Dispelling some half-truths about Shula's time in Tampa

[CRA]

Dungy has the ring, not Caldwell. . .

You are right, Caldwell lead his team to the Superbowl as a first year HC. I knew there was some bogus bragging right Caldwell had thanks to the Indy roster. Just got it confused.

[rodeo]

If the OP is correct and he wasn't really bad in Tampa, why did it take 13 years for an NFL team to give him another shot?

[rayzor]

So when coaches are replaced, and the new ones come in and do much better than previous staffs with essentially the same set of players, it's all luck?

Coaching matters a lot. The only time it doesn't is when people are forced to defend mediocre ones, apparently.

preach it.

[teeray]

So when coaches are replaced, and the new ones come in and do much better than previous staffs with essentially the same set of players, it's all luck?

In how this applies to Shula and Steckel, yes Steckel had a lot of the same players, with one glaring exception. he had a different QB.

And yes a QB can make all the difference in the world. The Panthers have essentially the same set of players they had in 2010 when they were historically bad, but with one major exception.

Chief Towelonhead

[Zod]

If the OP is correct and he wasn't really bad in Tampa, why did it take 13 years for an NFL team to give him another shot?

Shulamagic?

[rayzor]

If the OP is correct and he wasn't really bad in Tampa, why did it take 13 years for an NFL team to give him another shot?

good question.

waiting for the excuses.

[Cyberjag]

In the case of Shula and Steckel, yes Steckel had a lot of the same players, with one glaring exception. he had a different QB.

And yes a QB can make all the difference in the world. The Panthers have essentially the same set of players they had in 2010, but with one major exception.

Chief Towel-on-head

You have to be kidding me. Your entire support is based on the "Yeah, you have a point, but THIS time it's different." argument?

31 other teams in the league have changed offensive coordinators many times in the past 13 years. If it truly was different for Shula, do you think that maybe one of those openings may have gone to him?

Cam should make a big difference, but there's only so much one player can do. And if he does make Shula look competent, what do you think he would have been able to do with an OC who's actually really good?

[CRA]

If the OP is correct and he wasn't really bad in Tampa, why did it take 13 years for an NFL team to give him another shot?

Well, he elected to go to college to essentially take a dream job. That accounts for a chunk.

[teeray]

If the OP is correct and he wasn't really bad in Tampa, why did it take 13 years for an NFL team to give him another shot?

Actually there hasn't been a single year he has been out of work. He is so inept about offenses that he has stayed employed constantly by NFL teams. I can only imagine that it is due on how terrible an offensive mind he is and how little respect he has around the league.

[Cyberjag]

Well, he elected to go to college to essentially take a dream job. That accounts for four years, leaving nine where no one would consider him as a viable OC candidate.

Fixed that for ya. :)

[teeray]

You have to be kidding me. Your entire support is based on the "Yeah, you have a point, but THIS time it's different." argument?

I haven't said I think Shula is going to be the greatest OC ever the way many of you have already declaring him a bust in Carolina before he has coached a game.

But having said that, it is different. Different situation, different QB, different playbook, etc.

Was Belichek's experience different in New England than it was in Cleveland?? i wonder if Kraft thought, "yeah he stunk in Cleveland but THIS time it's different"

[bleys]

obviously our FO (who i often disagree with) saw something they liked in him.

what?

[CollegePanther]

what?

I often disagree with our front office.

[Cyberjag]

I haven't said I think Shula is going to be the greatest OC ever the way many of you have already declaring him a bust in Carolina before he has coached a game.

But having said that, it is different. Different situation, different QB, different playbook, etc.

Was Belichek's experience different in New England than it was in Cleveland?? i wonder if Kraft thought, "yeah he stunk in Cleveland but THIS time it's different"

I don't think he's necessarily going to be a bust. But that doesn't mean he was a good hire. I think at best he's a mediocre OC who happens to have some very strong offensive talent on his squad. And we had an opportunity to take that talent and pair it with a very strong and proven offensive mind. Instead we made the most conservative call possible.

To compare it to a game, it was fourth and a foot late in the game at midfield, and we punted.

Was Shula your first choice?