Goodbye, Andy Reid

As a freshman in college, I started what only now can be considered a Crossing Broad-esque blog entitled Fire Andy Reid Now!  I was dumb, 19-years old, dumb, and was not a fan of seeing the Philadelphia Eagles tie the Cincinnati Bengals.*  The remnants, that I prefer you not read, can be found in the archives of whatever you want to call this sham-mockery that I mainly use just to host chats with friends.  Since then, I have wisened considerably and learned to look at meaningful advanced metrics and logic to judge teams as opposed to trusting my eyes, media narratives, and gut feelings.**

*My 23-year old more intelligent self recognizes the fact that the 2008 Eagles were actually one of the NFL's top teams that season and were more deserving of their NFC Championship Game appearance than they were 9-6-1 record.  They only lost one game by more than 7 points and that was the game against Baltimore where Reid benched McNabb.

**Big thanks to my friends Mookie (@SSReporters) and Keith (@KSJ49) who convinced me to join SB Nation, which forever changed the way I look at and think about sports.

Earlier today, the Philadelphia Eagles officially announced the firing of Andy Reid.  And with that, Jeffrey Lurie ended an era of unprecedented success in Eagles history.  From 1999-2011, the Philadelphia Eagles went seemingly overnight from a team with a young QB and a bunch of random filler parts to a force to be reckoned with and one of the most consistently dominant teams in the league.  Things went downhill in 2012, but one season should not define the tenure of a coach who lasted 14-years with one team.  The first year the Eagles made the playoffs was 2000.  Look at the other teams who made the playoffs in 2000.

Denver Broncos:  Inconsistent from one year to the next, endured an extended period of time with Josh McDaniels as their head coach.

Baltimore Ravens:  Perhaps one of the closest to matching the consistency of the Reid era Eagles, the Ravens still went through a down period, a coaching period, and a time when Kyle Boller was a starting QB.

Indianapolis Colts:  The Peyton Manning led Colts were one of the AFC's dominant teams of the 2000s, but last season Peyton Manning got injured, ending an era, getting the #1 draft pick and a new franchise QB in Andrew Luck who started his career with the worst 11-5 team in NFL history.

Miami Dolphins:  Scarce playoff appearances, once traded a 2nd half draft pick for A.J. Feeley. This ended as poorly as you'd think.

St. Louis Rams:  The Greatest Show On Turf spent most of the decade in the NFC West cellar, perhaps only now starting to get out of it thanks to a rebuilding project and cashing in big time on the number two pick of the 2012 Draft.

New Orleans Saints:  Bounty scandal aside, the Drew Brees and Sean Payton led Saints have been so successful in the latter part of the decade that it is easy to forget how poor the early-mid decade Saints were under Aaron Brooks and Jim Haslett.  Remember this game?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Went from contender to Super Bowl winner to painful decline to re-build to stagnation to re-building again all in this time period.

Tennessee Titans:  Enjoyed a nice run in the early-mid part of the decade, but have been struggling for a few years now.

Oakland Raiders:  Lol?  Lol.

Minnesota Vikings:  The Culpepper-Moss Vikings were tremendous to watch, but Moss is a shell of his former self, Culpepper is out of the league, and the Vikings managed to play Gus Frerotte and Tarvaris Jackson at QB during Reid's tenure.  They got one good year out of Brett Favre, too bad they had him for two.

New York Giants:  Saw some stagnation toward the middle of the 2000s before drafting Eli Manning and being on a roller coaster of Super Bowls and epic late-season collapses.

It is easy to think of the Steelers as consistent contenders in this decade, but that is because people conveniently forget the Tommy Maddox era*.  The obvious winner of the past 12 years, the New England Patriots, would not emerge until 2001.

*Not a hard era to forget.

That leaves us with the Eagles as the only team between 2000-2011 to be consistently competitive.  The hiccups few and far between, the long-term success unrivaled.  But all good things must end at some point, and just because a mutual parting of ways may be beneficial for everyone involved now, it does not mean the past was filled with failure or that Reid was not successful or that his time as head coach was unsatisfying.  A team consistently in the mix for a Super Bowl is the only thing sports fans could ever ask for, and indeed, it was exactly what Andy Reid for Eagles fans.  The goal of sports should be to win a championship.  But with a possible exception of the NBA, playoffs are largely determined by small sample sizes and chance.  Therefore, the best way to achieve that goal of winning a championship is to build a team that can contend for the long-term and hope that one of the lottery tickets pays off in the playoffs.  That is precisely what Andy Reid did.  That is success, and that success should be satisfying, for success is satisfying by nature. Unfortunately for Andy, he never hit the jackpot.  But if as a fan your sole basis of satisfaction  is the happy ending that stems from hitting the jackpot in the playoffs, then you are never going to get it right.

Andy Reid provided consistent stability while most everyone else endured periods of instability.  Andy Reid provided an offensive innovation felt more and more every day as the NFL becomes more and more of a passing league.  Andy Reid led the Eagles to four NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl, a Super Bowl where the point differential was three.  From 2000-2011*, with very few hiccups, the Eagles were a dominant force in the NFL that was at the top of the league for an astounding length of time. As teams around the Eagles came and went, the Eagles under Reid were still there almost without fail.  In the playoffs. With a chance for a Super Bowl.

*I standby every word I have ever written about the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles.

Who knows how long it will be until fans realize what they had in Reid, but that time won't be soon enough.  I am normally against hiring retreads, but when Andy Reid decides to coach again, whether that be in 2013 or later, someone will be hiring one awesome head coach.

Goodbye, Andy Reid.  And thank you.

Well Here's An Interesting Story

Jon Gruden allegedly spent Sunday Night meeting with Andy Reid.

Well, that's more of where we are at now. Where have we been the past day? Well for the past 24 hours, the questions has been more of where haven't we been. Sometime during the Super Bowl last night, a story that I was only made aware of after the Big Game broke. That story? Jon Gruden is replacing Andy Reid as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. After being taken somewhat seriously for the night, it got shot down quicker than a MLB video on YouTube by every Eagles beat writer and even national outlets like Adam Schefter and Pro Football Talk. And the Eagles themselves issued a formal denial.

That was 11 hours ago. Why is this still a story then, you ask? First of all, the Eagles have also told us this year that Kevin Kolb was their starter as late as the conclusion of the Week 2 win against Detroit, the Eagles have also told us that Sean McDermott was staying as defensive coordinator after the season ended, and the Eagles said they had no plans on trading McNabb last off-season. And that's all been in the past year. Suffice to say, they are not a primary, go to source for information at this point.

The real answer may seem unbelievable, but one journalist and blog writer, Cody Benjamin, has been in contact with sources he trusts and have steered him in the right direction in the past (Cody knew Dawkins was leaving for Denver 4 days before it actually happened), remain confident that after working the ESPN Pre-game show, Gruden flew up to Philadelphia where he ultimately spent the night. In the morning, shortly before every denial in the world, he was spotted at the Eagles' NovaCare Complex.

Two things two consider here. First of all, Cody allegedly got in contact with Gruden's people. Instead of issuing a flat out denial, instead of saying "what? You thought Gruden was in Philly? Nah, Jon's at home in Tampa," and ending this once and for all, Gruden's agent gave no comment. If this were the complete fabrication and joke everyone is saying it is, wouldn't Gruden's agent have said so?

Then, around an hour ago, the report from Cody that I started this post with came out. There was an initial thought that Andy Reid is unwell and needs to step down for off-the-field reasons. If Reid is unwell, he is not so unwell that he can't spend a night at Ruth Chris's Steakhouse. It could be two friends having dinner one night, but the sightings at the NovaCare Complex and the fact that common sense would dictate that Gruden flying to Philadelphia on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon to meet with Reid is aloof enough in it of itself to warrant speculation that something bigger is going on. For what it is worth, Reid and Gruden were sighted at said steakhouse a couple hours after they had closed to the public. As I have verified with my own research, you can book a private reservation their past the hour the restaurant closes to the public (9:00 PM on Sunday). Hell, you can book them as late as 12:45 if you want.

Is Reid stepping down? Is Reid stepping up into a front office role? If so, is Gruden the replacement? Is Cody, an aspiring journalist who is currently employed to two newspapers, has his own blog, and contributes to another being lied to? Just how crazy is former Eagles fullback Kyle Eckel, who fueled the rumor last night, said it was a joke this morning, said he was just being careless this afternoon and shouldn't have said anything, and told Cody to not pursue this any farther tonight? Are Adam Schefter, PFT, Les Bowen, Jeff McLane, Reuben Frank, and other Eagles beat writers about to be out-scooped?

I don't know for sure if Cody is right or not, but I can't wait to see how this ends.

Update, February 8, 2011, 4:25 PM: Here is a statement released by Cody on the report.

Transcripts Of The Eagles' Defensive Coordinator Interviews Revealed

I am he as you are he as you are me
and we are all together

Yesterday, the Philadelphia Eagles made a stunning announcement when they promote now former offensive line coach Juan Castillo to the position of defensive coordinator. Juan Castillo is someone who has not coached a defense in over 20 years.  In fact, the last defense Juan Castillo was a high school defense back in 1989. And he was not even the coordinator.

This has left many Eagles fans wondering what could the Eagles have possibly been thinking over the past three weeks. More to the point, what were the interviews like? Was everyone else so bad that the Eagles had no choice but to promote from within? Well fortunately for all, I know people with ties to the Eagles organization, and they have generously provided me with transcripts of the interviews that I have taken liberties of posting below. And honestly, after reading them, I am not sure if they give us answers as much as they create more questions.

Andy Reid: Well fellas, it's time we find our next coordinator. Who's ready?

Howie Roseman: I am.

Joe Banner: Yeah, sure, whatever.

Jeffrey Lurie: This isn't going to cost me a lot of money, is it?

Reid: Before we get started, can someone get me a deep dish pizza?

Banner: But sir, you just had two cheesesteaks and a large fry.

Reid: Get me the pizza now!

Banner: I'll order it right away. My question of "who's your all-time favorite Eagle?" can wait.

Reid: Let's bring in our first candidate!

Jim Mora, Jr: Yes! Let's do this! I am ready to be the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles! Man, am I pumped.

Roseman: You do realize you are the only one in the room wearing shorts, don't you?

Mora, Jr.: Have I told you how excited I am about this opportunity?

(large deep dish pizza arrives)

Reid: Thank you very much, Joe.

Mora, Jr.: Is that all for you?

Reid: OM NOM NOM NOM!

Mora, Jr. (audibly whispers) Fat pig.

Banner: Heh.

Reid: You think that's funny? I've been trying real hard to lose weight, and you think jokes like that are funny?

Banner: Sorry sir.

Reid: Not you. I know you were just snickering at how someone could be so audacious to show up to an interview wearing a tank top and shorts and call the person interviewing them a "fat pig." Next!

Mora, Jr.: Bu....but......I was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons! And the 2009 Seattle Seahawks! I have experience!

Roseman: Leave.

Lurie: Would he have been an cheap to afford?

Roseman: No. Now who's next?

Billy Davis: Good afternoon, gentlemen.

Reid: I don't believe I had you scheduled for an interview. You are?

Davis: Billy Davis.

Reid: Funny, your name does not sound familiar. What was your job last year?

Davis: Defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals.

Reid: Next!

Lurie: Would he have been cheap?

Roseman: Probably.

Lurie: Damnit. He's a cheap coordinator with experience, you guys are making a mistake here!

Banner: Can we get on to the next interview? I am tired and want to get home to my cat Lizzy.

Roseman: Yes, yes, we can call our next witness to the stand.

Banner: What?

Reid: He means bring in the next interviewee.

Banner: It's like you two share a brain.

Reid: But before we start, I want dessert. You mind bringing me a whole box of Chocolate Juniors?

Banner: Yeah fine whatever.

Roseman: We have someone anxiously waiting. Come on in!

Dean Pees: Good day all.

Reid: Name?

Pees: Pees. Dean Pees.

Banner: I am sure that Dean does not like having that kind of information divulged in this setting.

Pees: No. Really. My name is Dean Pees.

Roseman: Very well then. Your coaching experience?

Pees: After floating the college ranks for 24 years, I joined the New England Patriots where I served as linebackers coach from 2004-2005 and defensive coordinator from 2009. I then served as the Baltimore Ravens linebackers coach last season.

Lurie: Wait a minute? The New England Patriots? 2004? You were a part of that team? The same Patriots team whose cheap and cowardly cheating ways screwed me out of millions of dollars and even more national fame?

Pees: Uh....yeah.

Lurie: You sir, are the only kind of cheap I do not like. Get out of this office!

Roseman: Calm down, Jeffie. This is the most qualified candidate we have interviewed thus far.

Lurie: I don't care if he has the credentials of Dick LeBeau.......god I am jealous of that winning fucker........get this cheating disgrace of humanity out of my office! GET OUT!

Pees: You're strange. I'm leaving.

Reid: Mmmmm, these Chocolate Juniors are delicious. Who's next?

Juan Castillo: Hey guys!

Roseman: Hey Juan, what's up?

Castillo: I'm not quite sure how to put this, but I am here to interview for your defensive coordinator opening.

Banner: Ha! Oh, wait a minute, you are actually serious?

Castillo: Yes sir, I am. Look, this was probably a bad idea and I should not have come in here.....

Lurie: No, no, please stay. You are not going to cost me a lot of money. Let's hear what you've got.

Reid: Okay. Let's start with the basics. Can you name any players on our defense?

Castillo: Nick Cole.

Reid: What?

Castillo: Trent Cole. Trent Cole. Trent Cole. I'm so sorry I meant Trent Cole, I swear

Roseman: Very well then. Anything else you can tell us about yourself and your defense experience?

Castillo: I was an assistant at Texas A&M-Kingsville and at Kingsville A&M High School in the 1980s.

Banner: Where?

Roseman: Excellent! Those defenses were real vaunted back during your time period.

Castillo: Absolutely. We were Lone Star Conference Champions back in 1985.

Reid: Do you bring any other experience on the defensive side of the bar?

Castillo: Why yes, I do. Jim Johnson would always talk to me to make sure we were sound in terms of our pressure and blitzes. I have always considered myself very versatile. Even though I have been working with offense since 1990, I have always considered myself a defensive guy at heart.

Reid: Did you just say you would talk to Jim Johnson about defensive schemes.

Castillo: Yes, I did say that.

Reid: Congratulations. You've got the job!

Castillo: Wait a minute? Seriously? Thank you so much! You won't be disappointed I swear.

Lurie: Neither will I!

Roseman: Even though I am excited about this hire, you can't say that for sure.

Lurie: Yes, I can. He won't be costing me a lot of money.

Reid: Well now that we got that taken care of, we can sort out the minor contractual details over dinner. Who's hungry?

What The Fuck Just Happened?

I wish this was one of those funny "find the typo" posts.

Your new Eagles defensive coordinator.............former Eagles offensive line coach Juan Castillo. Really, this is what everyone waited three weeks for.

Juan Castillo's past experience with defense:
San Antonio Gunslingers linebacker (1984-1985)
Texas A&M-Kingsville linebackers/defensive line coach (1982-1985)
Kingsville High School linebackers/defensive line coach (1986-1989)

Uh......yeah. That's it. This guy is now defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Castillo said in a press conference today that he always considered himself a defensive guy in an offensive body, and, uh, his offensive line would always go up against Jim Johnson in practice, and yeah, this is the Eagles new defensive coordinator.

I've never seen anything like this in my life. The Eagles offensive coordinator of 12 years has just been named defensive coordinator. That's the befuddling news. The good news is Juan Castillo's replacement as offensive line coach is Howard Mudd, who is one of the best in the business. He was a consultant for the Saints last year after coordinating the Colts offensive line from the time Peyton Manning entered the league to 2009. During that time, the Colts allowed a league-low 227 sacks (Titans are the next lowest at 337 sacks in that time frame).

The Eagles have one of the best special teams coaches in football: Bobby April.
The Eagles have one of the best defensive line coaches in football: Jim Washburn
The Eagles have one of the best offensive line coaches in football: Howard Mudd

Their defensive coordinator is the former o-line coach who claims he is a defensive guy stuck with an offensive coordinator position. Like Sheil Kapadia of Philly.com said today, "At some point in the last 12 years, the Eagles became one of the most unpredictable franchises in the NFL."

Even though the hiring of Mudd is going to be buried under the Castillo news, it is rather significant not only because Mudd is very good at what he does, but because him and Jim Washburn, though they spent years coaching against each other in the AFC South, are best friends who will now be coaching against each other every day in practice. I challenge you to watch this video and not like Washburn and Mudd.

Eagles Wild Card Weekend Recap: Defensive Failings Make Me Want Asomugha

• "Asomugha’s deal included a little-known clause that said his contract would void if he didn’t achieve his not-likely-to-be-earned incentives in 2010 -- and he didn'’t. His contract also contained a stipulation that if he didn’t achieve his incentives, the Raiders would agree not to designate him their franchise or transition player."
• The Eagles inept defense cost them this game.  That is all.
• I said at the beginning of the year that I expected a seven to nine win team.  I certainly did not expect them to win the NFC East.  But that is indeed what they did in a year that was seen as a rebuilding year.  Instead of Kolb, though, the Eagles did it with Vick who hopefully will sign an extension to keep him in Philadelphia.  He should be back, but if it is too long, I will pull my hair out.  Vick takes a beating game after game so his durability is definitely a question mark, especially at his age of 30, turning 31 in June.  Eagles in all likelihood will give him the extension but hopefully it is not backloaded and hopefully it is not for more than 4-5 years.  The Eagles do not get to where they were without Michael Vick.
• I said at the beginning that if the difference between Vick and Kolb was a 1st round playoff loss versus not making the playoffs at all, the better option would be develop Kolb and miss the playoffs.  Little did I realize at the time that Vick would emerge as a franchise QB and likely NFL MVP runner-up.  So yeah, the Eagles have a QB, his name is Vick, and he should be back.
• I would expect at least a 2nd round pick for Kevin Kolb.  If the Eagles are lucky, maybe a 1st rounder.  Andrew Luck staying at Stanford will do nothing but increase Kolb's value a bit. 
• I want to be mad at Akers.  I really want to.  He missed 2 FGs costing the Eagles 6 points and the Eagles lost by 5.  But I know that the Eagles defense and McDermott are the real goats here.  Sure they only gave up 21 points, but the Packers dinked and dunked their way all game against them with relative ease.  It was not until the 4th quarter when the Packers got real conservative that they got their stops.  Their slow and methodical drives prevented the Eagles offense from getting on the field in the 1st half and establishing rhythm.  Basically the Packers ran the gameplan I wanted the Eagles to run. Fire McDermott.  I'm done with him.  Bring in John Fox if he is willing to take a defensive coordinator job.  Akers made his kicks all year and had one bad day.  One player can't be the sole reason the team loses.  On the other hand, an entire defensive unit coming up small in big situations is a very easy way to lose football games.  Unfortunately, Akers contract is up this year and he is talking post-game like the Eagles will not re-sign him.  Such a shame because even in spite of his bad game, he's still better than most kickers in the NFL, even at his age.
• Eagles need offensive linemen.  Many ones.  Many good ones.  Need them.  Now.  Mankins is available, try to go after him.  Or Tyson Clabo.  Or Carl Nicks.  Or Jared Gaither.  Someone.  Anyone.  Vick is getting creamed over here!
• Who am I rooting in the NFC now?  Fuck Atlanta.  Fuck Chicago.  Go Packers.  Go Seahawks.  If it is a Green Bay-Seattle NFC Championship game, I'll have to see how I'm feeling that day towards the Packers.
• What about in the AFC?  Fuck Pittsburgh.  Fuck New England.  Go Jets.  Go Ravens.  If it is a Jets-Ravens AFC Title game, I will be happy with either winning.  Jets for the Ryan family, Ravens for John Harbaugh, who I always liked (unlike a certain Vikings head coach who got fired this season).
• People will cry "Fire Reid!" over this, they always do when the Eagles lose.  But Reid's model of winning consistently just makes it a futile cry anymore.  Plus on top of that, he has made Mike Vick better than he has ever been.  The dude deserves some credit.  Who are you going to get that's better?
• I expect Marty Mornhinweg will be a head coach next year (I'm guessing he'll take the Stanford job; his son just committed there).  If so, the Eagles are high on their QB coach, James Urban.  He would probably be the next OC should Marty leave.
• This may have been a disappointing end to the season, but Philadelphia sports will continue:  Villanova will be making a run for the NCAA Tournament, the Flyers will be making a run at the NHL Playoffs, Spring Training will commence in  a little over month, the Sixers have a 1st round playoff loss and/or a decent draft pick to look forward to, and the Union will be entering their 2nd season with a lot of young players and promise.  If you are fans of multiple Philadelphia teams, there really is a lot to look forward to right now.
• Win probability graph.  This is painful to look at. (advancednflstats.com)

•  Lastly, a sad and somber rest in peace to Christina-Taylor Green, granddaughter of former Phillies manager Dallas Green.  Christina-Taylor was the 9 year old girl killed in yesterday's Tucson shootings.  Her birthday was 9/11/01.  She was born on the day of a tragic event, and ultimately, she died in a shooting equally as tragic.  RIP Christina-Taylor Green.  2001-2011.

I'm No Conspiracy Theorist, But Something Ain't Right here

"Rush out, out from the center, not like one side is any better. Stand up, as they bend reaching."

When the pre-season started back in 2009, laughing at how Chris Mortensen's son was an inept quarterback never did I once think that by Week 3 of the 2010, the Eagles starting QB would be Michael Vick. It's incredible. From being a starting NFL QB to a convicted felon to once again being a starting QB in the NFL. You couldn't write this.

But how did it happen? And why is it happening? And why did it come out the way it did? Andy Reid has, in typical Andy Reid fashion proclaimed again and again Kevin Kolb is his man at QB. Now all of a sudden that has changed. Now it's Vick. What changed? A game tearing apart one of the worst secondaries in football? And why did he make his decision on a Tuesday? If he was so wowed by Vick and his performance against a defense that employs CC Brown, why did he not make him the starter yesterday, after having reviewed the game film?

Andy Reid may be an idiot play caller, but he when it comes to personnel management, he is anything but. He may be stubborn, but he knows how to work players and a locker room. Think about this: when Vick was signed, half the people wanted no part of a formerly convicted dog-killer on their team. Now all of a sudden, the entire city has been clamoring for him to start for the Eagles over the past few weeks. I'll admit it, what I have been advocating over the past couple weeks in regards to Kolb has been the minority opinion of Eagles fans. Most people in Philly wanted a guy to start for their favorite team who they did not even want in their city a year ago. What does that say about the job Andy Reid and the Eagles organization have done in helping Vick and his 2nd chance, in addition to the work Vick has done to redeem for his past mistakes? Dare I say it, they've done too good of a job. PETA has not even ranted against the Eagles the past couple weeks. What does that say? To those who were anti-Vick because of the dog fighting, but have come around so much to support him and clamor for him as the Eagles QB, I salute you. Even the people at PETA. Perhaps the hardest thing to do in life is to forgive those who have wronged you.

I told you this post would be coherent, I didn't say it would be organized. I had no original intention of making a paragraph about morality on a football related post about what the fuck happened late in the afternoon on September 21, 2010. But that is what happens when you write about things that floor you. Andy Reid wavered and changed his mind in a way he never did before. He may have made surprising moves before, but there was always a plan in mind. When the Eagles traded McNabb, he knew what he was doing at the time. When the Eagles opted to not resign Brian Dawkins, him and the rest of the Eagles Front Office felt he was asking too much. Reid has always held steadfast along with the rest of the FO. Reid does not backstab players. The Eagles FO do not backstab players/QBs he claims he is sticking with. He is loyal to his players and he likes to see things through. He does not change the QB position because one guy had a bad 10 passes, got hurt, and the replacement had a strong 6 quarters. At least not before this.

People clamored for A.J. Feeley after the 2002 season, Reid stuck with McNabb, people clamored for Jeff Garcia after the 2006 season, Reid stuck with McNabb, people clamored for Kolb during the 2009 season, Reid stuck with McNabb. People clamor for Vick in the 2010 season when he has said time and again Kolb is his man…..and he goes with Vick? Most bizarre thing Reid has ever done. Ever.

So did Reid backstab Kolb? Who knew what and when? Maybe Kolb knew all along Reid was bullshitting the media before and after the game on Sunday when Reid said Kolb was starting against Jacksonville. But why be so adamant about it as he was? Surely when Reid declared Kolb was starting against Jacksonville before Vick lit up Detroit, he must have known that there was a chance Vick actually could light up Detroit. They are, after all, Detroit. It just does not add up.

Some suggest it is the weak offensive line and he wants to protect Kolb until the line improves. But wasn't this known, especially when Jamaal Jackson went down? Nothing on that front changed in the last day.

One of the writers of Bleeding Green Nation has some insider contacts and stated he heard a report that Kolb was experiencing some head pain in practice. While believable, why is not this getting published mainstream? Reid and the Eagles refute that this is not concussion/injury related. Everything else about his health over the past couple weeks seemingly has re: the concussion tests. If the report is true, why is it being kept secret?

Is Reid panicking? Highly unlikely. Reid just signed an extension last year. His job security should be safe with Kolb for at least past this year. If anything, this just turned a secure job into a potentially unsecure one. If anything, he put his job on the line when it was never there to begin with.

Donovan McNabb was Andy Reid's guy. The Front Office wanted to make the move to trade McNabb. Andy Reid was the last one on board with that. Is this Reid's revenge?

Reid said in his press conference that he was blown away by Michael Vick's rapid acceleration the past couple of weeks. Now that is something I believe. Small sample size or not, no one and their mother could have ever predicted that Vick would have been successful as he has been the 1st 2 games of this season. But while no doubt impressed, was it really that impressive to give a guy you promised the world to a big "fuck you?" 6 quarters of Vick and Kolb is riding the bench again.

Is there a trade going on here? A couple of months ago, former Philadelphia Eagles GM and current Cleveland Browns GM Tom Heckert said he would give 2 1st round picks to the Eagles for Kevin Kolb. Though they have been denied, reports have surfaced that the Browns have contacted the Eagles about Kolb. Is Heckert serious about giving up 2 1st round draft picks? If he is, Reid should make that trade pronto. This is the Cleveland Browns we are talking about. The probability that one of those 1st round draft picks is a top 5 overall pick is rather high. Andy Reid would have to be crazy not to say yes to that deal, if it even exists.

What is going untold here? What happened today was not Andy Reid. One thing we do know, the Eagles FO is very secretive. What happened and what changed may not be known in a while, if at all. Is it the offensive line theory? Is Reid panicking? Is it Kolb's health? Is Reid telling the truth and this is all about Vick? Is there a Vick extension in place? Is the potential of a work stoppage in 2011 clouding Andy's thoughts, causing him to think this is the Eagles last year and that it is all in or not at all? I don't know the answers to these questions. I want to know. But I don't. And I probably never will.

"My best theory? It's already in me."

The Eagles New Starting QB: Mike Vick

The Eagles only had a national media manufactured QB controversy before.  Now they have a real one.  I give you the stupidest thing Andy Reid has ever done.

Andy Reid has announced that Michael Vick is the Eagles starting quarterback

Has nothing to do with Kevin Kolb or his injury, his future is "not slighted one bit." Still says he can be a franchise quarterback.

Says it's all about Vick's "accelerated play." Calls Vick "the hottest quarterback in the NFL." Says Vick deserves to play, Kolb will be allowed to continue his maturation process.

Says it's his responsibility to continue evaluating and Vick's accelerated play prompted the decision to make a change.

Was asked whether one half of play was enough to evaluate Kolb. Andy says it wasn't about judging Kolb, he'll still be a Superbowl level QB. However, when you have a guy playing at the level that Vick is you have to let him play.

Reid says that this will help Kevin Kolb's maturation process and he will get to continue to learn.

Reid says he didn't expect the accelerated play of Vick when he made the decision to go with Kolb in preseason.

Says he's been meeting with Kolb over the past two days and that he wants to be the starter, but has accepted the decision. He says Kolb is unfortunately stuck behind an "Ex superstar that has now regained his abilities."

Reid says the team has seen the great play from Vick over the past two weeks and that has factored into the decision.

This team needs to win the Super Bowl now. If not, this move is a failure.

The entire franchise is set back a year now. The 1st rendition of the "Kevin Kolb era" lasted 10 passes. This year was always the developmental year. Now it's next year. I've defended Kolb on here for weeks. You know where I stand. I won't re-iterate my same talking points.

And, although I think this is the dumbest move Andy made in 10 years, maybe (read: I hope to fucking god) he sees something in Vick that includes more being able to tear up a defense unprepared for him and a defense that flat out sucks. It is absolutely unlike Andy to make a knee-jerk move like this. In a way that's encouraging. In another way, it reeks of desperation. I've always considered Reid very good if not great at player management. Maybe he thinks he is outsmarting everyone again. But, isn't this what everyone has been saying? JasonB of Bleeding Green Nation called this the "most Un-Andy move Andy has ever made." Can't say I disagree with him there. I've never been more shocked or surprised about a personnel move the Eagles have made since the start of Andy Reid's tenure. I admit, I did not see this coming at all. At all.

I've always seen Kolb as a 2-year plan. Reid's job was always safe through this year into last year. If this bombs, I think this could be the last big move he makes.

I hope Reid is right. I want Andy to be right. I want him to be right about this more than he has ever been right about anything in his life. I've always wanted Vick to succeed after prison and I am glad he is being given an opportunity he has probably earned (though I always thought that opportunity would be cashed in elsewhere). Michael Vick is now my quarterback and he has my undying support. If everything I said about Mike Vick and Kolb from the past few weeks is wrong, I will be the happiest Eagles fan ever. Happy not only to have witnessed the most successful reclamation project in football history, but this move being a success means Michael Vick would have accomplished something the Eagles have not done since 1960.

2010 Philadelphia Eagles Preview

Seeing as I am about to get into some seriously heavy packing and preparation to go to college in the next week, I figured now would be the time to put up an Eagles preview and write the NFL one once I am settled in at school next weekend.

The Philadelphia Eagles are coming into the 2010 season as an incredibly young and different team. Donovan McNabb is a Washington Redskin. Sheldon Brown has been exiled to Cleveland. Brian Westbrook is going to attempt to play a game he thinks is football in San Francisco. Kevin Curtis is off the team. Jeremiah Trotter is yet to sign his yearly contract with the Eagles. In their place, Kevin Kolb is the unquestioned starting QB. Unless Kelley Washington does the unlikely and survives the final cuts, Jason Avant and Hank Baskett, the first of whom was drafted in 2006 and the second of whom signed as an undrafted free agent in 2006 are the oldest WRs on the team. LeSean McCoy is the unquestioned starting running back. Brandon Graham will complement Trent Cole nicely at DE.

They Are Young, But How Good Are They? Even though I mentioned young players in general in the last paragraph, this section is going to focus the Eagles WRs. DeSean Jackson is entering his 3rd year with the Eagles and has already proven he is one of the quickets WRs in the NFL. Jeremy Maclin took a few weeks to get going, but once he did, he proved he can be a starting WR. Jason Avant is the team's most polished WR and arguably the best WR; underrated does not begin to describe Jason Avant. Tim Tebow's former roommate Riley Cooper has been the hands down Eagles Training Camp darling (and not just because he is incredibly good looking). The question can they stay healthy throughout the season? If they do, these WRs, combined with underrated TE Brent Celek, will be a menace to opposing defenses everywhere.

Corn On The Kolb: When Andy Reid drafted Kevin Kolb in the 2nd round of the 2007 Draft, every draft pundit and their brother thought that Andy Reid and the Eagles FO were idiots on crack for selecting not just selecting a QB, but for a selecting this QB, Kevin Kolb, with the likes of John Beck and Trent Edwards still on the board. I have already discussed this QB draft class at length and won't get into it again, but the fact of the matter is Kevin Kolb's passes are crisp and accurate. He may have only started 2 games and came in relief in a close game once, but Kolb has loads and loads of promise. If he plays in the regular season like he has in Training Camp this year and thus far in the pre-season, Kolb is going to be mentioned among the league's top QBs in a short time.

D-FENCE!: Last year the Eagles defense was their major weakness. The Eagles realized that in the off-season and made considerable changes, including trading Sheldon Brown, drafting Brandon Graham with their top pick in the draft, drafting Nate Allen to replace Brian Dawkins, and finding loads of other potential defensive playmakers in the later rounds. Sean McDermott is also entering his 2nd year as defensive coordinator. McDermott took over following the tragic passing of the great Jim Johnson shortly before Training Camp began. To make matters worse for McDermott, the defense was ravaged with injury, with the most notable one being Stewart Bradley injuring his knee at last year's inaugural Flight Night, placing him on the shelf for the entire season. Now that the Eagles have their middle linebacker back, things can only go up from last year. Granted injuries could happen elsewhere, but I really can't stress how key it is to have Stewart Bradley back in the line up.

Wild Dog: Michael Vick is the uncontested back-up QB and will once again likely be asked to contribute to "wildcat" formations and other Andy Reid gadget plays. Last year, the Vick experiment was not a rousing success. This year, Vick is back in football shape. When the Eagles signed Vick, it has become doubtless that this is the year they wanted him for, not 2009. This is the year Vick will have a chance to be an effective part of the offense with gadget plays. He is looking more and more like the pre-prison Mike Vick with each passing day and if Andy Reid uses him right (big if, by the way), he can be a menace for opposing sides.

Is This "The Year?": No. This year is not "The Year." The Eagles will not win a Super Bowl this year. 365 days from now, Andy Reid will still be the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. I expect this year to have ups and downs. Kevin Kolb will do a fine job but at the same time he will be prone to rookie mistakes. After all, he has only started 2 NFL regular season games before. Mistakes will happen. This Eagles team is young, but I fear they are too young to compete with the likes of Indianapolis and New Orleans. Get back to me in a year, and the answer will likely be yes, yes they can compete for the whole thing. But this year, while I think the playoffs are a possibility, I am not putting my eggs in a championship basket.

(Coming up sometime in the next 2 weeks: Full NFL picks, including my pre-season stab at a Super Bowl champion)

Andy Reid Orders Fan To Remove McNabb Redskins Jersey

Should have known this was going to happen. A fan showed up at Eagles camp wearing a Donovan McNabb Redskins jersey this morning. According to Les Bowen of the Philly Daily News, Eagles coach Andy Reid asked security to tell a fan standing on the Eagles sideline to remove the McNabb jersey.

The fan, Jim Devlin, is a friend of a guest of the team and was granted access.

Eagles fan Jim Devlin, of King of Prussia, was directed to remove the Donovan McNabb Redskins jersey that he was wearing on the Eagles sideline at training camp this morning by security.

Devlin said that security told him that coach Andy Reid wanted the jersey removed. A team spokesman said he was unaware whether the directive came from Reid.

Devlin was on the sideline, not in the stands, on a guest pass, provided by friend Frank Deutchki, of Schwenksville, who is with him. A team spokesman said guests with sideline passes are supposed to be screened at the gate.

Devlin was surprised but also really angry. He was curious what other fans' reaction would be so he also wore the jersey to Sunday's Phillies-Mets game.

Deutchki now has the jersey in a bag, with Devlin wearing a red T-shirt.

Devlin said he thought Reid would be more concerned with what was happening on the field rather than on the sidelines.

 I'm actually going to take Reid's side on this one. This Devlin guy was a guest and he should abide by the rules of Reid and the Eagles no matter how dumb those rules might sound. And let's see what happens to this idiot when he wears that jersey at the Phillies-Mets game. I'm sure he won't get a warm reception. 

(Sports By Brooks via Philly Daily News)

Follow me at KSJ49 on Twitter or read my blog at Keith's Sports Journal

Why Fire Andy Reid When You Can Extend His Contract Throught 2013?

The speculation has been going on since this past weekend that this would happen. And sure enough it has. The Eagles have extended Andy Reid's contract through 13. From Reuters.

"I'm a piece of the puzzle here," a reserved Reid told a news conference. "By my waist size, I'm a big piece. But in reality I'm just a piece of the puzzle."

The 51-year-old Reid has a 115-73-1 record with the Eagles, who are 8-4 this season and tied for the lead in the NFC East with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Eagles, however, have never won the Super Bowl. They reached the title game following the 2004 season but lost to the New England Patriots 24-21.

"Our number one priority by far is to win a Super Bowl," said Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. "That really goes without saying. One of the reasons for this contract extension is the obsession and the prioritization of that.

"There's been so much accomplished over the last decade with multiple division titles and an incredibly unusually successful decade in every measure. The one remaining priority is to win a Super Bowl championship and go from there.

"That's what this organization is obsessed with."

Again, this is no surprise. Reid is in good with Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles Front Office and seeing as the Eagles have not had a 3-13 season, the Eagles will won't fire him nor will they probably ever do so until that does happen or Reid just quits/retires.

All I'll add is that the Reid better fucking have a Super Bowl ring by 2013.

On Anniversary Of The Week I Started This Blog, Andy Reid Reminds Me Why I Did

McNabb had 450 yards.

Jason Avant has a break out game.

The Eagles got a pair of redzone TDs.

Surely they won the game, right?

Not so fast. Thanks to horrible coaching by the master of it, Andy Reid truly did win the Battle of Inept Coaching. Being way too passive early in the game including not running a QB sneak during a 3-play series of down and goal at the 1 and then not going for it on 4th down despite never losing yeards combined with early failed redzone conversions and other field goal attempts when the Eagles should have gone for it on 4th down resulted in the loss.

Make no mistake about it, they deserved to lose that game. But make no mistake about it, they damn sure should have won it. The Chargers and Norv got completely passive on defense at the end of the game by playing a soft zone instead of bringing what was effective in the first couple of drives when the Eagles could not move the ball for the life of them.

Reid blew what would have been two critical timeouts in the 2nd half. And while the offense eventually got a rhythm, the Eagles 4-minute defense is just deplorable. They could not get the stop last week against Dallas and they failed to do so again until much too late this week against San Diego. As much as I hate to say it, the Eagles really do miss Jim Johnson.

Another thing they need to do: avoid penalites. Penalties killed so many drives that game it is not even funny. Bad discipline will kill you each and every single time, especially when you play as inconsistent as the Eagles like to do.

Just a terrible coaching performance by Reid wasting a stellar performance by Jason Avant who channeled his inner Miles Austin and a very good performance by Donovan McNabb who despite early struggles, threw for 450 yards and did not make any major mistakes.

Is This The Best The Eagles Wide Receivers Have Been For Quite Some Time?

Obviously, statistically, it is way too early in the season and in the careers of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin to answer that question with a sure-fire yes, but things certainly seem to be looking that way. With Kevin Curtis on the injury, Jeremy Maclin got his chance to shine, and boy did he shine, with 6 receptions for over 100 yeards. Which does beg the question, is this the best looking group of wide receivers the Eagles ever had? From the Philadelphia Inquirer

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said Maclin's emergence resulted from Tampa Bay's coverage on Jackson.

"They rolled the coverage a lot to his side, and you want to get your weapons going," McNabb said. "Teams are going to try to take someone in this offense out of it. They're trying to take DeSean out, and when you give [other] guys an opportunity to make plays for you, I have full confidence that they will."

Jackson may still end up being the featured weapon in the Eagles' offense, but this is the first time in recent years that we've been this far into the season without knowing exactly who will be McNabb's go-to guy.

During the Eagles' 2004 run to the Super Bowl, Owens was the main man, and ever since then it has been running back Brian Westbrook. Teams tried to stop both men, but usually couldn't.

Now, the Eagles have Jackson, Maclin, Westbrook, and tight end Brent Celek, not to mention Michael Vick, rookie LeSean McCoy, and this thing called a Wildcat offense.

Although the Eagles have averaged 31.8 points per game - second best in the NFL - every aspect of the offense hasn't always worked. Sunday, for instance, the Eagles averaged only 2.4 yards per carry on 19 designed rushing plays.

"We need to be more efficient when we do run the football," Reid said.

Westbrook, at least through four games, doesn't appear to be the same force he has been the previous five seasons. He had just eight touches against the Bucs, and it's strange not to see his name among the league leaders in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage. McCoy actually had one more touch than Westbrook.

Long gone are the days of Andy Reid settling for mediocrity at that position by starting guys like Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis, and Reggie Brown who all were a sure fire bet to drop half the balls thrown their way. And even though Jackson and Maclin are doomed to make some mistakes and have some bad plays just because of their age, for once we can say that the potential at the wide out position is there and we may be looking at a couple of Pro Bowlers, a term that has not even come close to describing an Eagles wide receiver since Terrell Owens was here. And while Maclin only got the start because Kevin Curtis was injured, you can bet that if he keeps playing like this, he will be starting on a regular basis soon enough. Also, while Curtis has proven that he is a decent, not great, starting wide receiver, I think he is most dangerous as a 3rd guy, when teams are not paying him much attention. And don't forget about Jason Avant. McNabb likes throwing to him in clutch situations and more often than not, Avant can make the play.

It took him awhile, but Andy Reid has woken up and has finally figured out how to draft offensive players, just look at the running back position as well. Sure, the Eagles have Brian Westbrook, but in the past the Eagles relied on him way too much, and the result is the beaten and broken down man that you see now. This is not the same Westbrook that we saw a 2, 3 years ago, and if I'm a betting man, I don't think that he will ever regain that form. He is not a 30 carry-a-game back, he never was, and the Eagles trying to make him that all but ruined his career. Sure, he'll come in and make a big play every once in awhile, and while I see him as a great change of pace back, I think that in little time, we will be seeing more and more of Shady McCoy, another great find and great draft pick by Andy Reid. Sure he is a little Westbrook-esque, but unlike Brian, Shady is more groomed to be an actual running back, instead of some random dude like Westbrook who lines up out of the backfield, but if more effective catching the ball and bouncing it to the outside rather than running the ball.

And forgotten in all of this is perhaps one of the most underrated tight ends in the NFL, Brent Celek. Eagles tight ends have never gotten any national credit or spotlight, but perhaps if Celek keeps making plays like the one in the video below, he is surely going to get the national recognition he deserves real soon.



It's not everyday that you see someone leapfrog Ronde Barber. And speaking as an Eagles fan, that was just so sweet to watch as countless times in the past, when the Bucs played the Eagles, Ronde Barber has made a big, ginormous play against us that kills our momentum.

Bottom line, regardless of who the quarterback is, if the Eagles can play defense like they know how to play defense, and if Maclin, Jackson, and Celek really emerge as the big go-to targets and stay free of injury, this Eagle team will be in the hunt for the Super Bowl for many years looking down the road. And now just ask yourself, were we really ever saying this about the Eagles during the era of Lewis, Baskett, and Reggie Brown?

Andy Reid Vs. The Media, Part 282

It's one of the reasons why we all love and love to hate Andy Reid. His dealings with the media are comical at best and downright atrocious at worse. Well, here's another instance of a classic non-callout callout on the part of Andy Reid, this time directed toward Peter King of Sports Illustrated. Via the Philly Inquirer

there was a report by sportswriter Peter King at halftime of the Sunday night game that he was doubtful for Week 3 against the Chiefs. King said he had spoken to Reid.

"I don't know where that report came from," Reid said. "I thought I was reporting here. There's a chance [McNabb plays]. I can't tell you that he can take a hit today. I don't feel that way about it right now."

Ah, good stuff! I also doubt that McNabb is going to play as well, but I'm pretty sure that Andy Reid is trying to do every little thing possible to keep the Chiefs off-balance. And it's not that I necessarily blame him, I just think that until McNabb walks out and takes snaps on the practice field, there's not a person in the league that is going to buy what Reid is trying to sell.

Congratulations, Andy Reid Thinks You Are Useless (The Eagles Final Cuts)

The Eagles have made their final decisions in terms of their 53-man roster and yet what seems basic is one of the most confusing things the Eagles have done all year. First of all, here are the players that were CUT by the Eagles. From CSN Philly

CB Trae Williams
CB Jack Ikegwuonu
DE Bryan Smith
LB Tank Daniels
FS Reshard Langford
WR Danny Amendola
RB Lorenzo Booker
C Dallas Reynolds
G Paul Fanaika
G Mike Gibson
TE Rob Myers
FB Marcus Mailei
FB Kyle Eckel
DT Dan Klecko
LB Matt Wilhelm
TE Matt SChobel
OT Fenuki Tupou placed on IR

If you've at all been paying attention, you would have noticed that the Eagles have kept 7 WRs, have not cut a QB, and have only 2 tight ends on their roster. Here is Dave Spadaro's take on this as the Eagles will be primed to do some major wheeling and dealing in the next day or so.

Vick is on the Exempt list, and he is eligible to come off of that list at any time. So if the Eagles make the decision to, say, trade Feeley and they feel the need to have Vick on the active roster so that he can practice, they can simply add him to the 53-man roster and prepare him for his debut in Week 3 against Kansas City.

Clearly, the Eagles are going to have a difficult time carrying seven wide receivers -- DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Jeremy Maclin, Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown and Gibson -- into the regular season, so something might happen there, too.

This is about as non-final as any "final" 53-man roster as I have ever seen. The Eagles have more moves to make. What they do and where they go remains to be seen. And the questions are obvious to all. Can the Eagles possibly go into the season with only two tight ends? Is there help out there at defensive tackle or at linebacker? What in the world are they going to do at wide receiver?

And, yeah, Feeley's status looms. He is a great insurance policy as a third quarterback and any team would want him as a reserve at the position. But is there a team out there willing to pay a price for his services? Can the Eagles trade him for the second time in his career after acquiring a second-round draft pick for him in 2005?

Ten offensive linemen? Are you serious?

Hey, Andy Reid and Tom Heckert and the Eagles' brain trust has a busy next couple of days here. Those players living on the edge are still living on that edge, because one thing is certain about this "final" Eagles roster: It is anything but final. We'll have to wait a day or two to know for sure who lines up for the Eagles on the 53-man roster this season.

Spuds certainly appears to have hit the nail on the head. I'll keep you updated on the moves that the Eagles make in the next few days.

Congratulations, Andy Reid Thinks You Are Useless, Round 3 Part 1

The Eagles full roster-trimming is due in a few minutes, but before that, out of respect and to give him a better chance of finding a job elsewhere, the Eagles have cut Dan Klecko.

Jason Babin starred in the pre-season and sadly for Klecko, that is enough to get him off the team. Klecko probably has a few more years left in him and will do good to join another team where he can be more of an asset and more of a regular player.

Report: Eagles release lineman Dan Klecko (Delaware County Times)

Congratulations, Andy Reid Thinks You Are Useless, Round 2

It's not the final roster trimming yet, but the Eagles have made 3 more cuts, once again, with no surprises. Here they are!

LB Curtis Gatewood
DT Willie Williams
TE Eugene Bright

The Eagles signing Tony Curtis and his performance in the last pre-season game all but guaranteed that Bright would be on this list. It will get interesting as the Eagles will have some very tough decisions to make tomorrow when they trim the roster to 53.

Roster trimmed by 3 (Philadelphiaeagles.com)

Congratulations, Andy Reid Thinks You Are Useless, Round 1

The Eagles have made their first round of cuts, and if you are on this list, then I am sad to report that you are not going to be an Eagle for the 2009 season. No real shocks or surprises on this list. Hell, aside from Bradley and Ingram who were placed on IR (we knew that that would be coming), you probably have not even heard of any of these players before or will ever hear of the again.

S Brandon Harrison
LB Charleston Hughes (injured and placed on waivers)
LB Stewart Bradley (IR)
TE Cornelius Ingram (IR)

Well, there you have it! The real fun and drama will come on Sunday when the Eagles have to make the real hard decisions of who to keep and who to cut. Aspeaking of which, it looks like Quinin Demps wants to channel his inner Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown. There's just no pleasing anyone in the Eagles secondary these days, now is there? And am I the only one that wants to see Macho Harris be named the starter at full safety? Demps and Sean Jones don't impress me in the least.

Eagles roster reaches limit of 75 (PhiladelphiaEagles.com)

Andy Reid Is Not A Fan Of Your Reporting Stories Without Getting The News From Him

My sincerest apologies in being so late on this story, but aside from being in 25 places at once, quite many times I found myself quoting Glenn Beck in the past few days. God, I'm such a paranoid douchebag.

Enough about me, though, and on to this hilarious story. With the news of Stewart Bradley being out for the season (a huge loss, if you ask me), a very interesting story came with the reporting of it. Little known fact of reporting: all reporters must confirm all reports with the coach before that story is reported. Well, at least that's how Andy Reid sees things. From a very pissed off Ray Didinger of CSN Philly that sums up both the story and his feelings.

The Eagles coach was livid because several reporters actually did some reporting without his permission. They tried to find out what happened to middle linebacker Stewart Bradley in Sunday’s Flight Night practice at Lincoln Financial Field. That, Reid said, is a violation of the rules.

Gee, I thought it was just a couple of reporters doing their job. I’m so out of touch.

According to Reid, a pact was breached. Funny, but I don’t recall signing a pact with the Eagles. I guess I’d better look into this before I violate some rule and the coach has me pushing a blocking sled down the field like poor George Hegemin. I mean, that has to be next, doesn’t it?

Football coaches are all about control, I understand that. And the Eagles are all about controlling the message. I get that, too. But Reid’s handling of the Bradley injury was outrageous. It was more than arrogant, it was unprofessional.

By now you know the details. Bradley, the Eagles starting middle linebacker, left the field early in Sunday’s practice and headed to the locker room. It was reported he would undergo an MRI on Monday. That’s what is called a “big story.”

Several reporters placed calls to Bradley’s cell phone to learn what was going on. By the time the Eagles went on the practice field at Lehigh, the news had leaked out that Bradley suffered a torn ACL and was likely lost for the season. That’s what is called a really big story.

The media gathered in the interview tent after practice, waiting for Reid to address the situation. The coach who typically begins every press conference by saying, “Injuries…” this time said, “We won’t talk about injuries today…”

Huh? Why?

“Some of your colleagues here decided that they would go to the players and/or other personnel here and ask about injuries,” Reid said, beginning his lecture. “I made a pact with you guys when I first got here that I would disclose to you the injuries, that you just stay away from the players, stay away from the other personnel in the organization and I would take care of you with that.

“That part was breached, so we’ll get on with the Flight Night part of things…”

With that, Reid began talking about what a great night it was, yada, yada, while the reporters looked at each other in disbelief. Did the coach really intend to not address Bradley’s injury? Would he clarify Bradley’s status at all?

“He did not practice today,” Reid said.

Thanks, Coach, but we already knew that. We did watch practice and there was no No. 55. Could you tell us a little more? Like, what did the MRI show? Are the reports about the ACL tear accurate?

Reid would not elaborate. He was going to teach us all a lesson. He gave us a good rap across the knuckles.

Asked when he might disclose more information regarding injuries, he said: “When I decide that people can abide by the rules.”

Andy’s rules are these: He is the only person in the organization who is allowed to talk about injuries. On the rare occasion, they will bring the trainer Rick Burkholder into the auditorium at Nova Care to address, say, a Brian Westbrook surgery, but most of the time all that information comes from Reid. The doctors aren’t allowed to talk, even the injured player is ordered not to talk.

So when a few reporters tried to reach Bradley directly, Reid considered it a breach. No, Andy – they were doing their jobs. When the starting middle linebacker is hurt, reporters have a responsibility to find out what’s going on. They have a pact with their employers and their readers, not you.

Reid must think he’s proving a point, but it is hard to see just what it is. He won’t talk about a major injury and he won’t let anyone else talk about it. If there’s not a league rule against that kind of stonewalling, there certainly should be.

I've heard of and am well familiar with "Coach-speak" but for goodness sake, this is ridiculous. I definitley agree with Didinger in this piece. In this day and age with Twitter and Blackberries and what not where people break and receive news faster than ever before, we want the current information now and unlike in old times, the coach is not the only one to supply us with the information. I don't understand what the problem is with contacting Stewart Bradley about the injury. I mean, after all, he is the injured one, him (along with possibly Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder) would be the ones who know the most about the injury in the first place. And I have not even gotten into the arrogant way in which Reid declared that he would not talk about the injury.

Alas, this is just reason #598 why Andy Reid is not a competent coach in the NFL.

We Now Return To Philadelphia's Favorite Soap Opera: As Andy Reid's Kids' World Turns

Not to diminish the societal importance and sadness of stuff like this, but this is about the most overhyped, overtalked about story in the Philadelphia media. It's the tragic story of Andy Reid and his kids and this little place called jail. Yep. We've got more news on the Reid kid front, if you will. Garrett Reid is going back to prison. Garrett had been staying in a halfway house, but just a little note to Garrett: if you want your life to improve, don't get into fights in said halfway house! Keith's Sports Journal has more.

We all know about the escapade's of the Reid boys. His son Britt Reid has also been charged with drug possession and with threatening another driver with a gun in a road rage incident. His other son Garrett Reid has a rap sheet longer than Mike Tyson's. Last May he pleaded guilty to smuggling drugs into his jail cell. And this was after he was arrested for an DUI. Well Garrett is back at it again.

Garrett Reid will be sent back to prison after he got into a fight at a halfway house. He has been staying at the halfway house as a court-ordered drug treatment.

When sentenced last year, the judge likened the Reid household to a "drug emporium".

We make fun of Andy Reid a lot, but this is some serious issues. Even a real nice guy like Tony Dungy lost his son to suicide. And Dungy is the last person in the world you would think, who would lose his son in such a matter.

Coaches in every sport work like machines. They work long hours with very few days off. You could see how their families would be neglected. I am not saying though this doesn't happened in houses where parents are with their children all the time. Because it does happen. And I am sure Andy and his wife have spent many sleepless nights worrying about their sons.

Garrett now finds himself in Gratersford Prison, which, believe me, is one of the worst prisons in the area. I know people who have visited clients in there so I have heard and learned all about Gratersford, and while Garrett Reid is not one (yet) that would be the jail you would go to if you committed murder in this area. And in a funny coincidence, the prison where he was kept before the Halfway House fight, Montgomery County Prison, is literally 5-minutes from my house (waits for people to Google Earth Montgomery County Prison and see the area where I live).

Sigh...let's hope that Andy Reid can sort out his personal matters, well, personally, and every other press conference question is not about Garrett like it was a few years ago. I do wish the best to Andy Reid and his family in dealing with these obviously tough times.

Week 12 Eagles Recap

Normally I'd get this up earlier in the day but because of my busy schedule, this is just now the first time I have had ample time to collect my thoughts on the game and write them down in a nice paragraph form without every word being preceeded by profanity.

Well now it's over, and that was bad. I can describe that game in 6 words. We suck. We suck. We suck.

Well, most of the Eagles suck at least. The Eagles' defense once again played a very good game, but they received absolutely no help from the offense with all of their turnovers. There is no rational way you can blame the defense for last night's clusterfuck. Heck, even our special teams showed up. Kickoff return for a TD, but what does that get you when Ed Reed returns a poorly thrown Kolb pass 108-yards for a TD. Yeah, exactly.

And now the Eagles' controversy du jour. Should the Eagles have benched Donovan McNabb? I say no. It was a three point game at the time, at the end of the half, McNabb looked like he was finally getting into a rhythm. And when Kolb came in you could just tell that the Eagles' morale was so low. It was something that they could not overcome and it showed.

The Eagles next game is Thursday and Donovan McNabb will in fact be the starter against the Arizona Cardinals on Thanksgiving. If you're a Philly fan in Philly who still wants to see the Eagles but don't get the NFL Network, the game will be simulcast on 6ABC. I'll have more on this and a full preview of this game Wednesday afternoon and a recap on Friday but (tragically) there will be no live blog. Thanksgiving is a day that should be spent with friends and family, not alone in front of computers typing up play-by-play of an Eagles game.