Settling a sports debate isn't always easy. It takes years sometimes to get a final answer, and even then, it can remain unclear.
During Once and For All week on 94WIP, starting on May 18th, we will be settling some of those debates that don't yet have a final, conclusive answer.
Here are three of the most heated debates I can remember that have already been settled:
Brandon Graham: It isn't often that an athlete goes from "bust" to a legend in the city, but that is exactly what happened with Brandon Graham. The 13th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Eagles traded up to select Graham, passing on safety Earl Thomas in the process. That name followed Graham for years, especially early on, as he totaled just three sacks in his first 16 games. Graham, to say the least, was not a fan favorite.
Then, it all turned around.
The debate about whether he was worth a first-round pick started to die down during the 2012 season, when he played 16 games and finished with 5.5 sacks. It would begin a streak of Graham playing 16 games in five-straight season, and overall, he has missed just one game in the last eight seasons. While his sack totals have never been especially high, he has slowly become one of the better defensive ends in the franchise's history. Graham making the game-winning play in Super Bowl LII, stripping Tom Brady of the ball in the final moments, officially ended the debate.
Chip Kelly: Imagine thinking getting rid of Chip Kelly was a mistake.
The more I think about it and the more people I talk to, the more convinced I am firing Chip Kelly was a mistake #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) December 31, 2015Yikes.
The truth is, when it happened, many were skeptical about the decision to fire Kelly. At the time, Kelly was just one-season removed from back-to-back double-digit win seasons, and his offense was still viewed as one of the more innovative in the league — even though it was on a decline. Handing power back over to Howie Roseman, who had yet to win a playoff game during his time as general manager, added to the skepticism about the move by owner Jeffrey Lurie.
Clearly, however, Lurie was correct. Roseman came back a much better general manager than when he was removed, and the decision to hire Doug Pederson put back together a fractured NovaCare Complex that fell apart under Kelly. For as exciting as he was as a head coach, it is clear now that things were trending in the wrong direction under Kelly, and Lurie was correct to pull the plug when he did. The lesson learned from Kelly is a pretty simple one — any coach that traded meaningful assets to make Sam Bradford their starting quarterback is not the answer.
Sam Bradford: Speaking of Bradford, Kelly and the Eagles forcing fans to actually debate if he was the answer at quarterback was one of the more messed up things the organization has done. Bradford didn't have a huge support base, but there was some debate about whether he could be the franchise quarterback — especially after that magical night in Green Bay. Clearly, Bradford was never the answer.
Charlie Manuel: There aren't many coaches in recent Philly sports history that came with as much skepticism as Charlie Manuel did when he was hired in 2005. His first two seasons, when the Phillies finished second in the NL East each year and didn't win 90 games in either seasons, didn't help. Manuel was viewed as too easy on the players, and his laid-back attitude didn't help his public perception.
Things started to turn around in 2007, when Manuel lead the Phillies to the NL East crown, and their first trip to the playoffs with him as manager. Although they were swept, the trip was clearly the first step towards the special team Manuel was building. Next season Manuel and the Phillies were World Series champions, ending the debate on whether he was the right manager for the team.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
