Schottenheimer Fired??

There are some things I will never understand about the modern sports world. The money is ridiculous, the media coverage is outrageous, and the players are larger than life. Through all of these shenanigans, there still is that focus on winning. Putting out a club that wins, that brings in attendance, that brings in television dollars, that brings in better players, and that brings in money. In San Diego, Dean Spanos, the president of the Chargers, does not seem to understand this. Firing Marty Schottenheimer is not going to bring San Diego to the promise land, it is going to hurt a team that was one 4th down defensive play away from going to the AFC Championship game.

Schottenheimer and Spanos have expressed openly to the public about their dislike for each other and it seems that the hostile relationship could go on no longer. Spanos forgets that this is the coach who had the best record in the NFL this year. This is the coach that has gone 35 and 13 over the past three seasons. The coach that lost a Pro Bowl quarterback (Drew Brees) last season to lead with a rookie quarterback (Phillip Rivers) to a Pro Bowl season. The coach that has mentored the best running back in the game (LaDanian Tomlinson) and has challenged him to become one of the best players this game has ever seen and to conduct himself with class. The coach that had one of the league's elite defenses to go along with their electric offense. How do you fire a coach like that?

Spanos might be under the same thinking that Jerry Jones was under when he fired Jimmy Johnson. It worked for a short while with Barry Switzer, but in the end firing Johnson was not a good decision. Schottenheimer does have an unlucky streak in the playoffs. Lets give him some credit, one came down to an overtime field goal against him by the Jets and a missed field goal this year by Nate Kaeding. Schottenheimer gets his team there and all of his players respect him. He says the right things and coaches the right way.

It is too bad because Schottenheimer is no longer a young buck. He turns 64 this September and there is no way that he gets a job this year. I do not know a lot of owners out there who are looking for a 65 year old coach who has never won a Super Bowl. The other thing I do not understand is why Spanos would fire him now. He had a chance to do it right after the playoffs. Why wait? Bill Cowher has already stated that he is not coaching this year. Bill Parcells looked burnt out, and I do not think Spanos is ready to give total control to the Tuna. So now what? Do you go take a drive to USC and try to pry Pete Carroll away from his national championship football factory? The truth is that San Diego is now a team without a leader. With the rookie workouts coming up and 2 months away from the draft this is not good news for any Charger player or fan. Next year when your team has a problem getting in a rhythm and are fighting for a playoff spot, do not blame the players, do not blame the new coach, blame the president. Blame Spanos for being such a control freak that he could not handle a coach that won over 70 percent of the team's games over the past three years. Spanos you better be ready to talk at the end of the season when your team does not reach the Super Bowl and L.T. wants to walk out.