I am still not sure he does and I don't think he will ever get it. 1. Ireland looked like a fool sitting up there during the announcement of Sparano's firing. Either have him off to the side or have him make the announcement. Don't have him sitting up there like he just ate his final meal and is about to be executed. 2. Where was Bowles? Usually when you fire a coach and have a replacement on hand you have that guy speak to the press. The introduction was so blah and not having him there only creates more questions. 3. Ross said he wants a young head coach that is energetic and that is a "Young Don Shula". Ireland then says they are looking for someone with experience. You can't have it both ways. Does Ireland know what the team is looking for? Does Ross have any clue what they are really wanting? Doesn't sound like it. 4. Ireland was given the deadly vote of confidence. You could see the unease in Ireland when Ross mentioned that Jeff would be the GM and nothing is changing there. Yet if Peterson comes in, what will Ireland's role really be? He won't be GM. He will he a lackey for Peterson. Again, Ross doesn't get it. The press conference did nothing to improve our stock and show that this franchise is headed in the right direction. It did put crosshairs on the franchise and showed that yet again Ross should only be seen, not heard from, in public.
The question will be -how does the team respond?Not sure what to think at this point.Don't know alot about Bowles but does the team continue to play hard?I think so but we will see.
Ross is clueless. The best you can say is he is trying. But after this much time you think he wouldve figured some things out. The question on my mind is I read recently where they want to give ireland final say on personnel decisions. If that's the case forget getting any coach with experience or worth
I think Ross probably "gets it" a lot more than people think or are willing to give him credit for. Yeah, when he's in front of the camera, well let's just say he'll never be up for an Oscar. But, when not in the media spotlight, I think he "gets it". I mean, he's at least reaching out to other people. He nixed the Kyle Orton trade and was interested in Carson Palmer, but backed off when the price was too steep. Speaking of him, there's a certain owner in the city where I currently reside that DOESN'T "get it". There's a pretty noticeable difference between that owner and Stephen Ross.
I'm thinking that they may be covering their bases by saying they're looking for "A young Don Shula" while also reportedly looking for experience. Not that those two are necessarily mutually exclusive, but if their Superstar head coach search comes up fruitless they can always fall back on the "We were looking for a Young Don Shula" to help mollify the fan base a little. As for Ireland, they really couldn't do anything with him yet. Fire him now and all the draft prep work goes out the window with him, which is why GM's are usually hired/fired post draft. Obviously he has his own self-interest at stake and would push for a coach he could work with (Fisher?). But if Ross really wants a guy like Cowher, and Bill wanted to bring his own people in, then Ireland's inconsistent record may just as well make him a dead man walking. Personally, while I've been critical of Ross in the past, I do think he's playing it shrewd here and isn't as locked on to Ireland as some may believe.
Why? When Shula joined the Dolphins he was a young coach who had prior experience as a successful Head Coach. So what exactly is clueless about Ross' statement? Now whether that person is available is a bigger question....Probably Fisher is closest, but he has no where near Shula's record at Baltimore.
If Ireland isn’t there, then it creates speculation that he’s being marginalized—thus the “Carl Peterson taking over” reports that immediately followed the Sparano firing. Ireland’s presence at the PC derailed that talk fast. And why is it OK for Scott Pioli to speak at the press conference announcing that Todd Haley was fired, but not OK for Ireland to do the same at the press conference announcing that Tony Sparano was fired? Double standard. Bowles is an interim HC, not Sparano’s full-time replacement. Remember Mel Tucker’s introductory press conference? Neither do I. You are the only person who considers this a question, as far as I’ve seen. Oh, and if you thought Ireland was awkward and Ross was bumbling, here’s what Bowles would have been like at the presser. From Ken LaVicka on Bowles’ currently-ongoing first press conference as the interim HC: Yeah, that would’ve been a smash hit on Monday. The “young Don Shula” was a half-joking reference to an unobtainable ideal candidate. Ross knows he isn’t going to get that, and that wasn’t the point of saying “young Don Shula.” Yes, if Peterson comes in, then Ireland will still be the GM. His job title won’t change. But Peterson isn’t coming in, at least not now, which is why Ireland was at the press conference. This question would be more appropriate if you hadn’t asked question #1. It wasn’t intended to. The head coach was just fired. What could Ross have said to tell people that the franchise is heading in the right direction during an announcement of the firing of the head coach? “We’re moving in the right direction” is the message that introductory press conferences carry. This wasn’t an introduction, it was a goodbye. This forum is really trying pretty hard to distort everything Stephen Ross does.
Ireland already has final say on personnel. It’s in his contract. It was written in after Parcells left before the 2010 season.
I wonder if the comments about a young don shula was just a reffrence and not a real statement. the best thing for Ross is to dont hire Carl Peterson and please fire Ireland what willl you guys do if Ross hires Mike shula as head coach how unhappy would you all be ? I wont object but I want Jon Gruden more then any other coach. . one question here why hasnt Steve Mariuchi been given another shot ?
What??!! How is this a criticism? Ireland did speak at the conference. It wasn't an introduction conference, it was a firing conference. Who cares? WHAT??!? Shula came to us AFTER losing a Super Bowl. That's experience. This is incoherent. It doesn't even make sense. So you're saying Ireland will be the same thing he was for 3 of the 4 years he has been here? What doesn't he get? When you find a conference as heralding failure, you're reading too much into things. So a billionaire businessman with numerous football people around him doesn't get it, but we on this forum do? Based on a presser? What is it anyway? Somehow, someway, Ross fired the ONE person on this board that just about everyone was dead set against, and he is driving this franchise into the ground further?
Shula may have come to Miami after having lost a Super Bowl, but he went 71-23-4 in Baltimore before he came to Miami. That's a .676 record. I would take those numbers.
I think Ross gets it. The guy is a billionaire. Young hotties love rich daddies. Ross probably gets plenty of it.