Not everyone on the Eagles' defense believes that former coordinator Juan Castillo wasn?t cut out for the job.
One day after defensive end Brandon Graham characterized Castillo?s schemes as vanilla and predictable (see story), cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie rose to his former coach?s defense.
Rodgers-Cromartie portrayed Castillo as a scapegoat who became the fall guy for a multitude of problems plaguing a 3-3 team and an easy target for backlash.
?Of course that?s what you're going to say when things tend to go bad, you're going to pin-point someone,? the Pro Bowl corner said. ?I don?t feel that way. You look at statistics, shoot, we?re still in the top of the running. I can?t do nothing about it. But I didn?t see no problems.?
Rodgers-Cromartie also suggested that anyone throwing Castillo under the bus isn?t taking enough personal responsibility for the team?s struggles.
?I feel like every man should be accountable for [himself],? he added. ?I learned from early in life any time things go wrong it?s easy to say, ?He did this, he did that? instead of saying, ?I did this, I did that.? Whatever the case may be I ain?t got no say-so over none of that. It was a decision that happened and it happened.?
Castillo was replaced by secondary coach Todd Bowles, whose message to the defense has centered on less predictability and finishing games, the areas where Castillo had his most problems.
In the former coordinator?s final game, a 26-23 overtime loss to the Lions, the Eagles blew a 10-point lead in the final five minutes. The loss was Castillo?s sixth when leading going into the fourth quarter in a career of just 22 games.
The perception of Castillo going into 2012 was that his duties were relegated to mainly coaching linebackers as defensive line coach Jim Washburn and Bowles presided over their respective positions.
But Rodgers-Cromartie called Castillo the most central figure in his transition from an off corner to a press corner. Rodgers-Cromartie, who spent his first three years in Arizona, said he never played press coverage until he came over to the Eagles last year in an offseason trade.
?No question. He changed my game,? said Rodgers-Cromartie, whose three interceptions is tied with several others for the NFL?s fourth-most picks. ?He brought me to a press corner. He?s one of them guys that will take the time with you to let you understand the weaknesses in your game and keep you after practice and make you work on it.
?This is the NFL. You?re accountable for yourself. Not too many people ... [say] ?Hey, you need to do this and let me see you do it.? They tend to let you do it on your own.?
Rodgers-Cromartie added that ?Juan played a major part in every position -- from the D-line to the linebackers. He?s always trying to keep guys after practice and make them work.?
If it sounds like Rodgers-Cromartie is disappointed or angered by some of the anti-Castillo sentiment that?s emerged over the past few days, he insisted that he?s not ticked off at teammates.
"That?s their own opinion," he said. ?I can?t do nothing about that. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I can?t be mad because you think he sucks. That?s your opinion.?
E-mail Geoff Mosher at gmosher@comcastsportsnet.com
Tags: nfl, philadelphia eagles, Brandon Graham, juan castillo, Todd Bowles, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, geoff moshernick cannon lindsay lohan saturday night live snl lindsay lohan valley fever project x the lorax lorax
The latest AmbITion Scotland case study shows the digital development journey of remote artists? residency centre, Cove Park. I worked with Cove Park, facilitating their change journey, and am thrilled with the outcomes they have achieved through planning and implementing some digital tools; by changing their mindset and growing confidence around working digitally; and by building their own digital capabilities and capacities. They report better operational efficiencies through being able to work virtually, and more easily manage communications with each other, stakeholders and audiences; increased scale, ?reach, and impact through an improved website and social media strategy; and overall increased accessibility, leverage, legacy and a sense that they are powerfully communicating what it is they do and why!
If getting active and staying healthy were easy, everyone would do it...but we don't. We come home after a long day of sitting in a chair to de-stress by sitting in another chair, unable to summon the energy to take a walk or hit the gym. Sure, everyone says to "make time for what's important to you," but oversimplification doesn't make the struggle easier. Let's break down the mental walls keeping you from taking care of yourself. 
We've shown you lots of great ways to get and stay active. Whether it's the Lifehacker workout or our daily 20 minute workout generator, you have plenty of options if you're not sure how to get active and get in shape. Combined with the personal trainer in your pocket (in the form of your Android or your iPhone), you have all the tools you need to get healthy. So why haven't you?
First of all, if you're struggling with a sedentary lifestyle, you're not alone. Millions of us are just like you, and we all know we should get moving, but we stumble and fall back into old habits or never get the traction you need. This is completely normal, don't think anything otherwise. Very few people spring out of bed one day and say "I'm going to change my behavior for the better for the rest of my life," do it, and never look back. In the real world things are different. Here are some things to remember:
Understand how habits work. We've talked about the habit loop and how to break bad habits before, but it's critical here. Richard Talens, co-founder of Fitocracy, your pick for best fitness tracking site, explains it like this: "Most people fail in fitness because they never enter a self-sustaining positive feedback loop. In fact, most people don't even start. In order to be successful at fitness, it needs to be in the same category of the brain as sleeping, eating, and sex." He explained that if exercise worked the way it does in the movies?where a montage plays and after every workout you look better and see results instantly, more people would stick to it. The key is to find a routine replacement that works for you, and that gets results for the energy you put into building it into your habits.
Find your "Secret Sauce". A lot of people will tell you to "just put the fork down," or "just get up and do it," which is easy when that person a: isn't you, and b: is sitting behind a keyboard. Don't listen to them: minimizing and oversimplifying the challenge doesn't help, and while hearing what worked for others can help you figure out things to try, it's almost never going to be exactly what works for you. Look for your own combination of tools, tips, techniques, and advice that will support you and your health and fitness goals. Accept advice, sure, but remember you're in this for you?no one else, and you're the only one who'll know what really works. Photo by Riley Kaminer.
Whatever You Do, Make It Fun. Roger couldn't stress this enough, and neither can we. Whatever you do, enjoy it. Choose something rewarding enough to make you feel good about doing it. If you're having a good time, Roger noted, mistakes feel like learning experiences and challenges to be overcome, not throw-up-your-hands-and-give-up moments. This is one reason that he?and we?love sites like Fitocracy, the Mindbloom Life Game (which we've highlighted before), and Superbetter, which also adds a game-like element to wellness. Photo by Richard Coshott.
Use Technology Wisely: To Recount Your Victories. Technology can be a huge benefit to help you see your progress in a way that looking in the mirror won't show you. Our own Adam Pash got in shape with the help of the right gear, and Roger suggests keeping a calendar as a visual track of your victories. Each time you stick to your plan, whether it's diet, exercise, or both, mark it on the calendar. Sound familiar yet? That's right, it's Seinfeld's Productivity Secret, or "Don't Break the Chain." The goal is to keep that track record, whether it's on a calendar, in an app, or on a website, going unbroken as long as possible. Just remember, quantifying your efforts is just a method to get feedback and track your progress. Your tech should be a means to building better habits, not the habit in itself. Photo by Yusuke Kawasaki.