Dunce cap for Duce

And now for the back end of the Pennsylvania Turnpike doubleheader, which also doubled as the first tackle football game played at Philadelphia's new Lincoln Financial Field. The venue has already played host to three Springsteen concerts and an international soccer exhibition featuring F.C. Barcelona and Manchester United

And yes, they've taken to calling this place, The Linc. You knew that was coming...

? Friday night, before the Eagles and Patriots commenced their glorified scrimmage, won by New England 24-12, there were rumors of Duce, and reports of Duce, but alas, no Duce. Eagles holdout running back Duce Staley -- note that his first name is only a "n" away from Dunce -- will reportedly end his work stoppage on Sunday and get back to the business of being Philadelphia's lead ballcarrier.

About time? Of course, but that's traditionally when these contractual standoffs get wrapped up. Once a team's third preseason game is in the books, a veteran holdout figures he has made his statement, taken his ill-advised shot, and now it's time to get back into uniform with enough time left to still appear in the regular-season opener. All the better to collect each and every one of those 17 regular-season paychecks.

Staley, of course, can't count on all $2.2 million of his 2003 salary even if he does make it back in time for Sunday morning's practice. There is that little matter of the $5,000 a day fine that the Eagles have been levying Staley for each day missed. Depending on whose tote board you trust, Staley was in the $130,000 to $150,000 range as of Friday.

Staley is hopeful that the Eagles front office will forgive and forget that debt if he comes back, but I wouldn't count on it, Duce. The last thing Eagles general manager Joe Banner wants to do is send the message to the rest of the roster that Staley's gambit wasn't costly.

For the record, Banner said before Friday night's game that he had no first-hand knowledge that Staley has decided to end his holdout this weekend. Staley's agent, Derrick Harrison, was telling reporters that he couldn't confirm that his client would return as well, but he did acknowledge having a constructive conversation with Eagles head coach Andy Reid on Friday, with plans to talk again Saturday.

Which came as news to Reid, who declined comment on Staley after the game, other than to emphatically deny he had talked to Harrison on Friday.

"I did not talk to him,'' Reid said. "But I'm not going to go into all that.''

Clearly Staley is calling every shot in this holdout and will determine just how long it does or doesn't run. But then, that's been the case from day one, because no one else in their right mind would have advised him to jump ship in pursuit of a contract extension that he never had a prayer of receiving.