Any player coming to Eagles training camp for the first time should know one thing: Andy Reid is trying to kill you. Well, maybe not, and it’s probably foolish to compare what NFL players go through at Philadelphia’s two-week camp at Lehigh to what Bear Bryant’s “Junction Boys” endured at Texas A&M. But after reading this story about the Eagles’ training camp in the DELAWARE COURIER-POST, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want any part of it.

Basically, Reid will have none of this “safety” talk or “trying not to get starters injured.” While other coaches eschew contact drills, Reid thrives on them,  working his team in full contact drills with pads. And as other coaches have moved practices to the evenings in the aftermath of Korey Stringer’s death, Reid has barely nudged, with his only concession being to move the morning practices up 15 minutes while keeping the afternoon drills smack in the middle of the day.

Read more…

With the presidential race in full swing, THE WIZARD OF ODDS digs up this little political gem from Woody Hayes, as the ex-Ohio State coach endorses one of his former Buckeyes running for Columbus City Council:

Even though Hayes was a staunch Republican, he apparently had no trouble doing an ad for Democrat Ben Espy. Good to see that for Woody, party lines don’t matter when punching up political support for ex-players.

Read more…

• SPORTS ILLUSTRATED chats with Chuck Liddell about being a Super Bowl VIP. But the big guy has been to the Big Game before - as a security guard.

• Meanwhile, ESPN’s HASHMARKS talks with NFL Films prez Steve Sabol, who remembers trying to sell a dozen seats to the first Super Bowl: “I was only able to sell two tickets for $6.”

• ODENIZED realizes Donyell Marshall hasn’t played in a while - but to hit the court without your jersey?

• THE MONEY SHOT is Sure they’re Right (Guard) with their selections of college basketball’s sweatiest coaches.

• Chris Mottram of THE SPORTING BLOG learns that Larry Johnson’s not the only Chief with expensive tastes in jewelry, as Dwayne Bowe shows off his bling.

• AWFUL ANNOUNCING thanks the Jimmy Kimmel Show for putting together a retrospective of Emmitt “Word” Smith.

• Clip ‘n’ save: Tom Hoffarth of INSIDE SOCAL runs down FOX’s Super Bowl Sunday schedule. (*Spoiler alert* - the festivities conclude with a very special episode of “House”.)

• LOSER WITH SOCKS uncovers a fashion faux pas among the Crimson Tide - Bear Bryant’s hat was not houndstooth.