Rapid Fire Week-in-Review: Reid Staying, Sixers Take Step Back, McDermott Should Be Going, more
Here’s my weekly, rapid fire look back at the sport stories or events that caught my attention in the last seven days that didn’t quite get a post:
• Sal Paolantonio reported Thursday that Andy Reid is not only not on a “hot seat” as coach of the Eagles, but the organization is looking to extend him beyond his current contract that reportedly ends after next year. That’s simply horrifying news for Eagles fans.
• The Flyers recently waived Michael Leighton, yet they gave up 5 goals in the third period last night in a 7-5 loss last night. Hockey continues to baffle me. Then again, I have as many Stanley Cups in my trophy case as Ed Snider has in his office since the mid ‘70s – zero.
• The national media and the Eagles keep mentioning how many Reid assistants have become head coaches in the National Football League as if it’s indicative of Reid’s coaching prowess. Now that Pat Shurmur took the head coaching job in Cleveland, the number is up to six. The number of Lombardi Trophies won by the group, including Reid? Zero.
• I really believe that the Eagles as an organization go against the popular theory on principle. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott is clearly overmatched, having been thrust into the job after the passing of Jim Johnson. Yet, one of the first things Reid said after the Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs was that he wanted all of his assistants back. In fact, the day after the game he talked about how McDermott was progressing as a coach. When the hell did the Philadelphia Eagles become a learning ground for coaches? Reid’s own assessment proves McDermott should be gone. If the Eagles are keeping Reid (and they are), a change at defensive coordinator was a must.
• The Sixers took a step backward this week losing to Indiana and Detroit. The loss to the Pistons was especially bad, as Lou Williams missed two free throws at the end of regulation allowing Detroit to hit a last second 3-pointer to send it into overtime.
• It’s interesting to watch Rex Ryan coach the Jets from afar after watching Buddy Ryan coach the Eagles back in the ‘80s. Rex is just a slightly updated version of his father. Heading into this week’s divisional round playoff game with the heavily favored Patriots, he said, “This is about Bill Belichick vs. Rex Ryan. . . . There’s no question. It’s personal. It’s about him against myself, and that’s what it’s going to come down to.” People who want to give him credit for trying to take the pressure off his team can knock themselves out. Once you take the fandom out of the equation, which makes Buddy a legend in Philly, Rex just sounds stupid.
• Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is leaving college early for the NFL draft. Even with a work stoppage likely in the NFL, this was an obvious choice. Many think the Heisman Trophy and national championship he just won will be vacated by the NCAA down the line based on allegations that his father attempted to get universities to pay for Cam to play at their school. With both the Heisman and the national championship under his belt, sticking around for the NCAA to penalize him wouldn’t have made any sense.
• I look at the sports media as a part of the sports landscape in Philadelphia. I can’t help but notice the tangents that 97.5 The Fanatic’s Tony Bruno is going off on more and more during his afternoon show. He does the show from California with a co-host, Harry Mayes, and producer stationed in Philadelphia, and the disconnect has been growing lately. For instance, they try to do a “lightning round” segment with Bruno, and he’ll just shoot down the premise of the producer’s set-up question and go off. During the just completed College Bowl season he was incessantly talking about how “everybody watches these meaningless college bowls and I don’t watch a minute of them . . .” whenever the subject came up. Mayes, who is great on the air, seems utterly lost at times about how to pick up from where he leaves off. It is making for some awkward radio.
• Tweet of the Week: It comes from the Inquirer’s Jonathan Tamari, in conjunction with a re-tweet from Michael Vick, “or not RT @mikevick: Can't be afraid to take risk, but of all the passes ive thrown this season i wouldve love to have that one back.” [sic]
• Allen Iverson reportedly needs surgery on his leg, yet insists he will return to his team in Turkey. I’ve noticed none of the stories in the news this week mentioned how Iverson was playing. To be fair, it may be irrelevant, but I have to think if he was lighting things up his stats would have gotten a mention. It makes me sad to see him go out, or not go out, this way.
• Sal Paolantonio reported Thursday that Andy Reid is not only not on a “hot seat” as coach of the Eagles, but the organization is looking to extend him beyond his current contract that reportedly ends after next year. That’s simply horrifying news for Eagles fans.
• The Flyers recently waived Michael Leighton, yet they gave up 5 goals in the third period last night in a 7-5 loss last night. Hockey continues to baffle me. Then again, I have as many Stanley Cups in my trophy case as Ed Snider has in his office since the mid ‘70s – zero.
• The national media and the Eagles keep mentioning how many Reid assistants have become head coaches in the National Football League as if it’s indicative of Reid’s coaching prowess. Now that Pat Shurmur took the head coaching job in Cleveland, the number is up to six. The number of Lombardi Trophies won by the group, including Reid? Zero.
• I really believe that the Eagles as an organization go against the popular theory on principle. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott is clearly overmatched, having been thrust into the job after the passing of Jim Johnson. Yet, one of the first things Reid said after the Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs was that he wanted all of his assistants back. In fact, the day after the game he talked about how McDermott was progressing as a coach. When the hell did the Philadelphia Eagles become a learning ground for coaches? Reid’s own assessment proves McDermott should be gone. If the Eagles are keeping Reid (and they are), a change at defensive coordinator was a must.
• The Sixers took a step backward this week losing to Indiana and Detroit. The loss to the Pistons was especially bad, as Lou Williams missed two free throws at the end of regulation allowing Detroit to hit a last second 3-pointer to send it into overtime.
• It’s interesting to watch Rex Ryan coach the Jets from afar after watching Buddy Ryan coach the Eagles back in the ‘80s. Rex is just a slightly updated version of his father. Heading into this week’s divisional round playoff game with the heavily favored Patriots, he said, “This is about Bill Belichick vs. Rex Ryan. . . . There’s no question. It’s personal. It’s about him against myself, and that’s what it’s going to come down to.” People who want to give him credit for trying to take the pressure off his team can knock themselves out. Once you take the fandom out of the equation, which makes Buddy a legend in Philly, Rex just sounds stupid.
• Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is leaving college early for the NFL draft. Even with a work stoppage likely in the NFL, this was an obvious choice. Many think the Heisman Trophy and national championship he just won will be vacated by the NCAA down the line based on allegations that his father attempted to get universities to pay for Cam to play at their school. With both the Heisman and the national championship under his belt, sticking around for the NCAA to penalize him wouldn’t have made any sense.
• I look at the sports media as a part of the sports landscape in Philadelphia. I can’t help but notice the tangents that 97.5 The Fanatic’s Tony Bruno is going off on more and more during his afternoon show. He does the show from California with a co-host, Harry Mayes, and producer stationed in Philadelphia, and the disconnect has been growing lately. For instance, they try to do a “lightning round” segment with Bruno, and he’ll just shoot down the premise of the producer’s set-up question and go off. During the just completed College Bowl season he was incessantly talking about how “everybody watches these meaningless college bowls and I don’t watch a minute of them . . .” whenever the subject came up. Mayes, who is great on the air, seems utterly lost at times about how to pick up from where he leaves off. It is making for some awkward radio.
• Tweet of the Week: It comes from the Inquirer’s Jonathan Tamari, in conjunction with a re-tweet from Michael Vick, “or not RT @mikevick: Can't be afraid to take risk, but of all the passes ive thrown this season i wouldve love to have that one back.” [sic]
• Allen Iverson reportedly needs surgery on his leg, yet insists he will return to his team in Turkey. I’ve noticed none of the stories in the news this week mentioned how Iverson was playing. To be fair, it may be irrelevant, but I have to think if he was lighting things up his stats would have gotten a mention. It makes me sad to see him go out, or not go out, this way.
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