A Race To Rock Bottom

I'm not sure exactly when the Eagles turned the corner this season, but I'm glad they did.  Of course I am not talking about their season in the typical sense of "winning", but rather that their games now are at least semi-entertaining to watch.  On Sunday as E-Gal and I sat in the living room, the Man Cave is now only reserved for video games and Halo, I looked over to her and said, "Well, things can't get any worse."  The Redskins were up 25 points with 1 minute and 45 seconds to go.  LeSean McCoy took a vicious hit and received a concussion.  Our star running back got a concussion with no time to have any impact on the game.  This would be less infuriating if Andy Reid's answer as to why he was still in there wasn't "Because we were trying to catch up and with the game."

That is when I officially realized Andy isn't coaching this team anymore.  He is a walking zombie of a couch that increasingly has made terrible calls.  Maybe the death of his son is still weighing on him.  Maybe after 14 years of Eagles fans he is just warn down.  Maybe the affects of constantly being overweight and unhealthy are breaking him down from the inside out.  All I know is Andy Reid has nothing left to turn the Eagles around.  Not this year, not any year.

There was a time when I had supreme confidence in Andy Reid, his staff, and his coaching decisions.  If we were down at halftime I would just say, "Figure it out, Andy" and the game would seem to tilt in our favor.  But, as the years wore on the success of the Eagles looked increasingly based on luck and circumstance than actual coaching.  A Jeff Garcia would show up and lead the Eagles on an inspiring run.  That would be coupled with a terrible game from Tony Romo, or a terrible month from the Giants.  The Eagles haven't won a playoff game since 2008.

I think the turning point for me, when I started to see the real change was when Jim Johnson died.  He was the Eagles grizzled, old, crotchety looking defensive coordinator that someone once said would blitz his own mother.  He defenses were ferocious, tenacious, and hardened.  When he died the Eagles lost that.  They haven't been able to replace him and their attempts have been ever more comical.  I've noted Andy's decision to hire an offensive line coach to helm the defense.  Well the defense has played WORSE under the replacement.

Andy Reid has to be fired.  If he wants to save face and just look into the camera at his last press conference and say he is tired, drained, and wishes to resign I would take that too.  He has earned the right to walk away, but he needs to walk away.

I ask people that hated Reid and wanted him fired years ago who they would want instead.  My point being that all things considered, Reid was still the best coach out there.  He isn't anymore.  Especially for the Birds.

E-Gal and I will still buy a few beers, turn on the Eagles and watch, but for the rest of the season it is just to laugh.  The Eagles are like the football version of America's Funniest Home Videos.  Tom Bergeron needs to cue up the calls with his usual corny lines.  "Someone needs to tell the eagles right tackle his job isn't to let the corner go RIGHT by him for the TACKLE"  **Laugh Box**

Who knows what the future holds for the Birds.  I just want to go back to watching the games because there is hope of a win and not to laugh at just how terrible they play.  As DAD says, "I gotta laugh or else I'd cry."


Random Notes:  I like Demeco Ryans.  Played hard the entire game and season.  He was just what they said he would be, its just that no one else was.

The Pizza Hut Party Box is great.  E-Gal and I ordered one and loved it.

The Holidays are coming up and I can't wait to watch football in DAD's man cave.  His theme is Beer, Books, and Beethoven.