By JOANNE KORTH, Times Staff Writer
Published December 18, 2005
Welcome to the hot seat.
Sit right down.
Matt Millen, you're first.
See all those people wearing orange shirts at Ford Field? Those are not rabid Bengals fans who made the trip to Detroit. Those are the hometown folks who think you should be fired as the Lions general manager. And they have a point.
Who cares if they were the best players available? No one uses three consecutive first-round draft picks on wide receivers.
Next!
Dom Capers, have a seat.
Now, some suspect your team is tanking to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft. They're wrong, of course. Your team is just that bad. It's entirely possible the Texans will earn the right to draft USC running back Reggie Bush, but you won't get to coach him.
Next!
Brian Billick, pull up a chair.
Refresh my memory, weren't you an offensive genius? And didn't you hand-pick Kyle Boller to be the Ravens' quarterback of the future? Thought so.
Next!
Norv Turner, you know the drill.
You've had two seasons and plenty of talented free agents to make Oakland better. Face it, some people are meant to be coordinators. There's no shame in it.
Next!
Mike Sherman, take a load off.
Indications are you're a decent football coach, but the once-mighty Packers have fallen headlong into mediocrity on your watch. And no one's going to blame the quarterback.
Next!
Mike Tice, your chair floats.
Somehow, from the wreckage of the Vikings' first seven games, you might have saved your job, though it's hard to imagine anyone less deserving of a second chance. Or would this make three chances?
Next!
The list of coaches who could be in their final seasons, for reasons ranging from re-retirement to really-tired-of-this, goes on and on to include the Saints' Jim Haslett, the Chiefs' Dick Vermeil, the Rams' Mike Martz, the Jets' Herm Edwards and the Titans' Jeff Fisher.
Some will leave of their own choosing. Some will be ushered.
