Gonzo: DeSean Jackson saga following familiar route with Eagles

Someone dark and deep and brilliant once said that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. I think it was Charlie Sheen.

You don't have to look too far into the past to find an example of an ugly and public argument over money between the Eagles' organization and one of its players.

Let's see: There was Sheldon Brown. He's gone. There was Lito Sheppard. Also gone. Brian Dawkins was a fan favorite. He's gone, too. Before that, there was Jeremiah Trotter. They got rid of him a few times. And, most infamously, there was Terrell Owens, a man who has the same agent as DeSean Jackson.

The Jackson contract dustup was a real mess for a while. Maybe it still is. Beating the Texans probably helped cool things off - but for how long?

Sources close to the receiver told The Inquirer's Jeff McLane that Jackson has allowed his contract to become a distraction. The sources also said that Jackson's preoccupation with getting paid is owed to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus and that Jackson spends "an inordinate amount of time texting with Rosenhaus during the Eagles' workday." All that occurred shortly after Andy Reid reportedly scolded Jackson during a postgame tirade in Chicago.

Jackson turned 24 a few days ago. It must have been a happy birthday.

On a brighter note, Jackson looked to be in good spirits Thursday. After the Eagles beat Houston, NFL Network cameras caught him literally jumping for joy with Michael Vick and the rest of his teammates in the locker room. Everything seemed copacetic.

"He did a great job of sitting in front of the free safety, who was playing very deep," Reid said when asked whether he was sending a message by going deep to Jackson early in the contest. "In terms of a message, we're playing the other team, so that was the message."

He was being coy, and that's fine. But sending a message - to Jackson that he's a valuable member of the team, and to everyone else that the tiff is over - was the right thing to do, just as initially reprimanding Jackson was the right thing to do. Sometimes egos need to be suppressed. Other times they need to be stroked. Right now it's time for the latter.