If Parcells leaves...Lovie Smith will coach the Cowboys!!!

[kjbad]

Lovie as a HC makes less than the two WAS coordinators...and this makes way too much sense. :)

Petrino's deal with Falcons only hikes price for Lovie

January 9, 2007
BY BRAD BIGGS AND MIKE MULLIGAN Staff Reporters
The Bears have said all along that Lovie Smith will get his new contract and there are no problems.

You have to wonder if the situation has changed, though, as the price for coaches continues to skyrocket. Team president Ted Phillips said last March that he knew waiting on an extension for Smith, who was open to negotiating a new deal at the time, would cost him more in the long run. He couldn't have had any idea how much.

The coaching fraternity was all smiles Monday morning as word spread of Bobby Petrino's contract with the Atlanta Falcons. ESPN reported that Petrino signed a five-year, $24 million contract, a staggering $4.8 million a year for someone with limited NFL experience. Smith has led the Bears to consecutive division titles for the first time in nearly two decades and was the NFL coach of the year last season.

Currently, he is the lowest-paid coach in the league, earning $1.35 million annually in a deal that runs through next season. For him to be making Petrino money, the McCaskey family would almost have to quadruple his current deal.

''I haven't seen the numbers,'' Smith said. ''I know Bobby Petrino is an excellent football coach. Welcome to the league.

''I don't know what to say about that. I'm for every man getting a fair contract.''

Phillips told the Sun-Times before the Bears' Dec. 24 game at Detroit that an extension for Smith was in the works and would not be tied to the team's postseason fortunes. That indicated negotiations were ongoing.

But no announcement has come, and Smith was clear Monday that he is not in the midst of anything other than preparing for Sunday's divisional-round playoff game against Seattle.

''I'm not in negotiations right now,'' he said. ''We're just getting ready for the Seahawks. As far as what Bobby got, again, I don't know the numbers or anything like that. He's a good football coach, and we'll go from there.''

With four jobs still vacant and the Miami Dolphins reported to be pursuing USC's Pete Carroll in Costa Rica for what no doubt would be a huge contract, Smith is best off not signing anything yet. Bears officials have been adamant all along that this will get done, but the Petrino news must have had them choking on their cereal.

Smith could make the ultimate power play and work through the remainder of his current contract. He grew up rooting for the Dallas Cowboys, and Sports Illustrated's Peter King reported over the weekend that if Bill Parcells departs, Smith would be at the top of owner Jerry Jones' wish list. Jones isn't afraid to throw money around, either, and might even be willing to give up draft picks to procure Smith.

[kjbad]

A second opinion from dailysouthtown.com...

Pay Lovie before he runs an out route

January 9, 2007

The news was stunning, and a little loopy. Tommie Harris' analysis, decidedly less of the former and only slightly more of the latter.

The Atlanta Falcons on Monday hired a coach, Bobby Petrino, away from fabled football power Louisville for the reported bargain price of a five-year, $24 million deal.

If Petrino is worth $4.8 million per year, what is Lovie Smith worth?

"Ten," Harris said.

That's more than Mike Holmgren makes.

"Who makes the most in the NFL?" Harris asked.

Holmgren.

"How much is that?"

About $7 million.

"Lovie should make the same or even more," Harris said. "He deserves it. A man who keeps his mouth shut when he's not eating at all -- you look around the league ... This is the society we live in. Work, and you pay me. I show you production, and you pay me. If you keep your mouth shut this whole time, you have a humble heart -- pay his due, man."

Smith's due is overdue.

He is the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL at about $1.4 million per season. There are coordinators who make more. The Bears are prepared to change that, but since a new deal for Smith wasn't announced during the bye week, it's unlikely anything will get signed until the Bears lose or the first week before the Super Bowl, whichever comes first.

Or maybe nothing gets done. A bungled Bears negotiation wouldn't be unprecedented.

Not that they should be embarrassed, as has been suggested elsewhere, over Smith's under-compensation. Should someone be embarrassed for buying Nike stock in 1980?

No. Rather, the Bears risk embarrassment in what comes next. And in an environment that apparently features Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga jetting to Costa Rica to try to woo Pete Carroll away from USC, what comes next better be gilded, fur-lined and gem-studded.

Ruben Brown, conceding "Lovie's in a great position," cautioned a coach's price tag depends "on what the coach wants and what the team looking for the coach wants."

Will the Bears want to more than triple Smith's salary? If not, will Smith be willing to coach out the last year of his deal next season and seek something better?

Perhaps the answer to both questions is no. But with consecutive division championships and little reason to anticipate a major slip next season, Smith should let the current openings fill and use the best of those deals as his minimum.

Or he might mention to Ted Phillips that, on Sunday, NBC's Peter King reported Jerry Jones would go after Smith for the Dallas job if Bill Parcells doesn't return.

"The stuff people make up," Brown said, smiling. "I can imagine all the writers and the media sitting around. Y'all get at a big round table and throw the ideas out there ... "

Yep, here's a couple I came up with: A) Parcells quits, the Bears let Smith go to the Cowboys for draft picks, then they promote Ron Rivera and all the assistants Rivera would have taken with him to another head gig. B) Parcells stays one more year, Smith coaches out his current deal and signs for Big Dollars to go to Big D.

Hey, I'm sure players have come up with wilder scenarios over a post-practice pop.

"What's kind of crazy is I hang around with a lot of bikers, and all they talk about is fenders and oil and gas and brake lines," Brown said. "I'll be like, 'Shouldn't you guys be talking about the betterment of the motorcycle culture?' Nah. It's tires.

"That's us as football players. We don't really get into the political side of it. We talk about stuff on the field."

As for the off-the-field stuff, Smith can continue to keep his mouth shut -- and his ears open to the sound of a ringing cash register.

[kjbad]

From benmaller at foxsports.com:

According to sources, Bill Parcells addressed his assistant coaches Wednesday about his future for the first time since the season ended, and said he would need more time to decide if he wants to coach again. Parcells, 65, has one year left on his contract with the Cowboys and is scheduled to make $5.5 million. Contractually, he has to decide by Feb. 1. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said repeatedly that he wants Parcells to return for a fifth season. ... As Parcells continues to mull his decision, four assistants – Bruce DeHaven, Anthony Lynn, Mike MacIntyre and David Lee – are in limbo because their contracts will expire shortly. Other teams would need the Cowboys' permission to speak with them, because the team holds an exclusive negotiating period with the assistants even after their contracts are up.

DAL may be ready to implode.

[RipperEagle]

DAL may be ready to implode.

Well, if it isn't from coaching and we learned anything from Owen's last venture with the Boys, I think there are multiple reasons for Owens to want to re-negotiate his contract ONE YEAR IN.

Only problem is Jerry Jones is not as bright as Jeffery Lurie and Joe Banner: he'll give the *** what he wants and then listen to him ***** and moan about everything from his life to Parcells to his ex-publicist.

Nuts!

[kjbad]

I wonder if Parcells will announce his retirement right after da Bears lose? Meanwhile his assistants will be hosed if he doesnt says something soon - they could be in line for other jobs.

I definitely believe that Jerry Jones will throw some $$$$ at a big-name coach if Bill retires...and Smith will bring the scared DAL fans back out of their caves, that's for sure.

Conspiracy theory # 786... :)

[kjbad]

Parcells keeps 'Boys waiting about '07 return

NFL.com wire reports


IRVING, Texas (Jan. 18, 2007) -- Nearly two weeks after the Dallas Cowboys' season ended, Bill Parcells still hasn't decided whether he wants to keep coaching.

Jerry Jones has told Parcells to take all the time he wants. At least, until the Feb. 1 deadline that's in his contract.

Fans aren't as patient. Their need for an answer, one way or another, grows each day. His status remains the most-talked-about topic on local sports radio, with shows treating it like a hostage situation: Day X of Dallas under siege. (Jan. 18 was Day 12)

With no word directly from Parcells, inquiring minds are left to read between the lines. That's led to theories such as:

He's staying because he keeps showing up for work every day. If he was quitting, he'd be out by now. Tom Landry had the job for 29 years and needed only a few hours to gather up all his personal belongings.

He's going because he let trusted assistant coach David Lee leave to become the offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Parcells has known Lee more than 30 years and he's widely credited with developing Tony Romo's throwing mechanics.

He's staying because of Romo and the chance to have a full season with him as the starting quarterback. Parcells himself said last season that the combination of "a fiery coach and a young quarterback ... that ought to be enough to perk you up for a while." Besides, he could replace Lee with an even closer friend, Dan Henning, recently fired as offensive coordinator in Carolina.

He's going because he's supposedly thinking about other jobs, like when the New York Giants were looking for a general manager.

He's staying because of how outraged he was to have been linked to that opening.

He's going because Pat Summerall, one of Parcells' best buddies locally, said so on a radio show.

He's staying because Parcells stopped speaking to Summerall after hearing about it.

He's going because Phil Simms said so, although he admitted he was just guessing.

He's staying to spite Simms.

Ugh.

Maybe the holdup is Terrell Owens. What if Parcells has given Jones a me-or-him ultimatum?

Another wrinkle could be money. Parcells is due about $5.5 million in 2007, which is a lot more than Social Security would pay the 65-year-old coach. Television doesn't pay nearly that well, either.

While Parcells has recouped much of what he lost in a divorce that preceded his arrival in Dallas, he knows this could be his last big payday.

So maybe the wait is all about trying to squeeze Jones for an extension with a golden -- no, platinum -- parachute. Having his name linked to the Giants job may have been a negotiating ploy.

But what if it backfired? What if it angered Jones and ruined their extension talks? In that case, Parcells could be dragging his feet while all the top candidates take other jobs, leaving Jones no choice but to bring him back.

Then again, Jones' top candidate could be Bill Cowher and Jones figures he'll have to wait a year to get him anyway. In that case, Jones would take Parcells for one more year -- but only one, and not for more money.

The longer Parcells' status remains in limbo, the more every little thing is going to get overanalyzed and conspiracy theories such as these will make the rounds.

Parcells should be used to it considering he plays this waiting game nearly every year; that's why there's a decision deadline in his contract.

It's been this way since he walked away from the New York Giants because of heart problems following his second Super Bowl title, back in January 1991. There was even drama surrounding him most offseasons when he was out of coaching because it was always presumed that he was waiting to jump back in.

Last year, Parcells took only five days and came back with the extension through 2007.

This year's wait proves that Jones is in no hurry to get rid of Parcells, an idea that gained traction when the Cowboys lost four of their last five games, culminating with a playoff loss at Seattle. It left Dallas 34-32 in four years under Parcells, including 0-2 in the playoffs. The Cowboys haven't won a playoff game since 1996, the longest drought in club history.

If Parcells is not working on his exit strategy, then he's probably thinking about putting together his staff, starting with a new defensive coordinator because Mike Zimmer took the same job in Atlanta.

Zimmer's contract was about to expire and he didn't want to wait for things to get sorted out in Dallas -- even though he would've been the leading in-house candidate to replace Parcells (if he left) and Parcells told Zimmer he would keep his job (if Parcells stayed).

Lee's departure offered more intrigue.

At Parcells' request, Lee put the Arkansas offer on hold. After five days of stalling the Razorbacks -- Jones' alma mater, by the way -- Parcells told Lee not to wait any longer because he couldn't say for sure whether he'd be back.

So ...

Will he or won't he?

The only certainty is that an answer should come by Feb. 1.

So if Parcells kept DAL waiting until the end of the month, they would be way behind in the interviewing game...unless they talked to the coach of a recently defeated playoff team. :) CHI fans had better watch out or they may lose TWO coaches!

[kjbad]

That's OK, keep ignoring my thread until after the Super Bowl...:)

Now that Parcells has called it quits, and most of the good candidates were already snapped up, watch Jerry Jones do something outlandish to get a Super Bowl coach in Big D....like offer Lovie the $$$ that CHI wouldn't give him BEFORE he got them to the big game.

[BullheadCardFan]

Bill Cowher, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach: Jones at least has to make the phone call. Wayne Huizenga of the Dolphins contacted Cowher's people and let him know of the Dolphins' interest. Cowher's intention is to sit out the 2007 season and maybe longer. No one expects him to change that position. For the Cowboys to be able to acquire Cowher, they would have to make a trade. The cost probably would be three high draft choices spread over two or three years. Cowher is so good, it could cost a first, a second and a third starting in 2007, but consider this option an incomplete pass.

Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans head coach: Forget about it. Bud Adams wouldn't let Fisher out of his contract in 2007 for five draft choices. Plus, he would never let one of the top coaching assets in the NFL go to Dallas when Bud lives in Houston. This one is impossible.

Mike Martz, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator: Jones is on the competition committee and that allows him the chance to get to know a lot of the top coaches. He got to know Martz when the former Rams head coach was on the competition committee. Fresh in Jones' mind is how Martz' Lions breezed through the Cowboys defense in the regular-season finale with street free agents in the backfield and a converted undrafted safety at wide receiver. Jones knows the value of the quarterback position, and he knows Martz could do good things with Tony Romo.

Wade Phillips, San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator: The Cowboys were a disappointing 3-4 defense last season. Phillips runs one of the best 3-4 schemes in the league. He keeps it simple. He lets playmakers make plays. His blitz schemes aren't complicated. Phillips has head coaching experience in Denver and Buffalo and has been a winner.

Ron Rivera, Chicago Bears defensive coordinator: Jones can't interview Rivera until Feb. 5 -- the day after the Super Bowl -- but Rivera would be an ideal choice. The Steelers thought he was so ready to be a head coach that they were willing to give him a second interview had the Bears lost Sunday. Then it would have been Rivera going against Mike Tomlin of the Vikings. When the Bears had the fourth quarter lead, the Steelers made their formal offer to Tomlin and made him their coach. The problem of waiting until Feb. 5, though, is the difficulty of getting a great staff together.

Bob Stoops, Oklahoma Sooners head coach: No, this isn't a repeat of the Barry Switzer scenario. It's going to take a lot more convincing to get Stoops to leave Oklahoma. Stoops would be the biggest name available for the Cowboys. As a defensive-oriented coach, Stoops could do good things with the talent assembled by Parcells. The problem is getting Stoops out of Oklahoma. Money won't be a problem. Jones could pay him $4.5 million to $5 million a year. The problem is college coaches without NFL experience struggle and often fail. Of course, Jerry did have success with Switzer and Jimmy Johnson.

Jim Mora, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach: Mora is pretty well settled after accepting the assistant head coaching position with the Seahawks Sunday. It gave him a chance to return to Seattle, where he went to college. It also gave him a chance to work with Mike Holmgren. Mora took the Falcons to the NFC championship game in his first season as head coach, and at least deserves to be on any list.

Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts assistant head coach: The Tony Dungy coaching tree is a pretty good one. Dungy is facing his former assistant Lovie Smith in the Super Bowl. Caldwell was active in a lot of job interviews after the regular season ended. He is a solid person and a good coach.

Mike Zimmer, Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator: One of the bad parts of Parcells' late decision is that the Cowboys didn't have a chance to retain Zimmer. Parcells was going to go a different direction and probably give Todd Bowles the job if he returned. Jerry Jones always has liked Zimmer, who is more of a 4-3 coach, but he learned the 3-4 working for Parcells. He knows the talent and could be of service.

Norv Turner, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator: Turner made a big mistake trying to bail out the Raiders a couple of years ago, but it allowed him to return to the Bay Area to live and work. The 49ers gave him a chance to coach offense, not move and Turner and his family liked that. It's hard for coaches to get three chances at head coaching jobs and Turner's already been a head coach with the Redskins and the Raiders. Jones likes Turner and rightfully so. When Troy Aikman was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Turner was the presenter. He meant a lot to Aikman and the Cowboys, but Jones would have to do some convincing for Turner to take one more chance at head coaching. He has a playoff team brewing with Mike Nolan in San Francisco.

Mike Sherman, Houston Texans offensive coordinator: The former Packers coach gained a lot of praise for his help in maturing the Texans' running game even though it didn't have much running talent. Sherman has been active in several head coaching searches. He's got a good offensive mind and is very organized. Plus, he was a playoff regular when he was with the Packers.

John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

[Tha rizzock]

It will be wade phillips dude

[kjbad]

It will most likely be someone that's coaching in the Super Bowl...that's not a stretch. But I don't think DAL goes after a small fish...THEY'RE DALLAS! Jerry's learned his lesson with the Dave Campos of the football world, he's going to go all out.

[BullheadCardFan]

Beware Big 'D': Distraction
January 23
Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh (registration required): "It's no secret the Lovie Smith grew up in Big Sandy, Texas, worshiping the Cowboys. The team's owner, Jerry Jones, apparently likes Smith enough to spark speculation from Sports Illustrated writer and NBC correspondent Peter King last week that he would be one of Jones' top choices if Parcells ever left."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dallas needs a coach. Smith is underpaid. Hmm…

January 23
Chicago Tribune columnist Mike Downey (registration required): "A charming legend about Lovie Smith's life in football is that his mother, Mae, supposedly once had a very vivid dream that her son would become a head coach in the NFL someday ... for the Dallas Cowboys."

[kjbad]

Don't tell me Lovie wouldn't leave CHI for DAL, especially after not getting his $$$ this season...then Rivera keeps the CHI job and the defense intact, and the DAL fans get some hope for next year as Lovie retools that defense. If he can win with Grossman and Orton, do you think he'll need Romo to be all-world to get double-digit wins?

Just don't be surprised when the story breaks. :)

[RipperEagle]

Whoever the coach is, will have to go through TO classes, or "Tolerance Obidience" classes.

That's not easy. At that point in his career, does the coach even want to subject himself to the Owens ordeal?

Money over pride.

[crisper57]

Please Jerry Jones, hire Martz! You two deserve each other. Please let your two egos derail the team back into the Cowboys of the 80's!

Time to pick over the scrap heap, Jerry!

[Heucrazy]

Whoever the coach is, will have to go through TO classes, or "Tolerance Obidience" classes.

That's not easy. At that point in his career, does the coach even want to subject himself to the Owens ordeal?

Money over pride.

Maybe TO will pull a Larry Johnson and work harder for a Black coach?

[Cardinal Fever]

The Cowboys are going to have to bring their "A" game in finding their new coach. So far, they just got rejected... twice.


STOOPS NOT INTERESTED IN COWBOYS JOB
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2740509


FISHER NOT ALLOWED TO TALK TO THE COWBOYS
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2740036

[SULLY]

i love that nobody wants to coach the cowboys and we got 2 A + coaches on our staff.

[RipperEagle]

Maybe TO will pull a Larry Johnson and work harder for a Black coach?

So what's your saying is Jones should hire Denny or Art?

Well, Jerry LOVES them old time names...Parcells wouldn't wnat it ANY other way!

[RipperEagle]

i love that nobody wants to coach the cowboys and we got 2 A + coaches on our staff.

BEAUT-IFUL isn't it?

It's a perfect world after all!

Now Dallas should allow Terrell Owens to do the hiring.

Imagine the hiliarity of the questions:
-If I do not have more then 20 passes thrown my way in a game, what do you say to me to make me feel better?
-If I drop a pass, what will you tell me?
-If I run my mouth, will you tell me to shut up?
-If we are playing the Eagles, I want to be the ONLY receiver on the field and catch 20 receptions in a game...NO EXCUSES!

[BullheadCardFan]

Ripper --- that is funny ...

:lollollol:

[weneedmorelinemen]

Don't tell me Lovie wouldn't leave CHI for DAL, especially after not getting his $$$ this season...then Rivera keeps the CHI job and the defense intact, and the DAL fans get some hope for next year as Lovie retools that defense. If he can win with Grossman and Orton, do you think he'll need Romo to be all-world to get double-digit wins?

Just don't be surprised when the story breaks. :)

Peter King speculating on anything in the NFL means it will not happen. If there was ever a person besides Dr. Z, Chris Carter, and Skip Bayless who doesn't have a clue it's Peter King.

For Dallas to sign Lovie would mean either changing Lovie's defensive philosophy from a 4-3 to a 3-4 which won't work, or having to retool their defense and acquire the players necessary for a 4-3 defense. There is no reason to do that, since Dallas has a good defense right now.

They'd also have to give Chicago some form of compensation this year. Why do that just when there are qualified coaches still availible who fit your needs more?

Lovie has stated that he would like to be the head coach of the Bears for a very long time, and the Bears have the room and funds to pay him.

They will get an offensive minded head coach to develop Romo.

[M0J0]

They patties should not hire Lovie. His defensive schemes do not go with what they have in place. Lovies going to get paid by Chi town anyway.

[kjbad]

http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/DAL/9966457

Dallas won't hire coach until after Super Bowl

IRVING, Texas (Jan. 31, 2007) -- The Dallas Cowboys won't name Bill Parcells' replacement until after the Super Bowl.

In his first public comments since Parcells retired Jan. 22, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he wouldn't have a decision on a new coach until next week. Jones has already interviewed eight candidates, and said he might add to that list.

"We've got a good football team, and I've got to get this right," Jones said. "We've got to make a good decision when we select the next coach. We're going to have the opportunity and a plan in place that will allow us to do that."

Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary, the assistant head coach for the San Francisco 49ers, interviewed Jan. 30. That came two days after 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner, who was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator for two Super Bowl victories and a two-time head coach.

Jason Garrett was hired Jan. 25 for an unspecified role on the coaching staff, likely as offensive coordinator, after he interviewed for the head coaching vacancy. Garrett, who was Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman's backup for two Super Bowl titles, is still a candidate for the top job.

Defensive coordinators Wade Phillips of San Diego and Gary Gibbs of New Orleans have also interviewed, as did three of Parcells' assistants.

Jones said he hasn't eliminated any of the candidates from consideration.

"I feel very comfortable with where we are," Jones said. "But if I can, I don't want to leave any stone unturned here."

Parcells went 34-32 and failed to win a playoff game over four seasons.

And I'm supposed to believe that DAL won't interview any coaches from IND or CHI? Riiiiiiiiiight....