Misc Monday Night Stuff

Posted: February 4th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 46 Comments »

Tim McManus reported earlier today that Michael Vick is more open to returning to the Eagles after meeting with Chip Kelly.  Go here to read the full article.  This really should come as no surprise.  Vick has lived here for 4 years.  I’m sure he’d like to stay put if possible.  He can hit the open market and hope a team wants him at the right price, but there are no guarantees.  Re-doing his deal to stay in Philly would be the safest course of action for him.

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I’m sure Chip Kelly said the right things to Vick.  Throwing a cold shoulder his way accomplishes nothing.  Vick still has plenty of friends in the locker room and around the league.  Treating him well and getting the relationship off on the right foot is smart, even if the relationship is over in a few days or weeks.

The key thing that we don’t know is if Chip Kelly has serious interest in Vick.   Being nice…being friendly isn’t really a sign of anything.  I haven’t changed my stance.  I still think Vick’s return is a long shot.  That said…I’ve been wrong before.  I’ll be wrong again.

* * * * *

Jeff McLane reported on Twitter this morning that “ Ravens LBs coach Ted Monachino told me GM Ozzie Newsome wouldn’t block Eagles if they are after him to be new DC.”  We still don’t know if the Eagles want Monachino, but this is good news.  Teams can block assistant coaches from moving on to be coordinators.  If the Eagles decide Ted is their guy, it is good to know he’ll be allowed to make the move.

The Super Bowl ended late on Sunday night.  The Ravens have a parade Tuesday at 11am.  I would think we’ll hear something about a meeting by Wednesday.  If not, maybe we are waiting for a college coach.  Or they’re trying to re-animate Bud Carson.

* * * * *

Sheil Kapadia is an Eagles writer that I’ve enjoyed reading for a few years now, but I’m suddenly not sure if he can be trusted.  In his otherwise excellent Super Bowl wrap-up column, Sheil unloaded this bomb:

“We’re at Fast And Furious 6? I am proud to say I’ve never seen a minute of any of the first five.”

Say what???  Paul Walker’s DeNiro-like intensity.  Jordana Brewster doing anything.  Vin Diesel as the wise and weary leader.  Michelle Rodriguez in leather pants.  Jordana Brewster doing anything.  More over-acting than Charlton Heston’s entire career x 2.  Jordana Brewster…

I can say without hesitation that The Fast & The Furious series is the Citizen Kane of the NOS-car racing genre.   It is like sending your eyes, ears, and brain to heaven for about 1:40.  The films have taken us to Tokyo, Rio, Miami, and even Los Angeles.  After watching every minute of the series (most multiple times), I was recruited by the Nashville Auto-Diesel College.  They said I was perfect for their program.  I’m still waiting for signing day before making my announcement on whether I go there or the Colorado School of Mines.

Back to football stuff for a second…Sheil did mention that Baltimore LB Paul Kruger is a free agent.  He’s 6-4, 270 and plays on the strong side. Could the Eagles have interest?  If Chip Kelly does like taller players, Kruger would make some sense.  You either move Brandon Graham to the #3 role or have him compete with Trent Cole for a starting spot.

I don’t think it is likely the Eagles go for Kruger, but it is an interesting idea.  With Cole and Graham in place, I think spending key resources on DBs would make more sense.  We’ll see what happens and how the rumors go.

* * * * *

This has nothing to do with anything Eagles related, but I forgot how funny it is.  The most illegal move in the history of wrestling!  I’ve shared this link before (I think), but it’s too good not to look at every few months.

_

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=548999324 Matt Hoover

    Jordana mmmmmhhhhmmmmmm and I had no idea you were a pro wrestling fan tommy!

    • TommyLawlor

      Limited wrestling fan, but that video is just brilliant. So funny.

      • Eagles_Fan_in_San_Fran

        They could have showed that 10 times in a row to fill in the time when the lights went out last night – it would have been 10 times better than what they did do to fill in the time.

        • T_S_O_P

          Except it would have left the crowd hypnotised!

          • TommyLawlor

            Exactly!

          • sonofdman

            Wow, I am happy I decided to click on that wrestling link! That was hilarious.

  • Iskar36

    So I have to ask… is it odd that there are so few guys that seem like truly qualified (at least based on resume) DC candidates available this season to get excited about? I don’t think we have really missed anyone other than maybe Kiffin, so I am not really upset about the Eagles process at finding a quality DC, but considering that almost everyone was in agreement that once we hired Chip Kelly, finding a good DC will be a very important decision, I find it troubling that based on the rumors, no matter who we hire, I will be fairly concerned if not disappointed with the coaching search outcome.

    Of course, the results will determine whether the move was right or not, so I am not saying I will be disappointed because the guy we end up deciding on is going to be the “wrong” DC or even a bad DC, but all the guys that are being talked about (which I should admit doesn’t necessarily mean they are the guys who will be hired considering how secretive the Eagles are), seem to have significant flaws in their resume, and on paper, don’t really offer a ton to be excited about.

    Is this just a bad year for DC candidates or is the DC field always meager? If I recall correctly, even in the year we went with Juan, there seemed to be a lot of guys with good resumes but they didn’t interview all that well or had clashing ideas with AR.

    • Ark87

      Almost wish we hired a defensive minded HC. But to be honest, there aren’t a whole lot of exciting OC’s out there either. The next legendary coaches are out there….it’s just still a mystery of who they are to this point. Hoping the DC surprises us.

      • D3Keith

        I think that’s important to keep in mind. Jim Johnson was just a coach until he became DC … Andy Reid was a QBs coach we’d never heard of.

        Of all people who should know to give a no-name coach the benefit of the doubt, it’s us.

    • Cliff

      I think the problem is more about us fans than anything else.

      Name any coach in the NFL who you would want as your OC or DC and we could all list off several “flaws.” We all have weaknesses and areas to improve, NFL coaches are no different.

      • Anders

        Rex Ryan as DC.

        • Cliff

          Would Rex Ryan’s personality fit in with the Philly media? Has he been able to manage the NYC media circus well or as his personality made it worse?

          Jets’ defense has finished 25th, 28th, and 30th in total yards the last 3 seasons.

          • Cliff

            With that said, I’d welcome Rex Ryan as DC with open arms.

          • Anders

            Did you hear about Rex Ryan at all before the circus that is the NY media?

            Also you got the yards backwards :)

          • Cliff

            OH, haha. You’re right. That’s one of my areas of improvement.

            But still, everyone has a flaw. Like I said, I’d take Rex Ryan in a heartbeat, but he’d still come here with a fair amount of detractors and criticism, I’m sure.

          • Anders

            In terms of his acumen as a DC he is spotless imo. His personality might have a few spots tho.

      • Iskar36

        I’m not saying that there are OC or DCs out there without flaws, but the guys that are being talked about barely have success to counter their flaws. Donatell is one of the guys with the best resumes we have discussed and in his seven years of being a DC, he has NEVER had a defense ranked higher than 12. If you average the rankings of his defenses, it comes to 16.3, so just below average. I don’t think that is a problem with just fans, I think that is a problem with the lack of quality DC candidates.

  • JulzPE

    This has little to do with Eagles football but I’ve just stumbled upon this and I can’t stop laughing. Jim Harbaugh’s Guide to Parenting.

    http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2013/2/1/3941582/jim-harbaughs-guide-to-parenting

    • TommyLawlor

      That is funny.

      Watched HBO’s Inside Sports special on the Harbaughs. John told a story about Jim being a little kid and throwing a fastball into the back of a 9-yr old girl. Jim’s response…”She was crowding the plate.” So classic.

  • goeagles55

    Tiki Barber did an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit yesterday. These were two Eagles related answers:

    Q: As a RB, Who is the single defensive player you used to actively try to avoid out on the field?
    A: Jeremiah Trotter. We played each other so much and knew each other so well that when he hit me, he hit me hard. But he’d also help me up and sometimes tickle me under the pile.

    Q: When was the moment you realized you wanted to retire?
    A: Almost did after Wellington Mara and Bob Tisch passed away in 2005. Then after Eagles game, second week in 2006, I realized physically I couldn’t do it much longer. I didn’t want to be broken down at 40.

    It would be nice to have a defense that teams don’t want to play against again.

    • TommyLawlor

      Good stuff. And I totally agree.

      • Steven Dileo

        Did you know that Tiki will have lunch with you for 2 hours if you pay him $500?

        • http://www.facebook.com/justin.sengstock.7 Justin Sengstock

          And pay for the lunch? :-P

    • miked718

      I have heard that NFL players love playing tickle monster under the pile.

  • austinfan

    I’m wary of Kruger because he’s really not a great athlete, and may be a product of the Raven defensive system. He’s a good player, but he’s going to be paid like a great player. Watching him, he’s more a DE than an OLB.

    A guy who’d be a good fit at 3-4 DE might be Desmond Bryant on Oakland. Just coming into his own. Glenn Dorsey might sign at a bargain price to get out of KC, though he may also want to go to a 4-3 team, though he could be happy with a 3-4 one gap scheme.

    I think FA is more about building depth if they move to a 3-4, they’re gonna need a lot of new bodies, so you get a stud or two in the draft, and bring in a few guys 28 and under to build up the roster. Given the lack of pressure to win now, they may be willing to bring in SFAs, UDFAs as well as draft picks, and Howie has the #4 spot on the waiver wire – so it may be open audition time in August. Everyone focuses on the top picks, but SF is a fluke, few teams draft so well and stay so bad for an extended period! Usually, you have to wind those diamonds in the rough to build a top team (Baltimore over the years have found guys like Gregg, Bart Scott, Ellerbe, etc. to fill out their defense).

    Think about 1999 (Reid made it clear he didn’t care about winning that year so he could play kids without worrying about the consequences) and 2005 (implosion allowed you to play kids, injuries forced it) – both lead to extended playoff experiences. 2012 was also a season like that, a lot of rookies got PT, unfortunately for the wrong coach in the wrong systems. So I see 2013 as another audition season, if Chip is a good coach, he can spend the year learning about the NFL first hand, have another big time draft in 2014 and start kicking butt.

    • Anders

      If the Eagles nail this draft and next years draft, it could really set em up for long term success.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

        I more or less hope that we look past drafting a QB this year, and that we get another top 8 draft pick next year, so we can get our future franchise QB then.

      • ACViking

        Only if Kelly uses the pistol offense!

        Kidding.

        Your point yesterday was well taken.

        • Anders

          Glad for that. I hope you enjoyed the links if you hadnt read em before (I figure you must love a site like smartfootball)

          • ACViking

            Yes . . . a great site. Great information. Thanks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

    I loved Chris Rainey prior to last years draft, and hoped the Eagles got him in the 5th round.

    Should we make a waiver claim on him today? He could excel with Chip Kelly, right?

    • TommyLawlor

      Sure. But if the Steelers cut you, that doesn’t help your reputation around the league. I’d probably pass on him. Let Chip get the house in order before taking on risky guys.

      • Iskar36

        I agree with this logic. I think it is important that Kelly sets the tone and builds the culture he wants for the Eagles. Right now, particularly this year, I would rather him make a surprise cut on a player who doesn’t buy into his system than pickup a guy with character concerns and try to take advantage of a cheap FA.

  • ACViking

    T-Law:

    How ’bout that Phillip Thomas from Syracuse . . . one of last season’s rookie free agents.

    What do you say about bringing him back?

    I suspect you’ll tell me: “you won’t see him on more.” Not as an Eagle at least.

    But, compared to ex-Duck Cliff Harris, Thomas at least passed the good-behavior test.

  • Steven Dileo

    I’d like to see Vick in Houston. It would be a boom or bust signing for them. The funny thing is that he would be replacing Matt Schaub.

  • Iskar36

    For whatever it is worth:

    Tim McManus
    ‏@Tim_McManus
    Eagles will not release Vick prior to “deadline,” according to sources: http://bit.ly/Wt66Xo

    Seems to me like there is zero chance of trading Vick with his current contract. I am curious why they would keep Vick unless they are seriously still debating (or maybe they have decided) to keep him.

    • ACViking

      Chip sees that talent Vick has — the arm, the legs — and he’s gonna take advantage of it with quick reads and a running game that takes the load off the QB. So that way, Mike won’t throw as many INTs or fumble as much.

      How ’bout that? Doesn’t that sound promising?

      • Anders

        At the start I thought there was no way Vick would be Kelly’s QB, but the more I think about it, the more I think he will.

        • D3Keith

          Yeah it’s not a good long-term move or smart-money move, but you have to admit, guys with Vick’s talent don’t come around often. It has to be intriguing for a confident, offense-based coach to want to work with him.

          I agree, if McCoy/Brown is the base offense, and Peters, Herremans, Kelce and Joeckel (or someone taken high) are in the mix, the run game can make it so we just need a leetle bit of Vick per game to be successful.

          Against my better judgment, I’m intrigued and could easily be sold.

          • Anders

            Give Vick a run bassed offense with only 1-2 reads in the passing game and he should be able to work the offense really well.

          • A_T_G

            I’m less sold. If we do not expect to compete his year, what is the advantage to Vick? A year from now, we won’t have a long-term answer at QB, or even know if we need one beyond Foles.

            At best, Vick is a dead end trip down what-could-have-been lane, at worst he is a horrific death march through the valley of the shadow of coaches who put their faith in him.

          • D3Keith

            “death march” is entirely possible (though if they play the Emperor’s death march from Star Wars, at least we can jam to it).

            The only intrigue to Vick is raw talent. If Chip Kelly believes he’s not done, and Vick might be able to play three more years at a high level — even if it’s slightly delusional, perhaps you can’t blame him for trying.

            As I acknowledged, it makes bad long-term sense re: Foles and bad money sense.

  • RC5000

    So if the Eagles were going for a 49ers coach would we have heard anything by now? I was hoping somehow we’d hear they got permission to interview Tomsula who seems like a longshot

  • http://twitter.com/bebinabraham bebin abraham

    I’m glad you share my intense fascination for Jordana Tommy…now back off sucka…before I make Jimmy Bama a offer he can’t refuse to take you out!

  • D3Keith

    I’m with Sheil. Never watched one second of the Fast and Furious franchise.

  • wee2424

    On PFT.com they are saying Eagles are in contract talks with Dennis Dixon. I remember someone on this site suggesting that, but I didnt think it would really happen.
    What do you guys think about this?