Friday, January 05, 2007

NFL Coaching Carousel Part II: Stop the ride!

Previous coach firings/resignations: Jim Mora (Falcons), Dennis Green (Cardinals), and Nick Saban (Dolphins)
New coach firngs: Art Shell (Raiders)
To be gone today: Bill Cowher (Steelers)
Status pending the playoffs: Tom Coughlin (Giants), Bill Parcells (Cowboys), and Tony Dungy (Colts)

Yesterday, I could not keep up with the rumors for the Dolphins head coaching job, with everyone from Bill Cowher to Bill Parcells named as potential next coaches. For the time being, I am leaving the rumor mill alone since most of the rumors have to be false (there are a lot more rumored names than jobs available).

As for actual news stories, there are only two: Art Shell's firing and Bill Cowher's resignation.

ART SHELL
The only problem I have with the firing of Art Shell is: Who will the Raiders hire? The top coaching candidates won't even sniff at the Raiders for a lot of reasons, but the primary one is Al Davis is too old to handle his job responsibilities (interfering owners need to have the energy to actually interfere). This problem extends to an inability to attract top free agents (who wants to sign with a team as messed up as the Raiders are?).

If I was Al Davis, and I know he won't do this, I would promote defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to head coach. The Raiders defense was one of the few bright spots for the team last year. Unfortunately, Al Davis has never hired a defensive coach as his head coach, so it is a moot point.

NOTE TO AL DAVIS: Al, if you get in a pinch for a head coach, I am available. And I work cheap. Any 6-figure salary will do.

BILL COWHER
I will go out on a limb and predict that Cowher will NOT be the next head coach for either the Raiders or the Cardinals. You heard it here first.

Seriously, his name has already been mentioned with the Dolphins job, but I just don't see that happening. Cowher has his home in the Carolinas, and Miami is not much closer than Pittsburgh. Atlanta would make more sense, but his name has not come up for that job.

My guess is that Cowher sits out next season and waits for John Fox of Carolina to get the boot. But Cowher might have a long wait for that to happen.

Other future possibilities could be Washington or Jacksonville.

2 comments:

Diecast Dude said...

Technically, Al Davis did hire a defensive coach once to be the Raiders head coach, although it wasn't a defensive coordinator -- it was the linebackers coach.

Guy by the name of John Madden.

I wholeheartedly agree that Rob Ryan is the only correct choice for head coach. Who else would have the ability to put up with this mess?

EdMcGon said...

Diecast,
True enough, but Madden's playing career, limited though it was, was as an offensive lineman.