The Flight of an Eagle

Stally's Goal Line Stand

The Eagles are no longer responding to Reid.

There's a simple theory of gravity that states: what goes up must come down.  In sports, there are very few that ever defy the laws of gravity.

Tom Brady, the best quarterback of all-time, led his team to an 18-0 season, but landed with a thunk in a Super Bowl loss to the mediocre Giants.

Wayne Gretzky is the best hockey player to ever play the game, and remembered as such, but he put up some forgettable years as a head coach and, while he avoided any sort of charges, he was loosely affiliated with a (post-career) sports betting ring.

Andy Reid has brought the Philadelphia Eagles to nine playoff appearances in 12 seasons as the Head Coach.  His resume includes five trips to the NFC Championship games (unfortunately, he only won once and then lost to Brady's Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX).  But, he's returning to the ground at an alarming rate.

His past success (and failure, for that matter) is of little consequence right now.  He's currently coaching the Nightmare Team, which is probably one of the most talented 4-8 teams in the history of the NFL.  (Who would have thought Nnamdi Asomugha would jump the Raiders sinking ship to fly with the Eagles and it'd be the black-and-silver in playoff position?)

I've always defended Reid as a person that has made the Eagles a better organization; he also serves as the Executive VP of Football Operations.  I think Reid is a strong coach and a good mentor.  Sure, he might have some trouble with clock management, but he's always found ways to win a lot of games.

Until this season.

Last night's ugly 31-14 drubbing by the less-than-average Seattle Seahawks was likely the final thread in Reid's tenure with the team.  The team is clearly no longer playing for him.  I saw them get run over by New England last week and this game appeared just as ugly.  Austen said recently about Indianapolis that it's one thing to lose close, it's another to get blown out (like the Colts) and look like you just don't care.  The Eagles, clearly, don't care to win a game right now.

Philadelphia fans can say whatever they want about Michael Vick being out or it being a cross-country travel for a Thursday game.  I see that as an impulse buy at the checkout counter, and I'm not purchasing it!  This team has put up pathetic performance after pathetic performance.  They were a team I (and many others) predicted would go 13-3, they're on track to finish with double-digit losses.

It's time for Reid to go.  Despite a lot of success, the Washington Capitals fired Bruce Boudreau on Monday because the team was no longer responding to him.  I liked Boudreau a lot and just three days later (yesterday), he was hired by the Anaheim Ducks as their new Head Coach.  I like Reid as well.  He deserves to coach in the NFL and he'll surely be offered a job this offseason.

He's had a long flight as an Eagle, but what goes up must come down and Reid's flight is over.  He'll be returning to the ground shortly.  Surely, Reid will be found by some other team, but he no longer seems to have much baring for the Philadelphia Eagles.