2015 Dolphins: Fire the Lazor!
- Thread starter sodenj5
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He's a little too vocal, but he's absolutely not afraid to use his own money to try and improve the team. He's renovated the stadium largely out of his own pocket. They have cutting edge training and treatment available to the players. They have struck out as far as coaches go, and Ross may have been too loyal to Philbin, making 2015 a lost year, but his heart seems largely in the right place. He doesn't meddle in the personnel decisions. He isn't directly involved with the players they draft or sign in free agency. He clearly tries to market Miami as a brand and destination, but I think he's begun to realize that only winning will truly fill the seats in the stadium, not Serena Williams as a minority owner, not an orange carpet, not 1972. I think the cleaning of house is a step in the right direction, although I liked Hickey and his draft picks (Landry, James, Parker, Ajayi) seem to be panning out.
Ross gave Ireland one season too many, and Philbin two seasons too many. Meanwhile, Hickey - who drafted pretty well and brought in good talent - gets fired because Mike "I RAN THE JETS!" Tannenbaum wants to run the operation.
I think Ross has proven inept at knowing who to hire and when to fire them for the Dolphins.
His work on behalf of the University of Michigan has been top-notch, though.
I think Ross has proven inept at knowing who to hire and when to fire them for the Dolphins.
His work on behalf of the University of Michigan has been top-notch, though.
A quick rundown of the coaching candidates emerging:
Mike Shannahan:
Apparently already had an initial under-the-radar interview December 22nd. Also rumored that he wanted to stay put and draft Tannehill instead of trading up to draft RGIII in Washington, for whatever that's worth. Was very successful in Denver, not so much in Washington.
Adam Gase:
Seems like this year's Dan Quinn. Offensive coordinator for Denver when Peyton was healthy and they were torching defenses. Followed John Fox to Chicago and turned Jay Cutler into a respectable QB. A "QB Whisperer" of sorts.
Teryl Austin:
D Coordinator for the Lions. Was calling the shots when the Lions D was a force last year, but they regressed significantly this year.
Dan Campbell:
Unlikely to keep the job due to his lack of coaching experience, but the players all seem to love him, and he has a fire and charisma about him that could make him a good coach one day. Will certainly miss his press conferences.
Mike Shannahan:
Apparently already had an initial under-the-radar interview December 22nd. Also rumored that he wanted to stay put and draft Tannehill instead of trading up to draft RGIII in Washington, for whatever that's worth. Was very successful in Denver, not so much in Washington.
Adam Gase:
Seems like this year's Dan Quinn. Offensive coordinator for Denver when Peyton was healthy and they were torching defenses. Followed John Fox to Chicago and turned Jay Cutler into a respectable QB. A "QB Whisperer" of sorts.
Teryl Austin:
D Coordinator for the Lions. Was calling the shots when the Lions D was a force last year, but they regressed significantly this year.
Dan Campbell:
Unlikely to keep the job due to his lack of coaching experience, but the players all seem to love him, and he has a fire and charisma about him that could make him a good coach one day. Will certainly miss his press conferences.
Regarding Shanahan, if he comes you have to figure the grocery buyer will be working for him and not vice versa. The money will be great in any case, but it's hard to imagine him doubling down on his Washington experience, when things were crammed down his throat, esp at QB -- first McNabb, then the RGIII trade. For better or worse, you should assume he'll have final say.
63 year old Mike shanahan who was 24-40 in his last gig?
Awesome!!!!!
"I can fix tannehill. I can fix tannehill" while doing to Jedi hand movement to Ross and Tannenbaum
Shoot me please
Awesome!!!!!
"I can fix tannehill. I can fix tannehill" while doing to Jedi hand movement to Ross and Tannenbaum
Shoot me please
I would agree with this. Shanahan has the clout to say that he isn't signing without getting a say in personnel. His alleged preference for Tannehill may also have something to do with Miami's interest in him.
A guy like Gase would likely be able to coach the team and build the staff how he wants, but personnel would probably ultimately be decided by Tannenbaum.
I'm not saying he is anyone to be overjoyed by, but do you want to give Adam Gase the next 4 years to figure out whether or not he's an NFL head coach? I'm a little gun shy about giving another college coach or coordinator their first crack at coaching in the NFL again.
It's really hard for me to evaluate Shanny's work in Washington. I do believe he was stuck with QBs he didn't want -- fat McNabb, Rex Grossman, and then Griffin. Despite RGIII's pre-injury talent, it's clear more than ever that he lacked/s maturity and leadership. During his tenure, he also operated under one of the worst owners in all of professional sports. Jay Gruden has to at least thank Shanahan a little bit for the fact he was left alone to bench Griffin for good -- something Shanny clearly vied for during his time.
There's always the "What did he ever do without Elway?" question that looms large, but Elway could be asked the same question about the coach. I do think he doesn't get enough credit for operating an offense that consistently succeeded in running the ball. He made star after star in Denver, and he made us all think Helu was a stud.
There's always the "What did he ever do without Elway?" question that looms large, but Elway could be asked the same question about the coach. I do think he doesn't get enough credit for operating an offense that consistently succeeded in running the ball. He made star after star in Denver, and he made us all think Helu was a stud.
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I was going to add that Miller and Ajayi would be absolute studs under Shanahan, but I thought that was getting too far ahead of myself.
No question.
I think Tannehill's Shanny's type of QB. Good kid, leader; can make all the throws in the pocket; excels in the WC offense. This feels a little bit like the Fins setting up a backup plan, but who knows. I think it'd have the potential to be a really strong hire, assuming Shanahan's able to put together a quality staff, especially defensively. Maybe it's from all the years of listening to BB interviews, but I also like a coach that can be a bit of a d-ck.
He was smart enough to draft Kirk Cousins in the 4th round the same year RGIII was traded for. And along with his son, Shanny brilliantly tailored an offense in which RGIII could thrive. I'd trust him with QBs -- though he should have showed more backbone here when Allen/Snyder were forcing McNabb and RGIII trade down his throat.
Broader personnel record more mixed, as it was in Denver.
If you listen to Ross yesterday, he said he wants a coach that can change the culture, has previous head coaching experience, and can lead the team to winning. The only guy with previous head coaching experience on the list is Shanahan. Not that it can't change, but it really sounds like Ross doesn't want to give another unknown 3-4 years to figure it out. He wants someone that can come in and win next year.
This is a hallmark of good coaches. They're able to modify their gameplan for the personnel they have, not vice-versa. Look no further than Philbin as an example of what not to do.
With the Pats injury history this year I won't be looking forward to playing two games against an OLine that cut blocks.
According to reports, Tuesday will be his second interview with Miami. It sounds like a lot more than a backup plan..
Yes, lets talk some more about Patriots injuries. Us Dolphin fans weren't subjected to that enough during the telecast yesterday afternoon with Harlan and Gannon.
Yes, lets talk some more about Patriots injuries. Us Dolphin fans weren't subjected to that enough during the telecast yesterday afternoon with Harlan and Gannon.[/QUOTE]
Even if they Pats had made it through the year relatively unscathed, my concern still stands.
Even if they Pats had made it through the year relatively unscathed, my concern still stands.
Probably rules him in more than anything. My guess is Shanahan wants some say in who is on the roster, but he's likely buying into Tannehill, so there won't need to be any drastic changes or rebuilding.
Perhaps? But it's being deemed a "2nd interview" because Shanahan met with Mike T. in December. No one's reported the extent of that first meeting; it could have been to simply gage interest. I think the stronger argument that he's a serious contender is that he's the lone candidate right now with prior HC experience. He also gets the first crack.
Yup. QB and staff. Those are the top two things a coach doesn't want anyone else f-cking with. Assuming he's a Tanny fan, that's one down. And there's no question he'd able to assemble his entire staff.
The same Shanahan who traded an in-his-prime Clinton Portis for cornerback Champ Bailey and then turned no-name Mike Anderson into a credible, low-cost running back? That Mike Shanahan?
You should stop, wait for yourself to catch up, and take a deep breath. It's not your fault. ;-)
First of all, he didn't make us all think Helu was a stud.
Even if you throw out Washington you can evaluate him on his last 10 years in Denver--during which he had 1 playoff win. He was 91-69 in that period which is decent and he's certainly a competitive coach but he coached an awful lot of fairly average teams in his post Elway period.
He'll probably be better than Philbin but he's a P.I.T.A. and he's going to go to war with Mike T. Best of luck. He's always coached well again BB but as a Pats fan I'm all in favor of the Dolphins signing him.
EDIT: Changed Tanny to Mike T because you guys have two Tannies.
Haha, I swear, I was just waiting for you to add something like this. I didn't expect for you to have such a nice example, though. Well done.
The Helu comment was made in gest. Of course no one had him pegged as a top RB, but he still managed a 1,000 yard season under Shanny. What makes you so sure he's a QB killer?
100% this. Based on his history, you'd think a Shanahan hire makes a Miller resigning even less likely (though he was not long for Miami regardless, considering his utilization this season and his agent).
Shanahan gonna bring in his son? and whom else?
I just want them to move on from Tannehill and hiring Shanahan is not that. I just don't think RT is good enough to win a title the way the NFL is currently consitituted
and no, I don't have an ideal candidate. Once failed HC maybe? (not Chip Kelly).
I just want them to move on from Tannehill and hiring Shanahan is not that. I just don't think RT is good enough to win a title the way the NFL is currently consitituted
and no, I don't have an ideal candidate. Once failed HC maybe? (not Chip Kelly).
I meant the other Tanny. Shanahan is not going to like having Tannenbaum as a his boss.
I don't think Shanahan is any great shakes, but 'probably be better than Philbin' is selling him way too short. Do you think Philbin finds another job of consequence in this league after his disasterous tenure in Miami?
I'd love to hear folks thoughts on Adam Gase. I know essentially nothing about him as a coaching prospect.
Ah, got you. I'm still confused as to MT's role. He's not the GM. So will Grier and the new HC be left to do their own thing? Or his new guy Mike's puppet?
Per NFL.com
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000616944/article/chris-grier-named-general-manager-of-dolphins
Darlington reported on NFL Network that Grier is a well-respected scout in league circles, but does not have experience on the pro side of personnel or with day-to-day operations of a general manager. Those responsibilities will fall under Tannebaum's purview.
If nothing else, the promotion of Grier should increase relations in the Miami front office. Darlington reported that Tannenbaum and Hickey rarely spoke, had offices on opposite ends of the team's headquarters and didn't sit together during games.
Tannenbaum is the big winner in this shake-up. Grier will serve a specific role while Tannenbaum pulls the strings as the all-encompassing football czar. Tannenbaum's next job is finding the Dolphins a new head coach. Ultimately, it is Tannenbaum's responsibility to dig the Dolphins out of their perpetual malaise.
He's being regarded as Miami's top choice according to a few. Supposedly loved by players and well-respected in the NFL community. Someone wrote that he was ranked #1 in a poll for the "next great HC". But that's all the sh-it we read about Philbin a few years back. He doesn't have a ton of NFL experience, but his work with Cutler/Chicago this year deserves recognizing. Like Shanny, he'd need a strong DC to come with him.
Cynically, Grier gives Tannenbaum another layer of insulation/blame to use in prolonging his tenure when Tannenbaum's plan doesn't work. First, MT can blame the coach "Grier hired". Then MT can get another season or two blaming Grier himself. So...MT now has at least 4 and probably 6 years before he's called upon to explain why the Dolphins still suck.
Pro move by Tannenbaum, finding himself a fall guy.
Pro move by Tannenbaum, finding himself a fall guy.
Philibin is done but I'm not sure that Shanahan isn't--he hasn't been good in a while and he's in a job where very few coaches stay good as they get into their mid to late 60s. Is the Shanahan offense a particularly good way to win in the NFL given the changes to both chop blocking rules and the increased importance of the passing game? If not can he adapt? We'll see.
Agree. It is fair to mark Shanny down based on his last years in Denver. But he's still professional grade. Tannenbaum strikes me as a city slick punk.
Josh McDaniels has always been high on my personal wish list, but I never considered him because 1) He's not coaching against Bill in the AFC East and 2) He's going to have better options, anyway. You know, like working with Andrew Luck or Eli Manning; but most likely the latter, due to Indy's certifiably insane owner. (Perhaps even succeeding Bill?) But Patricia? Seriously? Why would anyone, ever hire BB's DC? Like someone posted in the Black Monday thread, it's probably just a ball-busting move.
Possibly as a nod toward the Rooney Rule for minority candidates (Insane Curly Hair division) - Rob Ryan also qualifies.
Is it me or is this a pretty pathetic group of candidates?
Mike Smith
Mike Shanahan
Adam Gase
Doug Marrone
Teryl Austin
Josh McDaniels
Matt Patricia
Anthony Lynn
Is Pagano not interested in another coaching gig? Woudn't he immediately go to the top of the above list? I like what Hue Jackson brings to the table as well, but I don't see Tannenbaum waiting for him to become available.
I don't have a lot of faith here gentlemen, and that list certainly isn't inspiring much confidence. Really scary stuff.
Mike Smith
Mike Shanahan
Adam Gase
Doug Marrone
Teryl Austin
Josh McDaniels
Matt Patricia
Anthony Lynn
Is Pagano not interested in another coaching gig? Woudn't he immediately go to the top of the above list? I like what Hue Jackson brings to the table as well, but I don't see Tannenbaum waiting for him to become available.
I don't have a lot of faith here gentlemen, and that list certainly isn't inspiring much confidence. Really scary stuff.
I'm going to say that Shanahan and Gase are the top two names on the list for me. Pagano could be interesting. He seemed at constant odds with Irsay and Grigson, but are we talking about him as a "successful" head coach if Andrew Luck doesn't basically carry the team on his back for the previous three years?
Also, according to this article, Pagano basically ran the defense and had no input in the offense because his offensive philosophy is antiquated in today's game. For a guy that focused mainly on one side of the ball, his defense doesn't exactly cry out that he's a great hire.
I think Pagano is a fantastic HC. I think Grigson is a clownshow and is what ultimately undermined Pagano in Indianapolis. So yeah, I'd be all in on Pagano.
Chuck Pagano hasn't been officially fired yet.
How many candidates got you excited the last time we did this? Maybe Todd Bowles ends up being the one that got away, but he wasn't an extremely enticing option at the time, either. Heck, how many current NFL coaches would you for sure want to lead the Fins? I'll go with Belichick, Arians, McCarthy, Reid, Carroll, Tomlin. Anyone else? Maybe Kubiak? There aren't many sure-fire head coaches out there, and the ones who are have some pretty decent options at QB.
How many candidates got you excited the last time we did this? Maybe Todd Bowles ends up being the one that got away, but he wasn't an extremely enticing option at the time, either. Heck, how many current NFL coaches would you for sure want to lead the Fins? I'll go with Belichick, Arians, McCarthy, Reid, Carroll, Tomlin. Anyone else? Maybe Kubiak? There aren't many sure-fire head coaches out there, and the ones who are have some pretty decent options at QB.
I'd be really surprised if the Fins don't seek an interview, assuming he's fired.
I just think that having far and away the best quarterback in a bad division makes Pagano look better than he really is.
I don't know - maybe his .646 career winning percentage. Or his team's continuous improvement though the duration of his tenure in Indy (excluding this season, where they still managed to win 8 games despite being forced to play a 40-year-old at QB for 11 games).
And he managed to accomplish it all with a complete dolt picking his groceries.