http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/

 

SOURCE: BROWNS PURSUING COWHER

Posted by Mike Florio on November 20, 2008, 5:00 p.m.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells us that the Browns have approached former Steelers coach Bill Cowher regarding the possibility of becoming the next coach in Cleveland.

 

Per the source, the Browns are willing to give Cowher a contract worth $8 million to $9 million per year.

 

Presumably, Cowher’s arrival would occur only if G.M. Phil Savage were fired or significantly marginalized. (Maybe Savage can go work for the Bills — or if all else fails he can root for them.) Cowher would want final say over personnel, and Cowher would want to install one or more of his former Steelers colleagues into key positions.

 

Likely candidates, if they can finagle a path out of Pittsburgh, would be director of football operations Kevin Colbert and/or director of business operations Omar Khan.

 

Cowher played for the Browns (i.e., Ravens) from 1980 through 1982, and he served as special teams coach in 1985 and 1986. He was moved to defensive backs coach in 1987, and he remained in that position through 1988.

as much as I would have liked to see Cowher as our head coach, it was all a pipe dream.

Agreed.

 

If this is true, then at least we can put it off the radar.

 

Now, who do we yearn for?

 

as much as I would have liked to see Cowher as our head coach, it was all a pipe dream.

Agreed.

 

If this is true, then at least we can put it off the radar.

 

Now, who do we yearn for?

 

A crazy, but very smart football wise, Bears fan who inherits billions of dollars, buys the bears, and appoints himself as the president and GM.

Off to the liquor store I go! C'mon Lotto!

 

A crazy, but very smart football wise, Bears fan who inherits billions of dollars, buys the bears, and appoints himself as the president and GM.

Agreed.

 

If this is true, then at least we can put it off the radar.

 

Now, who do we yearn for?

If we continue down this path, then Ron Rivera after next yr would be fine with me.

 

Peace

I'd love Ron all else being equal, but do you not think the bridge has been burned?

 

My ony thought on him coming in would be that Angelo is gone...

 

If we continue down this path, then Ron Rivera after next yr would be fine with me.

 

Peace

I'd love Ron all else being equal, but do you not think the bridge has been burned?

 

My ony thought on him coming in would be that Angelo is gone...

Rivera leaving was Lovie's decision. I don't think that will be an issue.

 

Peace

Bill Cowher and the Bears would not have been a good fit - he's a 3-4 guy and would have to literally gut the Bears front 7 - and find some real safeties and corners who can play man defense. The only Bear that, theoretically, would fit the mold is Urlacher - had he been drafted by Cowher, he would have been a terror as a 3-4 rush linebacker. At this point, however, he's got too many miles on him. Briggs? Excellent 4-3 linebacker, PERHAPS could play inside in the 3-4 but would be nothing special.

 

As for the future Bears coach, we should remember that Lovie never wanted Ron Rivera. When the Bucs prevented Lovie from hiring Rod Marinelli, he wanted to appoint the Bob "Bubba Gump" Babich to DC. Angelo overruled him and brought in Rivera. I don't believe that Angelo and Chico have any bad blood.

 

The next HC of the Bears - who will be hired prior to the 2010 or 2011 season - will be Ron River or Dave Toub, the only coach on the Bear roster, BESIDES perhaps Ron Turner (and Lovie himself), with any sort of positive league-wide reputation. Every other coach on the Bears is a non-descript nobody with no pedigree prior to joining Lovie's staff.

It might be with Ron...

 

Rivera leaving was Lovie's decision. I don't think that will be an issue.

 

Peace

He'd have been just fin.e

 

It's not like we don't need to overhaul our line anyway...

 

Bill Cowher and the Bears would not have been a good fit - he's a 3-4 guy and would have to literally gut the Bears front 7 - and find some real safeties and corners who can play man defense. The only Bear that, theoretically, would fit the mold is Urlacher - had he been drafted by Cowher, he would have been a terror as a 3-4 rush linebacker. At this point, however, he's got too many miles on him. Briggs? Excellent 4-3 linebacker, PERHAPS could play inside in the 3-4 but would be nothing special.

 

As for the future Bears coach, we should remember that Lovie never wanted Ron Rivera. When the Bucs prevented Lovie from hiring Rod Marinelli, he wanted to appoint the Bob "Bubba Gump" Babich to DC. Angelo overruled him and brought in Rivera. I don't believe that Angelo and Chico have any bad blood.

 

The next HC of the Bears - who will be hired prior to the 2010 or 2011 season - will be Ron River or Dave Toub, the only coach on the Bear roster, BESIDES perhaps Ron Turner (and Lovie himself), with any sort of positive league-wide reputation. Every other coach on the Bears is a non-descript nobody with no pedigree prior to joining Lovie's staff.

he'd have to overhaul the line, the linebackers, the safeties and the corners. I don't know, at this stage of his life, if he'd want to entertain a complete rebuilding project. IMHO, the Bears would be one of the LAST places he'd consider.

 

 

He'd have been just fin.e

 

It's not like we don't need to overhaul our line anyway...

Oh I agree! I'm not sure he'd want the job! But, I think if he got it, he'd have this (at least D) team turned around in a year. He screams of getting the most out of little.

 

he'd have to overhaul the line, the linebackers, the safeties and the corners. I don't know, at this stage of his life, if he'd want to entertain a complete rebuilding project. IMHO, the Bears would be one of the LAST places he'd consider.

It might be with Ron...

Step back a second. If Lovie is fired and Rivera is still a DC do you think he we turn down an interview or offer with the Bears? If he did, I guarentee other organizations would hear about that. It could be career suicide. Rivera wants to be a head coach. If he is given the chance, he would be a fool to turn down that opportunity. He may never get another offer.

 

Peace

No, but the assumption is that the Bears won't be the only team in the market looking for a HC...

 

Plus, can you name another situation where a coordinator was run out of town to come back and be the head coach? Maybe there are examples, I just can't think of any...

 

I love Ron and would love to have him back...but I just don't think it'll happen.

 

Step back a second. If Lovie is fired and Rivera is still a DC do you think he we turn down an interview or offer with the Bears? If he did, I guarentee other organizations would hear about that. It could be career suicide. Rivera wants to be a head coach. If he is given the chance, he would be a fool to turn down that opportunity. He may never get another offer.

 

Peace

No, but the assumption is that the Bears won't be the only team in the market looking for a HC...

 

Plus, can you name another situation where a coordinator was run out of town to come back and be the head coach? Maybe there are examples, I just can't think of any...

 

I love Ron and would love to have him back...but I just don't think it'll happen.

Of course, but if I am Rivera I would want to come back to Chicago (even given the prior circumstances). He played here and coached here (twice). He also had a radio show here for awhile.

 

Bottom line, these are professionals and they need to be able to put the past behind them.

 

Peace

Then again, what better way to prove them wrong for ousting you...

 

Of course, but if I am Rivera I would want to come back to Chicago (even given the prior circumstances). He played here and coached here (twice). He also had a radio show here for awhile.

 

Bottom line, these are professionals and they need to be able to put the past behind them.

 

Peace

Just to chime in.

 

If we fired Lovie, and offered Rivera the job, I think he would take it in an instant. As pointed out, it was all Lovie's decision to let him go, and frankly, Angelo could really talk that point up. But more importantly, head coaching jobs offers do not come along often, and Rivera would be an idiot not to jump at the chance.

 

Now, if we were talking about whether or not he would return to Chicago as a DC under Lovie (if Babich were fired and Rivera were a FA) then I would agree there is little chance of that ever happening. I think the Lovie-Rivera bridge is beyond burned. But if Lovie is gone, I think the path would then be open to rivera returning.

 

Of course, but if I am Rivera I would want to come back to Chicago (even given the prior circumstances). He played here and coached here (twice). He also had a radio show here for awhile.

 

Bottom line, these are professionals and they need to be able to put the past behind them.

 

Peace

Let me say it again, Lovie is our quarter...umm I mean Head Coach and were in first place

You are more correct than you think!

 

We "were in first place".

 

Let me say it again, Lovie is our quarter...umm I mean Head Coach and were in first place

as much as I would have liked to see Cowher as our head coach, it was all a pipe dream.

The Bears have too much money tied into Lovie and there is no way they are going to just fire him. Plus the perception around the league among players is still very high when it comes to Lovie and that has to be worth something. I bitch and moan a lot about our coaching staff but I can't forget all the good things the Bears have done with Lovie at the helm. He's made some mistakes and the team has gone backwards but I still think there is a foundation here to win and Lovie just has to learn from his mistakes and I believe he's going to at least get a chance to show that he can learn from those mistakes.