Throughout my internship at Comcast SportsNet, I’ve had
opportunities to see more of the behind-the-scenes fireworks in the sports
industry than I ever imagined. From prepping for the pre-game show to the
post-game press conferences and interviews, it has been a rewarding and
exciting internship thus far. However, nothing quite compares to the view on
the sidelines of the Philadelphia Eagles training camp as they prepare for a media-frenzy
and the new Chip Kelly era of football to officially begin in just a few weeks
against the Redskins.
The spirit of Eagles fans is abundant and the revival of the
Green Nation centers around none other than Chip Kelly. For a guy who likes to
scheme and strategize, and of course keep information to himself, he picked an
ironic city to lead into battle. To this day… the first of preseason, we are
still unsure if Kelly’s “fast-paced”, “run-and-gun”, and elusive Oregon offense
will be the right fit for the birds’ personnel. As we look towards the start of
the season, a week 1 starting quarterback has yet to be announced, or even
decided. This is a decision that may entirely affect the dynamic of the
offense. With Michael Vick, a quick, hurry-up offense suits his abilities to get out in
open space and find the gaps. On the other hand, Nick Foles appears to be a
“traditional” QB; staying in the pocket and using his size and strength to
create for his teammates.
It’s safe to say the new Chip Kelly-run Eagles are in
motion. No pun intended. Throughout their training camp practices, all players
are literally always in motion. These guys don’t stop. The music is
blaring, robotic instructions are announced over the speakers, whistles blowing,
coaches yelling, and there’s certainly no rest for the weary.
Throughout camp, the topic-train has been packed. Whether it’s
Riley Cooper’s racial remarks, the ACL injuries for Jason Peters, Arrelious
Benn, and Jeremy Maclin, the New England Patriots coming to town, the new faces around
camp, quarterback decisions, Chip Kelly’s potential in the NFL, and the
defensive transitions – the press conferences and interviews have been heaving
with reporters, producers, writers, photographers, and even a handful of
interns from both local and national networks and media outlets.
It will be interesting to see how the new system fairs when
the season begins, but it’s important for the team and fans to remember – it’s
not about one battle; it’s a six month-long war. The first test is tonight and
Bill Belichick’s Patriots certainly aren’t going to make it any easier. It’s about
time to see if the team can deliver when their backs are against the wall.
Patriots at Eagles, 7:30pm – Lincoln Financial Field
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Hayley Zedeck is a
pre-junior Sport Management major at Drexel University from Nashua, NH. Hayley has past experience as the Director of
Marketing & Outreach at the SMTSU and as an intern at Turnkey Sports and
Entertainment in Haddonfield, NJ.
Currently, Hayley serves as President for Alpha Sigma Alpha and intern
at 97.5 The Fanatic. Follow Hayley on
Twitter @BigLeagueDebut.
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