Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Mike Shanahan's Self Destruction

I have tried over the last 11 seasons to defend Denver Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan, but that job has been getting harder and harder every day. I have now joined the Bronco Nation and as I am on my knees every night praying that Broncos owner Pat Bowlen will finally see through the smokey haze of bullshit that Shanahan has put in front of Bowlen, and fire Shannahan now!

It is really sad because Shanahan really was a prized head coach that had a very bright future ahead of him, but the problem is not talent or ownership not giving Shanahan the money and freedom to do whatever Shanahan feels he needs to do to make the team better. It is not the Oakland Raiders syndrom of "the NFL is against us' or Shanahan's lack of coaching ability.

The problem for Shanahan is .................... Shanahan.

He can not get out of his own way and what is the most dangerous part of the whole debacle going on in the Mile High City is that Shanahan not only believes what he is doing is right, but he continues to point blame at everyone else instead of taking it upon himself. He cuts players, fires coaches and anyone else who dares to defy the Shanahan Way. That is why Shanny will never be discussed in the same breath as coaches like Tony Dungy who does not point blame when things go wrong and when things go right Dungy deflects it to his players and coaches. Why can't Shanny figure it out? He is quick to accept all the praise of those Super Bowl Championships but God forbid you blame him for bringing in the players and coaches he has brought in.

Looking at the Broncos coaching staff is like looking at a family tree. How many father/son combinations does a team really need? Jim & Jeremy Bates, Bob and Ryan Slowik, did Shanahan get a two for one deal when it came to hiring these coaches? Jim Bates has to be one of the biggest busts and I am glad Bob Slowik is doing such a great job with our so called "shut-down" corners. The only time you know Champ or Dre Bly are on the field is when you see a long bomb being caught and you see their name on the back of the uniforms chasing down the receiver. Ryan Slowick is doing a awesome job with the special teams seeing that he missed the memo that is posted in every teams locker room that reads: "WARNING-BE AWARE OF DEVIN HESTER - KNOWN TO RUN BACK 98% O F PUNTS AND KICKOFFS". I am less disappointed in Jimbo's son Jeremy who has actually done a great job with the receivers as Brandon Marshall is breaking out into a solid receiver.

So is it the players like Bailey and Bly who just got this bad overnight? It is Shanahan hiring "Yes" coaches who will agree with whatever he says just to pickup that nice paycheck. Shanny has too many positions with the Broncos and should leave player evaluations to the General Manager Sundquist, I mean that is why he is there right? But Shanny has to have his hands in everything and it takes him away from the thing that made him a good hire when the Broncos brought him aboard, his coaching.

The question remains, will Shanahan swallow his pride and leave his bloated ego at the door and bring in coaches that can actually get the most out of the players and try and win some games? It has been seven years since Elway retired and in those seven years Shanny has yet to do the above so I don't see it happening anytime soon. Which leaves us with the last hope of Bowlen doing the Bronco Nation a favor and kick Shanahan out the door before the talent that is in a Bronco uniform will be too old to bring another championship to Denver.

Please Bowlen ---- hear us ---- FIRE SHANAHAN NOW!

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Mike Shanahan's First 4 Seasons:

Regular Season Record: 47-14
Playoff Record: 7-1
Championships: 2

Mike Shanahan's Last 7 Seasons:

Regular Season Record: 59-49
Playoff Record: 0-3
Championships: 0

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Post Your Thoughts!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're forgetting the playoff win against the Pats in 2005.

And dissing Champ is just dumb- you did watch him last year, didn't you?

The Sports Allstar said...

You are correct I did miss that win, so I stand corrected.

If you read the entire statement I said it is not Champ's fault they are getting burned, it is the coaching and defensive schemes. I love Champ Bailey and still think he is in the top 3 corners in the league, but until Shanahan gets the defense worked out and gives Champ the best chance to show off his skills the team will continue to struggle.

Anonymous said...

Yep, I agree. Champ has just disappeared in this D- the BEST player on the D is virtually invisible. Whatever happened to "putting the players in the best position to make a play"?

He spends way too much of his time having to worry about the run, thus he hesitates for that fraction of a second that's necessary to beat him.

Frustrates me too, because he should just DOMINATE games. He made 6 picks in the end zone last year, and was the *real* Defensive MVP, but and we're just not seeing that this year. P*sses me off.

Anonymous said...

It is time for a a fresh start in Denver, starting with Shanahan and ending with Travis Henry.