Green's lack of anger signals defeat
Postgame attitude missing passion seen earlier in year
Bob Sansevere
St. Paul Pioneer-Press
Nov. 27, 2006 12:00 AM
MINNEAPOLIS The last time the Cardinals lost a close one, Dennis Green went into a white-hot rage. He told anyone who'd listen, "If you want to crown them, crown their (expletives)." He was referring to the Chicago Bears, who'd just beaten his Cardinals by a single point.
The Cardinals had a chance to win in the final seconds Sunday. As with most games this season, they lost.
Afterward, there was no passion. No anger. No yelling. No ranting. Losing 31-26 to the Vikings didn't send Green into a rage. He was so polite and well behaved, he practically morphed into Miss Manners.
"We did some things that gave us a chance of getting back in. We did some things earlier that almost pushed the game out of reach," Green said. "Guys played hard. Had opportunities. We'll take it from here."
He also said nice things about his quarterback and his receivers. And when somebody asked him about playing his first regular-season game in the stadium where he coached for a decade, he said: "It's a game we hoped to win that we did not win. They played well today. They moved the ball well on the ground. Had good balance. We had a hard time stopping them."
This was Green at his dullest. His postgame interview was just starting, and I wanted to elbow the camera guy next to me and ask if he had any NoDoz in his fanny pack. I would have done it, too, if I hadn't nodded off.
Green is supposed to be on his way out. The speculation increases weekly that he will be fired once the season is over. The latest rumor has former Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci replacing him.
I figured Green would be fighting mad and wagging a finger at anyone and everyone, telling them it's wrong to portray him as a guy on his way out. Instead, he pretty much has taken a knee.
After the game, I tried asking Cardinals Vice President and General Counsel Michael Bidwill about Green's employment prospects with the team beyond this season. Bidwill gave me a stiff arm.
"I'm not getting into that," he said.
That was hardly a vote of confidence for Green remaining the coach. Bidwill and his old man, owner Bill Bidwill, probably will dump Green and bring in someone else who will fail miserably.
It is difficult to make an argument for Green staying on.
The Cardinals are 13-30 in Green's two-plus seasons. They're 2-9 this year, with wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. The offense has a load of potential, what with rookie quarterback Matt Leinart and two of the best young receivers in the game in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
Taken as a group, though, the Cardinals stink.
Their defense is so bad that Brad Johnson, who came into the game with five touchdown passes in 10 games, threw three for touchdowns against it. It's so bad that the Vikings offense scored a season-high 31 points and would have had even more if Chester Taylor hadn't fumbled at the goal line.
Postgame attitude missing passion seen earlier in year
Bob Sansevere
St. Paul Pioneer-Press
Nov. 27, 2006 12:00 AM
MINNEAPOLIS The last time the Cardinals lost a close one, Dennis Green went into a white-hot rage. He told anyone who'd listen, "If you want to crown them, crown their (expletives)." He was referring to the Chicago Bears, who'd just beaten his Cardinals by a single point.
The Cardinals had a chance to win in the final seconds Sunday. As with most games this season, they lost.
Afterward, there was no passion. No anger. No yelling. No ranting. Losing 31-26 to the Vikings didn't send Green into a rage. He was so polite and well behaved, he practically morphed into Miss Manners.
"We did some things that gave us a chance of getting back in. We did some things earlier that almost pushed the game out of reach," Green said. "Guys played hard. Had opportunities. We'll take it from here."
He also said nice things about his quarterback and his receivers. And when somebody asked him about playing his first regular-season game in the stadium where he coached for a decade, he said: "It's a game we hoped to win that we did not win. They played well today. They moved the ball well on the ground. Had good balance. We had a hard time stopping them."
This was Green at his dullest. His postgame interview was just starting, and I wanted to elbow the camera guy next to me and ask if he had any NoDoz in his fanny pack. I would have done it, too, if I hadn't nodded off.
Green is supposed to be on his way out. The speculation increases weekly that he will be fired once the season is over. The latest rumor has former Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci replacing him.
I figured Green would be fighting mad and wagging a finger at anyone and everyone, telling them it's wrong to portray him as a guy on his way out. Instead, he pretty much has taken a knee.
After the game, I tried asking Cardinals Vice President and General Counsel Michael Bidwill about Green's employment prospects with the team beyond this season. Bidwill gave me a stiff arm.
"I'm not getting into that," he said.
That was hardly a vote of confidence for Green remaining the coach. Bidwill and his old man, owner Bill Bidwill, probably will dump Green and bring in someone else who will fail miserably.
It is difficult to make an argument for Green staying on.
The Cardinals are 13-30 in Green's two-plus seasons. They're 2-9 this year, with wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. The offense has a load of potential, what with rookie quarterback Matt Leinart and two of the best young receivers in the game in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
Taken as a group, though, the Cardinals stink.
Their defense is so bad that Brad Johnson, who came into the game with five touchdown passes in 10 games, threw three for touchdowns against it. It's so bad that the Vikings offense scored a season-high 31 points and would have had even more if Chester Taylor hadn't fumbled at the goal line.
