The problem was Chudzinski

[rodeo]

Tolbert has gone on record about Chud's "broken promises" in how he would be used. He was probably promised the world to get him to sign here.

[pantherfan81]

I updated the original post with part of Doug Farrar's article and the direct link.

[Proudiddy]

Yet another reason I don't trust Rivera.

There are coaches that command respect and players/staff have no option but to get behind them and follow...

Then there are coaches that are just there, and it seems as though they're just along for the ride. The more we've seen and heard during his tenure here, the more convinced I am that Rivera is of the latter group.

I hope he proves me wrong this year and we have a winning season, but I just don't trust him to be that guy.

[ncmonzta]

Who cares what Smitty says? It was teh RB's fault

Sarcasm

[TCF2]

Well most of us knew this about 4 weeks in last season, but it is nice to hear a player like Smitty speak out candidly about it.

What is sad is how long it took Rivera to implement a change.

Totally agree with the first part.

The part about Rivera implementing change is what i dont agree with and here's why:

Rivera never implemented a change. JR probably told Hurney to fire Chud and or Rivera. Hurney decided he couldn't do it and got himself canned. Nothing turned around until AFTER Hurney was fired.

So that means that JR "The Big Cat" implemented the change. Not Rivera.

BUT

I think that both Chud and Rivera and the team for that matter got the message loud and clear. Look at how well we finished!

[TheRed]

Totally agree with the first part.

The part about Rivera implementing change is what i dont agree with and here's why:

Rivera never implemented a change. JR probably told Hurney to fire Chud and or Rivera. Hurney decided he couldn't do it and got himself canned. Nothing turned around until AFTER Hurney was fired.

So that means that JR "The Big Cat" implemented the change. Not Rivera.

BUT

I think that both Chud and Rivera and the team for that matter got the message loud and clear. Look at how well we finished!

 

I'm not buying that. If that were the case, JR would have just let Rivera go in the offseason.

 

Hurney got fired because he had been shortening his leash with dumb moves for years. It finally cost him his job. Bottom line is it should not have taken Hurney being axed for Rivera to realize what was wrong with the offense.

[LA_Panther]

how is making dumb play calls an audition for a promotion?

 

Completely agree. 

 

Naturally if you are trying to get noticed or move up in your career, you stink it up right (smh). Makes absolutely no sense. I think Chud could have left after his 1st year, but he chose to stay. He was actually a hotter candidate after the 2011 off-season as opposed to 2012. Smitty is basically accusing Chud of putting his perceived selfish ambition ahead of the team's. I don't know if it is true or not, but that's a bold statement coming from an active player.

 

Call me old school, but I don't like throwing people under the bus, but it even makes less sense to throw them under the bus after they are gone and the season has not even started. Whatever happened with our offense last year, we sucked as a team period. Glad the players are on board with Shula, but sorry, I gotta watch a few games before I anoint Shula.

 

Love me some Smitty, but I wish he kept that poo to himself

[TCF2]

I'm not buying that. If that were the case, JR would have just let Rivera go in the offseason.

 

Hurney got fired because he had been shortening his leash with dumb moves for years. It finally cost him his job. Bottom line is it should not have taken Hurney being axed for Rivera to realize what was wrong with the offense.

Agree to disagree on first part.

I am totally with you on Rivera not fixing the issue.

[Argus Plexus]

Not throwing daggers. It's the plain truth.

[the_philosopher]

Smith has validated what some of argued back in October in a largely-ignored 2-page thread by the prophet ReadyOrNot entitled

 

 

I hope you enjoy eating your crow, Icege.

[CatMan72]

That was clear when Rivera reeled him in last year and we started winning games...

[Jmac]

Why RR let that douche do that to this offense is beyond me.Even a blind man could see that the offense that he was running was radically different then his first year and that it was total bull crap.The hell with Chud, he put himself before the team he was supposed to be coaching and personally I hope he crashes and burns.He was the main reason why we sucked the first half of last season. Mike Tolbert said it,Smitty knew it, and Cam said that " he doesnt call the plays" during that eight week hell that Chud pulled out his ass.Just to bad that no one jacked his ass up before it was to late.

[jarhead]

I would not read to much into this.This was an opinion of Smith who obviously had a beef with Chud.

[CharlottePanther]

You guys remeber the very first play of the season last year was Cam out wide? Fug Chud, fug em in his ear.