Dolphins' assistants not allowed to seek other jobs

[az jam]

Amazing that Huizenga (who everybody loves) can do this but the Bidwills are creamed on this board for keeping some of their assistants until a new coach can interview them????

Dolphins' assistants not allowed to seek other jobs
By Alex Marvez
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted January 13 2007


DAVIE--The head coaching position isn't the only thing in limbo at Dolphins headquarters.

It's believed the Dolphins aren't letting assistant coaches interview with other NFL teams until Nick Saban's spot is filled. That is costing a slew of assistants -- most of which are under contract to the Dolphins through the 2007 season -- the opportunity to seek jobs with interested franchises.

A source said Friday that San Francisco has interest in interviewing defensive line coach Dan Quinn and special teams coach Keith Armstrong for staff positions, but the 49ers are unable to receive permission from Dolphins management. The Dolphins have blocked quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett from interviewing for Cleveland's offensive coordinator spot, while defensive chief Dom Capers would be a hot candidate to fill several coordinator vacancies if allowed to test the market.

The Dolphins declined comment on the matter Friday. But it's understandable the franchise doesn't want its staff gutted from financial and continuity standpoints in the wake of Saban's departure.

Under Saban, the Dolphins carried one of the largest (19) and most well-paid staffs of position coaches. The franchise is believed responsible for more than $6 million in assistant salaries for the 2007 season, regardless of whether those coaches ultimately remain with the Dolphins. The more staff members the new coach keeps, the less the Dolphins have to spend on replacements.

The transition to working under a new coach also could be eased by returning assistants, especially if the same offensive and defensive systems are kept in place.

Three position coaches have left for college jobs, with Bo Davis (assistant strength and conditioning/defensive line assistant) departing Friday to join Kirby Smart (safeties) on Saban's Alabama staff. Derek Dooley (tight ends) agreed last month to become Louisiana Tech's coach.

 

[Shogun]

Who creamed the Bidwills for doing it?

 

[jmr667]

There were a few people on this board claiming that keeping some of the assistant coaches on staff while looking for a new HC meant there was no way any "real" HC would want to come to Arizona. But it looks like Miami is doing the same thing. And how many coaches have the Steelers fired since Cowher left?

 

[Pariah]

Who creamed the Bidwills for doing it?

If I'd heard the Biwills were doing this, I would have.

Just because another team does it doesn't make it right.

 

[40yearfan]

There were a few people on this board claiming that keeping some of the assistant coaches on staff while looking for a new HC meant there was no way any "real" HC would want to come to Arizona. But it looks like Miami is doing the same thing. And how many coaches have the Steelers fired since Cowher left?

It's only bad if it's the Cards doing it.

 

[Pariah]

It's only bad if it's the Cards doing it.

Where do you get that idea? It garners more attention from Cardinals' fans on a Cardinals' board...but it's wrong no matter who does it, IMO.

 

[40yearfan]

Where do you get that idea? It garners more attention from Cardinals' fans on a Cardinals' board...but it's wrong no matter who does it, IMO.

Sorry Jason, but I don't agree with you. It's just good business to try and keep costs down. You have to be able to do that, but still keep the business making money.

In the matter of the Cards, you will have frugality as long as Mr. B has a say-so in team matters. He's an older fiscal conservative and it's his money being spent. The thing MB and Graves need to do is to figure out how to win even with the fiscal constraints. There is always a way (ie; Pittsburg/ New England/ Philadelphia) and they need to find that way.

The Cards are a lot freer with their money now (I believe thanks to MB and Graves) than what they used to be and if the trend continues, they will gradually become one of the better paying teams in the NFL. Mr. B is conservative, but he's also a very fair man. He treats his employees like family. Don't take my word for it, talk to any people working directly for the Cardinals organization.

 

[Stout]

Sorry Jason, but I don't agree with you. It's just good business to try and keep costs down. You have to be able to do that, but still keep the business making money.

In the matter of the Cards, you will have frugality as long as Mr. B has a say-so in team matters. He's an older fiscal conservative and it's his money being spent. The thing MB and Graves need to do is to figure out how to win even with the fiscal constraints. There is always a way (ie; Pittsburg/ New England/ Philadelphia) and they need to find that way.

The Cards are a lot freer with their money now (I believe thanks to MB and Graves) than what they used to be and if the trend continues, they will gradually become one of the better paying teams in the NFL. Mr. B is conservative, but he's also a very fair man. He treats his employees like family. Don't take my word for it, talk to any people working directly for the Cardinals organization.

Let's hope you're wrong. NFL teams cannot afford real frugality in the least. Spending wisely, yes. Restricting spending simply to keep costs down, NO.

And to those blasting people for not blasting Miami for this...well, um, if I even knew what HC candidates they were interviewing, then maybe I'd have an inkling that this was even happening. Since I and most all of the posters here are Cards fans and not 'Fins fans, we haven't had an inkling it was going on. It's wrong for the 'Fins to do it too. Worse, probably, because I haven't heard word that we're disallowing our guys to interview elsewhere.

 

[40yearfan]

Let's hope you're wrong. NFL teams cannot afford real frugality in the least. Spending wisely, yes. Restricting spending simply to keep costs down, NO.

And to those blasting people for not blasting Miami for this...well, um, if I even knew what HC candidates they were interviewing, then maybe I'd have an inkling that this was even happening. Since I and most all of the posters here are Cards fans and not 'Fins fans, we haven't had an inkling it was going on. It's wrong for the 'Fins to do it too. Worse, probably, because I haven't heard word that we're disallowing our guys to interview elsewhere.

But the problem is it's reality. It's something you have to live with. The object is to find a way around the restriction and be successful anyway. Other organizations have done it, so we can't just throw our hands up into the air and say it can't be done. I'm willing to put money on MB and RG that they can do it. We should know in a short period of time.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Dolphins' assistants not allowed to seek other jobs

That's a good thing for the league. The Dolphins suck.

 

[conraddobler]

Sorry Jason, but I don't agree with you. It's just good business to try and keep costs down. You have to be able to do that, but still keep the business making money.

In the matter of the Cards, you will have frugality as long as Mr. B has a say-so in team matters. He's an older fiscal conservative and it's his money being spent. The thing MB and Graves need to do is to figure out how to win even with the fiscal constraints. There is always a way (ie; Pittsburg/ New England/ Philadelphia) and they need to find that way.

The Cards are a lot freer with their money now (I believe thanks to MB and Graves) than what they used to be and if the trend continues, they will gradually become one of the better paying teams in the NFL. Mr. B is conservative, but he's also a very fair man. He treats his employees like family. Don't take my word for it, talk to any people working directly for the Cardinals organization.

That's so totally full of it 40 I don't know where to start.

First of all this isn't some mom and pop business, your business nor mine has a gauranteed stream of revenue to the tune of 100 million$ to play with.

No one is telling you you can't pay too much for a foreman, it's not regulated, they regulated the NFL because some of these owners 40 are billionaires and as such treated this as a toy and spent their own money losing money as a team to win. You give these same grown up boys the ability to trick out their toys with paying more for air and they'll do it.

In that enviroment 40 this isn't like every other business in the world, I'm not agruing you can't still do it and make good money without spending willy nilly, I'm just saying you've got to be better than the rich kids to make it, it's common sense 40.

You have to get to near average on most things at least and then those decisions have to be right because you can't change horses, because horses cost money.

The only question to me is when this reality is going to sink in at Cardinal HQ, the reality is that this isn't a level playing field, the salary cap system only helps minimally, without it Bidwill would have been out of business 10 years ago.

With it we're like communist Russia, living off the labors of others.

 

[Stout]

But the problem is it's reality. It's something you have to live with. The object is to find a way around the restriction and be successful anyway. Other organizations have done it, so we can't just throw our hands up into the air and say it can't be done. I'm willing to put money on MB and RG that they can do it. We should know in a short period of time.

Other organizations haven't done it, actually. Other organizations have CHANGED. The Steelers, while still fiscally prudent, will spend the money. The Bengals ownership has allowed football people to step in and start making decisions. Even the Lions, inept as they are at spending it, pony up the dough. We're the only team in the NFL that year-in and year-out engender reports of cheapness and frugality on such a level. THAT is fact.

We don't have to throw our hands up in the air and say it can't be done. We, the FO, Mike Bidwill, and the press have to throw our hands in the air and say change MUST be done. I'm not currently willing to put money on MB and RG, but I'm crossing my fingers that we can get this done in spite of the old man.

 

[conraddobler]

Other organizations haven't done it, actually. Other organizations have CHANGED. The Steelers, while still fiscally prudent, will spend the money. The Bengals ownership has allowed football people to step in and start making decisions. Even the Lions, inept as they are at spending it, pony up the dough. We're the only team in the NFL that year-in and year-out engender reports of cheapness and frugality on such a level. THAT is fact.

We don't have to throw our hands up in the air and say it can't be done. We, the FO, Mike Bidwill, and the press have to throw our hands in the air and say change MUST be done. I'm not currently willing to put money on MB and RG, but I'm crossing my fingers that we can get this done in spite of the old man.

Exactly and while some think I hate RG and MB, I don't at all, on the contrary I despise the old man because he's still really in control, those two are just walking a tight rope and trying to steer the ship at the same time, it's like a ship with a crazy captain that has to sign orders.

The first mate may or may not be capable but if he's got to go into that room to get the signature then he's not really in charge and that's my entire point.

Rod and MB are just tranlators, high priests, whatever you want to call it they're not the ULTIMATE rule makers and as such they only get so much room to work with and that's the problem.

 

[jmr667]

Its does not have to be just about money. The Cards, Dolphins, and Steelers all think they have some quality assistant coaches. Each of the teams may even view it as doing a favor to the new HC candidate. Who is to say that one or more of those assistants already on staff are not exactly the coach one of the new HC candidates want? There is no way to know until the new guy comes in and talks to them.
I'll agree that it would be a bad idea to tell a HC you have to keep a guy on your staff. But if you have good people why just get rid of them before the new HC comes in and says its just not possible to work with them or that he's got someone better to bring in? The Cards should be looking to upgrade the staff not just change for the sake of change.

When dealing with the Cards, the easy answer is to say whatever they do is wrong. Over the last 50 years you'd have been right the majority of the time by saying that. But if all the other teams in the same situation are doing the same thing maybe this is one of the times they are not so wrong.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

still not good practice, but the scuttle in miami is that it's only special assistants that they want to move into higher positions within the orgainization - it's rumoured that wayne would love to have garrett as the dolphins OC

 

[Stout]

I don't want to be sidetracked from my wait-and-see stance. I'm holding off on judgments until after the coach has been chosen. Hopefully we will see that we weren't cheap at all!

 

[conraddobler]

Its does not have to be just about money. The Cards, Dolphins, and Steelers all think they have some quality assistant coaches. Each of the teams may even view it as doing a favor to the new HC candidate. Who is to say that one or more of those assistants already on staff are not exactly the coach one of the new HC candidates want? There is no way to know until the new guy comes in and talks to them.
I'll agree that it would be a bad idea to tell a HC you have to keep a guy on your staff. But if you have good people why just get rid of them before the new HC comes in and says its just not possible to work with them or that he's got someone better to bring in? The Cards should be looking to upgrade the staff not just change for the sake of change.

When dealing with the Cards, the easy answer is to say whatever they do is wrong. Over the last 50 years you'd have been right the majority of the time by saying that. But if all the other teams in the same situation are doing the same thing maybe this is one of the times they are not so wrong.

What we are claiming isn't that keeping these guys under contract is stupid at all.

We are simply saying that historically this will head the wrong way, I'd love to be proved wrong, however if CP remains the DC then to me that's a giant Batsignal in the sky of more of the same old same old.

I have a tough time thinking that guy would be anyone's first choice, call me crazy but it's a mental block I got from his defensive rankings.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

I think the fans will have to start gettig used to the fact that team will now start protecting their coaching investments more and more - if you have several millions tied up in asst coaches and they are desireable, why would you just let them go?

As head coaching jobs turnover faster and faster and coaching salaries go higher and higher, you will be seeing more and more teams holding onto the asst coaches during transitions, not only for financial reasons, but also not wanting to give an opponent the upper hand just becuase your HC position is open. Welcome to the new world of sports management

 

[40yearfan]

Other organizations haven't done it, actually. Other organizations have CHANGED. The Steelers, while still fiscally prudent, will spend the money. The Bengals ownership has allowed football people to step in and start making decisions. Even the Lions, inept as they are at spending it, pony up the dough. We're the only team in the NFL that year-in and year-out engender reports of cheapness and frugality on such a level. THAT is fact.

We don't have to throw our hands up in the air and say it can't be done. We, the FO, Mike Bidwill, and the press have to throw our hands in the air and say change MUST be done. I'm not currently willing to put money on MB and RG, but I'm crossing my fingers that we can get this done in spite of the old man.

OK, I thought this was what I said. MB and RG are going to get this done in spite of Mr. B. The only difference is that I have confidence they will do it. You are very skeptical.

 

[40yearfan]

That's so totally full of it 40 I don't know where to start.

First of all this isn't some mom and pop business, your business nor mine has a gauranteed stream of revenue to the tune of 100 million$ to play with.

No one is telling you you can't pay too much for a foreman, it's not regulated, they regulated the NFL because some of these owners 40 are billionaires and as such treated this as a toy and spent their own money losing money as a team to win. You give these same grown up boys the ability to trick out their toys with paying more for air and they'll do it.

In that enviroment 40 this isn't like every other business in the world, I'm not agruing you can't still do it and make good money without spending willy nilly, I'm just saying you've got to be better than the rich kids to make it, it's common sense 40.

You have to get to near average on most things at least and then those decisions have to be right because you can't change horses, because horses cost money.

The only question to me is when this reality is going to sink in at Cardinal HQ, the reality is that this isn't a level playing field, the salary cap system only helps minimally, without it Bidwill would have been out of business 10 years ago.

With it we're like communist Russia, living off the labors of others.

C'mon CD. You're in the banking business. Spending money for money's sake will get you nowhere, just like Dan Snyder. You need to have a plan on how that money is to be spent. Believe it or not, everyone in the NFL has a budget. It's just that some budgets are bigger than others.

The other item is that you haven't given them a chance to perform. You are condemning them prior to their performance. This isn't like you. You usually aren't so pessimistic. Have a little faith and a lot of patience. If they screw up, you will have plenty of time to bash them.

 

[Pariah]

Sorry Jason, but I don't agree with you. It's just good business to try and keep costs down. You have to be able to do that, but still keep the business making money.

Hopefully, the Bidwills will get to learn how much money a team can make when they're winners.

Do you think the Saints are making more money this year then they did in any of the years they were the "Aints?" You bet they are.

People will spend a lot more money on a winner. We on ASFN are the exception to the rule.

 

[Stout]

OK, I thought this was what I said. MB and RG are going to get this done in spite of Mr. B. The only difference is that I have confidence they will do it. You are very skeptical.

No, you said we can still get there despite Billy Boy being cheap. I said we have to get around being cheap to get there.

 

[40yearfan]

No, you said we can still get there despite Billy Boy being cheap. I said we have to get around being cheap to get there.

Sounds like the same thing to me. Do you think MB and RG will be able to do so?

 

[conraddobler]

Sounds like the same thing to me. Do you think MB and RG will be able to do so?

40 to clarify what I'm saying is that due to the failure of DG I think the old man is getting involved again or that is what I fear will happen.

Will MB and RG get around this?

Well I think Michael was on his way there but the DG fiasco hurt bad and I think given time MB will turn into a fine owner that is if he's left in charge but I don't know that that is what is going to happen.

MB strikes me as a guy with the smarts to eventually get there to good owner status but I still think he either needs to get up to speed and become GM worthy himself or hire a real in charge one.

The old man getting involved is just bad, I can't spin that any other way, if they've got to defer to him then no we won't be ok it'll be awful it always has under him, so again that is all I worry about, when the all clear signal is given and that dosen't happen then my hope will return.

So again I'm not despondent just very leary the old man is using DG's tank job to say I told you so and hop back in, that might not be it at all but if you want to know what scares me to death that is it.

 

[Stout]

Sounds like the same thing to me. Do you think MB and RG will be able to do so?

Uh, I don't know how, being as they are polar opposites. You think we have to win IN SPITE OF Billy Boy being cheap. I hope that isn't an obstacle, but it may be.

I said we have to CHANGE how old Billy Boy does things. I don't think we CAN win if we remain cheap. We must change that problem, if it hasn't already changed, in order to win.