Probably the most significant need in a human being is the need to be loved, to feel wanted and needed. It’s a normal, human emotion. What’s wrong with that? I think that in any job, in any way that you make your living, you 
want to feel like you’re a significant part of whatever the business is that you do. Well, earlier this week, Pro-Bowl ball hawk Asante Samuel felt neither loved nor wanted. And he didn’t hesitate to say so.
“Couple people upstairs might not want me, but who cares?” he said. “They’ve probably never played football… “It’s a business and they run it like a business and they’re going to do what they need to do. They’re playing with a lot of money, playing fantasy football, doing their thing.”
Was he wrong for voicing his frustration? Frustration that, I’m sure comes on the heels of a horrendous start to a season that everyone – especially the men in the Eagles locker room – expected to be much different, sitting high above the NFC East Division instead of on the bottom looking up. Frustration and a sense of rejection after your “boss” brings in not one but two “employees” that are hired to do the same job you do. Looking over your shoulder would be a job in itself.
Samuel said that he plays for the fans and for his teammates and as long as he gets paid, that’s what he’s going to do. What I hear him saying is that he’s being loyal to the men in the “office”, the locker room, the men who he goes to battle with week in and week out… win or lose. And for the fans who pay their money to see the biggest sports team in Philadelphia where the Eagles, love them or boo them, are beloved. I happen to respect that.
Now, would I have expressed my emotions after a much needed win? As the team approaches a bye and the next game is against the arch rival Dallas Cowboys which could make or break the season? I don’t know, perhaps. But going back to that human need to be wanted… it’s a legitimate response.
When “All World” corner, Nnamdi Asomugha was signed, the thought of these two stellar athletes playing together excited me! But the seemingly useless trade to bring in DRC on top of that ignited, I’m sure, the suspicion of even the most ignorant Eagles fan. Something’s up and someone’s got to go! I hoped on top of hope that the Eagles would not trade Asante even with his disdain for contact and his tendency to bite on the stop and go because you know he’s going to get that pick and take it to the house! I want that, don’t you?
There is an honest curiosity though… the wondering… who did the Eagles brass see out there? And, what teams did they talk to and what players were mentioned? I hear that Samuel’s contract escalates next season and that will make him the odd man out. We all know that the increase in salary is probably the main reason the Eagles have been trying to get rid of him.
Well, the point is moot for now since Samuel made it past the trade deadline. Let’s just hope he can process his emotions (he did rescind his comments) and realize how much he is wanted and needed in Philly, even if the “guys upstairs” place a different value on him.
People who feel unwanted may say they don’t care because it’s the obvious thing to say. It’s a natural defense mechanism. But of course they care, everyone wants to be wanted. Asante Samuel? If he didn’t care, he would have never opened his mouth.
Who cares about Asante!? He won’t be here next year anyways. Let’s hope he has the coglione’s to suck it up, & target his angst toward the opposing teams. Then maybe he’ll concentrate more on making plays, rather than looking like a diva, girly-man, scarred, bi-atch, on the field!
Yeah i think asantes contract goes up to 8 million next year and then to 12 million in 2013.So you know the eagles will probably be trading him in the offseason.I think DRC contract is up at the end of the year and he is going to want to get paid so you know they are not going to have 3 high priced defensive backs in 2012.
schiller, did you write this touchy, feely piece?
Thanks Dr. Laura, can we talk about football now? The thing that galls me is that he contradicts himself. He is getting paid a ton of money so play. His playmaking ability hasn’t been on display that much this year.
jake, nope. I don’t get to write articles like Paulman somehow arranged. And I don’t really align with most of what’s said above. Again, you just don’t get me jake.
I agree qith Asante….
The guys upstairs who are really pencil pusher accountants really are playing fantasy football with the owner’s money.
That’s the attitude we need in Philadelphia instead of a bunch of yes men with no passion.
Rework Asante’s contract with a neice bonus that will have his salary cap friendly next year and transition tag DRC.
We need Asnate’s big play ability and candor against the borg.
We can also take that pick we got for garbage ass Kolb (Told you he was ass) and get a top linebacker next year for our new defensive minded head coach.
That will give Eagles fans everywhere a reason to believe this organization wants to win it all.
Paste this Schill and take it upostairs so your boss know how real fans feel.
Songs – so you’re saying that a business should not be run by ‘pencil pushing accountants’…. hmm. that’s odd, it’s your opinion however it’s 100% against common sense and what every successful businesses do. Wow, that makes you, hm, how do I put this, CLUELESS.
It’s not ‘fantasy football’. It’s FOOTBALL. ‘Fantasy’ is something us fans do because we’re not REAL GMs. Howie is a REAL GM. So there’s no ‘fantasy’ about it.
A GM’s job in the modern day NFL is to monitor free agents, practice squads, and potential trades, and make decisions (along with the rest of the FO depending on how the particular team is structured) on who/how/when and for how much to move players around and make the roster as good as possible at all times. In other news, every football field has two endzones. there are 100 yards between them. The goal is to win the game. The ball is oblong, brown, with white ‘laces’ on it for griping purposes. The players wear helmets. let me knwo if there are any other things you need to learn about the game. i’m happy to help you out.
But make no mistake, the Eagles GM, and the other 31 GMs, aren’t playing ‘fantasy football’ when they consider player transactions. They’re doing their JOBS. The ‘fantasy’ part is what fans do on the internet. Notice the difference.
Asante worked with a top organization in New England which qualifies him to make such statements while playing for the Eagles.
Schill, let’s bot put our opinion to the side and trust the guy who have seen it first hand.
If Asante Samuel believes they are playing fantasy football with the owners money.
Let’s take his word for it.
Again, after playing under the Golden Standard in New England he knows the difference.
Schill – now go easy – SOngs once had a parents meeting with the new coach at Temple – so he ‘knows’ football.
go ahead – ask Songs how many of the 32 GMs courrently emplyed inthe NFL were NFL players, ask him how many of the 64 GMs and Presidents – how many played in the NFL
Ask them if they even played in college – Songs doesn’t bother to learn or understand things – he talked to a college coach once – he ‘knows’
Songs, yes, Asante worked with a top organization in New England (it pains me to say that, but it’s 100% correct). And he was shipped out of that organization for his lack of play in certain situations (use your brain, you know what I’m talking about), and his attitude of which we’re discussing. That organization, NE, is notorious for making trades, transactions, trading draft picks, stock piling draft picks, making draft day trades, heck, they’re pretty much identical to the um, (what’s that pro football team in Philadelphia called?) when it comes to GM and front office activity. YOU DOPE
Songs – if you want to ‘put our opinion to the side an trust the guy who have seen it first hand’ – THEN ASANTE WAS WRONG. HE SAID THAT. IF YOU’RE GOING TO SAY TRUST HIM, THAN YOU HAVE TO STOP DEFENDING HIS ORIGINAL STATEMENTS BECAUSE HE RESCINDED THEM AND SAID HE WAS WRONG.
What is the difference between NE and the Eagles FO? They operate VERY VERY SIMIlARLY. Both coaches are notorious for not giving a shit about the media and revealing pretty much nothing, taking all the blame. both GMs trade and value draft picks a ton. Both teams bring in vets from other teams to solidify their rosters. Both teams hit or miss on draft picks. Sure, you can point out the superbowl, and the fact that only one of the teams cheated in superbolw ’04, but they are SO SO similar. It’s HILARIOUS you’re trying to use their ‘differneces’ as an argument.
If you’re ‘taking Asante’s word for it’ – THEN YOU DISAGREE WITH HIS ORIGINAL STATEMENT.
TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE KNUCKLEHEAD!
Okay…first thing that needs to be addressed here -NEW ENGLAND NEVER HAS HAD, DOES NOT HAVE AND MAY NEVER HAVE “GOLD STANDARD” OPERATIONS-
ALL championships won by the Bellichick NE Patriots should be stripped (should have been done years ago.) Outside of the championship games/seasons won through cheating the team is slightly above average. Everything that organization has won they either won through cheating or buying a boatload of free agents as many other teams have done/will do in the future which makes them avaerage to slightly above average and certainly nowhere near a “Gold Standard.”
On Samuel…Granted there are things I don’t like about the man’s game, BUT the dude has been nothing but a true ballhawk and interception machine since he’s gotten to Philly. He’s correct in his estimation that the front office is playing fantasy football with a real football team involving real money, that much is obvious to even the most casual onlooker that’s observed this front office since Howie Roseman took it over and has observed the various public player/personnel statements the guy has made.
The one thing that’s certain that many of have wondered about since the hiring of Roseman, that was confirmed by Samuel’s is that there’s a power struggle going on in management. Something that was said to Samuel behind closed doors gave him the indication that there is in fact a unbalanced power which would further corroborate that Andy Reid is on the way out if his agent making a public statement/comparison to Marv Levy didn’t already inform you of that. Granted, I’m not a fan of Reid I HATE the idea of a Howie Roseman run front office. It’s highly unlikely Roseman would bring in a “Power Coach” (i.e. someone that could successfully demand final say on personnel) which would mean that the Eagles would get a second or third tier coach…Hell we could end up with Shannahan since I’m fairly certain he’ll get the boot after this year.
Songs,
i dont like how they do it sometimes either….. they cast away our stars before WE are ready to let them go…. but…. they have a track record at doing THIS well (i wrote THIS in caps because i dont want to hear that im a F.O. lover or any of that crap.) They maybe have missed on this once or twice… (burgess should not have been allowed to leave)… but for the most part…. they nailed it. Taylor, Brown, Vincent, trot 1, trot 2. The latest proof is Dmac. It pains me to say that but…. it was the right time. Asam will almost for sure leave at the end of this season…. and for that kind of money… he should. He will go elsewhere and play ok but his best days are behind him i feel. Is there a chance he will pull a dawk and be motivated by leaving? Sure…. but it will not last.