Why did Reid decide to run?

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Fox, Ashley; Sheridan, Phil

Subject: Eagles' playbook, Vick's checkbook

OK, the two of you are smart. Explain to me why Andy Reid and the Eagles waited until the 13th game of the season to truly commit to the run. Was it because Brian Westbrook was previously banged up? Was it because the offensive line wasn't playing particularly well? Was it because Reid simply loves to throw, and he wasn't willing to change?

In other NFL news, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a story  this weekend about how Michael Vick spent more than $200,000 on the day he went to jail.  Among other expenditures, Vick paid $23K to a PR firm, $16K was given to a friend, and $99K went to purchase a Mercedes.

The only way I'm spending that kind of cash on the day I go to jail is if I'm trying to flee the country. A fake passport to help smuggle you across the border is just sensible. But what are you going to do with a new Benz?

From: Fox, Ashley
To: Gonzalez, John; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: Eagles' playbook, Vick's checkbook

You should have seen the smile on Jim Johnson's face yesterday when I asked him about the Eagles' newfound running game. No one loves it more than Johnson. What a novel idea: Run to keep your defense off the field. Run when you're ahead. Run to keep the opposition off balance. Run to win. (Insert Springsteen lyric here.)

Honestly, though, Westbrook has been a different guy these last two games. He wasn't as effective before because he was banged up. He could hardly walk. Now he's bouncing off guys, making defenders miss. And Reid had to run because the weather dictated he do so. That, and Marty Mornhinweg was calling the plays. There's no question Reid loves the pass, but maybe now he's seeing again that he can win with the run.

From: Sheridan, Phil
To: Gonzalez, John; Fox, Ashley
Subject: Eagles' playbook, Vick's checkbook

It shouldn't be all about Westbrook's relative health. He's the star. We all get that. To me, the issue is that Reid has not put his roster together to run the ball with any kind of commitment. No fullback at one point. No second option that anyone seems to have confidence in. Correll Buckhalter doesn't seem to excite the coaches as an option, so why is he here? Lorenzo Booker appears to be another personnel mistake. The Eagles had to be carefully constructed to be this ineffectual without Westbrook.

If I'm Vick, I spend a pile of money on cigarettes so I have something to trade for favors in the joint.

From: Fox, Ashley
To: Gonzalez, John; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: Eagles' playbook, Vick's checkbook

Vick apparently also spent $65K on a car for his fiancée to drive when she's in Kansas visiting him, and upward of $1 mil on the housing and care of 47 of his pit bulls. The man blew through a staggering amount of cash. Even Allen Iverson was dumbfounded.

And Gonz, I've seen your savings system. You have a plastic bag full of sticky, dirty coins in your car, and that won't get you much more than a couple of gallons of gas. If you need to flee the country - and you very well might - you've got no shot.

From: Gonzalez, John
To: Fox, Ashley; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: Eagles' playbook, Vick's checkbook

Why must you rag on my change bag? How else am I supposed to pay tolls?

You're right, though. The coins wouldn't get me very far if I have to run from the law. What kind of extradition treaty does South Philly have?

From: Fox, Ashley
To: Gonzalez, John; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: Eagles' playbook, Vick's checkbook

It was a plastic bag with a hole in the bottom for coins. How is that supposed to work exactly? And you're supposed to pay tolls with an E-ZPass, like every other veteran traveler in the Northeast. What, do I need to introduce you to Amtrak, too?

You're more of a project than I expected.

From: Gonzalez, John
To: Fox, Ashley; Sheridan, Phil
Subject: Eagles' playbook, Vick's checkbook

You have no idea how many women have said that to me.