So You Think Coaching is Fun?

f your occupational haven is a sideline or bench where you instruct a gathering of professional playgrounders, it might be time to update your resume. More heads have rolled among the collection of NFL and NBA coaches over the last six weeks than the guillotine claimed during the French Revolution.

Okay maybe not that many, but an unprecedented total of 10 locker room leaders between the two leagues have felt the heavy, cold blade cast down upon their livelihoods.

The NBA terminations began on November 22, when the newly-spawned Oklahoma City Thunder fired its first fearless leader, P.J. Carlesimo, after starting the season with an abysmal 1-12 record. (Note- picture was taken when he was hired, you can tell by background, might have had same smile after leaving OKC mess)

Not to be outdone, the Washington Wizards quickly followed suit and dismissed their one-win coach, Eddie Jordan, just a few days later.

The firestorm would gain strength and continue its tumultuous tear through December, victimizing Sam Mitchell (Toronto), Randy Wittman (Minnesota), Maurice Cheeks (Philadelphia) and Reggie Theus (Sacramento).

We as sports fanatics cherish records and the discharging of six NBA coaches before Christmas provided us with another. Six pink slips through seven weeks were the most in league history and the mark is only three firings short of the season record, established during the 2004-05 campaign.

Of course NBA coaches aren’t as tenured as MLB or even NFL mentors, but the firing bug has not eluded the pigskin front offices with four footballers being ousted in the last couple of weeks.
The inevitable “you’ve had your chance, your time is up” reasoning fell on Romeo Crennel after following up a hopeful 10-6 Cleveland Browns year in 2008 with a measly four victories in 2009. Rod Marinelli didn’t have a prayer to keep his job after concluding a perfect 0-16 season with Detroit and becoming the laughingstock of the National Football League. Expect to see steady turnover inside the front office and locker room of the Lions in the coming months.

Eric Mangini was also relieved of his duties after three seasons with the New York Jets, but perhaps the most surprising move came rumbling through the Rocky Mountains of Denver.
After 14 seasons, two Super Bowl victories, 13 playoff appearances and a composite record of 146-91, head coach and vice president of operations Mike Shanahan was asked to collect his belongings.

That one was kind of a head-scratcher considering Marvin Lewis and Herm Edwards still have jobs, but I don’t make the million-dollar decisions.

I am simply here to offer my unscientific explanation for this firing phenomenon and it is summed up in one word…PANIC.

Everyone seems to be in a constant state of panic these days. I can’t trounce through a single day of my life without hearing dire news about the volatile stock market, the lack of job security, food inflation or gas prices.

This panic is undoubtedly a direct result of the economic plague engulfing our nation, and sports owners and general managers are not immune to it.

They envision empty stadium seats and vacant vendor lines so they become desperate.
If a team is stagnant, the ownership feels pressure to grab a hold of their fans quickly and firmly so why not alter the bench chemistry to rekindle interest and create a buzz? Drama sells and there is no better way to create drama than handing a leader his walking papers, just ask the Broncos.

I am not saying this is the only reason for the head coaching chaos. Front office feuds, dissatisfied players and inflated expectations are all constant and plausible explanations for this barrage of firings.

Economists have projected 2009 to be one of the most financially dismal years in decades and this foretelling doesn't exclude the sports we embrace. The NFL trimmed 150 jobs off its budget, the NBA digested 80 members of its entity, NASCAR teams are scaling down to the bare bones and the Arena Football League suspended operations after 22 years of existence which will toss thousands onto the unemployed heap.

As evidenced by the recent turmoil, head coaches are at the front of the firing line and may need to brace themselves because the guillotine could continue to lop heads at an alarming rate in 2009.

Freelance writer Scott Cooley makes his first 2009 appearance here.