John Smallwood: Despite Andrews’ troubles, football still rules at training camp Posted on August 6th
BETHLEHEM - The more we find out, the more confusing things become.
For every answer, three more questions are raised.
No speculation is fair, yet none of it is out of bounds.
Thus turns the saga of the Eagles’ Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews, a story that has now shifted into a debate over clinical depression - its effects, its legitimacy and its treatment.
The irony is that Lehigh University is the last place we should be if we’re trying to sort this thing out.
Eagles training camp, by the very nature of what is taking place, is not a place designed for the sympathy and empathy necessary to discuss a potentially serious mental illness.
From the players to the coaches to the fans to media, few people, if any, attending camp are wired to understand or deal with the ramifications of depression.
We want solutions and answers that might not be readily available nor understandable.
We want to apply logic to a situation that might well be ruled by illogic.
Is Andrews’ depression real?
Was his lack of clarity about the issue with the Eagles a symptom of the seriousness of the illness or an indication that things might not be that serious?
What did the Eagles know and when did they know it?
How many fans are more concerned about Andrews’ health than what Andrews’ health problems could mean to the health of quarterback Donovan McNabb?
Because we know so little about Andrews’ situation, the discussion has had virtually no limits, no rules.
It was almost comical yesterday as the Eagles came off the field from their morning practice.
After 2 hours of intense work on football, hot and tired players were greeted by a bevy of reporters asking them questions better suited for clinical psychologists.
The pregnant pauses and blank stares were clear indications of the cylinders in the mind twisting, formulating responses to unanswerable questions.
“I don’t know what is going to happen,” said guard Max Jean-Gilles, who, as the guy replacing Andrews in the starting lineup, has been the one most swept into the swirling controversy. “It’s a situation I can’t handle. You just leave it up to God.
“I didn’t know anything. [Andrews] was always happy, always smiling, but I feel sorry for him. I’m with him, but I don’t know what’s going on. Everybody goes through their own little problems.”
There certainly is concern for Andrews.
Virtually every player who was asked said he supported Andrews and hoped he would recover quickly from whatever is ailing him.
But the reality of the situation is that there is precious little time at this camp to spend worrying about Andrews.
Nearly half of the players who have been sweating it out since training camp began 2 weeks ago are not going to be Eagles when the season kicks off in a month.
With the stakes so high, too much distraction away from the task at hand could quickly lead to the unemployment line.
“From a human-being standpoint, you always wish for the best for others,” said guard Todd Herremans. “You don’t want anyone to ever have any kind of mental breakdown like that.
“But there are distractions every year at training camp. The big thing is not to pay as much attention to it as [the media] does. I mean, if you want to feed your family, you better worry about yourself and what you are doing first.”
I’m sure that coach Andy Reid and Eagles management are looking to help Andrews. He has the kind of football ability that can help this franchise for years to come.
Still, football does not stop, and football is the No. 1 priority at training camp.
“I don’t talk about the players who aren’t here,” offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said when asked about the effect of Andrews’ absence. “The only thing I’ll say is that I know that coach Reid has spent an awful lot of time with that situation. I’ll talk about the players that are in camp here.”
It’s a harsh way to look at things, but from the operational standpoint of an NFL franchise it is the only way to look at things.
I’m sure there is concern for Shawn Andrews, but when it gets right down to it, there is more concern for Eagles football. *
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