NFL teams begin purging coaches

by Ed Valentine on Dec 29, 2008 10:20 AM EST in News Comment 35 comments

It looks like New York Giants' defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have a few job openings to interview for if he is interested.

So far this morning, Detroit's Rod Marinelli, Cleveland's Romeo Crennel and -- somewhat surprisingly to me -- the New York Jets' Eric Mangini have all been fired.

I had not really anticipated the Jets' opening, but Spags would seem to be a nice fit there.

0 recs | Comment 35 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Wait, the Jets fired Mangini?

But, but, but, the Jets are the best team in the AFC, Steve Serby of the NY Post told me so.

Jets will be on their 4th head coach of the millenium.

Applications are now being accepted for HC of the NYJ

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 29, 2008 10:35 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The Jets might prove very attractive for him.

They’ve got a lot of good players. They do need a QB, though.

by blue gonz on Dec 29, 2008 10:36 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

As for the other two

Crennel is a lousy head coach. Good DC, bad HC.

Marinelli I think will resurface as a head coach somewhere eventually. Hard to win with what he had around him.

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 29, 2008 10:36 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

If Spags does leave

Crennel would be a great choice for DC for the Giants.

by MJ20 on Dec 29, 2008 11:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No

Been there done that. If Spags goes, promoting from within is the smart thing to do, why bring in someone with a different philosophy?

Or hell, go pick the Eagles D staff again

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 29, 2008 11:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Crennel

How do we really know how good a DC Crennel is? Belichick ran the defense in New England even though Crennel had the DC title. He didn’t accomplish anything in Cleveland. So, we just don’t know.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 29, 2008 11:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

well

“Parcells ran the defense in New York even though Belichick had the DC title. He didn’t accomplish anything in Cleveland. So, we just don’t know”

by cjmulrain on Dec 29, 2008 11:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Then again

Parcells has never won a Super Bowl without Belichick.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 29, 2008 12:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

but

Belichick never won a Super Bowl without Crennel or Weiss ;)

I don’t think Crennel’s cut out to be a head coach, but I think he’s a fantastic coordinator. And the NE defense hasn’t been nearly as good since he left (remember, last year they got their b/c of their offense). If Spags does leave, I think we could do a heck of a lot worse than bringing in Crennel.

by cjmulrain on Dec 29, 2008 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Crennel

I think Crennel is a heck of a DC as well, but I like jrs idea of promoting within & keeping the same philosophy. I don’t like the idea of changing everything when the Giants are at or near the top. Plus Crennel’s defense relied heavily on LBs and our LBs suck.

That being said, I don’t know who’d they’d promote. Peter Giunta (corners) was the DC at St Louis during their 1999 SB, but he probably would institute his own philosophy as well. Maybe Dave Merritt (safeties)? He’s been around awhile (2004), he’ still young & likely has learned a lot of from Spags. He’s done a heck of a job with the safeties.

by potroast on Dec 29, 2008 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

promoting from within

Has gotten us Ray Handley and Johnnie Lynn

by queler on Dec 29, 2008 4:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good Grief, q, you named a guy even I don't

remember: Johnnie Lynn. Not an HC, I hope, or my memory is fading faster than I thought.

by blue gonz on Dec 29, 2008 5:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Johnnie Lynn

is my least favorite coach ever, he took over as DC after John Fox left. Apparently, he was a “how” rather then a “why” guy. He did OK his first year be keeping Fox’s scheme, though was notoriously out couched in the SF loss by not adjusting when SF but TO in the slot, and systematically abused Sehorn who was a NB by that point. That was one the biggest reasons for that loss IMO. The next year if you remember was the soul sucking season of multiple come-from-behind losses, because they would start playing prevent at the beginning of 4th quarter. One week they’re going over schemes, and Strahan (I think) speaks up and goes, “uh coach, these plans are for the wrong opponent.” Worst DC I’ve ever seen.

by queler on Dec 30, 2008 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks q

Now I know why I forgot him. My memory sometimes protects me from painful experiences

by blue gonz on Dec 30, 2008 6:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Promote the D-Line coach.

I like what Ive seen from him on nfl films. Even in the Championship DVD. He knows the schemes prob as good as anyone and knows his linemen, the lifeline of the D.

by ProudYankee on Dec 30, 2008 3:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good idea

Mike Waffle is very good.

by potroast on Dec 30, 2008 8:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He might condier coming back

as a special teams coach. He WAS good at that.

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Dec 29, 2008 3:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Meant "consider"

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Dec 29, 2008 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

surprised

Mangina is a joke, and he really showed it down the stretch. He could have taken this year’s Titans to 7-9.

You play to win the game!

by Simms-McConkey on Dec 29, 2008 10:53 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'd bet the Jets

Would be looking at Cowher, who’ll cost them a bundle, or Gruden, who will probably also be fired, before looking at Spags.

by MJ20 on Dec 29, 2008 11:20 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

yep

doubt they go the “hot assistant” (and not in the way you’re thinking of, perverts) route again. I have a feeling it’s Cowher, and wanna bet if it’s Cowher Favre comes back and costs them another year?

by cjmulrain on Dec 29, 2008 11:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Update

Apparently the Browns already reached out to Cowher, and he said he isn’t coaching in 2009

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/28408849/

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 29, 2008 11:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well, damn, I was just about to agree with cj re Cowher.

Gruden? who knows? He has to be fired first (he’s on the hot seat, for sure.) Anyway, I’m with you on promoting from within, jr.

by blue gonz on Dec 29, 2008 12:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

fwiw

Cowher said he doesn’t “anticipate” coaching in 2009, not that he is definitely not coaching. In the world of professional sports, you can’t even take a guarantee for granted (::coughBrettFavreRogerClemenscough::), and that’s far from a guarantee. The Browns are the Steelers fiercest rival – there was no way that Cowher would ruin his legacy by coaching there. I still think if the Jets offer him enough money and control, he’s theirs.

by cjmulrain on Dec 29, 2008 12:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

BTW

If Coughlin were to retire tomorrow, and there was a rule that we had to pick a coach that was recently fired or on the hot seat, I would take any of those 3 in a heartbeat over Wade Phillips, who might just be the worst coach in the NFL.

by cjmulrain on Dec 29, 2008 12:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think he is the worst

Not as long as Herm is employed. Wade is not a very good head coach, but the Dallas situation is not one a head coach is going to thrive in anyway. Unless JJ changes the way things are run, I don’t see this run of underachieving by the Cowboys ending anytime soon.

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 29, 2008 1:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

right

forgot about Herm. He’s in a whole ‘nother class of terrible. If JJ were smart, he’d tell give his next coach complete control, but he won’t do it.

by cjmulrain on Dec 29, 2008 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If he wouldn't give it to Tuna

He isn’t going to give it to anyone

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Dec 29, 2008 3:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If Coughlin were to retire tomorrow...

then we could hire Spags as OUR head coach instead of speculating about who else is going to do the same!

The Raiders want to interview Kevin Gilbride for their vacancy. If he’s smart, he’ll stay away from that mess the way Spags stayed away from the Redskins.

by JoshNY on Dec 29, 2008 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Gilbride

He won’t have as many suitors as Spags. If he really, really wants to be a head coach again he will have to take whatever is offered. He won’t be able to be choosy.

by Ed Valentine on Dec 29, 2008 4:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That's a fair point

but another season as coordinator of a good offense here (whatever your opinion of Captain Kangaroo’s playcalling, the Giants were third in the league in points scored) might score him a better opening than Oakland. He won’t be able to be AS choosy as Spags, who’s gotta be up with Cowher at the top of the shopping list of every owner who needs a new head coach, but that doesn’t mean he needs to take the first thing he’s offered.

by JoshNY on Dec 30, 2008 1:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe the NFL will quietly work behind the scenes

to convince Jerry Jones to hire an outsider as GM, much as they did when George Young got the job at NY. After all, this Dallas collapse must be viewed as detremental to the league’s health.

Personally though, I think the collapse only proves that hiring individually talented thugs and prima donas is not the path to success lin the NFL.

by giant fan since 57 on Dec 29, 2008 3:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs