Which would you have bet on a couple of years ago? Which would you bet on getting the next championship?
If the answer is "Reid" to both questions, you aren't alone. Indeed, Manuel, who knows how elusive and capricious ultimate victory can be, might agree with you.
"Some given days, things don't go your way, and you lose. There's not a whole lot you can do about it," Manuel said this week. "Andy Reid's a good coach. I keep up with him. He did a big job this year, coming back like they did and putting together a solid season."
Reid and Manuel became text-messaging buddies during the baseball season when Reid would congratulate Manuel on the wins and tell him to hang in there during the bad stretches. It's a little hard to imagine these guys texting each other. They've got those big, beefy fingers and everything, but apparently it's true.
"He started texting me, win or lose," Manuel said. "When we played good, he got real excited about it. He invited me to come over during the week, especially on Friday, to eat lunch with them. It never worked out that I was in town, but I thought I might be over there this week to see them."
That obviously didn't work out. There isn't any practice, and the lunch room is a lot quieter. Manuel hasn't gotten in touch with Reid since the Eagles' loss. He's biding his time on that one.
"I haven't sent a message yet," Manuel said. "I thought I'd let things settle down a little bit."
