Bengals fire Lou Anarumo, Frank Pollack, James Bettcher and Marion Hobby

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(01-06-2025, 06:35 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: Wyche, if you don't remember I've been posting on these message boards for over 15 years (crazy to think that this site is almost 10 years old and I was posting on the mothership for a while). I know that our drafting has been pretty awful. Tobin is only around still (IMO) because he's not demanding to be a GM so Brown can keep that title as well as owner. We both should know that because our scouting department is so much smaller than everyone else that we use our coaches as scouts and evaluators as well. Yes, bad drafts fall on Tobin just as much as Zac. If I had to guess whoever the HC is has more of a say in who we draft as well. 

Yes, coaches have specialties but they're still the head coach. They still are in charge of both offense and defense. They're still in charge of shaping both sides of the field. As a "offensive" coach Zac probably goes along with mostly whatever the DC says, but it still falls on him to fix something if the DC isn't doing a good job. It's not good if a HC is oblivious on everything but offense.

I know you've been around, that's why I was puzzled, lol. I remember you being a big Dalton supporter. You remember how everything negative was his fault, but he got zero credit when he played well? I just feel like a portion of the fanbase is doing it all over again, except this time it's Zac.

I used to have a lot of the same opinions you're sharing about ZT in regards to ML. Now, it's two straight staffs with similar problems. Decent to good rosters, but no moves to push it over the top. The offensive line has been a problem since 2016. I have a hard time blaming coaches for that now. They haven't hit on a dlineman since Sam Hubbard. Again, that's two staffs. 

Believe me, if he misses the playoffs next year and the defense is much improved and/or the offense regresses, he's got to go. However, I'm not going to gloss over the good that has been achieved with this bush league front office either. 

One more bit about the scouting, I think it's absolutely absurd to expect a staff to prepare and coach a NFL team, while having to scout college talent. One, or both of those tasks is going to be hindered simply because there aren't enough people and hours in a day to go around. That's just a fact of life. Should a staff be doing installs and reps and watching college film in the same week? Does this system afford the coaches the time to go watch prospects, see how they interact on the bench and with coaches? Talk in depth and in person with said coaches? I don't think so. 

Also, he did fire his friend Lou, so he noticed the problem and reacted to it.