Press Box Notes
The one good thing about blowout wins like yesterday's Jets-Seahawks game is that you get more time to hang out in the lounge and watch the other contests with the various assembled media. I always try to keep my ears perked so that I can share the gossip. Here it is. Unfiltered:
Dick Vermiel hates Mike Shanahan. I didn't know that. This came up halfway through the fourth quarter, with the Chiefs nursing a 32-point lead. Vermeil was still taking big shots downfield with the passing game and even kicked a field goal with four minutes left to go up 45-10. I guess that's better than taking another shot into the end zone.
Reporters feel sorry for Mike Tice only making $300K a year to coach the Vikings. I didn't hear this until I ran into my father's old crew down at the Anthony Wayne (see the Week 15 Giants-Steelers Forecast). They obviously picked it up form the media, who are making a story of it with Tice quite possibly getting fired. How the hell are you going to spend more than $300K per year in Minnesota anyway? And that's a lot of money no matter where you live.
Coaches aren't happy though. It's a hard life. The college coaches being courted for NFL jobs see how happy their friends in the pro ranks are and the college jobs benefit from that comparison. The glory is in the NFL, but it's a year-round job where people are expected to work 15-to-18 hours per day. Was Vince Lombardi working these kinds of hours? Did Tom Landry sleep in his office on weekdays? I don't think so. At what point do all these hours result in diminishing returns? Maybe these guys are groggy on game day and that's why they make so many curious decisions that are directly in conflict with their stated goals of "playing the percentages." (Always go to footballcommentary.com for their unrivalled analysis of these decisions.)
So, Holmgren is 95 percent gone. Martz is very likely gone, too. And remember, one of them is going to win the NFC West, so you can tell esteem people hold for that accomplishment.
Holmgren to San Francisco will follow, according to those in the know, with the Niners set on USC's Matt Leinhart with the first pick. But I don't think head-to-head is a factor in draft-pick tiebreakers (I think it's strength of schedule), so the Dolphins will win that because of the AFC East and get that first pick if things hold the way they are. I wondered if Holmgren might opt for free agent to be Matt Hasselbeck in San Francisco, but that was shot down (though for no reason other than Leinhart). Maybe Holmgren figures the rookie QB buys him time.
Haslett is a goner in New Orleans. None of the jobs were viewed as desireable, but I'd take a crack at Seattle. There's some talent there and the owner is willing to spend. The most desireable job will probably be taken by Tennessee's Jeff Fisher, who is viewed as being very likely to depart the Titans for non-football related reasons. Basically, the owner doesn't show him enough respect. Plus, Fisher has a reputation for being outcoached in big games.
Dick Vermiel hates Mike Shanahan. I didn't know that. This came up halfway through the fourth quarter, with the Chiefs nursing a 32-point lead. Vermeil was still taking big shots downfield with the passing game and even kicked a field goal with four minutes left to go up 45-10. I guess that's better than taking another shot into the end zone.
Reporters feel sorry for Mike Tice only making $300K a year to coach the Vikings. I didn't hear this until I ran into my father's old crew down at the Anthony Wayne (see the Week 15 Giants-Steelers Forecast). They obviously picked it up form the media, who are making a story of it with Tice quite possibly getting fired. How the hell are you going to spend more than $300K per year in Minnesota anyway? And that's a lot of money no matter where you live.
Coaches aren't happy though. It's a hard life. The college coaches being courted for NFL jobs see how happy their friends in the pro ranks are and the college jobs benefit from that comparison. The glory is in the NFL, but it's a year-round job where people are expected to work 15-to-18 hours per day. Was Vince Lombardi working these kinds of hours? Did Tom Landry sleep in his office on weekdays? I don't think so. At what point do all these hours result in diminishing returns? Maybe these guys are groggy on game day and that's why they make so many curious decisions that are directly in conflict with their stated goals of "playing the percentages." (Always go to footballcommentary.com for their unrivalled analysis of these decisions.)
So, Holmgren is 95 percent gone. Martz is very likely gone, too. And remember, one of them is going to win the NFC West, so you can tell esteem people hold for that accomplishment.
Holmgren to San Francisco will follow, according to those in the know, with the Niners set on USC's Matt Leinhart with the first pick. But I don't think head-to-head is a factor in draft-pick tiebreakers (I think it's strength of schedule), so the Dolphins will win that because of the AFC East and get that first pick if things hold the way they are. I wondered if Holmgren might opt for free agent to be Matt Hasselbeck in San Francisco, but that was shot down (though for no reason other than Leinhart). Maybe Holmgren figures the rookie QB buys him time.
Haslett is a goner in New Orleans. None of the jobs were viewed as desireable, but I'd take a crack at Seattle. There's some talent there and the owner is willing to spend. The most desireable job will probably be taken by Tennessee's Jeff Fisher, who is viewed as being very likely to depart the Titans for non-football related reasons. Basically, the owner doesn't show him enough respect. Plus, Fisher has a reputation for being outcoached in big games.
Entry #110356112634082197 posted by Catherine Salfino at 11:14 AM
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