Fall From Grace
Posted: February 12th, 2014 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 89 Comments »There was a time when Joe Banner was one of the most powerful men in the NFL. He came to the Eagles when Jeff Lurie bought the team back in 1994. Banner was an outsider that many thought would prove to be a failure, but he used brains and good business acumen to carve out a key role on one of the best teams in the league.
The story is something straight out of the movies. The underdog that no one takes seriously proves to be brilliant and adept in his field. He figures out ways to be unconventional, but successful. People start to acknowledge the success and then steal his ideas. And then hubris sets in. The guy who worked so hard to make himself into something starts burning bridges and at some point finds himself left high and dry.
That’s Joe Banner from 1994-2014.
He had one heck of a run with the Eagles. Banner helped hire a pair of coaches (Rhodes, Reid) who would each win NFL Coach of the Year honors. He helped to get Lincoln Financial Field built. He had a big hand in getting the NovaCare Complex built.
Banner is best known as one of the greatest capologists of all time. He came up with different tricks and ways to exploit the salary cap situation in the Eagles favor. Almost every year, they had the freedom to sign anyone they wanted.
Part of that was due to Banner’s belief in avoiding older players and focusing on young guys. Reid happened to believe in the same thing and those two worked very well together for many years. It wasn’t until the end of the Reid era that the relationship became seriously strained. Trying to explain exactly what happened is tricky since there is a lot of speculation involved.
It seems that Banner saw himself losing his power and he then tried to do some things to re-assert himself within the organization. That obviously resulted in a power struggle that Reid and Howie Roseman won.
No relationship is perfect, but it is my understanding that Reid, Banner and Tom Heckert got along well for the most part. Then Heckert left to go be a GM on his own. Roseman filled that void and he got along well with Reid and Banner. For whatever reason, Banner started to feel he was being marginalized. Maybe, in a highly ironic twist, he fell prey to his own business model…where the younger person is the one the organization focuses on and the older guy gets pushed to the side.
Banner went to Cleveland to try for Eagles, Pt. 2. How bad was that? You can’t even call it a failure. The grade is incomplete. Banner didn’t have enough time to get the project going. He made a horrible decision in hiring Mike Lombardi to be his GM. This really felt like Banner brought aboard a sycophant. That’s a sure way to fail in the NFL. You must have strong, independent people working for you. Hiring “yes guys” will result in bad decisions.
Banner then made a questionable coaching hire when he went for Rob Chudzinski. I heard the rumor that other teams didn’t hire Chud previously is that they doubted his ability to lead a team. There is no question that he can be a good coordinator, but that is far different than being the leader of 53 men and a billion dollar organization.
Banner and owner Jimmy Haslam decided to fire Chudzinski after the disappointing season. Haslam decided that wasn’t enough and pushed out Banner and Lombardi on Tuesday.
How the mighty have fallen.
I was shocked when Banner was pushed out of the Eagles, but figured that he would rebound well. Smart people can usually figure out where things went wrong and make adjustments. You see how Andy Reid did with the Chiefs this year. Banner apparently fell victim to his hubris and didn’t learn.
Relationships are a huge part of success for executives in the NFL. Banner was very close with Lurie. He worked well with Reid, then Heckert and Roseman. That isn’t to say the guys were all BFFs, but they functioned well together. There was some kind of trust there and a unified idea of how to run an organization. Everyone was on the same page.
Banner couldn’t replicate that in Cleveland. Lombardi had no business being a GM. Hell, he didn’t deserve his job as an NFL Network analyst and writer. Then hiring Chud didn’t make matters any better. You had a brilliant capologist, idiot GM and awkward coach trying to fix the Cleveland Browns, a team that hadn’t won more than 5 games in a year since 2008 and hasn’t had consecutive winning seasons since the 1980s.
Sadly, this may be the end for Banner. He’s burned a few bridges and his lack of any success in Cleveland may ruin any chance of getting another opportunity.
* * * * *
Browns writer Terry Pluto wrote about Banner hiring Lombardi.
Mike Sielski wrote a good piece for the Inquirer on Banner. Sometimes being the smartest guy in the room can be tough. Of course, Jimmy Bama will never know.
* * * * *
I wrote about Ray Rhodes and his good hires. He’s got a coaching tree and a GM tree now.
_
Banner had a rough go in Cleveland with stupid decisions. There was no reason to fire Shurmur / Heckert as that group had Cleveland playing competitive football week in and week out and were poised to keep improving. The hire of Choad was a total joke. Considering his biggest NFL “accomplishment” was Scam Newton’s “development” in Carolina. Hiring Lombardi was also horrific. The second that move happened Cleveland sportswriters started tweeting out all of Lombardi’s draft “decisions” in the 90s with the Browns; they weren’t good.
But Ray Farmer isn’t in good spot if Haslem is already fixated on Manziel.
I feel bad for Cleveland fans, but at least they’ll always have Major League.
I kind of feel bad for this guy
http://multimedia.msn.com/comedy/production/asset/218-1345655033.jpg
Perhaps a Dogg relative? But I kid, I kid. I feel sorry for him for several reasons, although one should note that he appears to be on the sideline.
“Sometimes being the smartest guy in the room can be tough. Of course, Jimmy Bama will never know.”
bahahaha
lol’d at that myself
When the hell is Jimmy Haslam going to prison? Isn’t he like a dead man walking basically?
This fuel rebate thing is pretty complicated stuff, which probably means the guys on top will escape with little to no jail time because they’ve got plenty of layers between themselves and the fall guys.
Unless you mean going to prison for his track recorded owning the Browns. LOL.
Ah, I was under the impression that he was in serious trouble.
All this chaos and toxicity in the organization….
And yet,
5 All Pros, including some really good young talent in Joe Haden, Josh Gordon and Alex Mack (if they can resign him)….
…As well as some other good young talent like Jordan Cameron, Bakevious Mingo, TJ Ward (if they can resign him).
…..$45 million of Cap Space…AND
(2) 1st round picks
(1) 2nd round pick
(2) 3rd round picks
(2) 4th round picks
(1) 5th through 7th round picks each
They’re in as good position to be competitive in the next 3 years as anyone, assuming they can get a QB.
The whole thing is amazing.
Speaking of all those picks, I wonder if we can convince the Browns to trade their late 3rd or early 4th for Bryce Brown. They need a RB. Though my understanding is the draft is pretty deep for RBs this year, so maybe they’d rather just draft one.
Not a terrible idea. Wouldn’t mind getting De’Anthony Thomas with a pick and making the top 3 RBs: McCoy, Thomas, Polk.
I like DAT in the 4th or later. I’m worried he’s more LaMichael James / Kenjon Barner than Tavon Austin.
My RB crush is Isaiah Crowell. Major character concerns, but he’s crazy explosive, and a true RB.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSjr0Ldo5XU
I’d rather have Dri Archer.
Man, if not for character he looks like a first round pick. How bad?
I highly doubt anyone would trade that for Bryce Brown. I know he’s got low mileage and has flashed at times but you would also have only two years of him being cost controlled vs 4 with a rookie. I suspect they would rather draft a couple of guys than trade a mid round pick for Brown.
Yeah, I agree….
RB has to be one of the strangest positions, from a career length / value / earnings potential standpoint, in all of sports. I feel like they should have their own union & CBA.
Just have a universal performance bonus benchmarks. Like 2 mil for 1000 yards no matter if your a rookie or a 28 year old superstar.
Also, this is a pretty good read on how dysfunctional the organization is:
http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-browns/post/_/id/4014/factors-that-led-to-front-office-streamlining
When you look at what Banner left behind for the Browns, it’s clear he’ll get another NFL job. He needs to learn humility and to find a team where the power structure keeps him from showcasing his abrasive personality.
His abrasive personality is just no longer a fit in today’s NFL. The only way he’ll succeed again in the NFL is if he learns to understand that respect is mutual and humbles himself to accept a role that doesn’t allow for too much control.
Today’s NFL: win uber alles
Trent Richardson for a number 1 – we’ll see Banner again.
Yeah it’s really surprising. They should be crazy awesome, but that FO is crazy. Pettine has a huge job in front of him.
Well the first rounder for Richardson shows more that Grigson is pretty overrated as a GM then it shows anything of Banner or Lombardi. Mingo is the only player that you named that was brought in while Banner/Lombardi were in charge and he’s not even a starter there. Color me unimpressed.
I hate Banner.He couldn’t have traded us Josh Gordon and Mingo before he got fired? Talk about amateur pfffffft
Hypothetically, I wonder what would happen if Banner did something like that, trading away two great players to the Eagles for what would most likely be seen as a bad deal, the proceeded to get a job in the organization. Does the league have some way of veto-ing it, or some anti-collusion clause?
I dunno about rules, but I bet the shitstorm would be truly spectacular. I doubt the central league office wouldn’t find a way to reverse the transaction and/or punish the receiving team. And every other team would probably refuse to deal with them too.
I always liked Sam Lynch’s take from 2012 on Banner’s time here and what led to his departure.
http://igglesblitz.com/2012/06/it-was-time/
For whatever reason he just couldn’t help himself from dabbling in personnel evaluation even though he wasn’t very good at it. Seems like thats why he hired Lombardi to be a yes man for him. Lombardi just wasn’t qualified at all after being out of football so long and his terrible draft history when he was head of personnel.
Think you can trace his downfall with the browns all the way back to chip. Both browns and eagles had him as their #1 but for whatever reason banner was allllll in on chip and didn’t have a plan B in case someone else got him. He even camped out in arizona a couple days before the fiesta bowl just to make sure they interviewed chip first. Like it never occurred to him that Chip could say no to their offer and hence the panic Chud hire when Banner couldn’t seal the deal after the fiesta bowl.
Spot on!
I miss Sam.
True – Where is he now? He was one of the most knowledgeable person out there, precise in his writing, and humble too.
Tommy, that shot at JimmyK was classic!
You would have to ask Tommy, there was never any kind of announcement. Even when the blog first started Sam would only post sporadically. He was incredibly busy with other parts of his life, and kind of just slowly stopped posting. I don’t think he’s written an article since his take on Banner a couple years ago and I dont think I’ve seen him in the comment section since last offseason. He used to make a guest apperance in the comment section every few months.
Actually, Gimpy and Matt Alkire haven’t posted on Scoutsnotebook in a while either…. Somebody tell Jimmy Bama he needs to go into hiding.
If DJax’s deal being done so late was because of Banner, then I *truly* hate him. As bad as the whole Dream Team moniker was, 2011 was our year to make noise, and among all the other disasters, DJax making “business decisions” all over the place was a major impediment. Several games where just one all out DJax might have meant we’d sneak into the playoffs as one of the more feared teams that year.
Just a fascinating read, I can’t believe I missed it.
Good take on a great take by Sam.
As for Banner’s next move, I hear PricewaterhouseCoopers is hiring!
Rotoworld reported that when banner and Lombardi were fired some GMs said they are now open to doing business with the brown again..implying that they refused to talk deals with the Browns while Lombardi and banner were in charge…also heard owner said that Banner and Lombardi were the reason no one wanted to coach the browns…would love to see a video of the Chip/banner meeting lol….
…
Curious to what this means for the Browns players. Ray farmer is now in charge and he is a former safety, so I don’t he will be undervaluing TJ Ward. However they are said to be in talks with extending Joe Haden making him the highest paid CB in NFL history, because they don’t want Haden going into his last season without a contract…well that makes me question why Ward wasn’t extended that same Courtesy? How could they even let it get to this point with Ward. You draft and develop a player who becomes elite in his position, now entering his prime and we are a month away from him having the power to leave you to sign wherever he choses? The fact that it even got to this point with Ward makes me believe they ATleast entertained the thought of letting him walk and replacing him with a rookie. Even with the firing of Banner I find it kind of hard to believe that the Browns will field a secondary with the highest paid CB AND one of the highest paid safeties. Browns also have an Elite young center entering FA. Unfortunately for Eagles fans, Centers count like Offensive Tackles when it comes to the franchise Tag, so for the Browns to use the tag on Alex Mack they would have to pay him the average of the 5 highest paid LT, you simply can’t Can’t pay that for a center.
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Tagging Ward costs a I little over 8mil. One player who has to be thrilled with banner being fired is da”Qwell Jackson. You know there is NO chance banner would have let him keep that contract counting almost 10mil against this years Cap. Thats a lot of money to be paying an ILB. Haden will be a highest paid CB,Paul Kruger just signed for 40million, Phil Taylor is a NT who isn’t exactly cheap and had his snaps slashed to like 550 this past year, NT are being phased out…can they really afford to also add one of the highest paid safeties to that defensive payroll? They just drafted Mingo, who I’m sure they would I like to see something from in his sophmore season. They will want him across from Kruger. problem is they have Shabaal Sheard playing in that spot, who also makes some good money.
..
I thought we should try to trade for Sheard last year to be our OLB, with
Banner gone, I hope we pick up the phone and ask about him..Billy Davis knows his game
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Very interesting to see what happens with the browns roster this offseason and see if we can poach a few defenders now that banner isn’t guarding them like a jealous ex girlfriend.
But remember things were said about Howie Roseman not being able to do business with other GMs and coaches too.
Well,Rotoworld claimed to have a source that basically implied they wouldn’t do business with the last browns regime, and are now open to it again since Lombardi and banner were gone???what you heard about Howie was just spiteful banner telling laconfoa BS…but who knows..
Ray Farmer was an OLB.
He was an LB for the eagles, but didn’t he play safety at Duke?
Hey Tommy,
I hope you are doing well during this winter storm.
Banner just seemed like an ass at times regarding player relations with the Eagles… and has the face to back that up.
Read a little about what it takes to succeed, oftentimes, and you know that the very things that made people successful, usually are the things that take them down…
try: http://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2014/02/how-to-succeed.html
For example, Banner didn’t make a mistake by hiring Lombardi. Banner made a mistake by not letting *Haslam* hire, or think he hires, Lombardi. Simply because there’s nobody else to shift blame to when one over-confident bastard hires another over-confident bastard. Of course, said over-confident bastard made the hiring decision because, you know, he’s da MAN! That’s how he got places! Then again, look at the people he supplanted. An organization run by the likes of Rich Kotite. All he ever had to be was a fresh face, a bit more competent than the next dude, and luckily be in a franchise with reasonably good coaches and management structure (unlike, say, Shanahan or Gruden working for Al Davis), where there’s plenty of good work to take credit for…
Glad you didn’t hold back about Lombardi, Tommy. The guy’s a complete stooge.
Instead of drFting a developmental QB late like taj Boyd, wondering if Chip want to trade our second 5th for Terrell Pryor?
Pryor is SO raw it’s unclear if he’d be serviceable before his rookie deal was up.
Can we go with neither?
Mike, you know I have no interest in any QB who’s strengths aren’t throwing the ball accurately and FBI. I despise these “athlete” QBs. Not to mention I’d rather wait til next year to spend a pick on our developmental guy….but if Chip is intent on drafting a raw kid to groom and try to flip for more picks, then I would rather it be Pryor then a taj Boyd or Logan Thomas type…
…
If it’s true that we can’t add any top FA, then draft picks become like gold to me, and we have so many depth positions to fill, that I’m really hoping we don’t add any QBs this offseason. I think it can,wait a year….but if the reports are true and Pryor eventually gets trade for a late pick, I could see how it might appeal to our leader of the big people who beat u little people. Let’s hope not Bud
Thought that might be hope with Pryor but he holds on to the ball longer than Vick….Prone to redzone TOs….Talent is there but I just don’t see any consistency whatsoever. Plus he needs a running game more than any QB or he will be exposed.
The whole Browns front office was sleazy. Haslam has been under investigation for fraud. Lombardi sounds like a total jerk, to put it mildly. Banner sounds like he became a power hungry egomaniac, who wanted to become a player personnel guy when he should strictly be a cap guy. Haslam didn’t like being outdone by those two so he decided to show everyone who was boss. Mike Pettine is finding out what he just got himself into the hard way. I’d be very worried for Manziel if he is drafted by the Browns, as it seems they intend to do. He doesn’t have the maturity to mesh well with such a dysfunctional and egomaniacal group of superiors. I’d even consider pulling a J.D. Drew on the Browns to avoid that mess if I was drafted by them.
This “Three Stooges” press conference is hilarious, especially now that Banner is gone. This was shortly after Chud was fired. I wonder if Haslam was thinking, “You know, this guy is right. I’m firing Banner and Lombardi ASAP.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_mRefbHy1M
Truly a shame b/c that’s probably the best coaching job you could get (combination of talent, draft picks and cap space). But b/c of the FO it’s a job no one wants.
You do get a lot of money from simply getting the contract which is nice, but you’re going to get fired in 1-2 years and blackballed for the rest of your career after that (Bill Belichick being the exception to that, but it sure didn’t hurt that he was so close to Parcells to remain relevant in coaching circles). I don’t know if Mangini, Shurmur, or Chud will ever get another head coaching chance.
A week and a half till the combine starts.
Going crazy with anticipation. Dying to see Kony Ealy in 3cone and some agility drills..
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Very curious to see how Attaboy,Marcus Smith(who I love for the eagles), Dee ford measure in….I’m hoping none have a crazy combines that solidify them as first round picks…getting ford or Marcus in round two would he a dream scenario
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And the WR are fascinating. such a deep talented crop. Every year we find out there are guys who arent as fast as we thought, and give versa. So curious to see which WR separate themselves from such a quality pack..
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Anyone know if Colt Lyeria is running at the combine? I know he is a wacko, but a Ertz/Lyeria tandem would be a very bright and scary future
Agreed, Dee Ford could see his stock rise if he posts some good numbers. I’d be shocked if he’s on the board at pick 54. I like Smith for the Eagles also if we miss on Ford.
Colt Lyerla has been invited to the combine; he would be a great late round/UDFA pick up. Chip should know better than anyone if his character concerns affect his pro prospects or not.
Saw Marcus Smith and liked him better than Attaochu. Still hoping for that Barr drop though! I would really enjoy Smith in the second. I think one receiver that no one is talking about right now is Martavius Bryant out of Clemson. Should see his draft stock jump a bit after the combine.
IMO, Smith is the most agile/fluid of the 3. Attaochu could be the strongest. Ford would be the most explosive. I could be wrong on all of this though.
I’m keeping an eye out on my mancrush Jarvis Landry’s 40 time. Daniel Jeremiah just dubbed him the second coming of Boldin. Who doesn’t want that?
Mike Evans + Kelvin Benjamin finally get to show their deep speed if they have any.
Dri Archer vs DAT at the 40 yard dash will be fun to watch. My money is on Dri though.
I can go on and on but I’ll save that for another time.
This piece could be titled: “Nickel’s in a Pickle”.
Everybody be safe and get thru this storm…it’s getting wild out there
Crashed my future father n’ law’s 4wd I was using to get to work! Luckily a dude stopped and helped me use a tow strap to pull the bumper off the tire. Should of taken the damn hotel they offered yesterday. I’m such an ass!
Luckily I had a new post on good ole IB to get me back in game mode for the day.
Is he still your future father in law?
Surprisingly took it really well. If I hadn’t gotten it back on the road he was going to make me use a different 4×4 he had instead of driving my 2wd.
I’m a lucky dude heh….well I guess it depends on how you look at it.
As brutal as the Browns organization has been — they’re still not dumb enough to hire McDaniels. That makes the Browns organization a half wit. 🙂
McDaniels actually withdrew him self
Not behind the scenes according to PFT
I will forever remember Banner as the guy who let Dawk walk instead of having him in Mid-night green for his entire career over a couple mills.
We could have won the Super Bowl in ’09 with Dawk in the secondary.
I’m just glad we have Howie running the show.
Super Bowl is on its way to Philly.
Over a couple of mills? The Broncos made him the highest paid safety at the age 34.
Also Dawkins couldnt cover deep anymore as he was often just a pseudo LB.
pseudo LB is better than the Safeties Eagles have tried and failed…
Also, Dawk would have absolutely given a hometown discount. Eagles failed to even meet him anywhere close to halfway.
Absolutely disgraceful work by Eagles management.
Not how you treat possibly your only Hall of Fame player during that stretch.
true, but you do not give a 34 year old safety who cant cover anymore a 5 year deal
Theres exceptions to every rule.
Dawk was one.
Not to mention he would have retired before the deal was over anyways.
The bottom line isn’t that they didn’t resign him. Its THE FACT that Banner hard balled him and refused to pay even a dollar more than what was already offered. It’s not even about the money, it was a disrespectful act by management.
“Dawkins signed a five-year, $17 million contract. The contract included $7.2 million guaranteed and a termination clause that permitted Dawkins to opt out of the contract after two years and receive an extra $1.8 million, virtually making the contract for two years and $9 million.”
Eagles easily could have paid that. But their EGO (Banner) would not budge. So the Eagles payed the price (Macho Harris, Quentin Demps, Jaiquan Jarret, Kurt Coleman, David Sims, Sean Jones, Jarrad Page, and the failure that tackles his own teammates Pat Chung).
Yeah I guess you don’t pay 34 year old safeties who can’t cover anymore a 5 year deal…………
This argument is already over. Roseman already came out and admitted that mistake. It was a huge mistake stemming from Banner.
BTW Dawk was a pro bowler and all pro in 2009. Just the year we BADLY needed even COMPETENT safety play.
He provided much more than solid play on the field. He was the leader on the defense.
Eagles defensive units have not been the same since he left. No one scares opponents on the current Defense. No one.
He brought intimidation. He brought fear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHHgc3xfKbs“
the Eagles offered 1 year 2 million, so there is a long way to 2 years and 9 million.
Fact is Dawkins took the most money, Banner hard balled him because he was 34 years old.
It is the same reason we are talking about cutting Ryans pay, he is not worth big money despite his leadership
You’re right. why pay for proven leadership and (still) solid play when we can get Nnamdi and Babin…
100% agree.
P.S thats chump change in the NFL. Please.
Fact of the matter is Eagles wanted to show that they were smart. That Dawkins couldn’t play anymore and that they could find a replacement.
Jokes on them. Dawkins still played well for 1-2 years. And Eagles have still not found a replacement.
The Ravens won a super bowl paying Ray Lewis at his advanced age when he could no longer cover too. Your rationalizations are weak. Dawkins was far and away better than anything the Eagles put on the field in 09 and 10 and well worth 4mil per year. We pay almost that much to Avant.
and the Ravens could have replaced with an average MLB and he would have been better than Lewis.
We cant fault the FO for not knowing that every single safety we brought in would be so terrible.
Dawkins’ “inability” to cover was and is way over blown! He could no longer match up one-on-one with the other teams starting WR like he could in his prime, which made him about as good at covering WRs as most safeties. He was still a beast in Denver for 2 more years.
Correct Anders– while we needed Dawk, our $2.5 million per year offer was rejected by Dawkins himself. He chose to leave, and we chose to not up the offer.
Both sides could have compromised
yea, Dawkins took the money.
Dawkins was DONE and had half a really good year in Denver because he got hurt was wasn’t much of a factor especially down the stretch.
Dawkins Pro-Bowl nod in ’11 is was a horrendous selection and not remotely based on what Dawkins did on the field that year too.
Dawkins did more in that half a year than any Eagles safety has done since. How sad. How pathetic.
[…] I wrote about the fall of Joe Banner on Iggles Blitz. […]
Re: Banner’s Shotgun Divorce in Cleveland
Like any divorce, high profile or in your own neighborhood, no one but the ex-spouses really knows where things went wrong.
It may be fun to speculate about other people’s misfortune. But I just don’t think it’s anymore than a fuzzy view of misfortune whose cause is, at bottom, unknowable.
MMQB’s Peter King throws out some quotes from Whisenhunt as one of the last proverbial back-break sticks for Browns’ owner Jimmy Haslam.
Obviously, whoever leaked that story had an agenda. That aside, I don’t recall a single commenter on this blog ever saying Whisenhunt was (a) a good coach, or (b) a guy the Eagles should’ve considered last year, or (c) anything but a by-product of QB Kurt Warner. Put more bluntly, “who the hell is Ken Whisenhunt.”
Next up . . . Jimmy Haslam. The man’s under likely enormous mental and emotional pressure from a lengthy federal grand-jury investigation that is slowly pulling the blocks out from the base of his pyramid of wealth.
Before Banner arrived, Haslam — already under facing investigation — fired Holmgren and his crew.
After 1 year of Banner, he can’s that crew.
In the meantime, who knows what’s happening in his personal life that could be influencing him?
I don’t claim to know specifically. But I represent folks like him. And I prosecuted folks like him. Every day that guy lives on the edge of his life collapsing.
Will it? Don’t know.
But can that kind of grinding pressure distort your thought processes? Yes.
Bottom line, too much unknown here for me. Too many agendas to paint a pretty picture of Haslam saving the Browns . . . when all he’s doing is trying to save the Browns from himself.
I could be wrong about everything I just wrote. Hope I am about Haslam’s criminal situation. Hope I am about his judgment in removing Banner.
But I’m just not ready to say Banner brought himself down. No way to know why Haslam divorced him — but speculation.
ACViking, I just wanted to say your analysis never ceases to amaze me. Cogent, to the point and unbiased, I learn something every time you make a post. Thank you.
I think Wishenhunt got is head up his ass if he think he was such a good candidate.
How come he is still OC (if you are a great HC, you do not have to take a step down, see guys like Andy Reid or Lovie Smith)
OFF-TOPIC: Hurry-Up Offenses
Apparently Nick Saban (and others) got the NCAA rules committee to consider making it illegal for offenses to snap the ball until there are 29 seconds left on the play clock, citing concerns about player safety? Sounds like someone’s not ready to adapt…
“I
think that the way people are going no-huddle right now, that at some
point in time, we should look at how fast we allow the game to go in
terms of player safety,” Saban said. “The team gets in the same
formation group. You can’t substitute defensive players. You go on a
14-, 16- or 18-play drive and they’re snapping the ball as fast as you can go, and you look out there and all your players are walking around
and can’t even get lined up. That’s when guys have a much greater chance
of getting hurt … when they’re not ready to play. I think that’s
something that can be looked at. It’s obviously created a tremendous advantage for the offense when teams are scoring 70 points and we’re
averaging 49.5 points a game. More and more people are going to do it.”
“I
think that the way people are going no-huddle right now, that at some
point in time, we should look at how fast we allow the game to go in
terms of player safety,” Saban said. “The team gets in the same
formation group. You can’t substitute defensive players. You go on a
14-, 16- or 18-play drive and they’re snapping the ball as fast as you
can go, and you look out there and all your players are walking around
and can’t even get lined up. That’s when guys have a much greater chance
of getting hurt … when they’re not ready to play. I think that’s
something that can be looked at. It’s obviously created a tremendous
advantage for the offense when teams are scoring 70 points and we’re
averaging 49.5 points a game. More and more people are going to do it.” –
See more at:
http://auburn-blog.sportsprss.com/2014/02/12/nick-saban-authors-game-changing-ncaa-rules-change-rule-will-slow-auburn-offense-in-2014/#sthash.HKrsuWtF.dpuf
“I
think that the way people are going no-huddle right now, that at some
point in time, we should look at how fast we allow the game to go in
terms of player safety,” Saban said. “The team gets in the same
formation group. You can’t substitute defensive players. You go on a
14-, 16- or 18-play drive and they’re snapping the ball as fast as you
can go, and you look out there and all your players are walking around
and can’t even get lined up. That’s when guys have a much greater chance
of getting hurt … when they’re not ready to play. I think that’s
something that can be looked at. It’s obviously created a tremendous
advantage for the offense when teams are scoring 70 points and we’re
averaging 49.5 points a game. More and more people are going to do it.” –
See more at:
http://auburn-blog.sportsprss.com/2014/02/12/nick-saban-authors-game-changing-ncaa-rules-change-rule-will-slow-auburn-offense-in-2014/#sthash.HKrsuWtF.dpuf
“I
think that the way people are going no-huddle right now, that at some
point in time, we should look at how fast we allow the game to go in
terms of player safety,” Saban said. “The team gets in the same
formation group. You can’t substitute defensive players. You go on a
14-, 16- or 18-play drive and they’re snapping the ball as fast as you
can go, and you look out there and all your players are walking around
and can’t even get lined up. That’s when guys have a much greater chance
of getting hurt … when they’re not ready to play. I think that’s
something that can be looked at. It’s obviously created a tremendous
advantage for the offense when teams are scoring 70 points and we’re
averaging 49.5 points a game. More and more people are going to do it.” –
See more at:
http://auburn-blog.sportsprss.com/2014/02/12/nick-saban-authors-game-changing-ncaa-rules-change-rule-will-slow-auburn-offense-in-2014/#sthash.HKrsuWtF.dpuf
Well…Saban gets the best players in the nation. Suck it up, make better calls, and start using sports science pal.
aint the offense also using the same players?
Also how many offenses can snap the ball after 11 sec? If you gain 10 yards on a run play, it takes at least 15 sec to get lined up again.
Louis Delmas was released. I am very interested. Should I be?
I think so, but he does have injury concerns. When we played the Lions 2 years ago, their defense looked much better with him in there guarding the secondary
He can be the next in line for our reclamation safety project for the right price. Who doesn’t want to be next in line after Marlin Jackson and Kenny Phillips?
I think that Banner is his own worst enemy. I don’t know why, but when I think of Joe Banner, I’m highly reminded of Ebenezer Scrooge. There is no question he’s a highly intelligent individual that could help a franchise. The question is will he be willing to humble himself and accept a role of lesser power and fully embrace that. It’s clear that his persona does not create the most pleasant of atmospheres. Banner seriously seemed to be at the center of what made me despise the Eagles brain trust for a number of years. While I still respected what he did do well, I couldn’t stand the manner in which the fans were treated as pigs & cattle rather than people and customers.