The Ted Factor

[Partial]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/37266424.html

[bobblehead]

I think you speculate too much. I suspect MM and TT will discuss at length who the DCoord will be. I also think MM like misinformation via the 2007 season finale.

I also think MM has the most trouble game planning for a 3-4 and on one side wants to run one, but on the other side wants continuity...I have absolutely NO clue where this is headed but my original prediction was Winston Moss for continuity and i'm sticking with it....for continuity.

[Partial]

I didn't write it. Greg Bedard might speculate too much, though.

[Lurker64]

If McCarthy wants Nolan and Thompson wants Williams, I'm going to have to side with Thompson here. McCarthy's hire of Sanders is somewhat of an indication that he's not a genius at picking out defensive coordinators, and I trust Thompson (who was an NFL linebacker) a little more than McCarthy (who was an NAIA Tight End, and only really coached offense) to figure out if scheme matches talent. Plus, Thompson is cold, calculating, and results oriented. I'm not convinced that McCarthy isn't the sort of guy who, though he knows football, wouldn't just hire somebody because it's easy (he's promoting somebody, or he's already friends with the guy he hires.)

Switching to the 3-4 is something that the next head coach would get to do, not the current head coach.

[mission]

Williams is the best pick, Nolan is the most comfortable "ol chap" pick...

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm not sure Nolan is an old chap (he coached with him for one year), and I'm not sure McCarthy would do something because it's easy. He doesn't seem like that sort of individual. The way he axed old buddy, Kurt Schottenheimer, would say that he's pretty cold and calculating. He didn't just hire old friends with his initial hirings either. In retrospect, I think he made a mistake stressing continuity on the defense with his initial hirings, but I can understand why he did it. I won't even say it was a complete disaster--as that staff and the continuity was part of the reason for the 13-3 record last year. The bottom line though: McCarthy has to get this right.

[denverYooper]

I trust Thompson (who was an NFL linebacker) a little more than McCarthy (who was an NAIA Tight End, and only really coached offense) to figure out if scheme matches talent.

"Tight End" aren't the first words that come to mind when I think of McCarthy :).

[mission]

I'm not sure Nolan is an old chap (he coached with him for one year), and I'm not sure McCarthy would do something because it's easy. He doesn't seem like that sort of individual. The way he axed old buddy, Kurt Schottenheimer, would say that he's pretty cold and calculating. He didn't just hire old friends with his initial hirings either. In retrospect, I think he made a mistake stressing continuity on the defense with his initial hirings, but I can understand why he did it. I won't even say it was a complete disaster--as that staff and the continuity was part of the reason for the 13-3 record last year. The bottom line though: McCarthy has to get this right.

Maybe you're right ... but GDubs is still the best pick. 8-)

[Lurker64]

I agree with the blue dog that it's important to get this right. As such, I'm happy if McCarthy takes the time to interview a lot of potential candidates to determine if they're really the best. As far as Gregg Williams goes, I'm personally convinced that he would be a better hire than Nolan or Moss, but will he be better than Sean McDermott any of the other up and coming position coaches? Who can say?

So if New Orleans is in a hurry to make Gregg Williams a very rich man, after his first interview, I wouldn't be terribly upset if he slips through our fingers because somebody else is in a hurry.

[pbmax]

Usually on this site, I end up on the side defending the reporting. But that might have been eight paragraphs of pure speculation, save for the quote out of Thompson's contract and McCarthy's Monday PC quotes about the Lions game.

Nothing in the article seems illogical, except he hasn't indicated a source or fact that speaks to people behaving this way. There is nothing wrong with this, its a blog and as its written it will not appear in the paper as a news story.

Thompson may very well have acted in this manner. But Bedard is just guessing, unless his source won't even let him publish that he had a source. I would write this off as the new guy not having a bead on the Packers, but he seemed to nail the light training camp. It sure seemed to have an impact on the offensive line.

My greater fear is that he might be right about one more year for both if they lose again. But if they do switch to 3-4 (say Williams takes the New Orleans job or goes to Houston), there is no way to call it after one year.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I tend to agree. Bedard has been fine, but I thought that this article was a stretch.

[Brohm]

The article is speculation, but to be honest, I wouldn't mind TT throwing an " Oh Hell No" in there in regards to not interviewing any other candidates. It shows he's on top of things (regardless of coming to the right/wrong answer, he knows there is a problem that must be addressed). MM was a newbie as a HC pick so may need a nudge here or there....

[KYPack]

I'm not sure Nolan is an old chap (he coached with him for one year), and I'm not sure McCarthy would do something because it's easy. He doesn't seem like that sort of individual. The way he axed old buddy, Kurt Schottenheimer, would say that he's pretty cold and calculating. He didn't just hire old friends with his initial hirings either. In retrospect, I think he made a mistake stressing continuity on the defense with his initial hirings, but I can understand why he did it. I won't even say it was a complete disaster--as that staff and the continuity was part of the reason for the 13-3 record last year. The bottom line though: McCarthy has to get this right.

I'm right with ya Harve on the fact MM gets to play this card once in his career. If you are canning the DC all the time, why can't you find a guy whose approach is sound?

MM does have the weakness of totally focusing on the O. He's got to get more involved with the D. I'd like him to get the Kid from Philly. We aren't that far off as a D. MM has got to coach the team, both sides, not defer to the DC and his staff.

To help the D. I'd like to see MM ditch the play sheet. Let Philbin send 'em in. Get your head into the whole game. Coach these guys for the entire game. Homgren finally ditched the laminated sheet, pittsburgh mike needs to do the same.

[HarveyWallbangers]

MM does have the weakness of totally focusing on the O. He's got to get more involved with the D. I'd like him to get the Kid from Philly. We aren't that far off as a D. MM has got to coach the team, both sides, not defer to the DC and his staff.

To help the D. I'd like to see MM ditch the play sheet. Let Philbin send 'em in. Get your head into the whole game. Coach these guys for the entire game. Homgren finally ditched the laminated sheet, pittsburgh mike needs to do the same.

Not really sure about this though. That's not his strength. I'd rather have him find the right guy and let him go to work. Sanders wasn't the right guy. Having said that, maybe I'm in the camp that MM needs to find a guy with experience, and let him handle the defense. Maybe there's a young guy that knocks his socks off, and he thinks he's ready to handle a defense by himself.

[pbmax]

He may be doing things a bit differently now, given how he lost both Shurmur and Rhodes, but Holmgren in Green Bay was very hands off with the defense. No some of this may be more legend than fact, but do you remember the stories that were printed, circulated and regaled on TV after the Packers first deep playoff run, the year they beat San Fran in San Francisco?

Holmgren said for the first time he could remember, he spent as much time with the defensive coaches as with the offensive coaches. He spilled his guts scouting each 49er he remembered and the things that drove them nuts when he was O coordinator.

Then the mad genius that was Shurmur instructed Wayne Simmons to go off his meds and just knock people around. God, was that a fun game to watch. Poor Brett Jones got a whipping from Wayne Simmons that day. I wish I had a tape of that game. Everyone today has seen film of Al Harris knocking some poor unsuspecting receiver on his keister with his bump. Ever see a TE go down in a heap on the LOS? That was Wayne Simmons that day. Good times. :D

[CaliforniaCheez]

Maybe the right candidate won't be available until after his team's season is over......

[Brohm]

Yeah we need another Simmons on this D. I can't remember the RB for the Vikings but I remember the play where he shot through a gap, picked up the RB and launched him in the backfield. I think it was a penalty as well :shock: but the intimidation factor was something :P

[Partial]

Yeah we need another Simmons on this D. I can't remember the RB for the Vikings but I remember the play where he shot through a gap, picked up the RB and launched him in the backfield. I think it was a penalty as well :shock: but the intimidation factor was something :P

Maulaluga!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fritz]

He may be doing things a bit differently now, given how he lost both Shurmur and Rhodes, but Holmgren in Green Bay was very hands off with the defense. No some of this may be more legend than fact, but do you remember the stories that were printed, circulated and regaled on TV after the Packers first deep playoff run, the year they beat San Fran in San Francisco?

Holmgren said for the first time he could remember, he spent as much time with the defensive coaches as with the offensive coaches. He spilled his guts scouting each 49er he remembered and the things that drove them nuts when he was O coordinator.

Then the mad genius that was Shurmur instructed Wayne Simmons to go off his meds and just knock people around. God, was that a fun game to watch. Poor Brett Jones got a whipping from Wayne Simmons that day. I wish I had a tape of that game. Everyone today has seen film of Al Harris knocking some poor unsuspecting receiver on his keister with his bump. Ever see a TE go down in a heap on the LOS? That was Wayne Simmons that day. Good times. :D

I'll have to make a pitch here for ol' Craig Newsome, too. For a CB he smacked guys pretty good, and before he got hurt he could cover pretty well.

But yeah, Wayne Simmons. One mean guy, always one wrong look away from going berserk. Kinda miss that. Not so Chuck Cecilish, though - where it's just stupid penalty stuff. Simmons just hit people. Hard.

[swede]

He may be doing things a bit differently now, given how he lost both Shurmur and Rhodes, but Holmgren in Green Bay was very hands off with the defense. No some of this may be more legend than fact, but do you remember the stories that were printed, circulated and regaled on TV after the Packers first deep playoff run, the year they beat San Fran in San Francisco?

Holmgren said for the first time he could remember, he spent as much time with the defensive coaches as with the offensive coaches. He spilled his guts scouting each 49er he remembered and the things that drove them nuts when he was O coordinator.

Then the mad genius that was Shurmur instructed Wayne Simmons to go off his meds and just knock people around. God, was that a fun game to watch. Poor Brett Jones got a whipping from Wayne Simmons that day. I wish I had a tape of that game. Everyone today has seen film of Al Harris knocking some poor unsuspecting receiver on his keister with his bump. Ever see a TE go down in a heap on the LOS? That was Wayne Simmons that day. Good times. :D

My son was a 6 month-old babe in my arms and I watched much of the game standing up rocking him. I swear I nearly spiked the poor lad when we forced the fumble and that D lineman scooped it up for a TD. I went to his high school orientation meeting last night, illustrating how far back into the past that era has slipped.