Fool's Gold Standard?

After calling the Eagles' 8-8 season "unacceptable" and the "most disappointing" of his 17 seasons as owner - and making what seemed like a compelling case for a regime change - Jeffrey Lurie announced Tuesday that Andy Reid would return for a 14th season as head coach.

"There's no doubt in my mind if our focus is on trying to win a championship next year," Lurie said, "the best coach for that is Andy."

Every time he appeared close to uttering the words that many sports fans in this city thought they would never hear - that he indeed was firing Reid - Lurie stopped short during a rambling, 13-minute statement.

Lurie, of course, was never going to fire his coach in an open forum. In fact, the team's website tweeted just before he took the podium at the NovaCare Complex that Lurie was announcing Reid's return. But for most of his speech, Lurie checked off the multitude of reasons the Eagles' not making the playoffs was "incredibly, incredibly disappointing."

He pointed to a regression after last season's NFC East title, a season in which quarterback Michael Vick finished as runner-up in the MVP voting. He spoke of the expectations that went unfulfilled after the Eagles signed the league's top free agent in cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and other high-priced additions.

But when the season started, the Eagles played like a team with a first-year head coach. Lurie called the start "dismal" and "unfathomable." Even being overly optimistic about the four-game winning streak that saved a .500 record, Lurie said, would be "fool's gold."

Despite all that, Lurie said he was sticking with Reid because of his track record, his recent success, and, most important, intangibles such as his relationship with his players.

"I knew it," Eagles running back LeSean McCoy said of Reid's return. "Andy's the best."

Lurie's harsh language, while perhaps meant to placate fans, also could be viewed as a message to Reid that he has to win a Super Bowl for the franchise very soon - such as next season.

Lurie was asked whether Reid, who has two years remaining on his contract at $5 million annually, had to win a title next season or else.

"Every year the goal is to win the Super Bowl," Lurie said. "I think we'll let the process play out. There's no ultimatums."

But when will there be ultimatums or accountability? Lurie said every member of the Eagles organization should he held accountable for this season. Surely, a number of players will be sent packing in the offseason, but no one from the front office will be let go. Lurie said that team president Joe Banner and general manager Howie Roseman will be back.

That leaves the coaching staff and everyone's favorite whipping boy, Juan Castillo, as possible scapegoats. Lurie would not comment on Castillo's future, saying that Reid will make all coaching decisions. But he defended the longtime offensive line coach that Reid shockingly named defensive coordinator a year ago.

"Was he put into a situation where he couldn't succeed early in the season?" Lurie said. "That's for us all to have answers to. It was a difficult process."

Lurie acknowledged that Castillo was not the first choice and that "circumstances happen, and if changes don't happen on other teams, then certain coaches aren't available and [Reid] became very, very interested in Juan."

But with the lockout and the schematic changes on defense, Castillo struggled, especially early on. The Eagles coughed up fourth-quarter leads in five of their first nine games, losses Lurie called "ridiculously unacceptable."

"I think maybe there was a miscalculation in terms of implementing big-scheme changes in a lockout situation," Lurie said in explaining the woeful start.

He reiterated his training-camp belief that the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are still "considerable" steps ahead of the Eagles. "I still believe that," Lurie said.

But Lurie said that Reid's past success (playoff trips in nine of the last 12 seasons, five NFC championship and one Super Bowl appearance), his recent record (no NFC team has made the playoffs more often since 2006), and his intangibles (his devotion, the respect players around the league have for him) were reasons for retaining the 53-year-old coach.

"If you wanted Andy Reid gone," Eagles guard Evan Mathis tweeted, "you're an idiot."

It's unclear how close Mathis came to calling Lurie an idiot.

"I'm open to any possibility," Lurie said when he was asked how close he came to firing Reid. "There's no fear in my part with engaging in a change with a coaching search. That's nothing that I'm afraid of."

Season         W       L       T        Playoffs   W      L

1999 Eagles     5       11      0              Missed playoffs

2000 Eagles    11        5       0                    1      1

2001 Eagles    11        5       0                   2      1

2002 Eagles    12        4       0                   1      1

2003 Eagles    12        4       0                    1      1

2004 Eagles    13        3       0                    2      1

2005 Eagles     6       10       0              Missed playoffs

2006 Eagles    10        6       0                    1      1

2007 Eagles     8        8       0             Missed playoffs

2008 Eagles     9        6       1                   2      1

2009 Eagles    11        5       0                   0      1

2010 Eagles    10        6       0                   0      1

2011 Eagles     8        8       0             Missed playoffs

Career       126    81       1                   10        9

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