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"If Gruden wants to meet me there he can," said Eagles veteran Brian Mitchell, kiddingly. "He doesn’t have a uniform on. We’re not worried about what he says."
Told Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp said the same thing, Mitchell said, "He must not know about the Walt Whitman Bridge."
You can’t blame Gruden for trying to get negative thoughts out of the heads of his players. After all, the Bucs have lost twice at the Vet in the wild card round of the playoffs. They were beaten last year, 31-9. Two years ago, in polar conditions, they crashed and burned, 21-3.
For the Bucs, who humbled the 49ers, 31-6, in the divisional round, there are advantages to playing on the Walt Whitman Bridge. They wouldn’t have to deal with one of the most hostile fan bases in the NFL. There would be no worries about what shoes to wear, which is huge at the Vet. Players say the traction on the NeXturf can change with the temperature, as well as the precipitation.
"It’s a very intimidating place," Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas said of the Vet. "I mean, a lot of teams really don’t like to come into the Vet to play. A lot of people don’t like the turf. It’s hard. The fans are hard. This city is a hard place to play in when you’re visiting.
"The turf, after a while, you just get used to playing on it. It’s like eating pork and beans all the time; you’ve eaten it so much you just acquire a taste for it so it doesn’t make a difference."
The Eagles were reminded yesterday morning that Andy Reid doesn’t want any distractions this week. Player comments reflected the verbal memo. That despite the juicy history between the playoff contestants.
The Eagles and the Bucs have a colorful past. Last year in the playoffs, guard John Welbourn tried to kick Sapp in the groin after the Buc allegedly attempted to poke the Eagle in the eye. The NFL fined Welbourn $5,000. Douglas also was fined $7,500 for hitting quarterback Brad Johnson in the head.
In the playoffs two years ago, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb ticked off Sapp prior to the game when asked to name the best defense he played against.
"I think the best defense we’ve faced is our own defense," McNabb said. "This is a defense that really doesn’t do too much as far as blitzes are concerned, recognizing and seeing it coming."
Said Sapp, "Donovan McNabb said that? It’s a beautiful country we have."
Eagles running back Dorsey Levens expects the Bucs to have something to say. With the Green Bay Packers, Levens watched -- and listened -- while Sapp tried to crawl inside the head of quarterback Brett Favre.
"That’s Tampa’s game," Levens said. "They always talk. That’s not our game. We’re not going to talk. We’re going to go out and play. You want to do the talking on the field. All this other stuff is worthless. All of that talk has nothing to do with the game. I don’t pay it any mind. It’s just something you guys write about."
Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan harrumphed.
"You’ve got to show up and play no matter where you’re at," Runyan said.
Eagles linebacker Ike Reese wasn’t buying any of it.
"I ain’t playing on the Walt Whitman Bridge, I know that," Reese said. "If they want to go out there and play, that’s on them. I mean, we don’t try to win the battle of the words in the press during the week.
"I’m pretty sure that’s the way they have to feel coming up here to play. You kind of tell yourself whatever you need to get yourself ready for the game. And I’m pretty sure before the week is out, something else will be said. We’ll go about business the same way and just go out there and let our play do the talking on the field for us."
