NFL Coaching Dismissals

I haven't started my post mortem on the Texans 2008 season yet. I've mostly been thinking about The Monkee Cage's 2008 Players, Coaches and Executives of the year. More on that later.

The Coaching Dismissals

I've been thinking about the playoffs and the coaching dismissals and other changes.

First off, how Eric Mangini gets fired but GM Mike Tannenbaum kept his job is a head scratcher. Mangini took the fall for the NY Jets fall. They lost 4 of 5 of their last games. Sure the coach formerly known as Mangenius bares responsibility for the collapse. He's the one calling the plays and approving the calls and game plan of his assistant coaches. Tannenbaum was the one that put the roster together. Owner Woody Johnson approved the high priced free agent acquisitions and the trade for Brett Farve. Mangini evidently had a contentious relationship with some of the veteran players. Farve was reportedly among the unhappy ones. If the locker room was divided then Mangini was rightfully fired. However, the man that put the team together should also be given a pink slip.

Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner wasted no time in making changes. He started at the top and sacked GM Phil Savage hours after the Browns 31-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The next day he showed head coach Romeo Crennel the door too. Reportedly on Saturday Lerner met with Bill Cowher and he just flat out turned him down and stated he won't coach in 2009.

Everybody's favorite dysfunctional franchise flushed head coach Rod Marinelli. A dubious 0-16 will get you canned.

It's not Marinelli's fault completely. The whole organization is just putrid. Starting from owner William C. Ford on down. Ford had a chance to purge the Lions front office. Instead of a Joe Stalin type purge, he promotes from within the team. Then again this is the owner that hired Matt Millen and kept him on much longer than he should have. It took his son going public to get Millen fired. Detroit will remain a joke for the foreseeable future.