Everything else was the same on Thursday morning.
The Eagles began their OTA practice at 11:20 a.m.the normal time. Andy Reid oversaw the practicelike he has for over a decade. And owner Jeffrey Lurie even meandered onto the practice field to watch his team practicesomething hes done countless times since buying the franchise.
Only, there was something different about Thursdays practice, even if it wasnt visible to the naked eye. It was the first time the Eagles practiced since the news that Joe Banner is no longer the teams president.
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Hes been here ever since Ive been here, so its a little bit of a shock, said Todd Herremans, who joined the Eagles in 2005 as a fourth-round draft pick. I dont know all what went on. I think hes going to find better venues.
Thats the story the Eagles are telling, that the split-up between the team and Banner as president is because he wants greater challenges in the world of sports. Namely, Banner wants to be part of an ownership group of a team.
But for the past few months, there have been reports of a power struggle within the organization. There was even a report in the Los Angeles Times that said Andy Reid would walk if he wasnt given more personnel control. The team has denied these reports.
No. It all seems to be a pretty smooth operation, Herremans said when asked if he detected a power struggle. If there were any issues, its all kept close to the chest. I think the last thing they want to do is let the players know theres an account of dissention.
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Trent Cole joined the Eagles as a fifth-rounder in 2005. He was given a contract extension, along with Herremans, this off-season.
Im very appreciative of that, Cole said about the Eagles' drafting him. Ive got to thank him for giving me the opportunity here, him and Mr. Lurie.
At the press conferences to announce both Herremans and Coles new deals, Banner wasnt present, although Herremans said he wasnt sure if Banner played a lesser role in the actual negotiations than he would have in the past.
I wasnt in the negotiation process, he said.
That process normally stayed between the agent and the front office.
"I don't even get into that stuff. When it came down to my contract, all I would do is talk to my agent, who would talk to them," tight end Brent Celek said. "Outside of that, the guy's a great guy. I like the guy a lot, and I wish him luck."
Third-year safety Nate Allen hasn't had much interaction with Banner.
"I saw him around the facility now and then, Allen said. I talked to him a little bit, but nothing outside of the facility, nothing like that.
Herremans said he rarely talked to Banner either, aside from a quick conversation in the hallway or briefly during contract negotiations. Banner wasnt known for his likeability or his camaraderie with players. Instead, Banners hallmark was dealing with the salary cap and stretching a dollar.
Joe was known as a bit of a penny pincher, Herremans said, and I think hats off to him to be able to help assemble a team for such a low price.
And the Eagles accomplishments under Banner are hard to argue. He took over as president in 2001 and in the 11 years he was president, the team went 110-65-1, which averages out to 10 wins per season. There were also, of course, the five NFC title games and one Super Bowl appearance.
People go in different directions. Thats life, Celek said. Things happen. I actually sat back and looked at this organization over the last 10 years and all the wins, throughout the years, all the playoff wins. This is one of the most successful organizations around. They did a great job and you have to give him credit. Hes a big part of that. Wish him luck in the future.
E-mail Dave Zangaro at dzangaro@comcastsportsnet.comCSNPhilly.com's Andy Schwartz and Tim Marcin contributed to this story.