Coach Gets an Upgrade

This past Monday, ESPN found former NFL Coach and current Monday Night Football analyst in their good graces to extend Jon Gruden’s contract through 2011. Despite some “errors” the network feels they have a good mix of personalities in the booth to keep the viewers interested. Indeed this is true, it seems like he is having a good time in the booth. Although, producers caution him about using jargon such as “split belly zone” and other coaching modifications that us viewers aren’t used to, but isn’t that why we all love Jon. Gruden Has the uncanny ability to bring a very distinct knowledge to the game and enlightens listeners in a way that otherwise wouldn’t be heard. So in a sense, no one can do it like he can! Lately coach has been getting some slack about this past Browns, Ravens game. It was pointed out that Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski consistently jumped on quarterback Brady Quinn about not throwing the ball down field, and didn’t say too much about head coach Eric Mangini. What is their to be said? It doesn’t matter who’s playbook it is or who’s coaching that team, if your QB can’t hit a 20 yard pass the chances of you winning the game are slim to none, if your wide receivers don’t run good routes they’re not going to be open to throw the ball 20 yards. Granted the offensive coordinator must open up the play book but it’s the players who make the plays. Norby Williamson, an ESPN executive vice president said Gruden’s reticence to criticize Mangini directly might come from knowing the pressures of coaching a bad or rebuilding team like his last team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are 1-8. As a result Williamson says, “It might make him perfectly objective or it might mean he’s showing too much empathy,” he said. “I think there are a lot of hammer throwers out there, who are over-the-top critical all the time; I think he has an understanding of that but also understands the totality of coaching.” I moreover like this approach no one says as media personal we have to jump down everyones throat who makes a few bad decisions here and their. I think sometimes we forget that we are all human and mistakes are bound to happen.