12/21/24
January 27, 2011
Jeff Fisher Out in Tennessee: The Tennessee Titans and Jeff Fisher, the NFL's longest-tenured head coach, are breaking up, the team announced Thursday afternoon. "It remains uncertain if Fisher's departure will be termed a firing, a resignation or a mutual parting of ways," SI.Com reports. Last week Fisher fired defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil, one of his closest friends. At the time it looked like Fisher would be given one more season.
Hard to ponder that Fisher's immediate predecessor was Jack Pardee. That seems like another lifetime ago.
I wonder how truly thrilled the Chargers are with Norv.
posted by beaverboard at 08:12 AM on January 28, 2011
It's too bad the Jaguars aren't looking for a coach. He'd be a vast improvement over Jack of the River.
I think JaMarcus Russell's problem is Not-That-Good Syndrome.
posted by rcade at 08:57 AM on January 28, 2011
I think JaMarcus Russell's problem is Not-That-Good Syndrome
That's a definite. But coming out of college, he looked like a freakin' physical specimen. A physical specimen that evidently peaked in college, but one who possessed some tools.
The Dolphins already showed they'll talk to coaching candidates regardless of Tony Sparano currently having their job, so I wouldn't doubt they're pondering Fisher.
Maybe he'll take a year off, see what the landscape looks like after having time to re-energize, then make a decision. That would also give him time to see how the whole CBA thing works itself out, and what that means in the scheme of things.
posted by dyams at 09:28 AM on January 28, 2011
But coming out of college, he looked like a freakin' physical specimen
Oh, he still does.
posted by yerfatma at 09:45 AM on January 28, 2011
My take on can't-miss quarterbacks who miss is generally that the speed of the game was too much for them. A quarterback can have all the physical tools and have a great record of collegiate success and still be blown away by how much faster the NFL is.
Part of my reasoning is that I can't understand how anyone can be good at quarterback. There's too much going on that has to be processed so quickly. I can't even do it myself in a videogame. I end up wishing I could control an offensive lineman instead of the QB.
posted by rcade at 10:29 AM on January 28, 2011
I wish I could take a year off and re-energize.
posted by fabulon7 at 11:25 AM on January 28, 2011
My take on can't-miss quarterbacks who miss is generally that the speed of the game was too much for them. A quarterback can have all the physical tools and have a great record of collegiate success and still be blown away by how much faster the NFL is.
I enjoyed hearing what Kurt Warner had to say about his early success with the Rams in '99 after coming over from the Arena League. He couldn't believe how much time he had after the snap, and how much room there was when he was trying to fit the ball into tight quarters.
My favorite can't miss flameout was Vinnie Testaverde. After not doing as well in the pros as hoped for and throwing to the other team way too often, he offered up this explanation: he had trouble distinguishing which team was which on the field.
That lifted me right out of my chair. Going from UM to the (then) creamsicle Bucs, he went from an orange jersey and white helmet to, let's see...oh right, an orange jersey and a white helmet! He didn't have any trouble figuring out which team was Oklahoma when he was in college. (Although he also had no trouble throwing to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl).
Then Vinnie went off to Cleveland and did much better there. That's because in Cleveland, the helmets are orange and the jerseys are white.
posted by beaverboard at 11:57 AM on January 28, 2011
So much for the whole "It's either Fisher or Vince Young" talk at the end of the season. Apparently it's both.
posted by holden at 12:22 PM on January 28, 2011
I wish I could take a year off and re-energize.
Eh, football coaches, particular head coaches, spend an obscene amount of time working.
posted by jmd82 at 04:56 PM on January 28, 2011
For the record, Andy Reid is now the longest-tenured coach in the NFL. Who'd have thought that 10 years ago?
posted by Bonkers at 08:29 PM on January 28, 2011
Pretty-much inevitable. Too bad, but things were going downhill rapidly. Fisher will be back coaching as soon as he wishes, somewhere, and maybe a new start away from Tennessee will be good for him. He and the team were very mediocre the past several years, and things didn't look to be getting better any time soon.
The Vince Young situation is only one of the problems that led to this, but it continues to point out the role a players emotional makeup and maturity play when a franchise chooses to make someone a top draft pick, with much of their future banking on that one player. Whether it's Young, Jamarcus Russell, etc., it can set teams back years if the only thing taken into consideration when drafting is physical talents. I'd personally take, for example, Colt McCoy, who seems to have drive and mental/emotional strength, over some of these other impostors.