Mike Sherman No. 1
January 20th, 2012
The initial list of candidates the Bucs gathered to fill the void left by jettisoned coach Raheem Morris, it raised more than an eyebrow or two.
The list even moved Joe’s good friend, the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620, to say the known candidates “make me want to puke.”
Since, the Bucs have widened their net and interviewed assistants such as Mike Zimmer, Joe Philbin and Tom Clements.
But despite this, Pat Yasinskas of ESPN is unmoved. He still likes one candidate from the original list and believes that the best choice for Team Glazer and Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik would be Warren Sapp’s confidant, Mike Sherman.
1. Mike Sherman. Even before Morris was fired, Sherman’s name was tied to this job. Part of it was due to the fact Sherman uses the same agent as general manager Mark Dominik, who undoubtedly is going to have a big say in this hire. The Bucs want a cohesive relationship between their front office and the coaching staff and all indications are Sherman and Dominik would work well together.
But there are more reasons why Sherman remains No. 1 on my list. The first is that he’s almost exactly the opposite of Morris in just about every way and that appears to be what the Bucs want. Sherman is 57 with lots of experience. Although his most recent job was a lackluster tenure at Texas A&M, he has been an NFL head coach before. A lot of people tend to forget Sherman’s time in Green Bay was pretty productive.
He produced a winning record in five of his six seasons. He comes from an offensive background and I think that scores points with the Bucs. Tampa Bay needs quarterback Josh Freeman, who it wants to be the foundation of the franchise, back on track after a disappointing 2011 season.
Yazinskas went on to write that another attribute Sherman has is that he is a “strong disciplinarian.”
While Joe totally gets the need to work with Freeman, if that is the case, why not choose Clements? Everywhere the man went he has developed quarterbacks. His track record is undisputed. Good Lord, he even transformed Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox (!) into Pro Bowl signal-callers. Imagine what he could do with Freeman?
If you are just looking for an old coach who brings discipline, why not a guy who wins games no matter where he was, Marty Schottenheimer?
January 20th, 2012 at 9:02 am
Where is Thomas I miss the sarcasm!!!!!!
January 20th, 2012 at 9:17 am
Really out of all the candidates Sherman is the best??? Wow!!!!
January 20th, 2012 at 9:19 am
I love old movies, especially war stories and westerns, oaters as they are called. Marty Schottenheimer reminds me of one of my favorites – “Tom Horn”, played by Steve McQueen.
Horn was a legendary gunfighter hired by the Cattlemen’s Association to rid the range of rustlers. His methods were brutal, but effective. And once the job was done, the Cattlemen are now faced with the problem of getting rid of Tom Horn. Tom was framed and eventually hanged!
Therein lies the likely fate of Schottenheimer. Everywhere that Marty has coached in the NFL, he has been extremely effective on the field. But for whatever reasons, he has either been fired or asked to resign by management. Whether at San Diego, Kansas City, Cleveland, or Washington, there have been great turnarounds, winning records, player admiration, and fan support, but like Tom Horn, his services were no longer required.
Much has been written about Marty and a lot of it isn’t pretty. Marty, after a 10-6 season and loss in the playoffs had a blowup with Art Modell, owner of the Cleveland Browns, who after 3 days released this statement – “The Browns and Marty Schottenheimer have reached an amicable agreement to part company due to a number of irreconcilable differences regarding the Browns coaching philosophy, particularly the position of offensive coordinator”. Colorful stories abound like his run in with Carl Peterson, GM at Kansas City, and his subsequent resignation because of his alleged dalliances with a young woman or his outright defiance of Alex Spanos’ rule against nepotism in San Diego. Spanos forbade Marty to hire his brother as DC. At the time, his son Brian was already the QB coach. Against Spanos’ objections, Marty went ahead and booked a flight for his brother Kurt – an act among others that caused Spanos to fire him outright after a 14-2 season.
Once Marty is given the reins, he is in charge and it is pedal to the metal – that is his legacy and with good results, but bad blood. When the final is chapter is written on Marty, it will probably acknowledge that he was a coaching genius, but a front office nightmare. Schottenheimer may end up being the guy in Tampa and I wouldn’t mind if he is. But if he isn’t, it may be that Marty was a modern day Tom Horn!
January 20th, 2012 at 9:25 am
Well they did get a WOW candidate, just for the wrong reason. I think there is more candidates to come so don’t get your panties in a wad folks.
January 20th, 2012 at 9:31 am
Waste of a coaching opportunity.
Picking Trent Richardson @ #5 is less “wasteful” then bringing in Sherman.
Also, Dominick and Sherman use the same agent, is this a “Rockstar” agent?
January 20th, 2012 at 9:35 am
I hope Yasinkas is way off. I just imagine the Glazers going thru all the candidates and using it as window dressing. I would take just about any of the other coaches than I would Sherman. The only coach I consider worse is Chilly. Are the Glazers more concerned with winning or worried the little GM might get yelled at for doing dumb things. If Sherman is hired the amount of people that dislike Dominick is going to grow and should. Dominick ran a Superbowl winning QB and former player away cause he didn’t get along with his friend now we are going to hire a coach cause they share the same agent and might get along with the pop star. If this happens the Glazers will get blasted by the media. I’m not buying it.
January 20th, 2012 at 9:37 am
SteveK,
Here is an article from Don Banks at SI who believes Dominik had great drafts … Go bitch, whine and complain to him about his article … Kind of like the nagging ex-gf you are on this site
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/don_banks/04/22/bucs/index.html
January 20th, 2012 at 9:39 am
I dont understand the hate for sherman at all. The guy has a winning record in the NFL, and hes a disciplinarian. College and the nfl are different and he tried transforming a spread offense in college to a pro style offense. Then people say he didnt do anything with favre in his prime but from what i remember Favre only has ONE superbowl in his 19(?) year career. Hes a good coach and knows Offense. Something the Yucs need.
January 20th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Ugh…
January 20th, 2012 at 9:51 am
What is Sherman doing in this pic with his players? Showing them how to take it up the a$$? He sucked coaching ‘young men’. Next!
January 20th, 2012 at 9:57 am
@clayburn94 great point! I never understood the hate either. How is a guy who has 5 draught winning seasons a failure? Oh because be never won a super bowl right? Or because he couldn’t turn a&m into a powerhouse in a conference where they’re an afterthought.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:01 am
macabee
Tom Horn is a great movie and does seem to fit Marty’s NFL career. Speaking of old westerns and our Bucs current situation, I would have to peg John Wayne’s The Cowboys as our story. Young’uns needing older guidance.
BTW McQueen gave a great performance while already ill with cancer. He was also believed to have directed most of it, cause five different directors worked on it and all were fired.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:05 am
What bothers me is that he goes from having 5 straight winning seasons and then lets that slip to a 4 and 12 season. just has a certain stinch about it that bothers me.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:06 am
Joe – You asked the question, why not hire Tom Clements as HC in order to best develop Josh Freeman. My mind went immediately to the fact that as HC, whoever gets picked will be pulled in every direction as their responsibilities require them to. I don’t see how Josh Freeman could be developed by a HC acting also as a QB coach. Freeman needs a dedicated QB coach in order to improve and/or maintain a high level.
….
BTW, LOVE! This website.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:06 am
I would much, much, much rather have Marty. I do not understand the appeal of this guy at all.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:23 am
Thanks ThunderDove!
January 20th, 2012 at 10:23 am
Yasinskas logic is just plain stupid. If the Glazers are already disappointed in ticket sales. Go ahead and hire Sherman. I dare you.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:30 am
ThunderDove is spot on. That’s why I’m a Zimmer advocate .. He can bring in the quality position coaches needed to do their thang ..Besides, I’m not convinced Free’s issues don’t stem from the lack of effort around him and the fact that he was a bit banged up. A full off season with dedicated no nonsense staff should cure the ailments…Along with some higher quality players at a few key positions.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:33 am
Sherman for HC is like the herpes of coaches candidates for the Bucs. Just when I think its gone. It rears its ugly head. Zimmer stills sounds like the best candidate so far. The defense needs the most improvement.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:35 am
Atlanta: Mike Nolan
New Orleans: Steve Spagnolo
Tampa Bay: Mike Sherman (?)
Our opponents are both getting better – we are not
This continues to be a painful process to watch
January 20th, 2012 at 10:53 am
I don’t understand the meaning of Dom and Sherman having the same agent?
How could that possibly matter?
The reason Marty is better, setting aside the record, is that he has turned franchises around. Sherman hardly turned Green Bay around, and couldnt get er done at A&M. That turning the franchise around skill is damned important in this situation.
I don’t get it at all.
January 20th, 2012 at 10:58 am
eric:
Amen.
January 20th, 2012 at 11:04 am
noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
January 20th, 2012 at 11:31 am
LMFFAO///Jaquars just hired Olson as their QB coach. God help Gabbert.
January 20th, 2012 at 11:34 am
I don’t see the appeal of Sherman. If people are going to credit Dungy for Grudens success, then I am looking at Sherman the same way. He won with Holgrem’s guys, and eventually sputtered out, worse and worse each year. He has Brett at a time when they should have gone to Super Bowls and did not.
And if you want to explain his poor record at A&M on being a red-headed stepchild, then explain Texas Tech’s success. What about Baylor this year?
The guy is mediocre.
How can people say he’s my guy because he has a winning record (he’s just over .500 in the NFL), and a disciplarian? To quote Chris Rock,”What do you want, a cookie?? He’s supposed to win. He’s supposed to discipline.
Good lord, has “Rockstar” lowered our expectations that much?!!
January 20th, 2012 at 11:50 am
LOL, perhaps Sherman IS the coach I was told about who was already unofficially chosen, in a secret handshake deal ?
Remember, both Fisher and Wade Phillips turned us down, perhaps they knew something ?
With Mark Dominik and Mike Sherman both sharing the same agent, it would have been very easy to arrange a secret deal.
This whole “exhaustive coaching search” may have been just a way to divert attention, and “make it look good” LOL
January 20th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
…
I have nothing against Sherman…I just don’t feel at peace in my spirit about him as head coach here. I certainly don’t hate the idea…I’m just not comfy with it.
In the case of Marty and Clements, I want both here as bad as a fat man on a treadmill wants a candy bar.
However, I also know that the only way for that to happen is if Marty is willing to take a lesser position as Assist. Head Coach/OC…unless his ties to Green Bay can somehow get them to let Clements go…but that’s unlikely.
Making Clements the head coach is the smart move. Marty would be more apt to work under someone from Green Bay.
Another name that hasn’t been thrown into the mix…Caldwell.
Jim Caldwell
Was a QB coach here, went on to coach Manning, even though Manning was pretty much established already. As QB coach, Caldwell won a superbowl. He succeeded Dungy as head coach and went 14-2.
The loss of Manning cost him big time. That team has always been built around Manning.
Yes…for the years before becoming head coach, Caldwell was QB coach and could have developed someone better to step in if Manning was injured…but no quality picks gave him that opportunity.
It’s entirely possible that he learned enough to make the Bucs winners again. I’m not endorsing him, but I do think he should at least get an interview.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Caldwell also took the Colts to the SB in his frst year as head coach…hmmn…seems someone might be doing that this year as well.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
#Apple
I doubt that. And you heard about that deal kind of early on, before they really interviewed many people. If they had chosen someone, that someone would be gathering staff and word would have leaked out.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Alstottnotsosmart
I’m sorry but being just over .500 doesnt make you a bad HC!
Sherman BTW is .594, that’s almost .600. His record is better than Holmgren, Parcells, Chuck Noll, Mike Shanahan, Jimmy Johnson, Tom Coughlin, John Fox, Dick Vermil, Dan Reeves most of them SB winners with lower winning records.
So what’s your point about being barely over .500, which makes you a bad HC?
January 20th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Jim Caldwell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaa
January 20th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
So did Barry Switzer.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:44 pm
A Real Bucs Fan…..Really? Caldwell? Really?
Before you post, just say it out loud to see if it sounds stupid. Caldwell? Do you even watch the NFL?
There’s a guy in Indy, um, Peyton something…..ya, he has been the coach there since Dungy got there. he makes the rules, he runs the team.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
It’s really simple.
If the Bucs wanted to hire Mike Sherman, they would have hired Mike Sherman.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
I was just throwing out the insane, lol. Come on, even I’m not that stupid…I just wanted to see people’s reactions, lol.
btw, you all do know this is strictly Pat Yasinskas’s opinion, right? (on Sherman)
Because several people above seem to be taking it as fact.
January 20th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Real Bucs Fan
Come on? You put alot of effort/explaination into your, “I just wanted to see people’s reactions” Caldwell statement. I mean four paragraphs isn’t just a passing thought.
January 20th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
OAR:
It’s actually .578, splitting hairs perhaps. My point is, if you break that down to a single season average, he’s 9-7 at best. And, that’s not including his college coaching at A&M. He had one season above .500 in four seasons at College Station. Mike Leach did a lot more with a lot less.
It would actually be hard to do poorly with an early 30’s (peak) Brett Favre. He managed to do that.
And, re: those other coaches, do you actually want the guy on that list who does not possess a ring? John Fox? No thanks. As a DC, yes.
The purpose of my post was that Sherman has yet to take anything mediocre and turn it into something polished. In the single instance he had something polished, he made it mediocre. Just posting an above .500 record as an NFL coach is not in itself something to make me oooh and ahhhh over.
P.S. Chilly is over .500. I could probably erase everything else I wrote, and just leave this and it would answer your question.
January 20th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
When has Yasinskas ever gotten anything right? I wouldn’t worry about this.
Joe – I don’t get the “Warren Sapp’s confidant, Mike Sherman” comment.
January 20th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Joke:
Google is your friend.
January 20th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
the only comfort i take in this is that Yasinskas is a clueless jackass….he goes by the majority opinion, and he tends to throw s*** at a wall and see what sticks.
January 20th, 2012 at 2:06 pm
You seem to not be splitting hairs, but facts! No his record is .594, check it out yourself:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/
As for HC, I personally just want one with experience at that position at this point, besides seeing how difficult it is to get a SB ring, your list of available HC’s with one would be very very short.
My point is you just know how a HC will turn out, especially by record alone. Look at Bilicheat, with the Browns he had .450 record, I guess Kraft would have been smart not to hire him, huh? I mean Mike Martz has a .624 record, but no thanks!
January 20th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
oops! …you just “don’t” know how a HC…
January 20th, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Your website list regular season seperately than playoff records. Maybe you should read more thoroughly in the future. He WAS coaching during the playoffs, therefore that is his record. He is 59-43 including all of the games he coached at Green Bay. Put that in your fact pipe and smoke it.
Just because someone has experience, does not alone make them qualified. There is good experience, and bad experience. What exactly on his resume makes him so qualified compared to other experienced candidates? He turned Green Bay into a losing team and could not do anything at A&M.
I’m not against an experienced coach, there’s just zero showing that you’ll get anything close to Belichek with Sherman. If you look at rehires, Bill is much closer to the anomaly, than the rule.
January 20th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Actually, his record is in the NFL is 59-43, making it…wait for it….578!!! Your website lists playoff seperately. But, he did IN FACT coach all of those games. Perhaps a little bit more reading comprehension will do you well, instead of being snide. Put that in your fact pipe and smoke it.
There’s good experience and bad experience. What exactly avails Sherman to good experience? The way he slowly tore down a great Green Bay team with worsening records from the beginning of his reign to the end?
Or was it when he did jack squat at A&M? While the Texas Techs of the world succeeded.
I’m certainly not adverse to an experienced coach. There’s just nothing to tham compares him to the Patriots. Bill is surely more on the anomaly than the rules as far as hiring rehires.
January 20th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Since you had to post your reply twice, I must really have gotten under your thin skin and I guess I will put it in my pipe and smoke it! Thanks I have been looking for some good $h!t.
Look I’m not pro-Sherman, but stand by my other comments about coaches and thier records just over .500 not being crappy coaches all the time!
BTW his getting worse and worse every year is an exageration too! 9-7, 12-4, 12-4, 10-6, 10-6 and then 8-8. Didnt think 10-6 in a row was worse and worse? LOL!
January 20th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Seems to me Shermy inhereted a pretty talented team. And when shermy left, the team was heading down the tubes.
I honestly can’t believe that the Bucs would make a move for him.
let’s see…..sitting about 60 miles from GB, with the ability to watch the Packers every game, seeing a first rate organization with a very good HC, have a coaches program with players visiting locally….a team lined up to compete for championships the next three or four years………. OR
Cheer on my hometown team, that I hardly ever get to see on TV, that seems to have a three ring circus act over at one Buc Place…….
I must be drunk to choose the later……better hand me another six pack.
January 20th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
As for what Sherman did with GB, as an offensive-minded coach, Sherman led the Packers to break franchise records for rushing in 2003 and passing in 2004. In 2003, Packers quarterback Brett Favre led the NFL in touchdown passes, in addition to setting a franchise record for rushing yardage. The 2003 team also gained a total of 442 points, which is the fourth most in franchise history (560 in 2011, 461 in 2009, 456 in 1996, when the team won the Super Bowl).
How’s that for snide pipe smoke?
January 20th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
i refuse to have Sherman but but for some reason i believe tht the Glazers dont hire him just me
January 20th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Alstottsmart
Again, Im not pro-Sherman, but if he could do what he did in GB, which was 5 consecutive winning seasons, I’d take it! Cause, we have never had that! His drafting wasn’t too bad for them either.
January 20th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
My bad! His last year was 4-12, but he did have Javon Walker, Ahmad Green and several other starter season ending injuries that year.
January 20th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
I reposted because my browser crashed as I hit send. It appeared it did not go through. But, if you want to think otherwise, go right ahead.
As for the rest, I stand by what I said. There are other experienced candidates who have accomplished more than Sherman ever has as a head coach anywhere.
If he goes on to great things, it will be despite what he shown in the past, not because of it.
January 20th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
I thought it was funny and weird. Cause, the content was similiar but the verbage was different, that’s all. It makes sense, now.
BTW All this standing is making me tired!
January 20th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
My Brother lives in Texas and has been telling me that Sherman is going to be the Bucs coach before they fired Rah. I just ask him why he thinks that and he just told me that Sherman is telling his close friends that he has the job and that he is putting together his staff. I hope it falls though or he just thinks it’s a done deal.
January 20th, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Joe,
Thanks for the prickish answer. I was at the Chad Clifton game, of course I’m familiar with the whole Sapp-Sherman kerfuffle.
But what the heck is “Warren Sapp’s confidant, Mike Sherman” supposed to mean?
January 20th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Joke:
Since you already know, Joe’s pretty sure you have thus answered your own question.
January 21st, 2012 at 2:16 am
If I were one of the Prodigal sons this would be my short list: Bisaccia, Clements, Fewell, Gray, Kelly, Marinelli, Schottenheimer