Updated at the end of the post later in the day on 1/16/08: Quick post because I’m thrown off by going to a hockey game tonight (because my body now thinks its the weekend, and wants to stay up late, but alas, it’s only Tuesday): Norm Chow was fired as offensive coordinator of the Titans today, proving that he can only successfully work with one quarterback with the last name of Young in his lifetime. For those of you unfamiliar, Chow is one in a line of NFL coaches with time served at the one and only Brigham Young University. Other coaches with BYU roots include Andy Reid and Mike Holmgren (further proof that they are either twins or one and the same person.)
In a post-season which is sure to future a coaching carousel, what makes the firing of Chow significant? Well, because the Bills are looking for an offensive coordinator, of course. The Bills message boards are all abuzz with the possible matchup already, with a fair amount of people pooh-poohing the possibility already, using the reasoning that if Chow couldn’t cut it in Tennessee, than he’ll never cut it as an NFL offensive coordinator. This is a rather flimsy argument – what if pro football had said the same after Bill Belichick underperformed in Cleveland? We wouldn’t have the evil genius to make fun of today. Another poster used Chow’s age as a deterrent for hiring Chow. Well, that person obviously doesn’t follow Ralph Wilson’s line of decision making much – he’s of “the older, the better!” school of thought. I think it’s most likely because everyone seems like a spring chicken at his advanced age.
To further support Chow’s candidacy, consider that Chow was in the running for Stanford’s head coaching job in 2005 – a chance he had to coach Trent Edwards, until he wasn’t chosen for the job. From the interview process, he must have a little insight into the system Edwards was coached under. He also developed many young quarterbacks – namely, Steve Young (oh, and Carson Palmer…but he’s not as hot.) Edwards is a young quarterback that needs mentoring. We saw how well JP Losman was mentored under ex-Bills offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild and the rest of the coaching staff – why not bring in someone who understands young quarterbacks trained in West Coast offenses, like Chow? Detractors may point to Chow’s inability to make Vince Young into the phenom expected of him – but who is to say V. Young would be any better off this point in his career with any other coordinator? It’s not like he’s another Ryan Leaf – he did make it to the playoffs this year, after all.
Considering the other choices out there for offensive coordinators – Cam Cameron, among others – I think Chow may be the least risky, and almost most experienced, choice. The Titans were Chow’s first NFL job – if the Redskins and others can seriously consider Gregg Williams for a head coach job after he demonstrated to all of the NFL in the early part of this decade that he really is better left as a defensive coordinator, the Bills should be allowed to seriously consider Chow for offensive coordinator.
But then again – these are the Bills we are talking about, and the hiring of Chow would make too much sense for them. I wish someday, the Bills would make personnel moves that I wouldn’t get teased about by my students.
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3 Things I Think I Think (copyright whenever by Peter King)
1) Musically-challenged me would give anything to be able to sit down at the piano and play Ben Folds’ You to Thank. I do play piano, but I can only sight read and can’t memorize music. It was a good thing my piano teacher was nice enough to weigh effort rather heavily in our grades for eighth grade piano at SOTA.
2) On the I-swear-I-am-not-a-figure-skating-fan-but-indulge-me-for-a-minute front, Emily Hughes withdrew today from the US National Championships due to a hip injury, making the race for the ladies championship even more crazed and unpredictable. Despite the fact that you have a reigning US champion and former World champion in the mix (Kimmie Meissner,) the scene is ripe for a take-over. And as a national federation, wouldn’t this be almost what you want? Meissner is still considered obscure, and for some reason, has not appealed to the masses like skaters from the last decade. Do you want to spotlight the Michelle Kwan skate-a-likes you have festering (Caroline Zhang and Mirai Nagasu) who could possibly bring the masses back to the sport, even though these two skaters are age-ineligible to compete in the Senior World Championships? Or do you just let the competition figure itself out, and aim to recapture public attention closer to the 2010 Winter Olympics? Would figure skating have any chance to thrive this year anyway, seeing that the sport draws fans from the same population as gymnastics, a sport that is in its Olympic year? But in this day in age, can a marginal sport afford to take a year off from full-out marketing to find itself in new faces?
3) Another January, another year Steve Tasker (honorary member of my father’s Steve Quarterbacks, honorary because he’s not a quarterback) does not make the finalist group for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Shame, shame, shame, Hall voters. The media is so entranced with the Patriots’ Wes Welker and the Bears’ Devin Hester as of late, and they’re forgetting one of the original WR-KR combos in their Hall balloting. And now Tasker is making quite a name for himself on the broadcasting side of things, taking over for Boomer Esiason the Westwood One NFL Matchup Radio Show and holding his own on mid-level game commentating crews for CBS, and still, he is unloved. But then again, if Tasker ever does make it into the Hall of Fame, what will my father and I have to complain about every January?
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Note on this entry from Wednesday evening – yep, as predicted, the Bills did not hire Norm Chow. They just decided to promote from within. Because they’ve been sooooo good the past few years. Whatever. I’m just bitter now because I reside in Patriot Land. I’ll get over it.