Whaler53
Join the Darkside, bitches
RUMORS FLY OF EARLY EXIT FOR NORV
With each passing loss, Chargers coach Norv Turner is looking more and more like Stanley Roper, the creepy landlord from Three's Company.
And rumors are now circulating that Norv might end up having plenty of time to watch that and other shows, if the Chargers don't turn things around soon.
But the rumor of Norv's potential demise is tempered by the reality that G.M. A.J. Smith doesn't want to further highlight the ill-advised decision to fire Marty Schottenheimer, whose name was chanted by fans during Sunday's embarrassing home loss to the Chiefs.
Still, Smith's best bet might be to shake things up in the hopes of turning things around. If the team tanks with Turner, Smith could be the one who gets the shoe.
It's still not time to panic, however. As pointed out by some Internet hack in his latest item on SportingNews.com, the Chargers are only a game behind the clusterfudge of franchises atop the AFC West.
That said, a loss to Denver this weekend could be enough to push this thing over the edge. If that happens, who replaces Norv? Ted Cottrell, whose defense in San Diego is every bit the sieve that it was in Minnesota? Ron Rivera, who was passed over for several head-coaching gigs before being essentially fired by the Bears? Receivers coach James Lofton, who has done little if anything to develop the team's current crop of receivers?
Frankly, we don't see a suitable mid-season replacement for Turner. So that means that Smith's best bet is to ride this thing out and hope that Mr. Roper can finally start collecting the rent.
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CARROLL TALK ALREADY COMMENCES
Our approach to the return of Pete Carroll to the NFL is identical to our approach to Joe Gibbs' retirement from the Redskins -- we'll continue to predict that the move is coming, and we eventually will be right.
As to Carroll, ESPN's Chris Mortensen is the first national media figure to mention the name of the USC coach in connection with the Chargers job. The key is Smith, since Carroll wants full control over the football operation. If Smith goes, then the time could be right for Carroll to come back to the pro game without leaving Southern California.
In this regard, there are two factors to keep in mind.
First, when offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian opted to pull his name from the search for the Raiders' head-coaching job, it was widely speculated that Sarkisian had been informed that Carroll wouldn't be in Troy for much longer, and that Sarkisian would get the nod to replace him.
Second, the impressive performance of former Carroll assistant Lane Kiffin in that Raiders gig will only enhance Carroll's reputation at the NFL level. At a time when so many college coaches flop at the next level, the rapid rise to respectability from a guy who was merely an assistant in the NCAA reflects very favorably on his boss.
http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm
With each passing loss, Chargers coach Norv Turner is looking more and more like Stanley Roper, the creepy landlord from Three's Company.
And rumors are now circulating that Norv might end up having plenty of time to watch that and other shows, if the Chargers don't turn things around soon.
But the rumor of Norv's potential demise is tempered by the reality that G.M. A.J. Smith doesn't want to further highlight the ill-advised decision to fire Marty Schottenheimer, whose name was chanted by fans during Sunday's embarrassing home loss to the Chiefs.
Still, Smith's best bet might be to shake things up in the hopes of turning things around. If the team tanks with Turner, Smith could be the one who gets the shoe.
It's still not time to panic, however. As pointed out by some Internet hack in his latest item on SportingNews.com, the Chargers are only a game behind the clusterfudge of franchises atop the AFC West.
That said, a loss to Denver this weekend could be enough to push this thing over the edge. If that happens, who replaces Norv? Ted Cottrell, whose defense in San Diego is every bit the sieve that it was in Minnesota? Ron Rivera, who was passed over for several head-coaching gigs before being essentially fired by the Bears? Receivers coach James Lofton, who has done little if anything to develop the team's current crop of receivers?
Frankly, we don't see a suitable mid-season replacement for Turner. So that means that Smith's best bet is to ride this thing out and hope that Mr. Roper can finally start collecting the rent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CARROLL TALK ALREADY COMMENCES
Our approach to the return of Pete Carroll to the NFL is identical to our approach to Joe Gibbs' retirement from the Redskins -- we'll continue to predict that the move is coming, and we eventually will be right.
As to Carroll, ESPN's Chris Mortensen is the first national media figure to mention the name of the USC coach in connection with the Chargers job. The key is Smith, since Carroll wants full control over the football operation. If Smith goes, then the time could be right for Carroll to come back to the pro game without leaving Southern California.
In this regard, there are two factors to keep in mind.
First, when offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian opted to pull his name from the search for the Raiders' head-coaching job, it was widely speculated that Sarkisian had been informed that Carroll wouldn't be in Troy for much longer, and that Sarkisian would get the nod to replace him.
Second, the impressive performance of former Carroll assistant Lane Kiffin in that Raiders gig will only enhance Carroll's reputation at the NFL level. At a time when so many college coaches flop at the next level, the rapid rise to respectability from a guy who was merely an assistant in the NCAA reflects very favorably on his boss.
http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm
