While the actual coronation appears to be coming tomorrow, John Fox is in Charlotte today for final meetings before being named the Panthers new coach. This is a good choice for the team, Fox has done excellent work for the Giants as defensive coordinator since 1997. What I wonder is why they chose him over Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis. The two coaches have very similar backgrounds and ages and both are expected to make solid head coaches. ESPN should do a behind the scenes special one year with cameras at some of these interviews to let us know what goes on.
In other news, former Giants fullback Maurice Carthon (from the 1986 and ’90 Super Bowl teams) was named offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions today, moving up from the running backs coaching slot. Hard to believe Carthon has been coaching for eight years already. The Lions also added former Vikings OC Sherm Lewis as a special assistant; after the season the Lions just had, can’t blame them for wanting as much brainpower as possible focused on that side of the ball. Don’t forget that Lion HC Marty Mornhinweg’s background is also on the go side.
Speaking of offensive, the Cowboys sure need help and rumors have them offering the OC job to former Bengals/Jets coach Bruce Coslet. Some guys just aren’t meant to be head coaches even though they really look the part, and Coslet is one of them. A great offensive mind but never really got all the pieces of the head job put together. Star player-wise, the ‘Boys have an aging but still juiced Emmit Smith and confusion at quarterback: Rookie Quincy Carter was named the starter and spent much of the year on the injury list, Anthony Wright seemed to fizzle after starting a few games, Ryan Leaf didn’t impress in his third stop and looks like the stop for a cup of coffee is over, and latest news is the team is offering Chad Hutchinson a multi-year contract with a $2 million signing bonus. Hutchinson was a big time college QB at Stanford but has spent the last four years as a pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system and has been disabled twice in the past two years with elbow trouble.
BillSaysThis 