Screen Shot 2013-01-14 at 8.15.30 AMZealots, all of you (photo via the Flyers)

Updates from the Eagles’ coaching search have quickly gone the way of those from the hockey lockout. That is to say, wake me up when something interesting happens. We’re now in day 14 of the search, and Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman and Don Smolenski have kicked over more stones than one can count. You get the sense that, dare I say, they have no idea what they’re doing. Progressive college coaches, little-known NFL assistants, and now you can add former Super Bowl champion coach turned broadcaster to the list of candidates. Jon Gruden, the analyst most fans and local scriptuals want the Eagles to at least take a look at? No. Brian Billick. The Eagles interviewed Brian Billick last week, according to CSN’s Reuben Frank:

A league source said Sunday afternoon that the Eagles interviewed Billick last week and now consider him among the leading candidates to replace his good friend, Andy Reid, fired two weeks ago after 14 seasons as head coach of the Eagles.

Billick is the eighth known candidate the Eagles have interviewed for their head coaching job and the 13th overall known candidate.

 

Why do I get the sense the Eagles are going to get the wrong guy here?

Let’s hit it.

 

But first, a word from our sponsors:

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– Hockey and the Flyers are back and so is Chickie’s and Pete’s weekly hockey radio show hosted by Flyers Alum and current Comcast Sportsnet hockey analyst Bill Clement, who is joined each week by a current or former Flyers player, coach or fellow broadcaster. The show airs live on 1490 WBCB every Wednesday from 6 p.m to 7 p.m. and broadcasts from a different Chickie's and Pete's location each week. Chickie’s on the Boulevard on 1/16, Chickie’s at Parx on 1/23, and Chickie’s in Audubon on 1/30. Details here.

Brian Dawkins will be signing autographs at the Sports Vault in the Exton Square Mall on Saturday, January 19 from 1 – 3:30. You probably want to say thanks to him. Details here on how to do it.

– Need some apparel to ready yourself for the Flyers season? Stop by Philly Phaithful and pick up their brand new Flyers t-shirts, Good night and good hockey and their tribute to Kate Smith. Want something a bit more retro? Check out Monkey’s Uncle’s awesome selection of retro Flyers apparel

 

The roundup

– The Flyers brought Brian Boucher back again, demonstrating that you’d be crazy to trust Michael Leighton to do anything, including backing up your $51 million nutcase. Bouche (I spell it that way and leave me alone) will start the season with the Phantoms… but something tells me he won’t finish it there.

The Flyers also signed Kurtis Foster, a 6-5, 225-lb defenseman who will add some depth to the blue line. Foster has bounced around the league, playing for three teams last season, so he’s not exactly a savior. But, you know, more able bodies is a good thing.

Tickets will go on-sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the guaranteed to be awful ComcastTIX.com. I’m told there won’t be many available. So act quickly. 

There will be a FREE open practice on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center.

As for the first official practice yesterday… a few thousand of you nuts turned out to watch. John Gonzalez has more over at CSNPhilly.com.

– Scott Laughton, the Flyers’ 18-year-old draft pick, made a good impression on Lavs and has a chance to make the team. Like Sean Couturier last year, Laughton will be able to play in games (five this year, not 10) before the Flyers decide if they want to send him back to juniors. 

– Claude Giroux fixed Max Talbot’s flat tire in this picture taken by Scott Hartnell, who may very well have been on his way to Sheena Parveen’s house

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Maybe keep G away from lifting two-ton vehicles…

– Andy Reid hired another former drug addict son to be the Chiefs quality control coach: [NJ.com]

Britt Reid, son of Andy Reid, has been hired by the Chiefs as a quality control coach. As a quality control coach with the team, Britt will likely be responsible for breaking down film of future opponents and analyzing data.

The decision to bring on his son Britt will likely raise some eyebrows. Garrett Reid, Andy Reid's other son, was working with the team's strength and conditioning coaches when he passed away last year due to an overdose in the Lehigh dorm rooms. Reid has since been criticized by some for bringing Garrett around the team given his history with drugs. Viles of steroids along with needles were found in the room that Garrett was staying in.

Both Britt and Garrett were arrested in 2007 due to separate traffic incidents that involved drug charges. Britt has been working on the Temple University football staff.

 

Is this really a good idea? 

Reid also hired Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder, who confirmed his new position on Twitter this morning.

-Daily News reporter Regina Medina spotted a loon – Andrew Bynum, to be exact – eating at Pei Wei last week:

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See he's rocking the A Pimp Named Slickback hair.