*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Jan 14, 1999: -- JJ to Resign --
According to a variety of reports out of Miami, Jimmy Johnson
has resigned as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, effective at 6 PM
Wednesday afternoon.
This news, which came as a shock to everyone associated with
the team, means that the Dolphins will have to find a new head coach
for the second time in the last 4 years. According to one report, JJ
told his staff to get ready to go to the Senior Bowl following the
Denver loss and there was no indication that he was even considering
such a drastic action.
The reason for his resignation is said to be that he wants to
spend more time with his family, specifically his father, who is
suffering from cancer. JJ was reportedly devastated at the loss of
his mother and that loss has made him rethink his responsibilities and
his life.
While the team itself has not made an official announcement at
this time, reports indicate that JJ has only resigned as head coach
and may stay on as General Manager. This would mean that he would
remain in charge of personnel and drafting decisions for the team.
Naturally, there is no word at this time who will be
considered to replace JJ, but Dave Wannestedt is an old friend of JJ's
and is now available. If JJ stays on as General Manager, then
Wannestedt will certainly get some consideration for the job.
Other candidates include Marty Schottenheimer, Bill Cowher,
Steve Spurrier, Dennis Green, and, of course, Don Shula.
Wayne Huizenga is reportedly trying to talk JJ into staying
with the Dolphins, offering him basically anything he wants to stay on
as coach, including unlimited use of Wayne's personal jet to fly out
to Texas to visit his father whenever he wants. The Dolphins will
meet with JJ this morning to try one last time to get him to change
this mind.
The Dolphins have announced a press conference for this
morning at 11 AM EST. That press conference may be available via
RealAudio from WQAM. Also, the Dolphins Endzone will probably have a
press release around that time.
My Comments:
Of all the surprises that JJ has pulled in his 3 years with
the Dolphins, this has to be the biggest.
It will take me a while to digest this news and figure out
what it means for the team, but at the very least, it will set the
team back a year or two in it's quest to get to the SuperBowl. It
doesn't matter who replaces JJ - it will take a while for a new coach
to settle in and get adjusted and get the team adjusted to his style.
Plus, there may be other coaching changes as assistant coaches
leave or retire.
Of course, the ultimate situation might be for Don Shula to
come back and coach the team under JJ as General Manager. But this
will never happen. I don't believe that Don Shula will ever take a
position subordinate to JJ under any circumstances and one could
hardly blame him for refusing to do so.
My biggest problem with this decision by JJ, however, is that
it reduces the chance that Dan Marino will get a SuperBowl ring during
his career. The change in coaching will almost certainly set the team
back a couple of years and that may be enough to end Marino's hopes of
getting the Lombardi Trophy.
If that turns out to be the case, it will ultimately be the
worst result of this decision. And yet another demonstration of how
the winds of fate can alter a man's destiny, no matter how hard he
fights to fulfill his destiny.
Sorry for the dramatic conclusion, but this news has stunned
me more than anything I've heard since the day that Don Shula
resigned.
There is an old Chinese curse that says "May you live in
interesting times". Well, it looks like we're in for some interesting
times for the Dolphins in the next few weeks.
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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