Oh My ........ They are retaining a lot of assistant coaches

[Evil Ash]

Hey Evil ....... Out of the 2 scenarios that you brought up above and knowing this organization the way you do, which scenario do you think is most likely to be made by our braintrusts that run this team?

In the past probably the 2nd scenario.

Michael Bidwill doesn't appear to have his head stuck up his ass like his father (he also appears to be only one in the family that really wants to win) so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now

 

[ajcardfan]

I just listened to that part of the press conference, here's what Graves ACTUALLY said,

the retained assistants "will be evaluated by the head coach, along with my input"!

He didn't feel wholesale changes to the staff was necessary. He felt like these guys had done a good job and he didn't want to cut them loose.


So, it's a position inbetween the new coach choosing and it being forced on them.




But, I'll tell you what, any coach who comes in for their interview and says, "Sure we can keep those coaches, they're great! I'm a people-person, it'll work out fine!" will have the edge IMO. For some reason, this makes me think Chow or Sherman will do this and get the job, because they know it's probably their last shot at an NFL head coaching job.

 

[Redsz]

Graves does have a point though. Do we really want to get rid of a guy like Loney (who FINALLY has the line playing well) just because he was a guy Green brought in?

Don't get me wrong, I don't want decisions forced on our new HC. But some of these guys are worth retaining.

 

[Evil Ash]

I just listened to that part of the press conference, here's what Graves ACTUALLY said,

the retained assistants "will be evaluated by the head coach, along with my input"!

He didn't feel wholesale changes to the staff was necessary. He felt like these guys had done a good job and he didn't want to cut them loose.


So, it's a position inbetween the new coach choosing and it being forced on them.




But, I'll tell you what, any coach who comes in for their interview and says, "Sure we can keep those coaches, they're great! I'm a people-person, it'll work out fine!" will have the edge IMO. For some reason, this makes me think Chow or Sherman will do this and get the job, because they know it's probably their last shot at an NFL head coaching job.

It depends on how much say Graves actually has. Is he saying you must take this coach or telling the new HC "we like this coach and think he did a good job with the talent, would you like to retain him/them"? There's a big difference.

 

[ajcardfan]

Graves does have a point though. Do we really want to get rid of a guy like Loney (who FINALLY has the line playing well) just because he was a guy Green brought in?

Don't get me wrong, I don't want decisions forced on our new HC. But some of these guys are worth retaining.

But, IMO, some of the guys they've kept are certainly not worth retaining. It sends the wrong message ---just like when they hired McGinnis and many of his assistants. It's like saying -- "You know, what you were doing wasn't all THAT bad." It can continue the culture of losing. Especially when the defense has just stunk it up in many games this year, just like it did under McGinnis before he got the head coach job.

If it was up to me---

The new head coach at Rice---a program more inept than the Cardinals even, fired EVERYBODY associated with the football program except for ONE secretary. Even the people in charge of ticket sales. Just to get rid of the mindset of losing. And, in his first season, they go to a bowl game for the first time in more than 40 years. After Tobin, McGinnis and now Green, my hope was that Bidwill would do that here. Hell, I'd can even the fricking janitors. Burn it all down, I'm afraid that's what is necessary.

Hope I'm wrong obviously.

 

[ajcardfan]

It depends on how much say Graves actually has. Is he saying you must take this coach or telling the new HC "we like this coach and think he did a good job with the talent, would you like to retain him/them"? There's a big difference.

It doesn't sound like Graves is going to be nearly as passive as he has been the last four year. I know we always try to find the silver lining --- but all I see is turd brown.

 

[JeffGollin]

My intepretation of what Rod said about the assistants was -

A half-dozen or so are under contract and will not be summarily shown the door along with Dennis. Instead, they'd be retained at least until the new HC could review his staff and make any changes deemed necessary.

Without getting specific, Rod observed that he didn't think there needed to be wholesale changes in the assistant coaching staff.

The upside of this is that there's less likely to be a disruption of continuity if we don't make a whole lot of changes. The downside is that we need better assistants at certain positions (specifically the secondary) if this team is to get any better.

 

[Red Hawk]

Talking about overblown reactions.

He said it clearly IMHO.

They they are keeping coaches in case they can't find anyone better!

"until we felt like we certainly can be in an improved situation"

 

[Alan]

Those retained are Kruczek, defensive coordinator Clancy
Pendergast, assistant head coach/linebackers coach Frank Bush,
defensive quality control coach Rick Courtright, offensive line
coach Steve Loney, wide receivers coach Mike Wilson and
defensive line coach Larry Brooks.[PARA]

 

[ajcardfan]

Talking about overblown reactions.

He said it clearly IMHO.

They they are keeping coaches in case they can't find anyone better!

"until we felt like we certainly can be in an improved situation"

Pendergast did a good job this year? Really?

 

[Evil Ash]

Pendergast did a good job this year? Really?

Some of what happened with Pendergast was due to Green wanting more of a base defense this year. Still some of the schemes he came up with weren't good at all (namely going against our secondary's strengths).

I still don't mind him being retained and being evaluated by the new coach.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I dont mind they brought back Mike Wilson.... Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin obviously have natural talent, but Wilson should receive tremendous credit for coaching-up the likes of LeRon McCoy and Mike Spurlock... True, one of his pupils, Bryant Johnson, still struggles, but that's some sort of a mental block that Johnson must overcome himself...

Frank Bush has been advancing through the ranks and is highly regarded throughout the NFL...Plus... he should get recognition for the strides the LB corp has made since he took over that position....

Larry Brooks was just brought in this past season and the DL appeared to come on strong as a unit......

A lot has been already said about Steve Loney... No way do you want to alter something that is gradually becoming more stabilized....

Retaining Kruczek doesnt necessarily mean that he's returning back as the OC, but perhaps would be demoted back to his original title of QB coach...

I think Pendy's status is based on if the Cardinals opt to hire Rivera... I just dont know how they would coincide with each other since their defensive strategies/philsophy may be worlds away... No way would you want to have both coaches clash.....

Dont honestly know the purpose of Courtright....

Thankfully, the 2 Green "cronies", Solomon and Hargrave are gone.... Kirby Wilson wasnt retained because JJ Arrington hasnt established himself, so he failed in trying to ease a vastly talented collegiate RB make a decent transition into the NFL....

Zauner failed miserably since the entire ST took major steps backwards and of course that got profoundly noticed after BJ's muffed play.....

Also, I hope they replace the Strength & Conditioning coaches... Just seems some of the Cardinals are vastly out-of-shape or sustain injuries that could be avoided if they were on better work-out regimens....

 

[Redsz]

But, IMO, some of the guys they've kept are certainly not worth retaining. It sends the wrong message ---just like when they hired McGinnis and many of his assistants. It's like saying -- "You know, what you were doing wasn't all THAT bad." It can continue the culture of losing. Especially when the defense has just stunk it up in many games this year, just like it did under McGinnis before he got the head coach job.

I would certainly agree with your premise AJ. But there are often good, talented people who perform despite of that culture. Loney, Kruczek and to a certain extent Pendergast are examples of that. They have experienced that culture. But the difference? They haven't wallowed in it.

I don't think ALL these guys are going to be retained. But if they are, then yes, we have a problem because it will clearly show that Graves isn't allowing the HC to call their shots.

If it was up to me---

The new head coach at Rice---a program more inept than the Cardinals even, fired EVERYBODY associated with the football program except for ONE secretary. Even the people in charge of ticket sales. Just to get rid of the mindset of losing. And, in his first season, they go to a bowl game for the first time in more than 40 years. After Tobin, McGinnis and now Green, my hope was that Bidwill would do that here. Hell, I'd can even the fricking janitors. Burn it all down, I'm afraid that's what is necessary.

Hope I'm wrong obviously.

That is certainly a strategy that worked for Rice. But I just don't see that working here because the Cardinals are an organisation all their own and not tied to a College administration.

 

[Red Hawk]

Pendergast did a good job this year? Really?

What??

 

[ajcardfan]

What??

Total defense = 29th
Scoring defense = 29th

I know we Cardinals fans have low expectations, but I would hope we don't think those rankings are good.

 

[Redsz]

They didn't perform this year. But in contrast, I liked what I saw in 04' and 05'.

 

[JasonKGME]

With apologies, this is the most bassackwards organization in sports! Did they completely ignore the Raiders coaching search last year? It's very hard to hire a head coach who has no say in assistants.

God this just screams massive mistake.

I suppose if you're going to hire Chow as HC and you're not sure he can lure big assistants, you think keep the assistants you like, put him in place, and maybe get lucky? I can't otherwise understand this at all.

I don;t think this means the new coach won;t get to pick his staff, I think this just means that since most of the assistances are under current contract, that at this time they are still under contract, meaning if someone else wants to hire them they have to go thru the cardinals first. This is actually a good thing because it means if the new coach likes some of the assistants he allready has them on staff and doesn't have to fill every single position. I fully expect any new coach coming in will retain some of the coaching staff, and get rid of others for his own guys, but that new coach will make the decision.

 

[ajcardfan]

but that new coach will make the decision.

With Rod Graves "input". Whatever that means.

 

[joeshmo]

They didn't perform this year. But in contrast, I liked what I saw in 04' and 05'.

27th ranked scoring D in 05.

 

[arthurracoon]

No biggie. They will be evaluated when the new coach signs.

exactly

 

[Red Hawk]

Total defense = 29th
Scoring defense = 29th

I know we Cardinals fans have low expectations, but I would hope we don't think those rankings are good.

You lost me here. When did my post say anything about Clancy doing a good job this year?

Are you "reading between the lines" or are "the voices no one else can hear" telling you these things?

 

[Redsz]

27th ranked scoring D in 05.

I'm aware of that. But they where also #4 in third down completion percentage with 34.2%.

And how much of the scoring rank has been based on our ST's and their penchent to give our team horrible field postion?

 

[ajcardfan]

You lost me here. When did my post say anything about Clancy doing a good job this year?

Are you "reading between the lines" or are "the voices no one else can hear" telling you these things?

You didn't say Pendergast did a good job. Rod Graves did. You seemed to support that assessment by saying you were fine with all these assistants they retained...pending someone better.

I was just pointing out I don't think he's done a good job.

 

[joeshmo]

And how much of the scoring rank has been based on our ST's and their penchent to give our team horrible field postion?

Does it really matter though. i could understand that line of thinking if we were giving up a lot of field goals, but that want our case. Either your D is good enough from stopping a team from scoring TD's or they arent.

You dont see teams scoring all over the Bears D because their O gives opposing O's great field position.

I guess I could see your point if we were an even average scoring D, but not close to the bottom.

 

[PJ1]

I'm aware of that. But they where also #4 in third down completion percentage with 34.2%.

And how much of the scoring rank has been based on our ST's and their penchent to give our team horrible field postion?

We also led the league this year in giving up plays over 20 yds. We constantly fall apart at the wrong times. We have some talent on D but they aren't getting it done.