The Age of the Coach

[DBoston80]

This ignores playoff records, which is what its all about. What is Wannstadt's playoff record? And I'm not trying to bash him, I really don't know.

I can see both sides of the argument here as to whether Wannstadt should be fired. On the one hand, he's had a number of years to take them to the SB and hasn't done it. But on the other side, if a coach consistently wins 9 to 11 games every year, odds are he will eventually do some damage in the playoffs. Bill Cowher is in the same situation in Pittsburgh. Has he been HC too long?

Sad to say but I totally agree.....Wanny has worn out his welcome IMO

 

[MDFINFAN]

You make some great points KYfinfan, but consider this. The only consideration for a coach should be, "Did he get the most out of what he had to work with?" In both Shula and Johnson's case, I would say yes. I think they just couldn't put the talent together. Especially, in Shula's case. Shula was his own worst enemy. He always won no matter what he had. He could never get enough decent draft picks to surround Marino with the talent he needed. Of course, in my opinion, Shula was a much better Head Coach than he was a General Manager. His draft picks were, for the most part, terrible.

I really don't think Wanny, with the exception of his first year with us, has gotten the most out of his players. The last 2 years have been big disappointments. I wasn't disappointed necessarily with Shula or Johnson, because they didn't have much talent to work with.

The top teams today have great coaches. To win big in this league now you must have a great coaching staff.

Wanny's gotten way more out this team than Johnson and Shula for the last 8 years..I actually like our team more now than I did with Jimmy and shula..with Shula we never had a D hardly, with Jimmy he was alway building, and now Wanny is tickering and doing a good job,...one day you guys will appreciated how good of a job he has done. Like Shula he's his own worst enermy in terms of success, which means he can't get high draft pick either..

 

[FinFan57]

I couldn't disagree more. Jimmy took a young, beat up team in his last year to the 2nd round of the playoffs. All anyone remembers is that we lost to Jacksonville 62-7. That's because under Shula and Johnson we overachieved. We were perennial overachievers - going to the playoffs every year with weak talent. Let's face it....most of Wannstedt's players and limited success is directly related to the players Jimmy drafted.

Wanny has had far more talent to work with and we have had far less success. No playoffs in 2 years with our roster is a crying shame.

 

[dolfan4good]

I couldn't disagree more. Jimmy took a young, beat up team in his last year to the 2nd round of the playoffs. All anyone remembers is that we lost to Jacksonville 62-7. That's because under Shula and Johnson we overachieved. We were perennial overachievers - going to the playoffs every year with weak talent. Let's face it....most of Wannstedt's players and limited success is directly related to the players Jimmy drafted.

Wanny has had far more talent to work with and we have had far less success. No playoffs in 2 years with our roster is a crying shame.

I tend to agree with this assesment. I believe teams really take on the coach's personality, and this team reflects the lack of "going for the kill" of it's coach. Simply watch the second half of games in which we are leading to see that they don't play with the same attitude. Instead, we play to "survive". If there is one OBVIOUS flaw in Wanny's coaching, it is that lack of "running it up" so to speak that drives me insane!

 

[KYfinfan]

Let's face it....most of Wannstedt's players and limited success is directly related to the players Jimmy drafted.

Well, Wanny can prove himself this year and get out of Jimmy's shadow. Jimmy's "players" have pretty much consisted of Thomas, Taylor, Madison, Surtain, and Konrad over the last couple of seasons. 17 of the 22 starters this year were brought in by Wanny and Spielman.

 

[Shula Fan]

lets say we did fire wanny this offseason who out there that was available would be an improvement? from what i can remember the selection wasnt that great.

Denny Green