2007 NFL Off-Season Discussion Thread (Including Vick's troubles) (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

The new defensive coordinator (formerly from the Cowboys) for the Falcons is also in the hunt for the San Diego head coach job.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

PFT

 

[Alex-C]

Scott, as usual, you make several clear and valid points. I said it on January 14th (about 7 pm PST) and I'll say it again, they should have let Marty go immediately and looked to hold the core of the coaching staff, if at all possible. I think Phillips would have taken the head coach job, dont you ? And before I go on, despite their talented team, do not forget that the Chargers front office has had a reputation, in the past, for being very bad at making the right decisions. A 14-2 year is going to make most people defend them and I'll agree to a point, they have done some things right to get there, but the previous decade, they were one of the worst. I am happy to see them turn it around, if that is whats happening.
Anyway, keeping Marty was lame. Now his assistants flee the ship; can't say I blame Phillips, although TO will rip right through that good nature of his. But how did Wade do in Buffalo ? Maybe some coaches excel in the coordinator spot vs head coach. Norv Turner comes to mind. I digress.
Chargers still have the talent; no one debates that. I still say in spite of what happens, they will make the playoffs next year. too early to get any more specific, but let's say 1st in the West but not 1 or 2 overall in AFC.
Remember, they were generally agreed upon as one of the best teams not making the playoffs in 2005-6. I now forget, but I wonder how much of that could be attributed to Marty as well. Maybe they should have gone further ?

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Phillips did better as a Head Coach in the NFL than Carroll ever did. Just pointing out that Carroll is hardly the genius the media makes him out to be. As a Cowboys fan...I'd rather have Phillips. Or Turner. Or Rivera. And the list gets longer.

I agree the Chargers bungled this. They could have kept one of the coordinators, plus some ancillary staff, if they had moved earlier. Did they actually think their coordinators were NOT going to be wooed away with HC positions after the season the Chargers had? Are they that stupid?

 

[Johnny Angell]

This makes no sense to me. Smith is largely credited for acquiring almost all of the talent that would seem to make the Chargers SB contenders for several years in a row. If I'm Prez of the Chargers and I think Smith knows how to pick'em and how to sign'em, than I'm going to put up with some dysfunction.

I think its easier for a lesser coach to coach great players than it is for a great coach to coach mediocre players. You want a great team, start with a great GM, which Smith may be.

However, I'll be the first to admit the Chargers have really bungled this and a year or two from now I may be lamenting the dynasty that never was.

 

[Shane Martin]

Johnny,
After what happened to the Texans GM after the Reggie Bush non pick in the draft, I think anything is possible.

 

[Patrick_S]

I was going to post something similar but since you already did I'll just agree with you.

As a fan of a team that has to play the Chargers twice a year I certainly hope Carroll gets the job. He'll make them into non-contenders in no time.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Again, I like to point out the quarterback debacle between Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie concerning Wade Phillips. I think that derailed his stint in Buffalo.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Yes, but weren't fans unhappy with that choice? I don't hear anyone complaining about Smith's drafting.

After the 2006 season, 46 of the 53 active players were acquired after Smith took over the GM job. I don't know of anyone complaining about Smith's wheeling and dealing.

 

[Alex-C]

I may be wrong but I see the Chargers' situation as the coordinators could have been saved to take a Superbowl caliber team to the big game as long as Marty was gone. When they decided to keep Marty, in my humble opinion, I think they sealed their fate. Wade was probably like...hell if I staying around another year under Marty !
I dont know, I could be way off. I dont know what AJ and he talked about or what AJ was thinking.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm not so sure about that? I think Carroll has grown as a coach since he left the NFL. As far as his head pro coaching career. I thought he got the shaft with only one season with the Jets after the Bruce Coslet fiasco era. In New England, he at least won a division and a playoff game which is more than Phillips ever done.

 

[Patrick_S]

Carroll is the type of coach who needs to have better then league average talent in order to win. This has been the key to his success at USC. USC is loaded with better then average college talent and it has helped make Carroll appear to be a better coach.

At SD he'll have a loaded team with better then league average talent at some very important positions so they should be ok the first year. Over the long haul once the team's talent level falls back to just average they will fall at of contention with Carroll as coach.

 

[Shane Martin]

You can't judge Carroll like you can't judge Belichik who had a poor career until the Patriots took off. All it takes is one success to make most people think you are a genius.
He has no such issue in Dallas.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Here is the problem with that, if the Dallas job hadn't been made available where was Philips going to go? He didn't even interview for any of the other open jobs, and the Chargers could've prevented him from leaving to be the DC of another team.

As for the AJ Smith deal, the idea would be that the Chargers get Pete Carroll but Carroll wants control over the opporation, so after all of the drafting and such is done Smith is out the door. He wouldn't be fired necessarily for poor performance but to give the new coach what he wants as far as control goes.
Would it make sense to do that if the guy is doing a good job? Probably not, but then again I wouldn't have figured it would make sense to fire a coach so close to the scouting combine and look at what has happened.
IMO if the new coach is Pete Caroll, Smith is as good as gone once the draft work is done, if it is anyone else he'll stick around.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm not so sure I can make that determination after only two brief stops as an NFL coach in which the situation, management-wise wasn't the best.

 

[Johnny Angell]

From the SD Union:

I've seen no mention of rumors about Smith being a goner in the local paper and it doesn't make sense to me. As I've already said, if you've already got the right guy picking and signing your players, why mess with it?

 

[Brandon_T]

I just don't see it. Carroll is a guy that wants total control and he won't get it in SD. In my eyes, he is no different than Spurrier or even Dennis Erickson, they are good college coaches, some guys just aren't pro guys, or their systems just don't work. Phillips does have a better record in the regular season that Carroll and doesn't have a playoff win only because of the Music City Miracle. Either way, I don't think either coach will be overly successful with the teams, but what do I know, I'm just a Lions fan.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Just read that the Bengals have slapped the Franchise tag on Justin Smith.

I wonder which of his teammates will get arrested while celebrating this move.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Robert,
I'm simply stating that the media is much more in love with Carroll than I am. It amuses me that he can ask for the moon as a successful college coach, when the transition has recently brutalized his mates (Saban, Spurrier). If Dallas had signed Carroll, I'd be disappointed. Put it that way. While Phillips is no world-beater, I am much more confident in him than I would be Carroll.

That's my only point. I'd rather a successful NFL coordinator (preferably young, but oh well) than the most successful college coach at a great program (that is also probably violating major rules), much less one demanding total control. Just my opinion. I was right about Spurrier

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I made this point earlier somewhere, but I stated that Parcells (I think it was Parcells) once said the best way to evaluate a coach is to give him talent and see what he does with it.

Based on that, I think Carroll is a great college coach and could have better success someday at the professional level. To have success is one thing, but to maintain it is another. Paul Hackett (anybody remember this guy? ) squandered the talents he had at USC. Getting talent, developing it, turning it into performance, and maintaining that level are a lot harder than people think. Think about it. Look at Ron Zook. He had an embarrassment of riches on that team. And let's look at basketball: all I need to say is Matt Doherty. Sometimes having talent doesn't always translate into success.

But personally, having a happy situation and being part of a legacy are more important than money. If I were Carroll, I wouldn't leave.