The Titans Search Is On!

Saturday morning, there was a lot of grumbling going on in the mid-state.. The headline of the Nashville Tennessean made it appear that Mike Munchak would be back for a fourth season coaching the Tennessee Titans. Well, by 3pm that afternoon, it turned out to be quite the opposite. Since then, a lot of people have been very critical of writer Jim Wyatt. If those people bothered to READ the story, you would have seen that the story was factual. Typically at newspapers and websites, the person who wrote the story is not the one who writes the subject header. So, there. Wyatt's story was very much dead on. Munchak met with Titans brass on Friday, and from all accounts, it appeared that they wanted him to stay  - providing some changes were made to the coaching staff.

That's where things got interesting. The coach felt that to fire certain members of his staff would be detrimental to his teams' chances of building on their 7-9 record this season. The fact that some of those coaches - such as longtime Titan / Oiler Bruce Matthews are his friends had some bearing on his thought process, I'm sure, but I have to admit my respect for the coach wanting to stick to his plan - job or no job - went up a little bit.

I can't say that I was a big fan of Munchak's coaching style. But, he has always been a class act, and I hope he lands on his feet. (Of course, he will land with $ 3 million in his pocket NOT to coach the Titans next season, so it's not all bad!) I think we in the Nashville market were spoiled for years by the stability under Jeff Fisher.

OK, before you insert your comments about "Stability? You mean 8-8 every year?" I will cut you off right now. Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, or any of the "Superstar" coaches that come up each January regarding possible openings couldn't have done much better with some of the hands that Fisher was dealt with. 

Was I a Jeff Fisher fan? Heck yes. Back in 1997, I was PD at WDKN in Dickson, and I lobbied hard for the station to become an affiliate of the then-Oilers. I will never forget how hard Fisher worked to promote the franchise. Sure, he coached the team, but he was the best PR person the Titans had. He had that unmistakable charisma that you just admired and respected. Most women over 35 thought he was the greatest thing since Tom Selleck, and just like with "Magnum," men didn't seem to mind. He worked the franchise, and possessed a degree of fire on the field that Munchak just didn't have. That's not a knock, as much as it is just a statement on his coaching style being different from Fisher, who was such a good salesman he could ALMOST make me a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, with the key word being "Almost."

So, where do the Titans go next? The name Ken Wisenhunt has been mentioned quite a bit. Currently the OC at San Diego, he has that pizazz that I think would spur some excitement down at LP (Larry Petty) Field. He's been to a Super Bowl as head coach of the Cardinals. Then, there's James Franklin. He has done wonders with the fortunes of Vanderbilt, but has never been involved with an NFL franchise. Then again, the next coaching star has to come from somewhere? And, there would definitely be excitement if Franklin moved from West End to the River. I don't know. One name I have not heard would be Saints DC Rob Ryan. He has the fire, but have his defenses been that great until this season? He is a country music fan, which would be a plus. Maybe the Titans could lure former DC coaches Jerry Pearson and Jackie Bledsoe to co-coach the team. I can't guarantee the record, but a Mike Keith coaches show with either would definitely be entertaining! Just my two cents, which has declined to a worth of one and a half....I'd love to hear yours!