So you want to fire Philbin ...

[Tenshot13]

LOL...ok That's such a minor detail when it comes to appointing an interim head coach to just play out the season. The larger point is it doesn't have to be the OC or DC it can be whoever and it doesn't really matter. 

So first thing I think when I read this is "Here we go again, another blanket statement from MikeO."  Then I looked into it, and most are either strictly assistant head coaches, which benefits Phishfan's argument, or position coaches (oline, dline, secondary, etc.), which benefits MikeO's argument.

6 of the 17 Assistant Head Coaches in the league were previously NFL head coaches.  If you include the assistants that had HC experience in college, that becomes 9 of 17.

So maybe it's not exactly what Phish is saying, and not exactly what MikeO is saying...but somewhere in the middle?  Like what most things are?

Here's the list:

Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs – Anthony Lynn
Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers – Mike Caldwell
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach – Paul Alexander
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line – John Mitchell (Coached under Bear Bryant, Lou Holtz, Bellicheck, Cowher and Tomlin)
Assistant Head Coach-Offense/Offensive Line Coach – Doug Marrone Bills
Assistant Head Coach/Defense – Dick LeBeau Bengals
Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends – Mike Mularkey Bills and Jags
Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers – David Culley
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line – Jerry Azzinaro (Head coach for Western New England)
Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends – Ron Prince (Head coach for Kansas State)
Associate Head Coach/Offense – Tom Clements
Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers – Winston Moss
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Passing Game Coordinator – Raheem Morris Bucs
Assistant Head Coach/Secondary – Steve Wilks (Head coach for Savannah State University)
Assistant Head Coach/Offense – Tom Moore
Assistant Head Coach – Dave McGinnis Cardinals
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line – Tom Cable Raiders
Assistant Head Coach/Defense – Rocky Seto

[Phishfan]

I don't think any of that has anything to do with what I'm saying. I'm saying if you have a person on staff with the title Assistant Head Coach, it is a no brainer if the Head Coach is fired who takes the reigns.

[MikeO]

The point is not whether or not a bunch of joes on a message board know who the assistant head coach is.  The point is that other coaches DO know who the assistant head coach is, and so elevating an assistant head coach (who happens to be the secondary coach) to interim HC is not the slap in the face that it would otherwise be.  In fact, it is expected that the assistant head coach would be the person to be elevated to interim HC.  I don't believe MIA has an assistant head coach now (there isn't one listed on the site), so that doesn't solve any questions this time.

You say that none of this matters, but I'd say it matters a hell of a lot to the coaching community, which is where Ross has had his problems.  I don't know where you got the idea that "Ross has overcome the 'loose cannon owner' tag at this point"; the next head coach that he fires with class and dignity will be his first, and if you're talking about firing a guy 4 games into a season (and then bypassing the OC and DC for the interim HC), I'd hardly say that qualifies.

You realize Mike Tannenbaum used to represent many NFL coaches with his agency when he was an agent after he left the Jets. So WHEN the Dolphins head coaching job opens up getting quality candidates to interview for the job isn't an issue any more and Tannenbaum has ties throughout the coaching ranks in the NFL. Those days are over of being turned down for interviews by people cause Tannenbaum has the connections.   The "coaching community" is gonna be just fine if Ross makes a head coaching change AFTER 4 YEARS!! Nobody will jump on him for being "knee jerk" and if anyone has watched these first 3 games and probably next weeks looming disaster they will understand the firing.

It only becomes an issue if Ross FORCES Hickey onto the next head coach. Ross can't do anymore shotgun marriages. The head coach and GM must be fired together and the next head coach must pick his GM or the next GM must pick his head coach. You can't force people upon each other in this league, it doesn't work. That's why Nick Caserio walked away 2 years ago, he wanted the GM job and then wanted to fire Philibin immediately and hire Josh McDaniel....when he was told he couldn't he walked away and said not interested.  Ross FORCED Irleand on everyone and it failed. Now Ross forced Hickey on Philbin and its been a dumpster fire with Hickey's poor drafts. You clean house together. But the coaching community isn't an issue for Ross anymore

[MikeO]

I don't think any of that has anything to do with what I'm saying. I'm saying if you have a person on staff with the title Assistant Head Coach, it is a no brainer if the Head Coach is fired who takes the reigns.

If it's such an important title how come every team doesn't have an Asst. Head coach? Which proves my point that its a BS title nobody cares about and you can't put any stock into or read anything into that title.

[Spider-Dan]

Phishfan has it exactly right.

If there is an Assistant Head Coach on the team, and the Head Coach is gone for any reason (fired, medical leave, whatever) the Assistant Head Coach should take over.  If there is no Assistant Head Coach, then that responsibility should go to the Offensive Coordinator or Defensive Coordinator.

[CF DolFan]

You realize Mike Tannenbaum used to represent many NFL coaches with his agency when he was an agent after he left the Jets. So WHEN the Dolphins head coaching job opens up getting quality candidates to interview for the job isn't an issue any more and Tannenbaum has ties throughout the coaching ranks in the NFL. Those days are over of being turned down for interviews by people cause Tannenbaum has the connections.   The "coaching community" is gonna be just fine if Ross makes a head coaching change AFTER 4 YEARS!! Nobody will jump on him for being "knee jerk" and if anyone has watched these first 3 games and probably next weeks looming disaster they will understand the firing.

It only becomes an issue if Ross FORCES Hickey onto the next head coach. Ross can't do anymore shotgun marriages. The head coach and GM must be fired together and the next head coach must pick his GM or the next GM must pick his head coach. You can't force people upon each other in this league, it doesn't work. That's why Nick Caserio walked away 2 years ago, he wanted the GM job and then wanted to fire Philibin immediately and hire Josh McDaniel....when he was told he couldn't he walked away and said not interested.  Ross FORCED Irleand on everyone and it failed. Now Ross forced Hickey on Philbin and its been a dumpster fire with Hickey's poor drafts. You clean house together. But the coaching community isn't an issue for Ross anymore

i pray Tannenbaum doesn't have a thing to do with our next coach. We need to clean house and start over including Tannenbaum.

[MikeO]

i pray Tannenbaum doesn't have a thing to do with our next coach. We need to clean house and start over including Tannenbaum.

Tannenbaumn isn't going anywhere and I actually want him involved with the next head coach hire. He has too many connections and this is where he has real value.

[Tenshot13]

So after I went to all that work to display facts, I felt really empty.  You know why?  Because this doesn't matter.  I'm actually pissed at myself for spending so much time on something that, frankly, doesn't matter.  I got roped into an argument that doesn't matter.  You guys are arguing over something so trivial that it...wait for it...doesn't matter.  So I'll take my leave now.

[MikeO]

So after I went to all that work to display facts, I felt really empty.  You know why?  Because this doesn't matter.  I'm actually pissed at myself for spending so much time on something that, frankly, doesn't matter.  I got roped into an argument that doesn't matter.  You guys are arguing over something so trivial that it...wait for it...doesn't matter.  So I'll take my leave now.

I hear ya. I mean we are talking about promoting a guy to a head coach position he isn't keeping and is only in charge for a couple months before he is fired too and moved on from this organization. This notion that it HAS TO BE an OC or DC is silly when there are endless examples of times that hasn't happened.  I would promote the guy who is gonna run the thing into the ground. Maybe get the #1 overall pick so a QB needy team sells us the farm to grab a QB and we end up with a shitload of draft picks. Put that guy in charge! So pick the biggest idiot on the staff!  Or promote the assistant Water Boy! LOL

[Brian Fein]

They should have a Coach of the Game promotion where they randomly select a season ticket holder at halftime of each game to be the head coach for next week.

Couldn't be any worse.

[Dolphster]

Dolphins4Life keeps saying how much of a better job he could do.  Maybe they will give him a shot.   

[Spider-Dan]

I would promote the guy who is gonna run the thing into the ground. Maybe get the #1 overall pick so a QB needy team sells us the farm to grab a QB and we end up with a shitload of draft picks. Put that guy in charge! So pick the biggest idiot on the staff!

Then why fire Philbin in the first place?

If "it doesn't matter" who you promote because the season is a hopeless failure anyway, that undercuts the rationale for firing Philbin.  The only reason to fire your coach midseason is if you think the season is salvageable, and I don't see how one can believe that if one also thinks that both the OC and DC are clueless.

If your house is on fire and is going to burn to the ground, it's silly to scramble to replace your bed with a flame-retardant mattress.  Just let it all burn.

[Tenshot13]

Dolphins4Life keeps saying how much of a better job he could do.  Maybe they will give him a shot.   

Naw, he's a closet Patriots fan.

[CF DolFan]

Tannenbaumn isn't going anywhere and I actually want him involved with the next head coach hire. He has too many connections and this is where he has real value.

Tannenbaum is responsible fur drafting a DT (among other things) instead of something we needed this year. He has no business deciding our future. He doesn't deserve it and if Ross keeps him then he is continuing down the road of half ass changes and expecting different results for no reason.

[MikeO]

Then why fire Philbin in the first place?

If "it doesn't matter" who you promote because the season is a hopeless failure anyway, that undercuts the rationale for firing Philbin.  The only reason to fire your coach midseason is if you think the season is salvageable, and I don't see how one can believe that if one also thinks that both the OC and DC are clueless.

If your house is on fire and is going to burn to the ground, it's silly to scramble to replace your bed with a flame-retardant mattress.  Just let it all burn.

Because unless you want 6 more utter disaster of home games this year where the fans don't want to go and the ones that do go just booo you (ie Ross), the team, and Philbin out of the building you make a change to send the message to your fan base and consumers that you realize things aren't right and you are taking the necessary steps to fix it. With the first step being firing Philbin now. It sends a message and as a leader sometimes you must send that message