Giants enter the Bill Cowher sweepstakes

[Butter]

Coughlin gets extension from Giants
Associated Press
Posted: 1 hour ago



CALDWELL, N.J. (AP) - An embattled Tom Coughlin was given another year to coach the New York Giants on Wednesday after he convinced owners he can make Eli Manning a better quarterback and the team a winner.

"He has a vision and he understands how that vision can now move forward," co-owner Jonathan Tisch said during a conference call to announce Coughlin's one-year contract extension. "He did not have to save his job. He did not have to talk us into anything."

Coughlin, 60, seemingly was on the hot seat after weathering a disappointing 8-8 regular season, fan and player unrest and a second straight first-round loss in the playoffs on Sunday.

In the two days that followed, Tisch and fellow co-owner John Mara talked football and coaching philosophy with Coughlin, who had a year left on the deal he signed in 2004.

The owners didn't ask Coughlin to make any changes and they said they were satisfied he was the right man to lead the Giants.

"Tom Coughlin is our coach for 2007 and hopefully for many years after that," Mara said. "That is the final decision."

Terms of the one-year extension were not immediately available. Coughlin was to earn $3 million in 2007.

Coughlin said he appreciated the decision and was not surprised.

"I did not have any feeling I wasn't going to be retained," Coughlin said in a separate conference call.

Many questioned whether Coughlin, who has a 25-25 record with the Giants, was the right coach for a team that faltered a year after winning the NFC East with an 11-5 mark. Despite reports that players were tuning out their no-nonsense coach, Mara said Coughlin still has the respect of the team.

"I don't buy that," Mara said. "I think there is substantial support for him."

Mara would not discuss whether Coughlin would be making changes to his coaching staff. He admitted there were bound to be fans who were not happy with the decision.

"I am certainly sensitive to what the fans think. I have received a lot of mail. But at the end of the day you can't make decisions on what the fans say, but what your eyes tell you and what your experience in the game tells you," Mara said.

Mara said a major part of the interview process was listening to what Coughlin had to say about Manning, and he was satisfied with the answers. Mara would not detail what was said about the former No. 1 draft pick who did not improve in his second full season as a starter.

The Giants started the year with expectations of contending for the Super Bowl. After compiling a 6-2 record, that hope turned into a season of discontent, injuries and a second-half collapse that saw New York lose seven of nine games.

Fans were so upset by the team's performance in a 30-7 home loss to the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 24 that they shouted "Fire Coughlin" before walking out early in the fourth quarter.

The problems started with a 23-0 loss to Carolina in the opening round of the playoffs a year ago. Halfback Tiki Barber said after the game the Giants were outcoached. The halfback and coach settled their differences quickly.

The complaint, however, resurfaced early this season when Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey also said the team was outcoached after a one-sided loss in Seattle.

While it created headlines, the stir was short-lived when New York went on a five-game winning streak to reach the halfway point in first place. A second division title was on the horizon.

Then injuries to receiver Amani Toomer, seven-time Pro Bowler Strahan and offensive tackle Luke Petitgout contributed to the free fall that saw New York lose four of its final seven games despite having the lead or a tie in the fourth quarter.

Coughlin made one move down the stretch, relieving offensive coordinator John Hufnagel after the Saints game and giving quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride the play-calling duties.

Barber carried New York to a playoff berth days later with a team-record 234-yard rushing performance in a win over Washington. It gave New York a .500 record, good enough for the postseason in the weak NFC. The season ended this past Sunday with a last-second 23-20 loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia.

Before joining the Giants, Coughlin was Jacksonville's head coach from 1995-2002 and went 72-64.

[KevinNU7]

It is amazing that he actually did better in Jacksonville then in NY

[stevew]

So, thus far in the sweepstakes I have

Giants-Coughlin is done after 2007, almost no matter what

Redskins-Gibbs is probably going to retire at some point, especially if he sucks again

Panthers-Fox's teams are dramatically underperforming, i think this is his last shot

Browns-They'll bring back lunchbox this upcoming season, since nobody else wants their job anyways....stealing a steelers coach will be a big deal to their fanbase..hell Cowher owns the Browns, he may as well coach them

Chiefs-Herm Edwards is an awful coach, management will act on it eventually

Colts-Dungey will only get so many more free passes when they lose in the playoffs

Buccaneers-Chucky's teams are not performing well of late

Cowboys Lesbian Tuna needs to win a superbowl next year, or be deemed a failure

I'm sure there are at least 4-5 others.

[KevinNU7]

I laugh at the Colts one. If he was picking out the groceries I would agree, but he isn't so I think he stays easily.

[Hurst2112]

Panthers-Fox's teams are dramatically underperforming, i think this is his last shot

This is my vote. I'll pony up the bet of 1 copy of NFL Head Coach

[Young Drachma]

Herm got them to the playoffs in his first year, just as his former team got there, too. I don't see him being jettisoned after they gave up a pick to get him there.

And the Colts aren't firing Dungy.

[Butter]

I think the Browns will win out, eventually, because he played and coached there.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by KevinNU7

I laugh at the Colts one. If he was picking out the groceries I would agree, but he isn't so I think he stays easily.

I agree it's not even a longshot, but you have to wonder. The fans could see Cowher playing Gruden to Dungy's...well, himself. Maybe there's something to the idea back in TB that Dungy just didn't have what it takes to put the team over the top.

[stevew]

I was kind of being tongue in cheek on a few of those....I doubt Dungy gets fired, too. Just at some point it's a lot easier to change the coach, than it is to change 30 players or so.

[Subby]

Gibbs has two more years left on his deal - I would be suprised (and it would go against everything he has said publicly) if he didn't stay here until it was up.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

Originally Posted by stevew

Browns-They'll bring back lunchbox this upcoming season, since nobody else wants their job anyways....stealing a steelers coach will be a big deal to their fanbase..hell Cowher owns the Browns, he may as well coach them

As a Steelers fan, I would love this. The Steelers/Browns rivalry has been pretty much nonexistent since the Browns came back. A move like this would spark things up again.