Michael Lombardi On Ranting With Rizzo

We get a little NFL expertise in this edition
of "Ranting with Rizzo" as Michael Lombardi
of the NFL Network and NFL.com takes a few
minutes to join the show and talk Super Bowl,
and the NFL in general. Enjoy !

Curse Of The Schottenheimer ?

The Curse of the Schottenheimer may sound like
something I just made up, and it very well could
be, but if you take a look at the numbers of the
Schottenheimer trio and their history, both on the
College and Pro level, you have to admit, it may
actually exist. Marty the most notable member of
the Schottenheimer's has the most extensive career.
Marty started out coaching in the now defunct WFL
(World Football League), where he was the linebacker
coach for the Portland Storm. During his time there
they compiled a record of 7-12, and though you can't
very well blame that on him, you may eventually see
a pattern. I for one think Marty Schottenheimer is
a very good football coach, I just don't think he
is a coach you can win a Championship with.
I also think that Dan Snyder made a mistake firing
Marty and replacing him with Steve Spurrier, and I
said so at the time. Marty is a great coach to get
your team going in the right direction, but eventually
he plateaus, and that's as far as you're gonna get.

Marty also has a well documented one sided feud with
the owner of the Oakland Raiders. I say one sided
because he won't say anything other than he hates the
Raiders and Al Davis, and Al Davis never makes any
mention of this. Marty says that he will tell us all
in due time when he retires, but those days seem to
be upon us, since he hasn't coached in more than four
years and is quickly approaching the age of 68 when
team owners and GM's stop beating down the door of
a coach who has a losing playoff record and has never
been able to reach the Super Bowl let alone win one.
Marty never coached on the collegiate level that I can
find but his career numbers read as follows:
200 Wins and 126 Losses with one Tie a very respectable
.613 winning percentage but his playoff number are
a different story all together. He has 5 Wins and
13 Losses with NO Super Bowl Appearances, that is
a winning percentage of .384, and if you take
the numbers of the coaching staffs he's been a part
of the numbers get worse, 259-225-1 .538% and
5-15 in the playoffs for a .250 winning percentage.
His so called "feud" with Davis might in no small
part have to do with the fact the Marty was in his
first year as defensive coordinator of the Cleveland
Browns in 1980 when they lost to the Raiders in
Cleveland, but that's just a guess.

There are two other members of the Schottenheimer
clan that take part in this "curse". The lesser
known Kurt Schottenheimer is Marty's brother, and
though he has never been a head coach, the teams
he has been on the staff of, and many times as
defensive coordinator have compiled a record of
202 Wins and 166 Losses, and while again a .549
regular season winning percentage is quite
respectable, the playoff numbers dip to 5-11 or
a .313 winning percentage. Add to that that he
was the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay
Packers the year they lost to the Giants in the
NFC Championship game in the 2007 season.
Just another Conference loss for the Schottenheimer
clan, and believe me those are plentiful.
By the way Kurt did coach on the college level, and
again never as a head coach. His collegiate numbers
are as follows: 39-57-1 a woeful .402 %

Since conference Championships were mentioned with
Kurt it's only fair to point out how fresh Marty's
son Brian is from Conference Championship battle.
Brian has been the offensive coordinator for the
NY Jets the past two years worth of those, and
it should surprise no one that they are 0-2 in that
time. Brian's name has been mentioned many times
for head coaching jobs in the past, but if the family
numbers are to be taken into account, then the question
that begs to be asked is, why? His career numbers are
as vanilla as the family trophy case, 12-12 as an
assistant on the college level with two different schools.
96-96 on the pro level with 5 different organizations,
and 4-4 in the playoffs, and yes NO Championships.
With that the family numbers read as follows.
557-487-1 a .533 win percentage in the regular season.
14-30 a .318 win percentage in the playoffs, 0 for
7 in conference championships, hence the ZERO Super
Bowl appearances, and that is with eleven different
franchises. Yes even as assistants.
Their college numbers are 51-69-1 .421% with 7
different schools and ZERO Championships.
More numbers, if you add all this up it is as
follows: 526-586-2 a very very sad .472%

Rex Ryan said that Brian Schottenheimer would
absolutely be back as offensive coordinator of
the Jets the day after they were ousted in the
AFC Championship for the second consecutive year,
but maybe he should have taken a little time to
think that over. Many Jets fans want Brian's
head on stick, however that's not unusual for fans
these days. It's just that the numbers don't lie
and perhaps they are starting to understand that
having a Schottenheimer in your ranks may not
lead to the type of success you're looking for.

"Ranting With Rizzo" Championship Weekend

And then there were four, at least when this
show was recorded. Share your thoughts with
me at rizzo@wdisam.com and here your e-mail
read on the show. I happened to reference
an article on the show by Ed Berliner of the
Examiner.com regarding the NFL lockout and or
possible strike. Check it out & Enjoy the show !

Stone Cold Championship Locks

Last week I was 2-1, 39-9 for the season,
but definitely not satisfied so here is a
go at trying to end on a win streak.
Can only pick two this week, and they are:

Pittsburgh

Packers

Enjoy !

"Ranting With Rizzo" Replay

If you missed last weeks discussion of
coaching hirings and firings as well
how the "Rooney Rule" now plays a part
in all that, you can hear that with
special guest, Professor, and Author
N. Jeremi Duru on this "Ranting with
Rizzo" replay. We discuss Jeremi's
new book and more. Enjoy !

Stone Cold Flops

The Playoffs show how fragile a 37-8 and regular
season record is for my "Stone Cold Locks".
The defending Super Bowl Champion Saints found
out the hard way and so did I. If ever there was
a lock, it was supposed to be the Saints over the
Seahawks last weekend, but alas that proved to be
nothing more than a myth. I went 1-2 and the total
record is now 38-10 and pick I must. To save face,
to get up and dust myself off, and to try to find
my form again. How are you doing with your picks?
Who amongst you had the Seahawks last week?
I dare you to show your face. Here are my picks.
Enjoy!

Chicago (Oh Boy)

New England

Pittsburgh

You Can't Be Serious

Another example that the UFL can't be taken
seriously is the appointing of Joe Moglia
as head coach of the second year franchise
in Omaha the Nighthawks. Though Moglia may
have some coaching experience, he's been away
from the game for about 18 years now, with the
exception of working as an unpaid voluntary
assistant coach/mentor for the Univ. of Nebraska
football team in 2010. Prior to that however he
was the Chairman and CEO of TD Ameritrade, which
not too coincidentally is the name of the stadium
the Nighthawks play in. Hmmmmm

"Ranting With Rizzo" Replay 1-8-11

Here's what you missed on last weeks
"Ranting with Rizzo" show. Give me
your thoughts at rizzo@wdisam.com

Enjoy !

All The Right Moves? Well, Sometimes

Nowadays it's quite common to take shots at Al Davis
in the media, and truth be told, most that do are either
looking to fill some news space or too young to remember
that along with the likes of Dan Rooney, Wellington Mara,
George Halas, etc. of the world he is as much responsible
for the Multi Billion Dollar success of the NFL as they
are in many regards. You could also say that there were
times where he seemed to be a detriment to the league as
well, but what powerful league figure hasn't been accused
of that?

Saturday's game between the embarrassingly playoff bound 7-9
Seattle Seahawks and the defending Super Bowl Champion New
Orleans Saints was just one more example as to how many
things, be it in the NFL or life itself are interconnected.
Pete Carrol did Al Davis a favor that day. One that Davis
did want, need, or even ask for, but nonetheless he did.
Al has been taking a bit of flack from Raider fans and non
Raider fans alike for his decision not to renew the contract
of Tom Cable his head coach for the past 2 1/2 years.
I too thought this was a mistake, and in a small way have a
hard time admitting that it still might not be a mistake,
but after that debacle that was a title defense of sorts by
those miserable Saints, something Al said after the Raiders
finished their 2010 season with a victory came to mind.
He was asked if he thought their 8-8 record was an improvement
from recent seasons past (I'm paraphrasing here). His response
seemed harsh at the time, but made sense if your an owner that
wants to put a winner on the field. He said " If that's
the world you live in". At the time I kind of took it as
a snappy type of remark, but you see, his job or desire if you
wish is to win another Championship, not to make friends,
I'm sure he already has too many of those. If Pete Carrol
can take his 7-9 rag tag bunch into the playoffs and get one
step closer to a championship, one that would be an embarrassment
might I add, then why shouldn't he expect the same out of his
team and his coach? I'm sure that one of things that probably
annoyed Davis, even though the decision was made well before that
game was the fact that his Raiders had defeated those very same
Seahawks 33-3 this very season, and that the Raiders 8-8 mark,
though not good enough in his mind was still better than theirs.

Those who choose too criticize Al's football decisions should keep
in mind his many accomplishments as well. Under the watch of
Al Davis the Raiders have won more Super Bowl games than 43%
of NFL Teams combined, and they have appeared in at least one
Super Bowl game in every decade excluding this one so far.
I could bore you by going on and on with this, but I won't.
I will however speak to those that choose to say that it's time
for Grandpa Al to move over and let someone else take over the
franchise. Probably the same folks that would be quick to find
a spot for their parents or grandparents in the nearest nursing
home the minute they became useless to their needs. We live in
a what have you done for me a second ago society, but should
realize that we will be in that position sooner or later as well,
and we may not want to be judged so quickly or harshly when it's
our turn. Don't like that argument? Well how about this then?
It's his team, he can do as he wishes, even if it means not
thanking Pete Carrol for a favor he didn't ask for.

Stone Cold Locks Week Playoff Style

The regular season saw the record hit 37-8 with
an 18 pick win streak right in the middle and
a favorable .822 winning percentage.
That success will be put to the test here in the
playoffs where "locks" are few and far between,
but try I shall. Luckily for me the Seahawks
did make the playoffs, so here goes.

Saints

Baltimore

Colts

"Ranting With Rizzo" Replay

Miss the first show of 2011? No Problem,
here it is in all it's splendid glory.
Enjoy !

Stone Cold Locks In Brief

Indianapolis

New Orleans

Atlanta