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Tuesday, August 5, 2008 courierpostonline.com/widget to download a free device that keeps you updated on all the latest South Jersey news, weather and more Inside Becky Hammon will seek basketball gold — as a E Inside Scoreboard player for Russia. Phillies reliever Chad 2, 4 Page 5 Durbin has been much NFL 3 Coming Thursday Sports better than the team had hoped. Baseball 4 Page 4 A 20-page special section previewing /NBA 5 the Beijing Olympics. South Jersey Sports 6 [email protected] Sports Editor Gary Silvers (856) 486-2424 STATE OF THE EAGLES Lurie: A healthy McNabb Roberts: Team looks OK, always means success but will that be enough? By SEAN McCANN IF YOU GO BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Courier-Post Staff State of the Eagles is . . . not ■ Today’s bad. Pretty good, actually. It’s BETHLEHEM, Pa. practices are at not ‘‘See you in the Super Kevin As Donovan McNabb goes, so 8:15 a.m. and Bowl’’ good, but it’s OK. Roberts go the Eagles, team owner Jeffrey 2 p.m., which The State of the Eagles is a Lurie argued Monday. And the is a special state of mind. It’s really about veteran starting quarterback, he teams-only your perception. Eagles owner said, looks awfully good. session. For Jeffrey Lurie gave his annual ‘‘When Donovan is healthy — updates on future practice times, call State of the Eagles address and he’s still in the prime of his (215) 320-5160 Monday and — surprise — career — we have a terrific re- ■ Inside: Training camp insider and Lurie likes his team a lot. ■ Visit the Web to read more cord,’’ Lurie said Monday during fan guide. Page 3E He predicted a big year if the columns by Kevin Roberts. Type in his annual state-of-the-team press ■ Brett Favre reports to the Packers’ Eagles get an even break on in- the address and add /roberts.Also conference from training camp at training camp, or did he? Page 3E juries. He predicted the Dono- read his blog A Perfectly Cromulent Lehigh University. ■ Training camps roundup. Page 3E van McNabb era would not end Word. ‘‘It’s been awhile since we’ve for years to come (‘‘We’re far been able to really appreciate off from that,’’ Lurie said). ‘‘That’s our approach. It’s ped- Donovan healthy, and I think you Lurie addressed the con- al to the metal. That’s what ev- forget sometimes how successful tract issues of Brian West- ery move is based on, what ev- he’s been and we’ve been.’’ ■ Add /eaglescamp to visit our brook and and ery attempted move is based Lurie was characteristically training camp site, which includes: predicted they’d end amicably on, with an eye toward the pre- optimistic and expansive on the latest headlines, photo galleries, — although he said several sent and an eye toward the fu- Eagles’ present and future, dis- directions to camp, camp schedule, times he doesn’t get directly in- ture. We’re going for it.’’ missing the idea that the strug- autograph schedule and much more. volved in those talks. Really? A team that traded gles of the last few years have ex- Also, the site allows you to upload Still, here’s the biggest thing out of the first round two years pectations trending downward. your photos to our reader photo Lurie said Monday: in a row is going for it? Histori- ‘‘This isn’t about rebuilding, gallery and share your opinions with ‘‘We’re going for it. cally, teams that do this tend to retooling or anything,’’ Lurie the region by blogging. And don’t ‘‘This isn’t about rebuilding, lose a lot. forget Sean McCann’s blog The Eagle Associated Press file retooling or anything. This is See LURIE, Page 3E Scout. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie’s annual news conference was Monday. going for it,’’ Lurie said. See ROBERTS,Page3E Scirrotto won’t run away from his past Former West Deptford football star just wants to move on from incident “I don’t want to be By ANTHONY MILLER known for getting in Courier-Post Staff trouble or for Looking back is no way to live. anything negative.” Anthony Scirrotto is proof of that. Anthony Scirrotto, Penn State safety and The West Deptford High School graduate and 2004 Courier-Post Player West Deptford High School graduate of the Year is about to begin his senior year as a safety on the Penn State foot- Andrews ball team. His college career includes a current streak of 26 straight games played, 10 is battling , a first-team All-Big Ten designation and one off-the-field mis- take. depression The 6-foot, 192-pound Scirrotto was By SEAN McCANN recently elected a defensive co-captain Courier-Post Staff and is coming off a season in which he recorded 65 tackles and intercepted BETHLEHEM, Pa. three passes. His next will Eagles coach had put him among the school’s top 10. nothing to say on the situation He is looking forward to having surrounding two-time a big year with the Nittany Lions, guard Shawn Andrews and his who return nearly all of the of- apparent case of depression. fense and a significant por- Andrews has declined to re- tion of the defense from port to training camp for what their 9-4 team of 2007. the team has termed ‘‘personal His future is bright. reasons,’’ sparking a 12-day mara- ‘‘I am fully striv- thon of speculation. ing to make it to the On Monday, he broke his si- NFL,’’ Scirrotto said. lence in a phone interview with ‘‘It has been my goal the Philadelphia Daily News, say- since I began play- ing, ‘‘I’m willing to admit that I’ve ing football, and it been going through a very bad continues to be.’’ time with depression. This is what Scirrot- ‘‘I’ve finally decided to get pro- to, also a two-time All- fessional help,’’ Andrews said. South Jersey pick for ‘‘It’s not something that blos- baseball, wants to be somed up overnight. I’m on medi- known for. cation, trying to get better.’’ An earlier report suggested The mistake the Eagles would make some sort ESPN’s ‘‘Outside the Lines’’ pro- of announcement regarding An- gram recently did its best to remind ev- drews’ situation after Monday af- eryone what Scirrotto’s gaudy statistics ternoon’s ‘‘10/10/10’’ practice, may make you forget. which began at 2:45 p.m. A reporter and camera crew re- But Reid was closed-lipped on turned to the apartment of Jack Britt, the issue. the young man police say was beaten by In his Monday morning press a pack of football players after Scirrotto conference, he hinted that An- and his girlfriend were involved in an drews might have a harder-than- altercation in downtown State College, expected time winning his start- Pa., in April 2007. ing position back from third-year The reporter named all who were guard Max Jean-Gilles, who has been practicing with the first- See SCIRROTTO,Page5E team offense all camp long. ‘‘If you miss you give other guys opportunities. That’s what ANTHONY SCIRROTTO you do,’’ Reid said. ‘‘So the other ■ School: Penn State guy is getting an opportunity to ■ Position: Safety play, and he’s doing a good job ■ Age: 21 with it.’’ ■ Ht./Wt.: 6 feet/192 pounds Penn State safety Anthony Scirrotto Andrews confirmed that the ■ Class: Senior runs after picking up an attempted onside team is fining him $15,000 a day ■ High School: West Deptford kick by Illinois on Oct. 21, 2006. He scored for sitting out training camp, ■ Notes: Courier-Post Player of the Year as on the play in the fourth quarter. racking up a total of $180,000 in senior quarterback in 2004 as well as CAROLYN KASTER/Associated Press file fines through Monday. However, All-South Jersey pick in 2003 . . . Two-time he added, ‘‘Money’s good, mon- All-S.J. in baseball . . . Eleven interceptions as SCIRROTTO’S STATISTICS INSIDE: PAGE 5E ey’s a necessity, but it’s not every- Tackles Interceptions Punt Returns high school sophomore in 2002 . . . Ten ■ Penn State opens football practice for 2008 season. thing. I can’t put a price tag on my interceptions in college career . . . Has played mental state.’’ Year GP Solo Ast Tot No. Yds No. Yds Avg TD ■ Complete 2008 schedule for Nittany Lions in 26 straight games for the Nittany Lions . . . Andrews said he plans to meet Team has enjoyed a 29-9 record since he 2007 13 28 37 65 3 98 5 35 7.0 0 with a doctor on Thursday, and arrived on campus . . . Elected defensive could be back in the area by the co-captain by his teammates this year . . . 2006 13 42 16 58 6 54 6 54 9.0 0 weekend. ■ Has three younger brothers — Derek, 2005 9 0 0 0 1 0 5 42 8.4 0 Visit our Web site to see a photo gallery of Dominic and Vincent — and two younger Anthony Scirrotto from his high school days at West Reach Sean McCann at smccann@courier- postonline.com sisters, Nina and Michaela. Totals 35 70 53 123 10 156 16 131 8.2 0 Deptford to his college career at Penn State.