Titanic Changes

[Vinny]

Sources inside the Titans' organization say there are forces conspiring to get rid of Fisher, the most successful coach in franchise history.

Like Nero, owner Bud Adams is fiddling with business in Houston while Rome burns.

The last time Adams allowed something like this to happen was Dec. 31, 1980 — the day Bum Phillips was fired, a day of Houston sports infamy known as the New Year's Eve Massacre.

Fisher, who is almost as popular in Nashville as Phillips was in Houston, has two years left on a contract that pays him almost $5 million a year.

If Adams fires Fisher or puts him in a position in which he's forced to resign, it'll be a catastrophic mistake.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2940657

Less than a month before the end of the season, the contracts for several Titans assistant coaches have not been extended. In past seasons it was common practice for such contracts were extended much earlier, but no progress has been made this year even though head coach Jeff Fisher has attempted to resolve the matter and keep his current staff intact.

Contacted last night, Fisher refused to discuss the situation. ''This is an organizational issue. It is confidential,'' Fisher said. ''I'm not going to discuss it. My only concern right now is finishing up strong and winning the next game.''

The contracts, which are believed to include those of offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, are set to expire at season's end. In the past, the contracts for Fisher's assistant coaches have been for one or two seasons and they've usually been extended before the coaches got into the last year of their contracts...

...In addition to Heim-erdinger and Schwartz, the Titans have 11 assistant coaches: assistant head coach George Henshaw, receivers coach Steve Walters, defensive backs coach Everett Withers, defensive line coach Jim Washburn, special teams coach Alan Lowry, linebackers coach Dave McGinnis, running backs coach Sherman Smith, offensive line coach Mike Munchak, quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson, safeties coach Chuck Cecil and quality control coach Ned James.

http://tennessean.com/sports/titans/...nt_ID=62658359

[wiley2002]

I know this is far fetched but with the way the NFL keeps firing successful coaches and all, well, maybe when Dom Capers has served his time as coach we could get a big name coach. Just a thought. I don't want to see Dom go. Maybe we could put him in as defensive coordinator or something. It's just an idea. I'm open for anyone else's thoughts.

[WWJD]

Lots of teams would be well served by Coach Fisher.He's young, he's been successful and I think he knows how to run good defenses which I believe is the easiest way to build a successful team these days.

[texasguy346]

Geeze it looks like all those people who started the "Fire Fisher" threads over at the Titans Message Board might actually get what they wished for. Fisher would definately get the better of the deal if he's let go or resigns. He'd have his pick of any NFL head coaching job. Miami and Cleveland will need a new coach next season, and there are possible openings in Seatlle, St Louis, Minnesota, New Orleans, and Denver. Fisher would most definately be at the head of any teams list of prospective head coaching canidates. Any coach that Adams brings in won't be able to get half of what Fisher got out of his players, and it could spell many more bad years to come for Titan fans.

[Hoosier]

As a hardcore Colts fan I can only hope Adams is really that stupid. If Fisher goes it will be a long while before that team returns to being a serious contender. Fisher, IMO is one of the top coaches in the league. Just look at what did against the Colts last weekend. Granted, they ended up losing but with another bounce or two it could've been much different.

[gwallaia]

Originally Posted by Hoosier

.... I can only hope Adams is really that stupid. .........

BUWAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

[JustBonee]

Wonder how many Titan fans from the Houston area could be brought back to loyalty for the home team if Fisher was considered here? Especially after Steve McNair retires.

[JustBonee]

Well if there are only 32 "once-oiler, now-titan, not-texans fans" in all of Houston, I must have seen them all together one night at Texans training camp!... Silly me, made me think that there may be more where those came from.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by Hoosier

As a hardcore Colts fan I can only hope Adams is really that stupid.

As a lifetime Houston Oilers/Texans fan I can assure you that Adams is easily that stupid. He's never been tested to see exactly how stupid he is but history demonstrates clearly that he's stupid enough to do something like this on a whim.

Personally, as a Texans fan I've got to say "Go Bud! Don't let anyone else tell what to do or how to run your team! You DA MAN Bud and make sure Jeff Fisher never forgets it!"

[cuppacoffee]

Hmmmmm....Munchak is a pretty good O line coach isn't he?

cac

[aj.]

Originally Posted by SassyTexan

Well if there are only 32 "once-oiler, now-titan, not-texans fans" in all of Houston, I must have seen them all together one night at Texans training camp!... Silly me, made me think that there may be more where those came from.

That was in August. They are all shopping for different jerseys now.

How many "titans" fans did you see in Reliant a few weeks ago compared to 2002 or even last year? Even the real titans fans from TN aren't coming here any more for games.

Bud is and always will be incompetent when it comes to football operations. When they got rid of Diamond, it was the beginning of the new dark age for them but most of them didn't realize it. A lot of their coaches contracts are coming due this year and they are faced with horrible cap issues. They will be on the bottom for a few years. If I was Fish, I would get my arse out of there while the gettin's good.

[WWJD]

Originally Posted by ThirdEyeBC32

I am glad we do not have Bud here anymore and very grateful to have Bob Mcnair as our owner. I was sad to see the Oilers leave but not Bud. Is it true he said if he won the Superbowl(1999) he would put the ring on his middle finger and show it to Houston? Someone told me that the other day, but I don't remember him saying that.

I doubt very much that he said that or would do that. He still lives in Houston and has business interests here. I never thought Bud's problem was with the fans but rather the city administration at that time...and he took the high road when he got the sweetheart deal from Tennessee.

As for Coach Fisher IF the Titan fans want him gone I do wonder who they want as his replacement? Good coaches are hard to find. He'd have no problem finding a job.

[Yvette]

Originally Posted by aj.

Even the real titans fans from TN aren't coming here any more for games.

1) Hookem didn't offer his tix to me
2) I couldn't figure out a way to kick out my relatives from Thanksgiving Day

[Huge]

Holy hell. Where have you been?

[big sarge]

I think Bud Adams is the devil incarnate. He killed the Oilers, and I thank God everyday he left Houston. I don't like Fisher, but you can't argue with numbers.

[Henderson98]

I think the Honeymoon is over for the tacks Bud stirring the pot, cap issues, injury issues, star QB maybe hanging up his cleats... things sound like they are going to get interesting in TN, and I have a front row seat to watch the titanic sink...

[texasguy346]

Looks like they'll be a very different Titan's team next season. I'm not sure Woolfolk will be able to be an effective starting CB for the Titans if they have to let Rolle go. On the other hand this could mean that the Titans might be more likely to trade down in order to accumulate more draft picks.

[blockhead83]

That's insane if they're really cutting those guys. I know they have injected some young talent atleast on the D, but those are most of the guys that come to my mind when I think of the Titans. Could be another tough season for those guys this year.

[Blake]

I could see them cutting Mason, or Carter, but not both.

[JustBonee]

I still stick with my views from last year. Being .. Bud Adams had his sights so on Super Bowl 2004, and wanting to come back to town with the Titans and stick it to Houston/Texan fans/ Reliant Stadium and Bob McNair so badly that everything was geared toward that run.
Luckily the Patriots rained on his parade (or rather snowed .. and froze him out!) that now rebuilding and trying toward a 2009 run at a Super Bowl in Houston must be in his thoughts again.
Tear down, rebuild, whatever Mr. Adams ... but sorry, sometimes the good guy does win out.