Perspective from an Oregon and Eagles fan

Perspective from an Oregon and Eagles fan

Reported by Sam Arney on January 17, 2013
In Inside Zone Read | 17 Comments

As we have all heard by now, Chip Kelly has accepted a job to coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Let me start by saying that I am not irritated in Kelly leaving for the NFL, just in how he has gone about it. I have the unique perspective of being a die hard Duck’s fan and Eagles fan. You may think that I should be happier than most Duck fans at his job choice, but it’s quite the opposite.

First – instead of being happy for the Eagles, I am very irritated with them. After searching the entire country, interviewing multiple qualified coaches, they honestly flubbed everything up so much that they had to go back to Kelly and offer him everything he wanted? If Kelly had left after the first interview, I would be happy for my NFL team, but now they just snatched away the King from our chess set at the worst possible time.

Second – as I mentioned before, the timing couldn’t be worse! With national signing day less than three weeks away, we now have no stability to offer potential recruits, or to solidify the current verbal commitments. Ohio State offered scholarships to 3 of Oregon’s current commits today; two of them to the twin brothers from San Diego who already said they might open up their recruiting if Kelly leaves. Need I mention we only have 13 recruits and cannot afford to lose a single one?

Third — Kelly has been known to be a man of his word. If he declined the job at Philadelphia and told Oregon and all of us fans he was staying, no matter what the Eagles threw at him, he should have stayed true to his word. Nobody likes to be jerked around, least of all fans. I must also mention that if Oregon is hit with sanctions from the NCAA, it will feel like the second coming of Pete Carroll to Oregon fans, no matter what the reason for Kelly’s departure.

Let me finish by saying I have all the confidence in Mark Helfrich or whoever assumes the job at Oregon. I am just very worried about our current recruiting class and the consequences that these changes will have. So, as an Oregon and Philadelphia fan, I am hurt by Kelly’s perceived lack of honesty, and very mad at my Eagles for throwing such a wrench in the plans of our team. Oregon will continue to “Win The Day” without Kelly, and Philadelphia will most definitely be a better team with him as the head coach. Unfortunately there will be a grey cloud over both Kelly and the Eagles for me personally for a few years.

Categories: Inside Zone Read Tags: Chip Kelly, Chip Kelly to NFL, Oregon Ducks, Oregon Ducks Football, Philadelphia Eagles

Sam ArneySam was born and raised in Cottage Grove, Oregon and he has been a die hard Duck fan his entire life. Sam studied at the University of Oregon before moving to San Diego for 5 years. After moving back to Oregon, Sam decided to follow his passion for writing and started writing for various sports sites. To him, nothing is better than being in Autzen Stadium with 59,000 fans screaming their heads off!View all posts by Sam Arney →

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http://www.facebook.com/marlowe.alter Marlowe Alter

seriously? don’t be so sensitive.
Kelly never actually said publicly he was staying at Oregon….people just assumed he was. He thought about it, continued to talk with Philly and eventually decided to make the move.
And mad at the Eagles? For what? getting the guy they wanted? pshhh
You couldn’t be more wrong with both your arguments.
- Sam Arney
  
  As you can see from the title, this is a perspective piece…my perspective. Also, the fact that the school A.D. announced it, the University announced it, and his players announced it, Kelly said he was staying. Maybe not to the media, but to everyone that mattered, he said he was staying. There are not too many people on this planet that are die hard Duck and Eagles fans. Judging from your comment, I am assuming you are only an Eagles fan, I am giving my perspective and my “opinions” on how “I” personally feel. Also, it has to do more with the effect on recruiting, not Kelly leaving. Thank you for your comment and opinions, everyone is entitled to their own
  - http://www.facebook.com/marlowe.alter Marlowe Alter
    
    I understand it’s a perspective piece and you’re entitled to your opinion…i just don’t see why you’re being so harsh. But him leaving 6 days earlier compared to Wednesday is not a huge deal like you’re making it seem. And you’re point #1 on being irritated at the Eagles for interviewing a bunch of candidates before circling back to Kelly is not factual. Kelly himself said they continued to text and he ultimately decided the opportunity was too good to pass up…it was just hard for him to leave Oregon, that’s what the delay was.
    
    No reason to be overly negative. but if that’s how you want to feel, it’s your issue.
    - Sam Arney
      
      I totally understand your position. Having said that, let me stress that I said I am irritated with the eagles, not mad at them, there is a big difference. Also, I am VERY appreciative of where Kelly has taken the Ducks. However, Oregon will be hit with sanctions from the NCAA, no questions about it. The only question is how severe those sanctions will be, and the man who caused those sanctions, Kelly, will not be around to feel the consequences. He also had 5 years left on his contract for Oregon, a team that gave him a huge opportunity. Recall that just 7 years ago he was the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire. Im not sure too many schools would have offered him such high profile jobs as Oregon did. It is also a FACT that the Eagles interviewed multiple candidates after they interviewed Kelly. I have every right to be irritated with my team, for taking my other teams coach 3 weeks before signing day. As I said before, if he would have left after he met with the Eagles, I would be just fine with everything. But as a fan of both teams, I have the right to an opinion on how everything went down. I definitely don’t mean to cause offense, but if you don’t live in Eugene and don’t know much about the Ducks, you really don’t have a good grasp on the situation and everything the feeling circling around. And grouping me in as another negative Eagles fan is not accurate. I am not a fan that EVER boo’s one of my teams for anything, contrary to how almost every “die hard” eagles fan with season tickets does when they aren’t on the top. I don’t call for my coaches head when the season doesn’t work out how I planned, and I will still root for my Eagles, and Kelly as I did before. It has only been a couple of days since this happened, and it is my right as a human being to be irritated with my team, and my coach. So please don’t take offense to my “opinions”, because they are mine. If you would like to offer an argument that is legit, and not tell me my opinions are wrong and stereotype me, I am all ears. Thank you.
      - http://twitter.com/PhiIs_Goodman Phils Goodman
        
        You would have trouble booing the Eagles from friggin Eugene.
        
        Do you really think it would have been feasible for the Eagles to grind their coaching search to a halt before their #1 candidate had come to a definitive conclusion?
        
        And it is not as if those interviews with Bradley, Billick and Whisenhunt were fruitless wastes of time, even though they did not lead to any hires. The Eagles were able to get extensive outside perspective on their team and organization from bright football minds. They learned a lot by going through such a complete process.
  - http://twitter.com/PhiIs_Goodman Phils Goodman
    
    And anyone is entitled to say that your perspective is over-sensitive and out of touch. CK had to make a very difficult, life-changing decision and he needed 10 days to make it rather than 2. I am more sensitive to that than your disapproval as a fan.
    - Sam Arney
      
      Out of touch? Interesting…..
      - http://twitter.com/PhiIs_Goodman Phils Goodman
        
        Yes, in the sense of not being to appreciate the realities of the situation from someone else’s POV (ie Chip’s or the Eagles).
        
        I understand why it sucks from your end, but you go into other territory in this article where you place unrealistic expectations on the parties involved and essentially question their character and competence for not putting your feelings first.
http://www.facebook.com/marlowe.alter Marlowe Alter

exactly. “this guy” knows nothing. you know everything.
Fashionista27272

As a fellow Ducks and Eagles fan I couldn’t agree more with Sam! He has provided a balanced perspective and has clearly done his research. Being from Cottage Grove has nothing to do with Sam’s intelligence. Name calling and attacking one’s opinions only shows YOUR lack of intelligence. I am thrilled to lose my alma mater’s coach to my NFL team, yet Sam hit it right on the head… Kelly’s recruiting practices are going to affect the Ducks’ future whether or not he finishes out his contract! And Kelly definitely let fans believe that he would not be accepting a NFL coaching gig! If you don’t like what Sam has to say, don’t read HIS blog. Simple!
- Sam Arney
  
  Thank you for your support!
- CGroveTrash
  
  Thanks, Sam’s girlfriend.
http://www.facebook.com/alphonse.bilicic Alphonse Bilicic

Sam, I am very interested how you feel about this situation now? As noted, we have received another solid verbal commitment since Kelly leaving, AND our entire coaching staff went out to each and every recruits home to solidify their current commitments.
To me, it seems to be going extremely well. ESPN has us listed as a top 25 recruiting class WITH ONLY 14 Commits! I expect a class of at least 18 by LOI day, and Helfrich is doing one hell of a job.
Many fans were worried, but I feel the Ducks are going to reload.
WTD
- Sam Arney
  
  I agree with you. I have always felt that Helfrich would be a better recruiter than Kelly. That already shows in his recruitment of our new Wide Receivers coach. Which has in turn led to the committment of Allen. I still feel that we are in a very crucial time. My main issue was with the timing when Kelly left. We could still potentially lose 4 of our top commits, which will leave us scrambling at the last moment to fill the gaps. However, hindsight is 20/20, and if we lock down every commit we currently have, I will be happy with our class, but also still a little annoyed with Kelly. Not often does a school have to send 6 coaches to do an in home visit with each and every commit they have. But so far so good, it would be nice to reach 20 commits if possible, only time will tell. Thank you for your comment!
http://www.facebook.com/dianna.mai Dianna Mai

I myself am glad Kelly’s gone because he was starting to talk like a BROKEN RECORD with nobody’s above the Team, well then why through it all, because I most assuredly can tell every DUCK fan he cost us the Stanford Game by his non committal toward’s the Duck’s and this clearly affected his offensive player’s in this Game. Kelly was a great Coach at Oregon but let’s just face fact’s his EGO was to big for our beloved DUCK’s. His EGO cost us the Game against Auburn when he made some absurd play calling in the red Zone. Kelly never would use the kicker and for good reason, but Kicking is one of the more important aspect’s of any level of Football, and Chip failed the Team in this regard. So I say welcome Mr Wogan and here’s looking forward to Touchback’s and our D starting on the 25 90% of the time instead of the 30 and 40 yard line’s. Here’s to a guy that will put it through the upright’s if we need just a 25 yard Field Goal. Here’s to a National Championship that will happen cause were loaded now with even better Team than last year’s, that will go all the way and accomplish what Chip couldn’t when he took the job, deliver a Championship with Mark clearly a true Oregonian Helfrich, that will even out do Kelly in recruiting. Here’s to COMMITMENT, and maybe Chip will even give Mark a good deal on that house he built, because Mr Helfrich clearly deserve’s this promotion.
http://www.facebook.com/dianna.mai Dianna Mai

I think it’s funny cause the EAGLE’S and any veteran’s are clearly NOT going to play fastball like they did hear at Oregon and if anybody think’s this will work at the NFL, clearly know’s DIDLY about Football, and Kelly going after Dennis Dixon to run his offense is funny, cause Dennis doesn’t have the body type to endure the rough punishment that will clearly happen at the highest level in Football, and to be honest even though it’s just one person’s opinion Chip will be fired in 3 to 4 year’s at Philly, and clearly the Eagle’s could’ve went at a better higher than Chip.