Miklasz: Rams would take a huge gamble if they hire Garrett

[Chocolate Lab]

Rams would take a huge gamble if they hire Garrett

Bernie Miklasz
Sports Columnist Bernie Miklasz
[More columns]
By Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/17/2009

And now it seems that Jason Garrett could be the chosen one in Billy Devaney's search for a new Rams head coach. But given the misdirection plays being run by Devaney at Rams Park, who knows for sure until the new coach is formally signed, sealed, delivered and introduced?

I want to confess something here: This one floors me. If Garrett is destined to be the next head coach at Rams Park, I never saw it coming. I never took it seriously. I never realized the extent of the apparent man crush that Devaney has on Garrett. And maybe this is all just another head fake by Devaney. Again: who knows?

I'm benching myself on this one. When it comes to knowing what Devaney is really up to, I'm about as useful as Fakhir Brown, because I keep getting lost in the coverage.

But I will say this for Devaney: If Garrett is his choice, and owner Chip Rosenbloom concurs, then I respect Devaney for having the guts to venture out to the precipice, to put his GM career on the line with such a profound gamble.


Look, any coach hired by the Rams is a gamble. There are no sure things here. But if you talked to the football execs who run the other 31 franchises, I am sure that most of them would see minimal risk in offering the job to Leslie Frazier, Rex Ryan or Steve Spagnuolo.

All three defensive coordinators have served lengthy apprenticeships, all have demonstrated an ability to lead players, all have paid their dues to prepare for the next level of responsibility and opportunity.

I don't think many NFL execs would question Devaney if he turned to Ryan, Spagnuolo or Frazier. I believe most NFL team execs would say: understandable hire; that makes sense. And if Spagnuolo, Ryan or Frazier failed as Rams head coach, I don't think many execs would aggressively second-guess Devaney's decision for the very same reason: Hey, it made sense at the time.

I don't want to demonize Garrett. By all accounts he's a highly intelligent man, and a good person. But of the finalists, Garrett brings the most questions and the thinnest résumé. He's short on professional coaching experience. And Garrett just finished a season in which he was embroiled in controversy. The level of respect Garrett commanded among Dallas offensive players was called into question. His ability to lead players was called into question. (Understand that I don't blame Garrett for any issues revolving around Terrell Owens, a known troublemaker.) Garrett's stock has taken a dramatic plunge over the last year.

Compared to the other candidates — Frazier, Ryan, Spagnuolo — Garrett would be a controversial choice, the most unpopular choice among Rams fans, and a surprising choice that would be met with the most scrutiny around the league. I can hear it now: "What is Billy doing, to go with an unproven, offensive-minded assistant coach who had shaky player relations? Didn't the Rams just go through this with Scott Linehan?"

If Devaney hires Garrett, and Garrett develops into a fantastic head coach, then Billy D will be heralded as a courageous visionary.


If Garrett flops, then Devaney will be ridiculed as a stooge GM who passed up safer, more respected alternatives to hire a novice.

If Garrett goes down, Devaney will take the fall. A hard fall.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Sounds like the St. Louis media is starting to panic!!!

Too funny.

 

[Hostile]

Great hire. IMO.

 

[theebs]

I thought a head coach was supposed to be a head coach no?

A guy who can organize and lead and set a course for a team and an organization hand in hand with a general manager?

Its pretty dumb to me how all of these teams and their writers are obsessing over what offense/defense a guy coordinated or coached. A head coach should be able to step in, bring in good people around him and then be the figure head around that?

If they think garrett is a bad hire because of dallas being 9-7 this year and him taking the fall for it after 81 runs his mouth about the guy, then so be it.

But I dont want a head coach hired for my team on the basis of what he does as a coordinator. If he likes to run or pass or blitz all the time doesnt mean squat when it comes to being a head coach. Now the team will be in the mold of your philosophy but other people should be running the individual areas.

that is why all these west coast offensive head coaches are constantly floating around unemployed, because they are hired to be the coordinator/head coach and run their offenses. That is why none of them ever can get their defense right and they always are spread too thin.

So again, I hope the idiot st louis media bashes garrett. Once he is hired and surrounds himself with good people on his staff and is working hand in hand with a general manager who he can communicate with it and install a system and a philosophy together, they will be singing a different tune.

And of course here, we will be left with Head Coach trust, loyalty and common purpose and 81.

and of course by the majority that will be viewed as a good thing because now apparently a new west coast offense is coming and another new coach......its ridiculous.

 

[percyhoward]

Of the finalists, Garrett brings the most questions and the thinnest résumé. He's short on professional coaching experience. And Garrett just finished a season in which he was embroiled in controversy. The level of respect Garrett commanded among Dallas offensive players was called into question. His ability to lead players was called into question.

And Bernie, he wouldn't just be your HC, he'd be your playcaller too.

 

[theebs]

And Bernie, he wouldn't just be your HC, he'd be your playcaller too.

says who?

where did you hear that? i have not read at any of his interviews that he would take over the hc and the playcalling duties.

I dont think he would and that is why I laugh at all the people who talk about his coordinating and playcalling here, (which is another laughable topic).

IN fact last year wasnt he going to bring capers and cameron with him to atlanta or cameron and ryan in baltimore. he would not have called plays with cameron and I suspect whoever he tabs to run his offense he will not call plays then either.

and seeing that he doesnt have a certain someone complaining and then underperforming every week I bet his playcalling would be fine if he were forced to do it..

 

[2much2soon]

Sad to say, put Garrett seems to get promoted to the level of his own incompetence.
If you have spent any time working in the corporate world you know what I am talking about.
Someone comes along and looks the part, is likable and seems intelligent. They continue getting promoted until they are in way over their head and flame out terribly.
I'd feel better about Garrett not flaming out as a HC if he had taken charge of the locker room in Dallas this year. I just don't think that bodes well for him.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Sad to say, put Garrett seems to get promoted to the level of his own incompetence.
If you have spent any time working in the corporate world you know what I am talking about.
Someone comes along and looks the part, is likable and seems intelligent. They continue getting promoted until they are in way over their head and flame out terribly.
I'd feel better about Garrett not flaming out as a HC if he had taken charge of the locker room in Dallas this year. I just don't think that bodes well for him.

Yep...

I've said it before, but put the exact same results Garrett produced on a guy that looks like Kevin Gilbride and graduated from Utah State, and there's no way people are so in love with him.

 

[theebs]

Yep...

I've said it before, but put the exact same results Garrett produced on a guy that looks like Kevin Gilbride and graduated from Utah State, and there's no way people are so in love with him.

I am curious if you took his offensive production away from the team last year how would this team have done?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I am curious if you took his offensive production away from the team last year how would this team have done?

What do you mean?...

 

[skinsscalper]

In no way, shape, or form is Garrett a better selection that Rex Ryan, Steve Spagnuolo, or Leslie Frazier. I don't care how redlined the homer meter is. This article is spot on.

 

[skinsscalper]

I am curious if you took his offensive production away from the team last year how would this team have done?

By looking at what Sparano did with a tenth of the talent, I think we would have been fine. The "genius" in Garrett left last season. He's down in South Beach.

 

[percyhoward]

I bet his playcalling would be fine if he were forced to do it..

Almost as good as the guy who you assume would be doing it instead of him, I'm sure.

 

[theebs]

What do you mean?...

your blaming garrett for everything all of a sudden. ANd jerry.

I am asking if he is so poor and has accomplished so little, how would the head coach have looked last year without garretts offense? Would we have won 13 games for the head coach to puff his chest about?

 

[theebs]

Almost as good as the guy whom you assume would be doing it instead of him, I'm sure.

I dont understand this.

I asked you where you saw that he is going to be the head coach and call the plays.

SImply show me where you saw this.

 

[percyhoward]

I dont understand this.

I asked you where you saw that he is going to be the head coach and call the plays.

SImply show me where you saw this.

I assumed it, theebs. Maybe you're right, and whomever Garrett would name to be his OC wouldn't be significantly better than Garrett himself at calling plays.

That is entirely possible.

 

[Venger]

But I will say this for Devaney: If Garrett is his choice, and owner Chip Rosenbloom concurs, then I respect Devaney for having the guts to venture out to the precipice, to put his GM career on the line with such a profound gamble.

Shouldn't his GM career ALREADY be on the line? The Rams SUCK mightily.

 

[yesfan]

Well the fans over at clanram.com aren't welcoming the idea of Garrett
becoming their coach.I guess seeing how they smoked us doesn't bode
too well with the idea now that he might be on their sideline.

 

[MaineBoy]

hey is this writer trying to *** on my parade ? Garrett would be great for the Rams...Go Garrett...go far, far, away...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

your blaming garrett for everything all of a sudden. ANd jerry.

I am asking if he is so poor and has accomplished so little, how would the head coach have looked last year without garretts offense? Would we have won 13 games for the head coach to puff his chest about?

By no means am I blaming Garrett for everything. Where do you get that?

I simply don't think he's put in enough time at his craft yet to get all the accolades he gets. I'm kind of surprised you do... The fast-track way he's shot up the career ladder isn't Parcells-like at all. I much prefer the Sparano types who have paid their dues over many years.

I didn't understand your question because we'd have had another OC if RJ weren't here, obviously. If Garrett had gone to Baltimore, there's a good chance we'd have had Cam Cameron here, and I think we (and Romo in particular) would have been much better off.