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Kudos to Nolan & If this were the choice ... what would you do?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Da 'Fins, Dec 9, 2010.

Given the choice would you rather see the Dolphins:

  1. Keep Sparano as Head Coach and lose Nolan as DC

    10 vote(s)
    28.6%
  2. Hire Nolan as Head Coach and fire Sparano

    25 vote(s)
    71.4%
  1. Da 'Fins

    Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    First, I think Mr. Nolan has done a phenomenal job with the Dolphin Defense - arguably the one bright spot on the team and I would say the one and only bright coaching job, imo, on the entire team (though Darren Rizzi has had some bright moments; amidst some continued flaws).

    So, in light of the not unexpected rumors of Mike Nolan being offered various jobs ...

    What would you do if you were Ross and Nolan were about to leave? Would you consider letting go of Sparano and hiring Nolan?

    So if these were the choices - which would you do:

    1) Keep Sparano at HC and lose Nolan as DC

    or

    2) Hire Nolan as HC and fire Sparano

    (I like Tony Sparano - 'I really do' ;) - but I just am wondering whether he's really cut out to run the team and be a HC and whether we can risk losing a guy like Nolan)? Can you imagine if Nolan went elsewhere (college or pro HC) and we kept Henning at OC? If that scenario turned out to be successful I'd literally find me some dead crow and eat it. Of course, our site here might meltdown sooner than a fan on the visitors side at a 1:00 pm September Dolphins home game. ;)
     
  2. HardKoreXXX

    HardKoreXXX Insensitive to the Touch

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    If those are my choices, bye bye Tony. Nolan ran into some bad luck with Alex Smith, who was the highest rated QB in the draft that year. If he gets Aaron Rodgers instead, who knows how good that team would be.
     
  3. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    I voted to keep Nolan so quickly I thought it was real.
     
  4. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    It depends on their credibility .If Nolan has won over the team then I agree .However Nolan has the reputation of being an excellent coach but rather aloof with his players and personnel.He is not the rah! rah ! type of guy which Sparano is.... .Gif of fist pump displayed.

    If the team voted on who should lead them they probably would vote for Tony.If Sparano is fired then maybe the team will back Nolan.

    Actually I think Nolan will look for greener fields unless he is offered the HC job.....I really do.
     
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  5. Da 'Fins

    Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    Interesting observations. I wonder if Nolan has learned from his experiences in dealing with players?

    I have to admit, I not only really like the job Nolan has done with the defense this year, I loved his general public personna (especially the suit and tie stuff that the No Fun League disallowed) - shallow, yes, but, hey, I'm getting old. ;)
     
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  6. Deus ex dolphin

    Deus ex dolphin Well-Known Member

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    While I voted to keep Nolan, I'd love to know who he'd get at OC. How funny would it be if he hired McDaniels? If all parties could put egos aside, I'd have no problems with it. Being this would be Nolan's second go around at HC I'd expect him to have learned his lessons from San Fran and be much improved.
     
  7. vt_dolfan

    vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    Id make it worth his while to remain defensive co.....

    But Im still of the opinion that my only coaches I would can Tony for would be Jim Harbaugh or John Gruden.

    With my head coach....I want someone who can win a game with ingame decisions...

    I want a Bill Belichick type of HC brain...
     
    GMJohnson likes this.
  8. SeanP

    SeanP Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think there's got to be a way you keep both of them.

    But if you put a gun to my head and say "Pick Tony or Nolan" It's Nolan all day.
     
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  9. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

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    I don't even know how he was as a HC. I don't remember really.

    1. Were this teams prepared?
    2. Low penalty margin?
    3. Did well with the talent he had?
    4. In-game adjustments?
    5. Did his players respect him?

    Coaches certainly improve but I have no idea if Nolan is actually a better coach than Singletary or not. He might just be a great DC.
     
    padre31 likes this.
  10. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    The good news is that Nolan and any other coordinator will have a tough time landing a HC job this year. With the lockout looming, owners aren't going to want to risk firing a HC and hiring a replacement only to have them meet their new players for the first time 6 weeks before the regular season starts. It's a recipe for disaster. For that reason only, I'd prefer to keep Sparano. I also like how the team plays hard every week for him. The Jets supposedly would run through a wall for Rexy but they quit on Monday night, something Sparano's team has never had happen. If there were no lockout I'd rather have Nolan though. Sparano doesn't strike me as a guy who knows the nuts and bolts of offensive football or game management, and we are sorely in need of a offensive guru type who can whip this group into shape. If Henning is still here next year I'll be a Bucs fan.
     
  11. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I don't think under any circumstances you promote Nolan to Head Coach. Are you serious?
     
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  12. Rocky Raccoon

    Rocky Raccoon Greasepaint Ghost Staff Member

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    Yeah, I'm a big fan of both but if I had to choose it would be Nolan.

    I know Sparano has soured on some but I still think he's a heck of a coach and the players love to play for him. However, he needs to do his job in the offseason and make some changes in his offensive coaching staff.
     
  13. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    There have been just as many firings of coaching this year so far as there was all of last year.
     
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  14. Killerphins

    Killerphins The Finger

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    I have to agree. Nolan was an awful head coach in SF. The offense was dreadful. He went through 4 OC's and had an 18-37 record. The guy he hired took over personnel decisions and fired him. Mike is a great defensive mind but can't coach outside of that box. Reminds you a bit of Cam Cameron in that sense but Cam was a great offensive mind.
     
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  15. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    and I think you will see more too....
     
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  16. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I would never hire Mike Nolan as a HC.
     
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  17. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    I was the only one voted fire Nolan on this because I just dont believe he is that good of an HC, his SF teams were dreadful, and if they hire Nolan it is setting the team up failure, compound with a prolonged search for another coach, and keeping this team from where there need to be for even more years...

    I love him at DC...I even pay him more to stay...but not as HC
     
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  18. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I will join, Sparano has been a much better HC than Nolan.
     
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  19. ATLFINFAN

    ATLFINFAN Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I absolutely agree. Cam is the perfect equal to Nolan in this circumstance. Just because you can coach one side of the ball really well, DOES NOT make you a good HC. Nolan to head coach is a step back IMHO. As someone else said, I would make him an offer he couldn't refuse......to stay on as the DC.

    Wouldn't it be neat if we had Sparano as the HC........Nolan as the DC.......and Cam as the OC. Then we would only need a real QB. I'll take it. Now, I am sure we could all come up with other Head Coaches we would rather have if given the choice, but.........
     
  20. muscle979

    muscle979 Season Ticket Holder

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    Nolan was by no means good in San Francisco but he wasn't Cam Cameron bad.
     
  21. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I think if cam had three more years he could average six wins a year. Which would actually have made him better.
     
  22. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    Just what we need...another start over ?? Then bring in another guy who didn't quite make it as a HC somewhere else (see Wanny). No thanks...Sparano isn't done what he was brought here to do yet... It's all academic anyways until the CBA is resolved...there won't be changes here until then...
     
  23. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    why not? There have been three already. In fact I do not see why not having CBA would stop head coaches
     
  24. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    I'm guessing, with Ross' business sense, he'd not make a change with the labor unrest....I may be wrong, but I don't think he makes a move until the CBA issue is resolved...
     
  25. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    People blame Alex Smith in SF, the truth of the matter is Nolan's Defense was terrible, as in just garbage.

    People also forget that Nolan was run out of DC and went all the way down to Wr coach in Baltimore, I love the job he has done but will take Sparano 9 times out of 10 over DC Nolan. DC Nolan just does not have the personality to be a HC in College or probably the NFL.
     
  26. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    why not? It will be handled. If he was going to make a change it would be a good idea to get it done as soon as possible instead of waiting till the CBA is handled THEN making a choice. he would already be behind.
     
  27. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    Good point but its apples and oranges IMO. Frazier and Garrett have been been with their respective teams building rapport with the players for several years, and are top flight OC/DC to HC candidates in their own right. For a guy like Nolan, or any other coordinator who is looking for a HC job on a different team next year, it's going to be a tight squeeze. Sorry I didn't specify that part of it.
     
  28. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    Frazier and Garrett do not have the jobs yet.

    I do not think the CBA is going to have any effect on coach hiring or firings. In fact it could even have the opposite effect because with massive change you are going to want YOUR GUY to have as much time to prepare for the massive change. Waiting for the CBA would give other teams an advantage.
     
  29. RunRickyRun

    RunRickyRun New Member

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    Where's the option to fire Sparano and make the next coach keep Nolan?

    AKA, why not go all Nick Saban and overpay all our co-ordinators. Maybe give Nolan 1M less then the head coach.
     
  30. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...nsweblog+(Miami+Dolphins+|+Sun-Sentinel+Blogs

    Yes .I know its a college job but he will be sought after.
     
  31. Conuficus

    Conuficus Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Well away from here
    How many actually have? Seriously? How many NFL coaches can you remember that were that bad? Marinelli? Morniwegh? Ray Handley? Rich Kotite?
     
  32. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    Friend Da 'Fins:
    nothing succeeds like success
    the way you worded the poll, Nolan would be the obvious choice
    having said that
    I'd prefer to keep him @ Defensive Coordinator
    & find a more offensively oriented replacement for Sparano
    lot of good people potentially could hit the market in 2011
     
  33. SeanP

    SeanP Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    agree, he was awful in San Francisco, but the defense is the only thing clicking right now. I'd hate to go change anything with that equation so drastically, when that's really the only consistent thing we've been doing well all year. And to that regard I'd rather keep Nolan here to keep his defense hopefully similar if not the same, even it required the promotion.

    That may be giving Nolan too much credit for this defense, but the prospect of having a bad defense next year, unless we make large strides on offense will definitely give us a worse record.
     
  34. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    I think you're missing my point. The CBA is definitely going to impact hirings and firings. Lets say we fire Sparano after the Patriots game and we're looking to hire a Coordinator from one of the playoff teams, we'd have to wait until late January to even interview him. Then we hire him in mid February and the lockout begins in March. Our new coach will have ZERO opportunity to install his scheme, philosophy etc with the team until there is a CBA reached. That may be in April, or it may be August. If its the latter we'd be at a huge disadvantage vs teams who didn't change coaches/playbooks. How you can say it wouldn't have any effect? In order for Nolan to get a HC job on another team, that team's owner would have to run the risk described above. Its a pretty big gamble, IMO. Firing Phillips and Childress don't fit of course, they are both in house replacements who have frequently been floated as possible HC candidates even before this year so they there's not much additional risk there at all. But for teams who don't have in house replacements ready, they will be hesitant to make drastic changes IMO.
     
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  35. Garryowen

    Garryowen New Member

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    I'd keep Nolan as DC....It's where I think he's topped out as.

    I'd fire Henning.

    I'd leave Sparano in one more year. Official "hotseat" status.

    As soon as (if) we are out of the playoff hunt in November, he'd be gone.
     
  36. ATLFINFAN

    ATLFINFAN Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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  37. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    The coaches who took over have not been hired.

    Also you are forgetting the Broncos.
     
  38. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    True. Heard of the Peter Principle. Nolan already lived it, i.e. He was promoted one level beyond his expertise. Let's not make the same mistake.

    Simplest solution is to get a young aggressive offensive coordinator after we fire henning
     
  39. Garryowen

    Garryowen New Member

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    I have a great deal of respect for men that are good at what they do.

    -Nolan
    -Martz
    -Norv Turner
    -Chain Gailey

    All good men, excellent at thier craft.
    They just aren't good choices to get to the next level. It's not a down on them.

    Look at Longstreet, CSA.....Right there, it's a good example of a great man and a great
    leader simply out of his depth on the next level. You've GOT to take the promotion when it
    comes, but, at heart and ability level, you're the same guy.
     
  40. The G Man

    The G Man Git 'r doooonnne!!!

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    To those that say Nolan was awful in SF, therefore he would be awful as a HC again...I just don't follow that logic. That was then, this is now. Different organizations, different personnel, maybe he learned a thing or two for being fired??? Not saying I want him to be our HC and that I want Sparano fired, but the OP presents an interesting scenario.

    Bottom line, I hope Nolan does get another chance to be a HC somewhere. He's a class act and deserves another chance IMO. Whether that's in Miami or somewhere else. For now though, I just hopes he stays to help keep improving our D. Night and day difference between this year and last. Here again, personnel is part of that improvement too though.
     

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