For as long as I can remember, there is always one aspect of watching football that has never changed over the years. That aspect being that no matter how successful or accomplished a team is, someone will always want the coach fired in favor of someone else. This is the age old folly in sports that many have fallen prey to over time. I've been guilty of it*, many other NFL, College and High School Football fans I know are guilty of it, and print/electronic media syndicate is certainly guilty of it. Someone always wants the coach fired no matter what, for various reasons.
What usually follows this "Fire His Ass" sentiment, is the prevailing opinion that whomever they end up hiring MUST have won a Super Bowl as a head coach previously. That's the reason why guys like Vince Lombardi, Hank Stram, Mike Ditka, Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson, George Seifert, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Dick Vermeil, and Mike Shanahan have been hired by other franchises. It's also the same reason that guys like Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, and Brian Billick are high on every teams list.
Here is my question though. Out of all the guys I just listed...who among them won another Super Bowl as a Head Coach for another team? The answer is NONE. I originally thought Don Shula was the only one, but upon researching this I came to find out that he was NOT the Head Coach of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V. That would be coaching legend (kidding) Don McCafferty.
Sure, some of them have Super Bowl rings as assistants, but that's not why those guys are sought after as Head Coaches. All of them were hired by other teams largely on the basis that they won Super Bowls as Head Coaches, and ALL of them were unsuccessful at winning another Super Bowl as a Head Coach. As a matter of fact, out of all of those names, Mike Holmgren is the only one to even get BACK to the Super Bowl as a Head Coach of another team.
Am I saying that every available coach who has won a Super Bowl should be avoided when filling a Head Coach Vacancy? Absolutely not. All I'm saying is just because a guy won one before, that does not mean it is guaranteed he will do the same thing again for another team.
As a matter of fact, the next guy that does it, will be the First to do it.
*I'm not writing this to defend Lovie Smith. Quite the contrary. My position on Lovie Smith has not wavered despite the Bears 6-3 record. I still remain doubtful that he is the right head coach for this franchise, and when his contract runs out in 2012, I would not shed a tear if he wasn't retained. However, I do retain the right to change my mind on bringing him back if the Bears were to win the Super Bowl. Until such time, I will not confuse activity (being competitive, multiple playoff appearances) with accomplishment (winning Super Bowls).
No comments:
Post a Comment