The Andy Reid "Interview"
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
The Andy Reid "Interview"
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Sometimes I feel sorry for Dave Spadaro. He has an impossible job, especially when the Eagles have done something that really riles up the masses. They send their Web site czar out to take withering abuse, though he had nothing to do with the decision they made.
I stop feeling sorry when Dave does stuff like he did today, labeling his series of interview snippets with Andy Reid “a wide-open, anything-goes forum.” C’mon, Dave. Andy, who hasn’t answered any questions from the media since free agency began (except ones about Stacy Andrews) was not available to you exclusively because he was looking forward to grappling with the tough questions. And it’s probably no coincidence that this interview neatly undercuts the impact of Reid’s NFL-mandated appearance next week at the owner’s meetings, where he will face actual reporters who don’t work for the team, some of them sent there at great expense by Philadelphia news outlets.
The first installment of Dave’s inquiries contains one nugget of actual news. Apparently, Quintin Demps will get first crack at the free safety spot vacated by Brian Dawkins. The assumption had been that after signing Sean Jones, a starting-quality strong safety, the Birds might move Quintin Mikell to free safety and let Demps work in another year as a sub.
“We feel like we've groomed Quintin Demps to step in and fill that position. If that doesn't work out, we've signed a couple of free agents in Sean Jones and Rashad Baker that we think are good football players,” Reid said. “Are any of them Brian Dawkins? Well, no, it's not fair to compare any of them to Brian right now. But they are young guys who have the opportunity to try and strive to be as good Brian has been."
Spadaro asks why, if the young guys aren’t as good as Dawkins right now, Dawkins ended up in Denver.
"That's a good question,” Reid concedes. “We did make an attempt and it didn't work out. Obviously, he got a phenomenal deal from the Broncos. That is all part of this business and that's what Brian did and that's what we did. Like they say, the sun comes up every day and the NFL season comes around every year. Brian is getting ready to do his thing with the Broncos and we're getting ready to do our thing."
If we might borrow Paul Domowitch’s device, this is what Andy meant: “We thought he wanted to stay so bad he’d take what we offered and not go looking for more, but somehow we hissed him off, and things didn’t go like we’d hoped.”
Elsewhere in the segment released today, Reid denies the Dawkins situation points up a rift between himself and team president Joe Banner, and predictably downplays the importance of free agency, in which the Eagles have not been major players. In a question, Spadaro labels their approach “conservative.”
"You can say it's a conservative approach or you can just say it's smart,” Reid modestly concludes. “People are hesitant to say that, but … Because you have the money, you just don't go blow it on something that you don't think is good enough quality to put on the Eagles uniform. That can be perceived different ways. We're going to try to bring in the right people here and do the right things in free agency that we feel are best for this football team. That's the way we have approached and I think that's the way you have to approach it."
To read the entire excerpts released today, go to the Eagles Web site, by clicking here.
I think I get more laughs at how much the paper's reporters hate Dave S then almost anything I see here. It's comical really how insecure this stuff sounds.— Elbarad
Spadaro's a tool, no doubt about that. But at least he doesn't pretend he can read AR's mind and then stick his personal fantasies in quote marks. Continually rabble-rousing your audience on the Dawkins situation doesn't show your talents to their best effect either, Les. Nobody in the league was going to keep Dawk from that fat guaranteed year in Denver, no matter how many times you write it.— ahab
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- Yeah it sounds like somebody is a little jealous. Typical "us vs. them" mentality the media always takes. Thanks for providing me with the link to the story though, I'd much rather read the real interview than your bitter interpretation of it. No wonder your newspaper is bankrupt...— Jack B.
- I'm on board with ahab. The Dawkins issue is tired, Bob Ford is the only journalist with a realistic take, and Les will continue to lose credibility as he combines harping on how poorly the Eagles treat reporters with overblown stories of Eagles mistakes. You may have a tough job Les, but there are no doubt dozens of people who would take your beat in a second flat, so the self-pity is a bit indulgent. And Dawkins got overpaid by the Broncos (and they probably know it). The Eagles try not to overpay and so Dawkins isn't here. Big deal. I'm not convinced Sean Jones is much of a downgrade, and with another year on the calendar he might not be a downgrade at all.— Big Willy Style
- Jack B......I don't think it's a bitter interpretation, it's countless instances of un-candid Andy Reid talk. Ever hear someone like Mike Krzyzewski perform a candid interview?? It blows AR out of the water and although I don't expect AR to be Coach K, I do expect some candid real life conversation once in awhile and over the past ten years, I can't think of one instance he didn't hide behind his words. His "it's my fault" attitide after losses without consequence after ten years is just mind blowing how people still buy that. If you want to believe AR who is 3 times the man Coach K is (on a volume basis only) then feel free, but I wouldn't be calling anyone bitter becuase they know Reid is the most disingenuous person they have to deal with all the time. If Reid wants to be an arrogant disingenuous person to the media, then he and you are stupid to expect everyone to be cogenial towards him all the time. In other words, if that's the way he wants it, that's the way he gets it. Now deal with the bed he made instead of treating others the same way for no good reason.— Voytas
- Agreed, ahab. Way too much 'rabble-rousing'. Seems like that is the sole objective of our dear 'reporters. Move on, let's get a look at the entire picture put together for the season before so much intelligent insight is offered. Heygordy, if you don't like Sparado, don't read it. Only a fool purposely does what makes him sick. He may be an employee, but he appears far more objective than others with deep personal agendas--to infuriate.— J Ziggy
- Journalism is a sacred craft that ensures we are informed. Go to North Korea if you want to see how masses of people can be fooled. Spadaro and the Eagles are sly with information, and they are concerned with perception, not information. Of course, public security is not at stake in sports, but Spadaro's blatant portrayal as a newsman is a disservice. Then again, most of you are too dumb to know the difference.— jb99
- Journalism is a sacred craft that ensures we are informed. Go to North Korea if you want to see how masses of people can be fooled. Spadaro and the Eagles are sly with information, and they are concerned with perception, not information. Of course, public security is not at stake in sports, but Spadaro's blatant portrayal as a newsman is a disservice. Then again, most of you are too dumb to know the difference.— jb99
- On an earlier blog concerning Reid's comment on Dawk, I asked "Why release a nothing statement now and stir up the issues again?" This installment answers my question. Reid must face real reporter inquiries at the upcoming owners meeting and wants to address the issues now so he can say "I already commented" in 10 days in front of live press. Dave works hard to earn a living and he's pretty sharp.— Chuckle Berry
- Remember Reid's first TV show, where it was found that most of the questions came from inside the Eagles' office. Reid has never been able to answer real questions put forth by real writers, not company hacks. Pablum-filled statements by Reid and Banner to thier lackeys Spadaro and Eskin are meant to appease the faithful who have no clue, like some of the posters here. It is not a journalist's role to accept company statements at face value, but to ask real questions to get real answers. Info from the Eagles' press is only there to keep the mindless happy.— mike l
- Remember Reid's first TV show, where it was found that most of the questions came from inside the Eagles' office. Reid has never been able to answer real questions put forth by real writers, not company hacks. Pablum-filled statements by Reid and Banner to their lackeys Spadaro and Eskin are meant to appease the faithful who have no clue, like some of the posters here. It is not a journalist's role to accept company statements at face value, but to ask real questions to get real answers. Info from the Eagles' press is only there to keep the mindless happy.— mike l
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- Omigod, yes -- it's a vast Reidwing conspiracy! Only spinless Les Bowen could ever hope to penetrate to the heart of Essential Eagles Truth. Good work with the decoder rings, boys.— ahab
