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Biggest Finfan in Kingman, AZ
Miami: When college coaching star Butch Davis jumped to the NFL at Cleveland, he insisted on full control of football operations. The result was a 24-35 record despite a blank salary cap and a bonanza of extra-high draft picks, and Davis, a good guy, was so bummed out he's not coaching anywhere this fall. ( Davis just joined NFL Network, where he cannot possibly lose a game because an announcer rips off his helmet before the final whistle.) When college coaching star Nick Saban jumped to the NFL, he insisted on full control of football operations. Several months into the job, Saban hired a general manager, but the guy reports to Saban, engaging the risk he will be a yes-man. Davis' experience at Cleveland seems the ultimate argument for a point Tuesday Morning Quarterback endlessly makes -- that at the NFL level, the coaching and front office should be separate operations.
Coaches should coach; somebody else should make the personnel decisions and be the one who screams into the phone at agents. Davis, Saban and others from the football-factory ranks became accustomed to college environments where they were treated like little gods -- and where finances were rarely an issue, where the players say nothing but "right away sir" and where the press is usually pure boosterism. At the pro level, the players talk back, the media knives are always out and financial complexities cloud everything. Successful NFL coaches do not expect to be treated like little gods, and know they can't possibly do it all themselves. Bill Belichick is Exhibit A. Early in his head coaching career, he tried to run everything himself and failed; arriving at New England, he delegated much of his authority, and succeeded. Belichick at New England, not Davis at Cleveland, is the model to emulate. Yet Saban has chosen the latter path.
Saban did make a Belichick-like move by acquiring a strong staff of assistants. Last year, the Dolphins surrendered 52 sacks, an untenable total; this year, sophomore Vernon Carey, in which the Dolphins have invested a lot, simply must pan out at left tackle, where the Dolphins have been hurting since Richmond Webb. New offensive line coach Hudson Hauck, one of the best at his craft, affords Marine Mammals' faithful some hope. New Miami offensive coordinator Scott Linehan did a tip-top job in Minnesota, offering the Dolphins more hope. Linehan brought in quarterback Gus Frerotte, who was Daunte Culpepper's backup, and is a Frerotte proponent, apparently because the gentleman looked sharp in Vikings practices last season. Let's inject a little realism regarding Frerotte. He is a career 76.1 passer who has not been a fulltime starter in eight years. During his three-season run as the starter for the Washington Redskins, Frerotte compiled a 23-24-1 won-loss record. Maybe Frerotte did look good in Minnesota practices last season, but he was throwing to a top receiving corps against one of the league's worst secondaries, plus wearing a red jersey so that he could not be hit.
Even if the Marine Mammals are in a down cycle, bear in mind that since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, no NFL franchise has won more games. In fact, the Dolphins could lose every game this season and still be assured of finishing 2005 with the NFL's most wins since 1970. That is none too shabby.
Real estate note: Saban bought a $7 million beachfront home in trendy Fort Lauderdale, which is a 25-mile drive from Pro Player Stadium along a dense traffic corridor. He's going to have to leave for work early on game days!
Coaches should coach; somebody else should make the personnel decisions and be the one who screams into the phone at agents. Davis, Saban and others from the football-factory ranks became accustomed to college environments where they were treated like little gods -- and where finances were rarely an issue, where the players say nothing but "right away sir" and where the press is usually pure boosterism. At the pro level, the players talk back, the media knives are always out and financial complexities cloud everything. Successful NFL coaches do not expect to be treated like little gods, and know they can't possibly do it all themselves. Bill Belichick is Exhibit A. Early in his head coaching career, he tried to run everything himself and failed; arriving at New England, he delegated much of his authority, and succeeded. Belichick at New England, not Davis at Cleveland, is the model to emulate. Yet Saban has chosen the latter path.
Saban did make a Belichick-like move by acquiring a strong staff of assistants. Last year, the Dolphins surrendered 52 sacks, an untenable total; this year, sophomore Vernon Carey, in which the Dolphins have invested a lot, simply must pan out at left tackle, where the Dolphins have been hurting since Richmond Webb. New offensive line coach Hudson Hauck, one of the best at his craft, affords Marine Mammals' faithful some hope. New Miami offensive coordinator Scott Linehan did a tip-top job in Minnesota, offering the Dolphins more hope. Linehan brought in quarterback Gus Frerotte, who was Daunte Culpepper's backup, and is a Frerotte proponent, apparently because the gentleman looked sharp in Vikings practices last season. Let's inject a little realism regarding Frerotte. He is a career 76.1 passer who has not been a fulltime starter in eight years. During his three-season run as the starter for the Washington Redskins, Frerotte compiled a 23-24-1 won-loss record. Maybe Frerotte did look good in Minnesota practices last season, but he was throwing to a top receiving corps against one of the league's worst secondaries, plus wearing a red jersey so that he could not be hit.
Even if the Marine Mammals are in a down cycle, bear in mind that since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, no NFL franchise has won more games. In fact, the Dolphins could lose every game this season and still be assured of finishing 2005 with the NFL's most wins since 1970. That is none too shabby.
Real estate note: Saban bought a $7 million beachfront home in trendy Fort Lauderdale, which is a 25-mile drive from Pro Player Stadium along a dense traffic corridor. He's going to have to leave for work early on game days!
