Black Monday

[Joemailman]

Colts hire Ravens DC Chuck Pagano as their HC. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8265203d/article/colts-hire-ravens-dc-pagano-to-replace-caldwell-as-head-coach?module=HP11_headline_stack

[Bretsky]

Does this kill Moss's chance to ever be a HC?


I've always felt Moss was vastly overrated and I'm still confused why he is our asst head coach. There are three or four guys I'd value over Winston w/o even thinking about the rest of the coaches.

Moss had deep ties to Oakland and McKenzie had worked with him for year. Dude is old news.

[denverYooper]

Missed this: Bruce Arians "retired": http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/26/art-rooney-ii-on-bruce-arians-it-was-time-for-a-change/

[mraynrand]

Does this kill Moss's chance to ever be a HC?

No. He's the perfect Rooney Rule candidate - you can interview him for every job, but it's a big step to head coach from where he is, so you take the up and coming fiery coordinator. Moss' next step would be coordinator. If you don't see him get that within the next few years, you have to start thinking he's another Nolan Cromwell - someone who you'd think was totally capable but for whatever reason is just not able/interested in taking that next organizational step up. I'm betting Edgar Bennett or Kevin Green gets a coordinator and then HC job before Moss and/or will ultimately be more successful than Moss.

[Joemailman]

Looks like Tampa Bay is hiring Rutgers coach Greg Schiano as their HC. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/138134668.html

Therefore, it would appear that Clements will be staying in Green Bay.

[Joemailman]

It's getting Chilly in Cleveland: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7511012/cleveland-browns-tap-brad-childress-offensive-coordinator

[mraynrand]

At least The Browns will have some built in entertainment on those trips home from losses in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincy.

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/mraynrand/Chillylegs.jpg

[Joemailman]

Report that Packers have blocked Tampa Bay from interviewing McAdoo for OC position. http://blogs.greenbaypressgazette.com/blogs/gpg/insider/2012/02/07/report-packers-block-mcadoo-from-interview-with-bucs/

I expect Clements gets HC job in near future. McAdoo will be QB coach this year, and heir-apparent to be OC when Clements leaves.

[pbmax]

McAdoo was also prevented from interviewing with Miami and Philbin. Wow, they must really want him to stick around.

Wilde and a source also speculate that Whitt was denied a chance to interview with the Raiders for their DC job, though his Tweet of it seemed more speculation than report.

Bears have hired Jeremy Bates to be QB coach and passing game coordinator. So the Shanahan passing game will be in Chicago this year. Oddly, he was out of football last year after being fired by Pete Carrol for being unable to make Matt Hasselback age in reverse.

[Fritz]

"Bears have hired Jeremy Bates to be QB coach and passing game coordinator. "

So Jay Cutler will be the Master of Bates...

[Patler]

"Bears have hired Jeremy Bates to be QB coach and passing game coordinator. "

So Jay Cutler will be the Master of Bates...

Wouldn't the coach/player relationship make Jeremy the master of Jay?

But, I assume the Bears will insist that Cutler master Bates' game plans!

[KYPack]

Wouldn't the coach/player relationship make Jeremy the master of Jay?

But, I assume the Bears will insist that Cutler master Bates' game plans!

That's enough Patler.

Go to your room.

[Joemailman]

McAdoo named QB coach. http://blogs.greenbaypressgazette.com/blogs/gpg/insider/2012/02/08/report-mcadoo-named-qb-coach/

What does a new QB coach who never played QB tell a QB who just has the best statistical season in NFL history?

[sharpe1027]

McAdoo named QB coach. http://blogs.greenbaypressgazette.com/blogs/gpg/insider/2012/02/08/report-mcadoo-named-qb-coach/

What does a new QB coach who never played QB tell a QB who just has the best statistical season in NFL history?

Probably not much that isn't coming directly from MM. I suspect that MM's the one pulling all the QB strings anyway.

[pbmax]

Worked for Andy Reid.

Just as Philbin was coordinator and helped on the O line, I suspect that Clements will have time to continue to work with the QBs. He isn't calling plays after all.

[Fritz]

Still, that is a good question. How does a guy who never coached QB's establish his authority and his knowledge of the position?

The team must have a lot of confidence in McAdoo.

Or maybe coaching is just coaching. I dunno.

"Goddammit, Aaron, complete the pass, I said! Good God, I can't teach you anything, son!"

[sharpe1027]

McCarthy was a TE at a small college, but he has proven to be one of the best QB coaches anywhere. Some ex-players make bad coaches. Some good coaches never played professionally.

My guess is that he has already been given the blueprint and mainly just needs to execute it.

[Patler]

Still, that is a good question. How does a guy who never coached QB's establish his authority and his knowledge of the position?

The team must have a lot of confidence in McAdoo.

Or maybe coaching is just coaching. I dunno.

"Goddammit, Aaron, complete the pass, I said! Good God, I can't teach you anything, son!"

Maybe the same way that a guy who never played WR established his authority and knowledge about that position this year.

[pbmax]

Maybe the same way that a guy who never played WR established his authority and knowledge about that position this year.

There are a lot of examples of this; Andy Reid had never coached the passing game until he was in Green Bay as a TE coach, a few short years later he was QB coach, having never played the position. Belichick's staff is full of guys like this. Often, coaches who have played or coached a position for a long time are tied to one system and it can be hard to integrate a team and game plan around units that do not mesh.

Philadelphia is one such team, where they can't move the DC Castillo back to O line because the O line just spent a year learning an entirely new system from Howard Mudd. And they didn't want to go backwards, even to open a spot for Spagnuolo as DC. This is why O line hires often are tough to matchup and O line coaches often follow HCs and OCs around.

This, too, is a good example of how player and team priorities can diverge. Rodgers wants an experienced hand to explain to him things he doesn't yet know or understand about Defenses. McCarthy needs bright minds to contribute to the game plan and breakdown film for the entire offense, not just one player. And the GB QB coach must also be responsible for developing two far more raw young QBs. Gannon, Billie Joe Robideaux or even Joe Montana might help Rodgers in specific situations, but its far less clear they are good coaches for young players or offense in general.

[Fritz]

This is a good discussion. I learned a lot here, reading about how offensive line coaches are difficult to replace, and how a QB coach might be good for one task (advancing a very good QB and contributing to the gameplan) but not another (developing youngsters).

I didn't think Edgar Bennett was a good example because I thought running backs and wide receivers were similar in skill sets, but QB's seem different than anyone. But maybe it is a good example - maybe a good coach is a good coach is a good coach. At least until you apply the Peter/Sherman Principle.

[sharpe1027]

Edgar was also an outstanding receiving RB, but I think the general premise is still sound. I think it is possible and common for coaches to teach the proper techniques regardless of whether they learned the techniques from playing themselves or from their experiences as a coach, including using and expanding upon other coaches' teaching methods.

Also, given the solid history of QB development associated from the coaching system setup by McCarthy at GB, I think the need for an ex-player is lessened so long as they have a strong understanding of the system that is already in place. Of course, that doesn't mean that just anyone can step in and do the job.

[Guiness]

You certainly don't have to play the game to work on the other side of the boards/sidelines/whatever.

Went to highschool with a guy who played some basketball and badminton. He was an albino, and his body didn't hold up too well - vision, joint problems, etc.

Even in high school though, the guy had an eye for talent, and could pick apart a game. I remember being at tournaments and he'd be watching games and say "that guy should make the finals" or "slow first step, if you can get him to bite on a fake, you've got him."

He ended up being an NHL scout, and afaik never laced up skates at ANY level!

[pbmax]

You certainly don't have to play the game to work on the other side of the boards/sidelines/whatever.

Went to highschool with a guy who played some basketball and badminton. He was an albino, and his body didn't hold up too well - vision, joint problems, etc.

Even in high school though, the guy had an eye for talent, and could pick apart a game. I remember being at tournaments and he'd be watching games and say "that guy should make the finals" or "slow first step, if you can get him to bite on a fake, you've got him."

He ended up being an NHL scout, and afaik never laced up skates at ANY level!

The Albino Scout? Or The Pale Skater?

If that isn't a Book of the Month Club winner Guin, nothing is.

[Guiness]

Ya crack me up PB!

The guy went by the name Reimer, and apparently, he did. Hilarious that even she called him that.

(hint: it's a portmanteau)

Oh, never mind.

[Bretsky]

Maybe the same way that a guy who never played WR established his authority and knowledge about that position this year.


Hence all of the great catches in the postseason :)

[pbmax]

Somebody named Tony Alford just turned down the Packers publicly, giving some quotes to the Chicago Tribune (after that ESPN, Press Gazette and JSO ran with it if Twitter's times can be believed). I hope he told the Packers first, because if he didn't he probably won't get an NFL interview for a while. The Tribune version said there was no offer made to be coach.

He was a WR coach for the Great Ginger Hope, this year he is scheduled to be RB and Slot WR coach plus recruiting coordinator. Odd thing about the timing, apparently, his new job was made public Friday, same day he was at the airport in Green Bay. Maybe Notre Dame really wanted him? And he pulled a mini-Alvarez to get a bump in pay?

[pbmax]

McCarthy finalizes his staff and Rodgers gets his veteran QB coach, though to meet with him, he will need to step into the RB meeting room.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/139213769.html

Alex Van Pelt is the new RBs coach. Jerry Fontenot, who they apparently like a lot, is now TE coach.

Van Pelt brings a pretty deep and odd resume to the Packers offense. By pairing him with Clements, they have two former Bill's passing game architects, though from different eras. It also matches running game coaching (which includes knowing the O line blocking assignments) to his experience in the passing game and a reasonable record with Josh Freeman in Tampa. After a couple of years, he would be a natural coordinator. By dint of training, anyway.

McCarthy also moved Joel Hilgenberg from offense QC to asst. O line coach and John Rushing from asst ST/WR coach to offensive asst/ST.

[gbgary]

van pelt...wasn't he a qb a mi st or am i thinking of someone else?

[pbmax]

Alex played at Pittsburgh with McCarthy as his coach. Brad Van Pelt may be who you are thinking of.

[gbgary]

Alex played at Pittsburgh with McCarthy as his coach. Brad Van Pelt may be who you are thinking of.

yup...you're right. thx.

[pbmax]

M3 might have just hired his a guy that looks like he could be his brother.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/13/packers-add-alex-van-pelt-as-running-backs-coach/

http://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/alexvanpelt2-e1329150553643.jpg?w=243

[denverYooper]

M3 might have just hired his a guy that looks like he could be his brother.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/13/packers-add-alex-van-pelt-as-running-backs-coach/

http://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/alexvanpelt2-e1329150553643.jpg?w=243

All he needs is a wandering eye.

[gbgary]

All he needs is a wandering eye.

:lol:

[pbmax]

Giants liked him:

https://twitter.com/#!/BobMcGinn/status/169470298725416960/embed

@BobMcGinn

When NYG lost QB coach M. Sullivan to TB, NY called to i'view Alex Van Pelt. He was about to i'view w/GB. When GB offered RBs, VP took it.

[Guiness]

Giants liked him:

https://twitter.com/#!/BobMcGinn/status/169470298725416960/embed (https://twitter.com/#%21/BobMcGinn/status/169470298725416960/embed)

@BobMcGinn

When NYG lost QB coach M. Sullivan to TB, NY called to i'view Alex Van Pelt. He was about to i'view w/GB. When GB offered RBs, VP took it.

Van Pelt was the third stringer in Buffalo during the Flutie/Johnson debacle, when Wade Philips benched the starter that got them to the playoffs in favor of his backup. Rob Johnson lit up Indi the last week of the season playing against a team who was resting its starters!!!

Philips was absolutely crucified, especially in Canada where Flutie had played so well in the CFL.

[KYPack]

OK, OK.
We promoted our QB coach to OC.

But....
An ex- Center and OL coach coaches the TE’s
An ex RB and RB coach coaches WR’s,
A former TE coach coaches QB's,
A former QB coach coaches the RBs.

Isn’t some of this fucked up?
I know it’s new wave and edgy & all. But hasn’t this crosspollination bit done got out of hand?

[pbmax]

OK, OK.
We promoted our QB coach to OC.

But....
An ex- Center and OL coach coaches the TE’s
An ex RB and RB coach coaches WR’s,
A former TE coach coaches QB's,
A former QB coach coaches the RBs.

Isn’t some of this fucked up?
I know it’s new wave and edgy & all. But hasn’t this crosspollination bit done got out of hand?

Don't forget that Jimmy Robinson was not a WR himself. And Nolan Cromwell (Slocum before there was Slocum) was a former DB and ST coach coaching WRs. Its always been a little strange, but not as many as on this staff. Not that I recall. I am not sure McAdoo is Andy Reid, but I like the Van Pelt hire.

[Smeefers]

OK, OK.
We promoted our QB coach to OC.

But....
An ex- Center and OL coach coaches the TE’s
An ex RB and RB coach coaches WR’s,
A former TE coach coaches QB's,
A former QB coach coaches the RBs.

Isn’t some of this fucked up?
I know it’s new wave and edgy & all. But hasn’t this crosspollination bit done got out of hand?

It's nice and all that they're Former players, but Coaches don't need to have played a position to know how to tell other people how to play it. They're paid to look at form and correct little mistakes. Give little hints. They more implement game plan and focus on enforcing where players are supposed to go on a given play. I don't know, I could be wrong. I've never coached a professional athlete.