Cardinals hire Dennis Green

[Kodos]

An exciting opportunity for Green to become the next George Seiffert.

Cardinals | Green Reaches Agreement - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 7 Jan 2004 15:55:44 -0800

ESPN.com reports the Arizona Cardinals and Dennis Green have reached an agreement in principle to make him the Cardinals' next head coach. Green will receive a four-year deal worth almost $11 million. Team attorneys and Green's agent spent much of Wednesday, Jan. 7, exchanging faxes and the contractual language should be completed by Wednesday night. "It looks like it will happen," Green said. "All that's left is to dot the I's and to cross the T's. It's an exciting opportunity."

[Vince]

Still really sad the 49ers didn't get him last year.

[Kodos]

But you got the wonderful Dennis Erickson! He's a gem!

[Franklinnoble]

Too bad for Denny Green. The Cardinals are a cursed franchise, and will remain so as long as the name Bidwell is associated with it.

[Easy Mac]

1 less minority candidate for the other 6 teams to interview... I hope they tokened him early.

[The Afoci]

I think that Denny Green will make them an average team soon. He is a great gameplanner, but doesn't adapt in-game very well. Thus the lack of big victories in Minnesota. Decent coach though, although he is a complete jackass.

[digamma]

Does this mean Neuheisel to the Raiders?

[kcchief19]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
1 less minority candidate for the other 6 teams to interview... I hope they tokened him early.
It just means Ray Rhodes is going to have to work his ass off to get to all those interviews.

[WussGawd]

Good hire, but sadly, this is the Cruds. They'll find a way to f**k it up.

[Wasabiak]

Originally posted by digamma
Does this mean Neuheisel to the Raiders?

Will anyone even TAKE that job?

[Craptacular]

Originally posted by Wasabiak
Will anyone even TAKE that job?

I will.

[Wasabiak]

Originally posted by Craptacular
I will.

You're hired. You start tomorrow. =P

[mckerney]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
1 less minority candidate for the other 6 teams to interview... I hope they tokened him early.

Terrell Owens called him a 'white black guy', so does he really count as a minority candidate?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy him Cardinals fans. http://www.ootp5league.org/forums/html/emoticons/yelrotflmao.gif
I'd recommend taking a class in Greenspeak soon.

[Wasabiak]

"I'm confident we can be world champions."--This is the one quote from Denny that forever will be engrained in my head.


And here's what the local media thought about him in MN........

That's the truly inspiring thing about [Dennis Green]. Jimmy Johnson's team gets outscored 38-0 in 1-1/2 quarters, and he has the decency to resign. Denny's team does it, and he's up at the podium, congratulating himself about his team never quitting.

--Dan Barreiro, Star Tribune, January 17, 2000


* For the eighth year in a row, the Vikings failed to win or even reach the Super Bowl under Green. No coach in the league has gone longer without at least getting to the Super Bowl.

--Bob Sansevere, St. Paul Pioneer Press, January 17, 2000


It is becoming ever more difficult to separate the lies from the truth at Winter Park: Who's coming, who's going, and how many of the folks left standing will be [Dennis] Green['s] bobos and cronies.

The dangerous part about this approach is that sooner or later, [Green] is going to run out of people to blame for his team's postseason dysfunction, and be forced to check the mirror.

--Barreiro, January 21, 2000

And here's a nice little time capsule on Green..........

From various “beat” writers for the Sporting News:

1995
“Green’s impersonal system-over-people style has started to alienate some players. An off-season sexual harassment allegation hasn’t helped his image. And for the second year in a row, his staff has been wrought with change, with the departure of defensive line coach John Teerlinck to the Lions), linebackers coach Monte Kiffin (Saints), receivers coach Jerry Rhome (Oilers) and running backs coach Ty Willingham (the new coach at Stanford).
Entering a make-or-break fourth season, Green no longer can blame the ghosts of the past–Jerry Burns, Herschel Walker or Mike Lynn for his problems.”

1996

“Green is 0-3 in the playoffs, and the community has tired of all the off field problems that have tarnished the team’s image in recent years, including charges of wife-beating, gun-toting, sexual harassment, drunken driving, and bigamy. Green is on the hot seat, and his popularity is sagging.With Tony Dungy joining fellow former assistants John Teerlinck(Lions), Willie Shaw(Rams) and Kiffin who joined Dungy in Tampa, on the sidelines, Green has been left largely with a staff of yes-men.”

1998
“On one hand, the Vikings are a perenniel playoff contender, forcing their way into the playoffs 5 of 6 of Green’s six seasons as head coach. On the other hand, they are fast becoming one of the NFL’s standing punch lines, capable of more theatrics off the field than on it.”

Green’s outrageous final chapter of his autobiography–which he released mid-season with his team sailing along at 4-2 –almost proved to be career suicide. The Viking’s owners didn’t quite appreciate Green’s threat to sue for the right to buy controlling interest of the team..
When that finally quieted down, Green capped his wacky season by threatening to walk away from the final year of his contract if his deal was not extended. Team President Roger Headrick never blinked, Green did, and the marriage continues, albeit in a much damaged state..
....Green did finally get the playoff monkey off his back when the Vikings beat the Giants in the first round for his first win in 5 attempts.”

1999

Having won his coveted contract extension last year from new owner Red McCombs, this offseason Green set his sights on acquiring more power. He helped ease Jeff Diamond, senior VP and TSN NFL Executive of the Year, out the door in a nasty front-office power struggle, and now is in charge of all things related to the team’s football operations, including contracts.

2000

“After a disappointing 1999 season, six coaches left the team, including both coordinators.”


2001
ESPN:
“Offensive line coach Mike Tice was appointed interim head coach for the team's finale Monday night at Baltimore. The Vikings are 0-7 on the road and have been beaten by the two teams that have just one win -- Detroit and Carolina.
1. The Vikings are 5-10 and will miss the playoffs for the first time since 1995. This is their first losing season under Green but owner Red McCombs said the record wasn't the reason for the change.
McCombs alluded to the issue of control when he said he "couldn't find a way for leadership with Dennis that worked.
In recent weeks, wide receiver Randy Moss has been inconsistent and said he only plays when he feels like it. Green was criticized for appearing to tolerate Moss's attitude. And Green's relationship with receiver, Chris Carter, a longtime leader on the team, had cooled.”

2002
Chris Mortensen, ESPN:
“Despite Green's overall 97-62 record in 10 seasons, the sources say McCombs believes Green has lost his effectiveness as a leader, citing numerous discipline problems this season.
Previously, sources said the owner was thinking about stripping Green of his power and title as the team's vice president of football operations but decided that an outright dismissal made more sense. Green has been contemplating major changes of his own, sources said, including the possible dismissal of his respective offensive and defensive coordinators, Sherman Lewis and Emmitt Thomas.
The coach and owner have had at least one serious confrontation over Green's staff, according to sources. Green almost resigned around midseason because McCombs insisted that he fire assistant coach and director of pro personnel Richard Solomon, a close friend of Green's, the sources said.
There were initial discussions of a negotiated settlement, the sources said, but McCombs backed off and Green wasn't about to walk out on a contract that pays him about $3 million per year through 2004. Solomon remained on board, too.”


So to all AZ Card fans........Hope you enjoy his stay. Get ready for a pretty good offense and a horrible defense. And don't expect him to say anything of any importance during his press conferences.

[Ksyrup]

The bottom line is, it would likely take more than 10 years for Cardinals fans to start complaining about being competitive or not wining "the big one" for it to really cause Green some problems. And by then, if he can't get them over the hump, he'll still be seen as the guy who resurrected the franchise. For that purpose, I think he's a good hire.

He's got an opening. They move into a new stadium in 2 years and have a chance to get a solid QB this year. If he can get them competitive going into a hew stadium, and that leads to the owner being willing to spend some money to keep it going, he could be successful there.

[mckerney]

Oh, Cards fans should also be on the lookout for the hiring of one Richard Soloman. Fear him.