Retaining Tom Coughlin
Happy New Year. Quick one for you here to get us up and running in 2011.
I woke up on Sunday feeling confident; I told anyone who would listen that I had a good feeling that the Giants would win and the Packers would lose.
It's not the first time I've had that kind of confidence in a team. As a matter of fact, my severe pessimism about the Mets seems to breed a uniquely unfailing confidence in the prospects of other teams I support (with the definite exception of the Knicks; that's what 10 years of losing will do to you).
When the Saints were in the Super Bowl I had no doubt they were going to win. Ditto the 2004 Red Sox when they fell behind 3-0 in the ALCS.
Fat load of good that confidence did me on Sunday, however. The Giants held up their end of the bargain but the Packers didn't, beating the Bears 10-3 and locking up the playoff spot that was 8 minutes away from the Giants' grasp that horrible afternoon against Philly.
Before, during, and After the game, speculation immediately turned to the job security of Head Coach Tom Coughlin. The drama was resolved quickly, however, when John Mara stated unequivocally that Coughlin would return as HC in 2011.
Let me caveat what follows by saying that I cannot judge football coaches the way I can judge baseball managers. I know enough about baseball to know what a smart manager should do in a given situation, or at least I know enough to have an understanding of the full menu of options.
I don't know enough about football to be able to evaluate decisions as they happen. So for all I know Coughlin made a number of questionable moves this year that screwed the team over (certainly I heard all about not having his "hands" team out there for that onside kick by the Eagles).
Be that as it may, I feel like the Giants made the right move here. I think back on the Mets' decision to fire Willie Randolph. As much as I supported that decision at the time, it's impossible to feel that the organization hasn't been languishing under a certain degree of flux ever since.
Jerry Manuel had a great sense of humor and was somebody I liked on a number of levels, but it was clear from day one that senior management wasn't committed to him. I hate to say it, but I kind of get the same vibe from Terry Collins; management likes him of course, but you don't give someone a 2-year deal if you think he's the guy to lead you to the promised land.
As far as I could tell, firing Coughlin would have raised more questions than it answered, the principal one being, is there another coach out there who's good for 10 wins next season? Maybe Bill Cowher was that guy, maybe not.
The Giants were lauded in the press for striking a blow for reasoned reflection, and not doing the New York thing and firing a guy just because the tabloids say you must.
Beyond that, however, they struck a blow for the value of consistency in leadership. For a team that just won 10 games and is three/four years removed from a Super Bowl title, is that really such a bad thing?
- A.F.O.M.G.
I woke up on Sunday feeling confident; I told anyone who would listen that I had a good feeling that the Giants would win and the Packers would lose.
It's not the first time I've had that kind of confidence in a team. As a matter of fact, my severe pessimism about the Mets seems to breed a uniquely unfailing confidence in the prospects of other teams I support (with the definite exception of the Knicks; that's what 10 years of losing will do to you).
When the Saints were in the Super Bowl I had no doubt they were going to win. Ditto the 2004 Red Sox when they fell behind 3-0 in the ALCS.
Fat load of good that confidence did me on Sunday, however. The Giants held up their end of the bargain but the Packers didn't, beating the Bears 10-3 and locking up the playoff spot that was 8 minutes away from the Giants' grasp that horrible afternoon against Philly.
Let me caveat what follows by saying that I cannot judge football coaches the way I can judge baseball managers. I know enough about baseball to know what a smart manager should do in a given situation, or at least I know enough to have an understanding of the full menu of options.
I don't know enough about football to be able to evaluate decisions as they happen. So for all I know Coughlin made a number of questionable moves this year that screwed the team over (certainly I heard all about not having his "hands" team out there for that onside kick by the Eagles).
Be that as it may, I feel like the Giants made the right move here. I think back on the Mets' decision to fire Willie Randolph. As much as I supported that decision at the time, it's impossible to feel that the organization hasn't been languishing under a certain degree of flux ever since.
Jerry Manuel had a great sense of humor and was somebody I liked on a number of levels, but it was clear from day one that senior management wasn't committed to him. I hate to say it, but I kind of get the same vibe from Terry Collins; management likes him of course, but you don't give someone a 2-year deal if you think he's the guy to lead you to the promised land.
As far as I could tell, firing Coughlin would have raised more questions than it answered, the principal one being, is there another coach out there who's good for 10 wins next season? Maybe Bill Cowher was that guy, maybe not.
The Giants were lauded in the press for striking a blow for reasoned reflection, and not doing the New York thing and firing a guy just because the tabloids say you must.
Beyond that, however, they struck a blow for the value of consistency in leadership. For a team that just won 10 games and is three/four years removed from a Super Bowl title, is that really such a bad thing?
- A.F.O.M.G.
posted by A Friend of Mr. Glass' at 7:53 AM
2 Comments:
This whole, must-win-every-year, attitude that has crept into New York (I wonder where from??) is killing us. No more firing coaches. Let them build a team.
My thoughts exactly Patrick. Look at the Mets this offseason -- THANK GOD they're taking a go-slow approach. Short-term pain is worth it every single time if it results in long-term gain.
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