Fire Bill Cowher Petition

[pantherpain]

Last year we were 12-4 because of a very weak schedule. We barely beat the Raiders and 0-16 Lions. We were exposed in the playoffs for being a mediocre team with a weak schedule, not a 12-4 powerhouse. But if that's what you want out of your team, feel free to support Foxball. Personally, I'd like to see a team that dominates opponents and is in the thick of it every year, not dancing around .500 and barely squeaking out wins.

someone who can see the team for what it is and doesn't inflate his ego as a fan by making them better than what they are. Their good not great and have many area's that need work.

And the lions game would have come out different had they called peppers for a face mask on Daunte going in for a touchdown.

[Wither]

There aren't a lot of good high-win teams every year (usually good records because of easy schedules, as you have all said). With that said, which ones that have 8-10 wins are actually any good?

[davos]

This.

Reptar+

Exactly.

It should be apparent that Fox is no offensive guru, hence why he still maybe learning in areas of dependency and reliability. I still have faith because I believe the guy is open to learning through his decisions and consequences rather than making blind changes in a quick and decisive manner. I'm not a fan of his the last two years, but he isn't as stubborn as everyone makes him out to be. Its almost cartoonish to a degree.

Our organization definitely needs to make moves in a lot of areas, but we are constantly teetering on the edge of greatness which we can possibly catapult to if we are patient. If he is gone, I don't want old head coaches. If anything, I would like a Frazier or Zimmer. But why not let Fox learn..then possibly he can become badass? Is everybody here as stubborn of their current dislike of Fox as much as he is with faith in veterans?

[Brooklyn Bully]

Cowher felt the heat from the fans...after he'd run his course. Was he feeling the heat in his early years there? Nope. People loved him. Fox is just as good a coach as Cowher is (lack of division titles aside), but he has run his course here. This isn't Florida State or Penn State. You don't coach forever. I can't believe they kept him around that long there. Then again, he was a pretty constant winner. Fox, is not.

You don't keep a HC in the NFL forever in this current era. It's time for Foxy to bring fresh life to a new team and hopefully win himself a ring, and it's time for a coach to bring fresh life here so we can get a ring. Can Fox do that here? We'd like to hope. But Cowher is capable of doing just that as well and a breath of fresh air is what just may do the trick.

[Nu Guns]

Cowher is similar to fox...i want gruden !

[outlaw4]

Definitely some worthwhile food for thought, and it strengthens my belief Jerry Richardson is going down the right path, at least for the next year.

What would have become of the Steelers if they hadn't have kept the course with Bill Cowher? His best season was an 8-8 affair in his 14th Season in which they snuck into the playoffs before going on a tear and winning the Super Bowl.

None of us know what the final book on Fox will be, but if this organization wants to truly be like the Steelers (who by the way have 6 Rings), we need to stay the course with a coach who the players and management still believe in.

I completely understand being frustrated with Fox, but completely giving up on the guy makes about as much sense as giving up on Cowher in 2002 would have made.

First off, not sure how many are going to buy the argument for keeping Fox based on what happened with Cowher as he had more playoff appearances (although their division had horrible teams in it to get wins).

I'm curious what the Steelers fanbase thought about Cowher after the 2000 season when they missed the playoffs for the third time in a row. Would the same people crying for Fox's head right now would have the same reaction if they were in that situation years ago? I'd put money that they would had wanted Cowher out before he had the chance to get his ring and he'd be looked in the same light as Marty Schottenheimer. Would the fans put up with getting Cowher and then going three straight years in the playoffs but not produce a ring? Again, no, because the expectations with Cowher are higher.

The closest to what Cowher was before his ring today is Andy Reid. See, he has a petition too:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fire-andy-reid.html

...but if HE gets a ring in the future, if he was ever available to fill a HC job, he'd get the same treatement as Cowher is right now.

[Wither]

Cowher is similar to fox...i want gruden !

It would actually be interesting to see Gruden here seeing as he coached Tampa.

[Kevin Greene]

As I posted in another thread, it seems that everyone is bitching about Fox's mediocrity.

Here is Cowher's playoff history:

First 6 years: lost in playoffs

next 3 years: no playoffs

next 2 years: lost in playoffs

next 1 year : no playoffs

next 1 year: lost in playoffs

Then FINALLY an improbable Superbowl win (which, of course, he followed up that win with a crappy 8-8 year).

LOL

You have a funny way of looking at things.

OK, so Fox's record:

Year 1: no playoffs

Year 2: lost in playoffs

Year 3: no playoffs

Year 4: lost in playoffs

Year 5 and 6: no playoffs

Year 7: lost in playoffs

Year 8: no playoffs

Total of 3 playoff appearances in 8 years. 5-3 record, no Lombardis.

Cowher total of 10 playoff appearances in 15 years. 12-9 record, 1 Lombardi.

[PantherDude]

Last year we were 12-4 because of a very weak schedule. We barely beat the Raiders and 0-16 Lions.

But we also have beaten some good teams in Chargers & Cards too. Beside, even the worse team will somehow win out or even make a great team look crappy with the points & almost winning. Look at Bucs when they beat the Saints. Keep in mind anything is possible in NFL, even if you expect the impossible. Any given Sunday. But I guess we're losing because of a hard schedule this season, huh? Even before the season started, many folks here were saying it going to make Panthers struggle.

We were exposed in the playoffs for being a mediocre team with a weak schedule, not a 12-4 powerhouse.

We wouldn't look mediocre if Fox bench Jake or having them run the ball more than making him threw too much passing.

LOL

You have a funny way of looking at things.

OK, so Fox's record:

Year 1: no playoffs

Year 2: lost in playoffs

Year 3: no playoffs

Year 4: lost in playoffs

Year 5 and 6: no playoffs

Year 7: lost in playoffs

Year 8: no playoffs

Total of 3 playoff appearances in 8 years. 5-3 record, no Lombardis.

Cowher total of 10 playoff appearances in 15 years. 12-9 record, 1 Lombardi.

Cowher lost more Playoffs than Fox there. And it took him like 14 season to win the Superbowl. Just saying. And no, I'm not saying Fox is better. But Cowher won by staying for so long compare to Fox being here.

[Kevin Greene]

I guess you could simplify it to Fox makes the playoffs 37.5% of the time.

Cowher makes the playoffs 66.6% of the time.

[rico6]

Is it really debatable who's the better coach?

[Mother Grabber]

We wouldn't look mediocre if Fox bench Jake or having them run the ball more than making him threw too much passing.

You're exactly right. We wouldn't be 7-9/8-8 if we had benched Jake after the bye, but we didn't. Who's decision was that? Fox. Everyone else figured out that Jake wasn't going to win, but he couldn't pull the trigger. He's too conservative to field a team that's anything more than consistently average.

[Davidson Deac II]

I guess you could simplify it to Fox makes the playoffs 37.5% of the time.

Cowher makes the playoffs 66.6% of the time.

Have to point out that during the first 6 or 7 years, Cowher was in the weak AFC. The Superbowl was basically which sacrificial lamb would the AFC present to the NFC champion. If the NFC was as weak now as the AFC was then, Fox would likely make the playoffs every year.

The AFC did eventually become stronger, and when it did, Pittsburgh started having losing records, until they got a good Quarterback.

[rayzor]

i didn't want a retread. cowher would have been ok but i wasn't drooling over him or anything.

i want someone fresh to come in. is there a chance of failure? yes. is there a chance that fox could turn things around and get this team a ring? yes. don't care. we have a chance of failure with fox here. how many years have we not had a winning season with him as coach? how many years have we not seen the panthers get in the playoffs since fox got here?

we have seen enough to find out that almost every other year he has a team that can get into the playoffs. there was those back to back non >.500 seasons in '06 and '07 so that screwed up the 'every other year' thing. we have seen that he is slow to make changes. he is also slow to make adjustments in games. fox doesn't like change. i suppose carolina might be the perfect place for him with so many wanting to keep him despite his ability to make this team consistent winners. not willing to make a risk to find someone who can.

the only time he really pulls out all the stops is when there is nothing left to play for except his job. sorry...i want more for the panthers than that.

i don't think that cowher is the answer but i don't think fox is either. who is it? i don't know but i do know i'm willing to find out. i'm ready to risk a rebuilding season or two if it means possibly building a team that is an annual force heading into the playoffs. i'm cool with it if it means getting us a ring or two or three.

no guarantees but there isn't with fox either.