FACTS (and fiction) of Bill Cowher rumors

by Niko Houllis on Dec 30, 2009 1:40 PM EST

Alas a listing of all the facts in the Bill Cowher rumors for you to evaluate.

It's on ESPN, 620 AM, St. Pete Times and TBO.com, so it must be true. We're getting Bill Cowher.

Well, not so fast. Of couse as the regular Bucem reader knows I stand fully behind Raheem Morris returning for another season to finish what he started. To me, the whole rumor of his firing makes no sense. The Glazers fired Gruden and knew Morris was going a) remove the veteran presence on the team b) draft a franchise QB and grow with him.

Granted no owner wants to see a losing season, but if you hire a coach to rebuild, you know your going to lose more games than you win. If anything, the team has given the Glazers the best they could hope for, experience for their franchise QB, and the team playing much better and winning games at the end.

I dont buy the Glazers are panicking over a lack of season tickets sales if they stick with Morris. They were the owners that benefited from the last time an empty Bucs stadium started filling up, and no big name players or coaches were added to solve the problem. They simply won games, going 5-0 to start 1997. WIthin 5 games, the Stadium was sold out.

So lets get to the title of this piece....what are the facts, and what is the fiction, or lack of facts in this case;

Fact: Jason La Canfora is the only person to have come out with the story. He does not list his source, who says the Glazers have reached out to the Cowher camp to ask if he would be interested. He claimes the Bucs are looking for an A-list coaching candidate, and that the Bucs are willing to pay the money to make it happen. In his story, he states the Bucs response was if they cannot find an A-list head coach to take over their team, they are just as happy to keep Raheem Morris as Head Coach.

Now no one believes that the Glazers are going to spend money on free agents, but will drop a hat at the story that they will drop fast cash on a new Coach?

Fact: Any other story you have read about this, springs from the La Canfora story. No one else has said anything. So when you hear " We're continuing to hear from national sources...." you are hearing national sources TALK about the La Canfora story. When you hear about John Czarnecki, Adam Scheftner, Chris Mortensen, they are all talking about the La Canfaro story.

Fact: Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune has reported the rumors are not true, and he sites an anonymous source who is close to the Glazers. The source said "That is not true, it is just people speculating". The La Canfora story sites a " Source with knowledge of the situation".

Fact: John Clayton from ESPN's video on JoeBucsfan.com? Mr. Clayton says no news, no updates, he simply gives his opinion on what is going to happen, based on absolutely nothing. He quotes no source. Be prepared to FF through many minutes of video to get to the good part. How JBF.com can write a headline saying " Cowher to Tampa very very possible" is beyond me. Maybe thats why Bucem's readership is increasing.

Fact: Mike Florio gives his impression; he feels "this is a spin from Coach Cowher's camp directed at the Carolina Panthers", and that they are trying to send the message to Carolina ownership "that if you dont make a move on Cowher now, you may risk having to face him twice a year". That is one way of getting that point across huh?

Fact: John Fox was not given a contract extension. He is under contract for next season, and his owner simply has said he is welcome to come back to coach his last year. NO COACH ever works the last year of their contract. Its always redone before that year, you never see a lame duck head coach in the NFL. Yet there is not extension.

Thats it. The other fact is simple, there are no other principals in this story.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I think what we also have to acknowledge the possibility of

is conversations and discussions that we never hear about. I have no idea if discussions have taken place with Cowher or not and I am in no way saying they have (or have not). It could be Cowher’s agent, trying to make a play for the Carolina job, it could be Cowher trying to get his name out there, it could be the Glazers trying to get a feel for the sentiment in the area, it could be rumor mongering to get ratings (although Tampa is hardly the team I’d mention to get ratings).

What I will say is this. I hope the Glazers have explored the possibility of Cowher. And Shanahan, and any other viable candidate out there. I hope they talk to as many people as they can. I hope they dig as deep as they can, seek out all the facts, and try to evaluate what is best for the team in both the short term and long term. If they do that and make a decision, regardless of what it is, I’ll be content. If they decide Morris is the guy, then good for them, lets rock and roll. If they say its Cowher, then saddle up and lets go.

The best thing they can do is explore all options and decide then, having done their due diligence. The worst thing they can do is put the blinders on and make an ill informed decision. Healthy discussion, fact finding and inquiries will only lead to good decisions. The proper decision making process must be gone through.

Morris may very well be the guy, and if so, I’m onboard, but I want the decision to be made in the right frame of mind. Same with free agents, draft picks etc. You must make informed decisions. Only time will tell if this story is true or how far it goes, but whatever the outcome is, I hope all options were considered.

Signature space available for rent - Got to pay the bills somehow

by Buc Wild on Dec 30, 2009 2:26 PM EST reply actions

I would think Raheem Morris would find it a slap in the face if the Glazers hired him under the circumstances

and then after the first year looked to hire a big name coach, especially after the Biggest win for the Bucs in a long long time.

However, I see your point, and Can understand how keeping options open is a good thing.
If the Bucs tank this week, I may change my mind, I just dont think that is going to happen.

Glazers wont Cowher to pressure, Morris will be back in 2010

by Niko Houllis on Dec 30, 2009 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

I'll be honest

if the Glazers think Cowher (or any other coach) will do better for the team in the short and long run, I dont think they care about how it makes Morris feel. Brooks, Lynch, Dungy, Sapp etc were all in similar situations. Its a business they run for profit and if they can keep guys happy and win, then so be it, I just dont think Morris’s feelings are a factor.

If Morris gets let go, imo, he should find a job as a D coordinator and he’ll be a coach again soon. Honestly though, I dont see him going anywhere. Im not pushing him out the door unless the Glazers can convince me (the fans) that there is a better, fool proof plan in place. I dont see it happening.

I also dont see the Glazers paying 3 coaches with a possible lockout looming. Its not even about keeping options open, but just considering all options. I think the Glazers should talk to everyone they can, do their own study and then by the middle of the playoffs (at the latest) come out and say, "Our head coach will be X). But dont wait too long, lack of confirmation will only lead to doubt.

Signature space available for rent - Got to pay the bills somehow

by Buc Wild on Dec 30, 2009 2:45 PM EST up reply actions

COACH COWHER

would be a great coach for the BUCS. And it wouldnt suprise me a bit if the GLAZERS get him. They do have a “past” of doing some switching of coaches quickly and they don`t care about the way they do it…….obviously…..remember? I mean i like RAHEEM but c`mon now a real veteran coach with tons of expierence and knows how to run a running game would be a perfect fit here. But whatever happens I`m a BUC fan 4-life since the `ol` days so a losing season is not gonna make me worry too much. GO BUCS!!!

by stixx692001 on Dec 30, 2009 2:28 PM EST reply actions

Great article

by the420bucsfan on Dec 30, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions

O an keep Raheem !!!!

by the420bucsfan on Dec 30, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions

Stixx....They have a past of doing some switching of coaches quickly?

They gave Dungy 6 years and Gruden 7 years.

Glazers wont Cowher to pressure, Morris will be back in 2010

by Niko Houllis on Dec 30, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions

Did you even look at my fanshot? An article written by Adam Scheftner and Chris Mortensen?

Sources: Bucs may make run at Cowher
By Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen
ESPN

After turning down chances to return to the NFL in previous offseasons, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher is primed to get back in the game this time.

Those who know Cowher firmly believe that he plans to coach in 2010, according to two league sources. He is laying the groundwork, making calls to piece together a coaching staff and acting like a man who will be patrolling the sidelines once again next season.

Many around the league have expected Cowher’s name to surface in connection to the Carolina job, and it might. But others also believe that a more likely landing spot might be the Panthers’ division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Over the past year, Tampa Bay has undergone more changes than any NFL team. More are coming. At the very least, associate head coach/special teams coach Rich Bisaccia is expected to leave the staff. He’s widely considered to be on his way to join the University of Tennessee coaching staff, but could also get looks as a college head coach.

Defensive line coach Robert Nunn and defensive backs coach Joe Baker were part of the Jim Bates package, and will not return.

And now there is an increasing sentiment within the Buccaneers’ organization that head coach Raheem Morris will be one-and-done. Two weeks ago, CBS announcer Rich Gannon criticized the way Buccaneers’ practices are run, the latest example of the job being too big for Morris right now.

If the Buccaneers decide to part ways with Morris as well, multiple people around the league think Tampa Bay will wind up making a run at Cowher.

League sources labeled as erroneous any speculation that the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, may be too financially strapped to pursue Cowher. One source added that Joel Glazer, one of the team’s owners, recently has expressed strong admiration for Cowher to other owners.

Additionally, those who know the Glazer family noted that they are always prepared to do the dramatic, citing the firing of Tony Dungy and the acquisition of then-Raiders coach Jon Gruden, Dungy’s successor, in which the Bucs sent multiple draft picks, including two first-rounders, and $8 million cash to Oakland.

Adam Schefter is ESPN’s NFL Insider and Chris Mortensen is ESPN’s senior NFL analyst.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4773962&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines

by bucnut1 on Dec 30, 2009 3:20 PM EST reply actions

You do know that Bucwild posted this article as the Bisaccia leaving rumor, right?

Desean Jackson is one hell of a guy

by 4QB on Dec 30, 2009 3:27 PM EST up reply actions

I guess I missed it. I try to keep up with everything, but not always possible.

by bucnut1 on Dec 30, 2009 3:29 PM EST up reply actions

That's funny

Didn’t the glazers say early of the season that they won’t fire him as a head coach cause they no it was a rebuilding year. I just can’t wait to see the offseason, and can some one pick the right coach since our 4 coach is gone for next year I don’t want another bates…

IF U AIN'T A BUC GET THE BUC OUT OF HERE

by WE GOING TO THE SHIP on Dec 31, 2009 5:59 AM EST via mobile reply actions