Riley Cooper.

Riley Cooper is going to face reporters today and apologize for using a racial epithet that's gone national.


The time is to be determined.

The adult-language video is on Crossingbroad.com.


This is Cooper's statement apologizing for using the epithet after the June 8 Kenny Chesney concert at Lincoln Financial Field:

“I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself. I want to apologize. I have been offensive. I have apologized to my coach, to Jeffrey Lurie, to Howie Roseman and to my teammates. I owe an apology to the fans and to this community. I am so ashamed, but there are no excuses. What I did was wrong and I will accept the consequences.”

A video shows Cooper breaking free of Eagles teammate Jason Kelce before launching into a tirade about fighting (insert the epithet).


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Roseman wonders where WSJ piece came from.

It's flattering, to say the least, that there is much ado about the Chip Kelly no-huddle offense yet to play a down in the NFL.

The Wall Street Journal quoted NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino as saying the referees - not the coaches or the players - control the speed of the game.

"We have to make sure teams understand that they don't control the tempo, our officials do," Blandino said.

The officials sure did a good job slowing down the Patriots last year. The no-huddle Patriots fell just eight plays short of setting the league record for snaps in the season.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman seems amused by the matter. And he hadn't read the WSJ piece.

Calling the pace at which the Patriots ran plays "pretty impressive," Roseman said "it didn't seem like they were hampered too much by" the rules or the officials.

"I think we understand the rules, Coach understands the rules," Roseman said. "The officials have been great when they came here and I don't see it as much of an issue at all."

Kelly will take questions after practice. If there is any concern, well, the officials are coming in later this week on their annual visit to speak with the players.

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Difficult rehab ahead for ACL.

Jerry Maclin was placed on injured reserve, and is out for the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee.

The Eagles could have waited to place Maclin on IR and designate him for return, as they did last year when offensive tackle Jason Peters tore his Achilles' tendon, per the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Teams have one such IR exemption per season.

But this year the player designated for return cannot go on IR until after 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the regular season. Maclin doesn't qualify.

Peters felt healthy enough to play before the end of last season, but didn't. It was probably better that way for there was no use putting him at risk with the Eagles putting the finishing touches on a disappointing 4-12 season.

Maclin is in the last year of his contract. It's early but it doesn't appear the Eagles are going to be challenging for a playoff spot, not with all of the changes in coaching, style and players.

This past weekend Maclin didn't think a guy in his situation should be rushing back into action. It's the second time Maclin tore the right ACL.

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Jeremy Maclin (crutches), Erik Spoelstra (black jacket).

Donovan McNabb got a pretty good ovation from fans attending the Eagles' open practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

Brian Dawkins might have gotten a few more cheers from a crowd closer to 30,000, not the 65,000 in the advance ticket giveaway.

But Brian Westbrook, the Villanova U. product, probably got the loudest ovation.

A.J. Feeley and Vince Papale (Interboro) had their moments, as well.

Other alums introduced were: Gerry Feehery (Cardinal O'Hara), Maxie Baughan, Bill Bergey, James Betterson, Barrett Brooks, Harold Carmichael, Garry Cobb, Ken Dunek, A.J. Feeley, Riley Gunnels, Ben Hawkins, Vaughn Hebron, Jim Kelly, Sean Landeta and Reno Mahe.

Also, Hall of Famer Tommy McDonald, Joe Paglie, Vince Papale, Joe Pisarcik, Mike Quick, Ike Reese, Kevin Riley, Congressman Jon Runyan (R-NJ), Pete Retzlaff, John Spagnola, Duce Staley, Markus Thomas, William Thomas, Tra Thomas, Randy Logan, Lem Burnham and Herb Lusk.

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Might have some questions for Howie Roseman.

The Eagles confirmed what Donovan McNabb announced months ago .. he's retiring as an Eagle.

The formal announcement is Monday. Don't be surprised if the Eagles retire his No. 5 when Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs arrive for an Sept. 19 game at the Linc.

Also, the Eagles tweeted that they've received a visit today from Erik Spoelstra, head coach of the two-time defending NBA champion Miami Heat.

Also, tune back in around noon. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is going to address the loss of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to a torn ACL.

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The Twittersphere lit up in a show of sympathy for Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, who tore an ACL Saturday.

Michael Vick, Wes Welker and Braylon Edwards, among other NFL players, told him to hang in there, if you will, in Tweets.

@MikeVick We doing this for you @jmac_18 all prayers going out to you. We know your coming back even stronger in 2014. Luv you bro!!

Thanks bro...appreciate it! RT @WesWelker: @jmac_18 keep your head up. It's a long year, but you will be back good as new!

Appreciate it broRT @OfficialBraylon: @jmac_18 prayers up for you bro. Never want to see a fallen soldier. Keep your head up, you'll be back

Maclin also thanked fans and Twitter followers for their well wishes, Tweeting:

Appreciate all the love and support twitter fam....sad day but I have setbacks my entire life. Minor setback ... http://tmi.me/13mIIh

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Knows there are two F's in Wolff.

Rookie fifth-round draft pick Earl Wolff cannot wait for the contact to begin in earnest today when the Eagles put on the shoulder pads and practice at Lincoln Financial Field.
The 5-11, 209-pound Wolff is a hitter.

And a stickler for good spelling.

Take his last name. There are two F's in Wolff. He wasn't surprised to see just one F in his name on the training camp roster.

"At my pro day, N.C. State gave us shirts to wear and they put an 'E' on the back of Wolff," Wolff said. "It was W-O-L-F-E. I was at NC State for five years and they gave me a typo on pro day. My coach used to write my name on the board. He used to put W-O-L-F. I’m like coach, come on. After a while I was like, OK, as long as on the back of my jersey it says W-O-L-F-F. There’s two Fs."

Wolff doesn't know how the family name wound up with two F's. But it's gone on for awhile. He's Earl Wolff IV.

On the other hand, anyone who spells Wolff correctly gets instant respect from the safety.

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Brent Celek sports new 'do.'

Newly claimed running back William Powell flunked his physical and was released by the Eagles Friday.

That gives rookie running back Matthew Tucker a reprieve. Tucker passed his conditioning test Thursday after flunking the first one. He was activated from the non-football injury list along with rookie punter Brad Wing, who also aced the conditioning test after failing the first one.

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Whoever gets the starting quarterback for the Eagles will be getting the play calls from head coach Chip Kelly.

Calling the plays, thank you.

Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who called the offensive shots in two seasons as head coach of the Browns, will fill an advisory role.

"Chip's going to call the plays," Shurmur said Thursday. "There’s obviously a healthy amount of interaction between Chip and myself. I’ll let him talk about the details."

Expects a 'healthy interaction' with Kelly.

With the Eagles, Shurmur coached under Andy Reid for 10 years ending in 2008. Shurmur was offensive coordinator of the Rams under Steve Spagnuolo in 2009-10 before becoming head coach of the Browns in 2011.

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Check out this video of Michael Vick, who spent the offseason in the weight room doing curls.



Hopefully the added strength also will enable Vick to hang on to the football. He fumbled 11 times in 10 games. 


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Nerf football a teaching tool at camp.

Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson cut a song with noted rapper Snoop Dogg, hit the banquet circuit for the documentary about his rise to the NFL and most recently, changed agents.

DJax now is represented by Michael Vick's agent. And that could make for an interesting training camp experience, if you know what I mean.

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Nick Foles respects the legend that is Michael Vick. But clearly he's not going to bow in the competition for the starting quarterback job that resumes Tuesday.

Shortest haircut since middle school.

In so many words Monday, Foles told Vick and the other quarterbacks to bring it on.

"I have all the confidence in the world in my ability," Foles said. "I still respect the players around me and I know what they're capable of doing. But at the end of the day I'm not here to be a backup. I'm here to be the guy. I don't think we play this game to sit on the bench. We play it to play. And I’m here to play."

Foles in June at Rugby 7's in PPL Park.

Vick declined comment until Tuesday. No way to gauge how he feels about Foles' new short haircut that makes him look like rookie Matt Barkley, the longshot in the quarterback competition.


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Y

Barkley is waiting for his chance.

Chip Kelly starts sorting out the starting quarterback situation when the Eagles begin training camp this week at the the NovaCare Complex.

Respectful of veteran Michael Vick and second-year quarterback Nick Foles, Eagles players have tried to stay out of who they believe the starter should be. Kelly says the guy who wins the competition gets the job. And he hasn't ruled rookie Matt Barkley out of the hunt.

Running back LeSean McCoy feels the inner pain of Vick, who is comfortable with the more conventional approach coaches use to manage the position. But McCoy also has a sense of humor.

"Whoever he picks, I’m fine with it," McCoy said of Kelly. "As long as I get my carries I don’t care who the quarterback is."

McCoy was only half-kidding. To get his carries one of the quarterbacks has to step up.

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$20 Million Man.

Eagles first-round pick Lane Johnson put his signature where his mouth is.

Johnson, who said he wouldn't holdout, agreed to terms Saturday on a four-year contract worth almost $20 million.

Rookies, quarterbacks and selected veterans are scheduled to report to training camp Monday.

All of the Eagles draft picks are in the fold for the start of the Chip Kelly era.


Johnson got many of the first-team snaps at right offensive tackle during organized team activities. His contract has an option for a fifth year.

Quarterbacks Michael Vick, Nick Foles, Dennis Dixon and G.J. Kinne join Matt Barkley and the other Eagles rookies scheduled to report Monday.

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6-6, 305, 4.79 40-yard dash.

Quarterbacks Michael Vick, Nick Foles, Dennis Dixon and G.J. Kinne join Matt Barkley and the other Eagles rookies scheduled to report Monday.

All of the rookies are scheduled to report, a hint that the Eagles are closing in on a deal with rookie offensive tackle Lane Johnson, the fourth overall pick in the draft.

Johnson told me during OTAs he doesn't intend to hold out.

Offset language reportedly is the hangup. In the unlikely event the Eagles cut Johnson, they want the next team that signs him to pay the rest of his contract.

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Eagles head coach Chip Kelly talks about expectations for the upcoming season and how he's been positively received so far by   Philly fans on his rounds outside the gates at One NovaCare Way in this piece:

Eagles coach Chip Kelly doesn't want to talk about rebuilding.

The Waterworks next to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Feels Matty isn't a top-five QB.

Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has a unique take on the position.

And McNabb wasn't bashful about critiquing Matthew Stafford, who the Lions signed to a mega-bucks contract extension.

McNabb says the position is about wins and losses. Stafford is 17-28 as the starter of the Lions.

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