Month: January 2010 (Page 48 of 65)

Seahawks fire Mora – Do they want Carroll as replacement?

January 8, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

It only took the Seahawks one year to figure out what the rest of the league should know by now: Jim Mora isn’t cut out to be a head coach.

On Friday, the Seahawks fired Mora (who had replaced Mike Holmgren) after just one season. The move is rather surprising because Seattle did this before hiring a new GM to replace the departed Tim Ruskell, so that means the front office had already made the decision that it wanted Mora gone.

Mora has pulled the blanket over everyone’s eyes one too many times. He’s a fine defensive coordinator and I doubt that he’ll have problems latching on as an assistant elsewhere because he’s a good motivator and players like him. But as a head coach, he just doesn’t have it and he’s proven this on two different occasions.

Mora has always been completely outmatched as a game planner and he often leaves his teams unprepared on Sundays. He has never been good at halftime adjustments and he can’t out scheme other coaches in order to produce wins. If his teams can’t get by on talent, then they’re doomed at kickoff because Mora can’t make the necessary in-game decisions to put his players in the right position to win.

Mora might make a fine college head coach because teams can get by on emotion and passion at the collegiate level, much more than they can in the NFL. Maybe he’ll drop down to the college ranks now that Seattle has decided to part ways.

As for potential coaching candidates, the Seahawks have already been linked to Vikings’ defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and USC’s Pete Carroll. Of course, every year Carroll’s name is linked to some NFL team and he always winds up heading back to USC. I doubt this year will be any different, but you never know. Owner Paul Allen has enough money to lure Carroll away and ESPN’s Adam Schefter says that the USC coach wanted back into the pros.

This could be a developing story.

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South Florida fires head coach Jim Leavitt

January 8, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

South Florida has decided to fire head coach Jim Leavitt after he allegedly struck a player and subsequently lied to investigators.

From Fanhouse.com:

USF fired the only coach the Bulls have had in the program’s 13-year history following an investigation initiated after a FanHouse report that stated Leavitt grabbed sophomore Joel Miller by the throat and hit the walk-on twice in the face Nov. 21 at halftime of the Louisville game.
FanHouse first reported details of the incident Dec. 14. Five witnesses, USF players and staff members, said that Leavitt was upset by a mistake Miller made on special teams during the first half against Louisville, and subsequently struck Miller twice.
“You do something like that [on the street], you put them in jail,” Paul Miller, Joel’s father and a former Tampa police officer, told FanHouse at the time. “Somewhere [Leavitt] crossed the line.”
Wednesday, wide receiver Colby Erskin, who was not present in the locker room at the time, told FanHouse that Miller told him about the incident and asked for his advice on what he should do, a few days after the Nov. 21 incident.
Erskin also said Leavitt cleaned out his locker and threw his personal effects into a trash bin. Erskin said he believed that Leavitt suspected him of leaking the story to the media.

As the article notes, Leavitt was 95-47 during his tenure at South Florida. He essentially built that program from nothing and deserves credit for making USF relevant in college football.

That said, there’s zero excuse to hit a kid. There’s a difference between being a hard ass and hitting players because they screw up. If the report is true and Leavitt did strike Miller multiple times, then he deserves to be fired. Many of these college coaches have massive egos and think they can say and do whatever they want to players because they’re above them.

Leavitt found out the hard way that universities are stepping in to ensure that these types of situations don’t continue and won’t be tolerated.

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Andre Miller is not happy in Portland

January 8, 2010 / John Paulsen

An argument between Andre Miller and head coach Nate McMillan to close practice is further proof that the (ill-conceived) marriage just isn’t working out (OregonLive.com).

The louder parts of the exchange, which intermittently featured raised voices and expletives from both sides, were audible through a closed door where media were waiting to enter the practice court.
He has mildly complained about the team’s “methodical” playing style, and more than hinted that McMillan is a “controlling” coach that stifles free play. He also has slipped into interviews he is confused about his role, which has twice alternated between reserve and starter, and recently has expressed bewilderment over a growing trend of playing little, if any, in the fourth quarter.

Brandon Roy is the Blazers’ star, and he does most of the ball handling in crunch time. He needs to play alongside a point guard who can space the court with good shooting. Moreover, the Blazers continue to play at the slowest pace in the league, so why they would want to sign a point guard that wants to push the ball and can’t shoot it from deep is beyond me. This signing didn’t make much sense last summer and it makes even less sense now.

Miller was Portland’s Plan C (or D or E, who knows) after attempts to acquire Paul Millsap and Hedo Turkoglu fell through. Some suggested that management didn’t want the cap space to go to waste, so they acquired Miller figuring that they’d be able to move him for another asset later in the season. That may very well happen.

Miller is signed for two more seasons at the tune of $15 million, but the final year of his deal is not guaranteed, so his contract shouldn’t be too hard to move. The Knicks and Heat jump out as good fits, but neither team is likely to squander its cap space next summer for a 33-year-old point guard.

Maybe he won’t be so easy to move after all…

Fantasy Basketball, NBA

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Anquan Boldin expected to be a game-time decision

January 8, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

The Arizona Republic is reporting that Cardinals’ receiver Anquan Boldin will be a game-time decision on Sunday vs. the Packers.

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Antrel Rolle were both able to practice for Arizona on Thursday, however

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and free safety Antrel Rolle practiced Thursday on a limited basis, an encouraging sign for the Cardinals, who are battling significant injuries on defense.
Rodgers-Cromartie, who suffered a knee contusion last week, participated in a good portion of practice, coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
DRC said: “I was out there full speed and it felt good. It felt good to be out there flying around, to be back with these guys practicing and working toward something good.”
Receiver Anquan Boldin remained out with a sprained knee and ankle. Boldin’s status likely won’t be known until Sunday. Guard Deuce Lutui also missed practice with back spasms, but Whisenhunt expressed confidence that he would play.

If the Cardinals want to avoid being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs then they’re going to have to do two things: Run the football and pressure the quarterback.

Even if Boldin plays, he won’t be at 100% and the Packers match up well with the Cardinals’ passing game regardless. So if ‘Zona can’t get Beanie Wells and the ground game working early, then the Cards might be in store for a long day. And teams that have had success against Green Bay this season have all been able to get after Aaron Rodgers.

Obviously the Cardinals want Boldin to be healthy; he’s a game-changer when he’s on the field. But in the end, he won’t be the difference between victory and defeat.

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