Rumor: Cowboys want Lovie [updated]

by jrm78 on Jan 23, 2007 8:24 AM CST Comment 27 comments

Yesterday, Bill Parcells retired as coach of the Cowboys. Not terribly newsworthy around these parts considering that our focus is on the Super Bowl. All the talk of the Bears losing coaches hovered around the Rons. However, a convergence of factors beginning with the Cowboys job suddenly opening up could mean that Lovie may be running the team from Dallas next season. The main reasoning behind this is that Lovie is the lowest paid coach in the league and that Dallas wouldn't need much persuading to break the bank to get him.

There are two articles in Chicago papers that talk about this rumor.
Lovie talks up Dungy - Even Parcells news can't dampen Smith's spirits
Dallas needs a coach. Smith is underpaid. Hmm...

Personally, I'd like to keep Lovie around for a few reasons. For one, he's a proven winner - these are the coaches you keep. Many teams have chased off coaches before giving them much of a chance. Second, coaching turnover has plagued the league and the team in the past decade, and has been cited as a possible reason for the recent AFC dominance. The Steelers had only two different coaches in the last 40 years, and had remarkable strings of success in that period. Plus, it sets back a team by having a change in the personnel; everyone remembers how having three different OCs in his first three years in the league slowed Rex's development (outside of the injuries). Lastly, the players seem to respond to him very well and play hard for him and his system of ball hawking and turnovers.

It's ironic that Jerry's reluctance to sign Lovie to an extension after being burned by Jauron may ultimately lead to Lovie leaving the team for greener pastures. Lovie won't come cheap if he wins the Super Bowl, but at least it will cost Dallas an arm and a leg (think multiple first round picks, like the Gruden situation) to poach him this offseason.

[update]: Alright, it seems like this is a complete non-story right now. A cursory glance around the sports page of the Dallas Morning News reveals absolutely NOTHING that would indicate an interest in Lovie as head coach. Kevin Sherrington's column on the possible choices for head coach in Dallas doesn't mention Lovie as a possibility, only as a "success story in the untried assistant genre". And the Taylor chat mentions that Ron Rivera (and by extension, Lovie) wouldn't be a good choice because Ron/Lovie run a 4-3 cover-2 defense, but the Cowboys have the personnel for a 3-4 defense. Many articles mention Wade Philips as the likely choice to succeed Parcells. (props to cookding for pointing this out and causing me to look into this more)

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For some reason I think Lovie's and Jerry's

deals are already done and sitting in Ted's desk door.

by beardown on Jan 23, 2007 8:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

hope so

One of the articles mentioned that Lovie's agent has suspended negotiations until after the Super Bowl. That tells me that they want to cash in. And didn't Angelo get his extension already?

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Jan 23, 2007 8:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

not quite

Angelo's not been re-upped and will be the first in line when the checks start getting signed. Lovie also, reportedly, did not suspend negotiations just to get a bigger paycheck. It has been reported he was offered 3 mill/year and knew he could get more (seems like 5 might be the magic number).
I think we need to try hard to keep the whole staff intact. Angelo certainly has to stay and I like to believe he'll lobby hard to keep Lovie, as the two seem to play well together and share philosophies on team-building/style.
Another mini-rumor is that some teams might try to poach either of the Ron's into another coordinator role simply by offering them better $'s (they both make half-mill while some Cord's make 2+ mill). That would be interesting.
My take? This is at best mere journalistic sensationalism or, at worst, a rumor being floated by Lovie and his agent to drive his negotations. First of all, I have yet to see this rumor from anything other than a Chicago source. Secondly, most of the rumors coming from Dallas focus on coaches Jones has ties with (W. Phillips, Norv Turner etc.). Thirdly, Dallas has a defense completely re-tooled for the 3-4 and would be 2-3 years away from fielding one necessary to run the cover-2.
Wade Phillips sounds like the best candidate right now considering he runs a great 3-4, has HC'd in the past, knows Jones, won't cost a ton and won't cost players/picks.
All of this ignores the fact that the McCaskey's need to pay to keep the current staff in place. It's stupid to think a team like the Bears can not afford to at least retain Angelo, Lovie and Turner. We haven't had a run of success like this since the Mid-80's.

by cookding on Jan 23, 2007 11:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

looking a little deeper

Your sober, rational analysis of the situation has no place on teh intarwebs. ;-)

I took a moment to look into the Peter King report, but I couldn't find any mention of Smith in his write-up on Parcell's retirement. Though the Sun-Times says King mentioned it in a broadcast report (which I couldn't find). It now seems like the local papers may be inflating this issue a bit.

..and the guy from scouts inc in an ESPN chat says there's no way Lovie leaves the Bears.

john (chicago): There was something in the chicago papers today about Jerry Jones wanting to pry Lovie from the Bears. Do you think that is a distinct possibility?

Rodd Newhouse: (1:24 PM ET ) ABSOLUTLEY NOT! There is no way Lovie leaves Chicago. The Bears are working on Jerry ANgelo's contract right now, and will reward Lovie as soon as Angelo's deal is done. This is all the better for Lovie, becasue each day that goes by, as the Super Bowl gets closer, allows him more bargaining chips, whether he wins or loses the Super Bowl. The city will not let im loose that easily.

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Jan 23, 2007 1:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Even looking around the Dallas Morning News sports page, there's no mention of Lovie at all as a coaching possibility. Wade Philips on the other hand, is widely mentioned in the DMN sports section.

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Jan 23, 2007 1:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Argue

My wife would argue with "rational" and, in some cases, "sober".
I don't know this as fact, but I'm guessing the Peter King comment was made in one of his last 2-3 MMQB's (Monday Morning Quarterback). It could possibly be in one of his Tuesday follow-ups "TMQB". Good luck finding it though, those things are epic. Not that it matters, while a decent writer and, seemingly, a very good guy, King is terrible at predictions. Like the time he swore Plummer was gonna be an MVP. The next season he predicted Julius Jones. Ouch.
If anything, that just makes the possibility of it more remote.

by cookding on Jan 23, 2007 2:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

easterbrook?

It could possibly be in one of his Tuesday follow-ups "TMQB". Good luck finding it though, those things are epic.

Maybe you're thinking of Gregg Easterbrook's weekly Football Manifesto (aka TMQ) on the website of the 'worldwide leader' every Tuesday? It's the only 20 page, 9,000 word football column that I know of. (copy-paste a column into MS Word or some other word processor; you'll see what I mean)

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Jan 23, 2007 3:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I love TMQ

but only about 50% is pro football in that column.

I'm sure Chad hates him because he critizes teams for blitzing too much....

Visit The Cub Reporter (mvn.com/mlb-cubs)

by thecubreporter on Jan 23, 2007 3:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

nope

go to SI.com and open any Peter King article, select the archive option that appears just under the pic of P. King and the articles title. You'll see a bunch of MMQB's and then the Tuesday edition. It used to be called TMQB but I guess now it's "Tuesday's Edition". He submits them every Monday and Tuesday except for about a month in the spring. They're good reads.

by cookding on Jan 23, 2007 3:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It would take

at least 2 first round picks... In other words, he's not going anywhere.

Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Jan 23, 2007 10:23 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

another reason

for me to root for the Bears in SB XLI.

by Terry on Jan 23, 2007 10:50 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

You don't think he

will get the money he wants from the Bears? I do!

by sue369 on Jan 23, 2007 10:52 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

yes and no

I'm certain that the Bears will pay him whatever he wants. But due to his status as the "lowest paid head coach in the NFL" and his Texas ties, it provides Dallas with an inviting target for their coaching search. I feel that Dallas will make every effort to get him if they think it's worth it. Of course, they need to get the permission of Halas Hall to talk to him, and that's where the subject of compensation come in.

Mainly I see this as a distraction for the Bears leading into the Superb Owl. And look for the media to latch onto this and push it hard.

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Jan 23, 2007 11:34 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He's not going anywhere

Lovie is a pretty loyal guy and the Bears will pay him as soon as the Super Bowl is over.

This is a non-story...

Visit The Cub Reporter (mvn.com/mlb-cubs)

by thecubreporter on Jan 23, 2007 12:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Lovie

Would be foolish to leave.

Win or lose he was already solidified himself as a hero here. If he goes to Dallas, he would run the risk of becoming the goat.

by Chad on Jan 23, 2007 1:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

blogging the boys

And here is a relevant thread over on Blogging the 'Boys.

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Jan 23, 2007 2:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

no way

the organization will pay him (and i support their wanting to wait to make sure he wasn't a one-year fluke a la jauron). the players love him. he's a hell of a coach, best we've had since ditka. lovie is going to coach the bears for a long time.

by guy incognito on Jan 23, 2007 2:06 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Correct me if I'm wrong, but...

...doesn't Lovie have a year left on his current contract?

Regardless, Halas Hall will give him an extension, and no doubt will pay handsomely to do so.

by Danimal on Jan 23, 2007 4:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

yes

he does have a year left. Any team hoping to get him this year would be required to give up draft picks/players to do so. Considering what Tampa gave Oakland for Gruden (who had not appeared in a superbowl), I would think the Bears could demand a TON in exchange. Although, I doubt that they do that and I imagine Lovie remains for the long haul, given that Angelo runs this team and Angelo seems to really like Lovie (thank GOD we didn't get Saban's lameass).

by cookding on Jan 24, 2007 8:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well

they only way this happens is if we win it all this year. I would expect briggs to be gone too, so whatver pick compensation we got for Lovie could go to fill that hole. Hell, you you would probably even see them trade Jones for some picks (which might happen either way, I'm very curious to see how that goes).

I would much rather keep Lovie around for a while, so hopefully we win it and he still wants to stay. However the biggest determining factor may be whoever said above about them not being set up for the cover 2.

by mike b on Jan 24, 2007 9:15 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I still don't think Briggs is leaving.

They'll franchise him if they can't sign him. Guaranteed. NO ONE else can fill that spot that is available. NO ONE.

by tyger1147 on Jan 24, 2007 1:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Lovie leaving you is a non story

It looks as though Jones has narrowed his list of candidates down to Wade Phillips or Norv Turner. Reports are Jones will not attempt to go after any HC already under contract.

Lovie is safe, at least from the Cowboys.

by Terry on Jan 24, 2007 3:58 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

phillips or turner?

i see the cowboys are giving up already...sweet.

Visit The Cub Reporter (mvn.com/mlb-cubs)

by thecubreporter on Jan 24, 2007 6:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

We better win now!

If they get Wade Phillips or Norv Turner they've got the NFC wrapped up for the next ten years!

hit him in his earhole

by draftday on Jan 24, 2007 6:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Angelo press conference

Earlier today, Bears executives Jerry Angelo and Ted Philips had a pre-Superb Owl press conference where the topic of the rumors with Lovie and Dallas came up. Ted Philips laid a smackdown on the situation saying that Dallas wouldn't have permission to approach Lovie and if they did, they'd hear from the league office on the matter. So yeah, this issue is dead.

Thank you Peter King for breaking this worthwhile nugget of news. I heard a rumor that the Raiders are interested in signing away Peyton Manning from the Colts. You might want to check into this hot tip.

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Jan 24, 2007 10:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs