(12-22-2022, 03:00 AM)Bengalholic Wrote: Kind of crazy to think about how Lou ended up the DC.

The first guy Zac talked to was Del Rio, but both said it was determined not to be a fit.
They then contacted Dom Capers who said he wasn't interested in the job.
Then it was Todd Grantham, who they were actually in negotiations with, but leveraged that for a new deal to stay at Florida.
Next, they requested an interview with Aaron Glenn, but were blocked by the Saints.
Then they contacted Jeff Halfey at Ohio St, but he declined to interview.
They also reportedly contacted Mike Elko, Marquand Manuel and Aubrey Pleasant.

Then finally...Lou is interviewed and agrees to take the job. 

He might not have been the 1st choice, or the 4th or 5th but I'm sure as hell glad we have him and hope that he's here for awhile.

(12-22-2022, 02:20 AM)sandwedge Wrote: You honestly think that a vet coaching crew would have fared better the first 2 years? I don't. It was pretty much a rebuild from getting players needed to fit in their system, changing the organization to do business in a new way. They pretty much breathed new life into this archaic way of running this franchise from top to bottom. You don't get to the Super Bowl having a shitty staff.  

(12-21-2022, 11:00 AM)Wyche Wrote: Right and like I said, even Marvin was struggling with his own players. They were aging and had become soft.

(12-22-2022, 11:40 AM)samhain Wrote: It's tough to be in a work environment where you've experienced success as an individual and as a group when large-scale change and failure set in.  

I don't like how Dunlap handled things, and I was certainly on the wrong side of the Anarumo debate (there's my crow-eating).  That said, Carlos had been through one major climb out of the dumpster with this organization.  He was by all accounts a big reason why they became an elite defensive unit.  Before Dunalp, MJ, and Geno came along, this team absolutely failed at finding DL talent under Marvin.  It's not a coincidence that success followed when they finally did figure it out. 

On top of all that, that group went through a lot of disappointment in the postseason.  I imagine it's tough to accept that kind of obvious finality to a body of work when you're a major part of it.  Then comes the inevitable culture change, with you as an individual being about 10 years older and with diminished physical abilities.  You have to prove yourself all over again to a staff that you have no relationship with.  I can see where a guy might not view that as a place he wants to finish his career.  

Hindsight makes it look like a bad decision to leave, but almost nobody except for maybe Sled thought that this team was going to a Super Bowl in Burrow's second year.  I doubt that even he would have gone quite that far.  Hell, nobody even believed that mid-2021 regular season.   

At the end of the day, my view is that the organization should have cut bait with Dunlap before 2020.  He was making a lot of money, and was not a part of the new administration.  I feel like it's likely that they thought they were being loyal, even if Zac and Lou may have been trying to push him out.  This is probably the last time with this team that the front office may not have been on the same page with the staff.  It got ugly, but everyone was better off when it was done. 

(12-22-2022, 09:31 AM)jason Wrote: .... And at the end of the day we scored Burrow and Chase. Good job boys.

(12-22-2022, 03:00 AM)Bengalholic Wrote: Kind of crazy to think about how Lou ended up the DC.

The first guy Zac talked to was Del Rio, but both said it was determined not to be a fit.
They then contacted Dom Capers who said he wasn't interested in the job.
Then it was Todd Grantham, who they were actually in negotiations with, but leveraged that for a new deal to stay at Florida.
Next, they requested an interview with Aaron Glenn, but were blocked by the Saints.
Then they contacted Jeff Halfey at Ohio St, but he declined to interview.
They also reportedly contacted Mike Elko, Marquand Manuel and Aubrey Pleasant.

Then finally...Lou is interviewed and agrees to take the job. 

He might not have been the 1st choice, or the 4th or 5th but I'm sure as hell glad we have him and hope that he's here for awhile.

(12-22-2022, 11:50 AM)WychesWarrior Wrote: ....and we almost screwed that up in Miami!

(12-22-2022, 12:12 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Lou coached with Zac at Miami. That’s who he always wanted but was encouraged to find somebody with experience as a DC ( Lou did not) and preferably in the NFL. Zac was young and had no stroke.

(12-22-2022, 03:00 AM)Bengalholic Wrote: Kind of crazy to think about how Lou ended up the DC.

The first guy Zac talked to was Del Rio, but both said it was determined not to be a fit.
They then contacted Dom Capers who said he wasn't interested in the job.
Then it was Todd Grantham, who they were actually in negotiations with, but leveraged that for a new deal to stay at Florida.
Next, they requested an interview with Aaron Glenn, but were blocked by the Saints.
Then they contacted Jeff Hafley at Ohio St, but he declined to interview.
They also reportedly contacted Mike Elko, Marquand Manuel and Aubrey Pleasant.

Then finally...Lou is interviewed and agrees to take the job. 

He might not have been the 1st choice, or the 4th or 5th   but I'm sure as hell glad we have him and hope that he's here for awhile.

(12-22-2022, 12:57 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: They tried to interview Hafley and Glenn prior to Lou, but weren't able to. Neither had any DC experience at the time.

(12-23-2022, 12:08 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: All I know for 1000% certain and no disputing by anybody on this planet that Zac wanted Lou as his DC period absolutely without question from day one. They’d always discussed it. But he was encouraged to find an experienced NFL DC.

(12-21-2022, 09:55 AM)Sled21 Wrote: I have to wonder what goes through a malcontent's mind when they force their way off a team thinking they are going to go to a playoff and Super Bowl team, then sit at home on the couch and watch the team they left win throughout the playoffs, become Conference Champs and play in the Super Bowl..... and now apparently making run at doing it again in back-to-back years. 

(12-23-2022, 12:36 PM)Browns Town Bengal Wrote: Well, Dunlap isnt exactly in a horrible situation....He's playing for a division winner and the premier AFC team over the last 5 years.  

(12-23-2022, 12:38 PM)bfine32 Wrote: As a backup. The problem is he didn't want to do that here. 

(12-20-2022, 06:47 PM)GodFather Wrote: I remember the first 2 years in the Zac era with Andy and then Burrow's rookie year, everyone wanted Lou gone...myself included.

Boy eating crow is an understatement. This guy got the players he wanted in his system and they have been the most consistent thing on this team week in and week out.


Now I feel selfish, because he deserves a head coaching job and new opportunities but I don't want the guy leaving...the schemes and adjustments he makes are like no other.

(12-23-2022, 12:47 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: His role was reducing last few years, i remember he was seeing less time for running downs etc.. and at the time im sure he thought which others did that Bengals were not a downturn for a few years so he went to playoff team in Seahawks played a good amount and then had chance to playoff for KC, solid career, i believe now 100 sacks.. future possible Bengal HOF

(12-20-2022, 06:47 PM)GodFather Wrote: I remember the first 2 years in the Zac era with Andy and then Burrow's rookie year, everyone wanted Lou gone...myself included.

Boy eating crow is an understatement. This guy got the players he wanted in his system and they have been the most consistent thing on this team week in and week out.


Now I feel selfish, because he deserves a head coaching job and new opportunities but I don't want the guy leaving...the schemes and adjustments he makes are like no other.

(12-20-2022, 06:47 PM)GodFather Wrote: I remember the first 2 years in the Zac era with Andy and then Burrow's rookie year, everyone wanted Lou gone...myself included.

Boy eating crow is an understatement. This guy got the players he wanted in his system and they have been the most consistent thing on this team week in and week out.


Now I feel selfish, because he deserves a head coaching job and new opportunities but I don't want the guy leaving...the schemes and adjustments he makes are like no other.