They say that no man is an island. Try explaining that to Mike Holmgren. There seems to be nothing but the icy black of the Puget Sound surrounding him now, the water either a harbinger of his future or a reflection of his past.The vicious cycle begins anew each September for Holmgren, as if it’s the bear of expectation emerging from hibernation. The start of another season, “sleepless in Seattle”.
Only on the annual updrafts of the new season’s optimism can a coach be reborn as a “guru”. The same guru who triumphantly swooped into town in 1999, shining from the glorious rays of Super Bowl victory in historic TitleTown.
But a lot has happened in the last six years, enough to make the natives question the shelf-life of past accomplishment.....
Make sure you click through and read the whole article as posted on Yahoo Sports.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really good read.
I think Holmy is gone either way at the end of the season. If we suck or are 1-and-done in the playoffs he'll be fired. If we're mediocre or advance in the playoffs but not make the SB, he'll retire.
The only way I see him coming back is to get into the SB.
Ruskell's gonna want to put in his own guy, and I think both the city and Mike know it's time for a change.
I think Holmy is still a good coach, but he's lost his fire, and the game seems to have passed him by somewhat, ala Landry and Shula.
I fully support Holmgren, but you might be right about losing his fire. He seems to be less aggressive than he used to be.
ReplyDeletePosted by PaulieP
Wax on Greg, I don't know if I should cry having read that. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteI agree alba, I think the Show hangs it up this year, regardless. I don't think he'll be fired, he'll retire. Having his own health problems, plus Rhodes' problems, Shurmurs death, I think he is planning on living a while with his millions. And who can blame him. The question is who to replace him? Several coaches on the hot seat, but none I think will fit with Ruskell. Tice? Nope. Sherman? Nope. Haslett? Nope. Gruden? Probably not. Are there any hot-rod D minded college coaches ready? I don't know, I don't pay much attention to college ball. Does Mora have another kid? All important questions I have no answer to.
Posted by JoSCh
I think it's too soon to start speculating on who our next coach will be. Let's see how the season shapes up as we go along. Hopefully it's a discussion we won't be having until the off-season, which will mean that we had a pretty good record this year. However, if Sunday's performance is any indication of how we'll play all year, then we'll be discussing this topic from about week 4 on.
ReplyDeleteBTW...I'm not sure if there are any more Mora siblings out there, but Bum Phillips has a son!
Posted by alba
I think I need to disagree with you folks on this one. Holmy is the coach next year--not even a question.
ReplyDeleteBeing coach is like being quarterback. When you win you get too much credit, and when you loose you get too much blame. Remember all those SB years Belichick had with the Browns?
It takes more than a great coach, or a great scheme, or single player. Winning in the play-off take a mix of coaching, talent and LUCK.
Marino and Shula...Hall of Famer's with 0 SBs.
Each year the media that covers football anoints more false prophets, and tears down more good coachs, than the number of days Koren spends in rehab each year.
I'd rather follow a team that builds itself to win year after year, than a team trying to capture lightening in a bottle for a signle year. If I wanted to do that I'd follow the team in the other Washington.
Not to be a homer, there have been mistakes on Holmy's watch. Ericson's salary cap mess was the first--so Holmy's first 2 years need to be viewed with caution. The next 3 years we learned the hard lesson that Holmy isn't a talent guy--that's probably our biggest Holmy problem, but one that's been fixed with Ruskell. Whittit is probably the other big problem--fresh off ruining the Blazer's he turned his dumb hand to the Hawks. All systemic the problems have been addressed.
Allen is a loyal owner. He'll keep Holmy and Holmy's ego is too big to go out with the job half done.
Posted by bokonon
Though I dont think Holmgren will get fired until later this year (if this year...maybe after next season...maybe never, who knows?)
ReplyDeletei tend to use a very common therapy with stuff like this...worry about it when it heats up...nothing has been heated except ESPN's nonworthy wanna be Hiraldos
The BIGGER question is...who will be out there thats an upgrade over Holmgren? Would you guys like taking the risk if both him and Martz are fired, and that we would end up with Tweety Bird? Scary thought...the fear of the unknown is frightening...though im emotionally scarred at the releasing of our 5th string LB, I trust Ruskell otherwise.
Offtopic...but does anyone think that 'the Stache' should make a comeback in todays fashion?
Posted by ADP
There would have to be an epic collapse for the team to change coaches mid-season, especially with no clear successor on the staff.
ReplyDeletePosted by alba
bokonon, you raise very good points, in naming other coaches who did immediately or always have success, but let me name you one who puts into question (for me at least) your hypothesis; Bill Parcells. He has won everywhere he has goen, he has taken lousy to mediocre teams and turned them into winners within two to three seasons EVERYWHERE he has gone. How has he done this? He is simply a truly great coach, who understands what it really takes to win in the NFL. There are other coaches as well who have had success with more than one team, and who have done it quickly.
ReplyDeleteAlso, even though you have mentioned other coaches who did not immediately find success, then eventually did, you did not mention the fact that no team in the NFL keeps a coach for SIX BLOODY years who cannot find a way to win, regardless of their previous success. SIX years man, that's an awful long time in this parity driven league, and especially in the incredibly weak NFC. He is coaching a team in the weakest division in the weakest league in the NFL and has had plenty of time, and has beeen able to draft and otherwise bring in exactly the guys he wants. Still that has not been enough for this coach to win. What will it take? How many more years are we supposed to reward failure before we get fed up enough to cut the man loose?
While this has nothing to do with whether or not Holmgrens failures to date as a coach should get him fired if he fails again;As for me, personally I have always HATED the so called west coast offense. I dislike his system and always have and always will. With the exception of Bill Walsh, who truly was a genius, name another coach who has really found any lasting success with it? Try hard to name even one superbowl winner, other than the Niners who ran the west coast offense. You can't.
ReplyDeleteI seriously don't see Holmgren hangiung it up before his contract's up, he's not a quitter, I just don't see him giving up.
ReplyDeleteEspecially if the Hawks make it deep into the playoffs. As a H.C. with as much invested as he has you don't just walk away when the puzzle's this close to being complete.
I just really doubt that that would happen.
Posted by vinnyhawkalugi
"name another coach who has really found any lasting success with it? "
ReplyDeleteAndy Reid. And the Pats don't really have a named scheme, but they have WC tendencies.
I don't think he'll be fired, I think he retires. And it's not a quitting issue, its a health, physical and mental, issue. I don't think he can take it anymore. We'll see how a couple of wins affect him, but he seems a little listless, and the 2 minute drill and lack of running plays last week are my "proof" of that.
And its never too early to start speculation. Never! Most everything we do on this site is speculation, it's certainly not like I actually know anything, although others may.
Posted by JoSCh
Josch said it best...im 100% on that side of the fence, give or take whether he plays out his contract or not...
ReplyDeletehe ran our backup RB on a 3 and 9 (or 11?) for goodness sake...managed the timeouts pretty bad...he doesnt yell at the players if at all...he still acts as if Mack Strong is 30 years younger with the way he plays him on 3rd and 1 and even passes to him...i think he just wants to finish on top, or at least leave a legacy here (cough=playoff-win=cough) after the way the fans supported him up until last year
Posted by ADP
Why in the world are we not looking at Ray Rhodes getting the axe? If anyone, it should be him. That guy is still using the same stale defensive scheme he used when he coached the Eagles (a trying time for Eagles fans, to say the least). Talk about bad press conferences, sheesh. I hope that if Holmy goes, Rhodes-y goes
ReplyDeletePosted by pjo