Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Bill Cowher continued his very nimble tap dance around his future yesterday, and this time to a Pittsburgh audience. But it's beginning to look a lot like there's a coaching search in the Steelers' future.
Cowher, who made major news last week when he told the North Carolina media he would make a decision on his future at the end of the season, reiterated that position at his weekly news conference, but this time with a dash of humor. He good-naturedly chastised the Pittsburgh media, accusing it of being judgmental, because no one locally had broached the subject of his future with him.
"I've been getting criticized for being terse in regards to my future," he said. "But no one here has ever asked me the question. Before you pass judgment upon me, ask me the question. Guys imply certain things and that's what I think is a little unfair.
"There has been no decision made. It will be something I need to get away from and give some serious thought to. And I will do that at the right time, and now is not the right time."
When he was asked how many seasons he had thoughts of retiring, Cowher became animated and took on the role of comedian as he pretended to discuss his various options. By the time he was through, he was laughing harder than his audience. It was a rare glimpse of Cowher, the personality we see at times in his interaction with players but seldom with the media or public.
Finally, and again with good humor, Cowher ruled out all further talk about his future. That restriction, however, does not apply to this column.
There are two reasons why, in all likelihood, Cowher will not coach the Steelers next season:
Family and money.
He wants to be close to his family. His wife and youngest daughter, a high school sophomore, are living in North Carolina. (His two older daughters attend Princeton.) He is considering making his residence North Carolina, where he has visited his family at least three times this season.
Being a commuter coach won't work in the NFL and if Cowher believes he can do it he's only kidding himself. The Rooney family is too steeped in the NFL to allow such a travesty. They're not celebrity owners dazzled by a coach's resume. They know what it takes to coach in the NFL and living away from the job -- even in the offseason -- won't hack it. A coach's job is not late July to January. It's late July until June. Not only would commuting cut into the effectiveness of Cowher's coaching, it would be the worst example for his players.
As for money, even if he sits out a year, Cowher can make more elsewhere, where his resume would have victory-starved owners ready to pay a salary approaching eight figures.
A lot of people believe replacing Cowher will be easy and already have awarded the job to either offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt or assistant head coach Russ Grimm. No doubt, both are worthy candidates. But no team should limit the scope of a job search of this importance. A search of the nation should be mandatory in selecting the next coach of the Steelers, not just a search of the team's South Side complex.
The fact Whisenhunt and Grimm have been serious candidates for other NFL jobs is indicative of their ability. The continuity that either would provide also cannot be underestimated. But the Steelers did not become an elite NFL franchise, the winner of five Super Bowls, by looking around the corner for their next coach.
Few fans or media types had heard of Chuck Noll when Dan Rooney plucked him off the staff of the Baltimore Colts and made him the Steelers coach in 1969. The same could be said for Cowher, when he was signed off the staff of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1992. As good as Whisenhunt and Grimm might be, the Steelers owe it to themselves to see if there's another Noll or another Cowher out there before settling for someone on their own staff.
The four most successful coaches in recent Pittsburgh history were virtual unknown before coming to town: Noll, Cowher, Jim Leyland and Ben Howland.
The NFL is a fairly closed fraternity. The best assistants, and Grimm and Whisenhunt are among them, are well known. The best of the best should be brought in for interviews. If nothing else, it will give the Rooneys and director of football operations Kevin Colbert a chance to pick the brains of these men.
Hiring an assistant with no previous head coaching experience is always risky. The best assistants don't always make the best head coach. The fact that outstanding assistants from Cowher's staff, Jim Haslett, Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau, were not successful as head coaches is an example of the risk in hiring someone with no head coaching experience.
Replacing Cowher will be difficult. No short cuts should be involved.
(Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com. )
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