What Jobs Will Be Better than Birds'?
It's way too early to obsess over an Eagles coaching search that isn't even going to start for a couple of months yet, but hey, what else do we have to think about?
What Jobs Will Be Better than Birds'?
Les Bowen
It's way too early to obsess over an Eagles coaching search that isn't even going to start for a couple of months yet, but hey, what else do we have to think about?
I'd love to know who's going to be running the search. I guess I envision a Jeffrey Lurie-Howie Roseman tag team, which was the way the interviews went in 1999, the last time the Eagles did this, with Joe Banner in Howie's role. The Eagles hired Tom Donohoe as an advisor last year; not sure whether he will come into play in this process or not. They also maintain ties with other former NFL execs who have worked for them in the past, including Phil Savage and Andrew Brandt.
There's an interesting and I think instructive anecdote about that 1999 search in my book "Philadelphia Eagles: The Complete Illustrated History" which by the way would make a fine Christmas present for any Eagles fan. I think a main selling point right now is that it contains all the good stuff from the glory years, and absolutely nothing from the past two seasons. But I digress.
The anecdote is about how the leading candidate then was Jim Haslett, who had deep roots with then-GM Tom Modrak from Pittsburgh. At the time, Lurie and Banner had only been around 5 years, and they hadn't experienced much success. The only coach they'd hired was Ray Rhodes, and you know how that turned out.
The way I heard it, Haslett came in for an interview and basically insulted Lurie and Banner. He wanted to make it clear that if he deigned to accept their coaching job, they were both going to have to butt out, entirely. He wasn't going to have any clueless, interfering nerd-boys telling him and Modrak what to do.
My understanding is that Lurie and Banner wished Haslett well and immediately turned their search elsewhere. They also thought for a minute about where in the world Haslett might have acquired such a view of them. I'm pretty sure the skids were greased for Modrak's departure right then.
This is not 1999. Back then, the Eagles' job was not considered attractive, even though the Birds had the second overall pick in that year's draft, mainly because the team was playing and practicing in dilapidated Veterans Stadium, a tough sell to free agents and not a great setup for financial success. In 2012, the Eagles have first-class facilities, a stable, passionate fan base, and a history of recent success.
Lurie, whatever fans think of him, is not a Jerry Jones-level meddler or a guy who might be looking to move the franchise to Los Angeles because he can't sell tickets. He's a solid owner who has shown he's willing to spend money on coaches and players; when Andy Reid needed him to open up the checkbook to entice Jim Washburn and Howard Mudd here, Lurie did that. (Yes, I'm aware those hirings haven't turned out well. The point is, when the head coach has wanted to spend money, Lurie has spent it.)
It's true that if Nick Foles isn't any better than he looked in Washington Sunday, the Eagles are going to have to draft a franchise quarterback, and that's a daunting task. It's also true that teams with head coaching openings tend not to have franchise quarterbacks sitting around. Funny how that works. It's almost like there might be some sort of connection there.
The Eagles have some talent, not as much as many of us thought they had in September, obviously, but more than the usual lousy team can boast of having. LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Fletcher Cox, DeMeco Ryans. These are core players. You can add Jason Peters if he comes back all the way from the Achilles' and maybe Jason Kelce, if he can adapt to a different blocking scheme. There are other guys who aren't bad and might blossom with better talent around them -- Brandon Graham, Bryce Brown, Jeremy Maclin, Cedric Thornton, Mychal Kendricks. I'm not sure what to make of Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie right now, but I know he has talent,
Who's going to be hiring a coach this year? Cleveland, Jacksonville, Carolina and Kansas City, the teams down at the bottom with the Eagles right now, are always hiring coaches. Anybody who thinks any of those jobs is a better situation than this is crazy. Yeah, Carolina has Cam Newton. Big whoop. Seen him play this year? Tuned into any of his press conferences? Good luck building around that guy. Maybe in 5 years, when he grows up.
San Diego might fire Norv Turner. San Diego has a QB, more or less, but doesn't have a stadium and is considered one of the league's weaker franchises, overall. The Cowboys are the Cowboys. Any coach looking into that mess has to know what he is getting into, what the last decade and a half has been like in Jerryworld.
I think the Eagles' problem won't be attracting candidates, it will be deciding whether a candidate is the next Jim Harbaugh or the next Bobby Petrino. And deciding how much say over personnel that person might get, whether Roseman has done a good enough job to continue to carry a lot of weight in his role.
I'm pretty sure we'll have all the answers to these questions in, oh, two or three more excruciating months.
Hey Les, keep up the good work. I always enjoy reading your columns.— p-diddy- What does everybody think about this!!!!!!
Assuming we stick with Vick.(I know he's gone). Hire the Redskins O coordinator as HC. I think it would be a good match because the Shannahans like that run zone block scheme and play action pass. I think Shady would flourish.They bootleg a lot, teams struggle with that because of the automatic run threat. Vick is in the wrong system.Or offense is suited for a pocket passer.I think Vick will flourish in the Redskins system, because its customized to RG style.— the G.O.A.T. - Looks like the Toilet Bowl again.— njredneck
- The introduction of a real GM with a proven track record..if he's out there...is key. It just can't be avoided any longer.I'll bet Lurie is talking to his buddy Kraft already. Hopefully,he gets the unvarnished truth.And accepts it.— red rock
- Has anyone considered that maybe Mr. Lurie won't fire Andy? He can be just as stubborn as Reid.— Beagle Fan
- They need to be quick to get in line to talk with Josh McDaniels. He is young but seasoned and is the best candidate. He will be highly sought.— Taser
- Please don't hire a retread. New ideas and a fresh start is what this team drastically needs. Too many problems that need the right talent evaluator and coaching systems to get this train back on track. Send Roseman to his office and lock the door. This guy knows as much about football talent as Lurie...and you know what that's saying!— walt1
- Please stop with the Cowher talk. The man was great, but he's been out of it for 5 years. He's a TV guy now (and not a very good one) and he doesn't have a staff with him . Dick Lebeau isn't leaving Pittsburgh Find the next Tomlin not the old Cowher— mcat13
- Does anyone really think that all the moves and drafts are done
by the GM? No way. Andy runs the team and no one else. He makes
the decisions who to get and who to get rid of. I don't really
understand why they have a GM with AR running the team. Roseman
is just a puppet with AR pulling the strings. Whether the team
wins or loses it's all Andy and not Roseman. I don't think Lurie
is that stupid to put a non football guy in charge of the hiring
and firing.— associate - "I want to hire you (fill in name here) and Howie will run the draft. You know, all those guys in street clothes. Oh, and we like to stay around $20 million under the salary cap. When can you start?"— Bruce in NM
- Ha, this is one of the Writers who sold Phila Fans on how much talent was up at the Eagles camp this year. He could not have been more wrong then, and chances are better than 75/25 he's just as wrong now.
— Dexter - DeSean is a keeper? maybe in the strip clubs in Philly, but definitely not on the field. get rid of Mr. Alligator arms!— ricciaje
- It's funny that you say San Diego has a QB more or less. Because Rivers has played worse than Vick - last year and now this year. And he can run to move the chains every now and then like Vick. With a healthy line - I still feel this offense would have been a great deal better. Vick started slow like almost nayone would have who did not have a preseason. Then he did not throw a pick for 3-4 games. Yes he had fumbles...but if without all the injuries, it wouldn't not have cost them games. Heck...they were 3-1 with the fumbles and just needed the Defense to stop the Steelers from their own 15 yardline and they would have been 4-1. Then they had a 10 point lead with 5 minutes left in the game against the Lions and lost. So honestly...the team was not far from being 5-1. A great deal of fans are not thinking clear. I don't hear the fans in Sn Diego, Dallas and Chicago calling for their QB to be replaced. And all of those QBs have numbers very similiar to Vick....minus the ability to move the chains every now and then.— dallen8wr
- Bill O'Brien would be best !— Paul III
- Andy goes, Jeffery vasilates, and IF Howie is in charge we are doomed....HE IS NOT A FOOTBALL GUY AND KNOWS NO FOOTBALL GUYS.....He is an accountant so please Jeffery, Mr Laurie, get a real football guy to do the search....— nuggett
