Petition to fire Norv Turner
By thegregone
Its official, I can’t stand Norv Turner. (I know, welcome to the party, right?) As with any member of the Chargers organization, The Greg One is willing to give the benefit of the doubt knowing that every player, front office executive or coach is focused on winning. Having seen my beloved Chargers devolve from Marty Schottenheimer’s 14-2 squad to a team that has lost six in a row for the first time in a decade I have seen enough. I gave Norv four years worth of rope, now it’s time to hang him with it. As if we really need reasons why we want Norv gone, I will list my reasons, my petition, to get Norv on the next flight out of San Diego.
Norv inherited a Super Bowl contender when he took over for Schottenheimer. Tirner made a name for himself as an architect of the Dallas Cowboys offense that churned out back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1992 and 1993. Then, he had the triplets, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmett Smith. In San Diego, he had the triplets version 2.0 in Philip Rivers, Ladainian Tomlinson and Vincent Jackson. Throw in Antonio Gates, Darren Sproles and Malcolm Floyd and you could argue this offense was better than those Cowboys offenses. What happened? Slow starts, fast finishes, AFC West titles but dreadful playoff performances from 2008 on. Now the Chargers are 4-7 after losing six straight and all of a sudden losing to teams not nearly as talented in their own division! The Spanos family handed Norv the keys to a Ferrari and he’s traded it in for a minivan…a dull, depreciating, plodding, uninspiring minivan.
Turner has no character. Few things are more worse than watching a Norv Turner press conference. Norv is completely monotone and sounds exactly the same regardless of the outcome of the game. Even the dullest of the dull, Bill Belichick, will get angry after a bad game. Rex Ryan talks a lot of smack, will joke with the media and will go off on the media after a bad performance. Norv is always even keel. Never smiles. Indifferent. Always appears to be tasting something sour. Norv’s thundercloud has soaked the mood of our beloved Chargers and its time to remove it and bring in a guy who can inspire a team. There is no doubt in my mind Norv has lost the team. No one looks like they are having fun on the field. I want to see a coach who will rip into a player when he does something stupid and be the first to give him a hug when he gets to the sideline when he does something great. Judging from the playcalling and his demeanor all season he looks like he has someplace else to be. Lets make that happen. To the next coach, be happy, be bitter, be passionate but SHOW YOU CARE!!!
What good would it do to air a problem without suggesting a solution? The Greg One presents his top five candidates to replace Norv as soon as possible:
5. Cam Cameron. Remember him? San Diego was in the top five in points scored each of the four seasons Cameron was the offensive coordinator, including a team record 494 points in 2006. The Chargers averaged over 26 points per game under Cameron’s control and Cameron is a major reason Philip Rivers has the highest points scored per start average in the history of the NFL. Cameron has been offensive coordinator in Baltimore the last three seasons and even the Ravens are putting up points instead of letting their defense do all the work.
4. Tony Dungy. Sure, Tony looks very comfortable on the set of Football Night in America but who’s to say he wouldn’t come back for the right team? Dungy has been away from the game for a while and how can he not see some Peyton Manning in Philip Rivers? Dungy would instantly command respect and would make players accountable from the word go. With this offense, Dungy could win another ring. Granted, this is the most unlikely name in this discussion but give the man a call. Just saying…
My choice 4A will be Andy Reid. Reid will not survive the disaster that Philadelphia has become and there’s no doubt he could use a change of scenery. Reid is tough but fair, will keep guys motivated and consistently got his team to the NFC Championship even if they only made the Super Bowl once. And lost. At least it would be a man who knew how to call a game in the playoffs.
3. John Gruden. Chucky is the youngest coach to ever win the Super Bowl and he did it with TAMPA BAY. Bill Walsh disciple. Gruden has won everywhere he has gone, even Oakland. As we’ve seen in the pre-draft specials, Gruden is brutally frank with quarterbacks and would be a great person to take Philip Rivers game even higher. He has the charisma and the evil stare that keeps a player in line. Gruden’s teams were always dominant defensively. Like Dungy, Gruden looks happy on the Monday Night Football set, but what coach who still feels the itch to get back in the game would pass on San Diego?
2. Bill Cowher. If Cowher can turn the Steelers into a near dynasty primarily on the strength of the defense, what could he do with a high octane offense? Cowher is no-nonsense coach who gives praise AFTER you’ve earned it, speaks his mind at all times and knows how to assemble a championship squad. Don’t look now, but the rumor mill has Cowher interested in the job. Cowher gives the team instant credibility again and would excite the fan base who have a lot to loathe about the team this season.
1. Chris Petersen. Surprised? Why? Peterson runs the highest scoring program in college football at Boise State. In six seasons the man is 71-6 with two undefeated seasons and three one loss seasons, winning his conference four times. Boise State players aren’t exactly flooding the pros. Petersen is getting the job done with the boy next door, not the blue chip recruits that usually land in power conferences. Leaving Petersen at the controls in San Diego would create a scoring display like nothing the league has seen since the Greatest Show on Turf. With his prize quarterback Kellen Moore coming to the NFL this would be as good a time as any to make the move to the pros. Petersen does not have NFL experience but you can do nothing but respect a man who can take a team in IDAHO and turn them into a national powerhouse. All he does is win. Sign the man NOW!!
So there you have it, The Greg One’s head coach wishlist and my petition to remove Norv from office NOW, not later. Add your name and if I missed a coach, add him and your reason to bring him in. Hopefully we can get this forwarded to the Spanos family PDQ!!