You want a young guy, with a fire in his belly, and someone who needs to make a mark. Cowher, great as he was, achieved everything he set out to winning the 2005 Super Bowl. He stayed on one more year just to see how he felt, and then realized that he was, in fact, satisfied and done. He might come back, might have the phantom itch, just as Favre did, but it's not the same thing as the burning desire you need to build a franchise. It's a young man's game. Cowher would probably come in here and get us into the playoffs, but he's not the long term answer to building a perennial contender and champion. Parcells is Prednisone. He is the ultimate steroid...and while he's in your system, he elevates everything, but soon after he leaves, it all falls apart. Without the force of his personality, his fixes can't be sustained. Look at the Jets, look at the Cowboys. Detroit is in rough shape and Parcells is the perfect fit for the Lions. They're in intensive care and they need a steroid just to prop them back up again. Unfortunately, the right coach is going to be difficult to find. Mangini was the right idea, wrong coach. We do need a young guy in here...a guy with something to prove... a guy with a sound plan..and a guy who's strong in his convictions, but not so stubborn or arrogant that he's not open to suggestions from his coaches or intimidated by older players. Let's hope we get this one right, finally, and that it does take.
Parcells could be a good answer as an FO guy, not as coach. I'd love Cowher as coach. He's a great fit here. He's not the be-all, end-all, but he would fit here.
I'd love to see you guys bring in Martz as a head coach and another quality WR, Martz + Farve could go on for another 5 years.
I think having a young guy was a big part of the problem. The players are less likely to respect someone so close to their age.
I guess that only leaves Spags. But even if Parcells is just a "steroid", I'd gamble on that with the talent currently on the team. It just might be enough to put it all over the top, even if it is just for one year.
I don't know how Martz keeps getting jobs...he, like Al Saunders, is considered an offensive genious for his time with Dick Vermeil, but has failed and been run out of town in every job he's had without the old crybaby. What's worse, even when he's done a good job he's driven players and staff away with his abrasive personality. Cowher and Parcells would be dream options. Age does not disqualify them.
We can't afford another "hot", young assistant. It just keeps the cycle going, in 3 years we'll be looking for a new HC again and 3 years after that. We need a proven guy like a Cowher.
There is a big difference between Mangini and Spagnuolo I think. Mangini was only DC for one year, and his one year was less than spectacular. Spagnuolo has had two very spectacular years as the defensive coordinator of the Giants, including one in which the Giants not only won the Super Bowl, but defeated the best offense in NFL history. Spagnuolo turned down the job in Washington because he felt he wasn't ready yet... that shows maturity. If he feels he's ready to take on the Jets, I believe him. Further, he spent 8 years under Jim Johnson, who is the king of blitzing in the modern NFL. Blitzing is in Spagnuolo's blood, which is exactly what this team needs.
Alot of coordinators have had great resumes as a DC or OC and they fail as a HC. The 2 young guys this year no one heard of, Smith in Atlanta and Sparano in Miami. Coslet was a successful OC, Carroll a successful DC, Belichick was a great DC w/ the Giants then failed in Cleveland. We can't afford to miss, we need a proven guy.
I see your concern. Our immediate concern should just be, "How do we play competitive football next year and possibly make the playoffs in a difficult schedule?" This is a huge challenge given what just happened to us. You need experience for where we are right now; not experiments. I consider Mangini an experiment (proof contrary) in "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." The apple does fall far from the tree if the tree is growing on a steep hill. Cowher would be a good choice and I really do not even for a moment think Bill Parcells is in the cards. Spagnola should be considered. The list starts to get shorter after that.
Almost all head coaches are people with great resumes, and most fail. I totally understand that. My point is that Spagnuolo has spent his entire football career in a system that involved attacking the opposition. That is what we need. My personal choice is Bill Cowher. He provides that attacking mentality. If we were going to go with someone young and unproven though, I would want it to be someone who fits that description, and Spagnuolo is that guy right now. I still choose Bill Cowher, because I agree Junc, we need someone with experience and fire and an aggressive attitude to take over this team.
Not only does Cowher bring experience and fire....he could also tap Pittsburgh's current staff to fill coordinator positions...more specifically...their Linebackers coach (Kevin Butler) would make a GREAT DC...and we wouldn't have to change or 3-4 alignment. So there are some positive intangibles that will come with a "Cowher hire".
Woody Johnson should bring Cowher in for an interview, sit him down, and hand him a blank check. He is absolutely the right guy for the job.
One thing I believe I learned from the EM era is that the CS needs to be an intelligent network of guys and that if you get a good HC but he hires a dumbass DC or OC, you're screwed no matter what. So, who would Spags hire as OC and DC? Who would Cowher hire? Which of them would put a better overall staff together? ^^^ edit: those are good points for BC
I love question marks. It makes me feel even better about missing the playoffs. I'm so glad I am sitting here saying to myself "what now"? I mean, I really wanted that feeling on top of everything else. Awesome. We are going to get someone way worse then, Mangini. I feel it coming.
Cowher is certainly preferable to what we had, but there's a reason why guys retire. I guarantee you pulling out a blank check is the worst approach you can take...the last thing we want is to convince somebody to come here because the money is too good to pass us. Everything we've heard is that Cowher is not ready to come back...if a check with a lot of zeros does change his mind, what are you really buying? Spag has a pedigree with Philly and the Giants and up until yesterday, the fans couldn't wait to run Reid out of town and get Spagnuolo back in the fold.
I was thinking about this last night and what excited me about the prospect of hiring Cowher is that not only does he seem to have a great nose for assembling a CS, he can also draw the right candidates.
