Thursday, January 15, 2009

Schwartz Was The Best Available Candidate

My intitial reaction to the Lions hiring of Jim Schwartz as head coach?
Based on what I know, he was the best available candidate.
The Lions certainly could have done worse. What I like best about Schwartz is that he is the opposite of Rod Marinelli. Everybody works hard in the NFL. That's a given. Schwartz will try to outsmart the opposition rather than constantly attempting to drill a hole through solid rock with the same dull instrument.
Schwartz has been a coordinator for eight years. He understands the cat and mouse aspect of adjustments in the NFL - both in-game and week-to-week. I'd be surprised if he isn't much better at looking at the entire forest instead of just the one try in front of him than his predecessor. Marinelli's downfall was never being able to adjust on the fly.
We'll also know more about Schwartz sooner instead of later based on how he puts together his coaching staff. It will put his organizational skills to the test immediately.
I do think the Lions did a much better job this time not rushing to judgment on a head coaching candidate. The Lions search was much more extensive than it was during the Matt Millen era - a sign the organization may have learned from some of its past mistakes.
What I didn't like is that the search was only limited to NFL assistants. Under current circumstances, the Lions weren't going to land Bill Cowher or Mike Shanahan, but there were other former NFL head coaches they could have at least interviewed and considered.
The rookie general manager, rookie head coach situation is less than ideal. Schwartz will have to mature quickly into his role. But at least the pedigree is there.

Labels: , ,

9 Comments:

Blogger Detroit Sports Dork said...

I was pleased that they appeared to conduct a very through search. Schwartz has got an immense mountain top climb, but expectations are so low that fandom will have give him a grace period for moving things in the right direciton.

6:09 PM 
Blogger maddog52 said...

I don't know if I can comment on the schwartz hire yet. Know what I am saying.. hell to be honest with u I don't know if I could be excited about a Bill Cowher hire. We still have the same peices that Millen assembled from the NFL junk Yard.

Thinking back to the pressers. I am wondering did the lions toss bowles and schwartz out to the media to get a bit of a reaction prior to making the final decision. If so I find it to be rather itneresting.

Still aways to go before I get excited that is all I really know. So far though at least they seem headed in the rigth direction

9:09 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What I've liked about him thus far is how clear he has made what he wants. He's come out clearly for the kind of players he's interested in having and how he'd like to build the team. Now as the draft and off season kick into high gear, we'll see if the front office and coaching staff really are on the same page.

2:21 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Book. After listening to his press conference one thing stuck out more than any other. He said he would not be pigeon-holed into any one scheme and that he would adjust it to what type of players he had and not make the players adjust to the scheme: plus put the players in the best position for THEM to succeed instead of proving that some system makes them. I think the Lions have finally found a GOOD HEAD COACH the likes of that have not been seen around here in decades and it is about time! Ps: I don't think this guy is going to try and take the team ANYWHERE on the day of the game to prove a point either!

7:40 PM 
Blogger fredodeservedit said...

Schwartz 'may' be a great coach. Anyone with Jeff Fisher probably is.
But the coach is not the problem. It's systemic, and the two mopes now in charge have the stain of Millen.

this website pegged it perfectly.
Check it out. hilarious.
www.dbbsports.com

Please don't draft a QB at 1

2:06 PM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Larry Baker,
I was impressed by what he had to say and his demeanor. It was a pretty good start.
Caputo

2:41 PM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Maddog52,
I hear you on the Millen thing and that nobody should be too excited about anybody the Lions hire for head coach. I mean, look at the track record.
Caputo

2:42 PM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

John in Oxford,
It's always easy to be "on the same page" when all is going well. It's when there is adversity we'll find out. And given where the Lions are starting from under Schwartz, there figures to be plenty of it.
Caputo

2:43 PM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Hollis Keys,
That impressed me a lot, too. The Lions have been too married to schemes - the west coast offense, the tampa 2. They need to be ahead of the curve. They've usually been behind it.
Caputo

2:44 PM 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home