May 21, 2013

Philadelphia Eagles and Lurie taking shots at Cleveland Browns and Joe Banner?

January 17, 2013 by 24 Comments

The Chip Kelly hiring in Philly was seemingly linked to Cleveland and it could have stood to reason that it was just Cleveland-born negativity and paranoia driving that bus. Now that Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles are talking about their newest head coaching hire, Chip Kelly, it appears that there might be just a little bit of gamesmanship between the Eagles and the Browns, if not some outright loathing for the former partnership according to Paul Domowitch.

There are a few things that could potentially going on here. First of all the relationship between Lurie and Banner could truly be as sour as Domowitch indicates it could possibly be. That doesn’t seem all that far-fetched.

From a Browns perspective, this might also mean that Haslam and Banner’s instincts about Chip Kelly might have been right where Cleveland was only being used as a tool for leverage. If you’re one that thinks the Browns were smart to step away from the Kelly situation (and you think they actually did step away) then these statements about it being a two horse race might make you feel even better.

If Chip Kelly turns out to be the next great NFL coach, none of this will make anyone feel better. The Browns at least kicked the tires on the guy and got a chance to interview him, so if he becomes a success, there will always be reason to wonder what could’ve been.

If he fails on the other hand… Well, we’ll just leave that to the budding rivalry between Joe Banner and his former partner / boss.

[Related: WFNY Podcast – 2013-01-17 – Craig and TD talking Browns]

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  • Kildawg

    Philly was more desperate for C. Kelly than the Browns were: the Egos owner paid Kelly’s bar tab. Irishmen can have quite a bar tab, triple digits not hard to imagine.

  • Vindictive_Pat

    Lurie and Kelly are chapping my can. Pretending like this was ever about anything but the right amount of money is laughable. Obviously Kelly and his agent set a price and said that he’d go back to college to coach if he didn’t get it. Banner/Haslem didn’t go for it. Lurie did. It’s a common negotiating practice, I do it all the time when I’m buying a car. “Oh you can’t do better than $19,500 for this car? Then I’m walking across the street to your competitor because I like their car too.”

  • MrCleaveland

    I weep.

  • mgbode

    ok, when did he know? perhaps he knew when we flew out of Arizona on that Sunday and started interviewing other candidates?

    or, this Lurie fellow has been taking shots (though veiled) at Heckert, Reid, Banner, while propping up Roseman (recent interview) and now Chip Kelly. at least he understands his fan base?

  • Harv 21

    If he succeeds as a NFL coach (as I believe he might) but never seriously considered coming here, I will most certainly not wonder what could have been. That’s like a fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves wondering what might have been if LeBron signed with them instead of Miami. It couldn’t have been. It was just his agent’s little game.

  • Garry_Owen

    Will this ever end? This is paranoid nonsense.

    Did it ever occur to anyone that there wasn’t any competition for Chip Kelly because the Browns didn’t offer him the job? Maybe? Huh?

    Can this Chip Kelly fetish please end? Please?

  • cmm13

    Seriously…there are much more pressing issues to discuss like the fact that Haslum hasn’t yet flinched on this game of chicken with Saban.

    Jimmay is a stone cold killer and i think he’z gonna get his man.

  • Garry_Owen

    I hear that Hazmat sent Chumisky hisself down to Tuscaluma to make the pitch.

  • TSR3000

    Well I guess I hate the entire NFC East now.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Craig Lyndall

    Love this comment. I’m not subscribing to anything yet, but the second part of your comment is easily an important detail. Something I’ve been getting at in criticizing the Browns for their media handling if nothing else. Lurie obviously gets how to sell his fanbase. If it means taking some shots at a departed colleague or two, so be it.

    Like a tamer (MUCH tamer) version of Dan Gilbert’s letter. :-)

  • Tron

    Why in mobile format are tweets always cut in half with no way to read the full thing? Anyone…?

  • http://www.facebook.com/neil.smith.5220665 Neil Smith

    Who Cares Kelly will Prob be a bust…. I called for Chud 4 months ago because I am so sick of 5 yard passes. At least with Chud and Norv the Offense will be fun to watch!

  • mgbode

    thank you sir. and, perhaps Lurie should see if his smartphone has Comic Sans font.

  • Jetblack76

    If there is any actual hostility being inferred here, it speaks more to the power balance between Lurie, Reid and Banner which changed during the course of his 14 seasons there as opposed to any axes to grind with Cleveland or the Browns.

  • Roosevelt

    Are we supposed to care about this? The Eagles were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders for the last two years, and stunk both years. They’re $16m over the cap and the roster doesn’t seem to be going anywhere fast. If the owner gets some sort of pleasure out of dissing the Browns, more power to him. We still finished with a better record in a tougher division, are roughly $50m under the cap, and are far better positioned to improve.
    Chip Kelly has no better chance to be a successful NFL coach than Chud, notwithstanding the Browns’ attempts to get Kelly. How unanimous is it that Kelly will be a resounding success? Well, the six other teams that need head coaches didn’t even try to talk to him.

  • SDA

    Its just and Bama o one else in this race. A little bird told me hes holding out for free truck stop food.

  • MrCleaveland

    I think it’s pronounced Has-grum.

    (I have a few Christmas Ales left. In an hour, I won’t be able to say that. Let’s do it again tomorrow, everybody!)

  • cmm13

    And showers…free Truck Stop Shower Cards are priceless in Alabama.

  • SDA

    good point!!!

  • SDA

    Maybe we should change the name of the team to the Brownie Bobs
    ( as per former employees ) everyone from Bama is some kind of Bob lol My sons nick name is K-Bob had a Billie Bob and a Dale Bob work for me that started all this

  • mgbode

    (whispering) umm, the Bills also interviewed Chip Kelly.
    (other whispering) shutup he’s on a roll.

  • Justin

    Right now, I couldn’t give a flying Frostee Rucker about Chip Kelly. Who cares anymore if it worked out or not? We have Chud.

    Frankly, I more excited at the opportunity of seeing what will happen with Chud, than what could have ever happened with Kelly. Kelly’s offense did not fit the Brown’s personnel at all. Chud seems to have the ability to mold his offense to his players, as opposed to the opposite.

    I’m looking forward to seeing what could happen with Chud, and not back at Kelly’s wavering.

  • Brownsfanforlife

    Go Browns!

  • Porckchop

    Alabama Truck Stop Shower is the Dixie equivalent of a Cleveland Steamer