Governing Washington

Spurrier will adapt to the NFL landscape

Lots of mail on Steve Spurrier this week, naturally, with the questions centered on how he'll do in the switch from college to pro football. Let's take a go at them:

Peter, I'd like your prediction on Spurrier in Washington. No doubt he's a great coach, but as a close follower of SEC football through the years, I can tell you the man has no patience whatsoever with the running game. And this plays into a factor that's being overlooked to an extent: The weather in the SEC's venues is typically perfect on fall Saturdays and Gainesville is warm all the time. The NCAA doesn't play in December and bowl games are indoors or played at warm-weather venues. Therefore, the weather hardly ever hindered the Gators' attack or style of offense. Last I checked, there were some pretty cold-weather spots in the NFC East. With that in mind, do you think his style can cut it at the next level?
-- Kenny, Huntsville, Ala.

The last time a loud, totally self-assured coach jumped from college to pro football was in 1989. And Jimmy Johnson struggled for a couple of years, particularly the first season. But he won two Super Bowls for the Cowboys, and the small-and-fast defensive style he brought to the NFL was copied by coaches league-wide. I tell you that only because Steve Spurrier, from what everyone tells me (I've never met the man), is a very smart, very calculating coach (like Johnson) who will figure out what he has to do to win. I seem to recall him running when needed to run to win. He knows Stephen Davis is the best asset for a December game at the Meadowlands. As TV analyst Gary Danielson told me last week, "I'm skeptical about Spurrier being a long-haul guy and getting tormented by the salary cap. In the short term, I think he'll win. How big? Good question. Playoff big. Beyond that, let's see who gets to play quarterback."

How badly does Steve Spurrier want to win right away? Is he going to take a QB in the first round and take his licks for a year or two before he sees dividends? Or is he going to go out and get a veteran? Hey, the fragile Rob Johnson might just be a good fit. Regardless, I have to laugh when the pundits say Spurrier will bring in no-talent Shane Matthews as a "tutor" for his system.
-- Ken Casarsa, Syracuse, N.Y.

Dan Snyder wants David Carr or Joey Harrington. Carr will probably be the first overall pick, so he's out. But the Redskins moved up to ensure getting both LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels two drafts ago. I don't doubt they'll be able to move into the top five or seven for Harrington if Spurrier decides he likes him well enough. Other than that, I don't think Spurrier knows who his quarterback will be next year. I would bet you a grande hazelnut latte, however, that it won't be the incumbent, Tony Banks.

If the Packers-Rams game was being played in Green Bay, which team would you pick and why?
-- Dan Hensel, Greendale, Wis.

Rams. Close, maybe 28-20, unless it was inhumanely cold or windy. I think although Kurt Warner wouldn't be nearly as good on the tundra as on the carpet, he'd still be good enough to lead four scoring drives in 12 possessions. And remember, St. Louis' D is better than San Francisco's.

Do you think Carolina will consider Tony Dungy or maybe Marvin Lewis from Baltimore? I've heard Mike Fox and Gunther Cunningham (uggh!) are being considered.
-- Mike Haskins, Raleigh, N.C.

No question the Panthers will try to talk to Dungy, who'd be great for the Panthers. He'd be better, I think, for the Colts, with a turnkey offense and a bunch of free agents from around the league who'd love to play for him. I hear Fox did well in his interview there. Don't dread newness. Do you know how badly Fox and Lewis want to be head coaches? Do you know how much players love playing for them?

If Bill Parcells goes to Tampa Bay, can the Bucs drop Brad Johnson and go after Drew Bledsoe? Is it even possible, and will Tuna go for Bledsoe? Also, if the Pats and Bears repeat in the "House of Horrors" (the Superdome), do you think the Bears will remake the Super Bowl Shuffle?
-- Chris Richter, Andover, Mass.

If Parcells takes the job, the $64,000 question is whether he'd go after Bledsoe. I jokingly mentioned to Parcells the prospect of him doing some trade business with Patriots owner Bob Kraft if he got back in the league. Parcells smiled and said he didn't think his old boss would want to deal with Darth Vader. A trade for Bledsoe would not surprise me because I'm sure Parcells, once he looks at tape, will be disappointed in the performance of Johnson this fall. As far as the shuffle goes, I would call it doubtful. Doesn't sound very Dick Jauron-ish to me.

Are you surprised that the Vikings didn't talk to anyone but Mike Tice about the head coaching job? Weren't there rumors that they were interested in Tony Dungy?
-- Tom Valente, Springfield, Mass.

I am a little surprised, but it just shows you that owner Red McCombs, who already had to spend $5.5 million to pay off Dennis Green, wanted a coach who wouldn't cost him in the Dungy ballpark. I think Dungy would have chosen one of the other openings over Minnesota anyway.

As a Vikings fan, I was wondering what your thoughts are on Mike Tice as head coach. I believe he will be able to get into Randy Moss' head and motivate him.
-- John Clausen, Pierre, S.D.

Good question. Excellent point. I though Brian Billick would be the only guy on the planet who could shove a hot poker into the attitude of Moss and make him play all the time. Tice? Tough guy. Respected guy. But I'll believe he can change Moss into Charley Hustle when I see it. And I like Mike. I'm just skeptical Moss can be changed.

Stats should have disallowed Michael Strahan's sack on Brett Favre immediately, just like they do in baseball when the catcher doesn't make an attempt to throw out a base-stealer. It is the same as a defense letting Emmitt Smith run for a touchdown to break Walter Payton's record because the game is out of reach. Mark Gastineau ought to be angry.
-- Todd Chewning, Rockford, Ill.

Maybe. But Favre insists he was trying to run around right end, almost certainly to run a naked bootleg. If the sack should be disallowed (I believe it should be) it should be done so on the grounds that the intent was to run, and Mike Sherman said the intent was to run. Plus, there was no receiver out for a pass. But catcher's indifference, translated to football, would mean that Favre literally handed Strahan the sack. I know everyone thinks that happened. But if you put Favre on the stand under oath, he'd swear he was trying to elude Strahan until he thought it was impossible.

Why would any available coach want that Carolina job if he had a choice? Not only is the team a 1-15 mess, but also it seems as if there's a ton of work just to get the community interested again. San Diego and Indianapolis are much more attractive destinations for the Dungys and Schottenheimers of the world. I understand that Carolina offers personnel control, but S.D. and Indy have the most precious position in the league settled for the next 10 years. If I'm Dungy, I'd take Peyton Manning or Drew Brees over "shopping for the groceries" 10 times out of 10. Oh, and check out Primavera on Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange, N.J. It's a little pricey with no bar area, but the food is exquisite with tremendous portions and a healthy selection of specials every night.
-- Brian Geltzeiler, West Orange, N.J.

Brian, I've been to Primavera six or eight times. Delicious but horribly overpriced. As for Carolina, an NFL coaching job is a drug. Everyone in the business sees almost every job (except for Cincinnati) as a tremendous opportunity. Would you have liked Chicago's chances before this season? That's how quickly things turn around. For my money, Buffalo, at 3-13 this year, has a heck of a chance to be a playoff team next year. No question Indy and San Diego are set now, but if you go to work for Bill Polian or John Butler, you'll be going to work for very wise, and very temperamental, men. If you go to work for owner Jerry Richardson in Carolina, you have an opportunity to form a team in your image.

Do we need to see Jon Gruden cursing all the time? ABC constantly put the camera on him after the personal foul call against his team. Does the league fine him for that and, secondly, doesn't ABC realize there are little kids watching this game? My other question is: When is the NFL going to stop the showboating and dancing after every first down, tackle or sack? It is so annoying that the league should be embarrassed.
-- Rob, New York, N.Y.

You make an excellent point about Gruden, but the cameras love him. He is the most photogenic coach in recent history. I would agree that, particularly on the replays, the networks should be ashamed of themselves for showing him cursing so often. As for sack dances, every time the league tries to legislate those things out of the game, the players scream. The NFL simply doesn't think the issue is big enough to fight the players on it.

It seems as though the West Coast offense is the most widely used in the NFL. With the success of the Rams' attack, do you see a transition toward more teams using the Coryell style of offense?
-- Ryan, Columbia, Mo.

Ryan, good point. But so many teams use the West Coast now. And to be a pure Coryell team, you need a great downfield passer. Aikman. Warner. Favre. There aren't many of those. That's because Dan Foutses don't grow on trees. You show me a 60 percent passer downfield, I'll show you a consistent Pro Bowl performer who can throw in any offense. There just aren't great deep throwers.

Peter, can't say enough about your Monday Morning Quarterback column. Insightful, funny and interesting. You made me feel like I was there with you in Green Bay. One question: Am I crazy or is Bill Parcells nuts? Didn't he give the Jets and Woody Johnson his word? (Sorry, that's two questions). If I'm a Jets fan, I'd file lawsuits if the Jets paid the remainder of Parcells' contract.
-- Tom Ferrante, Livingston N.J.

Tom, thanks. If Parcells didn't work those two years, he doesn't owe the Jets a thing. Plus, Woody Johnson gave him a pass when he left anyway. When you go into business with Parcells, you know it's going to be an itinerant deal. He will stay in Tampa, I say, three years tops.

What's with referring to Jeff Garcia as a "survivor of the CFL" in your MMQB? I mean, come on. He, Doug Flutie, Warren Moon and other excellent quarterbacks who have excelled in the NFL got their games in the CFL. Not only is the CFL field wider and longer, but teams only have three downs to go 10 yards. The game is more aerial by nature and teams have to pass a lot more to move the ball. They can't just run it up the middle and expect to win. They have to go long or go home. This has resulted in some pretty successful quarterbacks moving into the NFL. So Garcia is hardly a survivor of the CFL; he is more a product of it.
-- Geoff, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

I should have chosen a better word. You did. Thanks.

Is it just me or is the service at the Starbucks in Upper Montclair painfully slow most Saturday nights? By the way, I have seen you in there numerous times but you usually are sporting the headphones. Anyway, why isn't Mike Martz talked about more for as a Coach of the Year candidate? A 14-2 record is impressive, even more so when the team goes 8-0 on the road. Hiring Lovie Smith was pure genius, and Martz manages to run on of the most potent offenses in NFL history. Give the man his due.
-- Greg, Nutley, N.J.

Say hi sometime. But I'm not in there many Saturday nights. As for Martz, the problem with giving Coach of the Year to Martz is that it's no big shock that the Rams made it back to the top of the NFL. Bill Belichick turned a moribund Patriots franchise into one of the best teams in the league -- and after his QB coach died during training camp, he took over that role and developed Tom Brady. Butch Davis won seven games after the Browns had won five over the previous two years. Those are my guys, but I do understand the appreciation for Martz. I think he's terrific.

I really enjoy your MMQB column and I have often thought about sending you a question. But this time I couldn't resist. What is an O.U. alum doing buying a B.G.S.U. shirt? It's sacrilegious! Almost as bad as buying a Miami shirt. I'm simply astounded!
-- Greg Roeble, Columbus, Ohio

If a Sing Sing State, quality XXL sweatshirt is $8, I'd wear that, too.

I wanted to send my condolences to you and your family concerning your dog, Woody. A couple of months ago we had to put our cat, Bavaro (yes, named after THAT Bavaro), to sleep. An hour later I had to preach at a neighborhood worship service and I wore my Mark Bavaro, No. 89 N.Y. Giants jersey proudly under my robe. I never miss a column and I really enjoy your writings and insights. Peace be with you.
-- Kathryn Johnston, Carlisle, Pa.

Woody will get his sappy journalistic due on Monday. Thanks to all for writing in about my dog. It's a lot tougher than I thought, putting a member of the family to sleep. I wish I'd thought to name Woody "Yastrzemski" or "Conigliaro," Kathryn. And thanks for taking the time to make me feel better.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL for the magazine and appears each Sunday on CNN's NFL Preview. To send a question to his mailbag, which will next appear on Jan. 31, click here.

 

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