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        the Gridiron >> the Red Zone >>  Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
        
(Message started by: BarnabyWilde on Jan 15^th, 2003, 1:45pm)

Title: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by BarnabyWilde on Jan 15^th, 2003, 1:45pm

Here is the related article on ESPN:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0115/1493146.html

I guess there was a differenc of opinion between Mooch and York. Wonder if Dennis Green will get the job.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by StegRock on Jan 15^th, 2003, 2:32pm

Not as much as I expected out of the local dailies. But, via "the Gridiron Newsstand" here is what I dug up:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2003/01/15/mooch.DTL;

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/sports/football/nfl/san_francisco_49ers/4953656.htm;

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/49ers/news/16mooch.html

(And, no, the piece about "Mariucci's saying Goodbye" up at the 49ers' official site is NOT about his firing.) ;D

Though I do not like the decision, I kind of thought this was coming after the spanking the Bucs gave them. It will be interesting to hear what Chris Berman has to say!

Anyway, great get, BW! I love to see this stuff up so quickly like this! You guys are doing a great job! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] However, I am starting to see a pattern here with these kinds of posts which goes from a general link to specific ones via "the Gridiron Newsstand" OR from original poster to StegRock. I don't mind that, but (as my staffers know) I am on a tight schedule until February 1st and really should not be taking the time to do this all the time. However, the perspective of the local dailies is key to understanding the real deal. That is why I built "the Gridiron Newsstand". Given the fledglingness of our forum and site here, it would be nice to see more use of it in posts like these, moreover, not just by me. At any rate, to help me out, if anyone does have the extra time to do these kinds of local follow-ups via "the Gridiron Newsstand" or if the original posters happen to have the time to provide links from "the Gridiron Newsstand" along with their general ESPN, CNN/SI, etc., links, I would really appreciate it. Thanks! [smiley=bow.gif]

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by ScreamingWeasel on Jan 15^th, 2003, 2:35pm

This is madness. Sheer madness.
Personally, I thought at the time, not using the clock at the end of the 1st half to run 2 or 3 plays would result in just this.
Never-the-less - WHO they gonna get that's better, or has a better understanding of this offense?
Dennis Green? Give me a break.
The 9ers are STILL digging out from cap problems,
have about zero defense, and Mooch did about as
good a job as could be expected, putting them in the playoffs.
This is cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
(Maybe Mike Holmgren will finally get the job he really wanted all along - and Seahawk fans will find relief! - LOL!).

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Philly on Jan 15^th, 2003, 2:42pm

I agree with the Weasel. Firing Mooch won't help the team. Might as well just name TO the coach now. I don't think Mooch did a bad job at all. It's hard enough to keep a team competitive in the league now with free agency, cap room, injuries, etc. I think Mooch has a great track record and shouldn't have to wait too long for another offer.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by ScreamingWeasel on Jan 15^th, 2003, 3:01pm

on 01/15/03 at 14:42:15, Philly wrote:

I agree with the Weasel. Firing Mooch won't help the team. ... I think Mooch has a great track record and shouldn't have to wait too long for another offer.

Thanks. You're right about that!
Teams will be falling all over themselves to hire him.
All ... and I mean ALL ... the 9ers have is Garcia and T.O. - and they still made the playoffs.
And ... don't be surprised when you hear rumours about Mike Holmgren and the vacant 49ers spot. It's the job he's always coveted - even when he took the Seattle job. And he's just been forced to give up his GM position there.
It would NOT surprise me if the 9ers and Seahawks worked a deal, with a ton of draft picks heading up to Seattle.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Keyshawn Johnson 76yards on Jan 15^th, 2003, 3:29pm

Great decision. Regardless of Mooch's success in the regular season, his play in the post-season has been very much sub-par.

Dennis Green, will take them further if he in fact does become the head coach.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Walker_Boh on Jan 15^th, 2003, 3:38pm

I agree that Mooch is a good coach and did a great job with what he had, but it's obvious that he wasn't the leader. I think he gave up on his team last week and it's a good time for he and the Niners to go their seperate ways.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Philly on Jan 15^th, 2003, 10:01pm

on 01/15/03 at 15:29:40, Keyshawn Johnson 76yards wrote:

As far as he took the talent-rich Vikings year after year?

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Tony_O on Jan 15^th, 2003, 10:56pm

My new Nick Name for Mooch is going to be "Lee Majors" because the 49ers are using him as their "Fall Guy" !!

The man helps turn around a cap desperate franchise in two years to go 12-4 and 13-3. WOW

I hate the 49ers too.........but I think they made a mistake........Too many 9ers think there still in the montana, walsh, clark era..........HELLO PEOPLE, IT"S OVER" Welcome to the new milinium.....Athletes are bigger faster stronger...........truth be told you were lucky to beat the giants.......They were playing "not to lose" instead of trying to win!

I'm a Dallas Cowboy fan and I would take mooch over the tuna!

Good luck you wine drinking cheese eating sports fans!

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by ScreamingWeasel on Jan 16^th, 2003, 6:24am

The poll running over at ESPN asks the question:
"Did the 49ers make a good move or a bad move in firing Steve Mariucci"?
With over 80,000 votes cast, it's:
Bad [smiley=no.gif] 80% Good [smiley=yes.gif] 20%.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Philly on Jan 16^th, 2003, 10:37am

on 01/15/03 at 22:56:55, Tony_O wrote:

My new Nick Name for Mooch is going to be "Lee Majors" because the 49ers are using him as their "Fall Guy"!!

What an appropriate moniker, because once he gets a new contract he will also be the "Six Million Dollar Man".

[smiley=hellyeafunny.gif]

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by ScreamingWeasel on Jan 16^th, 2003, 1:23pm

LOL. I agree.
But who's out that that's not already seriously committed with a head coach under a big-time contract?
That's the problem right now.
The Jags, of course, but they have already stated they have no interest.
My opinion - (after my comment re: the Seahawks above) would be that the Bears, Bills, Vikes and Rams (Yes! The Rams!) would all be vastly improved with The Mooch.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by StegRock on Jan 16^th, 2003, 2:17pm

on 01/16/03 at 13:23:32, ScreamingWeasel wrote:

...The Jags, of course, but they have already stated they have no interest.

And Steve has reciprocated the disinterest...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/don_banks/news/2003/01/15/banks_insider/!

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Razzak on Jan 17^th, 2003, 5:59pm

Updates:
9ers Claim Mooch's Agent demanded more power for Mooch.
Mooch claims he never demanded more power.

My belief: Mooch is telling the truth.
The real truth: "Philosophical Differences" means Mooch had no killer instinct, as Owens said, and had lost the faith of his players. That, and he really didn't make any good decisions aside from benching owens after the star incident.

Update:
The 9ers contacted Holmgren but he wasn't interested.

Update:
The 9ers are contemplating Green but TO has expressed displeasure with Green after Green criticized him for the Sharpie incident.
My Take: Not important. I don't really want Green, but TO isn't one to hold a grudge. Rumor is he was crying when he said bye to Mooch after Mooch got fired. He's an emotional guy and really gets a bad rap everywhere.

Update:
Here at USC, rumors are the 9ers want Caroll too. I think Caroll's happier at USC than he was in the Pro's. He's got really amazing charisma (if you've ever met him...) that helps him a lot at the college level, something not nearly as important in the Pro's.

My take on who will be the head coach:
My money's on Jim Mora Jr. The players love him and I think he's done a very good job with that defense. You're all ripping the defense this year, but when you have 5 DB's injured throughout the year and go most of it without 2 of them (which two depends), you're constantly rotating a bunch of guys that don't even see time in Nickel packages. I really believe Garcia could have carried the 9ers through the defensive woes, but he wasn't given the chance. There's also rumors of Childress being the head coach, but I'd like to see Mora do it because I like the current 9ers and with some health, a FA acquisition on defense, and a more aggressive playcalling system they could win a title. I don't want a guy who comes in and tries to establish his own system and it takes 2-3 years to get going.

My take on mooch for the years:
He wasn't nearly as instrumental in the rebuilding process as people think. He didn't want Garcia, but Walsh forced Garcia on him. He didn't want Julian Peterson or Eric Johnson, but Walsh stepped in there as well. It took him way too long to cut Cortez and Baker, despite the front office's insistance that they needed to go.

Bottom line, he's terrible at talent recognition and the playcalling was atrocious. There is no reason to only use Garcia in the 4th quarter. All it shows is a lack of faith in your team, and I believe the players' intensity was being drained by Mooch's conservatism.

I'm not sure how old he is, but I know when he came to the 9ers he had black hair. Now it's greying, mainly over the last 2-3 years. I think he needs a break badly. Thanks for the years Mooch, but it's time to move on.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by ScreamingWeasel on Jan 18^th, 2003, 3:23pm

on 01/17/03 at 17:59:12, Razzak wrote:

Update:
The 9ers contacted Holmgren but he wasn't interested.

I am floored ... floored :o ... if this is true.
Sure made a lier out of me!
This is the job Mike Holmgren has always coveted as everybody and his brother knows, and he has no real ties with Seattle.
I'da bet my bottom dollar that Holmgren would fall all over himself to get out of his Seahawks contract for this job.
Wow.

Title: Re: Mooch out as head coach of the Niners!
Post by Razzak on Jan 18^th, 2003, 8:13pm

on 01/18/03 at 15:23:23, ScreamingWeasel wrote:

I don't remember which paper I read it in up here, but I believe fanball.com also reports the same story.