By David Weinberg
When it comes to reading, I usually stick to sports-related books and John Grisham novels. Recent books have included Daniel James Brown’s “The Boys in the Boat,” John Grisham’s “The Boys from Biloxi” and Mark Milatz’s “Caddie Tales: A Looper’s Seach for Lost Golf Balls and What He Found Instead.”
Milatz’s tale from his days caddying at various courses conjured memories of the former loopers at Atlantic City Country Club like the late Ed “Yank” Yankuskie, who spent over 50 years carrying bags at local courses such as ACCC and Linwood.
Once or twice a year, however – usually while sitting at the beach – I venture out of my literary comfort zone.
Those books have included Mitch Albom’s “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” Paula Hawkins’ “The Girl on the Train,” Delia Owens’ “Where the Crawdads Sing,” and Jennifer Probst’s Jersey Shore-based triology, “Forever in Cape May,” “Love on Beach Avenue,” and “Temptation on Ocean Drive” about wedding planners Avery, Bella and Taylor Sunshine.
Readers Note: some of the scenes in that trilogy were graphic enough to turn my face the color of a summer sunburn, though my romance-novel reading wife insisted they were nothing special.
I found my beach book for this year during last Sunday’s Eagles’ wildcard-round playoff game.
During the fourth quarter of the Birds’ 22-10 victory over the Packers, TV cameras caught wide receiver A.J. Brown reading a book called “Inner Excellence” by Jim Murphy.
Brown’s excellence was 100 percent inner during the game. He caught just one pass for 10 yards, which tied him for the fewest receptions in a regular season or playoff game since he joined the team two seasons ago.
Turns out Brown has the book with him on the bench during every game. Instead of glancing at an IPad like most players, he turns to pages that he’s highlighted to gain patience and/or inspiration for the next series.
“It gives me a sense of peace,” Brown said after the game. “That’s a book I bring every single game. My teammates call it a recipe.
“For me, (football) is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. I physically believe I can do everything and anything. But I gotta make sure my mental’s good. It’s something like how I refresh after every drive, regardless if I score a touchdown or drop a pass. I always go back to that book every drive and refocus.”
It apparently works.
Brown missed three games with an ankle injury and sat out the meaningless regular-season finale against the Giants, but still enjoyed an impressive season with 67 receptions for a team-high 1,079 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
He had over 100 receiving yards in five games, including 109 and a TD on six receptions in a 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams on November 24, who the Eagles face in the divisional round on Sunday.
The Birds would be wise to try to follow the same chapter and verse, which entailed quarterback Jalen Hurts handing the ball to running back Saquon Barkley as often as possible.
Barkley rumbled for a franchise-record 255 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries against the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
This marks the first time the teams have met in the playoffs since the St. Louis Rams earned a 29-24 win at the Dome at America’s Center behind coach Mike Martz, quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk.
The Eagles held a 17-13 lead in that one behind coach Andy Reid, quarterback Donovan McNabb and running back Duce Staley, but were unable to hold off a powerful Rams offense.
Twenty-three seasons later, the cast, characters and sub-plots are much different.
The Rams are led by quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receivers Puca Nacua and Cooper Kupp, plus a defense that collected nine sacks against Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold in Monday’s 27-9 win.
The Eagles have a balanced attack behind Hurts, Brown, Barkley and wide receiver DeVonta Smith. Defensively, they’re playing lights out, having grabbed three interceptions against Packers quarterback Jordan Love last Sunday.
It’s tough not to root for the Rams, considering the adversity they’ve been dealing with in the wake of the horrendous fires that are burning in the Los Angeles area.
But I see the Eagles reaching the NFC championship game for the second time in three seasons with a 28-24 win that will feature two TDs from Brown.
If the Eagles win the Super Bowl, maybe Murphy could be convinced to write a sequel to “Inner Excellence.”
Add some steamy chapters to it and I’ll definitely read it this summer.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points.
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