OK I’ll admit it. One of my favorite aspects to December football is determining which coaches will, might or should get fired. It’s the soap opera of the sport that fans the flames of interest between Sundays. Last year we saw the revolving door spin with six franchises: Oakland, New York Giants, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta and Arizona. Frankly, I could have seen a few more coming. But the talent pool was lean last year, and in some cases, some very sought after coordinators could have been head coaches by now had their teams not gone so far in the playoffs. Two names that will surely be on most short lists again are New England Patriots’ coordinators, Charlie Weis (offense), and Romeo Crennel (defense). Got to say, I thought Marty Schottenheimer was done for sure in San Diego last season, now they’re in pole position to clinch the AFC West. Guess that’s why I’m not a General Manager, though let’s see what happens in the post season. My memory isn’t so short to forget about Marty’s past playoff chokes.
So far we’ve had two mid-season head coaching vacancies show up in Miami and Cleveland. Hardly a surprise, Dave Wannstedt got blindsided with one of the most nightmarish off-seasons in recent memory; not to mention a few hurricanes to ravage south Florida in September. For Butch Davis, the situation wasn’t much better in Cleveland, though his fingerprints were much more visible in regard to that fiasco.
Here are some other coaches worthy of discussion...
Jim Hasslett, New Orleans Saints
This is an easy one, one of the most talented rosters in the league whose late season demise is as predicable as the Wednesday hangover after Mardi Gras. Doesn’t render much explanation. Hasslett will be out of a job on or before January 3, 2005.
Dennis Erickson, San Francisco 49ers
From 1995-1998 Erickson was 31-33 with the Seattle Seahawks. Prior to taking the job in Seattle, he was 63-9 and won a National Championship at the University of Miami. After those four mediocre years with the ‘hawks, Erickson remained in the Northwest to coach Oregon State where he went 31-17. Now he’s back in the NFL, and after nearly two seasons his combined record with the Niners is 8-20, with his current 2004 record at 1-11. You know what…and I know I’m going out on a limb here…but I’m going to say right now that Dennis Erickson is a much better college coach than he is pro. I know, I know, it’s amazing how I come up with these conclusions, but believe it or not there are guys out there getting PAID to divulge the same revelation I’m offering at no cost. To be fair, much of San Francisco’s problems stem from the front office where the abysmal ownership by the York’s makes the Arizona Cardinals look like a stalwart franchise. With the York’s frugality (and I’m using this word with the most liberal interpretation) and salary cap woes to keep the team pinned down for several more seasons, Erickson has nothing but twigs to ignite a flame in Candlestick. Right now San Francisco would be hard pressed to be competitive in the Word League, much less against the soft adversaries of the NFC West. He’s got zilch to work with and knows that won’t change anytime soon. No way are the York’s going to pony the cash necessary to snare a franchise pick with their presumed number one slot; and with the Stanford job open down the road among other choice college gigs, expect Erickson to walk after the season.
Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos
Mike Shanahan’s ten years in Denver can be marked by two phases. The one when he had John Elway as his quarterback and the one when he didn’t. He’s been without Elway for six seasons now and consequently hasn’t won a playoff game since. In addition, for a man known for his "brilliance" he, not the GM, has been responsible for some dubious personnel decisions. Jake Plummer has been aptly dubbed an "enigma" for his erratic play and Champ Bailey has hardly been the "shutdown" cornerback he was slated to be. You can’t take away what he’s done. After all, he got the most out of Elway’s twilight years, who admittedly did not connect well with Dan Reeves, and has had more struggling running backs find their 15 minutes of fame in Denver than just about anywhere else. Still though, after a decade in the Mile High City, Shanahan’s shelf life has all but expired.
Norv Turner, Oakland Raiders
This was a marriage of convenience. Let’s face it, the only reason Norv Turner is Oakland’s head coach is because Al Davis can’t get anyone else to work for him. I can only speculate the patience the fans in Washington had for Turner’s seven seasons of mediocrity can be attributed to the bureaucratic culture of that city. After all, it’s a government town where you wait, sit in traffic, wait, sit in traffic, and wait some more. Then if nothing happens…well…have a cup of coffee while the new regime takes over and then wait some more. Not so in Oakland, where the "Black Hole" doesn’t have a marching band and the fans don’t sentimentally dress like pigs. I simply can’t see Norv Turner being perceived as anything but "just another head coach." The team is rudderless, and the hiring of Norv Turner reeks of the same apathetic stench Rich Kotite brought to the Jets during that franchise’s nadir of the early ‘90s. If there’s one ray of light, it’s that Turner’s pass-oriented scheme is a good fit for Kerry Collins’ arm. We caught a glimpse of that recently on the road in snowy Denver. Collins is great when things are perfect, but only when things are perfect. The addition of Robert Gallery helps give Collins a pocket, but with losing receiver Jerry Porter to free agency next season coupled with legitimate concerns about Tyrone Wheatley’s durability, things will hardly be perfect. Still though, Turner’s real problems don’t lie in personnel, they lie in the team’s belief in him. Nobody sees him plugging the leak of that sinking ship, and as a result the Silver and Black will remain content just collecting paychecks. Turner’s a great offensive strategist, but he’s not a motivator or a salesman. Turner will never have trouble finding work as an offensive coordinator, however the seven generous years he had in Washington already proves plenty about his lack of leadership. The problem for Oakland is…who’s going to want that job?
Mike Tice, Minnesota Vikings
Mike Tice has gone on the record numerous times to vent his frustration with being the NFL’s lowest paid coach. Even as cheap coaching labor, I doubt he’s in the poorhouse and last season’s implosion hardly merits a raise into the seven-figure range. It’s also known that his relationship with owner Red McCombs is tenuous at best. Though McCombs has said that Tice is his guy, the buzz around the league suggests it’s as heartfelt as a General Patton apology. There’s a lot going on with the Vikings right now. Talk of getting a new stadium, possible sale of the team, and perhaps even an exodus from the Twin Cities has circulated around the camp. Frankly, if there were ever a team that should get a new stadium, it’s the Vikings. Despite being perennial playoff contenders for much of the two decades they’ve played indoors, this team has never regained its aura from the Bud Grant era when they played at Metropolitan Stadium. Teams like Tampa Bay or then, dome-team Detroit never had a prayer in those days. Minnesota, in case you didn’t know, gets COLD by mid-October; and while the noise factor can be menacing for opponents playing indoors, it hardly mitigates for the lost elements of an open-air arena. Even if it means naming the place after another liberal politician like Walter Mondale, the Vikes should play outdoors. Right now Minnesota is 7-5, and after loosing to the resurgent Chicago Bears their playoff hopes are dwindling in the lame NFC. I don’t buy the hamstring injury to Randy Moss as being a major reason for the swoons in their play; not with Daunte Culpepper and the other offensive weapons in their arsenal. It stems from an average coach with a sense of entitlement he’s yet to earn. With the winds of change blowing through the Metrodome’s ventilation system, the Vikings are playing in a holding pattern to see what shakes out. Make the call Mr. McCombs, shell some dough for a coach that knows how to make this talented team a powerhouse. Either that, or sell the team and go back to Texas…it’s a lot warmer there.
Mike Holmgren, Seattle Seahawks
For some reason, of all possible coaches that could or should get canned, it still seems sacrilegious to mention Mike Holmgren as a potential pink slip recipient. Seattle was the chic pick this summer to be the NFC’s Super Bowl representative. Now at 6-6, Seattle has deservedly earned the 2004 contender-to-pretender award. Monday night’s home loss to Dallas clearly summed that up on the national stage. This was the NOW year for Seattle. It was understood that Holmgren wouldn’t be a magic bullet solution for a team that’s been consistent also-rans since coming into the league in 1976. It would take time to implement his sophisticated offense; perhaps even three or four seasons where guys who knew his system would ultimately prove more valuable than raw talent. Enter Matt Hasselbeck, Mike Holmgren’s back-up quarterback from when he coached in Green Bay. After all, a well-coached quarterback like Bart Starr, Phil Simms or Tom Brady would clearly compensate for not being Joe Montana…right? Well it hasn’t happened, and with Hasselbeck AND (gulp) Shaun Alexander becoming free agents next year, the magic lamp that Holmgren’s been rubbing for six seasons could soon be locked back in the chest. The main reason why I don’t think Holmgren is a shoo-in to get axed is because he’s so entrenched in the operation that whoever took over would have a daunting task rewiring the team. He’s in deep; meaning his successor would need at least another three years to move the Seahawks beyond wild card contention. With Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen as its owner, money isn’t a problem for Seattle as it is elsewhere. The question is, does he have the patience to wait yet another year to see some return on his investment? Probably so, fans of a team that have never won a championship tend to be on board longer than ones already accustomed to success. However, with imminent changes next season at QB and running back, the issue of learning the system again will likely be rehashed.
Dick Vermeil, Kansas City Chiefs
OK, perhaps an even more sacrilegious coach than Mike Holmgren to talk about firing is Dick Vermeil. Oh yes…we all love Dick Vermeil…truly one of the NFL’s good guys who was precociously in touch with his feelings at a time when real men didn’t eat quiche. We loved the schmaltzy Hollywood story of his St. Louis Rams in 1999, after his 14 year coaching hiatus, when he wept with the Lombardi Trophy in one hand while the other embraced Kurt Warner; the former Iowa grocery clerk turned uber-quarterback. It was a nice way to forget about our vested stock options at the close of the dot.com decade. Obviously one didn’t have to replicate the modus operandi of a Mike Ditka or Bill Parcells to win a Super Bowl…excuse me while I get a Kleenex. Now in his fourth season in Kansas City, he’s losing at Arrowhead Stadium, which until recently was one of the most formidable places for visiting teams to play. What’s the difference between the Chief’s offense of this year in comparison to last? Nothing, they’re still a scoring machine. What’s the difference between the Chief’s defense of this year to last? Nothing, they’re still awful, giving up ridiculous amounts of yards and points. OK, Vermeil did one thing. He sacked last year’s defensive coordinator Greg Robinson and replaced him with former Chief’s defensive coordinator and head coach, Gunther Cunningham. That’s it. The defensive roster is nearly identical as is their horrendous performance; hardly a sufficient shake-up…not by a long shot. Why did the Chiefs win last year and not this year? They had this guy named Dante Hall light up the scoreboard on kick returns. THAT’s what tipped the scales; and you can’t expect ANY opposing special teams coach to let that happen again (psst…don’t kick the ball to Dante Hall…OK?). And now that Dante Hall has been reduced to last year’s special teams anomaly, KC is struggling big time. So what real coaching adjustments has Dick Vermeil made between the 2003 and 2004 seasons? None that I can see, and at 4-8, in this what-have-you-done-in-the-last-five-minutes NFL, what worked last season is a galaxy away from what works now. Dick, you’re great, we love you, but the game is moving faster than you are. Time to really think about retirement.
Potential Others:
Mike Martz, St. Louis Rams
Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
Dennis Green, Arizona Cardinals
Dom Capers, Houston Texans
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