This coaching situation seems so simple to me:

[noletime95]

If Jerry is keeping Wade around to groom Garrett, then just go ahead and hire Garrett as HC and fire Wade. I know JJ doesn't WANT to pay Wade good $$$$ for sitting on his but, however, Garrett already makes HC $$$$$$. Jerry would just need to poney up for coordinators.

If Jerry isn't in love with Garrett anymore, then fire Wade and hire Shannahan. He shouldn't be very expensive due to circumstances. Again, Jerry just has to pay new coordinators if Wade won't take a demotion (assuming Shanny wants him). Heck, if Shanny wants to keep Garrett, he'd probably walk on his own and JJ wouldn't owe him squate.

I hope JJ's wheels are turning, because Wade as HC isn't going to work for this team. I like the guy, but its not a good fit IMO. Now is the time with a couple good 3-4 minds on the market to slide in as DC if need be.

Of course, I'm working off one assumption:

Shannahan would like to coach the Cowboys and would come back in 09 to do it.

 

[RainMan]

I'm not ready to assume that Jerry is keeping Wade for the sole intention of keeping Garrett. But for the sake of argument let's say he is. I think the one justification in such an instance of keeping Wade and not just immediately promoting Garrett is that we're trying to nurture Garrett and not rush him into a head-coaching position when he's not yet ready. The last thing Jerry would want to do, presumably, is promote Garrett too quickly and see him fail because of it.

With that said, what you're seeing here probably explains why you don't see too many teams attempting, successfully or not, to develop a head-coach-in-waiting. For starters, top assistants get plucked away quickly so it's hard to keep a guy-in-waiting around too long. And secondly, unless you have a man like Tony Dungy whose job status is simply not in question -- and never would be -- you're cultivating a bad situation in the coaching ranks. From the obvious jealousy and envy that might brew, you also make the head coach look like just some fool keeping the seat warm until the wunderkid is ready to take over.

And clearly, Wade doesn't have the clout to project an image of strength when it's so obvious that the guy behind him is just counting away the hours until he takes his job.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I'm not ready to assume that Jerry is keeping Wade for the sole intention of keeping Garrett. But for the sake of argument let's say he is. I think the one justification in such an instance of keeping Wade and not just immediately promoting Garrett is that we're trying to nurture Garrett and not rush him into a head-coaching position when he's not yet ready. The last thing Jerry would want to do, presumably, is promote Garrett too quickly and see him fail because of it.

With that said, what you're seeing here probably explains why you don't see too many teams attempting, successfully or not, to develop a head-coach-in-waiting. For starters, top assistants get plucked away quickly so it's hard to keep a guy-in-waiting around too long. And secondly, unless you have a man like Tony Dungy whose job status is simply not in question -- and never would be -- you're cultivating a bad situation in the coaching ranks. From the obvious jealousy and envy that might brew, you also make the head coach look like just some fool keeping the seat warm until the wunderkid is ready to take over.

And clearly, Wade doesn't have the clout to project an image of strength when it's so obvious that the guy behind him is just counting away the hours until he takes his job.

Yea, it is starting to look like giving Tecmo $3 mill was a dumb move, really made it look like you have 2 head coaches.

That is why going with the status quo for 09 with the exact same situation is just dumb-arse, I dont get it.

 

[AbeBeta]

Jerry got himself in a bad situation by trying to be too clever.

What we've got now is a situation where to get a new HC, you have to fire the guy who is by far the best option for running the defense.

 

[Thomas82]

Jerry got himself in a bad situation by trying to be too clever.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Shinywalrus]

Jerry got himself in a bad situation by trying to be too clever.

What we've got now is a situation where to get a new HC, you have to fire the guy who is by far the best option for running the defense.

I would rephrase it to say that he took a risk that didn't pan out. I don't know that that's particularly clever, it's simply what you have to do as a manager.

I don't know that there was a huge groundswell among the fan base assaulting Jerry's "cleverness" last year when he entered into the agreement with Jason, so it would seem disingenuous to me to criticize him for that now (criticizing him for not addressing it now, I suppose, is a different matter). But I think everyone would have realized that the move wasn't without risk.

 

[Velvet Jones]

If he fires Wade now, it is pretty obvious that it is only to hire Shannahan. So who is the minority canidate that interviews for the spot? So unless he already has a behind the scene commitment from Shan, then he runs a risk of firing what he has and Shanahan becoming coach elsewhere.

Although getting a new defensive coordinator should be tough. There are lots of promising coordinators and coaches out there.

 

[Alexander]

Jerry got himself in a bad situation by trying to be too clever.

What we've got now is a situation where to get a new HC, you have to fire the guy who is by far the best option for running the defense.

It is a tradeoff however.

Phillips' issues managing the team supercede his responsibilities as "defensive coordinator". He simply is not doing a quality job in the broad scope of head coach responsibilities. With Shanahan you get that, and just switch the balance of quality to the offense. Either way, with either coach, you have a potentially weak side of the football. I would much rather have an effective head coach, quality offense and questionable defense than just a strong defense, which is what Phillips clearly provides by himself. If there is a more aggressive move to a better OC than we have from within, I might change my opinion. But as it stands now, Phillips and perhaps Sherman is at best a lateral step sideways and nothing has improved.

Garrett leaving is his get out of jail free card. If he elects not to use it, he deserves to be skewered for it.