FanPost

Want to fix the offense? Then fix the leadership.



If Chip Kelly really wants to hang his hat on execution, that is his prerogative. I, however, don't believe he's properly using root cause analysis. While individual execution is indeed a problem, I believe the offensive ineffectiveness has by and large been a lack of leadership.

My credentials include a 24-year military career with multiple deployments, numerous leadership academies and I have also conducted my own leadership seminars. I have witnessed first hand the effects of both effective and ineffective leadership.

Currently, the Eagles have ineffective leadership. In fact, the most memorable pic thus far of our quarterback on the sideline is not one of rallying the troops, it is one of DeMarco Murray with a death stare toward Sam Bradford. While team dynamics and the process of change does take time, I have yet to see where Sam has brought leadership skills to the table. Heck, even his management skills (think: lead people, manage things) seem awful. It won't be easy or quick, but if the Eagles organization has intentions of keeping Sam Bradford after this season, they MUST provide him with some leadership tools in his tool belt. A leader should be respected not because of his position or title, but through earned respect.

I would suggest an external adviser like John C. Maxwell. John speaks at leadership events around the world to include all of the military academies. Two of John's "leadership laws" speak out to me here: The Law of the Lid and the Law of E.F. Hutton. The Law of the Lid basically says that the organization's lid and the leader's lid are one in the same. The organization will rarely surpass the lid (maximum leadership abilities) of the true leader. The Law of E.F. Hutton states that when the leader talks, people listen. Is anyone really listening to Sam Bradford right now? Is Sam even making a real attempt to speak? To lead? I'm not seeing it. I can guaran-damn-tee you that when Brian Dawkins spoke, people listened. If you want people to internalize and value learning from their mistakes, put in a leader that is able to pull on their heart strings. Football players thrive on emotion. It may also help break down the "just give me the damn ball more" rantings of DeMarco Murray.

Additional solutions to increase Sam's leadership and communication (what a concept) include bringing back the huddle. Every single play (barring a true 2-minute drill), a leader on the field should be looking into his players' faces and giving the play. It also gives the leader a chance to ensure a united front. Sam could even communicate what he's looking for ("Hey, if the safety is here, run a fly pattern for me", etc.) On the sidelines, if the quarterback isn't doing anything, he should be engaging his men. Great job... Hey, what did you see on that play? You gotta give me more time on the deep ball play. Chip can do a better job of this as well. As much as I revile Bill Belichick, I respect his ability to walk away from the sideline and over to the benches to rattle some cages.

The problem is leadership. So, Sam Bradford, you need to make a decision. Lead, follow, or get the fuck out of the way. As the embarrassed fan said in his video on his way out of the Linc after we lost to the Cowboys, "FIX IT!!!!"