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Pittsburgh Coaching Job Security

TheWerewolfFromTwilight

TheWerewolfFromTwilight

Athletic Director
Oct 25, 2021
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Tomlin: 8 seasons without a playoff win

Sullivan: 7 seasons without a playoff series win

Capel: 1 NCAAT in 7 seasons

Shelton: Abysmal 41.52% winning percentage in 5 seasons, including never finishing within 10 games of .500

Narduzzi: 7.2 - 5.6 average record in 10 seasons and heading in the wrong direction despite being paid a top 25 salary

Something in the water in this town? I feel like it's not like this in other cities.
 
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Tomlin and Sullivan just seem untouchable for absolutely no reason at all other than stability.

Narduzzi and Capel are safe with their contracts.

The Pirates don't try, so does Shelton even matter?
 
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TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
Tomlin: 8 seasons without a playoff win

Sullivan: 7 seasons without a playoff series win

Capel: 1 NCAAT in 7 seasons

Shelton: Abysmal 41.52% winning percentage in 5 seasons, including never finishing within 10 games of .500

Narduzzi: 7.2 - 5.6 average record in 10 seasons and heading in the wrong direction despite being paid a top 25 salary

Something in the water in this town? I feel like it's not like this in other cities.
Click to expand...
There are different reasons for each. Tomlin, untouchable and Steeler fans are dumb enough to keep acting like the team is a winner. Sullivan, probably the only guy who will put up with the way they're clinging to old guys, Shelton, who cares because the franchise isn't trying.

I think Duzz and Capel are something different. My guess is that there is a conversation at the top about what to do with the two major programs and whether or not it's even worth the effort. Fan base isn't engaged and both programs are swimming upstream. Both programs are in a holding pattern.
 
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who is the area's best coach right now? O'toole? maybe the duquesne women's coach? Fisher probably, the women's volleyball coach.

That's all i can think of.
 
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It's a shame what has happened to college athletics.
Whose on the team ? Who cares , they will be gone soon.

Capel maybe worst coaching job of his Pitt career this season.
 
pittdan77 said:
There are different reasons for each. Tomlin, untouchable and Steeler fans are dumb enough to keep acting like the team is a winner. Sullivan, probably the only guy who will put up with the way they're clinging to old guys, Shelton, who cares because the franchise isn't trying.

I think Duzz and Capel are something different. My guess is that there is a conversation at the top about what to do with the two major programs and whether or not it's even worth the effort. Fan base isn't engaged and both programs are swimming upstream. Both programs are in a holding pattern.
Click to expand...
The crazy thing about Tomlin is that not only should he not even be employed here, but he also keeps receiving raises that now have him as one of the more well-compensated coaches in professional sports. Madness, plain and simple.

With Narduzzi and Capel... sadly, it probably does make sense to just ride it out with them if they are owed full buyouts and this pay-for-play salary cap model goes into effect as it's supposed to.

I don't know much about hockey, but I feel like Shelton keeps getting to ride that "well, it's the Pirates" excuse, and it's overshadowed some awful managing.
 
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TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
Tomlin: 8 seasons without a playoff win

Sullivan: 7 seasons without a playoff series win

Capel: 1 NCAAT in 7 seasons

Shelton: Abysmal 41.52% winning percentage in 5 seasons, including never finishing within 10 games of .500

Narduzzi: 7.2 - 5.6 average record in 10 seasons and heading in the wrong direction despite being paid a top 25 salary

Something in the water in this town? I feel like it's not like this in other cities.
Click to expand...
It's not like any other city! This is amazing in that there is no pressure or accountability for performing but yet getting compensated greatly.
 
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303vND said:
It's not like any other city! This is amazing in that there is no pressure or accountability for performing but yet getting compensated greatly.
Click to expand...

Seems like we live in an age where coaches are getting canned left and right, while the guys in Pittsburgh are sitting here with moss growing on them while being paid handsomely for mostly mediocre results as of late.
 
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TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
Seems like we live in an age where coaches are getting canned left and right, while the guys in Pittsburgh are sitting here with moss growing on them while being paid handsomely for mostly mediocre results as of late.
Click to expand...
What is worse is....

"If you fired Sullivan or Tomlin, they would have a new job in a second!"

OK. So......

In Sullivan's case, losing IS GOOD. Now. But Dubas and ownership needs to sit him down this offseason and let him know a youth movement is going to happen next year and he can't be playing veterans over the young guys everytime they make a mistake.
 
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pittdan77 said:
There are different reasons for each. Tomlin, untouchable and Steeler fans are dumb enough to keep acting like the team is a winner. Sullivan, probably the only guy who will put up with the way they're clinging to old guys, Shelton, who cares because the franchise isn't trying.

I think Duzz and Capel are something different. My guess is that there is a conversation at the top about what to do with the two major programs and whether or not it's even worth the effort. Fan base isn't engaged and both programs are swimming upstream. Both programs are in a holding pattern.
Click to expand...
Apathy is once again setting in with Pitt football and basketball.
Apathy is a fate worse than death.
 
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ChiefJusticeMarshall said:
What is worse is....

"If you fired Sullivan or Tomlin, they would have a new job in a second!"

OK. So......

In Sullivan's case, losing IS GOOD. Now. But Dubas and ownership needs to sit him down this offseason and let him know a youth movement is going to happen next year and he can't be playing veterans over the young guys everytime they make a mistake.
Click to expand...
we have like 25 draft picks over the next 3 years so a youth movement is coming whether he likes it or not.
 
ChiefJusticeMarshall said:
What is worse is....

"If you fired Sullivan or Tomlin, they would have a new job in a second!"

OK. So......

In Sullivan's case, losing IS GOOD. Now. But Dubas and ownership needs to sit him down this offseason and let him know a youth movement is going to happen next year and he can't be playing veterans over the young guys everytime they make a mistake.
Click to expand...

Yeah, as I've said before... Tomlin is even less the man for the job now than he ever has been, because he's desperately trying to end the playoff winless streak and keep the .500 or better thing going, while this team needs to unload what few valuable 30+ year old pieces it has, perhaps embrace a year or two of losing while getting the young guys ready, and hit on some high draft picks. The marriage makes no sense.

Presumably, it's the same with Sullivan, where he is coaching for maximizing his win total right now, and that simply is way too futile to mean anything.

It'd be like running a wrestling promotion where you're still letting the 55-year-old has-beens get over on the young talent. Well, that might sell a few more tickets now, but when those guys retire in a few years your cupboards are going to be awfully empty.
 
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Saboteur II said:
Apathy is once again setting in with Pitt football and basketball.
Apathy is a fate worse than death.
Click to expand...
Add the Steelers to that list as well. And the Pens are not far behind - it's been that way for the Pirates for the better part of two decades.
 
About Tomlin. He inherited a great situation. A HOF QB in his prime, really strong veteran leaders who won a SB already together. So the teams was good and also had high character.

And let's also remember another thing......

And this doesn't get mentioned enough. He inherited...
Bruce Arians as OC. Dick Lebeau as DC.
John Mitchell as DL coach Asst Head Coach.
Keith Butler who became DC as LB coach
Randy Fichtner who was WR coach who became OC
Larry Zeirlein as OL coach.
They had a bigger coaching staff then.

So it is not just players, but Tomlin also had a much, much better coaching staff then. Many of them who was not hired by Tomlin. And also....the guy at the top was......Dan Rooney.
 
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The Pirates are stuck in the rath of hell only a death or stroke might be able to rid them of the evil of Nutting clan !
 
TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
Yeah, as I've said before... Tomlin is even less the man for the job now than he ever has been, because he's desperately trying to end the playoff winless streak and keep the .500 or better thing going, while this team needs to unload what few valuable 30+ year old pieces it has, perhaps embrace a year or two of losing while getting the young guys ready, and hit on some high draft picks. The marriage makes no sense.

Presumably, it's the same with Sullivan, where he is coaching for maximizing his win total right now, and that simply is way too futile to mean anything.

It'd be like running a wrestling promotion where you're still letting the 55-year-old has-beens get over on the young talent. Well, that might sell a few more tickets now, but when those guys retire in a few years your cupboards are going to be awfully empty.
Click to expand...
When Rutherford was the GM he and Mario made the decision for a win now approach. It worked 3 cups with Sid Malkin. Traded draft picks and young talent and they had to know that one year it would catch up to them. Hextal was a terrible GM and now the Pens have no choice but to rebuild.
Sid puts fans in the seats so he’s not going anywhere. But, at some point they have to cut ties with Geno and Letang.
Does Sullivan want to stay during this rebuild or does he just resign? The other question is Dubas the right person to rebuild this team.
 
Zeldas Open Roof said:
who is the area's best coach right now? O'toole? maybe the duquesne women's coach? Fisher probably, the women's volleyball coach.

That's all i can think of.
Click to expand...
I was going to throw a few high school football coach names in there.... but I don't have one. Who coaches Penn Hills now? Thomas Jefferson's coach?
 
TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
Seems like we live in an age where coaches are getting canned left and right, while the guys in Pittsburgh are sitting here with moss growing on them while being paid handsomely for mostly mediocre results as of late.
Click to expand...
You got it all wrong dude. The Steelers have had only 3 coaches since 90% of the world has been born. It's like having a wining season streak.... and then a non-losing streak for almost two decades. 30 year old men cannot remember a Steeler losing season. High School graduates can't remember a playoff win....
But whose counting?
 
jtownknowitall said:
Mike Tomlin is taking a team that should be winning six or seven games to the playoffs.
Click to expand...
Mike Tomlin is also preventing a team that should only win 5-6 games for the betterment of their future to win at all costs a stupid, meaningless achievement.

Understand?
 
jtownknowitall said:
Right. Tomlin sucks because he wins too many games.
Click to expand...

Tell me what you think Mike the Magician does that is so special. Dude plays a ridiculously conversative game on both sides of the ball and hopes TJ Watt makes some plays.

Without Watt: 1-10
With Watt: 52-24-2

Then tell me why he couldn't win with Ben, Bell, AB, and the gang if you think it's coaching alone - not roster construction - he should be evaluated on.
 
Richard A said:
When Rutherford was the GM he and Mario made the decision for a win now approach. It worked 3 cups with Sid Malkin. Traded draft picks and young talent and they had to know that one year it would catch up to them. Hextal was a terrible GM and now the Pens have no choice but to rebuild.
Sid puts fans in the seats so he’s not going anywhere. But, at some point they have to cut ties with Geno and Letang.
Does Sullivan want to stay during this rebuild or does he just resign? The other question is Dubas the right person to rebuild this team.
Click to expand...
Surely you know by now that they can’t just cut ties with Malkin and Letang with their approval because of no movement clauses. And pretty obvious Sullivan wants to stay through the rebuild or he’d be gone already. I’m positive he wouldn’t be out of a job for long.
 
PITTstorm said:
Surely you know by now that they can’t just cut ties with Malkin and Letang with their approval because of no movement clauses. And pretty obvious Sullivan wants to stay through the rebuild or he’d be gone already. I’m positive he wouldn’t be out of a job for long.
Click to expand...
Sullivan would be the hottest coach out there for sure. I hope he sticks around because he’s one of the best coaches in the league. Don’t be surprised if Malkin retires in the next year or so. Letang is old and slow and needs to go. Unfortunately that won’t happen. But it does slow the rebuild process down.
 
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