David Jones of The Harrisburg Patriot-News joined Michael Barkann and Rob Ellis on Sportsradio 94WIP in Philadelphia this morning, to discuss the possibility of Bill O’Brien leaving Penn State to join the Eagles, among other things. Jones had some interested things to say. I transcribed the good stuff.
Audio of the full interview here.
- First, Jones address the massive $18.4 million buyout NFL owners would be forced to pay for O’Brien:
“Well, he’s going to have a big buy out, but you know, billionaire owners they’ve got deep pockets. They can amortize it and lay it over a few years, and I don’t think that’s a big deal if they decide this is the guy they want. Cleveland and the Eagles seem pretty serious about him, and I think he is going to interview really, really well. One way or another I think it will be over this weekend because I think those are the two [teams] that are most serious about him. The guy has a certain presence about him that I think is going to work really well with NFL owners.
- Next, Jones said he is “sure” O’Brien is interested in the NFL, and would not turn down a job with the Eagles:
“No, no, no. He did a month ago, but that was before Joe Linta, his agent, put his candidacy out there a couple of weeks ago and all hell broke lose, and he said nothing because I’m sure he’s interested. He’s very intrigued and it all happened pretty quickly. It blew up pretty quickly, but he’s not going to turn down an NFL job, he’s just not, especially the Eagles. I guess you can entertain turning down the Browns. If that’s your holy grail, if you’re an NFL type-guy, and he is, he runs an NFL-type offense even with Penn State. He runs an offense that would be amenable to NFL styles because, unlike Chip Kelly, he’s not going to put his quarterback in danger. His quarterback runs the way Tom Brady and the Patriots ran, and that makes more sense to me, for an NFL offense. He’s a real attractive guy to NFL teams, especially the two we are talking about the most [Eagles and Browns].”
- Jones also discussed O’Brien saying he was “planning” on staying at Penn State, and why he said that:
“He went on a couple of radio shows and said, ‘I’m planning’ on returning and whenever you hear that, you don’t quite believe it. This is kind of viral in the world of coaching now. It’s almost accepted that you can go for any reason, even if you say you are going to stay. I don’t understand it, but I don’t think he’s any different than anyone else.”
- Lastly, Jones talked about how he feels like O’Brien would be betraying all PSU people if he left for the NFL:
“Rob [Ellis], that is actually my position and I haven’t shot that bullet yet because I’m waiting to see. You can’t say it until it happens, but if he does go that’s a legitimate view point especially at this place. They have had a hell of a time the last sixteen months because of four guys who didn’t do the right thing, and no one else’s fault. All those players, not only the players, but all the people up there really put their hope in this guy, and it’s going to come crashing down again. And it’s going to make everyone a little more cynical, a little more disillusioned, and it ain’t going to help anybody that’s for certain. It’s going to decimate the program, because you’ve got a really, pretty good recruiting class going, especially considering the sanctions and signing day is the first week of February.”
David Jones is a douche and has no sources and runs his mouth to make it about himself. There is a reason he works for the harrisburg patriot and not a national newspaper or even any serious Pennsylvania newspaper.
I think that its great to still see patriot news! http://www.internettruth.org/