[Reverend Conehead]

I found this post interesting. It's from extremeskins.com, a Redskins site. I like Shanahan and think he may have a shot in Dallas or DC, but this person may have a point:

Why hiring Shanahan is a bad idea Much of my comments are pilfered from http://fireshanahan.blogspot.com.

Forgive me for not being able to handle quotes on posts, but I'm so sickened by the prospect of hiring a celebrity coach who will continue keep our beloved Franchise mediocre for the next five years -- regardless of who the players are.

Shanahan had seemingly tolerable years in Denver. But these years were marked with more than a few late season collapses.

2002: 6-2 start, 9-7 finish
2003: 5-1 start, 10-6 finish
2004: 5-1 start, 10-6 finish
2006: 7-2 start, followed by two losses and later futility
2008: The Broncos become the first team since divisional play began in 1967 to possess a three-game lead with three to play and fail to reach the NFL playoffs.

[View Full Quote]In nine seasons post-Elway, Shanahan won ONE playoff game and ONE division title. I'd like to expect that we can do more in the next nine years.

Shanahan fired five defensive coordinators. Every time the defense didn't work, he blamed someone else for the problem.

Stefan Fatsis wrote about the Broncos in A Few Seconds of Panic (great book). As per one book review:
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2...-of-panicjan31

"Then there’s Mike Shanahan. His recent dismissal as Broncos coach, general manager and emperor of all things football stunned many NFL observers, but Fatsis’ dead-on insights foretell it. Even as Shanahan attempted to humanize the training camp experience with barbecues and bowling parties, many Broncos came to view him as an autocrat, remote and imperious, unwilling to level with them on where they stood. A coach who loses his team’s trust eventually loses his team, and Fatsis tellingly describes the early stages of the process."

Finally, let's point out that, from Shanahan's perspective, it's win-win. If he succeeds, he cements his legacy. If he doesn't, the world will blame it on Dan Snyder.

So I plea, instead, to Mr. Snyder: Nice job in getting a real GM (on whom the jury is probably still out). But get a coach with better upside potential. Shanahan has had his chance and got fired for good reasons, and is not the answer. (Get Russ Grimm, if he'd come.)