bubba9497 Posted January 9, 2004 Author Share Posted January 9, 2004 NFL teams going back to the future in coaching department By TOM POWERS Saint Paul Pioneer Press ST. PAUL, Minn. - The coaching merry-go-round appears to be spinning out of control as NFL teams continue to make startling hires. The Washington Redskins dug 103-year-old Joe Gibbs out from under a stack of carburetors. The New York Giants, operating in the media capital of the world, enlisted dour Tom Coughlin, the ultimate sourpuss. And the Arizona Cardinals took the prize by flagging Dennis Green off the high road and bringing him to Phoenix. Can Richard Solomon be far behind? Memo to Cardinals execs: Watch your backs. The hiring of Gibbs is shocking. If the Redskins wanted a connection to their past, why not just put an urn containing George Allen's ashes on the sideline? Gibbs was a great coach. . . back in the day. He has been out of coaching for 11 years. In the interim, he has been operating an auto racing team. Actually, NASCAR fans are like football fans in bib overalls. They are very loyal and enthusiastic. And Gibbs was quite a crossover hit. But it is unfair to expect him to pick up right where he left off in the days before reality TV. This is a clear example of owner Dan Snyder trying to appease the crowd by bringing back a popular figure. I hope Gibbs' reputation doesn't wind up tarnished. He was a class act, God rest his soul. My favorite Coughlin story is about the time demand for tickets was seriously declining in Jacksonville so they tried to get him involved in an offseason sales drive. The guy was so grim he was scaring potential customers away and they had to abandon the campaign. Coughlin often was referred to as the Drill Sergeant from Hell during his tenure with the Jaguars. Here's what he had to say when introduced as coach of the Giants: "I believe the young men who represent the New York Giants want strong leadership. They want superb detail and organization and discipline, which provides us all with the confidence to win." Actually, they want to wear earrings and dance all the latest steps. Coughlin is the type of guy who might start bouncing quarters off the Giants' beds during training camp, just to see if the sheets are pulled tight and tucked in properly. If the players don't string him up, the New York media will. This is a match made in the netherworld: a closed-mouth, distrustful, military-type coach and 742 competing writers looking for quotes every day. Coughlin had better win early and often. The Arizona Cardinals are the Washington Generals of the NFL. They are about as successful in the victory column - one recent dark day in December notwithstanding - as the Generals, the longtime opponents of the Harlem Globetrotters. And their expectations couldn't be lower. They likely will experience some near-term, relative success under Dennis Green. And as they do, the Green monster will grow. Director of football operations Rod Graves will know he is in trouble when Green starts bypassing him and phoning the owner directly. That will happen as sure as the sun shines in the desert. Then the power grab will begin in earnest. Oh, and the salary cap trouble will begin, too. And bitter feuds will commence with anyone in the front office, locker room or media who questions Green about anything. And the race card will be played until it is worn out. All of this matters little to the long-suffering Cardinals fans. At least, for now. They just want to see their team play better. The key will be for Cardinals ownership (the dopey Bidwills ) not to get starry-eyed after a decent season and start shifting more power in Green's direction. That was the fatal mistake in Minnesota, and it took the team a while to dig out from under the mess. So there have been some strange hires. You'd think the owners would be looking for up-and-coming talent instead of recycling all these older guys. I guess they want guys who have done it before, even if they did it a long, long time ago or even if their previous bridges are still smoldering. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/7664937.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 NFL teams going back to the future in coaching department By TOM POWERS Saint Paul Pioneer Press ST. PAUL, Minn. - The coaching merry-go-round appears to be spinning out of control as NFL teams continue to make startling hires. The Washington Redskins dug 103-year-old Joe Gibbs out from under a stack of carburetors. The New York Giants, operating in the media capital of the world, enlisted dour Tom Coughlin, the ultimate sourpuss. And the Arizona Cardinals took the prize by flagging Dennis Green off the high road and bringing him to Phoenix. Can Richard Solomon be far behind? Memo to Cardinals execs: Watch your backs. The hiring of Gibbs is shocking. If the Redskins wanted a connection to their past, why not just put an urn containing George Allen's ashes on the sideline? Gibbs was a great coach. . . back in the day. He has been out of coaching for 11 years. In the interim, he has been operating an auto racing team. Actually, NASCAR fans are like football fans in bib overalls. They are very loyal and enthusiastic. And Gibbs was quite a crossover hit. But it is unfair to expect him to pick up right where he left off in the days before reality TV. This is a clear example of owner Dan Snyder trying to appease the crowd by bringing back a popular figure. I hope Gibbs' reputation doesn't wind up tarnished. He was a class act, God rest his soul. My favorite Coughlin story is about the time demand for tickets was seriously declining in Jacksonville so they tried to get him involved in an offseason sales drive. The guy was so grim he was scaring potential customers away and they had to abandon the campaign. Coughlin often was referred to as the Drill Sergeant from Hell during his tenure with the Jaguars. Here's what he had to say when introduced as coach of the Giants: "I believe the young men who represent the New York Giants want strong leadership. They want superb detail and organization and discipline, which provides us all with the confidence to win." Actually, they want to wear earrings and dance all the latest steps. Coughlin is the type of guy who might start bouncing quarters off the Giants' beds during training camp, just to see if the sheets are pulled tight and tucked in properly. If the players don't string him up, the New York media will. This is a match made in the netherworld: a closed-mouth, distrustful, military-type coach and 742 competing writers looking for quotes every day. Coughlin had better win early and often. The Arizona Cardinals are the Washington Generals of the NFL. They are about as successful in the victory column - one recent dark day in December notwithstanding - as the Generals, the longtime opponents of the Harlem Globetrotters. And their expectations couldn't be lower. They likely will experience some near-term, relative success under Dennis Green. And as they do, the Green monster will grow. Director of football operations Rod Graves will know he is in trouble when Green starts bypassing him and phoning the owner directly. That will happen as sure as the sun shines in the desert. Then the power grab will begin in earnest. Oh, and the salary cap trouble will begin, too. And bitter feuds will commence with anyone in the front office, locker room or media who questions Green about anything. And the race card will be played until it is worn out. All of this matters little to the long-suffering Cardinals fans. At least, for now. They just want to see their team play better. The key will be for Cardinals ownership (the dopey Bidwills ) not to get starry-eyed after a decent season and start shifting more power in Green's direction. That was the fatal mistake in Minnesota, and it took the team a while to dig out from under the mess. So there have been some strange hires. You'd think the owners would be looking for up-and-coming talent instead of recycling all these older guys. I guess they want guys who have done it before, even if they did it a long, long time ago or even if their previous bridges are still smoldering. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/7664937.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mania Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 I'm not even going to do this article justice by finishing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mania Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 I'm not even going to do this article justice by finishing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broohaha Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 i thought this by warren sapp for some reason after reading the first few lines: wow, what a dick. gives lenny the hutt a run for his money. i'm with SFM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broohaha Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 i thought this by warren sapp for some reason after reading the first few lines: wow, what a dick. gives lenny the hutt a run for his money. i'm with SFM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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