You may not like the early decision by Eagles head coach Chip Kelly to declare veteran Mike Vick as the QB#1 for the Eagles in 2013. But I am digging it. Basically, the Chippah just took control of this team and this locker room. He essentially has said, "No more bull-crap… no more politically-correct 'wait until the final PS game' to evaluate all candidates…"
The PC Boat has sailed. And, even more importantly, Kelly has just officially announced his political agenda for the 2013 Eagles: "WIN NOW!"
Nice to know where you stand with your head coach. It's plain-speak. It's a refreshing change.
Plus, I love a leader who's not afraid to say, "I changed my mind.."
And Kelly knows he has now "come out" as his true competitive self. He can't help himself…
Cry no Argentina tears for Nick Foles…he's still highly valued by Kelly and the Eagles. And if history is any predictor, Foles will be getting his reps and his chances to take over the offense, pending Vick's dubious learning curve with regard to taking stupid hits to the upper chest area…
For Vick it's a fantasy life.
You can say with accuracy that Vick has had his shares of ups and downs. At 33, this may be his last rodeo.
But the fact that General Kelly comes in and somehow inspires Vick to get his on-field game together is the potential stuff of legend.
What we are witnessing is a masterpiece of preseason coaching motivation.
Vick is totally into this thing. That's what Kelly's "premature" decision to name him starter "for the season" is telling me.
Most of the Eagles players had no clue a choice had been made by the time practice began at 11:30 a.m. yesterday.
The Eagles had just wrapped their first practice of the day Tuesday morning. Unbeknownst to most of the other position players, Chip Kelly had informed his quarterbacks (Vick, Nick Foles, Matt Barkley, Dennis Dixon and G.J. Kinne) of the decision earlier in the day, then told the world at his 11:15 a.m. press conference.
"Kelly told his quarterbacks the plan Tuesday morning when he summoned them to his office. He elected to let the news spread organically throughout the locker room, rather than bring everyone together for a team meeting to announce his decision." — Jordan Raanan, NJ.com
I like that kind of trickle-down mojo displayed by Kelly. "Vick is our QB— No Big Whoop." Well played, Chippah!
"I just talked to the quarterbacks," Kelly explained. With players caught up in their own preparation and business, the news didn't make the rounds before practice. Business as usual…
One of Vick's closest friends on the team, LeSean McCoy, didn't learn of the news from anyone associated with the Eagles. He caught it on television before taking the field.
"I saw it on TV and then I talked to Mike," McCoy said. "I told him congratulations. I felt that Mike and Nick have played very well so far. They both look confident and I guess just Coach picked Mike. Mike's played excellent, but I think nothing has changed."
Most, if not all, of the Eagles' defense didn't know anything during practice about who will lead the team this season. Linebacker Jamar Chaney was completely taken aback when he was told the decision to go with Vick had been made. "Really?" was his only comment to the press.
Cornerback Brandon Boykin was equally stunned. "To be honest, I didn't pay that much attention to it," he said. "It's more relevant to the media than it is in the locker room. We have so much to worry about with ourselves."
I like it when players are "stunned" by their head coach. It often means they have just found a leader.
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