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Chip Kelly proving that Ducks, Eagles are Birds of a feather

The often incoherent, grammatically challenged ramblings of a man who has watched too much sports, listened to too much music and devoured too many club sandwiches.

IT NOW APPEARS that what was good for the Duck is also good for the Eagle. In other words, the National Football League is getting a good dose of innovation.

Indeed, the best part of watching the Eagles on national television this season has been the grudging acknowledgment that maybe this Chip Kelly guy in onto something.

And maybe – just maybe – there was room for some innovation in the NFL – and Kelly and his quarterback are providing the blueprint.

Now, after another impressive win on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, the kid quarterback is finally the flavor of the week. All Nick Foles had to do was get his uniform in the Hall of Fame after his historic day a few weeks back – and then complete 19 touchdowns passes without an interception.

This time it was a rapid-fire offensive game plan that featured the tight ends, and who knows what we will see next week.

Apparently, what Foles has done over the past few weeks is enough to make believers out of the people who opine on television sets across America. They have - almost all of them - bought into the quarterback from Arizona.

But then there is the matter of Chip Kelly. What to say about this non-apologetic, non-conformist from New Hampshire, via Oregon and the NCAA?

Those sitting at the NFL head table wonder: Why hasn't he crashed and burned like so many other college hot shots? Why hasn't he abandoned all the gimmicks and started playing real NFL football?

Why hasn't he listened to all the critics?

You can also hear the analysts biting their tongues as the Eagles offense rolls up yardage, and the defense doesn't pass out from exhaustion.

They have already choked on their notes when hearing Kelly dismiss time of possession as a relevant statistic. They are flummoxed because Kelly won't forget that college stuff and start learning how to burn the clock.

Is he nuts for allowing his team to come to the line of scrimmage late in the game with a lead and run another play? Doesn't he know the game plan, doesn't he know how to slow down and grind out a win?

Sure, he could probably do that, and then play that wonderful "prevent" defense that the NFL loves so dearly. Then again, what is wrong with just doing what works best – moving the football?

Kelly knows what got him from coast-to-coast in the NCAA, and finally to the League. This might be the NFL, but football is football, and what's good for the Duck is good for the Eagle.

From this seat in the stands, here's hoping that it isn't Kelly who changes, but the NFL. Here's hoping that NFL football becomes as great an experience in the stands as it is on television – simply because the game moves faster.

The sample size is still relatively small, but those who thought this new era with Kelly was going to be a fading gimmick-filled offense, you better think again.

Things are changing quickly, and the Eagles, with Kelly, are ahead of that curve.

Now on to other matters:

For those who love nostalgia, we suggest you take a look at this spectacular open for last weekend's Hockey Night in Canada game in Montreal between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens.

It's chilling stuff.

***

I took some heat from many sides for suggesting that it was traumatic to venture around those hip parts of the city and being unable to buy a simple light beer.

And then – aha, out of nowhere comes a life saving moment from none other than Questlove of The Roots. Did you see the man hawking beer on a national TV spot during NFL games?

Indeed, Questlove pumping up Miller Lite.

***

Complain all you want about the weather people. But if it wasn't for their mistakes most of us would never be able to start a conversation.

***

Here's a shocker – a nunnery in Camden is closing because they don't have enough nuns. Apparently, the members of the Monastery of the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary will be no more.

After about 100 years, the number of nuns has dwindled from over 100 to about a half dozen – and that is a very lean depth chart when you consider that purpose of these nuns is to say the rosary 24 hours a day, seven days a week in shifts.

It's hard to believe they have more trouble finding recruits than Temple football.

Nuf ced.

Al Morganti is a member of the WIP Morning Show (94.1 FM) weekday mornings from 5:30 til 10 and a hockey analyst for Comcast SportsNet. His twitter handle is @nufced.

Al Morganti is a member of the WIP Morning Show (94.1 FM) weekday mornings from 5:30 til 10 and a hockey analyst for Comcast SportsNet. His twitter handle is @nufced.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/Any_idea_what_Ruben_and_the_Phillies_are_doing.html#B4VfJkx1WH9OlAId.99