Over four years, I wrote a post welcoming the new incoming head coach of the Washington football team, Mike Shanahan.
In that post, I had the following piece of advice for Mr. Shanahan…
RUN!
You are stepping into a buzzsaw that has obliterated the likes of Norv Turner…Steve Spurrier, and the legendary Joe Gibbs (a winner of a few Super Bowls). A coach is only as good as the players around him. You are only as good as the players around you. You won two Super Bowls with John Elway and company. Without John, you only won one playoff game. You do the math!
Unless you are given powers and responsibilities that differ radically from all those who have come before you, you will suffer the same fate and have your polished reputation tarnished.
After four seasons with the team, only one playoff appearance, three fourth-place division finishes, and an overall record of 24-40, Shanahan was fired.
He was not “given powers and responsibilities” that were vastly different from those who came before him and he indeed did suffer the same fate.
Into this buzzsaw of coaching talent now steps Jay Gruden who has signed a five-year contract.
For grins and giggles, I have to remind the reading audience that Mike Shanahan was also signed to a five-year contract, but was dumped after only four years.
Mr. Gruden, my belated advice to you is the same as it was four years ago to Mr. Shanahan…RUN!
I leave you with words I wrote four years ago regarding Mr. Shanahan but I feel they are also quite applicable to you, Mr. Gruden:
There is an exchange from the movie Dune which sums up your predicament:
Paul: “Many have tried and failed?”
Reverend Mother: “Many have tried and died.”
Sorry to say, Mr. Gruden, but you are merely one more notch on the belt of Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington football team.
