Chip Kelly visits with Doug Collins

It may not have been the best of times for new Eagles coach Chip Kelly to talk to Doug Collins about what it's like to coach in this city, being as Collins and his team was mired in a streak of 12-losses-in-13 games when the two met before the 76ers-Nets game Monday.

Perhaps with the free agency frenzy about to begin, Kelly was seeking some peace and quiet at a Sixers game. If he was looking for advice about the fans, Collins has only ever gone one way on that subject.

"Coach Kelly stopped in and it was nice to meet him," said Collins. "It will be exciting to see the team that he puts on the field. I know he's very excited so it was good just to be able to say hello and hopefully we will be able to get together once the season's over.

"I told him what an incredible city this is and how they love their Eagles and the fan base here is great and stuff. He couldn't find a better place to be a coach."

Those are heartfelt words coming from Collins, who considers Philly the city that taught him to be a man. And he still has those feelings despite the disappointing season his team is going through and amid the expected groans from the disgruntled fans.

"It used to be guys got to see each other a little bit more," said Collins of the same-city coaching fraternity. "It's just the schedules get so hectic now. I did get a chance to know coach (Andy) Reid a little bit and the couple of years he had to go through were very tough, not only professionally but personally, with the loss of his son. I think as coaches were all sort of kindred spirits, we all feel the pain of each other's losing. That's sort of the way it goes in this business."