Post by scorpion42 on Jan 9, 2009 16:12:08 GMT -7
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA | INSIDE THE LIONS
Too soon to predict coach
BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • January 9, 2009
Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is the leading candidate to become the Lions' next coach, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said Wednesday.
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On Showtime's "Inside the NFL," according to the Dallas Morning News, Lombardi said Garrett is "the guy they think can turn their franchise around."
But wait.
On nationalfootballpost.com Thursday, Lombardi wrote: "I hear the order in Detroit today is Jim Schwartz of the Titans, Jason Garrett of the Cowboys and Leslie Frazier of the Vikings."
The same site reported last week that Garrett had removed his name from consideration for the Lions' job. He interviewed Monday.
Lombardi knows a lot of people, and with the Lions being so secretive about their coaching search, any report or opinion from a respected voice is like water in the desert.
But how can anyone come to any conclusions at this point -- including the Lions? They haven't even interviewed everyone yet. Frazier, the Vikings' defensive coordinator, comes in today.
Remember what happened the last time the Lions went through a coaching search? They had a leading candidate three years ago, too. Various media reported he was at or near the top of the Lions' list. One espn.com columnist even wrote that "league and Lions sources" said the job was his when his team's season was over.
The reports made sense. The candidate had a lot in common with then-president Matt Millen. Both had Pennsylvania roots. Both were excellent NFL players, and they were teammates for a season. Both were big, tough guys with moustaches.
The candidate didn't have the right initials, but at least his last name ended with two M's. He was Russ Grimm.
Millen didn't hire him. He didn't hire another widely reported name, Jim Haslett, either. He hired Rod Marinelli.
So who knows?
I can see why Garrett could be the -- or a -- leading candidate. He has a reputation for being organized, carrying himself like a head coach and interviewing well. He is a quarterbacks coach, and if the Lions are considering drafting a QB with the No. 1 pick, they might think Garrett would be best to develop him.
Garrett was the hot name last off-season. To keep him, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones bumped his salary to more than $3 million per year and made him head coach-in-waiting.
But his stock has dropped dramatically because of the Cowboys' struggles on offense this season, and the Lions could be behind the curve once again. Still, Garrett is a candidate for the Broncos' job, and he apparently is ready to leave Dallas this time around. This could be a chance to snag an up-and-coming guy who had a bad year.
I also can see the Lions hiring a defensive coach, considering their awful defense, their reported list of candidates and Mayhew's background.
Garrett, Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh are offensive candidates. But the rest are defensive: Frazier, Schwartz, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray and Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles.
Mayhew was an NFL cornerback. Three of his candidates were NFL cornerbacks: Frazier, Gray and Bowles. Two were teammates of his: Gray and Bowles.
But again, remember the lesson of Millen and Grimm, and remember this, too: After Marinelli was hired, we learned that the Lions interviewed more candidates than we knew. Some names never made the media.
This part of the process should be about exploring options, unless you're fighting for an obvious, slam-dunk candidate.
The Lions should be looking at different types of coaches while also using the opportunity to pick their brains, get opinions about their players and look for coordinators.
Lombardi might be right. Garrett might have been the guy Wednesday. Schwartz, Garrett and Frazier might have been the pecking order Thursday.
Unfortunately, we still don't know who it will be on hiring day.
MARINELLI UPDATE: The Lions' former coach is interviewing with the Texans, according to the Houston Chronicle. They have openings at defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Marinelli wants to be a defensive line coach again and already has visited the Bears and Seahawks.
Even though Marinelli just led the Lions to the NFL's first 0-16 season, he remains a hot commodity -- as an assistant. A lot of people respect and admire him for who he is and what he did for 10 years as Tampa Bay's defensive line coach.
Contact NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA at 313-222-8831 or ncotsonika@freepress.com. Check out his Lions blog at www.freep.com/sports.
Too soon to predict coach
BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • January 9, 2009
Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is the leading candidate to become the Lions' next coach, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said Wednesday.
Advertisement
On Showtime's "Inside the NFL," according to the Dallas Morning News, Lombardi said Garrett is "the guy they think can turn their franchise around."
But wait.
On nationalfootballpost.com Thursday, Lombardi wrote: "I hear the order in Detroit today is Jim Schwartz of the Titans, Jason Garrett of the Cowboys and Leslie Frazier of the Vikings."
The same site reported last week that Garrett had removed his name from consideration for the Lions' job. He interviewed Monday.
Lombardi knows a lot of people, and with the Lions being so secretive about their coaching search, any report or opinion from a respected voice is like water in the desert.
But how can anyone come to any conclusions at this point -- including the Lions? They haven't even interviewed everyone yet. Frazier, the Vikings' defensive coordinator, comes in today.
Remember what happened the last time the Lions went through a coaching search? They had a leading candidate three years ago, too. Various media reported he was at or near the top of the Lions' list. One espn.com columnist even wrote that "league and Lions sources" said the job was his when his team's season was over.
The reports made sense. The candidate had a lot in common with then-president Matt Millen. Both had Pennsylvania roots. Both were excellent NFL players, and they were teammates for a season. Both were big, tough guys with moustaches.
The candidate didn't have the right initials, but at least his last name ended with two M's. He was Russ Grimm.
Millen didn't hire him. He didn't hire another widely reported name, Jim Haslett, either. He hired Rod Marinelli.
So who knows?
I can see why Garrett could be the -- or a -- leading candidate. He has a reputation for being organized, carrying himself like a head coach and interviewing well. He is a quarterbacks coach, and if the Lions are considering drafting a QB with the No. 1 pick, they might think Garrett would be best to develop him.
Garrett was the hot name last off-season. To keep him, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones bumped his salary to more than $3 million per year and made him head coach-in-waiting.
But his stock has dropped dramatically because of the Cowboys' struggles on offense this season, and the Lions could be behind the curve once again. Still, Garrett is a candidate for the Broncos' job, and he apparently is ready to leave Dallas this time around. This could be a chance to snag an up-and-coming guy who had a bad year.
I also can see the Lions hiring a defensive coach, considering their awful defense, their reported list of candidates and Mayhew's background.
Garrett, Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh are offensive candidates. But the rest are defensive: Frazier, Schwartz, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray and Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles.
Mayhew was an NFL cornerback. Three of his candidates were NFL cornerbacks: Frazier, Gray and Bowles. Two were teammates of his: Gray and Bowles.
But again, remember the lesson of Millen and Grimm, and remember this, too: After Marinelli was hired, we learned that the Lions interviewed more candidates than we knew. Some names never made the media.
This part of the process should be about exploring options, unless you're fighting for an obvious, slam-dunk candidate.
The Lions should be looking at different types of coaches while also using the opportunity to pick their brains, get opinions about their players and look for coordinators.
Lombardi might be right. Garrett might have been the guy Wednesday. Schwartz, Garrett and Frazier might have been the pecking order Thursday.
Unfortunately, we still don't know who it will be on hiring day.
MARINELLI UPDATE: The Lions' former coach is interviewing with the Texans, according to the Houston Chronicle. They have openings at defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Marinelli wants to be a defensive line coach again and already has visited the Bears and Seahawks.
Even though Marinelli just led the Lions to the NFL's first 0-16 season, he remains a hot commodity -- as an assistant. A lot of people respect and admire him for who he is and what he did for 10 years as Tampa Bay's defensive line coach.
Contact NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA at 313-222-8831 or ncotsonika@freepress.com. Check out his Lions blog at www.freep.com/sports.