Coach of the year? How do you choose?
by Rob Staton
20/12/2008
There might not be a raft of candidates for the NFL MVP but the coach of the year? There are almost too many to choose from. They'll probably have to draw it out of a hat when decision time comes around. From Jeff Fisher's glorious 10 win start to Tony Sparano's miracle turn around in Miami, here's a look at a coaching class that deserve recognition as we approach the end of the regular season.
Bill Belichick
 Is anyone really surprised that this guy made the list? If anything the job to get this Patriots team to 9-5 is arguably a better job than it was to get the 08 Pats to 16-0. After losing MVP Tom Brady in week 1 to a serious knee injury, quickly followed by a spate of other injuries (not to mention losing guys like Asante Samuel in free agency) the Patriots roster was severely depleted a year on from a Super Bowl appearance. Somehow Bill Belichick has kept New England relevant. They are still in the hunt for the AFC East and if they get into the playoffs will be a dark horse in their division. When I visited New England earlier this year, a shop keeper told me they should put a statue of Belichick in the centre of Boston if he gets this team to Tampa for the big one. The fact that it's not totally unrealistic speaks volumes to Belichick's quality. He might look like a dour old fart – but he's truly one of the greats.
Tony Sparano
Everyone will tell you this is Bill Parcells' team. They'd be right too. The Tuna has systematically revolutionised the Dolphins from a 1-15 laughing stock to a team nobody fancies facing. It's one of the quickest and most brilliant u-turn's you could ever wish to see. But Parcells isn't out there calling the plays. The Tuna wasn't the one who came up with these wildcat phenomena which has since been copied by nearly every team in the NFL. Sparano looks like a cross between a P.E. teacher and a sergeant major – it looks like he coaches like that too. No nonsense, he's let the Dolphins roster know what he expects from them. Miami currently top the AFC East and before the season, you'd have got odds of 10000-1 on that happening. They have a shot at the playoffs and if they get there, who knows? A deep playoff run might get Sparano the recognition he deserves, stepping out of the shadow of the Tuna and becoming a Dolphins hero.
Mike Tomlin
 Is there a more likeable head coach in the NFL? Tomlin comes across as the kind of guy you can have a beer with, watch the game and he'll even pay for the pizza. His skills as a person are just part of the package as he has led the Steelers to a strong position in the AFC currently fighting for the number one seed in the playoffs. Of course it helps to have one of the best defensive co-ordinators in the league in Dick LeBeau. But Tomlin knits his coaching staff together and leads from the front. He's made his own luck during the season, 'stealing' a couple of wins from the jaws of defeat. But he's also had to overcome adversity to keep the train on the tracks. Ben Roethlisberger had a poor spell earlier in the season. The offensive line continues to be an issue, especially since Alan Faneca fled to New York. Willie Parker continues to have injury issues and first round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall barely had a touch of that pro-football before being placed on injured reserve. But Tomlin and the Steelers stayed together and could make the Super Bowl. If they do, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
John Harbaugh
Not many people had heard of Harbaugh when he became the rookie head coach of the Ravens. Previously a special teams guy for the Eagles, he's adjusted to the head coaches role as well as anyone could have imagined. Like Mike Tomlin he's well supported by two excellent co-ordinators in Rex Ryan and Cam Cameron, but it's Harbaugh's ability to learn on his feet which has made him a candidate for coaching honours. Last year under Brian Billick the Ravens sank to a lowly 5-11 record with a striking lack of unity amongst the roster and coaching staff. The approachable Harbaugh and his staff have had an instant impact, bringing the team together again and reaping the benefits. The Ravens are in the playoff hunt, their defense has regained its elite status and they've found a star for the future in Joe Flacco. They may just have found a star in their coaching staff too with Harbaugh.
Jeff Fisher
 At the start of the year not many people fancied the Titans. Many criticised their decision not to bring in a classy receiver to help develop Vince Young. When the former Longhorns signal caller went down injured in week one and questions were raised about his future in the NFL, Kerry Collins was rolled out to take over the starting role. What has happened since then has been nothing short of outstanding. Starting the regular season with ten straight wins and clinching the AFC South from the clasps of the Colts, Jeff Fisher deserves a huge amount of respect for the job he's done. At the moment the questions are all about whether Tennessee peaked too soon and not many people are taking them too seriously as the playoffs approach. But beware; this is a well coached team with its fair share of star talent. Proving the early critics wrong and winning a division title means Fisher rightly deserves to be mentioned amongst the best head coaches of 2008.
Tom Coughlin
Having led the Giants to a world championship earlier in the year, Coughlin appears set on trying to make it back to back titles. New York built its success in the playoffs last year on a fervent pass rush. In 2008, the G-men lost veteran Michael Strahan to retirement and Osi Umenyiora to injury. Yet the team in blue have still managed to churn out one of the best defensive units in the league. Offensively, they've produced a deadly three pronged attack in the running game and Eli Manning has kept things ticking along nicely. Coughlin was almost out of a job this time last year, now his position couldn't be safer. Perhaps his most glowing tribute this year can be his ability to keep things calm in a storm. So much controversy has followed Plaxico Burress. When he's not shooting himself in the leg he's missing practise. Coughlin has kept this ship sailing on the troubled seas and deserves to be ranked one of the best coaches of 2008. Giants in the Super Bowl again? Why not?
John Fox
 All the talk coming into the 2008 regular season was that this was a make or break year for John Fox. Having spent heavily during the draft to trade back into the first round and collecting two excellent talents in Jonathan Stewart and Jeff Otah, this needed to be a season to remember or Fox was all but gone. Under this undoubted pressure the Panthers coach has led from the front, taking his team to the brink of the NFC South title in one of its toughest years. Currently joint first in the NFC with eleven wins Carolina have become relevant again this year and many teams will want to avoid them in the playoffs. A solid defense and a potent offense led by the two runner Williams and Stewart, nicely supported by arguably the number one receiver in the NFL Steve Smith and a returning Jake Delhomme, this is a team worthy of praise. As is its head coach, who deserves to end speculation about his future and a deep playoff run will make his job that little bit more impressive.
Mike Smith
Mike who? That's what a lot of people said when the Falcons appointed Smith head coach. Nobody asks questions like that anymore. Atlanta were a team in transition when the former Jacksonville defensive co-ordinator got the job. In the post-Vick era a rebuilding job needed to be done and the blueprint was laid down with the selection of Matt Ryan third overall in the '08 draft and offensive tackle Sam Baker later in the first. Michael Turner had already arrived in free agency and many thought this was the start of a long road back to relevancy. Wrong. Smith and this newly revamped team have wasted no time at all in becoming a force to be reckoned with. Ryan should be in the pro-bowl and doesn't look like a rookie QB when you watch his performances. Turner has been a dominating back leading the league in rushing touchdowns. The Falcons have become a complete team and are still in the playoff hunt with two weeks to go. Mike Smith deserves a vast amount of credit for this Atlanta revolution.
These are the top candidates in my opinion. Special mentions have to go out to Ken Wisenhunt, Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith, Brad Childress and Eric Mangini. But this is a tough year to single one individual out. Maybe a group award for 2008 is in order? Either way, I wouldn't want to be the man to make this tough decision.
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