Archives for January 2, 2004

‘Tom Donahoe spent his New Years traveling the country looking for a head coach. Today he’s in Foxbourgh to interview Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and New England defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. Donahoe spent New Years Day in St.Louis interviewing Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.’

‘Smith already has interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants. Chicago is scheduled to meet him today. There is speculation in Atlanta that he may be the Falcons’ top choice.’

‘A year away from the game did wonders for Coughlin’s persona. He no longer is viewed as a tyrant. Instead, his image is that of a shrewd disciplinarian perfectly fit to a franchise in need of a swift and emphatic kick in the pants. He was a finalist for the Bengals job last season and is being heralded as a solution waiting to be tapped. Whether he’d be right for Buffalo is part of the quandary facing Tom Donahoe, president and general manager of the Bills, who has the unenviable task of sifting through a wealth of candidates, tested and untested, and then rendering the most important decision of his tenure.’

‘”All around I think this has been my best year since I’ve been in the league,” said Winfield, whose tackle total was a career high. “I would have liked to have had a lot more interceptions and changed a few games around, but I didn’t do that.”‘

‘What set him apart, in addition to his smooth voice, was his objectivity. “He’s a consumate pro among home team broadcasters who reacted without emotion when Buffalo lost those four Super Bowls,” says broadcasting veteran Don Chevrier. “All too many others would have whined and moaned when `their’ team lost.”‘

‘Arizona and Buffalo also have been granted permission to sit down with Crennel. The Cardinals and Bills likely will do so today, the last day teams with head coaching vacancies can interview assistants on playoff teams with first-round byes until their seasons have ended.’

‘This team (Buffalo) is close. Very close. Which is why this is the best job out there.’