If we've learned nothing at our time on the Planet, it's that "a lot of people know jack-shit", yes?

http://www.newsday.com/sports/footba...4140365.column

Bob Glauber
January 11, 2009

Memo to Woody:

Stay home next time!

Everyone's entitled to a vacation, but when you're an NFL owner and you've just fired your head coach, it's not the time.

Woody Johnson high-tailed it out of the country after firing Eric Mangini and wasn't around for the team's first round of interviews. There also was speculation that his vacation short-circuited any chance to hire Bill Cowher. Then again, if Cowher couldn't have waited a few more days to talk about a job that would have paid him a gazillion dollars, I don't think the former Steelers coach's heart was in it anyway. That said, it was in Johnson's best interests to stick around. After all, look at Broncos owner Pat Bowlen's itinerary since he fired Mike Shanahan: He flew to New York to interview Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, flew to Providence to interview Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and returned to Denver to talk to Bucs defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles. Bowlen also hasn't ruled out Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops

Herm's time almost up

The Chiefs are still looking for a new general manager - Scott Pioli, anyone? But regardless of who is hired, it doesn't look good for coach Herman Edwards.

Even outgoing president and general manager Carl Peterson, who brought Edwards to the Chiefs three years ago, doesn't sound optimistic. Peterson said the situation reminds him of 1988, the year he took over as the Chiefs' general manager. Frank Gansz was the coach at the time, and one of Peterson's first moves was to fire Gansz and his staff.

"I feel for Herm and his staff," Peterson told reporters. "You know, we had a plan, we put it in progress, a lot of things happened that were not good. But at the end of the day, you have to win football games. It's not my decision anymore, and I'm pleased that it's not."

Quarterback upgrade for Vikings?

The Vikings clearly are in need of an upgrade at quarterback, as underscored by Tarvaris Jackson's woeful performance in a playoff loss to the Eagles last week. Coach Brad Childress appears willing to at least consider the possibility. While not outright dismissing the idea of giving up on Jackson, he's at least warming to the idea that another quarterback might be needed for a team that has a quality defense and an elite running game. Veteran Gus Frerotte, who thought he should have been reinserted into the lineup after recovering from a back injury, isn't anxious to return to the team unless he's guaranteed the starter's job.

Getting defensive in Green Bay

Packers coach Mike McCarthy gutted his defensive staff in the wake of a 6-10 season in which the Packers vastly underachieved on defense. The two leading candidates to replace defensive coordinator Bob Sanders: Mike Nolan, the former 49ers coach and Giants defensive coordinator, and Gregg Williams, the Jaguars' defensive coordinator.

Another chip off Buddy Ryan's block?

Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is getting a look-see for some head-coaching vacancies - particularly in Detroit and Denver. And if he does get a job, it would be the third player from the vaunted 1985 Bears to get one.

The defense was coached by Buddy Ryan, who eventually got head-coaching jobs in Philadelphia and Arizona. Two of Ryan's players - Jeff Fisher with the Titans and Mike Singletary with the 49ers - are head coaches. Frazier, a starting cornerback with the Super Bowl champs, could be next.

One too many concussions

for Romanowski? And now, ladies and gentlemen, the most absurd coaching development of the week: Former Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski, who hasn't spent one second as an NFL assistant coach - or any other kind of coach, for that matter - wants to become the Broncos' head coach.

He even sent team owner Pat Bowlen a PowerPoint presentation outlining his credentials and ideas for getting the Broncos back on track after the Mike Shanahan era.

Romo, who had a history of concussions and a series of altercations with opponents and teammates alike, called himself "the best person in the country for the job."

Right.

McDaniels on coaching radar

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is getting lots of face time in the head-coaching search currently under way. The baby-faced McDaniels, 32, already has drawn interest from the Broncos, Rams and Browns, who wound up hiring Eric Mangini. If he doesn't get a job in this go-round, it probably is only a matter of time before he gets to run his own show. McDaniels did a bang-up job getting journeyman Matt Cassel up to speed in the Patriots' offense. Filling in for the injured Tom Brady, Cassel overcame some early-season jitters and led the Patriots to an 11-5 record. It wasn't good enough to make the playoffs in the ultra-competitive AFC, but it was good enough to get McDaniels on the radar for an eventual head-coaching job. Maybe sooner rather than later.

Insert Cartman laughing at midget here:

Heh heh....heh heh..heh-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Make it happen! ROFL

I agree with Romo - it would be great for Romo to coach the donkeys. With that moron at the helm even our crappy team would be able to sweep them.

Maybe Romo can hire that 30-something truck driver who punked his ass on Pro's Vs Joe's to come play for the Donkey's!:D

Been out of the loop for several days....anything new other than the update to the OP? Any new Rocky Alden rumors or anything?

Just the "Quick Hits" piece up top, and no announcement until after the playoff games this weekend. Hopefully.

All other candidates have been called to say "we're not looking at YOU anymore".

I think we've got him locked down.PBJ

NIIIIIICE.....I think.

Don't let DCS lie to you like that.

The truth is that Scott Pioli is now in negotiations with Clark Hunt to buy the team so that he can have full organizational control.

I'm good with that.

Exactly.

this had fallen off the front page. can't let that happen :)

http://thepatriotact/2009/01/patriot...aniels-finding

January 11, 2009

Patriots in demand: Pioli and McDaniels finding opportunities

Scott Pioli will probably be announced as the Kansas City Chiefs new general manager next week. While Josh McDaniels may be interviewing for the head coaching job with the Denver Broncos and with Pioli in KC maybe the next head coach of the Chiefs.

Both Pioli and McDaniels have been sought after for positions with other NFL teams in the past. What makes this interesting is the recent success of going to the AFC Championship in 2006, Super Bowl in 2007 and now having finished 11-5 and missing the playoffs for 2008 for the Patriots.

The decision for McDaniels may be a 'no-brainer' as it was for Eric Mangini - go and get the big bucks with what knowledge you have or wait until either this horse (Belichick) has had its run and step into his shoes or there is a teams with a great front office organization that needs a coach. That is definitely not Oakland or Detroit. KC with Pioli in place becomes one of the top ten football organizations and McDaniels if offered the job would be a fool not to accept it knowing the capabilities of Pioli.

The Patriots have not been rebuilding, but constantly tweeking. Belichick and Pioli have worked wonders since coming to Foxboro and who is to say the magic is gone?

It may just be Pioli letting us know the writing is on the wall. After a decade of hits with the Patriots and a chance for a few more titles with a healthy Tom Brady, when Pioli goes to Kansas City is that a sign that Brady may not be on track to come back as expected?

Who knows. But I do know Pioli helped select Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez and Kevin O'Connell and the Patriots success in 2008 had nothing to do with Tom Brady and more to do with an otherwise healthy offense mainly put together by Pioli.

Still, Pioli has much more work to do with the Patriots. The past few years there has been little improvement on the defensive side of the ball. The 2008 draft for bringing in youth on the defensive side of the ball was a change from previous years and the number of undrafted defensive free agents that remained with the team was also quite high.

Was this a change brought on by Pioli or Belichick?

Either way it worked. Another season of defensive injuries (yes Rosey Colvin and Junior Seau did return), but the rookies performed fairly well and we should expect them to continue to improve over the next few years.

I would hope that Pioli stays, sure there is always the unknown challenge out there and prospect to make more money, but New England has enough challenges and opportunities to keep Pioli around a bit longer.

When Belichick is gone from football, Pioli will still be in the NFL.

So patience may be a virtue here, so hanging on to Pioli is a priority for the Pats.

Oh Sweet Virginia!

Make it happen, Clark. Make it happen.