The simple truth is that Chip Kelly never had the talent to win big in Philadelphia.
The more nuanced answer is that the Chip Kelly the talent evaluator was the primary reason he lost the very sort of talent that might have helped him avoid his fate.
Say what you want about DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy, they were both proven difference makers when Kelly committed the almost always fatal sin that befalls many coaches of thinking that his system mattered more than players.
A system/scheme is the platform through which players can shine. It is no more the performer than a stage or theater is for a play.
I suppose coaches should be expected to fall for this line of thinking that they matter more than they do, especially in football where I contend they matter most. After all, when your job is largely performed in a fishbowl and every decision is dissected and second guessed, you had better at least be able to give the appearance that you are sure of yourself…..even if you are not.
Simply put, players are most responsible for winning and winning elevates a system. Case in point: what we know today as the West Coast offense began long before Bill Walsh got to San Francisco. The Bengals, with Walsh as QB coach and Vikings used the same system throughout the 70’s. But the Bengals were an occasional playoff team and the Vikings lost 4 Super Bowls, so they were not credited by popular casual observers. The same is true in other sports. The Triangle Offense can be traced to that L.A. college basketball juggernaut….USC in the 1940’s. Nobody cared until it was the staple of Michael Jordan’s offense in Chicago.
Players matter more. Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady is 47-52. George Seifert after Young and Rice was 16-32.
Any coach who deludes himself to think otherwise has written his own epitaph.
Oh we love and welcome innovation. Helps a short attention span society stay engaged. That’s the exciting part. But like the sheep that breaks away from the herd, your success and failure will show more brightly.
If you are right, you’re a genius and can peacock your way forward. If you’re wrong, you are a wounded wildebeest for prey and will be fired!
(Sanchez Inaction Figure, via @RobTornoe of the Inquirer)
There are few times when I am rendered speechless, but the Philadelphia Eagles’ 27-24 loss to the lowly Washington Redskins – with absolutely everything on the line – has left me as such. As RG3 , DeSean Jackson and Jay Gruden yuk it up, celebrate the win and agree to let bygones be bygones, Philadelphia has some serious soul-searching to do. The lack of discipline has cost the team its third-straight game and revealed an uncomfortable reality: this is not a very good team. While we shake our heads at the frustration of being Philadelphia sports fans, this is a team that is very lucky to have a winning record. But, the luck seems to have finally worn out.
But don’t cry for the Eagles. They’ve done this entirely to themselves. Perhaps the Cowboys will lose to the Colts tomorrow. But it likely won’t do much for the Birds. To win the NFC East now, Philadelphia needs for Dallas to then lose to the Redskins in their final game. Then, the Eagles need to win against the Giants. Say what you will about Eli Manning, but his passing attack can be potent. And he has a receiver that you may have heard a little something about – one Odell Beckham, Jr. Do you trust this secondary to diffuse that potentially deadly combination? Didn’t think so.
You know who is thrilled with his Sanchez inaction figure under the tree? Nick Foles. Controversy? What quarterback controversy? But while we make fun of Sanchez, this Eagles defense is a real problem. Billy Davis’ inability to react to the limitations of his secondary is an indictment of the coaching staff as well as the players.
My one-year old son kept walking up to the television and turning it off. While frustrating at first, it turns out that he wasn’t being bad. He was trying to spare his mother and father the pain and humiliation of a loss to Washington. The kid already knows what it’s like being an Eagles fan.
For football players, all that needs to be said to opposing players is done on the field. Once that’s done, there’s always Twitter to add insult to injury.
Enter Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho, who provided simple commentary on former teammate DeSean Jackson’s return to the Linc.
This man right here? Do not mess with him…Or his quarterback.
Sunday’s 37-34 Philadelphia Eagles victory over the Washington Redskins showed just why divisional matchups in the NFL are so anticipated-because they are so heated. There is pure hatred in the veins of the players for their opponents.
With WR DeSean Jackson’s return to his former home of the Linc as a backdrop, the sheer dislike that these teams have for each other was evidenced in the fourth quarter of the game. Things got “chippy” (I hate that word) when Redskins defensive lineman Chris Baker planted a late, ugly hit on Eagles quarterback Nick Foles. Philadelphia All Pro tackle Jason Peters was having none of that, and went after Baker for the cheap shot on his quarterback.
A full-scale brawl ensued, clearing both team’s benches. WATCH:
When it was all over, both Baker and Peters were ejected from the game. And thankfully, Foles got up to finish the game and seal the victory for his team.
While a fight is never the finest moment of any team or player, Foles has proven that he is incredibly tough. He was literally laid out by the hit, but found a way to get back up to and finish what he had started. And Peters, apologetic post-game for his role in the scuffle, became an all-out hero to Philly fans for the loyalty he displayed in going to any lengths to protect his quarterback.
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW #485 SHOUTOUT to you PETR KLIMA….((MLB)) DODGERS 3 PADRES 2….ASTROS 6 YANKEES 2….MARLINS 4 ROCKIES 3….BLUE JAYS 4 RAYS 2….RANGERS 3 PHILLIES 2….BRAVES 5 BREWERS 2….DIAMONDBACKS 5 GIANTS 4….MARINERS 8 ANGELS 3….INDIANS-ATHLETICS(postponed)……CC SABATHIA (yankees) got shelled last night in his first start….AFR said last year his fastball had slowed down….161 to go……DEREK JETER (yankees) gets hit in the hand in his first AB of season…..think MIGUEL CABRERA (tigers) gonna be hungry..he gets $2M for every MVP award he receives……nice ..but it has no “ring” to it (get it….LOLski !!!!)…we talked a lot of MLB among other things on THE BIGGER SHOW last night….SHOUTOUT to the HOMIE …..SATCHEL PAGE for checkin in….KIA and SLATE came thru…..it was real live…no really it was live ….8-10pm on tuesday nights **GEEQUE PALACE RADIO**…((NBA)) NETS 105 (JOHNSON 32) ROCKETS 96 (HARDEN 26)…..WARRIORS 122 (CURRY 23/10A) MAVERICKS 120(OT) (NOWITZKI 33/11)….BLAZERS 124 (ALDRIDGE 31/15) LAKERS 112 (YOUNG 40)….congratulations…BROOKLYN NETS are in 2014 NBA PLAYOFFS !….((NCAAHOOPERY)) NIT—-MINNESOTA 67 (hollins 17) FLORIDA STATE 64(OT) (white 16/12)…..SMU 65 (kennedy 21) CLEMSON 59 (hall 18)….MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS will play SOUTHERN METHODIST MUSTANGS for NIT CHAMPIONSHIP on thursday nite at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN !!!!!…..ladies side ELIGHT EIGHT—-MARYLAND 76 (thomas 22/13) LOUISVILLE 73 (schimmel 31)….STANFORD 74 (ogwumike 20/10) NORTH CAROLINA 65 (gray 19)…***WOMENS FINAL FOUR—-CONNECTICUT…MARYLAND…NOTRE DAME…STANFORD***……((NHL)) winners include SABRES(SO)….MAPLE LEAFS…ISLANDERS…HURRICANES…STARS…AVALANCHE(OT)…LIGHTNING…BLUES(SO)…RANGERS…JETS(SO)….SHARKS…..say hello to PLAYOFFS…MONTREAL and TAMPA BAY !!!!!…..((NFL)) DESEAN JACKSON agrees to deal with WASHINGTON…he just made my FANTASY SQUAD and I hope he does BIG numbers v EAGLES…….MINNESOTA wants to host SUPER BOWL in 2018…..they play outside now and you think they was shook about NY/NJ SUPER BOWL ????…..((umm they goin’ up against NEW ORLEANS and INDIANAPOLIS))……..((BOXING)) KENNY BAYLESS will referee MANNY PACQUAIO v TIMOTHY BRADLEY JR on april 12…….JUDGES will be GLENN TROWBRIDGE/GLENN PERNICK/JOHN KEANE……BRADLEY says he won last fight “eight rounds to four”…..he must STILL not have any socks on…….MANNY PACQUAIO won that fight straight up !!!!……((TENNIS)) JANA CEPALOVA over SERENA WILLIAMS (6-4.6-4) in second round of FAMILY CIRCLE CUP….VENUS WILLIAMS over BARBARA ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA (6-3.0-6.7-5)……((SOCCER)) FIFA has banned BARCELONA from signing players for next two transfer periods…they should so something like that in U.S. sports…….but oh well….NBA GAME of the day NETS (40-33) v KNICKS (32-43)……NHL GAME of the day COYOTES (36-27-130 v KINGS (44-26-6)…..MLB GAME of the day BLUE JAYS (BUHRLE) v RAYS (MOORE)……TRUE SCHOOL JAM of the day “BOP GUN (endangered species) – PARLIAMENT…..its HUMP DAY…….be nice to each other……”we gotta get over the HUMP”….the BALLISTICS have been kicked !!!!!!……AFR.
Will DeSean Jackson continue to fly as an Eagle through 2014?
Will DeSean Jackson remain a Philadelphia Eagle through the 2014 season or won’t he? Getting a clear answer to this question is growing stranger—and more exhausting–by the day.
Reports of the Birds’ interest in trading the talented receiver, coming off one of the best seasons of his career, have not been clear or consistent. Jackson netted over 1300 yards in 2013 and pulled in 9 touchdowns. It is hard to comprehend, then, why the Eagles would be so willing to part with such a valuable part of Chip Kelly’s offense.
Earlier in the week, Jackson tweeted that he spoke to Kelly, then told his teammates that he would remain with the team this year. But the head coach, speaking at the NFL owners’ meetings in Orlando on Wednesday, started the speculation afresh with his noncommittal words on the wideout.
In response to the question, “Will Jackson be an Eagle in 2014?”, the Birds’ head coach gave the following answer:
“I like DeSean. DeSean did a really nice job for us. But we’re always going to do what’s best for the organization.”
With Mike Vick now with the New York Jets, it makes sense for the quarterback to want to play with his favorite target. And the QB has said as much. But the picture of how much Philadelphia wants to part with the receiver—and exactly why—remains murky.
This story is sure to have more twists and turns over the coming days.
DeSean Jackson proudly displaying his Team Sanders jersey. (Image via jaccpot10 on Instagram)
The NFL’s attempt to invigorate the Pro Bowl by having teams led by Deion Sanders and Jerry Rice has begun, with the draft selection of Pro Bowl players completed on Wednesday night. It remains to see if the elimination of the AFC and NFC designations will add additional interest to the league’s all-star game. For now, a two-day draft to select who among the best will be selected to each team was enacted to try to drum up enthusiasm. Just where did the four Eagles in Hawaii for the game land?
Evan Mathis and Ryan Kalil, proud members of Team Rice at the Pro Bowl. (Photo via @nflnetwork on Twitter)
Evan Mathis and LeSean McCoy will be together on Team Rice. They will face teammates Nick Foles and DeSean Jackson on Team Sanders. Foles escaped the embarrassment of being the last player chosen to a team, leaving that honor to former coach Andy Reid’s new quarterback, Alex Smith.
But does any of it matter? Will more people watch—or care? There seems to at least be mild interest in knowing where players wind up and who will be their opponents. Beyond that we’ll have to wait until Sunday to find out.
The Pro Bowl airs this Sunday, January 26 at 7 pm on NBC. Will you be watching?
Nick Foles, the likely quarterback in Sunday’s game, will face Mike Glennon rather than Josh Freeman in his second consecutive year of facing the team.
It’s been a strange week leading up to the Philadelphia Eagles’ game with Tampa Bay.
Mike Vick, still sporting a hamstring injury from the Week 5 matchup against the Giants, was limited in practice during the week. When asked if he would get the start against the Bucs, his answer was that he would play this Sunday if he “had to.”
Though Chip Kelly said he wouldn’t reveal whether Vick or Nick Foles would get the start in Tampa Bay, Vick’s answer said everything we need to know.
Expect to see Foles get the start.
Amid the nuttiness of non-answers to the questions of the extent of Vick’s injury and if he or Foles would be leading the team’s offense in Week 6, an issue completely out of left field: Issues with the drug-resistant infection MRSA at the Bucs’ facility. Despite two cleaning treatments from an outside company after two Tampa Bay players came down with the infection, a third was diagnosed with the infection. After a day of uncertainty, the NFLPA determined that there was no risk to other players and the game would continue as scheduled on Sunday.
The MRSA incident isn’t all that’s been odd in Tampa Bay. Josh Freeman was demoted from being a starter after subpar performance and, apparently, being late to a team picture. Then, he was made inactive the week of his demotion until, finally, he was cut from the team. Accordingly, the Eagles will face rookie Mike Glennon, who will be making only his second start in the NFL. Does that mean that Philadelphia has the clear advantage?
Not so fast. The Eagles should and I believe will win this game, but it’s not going to be the cake walk some anticipate against the winless Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is a team desperate for a win and coming off of their Bye. They have a stout pass defense. And I’m sure the team execs would like to hand Chip Kelly a loss after he denied their overtures last year.
Philadelphia’s still struggling defense should be able to rattle the rookie and Tampa’s awful offense. But the Eagles’ offense will see its star receiver, DeSean Jackson, face Darrelle Revis. Jackson said earlier in the week that he wasn’t ‘fraid of no Revis Island, but it’s going to be a stiff competition for both men. Foles will need to be on his game in order to combat a surprisingly effective defense that has only given up five TD passes this season. Thankfully, he has experience leading the Birds to victory over the Bucs, as he did it last year.
A strange lead-up will result in two teams desperate for wins. The Eagles seek to even up their record and further increase their confidence before heading into back-to-back division games, and the Buccaneers need to get just one “W” under their belts to get truly begin the Glennon era. Despite this being a matchup of two teams with losing records it will be a close game.
Even if you haven’t heard DeSean Jackson’s new song, “Diamonds on My Neck” or seen the video, you must watch this clip of Philadelphia Eagles announcer Merrill Reese presenting his own interpretation of the song that also features Snoop Dogg (sorry, I refuse to call him Snoop Lion) and Yung Chris.
Isn’t it just sublime? Just when you think Reese can’t get any more awesome, he keeps finding ways to top himself. This is just what the end of a long week calls for.
In case you haven’t seen the original video by D-Jacc and co, peep it below:
Gayle Jackson, speaking at a press conference about “The Making of a Father’s Dream” held at St. Joseph’s University. (Photo by Roy Burton)
I had an opportunity to speak with Gayle Jackson, DeSean Jackson’s mother, after a private screening of the documentary “The Making of a Father’s Dream,” which was released on Father’s Day. How did it feel to relive such emotional moments in her family’s history, and for the world to be see such a different side of her NFL star son?
The film is the product of 18 years of footage taken by Byron Jackson, DeSean’s older brother, from when DeSean was just five years old through his time in the NFL. Byron joined up with Kip (producer) and Kern (director) Konwiser to shape the footage into the compelling story presented in “A Father’s Dream.” But in addition to their collective talents, Mrs. Jackson believes that a higher power had a hand in bringing the film to life.
Even while his father, Bill Jackson, was dying, Byron said in the film, he was compelled to keep taking footage, though he didn’t know why. It was a sort of therapy to help him come to terms with the quick and fatal reality that was the pancreatic cancer that ultimately took his father’s life. Ultimately, the family was too close to the story to see the powerful messages contained in the footage. Said Gayle of the years of footage and how she reacted when presented with the idea of the documentary,
“God puts you in touch with who you need. I say it was spiritual. He [Byron] got put in touch with Kip and Kern [Konwiser], and they were able to take what Byron had and put it in such a way to present this story. There was a void of positive black role models, all these guys [in Team Jackson] didn’t have fathers in their lives and Bill was the father figure. It all got put together in to what you see [in the film], and it’s a message now. It’s bigger than you can ever imagine.”
The very fact that the tidbits of their lives came together to form such a cohesive, powerful story—about a father’s love for his family and a shared passion to fulfill a dream—was more than just the talent of the filmmakers, in Mrs. Jackson’s mind.
“Sometimes you don’t always know what you want to do with your life, but, if you have faith and believe and line yourself up and do what God says you’re supposed to do, then he’ll order your steps. I really believe that this project was almost predestined. Somehow, it’s like Bill knew. He’s not here anymore so he made all of these predictions. We thought he was crazy. We thought he was out of his mind. We didn’t know but he knew. It took his passing to figure it out.”
In telling its compelling tale, the film shows another side of DeSean Jackson than we’ve seen previously. Any good documentary explores and uncovers different sides of its subjects, and “A Father’s Dream” is no different. But what does it feel like to see her son exposed in such a different light, contrary to what many perceive of the confident NFL star?
“I think it will clear up some of those misconceptions…When I hear those comments, I think, We know the truth. A lot of those things that people say, like he’s cocky, he’s this, he’s that—they don’t know the real DeSean. And if you knew the real DeSean you wouldn’t say those things. So I have to kind of dismiss it, turn my ear to it and turn a blind eye to it, because we know the truth. This kid has the biggest heart. If he could help everyone in the whole wide world he would do it.”
“The Making of a Father’s Dream” is now available and can be seen on inDemand, Comcast, Verizon Fios, and other cable systems around the country. Please check your local listings for details.
