Joining Gibbs's Staff 'a No-Brainer' for Zampese

[stratoman]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14421-2004Jan13.html

For close to two decades, Ernie Zampese was considered one of the sharpest offensive minds in the NFL. After retiring following the 2002 season, Zampese enjoyed watching NFL games in his San Diego home. But when the 67-year-old received a request during a phone conversation last week with Joe Gibbs, the cerebral coach considered the decision a no-brainer.

He didn't have to twist my arm," Zampese recalled, laughing heartily. "It's great to be back. Joe has been successful in everything he does. This is going to be fun. I'm ready."

Zampese is set to join Gibbs's staff as an offensive consultant, which is a similar role he filled with St. Louis in 2002. Zampese accepted the job to work under Rams Coach Mike Martz mainly for the opportunity to work with his son, Ken, who had been in his third season as an offensive assistant. (Last season, Ken Zampese was hired by Marvin Lewis, the former Redskins defensive coordinator, to coach quarterbacks for the Cincinnati Bengals.) Although Zampese suffered a mild stroke that September, it didn't affect his season. And he says his health is good.

Under Gibbs, Zampese will make suggestions regarding the offensive schemes and play-calling. Gibbs hasn't revealed if he will hire a coordinator, and he may split the duties with his running backs coach, Don Breaux, according to a source. Zampese won't arrive in Washington for at least a week while Gibbs finishes putting together his staff.

During his NFL coaching career -- mostly as an offensive coordinator -- Zampese molded high-powered attacks with the San Diego Chargers (1979-1986), Los Angeles Rams (1987-1993), Dallas Cowboys (1994-97) and New England Patriots (1998-99). Zampese took off two years before joining his son in St. Louis.

Over the years, Zampese declined head coaching offers -- including with the Rams in 1985 -- because he didn't want to deal with extra duties, and liked being in the background. Asked repeatedly by Gibbs to join the Redskins during Gibbs's first tenure with the team, Zampese declined, citing the desire to spend time with him family on the West Coast.

"I could never leave the first time around," Zampese said yesterday. "But the second time around, I'm all for it. It's going to be great. It'll be great to be back with Joe again."

Gibbs has seven known staff members, including Zampese, who described the coaching search as so secretive and ongoing that he doesn't know the identities of the impending staff. Gibbs has hired most coaches he has worked with during his first Redskins tenure. But one underlying issue of Gibbs's staff is its lack of diversity thus far, according to a source with strong ties to an assistant. Before Gibbs was named head coach of the Redskins in 1981, the NFL had 14 minority assistants. The number was 167 last year, and the league now requires teams to interview at least one minority for head-coaching openings.

"Joe is hiring the guys he knows and has won with. You'd expect that," said the source. "But to be blunt, times have changed and it's beneficial to coach-player relations having some minority coaches."

But the situation should change depending on how many assistants that new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams can hire from the Buffalo Bills.

Williams -- Buffalo's head coach the past three seasons -- wants to hire most of his former staff, which includes a few minorities. Thus far, Gibbs has been hindered by the NFL rules that require permission to talk to assistants still under contract.

"You've got a lot of hoops you've got to jump through," Gibbs said last Friday. "We're fighting our guts out with the guys wer're trying to get."

[bulldog]

the statement about diversity is a crock.

Gibbs and Williams have tried to hire Jerry Gray and been blocked. Then they spoke with Emmitt Thomas but he is going with Dennis Green in Arizona. Finally they spoke with Darrell Green about an on-field role and were rebuffed.

So, how are you going to blame Gibbs if the league rules and the proclivities of individuals precludes them from coming here?