Head Coach Opening with one of best teams in NFL.

[Reality]

Martybawl Shottenheimer fired.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2763623

Skandery, the Chargers 2007-8 playoff chances just greatly increased.
Can you believe it?   The timing that is.

Update, the final straw.  What that oaf Shot tried to pull off:
FOXSports.com has also learned that a major point of discontent in this situation was that Marty was adamant in trying to hire his brother Kurt Schottenheimer — who is currently the the Packers' secondary coach — to be his new defensive coordinator, a move that was staunchly opposed by the front office.

jn or anyone who knows.  How bad was the Packers and Rams dbs under Kurt Shot.  The boards I've parused said he sucked bad.

[westkoast]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/02/12/schott.fired/index.html?cnn=yes

I guess this guy felt is was too late?  IMO too late would have been once the season started.  They are not even in training camp yet.

[Rolando Blackman]

Hey Reality!
   
This sounds like something from the 'Politics' section instead of the 'Sports' pages!  On it's surface, the whole thing seems pretty stupid - Schottenheimer has turned the S.D. team in to one of the (regular-season - LOL) powerhouses of the NFL.  Obviously, because of this factor Spanos feels like he can pull a Jimmy Johnson/Barry Switzer type coaching change and still keep the program going as Jerry Jones was able to do for a while in 'Big D'.  We shall see, I suppose...
   
Whatever happended to Natrone Means anyway?  I guess I will go and find out myself.
   
-RB
Shaq #1

[Reality]

RB,

Noooooo.  Jimmy Johnson had won three of 4 Bowls.  Shot has lost his last 6 playoff games, is 0-2 with Chargers who have (had) what most feel is the most talent in the NFL.  To let your assistant coaches interview with other teams -2 have already left- while demanding to interview your brother for D Co-or is firing material all the way.  His brother by what i read sucked badly with his previous teams, Rams and Green Bay.  Marty planned a nepotism hire all the way.

Owner Spanos, GM AJ Smith, many tortured fans and especially Shot himself all seemed to be humbling out and taking our lumps after the devastating Patriots loss at home.  For Shottenheimer to have the gall to revert to his selfish crap, hasta la vista baby.
He comes out like the *victim*, but you watch, he will get another head job as he collects 3 million severance from the Chargers.

Many other factors but this was the final straw.  RB this past years 14-2 was assembled after Martyball had us at 3-2.  The "2" coming after an incredibly winnable game which was "Martyballed" away in classic Marty fashion 16-13 at Baltimore in a game the Chargers dominated but with the lead went into conservative Martyball mode.  He allowed very good QB Phillip Rivers to throw one pass in the entire 3rd and 8 minutes of the 4th qtr.  Skander (who follows Marty a bit) and i were blown away.  By all accounts the owners and GM intervened at that point and ORDERED Marty to open up the offense.  Result?  Most points scored in Charger history.  Otherwise Chargers were headed for 9-7 or 10-6 at best.
Defensively, the Chargers D Co-or the past three years was son of Bum Phillips -Wade Phillips.  35-13 record as Phillips made note of in his Cowboy interview, his teams had always done better the year after his arrival.  (Phillips has been with 5 different NFL teams.)  The move to hire Phillips as Chargers D Co-or in 2004 was opposed by Shottenheimer.

He's a stubborn selfish fool who is great at rebuilding teams, couldn't and won't win a big playoff game unles he drastically alters his approach.  Would have been great for Miami Dolphins to rebuild.

Biggest mistake Chargers made was giving Shot a 6 year deal in 2002.  After he built them back up to 8-8 and all the players were in place thanks to AJ Smith, Chargers should have thanked Marty for the rebuild and brought in a playoff coach for 2004 and on.

[jn]

The Pack's d backs have been pretty weak.  There is a big caveat though.   Their whole defense has been terrible for years now.  It's pretty tough to pin it all on the d backs coach in this case.  In addition, one of their starters, cb Mike McKenzie, bailed because he didn't like the orgnization as a whole.  Plus safety Darren Sharper went through a couple of injury plagued years before coming to MN as a free agent.

[Reality]

jn thanks for the info.  Wonder how he did with the Rams.
Either way, hardly a ringing endorsement to take over as DCo-or on the most talented roster in the NFL.

Pete Caroll would be a good fit.  Wanted too much control tho in Miami.  He might want to escape USCs looming potential probation.  OTOH if USC weasles out of probation, they just had another great recruiting class.

[msc]

I can't wait until SD has a season equal to, or worse, than this previous year.  When they don't win the SuperBowl this next season, will it be <insert new coaches name here>'s fault?

Shottenheimer will no doubt land another job, after all, he's a great coach.  If that jackoff from USC can get a head coaching job, I don't see why a coach with a proven track record can't?  Of course there is only one Al Davis in the league (thank God).  Marty should collect the money owed to him from SD, did they not agree to pay him that much in the first place?  And why should he not let his assistants interview for heading coaching jobs?  This is what good business people and coaches do ... they build up those around them and set them up for success, they don't hold them down.  Am I the only person here that agrees with Schottenheimer?  If so, so be it, he's a stand up guy and that is what stand up guys do. 




 

[Reality]

^^ sign me up as putting money down they will win at least one playoff game next year, and that will be better then "reg season only" Shottenheimer did.
Don't come back to me with the 14-2 stuff, accomplished only after Martyball had them at 3-2 and managment had to force him to open up the offense decisionmaking to the O Coordinator thus the 11 game win streak.  And don't go westkoast on me if they Bowl.

msc NFL head coaches cannot block their assistants from interviewing for Head Coaching positions.  Cameron and Wade Phillips were free to interview, so they did and are now Heads of Dolphins and Cowboys and i agree they should be free to have pursued.  They were.

NFL coaches ARE allowed to block their assistants from pursuing positions as assistants for other teams.  With two assistants already having bolted (in addition to Cam and Phillips), Shottenheimer sat by and let two more interview while he brought in his son Kurt for the D Coordinator position.  If you cannot see the nepotism, open up your eyes.  Oh, and Shot also was not in favor of bringing in Wade Phillips in 2004.

Guy is a cementhead who is a great rebuilder. 
Reg season = apples
Playoffs = oranges

Repeat, you want Del Harris for the Lakers in 2000-2002?

Chargers mistake was hiring him for 6 years.  3 tops, thanks for the rebuild Marty and hasta la vista.

[Reality]

  Shottenheimer will no doubt land another job, after all, he's a great coach. 

Martins ability to rebuild is indeed impressive.  3 of 4 times he has blown away both the before and after.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/20070213-9999-1s13martybal.html

[Rolando Blackman]

Hey Reality!
   
I was reading about the interviewees (?) for the SD coaching position - the mention of Mike Singletary really peaked my interest in this situation.  Singletary has been preparing himself for this moment ever since he was the star middle linebacker for the 'Super Bowl Shuffle' Bears team.  You know he understands the game on both sides of the ball - I think he would make a great coach for the 'Bolts.  Thoughts?
   
Remember when they used to do those zoom-in shots of Singletary's eyes when he was on the field? Whoa.

-RB
Shaq #1

[msc]

Hey Reality!
   
I was reading about the interviewees (?) for the SD coaching position - the mention of Mike Singletary really peaked my interest in this situation.  Singletary has been preparing himself for this moment ever since he was the star middle linebacker for the 'Super Bowl Shuffle' Bears team.  You know he understands the game on both sides of the ball - I think he would make a great coach for the 'Bolts.  Thoughts?
   
Remember when they used to do those zoom-in shots of Singletary's eyes when he was on the field? Whoa.

-RB
Shaq #1

Singletary was an absolute stud on the field.  I'd love to see him get a head coaching job just because I love him so much as a player and a person.  That said, I have no idea whether he's a good coach or not.  Being a great player doesn't necessarily translate in to being a great coach.  We need look no further thena the "Magic Man" for a local example. 

His eyes used to look like they were going to pop out of his head.  While not playing, remember he used to wear those thick glasses?  He had to wear contacts when he played and I remember hearing back in the day that the training staff would have to bring multiple sets of extra contacts because they would constantly pop out of his eyes when he'd make big hits.

[westkoast]

Yes head coaches can block their assistants from talking to other teams but....

If you are friends how are you going to tell them they cannot do what they want with their career?

[Reality]

Hey Reality!
   
I was reading about the interviewees (?) for the SD coaching position - the mention of Mike Singletary really peaked my interest in this situation.  Singletary has been preparing himself for this moment ever since he was the star middle linebacker for the 'Super Bowl Shuffle' Bears team.  You know he understands the game on both sides of the ball - I think he would make a great coach for the 'Bolts.  Thoughts?
   
Remember when they used to do those zoom-in shots of Singletary's eyes when he was on the field? Whoa.

-RB
Shaq #1

Singletary should be good, but who knows? 
Belichick was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. During his tenure in Cleveland, he compiled a 36-44 record, leading the team to a playoff win in 1994.  Bill Belichick succeeded Pete Carroll* as New England Patriots head coach in 2000, Belichek going 5-11 that year.
2001 was the flukey "tuck" call that propelled Belichek and started the Pats run.
Point being, who knows if the Chargers should go for experience or not?  I think so but....
The recent rash of hiring proven old duffers has been all in all good, but none have reappeared in a Bowl.  Joe Gibbs, Bill Parcells, Ditka II, Jimma Johnson II, Martyball Shott, etc.

Whereas Gruden, Bellichek, Ravens coachBrian Billick, Mike Shanahan, young(er)Dick Vermeil (with Rams) have all delivered Bowls.  Could it be having long since acquired millions from previous fat contracts, the prior old duffer crowd has their hunger level diminished while the youngers have not?  18 hour days just getting old to the Parcells Gibbs Ditka Johnson crowd?

*msc, you need to check your stats on Carroll.
For the record, Carroll has 31 years of coaching experience, including 16 at the NFL level. Like the not-so-dearly departed Saban, Carroll's specialty is the secondary. In fact, his first six years of NFL coaching experience came in the role of defensive backs coach. Carroll made a name for himself in Minnesota, where his defensive backfield averaged an eye-popping 25 interceptions during his five-year tenure.

His next tour of duty was in New York, where he served as defensive coordinator for a New York Jets team enduring an era of putridity. In 1994, after four mostly mediocre seasons, Carroll assumed the role of head coach, promptly went 6-10, and was quickly let go.  (okay, he sucked there.  Or did he, see Belichek 1st year Pats.)

Next up was a two-year stint with the then-aging dynasty known as the San Francisco 49ers . Carroll served as defensive coordinator under George Seifert and fielded an extremely solid unit that ranked No. 1 in virtually every significant statistical category.

Then came what is perhaps his most well-documented NFL head coaching stint. On the heels of Bill Parcells' resignation, Carroll took the helm of a New England Patriots franchise that was fresh off a Super Bowl appearance. He reached the playoffs in each of his first two seasons with the Pats, but finished 8-8 in his third campaign and was promptly let go. In his three years at Foxborough, Carroll amassed a respectable 27-21 regular-season record.




 

[Reality]

Norv Turner?
rrrrrrr.  I am not a happy camper.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2771126
Well, AJ Smith has been right on about every other personell move so I'm hoping....

Wonder what the black community thinks of the hire?  Obviously this years SBowl completely knocked down some more barriers but does the Norv Turner hire smack of Play it Again, Sam?

Granted he was the only one with Head Coaching experience.  Because so few blacks have been head coaches? 

[Reality]

^^ "Continuity".
That is the word being repeated as to the whys behind Norv Turner hire.
Dean Spanos on local radio said it was Norv who implemented the Chargers offense in 2001, Cam Cameron went on to use that foundation for the next 5 seasons.  Granted, Martyball kept all variations of that offense down until last seasons record breaker.
Point being Norv is well familiar with the O and Spanos felt it best to keep continuity, do not screw up what had been a great thing until the Pats playoff game disaster. 

Also said since the promoted running backs coach will be in his 1st year as Offensive Co-or, best to have Norv to help.
Felt with Norv it will result in fewest amount of changes for players and new O Coor.

Tedd Cottrell hired as defensive coordinator.  A good year or two by Tedds defense and that should put him in much better position for head coaching position as a minority, so that's good.  This might all work out for Chargers in SBowl Feb 2008.

"Cottrell, 59, has been an NFL assistant coach for 22 seasons, most recently as defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings in 2004-05.  Cottrell has had success with the 3-4 defense that the Chargers run and he has a relationship with A.J. Smith going back to the 1980s in Buffalo, where Smith was director of scouting and later of pro personnel while Cottrell helped shape a Bills defense that went to four consecutive Super Bowls."

Update:  Chi Bears D Co-or and Head Coach for Chargers interviewee Ron Rivera was told to take a hike by the Louvie Smith, so Chargers signed him for a two year deal to coach linebackers.  Sweet!