Lovie Smith, AP Coach of the Year

[White Shogun]

Smith received 24 1/2 votes, Dungy 20 1/2. The coach with the next most votes, Bill Belichick, received two. Holmgrem, Coughlin, and Lewis all received one vote each.

Out of 32 teams, four of six black head coaches received nominations for the award. Only 3 of the remaining 26 white coaches received a vote, Belichich, Holmgren and Coughlin.

That leaves out coaches like Joe Gibbs, John Gruden, John Fox, Bill Cowher, and Mike Shanahan.

I don't know if I agree with the decision. Smith did a lot with the Bears despite starting a rookie at quarterback for most of the season. They cite the Bears defense ranking number one as part of the reason he won the award, but the Panthers actually finished the season with the number one defense in the NFL.

Smith did a lot with the Bears, though, and won most of the Bears' games with a rookie quarterback at the helm. I guess what bugs me the most is that there were so few questions about who deserved the award. It was either Smith or Dungy, in the eyes of the AP at least. The Colts are packed with talent, and Manning runs his own offense.If you wanted a black man to run second, Marvin Lewis deserves more of a nod than Dungy, in my opinion.

But really, the only guy who has deserved to win this award for the past few years combined, is Bill Belichick. No other coach has rivaled what he has done, in terms of wins, number of injuries year in and year, game planning, team preparation... I believe he doesn't win award, nor do the other Pats, because they're so good that its become expected of them. The awards, like Coach of the Year and MVP, seem to go to people that are surprise picks more than anything else. Who is new on the scene and did well this year? Never mind the guy, nor his coach, who have played in 3 of the last 4 Super Bowls and might go again this year.

 

[backrow]

yeah i think Gruden or Belichick deserved the award more... good job by Smith on turning this Bears' franchise around, but one can't help but think that this year only one thing could happen, and that is a black coach winnning the award...

 

[Bart]

But really, the only guy who has deserved to win this award for the past few years combined, is Bill Belichick. No other coach has rivaled what he has done, in terms of wins, number of injuries year in and year, game planning, team preparation....

Very informative post. If Bill Belichick was black he would have been the winner by a very wide margin.

 

[backrow]

i am surprised that Tony Dungy didn't win it, with Colts and their not-so-undefeated run and them being the best team in the NFL plus his personal drama...

 

[Bear-Arms]

Why do they give awards out before the Super Bowl? Baseball doesn't do it till after the season, I think.

Bill Belichick is obviously the best coach in the NFL, his team wasn't there at the beginning, but he turned them around.

The Bears will probably get beat in their first playoff game, but Lovie Smith did turn the Bears around. I think they give this award to any coach that polishes a turd into a diamond, which he did. This award had a lot to with the Bears defensive coordinator.

I have a question for the people that voted for Smith. How strong do you think the NFC North is?

I think the Panthers coach is somewhat deserving as well.

 

[Bart]

The Bears will probably get beat in their first playoff game, but Lovie Smith did turn the Bears around. I think they give this award to any coach that polishes a turd into a diamond, which he did.

Lovie didn't exactly turn the team around from scratch. Dick Jauron won the coach of the year award leading the Bears to a 13-3 record a few years ago. The team was strong defensively but weak offensively. Lovie takes Urlacher, Brown and company to the top of the division, with a strong defense but even worse offense than Jauron had. So, big deal. now if they get to the Super Bowl, it would be noteworthy. I doubt they will get close.


Belichick took the Pats to three Super Bowls in four years and did a masterful job this year with the team decimated by injuries. They are again in the thick of it. Quite an achievement in the days of free agency.

 

[GWTJ]

Before the season started, people were saying the Patriots had the toughest schedule in history. But it didn't play out that way. Their division was the worst in the NFL. The out of division teams the Patriots played were very tough or very weak. The Steelers, Panthers, Bucs, Broncos and Colts. They lost 3 out of 5 games against those playoff teams for a 2-3 record. The other 5 out of division teams were the Raiders, Falcons, Saints, Chiefs and Chargers. They won 3 out of 5 games against these non-playoff teams. So they have a 5-5 out of division record and a 5-1 division record. Not a good enough year for the coach to win the Best Coach award. Injuries notwithstanding.

 

[Bear-Arms]

Lovie didn't exactly turn the team around from scratch. Dick Jauron won the coach of the year award leading the Bears to a 13-3 record a few years ago. The team was strong defensively but weak offensively. Lovie takes Urlacher, Brown and company to the top of the division, with a strong defense but even worse offense than Jauron had. So, big deal. now if they get to the Super Bowl, it would be noteworthy. I doubt they will get close.

Greg "sacks are a meaningless statistic" Blache ran the Bears defense when Jauron was the coach. There is no denying the Bear defense had potential when Lovie took over. However, under Blache they had no pass rush whatsoever. When Lovie came in the entire defensive line got reworked and many other players were replaced to fit a faster defense. Also, Brian Urlacher stats suffered under Blache's defense. He wouldn't being winning Defensive MVP if they were still the coaches. Comparing them to the 13-3 defense is like comparing apples to oranges.

Belichick took the Pats to three Super Bowls in four years and did a masterful job this year with the team decimated by injuries.

Its kind of biased you use his previous achievements for coach of the year. I don't deny he is a better coach. He has a good shot at winning it again. Like I wrote earlier, they should wait till after the Superbowl

Before the season started, people were saying the Patriots had the toughest schedule in history. But it didn't play out that way. Their division was the worst in the NFL.

I'll try to breakdown the Pats and Bear schedule.

Bears
Redskins 10-6 L
Lions 5-11 W
Bengals 11-5 L
Browns 6-10 L
Vikings 9-7 W
Ravens 6-10 W
Lions 5-11 W
Saints 3-13 W
49ers 4-12 W
Panthers 11-5 W
Bucs 11-5 W
Packers 4-12 W
Steelers 11-5 L
Falcons 8-8 W
Packers 4-12 W
Vikings 9-7 L

Recap: Beat 3 teams with winning records. Played 7 games with teams that had winning records.

Pats
Raiders 4-12 W
Panthers 11-5 L
Steelers 11-5 W
Chargers 9-7 L
Falcons 8-8 W
Broncos 13-3 L
Bills 5-11 W
Colts 14-2 L
Dolphins 9-7 W
Saints 3-13 W
Chiefs 10-6 L
Jets 4-12 W
Bills 5-11 W
Bucs 11-5 W
Jets 4-12 W
Dolphins 9-7 L

Recap: Beat 3 teams with winning records. Played 9 games with teams that had winning records.

 

[foreverfree]

Why do they give awards out before the Super Bowl? Baseball doesn't do it till after the season, I think.

I think the NBA does it during the playoffs too.

John

 

[Spooge]

Smith received the award by luck. Urlacher is the
ultimate equilizer and Lovie would not be in the position that he
is without him. It is total B.S. to give him the nod just because
he happened to have an exceptional white boy at linebacker.
I don't even know if L.S. drafted Urlacher. Perhaps if the
choice was
up to him he would have gone all black like the rest of his team except
the QB, kicker positions. Now Bilicheck on the other hand
has had to deal with multiple injuries, a stroke (to his prize backer),
season ending for Harrison, etc. Bill Bilichek deserves coach of
the year, he has brought his team back to the verge of another
Superbowl (and I believe he will win it.)

 

[foreverfree]

 I don't even know if L.S. drafted Urlacher. 

Urlacher's been a Bear since 2000. So Smith inherited him.

John

 

[ocaamikedm11]

I don't even know if L.S. drafted Urlacher.

Urlacher's been a Bear since 2000. So Smith inherited him.

John

But from what I've seen, Hillenmeyer has just finally gotten a chance under Smith.. but I'm not too sure of this....

 

[foreverfree]

Bill Bilichek [...] has brought his team back to the verge of another
Superbowl (and I believe he will win it.) 

And if he does, here's a suggestion for the Pats 2005 highlight video:

[Pan slowly across an empty Patriots locker room, showing each jersey hanging neatly in its wearer's stall]
ANNOUNCER: "In this millenium, no uniform has brought out the best in a football team quite like that of the New England Patriots..."

John

 

[Spooge]

Amen foreverfree!