Friday, May 28, 2010

Oh, Antonio!

Seems released Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce is trying to make a name for himself in the media. He told NFL Network today that Tom Coughlin is on the hot seat because of last year's failure.

I'm not so sure about that. With a potential lockout coming up in 2011, I'm not sure how many coaches will really be on a hot seat this year. If they're under contract in 2011, as Coughlin will be (his final year), it makes sense for a team to keep a coach until all the labor issues are settled, just in case they have to come back in what would be the middle of the schedule. Easier to do that with an incumbent's system than a new one.

Also, given the fact that Coughlin took them to a Super Bowl title in 2007, I believe the Giants will pretty much let him coach out his contract, even if this year turns into a sub-.500 season.

But here's Pierce's rationale.

"He's on the hot seat," Pierce said. "I think everybody in the organization is on the hot seat. You are talking about a team three years removed from the Super Bowl. There are some fires lit underneath people's butts now in that locker room and in that organization. Everybody is on high alert. It is going to be a very interesting 2010 season."

He said the spat with defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan that caused Osi Umenyiora to walk out of a preseason meeting lingered for months and hurt the team, despite a 5-0 start.

"That, I think, trickled down to the rest of our season," Pierce said. "That's still on everybody's mind because everybody remembered that. Osi walking out of the team meeting. And he left the building. He came back and apologized and we moved on. We went 5-0 after that but it had an effect.

"All those things ... that is a trickle-down effect. Now you are affecting other guys on the team, because you are messing with the chemistry. If one guy is unhappy, you are talking about one of your main leaders, if he is unhappy, some other guys' feathers are getting wrinkled as well."

He said the team never really took to Sheridan, a fact that became evident early in the Giants' worst defensive season since 1967.

"You've been doing things a certain way for two years and it was just fine," Pierce said of playing for Spagnuolo. "It was right. And now you are being coached and that's not right, that's not correct. And that became the problem."

Still, this is an organization that rewards winning coaches with career longevity, so I don't think they'll be pulling the rug out from under Coughlin anytime soon. Guess AP and I will have to agree to disagree on this one.

How about you?

EP

9 comments:

  1. What's the point of winning a Super Bowl, then winning your division and getting a first round bye in the playoffs if after an 8-8 you're on the "hot seat"?

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  2. Ern hit this on the head, Pierce is auditioning for a job in the media. With comments like that which are well thought out and insiderish he will get a couple of job offers.

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  3. i think it means one thing. pierce still wants to come back to the giants this year and coughlin doesn't want him?

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  4. talk bad about the organization you can be next

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  5. Hope Tisch Enjoys his New Summer Home-- on usMay 28, 2010 11:13 PM

    Lou,

    Too many no-show performances-- even a few during the Super Bowl season. Incredible inconsistency except for five magical weeks in 2007-08... which saved him from getting fired at the end of last year's debacle. If they show against Carolina the way they did in the closer at GIANTS Stadium, it will be obvious they made a mistake in retaining him.

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  6. The problems were entirely on defense, which was impossibly injured. We're all just supposed to pretend that we didn't have devastating injuries and it's all the head coach's fault?

    1. Phillips--first round pick. Out for season/career in jeopardy.
    2. Ross--first round pick. Out for most of season with hamstring.
    3. Robbins--knee.
    4. Cofield--knee surgery.
    6. Bernard--rotator cuff.
    7. Tuck--torn labrum.
    8. Canty--knee
    9. Uminyora--knee surgery.
    10. Pierce--defensive captain--neck/retirement.
    11. Sheridan--Defensive Coordinator--retarded.

    I know, I know. "If we only had Bill Cowher, we would have won 3 Super Bowls by now!"

    Yeah, right.

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  7. APs comments are nonsense. The Giants last 2 seasons were ended by injury, one of which was self-inflicted. Not due to bad coaching, unless you count Sheridan.

    This team has great potential and I fully expect a return to th playoffs this season.

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  8. Slow news day.....

    Did he say anything insightful here...really. This is standard for old players looking to get a media gig. See Strahan and Barber.

    Bigger deal is Kiwi and his brother.

    Chris B.

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  9. "feathers are getting wrinkled"???

    Really Antonio? Don't you mean "ruffled?"

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