One of the things I can't stand about sports is when a player or coach tells you a game with unique circumstances is just another game. The Harbaugh's told us the Super Bowl was just another game. They lied. The Manning's told us the Giant and Broncos game last week was just another game. They lied. Today Andy Reid is returning to Philadelphia as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and he's telling everyone it's just another game. He's lying.
You can't return to a place you spent the last 14 years and honestly say it's just another game. Andy Reid dedicated his life to the Eagles organization leading them to 5 NFC championships and a Super Bowl appearance. He took a chance on Donovan McNabb, resurrected the career of Michael Vick, lived through the Terrell Owens debacle, and put up with the obnoxious Philly fanbase. As a human being with feelings and emotions I find it unrealistic Andy Reid will approach this game as if the Chiefs are playing Tennessee or Cleveland.
The fact of the matter is Andy Reid wants to win this game in the worst way. He wants to stick it to all the nay sayers and show them he wasn't the problem in Philadelphia. He wants to prove his system and style of coaching is still effective. In short he wants to prove the Eagles made a mistake in letting him go.
If this were a made for TV movie the Chiefs would beat the Eagles on a last second play and Andy Reid would ride off into the sunset feeling vindicated. Unfortunately this is no fairy tale. The NFL is an unforgiving business that takes no prisoners. The Eagles will walk all over the Chiefs sending Andy Reid back to Kansas City with his tail between his legs. The new and improved Eagles offense is explosive and will be looking to make a point against their former leader. In the end Andy Reid's homecoming will be bittersweet, but it won't be just another game.
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