Official Release: Head Coach Dave McGinnis, Staff Relieved From Duties

[Jim O]

Head Coach Dave McGinnis, Staff Relieved From Duties
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 29, 2003

Tempe, Arizona — Arizona Cardinals President Bill Bidwill has relieved Head Coach Dave McGinnis and his coaching staff from their duties effective immediately.

Bidwill has asked Vice President and General Counsel Michael Bidwill and Vice President-Football Operations Rod Graves to organize and lead the search for the team’s new head coach.

“Dave McGinnis is an exemplary man,” Bill Bidwill offers, “making today’s action all the more difficult. But we need to change. Our slide to 4–12 this season and the non-competitive nature of many of the losses was not acceptable. We will honor all the coaches’ contracts and help them find new jobs in any way possible. I thank Dave and his staff for their efforts and dedication.”

McGinnis, the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 1996-2000, assumed the Cardinals’ head-coaching reins for the final nine games (1–8 of the 2000 season. He was named the team’s permanent head coach on December 18, 2000. The Cards finished 7–9, 5–11, and 4–12 in his three full seasons as their head coach.

Michael Bidwill and Graves will hold a 2:30 p.m. press conference today to outline their coaching search that will follow NFL workplace diversity guidelines.
— cards —

 

[dmoney]

Official.....Official......New life

 

[BuckeyeCardinal]

Yes

"Our slide to 4–12 this season and the non-competitive nature of many of the losses was not acceptable."

Most important sentence in the statement.

 

[maddogkf]

Thanks for the info Jim.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Like a giant weight off my shoulders and a few others on this board.

<quote>
Our slide to 4–12 this season and the non-competitive nature of many of the losses was not acceptable. The Cards finished 7–9, 5–11, and 4–12 in his three full seasons as their head coach.
</quote>

Man painful to think we lived through this eh?

I love the first sentence in that quote tho classic!!! MY NEW SIG

 

[azsports]

Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 29, 2003 01:29 PM


The Cardinals fired coach Dave McGinnis and all of his assistants Monday afternoon, a day after the team finished with its third losing record in his tenure.

Owner Bill Bidwill and front-office officials informed McGinnis of his firing during an afternoon meeting, just a couple of hours after McGinnis conducted the final meeting with his players.

McGinnis was the fifth permanent head coach since the team moved to Arizona in 1988. Like the four coaches that preceded him, he finished his tenure with a losing record.

The Cardinals were 17-40 under McGinnis, who became head coach midway through the 2000 season when Vince Tobin was fired.

Toward the end of that year, McGinnis was given the coach's job, signing a four-year contract. The Cardinals owe him about $1 million for the last year of his contract.

The Cardinals' record progressively worsened during his tenure, going from 7-9 to 5-11 to this year's 4-12 mark.

The team is expected to immediately begin a search for his replacement. Team officials reportedly are interested in speaking to three former head coaches, Tom Coughlin, Dennis Green and Jim Fassel, the Cardinals offensive coordinator in 1996.

They also can spend part of this week interviewing NFL assistants whose teams have first-round byes in the playoffs. Those include Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brad Childress, St. Louis defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, and New England's offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, and defensive coordinator, Romeo Crennel.

Other NFL assistants expected to be interviewed for job openings around the league are San Francisco defensive coordinator Jim Mora Jr., New York Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, a former Cardinals assistant, and Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger.

 

[Lex]

Mac will be fine.

I think he should hire a full time clock management person in his next position.

Good luck Mac, thanks for the effort.

 

[jon_nyaz]

Originally posted by Lex
Mac will be fine.

I think he should hire a full time clock management person in his next position.

Good luck Mac, thanks for the effort.

And a fulltime penalty acceptance/declination expert. And a fulltime player substitution expert. And a fulltime depth chart expert. And a.... eh you know what? How about he just goes back to college.

 

[Chaz]

Thanks for the update Jim O.

I agreed it was time for McGinnis to be let go but on hearing the offical news I can't help but be a little sad.
I really like Coach Mac and wish him the best.


However, I look forward to the future with a new coach.

 

[abomb]

So the Cards only get stuck with $1M on McGinnis? Very nice. Check out the Bears' situation...

"Jauron's guaranteed salary for 2004 is reportedly $2.4 million, and his staff also has guaranteed contracts for another, roughly, $3 to 4 million. And since the cost of hiring a coach has dramatically increased since Jauron's hiring, next year's staff could cost upwards of $8 million on top of the $6 million due to Jauron's staff."

A-Bomb

 

[Red Dawn]

It was a needed change, too bad it had to happen to such a nice, classy individual.

He will be snapped up fast. Good luck to Coach Mac.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Jim O why did ya take taht post back. It was a good one and I am not being sarcastic.

I am not alone however in celebrating the mac firing. My office phone fired off like a machine gun once cbs reported it. 2 pa cards fans are coming up and 1 guy all the way from va (just left) to come up and break out some vintage crown royal!!!!

 

[SECTION 11]

Good luck Mac.

 

[jon_nyaz]

As I am digesting this event, I have to agree with everyone that is wishing Mac the best. He is a great man and deserves to be happy, just somewhere else.

Further, I am very pleased that the Cardinals made the intelligent decision to pull the trigger quickly. It shows that we are both humane and have a sense of urgency around getting on with the future.

 

[Jttsaz]

Originally posted by SirChaz
Thanks for the update Jim O.

I agreed it was time for McGinnis to be let go but on hearing the offical news I can't help but be a little sad.
I really like Coach Mac and wish him the best.


However, I look forward to the future with a new coach.

Agreed..While I completely agree with the desicion, I feel for Mac. I have had the pleasure of meeting Coach Mac and his wife a few times and he has always been a great guy. I really wished he could have had success here in Arizona. He truly is a special man. I just hope the front office gives our next coach the tools to succeed in the NFL. I don't think we can say that they gave coach Mac a whole lot to work with. Don't get me wrong...Mac played an intregal part for those abysmal road losses, and suspect game planning...but let's face it. Not many coaches could have won with this squad. Parcels atleast had a solid defense in place. Good luck Coach Mac. I will follow your career with enthusiasm, and I will always root for you...except for when you play the Cards. With that said...BRING ON FASSEL OR GREEN AND LETS GET THIS THING TURNED AROUND!

 

[jf-08]

Coach Mac is a classy guy and a terrific person.

Good luck in all future endeavors.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Jerry Sullivan I want back as a WR coach

 

[40yearfan]

GOOD LUCK MAC!!!!

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Good Luck Coach Mac! Thanks for being approachable and also your hilarious quotes/sound-byes that you provided everyone over the years......

 

[MAKTEN]

Personally, I'll miss him as coach. Its a shame he didn't have more success...

 

[john h]

Re: Yes

Originally posted by BuckeyeCardinal
"Our slide to 4–12 this season and the non-competitive nature of many of the losses was not acceptable."

Most important sentence in the statement.

I think the Cards front office has taken the first step in hopefully what will be a turn around. Some of these coaches may not be all that bad but as a group they failed and I am glad to see there will be a complete roll over in staff unless the new head coach wants to keep someone (hope not).

I still like Dennis Green and he will be interviewed I would think but a lot of other teams will want to interview him so this process it seems to me will take a while. I think they should narrow it down to about three guys. Quick interviews, make a decision, offer the job, and if the first guy does not accept quickly move to the next guy. Do not drag this out or let the would be coaches drag it out as we need to start yesterday. I hope the new guy will be given real authority and this may lead to a number of guys like Green turning us down if he does not get it. Let the new era begin. Their first step was correct IMOP and gives me hope to build on. Green or Fassel I like but I am sure there are some other good guys I know nothing about.

 

[justAndy]

now it's time...

to hire a detail oriented, mean SOB who will DEMAND excellence from these players, who have the physical skills to match up with anybody...

 

[Pariah]

Re: now it's time...

Originally posted by andikrist
to hire a detail oriented, mean SOB who will DEMAND excellence from these players, who have the physical skills to match up with anybody...

Are you in the Coughlin camp?

 

[john h]

Originally posted by jon_nyaz
As I am digesting this event, I have to agree with everyone that is wishing Mac the best. He is a great man and deserves to be happy, just somewhere else.

Further, I am very pleased that the Cardinals made the intelligent decision to pull the trigger quickly. It shows that we are both humane and have a sense of urgency around getting on with the future.

No need to feel sorry for Mac. He has made more money than most of us will make in a lifetime with a job many of us would love to have. He will land on his feet. Feel sorry for that single mom down the street with two kids and two jobs making $20,000 a year.

 

[john h]

Originally posted by DevonCardsFan
Jerry Sullivan I want back as a WR coach

I want every coach who has any rememberance of this team or anything to do with it out. We need to start fresh and and i mean really fresh