Diner News: Around The NFL

FROM MICHAEL LOMBARDI:

13 January 2009

QUOTE:  “In such a fantastic and dangerous world — we will not find answers in old dogmas, by repeating outworn slogans, or fighting on ancient battlegrounds against fading enemies long after the real struggle has moved on. We ourselves must change to master change. We must rethink all our told ideas and beliefs before they capture and destroy us. And for those answers American must look to its young people, the children of this time of change. And we look especially to that privileged minority of educated men who are students of America.” ~ Robert F. Kennedy    

FROM LINDSAY H. JONES OF THE DENVER POST... Mike Nolan, the former San Francisco 49ers coach who was a member of Dan Reeves' defensive staff here from 1987-92, has agreed to become the team's defensive coordinator. "Mike is a very good coach, he's a good communicator and he's been around this league for a long time, and he's been a head coach in this league," McDaniels said. "All those things are very valuable, and his experience on the defensive side is absolutely a value to any organization."  Nolan, 49, followed Reeves to the New York Giants in 1993 for his first coordinator job. Their first year in New York, the Giants' defense allowed a league-low 205 points.

Josh McDaniels  might be young, but he is not limited in his experience to handle the head coaching job in Denver.  Where he may face some difficulty is trying to blend his idea of football operations and procuring talent, which he learned in New England, to the current style and manner in Denver.  The Broncos have done things one way for the past 14 years, and McDaniels has learned his way for the past eight years.  I can say without a single doubt, the two are dramatically different.  From his time with the Patriots, McDaniels received an education in procurement and knows how to build a very structured and detailed personnel department.  The Broncos have functioned under a completely different style and have never been very detailed and structured when it comes to personnel.  They relied more on the position coaches to make highlight tapes and then meet for two weeks and have the coaches and scouts grade the players.  Their scouts did the background work, but the bulk of the decision-making was based on the presentation of the tapes. 

With current personnel director Jim Goodman having the final say in deciding whom they select, he will obviously have the final say on how the department is set up.  McDaniels will need to take time to evaluate the situation and will need to make sure he knows what he’s getting into in terms of personnel.  He comes in with an open mind and a clean slate, and it will be very important for the members of the Denver front office to prove their knowledge and work ethic to their new head coach.  Goodman may have the final say, but McDaniels has the knowledge of what he wants in each player, and Goodman will have to learn how McDaniels views the game and work accordingly.  Goodman may have been a former coach, but this will be new to him as he has only been in one organization in his career.  Therefore, he must make the adjustments; it will be important to minimize the transition time. 

McDaniels started out working in personnel, where each coach and most of the decision makers in New England are well versed in understanding “players and plays” and how they blend.  That will not be the case in the Denver personnel department, which only sees players.  McDaniels will need to learn how to deal with this difference, and he will need to make sure he can install his way of procurement . That, to me, will be his greatest challenge. 

FROM BOB KRAVITZ OF THE INDY STAR... Dungy taught people. He touched people. He moved people. He was more than a football coach, which is why he is leaving us now, to return home, to teach and touch and move others. "I'll never forget (Colts owner) Jim (Irsay) calling me and saying what he wanted to do and he said something that was very important to me. He said, here in Indianapolis, we don't have the tradition, we don't have three and four generations of Colts fans and we have to connect with our community and we have to turn our young people into Colts fans, and that's what I want to do by winning, by winning the right way,' Dungy said. "That was very enticing to me.”

There is no doubt that Tony was more than a coach.  He changed the perception of what a coach should be from all the past stereotypes.  A yeller, a screamer, a maniac -- Tony was none of those.  A coach is primarily a teacher.  How each coach/teacher delivers his message is unique, and Dungy had his own Christian-based style.  He took what I call the Bobby Kennedy approach to his career -- he guided his life with principles, not ambition. Lee Igel, a good friend and soon to be contributor here at the Post who is also professor at NY U, emailed me last night when he heard the news about Dungy and said he thought that some of Tony’s beliefs are Peter Drucker-based.  Moving from Success to Significance is the core of the message that Tony believes and essentially is what Drucker believed.

Tony will be missed, but he has a different vision for his life right now.  He will make significant impact on youth in America.  He would be a great addition to newly elected President Barack Obama’s inner circle as he could provide an actual voice and understanding of youth in America.  His practical experience dealing with young men will offer a fresh perspective on what we can do to make this country better and how we can help grow as a nation.  Tony has much to offer, and I have a feeling his life out of football will be more rewarding and satisfying. 

FROM JIM WYATT OF THE TENNESSEAN... As the Titans packed up Monday to go their separate ways in the wake of Saturday's playoff loss to the Ravens, Collins reiterated his feelings from a few months back. Yet after a season in which he guided the Titans to the NFL's best record and the AFC's top seed, his words carry more weight. He wants to return to Tennessee as the starter. "I made my case known, that I'd like to be here and feel that I can be a part of several more good seasons. I have several good years left in me, I know that," Collins said. "I will pack up and go somewhere else. I don't want to, but that's the reality of this business. … I am a starter in this league and if nothing materializes that way I will retire.'  Just two days into the offseason, Fisher wasn't prepared to declare his plans at quarterback, but he said the Titans would like to re-sign Collins, who's at the end of his two-year contract. The Titans prefer a salary cap-friendly, two-year deal in the range of $4 million plus incentives, and there are indications they envision him remaining the starter.

My hunch is that the Titans will now become Kerry Collins team in writing.  The new contract will reflect a commitment that will eliminate any doubt who will be the starter next training camp.  The Titans are going to have to move away from Vince Young.  If they could possibly trade him, now would be the right time.  I doubt there are any suitors out there for Vince right now, not because of his talent, but more to do with his laissez-faire attitude and his unwillingness to be a team member.  Who would want the burden of trying to make him a player and deal with his attitude?  A large part of being a starting quarterback in the NFL has to do with command and leadership.  If Young wants to be a player, he needs to gain his teammates’ respect, and changing venues is not going to make this better.  No matter where he might go, he must understand that he has to become a good teammate first and be involved.  He might want to follow Dungy’s lead and move from success to significance.  Did you see him on the sidelines Saturday night?  Young looked as if he was bored and didn’t want to be there.  He has to stop being so selfish and learn how to handle the tough times before he can restart his career.  He might want to buy a Peter Drucker book and work on self-improvement. 

FROM ERIK BOLAND OF NEWSDAY... Various "favorites" - from Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan - have been reported in the last 10 days, reflective of Tannenbaum's leanings on a given day.  Tannenbaum's choice is likely to come from those three, with Ryan, interviewed during a five-hour session in Baltimore on Sunday, the latest to impress. Ryan's interview was described by an organizational source as having gone "very well." The Jets are very high on Ryan and vice versa.  Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm has a slimmer chance. The others interviewed -- Jets assistant head coach Bill Callahan, former Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski, Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh and Colts defensive coordinator Ron Meeks -- are considered longshots at best.  Tannenbaum, the league source said, is strongly considering giving the nod to Schottenheimer but is mindful of what the reaction of the media and, most important, the fans would be.  "Mike has been more sensitive to the media and fan reaction than he has been," the source said.

Last year, poor Jim Fassel was all set to become the Redskins’ head coach, but the front office of the ‘Skins decided to test fan and media reaction before finalizing the deal.  When the public sentiment was not favorable, the ‘Skins backed off and went in another direction.  It appears the Jets are very concerned about what the media and fans are thinking.  They want a friendly press conference and they do not want to have to sell their head coach to the media and fans.  This attitude makes it clear to me that they are not sure what they really want.  There has to be a conviction of beliefs, much like Patriots owner Robert Kraft had when he hired Bill Belichick.  Kraft knew Belichick was a great coach, and in spite of what the media thought, he stuck with his convictions and made the hire. 

Since the Jets knew for the last month of the season they might fire Eric Mangini, it would have been critical for the general manager to have a list of things he felt he needed in a coach and what direction he wanted to take the organization.  The best way to learn about a player or coach is to not let anyone know you are interested.  When I was in Cleveland, we would send someone down to the Playboy All-American weekend in Phoenix to hang around and observe the college players without letting them know we were with the Browns.  We could see them in their natural environment and behaving normally.  That concept is the same when you are looking for a head coach.  You must do research before it becomes public.  Preparation and knowing what you want are the most important criteria. 

If they believe Schottenheimer is the right man, then go with that decision. But I feel the Jets do not have conviction about anything or anyone and do not know what they want -- besides a nice, friendly press conference. 

FROM TOM SILVERSTEIN OF THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL... The most often mentioned candidate is Philadelphia secondary coach Sean McDermott, who has trained for 10 seasons under respected defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.  ESPN.com reported that McDermott has one year left on his contract, which means Eagles coach Andy Reid could exercise his right to deny permission for other clubs to speak to McDermott once the Eagles' season is over. Another name to keep an eye on is St. Louis Rams interim coach Jim Haslett. He and McCarthy coached together in New Orleans. Others whom McCarthy might pursue are secondary coaches Jerry Gray of Washington, Tim Lewis of Carolina and Dom Capers of New England as well as San Diego defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. Yet another name to remember is Titans assistant head coach/linebackers Dave McGinnis, who McCarthy wanted to interview when he hired Bob Sanders in 2006.

I know things change in the NFL, but it would seem strange to me to see Jim Haslett and Mike McCarthy reunited after Haslett was the one who fired Mike in New Orleans.  I know time can heal old wounds, but I am not sure that this will happen, as the divorce in New Orleans was not amicable. 

AROUND THE NFL SEGMENT ON NFL NETWORK...

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