Monday Morning Cheerleader: Amy Mecca of the Philadelphia Eagles

For the accomplished six years, Amy Mecca has been bringing Philadelphia Eagles admirers to their feet, bouncing her pom-poms in foreground of 75,000 humans as allotment of their cheerleader squad. But Mecca — and abounding of her adolescent NFL cheerleaders — are added than just admirable women. They're admirable women with beginning reservoirs of football knowledge, adored with central admission to the teams and players, not to acknowledgment one of the best seats in the abode appear gameday.

In this admission copy of Monday Morning Cheerleader (which will run here, and occasionally on Tuesdays if there's a acute Monday Night Football game), we talked to Mecca about Michael Vick's admission with the aggregation ("I anticipate he's just searching to prove himself to the blow of the league."), how the accident of Brian Dawkins will appulse the Eagles vaunted D, and what her end area move would be ("Some affectionate of booty-shake move. Everyone loves a acceptable anatomy shake. I'd put Ochocinco to shame.").

Bengals sign top pick Smith

The Cincinnati Bengals appear today the signing of amateur abhorrent accouterment Andre Smith of Alabama, the team’s first-round best (sixth overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft. Smith is accepted to convenance with the aggregation this afternoon. According to arch drillmaster Marvin Lewis, Smith’s arena cachet for this Thursday’s preseason afterpiece vs. Indianapolis colts will be evaluated throughout the anniversary arch up to bold day.

“We’re aflame to accept Andre with us now,” Lewis said in a absolution to the media. “He has a lot of plan to do, but he knows the claiming advanced of him to accomplish an appulse on our aggregation as anon as possible. Our eyes of him is artlessly as a physically assertive amateur on our abhorrent line, and we apperceive that this guy wants to be very, actual good.”

The 6-foot-4, 335-pound Smith is the almsman of the 2008 Outland Trophy Award, accustomed annually to the nation’s top abhorrent or autogenous arresting lineman. Smith displayed accomplished activity as a canyon acquaintance and became accepted as one of the a lot of adverse run-blockers in Southeastern Conference history.

 

Vick jerseys popular in Atlanta

Michael Vick now plays for a aggregation added than 800 afar abroad from the Georgia Dome. But you don’t accept biking far to appearance you’re a accurate fan.

You can acquisition replicas of the quarterback’s No. 7 jerseys in some food about Atlanta. And we’re not talking about those old-school red and atramentous styles.

“We got 20 requests for them the day he got active with the Eagles,” said Dwayne Clarke, administrator of the Champs Sports abundance at The Mall at Stonecrest.

On Aug. 13, the Philadelphia Eagles appear a accord with the above Falcon during an exhibition game. Three canicule later, Atlanta food got their aboriginal shipments of Vick jerseys.

Vick will accomplish his preseason admission Thursday night for the Eagles, who host the Jacksonville Jaguars at 7. The approved division begins Sept. 13.

“Even admitting he’s a third-string quarterback, he’s Michael Vick,” Clarke said.

Clarke said he’s cat-and-mouse on addition addition of the atramentous adult-size jerseys, which advertise for $80. T-shirts are accessible for $26.

Not into the all-black look? Head to Sports Fan-Attic at Town Center Mall in Kennesaw for your best of green, white or atramentous Vick jerseys. Even the adolescent admirers can action a jersey, says abundance administrator Matt Owen.

Cutler must 'bear' up for rough Denver crowd

Jay Cutler didn't like it if new Denver Broncos drillmaster Josh McDaniels approved to barter for quarterback Matt Cassel. In essence, the strong-armed Cutler threw a hissy fit and orchestrated a barter appropriate out of the Mile High City.

It was Merry Christmas for the built-in of Santa Claus, Ind., and a Happy New Year for the Chicago Bears.

Cutler wowed Bear admirers endure anniversary with a aciculate achievement adjoin the New York Giants in the additional exhibition game. This week, Cutler ability wish to accumulate his helmet on even while on the sidelines if the Bears biking to Denver on Sunday (7 p.m., NBC).

Denver admirers will assail Cutler with blame and boos from the moment he sets bottom on Invesco Field. Watching Kyle Orton, who was in the Cutler barter with the Bears, for two amateur hasn't fabricated Denverites any happier with their above gun-slinging QB.

Lucky this isn't Philly. Cutler would charge badge aegis from the moment he accustomed in that city.

Few exhibition amateur are must-see TV, even for us die-hard NFL fans. Yet this one, at atomic the aboriginal bisected if Cutler will play, is the exception. This should appearance how mentally boxy the thin-skinned Cutler has become. If Cutler can accumulate his experience in this adverse environment, the Sept. 13 division opener at Lambeau Field shouldn't be too abundant to handle

Officially the starter now, Sanchez gets another test

There was his quick bam adjoin the Rams, if he affiliated on a 48-yard canyon on his antecedent NFL throw. And there was the alarm on Monday night, if his aboriginal canyon of the bold adjoin the Ravens was intercepted and alternate for a touchdown with a civic television admirers searching on.

So, Mark Sanchez, what's in abundance for Saturday night? A safe canyon to a active aback adrift chargeless about in the flat?

Joked Sanchez, "That's what I anticipation it was endure week."

Sanchez has had his allotment of memorable firsts, such as watching 6-4, 345-pound Ravens arresting lineman Haloti Ngata ambush a canyon and boom 25 yards into the end area on the amateur quarterback's antecedent canyon in the Ravens game.

He'll add addition one to his growing lists of firsts adjoin the Giants Saturday night if he takes the acreage for the aboriginal time as the Jets' official starting quarterback. Sanchez, like the blow of the starters, should play the absolute aboriginal bisected in their final accurate dress call afore their division opener adjoin the Texans Sept. 13. So it's time to alpha accepting the allure down with the accepting band and the blow of the offense.

"It's important," Sanchez said. "You wish to get the starters as abounding reps as accessible in a game-like bearings and we'll apparently play through halftime, the starters. So this will be a acceptable aftertaste of what it's traveling to be like at Houston."

Sanchez is 6-for-12 for 131 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his aboriginal two preseason games. He's accepting a bigger butt of the breach but is still acquirements on the fly. There's affluence of nuances that he has to correct, and traveling up adjoin the Giants' appalling aegis should accommodate addition admired assignment for the Jets' $50-million quarterback.

"Hopefully, some of the things and errors that he's fabricated arch up to this - there's some able things, occasionally he'll yield the amiss footfall on the drop, and he'll be a little bit backward because he took 5 accomplish instead of three steps," abhorrent coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. "Hopefully, you see those things alpha to decrease. But added importantly, we apprehend Mark to go out there and move the football."

This bold isn't just a accustomed preseason game, though. If the two tenants of Giants Stadium bang in their anniversary August meeting, there's usually a little added accent on the aftereffect for a amount of reasons.

No. 5 rookie wide receiver is Darrius Heyward-Bey of the Oakland Raiders.

Heyward-Bey is a actual arresting prospect. He was the aboriginal advanced receiver taken in the draft, but was not the No. 1 advanced receiver in a lot of people’s minds.

As everybody knows Al Davis loves speed, and that’s absolutely why his Oakland Raiders drafted Darrius. He is the a lot of acceptable applicant to be a bust, but he has just as abundant upside.

Heyward-Bey was the fastest advanced receiver at the amalgamate with a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash. It takes added than acceleration to be a acceptable advanced receiver, but that won’t aching his affairs of succeeding.

His admeasurement will aswell advice him in the NFL. At 6’2”, Heyward-Bey has abundant admeasurement to go with his speed. He will accept a acme advantage over anyone who will be accoutrement him.

He has abundant acceleration and height, but he does accept some negatives. He has never absolutely acclimated his admeasurement and acceleration effectively. Last division he had 609 accepting yards and alone 5 touchdowns. He struggles with route-running and isn’t as able on “jump balls” as a receiver of his ability should be.

Heyward-Bey is far from extensive his potential, and will charge actual acceptable apprenticeship to get accidentally abutting to his potential. With his admeasurement and acceleration he could be an accomplished receiver, but anyone has to advice him get to his potential. He is a chancy aces that could pay huge assets for your fantasy team.

No. 4 rookie wide receiver is Jeremy Maclin of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles traded up in the abstract to get Maclin with the 19th all-embracing pick. This shows that they accept in him and like something about him.

Maclin will a lot of acceptable see time as the bang returner and as a advanced receiver. He will be acclimated as the returner so that DeSean Jackson can focus on his advanced receiver role.

I alone anticipate Maclin will alpha the division as the third advanced receiver abaft both Jackson and Kevin Curtis. Others anticipate Maclin will be advanced of Curtis. Either way, Maclin will accept appealing acceptable value.

Maclin has abundant acceleration and is actual quick in the accessible field. He will accept affluence of weapons about him demography all of the burden off of him.

Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy will yield the burden off through the arena game. With a acknowledged arena bold the Eagles advanced receivers will be able to get accessible easier.

Maclin will aswell be helped by his adolescent advanced receivers demography the burden off of him. Jackson will be the receiver the defenses pay the a lot of absorption to, and if Maclin is the No. 3 advanced receiver, Curtis will aswell be watched afterpiece than him. This could accomplish it actual simple for Maclin to become a accordant fantasy option.

Maclin is about like a bigger adaptation of Jackson and is absolutely a amateur account risking a aces on.