On Sunday, John Czarnecki of FOX reports that Panthers coach John Fox has told “friends and some associates” that he expects to be fired when the 2009 season ends.
After Sunday’s win over the Redskins, which moved Carolina to 1-3, Fox denied that he has said any such thing.
“I think if I was talking to my friends, I’d probably tell them if I was
expecting a new five-year contract, but I don’t think I’d be telling
them I’m getting fired at the end of the season,” Fox said. “I really don’t even know how to
respond to that. It doesn’t make much sense if it did come out.”
Nice try, John. But it makes plenty of sense that, in quiet, reflective moments while commiserating with those you know (and thought you could trust), you’d acknowledge what many think is obvious — that it’s coming to an end for you in Charlotte.
Fox quietly has been on the job for eight seasons. The fumes of an unlikely Super Bowl appearance in his second year with the Panthers likely has carried him through a few down years, and last season’s 12-4 finish seemed to cement his hold on the job.
But it’s now coming apart, and someone has to be accountable for the decision to extend the contract of quarterback Jake Delhomme despite plenty of evidence that he’s in decline and to keep defensive end Julius Peppers at $17 million for one season despite the fact that he didn’t want to be there — and by all appearances is now playing that way.
So Fox, like any football coach, is too proud to concede that which he knows in his heart. The window has closed in Charlotte, and unless his team shatters it soon, Fox likely will be done after the season, regardless of whether he has shared his fears in this regard with his friends.
Right on point here Florio for the first time in a while. Fox shouldn’t even still be their head coach and Delhomme shouldn’t be a starter anywhere including Oakland and Cleveland.
Get rid of Hurney, Meeks, Davidson, Peppers and Delhomme.
Fox is not the problem.
Hurney never should have been the GM. Bill Polian should have been named the Pres/GM. Not the Richardson idiot twins, definitely not some knob from Wofford College. Bad decisions are being made at the top.
Nice friends. People you think you can trust go and blab to the media.
Hey, maybe he was trying to smoke out a mole. Now it’s time to lay some justice on whoever talked.
Fox said. “I really don’t even know how to respond to that. It doesn’t make much sense if it did come out.”
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Even he knows he will not last till the end of the season. Really doesn’t make much sense for people to think he will is what he is actually trying to say.
With Saints super hot and Falcons playing well a playoff shot is a dim hope for the Pussycats.
Oh Fox is going to be fired. Bill Cowher wants that job. And he is going to get it.
Poor Florio thinks it makes sense that Fox’s friends know John Czarnecki’s phone number.
Poor Florio.
Re Fox’s attempting a deflection of the rumor (“Fox is to PROUD to say ..”), what would you expect him to say? He’s too INTELLIGENT to say, yes that’s right – what impact would that have on his bruised and battered players, little more than a quarter of the way into the season? His explanation wasn’t good because he was rattled by the question.
Like John Fox, like Carolina. Genuinely sorry at how things are playing out.
I expect Cowher WILL end up there, though it’s been nice to fanatsize about how he might like the Green of the Bay -
Fox should be telling his family and friends of his upcoming departure… some guy named Cowher lives in that area.
What’s interesting is not whether Cowher gets the job (no doubt), but how Carolina will go through the process to comply with the Rooney Rule when it’s such an obvious decision.
@GB3Pack4
U R right to expect Cowher to end up in Carolina. I’m a pack fan myself — you really thinkl GB needs a new coach. I’d prefer a new GM. And O-line coach. It TT stays & MM goes that will just be another in a series of travesties under TT & the other MM’s belts. IF there is a new coach in GB next year and if it is one of the exisiting ex-head coaches I would say not to look past Gruden.
Just a thought
Next year, Bill Cowher will have the Panthers back in the mix.
I’d be surprised if Fox goes next year. Seems to me the problem is still Jake Delhomme. Nobody respects (rightfully so) his arm and now they’re playing against divisions that are physical enough to stop the run; unlike last year.
A good quarterback could solve many offensive issues. If Fox goes it would be due to personnel decisions, at that means Hurney is out as well.
On a side note, why is the media suddenly referring to Cincinatti as the “Cardiac Cats?” That’s been Carolina’s knickname for as long as I can remember, and now the Bengals get to steal it? What the hell?
Fox is an unimaginative coach. He knows how to coach the basics, and his teams often end up above .500, but he’s not going to ever have that special cleverness great coaches have. He’s the modern day Schottenheimer. Can win most regular season games through discipline and basic training. But stupid. Just stuuuuupid. The dozen coaches with a better-than-average brain will whip him always.
Since Fox came to Charlotte, his winning percentage has been in the top 5 for coaches in that period of time.
Cowher had similar problems with his era with the Steelers yet cause cowher won 1 super bowl he’s all the suddon going to come to carolina?
By that logic, Jeff Fisher should be feeling even more heat than John Fox.
According to Wikipedia:
Winning Percentages:
Fox 56.7%
Fisher 55.2%
And Fisher currently has a winless team.
Not saying that Fox won’t be fired, but it seems to me that he shouldn’t be fired. And if he is fired, I think it’ll be more b/c the owner wants Bill Cowher, than b/c the owner doesn’t want John Fox.
R Veit_83
Finally someone else who sees my talking point rather than just rage blogging
They’ve got Cowher on speed dial.
The Chin…………………………………. is in. >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>