I agree he handled it like a boss. I think it could of been handled with a little more compassion, and like you said less robotic. I mean, I don't even think CJ realized he was cut until later on.

The finger tapping had me believing he was almost disgusted with CJ and wanted his *** gone and out of his office asap.

 

very professional: covered his bases, succinct

 

How difficult is it to have those conversations in public let alone in front of how many viewers? I've had those conversations before myself and being straight with someone while trying to...ease... the letdown is difficult to navigate. I can't imagine doing it in front of cameras.

 

wish he would've pulled out his plasma rifle and dematerialized him.

 

He did what he felt he had to do,in a perfect world he wouldn't have wasted his time with Chad.

 

Honestly though what do you really say back? "Well Chad I wish that you didn't beat your wife we really could have used you this year?"

Nothing you can say is going to sound like the right thing.

 

Funny I came away with the exact opposite feeling. Before they bring in CJ, Weinstein says to Philbin "I just got a call from him, and he is choked up. His voice is cracking. He thinks you're gonna cut him" When CJ walks in he looks and acts like a deadman walking so I think it was pretty apparent that CJ thought he was getting cut. I also took the finger tapping as Philbin weighing the decision one last time before actually parting ways, afterall CJ did show remorse and say all the right things.

 

Philbin has a very monotonous even keel persona... just the way he is, he will never get too loud, too high, too low, too emotional, too rah rah, etc, and i think i like that out of my coach... you could almost see that when he was talking about his son in the beginning, until he almost choked up, it didn't even seem like he had a touch of emotion talking about it, but of course it did, its just the way he controls himself at all times and comes off again with that even keel...

but regardless i think he handled it fine, those situations are never fun, ive had to fire many people and they are always awkward and uncomfortable, can't imagine doing it with a camera in the room and when you have a situation that arose like 85 did to lead to the firing...

 

this isn't pointed at you, but unless you've gone through the scenario where you have had to fire or layoff people you work for, you don't realize that it's never not awkward conversation. especially for someone who is working hard. Philbin isn't a hardass like Harbaugh, I'm okay with that.

 

as for the poll... i think i'll say, there is no way to "perfectly" handle a firing/cutting... especially with an employee who is trying to state his case a little bit like Chad did...

in those cases you aren't going to be like, "I don't care, get out!!!", but how Philbin did it, "we appreciate what you've done here, thank you for your hard work, but this is just not gonna work out", etc...

again I think most people who have to hire and fire people a lot might understand more than the rest... its easy to be critical of those situations from the outside because they are almost ALWAYS uncomfortable...

 

First-time head coach making his first real cut on national television... and we're criticizing his demeanor? Really?

 

anyone who's ever fired someone or been fired knows that it's always awkward and uncomfortable.. plus this was in front of cameras.. i think he handled it ok. i felt a bit sorry for chad in the end though, even though i wanted him cut

 

This is my line of thinking too, that there's really no way of handling this kind of thing perfectly. I thought he did an overall good job of handling a very difficult and unpleasant situation.

 

I'd like to know what world the 10 people who said he handled it "perfectly" live in. I thought he did as good a job as could be expected given the circumstances, but perfectly? In what world of communication was that a perfect delivery?

This isn't to trash Philbin at all. I think he's becoming more comfortable in front of the camera with each passing day. But that was by no means perfect. And I don't really think there are any head coaches out there that can handle that situation perfectly.

Edit: since I took a half hour break while posting this, I see someone already made the same point. Oh well.

 

Not easy to take away someones profession. Even harder to do it on national tv, as a first year head coach.

 

Seemed to drag it out a little too much. I wouldn't have spent more than 30 seconds on it.

 

I think it was acceptable/good, I just didn't like the fingers thing, it was like... I don't know, "just let's end this", while the other person was talking.... I understand it is a stupid/minor thing, but it kinda annoyed me (If someone did that while I am talking I think it would disturb me).... I say this, just because we are (over? LOL) analyzing this episode.

 

Not every cut can be like the Carlos Pena trade in Moneyball.

 

:lol:

 

It looked to me Philbin didn't respect the way Chad Johnson decided to resume his career after the patriots..he took the low road in terms of his conduct and humility..bad move Chad..

I bet if he gets another chance he isn't gonna be crowing that he's back and that he's gonna talk the way he wants, and all that other BS that he thinks has to be a part of his game to play well..

 

Bingo...To anyone tearing down the way he handled this...I would sure like to see how you would handle it with America's eyes all over you critiquing your every word, body language, and facial expressions. I've had to give a few people the axe at work or send them on their way to someone higher up that was going to do the same. It's not easy gents.

 

Philbin did a very good job.

 

i'll say it again, he fired a guy in such a way there was no arguing, no real pleading. The reasons for being fired were explained and the end the fired person said thank you and shook his hand.

I would venture to say Philbin did the talk exactly right.

 

Yeah, he got into this whole spiel about not being a good mesh and all that nonsense. Just tell Johnson he's not Miami Dolphin-material and be done with it.

 

To me it just shows he is a no bull**** sort of coach, he's not a screamer he just demands and expects and if you don't live up to that he will dispose of you.

Which is far more intimidating then a screamer imo.

 

The main thing evident to me in this whole situtation is this:

1) Joe Philbin had a talk with Chad Johnson when they signed him and laid out exactly what their expectations were for him in terms of his behavior.

2) When Chad Johnson's behavior deviated from those expectations (i.e, the press conference), Joe Philbin pulled him aside and warned him, while reminding him about what those expectations were.

3) When Chad Johnson's behavior continued to deviate from those expectations, there was nothing left to do but to illustrate to Chad Johnson how he's been given every chance to live up to what they expect from him, but hasn't.

That was all the "cut" conversation needed to consist of, and that's all it did. Nothing more to say. Anything more and it would imply that Joe Philbin or some other part of the Dolphins organization is somehow at least party responsible for Chad Johnson's behavior, and that just isn't the case.

If I'm another player on the team, from watching that I get the message that I need to be responsible for myself and my professionalism, and if I am I'm good to go. If I'm not, I'm going to get warned about it, and then it's the highway.

And that's how it should be IMO.

 

I don't see any real difference between Joe Philbin and Bill Belichick in terms of emotion. In fact I might say Joe Philbin is a more emotional person on the inside than Bill Belichick.

The critical difference between Belichick and other coaches is that his players buy into his system, they believe he's doing his job and coaching them very well, and they believe he's pulling his weight on his end as far as putting them in position to win.

That leaves only the critical ingredient of player leadership to do the rallying and motivation, which the Patriots have had in Tom Brady and Tedy Bruschi over the years. Vince Wilfork is now one of those leaders as well.

If Joe Philbin coaches a team that believes he's doing his job well and putting them in position to win, which I suspect his intelligence will, I don't see any reason why his team can't do as well as the Patriots if he can obtain those kinds of leaders and have that kind of established winning culture long-term.

I guess what I'm saying is that the head coach's outward emotionality is pretty far down the list of necessary ingredients for a winning team in the NFL IMO.

In fact I think outward emotionality has a potential to get in the way of the establishment of leaders among the players, which I think is the real ingredient of winning.

Philbin just needs to do his job well enough to have his players buy into his system and believe in what they're doing for him, and then the leadership among the players will do the rest.

 

He did a very good job especially given the circumstance of being filmed. If there is any negative it would be that he spoke a little too long and there was too much conversation between the 2 of them. There is nothing less pleasing than releasing someone even if it is deserved. I can't imagine having a camera on me while doing it.

When releasing someone from service you want to keep the meeting to the point and not start conversation. If they try to ask questions you refer to prior write ups or agreements. Anything more than that you start a dialog that you don't want.

 

This is likely the first such conversation he's ever been forced to have like this, and I thought he did OK for a first time.

 

I voted C.

I give him props for doing it face-to-face, and not over the phone or letting Ireland do it. That takes guts, and anyone who's ever had to fire someone knows how difficult it is.

That being said, man, that was difficult to watch. The tapping of his fingers on the chair, taking 3 minutes to get to his point; it wasn't an ideal way to let someone go. I understand that maybe he was trying to be empathetic and talk to Chad on a personal level. Unfortunately, it came off as indecisiveness. Many have said it looked like someone trying to break up and doing a horrible job, and I agree. Had to be done though.

Also, props to the Dolphins for letting NFL Films and HBO use it. After the last few years, did anyone EVER think they'd let something like this be shown?

 

It's and uncomforable conversation to have off the camera. On it I couldn't even begin to imagine how hard it is for both parties involved. With that said I think he did about as good a job as could be expected under the circumstances.

 

I don't see the*indecisive part.

He wanted to fire him and he did. That's decisive. 3 minutes is not a long time to have a conversation where you fire someone.

 

Well, while they knew the camera was there, it's not like there's a camera guy standing two feet away with a boom mic right in your face.