Andy Reid Still Hasn't Impressed Me
So here's the thing. Andy Reid inhereted a 4-12 football team with SIX pro bowlers and the best running back in the NFL. I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but I am saying that just because he's beaten 9 sub-.500 teams and a slew of backup quarterbacks, doesn't make him fit to sit in with the company people are throwing him into. It wasn't a tough formula to crack, coach a team with six pro bowlers, trade for an unwanted quarterback with a solid ability to NOT lose games, and play a weak schedule!
If you want to crown Andy Reid, wait until the post season, or until the end of this Broncos game if you can't contain yourself. But just some food for thought: Andy Reid's biggest knock in Philly was he drafted poorly, he drafted stiff after stiff after stiff (Nate Allen in the 2nd round? Casey Matthews? Kurt Coleman? DANNY WATKINS 23rd OVERALL) and while his ability to run the ball more than 15 times a game and winning games has changed, his drafting incompetency hasn't ceased to exist. Erik Fischer wasn't just the first pick in the draft, he's the only influencial player from that draft on the team right now. Do you know anything remarkable about Travis Kelce other than his Philadelphia Eagle brother Jason's beard? Didn't think so. How about Knile Davis or Nico Johnson? No? Okay. Then let's pump the brakes on this appraisal.
When I've brought this up with people, they always say "numbers don't lie," "nine and zero is nine and zero" but that is like saying "65 downhill is the same as 65 uphill". It's wrong. One requires a lot of hard work and battling and incapability to take your foot off the gas, the other requires the ability to stay on the gas just long enough to maintain your goal.
The bottom line, that we all need to remember is that Andy Reid isn't a terrible coach, did he misuse Michael Vick? yeah. But at the end of the day Andy Reid is the equivalent of Joe Flacco, not good enough to be considered elite, but good enough to demand elite conversations and privileges. Andy Reid is a great coach, when he isn't drafting players. If you go get a smart guy who knows a sure thing when he sees one to pick the players (Joe Banner) and tell Andy Reid to focus on his offense and let a great defensive coordinator take care of that side of the ball (Jim Johnson, may God rest his soul) you can go to four straight championships, or start an easy schedule off flawlessly. It's when you give him full personnel control and marry him for five years, you're going to pay more than the shocks on the front passenger side of a Reid family car.
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Sunday, November 17, 2013
The Art of a Sideline Tantrum
Peyton Manning storms off the field after succumbing to a goal line stand, throwing three consecutive incomplete passes, and forcing his team to settle for a late-game field goal in a Monday showdown against the Rams. His emphatic "Dammit" can probably be heard from the expensive seats by the end zone, and every single viewer of the NFL Films special published a few months later. Moments later, any skilled cameraman in the building has their eyes on Peyton screaming at pro bowl center Jeff Saturday. "Quit calling the f****** plays", Peyton's NFL Films mic picks up, and his enraged demonstrations affirms any doubts that he's pretty pissed off.
This is considered leadership.
Tom Brady lights into then Offensive Coordinator Bill O'brien for criticizing an interception in a 34-27 win.
This is considered competitive spirit.
Dez Bryant flails his arms in encouragement at Tony Romo and his offensive coordinator, passionately begging for them to run plays toward him and quoted as saying "that's what we do, we're the best in the league at that" and "they can't stop us".
This is considered a tantrum.
The difference between Tom Brady/Peyton Manning and Dez Bryant is obvious, two of them are clean cut, well spoken men who are future hall of famers, the other is a flashy receiver with an attitude problem and a checkered past. However, if we put this in a social vacuum, and discount all previous accounts of super bowl greatness, prostitute mothers and illegitimate dinners with the best defensive back in NFL history, are we singing the same song?
Dez has a temper issue, sure. So does Tom Brady, but when he blows up on a receiver who dropped a pass we smile and commend him for his intensity and love for the game. Dez is just what the Cowboys should be asking for, somebody who wants to win more than he wants to go on one more date with Jessica Simpson. Dez is somebody who is more impressive on the field than in a fantasy league, and somebody who doesn't just want-but will perform with- the ball in his hands in the defining moments of a game. Before the tantrum, did you catch the freakish one handed grab with a defender draped all over him? That was one of the few targets he received all game.
Think about it: You, a confident receiver, a freak of nature, a BEAST, are watching one of the only players in this league get double-digit targets and set records in front you, while you're having an average game and aren't getting the respect you deserve. Sucks right? Now add that the guy on the other side just helped his team rip your heart out, and take the game out of your hands. You'd be pretty pissed.
If Tom Brady watches Peyton Manning formulate a game-winning drive while he hasn't so much as touched the ball for an entire quarter, he'd be throwing a water cooler, cursing out a teammate, and divorcing Giselle for another woman to procreate with and divorce.
But he'd be a hero for it.
This is considered leadership.
Tom Brady lights into then Offensive Coordinator Bill O'brien for criticizing an interception in a 34-27 win.
This is considered competitive spirit.
Dez Bryant flails his arms in encouragement at Tony Romo and his offensive coordinator, passionately begging for them to run plays toward him and quoted as saying "that's what we do, we're the best in the league at that" and "they can't stop us".
This is considered a tantrum.
The difference between Tom Brady/Peyton Manning and Dez Bryant is obvious, two of them are clean cut, well spoken men who are future hall of famers, the other is a flashy receiver with an attitude problem and a checkered past. However, if we put this in a social vacuum, and discount all previous accounts of super bowl greatness, prostitute mothers and illegitimate dinners with the best defensive back in NFL history, are we singing the same song?
Dez has a temper issue, sure. So does Tom Brady, but when he blows up on a receiver who dropped a pass we smile and commend him for his intensity and love for the game. Dez is just what the Cowboys should be asking for, somebody who wants to win more than he wants to go on one more date with Jessica Simpson. Dez is somebody who is more impressive on the field than in a fantasy league, and somebody who doesn't just want-but will perform with- the ball in his hands in the defining moments of a game. Before the tantrum, did you catch the freakish one handed grab with a defender draped all over him? That was one of the few targets he received all game.
Think about it: You, a confident receiver, a freak of nature, a BEAST, are watching one of the only players in this league get double-digit targets and set records in front you, while you're having an average game and aren't getting the respect you deserve. Sucks right? Now add that the guy on the other side just helped his team rip your heart out, and take the game out of your hands. You'd be pretty pissed.
If Tom Brady watches Peyton Manning formulate a game-winning drive while he hasn't so much as touched the ball for an entire quarter, he'd be throwing a water cooler, cursing out a teammate, and divorcing Giselle for another woman to procreate with and divorce.
But he'd be a hero for it.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Introduction
This Blog started when I was 15 years-old, I didn't know a thing about grammar (view below) but now I'm an Editor-in-Chief of a college newspaper, and a paid intern at a local newspaper. I've come a long way, but the passion I still possess the same passion for sports.
From 2009:
Hey this is EJ, i am a teenage boy who wants to be a sportwriter one day, i was told by a sportswriter that blogging is a great way to become better at being a sportswrier, and a radiohost (another dream of mine). If you know what your talking about it'd be an honor to talk about things with you, my first subject is, what is your view on the BCS, i hope this is the beginning of a fantastic experience.
From 2009:
Hey this is EJ, i am a teenage boy who wants to be a sportwriter one day, i was told by a sportswriter that blogging is a great way to become better at being a sportswrier, and a radiohost (another dream of mine). If you know what your talking about it'd be an honor to talk about things with you, my first subject is, what is your view on the BCS, i hope this is the beginning of a fantastic experience.
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