Is it the Asomugha thread? If so watch page lol I don't feel like going through all the pages to find it.... Thanks,
Vikings - Kept their interim guy (less expensive, more continuity) Cowboys - Kept their interim guy (less expensive, more continuity) Dolphins - Kept their guy (less expensive, more continuity; I never saw any report stating that the Dolphins passed on the opportunity at Cowher, fwiw.) 49ers - Fired a guy (understandably so), hired the most sought after coach on the market. (Gruden, Cowher, etc appear to have been all rumor with no actual movement going on) Browns - Fired a guy, yet to hire a guy Carolina - Let John Fox walk (understandably so) hired a coordinator (4 years 11 million, not sure if that is that expensive?) Denver - Likely to hire a Dennison/some other OC (will be a cheap hire I'm guessing, Dennison has been involved with the Broncos organization from 1982-2009, so I'd say he is a "continuity" move as well) Oakland - Let Cable walk; Likely to hire a coordinator from within (cheaper, more continuity) Bengals - Resigned their guy (apparently after some ball-busting negotiations, anybody got numbers yet?) Titans - Kept their guy (money was publicly made known as a factor in this) Texans - Kept their guy (bottom line bob ftw) It seems, to me, that despite a number of NFL coaches who could/should have been replaced, we've seen quite a few of them retained. And beyond that, we've seen quite a few interim coaches being made head coaches. And I suspect their will be a lot of promotions from within, as well. So we have one team that broke the bank for their coach, the 49ers. If the Browns, Raiders, and Broncos end up dropping major dollars on some "outsider" coaches, I'd be shocked. The Browns are the most likely to do this, with John Fox, but we'll see. Given the amount of change that could happen, and the amount of money that could be thrown around, the climate just seems pretty conservative to me.
Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is the top player up for bid in the 2011 offseason market, and nearly every team has been discussed as a potential destination. But one team that makes sense from a need standpoint is the Houston Texans, as their issues in the secondary in 2010 short-circuited any playoff hopes. In a column this week by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the veteran reporter argues that the Texans must go after Asomugha -- and, if he becomes available, Champ Bailey -- once free agency opens. McClain notes that Texans owner Bob McNair is not unwilling to spend on his team -- in 2009, the Texans had the third-highest figure for player salaries -- which is a good thing because neither Asomugha nor Bailey will come cheap. McClain adds that the team would be smart to move Glover Quin to free safety, and, as they did in 2010 with Kareem Jackson, use their first-round pick on a CB. The Texans are in the No. 11 spot in the first round, and it's possible they could see LSU's Patrick Peterson or Nebraska's Prince Amukamara on the board when they're on the clock. If those two are gone, it may make more sense to find an impact front-seven defender to help the transition to Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme. - Tim Kavanagh
My point is only that, sans a possible lockout, do these franchises make the same safe/cheap/easy choices? Does Jerry Jones quietly promote Jason Garrett a month before the entire free world convenes on Dallas under normal circumstances? I don’t even know if the lockout was a factor in the Texans’ decision – but is it fair to assume and then b**** (endlessly) about them being the only franchise that considered a possible work stoppage when we have a list of other teams that seem to be compromising too? Does it excuse the Texans? No; absolutely not. But it adds some perspective, IMO. But no one wants perspective, or less knee-jerk reactions, or more carefully considered analysis - that would just get in the way of their haterection for the Texans.
I don't have any doubt that the CBA nonsense is affecting other teams decisions besides the Texans. Especially with the Vikings and Cowboys retaining their interim coaches. You can bet both of those teams would have gone after a bigger name if not for the pending lockout. But what is interesting to me about all the coaches who kept their jobs this year after speculation of being canned (Sparano, Fisher, Lewis, Coughlin) is that Kubiak is the only one with an overall losing record and no playoffs.
So basically, two teams that were thought to potentially fire their head coach WHO HAD BEEN TO THE PLAYOFFS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS didn't. One team hired one of the most interviewed coordinators in football the last few years, another team hired one of the most sought after d-coordinators the past few years (Rivera) another owner hired a beloved coordinator of his (Garrett) and the Raiders made/will make an internal hire that is being criticized. Three other teams sought to hire the biggest name college coach in football right now and give him a huge salary, making him one of the highest paid coaches in the league. That sounds conservative and different from most years? Every year teams hire coordinators. Was last year conservative because of the CBA as well when less coaches were fired and the ones that were got replaced by a college coach and coordinators? Excuses, excuses. I also find it hilarious that people are suggesting that the Dolphins and Giants, teams that have gone to the playoffs in the last 3 years, one that won a SB in that timespan, would have fired their coaches in a normal year yet they support, and in various ways have defended, an organization that hasn't been to the playoffs in history and is retaining a coach after a 5th year of no playoffs! I feel like I got hit on the head and woke in up in the football Oz. Crazy midgets running these parts.
Under Jerry Jones these are the coaching hires: Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips and now Jason Garrett. Why people think that Jerry Jones seeks out the big hire stuns me. I'm arguing that it doesn't appear other teams are compromising. The argument that they are doesn't hold water. Three teams wanted to change their organization by bringing in a college coach and paying him out the nose. The Dolphins then turned to Cowher and would have hired him if he didn't want personnel control and to fire Mike Nolan. The rest are doing what happens every offseason, hiring prominent coordinators. The exceptions to the usual string are the Cowboys and the Raiders. LOL THAT ISN'T UNUSUAL! I have perspective. You think the work stoppage is preventing teams from firing coaches who haven't been to the playoffs in 2 years yet you see no reason why this team should have fired their coach LAST YEAR when he didn't go the playoffs for four straight years. And by the way, your argument DURING THE SEASON against firing Kubiak was a switch to the 3-4 under Cowher would work well in this offseason. Dur, we are switching anyway! Le sigh...
You do realize I'm not making excuses for, nor am I defending, Kubiak or the Texans, right? It's just the fact of the matter, given the circumstances. I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just telling you how it is. Owners have been fairly public about their cautious nature heading into the 2011 offseason when it comes to giving guys, both coaches and players, big lucrative contracts. And, lucky us, Bob McNair is one of the owners who is most strongly championing the salary reductions, rookie payscale, and all that other stuff that benefits the owners.
And I'm telling you that despite public posturing by some owners through the media, nothing that has happened in this coaching cycle has indicated that the work stoppage has played a role. Nothing is different this year. More coaches were fired this year than last. Beyond that, the coaching carousel has moved like it usually does.
Agree to disagree then. By the way, this is the second time you've called me out to "provide evidence" (first time was coaches failing at their second jobs), to which I did, and you didn't believe me anyway... so I have to lulz here a little bit as I'm noticing a pattern.
frustration is turning to apathy pretty quickly. i can not handle texans talk right now on sports radio. all the talk of which of the Keystone Kops should play safety or corner next year is utterly boring to me at this point. i hear the names of big ticket free agents and instantly assume they won't be wearing Texans colors (unless they play for one of the 27 other teams in the league that feature red, white and blue). i'm not exactly blown over by the phillips hire...and am less thrilled with the prospect of him ultimately being captain of the good ship lollipop. i'm completely unexcited about spending another draft pick on a defensive player, given our incredible rate of success in drafting defensive players during the Kubiak regime. i hope i'm wrong about all that...and i hope i care more come september.
