Tim and I landed in Mobile Sunday afternoon. We missed the first half of the Falcons-49ers game, but after taking a ride on Bass Pro Drive, we found a spot the locals affectionately refer to as Beef’s.
That’s where we took in the second half of the NFC title game, along with the Ravens’ win over the Patriots.
Good service, good food – even for a vegetarian like myself.
Here’s the weekly playoff post – five observations on the postseason, with an Eagles slant.
The Cleveland Browns were the first team to get to Chip Kelly.
Joe Banner and company met with Kelly in Arizona on the Friday after the Fiesta Bowl. Reports surfaced that night that the two sides were close to a deal. But on Saturday, the Eagles got their shot and made the most of it. It seemed that Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman had one-upped Banner for the guy both sides viewed as the top option on the market.
But that’s not exactly how Banner sees it.
Thursday’s proceedings at the NovaCare Complex were about more than just Chip Kelly.
Sure, the afternoon started with the Eagles introducing their new head coach, but owner Jeffrey Lurie took the opportunity to voice his opinion on a couple other issues.
One, he offered an aggressive defense of general manager Howie Roseman. And two, he made sure to point out that his old buddy Joe Banner was never in the mix for Kelly’s services.
The Cleveland Browns’ coaching search has led them to Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.
So, where does that leave the Eagles?
Things have been relatively quiet with the Eagles today, but there has been plenty of movement around the league that could impact the Birds.
From Bruce Arians to Monte Kiffin, here’s a roundup of what’s going on.
The Eagles’ lunch with Chip Kelly lasted a bit longer than your usual meet and greet at Chipotle.
On Friday evening, the Browns and Kelly were said to be close to a deal, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. But as we’ve discussed in this space, “close” and “done” are two different things – especially when it comes to the hiring of coaches.
So Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman and Don Smolenski took their best shot at Kelly in Arizona on Saturday, in an effort to lure him in as the next head coach.
It looks like Joe Banner got his man. Chip Kelly is close to becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, according to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Some assumed Jeffrey Lurie was referring to Andy Reid when he talked about the mistakes made in the 2011 draft. But the better guess is that he was talking about Joe Banner.
Now, the two men are in a battle to find the next head coach of their respective franchises.
The Eagles interviewed Bill O’Brien, but the Penn State coach is staying in Happy Valley, according to multiple reports. Where does Jeffrey Lurie go from here?
In case you missed it, we’ve started a special Coaching Buzz section here at Birds 24/7.
You’ll find everything we write about Andy Reid’s expected departure and Jeffrey Lurie’s coaching search right there. That includes links, rumors and notes on potential candidates.
Yesterday, we shared some information on Oregon’s Chip Kelly. There’s an interesting debate among some very smart football people about whether he’ll be successful in the NFL.
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Sheil Kapadia has been writing about the Eagles since 2008. His previous Philly.com blog, Moving the Chains, was named one of the best in the state by the Associated Press. Sheil's main joys in life are family, football and finding good parking spots.
Tim McManus is a bulldog reporter with a nose for news and story angles that will get people talking. He'll talk about it himself on 97.5 The Fanatic, where he serves as a host and Eagles beat reporter. Tim, an award-winning journalist, will be with the team around the clock.
