A Little Bit of Good News, Birds Fans

Welcome back, Mr. Westbrook...

TUESDAY NIGHT, Brian Westbrook finally called agent Fletcher Smith. Westbrook had fired agent Tony Agnone nearly 2 weeks earlier, before going off on vacation to think over how he wanted to approach his stalled negotations with the Eagles. The widespread assumption then was that Westbrook would hire Smith - who also represents Donovan McNabb and Correll Buckhalter - but as late as Tuesday afternoon, Smith hadn't heard from Westbrook in more than a week, and Smith said he wasn't sure what might happen.

But Westbrook and Smith talked Tuesday night and yesterday morning, and two things happened very quickly: Westbrook hired Smith, and Smith advised Westbrook to sign the team's 1-year, $1.43 million restricted free-agent tender and report to the passing camp that started yesterday. This was what Westbrook planned on doing, anyway, Westbrook said yesterday, after his first workout with his teammates.

It still isn't clear that the Eagles and their top running back will be able to agree on a long-term contract before Westbrook becomes an unrestricted free agent next spring, but what was clear to Westbrook was that when dealing with this team's front office, antagonizing just isn't productive, especially if staying here is important to you.

"I think I have a better shot of getting a deal done with me here, helping the other players get better as well as myself, and letting the coaching staff know that I'm ready to help our team win a Super Bowl," Westbrook said. He said he "just didn't like the way things were going" between the Eagles and Agnone.

Not quite 4 months after their first Super Bowl appearance in 24 years, the Eagles face a thicket of disagreements over what players are worth. Management hasn't given ground in any of them, and doesn't seem likely to do so. At one point yesterday, disgruntled defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, who is attending the passing camp despite rumblings a few weeks ago that he might stay home, was asked about how the team might fare without wide receiver Terrell Owens. Owens, of course, is not attending, as he tries to get the Birds to rework his contract.

"One monkey don't stop no show," Thomas said.

That last quote cracks me up. As for the T.O. issue... I've got my fingers crossed that he'll show up. But that decision will be his. In the meantime, this article about his new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, caught my eye. Why didn't I try representing players while I was a second-year law student?