No nepotism with the Dolphins
I posted a couple of hours ago a news story that said the Dolphins have indeed interviewed three, not two, coaches for a second time. That means there are three finalists as of this hour.
Chan Gailey.
Jim Mora.
And Mike Shula.
I can hear the rumblings from the naysayers now, some of whom work at my paper, thinking that Shula got an interview only because he is Don Shula's son. Wrong. Super wrong.
Shula may have gotten that first interview because of his last name, but his second interview that was complete with questions about his proposed staff additions, his offensive philosophy and so forth, had nothing to do with nepotism or favoritism.
It was about the Dolphins interviewing a solid coach candidate.
Moreoever, I had a conversation with a club official a few minutes ago and he assures me that all these interviews are being taken very seriously. It's not just done based on who is friendly with whom, it's done based on who has the ability to dig this franchise out of its grave.
As the official told me, the Dolphins are aware of Wayne Huizenga's strong desire to win now. And they know if they don't win now, heads are going to roll. So nobody is making this decision, nobody is staking his career and family's future, on making a decision based on friendship or familiarity.
So now that Shula is involved, do you like the idea of him as a head coach?
Chan Gailey.
Jim Mora.
And Mike Shula.
I can hear the rumblings from the naysayers now, some of whom work at my paper, thinking that Shula got an interview only because he is Don Shula's son. Wrong. Super wrong.
Shula may have gotten that first interview because of his last name, but his second interview that was complete with questions about his proposed staff additions, his offensive philosophy and so forth, had nothing to do with nepotism or favoritism.
It was about the Dolphins interviewing a solid coach candidate.
Moreoever, I had a conversation with a club official a few minutes ago and he assures me that all these interviews are being taken very seriously. It's not just done based on who is friendly with whom, it's done based on who has the ability to dig this franchise out of its grave.
As the official told me, the Dolphins are aware of Wayne Huizenga's strong desire to win now. And they know if they don't win now, heads are going to roll. So nobody is making this decision, nobody is staking his career and family's future, on making a decision based on friendship or familiarity.
So now that Shula is involved, do you like the idea of him as a head coach?
posted by Armando Salguero at 3:39 PM
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39 Comments:
Why are we continuing to throw names against the wall. It is clear that Chan and Mora are not the favorites. There is strong support for Cam Cameron. Your polls are the indicator. His success as coordinator is well noted even when the chargers were not winning. Cam has been apart of a quick rebuild and turn around. Let's bring him for a second interview. he has one of the most creative offenses in the leaguethat scores points. Let's move on this HC
Your original polls actually had Mike Shula listed as an option and it was the overwhelming favorite.. 28% or so I recall with a long list.
No matter what you say or how you say it, Armando ... if the Dolphins are going to announce Don Shula is involved in the decision and then interview his son twice, no matter how you spin it -- it's nepotism.
As fas as hiring the guy, I say no. I think the polls are mis-leading. His name is a popular one down here. I'm not excited about Mike Shula as the head coach of the Dolphins. The OC yes, but not the head coach. His track record is meh. Nothing to be overly excited about. If his name was Mike Smith, ex coach of the Crimson Tide, I think it would be unanimous that the fans would say no to him.
At this point, among the 3 supposed candidates -- I'll take Mora.
I like the idea of bringing in Shula. For him this is his dream job, he won't be looking to bolt anywhere else. And what is the best way to stick it to those hillbillies (including Saban) in Tuscaloosa than to bring in their ex-head coach and hopefully make us into winners again. What goes around comes around!
Chan Gailey is a mediocre coach with no caliber of winning the big one in the NFL. Mora and Mike Shula could not turn the Dolphin organization with only 2 or 3 losses for 2007 season if there lives depended on it. Bring in the proven coaches Wayne if you want to win the Superbowl.. 2nd and 3rd rate coaches are not going to help.
I don't think it will make much of a difference who they pick. If they don't win, and win fast, they will be gone, last name or not.
give Shula a try, would ge great irony to go to the playoffs first year out and have Satan, sorry saban in the bottled water bowl.
I love all these people Bitchin' and crying' about the guys Miami has interviewed. WHO ELSE IS THERE!?! Cam Cameron? He couldn't win at the college level, at Indiana no less. Ron Riveria? Maybe, but he's still coaching with the Bears, do you really want to wait another month to name a coach? Isn't Miami looking for a more offensive mided coach? IMO if they want a coach that could be the guy for years to come, it's Mora, and then hire Mike Shula as OC. If you want a guy to keep the seat warm until Cowher decides he wants to coach again, pick Chan. However, Wayne wants to win now and considering Mora took over a 6-10 team (sound fimiliar?) and got them into the NFL championship, and that he never got to pick his own players and Michael Vick was his QB, I think Mora would be a great fit, considering. Remember Dol-Fans, the 2 times Miami has went fishing for a new Head Coach, they got the #1 hot guy in Jimmy and Saban, this year, they don't have that luxury because there isn't that guy. Maybe someone humbled by their last experiences (Mora, Shula) or someone just more humble (Gailey) Is exactly what Miami needs?
Mike Shula!?!?!UGH!? I'm usually pretty tame on these boards, but....NO!!!
When else does someone who coaches a college football team to a sub 500 level get to interview with the dolphins. Armando, are you biting your tongue? You must be.
The dolphins are a football organization. I really appreciate the 'family-ness' of the organization with ex-dolphins....but hiring Shula's son as coach? Come on....
What a weird headline to wake up to.
i was really pushing for brian schottenheimer to be the hc of the fins as soon as dick satan quit his name was the first to come to my head ia m really dissapointed to learn that he took his name off the list. with that being said miami HAS to get an offensive minded coach enough with defensive minded ones we alreasy got capers
Armando:
The fact of the matter is that there are very limited choices out there and Marty is the best one to get this franchise out of the doldrums. I would take 14-2 and a first round playoff exit over 6-10 and squandered draft choices any day. Marty is classy and committed. He even went 8-8 in his only year in D.C. with Jeff George as his QB. The franchise needs some stability and class right now and the only proven commodity short of Bill Cowher, who won't come without draft picks (and Lord knows that the Phins front office loves to squander those), is Marty. Mora is a fool (who has been seen kissing the cheek and heiney of his QB) and Gailey is a loser who can't pick a starting QB (see Reggie Ball). Bring on Martyball and let's get some of that respect back.
shula would be a great fit. i would like to see don shula, but if not give mike shula a shot
I have no problem with shula - he was working with a busted program in Alabama, and did ok. wish they kept Bates.....
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Overheard Shula's Conversation:
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Mike: Hey dad, did ya hear the news..? ..er, Thanks for putting in a word for me.
Don: Mike, I think you'd make a great coach for us. I talked with Wayne, and he's going to think about it.
Mike: Great.
Don: We're also trying to get Bob's (Kuchenburg) wife a spot as a cheerleader. She auditioned yesterday...I'm not sure it worked out so well.
Mike: Well, if I get the job - tell her I can put her to work on special teams.
Don: Great idea, Mike...I'll pass it on. Say, if you have any extra UA jerseys, you could always get rid of them on ebay.
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"I can hear the rumblings from the naysayers now, some of whom work at my paper, thinking that Shula got an interview only because he is Don Shula's son. Wrong. Super wrong."
Armando, you've been duped. This Mike Shula thing has Big Daddy Don written all over it. And I think it's a HUGE mistake:
http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/top_story.asp?contentID=5005
If you can't link to it, it's a statement from Don Shula on the Dolphins website basically endorsing Mike for the job.
NO MIKE SHULA ... LET'S MOVE ON!!
This will be like when we got Greise's son here as QB. High expectation's, and nothing to show for it. Don was a great coach in his era, but in his latter years you could see he was unable to make the changes necessary to keep up with the rest of the NFL. I did not mind him aiding in making a decision in finding the next headcoach, but to push his son into the spot is bull. You know dad is not going to be openly honest on how he truly feels on his son's ability.
I feel I am watching or listening to the rederick at my boy's baseball game, but now its moved to the NFL. Is Don going to run out on the field and beat up a referee when they make a poor call too.
I am truly beginning to think Wayne is all talk. If he was seriously interested in any of the better headcoach candidates he would have pushed harder, and offered an enticing salary to boot. All we heard is there were talks, and that's all it was. The headcoach candidates knew Wayne wasn't seriously interested in working with them, and that is possibly why they went the other way.
There should have been offers not talks or interviews. We know what their NFL standing are, and how each of them want to operate as a headcoach. With the need for great headcoaches throughout the NFL, you cannot procrastinate because these men are going to take the first best offer they get, as we have seen.
I cannot believe this is the best we can do.
At first the thought of Mike Shula was crazy,but his resume stacks up favorably to flavors of the week Cameron,B Schott.,and Tomlin.
Lloyd Heilbrunn
Armando...
here is the main question. If Mike Shula was a good prospect, why was his name brought up so late into the coaching search. Don knew with the key prospects gone his son would now have a shot of moving in.
Do not throw aside nepotism because it is all about it. Why do you think Don and Dan was asked to help in the search? Because they accept credit cards, no. It is the relationship between them, and that is what Don is using to get Mike into the headcoach spot.
You need to be more impartial on your comments. It has been like they lead you follow, knowing things are not what they claim to be.
I truly believe Chan Gailey is the best and most qualified candidate. Everywhere he coached previously in the NFL, he produced a balanced offense (never had a run/pass ratio over 53/47 either way), improved the team's yards per passing attempt (the 'Fins ranked 28th in the NFL last year) and if he can get production out of the likes of Mike Tomczak, Kordell Stewart and Jay Fiedler, what could he do with a healthy Daunte Culpepper?
Mike Shula isn't ready, and Mora just got fired from his previous job with questions about his maturity. Gailey is every bit the offensive mind that Mike Martz is, with none of the baggage. He is the logical choice.
Mike Shula is a terrific person and a fine coach. Unfortunately, if he is hired, he would never be able to escape the shadow of his father or the nepotism accusations unless he wins big.
What happens if he doesn't win? I shudder to think of the fallout.
good point Chris...I think his old man's success would be way too much for Mike to live up to here. He may be a good coach, but I can't see him living up to the standard Don set. I think the pressure would engulf him.
yea why not bama took saban from us (thank god) so why not take there former head coach. although i personally love the idea of having don come back for a year or 2 and have mike as assistant head coach and please for the love of god get rid of culpepper and mike mularky.
I am Glad to read today that they are now expanding their look at coaches again. It may be another ploy to get pressure off of them for now.
Mike Shula is a smart, enthusiastic coach that is inovative and has integrity. He took an Ala program that was on probation and coached when he couldn't give even one scholarship for 4 years and still had a credible contending team, not counting this season, but was fired not for his record but because he stood by a coach that had stayed there with him and coached despite the adversity and despite offers to move to other schools.
Despite his own personal character if he didn't win right away he would have to hear about nepotism and big shoes to follow in.
The new HC will be severely scrutinized by the South Florida not so faithful without those issues adding to the mix
Alright, I'd take Shula over Gailey and Mora in heartbeat. Say all you want about nepotism, but the bottom line is: He comes from good stock. Shula knows what the expectations would be and that not living up to them would be a colossal failure that would put a stain on the whole Shula-Dolphin legacy, thus being more motivated to succeed for something other than just a paycheck. He turned Alabama around after reeling from sanctions placed on them by the mess left by his predecessor, he is no less capable of turning this mess around left by a disingenuous quitter, than any of the other names mentioned.
That being said there would still be a big hole where offensive coordinator is. Cam Cameron did a better job in San Diego as an OC than Mike Shula did in Tampa, however Shula didn’t have Thomlinson, Gates and Brees\Rivers, neither do we. It’s a lot easier to look like an offensive genius when you have the best running back and tight end in the game. Someone has to settle our offensive mess, Culpepper will return healthy and he has a cannon for an arm, but will require a system that makes up for his difficulty reading defenses. Lemon looked like he had a pretty good arm also, if he can learn to read defenses better he may be an alternative that allows enough cash freed up to build up the lines and get a shut down corner.
Lastly I saw a stupid comment about Brian Griese, he was one missed block away from beating the Colts and taking us to the playoffs. If you don’t know what you’re talking about talk silently.
My turn to talk out of the wrong hole: I would not be surprised to find out Alabama let Shula go after Saban’s agent told them he would be interested in going back to college.
Mike Shula? This is a joke, right?
If you want, I can ask my old midget football coach in Olean, NY, if he wants the job. I'm pretty sure he's got a free schedule, and the change in scenery would be an added plus.
I'll ask him.
I don't think Shula would be a bad choice and I don't think he was brought in by his dad at the last minute but I think his name didn't get mentioned at first as they were waiting to see if he was a viable candidate. If he came back for a second visit thety must like something he had to say. I don't think anyone is going to out his job on the line as a favor to Don Shula or because they are friends. I think they just want somebody with a good background who can pull us out of this shit hole the team is in right now
Olean, NY ... is that you Lou?
I mentioned Brian Greise, and if he was doing well here why was he released was my question. There were no negative remarks about him, but you did not read the whole thing Kurt.
This is my point, if we get Mike, will we drop him too? I thought Brian was doing okay, but we released him. Apparently, even if you have roots here your not safe from stupidity. That was my point.
Being Don Shula's son does not automatically make you the next Don Shula. I have great respect for Don, but that does not mean his son will equal him as a headcoach. It is a gamble with anyone we take, but we need someone with a positive offensive experience in the NFL, not college. We just experienced this with Saban.
Also, giving trust in a QB who has yet to show anything since his so called come back this season, is a waste. That's 7 mil a year to someone sitting on the bench. If he does show some possibility, allow him to prove it. If not, drop him and get someone here who can do the job.
who cares. just bring in a QB that is good and not hurt
Mike Shula for Head Coach?
Based on his coaching record No
Based on his ability to motivate No
Based on popularty to draw fans No
Based on player's respect No
Based on past football merits No
Based on common sense No
Based on nepotism Yes
You make the conclusion? I personally would rather have Jason Garrett as Offensive Coordinator and Ivy League standout who has 12 seasonings of NFL experience and a legacy of siblings coaching in the NFL please send Mularky packing.
Nothing would bring more satisfaction than to bring Mike Shula here, have him succeed and in turn see Nick Saban be a flop at Alabama. MAn that would be sweet.
I like Mike Shula, but I don't think he really shined much as an offensive coordinator in TB... and need I remind you of how his big brother did as Cinci coach?
I dont like the idea of Shula as the next coach but I'm not really sure why. Yeah, there's the obvious reasons including his record as a college coach. But Saban had a good record and did nothing for our team. I guess I have come to the conclusion that you never know what you're going to get, every team takes a gamble when they hire a new coach. Some work ,some don't. You just have to trust that Wayne and crew are trying their best to find a good fit. What do we know? Seriously, if any one of us knew more than the pro's wouldn't we be working in the NFL? It's easy to second guess every decision from our comfy couches. If we're right we scream it from the mountain tops, (I was right! I'm smarter than Wayne!)And when were wrong,,,lets just say we like to keep that to ourselves.
nydolfan84...why yes it is. Tandle? Brenden?
Let's Go Bonas!
Tandle....Sweet Lou whats good? Are you going to alumni weekend!?! That's awesome that you are on here. I knew when I saw Olean, it was a high percentage chance it was you. Looks like its going to be Cameron! While all of the candidates were risky, I think he gives us more hope than some of the retreads.
the dolphins need to hire Mora, he is one of the youngest on 'the list' and he has actual head coaching experience in the NFL with success. Cameron is just a crazy dream that he will bring offensive help to the team but coach mularkey is the problem on offensive. if they hire Cameron it will be another 3 years of losing seasons. Hey Jason Taylor and Zack Thomas you might want to ask for a trade so you can at least get to a team that has a chance at getting to the superbowl in the next couple years!
Armando, now that the new coach is in place, what is going to happen to Capers and Mularkey? Hopefully they will be able to convince Capers to stay.
I am glad to know Wayne made the decision to hire Cameron. I am sure it was an exhausting experience on his behalf with the pressure he is under.
I am looking for a better year, this next season. I am not expecting playoffs, but a better show of offensive and defensive growth and execution. Also, a year of quality drafts through our poor season to upgrade the spots needing the most attention.
Capers signed a new contract already and Cameron said last night that he will call all the plays. Don't know what that means for Mularkey.
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