If you missed what coach Doug Collins had to say about speculation the Sixers were hiding something about guard Evan Turner, you need to watch the upcoming video.

Just wondering if you get the same weird vibe I do reading between the lines.

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Enjoying Lunardi's brackets.

OK, this blog usually is about the Eagles.

But it's basketball season.

And I just couldn't pass up the chance to talk the NCAA basketball tournament with ESPN.com and Saint Joseph's University exec Joe Lundardi. We go way back - back to the days of Tandy TRS-80 model 100 computers.

The question locally everyone wants to know is the fate of the Drexel Dragons, who recently hit a bump in the road after producing a 19-game winning streak.

Here's how Joe Lunardi broke it down:

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Andy Reid was the guy a chunk of media thought of when the words "I take full responsibility for that" popped out of  the mouth of the Sixers' head coach Sunday night.

You thought they had problems?

But it was really a veiled cry for help from Doug Collins, who knows his basketball team is stuck on playing just well enough  to lose close games to good teams.

It happened again in a 96-91 loss to the Chicago Bulls at the Wells Fargo Center.
Collins took responsibility. He also refused to blame the non-superstar composition of his team for the close losses although several of his post-game comments subtly suggested he was reaching the end of his rope.

“There’s an old line in basketball,” Collins said. “A coach’s notoriety is demonstrated by his team’s ability to execute under pressure. And my notoriety right now isn’t very good. Because we’re not winning any of these games. And I take full responsibility for that. I’m paid to win games. That’s what (owner) Josh Harris pays me to do.”

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The NFL has been stomping out lawsuits for years.

The class action concussion lawsuit by former players seeking damages and medical monitoring for head trauma will be the ultimate test.

This video accompanying a concussion piece full of Eagles - including a player in the suit who has some interesting things to say about it - tells you what the players, league and fans are up against, from a local perspective

Video produced by @JonTuleya.

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Where Archie Manning goes, questions about his sons - particularly Peyton - aren't far behind.

And so it was Friday at the Maxwell Football Club's media luncheon.

Archie Manning, the Maxwell's Francis "Reds" Bagnell Award winner for contributions to football, addressed Eli's second Super Bowl title and Peyton's health.

Archie didn't get the million dollar question: Would Peyton would fit into a system such as the Eagles? We all know the answer. (As if Peyton Manning couldn't fit into any system.) But that would have been a fun question for Archie to field. More later on Peyton from Ron Jaworski's perspective.

Instead Archie said he told Peyton "everything is going to work out." Archie also is hopeful Peyton will overcome neck surgery and play in the NFL this season after sitting out the 2011 campaign.

"What I’ve seen he certainly looks like fine as far as throwing and velocity on the ball," Archie Manning said. "He hasn’t had any setbacks throwing. He’s been throwing for two months and has four or five to go before the season starts. The good news as a parent is when the doctors cleared him. The fusion was successful and they cleared him to play. He hasn’t had any setbacks and is throwing the football."

Jaworski, the ESPN analyst, Philadelphia Soul part-owner, Maxwell Club president and former Eagles' quarterback, said the Birds would be crazy if they didn't perform due diligence.

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Think RG3 needs a higher release point?

The Eagles played the smart hand Thursday.

By designating DeSean Jackson as their franchise player, at the least they'll get one motivated season from the temperamental wide receiver.

The tag preserves their right to negotiate a long-term, and much more salary cap friendly contract with Jackson.

Internally and most importantly the Eagles get to see what the market is for Jackson, who could become a key piece in a blockbuster trade for a team wishing to accommodate a temperamental touchdown maker.

If Jackson, who made $600,000 last season, doesn’t sign the $9.4 million tender, the Eagles can prevent him from playing in 2012 and maintain his future rights. If he signs it the money is guaranteed but he still can be traded.

Robert Griffin III, anyone?

The Eagles were among the teams "blown away" after interviewing RG3 at the scouting combine per a source.

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Clyde Simmons (l), Seth Joyner at autograph event.

Jeff Fisher, Gregg Williams and now former Eagles defensive end Clyde Simmons have joined forces in St. Louis to build what could be a defense for the ages.

Simmons, who trails only the late great Reggie White in career and single-season Eagles sacks, is the Rams' assistant defensive line coach.

"Jeff remembered Clyde when they played together with the Eagles," said Jim Solano, the agent who represents Simmons. "He basically gave Clyde the opportunity to interview for the job. He went there and they were all impressed. Gregg Williams, the defensive coordinator was impressed. And you know Clyde’s work ethic is unbelievable."

With the Rams almost certain to swap the second pick in the upcoming draft for a pile of draft choices, coaching will be more important than ever in St. Louis.

The anticipated trade has created a buzz.

"It reminds me of the time that Dallas traded Herschel Walker to Minnesota," Solano said. "They got a lot of guys and it instantly turned them into a playoff team. So hopefully everything will turn out well there. I think Jeff is a great coach. I think they’ve got a good quarterback. It looks like they’re going to pick up a lot of people in the draft. That will be great."

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