Black Monday Starts Early

[KoryMac5]

The Schwartz was not with Jim today!

[kaldaniels]

I know Jerry has said otherwise, but do you guys think
Garrett stays?

[Sea Ray]

Jim Schwartz is fired.

Good move. Mr Ford had to eat $12mill but he was an idiot to give it to Schwartz to begin with

[Sea Ray]

I know Jerry has said otherwise, but do you guys think
Garrett stays?

Interesting call. He should be gone but Jerry rarely does the right thing

[Caveat Emperor]

Jim Schwartz is fired.

Tampa is rumored to be interested in Lovie Smith.

Tampa Bay is, without a doubt, the dumbest organization in professional sports.

Lovie Smith would just confirm my expectations -- a guy who has been in the organization before (no originality or new ideas brought in) and a guy who is defensive minded in an era where creative offense rules the day (and where playing defense is basically illegal).

I fully expect this to happen now.

[KoryMac5]

If Garrett is fired then Jerry has to admit defeat. Jerry's ego is too big for that. Plus Jerry has groomed Garrett for the head coaching job since Garrett was a player. Garrett used to sit in on the coaching meetings back when he was a player so Jones has yrs invested in Garrett and he wants to see it pay off.

[bucksfan2]

I agree with this. But to me, if you are slamming the regime...you can't really knock them at all for the TRich trade, that's all. As for the trick artist...it was pretty much moot to me...at the halfway point it was obvious they were going to ride the season out with Campbell (which should be the true matter of discussion) and Tanney was just signed to be the backup and/or 3rd string.

What I am not understanding is why if the FO wanted Little or Weeden gone...why didn't they just make the call and cut them? Its not like Chud had final say on the roster.

You and I disagree on the TRich trade. I think it was a bad move at the time (that may end up working out). It sent a message to Chud and the rest of the Browns that they were playing for next year. We can debate whether or not Richardson is going to be a good RB, but I think its fair to use what he averaged this year against him. Switching teams in the middle of a NFL season is very difficult. Different schemes can make it much more difficult than just getting the ball and running.

In the NFL you can't whiff in the 1st round and you can't whiff on a QB. The Browns did that twice in the 2012 draft. Around week 4 the Browns front office pretty much said to Chud, go out there and win games but we are looking forward to the 2014 draft. IMO it was dysfunction at the top that put the players on the field in 2014. Remember when the Browns were shopping Gordon? How can you do all of that and then say, well you didn't win enough games this season, see ya!

[Yachtzee]

Coughlin came into the interview with a plan that included spending more in the front office (scouts, etc.) and that turned Mikey off.

I remember thinking Coughlin was being interviewed more to throw a bone to the fan base rather than being a serious contender, in spite of what was being said. I don't think he would have done well working with Mike Brown. I doubt Coughlin would have put up with Brown bringing back Chris Henry over his objection like Brown did to Marvin. I recall Dick Jauron being considered because he had a Bengals connection and was a Yale grad, and Mike Brown at one time had a thing for Ivy Leaguers, being one himself. I think I recall hearing that Brown was going to interview Coughlin and Jauron and the league encouraged him to interview Lewis and that Katie Blackburn was so impressed with Lewis she made the case for him to her dad and he went along.

[IslandRed]

Tampa Bay is, without a doubt, the dumbest organization in professional sports.

Lovie Smith would just confirm my expectations -- a guy who has been in the organization before (no originality or new ideas brought in) and a guy who is defensive minded in an era where creative offense rules the day (and where playing defense is basically illegal).

I fully expect this to happen now.

And yet, the four teams with the bye week are all coached by former defensive guys.

I don't have a strong opinion on Lovie Smith; his Bears record was spotty, but he had Jerry Angelo to deal with, so it's tough to figure out how to divvy up credit and blame for everything that happened there.

[Tom Servo]

CE, who would you like to see Tampa tap as it's next head coach?

[Yachtzee]

Tampa Bay is, without a doubt, the dumbest organization in professional sports.

Lovie Smith would just confirm my expectations -- a guy who has been in the organization before (no originality or new ideas brought in) and a guy who is defensive minded in an era where creative offense rules the day (and where playing defense is basically illegal).

I fully expect this to happen now.

I don't think hiring a defensive guy necessarily means a tean will be defense oriented. It all depends on who is brought in as offensive coordinator. However, I wouldn't want Smith if I were a Tampa fan. A retread trying to bring back the Bucs former glory, very reminiscent of when the Bengals thought Dick LeBeau would be their savior.

[Revering4Blue]

Interesting call. He should be gone but Jerry rarely does the right thing

I don't know about that.

Jason Garrett didn't hand over the play-calling to Bill Callahan.

Jason Garrett didn't can Rob Ryan, while replacing Ryan with a DC who hasn't been an effective one in an awful long time -- we are talking years.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but if Garrett is canned, Jerry Jones ought to just go ahead and appoint himself as Head Coach, since he craves total control.

[KoryMac5]

Rappaport says the Browns will not grant anyone an interview that interviewed last yr.

[Caveat Emperor]

CE, who would you like to see Tampa tap as it's next head coach?

David Shaw, but apparently he isn't leaving Stanford.

If not him, probably Darrell Bevell (Seattle OC).

[bucksfan2]

I always thought Lovie Smith underachieved in Chicago. Good coach but not a great coach.