Well, we all can recall Ross' Big Adventure, the chase for Jim Harbaugh, following the jet, and Bill Cowher "would love to coach in Miami, he even said we were on our list!" and of course Jon "Chuckie" Gruden's presence at the Orange Bowl..with Stephen Ross! Alas, though that may seem like a long time ago, it actually was 60 days or so ago, and at the end of it all, Ross kept Sparano after Coach Tony demanded a 2 yr extension when Ireland was only going to offer a single season extension. At the time, the point was made, with the lockout coming we would be far better off staying with Sparano over firing him and hiring a "name", as the new HC would simply not have time to both evaluate players, and to install their new systems on offense or defense. So here we are, it can already be seen that several teams, Titans, 49ers, Browns, are officially "stuck" Mike Munchak, Jim Harbaugh, Shurmur, none of them can have the Spring to install what they wished to install, they cannot give draft choices a heads up at Rook Mini Camp as there will be none.."We" could be "them". No new OC to slip Henne the playbook because they were on the job already. Which to me, makes Tony Sparano very lucky, the luckiest man in Miami Sports anyway, depending on how things go with Frank Haith at the Hurricanes basketball program. With the worst case scenario coming to pass, happy Ross retained Sparano? Or no? For myself, I am, I enjoy the feeling that it is the 08 offseason again and have no idea what Sparano has in mind for the team.
I suspect by the time things are settled out, fans will be so happy there is football that the Harbaugh stuff fades into the background. Agree about his stubborness, hopefully he talks with his coaching mentor, Tom Coughlin, as to how to shake things up and still do the work he feels needs to be done..people forget Coughlin was very much in the same situation as Sparano heading into the 2007 season.
I like Sparano. He shows passion. I quite liked the idea of Harbaugh at the time, but he is unproven and, for the money he was reportedly set to earn, would have been a huge gamble, especially with the lockout. I'd say I was more 'interested' to see what happens this season rather then 'excited'. Of course, depending on what happens with the draft, FA etc then that could easily turn into excitement yet (I'm assuming there will be a season).
You are right and you are wrong....Yes, I'm glad we still have Sparano and don't have to go thru the uncertainty of a new staff to go along with the shortened, if not no off season program. The bulk of the players will have been here and done that come whenever this thing gets rolling again. That can be considered a plus, although if we'd have gotten Cowher or Gruden, both would have less 'uncertainty' about getting the thing rolling, versus a 1st time HC. It's also a negative for Sparano and co. as it gives them less time to make the needed changes to retain their jobs. Getting off on the wrong foot or slowly once the CBA is resolved could prove to be the proverbial straw for this regime. So it's a double edged sword that can cut the fans heads off either way....could be a long [non] season for us...
i think it was a colossal mistake not to fire him .... and we'll be reminded why later this year ......
This is really another opprotunity for Henne to step up as a leader and organize player only practices. I would not be too confident if my job was riding on Henne like Sporanos is.
I don't, some teams are so strict about not contacting players that if a Coach or Assistant Coach does talk with them, they will be fired. How exactly would a new Defense, Offense, and Qb be installed if there were a new Head Coach and staff in place? I do think no one knows what sort of team we will have this season, not with Daboll coming in and Fipp effectively running herd on two of three units, and with the NFL maybe catching up with what Nolan's been doing in his second yr as DC and with Ronnie and Ricky departing. Never saw the logic of injecting a new HC and Staff, with no relationship schematically or personally with the players, was supposed to make things better, even Lil Nicky had plenty of time to work with his new team, a newb HC is bereft of that opportunity.
