Notes From Lombardi

This proves something I've been saying for years; Gruden and the Raiders were a good marriage, whether he bristled at working for Al or not. The Raiders had guys like Brown, Wisniewski, and Kennedy when he got there, and they added guys like Rice, Garner, Wheatley, Porter, Ritchie, etc., and that's just on offense. Gruden can think what he wants about his time with the Raiders but his Raider teams, assembled by Al and company, featured better, more dynamic, and deeper rosters than the crew he and Bruce Allen "assembled" on their own in Tampa.

Too bad his ego was too big to play nice in Oakland.

...and I fooishly forgot to mention Gannon!...

Mike, any chance a guy like Gruden or Herm Edwards (if he gets canned) would be a candidate for the Packers DC position? Probably a reach, but Gruden does have Packer ties although they're not with MM.

Thanks for the read. I've recently learned of your work and enjoy it.

Wouldn't Gruden be more likely at OC for a team, if not a HC? I thought he was an offensive 'guru'.

Monte Kiffin had a lot to do with Gruden's success in Tampa, as did the personnel Dungy assembled which Jon won the Super Bowl with. I think those two things are often overlooked when talking about Gruden's 'legacy'.

Gruden always needs the energy to equal his, and that energy remains peaked when he has to introduce new blood or minds to his system.

Without it Gruden has trouble maintaining the edge. He's still intense, but the interaction level changes and it undoes the substance of what drives him.


How you handle success determines who stays on top. His response has been lackluster. Home field, upset. West winner again, upset. Super Bowl, last place wins the division next year?


Gruden is a good coach but to be great he needs to stay at that level. I assumed he would end up in Dallas soon at this time last year, if it were up to him. Just because he needs that kind of intensity and player turnover.


He could have found it in Oakland, but Al's track record is to play a coaching contract out. How many of the draft picks stayed in Oakland? Nnamdi would have been there anyways....

Remember that Dungy always tried to build acquisition on numbers. You must produce to be considered. The film don't lie, etc.

Dungy's biggest strength was in taking players and seeing their use fulfilled in new ways.Derrick Brooks and Cato June from safety to LB, Sapp from end to tackle, etc.

Gruden's biggest strength is in attracting certain veterans. Then Keyshaun wanted out, Tim Brown arrived to get shelved, John Lynch departed, etc. The big football names were leaving him, he needs to address that. It belies the fault in his approach that Mike higlights. You don't lose Mr.Football types unless something else is amiss.

Or, he needs to go small market where turnover is shaped from the cap viewpoint, and he's always doing the new blood thing and basically running a super competitive farm team.

if you cant fire a guy, dont be a HC in the NFL...

Before going overboard with Dungy remember he was not the GM who acquired the players. He was alway the brides maid and never the groom. Although he did win one SB with the Colts. Thanks mostly to Peyton Manning. Who also wore the brides maid label until that win.
Gruden appears to be the type of coach who wears thin on players after a extended time. His "love you not bro" along with his inconsistancies in treating players show that 7 years with the Bucs was probably a couple of years too long.
It would take a strong GM that could get him to buy into a team concept to be successful. Don't see that happening this year. College or an OC job with a strong GM and HC in the Pros would probably be his only option this year. With Jets and maybe Chiefs the only HC openings left. Jets have a GM who is interested in protecting his job and Pioli is too smart to hire him given Scott's desire to instill a team first concept.
Bama

Lane Kiffin beat Chucky to the ideal college gig. The Vols are right in the middle of the map, from there you can gain visibility to all corners of the land....

Mark it down: In 2010, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be introducing Jon Gruden as their next head coach.

College. The perfect place for a guy who won't fall in love with a QB to be...because the QB changes every 4 years...sometimes less.

while Chucky was gaining his reputation with the raiders, Dungy was iplementing his defense in Tampa, while Manning was developing into an offensive force.

Chucky complemented Dungys structure in Tampa, while Dungy himself complemented Manning at Indy...

the plans worked out in those cases, for once, with SB victorys...

what are you guys on? Gruden didnt make the roster moves or decide who got drafted or not...that was bruce allen, do a little research on the topic before you go spouting off like a bunch of idiots.

Just for the record, Gruden didn't draft Chris Simms. Let's face it, every franchise is looking for that special QB to lead. And also, let's be honest about the chances of that happening. At best its a crap shoot.

I loved Gruden and still do. Don't agree with every call or every personnel decision...who does agree with their coach all the time. Nevertheless, I personally will miss him and am not sure this was the best move in the interest of the team. Naturally, now that he's gone people like Clayton (to whom he gave a million chances even when he wasn't performing well for several years) will say negative stuff. Who in the team is going to stand up for Chucky in front of the new coach? Unsurprisingly, they all love them some Raheem. Its human nature. Not necessarily the truth of the matter. Not to discredit Raheem who is immensely popular. Since when is being a coach a popularity contest? Now!

Tell me, who is a good QB available this year? Mmmmm?