The Lions Playing on Thanksgiving Debate… Turkey Without the Side of Losing Football, Please

November 22, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Optimist Prime.

There are many things in this great nation for which I’m thankful. But, the Detroit Lions? Not one of them.

The Lions are a loathsome and virtually unwatchable team. With the exception of perhaps Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford, the Lions are a ragtag team of roster fillers. The team is in a constant state of rebuilding and new management and owns one of the most dubious losing streaks not just in football, but all of professional sports. Even while markedly improved from years past, the team is still not on par with the rest of the league and hasn’t been for quite some time, making them undeserving of the attention they receive each and every November. I don’t care what their purported legacy is or what their ticket sales look like. The Lions have been so bad for so long (having failed to post a winning season since 2000) that they should be banned from Thanksgiving football.

Thanksgiving is a special time that the NFL should use to highlight the very best it has to offer. As families throughout the nation converge for a large Thanksgiving meal, millions of Americans will choose to digest in front of their televisions, and millions of those televisions will be tuned to NFL football. This is a crucial opportunity for the league that should not be overlooked. Whole families – young and old, male and female, sports fan and non-sports fan alike – will be watching the NFL. This presents the NFL with an incredible opportunity not just to acquire new fans but to become a permanent tradition infused into the culture of families throughout the country. By providing heart pounding, nail-biting action the NFL can ensure families will tune in each year and carry the tradition on for generations to come.

Instead, however, Detroit maintains its stranglehold on the Lion’s share of the market (pun intended, thank you very much) and both the fans and the league suffer. For some unknown reason, America is forced to continue to suffer by watching the poor play of a team that is perennially out of contention for the playoffs flounder on a national stage. It is enough to make one mad enough that a guy would go all Dancing with the Stars and take a 12 gauge to their flat screen. The action is so bad at times that it simply does not warrant watching, not even for fantasy football purposes – because really, if you drafted several Detroit Lions players you probably don’t have a reason to keep up with your team anymore.

Despite my passion for the NFL, I cannot recall a Lions game that kept my attention in recent years. Instead I remember games that are so boring that I am forced to watch reruns of movies like a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving for the 22nd time because it is simply more painless than watching Detroit.

The only defense I can see for maintaining this pointless tradition is tradition itself. That is a poor defense to say the least, because as the old saying goes, “Traditions were meant to be broken.”

Roger Goodell should instead create a new tradition, a tradition of exciting and winning football. It is not as if America would not accept another team on Thanksgiving, and there are plenty of teams with a national following to choose from. The Patriots, Giants, Colts, and Saints immediately come to mind. Each of these teams has extended beyond a simple regional following and certainly has a potent offense capable of wowing dedicated NFL followers and potential fans alike. Honestly, who wouldn’t rather watch Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or Drew Brees carve up an opposing defense like a delicious turkey, rather than choke down what feels like the stale leftovers of Lion’s play? It could even go with the first Thanksgiving theme by capitalizing on New England’s colonial and patriotic imagery. Even though the Patriots will be playing this Turkey Day, they shouldn’t be sharing the spotlight with Detroit.

It seems that the NFL think tank has really missed the boat on this one. Perhaps the NFL feels comfortable with the status quo because the league is currently riding a wave of high popularity, but with a work stoppage lurking in the wings the NFL needs all of the good attention it can get right now. For that to happen, the Lions must not get the Thanksgiving Day spotlight. Anything else is a tale of opportunity missed.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The 2010 NFL Mid-Season Playoff Push Debate… Bad Division Equals Playoff Rams

November 11, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer.

You can call it parity or you can call it mediocrity, but the fact of the matter is that a sizable portion of the NFL can still harbor playoff dreams halfway through this 2010 season. In fact, if you decide that every team with a 3-5 record or better can semi-legitimately harbor a playoff dream, that leaves 25 teams “in the playoff race.” Removing teams with less than four wins takes that count down to 22 teams in the race. The writers here at The Sports Debates were tasked with picking a dark horse out of that field and deciphering which unconventional “hot” team is prepared to make a playoff push. I have therefore gone with an unconventional choice – the St. Louis Rams.

Yup, the Rams. While they haven’t been the greatest show on turf in some time, and they have recently languished at or near the bottom of the league, the 2010 edition of the St. Louis Rams is a legitimately interesting football team and one to watch down the stretch. You may be asking, “Optimist Prime, when did you start smoking crack?” Rest assured that I am not under the influence of any legal or illegal drug at the time of this writing. Also, please note that I am not arguing that the Rams are the best vaguely .500 team left. What I am arguing is that the Rams have a nice combination of A) a young team playing for enthusiastic coach and B) the easiest path to the playoffs by winning the worst division in football, the NFC West.

The Rams currently lead the NFC West at 4-4. An astute NFL observer would likely point out that the Seahawks are actually tied with the Rams at 4-4 and the Arizona Cardinals are only a game back. This is correct, but I believe these teams are not likely to threaten the Rams because of one fairly obscure stat – points for versus points against. The Rams have 140 points for and 141 points against so far this season. That sounds pretty bad, right? Sure, it does, but keep in mind we’re talking about the NFC West here. The Seahawks have scored 51 points less than they’ve given up and the Cardinals have scored 68 points less than they’ve given up so far this year. This tells me that the Rams are keeping games close while their divisional foes, in general, are not. When you’re playing a game that involves an oblong ball, close games are good – strange things happen.

Beyond their record and scoring margin, another thing the Rams have going for them is an inspired coach doing a bang-up job leading his charges. Check out this post from Rams blog Turf Show Times. While admitting the talent deficiency of the squad, the writer (and, by a quick gander around the Interwebs, many Rams fans) notes the heart and passion that goes into what the Rams are producing on Sundays. Anybody who has watched the rest of the division put up stinkers like last Sunday’s 41-7 shellacking that the Giants put on the Seahawks, or Arizona’s two losses by 30 or more points, knows that heart and determination and adequate coaching may be all a team needs to capture the NFC West crown.

I realize that I have used this space arguing more for the lousiness of the NFC West than the quality of the Rams. But it seems to me that it is the best way to win the argument. Taking nothing away from the team, which really does have the easiest road to the playoffs, it is fair to note that it’s easier to make a charge into the playoffs if you’re playing lousy teams on the way. Go Rams!

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The 2010 Mid-Season NFL Coach to Go First Debate… Fire Childress Chant Picks Up Steam

November 4, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer.

It was not hard to hear. And it wasn’t one of those chants you hear from a crowd that is tough to figure out what is being chanted. It was abundantly clear to all those in attendance that the crowd on the Minnesota Vikings’ home turn was yelling “Fire Brad Childress… Fire Brad Childress!” The thing is, the crowd was spitting this refrain after a win over the Lions, the team’s first win of the 2010 season.

Many coaches are on finding their respective seats getting hotter and hotter. But, Brad Childress is the proud owner of the hottest seat around right now. No NFL team had higher expectations coming into the season, and no team has done a worse job of fulfilling those expectations.

Fans agree. There is a Fire Brad Childress Internet petition you can sign. If that is too much action for you, feel free and enjoy a video compilation or funny Childress poses that are clear proof he must be fired. Read reports of tiffs between Childress and the player his entire career is now tethered securely to… reports that pre-date game one of the season. Join the Fire Brad Childress Facebook group, retweet some pithy remarks from firechilly.com, or Twitter’s “firechildress,” or givechildresstheboot.com. Here’s a picture of Childress with a bright red X over his face.

Usually when fans are getting this loud about firing a coach it is tougher for the front office to ignore. Childress has not delivered an NFC Championship or Super Bowl in his tenure, and he has made a host of questionable and dubious decisions, including enabling Brett Favre’s indecision and tying his team’s success dubiously to Favre’s right arm (and ankle, elbow, fingers, thumb, legs, etc.).

Just this week Childress decided to release his new prized receiver and offensive savior, Randy Moss, rather than listen to possible insights from a player who dressed in the opponents uniform a short week before playing them. Hmmm, it seems like a pretty bad idea to ignore the advice of a veteran, let alone one that can willingly help identify tendencies of an opponent.

Childress’ bad decisions really are too numerous to mention. First, the decision to beg Favre to come back and play for him is ridiculous and many levels. He let Favre skip camp and hold his entire team hostage. Then, as the season dawned, the group played predictably bad and unorganized. Second, Childress has not been effective at keeping talented players to stay in Minnesota. Center Matt Birk – who is one of the better players at his position in the league – loved playing in Minnesota, but not for Brad Childress. These are not small, insignificant decisions. These are decisions as a head coach that dramatically impact the talent of the team and the mental health of the locker room.

The consequences of these decisions – and many more- are now becoming very evident. A case for firing Childress is clear, but why fire Childress before the end of the season – and before coaches like Wade Phillips and Mike Singletary, who are being highlighted by my esteemed colleagues?

The Vikings stand only to lose more and more the longer Childress is coach. The team is not a playoff team this season, is far back in the standings, and is struggle to mesh the varying talents of a patchwork team after a desperation move to trade for Randy Moss… a decision for the present that has a cost for the future.

While some Childress apologists may be reading this and screaming at their computer screens right now that Brett Favre is the issue, consider that Favre is not the team’s running game. One of the primary issues with the lackluster Vikings offense – the side of the ball Childress professes to be a guru on – is the inconsistency of the running game. The real issues on the offensive side of the ball appear to be undetermined, and that responsibility can be laid at the feet of the self-professed offensive guru/head coach.

Listen, it’s a bad economy still. Jobs are tough to come by. But Childress probably has some pennies stocked away somewhere. And Vikings cans can’t wait for him to need them.

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The Early Season NFL Injury Debate… Saints Get Bushwhacked

September 27, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

Early season injuries are always tough. Just when a team is trying to find its stride, a key player gets injured and it is as if the team has to start over from scratch. Any rhythm the team has offensively is gone. All of the practice, the OTAs, the training camp, is rendered meaningless because the coaching staff and players have to hit reset on the approach to offense.

My colleagues, and others in the sports media, will argue for a variety of players as having the most important injury after three weeks of the regular season. However, most of those players either aren’t important enough to their team for the injury to be meaningful, or the team wasn’t important enough to the division, conference or league – that is, team expectations were low – so the injury just is not that big of a deal.

The first scenario includes players like Ryan Grant, Kevin Kolb, and Dennis Dixon. They are probably decent players, but not irreplaceable. The second scenario includes a player like Matthew Stafford. He may be important to his team, but the expectations for the Lions were so low that his absence doesn’t really impact anything.

Reggie Bush, however, is a different story. The division, conference, and league has high expectations for the returning champions. The Saints, in many ways, are a team defined by offense and big plays. Reggie Bush is the key to making the offense work. He is a versatile player, and one the team built its offense around. He can take a hand off, a direct snap, or split out wide in the slot and catch a slant pattern. He is the type of player a team has to get the ball to in space because he can quickly make a big play.

It is evident that a player is really tough to replace when beat writers start printing stories about how the team is dealing with the aftermath of the injury. Browse any local paper you’d like to, and you’ll see articles about how the Saints are going to struggle moving on from Bush’s broken fibula.

The biggest chance to look for in Bush’s absence is how the Saints will adjust to zone coverage, especially when facing a nickel package where the defense has at least one extra defensive back. Normally this is a situation where Bush would be sent in motion after lining up in the running back position. The idea is to create a mismatch with the opposition where Bush runs pass patterns against lower depth chart defensive backs or even linebackers. Especially on third down – a down the Saints are excellent at converting at 36 percent this season and a whopping 44.7 percent last season – as that is the preferred down for the opposition to mix up the defensive look.

Those who argue that Bush’s absence will not be felt are likely have their head stuck in the stat sheet. Bush isn’t setting records for rushing yards or receiving yards. But to reduce what Bush does for the Saints to stats reflects a poor understanding of Bush and, frankly, of football. Bush can change field position and break any play, and that is the most difficult type of player to replace in the lineup.

The Saints are not going to start playing terribly now. But, the team will have to hit reset and break out of an approach that has worked for several seasons. It is difficult, frustrating, and inconvenient, and there will be an adjustment period for the Saints. Bush isn’t the type of talent that can simply be replaced. The gameplan has to change, and that is why Bush’s injury is the most difficult to recover from at this point in the season.

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The 2010 NFL Rookie Impact Debate… Suh-Weet Defense In Store For Lions

July 29, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

Oh agents, why do you always insist on preventing your marquee rookies from getting into camp on time?

Here we are just a few days (hours, really) before NFL Training Camps open all over the country. The number one overall pick has not yet signed, so the market in many ways has not been set.

But that is something that agents care about a lot more than players. For example, Ndamukong Suh has made it clear that he is excited and ready to get started with his new team, the Detroit Lions. But, his agents – Roosevelt Barnes and Eugene Parker – are preventing Suh from acting on his excitement. In fact, these are the same two agents that insisted on getting Michael Crabtree top five money for a tenth overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers last season. Who knows what the future holds, and how quickly Suh can get into camp?

The good thing about Ndamukong Suh, however, is that it likely won’t matter if he holds out or the length a hold out may be. Suh’s primary assets – size and strength – will still be raring to go when he gets to camp. In fact, nothing – not even an ill-timed, obviously frustrating hold out – will prevent Suh from being the number one most impactful rookie of the 2010 NFL season.

Two primary elements go into making an impact during the rookie season.

The first requirement for good impact conditions is being on a lousy team. Suh has that covered in spades since he was drafted by the Detroit Lions. The Lions suck. We all know that, and it is okay to say it out loud. But Suh’s presence in the middle of the defensive line with be an immediate positive influence on the run defense. The Lions run defense gave up 126.6 yards on the ground last season. Suh will not fix all of the team’s run defense problems, but he will do an excellent job clogging up the middle and shedding blockers. A good defense in the NFL is built from the inside out, and Suh creates a lot of good will and reason for positivity for the future of the Lions defense.

The second requirement necessary for an impactful rookie season is crazy gobs of talent, something that Suh has a boatload of. For proof, check out his very impressive college stats. He improved on tackles every season he played college football, and he consistently improved in the sack department, netting an impressive 12 in his senior season. He also has four career interceptions, which is basically unfair.

Now, my colleagues are going to argue in favor of Dallas rookie Dez Bryant (who, to his credit, is already in camp) and Oakland linebacker Rolando McClain. McClain, however, is only a story in the stat line after a game if guys like Suh do their thankless jobs very well. McClain will be a good player, but he won’t radically alter the trajectory of a defensive unit like Suh will.

Bryant I have already questioned in past arguments on this Web site. His strange behavior and rustiness coming off of a season where he earned an NCAA suspension make me suspicious of how impactful he’ll be immediately. He is already ruffling feathers by refusing to do what most rookies do and carry the pads of veteran players… like Roy Williams who he is engaged in an informal position battle against.

Only one player from the 2010 NFL rookie class is qualified to immediately start and make an immediate difference on the first game of the season. That player is Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

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The 2010 NFL QB Insurance Debate… Billy the Experienced, Reliable Kid

July 27, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Babe Ruthless.

In the second installment of our popular NFL Week here at The Sports Debates, is a debate about NFL insurance. Welcome to the debate about the most popular guy in town, the backup quarterback.

Of course, some second string quarterbacks are popular because they are actually talented – even more talented than the starters in some rare cases. At least, that is the situation according to fans. Usually it is the fans that drive the popularity of the backup and try and force the coaches to make a switch at starter. And, none of that would be necessary if a team was winning. It’s only when a team is losing, or when a starter gets hurt, that the backup signal caller even matters.

The San Diego Chargers likely do not have to worry about the losing part. But, it seems as though the team would be in trouble if starter Phillip Rivers got hurt. That’s why it is a good thing the team has the BEST quarterback insurance policy, backup quarterback Billy Volek.

Now, before I completely convince you that Volek is the NFL’s best backup quarterback, let’s all acknowledge and chuckle about the fact that a grown man, even a professional athlete, still goes by “Billy.” Not Bill, Will, William, or any other possible derivation where folks can safely assume he is over the age of eight. But, the jokes possible about his name aside, he is one heck of a talented and proven backup.

Do not be distracted by his 3-7 all time record as a starter in the NFL. I could launch into a very convincing 18 page article about the details of Volek’s career and the total points his team’s defense, then the Tennessee Titans, surrendered during his starts that reflect so poorly on his record (219 in ten games… ouch). But, let’s face it, that article would only entertain Billy’s parents. (See? He sounds eight.)

We know that Volek cannot play defense, but we also know that he can put up big time passing numbers with the best starters in the NFL.

For example, Volek has a career completion percentage of 60 percent. He has thrown 27 touchdowns against just 15 picks. A Kerry Collins injury with the Tennessee Titans in 2004 paved the way for Volek to get his first true shot at being a starter in the league. The 2-6 record was not that outstanding, but he did complete over 61 percent of his passes and threw for 2,486 yards in just eight games. He threw eight more touchdowns than interceptions. While not known as the most fleet of foot quarterback in the game, he managed to gain a net positive in yards for the 204 season with 50 (despite being sacked a bunch), and he even had a touchdown to go with it.

Here is my favorite Volek stat – he was ninth in the NFL in passing yards per game in 2004 despite starting only eight games, then playing in two more he did not start. He averaged 248.6 yards per contest without being a full time starter on a team with some seriously questionable offensive talent.

The consistency and stats all add up to one conclusion – if given the chance, Billy Volek can lead an offense to score some big time points. Volek still has a lot to prove, but he has at least showed ability when he gets his opportunities.

My colleagues will argue in favor of players like Tavaris Jackson and a completely unproven Jimmy Clausen. Heck, Bleacher Fan even first called Rex Grossman before finally switching to Jackson. Jackson had his chance and could not get the job done. Clausen admittedly has not had a chance yet, but if I coached the Panthers with Clausen as my backup option, would I feel comfortable? No way.

Billy Volek is the league’s best B squad quarterback, and the Chargers have loaded up on some great insurance.

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The NFL Training Camp Hottest Coaching Seat Debate… Past Mistakes Haunt Lovie

July 26, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

Well, it’s now or never. It turns out that losing a Super Bowl only buys a few years of confidence from ownership and a desperate general manager. Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith has a date with destiny in 2010, and enters training camp as the coach with the hottest seat underneath him.

There are other coaches that have a tenuous grip on their job, but only Smith’s is truly precarious. While Jeff Fisher and Wade Phillips and Andy Reid – among others – are certainly not without their problems this Fall, only Lovie Smith saw his seat begin to heat up last October.

Some claim that Lovie Smith’s seat first warmed last October when the team fell to 3-3 after a brutally honest 45-10 loss to a still undefined Cincinnati team. The loss was devastating, the new quarterback the city wanted to love, Jay Cutler, was playing recklessly, and mistakes were compounding as quickly as injuries. The slow drumbeat of mediocrity began picking up pace as the season ended disappointingly for Chicago, and Smith shouldered the brunt of criticism.

Interestingly, perhaps only to me, some of the same questions that plague stolid politicians also plague Smith. Many critics decry his ability to withhold emotion on the sidelines (or in the White House). Smith is customarily a cool character, much like his mentor Tony Dungy… who heard the same criticisms up until the moment he defeated Smith for the Super Bowl. The truth is, the critics who argue that Smith’s inability to reflect emotionally on the sidelines is a detriment to his coaching are superficial. It is very easy to call decisions into question from an outsiders’ perspective. The level-headedness that many laud Dungy for using when he won a Super Bowl is also the very characteristic some believe prevents Smith from winning. The circular logic is hypocritical, and any attempt at criticism with it rings hollow.

But, do not mistake my admonishment of Smith’s critics as an endorsement for his coaching. Smith has been part of several key decisions that in retrospect (of course) seem to haunt him. His willingness to cut bait with running back Cedric Benson was noted, even applauded, by many of the same critics. While that decision was somewhat understandable given Benson’s lack of maturity when he was with the Bears, the decision to let former defensive coordinator Ron Rivera leave after building a defense that led the team to the Super Bowl is still a head-scratcher. Smith is still answering questions about that decision – and rightfully so. Rivera, a former Chicago Bear, had his personality all over that great Bears defense from 2006. In many ways that unit played above their capabilities, yet Smith was ready to release Rivera at season’s end. Rivera has since seen the chip on his shoulder grow and has taken that burden with him to San Diego, where he has architected several outstanding defenses in a normally offense-only franchise.

The NFL is notorious for failing to forget past mistakes, and Smith is no exception from that rule. But, the dire situation Lovie Smith finds himself in entering the 2010 season is not entirely of his own doing. If Smith is let go at season’s end it is highly likely that ownership would seek another general manager, as well. Jerry Angelo has stocked the roster with some great players, and others that are duds – especially on offense. Also, it is fair to say that Lovie Smith’s Bears teams have encountered more than a fair share of injuries over the past several seasons. Losing Brian Urlacher in the third quarter of the first game last season was devastating, and the team took weeks to recover – if it ever did.

Nevertheless, the NFL does not stand around and wait for coaches to bust out of slumps, or allow for any excuses for losing. Lovie Smith now finds himself deep within the pressure cooker of the NFL coaching world and must spur his players to help him fight out of it.

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The 2010 Attending an NFL Training Camp Debate… Something’s Fishy with Carroll’s Seahawks

July 19, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

That is the path that Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has chosen in 2010.

When the calendar turned over last January Carroll still had a Trojan emblazoned on his golf shirt. A few short weeks later he was leaving L.A. as the NCAA rules committee was entering it, skipping out on the consequences of his “oversights” at Southern Cal for the seemingly greener pastures in Seattle.

The pastures appeared greener in Seattle because they are also rainier, an appropriate weather condition for what is THE must-watch training camp session in the NFL this summer.

Since early January, when Carroll first leaked that he was leaving L.A. for the Seattle Seahawks, most fans on both sides were genuinely confused. Why build a legacy in L.A. just to fail to see it through? As talk of sanctions for Southern Cal began to surface after Carroll bolted town the situation became a bit more clear, but the lack of normalcy seemed to follow him up North.

The Seahawks have, arguably, more questions entering training camp than any other team. The questionable health of the starting quarterback has been of concern to fans, and now the team has lost its reliable backup in Seneca Wallace to the Cleveland Browns (of all teams). The team traded for San Diego backup Charlie Whitehurst, one of the most unproven quarterbacks in the NFL. The situation is far from settled.

Uncertainty at running back was another issue Carroll attempted to address in the offseason by trading for a player he coached in college, running back LenDale White. In one of the more bazaar stories from the NFL off-season, Carroll traded the 104th overall pick for White. It seemed to be a solid football move, but White was released just shortly thereafter.

Strangeness in the running game personnel, and anxiety about losing the starting quarterback, were not the only issues Carroll faces offensively. Seahawks rookie receiver Golden Tate already received a visit from the police for being part of a group that swiped a few maple doughnuts from a local shop. Yes, you read that properly. This seems small, but it’s the type of soldering ash that appeared at USC before erupting into a volcano later. Whether Carroll is on the field or off it he is encountering challenges from his group of offensive players.

All of the offensive stuff is very important, but it has rarely been something that Carroll sweated too much about. Carroll is a defensive mastermind, but there is a lack of certainty on that side of the ball, too.

Leroy Hill, probably Carroll’s starting outside linebacker, is in his home state of Georgia dealing with a marijuana charge. While the off the field challenges persist on defense for Carroll, his on the field challenges are real as well. The defensive line, in particular, is an area of concern with Seattle. The type of defense Carroll runs relies heavily on a disruptive defensive line to take pressure off the secondary to disrupt passes and tackle. The several players that currently comprise the line are unproven, and the entire unit lacks depth. The weakness on the defensive side of the ball is a big reason why Seattle will be largely ignored – perhaps rightfully so – when the prognosticators start making picks in the next several weeks.

Carroll is dealing with football-related issues and non-football-related issues this summer. Watching him approach and attack each challenge is what training camp is all about, and few coaches have as much on their plate as Carroll does.

The most interesting bit in this circus is that Pete Carroll’s NFL success is far from a lock. He has an overall NFL coaching career that hovers just over .500, with 33 wins against 31 losses. He is 1-2 all time in the playoffs. Carroll’s track record is questionable, so let’s look at recent history for some context.

Carroll’s offensive strategy guru for many of the glory years at USC was Norm Chow. Chow left college for the pro ranks and was charged with the responsibility of honing Vince Young into a dynamic professional passer. Chow’s college experience was no help in this regard, and the coach took the first opportunity presented to return to college.

There is an old rule in sports media – the weirder the stories, the more entertaining the camp. The Seahawks fit that entertainment ideal very well this upcoming training camp season.

The new management team in Seattle took an enormous risk bringing Carroll in, and it is far from clear that the risk will pay off. For starters, Carroll must decide how to navigate the difficult climate that he has entered, the myriad personnel issues he is confronted with, and the pressure of coaching a franchise with high expectations… all while rebuilding the team. Carroll’s job is the envy of no one, but it will be interesting to watch the soap opera unfold. The entertainment factor alone makes this the one training camp I would attend this NFL summer.

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The Is John Fox Done Debate – Fox Shoulders Too Much Misplaced Blame

November 19, 2009

Read the debate intro and the arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer about whether or not Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox should lose his job.



For me, these coaching debates are always the most fun to have. No argument is REALLY ever wrong. It is a misconception that most fans eager to jettison their team’s coach are shortsighted. Rather, sometimes coaches really ARE bad and they need to be let go for the good of the team and organization. Ask Bleacher Fan how he feels about Eric Mangini. But, a warning – the response will not be safe for work.

There are Carolina Panthers fans that truly believe John Fox’s ability to coach and motivate his team are compromised. Babe Ruthless did a wonderful job of bringing together each of those arguments in a very entertaining way. Fans become frustrated with conservative coaches, conservative offense, and misplaced loyalty.

Argument by fan argument, though, the counter-thought proves that John Fox should keep his job, and the debate win is awarded to Loyal Homer.

Conservative coaches are frustrating for fans. But, for coaches it is a smart strategy. It is very hard to get fired as a conservative coach. However, coaches that take risks – even in the name of winning – appear reckless and out of control. They look dumb. John Fox is smart. Conservatism fits a defensive centered team.

It is, however, easier for conservative offensive coordinators to get fired. And, Babe Ruthless is correct that the Panthers’ offense does lack imagination and spark. But, from Babe Ruthless’ argument it appears the Panthers need a new offensive coordinator, not a new head coach.

It is fair to question Fox’s loyalty to quarterback Jake Delhomme. Delhomme’s inconsistency makes Fox’s loyalty frustrating and difficult to understand. But, it is impossible to argue that Fox should be disloyal to Delhomme on one hand and then point out that no good options exist to replace him on the other. Fox is in a difficult spot, sure. But he does not deserve blame for forced loyalty. He certainly should not be fired for it.<br

Also, though John Fox is the most visible leader of the Panthers entire organization, he is not the final decision maker. That responsibility belongs to Marty Hurney, the team’s general manager. Sure Fox consults on important decisions, but he did not design the offensive scheme nor does he call the offensive plays. Therefore it is difficult to hold Fox alone accountable for the obvious failures of the offense. Similarly, it is hard to hold the head coach responsible for the special teams not scoring any touchdowns. That is like blaming the CEO when a low level analyst makes a mistake.

John Fox is wrongly bearing the brunt of questionable front office decision making. As Loyal Homer pointed out, Fox coached a 12-4 team last season that lost to the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs. The Panthers’ schedule does open the door for a turnaround in the 2009 season, even if the path is not easy. But hey, “nothing sharpens the mind like a hangman’s noose.” Pressure is on now, Coach Fox. Make it happen.

A real question that emerges from this compelling debate is how much slack should a successful coach get? Yes, Fox should be allowed to finish the season and return next season. But, if the team starts 0-4 and fails to win a preseason game again, is he then deemed done and the Panthers need a makeover? Fox has earned the right to fail, and he has not failed yet. Yet.

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The Is John Fox Done Debate – Can the Perpetually Embattled Coach Save His Job?

November 18, 2009

Read the arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer about whether or not Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox should lose his job.



In my last debate argument I joked that the NFL stands for the “No Fun League.” Today it stands for “Not For Long” as former Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville once joked on NFL Films. The statement, though made in the late 1980s, rings true today. Ask Dick Jauron. He woke up yesterday as the Buffalo Bills head coach, and went to bed last night unemployed.

John Fox has endured rumors about his coaching future nonstop since the season began. There were rumors about his demise from the head coaching job in Carolina in 2009 on August 28, September 8, September 13, September 30… plenty in October… and even some in November.

The persistent rumors are as valid as the reasons that fuel them. The Panthers failed to win a preseason game. While we all know preseason does not matter, losing four straight times does build a culture of losing.

But, while Fox’s teams do appear to struggle early in the season, they have an uncanny knack for finishing strong. The 2009 iteration of the Carolina Panthers appear to be no exception. The team, after beginning the season 0-3, has scratched and clawed its way back into the dim light of a murky NFC wild card picture. Despite the bad record, and the seemingly counterproductive efforts from quarterback Jake Delhomme and wide receiver Steve Smith, the team is showing fight.

The Sports Debates exists to settle coaching conundrums like this: Should Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox be dismissed at the end of the 2009 season?

Our newest contributor, Babe Ruthless, will argue that the roller coaster nature of John Fox teams has created fan and player fatigue and the time is right for the coach to move on to another team. Loyal Homer will argue that patience is a virtue and John Fox teams may start slow but they finish strong, and 2009 will be no exception.

Loyal Homer has revealed a bias toward the Atlanta Falcons on many, many occasions. For me, it will be interesting to read Loyal Homer’s defense of a rival coach. Objectivity makes for the best arguments.

Is John Fox, once the hot coaching prospect who was a former defensive coordinator on the 2000 New York Giants Super Bowl team, done in Carolina? Only time, and The Sports Debates, will tell.

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