Saturday, January 20, 2007
Dolphins make another bad coaching call
Though this space was not up and running at the time, the Clarion was never enamoured with Nick Saban. He always impressed us as a rah-rah college guy. But then again, what do we know...told many a friend over beers at the sports bar da jour that Steve Superior was going to be a huge success in Washington. The likes of his offensive sets had never been seen in the NFL. He was going to make them reinvent defense. He came from the hallowed SEC, off of a national title, as did Saban.
So one wrong, one right, take this advice where you will. Knowing full well, the Falcons ignored our column last week about what to do with their coaching hire. A quick take on that hire: Bobby Petrino has us non-plussed. He has had a lot of success, but never stayed long enough anywhere to truly test his metal. Further, his offense does not seem to be the most conducive to Michael Vick.
About whom by the by, the rumor mill is now grinding hard, particulate hidden in a secret compartment in a water bottle airport smugglin’, wow, Michael, the Clarion had thought these antics were a Marcus thang, not you, too. Now we are hearing all the questionable associates buzz. Questions are being asked like, where does one get this kind of water bottle and what makes you think you could get it through airport security? Michael, Michael, Michael, who you hanging with? Are the Falcons considering swapping Vick for multiple draft picks and playing Matt Schaub? If Ricky Williams is worth a team's entire draft, isn’t Michael Vick?
Or is he? Anyway we’ll see if the Falcons are even willing to go there.
Further reading on this topic.
Michael Vick thoughts from Sports Fan Magazine
Sharp knives for Michael Vick
As for the Miami Dolphins, Cam Cameron has done nothing to convince the Clarion that he has anything in him to be a winning head coach. (Though he might have been an interesting choice as the Falcons offensive coordinator.) As a head man, again, we have personal experience with and observation of Cam, some on the staff have seen him run our alma mater, Indiana. When we tell you he was an overwhelmed mess at Indiana, have no doubt. He had an all-timer in four year starter Antwaan Randle El. The man owns the all-time Big Ten total yardage record. He was unbelievable, unstoppable, so fast with the ball in his hands, Tommie Frazier at Nebraska fast. Except that Cameron couldn’t find talent to put around him. They were closer to Kansas than Nebraska. Indiana is a basketball school, you say. Can’t blame Cameron for that, can’t blame him that he can’t change that. The Clarion will say maybe, maybe not, on the program turn around possibilities of Indiana football. Indiana football sucks and has sucked and Cam Cameron did nothing to change it. Not even close, 18 up and 37 down overall before getting canned. Others failed too, but there are examples of people doing more miraculous turnarounds over the years: 15 years ago it was Bill Snyder at K-State and much more recently Greg Schiano’s Rutgers miracle. (Near and dear to the staff’s hearts.)
Okay, so you say, Cameron didn’t turn around Indiana, but he was great as the offensive coordinator in San Diego. The Clarion ain’t buyin’ it yo. No. Cameron has been blessed with superlative talents and still he has never gotten over the top. LaDamlian Tomlinson is an all time great. Tight end Antonio Gates is an all pro. Phillip Rivers is a all pro, coach’s son, and Clarion fave. Even last year Drew Brees was terrific player. Witness his success in New Orleans. He still playing while Cameron is done for the year. Cam Cameron hasn’t created all this talent, he has been handed it. The guy who deserves credit in San Diego is General Manager A.J. Smith. (Who incidentally had previously worked wonders in Buffalo.) Unfortunately, for Smith, Chargers owner Alex Spanos won’t take the last bit of good advice Smith needs to press on him to get the team over the top. Fire Marty Schottenheimer.
Anyway, time will tell, but it says here that Cam Cameron is overrated. Worse, the Dolphins talent base is poor, too, a recipie for disaster. Their defense is aging, their QB’s has beens and never was-es, their cupboard is threadbare...except for the outside possibility of Ricky Williams coming back from Toronto...A musical shout out to Ricky Williams
Cam Cameron bio
A.J. Smith bio
So one wrong, one right, take this advice where you will. Knowing full well, the Falcons ignored our column last week about what to do with their coaching hire. A quick take on that hire: Bobby Petrino has us non-plussed. He has had a lot of success, but never stayed long enough anywhere to truly test his metal. Further, his offense does not seem to be the most conducive to Michael Vick.
About whom by the by, the rumor mill is now grinding hard, particulate hidden in a secret compartment in a water bottle airport smugglin’, wow, Michael, the Clarion had thought these antics were a Marcus thang, not you, too. Now we are hearing all the questionable associates buzz. Questions are being asked like, where does one get this kind of water bottle and what makes you think you could get it through airport security? Michael, Michael, Michael, who you hanging with? Are the Falcons considering swapping Vick for multiple draft picks and playing Matt Schaub? If Ricky Williams is worth a team's entire draft, isn’t Michael Vick?
Or is he? Anyway we’ll see if the Falcons are even willing to go there.
Further reading on this topic.
Michael Vick thoughts from Sports Fan Magazine
Sharp knives for Michael Vick
As for the Miami Dolphins, Cam Cameron has done nothing to convince the Clarion that he has anything in him to be a winning head coach. (Though he might have been an interesting choice as the Falcons offensive coordinator.) As a head man, again, we have personal experience with and observation of Cam, some on the staff have seen him run our alma mater, Indiana. When we tell you he was an overwhelmed mess at Indiana, have no doubt. He had an all-timer in four year starter Antwaan Randle El. The man owns the all-time Big Ten total yardage record. He was unbelievable, unstoppable, so fast with the ball in his hands, Tommie Frazier at Nebraska fast. Except that Cameron couldn’t find talent to put around him. They were closer to Kansas than Nebraska. Indiana is a basketball school, you say. Can’t blame Cameron for that, can’t blame him that he can’t change that. The Clarion will say maybe, maybe not, on the program turn around possibilities of Indiana football. Indiana football sucks and has sucked and Cam Cameron did nothing to change it. Not even close, 18 up and 37 down overall before getting canned. Others failed too, but there are examples of people doing more miraculous turnarounds over the years: 15 years ago it was Bill Snyder at K-State and much more recently Greg Schiano’s Rutgers miracle. (Near and dear to the staff’s hearts.)
Okay, so you say, Cameron didn’t turn around Indiana, but he was great as the offensive coordinator in San Diego. The Clarion ain’t buyin’ it yo. No. Cameron has been blessed with superlative talents and still he has never gotten over the top. LaDamlian Tomlinson is an all time great. Tight end Antonio Gates is an all pro. Phillip Rivers is a all pro, coach’s son, and Clarion fave. Even last year Drew Brees was terrific player. Witness his success in New Orleans. He still playing while Cameron is done for the year. Cam Cameron hasn’t created all this talent, he has been handed it. The guy who deserves credit in San Diego is General Manager A.J. Smith. (Who incidentally had previously worked wonders in Buffalo.) Unfortunately, for Smith, Chargers owner Alex Spanos won’t take the last bit of good advice Smith needs to press on him to get the team over the top. Fire Marty Schottenheimer.
Anyway, time will tell, but it says here that Cam Cameron is overrated. Worse, the Dolphins talent base is poor, too, a recipie for disaster. Their defense is aging, their QB’s has beens and never was-es, their cupboard is threadbare...except for the outside possibility of Ricky Williams coming back from Toronto...A musical shout out to Ricky Williams
Cam Cameron bio
A.J. Smith bio
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