Thread: Meathead on Notice

Meathead is on Notice
14 Sept. 2005

Though Vikes owner Zygi Wilf didn't mention anyone by name, coach Mike Tice -- and everyone else in the organization -- needs to start thinking about their job security.

Wilf on Tuesday made it clear that he plans to take a more active role in the team that he has purchased.

"I have to be active," Wilf said, according to The Minneapolis Star Tribune. "No, I'm not going to call the plays. But I'm going to go ahead and make sure that the right people do the right things. I think it's very important that the message is out that the person on the top is watching over them, making sure everything is done right. We're going to try to strive for excellence. I'll try to figure out what it will take for us to be the champs."

It seems that Wilf had an epiphany of sorts while cruising the Twin Cities after Sunday's crushing loss to Tampa.

"I really am the Monday morning quarterback now. [I realized], 'I have to do something about that, don't I?' In all fairness, the way I'm going to deal with that . . . as I contemplated while I was driving around . . . and thinking about what happened, is that I have to be active."

It remains to be seen what Wilf's "activity" will entail. At some teams, owner "activity" is a bad thing. Elsewhere, it can be beneficial.

The key, as league insiders have explained to us in the past, is that the non-football guys need to know what they don't know.

It's simple, but critical. Football looks easier than it is. Smart guys who have been successful in other endeavors assume that they can figure out how to put together an NFL team without specific experience or expertise, especially after they try to engage in, you know, an intelligent conversation with some of the guys who have acquired such experience or expertise.

So that's the challenge for Zagnut, in our view. He must understand the limits of his knowledge and abilities, and defer to the experts whom he employs when it comes to matters of football.

Easier said, in many cases, than done.

Fassell for HC 2006!

Beautiful, Maybe he can light a fire under tice and co's asse$...and if that dosnt work, bring in some people who kno what thier doin. Anyone know any coaches we could pick up next year?

"WilliamsonOfTroy" wrote:

Beautiful, Maybe he can light a fire under tice and co's asse$...and if that dosnt work, bring in some people who kno what thier doin. Anyone know any coaches we could pick up next year?

the first names that come to my mind are fassell, shanahan (if he gets canned in denver), and Jim Johnson could quit to become a head coach.

We needed somebody with a track record....they should have goneout and gotten Green back last summer....or before he went to the Cards....They should give Monte Kiffin the head coaching job, or Charlie Weis...see if he'll leave Notre Dame.....or even Linnehan, he is an offensive guru, cuz we need to face it that Loney is an idiot....

"GreenBaySlackers" wrote:

"WilliamsonOfTroy" wrote:

Beautiful, Maybe he can light a fire under tice and co's asse$...and if that dosnt work, bring in some people who kno what thier doin. Anyone know any coaches we could pick up next year?

the first names that come to my mind are fassell, shanahan (if he gets canned in denver), and Jim Johnson could quit to become a head coach.

Well, if you want boring O, hire fassell, I dont want either shanahan or Johnson. I say we hire the bills D coord, whats his name... Gray? He would get my first vote for head coach.

Here's to hoping a little pressure on Tice makes him, well, not suck.

Tice has said repetedly he is on the hot seat. He knows he is walking on thin ice.

I'm not sure if that is good or not to pressure him. It seems like when he tries we squeak by, if he figures he is doomed anyway he may not even put forth that effort.

The PTI guys ripped Wilf, saying that he doesn't know enough about football, like a J.Jones, to be involved at that level.

But, I do think that the were taking his involvement out of context. The guy said these comment at a St.Paul Chamber of Commerice meeting. The guy was just saying that he will hold everyone accountable to their job position.

That is how I took it.

He has pride and he doesn't want to be a loser, like 95% of the other NFL owners, they all want to win.

"Del Rio" wrote:

Tice has said repetedly he is on the hot seat. He knows he is walking on thin ice.

I'm not sure if that is good or not to pressure him. It seems like when he tries we squeak by, if he figures he is doomed anyway he may not even put forth that effort.

Good thought there. It is a self fulfilling prophecy of sorts.

They asked Tice is the punter on a week to week basis and he said, no, I am the one on a week to week basis. Then he laughed it off, but it seemed like he actually believes that.