Superbowl Coaches

In today's world of instant gratification in sports, there is no such thing as a franchise having loyalty to an NFL head coach.

This is highlighted by the stunning fact that there are only two active coaches in the NFL to win a superbowl--Bill Belichick and tom Coughlin.

In a sport where the coach is likely more important to the teams success than just about every player on the field outside of the quarterback, organizations seem to turn there back on their coaches quickly in hopes of finding a quick fix elsewhere.

Winning a superbowl with a franchise used to mean that you could then leave at your own discretion, i.e. Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, but after John Gruden and Mike Shanahan were released in recent weeks, that is not the case anymore.

Superbowl winning coaches last 22 years

Joe Gibbs - Retired Jan. 8 2008
Tom Flores - Left coaching in 1994
Bill Walsh - Left after Superbowl XXIII
George Seifert - Fired in 2001 from carolina after 1-15 record
Bill Parcells - Left cowboys, now in Miami head office
Jimmie Johnson - Resigned from Dolphins following fallout with Marino
Barry Switzer - Retired after 1997 season (70 years old)
Mike Holmgren - Left seahawks following 2008 season
Mike shanhan - Fired following 2008 season
Dick Vermeil - Left rams after superbowl, returned to Chiefs and retired after 2005 season
Brian Billick - Fired December 31, 2007 from ravens
Jon Gruden - Fired Jan. 16 2009 from Buccaneers
Bill Belichick - Still active coach of Patriots
Bill Cowher - Left Steelers after superbowl
Tony Dungy - Left Colts after 2008 season
Tom Coughlin - Still active coach of Giants

As you can see by this, it was not until Brian Billick was fired by the Ravens last year that a coach had been fired from the team he won the superbowl with, and its a trend that has been quickly followed twice more in the next 13 months, and one to keep an eye on in the future.

The Arizona Cardinals are in the Superbowl, and it's about time that we all showed Kurt Warner some love.

Warner is just the second quarterback in History to bring a second team to the big game. He has guided a team there past defenses that have known all they will do is throw the ball.

I was reading SI.com today, and there is an article comparing Kurt Warner and Peyton Manning.

Until Tom Brady's incredible season last year, Peyton Manning was widely regarded as the top passer in the NFL, while no one in recent years has ever given Warner--two time MVP Warner, a fair shake.

Warner is 8-2 in post-season play, and has a passer rating higher in the post season than in the regular season. Manning has a passer rating more than ten points worse in the post season than in the regular season.

An excerpt from the article.

"Manning has played his worst statistical game of the year in the playoffs in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006 (as measured by passer rating). Three times in 15 playoff games Manning has posted a passer rating of less than 40 (compared with just twice in 176 regular season games)."

So maybe we haven't given Kurt his dues in years past, and I for one will be cheering for him to win a second ring come Feb. 1, and with two rings, (including beating 2 of the top 3 defenses in this post season) the public will have to give him his well deserved dues.

Are You Kidding me?! Swirsky Back in T.O. Tonight

Tonight marks a special night at the Air Canada Centre.

Long-time voice of the Toronto Raptors, Chuck Swirsky, returns to Toronto tonight as the radio voice for the Chicago Bulls.

Chuck was an entrepreneur type broadcaster in Toronto sports. He arrived in 1998-99 to a hockey crazed city to do radio for the lowly Toronto Raptors. Another face of a kid from North Carolina also showed up that year, and with Vince Carter's play, and Chuck's exuberant calls of "Vincent Lamar Carter", or "Air Canada Carter", the Raptors were put on the NBA map, and more importantly, onto the Toronto Sports fans radar.

Chuck excelled so much in the Radio role that he was promoted to television play by play not long after.

Through inspired calls like "Onions, baby Onions!", and "that was sick, wicked and nasty," we watched for years as the Raptors worked under Vince. Chuck was the eternal optimist and always gave Raptors fans a positive look at what was going on in Raptorland.

And what long-time raptor fan didn't yell out "Raptors win, Raptors win, Raptors win" after the season opener this year?

Other than his calls of the game, some of chucks finest work came on "The Chuck Swirsky Show" on the fan 590. Nothing was nicer to here on an afternoon drive home from school than Chuck's classic "It's always great talking sports in the great, and I mean GREAT city of Toronto." And who didn't laugh when chuck talked about "having the big one."

Other lines that we in Toronto will miss will be ones like "Ring it up from downtown" "Just ate some Spalding" "nothing but Nylon" "Oh My Bosh!" and whoever "is showing a little something something"

I know Chuck didn't want to leave the city, especially a short time after he received his Canadian citizenship, but we wish him the best in his future endeavors in Chicago.

I will be attending the game tonight, and am truly hoping for a tribute and a much-deserved standing O.

Well Chuck,
I for one will finish off my dinner tonite with a Large DQ blizzard for the man who brought to the forefront of Toronto Sports.
You are truly "a class act".