Dick LeBeau? Thanks for the love Mooch. They must have someone big in mind if they released him. Too bad Michigan St hired someone, or Mooch could have surely gone there.
Mariucci was under .300 against teams with winning records in his tenure here. I think that stat, coupled with his differences with upper management (and T.O.), played into his fate. Agreed about MSU, and he probably should be a college coach. I really hope they don't go with Jim Mora, Jr. The defense, while improved this season, still doesn't play effectively enough to warrant promoting the coordinator, IMHO. Dennis Green could work. He's got a rep here from coaching Stanford, but seems like more of a "driver" type coach. The Niners have a total country club atmosphere, and I believe Green may not be the best fit for the team culture. I would like to say that as a Niners fan I respect Steve, thank him for the improvements he made to the team, and wish him well wherever he goes. (I'm sure he'll read BigSoccer to see if we're talking about him. ) Press conference at noon PST. ESPN already has this reported as well.
Is is safe to assume that the new coach will come from the Bill Walsh/West Coast Offense Family Tree? They seem to value continuity in SF and I don't think things are bad enough for them to hire an outsider (not that there are that many coaches out there who aren't influenced by Walsh in some way).
Yeah, ESPN did a show a couple of months back on the Mike Holmgren Coaching-Tree - I guess they were too pressed for time to do the whole Bill Walsh one. I can't see any replacement out there at all. If I had my pick of any coaches the Niners could get, it would either be Walsh himself or Holmgren. Holmgren really wanted the 49er job at one time, but I don't think he would leave the "power" he enjoys with the Seahawks, plus the 49ers wouldn't give up draft picks as compensation, since they need new players so bad on defense, etc.
I agree with the last part, re: 49ers needing draft picks, but didn't the Seahawks just hire a GM so Holmgren no longer makes personnel decisions? And I don't think they'll be too desperate to keep him in Seattle either.
God, I hope it's not Dennis Green. The Niners are my second-favorite team, and having him at the helm would be really, really hard to take. If you followed the unseemly incidents that happened in Minnesota while he was there (both among the players and the coaching staff), you have to think that the place was totally up for grabs. Holmgren just gave up the GM duties, so he doesn't have as much power as he used to. And I'd imagine the folks in Seattle wouldn't cry if he wanted to go. Won't be another member of the family tree, that's for sure - Morninhweg. I'd say just put Walsh back in there, but you can't go home again. That is so 90's. The 1990's, that is, not just because Walsh is in his 90's. Or seemingly so.
There was talk about this at the end of last year, they were gonna wait for Holmgren (He grew up here and is one of Bill's boys) and Donahue was gonna coach for a year. Since Holmgren was relived of his GM duties, isn't he free to leave, well that's what my brother was saying, Green and Mora jr are already penciled in for interviews. I agree about Green, maybe we might get someone not known, like when we got Marriucci, i would like Holmgren, but not for picks.How about Walsh for a season?
Why does that Mora name sound so damn familiar? Was he a QB at one time? Or maybe I am confusing him with someone else. And if Bill Walsh was to come back...is he gonna pull a Parcells and see if Steve Young wants to come out of retirement (as of this morning Parcells/Jones are considering approaching Aikman and having discussions with him about coming back to play for the 'Boys)?
Young ain't coming back, he's like 40 and looking more like Maradonna, Mora's pop coached at New Orleans and the Colts.
Mora sounds familiar because his father, Jim Mora, was coach in both New Orleans and Indy. Walsh won't come back. I don't think he would enjoy reporting to Terry Donahue, the GM. And I doubt John York, the president, will can Donahue to make room for some coach who needs/wants to be GM. And, sorry, but no way do I want Steve Young back. Too old now. Garcia's just fine. He can win, just needs better game plans. Could be George Seifert? The DeBartolos and Carmen Policy are gone. The Niners will probably move slowly. Now that I wrote that, expect to hear who the new coach is tomorrow.
An unknown is a distinct possiblity. IIRC, Mariucci had just one season at Cal before he was hired as the 49ers coach. As fro Holmgren, even though he's worn out his welcome in Seattle, I don't see the Seahawks letting him go without some compensation.
Mariucci was somewhat "known," though, because of his previous association with Holmgren. The local media loved the hire because Mariucci became a media darling during his year at Cal. I'm not big on Holmgren, but if he wants to be here, he has some power to help swing it on his end. Obviously, if he were to come here to coach, he wouldn't be thrilled about giving up high profile players or draft picks to do so. I'm not sure if Holmgren's from the Bay Area (I think so), but he was Detroit coach Marty Morninwehg's HS coach at Oak Grove HS in San Jose, back in the 70s.
I'm going to go with Green, even with the problems in Minny. As long as he sticks to just coaching football, he'll be fine. Now I'm going to throw a real wild card out there. How about the Niners try to pry Tyrone Willingham away from Notre Dame? He's got history in the Bay Area. After all, Mariucci was only at Cal for a year.
Unlikely.... Who was the last Notre Dame coach to resign to take another job somewhere, and not resign in disgrace or get pushed?
Please take John Shoop (Bears "offensive" coordinator). He's great, really he is <snicker>. He can do wonders. You know you want him...just take him...free of charge...hell, we'll (the fans) pay you to take him.
Dennis Green was a Niner assistant before he joined Stanford. He knew the Niners at least when it was under Policy and DeBartolos. Holmgren will be an interesting candidate. I believed Niners should hire their "own" people(former assistants or Bill Walsh's guys). I never liked Mariucci. Apart from looking liked Policy and Ed DeBartolo, I considered him an outsider. He is probably DeBartolo's long lost brother. Meanwhile, Niners should look into Bill Parcells. He will be out of a job very soon. The Cowsboys stole Deion Sanders 8 years ago. We should steal Parcells from them..... on second thought, he is better for us at Cowboys.
Re: Unlikely.... I haven't been paying attention so I honestly don't know but has Lou Holtz gotten in trouble at the Other USC? FWIW, Dennis Green was on the 6 pm Sportscenter basically lobbying for the 49ers job.
Re: Re: Unlikely.... No, I didn't mean resigned in disgrace from their next job. I meant from Notre Dame. Basically, who's ever left Notre Dame because they thought they were going to a better job? O'Leary - resigned amid scandal Davie - pushed because he didn't win enough Holtz - resigned in a power struggle Faust - pushed because he didn't win enough Devine - don't know, did he retire? Parseghian - retired, I believe Kuharich - could not have been asked to stick around Point being, Notre Dame isn't a gig you leave to go to the NFL unless they ask you to leave. And if he doesn't get it, it will be another example of The Man keeping a brother down.
As a Packer fan, I hope they hire Dennis Green and give him lots of player personell authority. But the Bears must keep John Shoop
I'll toss out another darkhorse - Gary Crowton of BYU... Has had NFL experience with the Bears, and connects with the Walsh tree through the little recognized LaVell Edwards branch (Holmgren was an assistant under Edwards at BYU, both Billick and Reid played there) Actually, just about anybody except Denny Green, and I'll be happy. Green couldn't handle Moss, does the 49er front office think he's going to do any better with T.O.?
I think you're basing your opinion of T.O. on seeing his SportsCenter highlights. Owens wanted more discipline on this team. I'm not saying he'd get along with Green, but to lump T.O. in with punk a-holes like Randy Moss is pushing it, IMHO. I seriously doubt you're gonna see T.O. in any police blotters any time soon. Local media's reporting that Holmgren's totally out, thanks to the NFL's ruling the other day that picks can't be traded for coaches. Today, the big name is the Eagles' offensive coordinator Brad Childress, who's yet another Holmgren disciple like Mariucci, Andy Reid, Marty Morninwehg and Jon Gruden.