Gameday – MIN

Posted: December 15th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 43 Comments »

Let’s get straight to the actives/inactives.

RBs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart are out. So is TE John Carlson and CBs Cook and Rhodes. This is a bad situation for the Vikings.

The Eagles have no serious news to report on this front. The inactives are:

QB Matt Barkley
OL Dennis Kelly
OL Matt Tobin
RB Matt Tucker
LB Najee Goode
DB Earl Wolff
CB Curtis Marsh

* * * * *

ESPN had a report this morning that Chip Kelly is going to be one of the coaches that the Texas athletic director pursues as a replacement for Mack Brown, who stepped down last night.

Don’t worry too much about this. Kelly coached at New Hampshire and Oregon. UNH is a small school. Oregon is a football power, but in the grand scheme of things, also is somewhat of a small school environment. It’s over on the West coast, away from the media spotlight.

Oregon has one huge booster in Phil Knight. It isn’t a school with differing groups of boosters/former players/school administrators trying to seize control of the football program.

Chip Kelly never had to fear Earl Campbell coming out and calling for him to be fired at Oregon. The Ducks don’t have that kind of football history. They don’t have former players who can share powerful opinions and change public perception.

Texas is a football state. Heck, maybe THE football state. They live and die with the game, from high school on up. Oregon is nothing like that. Football wasn’t life or death the way it would be at Texas.

Kelly got on the nerves of some boosters at Oregon since he wasn’t very good at shaking hands and kissing butts as much as they would have preferred. Texas boosters have bigger checkbooks and bigger egos. Kelly could not get away with being standoff-ish with them. That wouldn’t go over well at all.

I don’t think Chip will take a serious look at Texas. Could he use that interest to get a raise from the Eagles? Sure, that is possible. But don’t worry too much about him heading back to college.

Besides…Chip is winning. Most guys leave the NFL because they lose.

* * * * *

Awesome story here about Chip and a local lady who sold the Eagles a signaling system.

Cakert invented (the system) in 2007 to help her players read signs better, then watched it languish in softball and field hockey semi-obscurity until this summer, when, in a Hail Mary, she mailed it to Chip Kelly.

And in an upset, the new Eagles coach mailed her back a personal check for $25 (it’s $24.99 on the Web) and a thank-you note.  

It’s been a big help!! Great idea!! Chip Kelly

So cool.

_

43 Comments on “Gameday – MIN”

  1. 1 sprawl said at 11:52 AM on December 15th, 2013:

    Their athletic director might as well be showing interest in Belichick… Chip isn’t leaving the Eagles and if he wants any more money out of Lurie it’s for his assistants, facilities and sports science laboratories.

  2. 2 BlindChow said at 11:52 AM on December 15th, 2013:

    Kelly got on the nerves of some boosters at Oregon since he wasn’t very good at shaking hands…

    I went to shake Kelly’s hand once and he ended up shaking my foot instead.

  3. 3 ACViking said at 12:42 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Exactly how are you shaped?

  4. 4 FinnEagle said at 11:53 AM on December 15th, 2013:

    About that signaling fan: it is not a new invention. It has been used in Finnish version of baseball since 1953. And it was used in football in the 1990s.

  5. 5 sprawl said at 11:56 AM on December 15th, 2013:

    “About that signaling fan: it is not a new invention. It has been used in Finnish version of baseball since 1953.”

    Not true. Finland wasn’t even discovered by Christopher Columbus until 1973 thus there weren’t even any people in Finland at the time you claim it was invented.

  6. 6 TommyLawlor said at 11:55 AM on December 15th, 2013:

    Chip Kelly still does have the NCAA issue to deal with before he can go back to college coaching, but let’s not be naive. If Texas wants Kelly, they’ll figure out some way around that.

    The key is that I don’t think Kelly will want the Texas job.

  7. 7 sprawl said at 12:10 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    “Maybe a misconception is when you’re a college coach and the last game is done and then the bowl game comes, you don’t have a month off. I would argue my schedule was more hectic from a recruiting standpoint than it was here. So I’m looking forward to being in the office every day and watching tape. That is the fun part of our job.”

    Good time to revisit Sheil’s article from last month:
    http://www.phillymag.com/birds247/2013/11/23/three-eagles-leftovers/

  8. 8 Duracell said at 12:58 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Yeah, I don’t think Kelly has any interest in going back to college football. The only way it happens is if he fails in the NFL, which does not seem likely at all.

  9. 9 Tom33 said at 11:55 AM on December 15th, 2013:

    Doesn’t Kelly’s NCAA suspension carry into 2014 also?

  10. 10 Andy124 said at 12:11 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Yeah, it’s a pretty weak deal though. It doesn’t say he can’t come back, just that the school that wants to hire him has to “show cause”. That could be as simple as writing that POS Emmert a letter that says, “We’re Texas. We’re hiring Chip Kelly. Try to stop it and we will end you.”

  11. 11 Sean said at 12:00 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Part of having Chip Kelly as your coach is dealing with the rumors and speculation that will pop up every time there’s an opening at an FBS powerhouse.

  12. 12 P_P_K said at 12:11 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    At the beginning of the season, I never would have guessed that in week 15 the Eagles would be in playoff contention, that we’d be looking at double digit wins, that we’d face the Vikings and be confident, that our D would be so good, that Nick could be a superb qb, that Shady would look like a Hall of Fame rb, and that I’d feel like such an idiot because I didn’t really like hiring Chip and I hated the Davis hire. Wow, life is good,

  13. 13 germs33 said at 12:14 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Besides…Chip is winning. Most guys leave the NFL because they lose.

    Not only this but to me it now seems clear to me that Kelly is an NFL guy. While Saban and Spurrier bolted after disappointing results, it also seemed that those guys were never comfortable as NFL coaches. Kelly is just a fit. He’s comfortable with the media, he doesn’t need to kiss anyone’s ass, and his ideas are working at the NFL level. A lot of colleges will have Kelly on their wishlist. Good luck with that guys, my guess is that Kelly is in the NFL to stay as long as he continues to be successful.

  14. 14 Ben Hert said at 12:34 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    I recall a comment he made about how he loved the fact that the time he had to spend on recruiting in college he now gets to spend watching game tape and preparing for the next game. Can imagine that, for a football guy like him, it has to be a big plus.

  15. 15 ACViking said at 12:40 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Jimmy Johnson had a similar, not identical reaction.

    His first move after leaving college for the Cowboys was to get divorced . . . because he didn’t need a wife anymore to schmooze the UMiami administration or Alums.

  16. 16 sprawl said at 12:52 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    The marriage angle has relevance with Chip too… it’s not like he’s chasing money to provide for his wife and family.

    He just wants to win football.

  17. 17 nopain23 said at 12:20 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    any concerns about our special teams play today?

  18. 18 nicolajNN said at 12:38 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    I think it was Albert Breer who said yesterday that one of the top 10 head coaching jobs in all of football now had an opening. Assuming that is correct, what makes that job more attractive than a lot NFL head coaching positions?

  19. 19 ACViking said at 12:44 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Not sure about 31 other cities . . . but regarding the Birds, not having to deal with T-Lawlor and Eagle Nation.

    More seriously, the pressures and demands are different. Nick Saban found nirvana in college. Kelly seems to have found it (so far as we know) in the NFL.

    Same with JoePa and Bryant vs. Lombardi, Shula, and Landry.

    Depends on the person, I suppose.

  20. 20 GEAGLE said at 12:41 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Gunn asks Billy Davis “are you walking around with a rabbits foot not having to face Rodgers,Bush and AP?”
    …
    Cool ass Billy Dee responds: “how about those players being lucky they didn’t have to face my defense?”
    …
    You in love yet philly? Or Yous still need more time to believe?
    …
    Billy “in 20years of experience this is one of the best working environments I have ver been a part of”….a big difference from our Dline coach calling our DC “Juanita”

  21. 21 GEAGLE said at 12:43 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Yeah, Kelly is going to abandon a job coaching the hottest team in the NFL lol….hold your breathe Texas, he will be right there hahaha

  22. 22 GEAGLE said at 12:44 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    I’m fucking Jacked up…doing the weapon X in my living room…start this damn ass whooping already!!!

  23. 23 NinjaP said at 12:48 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    I noticed those signaling fans through the snow last week too.

  24. 24 T_S_O_P said at 12:51 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Chip to the Longhorns is a Cowpukes fan’s wet dream. Screw that!!!!

  25. 25 SleepingDuck said at 12:52 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    This was reported by Mort. Mort has the same agent as Chip, so could their agent just be trying to get Chip a raise?

  26. 26 ACViking said at 12:59 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Gee, Chip sure earned it. He’s been an NFL head coach for 13 weeks.

    Jeez.

  27. 27 ACViking said at 12:56 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Just an FYI . . . Nick Foles is only 7 TDs w/out an INT from passing Peyton Manning for best TD-to-INT start in a season.

    The way this season’s gone, I wouldn’t be surprised if — take your choice — Foles, The Emperor, The Rainmaker, Nicky Ice, Foles Gold, Folesy [etc.] breaks the record.

    Not counting on it. Not worrying about it.

    And putting those numbers out there . . . wow, what a start PManning had this season. And what a season Foles has had, too.

  28. 28 Dragon_Eagle said at 12:57 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Overconfident? yep. We should destroy the Vikings. I’m sure Kenny, Moose, and Goose will help keep things on an even keel by pointing out every flaw in Kelly’s nice little college offense.

  29. 29 ACViking said at 12:58 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Whose enthusiasm is more infectious than GEagle’s?

    Captain of irony? Baloophi and BlindChow are running neck and neck.

  30. 30 T_S_O_P said at 1:01 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    come on, start already. NFL Game Pass lag ishes me off

  31. 31 Pennguino said at 1:03 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    SAme with Sunday ticket

  32. 32 TheRogerPodacter said at 1:03 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    LETS GO BIRDS!

    (is there a first half thread?)

  33. 33 Pennguino said at 1:04 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Bwahahaha…The question was how could the Eagles not make the playoffs. NFLN Coke Sniffin Irvin responded with “The only shot that Dallas has is if Nick Foles gets Hurt and they go back to Michael Vick. National media starting to get on the bandwagon

  34. 34 BlindChow said at 1:04 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Joe Webb sighting!

  35. 35 TheRogerPodacter said at 1:05 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    i thought that was a different Webb? lol

  36. 36 TheRogerPodacter said at 1:06 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    ugh. come on defense! you are making us look stupid!

  37. 37 Corry said at 1:07 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    The Birds D does know the game started right?

  38. 38 BlindChow said at 1:07 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4qzPbcFiA

  39. 39 shah8 said at 1:07 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    The Eagles cannot play as soft as they have on the pass.

  40. 40 TommyLawlor said at 1:08 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    1st half thread is up.

    http://igglesblitz.com/2013/12/phi-at-min-1st-half/

  41. 41 GEAGLE said at 1:08 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    “Big mayn feelin good..hanging around, hanging around” -Teddy KGB
    …
    Time to step on throats, this opening drive march is OVER!!!

  42. 42 ACViking said at 1:11 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    Check. Check. Check. . . . Check. Check. Check.

    Noh . . Pey Dat Mahn Hees Mahney.

  43. 43 Pennguino said at 1:10 PM on December 15th, 2013:

    MISSED FG….. Great play D