Times' yours, Mr. Lurie

At some point this morning, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie will approach the microphones and make official what everyone has known for some time. Andy Reid is no longer his head coach.
It comes at least a year too late.

After a disappointing 8-8 season last year, Lurie approached the microphones last winter and spent 20 minutes laying out the case against Reid. Then, for some reason, he reversed course and inexplicably announced he was giving Reid one more year to right the ship.
Instead, it foundered. Now, in the rubble of a thoroughly miserable 4-12 season, Lurie finally will pull the trigger and put Reid out of his misery.
Andy Reid will exit as the Eagles all-time winningest coach, with a record of 130-93-1 record. He won 10 playoff games and took a team to the Super Bowl. But he did not give the rabid Iggles Nation the one thing they crave - a Super Bowl title.
Instead, every week he would intone the words that fans came to hate - and mock. First he would review the injuries, then he would turn it over to the media with his signature, “Times’ yours.”
Inevitably, Reid would shoulder the blame for the Eagles’ woes himself, saying he takes “full responsibility” and that he had “to do a better job of putting players in position to make plays.”
Unfortunately, he never did a better job. The team would make the same mistakes again and again, the same penalties, the same time management problems, the same penchant for ignoring the run in favor of the pass.
But there is one thing Reid never did, and for that he deserves respect.
That would be quit. Too bad his players can’t say the same today.
Their effort in a 42-7 loss yesterday at MetLife Stadium in North Jersey to the Giants was an embarrassment. For a group of guys who to a man talked about how much they loved Reid and wanted to play for him, they had a funny way of showing it.
Now many of them will follow their coach out the door.
A new era starts this morning for the Eagles. At this point there are more questions than answers.
The only thing that is certain is this:
Time’s no longer yours, Andy.
Step up to the microphone, Mr. Lurie.
Time’s yours.

Comments