would marvin lewis be fired this offseason

[The PatternMaster]

Sounds like you are the contestant of the Steakhouse Challenge, please give a us a list of 3 coaches who you can prove are better than Marvin Lewis who would come to Cincy and are unemployed..

That's interesting. First, you can't prove something like that, because (as you well know) coaches with playoff pedigrees don't stay unemployed. I _don't_ think Marvin should be fired, but it's a good topic nonetheless, and I'm bored.

I'm not saying I'd take any of these guys over Marvin, but here are some general candidates for next year's coaching carousel:

* Marty Schottenheimer - sure he hasn't had postseason success but neither has Marvin.

* Bill Cowher - if he is pissed at the Rooneys, he might decide to pull a Pitino and come coach one of their rivals

* The Brothers Ryan - each will get attention, especially the one with the Raiders (is that Rex?) because of the low talent level there. Obviously they haven't been head coaches but I'd say they'll do a good job.

* Dom Capers - probably deserves another shot, Texans didn't have much when he was there.

* Jack Del Rio. I think he's a decent coach and there's a good chance he'll be fired.

* John Gruden - I thought he was going to get fired after this season, but now he probably won't with the good start. Good at taking a team to the next level. And we have a good QB, so he wouldn't fall prey to his Achilles heel, QB indecision.

* Jim Mora Jr. - probably a good coach if he decides what the heck he wants to do. May have talked his way out of the NFL though.

* Jim Fassel - might get some attention, whether he should or not is questionable

* Tom Coughlin - yeah, he's out of NY. Don't really want him. Might be done in the NFL.

* Hue Jackson - Got screwed with the timing of the Vick thing, but if he can turn that offense around he may get a shot in a few years. Deservedly so, in my opinion.

* Greg Williams - General assumption is that the Washington job is his when Gibbs retires.

Replies below..

* Marty Schottenheimer - He's a proven winner who can get any team over the hump, right.

* Bill Cowher - Not in a million years, do you think he would come out of retirement to coach the Bengals, I need your dealer's number!

* The Brothers Ryan - So replace a former DC with no previous HC experience with another DC who has yet to win a playoff game or SB for that matter, your 0-3 buddy.

* Dom Capers - Worst hair piece in the biz, I could see him and Chad getting along just great, maybe Chad could use his wig in a celebration? Remind how he did in Houston?

* Jack Del Rio - Offensive genius who masterfully developed the career of Bryron Leftwich, oh nevermind..If you gave us the Jags defense we would be SB champs annually. You can't blame Marv because Odell got suspended and Pollack broke his neck, but you know that.

* John Gruden - Until Gruden wins a SB against a team he wasn't the coach for the previous year he's just an above average coach that can make funny faces, I also don't see his in your face style playing out to well here. I would love to see him try to chew Carson out after one his fumbles, that would go over great.

* Jim Mora Jr. - No way he's better than Marvin, no way. He wasn't a better DC and he wasn't more successful as a HC, why is he even on the list? Wasn't this the same guy who was taking hits of smelling salts on the sideline before games, does the word poser mean anything to you.

* Jim Fassel - , your not serious.

* Tom Coughlin - , once again your not serious. We passed on him in 2003 because....I mean look at how he's taken a talented Giants team deep into the playoffs in a weak NFC and look at how Eli's developed.

* Hue Jackson - I thought we was an OFFENSIVE assistant here, how is he going to make the defense perform better on a consistant basis?

* Greg Williams - He's waiting out old man Gibbs, he ain't leavin the big show to come to Cincy.

As for Pete Carroll..dream on. No one leaves Southern Cali for Cincy unless they get drafted and their daddy isn't a former NFL qb with enough clout to pull the strings to decided were he will go.

Still waiting on a real canidate cause those guys aren't clearly better than Marvin, imo.

Face it guys, were stuck with Marvin Lewis. LOL!

[Spor_tees]

Once again, I'll repeat what I have said before. This team doesn't need a retread head coach. This team needs a young guy that has some fire in his belly that will light these guys up and show a little emotion. If the Marvin Lewis press conferences are any indication of Marvin's personality, I bet there are more than a few guys on the team that don't really care to give their best effort for a guy that thinks he is smarter than everyone else. I'll guarantee that is why Levi isn't playing right now. Levi is a very educated and well spoken man, and if Marvin talked tro him like he talks to the fans and the media, he probably told him where to go. If you bring in a young guy, who will give them some excitement and be a players coach, I guarantee these team goes to the next level.

Rich Rodriguez, Shiano, Richt....there are a few college guys out there that are successful and do have that fire on the sidelines.

[The PatternMaster]

Once again, I'll repeat what I have said before. This team doesn't need a retread head coach. This team needs a young guy that has some fire in his belly that will light these guys up and show a little emotion. If the Marvin Lewis press conferences are any indication of Marvin's personality, I bet there are more than a few guys on the team that don't really care to give their best effort for a guy that thinks he is smarter than everyone else. I'll guarantee that is why Levi isn't playing right now. Levi is a very educated and well spoken man, and if Marvin talked tro him like he talks to the fans and the media, he probably told him where to go. If you bring in a young guy, who will give them some excitement and be a players coach, I guarantee these team goes to the next level.

Rich Rodriguez, Shiano, Richt....there are a few college guys out there that are successful and do have that fire on the sidelines.

These guys are good college coaches but they haven't even won on the college level, why are you so sure they will have success in the big leagues.

Maybe if we hired one as a DC maybe, but not as a HC.

Barry Switzer is the only college coach I can think of that came into the NFL and immediate success, but he inherited a SB winner so that doesn't really count. I thought the whole idea of this cock-a-mamee thread is to find a HC that is BETTER than Marvin, not worse.

[Spor_tees]

Once again, I'll repeat what I have said before. This team doesn't need a retread head coach. This team needs a young guy that has some fire in his belly that will light these guys up and show a little emotion. If the Marvin Lewis press conferences are any indication of Marvin's personality, I bet there are more than a few guys on the team that don't really care to give their best effort for a guy that thinks he is smarter than everyone else. I'll guarantee that is why Levi isn't playing right now. Levi is a very educated and well spoken man, and if Marvin talked tro him like he talks to the fans and the media, he probably told him where to go. If you bring in a young guy, who will give them some excitement and be a players coach, I guarantee these team goes to the next level.

Rich Rodriguez, Shiano, Richt....there are a few college guys out there that are successful and do have that fire on the sidelines.

These guys are good college coaches but they haven't even won on the college level, why are you so sure they will have success in the big leagues.

Maybe if we hired one as a DC maybe, but not as a HC.

Barry Switzer is the only college coach I can think of that came into the NFL and immediate success, but he inherited a SB winner so that doesn't really count. I thought the whole idea of this cock-a-mamee thread is to find a HC that is BETTER than Marvin, not worse.

Are you serious? Jimmy Johnson did pretty well for himself... Dennis Erickson wasn't all that bad either. Didn't Dennis Green come from Stanford? I am sure if you look at the long list of history, not all NFL coaches were coordinators before they became head coaches.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Replies below..

* Marty Schottenheimer - He's a proven winner who can get any team over the hump, right.

* Bill Cowher - Not in a million years, do you think he would come out of retirement to coach the Bengals, I need your dealer's number!

* The Brothers Ryan - So replace a former DC with no previous HC experience with another DC who has yet to win a playoff game or SB for that matter, your 0-3 buddy.

* Dom Capers - Worst hair piece in the biz, I could see him and Chad getting along just great, maybe Chad could use his wig in a celebration? Remind how he did in Houston?

* Jack Del Rio - Offensive genius who masterfully developed the career of Bryron Leftwich, oh nevermind..If you gave us the Jags defense we would be SB champs annually. You can't blame Marv because Odell got suspended and Pollack broke his neck, but you know that.

* John Gruden - Until Gruden wins a SB against a team he wasn't the coach for the previous year he's just an above average coach that can make funny faces, I also don't see his in your face style playing out to well here. I would love to see him try to chew Carson out after one his fumbles, that would go over great.

* Jim Mora Jr. - No way he's better than Marvin, no way. He wasn't a better DC and he wasn't more successful as a HC, why is he even on the list? Wasn't this the same guy who was taking hits of smelling salts on the sideline before games, does the word poser mean anything to you.

* Jim Fassel - , your not serious.

* Tom Coughlin - , once again your not serious. We passed on him in 2003 because....I mean look at how he's taken a talented Giants team deep into the playoffs in a weak NFC and look at how Eli's developed.

* Hue Jackson - I thought we was an OFFENSIVE assistant here, how is he going to make the defense perform better on a consistant basis?

* Greg Williams - He's waiting out old man Gibbs, he ain't leavin the big show to come to Cincy.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't fire Marvin for anyone on the list except MAYBE the crazier Ryan brother. Like I mentioned the first time (in case you missed it), I was listing guys who will be considered for jobs next year or in the future. But I bet most of those guys who want to work WILL get interviews. *Of course* I don't want Fassel or Coughlin here, what do you think I'm retarded?!?! Not sure you read what I wrote there.

I think Capers is better than his Houston record indicates - name me a decent player other than Andre Johnson he had playing for him? He can run a defense without relying on hall of fame talent (like, say, the 2000 Ravens). I think Cowher will coach again - you actually think he's done? Come on. As to whether he'd come to Cincinnati...depends how he feels about his departure. Personally, I don't want him anyway because he annoys me.

Oh, and Rob Ryan will be a good coach if he gets a chance. As for Super Bowls...he was LB coach on 2 Patriots SB teams, and their LB play is key to their defense as you should know. He's now taken a putrid Raiders unit and made it good, and you know it wasn't Art Shell or Lane Kiffen who did *that*.

[HairOnFire]

Hi everybody!!! My name is Paul Myfinger, and as your host I'd like to welcome all of you to this weeks edition of "Steakhouse Challenge". [Applause]

Before we get started I'd like to explain why our first contestant, firemarvinNOW, was let go. In short, he failed to provide the required list of coaching candidates that defines the Steakhouse Challenge. But rest assured, he was given an appropriate parting gift.

That's right, he was given nothing!!! [Applause]

So for those of you wanting to know who-dey...put your hands together for our next contestant, DeeCee Bengals fan!!!!!

DC - Uhhh Paul, it's DC, not DeeCee.

PM - Nobody cares, DeeCee. Nobody cares. Now let's take a look at your list. You begin by writing..."I'm not saying I'd take any of these guys over Marvin, but here are some general candidates for next year's coaching carousel." DeeCee, as you know the entire premise of the Steakhouse Challenge is to identify coaches that you believe are available, willing to work in Porkopolis, and BETTER than Marvin Lewis. Knowing that I have to turn to the judges...

[[[buzzer]]]

Ohhhhhh nooooo, the judges deducted 25 points from your score. You're staring in a hole.

DC - But....

PM - Nobody cares, Dee Cee. Nobody cares. Now lets look at the first name on your list, Marty Shottenhiemer. Well respected, a proven winner, and it's well known how much young people respect the elderly. However, the Steakhouse Challenge is looking for a coach that can transform a good team into a great team, AND a playoff powerhouse. And everyone knows that the playoffs are kryptonite to Marty's version of Superman. Judges?

[[[buzzer]]]

Ooooooh noooo, the judges dinged you another 25 points.

DC - But he's available and...

PM - He's available for a good reason, right? Besides, Marty was fired by a General Manager, something that Shula, our Head Judge, feels is infallible.

[[[buzzer]]]

Wow, you just lost another 25 points. I can't help feeling that I caused that to happen. My bad.

DC - This sucks.

PM - Yes, it does. In fact, your list is largely built upon retread coaches that have been fired outright following stunning failure. Even more damning, Capers, Fassel, and Coughlin are repeat offenders, right?

DC - Sure, but....

[[[buzzer]]]

Wow, you just went another 75 points deeper into the hole. Your scores is now negative 150.

DC - But what about Jim Mora Jr?

[[[buzzer]]]

PM - Ouch, the judges don't seem to think much of the man quoted most often when the matter of unlikely playoff chances is being debated. Your score stands at a negative 175.

DC - What about the Ryan brothers? That should be worth something, right?

PM - Indeed, even though they're defensive gurus with a head coaching resume no better than Marvin Lewis. Judges?

[[[Ding! Ding]]]

Wow, a combined 50 points. You needed that.

DC - Yeah, so how about Cowher?

PM - Well, he's available, but he's also a head coach that can probably write his own ticket. So do you really believe he's willing to coach in Porkopolis?

DC - I think it's possibl....[[[buzzer]]]

PM - Ouch.

DC - Jack Del Rio?

PM - The guy who almost killed his punter with an ax? The man who hired Kenny Anderson to develope Byron Leftwich into the next Akili Smith? Judges? Judges? Oh, the judges seem to be taking a nap. Great break for you, I'd say. Next?

DC - Hue Jackso....[[[buzzer]]]

PM - Welcome back, judges. Next?

DC - John Gruden?

PM - Well, I'd say he's certainly turned around things in Tampa. Judges? [[[buuuuuuzzzzzzzzer]]] Yikes, and judges, I have to add a hearty well said. DeeCee, whose left on your list?

DC - Greg Williams...(((sniff)))

PM - Interesting. So interesting in fact, the judges have seen fit to bump you score all the way back to negative 25. And in another act of blatant and meaningless charity they added another 25 points because you didn't include Denny Green or Art Shell to your list. Well played, sir. Well played. Sadly, I see the clock says we're out of time on this edition of the Steakhouse Challenge. So let's add up the points. Dee Cee, what does your scoreboard read?

DC - Paul, it says I've got nothing....

PM - Yes, it does. Yes, it does. Goodnight everybody!

[[[Fade to Black]]]

[Kazkal]

* Marty Schottenheimer - -I wouldn't mind marty he is a successful coach and the chargers are paying for screwing him.

* Bill Cowher - Almost worth it just how pissed the steeler fans would be

The Brothers Ryan - I wouldn't mind the raider ryan but could he be more successful because raiders cant score pts?

* Dom Capers -- Deserves a shot but not with us

* Jack Del Rio.-I'll pass on this meat head knowing him he'd bench Carson his first game in favor of rowe cause he can move around more.

* John Gruden -Superbowl Win off DUngy's team and since then he's steadily killed it with the GM pass.

And we have a good QB, so he wouldn't fall prey to his Achilles heel, QB indecision.

* Jim Mora Jr. Talked his way out? isn't he the seahawk DB coach all same meh

* Jim Fassel - meh

* Tom Coughlin -meh

* Hue Jackson - was sad to lose him,wanted him be our oc if we ever loss bob.

* Greg Williams -

Good list, DC. I'd add Pete Carroll to the list. I thought he did a good job with the Jets given what he had to work with (nothing), and still cant understand why he only got a year. Prying him out of that cushy seat at USC would probably take more dough than the Bengals would ever consider spending on a head coach, tho.

Mybe Carson could talk him in too it

PS,I really don't see most of those names being a better coach then marvin not inless they can charm brown.

[Spor_tees]

Just to add to the list....two of the greatest coaches of all time...Don Shula was hired from the University of Kentucky, and Bill Walsh was hired from Stanford to be Head coaches in the NFL. I guarantee for every college coach that was hired to the NFL and you deem their career as a failure I can name 4-5 coordinators that were aweful. I mean look at the last 3 coordinators that the Bengals elevated from coordinators on their own staff: Shula, Cosslett, and Lebeau. All 3 were aweful!

Just an added note, Paul Brown left being the coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes to become part owner and head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

[HairOnFire]

Just to add to the list....two of the greatest coaches of all time...Don Shula was hired from the University of Kentucky, and Bill Walsh was hired from Stanford to be Head coaches in the NFL.

BENGALS FIRE LEWIS - HIRE DEAD LEGEND

Attempt to correct earlier hiring mistake seems doomed.

By Paul Myfinger (AP)

In shocking news the Bengals fired popular Head Coach Marvin Lewis and quickly announced they had replaced him with recently deceased coaching legend, Bill Walsh. The move sent shockwaves throughout the NFL even though the once popular Lewis had fallen under increasing pressure and criticism for failing to build a defense that could match the Bengals high powered offense.

It is believed the Bengals front office was feeling increasingly desperate, and hired Walsh as a way to appease Bengal fans who never got over him being passed over for the head job decades ago. Now that Walsh himself has passed over the Bengals believed the time was right to correct that horrible mistake.

No contract details are known yet, but it is widely believed that Walsh has agreed to work for free, something Bengal owner Mike Brown found appealing. As for Walsh, he admitted that money held no value in Hell, and being dead, had few coaching options left.

[The PatternMaster]

Once again, I'll repeat what I have said before. This team doesn't need a retread head coach. This team needs a young guy that has some fire in his belly that will light these guys up and show a little emotion. If the Marvin Lewis press conferences are any indication of Marvin's personality, I bet there are more than a few guys on the team that don't really care to give their best effort for a guy that thinks he is smarter than everyone else. I'll guarantee that is why Levi isn't playing right now. Levi is a very educated and well spoken man, and if Marvin talked tro him like he talks to the fans and the media, he probably told him where to go. If you bring in a young guy, who will give them some excitement and be a players coach, I guarantee these team goes to the next level.

Rich Rodriguez, Shiano, Richt....there are a few college guys out there that are successful and do have that fire on the sidelines.

These guys are good college coaches but they haven't even won on the college level, why are you so sure they will have success in the big leagues.

Maybe if we hired one as a DC maybe, but not as a HC.

Barry Switzer is the only college coach I can think of that came into the NFL and immediate success, but he inherited a SB winner so that doesn't really count. I thought the whole idea of this cock-a-mamee thread is to find a HC that is BETTER than Marvin, not worse.

Are you serious? Jimmy Johnson did pretty well for himself... Dennis Erickson wasn't all that bad either. Didn't Dennis Green come from Stanford? I am sure if you look at the long list of history, not all NFL coaches were coordinators before they became head coaches.

Most college coaches struggle to adjust to the pro game, everybody you listed above struggled in their first few years as HC before they experienced some success. We're struggling now, well according to many of you we are, why hire a coach who's going to have a learning curve, we need a Belichick(without the cameras of course), a Dungy, c'mon guys help me out cause I can't think of anybody who clearly better but surely someone else can name at least one person.

[HairOnFire]

...I can't think of anybody who clearly better but surely someone else can name at least one person.

Leslie Frazier?

[bengalsfansince68]

[quote name='HairOnFire' date='Sep 19 2007, 12:27 PM' post='217879']

PM - Yes, it does. Yes, it does. Goodnight everybody!

[[[Fade to Black]]]

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Hi everybody!!! My name is Paul Myfinger, and as your host I'd like to welcome all of you to this weeks edition of "Steakhouse Challenge". [Applause]

Before we get started I'd like to explain why our first contestant, firemarvinNOW, was let go. In short, he failed to provide the required list of coaching candidates that defines the Steakhouse Challenge. But rest assured, he was given an appropriate parting gift.

That's right, he was given nothing!!! [Applause]

Man, did you forget to take your medication or something? That was craptastic.

Just for the record, as I've pointed out many MANY times, I *don't* think Marvin should be fired. Additionally, if one *did* attempt to find a candidate you'd be limited *by definition* to the retired, fired, or untested. That's called the NFL. The goal is to find guys whose failure in their last job *wasn't their fault*.

To that end, I would take Capers over Coughlin (who will be fired), Del Rio (who will be fired), Fassel (who was fired many times), or any of the other retreads. I don't like hiring college coaches because the success rate is low, and there aren't many high-profile assistants available right now.

Not many people are claiming Marvin should be fired, so as usual I think you're arguing primarily with a strawman of your own creation.

[ONYX]

Top 3 Reasons Why You're Crazy If You Think Marvin Lewis Will Be Fired

*drum roll please*

#3. Mike Brown is loyal to his coaches. He fired Dave Shula only after Shula compiled a 16-54 record, Bruce Coslet

quit before Brown had any intentions of firing him and technically LeBeau was not fired....Brown decided not to renew

his contract.

#2. Marvin Lewis is the Bengals' all time winningest coach....percentage wise.

#1. Every single home game has been sold out dating back to 2003.

[Kazkal]

Brown decided not to renew

his contract.

Wasn't Lebeau offered the job as DC too?

PS,It's not lewis's fault how banged up this team is

3-Starting Linemen are banged up

Our LB's are a joke from all the injurys and Goddells wraith

WR-Though thank god we have 1 and 2 but after that it's injury city.

RB-Both of our big play RB's are injured we took irons because perry couldn't stay on the field then he gets IR'd before game one.

[Spor_tees]

Just to add to the list....two of the greatest coaches of all time...Don Shula was hired from the University of Kentucky, and Bill Walsh was hired from Stanford to be Head coaches in the NFL.

BENGALS FIRE LEWIS - HIRE DEAD LEGEND

Attempt to correct earlier hiring mistake seems doomed.

By Paul Myfinger (AP)

In shocking news the Bengals fired popular Head Coach Marvin Lewis and quickly announced they had replaced him with recently deceased coaching legend, Bill Walsh. The move sent shockwaves throughout the NFL even though the once popular Lewis had fallen under increasing pressure and criticism for failing to build a defense that could match the Bengals high powered offense.

It is believed the Bengals front office was feeling increasingly desperate, and hired Walsh as a way to appease Bengal fans who never got over him being passed over for the head job decades ago. Now that Walsh himself has passed over the Bengals believed the time was right to correct that horrible mistake.

No contract details are known yet, but it is widely believed that Walsh has agreed to work for free, something Bengal owner Mike Brown found appealing. As for Walsh, he admitted that money held no value in Hell, and being dead, had few coaching options left.

I wasn't saying they should hire Bill Walsh...I was just pointing out more coaches that were hired as Head Coaches in the NFL while being head coaches in college, and went on to be successful.

[Bobcat Bengal]

Hi everybody!!! My name is Paul Myfinger, and as your host I'd like to welcome all of you to this weeks edition of "Steakhouse Challenge". [Applause]

Before we get started I'd like to explain why our first contestant, firemarvinNOW, was let go. In short, he failed to provide the required list of coaching candidates that defines the Steakhouse Challenge. But rest assured, he was given an appropriate parting gift.

That's right, he was given nothing!!! [Applause]

Man, did you forget to take your medication or something? That was craptastic.

Maybe it was because it was at your expense, but I thought it was pretty funny......

[HairOnFire]

I wasn't saying they should hire Bill Walsh....

True enough, but why should a little thing like that stop me from being my verbose and craptastic self? Rumor has it that I've skipped my meds and symbolically set my hair on fire....so the last thing I need right now is someone stepping on my punchlines.

Look, the Steakhouse Challenge may be pure folly, but I'm trying to make a point here. That being, regardless of whether a fan thinks Marvin Lewis should be fired we can probably all agree that it's a stupid move to make if there isn't a pool of replacements who would be available, better than Lewis, and willing to coach in small-market Cincinnati.

And along those same lines, if a contestant really believes that Greg Williams is simply cooling his heals before taking over the cash rich Redskin job then he needs to be removed from consideration. Likewise, anyone who suggest Pete Carroll is itching to get back into the NFL needs to explain why he'd choose Cincy from his long list of options.

Frankly, fans can scream for the headcoach to be fired again and again, but unless they can name someone who realistically might make this team better it just sounds like a baby crying for a teat, and yeah....that goes for the "Hire a GM" rant as well.

[Bengals1]

I wasn't saying they should hire Bill Walsh....

True enough, but why should a little thing like that stop me from being my verbose and craptastic self? Rumor has it that I've skipped my meds and symbolically set my hair on fire....so the last thing I need right now is someone stepping on my punchlines.

Look, the Steakhouse Challenge may be pure folly, but I'm trying to make a point here. That being, regardless of whether a fan thinks Marvin Lewis should be fired we can probably all agree that it's a stupid move to make if there isn't a pool of replacements who would be available, better than Lewis, and willing to coach in small-market Cincinnati.

And along those same lines, if a contestant really believes that Greg Williams is simply cooling his heals before taking over the cash rich Redskin job then he needs to be removed from consideration. Likewise, anyone who suggest Pete Carroll is itching to get back into the NFL needs to explain why he'd choose Cincy from his long list of options.

Frankly, fans can scream for the headcoach to be fired again and again, but unless they can name someone who realistically might make this team better it just sounds like a baby crying for a teat, and yeah....that goes for the "Hire a GM" rant as well.

Okay, that post made waaaaaay too much sense to me. Are you sure you're a Bengals fan HOF?

[HoosierCat]

Look, the Steakhouse Challenge may be pure folly, but I'm trying to make a point here. That being, regardless of whether a fan thinks Marvin Lewis should be fired we can probably all agree that it's a stupid move to make if there isn't a pool of replacements who would be available, better than Lewis, and willing to coach in small-market Cincinnati.

Sorry, but that line of thinking strikes me as a red herring. Anyone suggested will just be shot down, as has already been shown. "Oh, X stunk here." "Oh, Y isn't proven." "Oh, you make think Z is good but I don't." The question isn't whether there's a "better" (whatever that means) coach out there, it's whether Marvin is the guy who can take a team all the way. If he isn't, then whether we could get someone who is definitely "better" or not is a moot point; the Bengals might as well try. If they fail, results are the same than as keeping Marvin.

What most folks here did agree on months ago was that this would be critical season for Lewis. That if the Bengals didn't make it back to the playoffs, the torches and pitchforks would begin to emerge. Well, watching the D cough up half a hundred points to Cleveland has started that process. Expect it to get worse if the season continues to go poorly.

[HairOnFire]

Sorry, but that line of thinking strikes me as a red herring. Anyone suggested will just be shot down, as has already been shown.

Well, fight back. You mentioned Pete Carroll riding to the rescue, right? My first response to that idea may be predictable, but so what? Just because it's predictable doesn't mean I'm spinning anything.

So you tell me why Pete Carroll leaves the sweetest college coaching job in the nation to start over in a small-market that historically can't attract the young impact free agents that a team can build around? Tell me why a college coach who can write his own ticket back into the NFL would pick Cincy, a franchise whose business model you constantly mock at every conceivable turn.

Ladies and gentleman, put your hands together for the newest contestant on The Steakhouse Challenge. Please welcome....Hoosier!!!!

[[[Applause]]]

Band begins to play////

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Ladies and gentleman, put your hands together for the newest contestant on The Steakhouse Challenge. Please welcome....Hoosier!!!!

[[[Applause]]]

Band begins to play////

This reminds me waaaaay too much of the Seinfeld episode where Hair (I mean Kramer) dumpster dives for the Merv Griffin set.

For what it's worth, to address one of Hair's strawman arguments, if not hiring failed head coaches were a deal-breaker, the Patriots wouldn't have hired Belichick.

That said, this is a bad year to be firing your coach. I don't think there are that many proven assistants ready to jump up and take the reins. I *wouldn't* fire Marvin, but I'd have a little chat with him about Chuckie.

Oh, but as for one I totally blanked on...and this *isn't* for the Bengals...but when's Martz getting another shot?

[HoosierCat]

Well, fight back.

No point. Even if we could assemble a list of all 6 billion people on the planet, and even if we could go through it and settle on X number of candidates...there's still no way to prove any of them would be better. They might, they might not. The only way to find out would be to give them the job...which you don't want to do until we can prove they are better. QED, eh?

[HairOnFire]

For what it's worth, to address one of Hair's strawman arguments, if not hiring failed head coaches were a deal-breaker, the Patriots wouldn't have hired Belichick.

A fair point.

Then again, it's just as fair to claim that the Browns fired an outstanding but struggling head coach far too soon.

[Spor_tees]

Well, fight back.

No point. Even if we could assemble a list of all 6 billion people on the planet, and even if we could go through it and settle on X number of candidates...there's still no way to prove any of them would be better. They might, they might not. The only way to find out would be to give them the job...which you don't want to do until we can prove they are better. QED, eh?

You just gave me a headache...even though I do understand what you are saying. Sadly the ones trying to give candidates for the job can never win, which I for one think there are plenty out there.