Another Firing

Hi all. Today another coach lost his job, Mike Shanahan, after 14 seasons at the helm of the Denver Broncos accumulating a 146-89 record and winning two super bowls. This is one of the more surprising firings, although if you look at this season they were another team that looked like they had a playoff spot wrapped up going into the waning days of the season only to be sent home for the year on the tails of a blow out at the hands of the division winning Chargers. This leaves the Broncos to join the Jets, Browns and Lions in a search for a head coach.

On that note it looks like the Browns may be looking at one of the cast aside head coaches, in Eric Mangini, to take the reigns of their troubled franchise. Where as Mangini's former employer, the Jets, are looking at Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.

Another coach to lose his job today was 49ers Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz. Even after bring the teams offense out of the cellar this firing had become expected. Especially after new head coach Mike Singletary had the interim title removed, because Singletary wants to focus more on a run heavy smash mouth style and Martz runs a pass heavy finesse style offense. This marks Martz third firing in three calender years, and the 49ers looking for their seventh coordinator in seven years. Although unlike in the past few years the team has some talent on the offensive side of the ball, and don't seem too far from contention.

Again good luck to these men and their families.


-Daemon

Hello, goodbye

Hey everyone. Well so far we've seen three coaches lose their jobs and one get his. So long to Eric Mangini, Romeo Crennel, and Rod Marinelli. And hello, or rather glad to see you stay, Mike Singletary. Mangini struggled as the Jets head coach, amassing a 23-26 record over three seasons, he helmed a winning season this year finishing 10-6 but missed the playoffs with a loss in the season finale to the impressive and surprising Dolphins. Not even the future Hall of Famer Brett Favre could lead the Jets to the promised land after a late season collapse. Crennel, 24-40 in four seasons, led an underwhelming Browns team to their fifth season of 10+ losses in the last six years. In his defense the team suffered a number of injuries including the top two quarterbacks on the team, but even before the injuries they looked destined to be cellar dwellers. Now Marinelli, 10-38 in three seasons and 1-23 over his last 24, was probably the easiest firing to predict after finishing the season as the first ever 0-16 team in NFL history, bumping the 1976 Buccaneers off as the worst record in the history of the league. All three of these teams have work to do, although the Jets aren't that far from being postseason contenders considering they barely missed this year however they now need a coach and most likely are going to need a quarterback and unless they suddenly become the 2000 Ravens they aren't going to go too far without one. But baring a couple of Atlanta-Miami miracles again the other two are going to have to suffer a few more losing seasons.

Now Mike Singletary accomplished a feat that is very difficult, be successful as an interim head coach going 5-4 and winning 5 of his last 7. More than just winning the players seemed to play harder after he took over, although even through the struggles they never quit on Mike Nolan. He had the team within two last second losses of the playoffs, considering how the team started that is nothing short of amazing. And after sitting down with the brass during the week and laying out his plan for the team, then going out and winning the season finale he was awarded with a long term deal right after the win in the locker room in front of his players.

Congratulations to Singletary and his family. Good luck to Mangini, Crennel, and Marinelli and their families.


-Daemon

NFL

Hey all. The world of sports is crazy. Just a year ago the Dolphins were the laughing stock of the NFL now they're one win away from the playoff, the Falcons were in a position people thought would take a few years to right now they've locked up a playoff spot and have an outside shot at a first round bye, San Diego was in the conference championship then struggled early in the year, in large part to to heartbreaking losses, and were written off crowning the Broncos AFC west champs now riding a three game win streak they need to only win the final game to make the playoffs. Look at the AFC east, the Patriots may miss the postseason with an 11-5 record, just the second team to do so, all after the Jets were written into the superbowl just a few weeks ago and all while the Chargers may host a playoff game with an 8-8 record. And in the NFC north the Bears were written off and it looked as though the Vikings had the playoffs wrapped up, now Minnesota has to win their finale against the Giants, but luckily for them New York will more than likely rest key players having locked up home field advantage last week against Carolina.

For some the games hold more than a playoff berth at stake, take Norv Turner for instance after taking San Diego to within a game of the super bowl last year may need to win the season finale to retain his job. At some points I feel Turner, in particular, would have done better for himself if he had stayed as a corrdinator, he is hands done one of the best offensive minds in football but as a head coach is overwhelmed. This is easy to see too, look at his record as a head coach it's very underwhelming but when you see him take over a game as a corrdinator it's a sight that a fan, of the team he's coaching, enjoys quite heartily. But, Turner isn't the only coach who's job may hang on the outcome of their game, there's Andy Ried, Wade Philips, Jim Zorn, Dick Jauron, among a few others. Now most of these coaches' bosses have said that their jobs aren't in jeperdy, but that doesn't always mean anything. I would've thrown Rod Marinelli into that group of coaches that may lose their job, but if he isn't relieved then there is a lot more wrong with the Lions than we all thought.

-Daemon

Those Damn Yankees

Hey everyone. I can't take it and I know I'm not the only one, spending by teams in baseball. The Yankees just spent $424 million on 3 players! This brings their payroll to $222 million. How can any small market team compete with that? I'm fully in favor of a salary cap in baseball, even if it's somewhere around $110 million, it's far better than seeing a team spend the economy of a small country while the other teams a forced to sit back and watch. The issue with the absurd spending is that it sets the market for years to come, like the Sabathia deal now when the next big name pitcher becomes a free agent he'll simply say well CC got this so i should get at least this. And it doesn't just raise what the big name players make, now a mediocre pitcher who's at his very best a 4 or 5 starter will be able to pull down $5+ million a year. Now don't get me wrong i don't blame the player for takin the money, cause if i were offered nearly that much to play ball i wouldn't even hesitate, and i don't blame the agents for getting the teams to pay so much because they're doin exactly what their job is get their clients as much money as possible. I blame the front offices, for actually allowing this to happen, and the league office, for not regulating it at all.

The worst part about all of this is it affects the fans have to endure. Yes, more times than not signing a big free agent helps your team win. But it also often means ticket prices go up, which means especially in the economic times we're in now to go to a game means savin up for more than a week if you want to go and just see. Now if you want to buy anything it's gona take that much longer. the perfect example is again the Yankees, to see a game from the box seats at the new stadium will cost $2500 but the great part is that you cant buy one you have to buy four so that becomes $10000 to go see one game from box seats. How is the average person supposed to afford that?


-Daemon

The Beginning

Hello everyone, this is the beginning of something I've been thinking of doing for a long time. I'll be talking about many various topics from a variety of sports, however I will be focusing on baseball more than the others, only because it is what I know best. I've been known to talk about sports for long periods at a time, often unprovoked, and when I get going it's usually difficult to get me stopped. Hopefully you enjoy reading what I have to say as much as i enjoy writing it.



-Daemon