Reid can't hide his lying eyes

I have come to the following conclusion about Andy Reid.

Either he is having his strings pulled by people above him in the Eagles hierarchy, or he just enjoys playing games with the media.

That would be the polite way to explain the latest “switcheroo” pulled off by the Eagles coach. Other people might call it lying.

At his normal Monday day-after press conference last week following the team’s second straight “one and done” appearance in the playoffs, Reid was asked directly about embattled defensive coordinator Sean McDermott.

When questioned whether McDermott would be back next year, Reid answered with a single world: “Yeah.”

Five days later, Reid’s actions offered the possibility of two more
words: Never mind.

McDermott was fired Saturday.

It was not the first time Reid has pulled such trickery. It was this time last year that Reid spent a couple of months responding to every question about Donovan McNabb explaining how No. 5 was the best quarterback in Eagles history and of course he would be back for another year as the Eagles starter. Reid went so far as to belittle the assembled media for continuing to hammer away at the issue.

Then on Easter Sunday (coincidentally the night before the Phillies season
opener) McNabb was gone, dealt to a team in NFC East, the Washington Redskins. Reid simply smiled behind that familiar bushy moustache when asked about his reverse.

Earlier this year Reid had an even more rapid change of heart when it comes to the Eagles starting quarterback. After Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion on opening day, he was replaced by Michael Vick, who played well in the second half vs. the Packers and then starred in a win vs.
Detroit the following week. Reid was outraged that anyone would question who his starting QB would be the following week. “Kevin Kolb is my starting quarterback,” a clearly perturbed Reid insisted.

That lasted all of 24 hours. Apparently Reid watched the tapes of the game and overnight decided he was going with Vick, setting off maybe the biggest story in the NFL this year, Vick’s redemption from federal prison to an MVP candidate.

Now he’s at it again. Reid no doubt enjoys this little game he plays with the media. My guess is that people like Kevin Kolb and Sean McDermott, and this morning Rory Segrest, the defensive line coach who is following McDermott out the door, don’t enjoy it nearly as much.

I know one thing. If I was a member of the Eagles’ organization and just got a glowing endorsement from Reid, I would be worried.

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