Jay Greeson of the clumsily-named Chattanooga Times Free Press becomes the first Tennessee-based journalist I've seen to outright say that Fisher should be fired. Plenty of other have talked about the issue, but have danced around throwing down the hammer like Mr. Greeson did. He begins the piece by dismantling the most illogical reason given by most people who get mad at those of us who openly say the coaching situation is a lost cause right now, and astute observations like this make me wish I read Greeson more often often:
There are two fundamental questions that must be addressed before making a coaching change.
If it's a college program, there must be an overwhelming knowledge that there is a significantly better coach to be hired. And there must be a distinct likelihood of hiring that upgrade...
If it's an NFL franchise, the question is less subjective. Has the head coach lost the locker room? It's just that simple, and it was easy to see Sunday in Kansas City that Fisher has lost these Titans. Whether it started a decade ago or last month when Fisher and then-starting quarterback Vince Young dropped the gloves or last week for whatever reason, it was finished Sunday.
David Boclair evaluates the crop of current Titans who are headed to free agency in 2011, including Jason Babin, Kerry Collins and Stephen Tulloch. Randy Moss is on that list too, assuming you consider him an actual part of this team, rather than a really fancy cardboard cut-out.
The Titans are 18 measly yards away from reaching the embarrassing plateau of 1,000 penalty yards. We're still trailing the Eagles, Lions and Raiders, but all of those fans still have reasons to be excited about what their teams accomplished in the 2010 season. Us, not so much.
Jump!
If you've ever read a Jeff Fisher press conference transcript before, be sure to read this one to understand how surly the media has gotten with him. These guys used to back-off any time it was obvious Fisher wanted them to (hence, no VY questions since the Tuesday after the Redksins game), now they pepper him with questions about why in the hell Justin Gage is still out there (more on that this afternoon) for much longer than the coach is used to.
Paul K tees those statements from Fisher up and drills 'em down the fairway of malcontents.
Nick Schommer could get some run next week, but I really expected Robert Johnson to be the heir-apparent to the SS spot. Maybe Schommer is auditioning for Donnie Nickey's spot as Jeff Fisher's poker buddy.
Jason Babin talks about being a father and husband while bouncing around the NFL to a new home seemingly every year. Really though, it's worth reading just for the whole middle section where the interviewer kind of freaks out and starts getting on her high-horse over the fact that Babin is teaching his kids how to hunt and shoot. As someone who doesn't hunt anymore, but grew-up doing it constantly, this interviewer is certified douchette. I mean even if you really feel that way, there's no reason to be a jerk about it in an interview...
Pretty much the entire Titans secondary plus Donnie Nickey and a few linebackers held a fundraiser last night at the Shogun Restaurant in Brentwood. I would have let you know earlier, but I kind of mailed it in yesterday since I got a free day off of work that I wasn't expecting.
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