Cowher
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The big story around DC, in the wake of Joe Gibbs’ retirement, has been the search for a new Redskins coach. People are mentioning Russ Grimm and Jason Garrett, but the name that’s getting the biggest play is Bill Cowher. There were three subway workers sitting behind me on a bench today, and they were discussing just how much they want Cowher as the new Skins coach.
Though Bill’s denying that he’ll come back in 2008, I don’t doubt that Dan Snyder is crazy enough to throw around the type of money that will make Cowher say, “You know, I’ll look like I’m completely going back on my word, but for $15 million per season, I’ll be happy to flash my new choppers around Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. Not to mention I get to coach Antwaan Randle El again, and enjoy the hilarity that is Clinton Portis.”
Should the Redskins ever play in Pittsburgh with Cowher as the Skins coach, there’s no question that Cowher will be booed unmercifully and at maximum volume. “But the guy gave them a Super Bowl victory and 21 playoff games in 15 years,” you say. Yes, but remember you’re talking about the “What have you done for me lately?” sports capital of the greater Rust Belt region. Once-popular-Steeler (and airplane homie of mine) Joey Porter was roundly booed this year, and he didn’t even leave the team of his own accord.
My question is for the non-Pittsburgh fans out there: is this unique to Pittsburgh, or would your fans boo a returning coach in a new uniform as well, even if the coach had won you a Super Bowl? Let’s say Brian Billick becomes the Bengals’ new coach: do the Baltimore fans boo and/or stab him?
On second thought, they’d clearly stab him, since they were glad to see him go and stabbing is what Ravens do. But you get the point.
RFK?
Oops, my mistake. Fixed now.
Mike Ditka never got booed at Soldier Field, and probably never will be. When he came back as the Saints coach, he was still Da Coach. I don’t think Phil Jax ever has been booed as the coach of the Lakers.
Maybe the sports teams in Chicago are so bad that we hang on to success too long, but it seems to me that you only get booed in the Chi if you got booed when you were here. Wait until Dusty Baker comes back!
Cleveland fans booed Jim Thome, which is undefendable. Once again we see that Cleveland and Pittsburgh are the same city.
Re: Ravens fans
Yeah- most fans would roundly boo him.
On the other hand, I think a lot of fans wish him well. He had played himself out here, but his managament was a big part of the Ravens Super Bowl win.
Then again, we have a lot of fans that would boo kids with cancer if they had on a Steelers jersey. We’re kind of like Philly or Jets fans that way.