Andy Reid and assorted items

Things you can learn from an Andy Reid news conference.  Let's get started:

Opening Remarks: "Just a little update on what we're going to do here the next few weeks. The coaches will have next week off until training camp. They'll work the first couple of days next week, and then they'll have the rest of the time off until training camp. Then, the players will continue to work here. This is kind of their push period. The rookies will finish up working out here. Then, they'll have a little bit of time off. Then, they put on the heavy grind for Lehigh. We took this week and we worked on the NFC East and our first opponent, which is the Carolina Panthers. That was the one we did today. We finished it up good. We're ready to roll."

"I will spend my off time preparing for the long season ahead, and yes, I will be hibernating in the crawl space of my mansion in Gladwyne.  To prepare for my denning I've stored enough food to last me until February.  My burrow is filled with spareribs, marshmallows, and buttermilk.  In early spring, my body fat is a meager 32%.  However, as the season approaches, I must emulate the dormouse and push my reserves closer to 50%."

On how T Jon Runyan still has a locker and what that means, and how comfortable he is with Shawn Andrews at right tackle: "We'll just see how things go down the road. Right now Jon is working his tail off to recover from that knee. I know he wants to play, and we'll see how things work out down the road. You asked me two separate questions. Shawn is doing a nice job, and Jon is doing a great job of getting himself ready to play, and we'll just see how things work out down the road here."

Interesting.....seems like Reid is leaving the door open for a Runyan training camp tryout.  He probably wants to make sure Stacy Andrews is 100% healthy before cleaning out big Jon's locker.  Is it me or is this a little out of character for Big Red?  I'd expect him to just throw the tired old, "I'm not going there, Shawn Andrews is our right tackle" line.  Also, Jon Runyan is getting his knee healthy at the expense of his tail.  Very interesting.

On whether Stacy Andrews will get reps at right tackle at training camp: "No. He'll go in at right guard. The same thing he's doing in this camp here."

We paid you like a tackle, but you will play guard.  Your brother, always the sensitive one, is being paid like a guard to play tackle.  Somewhere, Joe Banner is scheming up a plan about how to pay all his linemen like centers.

On how he has had a number of undrafted free agents on the team in past years, and whether he thinks these OTAs have helped their chances in making the team: "I think that helps. I think it helps those guys just like it would help a rookie. Really, there's no difference there other than one guy is drafted and one guy isn't drafted. From the neck up, at least they all have an equal opportunity there."

Because, from the neck down, there's a big difference between someone like Sam Swank and Cornelius Ingram.....if......you.....get....what....I'm....saying.  Jeff Garcia does.

And now - to Ted Daisher's press conference...........

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Now to the real news.......

Rashard's Mendenhall's little brother Walter was cut from the squad today.  Somewhere Jeremy Giambi, Juan Bell, and Vince Dimaggio are giggling. Adam DiMichele was also let go.  Tough to let a guy with that kind of pedigree go, I mean, he's got Temple Football experience!  They beat Akron last year!  Big mistake, biiiiiiiggggggg mistake.

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Looks like the Birds are going to restructure the last two years of McNabb's deal.  Kind of bizarre if you ask me.  I guess McNabb is "underpaid" if you consider Carson Palmer and Aaron Rodgers are inline to take home about $5 million bucks more than McNabb this year.  Just doesn't seem necessary.  I think there may be more behind this story. 

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Max Jean-Gilles hired Drew Rosenhaus.  The Frenchman now wants a new deal.  Is this man serious?  Jean-Gilles is a backup.  After he was injured last year, the Birds plugged in Nick Cole, and it was an improvement.  He could easily be on the fringe of a roster spot if he doesn't impress at camp this year.  Especially when Mormon Dallas Reynolds is around getting preferential treatment.  Speaking of Mormons, what are the chances Reno Mahe fills that "veteran running back" role for the Birds in camp this year?  75%? 50%?