker.
The reporters were asking McCoy about the way the Birds coaching staff was devying up the carries to the team’s running backs. McCoy answered the questions vaguely but was having a lot of fun in the interview.
He was smiling and gesturing as he talked about the carries the backs were getting.
A number of the team’s critics have said that the return of Westbrook has hurt the rhthym of the running game.
After about five minutes the reporters left and McCoy tried to continue the discussion with Westbrook, but the veteran, who was sitting about two feet away didn’t seem to enjoy the conversation at all.
In less than a minute of a one-sided conversation, BWest with a couple of towels covering his body, got up and headed for the training room. McCoy was smiling and talking but there wasn’t any trace of a smile on Westbrook’s face.
I explained to McCoy the situation Westbrook is in. He knows that the Eagles brought McCoy in here to replace him.
He also knows that sharing information with the youngster is speeding up his exit from the football team, yet he continues to help the youngster.
The reason I know and understand the situation which Westbrook is in, is because I went through it myself.
I remember spending extra time after practice with Sethy Joyner and Byron Evans even though I knew these guys were going to take my job.
I remember Buddy Ryan asking me to make sure these guys were learning the system.
I did it because I remember an old USC linebacker, Charlie Weaver who taught me the ropes when I played for the Detroit Lions as a rookie.
Charlie had a wife and eight kids, but they moved me into his spot and cut him a few games later. He knew it was coming but helped me anyway.
I told LeSean that he should probably avoid the discussion of who gets the carries. As you would expect, it’s a sensitive area because those carries say alot about what type of standing you have with the football team.
I told McCoy he should be very respectful of a player as great as Westbrook has been.
Yes, he should try to take his job on the field but defer to him off the field, as still be the team’s number one running back.
Great players like Westbrook never really agree to go away quietly. Their confidence in their abilities is one the key reasons for their success, so they’re not quick to stop believing that they can still make the plays.
He’s still looking for an opportunity to prove that he’s still got it.
This is what Westbrook will be attempting to do on Saturday night. So far he has looked like a great running back, whose time to hang it up is drawing near, but the story isn’t over yet.
He’s got not plans of going away silently in the night and I’m hoping that his mission is successful.
