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Denver Broncos owner on firing: It was time for change

sports.espn.go.com — In a tear-filled news conference the day after firing Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen gave no timetable for hiring the coach's replacement. The Denver owner says he fired Shanahan after 14 seasons because, simply, he felt it was time for a change.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 1, 2009

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  • randylm, on 01/01/2009, -4/+35So change some players. Shanahan is a great coach
  • lemonloser, on 01/01/2009, -1/+16Broncos are gonna go to ***** now.
  • inactive, on 01/01/2009, -1/+14Shanhan was a very good coach. Before he came to Denver they never won the big one, even with Elway. This time next year Denver will be grovelling for him to come back. They will be in ruins. I guess the memory of Wade Phillips has grown dim.
  • NCecil, on 01/01/2009, -1/+11The Broncos have won 1 playoff game since Elway left. Shanahan has had plenty of time to change some players, and it hasn't happened. Fond as I have been of him in the past, he had is chance.
  • GlueSniffer, on 01/01/2009, -1/+10Childress in the image? Vikings??? Please ditch Childress and pick up Shanahan...PLEASE!
  • inactive, on 01/01/2009, -0/+7That's the thing. Shanahan was in charge of selecting ALL the players for his team. He wasn't picking the right ones.
  • mrswirl, on 01/01/2009, -0/+7Shanahan was the GM in addition to being the head coach. The responsibility for picking players was on his shoulders and that's where his particular weakness showed. He's picked some spectacular duds in last few years - especially on defense.

    I was always respect Mike as a head coach as he really is one of the best but his poor performance as GM was his ultimate downfall.
  • inactive, on 01/01/2009, -0/+7Raiders will always suck until Davis dies. Personally, I hope he lives to be 100.
  • Neiby, on 01/01/2009, -0/+6Really? How about Cutler, Dumervil, Royal, Hillis, Marshall, Stokley, Robertson, DJ Williams, John Lynch, Champ Bailey, Darrent Williams, Terrell Davis, Ryan Clady, John Engleberger, Daniel Graham, Ben Hamilton, Ryan Harris, Casey Wiegmann, Jamie Winborn, Wesley Woodyard, etc. Those are just a few names, current and past, that Shanahan brought in.

    Every team busts on new players, not just the Broncos. He has had some pretty big busts, but he's scored on some serious players, as well, and he rarely gets credit for that.
  • SteveMTyler, on 01/01/2009, -1/+6al davis still owes shanahan money from when he fired him in 1989. I don't know how you can be a lifelong raider fan and not know that they absolutely hate each other.
  • corduroy, on 01/01/2009, -1/+5I would be extremely surprised if he went to the raiders. Shanahan would want total control, Al Davis is not one to give that up. Shanahan says that Davis still owes him 250k and Davis disagrees. Those two appear to personally have a venomous feud.

    As a lifelong Broncos fan, I would like to see the Raiders improve. Victories are more satisfying when both teams are very good. Over the last few years, it hasn't been fun watching the rivalry when it's been rather one sided (Shanahan has a 21-7 record over the raiders).
  • wrmjr, on 01/01/2009, -3/+7Shanahan almost certainly becomes the top coach available now. Let's see if he ends up with the Jets.
  • BigVi, on 01/01/2009, -0/+4How can you be a lifelong Raider fan and not know that every ex raider hates your organization with a passion?
  • talonstriker, on 01/01/2009, -0/+3How?
  • FearlessFreep, on 01/01/2009, -0/+3"I think you're putting too much of the blame on 1 guy."

    But changing out that '1 guy' now will me new players coming in and probably new coaches and assistants as well
  • BigVi, on 01/01/2009, -0/+3Cower supposedly turned down the Jets because of Farve? Denver has a young, impressionable QB........
  • dafragsta, on 01/01/2009, -0/+3I'm sure Dallas would love to have Mike Shanahan after this season.
  • jba68, on 01/01/2009, -0/+3lets trade you can have wade back..


    trading wade for nothing would be a win in my book
  • inactive, on 01/01/2009, -0/+3If they can bring in Elway, it would help a bunch. Not so much as a head coach, but mainly to calm down and teach Cutler. If he could make him more consistent, he'd be an excellent QB.
  • solarweasel, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2p. bowlen wouldn't have fired shanahan without someone in mind...

    there is speculation b. cowher may interview for the job -- that would be amazing
  • FearlessFreep, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2doubtful, Cowher's approach doesn't match Denver's personnel right now
  • Neiby, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2Yep. Shanahan is now the top coach available, and the open slot in Denver is now the top open position available.
  • DaveBlaze, on 01/01/2009, -1/+3Look at his recent activity. He blind dugg 11 stories in 1 minute...
  • Barackalypse, on 01/02/2009, -0/+2"I'm sick of winning, its time for a change".
  • Barbarino, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2Please Jets hire him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • method7670, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2I'm a HUGE broncos fan, and it was sad to see him go. I do hope the vikes fire childress and pick up shanny.
    I think they should have taken away his ability to draft his own players, lose his VP spot, but he is a GREAT coach, and it is hard to replace ones with 2 rings.
  • dksupremacy, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2Enough is Enough and It's time for a change!

    RIP Owen Hart
  • corduroy, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2Haha, I don't know of any Broncos fan who would ever want Wade Phillips back. I'm still surprised whenever he coaches any teams. He seems to take good teams, has a good year and then the teams steadily disintegrate with each passing year.

    I could see the Broncos rehiring Shanahan in the future, they are still on very good terms and the fans still like Shanahan (eventually he'll probably be put on the ring of fame or have a street outside the stadium named after him). But I think mostly everyone agrees that a change was needed and I think it will help both the Broncos and Shanahan in the long run.
  • mrswirl, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2Bringing Elway in would be nothing more than window dressing. The guy has no front office management or coaching experience and he certainly doesn't need the money.
  • mrswirl, on 01/01/2009, -0/+2Bowlen most certainly did fire Shanahan without someone else in mind - that's just the way Pat is. He's been known to be very fickle with personnel.

    My guess is it will be several months before a new coach is found - maybe even after the draft - which means there is more pressure to find a new GM than a head coach.
  • jodes440, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1No doubt, but he's picked some studs too : Cutler, Marshall, Clady, Royal, Sheffler.....

    Although it still kills me to trade up and pick DJ Williams over S-Jackson.
  • Mesmorize, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1Aww hell no
  • randylm, on 01/01/2009, -1/+2I think you're putting too much of the blame on 1 guy. I know he's the coach, but what about the owner, gm, or the players? Maybe he isn't good at picking in the draft, but his job is to coach the players he has.
  • thaprinze, on 01/01/2009, -1/+2I hope SD fires Norv & hires Shanahan. That way Shanahan can lead them to the Super Bowl next year, and kick the crap out of the team that needed this "change" for years to come. Go Shanahan!!
  • netant, on 01/02/2009, -0/+1What short stick?

    The only coach the owner was short on was Al Groh, only because of the last minute Bellichek bailout forced the Jets to scramble. And Groh did not inspire confidence with anyone. He kept Herm for five seasons. We see how well Edwards did subsequently in KC. Mangini "only" got 3 complete seasons, but I understand it was Mangini's job to lose after the last two games. If coaching can't find a way to win, against less than awesome opponents, it must have been the Jets were too talentless to beat teams like the Patriots or 13-3 Titans.
  • FearlessFreep, on 01/01/2009, -2/+3Elway can't play defense, and neither can Cutler
  • SpyCatcher, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1Bill Cowher new Denver headcoach
  • anandpopat, on 01/02/2009, -0/+1Hahaha, Shanahan never had a team after Elway that could win. Everyone knows it. To blame it on Shanahan is a joke, maybe give him less power in general managing and getting players, but still give him input. That defense was atrocious, they couldn't stop a pee wee team from scoring!
  • iSamurai, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1The players aren't the problem, it's the coaching. We have some great players, too many to name. But the coaching, especially on defense, has failed to let them shine.
  • GlueSniffer, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1Check out Mike Shanahan's approval rating @ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/sportsnation/coach?c ...


    On a side note: http://www.firechilly.com
  • anandpopat, on 01/02/2009, -0/+1haha, maybe if Cowher played middle linebacker they could stop someone
  • ScottMitchell, on 01/03/2009, -0/+1Yes, Chargers! Fire Norv, hire Shanahan. Hell, rehire Marty.
  • Rocksolid89, on 01/02/2009, -0/+1It does make me wonder if Bowlen simply worried he couldn't diplomatically get Shanahan out of the personnel department. Shanny was a great coach, but some of his personnel decisions were brutal.
  • Arkons24, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1I think that it came down to Shanny not wanting to give up control of the front office and stay head coach. He clearly needed to be replaced in terms of front office, while still holding sway with offensive picks. He is a good judge of talent offensively but he is not a defensive mind.
    Hopefully Shanny will realize this soon and come back as HC without the GM attached. Probably not though.
  • ScottMitchell, on 01/03/2009, -0/+1But no running game and no defense. Plus expectations are high.

    Cower should go to the Lions. Zero expectations, a decent roster, and a city that needs something to cheer about.
  • kalii, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1B/C shanahan is the GM as well.
  • anandpopat, on 01/02/2009, -0/+1haha i hate SD, they dont need a good coach. He should come up to the pacific northwest where he could build a great team in Seattle
  • anandpopat, on 01/02/2009, -0/+1no wonder why the owner is wrong
  • BigVi, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1Shanahan was a great offensive coach, but he sucked at d. How f'n stupid do you have to be to sign the entire Cleveland Browns defensive line after they sucked it up in Cleveland.
  • Arkons24, on 01/01/2009, -0/+1you kidding? Elway is a savvy business man and has front office experience with his arena football team. He might not be right for head coach, but front office? Definitely.
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