Wasn't sure what to write about today and when I finally sat down I thought why not talk about coaches getting fired. I posted a story last night on facebook about Gene Chizik getting fired at Auburn and a friend of mine who's opinion I normally care for said maybe the dumbest thing I've ever heard. He claimed Wisconsin should fire their coach b/c he underachieved this year. Well after having a back and forth I realized people are irrational when it comes to coaches and their team. I'm not a fire everybody guy, I've been through enough coaches in Washington, I know firing the coach isn't always the answer. I'm gonna say have a few arguements about why firing coaches isn't the best idea.
Why not give your coach a chance, this is a real problem in college, how many guys get 3-4 years to turn things around? Almost none do, look at Notre Dame Brian Kelly is winning with kids who were recruited while he was at Cinncinnati, well not all of them but for the most part. In college you need to be able to fill your cupboard with your kids. How many guys get the axe when their first recruiting class are still Juniors? In the pro's it seems 3 years is the longest you get, well you barely have time to get your system in. The Redskins in the early 2000's had 4 coaches in 4 years. Jason Campbell a 1st round draft pick of the Skins had 4 different O-Coordinators his first 4 years and you wonder why he didn't succeed. There was a time when coaches got a long time to prove themselves, these days it's out the window. I'll tell you this if the Giants (both baseball and football) didn't stick with their coaches when they were struggling they wouldn't have those 2 rings. How many times have you heard Tom Coughlin needs to be fired in New York?
Who is better? The last 2 years I've had to listen to Iowa fans bitch about Kirk Ferentz and say he needs to be fired. Oh yeah, who ya gonna get to come to Iowa and coach local kids? I understand Ferentz is one of the highest paid coaches in the country, but he's also one of the longest tenured so threfore he should be paid a mint. When your gonna get rid of a guy who has had success you gotta look around and see who else is there. Look at the Titans, they fire Jeff Fischer, now their a garbage team while Fischer is turning the Rams into a playoff contender. I understand guys wear out their welcome but unless he's 80 like Bobby Bowden was, you need to keep him around. I again look at Iowa, last year when the Kansas City Chiefs head job opened up, Ferentz got brought up as a potential suitor, well if the NFL wants your guy I think a college in the Midwest should keep him. I also look at Wisconsin in this situation as well. You wanna fire a guy who takes you to Rose Bowl after Rose Bowl, wins you conference championships, and now after one down year you wanna get rid of him? Who is gonna come to Wisconsin and have more success? I'm not sure but I'd guess Bielema is the winniest coach in school history at least by win percentage.
Know who you are. If your in the Big Ten the ultimate goal is to get to the Rose Bowl. If you the Kansas City Royals your job is to get out of the basement, then the playoffs. If your in the SEC for football or ACC for basketball you better be competing or your out. You want to look at championships look at who wins them, teams who have their coach around a while. Because those teams have a plan and stick to it even when they go .500 or heaven forbid under .500.
What is so wrong with having a bad year? You've never had a bad year, never made a few mistakes you live to regret? This is especially prevelant in the Pro's. People always want to fire a guy after his team has a bad year. Why? Doesn't a guy build up credit? Do you know how many coaches in the NFL have Super Bowl rings? Of guys who coached last weekend it's 5 (Tomlin, Belichek, McCarthy, Coughlin, and Shannahan though he's not with Denver). Other coaches who've won a Super Bowl in the last 15 years, Brian Billick fired, John Gruden fired, Dick Vermeil retired, Sean Payton suspened, Bill Cowher retired. You've made the playoffs every year but this year you didn't, even though you had a ton of injuries and a few of the signings didn't work out, it's all the coaches fault. I get you can't fire all the players but every once in a while you gotta give guys an off year, it happens. I know fan bases ask for changes a lot but since when does and owner have to listen to a fan base? The Redskins were dreadful for 15 years under Dan Snyder and he's went through almost 10 coaches yet they keep selling out and people are still fans. Fan is short for Fanatic, people are crazy and firing coaches shouldn't be left up to fans.
Now I'll give a few examples of when it's ok to fire someone. When their in over their head, the Skins had that few years ago with Jim Zorn. He set the franchise back 5 years. Gene Chizik should never of been head coach at Auburn his resume at Iowa St. was horrible, and then his first year he has Cam Newton and wins a national title making him look like a genius, well 2 years later no Cam, and his kids are starting to take the program over and he goes 0-8 in the SEC, well in the SEC you don't go 0-8 in conference and get to keep your job. Another example is Andy Reid in Philly a guy who's built up a good record, but he's floundered the last 2 years, the reason I think Reid gets fired is the fact he chose Micheal Vick and got rid of McNabb and Kolb, he chose Namdi and got rid of Asante Samuel. The guy keeps making mistakes and needs to held accountable.
I understand coaches need to get fired and coaches are gonna get fired. I just want to say have some patience with your coach and maybe it'll pay off, the Giants had some off years with Bruce Bochey but now the guy has 2 rings and people are saying make some room for him Cooperstown, you don't wanna fire your then realize 2 years later you made a huge mistake. I think coach firings are too often and too quick, if you've had 3 coaches in the last 10 years you've had too many coaches, and someone didn't get a fair shot.
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