Not as good sign. Howie and Chip fighting? Gamble was close to Chip. Howie has no football background. Evidently Howie can't be content to just do the legal work, and manage the cap. I hope that Lurie is amrt enough to handle Howie, and just let Chip make the decisions. Otherwise, our fears may prove to be true, and Chip will leave after next season.
It definitely doesnt seem like Chip likes Howie that much. Been rumors since before he was even hired. Cant see how this will end well if Lurie is a Howie guy & he sure seems to be.
I remember back when Chip was gonna get hired & there was speculation that Chip wasnt enamored with Howie. Gamble was hire just a few months after. It could have been something Chip insisted on before being hired. I mean he did go back to Oregon before coming back. Was it just money? I cant believe that. Something else was a problem. Power and/or Howie it what Ive always suspected.
Chip surely hasnt been effusive in praise when it comes to Howie. Last presser they asked about his working relationship with Howie & he said it was "good" & shrugged his shoulders. Then went on to say he was real good at the cap. "Thats his training"..lol. He said Gambe was a good football guy.
Even before the NYG game, Chip got testy about playing to win & said if he couldnt do it like that he wouldnt be there. Another sign that he wants/deserves & better get the power he wants.
They can spin it however they want. It sure as hell seems like a power play & if Chip loses the power play, he'll bolt for a team with a better QB. aka Tampa in 2016.
If that happens...Im gonna be pissed & seriously wonder whether we'll ever win shit with Lurie.
Well we really have no idea what is going on. For all we know Gamble might have been the source of the issues between Chip and Howie and they figured it out and let him go. Time will tell with this one.
Yeah I think this could spell the end for Chip. This team has nothing for him, no QB, a lack of talent in so many areas, and a young snot nose GM that thinks he knows it all.
The word is Chip and Gamble wanted Djax gone, and Howie wanted to keep him, and that started the bad blood between Chip and Howie. Then supposedly Luries keeps a log of all his front office people and coaches talent evaluation at draft time. Supposedly Howie is the best talent evaluator, and Howie disagreed with Gamble and Chips talent evaluation during last years draft. Better get yo popcorn ready....this could get UGLY....and Chip may just bolt to coach in Tampa as others have suggested and his boy Mariota would be there. Maybe Tampa will trade us for Chip.....2 Number 1's for Chip??? lol
If we want to keep Chip, we better figure out this QB situation in 2015. Otherwise I think he bolts after it. One way or the other. Chip will make it work with Howie & vice versa if there is a good chance at a SB soon. If not, they will "mutually part ways".
Honestly, I dont see 2015 as a contending year. Too many holes on D & we have the QB issue. So, IMO...I think we really are headed for a divorce after this coming season & Im gonna be hugely pissed. Maybe they keep it together for another run in 2016, if we make the playoffs in 2015 & win a game. Save that, this shit is doomed.
Sports teams are great to root for but if you have no faith in ownership/GM, theres no fucking point watching them &/or giving them too much of your time/money. If they are stupid/dont care...I wont either. If they run off Kelly, they are fucking idiots & are more concerned with credit than winning. Sounds similar to what happened in Dallas & then SF.
Maybe owners/GMs just dont like taking a backseat to college coaches. Or maybe college coaches just dont know how to play the game in the NFL. IDK.
Hopefully they dumped the guy that gave that contract to Cooper and that same guy was the guy who thought Marcus Smith was worth a 1st rd pick for a team with no DB's.
Gamble had nothing to do with Cooper.
I do think he and chip made the smith choice.
Chip is a coach, ala Andy Reid. They need to coach, and leave scouting to the scouts, and the decision should be a collective effort. Most head coaches are lousy drafters. They can tell a good player's skills, but don't pay attention to all the reports concerning a player (attitude, heart, etc.).
So, I am hoping that Chip will learn to listen to Howie and the scouts - tell them what kind of players, and positions he needs, but listen to their recommendations. This could be a terrific team of coaches and scouts and cap management, as long as egos don't get in the way. You will have this a lot when dealing with strong willed men. the exceptions are like GBAY, N.E., Seattle, etc., but there are many teams that simply can't work together.
Hopefully, Chip swallows his pride and realizes that, if it is true that he was behind a lot of the picks this year, which I believe, given the high selections of guys like Huff...he's not a very good personnel man and it is better he stay out of that aspect.
My speculation here is that Lurie saw the process last year didn't work as well as the preceding two years, and wanted to go back to what worked--which was Howie running the drafts and free agency with full control, and Chip then coaching up the players.
But unfortunately Chip may not see it that way and we may need another coach in a few weeks...
Not liking this one bit. Howie winning battles is not a good thing for the future. If these things keep happening one of these times when a high profile college job opens up. Chip could just wash his hands of this mess.