Perhaps it is time for some final reflections.
This site has now been around for two firings of Mike Shanahan. I doubt it will be around for a third. In the eight years since I put this website up Mike Shanahan drove the Denver Broncos into the ground, was fired, and then went to Washington and squandered whatever legacy he had left.
There is an emerging narrative that the problem with this Redskins team was its owner, Daniel Snyder. This morning on Denver talk radio I heard a local host make the claim that the problem with Mike Shanahan's career was that he worked for two "crazy owners" outside of Denver in Snyder and Oakland's Al Davis.
Of course, the truth is that Mike Shanahan caught lightning in a bottle when he returned to Denver and won two Super Bowls with John Elway. After Elway retired, Shanahan's record as a head coach, in both Denver and Washington, was as pathetic as it was in Oakland.
Shanahan is a narcissist and places himself above the team and its players. This is apparent in his reckless behavior with RGIII, his lack of loyalty to players like Jake Plummer, his lack of respect for his superiors like Dan Reeves and Daniel Snyder, and his constant nepotism and cronyism.
I'd like to suggest the following about head coaches in the NFL.
1) Players should mean more than coaches and deserve more fan loyalty and respect than coaches.
2) Coaches are more likely to subtract from a team's talent level than they are to add to it, especially if that coach has total control over an organization.
3) Reputation is meaningless and driven by media narratives that have little basis in reality.
4) Re-hiring coaches like Shanahan is harmful to the game and leads to the stagnation of franchises.
Best,
Jacob
12/30/2013
1/06/2013
Recklessness
I'm not surprised at all that Mike Shanahan risked RGIII's career in an attempt to win a Wild Card Round game.
Mike Shanahan does not care about his players, they are a means to an end, and that end is Mike Shanahan's further employment.
3/11/2012
Mortgaging the Future
I've got to give it to Mike Shanahan. He's so bad at the NFL draft that he decided to simply not worry about picking in the first round until 2015. Is RG3 worth those picks? Nah, only because no rookie quarterback would be. It's a brilliant move by Shanahan though if you assume his goal has never been to win Super Bowls but to simply stay in charge of an NFL team by any means necessary.
Back in the mountain time zone, John Elway is busy offering up guaranteed cash to a 36 year old coming off four neck surgeries without doing any due diligence whatsoever.
Fire John Elway might be coming soon. Check back for details.
Back in the mountain time zone, John Elway is busy offering up guaranteed cash to a 36 year old coming off four neck surgeries without doing any due diligence whatsoever.
Fire John Elway might be coming soon. Check back for details.
11/17/2011
The Redskins are really bad and Mike Shanahan is clearly the problem
I've been busy watching Tim Tebow and with other things, but I'd just like to say that Mike Shanahan is clearly not fit to coach in the NFL in any capacity.
The Redskins are an awful team.
The Redskins are an awful team.
12/19/2010
Redskin fans reactions 1
Email your take: Fireshanahan@gmail.com
Virginia writes:
We all know the story of the "wonderful Wizard of Oz" who was supposedly all-knowing and all powerful. Except, when Dorothy pulled back the curtain, he was just a timid nobody! Well, you can draw an analogy with Shanahan and the curtain that was pulled back? That would be John Elway!! As many pundits have asked, what has he won since Elway retired? His son is a joke. Keyshawn Johnson said on ESPN that he had some low-level non-job with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, and then Gary Kubiak hired him as a favor to Mike Shanahan, who was at one time Kubiak's mentor. (And we all know how well Gary Kubiak has been doing!). The whole crew need to be shown the door. Oh, well maybe Jim Haslett is okay.
Junebug writes:
Mike is NOT a good coach. What he's doing with the Redskins is not coaching, it is terrorism. He and his incompetent son and coaching staff have done more brow-beating and tearing down than they have coaching. The man is un-professional for calling out players in the media. This doesn't build repoir or team spirit, it tears down the locker room. He is doing to the Redskins the equivalent of what George W. Bush did to the economy - wrecking it! Daniel Snyder should take one for the team and pay out his contract and get on one knee and BEG Marty Schottenheimer (yes, the only true winner) to come back and re-build this franchise. Shanahan must go, this year!
Virginia writes:
We all know the story of the "wonderful Wizard of Oz" who was supposedly all-knowing and all powerful. Except, when Dorothy pulled back the curtain, he was just a timid nobody! Well, you can draw an analogy with Shanahan and the curtain that was pulled back? That would be John Elway!! As many pundits have asked, what has he won since Elway retired? His son is a joke. Keyshawn Johnson said on ESPN that he had some low-level non-job with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, and then Gary Kubiak hired him as a favor to Mike Shanahan, who was at one time Kubiak's mentor. (And we all know how well Gary Kubiak has been doing!). The whole crew need to be shown the door. Oh, well maybe Jim Haslett is okay.
Junebug writes:
Mike is NOT a good coach. What he's doing with the Redskins is not coaching, it is terrorism. He and his incompetent son and coaching staff have done more brow-beating and tearing down than they have coaching. The man is un-professional for calling out players in the media. This doesn't build repoir or team spirit, it tears down the locker room. He is doing to the Redskins the equivalent of what George W. Bush did to the economy - wrecking it! Daniel Snyder should take one for the team and pay out his contract and get on one knee and BEG Marty Schottenheimer (yes, the only true winner) to come back and re-build this franchise. Shanahan must go, this year!
12/17/2010
Any Redskins fans want to voice their opinions here?
If any Redskins fans want to email their takes about Shanahan's season so far, his decision to bench McNabb, or anything else I'm willing to post them.
I'll ask for complete, coherent sentences and minimal cursing if possible.
Fireshanahan@gmail.com
I'll ask for complete, coherent sentences and minimal cursing if possible.
Fireshanahan@gmail.com
Typical Shanahan
A mediocre season filled with close games his team should have won, terrible fourth quarter playcalling, throwing players under the bus in public, creation of multiple scapegoats to shift criticism away from the coaching staff.
Yep, sounds like a Mike Shanahan season to me.
Shanahan is a bad coach who got lucky he had Steve Young and John Elway to bail him out for his bad decisions.
If I was Redskins fan I'd be praying for him to be fired this off season.
Yep, sounds like a Mike Shanahan season to me.
Shanahan is a bad coach who got lucky he had Steve Young and John Elway to bail him out for his bad decisions.
If I was Redskins fan I'd be praying for him to be fired this off season.
9/12/2010
How about that Mike Shanahan offense?
Only score came by a defensive touchdown, needed the Cowboys offensive line to implode twice to win.
lol
lol
4/04/2010
Shanahan trying desperately to craft best Madden 07 team possible
Larry Johnson, Willie Parker, Rex Grossman,
and now DONOVAN MCNABB
Can't wait until he drafts a QB immediately to begin to assert control over McNabb and undermine him.
I feel so bad for Redskins fans right now.
and now DONOVAN MCNABB
Can't wait until he drafts a QB immediately to begin to assert control over McNabb and undermine him.
I feel so bad for Redskins fans right now.
1/15/2010
Question?
Which college program will Shanahan fall to when he inevitably fails in Washington?
I feel like he'll go to the Pac-10 or Big-10.
Your thoughts?
I feel like he'll go to the Pac-10 or Big-10.
Your thoughts?
3/04/2009
About Cutler
Jay Cutler has proven nothing as an NFL quarterback. He hasn't proven himself a winner, and he hasn't proven himself a leader.
Both of these points were in full display in the last three weeks of the 2008 season when Cutler phoned in in for three successive games, sending the Broncos spiraling out of playoff position.
All Jay Cutler has proven both in college and in the NFL is that he can put up nice statistics in meaningless games. When he is expected to win important games, he craters. Let's remember that Cutler took over the starting position because Shanahan claimed he gave the team its best chance to win over Plummer.
A comparison to Jake Plummer might help people with their hero worship of Cutler. Statistically Cutler isn't any better than Plummer. In fact Plummer's first three seasons in Denver were all arguably better than Cutler's.
However, a comparison of their leadership abilities paints a much starker contrast between the two. How did Jake Plummer react when Mike Shanahan sent a clear signal of his lack of trust by drafting Jay Cutler? Plummer didn't say a thing in the media and went out and played football. The Broncos had a winning record when he was replaced by Jay Cutler. Even after Shanahan replaced Plummer with Cutler, Plummer acted as a leader on the sidelines, helped Cutler, and was a vocal cheerleader on the bench. Plummer even acted as a holder throughout the rest of the season.
In comparison to a leader who voiced no complaints in the media to being relegated to holding duties, Jay Cutler's response to being simply mentioned in trade discussions is juvenile.
Cutler needs to grow up, if his performance spoke loud enough the Broncos wouldn't have considered trading him.
Both of these points were in full display in the last three weeks of the 2008 season when Cutler phoned in in for three successive games, sending the Broncos spiraling out of playoff position.
All Jay Cutler has proven both in college and in the NFL is that he can put up nice statistics in meaningless games. When he is expected to win important games, he craters. Let's remember that Cutler took over the starting position because Shanahan claimed he gave the team its best chance to win over Plummer.
A comparison to Jake Plummer might help people with their hero worship of Cutler. Statistically Cutler isn't any better than Plummer. In fact Plummer's first three seasons in Denver were all arguably better than Cutler's.
However, a comparison of their leadership abilities paints a much starker contrast between the two. How did Jake Plummer react when Mike Shanahan sent a clear signal of his lack of trust by drafting Jay Cutler? Plummer didn't say a thing in the media and went out and played football. The Broncos had a winning record when he was replaced by Jay Cutler. Even after Shanahan replaced Plummer with Cutler, Plummer acted as a leader on the sidelines, helped Cutler, and was a vocal cheerleader on the bench. Plummer even acted as a holder throughout the rest of the season.
In comparison to a leader who voiced no complaints in the media to being relegated to holding duties, Jay Cutler's response to being simply mentioned in trade discussions is juvenile.
Cutler needs to grow up, if his performance spoke loud enough the Broncos wouldn't have considered trading him.
Looks like I've been replaced
http://www.keepjayfiremcdaniels.com/
The looping guitar riff and demon imagery are something that in retrospect I feel would have made my efforts that much better.
Cutler asked to be traded before any of this happened. McDaniels tried to facilitate the request. I do not see the problem.
The looping guitar riff and demon imagery are something that in retrospect I feel would have made my efforts that much better.
Cutler asked to be traded before any of this happened. McDaniels tried to facilitate the request. I do not see the problem.
3/02/2009
1/11/2009
Best of luck
to Josh McDaniels. I'd rather the Broncos hired a defensive minded coach, but I have no real problems with this pick.
There's not much more for me to say or do here. If anybody wants to contact me to discuss the Broncos or anything fireshanahan@gmail.com will still be up and I'll read it as often as I can.
There's not much more for me to say or do here. If anybody wants to contact me to discuss the Broncos or anything fireshanahan@gmail.com will still be up and I'll read it as often as I can.
12/31/2008
Regarding "experience"
I've noticed Bill Cowher and Marty Schottenheimer being heavily mentioned both in the comments here and in discussions across the internet as desired replacements for Shanahan. They apparently bring experience to the table that is necessary to win in the NFL.
Schottenheimer's experience didn't help him accomplish anything of note in San Diego other than underachievement. Bill Cowher doesn't seem particularly interested in coaching in the NFL at the moment, why drag him back?
All that hiring a coach like Cowher or Schottenheimer would do is create the same kinds of problems that kept Shanahan around far too long, an unwillingness to question their decisions, a lack of accountability, and a burgeoning cult of personality.
Atlanta, Baltimore, and Miami brought in "inexperienced" head coaches to coach relatively unseasoned teams and all three had remarkable success this year.
Experience is overrated and shouldn't be anywhere near the top of desirable qualities in a new head coach.
Schottenheimer's experience didn't help him accomplish anything of note in San Diego other than underachievement. Bill Cowher doesn't seem particularly interested in coaching in the NFL at the moment, why drag him back?
All that hiring a coach like Cowher or Schottenheimer would do is create the same kinds of problems that kept Shanahan around far too long, an unwillingness to question their decisions, a lack of accountability, and a burgeoning cult of personality.
Atlanta, Baltimore, and Miami brought in "inexperienced" head coaches to coach relatively unseasoned teams and all three had remarkable success this year.
Experience is overrated and shouldn't be anywhere near the top of desirable qualities in a new head coach.
12/30/2008
12/28/2008
By now it should be blatantly obvious
Shanahan needs to leave.
In reality this week's game shouldn't have been meaningful in any way. The Broncos were incredibly lucky to have any chance to make the playoffs this year after squeaking out a win against New Orleans thanks to a missed field goal and being given a win they didn't earn in their first meeting against the Chargers.
The Broncos have now gone two years without a winning record and three years without a playoff appearance.
Apologists will come out with a myriad of excuses, sure the Broncos had a rash of injuries this season. The fact is that they played poorly even when at full strength early in the year. Anybody looking back objectively on those games at the beginning of the season will be able to see that.
In tonight's game Tatum Bell was able to give the Broncos a credible running threat despite any injuries to other backs. The Broncos still lost. The fact that a player that Shanahan had previously tossed aside for no real reason gave the Broncos an extra arrow in their quiver tonight is ironic to say the least.
The Broncos defense is absolutely terrible, but it is terrible due to Shanahan's decisions. He has ran out multiple defensive coordinators to hide his own shortcomings. Larry Coyer managed a respectable and at times dominant Denver defense before he was fired as a scapegoat to cover up Shanahan's ineptitude. Shanahan is also completely incapable of drafting or otherwise acquiring defensive talent. Draft picks were wasted on offensive players when they weren't needed. Blame was constantly shifted away from its source.
It's time for Shanahan to go, he will continue to hold this franchise back.
In reality this week's game shouldn't have been meaningful in any way. The Broncos were incredibly lucky to have any chance to make the playoffs this year after squeaking out a win against New Orleans thanks to a missed field goal and being given a win they didn't earn in their first meeting against the Chargers.
The Broncos have now gone two years without a winning record and three years without a playoff appearance.
Apologists will come out with a myriad of excuses, sure the Broncos had a rash of injuries this season. The fact is that they played poorly even when at full strength early in the year. Anybody looking back objectively on those games at the beginning of the season will be able to see that.
In tonight's game Tatum Bell was able to give the Broncos a credible running threat despite any injuries to other backs. The Broncos still lost. The fact that a player that Shanahan had previously tossed aside for no real reason gave the Broncos an extra arrow in their quiver tonight is ironic to say the least.
The Broncos defense is absolutely terrible, but it is terrible due to Shanahan's decisions. He has ran out multiple defensive coordinators to hide his own shortcomings. Larry Coyer managed a respectable and at times dominant Denver defense before he was fired as a scapegoat to cover up Shanahan's ineptitude. Shanahan is also completely incapable of drafting or otherwise acquiring defensive talent. Draft picks were wasted on offensive players when they weren't needed. Blame was constantly shifted away from its source.
It's time for Shanahan to go, he will continue to hold this franchise back.
9/28/2008
Mistaking luck for achievement
This is something Broncos fans always do.
The Broncos are 3-1, but without a blown call and two missed field goals from Martin Gramatica, they are 1-3.
The defense is completely abysmal.
If you'd like to believe the Broncos to be a juggernaut in the AFC, please continue to do so. They were just dominated by one of the worst teams in football, and are lucky to have a winning record.
The Broncos are 3-1, but without a blown call and two missed field goals from Martin Gramatica, they are 1-3.
The defense is completely abysmal.
If you'd like to believe the Broncos to be a juggernaut in the AFC, please continue to do so. They were just dominated by one of the worst teams in football, and are lucky to have a winning record.
5/23/2008
Oh hi
So the draft was a joke.
And the Broncos medical staff is apparently so inept they were unable to tell that their starting QB has diabetes?
Good coaching Mike, I know if I was an NFL head coach I would consider your QB losing 30 pounds an issue I was able to put aside.
I'm kind of apathetic about this now. I've been right too long to say anything but I told you so.
And the Broncos medical staff is apparently so inept they were unable to tell that their starting QB has diabetes?
Good coaching Mike, I know if I was an NFL head coach I would consider your QB losing 30 pounds an issue I was able to put aside.
I'm kind of apathetic about this now. I've been right too long to say anything but I told you so.
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