Behind The Scoreboard - Claude Vinson


Thursday, October 26, 2005
Community \| Obits \| Editorial & Columnists \| Society \| Sports \| Education \| Classified Ads \| Calendar of Events \| Features \| Newsbriefs \| Legals \| Archives \| Subscriptions \| Photo Gallery

Behind The Scoreboard
By Claude Vinson

Head coaches make changes

The regular season has almost reached the halfway point. Do you know where your favorite NFL team is?

The heat is steadily rising and is being felt at every level. From quarterback to wide receiver, from owners to coaches, and some assistants, the antsy feeling is taking hold.

Can you believe that Brian Billick, the head chef in the Baltimore Ravens’ kitchen, turned his offensive coordinator out to pasture just a few days ago? This has to be a rare look, since the Ravens are leading the North Division of the American Conference. Billick’s alter ego, if one recalls, Jim Fassell used to lead the New York Giants some four years ago.

And, lo and behold, across the conferences and on the same day, Dennis Green, the leader of the Arizona Cardinals, told his offensive man to pack his bags and saddle up. The Cardinals aren’t as fortunate as the Ravens, they are at the bottom of their heap in the national West. Green obviously blamed Keith Rowen for the defeat at Chicago when they had the unbeaten Bears down 20 points.

Oh, the coaching carousel is already spinning. Head coaches should perhaps be thankful that at this point only the assistants are riding.

At this juncture of the season there are just two teams which remain unbeaten – the Indianapolis Colts in the American and the Chicago Bears in the National. And would you believe both have escaped some close ones? The Bears, as mentioned above, were scared by the Cardinals but came back to remain untouched at 6-0.

No matter what your feelings are for, or against, the Colts (and yours truly has not completely forgiven them, but I am working on it!), there has to be some admiration. In Sunday’s game they were behind the Redskins 14-13. But the man who wears number 18 (one digit shy of the number worn by his most famous predecessor of yesteryear), is doing everything to bring the glory days back to the famous name and at the same time elevating his own stature. Peyton Manning brought the Colts back in Sunday’s game to run their record to 6-0.

The Oakland Raiders finally broke their season’s losing streak. There are still a handful of teams still in the one-win column in both conferences. It is still too early to tell if these coaches need to start thinking about those wooden horses.

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
Questions, comments, corrections: south@dixie-net.com
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page