The Football Diner Big Top 5
Head Coach Meltdowns
by Jody Jamieson
30/10/2008
 
Did you see Mike Singletary's glorious rant after the game on Sunday against the Seahawks? It's was as cringeworthy as it was fantastic. Singletary, a mean linebacker in his playing days with the Chicago Bears in the 80's didn't take too kindly to the alleged selfish play of tight end Vernon Davis. Davis was given a 15 yard penalty for slapping a Seahawk after a play had ended, and Singletary made sure his first post game press conference was a memorable one, bumbling his way through it a little embarrassingly, while not leaving anyone in doubt of his thoughts and intentions for the team in San Francisco. While we all enjoyed the rant, what can't be forgotten is that most of the time, a presser like this may make an impact in the short term, more often than not, it doesn't lead to long term success. This week on Top Fives I look back at 5 of my favourite Head Coach meltdowns in NFL history, and then have a look at the aftermath.
 
5. "If you were 2-7 you'd be in a bad mood too."
 
You wonder where Mike Singletary got his legendary press conference techniques? Look no further than the only Head Coach he ever knew in Chacago. Mike Ditka had a hugely successful time with the Chicago Bears both as a player and a Head Coach. Ditka played Tight End when the Bears won the 1963 NFL Championship, and was the coach when they won Super Bowl XX. But rather than focus on his time with Da Bears, today we will look back and remember what Ditka himself refers to as "The worst three years of my life." Of course, that would be his three years in charge of the New Orleans Saints. Ditka was partly responsible for trading his entire 1999 Draft to acquire Ricky Williams, and when it all went wrong that year, and the Saints were 2-7, Ditka simply sat there and answered questions. But not in the traditional sense. When asked about injuries? "Talk to the trainer. Next!" When asked about his quarterbacking situation? "There's 3 quarterbacks on this team. Whichever one starts, starts, which ever two don't will back him up. Next!" When asked why he was in a bad mood? "Why do you care?" When the reporter was left a little speechless by the reply "If you were 2-7 you'd be in a bad mood too.
 
As is the case with most of these stories, Ditka was quickly out of the door in New Orleans and never did coach again in the NFL.
 
4. "We have to be the dumbest team in America in terms of playing the game."
 
I loved this one in that Oakland Raiders Head Coach Bill Callahan said it in such a matter of fact way. In 2003, the Raiders lost a divisional game to the Denver Broncos by a score of 22-8, Callahan's frustration over his teams indiscipline in the football game made him utter the quote "We have to be the dumbest team in America in terms of playing the game." Now while he probably had a point, it didn't exactly do him much good as Al Davis gave him the bullet at the end of that season after the Raiders went 4-12.
 
But for Callahan his Raiders career wasn't a complete failure. People forget that after Jon Gruden left for Tampa Bay, it was Callahan who was promoted to Head Coach and led the Raiders to the Super Bowl where Gruden's Buccs squashed Oakland 48-21. Callahan had been a very successful offensive coordinator for the previous two years, and the progression to Head Coach made perfect sense, and they reaped the benefits with an AFC Championship win over the Titans. But after a slow start in 2003, some Raiders players started to turn on their coach, and then after the press conference it was the beginning of the end.
 
Interestingly most of what Callahan said in that press conference still rings true some 5 years later. The Raiders are still an indisciplined bunch who take far too many stupid penalties. Despite numerous coaching changes, the more things chance, the more they stay the same at the Coliseum. Maybe Callahan had a point, but it certainly didn't do him any good in Oakland. Callahan has only recently returned to the NFL as Assistant Coach of the New York Jets. He did have 4 season with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and despite his first season bringing Nebraska their first losing season in over 40 years, he did have a reasonable time in the college game.
 
3. "You play to win the game."
 
I love Herman Edwards, because even as a guy who is obviously such a nice family man, he's not scared to give his opinion when someone says something he doesn't like. and when he was questioned about the Jets ability to win games in 2002 after a loss to the Browns sank his team to 2-5, he said "That's the great thing about sports. You play to win the game! Hello?! You play to win the game."
 
This wasn't the greatest tirade in the world, but it's about the only one with a happy ending. The Jets came to life and went on to win the AFC East that year and Herman Edwards remained coach of the Jets for a further 3 seasons before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he's had a few more interesting pressers, and a few impressive losing streaks.
 
2. "They were who we thought they were! and we let em off the hook!"
 
Dennis Green is a mild mannered guy who will always be remembered for going postal during a press conference after the Arizona Cardinals lost a head scratcher.
 
Green had a good coaching career in the NFL, most notably coaching the record setting Minnesota Vikings in 1998 to a 15-1 season before losing the NFC Championship game to the Falcons. Green was the Vikings head coach for 10 years, and was fired in 2001 after his only losing season with the team. Things weren't so rosy in Arizona, despite improving the team in his first two years. The 3rd season at the helm in 2006 started well, but the rant was yet again the beginning of the end, and Green was fired at the end of the season. Green hasn't coached since in the league.
 
1. "PLAYOFFS?!?!"
 
Of course, probably the funniest quote ever by Jim Mora was, after his New Orleans Saints were anemic on offense against Carolina, Mora said to reporters "We couldn't do diddly-poo offensively" which in itself is a fantastic quote, but his meltdown after being questioned about the possibility of his Indianapolis Colts making the playoffs after a 2001 loss to the 49ers when Peyton Manning threw 4 interceptions. He had been ranting about how his defense, which had been poor for most of that year, couldn't possibly take any of the blame for the performance and giving up 40 points that day. When asked about the possibility of the then 4-6 Colts making the playoffs, his legendary response was "Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs! You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game! Another game!"
 
Naturally Mora was fired at the end of this season by Indianapolis. Mora also resigned shortly after his diddly-poo comment with the Saints. Another great comment after the Saints special teams had a terrible day was "I'm sure people vomited in the stands when they saw our kicking game."
 
Mora never coached another game after 2001, but became a very successful and popular analyst on the NFL Network. Of course, no-one will ever forget the playoffs tirade.
 
Random Thoughts
 
The fact that Mike Tomlin is having to defend himself for using linebacker James Harrison as a long snapper after Greg Warren got hurt just smacks of why hindsight in sports turns everyone into a Monday morning quarterback. I ask you this. How many teams carry full time backup long snappers? How many coaches would sign a guy who plays another position because he can long snap? Sure, it was obviously a big play in the game, but because of all this coverage about the snapping situation I take it the fact that Roethlisberger threw 4 INT's, the offensive line couldn't come close to portecting their QB, and that the Giants completely dominating the game had no more bearing on the game over a botched snap costing the Steelers two points? The fact is that they got the ball back with a chance to tie it and you knew they wouldn't get a first down, never mind a touchdown. That was a much bigger issue than the long snapper situation, and people should lay off Tomlin for a situation that would cause every other team in the league major problems on any given Sunday.
 
I'm glad to hear that Daunte Culpepper is likely to come out of retirement and play for the Detroit Lions if they agree on a deal. In a league where there are so many issues at the quarterback position, I am amazed there wasn't a place for Culpepper going into the start of the season. He may not be the same guy he was in Minnesota a few years ago after a few knee injuries, but I think he can still get it done. There were murmurings that people were hesitant to deal with him as he is his own agent, which unless he becomes extremely difficult to deal with (which I doubt is the case) then it seems ludicrous. The more I think of Culpepper throwing to Calvin Johnson, the more I think the Lions may have something to build on for next year. Sure, their offensive line sucks as does their defense, but every great journey starts with a single step and maybe this single step might give Lions fans something to be cheerful about.
 
And Finally...
 
The New England Patriots are amazing me right now. Last year they were very lucky with the injury bug keeping all their key players healthy, and a wonderful group of players put together a regular season for the ages, even if they couldn't follow it up in the Super Bowl. This year after Brady went down we all had doom and gloom predicted. With the offensive line struggling a little (and Cassel holding onto the ball too ling at times) you wondered how handicapped they would be offensively. Then Maroney and Rodney Harrison go down and it's just setback after setback.
 
Yet the Pats still find a way to keep winning. Sure, Denver were terrible last Monday night, but the Rams are onto something right now, and the Patriots managed to find a way to grind out a close win against a resurgent team. Everyone was licking their lips looking forward to Bill Belichick finally being found out as a coach who can only win with a superstar quarterback. Now I'm pretty sure he doesn't care what you, I or anyone else thinks in the grand scheme of things, but I'll bet he gets a little satisfaction that his team that were written off 6 weeks ago are now in contention for yet another playoff berth. If they can make it and go deep into January with all this adversity it's just another example of why Belichick is the Hall of Fame coach he really is. You may not like him, but you've got to respect his body of work, with or without Tom Brady.