We’re all well aware of Joe Banner’s comments recently regarding Andy Reid and the state of the Eagles. He said that he feels that they can win with Andy, but that there are fair criticisms of him out there. It was a lot to hear from the usually tight-lipped Eagles’ front office.
But, here’s the problem. While I think overall that this regime has done very well (despite not winning it all), I hate the fact that too often they talk to me like I’m stupid. And Andy’s comments regarding Banner’s statements today are doing exactly that.
Per Les Bowen of the Eagletarian blog, Andy claims that he didn’t hear what Joe said about him.
“I haven’t read anything about that,” said Reid at the NFL scouting combine. “But I have full trust in Joe.”
I can understand if you have no interest in watching Saturday Night Live anymore, but have you ever seen Seth Myers on “Weekend Update” doing his “Really?!” bit? That’s what I keep thinking of when I read Reid’s response.
You haven’t heard one word about Banner’s comments? Really? You walk around the area all day and no one mentioned anything about it to you? Really? You expect a reasonable person to believe that raft of nonsense? Really?!
And here we get into the P.R. problems of the Philadelphia Eagles. I’m a publicist by trade, so I pay particular attention to these matters. Perception is reality. If the ticket-buying public perceives that you are a deceptive and deceitful organization, then you are. It doesn’t matter if you really are or not, if that’s what people think, then it’s true. And for the bulk of Reid’s tenure, a large faction of people believe that the Eagles don’t shoot them straight. And it’s a big problem. It annoys these people to “I’m calling WIP to scream about this” levels.
Let me be clear that I like Andy. I think he brings a lot to the table, even if he does have shortcomings that we’ve gone over a million times. But, now you are feeding the fan base a bold-faced lie and expecting us to swallow it up like two cheeseburgers on the plane ride home from a win in Dallas. By dancing around the issue, you are creating many more problems than if you just answered it straight.
I wish Andy would have done me a big favor and just said “I think you are stupid, Micah.” Because that’s what he’s essentially saying here. He thinks people are stupid enough that they’ll really believe that he didn’t hear the very, very public criticisms of his boss.
And what about the second part? I have full trust in Joe? How is that a remotely applicable statement with regards to a question about whether or not you heard about Banner’s comments about you? You have full trust that…what?….Joe will make public statements about your job performance? What does that even mean? It makes my brain hurt even thinking about it.
I would say that the Eagles need to get their ducks in a row regarding public relations, but maybe that’s what we are seeing here. Their ducks aren’t in a row. Maybe they don’t want them to be. Maybe this is yet another crack that is starting to swell. Perhaps what we are watching is just more evidence that the Reid/Banner regime is nearing an end.
It could be that Andy is just tired. Tired of playing pretend. Tired of constantly towing the company line for a team that plays in a city that is constantly critical of him. Maybe he knows that his days are numbered and that he’d be unemployed for about 10 minutes if the Eagles showed him the door. Maybe he doesn’t really care anymore if the Philly fans like or respect him anymore.
But if so, just please stop feeding us nonsense. You don’t have to disclose the inner workings of the Philadelphia Eagles, but don’t talk to us like we are stupid.
We are stupid Micah….because even though they continue to treat the fans badly…we still buy tickets, jersey’s and ultimately support the team.
We ARE stupid…thus the Eagles trreat us this way and will continue to get away with it.
Bottom line…..Lurie owns the team…we don’t. As long as they keep him happy and don’t embarass him and continue to make money….we will continue to be ignored and treated as the stupid fans we are.
Everyone knows hands down that this season should have been our season (PERIOD)!!!!!!!!!!
We had everything going our way………………
(1) Dallas was terrible this season and we’ll probably will never see them play the way they did this pass season!!!!
(2) Washington played horrible this season but through the years they always give us a good game down to the wire or we came up short……..
(3) We beat the Giants and have been on a 6 game win streak against them but we know that this season it’s going to be a lot of emotion this year with the tough losses they endured…….
All I know is that Reid knows his word isn’t BOND anymore…….. He knows whats going on and whats being said……… We as fans should not bite the bait on anything that is going on with this FO!!!!
Greenfan I’m with you!!!!
HELLO. ANYONE IN THERE? Are you guys kidding me?
Micah, I want to praise you for being so open and self reflective regarding your PR background, and resulting bias. You wrote a very open and frank article here. But your bias is exactly what makes you ‘stupd’ here – let me be clear that I’m not trying to be an a-hole and call you names, but simply pointing out that you ARE missing the point.
COACHES DONT GIVE TWO CRAPS ABOUT THE MEDIA. THEY SHOULDNT. Banner, should, Lurie should, but Reid? No.
Reid’s job isn’t to sell the team. Reid’s job isn’t to make or keep fans happy. His job is to focus on football, his team, and NOTHING ELSE. AT ALL. PERIOD.
How many times have we seen in sports (especially in the NFL), where coaches say to players – don’t pay attention to the media – do not read the papers, don’t listen to talk radio, don’t watch ESPN – just focus on your game. It’s common sense in sports and how to not let fans and the media distract you from your work.
So Micah, take yourself outside of your own head for a moment, and pretend that media is something that is not your concern at all. In fact, it is something you would like to avoid at all costs because although it’s required in your contract (head coach of a sports team), you know for a fact that it can have a negative effect on your abillity to think clearly and coach your team.
WHAT COACH IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD READ OR PAY ATTENTION TO THE MEDIA!?!? NONE
Why don’t people get this.
If YOU were the coach, would you give two craps about what fans or the media thought? NO. You’d make your decisions and do your coaching based off your own judgement or that of those you trust.
It blows my mind that many people don’t get this. I’m sure if you polled coachs – across the big 4 sports, they’d agree with me that the media should be ignored as much as possible by them.
So Micah, with all due respect, and I’m not trying to make this personal by any means – in fact this is a common theme across all media members – that they assume the coaches and players really always pay attention to them – BUT you are being so egocentric to assume Andy is lying by saying that he didn’t hear about it.
Why WOULD Andy pay attention to obligatory media PR interviews by his GM IN FEBRUARY!? There is just absolutely 0 good reasons for a coach to do that, ESPECIALLY at a time when the scouting combine is coming up, there’s a bunch of new position coaches to integrate, and you are focusing on a few signings.
I know I’m going to get ‘you love andy reid’ ‘you’re defending the team’ ‘koolaid’….yada yada yada…..
BUT THOSE COMMENTS ARE MISSING THE POINT.
What I just posted above pertains to every coach in sports. It has nothing specific to do with Andy Reid. It’s just facts about coaches and the media in general. So be reasonable folks (like you will….ha).
schiller….you have it exactly right…they hold the fans in utter conempt….they look down on them and talk down to them…..I hope that one day they realize that without fans they would be stuck cleaning the gym floor or washing the uniforms for the JV field hockey team……they act like they have doctorate degrees and are finding a cure to cancer…you have it right schiller, they hate the media and fans
“I hate the fact that too often they talk to me like I’m stupid.”
Exactly. FO apologist would say they don’t think they talk to us like we’re stupid but Joe Banner proclaiming that were are just as, if not more successful than the Steelers in the past decade is an insult to all Eagles fans. I understand what he is trying to say, but keep that to yourself. You don’t go spewing that stuff around to the media and fans because it’s just dumb. That still shows that they don’t completely don’t get it when it comes Philadelphia fans.
Look, I agree that Banner is clueless – he has performed TERRIBLY in his communications with the media. You might be surprised, but I totally agree there.
But Reid doesn’t have contempt for the fans, he doesn’t think we’re stupid and he doesn’t hate us. THAT’S MISSING THE POINT. Reid’s job is to ignore – literally pay no attention to – the fans. How can you not agree with that!?
Just because Banner is a tool, that doesn’t mean the rest of the team or front office is. I think many people group them all together as if Banner/Reid/Luire/Roseman, etc… are all the same person with the same actions/opinions etc…. that’s silly.
I think I’ve stated this a few times in the past, but it applies here as well.
“The only thing we know for sure about Henry Porter is that his name wasn’t
really Henry Porter” …
schiller, I agree with you on many points but I think the way the Eagles handle themselves is the thing that bugs people. Remember how people used to criticize McNabb and say that they didn’t feel like he was being genuine and stuff like that. Now whether he was or not, he still rubbed people the wrong way. We all know what Vick did in his past but no one seems to have anything bad to say about how he “rubs” them. They think he’s honest and takes accountability. Who’s to say McNabb didn’t either though?
And it’s the same thing with Andy and Joe. Some coaches are able to be honest and at the same time not cause rifts within their organizations. These guys sometime come across too smug sometimes like they know it all and everything is working according to plan. Just like I said earlier, don’t insult the fan base by saying we’re just as successful as the Steelers because they diminishes the importance of actually winning the whole thing.
I don’t always agree with the perception all the time but I do understand it.
schiller, I agree with you. I don’t think Reid feels that way toward the fans. I think Banner is an idiot and Reid does what he is supposed to do. Now whether he’s honest that’s a different conversation. But I don’t have a problem with Reid saying he hadn’t heard anything, even if he did. My problem is the arrogance from the organization at times. If you need to go around telling people how successful you’ve been, then you aren’t as successful as you think.
@schiller….you said:
“If YOU were the coach, would you give two craps about what fans or the media thought? NO. You’d make your decisions and do your coaching based off your own judgement or that of those you trust.”
But now say that Reid doesn’t hate the fans…..you changed you mind within 11 minutes…..you have bi-polar or other issues schill?? Which one is it?
scorp – like I said, I agree about Banner – let’s all agree that he (and the perception fo the FO/Team) would be a lot better off if he hadn’t made those ‘gold standard’ and ‘steelers’ comments. Two catastrophically DUMB MOVES. Period.
But like I’ve always said – Banner is like a used car salesman – he’s a tool, that’s his job description – to be a spineless salesman. That’s all. He’s a tool, by trade.
But I think Reid, and the whole head coach job, is an entirely different beast. But somehow, they get lumped together.
Scorp and Micah – this speaks to Micah’s statement that
“And what about the second part? I have full trust in Joe? How is that a remotely applicable statement with regards to a question about whether or not you heard about Banner’s comments about you? You have full trust that…what?….Joe will make public statements about your job performance? What does that even mean? It makes my brain hurt even thinking about it.”
That’s the point. Reid is saying that (and I’m paraphrasing) ‘I trust Joe to handle the media/general team PR bullcrap that has to be done. I focus on the football’.
Now should he trust Banner to do a good job with that? HELL NO, because we all agree, Banner has proven that he sucks at that part of his job. BUT ITS A PART OF BANNER’S JOB, not Reid’s.
green – there’s a major, major difference between not caring about or paying attention to something at all and hating it.
I don’t care or give to craps about what your 2nd cousin had for lunch today. But I don’t hate that person.
On the other hand, I hate Osama Bin Laden, but I don’t give two craps what he ate for lunch today.
Do you see the difference? I hope so
And nope, don’t have bipolar, but thanks for the concern.
Why do we Read Micah’s post anyway?
I don’t see this as disrespect or anything from Andy. His gameday management and defensive drafting has been disrespectful enough. Now Banner is a disrespectful SOB.
I saw Osama having lunch today at Lee’s Hogies on Walnut street. He ordered the veggie sandwich with extra oil and a side of sweet peppers
Half the nonsense and garbage printed and talked about today is when one person ‘says’ or ‘writes’ something, and some wanna be reporter gives their own view of what was written or said in a direct effort to generate some sort of news story. If Andy Ried did NOT listen to the interview or view a tape of it, then he in fact did not ‘hear’ the interview. Did you ask him if he heard ‘about’ the interview – seriously – this is like three teen age girls gossiping – I still have a hard time understanding how saying ‘those points would have helped’ is a major slam on David Akers –
As for all the my life sucks so bad I need to blame the Eagles front office for my sorry lot in life crowd – get over it – Ried and the Eagles front office are no different then any of the other 30 plus NFL front offices in terms of how they deal with the media, how much information they put out in public or any other way. Every other fan base (exempt Green Bay this year) thinks there team didn’t do enough –
Bottom line is the TEAM was in great position to beat GReen Bay in the playoffs, the Kicker missed two FGs, the Defense gave up too many rushing yards (but did a nie job of holding Aaron Rodgers to his lowest passing yardage level of the playoffs), Vick made a poor throw at the end. Enough blame to go around for averyone. The chance was there – if you ask me would I bet on Akers making two mid range field goals, I’d take that bet every time –
I dont mind the game that Reid plays with the media. What exactly was he supposed to say….. He nipped it right there and is off to scout players at the combine, nuff said.
It would be a story if Coach AR replied something along the lines lke this
Coach Ar… “That damn,puny SOB, wait until I get my hands around his neck… I’ve had Peppers on my Hoagies bigger than Joe Banner””
Now that my friends would be a story ….
I’m sorry, but I’m just sick of media people calling others crazy because they don’t follow the media. GET OVER YOURSELF.
Micah, that was actually one of the most well written articles I have ready here in a while. Very good and enjoyable.
JonS – you need to get out and read more……………
Ha Navy. True dat. Perhaps, and let’s hope, Jonathan was being sarcastic. My original impression though I must confess, was that Micah created a ghost login to attempt to balance out the responses.
Not poking fun at you Micah, but this really was some of your worst work.
I think Andy also missed the uprising in Egypt too…he has been just TOO BUSY lately.
schill…..so what Big Red is trying to tell us is that he has no idea about the public comments that his boss has been making about him and the team? Do I have that right??
Look…I understand that you are going to tell me that Andy doesn’t care about what the fans think…blah, blah, blah….but that isn’t the point.
With a straight face he believes that we would just take his comments at face value and move on…even though it doesn’t pass the laugh test.
You may like golden showers schill, but I am sick of being pissed on by this organization only to be told it is rain and it will be good for the enviroment. In the grand scheme of things, I would agree with you that it is really no big deal…which leads me to ask…why throw out the silly lie in the first place??
greenfan, I see your point, and aside from the hyperbole and reference to irrlevant urination – I’ll get to that later….
I find it perplexing that you (and to be fair you weren’t the first, that would be Micah here), assume that it is a lie! How da hell do you know that it was a bold face lie. The ONLY possible way that you know that Andy was lying when he said that would be if you were with him from the moment Banner said those things to the time he said he didn’t hear it. If you are going to tell me that, then WOW, give us some more dirt. Otherwise, don’t pretned you know stuff and make bold acusations based off of your faked knowledge. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER IT WAS A LIE OR NOT BUT YOU ACT LIKE YOU DO. What is up with that?
What good – give me 1, just 1 example, of what good it would be for Andy to listen to the media. Give me one ‘pro’ – I can give you a ton of ‘cons’ but I honestly cannot think of one positive reason why Andy Reid, or any head NFL coach, should be listening to the sports media and worrying about what his team president says IN FEBRUARY!
As to your being ‘sick of being pissed on’ by the team – I’m curious about that. Has the team hurt you physically in any way? Probably not. Ok, so it’s more metaphorical, ok. How? Are you legaly and morally entitled for the football franchise that you live near and choose to follow to have to act in a way that is pleasing to you? Did they maliciously rob you of this right? Or did they maliciously prevent you from obtaining or rob you from that superbowl that is your god given right, you kow, life, liberty, the pursuit of happines and a superbowl – like it says in the Declaration of Independence right!? Or is it the list of human needs that they shortchanged you on – food, water, shelter and a superbowl? Is that it?
Come on man
@ schiller…I find it interesting that you complain when others characterise you as being a shill for the FO….and them you write a diatribe like that?? YOU give ME the break…come on man!
Factually, I did not witness AR listening to his boss make statements about him on various local media outlets…you are correct…you got me schill.
As I am also a constituional scholar, I am aware that I have not been given any rights by the DOI related to my being a fan of the Eagles.
I undersatnd all that you say Schill, I really do. I thought that AR would understand that while he is VP of Football operations, the business of the NFL is not solely X’s & O’s and player moves. They are also in the entertainment business, and as such, treating your fanbase as dolts will only lead to less excitement and many once-enthusiastic fans to become apathetic and look else where.
I’m a full grown man, and I recognize when someone lies to me.
When someone lies to me, I ask myself, “why is he telling me a lie?” And I come up with this answer – HE DOESN’T WANT TO DISCUSS IT!
Why is it so hard for some people to understand that Reid always lies when he doesn’t want to discuss something.
Next we will hear some genius on this board saying “Reid is losing power because the FO won’t let him listen to the radio.” lol
Everybody lies – Did you hear Ruben Amaro say that trading Cliff Lee to Seattle last year was not because of money – that was a lie.
Green, thanks for being straight with me. So it is your opinion that it is part of Reid’s job (as per his title of vp of football operations) to monitor and maintain the fans’ impression of the team. I hear you, but respectfully disagree.
First of all, what part of ‘football operations’ is the fans/media/perception of the product? I say that’s franchise operations, not football. I’d say that the president, Banner, certainly has the ‘product’/consumer relations part under his umbrella (hence Andy’s statement that ‘he trusts joe on that’).
We could argue roles/semantics all day long (though I stick with my opinion and point out that it is consistent with Andy’s behavior/statements – hence probably true), BUT – where do you get the idea that the team’s product is suffering – it aint. NOT EVEN CLOSE. So while you and some others may feel offput by the team or some of what they do/say (like Banners dumb*** comments), I hardly believe that
“treating your fanbase as dolts will only lead to less excitement and many once-enthusiastic fans to become apathetic and look else where.”
Last time I checked, the excitement level is quite healthy (see Desean Jackson, Lesean McCon and oh yeah, this guy named michael, uh is it wick/yick? I forget…) and the entertainment side of the franchise is doing VERY VERY well.
I just don’t get it why some people think Andy cares about anything beyond x’s and o’s (and relationships with players/coaches). He doesn’t have to and in my book, it would be wrong for a head coach – any head coach – to concern himself with those matters.
schill, the “product” is suffering, banner on the radio again today selling the “product”, second radio interview in a week, and fans already look elsewhere for vindication to be a philadelphia sports fan, look across the street at CBP, the flyers making a legitimate run, the sixers starting to garner attention, but the eagles disrespect fans, and that includes the coach, when he flat out lies that he didn’t know what banner said, but this is nothing new, all those press conferences when the fans want to know what the coach thinks of the loss, how to improve, and he just gives the standard “I have to…, don’t even have to finish it because we all know the pat response, but he is giving the fans all the disrespect he can, just like Banner did in that the first interview, wait, more b.s, disrespect to come with the second interview
jake – cant argue about the other philly teams – all doing great or better than before – LOVE IT. But the Eagles ‘product’ is thriviing. Sellout games, jersey sales off the charts. You are blatantly wrong if you think that the product is in bad shape. The demand for the Eagles is VERY heatlhy from a business standpoint. Don’t let your personal feelings (ooh, I know Banner hurt them though,, sorry buddy, hope you feel better)…. cloud the fact that the Eagles business is doing great and they are losing only marginal insignificant amounts of fans, if anything at all.
AND FOR THE LAST TIME – how was it ‘flat out lies’ when YOU KNOW NOTHING about it. How arrogant do you have to be to assume you know what a person you’ve never met has or hasn’t done or experienced in the past week or so. It’s astonishing.
Reid doesn’t lie?, haha schill, drink on, banner serving up more kool aide today
aprreciate the point of view Schill…still don’t agree, but can appreciate your points
Jake, I’m not saying that he never lies. But there’s no proof to back up a claim that he was lying in regards to the issue above on this site. Read what I wrote to Greenfan… – did YOU spend all that time with Coach Reid since Banner made the comments, giving you the knowledge to say he was lying about it?
Heck, we all lie sometimes, and often for good reasons. You don’t? Doubt it
the difference is schill..that WE are not in the”public eye”, and Andy is…and he should be aware that being in the public eye means that they will have their comments scrutinized that much more…the trade off is that they are also paid many times more then the “average joe” for having to deal with the added critism
green – but you just pinpointed it – your last clause ‘for having to deal with the added criticism’! THAT’S PRECISELY IT!
You know the best way to deal with the criticism? Ignore it entirely. Andy is doing that. And it works like a charm for him. He ignores the media and fans, can focus on the football. And meanwhile, there is no consequence for him. If you think I’m wrong and that there is a consequence – and that it’s your anger or displeasure with the team, and maybe some other fans’ too, well guess what – he ignores that too! The system works like a charm for him.
And you know what, I would be willing to bet that it’s how every coach deals with the same challenge. Just ignore all outside distractions and focus on your sport.
sounds good schill…..I plan on ignoring him when he is unemployed, because I realize that I won’t be ignoring him at a parade on broad street.
I listened to Banner with Mikey Miss yesterday…..he talked about all of the changes that the eagles had made over the past 2 years…changes in coaches and personel…..the one thing that has remained the same is Reid (along with Banner & Lurie also I guess)…..so I guess if all of these supposed “upgrades” don’t pan out, how long will it take Banner to realize that he needs a change in the leadership of the team?
Hey Shill
Why dont you ever make a comment on an article. I have never once seen you comment on the article and give YOUR opinion on it. You lurk and wait to piss on someone else comments and they are always the Anti Andy or FO . Why dont you come out and be the first to make a comment? Only a chump sits back and cherry picks someone else comments. Either that or go away .