Miami's Coaching Staff - What Now? (2 coaches are gone - 2 coaches added)

[Jim Gray]

^^^In this case, I think Mike's analysis really isn't all that negative.  His assessment of the coaching changes are accurate and while I might not agree with his conclusion (Sparono is intentionally hiring weak assistants to protect his job); I don't think it's unreasonable to look at that as a possibility. 

Mike presents his argument as his opinion, so I'm good with it.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

^Sparono is intentionally hiring weak assistants to protect his job

I meant to address that point in my post but forgot to. 

I think that is extremely paranoid conspiracy thinking that makes no sense.  Sparono will not save his job by hiring weak-ass assistants and if he thinks that way he is totally delusional. 

The only thing doing what MikeO suggests is it slightly reduces the chances of being fired mid-season instead of at the end of the season if the team royally sucks.  The only way he actually saves his job is by not sucking for the 2011 season.  To do that he must higher the assistants he feels gives him the best chance to win games.  Dolphins win the AFCE in 2011 no question Tony is the coach in 2012.  If the Dolphins are picking in the top 5 in the 2012 draft no way he is. 

If you think he is purposefully setting up the Dolphins to have bad assistants to make a mid season firing more difficult and make winning more difficult you are way to cynical and paranoid. 

[Doc-phin]

I don't think Mike's perspective is nutty or anything but I do find it a bit superficial conceptually.

Our TE coach was essentially being groomed as an intern and as a former player of that position he simply needed a year to grasp the differences between coaching and playing.  I feel very confident that he knows all that he needs to about the position, he just has to be able to teach it and motivate (thus the internship).

Same thing with Ike Hilliard who BTW was known for his work ethic, solid route running and clutch play making (reliability).  These qualities are all things we want from our receivers.  He is exactly the kind of ex-player you would want working with your guys.

Strength and conditioning is not something that I view as being in need of league experience.  You either understand weight training or you don't.  You either know how to motivate or you don't.  Football players may need a program that is partially tailored to their high physical demands but the human body, kinesiology, and the principles of nutrition are fairly consistant across the board.

I definitely understand the questions about Daboll.  But we have to assume that in his interview he was able to explain why things were the way they were and why things will be different as he moves forward. 

Finally, our special teams coach was able to demonstrate improvement in the unit over the course of the season.  It is wrong to assume that because he worked under someone that he will automatically assume the characteristics of that person.  His results were reasonably impressive considering where we started.  As insurance it sounds like we are bringing in that assistant guy from San Fran.  My opinion is that this area is not being ignored and firing a guy for the wrong reasons isn't going to help.

Hiring or keeping Mike Nolan, either way you look at it, debunks the philosophy of keeping around inferior assistants.  As stated before if Sparano loses, he is either gone or on the hot seat.  No HC can do it all himself so it makes no sense to intentionally hire inferior assistants because it is safe to assume that doing so will result in losing. 

If Sparano misses out on hiring opportunities it is far more likely to be from other factors including:  conservative approach (which makes nobody look good for future jobs), micromanagement, lack of track record, lack of organizational stability since Shula left, personality conflict with himself or Ireland, and lack of money to go around to everybody.

Finally to go with Hoodie's "who is available" option list...  One was semi-left out.  There are guys out their that make a lateral move that were thrown out with that bath water due to regime change.  They may have been good but they weren't friends with the new head office and therefore didn't get the job.  Or perhaps their play style didn't match what the new HC wanted to do.  But ultimately you are right.  Guys are either lateral moves, demotions, promotions or new hires (positively spun as fresh perspectives).  Lateral moves and demotions are the safest but least common. 

So my advice to Mike and those like him...  Do not fear the unknown.  The first thought is not always the right thought.  Your gut will tell you to play it safe and rely on what you know but history shows (ala Saban, Jimmy Johnson and more recently Parcels) that success elsewhere is often not an indicator of success the next place.  And never forget that the players and coaches have more riding on their success than we have riding on their success.  They have information that we don't have and we are simply having a good time trying to guess the future.

My apologies for the long post!

[Jim Gray]

^^^I agree with you Hoodie.

Like MikiO, I'm not impressed with the coaches we have brought in, and most of these moves leave me scratching my head.  That said, I'm not qualified to declare these moves as "terrible" since I didn't interview them, and I have limited experience hiring coaching at the NFL level.  

As you said, Sparano only saves his job by having success and I think that means a winning season and perhaps a play-off appearance.  Bringing in top quality coaches makes a lot more sense than bringing in a bunch of guys who are no threat to succeeding you.  I think these underwhelming moves and new hires are a result of "who is available"  and "who is willing to come to Miami", rather than a devious plan from Sparano.

[bsfins]

I think this will fill in the chart....
http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/dolphins-announce-changes-coaching-staff

Tony Sparano Jr added to the staff too...

[MikeO]

Really?  Was there a hidden purpose to your post I missed?  Cause it seemed to appear to me that it was quite negative.  And the negativity was intentional. 

Not at all, You missed the ENTIRE point!!!  The point was that these hires are confusing to the fan-base after what Sparano and Ross said at their "roundtable meeting" a few weeks back.  And you can add Tony hiring his SON today  to the list!  And I don't see the logic behind any of these hires, they just make little sense. I am hoping for the best, expecting the worst.

THAT was the point of the post which EVERYONE got......except for you (shocking)

[MikeO]

That fourth one that you want:  Proven outstanding track record somewhere else in that specific position -- those guys are pretty rare.  They are either staying where they are or are looking for a promotion.  Granted their are rare exceptions such as Dallas snagging Rob Ryan to be the DC, when he was looking for a HC gig.  But they are rare.  Sean Peyton is not going to quit the Saints to become the QB coach of the Dolphins.  Bill Belichick is not going to quit the Patriots to become the DC of the Dolphins.     

Rare? You had Tom Cable, Brad Childress, and Josh McDaniels all on the open market (just 3 examples off the top of my head). Proven coordinators with a track record. Now you can like some, dislike some, hate them all.....but they are ANYTHING but rare!!!! There are a ton of proven coordinators on the open market each offseason

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Rare? You had Tom Cable, Brad Childress, and Josh McDaniels all on the open market (just 3 examples off the top of my head). Proven coordinators with a track record. Now you can like some, dislike some, hate them all.....but they are ANYTHING but rare!!!! There are a ton of proven coordinators on the open market each offseason

Actually that trio all fall into my 3rd group.  3. Demotion