05-22-2021, 01:16 PM
(05-22-2021, 12:49 PM)fredtoast Wrote: And, finally I see that you still refused to even mention that LeBeau was only given 2 off seasons to turn around ne of the worst teams in the league.
Don't really think Lebeau is a great example. Here's why:
1.) He was initially hired as the DC and became the interim head coach. He only got the job because Coslet resigned.
2.) You're focuing on 2 offseasons while ignoring the fact he coached 13 games preceding this when he took over for Coslet. They had 3 years of results to consider, not 2.
3.) His last year set a franchise record for losses. The 2-14 was worse than even David "Steakhouse" Shula.
4.) He was 65 years old when he was fired.
5.) This is the most important one: His firing coincided with the opening of PBS. They had a brand spanking new stadium opening, coming off the heels of telling the taxpayers of Hamilton County that they needed this to be more competitive (keeping Lebeau would send a terrible message). They also had 25,000 more seats to fill (Riverfront @ 40k, PBS @ 65k) and a bunch of very expensive luxury boxes to sell.
To each their own, but I don't think the firing of Lebeau necessarily shows much at all. He was already an old coach and it was never supposed to be his gig in the beginning. He had 3 years to show the front office, and more importantly the fans that he could improve the team. That obviously didn't happen.
I don't think the Bengals had any choice but to move on. Nobody keeps a Senior Citizen head coach, who just had the worst record in franchise history, when they're about to open up a brand new stadium.
