For all complaining about Rivera's record in close games...

[Gabeking]

Found this interesting quote/stat from a commenter on an inferior site:

Chuck Noll's record early on was 12-30 in his first three season and he was 3-11 in games decided

by one score or less. He turned out “okay.”

Bill Walsh was 8-24 and had a record of 4-13 in games decided by one score or less and he turned out “alright.”

Plenty of other good examples.

I'll admit I was on the fire Rivera bandwagon for the poor records in close games(among other things) for quite some time, and I know there will be absolutely nothing anyone can do to convince the naysayers for quite some time. But IMO, after giving some thought, I think one more year (paired with the right GM, of course) was not the horrific decision than most huddlers make it out to be. Of course Rivera needs to improve on a few things, and I would list those necessary improvements if I wasn't so beat.. And I also think the progress we made at the end of this year was different and much more positive than the progress we made at the end of the year prior. I'll agree we need some significant changes on the offensive staff, as well as a GM who isn't Beane, but I think one last shot for Rivera to prove his worth isn't as bad as most think.

DISCLAIMER: In NO WAY do I think Rivera is a Bill Walsh or a Noll(he could be worse than Steve spurrier next year, for all I know), well obviously not yet at least, but it's an interesting stat nonetheless.

[SgtJoo]

It's simple regression to the mean.

We won't lose as many close games next year.

[Mr. Scot]

I always found that particular take a little silly.

Would people have felt better about him if our losses were all blowouts? At least we came close to winning.

[PhillyB]

if rivera learns to manage the clock better and further develops the coaching prowess we saw in the last eight games, there's no reason he shouldn't be able to keep up his end of the team's responsibilities and win some football games for us next season.

[SmittyistheGOAT]

im just fuging sick of burning timeouts in the 1st/3rd quarter and having none when we need them at the end of game.

That HAS to stop.

[Gabeking]

im just fuging sick of burning timeouts in the 1st/3rd quarter and having none when we need them at the end of game.

That HAS to stop.

Ill agree with that.. Like I said he has things to work on, but you can't deny the progress, especially in the defense.

[LinvilleGorge]

We all just have to hope that sticking with Rivera was the right call. It is encouraging the way the team rallied around him, but we'll see how it works out. I hope he turns out great.

[Gabeking]

I always found that particular take a little silly.

Would people have felt better about him if our losses were all blowouts? At least we came close to winning.

I think it's just the fact that there were so many heart breakers and games we really should've won but didn't it got most people riled up and angry at those games instead of the games we really should've been more upset about (the giants game, for example)

[Gabeking]

We all just have to hope that sticking with Rivera was the right call. It is encouraging the way the team rallied around him, but we'll see how it works out. I hope he turns out great.

pretty much my view on things too lol

[JawnyBlaze]

im just fuging sick of burning timeouts in the 1st/3rd quarter and having none when we need them at the end of game.

That HAS to stop.

Well, that and all those times he DOESN'T use the timeouts even when we're trying to drive at the end of a half for a scoring opportunity. The taking 2 or 3 timeouts into the half with him annoys me more than burning a timeout early to make sure something bad doesn't happen.

[carolina-chuck]

All the "fire Rivera" fans now are trying to back Rivera up and convince us? Youre a joke

[rayzor]

All the "fire Rivera" fans now are trying to back Rivera up and convince us? Youre a joke

says the guy who had a john fox avy for half the season.

[Mr. Scot]

I think it's just the fact that there were so many heart breakers and games we really should've won but didn't it got most people riled up and angry at those games instead of the games we really should've been more upset about (the giants game, for example)

I've lost close games as both a player and a coach. It sucks, but I always reminded myself afterward that we played well enough to at least have the chance to win, and that was a good thing.

It's also not like every single one of the close losses happened because of coaching. More than one of them definitely owed more to player execution.

But with that said, I'm sure the crowd that's grumbling about all this will continue to parrot that stat line as if it really means something damning.

[rayzor]

one last shot for Rivera to prove his worth isn't as bad as most think.

i'm just curious if this is what we're hoping for, that he's just not bad.