Letting Football People Run The Show
Friday - November 04, 2009
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Del.icio.usIf you want to be the owner of a successful NFL franchise, here’s the formula: Hire good football people and stay out of their way.
It’s a formula that has worked beautifully for a number of owners. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is considered one of the smartest in the league. He hired Bill Belichick as his coach and people like Scott Pioli, Nick Caserio and Floyd Reece to handle other aspects of the football operation. He lets them make the decisions and he provides the resources.
Indianapolis Colts owner Robert Irsay has had huge success. Bill Polian works on football matters with his coaches, first Tony Dungey and now Jim Caldwell. The Irsays provide the resources and trust the football to the football folks.
And look at the Denver Broncos. When team owner Pat Bowlen decided to change coaches, he hired Patriots co-coordinator Josh McDaniels and then handed the reins to him and sat back and watched a 6-0 start.
The meddling model doesn’t work nearly as well. Al Davis has made the Oakland Raiders the worst-run outfit in the league. While some maintain that Davis was effective four decades ago, his micro-management has left his team in shambles, and they won’t recover as long as he’s around.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has made two of the NFL’s best coaches, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells, run, not walk, away from his constant interference. From draft boards to free agent pick-ups, Jones cannot let the football people run the show.
In Washington, Dan Snyder is just arrogant enough to believe that because he’s been successful elsewhere, he ought to be able to run the Redskins. He’s been responsible for bad drafts and overpaid free agents (can you say Albert Haynesworth?), and he’s got Vinnie Cerrato to be his hatchet man. The Skins are solidly in last place in the NFL East.
And now Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams wants to choose the starting quarterback. At least he can’t make the winless Titans any worse.
Thursday’s basketball exhibition between Hawaii and BYUH at Stan Sheriff Center should be interesting. The Seasiders are the top pick in preseason Division II polls, although they’ll be without national player of the year Lucas Alves. The Rainbow Warriors should provide a glimpse of the new players, all of whom are fighting back from injuries. BYUH will be very good. Hawaii has a chance to be, if they can get healthy.
Hawaii PGA touring pro Parker McLachlin got in some difficulty for on-course “tweeting.” He’s been playing better of late, and with an exemption for 2010 can now start to look forward to the Sony Open in January.
Wouldn’t you love it if they could sell Tiger Woods on starting his season in Hawaii?
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