Fox as HC

the NFL is only pass/fail in whether you win the Super Bowl or not. The idea that salvaging 7-9 out of various failed seasons, generally that didn't much to do with him, isn't to his detriment.

Which, I dunno. I'm not expecting the next coach to come in and suddenly go 10-6 or better every single year.

 

Maybe so but it can get a lot worse than what we have had under Fox. A lot of you are thinking we are going to hire the next great NFL coach but history suggests that it is more likely we will get someone who does worse than Fox rather than someone who does better.

 

Chargers would be a nice fit for Fox, he's a surfer dude anyway... Smitty to follow him there.

 

I think he would do well there too. He would have a solid defense on the field for them, he always does. They have the talent on offense to be successful even without a top offensive mind running the show.

 

Of course IT IS a risk anytime you hire a new coach, but given your logic that "we might do worse",,,,,,, then you would never make a change. You just can't think that way in professional sports, and the athletes AND the coaches all understand its a "what have you done for me lately" business. Players get cut, then resigned, then cut again, all the time. Coaches lasting anywhere for 9 years is a major accomplishment. And for that matter, I tip my hat to John Fox for his 9 years in Carolina.

I want to be respectful with you, mainly because you are such a fan, and I admire that. But I'm telling you, on this subject of replacing Fox, I guess we'll have to just disagree. I can honestly say even when we all argued about getting rid of Jake, I have always liked and supported Fox, I always believed Fox represented "class" and he was a good face for this franchise. But looking specifically at the steady decline of this team (in my opinion started with Arizona playoff loss) and has just snowballed, in terms of wins/losses, I believe it is clearly, now the time for a change. And no, we can't give Fox all the blame for going 2-13 this year, but again his questions didn't just start this season either (in all honesty). Fox is stubborn, we all know this.

I wish Fox the best in his future, hope he ends up coaching again, and (you are correct) we MAY go 2-14 with another coach next year. But I believe we have to try. I believe we are fools to risk going 2-14 with Fox again. Respectfully.

 

I think Fox has proven he can get it done if he has adequate talent. Our record this year is mostly a reflection of the off season talent purge and the utter failure of both Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen. I am very confident that Fox could have us back in the playoffs next year if we found a solid QB and got the OL healthy. I have no idea what will happen with a new coach, none of us do.

I respect your opinion on this too and understand your frustration. Two years of bad football will do that. I just do not want to hire the next Steve Spurrier while Fox goes to San Diego and wins a ring.

 

Fox won't be going to San Diego, though I think he would be the perfect fit for that franchise. But AJ Smith is keeping his boy Norv Turner, and Dean Spanos is keeping the ultimate hardass AJ Smith. This despite the fact that Smith sitting on Vincent Jackson for pretty much the whole season played a huge part of their not making the playoffs.

Spanos keeping SMith and Turner: //http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5962286&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_term=NFL+Football

I don't know where Fox is going to find his next gig. Cincinnati maybe. Cleveland is a possibility, though Fox is not a Holmgren kind of guy. Could find his way to Minny, I guess, if Frazier likely doesn't hang on. Dallas would be wise to take a look at him. Fox can get it done when he has solid vets around and doesn't have to get creative. I think Coughlin will stick in NY, so that's out. Denver?

Again, I think Fox would do very well in the right situation. He has limitations in playing and developing younger players. And his philosophy makes him predictable. So the right team has to have a strong QB, a decent defense and an established GM (San Diego would certainly qualify).

Then again, if Carolina gets its QB in the draft and JR starts to spend again (which he will), the ideal "situation" would be right here.

Too bad Jake Delhomme had a bad day to have a bad day.

Eh, life continues.

 

Good luck to the GM selling Fox as the new HC of your team :

"He went 2-14 last year, and has 3 winning seasons out of 9. But I'm sure he'll do fine here. "

The only thing more underwhelming than that would be to announce Russ Grimm.

 

Probably a good chance that he will take a year or two off.