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Chip Kelly (Surprisingly) Does the Right Thing
The Eagles coach shows some humility. It's about time.
Photo by: Jeff Fusco
I never thought I’d see the day where I’d call Chip Kelly an orator and statesman, but he surprised the hell out of me the other day with his hair shirt apology to LeSean McCoy.
While McCoy was in Buffalo, telling his hometown media that he “wasn’t going to shake (beep)” when asked if he would shake the hand of the man who once coached Shady to a career-high rushing season, Kelly was offering a mea culpa in Philadelphia about the way the Shady trade came down.
“How he was treated wasn’t right,” Kelly said, in a rare bit of humility. “I felt bad that I didn’t get a chance to talk to him. I called him. He didn’t answer my phone call. I know he was pissed and he should be pissed, rightly so.
“Every player that’s ever left this team, I’ve talked to them personally myself. Everyone that’s in town, we talk to, individually here in our office. We have a way that we do it that I think is the right way to do it and it wasn’t exercised in that case and I understand why he’s bothered. He was an all-time leading running back here, felt like he was disrespected, and it was wrong. Because I was part of it, it’s on me.”
Whoa.
Kelly gave some half-assed excuse about the trade not yet being official as he “was traveling to an event” and therefore couldn’t have called McCoy until the league made the trade official. But somehow the trade became official that night and Kelly looked up and saw it. And if you believe that, then I’ve got a phone book for you to buy as a great investment. Since Kelly is officially the team’s general manager, who made the trade while he wasn’t looking, a phantom?
Ask yourself this question: You get fired by your boss and less than a year later you run into him in the lobby of a theatre. You going over to shake his hand? McCoy has every right to offer his invective towards Kelly, who didn’t as much trade him as discard him. That stung Shady to the max. And therefore, he doesn’t like Kelly a little bit. On the other hand, did things work out so badly for McCoy, other than that he landed in a crap town after being a BMOC in Philly? He got a new contract, He’s playing for a coach who gives him the ball and off-the-field freedom. Isn’t it a bit too much to be nursing hurt feelings for a year because Kelly traded you?
Has Chip Kelly turned over a new leaf? Are we seeing a coach who now is not afraid to admit when he was wrong?
I sure hope so, because even if this season results in a division title and a home playoff berth – even with as little as a 7-9 record – this franchise is miles away from being a true contender. And trading LeSean McCoy away didn’t help you a bit, Chip.
