September 08, 2015
By this time next week the city of Philadelphia will be in full reaction mode concerning the Eagles season opener next Monday night in Atlanta against the Falcons -- and it should feel like a holiday.
All lights are green as the team and city get ready for that opener and it’s likely the most optimistic the fan base has been since the Terrell Owens led the charge in 2004.
This time the charge is led by coach Chip Kelly, quarterback Sam Bradford and what could be a remarkable running attack. The defense has been upgraded, both in terms of coaching and sheer talent, and the whole picture is even brighter because Kelly continues to make adjustments in his philosophies and game plans to fit the NFL.
The latest indication that Kelly has adapted to the NFL from the NCAA is the decision to part ways with Tim Tebow. As usual, there was a lot of hype about Tebow, and if anybody could make it work, it would have been Kelly.
There was even suggestion that by finding a way to fit Tebow into the lineup Kelly would be able to something that no other NFL coach could manage. If that happened, it would further inflate Kelly’s status as a trend-setting figure.
And then reality hit.
When push came to shove Tebow could not prove he belonged on an NFL roster. He was given every chance in the preseason, and never made an impact. Rather than stubbornly stick to the experiment, Kelly acknowledged the deficiencies in Tebow’s game, and curtly parted ways.
In other words, this isn’t Oregon anymore.
***
Will somebody please explain how NFL top dog Roger Goodell still has the confidence of the NFL owners?
Again and again Goodell gets spanked by arbitrators or judges when his sanctions are overruled. Goodell was made to look like a fool in the aftermath of the Tom Brady fiasco, and, as a result, the entire NFL cartel looks like a clown show.
Then again, this is a clown show that makes more money than most industries in America. The NFL is an ATM for the owners, but the public relations massacre might even make those owners realize that “Idiot Proof” does not mean you want the general public to realize your league is being run by idiots.
Having realized all of that, the other huge loser in the whole Brady mess, and all the other poor decisions by Goodell is the NFLPA. You have to wonder about the leadership of a union that allowed the commissioner to have so much power.
It’s a good thing the season is about the start, and the players will take the spotlight away from the clowns.
***
Just another indication that the world’s . . .
• Virginia Tech running back J.C. Coleman came onto the field Monday night wearing a Rolex watch
• Phillies never-ending project Dom Brown thinks he could still be a Major League regular if he just got to play every day. Makes you wonder if he has ever watched himself on tape.
• Two high school football players in the San Antonio area plotted a high-low attack against an on-field official. The two lit up the official, and the mugging went viral. The two have since been suspended.
It says here the end result should be the end of that team’s season.
• Over the weekend Tom Brady’s dad called a radio show in northern California.
Dear old Dad made the host sound like a fool on several counts -- not the least of which was an opinion that he would rather have Tebow than Tom Brady. However, it is never a good idea for a parent to call a talk show in defense of a son or daughter.
The opinion here is that Tom Brady should have destroyed two cell phones -- his and his dad’s.
• The New York Mets and their fan base are all in a tizzy because pitcher Matt Harvey could be shut down because of an innings limit being placed on him due to Tommy John surgery.
The decision is likely to include his agent and doctors, but it just seems silly that a hard limit would be placed in terms of innings. Even if there was an idea of a number of innings in mind, there are all sorts of games, and all sorts of innings.
Some innings are more stressful, and some relatively easy.
No question, a team has to be aware of long-term health, but there is no reason to be overly cautious. You only get so many times to grab the ring (ask the Nats about Stephen Strasburg).
***
Well, if you are a fan of Penn State you might also think the end-of-the-world scenario took place when the Lions were beaten by Temple over the weekend. The reaction from the alumni was swift, and it started during the game when Coach James Franklin was lambasted via social media throughout the afternoon.
The painful response from Happy Valley is understandable, but the other side of the equation is more important -- this was a HUGE victory for Temple, and not just the football program.
The victory sets up an entire fall that Temple students and alumni can proudly wear the cherry and the white.
