Jaworski believes lockout could hurt Vick, Eagles

Friday, March 4, 2011
Posted: 8:20 p.m.

By Reuben Frank
CSNPhilly.com

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Ron Jaworski believes the 1982 NFL player strike destroyed the Eagles. Destroyed an era.

And he believes a lockout this year could do some serious damage to the Birds as well by slowing Michael Vicks evolution in the Eagles offense.

Jaworski, president of the Maxwell Football Club, spoke Friday afternoon at Harrahs, where the annual Maxwell Club National Awards Gala was taking place Friday evening. He recalled how the nearly two-month work stoppage in 1982 propelled a very good Eagles team into one of the darkest periods in franchise history.

From 1978 through 1981, the Eagles went 42-22, reaching the playoffs all four seasons after failing to reach the postseason in 17 consecutive years. Only the Cowboys (47-17) and Steelers (43-21) won more games during that four-year period than the Eagles.

The 1982 team was off to a 1-1 start when the players went on strike on Sept. 21.

I believe this, and Ill take it to my gravethe 1982 strike ruined the Philadelphia Eagles, coach Dick Vermeil, owner Leonard Tose, Jaworski said. We were never the same team after that 57-day strike. Not even close to the same team.

Jaworski threw for 374 yards in the 1982 opener, an overtime loss to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Redskins, and then passed for 334 yards a week later in a win at Cleveland. The Eagles netted over 420 yards in both games.

Then came the strike.

We had an offense that was explosive, Jaworski said. It was kind of like Hall of Fame offensive guru Sid Gillman. We had the weapons in place. Then came the 57-day player strike, we came back, were awful.

After the strike was settled, the Eagles won just two of their last seven games and finished 3-6. Vermeil stepped down after the season and was replaced by Marion Campbell, who in turn was replaced by Buddy Ryan. From 1982 through 1987, the Eagles reeled off six straight losing seasons. They didnt win another playoff game until 1992.

Vermeil had lost his interest, Jaworski said. Dick wasnt the same guy when we came back in 82. We were an elite team in 78, 79, 80, 81. That team went south quick.

Yes, there is a point to all this, beyond the fact that its historically fascinating.

Jaworski worries that a lockout this offseason could have a similarif not quite so profoundeffect on the Eagles. Because what Vick needs right now, Jaworski feels, is constant study with his coaches and practice time with his teammates.

And not several months in a row away from his coaches, locked out of the NovaCare Complex, apart from his teammates.

If theres indeed a lockout, hell miss all of that and miss a terrific opportunity to improve.

The big thing is that he needs to adjust, he needs to adapt, Jaworski said. Defenses adapted to him, now he has to adjust to them. Its hard, because you have a certain style of play, and its hard to change that style of play. Hes still going to be explosive, but there are times he had opportunitiescheck the ball down, get it out of your hand, throw it away.

Coaches, now they have 400 passes on tape and they break down everything, and you spend a month with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg going over every single play, and hell benefit from that. Its the offseason when you really coach a guy up in a relaxed atmosphere with a cup of coffee or a soda instead of getting ready for Dallas. What were you thinking? What did you see here?

Guys like Mike, who are new to a system, new coaches on the offensive side of the football, it hurts to lose that, because to me, hes got to make improvement in the offseason. Like he did it from year one to year two. Now, if you do it from year two to year three, if he makes the same type of improvement, the skys the limit. To me, a lockout hurts the quarterback position all around the league.

Ive always looked at real-life examplesHarold Carmichael, Mike Quick, offseason workouts, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, throw it aroundput a blanket on me, Ill throw a ... skinny post to Mike Quick. You get so good at it because youre working with that guy. Thats how you get better. Now, youve got a big game in December, now youve been throwing that skinny post since April and thats how you get better.

Vick, who received the Maxwell Clubs Bert Bell Award Friday as the top professional football player of 2010, said he plans to hold informal offseason workouts with his teammates in the event of a lockout.

But Jaworski admitted hes skeptical. Hes been there. Hes seen it first-hand. And he thinks theres a huge difference between informal offseason workouts among players and an actual NFL offseason.

He has an illustration. As he always does.

Let me go back to 1982, he said. That was the long strike. Were going to meet at a field over in VoorheesGiangiulio Field, its still there. Its Astroturf now. It was mud when we were there.

All right, strike goes on, were going to work out. Were going to be one of those teams thats going to be there every day. First Monday, OK, strike goes on, weve got about 50 guys here. Were working hard here. John Bunting gives us the labor update, where everything is. All right. Fifty guys. We have a pretty good practice.

By Friday, OK, Im heading out for the weekend, Ill see you next week. So Monday, theres about 30 guys there. OK. By Wednesday, about 25. By the end of the week, theres about 15. Three weeks into this, there were six guys showing up. I know how it works. Theyre all going to go home. Theyre not coming back.

E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com

Related: Didinger: Taking sides in the labor disputeBuy Eagles gear