The Instant Historian: Wow, Loud Noises and Strong Thoughts About Chip Kelly
By Ty Duffy
The NFL’s wheel of off-season inanity stopped on Chip Kelly this week. Bonafide news happened. The newly empowered Eagles coach traded star running back LeSean McCoy to Buffalo, a surprise that almost cost us Adam Schefter. That was only the beginning.
At peak free agency flurry, Kelly swapped starting quarterbacks with the Rams, conceding money and draft picks to bring in oft-injured Sam Bradford. That move was far less sensible than dumping an expensive RB entering his 7th season following a production decline. Kelly then justified the move in, a weird press conference, by claiming he had been offered a 1st round pick for Bradford that morning.
Because that wasn’t enough notability for one week, he purportedly whiffed on high-profile free agent Frank Gore before doubling down with rival Dallas’ star running back DeMarco Murray.
Stunned media media members have been dropping “WOW!” tweets with authority. (We have not reached peak “WOW!” yet. Wait for the NFL schedule release.) Philly fans aren’t sure whether to wear laurel wreaths, to don tin foil hats or to emerge cautiously into the sunlight. The proper reaction remains unclear, but it’s 2015. React we must. Go with the flaming headline. Keep your moderate opinions for some sports bar where people do that sort of thing.
Chip Kelly is aggressive, in an NFL plagued by risk aversion and face-saving field goals. While NFL media coverage crosses the border into obsessive, Chip Kelly gives not one, solitary fuck. He knows more about football than you. He never feels obligated to explain himself to you.
Flouting convention in immodest fashion makes Kelly an inviting target. The mystery makes him a cipher for whatever take our appointed opinion-makers wish to offer. Are they right? Who cares? No one will remember by the time the season starts, by next week, heck by tomorrow.
Chip Kelly is panicking in the face of a flexing media. Chip Kelly’s hubris has run amok. Brothers wonder whether Chip Kelly may be racist. Chip Kelly may be overbearing for veterans. This could all be an elaborate ruse for Chip Kelly to land Marcus Mariota, because, you know, Oregon. Or, maybe, just maybe highly paid Chip Kelly has a plan.
Everything now is pure conjecture based on incomplete facts and, if anything, one source, anonymous gossip that has a clear agenda. But, it’s March. Content. Narrative. Keep the gravy running.
What can The Instant Historian say with any definition about Chip Kelly? Well, he’s quite photogenic for bloggers. But, beyond that…
Kelly’s offense is working. The Eagles ranked 1st in yards/attempt and yards/carry in 2013. Despite a slew of injuries, they ranked in the top half in both categories in 2014. That production has come with Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez at quarterback. Project that running back depth with a healthier offensive line and oh…he may know what he’s doing.
Kelly has had some success. He inherited a four-win team. He was won 10 games each season. In 2013, he closed 7-1 to make the playoffs. In 2014, he started 7-2 only to miss the playoffs.
Judging from college, he is an adept judge of talent. Whether he can motivate adult talent or marshall said talent efficiently within the salary cap is an open debate.
Philadelphia hiring Chip Kelly was a gamble. Though, hiring any coach carries a risk of loss with a chance for success. Chip, with his Chippy personality and gimmicky-ass offense, will cause many to chirp. The chirping will stop when he reaches a Super Bowl, or retreats back to college.
Kelly may fail. Kelly may Ric Flair strut his away across a Super Bowl field. There’s no way to tell that now, until we watch some sports happen. But rest assured, opiners at that time will make it all seem self-evident.
[Photo via USAT]