After opening with strong words like , “Disappointed”, Philadelphia Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie’s press conference left frustrated fans crying “Business as Usual” as head coach Andy Reid will be returning for his 14th season in 2012
After a disappointing 8-8 season that started with such high expectations from a Philadelphia Eagles team that some described as the “Dream Team” in the preseason, yesterday (January 3, 2012) owner Jeffrey Lurie stepped from behind the curtain to address the media for the first time since training camp. With some fans emailing/tweeting/posting/venting on sportsradio their expectations that “Finally” the usually quiet owner would be telling his head coach, Andy Reid, that his tenure was up after 13 years of a non-Lombardi Trophy. An incredibly large media horde, including Taking It to the House, piled into the Eagles NovaCare Complex to see what team’s owner had on his mind.
When Lurie first stepped to the podium, the many fans that chanted “Fire Andy” rhythmically back during the team’s horrible home loss to the New England Patriots in Week 12, must have been giddy when they started hearing their team’s forgone season described as “”the most disappointing since I’ve owned the team”. Their internal glee must have been further stoked as Lurie said, “This year was unacceptable and there are no excuses. Everybody is accountable for this season.”
And you know the many fans of Eagles Nation, who are frustrated after 13 years under Reid, were yelling like the late Sam Kinson in the movie Back to School, “SAY IT, SAY IT”. But alas sorry people…. Lurie, who was once a Hollywoodproducer, put all the drama into the early part of his address, only to never utter anything close to what many disappointed fans wanted to hear. In fact, the Eagles owner not only told everyone that Reid was staying, but that he also was the “best coach” to lead the team out of their 51-year non-championship wilderness.
After his dramatic lead-up, Lurie made it abundantly clear that Reid was his guy by saying, “If I didn’t think that next year would be substantially better, then I would be up here announcing a coaching change. But I want to see our team coached by Andy Reid next year, and I can’t wait to see them play”…… Woe, Woe, Woe…That comment right there brought a trumpet “wamp, wamp, wamp” to the Eagles fans that had seen enough of this team’s production of “Ground Hog Day” starring Andy Reid. And a big, “I told you so” from the local media folks, including myself, who have a strong understanding of how the Eagles go about their “Business”.
After Lurie had used words like “dismal and unfathomable” at the beginning of his press conference, his big Reid returning announcement definitely had to have sapped the energy from “Fire Andy” crowd waiting for an announcement that would never come. So then the members of the media in attendance went about the business of making Lurie explain “Why” bringing Reid back was the right decision. The team’s almost 18-year owner cited several factors including Reid’s track record (team’s winning coach with a record of 136-90-1 including the playoffs, 10 of 13 seasons in playoffs and one Super Bowl appearance), strong player support, respect from people around the NFL, his intangibles and lastly his ability to bounce back from bad seasons (Failed to make the playoffs three other times but came back with double-digit wins a postseason appearance each time in the past).
He even tried to curb his own enthusiasm for Reid by throwing in some tough talk too. When answering questions about his disappointment of the 2011 season, Lurie said “It’s ridiculously unacceptable to have fourth-quarter leads and blow all those games.” He added, “And I told Andy very directly that there was no excuses to be 8-8. I expressed my anger and frustration. I told him that this team was too talented, this team was poised to be good and there were just no excuses.” – Funny in parts of his address I did here talk of the lockout, new schemes, new faces, and some other talk, which sounded like excuses to me…but I digress.
However in answering the media’s questions, incredibly the man who had just minutes before explained some serious reasons to move-on from Reid, did a total about-face. To me it was almost awe inspiring how Lurie protected Reid and his overall “Gold Standard” organization, like Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan did for Eagles’ quarterbacks for over a decade. He even pushed aside shouts of Reid’s arrogance in after-game sessions by saying that his beleaguered head coach was only protecting his players in press conferences, rather than belittling fans and media. Lurie said that Reid was “a completely non-arrogant man” and that everything that his coach did was in defense of his players, which has endeared him as the team’s unquestioned leader.
At times Lurie’s defense of Reid and the Eagles’ overall mantra of “If we are in the tournament, then we have a chance for a Super Bowl victory” probably frustrated the fans listening. But you can clearly see that the “Green Kool Aid” flows from the top of the Eagles’ organization right on down. When you hear “Our team has been in the playoffs more than any other team in the NFC”, there is no doubt that Lurie is more “pleased” than “frustrated” with his current regime. And that he wants to maintain the consistency that Reid has helped to build.
Which to many Eagles followers is hard to believe given that the team’s last three seasons since their 2008 NFC Championship Game appearance — first round wildcard exit to the hated Cowboys, a first round home wildcard loss to the Packers, and an 8-8 season including four “Fool’s Gold” wins over non-playoffs teams (MIA, NYJ,DAL, and WAS) to end the season. While all that time, the Saints, Packers, and Steelers have sped by them like a Porsche driving past an old lady in an Oldsmobile.
So now we know that the trio of Reid, GM Howie Roseman, and President Joe Banner have their owner’s confidence and will be back for the 2012 – and possibly Defensive Coordinator Juan Castillo too as Lurie made it clear “all” football decisions run through Reid. Which leaves everyone to wonder if any of the three were ever really in jeopardy of not coming back? Time will only tell if Lurie has made the right decision to not make a change. But in the National Football League where you see most non-Super Bowl winning head coaches let go after 6 or less seasons (see Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay), you have to wonder when enough will be enough.
There is something to be said about maintaining consistency in the dog-eat-dog world of the NFL, and the Eagles and Reid have been pretty strong survivors — as Lurie said “(The Eagles) are almost always in the tournament”. But in the end, surviving just is not good enough for a fanbase that has been waiting 51 years and counting to win a championship.
It will be interesting to see in the next two years – time remaining on Reid’s deal (through 2013) – “How” Jeffrey Lurie will be judging his head coach and organization. Two distinct quotes from Lurie’s press conference about the upcoming 2012 season present the two sides of the Andy Reid debate.
No. 1 “There are no ultimatums (that the Eagles have to win in 2012)” – Patient/Consistency-First Jeffrey Lurie
No. 2 “But (winning the Super Bowl) is our goal. It’s not just to get into the playoffs, it’s to win the Super Bowl.” — Tough Guy / Bottom-line Lurie, who may have seen enough if the Birds take another step-back in 2012
We will see what the future holds for the Eagles in 2012 – as New York Jets’ LB Bart Scott once said, “Can’t Wait” – but really the ball is totally in Lurie’s court. He can either change things up or stick with the philosophy that has brought him “consistency” but no title thus far….
However given the franchise’s past history under Lurie/Banner/Reid, I have a feeling that it will be business as usual for the Philadelphia Eagles and their head coach in 2012 with the slim possibility that we will be having the same conversation in January 2013.
Maybe a quote from former multiple-time NCAA basketball championship head coach John Wooden will help Jeffrey Lurie make a decision. “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be”.
Lloyd Vance is the Editor for Taking It to the House , who is also an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). Lloyd can be reached on Twitter @lloydvance_nfl