This afternoon, Andy Reid met with the media for the first time since the Eagles’ season ended in bitter disappointment, and – surprise! – he was friendly.
One of the things Jeffrey Lurie told reporters during his awkward State of My Once Beloved Organization speech a few weeks ago was that Reid would have to work on being better at dealing with reporters. And it seems the coach took that advice as he ambled to the stage in front of the assembled media, who gathered with the fervor of patients in a podiatrist’s waiting room.
The first sign that Reid was going to handle things a bit differently came when he turned it over for questions. Instead of his trademarked time’s yours, the audience received a more polite so with that, I’ll leave the time to you.
Thanks, Andy.
As expected, the questions about Juan Castillo and Reid retaining his job came fast and furious. Reid gave mostly honest and candid answers. So much so, in fact, that it seemed like he had briefly entered Gregory Alan Williams' Tree of Trust from Old School. Really, we were one Mike Missanelli appearance away from Andy being asked about his sex life, which I’m guessing is surprisingly delightful.
The Eagles website feed even showed the reporters asking the questions. Dare I say it put faces to the voices of the people. A democracy was formed at the NovaCare Complex today.
Anyway, the topic on everybody’s mind was this newfound attitude from Reid toward Eagles scriptuals. It took nearly a half-hour until one brave soul dipped his toe into that meta ocean. Enter 97.5 The Fanatic’s Joe DeCamara, who emerged ominously from the dark like Quint during the town hall meeting in Jaws.
DeCamara spoke, softly but confidently:
It seems the information you’re telling us about Steve seems rooted in a forthcomingness, yet obviously there’s only so far you can go. Are you trying to be more forthcoming at these press conferences?
A brief hush befell the room before cheers erupted and the throng of media broke out into exuberant bedlam*– Bob Grotz squeaked. Reuben Frank unwrapped a freshly-made hoagie. Jeff McLane repeatedly punched Les Bowen’s head like a faulty Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robot. Jamie Apody went into labor. Ray Didinger got a chub. And Tim McManus charged the podium, using this opportunity to land a People’s Elbow firmly on the Fat Man’s chest. The masses had won! The media broke Reid!
The coach gathered himself, pushing an enraged McManus off his chest:
It’s a good question. That’s a good question– thank you. Well, I was until I saw Bob [Grotz] not let the lady [Jamie Apody] talk first, then that kind of upset me a little bit. No, I am. No, listen– I am. Am I trying to do that? No. I’m telling you the truth is what I’m doing.
There are times… the press conference directly after the season, you have had no time to really put everything together. You guys are eager, you’re doing a job. You’re under pressure yourselves to make sure that you’re doing your job, and you’re going to throw fastballs at me, and there’s just a time where you have to bide time and step back to give you the right answers. So, I tried to do it a little bit different this year than I did in the past years. I didn’t think that was a smooth transition into the offseason. I felt like if I stepped back, I could finally analyze things and then present it to you…. in a better way.
By this point, Bowen’s head was bleeding profusely and R. Diddy was fully pantsless. The victory, it was theirs.
DeCamara, the hero, kept going:
Why do you handle [the media] the way you do? And, of course, as you said, fastballs are coming at you and that can’t be comfortable, but it does see you take a particularly aggressive approach to questions. Why handle it like that?
It was at this point that Dave Spadaro sprung into action. DeCamara never made it back to his car.
For Reid’s response, and video of the imagined bedlam, give it a little bump. It's so much fun to see the Fat Man squirm.
…
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*None of this really happened. Most of it, anyway.
19 Responses
Apathy. Don’t care. Fire Andy.
That was absolutely hilarious, brilliant, and well written. I never thought an article about an Andy Reid. Do I need to tuck my bonner? Maybe, Maybe not. Thats up to me and don’t you worry about that.
2013 should be an exciting season
Great article and thanks for posting video puts into perspective. Great questions by Joe DeCamara
Andy will go back to his arrogance by the time the games start again. Andy is just as arrogant as Bill Belichick, but he’s got no head coaching rings to be given the right to be arrogant. He’s a total split personality. Arrogant as hell to the Philly media, but on a national media stage, very eloquent.
Why weren’t you down there if you are part of the media?…
why was DeCamara awkwardly standing against the wall?
Joe DeCamara really laid into Reid. Awesome.
I will actually partially take Andy’s side on this one. His whole tenure here, he has never singled out players or coaches after a game or anything like that. Its a great way to handle it. And I think he does gain the respect of his staff by doing it. What I would appreciate is if the media folks and Reid in the offseason turns around and actively critiques the season.
“we are working to figure out our cornerback situation we have three tremendous players. I acknowledge Asante’s tweets and mumblings, but I have no comment on them.”
“With DeSean, we have some tough decisions to make. I don’t want to discuss those decisions, but he is an outstanding player. There were some issues during the season, but I try to take care of it in house, until it has to be made public (aka the benching).”
“Juan Castillo did not go as planned. He did too much on the job learning of what worked, and what didn’t, preventing us from having a really stellar defense in the beginning of the season. By the season’s end, Juan was doing a good job, our defense was performing well, and it finally came together. The defense was not the only or prime reason for our lousy start though.”
If big Red would at least say more shit like this, great! I would be a huge fan of keeping. I watched 50% of it on and off, and he didn’t do enough to say these kinds of things to make me as a fan, want him to keep coaching.
2012 Pro-Bowler David Akers would beg to differ with Andy’s sterling record of never singling anyone out.
and TO. but still for the most part he’s level headed during the season
Same ol Fat Reid, who cares. Wake me up when (If) he’s gone.
Imagine how bad Andy Reid’s dumps smell
The phillies would have landed Spags
why does anyone care how he acts in press conferences? I’ll never get this.
… oh yeah, because you drones get your opinions from the media, i forgot.
i only care about that fat slob making this team good again.
Love,
Beez Nutz
@John jonsohn – The Phillies are working on signing Brett Favre to round out the the roster of retreads….
Eagles fans dont even realize how ignorant and cry babyish they look crying about Andy Reid 24/7.. “Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Andy wont talk to the media” “waaaaaaaaaaaaaa he wont fire Juan”. They didnt have a good season, because Mike Vick didnt have a good season. Giants made the SuperBowl with an average defense and a terrible offensive line, but they have a QB that was able to hide their flaws.
I though someone actual asked a tough question like How the fuck do you explain your inability to draft defensive players and yet you don’t even attend the senior bowl for instance? Now that would be appreciated.
Don’t really get this article…Reid is usually always more jovial and responsive during the offseason and when he does things like the coach’s show on WIP. And I understand people’s frustrations with Reid when it comes to the actual games, but the press conference thing never made sense. Who cares?? Yeah, he gives a lot of redundant, vague and unrevealing answers game after game, but a lot of coaches do that in the NFL. What do you expect, especially when you get some of the silly, retarded questions that some of these people ask? I wish Eskin would be as tough on Andy post-game as he is with Cholly after Phils games.
Yeah, it’d be nice to have a little bit more transparency but who cares!? Theres only 16 fuckin games, not 800 like in the other sports, so the ability to be a media baby-doll isn’t really afforded to NFL coaches. What do people expect out of him anyway? He wouldn’t be saying anything significant that we didn’t already know, and its not like throwing his players under the bus would change that. Would you prefer having Rex Ryan’s big foot-fetish mouth?
Faber – then how do you explain last year? And the year before? And the year before? And the year before? And the year before? And the year before?….
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