A Brief History of Rivera: A Sax Man "Somewhat Remembering" Series

[saX man]

*2010 was one of the most god awful years of football ever witnessed then we wind up taking Cam #1.  Don't forget that JR intentionally set this franchise up for that trash season. Goodbye John Fox, have fun in Denver.  Goodbye Brian St. Pierre.  We interview a good chunk of guys, Perry Fewell, Rivera, McDermott, Greg Manusky...Rivera arrives in Charlotte.  

2011: 6-10 

-Rivera's first season as coach, Cam's first as QB.  The beginning of Hurney's "reboot".  We look capable of being a playoff team but Rivera has some very frustrating growing pains with close games and holding leads.  Cam looks legit but had to grow some, the defense began to improve.  

Result: No playoffs, trending up, but obvious things to grow from both coaching and players.

2012: 7-9

-After Ron's first season, we seemed primed to take a big leap with the OROTY and drafted the likes of Luke, Amini, and Josh Norman (but this is well prior to his star level leap).   Chud had a strong offense going but again, we have a hard time holding leads and sustaining drives.  Falcons, Seahawks, Cowboys, Bears..all hand us losses that were totally winnable.  Because of our struggles, Marty Hurney is fired after 1-5.  We then climb from 3-8 to finish 7-9 with a dash of John Fox beating us by 22 mixed in.  A BAD season that should've been much better. Showed enough fire at the end to stay confident.   

Result: No playoffs, We lose our OC, still obvious close game and lead sustaining issues

2013: 12-4

-Ooh doggy, we finally seem to click.  Mike Shula's first year as OC but we still had Smitty and a stellar D now led by Luke Kuechly.  Great season, Rivera became Riverboat Ron after we started 0-2 and then Refs jerked off the Harbaugh's to the SB this season.  This felt like we turned a corner.   

Result: Playoffs w/a BYE, Riverboat is born, had some leads thin out but held on to most games.  Cam was great, Luke and the D was outstanding (Even with our secondary starting Melvin White and Josh Thomas at CB).   

2014: 7-8-1

-Coming off a great season, we retained a lot of our roster and Gettleman's team was much further along.  The problem: There was no Riverboat.  The whole image made the previous season was washed and we were like 2011 and 2012.  Started 3-8-1 and barely made the playoffs thanks to the division and late run.  We clearly had the same issues resurface.  

Result: Playoffs but salty.  Was NOT a pleasing season; I was for sure Ron was gone if we would have missed the playoffs 3 out of his first 4 seasons but we held on barely.  Still, we should have been SOOOO much better this season much like 2012.

2015: 15-1 

-Magical run where there were apparent concerns the players' played above.  What do I mean? Let's see: the Divisional round, Giants, Saints, Packers, Colts games all ended up being near losses after giving up substantial leads.  And the Super Bowl oddly enough felt very much like this Bears game.  

Result: Cam=MVP, an NFCC Trophy and a top-3 loss in franchise history to end the year.   

2016: 6-10

-Freaking suckage.  Ron Rivera and Mike Shula along with a weird up and down season by the players give us a 6-10 season.  The Broncos game took the life out of the season at the start and we never recovered.  We were close to recovery against Minnesota but then a few bad coaching moves lost us that game (and I remember very darn well; that game was more than KB's penalty).  

Result: SB Hangover and then some.  Agitation and frustration amongst the fanbase.  Change was needed...but we fire a GM again.  

So, where's this get us...2017.  4-3 but it feels like 2-5.  

TL;DR:

Rivera has ALWAYS been the same coach minus late-2013 and parts of 2014 where he was about to be fired.  No joke, his ass was on the line and all of a sudden the team was on fire.  The following year, Cam and Luke led the way.  We were carving up points, getting TOs to the SB, so his whole Riverboat mantra wasn't necessary.  He lost it.  This resulted in a lot of unnecessarily tight games which directly spilled over into 2016 where we happened to be on the losing end instead.   

The coaching staff has NEVER evolved. If this staff survives this year but we don't make it to the playoffs, he will have gone through Hurney, DG, Hurney, and in 2018 someone else.  That's right, 4 GM changes for a coach who's made the playoffs 3 out of 7 years.  

This is the biggest playoffs or bust year possible.  We are pretty much guaranteed a new GM (fingers crossed/please lord jesus) so this coaching staff just needs to leave with another lost season.  Honestly, if we squeak in, I don't even think a wildcard round win is good enough.  Divisional or better or sh*tcan EVERYBODY on staff.  

--

I don't know what I meant to accomplish with this but I'm at my wit's end unless big moves are made.  

Now here's Tom Selleck.  

 

[Mr. Scot]

We're not guaranteed a new GM. 

[saX man]

1 minute ago, Mr. Scot said:

We're not guaranteed a new GM. 

"Pretty much" "fingers crossed"

Knock on wood

Knock on heaven's door

Please dear lordy 

Thao with the get down

Dilly dilly

Pleeeassseeee

 

[darrybear]

28 minutes ago, saX man said:

*2010 was one of the most god awful years of football ever witnessed then we wind up taking Cam #1.  Don't forget that JR intentionally set this franchise up for that trash season. Goodbye John Fox, have fun in Denver.  Goodbye Brian St. Pierre.  We interview a good chunk of guys, Perry Fewell, Rivera, McDermott, Greg Manusky...Rivera arrives in Charlotte.  

2011: 6-10 

-Rivera's first season as coach, Cam's first as QB.  The beginning of Hurney's "reboot".  We look capable of being a playoff team but Rivera has some very frustrating growing pains with close games and holding leads.  Cam looks legit but had to grow some, the defense began to improve.  

Result: No playoffs, trending up, but obvious things to grow from both coaching and players.

2012: 7-9

-After Ron's first season, we seemed primed to take a big leap with the OROTY and drafted the likes of Luke, Amini, and Josh Norman (but this is well prior to his star level leap).   Chud had a strong offense going but again, we have a hard time holding leads and sustaining drives.  Falcons, Seahawks, Cowboys, Bears..all hand us losses that were totally winnable.  Because of our struggles, Marty Hurney is fired after 1-5.  We then climb from 3-8 to finish 7-9 with a dash of John Fox beating us by 22 mixed in.  A BAD season that should've been much better. Showed enough fire at the end to stay confident.   

Result: No playoffs, We lose our OC, still obvious close game and lead sustaining issues

2013: 12-4

-Ooh doggy, we finally seem to click.  Mike Shula's first year as OC but we still had Smitty and a stellar D now led by Luke Kuechly.  Great season, Rivera became Riverboat Ron after we started 0-2 and then Refs jerked off the Harbaugh's to the SB this season.  This felt like we turned a corner.   

Result: Playoffs w/a BYE, Riverboat is born, had some leads thin out but held on to most games.  Cam was great, Luke and the D was outstanding (Even with our secondary starting Melvin White and Josh Thomas at CB).   

2014: 7-8-1

-Coming off a great season, we retained a lot of our roster and Gettleman's team was much further along.  The problem: There was no Riverboat.  The whole image made the previous season was washed and we were like 2011 and 2012.  Started 3-8-1 and barely made the playoffs thanks to the division and late run.  We clearly had the same issues resurface.  

Result: Playoffs but salty.  Was NOT a pleasing season; I was for sure Ron was gone if we would have missed the playoffs 3 out of his first 4 seasons but we held on barely.  Still, we should have been SOOOO much better this season much like 2012.

2015: 15-1 

-Magical run where there were apparent concerns the players' played above.  What do I mean? Let's see: the Divisional round, Giants, Saints, Packers, Colts games all ended up being near losses after giving up substantial leads.  And the Super Bowl oddly enough felt very much like this Bears game.  

Result: Cam=MVP, an NFCC Trophy and a top-3 loss in franchise history to end the year.   

2016: 6-10

-Freaking suckage.  Ron Rivera and Mike Shula along with a weird up and down season by the players give us a 6-10 season.  The Broncos game took the life out of the season at the start and we never recovered.  We were close to recovery against Minnesota but then a few bad coaching moves lost us that game (and I remember very darn well; that game was more than KB's penalty).  

Result: SB Hangover and then some.  Agitation and frustration amongst the fanbase.  Change was needed...but we fire a GM again.  

So, where's this get us...2017.  4-3 but it feels like 2-5.  

TL;DR:

Rivera has ALWAYS been the same coach minus late-2013 and parts of 2014 where he was about to be fired.  No joke, his ass was on the line and all of a sudden the team was on fire.  The following year, Cam and Luke led the way.  We were carving up points, getting TOs to the SB, so his whole Riverboat mantra wasn't necessary.  He lost it.  This resulted in a lot of unnecessarily tight games which directly spilled over into 2016 where we happened to be on the losing end instead.   

The coaching staff has NEVER evolved. If this staff survives this year but we don't make it to the playoffs, he will have gone through Hurney, DG, Hurney, and in 2018 someone else.  That's right, 4 GM changes for a coach who's made the playoffs 3 out of 7 years.  

This is the biggest playoffs or bust year possible.  We are pretty much guaranteed a new GM (fingers crossed/please lord jesus) so this coaching staff just needs to leave with another lost season.  Honestly, if we squeak in, I don't even think a wildcard round win is good enough.  Divisional or better or sh*tcan EVERYBODY on staff.  

--

I don't know what I meant to accomplish with this but I'm at my wit's end unless big moves are made.  

Now here's Tom Selleck.  

 

Ew he has chest hair  

[saX man]

The fans understand what the team is capable of with the peaks experienced, therefore, it is inexcusable for how bipolar this franchise is.  If it is JR, then us fans really need to speak up this season and put legit pressure on the franchise.   

If this staff is retained, regardless of what happens barring a NFCCG appearance (that is my expectation with how sh*t the NFC is), we will be stuck in the same roller coaster situation for the 8th season in a row.   

I truly hope there is a good buyer on the horizon for life after the Richardson family or he has the cajoles to go completely clean slate.  In the meantime, fans need to make themselves heard.

It will be the perfect year to do it if we don't make it to the post-season.  Cam is still pretty much in his prime, we could get a GM-Coach together and they could build a team that's in their liking with the inevitable JR shadow but at least it would be a change.  Public pressure can force the FO's hand.  We should try while Cam is still in tact.  

[USDepartmentOfSavagery]

Hurney will be the GM for the foreseeable future. The sooner people accept this the better off they’ll be. Depressing. 

[LinvilleGorge]

The only thing I disagree with is calling the 2015 SB loss a "top 3 franchise loss". Realistically, it's #1 by a long shot. No one gave Denver a chance. That wasn't a SB, it was a coronation. Except we tripped over our own feet and face planted and knocked out a tooth, bloodied out nose, and blackened both eyes on our way to claim our crown. 

[saX man]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

The only thing I disagree with is calling the 2015 SB loss a "top 3 franchise loss". Realistically, it's #1 by a long shot. No one gave Denver a chance. That wasn't a SB, it was a coronation. Except we tripped over our own feet and face planted and knocked out a tooth, bloodied out nose, and blackened both eyes on our way to claim our crown. 

2008 AZ was one that I have personally higher than others because of the entire game tailgate to post-game craziness. 

Then our first super bowl was huge for me, was like 14 at the time and was playing football so that was rough on me.    

2015 was painful though.  SB38 is the only one I can muster a rewatch for even highlights.  

[LinvilleGorge]

I haven't re-watched SB 38 or 50 and honestly have no plans nor desire to do so. 

That NFC CG sucked ass for sure, but nothing sucks ass like SB 50. Especially since I've lived in CO since '06. Nothing like being huge favorites, being certain you're going to win, then watching all your friends and neighbors celebrate in shocked glee because they all thought they were gonna lose too.  If a Bronco fan claims they thought they were gonna win that game, they're lying. I live here. Leading up to this game, that fanbase was prepping for a funeral. 

[Panthers8969]

2 hours ago, darrybear said:

Ew he has chest hair  

You quoted a long ass post just to say that. Really

[Snake]

This is a difficult season because I know we need better coaching and a better GM for success but to get that we need a complete failure. Two losing seasons will hurt JRs pockets but playoffs will keep them full. 

[Ace_Aladdin]

5 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

We're not guaranteed a new GM. 

We are guaranteed Hurney/ Rivera for a long time  but Huddlers want still be happy after the SB win. 

[Ricky Spanish]

7 hours ago, darrybear said:

Ew he has chest hair  

But dat mustache...